This paper explores how learner background shapes learner performance on discourse features in writing by analysing data produced as part of the Student Achievement in Asian Languages Education project (Scarino et al., 2011) by Year 10 (mid-secondary school) students learning Korean as a foreign or heritage language. Five participants were in their second year of learning Korean as a foreign language at an Australian high school, whereas four Korean-speaking participants were learning their mother tongue in Saturday community schools and had varied experience of learning Korean and English, the language of mainstream schooling in Australia. Participants' performance on two writing tasks–one independent and one integrated– is examined in terms of two assessment categories–"forms and structures" (i.e., morpho-syntax) and "discourse" (i.e., coherence and cohesion). Results reveal that participants' performance within each group varies according to task types and that the pattern of within-group variation also differs between the two groups. It appears that the two types of learners respond differently to different types of tasks and that their learning is different in nature. It is concluded that this difference needs to be taken into consideration in teaching and assessment in languages education at the secondary school level.


A comprehensive introduction and teaching resource for state-of-the-art Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) using R software. This guide facilitates the efficient teaching, independent learning, and use of QCA with the best available software, reducing the time and effort required when encountering not just the logic of a new method, but also new software. With its applied and practical focus, the book offers a genuinely simple and intuitive resource for implementing the most complete protocol of QCA. To make the lives of students, teachers, researchers, and practitioners as easy as possible, the book includes learning goals, core points, empirical examples, and tips for good practices. The freely available online material provides a rich body of additional resources to aid users in their learning process. Beyond performing core analyses with the R package QCA, the book also facilitates a close integration with the R package SetMethods allowing for a host of additional protocols for building a more solid and well-rounded QCA.


We explore the use of adaptation transforms employed in speech recognition systems as features for speaker recognition. This approach is attractive because, unlike standard framebased cepstral speaker recognition models, it normalizes for the choice of spoken words in text-independent speaker verification. Affine transforms are computed for the Gaussian means of the acoustic models used in a recognizer, using maximum likelihood linear regression (MLLR). The high-dimensional vectors formed by the transform coefficients are then modeled as speaker features using support vector machines (SVMs). The resulting speaker verification system is competitive, and in some cases significantly more accurate, than state-of-the-art cepstral gaussian mixture and SVM systems. Further improvements are obtained by combining baseline and MLLR-based systems.


The primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that decentralized investment management systems may not always be efficient. Specifically, within the context of a particular portfolio choice paradigm it is shown that a given decentralized investment management system is (weakly) efficient if and only if the joint probability distribution of asset rates of return satisfy certain covariance restrictions. If these restrictions do not obtain then the asset portfolios generated by this decentralized structure will generally be inferior to those which would be generated by a completely centralized structure. This paper also discusses how the managers of departments within an efficient decentralized structure should behave so as to generate portfolios which are optimal from the point of view of the institution as a whole. Generally, departmental managers should behave as if they have less risk aversion than the institution as a whole. In fact, a given manager should be more risk averse the greater the value of his portfolio. Finally, we note that the efficiency concept employed in this paper is equivalent to the proposition that certain assets admit consistent simple sum aggregation. It is shown that this implies that the efficient decentralization of investment decisions permits the institution to economize on the information which must be passed to higher level departments.


A discovery of an active cartel represents only one stage in antitrust enforcement. Another important stage, which is quite widely discussed among scholars, is the imposition of fines against cartels. The main problem, which occurs on the practical and theoretical level is the estimation of the optimal size of fines. Although propositions stating that today's fines are possibly too low, more and more often appear in the scientific literature and public space, the concept of the optimal fine is not fully analyzed and discussed among academic society yet. It is important that the size of the fine allows to find the compromise among damage settlement, deterrence from other violations of competition law, punishment of violators and practical possibilities to pay the fine. In this article the main attention is paid to the concept of the optimal fine in the country of small economy with developing culture of competition. The empirical analysis is based on Lithuanian cases. This country is chosen because it corresponds to the features of the small economy with the developing culture of competition. In Lithuania, the Law on Competition became effective in 1999 and the competition has not been treated as a value yet. The empirical analysis of two Lithuanian cartels cases allowed to assess and identify the specifics of the economic efficiency of fines imposed on cartels. According to the theoretical and practical analysis, the recommendations pointed to the improvement of the fining system, are presented in the article as well. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.26.1.7763


South Africa has the highest burden of HIV and AIDS in the world, yet most of these infected people are unaware of their HIV status. HIV voluntary counselling and testing is shown to have manifold benefits in improving the quality and duration of life of those infected with HIV as well as preventing the spread of infection to HIV negative people. There is a clear need for research into this area. This study therefore investigates the relationship between the social network correlates of HIV testing behaviour amongst a sample of the student population of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus, using social network analysis and the theories of social learning and social influence as the lens through which to interpret the results. This was an empirical study using data that was collected using an anonymous, self-complete, all-of-campus student survey. Five hundred and sixty-six participants completed the survey. This study employed a cross sectional design and is based on a secondary data analysis of a larger project. The data were analysed using a stepwise multiple regression. The findings show that social network size and residential diversity of participants" social networks were significantly associated with VCT uptake. Participants with the smallest network size were more likely to have tested for HIV than those with the largest network size, while those with the most residentially diverse networks were more likely to have tested than those with the least diverse networks. The findings suggest that some aspects of students" social networks influenced the likelihood of having tested for HIV, but social learning and social influence are not bound exclusively to an enabling or constraining role on VCT uptake. In order to better understand their influence, the prevailing social norms and information within a social network need to be established. Table of


Background: Signet-ring-cell carcinoma is a rare variant of mucinous adenocarcinoma. Only about 3 cases of primary testicular cancer with signet-ring-cell morphology have been reported so far in the literature. There is lack of knowledge regarding the biological behaviour of this type of tumour affecting the testis. Seminoma of the testis is quite common and its biological behaviour is well known. When a classical seminoma of the testis is found to be contemporaneously associated with signet-ring-cell morphology, in view of the absence of any detailed literature on this rare clinical entity, the biological behaviour of such a tumour cannot be predicted. Objectives: To report a case of Classical Seminoma of the testis interspersed with seminoma cells with signet-ring morphology. To review the literature on signet-ring-cell carcinomas including carcinomas of testis with signet- ring- cell morphology. To review the ESMO guidelines on management of seminoma of testis Results: A 32-year-old man came for urology consultation 11 months after he had noticed a lump in his left testis. He had a family history of testicular cancer. A hard lump clinically suspicious of a tumour was palpable in the lower pole of his left testis. The right testis felt normal on palpation. His serum Beta HCG level was raised. He had ultra-sound scan of testis which showed bilateral microlithiasis with a tumour in the left testis but no tumour in the right testis. He underwent left radical orchidectomy and histology of the testicular tumour revealed a classical testicular seminoma with foci of signet-ring -cell morphology based upon haematoxylin and eosin staining as well as positive immunostaining for CD117 and OCT 3 / 4. Literature review revealed paucity of literature on testicular tumours with signet-ring-cell morphology. Conclusions: There is paucity of literature on primary testicular tumours with signet-ring-cell morphology. In order to establish the biological behaviour of such tumours we would encourage pathologists and urologists to report cases of testicular tumours associated with signet-ring-cell morphology together with the long term biological behaviour of such tumours. They should also report on the percentage of testicular tumours that have signet–ring-cell morphology and their distribution whether patchy or diffuse. Ultrasound-scan of testis was required to establish the diagnosis of testicular cancer in the patient. Ultrasound-scan of testis is useful in the investigation of a testicular lump. Ultrasound and CT scans are also useful for the follow-up of patients with testicular cancer and microlithiasis.


Advanced online control of drinking water treatment plants requires reliable models. These models in general involve temperature-dependent, uncertain parameters, which can only be measured in laboratory conditions. We propose to estimate these parameters online, using the available pH quality measurements. Since the pH measurements are a nonlinear combination of the system's states, a particle filter is used. Thanks to the cascaded nature of the plant, the estimation is also performed in a cascaded setting. The performance is evaluated both for simulated and real-world data. Results indicate that the filter can be effectively used to improve the model accuracy.


This article argues that truth is vital to deliberative democracy and to communication as an academic discipline. Our definition of truth is critical realist in nature—that is, it refers to an ontologically objective reality. We briefly explore the history and concepts of deliberative democracy and its presuppositions of epistemic rationality, doxastic voluntarism, and ontological realism. The article then outlines the breakdown of the concept and practice of truth and deliberative democracy before and during the age of Trump and the treatment of truth by the profession of journalism as well as the academic discipline of journalism studies. Finally, we provide a critical-realist take on the resolution of truth debates and an affirmation of truth as a democratic value.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether Artesunate(ART) can inhibit the proliferation of THP-1 cells and to explore the potential mechanism of its anti-leukemia effect.

METHODS
THP-1 cells were treated with 5 concentrations of Artesunate for 24 h, 48 h or 72 h. The viability of cells was detected with CCK-8 assay, apoptosis was assessed by using flow cytometry, and the STAT3, Caspase3 and Caspase8 protein levels were measured with Western blot .

