AIMS
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is one of the most common inherited cardiomyopathies, characterized by progressive fibro-fatty replacement in the myocardium. Clinically, AC manifests itself with ventricular arrhythmias, syncope, and sudden death and shows wide inter- and intra-familial variability. Among the causative genes identified so far, those encoding for the desmosomal proteins plakophilin-2 (PKP2), desmoplakin (DSP), and desmoglein-2 (DSG2) are the most commonly mutated. So far, little is known about the molecular mechanism(s) behind such a varied spectrum of phenotypes, although it has been shown that the causative mutations not only lead to structural abnormalities but also affect the miRNA profiling of cardiac tissue. Here, we aimed at studying the pathogenic effects of a nonsense mutation of the desmoglein-2 gene, both at the structural level and in terms of miRNA expression pattern.

METHODS AND RESULTS
We generated transgenic mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of a FLAG-tagged human desmoglein-2 harbouring the Q558* nonsense mutation found in an AC patient. The hearts of these mice showed signs of fibrosis, decrease in desmosomal size and number, and reduction of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling. Genome-wide RNA-Seq performed in Tg-hQ hearts and non-transgenic hearts revealed that 24 miRNAs were dysregulated in transgenic animals. Further bioinformatic analyses for selected miRNAs suggested that miR-217-5p, miR-499-5p, and miR-708-5p might be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.

CONCLUSION
Down-regulation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling might be considered a common key event in the AC pathogenesis. We identified the miRNA signature in AC hearts, with miR-708-5p and miR-217-5p being the most up-regulated and miR-499-5p the most down-regulated miRNAs. All of them were predicted to be involved in the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and might reveal the potential pathophysiology mechanisms of AC, as well as be useful as therapeutic targets for the disease.


Abstract For over three years, Mencap (Nl) has provided and largely funded an 'Information and Advice Service' aimed primarily at family carers and people with learning disabilities. The service employs four advisers who cover most of Northern Ireland, offering telephone but also face-to-face contact with enquirers. They have access to a specially developed, computerized database that contains details of local as well as national resources. This paper describes the service and the evaluation process used. Information was obtained from four stakeholder groups, namely service-users; service-funders; the leaders of learning disability teams in Health and Social Services (HSS) Trusts and the chairpersons of Mencap local societies. The features of a good information and advice service are noted, along with the developments required to the existing service. In the main these relate to improved partnership working with statutory agencies and increasing the profile of the service with services, family carers and people with learning disabilities. The lessons learnt in Northern Ireland could usefully inform the development of similar services that are proposed for the Irish Republic, Scotland, England and Wales.


We used enriched marrow cells from mice administered three doses of 150 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 1, 3 and 7 days before they were killed to study the effects of different growth factors on the survival of primitive, cell-cycle dormant progenitors in culture. This cell population yielded substantially fewer colonies in response to single growth factors than corresponding preparations from day 2 post-5-FU bone marrow samples, and the majority of progenitors were multipotential in nature. These observations were consistent with the prediction that multiple cycles of 5-FU treatment would further enrich for primitive cells. With this cell population, we found that among all the factors tested, interleukin-3 (IL-3) and steel factor (SF) as single factors are the most effective in supporting survival of dormant primitive progenitors. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-11 (IL-11), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) also supported survival of a few progenitors, but much less effectively than either IL-3 or SF. The hematopoietic progenitors that survived for 1 week in liquid culture supplemented with either IL-3 or SF retained the capability to develop pre-B-cell colonies in secondary culture. Our results demonstrate that survival of dormant murine lymphohematopoietic cells in culture is dependent on the presence of specific growth factors, and that this growth factor requirement can be satisfied well by SF or IL-3.


Background: Organ donation research has centered on improving donation rates rather than focusing on the experience and impact on substitute decision makers. The purpose of this study was to document donor and nondonor family experiences, as well as lasting impacts of donation. Methods: We used a qualitative exploratory design. Semistructured interviews of 27 next-of-kin decision makers were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and entered into qualitative software. We analyzed the process-based reflections using inductive coding and thematic analysis techniques. Results: Four broad and interrelated themes emerged from the data: empathetic care, information needs, donation decision, and impact and follow-up. The donation experience left lasting impacts on family members due to lingering, unanswered questions. Suggested solutions to improve the donor experience for families included providers employing multimodal communication, ensuring a proper setting for family meetings, and the presence of a support person. Discussion: We now have improved our understanding of the donation process from the perspective of and final impression from the next of kin. To our knowledge, this is the largest cohort interviewed in Canada. We have explored families' experiences, which included but did not end with donation. We learned that despite being appreciative of nurses, physicians, and organ and tissue donation coordinators, family members were often troubled by unanswered questions. Conclusion: This study described donor and nondonor family experiences with donation as well as lasting impacts. Addressing unanswered questions should be done in a place sufficiently remote from the donation event to enhance the family members' understanding and well-being.


: Our past health care policies--policies relating to provision of services, development of medical resources, public financing of care, and regulation--constitute a legacy greatly affecting our future. A new health policy must accommodate the political, social, and economic manifestations of that legacy. In the coming decade, the health care policy debate will be dominated by the reinvigorated champions of "competition." The banner of pro-competitive reform could be used to cloak changes in programs that give at best nominal help to alternative practice forms, and at worst simply force consumers to bear greater proportions of the cost of care.


Dynamic binary analysis techniques play a central role to study the security of software systems and detect vulnerabilities in a broad range of devices and applications. Over the past decade, a variety of different techniques have been published, often alongside the release of prototype tools to demonstrate their effectiveness. Unfortunately, most of those techniques' implementations are deeply coupled with their dynamic analysis frameworks and are not easy to integrate in other frameworks. Those frameworks are not designed to expose their internal state or their results to other components. This prevents analysts from being able to combine together different tools to exploit their strengths and tackle complex problems which requires a combination of sophisticated techniques. Fragmentation and isolation are two important problems which too often results in duplicated efforts or in multiple equivalent solutions for the same problem – each based on a different programming language, abstraction model, or execution environment. In this paper, we present avatar2, a dynamic multi-target orchestration framework designed to enable interoperability between different dynamic binary analysis frameworks, debuggers, emulators, and real physical devices. Avatar2 allows the analyst to organize different tools in a complex topology and then "move" the execution of binary code from one system to the other. The framework supports the automated transfer of the internal state of the device/application, as well as the configurable forwarding of input/output and memory accesses to physical peripherals or emulated targets. To demonstrate avatar2 usage and versatility, in this paper we present three very different use cases in which we replicate a PLC rootkit presented at NDSS 2017, we test Firefox combining Angr and GDB, and we record the execution of an embedded device firmware using PANDA and OpenOCD. All tools and the three use cases will be released as open source to help other researchers to replicate our experiments and perform their own analysis tasks with avatar2.


