CRF19 is a recombinant form of HIV-1 subtypes D, A1 and G, which was first sampled in Cuba in 1999, but was already present there in 1980s. CRF19 was reported almost uniquely in Cuba, where it accounts for ~25% of new HIV-positive patients and causes rapid progression to AIDS (~ 3 years). We analyzed a large data set comprising ~ 350 pol and env sequences sampled in Cuba over the last 15 years and ~ 350 from Los Alamos database. This data set contained both CRF19 (~ 315), and A1, D and G sequences. We performed and combined analyses for the three A1, G and D regions, using fast maximum likelihood approaches, including: (1) phylogeny reconstruction, (2) spatio-temporal analysis of the virus spread, and ancestral character reconstruction for (3) transmission mode and (4) drug resistance mutations (DRMs). This allowed us to acquire new insights on the CRF19 origin and transmission patterns. We showed that CRF19 recombined between 1966 and 1977, most likely in Cuban community stationed in Congo region. We further investigated CRF19 spread on the Cuban province level, and discovered that the epidemic started in 1970s, most probably in Villa Clara, that it was at first carried by heterosexual transmissions, and then quickly spread in the 1980s within the "men having sex with men" (MSM) community, with multiple transmissions back to heterosexuals. The analysis of the transmission patterns of common DRMs showed mostly acquired drug resistance rather than transmitted one. Our results show a very early introduction of CRF19 in Cuba, which could explain its local epidemiological success. Ignited by a major founder event, the epidemic then followed a similar pattern as other subtypes and CRFs in Cuba. The reason for the short time to AIDS remains to be understood and requires specific surveillance, in Cuba and elsewhere. Author summary CRF19 is a recombinant form of HIV-1, which causes rapid progression to AIDS (~ 3 years versus 5 – 10 years for other subtypes and CRFs). CRF19 is reported almost uniquely in Cuba, where it is highly prevalent (~ 25%) among newly detected HIV-1 patients. In this study, we found that CRF19 most likely recombined around the 1970s in the Cuban community that was stationed in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola at that time. It was introduced very early into the Cuban province of Villa Clara, from where it had several introductions to La Habana in the 1980s and then further spread to other Cuban provinces. The CRF19 epidemic most probably started with heterosexual transmissions, followed in the 1980s by multiple introductions into "men having sex with men" (MSM) community, followed by multiple transmissions back to heterosexuals (often females). The early introduction of CRF19 into Cuba most likely explains its success, not observed in other parts of the world. However, importantly, its rapid progression to AIDS makes it crucial to survey CRF19 sub-epidemics not only in Cuba, but also in other parts of the world having regular exchanges with Cuba.


The main goal of this article is to scrutinize the contemporary British
 sources, in order to establish what they say about the causes of the
 insurrection in Herzegovina which marked the beginning of the Eastern Crisis
 of 1875-1878. The official reports of British diplomats, the observations of
 newspaper correspondents, and the instructions of London policy makers
 support the conclusion that the immediate cause of the insurrection was
 agrarian discontent, especially tithe collecting. In considering the
 "external influences" on the outbreak of the insurrection, the British
 emphasized the role of Austria-Hungary and Montenegro. Behind these
 countries, they saw the shadow of the Three Emperors' League, which was
 perceived as the main threat to the Ottoman Empire and, consequently, to the
 balance of power in Europe. Serbia was not seen as directly involved in the
 events in Herzegovina. Later on, at the time of Prince Milan's visit to
 Vienna, and as volunteers from Serbia began to be despatched to Herzegovina,
 the British diplomats increasingly perceived Serbia, in addition to
 Montenegro, as another tool of the Three Emperors' League.


This study examines the peace and stability of Somaliland and how a once the improving security has declined due to the contribution of various factors such as the dramatic decline of the cooperation on security and other related matters with bilateral partners not only in the region, but also beyond, and the unity of the Somaliland citizens which was the cornerstone of the state security which is fading under the leadership of Silanyo. The study also examines the challenges that face the security of Somaliland from within and its implications to the regional security and stability. The study has chosen to examine the nexus between three separate, but interrelated factors which require clear and informed thinking of the day: geoposlitics and vulnerability of the region and the threat posed by the global war on 'terrorism', weak leadership style and presence of Islamist elements within the Somaliland's decision-making circles, hollowed-out institutions and high-level, pervasive corruption. The study connects the security of Somaliland with the stability for the wider region, which has great implications both on the human and state securities. The study argues that the jihadi surge in Somalia, which is the tragic, violent outcome of steadily deteriorating political dynamics since the state collapse in 1991 and conquered many parts of south–central Somalia reveal the fragility of the Horn African region. The conclusion suggests the need for reformulating the Somaliland's state security institutions and re-engaging the skilled security personnel dismissed by Silanyo regime to foster functioning security that could cultivate stability in the long-term both in Somaliland and the Horn region.


Since the 1960s, one of the major transformations in the professional sphere has been the increasing proportion of women in work, and the cultural professions are no exception: the proportion of women in the cultural professions has risen from 39% to 43% between 1991 and 2013. Almost all the male-dominated professions of the early 1990s, for example art, architecture and photography, have since opened up to women. Nevertheless, the proportion of women remains below the national average, where women represent 48% of all professions; this might be considered surprising when one considers the overrepresentation of women when it comes to cultural participation.Whilst on the increase, jobs for women have broadly embraced the employment conditions prevalent in the cultural professions, such as their greater levels of flexibility: female workers in the cultural professions are, more often than female workers overall, unsalaried or working short-term contracts. They are more likely to work part-time, with variable and irregular hours, and work evenings and weekends.Moreover, their access to the artistic and cultural professions confirms the view that women tend to be educationally overqualified: in 2013, over 50% of female workers in these professions have completed at least 3 years of higher education, as compared with their male counterparts, about 40% – an even greater level of overqualification given that these are traditionally maledominated professions.


There is a broad spectrum of focal brain lesion in humans. They include primary brain tumor, non-neoplastic cysts, metastatic lesion, stroke, vascular malformations, aneurysm, inflammatory lesions and multiple sclerosis. The case was a 45-year-old female with fluctuating visual problem, ataxia, right upper limbs weakness, and transient amnesia who was referred to the neurologist. She was alert and under treatment from 10 years before by anti-convulsive drug for seizure with unknown etiology. Physical examination revealed ataxic gate, left-sided homonymous lower quadrantanopia and loss of venous pulse in ophthalmoscopy; there were no other pathological findings. Primary brain imaging (axial brain CT scan) was performed which showed a suspected lesion in right-sided parietooccipital area. Brain MRI and CT angiography revealed a heterogeneous lesion in right-sided parietooccipital area without edema and a mass in the form of vascular malformation. Because of the size and location of the lesion, it seemed inoperable. Treatment plan included serial visit and imaging to follow the progress of lesion and probable complications such as intralesional hemorrhage and hydrocephalia. J Med Cases. 2017;8(2):67-69 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc2706w


We develop and estimate a panel data model explaining the answers to questions about subjective probabilities, using data from the US Health and Retirement Study. We explicitly account for nonresponse, rounding, and focal point "50 percent" answers. Our results indicate that for three of the four questions considered, almost all 50 percent answers can be explained by rounding. We also find observed and unobserved heterogeneity in the tendencies to report rounded values or a focal answer, explaining persistency in 50 percent-answers over time. Incorporating rounding and focal answers changes some of the conclusions about the socio-economic factors that determine expectations.


The Biblical Qumran Scrolls presents all the Hebrew biblical manuscripts recovered from the eleven caves at Qumran. It provides a transcription of each identifiable fragment in consecutive biblical order together with the textual variants it contains. These manuscripts antedate by a millennium the previously available Hebrew manuscripts. They are the oldest, the best, and the most authentic witnesses to the texts of the Scriptures as they circulated in Jerusalem and surrounding regions at the time of the birth of Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism. The purpose is to collect in a single volume all the biblical editions originally published in a wide variety of books and articles.


Purpose
This study considers the five factors of a car rotation system: angle (F1), arm length (F2), toe in and out (F3), width (F4) and length (F5). The purpose of this paper is to fine tune the design so it produces the smoothest response to various rotation angles.

Design/methodology/approach
In the case of Ackerman's principle, the response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyze data when encountering different quality characteristics at various rotation angles.

Findings
In this study, RSM was used to obtain the best factor and the best reaction value for the five factors of a car rotation system.

Practical implications
In this study, the four-wheel steering of a car is taken as an example. When the current wheel is turned, the intersection of the left and right wheels of the front axle falls on the extension line of the rear wheel. In this case, the steering will be the smoothest. In this example, we selected angle (F1), arm length (F2), toe in and out (F3), width (F4) and length (F5) as experimental factors, hoping to satisfy the Ackerman principle.

Social implications
Traditionally, when dealing with four-wheel steering problems, solutions may be based on past experience or on new information used to formulate R&D plans. In this study, the combination of statistical factors and optimization is used to find the optimal combination of factors and the relationship between factors.

Originality/value
In the past, most literature relied on kinematics to study the car rotation system due to a lack of experimental design and analysis concepts. However, this study aims to achieve the above goals in finding the solution, which can be used to predict reaction values.


