After closing a time loop fiasco in The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (Vol. 5), our protagonist Kyon is ready to start a new year with a blank slate--no time travel, no apocalyptic worries, and maybe some actual peace and quiet with the SOS Brigade, a club comprised of his high school's most extraordinary students. Their leader is Haruhi, a bold, brash girl who doesn't realize that she's actually a powerful goddess whose moods can easily change the balance of the universe. Just as Kyon starts to get comfortable, he gets a visit from his friend Mikuru. Except this isn't his Mikuru; it's a Mikuru from eight days in the future! Time traveling shenanigans start all over again as Kyon, guided by the future Mikuru, attempts to stop a terrible future from becoming a reality.


Recent proposals for multithreaded architectures employ speculative execution to allow threads with unknown dependences to execute speculatively in parallel. The architectures use hardware speculative storage to buffer speculative data, track data dependences and correct incorrect executions through roll-backs. Because all memory references access the speculative storage, current proposals implement speculative storage using small memory structures to achieve fast access. The limited capacity of the speculative storage causes considerable performance loss due to speculative storage overflow whenever a thread's speculative state exceeds the speculative storage capacity. Larger threads exacerbate the overflow problem but are preferable to smaller threads, as larger threads uncover more parallelism.In this article, we discover a new program property called memory reference idempotency. Idempotent references are guaranteed to be eventually corrected, though the references may be temporarily incorrect in the process of speculation. Therefore, idempotent references, even from nonparallelizable program sections, need not be tracked in the speculative storage, and instead can directly access nonspeculative storage (i.e., conventional memory hierarchy). Thus, we reduce the demand for speculative storage space in large threads. We define a formal framework for reference idempotency and present a novel compiler-assisted speculative execution model. We prove the necessary and sufficient conditions for reference idempotency using our model. We present a compiler algorithm to label idempotent memory references for the hardware. Experimental results show that for our benchmarks, over 60% of the references in nonparallelizable program sections are idempotent.


We recently showed that bone marrow-derived mast cells bore MHC class II molecules and could present antigens to specific T cell hybridomas. This article summarizes the effects of purified recombinant cytokines on the expression of MHC class II molecules by mast cells and on their antigen-presenting capacity. Since IL-3 is essential for mast cell growth, all the cytokines were analyzed in the presence of IL-3. IL-3 downregulated the production of Ia molecules, so that mast cells cultured in IL-3 alone had no antigen presenting ability. In contrast, IL-4 and IFN-gamma upregulated the production of MHC class II molecules, while GM-CSF had no effect. The antigen-presenting capacity of IL-4-treated mast cells was substantially enhanced by incubating these cells with GM-CSF for 2 days. GM-CSF enhanced antigen presentation only in combination with IL-4. The activation of mast cells was reversible and could not be repeated. Finally, incubation of IL-4- or IL-4/GM-CSF-treated mast cells with IFN-gamma led to almost complete inhibition of the antigen-presenting function. These findings provide new insights into the regulation of specific allergic responses.


'Trauma' has emerged as a central defining construct within professional and popular
discussions on refugee health. Refugees are considered to be at risk for psychological
distress due to traumatic events experienced in the context of conflict and natural disasters
in their countries of origin as well as in the context of exile. Following migration, life in
resettlement is often an unstable process marked by poverty, social exclusion, as well as
poor health status.
The importance of 'trauma' in the discussions on refugee health has left health professionals
struggling to make sense of and react to groups of people now defined as 'traumatised'.
However, we have little understanding of how trauma is understood, experienced and
addressed by individuals, their advocates and the service provider's impacts upon the
experiences of refugees in resettlement. Juxtaposing information from three distinct
sources, I examine the discourse(s) surrounding refugees and health in resettlement,
focusing upon the definitions and meanings attached to the issue of 'trauma'. The analysis
draws on 16 qualitative interviews with health and social care professionals, qualitative
'resettlement history' interviews with 25 women refugees, as well as an examination of a
selected body of authoritative knowledge (academic articles and conference reports) in the
UK.
At the heart of this analysis are contrasting perspectives in relation to the dominant
paradigms of psychiatry, the metes and bounds of localised frameworks of distress, and the
margins of socio-political action and interpretation. Definitions of trauma as a psychiatric
disorder have implications for the clinical and social care responses of health professionals.
In turn, women refugees are encouraged to engage with psychiatric systems of care and to learn a new language of distress that is psychologically informed, and may be distant from
the socio-cultural context of their lives in resettlement.
At the same time, the construct of 'trauma' has significance in the context of political
asylum, where a diagnosis of , trauma tis ed' may be perceived as evidence supporting
asylum claims. The highly politicised context of resettlement raises issues of social justice,
which are interspersed with notions of trauma, as professionals seek to reconcile ideas of
testimony and therapeutic interventions. These ways of seeing trauma rely upon the use of
conventional Western notions of mental health and well-being that are grounded in a
psychiatric paradigm and make use of related clinical strategies. Particular emphasis is
placed upon the value of 'talk' as a means of achieving recovery. The women interact with
popular and professional discourses on trauma in their daily lives. How they perceive and
respond to these discourses (whether accepting it in whole, in part or rejecting it) offers
insights into the meaning of trauma in resettlement and the coping strategies they employ in
response to a psychological framing of their experiences.


Non-technical abstract Decisions on the use of nature reflect the values and rights of individuals, communities and society at large. The values of nature are expressed through cultural norms, rules and legislation, and they can be elicited using a wide range of tools, including those of economics. None of the approaches to elicit peoples' values are neutral. Unequal power relations influence valuation and decision-making and are at the core of most environmental conflicts. As actors in sustainability thinking, environmental scientists and practitioners are becoming more aware of their own posture, normative stance, responsibility and relative power in society. Based on a transdisciplinary workshop, our perspective paper provides a normative basis for this new community of scientists and practitioners engaged in the plural valuation of nature. Technical abstract During a workshop held in Oaxaca, Mexico, a shared vision, mission and strategies to foster a more plural valuation of nature were developed. The participants represent a wide range of backgrounds and are active in science, policy and practitioner networks and activities. Their common ground is the recognition of the need to change the prevailing culture of how nature is valued and subsequently managed as an essential step towards a more just and sustainable world. After an open plenary session in which the goal of the workshop was determined and the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of the participants were heard, breakout groups developed the components of a shared vision, mission and strategies for plural valuation of nature. Consequently, these components were discussed back in plenary and consolidated into a consensus text, which was further debated and its main building blocks agreed upon. The compilation of our shared views converged into a normative call and perspective to share with our peers. The information generated throughout the workshop was collaboratively synthesized, amended, reviewed and validated by all workshop participants/co-authors. Our message aims to contribute to advancing plural valuation approaches as a science-policy field, as well as to raise personal awareness among researchers and practitioners on implicit inequality and power issues.


Metal ion cofactors can alter the energetics and specificity of sequence specific protein–DNA interactions, but it is unknown if the underlying effects on structure and dynamics are local or dispersed throughout the protein–DNA complex. This work uses EcoRV endonuclease as a model, and catalytically inactive lanthanide ions, which replace the Mg2+ cofactor. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) titrations indicate that four Lu3+ or two La3+ cations bind, and two new crystal structures confirm that Lu3+ binding is confined to the active sites. NMR spectra show that the metal-free EcoRV complex with cognate (GATATC) DNA is structurally distinct from the nonspecific complex, and that metal ion binding sites are not assembled in the nonspecific complex. NMR chemical shift perturbations were determined for 1H–15N amide resonances, for 1H–13C Ile-δ-CH3 resonances, and for stereospecifically assigned Leu-δ-CH3 and Val-γ-CH3 resonances. Many chemical shifts throughout the cognate complex are unperturbed, so metal binding does not induce major conformational changes. However, some large perturbations of amide and side chain methyl resonances occur as far as 34 Å from the metal ions. Concerted changes in specific residues imply that local effects of metal binding are propagated via a β-sheet and an α-helix. Both amide and methyl resonance perturbations indicate changes in the interface between subunits of the EcoRV homodimer. Bound metal ions also affect amide hydrogen exchange rates for distant residues, including a distant subdomain that contacts DNA phosphates and promotes DNA bending, showing that metal ions in the active sites, which relieve electrostatic repulsion between protein and DNA, cause changes in slow dynamics throughout the complex.


