It is becoming common practice to push interactive and location-based services from remote datacenters to resource-constrained edge domains. This trend creates new management challenges at the network edge, not least to ensure resilience. These challenges now need to be investigated and overcome. In this paper, we explore the use of open-source programmable asset orchestration at edge cloud systems to guarantee operational resilience and a satisfactory performance level despite system incidents such as faults, congestion, or cyber-attacks. We discuss the design and deployment of a new cross-level configurable solution, Resilient Edge Cloud Systems (RECS). Results from appropriate tests made on RECS highlight the positive effects of deploying novel service and resource management algorithms at both data and control planes of the programmable edge system to mitigate against disruptive events such as control channel issues, service overload, or link congestion. Thus, RECS offers namely the following benefits: i) the switch automatically selects the standalone operation mode after its disconnection from the upper-level controllers; ii) deployment of edge virtualized services is made, according to client requests; iii) the client requests are served by edge services and the related traffic is balanced among the alternative on-demand routing paths to the edge location where each service is available for its clients; iv) the TCP traffic quality is protected from unfair competitiveness of UDP flows; and v) a set of redundant controllers is orchestrated by a top-level multi-thread cluster manager, using a novel management protocol with low overhead.


Abstract. Dapar MLG, Meve U, Liede-Schumann S, Alejandro GJD. 2020. Ethnomedicinal appraisal and conservation status of medicinal plants among the Manobo tribe of Bayugan City, Philippines. Biodiversitas 21: 3843-3855. Manobo tribe is one of the most populated indigenous communities in the Philippines clustered in various parts of Mindanao archipelago with distinct cultural traditions and medicinal practices. This study aims to document the Agusan Manobo tribe medicinal plant uses and knowledge and to assess the conservation status of their medicinal plants found in upland ancestral lands where ethnomedicinal practices still prevail. Ethnomedicinal data were gathered from 95 key informants through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and guided field walks in five selected upland barangays of Bayugan City. Family importance value (FIV) and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were quantified. The conservation status of their medicinal plants was assessed based on the international and national listing of threatened species. A total of 90 species belonging to 82 genera and 41 families were identified as ethnomedicinally important. Highest FIV (98.9) was reported for Piperaceae in treatment for skin diseases and infections. The most cited medicinal plant species was Piper decumanum L. (RFC=0.95), which is primarily used in treatment for insect and snake bites. Conservation assessment revealed that the five upland areas of the Agusan Manobo tribe are habitats of endemic, endangered, vulnerable and threatened species. The results of this study present the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge of Agusan Manobo cultural community, which could serve as a useful source of information to improve community healthcare and environmental conservation and management. Local people and the government should actively participate in shared management responsibilities for viable conservation strategies and sustainable use of the cultural community resources.


The electronic properties of a series of N,N-dimethyltryptamines and related analogs, for which binding affinity data are available, were examined using both a pi-electron and an all-valence electron method. The results suggest that affinity is related to the ability of these compounds to donate electrons in a localized charge transfer manner from the 4-position of the indole nucleus.


QUT students are now being trained in the latest technology following the acquisition of Geodetic surveying and mapping GPS hardware and software worth $125,000.
After twelve months of negotiation between QUT surveying staff and US Satellite Navigation firm Trimble Navigation and their Brisbane agents, Herga Ultimate Positioning, the Global Positioning System equipment has been installed.
Associate lecturer in the School of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Surveying Robert Webb said the leading edge GPS equipment could be worn like a back-pack and used in all weather conditions.


Among the more striking intellectual phenomena of these putatively postmodern times is the rise, in the metropolitan academy, of the new discipline of cultural studies. I say "new" because cultural studies properly understood was never merely the organized study of "culture"; it was, from the start, a directed, self-consciously oppositional program of theoretical and empirical investigation. Today, an idea that first took institutional shape as an annex of Birmingham University's English Department has developed to fill out the entire repertoire of academic activity: specialized degree and graduate programs, a new generation of teachers who, unlike their improvising mentors, are graduates trained in the discipline, professional associations, high-profile conferences, networks that cross continents. Corporate publishers devote whole catalogues to the written output of cultural studies, which by now includes not only the prolific research in the field, but also histories of the discipline itself, bulky course readers, and not a few bluffer's guides.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.


Alpha-mannosidosis is a lysosomal storage disease with autosomal recessive inheritance caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, which is involved in the degradation of asparagine-linked carbohydrate cores of glycoproteins. An alpha-mannosidosis mouse model was generated by targeted disruption of the gene for lysosomal alpha-mannosidase. Homozygous mutant animals exhibit alpha-mannosidase enzyme deficiency and elevated urinary secretion of mannose-containing oligosaccharides. Thin-layer chromatography revealed an accumulation of oligosaccharides in liver, kidney, spleen, testis and brain. The cellular alterations were characterized by multiple membrane-limited cytoplasmic vacuoles as seen for instance in liver, exocrine pancreas, kidney, thyroid gland, smooth muscle cells, osteocytes and in various neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The morphological lesions and their topographical distribution, as well as the biochemical alterations, closely resemble those reported for human alpha-mannosidosis. This mouse model will be a valuable tool for studying the pathogenesis of inherited alpha-mannosidosis and may help to evaluate therapeutic approaches for lysosomal storage diseases.


Parasites play a crucial role in the ecology of animals. They also appear to be important in mechanisms underlying sexual selection processes. In this article we study the prevalence, effect and potential role in sexual selection of the protozoon Trypanosoma evansi in capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. We collected our samples from the annual capybara cull of a ranch in Venezuela, using the volume of the snout scent gland as an indicator of dominance; the residuals of body weight as indicators of condition; and the residuals of the spleen mass as indicators of immune function. Overall prevalence was 30.9 % (N= 97) with no difference between males and females, and no relation between infection with T. evansi and condition. However, we found that infected animals had larger spleens (residuals), indicating an immunological cost of the infection. Furthermore, males with larger snout scent glands (more dominant) were less likely to be infected than males with smaller glands (less dominant), suggesting that by choosing males with a large glands, females may be using the gland as an indicator of health, which is consistent with the "good genes" view of sexual selection. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (1): 229-237. Epub 2017 March 01.


Comparative field efficacy of different control measures of okra shoot and fruit borer, Earias vittella were evaluated in the Entomology Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University during February to May, 2014. Field efficacy of two selected chemical insecticides (Decis 2.5EC, Agritaf 50SP), three botanicals (Neem oil, Pitraj oil and Mahogany oil), one parasitoid ( Trichogramma chilonis ), Light trap along with Hand picking and Trap crop (Maize) were evaluated by analyzing percent shoot and fruit infestations. BARI-1 (okra variety) was used as a test crop in the experiment. Among the tactics, the minimum shoot (4.72%) and fruit infestations (6.77%) were observed in the plots treated with Decis 2.5EC followed by Neem oil treated plots (4.83% in shoot and 7.56% in fruit). The highest reduction of percent shoot infestation (79.89%) and fruit infestation (64.97%) over untreated control plots was found in the Decis 2.5EC sprayed plots followed by Neem oil while the lowest percent reduction of shoot infestation (29.86%) and fruit infestation (29.43%) were recorded in case of Light trap + hand picking.  Neem oil and Decis 2.5EC were found very effective in managing E. vittella up to 7 days after each spraying. Agritaf 50SP, Pitraj oil, Mahogany oil, T. chilonis and trap crop were also found effective over untreated control plots although were significantly lower than Decis 2.5EC and Neem oil. Therefore, application of Decis 2.5EC and Neem oil were mostly effective and Light trap + hand picking was the least effective measures in controlling E. vittella. Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 4(1): 74-78


c-Kit(pos) cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) represent a successful approach in healing the infarcted heart and rescuing its mechanical function, but electrophysiological consequences are uncertain. CPC mobilization promoted by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and IGF-1 improved electrogenesis in myocardial infarction (MI). We hypothesized that locally delivered CPCs supplemented with HGF + IGF-1 (GFs) can concur in ameliorating electrical stability of the regenerated heart. Adult male Wistar rats (139 rats) with 4-wk-old MI or sham conditions were randomized to receive intramyocardial injection of GFs, CPCs, CPCs + GFs, or vehicle (V). Enhanced green fluorescent protein-tagged CPCs were used for cell tracking. Vulnerability to stress-induced arrhythmia was assessed by telemetry-ECG. Basic cardiac electrophysiological properties were examined by epicardial multiple-lead recording. Hemodynamic function was measured invasively. Hearts were subjected to anatomical, morphometric, immunohistochemical, and molecular biology analyses. Compared with V and at variance with individual CPCs, CPCs + GFs approximately halved arrhythmias in all animals, restoring cardiac anisotropy toward sham values. GFs alone reduced arrhythmias by less than CPCs + GFs, prolonging ventricular refractoriness without affecting conduction velocity. Concomitantly, CPCs + GFs reactivated the expression levels of Connexin-43 and Connexin-40 as well as channel proteins of key depolarizing and repolarizing ion currents differently than sole GFs. Mechanical function and anatomical remodeling were equally improved by all regenerative treatments, thus exhibiting a divergent behavior relative to electrical aspects. Conclusively, we provided evidence of distinctive antiarrhythmic action of locally injected GF-supplemented CPCs, likely attributable to retrieval of Connexin-43, Connexin-40, and Cav1.2 expression, favoring intercellular coupling and spread of excitation in mended heart.


