We investigate the externalities of prostitution by quantifying the value that households pay to reside close to a Red Light District (RLD) in Amsterdam. To measure willingness to accept prostitution, we first rely on a dynamic regression discontinuity design that compares the value of houses on the RLD side of a canal to similar houses on the other side over time. Houses on the RLD can sell at a discount as high as 25%, but the discount disappears where former brothels were closed. To test whether external costs are offset by the economic gains from the sex industry, we estimate the net effect of closing the entire RLD of another Dutch city, Utrecht. House prices increased by 5% on average following this event. In both cities, the closing of brothels is also associated with a drastic reduction in crime rates. Our findings suggest that prostitution is costly due to the social nuisance that it creates.


This article reports on the resolution of a mathematical problem that emerged when two ideas were brought together. The first idea consists of a method for constructing a decorated bracelet made with safety pins that are strung together at both ends, creating a band. The other is suggested by the word band: why not introduce a twist and make the bracelet a Mobius band? As Isaksen and Petrofsky demonstrated in their paper [1] discussing the knitting of a Mobius band, the endless nature of the band's single face and edge introduces an additional design constraint, particularly if the connection is to appear seamless. To make the creation appear seamless, the decoration applied to the design must itself be regular, as this helps the eye travel along the endless length. The paper discusses the mathematical and practical constraints of this result for a design that uses a repeating pattern throughout the band, first in the standard design, then in the Mobius bracelet. This resolution involves some simple modular arithmetic and an unusual way to lay out the pins in preparation for their being strung together.


As their name implies, local interneurones arborize within anatomically restricted regions of a nervous system, and the connections that they make establish local circuits. In arthropods, they may arborize wholly within a segmental ganglion, or within a specialized region of the brain. Local interneurones can be divided into two physiological types: spiking and nonspiking. In segmental ganglia, spiking local interneurones are largely responsible for the local processing of primary sensory inputs, whereas non-spiking ones play a major role in the control and coordination of motor neurone activity at the segmental level. By contrast, in the brain, primary visual inputs are processed mainly by non-spiking interneurones. Local interactions between neurones may occur in three ways: by the graded release of transmitter, by the presynaptic modulation of spike-evoked PSPs and by the 'conventional' mechanism where spike frequency is translated across a synapse as the summed amplitude of discrete spike-evoked PSPs. Although graded synaptic transmission is the only mechanism so far described for the local interactions of non-spiking interneurones, it is not limited to them. It may occur also in non-spiking neurones specialized to transmit graded signals over long distances, or in local, intraganglionic regions of motor neurones or long interneurones. The ability of spiking neurones to exert graded effects may depend upon input and output synapses being intermingled on their fine branches, at sites relatively distant from the region of spike initiation. Since these synapses are widely distributed over the neurones, local intraganglionic interactions can be seen as the summed effect of many, yet more restricted local interactions. Restricted local interactions also may occur within parts of non-spiking interneurones, but this is a conjecture, based on modelling studies, and upon considerable EM evidence for serial and reciprocal synapses in most other types of arthropod neurones.


Chile is no exception to the high co-movement of sovereign long-term rates observed between EMEs and the United States. In particular, we show that the high co-movement is mainly driven by synchronisation of the term premium. The aggressive monetary policy in developed economies since the financial crisis, and the changing pattern in the profile of investors holding bonds issued abroad, have not only compressed term premia but have also increased their volatility. In this paper, we document these patterns for Chile, showing that in the last few years a larger share of Chilean bonds are being held by investors who are outside the oversight of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, such investors arguably being those who might adjust their portfolios abruptly. This poses a challenge regarding the impact on longer-term rates of monetary policy normalisation in the United States, and the capacity of Chile's monetary policy to stabilise long-term rates in response to large swings in term premia.Full publication: What Do New Forms of Finance Mean for EM Central Banks?


Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objective: HDL (high-density lipoprotein) particles are known to possess several antiatherogenic properties that include the removal of excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues, the maintenance of endothelial integrity, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. ApoA-I overexpression in apoE-deficient (EKO) mice has been shown to increase HDL levels and to strongly reduce atherosclerosis development. The aim of the study was to investigate gene expression patterns associated with atherosclerosis development in the aorta of EKO mice and how HDL plasma levels relate to gene expression patterns at different stages of atherosclerosis development and with different dietary treatments. Approach and Results: Eight-week-old EKO mice, EKO mice overexpressing human apoA-I, and wild-type mice as controls were fed either normal laboratory or Western diet for 6 or 22 weeks. Cholesterol distribution among lipoproteins was evaluated, and atherosclerosis of the aorta was quantified. High-throughput sequencing technologies were used to analyze the transcriptome of the aorta of the 3 genotypes in each experimental condition. In addition to the well-known activation of inflammation and immune response, the impairment of sphingolipid metabolism, phagosome-lysosome system, and osteoclast differentiation emerged as relevant players in atherosclerosis development. The reduced atherosclerotic burden in the aorta of EKO mice expressing high levels of apoA-I was accompanied by a reduced activation of immune system markers, as well as reduced perturbation of lysosomal activity and a better regulation of the sphingolipid synthesis pathway. Conclusions: ApoA-I modulates atherosclerosis development in the aorta of EKO mice affecting the expression of pathways additional to those associated with inflammation and immune response.


Abstract. The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) represent approximately one-third of freshwater mussel diversity in North America. Species identification within this group is challenging due to morphological convergence and phenotypic plasticity. Accurate species identification, including characterisation of currently unrecognised taxa, is required to develop effective conservation strategies because many species in the group are imperiled. We examined 575 cox1 sequences from 110 currently recognised species (including 13 Fusconaia and 21 Pleurobema species) to understand phylogenetic relationships among pleurobemine species (mainly Fusconaia and Pleurobema) and to delineate species boundaries. The results of phylogenetic analyses showed no geographic structure within widespread species and illustrated a close relationship between Elliptio lanceolata and Parvaspina collina. Constraint tests supported monophyly of the genera Fusconaia and Pleurobema, including the subgenus P. (Sintoxia). Furthermore, results revealed multiple conspecifics, including P. hanleyianum and P. troschelianum, P. chattanoogaense and P. decisum, P. clava and P. oviforme, P. rubrum and P. sintoxia, F. askewi and F. lananensis, and F. cerina and F. flava. Species delimitation analyses identified three currently unrecognised taxa (two in Fusconaia and one in Pleurobema). Further investigation using additional genetic markers and other lines of evidence (e.g. morphology, life history, ecology) are necessary before any taxonomic changes are formalised.


Aim To describe the ophthalmic side-effects of topical imiquimod for periocular actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinoma in situ and basal cell carcinoma. Method A retrospective study was carried out in two centres of all patients who underwent topical imiquimod therapy between January 2004 and January 2009. Imiquimod was applied three times weekly for 4–6 weeks. Diagnosis of the lesions, complications, clinical resolution and long-term ophthalmic side-effects was recorded. Patients on therapy were reviewed fortnightly and then every 6 weeks following completion of treatment. Results 47 patients were identified; the mean age was 74 years. 37 patients had actinic keratoses, seven patients had Bowen disease, and three patients had BCC. The lower lid was the commonest site involved (68%). Application site erythema occurred in all patients. Conjunctivitis occurred in 15 patients, and six patients complained of ocular stinging on application of imiquimod. One patient had a staphylococcal keratitis, which responded to topical antibiotic and steroid therapy. Two patients required oral antibiotics for preseptal cellulitis. Three patients had delayed conjunctivitis at a mean of 2.3 weeks. Nine patients discontinued imiquimod due to ocular irritation and conjunctivitis, of whom four patients recommenced and finished the treatment after a rest period. At a mean follow-up of 16 weeks, 34 patients had clinical resolution of the periocular lesions and no patient had any residual ophthalmic side-effects from imiquimod. Conclusion Conjunctivitis and ocular stinging were the commonest ophthalmic side-effects encountered with the application of imiquimod for periocular skin lesions. These effects were temporary and resolved on terminating the imiquimod therapy.


The world is in desperate need of new methods for controlling microbial growth. Antibacterial surfaces, with antibacterial polymers irreversible attached, is a promising alternative. By targeting the bacterial membrane, the risk of evolving resistant bacteria is reduced. The attachment of the polymers prevents unwanted leaching and keeps a high, active surface concentration. The making of such surfaces does however involve harsh reaction conditions and is thus unsuitable for use in large scale. Using the polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) technique we here electrostatically adsorb cationic antibacterial polymers. This takes place in aqueous solutions and in room temperature, making it an appealing alternative. Previous studies performed in our group have focused on model surfaces to get fundamental knowledge about the multilayer properties. Here the PEMs are applied on cellulosic pulp and tested for antibacterial properties against E. coli and B. subtilis. The obtained material was found to be antibacterial against both bacterial strains. These antibacterial fibers, produced in a safe, sustainable process, will give opportunities for new products and new applications.


This paper explores the development of practice in residential child care, initially within the context of generally negative perceptions of this and the wider care system. Discussion of therapeutic perspectives is set within the context of the development of Care Visions residential services and considers the significance of the Sanctuary Model of trauma informed care and social pedagogical principles. It is suggested that approaches primarily defined by procedures can stifle the intuition of professional carers to respond meaningfully to the needs of young people. Compassionate relationships accompanied by an ethical disposition offer an effective alternative. The article concludes with a discussion about what has been learned through supporting continued relationships between professionals and young people after they have moved on from care, and a commitment to applying this in residential child care settings. This promises to support an approach that foregrounds trusting reciprocal relationships as a medium for healing and growth that facilitates nuance and differentiation while ensuring safety.