This study was conducted to characterize Vibrio harveyi isolated from diseased fish specimens and water sample in Sabah. The V. harveyi were Isolated using thiosulphate dtrate bile sucrose (TCSS) agar and detected using PCR amplification of hemolysin gene. The V. harveyi were phenotypically characterized using 67 biochemical tests and subjected to susceptibility test against 11 types of antibiotics. The bacteria were also analyzed using DNA sequencing of two housekeeping genes (16S rRNA and atpA). The virulence of the V. harveyi was determined using challenge test and RFLP-PCR analysis of hemolysin gene. The result of this study revealed that the V. harveyi were detected in four out of seven diseased fish species and water sample. The V. harveyi from the fish specimens and water sample were phylogeneticalty similar to V. harveyi type strains (ATCC 35084, VHJR7 and VHJR4) and other V. harveyi from GenBank. However, they were differed in citrate utilization, urease and f3-galactosidase production tests. Based on these variations, the V. harveyi isolates can be grouped into 5 phenotypic groups. Further analysis on antibiotic susceptibility revealed that all the V. harveyi isolates were susceptible to tetracycline and nalidixic acid; Intermediate sensitive to oxolinic acid and trimetophrim but resistant to vancomycin and ampicillin. However, they responded variably to ciprofloraxin, nitrofurantoin, novobiocin, chloramphenicol and kanamycin. The sequencing analysis of housekeeping genes further confirmed the Identity of the V. harveyi. The phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA showed that V. harveyi dustered together with the closely related species, V. campbellii and V. rotlferfanus. However, the atpA cleariy separated all the V. harveyiIsolates from Its closely related species. The challenge test showed that all V. harveyi isolates were
virulent to Asian seabass (lDtes calcarifet). The RFlP analysis using two restriction
enzymes, Ac∧ and Bg∧I, and amino acid sequence analysis showed that all the V. harveyi isolates have similar RFLP-PCR pattern with pathogenic strain of V. harvey;
(VHJR7). The present study revealed that the V. harveyi can exist In diseased fish and water samples. The variability of the V. harveyi isolates in the utilization of citrate, urease and I²-galactosidase production test can be explained by the horizontal gene transfer of the gene responsible for those phenotypic features in V. harveyi. The various responses to antibiotics suggest that the V. harveyi may contain resistant genes for those antibiotics. The molecular analysis of housekeeping genes revealed that the atpA gene Is more discriminative and can provide accurate species identification for V. harvey; than the 16S rRNA gene. It is also shown in this study that V. harveyi with different phenotypes can cause mortality to Asian seabass. The sequendng and RFLP-PCR analyses of hemolysin gene can be used to differentiate pathogenic strains of V. harveyi from nonpathogenic strains. The data presented In the present study can be useful in the fish vibriosis monitoring program for marine aquaculture in Sabah.


AIMS
The aim of this study was to assess neoatherosclerotic plaque morphology in bare metal (BMS) and first- and second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients presenting with an event attributed to stent failure.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Thirty-five patients (11 implanted with BMS, 13 with a first-generation and 11 with a second-generation DES) admitted with an event due to stent failure who had neoatherosclerotic lesions on optical coherence tomography were included in the analysis. The lumen and stent borders were detected and the lipid and calcific tissue were identified in the neointima and their burden was estimated. The neointima attenuation and backscatter indices were computed and compared between the different stent types. Although there were no differences in the neointima burden, the BMS group exhibited thinner fibrous caps (p<0.001), and a numerically increased incidence of lipid-rich plaques (p=0.052) and macrophage accumulation (p=0.012). Neointima discontinuities (p=0.009) and thrombus (p=0.032) were seen more often in first-generation DES. In all stent types, neoatherosclerosis had focal manifestations. In neoatherosclerotic lesions the attenuation and backscatter indices were increased in BMS (p=0.031 and p=0.018, respectively) compared to DES; however, there were no differences between stents in the attenuation indices in subsegments located distally to neoatherosclerotic lesions which had low values in all stent types.

CONCLUSIONS
Although there are differences in lipid burden and neointima characteristics in different stent types, in all stents neoatherosclerosis has focal manifestations indicating that, irrespective of the stent type, focal triggers are involved in the generation of vulnerable neolesions.


Abstract Background: Despite the multitude of challenges that families living with a child with diabetes face, they have been found to adapt to such an extent that diabetes is viewed as a manageable condition. This study was concerned with the factors that enable these families to adapt. The internationally acclaimed Resiliency Model of Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation served as the framework to conceptualise the families' adjustment and adaptation processes. Methods: The study was triangular in nature, with an exploratory, descriptive approach; non-probability purposive and snowball sampling techniques were employed. Sixteen families participated in the research. A biographical questionnaire, which included an open-ended question, to be completed in written format, was used in conjunction with seven structured questionnaires to gather relevant data. These seven structured questionnaires were an operationalisation of some of the key concepts and processes of the Resiliency Model. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the biographical information. Quantitative data were analysed by means of correlation analysis, while qualitative data were analysed by means of content analysis. Results: Various resilience factors were highlighted, including family time and routines, communication, hardiness, the acceptance of the diabetes, adherence to a treatment regimen, the obtaining of knowledge and skills, and working together as a family unit in managing the diabetes. Conclusions: Family plays a powerful role both in the treatment of chronic illness and in paediatric practice. This article highlights the central role of family in the management of type I diabetes and provides practitioners with insight into the challenges that families face, as well as the strengths that can be developed to improve their resilience in relation to this chronic illness. The identified variables are valuable, in that they can be used as a map to guide prevention and intervention efforts in helping families live with type I diabetes.


A myotoxin from Bothrops atrox snake venom was purified by cationic exchange on CM-Sephadex C-50 with 0,05M ammonium acetate pH 7. The myotoxin is a basic protein and by gel filtration and PAGE-SDS was demonstrated that protein has a molecular weight of 27 kDa and two polipeptides chain of 14 kDa each one. The inoculation of myotoxin in gastrocnemius muscle of white mice produce liberation of creatin kinase as well as myonecrosis. The myotoxin has phospholipasic, anticoagulant and edematic activity, but not hemolytic activity.


The expression of thrombopoietin (TPO) mRNA is observed in several tissues, including liver, kidney, brain, skeletal muscle, intestine, spleen, and bone marrow. Among these organs, the highest expression of TPO mRNA is detected in the liver. We identified cells producing TPO by means of in situ hybridization of adult rat liver using digoxigenin-11-UTP-labeled cRNA probes. We found that the cells expressing TPO mRNA also expressed serum albumin mRNA. TPO mRNA was detected in parenchymal cells (hepatocytes) but not in non-parenchymal cells (including endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and so forth). To determine the location of TPO expression in embryogenesis, sections of fetal mice were further analyzed by in situ hybridization. TPO mRNA was detected only in hepatocytes of fetal liver, which was also the major site of hematopoiesis. The expression of TPO mRNA in fetal liver was observed from 12.5 days postcoitus. Northern blot analysis showed that mouse liver transcribed the same size of TPO mRNA in the fetus and in the adult. These results clearly demonstrate that hepatocytes are the primary site of TPO production in the liver from fetus to adult.


The elaboration of theoretical models, even oversimplified, capable to estimate an expected electromagnetic effect during earthquake preparation process is not less important than the advancement of observational technique to detect seismic-related electromagnetic perturbations. Here possible mechanisms of ULF electromagnetic noise associated with seismic or volcanic activity are discussed. The electrokinetic (EK) and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects due to an irregular flow of conducting rock fluid or magma flow are being revised. The conventional theory of EK effect in a water-saturated rock has been advanced by consideration of elliptic-shaped channels. A contribution of both mechanisms to observed ULF signal on the ground is shown to be dependent on the pore channel size/rock permeability. Estimates of magnetic and electrotelluric perturbations caused by magma motion along a volcano throat indicate on the important role of the surrounding rock conductivity. These estimates have proven that the mechanisms under consideration are able to generate ULF electromagnetic perturbations which could be detected by modern magnetometers under favorable conditions.


This is an article about solving the problem of expensive electronic discovery in litigation by simply learning the most important facts first. Judges and parties often complain that the scope of information included in fact discovery in civil litigation is over inclusive and disproportionate to size of the dispute, resulting in overly expensive costs. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure recently changed again to further emphasize the use of "proportional" limits in discovery, but provide little practical mechanism for parties, lawyers, and judges to make discovery "right sized." This Article proposes that parties should be required to "phase" discovery by first setting the initial scope of discovery in a case as small as practicable and focused on the most important, outcome-determinative facts, and then following this small scope of discovery with additional "phases" if needed. The scope of discovery will then become incrementally broader in scope during each phase, but will only do so upon a showing of need for additional discovery. Phased discovery is used sporadically in litigation, often with success. This Article discusses these successes, considers potential drawbacks of phasing, and asks the key question: why wouldn't it work?


We study optimal monetary policy in the presence of financial stability concerns. We build a model in which monetary easing can lower the cost of capital for firms and restore the natural level of investment, but does also subsidize inefficient maturity transformation by financial intermediaries in the form of "carry trades" that borrow cheap at the short-term against illiquid long-term assets. Carry trades not only lead to financial instability in the form of rollover risk, but also crowd out real investment since intermediaries equate the marginal return on lending to firms to that on carry trades. Optimal monetary policy trades off any stimulative gains against these costs of carry trades. The model provides a framework to understand the puzzling phenomenon that the unprecedented post-2008 monetary easing has been associated with below-trend real investment, even while returns to real and financial capital have been historically high.


Human social life is constrained and defined by our cognitive and emotional dispositions, which are the legacy of our foraging ancestors. But how difficult is it to reconstruct the social systems and cultural traditions of those ancestors? The text provides an answer, in which archaeologists and biological anthropologists set out and demonstrate their reconstructive methods. Contributors use observations of primates and modern hunter-gatherers to illuminate the fossil and artefactual records. Thematic treatment covers the evolution of group size; group composition and the emotional structure of social bonds; sexual dimorphism and the sexual division of labour; and the origins of human cultural traditions. This book should be a useful introduction to the subject for advanced undergraduates and researchers in archaeology and biological anthropology. It can also be used by workers in psychology, sociology and feminist studies as a resource for understanding human social origins.


At a time when the future of the welfare state is the object of heated debate in many European countries, this edited collection explores the relationship between this institution and social rights. Structured around the themes of the politics of social rights; the relationship between social rights and questions of equality and social exclusion/inclusion; and the increasing impact of market imperatives on social rights, the essays explore the effect of transformations in the welfare state upon social rights and their underlying rationalities and logics. Written by a group of international scholars, many of the essays discuss a number of urgent and topical issues within social policy, including: the social rights of asylum seekers; the increasing marketisation and consumerisation of public welfare services; the care of the elderly; and the obligation to work as a condition of access to welfare benefits. International in its scope, and interdisciplinary in its approach, this collection of essays will appeal to scholars and students working in the fields of law and socio-legal studies, sociology, social policy, and politics. It will also be of interest to policy makers and all those engaged in the debate over the future of the welfare state and social rights.


