Skin infection triggers fat responses Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation, but does fat tissue offer protection during infection? Zhang et al. noticed that the fat layers in the skin of mice thickened after inoculation with the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (see the Perspective by Alcorn and Kolls). Mutant mice incapable of forming new fat cells were more susceptible to infection. The differentiating fat cells secreted a small-molecule peptide called cathelicidin, specifically in response to the infection. By contrast, mature fat cells produce less cathelicidin, and are thus less protective. Science, this issue p. 67; see also p. 26 The subcutaneous fat layer thickens during infection and stimulates adipocytes to secrete a protective peptide. [Also see Perspective by Alcorn and Kolls] Adipocytes have been suggested to be immunologically active, but their role in host defense is unclear. We observed rapid proliferation of preadipocytes and expansion of the dermal fat layer after infection of the skin by Staphylococcus aureus. Impaired adipogenesis resulted in increased infection as seen in Zfp423nur12 mice or in mice given inhibitors of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ. This host defense function was mediated through the production of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide from adipocytes because cathelicidin expression was decreased by inhibition of adipogenesis, and adipocytes from Camp−/− mice lost the capacity to inhibit bacterial growth. Together, these findings show that the production of an antimicrobial peptide by adipocytes is an important element for protection against S. aureus infection of the skin.


The nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae is an excellent model organism for the comparative analysis of gene function and developmental mechanisms. To study the evolutionary conservation and divergence of genetic pathways mediating vulva formation, we screened for mutations in C. briggsae that cause the egg-laying defective (Egl) phenotype. Here, we report the characterization of 13 genes, including three that are orthologs of Caenorhabditis elegans unc-84 (SUN domain), lin-39 (Dfd/Scr-related homeobox), and lin-11 (LIM homeobox). Based on the morphology and cell fate changes, the mutants were placed into four different categories. Class 1 animals have normal-looking vulva and vulva-uterine connections, indicating defects in other components of the egg-laying system. Class 2 animals frequently lack some or all of the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) due to defects in the migration of P-cell nuclei into the ventral hypodermal region. Class 3 animals show inappropriate fusion of VPCs to the hypodermal syncytium, leading to a reduced number of vulval progeny. Finally, class 4 animals exhibit abnormal vulval invagination and morphology. Interestingly, we did not find mutations that affect VPC induction and fates. Our work is the first study involving the characterization of genes in C. briggsae vulva formation, and it offers a basis for future investigations of these genes in C. elegans.


It has been generally accepted that the macromolecular hypothesis was for the first time presented by H. Staudinger (1920.). It is shown in this article, however, that Roger Boscovich, in his monumental work Theory of natural philosophy, pointed out, as early as the 18th century that the spiral atomic chains could be formed. He also pointed out that the shape of the chain could be considerably changed due to slight changes of the distances between atoms, as well as that these sequences of atoms have elastic properties. The author of this article also presented some examples of the applications of Boscovich's theory to the interpretation of free-radical polymerization of compressed ethylene gas and liquid methyl methacrylate. The priority of Boscovich's macromolecular hypothesis is unquestionable and his theory is still applicable in the current polymer science.


I wish to argue that the problem of rule-following rests on
semantic internalism and that semantic externalism makes
the problem evaporate. Given that the rule-following problem
is a version of the general problem that the reference
of an intentional phenomenon is underdetermined by its
meaning, semantic externalism solves the problem by
reducing meaning to reference. Since both Kripke and
Wittgenstein are proponents of semantic externalism, the
problem of rule-following is not a problem for either Kripke
or Wittgenstein, but only for Wittgenstein"s internalist interlocutor.


The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) covers a complex network of canyons thought to be preglacial and fluvial in origin, implying that these features have influenced the ice sheet since its inception. The largest of these canyons terminates in northwest Greenland at the outlet of the Petermann Glacier. Yet, the genesis of this canyon, and similar features in northern Greenland, remains unknown. Here, we present numerical model simulations of early GrIS history and show that interactions among climate, the growing ice sheet, and preexisting topography may have contributed to the excavation of the canyon via repeated catastrophic outburst floods. Our results have implications for interpreting sedimentary and geomorphic features beneath the GrIS and around its marine margins, and they document a novel mechanism for landscape erosion in Greenland.


This title is named a top 10 medical title in 2009 by the "Wall Street Journal". Since 1986, "Medicine for the Outdoors" has been hailed as the definitive take-along manual on the subject. Packed with step-by-step instructions, how-to explanations, and practical approaches to outdoor and wilderness emergencies, it tells you the best ways to respond to just about any medical problem when help is miles or days away. Author Paul S. Auerbach, MD, MS, FACEP, FAWM, is recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on wilderness medicine. This 5th edition features major updates to bring you the latest on emerging infectious diseases, the most current drug and dosage information, an increased emphasis on making do with the materials at hand, and much more. Logically organized, easy to reference, and simple to understand, "Medicine for the Outdoors" may literally save your life. When you're venturing into mountains, deserts, forests, jungles, or out to sea, it belongs in your duffel or backpack!


The determination of the spectral light absorption coefficient of planktonic algae in seawater is crucial for many applications, including optical remote sensing. Common techniques are adversely affected by light‐scattering effects, or by low particle concentrations in situ. Measurements with a point‐source integrating‐cavity absorption meter (PSICAM) can overcome both difficulties. In our study, we assessed the performance of a PSICAM for measuring the absorption coefficients of microalgae by a comparison with state‐of‐the‐art techniques. The PSICAM was evaluated by comparative measurements of diluted algal cultures with a photometric setup, where the sample cuvette is placed in the center of an integrating sphere (CIS). The accuracy of both the CIS and the PSICAM technique was calibrated against a commercial spectrophotometer by measurements of dense algal cultures. The remaining sources of error for the PSICAM technique were the bleaching procedure and chlorophyll fluorescence. We propose an improved bleaching technique and introduce a correction procedure for the fluorescence effects. Applying both, the overall differences between PSICAM and CIS measurements were less than ± 1%. We further demonstrate that the accuracy of the PSICAM is at least as good as that of a commercial spectrophotometer, but its precision should be two to three orders of magnitude higher. Due to its high sensitivity and accuracy, and to the fact that sources of error can be identified and accounted for, the PSICAM has a great potential to significantly improve the determination of absorption spectra of particulate matter in natural seawater.


The aim of the study was to discover, describe and analyze factors related to the perceived acceptance of male nurses in the practice of midwifery in the Seychelles as perceived by nurses, pregnant women and their partners. A descriptive study using the qualitative approach was used. Theoretical sampling was employed and thirty-four participants comprising nurses, pregnant women and their partners were interviewed using an interview guide. Probing was done throughout. The nurses, the pregnant women and their partners were interviewed both in focus groups and individually. Participants taking part in individual interview were different from those taking part in focus group interview. The focus groups were homogeneous comprising professional nurses and consumers of service (pregnant women and their husbands) respectively. The findings revealed multitude of factors associated with the perceived acceptance of males in the practice of midwifery. These were classified as positive, negative and ambivalent. The major positive themes were unconditional acceptance, conditional acceptance, and equitable treatment, by all three groups of informants while traditional belief was the major negative theme. Other positive themes by the nurses were change of attitudes over time, and males as caring professionals, while for pregnant women; it was viewed as prior acceptance of male obstetrician. Both the nurses and partners saw the intimate nature of midwifery as a negative factor while only the nurses identified fear of competition and religious belief. Lack of trust was another negative factor identified by the partners/husbands. Professionals and the husbands identified societal versus individual readiness as an ambivalent factor while the pregnant women and professionals saw conditional acceptance as an ambivalent factor. Recommendations made from this study have implications for nursing research, nursing practice, and nursing education. The study could also be helpful for decision makers at different levels in the health care system. v


About the book:
Culture, Environment and Ecopolitics brings together a series of new reflections on historical and current ecological and environmental predicaments. By way of critical interventions in environmental thought, and through engagements with literary, visual, architectural, philosophical, and more general cultural studies scholarship, this collection of essays by an international panel of writers breaks new interpretative ground. While techno-science has in some quarters been elevated to a master discourse of humanity's salvation, charged with providing a magical 'fix' for planetary ecological dilemmas, the focus of our volume is on the importance of cultural reflection for bringing matters of local and global import to light. Moving from the abstractions of eco-critical utopianisms to the concrete identity of the land in the poetry of John Clare, from British Petroleum's attempts to re-brand climate change to examples of eco-architecture, and much more besides, these essays exemplify ways in which eco-political thought and practice might now be theorized. The collection is framed by a substantial editors' introduction which offers but one contextualization of the ideas and critical trajectories that follow. Culture, Environment and Ecopolitics will allow readers to discover original intersections and argumentative cross-references across contested terrains in a world increasingly troubled by ecological crises.


ABSTRACT This paper contributes to our growing understanding of the processes underpinning contrasting rates of school exclusions both within and across the different jurisdictions of the UK. Wales is often compared favourably to its larger neighbour England, where rates of permanent exclusions have risen dramatically in recent years. One explanation for Wales' lower rates might lie in the very different values which underpin its education policies. However, the prevailing policy discourse can only be part of the explanation and cannot account for the high levels of variation in rates of 'official' school exclusions across Wales, nor the many forms of 'hidden' exclusion going on in Welsh schools. Drawing on interview data with policy-makers and practitioners, this paper points to the need to explore how policy is enacted at the local level. This entails taking into account the often unacknowledged conditions in which schools operate and the unintended consequences of policy imperatives which can lead to outcomes that frustrate and undermine anti-exclusionary practices and processes.