Aim: To establish a helpful relationship between the nurse and the first-birth puerperal adolescents based in Peplau´s interpersonal relationship theory. The North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) diagnostic taxonomy is applied to foresee the patient´s answers regarding her state of health. Material and methods: The study was followed during November and December 2004 with an adolescent puerperal and the scenario was a common ward in a Public Maternity Clinic and the new mother´s home. One visit was at the hospital and three were domiciliary. Results and conclusions: During those visits the Peplau´s interpersonal process was followed with its observations and interview techniques. This study helps to know the purposes of the theory which systematized and guided the assistance to the adolescent mother. Besides it stresses the benefits of the theoretical models in nursing care.


The paper examines influences of doctoral study and structured early career interventions on academic work. It uses evidence from a survey in six Australian universities (n=1158) to explore academics' engagement with research and teaching development. It regards universities as social situations that are ambiguous, presenting conflicting opportunities for growth and development and the pursuit of personal objectives. Academics' emphases on different aspects of academic work involve complex responses that are subject to many influences. It shows that doctoral work may avoid developing key skills that academics need and that the extent to which doctoral study prepares academics for different aspects of their role is different in different disciplines and institutions. It also shows that the conduct of academics in their major roles is little influenced by the training and development they engage in. The paper discusses the survey findings in terms of what constrains and what enables academics to take up particular development opportunities. It argues that to understand academic practice, analysis of how organisational influences are interpreted is needed.


The current–voltage characteristics of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer constructed with an IrRuOx water oxidation catalyst and a Pt black water reduction catalyst, under operation with water vapor from a humidified carrier gas, have been investigated as a function of the gas flow rate, the relative humidity, and the presence of oxygen. The performance of the system with water vapor was also compared to the performance when the device was immersed in liquid water. With a humidified Ar(g) input stream at 20 °C, an electrolysis current density of 10 mA cm−2 was sustained at an applied voltage of ∼1.6 V, with a current density of 20 mA cm−2 observed at ∼1.7 V. In the system evaluated, at current densities >40 mA cm−2 the electrolysis of water vapor was limited by the mass flux of water to the PEM. At <40 mA cm−2, the electrolysis of water vapor supported a given current density at a lower applied bias than did the electrolysis of liquid water. The relative humidity of the input carrier gas strongly affected the current–voltage behavior, with lower electrolysis current density attributed to dehydration of the PEM at reduced humidity values. The results provide a proof-of-concept that, with sufficiently active catalysts, an efficient solar photoelectrolyzer could be operated only with water vapor as the feedstock, even at the low operating temperatures that may result in the absence of active heating. This approach therefore offers a route to avoid the light attenuation and mass transport limitations that are associated with bubble formation in these systems.


Eysenck (1981) proposed that the personality dimension of introversion– extraversion (E) reflects individual differences in a cortical arousal system modulated by reticulothalamic– cortical pathways: it is chronically more active in introverts relative to extraverts and influences cognitive performance in interaction with task parameters. A circuit with connections to this system, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate (AC) cortex, has been identified in studies applying functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to a broad range of cognitive tasks. We examined the influence of E, assessed with the Eysenck Personality QuestionnaireRevised (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1991), in fMRI activity during an "n-back" task involving four memory loads (0-, 1-, 2-, and 3-back) and a rest condition in healthy men. To confirm the specificity of E effects, we also examined the effects of neuroticism and psychoticism (P) scores. We observed that, as predicted by Eysenck's model, the higher the E score, the greater the change in fMRI signal from rest to the 3-back condition in the DLPFC and AC. In addition, E scores were negatively associated with resting fMRI signals in the thalamus and Broca's area extending to Wernicke's area, supporting the hypothesized (negative) relationship between E and resting arousal. P scores negatively correlated with resting fMRI signal in the globus pallidus–putamen, extending previous findings of a negative relationship of schizotypy to striatal activity seen with older neuroimaging modalities to fMRI. These observations suggest that individual differences affect brain responses during cognitive activity and at rest and provide evidence for the hypothesized neurobiological basis of personality.


Spatial inequality in developing countries is due to the natural advantages of some regions relative to others and to the presence of agglomeration forces, leading to clustering of activity. This paper reviews and develops some simple models that capture these first and second nature economic geographies. The presence of increasing returns to scale in cities leads to urban structures that are not optimally sized. This depresses the return to job creation, possibly retarding development. Looking at the wider regional structure, development can be associated with large shifts in the location of activity as industry goes from being inward looking to being export oriented.


ABSTRACT Gemin4 is a member of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein complex, which is responsible for the assembly and maturation of Sm-class small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). In metazoa, Sm snRNPs are assembled in the cytoplasm and subsequently imported into the nucleus. We previously showed that the SMN complex is required for snRNP import in vitro, although it remains unclear which specific components direct this process. Here, we report that Gemin4 overexpression drives SMN and the other Gemin proteins from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. Moreover, it disrupts the subnuclear localization of the Cajal body marker protein, coilin, in a dose-dependent manner. We identified three putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) motifs within Gemin4, one of which is necessary and sufficient to direct nuclear import. Overexpression of Gemin4 constructs lacking this NLS sequestered Gemin3 and, to a lesser extent Gemin2, in the cytoplasm but had little effect on the nuclear accumulation of SMN. We also investigated the effects of Gemin4 depletion in the laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. Gemin4 null mice die early in embryonic development, demonstrating that Gemin4 is an essential mammalian protein. When crossed onto a severe SMA mutant background, heterozygous loss of Gemin4 failed to modify the early postnatal mortality phenotype of SMA type I (Smn−/−;SMN2+/+) mice. We conclude that Gemin4 plays an essential role in mammalian snRNP biogenesis, and may facilitate import of the SMN complex (or subunits thereof) into the nucleus. Summary: Gemin4 loss-of-function is recessive lethal in mice, whereas in cell culture its overexpression results in a dominant, gain-of-function relocalization of SMN and other Gemin proteins to the nucleus.


Background: The growing importance of hospitals in physical and mental health improvement has led to focus on improving service quality; and hospitals have considered it as a major competitive advantage. This study aimed at investigating the role of improving services quality on hospital brand preference in healthcare industry. Materials and Methods: This applied study was a descriptive one. A sample of 394 patients selected using stratified and convenient sampling from hospitals of Shiraz city. Data gathering using questionnaire; in order to data analysis, LISREL 8.80 and SPSS 19 were utilized using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques. Data analysis was used to confirm the relationships between variables. Results: Study results indicated that there was a significant positive effect of service quality on patient satisfaction, patient loyalty and brand equity of hospital. Patient satisfaction had positive effect on patient loyalty to the hospital and the loyalty had significant effect on hospital's brand equity. Finally, the effect of hospital brand equity was confirmed on hospital brand preference. Conclusion: According to the study results, it can be suggested that hospitals management take some measures for service quality improvement which can be enhanced hospital brand preference among other hospitals, both spreading justly public health in all layers of society as well as increasing profitability.


