Regioselective protonolytic C-C bond cleavage of acylated aminomethyl cyclopropanes can be achieved using trifluoroacetic acid. The intermediate tertiary carbenium ion undergoes an intramolecular amination to give 2,2-substituted pyrrolidines. The strength of the acid and the amine substituent are important factors to achieve high regioselectivity, suggesting intramolecular proton transfer from the protonated amide function. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that cyclopropane cleavage proceeds with retention of configuration at the carbon to which the proton is attached. This observation is consistent with the "edge" protonation trajectory of the C-C bond.


Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions are efficacious in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but are challenging to implement in acute care and other non-specialty mental health settings. This investigation identified barriers impacting CBT delivery through a content analysis of interventionist chart notes from an acute care PTSD prevention trial. Only 8.5% of all intervention patients were able to complete CBT. Lack of engagement, clinical and logistical barriers had the greatest impact on CBT entry. Treatment preferences and stigma only prevented entry when more primary barriers resolved. Patients with prior diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence were able to enter CBT after six months of sobriety. Based on the first trial, we developed a CBT readiness assessment tool. We implemented and evaluated the tool in a second early intervention trial. Lack of engagement emerged again as the primary impediment to CBT entry. Patients who were willing to enter CBT treatment but demonstrated high rates of past trauma or diagnosis of PTSD were also the least likely to engage in any PTSD treatment one month post-discharge. Findings support the need for additional investigations into engagement and alternative delivery strategies, including those which dismantle traditional office-based, multi-session CBT into stepped, deliverable components.


This paper has described a hypertension screening program at the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry. The program, which has been in operation for over two years, incorporates referral to a physician and a system of repeated follow-ups. The results indicate that the program has been successful in that 134 of a total of 141 patients with suspected hypertension have been successfully referred.


Conventional continuation power flow analysis (CPF) gives the maximum loadability from voltage versus power curves (V-P curves) for a deterministic set of loads and generations. But, in presence of uncertainties in power generations and loads conventional analysis may give wrong results. In this work, a range arithmetic analysis known as Affine Arithmetic (AA) with modifications is used to incorporate the uncertainties associated with loads & generations in CPF analysis of distribution systems. Newton-Raphson method based CPF with modified AA is used to determine the bounds of maximum loadability from V-P curves. The proposed modified AA based CPF analysis under uncertainty can be applied to radial as well as mesh connected distribution systems and is tested on 69 bus radial and 119 bus radial & mesh distribution systems. Simulation results with the proposed method are compared with existing AA based CPF and Monte Carlo simulations based CPF analyses.


INTRODUCTION
Drug addiction, particularly among teenagers and young adults, has become a serious public health problem globally. Drugs with addictive potential include the non-therapeutic drugs that are licit/legal (caffeine, tobacco or nicotine, alcohol) and those that are illegal/illicit for common use such as benzodiazepines, amphetamines, cocaine and crack, heroin and cannabis. Worldwide, the challenge of cannabis abuse and addiction is particularly devastating, nay in Nigeria. Despite this ugly scenario, the use of cannabis continues unabated and its control remains enigmatic. The aim of the present review is to provide a contemporary comprehensible overview of exciting recent developments in the understanding of brain circuits related to the nature and effects of cannabis abuse and addiction as well as to highlight the current therapeutic approach to effective management.

METHOD
A thorough manual literature and internet (Medline and HINARI databases) search were conducted.

RESULT
It was found that recent advances in the neurobiology of drug abuse and addiction have led to the identification of neuronal substrates (eg dopamine, 5-hydroxyltrypytamine etc) as being responsible for the rewarding effects of cannabis and are also crucial to the addictive process/behaviour. There is increasing evidence that prolonged exposure to drugs of abuse including cannabis, produces long-lasting effects in cognitive and drug-rewarding brain circuits. Hence, addiction is now generally considered a chronic brain disease. Chronic use of cannabis impairs cognitive functions, perception, reaction time, learning, memory, concentration, social skills and control of emotions. There may also be panic reactions, hallucinations, paranoid states with fixed delusions and even acute psychosis. These impairments have obvious negative implications for the operation of a motor vehicle or machinery and performance at school or workplace as well as the development of a healthy family, a strong national economy and a secure society. Complications of use, including psychosis and withdrawal effects, can be treated. Psychosocial measures and rehabilitation, together with effective prevention initiatives are essential in the management of individuals with drug-related problems.

CONCLUSION
Cannabis abuse and addiction is destructive and may affect all of our lives and the fabric of the society. The development of long-term management strategies based on medication, psychosocial support and continued monitoring as well as preventive initiatives to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors against drug abuse is a challenging clinical goal.


It is obviously no longer acceptable to a large sector of educationalists to regard history as a necessary evil whose survival, although a constant source of complaint, is nevertheless conceded. It is both desirable and necessary, therefore, to provide reasons which will satisfy not only these critics but others less antagonistic to the subject, of the justification of the place of history in the secondary school curriculum. This study therefore, set itself the following objects: first, it aimed to put the case for the study of history in secondary schools. To do this it was necessary to summarise some of the conclusions regarding the nature of history. What is it that we are defending and how is it viewed by those who attack it? This done, it proposed to see what provisions are laid down by current curriculum theory regarding the criteria for the inclusion of subject matter in the secondary school curriculum; Moreover, it was recognised that by submitting history to the supposedly neutral arbitration of curriculum theory, certain limitations or prescriptions might be laid upon it if a favourable judgement were returned. In the event, justification was found in curriculum theory for the inclusion of history in the secondary school curriculum, and it did prove to be the case that, as a condition of that justification, a certain redirection of the focus of history courses was perhaps indicated. The second concern of this study, therefore, was to examine some of the other features which have bearing on the organisation of history curricula, and in particular those, the negligence of which had given rise to some of the current disillusionment with history as a secondary school subject. The areas of concern chosen were the syllabus itself, the influence of examinations, the capacity of the pupil to profit from a study of history, and the ability of the teacher to communicate such study profitably. These were the factors, it was felt, which imposed the greatest restraints upon the teaching of history, and no conclusions drawn from curriculum theory would be remotely viable unless they took these restraints into account. From the prescriptions offered in the first part of this study, with due regard to the limitations imposed upon them by the issues raised in the second part of this study, the third part proposed to offer some considerations for drawing up a history curriculum. These considerations, in the main, arose from a detailed expression of a set of objectives for history teaching. It was felt that it was a lack of this clarity that was responsible for much of the current dissatisfaction with the teaching of history. These objectives were linked to the learning experiences and content which were most urgently prescribed by the principles examined in part one : finally, procedures were suggested for evaluating with what success these objectives have been achieved. These objectives, learning experiences, content, and evaluation are intended, in sum, to form the basis for a secondary school history curriculum.


This paper presents the first monolithic multidirection-looking ultrasonic imager for minimally invasive medical diagnosis. In contrast to the traditional planar ultrasonic imagers that can only view in one direction, this 3-D array is able to view in multiple directions by using seven planar imagers integrated on a hexagonal silicon prism. Each facet on the prism is integrated with a planar 1- or 2-D capacitive-micromachined ultrasonic-transducer imager array for viewing in a specific direction. Each facet is connected by a flexible dielectric membrane, which is monolithically fabricated with the transducers. The dielectric membranes also support the thin-film electrical interconnects between the arrays on different facets. The substrate is folded into a hexagonal prism after completion of the transducer microfabrication process. With this architecture, a one flip-chip bonded or monolithically integrated front-end electronic circuit will be able to manage all the imagers on the 3-D array. The number of bonding wires for a connection to external electronics can therefore be reduced. Imager prisms, which are ranging from 1 to 4 mm in diameter and 2 to 4 mm in length, and positioned to view in seven directions, have been prototyped. Preliminary testing shows that the imager transducers behaved consistently before and after the assembly process. Applications of this 3-D imager array include capsule ultrasound endoscope, intravascular ultrasound, and other internal imaging needs.


The results of a survey by the A.I.E.E. lightning and insulator subcommittee* of the methods used to reduce the effect of lightning on existing transmission lines for medium and high voltages are given in this paper, which summarizes data obtained by means of a questionnaire sent to various operating companies.


Historically the imaginary and the hegemonic thinking, in the Western North globe has been marked by the epistemology and capitalists archetypes. Notwithstanding the design as a practice and discipline seem shielded on a simplistic discourse of functional / communicative efficiency, wandering through multiple aestheticism apparently neutral in relation to the symbolic but in fact they never are because what really happens is that the aesthetic appearance of the generated forms will always be a review of the powers ruling. We start from understanding that the act of creating an aesthetic artefact will also be a movement of  inscription in a discursive platform (that precedes it)  thus being itself an narrative act and representing a positioning in relation to certain symbolic reality. On the presented reflection Design is seen as a discipline and / or an instrument of action, whose operational relevance tends to question and simultaneously rehearsing a response to not just the question why but also for what? Apparently Design is a content mediator, but also, it is structure, body and idea. We think design praxis as discipline and enrolment tool for critical thought and social transformation. For guiding research in this text, we propose the following question: Can Design form an engagement with the symbolic for them in order to be an active part in the production of critical thinking in the place where it belongs? Methodologically our argument will be present in two different moments: 1. first, exploratory nature where we rescue the draw issues in the practice of design and 2. second, analytical nature concerning the subject issues (graphic and / or utility ) of design and how it incorporates formal rites, political events and social practices of contemporary everyday life. We consider the praxis of design as a discipline and critical thinking enrolment tool as agents of social transformation. With this study we seek to contribute to design's phenomenology by studying the artefacts of configuration as well as the possible messages they convey and what impact they may have on the social network. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3263


ABSTRACT Nature has long served as an inspiration for the complexity of computation. But the goal of using digital tools is not in fact to replicate nature the way it exists but to produce new architectural scenarios. With the widespread use of computers in architectural design in the last two decades, the computer has passed from being a tool that would aid in the representation of architecture to one that generates architecture, form and culture. This article investigates the research conducted by cybernetician Gordon Pask on slime mold in the early 1960s and how he modeled life growth processes with computationally based cellular automata. There has been a resurgence of interest in cellular automata in recent digital experimentation and new collaborations between architects and scientists are on the rise. LabStudio, led by architect Jenny Sabin and biologist Peter Lloyd Jones, provides an exemplary case study.


