The loggerhead sea turtles are reptiles that grow to almost one metre in length. Although they breathe air using their lungs, they spend almost all of their life underwater, feeding on jellyfish, molluscs and other invertebrates.  In earlyspring, the turtles migrate from the C. Mediterranean foraging areas to Laganas Bay to mate, and nest on the beaches from mid-May to late-August. At night, females come ashore, choose a suitable spot, and use their flippers to dig an egg chamber, which is 40-50 cm deep. Here, they lay a clutch of 120 eggs on average. This process is repeated 3-4 times throughout the summer. The eggs resemble a «ping-pong ball» in size and shape, but have a soft shell so as not to break when they drop into the nest. The eggs incubate in the nest for 42-70 days, of which 60-70% hatch. Sand temperature determines the sex of the offspring (hatchlings); above 29C, the hatchlings are primarily female, while below this temperature they are primarily male.  Hatchlings are approximately 5 cm long and usually emerge from the nest at night. They find their way to the sea assisted by the stars and by moonlight eflected off the water. As they leave the nest and crawl to the sea, hatchlings are thought to imprint the location by a 'magnetic compass'. This is a natural process, so, years later, they may return to the same area to breed (termed 'homing' behaviour).  The N.M.P.Z. Research Programme 'Caretta Odyssey' revealed that turtles breeding on Zakynthos disperse to foraging areas throughout the entire Mediterranean region.


Abstract How do dignity discourses shift the framing of struggles for basic legal freedoms? Based on our decade-long empirical research on lawyers and politics in China, we provide a theoretical intervention in a burgeoning socio-legal scholarship on dignity in this article. Drawing inductively from in-depth interviews, we find that a powerful current of dignity consciousness and sentiment, joined by an acute awareness of dignity harms, flows through the community of Chinese activist lawyers. Their dignity discourses can be witnessed and explained in four streams of awareness: (1) dignity experienced as an ideal in juridical, philosophical, and theological idioms; (2) dignity takings experienced indirectly and directly in the property takings of clients' homes, farms, and livelihood; (3) assaults on dignity through property takings of spaces of religious worship; and (4) the takings of professional dignity from the lawyers charged with defending the dignity of others. This article points to the value of dignity framings in the general theory of collective action for basic legal freedoms.


Chickpea is one of the highly nutritious pulses. It is a rich source of proteins and carbohydrates, providing dietary as well as health benefits too. Pakistan is the 3rd major producer, of chickpea but due to post harvest losses (insect and microbial infestation) huge quantity of Desi chick pea goes to waste. In the present study, the research was directed to increase the shelf life by reducing post-harvest losses of Desi chickpea using gamma radiations. The Desi chick pea were irradiated at different gamma radiation doses (0.5, 1, 2 kGy). Sensory analysis, insect infestation, proximate and microbial analysis were carried out after every 20 days interval for all the treatments. A remarkable reduction in microflora and insect infestation was occurred at 2kGy as compared to control samples stored at ambient temperature without affecting the sensory properties. The variation in proximate composition with gamma radiation treatment was not significant with increase in dose. Sample irradiated at 2kGy showed one month shelf life enhancement as compared to control.


It has been well-known that the global structures of the ionosphere and plasmasphere are drastically changed during the main and recovery phases of geomagnetic storms. These variations represent a complex response of the ionosphere-thermosphere-plasmasphere system to geomagnetic disturbances. Previous studies showed (1) a large enhancement of Total Electron Content (TEC) in the equatorial and middle-latitude regions within a few hours during a severe geomagnetic storm [e.g., Mannucci et al., 2005], (2) formation of storm-enhanced electron density (SED) extending from middle to high latitudes [e.g., Foster, 2013], and (3) physical process of SED formation and variation of the equatorial ionosphere on the basis of global SAMI3-Rice Convection Model (RCM) simulation [Huba and Sazykin, 2014]. However, these studies did not investigate detailed temporal and spatial variations of the ionosphere and plasmasphere with high time resolution during the main and recovery phases of geomagnetic storms using global TEC data. In this study, we clarify the temporal and spatial variations of the ionosphere and plasmasphere associated with development and decay of the geomagnetic storm occurred on October 11-12, 2010, on the basis of global TEC data obtained from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data. Moreover, we investigate the temporal and spatial variations of the plasmapause location from identification of ionospheric trough region from the latitudinal distribution of TEC. In this analysis, we used the geomagnetic Kp and SYM-H induces and global TEC data, and the Inter-university Upper atmosphere Global Observation NETwork (IUGONET) data analysis tool [Tanaka et al., 2013]. These data are provided by World Data Center for Geomagnetism, Kyoto University, and Dense Regional And Worldwide INternational GNSS-TEC observation (DRAWING-TEC) project, NICT [Tsugawa et al., 2007], respectively. We first produced a global distribution of the 5-day quiet-time average TEC in a month of the investigated storm event. Here, we identified the 5 quiet days as a summation of the Kp index in each month. As a next step, we created a global map of difference of TEC (d-TEC) in between the storm-time and quiet-time periods, and investigated the global variation of the d-TEC during the main and recovery phases of the geomagnetic storm. During the pre-storm and initial phase of the geomagnetic storm, the d-TEC showed a small variation with the amplitude of less than 3 TECU for geographical latitude and longitude except for the equatorial and low-latitude (< 30 degrees, GMLAT: geomagnetic latitude). The spatial distribution of d-TEC did not almost change during this period. After the sudden commencement identified as a step-like increase of the SYM-H index, the d-TEC value began to increase in the middle-low latitudes (30-55 degrees) of the morning sector (9-10 h, LT: local time). As the geomagnetic storm is developed, the enhanced d-TEC region expanded to the afternoon sector (15 h, LT) within 4-5 hours. Moreover, 4 hours after the start of the main phase, the ionospheric trough region where the d-TEC value decreases significantly appeared in the afternoon sector (14 –17 h, LT), and the location moved equatorward (67 to 54 degrees, GMLAT) associated with the development of the geomagnetic storm. This indicates that the plasmapause moves earthward in association with an intensification of convection electric field. On the other hand, in the high-latitude region (> 60 degrees, GMLAT) of the morning sector (10-11 h, LT), a plume-like structure of d-TEC appeared, which corresponds to the SED phenomenon. The ionospheric trough and SED disappeared within 1 hour after the start of the recovery phase of the PEM11-P15 JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2017


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To identify factors associated with the caregiving appraisal of informal caregivers.

BACKGROUND
Caregiving appraisal, the cognitive evaluation of the caregiving situation, is an essential factor in determining positive or negative caregiving outcomes. Identifying factors associated with appraisal is fundamental for designing effective health promotion strategies.

DESIGN
A systematic review.

METHODS
PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Citation Index, Scopus, CNKI, and Wanfang Database were searched for papers published from 1984 to December 2018. Keywords related to informal caregivers' caregiving appraisal were used. Cross-sectional and cohort studies were included. The Quality Assessment and Validity Tool for Correlational Studies, and the CASP Cohort Study Checklist were used for quality assessment. Descriptive and narrative synthesis were used to analyze data. Social Ecological Model was used for classifying the associated factors into different levels. The PRISMA checklist was followed.

RESULTS
Forty studies were included. The quality of the studies was moderate to high. Data were organized into three levels (individual, interpersonal, and community level) and categorized into modifiable factors (for example, patient behavioral problems, caregiver self-efficacy, social support) and non-modifiable factors (for example, caregiving duration, gender, education). The majority of studies have investigated the factors at the individual level.

CONCLUSION
There are inconsistencies in the understanding of caregiving appraisal, and consensus is needed for conceptual clarity. Caregiving appraisal is associated with three levels of factors. These modifiable factors provide evidence for designing evidence-based interventions and the non-modifiable factors help identify confounding factors in assessment and appraisal.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Nurses are the best-placed healthcare professionals to support informal caregivers. The three levels of associated factors and the interactive approaches provide direction for informing clinical nursing practice. They also provide evidence for health care researchers and policymakers to develop interventions and theoretical perspectives, and to better allocate health care resources.


This research aims to determine the factors of the main attraction foreign citizen to knows the sprinkling holy water on ganesha statue tradition at Sahasra Adhi Pura , Sonosewu , Sukoharjo . The theory used in this research adopted from Littlejohn ( 2009) , external stimuli generate an internal meanings that will generate a response to the outside. Signification itself internally divided into two parts: the internal response and internal stimuli. The question in this research is the dominant factor affecting an individual's interest to get to know other cultures. The question in this research what factor has dominant affecting  individual 's interest to know other cultures . The method used is non - participatory observation and in-depth interviews using qualitative descriptive analysis . This research was conducted in Sukoharjo . With interviews by a competent speaker is a professor of philosophy and culture of Java , while sampling using purposive sampling technique . It was concluded that the dominant factors affecting the interests of foreign citizen which are  condition of community attitudes towards immigrants openness and acceptance of differences, also the effectiveness of  word of mouth .


We correct minor errors in two equations reported in our paper [Biomed. Opt. Express 4, 596-613 (2013)]; an additional factor of two was mistakenly incorporated in Eqs. (3) and (4). We give the correct equations below. All the simulations and experiments in the previous paper were performed using the correct equations, and therefore, remain the same.[This corrects the article on p. 596 in vol. 4, PMID: 23577294.].


The magnitude of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) of the Raman laser effect depends upon the peak values of ordinary Raman scattering cross sections just as ordinary laser gain depends upon the peak value of an absorption cross section. We give here the results of the measurements of peak Raman scattering cross section for three Raman lines in nitrobenzene, benzene, and toluene for which SRS has been studied and for two other lines in benzene and toluene from which no observable SRS could be produced. The intensity of SRS calculated from these cross sections agrees with SRS measurements for these substances. A ruby laser was used as the light source. A 2-m grating spectrograph was used as the dispersing element for photometric detection. The scattering was observed at 90° from the incident laser beam and was measured for different polarizations of the incident and scattered light. The peak cross sections were measured by scanning the wavelength in steps.