What impact has the 2004 enlargement had on legislative decision making in the European Union (EU)? This study answers this question by examining the controversies raised by a broad selection of legislative proposals from before and after the 2004 enlargement. The analyses focus on the alignments of decision-making actors found on those controversies. Member State representatives, the European Commission and the European Parliament vary considerably in the positions they take on controversial issues before and after enlargement. Consistent patterns in actor alignments are found for only a minority of controversial issues. To the extent that consistent patterns are found, the most common involve differences in the positions of Northern and Southern Member States and old and new Member States. The North-South alignment was more common in the EU-15 and reflected Northern Member States' preference for low levels of regulatory intervention. The new-old alignment that has been evident in the post-2004 EU reflects new Member States' preference for higher levels of financial subsidies. This study argues that the persistent diversity in actor alignments contributes to the EU's capacity to cope with enlargement.


Objective.  We review how handheld computer diaries may be used to measure attention to pain in daily life, and how this method helps in clarifying the relationship between attentional focusing and chronic pain.

Results.  Signal-contingent sampling of attention to pain and pain intensity with computer diaries has demonstrated that at times when patients report increased attention to pain, they also report higher pain intensity. Time-lagged analyses assessing the temporal precedence of changes in pain and attention using computer diaries demonstrated that this association is bidirectional. One diary study manipulated attention toward or away from pain, but this manipulation proved not successful in changing pain intensity.

Conclusion.  Signal-contingent sampling of pain and attention within patients has furthered our understanding of how these two constructs are related. Handheld computer diaries offer a flexible tool and have several advantages over traditional self-report questionnaires and paper diaries. Complex sampling schemes, in which the timing of signals, or the content of the questions may depend on previous events or responses, are possible. Future research may focus upon the application of handheld computers to measure pain and attention in therapy outcome studies, and upon the combination of event contingent sampling with time contingent sampling.


The paper reports on a graphical user interface developed in MATLAB to aid the visualization of the plane wave impinging from a lossless half-space onto a multilayer structure. Individual layers are assumed to be homogeneous and isotropic with electric permittivity (ε) and magnetic permeability (μ) taking arbitrary complex values. Double-positive, single-negative and double-negative media (real parts of ε and μ) as well as lossless, dissipative and amplifying media (imaginary parts of ε and μ) are allowed. 2D field distribution, transmission and reflection coefficients, and the wave vectors' z-component locations in the complex plane are presented to the user.


The role of peer harassment in the association between sexual minority status and adolescent risky behavior was examined for 15-year-olds in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (n = 957). The findings, although exploratory, suggest the importance of gender. For girls, peer harassment was best viewed as a moderator of the link between sexual minority status and increased risky behavior. It intensified an existing association, reflecting the gendered nature of the impact of sexual minority status on the adolescent social context. For boys, peer harassment was primarily a mediator, such that sexual minority status was associated with more risky behavior via elevated harassment, although sexual minority status itself was associated with lower risky behavior overall.


To reflect the effects of accumulative damage of steel reinforced high strength and high performance concrete (SRHSHPC) frame joints on its mechanical properties such as strength and stiffness degradation under reversed load, a damage index (D) is introduced into hysteretic model of SRHSHPC frame joints. Then a trilinear load-displacement hysteretic model of SRHSHPC frame joints considering accumulative damage is proposed, which can reveal strength and stiffness degradation of SRHSHPC frame joints. Five 1:4 reduced-scale models of SRHSHPC frame joints were constructed and subjected to low cyclic reversed loading to gain the value of those parameters in the D. The calculated results tally with the experimental results well, and it is showed that the proposed hysteretic model considering accumulative damage has a considerable precision.


Maize has been of great importance in providing food for man, feed for livestock and raw materials for some agro-based industries. It constitutes a stable food in many regions of the world. Studies in maize production in different parts of Nigeria have shown an increasing importance of the crop amidst growing utilization by food processing industries and livestock feed mills. A manually operated vertical seed-plate maize planter was designed, fabricated and tested. The research was aimed at developing a planting machine that is simple in operation, easy to maintain and affordable by peasant farmers. Design criteria, calculations and analysis of various components of the machine were critically considered and determined in the cause of the development. The laboratory and equivalent field investigations were carried out, these include; the seed metering performance tests, number of seed discharge per meter length, the average distributive seed spacing test and functioning speed efficiency. The planting population was analyzed with average depth between 35 mm and 45 mm, average spacing of 313.5 mm, with optimum speed of 1.38 ms -1 and the sowing efficiency was determined to be 89.7% with planting capacity of 1.53 ha/hr .


In many domains such as avionics, railway, and automotive, safety-critical systems must comply with prescribed measures for safety, usually presented in the form of safety standards. Demonstrating compliance with a safety standard involves providing convincing evidence that the requirements envisaged by the standard are adequately met. Real systems are large and thus require collecting and managing large quantities of evidence throughout their lifecycle. Lack of knowledge on how to collect, structure, and assess evidence can lead to certification risks. This paper aims to provide insights into how practitioners deal with safety evidence management. Specifically, we report on a survey conducted with the goal of determining practitioners' practices and perspectives on safety evidence management. A total of 52 practitioners from 15 countries and 11 application domains responded to the survey, indicating what types of information constitute evidence for safety, how evidence is structured and assessed, how evidence evolution is addressed, and what challenges they face with regards to providing evidence. The paper further analyses the commonalities across different application domains and compares the results against the state of the art. The results notably indicate that practitioners currently undertake an extensive amount of manual work while collecting and manipulating evidence information. This can be both costly and error-prone, thus suggesting the need for better tool-support for evidence management.


The study aims to find out whether the disappearing dividends, the decline in the number of dividend payers, the size effect and the increasing dividend/earnings concentration found in several developed and emerging markets exist among the industrials traded in the ISE. The study also analyzes the effects of the reinstatement of mandatory dividend policy in 2003. Using univariate statistical tests, we detect a size effect as well as a high level but stable dividend/ earnings concentration. We find a significant decrease in the number of dividend payers, but we also detect an increasing level of real/nominal dividends driven by the high dividend/ earnings concentration and the increasing level of earnings. The reinstatement of the mandatory dividend policy regulation in 2003 has not been successful in changing the payout policy of industrials


We describe one new tribe, two new genera and three new species of the subfamily Cypridopsinae Kaufmann, 1900 from Brazilian floodplains. Brasilodopsis gen. nov. belongs in the nominal tribe Cypridopsini, and both new species in this new genus were found in both sexual and asexual populations. Brasilodopsis baiabonita gen. et sp. nov. has a wide distribution and was found in three of the four major Brazilian floodplains. Brasilodopsis amazonica gen. et sp. nov. was recorded only from the Amazon floodplain. Brasilodopsis baiabonita gen. et sp. nov. has a subtriangular shape in lateral view, whereas Brasilodopsis amazonica gen. et sp. nov. is more elongated and has more rounded dorsal margins in both valves, as well as more pronounced external valve ornamentation, consisting of rimmed pores in shallow pits. Paranadopsis reducta gen. et sp. nov. was found in asexual populations in the Upper Paraná River floodplain only and differs from other Cypridopsinae in the more elongated carapace, an A1 with strongly reduced chaetotaxy (hence the specific name) and the total absence of caudal rami in females. Because of these strong reductions in valve and limb morphology, Paranadopsini trib. nov. is created within the Cypridopsinae for this intriguing new genus and species.


Intermittent claudication (IC) is common in the elderly; the prevalence is approximately 6% in 50-to 60-year-old patients and 10–20% in those over the age of 70. Several risk factors, especially smoking, are associated-with increased prevalence. Disease progression results in increasingly debilitating and costly surgical intervention for about 20% of patients. This report reviews findings from some of the clinical studies that demonstrated the efficacy of pentoxifylline, the only U.S.-approved medical therapy for IC. Findings from a recently published cost-effectiveness analysis are presented. IC is difficult to study clinically because pain is both variable and subjective. In two multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled studies, carefully monitored treadmill testing showed that pentoxifylline-treated patients had significantly improved walking distances even in the presence of a placebo effect. The pentoxifylline effect was pronounced in patients from a clinical target population defined by low baseline resting pressure ratios (≤0.8) and long disease duration (>1 year). To understand the social implications of these findings, treadmill distances were converted to comparable distances on flat ground. Improvements on pentoxifylline therapy translate to walking distances that enable greater daily function. This improvement has significant practical benefit to the quality of life of IC patients. Using Medicare expenditure data, it was found that pentoxifylline therapy reduced average hospital costs per patients by $1,173. Direct medical cost savings of $69 to $3,090 were suggested by sensitivity analyses. In analyses of practical aspects of walking distance as well as cost-effectiveness analyses, pentoxifylline appears to be a highly useful treatment for IC.


The purpose of this new instrument in Swiss social insurance (applicable since January 1, 1984) is to compensate for an immaterial, permanent, and significant reduction in physical or mental integrity due to an accident or any legally defined "occupational disease". The indemnity is paid once, as a capital sum, on an abstract and egalitarian basis, irrespective of the patient's age, sex, occupation, or income. In contrast, the invalidity pension provided under the social insurance scheme is paid on a monthly basis and compensates exclusively for economic damage as a consequence of a permanent or temporary reduction in income in cases of accident or disease.


