We study the magnetization dynamics of a nano-scale ferromagnet. We show that the phenomenological Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert predicts a damped precession of the magnetization. The ferromagnet is coupled to two large reservoirs via normal metal leads, and we focus on the effects related to electron transport into the leads. A derivation of an expression for the Gilbert damping in terms of the S matrix of the conduction electrons is reproduced. A tight binding model is used to model the conduction electrons. We consider a single domain ferromagnet made from permalloy with silver leads. We also consider an otherwise identical model where we neglect the spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. We determine the S matrix of the system by using the python package kwant and calculate the corresponding Gilbert damping in python. We consider a range of systems with different sizes and discuss the relation between the Gilbert damping and the system length. A bulk contribution to the Gilbert damping and a contribution from the interface effect spin pumping are identified. The bulk contribution is a material property, which we attempt to compare to experimental data. Finally we reduce the coupling between the ferromagnet and the leads, and discuss the effect of doing so on the conductance and the spin pumping and the bulk contribution in the Gilbert damping. We show that in very small ferromagnets, the electron transport and the bulk Gilbert damping become dominated by narrow resonance lines in the energy spectrum. We show that the spin pumping contribution to the Gilbert damping falls off quickly as we reduce the interface coupling.


The objective of this study was to (1) document the diverse forms of cognition and attention that occur during dreaming and (2) articulate the qualitatively different profiles of the forms of cognition and attention that constitute classes or categories of reflective awareness during dreaming. Seventy introductory psychology students (68.1% females, 31.9% males, mean age = 19.8 years, SD age = 2.5 years) participated for partial course credit. Participants were asked to describe the dream that had most significantly influenced their thoughts and feelings after awakening during the preceding three months. Then, participants were asked to respond to a series of open-ended questions that captured the diverse forms of the cognitive and perceptual (including attentional and intentional) components of reflective awareness within the dream. Finally, participants were asked to complete a Dream Reflective Awareness Questionnaire regarding numerous aspects of reflective awareness during their dreams. The results revealed five clusters of dream reflective awareness, in terms of qualitatively different combinations of attention, memory, and anticipation during dreaming. It was also found that the relationships between two patterns of dream reflective awareness (i.e., depersonalization, dual perspectives) and certain attentional and cognitive categories in dreams were significant. Potential explanations for these phenomena were discussed.


There is considerable interest in foregoing axillary dissection (AD) when the sentinel node (SN) is positive in early breast cancer, particularly when involve- ment is minimal (micrometastases or isolated tumor cells). To address this issue we analyzed outcomes in patients with a single micrometastatic SN who did not receive AD. We selected 377 consecutive patients treated at the Euro- pean Institute of Oncology between 1999 and 2007 for invasive breast cancer. Classical and competing risks sur- vival analyses were performed to estimate prognostic fac- tors for axillary recurrence, first events and overall survival. Median age was 53 years (range 26-80); median follow-up was 5 years (range 1-9). Most (91.8%) patients received conservative surgery; 209 (55.4%) had only one SN (range 1-8). Five-year overall survival was 97.3%. There were 10 local events, 2 simultaneous local and axillary events, 6 axillary recurrences and 12 distant events. The cumulative incidence of axillary recurrence was 1.6% (95% CI 0.7-3.3). By multivariable analysis, tumor size and grade were significantly associated with axillary recurrence. The high five-year survival and low cumulative incidence of axillary recurrence in this cohort provide justification for the increasingly common practice of foregoing AD in women with minimal SN involvement, and suggest in particular that AD can safely be avoided in women with small, low-grade tumors. Nevertheless, a subset of patients might be at high risk of developing overt axillary disease and efforts should be made to identify such patients by ancillary analyses of the results of ongoing or recently published clinical trials.


Abstract Mankind has been expressing the breeding topic for thousands of years. Reproduction is the primary instinct of human beings and it is a social, cultural, medical issue. Demographic infertility is one of them, which is defined infertility as the inability to become pregnant with a live birth, within five years of regular sexual contact based upon a consistent union status in marriage maintaining a desire for a child with the lack of contraceptive use and non-lactating. A first mentions about infertility and surrogacy is discovered on a 4000-year-old clay tablet of marriage contract belonging to the Assyrian period exhibited at Istanbul Archeology Museum in Turkey. In conclusion, there are many different ways to solve infertility problems like surrogacy as mentioned even 4000 years ago in this Assyrian clay tablet of marriage contract as the first time in the literature. Medical treatments in relation to human infertility will continue to be the focus of social and cultural debates. Hence, more legislation and regulation will come in many countries to control the unauthorized exploitation of the patient.


Patient motivation is important in managing medication regimens such as antiretroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS. We tested whether self-determination theory could predict adherence behavior among 115 HIV-positive patients in the China Adherence through Technology Study, a randomized controlled trial of an intervention using text reminders and supportive counseling to increase adherence. Being in the treatment group had a significant effect on improving adherence; however, we did not find evidence that self-determination theory predicts adherence in this population of HIV-positive patients. Autonomous motivation was strongly associated with perceived competence; among low adherers, external regulation was negatively correlated with adherence.


Post-translational modifications (PTMs) to histones have long been associated with the regulation of gene transcription, a crucial mechanism for cell differentiation. Significant progress has been made towards our understanding of how these modifications affect transcription, through genome-wide mapping (ChIP-seq) and advances in proteomics methodologies but there remains limited evidence pertaining to certain modifications (e.g. H3K4me1 and the combinatorial effects of two or more modifications within the same histone. Here, ChIP was used to determine the spatio-temporal distributions of H3K4 methylations and H3K27ac across the developmentally regulated sglobin locus in primitive (5DCE) and definitive chicken erythrocytes (15DCE). Surprisingly high enrichments of H3K27ac were found together with H3K4me1 at the inactive sH and sA genes in 5DCE. Since these genes will never be expressed in 5DCE, these PTMs may be related to their specific repression. However, in 15DCE the inactive genes carried lower H3K27ac than the active genes, so this modification is not simply linked to inactivity. In 5DCE, the enhancer was enriched in both H3K4me3 and K27ac but in 15DCE, increased enrichment of H3K4me3 and loss of K27ac was observed. These observations are consistent with the suggestion that H3K4me1 is a pioneering mark for establishment of the enhancer and an increase in modification status (to me3) is required for enhancer activity. H3K4me1 may also represent an additional mechanism to ensure gene repression. As observed in previous studies, H3K4me3 marked the active genes in both 5 and 15DCE. To identify effector proteins that bind H3K4me1 and/or K27ac to regulate transcription, histones carrying defined modifications were produced by reductive alkylation and genetic encoding and assembled into mono-nucleosomes for use in stable isotope labelling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) based nucleosome affinity pull downs (SNAP) coupled with tryptic MS analysis. These data show that the facilitates active chromatin transcription (FACT) complex binding was reduced by H3K4me1-containing nucleosomes, implicating H3K4 as a key residue for modulating FACT interaction with chromatin revealing at least one mechanism for transcriptional repression at inactive genes in this system.


This study used photoelastic stress analysis to compare the location and magnitude of periradicular stresses created by load application directed through two anatomically different natural teeth and three different implant designs. Also studied was the contribution made by the periodontal ligament in the transfer of these stresses. Within the limits of this study, results suggest that the abutment structures with the greatest amount of periodontal support tend to distribute stresses in the most favorable manner. Also, the conical shape of the tooth root, with its large cervical area, has a distinctly positive effect on stress distribution.


Parachuting into someone else's life for a few days does not, on the whole, yield anything very deep in the way of experience. But it offers glimpses, hints, possibilities. The turned door handle admits a crack of light, and you can always return later to open it wide, step inside, and take up serious residence in the room you spotted on that flying visit.

Thousands of British doctors spent electives in underprivileged countries, and some may be asked about their experience at interviews many years later. I say this because every job interview I have had since 1986 has been defined by questions about Tibetan Buddhism. This stems partly from an article that I wrote in 1985 about my two months in a Tibetan refugee camp on southern India.2

It became a merit badge and a career asset. It gave me an edge, and perhaps allowed the transfer of attributes to me that I knew I no longer deserved. To redress this imbalance my wife, a paediatric nephrologist, and 1, an interventional neuroradiologist, took our year's vacation and returned to the monastery.

In a world filled with refugees it is fortunate for the Tibetans that they are a marketable minority. Tibet has always been intriguing with its Buddhist philosophy that enchants with the hope of enlightenment and calm. Austine Waddell, a Buddhist scholar and member of a British expedition to Tibet in 1910, wrote in his book, Lhasa and its Mysteries: "Wreathed in the romance of centuries the secret citadel of the "undying" Grand Lama has stood shrouded in impenetrable mystery on the roof of the world, alluring yet defying our most adventurous travellers to enter her closed gates with all the fascination of an unsolved enigma, the mysterious city has held the imagination captive, as one of the …


OBJECTIVE
To describe the evolution of prostate cancer mortality in Andalucia during the period 1975-2004 at the provincial level.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Mortality data for prostate cancer and population denominator data was supplied by the Statistical Institute of Andalucia. Age group-specific and standardised overall and truncated (50-79 years old) rates were calculated by the direct method (European standard population).

RESULTS
In 2004 there were 813 deaths in Andalucia from prostate cancer. Prostate cancer accounts for around 8% of male deaths from cancer. Joinpoint analysis shows three diverging trends (fall in Cadiz, Huelva and Malaga, rise in Granada and stabilization in the other provinces) in age-standardized mortality rates.