BD31 mAb, raised against a line of gastric carcinoma cells, reacts with intercellular boundaries of human transformed cells originating from carcinomas or sarcomas growing in epithelial-like clusters as well as in primary cultures of epithelial and endothelial cells. BD31 also reacts with intercellular rims of normal and transformed epithelial tissues and is particularly abundant in glands and fast-growing epithelia but absent in nervous and muscle tissues as well as in blood and in mesenchyme-derived cells. Confocal analysis indicates that BD31 is located in dots at cell-cell contacts but not in basal and apical domains of cultured and in situ epithelial cells. mAb BD31 precipitates a 100 kDa protein from cells labeled with [35S]methionine or [3H]glucosamine as well as from 125I-surface-labeled cells. This glycoprotein resists to trypsin in the presence of Ca2+, releases an 80 kDa fragment in the medium and does not react with antibodies to the conserved cytodomain of known cadherins or, specifically, to the ectodomain of E-cadherin in western blotting; moreover, the lack of cadherin cytodomain and protein removal by phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase indicate its membrane anchoring by a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) moiety. BD31 IgGs do not impair cell-matrix adhesion but induce inhibition of Ca(2+)-dependent aggregation, loss of cell-cell adhesion, scattering of confluent cells and appearance of migratory cell phenotypes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This novel GPI-anchored glycoprotein may regulate intercellular adhesion by a mechanism involving membrane-associated phospholipases.


Studying the carbon balance in surface waters gives information on the annual cycles of photosynthesis and respiration. It also provides insight on the water body9s capability to serve as a source or sink for atmospheric CO 2 , which may be essential in evaluating the effects of climate change. The target of this study was the Vantaanjoki River known to have a significant base flow component, located in a densely populated area in southern Finland. The aims of this study were firstly to study if human induced changes are evident in the inorganic carbon quality of the river, and secondly to determine whether the river releases carbon to the atmosphere. These aims were achieved by studying the isotopic composition and contents of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in relation to river discharge. It was evident from the results that the human activities only have mild local and temporal effects on the quality of the DIC in the river. The most important contributors to the changes in the carbon balance are the annual changes in the proportion of the base flow and surface flow components and the escape of CO 2 to the atmosphere.


Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) developed in a patient with presumed chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and negative chest CT. Since antibodies against both Hu and voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) were detected, repeated chest CT was performed, which eventually showed a pulmonary mass lesion. Biopsy revealed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) indicating the importance of repeated chest CT in LEMS even when an existing autoimmune-like disease and negative CT may suggest an autoimmune origin. This is the first report of paraneoplastic CIDP and LEMS associated with anti-Hu, anti-VGCC and SCLC.


Ethanolic and hot water extracts from 4 different plant species used in Palestine in popular medicine for the treatment of several ailments of microbial and non-microbial origin were evaluated for potential antimicrobial activity against methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Both water and ethanol extracts of Mentha longifolia, Melissa officinalis and Rosa damascena were effective on MRSA. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of the ethanolic extract of M. longifolia and M. officinalis were in the range of 3.125 to 12.50 mg/ml and 12.50 to 25.00 mg/ml, respectively. The ethanolic extract with the greatest antimicrobial activity was that of R. damascena (MIC 0.395 to 0.780 mg/ml and MBC 1.563 to 3.125 mg/ml). The combination of ethanolic extracts of the plants studied showed synergistic antibacterial activity against MRSA strains.


Abstract. Although many filter algorithms have been presented over past decades, these algorithms are usually designed for the Lidar point clouds and can't separate the ground points from the DIM (dense image matching, DIM) point clouds derived from the oblique aerial images owing to the high density and variation of the DIM point clouds completely. To solve this problem, a new automatic filter algorithm is developed on the basis of adaptive TIN models. At first, the differences between Lidar and DIM point clouds which influence the filtering results are analysed in this paper. To avoid the influences of the plants which can't be penetrated by the DIM point clouds in the searching seed pointes process, the algorithm makes use of the facades of buildings to get ground points located on the roads as seed points and construct the initial TIN. Then a new densification strategy is applied to deal with the problem that the densification thresholds do not change as described in other methods in each iterative process. Finally, we use the DIM point clouds located in Potsdam produced by Photo-Scan to evaluate the method proposed in this paper. The experiment results show that the method proposed in this paper can not only separate the ground points from the DIM point clouds completely but also obtain the better filter results compared with TerraSolid. 1.


Many real world network problems often concern multivariate nodal attributes such as image, textual, and multi-view feature vectors on nodes, rather than simple univariate nodal attributes. The existing graph estimation methods built on Gaussian graphical models and covariance selection algorithms can not handle such data, neither can the theories developed around such methods be directly applied. In this paper, we propose a new principled framework for estimating multi-attribute graphs. Instead of estimating the partial correlation as in current literature, our method estimates the partial canonical correlations that naturally accommodate complex nodal features. Computationally, we provide an efficient algorithm which utilizes the multi-attribute structure. Theoretically, we provide sufficient conditions which guarantee consistent graph recovery. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate performance of our method under various conditions.


This paper presents an innovative, interdisciplinary, design-and-build course created to improve placement, content, and pedagogy for introductory engineering design education. Infused at the freshman level, the course aims to promote expert design thinking by using problem-based learning (PBL) as the mode of delivery. The course is structured to actively engage the students in the various phases of a prescriptive design-and-build cycle using ill-structured, open-ended problems inspired from industry, and is supported by technological tools such as robotics kits and rapid prototyping machines. One of the main contributions is the integration of the prescriptive design cycle with PBL to promote effective inquiry and the systematic, iterative interplay between divergent and convergent questioning in the engineering design process. The inherent alignment of PBL pedagogy and the prescriptive design cycle enhances students' ability to tackle complex challenging problems and reach optimal solutions by following an iterative loop of divergent-convergent processing and decision making. In the post-analysis, the course has two significant positive impacts on students: 1) as measured by a newly developed design attitudes survey, course graduates are 20  5% more likely than other engineering students to express attitudes consistent with professional engineers regarding problem-solving practices in the engineering design process, and 2) a measure of teams' adherence to the course's prescribed design cycle are moderate-to-strongly correlated ( ~ 0.66, > 90% confidence) with the quality of the finished design, as measured by live, in-class demonstrations.


In this depiction of daily political life in Baroque Rome, Laurie Nussdorfer argues that lay persons managed to sustain a civic government under the increased papal absolutism of Urban VIII (1623-1644), who oversaw both sacred and secular life. Focusing on the SPQR (the Senate and Roman People), which was administered from the Capitoline Hill, she shows that it provided political representation for lay members of the urban elite, carried out the work of local government, and served as a symbol of the Roman voice in public life. Through a detailed study of how civic authorities derived their sense of legitimacy and how lay subjects manoeuvered in informal and disguised ways to block or criticize the papal regime, the author advances a new way of conceiving politics under an absolute ruler. As Nussdorfer analyzes the complex interactions between the lay administration and Urban VIII and his family, the papal administration, and Romans of the upper and lower classes, she also provides fresh insights into the actual practice of early modern government. She takes the plague threat of the early 1630s, the War of Castro (1641-1644), and the interregnum following the Pope's death as important test cases of the state's power in times of crisis.


I. controversy over federal circuit's choice-of-law rules The Federal Circuit's decision to apply its own substantive law to elements of antitrust claims has engendered considerable debate among those concerned with the interplay between intellectual property rights and antitrust law. There are two aspects of this debate. First, there is the argument over whether or not the Federal Circuit's choice-of-law rule is appropriate in light of its enabling statute, the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982 (FCIA).1 Second, there is concern over whether or not the Federal Circuit's antitrust jurisprudence is sound and what effect that will have on the balance between intellectual property and antitrust.2 This Note will focus primarily on the first concern and whether or not the legislative history of the FCIA supports the Federal Circuit's choice-of-law rules. The effects of the court's choice-of-law rules will necessarily impact that discussion. This Note approaches this debate by examining the legislative history of the FCIA and then proposing a rule to best serve the development of the boundary between patent and antitrust law without violating legislative intent. In Part II, this Note discusses the Federal Circuit's explanation and justification of the change in its choice-of-law rules. Part III then examines the criticisms of that change. After these two sides of the debate have been examined, Part IV gives a detailed analysis of the legislative history of the FCIA and discusses Congress's view of the Federal Circuit and its place in the federal judiciary. Based on that analysis, this Note argues that Congress neither intended to prevent the Federal Circuit from creating substantive antitrust law nor to grant the court exclusive jurisdiction over the intersection of antitrust and patent law. As a result, this Note proposes a rule under which the Federal Circuit continues to create its own substantive law at the boundary of patent and antitrust law, but the regional appellate courts give no deference to those decisions when boundary questions are presented for their review. II. THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT'S VIEW OF ITS SUBSTANTIVE ANTITRUST LAW The controversy began when the Federal Circuit overruled its own precedent and began applying its own substantive law to antitrust claims in Nobelpharma AB v. Implant Innovations, Inc.3 Prior to this decision, the Federal Circuit had applied the law of the circuit in which the district court sat to all antitrust claims pursuant to its decision in Atari, Inc. v.JS & A Group, Inc.4 In Nobelpharma, the court restated the general rule that antitrust claims are governed by regional circuit law, but the court added that Federal Circuit law would be used to determine whether "conduct in procuring or enforcing a patent is sufficient to strip a patentee of its immunity from the antitrust laws."5 Under this choice-of-law rule, the Federal Circuit applies its own law to decide whether or not a patentee's behavior can subject it to antitrust liability while the law of the appropriate regional circuit still applies to the other elements of an antitrust claim such as relevant market, market power, and damages.6 A. The Federal Circuit's Choice-of-Law and the Court's Justification Prior to the Federal Circuit's appropriation of non-patent law in Nobelpharma, the court had applied regional circuit law to all non-patent issues pursuant to its decision in Atari Inc. v. JS & A Group, Inc.7 In Atari, the Federal Circuit was presented with an appeal of a contributory copyright infringement claim that had originally been brought along with a patent claim giving the Federal Circuit jurisdiction.8 In an en bane opinion, the court found that the legislative history indicated Congress did not want the Federal Circuit to usurp the substantive jurisdiction of the regional courts of appeal over non-patent issues, nor did Congress want the Federal Circuit to create new forum-shopping opportunities in non-patent matters. …