This article offers a brief and simplified guide to the basics of learning theory. Certain central topics are described: classical conditioning, instrumental (operant) conditioning, extinction and inhibition, discrimination, and biological constraints on learning. A proper how-to guide would spell out how the findings and theories described under these headings can be applied to the explanation of phenomena in animal cognition, but that is an ambition rather than an achievement to be described (and the work is perhaps best left to others engaged directly in the study of animal cognition). Nonetheless, this article expresses the hope that learning theory will not be seen as an alternative to cognitive processing but rather will form part of a full account of the mechanisms involved in such processing. DOI:10.3819/CCBR.2021.160001 Volume 16, 2021


The paper tests three hypotheses concerning foreign equity investment in the presence of liquidity risk. First, the FDI-to-FPI price differential is negatively related to liquidity risk (the "Price Discount Hypothesis"). The idea is that market participants do not know whether the FDI investor liquidates a firm because of an idiosyncratic liquidity shock, or because, as an informed investor, the firm is hit by a productivity shock. Second, the FDI-to-FPI composition of foreign equity investment skews towards FPI, if investors are expected to experience liquidity shortage in the future (the "Equity-Composition Hypothesis"). The idea is that because direct investments are more costly to liquidate, due to the price discount, the more severe is the expected liquidity shock, the smaller is the FDI-to-FPI ratio. Third, the FDI-to-FPI composition of foreign equity flows skews towards FDI, the larger are past FDI-to-FPI stocks (the "Strategic Complementarity Hypothesis"). The idea is that high liquidity need investors generate a positive information-externality for low liquidity need investors among investors who choose FDI, and further increases in the number of FDI investors comes from mainly high liquidity need investors. Such an increase reinforces the information externality, thereby lowering the FDI-to-FPI price discount, creating further incentives for investors to choose FDI. The paper brings these hypotheses to country level data consisting of a large set of developed and developing countries over the period 1970 to 2004. The evidence gives strong support to the hypotheses. To test the hypothesis, we apply also a dynamic panel model to examine the variation of FPI relative to FDI for source and host countries from 1985 to 2004. Country-wide sales of external assets are used as a proxy for liquidity problems. We estimate the determinants of liquidity problems, and then test the effect of expected liquidity problems on stock prices, the ratio of FPI to FDI and gross flows of FDI and FPI. We find strong support for the hypotheses: greater expected liquidity problems increase the price discount, have a significant positive effect on gross flows of FPI, negative effect on gross flows of FPI, and positive effect on the ratio between FPI and FDI.


This paper presents an approach for economical assessment related to the penetration of wind power generators in electric power networks. The proposed method is based on analytical formulation that considers the uncertainties involved with wind speed and load demand. The results show that the methodology also permits the analysis of distributed wind generators insertion considering different technical and economical parameters.


We explore the following question: Is a decision-making program fair, for some useful definition of fairness? First, we describe how several algorithmic fairness questions can be phrased as program verification problems. Second, we discuss an automated verification technique for proving or disproving fairness of decision-making programs with respect to a probabilistic model of the population.


This work suggests a new analysis approach for a discrete-time GI/G/1 queue with multiple vacations. The method used is called a modified supplementary variable technique and our result is an exact transform-free expression for the steady state queue length distribution. Utilizing this result, we propose a simple two-moment approximation for the queue length distribution. From this, approximations for the mean queue length and the probabilities of the number of customers in the system are also obtained. To evaluate the approximations, we conduct numerical experiments which show that our approximations are remarkably simple yet provide fairly good performance, especially for a Bernoulli arrival process.


The quenching and partitioning (Q&P) process is a novel heat treatment for the development of advanced high strength steels that is raising an elevated interest by steel makers and steel researchers around the world. The reason is that reported results on mechanical properties, showing promising levels of forming and strength, are proving this new type of steel as a serious competitor of TRIP, DP and martensitic steels. The Q&P heat treatment consists of an initial partial or full austenitisation, followed by a quench to form a controlled amount of martensite and an isothermal treatment to partition the carbon from the martensite to the austenite. Although the path of the heat treatment is simple, the investigations have shown that the evolution of the microstructure during the application of the Q&P process is rather complicated. Processes occurring during the partitioning step, such as the migration of the interfaces, the carbon accumulation near the austenite interfaces and the carbon diffusion through ferrite, have strong effects on the resulting microstructure. In this work, the most important microstructural changes found during the application and simulation of the partitioning step of the Q&P process are analysed and discussed. Procedures to control the microstructure development in the application of the Q&P process are proposed.


An Experimental Study on the Effect of Ultrasonication on Viscosity and Heat Transfer Performance of Aqueous Suspensions of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes. ( May 2008 ) Paritosh Garg, B.E., University of Delhi Co-Chairs of Advisory Committee: Dr. Jorge Alvarado Dr. Kalyan Annamalai Through past research, it is known that carbon nanotubes have the potential of enhancing the thermal performance of heat transfer fluids. The research is of importance in electronics cooling, defense, space, transportation applications and any other area where small and highly efficient heat transfer systems are needed. However, most of the past work discusses the experimental results by focusing on the effect of varying concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the thermal performance of CNT nanofluids. Not much work has been done on studying the effect of processing variables. In the current experimental work, accurate measurements were carried out in an effort to understand the impact of several key variables on laminar flow convective heat transfer. The impact of ultrasonication energy on CNT nanofluids processing, and the corresponding effects on flow and thermal properties were studied in detail. The properties measured were viscosity, thermal conductivity and the convective heat transfer under laminar conditions. Four samples of 1 wt % multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) aqueous suspensions with different ultrasonication times were prepared for the study. Direct imaging was done using a newly developed wet-TEM iv technique to assess the dispersion characteristics of CNT nanofluid samples. The results obtained were discussed in the context of the CNT nanofluid preparation by ultrasonication and its indirect effect on each of the properties. It was found that the changes in viscosity and enhancements in thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer are affected by ultrasonication time. The maximum enhancements in thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer were found to be 20 % and 32 %, respectively, in the sample processed for 40 minutes. The thermal conductivity enhancement increased considerably at temperatures greater than 24 C. The percentage enhancement in convective heat transfer was found to increase with the axial distance in the heat transfer section. Additionally, the suspensions were found to exhibit a shear thinning behavior, which followed the Power Law viscosity model.


Mapping the DNA-binding preferences of transcription factor (TF) complexes is critical for deciphering the functions of cis-regulatory elements. Here, we developed a computational method that compares co-occurring motif spacings in conserved versus unconserved regions of the human genome to detect evolutionarily constrained binding sites of rigid TF complexes. Structural data were used to estimate TF complex physical plausibility, explore overlapping motif arrangements seldom tackled by non-structure-aware methods, and generate and analyse three-dimensional models of the predicted complexes bound to DNA. Using this approach, we predicted 422 physically realistic TF complex motifs at 18% false discovery rate, the majority of which (326, 77%) contain some sequence overlap between binding sites. The set of mostly novel complexes is enriched in known composite motifs, predictive of binding site configurations in TF–TF–DNA crystal structures, and supported by ChIP-seq datasets. Structural modelling revealed three cooperativity mechanisms: direct protein–protein interactions, potentially indirect interactions and 'through-DNA' interactions. Indeed, 38% of the predicted complexes were found to contain four or more bases in which TF pairs appear to synergize through overlapping binding to the same DNA base pairs in opposite grooves or strands. Our TF complex and associated binding site predictions are available as a web resource at http://bejerano.stanford.edu/complex.