CONCLUSION
In Granada, an increment in mortality from prostate cancer is observed in opposition to the trend in the other provinces.


The eastern Canadian Arctic is an ice-prone environment that is a vital part of Canadian Arctic shipping lanes. A better understanding of the ice environment and ice characteristics in this region is essential for supporting safe and economical marine activities. This study presents a first analysis of the drift of ice islands that originated from the Petermann Glacier calving events in northwest Greenland between 2008 and 2012. These massive calving events generated numerous smaller ice islands and icebergs through subsequent deterioration and break-up events. Surviving ice features drifted further southward into the Baffin Bay and reached as far as offshore Newfoundland (∼47 °N) for the case of the 2010 calving event. The drift characteristics of Petermann ice islands are evaluated through the analysis of the recently developed Canadian Ice Island Drift, Deterioration and Detection (CI2D3) database. The average drift distance, speed, and directions of the ice islands that resulted from the 2008, 2010, and 2012 calving events were estimated using successive observations of the monitored ice islands in the CI2D3 database. This study also includes an assessment of fracture events, including the total number of ice island break-up events following each massive calving event and the average number of daughter ice islands resulting from each break-up event. A geographical analysis of the data was also performed to present the location of the fracture events, as well as the time series of latitude change of Petermann ice islands from their origin (northwest Greenland ice tongues) to where until they became too small (< 0.25 km2) to be delineated in the CI2D3 database. This information is of particular interest to marine activities in the eastern Canadian Arctic, and oil and gas operations offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.


Abstract Students in Western university contexts require multiple literacies, numeracies, and critical capacities to succeed. Participation requires a blend of English language capacity, cultural knowhow, and cognisance of the often-hidden racialized assumptions and dispositions underpinning literate performance. Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds transitioning to Western university settings from local and international contexts often find themselves floundering in this complex sociocultural web. Many students struggle with the English language preferences of their institutions despite meeting International English Language Testing System (IELTS) requirements. Once enrolled, students from CALD backgrounds need to navigate the linguistic, semiotic, and cultural landscape of the university, both physically and virtually, to enter the discourses and practices of their chosen disciplines. Universities cannot afford to allow students to 'sink or swim' or struggle through with non-specialist or ad-hoc support. In response to a clear need for explicit and ongoing English language support for students from CALD backgrounds, the Student Learning Centre (SLC) at Flinders University in South Australia created the English Language Support Program (ELSP). The ELSP sets out to overcome prescriptive and assimilationist approaches to language support by adopting an eclectic blend of learner-centred, critical-creative, and multi-literacies approaches to learning and teaching. Rather than concentrate on skills and/or language appropriateness, the ELSP broadens its reach by unpacking the mechanics and machinations of university study through an intensive—and transgressive—multi-module program. This paper outlines the theoretical and pedagogical challenges of implementing the ELSP.


France is traditionally a staging area for Greylag Geese Anser anser migrating from northwest Europe to wintering sites in Spain, though increasing numbers have wintered in France over the last three decades. This paper considers sightings within France of neck-banded individuals marked elsewhere in Europe since the 1980s, to determine the origin of Greylag Geese staging and now wintering in the country. The geese included in this study were all caught in summer during the annual moult, either as family groups or in non-breeding flocks. Most sightings of neck-banded geese were from western France, and most birds identified were from breeding areas in the Nordic countries or to a lesser extent in the Netherlands. The Lac du Der area in northeast France was found to be a wintering area for an introduced population of Greylags established southwest of Stockholm in Sweden, and the geese wintering on the Camargue in southern France were recruited mainly from central Europe. Numbers wintering in France have increased in line with the general increase in the European Greylag Goose population, whereas numbers on passage in France have not increased in the same way, possibly due to a northward shift in the winter distribution of Greylags across Europe. The numbers wintering in France are, however, still small compared to other areas along the flyway.


What can we learn about quantum gravity from a simple toy model, without actually quantizing it? The toy model consists of a finite number of point particles, coupled to three dimensional Einstein gravity. It has finitely many physical degrees of freedom. These are basically the relative positions of the particles in spacetime and the conjugate momenta. The resulting reduced phase space is derived from Einstein gravity as a topological field theory. The crucial point is thereby that we do not make any a priori assumptions about this phase space, except that the dynamics of the gravitational field is defined by the Einstein Hilbert action. This already leads to some interesting features of the reduced phase space, such as a non-commutative structure of spacetime when the model is quantized.


This research explores the benefits of radar data assimilation for short-range weather forecasts in southeastern Brazil using theWeatherResearch and Forecasting (WRF)Model's three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system. Different data assimilation options are explored, including the cycling frequency, the number of outer loops, and the use of null-echo assimilation. Initially, four microphysics parameterizations are evaluated (Thompson, Morrison, WSM6, and WDM6). The Thompson parameterization produces the best results, while the other parameterizations generally overestimate the precipitation forecast, especiallyWDSM6. Additionally, the Thompson scheme tends to overestimate snow, while the Morrison scheme overestimates graupel. Regarding the data assimilation options, the results deteriorate andmore spurious convection occurs when using a higher cycling frequency (i.e., 30min instead of 60min). The use of two outer loops produces worse precipitation forecasts than the use of one outer loop, and the null-echo assimilation is shown to be an effective way to suppress spurious convection. However, in some cases, the null-echo assimilation also removes convective clouds that are not observed by the radar and/or are still not producing rain, but have the potential to grow into an intense convective cloud with heavy rainfall. Finally, a cloud convective mask was implemented using ancillary satellite data to prevent null-echo assimilation from removing potential convective clouds. The mask was demonstrated to be beneficial in some circumstances, but it needs to be carefully evaluated in more cases to have a more robust conclusion regarding its use.


Abstract: The sugarcane agro-industry complex of São Paulo State, Brazil, has undergone significant technical and organizational changes over the last two decades. The harvest mechanization process increased the work productivity and reduced drastically the workforce employed in the sector, requiring modern human resources practices to manage work in this new technical basis. The objective of this study is to analyse how the São Paulo state sugarcane complex human resources management (HRM) practices can increase the work intensity in agricultural production. The primary data of this study was obtained with a questionnaire applied to 38 HR managers of sugarcane companies and with 18 semi-structured interviews to the sector workers and managers. The payment based on production is a traditional HRM strategy in the sector to increase productivity, and its efficiency is conditioned to the capacity of the managers to recruit and control the workforce. Therefore, in this article, the analysis focused on payment, recruitment and training programmes. Data analysis indicate that, generally, the HRM practices logic is to reward workers with higher productivity levels and punish those who flee from behavior patterns and commit deviations of quality. Even so, the heterogeneity HRM structure in sugarcane agro-industry is evident, since companies with different types of management have specific priorities. The central conclusion is that the work intensification still can be an issue in sugarcane agro-industrial complex as the variable remuneration is used to punish and reward workers based on quality and productivity indicators. The effects of this intensification process for machine operators health must be analyzed in further researches.


ABSTRACT A culture-based approach was used to investigate the diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in Belgian traditional sourdoughs and to assess the influence of flour type, bakery environment, geographical origin, and technological characteristics on the taxonomic composition of these LAB communities. For this purpose, a total of 714 LAB from 21 sourdoughs sampled at 11 artisan bakeries throughout Belgium were subjected to a polyphasic identification approach. The microbial composition of the traditional sourdoughs was characterized by bacteriological culture in combination with genotypic identification methods, including repetitive element sequence-based PCR fingerprinting and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase (pheS) gene sequence analysis. LAB from Belgian sourdoughs belonged to the genera Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, Weissella, and Enterococcus, with the heterofermentative species Lactobacillus paralimentarius, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus pontis as the most frequently isolated taxa. Statistical analysis of the identification data indicated that the microbial composition of the sourdoughs is mainly affected by the bakery environment rather than the flour type (wheat, rye, spelt, or a mixture of these) used. In conclusion, the polyphasic approach, based on rapid genotypic screening and high-resolution, sequence-dependent identification, proved to be a powerful tool for studying the LAB diversity in traditional fermented foods such as sourdough.


The WHO has recently updated its guidelines for the management of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in children. These guidelines include the differential diagnosis of cough and difficult breathing, and separate guidelines for the management of pneumonia, bronchiolitis and asthma. This recognises the core issue behind the study in this edition of Archives by Dr Vishwanath Gowraiah and colleagues from four hospitals in India; that many children who fulfil WHO's traditional criteria for pneumonia (cough and difficult breathing with or without chest in-drawing) have wheezy viral infections.1 The WHO guideline, contained in the second edition of the Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children ,2 lists the clinical features in favour of pneumonia, bronchiolitis, asthma and other common and less common causes of cough and respiratory distress.

The relevance of making the distinction between acute wheezy bronchiolitis, asthma and pneumonia is that there are groups of children who do not need antibiotics and wheezy older infants and children who would benefit from bronchodilator therapy. The implication of not making this distinction is the overuse of antibiotics and the undertreatment of asthma. This has significant public health implications in developed and developing countries.

But it is not as easy as it may seem. Some of the issues are whether there is a reliable way for health workers in resource-limited settings to distinguish viral bronchiolitis from bacterial pneumonia; and what are the rates and risks of bacterial coinfection in viral respiratory syndromes, in different settings and different risk groups?