The massive multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) technique has been gaining momentum lately as a potential key enabler of the network spectral efficiency (and hence throughput) increase expected from the fifth generation (5G) ofcellularnetwork technology. This technique consists in equipping the base stations (BSs) with arrays having a large number, typically from tens to few hundreds, of antenna elements. This, in theory, guarantees the possibility of serving larger numbers of concurrent transmissions to or from the BSs than the multiplexing techniques used in previous generations of cellular technology, without compromising the throughput of each transmission. By exploiting the high spatial multiplexing gain that can be realized through massive MIMO systems, 5G networks could provide the expected boost to the overall throughput with respect to previous generations. On the one hand, having more antenna elements in the BS array increases the spatial resolution of both outgoing and incoming signals. On the other hand, it diminishes the effect of the additive white gaussian noise (AWGN) at the receiver. These features lead to several advantages both in terms of access mechanisms and associated signal processing: little intra-cell and multicell interference leakage, optimality of simple linear precoding/detection schemes, capability of simultaneously serving a multitude of competing wireless connections in each cell area without compromising their individual throughput, just to name a few. However, this comes at the cost of the acquisition of accurate uplink/downlink channel state information (CSI) at the BS. This operation is challenging in many respects, and has a non-negligible impact in terms of both algorithms implemented at the physical/access/network layer and practical hardware design. It is worth noting that the extent of this impact strongly depends on the frequency bands over which the transmissions are performed. In this regard, it is a common belief that signals transmitted in future 5G networks will likely span a wide spectrum of frequencies.In other words, their radio carrier wavelengths will range from decimeters, as in legacy cellular networks, to millimeters, as in millimeter wave (mmWave) communications. Evident peculiarities will characterize such signals, and future massive MIMO systems will have to leverage them in effective ways in order to achieve the promised network throughput increase. This chapter starts from these observations to present a discussion on the potential and the challenges associated to the deployment of massive MIMO systems for 5G networks.


Abstract. The UK Acid Gases and Aerosol Monitoring Network (AGANet) was established in 1999 (12 sites, increased to 30 sites from 2006), to provide long-term national monitoring of acid gases (HNO3, SO2, HCl) and aerosol components (NO3−, SO42−, Cl−, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+). An extension of a low-cost denuder-filter pack system (DELTA) that is used to measure NH3 and NH4+ in the UK National Ammonia Monitoring Network (NAMN) provides additional monthly speciated measurements for the AGANet. A comparison of the monthly DELTA measurement with averaged daily results from an annular denuder system showed close agreement, while the sum of HNO3 and NO3− and the sum of NH3 and NH4+ from the DELTA are also consistent with previous filter pack determination of total inorganic nitrogen and total inorganic ammonium, respectively. With the exception of SO2 and SO42−, the AGANet provides, for the first time, the UK concentration fields and seasonal cycles for each of the other measured species. The largest concentrations of HNO3, SO2, and aerosol NO3− and SO42− are found in southern and eastern England and smallest in western Scotland and Northern Ireland, whereas HCl are highest in south-eastern, south-western, and central England, that may be attributed to dual contribution from anthropogenic (coal combustion) and marine sources (reaction of sea salt with acid gases to form HCl). Na+ and Cl− are spatially correlated, with largest concentrations at coastal sites, reflecting a contribution from sea salt. Temporally, peak concentrations in HNO3 occurred in late winter and early spring attributed to photochemical processes. NO3− and SO42− have a spring maxima that coincides with the peak in concentrations of NH3 and NH4+, and are therefore likely attributable to formation of NH4NO3 and (NH4)2SO4 from reaction with higher concentrations of NH3 in spring. By contrast, peak concentrations of SO2, Na+, and Cl− during winter are consistent with combustion sources for SO2 and marine sources in winter for sea salt aerosol. Key pollutant events were captured by the AGANet. In 2003, a spring episode with elevated concentrations of HNO3 and NO3− was driven by meteorology and transboundary transport of NH4NO3 from Europe. A second, but smaller episode occurred in September 2014, with elevated concentrations of SO2, HNO3, SO42−, NO3−, and NH4+ that was shown to be from the Icelandic Holuhraun volcanic eruptions. Since 1999, AGANet has shown substantial decrease in SO2 concentrations relative to HNO3 and NH3, consistent with estimated decline in UK emissions. At the same time, large reductions and changes in the aerosol components provide evidence of a shift in the particulate phase from (NH4)2SO4 to NH4NO3. The potential for NH4NO3 to release NH3 and HNO3 in warm weather, together with the surfeit of NH3 also means that a larger fraction of the reduced and oxidized N is remaining in the gas phase as NH3 and HNO3 as indicated by the increasing trend in ratios of NH3 : NH4+ and HNO3 : NO3− over the 16-year period. Due to different removal rates of the component species by wet and dry deposition, this change is expected to affect spatial patterns of pollutant deposition with consequences for sensitive habitats with exceedance of critical loads of acidity and eutrophication. The changes are also relevant for human health effects assessment, particularly in urban areas as NH4NO3 constitutes a significant fraction of fine particulate matter ( < 2.5 µm) that are linked to increased mortality from respiratory and cardiopulmonary diseases.


Investigations of the -514 C-->T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the hepatic lipase (HL) gene promoter region (LIPC) have yielded contradictory results regarding its association with changes in plasma lipids. The current study is a meta-analysis of 25 publications on this SNP, comprising over 24,000 individuals, and its relationship with total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), triglycerides, and HL activity. Significant decreases were observed in HL activity for both the CT and TT genotypes compared with the CC genotype [weighted mean difference (WMD), -5.83 mmol/liter.h (95% confidence interval, -8.48, -3.17) and -11.05 mmol/liter.h (95% confidence interval, -14.74, -7.36), respectively]. Moreover, significant increases in HDL were found; the CT to CC comparison showed an increase in WMD of 0.04 mmol/liter (95% confidence interval, 0.02, 0.05) mmol/liter, and the increase in the TT vs. CC difference was WMD of 0.09 mmol/liter (95% confidence interval, 0.07, 0.12). These changes appear to be stepwise, implying an allele dosage effect. All P values for these associations were less than 0.001. This meta-analysis demonstrates the importance of the -514C-->T SNP in determining HL activity and plasma HDL concentration and helps quantify the role that hepatic lipase plays in the metabolism of HDL.


The relationships between dietary fat concentration (10 or 40% of energy), fat source (corn oil or beef tallow) and estrogen (control, ovariectomy or ovariectomy with estrogen replacement) to 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast carcinogenesis and survival in rats were studied in a 2 x 2 x 3 factorial experiment. Female Sprague-Dawley rats given DMBA (2.5 mg/100 g body wt, intragastric) at 55 d of age were randomly allocated to three groups 48 h later: sham ovariectomy (control), ovariectomy (OVX) or ovariectomy with a subcutaneous estrogen implant (OVX+E). Each group was subdivided into dietary groups fed 10 and 40% of energy as corn oil or beef tallow for 70 wk. OVX+E rats exhibited serum estrogen concentrations in excess of physiologic values. Survival at 70 wk for the 3 hormonal groups was control 51%, OVX 67% and OVX+E 13%. Mortality in controls was doubled by feeding a high fat diet; no diet effect was detected in OVX or OVX+E rats. Palpable tumors developed in 74, 14 and 60% of control, OVX and OVX+E rats, respectively. High fat diets approximately doubled the hazard of developing a palpable tumor. Adenocarcinoma prevalence was 58, 12 and 63% in control, OVX and OVX+E rats, respectively. The odds of having any tumor, an adenocarcinoma or an adenoma were multiplied by 3.6, 2.8 and 2.3, respectively, for rats fed high vs. low fat. Additional studies showed that diet had no effect on serum prolactin or estrogen concentrations or metabolism and clearance of intravenously administered radiolabeled prolactin. We demonstrated that high dietary fat concentration enhances breast carcinogenesis independently of cyclic ovarian function, although the presence of estrogen may be a prerequisite for significant dietary modulation. The effect of fat on breast cancer is not mediated by major changes in systemic prolactin metabolism.


Observations of cavitation damage within a lubricated expander system are studied experimentally. Typical experimental analysis is used to observe cavitation erosion features such as SEM, light-microscopy and lightinterferometer. An experimental test-rig is used to study bubble characteristics within fluids to compare the theoretical analysis and practical in-service results from the expander system. Using an ultra-sonic methodology and high-speed camera techniques the bubbles are observed within the working fluids. A 2D numerical simulation of the scroll was performed to explore the mechanism which generates scroll cavitation. It is found that the pressure is high enough to liquefy instantaneously part of the refrigerant close to the bottom boundary, creating conditions for the generation of cavitation bubbles within the liquefied refrigerant. This finding resolves the puzzle how the refrigerant which enters the scroll in gas phase produces cavitation.