Background: New technologies for gait assessment are emerging and have provided new avenues for accurately measuring gait characteristics in home and clinic. However, potential meaningful clinical gait parameters beyond speed have received little attention in frailty research. Objective: To study gait characteristics in different frailty status groups for identifying the most useful parameters and assessment protocols for frailty diagnosis. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Age Line. Articles were selected according to the following criteria: (1) population: individuals defined as frail, prefrail, or transitioning to frail, and (2) outcome measures: quantitative gait variables as obtained by biomechanical analysis. Effect sizes (d) were calculated for the ability of parameters to discriminate between different frailty status groups. Results: Eleven publications met inclusion criteria. Frailty definitions, gait protocols and parameters were inconsistent, which made comparison of outcomes difficult. Effect sizes were calculated only for the three studies which compared at least two different frailty status groups. Gait speed shows the highest effect size to discriminate between frailty subgroups, in particular during habitual walking (d = 0.76-6.17). Gait variability also discriminates between different frailty status groups in particular during fast walking. Prominent parameters related to prefrailty are reduced cadence (d = 1.43) and increased step width variability (d = 0.64), whereas frailty (vs. prefrail status) is characterized by reduced step length during habitual walking (d = 1.32) and increased double support during fast walking (d = 0.78). Interestingly, one study suggested that dual-task walking speed can be used to predict prospective frailty development. Conclusion: Gait characteristics in people with frailty are insufficiently analyzed in the literature and represent a major area for innovation. Despite the paucity of work, current results suggest that parameters beyond speed could be helpful in identifying different categories of frailty. Increased gait variability might reflect a multisystem reduction and may be useful in identifying frailty. In addition, a demanding task such as fast walking or adding a cognitive distractor might enhance the sensitivity and specificity of frailty risk prediction and classification, and is recommended for frailty assessment using gait analysis.


This study examines the impact of broadsheet newspaper reporting of takeover offers and market abuse cases on the corporate governance quality of the UK listed companies involved. The study examined 111 takeover offers and 25 market abuse cases from 2001 to 2010. Corporate governance quality is assessed from the perspective of the board of directors using an original scoring methodology devised herein. The scoring methodology is founded upon principles of best practice set out in UK regulatory guidelines; the statutory responsibilities expected of boards of UK companies; and recommendations expressed in academic commentary and specialist reports on corporate governance. The level of newspaper reporting is measured using the archives of eight prominent UK broadsheet publications. The results of statistical analysis indicate a significant association between changes in corporate governance
quality and newspaper reporting on takeover offers but not for market abuse cases. This study sheds insight into the role the broadsheet media plays in corporate governance and contributes to a growing strand of research on the capacity of the media to lower agency costs. Findings imply that the broadsheet newspaper media serves a potentially important function in facilitating the operation of the market for corporate control. Specifically, by reporting on companies' vulnerability to takeover, the newspaper media can create reputational costs for target directors thereby encouraging governance improvements in target companies. This thesis adds to an extensive body of literature on corporate governance and the market for corporate control in the UK by identifying the newspaper media as a significant intermediary in the context of the London Stock Exchange. Findings suggest a need for enhanced shareholder monitoring of boards of targets of failed takeover offers; greater clarity in
guidelines on best practice in corporate governance; and increased acknowledgement of the impact of the media on corporate governance at policy level.


Addresses the output regulation problem for the class of singular nonlinear systems. A generalized version of the center manifold theorem that applies to singular nonlinear systems is established first. Then necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the solvability of the output regulation problem. The work extends the existing results of output regulation problem for singular linear systems or normal nonlinear systems to the singular nonlinear systems.


Three urban growth theories predict parallel growth of cities. The endogenous growth theory predicts deterministic parallel growth; the random growth theory implies that city growth follows Gibrat's law with a steady-state distribution; and the hybrid growth theory suggests the co-movement of random city growth. This paper uses the Chinese city size data from 1984-2006 and time series econometric techniques to test for parallel growth. The results from various types of stationarity tests on pooled heterogeneous cities show that city growth is random. However, once growth trend and structural change are taken into account, certain groups of cities with common group characteristics, such as similar natural resource endowment or policy regime, grow parallel.


In this paper we draw on impact assessment work of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to present an example of meta-evaluation – an evaluation of evaluations – in an agricultural research, development and extension setting. We explore quality issues relating to evaluation studies in the context of government institutions. Program evaluation standards (PES) are divided into categories of utility, feasibility, propriety and accuracy to provide a framework for the meta-evaluation. The PES are presented as a universal measure of evaluation study quality. The intent of using them here is to judge the adequacy of PES as a universal quality measure or meta-evaluation base and to extract useful insights from ACIAR program evaluation activities when developing a meta-evaluation model for the Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDA). Our meta-evaluation is undertaken of 63 impact assessment reports. First, the literature guiding the conduct of a meta-evaluation is reviewed. Second, an assessment (the meta-evaluation) of the evaluation studies is carried out for 19 sampled reports from a population of relevant reports fitting the dimension of the analysis, and results are presented and discussed. Also, lessons learned are presented, using the framework provided by the meta-evaluation criteria. Third, taking into account the lessons learned, implications are drawn for a proposed systematic meta-evaluation of the LDA. Finally, we conclude that all the PES cannot be equally emphasized in a meta-evaluation model. At ACIAR, 70% of the standards were at least partially addressed. Therefore, we succeeded in using the PES in judging the ACIAR evaluation quality. As such, they can be an important base when developing an evaluation model but should be applied in a contextualized manner.


Objective To determine the prevalence and possible factors associated with anaemia, and vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in women of reproductive age (WRA) in Pakistan. Methods A secondary analysis was conducted on data collected through the large-scale National Nutrition Survey in Pakistan in 2011. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin levels <12 g/dL, vitamin B12 deficiency as serum vitamin B12 levels of <203 pg/mL (150 pmol/L) and folate deficiency as serum folate levels <4 ng/mL (10 nmol/L). Results A total of 11 751 blood samples were collected and analysed. The prevalence of anaemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and folate deficiency was 50.4%, 52.4% and 50.8%, respectively. After adjustment, the following factors were positively associated with anaemia: living in Sindh province (RR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.09) P<0.00, food insecure with moderate hunger (RR 1.03; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.06) P=0.02, four or more pregnancies (RR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.05) P<0.00, being underweight (RR 1.03; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.05) P=0.02, being overweight or obese (RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.93 to 0.97) P<0.00 and weekly intake of leafy green vegetables (RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.00) P=0.04. For vitamin B12 deficiency, a positive association was observed with rural population (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.66 to 1.00) P=0.04, living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (RR 1.25; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.43) P<0.00 and living in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (RR 1.50; 95% CI 1.08 to 2.08) P=0.01. Folate deficiency was negatively associated with daily and weekly intake of eggs (RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81 to 0.98) P=0.02 and (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.99) P=0.03. Conclusions In Pakistan, anaemia, and vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies are a severe public health concern among WRA. Our findings suggest that further research is needed on culturally appropriate short-term and long-term interventions within communities and health facilities to decrease anaemia, and vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies among Pakistani women.


ABSTRACT The paper illustrates the application of the regional quasi-experimental estimation approach to estimate impacts of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) on the performance of the food processing sector in Poland. It brings several advantages compared with estimations based on firm data by capturing the RDP effects on non-supported firms and measures targeting overall development of rural areas; it provides a more accurate aggregate regional policy impacts; and it partially addresses the bias caused by general equilibrium effects. The application of the approach to Polish regional data shows that the RDP impacts structural change and employment in the food processing sector in Poland.


Operas written in Venice in the 1640s feature surprisingly long melismas often setting seemingly insignificant words, in opposition to (although concurrently with) traditional madrigalisms. This magnification of pure voice over word meaning is consistent with the aesthetics presented by members of the Venetian Accademia degli Incogniti, known for its pro-opera stance. In previously unexplored works the academicians advocate the controversial concept of Nothing as an all-embracing phenomenon. This includes language, in which the Incogniti emphasize sound as independent from meaning-a claim with significant consequences for music aesthetics. The academy9s emblem articulates a parallel discourse on voice through visual means. By musical means, passages from works by Barbara Strozzi, Claudio Monteverdi (an oft-discussed melisma in Poppea, I, 6), and Francesco Cavalli also articulate Incogniti aesthetics. In elaborating their ideas the academicians relied upon a work that indeed presented a manifesto for sheer vocality, L9Adone (1623) by Giovanbattista Marino, an academy member. The Incogniti9s Marinist aesthetics was to dominate the rest of the century until its object, pure voice, came under sharp criticism by members of yet another academy, the Arcadia.


Caenorhabditis elegans increasingly is attractive as a toxicity test organism, particularly as a model system to study mechanisms of toxicity at a molecular level and the way that these lead to whole organism and population level effects. Inhibitions of growth, reproduction, movement, and feeding rate all have been proposed as sublethal toxicity endpoints. These endpoints are more sensitive than 24‐h acute toxicity endpoints, but assays are much more time consuming, making them difficult to use in mass screening. The RNA/DNA ratio, after 48‐h exposure to metals, has median effective concentration (EC50) values of 0.05, 0.6, 6.1, and 35 mg/L for Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn, respectively. This makes it a slightly more sensitive toxicity endpoint than reduction of individual growth after 72‐h exposure to the same concentrations. This facilitates the near‐simultaneous assessment of sublethal toxicity in many nematode samples. The constant cell number of C. elegans means that different stages in the life history have very different RNA/DNA ratios even in the absence of toxins. So, RNA/DNA ratios can be used only on prereproductive, age‐synchronized cultures. Assessing the sublethal toxicity of metals to C. elegans shows that it is sensitive particularly to Cu.