General socioecological theories predict that in multi-male multi-female mammalian groups, males and females compete over resources of different nature. While females mainly compete over generally sharable food, males compete over the non-sharable fertilization of each female and the formation of strong affiliative relationships with specific partners might have evolved as a strategy to minimize the costs of this competition. Lifetime co-residency in the same social group enables individuals from the philopatric sex to form strong, equitable and long-lasting affiliative relationships between group members, the so called social bonds.. Social bonds in philopatric females are mainly linked to kinship, which influences an individual's dominance rank position and hence the access to resources. The emergence of social bonds between males is more striking pertaining to the high level of competition over non-shareable fertile females which may hamper the likelihood of the formation of affiliative relationships among males. However, if two males gain mutual benefits from affiliating with each other, for instance if affiliation leads to an increase in the formation of cooperative coalition to outcompete other males and get higher dominance rank positions and the associated reproductive benefits, social bonds might arise. This type of relationship between bond and coalition formation is found in philopatric male chimpanzees. Here social bond formation may serve as an adaptive strategy to maximize the efficiency of these cooperation. In species in which males are not philopatric, the reduced co-residency time represents an additional potential obstacle to the formation of social bonds between males, beside the nature of male-male competition itself. The question therefore remain whether in female philopatric species males still form affiliative relationships with each other of the same nature than philopatric males or females. Yet, it remains unclear so far whether the affiliative relationships between dispersing males share these characteristics as well and can thus be labelled as social bonds. In addition, the proximate behavioural mechanism underlying the formation of affiliative relationships has received less attention in both, philopatric and dispersing living individuals.
The overall aim of my thesis was thus, first to shed light on whether three characteristics of social bonds (differentiation in strength, equitability and partner stability) are found between males of the dispersing sex and second to assess whether a behavioural proximate mechanism other than grooming might underlie bond formation and maintenance. To address these aims, I studied two habituated groups of wild Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis, a species in which females are philopatric and males disperse) at the Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in North-eastern Thailand. I used data collected for seven years on the AS group and for 1.5 years on the AO group. First, I assessed whether male Assamese macaques form differentiated affiliative relationships by using the composite sociality index (CSI) to examine the distribution of the frequency and duration of spatial proximity, body contact and grooming across all male-male dyads. Further, I investigated whether the strength of a male-male affiliative relationship affected the likelihood of immediate grooming reciprocation. Further, I calculated a grooming symmetry index (GSI) for each male dyad to investigate whether the strength of affiliative relationships had an effect on grooming equitability. In addition, I assessed the most crucial characteristic of social bonds (and so far the most understudied in the dispersing sex), by examining the stability of affiliative relationship over time. I calculated the partner stability index (PSI) of each male with their top 3 preferred affiliative partners and with the following three partners (number 4 , 5, 6) to assess whether stronger affiliative relationships were more stable across years than weaker ones. Finally, I investigated whether male Assamese macaques use male-infant-male interactions (MIMIs, a specific macaque behaviour known to appease the social partners and reduce the likelihood of aggression), as a proximate behavioural mechanism to form and maintain social bonds. I first investigated whether subordinate males benefited from engaging in MIMIs with a higher ranking male upon approach. Second, I assessed whether the strength of male affiliative relationship affected the frequency at which they engaged in MIMIs. Finally, I investigated whether MIMIs may play a role in bond formation by testing if the current rate of MIMIs increased the time two males spent in close proximity in the future and thus had more opportunity to bond.
My analyses of about 9000 h of focal animal data show that males form social bonds. Male-male affiliative relationships were highly differentiated with the majority of male dyads sharing weaker affiliative relationships than average and few male dyads sharing stronger affiliative relationships. The stronger an affiliative relationship between two males was, the more likely they reciprocated a grooming act. In those bouts were grooming was reciprocated; males sharing a stronger affiliative relationship were more balanced in their exchange of grooming than those males sharing a weaker affiliative relationship. Partner stability among the three strongest relationships was higher than among weaker relationships, which suggests that top partners were not preserved simply because of a lack of alternatives. Regarding the proximate mechanism underling social bonds, I found that the overall frequency of MIMIs increased with the strength of the dyadic affiliative relationships between males. Further, subordinate males could increase their proximity time with higher-ranking males on average by 50% if they engage in a MIMI upon approach irrespective of the affiliative relationship strength with the male partner. The latter result, increase in proximity time irrespective of affiliative relationship strength, together with the finding that the stronger a male dyads affiliative relationship the more males engage in MIMIs, indicates that male Assamese macaques use this behaviour to maintain their affiliative relationships. In contrast, I did not find support for a role of MIMIs in bond formation since the frequency of MIMIs did not affect the time a male dyad spent in proximity in the consecutive year. However, this result may, may have been caused by a lack of newly immigrating males establishing new bonds during the study period.
In summary, my results suggest that male Assamese macaques, the dispersing sex in this species, are able to form social bonds with a similar structure as the bonds reported in the philopatric sex of some other mammalian species and possibly maintain those bonds not just via grooming, but also via male-infant-male interactions. Male Assamese macaques form risky rank-challenging coalitions to rise in rank and get the associated benefit of priority of access to fertile females ultimately leading to a higher reproductive success. In this context, forming social bonds with specific individuals might be mandatory in order to benefit from a reliable coalitionary partner and thus be successful in rank-changing coalition. My findings contribute greatly to our understanding of the pattern of affiliative relationships among individual of the dispersing sex in multi-male multi-female mammalian groups by showing for the first time that social-relationships are not only differentiated across dyads but also extremely stable over time. My specific study on MIMIs provide some insight into alternative mechanisms to grooming which might be involved in bond maintenance and possibly bond formation in social groups. Altogether my results are therefore contributing to the general debate on which behaviours influence social dynamics in group living mammals.


Abstract: The resilience of the Chinese authoritarian regime is approaching its limits. Theories of "threshold models" and "informational cascades" derived from the East German experience may help explain what happens next. China, however, is different from East Germany in several ways. Among other differences, it is not a client state and its economy is growing faster than those of its neighbors. Citizens are better informed about what other people think; the Chinese police are more skilled in the arts of repression, and the regime is more adaptive than other authoritarian regimes. A breakthrough moment could be triggered by several kinds of events. A key variable in the cascade model of political change is fear, and that seems to be diminishing.


In ways that were perhaps unimaginable even a decade ago, state crime studies has the opportunity to become a rich intellectual resource for diverse struggles of resistance opposed to the crimes of the powerful. However, this role is by no means assured. One barrier that must be overcome is a disciplinary tendency to fetishise those organisational forms – principally states and corporations – through which capitalist relations of production function. This paper will examine the epistemological roots of organisational fetishism, and the consequential effects this analytical tendency has on understandings of state crime. We will then consider how the method, and conceptual framework, which Marx developed to inquire into the sinuous core of the capitalist mode of production can be used to move beyond fetishised understandings of the state. To demonstrate the complexity of the theoretical task before us, I will draw upon the example of Papua New Guinea, a country that has witnessed a range of gross human rights violations associated with the Bougainville war, and which departs in many ways from archetypal models of capitalism. Nevertheless, it will be maintained that Marxism remains a vital framework for enriched understandings of state crime in Papua New Guinea, that move beyond fetishised accounts of elite offending.


The physical properties of substrates are known to control cell adhesion via integrin-mediated signaling. Fibrin and fibrinogen, the principal components of hemostatic and pathological thrombi, may represent biologically relevant substrates whose variable physical properties control adhesion of leukocytes and platelets. In our previous work, we have shown that binding of fibrinogen to the surface of fibrin clot prevents cell adhesion by creating an antiadhesive fibrinogen layer. Furthermore, fibrinogen immobilized on various surfaces at high density supports weak cell adhesion whereas at low density it is highly adhesive. To explore the mechanism underlying differential cell adhesion, we examined the structural and physical properties of surfaces prepared by deposition of various concentrations of fibrinogen using atomic force microscopy and force spectroscopy. Fibrinogen deposition at high density resulted in an aggregated multilayered material characterized by low adhesion forces. In contrast, immobilization of fibrinogen at low density produced a single layer in which molecules were directly attached to the solid surface, resulting in higher adhesion forces. Consistent with their distinct physical properties, low- but not high-density fibrinogen induced strong α IIb β 3 -mediated outside-in signaling in platelets, resulting in their spreading. Moreover, while intact fibrin gels induced strong signaling in platelets, deposition of fibrinogen on the surface of fibrin resulted in diminished cell signaling. The data suggest that deposition of a multilayered fibrinogen matrix prevents stable cell adhesion by modifying the physical properties of surfaces, which results in reduced force generation and insufficient signaling. The mechanism whereby circulating fibrinogen alters adhesive properties of fibrin clots may have important implications for control of thrombus formation and thrombogenicity of biomaterials.


Many real-world networks have the ability to adapt themselves in response to the state of their nodes. This paper studies controlling disease spread on network with feedback mechanism, where the susceptible nodes are able to avoid contact with the infected ones by cutting their connections with probability when the density of infected nodes reaches a certain value in the network. Such feedback mechanism considers the networks' own adaptivity and the cost of immunization. The dynamical equations about immunization with feedback mechanism are solved and theoretical predictions are in agreement with the results of large scale simulations. It shows that when the lethality α increases, the prevalence decreases more greatly with the same immunization g. That is, with the same cost, a better controlling result can be obtained. This approach offers an effective and practical policy to control disease spread, and also may be relevant to other similar networks.