Cooperative learning has received increased attention in recent years due to the
movement through learner centred learning. This paper provides an overview of the use of
cooperative learning (CL) and effects of it in second language instruction. After three brief
definitions of CL, key areas are discussed in the paper. The first part of the article provides
the theory of language and learning in CL while the second part introduces the objectives,
syllabus, types of learning and teaching activities and the roles of teacher, learners and
instructional materials in CL. The article concludes cooperative learning makes maximum use
of cooperative activitites involving pairs and small groups of learners in the classroom.
Moreover, it establishes a democratic form of teaching. It enhances both the individual and
the community. Each student can share his/her ideas and learn to listen and respect each other.
Furthermore, Cooperative learning influences collabarative spirit among students by
minimizing competition leading to conflicts in today's world.


In response to the continually growing demands of this era, the society needs active members who are able to cooperate with each other and show a critical stance in what they read, see, touch, smell or come across. Thus, modern language education should aim at developing critical readers and writers. As a result, the critical literacy programs in which students are turned into active participants of their learning process and accept something after they have already remarked it, are more than necessary in the education of the 21st century. This paper outlines the rational for and the purpose of designing and implementing a thematic pilot project aiming at developing students' critical literacy in an EFL (English as a foreign language) classroom. This pilot project was implemented to 20 Greek-speaking students of the 5th primary school class (aged 11 years old) who had been learning English for 4 four years. It was initiated with the purpose to provide insights into developing students' critical literacy skills as well as their four language skills in the foreign language. The project was carried out in 25 two hour sessions focused on the thematic area of the "Sports". This topic was selected because of the nature of the sports and their popularity among the teenagers. Moreover, sports are a 'controversial' subject/concept that students can express different opinions and examine it from different perspectives. Special emphasis was placed on the creation of an environment promoting critical thinking and critical stance. Moreover, an attempt was made for a pleasant and creative foreign language learning environment to be developed, where students actually could enhance personal and interpersonal skills. In order to estimate the feasibility of this project, we used three basic tools a) a pre- and a post- test about the language assessment, b) journals kept by the teacher/researcher throughout the intervention and c) structured interviews conducted by the researcher with students individually to record the students' different perspectives based on a text. The findings showed a significant improvement of the students' language skills in EFL, as well as their critical thinking and ability to examine a text from different perspectives.


A traditional knowledge "Iñupiaq Web GIS", based on a five‐year study and containing observations and environmental knowledge of Iñupiat communities indigenous to Arctic Alaska, was incorporated into a Web‐based platform. The website, "Arctic Cultural Cartography," was created to be an open portal through which the password‐protected "Iñupiaq Web GIS" could be accessed. We discuss the process of developing the web GIS including the incorporation of user‐friendly features such as links to interactive maps, video clips of interviews, discussion boards, and the integration of popular web interfaces such as Facebook. We also discuss short‐ and long‐term goals for the further development of the GIS, its potential as a sustainable, participatory online database for sharing pertinent ecological knowledge, and challenges in achieving optimal community involvement given constraints imposed by remote locations with limited bandwidth.


Acclaimed social psychologist Claude M. Steele offers an insider's look at his groundbreaking findings on stereotypes and identity. Through dramatic personal stories, he shares the experiments and studies that show, again and again, that exposing subjects to stereotypes - merely reminding a group of female maths students about to take a test, for example, that women are considered naturally inferior to men at maths - impairs their performance in the area affected by the stereotype. Steele's conclusions shed new light on a host of social phenomena, from the racial and gender gaps in standardized test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men. "Whistling Vivaldi" offers insights into how we form our senses of identity and lays out a plan for mitigating the negative effects of 'stereotype threat' and reshaping our identities.


Ketocarotenoids represent a special group of carotenoids characterized by presence of one or several carbonyl (C=O) groups in their ionone rings. Due to their excellent anti-oxidative characteristics, several ketocarotenoids such as canthaxanthin and astaxanthin are valuable pigments highly sought by feed, cosmetical and nutraceutical industries. In this work I aimed to introduce ketocarotenoid biosynthetic pathway into the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii via overexpression of its native key enzyme s-carotene ketolase (CrBKT). High transgene expression and transgene stability were attained with help of the bicistronic Ble2A system in which, the selection marker - zeocin-resistance conferring ble gene - is directly linked to gene-of-interest via the so-called self-cleavage foot-and-mounth-disease-virus (FMDV) 2A sequence. Functionality of Ble2A system was proven by successful production of the fluorescence protein mCherry in Chlamydomonas. CrBKT's enzymatic activity was also successfully confirmed by heterologous production in carotenoid-producing E. coli, indicated by the almost complete conversion of s-carotene to canthaxanthin and of zeaxanthin to astaxanthin.
Two strains of Chlamydomonas were chosen for metabolic engineering: strain UVM-4 which boasted improved transgene expression and strain CC-4102 in which only s-carotene and zeaxanthin are accumulated due to mutations in beta-carotene biosynthetic pathway and xanthophyll cycle. Transformation of both strains with CrBKT overepxression vectors yielded hundreds of zeocin-resistant colonies but only in ~10% of them could the integration of CrBKT be confirmed via PCR. Ketocarotenoid production was not detected in any PCR-positive lines either. Success was only achieved when transformation conditions were changed, namely algal cells were transformed and recovered in dark on growth medium supplemented with yeast extract and tryptone. Under these conditions, I was able to isolate four CrBKT-overproducing transformants. All four lines were characterized by their pale green color as well as their drastically reduced chlorophyll contents. Canthaxanthin production was also detected in two lines, whose concentration stood at about 10% of total cellular carotenoids (~0.1 pg/cell).
An intriguing phenomenon was also observed with these pale green canthaxanthin-producing transformants. When cultivated in light, they promptly reverted back to the normal dark green color. Canthaxanthin could no longer be detected and zeocin resistance was seeminly impaired as well. Though the cause of this phenomenon could not be pinpointed with certainty, it did help explain the failure of my earlier experiments.
Taken together, these results formed the foundation for future projects of ketocarotenoid metabolic engineering in microalgae. Several potential pitfalls that might be encountered were identified and strategies to overcome them were also suggested.


Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are regarded as prospective solar cells for the next generation of photovoltaic technologies and have become research hotspots in the PV field. The counter electrode, as a crucial component of DSSCs, collects electrons from the external circuit and catalyzes the redox reduction in the electrolyte, which has a significant influence on the photovoltaic performance, long-term stability and cost of the devices. Solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, as well as the structure, principle, preparation and characterization of counter electrodes are mentioned in the introduction section. The next six sections discuss the counter electrodes based on transparency and flexibility, metals and alloys, carbon materials, conductive polymers, transition metal compounds, and hybrids, respectively. The special features and performance, advantages and disadvantages, preparation, characterization, mechanisms, important events and development histories of various counter electrodes are presented. In the eighth section, the development of counter electrodes is summarized with an outlook. This article panoramically reviews the counter electrodes in DSSCs, which is of great significance for enhancing the development levels of DSSCs and other photoelectrochemical devices.


This report discusses the November 25, 1997 summit held by leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The purpose of the summit was to further pursue the APEC agenda of endorsing a framework developed by APEC leaders' finance ministers to promote financial stability in the Asia-Pacific region and to supplement resources by the International Monetary Fund when necessary.


Abstract Many parameters influence the falling-film evaporation process and, despite numerous studies, the basic mechanisms remain only partially clear, making the prediction of heat transfer still mainly an empirical process. The most important thermal design parameters that need to be predicted are the onset of dryout of the falling evaporating film, which signals a severe degradation in the evaporator performance and the local heat transfer coefficients for all-wet and partially dry conditions. Based on the experimental results in the previous article is this issue, Part I [1], a new, quite general method for prediction of the onset of dryout on plain and enhanced tubes has been developed. For heat transfer, a general format for predicting local performance on a single row and on a tube bundle is proposed, but the method still requires fluid/tube specific empirical constants to be implemented. Nevertheless, these methods represent significant improvements in the thermal design methods available for falling-film evaporators.