Groups are widely used to achieve organizational objectives including improved products, services, productivity and quality. Teamwork is among the top skills employers look for in new hires. Educators therefore place considerable emphasis on teamwork. In this exercise, undergraduate and graduate students learn how to form task groups composed of relevant and complementary knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and balance the need for task effectiveness and student developmental needs. Students are presented with a Request for Proposal (RFP) from Apple ® that describes a store employee retention issue. Students brainstorm KSAs that are required to effectively write competitive proposals, conduct KSA self-assessments, and form task groups based on complementary KSAs and student developmental needs. The instructor then debriefs the exercise to reinforce learning objectives. Relevant literature, handouts, and rubrics are provided. This exercise is appropriate for graduate and undergraduate students of organizational behavior, human resource management, and business administration.


Recently, many detection methods based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been proposed for image splicing forgery detection. Most of these detection methods focus on the local patches or local objects. In fact, image splicing forgery detection is a global binary classification task that distinguishes the tampered and non-tampered regions by image fingerprints. However, some specific image contents are hardly retained by CNN-based detection networks, but if included, would improve the detection accuracy of the networks. To resolve these issues, we propose a novel network called dual-encoder U-Net (D-Unet) for image splicing forgery detection, which employs an unfixed encoder and a fixed encoder. The unfixed encoder autonomously learns the image fingerprints that differentiate between the tampered and non-tampered regions, whereas the fixed encoder intentionally provides the direction information that assists the learning and detection of the network. This dual-encoder is followed by a spatial pyramid global-feature extraction module that expands the global insight of D-Unet for classifying the tampered and non-tampered regions more accurately. In an experimental comparison study of D-Unet and state-of-the-art methods, D-Unet outperformed the other methods in image-level and pixel-level detection, without requiring pre-training or training on a large number of forgery images. Moreover, it was stably robust to different attacks.


There have been virtually no reports on the origin of environmental magnetic fields which act as noise sources in biomagnetic measurements, despite its importance to the design of magnetic shielded rooms and to the quality of signals obtained in biomagnetics experiments. In this paper, the measured variation of environmental magnetic fields at three locations-- Tokyo Denki University, Hokkaido University, and the Research Laboratory of Takenaka Corp.--is described, and the origin of magnetic field noise is discussed with reference to magnetic fields generated by electric trains. Near railways, large variations in magnetic field are observed due to imbalance between the feeder line and return rail line. Simulations confirmed that trains are especially prone to generate fields in the X-axis direction (perpendicular to the direction of train travel).


The increasing number of food producers, and the outstanding amount of import foodstuffs enables the producers to mislead and cheat consumers. To differentiate those who take advantage of legal rules from the ones who commit food adulteration is very difficult. The consciousness of consumers would be crucial. However, how can we expect consequent behavior from them regarding controversial issues emerging day by day? In addition, ignorance and unfair market behavior may endanger consumer health and misleading can lead to poisoning. So we need sanctions and judicial penalties with an adequate restraining force to halt this process.


This study was conducted to examine the effects of Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) towards form four pupils' learning outcomes (Psychomotor: total game performance, execution of hockey dribbling skills; Cognitive: tactical understanding and decision making; Affective: intrinsic motivation and self-confidence) in mini hockey games. A quasi experimental design with pretest and posttest was used in this study. A total of 259 form four pupils' (boys and girls) aged 16 years old were selected for this study based on intact sampling method from two secondary schools in Segamat, Johor. The control groups consisted of (boys=60, girls=70) and treatment groups with (boys=60, girls=69). The control groups underwent the Traditional Teaching, while the treatment groups underwent intervention in the form of TGFU in mini hockey games within physical education classes conducted twice a week for four weeks. The instruments' of Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) were used to see the effects of the learning outcomes (Psychomotor: total game performance, execution of hockey dribbling skills; Cognitive: tactical understanding, decision making), Situational Motivational Scale Instrument (SIMS) and State Sport-Confidence Instrument (SSCI) (Affective: intrinsic motivation and self-confidence) among form four pupils' in a mini hockey games. After four weeks, analysis of ANCOVA indicated that the treatment groups (TGFU) were significant in learning outcomes [Psychomotor: school boys' total game performance with F(1, 117)= 348.63, ES= 0.75;. school girls' total game performance with F(1, 136)= 95.09, ES= 0.41; Cognitive: school boys' tactical understanding with F(1, 117)= 313.37, ES= 0.73, school girls' tactical understanding with F(1, 136)= 92.62, ES= 0.41; Affective: school boys' identified regulation domain with F(1, 117)= 0.05, ES= 0.83, school girls' intrinsic motivation domain with F(1, 136)= 56.36, ES= 0.29, school girls' identified regulation domain with F(1, 136)= 7.45, ES= 0.05, school girls' external regulation domain with F(1, 136)= 7.30, ES= 0.05] and school girls' self-confidence with F(1, 136)= 74.40, ES= 0.35, p <. 05 in the mini hockey games compared to the control groups (Traditional Teaching). Independent t-test showed the school boys in the treatment groups (TGFU) had significant improvement than the control groups (Traditional Teaching) for the intrinsic motivation domain with t(2, 118)= -6.26, p <. 05 in the mini hockey games. Mann Whitney U test indicated a significant improvement in learning outcomes [Psychomotor: school girls' hockey dribbling skills with U= 1138.50, z= -5.70, r= 0.04; Cognitive: school boys' decision making with U= 450.00, z= -7.66, r= 0.06, school girls' decision making with U= 1167.00, z= -5.58, r= 0.04] and school boys' self-confidence with U= 428.50, z= -7.22, r= 0.06, p <. 05 in mini hockey games which showed the treatment groups (TGFU) were better than control groups (Traditional Teaching). This indicates that TGFU within physical education class conducted twice a week for four weeks significantly improved the learning outcome among form four school pupils' in mini hockey games in two secondary schools in Segamat, Johor. The significance of the study in terms of implications to theory and practice can provide the latest information to the Physical Education teachers and Physical Education curriculum developers to suggest TGFU as a vital part of teaching method for Form Four's Physical Education Curriculum in hockey games.


CM carbonaceous chondrites display a range of alteration (aqueous alteration) from slightly altered (CM2.5) to most altered (CM2.0). They are of particular interest in understanding early solar system evolution because they are made of a mixture of mineral grains that formed at high temperatures in the solar nebula with secondary minerals including phyllosilicates and carbonates whose origin is controversial. Previous studies suggest that these secondary minerals were produced by low temperature water-mediated alteration of anhydrous minerals within the asteroidal parent body of carbonaceous chondrites. Others have suggested that phyllosilicates and other secondary minerals may have formed from a nebula gas or within an earlier-formed asteroid. This study has focused on answering these questions by the study of carbonates. Results from this study are consistent with an origin of all the secondary minerals by parent body aqueous alteration.

In addition to aragonite, calcite and dolomite, CM chondrites contain breunnerite and Ca-poor dolomite. This study has found a very complex sequence of mineralisation in CM chondrites, which was: aragonite ≥ (i.e. formed before or at the same time) calcite free of rims > calcite rimmed with tochilinite and/or Fe-sulphide > phyllosilicate pseudomorphs after calcite ≥ calcite replacing Mg-rich olivine > calcite veins > dolomite > calcite replacing dolomite > dolomite veins > breunnerite > Ca-poor dolomite > calcite cement.

Aragonite grains record a period relatively early in the aqueous alteration history of the parent body of CM chondrites. This initial parent body water crystallized aragonite with high oxygen isotope values (average δ18O of 39.9 ± 0.57 ‰ and δ17O of 20.4 ± 1.1‰), these values falling as the water obtained oxygen from reaction with anhydrous silicates. Aragonite was probably present in all CM chondrites, but was dissolved or replaced by calcite in some moderately and highly altered CM chondrites as aqueous alteration progressed. Aragonite in less altered CM chondrites crystallized from fluids with higher concentrations of Fe than those from which the aragonite grains in the moderately altered chondrites crystallized, and whether aragonite or calcite formed was determined by the fluid Mg/Ca ratio. The majority of aragonite grains in CM chondrites have a preferred orientation, which is most likely to be the result of compression in the parent body during crystallisation. Calcite free of rims and inclusions is comparable in texture and petrographic appearance to most aragonite grains, but it exhibits more complex CL patterns, which suggests that this calcite precipitated from fluids that were less compositionally stable than those from which aragonite crystallized.