We operated on primary malignant melanoma of the lung, attaching the pericardium, diaphragm, and parietal pleura. A 48-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of persistent dyspnea and cough. A preoperative computed tomography of the chest revealed 3 lesions in the right lung and a mass on the diaphragm between the right lung's lower lobe and heart. A middle lobectomy was performed. The mass on the diaphragm had invaded the diaphragm and pericardium strictly. With a pericardiectomy and a diaphragmatic resection, the mass was removed in an en-bloc manner. Adjuvant chemotherapy was started 1 month after surgery and consisted of 5 days course of iv injection of cisplatin (90 mg/kg). The follow-up period was 5 years and uneventful. For primary pulmonary melanoma, even if it has intrapulmonary metastases, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy can provide uneventful survival for more than 5 years.


Background Palliative sedation, or bringing about a state of decreased or absent awareness (unconsciousness), is one of the therapies used in end-of-life healthcare settings in order to manage refractory symptoms such as pain, dyspnoea and distress. It is intended to relieve the burden of intolerable suffering of patients who are in the process of dying. Nurses are centrally involved in the utilisation of palliative sedation in end-of-life care; however, there is minimal research available in relation to their experiences in this regard. The dearth of research prompted this study.

Aim To explore the experiences of palliative care nurses in the utilisation of palliative sedation in end-of-life care.

Methodology A descriptive phenomenological methodology was adopted involving unstructured interviews. A purposive sample was used of 10 palliative care nurses with at least 1 year's experience of working in a hospice setting in Ireland. The data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-stage phenomenological method.

Findings Data analysis led to the identification of four core themes: (1) information sharing, (2) timing of palliative sedation, (3) level of sedation and (4) palliative sedation as a last resort. The results indicate that the participants were generally satisfied with the processes that underpinned decisions to introduce palliative sedation. They saw it as a highly complex intervention, in part because it involved individuals with very complex conditions and symptoms.

Conclusions Palliative care patients, families and the general public in Ireland need to have greater understanding of the role of palliative sedation in the treatment of refractory symptoms at the end of life.


: There is an emerging research interest in addressing the online 3D bin packing problem (3D-BPP), which has a wide range of applications in logistics industry. However, neither heuristic methods nor those based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) outperform human packers in real logistics scenarios. One important reason is that humans can make corrections after performing inappropriate packing actions by unpacking incorrectly packed items. Inspired by such an unpacking mechanism, we present a DRL-based packing-and-unpacking network (PUN) to learn the synergies between the two actions for the online 3D-BPP. Experimental results demonstrate that PUN achieves the state-of-the-art performance and the supplementary video shows that the system based on PUN can reliably complete the online 3D bin packing task in the real world.


Inner bremsstrahlung accompanying the first-forbidden beta decay of 86Rb was measured using the magnetic defection technique with a 4.5*5.1 cm2 NaI(Tl) crystal in the energy range 200-1660 keV. The raw spectrum was unfolded using the step-by-step process of Starfelt and Liden and compared with KUB, LF and FM theories. The measured spectrum is found to show fairly good agreement with LF theory in the energy range 200-1500 keV and it is found to deviate thereafter from all three theories.


Predator impacts on intertidal community structure have been studied for rocky platforms, but intertidal boulder fields, a habitat with a greater extension and heterogeneity, have not yet been considered. Keeping in mind that disturbances are considered an important force in determining intertidal habitat diversity, the aims of this work were to describe and quantify boulder field community structure and to assess boulder field community dynamics by proposing possible food webs, taking into consideration predatory and anthropogenic impacts. These aims were achieved by installing predator-exclusion cages outfitted with rocks that were monitored monthly over one year in two study zones, a Management and Exploitation Area for Benthic Resources (MEABR, Playa Chica) and open-access area (OAA, Playa Grande). For both study zones, juveniles were the dominant observed ontogenetic state and invertebrate richness and density were higher inside exclusion cages. Furthermore, the MEABR had a differentiated impact on community structure and dynamics in comparison with the OAA. In conclusion, the roles played by boulder fields in intertidal diversity, especially in recruitment and as a nursery zone, are important to consider in management plans.


Introduction A pilot exposure assessment study using biomonitoring was conducted in Ireland to determine the likelihood of exposure to pesticides among amenity horticulturalists. A spot sampling approach was employed of workers using pesticides, had urinary pesticide concentrations in post-work samples with a geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) of 0.66 (1.11) µg L -1 for glyphosate and 0.29 (1.69) µg L -1 for fluroxypyr. The study showed a potential for pesticide exposure during horticulture amenity work, higher than average environmental exposure levels and warranted further investigation. Methods In 2017, an exposure assessment study involving 24 hour biomonitoring will take place to evaluate pesticide exposure among these workers. Workers will be grouped into four similar exposure groups based on application method and active ingredient used, glyphosate or fluroxypyr. Three urine samples will be collected for each task, a sample before the task begins, a sample within one hour of the task completion and a following morning void. The potential routes of exposure, will be examined through the collection of additional dermal, glove and potentially contaminated object wipe samples. Dermal wipes of the hands and the perioral region will be taken before and after the task and glove analysis will be conducted. Detailed contextual information will be collected by the researcher to support all samples collected. Results The biomonitoring results will indicate the extent of pesticide uptake for each task. Correlation between the dermal and biomonitoring samples will be investigated to explore the contribution of dermal exposure. The perioral and the contaminated object wipes alongside the contextual information will be used to determine the potential exposure from inadvertent ingestion. Discussion This study will provide a comprehensive biomonitoring dataset describing amenity horticultural user's exposure to glyphosate and fluroxypyr and the contribution of dermal and inadvertent ingestion routes on total body burden of pesticides.


The aim of this study was to design a new model of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based diagnostic method using mouse genome for one rare epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations with diagnostic and prognostic values in lung cancer (this mutation are not covered by commercial test kits). From the systematic database search, one rare mutations identified which is within the tyrosine kinase (TK) domain of EGFR, with an insertion mutation in exon 20 namely A763_Y764insFQEA. For designing primers to detect the targeted regions surrounding the rare mutations, Primer3 Plus was carried out to design two sets of PCR primers for exon 20 of mouse EGFR gene. UCSC (University of California Santa Cruz) in silico PCR testing along with BLASTN search were used for primer specificity in terms of predicted target location (chromosome 11 for exon 20) and predicted amplicon sizes (276 bp for exon 20). PCR was partially optimised for the exon 20 with the presence of expected amplicon bands, along with unspecific and primer-dimer bands. The amplicon was sequenced and revealed the presence of the mutation. The mutation of interest selected was A763_Y764insFQEA (insertion of phenylalanine, glutamine, glutamic acid and alanine in between codon 763 and 764) in exon 20, the mutation was in the kinase domain of EGFR. The Identification and Analysis for rare Molecular Detection of EGFR Mutation in Lung Cancer Using Bioinformatics Database with PCR Technique Ayad Mohammed Ali and Kameran Mohammed Ali 227 Vol: 13 No:2 , April 2017 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24237/djps.1302.211B P-ISSN: 2222-8373 E-ISSN: 2518-9255 mutations via this way is sensitive, simple, accurate and inexpensive technique. It is used as genetic markers for allelic and mutational sequence variation.