European demand for renewable energy resources has led to rapidly increasing transatlantic exports of wood pellets from the southeastern United States (SE US) since 2009. Disagreements have arisen over the global greenhouse gas reductions associated with replacing coal with wood, and groups on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean have raised concerns that increasing biomass exports might negatively affect SE US forests and the ecosystem services they provide. We use the telecoupling framework to test assertions that the intended benefits of the wood pellet trade for Europe might be offset by negative consequences in the SE US. Through a review of current literature and available data sets, we characterize the observed and potential changes in the environmental, social, and economic components of the sending and receiving regions to assess the overall sustainability of this renewable energy system. We conclude that the observed transatlantic wood pellet trade is an example of a mutually beneficial telecoupled system with the potential to provide environmental and socioeconomic benefits in both the SE US and Europe despite some negative effects on the coal industry. We recommend continued monitoring of this telecoupled system to quantify the environmental, social, and economic interactions and effects in the sending, receiving, and spillover systems over time so that evidence-based policy decisions can be made with regard to the sustainability of this renewable energy pathway.


Objectives Dystonia-plus and paroxysmal dyskinetic disorders are hyperkinetic movement disorders with dystonia as the predominant component. Identification of disease causing genes for these disorders has allowed examination of genetically homogenous groups. Unlike the motor symptoms, non-motor characteristics are less clearly defined. This review examines the literature pertaining to non-motor symptoms to date and identifies areas of future research. Methods A systematic search strategy was used to review published literature relating to psychiatric disorders, cognition and sleep disturbance in genetically defined dystonia-plus and paroxysmal dyskinetic disorders. Results Fifty-two articles were identified, the majority involving dystonia-plus disorders (n=42). Psychiatric symptoms were the most clearly defined with anxiety, depression and Obsessive-Compulsive disorder being most prominent. Cognitive impairment involved either global deficits or isolated involvement of specific domains. Sleep disturbance was documented in few disorders, being most common in the dopa-responsive dystonias. Conclusions Results to date suggest that non-motor features form an integral component of the dystonia-plus and paroxysmal dyskinetic phenotype, with disruption to monoaminergic metabolism likely to play a central role. Further systematic and standardised assessment of these genetically homogenous cohorts is required to identify specific phenotypic characteristics. This will improve patient treatment, quality of life and our understanding of underlying pathogenesis.


Introduction/ Background Although the scanning technology for microscopic slides has been known for more than 15 years, its practical use in daily routine is still on the very beginning. Fast and reliable scanners enabled their increasing use in teaching, but not yet in consultation and primary diagnostics. So far the scanning is not handled as a process in the pathology laboratory by most of the pathology systems, leading to an interrupted workflow with delays and additional expenses. The requirement profiles for slide scanners can only be formulated with respect to their workflow integration. Aims The effects of different degrees of workflow digitalization have been studied as to analyze the sources of possible benefits of digital pathology as well as to identify the bottlenecks and inconsistencies in the workflow control in a routine pathology laboratory. The adherence to existing IHE Technical Frameworks has been evaluated, too. Methods Performance statistics of routine pathology were evaluated in different phases of digital workflow control over more than 10 years in a medium-sized institute of pathology. Three phases were defined: Uncontrolled, but digitally supported workflow with digital dictation, digital macrophotography, digital microphotograpy at few pathology Workstations, and a "classic" pathology software system; Digital workflow control including digital dictation and digital photography; In a pilot study at the end of the evaluation period the additional benefits of slide scanning were estimated. Results In the period between 2006 and 2015 a decrease of turnaround-time of roughly 40% was seen. Alone the effects of a (sub)total digital workflow control contributed about half of that effect. The implementation of slide-scanning did not add further acceleration so far, but enabled some additional functionality for improving quantitative reporting. This was achieved without an explicit commitment of the pathology software to standards in workflow control and with still leaving a few laboratory processes out of the control. Milestones and key elements of workflow management are reported in detail. Conclusion: All processes both in the laboratory and in the diagnostics have to be checked (and changed, if necessary) for being fit in a streamlined pathology workflow. The implementation of scanners into the routine diagnostics will enforce those essential developments leading to increased productivity and quality.


For humans and many other animals, gender is a fact of life. Most individuals are born either male or female and their sex will have an enormous influence on their behaviour, physiology and life history. In this review, I consider the effect gender has on lifespan. In particular, I discuss the role played by behaviour, immunity and oxidative damage in determining sex-dependent differences in longevity. I consider existing explanations for the effect of gender on lifespan and how these explanations fit together. Finally, I expand on the recent suggestion of a key role for the insulin/IGF-1 signalling pathway in regulating sex-dependent differences in lifespan and I highlight a number of areas for future investigation.


This protocol is intended for culture of primary human tracheobronchial epithelial cells (pHBEC) obtained by brush biopsy during clinical bronchoscopy, or purchased commercially, using Lonza-based medium.Note: This is a historical protocol. At the time of publication, this protocol has been superseded by a different version in the McCullough lab; however, it is being published to support the transparency and reproducibility of other studies by which it is referenced.Disclaimer: The information presented here has been reviewed and approved for publication by the US Environmental Protection Agency do not necessarily represent Agency policy. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendations for use.


ABSTRACT Migrant entrepreneurship has been acknowledged in the literature to be a dynamic and diffused phenomenon that characterizes local systems within European countries in the form of ethnic economies. The aim of the paper is to investigate the phenomenon of ethnic quasi-enclave industrial sub-clusters within industrial districts and to analyse social capital within the economic and social dynamics. The interpretative framework adapts the mixed-embeddedness approach to a case study of Wenzhounese migrant socioeconomic quasi-enclave leather industrial sub-clusters located adjacent to the industrial district area of Florence (Italy). Given the complexity of the phenomenon, the research study adopted a mixed-method approach. The qualitative methods included a one-year observational analysis, in-depth interviews conducted with key stakeholders and life-course interviews conducted with migrant Wenzhounese entrepreneurs. Structured interviews were conducted with multiple micro-entrepreneurs and their households to conduct a multiple-case study analysis and social network analysis. Both were based on data collected via a survey administered to a random sample of enterprises. This analysis contributes to the existing literature on migrant enterprises and communities within industrial clusters in Italy, adding new evidence related to ethnic entrepreneurship and the importance of social capital in the social and economic dynamics that influence micro entrepreneurs and their community.


UNLABELLED
This annual report, the third in the series, documents trends in immunisation coverage in NSW for children, adolescents and the elderly, to the end of 2011.

METHODS
Data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, the NSW School Immunisation Program and the NSW Population Health Survey were used to calculate various measures of population coverage.

RESULTS
During 2011, greater than 90% coverage was maintained for children at 12 and 24 months of age. For children at 5 years of age the improvement seen in 2010 was sustained, with coverage at or near 90%. For adolescents, there was improved coverage for all doses of human papillomavirus vaccine, both doses of hepatitis B vaccine, varicella vaccine and the dose of diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis given to school attendees in Years 7 and 10. Pneumococcal vaccination coverage in the elderly has been steadily rising, although it has remained lower than the influenza coverage estimates.

CONCLUSION
This report provides trends in immunisation coverage in NSW across the age spectrum. The inclusion of coverage estimates for the pneumococcal conjugate, varicella and meningococcal C vaccines in the official coverage assessments for 'fully immunised' in 2013 is a welcome initiative.


The last one hundred years has seen unimaginable technological progress transforming every aspect of human life. Yet we seem unable to shake a profound unease with the direction of modern technology and its ideological siblings, global capitalism and massive consumption. Philosophers such as Marcuse, Borgmann and especially Heidegger, have developed important analyses of technological society, however in this book David Lewin argues that their ideas have remained limited either by their secular context, or by the narrow conception of religion that they do allow. This study guides the reader along the newly formed paths of the philosophy of technology, arguing that where those paths come to an abrupt end, a religious discourse is needed to articulate the ultimate concerns that drive technological action. It calls for a meditation on the central insight of many religious traditions that, in an ultimate sense, we 'know not what we do'. To acknowledge that we know not what we do is the first step towards a theology of technology that draws upon insights from the mystical theological tradition, as well as from recent developments in the continental philosophy of religion.


This paper draws upon a consumer survey carried out in Bucharest (Romania) to explore determinants of food choice in a transition economy. An adapted version of the Theory of Reasoned Action was developed. This included attitude toward intention, habit and preference as independent variables. The structural equations modelling carried out in 'Analysis of MOment Structures' AMOS showed a significant positive influence of all variables. Similar to other studies conducted in European Union (EU) countries (Saba, Di Natale, 1998) habit outweighed the other variables. The study emphasises the heterogeneity of consumer beliefs about food. Furthermore it was suggested that there is scope for noneconomic variables in explaining food choices and consumer behaviour in these emerging economies, though the influence of these variables may be still limited relative the economic factors. Further research on special groups is required to quantify the influence of non-economic factors and compare the results estimated in Romania with other countries which are candidates to EU accession.


Abstract Aims: Assuming the importance of estrogen in perinatal physiology, we tested the association of an estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) gene Pvull pP polymorphism with perinatal morbidity in premature infants. Methods: The ER-alpha Pp genotype was determined in 69 low-birth weight (LBW) boys and 72 LBW girls, 86 term boys and 81 term girls. The association between risk factors, genotype, gender and perinatal morbidity was tested with binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Boys carrying "p" allele were at lower risk for necrotizing enterocolitis (OR [95% Cl]: 0.24 [0.07–0.83]) and patent ductus arteriosus (OR [95% Cl]: 0.24 [0.05–0.97]). The carrier state of the "p" allele was associated with a 34-h shorter period of oxygen supplementation on average (P=0.0018). Boys with pp genotype were at greater risk for intraventricular hemorrhage (OR [95% Cl]: 4.39 [1.15–16.82]). No association between ER-alpha Pvull polymorphism and morbidity was present in girls. Conclusions: Since homozygocity for any Pvull alleles (i.e. having PP or pp genotype) increases the risk for at least one of the most common perinatal complications, it is likely that the heterozygous carrier state of Pvull genotypes has a protective effect, which is gender-dependent.


