Major changes in the education of managers have taken place during the last decade in the UK, and one has only to look at the emergence and growth of Business Schools to become aware of it. New ideas and techniques have been suggested and adopted and, like many other areas of human activity, fashion has played its part. Hence we had the periods of Value Analysis, MBO, Managerial Grid, etc, and no doubt there will be others to follow. Some ideas have gradually gained ground and this article looks at one concept that has struggled through and is still developing, namely the concept of 'numeracy'. It is generally accepted that a good manager today should be 'numerate' as well as 'literate'. But there is still a great deal of confusion about numeracy itself and what it represents. Very little has been written about the subject, and has been mainly concerned with course syllabus. (A recent review article by Thomas illustrates the point). This paper tries to look at what is meant by numeracy and develops some basic concepts that are helpful to management. They represent some ideas that the author has found useful in presenting the subject, during a number of years, to audiences of varying experience and mathematical abilities. Of necessity they are not complete at present, but will add to the debate.


The local RBFs based collocation methods (LRBFCM) is presented to solve two-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. In avoiding the ill-conditioned problem, the weight coefficients of linear combination with respect to the function values and its derivatives can be obtained by solving low-order linear systems within local supporting domain. Then, we reformulate local matrix in the global and sparse matrix. The obtained large sparse linear systems can be directly solved instead of using more complicated iterative method. The numerical experiments have shown that the developed LRBFCM is suitable for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with high accuracy and efficiency.


Four non-AIDS patients with pulmonary cryptococcus infection who could not tolerate amphotericin B treatment were given oral fluconazole at a dose of 600 mg once daily for 4-5 weeks followed by 400 mg once daily for 10-12 weeks resulting in cure. All patients did not have relapse of disease when followed-up for 8-24 months after cessation of treatment. The very good tolerance of oral fluconazole by these patients suggests that such effective monotherapy should be evaluated further in non-AIDS patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis.


With the status of being a global language English has a rather big influence on other languages. The present study investigates the frequency of English in Swedish lifestyle magazines' advertising and discusses why, how and in what contexts code-switching into English occurs. The method used is a qualitative and a quantitative perspective. Four of the biggest magazines in Sweden with female target groups are examined to investigate the frequency of code-switching into English. The magazines areFrida, Veckorevyn, Amelia and M-Magasin. The magazines represent women of different age groups which made it possible to see if there are any variations in the use of English between these. English is often seen as a language of the young people in Sweden, but as the results show, English is used in all these age groups. It was found that over half of all the analysed advertisements use English to some extent. The results were divided into five different contexts where English is used in Swedish advertising. The findings were discussed in relation to the age perspective and they show that it is possible to distinguish differences between age groups. Considering the fact that influence from the English language is an on-going process and as this study shows that half of the analysed advertisements use English to some extent, this subject clearly enables for further research


The problem of the dynamics of a flexible offshore structure in either a regular or random sea is considered in this thesis. A simple single degree of freedom model of the structure is assumed and the relative velocity formulation of the Morison equation is used to describe the fluid force. The resulting equation of motion is a nonlinear ordinary differential equation with either harmonic or stochastic forcing depending on the wave description. Solutions are obtained for regular deterministic waves by numerical integration, various linearization methods and a new perturbation method developed in this thesis. The numerical solution is used to assess the accuracy of each of the approximate solution methods. Of these, the perturbation method is found to give the best approximation to the numerical solution over the complete frequency range of interest. For random seas the response spectrum and the mean square response are obtained by various linearization methods, the method of equivalent linearization, and by the new perturbation method. The perturbation method and the method of equivalent linearization are very similar in that they both yield the same values of effective damping. Comparison of the results obtained by a numerical simulation method with the results of the perturbation method and the widely used method of equivalent linearization shows that the perturbation method gives a better estimate of the response mean square value than does the method of equivalent linearization. For all of the approximate solution methods that are discussed it was found that the use of Hermite polynomials to represent the solution is very effective in obtaining various expected values required in the computational procedure. In addition to the average response statistics, such as the response mean square value, the probability density of the response is also considered. It is well known that the response of a linear system to Gaussian forcing is itself Gaussian. The wave force given by the Morison equation is non-Gaussian and therefore the response is also nonGaussian but of unknown form. The hypothesis that for a linear equation, the probability density of the response is of the same form as the probability density of forcing, even for the case of non-Gaussian forcing, is investigated and verified using the results of numerical simulations. Design considerations of interest which follow from the response probability density are also discussed.


The continuous collection of digital information via smart labels attached to physical objects is a promising way to support information availability across all stages of a product's lifecycle. Since such "digital product memories" may contain a vast amount of heterogeneous data, we expect a strong demand for user support in tasks related to information retrieval and discovery. In this article, we focus on the interaction between consumers and digital product memories in a retail scenario. On the basis of several prototype implementations, we summarize various ways of retrieving and presenting product-related information with the goal to shed some light upon aspects of relevance for the interaction between users and object memories in general.


Abstract Threonine (Thr) is the third limiting essential amino acid after methionine and lysine in cornsoybean based diets of broilers. Dietary imbalance of Thr, therefore, results in a poor growth performance in broilers. This review summarizes literature data on the known effects of dietary levels of Thr on growth performance, gut morphology, immunity and carcass characteristics in broilers. Due to continuous improvement in genetic potential and management practices for poultry production, dietary Thr requirements are changing. A number of studies have shown that supplementation of Thr in broiler diet at a higher level than the current NRC recommendation (0.74-0.81%), increases body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and improves gut morphology, carcass quality and immune status, mainly by enhancing the functional capability of digestive system and immune organs (spleen, bursa, and thymus). According to the literature data discussed in this review, the minimal and maximal total dietary Thr levels for healthy birds reared in normal conditions were 0.67 and 0.90% for growth performance, 0.77 and 1.1% for a better gut health, 0.60 and 1.02% for immunity and 0.62 and 0.97% for better carcass characteristics. This background provides impetus to further investigate the exact level of Thr and its effects on growth performance, gut morphology, immunity and carcass characteristics in broilers.


A multistage damage detection method is introduced in this work that uses piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers to excite/sense the Lamb wave signals. A continuous wavelet transformation (CWT), based on the Gabor wavelet, is applied to accurately process the complicated wave signals caused by the damage. For a network of transducers, the damage can be detected in one detection cell based on the signals scattered by the damage, and then it can be quantitatively estimated by three detection stages using the outer tangent circle and least-squares methods. First, a single-stage damage detection method is carried out by exciting a transducer at the center of the detection cell to locate the damaged subcell. Then, the corner transducers are excited in the second and third stages of detection to improve the damage detection, especially the size estimation. The method does not require any baseline signal, and it only utilizes the same arrangement of transducers and the same data processing technique in all stages. The results from previous detection stages contribute to the improvement of damage detection in the subsequent stages. Both numerical simulation and experimental evaluation were used to verify that the method can accurately quantify the damage location and size. It was also found that the size of the detection cell plays a vital role in the accuracy of the results in this Lamb-wave-based multistage damage detection method.


The concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, Clq, C3c, C4, C9, C3A, Albumin, Transferrin, Alpha-1-antitrypsin, Alpha-2-macroglobulin were determined in the serum, aortic atherosclerotic intima and media of 8 patients. The protein levels in the intima were dependent on their serum concentration. The passage of proteins from serum to media was investigated using the ratios between their intima/serum and media/intima concentrations. Immunoglobulins and complement components displayed higher intima/serum and lower media/intima ratios than the other proteins suggesting a preferential retention of the immune related proteins in the intima. This trapping into the intima seems to be related to their function too, suggesting a certain involvement in the progression of the atherosclerotic lesions.


A monolithically integrated broadly tunable MQW laser that utilizes a combined impurity-free vacancy disordering (IFVD) of quantum wells and optical beam steering techniques is proposed and investigated experimentally. The device consists of a beam-steering section and an optical amplifier section fabricated on a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well (QW) p-i-n heterostructure. The beam steering section forms a reconfigurable optical waveguide that can be moved laterally by applying separately controlled electrical currents to two parallel contact stripes. The active core of the gain section is divided in into selectively intermixed regions. The selective intermixing of the QW in the gain section results in neighboring regions with different optical bandgaps. The wavelength tuning is accomplished by steering the amplified optical beam through the selected region where it experiences a peak in the gain spectrum determined by the degree of intermixing of the QW. The laser wavelength tunes to the peak in the gain spectrum of that region. The IFVD technique relies on a silica (SiO2) capped rapid thermal annealing and it has been found that the degree of intermixing of the QW with the barrier material is dependent on the thickness of the SiO2 film. The QW sample is first encapsulated with a 400nm thick SiO2 film grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In the gain section, the SiO2 film is selectively etched using multiple photolithographic and reactive ion etching steps whereas the SiO2 film is left intact in all the remaining areas including the beam-steering section. The selective area quantum well intermixing is then induced by a single rapid thermal annealing step at 975°C for a 20s duration to realize a structure with quantum well that has different bandgaps in the key regions. Optical characterizations of the intermixed regions have shown a blue shift of peak of the electroluminescence emission of 5nm, 16nm and 33nm for the uncapped, 100nm and 200nm respectively when compared to the as grown sample. The integrated laser exhibited a wavelength tuning range of 17nm (799nm to 816nm). Based on the same principle of QW selective intermixing, we have also designed and fabricated a monolithically integrated multi-wavelength light emitting diode (LED). The LED emits multiple wavelength optical beams from one compact easy to fabricate QW structure. Each wavelength has an independent optical power control, allowing the LED to emit one or more wavelengths at once. The material for the LED is the same AlGaAs/GaAs QW p-i-n heterostructure described above. The device is divided into selectively intermixed regions on a single QW structure using IFVD technique to create localized intermixed regions. Two different designs have been implemented to realize either an LED with multiple output beams of different wavelengths or an LED with a single output beam that has dual wavelength operation capabilities. Experimental results of the multiple output beams LED have demonstrated electrically controlled optical emission of 800nm, 789nm and 772nm. The single output LED has experimentally been shown to produce wavelength emission of 800nm and/or 772nm depending on electrical activation of the two aligned intermixed regions.