The core idea of REDD—reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation—is to reward individuals, communities, projects and countries that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forests. Adopted under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change), the mechanism aims to compensate tropical countries for the carbon benefits that their standing forests ('avoided emissions' + 'carbon stocks') contribute to mitigating climate change. The objective of the analysis contained in this working paper is to characterise the nature of the discourse related to REDD+ in the Brazilian press from 2005 to 2009, identifying the principal actors who led this debate in the media as well as their positions—as either advocates or adversaries of a particular view on REDD+ —as these positions evolved during this period. This study is part of CIFOR's Global Comparative Study (GCS) on REDD+, which analyses REDD+ policy, practice and implementation and disseminates lessons learned to a national and global audience. CIFOR's goal is to generate knowledge and practical tools to support efforts to reduce forest emissions in ways that are effective, efficient and equitable (3Es) and that generate co-benefits such as poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation (3Es+).


Seasonal changes in reproduction, recruitment, occurrence and growth of marine plant and animal species is a common phenomenon world-wide. This thesis investigates whether such seasonal changes could determine the succession in subtidal phytobenthic communities on free space in the Baltic Sea. My results showed circular seasonal patterns both in the settlement of species and in the annual appearance of communities. The circular seasonal pattern was also observed in the succession. Initial species assemblages were determined by the time space became available for colonisation. Although the succession seemed to be directed towards one site-specific final community structure determined by physical factors, the time of the year when space became available influenced the rate of the succession through species interactions. Rapid growth and timing of settlement and free space occurrence allowed early species to occupy all available space and prevent further colonisation, thereby slowing the succession. My results also showed that both settlement and community structure are influenced by substrate characteristics. Studying community development on vertical artificial structures revealed communities with few species and different composition compared to communities on vertical natural substrates. A field study showed that settlement and community structure changed significantly between 60o and 90o substrate slopes. This thesis shows that some differences in the final community structure are determined already at the settlement stage and that the succession pattern varies depending on when free space occurs. However, small inter-annual and site-specific differences in seasonal settlement periods and site-specific final communities mainly determined by physical factors, suggest that succession patterns are relatively predictable. Seasonal changes seem to cause a spiralling succession towards a final, seasonally undulating, state.


Nitrogen (N), the most critical and essential nutrient for plant growth, largely determines the productivity in both extensive and intensive grassland systems. Nitrification and denitrification processes in the soil are the primary drivers of generating reactive N (NO3 - , N2O and NO), largely responsible for N loss and degradation of grasslands. Suppressing nitrification can thus facilitate retention of soil N to sustain long-term productivity of grasslands and forage-based production systems. Certain plants can suppress soil nitrification by releasing inhibitors from roots, a phenomenon termed 'biological nitrification inhibition' (BNI). Recent methodological developments [e.g. bioluminescence assay to detect biological nitrification inhibitors (BNIs) from plant-root systems] led to significant advances in our ability to quantify and characterize BNI function in pasture grasses. Among grass pastures, BNI capacity is strongest in low-N environment grasses such as Brachiaria humidicola and weakest in high-N environment grasses such as Italian ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and B. brizantha. The chemical identity of some of the BNIs produced in plant tissues and released from roots has now been established and their mode of inhibitory action determined on nitrifying Nitrosomonas bacteria. Synthesis and release of BNIs is a highly regulated and localized process, triggered by the presence of NH4 + in the rhizosphere, which facilitates release of BNIs close to soil-nitrifier sites. Substantial genotypic variation is found for BNI capacity in B. humidicola, which opens the way for its genetic manipulation. Field studies suggest that Brachiaria grasses suppress nitrification and N2O emissions from soil. The potential for exploiting BNI function (from a genetic improvement and a system perspective) to develop production systems, that are low-nitrifying, low N2O-emitting, economically efficient and ecologically sustainable, is discussed.


What can the courts offer to the development of policy on climate change? In this chapter, part of a larger multi-author work on climate change governance, Kirsten Engel argues that the judiciary can depoliticize climate change by filtering issues, such as climate science, that have become highly contentious in the public debate, bring the issue of climate change "home" to persons by identify real and highly sympathetic victims of climate change, demonstrate the need, or lack thereof, for new regulatory frameworks for climate change, and provide feedback to industry and regulators on the magnitude of the liability risk being faced by private parties for greenhouse gas emissions. Engel examines how the courts have already influenced climate policy, discussing its role in unleashing EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, for example, as well as the institutional characteristics that limit the ability or willingness of the courts to go out ahead of the political branches on an issue such as which industries have an obligation to reduce emissions and by how much. The chapter concludes with a look at alternative frameworks for federal climate legislation, such as cap-and-trade and cooperative federalism, and how Congress's choice of structure may influence the future role of the courts in climate policy.


""The Lives of Machines" is intelligent, closely argued, and persuasive, and puts forth a contention that will unsettle the current consensus about Victorian attitudes toward the machine."---Jay Clayton, Vanderbilt UniversityToday we commonly describe ourselves as machines that "let off steam" or feel "under pressure." "The Lives of Machines" investigates how Victorian technoculture came to shape this language of human emotion so pervasively and irrevocably and argues that nothing is more intensely human and affecting than the nonhuman. Tamara Ketabgian explores the emergence of a modern and more mechanical view of human nature in Victorian literature and culture.Treating British literature from the 1830s to the 1870s, this study examines forms of feeling and community that combine the vital and the mechanical, the human and the nonhuman, in surprisingly hybrid and productive alliances. Challenging accounts of industrial alienation that still persist, the author defines mechanical character and feeling not as erasures or negations of self, but as robust and nuanced entities in their own right. "The Lives of Machines" thus offers an alternate cultural history that traces sympathies between humans, animals, and machines in novels and nonfiction about factory work as well as in other unexpected literary sites and genres, whether domestic, scientific, musical, or philosophical. Ketabgian historicizes a model of affect and community that continues to inform recent theories of technology, psychology, and the posthuman."The Lives of Machines" will be of interest to students of British literature and history, history of science and of technology, novel studies, psychoanalysis, and postmodern cultural studies.Cover image: "Power Loom Factory of Thomas Robinson," from Andrew Ure, "The Philosophy of Manufactures" (London: Charles Knight, 1835), frontispiece.DIGITALCULTUREBOOKS: a collaborative imprint of the University of Michigan Press and the University of Michigan Library


This article studies the nominal system and noun phrase of Bashkardi, a language of the Iranian family spoken in Southern Iran in the region of Bashakerd. Bashkardi is a very little studied language, and is in particular need of being documented because it is a minority language endangered by heavy influence from Persian. The article is based on recordings made by Ilya Gershevitch in 1956.
In discussing the Bashkardi nominal system, I compare it to that of geographically or historically neighbouring languages such as Balochi, spoken nearby in the province (and also in the form of the Koroshi dialect spoken in Fars province to the west). From a historical perspective, Middle Persian and Parthian, the only two Western Iranian languages attested from Middle Iranian times, are adduced to elucidate the development of the Bashkardi nominal system.
I argue that the nominal system of Bashkardi agrees with Persian and other Western Ir. languages in having lost the distinction between direct and oblique case (preserved in Kurmanji, Balochi etc.), but that a trace of the oblique case might be present in the possessive marker -ī. Like Middle Persian, Bashkardi employs adpositions to mark syntactic relations, but none of these is used in a systematic way as of yet.


We present a method to generate comparable corpora from different patent documents covering the same invention. We rely on the fact that many inventors apply for protection in more than one jurisdictions. Often, these jurisdictions have different publication languages, and therefore, the same invention is described in more than one language. We use this fact to generate comparable corpora in any language pair where patent documents are available. We do this at the level of the title, abstract, description and claims and present statistics for English-Spanish data thus generated. We then show that with an additional filtering step we can reduce the errors inserted in the collection by the automated procedure.