RESULTS
Compared with the control group, ART significantly inhibited the proliferation of THP-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner (r=0.9829, P<0.05). ART also increased the apoptosis of THP-1 cells. The results of Western blot showed that after treated with ART, the STAT3 protein expression in THP-1 cells was significantly down-regulated (P<0.01), and the expressions of Caspase3, cleaved Caspase3 and Caspase8 proteins were up-regulated(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION
Artesunate can inhibit the proliferation of THP-1 cells, which may relate with the down-regulation of STAT3 expression and the activation of Capase3 and Caspase8.


Riparian forest and woodlands of the lower River Murray floodplain are exhibiting deteriorating health as a result of anthropogenic alterations to flow regimes and south-eastern Australia's long-term 'Millennium Drought' from 1997 to 2009. Extensive flooding in 2010/2011 brought the drought to an end, providing an opportunity to monitor ecological floodplain recovery. The relationship between flooding and lateral recharge and condition of the dominant riparian tree species, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, was determined between 2007 and 2011 using the Landsat (LTM5) Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Linking the river hydrograph with the River Murray Floodplain Inundation Model (RiM-FIM) allowed exploration of the relationship between inundation duration and E. camaldulensis water requirements. Results indicate lateral bank recharge is an important mechanism in the maintenance of vegetation condition along the River Murray channel. Higher in-channel irrigation water delivery during summer months was identified as critical to survival of trees adjacent to the channel during the drought. The research suggests that weir pool manipulation to create in-channel flood pulses will aid E. camaldulensis maintenance. Furthermore, release of environmental flows once every 3 to 5 years to create bank-full flow or preferably overbank flows, will increase hydrological connectivity between river banks, wetlands and riparian zones, providing positive ecological benefits to E. camaldulensis and other floodplain and aquatic ecological assets.


Ideal-observer analysis was used to determine the number of basis functions necessary to represent the spectral reflectances of natural objects. The ideal observer was placed at the level of photon catch in the foveal photoreceptors of a typical human eye. Daylight illumination was used. Discrimination of an original reflectance spectrum from its approximation typically reached an asymptote after three or four basis functions were used. A consideration of various factors involved in real rather than ideal performance led to the conclusion that three basis functions are necessary and probably sufficient for representing the spectral reflectance functions of natural objects.


We are interested in supervised ranking algorithms that perform especially well near the top of the ranked list, and are only required to perform sufficiently well on the rest of the list. In this work, we provide a general form of convex objective that gives high-scoring examples more importance. This "push" near the top of the list can be chosen arbitrarily large or small, based on the preference of the user. We choose lp-norms to provide a specific type of push; if the user sets p larger, the objective concentrates harder on the top of the list. We derive a generalization bound based on the p-norm objective, working around the natural asymmetry of the problem. We then derive a boosting-style algorithm for the problem of ranking with a push at the top. The usefulness of the algorithm is illustrated through experiments on repository data. We prove that the minimizer of the algorithm's objective is unique in a specific sense. Furthermore, we illustrate how our objective is related to quality measurements for information retrieval.


Plasmids are central contributors to microbial evolution and genome innovation. Recently, they have been found to have important roles in antibiotic resistance and in affecting production of metabolites used in industrial and agricultural applications. However, their characterization through deep sequencing remains challenging, in spite of rapid drops in cost and throughput increases for sequencing. Here, we attempt to ameliorate this situation by introducing a new plasmid-specific assembly algorithm, leveraging assembly graphs provided by a conventional de novo assembler and alignments of paired- end reads to assembled graph nodes. We introduce the first tool for this task, called Recycler, and demonstrate its merits in comparison with extant approaches. We show that Recycler greatly increases the number of true plasmids recovered while remaining highly accurate. On simulated plasmidomes, Recycler recovered 5-14% more true plasmids compared to the best extant method with overall precision of about 90%. We validated these results in silico on real data, as well as in vitro by PCR validation performed on a subset of Recycler's predictions on different data types. All 12 of Recycler's outputs on isolate samples matched known plasmids or phages, and had alignments having at least 97% identity over at least 99% of the reported reference sequence lengths. For the two E. Coli strains examined, most known plasmid sequences were recovered, while in both cases additional plasmids only known to be present in different hosts were found. Recycler also generated plasmids in high agreement with known annotation on real plasmidome data. Moreover, in PCR validations performed on 77 sequences, Recycler showed mean accuracy of 89% across all data types – isolate, microbiome, and plasmidome. Recycler is available at http://github.com/Shamir-Lab/Recycler


Article History: Received 04.07.2015 Received in revised form 01.10.2015 Accepted 21.12.2015 Available online 01.01.2016 The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between some individual characteristics, learned resourcefulness and burn out on the one hand and the relationships between burn out and learned resourcefulness on the other. The participants in this research included 163 English teachers teaching in the schools located in Malatya. The participants were asked to anonymously fill out a questionnaire involving three parts which respectively investigated their background, burnout level and learned resourcefulness (Rosenbaum's Learned Resourcefulness Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory). The findings indicated that more than half of the teachers possess moderately high level of learned resourcefulness and they are experiencing burnout at moderate level in three aspects of MBI. In addition, the analysis suggested an inverse relationship between learned resourcefulness and the three burnout subscales: as learned resourcefulness increases, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment decrease. Furthermore; the independent variables (age, gender, and marital status) were not found to be significant in learned resourcefulness and any of the burnout dimensions. "The school type" is the only variable which was found to be significant in the three burnout sub-dimensions. Results are discussed in the light of current literature and suggestions were provided. © 2016 IJPES. All rights reserved


This study uses a model with aerosol-cloud-radiation coupling to examine the impact of Saharan dust and other aerosols on Hurricane Nadine (2012). In order to study aerosol direct (radiation) and indirect (cloud microphysics) effects from individual, as well as all aerosol species, eight different NU-WRF simulations were conducted. In several simulations, aerosols led to storm strengthening, followed by weakening relative to the Ctrl simulation. This variability of the aerosol impact may be related to whether aerosols are ingested into clouds within the outer rainbands or the eyewall. Upper tropospheric aerosol concentrations indicate vertical transport of all aerosol types in the outer bands but only vertical transport of sea salt in the inner core. The results suggest that aerosols, particularly sea salt, may have contributed to a stronger initial intensification, but that aerosols ingestion into the outer bands at later times may have weakened the storm in the longer term. In most aerosol experiments, aerosols led to a reduction in cloud and precipitation hydrometeors, the exception being the dust-only case that produced periods of enhanced hydrometeor growth. The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) also impacted Nadine by causing a region of strong easterlies impinging on the eastern side of the storm. At the leading edge of these easterlies, cool and dry air near the top of the SAL was being ingested into the outer-band convection. This midlevel low equivalent-potential-temperature air gradually lowered toward the surface and eventually contributed to significant cold pool activity in the eastern rain band and in the northeast quadrant of the storm. Such enhanced downdraft activity could have led to weakening of the storm, but it is not presently possible to quantify this impact.


The vasoconstrictor effects of 9,11-epithio-11,12-methano-thromboxane A2 (STA2) on smooth muscle strips of the rabbit coronary artery have been investigated in vitro. Right coronary artery (RCA) was more responsive to STA2 than either the left anterior descending or the circumflex coronary artery. On endothelium-denuded RCA strips, the sensitivity and responsiveness to STA2 were greater than observed on intact muscle strips. A thromboxane(Tx)-antagonist, (9,11), (11,12)-dideoxa-9 alpha, 11 alpha-dimethylmethano-11,12-methano-13,14-dihydro-13-aza-14-oxo-15 - cyclopenthyl-16,17,18,19,20-pethanol-15-epi-TxA2 (ONO-3708), inhibited the STA2-induced contraction, whereas atropine or prazosin had no effect. Nifedipine partly inhibited the STA2-induced contraction, one half of which was still evoked in Ca2+-free solution. When acetylcholine was applied prior to the application of STA2 in Ca2+-free solution, the STA2-vasoconstriction disappeared. In saponin-treated chemically skinned muscle strips, STA2 itself had no effect on either the pCa-tension relation or on the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. However, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate released Ca2+ from such stores, and 12-o-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and 1,2-diolein, activators of protein kinase C, enhanced the contraction induced by 0.3 microM Ca2+. It is concluded that STA2 acts on the TxA2 receptor and produces contraction due to an increase in both voltage- and agonist(receptor)-dependent Ca2+ influx. STA2 also releases Ca2+ from ACh- and caffeine-sensitive storage sites.


Book synopsis: Scenes of Intimacy analyzes the representation of acts and relationships of intimacy in contemporary literature, the effect this has upon readers, and the ways these representations resonate with, complement, and challenge the concerns of contemporary theory. Opening with an in-depth interview with literary critic, Derridean, and novelist Professor Nicholas Royle, the volume contains eleven further essays that move from intimate scenes of familial and pedagogic legacy, on to representations of love, of sex, and finally to scenes of death and dying. The essays are textually attentive to how literary techniques create intimacy, and draw upon new and notable theoretical positions and critics from queer theory, affect studies, psychoanalysis, poststructualism and deconstruction to ask difficult and uncomfortable questions about intimacy and its representation. Across the genres of poetry, autobiography, journals, love letters, short stories and novels, Scenes of Intimacy shows that contemporary literature poses new possibilities and questions about our intimate relationalities, their failures and their futures.