The study by Gowraiah et al concluded that using a stethoscope to detect wheeze on auscultation was the most reliable way to distinguish pneumonia from wheezy viral infection.1 This might be true, but it is arguable. First, the health workers who identified wheeze were an emergency physician (on day 1) and …


We examine theoretically and empirically the relationship between access regulation, financial structure and investment decisions in network industries, analyzing if financial variables can be used as a strategic device to influence the regulator's price setting decisions. Using a panel of 15 EU Public Telecommunication Operators (PTOs) over the period 1994-2005, we first investigate the determinants of regulated prices (both wholesale and retail), firm financial structure and investment, and then test the relationship between leverage, regulated charges and firm's investment. However, our model suggests that if leverage influences the regulated access charges, then it will also impact competition in the downstream segment. Therefore, we also investigate the impact of the PTO's leverage on market competition. Our results show that leverage positively affects regulated rates, as well as the PTOs' investment rate, as predicted by Spiegel and Spulber (1994). Moreover, higher leverage also leads to higher access charges and an increase in leverage is followed by a decrease in the number of competitors and by an increase of the incumbent's market share. This suggests that the strategic use of debt to discipline the regulator's lack of commitment within a vertically integrated network industry may somewhat impair or delay competition in the retail segment, but has a favorable counterpart in mitigating the underinvestment problem.


ABSTRACT This study seeks to understand how newsrooms negotiate and navigate their way in adopting and using web analytics within an environment where the influence of the social system interacts with the influences of market forces and journalistic autonomy. Based on interviews with 22 editors and journalists from 13 publications in Singapore, this study finds two interesting trends: First, news organisations in Singapore follow closely how web analytics is used in newsrooms in the West and have embraced it but are cautious and selective, especially when it touches on sensitive issues like politics, race, and religion. Second, conceptualisations of web analytics use in earlier research conducted in the Western context is less significant in Singapore where its use accentuates a triangle of tension between three forces: the social system, journalistic autonomy, and market values. The findings show a need to expand the understanding of the place of web analytics in journalism—and how individual journalists adopt and adapt it in their news work—beyond the dominant market-forces-versus-journalistic-autonomy framework, especially in contexts where social system structures exert strong influences on journalism.


This study aims to analyze the influence of profitability, collateral, and the long business to total credit received on the debitors. This study use sample of debtors who took the General Loan (Kredit Umum) of Bank Prekreditan Rakyat (BPR) in Surakarta the respondents were 62 debtors. Data collection techniques using documentary techniques. While the technique of data analysis using multiple linear regression analysis, t test, F test and determination coefficient test.Based on the results of data analysis: (1) Profitability, collateral, and long business in individually have a positive and significant effect on the total credit received on the debtors of BPR in Surakarta, then hypothesis 1 was confirmed. (2) Profitability, collateral, and long operating in simultaneously have a positive and significant effect on the total credit received on the debitors of BPR in Surakarta, then hypothesis 2 was confirmed. (3) In this study, indicate that profitability variable was the most dominant influence to the total credit received on the debtors, then hypothesis 3 was confirmed. (4) Results of determination coefficient test is R2 = 0.620; it means that the profitability, collateral, and long business are explain is 62% while the rest 38% influenced by other variables outside the model that is not investigated such as current capital or demographic factors like age and education level.Based on this research for the debtors are advised to increase the value profitability so as to obtain an opportunity to obtain a larger loan amount. To improve profitability, in addition to increasing sales is expected employers to manage costs efficiently. In deciding the bank credit, especially in this case the BPR in Surakarta to continue to apply prudential banking principles with the aim of effectively controlling the occurrence of bad credit problems.Key word : profitability, collateral, long business, total credit, debitor


Objective: The aim of this study was to determine an effective treatment by antibiotic for positive culture (culture+ve) pyogenic spondylodiscitis compared to a negative culture (culture-ve) by assessment of laboratory outcomes, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The secondary objective is to determine incidence of pathogen micro-organisms of pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Material and Method: The study design was a single-center retrospective study performed by the ICD10 computer database of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in the Prince of Songkla University for patient diagnosed pyogenic spondylodiscitis. After exclusion was done, patients were divided into 2 groups of study. The first group was tissue ulture+ve while the second group was tissue culture-ve. Patient culture+ve were analyzed for bacterial pathogen  along with antibiotic sensitivity. In culture-ve patients were analyzed for the types of antibiotic and its usage. Both of two groups was compared with the effectiveness of treatment with ESR and CRP beforehand, and after four-weeks of treatment. Results: Compared with 56 culture+ve patients, the 69 culture-ve patients were no significant difference in median difference of ESR and CRP at the time before treatment and at four-weeks, after treatment. Conclusion: Antibiotic treatment of non-identified micro-organism pyogenic spondylodiscitis can be done by using the most common incidence of micro-organism. The effectiveness of antibiotic treatment was determine by ESR and CRP beforehand, and after four-weeks of antibiotic treatment.


In this paper, free and forced vibration of simply-supported Single-walled carbon nanotube is investigated under the moving nanoparticle by considering nonlocal cylindrical shell model. To validate the theoretical results, modal analysis of nanotube is conducted using ANSYS commercial software. Excellent agreement is exhibited between the results of two different methods. Furthermore, the dynamic response of SWCNT under moving nanoparticle is also studied. It is assumed that the nanoparticle travels along the center of nanotube with constant velocity and the van der Waals force between CNT and particle is taken into account. The dynamic response of the SWCNT under the influence of C60 particle obtained using dynamic Green's function and modal expansion. The obtained results show that the nonlocal scale effect decreases the natural frequency and dynamic displacement of the CNT.


Twenty patients with chronic myeloleucosis in the stage of blast crisis were examined. Results of immunological investigations indicate that these patients showed below normal indices of the absorptive and bactericidal function of polymorphous-nuclear neutrophils and cationic proteins. The number of T- and B-lymphocytes was also reduced. The immunity values were to the same degree inhibited as in patients with acute leucosis. Changes of the immune status depend on the degree of blastemia. Along with cytostatic agents patients with chronic myeloleucosis in the stage of blast crisis should undergo immunocorrection, primarily correction of cellular immunity.


The pollen-bearing reproductive organ Hydropterangium roesleri nov. spec. is described from the Rhaetian (uppermost Triassic) of Wiistenwelsberg near Coburg, Germany. The organ consists of a broad axis, with helically arranged short side branches that at their end bear a small number of capsules. These kidney-shaped capsules comprise two valves with a dehiscence slit along the outer margin and contain elongated pollen sacs with in situ Vitreisporites pollen grains. The material is compared to other Hydropterangium species, and the botanical affinity of these organs is discussed, as well as the possible foliage species that may have belonged to the same plant. Finally, we speculate that some seeds associated with Hydropterangium roesleri material, may have belonged to the same natural taxon.


Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of the endocrine organs was revised in 2017. The term atypical adenoma is no longer recommended, and tumors with rapid growth, radiologic invasion, and high Ki-67 labeling index are defined as high-risk adenomas. In this article, we present the case of an aggressive pituitary adenoma not fulfilling the new high-risk criteria with extraordinary rapid progression after very long stable disease, and discuss the remaining problem of the new criteria in terms of a complicated balance between pathologic findings and clinical features. Case Description A 67-year-old man was admitted with sellar tumor. Serum prolactin concentration was high at 4,552.2 ng/mL. Transsphenoidal surgery achieved subtotal removal. Histologic diagnosis was lactotroph cell adenoma, and Ki-67 labeling index was 2.6%. Postoperatively, magnetic resonance imaging revealed no evidence of tumor regrowth, but terguride or cabergoline administration was continued for slight hyperprolactinemia. Second surgery was performed 18 years after initial surgery because the tumor showed extraordinary rapid regrowth and hyperprolactinemia of 969 ng/mL. Histologic diagnosis was lactotroph cell adenoma with Ki-67 labeling index of 28.9% and positive immunoreactivity for p53. This case could be diagnosed as a high-risk adenoma from the beginning of treatment based on the WHO 2017 criteria, but the clinical course was unusually long and the indication of aggressive adjuvant therapy after initial surgery remained unsolved. Conclusion Pathologic confirmation for the present definition would be expected to assess the cutoff between typical adenomas and aggressive tumors.


BACKGROUND
Treatment guidelines for asthma recommend inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as first-line therapy for children with persistent asthma. Although ICS treatment is generally considered safe in children, the potential systemic adverse effects related to regular use of these drugs have been and continue to be a matter of concern, especially the effects on linear growth.

OBJECTIVES
To assess the impact of ICS on the linear growth of children with persistent asthma and to explore potential effect modifiers such as characteristics of available treatments (molecule, dose, length of exposure, inhalation device) and of treated children (age, disease severity, compliance with treatment).

SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register of trials (CAGR), which is derived from systematic searches of bibliographic databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED and PsycINFO; we handsearched respiratory journals and meeting abstracts. We also conducted a search of ClinicalTrials.gov and manufacturers' clinical trial databases to look for potential relevant unpublished studies. The literature search was conducted in January 2014.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Parallel-group randomised controlled trials comparing daily use of ICS, delivered by any type of inhalation device for at least three months, versus placebo or non-steroidal drugs in children up to 18 years of age with persistent asthma.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently performed study selection, data extraction and assessment of risk of bias in included studies. We conducted meta-analyses using the Cochrane statistical package RevMan 5.2 and Stata version 11.0. We used the random-effects model for meta-analyses. We used mean differences (MDs) and 95% CIs as the metrics for treatment effects. A negative value for MD indicates that ICS have suppressive effects on linear growth compared with controls. We performed a priori planned subgroup analyses to explore potential effect modifiers, such as ICS molecule, daily dose, inhalation device and age of the treated child.