Cyclophosphamide (CPA) chemotherapy has been known to cause ovarian failure.CPA therapy leads to infertility via oxidative stress induced apoptosis of ovarian cells.Tocotrienols (T3), vitamin E isoform, is a much more potent antioxidant compared to
tocopherols. T3 is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. The role of T3 in ovarian protection throughout chemotherapy remains un-elucidated, hence this study
has been undertaken to investigate the role of T3 in the maintenance of normal female reproductive system from temporal infertility due to CPA administration. The alteration and regulation of ER and PR, genes and proteins, expression were investigated to ascertain the deleterious effect of CPA and whether co-administration with T3 showed any difference. That was hoped to explain the involvement of ER and PR signaling pathway as biomarker in maintaining fertility during chemotherapy treatment. 60 female ICR mice, aged between 8 to 10 weeks were divided into 5 treatment groups: CPA, CPA&T3, normal saline, T3 only, and com oil only. The treatment was given for 30 consecutive days, followed by administration of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin and human chorionic gonadotrophin to induce super ovulation. The mice were sacrificed at 14 to 16 hours post induction, after which all animal were euthanized. At dissection, both ovaries were removed, fixed in 10% formalin, processed and embedded in paraffin to form tissue blocks. Histological processing and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays were performed on the tissue blocks. Both ovaries were dissected and immediately preserved in liquid nitrogen and then RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed using the syper green probe real time PCR. Concentration of the forward, reverse primers,probes, cDNA template, as well as the annealing temperature were optimized using real time PCR involvement caspase3, Bcl-2, ER, PR, GAPDH and b-actin genes. All IHC reactions included peroxidase for mouse Biotinylated primary antibody code (k3954) and horseradish peroxidase as secondary antibody. All data were subjected to statistical analysis by one-way ANOVA. The histological changes seen in the ovaries of CPA group include increase in degeneration of primary and secondary follicles,
with a decrease in their total numbers; large follicles had incomplete and sometimes absent antrum. Whereas in CPA+T3 group, folliculogenesis was near normal, with regular antrum formation in large follicles and increased number of follicles in all
stages. There was a significant reduction of TUNEL positive cells in the combined CPA&T3 group compared to CPA group by 11.23% (p<0.05). Our results established that combine CPA+T3 administration significantly up-regulated the gene expression
of Bcl-2 (p<0.01) by 0.36 fold and caspace3 gene expression level was also significantly reduced (p<0 .0 1 ) and suppressed by 2 . 1 2 fold, compared to treatment with CPA alone. CPA+T3 also significantly reduced the expression of ER, PR genes
and protein in the ovary of CPA-exposed mice (p<0.05). The results therefore indicated that co-administration of T3 with CPA confers protection against apoptosis and modulate altered genes and protein expression in ovaries. T3 is a potential candidate for ovarian preservation in chemotherapy-associated damage.


This article is an overview of the current state of scholarly journals, not (just) as an activity to be described in terms if its changing processes, but more fundamentally as a pivotal point in a broader knowledge system. After locating journals in what we term the process of knowledge design, the article goes on to discuss some of the deeply disruptive aspects of the contemporary moment, which not only portend potential transformations in the form of the journal, but possibly also the knowledge systems that the journal in its heritage forms has supported. These disruptive forces are represented by changing technological, economic, distributional, geographic, interdisciplinary and social relations to knowledge. The article goes on to examine three specific breaking points. The first breaking point is in business models—the unsustainable costs and inefficiencies of traditional commercial publishing, the rise of open access and the challenge of developing sustainable publishing models. The second potential breaking point is the credibility of the peer review system: its accountability, its textual practices, the validity of its measures and its exclusionary network effects. The third breaking point is post-publication evaluation, centred primarily around citation or impact analysis. We argue that the prevailing system of impact analysis is deeply flawed. Its validity as a measure of knowledge is questionable, in which citation counts are conflated with the contribution made to knowledge, quantity is valued over quality, popularity is taken as a proxy for intellectual quality, impact is mostly measured on a short timeframe, 'impact factors' are aggregated for journals or departments in a way that lessens their validity further, there is a bias for and against certain article types, there are exclusionary network effects and there are accessibility distortions. Add to this reliability defects—the types of citation counted as well as counting failures and distortions—and clearly the citation analysis system is in urgent need of renewal. The article ends with suggestions towards the transformation of the academic journal and the creation of new knowledge systems: sustainable publishing models, frameworks for guardianship of intellectual property, criterion-referenced peer review, greater reflexivity in the review process, incremental knowledge refinement, more widely distributed sites of knowledge production and inclusive knowledge cultures, new types of scholarly text and more reliable use metrics.


The current study investigated the potential of green tea (GT) to improve uncoupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in diabetic conditions. In rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability was reduced by uncoupling eNOS, characterized by a reduction in tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) levels and a decrease in the eNOS dimer-to-monomer ratio. GT treatment ameliorated these abnormalities. Moreover, immortalized human mesangial cells (ihMCs) exposed to high glucose (HG) levels exhibited a rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a decline in NO levels, which were reversed with GT. BH4 and the activity of guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I decreased in ihMCs exposed to HG and was normalized by GT. Exogenous administration of BH4 in ihMCs reversed the HG-induced rise in ROS and the decline in NO production. However, coadministration of GT with BH4 did not result in a further reduction in ROS production, suggesting that reduced ROS with GT was indeed secondary to uncoupled eNOS. In summary, GT reversed the diabetes-induced reduction of BH4 levels, ameliorating uncoupling eNOS, and thus increasing NO bioavailability and reducing oxidative stress, two abnormalities that are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.


The major banana production areas in Australia are particularly sensitive to environments due to their close proximity to areas of World Heritage rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef catchment. Management of soil quality, nutrients and pesticides are vital to maintaining the integrity of these sensitive areas. Studies on cropping systems have suggested that integrating organic matter into ground cover management would improve the quality of soil under banana cultivation. In this study, an alternative management practice for bananas, which addresses the management of organic matter and fertiliser application, was assessed and compared to the conventional practice currently employed in the banana industry. Several chemical, physical and biological soil parameters were measured including: pH, electrical conductivity, water stable aggregates, bulk density, water filled pore space, porosity, water content, fluorescein diacetate hydrolyis (FDA) and beta-glucosidase activity. The alternative management practice did not have a significant impact of the production and growth of bananas but overall improved the quality of the soil. Although some differences were observed, the chemical and physical soil characteristics did not differ dramatically between the two management systems. The addition of organic matter resulted in the soil under alternative practice having higher FDA and beta-glucosidase levels, indicating higher microbial activity. The integration of organic matter into the management of bananas resulted in positive benefits on soil properties under bananas, however, methods of maintaining organic matter in the soil need to be further researched.


Extracted from text ... I
Managing an enterprise in a
network networked ed society
28 Management Today October 2005
Anything is possible.
Anything is likely.
Are you ready?
Change is coming and
coming fast.
One question confronts
every institution and
every individual: fight
the change ... or grab
hold and enjoy the ride?
I say: Enjoy yourself!
It's later than you think!
Tom Peters
Dr Richard Weeks has worked as a
business strategist for many years
including at the Greater Johannesburg
Transitional Metropolitan
Council as the manager: strategic
services. He is currently employed by
IBM South Africa as a senior IT
specialist.
"In ..


Exploration of Emergency Physician's Experiences on Barriers of Precise Patient History Taking And Physical Examination: A Qualitative Study
A poorgharehkhan, D Hekmatpu , N Mahdavian, M zarie , O karimi
poorgharehkhan A, nursing dept, Kordestan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Nursing dept, Arak University of Medical Sciences Sciences , Arak, Iran.
Mahdavian N , dentist , Kordestan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Zarie M , physician , Kordestan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Karimi O , physician , Kordestan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.

Abstract: (29 View)
Introduction: History taking and physical examination help physician diagnose disease also, plan patient management correctly. Considering the effectiveness of many factors on patient history, this study with the goal of exploration of emergency physician's experiences on barriers of precise patient history taking and physical examination was done.
Method: This is a qualitative content analysis research. After purposeful sampling, semi structured interviews were held with 18 physicians in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. Each interview was recorded and transcribed verbatim and then analyzed using the content analysis method.
Results: Based on the participant's experiences, primary codes of barriers on history taking and physical examination were obtained . Then after integrating or eliminating the overlapping codes, 5 secondary codes or main barriers including: Educational barriers, Cultural barriers, Economic barriers, no knowledge on legal issues, and defect of supervision and administration systems were found.
Conclusion: The findings showed 5 main barriers of patient's history writing. All participants emphasized that resolving these barriers need to precise supervision on history taking and physical examination in emergency wards and continuing scientific and cultural education for physicians and community.

Keywords: Content analysis, emergency physicians' experiences, physical examination, Qualitative study,


For many years underground rock mechanics and in particular, roadway/tunnel roof stability has been underpinned by the often unchallenged assumption that roof strength (as defined by the UCS) and stiffness (E) are key stability controls. This has logically led to the proliferation of laboratory testing of rock specimens and the development of indirect geophysical methods to gain estimates of these two rock parameters. Furthermore, many design methods are significantly focussed on replicating rock mass behaviour through either intact or failed constitutive models. Demonstrably the strength and stiffness of the host rock material is commonly used as one of the key indicators of excavation roof stability and it finds either direct or indirect use in just about every rock mass rating system in use today. In more recent times there has been a common move to consider and apply (even if only conceptually at the current time) structural engineering type principles (eg, buckling) to coal mine roadway roof (and rib) stability. Similarly our knowledge of the in situ stress environment and its likely origins has improved significantly, largely through stress measurements and subsequent analysis. This paper combines knowledge in both of these fundamental areas through a deterministic model for roadway roof stability and in combination with field examples, reaches the almost certainly controversial conclusion that UCS and E are commonly irrelevant, albeit that the former may provide an indication of other relevant geotechnical parameters (eg, bedding cohesion). As with all hypotheses or rules, there are naturally exceptions and in this case, the most obvious is the tailgate of the longwall panel (with adjacent goaf). Due to the significant change in the strata loading environment of a longwall tailgate as compared to first workings for example, the stability equation materially changes so that UCS and E become critical controls. The point of the paper is to present a different perspective on a traditional mining problem and to challenge geotechnical professionals to keep thinking "outside of the square" in the never-ending endeavour to improve our understanding of the engineering problems we regularly face. Such an understanding impacts upon such issues as geotechnical data collection from borecore, support hardware requirements and design capabilities. Therefore making the assumption that our understanding is always fundamentally correct could in fact be limiting the development of new and improved engineering.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
The amount of DNA in an unreplicated haploid nuclear genome (C-value) ranges over several orders of magnitude among plant species and represents a key metric for comparing plant genomes. To extend previously published datasets on plant nuclear content and to characterize the DNA content of many species present in one region of North America, flow cytometry was used to estimate C-values of woody and herbaceous species collected in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA.