Reversible circuits can generate unique output vector from each input vector, and vice-versa, that is, there is a one-to-one mapping between the input and the output vectors. The contributions of the dissertation include a novel reversible gate particularly suitable for reversible arithmetic, several designs for reversible arithmetic such as binary and BCD adders, sub tractors and comparators, a set of reversible sequential circuits such as latches, flip-flops, and shift registers. Unlike previous works, the above designs are optimized for multiple parameters such as ancilla and garbage bits, quantum cost and delay. Another important contribution is the application of conservative reversible logic towards online and offline testing of single as well as multiple faults in reversible as well as traditional logic VLSI circuits.


In this study, a new integrated Nonlinear Tracking Control (NTC) is developed that includes the dynamic analysis of the hydraulic braking systems. In the developed algorithm, the desired set points for the slip values are iterated from a nonlinear tire model based on the Magic Formula. Simulations of hard braking and steering maneuvers are conducted using the nonlinear Yaw-plane Four-wheel steering vehicle model with Limited Roll motion (YFLR) incorporating the nonlinear Magic Formula tire model (MF). Similar maneuvers are applied to the same vehicle model that is equipped with the conventional PID controller. Braking and vehicle stability performances are compared for the two implemented control systems to verify the reliability of the proposed control. In this study, Four-wheel Steering Control (4WSC) and Variable Slip-ratio Control (VSC) are also developed along with the NTC in the YFLR model to assess the cornering characteristics of the vehicle during braking and turning. Three controllers are independent but are coupled through the states of the longitudinal and lateral tire forces. Considering the tire friction ellipse, the control systems are designed using model matching control method to impose the vehicle braking performances following a desired dynamic model even during large decelerations or lateral accelerations.


Ligands from dying cells are a source of Toll-like receptor (TLR) activating agents. Although TLR3 is known to respond to RNA from necrotic cells, the relative importance of this response in vivo during acute inflammatory processes has not been fully explored. We observed the involvement of TLR3 activation during experimental polymicrobial septic peritonitis and ischemic gut injury in the absence of an exogenous viral stimulus. In TLR3-deficient mice, increased chemokine/cytokine levels and neutrophil recruitment characterized the initial inflammatory responses in both injury models. However, the levels of inflammatory chemokines and tumor necrosis factor α quickly returned to baseline in tlr3−/− mice, and these mice were protected from the lethal effects of sustained inflammation. Macrophages from tlr3−/− mice responded normally to other TLR ligands but did not respond to RNA from necrotic neutrophils. Importantly, an immunoneutralizing antibody directed against TLR3 attenuated the generation of inflammatory chemokines evoked by byproducts from necrotic neutrophils cultured with wild-type macrophages. In vivo, anti-TLR3 antibody attenuated the tissue injury associated with gut ischemia and significantly decreased sepsis-induced mortality. Collectively, these data show that TLR3 is a regulator of the amplification of immune response and serves an endogenous sensor of necrosis, independent of viral activation.


The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase promotes cell growth by activating biosynthetic pathways and suppressing catabolic pathways, particularly that of macroautophagy. A prerequisite for mTORC1 activation is its translocation to the lysosomal surface. Deregulation of mTORC1 has been associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases, but its role in skeletal disorders is largely unknown. Here, we show that enhanced mTORC1 signaling arrests bone growth in lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). We found that lysosomal dysfunction induces a constitutive lysosomal association and consequent activation of mTORC1 in chondrocytes, the cells devoted to bone elongation. mTORC1 hyperphosphorylates the protein UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG), reducing the activity of the associated Beclin 1-Vps34 complex and thereby inhibiting phosphoinositide production. Limiting phosphoinositide production leads to a blockage of the autophagy flux in LSD chondrocytes. As a consequence, LSD chondrocytes fail to properly secrete collagens, the main components of the cartilage extracellular matrix. In mouse models of LSD, normalization of mTORC1 signaling or stimulation of the Beclin 1-Vps34-UVRAG complex rescued the autophagy flux, restored collagen levels in cartilage, and ameliorated the bone phenotype. Taken together, these data unveil a role for mTORC1 and autophagy in the pathogenesis of skeletal disorders and suggest potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of LSDs.


This essay explores the cognitive environment of radicalised youth and describes how the path of engagement in the Syrian revolution is radicalised. Using a case study, I analyse the experiences, personality and motivation of Elodie, a young woman from Saint-Denis in France. Elodie's story provides a context to examine how socially constructed processes become individualised. The approach taken in the study adopts anthropologist David Mandelbaum's concept of engagement to understand its meaning. Based on this approach, the study considers engagement as a phase of shaping convictions, not as its result. As such, engagement does not appear to be fixed, final, and unchangeable; rather it is dynamic. Constructing Elodie's trajectory will help in understanding the present pattern of meaning of what I call the 'space of jihadist (fighters)' and revolutionaries, as related to the Syrian conflict.


Main objective of this paper is to assess the information literacy needs of the fresh M.Ed. students at the AKU-IED and to measure the impact of the information literacy sessions over the students by using the pretest and posttest tool.Document the users' reflections to improve the forthcoming information literacy sessions. Pretest questionnaire was sent to the M.Ed. students of AKU-IED to know the information literacy needs, and to know about their understanding about collection, OPAC and e-resources. As aresult needs identified through this questionnaire were addressed in the information literacy session. This hands-on information literacy session was complimented with the handouts and assignments were given to the students as well. After the information literacy session, posttest questionnaire was sent to the users. This posttest questionnaire was having some questions taken from the pretest with a purpose to measure the impact the session had made over the students. This measurement was carried out by comparing the responses collected in the pretest and posttest. Posttest questionnaire was also having the questions to know the users reflections about the weak part of the session, strongest part of the session and their opinion to improve the forthcoming sessions. Present results showed the weak areas of the students which include the concepts of call number, classification number, author mark, ways to access the library collection, use of OPAC, databases, full-text articles were needed to be covered in the IL session. Some areas needed less attention and time during the sessions because majority of the students were already familiar to them. These were concepts of on-campus access, type of searches through OPAC and the definition of OPAC. Posttest analysis showed us the impact the session has made.


The Foundation Phase (introduced
in 2008) provides a developmentally
appropriate experiential curriculum
for children aged 3-7 in Wales. The
Welsh Government commissioned
independent evaluation (led by
WISERD) aims to evaluate how well
it is being implemented, what impact
it has had, and ways in which it can
be improved. The three-year
evaluation utilises a range of mixed
methods at a national and local
scale.
This is one of five papers focused
on practice. It draws on 239
classroom and setting observations,
341 practitioner interviews, 604
school and setting survey
responses, 37 Local Authority
interviews and four non-maintained
organisation interviews.


Naegleriasis also known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a fulminant brain infection is caused by a single-celled, ameboflagellate known as Naegleria fowleri. Naegleria fowleri has been difficult to eradicate since its growth is typically found in bodies of warm freshwater, unchlorinated, piped water, swimming pools and moist soil. This letter focuses on characteristics and route of spread of infection caused by Naegleria Fowleri and preventative measures that can be taken to limit its spread. A thorough literature review was performed to identify different route of spread of Naegleria Fowleri infection and specific measures that should be taken to limit its spread. We found that Naegleria follows a nasal route of infection, migrating along the olfactory nerve, through the cribriform plate into the brain where it evokes a substantial immune response causing a widespread inflammation, hemorrhage and necrosis eventually leading to death. The at-risk population includes individuals associated with swimming, diving and water skiing in freshwater and poorly chlorinated swimming pools and individuals performing ablution. Therefore, specific measures should be taken to limit the spread of Naegleria Fowleri infection which includes education and awareness of the public as well as of the health professionals regarding Naegleriasis and its preventative measures.


Before the discovery of oil, the Libyan economy was characterized by its
dependence on the agricultural sector. Oil was discovered in Libya in the late
nineteen-fifties. High oil revenues provided an appropriate environment for the
financing of all development projects, including agricultural projects. Although
the agricultural sector in Libya has the financial and natural potential to make
the agricultural sector more effective, it is confronted by many challenges that
prevent its effective development. The Libyan government in the nineteenseventies
and the nineteen-eighties formulated policies for agricultural
development through a set of medium-term plans (Three-year Plan 1973-1975,
Five-year Plan 1976/1980 and Five-year Plan 1981-1986). However, by the
middle of the nineteen-eighties there was a change in the mechanism of these
programmes and plans, to a series of annual policies. The main aim of this
study was to investigate the impact of changing agricultural policy approaches
on Libyan agricultural performance. A mixed methods approach was adopted
that rested on the triangulation of data from stakeholders (farmers and
agricultural policy-makers) and policy documents relating to the performance of
the Libyan agricultural sector. The findings indicated that the performance of the
agricultural sector in the period of medium term plans, achieved higher
contributions to the GDP. The performance of the agricultural sector declined
when policies were developed on an annual basis and the government withdrew
its subsidies for the sector. The distinguishing feature of the two approaches to
agricultural policies in Libya is their diverse impact on the performance of the
agricultural sector. In addition, the decline of oil prices in the eighties was the
main reason behind the change in approach to policy. The main contributory
value of this research is that it provides for the first time an in-depth
understanding of how changing policies impact on the performance of the
agricultural sector in Libya. It does this by drawing attention to the consideration
of the impact of policy changes on agricultural sector development.
The research generates findings that are transferable to other developing
countries especially those in northern Africa with economies similar to that of
Libya; it also provides an opportunity for further research into other internal and
external factors that impact on policy and agricultural development, especially in
oil producing countries in Africa.


Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most complex global health challenges today. The world has long ignored warnings that antibiotics and other medicines are losing their effectiveness after decades of overuse and misuse in human medicine, animal health and agriculture. Common illnesses like pneumonia, postoperative infections, diarrhoeal and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as the world's largest infectious disease killers – tuberculosis (TB), HIV and malaria – are increasingly becoming untreatable because of the emergence and spread of drug resistance. Worsening antimicrobial resistance could have serious public health, economic and social implications. The threat of antimicrobial resistance is also becoming a key consideration for programmes addressing maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, foodborne diseases, water and sanitation, and infection prevention and control. Although the 21st century is being shaped by technology and innovation, humans could soon find themselves in an era where simple infections once again kill millions every year. The past three years have seen unprecedented global political momentum to address antimicrobial resistance: in 2015, governments adopted a global action plan at the World Health Assembly and in 2016 passed a political declaration at the United Nations General Assembly. Antimicrobial resistance has made it onto the agendas of the G7 and G20 groups and is a core component of the Global Health Security Agenda. WHO is working closely with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Organization for Animal Health in leading global efforts against antimicrobial resistance and ensuring that the necessary momentum is consolidated and sustained. These efforts are guided by an ad-hoc interagency coordination group established in 2017. A global development and stewardship framework to combat antimicrobial resistance is being drafted to support the development of new antimicrobial medicines, diagnostics, vaccines and other tools. One of the gravest global concerns about antimicrobial resistance currently is that antibiotic resistance has emerged in so many pathogens, including TB. In 2016, at the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on antimicrobial resistance, Heads of State directed an unprecedented level of attention to curbing the spread of infections that are resistant to antimicrobial medicines. They reaffirmed their commitment to stopping the misuse of antimicrobial medicines in human health, animal health and agriculture, and recognized the need for stronger systems to monitor drug-resistant infections and the amounts of antimicrobials used in humans and animals. In the wake of the increasing global awareness of the need for new antibiotics, Member States highlighted market failures, and called for new incentives for investment in research and development of new, effective and affordable medicines, rapid diagnostic tests, and other important therapies to replace those that are losing their effectiveness. In response to this and in line with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance to support the identification of pathogens of greatest concern, WHO developed a priority list of antibiotic resistant bacteria to underpin renewed efforts for the research and development of new antibiotics. The only possible defence against the threat of antimicrobial resistance and the (very real) possibility of a post-antibiotic era is a global and coordinated effort by all stakeholders to support other important therapies such as the Oxygen-Ozone (O2O3) therapy. As a result, the scope and focus of the work underlying this dissertation was to study the application of O2O3 therapy towards several resistant bacteria. Moreover, we evaluated three different framework for gut bacteria, skin and soft tissue infections and mucosal infections.


"Here finally are Eliade's memoirs of the first thirty years of his life in Mac Linscott Rickett's crisp and lucid English translation. They present a fascinating account of the early development of a Renaissance talent, expressed in everything from daily and periodical journalism, realistic and fantastic fiction, and general nonfiction works to distinguished contributions to the history of religions. Autobiography follows an apparently amazingly candid report of this remarkable man's progression from a mischievous street urchin and literary prodigy, through his various love affairs, a decisive and traumatic Indian sojourn, and active, brilliant participation in pre-World War II Romanian cultural life." Seymour Cain, "Religious Studies Review ""


Federal environmental law recently celebrated its 40th birthday and much has been said about it in the past four decades. Today, however, little is said about the role the third sovereign, tribal nations, plays in the development of environmental law. Although some scholarship exists regarding the development of tribal environmental law, little is known about the extent to which tribes nationwide have enacted such laws. This article fills that vacuum by taking a first look at how tribal environmental law has developed and exploring the laws of one tribal nation that has enacted several environmental laws. The article also begins the discussion of what may be normative practices in the development of tribal environmental law. Where the federal government has not pre-empted them, tribes may develop their own tribal environmental laws. The time has never been better for an examination of tribal environmental laws. From a historical perspective, Indian country has been the location of substantial environmental contamination. Today, Indian country possesses a substantial potential for natural resource development. Additionally, two recently enacted federal laws, the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act of 2005 (specifically the Tribal Energy Resource Agreement or TERA provisions) and the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act (HEARTH Act), may spur development of tribal environmental laws. To take advantage of "streamlined�? development provisions under both the TERA provisions and HEARTH Act, tribes must develop certain environmental review provisions. These factors in combination with the fact that the environment plays an important cultural and spiritual role for many tribal communities mean that now is an optimum time to consider tribal environmental law. To start this important discussion on existing tribal environmental law, the article begins in Part II with an introduction to environmental law that is applicable in Indian country, establishing a foundation from which to explore the development of tribal environmental law. Next, in Part III, the article examines facts that may drive the development of tribal environmental law today. In addition to the fact that many tribes have historically faced substantial environmental contamination, modern factors likely to impact most tribal nations include the promotion of tribal sovereignty and also the need to respond to emerging environmental concerns. The article next describes and classifies the laws of 74 federally recognized tribes, highlighting environmental laws the tribes have enacted. This portion of the article concludes that a significant number of federally recognized tribes have no publically available tribal environmental laws. In light of this finding, Part V examines the existing laws of one tribal nation, the Navajo Nation, which has actively developed its tribal environmental laws. Moreover, Part V also begins the discussion of what may be norms for the development of tribal environmental law in the future. In this regard, this article establishes the foundation for the development of a robust examination of tribal environmental law.


ABSTRACT This article analyzes the impact of price targets from the IBES Detail Price History Target database on CEO compensation retained from Execucomp. The two databases are merged at fiscal year frequency and an OLS regression with fixed effect is used to analyze the impact of price target on CEO compensation. The analysis reveals that analysts' price targets affect top executives' compensation: when analysts predict a growth in the share price for a company, the compensation package tilts towards stock options, when analysts forecast a drop in the share price, the compensation package tilts towards cash-based compensation and restricted stocks. I argue that the result is more aligned with the managerial power model of compensation (which assumes the board of directors maximizes managers' compensation) than with the arm's length bargaining model (that states that managers' compensation is set to maximize shareholders' profit).


Abstract. Through measurements of NO2, O3 and NO3 during the PARADE campaign (PArticles and RAdicals, Diel observations of mEchanisms of oxidation) in the German Taunus mountains we derive nighttime steady-state lifetimes (τss) of NO3 and N2O5. During some nights, high NO3 (∼ 200 pptv) and N2O5 (∼ 1 ppbv) mixing ratios were associated with values of τss that exceeded 1 h for NO3 and 3 h for N2O5 near the ground. Such long boundary-layer lifetimes for NO3 and N2O5 are usually only encountered in very clean/unreactive air masses, whereas the PARADE measurement site is impacted by both biogenic emissions from the surrounding forest and anthropogenic emissions from the nearby urbanised/industrialised centres. Measurement of several trace gases which are reactive towards NO3 indicates that the inferred lifetimes are significantly longer than those calculated from the summed loss rate. Several potential causes for the apparently extended NO3 and N2O5 lifetimes are examined, including additional routes to formation of NO3 and the presence of a low-lying residual layer. Overall, the most likely cause of the anomalous lifetimes are related to the meteorological conditions, though additional NO3 formation due to reactions of Criegee intermediates may contribute.


We performed a risk assessment of metal exposure to population subgroups living on, and growing food on, urban sites. We modeled uptake of cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc for a selection of commonly grown allotment and garden vegetables. Generalized linear cross-validation showed that final predictions of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn content of food crops were satisfactory, whereas the Pb uptake models were less robust. We used predicted concentrations of metals in the vegetables to assess the risk of exposure to human populations from homegrown food sources. Risks from other exposure pathways (consumption of commercially produced foodstuffs, dust inhalation, and soil ingestion) were also estimated. These models were applied to a geochemical database of an urban conurbation in the West Midlands, United Kingdom. Risk, defined as a "hazard index," was mapped for three population subgroups: average person, highly exposed person, and the highly exposed infant (assumed to be a 2-year-old child). The results showed that food grown on 92% of the urban area presented minimal risk to the average person subgroup. However, more vulnerable population subgroups (highly exposed person and the highly exposed infant) were subject to hazard index values greater than unity. This study highlights the importance of site-specific risk assessment and the "suitable for use" approach to urban redevelopment.


In 1796 Edward Jenner inoculated a young boy with cowpox infected material from cows then demonstrated that he was protected against a subsequent challenge with the variola agent smallpox. This is universally accepted as the first step in the development of the modern vaccination technique. For almost one century, vaccination meant take infectious agents or part of them, inactivate them using heat or chemical treatments and inoculate these products into humans. Modern techniques, such as recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), polysaccharide conjugation and, more recently, the genomic approach, have allowed not only to obtain safer vaccines, but also to develop new products against those agents for which a vaccine had not been yet developed. Vaccines have been one of the most effective means of combating deadly infectious diseases in the near past and they will also become an important tool to fight some plagues of our time, such as tumours, chronic and autoimmune diseases and allergies.

