Abstract Dried blood spots (DBS) are widely utilized as part of universal newborn screening and as a means of transporting samples from field sites. We use DBS from African field sites to assess for rare maternal-fetal cell exchange during pregnancy known as microchimerism. We aimed to develop a protocol to maximize the quantity of high-quality genomic DNA (gDNA) extracted from DBS. The total gDNA yield obtained from control DBS utilizing a Qiagen-based protocol and a Chelex® 100 resin-based protocol was first compared. Variations of the Chelex® protocol were subsequently tested to develop an optimized protocol. The gDNA was quantified by qPCR targeting the human beta-globin gene. DNA yield for a given experimental condition was normalized to a Chelex® control performed on the same day, and the total yields were compared using a Student's t-test. The control Chelex® protocol yielded 590% more DNA than the QIAamp® DNA Blood Mini Kit . The absolute efficiency of the control Chelex® protocol was 54%, compared to an absolute efficiency of 9% for the QIAamp® DNA Blood Mini Kit. Modification of the Chelex® protocol to include a second heat precipitation from the same DBS increased the gDNA yield by 29% (P < 0.001). Our optimized protocol including this modification increased the absolute efficiency of extraction to 68%. The gDNA extracted using the Chelex® protocol was stable through repeated freeze–thaw cycles. In a mock microchimerism experiment, rare donor alleles at a frequency of 10 in 100 000 could be identified in gDNA from DBS extracted using the optimized Chelex® protocol. Our findings may be of significance for a diverse range of applications that utilize DBS and require high-quality DNA, including newborn screening programs, pathogen and drug resistance screening from remote field sites, forensics, and rare allele detection.


Background. Intravenous aminoglycoside (AG) dosing is complex and highly individualized based on indication, patient's age, and renal function. Protocols available at study site guide dosing of AGs. This study assesses adherence to current protocols and investigates efforts needed to optimize AG dosing. Methods. 100 consecutive patients who received AG (gentamicin, tobramycin, or amikacin) from July-August 2013 were included. Patients were excluded if AG given for peri-operative prophylaxis, non-TB mycobacterium, or received AG immediately prior to admission. Dosing was classified as optimal if in accordance with dosing protocols. Dosing weight included actual body weight, unless obese, then adjusted body weight was used. Peak, trough, and random levels and associated dose adjustments were assessed. AG-induced nephrotoxicity per RIFLE criteria was evaluated in patients receiving ≥5 days therapy. Results. Of 100 patients, 40% received gentamicin, 35% tobramycin, and 25% amikacin. 57% of orders occurred in an ICU setting. Most common infections were sepsis (50%), respiratory (16%), and intra-abdominal (9%). Median duration was 1 day (IQR 1-2.25). Majority of orders (48%) used traditional interval. Total of 62 orders were adherent to protocol for both dose and frequency. 35% of orders contained doses not according to protocol (14% of doses above and 21% of doses below protocol), while 2% contained non-protocol frequency and 1% contained frequency plus dose not according to protocol. 93% of doses higher than protocol were in obese patients. A total of 67 levels were ordered for 35 patients, with a majority (63%) being random levels. Of peak and trough levels, 38% and 65% were within therapeutic range. Dose adjustments occurred in 4 orders, 75% were deemed appropriate. Of 11 patients assessed for AG-induced nephrotoxicity, one (9%) met criteria. Thirty-three (68%) of 49 of traditional interval orders were eligible for extended interval dosing. Conclusion. More than one-third of AG orders were non-adherent to available protocols. Majority of orders higher than protocol occurred in obese patients. AG-induced nephrotoxicity was rare. Investigation of clinical decision support to optimize initial AG dosing to achieve PK-PD targets is warranted. Disclosures. N. Shrestha, Forest: Speaker's Bureau, Speaker honorarium; Merck: Speaker's Bureau, Speaker honorarium; The Medicines Company: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee


Food insecurity (which can be defined as inadequate access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets individuals' dietary needs) is concurrently associated with children's psychological difficulties. However, the predictive role of food insecurity with regard to specific types of children's mental health symptoms has not previously been studied. We used data from the Longitudinal Study of Child Development in Québec, LSCDQ, a representative birth cohort study of children born in the Québec region, in Canada, in 1997–1998 (n = 2120). Family food insecurity was ascertained when children were 1½ and 4½ years old. Children's mental health symptoms were assessed longitudinally using validated measures of behaviour at ages 4½, 5, 6 and 8 years. Symptom trajectory groups were estimated to identify children with persistently high levels of depression/anxiety (21.0%), aggression (26.2%), and hyperactivity/inattention (6.0%). The prevalence of food insecurity in the study was 5.9%. In sex-adjusted analyses, children from food-insecure families were disproportionately likely to experience persistent symptoms of depression/anxiety (OR: 1.79, 95% CI 1.15–2.79) and hyperactivity/inattention (OR: 3.06, 95% CI 1.68–5.55). After controlling for immigrant status, family structure, maternal age at child's birth, family income, maternal and paternal education, prenatal tobacco exposure, maternal and paternal depression and negative parenting, only persistent hyperactivity/inattention remained associated with food insecurity (fully adjusted OR: 2.65, 95% CI 1.16–6.06). Family food insecurity predicts high levels of children's mental health symptoms, particularly hyperactivity/inattention. Addressing food insecurity and associated problems in families could help reduce the burden of mental health problems in children and reduce social inequalities in development.


In wireless mobile communications and wireless local area networks (WLAN), advanced InGaP HBT with power amplifiers are key components. In this paper, the microwave large signal dynamic waveform characteristics of an advanced InGaP HBT are investigated experimentally for 5.8 GHz power amplifier applications. The microwave large signal waveform distortions at various input power levels, especially at large signal level, are investigated and the reasons are analyzed. The output power saturation is also explained. These analyses will be useful for power amplifier designs.


The characteristics of electrocardiogram (ECG) signal are fuzzy and random, so that they are difficult for automatic analysis and diagnosis. To solve this problem, an uncertainties transformation model-Cloud Model, which is a fusion of qualitative and quantitative information, was tried to use to analyze the ECG signal. The model fusions the characters of fuzzy and random, just suit to the ECG automatic analysis and diagnosis system. Based on the theory of the cloudy transform and comprehensive cloud, the clustering of ECG signal was finished. Further more, the clinic experience of expert was summarized as classification rules based on the theory. The experiment data were from MIT/ BIH database. The experiment results showed more close to those of the expert's analysis. The describing result was more close to those of the more expert's with qualitative and quantitative information. It is well concluded that the method is an effective ECG signal analysis method.


Purpose of review Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative spiral bacterium that colonizes the stomach of humans, causing gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, or gastric cancer. H. pylori infection accounts for a high percentage of mortality and morbidity rates in developing as well as developed countries. H. pylori bacteria reside in the mucus layer covering the gastric epithelium, and therefore the type of protective measures that could confer resistance appear to be limited. Although H. pylori infection stimulates strong local and systemic specific IgA and IgG antibody production, the influence of antibodies on bacterial colonization and gastric inflammation is still controversial. Recent findings Recent studies in experimental animal models have indicated a non-essential role of specific antibodies for host resistance against H. pylori infection. Recent data show that protection is mediated by T cells, CD4 T helper type 1 cells, in particular. Antibodies are not only dispensable for protection, but they impair both the elimination of bacteria and the development of gastritis. This effect appears to be IgA-dependent and is not a function of specific IgM or IgG antibodies. Summary This review highlights the recent advances in our understanding of how antibodies may influence the development of gastric inflammation and bacterial colonization. Such information can significantly increase our basic knowledge of immune regulation and protection against H. pylori infection, but can also indicate new strategies for vaccine development.


Investing in the health of women and girls has been shown to produce good returns not only for women and girls, but also for the society as a whole. It yields high returns on investment through improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and reduced health care costs.
Over the past decades the terms women's health and reproductive health were used interchangeably to refer to conditions related to pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care only. However, with the improvement in life expectancy, reduction in maternal mortality ratios and the constant reduction in fertility rates, women now enjoy more years and are exposed to risk factors and diseases that are not always related to the reproductive function. Women in the post-menopausal period undergo physiological and psychological changes that may cause discomfort or change their response to several risk factors, and some diseases may present differently in women than in men. With this in mind, and in an attempt to better understand and respond to women's comprehensive health needs, the WHO Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO/EMRO) launched a programme on women's health to generate and analyze evidence related to women's overall health beyond the reproductive component and propose relevant solutions. We need to act now to ensure that health services for women are available, acceptable, and accessible, to ensure that women's health needs are well-covered in the hope of achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.


ISSUES
Male-to-female intimate partner violence remains a worldwide public health issue with adverse physical and psychological consequences for victims, perpetrators and children. Personality disorders, addiction, trauma and mood symptoms are established risk factors for intimate partner violence perpetration and factor prominently into a recovery-oriented treatment approach.

APPROACH
We reviewed the partner violence literature for detailed reports of traditional as well as innovative, integrated treatment approaches. Empirically based recommendations for intervention programs and the policies that guide intervention efforts are offered.

KEY FINDINGS
Nascent research suggests that integrated treatment models utilising a holistic approach to account for psychological comorbidity and interventions that involve a motivational interviewing component appear promising in terms of significantly improving intimate partner violence treatment compliance and reducing subsequent acts of physical partner violence. Further, methodologically rigorous research is required to fully assess the benefits of traditional and integrated treatment options.

IMPLICATIONS
We have advanced several recommendations, including the development of and exclusive reliance upon empirically supported treatments, conducting a thorough risk and needs assessment of the offender and the immediate family to facilitate appropriate treatment referrals, integrating content to foster the offender's internal motivation to change maladaptive behaviours, and attempting to minimise offender treatment burdens through the strategic use of integrated treatment models.