METHODS
A total of 674 samples and vouchers were collected from locations across Wisconsin and Michigan, USA. From these, C-value estimates were obtained for 514 species, subspecies and varieties of vascular plants. Nuclei were extracted from samples of these species in one of two buffers, stained with the fluorochrome propidium iodide, and an Accuri C-6 flow cytometer was used to measure fluorescence peaks relative to those of an internal standard. Replicate extractions, coefficients of variation and comparisons to published C-values in the same and related species were used to confirm the accuracy and reliability of our results.

KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Prime C-values for 407 taxa are provided for which no published data exist, including 390 angiosperms, two gymnosperms, ten monilophytes and five lycophytes. Non-prime reports for 107 additional taxa are also provided. The prime values represent new reports for 129 genera and five families (of 303 genera and 97 families sampled). New family C-value maxima or minima are reported for Betulaceae, Ericaceae, Ranunculaceae and Sapindaceae. These data provide the basis for phylogenetic analyses of C-value variation and future analyses of how C-values covary with other functional traits.


Most methods for performing a phylogenetic analysis based on sequence alignments of gene data assume that the mechanism of evolution is constant through time. It is recognised that some sites do evolve somewhat faster than others, and this can be captured using a (gamma) rate heterogeneity model. Further, some species have shorter replication times than others, and this results in faster rates of substitution in some lineages. This feature of lineage specific rate variation can be captured to some extent, by using relaxed clock models. However, it is also clear that there are additional poorly characterised features of sequence data that can sometimes lead to extreme differences in lineage specific rates. This variation is poorly captured by constant time reversible substitution models. The significance of extreme lineage specific rate differences is that they lead both to errors in reconstructing evolutionary relationships as well as biased estimates for the age of ancestral nodes. We propose a new model that allows gamma rate heterogeneity to change on branches, thus offering a more realistic model of sequence evolution. It adds negligible computational cost to likelihood calculations. We illustrate its effectiveness with an example of green algae and land-plants. For many real world data sets, we find a much better fit with multi-gamma sites models as well as substantial differences in ancestral node date estimates.


Cross species hybridization can provide a tool for elucidating biological pathways conserved among organisms. Based on sequence conservation among grass species, we selected Affymetrix GeneChip® wheat genome array as a tool to analyze changes in gene expression profiles of three Festuca species in response to varying levels of glyphosate. Differences in transcript expression upon glyphosate application at 5% and 20% of the recommended rate were recorded. Differences highlighted metabolic categories, including photosynthesis, protein synthesis, and stress responses. Expression levels of a larger number of transcripts altered with 20% glyphosate. RT-PCR analysis was conducted for experimental validation. This is the first report to analyze the potential of cross species hybridization in Festuca species and the data help extend our knowledge on the cellular processes affected by glyphosate. Autophagy related gene, Atg8 has been used for monitoring autophagy in various organisms. In this study, Atg8 gene was identified in Brachypodium distachyon (named as BdAtg8) under osmotic stress. Expression profile of BdAtg8 was examined in a variety of tissues of different ages and osmotic stress conditions. Expression level of BdAtg8 elevated with osmotic stress, especially in the roots. BdAtg8 complemented atg8Δ[delta]::kan MX yeast mutants grown under starvation conditions. Monodansylcadaverine was used to observe autophagosomes, and autophagy was shown to be constitutively active in Brachypodium. Autophagy was more active in plants exposed to osmotic stress. BdATG8 protein was expressed in yeast and analyzed with western blotting. In conclusion, under osmotic stress conditions, BdAtg8 gene is required for induction of autophagy in Brachypodium.


The dramatic collapse of Enron Corporation, following a series of disclosures of accounting improprieties, has led many to question the soundness of current accounting and financial reporting standards. Within Enron's reported financial statements, including related note disclosures, were there signs of Enron's accounting and economic issues? Should an astute investor or analyst have been suspicious of Enron's reported results? How did management hide debt, inflate profits, and support a stock price that considerably overstated the firm's value? Did Enron incorrectly apply existing standards, or do these rules permit the accounting "gimmickry" that allowed Enron to obscure its true financial position? This paper attempts to answer these questions by examining the two financial reporting issues that contributed to Enron's most significant accounting restatements: the consolidation of special purpose entities (SPEs) and the issuance of stock for notes receivable. First, we examine Enron's financial performance during the 10 years prior to its declaration of bankruptcy. This analysis reveals increasing variability of key performance measures from 1997 through 2000, a time during which Enron's stock price generally outperformed the NASDAQ composite. Additionally, using metrics developed to measure the likelihood of earnings management, we find a high probability of earnings manipulation in Enron's financial statements for several years preceding its bankruptcy. These results are particularly surprising because they are based on Enron's reported financial results, which we now know were erroneous. This investigation suggests that considerable evidence existed that should have lead analysts, sophisticated investors, and regulators to question Enron's financial results and soaring stock price. Next, we briefly describe the accounting and financial reporting standards applicable to Enron's consolidation of SPEs and issuance of stock for notes receivable. We specifically discuss three major sets of transactions in which Enron created SPEs to hold assets, borrow money, and hedge fluctuations in the value of its investment activities. In each case, we identify whether Enron's treatment of these SPEs complied with or failed to meet the requirements of existing accounting principles. We also discuss the impact of these transactions on Enron's true financial position and how its reporting of these transactions obscured their economic substance. Several of these transactions involved Enron exchanging its own stock for notes receivable from the SPEs. The financial reporting implications of these transactions also are discussed. We conclude with a summary of important issues for consideration by accounting standard setters.


Preeclampsia, the leading cause of death in pregnant women, is a medical mystery and a disorder that every obstetrician dreads. Without warning, the blood pressure of a seemingly healthy pregnant woman may surge; if the baby isn9t delivered right away, she may die. Preeclampsia kills an estimated 76,000 women worldwide each year, but no one knows its cause or how to prevent it. Now, a new study this week in Science Translational Medicine demonstrates that—like Alzheimer9s, Parkinson9s, and mad cow diseases—preeclampsia is distinguished by misfolded and clumped proteins. The finding offers an entirely new take on this complication of pregnancy, and pinpoints a potential biomarker, so that a simple urine analysis could definitively diagnose a disorder that has lacked a gold standard test.


In a majority-minority framework, study provides analysis of various models and approaches adopted by the ruling elite aiming at nation-building in post-colonial India. Author argues that Sikh ethno-nationalism was a reaction to/ or the product of flawed and erroneous approach at nation-forging that was pursued by the people in power. Neighbouring state Pakistan having hostile relations with India provided support to the Sikh ethnic uprisings for its own strategic gains but had no territorial ambitions as are in case of Kashmir. Moreover, Pakistan was not responsible for the origin of Sikh ethnic uprisings. It only tried to exploit the situation when it originated due to the domestic political milieu in India. Sikh diaspora also participated in its kindred-community''s movement while internationalizing the issue of Khalistan, raising the question of human rights abuses along with providing diverse types of moral & material support. Thus, this book is useful for academicians, statesmen, researchers, students and general readers to understand the Indian ruling elite''s approach at nation-building in general and Sikh ethno-nationalism in particular.


In 1949, after years of nomadic existence, nine-year-old Aeronwy Thomas and her family arrived at the Boat House in Laugharne, a small village on the Welsh coast. Here her father, the poet Dylan Thomas and mother, Caitlin, hoped to find peace, a place to settle and work. In Laugharne Dylan began some of his most famous works, including Under Milk Wood. Mornings were spent in Brown's Hotel, listening to the gossip at Ivy William's kitchen table. In the afternoons Caitlin would lock the poet into a shed in the garden, where he sat speaking his verse aloud as he wrote, or composed begging letters to patrons and friends. Often he would head off to London, and old haunts. Little Aeronwy enjoyed the new world around her. In the Boat House, ruled over by Caitlin, there was baby Colm and in the holidays visits from big brother Llewellyn, as well as Dolly, the cleaner and cook, and the house became a refuge for village characters, including Booda the deaf, mute ferry man. The memoir paints scenes of sudden drama and poetry: reading Wind in the Willows with her father in the evenings; fish treading in the mud below the house with her mother; afternoons with Grandma Flo and DJ at the Pelican. Dylan's fame grows and he tours the United States to read his poetry. Aeronwy watches as the marriage fractures, and at last the poet dies in New York, far away from his children. My Father's Places is a deeply moving portrait of growing up and an insight into the origins and the legacy of Dylan Thomas's poetry.


This paper is concerned with the complex interdigitation of the works of Michel Foucault and Bruno Latour (and more generally, actor-network theory).In particular, we are keen to develop, through an exploration of the commonalities, differences and tangentialities between these authors, new ways of thinking about the interrelations, mutualities and patternings of order and disorder in social life (conceptualised as heterogeneously constituted).

First, we examine the ways in which Latour and Foucault respectively deal with technology and/or technique in order to draw out the role of 'uniqueness' in processes of heterogeneous dis/ordering.