By the results of bicycle ergometry test 28 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients were divided into 2 groups: with a pronounced anginal syndrome (group 1) and coronary insufficiency evident on ECG (group 2). Vegetative and psychophysiological parameters obtained in the examinees (heart rate, arterial pressure, pain threshold, personality profile) demonstrated that increased pain sensitivity, anxiety, predisposition to neurotic reactions were more typical for patients of group 1. Therapeutic response was achieved after psychophysiological correction by means of creation and activation of artificial stable functional connections of the brain.


Languages are territorial. They tend to occupy homogeneous, well bounded areas. When they do not, they lessen their chances of survival, especially if they are languages of minority groups. Reaching beyond the usual sociological causes of this phenomenon, this article searches the neurophysiological and the psychological literature for explanation of the tendency of closed, equalitarian systems with a high density of communication to move toward unilingualism. The search is guided by the questions: are bilinguals less brain-lateralized than unilinguals? Are different languages stored in different "containers" in the bilingual memory? Are the reaction times for coding and encoding slower in a second language than in a dominant language, slower in multilingual compared to unilingual settings? What are the psychological costs and benefits of bilingualism? The hypothesis that the bilingual brain is different from the unilingual brain is not supported by the literature, but some fascinating studies keep the question open. Only two sets of findings emerge to offer likely explanations of language territoriality: the findings that measure the declining level of performance in a second as compared to a first language when the complexity of the task is increased, and the findings that show multilingual communication to be less efficient, due to interferences and delayed reaction times, than the same communication in a single language.


When London organisers bid on the 2012 Summer Olympics, they promised an array of legacies, from economic and environmental to cultural and sport-related. In bid materials, Lord Sebastian Coe and his colleagues put forth a four-pronged vision for the Games: providing an unforgettable experience for athletes; forging a British sport legacy; regenerating East London economically and socially; and championing the Olympic Movement and the International Olympic Committee. But the 2012 London Olympics tendered a legacy not touted in bid materials: a revamped security state and riled-up activist communities. This article examines the dialectics of restriction and resistance: the ever-present dance between security forces and activists as they jockey for position and advantage in the public sphere. Drawing from government documents, media accounts, ethnographies and interviews with activists and security practitioners, we analyse these dialectics as played out in London in the run-up to, during and after the Olympics. First, we analyse literatures on repressive and coercive state policies and on the dissent and activism they inspire, giving special attention to specific Olympic processes. We then consider the urban setting that not only stages the Games, but also animates specific tensions on which security agencies and activists converge. This discussion is developed in the following section where we consider the measures adopted by state and private security forces for the London Games and examine the activist response to the Olympic juggernaut and how campaigners were replying to – sometimes tacitly and at other times explicitly – the state's actions. The paper concludes by considering how security practices, activism and their interrelationships contribute towards a range of less-visible legacies.


Quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations have been performed for the abstraction reaction, D' + DS(v = 0, j = 0) → D'D + S on a new LZHH potential energy surface (PES) of the adiabatic 3A'' electronic state [Lu et al. 2012 J. Chem. Phys. 136 094308]. The collision energy effect on the integral cross section and product polarization are studied over a wide collision energy range from 0.1 to 2.0 eV. The cross sections calculated by the QCT procedure are in good accordance with previous quantum wave packet results. The three angular distribution functions, P(θr), P(r), and P(θr, r), together with the four commonly used polarization-dependent differential cross sections ((2π/σ)(dσ00/dωt), (2π/σ)(dσ20/dωt), (2π/σ)(dσ22+/dωt), (2π/σ)(dσ21−/dωt)) are obtained to gain insight into the chemical stereodynamics of the title reaction. Influences of the collision energy on the product polarization are exhibited and discussed.


Letter from Representative John Young to Eleanor Brown discussing support for legislation to give veterans' benefits to the WASPs. He mentions that the Veterans' Affairs Committee has advised him that hearings on the legislation will be scheduled soon.


How can an organization help participants increase their social capital? Using data from an ethnographic study of Launch, an organization that prepares low-income students of color to attend elite boarding schools, I analyze how the organization's structures not only generate social ties among students but also stratify those ties horizontally and vertically, thereby connecting students to a set of social contacts who occupy a range of hierarchical positions and who are able to provide access to resources that are beneficial in different contexts and at different times. I argue that organizational structures can function as tools for building—and embedding participants within—social networks with advantageous structural characteristics.


We have developed characteristic formulae as a technique for verifying imperative programs using interactive theorem provers. The characteristic formula of a program is a higher-order logic formula that gives a sound and complete description of the semantics of this program without referring to its source code. The formula can be constructed automatically from the source code it describes, in a compositional way. Moreover, it can be conveniently manipulated in interactive proofs. Characteristic formulae support reasoning about all forms of rst-class functions, through the use of an abstract predicate used to specify functions extensionally in the logic. Moreover, they integrate techniques from Separation Logic in order to support modular reasoning about mutable data structures. Characteristic formulae serve as a basis for a tool, called CFML, which supports the veri cation of imperative Caml programs using the Coq proof assistant. Using CFML, we have formally veri ed nontrivial imperative algorithms, as well as CPS functions, higher-order iterators, and programs involving higher-order stores.


This PhD Tutorial describes a new source of coherent radiation, with a spectrum extending over many octaves of optical bandwidth. We demonstrate collinear generation of mutually coherent spectral sidebands, ranging in wavelength from 2.94 μm in the infrared to 195 nm in the ultraviolet. The pulse energies are above 1 mJ/10 ns pulse for each of the nine central sidebands. The essence of our technique is the adiabatic preparation of a macroscopic molecular ensemble in a single vibrational superposition state. When this is achieved, coherent molecular motion modulates laser light and produces a wide frequency modulated (FM)-like spectrum, which allows subfemtosecond pulse compression. We use this source in two experiments: (1) we demonstrate the generation and detection of amplitude and frequency modulated light with a 90 THz modulation frequency; and (2) we demonstrate coherent control of multiphoton ionization on a few-femtosecond timescale, under conditions where photoionization requires eleven photons of the lowest frequency and five photons of the highest frequency of the spectrum. Our experiments demonstrate good mutual coherence of the generated sidebands and suggest a possibility of sub-cycle optical field shaping. This is a first step towards studying subfemtosecond atomic and molecular dynamics.


We design a new double-layer grating template, which has the advantages of period uniformity, period number adjustability and continuous period regulation. By studying the transmission spectrum under the new template, we also find some new characteristics different from traditional fibre gratings: the resonant wavelength is mainly determined by the grating period; the intensity of transmission peak loss lies in the external pressures; the bandwidth of transmission spectrum can be controlled by the period number. Therefore, various applications can be realized by optimizing the transmission spectrum by reasonably selecting the matched parameters.


Smart devices have become an integral part of the everyday lives of children. Today, children can even use voice-based interactions to interact with devices for a wide range of activities. Previous research has shown that voice-driven interfaces have a potential to offer a potent new mechanism for teaching, engaging, and supporting children in daily life. Our paper, therefore, argues that it is critical not only to investigate how children use voice-based interactions to communicate with devices (e.g., smart speakers) but also the nature of relationships that children form with these devices, the influence such use has on children's learning and behavior, and the role that parents or guardians play in deciding the norms of use for children. We also propose to explicitly and intricately investigate complexities in use and its impact relative to entangled identities (conveyed through overlapping attributes of gender, ethnicity, race, class) and larger social systems. To this end, we propose to use Social Learning Theory to understand how children learn through observing and interacting with smart devices, specifically using voice-based commands. Methodologically, we will conduct participatory design sessions and follow-up interviews to get a nuanced understanding of how children mentally contextualize voice-enabled smart devices and how social influence (e.g., parental expectation/norms), social function of identification (e.g., children's emotional connection with technology), and learning goals impact their usage patterns.


Web Application Firewall (WAF) is known as one of the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) solutions for protecting web servers from HTTP attacks. WAF is a tool to identify and prevent many types of attacks, such as XSS and SQL-injection. In this paper, deep machine learning algorithms are used for enriching the WAF based on the anomaly detection method. Firstly, we construct attributes from HTTP data, to do so we consider two models namely n-gram and one-hot. Then, according to Auto-Encoder LSTM (AE-LSTM) as an unsupervised deep leaning method, we should extract informative features and then reduce them. Finally, we use ensemble isolation forest to train only normal data for the classifier. We apply the proposed model on CSIC 2010 and ECML/ PKDD 2007 datasets. The results show AE-LSTM has higher performance in terms of accuracy and generalization compared with naïve methods on CSIC dataset; the proposed method also have acceptable detection rate on ECML/PKDD dataset using n-gram


The process of compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) for the provision of local-government services has forced significant changes to the way in which such services have been provided, whether such services have been contracted out or remain in-house, and has spawned a considerable literature on the impact of these changes on the quality, reach, and cost of public services. The primary focus of this literature has been on service users (or 'consumers') and the local taxpayer. In this paper, however, we attempt an analysis of these changes in terms of their impact on the nature of work within public sector services. Empirical evidence of geographical and sectoral variations in the degree of success of the private sector in winning contracts is considered, and explanations for these variations are offered. In particular, the discussion focuses on variations in the form of work in different sectors and the treatment of workers in different places and in different types of services, through a study of the labour processes involved and a consideration of the diverse potential for different fractions of capital to benefit from the introduction of CCT. Last, the concept of 'hollowing out' is reworked in order to further assist the theorisation of employment and other contemporary changes in the local state.