Behold, I make all things new. (Rev. 21:5) For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Jn. 3:16) Where there is a Christian, there is a new humanity. The old has passed away. Behold, something new exists. (2 Cor. 5:17) The history of Christian thought records many theological responses to the questions relating to the meaning of the work and ministry of Christ. Each response reflects some aspect of the dominant thought or social patterns of the historical context in which it was presented. The classical Christus Victor motif includes, among other emphases, that of ransom that spoke to people especially during the early centuries in the face of the conflict between barbarianism and civilization, a period when travelers were often abducted. It dominated much of Christian thinking until the time of Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109). His contribution, the "satisfaction theory," spoke to a feudal society. He taught that human sin in the face of a righteous God demands either punishment--that is, eternal separation from God--or satisfaction that would enable God to overlook human sin. Only human beings should make satisfaction, but only God is able to do so. In his great classical work Cur Deus Homo, Anselm resolved this tension within the godhead by involving both the divine and the human in the atoning work of Christ. As the God-Man, Christ through his vicarious suffering and death made satisfaction possible. Peter Abelard (1079-1142), whose view of the atonement has traditionally been described as subjective, considered the contemplation of the cross adequate to bring about repentance and the transformation of human life. The Christus Victor motif was contextualized by the Swedish theologian Gustaf Aulen as Christ's victory over the many destructive powers that enslave human beings. (1) J. Denny Weaver has reread the Christus Victor concept with emphasis on its narrative nonviolent aspect in which the death of Jesus is not a divine requirement. (2) For the Socinians (Faustus Socinius, 1539-1604) and other anti-trinitarian humanists, the complex of ideas that speaks of the work of Christ in terms of satisfaction made invalid the gospel of love and divine forgiveness. They, along with other rationalists and more recent liberal theologians, preferred something more subjective, not unlike that of Abelard. The "moral influence" concept, promoted in the United States by Horace Bushnell (1802-76), is an example. All of these concepts find some basis in biblical teaching, but in their classical form they do not satisfy all biblical criteria and do not speak to us adequately today. In an article in The Christian Century (March 7, 2001), S. Mark Heim observed that many people simply do not buy any concept of atonement relating to the cross. Jesus is often seen as an itinerant teacher and healer with a message of liberation from oppression and ignorance. Although most Christians would not be satisfied with a pre-Easter faith, it is sobering that it is embraced, consciously or unconsciously, by so many. Despite all, we continue to celebrate Holy Week. Our churches are identified with the symbol of the cross. Cross and faith are inseparable. However, we find it increasingly difficult to speak of the cross in a way that evokes a positive response today from a growing number of people. There is, however, another approach to the understanding of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that speaks to us in our context. It provides background material for the classical theories described above that have informed theology through the centuries. In Latin America, theologians often speak of the reservoir of meaning found in a given biblical text that allows us to approach the Bible with the assurance that it will address our situation. The added meaning found in a given text does not necessarily invalidate past meanings revealed in very different historical situations. …


Turbocompounding has been a development on heavy diesel engines to improve the utilisation of exhaust heat energy. This system, however, introduces additional pumping losses and exhaust back pressure. Previous research has shown that the introduction of a divided exhaust period (DEP) to the turbocompound engine using staggered timing on exhaust valves feeding individual manifolds lowers the exhaust back pressure, improving engine breathing and behaviour. Exhaust flow is divided into two distinct flow paths beginning at the exhaust valves – through the turbocharger (blowdown), and bypassing it (scavenging). However, research showed that using one exhaust valve for each flow path can significantly lower the effective flow areas for exhaust gases at higher engine speeds. This leads to highly choked flow and consequently reduced engine output. A solution proposed was the division of the flow paths external to the exhaust port, henceforth named external DEP (ExDEP). In this solution, both exhaust valves open identical to those of the original engine, but the gas flow is divided downstream with the use of independent valves. By the use of ExDEP on a turbocompounded diesel engine the above research resulted in a brake specific fuel consumption benefit of up to 4% over a regular turbocharged engine.
This thesis project, conducted at the Advanced Technology and Research division of Volvo Group Trucks Technology in association with the Combustion department of Chalmers University, aims to implement and evaluate the effects of ExDEP on an existing GT-SUITE simulation model of a two-stage turbocompounded Volvo HDE13 engine. Various flow components (valve types) and architectures are modelled. The effect of timing and phasing of the ExDEP valves on engine performance is investigated. Resizing of the existing turbine is investigated due to the altered gas flow. Rough CAD models are prepared to determine the feasibility of physically incorporating such systems on existing engines.
A further adaptation to the existing engine model is the incorporation of CAD data of a novel engine concept currently being developed at Volvo GTT, in order to study the feasibility of ExDEP with this engine.
With the implementation of ExDEP, a primary advantage foreseen is that the exhaust flow into the turbines can be constantly controlled. This eliminates the need for variable geometry turbochargers, bringing large reductions in system cost and complexity. It can enable other innovative technologies such as Miller cycle operation, air hybrid operation when an air tank is coupled to the exhaust manifold.


Introduction Vitamin C supplementation is common in UK women and high doses are often consumed, however evidence is lacking regarding their effects on breast cancer risk in UK users. Method 11 184 middle-aged women from the UK Women's Cohort Study were followed up for a median of 7.4 years. Associations between 239 registered incident breast cancers and vitamin C contained in supplements recorded by 4-day diaries were analysed by Cox's regression models using four intake categories: no frequent use of supplements containing vitamin C; frequent intake up to and including EU recommended allowances (≤60 mg/d); between 60 mg and 500 mg/d; and high intake (≥500 mg/d). Adjustment was made for relevant covariates. Results Compared to women who did not use supplements containing vitamin C, there was no evidence of significant associations between breast cancer incidence and regular vitamin C supplementation in any intake category. Additionally, no associations were found using continuous estimates (HR = 0.98 per 60 mg/d, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.02, Ptrend=0.3) or in post-menopausal sub-analyses. However pre-menopausal women in the lowest intake category (≤60 mg/d) had significantly increased risks (HR=2.37, 95% CI 1.32 to 4.27) compared to non-users of vitamin C. Conclusion There was no evidence that supplementation with vitamin C per se was associated with breast cancer incidence in UK women, even at high doses. The increased breast cancer risk found for pre-menopausal women consuming supplements containing vitamin C less than or equal to EU recommendations may be due to the effects of other ingredients in these supplements.


Starting in 1910, the Union of South Africa (under British dominion) instituted segregation by race as the official policy of government. In 1948, the Afrikaner Nationalist Party instituted Apartheid (from the Afrikaans word meaning "apartness" or "separateness") by law. Facing intense domestic and international pressure, the country's leaders reluctantly agreed to negotiate with oppositional leaders (including Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned in Robben Island for convictions related to revolution and sabotage against the oppressive government in 1964). Mandela was released from prison in 1990, and in 1994, he was elected President of the Republic of South Africa in the first free election open to all in the history of the country. Two years later, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was adopted and certified. Theories of Justice in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa introduces four major theories of or approaches to justice and presents an analysis of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa—virtue based theories, libertarianism, egalitarianism, and utilitarianism. The poster defines the four approaches to justice. Then, the poster illustrates how each theory of justice is included in the Constitution, with specific references to the chapters and sections of the document that pertain to each theory. The primary purposes are to document what justice means to people in South Africa and to identify the implications for and expectations of government that stem from these conceptions of justice. The poster ends with major challenges confronting the current government of South Africa.


Abstract This comment discusses Kaidesoja (2013) and raises the issue whether his analysis justifies stronger conclusions than he presents in the book. My comments focus on four issues. First, I argue that his naturalistic reconstruction of critical realist transcendental arguments shows that transcendental arguments should be treated as a rare curiosity rather than a general argumentative strategy. Second, I suggest that Kaidesoja's analysis does not really justify his optimism about the usefulness of causal powers ontology in the social sciences. Third, I raise some doubts about the heuristic value of Mario Bunge's social ontology that Kaidesoja presents as a replacement for critical realist ontology. Finally, I propose an alternative way to analyze failures of aggregativity that might better serve Kaidesoja's purposes than the Wimsattian scheme he employs in the book.


ON-LINE SHEAR AND EXTENSIONAL RHEOMETRY OF POLYMER MELTS IN THE EXTRUSION PROCESS Adrian Lee KELLY A novel on-line capillary rheometer (OLR) was used to examine the shear and extensional characteristics of polyolefin melts during twin screw extrusion (TSE). Comparisons with off-line rheometry were made using a twin-bore capillary rheometer and a modular in-line slit die rheorneter (ILR) provided in-line rheornetry comparisons. Both capillary rheometers were controlled via PCs running dedicated software, and the extrusion line and ELR were fully instrumented, allowing real-time process monitoring to be carried out by IBM compatible PCs via data acquisition hardware and software. Ihe prototype OLR was developed by the re-design of several key features including an instrumented transfer section and capillary die block which facilitated the use of various die geometries. Shear and extensional on-line rheometry of three polyethylenes (linear and branched), and four molecular weight grades of polypropylene were examined, and a direct comparison with off-line capillary rheometry showed a good correlation. Tle effect of a high loading of filler on two of the polyethylenes was investigated. In-line shear stress and entry pressure measurements showed a reasonable correlation with on-line rheornetry. A study of entry flows in the OLR using capillary dies approaching orifice showed non-linearities occurred at very low capillary length to diameter (L: D) ratios, and this was repeatable using off-line rheometry. Predicted zero length entry pressures (Po) were used to estimate apparent extensional viscosity using a number of standard models. Melt instability and capillary wall slip were also investigated using on-line rheometry. Melt pressure and temperature in the twin screw extruder and OLR were monitored at various process conditions to examine the ability of the OLR to condition melt during testing, and the effect of OLR testing on extrusion conditions. Pressure variation in the extruder, OLR and off-line rheometer were compared in order to quantify process noise. Tbe effect of OLR testing on melt rheology and polymer molecular weight were examined using off-line rheometry and gel permeation chromatography (GPQ.