Second, we consider the ways in which Latour and Foucault deal with the subject, and its relations to identity.In particular, we note that underpinning both these thinkers' treatments is a view of the human (but also, in Latour, of the non-human) as at once fixed and fixable, but also fluid and 'fluidable': whereas for Latour the emphasis that is placed upon fixability and fluidity is allowed de jure, for Foucault fluidity has a de facto status which 'prompts' the various techniques and technologies of self (fixity).We suggest that neither of these approaches is satisfactory, for the fluid-ised self/identity is never knowable, except as 'in-process', and the fixed subject/identity is too knowable - a 'mere' cipher for a network or assemblage (Latour) or discursive formation (Foucault).We suggest that self/identity is most interesting at those points of transition from fluidity to fixity and vice versa.

Third, we compare and contrast Foucault's and Latour's tacit models of temporality as they structure their historico-empirical studies, showing how in deploying differing time frames and different narratives of continuity (which, in turn, evoke different versions of self/identity), they produce different accounts of ordering processes.In contrast, and drawing on Michel Serres (which we do throughout), we shall suggest, in counterpoint, that temporality should be seen as emergent in the dis/ordering processes that we identify.In conclusion, we draw the three themes of technique/technology, self/identity and ordering/temporality together to show, in that they inform one another, they can serve as the basis of a revisioning of social (that is, heterogeneous) research.


This analysis explores the social history and politics of mega-events from the late 19th century to the present. Through case studies of events such as the 1851 Crystal Palace Expo, the 1936 Berlin Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Maurice Roche investigates the impact Expos and Olympics have had on national identities, on the marking of public time and space, and on visions of national citizenship and international society in modern times. Historical chapters deal with the production of Expos by power elites, their impacts on mass culture, and the political uses and abuses of international sport and Olympic events. Chapters also deal with the impact of Olympics on cities, the growth of Olympics as media events and the current crisis of the Olympic movement in world politics and culture.


As the sole issuer of bank notes, the Bank of Canada conducts methods-of-payment (MOP) surveys to obtain a detailed and representative snapshot of Canadian payment choices, with a focus on cash usage. Overall, cash usage at the point of sale has decreased since 2009, constituting 44 per cent of payment volume and 23 per cent in terms of value, and the median value of a cash transaction is about $9. Respondents' perceptions and demographic factors are used to interpret survey data: cash is seen as a convenient, lowcost, secure and widely accepted form of payment, and is used most widely among respondents who are age 55 and above, have an income less than $45,000 or have only a high school education. The paper also provides a comprehensive view of payment innovations, such as stored-value cards, contactless credit/debit cards or mobile payments, which are often perceived as substitutes for cash.


Keyhole corticoamygdalohippocampectomy is a modification of conventional trans- middle temporal gyrus selective amygdalohippocampectomy. It involves a small linear incision, a low anterior temporal keyhole craniotomy, a cylinder-like corridor through the anterior-most middle and inferior temporal gyri, and subpial resection of the hippocampus and amygdala. During this approach, the guidance of neuronavigation is not necessary and unaffected areas including the superior temporal gyrus and temporal veins are not exposed and manipulated. Compared with the conventional approach, this technique is easier, safer, and less traumatic to functional lateral neocortex.


As a scholar, William Hung was instrumental in opening China's rich documentary past to modern scrutiny. As an educator, he helped shape one of twentieth-century China's most remarkable institutions, Yenching University. A member of the buoyant, Western-educated generation that expected to transform China into a modern, liberal nation, he saw his hopes darken as political turmoil, war with Japan, and the Communist takeover led to a different future. yet his influence was widespread; for his students became leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and he continued to teach in the United States through the 1970s. In 1978, he began recalling his colorful life to Susan Chan Egan in weekly taping sessions. Egan draws on these tapes to let a skillful raconteur tell for himself anecdotes from his life as a religious and academic activist with a flair for the flamboyant. His reminiscences encompass the issues and dilemmas faced by Chinese intellectuals of his period. Among the notables who figured in his life and memories were Hu Shih, H. H. Kung, Henry Winter Luce, John Leighton Stuart, Timothy Lew, and Lu Chihwei. While retaining the flavor of Hung's reminiscences, Egan explains the evolution and importance of his scholarly work; captures his blend of Confucianism, mystical Christianity, and iconoclastic thought; and describes his effect on those around him. For it was finally his unyielding integrity and personal kindness as much as his accomplishments that caused him to be revered by colleagues and generations of students.


We report results from a dual eye-tracking study around a Tangible User Interface (TUI). Participants (N=54) worked in groups of two and solved optimization problems on the TinkerTable, a TUI designed for students in logistics. The TinkerTable features tangible shelves that students can manipulate to build and optimize the layout of a warehouse while the system provides feedback with a projector above the table. Using mobile eye-trackers, we examined participants' visual coordination when solving those problems. We describe two contributions to the CSCL community: first, we propose a methodology for synchronizing two eye-tracking goggles and computing measures of joint visual attention (JVA) in a co-located setting. Second, we report preliminary findings suggesting that participants were more likely to have moments of joint attention when looking at 3D, realistic objects compared to 2D, abstract ones. JVA was also found to be a significant predictor of students' learning gains and performance during the optimization tasks. We discuss implications of these findings for supporting interactions around a TUI.


& Programmers who endure and succeed amidst swirling uncertainty and nonstop pressure share a common attribute: They care deeply about the practice of creating software. They treat it as a craft. They are professionals. In The Clean Coder: A Code of Conduct for Professional Programmers, legendary software expert Robert C. Martin introduces the disciplines, techniques, tools, and practices of true software craftsmanship. This book is packed with practical adviceabout everything from estimating and coding to refactoring and testing. It covers much more than technique: It is about attitude. Martin shows how to approach software development with honor, self-respect, and pride; work well and work clean; communicate and estimate faithfully; face difficult decisions with clarity and honesty; and understand that deep knowledge comes with a responsibility to act. Readers will learn What it means to behave as a true software craftsmanHow to deal with conflict, tight schedules, and unreasonable managersHow to get into the flow of coding, and get past writers blockHow to handle unrelenting pressure and avoid burnoutHow to combine enduring attitudes with new development paradigmsHow to manage your time, and avoid blind alleys, marshes, bogs, and swampsHow to foster environments where programmers and teams can thriveWhen to say Noand how to say itWhen to say Yesand what yes really means Great software is something to marvel at: powerful, elegant, functional, a pleasure to work with as both a developer and as a user. Great software isnt written by machines. It is written by professionals with an unshakable commitment to craftsmanship. The Clean Coder will help you become one of themand earn the pride and fulfillment that they alone possess.


This article focuses on one expression of the relationship between science and policy analysis: the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget. It has used a classic policy analysis technique—cost–benefit analysis—as the way that the White House will review regulations. This discussion highlights the utilization of the cost–benefit method in the OIRA decision-making process, the roles of various actors in the system, and the response to that use by various policy actors. It illustrates the difficulty of utilizing rational analytical methods in an environment of political conflict.


Twelve species of Drosophilidae (Diptera) have now been reported from Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea 600 km east of the Australian mainland. There are two endemic species: Scaptodrosophila howensis and an undescribed species of Leucophenga. Six species are peridomestic worldwide or widespread in the Australian Region. During the Australian Museum expeditions to the island in 2000–2002, 2009 and 2017, the number of species in the known fauna has doubled. The level of endemicity is less than the more isolated and larger Norfolk Island, which has 4 endemics (6 spp in total), New Caledonia has 35 endemics (52 in total). The number of Lord Howe Island species is a small fraction of the total fauna of Australia (278 spp), about 140 species occur at the same latitude (±2°) on the Australia mainland. The first high resolution micrographs of Mycodrosophila stigma, M. rosemaryae, Scaptodrosophila howensis, S. fungi, Dettopsomyia nigrovittata, Drosophila serrata and Drosophila busckii are published here for the first time.


Although the scale size of disputes in construction projects mainly follows the claim amount disputed, going through arbitration is considered as a one scale from the client point of view. So, study of foreseen risks for current and future situations is worthwhile to move in effective claim. Actually, due to the multivariate nature of construction contracts, things never go as planned. Thus, humans have developed many methods to resolve disputes, and arbitration is one of them. The study focused on modeling disputes occurring in construction industry field especially in Gaza Strip. Mathematical model, Regret Model for Arbitration (RMFA), has been built as a Decision Support System (DSS) which will recommend the user (contractor) whether to proceed to arbitration or not. The developed model depends on Regret Approach mainly and two logical and mathematical methods; Net Present Value (NPV) and Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) to obtain more accuracy. This required to survey thirty questionnaires of respondents and some interviews with arbitration experts for identifying the influential evaluation criteria that need to be input into the model. After statistical analysis process using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for these evaluation criteria which have been selected and weighed in order to measure their relative importance and impacts for the three probability values (Pe, Pf and Po) winning, current loses and future losses probabilities respectively which will be determined automatically by the RMFA, the weight values range of the selected ten evaluation criteria was (3.62 – 5). The Contract criterion is the highest and the Time and BoQ criteria are the lowest. Results of the model were tested in comparison with actual four disputes cases and the efficiency of the model achieved 75%.