In the Supreme Court, the halls of Congress, and elsewhere, the Attorney General and the Solicitor General are often addressed as "General," as if they were officers in the Army. This Essay speculates about the explanation for this peculiar practice and argues that it should be abandoned. In part, this usage should be abandoned because it is flatly incorrect by the standards of history, grammar, lexicology and protocol. Of course, those standards are mutable; if everyone called John Ashcroft the same thing they call George Patton, then at some point doing so would be correct by the standards of history, grammar, lexicology and protocol. But I also make a normative argument. Comfortable though it may be, especially since September 11, to have generals in charge, ours is a government of laws, not generalissimos. To call civil officials, especially legal ones, "general" because that word appears in their title is both wrong, if not just plain silly, and conflicts with important values.


Pyrochlore-rich ceramics containing additional zirconolite, brannerite and rutile have been developed for immobilizing excess weapons plutonium. This study reports data for a ceramic containing small amounts of Al and Mo in addition to the major oxide components of Ti, U, Ca, Hf, Gd and Ce. Hafnium and Gd are added as neutron absorbers, Al and Mo represent impurities. Quantitative electron microprobe data demonstrate that UO 2 is strongly partitioned into brannerite (45 wt%), which is present as euhedral crystals with inclusions of unreacted UO 2 . Pyrochlore forms the groundmass and has an average UO 2 content of 28 wt%. Zirconolite contains only 15 wt% UO 2 , but is significantly more effective in accommodating Hf and Gd than both brannerite and pyrochlore. Zirconolite incorporates U together with Hf and Ce in one structural site, whereas brannerite and pyrochlore accommodate U with Gd in a site that is distinct from that occupied by Hf. Incorporation of Gd into zirconolite takes place via a coupled substitution involving Al, thus explaining the high Al 2 O 3 contents (3 wt%). Molybdenum was not detected in the major oxides, and it might be present in the accessory rutile. Although the studied waste form was designed to incorporate Pu, the present dataset is also valuable because immobilization of highly fissile U (e.g., U-233) might need to be considered in the future.


This paper presents scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) implementation using system generator used for object recognition. The features are invariant to image scale and rotation, and are shown to provide robust matching across a substantial range of affine distortion, addition of noise, and change in illumination. The features are highly distinctive, in the sense that a single feature can be correctly matched with high probability against a large database of feature from many images. In this paper integral image architecture is implemented using Xilinx system generator for real time application needs. Architecture is implemented in Atlys partan6 xc6xls16-3csg324 FPGA board.


In this paper, we investigated photoconductive characteristics of blue‐sensitive organic photoconductive devices with different silole derivatives. A most important finding is that an external quantum efficiency (EQE) increased with decreasing ionization potential of silole derivative. The significant improved EQE can be explained by the dislocation efficiency of photogenerated carriers in the organic layer, which is estimated from the photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield. A maximum EQE of 52% at −26 MV m−1 was obtained by optimizing the molecular structure and the concentration of silole derivative. This value is the highest EQE for the reported solution‐processed blue‐sensitive organic photoconductive device. Another interesting result is that the signal‐to‐noise ratio was drastically improved by doping silole derivative.


Electron microscopic images indicating exocytosis of secretory granules were obtained in rat prolactin cells undergoing mitosis at the estrus in the female reproductive cycle. Immature secretory granules looking like small cored vesicles were found among chromosomes and microtubules of the mitotic spindle. Golgi apparatus was fragmented and its small elements mostly consisting of vesicles were seen at the peripheral region of the cell. Rough endoplastic reticulum was mostly vesiculated, but lamellar stacks were still recognized at the cell periphery. It is evident that fully differentiated cells of the anterior pituitary glands are capable of continuing the activity of secretion, i.e., formation and release of secretory granules during mitosis.


Electronic structure and optical properties of non-metals (N, S, F, P, Cl) -doped cubic NaTaO3 were investigated systematically by density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that the substitution of (N, S, P, Cl) for O in NaTaO3 was effective in narrowing the band-gap relative to the F-doped NaTaO3. The larger red shift of the absorption edge and the higher visible light absorption at about 520 nm were found for the (N and P)-doped NaTaO3. The excitation from the impurity states to the conduction band may account for the red shift of the absorption edge in an electron-deficiency non-metal doped NaTaO3. The obvious absorption in the visible light region for (N and P)-doped NaTaO3 provides an important guidance for the design and preparation of the visible light photoactive materials.


View From the Chalkboard essays share readers' reflections on teaching experiences, advice for new teachers, and perspectives on current issues.


This paper describes the developmental activities of a mini-TWT for pulse radar systems. The radar TWT operates in the anode pulsed-mode and delivers more than 1kW in the S-band, without great difficulty. This S-band lkW pulsed mini-TWT is developed for microwave power modules (MPMs), having the RF output power of more than 1kW in the range of 2.5 to 3.6GHz and high overall efficiency of 60%.


Assessing the potential for decreases in crop yield due to stratospheric ozone loss and concomitant increases in ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation requires knowledge of the characteristics of UVB irradiance above and within crops and the sensitivity of crops to the detrimental effects of the irradiance. Evaluations of the tolerance of many crops to increases in UVB irradiance have been made. The tolerance or intolerance of a crop to UVB irradiance is in part a result of physical characteristics of the plant. This study evaluated both the distribution of irradiance and the effects of plant leaf heliotropic movement of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] cultivars on the irradiance received on the leaf surface. Measurements of the above-canopy UVB irradiance on planes having a wide range of slope and aspect were made under cloud-free skies in a soybean field during the summer of 1990. Results showed that the relative irradiance was strongly dependent on the leaf inclination angle and could be modeled by a simple function having a relative irradiance accuracy of 0.14 (root mean square error); with greater model error at small incidence angles to the sun than at large incidence angles. The developed model was then used to evaluate the influence of heliotropy on the UVB dose received on the terminal leaflet. These results suggest that heliotropy in the leaflet acts to reduce irradiance. Since the more tolerant soybean cultivars appear to orient leaflets away from the sun, results suggest that the classification of UVB tolerance may be due in part to the capacity for paraheliotropic response reducing the UVB radiation received.


Health care quality improvement methods are now undergoing fundamental change. The emphasis is shifting from inspection of physician practices to continuous improvement of clinical processes validated by quantitative results. This change is long overdue. Traditional quality assurance methods that operate retrospectively and alienate physicians are not useful in a marketplace where quality and cost control are a matter of survival. Physician practices are only as good as the institutional processes they rely upon, and any quality improvement method that alienates physicians is doomed. Quality improvement is impossible without the support of physicians, because true improvement is driven and quantified by clinical data. Physicians are needed to interpret that data.


The nature of intrinsic and impurity point defects in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics has been explored. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods several impurity sites have been identified in the materials, including Fe3+-oxygen vacancy (VO) complex and Pb ions. Both of these centers are incorporated into the PZT lattice. The Fe3+-VO paramagnetic complex serves as a sensitive probe of the local crystalline field in the ceramic; the symmetry of this defect is roughly correlated with PZT phase diagram as composition is varied from PbTiO3 to PbZrO3. NMR spectra 207Pb in PbTiO3, PbZrO3 and PZT with iron content from 0 to 0.4 mol % showed that increasing the iron concentration leads to a distortion of the crystal structure and improve the electrophysical parameters of the piezoceramics. This is due to the formation of the phase, which has a higher symmetry, but at high concentrations of iron (> 0.4 mol. %) leads to sharp degradation of electrophysical parameters.


Many emu farms are located in areas lacking processing facilities that can handle these birds. Thus, long-distance shipping of birds to an abattoir is necessary. Two experiments were conducted, wherein emus were transported in a modified horse trailer for 6 h to an abattoir. Changes in the indices of stress and metabolic homeostasis (hematology, serum biochemistry, enzymes, and body temperature and weight) were used to evaluate the physiological response to transport. The activities of enzymes alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatine kinase increased significantly (P < 0.001) from pretransport to slaughter, indicating muscle cell wall damages. The body temperature of emus was significantly (P < 0.001) increased from 37.0 to 39.6°C after transport in experiment 1 and from 37.2 to 38.9°C in experiment 2. Transport resulted in significant weight loss in both experiments (P < 0.001; 2.1 ± 0.2 kg vs. 0.6 ± 0.2 kg) and posttransport resting at lairage led to slight regaining (P < 0.01) of BW. Oral administration of supplements before and after transport was effective in protecting against muscle damage and faster recovery of BW losses during lairage. The clinical findings were suggestive of the incidence of exertional rhabdomyolysis and thus underlined the need for careful handling and improved transport conditions of emus.


This report will detail the participator view of partnering in Kvarteret Frodeparken. Kvarteret Frodeparken is a new construction project being jointly delivered by Skanska Sverige AB and Uppsalahem AB. The report will focus on the comparison between the participators view of partnering with an emphasis on common partnering goals. The report will also focus on the economical benefits, the time benefits and the social environment benefits you can find in partnering.The principals of partnering are; participants together make the common goals for the projects, make ice breaking activities to improve stakeholder engagement and working with an open economy to find the profitable choice for the project. With a combination of the three principals the team together decide the best solution for the project. It result in a higher quality of the project because participators work together.The report concludes that both Skanska Sverige AB and Uppsalahem AB acknowledge that partnering results in a better product, with better quality for the right price. Although opinions vary on some aspects of partnering all participants have a positive attitude about partnering and its benefits.