Calcite grains rimmed with tochilinite and/or Fe-sulphide are present in all CM chondrites studied, and are more abundant than aragonite and calcite free of rims and inclusions. CL patterns of this calcite are more complex than those of the other carbonate generations. The most complicated CL patterns have been found in grains from less altered CM chondrites, and CL characteristics become simpler towards the highly altered CM chondrites. Rimmed calcite has lower δ18O values (average δ18O of 37.5 ± 0.65‰ and δ17O of 20.9 ± 1.3‰) than aragonite grains, and so probably formed after aragonite. It was partially replaced by phyllosilicates to leave serpentine-tochilinite rimmed pseudomorphs, which in some cases comprise 3.15 vol% of a meteorite. Tochilinite-serpentine pseudomorphs after calcite are present only in moderately altered CM chondrites, whereas Mg-rich serpentine pseudomorphs after calcite occur in the moderately and highly altered CM chondrites, indicating that solutions at later stages in the alteration sequence were richer Mg than Fe, a result of the dissolution of Mg-rich silicates; consequently new minerals rich in Mg were formed.
Calcite replacing Mg-rich olivine is found in all the studied CM chondrites, but it is more abundant and coarser grained with increasing degree of alteration. Results of this study suggest that calcite after Mg-rich olivine, and Mg-rich serpentine or serpentine-tochilinite intergrowth with calcite, probably formed at the same time or immediately after each other. Fe, Mg and Si were released from Mg-rich olivine, and were used for the replacement of calcite by Mg-rich serpentine.
Calcite veins in CM chondrites formed in late stages of aqueous alteration as a result of dissolution and recrystallisation of earlier formed Ca-carbonate grains. A large calcite vein (millimetres in size) in the Antarctic CM chondrite LON 94101 has average δ18O of 18.4 ± 0.3‰ and δ17O of 9.0 ± 0.5‰, and low concentrations of Fe in comparison with other calcite and aragonite grains. Petrographic observations show that shock post dated the crystallization of rimmed calcite grains and the LON 94101 vein, suggesting this calcite vein was formed by water in the parent body rather than by Antarctic weathering.
Dolomite is found mainly in the highly altered CM chondrites. These rocks also contain calcite intergrown with dolomite and inclusions of dolomite within calcite. Dolomite has probably been completely replaced by calcite in the most altered CM chondrites. In common with calcite veins, dolomite veins in highly altered CM chondrites have very low concentrations of Fe and Mn, and more Mg than dolomite grains in the meteorite matrix, and may have been sourced from dissolution of earlier dolomite grains. The Antarctic CM chondrite QUE 93005 contains complex carbonate minerals consisting of bimineralic grains (i.e. dolomite-breunnerite) and polymineralic grains (i.e. breunnerite-(Ca-poor-dolomite)-calcite cement). The presence of breunnerite in this meteorite suggests an evolutionary link between CM and CI chondrites (CI chondrites are more aqueously altered than CM chondrites).
Based on the results of this study, CM chondrites were probably derived from the same parent body, but from different regions that vary in ice content, porosity and permeability, and source of heating (26Al with a half-life 717,000 years).


Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is an uncommon, high-grade tumor. We present 8 cases of sarcomatoid SDC, which has been defined recently as a rare variant of SDC. The 8 patients (5 men, 3 women) had a mean age of 63.6 years. Histologically, all tumors were characterized by a biphasic neoplasm composed of both SDC and sarcomatoid elements. In 3 cases, sarcomatoid components showed osteosarcomatous heterologous differentiation. A residual pleomorphic adenoma was detected in 5 tumors. The sarcomatoid component showed focal immunoreactivity for cytokeratin in 4 cases and epithelial membrane antigen in all 8 cases. Diffuse p53 immunostaining was detected in 3 cases, and it was coexpressed in both components. Our observations support the histogenetic theory of a common origin of the carcinomatous and sarcomatoid populations. Of the 13 patients, including our 8, reported to have sarcomatoid SDC arising in a major salivary gland and for whom long-term follow-up data were available, 7 have died of disease (mean survival, 15.6 months). These results indicate that sarcomatoid SDC is a highly aggressive tumor, similar to conventional SDC.


Apatites can accommodate a large number of vacancies and afford multiple ionic substitutions determining their reactivity and biological properties. Unlike other biominerals they offer a unique adaptability to various biological functions. The diversity of apatites is essentially related to their structure and to their mode of formation. Special charge compensation mechanisms allow molecular insertions and ion substitutions and determine to some extent their solubility behaviour. Apatite formation at physiological pH involves a structured surface hydrated layer nourishing the development of apatite domains. This surface layer contains relatively mobile and exchangeable ions, and is mainly responsible for the surface properties of apatite crystals from a chemical (dissolution properties, ion exchange ability, ion insertions, molecule adsorption and insertions) and a physical (surface charge, interfacial energy) point of view. These characteristics are used by living organisms and can also be exploited in material science.


Advergaming serves as a new and valuable form of online advertising, especially for companies that target young consumers. This study examines the impacts of cognitive overload with placement prominence on respondents' brand recall, recognition and brand attitudes. An experiment was conducted on a group of university students with an exposure to an advergame under low and high cognitive load stimulus. Results showed that brands that are placed prominently are better recalled in high cognitive load condition. However, cognitive overload doesn't have any significant effect on the recognition of the main brand in which the advergames is specifically designed. Moreover, there is no difference in recall of subtly placed products in low and high cognitive load conditions. However, there is a significant difference in brand attitude in different cognitive loads. The study both investigated the context of advergames and as well in-game advertising (IGA) situations. The results of the study have both practical and theoretical implications. Advergaming – How Does Cognitive Overload Effect Brand Recall? Differences between In-Game Advertising (IGA) and Advergames


Abstract. The documentation of the architectural heritage requires the storage of large amounts of information that must be stored and processed in very different formats, since it comes from experts from different areas of knowledge. This heterogeneity of information makes communication difficult among professionals who participate in documentation work, such as restorers, architects, engineers, archaeologists or historians, with the transfer of information being one of the biggest problems to be solved, through the creation of a methodology that favors the diffusion and accessibility to the materials coming from the investigation. The aim of the study is to create a protocol or methodology, to create a graphic database that allows the inventory of the architectural heritage in Aragon. The solution implies the development of a geometric model that allows to include and relate information related to it. The format is a HBIM model capable of incorporating information on a stratified support, with visualization, documentation and management capabilities that allow a complete view of the building to be cataloged, incorporating useful information for its conservation, restoration, protection and dissemination, as well as interoperability between tools and other systems throughout the entire life cycle of the object. In this research, we will work with the virtual platform Petrobim, a tool composed of a database and a viewer, whose purpose is the management and query of information linked to a 3D model, throughout the entire cycle building life.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the clinical outcomes of a nurse care coordination program for people receiving services from a state-funded home and community-based waiver program called Missouri Care Options (MCO).

DESIGN
A quasi-experimental design was used to compare 55 MCO clients who received nurse care coordination (NCC) and 30 clients who received MCO services but no nurse care coordination.

METHODS
Nurse care coordination consists of the assignment of a registered nurse who provides home care services for both the MCO program and Medicare home health services. Two standardized datasets, the Minimum Data Set (MDS) for resident care and planning and the Outcome Assessment Instrument and Data Set (OASIS) were collected at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months on both groups. Cognition was measured with the MDS Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS), activities of daily living (ADL) as the sum of five MDS ADL items, depression with the MDS-Depression Rating Scale, and incontinence and pressure ulcers with specific MDS items. Three OASIS items were used to measure pain, dyspnea, and medication management. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel (CMH) method was used to test the association between the NCC intervention and clinical outcomes.

FINDINGS
At 12 months the NCC group scored significantly better statistically in the clinical outcomes of pain, dyspnea, and ADLs. No significant differences between groups were found in eight clinical outcome measures at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS
Use of nurse care coordination for acute and chronic home care warrants further evaluation as a treatment approach for chronically ill older adults.


Objectives: Elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), D-dimer, and C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are associated with increased incidence of comorbid disease and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH). Prior studies suggest a genetic basis for these biomarker elevations in the general population. The study objectives are to identify the genetic basis for these biomarkers among PLWH. Methods: Baseline levels of hsCRP, D-dimer, and IL-6, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined for 7768 participants in three HIV treatment trials. Single variant analysis was performed for each biomarker on samples from each of three ethnic groups [African (AFR), Admixed American (AMR), European (EUR)] within each trial including covariates relevant to biomarker levels. For each ethnic group, the results were pooled across trials, then further pooled across ethnicities. Results: The transethnic analysis identified three, two, and one known loci associated with hsCRP, D-dimer, and IL-6 levels, respectively, and two novel loci, FGB and GCNT1, associated with D-dimer levels. Lead SNPs exhibited similar effects across ethnicities. Additionally, three novel, ethnic-specific loci were identified: CATSPERG associated with D-dimer in AFR and PROX1-AS1 and TRAPPC9 associated with IL-6 in AFR and AMR, respectively. Conclusion: Eleven loci associated with three biomarker levels were identified in PLWH from the three studies including six loci known in the general population and five novel loci associated with D-dimer and IL-6 levels. These findings support the hypothesis that host genetics may partially contribute to chronic inflammation in PLWH and help to identify potential targets for intervention of serious non-AIDS complications.


PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide isolated from the basidiomycete Coriolus vesicolor (Fr.) Quél. was examined with regard to its effects of macrophage (M phi) oxygen metabolism in mice, a function important for the expression of M phi antimicrobial activity. The O2(-)-producing ability and chemiluminescence (CL) of host peritoneal M phi s in response to phorbol myristate acetate were markedly elevated by preinjection of PSK (1 or 5 mg per mouse intraperitoneally) around 4-7d before M phi-harvest. The enhanced O2(-)-producing ability due to PSK injection persisted much longer than the enhanced CL, indicating a discrepancy in regulation of generation of active oxygen species such as O2-, H2O2, OH, and 1O2. Daily injections of PSK (1 mg per injection) from 10 to 4d before M phi harvest did not increase the efficacy of PSK over that given by a single 1 mg injection. When PSK (5 mg) was given intraperitoneally to mice in a single injection 10, 7 or 4d before the intravenous Listeria monocytogenes inoculation, a similar increase in the host resistance to the bacteria was noted regardless of the timing of the injection. Multiple PSK injections fron 10 to 4d before the infection also enhanced the host resistance, to the same degree. Therefore, PSK is thought to augment the host resistance to certain intracellular parasites including L. monocytogenes at least to some extent by enhancing oxygen metabolism of the host M phi.