This poster gives an overview of the background and development of EXTRAMUEP [http://extramuep.mah.se], a stand-alone web application for DSpace data extraction, an application that aims at motivating content-owners to deposit more of their works as well as facilitating dissemination and administration of research. The main feature of this tool is the conversion of DSpace data into ready-to-use files in the user's 'Office' applications.

EXTRAMUEP is developed for Malmo University Electronic Publishing [http://mah.se/muep], to ensure that data entered in DSpace is not only created and used, but more importantly re-used by the university itself. The workflow for the majority of entries in the system relies on authors registering their works themselves, and members of faculty reviewing the records before they are accepted. In in-depth interviews, we have received an explicit message from several researchers that, due to lack of time, parallel publishing in the institutional repository would only be prioritised if the organisation or funding agencies decided it to be mandatory or strongly encouraged. These responses made it clear to us that we needed to be pro-active and find other ways to ensure that research at Malmo University is made more visible and MUEP even more useful.

Hence we developed EXTRAMUEP. For the end-users EXTRAMUEP is a web-based interface where the user downloads a file that is opened in their favourite software used for spreadsheets and word processing.

The application itself can be adapted for other formats, layouts and field extractions. It is a stand-alone web-based PHP-solution, which calls the database directly and maps Rich Text Format and HTML 4.0 as the output formats. The application tells the browser to open the files in the software that is associated with the specific content types. The application for EXTRAMUEP will be documented and packaged for usage and further development by others in the DSpace community.

The current presentation format in EXTRAMUEP follows the university's internal needs, which e.g. is used for statistical purposes and to determine keys for funding upcoming years. The information in the spreadsheets is similar to the one we have in DSpace, and we could see the benefits of getting the data extracted automatically for this purpose, and in a way that does not require end-users to use other software than the ones they are used to in their desktop environment.

In 2006 we made a manual copy and paste of the DSpace-data into spreadsheets, as an attempt to see if the metadata was good enough for the task. In the evaluations afterwards we found out that a majority of the researchers that had added their data in DSpace had a positive attitude to doing it again for 2007, and that the administrative staff could see a slight improvement of data quality this year. After this test in 2006, we find researchers that regularly add their publications to DSpace. We have also seen an increased amount of full-texts being uploaded into the repository and data added that is not mandatory, such as abstracts and links to full-texts etc.


Among restrictions on imports, safeguard measures are particularly controversial in that they are invoked in the absence of any unfair trade practice. Safeguards interfere substantially with the normal stream of trade, and their improper application undermines the objectives of the WTO. Recent WTO cases have brought the attention of trade lawyers to the absence of comprehensive materials on this complex subject, and highlighted the need for a reliable guide to the WTO rules on safeguards. Dr. Y.S. Lee, perhaps the world s foremost authority on safeguard measures, has provided such a guide, here updated in its second edition.Readers may expect from this book comprehensive coverage on safeguards to date with legal analysis of the important issues in the interpretation and application of the current rules on safeguards. The author also proposes modifications to enhance and clarify the discipline of safeguards. The crucial issues raised include the following: economic and political justifications of safeguards; applicability of GATT Article XIX; interpretation and application of the Agreement on Safeguards, including non-discriminatory application of safeguards and justification of safeguards-in-response; transitional product-specific safeguard measures against China; and emergency safeguards to trade in services.The focus of the book is on the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, as interpreted by WTO Panel and Appellate Body reports in key cases, including Korea Dairy Products, Argentina Footwear, United States Wheat Gluten, United States Lamb Meat, Chile Price Band System, United States Line Pipe and United States Steel Products. Dr. Lee summarizes the various key findings and provides lucid and well-balanced analysis of these reports. Other WTO rules considered include GATT Articles XIX, XII, and XVIII; the Understanding on Balance of Payments of the GATT 1994; the Agreement on Agriculture; the Agreement on Textile and Clothing; Article XII of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS); and the Protocol on the Accession of the People s Republic of China." Safeguard Measures in World Trade" comes at a time when safeguard measures continue to mount in various parts of the world and a possible domino effect can destabilize the international trading system. It will be of inestimable value to government officials, trade lawyers, international business people, and academics in trade law and related fields.


JAMA Pediatrics is a monthly, peer-reviewed journal for physicians and other health care professionals who contribute to the health of children and adolescents. The JAMA Pediatrics provides an open forum for dialogue on a full range of clinical, scientific, advocacy, and humanistic issues relevant to the care of pediatric patients from infancy through young adulthood. JAMA Pediatrics is a vehicle for increased attention to adolescent health, the education of pediatric health care professionals, and disease prevention and health promotion. JAMA Pediatrics publishes original studies, editorials, reviews by experts, practice commentaries, case quizzes, and updates on clinical science and practice management. The Pediatric Forum provides our readers with opportunities to express their views.


This module describes the biogenesis of organelles. Organelles are subcellular structures of distinctive morphology and function. The organelles of human cells include: mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, vacuoles, nucleus, (auto)phagosome, centriole, lysosome, melanosome, myofibril, nuc-leolus, peroxisome, cilia (in some cell types), proteasome, ribsome, and transport vesicles.


Previous research in syntactic gender congruency effects has indicated that German and Dutch speakers exhibited priming effects in the production of noun phrases (La Heij, Mak, Sander & Willeboordse 1998; Schriefers 1993; Schriefers & Teruel 2000), whereas speakers of Spanish and Italian showed no such effects (Miozzo & Caramazza 1999; Costa, SebastiánGallés, Miozzo & Caramazza 1999). Until recently, the production of bare nouns had only been examined in Dutch (La Heij, et al. 1998) and no effect was found. It was concluded that gender information is only accessed when specifically required for the selection of agreement morphemes. Cubelli, Lotto, Paolieri, Girelli, and Job (2005), however, found an inhibitory gender congruency effect for bare noun production in Italian. The goal of the current experiment was to determine if such an effect could be elicited in Spanish. The current experiment examined the production of bare nouns and noun phrases (NPs) by native Spanish speakers within the picture-word interference paradigm, in which subjects named a picture accompanied by a distractor word which was either gender congruent or incongruent with the target. Congruency effects were determined by naming latencies. An analysis of the data showed that there was no gender congruency effect in bare noun production. Naming latencies in the two conditions were virtually identical (f (1,15) = 0.017, p < 0.90). In addition, separate analyses were performed on target words of each gender (masculine and feminine) and no gender specific effect was found. As predicted, there were no congruency effects for NP production. The fact that, in bare noun production, Spanish behaves like Dutch rather than Italian indicates that there is a critical difference between Spanish and Italian relating to gender access.


BACKGROUND Inhaled budesonide has shown efficacy for treating COVID-19 in the community but has not yet been tested in effectiveness trials. METHODS We performed a multicenter, open-label, multi-arm, adaptive platform randomized controlled trial involving people aged [≥]65 years, or [≥]50 years with comorbidities, and unwell [≤]14 days with suspected COVID-19 in the community (PRINCIPLE). Participants were randomized to usual care, usual care plus inhaled budesonide (800g twice daily for 14 days), or usual care plus other interventions. The co-primary endpoints are time to first self-reported recovery, and hospitalization/death related to COVID-19, both measured over 28 days from randomisation and analysed using Bayesian models. RESULTS The trial opened on April 2, 2020. Randomization to inhaled budesonide began on November 27, 2020 and was stopped on March 31, 2021 based on an interim analysis using data from March 4, 2021. Here, we report updated interim analysis data from March 25, 2021, at which point the trial had randomized 4663 participants with suspected COVID-19. Of these, 2617 (56.1%) tested SARS-CoV-2 positive and contributed data to this interim budesonide primary analysis; 751 budesonide, 1028 usual care and 643 to other interventions. Time to first self-reported recovery was shorter in the budesonide group compared to usual care (hazard ratio 1.208 [95% BCI 1.076 - 1.356], probability of superiority 0.999, estimated benefit [95% BCI] of 3.011 [1.134 - 5.41] days). Among those in the interim budesonide primary analysis who had the opportunity to contribute data for 28 days follow up, there were 59/692 (8.5%) COVID-19 related hospitalizations/deaths in the budesonide group vs 100/968 (10.3%) in the usual care group (estimated percentage benefit, 2.1% [95% BCI -0.7% - 4.8%], probability of superiority 0.928). CONCLUSIONS In this updated interim analysis, inhaled budesonide reduced time to recovery by a median of 3 days in people with COVID-19 with risk factors for adverse outcomes. Once 28 day follow up is complete for all participants randomized to budesonide, final analyses of time to recovery and hospitalization/death will be published. (Funded by the National Institute of Health Research/ United Kingdom Research Innovation [MC_PC_19079]; PRINCIPLE ISRCTN number, ISRCTN86534580.)