Most states' method of execution statutes afford broad discretion to executive agencies to create execution protocols. Inmates have challenged this discretion, arguing that these statutes unconstitutionally delegate legislative power to executive agencies, violating the state's nondelegation and separation of powers doctrines. State courts routinely use the nondelegation doctrine, in contrast to the doctrine's historic disfavor in federal courts. Despite its uncertain status, the nondelegation doctrine is a useful analytical tool to examine decision-making in capital punishment.


Background: Risk behaviours including marijuana use, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking have a significant impact on the present and future health of adolescents. There are limited studies in sub-Saharan Africa to show evidence, if it exists, of the relationship between parental monitoring practices and the prevalence of substance use among adolescents. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between parental monitoring practices and alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and marijuana use among in-school adolescents in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, South-Western Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 437 in-school adolescents randomly selected from two schools in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, the three domains of parental monitoring practices (Parental monitoring; negotiated unsupervised time and parental trust) and substance use were elicited using a modified version of parental monitoring practice scale and the Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance System (YRBSS) questionnaire. Independent T tests and logistic regression models were used to assess relationship between parental monitoring practices and substance use. Results: The overall prevalence of use of any of the substance was 21.7%. Negotiated unsupervised time was significantly associated with use of alcohol (P < 0.05), marijuana (P < 0.05) and cigarette smoking (P < 0.05). After controlling for age and gender, one unit increase in parental monitoring reduced the odds of engaging in any substance use by 10% (AOR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.81-0.99) while a similar increase in negotiated unsupervised time significantly increases the odds of any substance use by 7% (AOR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.14). Conclusion: Of the three domains assessed, negotiated unsupervised time was consistently associated with substance use among these youth. Efforts to educate parents on the need to restrict unsupervised time of their wards may be warranted.


This study aimed to identify the associations among low back pain (LBP), LBP‐related disability, agricultural working condition management, and quality of life (QOL) in Korean farmers. Demographic information, agricultural work management, and outcomes of LBP were obtained by standardized questionnaires (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] for disability and European Quality of Life‐5 Dimensions‐3‐Level version [EQ‐5D‐3L] for QOL). Presence of LBP was determined if the LBP had lasted longer than 1 week or had been more frequent than once a month, and presence of LBP‐related disability was determined if the ODI score was more than 12. Poor health checkups (OR [odds ratio] = 1.70–86, p < .05), were positively associated with LBP, and working at dawn (OR = 1.85–1.96, p < .05), was positively associated with LBP‐related disability after adjusting related demographic factors. EQ‐5D‐3L indexes were significantly lower in participants with LBP (0.83 ± 0.17 vs. 0.92 ± 0.06, p < .001) and disability (0.81 ± 0.18 vs. 0.93 ± 0.05, p < .001). This study showed that the presence of LBP was related to poor health checkups and that LBP‐related disability was related to a poor working time schedule. These results indicate poor QOL and suggest the need for coping strategies such as regular health checkups and a proper working time schedule.


This article will discuss one possible model of teaching English as a foreign language with intercultural requirements, environmental psychological influences and active and genuine participation of learners as issues that help develop learning skills to negotiate meanings across languages and cultures. Environmental conditions are considered central to developing teaching and learning abilities. This discussion is based on two theoretical concepts: intercultural communicative competence (Byram) and the intercultural speaker (Kramsch). English, a global language of this universe, has strength to unite the peoples of the Earth and provide better conditions for progressive and more profitable living and working environment.


This work presents a distributed algorithm for observer design for linear continuous-time systems. We assume the dynamical system to be partitioned into disjoint areas, and we let each area be equipped with a control center. Each control center knows local dynamics, collects local observations, performs local computation, and communicates with neighboring control centers at discrete times. For our continuous-discrete estimation algorithm we prove convergence, we characterize its convergence rate, and we show robustness against discretization and communication errors. Our technical approach is inspired by waveform relaxation methods and combines tools from estimation theory, decentralized control theory, and parallel computation. We illustrate the effectiveness of our algorithm with illustrative examples in sensor networks and electric power systems.


We study the occurrence of bifurcations leading to the formation of asymmetric orbits and chaos in unforced relay feedback systems with a symmetric relay characteristic. We show that novel bifurcation mechanisms cause the formation of stable periodic solutions with segments of sliding motion. We then characterise the formation of asymmetric stable periodic solutions and detail the route to chaos exhibited by a representative third-order example.


Abstract Nightly transitions into sleep are usually uneventful and transpire in the blink of an eye. But in the laboratory these transitions afford a unique view of how experience is transformed from the perceptually grounded consciousness of wakefulness to the hallucinatory simulations of dreaming. The present review considers imagery in the sleep-onset transition—"microdreams" in particular—as an alternative object of study to dreaming as traditionally studied in the sleep lab. A focus on microdream phenomenology has thus far proven fruitful in preliminary efforts to (i) develop a classification for dreaming's core phenomenology (the "oneiragogic spectrum"), (ii) establish a structure for assessing dreaming's multiple memory inputs ("multi-temporal memory sources"), (iii) further Silberer's project for classifying sleep-onset images in relation to waking cognition by revealing two new imagery types ("autosensory imagery," "exosensory imagery"), and (iv) embed a potential understanding of microdreaming processes in a larger explanatory framework ("multisensory integration approach"). Such efforts may help resolve outstanding questions about dream neurophysiology and dreaming's role in memory consolidation during sleep but may also advance discovery in the neuroscience of consciousness more broadly.


Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted to humans by blood-feeding mosquitoes of the genus Aedes sp., which has rapidly spread around Asia, Europe and the Americas in the last decade. CHIKV infection causes a febrile disease associated with acute and chronic arthritogenic symptoms for which vaccines and specific treatments remain unavailable. Autophagy–related (ATG) proteins are a set of host factors that are grouped on the basis of their involvement in autophagy. ATG proteins and autophagy receptors, however, have also been shown to function singularly or in functional complexes in other cellular pathways unrelated to autophagy. In case of CHIKV, ATG proteins have been shown to both inhibit or enhance virus replication. Here, an ATG-specific siRNA screen was performed to evaluate the importance of ATG proteins and autophagy receptors in controlling CHIKV infection. We observed that 10 out of 50 ATG proteins interfere with CHIKV replication. Amongst these, depletion of the mitochondrial protein and autophagy receptor BCL2 Interacting Protein 3 (BNIP3) was found to increase CHIKV infectivity and progeny virus particle production. We also show that BNIP3 controls CHIKV infectivity independently of autophagy and cell death pathways. Detailed analysis of the replicative cycle of CHIKV revealed that BNIP3 interferes with infection during the early stages of RNA replication. The antiviral role of BNIP3 was found conserved across two distinct CHIKV genotypes and the closely related Semliki Forest virus. Altogether, this study describes a novel and previously unknown function of the autophagy receptor BNIP3 in the control of the early stages of the alphavirus replication cycle.