Øivind Varkøy discusses instrumentalism as a trend in educational politics and pedagogical thinking. Instrumentalism implies looking upon both school subjects and humans as instruments, as tools or means for reaching another goal or end. The discussion is related to philosophy of music education by focusing on aspects of philosophies of humankind, the idea of forming the child versus the idea of free growth, and the humanistic tradition of dialectics. To link the philosophical discussion of instrumentalism to music education in a more practical way, the author focuses on the discussion of assessment of knowledge in music. Is it for instance possible for a music educator to accept the idea of measuring musical knowledge by means of standardized tests without having some problems sailing under the flag of pedagogical humanism?


The dynamics of spruce regeneration, from seed crop to saplings, was studied based on five permanent plots in uneven-aged, spruce-dominated, boreal forest stands, cut with single-tree selection in the beginning of the 1990's. The annual fluctuation of the spruce seed crop was very similar in uneven-aged and even-aged stands. The correlation between seed crop and number of germinants was significant; but stem number, basal area or volume of the stand did not influence on seedling emergence. The effects of good seed crops were seen as peaks or an increase in the number of germinants and smallest seedlings. The mean number of 'stabilised' spruce seedlings (height 11 cm to 130 cm) varied from 6000 ha –1 to over 25 000 spruce seedlings ha –1 from one monitoring plot to another. On a monitoring plot the number of 'stabilised' spruce seedlings was stable over time. Neither stand basal area nor stand volume influenced the number of 'stabilised' spruce seedlings, but the height of these seedlings was higher on subplots with lower stand volume and smaller basal area. In this study the monitoring period, 5–10 years, was too short to obtain reliable figures for ingrowth, i.e. the transition of seedlings to the sapling stage (h > 130 cm). The adjusted mean ingrowth was 26 stems ha –1 year –1 .


In a recent survey of pesticide concentrations in aquatic ecosystems of Central America, the antifungal triazole compound propiconazole was found to be the most widely distributed pesticide. Previously, technical grade propiconazole (TGP) has been shown to modulate cytochrome P450 activity in mammals and birds. The present study investigated the concentration‐ and timedependent effects of TGP on hepatic cytochrome CYP1A gene expression and catalytic activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss). The TGP produced both a mixed‐pattern response and a biphasic response for CYP1A expression following waterborne exposure. Evidence for inhibitory complex formation with cytochrome P450 may explain the occurrence of the mixed‐pattern response. To further characterize the influence of TGP on CYP1A expression, a comparison was made between TGP and analytical grade propiconazole (AGP) with in vivo and in vitro assays. This comparison demonstrated that induction of the CYP1A gene resulted from unidentified compounds in TGP. Since TGP can be coapplied with other agricultural pesticides, either inhibition or induction of CYP1A protein activity by TGP and potentially other cytochrome P450 isoenzymes may lead to unexpected toxicological interactions.


The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which Congress overwhelmingly passed, is proving to be the most important federal corporate governance and securities legislation in seventy years. The debate rages on over whether Sarbanes-Oxley's substantive requirements are good policy that will result in better corporate governance and corporate performance over the long haul. Whatever else one might think of Sarbanes-Oxley, though, a strong regulatory response from Congress was needed on the heels of Enron, WorldCom, and a collapsing stock market to boost investor confidence. Although portions of Sarbanes-Oxley received careful attention in their crafting, much of the legislation was drafted hastily and under intense political pressure. In the overall haste to get something done, Congress focused on specific aspects of corporate governance and the federal mandatory disclosure system and in many instances, simply called for more disclosure. What Congress did not have the time to do was study the mandatory disclosure system more comprehensively. This matters, because federal securities regulation is best understood as a complex system and not as a bunch of independent parts that can be tweaked or even overhauled on a one-off basis to create an effective regulatory regime. The goal of the symposium for which this foreword was written was to take a step in the direction of a comprehensive review of the mandatory disclosure system in the aftermath of Sarbanes-Oxley. The symposium focused on three key aspects of mandatory disclosure: (1) what should be disclosed and how; (2) how should compliance with the federal securities laws be ensured; and (3) should issuers have more choice among competing regulatory regimes. The symposium benefited from the written contributions of Jim Cox, Jonathan Macey, Kathleen Brickey, Kim Krawiec, Stephen Cutler, Hillary Sale, Murray Weidenbaum, Joel Seligman, and Troy Paredes. It is still to early to tell what the net impact of Sarbanes-Oxley will be. The true test of the legislation will not come until the markets and regulators become lax during the next bull market. The hope, though, is that by having routinized a host of new governance and disclosure practices, Sarbanes-Oxley will prevent a wave of scandal from spreading throughout the markets next time.


Glass transition in a condensed core asphaltene model was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations performed in the isobaric–isothermal ensemble. Glass transition temperature obtained from the discontinuities in the slope of specific volume versus temperature plots was in close agreement with experimental results reported in the literature. These discontinuities also correspond to those in isothermal compressibility versus temperature plots. In this paper, we separate the contributions of aliphatic and aromatic regions of the asphaltene molecule to the glass transition behavior. We demonstrate that the aliphatic chains contribute significantly to volumetric changes and impose restrictions to the molecular orientations. Glass transition is accompanied by breaking of π–π stacking of the asphaltene molecule. Therefore, the size of the fused aromatic region in the condensed core determines the strength of intermolecular interactions and the glass transition temperature Tg.


Despite the growth of photoredox methods in academia, application of photoredox at scale in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries has been slow. In this report, a photoredox trifluoromethylation of a thiophenol was modified from the original literature report and the mechanism was investigated to define key scale-up parameters. The mechanistic insight was leveraged in the design and execution of two different reactor designs: an LED-based plug flow photoreactor as well as a laser-based continuous stirred tank photoreactor. In one of the first examples of commercial scale photoredox chemistry, the process was scaled to provide over 500 kilograms of the desired intermediate and amended to fully continuous manufacturing.


This paper presents a comparison between a decentralized and a distributed model-based predictive controller on a hydro power valley (HPV) benchmark recently proposed. The HPV is composed by three lakes and a river that is divided in six reaches that terminate with dams equipped with turbines for power production. The lakes and the river reaches are connected in three different ways: by a duct, ducts equipped with a turbine, and ducts equipped with a pump and a turbine. The river is fed by upstream inflows and tributary flows. In order to test the controllers, the following test scenario is considered: the power output of the system should follow a given reference while keeping the water levels in the lakes and at the dams as constant as possible. Finally, a 24 hour simulation for the two controllers has been carried out in order to compare both methods using several performance indices.


The objective of this work is to better analyse and understand social self-organization in the context of social media and political activism. More specifically, we centre our analysis in the presence of fractal scaling in the form of 1/f noise in different Twitter communication networks related to the Spanish 15M movement. We show how quantitative indexes of brown, white and pink noise correlate with qualitatively different forms of social coordination of protests: rigidly organized protests (brown noise), reactive-spontaneous protests (white noise) and complex genuinely self-organized protests (pink noise). In addition, pink noise processes present correlations that reach much further in time, maintaining a dynamical coherence that last several days, and also show a balance between mean distance and clustering coefficient within the interaction network.


This research aims at investigating the effectiveness of fire retardant siliceous based materials which is made of natrium silicate (Na2SiO3.2H2O). Factors related to selection of mixed composition with respect to fire such as the easiness in processing or coating as well as the optimum weight of coating per m2 are investigated. Experimental method is used in this research with equipment used in this experiment include Fire Propagation Test Apparatus (based on JIS A 1321, 1994, # 605). Experiment is done on Borneo and Red Meranti Wood and comparison is done on the result of test undertaken on these types of wood which are treated with siliceous based fire retardant materials. Investigation also reveals that the more natrium silicate absorbed by the wood will increase the temperature rise (td e) and smoke developed index. Experiment on mixture composition of 1 : 1 on both woods has proven it. The best mixture of siliceous based fire retardant against fire while ensuring ease workmanship is under the ratio 7 : 1 up to 10 : 1, with the layer optimum weight per m2 is approximately 0.7 kg. Using this type of fire retardant has proven the increase in the quality of Borneo wood and Red Meranti wood from quality class 4 (Semi fire retardant) to become quality class 2 (Semi non combustible).


This essay examines Herbert Hovenkamp's influence in antitrust law and policy in the courts. This essay focuses its attention primarily with the Treatise and primarily in the area of merger law – procedural with issues of antitrust injury and substantively with merger efficiencies. The essay provides a case count citation analysis of Hovenkamp's scholarship and compares Hovenkamp to other major figures in antitrust scholarship (Bork and Posner) and to the other antitrust treatises (Kintner and Sullivan) in the courts. Our meta-level findings show that Hovenkamp is far more cited than other treatise writers or scholars who have been recognized for their lifetime contributions to the development of antitrust law. After offering some initial meta-level explanations on Hovenkamp's "market power" in federal court opinions, this essay undertakes a textual analysis of court citations to the Treatise and scholarship within the context of merger law both procedurally and substantively and, more specifically, antitrust injury and the efficiencies "defense." Notwithstanding the extraordinary citation count associated with the Treatise, to the extent that his ideas have become institutionalized, that count may under-represent its influence.


This paper addresses the problem of societal fire risk perception by using the Taiwanese fire statistics, description of fire risk in Asia/Oceania countries, and comparison with levels of fire risk in Australia, Japan, the UK and USA. It is demonstrated that the fire statistics in Taiwan indicates a progress in fire safety provisions, underlying the importance of fire service reorganization since 1995. Some countermeasures, including such as "Community Woman Fire Safety Advisors" and "Fire Safety Feng Shui Masters", proposed by a new central and local fire authorities contributed significantly to the progress. Performed analysis of fire statistics through countries of Asia/Oceania region illustrates that each country has its own problems, which likely depend on climate, natural and built environment, and economy. Through comparison with fire risk problems in leading world countries, paper identifies and explores some important issues of fire safety in Taiwan, e.g. the need to develop in Taiwan a unified fire incident/accident data base system involving local fire brigades.