The aim of this study is to analyze the major cause of the instability of foreign direct investments in Albania these last years, their lowest level of FDI when compared with other countries in the region, and the importance of these investments in developing countries like Albania. The size of FDI has a significant effect on the financial and macroeconomic factors, government and infrastructure factors, and the factors by fiscal nature. In this study, we disengage fiscal factors and in particular, the corporate profit tax rate. The aim of this study was to prove that in countries with weak legal infrastructure, this factor is statistically significant in attracting Foreign Direct Investment. Thus, should Albania be considered as a country with weak legal infrastructure? Due to this question, we took into consideration specific indicators measured in recent years by various world organizations by comparing them with various countries of the region. Also, we built an econometric model through multiple regression by collecting data on the tax rate applied in Albania from 1992- 2016, and the level of FDI for this period. This is in a bid to ascertain the effect or impact that profit taxes has on FDI inflows in Albania. In conclusion, Corporate Tax Rates is a factor that has a very significant impact on the size of FDI in Albania.


The electronic structure of Al1−xInxN(101¯0) surfaces is investigated by cross-sectional scanning tunneling spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The surface exhibits empty Al and/or In-derived dangling bond states, which are calculated to be within the fundamental bulk band gap for In compositions smaller than 60%. The energy of the lowest empty In-derived surface state is extracted from the tunnel spectra for lattice-matched Al1–xInxN with In compositions of x = 0.19 and x = 0.20 to be EC − 1.82 ± 0.41 and EC − 1.80 ± 0.56 eV, respectively, in good agreement with the calculated energies. Under growth conditions, the Fermi level is hence pinned (unpinned) for In compositions smaller (larger) than 60%. The analysis of the tunnel spectra suggests an electron affinity of ∼3.5 eV for nonpolar lattice-matched Al1–xInxN cleavage surfaces, which is large compared to linearly interpolated values of polar AlN and InN (0001) surfaces.


Success in Algebra I often predicts whether or not a student will pursue higher levels of mathematics and science. However, many students enter algebra holding persistent misconceptions that are difficult to eliminate, thus, hindering their ability to succeed in algebra. One way to address these misconceptions is to implement worked-examples and selfexplanation prompts, which have been shown to improve students' conceptual knowledge. However this effect seems to be greater after a delay. The current study sought to explore such time-related effects on algebra conceptual knowledge. In a year-long random-assignment study, students either studied worked-examples and answered self-explanation prompts (n = 132) or solved typical isomorphic problems (n = 140). A three-way mixed ANCOVA (pre-algebra knowledge x condition x time) found a significant condition by time effect. The growth of algebra conceptual knowledge was greater for students studying worked-examples than for those solving typical problems.


The Schizosaccharomyces pombe mei4(+) gene encoding a forkhead transcription factor is necessary for the progression of meiosis and sporulation. We searched for novel meiotic genes, the expression of which is dependent on Mei4p, since only the spo6(+) gene has been assigned to its targets. Six known genes responsible for meiotic recombination were examined by Northern blotting, but none were Mei4 dependent for transcription. We determined the important cis-acting element, designated FLEX, to which Mei4p can bind. The S. pombe genome sequence database (The Sanger Centre, UK) was scanned for the central core heptamer and its flanking 3' sequence of FLEX composed of 17 nucleotides, and 10 candidate targets of Mei4 were selected. These contained a FLEX-like sequence in the 5' upstream nontranslatable region within 1 kb of the initiation codon. Northern blotting confirmed that 9 of them, named mde1(+) to mde9(+), were transcriptionally induced during meiosis and were dependent on mei4(+). Most mde genes have not been genetically defined yet, except for mde9(+), which is identical to spn5(+), which encodes one of the septin family of proteins. mde3(+) and a related gene pit1(+) encode proteins related to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ime2. The double disruptant frequently produced asci having an abnormal number and size of spores, although it completed meiosis. We also found that the forkhead DNA-binding domain of Mei4p binds to the FLEX-like element in the putative promoter region of mei4 and that the maximum induction level of mei4 mRNA required functional mei4 activity. Furthermore, expression of a reporter gene driven by the authentic mei4 promoter was induced in vegetative cells by ectopic overproduction of Mei4p. These results suggest that mei4 transcription is positively autoregulated.


Different approaches to obtaining uncertainty estimates of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are explored. The resulting estimates are used to enhance the understanding of spatial variability of the NAO over different time periods. Among the parametric and nonparametric approaches investigated in this study, the bootstrap is nonparametric and not confined to the assumption of normally distributed data. It gives physically plausible uncertainty estimates. The NAO uncertainty estimates depend on sample sizes with greater sampling variability as sample size is smaller. The NAO uncertainty varies with time but common features include that themost uncertain values are centered between the centers of action of theNAOand are asymmetric in the zonal direction (more uncertainty in the eastward direction or downstream). The bootstrap can also be used to provide direct measures of uncertainty regarding the location of the NAO action centers. The uncertainty of the location of the NAO action centers not only helps assess the shift in the NAO but also provides evidence of more than two action centers. The methods reported on here could in principle be applied to any EOF-derived climate pattern.


Miller production began its decline phase in July 1997. To investigate the challenges of the decline period and the options for extending field life a detailed reservoir heterogeneity model was set up based on analysis of 26 wells, of which 19 were cored. The Miller fan is a high net: gross sandy submarine fan system in which lobe abandonment facies and numerous thin shales form the important heterogeneities. Each reservoir zone was described in terms of eight depositional elements and fourteen lithotypes. These descriptions were incorporated into the model at a resolution which ensured capture of the most significant heterogeneities. A stochastic generator was used to build a detailed static description of the permeability of the reservoir. The important heterogeneities were captured in a cell size of 60 m × 60 m × c. 0.02 m. Volumetric rock properties such as zone isochore, net: gross and porosity were mapped using conventional methods. The static description was up-scaled into an area of local grid refinement of the Eclipse reservoir simulator with 33 dynamic subzones at a cell size of 100 m × 100 m × c. 2.5 m. The detailed reservoir model matched well and field performance in the decline period more closely than the previous deterministic model. Stochastic realizations of the model enabled a better estimate of uncertainty to be demonstrated. The success of the process indicated that greater benefit would be obtained by its extension over a larger area of the field.