Modulation of existing drugs is required to achieve enhanced activity for cancer therapy by lowering their effective dose. Strategies for introduction of cationic charge and hydrophobicity have been proposed and explored to enhance the therapeutic effects of anticancer drugs. In this manuscript, we planned modulation of tamoxifen and synthesized eight tamoxifen (Tam) conjugated lithocholic acid (LCA) amphiphiles with variable cationic charged head groups. We determined the anticancer potential of these amphiphiles against different breast cancer cell lines. Activity of these amphiphiles is contingent on nature of the charged head group, as hard-charged amphiphiles exhibit strong membrane interactions and enhanced anticancer activity compared to soft-charged amphiphiles. In-depth mechanistic studies concluded that conjugation of a dimethyl amino pyridine (DMAP) charged head group in case of LCA-Tam-DMAP enhances therapeutic effect of Tam in breast cancer cells, and makes it highly effective even against ER negative cells. Amphiphilic character of these lipid-drug conjugates can be further explored for engineering nanotherapeutics for targeting tumors. Therefore, fine-tuning the interactions of drugs with cell membranes can help in engineering future lipid-drug conjugates for effective cancer therapy.


Throughout the world, soya beans and seeds are typically cultivated in large plantations. The way plantations have been established are often discussed as what represent the 'global land grab'. Little has been discussed, however, about how large plantations evolve as they interact with various actors at national and local levels. In Mozambique's plateaus, the soya sector was initially inspired by the large-scale South American production and it showed characteristics of the land grab. At the same time, it has developed into new types of business models, from contract farming to sourcing, which integrate more than 10,000 smallholders in the value chain. This paper proposes to analyse the evolution of the soya sector in Mozambique, drawing on data collected from 160 households in Gurue district, in the province of Zambezia. It highlights how contract farming that is supposedly more 'inclusive' than the large-scale plantation had gone through a boom-and bust cycle, as smallholders have accumulated experience to exercise their agency to deal with the market, investors and fellow producers and begun to exit from the business and sell their produce to the open market. This process reveals how smallholders have exercised their agency to reject the contract and developed the soya bean production as a part of local struggles that are simultaneously influenced by multi-scale land and agricultural development projects of civil society and external donors. The paper concludes that developing the capacities of governments at different levels to grasp such evolvement, as well as of smallholders to hold governments accountable for their experience, is vital to make current soya business models socially inclusive and economically viable.


ADAMs and ADAMTSs are multi-domain proteins characterised by the presence of both metalloproteinase and disintegrin-like domains. ADAM proteins are usually type l transmembrane proteins, and ADAMTSs are secreted from cells. The dysregulated expression of ADAMs and ADAMTSs has been reported in a wide range of human cancers, where, in many cases, they are implicated as positive regulators of cancer progression. Proteolytically active ADAMs act as ectodomain sheddases, which release extracellular regions of membrane-bound proteins (e.g., adhesion molecules, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and receptors). Certain ADAMTSs break down extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycans (e.g., aggrecan, brevican and versican). Through these actions they are able to sculpt the tumour microenvironment and modulate key processes involved in cancer progression, including cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. Members of both groups of protein can also act to inhibit or slow cancer progression: ADAMs can interact with specific integrins to elicit inhibitory effects on cancer dissemination, and certain ADAMTSs possess anti-angiogenic activity, which prevents an increase in tumour size. This review covers recent developments in the involvement of ADAM and ADAMTS proteins in human cancer.


Background: Accurate diagnosis of skull base tumors is essential for providing personalized surgical treatment strategies. Intraoperative diagnosis can be challenging due to tumor diversity and lack of intraoperative pathology resources. Objective: To develop an independent and parallel intraoperative pathology workflow that can provide rapid and accurate skull base tumor diagnoses using label-free optical imaging and artificial intelligence (AI). Method: We used a fiber laser–based, label-free, nonconsumptive, high-resolution microscopy method (< 60 sec per 1 × 1 mm2), called stimulated Raman histology (SRH), to image a consecutive, multicenter cohort of skull base tumor patients. SRH images were then used to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) model using three representation learning strategies: cross-entropy, self-supervised contrastive learning, and supervised contrastive learning. Our trained CNN models were tested on a held-out, multicenter SRH dataset. Results: SRH was able to image the diagnostic features of both benign and malignant skull base tumors. Of the three representation learning strategies, supervised contrastive learning most effectively learned the distinctive and diagnostic SRH image features for each of the skull base tumor types. In our multicenter testing set, cross-entropy achieved an overall diagnostic accuracy of 91.5%, selfsupervised contrastive learning 83.9%, and supervised contrastive learning 96.6%. Our trained model was able to identify tumor-normal margins and detect regions of microscopic tumor infiltration in whole-slide SRH images. Conclusion: SRH with AI models trained using contrastive representation learning can provide rapid and accurate intraoperative diagnosis of skull base tumors.


Background Infants born to dengue immune mothers acquire maternal antibodies to dengue. These antibodies, though initially protective, decline during the first year of life to levels thought to be disease enhancing, before reaching undetectable levels. Infants have long been studied to understand the interaction between infection and disease on an individual level. Methods/Findings Considering infants (cases <1 year old) as a unique group, we analyzed serotype specific dengue case data from patients admitted to a pediatric hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. We show differences in the propensity of serotypes to cause disease in individuals with dengue antibodies (infants and post-primary cases) and in individuals without dengue antibodies (primary cases). The mean age of infant cases differed among serotypes, consistent with previously observed differential waning of maternal antibody titers by serotype. We show that trends over time in epidemiology of infant cases are consistent with those observed in the whole population, and therefore with trends in the force of infection. Conclusions/Significance Infants with dengue are informative about the interaction between antibody and the dengue serotypes, confirming that in this population DENV-2 and DENV-4 almost exclusively cause disease in the presence of dengue antibody despite infections occurring in others. We also observe differences between the serotypes in the mean age in infant cases, informative about the interaction between waning immunity and disease for the different serotypes in infants. In addition, we show that the mean age of infant cases over time is informative about transmission in the whole population. Therefore, ongoing surveillance for dengue in infants could provide useful insights into dengue epidemiology, particularly after the introduction of a dengue vaccine targeting adults and older children.


Techniques such as mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy form an essential part of the medicinal chemist's toolbox for characterizing and assessing the purity of new molecules. Empowering medicinal chemists to gain early insight into their reaction products has a direct impact on productivity. Devolution of cutting-edge techniques from the specialist to the bench chemist also frees the specialist to concentrate on solving the more demanding of analytical problems. For open-access techniques to be taken up, they must be robust and be able to handle differing sample concentrations and varying sample complexities. This paper details the implementation of high-resolution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in open access to aid the medicinal chemist in characterizing desired products and identifying unexpected rearrangements, by-products and complete unknowns.


The ability of a large variety of eukaryotic cells to actively move along different substrates plays a vital role in many biological processes. A key player in these processes is the cytoskeleton. In [7] we introduced a minimal hyperbolic-parabolic model for the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton of a generic cell resting on a flat substrate and turning into a polarized state upon some external cue. In this paper we derive moving boundary conditions for the same cytoskeleton model and by this allow for the description of actual motion. For the free boundary problem we prove short time well-posedness for a wide class of initial conditions and analyze the emergence of Dirac measures in the densities of actin filament tips. These have a direct biophysical interpretation as sharp polymerization fronts which are experimentally observed in [19], for example. Further, numerical results will illustrate both, the motion of an initially symmetric resting cell and the emergence of sharp fronts of actin filaments from initially smooth distributions.


Rwanda met the Millennium Development Goal targets for access to drinking water and sanitation. However, the WASH practices of high-risk communities are undocumented. Lack of information may hide disparities that correlate with disease. The purpose of this study was to assess WASH and childhood diarrhoea in Bugesera District. A survey was administered to caregivers. Water and stool samples were collected to assess physical and biological characteristics. Focus groups provided information on community context. Analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-square, logistic regression, and thematic analysis. Piped water and unimproved sanitation were used by 45.28 per cent and 88.38 per cent of respondents. Most respondents (51.47 per cent) travelled 30–60 minutes per trip for water and 70 per cent lacked access to hand-washing near the latrine. Diarrhoea was less prevalent in children who used a toilet facility (p = 0.009). Disposal of faeces anywhere other than the toilet increased the odds of having diarrhoea (OR = 3.1, 95 per cent CI = 1.2–8.2). Use of a narrow mouth container for storage was associated with decreased intestinal parasites (p = 0.011). The presence of a hand-washing station within 10 metres of the toilet was associated with lower odds of intestinal parasites (OR = 0.54, 95 per cent CI: 0.29–0.99). Water and sanitation access, water handling and storage, and unsanitary household environment underlie high diarrhoeal disease prevalence.


Tundra swans in Upper Mississippi River backwaters Tundra swan viewing has become an increasingly popular fall recreational activity on the Upper Mississippi River. As fall foliage peaks in color on the bluffs along the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), the high-pitched bugling calls of thousands of tundra swans resonate from the once-quiet backwaters of the river. An abundant food supply and relatively undisturbed resting sites make the UMR an important staging area for tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) during fall migration. Prior to the 1970s, only "small numbers" of tundra swans consistently stopped along the Mississippi River on their way to wintering grounds in the Chesapeake Bay. In recent years, fall swan numbers on the UMR have swelled to more than 30,000 during late November.