A unique transcriptional response to chromatin architecture changes leads to TOR inhibition and longevity. Changes in chromatin organization occur during aging. Overexpression of histones partially alleviates these changes and promotes longevity. We report that deletion of the histone H3-H4 minor locus HHT1-HHF1 extended the replicative life span of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This longevity effect was mediated through TOR signaling inhibition. We present evidence for evolutionarily conserved transcriptional and phenotypic responses to defects in chromatin structure, collectively termed the chromatin architectural defect (CAD) response. Promoters of the CAD response genes were sensitive to histone dosage, with HHT1-HHF1 deletion, nucleosome occupancy was reduced at these promoters allowing transcriptional activation induced by stress response transcription factors Msn2 and Gis1, both of which were required for the life-span extension of hht1-hhf1Δ. Therefore, we conclude that the CAD response induced by moderate chromatin defects promotes longevity.


The anticancer platinum (Pt) drugs exert their antitumor activity by direct or indirect Pt-DNA binding. It has been shown that Pt drugs can induce major DNA damage and minor RNA damage during cancer treatment. A recent report showed that a new anticancer estradiol-Pt(II) hybrid molecule (CD-37) binds DNA bases indirectly, while being more effective than cis-diaminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) against several types of cancer. In this report, we examine the bindings of CD-37 and cisplatin drugs with transfer RNA (tRNA) in vitro and compare the results to those of the corresponding Pt-DNA complexes. Solutions containing various CD-37 or cisplatin concentrations were reacted with tRNA at physiological pH. Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV-visible, and circular dichroism spectroscopic methods, the drug binding mode, the binding constant, and RNA structural variations are determined for Pt-tRNA complexes in aqueous solution. Structural analysis showed direct binding of cisplatin drug to guanine and adenine N7 sites, while both direct and indirect interactions of CD-37 with tRNA bases and the backbone phosphate group were observed. The overall binding constants estimated were K(CD-37) = 2.77 (+/-0.90) x 10(4) M(1) and K(cisplatin) = 1.72 (+/-0.50) x 10(4) M(1). Major aggregation of tRNA occurs at high CD-37 concentrations, while RNA remains in the A-family structure.


Background Family caregivers who provide care to seniors at no cost to the healthcare system are an integral part of the healthcare system. Caregiving, however, can cause significant emotional, physical and financial burden. We held a one-day symposium on how to best involve and support family caregivers in the healthcare system. The symposium brought together caregivers, healthcare providers, administrators and policy-makers to identify needs and make recommendations to address these issues. Methods Participants engaged in conversation circles which were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were qualitatively analyzed alongside written notes provided by participants. Results Symposium participants identified a lack of both orientation and education for healthcare providers about family caregivers and standardized processes for assessing caregiver burden. They highlighted a need to ensure that the family experience is captured and included as an essential component of care, foster a culture of collaboration, expand the notion of the healthcare team to include family caregivers, provide more integrated palliative care, and enhance policies and programs to acknowledge family caregivers. Conclusion There is a need to recognize the essential role of family caregivers in seniors' health and well-being, and to take on a more comprehensive approach to patient care.


Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key players in the regulation of seed germination and dormancy. Although their regulated accumulation is a prerequisite for germination, the cellular basis of their action remains unknown, but very challenging to elucidate due to the lack of specificity of these compounds that can potentially react with all biomolecules. Among these, nucleic acids and proteins are very prone to oxidative damage. RNA is highly sensitive to oxidation because of its single-stranded structure and the absence of a repair system. Oxidation of mRNAs induces their decay through processing bodies or results in the synthesis of aberrant proteins through altered translation. Depending on the oxidized amino acid, ROS damage of proteins can be irreversible (i.e., carbonylation) thus triggering the degradation of the oxidized proteins by the cytosolic 20S proteasome or can be reversed through the action of thioredoxins, peroxiredoxins, or glutaredoxins (cysteine oxidation) or by methionine sulfoxide reductase (methionine oxidation). Seed dormancy alleviation in the dry state, referred to as after-ripening, requires both selective mRNA oxidation and protein carbonylation. Similarly, seed imbibition of non-dormant seeds is associated with targeted oxidation of a subset of proteins. Altogether, these specific features testify that such oxidative modifications play important role in commitment of the cellular functioning toward germination completion.


Cross-sector development partnerships (CSDPs) are project-based collaborative arrangements between business, government, and civil society organizations in support of international development goals such as sustainability, health education, and economic development. Based on the case of public private partnerships in development cooperation, we examine the important role of bridging agents in managing the institutional complexity around the formation of CSDP projects and longer-term project network alliances. We analyze bridging agency as a collective process involving both internal partner representatives and external intermediaries in initiating and/or supporting roles. We find that external intermediaries ease the formation of singular projects and longer-term alliances. However, projects that are initiated by intermediaries tend to be narrow and repetitive in scope, whereas projects initiated by internal partner representatives tend to explore novel project agendas. Yet, the longer-term pursuit of these agendas beyond singular projects may require external intermediaries in supporting roles. Findings help better understand micro-processes and collective practices of brokerage and alliance formation in transnational governance contexts and beyond.


The identification and estimation of the extent of fiscal illusion in the public finance system seems neces¬sary to ensure the transparency of government activity. A lack of transparency of all the operations using public funds decreases budget revenues, may adversely affect the balance of state budgets or even lead to increasing the fiscal burdens on all taxpayers. Furthermore, making expenditures outside the budget process is related to a lack of control, which is particularly important from the point of view of the efficiency and effectiveness of these expenditures. Tax expenditures, being an equivalent of direct public expenditures, serve as an example of this type of activity undertaken by the government. The lack of effective control of expenditures in this category may constitute an incentive to use these instruments in order to escape from conventional spending, which is considerably more transparent. Tax expenditures enable increasing expenses on public programs even when the government officially attempts to reduce them - all the more so that programs which have been accepted once do not require formal annual approval. In addition, the procedure of introducing them into the tax system is less complicated than in the case of direct expenditures. The study includes an analysis of the relationship between tax expenditures and direct public expenditures, using the example of the United States of America in the years 1999-2015. Data analysis has shown that the rate of growth of tax expenditures was considerably higher than in the case of direct public spending, thus creating the illusion that public finances are more stable than they are in reality.


China's electricity market reform has been on almost 10 years, and the proposition of constructing "Strong Smart Grid" in China has aroused widespread concerns, and also made an impact on electricity market. To assess the impact on electricity market, considering the current situation of China's electricity market, based on smart materials, analyze the risks of electricity market from constructing smart grid in terms of low-carbon power accessing grid, wide-area interconnected power system and large-capacity batch of green energy accessing grid, and also propose some requirements for electricity market from the perspective of power quality, demand side management and trading platform. Developing smart grid will promote China's electricity market reform.


For both wealth managers and investors, a disconnect can result over time as to how the performance of a wealth plan meets the client's short-, mid-, and long-term needs. Failing to fund these needs can create life-changing consequences that may not appear for years into the future, until it is often too late to change course. The use of the structural principles of a balance sheet enables wealth planning to proceed methodically and efficiently by matching pro-forma after-tax cash flows across various time horizons. The sequential matching of cash flows drives a number of different insights into portfolio management tactics, such as need hierarchies, asset allocation, and rebalancing.


The TOTEM experiment at the LHC will measure the total proton-proton crosssection with a precision better than 1 %, elastic proton scattering over a wide range in momentum transfer −t ∼= pθ up to 10 GeV and diffractive dissociation, including single, double and central diffraction topologies. The total cross-section will be measured with the luminosity independent method that requires the simultaneous measurements of the total inelastic rate and the elastic proton scattering down to four-momentum transfers of a few 10 GeV, corresponding to leading protons scattered in angles of microradians from the interaction point. This will be achieved using silicon microstrip detectors, which offer attractive properties such as good spatial resolution (< 20 μm), fast response (O(10 ns)) to particles and radiation hardness up to 10 "n"/cm. This work reports about the development of an innovative structure at the detector edge reducing the conventional dead width of 0.5 ÷ 1 mm to 50 ÷ 60 μm, compatible with the requirements of the experiment.


Andrographis stenophylla C.B. Cclarke (Acanthaceae) leaves are commonly used as folk medicine in south India. The present study is planned to determine the oral hypoglycemic activity of dichloroethane (DCE) extract of Andrographis stenophylla leaves. The Andrographis stenophylla leaves showed high yield extract values in DCE, DCM (dichloromethane) and carbinol. The DCE extract showed clear compound separation in thin layer chromatography, hence that extract was used for phytochemical analysis and pharmacological study. The DCE extract showed significant oral hypoglycemic activity in rats. The present study concludes, the DCE extract of Andrographis stenophylla leaves are suitable for isolate the terpene and it's showed significant oral hypoglycaemic activity.