Key Concepts:

People who survive an infectious disease, generally, do not develop the same disease again.

Vaccination means to expose the body to biological material that mimics the infectious agents giving protection without suffering disease.

Vaccines are the most effective tool to combat deadly infectious agents.

Combination vaccines are used to reduce the number of shots, especially in children.

Killed/inactivated infectious agents or part of them were the only vaccines used for most of the twentieth century.

Polysaccharide conjugation, recombinant DNA techniques and, more recently, reverse vaccinology have led the development of new generation vaccines.

Therapeutic vaccines will be used to fight chronic infectious diseases, cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, allergies and autoimmune diseases.

New delivery systems and new adjuvants will be developed to increment vaccine-induced immune response against many infectious agents.

Keywords:

vaccines;
infectious diseases;
therapeutic vaccines;
meningococcus


A simple but efficient (13)C MAS NMR method is presented for the determination of the location of embedded molecules such as peptides relative to biological membrane surfaces by exploiting the interaction with paramagnetic lanthanide ions. Using various aqueous Dy(3+) concentrations a distance-dependent differential paramagnetic quenching of NMR lipid resonance intensities for specific carbon sites was observed, with residues at the bilayer surface quenched effectively and hydrophobic sites unaffected by Dy(3+). Tested on the membrane-embedded 50 residue long M13 coat protein, (13)C labeled at its Val-29 and Val-31 residues, no paramagnetic quenching was observed for the peptide resonances by Dy(3+), suggesting that Val-29 and Val-31 are not in close proximity to the bilayer interface, but buried deeply inside the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayer.


Time evolution of a surface plasmon guided by a metal surface owing to rapid ionization in a thin semiconductor film placed on the metal surface is theoretically investigated. When the plasma frequency of the created plasma in the film is close to the frequency of the initial surface plasmon, plasma oscillations in the film are resonantly excited by the surface plasmon, and the energy of the initial surface plasmon starts to move back and forth between these oscillations and the surface plasmon. Initially fast surface plasmons also produce significant transient radiation that propagates from the metal surface into vacuum. The general picture of transient processes that occur after ionization can be applied for ultrafast transient spectroscopy of an electron–hole plasma in metal and semiconductor films.


In this paper, I compare three different assumptions about the relationship between speech, thought and gesture. These assumptions have profound consequences for theories about the representations and processing involved in gesture and speech production. I associate these assumptions with three simplified processing architectures. In the Window Architecture, gesture provides us with a 'window into the mind'. In the Language Architecture, properties of language have an influence on gesture. In the Postcard Architecture, gesture and speech are planned by a single process to become one multimodal message. The popular Window Architecture is based on the assumption that gestures come, as it were, straight out of the mind. I argue that during the creation of overt imagistic gestures, many processes, especially those related to (a) recipient design, and (b) effects of language structure, cause an observable gesture to be very different from the original thought that it expresses. The Language Architecture and the Postcard Architecture differ from the Window Architecture in that they both incorporate a central component which plans gesture and speech together, however they differ from each other in the way they align gesture and speech. The Postcard Architecture assumes that the process creating a multimodal message involving both gesture and speech has access to the concepts that are available in speech, while the Language Architecture relies on interprocess communication to resolve potential conflicts between the content of gesture and speech.


There are only a few attempts in scientific literature trying to evaluate intelligence of the city and to find methods providing the better understanding of the phenomenon is still a big problem. The recent scientific literature is concerned mostly with describing the characteristics of the intelligent city, but points a little interest to the development of these features in a particular social system. This article continues the presentation of methodology for evaluation of city's intelligence published in the previous volume of this journal. The aim of this article is to propose criteria for evaluation of city's intelligence based on productive knowledge creation, empowering infrastructure and promising decision making. The article points the need to evaluate intelligence of the city by using integrated methodology composed of qualitative and quantitative indicators in order to better understand not only the result of intelligence activities but also the mind-set by which that result came. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ppaa.14.1.11409


A hydraulic breaker for construction machinery generally used for the destroying and disassembling of buildings, crashing road pavement, breaking rocks at quarry and so on. So the measurement of the impact energy of a hydraulic breaker is very important thing to prove its capability to manufacturers and customers. In this study, the test system for measuring the impact energy of a hydraulic breaker was designed and constructed. The test system was consisted with hydraulic cylinders for mounting a breaker, impact absorbing base and frames, pressure and flow sensors, high speed and accurate data acquisition system diesel engine driven hydraulic power unit. The test process of the developed system was carried by measuring guide for tool energy rating for hydraulic breakers which was developed by the CIMA (Construction Industry Manufacturers Association) USA. The developed test system can be applied to measure the impact energy for various kinds of hydraulic breakers.


We study theoretically how the adjustment to liberalization of international financial transaction depends upon the degree of domestic financial development. Using a model with domestic and international borrowing constraints, we show that, when the domestic financial system is underdeveloped, capital account liberalization is not necessarily beneficial because TFP stagnates in the long-run or employment decreases in the short-run. Government policy, including allowing foreign direct investment, can mitigate the possible loss of employment, but cannot eliminate it unless the domestic financial system is improved.


Theoretical analysis of electromagnetic wave propagation in planar waveguides filled with uniaxial chiral anisotropic media is presented. The guide parallel plates are assumed to be perfect electric conductors. The material filling the waveguide is a generalized medium that incorporates chiral and metamaterials. The behavior of the field intensities, the dispersion curves, and the energy flux for three varieties of uniaxial chiral media are examined numerically. The results demonstrate the phenomena of backward waves in uniaxial anisotropic chiral media. The comparisons of the computed results of the presented general formulations with published results for some material cases confirm the accuracy of the presented analysis.


From the Publisher:
A comprehensive treatment of model-based fuzzy control systems
This volume offers full coverage of the systematic framework for the stability and design of nonlinear fuzzy control systems. Building on the Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model, authors Tanaka and Wang address a number of important issues in fuzzy control systems, including stability analysis, systematic design procedures, incorporation of performance specifications, numerical implementations, and practical applications.
Issues that have not been fully treated in existing texts, such as stability analysis, systematic design, and performance analysis, are crucial to the validity and applicability of fuzzy control methodology. Fuzzy Control Systems Design and Analysis addresses these issues in the framework of parallel distributed compensation, a controller structure devised in accordance with the fuzzy model.
This balanced treatment features an overview of fuzzy control, modeling, and stability analysis, as well as a section on the use of linear matrix inequalities (LMI) as an approach to fuzzy design and control. It also covers advanced topics in model-based fuzzy control systems, including modeling and control of chaotic systems. Later sections offer practical examples in the form of detailed theoretical and experimental studies of fuzzy control in robotic systems and a discussion of future directions in the field.
Fuzzy Control Systems Design and Analysis offers an advanced treatment of fuzzy control that makes a useful reference for researchers and a reliable text for advanced graduate students in the field.


Recently the minor B cell subpopulation that expresses the CD5 (Leu-1) antigen has been implicated as a source of IgM autoantibodies. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common leukemia in humans, represents a malignancy of small B lymphocytes that also express the CD5 antigen. However, little is known concerning the antibody variable region genes (V genes) that are used by these malignant CD5 B cells. We have found that a relatively high frequency of CLL patients have leukemic B cells with surface immunoglobulin (sIg) recognized by 17.109, a murine mAb specific for a kappa light chain associated crossreactive idiotype (CRI) associated with rheumatoid factor and other IgM autoantibodies. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that the relative expression of the 17.109-CRI by circulating leukemic B cells was directly proportional to the levels of sIg kappa light chain, indicating that there exists stable idiotype expression in the leukemic population. To examine this at the molecular level, the nucleic acid sequences encoding the Ig kappa light chains of two unrelated patients with CLL bearing sIg with the 17.109-CRI were determined. Analyses of multiple independent kappa light chain cDNA clones did not reveal any evidence for sequence heterogeneity in the CLL cell population. Furthermore, the nucleic acid sequences expressed by the leukemic cells of these two patients were identical or very homologous to a germline V kappa gene isolated from placental DNA, designated Humkv 325, or "V kappa RF" because of its association with IgM autoantibodies. This study suggests; (a) that the malignant CD5+ B lymphocytes in CLL use the same V kappa gene that has been highly associated with IgM autoantibodies and (b) that the expression of V genes is stable in CLL, in contrast to other B cell malignancies examined to date. We propose that many CLL cases represent malignancies of autoreactive CD5 B cells that use a restricted set of conserved V genes. This property may render CLL particularly amenable to immunotherapy with antiidiotypic antibodies.


Severe environmental change can drive a population extinct unless the population adapts in time to the new conditions ("evolutionary rescue"). How does bi-parental sexual reproduction influence the chances of population persistence compared to clonal reproduction or selfing? In this paper, we set up a one-locus two-allele model for adaptation in diploid species, where rescue is contingent on the establishment of the mutant homozygote. Reproduction can occur by random mating, selfing, or clonally. Random mating generates and destroys the rescue mutant; selfing is efficient at generating it but at the same time depletes the heterozygote, which can lead to a low mutant frequency in the standing genetic variation and also affects the establishment probability of the mutation. Due to these antagonistic effects, we find a non-trivial dependence of population survival on the rate of sex/selfing, which is strongly affected by the dominance coefficient of the mutation before and after the environmental change. Importantly, since mating with the wildtype breaks the mutant homozygote up, a slow decay of the wildtype population size can impede rescue in randomly mating populations.