MAIN RESULTS
We included 25 trials involving 8471 (5128 ICS-treated and 3343 control) children with mild to moderate persistent asthma. Six molecules (beclomethasone dipropionate, budesonide, ciclesonide, flunisolide, fluticasone propionate and mometasone furoate) [corrected] given at low or medium daily doses were used during a period of three months to four to six years. Most trials were blinded and over half of the trials had drop out rates of over 20%.Compared with placebo or non-steroidal drugs, ICS produced a statistically significant reduction in linear growth velocity (14 trials with 5717 participants, MD -0.48 cm/y, 95% CI -0.65 to -0.30, moderate quality evidence) and in the change from baseline in height (15 trials with 3275 participants; MD -0.61 cm/y, 95% CI -0.83 to -0.38, moderate quality evidence) during a one-year treatment period.Subgroup analysis showed a statistically significant group difference between six molecules in the mean reduction of linear growth velocity during one-year treatment (Chi² = 26.1, degrees of freedom (df) = 5, P value < 0.0001). The group difference persisted even when analysis was restricted to the trials using doses equivalent to 200 μg/d hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-beclomethasone. Subgroup analyses did not show a statistically significant impact of daily dose (low vs medium), inhalation device or participant age on the magnitude of ICS-induced suppression of linear growth velocity during a one-year treatment period. However, head-to-head comparisons are needed to assess the effects of different drug molecules, dose, inhalation device or patient age. No statistically significant difference in linear growth velocity was found between participants treated with ICS and controls during the second year of treatment (five trials with 3174 participants; MD -0.19 cm/y, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.11, P value 0.22). Of two trials that reported linear growth velocity in the third year of treatment, one trial involving 667 participants showed similar growth velocity between the budesonide and placebo groups (5.34 cm/y vs 5.34 cm/y), and another trial involving 1974 participants showed lower growth velocity in the budesonide group compared with the placebo group (MD -0.33 cm/y, 95% CI -0.52 to -0.14, P value 0.0005). Among four trials reporting data on linear growth after treatment cessation, three did not describe statistically significant catch-up growth in the ICS group two to four months after treatment cessation. One trial showed accelerated linear growth velocity in the fluticasone group at 12 months after treatment cessation, but there remained a statistically significant difference of 0.7 cm in height between the fluticasone and placebo groups at the end of the three-year trial.One trial with follow-up into adulthood showed that participants of prepubertal age treated with budesonide 400 μg/d for a mean duration of 4.3 years had a mean reduction of 1.20 cm (95% CI -1.90 to -0.50) in adult height compared with those treated with placebo.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Regular use of ICS at low or medium daily doses is associated with a mean reduction of 0.48 cm/y in linear growth velocity and a 0.61-cm change from baseline in height during a one-year treatment period in children with mild to moderate persistent asthma. The effect size of ICS on linear growth velocity appears to be associated more strongly with the ICS molecule than with the device or dose (low to medium dose range). ICS-induced growth suppression seems to be maximal during the first year of therapy and less pronounced in subsequent years of treatment. However, additional studies are needed to better characterise the molecule dependency of growth suppression, particularly with newer molecules (mometasone, ciclesonide), to specify the respective role of molecule, daily dose, inhalation device and patient age on the effect size of ICS, and to define the growth suppression effect of ICS treatment over a period of several years in children with persistent asthma.


Transnational research networks (TRN) are becoming increasingly complex. Such complexity may have both positive and negative effects on the quality of research. Our work studies the evolution over time of Chinese TRN and the role of complexity on the quality of Chinese research, given the leading role this country has recently acquired in international science. We focus on the fields of geriatrics and gerontology. We build an original dataset of all scientific publications of China in these areas in 2009, 2012 and 2015, starting from the ISI Web of Knowledge (ISI WoK) database. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), we analyze the change in scientific network structure across time. Second, we design indices to control for the different aspects of networks complexity (number of authors, country heterogeneity and institutional heterogeneity) and we perform negative binomial regressions to identify the main determinants of research quality. Our analysis shows that research networks in the field of geriatrics and gerontology have gradually become wider in terms of countries and have become more balanced. Furthermore, our results identify that different forms of complexity have different impacts on quality, including a reciprocal moderating effect. In particular, according to our analysis, research quality benefits from complex research networks both in terms of countries and of types of institutions involved, but that such networks should be "compact" in terms of number of authors. Eventually, we suggest that complexity should be carefully taken into account when designing policies aimed at enhancing the quality of research.


In 1840 and 1841 the Record Commissioners issued two publications whose exactly corresponding titles indicated that they were designed to be parallel compilations. The one, published in 1840 and edited by Benjamin Thorpe, was entitled Ancient Laws and Institutes of England. The other, published in 1841 and edited by Aneurin Owen, was entitled Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales. At that time, Owen's work was probably a more considerable achievement of scholarship than Thorpe's, but in due course, with the further development of historical and other relevant studies, many improvements became possible in both collections, and new editions of each therefore became more and more obviously necessary.


It is of utmost importance to improve the level of science literacy among coal mine workers in order to help prevent tragic accidents that have frequently occurred in coal mines. This paper utilizes data compiled from a survey concerning science literacy related factors among coal miners in China's main coal mining producing areas of Shanxi, Shan Dong, Hebei, Sichuan, and Heilongjiang provinces, and was based on the analysis and research of the science literacy related factors. A questionnaire and multi-stage sampling method was employed in order to investigate the following 3 aspects:1) The basic situation of the coal miners, i.e. educational background, age, salary, etc. 2) science literacy and 3) the level of science literacy in safe production and management in the coal mine. This paper further analyses the present situation, characteristics and current problems of science literacy related factors in safe coal production and mine management within the previously mentioned five coal mine provinces in China. The sampling was 5003. Lastly this investigative report proposes suggestions as to how to improve the coal miner's science literacy situation and management in the five provinces and ways to reduce the rate of coal mine disasters.


Low complexity optimal (or nearly optimal) decoders for space-time codes have recently been under intensive investigation. For example, recent works by Sirianunpiboon and others show that the Silver code and the Golden code can be decoded optimally (or nearly optimally) with quadratic decoding complexity. Fast decodability makes them very attractive in practice. In implementing these decoders, floating-point to fixed-point conversion (FFC) needs to be carefully undertaken to minimize hardware cost while retaining decoding performance. The process of quantization for fixed-point representations is often ignored by research community and lacks investigation, and so FFC is often conducted heuristically based on simulations. This paper studies the effects of quantization to space-time coded systems from an information theoretic perspective. It shows the analytical relationship between quantization error and decoding performance deterioration. This paper also proposes a general finite precision implementation methodology including two FFC criteria for space-time coded systems within an integer optimization framework. As a particular example, this paper examines the finite precision implementation of the quadratic optimal decoding algorithm of the Silver code. However, our methodology and techniques can be applied to general space-time codes.


The policy of Ujamaa Vijijini1 apart from having the potential of transforming rural Tanzania on a scale scarcely envisaged in the original 'transformation' approach postulated in the World Bank Report (1961), points out that there is much of value in the traditional Tanzanian settlement system, in terms of both its social and economic organization. For a group of people to survive, let alone prosper, they must have come to terms with the conditions of the area in which they live. The traditional Tanzanian village holds a store of information about man's adaptation to his environment which should be tapped in the planning of future village organization. This has, at least in part, been the thinking behind the new approach to the planning of settlement in Tanzania.


There are different forms of teaching using ICT, and they differ according to the level of technological support, the role and tasks of the participants, the level of students' participation, the physical location of the participants and their interaction. Distance learning is the common name for the process of obtaining knowledge and skills with the assistance of ICT and other forms of distance study. E-learning is a special form of such teaching. In terms of the teaching materials' specific qualities, and the recommendation of teaching methods for successful teaching, there are different options for applying e-learning in teaching. E-learning can be used either as an independent form of teaching, or as a support to the already established systems of education, or even as their addition. The problem that is being solved in this paper is the prioritisation of e-learning forms for the specific teaching unit, subject, group of subjects, or the whole teaching programme. All this should be done regarding the context, which is characterised by the quality and innovative teaching, available professionals, equipment, possibility of students' approach to technology, organization of teaching, and rules and regulations. This problem was solved with the assistance of AHP models developed in the process of group decision making supported by sw TeamEC2000.


The purpose of this study was to inwstigate the effect of different stud configuration on knee joint kinematics of sidestep cutting movement on natural grass. A total of 14 amateur soccer players participated in the tests. Participants were asked to complete tasks of 45" sidestep cutting at the speed of 5.0M+-2m/s on natural grass. They selected soccer s h m with firm ground design (FG), artificial ground design (AG) and turf cleats (TF) randomly. During 45" cut, peak knee flexion (p less than 0.001) and abduction angles (p<0.001) of firm ground design (FG) were significantly greater than turf cleats (TF). FG also showed significant greater average required traction ratio compared with AG (p less than 0.001) and TF (p<0.001). Decreased knee flexion angles and increased knee abduction angles of firm ground design (FG) during cutting movemenents may increase risk of anterior cruciate ligament (Am) injury. Higher utilized traction of FG could produce mare grip which allows athletes to cutting and turning rapidly without skidding. However, higher utilized traction might lead to risk of slip resistance and foot fixation which might increase the load of lower limbs.