Cancer is a life-threatening disease with an alarmingly increased annual mortality rate globally. Although various therapies are employed for cancer, the final effect is not satisfactory. Chemotherapy is currently the most commonly used treatment option. However, the unsatisfactory efficacy, severe side-effects and drug resistance hinder the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. There is increasing evidence indicating that ginsenoside Rg3, a naturally occurring phytochemical, plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of cancer. The suggested mechanisms mainly include the induction of apoptosis, and the inhibition of proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis, as well as the promotion of immunity. In addition, ginsenoside Rg3 can be used as an adjuvant to conventional cancer therapies, improving the efficacy and/or reducing adverse effects via synergistic activities. Ginsenoside Rg3 may be a widely applied natural medicine against cancer. To date however, there is no systematic summary available of the anticancer effects of ginsenoside Rg3. Therefore, in this review, all available literature over the past 10 years was reviewed and discussed in order to facilitate further research of ginsenoside Rg3.


We introduce a novel method for reconstructing the 3D geometry of botanical trees from single photographs. Faithfully reconstructing a tree from single-view sensor data is a challenging and open problem because many possible 3D trees exist that fit the tree's shape observed from a single view. We address this challenge by defining a reconstruction pipeline based on three neural networks. The networks simultaneously mask out trees in input photographs, identify a tree's species, and obtain its 3D radial bounding volume - our novel 3D representation for botanical trees. Radial bounding volumes (RBV) are used to orchestrate a procedural model primed on learned parameters to grow a tree that matches the main branching structure and the overall shape of the captured tree. While the RBV allows us to faithfully reconstruct the main branching structure, we use the procedural model's morphological constraints to generate realistic branching for the tree crown. This constraints the number of solutions of tree models for a given photograph of a tree. We show that our method reconstructs various tree species even when the trees are captured in front of complex backgrounds. Moreover, although our neural networks have been trained on synthetic data with data augmentation, we show that our pipeline performs well for real tree photographs. We evaluate the reconstructed geometries with several metrics, including leaf area index and maximum radial tree distances.


Cost and testing considerations limit the acceptance and deployment of technologies that make information exchanges more secure, reliable, semantically understandable, and self-improving. PbProxy is a flexible proxy that enables transparent insertion of custom logic into HTTP and HTTPS interactions. It has successfully been used to facilitate behavior-based prevention of phishing attacks, machine learning of Web service procedures, and Web browsing over disruption-tolerant networks by injecting custom logic into existing applications and communication streams. PbProxy encapsulates common functionality into a proxy base and supports customizable plugins to foster code reuse.


Many pathogens have developed strategies to avoid the host's immune system and hence improve their long-term survival. These strategies include antigenic variation, mimicry of host regulatory proteins and production of immunoregulatory molecules. The ruminant gastrointestinal nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis produces several factors with homology to human immunoregulatory proteins. However, direct immunomodulation by T. colubriformis proteins has not yet been unequivocally demonstrated. Results in the present paper demonstrate that soluble T. colubriformis factors promote proliferation of the TNF-susceptible mouse fibrosarcoma cell line L929, while inhibiting proliferation of all other cell types tested. In addition, T. colubriformis homogenate enhanced the susceptibility of L929 cells to the cytotoxic action of ovine TNF-alpha. Within 1 h of exposure, T. colubriformis factors bind L929 cells in a stable fashion, yet it takes up to 24 h for the cells to become sensitised to TNF-alpha. Interestingly, the increase of both TNF-alpha sensitivity and proliferation of treated L929 cells correlated with an upregulation in expression of TNF-alpha p55 and p75 receptors.


Managing an increasingly negative view of old age as the time of decline, older persons in Japan have shaped pre-funerals as ceremonies of later life celebrating their agency, self-sufficiency, and personal pleasure in steering their remaining years. Whereas new policies have been employed to handle the growing social and economic stress of eldercare on the nation's shrinking younger population, pre-funerals ceremonially engage Japan's aging society, where longevity is considered not a gift but a burden. Using symbols and practices found in various life-cycle rites in Japan, during pre-funerals aging persons express their gratitude and say goodbye to those close to them. By designing, conducting, and consuming their own pre-funerals, older persons playfully construct an age-specific ideal of independence against a treasured, mainstream value of mutual dependence. (Aging, ceremony, life course, Japan, personhood) ********** Longevity's recent increasing presence in Japan has undermined its cultural value. Older persons today are reconsidering the meaning of a long life in their family and social lives, but also ceremonially. Japanese folklore studies show that people's desire for achieving long life pervaded customary celebrations, which were conducted for persons aged 61, 77, and 88 (Tomaru 1978). Celebrating older persons for achieving the culturally desired condition of advanced age, these ceremonies also sanctified the life force that ensured the well-being and long life of fellow community members. The desire for prolonging life was also present in other ceremonial occasions, as when sharing food symbolizing longevity during the New Year celebration, when all people grew one year older together. Although people today still participate in ritual activity for seeking and honoring longevity, it is on a reduced scale. Due to the "gift of mass longevity" (Plath 1980), long life is a destiny for most. Japan is known for having one of the longest life expectancies in the world: 85 years for women and 78 for men (Mainichi Interactive News 2002). Older persons today sometimes reject the value of long life, stating that they do not mind living long as long as they have their health. Long life otherwise implies a burden; it is tied to physical and mental decline. A 76-year-old woman put it bluntly: "I pray to deities that I would not live long. I don't want to live long and become a nuisance (meiwaku) to others." By painting grim futures for the world's most rapidly aging society, policymakers amplify uncertainties surrounding old age. Considering the declining fertility rate, they say there will be too few of the younger generation to pay for pensions and medical care for the rising number of elderly. The social-security system, policymakers add, will go bankrupt without serious reforms. This sense of crisis led to the implementation of new policies such as the Long-Term Nursing Insurance (kaigo hoken) to cope with a growing elderly population. If in the practical realm of policy-making old age has become a problem, and if this is expressed in the ceremonial realm, in what ways do ceremonials for older persons reveal the changing value of a long life? This article examines the emerging phenomenon of Japanese pre-funerals (seizenso). These are conducted before death and express new ideals of independence and self-sufficiency in later life. Against the growing perception of old age as the period of dependence, aging persons celebrate their agency by creating personally meaningful ceremonies. The anthropological literature on life-cycle rites has customarily highlighted their power of transforming people's identities along the culturally defined life course; from child to young adult, unmarried to married, and elder to ancestor (e.g., Van Gennep 1999 [1909]). Rather than treating life-cycle rites as reproducing pre-existing social categories, this essay explores the ways in which older persons use previously available ceremonial frameworks to create new identities as the deceased-to-be (Grimes 2000). …


Candidates raise substantial sums of money to compete in federal elections. Scholars and election observers are concerned by potential corruption related to the reliance on donors who make significant contributions. One reform effort to counterbalance large donors is encouraging small donor participation. Still, some worry that ideologically extreme candidates are best able to raise small donations. We analyze internal U.S. Federal Elections Commission data to examine small donor giving in the 2006 through 2010 U.S. House elections. We find small donors may expand the scope of participation, in that the supply of small donors is unrelated to income and that all types of candidates—incumbents, their challengers, and open seat candidates—are equally adept at attracting small donors. Candidates in the most competitive races raise the most in small contributions. We temper reformers' enthusiasm, finding that ideologically extreme incumbents tend to raise more money from small donors.


In this paper, the design of a video streaming system for telehealth applications is presented. Deviating from generalpurpose objectives of off-the-shelf teleconferencing solutions, the system is customized to enable doctors and patients to be virtually linked over a broad range of connection speeds yet maintaining a satisfactory video/audio streaming experience to carry out remote diagnosis and assessment. Specifically, a key objective is to maintain a frame rate of around 15 fps at various connection speeds through an appropriate selection and characterization of transport protocols, encoding technologies and other innovations. Through the use of the Microsoft's Kinect sensor, under low bandwidth conditions, the system allows an optional streaming of human body structure in binary colour mode. Images are much smaller in size but sufficient for certain applications like tele-rehabilitation. The system also allows selective cropping for the user to discard the background but send only the useful information. Finally, through the use of adaptive streaming approach, the system is able to adapt the image quality to the network speed while maintaining the frame rate. Collectively, with these customized innovations incorporated, the system is able to perform video calls at frame rate of around 15 fps even in 128 kbps network.


The mobile phone is rapidly becoming the primary personal gateway to access information. In the near future, it will likely become the primary means for accessing services such as personal banking, online purchasing, mobile entertainment, and multiplayer online games. It might also someday replace wallets full of credit cards, cash, and identification cards and become a personal monitoring device, personal trainer, or storage facility for electronic medical records. Enormous challenges exist in realizing this vision, which is why Nokia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have started a joint research venture to refine the vision and develop the required devices, applications, and services. As part of this venture, Nokia formed the Nokia Research Center, Cambridge, which is within walking distance of CSAIL. Researchers are working on six joint research projects, and we believe that constant intermingling of researchers is necessary for deep research collaboration


When a solution is supersaturated with respect to multiple polymorphs, the polymorph with the lowest nucleation barrier will form first. If this is a metastable polymorph, it will persist until the induction of nuclei of a lower free-energy phase, marking the onset of a polymorphic transformation. Induction of a more stable polymorph can occur under two conditions: a.) during steady-state nucleation, or b.) after complete crystal growth of the metastable phase. Using the theory of competing stochastic processes, we derive the rare probability of forming a higher-barrier, more-stable polymorph during steady-state nucleation, and use this to explain variations in crystallization products between repeat experiments, which may underlie the phenomenon of "Disappearing Polymorphs". We also derive the induction time of a stable phase from a solution equilibrated with a metastable phase, and show that once the stable phase nucleates, bulk metastable crystals will spontaneously ripen onto nanoscale nuclei or seeds of a more stable phase, thermodynamically driving dissolution–reprecipitation processes. Existing strategies to prolong or shorten the lifetimes of transient metastable phases are reviewed and interpreted within the context of polymorphic induction. The analyses in this work are conducted from classical nucleation and crystal growth theories, suggesting that paradigms shifts to 'non-classical' nucleation theories may not be necessary to rationalize multistage crystallization.