This paper presents sample results from a poll conducted among experts (scientists, philosophers and theologians) regarding the roots of the controversy between the evolutionary account of human origin and religious convictions about creation. It appears that the position one takes in this controversy is influenced much more by one's opinions than professional background. The controversy is usually only seemingly 'solved' at the level of a priori assumptions, erroneous definitions of 'evolutionism' and 'creationism', semantic viewpoints, epistemological positions and pragmatic choices. The core issues in the controversy (e.g., the role and meaning of chance in random evolutionary factors versus divine providence, or problems stemming from a body-soul dualistic anthropology) are widely neglected and do not play a significant role in deciding one's views on the matter.


We propose a new methodology for the first-principles description of the electronic properties relevant for charge transport in organic molecular crystals. This methodology, which is based on the combination of a nonempirical, optimally tuned range-separated hybrid functional with the polarizable continuum model, is applied to a series of eight representative molecular semiconductor crystals. We show that it provides ionization energies, electron affinities, and transport gaps in very good agreement with experimental values, as well as with the results of many-body perturbation theory within the GW approximation at a fraction of the computational costs. Hence, this approach represents an easily applicable and computationally efficient tool to estimate the gas-to-crystal phase shifts of the frontier-orbital quasiparticle energies in organic electronic materials.


Meningococcal disease is caused by invasive infection with the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Humans are the only natural reservoir for N. meningitidis, 5–10 per cent of whom have naso-pharangeal colonisation of the bacteria at any given time. The bacteria are transmitted between people by secretions from the naso-pharynx. Disease occurs in rare instances when a virulent strain of the bacteria invades through the naso-pharynx. Disease can present in a variety of syndromes, usually meningitis and/or septicaemia, and more uncommonly pneumonia, otitis media, septic arthritis, urethritis, and purulent pericarditis.


Object Endovascular detachable balloon occlusion and coil occlusion have been well-established options for the treatment of carotid cavernous fistulas (CCFs). Sporadic treatment of CCFs endovascular covered stent grafting is recently proving an excellent result not only in successful treatment of fistula but also preserving patency of parent artery. In this study, we experienced CCF of a patient who underwent the contralateral exophthalmos in addition to 5 CCF with ipsilateral symptoms treated by graft stent. Method A 64-year old female presenting with left-sided decreased vision, exophthalmos, injection, and periorbital bruit was found to have a right-sided carotid-cavernous fistula. In addition, we experienced 6 consecutive patients with CCFs underwent the graft stent placement alone at our department during 4 years. Two were direct CCFs with a symptom triad and 4 were indirect CCFs with diplopia or exophthalmos. These patients had periodic clinical follow-up examinations (at 0–29 months) with all receiving angiographic follow-up examination (at 0–15 months). Results Covered stent placement was technically successful in all 6 patients. Immediate post-procedural complete exclusion of the fistula was achieved in 3 and near complete exclusion with small endo-leak was observed in 3 after stent placement. ICA patency was preserved in all. Symptoms related to CCFs regressed within 1–14 days in all patients after treatment without thromboembolic events. There was no mortality and no immediate post-procedural morbidity related to the procedure. Follow-up cerebral angiography showed complete exclusion of 3 included the two with previous small endo-leak. However, one who had complete exclusion immediately recur the filling during follow-up. This patient treated with re-dilation of the stent using balloon. Final follow-up angiography showed complete exclusion of all CCFs and revealed good stent patency of the ICA without intra-stent stenosis.Abstract E-068 Figure 1 Conclusion Graft-stents should be considered as an alternative option of treating CCFs and preserving the parent artery by arterial wall reconstruction especially in patients with a fistula that cannot be successfully occluded with detachable balloons or coils. Although a larger sample and expanded follow-up are needed, our series shows that covered stents can be used in the treatment of CCFs with symptomatic relief as experience. Disclosures S. Chung: None. S. Chang: None.


OBJECTIVE To define the relationship between crack cocaine use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection while controlling for other HIV risk factors. METHODS We performed a case-control study among inner-city pregnant women who were followed at a large urban hospital in Atlanta, Georgia; 79 of the women were HIV-1-infected and 525 were seronegative. We identified the women from a prenatal population undergoing routine voluntary HIV-1 antibody screening. RESULTS From July 1, 1989 to December 31, 1990, we screened 13,469 pregnant women; 80 (5.9 per 1000) were HIV-1-infected. One seropositive woman who did not complete a risk-behavior questionnaire was excluded from the study. Seropositivity was associated with a history of crack cocaine use (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.8), intravenous drug use (odds ratio 14.5, 95% CI 4.5-46.3), and a history of sexually transmitted diseases (odds ratio 2.6, 95% CI 1.5-4.5). We found a significant interaction (P = .01) between a history of crack cocaine use and employment status: Unemployed women who used crack cocaine were 3.5 times more likely to be HIV-1-infected than were employed women who used crack cocaine. CONCLUSIONS Crack cocaine use was found to be a risk factor associated with HIV-1 infection among pregnant women, particularly those who were unemployed. This finding suggests that the impact of crack cocaine use on HIV transmission may be related to economic factors and possibly to either trading sex for money to buy cocaine or trading sex for the drug.


Background: A consensus guideline on salicylate poisoning recommends referring patients to the emergency department if they ingested 150 mg/kg of aspirin. The dose of aspirin associated with severe poisoning in pediatric patients has not been investigated. Objective: This study aims to associate medical outcomes with aspirin overdoses in patients 5 years old and younger. Methods: A retrospective review of data on pediatric patients with single substance aspirin exposures reported from poison centers across the country was conducted. The primary endpoint was to associate aspirin doses with medical outcomes. Secondary endpoints included evaluation of the signs, symptoms, and treatments of ingestion and their association with medical outcomes. Results: There were 26 488 included exposures with aspirin exposures resulting in no effect (92.5%), minor effect (6.0%), moderate effect (1.4%), major effect (0.2%), and death (0.02%). There were 8921 cases with available weight-based dosing information. Median doses associated with no effect, minor effects, moderate effects, major effects, and death ranged between 28.4 and 40.9 mg/kg, 52.5 and 82.3 mg/kg, 132.1 and 182.3 mg/kg, 132.3 and 172.8 mg/kg, and 142.2 and 284.4 mg/kg, respectively. Minor effect and moderate effect exposures were more likely to have alkalinization documented compared to no effect exposures (odds ratio [OR] = 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41-2.17; OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.12-2.86). There was no difference in rates of alkalinization between minor and moderate exposures (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.61-1.7). Conclusions and relevance: Reevaluation of the current recommendation of 150 mg/kg for referral to a healthcare facility is necessary for pediatric acute salicylate overdoses.


Background and Purpose- To identify the specific post-endovascular stroke therapy (EVT) peak systolic blood pressure (SBP) threshold that best discriminates good from bad functional outcomes (a priori hypothesized to be 160 mm Hg), we conducted a prospective, multicenter, cohort study with a prespecified analysis plan. Methods- Consecutive adult patients treated with EVT for an anterior ischemic stroke were enrolled from November 2017 to July 2018 at 12 comprehensive stroke centers accross the United States. All SBP values within 24 hours post-EVT were recorded. Using Youden index, the threshold of peak SBP that best discriminated primary outcome of dichotomized 90-day modified Rankin Scale score (0-2 versus 3-6) was identified. Association of this SBP threshold with the outcomes was quantified using multiple logistic regression. Results- Among 485 enrolled patients (median age, 69 [interquartile range, 57-79] years; 51% females), a peak SBP of 158 mm Hg was associated with the largest difference in the dichotomous modified Rankin Scale score (absolute risk reduction of 19%). Having a peak SBP >158 mm Hg resulted in an increased likelihood of modified Rankin Scale score 3 to 6 (odds ratio, 2.24 [1.52-3.29], P<0.01; adjusted odds ratio, 1.29 [0.81-2.06], P=0.28, after adjustment for prespecified variables). Conclusions- A peak post-EVT SBP of 158 mm Hg was prospectively identified to best discriminate good from bad functional outcome. Those with a peak SBP >158 had an increased likelihood of having a bad outcome in unadjusted, but not in adjusted analysis. The observed effect size was similar to prior studies. This finding should undergo further testing in a future randomized trial of goal-targeted post-EVT antihypertensive treatment.