CONCLUSIONS
Intimate partner violence is a complicated and nuanced problem that is perpetrated by a heterogeneous population and requires greater variability in integrated treatment options. [Crane CA, Easton CJ. Integrated treatment options for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:24-33].


The modern military aircraft can be defined as a System of Systems (SoS); several distinct systems operating simultaneously across boundary interfaces. As the on-board subsystems have become more complex and diverse, the development process has become more isolated. When considering thermal management of distributed heat loads, the aircraft has become a collection of individually optimised components and subsystems, rather than the implementation of a single system to perform a given task. Avionic thermal management is quickly becoming a limiting factor of aircraft performance, reliability and effectiveness. The challenge of avionic thermal management is growing with the increasing complexity and power density of avionic packages.

The aircraft relies on a heat rejection growth capacity to accommodate the additional through-life avionic heat loads. Growth capacity is defined as an allowable thermal loading growth designed into the system by the underutilisation of spatial and cooling supply at aircraft introduction; however, this is a limited resource and aircraft subsystem cooling capability is reaching a critical point. The depleted growth capacity coupled with increased avionic power demands has led to component thermal failure. However, due to the poor resolution of existing data acquisition, experimental facilities or thermodynamic modeling, the exact inflight-operating conditions remain relatively unknown.

The knowledge gap identified in this work is the lack of definitive methodology to generate high fidelity data of in-flight thermal conditions of fast-jet subsystems and provide evidence towards effective future thermal management technologies. It is shown that, through the development of a new methodology, the knowledge gap can be reduced and as an output of this approach the unknown system behaviour can be defined. A multidisciplinary approach to the replication, analysis and optimisation of a fast-jet TMS is detailed. The development of a new Ground Test Facility (GTF) allows previously unidentified system thermal behaviour to be evaluated at component, subsystem and system level.

The development of new data to characterise current thermal performance of a fast jet TMS allows recommendations of several new technologies to be implemented through a component led integrative system optimisation. This approach is to consider the TMS as a single system to achieve a single goal of component thermal management. Three technologies are implemented to optimise avionic conditions through the minimisation of bleed air consumption, improve avionic reliability through increased avionic component isothermalisation and increase growth capacity through improved avionic heat exchanger fin utilisation. These component level technologies improved system level performance. A reduction in TMS bleed air consumption from 1225kg to 510kg was found to complete a typical flight profile. A peak predicted aircraft specific fuel consumption saving of 1.23% is seen at a cruise flight condition because of this approach to avionic thermal management.


The employment of device monitoring, diagnosis and condition-based maintenance is one of the potential approaches for enhancing operational efficiency and reducing energy consumption of industrial machines. Industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) for device monitoring are appealing to industry due to their inherent advantages compared with traditional wired systems, such as low cost, convenience of installation and re-location. In this paper, firstly the design requirements of IWSNs are outlined based on surveying application examples and commercial systems. Secondly the wireless protocol standards, current off-the-shelf wireless sensor platforms and prototypes developed by individual researchers for IWSNs are listed and compared. The paper then describes two techniques for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of industrial wireless sensors systems - on-sensor data processing, and a modified MAC protocol for improved real-time performance. Finally possible solutions to deal with particular requirement of IWSNs, including a system architecture and a novel protocol stack for a monitoring system are discussed.


Recent Australian government policy for developing northern Australia applies a standard financial model that disregards the importance of Ecosystem Services (ES), and the significance of associated socio-cultural ES for the wellbeing of Indigenous people who constitute the majority of the regional rural population. First, we assess available ES methods for valuing an Indigenous estate, Fish River Station (FRS), representative of 'typical' regional savannas. Second, we estimate the direct (fire and weed management) and indirect (foregone income from pastoral enterprise) costs associated with maintaining those services. For valuation of ES, we applied a conventional Basic Value Transfer technique using global databases including available regional studies—providing valuations of USD 286 and 84M y-1, respectively. However, constituent studies used in these valuations had limited relevance to both the ecosystems and socio-cultural contexts of our study. For evaluating Indigenous socio-ecological benefits of ES, estimated conservatively at USD 2.21M y-1, we applied a local wellbeing valuation technique. The minimum costs required to maintain ES flows were estimated as USD 5.6 ha-1 y-1. Our study illustrates that, to better inform regional development policy, significant challenges remain for appropriate valuation of ES from north Australian savannas, including recognition of socio-cultural services and wellbeing benefits incorporating Indigenous values.


Abstract Purpose The aim of the current study was to (i) to calculate organ equivalent dose (OED) and (ii) to estimate excess absolute risks (EARs), lifetime attributable risks (LARs) and relative risks (RRs) from stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for lung cancer to in-field, close to field, and out of field structures. Methods A total of five patients with T1, T2 (≤4 cm), N0, M0 medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer were selected for treatment planning. Patient selection criteria were based on RTOG 0236. Five treatment deliveries were investigated: (i) three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), (ii) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), (iii) intensity-modulated radiotherapy with flattening filter free beam (IMRTF), (iv) volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and (v) volumetric modulated arc therapy with flattening filter free arcs (VMATF). Delineated normal structures included chest wall, left and right lung, trachea, small and large airways, spinal cord, oesophagus and involved ribs. All plans were prescribed to 60 Gy in five fractions to primary planning target volume (PTV) volume so that ≥98% of the PTV received ≥98% of the prescription dose and internal tumour volume received 100% of the prescription dose. The OED for all delineated normal structures was calculated using differential dose volume histograms. Using risk models, the age-dependent LAR's and RR were calculated. Additionally, the secondary cancer risk for organs inside primary radiation was analysed using sarcoma and carcinoma risk models. Results For all patients, the mean V20 volumes from the SABR plans were 4·1% (3DRT), 11·8% (IMRT), and 12·7% (VMAT), respectively. The EAR (combining all organs EAR) for all the organs studied, ranged from 8·5 to 10·6/10,000 persons/year for VMATF and 3DCRT, respectively. The EAR (combining all organs EAR) for all the organs studied, ranged from 8·5 to 10·6/10,000 persons/year for VMATF and 3DCRT, respectively. The absolute EAR difference between IMRT and IMRTF was low ranging from 0·2 to 0·4/10,000 persons-year, whereas delivery difference (IMRT and VMAT) had a significant impact on EAR with absolute difference ranging from 0·5 to 1·0/10,000 persons-year for IMRT and VMAT and 1·1–1·5/10,000 persons-year for IMRTF, VMATF, respectively. The LAR data showed a strong dependence on age at exposure and the LAR decreased as a function of age at exposure. The absolute attributable risk of bone sarcoma was lower with the VMAT plan and was significantly higher with the 3DCRT plan. Conclusion From a clinical perspective, it should be concluded that all five solutions investigated in the study can offer high quality of patient treatments and only estimates of radiation-induced malignancies can truly differentiate among them. The results suggested it would be reasonable to use the cumulative LAR difference when needed to select between treatment techniques. In conclusion, the LAR of radiation-induced secondary cancer was significantly lower when using VMATF than when using IMRT for SABR lung patients. VMATF would be the right choice for the treatment of SABR lung patients in terms of LAR. However, more work is required for the specific estimation and long-term validation and updating of the models behind LAR estimation.


The scaphoid is the most commonly fractured carpal bone, accounting for between 60% and 70% of all carpal fractures. Approximately 80% of the surface of the scaphoid is covered by cartilage, which limits its ligamentous attachment and vascular supply. The majority of scaphoid fractures occur at the waist. Acute stable fractures or incomplete fractures of the scaphoid may be treated nonoperatively, resulting in a high rate of fracture union. Although closed treatment of stable fractures of the scaphoid is associated with a high rate of healing, this method requires prolonged cast immobilization, which may lead to muscle atrophy, possible joint contracture, disuse osteopenia, and potential financial hardship. Because of this, internal fixation of minimally displaced fractures of the scaphoid has become popular. There is a consensus that scaphoid nonunions and fractures of the proximal pole of the scaphoid should be treated operatively. What's hot in the management of scaphoid fractures is the development of percutaneous arthroscopic techniques of scaphoid stabilization that minimize surgical morbidity. In addition, what's hot in scaphoid fracture treatment is a significant improvement in the treatment of difficult scaphoid nonunions with use of vascularized bone grafts. What's not hot in scaphoid fracture treatment is prolonged immobilization for unstable fractures when surgical stabilization may have been the best option. This discussion will describe percutaneous, arthroscopic reduction, mini dorsal and open volar approaches to the scaphoid, and vascularized bone-grafting for resistant scaphoid fracture nonunions.

### Prevalence of Scaphoid Fractures

The scaphoid is the most commonly fractured carpal bone and accounts for 60% to 70% of all carpal fractures. The majority of scaphoid fractures are relatively low-energy injuries and usually occur in young men.

### Scaphoid Anatomy

The scaphoid bone is the only carpal bone that bridges both the proximal and distal rows, thereby being subjected to continuous shearing and bending forces. Approximately 80% of the surface of …


We recently proposed a structural model for the Si!331"-!12!1" surface reconstruction containing silicon pentamers and adatoms as elementary structural building blocks. Using first-principles density functional theory we here investigate the stability of a variety of adatom configurations and determine the lowest-energy configuration. We also present a detailed comparison of the energetics between our model for Si!331"-!12 !1" and the adatom-tetramer-interstitial model for Si!110"-!16!2", which shares the same structural building blocks.