George Kubler s seminal thoughts on artistic geography came out of his involvement with the art and architecture of the Hispanic New World. This paper examines a group of 17th and 18th century Jesuit missions in northern Mexico in order to expand our understanding of New World artistic geography, and also to explore the history of some geographic notions and their place in art historical discussions. Whereas Kubler was concerned with the transmission of styles, my interest here will be the movement of specific objects and individuals within a particular historical configuration. This will involve, of course, considerations about patronage and institutions, with some references to iconography, all of which ultimately has implications for the transmission of styles, as Kubler would no doubt have recognized.


right of first publication of such papers, in complete form; however, CSBE/SCGAB has no objections to publication, in condensed form, with credit to the Society and the author, in other publications prior to use in Society publications. Permission to publish a paper in full may be requested from the CSBE/SCGAB Secretary: Department of Biosystems Engineering E2-376 EITC Bldg, 75A Chancellor Circle, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 5V6 or contact email@example.com. The Society is not responsible for statements or opinions advanced in papers or discussions at its meetings. The Canadian Society for Bioengineering The Canadian society for engineering in agricultural, food, environmental, and biological systems. La Société Canadienne de Génie Agroalimentaire et de Bioingénierie La société canadienne de génie agroalimentaire, de la bioingénierie et de l'environnement


The gut microbiome is a key regulator of bone health that affects postnatal skeletal development and skeletal involution. Alterations in microbiota composition and host responses to the microbiota contribute to pathological bone loss, while changes in microbiota composition that prevent, or reverse, bone loss may be achieved by nutritional supplements with prebiotics and probiotics. One mechanism whereby microbes influence organs of the body is through the production of metabolites that diffuse from the gut into the systemic circulation. Recently, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are generated by fermentation of complex carbohydrates, have emerged as key regulatory metabolites produced by the gut microbiota. This Review will focus on the effects of SCFAs on the musculoskeletal system and discuss the mechanisms whereby SCFAs regulate bone cells.


The Department of Energy9s 17 national labs, which spend some $12 billion annually on a wide range of research, are considered a crown jewel of U.S. science. But as federal budgets tighten, lawmakers and others are asking if the government is getting the most for its money. This week, a House of Representatives science panel will discuss a report from three think tanks that recommends major management changes. The hearing comes weeks after a Senate panel voted to create a new national commission to examine the lab9s effectiveness. The discussion marks the third time in 2 decades that policymakers have moved to reassess how the labs are managed, organized, and funded.


Development assistance employs carrots and sticks to influence regimes and obtain particular outcomes: altered economic policies, democratization, relief of suffering from catastrophes. Wealthy nations and international agencies such as the World Bank justify development assistance on grounds of improving the global human condition. Over the last forty years, however, ethnic conflict has increased dramatically. Where does ethnic conflict fit within this set of objectives? How do the resources, policy advice, and conditions attached to aid affect ethnic conflict in countries in which donors intervene? How can assistance be deployed in ways that might moderate rather than aggravate ethnic tensions?These issues are addressed comparatively by area specialists and participant-observers from development assistance organizations. This book is the first systematic effort to evaluate this dimension of international affairs--and to propose remedies. Case studies include Russia, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, and Kenya, with references to many other national experiences.Cross-cutting chapters consider evolution of USAID and the World Bank's policies on displacement of people by development projects, as well as how carrots and sticks may affect ethnic dynamics, but through different mechanisms and to varying degrees depending on political dynamics and regime behaviors. They show that projects may also exacerbate ethnic conflict by reinforcing territoriality and exposing seemingly unfair allocative principles that exclude or harm some while benefiting others.For students of international political economy, development studies, comparative politics, and ethnic conflict, this book illuminates a problem area that has long been overlooked in international affairs literature. It is essential reading for staff members and policymakers in development assistance agencies and international financial institutions.Milton J. Esman is the John S. Knight Professor of International Studies, Emeritus, and Professor of Government, Emeritus, at Cornell University.Ronald J. Herring is Director of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell, the John S. Knight Professor of International Relations, and Professor of Government at Cornell University.


Abstract. In this research authors study possibilities of using transmitting-type electric field based sensors for recognition of fruits and vegetables. The main idea is to detect distortions of electrical field between electrodes of sensors by measuring capacitance changes for these electrodes. Electrical field is strongly affected by relative permittivity of medium, which is several times larger for fruits and vegetables consisting mainly of water than for surrounding air, leaves and other low-mass non-conductive objects. This could help to develop electrical field sensing device with number of electrodes for detection of fruits or vegetables and determining their position thus serving as additional sensor in multi sensor system with optical camera or as stand alone device. The research covers both theoretical aspect of proposed approach and experimental evaluation of prototype device based on mixed signal controller MGC3130 originally intended for electrical field based gesture sensing periphery for consumer electronics. Main results show that in worst condition when an electrode is fully covered with a physical model of leaf 43% of signal value in comparison to sensor output without obstacle is still usable. Thus this type of sensors potentially can be an integral part of complex fruit or vegetable recognition system in robotized horticulture applications.


Na+/H+ antiporter activation in human Chang liver cells produces a flat-to-round (FTR) change in cell shape with gross reduction in cell profile area. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) vividly displays a third phenomenon, viz., the development of focal microvillus anchors. Reduction in cell profile area concomitant with the development of this microvillus form of focal anchorage is quantitated by on-line image analysis during SEM examination. The reduction in profile area is corroborated by spectrophotometric digitization in light microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of rounded cells shows large endocytic channels and endosomes consistent with the observation of internalization of fluoresceinated-dextrans (FDx) of a diverse range of sizes, from 4,400 to 2,000,000 molecular weight, with cell rounding. Concomitant endocytosis of this magnitude indicates massive plasma membrane internalizations which could explain the very considerable profile area reduction and suggest that the microvillus anchors are probably traction processes. Antiporter mediated rounding (AMR) provides a highly reproducible and simple model for the production of anchoring microvilli ('filopodia') whereby they can be further explored.


We derive a conditional long run labour demand equation via a representative firm level profit maximising problem, where production takes place according to a constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function. This theoretical framework is augmented by cyclical explanatory variables to form an error correction model, which is then estimated using standard econometric methods. Estimates of important labour demand parameters, such as the elasticity of substitution between capital and labour, are consistent with previous Australian studies.


Conducting a thorough performance evaluation of an STM is very time consuming. Depressingly, even with all this effort, and even with the same application, it can still be hard to predict the performance if the number of underlying threads on which the application needs to be deployed is different than those of the experiment. Basically, one might have to conduct an entire set of new experiments to get some understanding of the performance of the STM with the new number of threads. We propose a pragmatic approach to contribute to changing this state of affairs. Using classical engineering approximation techniques, we extract from a set of STM performance measurements, analytical performance functions to model the scalability of the STM. We show, more specifically, that polynomial and rational functions provide good interpolations of STM performance: even with only a handful of measurements, the average error in most cases is around 1-2%. Further, we show that we can perform reasonably precise extrapolation using rational functions: basically, using measurements with up to m threads, we can predict the performance up to roughly 2m threads with a relatively low error (around 10% in best cases). We discuss two possible applications of our approach: (1) statically deciding whether to use an STM for a given workload and a given number of threads, and (2) dynamically adjusting the number of threads that execute in parallel to match the optimal concurrency level of a given workload.


Abstract In the increasing amount of published research and critical commentary on sport for development and Peace (sdp) two related trends are apparent. The first is a clear belief that, under certain circumstances, sport may make a useful contribution to work in international development and peace building; the second is that criticisms of it are frequently constructive, intended to support the work of practitioners in the field by outlining the limitations of what may be achieved through sport, and under what circumstances. Given these trends, public sociology provides a useful framing device for research and commentary and academics should now engage more directly with practitioners and provide more accessible summaries of their research to those engaged in sdp. We provide a brief introduction to public sociology, and outline its relevance in the sociology of sport, before making suggestions about the incorporation of public sociology into sdp research. Three main overlapping areas of research emerge from a public sociology perspective, and are needed in order to engage in a constructively critical analysis of sdp: descriptive research and evaluation; analyses of claims making; and critical analyses of social reproduction. The paper concludes with a brief examination of the dilemmas that may be encountered by those engaging in public sociology research, in both the academy and the field.


ABSTRACT The mechanical and structural properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) play an important role in regulating cell fate. The natural ECM has a complex fibrillar structure and shows nonlinear mechanical properties, which are both difficult to mimic synthetically. Therefore, systematically testing the influence of ECM properties on cellular behavior is very challenging. In this work we show two different approaches to tune the fibrillar structure and mechanical properties of fibrin hydrogels. Addition of extra thrombin before gelation increases the protein density within the fibrin fibers without significantly altering the mechanical properties of the resulting hydrogel. On the other hand, by forming a composite hydrogel with a synthetic biomimetic polyisocyanide network the protein density within the fibrin fibers decreases, and the mechanics of the composite material can be tuned by the PIC/fibrin mass ratio. The effect of the changes in gel structure and mechanics on cellular behavior are investigated, by studying human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) spreading and differentiation on these gels. We find that the trends observed in cell spreading and differentiation cannot be explained by the bulk mechanics of the gels, but correlate to the density of the fibrin fibers the gels are composed of. These findings strongly suggest that the microscopic properties of individual fibers in fibrous networks play an essential role in determining cell behavior.


Binary and Ternary nanoparticles coatings have been applied on carbon steel using atomization method (cold spraying) to corrosion control in seawater. Nanoparticles were included Nano Al 2 O 3 , SiC and ZrO 2 . The characterization of coated surfaces has been investigated by AFM and SEM in addition to calculate the coating thickness. The binary coatings deal with 50%Al 2 O 3 -50%SiC, 50%Al 2 O 3 -ZrO 2 and 50%SiC-50%ZrO 2 , while the ternary coating was 60%Al 2 O 3 -20%SiC-20%ZrO 2 . The results showed that 50%Al 2 O 3 -50%SiC had the lowest thickness and most uniform distribution in AFM and SEM due to closing in particle sizes. Corrosion test achieved to estimate the corrosion resistance, protection efficiency and porosity percentage which indicated the role of Nano particle coating to corrosion control. These data showed that the Nano 50%Al 2 O 3 -50%SiC coating had the most noble corrosion potential, lowest corrosion current density (lowest corrosion rate), highest corrosion resistance, highest efficiency 99.651 % and lowest porosity percent 1.438×10 -11 . Cyclic polarization also estimated to show the probability for pitting corrosion. The coating with 50%Al 2 O 3 -50%SiC gave the highest breakdown potential equal to +69mV.