Endothelin-1 (ET-1) causes urinary bladder smooth muscle contraction and the endothelin receptors A and B (ET(A) and ET(B)) are both known to be present in the rabbit urinary bladder. Alterations in ET-1 signalling have been implicated in the pathophysiology of urinary tract disorders secondary to bladder outlet obstruction and also in diabetic cystopathy. Naftidrofuryl (Naf) (marketed under the trade name Praxilene) improves walking distance in patients with peripheral vascular disease, an effect which may be partially attributed to ET-1 antagonism. The purpose of this study is to assess whether Naf will reduce ET-1 binding in the rabbit detrusor muscle and to assess whether there is inhibition of ET-1-mediated detrusor contraction. Detrusor smooth muscle strips were mounted in organ baths and cumulative response curves were measured for ET-1-mediated contractions in the presence and absence of 10(-6) M Naf (therapeutic concentration). In addition, ET-1 was added to the detrusor strips in the presence of the ET(A) antagonist, BQ123, and the ET(B) antagonist, BQ788, to identify the receptor subtype functionally involved. Overall inhibition of [(125)I]ET-1 binding by Naf was assessed using autoradiography. Identification of receptor-subtype binding reduction was assessed using the radioligands [(125)I]PD151242 and [(125)I]BQ3020. Naf inhibited ET-1-mediated detrusor contractions significantly (P<0.04), e.g. at 10(-10) M ET-1, contraction was completely abolished by Naf. Autoradiography indicated that Naf competitively inhibited [(125)I]ET-1 binding in a dose-dependent manner (IC(50)=3x10(-7) M). All radioligand binding was reduced indicating binding of Naf to both ET(A) and ET(B) receptors. Naf reduces binding of ET-1 to rabbit detrusor ET(A) and ET(B) receptors and inhibits ET-1-induced detrusor contractions mediated by ET(A) receptors. Naf may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of bladder disorders secondary to bladder outlet obstruction and diabetes mellitus.


Translators as members of a certain culture, generally that of the target culture, base their translation-relevant decisions on their own culture, while the decisions are motivated by the (alien) source culture. In the translation process, cultural differences may lead to various decision-making conflicts and the translator has to find a compromise between the author of the source text, the target recipient and finally, of course, the translator him/herself. In this article, proceeding from functionalist approaches to translation, the discussion focuses on the decision conflicts related to translating culturespecific elements. Culture-related decision conflicts, as considered here, refer to the translator's inner indecision with reference to his/her goals, interests, values, beliefs, methodological approach, or any consequences thereof, attributable to the different cultural embeddings of the source text and the target text. In general, decision conflicts are perceived as subjective translation problems. The translator has to be able to  constantly act between separate perspectives, continuously see things from different viewpoints. The conflicts arise when the translator attempts to bring together two incongruent cultures without prejudice to any of the parties involved in the process. Acting within the interface of two different cultures, bearing in mind the interests of several participants, is what makes translation-relevant decisions a highly complex matter.


The compatibility of two endemic entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) with biological control agents and agro-chemicals, likely to be used in an integrated pest management programme for citrus in South Africa was investigated. This is the first report on the possible negative effect of EPNs against Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, a commercially produced biocontrol predatory insect, used against mealybugs. Bioassays were conducted to determine the susceptibility of the mealybug predatory coccinellid beetle, C. montrouzieri, to both nematode species. Results showed the beetle larvae to be highly susceptible to a concentration of 80 IJ/insect of H. zealandica and S. yirgalemense, obtaining 80 % and 92 % mortality, respectively. Adult beetles were found to be twice as susceptible to S. yirgalemense with 64 % mortality, as to H. zealandica with 30 % mortality recorded. Tolerance of both species of infective juveniles to aqueous solutions of Cyperfos 500 EC®, Cryptogran™, Helicovir™, Nu-Film-P® and Zeba®, for infectivity and survival was evaluated. Heterorhabditis zealandica proved to be highly compatible to all products tested, with no significant increase in nematode mortality. The formulations also did not affect the ability of H. zealandica to infect Tenebrio molitor, after exposure to products over a 24-h period. Significant increase in mortality of S. yirgalemense was recorded after 12 hours of exposure to Nu-Film-P® and Cyperfos 500 EC®, and after 6 hours of exposure to Nu-Film-P®. However, results for S. yirgalemense infectivity showed no decrease in the ability of the nematodes to infect insect hosts. Results indicated that nematodes should possibly be applied before the release of C. montrouzieri in citrus orchards.


Product manufacturers and service providers have to follow certain procedures and protocols to guarantee the quality products and services to satisfy consumer requirements. Standards contribute by making development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and competitive. The quality assessment and quality control system in radioisotope applications consists of enhanced quality awareness, better presentation of documentation, establishment of standard operating manuals, and preparation of procedures for validation of methods, surveillance of method performance and formulation of protocols for experimental design and execution, regular qualification of personnel, client liaison and safety.


This work addresses the shape preserving interpolation problem for visualization of positive data. A piecewise rational function in cubic/quadratic form involving three shape parameters is presented. Simple data dependent conditions for a single shape parameter are derived to preserve the inherited shape feature (positivity) of data. The remaining two shape parameters are left free for the designer to modify the shape of positive curves as per industrial needs. The interpolant is not only C, local, computationally economical, but it is also a visually pleasant and smooth in comparison with existing schemes. Several numerical examples are supplied to illustrate the proposed interpolant.


Title of dissertation: BALAYAGE OF FOURIER TRANSFORMS AND THE THEORY OF FRAMES Enrico Au-Yeung, Doctor of Philosophy, 2011 Dissertation directed by: Professor John Benedetto Department of Mathematics Every separable Hilbert space has an orthogonal basis. This allows every element in the Hilbert space to be expressed as an infinite linear combination of the basis elements. The structure of a basis can be too rigid in some situations. Frames gives us greater flexibility than bases. A frame in Hilbert space is a spanning set with the reconstruction property. A frame must satisfy both an upper frame bound and a lower frame bound. The requirement of an upper bound is rather modest. Most of the mathematical difficulty lies in showing the lower bound exists. We examine the theory of Beurling on Balayage of Fourier transforms and the role of spectral synthesis in this theory. Beurling showed that if the condition of Balayage holds, then the lower frame bound for a Fourier frame exists under suitable hypothesis. We extend this theory to obtain lower bound inequalities for other types of frames. We prove that lower bounds exist for generalized Fourier frames and two types of semi-discrete Gabor frames. BALAYAGE OF FOURIER TRANSFORMS AND THE THEORY OF FRAMES


Abstract In the last decade, health care costs have increased rapidly causing significant changes in the financing and delivery of health care services, especially in public programs. In an attempt to control the escalating costs of Medicaid, many states are revamping their current Medicaid system and enrolling Medicaid recipients into managed care systems. This change could greatly affect methadone treatment and subject its patients and providers to capitated financing, prior treatment authorization, and utilization reviews. The objective of this paper is to provide information on the effectiveness and economic benefits of methadone treatment from the treatment effectiveness literature so that policymakers may better understand the impact that some of these managed care policies may have on the treatment delivery system. Our review of the literature suggests that policies limiting treatment access or the duration of methadone maintenance treatment may increase societal cost in the long run.


ABSTRACT In recent years, a growing number of forced migrants have travelled to Italy across the Mediterranean Sea. While the number of new arrivals has diminished since 2017, the Italian reception system still struggles to process the high number of applications for international protection. A significant proportion of forced migrants who arrive in Italy end up living in informal settlements, such as occupied buildings, shacks, containers and tented camps. In this study, we assess the vulnerability of asylum seekers and refugees living in informal settlements in Italy, using data from the first nationally representative survey of this population. We compare a count measure of vulnerability with a new approach based on latent trait analysis, which accounts for measurement error and correlation between indicators. This analysis shows that forced migrants from Asia are more vulnerable than those from Africa, and that vulnerability is consistently lower in informal settlements in the regions of Lazio and Piedmont, and consistently higher in Apulia. However, other factors predicting vulnerability often change depending upon the way in which vulnerability is measured. Our findings have implications for the design of social protection and inclusion policies, as well as future research that measures vulnerability.


Background
Non-randomized studies showed that temozolomide (TMZ) achieves an average 10% response rate in heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with promoter methylation of the DNA repair gene O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). In this phase II trial, irinotecan and temozolomide (TEMIRI) combination regimen was assessed in irinotecan-sensitive, MGMT methylated/microsatellite stable (MSS) pretreated mCRC patients.

Patients and methods
Key inclusion criteria were centrally confirmed MGMT methylation by methylation-specific PCR, MSS mCRC, progression after at least two prior chemotherapy regimens for advanced disease and irinotecan-free interval >3 months. TEMIRI (TMZ 150 mg/m2 on days 1-5 plus irinotecan 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 15 q28 days) was administered for six cycles, followed by maintenance with TMZ. The primary end point was overall response rate (ORR). Exploratory translational analyses included MGMT immunohistochemistry (IHC) and methyl-BEAMing (MB).

Results
Between December 2014 and June 2017, 25 patients were enrolled. The primary end point was met, since six patients achieved a partial response [ORR 24%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 11% to 43%]. At a median follow-up of 15.6 months, median progression-free survival (mPFS) and overall survival (mOS) were 4.4 and 13.8 months, respectively. Only four (16%) patients had ≥ grade 3 (CTCAE 4.0) adverse events. All patients whose cancer was MGMT-positive IHC were non-responders. Consistently, patients with MGMT-negative/low tumors had a significantly longer mPFS than others (6.9 versus 2.0 months; hazard ratio = 0.29, 95% CI 0.02-0.41; P = 0.003) and a non-significant trend for longer mOS. MB testing showed similar accuracy.