ABSTRACT Circadian patterns of activity are considered ubiquitous and adaptive, and are often invoked as a mechanism for temporal niche partitioning. Yet, comparisons of rhythmic behavior in related animal species are uncommon. This is particularly true of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), in which studies of whole-animal patterns of behavior are far outweighed by examinations of tissue-specific molecular clocks. Here, we used a comparative approach to examine the circadian patterns of flight behavior in Manduca sexta and Hyles lineata [two distantly related species of hawkmoth (Sphingidae)]. By filming isolated, individual animals, we were able to examine rhythmic locomotor (flight) activity at the species level, as well as at the level of the individual sexes, and in the absence of interference from social interaction. Our results confirmed classic descriptions of strictly nocturnal behavior in M. sexta and demonstrated a dramatically different activity pattern in H. lineata. Furthermore, we showed distinct species and sex-specific differences in the maintenance of the endogenous rhythm under conditions of constant darkness. In both species, female activity peaked in advance of males whereas male activity coincided with periods of female sexual receptivity. This suggests a role for circadian patterns of locomotor activity in synchronizing periods of sexual receptivity between the sexes. Summary: Analysis of circadian rhythmicity in the locomotor activity of two hawkmoth species (Manduca sexta and Hyles lineata) reveals consistent sex differences in the timing of activity.


Using Cloud services and Big Data platforms is considered a technological innovation in healthcare, furthermore improving performance of clinical data analytics and enabling the development of eHealth applications.
In healthcare, Big Data can rapidly be used for obtaining new knowledge through online diagnostic and prediction tools, such as prevention of diseases, as well as easier access and reduced cost of healthcare services. Also, Cloud Computing enables the fast deployment of software applications as web services - Software as a Service (SaaS), which are hosted in a secure datacenter with elastic resources enabling scalability in case of workload change and failover redundancy in case of disasters.
However, the problem of learning to work with such new technologies involves a delay in the adoption, many due to misunderstanding of aspects regarding data privacy and ownership issues, risks of misuse of personal data, and new scientific risks.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare technological innovations in eLearning for Cloud and Big Data technologies in the healthcare domain, moreover proposing an acceleration framework for the training of scientists and eHealth users in the use of open source tools. Furthermore, validated learning methods are proposed for eLearning where best practices for security and data management problems are addressed, given the heterogeneous nature of the communication and computing environment.
The paper fills a gap in the eLearning literature by providing an overview of Cloud and Big Data best practices and open source tools that can be integrated for accelerated adoption in the healthcare domain.


This is the second of two articles exploring efforts at bridging the nuclear weapons gap between France and West Germany during the final decade of the Cold War. This gap existed in various ways: in the two countries' respective international standing, with the relationship between Paris and Bonn complicated by France's possession of nuclear weapons; in their alliance choices, with their differing approaches to NATO military integration and strategy; and in their tactical nuclear military options (inseparable from conventional options), with the two countries fundamentally at odds over desirable procedures. The first article, published in the previous issue of the JCWS, explores the period from 1981 to 1986. This follow-on article covers the years 1986 to 1990. Although ultimately the dilemmas of nuclear sharing proved impossible to resolve, progress was made in the final years of the Cold War in narrowing differences between the two countries, whose bilateral relationship has been crucial for Europe and the West as a whole in the post–Cold War era.


Recently we have developed a mixed initiative based dialogue technology, for telephone applications, paying particular attention to its portability to different domains. It works with continuous speech and can manage different contexts. A prototype system has been built for a train timetable inquiry domain. Using this system more than 70 dialogues have been collected and annotated and corresponding performance has been evaluated. The dialogue technology will be presented and discussed in the details and some results will be reported.


BCI systems can use additional intelligence such as machine vision or obstacle avoidance routines to provide a goal-oriented approach. This paper describes a P300-based BCI system to control a small robotic arm. On the robot arm's gripper a small camera was mounted continuously capturing images from the environment. The software waits for a character from the P300-based BCI speller to turn either clockwise or counterclockwise. Once turning the image detection software automatically searches for the colored object and delivers it to a preset target location. Results showed that the BCI system performed fast and accurate.


This article elaborates analysis of the normative foundations of the European Union's policy for reconciliation of work and family life, with a specific focus on the shifts produced by the introduction of the Open Method of Coordination in the field of childcare policy. The main objective is to examine how childcare has been conceptualised for the purposes of EU public-policy making throughout the years of European integration (1951-2008) and whether the endorsement of the European Employment Strategy (EES) in 1997 has made an impact on this process. Adopting a constructivist analytical framework and policy frame analysis as main research method, the paper maps out the contemporary policy problematizations related to childcare provision, and traces their presence and dynamic development at the EU level. Based on a keyword search in the database of European Union law Eur-Lex, a dataset of 83 documents (42 pieces of secondary legislation and 41 Presidency Conclusions) is formed. The latter is subsequently examined through qualitative content analysis. The study reveals the normative and cognitive evolution of the policy-making process prior to and after the introduction of EES.


Discomfort glare is a well known problem within the built environment. However very little research has been conducted on discomfort glare in purely tropical environments. This preliminary investigation focussed on the ST Diamond Building located in Putrajaya, Malaysia. In total, 68 surveys were collected during the investigation. The surveys consisted of a questionnaire as well as luminance mapping of the occupant's visual environment. Luminance maps were analysed via Evalglare to calculate the Daylight Glare Probability (DGP) and Unified Glare Probability (UGP). It was discovered that occupants were more tolerant to potential glare than expected, most likely due to the high luminance uniformity from innovative daylighting strategies employed in the building. Occupant position in relation to the window had a significant effect on both glare indices tested. The UGP was much better at predicting glare for occupants further away from the façade. Type 2 (or false-negative) analysis was conducted on both glare indices. A false-negative result occurs when the survey response was "uncomfortable" but the index being tested predicted "comfortable". The method showed promising results for UGP in the case of the ST Diamond Building, with an index threshold of 0.35 required to achieve 95% accuracy in predicted comfort. The DGP required an index threshold of 0.07, which may be impractical to implement in lighting design.


Abstract. With an increase in the number of natural processes represented, global land surface models (LSMs) have become more and more accurate in representing natural terrestrial ecosystems. However, they are still limited with respect to the impact of agriculture on land surface variables. This is particularly true for agro-hydrological processes related to a strong human control on freshwater. While many LSMs consider natural processes only, the development of human-related processes, e.g. crop phenology and irrigation in LSMs, is key. In this study, we present the implementation of a new crop phenology and irrigation scheme in the ISBA (interactions between soil–biosphere–atmosphere) LSM. This highly flexible scheme is designed to account for various configurations and can be applied at different spatial scales. For each vegetation type within a model grid cell, three irrigation systems can be used at the same time. A limited number of parameters are used to control (1) the amount of water used for irrigation, (2) irrigation triggering (based on the soil moisture stress), and (3) crop seasonality (emergence and harvesting). A case study is presented over Nebraska (USA). This region is chosen for its high irrigation density and because independent observations of irrigation practices can be used to verify the simulated irrigation amounts. The ISBA simulations with and without the new crop phenology and irrigation scheme are compared to different satellite-based observations. The comparison shows that the irrigation scheme improves the simulated vegetation variables such as leaf area index, gross primary productivity, and land surface temperature. In addition to a better representation of land surface processes, the results point to potential applications of this new version of the ISBA model for water resource monitoring and climate change impact studies.