La Fabrique de la Cite, a French foundation sponsored by Vinci, funded LSE Housing and Communities to produce seven updated city reports on Leipzig and six other European cities, following our initial reports in 2007. The financial crisis, Eurozone troubles and six-year recession have changed the fortunes of these hard-hit, former industrial cities yet again. These seven stories are up-to-the-minute, grounded evidence of the capacity of cities to recreate themselves as the Phoenix. Each city story is unusual in focussing on a single city and looking in depth at how it survives and thrives, or struggles.
The reports draw on the earlier work of Jorg Ploger and Astrid Winkler who wrote the original city reports published in 2007, and we owe a deep debt of gratitude to them for their outstanding research, their meticulous evidence and their direct accounts of visits to the sites. We revisited all the cities several times since 2008, and this report is based on visits to Leipzig and interviews with city stakeholders. It also draws on previous research, city reports and wider evidence. We want to thank all those we met and interviewed, the projects we spent time in, all the residents, officials and programme leaders who shared their insights. In particular we thank Isabella Kohlass-Webber, Jan Richert and Ilke Rzymann. Without their input, the reports would not reflect the dynamic reality of changing cities.


Purpose: In this study, we determined ketone oxidation rates in athletes under metabolic conditions of high and low carbohydrate (CHO) and fat availability. Methods: Six healthy male athletes completed 1 h of bicycle ergometer exercise at 75% maximal power (WMax) on three occasions. Prior to exercise, participants consumed 573 mg·kg bw−1 of a ketone ester (KE) containing a 13C label. To manipulate CHO availability, athletes undertook glycogen depleting exercise followed by isocaloric high-CHO or very-low-CHO diets. To manipulate fat availability, participants were given a continuous infusion of lipid during two visits. Using stable isotope methodology, β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) oxidation rates were therefore investigated under the following metabolic conditions: (i) high CHO + normal fat (KE+CHO); (ii) high CHO + high fat KE+CHO+FAT); and (iii) low CHO + high fat (KE+FAT). Results: Pre-exercise intramuscular glycogen (IMGLY) was approximately halved in the KE+FAT vs. KE+CHO and KE+CHO+FAT conditions (both p < 0.05). Blood free fatty acids (FFA) and intramuscular long-chain acylcarnitines were significantly greater in the KE+FAT vs. other conditions and in the KE+CHO+FAT vs. KE+CHO conditions before exercise. Following ingestion of the 13C labeled KE, blood βHB levels increased to ≈4.5 mM before exercise in all conditions. βHB oxidation was modestly greater in the KE+CHO vs. KE+FAT conditions (mean diff. = 0.09 g·min−1, p = 0.03; d = 0.3), tended to be greater in the KE+CHO+FAT vs. KE+FAT conditions (mean diff. = 0.07 g·min−1; p = 0.1; d = 0.3) and were the same in the KE+CHO vs. KE+CHO+FAT conditions (p < 0.05; d < 0.1). A moderate positive correlation between pre-exercise IMGLY and βHB oxidation rates during exercise was present (p = 0.04; r = 0.5). Post-exercise intramuscular βHB abundance was markedly elevated in the KE+FAT vs. KE+CHO and KE+CHO+FAT conditions (both, p < 0.001; d = 2.3). Conclusion: βHB oxidation rates during exercise are modestly impaired by low CHO availability, independent of circulating βHB levels.


A popular approach for testing if two univariate random variables are statistically independent consists of partitioning the sample space into bins, and evaluating a test statistic on the binned data. The partition size matters, and the optimal partition size is data dependent. While for detecting simple relationships coarse partitions may be best, for detecting complex relationships a great gain in power can be achieved by considering finer partitions. We suggest novel consistent distribution-free tests that are based on summation or maximization aggregation of scores over all partitions of a fixed size. We show that our test statistics based on summation can serve as good estimators of the mutual information. Moreover, we suggest regularized tests that aggregate over all partition sizes, and prove those are consistent too. We provide polynomial-time algorithms, which are critical for computing the suggested test statistics efficiently. We show that the power of the regularized tests is excellent compared to existing tests, and almost as powerful as the tests based on the optimal (yet unknown in practice) partition size, in simulations as well as on a real data example.


The transition from distribution and transport power networks into the so-called smart grid paradigm must cope with many problems, one of them being the high amount of related standard protocols. Achieving interoperability between them is the key to this goal. We focus here on the IEC 60870, a standard for high-voltage meter control and management. We have designed and deployed a service-oriented architecture (SOA) that wraps all the functionality offered by the IEC 60870, enabling in this way an open, non protocol-dependent access to those services. Moreover, we present two different strategies to integrate the SOA, each one addressing diverse management needs, and illustrate both of their respective proof-of-concept application.


BACKGROUND Patients undergoing implant-based reconstruction in the setting of postmastectomy radiation therapy suffer from increased complications and inferior outcomes compared with those not irradiated, but advances in radiation delivery have allowed for more nuanced therapy. The authors investigated whether these advances impact patient outcomes in implant-based breast reconstruction. METHODS Retrospective chart review identified all implant-based reconstructions performed at a single institution from November of 2010 to November of 2013. These data were cross-referenced with a registry of patients undergoing breast irradiation. Patient demographics, treatment characteristics, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS Three hundred twenty-six patients (533 reconstructions) were not irradiated, whereas 83 patients (125 reconstructions) received radiation therapy; mean follow-up was 24.7 months versus 26.0 months (p = 0.49). Overall complication rates were higher in the irradiated group (35.2 percent versus 14.4 percent; p < 0.01). Increased maximum radiation doses to the skin were associated with complications (maximum dose to skin, p = 0.05; maximum dose to 1 cc of skin, p = 0.01). Different treatment modalities (e.g., three-dimensional conformal, intensity-modulated, field-in-field, and hybrid techniques) did not impact complication rates. Prone versus supine positioning significantly decreased the maximum skin dose (58.5 Gy versus 61.7 Gy; p = 0.05), although this did not translate to significantly decreased complication rates in analysis of prone versus supine positioning. CONCLUSIONS As radiation techniques evolve, the maximum dose to skin should be given consideration similar to that for heart and lung dosing, to optimize reconstructive outcomes. Prone positioning significantly decreases the maximum skin dose and trends toward significance in reducing reconstructive complications. With continued study, this may become clinically important. Interdepartmental studies such as this one ensure quality of care. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.


We formulate and implement a new spectral method for the solution of the Boltzmann equation, making extensive use of the theory of irreducible tensors together with the symbolic notation of Dirac. These tools are shown to provide a transparent organization of the algebra of the method and the efficient automation of the associated calculations. I he power of the proposed method is demonstrated by application to the highly nonlinear problem of the infinitely strong shock. It is shown that the distribution function can in this limit be decomposed into a singular part corresponding to the molecular beam, which represents the supersonic side of the shock, and a regular part, which provides the evolving ' background gas and covers the rest of velocity space. Separate governing equations for the singular and regular parts are derived, and solved by an expansion of the latter in an infinite series of orthogonal functions. The basis for this expansion is the same set that was used by Burnett (Proc. Lond. math. Soc. 39, 385-430 (1935)), but is centred around the (fixed) downstream maxwellian. This basis, because of the presence of spherical harmonics which provide an irreducible representation of the group SO (3), lends itself to the utilization of powerful group-theoretic tools. The present expansion, not being about local equilibrium, does not imply any constitutive relations; instead it reduces the Boltzmann equation to an equivalent infinite-order nonlinear dynamical system. A solution with six modes shows encouraging convergence in the density profile, towards a shock thickness of about 6.7 hot-side mean free paths.


During the 2017 Year-end Technical Stop of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the CMS experiment has successfully installed a new pixel detector in the frame of Phase I upgrade. This new detector will operate using evaporative CO2 technology as its cooling system. Carbon Dioxide, as state of the art technology for current and future tracking detectors, allows for significant material budget saving that is critical for the tracking performance. The road towards operation of the final CO2 cooling system in the experiment passed through intensive prototype phase at the CMS Tracker Integration Facility (TIF) for both cooling process hardware and its control system. This paper briefly describes the general design of both the CMS and TIF CO2 detector cooling systems, and focuses on control system architecture, operation and safety philosophy, commissioning results and operation experience. Additionally, experience in using the Ethernet IP industrial fieldbus as distributed IO is presented. Various pros and cons of using this technology are discussed, based on the solutions developed for Schneider Premium PLCs, WAGO and FESTO IOs using the UNICOS CPC 6 framework of CERN.