We present observations of electric and magnetic field variations from proton (about few Hz) to electron cyclotron frequencies (about few kHz) obtained by STAFF instrument on Cluster satellites during two cusp crossings, at ∼6 RE altitude, in September 2002. The cusp was identified by the presence of intensive fluxes of counter streaming electrons with low energies and broadband wave activity which is typical for this region.Special attention is given for the interval of measurements when the waveform of the magnetic field fluctuations was taken in this region by CLUSTER satellites. The wave has been processed using the wavelet and bispectral analysis. Results showing the cascade of turbulence and wave-wave interactions are presented in this paper. A three wave process can be responsible for the broadening of the wave spectra in the polar cusp.


We present a multigrid solver for the exponential fitting method. The solver is applied to the current continuity equations of semiconductor device simulation in two dimensions. The exponential fitting method is based on a mixed finite element discretization using the lowest-order Raviart-Thomas triangular element. This discretization method yields a good approximation of front layers and guarantees current conservation. The corresponding stiffness matrix is an M-matrix. 'Standard' multigrid solvers, however, cannot be applied to the resulting system, as this is dominated by an unsymmetric part, which is due to the presence of strong convection in part of the domain. To overcome this difficulty, we explore the connection between Raviart-Thomas mixed methods and the nonconforming Crouzeix-Raviart finite element discretization. In this way we can construct nonstandard prolongation and restriction operators using easily computable weighted L(exp 2)-projections based on suitable quadrature rules and the upwind effects of the discretization. The resulting multigrid algorithm shows very good results, even for real-world problems and for locally refined grids.


Laser peening has been applied to silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics without any pre-coating. X-ray diffraction study revealed that plastic strain was introduced into the surface layer of the ceramics. Compressive residual stress was also imparted, which became larger with increasing peak power density of irradiated laser pulses. Surface roughness significantly increased due to ablative interaction of the surface with laser pulses. A Weibull plot of four-point bending test results clearly showed the increase of the bending strength and Weibull modulus by laser peening in spite of the increase of the surface roughness.


Decades of apartheid denied the majority of South Africans human dignity and access to basic social and economic services. The legacy of poverty and inequality remains a major challenge for the country. Government's commitment to redressing the high levels of inequity and social injustice is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa with explicit provisions for socio-economic rights. Chapter 2 of the Constitution more specifically, sections 26, 27 and 28 - imposes obligations on all spheres of government to progressively realise socio-economic rights.


Obstruction of the main hepatic veins or suprahepatic inferior vena cava is caused mainly by thrombosis or its fibrous sequela. One or several underlying thrombogenic disorders are usually present, the most common of which is an overt or occult primary myeloproliferative disorder. The major complications are ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding. A sizeable proportion of the cases are asymptomatic. Diagnosis is usually made at ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging when collateral veno-venous circulation or endoluminal hepatic venous material are demonstrated. Natural history is poorly known. Overall, mortality is high in the early phase of the disease but once the acute episode is terminated, prognosis is good. Treatment includes anticoagulation to prevent recurrence or extension of thrombosis, nonspecific measures to control ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding, and procedures aiming to restore hepatic blood outflow. Portal-caval shunts are preferred when possible. In patients with obstructed inferior vena cava, the first choice is percutaneous angioplasty, and the second choice is portal-systemic shunts with the right atrium or superior vena caval circulation. Transplantation is proposed for patients with severe liver failure.


The most influential account of authority – Joseph Raz's service conception – is an account of the role of authority, in that it is an account of its point or function. However, authority does not have a characteristic role to play, and even if it did, the ability to play a role is not, by itself, sufficient to establish authority. The aim of this essay is to shift our focus from roles that authority plays to roles that people play – which we can also call roles of authority – such as chef, teacher, and parent. To justify authority, we need to justify the practices in which roles of authority play a part.


This Article begins to explore the uncharted connections between private law and poverty law, revealing a striking pattern that is only visible when these two bodies of law are viewed in the same frame. Many poverty law scholars have focused on the rules that regulate government assistance to the poor. They have left largely left unexamined the private law of the poor — meaning, laws that govern the private economic relationships of those living in poverty or in danger of falling into destitution. At the same time, the study of private law is flourishing among scholars who seek to understand the law's vision of justice in relations between private individuals. But these scholars often seek that vision within the law's doctrinal structures, which betray little overt concern with poverty.

Revealing the connections between the two fields, this Article shows how concerns about public spending on poor relief have shaped debates over the private law of the poor for over a century. It traces the recurrence of one rationale for regulation, the prevention of "pauperism," that explicitly linked private law rules with poverty alleviation. Proponents of the anti-pauperism argument claimed that private law, if properly structured, could help prevent dependence on poor relief and thereby reduce the burden on the public fist of caring for poor households. Thus, they imagined the private law of the poor as one component of a larger system of rules designed to keep families self-supporting and off the poor relief rolls.

Drawing on original research across a range of source materials, this Article traces the history of the anti-pauperism argument and offers several explanations for its enduring appeal. It then describes the implications of this history for law and economics scholars, for present-day fights against economic inequality and in favor of regulatory reform, and for breaking down the silos between private law and poverty law.


Luminescent transition metal complexes have attracted much attention in recent years due to their potential as phosphors in organic light-emitting devices, their use in sensory systems and their applications in bioimaging. It is often desirable to predict the photophysical properties of such compounds to allow tailored design, accentuating certain characteristics. This combined experimental and theoretical study of the excited states of platinum complexes outlines synthesis, photophysical measurements and theoretical consideration of some such compounds, giving insight into the theoretical techniques applied.

Reproduction of absorption spectra is described for a series of previously reported Pt(II) complexes, using different basis sets, functionals and solvent models, the techniques then applied to a novel set of related Pt(IV) complexes. Understanding of these parameters was then used for more complicated modelling of the emissive process in thiolate-substituted derivatives of Pt(dpyb)Cl. These were studied experimentally and theoretically, showing a change in excitation character upon coordination of the thiolate ligand. TD-DFT showed the importance of modelling solvent for the prediction of the correct excitation character, alongside a consideration of techniques and mathematical parameters for the correct calculation of emission energies.

Bis-imine, bis-ketimine and bis-oxime ligands have been synthesised by Schiff base condensation chemistry and their corresponding N∧C∧N-coordinated Pt(II) complexes prepared. A wide range in quantum yields was observed and attributed to varying rates of non-radiative decay. Consideration of the S0 and T1 geometries by DFT and their distortion relative to one another showed the origin of this decay. Methyl-substituted benzenes were investigated for similar properties. Those derivatives for which the calculations predict significant distortion do show emission properties typical of triplet state distortion. However, due to "triplet instabilities", TDA geometries appear to be more reliable than those calculated by DFT, showing better consistency with the experimental trends.

Techniques described above were also applied to other classes of Pt(II) complexes. The rate of radiative decay was considered for these compounds by taking into account both the orbital overlap and the degree to which the metal atom was involved in the excitation.