Electronic commerce and its variance mobile commerce have tremendously increased their popularity in the last several years. As mobile devices have become the most popular mean to access and use the Internet, mobile commerce and its security are timely and very hot topics. Yet, today there is still no consistent model of various m–commerce applications and transactions, even less clear specification of their security. In order to address and solve those issues, in this paper, we first establish the concept of mobile commerce objects, an equivalent of virtual currencies, used for m–commerce transactions. We describe functionalities and unique characteristics of these objects; we follow with security requirements, and then offer some solutions – security extensions of these objects. All solutions are treated within the complete lifecycle of creation and use of the m–commerce objects.


The behaviour of many Poles towards the Jewish population during the Nazi occupation of Poland has always been a controversial issue. Although the Poles are supposed not to have collaborated with the invaders, there is evidence to show that in respect of the Jewish population, the behaviour of many Poles, including members of the underground, was far from exemplary. Poland is also the only European country where Jews were being murdered after the end of the war and where strong anti-Semitic tendencies are still present. This book analyses this question in an historical context and attempts to offer an explanation for the phenomenon of Polish anti-Semitism during and after the end of the war. The work is based on recently uncovered documents as well as on personal accounts of witnesses to the events during the war.


Real-coded genetic algorithms (RCGA) are expected to solve efficiently real parameter optimization problems of multimodality, parameter dependency, and ill-scale. Multi-parental crossovers such as the simplex crossover (SPX) and the UNDX-m as extensions of the unimodal normal distribution crossove (UNDX) show relatively good performance for RCGA. The minimal generation gap (MGG) is used widely as a generation alternation model for RCGA. However, the MGG is not suited for multi-parental crossovers. Both the SPX and the UNDX-m have their own drawbacks respectively. Therefore, RCGA composed of them cannot be applied to highly dimensional problems, because their hidden faults appear. This paper presents a new and robust faramework for RCGA. First, we propose a generation alternation model called JGG (just generation gap) suited for multi-parental crossovers. The JGG replaces parents with children completely every generation. To solve the asymmetry and bias of children distribution generated by the SPX and the UNDX-m, an enhanced SPX (e-SPX) and an enhanced UNDX (e-UNDX) are proposed. Moreover, we propose a crossover called REX(φ,n + k) as a generlization of the e-UNDX, where φ and n + k denote some probability distribution and the number of parents respectively. A concept of the globally descent direction (GDD) is introduced to handle the situations where the population does not cover any optimum. The GDD can be used under the big valley structure. Then, we propose REX as an extention of the REX(φ,n + k) that can generate children to the GDD efficiently. Several experiments show excellent performance and robustness of the REX. Finally, the future work is discussed.


Adherence at the earliest stages of treatment is likely to be influenced by prior illness trajectories and future expectations, best captured (and addressed) before treatment begins. We examined the influence of illness trajectories and treatment expectations on psychosocial readiness to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Jinja, Uganda. In-depth interviews were conducted between October 2005 and April 2006 with 41 members of an AIDS support organisation on their first day of treatment. Transcribed texts were translated, coded and analysed thematically using NVIVO-7 software. Results indicated that acute fear of death and progressive withdrawal from social, economic and sexual roles narrowed focus on survival, while efficacy-enhancing experiences with septrin prophylaxis and trust in counsellors reinforced belief in HIV diagnosis and importance of adherence. Most enjoyed supportive home environments after disclosing their serostatus. Lack of money for food and transport was anticipated as the main barriers to future adherence, particularly among women. Integrating strong counselling support with ART provision helped channel the power of shared illness experience into positive motivation to adhere at the onset of treatment.


Introduction. Recent personal information management literature has underlined the significance of the contextuality of personal information and its use. The present article discusses the applicability of the records continuum model and its generalisation, continuum thinking, as a theoretical framework for explicating the overlap and evolution of the diverse contexts of personal information and their implications for personal information management practices. Method. This article is based on three empirical case studies on 1) the personal information management practices of sound artists (qualitative semi-structured interviews), 2) graduate students' management of scholarly articles (web survey of Swedish students) and 3) the management of personal archives at Swedish archival institutions (qualitative semi-structured interviews). Analysis. The empirical material was analysed using the constant comparative method (case 1), nonparametric statistical tests including Friedman's test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis, Wilcoxon-Signed Rank test, Mann-Whitney-U test and Chi-square test in SPSS version 20.0 (case 2), and thematic analysis (case 3). Results. The continuum approach and the conceptualisation of diverse contextual aspects of personal information management as axes on a Giddensian spatio-temporal continuum can help to understand the contextual changes and continuities of personal information management and use. Conclusions. The records continuum model provides a useful theoretical basis for explicating personal information management as a process of Giddensian time-space structuration similarly to how Upward argued that the theory is useful in the context of explicating the record-keeping process and, in more general terms, providing a framework for theorising particular types of document-centric management processes.


Data sets that characterize human activity over time through collections of time-stamped events or counts are of increasing interest in application areas as human-computer interaction, video surveillance, and Web data analysis. We propose a non-parametric Bayesian framework for modeling collections of such data. In particular, we use a Dirichlet process framework for learning a set of intensity functions corresponding to different categories, which form a basis set for representing individual time-periods (e.g., several days) depending on which categories the time-periods are assigned to. This allows the model to learn in a data-driven fashion what "factors" are generating the observations on a particular day, including (for example) weekday versus weekend effects or day-specific effects corresponding to unique (single-day) occurrences of unusual behavior, sharing information where appropriate to obtain improved estimates of the behavior associated with each category. Applications to real-world data sets of count data involving both vehicles and people are used to illustrate the technique.


There is no group of birds more mysterious and fascinating than owls. The loudmouths of the raptor world, they peep, trill, toot, bark, growl, shriek, whistle, chittle, whoop, chuckle, boom, and buzz. Indeed, very few actually "hoot." They have become the stuff of lore and legend-from the Roman myth that an owl foot could reveal secrets to the First Nations belief that an owl feather could give a newborn better night vision. But the truth about owls is much more exciting. In this gorgeous book, celebrated natural history writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch reveals the secrets of this elusive species with stunning photographs, personal anecdotes, and accessible science. The photos alone are masterpieces. Unlike most published owl photos, which are portraits of birds in captivity, the vast majority of these were taken in the wild-a product of the author-photographer's incredible knowledge and patience. Lynch complements the photos with a wealth of facts about anatomy, habitat, diet, and family life. For each of the nineteen species that inhabit Canada and the United States, he provides a range map and a brief discussion of its distribution, population size, and status. Lynch debunks myths about owls' "supernatural" powers of sight and hearing, discusses courtship rituals, and offers personal tips for finding owls in the wild. From the great horned to the tiny elf owl, this amazing volume captures the beauty and mystery of these charismatic birds of prey.


Employing network coding at the relay in cooperative relay system can improve the system throughput. However, XOR based network coding does not provide a strong error correction capability that can be used at the base station (receiver) in decoding the information of the cooperating users. Instead a block code can be used to combine the received user packets at the relay station where only the extra redundancy of the block code are forwarded by the relay station. With this structure a better error correction capability is embedded to the network coding scheme providing a better help to the receiver when decoding the user information. Combining this network coding structure with the individual block codes of the users, an overall product code can be obtained which gives the possibility of generating more powerful overall codes and increases the correction capability of the decoding process at the receiver. The obtained results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the conventional XOR based network coding scheme and gives the possibility of combining more users in the cooperation process.


Analyses of ancient micro-residues and usewear preserved on stone artefacts can potentially provide detailed information about how prehistoric humans used the artefacts to process materials such as food, pigments and/or adhesives. However, ancient micro-residues are likely degraded, and there are multiple potential sources of contamination, such as contact with sediments, groundwater, recent handling, storage materials or laboratory conditions, any of which can inhibit reliable identification of micro-residues and other traces of prehistoric use.

In this pilot study, five stone tools from the archaeological site of Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia) were used to evaluate the viability of Raman spectroscopy to identity ancient micro-residues preserved on stone artefact surfaces that are due specifically to prehistoric use as opposed to some form of ancient or modern source of contamination.

Inorganic and organic deposits that occur commonly in the cave environment, including iron oxide, manganese oxide and biofilms, were identified in both the sediment and on the artefacts. Protein and saturated fatty acid micro-residues were identified on edges of all artefacts and may partially originate from modern handling. Proteins, plant fibres and other micro-residues associated with calcium nitrate are possibly archaeologically significant. Detection of plant fibres and starch grains may indicate either modern contamination or prehistoric contact with plant material that was transferred incidentally or during tool manufacture and/or tool use.