Polymerization and copolymerization of vinyl monomers such as acrylamide, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, and acrylic acid with a redox system of Ce(IV) and organic reducing agents containing hydroxy groups were studied. The reducing compounds were poly(ethylene glycol)s, halogen-containing polyols, and depolymerization products of poly(ethylene terephthalate). Copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol)s-b-polyacrylonitrile, poly(ethylene glycol)s-b-poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene glycol)s-b-polyacrylamide, poly(ethylene glycol)s-b-poly(acrylamide-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-chloromethyl ethylene glycol)-bpoly(acrylonitrile-co-vinyl acetate), and bis[poly(ethylene glycol terephthalate)]-b-poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinyl acetate) were produced. The yield of acrylamide polymerization and the molecular weight of the copolymer increased considerably if about 4% vinyl acetate was added into the acrylamide monomer. However, the molecular weight of the copolymer was decreased when 4% vinyl acetate was added into the acrylonitrile monomer. Physical properties such as solubility, water absorption, resistance to UV light, and viscosities of the copolymers were studied and their possible uses are discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 1385–1395, 1999


Arthrodesis of the Great Toe SIR,-Mr. F. R. Zadik (November 26, p. 1573) is to be congratulated on his results of metarso-phalangeal arthrodesis for hallux valgus. Nevertheless, it is doubtful whether arthrodesis is better than the well-tried Keller operation for routine hallux valgus. Most patients walk ten days after the Keller, and can look forward to wearing high heels on special occasions. In hallux rigidus, the Keller operation seldom produces a mobile toe, and arthrodesis is the procedure of choice. Mr. Zadik states that in 18 of 110 feet operated upon, the Pidcock pin, used to fix the joint, was extruded. To avoid this complication I recommend using instead a beef-bone peg. This fits securely into a drill hole slightly smaller than itself, and the square head so convenient for the punch is cut off flush with the phalanx. I have not seen any loosening of such a peg.-I am, etc.,


BACKGROUND
Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a common disorder which has adverse cardiovascular effects. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), a novel marker of cardiovascular risk, is increased in SCH.

AIM
We aimed to investigate whether L-thyroxine treatment can reverse the thickening of EAT in SCH.

METHODS
Forty-four patients with SCH and 42 euthyroid control subjects were included. EAT thickness was measured using transthoracic echocardiography at baseline and after restoration of the euthyroid status with 3 months of L-thyroxine treatment.

RESULTS
At baseline, mean EAT thickness was significantly greater in the SCH group when compared to the control group (6.3 ± 1.7 mm vs. 4.1 ± 0.9 mm, respectively, p < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between baseline serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and EAT thickness in the SCH group. There was a significant reduction in mean EAT thickness in response to L-thyroxine treatment (6.3 ± 1.7 mm vs. 5.1 ± 1.4 mm, p < 0.001). The decrease in EAT thickness after L-thyroxine treatment when compared to baseline (DEAT) significantly correlated to the difference in TSH levels before and after treatment (DTSH; r = 0.323; p = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONS
Epicardial adipose tissue thickness is increased in patients with SCH. This thickening was alleviated with restoration of the euthyroid status with L-thyroxine treatment in our study population of predominantly male, relatively old subjects with greater baseline EAT thickness.


The synthesis of poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) was carried out using the mass-suspension process, high cis polybutadiene (PB), benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as the initiator and modified and unmodified nanoparticles of zinc oxide (nano-ZnO). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were used to characterize the ZnO nanoparticles. A Universal tensiometer, Brokfield viscosimeter and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize ABS. The employment of nano-ZnO induced an impressive morphologic modification and transformed the highly occluded salame morphology of poly(styrene-acrylonitrile) (SAN) to a highly dispersed one in its matrix. During the reaction, a decrease in the total production of SAN was observed due to the interaction between radicals produced by the initiator and nano-ZnO, causing a molecular weight increase of SAN. The nano-ZnO also induced a decline in the phase inversion and extended the period of occurrence. ABS without nano-ZnO yielded higher mechanical properties than one without any nanoparticles.


Nanoindentation is a technique for studying multiscale contact deformation. Over the years, different investigators have made improvements to it's methodologies. In this thesis, the current Oliver and Pharr's (1992), Fujisawa and Swain (2006) and Feng's (2002) unloading methodologies are examined, and novel robust characterisation methodologies proposed.

For any nanoindenter machine, the exact configuration including; actuator/transducer electronics and control strategies, machine calibrations etc., and the corrections associated with thermal drift, initial contact, sink-in and pile- up still limit the acquisition of consistent data. Additionally, variations in the output data are related to material characteristics and geometrical effects such as; indenter area function, surface roughness, thin film thickness, the tilt of the surface, indentation size effects etc. The main goal of the work described in the thesis was to address these factors in the characterisation methods, as for all materials, reliability and reproducibility becomes inherent, including for more challenging viscous/polymeric materials and at low load responses, where the measured properties, such as hardness and elastic modulus, can be time-dependent.

In seeking to unify the different approaches, for viscous/polymeric materials and low load testing, the well- established unloading methodologies were further developed. Previous methods treat the unloading to be fully elastic. However, a plastic correction is proposed at the point where the delayed plasticity cease. For low load testing, a datum correction is implemented according to a parameter, the Roughness Depth Limit (RDL), which aids in
splitting the deformation for determining the correct contact area. The author's DU method is demonstrated to characterise various material types at any test condition in one-cycle. Above RDL, the method compared remarkably well to tensile testing, for several material types. Results for viscous/polymeric materials, were consistent with the well- established unloading methodologies and also with hold- time methodologies. Other novel models, for thin film characterisation, were applied and found to fit precisely the DU method data, i.e. the elastic modulus as a function of depth, for substrate independent properties. With further work the method has the potential to form the basis of a formal standard for polymer characterisation which is still needed in today's industry.


A compartment syndrome is de�耀 ned as an increase in the compartmental pressure to such an extent that the viability of the tissues and organs within the compartment are threatened. The term describes a syndrome and not a disease, and as such there are many diseases and underlying pathophysiological processes that may lead to such a scenario. The aim of this review is to give a state-of-the-art overview on the current knowledge on di�耀 erent compartment syndromes and how they may interact. Suggested de�耀 nitions are included. There are four major compartments in the human body: the head, chest, abdomen, and the extremities. Initially, the term multicompartment syndrome was suggested when more than one compartment was a�耀 ected. But this led to confusion as the term multi- or multiple compartment syndromes is mostly used in relation to multiple limb trauma leading to compartment syndrome requiring fasciotomy. Only recently was the term 'polycompartment syndrome' coined to describe a condition where two or more anatomical compartments have elevated pressures. When more than one compartment is a�耀 ected, an exponential detrimental e�耀 ect on end-organ function to both immediate and distant organs can occur. Within each compartment, the disease leading towards a compartment syndrome can be primary or secondary. The compliance of each compartment is the key to determining the transmission of a given compartmental pressure from one compartment to another. The intra-abdominal pressure helps to explain the severe pathophysiological condition occurring in patients with cardiorenal, hepatopulmonary and hepatorenal syndromes. Initial treatment of a compartment syndrome should be focused on the primary compartment and is based on three principles: lowering of compartmental pressure, supporting organ perfusion, and optimisation and prevention of speci�耀 c adverse events. Clinicians need to be aware of the existence of the polycompartment syndrome and the interactions of increased compartmental pressures between compartments.


Proteoglycans (PGs) are one of the main components in the extracellular matrix of the central nervous system. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a glycosaminoglycan (GAG), which is composed of major PGs. Similar to keratin sulfate (KS), another GAG, CS inhibits axon regeneration. However, the influence of these GAGs on the pathogenicity of neuroimmunological diseases is unclear. Here, we induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice lacking CS N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-1 (CSGalNAcT1-KO), an important enzyme for CS synthesis. In our study, CSGalNAcT1-KO mice showed milder EAE symptoms than those in wild-type (WT) mice. The recall response of antigen-specific lymphocytes showed that CSGalNAcT1-KO-derived lymphocytes had a milder cell proliferation response than that in WT-derived lymphocytes. These results suggest that CS contributes toward the induction phase of EAE. We previously performed EAE experiments in GlcNAc-6-O-sulfotransferase KO (GlcNAc6ST-KO) and C6ST1-KO mice, which had reduced KS and reduced CS-C, respectively. EAE in CSGalNAcT1-KO mice was more similar to that in GlcNAc6ST-KO mice than in C6ST1-KO mice. In conclusion, the distinct GAG sugar chains are associated with severe or mild phenotypes of EAE and are therefore potential new therapeutic targets for neuroimmunological diseases, including multiple sclerosis.


ABSTRACT San Luis Pass is a microtidal tidal inlet located at the southwest end of Galveston Island, Texas. Continuous cores taken with a portable vibracoring rig, and surface grab samples provide data for constructing vertical sequences and three-dimensional sedimentologic descriptions of the flood-tidal delta complex. These descriptions are based on the type and vertical and lateral distribution of lithofacies, sedimentary structures, textures, and trace fossils. A vertical sequence through the flood-tidal-delta complex consists, from base to top, of: highly bioturbated bay muds and associated oyster reefs; highly bioturbated clayey sand/sandy clay of the tidal delta margin; burrowed sand and shelly sand of the tidal delta; and rooted or burrowed mud of the marsh or mud flat. Washover shell hash deposits may occur at random intervals throughout this sequence. A vertical sequence in the vicinity of San Luis Pass consists of a basal tidal inlet deposit of graded layers of sand and shell overlain by burrowed to shelly sand of the barrier spit. This description of a microtidal, flood-tidal delta differs significantly from descriptions presented for mesotidal, flood-tidal-delta systems in the 1) general lack of large-scale, high-angle sedimentary s ructures; 2) presence of intense bioturbation; 3) presence of washover deposits; and 4) general coarsening-upward nature of the vertical sequence.