Costello syndrome (CS) is a rare congenital disorder caused by germline activation of H‐Ras oncogenes. A mouse model of CS generated by introduction of an oncogenic Gly12Val mutation in the mouse H‐Ras locus using homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells has been recently described. These mice phenocopied some of the abnormalities observed in patients with CS, including facial dysmorphia and cardiomyopathies. We investigated here their neurological and behavioral phenotype. The analysis of H‐RasG12V mice revealed phenotypes that resembled the hyperemotivity, hypersensibility and cognitive impairments observed in children with CS. Stronger neurological deficits were found in the analysis of mice homozygous for this mutation than in the analysis of heterozygous mice, suggesting the existence of a gene dose effect. These mice represent the first mouse model for CS, offering an experimental tool to study the molecular and physiological alterations underlying the neurological manifestations of CS and to test new therapies aimed at preventing or ameliorating the cognitive and emotional impairments associated to this condition.


ABSTRACT According to a widely held view, the European Council decides how the EU should respond in times of crisis, since the European Council alone has the authority to lead. Other institutions, meanwhile, adopt at best a secondary role. An alternative perspective has emerged, however, which contends, first, that the European Council's influence on the EU's crisis response is variable and, second, that other EU institutions, in particular the European Commission, are able to shape EU action, including through interventions made independently of the European Council. This article builds on this alternative view to argue that the respective role played by the European Council and the European Commisson is contingent, first, on the policy area where a crisis strikes and second, on leadership or agency on the part of the Presidents of the two institutions. The dynamics of the EU's response to the COVID-19 pandemic support this view. Acting on its powers in public health and other affected areas, and with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen taking a highly pro-active approach to outbreak of the virus, the Commission intervened early, framed the pandemic as a crisis, and set and then expanded the EU's agenda. Although its decision-making role was important, the European Council largely followed the Commission's lead.


Purpose To assess the repeatability of multiple automatic vessel density (VD) measurements and the effect of image averaging on vessel detection by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods An observational study was conducted in a series of healthy volunteers and patients with macular oedema. Five sequential OCTA images were acquired for each eye using the OptoVue HD device. The effect of the averaging of the 5 acquisitions on vessel detection was analysed quantitatively using a pixel-by-pixel automated analysis. In addition, two independent retina experts qualitatively assessed the change in vessel detection in averaged images segmented in 9 boxes and compared to the first non-averaged image. Results The automatic VD measurement in OCTA images showed a good repeatability with an overall mean intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.924. The mean ICC was higher in healthy eyes compared to eyes with macular oedema (0.877 versus 0.960; p < 0.001) and in the superficial vascular plexus versus the deep vascular complex (0.967 versus 0.888; p = 0.001). The quantitative analysis of the effect of the averaging showed that averaged images had a mean gain of 790.4 pixels/box, located around or completing interruptions in the vessel walls, and a mean loss of 727.2 pixels/box. The qualitative analysis of the averaged images showed that 99.6% of boxes in the averaged images had a gain in vessel detection (i.e., vessels detected in the averaged image but not in the non-averaged image). The loss of pixels was due to a reduction in background noise and motion artifacts in all cases and no case of loss of vessel detection was observed. Conclusion The automatic VD measurement using the OptoVue HD device showed a good repeatability in 5 acquisitions in a row setting. Averaging images increased vessel detection, and in about a third of boxes, decreased the background noise, both in healthy eyes and, in a greater proportion, in eyes with macular oedema.


Java has become a development platform that has migrated from its initial focus for small form devices, to large full scale desktop and server applications and finally back to the small in the form of Java enabled mobile phones. Here we discuss the necessary requirements to convert the existing JCSP framework so that it can be used in these resource constrained systems. We also provide some performance comparisons on various platforms to evaluate this implementation.


Abstract Bacterial cellulose (BC) pellicles obtained from an Acetobacter xylinum culture were disintegrated using mechanical methods to be used as reinforcement to produce biocomposite sheets with Apple and Radish Pulp. The nanosize disintegrated BC pellicles were blended with microsize apple and radish pulp in the wet state and then hot pressed to produce paper-like sheets. Thermal analysis was carried out by Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties were assessed by Quasistatic Tensile Tests and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). High tensile moduli were obtained (up to 8 GPa) and a nearly linear dependence of Young's modulus on the BC volume fraction was observed. Morphological characterisation of biocomposite sheets and fracture surfaces performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed the structure of the disintegrated cellulose network and the failure mechanisms of the biocomposites.


&NA; The purposes of this study were to identify ethical dilemmas encountered by rural nurse practitioners in primary practice and to identify constraints or enhancers that influenced ethical decision making. Nine nurse practitioners from Wyoming and Colorado responded to in‐depth interviews. Six categories of ethical dilemmas and a list of constraints and enhancers were identified. One central concept, conflict between personal values and professional responsibility, emerged. Beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and patient autonomy, as core ethical principles, were related to this central conflict.


Identifying the parameters of an assumed transfer function using the relay feedback control has become an accepted practical procedure. In process control problems, the transfer function may involve an integrator. Therefore, in this paper, a modified relay feedback control for parameter estimation of an integrating plus first-order plus dead time (IFOPDT) plant transfer function has been suggested, using the A-Function method, which is an exact method for investigating a limit cycle to occur. The effect of static load disturbances has been included in the derived expressions for a limit cycle to occur, so that better estimations can be performed under static load disturbances.


This document provides an overall framework for the DetNet data plane.
It covers concepts and considerations that are generally common to any
Deterministic Networking data plane specification.


A b s t r a c t - The origins of amphibolites occurring in high grade meta morphic gneisses on Langoy, North Norway, are discussed in light of results of a general survey recently published by WALKER et al. (1960). Mainly on the basis of some trace element data it is possible to separate between two groups of the amphibolites. It is likely that this separation reflects a difference in origin.


ABSTRACT Using toric geometry, lattice theory, and elliptic surface techniques, we compute the Picard Lattice of certain K3 surfaces. In particular, we examine the generic member of each of M. Reid's list of 95 families of Gorenstein K3 surfaces which occur as hypersurfaces in weighted projective 3-spaces. As an application, we are able to determine whether the mirror family (in the sense of mirror symmetry for K3 surfaces) for each one is also on Reid's list.


Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) find numerous applications in the food as well as in the non-food industries. They can be used as for instance viscosifying, thickening, gelling or water binding agents. Furthermore certain EPSs are known to exert health promoting effects such as cholesterol lowering, immunomodulating, antitumoral and prebiotic activities. Using a new method, a large collection of Lactobacillus strains was screened on the production of EPS. One of the positive strains, strain 121, produced two different soluble homopolysaccharides during growth on sucrose, a fructan and glucan. This strain was identified as Lactobacillus reuteri, a probiotic strain and an excellent colonizer of the gastro-intestinal tract of a broad variety of hosts, including humans. L. reuteri 121 was selected for further research. Structure analysis of the polysaccharides produced by L. reuteri 121 revealed that the fructan was a linear levan with beta(2-6) linked fructosyl units. This was the first example of fructan synthesis by lactobacilli. The glucan possessed a unique highly branched structure with alpha(1-4) and alpha(1-6) linkages with alpha(1-4,6) branching points. Both polymers were synthesized by sucrase type of enzymes (glucosyl- and fructosyltransferases). These enzymes only need sucrose as substrate; the energy released by the cleavage of the glycosidic bond in sucrose is subsequently used for the polysaccharide synthesis reaction. During growth of L. reuteri on sucrose or maltose, the sucrases responsible for the synthesis of the glucan and the levan appeared to be completely bound to the cell wall, whereas during growth on sucrose part of the enzymes was released into the culture medium. The EPS production was not a stable characteristic in continuous cultures. Different spontaneous mutants appeared, such as the EPS negative mutant strain K24, lacking both the glucansucrase (a glucosyltransferase) and the levansucrase (a fructosyltransferase). Mutant 35-5, lacking levansucrase, appeared after a pH shift-down. Using PCR techniques with degenerated primers based on known glucansucrase or fructosyltransferase amino acid sequences, chromosomal fragments containing a glucansucrase (gtfA) or a fructosyltransferase (ftfA) were amplified. Both fragments were sequenced and characterized at the amino acid level and phylogenetic trees of both types of sucrases were constructed. Both the gtfA and the ftfA were cloned separately in Escherichia coli. Cell free extracts of the E. coli strain harboring the ftfA gene produced an inulosucrase, which synthesized inulin and fructose-oligosaccharides from sucrose. The recombinant glucansucrase and the L. reuteri glucansucrase synthesized the same unique glucan. These were the first examples of the isolation, characterization and cloning of Lactobacillus glucansucrase and fructosyltransferase genes.


Abstract Typhoid or enteric fever is a worldwide infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica. In Sri Lanka, 12,823 Salmonella positive cases were recorded and 133 cases were recorded from Anuradhapura district during 2005 to 2014. Therefore, the study was carried out to identify the microbiological and chemical contamination status of forty-four water sources in Anuradhapura area during October 2016. The study was focused to determine total coliform, faecal coliform, Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. contamination along with some physico-chemical parameters of both ground and surface water. Sampling, transportation, and analysis were performed following standard protocols. Results of the study revealed that almost all sampling locations were contaminated with both total and E. coli bacteria and the values were not within the World Health Organization and Sri Lanka Standards drinking water quality standards. Around 32% of sampling locations were positive for Salmonella spp. and among them, 2 spring sampling locations are being highly used to extract water for drinking. However, Shigella spp. was not recorded during the study period. Majority of the sampling points were not within the Sri Lanka drinking water standards for COD and 25% sampling locations were recorded greater than 750 μS∙cm−1 conductivity. Also, 55% of locations recorded very hard water where the highest values were recorded in Padaviya. The tested other water quality parameters: NO2-N, NH3-N, and total phosphate (TP) concentrations were found within the Sri Lanka drinking water standards. PCA analysis revealed that sampling locations were grouped into three groups such as; well water, tank water and springs.