This thesis discusses the empirical aspects of financial stability and presents evidence that suggests that stock market bubbles and volatility are related, and that financial crises are also triggered by events related to non-financial sectors. Financial crises are predominantly related to boom episodes and asset price bubbles, which can seriously impact the financial system when they burst. This thesis draws upon the findings of previous papers and argues that the risk of financial instability (systemic risk) is formed during the boom phase and materialises on the eruption of crisis. In so doing, this study considers stock market bubbles as a potential source of risk for financial stability.
The severe impact on the economy in the wake of the recent financial crisis has not only demonstrated the way in which trouble in a relatively small market can escalate into a serious crisis exerting economy-wide effects, but is also an example of the important role financial stability plays in the functioning of modern economies. Chapter 1 addresses factors that contribute to financial crises and policy tools to mitigate their effects. The Global Financial Stability Map (Map), summarising and graphically presenting underlying factors that may lead to a systemic threat, shows the complex interactions among different factors that affect each other and, in combination, are relevant to financial stability. In this connection, the importance of countercyclicality is addressed and the weaknesses of the Value at Risk (VaR) measure are discussed.
Chapter 2 examines whether longer periods of low volatility influence the formation of bubbles, which are defined as the difference between current prices and an adaptive moving average of an alternate history of asset prices, and whether stock market bubbles increase the likelihood of stock market crashes. The regression analysis employed confirms that longer episodes of low realised volatility exerts a significant influence on the formation of stock market bubbles, which, in turn, significantly increase the likelihood of stock market crises. This relationship is referred to as volatility paradox. Furthermore, the bubble is incorporated to inflate Value at Risk, in order to generate a countercyclical capital buffer for extreme events. It is shown that the inflated VaR covers the majority of the extreme negative returns. This leads to the conclusion that the information content of bubbles should be taken into account while measuring risk in stock markets.
The recent financial crisis revealed that even relatively small markets of the economy are capable of jeopardising financial stability, and the objective of Chapter 3 is to assess the contribution of both financial and non-financial sectors of an economy to systemic risk. For this purpose, the marginal systemic risk contribution, measured by ?CoVaR of 10 sectors, is estimated for the US, the UK, and Germany, through the employment of quantile regressions. The estimated ?CoVaRs are tested for significance and dominance in order to classify sectors as systemically relevant and to obtain a formal ranking of the sectors in terms of contribution to systemic risk. The outcomes reveal a weak link between VaR and ?CoVaR and significant externalities of sectors. Chapter 3 discusses the role of low volatility in excessive risk-taking and lending behaviour during booms as well as the deleveraging behaviour during bust episodes. It argues that countercyclical tools, which reduce such behaviour, can successfully mitigate financial crises. This line of argumentation is related to the countercyclical capital buffer discussed in Chapter 2, which is aimed at dampening the upward movements of asset prices. Taking into account the finding that real economy sectors also have significant effects on systemic risk, Chapter 3 proposes the application of macroprudential policy tools individually to those sectors in which bubbles emerge.
Chapter 4 compares the realised volatility levels between international stock markets. Although the volatility patterns are fairly similar, the pairwise t-test reveals a significant difference between the volatility levels of national stock markets. A two component GARCH-MIDAS model is applied to decompose conditional volatility into a short-run and a long-run volatility component and to link macroeconomic variables directly with stock market volatility. The outcomes of the GARCH-MIDAS model indicate that stock market volatility is associated with macroeconomic variables, and that stock market volatility depends upon different variables in different countries. Realised volatility is found to explain a considerable proportion of conditional volatility. The Granger causality test reveals no significant causal relationship of volatility with illiquidity or with sentiment.


Background: Cervical cancer incidence and mortality are higher for Hispanic women along the Texas-Mexico border than for other female population groups. Incidence could be reduced if teenaged Hispanic girls received the HPV vaccine before they became sexually active. However, few Hispanic girls compared to U.S. girls receive all three HPV vaccine doses (31% vs 36%), which prevent cervical cancer. Parents are crucial to the success of HPV vaccine uptake efforts. The purpose of this study is to examine correlates of mothers9 intention to vaccinate their 11-17 year old daughters. Methods: We utilized baseline data from an outreach and education program utilizing promotoras and peer educators to deliver health education to mothers and daughters to increase HPV knowledge and promote HPV immunization. Our analyses utilized data from mothers of never vaccinated girls (n=371). First, we checked the validity of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and barriers, self-efficacy, attitudes toward HPV vaccination, and subjective norms scales using Cronbach9s alpha. Second, we used Pearson9s correlation coefficient to examine if perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and barriers, self-efficacy, attitudes toward HPV vaccination, and subjective norms (constructs) were correlated with mother9s vaccine intention. Results: The majority of mothers were married (84%), spoke only Spanish (89%), had middle-school education (64%), and a household income of less than $10,000 (82%). Analyses revealed that the scales for susceptibility, severity, and subjective norms were not significantly correlated to intention and had low internal consistency [except for the susceptibility scale (alpha= 0.72)]. Only the self-efficacy scale showed high internal consistency (alpha=0.92) and was significantly correlated to intention (r=.346, p= Conclusions: Although we selected English-language survey items from published literature and national surveillance tools (i.e., HINTS, BRFSS) and translated them to Spanish, preliminary findings suggest that most of the scales did not adequately measure the constructs in Spanish-speaking populations. Only the self-efficacy scale, which was previously validated among Spanish-speaking Hispanics, had high internal consistency. The perceived susceptibility scale also showed good reliability. These findings inform future research on HPV vaccination by providing insight into which constructs are correlated with vaccine intention and which scales have good internal consistency among Spanish-speaking populations. Citation Format: Daisy Yvette Morales-Campos, Deborah M. Parra-Medina, Cynthia M. Mojica. Correlates of HPV vaccination intention of Hispanic mothers of 11-17-year-old daughters living along the Texas-Mexico border. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B87.


The electrocaloric (EC) effect of Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti1 xHfxO3 (abbreviated as: BCTHx) ceramics has been systematically investigated using an indirect method. Our results indicate that the BCTH0.06 ceramic exhibits a sharp ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition, around which a large EC value of 1.03 K is obtained under the electric field of 35 kV cm , associated with a relatively broad electrocaloric temperature span. The giant EC strength of the BCTH0.06 ceramic is 0.29–0.31 K mm kV 1 under an external electric field of 9 to 35 kV cm , which is larger than most previous values. The temperature of the EC peak shifts to higher temperature as the electric field increases, which implies that electric field may be another powerful tool to obtain a large EC value and modulate the EC peak. The ceramics with higher Hf contents display a strong diffusive character. The BCTH0.15 ceramic shows a relatively small EC strength (0.10–0.13 K mm kV ) with a broader EC temperature span. The diffusive feature of the BCTHx ceramics with high Hf concentrations broaden the electrocaloric temperature span and meanwhile decrease the EC strength considerably. Our results indicate that compositional modification in BaTiO3-based ceramics offers a promising route for designing potential dielectric cooling materials with excellent EC properties.


The majority of oil and refined-product pipelines in Brazil have their protection system designs based on spring-type pressure relief valves. Thus, the proper design and operation of these valves is essential to ensure the safety of transport pipelines and loading/unloading terminals during any abnormal operation conditions that generate a surge pressure. In simple terms, these valves have a disk which is pressed by a spring against the inlet nozzle of the valve. When the pressure rises, the force generated on the surface of the disc increases and, depending on the pressure relief valve set point, the force due to pressure overcomes the force exerted by the spring, causing the disk to rise and discharge the fluid through the outlet nozzle to the relief line, reducing the pressure level within the pipeline. Despite its importance, most commercial applications do not present a specific model to simulate the transient behavior of pressure relief valves. This paper presents an experimental study aimed at determining the dynamic behavior of a commercial spring-type relief valve. The valve was installed in a pipe loop instrumented with pressure and flow transducers. The transient motion of the valve disc was measured with a fast-response displacement transducer. The transient in the flow loop was generated by the controlled closing of a block valve positioned downstream of the relief valve. The recorded transient data for disc position, upstream and downstream pressures, and discharge flow rates were used to compute the discharge coefficient as a function of opening fraction and the opening fraction as a function of time. Simulation models based on a spring-mass damped system were developed and implemented in a PID-actuator-control valve system. The systems were implemented in a commercial pipeline simulation program modeling the experimental loop employed in the tests. The numerical and experimental data of the block valve closure transient were compared displaying good agreement. Simulations results employing a generic relief valve model frequently used in simulations were also obtained revealing problems associated with this approach.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


"At its best, this candid collection from the Islamic world is inventive and truly fearless."- The Observer, London This lavish volume, published to accompany an exhibition at London's new Saatchi Gallery, is a striking collection of contemporary art from the Middle East. As Lisa Farjam, founder of "Bidoun "magazine, writes in her introduction, "The Middle East today is routinely viewed through the all-too-predictable prism of strife, oppression and terrorism, which obscures a great deal." With works gathered from artists of Middle Eastern origin living all over the world, "Unveiled" reveals a region of dizzying complexity and energy, characterized by diverse cultural, historical and political influences that stretch back centuries. Diana Al-Hadid, Ahmed Alsoudani, Nadia Ayari, Ramin and Rokni Haerizadeh, Barbad Golshiri and Shadi Ghadirian are just a few of the artists whose work is represented in these vibrant, stunning pages.


Sediment resuspension is an important factor for nutrient cycling in shallow lakes. Temporal variation in sediment resuspension and its influence on P concentrations and internal loading were studied in the shallow and eutrophic Kirkkojärvi basin. Gross sedimentation and sediment resuspension were estimated with sediment traps during three exposure periods in spring, midsummer, and autumn. The effects of resuspension on the concentrations of suspended solids, total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive P, and chlorophyll a were followed. The level of sediment resuspension was greatest in midsummer (July-August 63.9 g dw m(-2) d(-1)), due to strong phytoplankton blooms modifying the surface film of the sediment more prone to resuspension. The dependence of high total P concentrations (226-385 microg L(-1)) on sediment resuspension and suspended solids was significant at the time. The concentrations of soluble reactive P were also high in midsummer (52-91 microg L(-1)), but had a negative dependence on suspended solids. This dependence was due to algal assimilation as was proved by a negative effect of chlorophyll a on soluble reactive P. Consequently, we suggest that the increase in the total P concentrations caused by sediment resuspension in midsummer was possibly intensified by strong algal blooms occurring at the time because strong assimilation resulting in high pH (pH 7.3 in May, 9.3-10.2 in July-August, 7.6 in October) may have increased the desorption of P from the suspended inorganic particles and intensified the P transfer into the phytoplankton biomass in midsummer.