Emissions derived from the use of internal combustion engines for transportation, are being the subject of many efforts to minimize them. In this respect, despite its potential importance in reducing fuel consumption and emissions, driving style still has not been priced. In this paper, a hybrid GPS data – simulation methodology is used to identify the travel kinematic characteristic that most strongly influence fuel consumption and corresponding pollutants emissions. Existing formulations are used to estimate the fuel consumed during five trips along a highway, performed by different drivers and monitored through a GPS device. The methodology represents a model to be used for road tankers, which involve special driving restrictions and sloshing effects. Results indicate that the longitudinal acceleration´s standard deviation keeps an almost linear relationship with the fuel consumed, so that such kinematics can provide an objective metric to assess eco-driving. It is suggested to include non-exhaust pollutants into the analysis, which have been reported as having dangerous effects on humans.


As the most enterprises are relying on relations to other enterprises, it is relevant to consider enterprise architecture for inter-organisational relations particularly those relations involving technology. This has been conceptualised as Extended Enterprise Architecture, and a systematic review of this discipline is the topic of this paper. This paper is taking a point of departure in general theories of business-to-business relationships along with inter-organisational information systems, interoperability and business ecosystems. The general theories are applied to the Extended Enterprise Architecture to emphasize paradoxes, problems and potentials in extending EA across organisational boundaries. The purpose of this paper is to review the concept of Extended Enterprise Architecture (EEA) theoretically and empirically to identify viability of Enterprise Architecture (EA) initiatives spanning across organisational boundaries. A case is presented of an enterprise engaging in technology-based business process integration that in turn is explicated as enterprise architecture initiatives with both more and less powerful partners. This paper underlines the necessity to be able to have EA spanning initiatives across multiple enterprises, but a range of problems is illuminated related to (lack of) precision, imbalance, heterogeneity, transformation, temporality, and (operational) maturity. The concept of EEA is seemingly vague, however this paper calls for a strengthen emphasis on redefining general architectural frameworks to embrace EEA in order to handle typical and modern forms of organisational designs relying on virtual and cross-company as cornerstones.


Fission-track (FT) analysis has developed into one of the most useful techniques used throughout the geologic community to reconstruct the low-temperature thermal history of rocks over geological time. The FT method is based on the accumulation of narrow damage trails (i.e., fission tracks) in uranium-rich mineral grains (e.g., apatite, zircon, titanite) and natural glasses, which form as a result of spontaneous nuclear fission decay of 238U in nature (Price and Walker 1963; Fleischer et al. 1975). The time elapsed since fission tracks began to accumulate is estimated by determining the density of accumulated tracks in a particular material in relation to the uranium content of that material. Chemical etching can be used to enlarge fission tracks that have formed within a mineral in order to make them readily observable under an ordinary optical microscope (Price and Walker 1962).

If a host rock is subjected to elevated temperatures, fission tracks that have formed up to that point in time are shortened progressively and eventually erased by the thermal recovery (i.e., annealing) of the damage (Fleischer et al. 1975). Because thermal diffusion basically governs the annealing process, the reduction in FT length is a function of heating time and temperature. Importantly, fission tracks are partially annealed over different temperature intervals within different minerals. This characteristic allows for the construction of time-temperature paths of many different rock types by (a) plotting FT (and other isotopic) ages from different minerals versus their closure temperatures, which is applicable in the case of a monotonous cooling history (e.g., Wagner et al. 1977; Zeilter et al. 1982), and/or by (b) the inverse modeling of observed FT age and confined track length data (e.g., Corrigan 1991; Lutz and Omar 1991; Gallagher 1995; Ketcham et al. 2000; see also Ketcham 2005 …


Fatalities or cardiovascular side effects of vaccines were rather uncommon in the past. So far, numerous reports of side effects and deaths associated with Covid-19 vaccination have been accepted behind the background of the pandemic situation and the priority vaccinated elderly population at the beginning of the vaqccination campaign. Cardiac and heart circulatory disturbances resp. cardiovascular side effects associated with the application of Covid-19 vaccines have not been recognized up to now with the exception of thrombotic/embolic side effects and cases of myo-/pericarditis. But the mechanism of action suggests that downregulation of ACE2 by non-neutralised spike proteins may have cardiovascular effects.The objective of this analysis was to determine the total number of reported adverse events and fatalities and to record suspected important cardiovascular adverse events up to the cut-off date in European countries. Therefore, a current review/analysis of spontaneously reported fatalities as well as of adverse events after application of Covid-19 vaccines has been performed. Data were retrieved from the EudraVigilance web reports of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), partly also from the safety reports of the German PEI. Covid-19 vaccine-associated suspected side effects and related deaths are alarming. Surprisingly, numerous cardiovascular reactions were reported, many of which were life-threatening. Cardiac and heart circulatory caused fatalities alone accounted for about 33% of all ComirnatyR vaccine-related deaths. The second most important side effects were vascular thrombotic/embolic side effects, often also associated with serious consequences. Based on their quality and quantity, these side effects seem to be characteristic for spike-producing vaccines and do not appear to be substance-specific. Further investigations are needed to clarify the approximately 3.5 times more frequent cases of sinus vein thrombosis and the some different frequent cases of thrombotic/embolic events after VaxzevriaR. The hypothesis could be confirmed. Because of their importance and their sometimes life-threatening consequences, cardiovascular side effects need to be better communicated.Limitations of the investigation result from the individual reporting and recording procedure, the lack of detailed individual information and the lack of an appropriate comparison population.


A simple Boron fiber based interference scheme [1] and other similar schemes are currently routinely used for X-ray coherence estimation at 3rd generation synchrotron radiation sources. If such a scheme is applied after a perfect monochromator and without any focusing / transport optics in the optical path, the interpretation of the measured interference pattern is relatively straightforward and can be done in terms of the basic parameters of the source [2]. However, if the interference scheme is used after some focusing optics, e.g. close to the X-ray beam waist, the visibility of fringes can be significantly affected by the new shape of the focused beam phase-space. At the same time, optical element imperfections still have a negative impact on the transverse coherence. In such situations, which are frequently encountered in experiments at beamlines, the quantitative interpretation of a measured interference pattern is not straightforward. Here we show that this can nevertheless be done by using partially-coherent synchrotron radiation wavefront propagation simulations. The results obtained from measurements, performed at the 32-ID undulator beamline of the Advanced Photon Source, and wavefront propagation based simulations show, in particular, that new generation 1D Beryllium Compound Refractive Lenses [3, 4] do not reduce the X-ray transverse coherence in any significant manner.


INTRODUCTION: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) increase the risk for enteric infections that is likely related to PPI-induced hypochlorhydria. Although the impact of acid suppression on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is unknown thus far, previous data revealed that pH ≤3 impairs the infectivity of the similar severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1. Thus, we aimed to determine whether use of PPIs increases the odds for acquiring coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among community-dwelling Americans. METHODS: From May 3 to June 24, 2020, we performed an online survey described to participating adults as a "national health survey." A multivariable logistic regression was performed on reporting a positive COVID-19 test to adjust for a wide range of confounding factors and to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of 53,130 participants, 3,386 (6.4%) reported a positive COVID-19 test. In regression analysis, individuals using PPIs up to once daily (aOR 2.15; 95% CI, 1.90–2.44) or twice daily (aOR 3.67; 95% CI, 2.93–4.60) had significantly increased odds for reporting a positive COVID-19 test when compared with those not taking PPIs. Individuals taking histamine-2 receptor antagonists were not at elevated risk. DISCUSSION: We found evidence of an independent, dose-response relationship between the use of antisecretory medications and COVID-19 positivity; individuals taking PPIs twice daily have higher odds for reporting a positive test when compared with those using lower-dose PPIs up to once daily, and those taking the less potent histamine-2 receptor antagonists are not at increased risk. These findings emphasize good clinical practice that PPIs should only be used when indicated at the lowest effective dose, such as the approved once-daily label dosage of over-the-counter and prescription PPIs. Further studies examining the association between PPIs and COVID-19 are needed.