This publication was born out of an Arizona Geological Society meeting with the same title, held in October 2007, and consists of 45 papers representing a fraction of the material presented at the meeting. The compilation is dedicated to William R. (Bill) Dickinson, emeritus professor of geology at the University of Arizona, who was one of the first geologists to recognize and promote the inter-relationship between tectonics and ore deposit formation. The editors proclaim the volume to be a measure of the current level of cross-pollination between and advancement within the fields of tectonics and economic geology.

As the title suggests, the papers within the volume cover a broad range of tectonics and ore deposits studies, from the global to deposit scale. Thus, this 618-page-long book is divided into six sections, with a large-scale Pacific margins, orogenesis, and metallogeny section; an exploration, mining and modeling section; and four other sections, each of which contains papers on one of the four quadrants of the circum-Pacific orogenic belts. Even within the individual sections, as outlined below, the range of topics is exceptionally broad.

Five papers make up the first section, which opens with a paper by Dickinson that outlines basic observations of the current configuration of circum-Pacific orogenic belts and sets the stage for reconstructing older, dissected belts based on these observations. Kerrich et al. present a summary paper of metallogenic provinces of North America through super-continent assembly and breakup, and Sengor et al. propose potential for strata-bound …


Results from the CASA-MIA cosmic ray experiment are presented. I discuss the apparatus and its performance, including new results on the identification of the shadows of the sun and moon used to determine the angular resolution. Limits on the emission of 100 TeV v-rays from the Crab Nebula are well below extrapolations from TeV observations. A search for diffuse "),-rays from the Galactic plane give limits approaching some recent predictions.


8 A number of numerical simulations and experimental investigations have reported the impact of 9 specific domain size on the dynamic capillary pressure which is one of the forces that govern two10 phase flow in porous media. These investigations are often achieved with time-consuming 11 experiments and/or costly/complex computational methods. In view of this, a computationally 12 efficient and simple alternative platform for the prediction of the domain scale dependence of the 13 dynamic capillary pressure effects, defined in terms of a coefficient named as dynamic coefficient ( 14 τ ), is developed using artificial neural network (ANN). The input parameters consist of the phase 15 saturation, media permeability, capillary entry pressure, viscosity ratio, density ratio, temperature, 16 pore size distribution index, porosity and domain volume with corresponding output τ obtained at 17 different domain scales. Good generalization of the model was achieved by acquiring data from 18 independent sources comprising experiments and numerical simulations. Different ANN 19 configurations as well as linear and non-linear multivariate regression models were tested using a 20 number of performance criteria. Findings in this work showed that the ANN structures with two 21 hidden layers perform better than those with single hidden layer. In particular, the ANN configuration 22 with 13 and 15 neurons in the first and second hidden layers, respectively, performed the best. 23 Using this best-performing ANN, effects of increased domain size were predicted for three separate 24 experimental results obtained from literature and our laboratory with different domain scales. 25 Results showed increased magnitude of τ as the domain size increases for all the independent 26 experimental data considered. This work shows the applicability and techniques of using ANN in the 27 prediction of scale dependence of two-phase flow parameters. 28


PURPOSE OF THE PAPER. The purpose of this paper was to examine the general characteristics of Asian%divide;Pacific Islander patients in the Los Angeles County mental ehatlh system. SUMMARY OF METHODS UTILIZED. The patients studied (N=3.324) consisted of all Asian%divide;Pacific Islander patients seen in all county mental health facilites between 1988 and 1989. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Asian/Pacific Islander patients had a greater proportion of severe diagnoses than the county patient population in general. The Indochinese patients had the highest prevalence of Major Depression among the Asian patient groups, while Japanese showed the highest rate of schizophrenia. The majority of patients were admitted to the system between 19 and 40 years of age, and chose an Asian language as their primary language. CONCLUSIONS. Based on the findings, there seem to be interracial and interethnic differences in psychiatric diagnosis. The implications of this study include the need for increased cultural sensitivity and community education in the provision of mental health services for these populations. RELEVANCE TO ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN POPULATIONS. This study offers data on demographic and clinical characteristics of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander psychiatric patients. KEY WORDS. Asian Americans; Pacific Islanders; mental health; psychiatric patients


The success enjoyed by a laminar flow stability parameter that I previously developed as a generalization of the critical Reynolds number of laminar turbulent transition has occasioned considerable interest in the phenomenological theory underlying the parameter. In this paper an analysis of laminar flow stability is presented which leads naturally to the parameter in a much different manner than originally proposed. The stability parameter is seen to represent the coupling ratio between the rate of change of angular momentum of a deforming fluid element and its rate of loss of momentum by frictional drag. At a certain critical value of this coupling ratio, the element becomes unstable to rotational disturbances. If such disturbances are present, the basic nonlinearity of the momentum transfer process guarantees rapid amplification and generation of a turbulent eddy. The consequnces of the theory are examined for two special fixed boundary classes of motion. The physical interpretation of the parameter is compared with conventional interpretations of the Reynolds number and found to be more fundamentally sound. The application of the theory to moving boundary flows, such as the Couette viscometer, is also discussed and an important physical difference is pointed out.


Beverages in aluminium cans are widely available, and for convenience, drinks are often consumed directly from the orifice of the can. Cans are exposed to various environments during production, storage, transportation and handling at retail shops during which the lid may be contaminated with microorganisms. This study was aimed at isolating and identifying bacteria from the surfaces of canned drinks offered for sale on the main campus of Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi. For this purpose, a total of fifty canned drinks were randomly purchased from five different kiosks/ shops for laboratory investigations. Results of analyses indicated that all the canned drinks examined were contaminated with various microorganisms representing a 100% contamination rate. The highest bacterial count was recorded in shops 5 and 9 where the cells were too numerous to be counted (TNC) and were closely followed by shop 8 which had 162 colony-forming units of bacterial count on the colony counter. The shop with the least bacterial count was shop no 10 which had 47 bacterial counts per 100 ml. The biochemical test indicated the presence of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp, Bacillus spp and Staphylococcus aureus on the surfaces of the cans. These organisms are of significant public health risk once ingested from any contaminated surface. It is therefore recommended that proper cleaning of surfaces of canned drinks should be done before consumption to safeguard the health of consumers.


In 2009, 90% of nephrology centers in Lombardy declared to have a ''predialysis'' outpatient department, without, however, specifying its meaning. Research carried out in 2008 among nephrology centers in Piemonte showed how ambiguous this term was. According to the 2007 EDTA-ERA Registry, about 68% of European nephrology centers stated that they had an outpatient department for stage 4-5 CKD patients, but no information was available about the role of patients in the choice of dialysis. It is known that when the predialysis phase is poorly managed, the patient's rehabilitation will be more difficult. Dissatisfaction with dialysis often leads to withdrawal from dialysis, as several registries have shown. For this reason, we created a predialysis course at our center, involving a nephrologist, a nurse, and a dietician. The nephrologist helps the patient choose the most suitable therapeutic strategy, which means that doctor and patient share the responsibility for the treatment choice. The offered options are hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, preemptive kidney transplant, and a conservative dietary-pharmacological program. The nurse plans at least 4 meetings: 1) to talk with the patient in order to get to know him or her and his/her family; 2) to provide information about the dialysis procedure and establish the patient's preferences; 3) to clear any doubts about the treatment and deliver a booklet with information about the chosen dialysis procedure; 4) to explain the chosen dialysis procedure; 5) to meet the patient after their preparation for dialysis (vascular access or peritoneal catheter). The dietician manages the dietary programs both for patients who are close to starting dialysis and those on a longlasting conservative program. The predialysis course includes a meeting among all those involved with the patient (nephrologists, nurses, dieticians) to exchange information with the purpose of shared evaluation and decision-making.


Unisa has over the years introduced videoconference discussion classes to support its students. However, there has been poor attendance of such classes by the students in Ekurhuleni regional service centre. A quantitative research through surveys was conducted with 88 students whose modules were offered via videoconference broadcast at Unisa's Ekurhuleni regional service centre during the first semester of 2012. The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that hinder students from benefitting from videoconference broadcast services. It was found that many students did not attend these classes mainly because they did not receive notification about such classes. Some of those who received notification could not attend due to various reasons. The researchers found that there are three main factors that hinder students from benefitting from videoconference services - environmental, institutional and personal factors. It was found that there is not much Unisa can do about environmental factors. However, in order to mitigate institutional factors, the researchers recommend that Unisa introduce integrated and automated communication systems to inform students about videoconference discussion classes. Various technological software and adequate videoconference infrastructures are also recommended. With regard to personal factors, Unisa needs to increase students' awareness and utilization of other services such as counselling which are aimed at helping them cope with their studies. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n1p497


Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA

Anticancer therapy using engineered bacteria aims to overcome limitations of current cancer therapy by actively targeting and efficiently removing cancer. In order to achieve this goal, new approaches are essential to target therapeutically resistant regions of tumors, to maintain enough number of bacteria in tumor and to deliver drugs at sufficient concentrations during the period of therapeutic process. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the bacterial targeting efficiency through bacterial surface engineering. Here, we demonstrate that Salmonella tumor tropism can be strengthened significantly via surface displaying of RGD peptide sequence (ACDCRGDCFCG; RGD sequence) in the external loop of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of attenuated Salmonella typhimurium. RGD-displaying Salmonella strongly bound to αvβ3 over-expressing cancer cells while showed weak binding to non-expressing cancer cells, indicating the feasibility of surface display with preferential homing peptide. In vivo bioluminescence imaging showed strong targeting efficiency of RGD-displayed Salmonella in αvβ3 over-expressing cancer xenografts (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, M21, and U87MG). The surface engineered bacteria significantly suppressed both human breast tumor (MDA-MB-231) and human melanoma (MDA-MB-435), and prolonged survival in mice. In conclusion, engineered bacteria displaying RGD peptides on the surface could advance both targeting efficiency and therapeutic effects.