Accumulation of ureides in leaves is associated with the sensitivity of N(2) fixation in soybean to soil water deficit. Consequently, ureide degradation in leaves may be a key to increasing soybean tolerance to dry soils. Previous research indicated that allantoic acid degradation is catalysed by different enzymes in cultivars Maple Arrow and Williams. The enzyme found in Williams requires manganese as a cofactor. The first objective of this study was to determine if the two degradation pathways were associated with differences in N(2) sensitivity to soil water deficits. N(2) fixation of Williams grown on low-Mn soil was sensitive to stress, but it was relatively tolerant when grown on soil amended with Mn. N(2) fixation in Maple Arrow was relatively tolerant of soil drying regardless of the Mn treatment. The second objective of this study was to expand the study of the degradation pathway to nine additional genotypes. Based on ureide degradation in the presence and absence of Mn, these genotypes also segregated for the two degradation pathways. Those genotypes with the Mn-dependent pathway tended to have drought-sensitive N(2) fixation, but there was one exception. The genotypes not requiring Mn for ureide degradation were drought-tolerant except for one genotype. These results demonstrated the possibility for increasing N(2) fixation tolerance to soil water deficits in soybean by selection of lines with high ureide degradation rates, which were commonly associated with the Mn-independent pathway.


Field ecologists and macroecologists often compete for the same grants and academic positions, with the former producing primary data that the latter generally use for model parameterization. Primary data are usually cited only in the supplementary materials, thereby not counting formally as citations, creating a system where field ecologists are routinely under-acknowledged and possibly disadvantaged in the race for funding and positions. Here, we explored how the performance of authors producing novel ecological data would change if all the citations to their work would be accounted for by bibliometric indicators. We collected the track record of >2300 authors from Google Scholar and citation data from 600 papers published in 40 ecology journals, including field-based, conservation, general ecology, and macroecology studies. Then we parameterized a simulation that mimics the current publishing system for ecologists and assessed author rankings based on the number of citations, h-index, impact factor, and the number of publications under a scenario where supplementary citations count. We found weak evidence for field ecologists being lower ranked than macroecologists or general ecologists, with publication rate being the main predictor of author performance. Current ranking dynamics were largely unaffected by supplementary citations as they are 10 times less than the number of main text citations. This is further exacerbated by the common practice of citing datasets assembled by previous research or data papers instead of the original articles. While accounting for supplementary citations does not appear to offer a solution, researcher performance evaluations should include criteria that better capture authors' contribution of new, publicly available data. This could encourage field ecologists to collect and store new data in a systematic manner, thereby mitigating the data patchiness and bias in macroecology studies, and further accelerating the advancement of ecology and related areas of biogeography.


Some research works state that speculation with agricultural commodities on the futures market has risen agricultural commodity spot prices. This research work analyzes the causal relationships between spot prices of corn, wheat, and soybean and agricultural commodity futures trading activities. These causal relationships between agricultural commodity spot prices and financial variables are tested for Granger-causality. Model results show that causal relationships have been found among changes in "volume traded" and "open positions" of futures contracts and changes in spot prices for corn. These results do not show that financial speculation might be a major driver of rising agricultural commodity prices.


The objective of this research is to investigate the opinions and experiences of young British and French Muslim people in state-funded secondary schools. The focus is on understanding how the education system in the two countries address and answer the cultural needs of children from the Muslim community and on examining the cultural constraints that operate and the difficulties encountered. Both nations have a large immigrant population that has emerged from the legacy of Colonial Empire and whose ethnic origins and religious beliefs vary. A significant proportion of this population is of Islamic faith, with nearly five million in France and about two million in Britain. Attempts to integrate the Muslim minority groups into the host society have revealed that there are differences in the ways the two countries accept cultural practices in the sphere of state and societal affairs. France fundamentally rejects a society based on communitarianism, while Britain bases its societal structures around it. While France makes a radical distinction between what governs the public from the private spheres (i. e. the street and the house), Britain supports the right to display religious symbols in the public sphere, hence showing acceptance of cultural differences. France is governed by a Republican ideology that is derived from the Revolution of 1789. Relations with 'religion' are established on a separation between the Church and the State, favouring the principle of laicite as one of the key Republican values. The issue of religious pluralism in state schools has given rise to different problems in the two countries. In France, the wearing the Islamic headscarf in school results in a 'dress-code' problem with underlying symbolism, causing arguments about religious pluralism, integration and laicite. In Britain the debate focuses primarily on the state funding of Islamic schools, on discrimination and Religious Education within the context of British ethnic and race relations (e. g. in 2005, the Court of Appeal ruled that a Muslim girl was entitled to wear traditional 'head-to-toe' dress in her school). The research shows that being Muslim in Britain and France refers, most of all, to conveying the cultural values and heritage to younger generations. Muslim identity embodies mainly a religious dimension for which the teaching of Islam is predominantly significant for British and French participants. However, French participants display a less religious practice of Islam than their British counterparts, showing instead a relaxed approach to the faith while retaining a sense of cultural tradition. Bom in Britain or France, participants felt strongly associated to their place of birth as that to which they belong. However, they were self-aware of being Muslim in a non-Muslim country and believed they should have the right and freedom to display their religious identity and cultural practices. While British Muslim children have a greater and clearer sense of national identity, in tune with their cultural heritage and religious identity, French Muslim pupils respond to their sense of national identity with little or no pride, considering it as an attribute challenged by their cultural heritage. School systems in Britain and France differ in the way they deal with cultural differences. Although the common goal is to reach social cohesion and equality, Muslim pupils in the two countries have very different experiences at school and of school. British Muslim pupils appear to feel comfortable at school and believe their teachers understand and respect them and their culture. In general, British schools provide and allocate the time, space and consideration required for their cultural needs (e. g. prayer room, wash room and dietary requests). In contrast, French Muslim pupils do not display the same level of affinity with their school, do not share a sense of well-being at school and consider their teachers as alright. Basically, the French schools demonstrate little or no effort regarding their cultural needs. However, British and French Muslim pupils share their preference to learn more about Muslim culture since this would enhance theirs and other pupils' understanding and acceptance. They all want to be accepted as equals and not be seen as different by their fellow non-Muslim pupils. British and French Muslim pupils associate the definition of integration to that of assimilation. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).


Summary Globally, pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children <5 years of age. Hypoxemia, a frequent complication of pneumonia, is a risk factor for death. To better understand the availability of oxygen and pulse oximetry, barriers to use and provider perceptions and practices regarding their role in childhood pneumonia, we conducted a survey using a convenience sampling strategy targeting clinicians working in resource-limited countries. Most respondents were physicians from public district and provincial hospitals with access to oxygen and pulse oximetry; however, reported therapeutic use for childhood pneumonia was low. Common barriers included insufficient supply, competition for use, lack of policies, guidelines and training and perceived high cost. Despite the frequency of hypoxemia, the inaccuracy of clinical predictors, the poor outcome hypoxemia portends and the effectiveness of pulse oximetry and oxygen in childhood pneumonia, our data indicate that these tools may be underused in resource-limited settings.


In the past decade, we have envisioned enormous growth in the data generated by different sources, ranging from weather sensors and customer purchasing records to Internet of Things devices. Emerging data-driven technologies have been reforming our daily life for years, such as Amazon Personalize [1], which creates real-time individualized recommendations for customers according to multidimensional data analytics. It is, however, a challenging task to fully utilize and harness the potential of data, especially big data, due to Volume, Velocity, Variety, Variability and Value (5Vs) [2]. Most businesses thus choose to migrate their hardware demands to cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Service [3], which is powered by hundreds of thousands of servers. A cluster that builds up by a number of cloud servers is a basic management unit to provide shared computing resources. The typical structure of a cluster consists of managers and workers. When a job arrives at the cluster, as the first step, managers have to select a worker to host the incoming job. Traditionally, the selection process is based on the state of the workers, e.g., resource availability and specifications of jobs, e.g., labels, zones and regions. With respect to currently running jobs, we propose a progress based container placement scheme, named ProCon. When scheduling incoming containers, ProCon not only considers instant resource utilization on the workers but also takes into account the estimation of future resource usage. Through monitoring the progress of running jobs, ProCon balances the resource contentions across the cluster and reduces the completion time as well as the makespan. Specifically, extensive experiments prove that ProCon reduces completion time by up to 53.3% for a particular job and improves overall performance by 23.0%. Additionally, ProCon records an improvement of makespan for up to 37.4% when compared to the default scheduler available in Kubernetes.