These results demonstrate the viability of Raman microscopy to screen, at an early stage of archaeological residue analysis, for modern contaminants and micro-residues related to tool manufacture and/or tool use. This approach serves as a base for planning strategies and analytical protocols for future work that targets larger samples of artefacts, integrates Raman microscopy with GC–MS/LC–MS and includes more comprehensive studies of usewear. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This work determines the variation in the fatigue loading on a tidal turbine at two depth positions and two different locations within a site. Site data were obtained at the European Marine Energy Centre, EMEC, test facility in Scotland, which has been compiled at the University of Edinburgh. The turbine modelled is the 18m Diameter DEEP-gen 1MW horizontal axis turbine. A blade element method is combined with a synthetic turbulence inflow to determine forces along the blade over a period of five tidal cycles. The focus is on establishing the difference between the loads at one tidal site, with an emphasis on the variety of turbulent conditions, with the onset flow fluctuations as great as 17% and the average integral lengthscales varying from 11 to 14 m at hub height. Fatigue loading is assessed using damage equivalent loads, with a 30% variation between turbine positions and 32% between turbine locations within a site, for one design case. When long term loading is assessed, a 41% difference is found for aggregated loads for a near surface turbine and a 28% difference for a near bed turbine.


Generally, real time, B-mode ultrasound scanner has become an essential part for veterinary reproduction applications. Diagnostic ultrasound seems to be a useful tool to study anatomical structures and to confirm echogenic pattern in reproductive organ (Holman et al, 2011). Many experiments showed that ultrasonography imaging has considerable beneficial for the evaluation of the internal structure of reproductive organ function in domestic animals (Beal et al , 1992) as it can be used as a non-invasive technique to evaluate animal reproductive health (Holman et al 2011). Pregnancy detection with ultrasonography provides more advantage compare to manual palpation because of its ability to detect early presence of embryo and its accuracy (Beal et al , 1992; Nation et al 2003). To the best of our knowledge, most of cattle farmers and veterinarians in Maumere have relied on one single method for detecting pregnancy in cows, that is, rectal palpation. However, this method has its limitation as it should be performed by a skillful technician to diagnose pregnancy as early as 40 days of gestation and it does not provide any information about the viability of the embryo or fetus. Therefore, this study aims to investigate pregnancy status of Bali cattle herded semi-intensively in Maumere, NTT by using ultrasonography. The objective of the research was to study the practical uses of ultrasound for pregnancy detection in Bali cattle on B-mode ultrasound imaging.


Secure and multicast group communication is an active area of research. The main problem in secure group communication is group dynamics and key management. Group key management brings challenges on scalability for multicast security. Member joining and member leaving from the group is the main challenge in designing secure and scalable group communication for dynamic update of keys. Most of the proposed solutions are not considering this parameter and so suffer from the one-affects-n scalability problem. This paper presents the simulation of our approach A Novel Scalable Group Key Management Protocol (NSGKMP) and gives the brief introduction about NetworkSimulator2 (NS2). This NSGKMP approach decreases number of rekeying operation when a member joins in to the group or leave from the group i.e. dynamic updating of keys. General Terms Network security, simulation.


The first part of this paper is a survey on Ramachandra's contribution to transcendental number theory included in his 1968 paper in Acta Arithmetica. It includes a discussion of pseudo-algebraic points of algebraically additive functions. The second part deals with applications to density statements related with a conjecture due to B.~Mazur. The next part is a survey of other contributions of Ramachandra to transcendence questions (on the numbers $2^{\pi^k}$, a note on Baker's method, an easy transcendence measure for $e$). Finally, related open questions are raised.


Attempts to utilize the probability calculus to prove or disprove various inductive or inductive skeptical theses are, I believe, highly problematic. Inductivism and inductive skepticism are substantive (logically consistent) philosophical positions that do not allow of merely formal proofs or disproofs. Often the problems with particular alleged formal proofs of inductive or inductive sceptical theses turn on subtle technical considerations. In the following I highlight such considerations in pointing out the flaws of two proofs, one an alleged proof of an inductive sceptical conclusion due to Karl Popper, the other an alleged proof of an inductivist thesis originally due to Harold Jeffreys and later advocated by John Earman. Surprisingly, in examining Popper's argument it is shown that certain apparently weak premises, often embraced by both inductivists and deductivists, lend themselves to inductive conclusions. However, it is argued, those premises are still philosophically substantive and not amenable to a purely formal demonstration. The lesson to be learnt here is twofold. First, we need to be very careful in determining which formal theses entail, and which are entailed by, inductive skepticism and inductivism. Second, we need to take great care in laying out and examining the assumptions presumed in formal arguments directed for and against such formal theses.Article


In order to promote understanding of UK governance and assurance relating to electronic health records research, we present and discuss the role of the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC) for MHRA database research in evaluating protocols proposing the use of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We describe the development of the Committee's activities between 2006 and 2015, alongside growth in data linkage and wider national electronic health records programmes, including the application and assessment processes, and our approach to undertaking this work. Our model can provide independence, challenge and support to data providers such as the Clinical Practice Research Datalink database which has been used for well over 1,000 medical research projects. ISAC's role in scientific oversight ensures feasible and scientifically acceptable plans are in place, while having both lay and professional membership addresses governance issues in order to protect the integrity of the database and ensure that public confidence is maintained.


This article considers algorithmic and statistical aspects of linear regression when the correspondence between the covariates and the responses is unknown. First, a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme is given for the natural least squares optimization problem in any constant dimension. Next, in an average-case and noise-free setting where the responses exactly correspond to a linear function of i.i.d. draws from a standard multivariate normal distribution, an efficient algorithm based on lattice basis reduction is shown to exactly recover the unknown linear function in arbitrary dimension. Finally, lower bounds on the signal-to-noise ratio are established for approximate recovery of the unknown linear function by any estimator.


This study is devoted to study and propose a single-phase trans-Z-source-based AC–AC converter with unique features of traditional trans-Z-source converter such as inverted and non-inverted boost and inverted buck output voltage. Output and input operate with same-shared ground, which is very useful in protection. Every aspect of proposed converter is analysed and studied. To prevent current and voltage spikes that are some of the main problems of AC–AC converters, safe commutation is employed. To evaluate the performance of the converter, MATLAB/SIMULINK software is utilised. Moreover, a laboratory prototype of proposed converter is implemented to verify the converter analysis and simulation results.


Habitat use may differ with certain landscape characteristics such as patch quality
and size, the presence of corridors, the connectivity of the landscape, and proximity to
other habitats. In estuarine systems, intertidal oyster reefs are an important habitat whose
functions may be explained by landscape theories. Proximity to other structured habitat
has been shown to affect utilization of oyster reefs by both resident and transient species.
Reef proximity to subtidal channels and upper intertidal areas, the source areas for
transient and resident fauna, respectively, may be an important factor affecting reef
utilization. This study tested whether proximity to subtidal channels influenced
utilization of intertidal oyster reefs and whether microhabitat utilization varied within
reef edge areas. Enhanced densities of finfish and decapods were seen around reefs at all
distances compared with unstructured sandflats. Total abundances were higher over the
reef interface (sand edges) compared to over shell, however smaller individuals of
dominant species (juvenile Lagodon rhomboides and juvenile Leiostomus xanthurus)
were found using reef interior shell to a greater extent than larger individuals, which used
sand edge and sandflat areas. Reef residents showed no variation in abundance based on
distance from a channel. Fundulus heteroclitus and larval L. rhomboides were the only
transient species to show a distance effect, with higher abundances at reefs nearest the
subtidal channel. Certain infaunal taxa were more abundant closer to channel, and total
infaunal abundance was lower around reefs compared with sandflat areas in August 2005.
Results indicate continuous use of reefs during tidal submergence by transients and few
distance effects on associated fauna. Although patch location may not be an important consideration for restoration and management of intertidal oyster reefs over the scale
examined, the presence of reefs provides habitat for associated fauna between subtidal
channels and higher intertidal areas.


Technological and organizational excellence is the key element for business success in any modern business and project environment. Post globalization and instable business environments demand permanent improvements and changes of business processes. "Open the boxes" and exchange information, ideas and set-up collaboration with stakeholders such as customers, end-users, clients, vendors, business partners, potential competitors — this is a challenge of current (project-) organizations and their innovative environments. The open innovation environment concept was born in 2003, presented by professor Chesbrough from Berkley. Since then, researchers and practitioners are searching for successful applications of this idea. How we can improve the performance of large infrastructure projects by using this concept of work will be presented in this paper. The theoretical introduction will be illustrated by practical example of the existing NETLIPSE knowledge network. NETLIPSE is the network for dissemination of knowledge on the management and organization of large infrastructure projects in Europe.


I respond to an objection recently formulated by Barlassina and Hayward against first-order imperativism about pain, according to which it cannot account for the self-directed motivational force of pain. I am going to agree with them: it cannot. This is because pain does not have self-directed motivational force. I will argue that the alternative view—that pain is about dealing with extramental, bodily threats, not about dealing with itself—makes better sense of introspection, and of empirical research on pain avoidance. Also, a naturalistic theory of body-involving commands falls straightforwardly out of our most prominent naturalistic metasemantic accounts, while the token-reflexive contents that would underlie self-directed motivation are more problematic.


When "Agendas and Instability in American Politics" appeared fifteen years ago, offering a profoundly original account of how policy issues rise and fall on the national agenda, the "Journal of Politics" predicted that it would 'become a landmark study of public policy making and American politics'. That prediction proved true, and in this long-awaited second edition, Frank R. Baumgartner and Bryan D. Jones refine their influential argument and expand it to illuminate the workings of democracies beyond the United States. The authors retain all the substance of their contention that short-term, single-issue analysis cast public policy too narrowly as the result of cozy and dependable arrangements among politicians, interest groups, and the media. Baumgartner and Jones provide a different interpretation by taking the long view of several issues - including nuclear energy, urban affairs, smoking, and auto safety - to demonstrate that bursts of rapid, unpredictable policy change punctuate the patterns of stability more frequently associated with government. Featuring a new introduction and two additional chapters, this updated edition ensures that their findings will remain a touchstone of policy studies for many years to come.