The equity options market has shown rapid growth and the competition among different options exchanges and trading platforms has intensified in recent years. As growth and competition in the U.S. options market continues, it becomes increasingly important for market participants to evaluate market quality in different options trading venues. A sound comparison of market quality among the competing trading markets requires a clear understanding of their specific market structures, since each venue attempts to differentiate itself with a unique value proposition. This article provides a review of the market microstructures of the major options exchanges and trading platforms in the United States. Using a sample period around the entry of the NASDAQ Options Market and the BATS Options Exchange, it analyzes the competition for trading volume in the options industry, investigates the characteristics of trades and execution costs in the major options exchanges and trading platforms, and examines the determinants of execution location for trades. It shows that during the first three months of their operations, the NASDAQ Options Market and BATS Options Exchange do not make a big impact on the trading volumes of the other options exchanges. It also finds that the NASDAQ Options Market has the smallest quoted spread and effective spread values for equity options among the seven exchanges during the first three months of its market entry. The BATS Options Exchange shows lower average trade size and average dollar trade size, and does not demonstrate competitive execution quality indicators or competitive execution costs in the earlier months of its operation. A probit analysis confirms that in spite of the increasingly complex and nuanced nature of options exchange competition, the main factors determining execution location for new market entrants are: i) posting quotes at the NBBO; and ii) being alone at the NBBO.


This article considers the problems of scheduling operations in single-gripper and dual-gripper bufferless robotic cells in which the arrangement of machines is circular. The cells are designed to produce identical parts under the free-pickup criterion with additive intermachine travel time. The objective is to find a cyclic sequence of robot moves that minimizes the long-run average time required to produce a part or, equivalently, that maximizes the throughput. Obtaining an efficient algorithm for an approximation to an optimal k-unit cyclic solution (over all k ≥ 1) is the focus of this article. The proposed algorithms introduce a new class of schedules, which are refered to as epi-cyclic cycles. A polynomial algorithm with a 5/3-approximation to an optimal k-unit cycle over all cells is developed. The performed structural analysis for dual-gripper cells leads to a polynomial-time algorithm that provides at worst a 3/2-approximation for the practically relevant case in which the dual-gripper switch time is less than twice the intermachine robot movement time. A computational study demonstrates that the algorithm performs much better on average than this worst-case bound suggests. The performed theoretical studies are a stepping stone for researching the complexity status of the corresponding domain. They also provide theoretical as well as practical insights that are useful in maximizing productivity of any cell configuration with either type of robot.


In early 2007, the Productivity Commission (PC) embarked on a public Inquiry into Australia's Consumer Policy Framework. This article argues that a core aspect, product liability of manufacturers for their defective goods, has become a legal morass. Multiple causes of action persist: common law negligence (including a little-noticed revival of claims for breach of statutory duty); Trade Practices Act (TPA) claims on a contractual basis; and TPA Part VA claims on a strict liability basis, modelled on the EC Product Liability Directive (generally understood as a statutory tort). The picture is further complicated by state legislation, and various "tort reforms" implemented differently in various states and in the TPA since 2002. Case law has also slowly built up, even under TPA VA since it was enacted in 1992. However, it has been little analysed, and does not draw much on judgments or commentaries analysing similar provisions in Europe or indeed the Asia-Pacific region. Australia's tort reforms are likely to significantly close off opportunities for claimants to bring allegations of defective products before the courts, who might then begin addressing the ever-growing complexities. This is true even for class actions, also introduced into Australian federal courts in 1992, and anyway generating their own complications. The resultant higher transaction costs cannot be good for manufacturers and their insurers, nor for most consumers. The article therefore concludes that Australia's product liability law urgently needs a comprehensive overhaul, involving a range of stakeholders including the PC and the Australian Law Reform Commission. As the latter pointed out in 1989, product liability law needs to minimise transaction costs and to send clear signals so firms can internalise the costs of product-related accidents. As well as legislative reform, stakeholders should elaborate a "Restatement of Strict Product Liability Principles". To guide courts and policy-makers, this would synthesise experiences and ideas emerging from commentators as well as case law not only in Australia, but also other jurisdictions with provisions similar to Part VA. Thanks to such initiatives, other areas of consumer law in Australia may improve too. Otherwise, the morass risks turning into a swamp.


BACKGROUND
This paper describes the development of a complex intervention to promote mental wellbeing using the revised framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions produced by the UK Medical Research Council (UKMRC).

METHODS
Application of the first two phases of the framework is described--development and feasibility and piloting. The theoretical case and evidence base were examined analytically to explicate the theoretical and empirical foundations of the intervention. These findings informed the design of a 12-week mental wellbeing promotion programme providing early intervention for people showing signs of mental health difficulties. The programme is based on the theoretical constructs of self-efficacy, self-esteem, purpose in life, resilience and social support and comprises 10 steps. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct a feasibility study with community and voluntary sector service users and in primary care.

RESULTS
A significant increase in mental wellbeing was observed following participation in the intervention. Qualitative data corroborated this finding and suggested that the intervention was feasible to deliver and acceptable to participants, facilitators and health professionals.

CONCLUSIONS
The revised UKMRC framework can be successfully applied to the development of public health interventions.


A mechanistic rationalization is given for how asymmetric amplification is induced with fidelity in the Soai autocatalytic reaction by chiral initiators that are enantiomeric only by virtue of an isotope, e.g. – CH3 vs.CD3. A transient inhibition of the autocatalytic pathway at the outset of the reaction implicates an interaction between initiator and product initially formed in the uncatalyzed background reaction. Selectivity in formation of the product-initiator complex ultimately induces a slight enantioenrichment in the active dimer catalysts that trigger and direct the autocatalytic pathway.


Scientific data, which include multimedia (e.g., images, audio, and video) and non-standard data (e.g., finger prints and DNA sequences), is characterized by rich and complex inter-instance relationships in addition to the inter-entity relationships found in traditional data. Conventional data models are insufficient for modeling such inter-instance relationships. This thesis proposes a metric-based scientific data model from the notions of data-as-functions and pseudo-quasimetrics, which are used to model inter-entity and inter-instance relationships respectively. Compared to other scientific data models, the metric-based conceptual model can be applied to many data sets where geometric views might not otherwise be available.
A detailed approach is outlined for exploring and deriving pseudo-quasimetrics to represent inter-instance relationships in a wide variety of data. In particular, we introduce the notion of observable properties and show how it can be applied with ideas from point set topology to systematically derive metrics from nonmetric data components such as categorical data. We also demonstrate the use of continuity as a mathematically precise tool to validate metrics derived through the proposed approach.
In order to support the metric-based model at the physical level, we developed two simple mechanisms, the multipolar mapping, for transforming a pseudo-metric space into a multidimensional space, and the median transformation, for deriving a pseudo-metric from a pseudo-quasimetric. After application of multipolar mapping and (possibly) median transformation, it is easy to use existing point spatial data structures such as quadtree or octree for metric data storage and access. The results of our performance analysis demonstrate that the multipolar approach is robust and stable over a wide range of data parameters for data sets with intrinsic dimensionality of 10 or less. While it is still unclear whether the multipolar approach offers significant performance advantage on proximity queries for data sets of very high dimensionality, preliminary results for 100 dimensional data still show excellent performance on nearest neighbor queries.


The focus of this work is to present, from a practical point of view, a methodology able to tune the dynamic behaviour of complex assembled structures in frequency domain and optimizing the parameters, in terms of stiffness and damping, of lumped elements at junction points among structural components. Performing sensitivity studies through evaluating the impact of a set of modifications in the dynamic behaviour of complex structures by means of running several FEM models, requires significant computational effort and even if it is accepted, it is often not able to fit the experimental data adequately. In this context, the Direct Structural Dynamic Modification Method is defined as the procedure which permits one to evaluate the impact of a set of changes on the structural dynamic behaviour, without the need to continuously re-run the FEM Model. The Inverse SDM problem aims to identify in the framework of physical compatible sets of modifications, the most appropriate in order to fit the desired dynamic behaviour. In this study the ISDM problem is completed in order to be implemented efficiently in MATLAB and is applied to fit the analytical Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) with the experimental results. The full aircraft model and the Ground Vibration Test of the A340-600 are considered in order to test the power of the method when applied to a real and complex structure. From the results it can be seen that the parameters of the lumped elements at the interfaces among components are efficiently optimized in order to improve the dynamic response of the structure. The physical understanding of junction behaviour permits appropriate definition of the constraints of the optimization problem and to get a global minimum of the objective function. The results are shown in terms of FRFs and in terms of global FRF indicators


Vascular calcifications are frequent in chronic renal disease and are associated to significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The long term predictive value of coronary artery calcifications detected by multi-layer spiral computed tomography for major cardiovascular events was evaluated in non-diabetic Caucasian patients on maintenance hemodialysis free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Two-hundred and five patients on maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled into this observational, prospective cohort study. Patients underwent a single cardiac multi-layer spiral computed tomography. Calcium load was quantified and patients grouped according to the Agatston score: group 1 (Agatston score: 0), group 2 (Agatston score 1-400), group 3 (Agatston score 401-1000) and group 4 (Agatston score >1000). Follow-up was longer than seven years. Primary endpoint was death from a major cardiovascular event. Actuarial survival was calculated separately in the four groups with Kaplan-Meier method. Patients who died from causes other than cardiovascular disease and transplanted patients were censored. The "log rank" test was employed to compare survival curves. One-hundred two patients (49.7%) died for a major cardiovascular event during the follow-up period. Seven-year actuarial survival was more than 90% for groups 1 and 2, but failed to about 50% for group 3 and to <10% for group 4. Hence, Agatston score >400 predicts a significantly higher cardiovascular mortality compared with Agatston score <400 (p<0.0001); furthermore, serum Parathyroid hormone levels > 300 pg/l were associated to a lower survival (p < 0.05). Extended coronary artery calcifications detected by cardiac multi-layer spiral computed tomography, strongly predicted long term cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic Caucasian patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Moreover, it was not related to conventional indices of atherosclerosis, but to other non-traditional risk factors, as serum Parathyroid hormone levels. A full cost-benefit analysis is however necessary to justify a widespread use of cardiac multi-layer spiral computed tomography in clinical practice.