Space systems such as communication satellites, earth observation satellites and space telescopes require precise pointing to observe fixed targets over prolonged time. These systems typically use reaction-wheels to slew the spacecraft and gimballing systems containing motors to achieve precise pointing. Motor based actuators have limited life as they contain moving parts that require lubrication in space. Alternate methods have utilized piezoelectric actuators. This paper presents Shape memory alloys (SMA) actuators for control of a deployable antenna placed on a satellite. The SMAs are operated as a series of distributed linear actuators. These distributed linear actuators are not prone to single point failures and although each individual actuator is imprecise due to hysteresis and temperature variation. The system as a whole achieves reliable results. The SMAs can be programmed to perform a series of periodic motion and operate as a mechanical guidance system that is not prone to damage from radiation or space weather. Efforts are focused on developing a system that can achieve one degree pointing accuracy at first, with an ultimate goal of achieving a few arc seconds accuracy. Bench top models of the actuator system has been developed and working towards testing the system under vacuum. A demonstration flight of the technology is planned aboard a CubeSat.


We consider swarms of asynchronous oblivious robots evolving into an anonymous grid-shaped network. In this context, we investigate optimal (w.r.t. the number of robots) deterministic solutions for the terminating exploration problem. We first show lower bounds in the semi-synchronous model. Precisely, we show that at least three robots are required to explore any grid of at least three nodes, even in the probabilistic case. Then, we show that at least four (resp. five) robots are necessary to deterministically explore a $\bf(2,2)$-Grid (resp. a $\bf(3,3)$-Grid). We then propose deterministic algorithms in the asynchronous model. This latter being strictly weakest than the semi-synchronous model, all the aforementioned bounds still hold in that context. Our algorithms actually exhibit the optimal number of robots that is necessary to explore a given grid. Overall, our results show that except in two particular cases, three robots are necessary and sufficient to deterministically explore a grid of at least three nodes and then terminate. The optimal number of robots for the two remaining cases is four for the $\bf(2,2)$-Grid and five for the $\bf(3,3)$-Grid, respectively.


Purpose : methodological conditions justify the use of basic gymnastics in physical education of pupils of secondary schools. The experimental test method creating a culture of motor activity by means of basic gymnastics in the system of physical education students grades 5-9. Material : experiment were selected 109 students. Results : The method comprises three stages: basic, special and profound. The developed method should be applied in the preparatory part of the lesson (15-20 minutes) - invariant component of the curriculum. Found that means basic gymnastics culture is the basis for motor activity. Their conscious and correct implementation is a prerequisite to the motivational desire to exercise. Conclusions : It is proposed to evaluate the physical condition of students with criteria: compliance burden of a preparatory lesson preparedness and age of students; lack of fatigue during exercise basic gymnastics; the impact of stress on technique exercises.


One of the major challenges of cranial base surgery is reconstruction of the dural defect. Following a craniofacial resection, the standard reconstructive technique is direct suture repair of the dural defect with a fascial graft and rotation of an anteriorly based pericranial scalp flap to cover the dura. The introduction of endoscopic techniques and an endonasal approach to the ventral skull base has created new challenges for reconstruction. The nasoseptal flap has become the workhorse for vascularized endoscopic skull base reconstruction; however at times, the septal mucosal flap may be unavailable for reconstruction. This can be due to prior surgical resection or involvement of the nasal septum by sinonasal cancer. We have developed a minimally invasive endoscopic pericranial flap for endoscopic skull base reconstruction. The use of a pericranial scalp flap for reconstruction during endonasal skull base surgery using minimally invasive techniques has not been previously reported.


From 2002 to 2003, F-16s of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the Royal Danish Air Force flew side by side in the hostile skies over Afghanistan. United under the wings of the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF), a unique, trinational alliance, they represented their countries' flying contribution to the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Each country deployed six F-16 fighter-bombers, together forming one squad -ron-sized detachment. In theory at least, the EPAF enabled the smaller European air forces to make a proportionally greater contribution to OEF than they could have done individually. By joining forces, the participating air forces made optimal use of their limited resources – a typical small powers strategy enacted by the three countries to overcome the structural limitations of their military capabilities in a long-standing allied arrangement. This article is a comparative study of the experiences gained concerning the cooperation between the three air forces and the interoperability of the EPAF detachment within the larger OEF coalition; its conclusion is that, although working within the trinational framework revealed differences on the political, military-operational, tactical-technical and personnel level, most of these problems were even tually overcome. All things considered, the EPAF did offer these smaller countries an instrument to demonstrate their solidarity with the United States and provide a significant contribution to the Global War on Terror, making it a prime "operational" example of effective small or middle power strategy to mitigate (combat) limitations in an asymmetrical multinational relationship vis-à-vis the United States.


This article presents the issues of speech activity and communication. In studies of speech activity, it was found that almost every speech utterance contains speech phenomena that are provided neither with the language system, nor with the norm of the language or with the usage. In this article sentences of motivation in the Korean language are considered, as well as forms of imperative and inviting inclination which are added to motivational sentences. This fact makes the syntax science solve the actual problems of communication and cognition. The question of the sentence and its structure, peculiarities of the syntax connection have various solutions in the researches of the contemporary Korean language. The reason is that in syntax analyzing theoretical question is connected mostly with the research of simple and complicated sentence, defining the methods of interaction of different parts of sentence. The sentence is a unit of communication and its semantics and structural composition had specific signs and certain grammatical constructions.


Two steganacarid species, Steganacarus (Steganacarus)tenerifensis and S. (S.)carlosi, the first endemic to Tenerife and the second to La Gomera and Tenerife, were found to have such wide morphological variability as to cast doubt on their specific limits. Cluster analysis and MDS ordering were used to quantify morphological variation, and biochemical procedures were used to assess genetic variation in the two entities. The results revealed disagreement between the morphological and genetic data as reported in previous studies on steganacarid mites. Morphological traits were highly heterogeneous in the Canary island populations and genetic structure was homogeneous with very low heterozygosity. The separation of the two Canary island species, not to mention the phenotypes close to carlosi, is difficult to justify due to their very high genetic identity. The presence of morphological intermediates suggests the same conclusion. However, the sympatry of some phenotypes and previous data on this animal group are a source of doubt and suggest that further investigations are needed before conclusions can be reached in this regard. Correlations between morphological differentiation and known palaeogeographic events are suggested in the light of the possible evolutionary history of the steganacarid mites on the Canary islands.


Experiments have been performed on the tip vortex trailing from a rectangular NACA 0012 half-wing. Preliminary studies showed the vortex to be insensitive to the introduction of a probe and subject only to small wandering motions. Meaningful velocity measurements could therefore be made using hot-wire probes. Detailed analysis of the effects of wandering was performed to properly reveal the flow structure in the core region and to give confidence in measurements made outside the core. A theory has been developed to correct mean-velocity profiles for the effects of wandering and to provide complete quantitative estimates of its amplitude and contributions to Reynolds stress fields. Spectral decomposition was found to be the most effective method of separating these contributions from velocity fluctuations due to turbulence. Outside the core the flow structure is dominated by the remainder of the wing wake which winds into an ever-increasing spiral. There is no large region of axisymmetric turbulence surrounding the core and little sign of turbulence generated by the rotational motion of the vortex. Turbulence stress levels vary along the wake spiral in response to the varying rates of strain imposed by the vortex. Despite this complexity, the shape of the wake spiral and its turbulent structure reach an approximately self-similar form. On moving from the spiral wake to the core the overall level of velocity fluctuations greatly increases, but none of this increase is directly produced by turbulence. Velocity spectra measured at the vortex centre scale in a manner that implies that the core is laminar and that velocity fluctuations here are a consequence of inactive motion produced as the core is buffeted by turbulence in the surrounding spiral wake. Mean-velocity profiles through the core show evidence of a two-layered structure that dies away with distance downstream.


Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading malignancies as being the third most cause of cancer causing death in the world. Carcinogenesis is a complex process caused by various genetic and epigenetic changes in various genes like tumor suppressor genes, DNA repair genes, translation regulatory genes and others. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays multiple and diverse roles in development by regulating gene expression via T-cell factor/Lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (Tcf/Lef) DNA binding factors. Misregulation of this pathway is thought to initiate colon adenoma formation. The Wnt pathways with its molecular gladiator Tcf4 plays an important role in transforming a normal tissue into a malignant one. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of aberrations in Tcf4 gene in the pathogenesis of CRC in the Kashmir valley. Materials and Methods: We examined the paired tumor and normal-tissue specimens of 100 CRC patients from Apr 2010June 2013, from Department of Surgery, Government Medical College, Srinagar and its associated hospital Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) and analysis of promoter hypermethylation for exon 1 and intron 8 of Tcf4 gene was also carried out using Methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR). Results and Conclusion: Promoter hypermethylation of Tcf4 of the exon 1 of Tcf4 gene among 100 CRC cases was found to be 66 per cent (66 of 100) and for intron 8, it was 70%. Besides in both cases of males and females, the hypermethylation status of intron 8 is more than exon 1 of World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research SJIF Impact Factor 5.045 Volume 3, Issue 8, 431-443. Research Article ISSN 2277 – 7105 Article Received on 10 August 2014, Revised on 05 Sept 2014, Accepted on 28 Sept 2014