This qualitative study provides a snapshot into what corporations say and what they do with regard to stakeholder engagement in the context of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and considers the difference in the promises made and the actions taken by corporations in the minds of stakeholders. As the research of CSR questions what a corporation is responsible for and Stakeholder Theory (ST) questions whom the corporation is responsible to, CSR and ST provide conceptual frameworks for the study. A genuine commitment to CSR and stakeholder engagement contributes to sustainability, impacting the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) of an organization. According to the National Research Council, there is an urgent need for corporations within the U.S. Healthcare sector to make such a commitment. As large corporations are established organizations with greater resources to engage stakeholders in support of CSR, many believe they should take the lead. Consequently, this study identified six large-capitalization (large-cap) corporations within the U.S. Healthcare sector, representing six different industries within the sector that complied with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, the study's sampling criteria. Content analysis of Annual Reports to Shareholders, CSR Reports, and RepRisk Reports of the corporations selected for study allowed the researcher to formulate several conclusions. A corporation's commitment to ESG issues evolves over time, while their level of engagement with stakeholders fluctuates. Further, the communication style of a corporation can influence perceived commitment to ESG issues and stakeholder engagement. Finally, corporations committed to ESG issues and stakeholder engagement are not immune to incidents of ESG risk, which in turn, negatively impacts a corporation's reputation and impairs sustainability. A critical management approach to improve our nation's healthcare system is the adoption of a stakeholder orientation in support of CSR efforts. This study reveals


Objective: To disentangle the clinical heterogeneity of nonsemantic variants of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and to identify a coherent linguistic-anatomical marker for the logopenic variant of PPA (lv-PPA). Methods: Key speech and language features of 14 cases of lv-PPA and 18 cases of nonfluent/agrammatic variant of PPA were systematically evaluated and scored by an independent rater blinded to diagnosis. Every case underwent a structural MRI and a Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-PET scan, a putative biomarker of Alzheimer disease. Key speech and language features that showed association with the PiB-PET status were entered into a hierarchical cluster analysis. The linguistic features and patterns of cortical thinning in each resultant cluster were analyzed. Results: The cluster analysis revealed 3 coherent clinical groups, each of which was linked to a specific PiB-PET status. The first cluster was linked to high PiB retention and characterized by phonologic errors and cortical thinning focused on the left superior temporal gyrus. The second and third clusters were characterized by grammatical production errors and motor speech disorders, respectively, and were associated with low PiB brain retention. A fourth cluster, however, demonstrated nonspecific language deficits and unpredictable PiB-PET status. Conclusions: These findings suggest that despite the clinical and pathologic heterogeneity of nonsemantic variants, discrete clinical syndromes can be distinguished and linked to specific likelihood of PiB-PET status. Phonologic errors seem to be highly predictive of high amyloid burden in PPA and can provide a specific clinical marker for lv-PPA.


Discoveries that are directly able to change our understanding of pathological mechanisms, prophylactics and the treatment of wide-spread human diseases deserve our undivided attention. Undoubtedly, the discovery of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) by Barry Marshall and Robin Warren in 1982, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2005, is one of these great breakthroughs. The Australian researchers showed that H. pylori bacteria cause most peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis and gastric cancer. The hypothesis about microbes that are able to damage gastric epithelium has been supported by clinical data, and new biotechnological and visualization methods. With the approval of this discovery scientists and specialists from different branches of science began concomitant research that has yielded successful results in translational medicine. Researchers started epidemiological, microbiological and clinical studies of H. pylori immediately after the discovery of the bacteria in Estonia and the University of Tartu as well. A H. pylori research group that consisted of different specialists (gastroenterologists, surgeons, microbiologists, immunologists) from the University of Tartu Faculty of Medicine, Tartu University Hospital and Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine (in Tallinn) was formed. In this field, 18 PhD theses have been defended. Professor Heidi-Ingrid Maaroos, a pioneer of H. pylori research in Estonia, was decorated with the Marshall & Warren medal for her long lasting research and development work in the field of gastrointestinal diseases and Helicobacter pylori on 27 September 2015 (she is the tenth researcher in the whole world who has been acknowledged like this up to now). The new approach to gastric diseases and the treatment of H. pylori infections allows to prevent the development of peptic ulcers and to reduce the risk of developing gastric cancer. The treatment of duodenal and gastric ulcers, previously known as unavoidably chronic diseases that are often exacerbated, is now effective and previous principles of treatment have been fully reviewed. Nowadays the management of H. pylori is approved and  recommend in diagnostic and treatment guides for the prevention and treatment of gastric diseases.


The need for individuals to be able to trust that promises will be performed is central to justifying a law that renders certain promises enforceable. This Article argues that the legal enforcement of certain promises to meet this need does not necessarily diminish the personal relationships of trust in which such promises are made, as has been argued. Rather, this Article argues, the making and performance of legally enforceable promises can assist individuals in building relationships of trust, as it assists them in the pursuit of myriad goods.


We propose a method for face recognition based on a discriminative linear projection. In this formulation images are treated as tensors, rather than the more conventional vector of pixels. Projections are pursued sequentially and take the form of a rank one tensor, i.e., a tensor which is the outer product of a set of vectors. A novel and effective technique is proposed to ensure that the rank one tensor projections are orthogonal to one another. These constraints on the tensor projections provide a strong inductive bias and result in better generalization on small training sets. Our work is related to spectrum methods, which achieve orthogonal rank one projections by pursuing consecutive projections in the complement space of previous projections. Although this may be meaningful for applications such as reconstruction, it is less meaningful for pursuing discriminant projections. Our new scheme iteratively solves an eigenvalue problem with orthogonality constraints on one dimension, and solves unconstrained eigenvalue problems on the other dimensions. Experiments demonstrate that on small and medium sized face recognition datasets, this approach outperforms previous embedding methods. On large face datasets this approach achieves results comparable with the best, often using fewer discriminant projections.


Group B streptococci (GBS) demonstrate high-frequency phase variation of colony opacity. Colony opacity is a function of chain length, with opaque colonies consisting of GBS that form longer chains. Because opaque variants do not grow on standard streptococcal media, the role of opacity variation in GBS infection has not been studied. We have isolated stable variants from type III GBS that are either transparent (variants 1.2 and 1.3) or opaque (variants 1.1 and 1.5). In this study, we evaluated the interactions of these variants with different components of the host immune system both in vitro and in vivo. Opaque GBS were less immunogenic than transparent GBS. Opaque GBS were more susceptible to killing by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and could induce a chemiluminescent response of PMNs in the absence of antibody (Ab) or complement. Transparent GBS did not induce neutrophil chemiluminescence in the absence of Ab and complement. However, in the presence of Ab and complement, transparent GBS induced a stronger chemiluminescent response than did opaque GBS. Scanning electron micrographs of PMNs and GBS demonstrated differences in the attachment and engulfment of the different variants by the PMNs as well as different effects of the GBS on the PMNs themselves. Interactions with complement were affected by GBS opacity as well, with opaque variant 1.1 initiating complement activation in the absence of any Ab. The virulence of the GBS opacity variants was studied in vivo by inoculation of graded numbers of GBS into newborn mice. Transparent variants 1.2 and 1.3 were most virulent, with variant 1.1 intermediate and variant 1.5 minimally virulent. However, in mixed infections, variant 1.5 greatly enhanced the virulence of small numbers of transparent GBS. These results indicate that the opacity status of GBS can influence the interaction between the GBS and the host immune system.


Abstract Cavity-roosting species of bats generally require patches of forest containing older timber, but such habitats have been reduced in the southeastern United States. Rafinesque's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii, is a rare species for which data on natural roosts in the Gulf Coastal Plain (where caves are largely absent) are scant. We used radiotelemetry to locate tree roosts of C. rafinesquii in southeastern Mississippi from August 2001 until August 2004. We captured and radiotagged 25 bats that led us to 14 trees. Corynorhinus rafinesquii used hollow Nyssa spp. and Magnolia grandiflora. Most of these trees were still alive, relatively large (mean DBH = 79.4 cm, mean height = 18.5 m), possessed cavities with openings not located at their bases and were located adjacent to streams or other bodies of water. When bats shifted roosts among different trees, these sites were usually located nearby (mean distance ≅ 360 m). Tree roosts were apparently rare within the study area, and C. rafinesquii showed roost fidelity to particular areas of forest. Six tree roosts were used by multiple individuals and several trees were reused within tracking sessions and among years.


In order to decrease the influence of installation eccentricity on gear error evaluation and to raise its accuracy, a compensation algorithm for installation eccentricity is proposed and a compensation model of installation eccentricity is established. A new installation eccentricity parameter identification method determined with involute equations is also raised. Installation Eccentricity parameters are gained through measuring points on involute profile with the method of unconstrained parameter identification. Taking involute profile evaluation as an example, the eccentricity compensation model is introduced into the error evaluation of CNC Gear Measuring Center. The experiment shows that the compensation model raised in this paper can compensate for evaluation results of the involute gear whose eccentricity value is within 2/3 of the total measurement range of the probe and lead it into the non-eccentricity condition, and the most installation eccentricity value that can be compensated in the experiment is 300 μm. The proposition of this compensation method not only improves the accuracy of gear evaluation, but also lowers the requirements on installation accuracy of the gear.