Most of the existing literature in the FDI-political risk nexus has focused on the creation of economic models to assess foreign investment decisions in the presence of political risk. This is entirely legitimate and valuable as foreign investors are interested in assessing the political risk climate of their investment location. However, not much research has been done to assess how FDI could affect political risk. Globalization implies an increasing amount of cross-border investment and trade flows. For some countries, FDI is a huge component of their GDP. Since FDI is a composite bundle of capital stock, knowledge and technology (Balasubramanyam et al, 1996) and represents "International investment made with the objective of obtaining a lasting interest, by a resident entity in one economy in an enterprise resident in another economy" (OECD, 2000), we postulate that because of this stakeholder commitment, FDI could affect a country's political risk level. The management literature has it that political risk measures the stability of individual countries based on factors grounded in government, society, security, and the economy (Bremmer, 2005). We expand on this notion to investigate whether, and if so, how FDI affects political risk? We believe that the contribution of our study is specifically in examining this reverse relationship running from FDI to political risk. In this preliminary paper we test this hypothesis for a sample of thirty countries in various stages of economic development and regime types over the 1984-2012 period. Preliminary results indicate that countries with increased FDI inflows demonstrate decreased levels of political risk. Although there are variations across countries, country groups that are considered developed and full democracies tend to exhibit the lowest levels of political risk. Our ongoing research is examining a sample of 140 countries using both time series and panel data techniques.


ABSTRACT Background: Surrogacy is a reproductive practice that has been strongly marketed in India as a solution for childless couples. As a result, the number of surrogacy clinics is increasing. Meanwhile, a global discourse on surrogacy, originating from a Western perspective, has characterized surrogacy as being exploitative of women in low-income settings, where poverty drives them to become surrogate mothers. Objective: This study explored perspectives on surrogacy from men and women in Assam, an Indian state known to be a low-income setting. Surrogacy arrangements in Assam are still uncommon. It can be expected that the dominant global discourses on surrogacy will be unfamiliar to the general population, and the objective was also to position the results within the divergent global discourses of surrogacy. Methods: In order to explore local views on surrogacy, we conducted individual interviews and focus group discussions with people from various socioeconomic groups in Assam. Results: Our findings reveal that people in Assam perceive surrogacy as a good option for a childless couple, as it would result in a child who is a 'blood' relation – something highly desirable for sociocultural reasons. However, the part played by the surrogate mother complicates local views on surrogacy. Most people consider payment to the surrogate mother contrary to societal norms. A surrogate mother is also often judged in a moral light, either as a 'bad mother' for selling her child, or as a 'noble woman' who has helped a childless couple and deserves payment for her services. Conclusions: In order to decrease the stigmatization of women, a regulatory policy is needed that will take into account the complex understandings of surrogacy and perceptions of surrogate mothers in Indian society. In policy, the possible effect of the dominant exploitation discourse needs to be modulated by local understandings of this reproduction method.


This paper demonstrates that a simple stochastic model can capture the features of an epidemic of equine influenza in unvaccinated horses. When the model is modified to consider vaccinated horses, we find that vaccination dramatically reduces the incidence and size of epidemics. Although occasional larger outbreaks can still occur, these are exceptional. We then look at the effects of vaccination on a yard of horses, and in particular at the relationship between pre-challenge antibody level and quantity of virus shed when challenged with the virus. While on average, a high antibody level implies that less virus will be shed during the infectious period, we identify a high degree of heterogeneity in the response of horses with similar pre-challenge antibody levels. We develop a modified model that incorporates some heterogeneity in levels of infectivity, and compare this with the simpler model.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate a potential relationship between degree of stretching and resulting permanent deformation of elastomeric chains (ECs) as well as whether or not stretching time has any bearing on the degree of permanent deformation.

METHODS
Five-module segments of closed elastomeric chains manufactured by 3M Unitek were stretched to 10-100% of their original length in devices especially designed for this purpose, remaining submerged in artificial saliva at 37 ± 1° C and were removed sequentially after 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Upon removal, each segment was measured and, once recorded the values, were statistically analyzed with the purpose of assessing the degree of permanent deformation.

CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that permanent deformation is directly proportional to the degree of stretching of the ECs assessed. The mean percentages found were 8.4% to 10% of stretching, and exceeding 20% (21.3%) when stretched by 40%, and reaching 56.6% permanent deformation when stretched 100% of their original length. Finally, the highest percentage of permanent deformation occurred during the first week and was not statistically significant after this period.


An experimental and theoretical study of the effects of 90° ply cracking on the thermal expansion coefficients of crossply laminates has been carried out. It has been found experimentally that reductions in the coefficient of thermal expansion of up to 50% are caused by 90° ply cracks induced mechanically, although considerable care is needed in the experimentation. This behavior was modeled using a simple shear-lag analysis, and the resulting analytical expressions are compared with other approaches available in the literature. The growth of matrix cracks in a model GFRP system under severe thermal cycling (77 to 373 K) is investigated. The changes in expansion coefficient are affected by the growth of 0° ply cracks in addition to the 90° ply cracks. The crack growth rate/cyclic strain energy release rate range data are compared with those reported previously for mechanical fatigue cycling of similar material. The two data sets are consistent if plotted in terms of a fracture mechanics parameter which aims to account for the temperature dependence of material properties.


Preparation of two-dimensional (2D) graphene-like materials is currently an emerging field in materials science since the discovery of single-atom-thick graphene prepared by mechanical cleavage. In this work, we proposed a new method to prepare 2D NiS, where reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was found to induce the recrystallization of NiS from nanorods to nanosheets in a hydrothermal process. The process and mechanism of recrystallization have been clarified by various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The characterization of ex situ NiS/rGO products by SEM and EDS mapping indicates that the recrystallization of NiS from nanorods to nanosheets is realized actually through an exfoliation process, while the characterization of in situ NiS/rGO products by SEM, TEM, and EDS mapping reveals the exfoliation process. The XPS result demonstrates that hydrothermally assisted chemical bonding occurs between NiS and rGO, which induces the exfoliation of NiS nanorods into nanosheets. The obtained NiS/rGO composite shows promising Na-storage properties.


Are the conflicts that accompany the growth of postcolonial ethnic, cultural, and religious diasporas undermining the political culture of first-world nations? AlterNatives explains why the hope of a harmonious, fully consensual society is misguided. Ranu Samantrai argues that the proliferation of sources of dissent can hold liberal democratic nations accountable for their political promises. Eschewing the settlements between majority and minority groups proposed by liberal and communitarian theorists, she proposes a radicalization of democracy grounded in poststructuralist analysis of contingent individual and collective subjects. The black British women's movement of the 1980s (comprising women of African Caribbean and South Asian origin) is the occasion for this historical investigation of a national field of similitudes and differences. Through parliamentary papers and political history Samantrai charts the changing definition of Britain in the post-W.W.II period and tracks a new nationalization of disparate peoples into a narrowly territorial, homogeneous community of kin. In an innovative reading of nationality and immigration law she uncovers the gender anxieties that justified the legal racialization of British national identity. Black British feminism was born in response to the privileging of race as the marker of collective identity and the containment of gender as an internal and relatively insignificant communal matter. In that context the multiracial constituency and anti-communal politics of the movement exposed the instability of majority and minority communities and undermined the ambitions of would-be representatives. Samantrai examines newsletters, political pamphlets, memoirs, conference proceedings, scholarly essays, fiction, and poetry to demonstrate how the movement turned the identity discourse of British racial politics against its intended purposes. Dissensions within its own ranks prompted members to pursue political strategies that value heterogeneity and conflict as motivators of change. AlterNatives tests the efficacy of their strategies in case studies of seemingly intractable disagreements between cultural traditionalists, anti-racists, and feminists regarding the continuity of troubling but culturally significant gender practices.


Extensive research has shown that few robust results regarding the optimal tax structure are available. Moreover, the stylised models used in optimal tax analyses are not appropriate for practical policy advice. This paper proposes a method of examining optimal marginal income tax reforms using behavioural microsimulation models in which the full extent of population heterogeneity is represented along with all the details of highly complex tax and transfer systems. The approach is illustrated using the Australian microsimulation model MITTS. The results show that the marginal welfare changes for the Australian income tax structure are not symmetric with respect to increases and decreases in tax rates, largely because of the asymmetry in tax revenue changes arising from differential labour supply effects in different ranges of the income distribution. In addition, the extent of inequality aversion was found to play a much larger role in the determination of the optimal direction of rate changes than the form of the welfare metric or the specification of adult equivalence scales.


Purpose: Preclinical studies show that OXi4503 (combretastatin A1 diphosphate, CA1P) is more potent than other clinically evaluated vascular-disrupting agents. Experimental Design: Escalating doses of OXi4503 were given intravenously over 10 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days to patients with advanced solid tumors. Results: Doses were escalated in single-patient cohorts from 0.06 to 1.92 mg/m2, then expanded cohorts to 15.4 mg/m2 in 43 patients. Common adverse drug reactions were hypertension, tumor pain, anemia, lymphopenia, and easily controllable nausea/vomiting and fatigue. Five patients experienced different drug-related dose-limiting toxicities, atrial fibrillation, increased troponin, blurred vision, diplopia, and tumor lysis. Prophylactic amlodipine failed to prevent adverse events. Pharmacokinetics showed dose-dependent linear increases in peak plasma concentrations and area under the curve value of OXi4503. One partial response was seen in a heavily pretreated patient with ovarian cancer. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI confirmed a dose effect and showed significant antivascular effects in 10 of 13 patients treated at doses of 11 mg/m2 or higher. Conclusions: The maximum tolerated dose was 8.5 mg/m2 but escalation to 14 mg/m2 was possible with only temporary reversible cerebrovascular toxicity by excluding hypertensive patients. As a tumor response was seen at 14 mg/m2 and maximum tumor perfusion reductions were seen at doses of 11 mg/m2 or higher, the recommended phase II dose is from 11 to 14 mg/m2. Clin Cancer Res; 18(5); 1415–25. ©2012 AACR.