Expression of the 17β-estradiol (E2) synthesis enzyme aromatase is highly upregulated in astrocytes following brain injury. However, the precise role of astrocyte-derived E2 in the injured brain remains unclear. In the current study, we generated a glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter-driven aromatase knock-out (GFAP-ARO-KO) mouse model to deplete astrocyte-derived E2 in the brain and determine its roles after global cerebral ischemia (GCI) in male and female mice. GFAP-ARO-KO mice were viable and fertile, with normal gross brain structure, normal morphology, intensity and distribution of astrocytes, normal aromatase expression in neurons, and normal cognitive function basally. In contrast, after GCI, GFAP-ARO-KO mice: (1) lacked the normal elevation of astrocyte aromatase and hippocampal E2 levels; (2) had significantly attenuated reactive astrogliosis; and (3) displayed enhanced neuronal damage, microglia activation, and cognitive deficits. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that the ischemic GFAP-ARO-KO mouse hippocampus failed to upregulate the "A2" panel of reactive astrocyte genes. In addition, the JAK-STAT3 pathway, which is critical for the induction of reactive astrogliosis, was significantly downregulated in the GFAP-ARO-KO hippocampus following GCI. Finally, exogenous E2 administration fully rescued the compromised JAK-STAT3 pathway and reactive astrogliosis, and reversed the enhanced neuronal damage and microglial activation in the GFAP-ARO-KO mice after GCI, suggesting that the defects in the KO mice are because of a loss of E2 rather than an increase in precursor androgens. In conclusion, the current study provides novel genetic evidence for a beneficial role of astrocyte-derived E2 in reactive astrogliosis, microglial activation, and neuroprotection following an ischemic injury to the brain. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Following cerebral ischemia, reactive astrocytes express the enzyme aromatase and produce 17β-estradiol (E2), although the precise role of astrocyte-derived E2 is poorly understood. In this study, we generated a glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter-driven aromatase knock-out (GFAP-ARO-KO) mouse to deplete astrocyte-derived E2 and elucidate its roles after global cerebral ischemia (GCI). The GFAP-ARO-KO mice exhibited significantly attenuated reactive astrogliosis, as well as enhanced microglial activation, neuronal damage, and cognitive dysfunction after GCI. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that astrocyte-derived E2 was critical for the induction of the JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway, as well as the A2 reactive astrocyte phenotype after ischemia. Collectively, these findings indicate that astrocyte-derived E2 has a key role in the regulation of reactive astrogliosis, microglial activation, and neuroprotection after cerebral ischemia.


The automative body shop is facing challenges of reduced volume, a proliferation of new materials and an increase in derivatives that all add up to a need for greater flexibility. Reducing the cost of die programme is a key strategy of the policy that Chrysler has adopted while Ford opted to establish a new body shop using old components. Global challenges are faced by Renault with process standardisation. In body shop, body-in-white manufacture does not always adhere to sequencing, as most of the sequencing work will be lost by the batch demands of the paint shop. The demands of the market has driven the OEMs to have a flexible body shop, which becomes more effective if they have an integrated strategy.


Objective: To evaluate studies of pharmacist-led interventions on potentially inappropriate prescribing among community-dwelling older adults receiving primary care to identify the components of a successful intervention. Data sources: An electronic search of the literature was conducted using the following databases from inception to December 2015: PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, MEDLINE (through Ovid), Trip, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ISI Web of Science, ScienceDirect, ClinicalTrials.gov, metaRegister of Controlled Trials, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database (Theses in Great Britain, Ireland and North America). Review methods: Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised studies involving a pharmacist-led intervention compared to usual/routine care which aimed to reduce potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults in primary care. Methodological quality of the included studies was independently assessed. Results: A comprehensive literature search was conducted which identified 2193 studies following removal of duplicates. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Four studies involved a pharmacist conducting a medication review and providing feedback to patients or their family physician. One randomised controlled trial evaluated the effect of a computerised tool that alerted pharmacists when elderly patients were newly prescribed potentially inappropriate medications. Four studies were associated with an improvement in prescribing appropriateness. Conclusion: Overall, this review demonstrates that pharmacist-led interventions may improve prescribing appropriateness in community-dwelling older adults. However, the quality of evidence is low. The role of a pharmacist working as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team requires further investigation to optimise prescribing in this group of patients.


Pupose: This research aims to investigate how users expand their queries when encountered with irrelevant retrievals and through examine the degree of match between users' expanded subject queries and the List of Persian Subject Headings. Furthermore, it compares the patterns of query expansion in two subject areas: 1) Agriculture (Applied sciences); 2) Education and Psychology (Humanities).

Method: Data were collected through observation of the process of query expansion and also through Transaction Log Analysis.
Results: Findings show that in more cases, there is not a significant difference between users' query expansion behavior in the two Faculties. In terms of how users expand their queries findings are: 1) Users use Lexical variable more than contextual variables; 2) Users often expand their queries through one change; 3) When users expand their queries, the change in the type of search field happens for General, Title, and Subject fields.


Objective: The study objective was to determine the feasibility and selection criteria for discharge within 24 h posttotal laparoscopic hysterectomy with or without bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TLH with or without BSO) in Hospital Putrajaya. Materials and Methods: A total of thirty patients among all gynecology inpatients who were planned for TLH with or without BSO with controlled medical diseases, normal preoperative investigations, and uncomplicated surgery were recruited from January 2014 to December 2016. Data were collected from electronic medical records. Postoperatively, patients who fulfilled the selection criteria were discharged within 24 h and were followed up at 6 weeks and 3 months postsurgery. The results were presented as frequency with percentage and mean standard deviation. Results: All patients who had uncomplicated surgery and blood loss <1 l with no early postoperative complications were discharged within 24 h. They had a pain score of < 3 and were able to ambulate and tolerated orally well. None of these patients who were discharged 24 h postsurgery required readmissions. During follow-up, there were no reported complications such as persistent pain, wound infection, or herniation. Conclusion: Twenty-four hours' discharge post-TLH with or without BSO is feasible and safe if the selection process is adhered to.


Much research effort is invested in developing enzymatic treatments of textiles by focusing on the performance of enzymes at the laboratory scale. Despite all of this work, upgrading these developments from the laboratory scale to an industrial scale has not been very successful.Nowadays,companies are confronted with rapid developments of markets, logistics, and social and environmental responsibilities. Moreover, these organizations have to supply an ever-increasing amount of information to the authorities, shareholders, lobbyists, and pressure groups. Companies have tried to fulfill all of these demands, but this has often led to the loss of focus on new products and process development. However, both theory and practices of breakthrough innovations have shown that those rightfully proud of previous successes are usually not the ones that led the introduction of new technology, as shown and excellently documented by Christensen [1]. The textile industry is no exception to this observation.With the lack of management impetus for new product and process developments, companies began to reduce investments in these activities.However, this results in a reduction of the size of the company or even closure. Besides the hesitation from the top management of textile companies to focus on new developments,middle management level is also reluctant to evaluate and implement developments in new products and processes. One of the reasons for this reluctance is that many processes in the textile industry are notfully explored or known. From this lack of knowledge, it is easy to explain that there is hesitation for change, since not all consequences of a change in processing or production can be predicted. Often new developments cannot be fully tested and evaluated on the laboratory- or pilot-scale level.This is caused by the impossibility of mimicking industrial-scale production in a laboratory.Additionally, pilot-scale equipment is very expensive and for many companies it is not realistic to invest in this type of equipment. Fortunately an increasing number of textile companies have realized that they have to invest in new products and processes for their future survival and prosperity. New developments are decisive for future successes. If such companies decide to invest in new developments, it is clear that with the scarcity of capital for product and process developments, the chance of failure should be minimized. For successful process and product development, it is necessary to organize the development process with external partners because it is clear that it is almost impossible for individual textile companies to control the process from idea generation to academic research, implementation research, and development and industrial testing. These issues are especially characteristic for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Herein, the collaboration has been organized on two research levels. The first research level is knowledge and know-how based. The universities and chemical suppliers worked closely together to investigate the new process.The aim was to explore the influence of process conditions and interactions of chemicals in sub-process steps as a result of the treatment.The second level is that of the industrial implementation of the new process. The universities and chemical suppliers worked closely together with different industries to implement the newly developed process. The focus in this part of the research was the interaction between the chemistry of the new process, equipment, and fabrics. A co-operation between the beneficiaries of the new process was established.The selection criterion for the co-peration was "who will earn something with the new process". To answer this question, the value chain has been drawn as the simplified scheme shown in Fig. 1 [2].