Citation Format: Seung-Hwan Park, Jin Hai Zheng, Hee-Seung Yun, In-Kyu Park, Yeongjin Hong, Hyun E. Choy, Jung-Joon Min. Surface-displayed RGD enhanced the targeting and therapeutic efficacy of attenuated Salmonella typhimurium. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4219.


The word "research" does not mean the same thing to everyone; however, it can be defined as systematic attempts to gain new knowledge, to know about the unknown and their interrelationships. In addition, research implies a systematic study of variables in order to determine if and/or how they may be related to one another.


The object of this study discusses the influence of the application of e-SPT article 21 to the compliance of individual taxpayers in reporting the tax return period PPH article 21 using primary data with the location of research at one of the Primary Tax Service Offices in Bandung. This research uses the descriptive method and verification analysis, using a case study where the data obtained so far have been analyzed and processed further using the theoretical basis that there is then a performance measurement of the variables. The results of research and data processing prove that the research hypothesis was accepted. This result can see from the acquisition of a correlation of 0.870 or 87.0%. This result means that there is a significant influence of the e-SPT for Income Tax 21 on individual taxpayer compliance. Contributions made by e-SPT for Income Tax 21 can know from the coefficient of determination that is equal to 0.763 or 76.3%. This result means that the e-SPT for Income Tax 21 affects the taxpayer compliance of individuals by 75.7%, while the remaining 23.7% influenced by other factors not examined in this study. Keywords: e-tax PPH article 21, taxpayer compliance.


A fractional generalized pure birth process is studied based on the master equation approach. The exact analytic solution of the generating function of the probability density for the process is given in terms of the Gauss hypergeometric function. The expressions of moments are also obtained in an explicit form. The effects of fixed and distributed initial conditions are also elucidated. The effect of memory is demonstrated quantitatively in terms of the mean, variance, and the Fano factor. It is also shown how to discriminate a fractional generalized birth process from the fractional Yule-Furry process. Further, the appearance of composite fractional time evolutions of cumulants is elucidated in conjunction with the fractional Poisson and the fractional Yule-furry processes.


A new approach using an artificial neural network is proposed to adapt power system stabilizer (PSS) parameters in real time. A pair of online measurements i.e., generator real-power output and power factor which are representative of the generator's operating condition, are chosen as the input signals to the neural net. The outputs of the neural net are the desired PSS parameters. The neural net, once trained by a set of input-output patterns in the training set, can yield proper PSS parameters under any generator loading condition. Digital simulations of a synchronous machine subject to a major disturbance of a three-phase fault under different operating conditions are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed neural network. >


We report high-energy results obtained with INTEGRAL and Rossi-XTE on two microquasars: the persistent high-mass system Cygnus X-1 and the transient low-mass binary SWIFT J1753.5-0127. INTEGRAL observed Cygnus X-1 from 2002 to 2004: the spectral (5–1000 keV) properties of the source, seen at least in three distinct spectral states, show disc and corona changes. In 2003 June, a high-energy tail at several hundred keV in excess of the thermal Comptonization model was observed, suggesting the presence of an additional non-thermal component. At that time, we detected an unusual correlation between radio data and high-energy hardness. We also report and compare the results obtained with simultaneous observations of the transient source SWIFT J1753.5-0127 performed with Rossi-XTE, INTEGRAL, VLA, REM and NTT on 2005 August 10–12 near its hard X-ray outburst. Broad-band spectra and fast time-variability properties are derived on this source (probably located in the galactic halo) together with radio, IR and optical data. We build a spectral energy distribution of the source and derive interesting multiwavelength constraints. Significantly detected up to 600 keV in a typical Low/Hard State, the transient does not seem to follow the usual radio/X-ray correlation.


cutaneous level. Here the two threads are firmly tied together and cut short, the knot being buried. Finally, the edges of the tiny incision are brought together with a single suture of horse-hair and sealed with collodion. The resulting scar is almost invisible, and yet the.end of the muscle slip is quite firmly secured. Muscle transplantation is still on trial. (See also JOUEN. OF E O M 1920 15 1920.


Purpose. To compare the quality of life (QoL) and emotional well-being of the offspring of parents with Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and to consider results in light of current UK clinical guidelines. Methods. 143 adolescent and adult children of parents with PD and MS were postally administered the Parental Illness Impact Scale and a measure of emotional well-being. Results. Minimal differences were observed between the two groups in both QoL and emotional well-being. Levels of mild to moderate depression were substantially greater than those of the general population. Conclusions. The nonsignificant differences reported indicate a similar degree of impact across the two conditions assessed. A significant body of evidence demonstrates the considerable impact of parental MS, with the needs of children being acknowledged in current clinical guidelines. There is a need to similarly acknowledge the potential impact of parental Parkinson's in UK guidelines for PD.


Science seldom proceeds in the straightforward logical manner imagined by outsiders. Instead, its steps forward (and sometimes backward) are often very human events in which personalities and cultural traditions play major roles.


In media text on international relations, disagreement between countries is presented metaphorically as a disagreement between people.The relation between metaphor and discourse is studied by Zinken and Musollf (2009). Mussolf studies metaphors related to the EU organized in "scenarios". In his view, the thematic target (for instance, EU politics) is accessed through a source input for the metaphor complex (family/marriage/concepts) (Mussolf 2006) and this is "characterized by the dominance of a few traditional, gender-coded stereotypes of family roles" (Mussolf 2009: 1).The present paper traces the ways disagreement in the sphere of international relations is presented in the media.In this study, the observed patterns used to represent disagreement between countries are argument, disagreement, conflict, and fight. The level of disagreement varies depending on the metaphoric scenario used to represent it. It was observed that the strongest way of expressing disagreement is based on the "split up", and "break up" scenario, followed by the "fight", "conflict" and the "argument" scenario.In expressing disagreement in media text on international affairs, Lakoff's STATE IS A PERSON metaphor (Lakoff 1990, 1995) is used. In Chilton and Lakoff's view, metaphors are not mere words or fanciful notions, but one of our primary means of conceptualizing the world. As they have stated, a metaphor is "a means of understanding one domain of one's experience in terms of another" (Chilton, Lakoff 1989). Member states are presented as people who quarrel and disagree over issues related to international relations or policies. Along with that metaphor, a place for the institution metonymy is used. As Barcelona has stated, proper names are often metonymic in origin, i. e. they refer to a circumstance or distinctive aspect linked to their referent (Barcelona 2004, 2005).The place for the institution metonymy is found in two variants: the country for the institution and the capital for the institution. For instance, a disagreement between the governments of two countries is presented as disagreement between their capitals, as in "Paris and Berlin fundamentally "disagree" on who should succeed Jean-Claude Juncker" (https://www.express.co.uk)". The same situation is presented as a disagreement between countries: "Germany and France 'DISAGREE' over Juncker replacement" (ibid). In the abovementioned examples, an item from one of the two metonymic chains is juxtaposed to a corresponding item in the other chain:Paris (place name - capital) — Berlin (place name - capital)Germany (place name- country) — France (place name- country)It seems that names from one metonymic chain belonging to a certain class of names (country name, names of cities, capitals, regions, continents, etc.) are juxtaposed to names from another metonymic chain, belonging to the same class of names. However, there are texts in which this is not necessarily the case. A name of city (capital) is often juxtaposed to a name of a country, as in "Paris put its foot down, and won't let Germany get its way" (www.politico.eu). Expressions may vary depending on the stregth of disagreement, ranging from "disagree", "argue", "conflict" to "fight', "split up" and "break up".


In general, decision support is one of the main purposes of model-based analysis of systems. Response surface methodology (RSM) is an optimization technique that has been applied frequently in practice, but few automated variants are currently available. In this paper, we show how to combine RSM with numerical analysis methods to optimize continuous time Markov chain models. Among the many known numerical solution methods for large Markov chains, we consider a Gauss-Seidel solver with relaxation that relies on a hierarchical Kronecker representation as implemented in the APNN Toolbox. To effectively apply RSM for optimizing numerical models, we propose three strategies which are shown to reduce the required number of iterations of the numerical solver. With a set of experiments, we evaluate the proposed strategies with a model of a production line and apply them to optimize a class-based queuing system


: The author investigates psychosocial factors that prevent early detection of injuries and the effect of late reporting on the long-term health of workers.