The author describes the implementation and practical comparison of two kinds of controller algorithms: proportional integral derivative (PID) and space state. These algorithms were implemented in a digital signal processor (DSP), TMS320C25, for driving a machine-tool axis. For this reason, TMS boards on a VME bus and an environment were developed which consists of different kinds of inputs and a user-friendly display of the response. Many trajectories and paths were also available to test these controllers. The innovative aspect of this work was an experimental comparison between these controllers in addition to theoretical studies. The application of a specific controller depends on the type of machine tool used. Applications on milling, turning, and drilling machines are discussed.<<ETX>>


Recombinant proteins produced via Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell cultures constitute the majority of biotherapeutics on the market. The ability of these cultures to consistently perform human-like post-translational modifications, mainly glycosylation, is paramount to product quality. Although much research has focused on understanding enzymatic function and regulation in the glycosylation pathways of CHO cells, central carbon metabolism also plays an important role in determining protein quality by supplying nucleotide sugar precursors and generating inhibitory byproducts that affect protein glycosylation. Central carbon metabolism also generates reductant molecules that can promote disulfide bond cleavage during harvest, influencing the quality of the product. Through understanding CHO cell central carbon metabolism, host cell engineering strategies and process modifications have been developed to improve protein quality. This review highlights these advances and presents opportunities for future research toward understanding the role of central metabolism in controlling the quality of biotherapeutic proteins.


The endothelial barrier is essential for vascular function, and its disruption may play a major role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. An increase in cAMP levels tightens the endothelial barrier by enhancing junction formation, and this is, in part, mediated by activation of exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac). Vascular endothelial cells express vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), and connexins 37, 40 and 43. Re-distribution of VE-cadherin in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs), induced by EGTA treatment or blocking VE-cadherin-VE-cadherin interactions through pre-treatment with anti-VE-cadherin primary antibody, triggered a subsequent re-distribution of Cx37 that was reversible. Epac activation with the Epac-selective agonist 8-pCPT induced a re-distribution of VE-cadherin and connexin 37 to sites of cell-cell contact in HCAECs, increasing the co-localisation of these two proteins, as detected by immunocytochemistry. This increased co-localisation was completely blocked by Epac1 siRNA. To test whether the re-distribution of Cx37 induced by Epac activation resulted in the formation of new functional gap junction channels, Lucifer yellow dye transfer was examined in HCAECs under varying conditions. Epac activation in HCAECs enhanced gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC), and this increase was completely blocked by the Epac inhibitor HJC0197. 8-pCPT addition was also shown to induce a transient increase in the intracellular calcium concentration in HCAECs, as detected with the calcium indicator Fluo-4. This calcium transient was independent of protein kinase A (PKA), and occurred in the absence of extracellular calcium, but was inhibited by the presence of the endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase inhibitor cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), indicating that Epac primarily mediated the increase, and that intracellular stores were the predominant source of calcium. Furthermore, the calcium transient induced by 8-pCPT was considerably reduced by the Epac inhibitor ESI-09 and completely inhibited by the Epac inhibitor HJC0197. Together, these data suggest that Epac strengthens the endothelial barrier through re-distribution of VE-cadherin and Cx37. In addition, GJIC is enhanced by Epac activation and there is a rise in intracellular calcium, a second messenger that can be transferred to adjacent cells through GJIC. It may be possible, therefore, that these effects of Epac promote endothelial cell- smooth muscle cell communication and therefore Epac could play a role in the regulation of vascular tone.


Two objections are raised against Oliver and Smiley's analysis of the collective–distributive opposition in their 2016 book: (1) They take it as a basic premise that the collective reading of 'baked a cake' corresponds to a predicate different from its distributive reading, and the same applies to all predicate expressions that admit both a collective and a distributive interpretation. At the same time, however, they argue that inflectional forms of the same lexeme (such as 'is a man' and 'are men') reveal a univocity that should be preserved in a formal representation of English. These two assumptions sit uneasily. (2) In developing their analysis, Oliver and Smiley come to the conclusion that even a singular predication such as 'Tom baked a cake' must be regarded as ambiguous between a collective and a distributive reading. This is so artificial that it hardly makes sense, and yet there seems to be no way out of the difficulty unless we are prepared to give up the basic premise just mentioned.


Committing fraud by concealing assets or some other act or omission and misappropriation of assetsrepresent rather frequent practices, despite the prohibitory regulation under the French and the Romanian Civil Code. We conducted an analysis on the forced acceptance of the heir the fraudulent conduct of which has been the cause of the inheritable mass imbalance. The article encompasses an analysis of the main legal exigencies for the existence of the assets concealment. The first condition refers to the quality of potential inheritor of the author of the fraudulent conduct, at the moment when the goods were swiped.The second indispensable condition refers to the intentional element or the voluntary, subjective aspect of the fraudulent behavior. The latter would cause a patrimonial loss for the other heirs, which is also required for this type of sanctioning. The third condition which follows under the scope of this analyze is that referring to the objective element of the inheritance concealment. This is materialized in the fraudulent and non-transparent managing of the assets. The article mentions the intricacies of the various types of concealment that a personal representative or potential heir can be accused of concealing assets. This type of conduct would include failure to disclose or attempting to underestimate the value of inheritance assets.


Mathematical modeling and computer simulation play an increasingly important role in the search for answers to questions that cannot be addressed experimentally. One of the biggest challenges in forward simulation of the movements of the musculoskeletal system is finding an optimal control strategy. It is not uncommon for this type of optimization problem that the segment dynamics need to be calculated millions of times. In addition, these calculations typically consume a large part of the CPU time during forward movement simulations. As numerous human movements are two-dimensional (2-D) to a reasonable approximation, it is extremely convenient to have a dedicated, computational efficient method for 2-D movements. In this paper we shall present such a method. The main goal is to show that a systematic approach can be adopted which allows for both automatic formulation and solution of the equations of kinematics and dynamics, and to provide some fundamental insight in the mechanical theory behind forward dynamics problems in general. To illustrate matters, we provide for download an example implementation of the main segment dynamics algorithm, as well as a complete implementation of a model of human sprint cycling.


Vesicular hand dermatitis is a type of eczema involving the fingers, hands, and sometimes the feet. It is common in primary care, requiring prompt treatment to prevent chronicity. The cause is often unknown, making the condition challenging to treat. Management consists of avoiding irritants and using emollients and topical corticosteroids.


We investigate the use of entropy-regularized optimal transport (EOT) cost in developing generative models to learn implicit distributions. Two generative models are proposed. One uses EOT cost directly in an one-shot optimization problem and the other uses EOT cost iteratively in an adversarial game. The proposed generative models show improved performance over contemporary models on scores of sample based test.


Chain collapse in synthetic polymers is an excellent approach for mimicking the natural self-folding process that imparts structural control, leading to attractive compartmental applications, e.g. drug delivery. In this regard, water-soluble and thermo-responsive polyacrylamide polymers CP1–2 with photodimerizable coumarin moieties grafted into the backbone are employed to design polymeric nanoparticles. The chain collapse can be efficiently controlled using dual response strategies involving photodimerization under UVB light (λmax = 320 nm) as well as host–guest interaction by the addition of a bis-β-CD host. The aggregation of the nanoparticles is controlled by the interplay of a lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) that can be tuned as a result of photodimerization and host–guest interaction. Further, sequential folding of the polymers is demonstrated by the addition of the host molecule followed by exposure to UVB irradiation. Such multi-stimuli-responsive compaction of size with synergistic control of non-covalent and dynamic covalent interaction and tuning of LCST render the system suitable for compartmental loading and sustainable/burst release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic cargos e.g. rhodamine B dye and the drug ibuprofen under homeostasis control.


Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a combined visual efficiency and perceptual-motor training programme on the handwriting performance of Chinese children aged 6 to 9 years with handwriting difficulties (HWD). Methods: Twenty-six children with HWD were assigned randomly and equally into two groups. The training programme was provided over eight consecutive weeks with one session per week. The perceptual-motor group received training only on perceptual-motor functions, including visual spatial relationship, visual sequential memory, visual constancy, visual closure, graphomotor control and grip control. The combined training group received additional training components on visual efficiency, including accommodation, ocular motility, and binocular fusion. Visual efficiency, visual perceptual skills, and Chinese handwriting performance were assessed before and after the training programme. Results: The results showed statistically significant improvement in handwriting speed after the training in both groups. However, the combined training gave no additional benefit on improving handwriting speed (ANCOVA: F=0.43, p=0.52). In terms of visual efficiency, participants in the combined training group showed greater improvement in amplitude of accommodation measured with right eye (F=4.34, p<0.05), left eye (F=5.77, p<0.05) and both eyes (F=11.08, p<0.01). Conclusions: Although the additional visual efficiency training did not provide further improvement in the handwriting speed of children with HWD, children showed improvement in their accommodation amplitude. As accommodative function is important for providing sustainable and clear near vision in the process of reading and word recognition for writing, the effect of the combined training on handwriting performance should be further investigated.