Across the cultures and places of our planet, there is a belief that water is sacred. This "panhuman" phenomenon is witnessed in such groups as Judeo-Christian, Muslim, Shinto, Chinese, Buddhist, Greek, Roman, Celtic, Zulu, and a myriad of other belief systems. "Water is perceived cross culturally as the fons et origo, the source of all existence." And in common spaces, the peoples deeming a particular water to be sacred can evolve over time as different groups move through an area.
The American West is no exception to sacred conceptions of water. It is home to American Indian cultures that view water as a sacred, central resource to their spiritual practices and places. In an era of American Indian self-determination, and at a time when the West is making space for alternative water values such as instream flow for fisheries, it is time to begin a conversation about how prior appropriation can incorporate the value of sacred waters.
The prevailing paradigm of "Western, liberal construction of nature has led to the near exclusion of indigenous cosmologies and peoples from mainstream law and policy . . . ." To date, federal law has been the medium through which we have sought to reconcile the competing interests of tribal water use and state-based water rights. The Winters Doctrine, spurred along by the McCarren Amendment, led courts to attempt the adjudication and characterization of those rights so their quantities could be placed in the ladder of priority under state law. Other federal laws such as protection of cultural resources on federal lands might also angle toward the situation.
Prior appropriation can be a recalcitrant legal regime, whose central premise is to create a legal certainty around water rights. Charles Wilkinson aptly counts includes it among the West's immovable "Lords of Yesterday" for good reason. Nonetheless, prior appropriation has revealed itself to be a system that can, ultimately, shift to accomodate uses of emerging social value. The best example is the emerging value of instream flow protection in prior appropriation law. This is not to say that state-based water regimes should be the singular or even primary locus of tribal protections. Tribal law will always center upon and be grounded in federal law. Nonetheless, federal law is an incomplete foothold. And it is time for water rights systems to account for other values for which people in a common place use shared waters.
Prior appropriation at bottom aligns with our values for water, and those values include culture and religion. Waters are connected to a uniqueness of place, or "placehood," that is increasingly recognized as a societal value. Internationally, the right of a peoples to "[practice] and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs" is recognized. So, too, is the right to " . . . maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions . . ." and "maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise occupied and used lands, territories, waters and coastal seas and other resources." Although it was the last nation state to do so, the United States indicated its intent to uphold these international principles in 2010.
Nationally, not only do all peoples have basic rights of religious exercise and expression, but our laws recognize the value of cultural heritage. Further, as we place greater emphasis on the vital role of traditional ecological knowledge, we realize that we all benefit when cultural protections encompass natural resources upon which we all depend.
While we could try to wedge new protections into state law by Congressional fiat or a new, case-by-case acquisitions and agreements around particular sacred waters, or igniting anouther, fierce round of tribal-state negotiations within the context of reserved rights, a saner, more civilized beginning may be to add sacred waters as a beneficial, protected use within prior appropriation.
Much has been written in the area of waters to support fishing rights under treaty. This article does not address these rights, but rather focuses on the sacred nature of the water resource itself. While the two may be complementary, a sacred water use may also exist separate from a recognized treaty fishing right. There are other places where these values should further be reflected, such as federal lands management plans, local land development codes, and environmental assessment review. This piece, however, will focus on the notable absence of sacred value within prior appropriation. This shift is important not only for the legal protections it might afford, but just as importantly as a signal that our water laws can stretch to protect the many interests of our time.
In Part I, this article illustrates through examples the varied ways in which tribal water use may touch upon the sacred. This part then explains how prior appropriation, as the predominant legal regime governing water use in the West, fails to reflect this important sacred value of water. In this part, the article also briefly explains why other federal laws and executive orders similarly fall short. While acknowledging that these laws, too, could benefit from revision, this part argues that prior appropriation is a reflection of society's values for water, and is thus an important place to begin incorporating the value of sacred water use. In Part II, the article shifts to international models where more robust protection of sacred water is taking place. Part III then concludes with some possible starting places for better aligning the prior appropriation doctrine with sacred water values.


This paper studies the problem of discovering and comparing geographical topics from GPS-associated documents. GPS-associated documents become popular with the pervasiveness of location-acquisition technologies. For example, in Flickr, the geo-tagged photos are associated with tags and GPS locations. In Twitter, the locations of the tweets can be identified by the GPS locations from smart phones. Many interesting concepts, including cultures, scenes, and product sales, correspond to specialized geographical distributions. In this paper, we are interested in two questions: (1) how to discover different topics of interests that are coherent in geographical regions? (2) how to compare several topics across different geographical locations? To answer these questions, this paper proposes and compares three ways of modeling geographical topics: location-driven model, text-driven model, and a novel joint model called LGTA (Latent Geographical Topic Analysis) that combines location and text. To make a fair comparison, we collect several representative datasets from Flickr website including Landscape, Activity, Manhattan, National park, Festival, Car, and Food. The results show that the first two methods work in some datasets but fail in others. LGTA works well in all these datasets at not only finding regions of interests but also providing effective comparisons of the topics across different locations. The results confirm our hypothesis that the geographical distributions can help modeling topics, while topics provide important cues to group different geographical regions.


Background In November 2021, the first case of SARS-CoV-2 "variant of concern" (VOC) B.1.1.529 ("Omicron") was reported in Germany, alongside global reports of reduced vaccine efficacy against infections with this variant. The potential threat posed by the rapid spread of this variant in Germany remained, at the time, elusive. Methods We developed a variant-dependent population-averaged susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) infectious disease model. The model was calibrated on the observed fixation dynamics of the Omicron variant in December 2021, and allowed us to estimate potential courses of upcoming infection waves in Germany, focusing on the corresponding burden on intensive care units (ICUs) and the efficacy of contact reduction strategies. Results A maximum median incidence of approximately 300,000 (50% PI in 1000: [181,454], 95% PI in 1000: [55,804]) reported cases per day was expected with the median peak occurring in the mid of February 2022, reaching a cumulative Omicron case count of 16.5 million (50% PI in mio: [11.4, 21.3], 95% PI in mio: [4.1, 27.9]) until Apr 1, 2022. These figures were in line with the actual Omicron waves that were subsequently observed in Germany with respective peaks occurring in mid February (peak: 191k daily new cases) and mid March (peak: 230k daily new cases), cumulatively infecting 14.8 million individuals during the study period. The model peak incidence was observed to be highly sensitive to variations in the assumed generation time and decreased with shorter generation time. Low contact reductions were expected to lead to containment. Early, strict, and short contact reductions could have led to a strong "rebound" effect with high incidences after the end of the respective non-pharmaceutical interventions. Higher vaccine uptake would have led to a lower outbreak size. To ensure that ICU occupancy remained below maximum capacity, a relative risk of requiring ICU care of 10%-20% was necessary (after infection with Omicron vs. infection with Delta). Conclusions We expected a large cumulative number of infections with the VOC Omicron in Germany with ICU occupancy likely remaining below capacity nevertheless, even without additional non-pharmaceutical interventions. Our estimates were in line with the retrospectively observed waves. The results presented here informed legislation in Germany. The methodology developed in this study might be used to estimate the impact of future waves of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases.


The most significant impediment for protein structure prediction is the inadequacy of conformation space search. Conformation space is too large and the energy landscape too rugged for existing search methods to consistently find near-optimal minima. Conformation space search methods thus have to focus exploration on a small fraction of the search space. The ability to choose appropriate regions, i.e. regions that are highly likely to contain the native state, critically impacts the effectiveness of search. To make the choice of where to explore requires information, with higher quality information resulting in better choices. Most current search methods are designed to work in as many domains as possible, which leads to less accurate information because of the need for generality. However, most domains provide unique, and accurate information. To best utilize domain specific information search needs to be customized for each domain. The first contribution of this thesis customizes search for protein structure prediction, resulting in significantly more accurate protein structure predictions. Unless information is perfect, mistakes will be made, and search will focus on regions that do not contain the native state. How search recovers from mistakes is critical to its effectiveness. To recover from mistakes, this thesis introduces the concept of adaptive balancing of exploitation with exploration. Adaptive balancing of exploitation with exploration allows search to use information only to the extent to which it guides exploration toward the native state. Existing methods of protein structure prediction rely on information from known proteins. Currently, this information is from either full-length proteins that share similar sequences, and hence have similar structures (homologs), or from short protein fragments. Homologs and fragments represent two extremes on the spectrum of information from known proteins. Significant additional information can be found between these extremes. However, current protein structure prediction methods are unable to use information between fragments and homologs because it is difficult to identify the correct information from the enormous amount of incorrect information. This thesis makes it possible to use information between homologs and fragments by adaptively balancing exploitation with exploration in response to an estimate of template protein quality. My results indicate that integrating the information between homologs and fragments significantly improves protein structure prediction accuracy, resulting in several proteins predicted with <1 angstrom RMSD resolution.


Background Prior to applying genomic predictors to clinical samples, the genomic data must be properly normalized. The most effective normalization methods depend on the data from multiple patients. From a biomedical perspective this implies that predictions for a single patient may change depending on which other patient samples they are normalized with. This test set bias will occur when any cross-sample normalization is used before clinical prediction. Methods We developed a new prediction modeling framework based on the relative ranks of features within a sample in order to prevent the need for cross-sample normalization, therefore effectively avoiding test set bias. We employed modeling with previously published Top-Scoring Pairs (TSPs) methodology to build the rank-based predictors. We further investigated the robustness of the rank-based models in case of heterogeneous datasets using diverse microarray technologies. Results We demonstrated that results from existing genetic signatures which rely on normalizing test data may be unreproducible when the patient population changes composition or size. Using pairwise comparisons of features, we produced a ten gene, platform-robust, and interpretable alternative to the PAM50 subtyping signature and evaluated the robustness of our signature across 6,297 patients samples from 28 curated breast cancer microarray datasets spanning 15 different platforms. Conclusion We propose a new approach to developing genomic signatures that avoids test set bias through the robustness of rank-based features. Our small, interpretable alternative to PAM50 produces comparable predictions and patient survival differentiation to the original signature. Additionally, we are able to ensure that the same patient will be classified the same way in every context.


Study of heat transfer augmentation with hybrid nanofluid represents a new class of heat transfer augmentation. The CFD model by using commercial software depending on finite volume technique and adopting SIMPLE algorithm is performed. Mixture of Aluminum Nitride (AlN) and alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles into water as a basefluid is classified as a new class of hybrid nanofluids that can augment heat transfer. The nanofluid volume fraction and Reynolds number are in the range of (1% to 4%) and (5000 to 17000) respectively. The size diameter of nanoparticles and heat flux around a horizontal straight tube are fixed at 30 nm and 5000 w/m respectively. The numerical solution has been successfully validated by using an experimental data available in the literature. Results show that combination of AlN Al2O3 nanoparticles into water basefluid tends to augment significant heat transfer performance.