We present an analysis of the diversity of V-band light-curves of hydrogen-rich type II supernovae. Analyzing a sample of 116 supernovae, several magnitude measurements are defined, together with decline rates at different epochs, and time durations of different phases. It is found that magnitudes measured at maximum light correlate more strongly with decline rates than those measured at other epochs: brighter supernovae at maximum generally have faster declining light-curves at all epochs. We find a relation between the decline rate during the "plateau" phase and peak magnitudes, which has a dispersion of 0.56 mag, offering the prospect of using type II supernovae as purely photometric distance indicators. Our analysis suggests that the type II population spans a continuum from low-luminosity events which have flat light-curves during the "plateau" stage, through to the brightest events which decline much faster. A large range in optically thick phase durations is observed, implying a range in progenitor envelope masses at the epoch of explosion. During the radioactive tails, we find many supernovae with faster declining light-curves than expected from full trapping of radioactive emission, implying low mass ejecta. It is suggested that the main driver of light-curve diversity is the extent of hydrogen envelopes retained before explosion. Finally, a new classification scheme is introduced where hydrogen-rich events are typed as simply "SN II" with an "s2" value giving the decline rate during the "plateau" phase, indicating its morphological type.


During investigation of the absorption of group-A streptococcal antibodies from human sera by a protein A-positive Staphylococcus aureus strain, we found that the complement-fixing antibodies to M-associated protein (MAP) were only partially absorbed from the majority of sera tested, although they were shown to belong to the immunoglobulin G (IgG) class by density gradient centrifugation. In contrast, other streptococcal antibodies: anti-streptolysin O (ASO), anti-deoxyribonuclease B (anti-DNAase B), 'bactericidal' M antibody and anti-opacity factor (anti-OF), were completely absorbed from all but a minority of sera. We suggest that the complement-fixing antibodies to MAP may be of restricted heterogeneity and have an abnormal IgG sub-class distribution, with a marked predominance of IgG3 (the only sub-class that does not interact with protein A) over the IgG1 and IgG2 sub-class; IgG4 does not participate in complement fixation. The concentration and relative porportions of IgG sub-classes are believed to be genetically influenced, so our findings may have some bearing on the immune responsiveness of different individuals to streptococcal infection, and possibly have important implications in the development of the secondary sequelae.


ABSTRACT Commercialization of smallholder agriculture in South Africa is underpinned by reforms to improve livestock off-take in communal areas and engage smallholder farmers with formal markets. To achieve this, Custom Feeding Programmes (CFPs) were established to improve the condition of communal cattle prior to their sale into formal markets and to 'systematise' the informal marketing of cattle in communal areas by enabling participants to achieve higher informal market prices. We evaluate the sustainability of eight CFPs located in Eastern Cape Province in terms of their ability to add value to smallholder cattle production and encourage market participation. Communities with CFPs achieved a 16.6% mean cattle off-take rate, substantially higher than in most communal systems. Furthermore, cattle sold through CFPs attained a 17% higher mean selling price than those sold through other marketing channels. However, these benefits were mainly realized by better-off farmers with larger cattle herds and greater ability to transport animals to and from CFPs. More marginalized farmers, particularly women, had low participation. CFPs also face challenges to their sustainability, including inconsistent feed and water supplies, poor infrastructure and high staff turnover. Key to enhancing participation in CFPs, will be improving the way they are supported and embedded within communities.


This paper outlines the use of phasor measurement unit (PMU) records to validate models of fixed speed induction generator (FSIG)-based wind farms during frequency transients. Wind turbine manufacturers usually create their own proprietary models which they can supply to power system utilities for stability studies, subject to confidentiality agreements. However, it is desirable to confirm the accuracy of supplied models with measurements from the particular installation, in order to assess their validity under real field conditions. This is prudent due to possible changes in control algorithms and design retrofits, not accurately reflected or omitted in the supplied model. One important aspect of such models, especially for smaller power systems with limited inertia, is their accuracy during system frequency transients. This paper, therefore, assesses the accuracy of FSIG models with regard to frequency stability, and hence validates a subset of the model dynamics. Such models can then be used with confidence to assess wider system stability implications. The measured and simulated response of a wind farm using doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) technology is also assessed.


Despite tremendous growth of Islamic finance globally, the phenomenon is relatively new in Nigeria. The first full-fledged Islamic bank, Jaiz Bank Plc, was licensed as a regional bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2011 and it started its operations in January, 2012. Over 3 years now, the apex regulatory body is yet to develop robust shari'ah complainant instruments for liquidity management of Islamic banks in Nigeria. This paper assesses the predicaments of Jaiz bank Plc over the last 3 years of its operations in the face of this challenge on the basis of secondary data from the financial statements of the Bank. Evidences on the basis of CAMEL analysis show that while the Bank performs quite well in respect to capital adequacy, assets and management quality, the Bank, however, suffers most, on average, with respect to earning quality and liquidity. The paper recommends that the CBN should, while the shari'ah compliant instruments are being awaited, introduce a measure of deposit-free and loan-free for Jaiz Bank plc and consider lowering the statutory liquidity ratio, all with a view of easing financial constraints of the Bank.


Semiconductor nanocrystals are promising for display and lighting devices. Herein, we report a facile one-pot synthetic route to fabricate white light emitting CdSexSy nanocrystals with enhanced quantum yield using CdO, S powder, and Se powder as precursors. The phosphine-free route was adopted, employing paraffin oil as the reducing agent and solvent for the fabrication. The optical properties can be effectively tailored by controlling the reaction time and the molar ratio of Se/S. The emission of pristine CdSexSy nanocrystals covered a broad visible range from 400 to 750 nm. The CdSexSy nanocrystals (Se/S = 0.4) exhibited white-light emission with quantum yield of 50 ± 3 % and Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of (0.30, 0.31). The band-edge (~400-450 nm) to trap-state (~550-750 nm) emissions was tuned by controlling the Se/S ratio, and the different shades of white light were obtained. Furthermore, the quantum yield and CIE coordinates of the CdSexSy nanocrystals (Se/S = 0.4) were found to be similar even after 30 days of fabrication, showing the high stability of nanocrystals. The white light emission was retained in nanocrystals-embedded poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin film and also in the hydrogel matrix. The one-pot, low-cost, scalable fabrication of white light emitting CdSexSy nanocrystals demonstrated in the present study offers promising scope in the solid-state display applications.


Thermally stimulated current (TSC) spectra observed under open- circuit condition for styrene- acrylic binder resin powder compactions for toners are corrected for their thermal shrinkage during TSC observation. For this binder resin, extrinsic current from motion of powder compactions with charges due to their thermal shrinkage was found to be much more effective than the sensitivity coefficient of a TSC measuring apparatus used. Particle size dependence of charge retention power of the resin powders was also examined by using this correction method and found that it decreased with decreasing their particle size.


Organic phase change materials (OPCMs) have long been recognized as potentially reversible thermal energy storage candidates due to their ability to reversibly store or release large amounts of latent heat when changing from one physical state to another. For application of which in solar heat storage, reducing their relatively high phase transition temperature (TC) to room temperature is still challenging. Herein, a microemulsion with metastable interface is adopted for in situ synthesis of sphere-like structure stearic acid (SA)@boehmite (γ-AlOOH) microcapsules. Interestingly, when the high-melting-point SA crystals (TC = 70.8 °C) were capsulated into boehmite nanoshells, their phase transition could be diverted to room temperature (∼21 °C), which means about 50 °C decrease of their phase change temperature has been achieved. This dramatic change could be due to a confinement effect on the interface between SA cores and the boehmite nanoshells, which leads to a change of geometric factors and enhancement of shell-SA interactions. Furthermore, the heat energy storage density (∼140 kJ kg−1) of the obtained SA@γ-AlOOH microcapsules is higher than that of most common room temperature PCMs, suggesting an efficient heat storage ability. This kind of shape-stabilized microcapsule can be considered as candidate room temperature PCMs for thermal energy storage.


Theological reflection can contribute a distinctive perspective from which to analyze and evaluate moral debates about issues in modern genetics and reproductive medicine. The author appeals to two hermeneutical themes, human beings as "images of God" and the tendency of humans to "play God," in order to discuss various church statements and theological literature on human gene transfer, somatic cell nuclear transplant cloning of human beings, and patenting of human genes.