Media news agenda often influence society agenda, and what is the media think is important, it will be think important too by society. As a electronic media that have the quality in audio visual, television as delivery many kind of program have ability to make a general opinion, so it cause many kind of idea appear and make a changing of attitude. So, this research use setting of agenda, base on study to know do the attack of the media ( Kick Andy Program ) can influence the inspiration of audience. Public television channel try to make a interesting program and society will like this, is like " Kick Andy" that show up in Metro TV. This program is talk show program that different with the others. "Kick Andy" is a talk show not only give an information, but also it can be source of inspiration for the audiences. In order to, we can through our life carefully and can choose everything that is goog or bad for our life. The observation in this research are (1) what is the influence Kick Andy program to the inspiration of audience ? (2) how much the influence Kick Andy program to the inspiration of audience ?. The type research that use in this research is eksplanatory research is the research to know about the relationship between the hypothesis variable with quantitative approach, which in this research stressed in numeral analysis. This research use the qualitative research because in the hypothesis is have a relation between variable (X) and variable (Y) (Sugiono, 1999 : 11). The object of research are the undergraduate student in Faculty of Economy, 2006 period and 2007 period Faculty of Teacher and Trainning Education at University of Jember. Whereas the sample of the research is 62 people was get by survey, is the research that take a population and then use the questionnaire as a data primer. After that, the technique of sample is done by total sampling, this technique is take all the population as the sample. Then, the questionnaire will be test in the validitas level with use correlation product moment technique and the reliabilitas test with the alpha technique. The analysis of data that use regression to know the influence between the attack of Kick Andy program to the audience inspiration and the coefficient determination analysis to know how much the influence of variable (X) and Variable (Y). Based on the resulf. We get the coefficient correlation (r) that show the relation between (dependent variable) that is the attack of Kick Andy program with (independent variabel), is the audience inspiration with r score correlation 0,612. Base on the analysis resulf of regression linear, we get f score 36,019. Because f arithmetic > F table, is 36,019 > 4,00, so, the relation between the attack of Kick Andy program with the audience inspiration is signifikan. It means Ho is rejected and Hi is received, so we can conclude that the attact of Kick Andy program can influence signifikanly to the inspiration of undergraduated students in faculty of Economy, UNEJ ( University of Jember). In other word , if the attack of Kick Andy program is increase, so the inspiration of undergraduate students in Faculty of Economy at University of Jemberis increase too. We can get the coefficient determination is 0,375, it mens that 37,5 % is the influence of Kick Andy program to the inspiration of undergraduate students in faculty of Economy at University of Jember, whereas the remnant is 62,5 % is the audience inspirations influenced by the other variable that didn't study in this research.


Drug therapy problems (DTPs) are common in patients with chronic kidney disease because of the complexity of their drug regimen and can adversely affect their desired treatment outcome. Often, there are co-morbidities, this imply concomitant use of many drugs, thus making the management of these patients particularly challenging. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study undertaken in the Renal Unit of the Medical Outpatient Department of Central Hospital Warri and the Department of nephrology Delta state University Teaching Hospital Oghara over a period of one year. The prescriptions of the patients were screened for drug therapy problems using the Medscape drug information application version 5.12. The identified drug related problems were documented in the drug therapy problem documentation form. More than half, 120(65.93%) of the respondents had two or more DTPs, 87(47.80%) 1 or 2 and 62(34.07%) no DTPs. Overall, the total number of patients with DTPS were 120(65.93%). Respondents with serious drug interactions were 10(13.51%), 62(83.7%) significant, and 17(22.97%) had minor drug interactions. Of the 120(65.93% DTPs identified, 13(7.4%) was wrong drug, 120(65.90%) inappropriate adherence and 74(40.66%) drug interactions. There is a high occurrence of drug therapy problems (DTP) among the chronic kidney disease patients treated in the surveyed facilities. Keywords : Drug therapy problems; Kidney disease


We report the results of current-induced magnetization switching (CIMS) for MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of about 66% and a critical current density of 4.45times106 A/cm2. The stable switching probability related to CIMS over 1times104 cycles is observed up to 90%. The influence between the switching current and the pulse duration is discussed


Schistosomus reflexus (SR) is a rare and fatal congenital anomaly, primarily observed in ruminants, presenting fetus with dorsiflexion of the vertebral column, exposure of thoracic and visceral organs, and scoliosis. A caesarian was performed on a Dorper sheep on a farm in Botucatu-SP and according to the general characteristics and findings observed in the necropsy of the fetus it was an SR case. The radiography indicated a marked ventro-dorsal deviation of the thoracolumbar column segment and deformity of the ribs. On the computed tomography the integrity of the bones and organs were detected, except for the absence of a lumbar vertebra. No data were available in the literature for SR diagnosis in sheep by image, so radiographic and tomographic exams of the fetus were done.


This paper describes a new method for generating the recombination weights in sub-band based speaker verification. The approach, which is based on the use of background speaker models, attempts to reduce the effect of any mismatch between the band-limited segments of the test utterance and the corresponding sections in the target speaker model. The discussion also includes an analysis of other possible methods for determining these weights. Moreover, a problem generally associated with the sub-band cepstral features is pointed out and a possible solution is presented.


The 'school-to prison pipeline' problem has typically been framed as predominantly affecting boys since punitive school discipline practices become firmly entrenched in U.S. public schools beginning in the 1990's.  Since then, the experiences of girls and gender non-conforming students has largely been overlooked.  Girls and gender non-conforming students represent an increasing number of students suspended from schools annually and the number of juvenile justice involved girls has increased.  This policy brief presents context to the problem and suggests a gendered analysis of aggression and violence is warranted to identify differences in the ways girls'  and gender non-conforming students' behaviors are perceived and punished in schools utilizing intersectionality as an analytic tool of critical praxis to provide researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners recommendations for future empirical study and practical approaches to correct policy and practice that perpetuate gender bias and social inequality.  Improved policy and practice that address inequitable application of school discipline decision-making and juvenile justice decisions can have a direct effect on girls' and gender non-conforming students' academic success and decrease the number of women incarcerated across the United States.


A weather radar's resolution volume is generally determined by beam and pulse widths. Recently, a single‐antenna interferometric technique was developed to measure cross‐beam and radial wind using angular and range interferometry. Here it is shown that the interferometry technique can refine radar resolution. The technique for resolution refinement is based on the fact that the cross‐correlation function of signals from two resolution volumes is contributed only by scatterers in the shared volume. Therefore all the radar measureables derived from cross‐correlation estimates have a resolution of the shared volume size rather than a radar resolution volume size. The performance of the technique depends on the shape of beam/range‐weighting functions and relative sample error. A sharp change at the edges of the weighting function and low sidelobes are important for resolution refinement using weather radar interferometry.


Departments of transportation and other construction agencies are required to locate and conserve cultural resources located in the area of a construction project. Although most organizations have procedures for locating cultural resources on land, the relatively new field of underwater archaeology lacks clearly defined guidelines for preconstruction surveys for structures over water. The lack of specific guidelines complicates decisions by administrators who are unfamiliar with the issues concerning submerged cultural resources, but who are, nevertheless, required to consider them in planning projects. The increase in public interest in underwater archaeology and the recent passage of legislation protecting underwater historical sites indicate that greater attention will need to be directed toward consideration of these resources in construction projects. This report reviews the relevant cultural resource legislation and it summarizes the origins, techniques, and working conditions of underwater archaeology: The differences between underwater and land archaeology are primarily related to the specialized technology required for underwater work and exploration; therefore, the methodology of underwater archaeology and the application of survey procedures are discussed in detail.


Given a collection of individual preferences on a set of candidates and a desired number of winners, a multi-winner voting rule outputs groups of winners, which we call committees. In this paper, we consider five multi-winner voting rules widely studied in the literature of social choice theory: the k-Plurality rule, the k-Borda rule, the k-Negative Plurality rule, the Bloc rule, and the Chamberlin-Courant rule. The objective of this paper is to provide a comparison of these multi-winner voting rules according to many principles by taking into account a probabilistic approach using the well-known Impartial Anonymous Culture (IAC) assumption. We first evaluate the probability that each pair of the considered voting rules selects the same unique committee in order to identify which multi-winner rules are the most likely to agree for a given number of candidates and a fixed target size of the committee. In this matter, our results show that the Chamberlin-Courant rule and the k-Plurality rule on one side, and the k-Borda rule and the Bloc rule on the other side, are the pairs of rules that most agree in comparison to other pairs. Furthermore, we evaluate the probability of every multi-winner voting rule selecting the Condorcet committee a la Gehrlein when it exists. The Condorcet committee a la Gehrlein is a fixed-size committee such that every member defeats every non-member in pairwise comparisons. In addition, we compare the considered multi-winner voting rules according to their ability (susceptibility) to select a committee containing the Condorcet winner (loser) when one exists. Here, our results tell us that in general, the k-Borda rule has the highest performance amongst all the considered voting rules. Finally, we highlight that this paper is one of the very rare contributions in the literature giving exact results under the Impartial Anonymous Culture (IAC) condition for the case of four candidates.


ABSTRACT Background: Trauma exposure is widespread and linked to chronic physical and mental health conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder. However, there are major gaps in our knowledge of trauma exposure in Africa and on the validity of instruments to assess potentially life-threatening trauma exposure. Objective: The Life Events Checklist for the DSM-5 (LEC-5) is a free, widely used questionnaire to assess traumatic events that can be associated with psychopathology. As part of a case–control study on risk factors for psychosis spectrum disorders, we used the LEC-5 to examine the frequency of traumatic events and to assess the questionnaire's factor structure in South Africa (N = 6,765). Method: The prevalence of traumatic events was measured by individual items on the LEC-5 across the study sample, by case–control status, and by sex. Cumulative trauma burden was calculated by grouping items into 0, 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 traumatic event types. Psychometric properties of the LEC-5 were assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results: More than 92% of the study sample reported experiencing ≥1 traumatic event; 38.7% reported experiencing ≥4 traumatic event types. The most endorsed item was physical assault (65.0%), followed by assault with a weapon (50.2%). Almost 94% of cases reported ≥1 traumatic event compared to 90.5% of controls (p < .001) and 94% of male participants reported ≥1 traumatic event compared to 89.5% of female participants (p < .001). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 6-factor model. Confirmatory factor analyses of three models found that a 7-factor model based on the South African Stress and Health survey was the best fit (standardized root mean square residual of 0.024, root mean square error of approximation of 0.029, comparative fit index of 0.910). Conclusion: Participants reported very high exposure to traumatic events. The LEC-5 has good psychometric priorities and is adequate for capturing trauma exposure in South Africa. HIGHLIGHTS
 Trauma exposure was extremely prevalent in this South African sample, with less than 8% of participants reporting zero exposure to traumatic events. This was the first time the factor structure of the LEC-5 was assessed in South Africa. A confirmatory factor analysis using a 7-factor model based on a previous study of trauma exposure, the South African Stress and Health study (SASH), was the best fit for the LEC-5.