High-dose methotrexate (500 to 33,600 mg per square meter of body-surface area) with leucovorin rescue is a common component of therapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia. To increase understanding of the relation between the serum concentration and the effect of methotrexate, we conducted a randomized, prospective study of 108 children with "standard-risk" acute lymphocytic leukemia who were treated with 15 doses of methotrexate (1000 mg per square meter) that were infused over 24 hours. The median length of follow-up was 3.5 years from diagnosis for patients still in remission. Variability between patients in methotrexate clearance produced steady-state serum concentrations that ranged from 9.3 to 25.4 microM. Patients with median methotrexate concentrations of less than 16 microM (n = 59) had a lower probability of remaining in remission (P less than 0.05) than patients with concentrations of 16 microM or more (n = 49). Multivariate analyses indicated that patients with methotrexate concentrations of less than 16 microM were 3 times more likely to have any kind of relapse during therapy (P = 0.01) and 7 times more likely to have a hematologic relapse during therapy (P = 0.001). Stepwise Cox's regression identified leukemic-cell DNA content, methotrexate concentration, and hemoglobin as significant prognostic variables for hematologic relapse (P = 0.0005). We conclude that there is a concentration-effect relation for high-dose methotrexate in acute lymphocytic leukemia and that 1000 mg per square meter infused over a period of 24 hours may not be optimal for patients with relatively fast drug clearance.


Over the last decade, scientists working on the topic of multisensory integration, as well as designers and marketers involved in trying to understand consumer behavior, have become increasingly interested in the non-arbitrary associations (e.g., sound symbolism) between different sensorial attributes of the stimuli they work with. Nevertheless, to date, little research in this area has investigated the presence of these crossmodal correspondences in the tactile evaluation of everyday materials. Here, we explore the presence and nature of the associations between tactile sensations, the sound of non-words, and people's emotional states. Samples of cotton, satin, tinfoil, sandpaper, and abrasive sponge, were stroked along the participants' forearm at the speed of 5 cm/s. Participants evaluated the materials along several dimensions, comprising scales anchored by pairs of non-words (e.g., Kiki/Bouba) and adjectives (e.g., ugly/beautiful). The results revealed that smoother textures were associated with non-words made up of round-shaped sounds (e.g., Maluma), whereas rougher textures were more strongly associated with sharp-transient sounds (e.g., Takete). The results also revealed the presence of a number of correspondences between tactile surfaces and adjectives related to visual and auditory attributes. For example, smooth textures were associated with features evoked by words such as 'bright' and 'quiet'; by contrast, the rougher textures were associated with adjectives such as 'dim' and 'loud'. The textures were also found to be associated with a number of emotional labels. Taken together, these results further our understanding of crossmodal correspondences involving the tactile modality and provide interesting insights in the applied field of design and marketing.


Doxorubicin-mediated adverse cardiovascular events are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in breast cancer patients. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have recently been shown to be of therapeutic value in patients with type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), conditions that commonly coexist and are interrelated pathophysiologically.

 We hypothesized that Dapagliflozin (an SGLT2i), administered during doxorubicin, could improve cardiac function in preclinical models

 Female C57Bl/6 mice were untreated (Sham, n=6) or treated for 10 days with doxorubicin i.p at 2.17 mg/kg (DOXO, n=6), DAPA at 12 mg/kg (DAPA, n=6) or doxorubicin combined to DAPA (DOXO-DAPA, n=6). Ejection fraction, radial and longitudinal strain were analyzed through transthoracic echocardiography (Vevo 2100). Cardiac tissue expression of NLRP3 inflammasome, Myd88, DAMPs (galectine 3 and calgranulinS100) , pAMPK, NF-kB, and 13 chemokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL17-α, IL-18, IFN-γ, TNF-α, G-CSF, and GM-CSF) were quantified through ELISA and western blot methods.

 DAPA improved significantly the EF and prevented the reduction of radial and longitudinal strain after 10 days of treatment with doxorubicin. A reduced expression of NLRP3, MyD88, DAMPs and NF-kB in cardiac tissues was seen in DOXO-DAPA group compared to DOXO mice (p<0.001). Cardiac expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, G-CSF and GM-CSF were significantly reduced after treatment with DAPA indicating anti-inflammatory properties. Expression of pAMPK was strongly enhanced in DAPA-DOXO compared to DOXO group. Levels of Calgranulin S100 and galectine-3 were strongly enhanced in DOXO group; on the other hand their expression were reduced by 47.7 and 52.3% in DAPA-DOXO group vs DOXO (p<0.005). Hystology evaluation indicate reduction NF-kB expression in myocardial and renal tissue in DOXO-DAPA vs DOXO. Radial strain (RS) is 38.8% in DAPA-DOXO vs 14.1% in DOXO groups (P < 0.05); longitudinal strain (LS) is – 23.4 % in DAPA-DOXO vs – 10.5% in DOXO groups (P < 0.001)

 In this preclinical study, DAPA is able to improve cardiac function and reduce biomarkers involved in heart failure and fibrosis. The overall picture of the study pushes the use of DAPA in prevention of cardiomyopathies induced by anthracyclines in cancer patients.


LETTERS If you have a burning desire to respond to a paper published in BJO, why not make use of our ''rapid response'' option? Log onto our website (www.bjophthalmol. com), find the paper that interests you, and send your response via email by clicking on the ''eLetters'' option in the box at the top right hand corner. Providing it isn't libellous or obscene, it will be posted within seven days. You can retrieve it by clicking on ''read eLetters'' on our homepage. The editors will decide as before whether to also publish it in a future paper issue. The use of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of suspected giant cell arteritis Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a vasculitis of unknown origin that has a predisposition for the cranial arteries in the elderly. It has potentially devastating visually complications and produces a broad range of symptoms and signs that mimic many other medical and surgical conditions. Blood tests reflect the underlying inflammatory process, yet the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) may be normal in 8% of patients with biopsy proved GCA. 1 Nevertheless, making a definitive diagnosis has importance therapeutically as patients are committed to a lengthy oral corticosteroid regimen. Non-invasive techniques , such as colour Doppler or duplex ultrasonography, have been studied in an attempt to improve patient preselection for temporal artery biopsy (TAB). 2 3 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to improve the diagnosis of early Takayasu arteritis. 4 More recently several case reports have described the diagnostic potential of MR angiography and gadolinium contrast MRI in demonstrating the vessel changes of GCA. 5 6 We compared the ability of MRI to detect changes in the temporal arteries with TAB in patients clinically suspected of having GCA. A prospective, pilot, single masked study of seven female patients (age range 60–88 years, mean 76 years) with suspected giant cell arteritis, and two age matched healthy controls was undertaken. Local research ethical approval and informed written consent were obtained. All patients underwent a standard clinical examination including a detailed history and clinical examination. Investigations included ESR and C reactive protein (CRP). Each patient was given a GCA criteria ''score'' based on the 1990 ACR (American College of Rheumatology) classification 7 (Table 1). Within 48 hours of presentation patients underwent a unilateral temporal artery MRI scan on a 1.5T scanner using a surface coil and small field of view. T …


The article examines the Supreme Court's drift, in free exercise jurisprudence, from the protection of affirmative, active, kinetic religiosity (things like expressing belief, praying, gathering for worship services, and participating in rituals and sacraments and rites) to the protection of beliefs that conflict with the strictures of generally applicable and seemingly even-handed laws — even laws that simply require state neutrality as to religion. The article calls this the drift from dynamic free exercise to prophylactic free exercise, and this drift is likely to accelerate as Justice Kennedy is replaced by a more socially conservative jurist. Under this emerging view (in a historical sense, reemerging), if I am a believer, then I am not just free to do what I please in my religious life, but also free from the application of many laws that might cause me angst because of my religious beliefs. The article also explores the premium the Court places on religious belief as a constitutionally protected interest, particularly when measured against non-belief. The new Supreme Court majority will likely hold that because the First Amendment protects beliefs and the expression of beliefs, it has no application to the absence of beliefs or their expression — in other words, to mere attitudes or disbelief. The article suggests that, in a new paradigm where belief is of a higher constitutional rank than non-belief, those who now characterize themselves as non-believers might wish to cast themselves as believers instead — not "believers" in the sense of adhering to rigid dogmas, but in the sense of having ideas and opinions about religion, spiritual matters, and how the world works. It would be harder for the Court to ignore arguments that are framed to set up a contest between or among competing beliefs about religion, all of which would implicate the First Amendment. The article therefore proposes a new vocabulary for non-adherents in the free-exercise cases to come: a vocabulary that does not passively deny the truth of perceived falsehoods, but rather aggressively expresses those beliefs about religion that may be held even by secularists.


Numerous sensors have been deployed in different geospatial locations to continuously and cooperatively monitor the surrounding environment, such as the air quality. These sensors generate multiple geo-sensory time series, with spatial correlations between their readings. Forecasting geo-sensory time series is of great importance yet very challenging as it is affected by many complex factors, i.e., dynamic spatio-temporal correlations and external factors. In this paper, we predict the readings of a geo-sensor over several future hours by using a multi-level attention-based recurrent neural network that considers multiple sensors' readings, meteorological data, and spatial data. More specifically, our model consists of two major parts: 1) a multi-level attention mechanism to model the dynamic spatio-temporal dependencies. 2) a general fusion module to incorporate the external factors from different domains. Experiments on two types of real-world datasets, viz., air quality data and water quality data, demonstrate that our method outperforms nine baseline methods.