Imagine that a scientist from the state university asks you and your family to participate in a study on a particular gene variant associated with alcoholism. The project focuses on your ethnic group, the Tracy Islanders, who have a higher incidence of alcoholism, as well as a higher incidence of the gene variant, than the general population. You will not be informed whether you have the gene variant, but your participation in the study might help scientists develop drugs to help individuals control their addiction to alcohol. You have a family history of alcoholism, and you are concerned that your twenty-one-year-old son may be susceptible to the condition as well. Do you agree to participate in the study? Now imagine that, with your participation, the study concludes that Tracy Islanders with the particular gene variant have a ten percent chance of becoming alcoholics, whereas Tracy Islanders without the gene variant have only a five percent chance. Although the scientists are careful to note that the gene variant exists in the general population and is not the cause of alcoholism, the sound-bite reported by the media is that Tracy Islanders are hardwired to become alcoholics. That same day, your son gets drunk at a bar and pushes an off-duty police officer through a window, killing him. Your son is charged with murder, and his lawyer wants to use his genetic predisposition toward alcoholism as a defense. Some members of your family and community are concerned that this approach will only further stigmatize Tracy Islanders as alcoholics. How do you advise your son and his lawyer? These scenarios were presented to a panel of scientists, legal experts, journalists, and community leaders in a recent PBS television program entitled Genes on Trial: Genetics, Behavior, and the Law. This article uses the television program as a framework for exploring the implications of behavioral genetics research for the individual, family, community, and society. In particular, it focuses on the unique potential for behavioral genetics research, when placed in the context of criminal law, to stigmatize racial and ethnic minority groups through the blame-shifting mechanisms of genetic reductionism and genetic determinism. Like the scarlet A in Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous novel, DNA associated with criminal or antisocial behavior might become a scarlet gene that marks the individual, his family, and his racial or ethnic community as flawed, compromised, and somehow less than fully human. This article proceeds in six parts. The remainder of Part I summarizes the Genes on Trial program and introduces the issues raised by it. Part II explains why behavioral genetics research tends to focus on discrete and insular populations that overlap with socially constructed racial or ethnic groups. Part III locates behavioral genetics research on a spectrum spanning from single-gene disorders to complex behavioral traits, positing that the behavioral end of the spectrum carries the most potential for stigma. Part IV explores how the blame-shifting mechanisms of genetic reductionism and genetic determinism affect the individual, family, community, and society when genetics research focuses on criminal or antisocial behavior. Part V analyzes how racial and ethnic stigma arise from behavioral genetics research and perpetuate inequality. Part VI concludes by considering the ethical dilemmas that geneticists face when choosing who and what to study.


Dear Readers, The number of books arriving on my desk every year is large, and it may be no great surprise to know that I see many attractively illustrated children's books. I wish we could review them all, but alas the amount of space in our journal is limited.  Ever since the publication of our first issue, I have been wondering what it would be like to be a child today with scores upon scores of beautifully designed and illustrated books available for enjoyment and acquisition at public libraries, bookstores, and online retailers. Of course, I had access to beautifully illustrated books when I was a child, just not nearly as many. It's this bounty of riches in high quality book illustration that could signify that we are witnessing another golden age of children's book illustration. Many scholars, critics, and avid readers will point to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as the first "golden age" of children's book illustration largely because this is when so many imaginative and attractive books were published, many of which are now regarded as classics. Delightful pictures alone do not make a book exceptional, they must complement an excellent story and innovative design. But as you read the reviews in this issue and future issues it may be worthwhile to notice how many times our reviewers comment upon the fresh and innovative illustrations, and then ask yourself if we are indeed witnessing a new golden age in children's book illustration.  Enjoy our new issue! Best wishes, Robert Desmarais Managing Editor


Hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid disorder, affects women more frequently, and incidence increases with age. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in developed countries is around 4-5%, whereas, in India, it is about 11%. The common symptoms of hypothyroidism in adults are weight gain, fatigue, lethargy, cold intolerance, constipation, change in voice, and dry skin. It can affect all systems of the body. Diagnosis is mainly based on clinical history and laboratory investigations. Untreated hypothyroidism increases morbidity and mortality. In conventional medicine, the treatment of choice is Levothyroxine, whereas in Unani System of Medicine, pharmacotherapy consists of single and compound drugs. Single drugs are selected as per the constitution (Mizaj) of drugs as opposed to the abnormal constitution (Su-e-Mizaj) of disease and its pathology. Some drugs increase the basal metabolic rate whereas some evacuate the morbid material from the body by the action of purgation. The drugs are used either in a single form or as a prescription of more than one drug in the form of decoction (Joshandah), infusion (Kheshandah), or powder (Safoof). This review aims at providing comprehensive information regarding various drugs used in Unani system of medicine that is used in the management of thyroid dysfunction.


Flow Valve Diagnostics for Label-Free, Quantitative Biomarker Detection: Device Fabrication, Surface Modification, and Testing Danielle Mansfield Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, BYU Master of Science Diseases are often diagnosed by detection of disease-specific biomarkers in fluid samples. However, many state-of-the-art detection methods require a lab with complex machinery, trained operators, and/or lengthy analysis time. In contrast, point-of-care (POC) devices are brought to the patient's location, they are easy to use, and results are obtained almost immediately. Many current POC devices are too difficult to be used without a skilled assistant, and although many are able to detect analytes above a threshold value, they give little or no quantitative information. This work presents the development of polymer-based microfluidic devices capable of sensing and quantifying biomarkers in fluid samples in a straightforward manner using a novel biomarker assay termed "flow valve diagnostics". In this assay, an antibody-modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel constricts due to the binding force between antibodies and antigens, stopping fluid flow. The flow distance is measured and correlated to antigen concentration. This detection method is an improvement over other methods because it is an innovative, non-instrumented, label-free, easy-to-use approach. These devices are small, portable, disposable, inexpensive, and thus ideal for use in POC testing. I have successfully fabricated flow valve devices with standard micromachining techniques, including photolithography, replica molding with PDMS, and plasma oxidation. Following fabrication, I compared two methods for attaching receptor biomolecules (e.g., antibodies) to the microchannel surfaces: non-specific adsorption and silanization with 3-glycidoxytrimethoxypropylsilane (GOPS). I used laser-induced fluorescence to determine that silanization with GOPS was the better method for biomolecule attachment. Finally, I tested antibody-modified flow valve devices with target antigens to determine if the antibody/antigen binding force was strong enough to cause channel pinching and flow stoppage. By modifying the device design and using higher antigen concentrations, I was able to show that flow valve devices can detect antigens in a concentration-dependent manner. Future work to improve the device design and to modify and test these devices with different receptor/target pairs will bring flow valve diagnostics closer to becoming a valuable asset in biomarker detection and POC testing.


Confined masonry buildings are used in rural and urban areas of Iran. They performed almost satisfactory during past moderate earthquakes of Iran. There is not a methodology in Iranian Seismic Code (Standard 2800-3rd edition) to estimate their capacities quantitatively. In line with removing this constraint, an attempt is made to study in-plane behavior of two squared confined masonry walls with and without opening by using a numerical approach. These walls are considered based on Iranian Seismic Code requirements. Finite element 2D models of the walls are developed and a pushover analysis is carried out. To model the non-linear behavior of the confined masonry walls, the following criteria are used: (1) The Rankine-Hill yield criterion with low orthotropic factor to model the masonry panel; (2) The Rankine yield criterion to model reinforced concrete bond-beams and tie-columns; (3) The Coulomb friction criterion with tension cutoff mode to model the interface zone between the masonry panel and reinforced concrete members. For this purpose, the unknown parameters are determined by testing of masonry and concrete samples; and by finite element analysis. Comparing the results show that the initial stiffness, the maximum lateral strength and the ductility factor of walls with and without opening are different. Also, the severe compressed zones of the masonry panels within the confining elements are found different from what are reported for the masonry panels of infilled frames by other researchers. This study shows that a further investigation is needed for estimating capacity of confined masonry walls with and without opening analytically and experimentally. Also where openings, with medium size are existed, the confining elements should be added around them. These issues can be considered in the next revisions of Iranian Seismic Code.


ABSTRACTElectret filters have been used widely to collect particles because of their low pressure drop and high collection efficiency due to the electrostatic attraction between the particles and filter. However, the collection efficiency of these filters decreases over time due to charge degradation. Therefore, a unipolar charger using a corona discharge was combined with an electret filter to overcome this decrease. The highest particle collection efficiency for 70 nm, uncharged particles occurred with a fresh electret filter was 34.0%, whereas a neutralized filter had a collection efficiency of 32.6%. However, when fresh and neutralized electret filters were used with a unipolar charger (electret field: 1.9 kV cm–1), the highest particle collection efficiencies of 99.8% and 98.2%, respectively, were obtained and appeared at the electrode-to-mesh distance, a distance similar to the duct diameter. The distance between the tip of the discharge electrode and filter, which can be predicted using Sigmond's law, affected the charge density value on the filter surface. The ozone concentration was negligible under optimum conditions for particle collection. Therefore, using an electret filter combined with a corona discharge has good potential for improving air purifiers.


The insight about maintenance tasks has evolved over the years in great depth. Different methodologies have been applied in industrial sectors such as the aviation, nuclear, chemical and manufacturing industries among others. Proposed methods include the Reliability Centered Maintenance approach, Condition Monitoring and Risk Based Inspection. In maritime industry, maintenance is broadly subdivided into three categories: corrective (or run-to-failure), preventive (or time-interval based) and predictive maintenance. Inadequately maintained vessels increase the operational cost, reduce ship availability and operability, cause frequent inspections on board the ship and create over-occupied crews. Furthermore, ship owners/managers try to combine their valuable experience in the actual marine field with the technological advances in order to minimize maintenance related disorders. In the present paper, the background of ship maintenance is shown along with its various categories. A novel methodology which combines a risk and criticality approach is also demonstrated using the Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) and the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) tools. Moreover, a case study of machinery related equipment using actual field data demonstrates the results of the above mentioned method. Main outcomes are the identification of the critical items and operating procedures as well as determining the reliability of the system examined.