Geographers have made a variety of studies using guidebooks to clarify the meaning and distribution of tourist sites in cities. Nevertheless, few studies quantitatively examine the spatial distribution of tourism sites in detail. In addition, little is known about differences among attractions in terms of the cultural backgrounds of tourists. Hence, this study made a spatial analysis of tourist attractions described in guidebooks written for Japanese and English-speaking readers. Applying kernel density estimation and raster operation method with GIS, this study clarifies that tourism attractions in guidebooks differ between Japanese and Anglophone countries. English guidebooks recommend readers to visit not only cultural sites (e.g., historic places, museums, and theatres) but also sites for nightlife (e.g., bars and taverns). In contrast, Japanese guidebooks show less interest in these types of attraction, and tend to focus more on shopping and eating. The spatial distribution of the tourism attractions also indicates some differences between Japanese and Anglophone guidebooks. Specifically, the spatial extent of tourist attractions in English guidebooks is smaller than that in Japanese guidebooks, being located close to railway stations along Yamanote Line. English guidebooks are also characterized by tourist sites for nightlife, centering on the Roppongi district. Thus, attractions listed in guidebooks are regarded as a reflection of the interests and behavior patterns of tourists.


Previous studies have demonstrated efficacy of desensitizing dentifrices containing strontium acetate/sodium fluoride (SrAc2F) and potassium chloride/sodium monofluorophosphate (KCl/MFP) in alleviating discomfort arising from cervical dentine sensitivity (CDS). The aim of this investigation, therefore, was to determine efficacy of a SrAc2F dentifrice compared with KCl/MFP and a commercially available fluoride dentifrice containing sodium fluoride/sodium monofluorophosphate (NaMFP). Fifty-six patients participated in a 2-center double-blind, 3-way comparative parallel 6-week clinical study. Patients were evaluated at 0, 2, and 6 weeks for tactile (Yeaple probe), air sensitivity (dental air syringe), and subjective perception of pain (VAS scores). Results for Yeaple probe scores (Wilcoxon tests) between 2 weeks and baseline were highly significant for KCl/MFP, significant for NaMFP and nonsignificant for SrAc2F; scores between 6 weeks and baseline were, however, highly significant for all groups. Subjective Yeaple probe VAS scores (paired t-tests) between 6 weeks and baseline were significant for all groups; significance was demonstrated in the KCl/MFP group between 2 weeks and baseline. Subjective air visual analogue scores (paired t-tests) between 2 weeks and baseline were highly significant for all groups. There were no significant differences between groups at any time point. The results of the study demonstrated that the commercially available fluoride-containing dentifrice was as effective as the 2 desensitizing dentifrices in alleviating CDS over time.


Bovine dentine bio-waste may be used as a potential natural source of hydroxyapatite (BDHA), thus extraction of bovine dentin hydroxyapatite (BDHA) from bio-waste is significantly important to fabricate in a simple, economically and environmentally preferable. DC and AC conductivity properties of BDHA were investigated depending on sintering temperature (1000ºC - 1300°C) in air and vacuum (<10-2 mbar) ambient at room temperature. DC conductivity measurements performed between -1 and 1 V. AC conductivity measurements performed in the frequency range of 40 Hz – 100 kHz. DC conductivity results showed that dc conductivity values of the BDHA decrease with increasing sintering temperature in air ambient. It is not observed remarkable/systematic behavior for ac conductivity depending on sintering temperature.


Introduction Due to the varying risks of residual disease that have been reported after removal of malignant polyps, clinicians rely on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to inform decision-making. This study qualitatively and quantitatively compared the internationally published guidelines on the management of malignant colorectal polyps. Method A systematic literature search was undertaken to identify malignant colorectal polyp CPGs. Quantitative comparison was based on the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE II), a validated CPG appraisal tool which assesses 6 domains: scope and purpose; stakeholder involvement; rigour of development; clarity and presentation; applicability; and editorial independence. Histopathological risk factor assessment and treatment recommendations were further analysed for supporting levels of evidence and scientific agreement. Results Eleven International malignant colorectal polyp guidance documents were included. The AGREE assessment demonstrated significant variation in all quality domains across the CPGs. The scope and purpose domain showed the highest level of quality (median: 91%, interquartile range (IQR): 86–97%). The Applicability domain showed the lowest level of quality (median: 43%, IQR: 35–55%). Risk was attributed dichotomously (low/high risk) to malignant polyps in 8/11 CPGs and in a graded fashion in the remainder. Importantly, there were disagreements regarding which histopathological findings carried risk. Significant variation was found for degree of risk between CPGs for resection margins, tumour budding and depth of invasion. No CPG was able to provide a comprehensive analysis when multiple histopathogical risk factors are present in an MCP. The indications for local excision also demonstrated considerable variation. Conclusion There is variation in evidence interpretation and recommendations between widely used malignant colorectal polyp CPGs. Improvements in the underlying evidence base, particularly defining accurate probabilities of residual disease in the presence of multiple histopathological risk factors, are required to allow clinicians to provide personalised care to this complex patient group. Disclosure of interest None Declared.


Drought properties and the socioeconomic impact it makes are expected to increase in the coming years due to climate change. Here we review the possible impacts of changes in climate variability on the properties of different drought types. The downscaled and bias‐corrected data from five general circulation models (GCMs) were used to produce an ensemble of precipitation, temperature, and wind speed, through a relative entropy approach and were used for drought analysis. A novel Multivariate Drought Index was then employed for an integrated quantification of all physical forms of drought. We studied the spatial patterns of drought properties and performed multivariate frequency analysis for each planning region in Texas to recognize the distribution of potential drought hazard areas under climate change impact by formulating a Drought Hazard Index. A drought vulnerability assessment was also carried out by taking into consideration various socioeconomic factors, leading to the development of socioeconomic Drought Vulnerability Index. A set of composite drought risk maps that combines hazard and vulnerability analysis were developed. This study also explored the cause‐effect relationship between the drought events and several hydroclimatic triggers. A transfer entropy measure was used to quantify the causal relationships, thus indicating the predominant future drought triggers. Overall, the findings are expected to help achieve an effective drought mitigation strategy for the state of Texas.


This study contrasts midlatitude continental and tropical maritime deep convective cores using polarimetric radar observables and retrievals from selected deep convection episodes during the MC3E and TWPICE field campaigns. The continental convective cores produce stronger radar reflectivities throughout the profiles, while maritime convective cores produce more positive differential reflectivityZdrand larger specific differential phaseKdpabove the melting level. Hydrometeor identification retrievals revealed the presence of large fractions of rimed ice particles (snow aggregates) in the continental (maritime) convective cores, consistent with theZdrandKdpobservations. The regional cloud-resolving model simulations with bulk and size-resolved bin microphysics are conducted for the selected cases, and the simulation outputs are converted into polarimetric radar signals and retrievals identical to the observational composites. Both the bulk and the bin microphysics reproduce realistic land and ocean (L-O) contrasts in reflectivity, polarimetric variables of rain drops, and hydrometeor profiles, but there are still large uncertainties in describingZdrandKdpof ice crystals associated with the ice particle shapes/orientation assumptions. Sensitivity experiments are conducted by swapping background aerosols between the continental and maritime environments, revealing that background aerosols play a role in shaping the distinct L-O contrasts in radar reflectivity associated with raindrop sizes, in addition to the dominant role of background thermodynamics.


Summary: The process for developing and evaluating a comprehensive, self‐report measure of quality of life in epilepsy (QOLIE) is described, and interim results for 64 patients are reported. A test battery of 98 quality‐of‐life items was constructed with use of the RAND 36‐Item Health Survey as a generic core and adding other quality‐of‐life items, the latter derived from a literature review and expert opinion on areas of importance to people with mild to moderate epilepsy. Seventeen scales tapping unique quality‐of‐life dimensions were identified from this QOLIE test battery. The battery was administered to 64 adults with mild to moderate epilepsy and their proxies (relative or close friend) on two separate visits 2–3 weeks apart. Patients also completed a neuropsychological test battery on the first visit. Interim analysis of these data demonstrated that 16 of 17 scales on the QOLIE test battery are sufficiently reliable for group comparison: Cronbach's alpha for the 16 scales ranged from 0.73 to 0.88; test‐retest reliability ranged from 0.56 to 0.88. Preliminary evaluation of validity confirmed hypothesized correlations between selected QOLIE scales and Profile of Mood State scales. Correlations between patient and proxy scores ranged from 0.29 to 0.69 (all statistically significant at p < 0.005). A more detailed, final analysis of data for over 300 patients currently enrolled in the study will be published later.