Not all individuals log into an online social networking (OSN) website because they have deliberately reflected on how useful and fun it will be. For some users, this post-adoptive use decision requires a less deliberate process based on past experience. For still others, the decision is automatic and requires little, if any, reflection on beliefs or prior experiences. While past research has examined these different post-adoptive thought processes, no research to date has done so in an OSN context. This study develops a research model that combines reflective, transitional, and non-reflective thought processes into a comprehensive model of post-adoptive OSN intention. We test the hypotheses with cross sectional data collected from Facebook users. We find that all three thought processes predict intention, although the effects of experience on intention during the transitional and non-reflective thought processes are strongest. Results also show that habit, enjoyment, trust, usefulness, and privacy concern predict OSN continuance intention.


Historically, now we have an unprecedentedly large amount of data available in various systems, and the growth of data volumes is rapid and continuous. The numbers of scientific papers published per year are higher than ever before. While it is desirable to have the context of the users of a social system known and represented in a machine-readable form, capturing this context is notoriously complex (as social context is more difficult to measure with simple sensors, unlike some physical characteristics). This complexity applies especially to the domain of emotions, but also to other context information relevant for social systems and social sciences (for example, in case of experimental study set up in sociology or marketing, detailed user profiles, exact background and experimental settings need to be recorded in a precise manner). Which data and scientific findings get shared, for which purposes, and how? How to address open and closed data, and reproducibility crisis? How to convert Big Data into Smart Data, which is interpretable by both machine and human? And how to make sure that the resulting Smart Data is trustworthy and appropriately handling biases? In my talk, I discuss these questions from the technical perspective, and give examples for relevant solutions implemented with Semantic Web technology, linked data, knowledge graphs and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data management. Specifically, I will be discussing experiences with combining machine learning and knowledge graphs for semantic representation of emotions. Further, I will talk about research data infrastructures and tools for social sciences that can facilitate semantic interoperability and bring more meaning with sharing semantic representation of context, such as one about emotions. Such semantic representations and infrastructures can serve as a basis for industrial applications, including recommender systems, personal assistants and chatbots, and also serve to improve research data management in social sciences.


To teach operations management (OM), we had students work full time in companies, analyzing problems and developing solutions. Fifteen students worked in different companies but on related OM topics, and we created many opportunities for them to exchange knowledge, ideas, and experiences. We organized the project around supply chains in the electrical installation industry and in the pharmaceutical industry and involved manufacturers, wholesalers, and installers or pharmacists. It was important to keep the complexity of the analyses manageable, to stimulate information exchange between the companies, and to separate analysis from negotiation over the sharing of benefits. The Supply-Chain Logistics and Information Management (SLIM) project was valuable for students and for university staff, and it helped the companies to develop and implement improvements in their supply chains.


Directing a liquid droplet after or upon impacting a solid is crucial in many biological, sustainable, environmental, and engineering applications. Despite significant progress in the translational motion of droplets on surfaces, a fundamental dynamic understanding of directional bouncing of an impinging droplet needs to be developed and improved. Here, we investigate the projectile motion of a droplet after impacting the superhydrophobic interfaces with various roughness gradients at room temperature. The results reveal that an initial oblique velocity and the reactive force generated in intrinsic gyration (seesaw effect) engender the preferential bouncing motion of a droplet towards a region with lower roughness. An arbitrary planar force is used to describe the basic mechanical model. New anti-gravity pendulum dynamics are deduced and demonstrated by tuning the model and adjusting the substrate gradient and the impact position. The direction of droplet transport is also flexibly adjusted by changing the structural parameter and the inclined angle of the substrate. This acts as a tri-directional rectifier and might be useful for creating a miniature musical fountain. This work advances the understanding of directed droplet transportation and also provides a promising approach to delicately control liquid motion by actuating a force model upon a designed interface.


Background: Hepatectomy and additional common bile duct exploration are required for the treatment of left-sided hepatolithiasis (LSH). Methods: Eligible LSH patients (n = 62) scheduled for open left lateral segmentectomy or left hemihepatectomy with intraoperative biliary exploration via the left hepatic duct orifice (LHD group, n = 35) or the common bile duct (CBD group, n = 27) were retrospectively studied. T-tube insertion was performed on selected patients. Primary outcome measures included overall operative time, length of hospital stay, intraoperative complications, residual stones, and postoperative bile leaks. Results: There were no residual stones observed in the 2 groups. Ten patients in the CBD group received T-tube placement, whereas no patients in the LHD group received T-tube placement. There were more patients in the CBD group suffered intraoperative complications and postoperative bile leakage than LHD group (P < .05). The LHD group had a significantly shorter operative time and hospitalization than the CBD group (P < .05). Conclusion: For left-sided hepatolithiasis patients with a history of biliary tract surgery, LHD cholangioscopy is an accessible technique that simplifies the operation procedure by avoiding choledochotomy and subsequent T-tube insertion, which results in lower complication rates as well as shorter operative duration and length of hospitalization.


Literature has consistently documented links between contextual factors and developmental outcomes in inner city youth. Most of these associations, however, have been cross-sectional in nature. Furthermore, there is only a limited understanding of the pathways contributing to maladjustment and resilience in this population. While ethnographic studies have taken into account factors of academic failure and hopelessness, quantitative studies have lagged. The present study examines these issues by addressing the main question of how the experiences of low-income, African-American children contribute to later maladjustment or resilience, focusing on academic failure and hopelessness as significant mediators in the pathway to later outcomes.Specific aims of the proposed study are to determine whether 1) a hypothesized mediational model of the development of inner-city minority youth is supported as a better fit for the data from a multicohort, longitudinal study, than competing non-mediational models, 2) gender, religiosity, extracurricular involvement, and affiliation with prosocial peers moderate the associations specified within the model, and 3) there is a subgroup within this larger sample with higher levels of hopelessness who are significantly more likely to suffer from the risks and outcomes in the model as compared to their lower hopelessness counterparts. The following document begins with an introduction to outcomes in this population and links between contextual factors and outcomes. This is followed by a section devoted to academic failure and hopelessness as mediators, beginning with a description of why one would expect these to function as contributors to later maladjustment. As a conceptual framework, a model of the development of inner-city youth is presented, and each of its components included in the current study is described. Following this is a section that describes methodological improvements of the current study over existing research, including developmental considerations, multiple domains of risks, and mechanisms driving the associations. Primary questions are stated next. The methods section of the document then identifies the sample and describes the study procedures. Lastly, the results section outlines the findings from the completed analyses, followed by the conclusion which revisits the questions and the results from the current study and suggests directions for future researchers.


Rivers are usually exposed to floods that cause significant human and financial loss, for which structures are considered in the rivers for preventing floods and reducing damage. In this way, it is necessary to acquire design discharge for building these structures. The case study was conducted on the Tar River of Ghazi Station in Tehran Province, which originates from 1 km west of Tar Lake in 13 km east of Damavand. The Tar River is one of the tributaries of Damavand River. In this study, the cross section of the river was first measured through surveying and existing maps. The design discharge of flood control structures was designed using the methods described in this study. Moreover, the stage-discharge table was used to obtain the Manning roughness coefficient. The effective discharge was calculated using the sediment rating curve and sediment frequency histogram, while the bankfull discharge was derived from the return period of 17 years discharge record and fitting of Gumbel distribution to the data. The results indicated that the average of dominant, effective, and bankfull discharges could be the appropriate design discharge for the river, as their values are significantly close to each other. However, there is no need to use flood control structures in this river, due to the occurrence of medium frequent flood events in the river.


We prove that every place of an algebraic function field F|K of arbitrary characteristic admits local uniformization in a finite extension F' of F. We show that F'|F can be chosen to be normal. If K is perfect and P is of rank 1, then alternatively, F' can be obtained from F by at most two Galois extensions; if in addition P is zero-dimensional, then we only need one Galois extension. Certain rational places of rank 1 can be uniformized already on F. We introduce the notion of "relative uniformization" for arbitrary finitely generated extensions of valued fields. Our proofs are based solely on valuation theoretical theorems, which are of fundamental importance in positive characteristic.


In this study, we focused on the geographical and the meterological conditions, the atmospheric examination, the soil contents and compositions in order to establish cultural properties conservation plan in Gyeongju and its surroundings. Also, the transport route with environmental contaminants in Ulsan and Pohang was examined. The results could be summarized as follows ; Air pollutant and environmental contaminant was transported by two types of winds. One is induced by local winds, the other is induced by synoptic winds. Air contaminant transported from coastal regions to inland regions were associated with wind velocity. Gyeongju had good atmospheric conditions, Ⅰ.e. SO₂ 0.009~0.011 ppm, CO 0.6~0.8 ppm, NO₂ 0.015~0.020 ppm, O₃ 0.017~0.032 ppm, PM_(10) 46~62 μg/㎥ and Pb 0.034~0.060 μg/㎥, which was below environmental air quality standards and was little lower than those of Pohang and Ulsan. However, Ulsan and Pohang city are located on south-east coast and have many industrial facilities. Hence, air pollution problems become serious issues in Ulsan, Pohang, Busan, Daegu and other cities due to the emission of air pollutants from the various industrial facilities, incinerator and power plants, etc. The soil of Gyeongju had heavy metals conditions, Ⅰ.e. Cd 0.01~0.08 mg/kg, Cu N.D~2.39 mg/kg, As N.D~0.07 mg/kg, Hg N.D~0.15 mg/kg, Pb 0.49~1.39 mg/kg, Cr^(+6) 0.02~0.42 mg/kg, Fe 0.74~1.55 mg/kg, Mn 0.11~0.49 mg/kg and Zn 1.11~3.56 mg/kg. However, pH value of soil had range of 4.12~7.45. The results showed that high pH concentration of soil could occur due to air pollution diffusion and environmental contaminant transport at Ulsan and Pohang city.