max. 2000 char.): Ni-YSZ cermets have been used as anode materials in SOFCs for more than 20 years. Despite this fact, the major cause of degradation within the Ni-YSZ anode, namely Ni sintering / coarsening, is still not fully understood. Even if microstructural studies of anodes in tested cells are of technological relevance, it is difficult to identify the effect from isolated parameters such as temperature, fuel gas composition and polarization. Model studies of high temperature aged NiYSZ cermets are generally performed in atmospheres containing relatively low concentrations of H2O. In this work, the microstructural degradation in both electrochemically longterm tested cells and high-temperature aged model materials are studied. Since Ni particle sintering / coarsening is attributed to be the major cause of anode degradation, this subject attains the primary focus. A large part of the work is focused on improving microstructural techniques and shows that the application of low acceleration voltages (≤ 1 kV) in a FE-SEM makes it possible to obtain two useful types of contrast between the phases in Ni-YSZ composites. By changing between the ordinary lateral SE detector and the inlens detector, using similar microscope settings, two very different sample characteristics are probed: 1) The difference in secondary emission coefficient, δ, between the percolating and non-percolating Ni is maximized in the low-voltage range due to a high δ for the former and the suppression of δ by a positive charge for the latter. This difference yields a contrast between the two phases which is picked up by an inlens secondary electron detector. 2) The difference in backscatter coefficient, η, between Ni and YSZ is shown to increase with decreasing voltage. The contrast is illustrated in images collected by the normal secondary detector since parts of the secondary signals are generated by backscattered electrons. High temperature aging experiments of model Ni-YSZ anode cermets show that Ni sintering / coarsening is significantly increased, not only at higher temperatures, but also when the concentration of H2O in the reducing atmosphere is increased. It is proposed that the mobility of Ni is facilitated by the formation of Ni-OH complexes which are capable of segregating on the Ni particles surface, on the YSZ surface and via gas phase. This is a mechanism which has previously been reported in the context of Ni steam-reforming catalysis. In the context of electrochemically tested and technologically relevant cells, the majority of the microstructural work is performed on a cell tested at 850°C under relatively severe conditions for 17,500 hours. It is demonstrated that the major Ni rearrangements take place at the interface between anode and electrolyte. It is also shown that the degree of Ni sintering is dependent on the position along the fuel gas flow. The sintering is found to be most severe close to the fuel gas outlet. This difference in Ni sintering along the fuel gas flow is attributed to the increasing concentration of H2O at high fuel utilizations. Two-dimensional microstructural analyses of the anode from the cell tested for 17,500 hours indicate a general increase of the Ni volume-fraction close to the electrolyte interface. From three-dimensional reconstructions using FIB-SEM it can be concluded that Ni must have segregated from the outer parts of the anode in order to yield the measured Ni content close to the electrolyte. It is also concluded that the Ni segregation has taken place on the length scale of several micrometers in the anode of this long-term tested cell. ISBN 978-87-550-3625-3


Anisotropy of shales is the subject of this report, and we use an example of the Jurassic Opalinus Clay from Mont Terri (Switzerland) that is being investigated in the context of radioactive waste disposal. The study is targeted at the geomechanical characterization of shale by laboratory testing. The overall aim is to improve the constitutive material laws and their application in numerical models.


Finite element analysis has become an essential part of the formal design process since it can be used to verify the functionality and life of design components in their loading environments. For large engineering firms with numerous analysts that have varying years of experience, it can be challenging to ensure that analysis results are accurate and free of modeling errors. A finite element analysis checklist (FEA Checklist) can be used as a desktop tool to provide an auditing procedure that each analyst has to follow to prove to both supervisors and, more importantly, customers that the finite element models were created and solved correctly such that the results can be trusted.In this work, an approach to teaching an introduction to the finite element method for undergraduates is proposed. The proposed course structure includes lectures for theoretical development, where the theory is developed using familiar undergraduate mechanics and mathematics concepts, and a computational practicum, where the practicum uses approaches based on industry finite element analysis techniques.In the computational practicum, students are tasked with using a finite element analysis checklist to complete all of their analysis projects. During a recent offering of the course, the students were anonymously surveyed regarding the utility of the finite element analysis checklist. 100% of the students agreed that the checklist provided a useful tool to help them understand and execute the finite element method, and nearly half of them agreed strongly.Copyright © 2016 by ASME


Adaptive generalized sidelobe cancelers (GSCs) have been widely used to enhance the desired signal and instantaneously suppress interference signal and noise. However, the GSC beamforming method must know the direction of arrival (DOA) of the desired signal in advance. In this paper, we consider the case of a sensor array application in free-field air in which the target signal source is moving, leading to a time-varying DOA problem. Through analysis of the GSC output error signal, we propose an effective method for estimating the time-varying DOA for a GSC. The new method avoids the intensive complexity requirements of conventional DOA estimation algorithms such as the multiple signal classification algorithm and estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariant techniques. In addition, the convergence performance of adaptive GSC algorithms suffers from an error signal in the presence of the desired signal. A simple augmented Kalman filter (AKF) is employed to calculate the beamformer's weighting coefficients, removing the influence of the desired signal from the GSC output to improve the convergence performance. A simulation evaluation of the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) revealed that the AKF algorithm combined with the new DOA tracking method has a better convergence rate and SINR performance than other adaptive GSC algorithms of similar complexity such as the standard Kalman filter and recursive least squares.


The numerical solution of the stepped pressure equilibrium (Hudson et al 2012 Phys. Plasmas 19 112502) requires a fast and robust solver to obtain the Beltrami field in three-dimensional geometry such as stellarators. The spectral method implemented in the stepped pressure equilibrium code (SPEC) is efficient when the domain is a hollow torus, but ill-conditioning of the discretised linear equations occurs in the (solid) toroid due to the artificially singular coordinate parameterisation near the axis. In this work, we propose an improved choice for the reference axis to prevent coordinates surfaces from overlapping. Then, we examine the parity and asymptotics of the magnetic vector potential near the axis and suggest the use of recombined and rescaled Zernike radial basis functions. The maximum relative error in the magnetic field of the Wendelstein 7-X geometry is shown to reach 10−9 at high resolution in a series of convergence tests and benchmarks against the boundary integral equation solver for Taylor states. The new method is also reported to significantly improve the accuracy of multi-volume SPEC calculations. A comparison between free-boundary SPEC and the analytical Dommaschk potential is presented with higher-than-usual Fourier resolution. It is illustrated that we are able to resolve low amplitude current sheets when an interface is placed where there is no flux surface in the analytic solution. This was previously concealed because of insufficient numerical resolution.


This research introduces a pioneering UK based workshop programme, which has been specifically designed to provide bereavement support, through engagement in photographic practice, for children/young people who have experienced a family death.
The Director of the UK Childhood Bereavement Network has acknowledged Pictures From Life as "a beacon project" (Willis, 2005), as it combines the skills and experience of qualified practitioners from photography and clinical practice, in a unique interdisciplinary collaboration.
Children's grief is frequently misunderstood or ignored (Job & Frances, 2004), and much of the work already achieved elsewhere in the UK, has been through support programmes with much less emphasis placed on the recognition of photographic-based practice as a medium for bereavement care.
Although some bereavement studies have acknowledged that photographs can assist in the healing process (Riches & Dawson, 1998), these refer to the use of existing family photographs, not photographic work created as a specific response to the experience and interpretation of grief.
The use of photography in clinical settings has been practiced and understood for many years, and a range of methodologies has developed within these frameworks (Weiser, 1971; Krauss et al.1983; Heisley & Levy, 1991; Wang & Burris 1994; Banks, 2001; Radley & Taylor, 2003).
All of these varied initiatives acknowledge the use of photography as a means to improve knowledge and communication (Riley & Manias, 2004). The basic premise for these clinical applications is "low skill" (Knill, 2001, p.74), with "aesthetic standards [being] of little importance" (BAAT, 2006).
An important point to note however is that the people using these processes are not primarily photographers or visually trained, and are not concerned with the photographic process as an integral component of therapeutic intervention. This research has demonstrated that this approach provides a new and effective model in the context of bereavement care.


Reinforcement learning (RL) is an area of research that has blossomed tremendously in recent years and has shown remarkable potential for artificial intelligence based opponents in computer games. This success is primarily due to the vast capabilities of convolutional neural networks, that can extract useful features from noisy and complex data. Games are excellent tools to test and push the boundaries of novel RL algorithms because they give valuable insight into how well an algorithm can perform in isolated environments without the real-life consequences. Real-time strategy games (RTS) is a genre that has tremendous complexity and challenges the player in short and long-term planning. There is much research that focuses on applied RL in RTS games, and novel advances are therefore anticipated in the not too distant future. However, there are to date few environments for testing RTS AIs. Environments in the literature are often either overly simplistic, such as microRTS, or complex and without the possibility for accelerated learning on consumer hardware like StarCraft II. This paper introduces the Deep RTS game environment for testing cutting-edge artificial intelligence algorithms for RTS games. Deep RTS is a high-performance RTS game made specifically for artificial intelligence research. It supports accelerated learning, meaning that it can learn at a magnitude of 50 000 times faster compared to existing RTS games. Deep RTS has a flexible configuration, enabling research in several different RTS scenarios, including partially observable state-spaces and map complexity. We show that Deep RTS lives up to our promises by comparing its performance with microRTS, ELF, and StarCraft II on high-end consumer hardware. Using Deep RTS, we show that a Deep Q-Network agent beats random-play agents over 70% of the time. Deep RTS is publicly available at https://github.com/cair/DeepRTS.