This paper presents and critically discusses the origins and causes of the Greek fiscal crisis and its implications for the euro currency as well as the SEE economies. In the aftermath of the 2007-2009 financial crisis the enormous increase in sovereign debt has emerged as an important negative outcome, since public debt was dramatically increased in an effort by the US and the European governments to reduce the accumulated growth of private debt in the years preceding the recent financial turmoil. Although Greece is the country member of the eurozone that has been in the middle of this ongoing debt crisis, since November 2009 when it was made clear that its budget deficit and mainly its public debt were not sustainable, Greece's fiscal crisis is not directly linked to the 2007 US subprime mortgage loan market crisis. As a result of this negative downturn the Greek government happily accepted a rescue plan of 110 billion euros designed and financed by the European Union and the IMF. A lengthy austerity programme and a fiscal consolidation plan have been put forward and are to be implemented in the next three years.


Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging medical imaging modality which is based on the non-linear response of magnetic nanoparticles to an applied magnetic field. It is an important feature of MPI that even fast dynamic processes can be captured for 3D volumes. The high temporal resolution in turn leads to large amounts of data which have to be handled efficiently. But as the system matrix of MPI is non-sparse, the image reconstruction gets computationally demanding. Therefore, currently only basic image reconstruction methods such as Tikhonov regularization are used. However, Tikhonov regularization is known to oversmooth edges in the reconstructed image and to have only a limited noise reducing effect. In this work, we develop an efficient edge preserving and noise reducing reconstruction method for MPI. As regularization model, we propose to use the nonnegative fused lasso model, and we devise a discretization that is adapted to the acquisition geometry of the preclinical MPI scanner considered in this work. We develop a customized solver based on a generalized forward-backward scheme which is particularly suitable for the dense and not well-structured system matrices in MPI. Already a non-optimized prototype implementation processes a 3D volume within a few seconds so that processing several frames per second seems amenable. We demonstrate the improvement in reconstruction quality over the state-of-the-art method in an experimental medical setup for an in-vitro angioplasty of a stenosis.


Tissue-engineered heart valve (TEHV) is a promising alternative to current heart valve substitute. Decellularized porcine aortic heart valves (DAVs) are the most common scaffolds of TEHV. Hard to endothelialization is one of the disadvantages of DAVs. Therefore, we aimed to immobilize endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-aptamer onto DAVs for accelerating endothelialization. In this study, three groups of scaffolds were constructed: DAVs, aptamer-immobilized DAVs (aptamer-DAVs), and glutaraldehyde crosslinked DAVs (GA-DAVs). The results of flow cytometry revealed that EPC-aptamer was specific to EPCs and was immobilized onto DAVs. Cells adhesion experiments demonstrated that EPCs adhered more tightly onto aptamer-DAVs group than other two groups of scaffolds. And cell proliferation assay indicated that EPCs seeded onto aptamer-DAVs group grew faster than DAVs group and GA-DAVs group. Moreover, dynamic capture experiment in flow conditions revealed that the number of EPCs captured by aptamer-DAVs group was more than other two groups. In conclusion, aptamer-DAVs could specifically promote adhesion and proliferation of EPCs and had ability to capture EPCs in simulated flow condition. This could promote re-endothelialization of scaffolds.


have recurrent haemorrhoids than those with conventional haemorrhoidectomy at 1–2 years: 417 patients, odds ratio (OR) 3·60 (1·24–10·49). Interestingly, for longer follow-up, the number of patients dropped to 120 and the OR was no longer significant (OR 5·11 (0·57–41·17)), presumably because of lack of power. The same review3 showed also that there were more haemorrhoidal prolapses following SH (9 studies, 798 patients, OR 2·96 (1·33–6·58)). The most recent meta-analysis4, having included 25 trials with nearly 2000 patients, showed quite similar results in terms of recurrences and prolapses. Hence, the long-term results reported by Ganio et al. do not mean that SH and conventional haemorrhoidectomy are actually equivalent and do not definitively answer the question of the long-term efficacy of SH. Whilst we wait for well-designed trials with adequate sample size and sufficient follow-up, the conclusions of the Cochrane review and the other metaanalyses suggesting significantly more haemorrhoidal prolapse and recurrence in the mid term (1–2 years) remain valid and are not questioned by the present study. K. Slim Department of Digestive Surgery, Hotel-Dieu, Bvd Leon Malfreyt, 63058 Clermont-Ferrand, France DOI: 10.1002/bjs.6035


In this study I examine the role of philanthropic foundations in stimulating city government innovation. Reduced budgets and rising consumer demands are challenging organizational capacity in government, prompting government officials to recognize the need for innovation to improve policies, programmes and practices. This empirical study draws upon qualitative interviews and policy reports to generate comparative case studies on three city governments in England: Bristol, Manchester and Newcastle. It builds on work in urban studies and policy mobilities that reveals how foundations can influence urban agendas, finding that philanthropic foundations engage with city governments through three different types of collaboration: direct provision of financial resources, exchange of non‐financial resources with city governments and indirect engagements. Philanthropic foundations are blending financial resources and less tangible provision of space and time to enable city governments to experiment with new ideas, policies and ways of working. The fusion of non‐governmental resources provides city governments with the capacity to act, and city governments often use non‐governmental funding for riskier projects and for projects that may not have taken place if public funding had been used. Through these different collaborations and by deploying a suite of interventions and methods, philanthropic foundations stimulate product, service, process, conceptual and governance innovation in city governments.


Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems are scientifically and economically relevant as methods of detecting structural damage to various types of structures, thus increasing safety and reducing maintenance costs. Among the various principles of damage detection, the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method is based on the electrical impedance measurement of piezoelectric transducers attached to the monitored structure. Here, the accuracy and precision of the measurement system are fundamental for the correct diagnosis of the structure. Therefore, this paper performs a comparative analysis of two impedance measurement techniques for damage detection that are typically used in commercial impedance analyzers and other alternative measurement systems: 1) transient-state measurements using a sweep excitation signal and 2) steady-state measurements using a pure sinusoidal signal for each excitation frequency. Tests were performed with resistive and capacitive loads with known values and a piezoelectric transducer fixed to an aluminum bar representing a monitored structure. The two techniques were compared based on the accuracy, precision, and time required for the measurements. The results highlight the important features of each technique that should be considered for the development of impedance-based SHM systems and the correct diagnosis of monitored structures.


To explore the mechanism underlying the effects of the somatostatin (SST) analogue octreotide in Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), we investigated the expression of SST and of SST receptor (sst(1-5)) genes in primary cultures of fibroblasts established from retroorbital tissue of GO patients and of control subjects. We determined also SST specific binding sites by competitive binding of [(125)ITyr(11)]SST-14 and the effect of octreotide on cell growth, cAMP accumulation, Bcl-2 intracellular levels and apoptosis in GO fibroblast primary cultures. All primary cultures expressed the SST gene transcript and one or more ssts that have a high affinity for the two analogues (class 1 sst. The sst(2) transcript was found in nine, sst(3) in five and sst(5) in eight out of ten GO cell cultures. Sst(2) was detected in all six, and sst(3) in four out of the six control cell cultures. Sst(4) was absent from all samples, and sst(1) was found only in six out of the ten GO samples. SST-14 and octreotide inhibited the binding of [(125)I-Tyr(11)]SST-14 with a half-maximal inhibition of binding (IC(50)) of 0.80+/-0.37 and 33. 7+/- 33.1 nmol/l respectively in GO cell cultures, and with an IC(50) of 0.9 and 1.5 nmol/l in control cultures. Octreotide (10(-6) and 10(-7) M) significantly decreased (P<0.001) forskolin-induced but not basal cAMP accumulation; at both doses for 72 h it inhibited cell growth (20 and 55% respectively), and induced apoptosis (20 and 40%), and abolished Bcl-2 protein in cell lysates. In conclusion, SST and sst transcripts are expressed and functional in cultured retroorbital fibroblasts. The presence of class 1 sst in GO tissue and the inhibition exerted by octreotide on retroorbital cell growth and activity in vitro may account for the effects of SST analogue administration in vivo in GO.


The 'taboo' or 'stigma' associated with many populist radical right parties (PRRPs) has been argued to be an important constraint on their electoral success. In comparison to mainstream parties, there seems to be a higher barrier keeping voters from supporting PRRPs. However, this mechanism has not been tested directly. We conducted a randomized survey-embedded experiment manipulating the social stigma of a fictitious radical right party in Sweden. We compare three conditions. Two of these contain subtle signals about how other respondents feel about this party. In one condition the fictitious party is supported by many voters (the neutralizing condition) and in the other it is evaluated negatively by the overwhelming majority (the stigma condition). Both experimental groups do not differ significant from the control group in support for this fictitious party. However, the difference between the two experimental groups is borderline significant. This suggests that there is a causal effect of social stigma on support for a RRP, even though the evidence is rather tentative.


This paper investigates whether temporary agency employment complements or substitutes for regular employment. We use unique administrative data that provide information on the overall size of the German market for temporary agency workers for the period 1991–2010. To take into account the interaction between the two employment forms, we identify a SVAR model with correlated innovations by volatility regimes. We find that a positive shock to temporary agency employment increases overall employment, but also leads to substitution for regular jobs.