Abstract In this paper, I make a case for appreciating the 'agonistics of democracy' by reflecting on political changes in the state of Bihar in eastern India since 1990. These changes compel us to appreciate the substantive deepening of democracy in Bihar despite the absence of values commonly associated with liberalism. I first highlight the emergence of 'Backward Caste' assertion in the state, which sought to construct the broadest possible alliance against the so-called 'Forward Castes' and culminated in the ascendancy of the Janata Dal government of Lalu Prasad Yadav in 1990. I next point to the inchoate antagonism harboured by poor people against the privileged who seek to assert their caste supremacy. Describing the vocabularies of dignity in which such supremacy is contested, I demonstrate that conflict is entwined with co-operation in poor people's quotidian engagements with the privileged classes. In conclusion, I argue that an 'agonistics of democracy' allows us to step beyond the limitations of existing approaches to theorising democracy. I focus in particular on two such approaches: the liberalism-inspired approach dominant in many contemporary readings of democracy in India, and the critical alternatives offered by the political society-centred approach. The agonistic approach to democracy proposed in this paper enables scholars to leverage the strengths of both these approaches while avoiding their pitfalls.


While flow cytometry continues to be a critical tool for immunologists, one of the more difficult aspects of this practice is panel design. Fully resolving dim populations of interest can be challenging. Low antigen density, fluorescence spillover, available fluorochromes and limited catalog offerings are just a few of the factors that make panel design difficult often leading to sub-optimal resolution. Previously, we have shown that following a basic set of principles can reduce the number of iterations needed to maximize the resolution for populations of interest. Here we show how recent developments, including the BD Horizon™ Guided Panel Solution (GPS) and BD OptiBuild™ reagents, help simplify panel design even further. The BD GPS was designed with the best practices of panel design at its core. By guiding the user through critical steps in this process and flagging potential problem areas in a proposed panel, the GPS minimizes the need for early panel iteration. BD OptiBuild reagents vastly improves the catalog offering of fluorochrome/specificity combinations, thus reducing the need for panel redesign due to limited reagent availability. To demonstrate the utility of these new tools, we walk through panel design for an 8 color assay on both 3 laser (8 parameter) and 5 laser (18 parameter) systems. The analysis of these panels shows that by using these tools, the chances of obtaining a successful panel increase. Additionally, panel design can be made easier and population resolution improved when utilizing a 5 laser system where impacts of spillover and spread can be minimized. Together, using these tools and approaches the goal is to minimize the number of iterations required to develop panels that meet the needs of the investigator.


In September 1994, Lawrence P. Rockwood, then a counterintelligence officer with the U.S. Army's Tenth Mountain Division, was deployed to Haiti as part of Operation Restore Democracy, the American-led mission to oust the regime of Raoul Cedras and reinstall President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Shortly after arriving in-country, Captain Rockwood began receiving reports of human rights abuses at the local jails, including the murder of political prisoners. He appealed to his superiors for permission to take action but was repeatedly turned down. Eventually, after filing a formal complaint with an army inspector general, he set off to inspect the jails on his own. The next day, Captain Rockwood found himself on a plane headed back to the United States, where he was tried by court-martial, convicted on several counts, and discharged from military service. In this book, Rockwood places his own experience within the broader context of the American military doctrine of "command responsibility" - the set of rules that holds individual officers directly responsible for the commission of war crimes under their authority. He traces the evolution of this doctrine from the Civil War, where its principles were first articulated as the "Lieber Code," through the Nuremberg trials following World War II, where they were reaffirmed and applied, to the present. Rockwood shows how in the past half-century the United States has gradually abandoned its commitment to these standards, culminating in recent Bush administration initiatives that in effect would shield American commanders and officials from prosecution for many war crimes. The Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prison abuse scandals, the recently disclosed illegal CIA detention centers, the unprecedented policy of tolerating acts considered as torture by both international standards and U.S. military doctrine, and the recent cover-ups of such combat-related war crimes as the Haditha massacre of November 2005, all reflect an "official anti-humanitarian" trend, Rockwood argues, that is at odds with our nation's traditions and principles.


Teeth are a classic model system of organogenesis, as repeated and reciprocal epithelial and mesenchymal interactions pattern placode formation and outgrowth. Less is known about the developmental and genetic bases of tooth formation and replacement in polyphyodonts, which are vertebrates with continual tooth replacement. Here, we leverage natural variation in the threespine stickleback fish Gasterosteus aculeatus to investigate the genetic basis of tooth development and replacement. We find that two derived freshwater stickleback populations have both convergently evolved more ventral pharyngeal teeth through heritable genetic changes. In both populations, evolved tooth gain manifests late in development. Using pulse-chase vital dye labeling to mark newly forming teeth in adult fish, we find that both high-toothed freshwater populations have accelerated tooth replacement rates relative to low-toothed ancestral marine fish. Despite the similar evolved phenotype of more teeth and an accelerated adult replacement rate, the timing of tooth number divergence and the spatial patterns of newly formed adult teeth are different in the two populations, suggesting distinct developmental mechanisms. Using genome-wide linkage mapping in marine-freshwater F2 genetic crosses, we find that the genetic basis of evolved tooth gain in the two freshwater populations is largely distinct. Together, our results support a model whereby increased tooth number and an accelerated tooth replacement rate have evolved convergently in two independently derived freshwater stickleback populations using largely distinct developmental and genetic mechanisms. Highlighted article: Analyses of the natural variation in threespine stickleback populations reveal that largely distinct mechanisms underlie convergently evolved changes in tooth patterning.


This paper focuses on understanding the practice of teacher educators in implementing the Intel® Teach Essentials Course at four sites in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan. The focus is on teacher educators' practices rather that the practice of teachers and hence the research sites selected for the study are teacher education institutions where the Intel® Teach Program is being implemented for teaching prospective teachers. A qualitative study was undertaken selecting 21 teacher educators and interviewing them on key objectives of the Intel Teach program. The findings are encouraging, and show that teachers in both rural and urban areas have benefited from the program. Access to computers, follow-up activities and integration of the course in the syllabi of TEI institutions are challenges that need constant attention. Recommendations in three areas (a) changes/modification in the Intel course and delivery, (b) follow-up activities and (c) policy initiatives are included.


Abstract The present study aims to describe the ways in which art education impacts community life through art products. The sample consists of 32 teachers/creators in various fields of work such as fine arts, composition, literature, musical interpretation, choreography and acting. Categorical content analysis is used for data analysis. The highest-ranking emerging theme is related to the means of educational intervention in the community through art. Artistic education leads to empowerment and emancipation by provoking people to think differently while the exposure to artistic creations has a therapeutic effect and contributes to identifying new ways of action. Artists in the role of teachers feel a responsibility both for the educational process and also for the emotional message that their creative product transmits to the audience.


Conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are ineffective for the treatment of advanced thyroid tumors like poorly differentiated papillary, anaplastic, and medullary thyroid cancer. In the attempt to evaluate the possibility of using retinoic acid (RA) in the treatment of thyroid cancer refractory to conventional therapy, we studied the effect of all-trans-RA treatment on five human thyroid cancer cell lines. We found that WRO and NPA, derived from follicular and poorly differentiated human thyroid carcinoma, respectively, showed a growth inhibition after 25 and 21 d of RA treatment. Both apoptosis and a decrease in DNA synthesis were observed as mechanisms of growth inhibition. In the NPA cell line, a delay of cell-cycle progression has also been observed. On the contrary, we did not observe any recovery of mRNA expression of thyroid-specific genes and in particular of the sodium iodide symporter gene. The lack of recovery of radioiodide uptake after all-trans-RA treatment confirmed the inability to reexpress sodium iodide symporter mRNA. The main difference between the all-trans-RA responding cells (WRO and NPA) and the nonresponding cells [ARO, FRO (derived from human anaplastic thyroid tumors) and TT (derived from human medullary thyroid tumor)] was the basal and all-trans-RA induced RA receptor (RAR)beta mRNA expression. Interestingly, 14 thyroid tumors (10 papillary and four anaplastic) showed a significant lower expression of RARbeta mRNA when compared with normal thyroid tissues. In agreement with this result, only 30% of papillary thyroid carcinomas analyzed were positive for RARbeta protein expression with a degree of expression that was much lower than that found in normal thyroid tissue. In conclusion we found that all-trans-RA treatment can determine a significant in vitro growth inhibition especially in differentiated thyroid tumor-derived cell lines but it seems unable to reinduce the expression of thyroid-specific genes and in particular to reinduce the ability to take up iodine. The growth inhibition is likely due to apoptosis in an early phase and to a decrease of DNA synthesis later. In some cases, a delay of the cell-cycle progression also may be responsible for the growth inhibition. The finding of a basal and RA-induced RARbeta mRNA expression only in cell lines responding to all-trans-RA suggests that the growth inhibition might be mediated by RARbeta.


In the quest for mathematical foundations of M-theory, the"Hypothesis H"that fluxes are quantized in Cohomotopy theory, implies, on flat but possibly singular spacetimes, that M-brane charges locally organize into equivariant homotopy groups of spheres. Here we show how this leads to a correspondence between phenomena conjectured in M-theory and fundamental mathematical concepts/results in stable homotopy, generalized cohomology and Cobordism theory Mf: Stems of homotopy groups correspond to charges of probe p-branes near black b-branes; stabilization within a stem is the boundary-bulk transition; the Adams d-invariant measures G4-flux; trivialization of the d-invariant corresponds to H3-flux; refined Toda brackets measure H3-flux; the refined Adams e-invariant sees the H3-charge lattice; vanishing Adams e-invariant implies consistent global C3-fields; Conner-Floyd's e-invariant is H3-flux seen in the Green-Schwarz mechanism; the Hopf invariant is the M2-brane Page charge (G7-flux); the Pontrjagin-Thom theorem associates the polarized brane worldvolumes sourcing all these charges. Cobordism in the third stable stem witnesses spontaneous KK-compactification on K3-surfaces; the order of the third stable stem implies 24 NS5/D7-branes in M/F-theory on K3. Quaternionic orientations correspond to unit H3-fluxes near M2-branes; complex orientations lift these unit H3-fluxes to heterotic M-theory with heterotic line bundles. In fact, we find quaternionic/complex Ravenel-orientations bounded in dimension; and we find the bound to be 10, as befits spacetime dimension 10+1.