Currently, the multi-legged robots have to confront the problem of low energy utilization that restricts the moving radius of robots. Aimed at the problem of energy consumption for mobile robots, this paper provides the analysis in terms of the gait planning. Firstly, two kinds of gait curves Respectively, cycloid curve and Bezier curve are introduced and the main difference of two gait patterns is that the Bezier curve can achieve the swing leg retraction (SLR). The length of step (S), the height of step (H) and the duty ratio of gait cycle (β) are set as the primary research points about the gait of mobile robot. In this work, we formulate two indexes to quantitatively describe the performance of the quadruped robot and related simulations are carried out for gait parameters. Finally, the results provide some recommendations for the gait planning of the quadruped robot, that is, the changes of gait parameters influence the index of energy consumption and SLR can effectively reduce energy consumption.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Despite progress in the treatment of breast cancer, patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have limited means for therapy. Since TNBCs do not express HER2, estrogen and progesterone receptors, TNBC patients cannot be treated with Herceptin or endocrine therapy. TNBCs frequently harbor defects in homologous recombination (HR) due to (epi)genetic inactivation of BRCA1, making them sensitive to the clinical PARP1 inhibitor olaparib. However, long-term treatment of BRCA1-deficient mouse mammary tumors with olaparib results in drug resistance. The growing awareness that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may influence therapy response prompted us to investigate whether olaparib sensitivity of BRCA1-deficient TNBCs is affected by MET, a known EMT inducer that is over-expressed in TNBC and associated with poor survival. For this purpose we have developed a breast cancer GEMM-ESC pipeline, using female GEMM-ESCs derived from our well-validated K14cre;Brca1F/F;Trp53F/F (KB1P) mouse model, of which females spontaneously develop BRCA1-deficient TNBC due to cre-mediated deletion of Brca1 and Trp53 in epithelial tissues. The MET proto-oncogene, was introduced in the Col1a1 locus and resulting KB1P-MET ESCs were injected into blastocysts and good quality chimeras were monitored for mammary tumor formation. Our preliminary data show that BRCA1-deficient mouse mammary tumors with engineered overexpression of MET show accelerated growth, undergo EMT and show intrinsic resistance to olaparib. The underlying mechanisms are, however, unclear. Currently we are studying the impact of EMT-regulators on BRCA1-associated mammary tumorigenesis and assess the contribution of EMT-regulators to olaparib resistance in genetically engineered mouse models of BRCA1-associated breast cancer. Together, these studies will provide novel insights into the roles of EMT regulators in BRCA1-associated breast tumor development, metastasis and therapy resistance.

Citation Format: Martine Van Miltenburg, Jos Jonkers. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and therapy resistance in BRCA1-associated breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3141. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3141


In various data situations joint models are an efficient tool to analyze relationships between time dependent covariates and event times or to correct for event-dependent dropout occurring in regression analysis. Joint modeling connects a longitudinal and a survival submodel within a single joint likelihood which then can be maximized by standard optimization methods. Main burdens of these conventional methods are that the computational effort increases rapidly in higher dimensions and they do not offer special tools for proper variable selection. Gradient boosting techniques are well known among statisticians for addressing exactly these problems, hence an initial boosting algorithm to fit a basic joint model based on functional gradient descent methods has been proposed. Aim of this work is to extend this algorithm in order to fit a model incorporating baseline covariates affecting solely the survival part of the model. The extended algorithm is evaluated based on low and high dimensional simulation runs as well as a data set on AIDS patients, where the longitudinal submodel models the underlying profile of the CD4 cell count which then gets included alongside several baseline covariates in the survival submodel.


We present a machine learning framework for multi-agent systems to learn both the optimal policy for maximizing the rewards and the encoding of the high dimensional visual observation. The encoding is useful for sharing local visual observations with other agents under communication resource constraints. The actor-encoder encodes the raw images and chooses an action based on local observations and messages sent by the other agents. The machine learning agent generates not only an actuator command to the physical device, but also a communication message to the other agents. We formulate a reinforcement learning problem, which extends the action space to consider the communication action as well. The feasibility of the reinforcement learning framework is demonstrated using a 3D simulation environment with two collaborating agents. The environment provides realistic visual observations to be used and shared between the two agents.


Exploratory Learning with Virtual Companions Sharing Attention and Context (EVA) is a concept for mediated teaching and learning that sits at the intersection of exploratory learning, telepresence, and attention awareness. The companion teacher is informed about the attentional state and environment of the learner, and can refer directly to this environment through marking or annotation. To the learner, the companion is virtual -- either human or automatic -- and, if human, either physically copresent or remote. The content and style of presentation are tailored to the learner's momentary level of interest or focus, and her attention can be guided to salient environmental elements (e.g. visual) in order to convey desired information. We define a design space for such systems, which applies to learning in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, and can be employed as a framework for design and evaluation. We demonstrate this through trials with two proof-of-concept systems, one in AR and one in VR, with a human companion. We conclude that the EVA design space defines a powerful set of systems for learning and finish by presenting guidelines for making such systems maximally effective.


Background Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma, without discernable underlying conditions, is considered a neurological emergency, and is rare during pregnancy. Case Presentation We report the case of a 24-year-old patient at 37 weeks of gestation. She had back pain that progressed to paraplegia of both lower limbs within 2 days. Thoracic magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion behind the spinal cord at the T5–T6 level, suggestive of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. Due to the rapid recovery of muscle strength in her lower limbs after an emergency cesarean section, we used methylprednisolone therapy to reduce spinal edema rather than decompression of the spinal canal. We incidentally found that the patient's left pulmonary artery was occluded. In consideration of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma as relative contraindication to anticoagulation, and in the absence of pulmonary embolism symptoms, including good partial oxygen pressure, we did not administer anticoagulant therapy. The patient's condition improved rapidly in the following week. Conclusion Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma concomitant with pulmonary artery embolism is an extremely rare manifestation during pregnancy. As exemplified by our case, desirable treatment outcomes are possible under such cases.


A microgrid (MG) is one way of integrating several low capacity renewable energy sources with a distribution grid. Multi-microgrids (MMG) originally proposed by the EU More Microgrids project can combine several MGs along with other distributed generation (DG) sources into the distribution grid. While different aspects of MMGs have been previously studied, a protection system design for it is yet to be explored. To design protection systems for MMGs, it is first necessary to study their fault characteristics. In this paper, we report on the fault analysis of an MMG consisting of two MGs, each made up of a diesel generator and a number of PV sources and wind generators. Fault analysis is carried out by simulating different fault types in the MMG with the distribution grid islanded from the transmission grid, and compared with fault currents in a single islanded MG. A theoretical analysis is also performed to verify the simulation results. The fault analysis results can be used to configure relay settings and to select the most appropriate circuit breakers and measurement devices for the MMG.


the PASt DecADe has witnessed a renaissance in server virtualization, which is transforming enterprise computing by offering new capabilities and efficiencies. The following paper by Diwaker Gupta et al. presents a novel approach for significantly improving the efficiency of virtualized servers. Their "Difference Engine" eliminates memory redundancy by exploiting similarity both within and across virtual machines. A virtual machine (VM) is a software abstraction that behaves like hardware. The classic definition by Popek and Goldberg is "an efficient, isolated duplicate of a real machine." For example, a VM that presents the illusion of being a physical x86 server may run an unmodified operating system designed for that platform, such as Windows or Linux. Neither the OS nor its users need be aware they are interacting with a VM instead of dedicated hardware. Little more than a decade ago, virtual machines were considered a fairly exotic mainframe technology. Today, VMs are pervasive in corporate datacenters, and serve as the foundation for cloud-computing platforms. The commercial success of virtual machines has influenced the design of high-volume processor architectures, which now contain special-purpose hardware to accelerate virtualization. Why have VMs proliferated so rapidly? One reason is that virtualization is an extremely versatile technology. There is a well-known adage: "All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection." The virtualization software layer, known as a hypervisor, provides this level of indirection, decoupling an OS and its applications from physical hardware. Eliminating the traditional "one machine, one OS" constraint opens up numerous possibilities. Initially, the most compelling use of VMs was basic partitioning and server consolidation. In typical unvirtualized environments, individual servers were grossly underutilized. Virtualization allowed many servers to be consolidated as VMs onto a single physical machine, resulting in significantly lower capital and management costs. This ability to "do more with less" fueled the rapid adoption of virtualization, even through economic downturns. As virtualization became more mainstream, innovations arose for managing distributed systems consisting of many virtualized servers. Since VMs are independent of the particular hardware on which they execute, they are inherently portable. Live, running VMs can migrate between different physical servers, enabling zero-downtime infrastructure maintenance, and supporting automated dynamic load balancing in production datacenters and clouds. Additional virtualization features leverage indirection to offer capabilities beyond those of physical platforms. By interposing on VM operations transparently, no changes are required to the software running within the VM. Examples include improving security by adding checks that cannot be defeated by compromised software within the VM, and replicating VM state across physical machines for fault tolerance. While core virtualization techniques are now reasonably mature, researchers continue to develop innovative ways to optimize VM efficiency and improve server utilization. Today, limited hardware memory often constrains the degree of server consolidation on modern machines equipped with many processor cores. The Difference Engine cleverly exploits the extra level of indirection in virtualized memory systems to reduce the memory footprint of VMs. Since higher consolidation ratios translate directly into cost savings, such techniques are incredibly valuable. Due to consolidation, many VMs on the same physical machine typically run similar OS instances and applications, or contain common data. The Difference Engine extends the hypervisor with several mechanisms that reclaim memory by eliminating redundancy. First, when identical memory pages are found, they are deduplicated by retaining only a single instance that is shared copy-on-write, similar to the page-sharing feature that we introduced in VMware's hypervisor. However, the Difference Engine goes much further, taking advantage of deduplication opportunities that are left on the table when sharing is restricted to completely-identical pages. By observing that many more pages are nearly identical, sharing at sub-page granularity becomes very attractive. Candidates for sub-page sharing are identified by hashing small portions of pages, and patches are generated against reference pages to store near-duplicates compactly. When pages are not sufficiently similar, a conventional compression algorithm is applied to wring out any remaining intra-page redundancy. By combining these mechanisms to eliminate full-page, sub-page, and intra-page redundancy, the Difference Engine achieves impressive space savings—more than twice as much as fullpage sharing alone for VMs running disparate workloads. Of course, these savings aren't free; compressed pages and sub-pages still incur page faults, and hashing, patching, and compression are compute-intensive operations. But given current trends, it's a safe bet that spare processor cycles will be easier to find than spare memory pages. The emergence of dense flash memory, phase-change memory, and other technologies will surely shift bottlenecks and trade-offs, ensuring this research area remains interesting. Given the long history and extensive literature associated with both virtualization and memory management, it's refreshing to find a paper that is both stimulating and practical. As virtual machines become increasingly ubiquitous, I'm confident that similar ideas will be leveraged by both commercial and research hypervisors. I strongly urge you to get a glimpse of this future now by reading this paper.