The rise and constant development of new media have made us more aware of the overwhelming presence of images. This is a striking characteristic of the era that W. J. T. Mitchell referred to as the Pictorial Turn and Gottfried Boehme as Ikonische Wende. Yet the questions of meaning creation and interpretation across media, modalities, and sign systems have not been fully studied and explained in the domain of the old media. The theorisation of mixed media has contributed to reviving scholarly debates on the image-word relation, demonstrating the ideologically loaded discourses that underlie conceptual oppositions such as nature/convention, space/time, iconic/symbolic, epistemic/rhetoric. In light of theoretical reflections on visuality proposed by scholars across different disciplines, this study sets out to frame intermediality and multimodality within the word-image paradigms. In doing so, it seeks to demonstrate that a 'dialectic of the dialogic reason', as intermedial and multimodal frameworks entail, is more useful for critical analysis than a dialectic of stark oppositions. Indeed, an either/or logic underlies the age-old word-image paragone itself: the very rhetoric, in other words, of the epistemic turns (such as the Pictorial Turn), and the ontological monism that governs Western traditions. In particular, this study examines the word-image relation from four different perspectives: 1) as a dialectics built on hegemonic discourses and specific regimes of representation. 2) as situated between media and semiotic modalities in the old media and thus as essentially intermedial and multimodal; 3) as a translation process; 4) as a semiotic relation that requires complementary notions – such as Bakhtin's dialogue, the hyphos, the rhizome – to be appreciated in full; These perspectives intertwine and complement each other, illuminating the complexity of the ways in which words and images interact: an interaction that cannot be reduced to total correspondence (ut pictura poësis) or total disagreement (paragone).  Methodologically, this argument is developed in three stages. First, I analyse intermediality and multimodality from the perspective of media studies, using the semiotic theories of Charles S. Peirce and others. Second, I demonstrate that intermedial and multimodal creation is in its essence a logically abductive process, as formulated by Peirce. This process illustrates how intermedial and multimodal creation are fundamentally rhizomatic, to revisit Deleuze and Guattari's definition. Third, I examine the intersemiotic recoding from one sign system to another as an act of translation. Since the dialectic unfolding in any act of translation is fundamentally dialogic and open to alterity, it follows that intermediality and multimodality play a pivotal role in disrupting the parameters of ontological monism that scholars have traditionally used to evaluate the word-image relation.  Finally, this study provides a deeper as well as a wider insight into word-image debates by proposing additional conceptual frameworks for and definitions of multimodality, intermediality and mediality of culture. Indeed, the interconnectedness of all semiospheres – as particularly emphasised by the notion of mediality of culture – means that the image-word relation must be examined both within and outside the traditional literary field of analysis. In view of this, I have integrated definitions from literary criticism, Visual Culture Studies, media theory, theological and postmodern semiotics, art history and aesthetic theory. The three exempla examined illustrate the problem of ontological monism in the word-image relation, advocating for a dialogic approach to the essentially rhizomatic processes of intermedial and multimodal translation. In Chapter 1, I introduce the paragone between the visual and the verbal as interpreted in postmodern literary works, which allow me to articulate the slow transition from the Linguistic Turn to the Pictorial Turn. Antonio Tabucchi's Il gioco del rovescio and Daniele Del Giudice's Nel museo di Reims are quintessential examples of the ambiguous translation of the visual into the verbal, which underlies the epistemology dismantling the ut pictura poësis model of representation.  The irreducibility of the word-image relation to paradigms of correspondence and the distance between source and target text do not compromise the possibility of dialogue and translation: mimetic translation is still achievable. In Chapter 2, I focus on how the poetics of representation of Antonio Tabucchi and Fra Angelico interact and intersect in the creative meaning making space I refer to as 'intermedial difference'. In Chapter 3, I develop the notion of intermedial difference further through the study of the artist as a double (or multi-) talent, and the peculiar convergence of genres in the form of the ex voto. The intermedial encounter between the eclectic and innovative Dino Buzzati and the avant-gardist Yves Klein illuminates two aspects. First, the role of abductive creation; second, the need for a dialogic approach that includes elements of Otherness. In turn, these analyses warrant the reassessment of interpretive categories dominated by the logic of ontological monism and the paradigm of identity in representation.  In conclusion, this study of intermediality and multimodality in the old media contributes to shedding light on the word-image relation from an epistemological perspective. More specifically, it widens and deeps the ways in which the dialectic of alterity versus identity can be understood and interpreted within word-image paradigms. Moreover, this interdisciplinary research radically reframes the role of intermedial and multimodal creation as catalyst for the introduction of elements of otherness – which are not only indispensable to open up new ways of meaning creation but also, and above all, to continuously (and creatively) unsettle monist and purist epistemologies – and offers a new, integrated methodological framework to accommodate and celebrate the hybridity of all cultural formations.


As part of the regional PINEMAP (Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project) funded by the NIFA - USDA, we established a factorial study in McCurtain County, OK near Broken Bow. This study examined the effects of fertilization and ~30 percent reduction in throughfall on an seven-yearold loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. The objective of this study was to determine effects of decreased water availability and fertilization on tree growth. We measured tree and stand development as well as a suite of ecophysiological variables. Tree growth was reduced in throughfall exclusion treatments and increased in fertilizer treatments. At various times during the measurement period, throughfall exclusion reduced net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and mid-day leaf water potential. These results indicate that lower availability of soil moisture reduces leaf gas exchange and slows growth.


Since 1989, 'comprehensive political settlements' aimed at ending longstanding internal conflicts in Central America, parts of Africa, and South-East Asia, have all included detailed provisions concerning the disarmament and demobilization of rebel and government forces. Through various forms of weapons control, attempts have also been made to deny demobilized forces the ability to resume fighting. In some instances, UN sponsored plans have also envisaged the formation of unified armed and police forces. Attempts at large-scale demobilization, however, have been largely unsuccessful. This depressing record provides the background for this book which examines critically the range of issues associated with disarming, demobilizing and re-integrating military forces into society after prolonged periods of civil war. The author derives lessons from recent failures, and assesses alternative strategies along with their institutional, political, and operational requirements. It focuses particularly on the United Nations and the manner in which it has sought to deal with the above problems.


This study employed the wavelet empirical orthogonal function (WEOF) analysis to analyse the nonstationary variability of rainfall in Ethiopia and global sea surface temperature (SST) for 1900–1998. The study found that the nonstationary variations of both the June to September (JJAS) and February to May (FMAM) Ethiopian rainfall can be delineated into three zones: western half of Ethiopia north of the Great Rift Valley (GRV), southern Ethiopia south of the GRV and the GRV from southwestern Ethiopia to the Afar Triangle. The leading wavelet principal component (WPC) signals showed that Ethiopian rainfall had been in stagnation for most of 1900–1998, with major droughts in the 1940s and 1980s. The dominant frequencies of Ethiopian rainfall ranged between 2 and 8 years. In western Ethiopia, the 2–4‐year rainfall frequencies dominated the rainfall variation, but their trends are modulated by 5–7‐year frequencies, whereas in the Afar Triangle, the 5–7‐year frequencies were dominant. Between 1900 and 1998, the Afar Triangle region experienced decreasing rainfall for 60 years (1900–1960). The seasonal global SST revealed that regardless of what time of the year, the strongest contributions to global SST variations occur in the Antarctic Ocean, the El Niño region of South America and in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, followed by the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. Further, this study also shows annual migrations of SST variations in the El Niño region, the Antarctic and the Atlantic Oceans. The leading SST signal variations show that SST warming started in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, from 1950 to 1975, and spread to the Antarctic Ocean between 1960 and 1990, which probably contributed to the melting of sea ice. Teleconnections between WPC1 of Ethiopian rainfall and SST scale‐averaged wavelet power were found for the El Niño region and northern Atlantic, west of the Sahara desert.


I was greatly saddened to hear the news of a young resident, Dr Payal Tadvi, committing suicide at the BYL Nair Hospital and Topiwala Medical College in Mumbai. However, it is heartening to see that some fellow students, her family and the Tadvi Bhil community have made this issue public and are rallying for justice for her. Meanwhile, the three seniors that she has named have been arrested, and a faculty member suspended.


The nutrients available in urine make it a good resource as fertilizer. Limited availability of natural phosphorus (P) is compelling people to think about recovering and returning it back to the land from waste stream. Urine comprising the majority of nitrogen (N) and P among other household wastewater, if managed separately, will benefit human against expensive commercial fertilizers, and eventually will reduce environmental problems. Various reactive filter systems have been studied since late 90's as a potential system to recover N & P from urine and wastewater as a whole. Most studies are however limited to the laboratory scale only. Optimization of such technologies is one of the prime focuses in this area of research. This thesis project used the combination of two sorptive reactive materials, namely mordenite and polonite, to remove NH4-N and PO4-P from the source separated human urine.This two months laboratory scale study recommends dilution and storage to be a minimum pretreatment for urine. However as the influent's NH4-N concentration was extremely high, further dilution or other relevant pretreatment is recommended. In overall, mordenite materials performed better for NH4-N removal reaching as high as 79% whereas polonite materials showed better results for PO4-P removal and the efficiency was as high as 97%. The reduction in NH4-N might also be due to the conversion of nitrogen into other forms. Mordenite materials showed a good potential for PO4-P removal and was up to 88% efficient initially. Both materials did not show the tendency of breakthrough for PO4-P until the end. The salinity measured as electric conductivity was reduced by both materials until about initial half-time period of the experiment. Since mordenite was the first unit to face the highly concentrated urine, it got saturated earlier and started showing the fluctuations in reduction and release for nutrients. The results obtained in this study provide the positive scenario for it to be implemented in the full scale system. However more elaborated studies in full scale addressing the major limitation of this project needs to be done before introducing the system for public uses.


Educators in the education process play a strategic role, especially in efforts to shape the character of the nation through the development of personality and desired values. The urgency of educators in the learning process is illustrated in the Arabic expression that was delivered by A. Malik Fadjar, "Al-Tariqah ahammu min al-maddah walakinna al-mudarris ahammu min al-tariqah (methods are more important than material, but educators are more important than methods). The development of educator resources in education is influenced by various aspects, including: the need to increase educator competency both theoretical and practical knowledge, the independence of educators to carry out professional development, support resources to carry out professional development, the willingness of educators as learners, and the ability of educators to actualize results development of professionalism which is demonstrated through the performance of educators and the effectiveness of educators in carrying out their duties. Improvement and development of educator resources starts from the acceptance of new educators. Selection of prospective educators needs to be done strictly in accordance with the requirements and conditions that have been determined


The biodiversity of the Amazon region includes many species of arthropod vectors in different ecotopes, thus enabling occurrences of diseases like malaria, filariasis and arbovirosis. From August 2001 to July 2002, we gathered culicids from inside homes, from areas surrounding these homes and from forested areas of the Sao Joao Community, in the rural zone of Manaus, State of Amazonas. 1240 specimens were collected, belonging to the Culicinae (99%) and Anophelinae (1%) subfamilies, with 50 species. The Culicini tribe clearly predominated, with 904 specimens (72.9%), and the species Culex usquatus (22.6%) and Culex quinquefasciatus (17.7%) were prominent. Out of the total number of culicids, 1,077 (86.9%) were caught in the forests, 101 (8.1%) in the areas surrounding homes and 62 (5%) inside homes. Forests were the ecotope that presented the highest species diversity. The presence of Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles triannulatus, Aedes aegypti, Haemagogus janthinomys and other proven or potential vectors was recorded.