In this report, a watermarking method for grayscale images is proposed that is invisible and robust to certain attacks. Chaotic maps are used to generate the watermark which improves the security of the method. The crown watermark is embedded in the real part of DFT domain and the embedding position is determined by the SURF algorithm. The peak signal-to-noise ratio is used to evaluate the perceived quality of the marked image. Normalized cross correlation is used for watermark detection. The original image is not required during the detection. Experiments are conducted to evaluate the robustness of the proposed method against different attacks on several images.


Background: Due to its immune system, the skin constitutes the first barrier against environmental attack such as chemical and physical agents or bacteria. The bacteria, viruses, archaea and fungi present on the superficial layers of the skin correspond to the cutaneous microbiota. Its composition is crucial to the balance of the immune system. It has already been shown that the composition of the microbiota affects the development of diseases such as atopic dermatitis (since an increase in Staphylococcus aureus has been described), but also diabetes and obesity. This microbiota imbalance (or dysbiosis) is mainly related to individual factors (age), diet, environmental (climate) and behavioral factors (hygiene, consumption of antibiotics).Aim: In our study, we are more interested in the effect of a stressful lifestyle on skin microbiota, and more especially on skin bacteria.Methods: We studied the skin microbiota from the faces of 70 healthy human subjects (aged 25 to 45 years). Firstly, we worked with 2 groups of 20 volunteers selected according to their stress level, using a validated stress score evaluation, known as the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Secondly, we tested the effect of a topical treatment on the skin microflora of a group of 30 volunteers who displayed a high stress index (PSS>27).Results: We identified a bacterial signature of stressed individuals in comparison to unstressed individuals in term of richness and diversity. We also identified some species that are more prevalent in stressed individuals, especially acidic and anaerobic bacteria, in relation to modified skin parameters (decreased skin pH, increased redness and a higher level of blemishes). We then identified some benefits to the skin microbiota of stressed individuals from a topical treatment, with an improvement in skin parameters (increased pH, reduced redness and fewer blemishes).Conclusion: This original study on healthy human skin microbiota will serve to direct future research addressing the role of skin microbiota in healthy people, and metagenomic projects addressing the complex physiological interactions between the skin and the microbes that populate this environment.


As we move towards an aging population, it is likely that an increasing number of people will require an increasing diversity of implants, but at a lower cost to the society. Also, as computer technology progresses, smaller, more powerful, and less battery intensive implants can be designed. However, present implant design methodology is highly inefficient at meeting these goals as it suffers from non-reuse of existing knowledge by relying heavily on custom designs and ASICs. The SiMS project was started with the goal of creating pre-designed, pre-tested, and pre-certified toolbox of components for biomedical implants that can be assembled in a modular fashion for various application scenarios. One of the most important components in such a tool-box is the processor. Designing such a processor is a non-trivial task and previous work has concentrated on studying the effect of changing the processor input-parameters (such as caches), one parameter at a time. The present work represents a shift in this methodology, as we now allow co-variation in all possible input parameters in order to find optimal configurations in terms of the output objectives - power, performance, and area. Towards this end, we implement ImpEDE -- "Implantable-processor Evolutionary Design-space Explorer" -- a framework that performs multi-objective optimization of processor parameters, and hence gives as output a Pareto optimal set of processors. The framework consists of a cache simulator and a cycle-accurate processor simulator running benchmarks and workloads designed for medical implants, in order to simulate the optimization objectives. A popular, highly configurable, multi-objective genetic algorithm, NSGA-II, performs the actual optimization. Supporting scripts add modularity by acting as the interface between the genetic algorithm and the simulators, enabling easy replacement with new simulators. The whole framework is parallelized such that extra computation cycles of the idle laboratory CPUs can be utilized, thereby giving a considerable speedup without requiring any special hardware. We perform experiments on the non-dominated solution fronts evolved by the framework on a sub-set of benchmarks, in order to optimize parameters of the genetic algorithm, with an aim towards speeding up convergence. We also examine the effects of changing the workload size run by the benchmarks. A solution Pareto optimal front consisting of optimal processor configurations across all benchmarks is found. This front is used as a reference in order to characterize the benchmarks in the ImpBench suite. Finally, the objective space of the reference front is compared to existing implant designs, and a set of "generic processors" are chosen such that all the existing implant applications studied can be covered.


AbstractCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We aimed to determine whether overweight (defined as a body mass index [BMI] > 25 kg/m2) contributed to subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE patients at low risk for CVD according to traditional factors.Wall thickness of the internal carotid artery (ICWT) measured at the carotid bulb and carotid plaques were assessed in 49 SLE patients asymptomatic for CVD and 49 controls matched on Framingham score. Factors associated to ICWT were identified and multivariate analysis was performed.SLE patients and controls displayed a low 10-year risk for CVD according to Framingham score (mean 1.9 ± 3.5 in SLE vs 1.8 ± 3.2% in controls, P = 0.37). ICWT (P < 0.001) and number of patients with carotid plaques (P = 0.015) were, however, higher in SLE patients as compared to controls. In multivariable analysis, SLE was an independent risk for a carotid atherosclerosis (OR [95% confidence interval, CI]: 3.53 [1.36–9.14]; P = 0.009). Older age, higher BMI, and higher Framingham score were associated with atherosclerosis in SLE patients in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, only the association with overweight remained significant (OR [95% CI]: 4.13 [1.02–16.75]; P = 0.047).Overweight is a major contributor to atherosclerosis in SLE patients at apparent low risk for CVD.


Screening for early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (before 36 months of age) allows an early diagnosis and early intervention programs that provide better developmental opportunities for the child. The objective of this chapter is to increase the knowledge about early signs of ASD enabling their early detection. The method used was a literature review of the early warning signs of autism spectrum disorder in children between 24 and 36 months of age in the domains that characterize this disorder.


Calmodulin-dependent nitric-oxide synthase from bovine brain and GHs pituitary cells is inhibited by imidazole, 1-phenylimidazole, 2-phenylimidazole, and 4-phenylimidazole, with half-maximal inhibition OCcurring at 200, 25, 160, and 600 FM concentrations of inhibitor, respectively. Imidazole inhibits the maximal velocity of citrulline formation by the enzyme, but does not alter the concentration of arginine, calmodulin, or (6R)-5,6,7,8,-tetrahydro-~-biopterin required for expression of half-maximal activity. Imidazole, 1phenylimidazole, 2-phenylimidazole, and 4-phenylimidazole had no effect on calmodulin-dependent reduction of cytochrome c by the enzyme at concentrations up to 50-fold higher than those that inhibited citrulline formation. Imidazole inhibited calmodulin-dependent NADPH consumption by the enzyme with dissolved oxygen as the sole electron acceptor, with half-maximal inhibition occurring at a concentration of 225 PM. These observations are consistent with the proposal that imidazole and phenylimidazoles inhibit citrulline formation and oxygen reduction by acting as a sixth coordination ligand of the heme iron. This interaction prevents the formation of the activated reduced species of oxygen necessary for the formation of citrulline.


Thailand has seen 13 coup d'etats since the 1932 revolution that established democracy in the country. This number marks Thailand as one of the countries experiencing most frequent coup d?etats. Therefore, the coup d?etat and the democracy in Thailand is one of the much-studied topics by many scholars. Some famous pieces of work include Thailand: The Politics of Despotic Paternalism by Thak Chaleumtiarana and The Plan to snatch the Nation: About the Stage and against Stage in the second term of Field Marshal P. Phibunsongkram (1948 - 1957) by Suthachai Yimprasert. Most of these researches focus on the political circumstance and the factors that supported the occurrence of the coup d'etat. These studies identify many factors that contributed to the success of the armed forces in overthrowing governments. However, the martial law, one of the important factors, has been always overlooked. Generally, the purpose of martial law imposition is to maintain peace in the society during wartime or in periods of civil unrest or chaos. The particular feature of martial law allows military armies to impose the law without government approvals. Once declared, it gives the ultimate power to the commander-in-chief of the army who becomes the person that everyone in the country must obey. This law preludes the way for the commander-in-chief to seize power from the civil government. Hence, it is unsurprising that the armed forces always declare martial law before it overthrows the government. Martial law has probably, in a way, become military's preparation for coup launching. This research will focus on how the armed forces use martial law to support their coup and how martial law becomes one of the most important military?s tools for launching a coup.