This paper considers a signal processing system for two-dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) employing a random Voronoi grain model. The channel model also includes two-dimensional intersymbol interference (2D-ISI) and additive white Gaussian noise. The system uses a 2D-ISI BCJR detector and irregular repeat-accumulate (IRA) code decoder in a turbo-equalization approach. In order to transfer soft information to the IRA decoder a mapping function based on the 2D-ISI detector soft information statistics is used. Simulations employing the perturbed-bit-centers Voronoi grain model proposed in a previous paper by Hwang et al. show that the proposed system achieves a 6.5% increase in user bits/grain (U/G) and an 11.7 dB SNR gain compared to Hwang et al. Simulation results also indicate that our random Voronoi model is harder to equalize than the Hwang Voronoi model. For the random Voronoi model considered in this paper, the proposed system achieves a density of 0.4422 U/G, corresponding to an areal density of about 8.8 Terabits/in2 on typical magnetic hard disks; this is nearly an order of magnitude better than the best commercially available systems.


. The paper considers problems of small-and medium-sized enterprises in placing on hold, opening and settling calculations and transactions against segregate accounts at Authorized banks as regards contract award with customers under the state defense order. The paper is relevant to both contractors of the state defense order and general contractors. The paper is prepared on the basis of know-how and intended for industrial leaders, directors of economics and finances, students of faculties of economics, managers of production facilities. Keeping in mind practical requirements, a current priority is the monitoring of the regulatory and legal framework in the sphere of state defense order resulting in the use of new (for Russian production facilities) techniques of value-for-money auditing in the state defense order supply chain. The author has analyzed banking support of contracts in production facilities' supply chain under the state defense order concluded by small- and medium-sized production companies: crucial points and specific features arising in payment of expenses from segregate banking accounts are brought to light. It is concluded that top managers and specialists of production facilities have to anticipate threats from changes in the regulatory framework, find ways and get away proposals for commercial, financial and business activity of the enterprise as well as the procedure and regulations for liaison between banks, suppliers and contractors in the state defense order supply chain.


The word 'moral' used to denote upright behaviour and 'moral' to denote certain authorial rights (droit moral), are homonyms: the things signified by the same signifier are different. Because Germany's moral rights equivalent is the personality right (Persönlichkeitsrecht), the German language does not permit the wordplay employed in the title. Nevertheless, this paper argues that personhood (Persönlichkeit), which is intertwined with the fundamental human rights principle of respect for equal and inherent human dignity, is the critical consideration for both understanding moral rights and engaging with the vexed issue of artworks created by immoral artists. This paper, which should be read as a sample of ongoing research, therefore approaches moral rights from a personhood perspective in order to construct analytical tools for engaging with immoral artists and their artworks.


The problem of estimating the stability domain of the origin of an n-order polynomial system is considered. Exploiting the structure of this class of systems it is shown that, for a given quadratic Lyapunov function, an estimate of the stability domain can be obtained by solving a suitable convex optimization problem. This estimate is shown to be optimal for an important subclass including both quadratic and cubic systems, and its accuracy in the general polynomial case is discussed via several examples.


Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of BMP2 on osteogenic differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (hADSCs). Methods: Cultured cells were differentiated into osteogenic lineage in the presence of BMP2. Gene expressions were determined by real time PCR. Results: BMP2 increased (2/8) or inhibited (6/8) osteogenic differentiation according to hADSCs batches. Regardless of the BMP2 action on osteogenic differentiation, BMP2 induced lipid droplet formation under an osteogenic differentiation condition in all batches of hADSCs, not hBMSCs, to be tested, which was confirmed by analysis of adipogenesis related genes expression. hADSCs expressed various BMP receptors. BMP2 increased expression of BMP2-responsive genes such as DLX3 and ID2, and induced SMAD1 phosphorylation in hADSCs and hBMSCs. BMP2 increased osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs in osteogenic medium in which dexamethasone was omitted. The addition of BMP2 in the control culture media containing dexamethasone alone lead to formation of lipid droplets and increased C/EBP-α expression in hADSCs. In the presence of TNF-α, BMP2 stimulated osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs even in hADSCs batches in which treatment of BMP2 alone inhibited osteogenic differentiation. Conclusion: These data indicate that the control of osteogenesis and adipogenesis in hADSCs is closely related, and that hADSCs have preferential commitment to adipogenic lineages. D ow nl oa de d by : 19 8. 14 3. 44 .6 5 12 /8 /2 01 5 3: 25 :5 3 A M Cell Physiol Biochem 2014;34:1339-1350 DOI: 10.1159/000366341 Published online: October 02, 2014 © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel www.karger.com/cpb 1340 Lee et al. : BMP2 and TNF-a on Differentiation of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry


The first year of university is critical in shaping persistence decisions (whether students continue with and complete their degrees) and plays a formative role in influencing student attitudes and approaches to learning. Previous educational experiences, especially previous university education, shape the students' ability to adapt to the university environment and the study approaches they require to perform well in highly demanding professional programs such as medicine and veterinary medicine. The aim of this research was to explore the support mechanisms, academic achievements, and perception of students with different educational backgrounds in their first year of veterinary school. Using questionnaire data and examination grades, the effects upon perceptions, needs, and educational attainment in first-year students with and without prior university experience were analyzed to enable an in-depth understanding of their needs. Our findings show that school leavers (successfully completed secondary education, but no prior university experience) were outperformed in early exams by those who had previously graduated from university (even from unrelated degrees). Large variations in student perceptions and support needs were discovered between the two groups: graduate students perceived the difficulty and workload as less challenging and valued financial and IT support. Each student is an individual, but ensuring that universities understand their students and provide both academic and non-academic support is essential. This research explores the needs of veterinary students and offers insights into continued provision of support and improvements that can be made to help students achieve their potential and allow informed "Best Practice."


This paper examines the joint impact of wheat market deregulation and removal of the wool Reserve Price Scheme on Australian wheatbelt farmers using a simple model of land allocation between the two products and empirical details of the impact of the two policy changes on farmers' uncertain economic environment. It is shown that key parameters are wool micronage, wheat yield variability and the presence or not of a wool price ceiling due to stockpile disposal. Consequently, important regional differences in welfare impacts and supply responses may exist and these may be of significance to the mechanics of stockpile disposal.


Do good corporate governance practices affect the amount of intermediated debt used by corporations and their dividend payout decisions? This study addresses the direct effects of corporate governance practices on both the indebtedness and the dividend pay-outs in corporations listed on the Bratislava Stock Exchange in 2015–2017 in Slovakia. Because of the relatively weakly developed stock market, the hypothesis is set only to found whenever there is a correlation between those variables. For analyzing the data, Spearman's rank correlation was used because of the absence of normal distribution. Furthermore, authors adjusted the data set specifically in both cases to reflect more precisely the situation and increase the significance of the models. The most important result of this paper is the finding that the application of the corporate governance principles affects financial decisions of companies. There is a correlation between the responsible application of corporate governance principles and the total debt of companies. Also, there is a correlation between the responsible application of corporate governance principles and the amount of dividends paid to shareholders.


What syntactic patterns emerge in students' use of articles and modals? What are the reasons for these patterns? What implications do the findings of the study have for English language instruction in Botswana? Exactly 1556 essays comprising class assignments, written seminar presentations, test papers and examination scripts from 514 randomly selected students of the University of Botswana were analysed. The findings indicate that there were systematic omissions, substitutions and insertion of the definite and indefinite articles as well as recurrent use of the expression can be able. Students' indication of different forms of epistemic modality was confined to the use of could while complex verb phrases involving negation had their constituents reordered such that the negative operator not consistently succeeded the perfective auxiliary. The study shows that the reasons for these errors are both intra- and interlingual, namely the complexities of the two grammatical structures, articles and modals, and the influence of L1. Since the Botswana Senior Secondary Assessment Syllabus specifies 'accuracy' in the use of grammatical forms, by demanding high language achievement standards, this paper argues that a return to the teaching of basic grammar in the high school is important for the students' mastery of articles and modals.


The Epstein-Barr virus is one of the most common causes of communicable disease. The clinical manifestations of this virus may vary widely depending on a child's age when primary infection occurs. I describe in this report a child with apnea associated with Epstein-Barr infection.


AbstractThe development of competency in narrative composition is acknowledged to be a complex process of central importance in the educational enterprise. Recent work suggests that growth in story knowledge is largely dependent on finding a fit among three elements: culturally influenced story schemas, children's developmental constraints, and instruction programs. The aim of this study was to examine an instruction program carried out with five 4-year-olds and designed to facilitate growth along an identified developmental pathway through socially situated cognitive scaffolding. The framework emphasized the coordination of prior knowledge with understandings gained in the instruction context. We chose a microgenetic method of analysis in order to look beyond outcomes and examine the actual process of instruction, exposing general trends in the data and providing insight into which instructional conditions lead to which specific changes in individuals' performance. The microgenetic method not only revealed the program's successes and shortcomings but also uncovered unanticipated strategies of participants, offering insight into issues related to the ways in which narrative knowledge builds. Our findings support the notion that learning does not occur in a straightforward, linear fashion but rather follows an irregular course, dropping off when, for example, task demands exceed processing capacity and surging forward when conceptually appropriate scaffolding is provided. (Psychology, Education)


Digitalization of schools has been on the agenda for decades and has resulted in new demands on teachers' skills in order to implememt technology into teaching. Despite political reforms, investments in technology and continuing professional development (CPD) initiatives for teachers, research often shows slow changes and unequal implementation. This paper addresses the challenges teachers are facing when participating in a 2-year CPD project using a highly interactive technology in classroom settings. The study is based on 18 in-depth interviwes and 6 video recalled observation sessions. The results show how the actual classroom situation is being very intense for the teacher in their everyday work. We conclude that for teachers to transform their teaching practices using highly interactive ICT-based learning is associated with several challenges related to planning and execution, for the part of the teachers, at the same time as it can be beneficial for student learning.