NACTA Journal • December 2016, Vol 60(4) Abstract In-class writing assignments were administered to an upper level animal science production class to enhance students' exposure to writing and to facilitate learning and application of course material. Results from preand post-survey assessments indicated that these writing assignments gave students more confidence in writing, as they were less nervous about the writing process at the end of the semester (P<0.05), had greater confidence in constructing graded compositions (P<0.05) and had an improvement in overall self-perceived writing ability (P<0.05). Students indicated the writing assignments helped them learn to better express ideas through writing (P<0.05) and that they had a better feeling about handing in well-done compositions at the end of the semester (P<0.05). Students acknowledged that writing allowed them to more thoroughly think through concepts (P=0.06). More than half (58%) indicated that the writing assignments assisted in a more thorough understanding of course material and 65% reported the writing assignments were relevant and useful toward overall learning in class. The in-class writing assignments served as a successful mechanism for improving course content comprehension, as well as increasing students' exposure and confidence with writing.


This letter presents an approach to automatically synthesize embedded software. Starting from an instruction set architecture description of a hardware platform and a formal specification of the input-output behavior of a program to be realized, a control sequence of minimal length is generated. The proposed approach uses formal techniques, i.e., the synthesis problem is mapped to an instance of satisfiability of quantified Boolean formulas. We give experimental results and discuss the advantages, as well as future challenges of the proposed approach.


Welcome to the eleventh issue of Qualitative Researcher the first to be produced by the new editorial team who are all Cardiffbased staff working in the newly established Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD). So why the changes? For the past four years, Qualitative Researcher has been produced by Qualiti which was a phase one node of the ESRC National Centre for Research Methods. The methodological and research capacity building work developed by Qualiti is now being taken forward within the WISERD programme of work, and as Qualitative Researcher has provided a useful forum for discussion of qualitative methodology we felt that it was important to continue Qualitative Researcher as part of this legacy.


Reducing cognitive phenomena to neural activity is seen by many as lacking in scientific utility. The conceptual chasm between electrochemical activity and the act of making a choice is too broad to span in a single step. Instead, we adopt a multi-scale approach to cognitive neuroscience by constructing a conceptual ladder that incrementally climbs from neuronal spikes to cognitive processes with each step offering theoretic reductions. Here we propose a sequence of intermediate neurocomputational processes that are promising for understanding an array of cognitive phenomena. We illustrate this approach in the context of the dynamics of choice. These dynamics emerge from serial evaluation mediated by systems in frontal cortex and the basal ganglia. The effect is to promote neural oscillations that provide a substrate for communication through coherence. Both empirical and simulation studies are described to support this view of emergent behavior.


Porous nitrogen-doped carbon black (NCB) was synthesized by facile carbonization of carbon black (CB) coated with polypyrrole (CB@polypyrrole) and used as a support for Ni nanoparticles (NPs). The microstructure, reducibility and crystallinity of the as-synthesized materials were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), H2-TPR/TPD, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that surface nitrogen species on NCB significantly promote the decomposition of the nickel precursor and the reduction of nickel oxide, and improve the stability of metallic Ni in ambient atmosphere. In the selective hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of vanillin in the aqueous phase at low hydrogen pressure (0.5 MPa) and mild temperature (<150 °C), Ni/NCB shows much higher activity than N-free catalysts. This is ascribed to the higher reducibility, the lower oxidation state of Ni NPs and the enhanced hydrogen spillover of Ni to the support. Moreover, the Ni/NCB catalyst is relatively cheap and easy to scale-up the production of, thus achieving a low-cost transformation of biomass to bio-oils.


The catalytic subunit of glutamylcysteine ligase (GCLC) primarily regulates de novo synthesis of glutathione (GSH) in mammalian cells and is central to the antioxidant capacity of the cell. However, GCLC expression in pancreatic islets has not been previously examined. We designed experiments to ascertain whether GCLC is normally expressed in islets and whether it is up-regulated by interleukin-1β (IL-1β). GCLC expression levels were intermediate compared with other metabolic tissues (kidney, liver, muscle, fat, and lung). IL-1β up-regulated GCLC expression (10 ng/ml IL-1β, 3.76 ± 0.86; 100 ng/ml IL-1β, 4.22 ± 0.68-fold control) via the p38 form of mitogen-activated protein kinase and NFκB and also increased reactive oxygen species levels (10 ng/ml IL-1β, 5.41 ± 1.8-fold control). This was accompanied by an increase in intraislet GSH/GSSG ratio (control, 7.1 ± 0.1; 10 ng/ml IL-1β, 8.0 ± 0.5; 100 ng/ml IL-1β, 8.2 ± 0.5-fold control; p < 0.05). To determine whether overexpression of GCLC increases the antioxidant capacity of the islet and prevents the adverse effects of IL-1β on glucose-induced insulin secretion, islets were infected with an adenovirus encoding GCLC. IL-1β significantly decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (control, 123.8 ± 17.7; IL-1β, 40.2 ± 3.9 microunits/ml insulin/islet). GCLC overexpression increased intraislet GSH levels and partially prevented the decrease in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion caused by IL-1β. These data provide the first report of GCLC expression in the islet and demonstrate that adenoviral overexpression of GCLC increases intracellular GSH levels and protects the beta cell from the adverse effects of IL-1β.


In this bracing and original book, Geoffrey Galt Harpham argues that the humanities - the academic disciplines that study the potential of the human - represent a 'dream of America.' They were, Harpham contends, invented after World War II as an expression of American culture and character, and were advanced by their supporters as an instrument of American national interests. Although the humanities are struggling to retain their status in America today, the concept has spread to many other parts of the world and remains one of America's most distinctive and attractive contributions to higher education. "The Humanities and the Dream of America" explores a number of linked problems: the role, at once inspiring and disturbing, played by modern philology in the discipline's formation; the reasons behind the humanities' perpetual state of crisis; and, the new possibilities for literary study afforded by the subject of pleasure. Framed by essays that draw on Harpham's pedagogical experiences abroad and as a lecturer at the US Air Force Academy, as well as his vantage as director of the National Humanities Center, this book provides an essential perspective on the history, ideology, and future of the humanities.


American lobsters are crustaceans that are offered for sale live and are stored in controlled temperature recirculating aquaria. During marketing, they are subjected to stressors that can affect their welfare, such as air exposure, confinement, and handling. European legislation does not provide specific criteria or retention requirements, and so their management depends largely on the common sense of food business operators. Claw ligatures before and during storage are not legally required but are recommended because they prevent lobsters from damaging each other and ensure workers' safety. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of claw ligatures on the lobsters' welfare by analysing eight different haemolymph stress indicators, vitality, and weight. The calcium level showed significant differences in the two experimental groups (P < 0.05). Our results suggested that the absence of rubber bands did not offer any significant contribution to the lobsters' welfare.


A new approach to reflect the relation of aircraft structural calendar life and fatigue life is established by pre-corrosion and fatigue test with 2A12 alloy specimens. The corrosion factor curve is fitted from the test, and then aircraft structural corrosion and fatigue interactive process during actual in-service environment is simulated. Furthermore, combining with Miner linear cumulative damage theory and the method of 'calendar life tending to minimum', life envelope is found. The result shows that flight strength is the key factor for aircraft structural life, and the envelope can be used to realize single aircraft structural life surveillance.


This article examines Italian reception of Spanish and Spanish-American theatre in the pages of Sipario, an important Italian magazine of performing arts, with particular attention to the 1970s. This is a significant period in Spanish history, characterised by the transition from dictatorship to democracy, and it is interesting to observe how the historical contingency influenced the critical reception in those years. The work focuses both on the reception of performances and on essays and contributions of a critical nature published in the journal. Through a detailed review of articles and reviews, this article intends to reconstruct a picture of the presence of Hispanic culture in this specialised magazine and offer a critical reading of it.


The Letter before the Spirit underlines the importance for scholars to have at their disposal reliable scientific text editions – book editions or digital editions – of Aristotle's works in the Semitico-Latin, and the Graeco-Latin, translation and commentary traditions.


This paper examines determinants of free trade agreement (FTA) utilization for Japan's imports in 2015, focusing on preferential margins and restrictiveness of rules of origin (ROOs). First, the paper descriptively investigates features of FTA utilization for Japan's imports, using finely disaggregated data that allow us to identify imports under each FTA scheme. The paper also investigates features of ROOs in Japan's 12 FTAs by FTA and by product. We then focus on preferential margins and ROOs' restrictiveness to quantitatively analyze the determinants of FTA utilization on Japan's imports, considering most-favored-nation (MFN) tariffs and non-tariff measures (NTMs). Our quantitative analysis demonstrates that restrictive ROOs in Japan's FTAs lower the FTA utilization rate, while preferential margins raise it. In addition, we reveal that the effects of ROOs differ by type of ROO. In particular, negative effects are notably larger for "change-in-tariff classification (CTC) and value-added (VA) rules", which require satisfying both CTC and VA rules, compared with the simple "CTC rule" or the selective "CTC or VA rule." Also, among CTC rules, the magnitude of negative effects tends to be larger for "change-in-chapter (CC) rule" than "change-in-heading (CH) rule". Our results suggest that restrictive ROOs impede trade, and thus it is important to apply user-friendly ROOs with less restrictiveness to promote FTA utilization.


Foreign managers are advised to develop effective relationships with Chinese employees who as collectivists are thought to value relationships, particularly guanxi, with their leaders. However, foreign managers typically do not have the background and prior experiences typically used to develop guanxi in China. In an experiment with 120 participants in South China, Chinese employees with foreign managers who communicated that they wanted a relationship (compared to no relationship) with them concluded that they interacted better and had little relational and task conflict. Chinese employees who discussed their views within a cooperative (compared to competitive) context helped their leader, productively integrated their diverse views into the decision, and concluded that they had little relational and task conflict.