Lun yu , a masterpiece of ancient Chinese philosophy, is among the most influential books in Chinese history. Legge's English translation of lun yu has stood the test of time, distinguished as the standard work by which subsequent translations of the classics have been judged. The most remarkable quality of Legge's version is its faithfulness in content, owing to Legge's scholarly industry and keen perception of the original. Legge ensured a comprehension of Confucianism from his readership which is similar to the general Chinese interpretation. In spite of some referential and pragmatic inaccuracy, any careful, patient and judicious Western reader is able to perceive Confucius' key concepts (Ren, Li, etc.), and his ethical, political, philosophical and educational thoughts through Legge's translation. Legge had made a great contribution to the introduction of Confucianism and the Chinese culture to the West. Key words: Lun yu ; Legge; translation; faithfulness


We describe the case of an 81-year-old woman in whom a mass developed in the chest wall over 3 weeks. No previous mass in that area was reported. Physical examination was remarkable only for a 13 cm painless, purplish mass in the anterior chest wall. No masses were palpable in the anatomic breasts, and no lymphadenopathy was evident. Thoracoabdominal computed tomography showed a 3.5 x 7.0 cm necrotic mass; underlying muscle invasion could not be excluded. Wide excision of the tumor and underlying fascia was done, and margins were clear. Pathology showed a metaplastic carcinoma without continuity with either anatomic breast. Adjuvant radiotherapy was initiated because of the tumor's high-grade features. Twenty-six months after resection and adjuvant treatment, the patient continues to be free of disease. Metaplastic carcinoma is an unusual pathologic finding in the anatomic breast. This is the first report of its occurrence in ectopic breast tissue.


Conspiracy, Sarcasm and Confirmation of One's Own Identity. An Analysis of a Usenet Newsgroup about the Assassination of Dutch Politician Pim Fortuyn.
This article contains a content analysis of a Usenet newsgroup that started hours after the assassination in 2002 of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn and produced over 15,000 postings on this controversial politician. Political theories of public sphere and sociological theories about what motivations people have in participating in online political discussions underlie the analysis. The degree to which the newsgroup supports deliberative democracy and the roles that the most active participants play in this newsgroup are assessed. Results indicate that the newsgroup gives a forum to an often-unheard group of citizens, people who are normally not engaged in politics. Second, the newsgroup can give room to issues that are not on any institutionalized agendas. The roles played in this newsgroup are manifold. Only a few participants are engaged in a discussion pro and contra Pim Fortuyn. Most of the participants just express their identity, without taking into account the arguments put forward by their opponents. 3 Tables, 1 Figure, 1 Appendix, 27 References. Adapted from the source document.


Since the beginning of the financial crisis, a lively debate has emerged regarding which monetary policy rule the Fed (and other central banks) should follow, if any. To clarify this debate, several questions must be answered. Which monetary policy rule best the historical data? Which monetary policy rule best minimizes economic uncertainty and the Fed's loss function? Which rule is best in terms of household welfare? Among the different rules, are NGDP growth or level targeting rules a good option, and when? Do they perform better than Taylor-type rules? To answer these questions, we use Bayesian estimations to test the Smets and Wouters (2007) model under nine different monetary policy rules with US data from 1955 to 2015 and over three different sub-periods. We find that when considering only the central bank's loss function, the estimates generally indicate the superiority of NGDP level targeting rules, whatever the period. However, if other criteria are considered, the central bank's objectives are not consistently met by a single rule for all periods.


The new issue of Migration Letters reflects again on the complexities of a post-Covid 19 world, characterized by the overlapping of old and new migratory experiences, divided along old and new configurations of racial, ethnic and religious stratification. This issue includes several topics whose relevance in the inclusive recovery we wish for, has already been highlighted. These include the securitization of migration (Stefancik, Némethová and Seresová); the continuing relevance of global remittances (Biyase, Fisher and Pretorius); the structures of exclusion in naturalization process (Catherine Simpson Bueker); the health conditions of refugees (Mendola and Busetta) and the practices of 'othering' during the Covid-19 pandemic (Lumayag and Bala). The articles in this issue also focus on the integration and irregular migration in the South of Europe (Hüseyinoğlu and Utku; Cela and Barbiano di Belgiojoso; Kobelinsky and Furri; Terzakis and Daskalopoulou) as well as in affluent EU countries like Austria (Rauhut). Finally, two important contributions reflect on the gender perspective, a most relevant approach needed to counterbalance the gender bias in much of Covid analysis so far. These articles analyze in particular ethnic minorities' fertility practices in Southern Europe (Carella, Del Rey Poveda and Zanasi) and gender role perceptions among minorities in England and Wales (Zuccotti).


Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) provide an effective way to actualize applications such as environment monitoring, search and rescue, and scientific researches. However, the conventional ASVs depends overly on the stored energy. Hybrid Sailboat, mainly powered by the wind, can solve this problem by using an auxiliary propulsion system. The electric energy cost of Hybrid Sailboat needs to be optimized to achieve the ocean automatic cruise mission. Based on adjusted setting on sails and rudders, this paper seeks the optimal trajectory for autonomic cruising to reduce the energy cost by changing the heading angle of sailing upwind. The experiment results validate the heading angle accounts for energy cost and the trajectory with the best heading angle saves up to 23.7% than other conditions. Furthermore, the energy-time line can be used to predict the energy cost for long-time sailing.


Previously we revealed that the high toughness of double network hydrogels (DN gels) derives from the internal fracture of the brittle network during deformation, which dissipates energy as sacrificial bonds. In this study, we intend to elucidate the detailed internal fracture process of DN gels. We quantitatively analysed the tensile hysteresis and re-swelling behaviour of a DN gel that shows a well-defined necking and strain hardening, and obtained the following new findings: (1) fracture of the 1st network PAMPS starts far below the yielding strain, and 90% of the initially load-bearing PAMPS chains already break at the necking point. (2) The dominant internal fracture process occurs in the necking and hardening region, although the softening mainly occurs before necking. (3) The internal fracture efficiency is very high, 85% of the work is used for the internal fracture and 9% of all PAMPS chains break at sample failure. (4) The internal fracture is anisotropic, fracture occurs perpendicular to the tensile direction, in preference to the other two directions, but the fracture anisotropy decreases in the hardening region. Results (1) and (2) are in agreement with a hierarchical structural model of the PAMPS network. Based on these findings, we present a revised description of the fracture process of DN gels.


The article deals with authoritarian regimes based on charismatic leadership which can be also called caesarean. It analyzes the existing caesarean regimes of the Middle East and North Africa: their nature (progressive vs. conservative), characteristic features and prospects of their evolution. To achieve this goal the author uses a synthetic analytical approach based on ideas of Max Weber and Antonio Gramshi. This approach includes analysis of a number of key factors, such as conditions for eruption of a charismatic leader ('Caesar'), sources of legitimization, mechanisms of control and power transit, progressive or conservative nature of the regime, potential for turning the caesarean regime into a permanent one based on tradition of charismatic rule. The main conclusion of the paper is that the Middle East and North Africa are witnessing the arrival of the third generation of charismatic leaders, who will follow conservative instead of progressive agenda. On the regional scale it will bring relative stability to international relations (at least among the Arab states) while at domestic level the pressure of unresolved political, economic and social problems will be mounting resulting in a new wave of revolutions and instability in the midterm.


In the study the use of catch crops in potato production was evaluated. White mustard and rye were compared in terms of leaching prevention. Irrigation and N management are important aspects of sustainable potato production. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for potatoes and tends to have a determining effect on tuber yield. Nitrogen in farmyard manure may be released too late to be fully utilised by the potato crop and is prone to leaching. Potatoes are generally grown on light-textured soils and any residual N present in such soils may be carried beyond the reach of the shallow potato roots by irrigation water or rain, due to the low soil water-holding capacity. All potato production in Sweden causes N leaching, which can be minimised by growing a catch crop. In the comparison white mustard took up more N but most of it had mineralised by the following spring, while rye took up less N but made it available later in the following season.


Background: It remains unclear how demographic and clinical characteristics are related to the risk of incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by its subtypes. Moreover, the contribution of the subtypes of incident MCI to the progression to dementia remains puzzling. Methods: We used data collected by the National Alzheimer Coordinating Center. Our analysis sample included cognitively normal subjects at baseline. The associations were examined using competing-risks survival regression models and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: About 16.3% of subjects developed incident MCI of whom 15.8% progressed to Alzheimer disease (overall mean follow-up of 4.3 years). The risk of incident amnestic MCI (aMCI) was greater in subjects with 1 copy (subhazard ratio [SHR]: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.00–1.50) or 2 copies (SHR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.49–3.05) of the APOE ε4 allele than in those who had no ε4 allele. Multiple-domain aMCI patients were more likely to progress to dementia than single-domain aMCI patients (hazard ratio: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.28–3.58). Conclusions: Cognitively normal subjects with an APOE ε4 allele had a higher likelihood of developing aMCI and the MCI subtype was associated with the dementia subtype. Our findings provide important information about practical indicators for the prediction of cognitive decline.


Abstract. The application of Numerical Prediction Models to mineral dust cycle is considered of prime importance for the investigation of aerosol and non-CO2 greenhouse gases contributions in climate variability and change. In this framework, a modelling system was developed in order to provide a regional characterization of Saharan dust intrusions over Mediterranean basin. The model chain is based on three different modules: the atmospheric model, the dust emission model and transport/deposition model. Numerical simulations for a selected case study, June 2006, were performed in order to evaluate the modelling system effectiveness. The comparison of the results obtained in such a case study shows a good agreement with those coming from GOCART model. Moreover a good correspondence was found in the comparison with in-situ measurements regarding some specific crustal markers in the PM10 fraction.


Toy is indispensable for everyone in life. It's a carrier of culture and also a collateral product which can not be ignored. Since ancient time, intelligence toy is a kind of toy which is the source of innovation and entertainment for people. This thesis hopes to study the value of toys, especially the value of intelligence toys, for the purpose of arousing more attention to the toy design and development at the same time. The intelligence toy design has practical significance, not only conducive to the development of toys design, but also provide a theoretical basis for the nationalization and modernization of toys, as well as educational research, social science research and the development of national art.