ABSTRACT The acute health care system in Australia, as in the global north, has been increasingly dominated by neoliberal market principles prioritising efficiency and cost reduction. This has occurred in conjunction with a shift towards 'personalised care' models in health and social services. Personalised care models are intended to support the provision of holistic health care and consumer choice. Yet, the bureaucratic context of acute health care produces constrained applications of person-centred care that can undermine patient participation. Personalised care models have been criticised for diminishing the choices available to socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. There has been scant attention to these equity issues and ethical implications of the model for older people transferring from acute hospital settings to residential aged care. This is significant, as this major life event is associated with social- and identity-related losses; can produce poor health outcomes; and is affecting an increasing population of older people. The aim of this paper is to address this gap in the debate through a critical literature review applying Tronto's critical ethics of care. We highlight the current Australian context for this patient group and the transferability of palliative care models as an example for change in practice and resource allocation.


Finance theory and practice are incomplete without an integrated theory of integrity. Following Erhard, Jensen and Zaffron (2007) I define integrity without reference to morals, values, religion, or ethics. Something is in integrity if it is whole, complete and sound. Integrity is closely related to workability because an entity or system that is out of integrity will not be whole, complete and sound. Workability is the bridge to value. The farther out of integrity the less well any given entity will work. The positive proposition that increasing the integrity of a firm will contribute to increasing its value is no different in kind from the positive proposition that the net present value investment rule will lead to value creation. The theory thus implies that integrity is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for the maximization of long-term value. The theory is testable and refutable. I illustrate the application of this concept in finance by considering several examples:1. The implicitly held proposition that firm's managers owe fiduciary responsibility to current shareholders only (excluding current and future bondholders and future shareholders). This leads to the widely held recommendation/belief that the appropriate action for a firm whose equity is substantially overvalued is to sell new equity and pay out the proceeds to current shareholders or to acquire a less overvalued firm through an equity transaction. Both of these policies will create a system in which future shareholders find that they have been taken in the transaction. Policies that expropriate wealth from future shareholders or bondholders cannot contribute to the creation of long-term value. Interestingly, U.S. disclosure laws provide some obligations for managers to take into account the interests of future bond and stockholders. 2. I discuss the extensive empirical evidence on the puzzling low-integrity value-destroying equilibrium between managers and capital markets and argue that understanding how this equilibrium continues to exist is a major challenge for our profession.-------PDF file of Keynote slides for speech first presented on the occasion of the presentation of the LECG Lifetime Achievement Award in Recognition of his Contributions to the Field of Financial Economics to Michael C. Jensen at the meetings of the American Finance Association, Boston, MA, Jan. 6, 2006; also presented to the Centre for Corporate Governance, London Business School, London, UK, Jan. 19, 2006; the Center for Corporate Governance, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, March 1, 2006; Journal of Corporate Finance Conference on Private Equity, LBOs, and Corporate Governance, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, April 21, 2006; CFO Forum, U. of Washington Business School, Seattle, WA, May 17, 2006, JOIMs Fall 2006 Conference, Boston, MA, Sept. 2006, Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, Baruch College, NYC, Oct. 2006; State Street Global Markets 7th Annual Research retreat, Boston, MA March 1, 2007: Society of Quantitative Analysts (SQA) Society, Fuzzy Day Conference, NY, NY, June 18, 2007; Smith Breeden Associates? Investment Research Seminar, Pinehurst, NC, Oct. 4, 2007; Tuck School of Business, Corporate Governance Workshop for Large Institutional Investors, Oct. 8, 2007; Deutsche Asset Management, Global Quantitative Investor Strategies: The Art of Alpha and Beta, NY, NY, Oct. 17, 2007; Financial Management Association, Orlando, FL, Oct. 18, 2007; DeAM European Investor Conference -- Alternative Sources of Alpha: The Art of Alpha and Beta, Berlin, Germany, Nov. 7, 2007; U. of South Florida and Society of Financial Analysts Conference on The Relationship of Value to Governance, Tampa, FL, Feb. 1; London Business School Private Equity Institute Seminar, April 14, 2008; Mays Business School, Texas AM Keynote Address, Financial Intermediation Research Society (FIRS), Prague, Czech Republic, May 29, 2009; and Keynote Address, European J. of Finance and J. of Business Ethics Joint Conference: Law, Ethics and Finance, Schulich Business School, York U., Sept. 17, 2010; Financial Accounting and Reporting Section (FARS) of the American Accounting Association (AAA), Plenary Session, Tampa, FL,January 28, 2011.


The 2011 Irish general election is generally regarded as an 'earthquake election', with the governing Fianna Fail party – traditionally the dominant force in Irish politics – suffering heavy losses and a Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition coming to power in its place. With the next general election due to be held within 18 months, Rory Costello assesses how party support has developed during the course of the current parliament. He writes that while Fianna Fail has recovered some of its support, the real story has been a surge in the popularity of independents and fringe parties.


The high incidence of cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors among various ethnic groups in Indonesia is possibly closely related to the nutrients intake pattern of groups in Indonesia especially the Minangkabau ethnic group. Therefore, a cross sectional study was implemented to describe the nutrients intake pattern of a Minangkabau ethnic group. To achieve the objective the required sample size of 480 was selected. The studied population consisted of adults aged 18 years and older, living in the city of Padang. This study used sub-samples of a Body Mass Index Survey in provinces of Indonesia. Data of actual food intake, collected through a 24-hours dietary recall method were used to estimate the nutrient intake pattern. The nutrients intake data showed that the Minangkabau ethnic group had a poor quality of dietary fat pattern and a high risk toward cardiovascular risk factors, especially concerning dyslipidemia.


Summary Biometrics is a rapidly evolving technology which is being widely used in forensics such as criminal identification and prison security, and has the potential to be used in a large range of civilian application areas. Biometrics can be used to prevent unauthorized access to ATMs, cellular phones, smart cards, desktop PCs, workstations, and computer networks. It can be used during transactions conducted via telephone and internet (electronic commerce and electronic banking). In automobiles, biometrics can replace keys with key-less entry devices. Although many technologies fit in the biometric space, each works a bit differently. Relatively new on the biometric scene, face recognition devices use PC-attached cameras to record facial geometry. Once the biometric data is collected, it is encrypted and stored--locally, in the case of the desktop-only products; in a central database for the network solutions. When a user tries to log on, the software compares the incoming biometric data against the stored data.


Mining activities in Jajang iron and manganese ore mines located in Keonjhar district of Odisha, India starting from mineral explorations to production and transport are causing environmental damage in many ways, which includes deforestation, loss of topsoil, accelerated soil erosion, migration of wildlife and avifauna, and addition of air pollutants and dust to the atmosphere. In connection to this, the current study was an attempt to regain the original ecological status of the degraded areas of Jajang iron and manganese ore mines caused due to mining by Rungta Mines Limited. To achieve this indigenous plant species for restoration were selected from mining forests and plantations. Species selection from mining forests was made through systematic phytosociological analysis that involved measurement of Importance Value Index (IVI), regeneration values of tree species and their economic uses. On the other hand, species selection from plantations was made based on their growth, productivity, economic uses and adaptation to terrain and soil types. Shrubs and grasses were selected based on their relative index and abundance, respectively. The top 15 tree and 16 grass species as well as all six shrub species were selected from mining forests and plantations were considered for restoration. The findings of the study may also aids in the faster restoration of degraded habitats with initial human facilitation as the soils of degraded areas were similar to that of the mining forest. To speed up the recovery process after-care and monitoring have also been suggested or advised.