20 strength, endurance and flexibility was observed post circuit training using a modified push-up test and sit and reach test (p<0.05). However, statistical significance was not seen in the other physical tests: curl-up, body fat percentage and in Baecke's Questionnaire. Conclusions: Circuit training may be a helpful strategy for peri and postmenopausal women who experience menopausal symptoms and decreased QOL. Future larger clinical trials of various forms of circuit training are recommended to further define the long term benefits of exercise. Clinical Relevance: As the baby boomer generation ages, a large number of women are entering the menopause transition. Our patients may be affected by the symptoms associated with menopause and these symptoms may be impacting the patient's recovery. We as clinician may also be involved in preparing health and wellness programs for our patients. Incorporating a comprehensive exercise program (e.g., circuit training) into a woman's lifestyle has the potential to improve her overall health and wellbeing.


Two hemopoietic tumors induced in rats by Gross leukemia virus and dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, respectively, display distinctive and consistent patterns of metastases, the former in the thymus and lymph nodes, the latter in the liver and spleen. To investigate the role of circulatory anatomy in the localization of metastases, 51Cr-labeled cells were injected i.v., and their distribution was followed at various intervals. To explore the influence of immune mechanisms, Gross leukemia virus- and dimethylbenza(a)anthracene-induced leukemic cells as well as a line of antigenically modulated cells were administered to newborn, X-irradiated, and immunologically unresponsive recipients. The circulation of tumor cells through various organs was indiscriminate. The immune response of the host was operative in limiting the local and metastatic tumor growth but not in determining the site of secondary tumors. The conclusion of these experiments was that the selective organ distribution of tumor metastases was solely dependent on intrinsic cellular properties.


The protectionist attitudes of manufacturers have hampered the development of intelligent buildings. Now a consensus is emerging that benefits both suppliers and customers. Among the competing systems, a clear winner is emerging. According to Echelon, which developed the protocol, LonWorks now accounts for 67% of the worldwide market for intelligent commercial buildings. More and more manufacturers and customers are investing in this technology, which is designed to be truly open and interoperable and is winning global acceptance. The philosophy underlying LonWorks is intelligent distributed control. Every node on the network has its own address and contains embedded intelligence to control the operation of attached sensors or actuators and implement the communications protocol.


While many economists believe that model-based empirical studies will provide useful insights into the theoretical debate over the welfare implications of preferential trading agreements (RTAs), the controversy over the positive gains from RTAs generated by computable general equilibrium (CGE) models has intensified recent years. In their recent survey on the results of recent empirical studies Robinson and Thierfelder, (1999, p.2) have suggested that "a large number of model-based empirical studies support a few robust conclusions about RTAs: (1) They increase welfare of participating countries; (2) aggregate trade creation is much larger than trade diversion; (3) the big numbers appear in models that incorporate features of new trade theory; (4) there are welfare gains from expanding membership; and (5) global trade liberalization increases welfare more than the formation of an RTA." However, Panagariya and Duttagupta (2001) have strongly criticised the above survey and the results obtained from CGE models very recently. They argue that CGE models generate gains from RTAs because they are based on internally inconsistent assumptions and questionable values of key parameters. In other words they argue that many of the CGE models generate benefits from RTAs by recourse to a wrong model and wrong values of parameters. This controversy has generated considerable attention. We employ a CGE model (using the GTAP database) to analyse the issue further taking account of the Panagariya and Duttagupta criticism over the use of CGE models in examining the impact of RTAs. We make the assumptions of the model consistent with their study and use a model based on some empirically estimated parameter values to run some illustrative simulations to examine the impact of a RTA. This kind of further investigation will provide more input to the debate.


Summary Background: Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent chondritis and inflammation of other proteoglycan-rich tissues. An RP patient with co-existing respiratory tract problems could have a poor prognosis. Case Report: We reported a case of RP died with recurrent suffocation. At the early stage in this case, unusual deformities of bronchial cartilage were observed. Following systemic corticosteroid therapy, these deformities disappeared, and typical diffuse mucosal edema and dynamic collapse of airways developed. Conclusions: These bronchoscopic abnormalities could be the early stage of RP.


The city is a place of encounters. Journalism often appropriates raw facts and statistic data in order to narrate it. However, there are many ways to understand the urban experience within the field, through accounts that go beyond technical rationality. This paper attempts to understand journalistic narratives as producers of meaning and the city as a text, as proposed by Michel de Certeau. Therefore, we investigate narratives about the city in the magazine piaui as a starting point to examine discursive strategies that by combining the real and the poetic expand the fact, produce dialogues and expose other possible types of journalism. Above all, we aim to provide a reflection on the place that journalism occupies today within the field of knowledge, within an epistemological perspective that considers the material and symbolic, factual and emotional, ethical and aesthetic contexts.


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that an implication of Holcombe's (2002) model is a "revolution trap." This paper extends Holcombe's model adding Klein's concept of entrepreneurship as judgment concerning the use of heterogeneous political capital. The authors use the case of the USA presidential election of 1800 to demonstrate the utility of the extension, and to discuss how political entrepreneurship served to prevent a revolution trap. The political entrepreneurship of 1800 established the precedent of peaceful transition of power in the USA, which opened the door to the rapid economic development of the early nineteenth century. Design/methodology/approach - – This is a historical case study using letters, newspapers, pamphlets, and other pieces of empirical evidence to highlight an important moment of political entrepreneurship. Findings - – Many contemporary observers predicted that the USA would devolve into continuous revolution, which the authors argue Holcombe's (2002) model predicts. However, political entrepreneurship ended the revolutionary period in the former British North America. Moreover, the political entrepreneurship ending the election crisis established the precedent of peaceful political succession. This precedent comparatively elevated the returns of productive, market entrepreneurship (Baumol, 1990). As a result, the USA experiences a prolonged period of entrepreneurially driven economic growth. Originality/value - – To the authors knowledge, no one has developed the implication of a "revolution trap" from Holcombe's (2002) model, nor has anyone applied Klein's (2008) model to extend Holcombe's model of political entrepreneurship. Although the disputed presidential election of 1800 has been extensively researched, no one has analyzed the election and its resolution from the perspective of political entrepreneurship.


The study of the spatial variability of soil attributes under different crop helps the study of changes due the management. This research was carried out to determine spatial variability the particle-size distribution, using of the classic statistic and geostatistics, of a soil cultivated with pasture and native vegetation. Soil samples were collected in the layer 0-0.20m, at the crossing points of a regular grid with 10m-intervals, summing up 64 samples points in each area. In the pasture area the fractions of coarse and total sand presented larger mean values in relation to the native vegetation, and negative correlation with the altitude of the points samples in the two areas. All of the fractions presented moderate to high spatial dependence in the two areas and with the defined still, with exception of the fine sand and the silt in the pasture. Much of this variability occurs as a function of water erosion.


Using a recent community-level data from Ethiopia, this study employed a Tobit model and investigates factors affecting participation rate in agricultural cooperatives. The average participation rate was calculated to be 50.3%, with a wide variation amongst communities. Our result confirms that access to paved road, average landholding of a household and information access have a significant effect on community-level participation rate in agricultural cooperatives. Based on the results of the study, policy implications are forwarded.


The survival of seedlings in temperate climate habitats depends on both temporal and spatial factors. The interaction between an internal seed dormancy mechanism and the ruling environmental conditions allows accurate cueing of germination. We analysed how environmental signals interact in seeds of temperate forest pioneer species, increasing the seed's chances of germinating in the right place at the right time. Digitalis purpurea and Scrophularia nodosa are two small-seeded herbaceous species that typically grow in vegetation gaps in European temperate forests. Seeds of both species are partially dormant at the time of dispersal in summer. This primary dormancy is released in autumn and early winter, resulting in a minimal level of physiological dormancy by late winter and early spring. We observed that physiological dormancy was induced again in seeds exhumed in late spring and in summer. Experiments in laboratory conditions revealed that primary dormancy in seeds of S nodosa was broken by cold stratification, whereas primary dormancy in D. purpurea seeds was broken by both a cold and a warm stratification. The two species differed in their response to the tested gap-detection signals, as light was the most important factor stimulating germination of D. purpurea, and seeds of S. nodosa germinated best when subjected to daily fluctuating temperatures. This study clearly indicates that the ability to germinate in response to gap-detection signals changes seasonally in temperate forest pioneers. Additionally, seeds of both species responded differently to these environmental signals, probably reflecting differences in the regeneration niche.


This paper will examine the air traffic management issues related to the introduction of both high altitude unmanned aircraft and unmanned free balloons in the National Airspace System. It will examine the challenges of providing air traffic services in Class E airspace above FL600 including high endurance operations in that stratum. The paper will consider the different challenges presented by the variability in control of different aircraft types as well as the regulatory differences between space vehicles, unmanned free balloons and unmanned aircraft. In addition, it will consider the potential need to develop or amend policies and procedures to accommodate new commercial operators in Class E airspace above FL600.