With the total installed capacity of small hydro generator cluster (SHGC) continues to grow rapidly, the effect of SHGC will have affected to the security and stability of the main network in China, especially to power oscillations of passageway of ultra-high-voltage AC and DC. Thus, a precise equivalent model of SHGC is proposed in this study. In the proposed model, the fifth-order model of generator is adopted as the equivalent generator model, the excitation system is simplified into proportional feedback control model and exponential load model is used as equivalent load model. In addition, Grey Wolf optimiser with chaotic local search is designed to identify the parameters of the equivalent model. Finally, the proposed equivalent technique is applied in one simulation experiment and one practical experiment. The experimental results demonstrate that the validity and accuracy of the proposed equivalent model and identification method in solving dynamic equivalent of SHGC in engineering practice.


The coupling of sandy beach aquifers with the swash zone in the vicinity of the water table exit point is investigated through simultaneous measurements of the instantaneous shoreline (swash front) location, pore pressures and the water table exit point. The field observations reveal new insights into swash-aquifer coupling not previously gleaned from measurements of pore pressure only. In particular, for the case where the exit point is seaward of the observation point, the pore pressure response is correlated with the distance between the exit point and the shoreline in that when the distance is large the rate of pressure drop is fast and when the distance is small the rate decreases. The observations expose limitations in a simple model describing exit point dynamics which is based only on the force balance on a particle of water at the sand surface and neglects subsurface pressures. A new modified form of the model is shown to significantly improve the model-data comparison through a parameterization of the effects of capillarity into the aquifer storage coefficient. The model enables sufficiently accurate predictions of the exit point to determine when the swash uprush propagates over a saturated or a partially saturated sand surface, potentially an important factor in the morphological evolution of the beach face. Observations of the shoreward propagation of the swash-induced pore pressure waves ahead of the runup limit shows that the magnitude of the pressure fluctuation decays exponentially and that there is a linear increase in time lags, behavior similar to that of tidally induced water table waves. The location of the exit point and the intermittency of wave runup events is also shown to be significant in terms of the shore-normal energy distribution. Seaward of the mean exit point location, peak energies are small because of the saturated sand surface within the seepage face acting as a "rigid lid'' and limiting pressure fluctuations. Landward of the mean exit point the peak energies grow before decreasing landward of the maximum shoreline position.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore an integrative model which includes specific intentions that may explain the contradictory citizenship behaviors and misbehaviors among superintendents in Israel. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 518 superintendents from seven Israeli Ministry of Education district offices were randomly selected. Based on sequence theory, the study examined motivational perceptions of authentic leadership, psychological empowerment and collective efficacy, and their relationships toward intentions to engage in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and organizational misbehavior (OMB) which may lead to OCB and OMB. The research combined self-reports and computer records. The model was analyzed using Mplus statistical packages. Findings – The authors found that intentions to be late positively predicted lateness, while intentions to leave predicted OMB. In addition, the study indicates several mediating relationships. For example, intentions to engage in OCB-organization and OCB-individual fully mediated the relationship between "self-determination" of psychological empowerment and OCB. In addition, intention to leave mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and lateness. Originality/value – Across nationalities, superintendents greatly impact the educational processes in their districts. Their high status in the educational system makes them role models. Therefore, it is important to investigate their behaviors and motivations. The findings may contribute toward developing an integrative approach that can predict the superintendents' behaviors by suggesting specific intentions that can explain corresponding behaviors. This model may also help in developing educational policies for reducing the superintendents' OMB and increasing their OCB.


This issue of Hawliyāt may well be described with one heading: challenge. Indeed, all of the articles collected herein express past, present or future challenges for thinking, dwelling, and effective change. The variety is in the themes, periods, and disciplines under consideration. The reader is thus invited to consider freethinking in the Abbasid era, a nineteenth century attempt to rebuild the Egyptian state, the questioning of power relations through art, the current Lebanese media crisis, Islam and peace-seeking and the building of reconciliation through a precise espousal of mourning. This variety is there to show the wealth of present and past possibilities open to facing the challenges to thinking and action at all social, political, intellectual, and artistic levels. Our hope is for the reader to realize that all such challenges may be dealt with in a plethora of ways and that the avenues leading to freedom and autonomy may be difficult but never entirely blocked by ideologies.


This paper analyzes the poverty impact of the violent events that affected Rwanda in the 1990s. The main objective of the paper is to identify systematically potential mechanisms linking violent conflict with changes in poverty across provinces and households in Rwanda before and after a decade of violence. In accordance with emerging literature on the long‐term economic effects of violent conflict, we find empirical evidence for economic convergence between richer and poorer Rwandan provinces and households following the conflict shocks. Using a small but unique panel of households surveyed before and after the conflict period, we find that households whose house was destroyed or who lost land ran a higher risk of falling into poverty. We do not find much evidence for an economic effect of violent deaths at the household level due to substitution effects of labor within the household. Non‐violent deaths however seem to increase income per adult equivalent for the survivors. Results are shown to be robust to sample selection and IV models.


The biological effects of nitric oxide (NO) are in significant part mediated through S-nitrosylation of cysteine thiol. Work on model thiol substrates has raised the idea that molecular oxygen (O2) is required for S-nitrosylation by NO; however, the relevance of this mechanism at the low physiological pO2 of tissues is unclear. Here we have used a proteomic approach to study S-nitrosylation reactions in situ. We identify endogenously S-nitrosylated proteins in subcellular organelles, including dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase and catalase, and show that these, as well as hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase and sarcosine dehydrogenase (SarDH), are S-nitrosylated by NO under strictly anaerobic conditions. S-Nitrosylation of SarDH by NO is best rationalized by a novel mechanism involving the covalently bound flavin of the enzyme. We also identify a set of mitochondrial proteins that can be S-nitrosylated through multiple reaction channels, including anaerobic/oxidative, NO/O2, and GSNO-mediated transnitrosation. Finally, we demonstrate that steady state levels of S-nitrosylation are higher in mitochondrial extracts than the intact organelles, suggesting the importance of denitrosylation reactions. Collectively, our results provide new insight into the determinants of S-nitrosothiol levels in subcellular compartments.


Constrained Markov decision processes with compact state and action spaces are studied under long-run average reward or cost criteria. And introducing a corresponding Lagrange function, a saddle-point theorem is given, by which the existence of a constrained optimal pair of initial state distribution and policy is shown. Also, under the hypothesis of Doeblin, the functional characterization of a constrained optimal policy is obtained.


This article outlines New Labour's policy discourse about social exclusion and the confusing challenge it poses to local cultural projects. Government now demands hard evidence to measure the impact of cultural projects on performance indicators such as education, employment, crime and health. However, community-based workers are hard pressed to collect valid and reliable data that evaluate projects against clear criteria for social inclusion. This article outlines possible criteria for social inclusion. Then, drawing on data collected from two 'Arts in Health' projects, we examine how contributions to social inclusion might have been effected. Considerable energy is required to form new alliances and health partnerships to resolve the dilemmas posed by a confused policy discourse and by fragile funding streams. © The Policy Press, 2006.


This paper deals with the problems of hypercholesterolaemia in the elderly. We have significant results that show an important relationship between serum cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases in the adult, but the same has not yet been definitely established for the elderly. After examination of the available data, the Authors suggest that--after a through clinical evaluation--the elderly should also be treated given that there are data to suggest and hypothesize the positive action of a hypolipemic diet until at least the age of seventy five years. The therapy, whenever possible, could be dietetic; but from relevant results obtained, used together with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, these drugs are a good therapeutic approach to the problem, also in the elderly. To support this opinion, the Authors show the results obtained with the use of Simvastatin in a group of old patients.


Abstract Recent attempts to mitigate global change have brought forestry-based carbon (C) sequestration into sharp focus due to its potential to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. However, the consequences of actual forest management practices on C storage capacity are still controversial to a certain extent. Under such a perspective, a distinctive relevant issue concerns the management of forest ecosystems within areas specifically designated for nature conservation. From the analysis of biomass data from forests in the National Parks of Italy, we found that the average forest C stock and sink per unit area is relatively higher within National Parks (81.21 and 2.18 tons ha−1, respectively) than on the overall national territory (76.11 and 1.12 tons ha−1 year−1, respectively). The analysis confirms the influence of ecological conditions and management approach on C sequestration capacity. Although the results of the proposed assessment approach have to be considered as rough estimates, the trial proves interesting, given the relative lack of specific information, at least on a large scale, about C stocks and sinks within forest areas designated for nature conservation, and the direct comparison with those forest areas not designated to such an end. The C storage capacity can be enhanced by increasing the productivity of forests, minimizing the disturbance to stand structure and composition. Extending conservation strategies adopted in National Parks to other forest areas of the national territory would allow the restoration of C sequestration potential, where unsustainable management practices have degraded relatively large stocks of biomass.