Conclusions
TEMIRI regimen is a safe and active option in pre-treated, irinotecan-sensitive mCRC patients with MGMT methylation.


We reexamine the properties of optimal fiscal policy and their implications for implementable capital accumulation. The setup is a standard endogenous growth model with public production services, augmented by elastic labor supply. We show that, when a benevolent government chooses a distorting income tax rate to finance public production services by taking into account the competitive decentralized equilibrium, public production services can no longer play their traditional role as an engine of long-run endogenous growth. This follows from a simple combination of Ramsey second-best fiscal policy and endogenous labor/leisure choices.


Cognitive relay technology has been envisioned as a promising transmission scheme to enhance the reliability and coverage of secondary networks. However, the performance of cognitive relay networks (CRNs) is limited by the lack of accurate channel state information (CSI). As such, this paper adequately addresses the impact of imperfect CSI on the performance of cognitive multihop networks by proposing a simple yet effective backoff control power method. In addition, novel exact and asymptotic expressions for outage probability and ergodic capacity over Rayleigh fading channels are also derived. These tractable analytical results reveal new insight into the design, e.g., the number of hops for secondary network, and optimization of cognitive multihop networks.


Initial maternal provisioning has pervasive ecological and evolutionary implications for species with direct development, influencing offspring size and energetic content, with subsequent effects on performance, and consequences in fitness for both offspring and mother. Here, using three sympatric marine intertidal direct developing gastropods as model organisms (Cominella virgata, Cominella maculosa and Haustrum scobina) I examined how contrasting strategies of maternal investment influenced development, hatchling size, maternal provisioning and juvenile performance. In these sympatric whelks, duration of intra-capsular development was similar among species (i.e. 10 wk until hatching); nonetheless, differences in provisioning and allocation were observed. Cominella virgata (1 embryo per capsule; ~3 mm shell length [SL]) and C. maculosa (7.7 ± 0.3 embryos per capsule; ~1.5 mm SL) provided their embryos with a jelly-like albumen matrix and all embryos developed. Haustrum scobina encapsulated on average 235 ± 17 embryos per capsule but only ~10 reached the hatching stage (~1.2 mm SL), with the remaining siblings being consumed as nurse embryos, mainly during the first 4 wk of development. Similar chronology in the developmental stages was recognizable among species. Higher growth rates and evident juvenile structures became clear by the second half of development and larval characteristics were less frequently observed. Even after 10 weeks of encapsulation and despite emergent crawling juveniles, some hatchling H. scobina still retained "larval" traits, suggesting that this nurse embryo-based provisioning could result in intracapsular asynchrony of development, and that female of this species would be able to bet-hedge in a higher extent compared with female C. maculosa or C. virgata. Maternal investment in newly laid egg capsules differed among the three study species. The structural lipids phospholipid (PL) and cholesterol (ST) and the energetic lipids aliphatic hydrocarbon (AH), triglycerides (TG), diglycerides (DG) and free fatty acids (FFA) occurred in all three species. Only eggs (and also hatchlings) of the multiencapsulated embryos C. maculosa and H. scobina were provisioned with the energy lipids wax ester (WE) and methyl ester (ME), suggesting an interesting similarity with pelagic larvae of other invertebrates and fish where those lipid classes have also been recorded. Despite differences in hatchling size, the small H. scobina had significantly higher amounts of the energy storage lipid TG compared with C. maculosa and C. virgata, suggesting interesting trade-offs between offspring size and offspring energy resources. H. scobina was the only species that suffered a complete depletion of FFA during development (5th wk), suggesting an additional role of this energetic lipid during the early stages of development. Differences in the amount of lipids among newly laid capsules and siblings within capsules were also detected within species. In both species with multiple embryos per capsule, C. maculosa and H. scobina, these differences were largely explained by variation in TG and PL, enhancing the important role of the major structural (PL) and energy (TG) lipids during the early stages of these whelks, and also providing an integrative approach for evaluating maternally-derived lipids on a perindividual basis in direct developing species with contrasting provisioning and offspring size. Because in direct developers maternal provisioning to the embryos is the primary source of nutrition until offspring enter juvenile life, differences in performance should be closely related with initial provisioning, which in turn may reflect maternal nutritional conditions. Field-based surveys and manipulative experiments in the laboratory showed that different maternal environments (i.e. locations and sites) and contrasting offspring size influenced juvenile performance in different ways for C. virgata and C. maculosa. Despite the large differences in conditions and available resources between the Wellington Harbour and the nearby South Coast, the two locations did not influence the hatchling size of either species, and the most important source of variation was at the smallest scale (i.e. among sites), with substantial variation also occurring within and among females. Between and within species differences in hatching size reflected juvenile performance when fed, regardless of whether subjected to desiccation stress. When starved however, species-specific and size differences in performance were less significant. As has been described for many taxa, large offspring often perform better than small conspecifics; however, because this performance is likely to be context-dependent, understanding the importance of the different scales of variation is crucial for determining how variation in size reflects an organism's performance. Despite the long recognized role of intra-specific variation in offspring size in mediating subsequent performance, the consequences of inter-specific variation in peroffspring maternal investment for co-occurring taxa have been rarely examined in a predator-prey context. Manipulative experiments in the laboratory with hatchling and juvenile C. virgata and C. maculosa revealed that vulnerability of their early life-stages to common crab predators (i.e. the shore crab Cyclograpsus lavauxi) is highly size-dependent. When predator size was evaluated, small crabs were unable to eat hatchlings of either whelk species. Medium and large shore crabs consumed both prey species; however, hatchlings of C. virgata were less vulnerable to predation by medium crabs than large ones, and C. maculosa were equally vulnerable to both sizes of crabs. In hatchlings of both prey species the shell length and shell thickness increased over time; however, only C. virgata reached a size refuge from predation after two months posthatch. Results showed that vulnerability to predators can be mitigated by larger sizes and thicker shells at hatch; nonetheless, other species-specific traits such as juvenile growth rates, may also play key roles in determining the vulnerability of hatchling and juvenile snails when exposed to shell-crushing predators. Overall, these findings suggest that when defining offspring size, provisioning and performance relationships, many context-dependent scenarios are likely to arise. Therefore examining the early life-history stages of direct developing whelks with contrasting maternal investment under an integrative morphological, physiological and experimental approach, allowed a better understanding of how these complex relationships arises and how mediated the species life-history in terms of offspring size, maternal provisioning and subsequent juvenile performance.


A survey was conducted of probabilistically determined fifty-seven hotels of various 'stars' in South-Western geo-political zone of Nigeria to investigate the responsiveness of the hotel organizations to strategic property management practices in particular level of use of facilities management, level of commitment to business development, use of information and communication technology and support services procurement methodology. Data were collected from hotel organizations through their general managers, staff and customers with the aid of questionnaires. A combination of stratified and cluster sampling techniques were used. Kothari's formula was adopted to determine the appropriate sample size while descriptive statistics and balanced score card were used for data analysis. It was found that use of facilities management as a strategic management instrument is at low ebb (36%), the same is true of level of commitment to business development (46%), use of information and communication technology (39%) and support services outsourcing (46%). The use of balanced score card principle shows that the four variables all less than 50% may be balanced but in a negative sense suggesting non-responsiveness to the use of strategic management practices. This discovery also affirms that receptivity to FM is at low-ebb in the hotel sector of Nigeria's economy and a pointer to ignorance of FM as instrument of strategic change. The study recommended that International Facilities Management Association (Nigeria Group), hotel organizations and Governments at all levels in Nigeria should be conscious of this development and put in place strategic actions to educate the gentries on the efficacy of FM in running hotel businesses. The hotel managements are also encouraged to be responsive to new ways of doing things especially when such a method would have a tremendous impact on the performance of the hotels.


Modern portfolio theory developed for financial markets has application to water resource portfolios. It can help make decisions on how to optimally meet future water needs. By explicitly considering volatility and correlations among water resource alternatives, rational resource combinations can be selected. It enables water planners to decide how much to invest in traditional ways to meet water needs such as surface and groundwater supplies and to decide how much to invest in non-traditional, more expensive supplies such as recycling, conservation, and desalination. It enables explicit risk reduction of systematic risks due to the hydrologic cycle such as drought, and non-systematic risks such as water quality, climate, and energy. This paper describes a qualitative application of modern portfolio theory to water resources. Quantitative application will require the development of additional data.


For nearly a decade the international community has supported Afghanistan's political, social, and economic reconstruction --and opposed the return to power of the Taliban. While Afghans have seen many improvements over that decade, there has been a Taliban resurgence across much of the country. Despite the recent increase in fighting, neither side has been able to vanquish the other militarily. Moreover, a majority of Afghans seem anxious for the contending factions to achieve a negotiated end to the war. Can this growing sense of a military stalemate help usher in a political phase to conclude this conflict? This report, the product of an international task force led by ambassadors Lakhdar Brahimi and Thomas R. Pickering, recommends a political path toward ending the war. Peace is possible in Afghanistan, the task force members assert, if Afghans and the various international stakeholders can overcome their deep divisions and commence the serious negotiations that will be required to achieve it. The report outlines the issues that would need to be addressed in any peace settlement: the division of power, the political order, the role of Islam, human rights, economic development, suppression of terrorist networks and narcotics, the role of foreign forces, and so on. It also presents concrete steps for moving into a political process that could achieve a negotiated settlement to the war. The task force argues that, to end this war with a durable compromise settlement, a complex and multitiered negotiating framework will be essential, and the time to start that political process is now.


This article analyses the theoretical literature on implications of 'new regionalism' in Asia, in the context of the recently implemented Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) involving Singapore and Australia. The analysis revisits the building vs. stumbling block argument, arguing that complex nature and diverse coverage of these agreements beyond trade in goods requires going beyond traditional modelling techniques. The article then analyses the case of recently implemented SAFTA for both countries. The article provides an analysis of post- and pre-free trade agreement (FTA) state of bilateral economic linkages in terms of merchandise trade and trade in services and investments, and analyses these results in the context of proliferation of FTAs both regionally and globally, involving Asia-Pacific economies.


Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, which is commonly seen in older individuals. This is characterized by cognitive dysfunction, which leads to dementia. Pharmacological treatments for AD are mainly targeted on its symptoms like memory loss and cognitive impairment. The pathophysiology involved in AD is intra-neuronal accumulation of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein as neurofibrillary tangle and extra cellular beta amyloid plaque deposition, which is due to oxidative stress. Here we review the neuro-protective effects of Resveratrol (RSV) and its treatment efficacy in AD. RSV is a naturally available polyphenolic compound, which has antioxidant, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. RSV crosses blood brain barrier and exerts its antioxidant effect by enhancing the anti-oxidant enzymes. RSV is involved in Sirtuin (SIRT1) mediated lifespan extension activity. RSV has reduced glial activation and helped in increasing the hippocampal neurogenesis. RSV was able to decrease the expression of amyloid precursor protein, along with improvement of spatial working memory. Since RSV acts as an antioxidant, it can be safely used as oral drug.


This research set out to examine initial teacher training programmes for school
mathematics in institutions in Nigeria with the aim of establishing their characteristics,
quality and appropriateness. The focus of the study was the curricula of colleges of
education and the understandings and expectations of student teachers at the terminal
point of their training in these colleges.
The study sought to determine:
a) the characteristic features of programmes that exist in Nigeria for the initial training of
school mathematics teachers;
b) the differences among the training programmes;
c) the relationship between the training curricula and the school mathematics
curriculum in Nigeria;
d) the level of understanding of school mathematics subject matter among trainees who
have completed the training programmes.
Data were collected and analysed from three sources to allow triangulation of findings.
The first sought information from curricular provisions in initial training programmes, in
terms of the knowledge components expected to be understood by a mathematics
teacher. The second, a school mathematics contents test, was used to identify
prospective teachers' level of understanding of school mathematics at the end of their
training. The third, a questionnaire, was used to seek mathematics teacher trainers'
views about the training programmes in their institutions.
The research drew the following conclusions:
1) There are differences between mathematics teachers training programmes in
Nigeria. The initial teacher qualifications awarded by different colleges of education
cannot, therefore, be said to be of the same quality.
2) Mathematics teachers training programmes in Nigeria are not achieving their
intended objectives because there are contradictions between their stated aims and
the curricular provisions for training.
3) The level of understanding of subject matter by prospective teachers in Nigeria is
low. Over 30% of student teachers cannot be relied upon to teach the school
mathematics syllabus with confidence.
4) There is low understanding among teacher trainers of the objectives and philosophy
of teacher education in Nigeria. Most teacher trainers believe that the main purpose
of training is to help student teachers develop enthusiasm and intellectual ability for
further mathematics.
In summary, it is suggested that the curricula for training school mathematics teachers
at colleges of education in Nigeria are not related to the subject matter of school
mathematics nor to the needs of trainees and they need substantial revision.


Although less known than his theory of democracy, John Dewey's social philosophy provides an articulate and original perspective on political life based on pragmatist intuitions. Dewey's struggle with social philosophy spanned more than four decades of his intellectual life. This article provides an overview of the main themes that characterize it and shows that two distinct projects animate Dewey's social philosophy. One is closer to the British reformist social philosophy of Jeremy Bentham and John S. Mill. Another is closer to the program of a critical theory of society initially developed by Karl Marx and subsequently expanded by the Frankfurt school. The article contends that to understand Dewey's social philosophy we should first understand what he took and what he rejected from both these tradition, how he managed to steer a middle course between Mill and Marx.


Calculating the consequences of global public bads such as climate change or pandemics helps uncover the scale, distribution and structure of their economic burdens. As violent conflict affects billions of people worldwide, whether directly or indirectly, this article sets out to estimate its global macro-economic repercussions. Using a novel methodology that accounts for multiple dimensions of war, the article finds that, in the absence of violent conflict since 1970, the level of global GDP in 2014 would have been, on average, 12% higher. When disaggregating these results by conflict type, civil conflicts are estimated to have been the costliest by far. Income growth is found to be altered up to four years following the end of a conflict, although the direction of this relationship depends on the intensity and type of conflict. Countries also suffer significantly from fighting in neighbouring countries, thereby showing the importance of mitigating spillovers rapidly. The largest absolute losses associated with violence emanate from Asia, while many high-income economies are found to benefit economically from participating in conflicts on foreign soil. This analysis thus shows that, despite some evidence of a faster post-conflict growth and possible benefits for external participants, violent conflict leads to net global losses that linger long after peace is achieved, reducing the peace dividend. The article concludes by discussing public policy options to strengthen the benefits of peace as a global public good.


. Colonic drug absorption, as an alternative to parenteral drug delivery, is evaluated for its potential advantages and limitations. Methodologies for studying and enhancing colonic drug absorption are discussed with emphasis on the biological and chemical nature of absorption barriers. Recent efforts at identifying factors that control colonic drug absorption and which might be exploited in a delivery scheme are described. Although oral delivery has become a widely accepted route of administration of therapeutic drugs, the gastrointestinal tract presents several formidable barriers to drug delivery. The delivery of drugs to the colon has a number of therapeutic implications in the field of drug delivery. In the recent times, the colon specific delivery systems are also gaining importance not only for local drug delivery of drugs but also for the systemic delivery of protein and peptide drugs. The various approaches that can be exploited to target the release of drug to colon include prodrug formation, coating with Ph sensitive polymers, coating with biodegradable polymers, embedding in biodegradable matrices, hydrogel, timed release systems, osmotic and bioadhesive systems. Solid formulations intended for targeted drug release into the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract are beneficial for the localized treatment of several diseases and conditions, mainly inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer. Also, because of their inherent potential to delay or avoid systemic drug absorption from the small intestine, colonic formulations can be utilized for chronotherapy of diseases which are affected by circadian biorhythms (e.g., asthma, hypertension and arthritis), and to achieve clinically relevant bioavailability of drugs that are poorly absorbed from the upper parts of the GI tract because of their polar nature and/or susceptibility to chemical and enzymatic degradation in the small intestine (e.g., proteins and peptides).


INTRODUCTION Among the many social and historical changes that have occurred in this century, none is more important or has more far reaching implications than changes in the role and economic status of women. Unsurprisingly, these changes have had and will continue to have a profound effect on business and public policy. It is, therefore, imperative that businesspeople, consumer advocates, and public policy makers attend to developments in this area. This article provides a scale which can be used to monitor changes in consumption preferences that flow from the evolution of gender ideology. THE CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER The idea that women are inferior and should be subordinate has a history sufficiently long that it is deeply embedded in both language and custom. Its more subtle manifestations are, therefore, difficult to detect and even more difficult to change (Smith, 1987). To take just one example, women's sphere of influence and range of career opportunities have been limited by the restriction on women in combat, a restriction framed as a beneficent protection, but a protection that no woman could wave if she wished to obtain the opportunities that were its price. Asymmetries encoded in language are, if anything, even more difficult to unmask than those which take the form of custom (Larsen, 1993). Fortunately, Jacques Derrida (1973; Culler, 1982), a prominent post-structuralist philosopher, has provided an insight which uncovers some of the hidden asymmetries. Language, he points out, is replete with dichotomous and apparently equivalent pairs: man/woman, male/female, boy/girl, husband/wife, mind/body, north/south, positive/negative, rich/poor, competent/incompetent. Derrida's insight is that the equivalence implied by the pairing of these terms masks an actual asymmetry. In each case, the first term in the pair is preferred or "valorized." This valorization is revealed in the fact that it sounds odd to reverse the order of the terms when they are used together, i. e. say south and north, poor and rich, female and male. It is revealed, too, in the fact that the first term reflects the historical locus of power or value. Historically, the north has been more prosperous and powerful than the south (in both the US and the world), the rich more comfortable and respected than the poor, men more honored and obeyed than women. People in power have constructed the language code in such a way that it hides these asymmetries behind a falsely implied balance and, thus, makes them seem natural. Derrida and other post-structuralists unmask the conventionality of these distinctions, showing that they are rooted not in nature but in group interests and the exercise of group power. Consumer researchers have long since pointed out that consumption, like these verbal dichotomies, is heavily gender coded (Courtney & Lockeretz, 1971; Davis & Rigaux, 1974; Gentry & Doering, 1977). It has more recently become apparent that the asymmetries uncovered by Derrida's linguistic analyses are manifest in gender coded consumption as well. For instance, Fontenelle and Zinkhan (1992) suggest that the experience of leisure is asymmetrical for women and men. The leisure of a woman is likely to be tied to that of her partner and children so that even on vacation, her needs tend to be subordinated to the needs of her family. The leisure of men, on the other hand, tends to be relatively free from constraint. In a similar vein, Wallendorf and Arnould (1991) found that Thanksgiving Day, a day of leisure and relaxation for men, often involves very hard work for women, who must cook the ritual feast, then clean up afterward. And Fischer and Arnold (1990) have shown that family Christmas shopping tends to be framed as a compulsory duty for women but as an optional pleasure for men. Since language is at root a system of differences (Saussure, 1959), linguistic and social dichotomies are probably unavoidable. …


BACKGROUND
The therapeutic effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have not been established.

OBJECTIVE
To assess therapeutic outcomes of integrating ART with treatment for MDR-TB.

DESIGN
A subgroup of MDR-TB patients from a randomised controlled trial, the SAPiT (Starting Antiretroviral Therapy at Three Points in Tuberculosis) study, conducted in an out-patient clinic in Durban, South Africa, from 2008 to 2012.