Septicemia caused by phlegmone arising from acute suppurative apical periodontitis was reported.A 53 year-old male emergency patient was admitted to our hospital with the complaint of pain in left temporal region and marasmus. Anaerobic gram positive coccus was isolated by bacteriologic examination of blood and pus.The lesion was diagnosed as septicemia caused by phlegmone arising from apical periodontitis of left maxillary cuspid and was treated with antibiotics, incision and drainage. Postoperative course was uneventful and no recurrence was observed.


Chini lake water is used as a source of water for domestic, industrial and agriculture. The study was carried out to assess the water quality of the lake and surrounding area. Ten sampling sites were selected representing the open water body in the lake. A total of 14 water quality parameters viz.. temperature, EC, TDS, DO, pH, turbidity. BOD, COD, TSS, PO4, SO4, NH4, NO3 and salinity were measured. The lowest WQI value 77 was recorded at site S4, respectively, which were found to be slightly polluted. Considering the NWQS, temperature 30.04°C, EC 31.42 μS/cm, TDS 19.03 mg/l, NO3 - 0.21 mg/l, SO4 - 0.84 mg/l, PO4 - 0.05 mg/l, TSS 12.03 mg/l and salinity 0.03 ppt are categorized under class I, while DO 6.15 mg/l, pH 6.73, turbidity 4.22 NTU, BOD 1.63 mg/l, COD 19.50 mg/l and NH4-N 0.20 mg/l the lake water quality are categorized under class II. Total coliform was 273, 412, 868, 267, 495, 406, 929, 953, 441 and 398 cfu/100 ml at all S1 - S10 sites, respectively. While E. coli was found 13, 7, 13, 5, 7, 5, 6, 106, 10 and 7 cfu/100 ml, respectively at all S1 - S10 sites. The highest number of both total coliform 953 cfu/100ml and E. coli 106 cfu/100ml were observed at site S8. The sources of coliforms and E. coli pollution were wastes from human and animals and domestic effluent, which might be due to lack of improper sanitation systems and effects of land use from surrounding agricultural area.


In this article, we evaluate the corrosion behavior of the MAX phases Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC immersed in selected acidic solutions of 0.36mol H2SO4, HCl or HNO3 in order to determine the influence of the number of Ti atoms on corrosion resistance. The MAX phases Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC were synthesized by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of Ti-1.9TiC-Al and Ti-1.2TiC-Al powders mixture respectively at 1450°C for 2h under argon. The results indicate that Ti2AlC has better passivation than Ti3AlC2 in acidic environments. The corrosion resistance of Ti2AlC is mainly due to the rapid formation of a passive film on the surface. Its kinetic corrosion is managed by the dissolution rate of Al and Ti atoms in the acidic solutions. The AAS characterization showed that the Al atoms dissolved from Ti2AlC in the acidic solution are less than those dissolved from Ti3AlC2. This phenomenon reflects the influence of Ti atoms number on the corrosion resistance in the acid solution used.


Biological control of Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) using Diglyphus isaea (Walker) has been evaluated in tomato greenhouse, for three seasonal culture types: spring type (March-July), summer type (June-October) and autumn type (July-December). For spring type, totally 5.8 of D. isaea has been released at six times from late April, when the density of L. trifolii was about 1.0 individuals/plant. Corrected mortality of Liriomyza trifolii caused by parasitoids was 97.6% at early July, and the proportion of D. isaea was 88.9% of all parasitoids collected in the greenhouse. In the case of summer type, totally 1.8 of D. isaea has been released at five times from early July, when the density of 1. trifolii was about 0.4 individuals/plant. Corrected mortality of L. trifolii caused by parasitoids was 84.4% during the whole season, but the proportion of D. isaea was very low (only 13.8%). Immigrating parasitoids such as Chrysocharis penthus were synchronized to control the leafminer in the greenhouse. For autumn type, totally 2.7 of D. isaea has been released at four times from mid September, when the density of L. trifolii was about 0.7 individuals/plant. Corrected mortality of f. trifolii caused by parasitoids was 85.7% at mid December, and the proportion of the D. isaea was 83.4%.


The bioeconomy continues to be a contested field in the political debate. There is still no consensus on how a bioeconomy should be designed and anchored in society. Alternative bioeconomy concepts that deviate from the mainstream discourse and are based on small-scale, agro-ecological models are usually underrepresented in the debate. This also applies to Argentina, where the diversity of bioeconomic approaches has not yet been documented and analyzed. The objective of this paper is to identify bioeconomic approaches in Argentina, and characterize alternative, more socio-ecological and locally embedded approaches in order to make them more visible for the political debate. Based on literature research, categories were extracted that can be used to distinguish different types of the bioeconomy. Subsequently, these categories were used in an online survey of 47 enterprises representing different sectors of Argentina's bioeconomy. Using cluster analysis, three groups can be distinguished: a biomass, a biotechnology, and a bioembedded cluster. Argentina's bioeconomy seems to follow a path dependency logic, but new development paths are also opening up. The bioeconomic approaches discovered in Argentina are partly consistent with contemporary bioeconomy typologies, but there is also great diversity within the groups. All bioeconomic approaches have local connections, but are locally embedded in different ways. In addition to the differences between the bioeconomic approaches, two common elements could also be detected: an interest in sustainable use of natural resources and in building networks using synergies with other actors in the territory. These two elements mean that bioeconomic initiatives could pave the way for a new rural development model in Argentina.


As explained by George Steiner in Nostalgia for The Absolute (1974), after the decline of the formal religious systems and of the major theories-mythologies of the XIX-XX centuries as  well (Marxism, Freudian psychoanalysis and Levy-Straussian anthropology), in Western culture it has appeared a great moral and emotional  emptiness. In order to avoid this condition, Western emptiness has often been replaced with "irrational waves" of supernatural concepts as astrology, occultism and Orientalism. Thanks to this perspective, an Oriental cultural model can be used in Western society and find a new onset in an artistic form such as short poetry (already used in Western literature by the great Latin-American masters Jose Juan Tablada, Octavio Paz, Jorge Luis Borges and by some of the Spanish poets of the so called Generacion del 27). In Spain, in the last decade, thanks to the Eastern model, the haiku, an example of short poetry, has been a recurring model in the youngest poets' literature but also in their predecessors' poetry. The aim of this paper is to present a way among some writings of haiku, that in these last years has become an inevitable model in the exclusive practice and in combination with other poetic forms as well. We will see how poets use haiku in a standard way (the description of a moment of contemplation of nature) but also how they apply haiku's philosophy to the Western context. Spanish poets as Josep Maria Rodriguez, Aurora Luque or Manuel Lara Cantizani show how Eastern legacy can gain a greater and greater power, even if, in some cases, its aesthetical-poetical essence has been adapted to the Western Postmodern context that practices it.


The hype in agent research will not last forever. If the agent research community does not succeed in bringing its results into real-world application within the next two or three years it will share the fate of some other AI sections which are today thought to be just academic. Multi-agent systems applied to manufacturing are candidates for bringing the first breakthrough. To achieve that, methodologies l'or the design of agent systems for manufacturing by software developers are needed. This paper reports on the design process chosen in the MASCADA project, whose goal is not only to develop an algorithmic solution to manufacturing problems but also to show a transfer strategy for these results.


Monte Carlo simulations, FLUKA and Geant4, were performed to study mass attenuation for various types of soil at 59.5, 356.5, 661.6, 1173.2 and 1332.5 keV photon energies. Appreciable variations are noted for all parameters by changing the photon energy and the chemical composition of the sample. The simulations parameters were compared with experimental data and the XCOM program. The simulations show that the calculated mass attenuation coefficient values were closer to experimental values better than those obtained theoretically using the XCOM database for the same soil samples. The results indicate that Geant4 and FLUKA can be applied to estimate mass attenuation for various biological materials at different energies. The Monte Carlo method may be employed to make additional calculations on the photon attenuation characteristics of different soil samples collected from other places.


This paper presents a corpus design method for Text-To-Speech (TTS) synthesis application. The aim of this method is to build a corpus whose unit distribution approximates a given target distribution. Corpus selection can be expressed as a set covering problem, which is known to be NP-complete: we therefore resort to a heuristic approach, based on greedy algorithm. We propose the Kullback-Leibler divergence to guide the iterative selection of candidate sentences: indeed, this criterion gives the possibility to control the unit distribution at each step of the algorithm. We first show how to efficiently update, in an incremental manner, this criterion. We then present and discuss experimental results, where our selection algorithm is compared, for various unit sets, with alternative selection criteria.


Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and has been classified into five molecular subtypes based on gene expression profiles. Signaling processes linked to different breast cancer molecular subtypes and different clinical outcomes are still poorly understood. Aberrant regulation of Wnt signaling has been implicated in breast cancer progression. In particular Ror1/2 receptors and several other members of the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway were associated with aggressive breast cancer behavior. However, Wnt signals are mediated via multiple complex pathways, and it is clinically important to determine which particular Wnt cascades, including their domains and targets, are deregulated in poor prognosis breast cancer. To investigate activation and outcome of the Ror2-dependent non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway, we overexpressed the Ror2 receptor in MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells, stimulated the cells with its ligand Wnt5a, and we knocked-down Ror1 in MDA-MB231 cells. We measured the invasive capacity of perturbed cells to assess phenotypic changes, and mRNA was profiled to quantify gene expression changes. Differentially expressed genes were integrated into a literature-based non-canonical Wnt signaling network. The results were further used in the analysis of an independent dataset of breast cancer patients with metastasis-free survival annotation. Overexpression of the Ror2 receptor, stimulation with Wnt5a, as well as the combination of both perturbations enhanced invasiveness of MCF-7 cells. The expression–responsive targets of Ror2 overexpression in MCF-7 induced a Ror2/Wnt module of the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway. These targets alter regulation of other pathways involved in cell remodeling processing and cell metabolism. Furthermore, the genes of the Ror2/Wnt module were assessed as a gene signature in patient gene expression data and showed an association with clinical outcome. In summary, results of this study indicate a role of a newly defined Ror2/Wnt module in breast cancer progression and present a link between Ror2 expression and increased cell invasiveness.