INTRODUCTION Copyright law is an increasingly important aspect of managing an academic library. This study investigated the copyright knowledge level of academic library deans and directors and their perceptions of how it affects their abilities to oversee the development and enforcement of copyright-related library policies. The perceived adequacy of the copyright training currently available in library schools was also examined. METHODS A random sample of academic library deans and directors was asked to complete a web-based survey articulating their level of copyright knowledge and perceptions associated with how they are able to apply it toward their work with policies. RESULTS Respondents scored a mean of 77.49% on ten questions of basic copyright law concepts. A majority of deans and directors indicated they believe their knowledge, as well as that of those working under their supervision, is adequate to make informed decisions. However, almost 90% of the respondents were either neutral or disagreed that library school programs are providing adequate training in copyright law to academic librarians. DISCUSSION The evidence from this study reveals that library deans and directors have a basic knowledge of copyright law concepts; however, it is unclear as to whether their understanding is sufficient to provide a sound basis for developing and sustaining operational policies and strategic directions for their libraries. It is clear that participants acknowledged the need for more training in copyright law as part of basic preparation for librarianship. CONCLUSION Deans and directors of academic libraries have a working knowledge of copyright law but more training is needed to provide library professionals with the tools necessary to carry out the work of effectively managing collections and services, especially in this new and emerging digital environment.


Background and objectives Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are effective drugs for many different diseases. However, the formation of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) against a biological can result in reduced clinical response in some patients. Measurement of ADA in the presence of (high) drug levels is difficult due to drug interference in most assays, including the commonly used antigen binding test (ABT). Methods We recently published a novel method which enables the measurement of complexed antibodies against adalimumab (an anti-TNF antibody) in the presence of drug. Here we use this pH-shift-anti-idiotype ABT (PIA) to measure anti-adalimumab antibodies (AAA) in 99 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated for up to 3 years with adalimumab. Results 53 out of 99 RA patients produced AAA. In 50 of these PIA positive patients, AAA could be detected within the first 28 weeks of treatment. Patients in which AAA could be detected in the PIA after 28 weeks of treatment were more prone to declining adalimumab levels (<5 µg/ml) (p<0.01) and high AAA levels which could be detected in the ABT (p<0.05) at later time points. We observed transient AAA formation in 17/53 patients. Conclusions Results show that AAA develop early in treatment. However, levels that completely neutralise the drug may be reached much later in treatment. Furthermore, the patients positive for PIA at 28 weeks have an increased chance to develop clinical non-response due to immunogenicity. In some of the patients, AAA formation is transient.


Accurate prediction of shellside pressure drop in a baffled shell-and-tube heat exchanger is very difficult because of the complicated shellside geometry. Ideally, all the shellside fluid should be alternately deflected across the tube bundle as it traverses from inlet to outlet. In practice, up to 60% of the shellside fluid may bypass the tube bundle or leak through the baffles. This short-circuiting of the main flow reduces the efficiency of the exchanger. Of the various shellside methods, it is shown that only the multi-stream methods, which attempt to obtain the shellside flow distribution, predict the pressure drop with any degree of accuracy, the various predictions ranging from -30% to +70%, generally overpredicting. It is shown that the inaccuracies are mainly due to the manner in which baffle leakage is modelled. The present multi-stream methods do not allow for interactions of the various flowstreams, and yet it is shown that three main effects are identified, a) there is a strong interaction between the main cross flow and the baffle leakage streams, enhancing the crossflow pressure drop, b) there is a further short-circuit not considered previously i.e. leakage in the window, and c) the crossflow does not penetrate as far, on average, as previously supposed. Models are developed for each of these three effects, along with a new windowflow pressure drop model, and it is shown that the effect of baffle leakage in the window is the most significant. These models developed to allow for various interactions, lead to an improved multi-stream method, named the "STREAM-INTERACTION" method. The overall method is shown to be consistently more accurate than previous methods, with virtually all the available shellside data being predicted to within ±30% and over 60% being within ±20%. The method is, thus, strongly recommended for use as a design method.


ABSTRACT School choice, which allows a school district to accept students from other districts, has been enthusiastically touted in the state of Michigan and recently on a national scale. The policy has been criticized by some for redirecting resources from urban school districts to wealthier, more suburban districts. By examining an urban school district in Michigan, this study argues that there is a need for community-based research and community psychology to examine students' experiences and inform policy within urban contexts. Data collection includes archival records, field notes, focus groups, and participatory research. This case study explores the lived experiences of students within a school encountering educational budget cuts and school choice. Results highlight the various ways in which students were impacted by educational budget cuts at the individual, classroom, and overall-school levels. Student narratives describe the potential long-term negative consequences of such cuts. Implications for policy and research are discussed.


In democratic countries such as South Africa, participation of community members in governance matters (in all three spheres) is a right. This is because the government is elected to improve the general wellbeing of the people and, therefore, community participation are required to ensure that the most pressing needs of the people are prioritised. While the government may have an indication of what the needs of the people are, a two-way relationship between community members and the government can serve to clarify instances where there are misunderstandings. Such participation could enhance public confidence in the government.
This article considers the existing modes of community participation since 1994 for provincial and national spheres of government, and since 2000 for the establishment of democratic local government. The question that guides this article is: Who wants to participate in the affairs of government? In attempting to answer this question, factors influencing community participation are considered. Furthermore, in this article a shift is undertaken to focus on the participants in the context of local government. This discussion is followed by the need to enhance community participation in matters pertaining to local government. Enhancing participation in this regard should be understood as a means of accelerating public service delivery. Finally, this article recounts community participation in relation to service delivery.


Extracted from text ... Many people lament the fact that
their hard-earned savings are being
subjected to mediocre performance
and high charges, courtesy of financial
institutions.
On the other hand, whilst unit
trusts often carry lower charges,
and of course there is always the
option of investing in one of the
Satrix exchange-traded funds,
somehow these investments do not
carry the same involvement that can
INVESTMENT INSIGHTS
Start your own
investment club
Are you tired of your investments being pillaged by
institutions, but lack confidence to "go it alone"? Why
not form an investment club? It's fun, educational, and
(potentially) profitable.
By STEVEN JONES ..


Background: Sixty percent of adults has typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in Chile. Aim: To report the clinical and laboratory features of patients with gastroesophageal reflux. Patients and methods: Five hundred thirty four patients (255 male) with gastroesophageal reflux were included in a prospective protocol that included clinical analysis, manometry and endoscopy in all patients, barium swallow in 427, scintigraphy in 195, acid reflux test in 359, 24 h pH in 175, and differential potential of gastroesophageal mucosa in 73 patients. Results: There was no correlation between the severity of symptoms and the endoscopical severity. Patients with Barret esophagus were 12 years older, were male in a greater proportion and had a higher proportion of manometrically incompetent sphincters than patients with esophageal reflux but without esophagitis or with erosive esophagitis. Severity of acid reflux, measured with 24 h pH monitoring was proportional to the endoscopical damage of the mucosa. There was a close relationship between the mucosal change limit determined with differential potentials and with endoscopy. No short esophagi were found. Conclusions: Patients with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux must be assessed using several objective measures to determine the severity of their pathological alterations.


The current financial and sovereign debt crisis of the European Union and the United States can be regarded as the most recent of a wave of financial and sovereign debt crises that have affected different regions of the world over the past quarter century. While there is a large and growing body of literature on the economic aspects of financial crises, its political elements remain surprisingly under-studied. Moments of Truth: The Politics of Financial Crises in Comparative Perspective fills this gap in the literature by looking at the political repercussions and policy implications of financial crises in comparative perspective, using case studies in Latin America, Korea, and Russia, as well as the contemporary crises in the US and in key European countries. Contributors to this volume look at the crises as critical junctures that generate high levels of uncertainty while calling for decisive action. The chapters emphasize structural or agency based explanations and give relevance to the role of ideas, interests, and institutions in explaining different outcomes. The questions addressed by the case studies include: how the crises were defined by key actors, the range of political and policy options available to deal with their impact, the role of ideas in policy shifts, how political and economic actors redefine their interests in contexts of uncertainty, how political institutions mediate reactions to the crises, what explains the choice of a certain option over other alternatives, and whether the crisis has (so far) resulted in significant political and policy changes or in incremental adjustments to the status quo. The first book to comparatively analyze the political dimensions of financial crises across different global regions, Moments of Truth will be highly significant for any scholars interested in the contemporary debate on financial crises.


The isogeometric analysis associated with a novel quasi-3D shear deformation theory is proposed to investigate size-dependent behaviours of functionally graded microplates. The modified couple stress theory with only one material length scale parameter is employed to effectively capture the size-dependent effects within the microplates. Meanwhile, the quasi-3D theory which is constructed from a novel seventh-order shear deformation refined plate theory with four unknowns is able to consider both shear deformations and thickness stretching effect without requiring shear correction factors. The NURBS-based isogeometric analysis is integrated to exactly describe the geometry and approximately calculate the unknown fields with higher-order derivative and continuity requirements. The proposed approach is successfully applied to study the static bending, free vibration and buckling responses of rectangular and circular functionally graded microplates with various types of boundary conditions in which some benchmark numerical examples are presented. A number of investigations are also conducted to illustrate the effects of the material length scale, material index, and aspect ratios on the responses of the microplates.