METHODS
Clinical outcomes at 18 months were compared in patients randomised to receive ART within 12 weeks of initiating standard first-line anti-tuberculosis treatment with those who commenced ART after completing anti-tuberculosis treatment.

RESULTS
Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility results were available in 489 (76%) of 642 SAPiT patients: 23 had MDR-TB, 14 in the integrated treatment arm and 9 in the sequential treatment arm. At 18 months, the mortality rate was 11.9/100 person-years (py; 95%CI 1.4-42.8) in the combined integrated treatment arm and 56.0/100 py (95%CI 18.2-130.8) in the sequential treatment arm (hazard ratio adjusted for baseline CD4 count and whether MDR-TB treatment was initiated: 0.14; 95%CI 0.02-0.94, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION
Despite the small sample size, the 86% reduction in mortality due to early initiation of ART in MDR-TB patients was statistically significant.


"Einstein's planet," formally known as Kepler-76b, is a "hot Jupiter" that orbits its star every 1.5 days. Its diameter is about 25 percent larger than Jupiter and it weighs twice as much. This artist's conception shows Kepler-76b orbiting its host star, which has been tidally distorted into a slight football shape (exaggerated here for effect). The planet was detected using the BEER algorithm, which looked for brightness changes in the star as the planet orbits due to relativistic BEaming, Ellipsoidal variations, and Reflected light from the planet. Credit: David A. Aguilar (CfA)


Three types of crushed rock aggregate were appraised, these being Carboniferous Sandstone, Magnesian Limestone and Jurassic Limestone. A comprehensive aggregate testing programme assessed the properties of these materials. Two series of specimen slabs were cast and power finished using recognised site procedures to assess firstly the influence of these aggregates as the coarse fraction, and secondly as the fine fraction. Each specimen slab was tested at 28 days under three regimes to simulate 2-body abrasion, 3-body abrasion and the effect of water on the abrasion of concrete. The abrasion resistance was measured using a recognised accelerated abrasion testing apparatus employing rotating steel wheels. Relationships between the aggregate and concrete properties and the abrasion resistance have been developed with the following properties being particularly important - Los Angeles Abrasion and grading of the coarse aggregate, hardness of the fine aggregate and water-cement ratio of the concrete. The sole use of cube strength as a measure of abrasion resistance has been shown to be unreliable by this work. A graphical method for predicting the potential abrasion resistance of concrete using various aggregate and concrete properties has been proposed. The effect of varying the proportion of low-grade aggregate in the mix has also been investigated. Possible mechanisms involved during abrasion have been discussed, including localised crushing and failure of the aggregate/paste bond. Aggregates from each of the groups were found to satisfy current specifications for direct finished concrete floors. This work strengthens the case for the increased use of low-grade aggregates in the future.


Radionuclide conjugates or ricin A chain (RTA) immunotoxins that target pl85HER-2 have partially inhibited the growth of human ovarian cancer xenografts in athymic mice but generally have not cured mice bearing human tumor transplants. The present study was undertaken to explore whether a combination of ionizing radiation and an immunotoxin could exert additive or synergistic cytotoxicity in culture and in vivo against cancer cells that overexpress p185HER-2. In cell culture, treatment with 200-2000 cGy external beam irradiation followed by incubation with TA1-anti-pl85mHER2-RTA immunotoxin (TA1-RTA) produced synergistic inhibition of clonogenic growth of ovarian and breast cancer cells that expressed > 10(6) pl85HER-2 receptors/cell. The effect on cell survival correlated with an inhibition of DNA repair. A prior study (F. J. Xu et al, Nucl. Med. Biol., 24: 451-460, 1997) compared the biodistribution of radionuclide conjugates prepared with monoclonal antibodies that bind to different epitopes on the extracellular domain of pl85HER-2 and found optimal tumor uptake with the 520C9 antibody, which did not compete with TA1 for binding to the receptor. In this report, the TA1-RTA immunotoxin and the 131I-labeled 520C9 radionuclide conjugate could each inhibit the growth of clone-9002-18 xenografts in athymic mice but did not yield long-term survivors using maximally tolerated doses of each agent. When TA1-RTA and 131I-labeled 520C9 were used in combination, a greater inhibition of tumor growth was obtained than with either single agent. Similarly, survival with the combined treatment was significantly prolonged (P = 0.004) relative to treatment with immunotoxin or radionuclide conjugate alone. After treatment with an optimal combination of immunotoxin and radionuclide conjugate, 50% of mice survived >300 days, whereas controls succumbed with a median survival of 36 days. These results suggest that combinations of immunotoxins and radionuclide conjugates deserve further evaluation for the treatment of cancers that overexpress pl85HER-2.


This theoretical and empirical article is dedicated to issues concerning communication in negotiation and the analysis of selected determinants. The authors have assumed that communication has two dimensions: one is based on open communication and the other on manipulative techniques. The research problem of the empirical study conducted by the authors was to establish what factors determine the use of these two dimensions of communication. Drawing on literature studies, they empirically examined such selected factors as social value orientation, experience and satisfaction with negotiation. This problem has been verified by an empirical study conducted in a group of 313 respondents. The main conclusions of the study refer to a correlation between the use of manipulation techniques in negotiation and a proself orientation, experience and the post-negotiation dissonance effect. In contrast, open communication is correlated with a prosocial orientation and a greater satisfaction with negotiation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ss.88.2.12740


The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) presently uses an empirical approach in estimating the depth to which riverbed scour is apt to occur around bridge piers. The empiricism arises, at least in part, from the use of prediction equations of the form d sub s/b equals K(y sub o/b) to the nth power where d sub s is the predicted scour depth, b is the width of piers, y sub o is the depth of the approach flow, K is a multiplier that incorporates geometry of piers and their orientation to the flow path in streams and n is a factor reflecting erosive characteristics of streambeds. More than 35 different formulae, having form similar to the one above, have been proposed for scour estimation since 1949. All apply most appropriately to cohesionless streambed materials that are uniform in size. Many site conditions in Washington and other states have graded material with some armoring characteristics. Prediction equations of the above type will estimate scour much deeper than what actually occurs in these latter type streambeds. Bridge pier construction can be overly costly if they penetrate the streambed unnecessarily deep. At the same time, however, designs must be safe. Research reported here examined whether existing WSDOT scour estimating practices are appropriate or whether other methodology should be used. Results point out that, where uniform-sized cohesionless streambeds exist, correct estimating methods are satisfactory. However, at bridges over streams having graded bed materials current estimates of scour depths are excessive. A procedure for estimating these latter depths has been developed and is presented herein for use by WSDOT and others.


"Much of what constitutes the typical approach to formal teacher professional development is antithetical to what promotes teacher learning," a report from the National Research Council concluded as a decade of concern about undergraduate teaching and learning came to a close.1 While educational reformers such as Ernest Boyer, Pat Hutchings, Gene Rice, and Lee Shulman called for teaching-based scholarship, critics from the academy and the political stump suggested it was time to question not only learning outcomes, but faculty professionalism as well.2 A survey of graduate programs conducted just after the decade's mid-point found little that would contradict the National Research Council finding3 regarding the formal training teachers received in communication doctoral programs or later in regular departmental activities. A decade has passed since Ernest Boyer's call-to-arms, Scholarship Reconsidered, sculpted a conceptual mosaic of university life constructed of many tiles - some reflective ofresearch, others a vision of teaching and service. "Surely," Boyer wrote, "American higher education is imaginative and creative enough to support and reward not only those scholars uniquely gifted in research but also those who excel in the integration and application of knowledge, as well as those especially adept in the scholarship of teaching. Such a mosaic, if acknowledged, would bring renewed vitality to higher learning and the nation."4 A significant literature that integrates scholarship with teaching and learning is emerging. Menges's and Weimer's publication of Teaching On Solid Ground: Using Scholarship to Improve Practice draws compelling links between a body of research on student development and learning theory and improved, more effective teaching practices. Explicitly rejecting the notion of teaching scholarship as simply the compilation of "teaching tips" or discussions of how to write a syllabus, Menges and Weimer call for a disciplined approach grounded in the "various domains of knowledge ... relevant to teaching and learning."5 Recognizing a need for teaching informed by scholarship is one thing. Creating the practice of scholarly teaching grounded in domains of knowledge relevant to teaching is another. "'Scholarship of teaching' has become part of our educational jargon," Menges and Weimer caution. "It has become an amorphous term, equated more with a commitment to teaching than with any concrete, substantive sense of ... how this scholarship might be recognized. " It is time, they conclude, for higher education to "join research and practice [as] different arcs of the same circle" noting that "only as we correctly define and illustrate scholarship as related to teaching can we hope to sustain and further its cause."6 There is evidence of a scholarship about teaching that goes beyond a simple commitment to teaching. Refereed journals such as Journal of General Education, The Review of Higher Education, and the quarterly New Directions for Teaching and Learning series are providing a groundswell of response to Boyer's clarion. These journals make available a significant body of research supportive of teaching scholarship. Is there also evidence, however, those faculties are applying the domain of knowledge available in this scholarship to support their teaching practices?7 Research questions The national ferment generated by Boyer and the challenge from Menges' and Weimer to bring scholarly rigor to the practice of teaching make it appropriate to ask fundamental questions about the application of the "various domains of knowledge" relevant to teaching and learning within our own discipline, mass communication. The inquiry that follows considers two questions: Is there evidence of a commitment to a scholarship of teaching in doctoral level mass communication education? If so, does this scholarship of teaching reflect a mass communication disciplinary orientation? …


One of the many counterintuitive things students in a first course on options learn is that premature exercise of an American call option on a nondividend paying stock is a mistake, and that for a dividend-paying stock, early exercise is never rational except just before the stock goes ex-dividend. Efforts to incorporate counterparty credit risk in the calculation have suggested assuming no change in exercise policy and simply discount the projected future cash flows at a higher risky interest rate. Others have argued that counterparty default should never happen with American options because the holder will exercise just before the counterparty defaults and effectively step in front of the other creditors to be paid in full. Klein and Yang show that these ideas are incorrect. Early exercise gives up the option's time value, so that even when imminent counterparty default is perfectly predictable, there is still a cost to exercise for credit reasons. Moreover, properly taking counterparty risk into account leads to optimal exercise behavior different from that in the nonvulnerable case, so simply discounting the same cash flows at a different rate undervalues the vulnerable option. The difference is particularly important when counterparty risk is wrong-way risk, such that the counterparty's credit weakens under the same conditions that the option is in the money.


PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and outcome of combined Descemet's membrane
endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL)
implantation in the management of concomitant endothelial disorder, shallow chamber
and cataract.
SETTING: Clinical study at a tertiary referral center.
METHODS: Prospective, nonrandomized study that included eight eyes of eight patients
with concomitant endothelial disease and advanced cataract. In a first group of eight
consecutive eyes, combined phacoemulsification, IOL implantation and DMEK were
performed. Grafts were inserted with an ICL injector, encapsulated within viscoelastic
plugs. Femtosecond laser-assisted descemetorhexis was performed in one case. The main
outcome measures were best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell
density (ECD) and intra- and postoperative complications.
RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 75% (6/8) of cases. Two required a secondary
regraft due to complete graft detachment and late failure. At six months, mean ECD loss
was 55.4±24.0%, with an absolute mean ECD of 1248.3±755.0 cells/mm2
. At six months,
100% (5/5) of patients with good visual potential reached BSCVA of ≥0.5, 80% (4/5) ≥0.8,
and 60% (3/5) ≥1.0.
CONCLUSIONS: The combined triple procedure seems to be safe and effective in the
management of cases with concomitant advanced Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy, advanced
cataract and shallow chamber. Endothelial cell density loss beyond six months remains
under investigation.


[1] Cirrus clouds, particularly subvisual high thin cirrus with low optical thickness, are difficult to screen in operational aerosol retrieval algorithms. Collocated aerosol and cirrus observations from ground measurements, such as the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and the Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET), provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to systematically examine the susceptibility of operational aerosol products to cirrus contamination. Quality assured aerosol optical thickness (AOT) measurements were also tested against the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) vertical feature mask (VFM) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) thin cirrus screening parameters for the purpose of evaluating cirrus contamination. Key results of this study include: (1) quantitative evaluations of data uncertainties in AERONET AOT retrievals are conducted; although AERONET cirrus screening schemes are successful in removing most cirrus contamination, strong residuals displaying strong spatial and seasonal variability still exist, particularly over thin cirrus prevalent regions during cirrus peak seasons; (2) challenges in matching up different data for analysis are highlighted and corresponding solutions proposed; and (3) estimates of the relative contributions from cirrus contamination to aerosol retrievals are discussed. The results are valuable for better understanding and further improving ground aerosol measurements that are critical for aerosol-related climate research.


This paper analyses post-war coping strategies by farm households in developing countries. The analysis is based on a portfolio model of activity choices in war-affected rural Sub-Saharan Africa. A case study using farm household survey data estimates the determinants of agricultural coping strategies in post-war Mozambique. Post-war coping strategies are expected to differ from pre- and mid-crisis coping strategies. War-affected households are forced to adopt very risky coping strategies that re-enforce their vulnerability. Households choose between market and non-market forms of exchange and even exit markets entirely. Post-war reconstruction policy should focus on re-capitalizing households and providing public goods.


Year‐round eddy covariance flux measurements were made in a native tallgrass prairie in north‐central Oklahoma, USA during 1997–2000 to quantify carbon exchange and its interannual variability. This prairie is dominated by warm season C4 grasses. The soil is a relatively shallow silty clay loam underlined with a heavy clay layer and a limestone bedrock. During the study period, the prairie was burned in the spring of each year, and was not grazed. In 1997 there was adequate soil moisture through the growing season, but 1998 had two extended periods of substantially low soil moisture (with concurrent high air temperatures and vapor pressure deficits), one early and one later in the growing season. There was also moisture stress in 1999, but it was less severe and occurred later in the season. The annual net ecosystem CO2 exchange, NEE (before including carbon loss during the burn) was 274, 46 and 124 g C m−2 yr−1 in 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively (flux toward the surface is positive), and the associated variation seemed to mirror the severity of moisture stress. We also examined integrated values of NEE during different periods (e.g. day/night; growing season/senescence). Annually integrated carbon dioxide uptake during the daytime showed the greatest variability from year to year, and was primarily linked to the severity of moisture stress. Carbon loss during nighttime was a significant part of the annual daytime NEE, and was fairly stable from year to year. When carbon loss during the burn (estimated from pre‐ and post‐burn biomass samples) was incorporated in the annual NEE, the prairie was found to be approximately carbon neutral (i.e. net carbon uptake/release was near zero) in years with no moisture stress (1997) or with some stress late in the season (1999). During a year with severe moisture stress early in the season (1998), the prairie was a net source of carbon. It appears that moisture stress (severity as well as timing of occurrence) was a dominating factor regulating the annual carbon exchange of the prairie.


The Panel has interpreted the Terms of Reference as a stepwise analysis of issues relevant to both the development and the evaluation of models to assess ecological effects of pesticides. The regulatory model should be selected or developed to address the relevant specific protection goal. The basis of good modelling practice must be the knowledge of relevant processes and the availability of data of sufficient quality. The opinion identifies several critical steps in order to set models within risk assessment, namely: problem formulation, considering the specific protection goals for the taxa or functional groups of concern; model domain of applicability, which drives the species and scenarios to model; species (and life stage) selection, considering relevant life history traits and toxicological/toxicokinetics characteristics of the pesticide; selection of the environmental scenario, which is defined by a combination of abiotic, biotic and agronomic parameters to provide a realistic worst-case situation. Model development should follow the modelling cycle, in which every step has to be fully documented: (i) problem definition; (ii) model formulation, i.e. design of a conceptual model; (iii) model formalisation, in which variables and parameters are linked together into mathematical equations or algorithms; (iv) model implementation, in which a computer code is produced and verified; (v) model setup, including sensitivity analysis, uncertainty analysis and comparison with observed data, that delivers the regulatory model; (vi) prior to actual use in risk assessment, the regulatory model should be evaluated for relevance to the specific protection goals; (vii) feedback from risk assessor with possible recommendations for model improvement. Model evaluation by regulatory authorities should consider each step of the modelling cycle: the opinion identifies points of particular attention for the use of mechanistic effect models in pesticide risk assessment. It is recommended that models be documented in a complete and transparent way, that a feedback platform be established involving risk assessors and model developers, and that a set of agreed models be made available.


Measuring bone angles is an important method for diagnosing disease and predicting the prognosis in orthopedics. Traditionally, the angle is measured using lines drawn manually and adjusted by the naked eye. The purpose of the present study was to propose new methods to measure the bone angles formed by the axes of the calcaneus with good reliability and low operational error. The 2 new methods used linear regression analysis of the points inside and on the "envelope" line. The traditional method used the vector of the lines drawn for calculation. Digital radiographs of the lateral view of the feet from 51 patients were collected, and the angles were measured using these 3 methods. Next, we analyzed the reliability, differences, and correlations of these 3 methods. The intra- and interobserver comparisons revealed significant differences between the results of the 2 new methods and those of the traditional method. In addition, the new methods had greater reliability and better intra- and interobserver correlations than did the traditional method. We suggest that these 2 new methods to measure bone axis should be added to the Picture Archiving and Communication System to obtain more reliable and standardized data in clinical practice and for future research purposes.


Beginning where our introductory neural network programing book left off, this book introduces you to Encog. Encog allows you to focus less on the actual implementation of neural networks and focus on how to use them. Encog is an advanced neural network programming framework that allows you to create a variety of neural network architectures using the C# programming language. Neural network architectures such as feedforward/perceptrons, Hopfield, Elman, Jordan, Radial Basis Function, and Self Organizing maps are all demonstrated. This book also shows how to use Encog to train neural networks using a variety of means. Several propagation techniques, such as back propagation, resilient propagation (RPROP) and the Manhattan update rule are discussed. Additionally, training with a genetic algorithm and simulated annealing is discussed as well. You will also see how to enhance training using techniques such as pruning and hybrid training.


Donor–acceptor block copolymers (BCP), incorporating poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), and a polystyrene copolymer with pendant fullerenes (PPCBM) provide desired stable nanostructures, but mostly do not exhibit balanced charge carrier mobilities. This work presents an elegant approach to match hole and electron transport in BCP by blending with molecular PCBM without causing any macrophase separation. An insufficient electron mobility of PPCBM can be widely compensated by adding PCBM which is monitored by the space-charge limited current method. Using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry, we verify the large miscibility of the PPCBM:PCBM blend up to 60 wt % PCBM load forming an amorphous, molecularly mixed fullerene phase without crystallization. Thus, blending BCP with PCBM substantially enhances charge transport achieving an electron mobility of μe=(3.2 ± 1.7) × 10−4 cm2V−1s−1 and hole mobility of μh=(1.8 ± 0.6) × 10−3 cm2V−1s−1 in organic field-effect transistors (OFET). The BCP:PCBM blend provides a similarly high ambipolar charge transport compared to the established P3HT:PCBM system, but with the advantage of an exceptionally stable morphology even for prolonged thermal annealing. This work demonstrates the feasibility of high charge transport and stable morphology simultaneously in a donor–acceptor BCP by a blend approach. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016