Individuals without extremity function and rectus abdominis control are at increased risk for respiratory obstruction, arrest and loss of ability to call for assistance. To assist distressed patients, a simple and reliable head controlled signaling mechanism was designed for electric wheelchair use. Components are available in most communities. By using the device patients increase the response rate to their calls for help, and improve their sense of confidence and safety. The simplicity of the idea may serve to encourage staff to be likewise creative in solving other problems.


Solar photovoltaics is one of the most promising technologies for the non-carbon based electricity production. Power electronics is therefore necessary. In this paper a converter is analyzed which makes it possible to control the mean value of the output voltage, this is e.g. the voltage across a DC machine (and therefore the speed) from zero up to three times of the input voltage. The converter is also useful for charging batteries. The model of the drive, the design of the devices, the control features are discussed, feed-forward control based on solving the limit cycle is designed, some experimental results, and hints for the design are given.


Wave excited roll motion poses danger for moored offshore vessels such as Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) because they cannot divert to avoid bad weather. Furthermore, slack cargo tanks are almost always present in FPSOs by design. These pose an increased risk of roll instability due to the presence of free surfaces. The most common method of determining roll damping is roll decay tests, yet very few test have been performed with liquid cargo, and most liquid cargo experiments use tanks that span the entire width of the vessel; which is seldom the case for full scale FPSO vessels during normal operations. This paper presents a series of roll decay test carried out on a FPSO model with two two-row-prismatic tanks with different filling levels. To directly investigate the coupling between the liquid sloshing and the vessel motion, without modifying the damping, tests were performed at a constant draft. The equivalent linear roll damping coefficients consisting of linear, quadratic and cubic damping terms are analyzed for each loading condition using four established methods, the Quasi-linear method, Froude Energy method, Averaging method and the Perturbation method. The results show that the cubic damping term is paramount for FPSOs and at low filling levels, were the FPSO is more damped. Recommendations regarding the applicability of the methods, their accuracy and computational effort is given and the effect of the liquid motion on the vessel motion is discussed.


Abstract This study aimed to establish if there is any evidence that soil mineralogical and/or chemical composition influence the composition and quality of wine grapes. In the initial phase of the study, soils and grapes were sampled in two riesling vineyards in South Australia. Soils were analysed for a wide range of total major and trace elements; soil cation extracts and grape juices were analysed for 27 trace elements by ICP-MS and ICP-AES. The results show that grape juice properties such as Baumé and titratable acidity (TA) are clearly correlated with several plant-available trace elements in the soil. Most notable of these are Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb and Si. Soil clay content also plays a (lesser) role. The cations Ca, Sr, Ba and Pb are closely similar to one another in their relationships to Baumé and TA, strongly indicating that the correlations are real. It is evident from our results that soil cation chemistry does indeed have an influence on wine grape composition. Such knowledge has the potential to be used in better tailoring grape varieties to soils, and in managing--or modifying--soils for optimum viticultural results and better wines in a more sustainable way.


Cancer is a devastating disease, and there is no particularly effective treatment at present. Recently, a new treatment, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), has been proposed. At present, CAP is confirmed to have selective killing effect on tumor by many studies in vitro and in vivo. A targeted literature search was carried out on the study of cold atmospheric plasma. Through analysis and screening, a narrative review approach was selected to describe therapeutic effects of cold atmospheric plasma on solid tumor. According to the recent studies on plasma, some hypothetical therapeutic schemes of CAP are proposed in this paper. The killing mechanism of CAP on solid tumor is expounded in terms of the selectivity of CAP to tumor, the effects of CAP on cells, tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune system. CAP has many effects on solid tumors, and these effects are dose-dependent. The effects of optimal doses of CAP on solid tumors include killing tumor cells, inhibiting non-malignant cells and ECM in TME, affecting the communication between tumor cells, and inducing immunogenic death of tumor cells. In addition, several promising research directions of CAP are proposed in this review, which provide guidance for future research.


(1) In kidney and liver graft prophylaxis two large multicentre trials have compared tacrolimus to ciclosporin alone or combined with other immunosuppressants. They showed that the mortality one or two years after transplantation, and the incidence of irreversible graft rejection, did not differ according to the treatments received. (2) The safety profile of tacrolimus seems similar to that of ciclosporin, but it is difficult to draw firm conclusions because of inadequate follow-up and recent progress in tacrolimus assay and dose-adjustment methods. Hyperglycaemia, lymphoproliferative syndromes and cardiac effects might be more frequent on tacrolimus than on ciclosporin. (3) Until it is shown that the possible slight advantage of tacrolimus in terms of efficacy is not offset by greater toxicity, tacrolimus should be used only when ciclosporin is ineffective or poorly tolerated.


Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects 2 to 3% of the population. Several studies have shown that psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to the increased prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and chronic systemic inflammation that promotes the development of endothelial dysfunction and premature atherosclerosis. This literature review aims to evaluate the impact of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in endothelial function and the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. The studies conducted to date suggest that treatment of psoriasis with these drugs is associated with improvement in endothelial dysfunction markers and subclinical atherosclerosis and a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.


The role of ischemia itself, calcium overload and of reactive oxygen species (ROC) in reperfusion injury of the heart was characterized from the physiological, biochemical and morphological point of view. Experiments were performed on isolated rat hearts (Langndorff preparation), perfused at constant pressure of 65 Torr and 37 degrees C. The effect of ischemia was studied on the model of 30 min normothermic global ischemia with consequent 30 min reperfusion. Calcium overload and damage by ROS were modelled by Ca(2+)-paradox (3 min Ca(2+)-depletion followed by 10 min Ca(2+)-repletion) and by intraaortal bolus application of ROS-generating system (H2O2 + FeSO4) respectively. Evaluation of functional and biochemical parameters revealed that the changes in electrical activity, accumulation of lactate and the loss in total adenine nucleotides content in heart tissue may be well applied to characterize the participation of the above mechanisms on total reperfusion damage to the heart. Histochemically detected different patterns of distribution of enzyme activities also allow to distinguish between alterations caused by different factors of reperfusion injury.


Research was conducted to explore job satisfaction of employee in PT. Holcim Indonesia,Tbk.Thisstudycoveredforpermanentemployee.Thepurposeofthispaper is to investigate whether employee promotion, upward downward communication and work environment influences the job satisfaction of PT. Holcim Indonesia, Tbk. This paper is based on a questionnaire survey of all employee position (manager and non-manager) in all plant of Indonesia with a random sample of 225 employees, and the method of analysis used is the frequency distribution and path analysis. The Data was collected through a self-administered survey questionnaire. The questionnaire is adopted from a previous validated survey. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with Smart PLS. The results showed that among seven hypotheses tested, all variables have the positive influence, however, there are two latent variables which have direct significant associations, while the others have not. A variable which have indirect significant associations, while the other one has not. WorkEnvironmenthavedirectpositiveandsignificantinfluenceonthejobsatisfaction, while employee promotion and upward downward communication have a direct positiveinfluencebutnotsignificant.Otherwise,both employee promotion and upward downward communication have an indirect positive influence on the job satisfaction with intervening variable (work environment). The study provides ways to increase the job satisfaction of all employees so that they will be able to produce reliable company performances.


Al/B4C composites with 0 wt.%, 5 wt.% and 10 wt.% of B4C were prepared by powder metallurgy and their properties were characterised successfully. Investigation of the effect of milling times (4, 8, 12, 16 hours) on microstructure, phase identification, hardness and neutron attenuation coefficient of composites has been studied. The results showed that hardness increased with increased of milling time, with maximum hardness obtained at 16 hours milling time. The increment is slower as the composition of B4C increased. The hardness of Al/10%B4C, Al/5%B4C and Al/0%B4C were 81.7, 78.7 and 61.2 HRB respectively. Morphology of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that microstructures play important role in controlling the hardness. Meanwhile, x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the phases and crystalline present in composites with an indication that crystalline of the grain increased as the milling time increased. Neutron absorption of Al/10%B4C composites showed that this composite has the highest attenuation coefficient, thus indicating that it is the best composites for neutron shielding.


Composite membranes based on ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and poly vinyl chloride (PVC) has been prepared by dynamically and statically vulcanization techniques. The mechanical property and organic solvent vapour permeation characteristics of two composites, one statically cross linked and the other dynamically cross linked EPDM/PVC composite membranes has been measured. The dynamically vulcanized membrane exhibited better mechanical and enhanced barrier properties compared to the corresponding statically vulcanized sample. The polymer composition strongly affects the final membrane properties and can be used for optimizing conflicting properties like permeability and mechanical stability. The experimental observations have been correlated with the phase morphology of the membranes using scanning electron micrographs.


The insulin-like growth factors (IGF) I and II mediate endocrine and auto-/paracrine effects of growth hormone (GH) on cell growth, cell differentiation and tissue repair. Despite their insulin-like actions in vitro, they do not play a significant role in the acute regulation of substrate metabolism, as compared to insulin and growth hormone. In contrast, administration of IGF I in vivo causes a broad spectrum of effects: it increases insulin sensitivity, improves the lipid profile, supports protein anabolism, enhances kidney function and bone turnover, and exerts beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Understanding of the mechanisms underlying these effects provides the basis for potential therapeutic use of IGF I.