In this work, SiC nanowire (NW) FETs are prepared and their electrical measurements are presented. From the samples fabricated on the same substrate, various I-Vs shapes are obtained (linear, non linear symmetric, and asymmetric). With the assistance of simulation, we show that this is a result of different values of Schottky Barrier Heights (SBH) at Source (S) / Drain (D) contacts of FETs. An origin for this might be a non uniformity in annealing, NW doping level and high interface traps density (that pins the Fermi level) as well as the high sensitivity of the metal-NW contacts to local surface contaminations.


The objective of the current work is to develop an automatic tool to identify microbiological data types using computer vision and pattern recognition. Current systems rely on the subjective reading of profiles by a human expert. This process is time-consuming and prone to errors. Bacteriophage (phage) typing & Fluorescent imaging methods are used to extract representative feature profiles and identify the bacterial types. For feature selection of Bacterial identification system, the most successful method seems to be the appearance-based approach, which generally operates directly on images or appearances of bacterial objects. The image segmentation, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Direct Fractional LDA (DFLDA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are the powerful tools used for feature extraction. Then the principal components are analyzed by DFLDA and simple Nearest Neighbor Classifier technique is used to identify the type of bacteria. The trained feed forward back propagation neural network is used for validating and testing the bacterial images. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified through experimentation using fifty popular bacterial image databases.


We investigate pattern avoidance in permutations satisfying some additional restrictions. These are naturally considered in terms of avoiding patterns in linear extensions of certain forest-like partially ordered sets, which we call binary shrub forests. In this context, we enumerate forests avoiding patterns of length three. In four of the five non-equivalent cases, we present explicit enumerations by exhibiting bijections with certain lattice paths bounded above by the line y = lx , for some l ∈ Q + , one of these being the celebrated Duchon's club paths with l = 2/3. In the remaining case, we use the machinery of analytic combinatorics to determine the minimal polynomial of its generating function, and deduce its growth rate.


A total of 499 non-waxy rice lines including 172 landraces (the landrace set) and 327 cultivars and breeding lines (the breeding line set) were used to study the genetic diversity of starch physicochemical properties, and the differences between the landrace set and the breeding line set were compared. All the rice lines were planted in the same season and at the same location in Hainan province. Wide diversities of starch physicochemical properties were found, e.g. apparent amylose content ranged from 7.9% to 33% in normal rice and up to 39.8% in an amylose extender mutant; peak viscosity ranged from 90.1 to 305.4 RVU, hot paste viscosity from 77.5 to 248.1 RVU, and cold paste viscosity from 111.4 to 412.6 RVU; gel hardness ranged from 9.4 to 61.1 g. The breeding line set had a wider range of physicochemical properties than the landrace set with a rare exception in gel hardness. The mean values of nearly all the parameters showed significant differences between the two sets of rice except for the setback ratio. The adhesiveness and cohesiveness of landrace starches were significantly lower than those of the breeding lines whereas the other parameters of the landrace set were higher than those of the breeding line set. Analysis of correlation among these parameters indicated that most of the traits were significantly correlated. The wide range of physicochemical properties among non-waxy rice lines allows breeders to obtain breeding lines with desirable grain quality and food processors to select unique rice materials for specialty food processing, in addition to the applications in other processing industries.


To date, it is still impossible to sample the entire mammalian brain with single-neuron precision. This forces one to either use spikes (focusing on few neurons) or to use coarse-sampled activity (averaging over many neurons, e.g. LFP). Naturally, the sampling technique impacts inference about collective properties. Here, we emulate both sampling techniques on a spiking model to quantify how they alter observed correlations and signatures of criticality. We discover a general effect: when the inter-electrode distance is small, electrodes sample overlapping regions in space, which increases the correlation between the signals. For coarse-sampled activity, this can produce power-law distributions even for non-critical systems. In contrast, spikes enable one to distinguish the underlying dynamics. This explains why coarse measures and spikes have produced contradicting results in the past — that are now all consistent with a slightly subcritical regime.


Pakistan is passing through an early stage of fertility transition. The slow-paced transition has been analysed in an earlier study done by Sathar and Casterline (1998), which concludes that the increase in the levels of prevalence has accelerated the fertility transition in Pakistan and as a consequence marital fertility has declined. However, this claim is not supported by the relevant statistics. A re-examination reveals that the effect of contraception is the lowest in the decline of fertility. The rise in marriages and breastfeeding has played a significant inhibiting role in the decline of fertility and marital fertility has remained constant. The structural adjustment programme (SAP), initiated in late 1980s, has led to more poverty and the proportion of never-married has increased in Pakistan as revealed by the Population Census 1998. Labour force participation by the females increased in the post-SAP period. The new economic situation appears to be indirectly responsible for the decline of fertility, and it appears to be consistent with the Malthusian macro theory of fertility.


Different users have different needs when they submit a query to a web search engine. Common search engines investigate the World Wide Web (WWW) and find many pages according to user query regardless the query submission. The aim of web search personalization is to tailor search results for that particular user. One issue in this field is to gather user information without user intervention. Hence, this paper presents the insight of Artificial Immune Systems (AIS) for user profile construction and probing highly relevant pages in search results. From our investigations, we found conclude that AIS is a suitable personalization tool to knowledge discovery due to its adaptability and learning capability that are required to solve web search personalization.


Single-agent thalidomide (THAL) at "conventional" doses (> 100 mg/d) has been evaluated in myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM) based on its antiangiogenic properties and the prominent neoangiogenesis that occurs in MMM. THAL monotherapy at such doses produces approximately a 20% response rate in anemia but is poorly tolerated (an adverse dropout rate of > 50% in 3 months). To improve efficacy and tolerability, we prospectively treated 21 symptomatic patients (hemoglobin level < 10 g/dL or symptomatic splenomegaly) with MMM with low-dose THAL (50 mg/d) along with a 3-month oral prednisone (PRED) taper (beginning at 0.5 mg/kg/d). THAL-PRED was well tolerated in all enrolled patients, with 20 patients (95%) able to complete 3 months of treatment. An objective clinical response was demonstrated in 13 (62%) patients, all improvements in anemia. Among 10 patients who were dependent on erythrocyte transfusions, 7 (70%) improved and 4 (40%) became transfusion independent. Among 8 patients with thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100 x 10(9)/L), 6 (75%) experienced a 50% or higher increase in their platelet count. In 4 of 21 patients (19%), spleen size decreased by more than 50%. Responses observed were mostly durable after discontinuation of the PRED. The dose of THAL in this study (50 mg/d) was better tolerated than the higher doses used in previous studies. Adverse events associated with corticosteroid therapy were mild and transient. Clinical responses did not correlate with improvements in either intramedullary fibrosis or angiogenesis. THAL-PRED is well tolerated and preliminarily appears to be a promising drug regimen for treating cytopenias in patients with MMM.


Authors have demonstrated that by controlling the mixing ratio of polydimethylsiloxane's (PDMS's) two components-base polymer (part A) and a curing agent (part B)-different mechanical properties of PDMS can be achieved. Test results show that the Young's modulus decreases as the increasing of mixing ratios (A:B). However, there is a transitional mixing ratio (part A:part B=10) after which the Young's modulus is almost independent of the mixing ratio. The PDMS's thickness plays an important role in determining the mechanical properties. The results show that the thinner the PDMS, the stiffer it behaves. The bonding strength between two cured PDMS parts with different mixing ratios shows that it depends on the mixing ratio. A maximum bonding strength of 130 kPa occurs on a bonded couple with mixing ratios of 30A:1B and 3A:1B, respectively. The fracture on bonded specimens does not occur at the bonding interfaces. Instead it occurs at the side with a larger portion of part A. The intermediate material property formed at the interface is attributed to the diffusion layer formed.


Understanding the feedback between spatial structuring and evolution is a major goal of research in evolutionary ecology. A large body of theory has been developed in population genetics to quantify the degree of genetic structure of populations, but this often hinges on the assumption that population size is constant. At the same time, ecologists have long been interested in understanding the impact of spatial demographic structure on population dynamics. In this talk, I discuss some recent results which shed light on how genetic and demographic structuring both interplay to generate selective pressures in space. Using the example of host-parasite interactions, I will present and compare two modelling frameworks for the evolution of host and parasite life-history traits in space. First, I discuss an adaptive dynamics model in which invasion fitness is shown to depend on measures of epidemiological structure and on measures of genetic relatedness that coincide with classical relatedness coefficients from inclusive fitness theory. In particular, this provides an alternative, ecological route to the celebrated result of inclusive fitness theory that parasite virulence should decrease with relatedness, but with some important additional twists. Second, I relax the assumption of low mutation rates and present a population-genetics model with explicit epidemiological dynamics. This leads to insightful equations for the dynamics of the mean transmission and virulence in the parasite population. I conclude by discussing the conceptual and practical advantages of the two approaches.