Ceramsite is a typical representation of artificial lightweight aggregates and the new energy saving and soil building materials. It has great prospects for development new material in the field of wall materials innovation and building energy efficiency. Ceramsite prepared from fly ash, coal gangue, sludge and other solid wastes were studied. Its crushing strength was 3.4~13MPa and water absorption was 2.0% ~ 18.0%, which are consistent with national performance targets. And we discussed ceramsite's main problems in the preparation and application and prospect. To use solid wastes to prepare ceramsite can provide a new space for resource utilization and has better social environment and economic benefits.


BACKGROUND
It was found by classical cytogenetic methods that approximately 80% of X-chromatin positive mates have karyotype 47,XXY and the rest have mosaicism of sex chromosomes. More sensitive molecular-cytogenetic studies allow to evaluate even non-dividing cells of different tissues and therefore they suggest that there could be more frequent occurrence of patients with numerical changes of gonosomes than quoted in the literature. The aim of this study was to detect numerical changes of sex chromosomes by means of double-colour fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) in dividing and non-dividing nuclei of peripheral lymphocytes of males with Klinefelter's syndrome, to compare clinical findings with cytogenetic results, to determine differences in sensitivity of classical and molecular-cytogenetic methods and estimatere the values obtained with controls (healthy males).

METHODS AND RESULTS
26 males with previously diagnosed Klinefelter's sy were examined. Classical cytogenetic studies consisted of evaluation of at least 20 G-banded mitoses of 72 h cultivated peripheral blood. The results we obtained: 19 patients with 47,XXY, 5 mosaics 47,XXY/46,XY, 1 patient mosaic 46,XX/47,XXY and 1 patient 48,XXYY karyotype. The results of double colour FISH and classical cytogenetics were compared and mosaics of cells with normal karyotype 46,XY was found. As a control 10 healthy males were examined and mosaics of gonosomes were not detected.

CONCLUSIONS
FISH method has a higher sensitivity for detection of sex chromosomes mosaics than classical cytogenetics. The existence of small cellular side clones with 46,XY karyotype or numerical sex chromosomes changes which were not determined previously can be proved by FISH in patients with Klinefelter's sy.


Rab GDP dissociation inhibitors (GDI)-facilitated extraction of prenylated Rab proteins from membranes plays an important role in vesicular membrane trafficking. The investigated thermodynamic properties of yeast Rab·GDI and Rab·MRS6 complexes demonstrated differences in the Rab binding properties of the closely related Rab GDI and MRS6 proteins, consistent with their functional diversity. The importance of the Rab C terminus and its prenylation for GDI/MRS6 binding was demonstrated using both biochemical and structural data. The presented structures of the apo-form yeast Rab GDI and its two complexes with unprenylated Rab proteins, together with the earlier published structures of the prenylated Ypt1·GDI, provide evidence of allosteric regulation of the GDI lipid binding site opening, which plays a key role in the proposed mechanism of GDI-mediated Rab extraction. We suggest a model for the interaction of GDI with prenylated Rab proteins that incorporates a stepwise increase in affinity as the three different partial interactions are successively formed.


: Combining careful medical preparation with subsequent selective intravascular sclerotherapy, one-year survival rate of patients with bleeding oesophageal varices was increased to 90%. Of 41 patients with bleeding oesophageal varices, class Child A-C, none died of bleeding from the varices within the first year after sclerotherapy. Four patients died within the first year, two from liver failure due to severe alcohol abuse, one from liver failure with terminal primary biliary cirrhosis and one from an undiagnosed bleeding duodenal ulcer. Improved results were obtained by two measures: (1) instead of immediate sclerosing at time of diagnosis, initial arrest of bleeding with a Sengstaken tube and, if necessary, administration of vasopressin and improvement in general status by intensive measures to stabilise the circulation and clotting mechanism; (2) selective radiologically controlled intravascular sclerotherapy with a flexible special endoscope 1-2 days after admission. The particular advantage of selective intravascular sclerosing, though it is complicated, lies in the fact that fundal varices and supplying veins to the stomach can also be sclerosed and severe early as well as late complications are exceedingly rare.


In nearly all authoritarian regimes, democratization finds significant societal support and a number of organized opposition groups struggle for regime change. In some cases—such as in Iran in 1979— opposition groups are able to cooperate with one another and bring down authoritarianism. In others—such as the Assad regime in Syria—groups are not able to cooperate, and the ruler remains in place. Studies that apply cooperation theory on regimes predict that shared grievances about the current government and common interests in changing the existing regime foster cooperation among challengers. Yet, evidence suggests the contrary. This study examines the conditions under which diverse challengers, despite persistent divergence in their ideological preferences, are able to achieve a level of long-term cooperation that can transform the status quo. It uses the case studies of the Ottoman transition to constitutional monarchy (1876–1908) and the French transition to constitutional monarchy (1814–1830), paired according to the least similar systems design, in combination with network theory. Using this methodology, this study analyzes the effect of preferences on ideological issues (how the new regime should look like) and on strategic issues (how regime change should be carried out) to explain temporal dynamics of cooperation for regime change among challengers. This study conducts historiographical and archival work to identify the relevant actors and relevant issue dimensions and track preferences on these issues over time. It applies these findings on longitudinal network models (known as temporal exponential random graph models) to measure the extent to which preference alignment on an issue dimension, strategic or ideological, bring challengers to cooperate. Also, this study introduces two concepts. The first concept is "de-prioritization," the process whereby challengers postpone the resolution of certain ideological disagreements to form sustainable cooperation against the regime. The second concept is "preference revision," the process whereby challengers pragmatically replace their strategic preferences with more effective ones in response to past failures and environmental changes. Together these concepts emphasize that challengers become more likely to cooperate for regime change if they converge on a particular strategy of transition and sideline their ideological differences (if any). Convergence of preferences on strategic issues and the de-prioritization of ideological disagreements (if any) prepares the rise of a coherent oppositional coalition that is capable of signaling unity and coherence, hence potential to overthrow the regime if necessary or extract considerable concessions form an oppositional coalition that is capable of signaling unity and coherence, hence potential to overthrow the regime if necessary or extract considerable concessions. Findings suggest that without preference-revision and de-prioritization, challengers remain divided and heterogeneous in their approach, at best achieving temporary gains that are later reversed in the course of authoritarian retrenchment. This study further shows that the oppositional coalition tends to form around a core actor who has been committed to effective strategies and attracts others (peripheral actors) who agree with the core on the strategies but not necessarily on the ideologies. The implication of these findings are twofold: By taking dynamics of cooperation among challengers into account, we can distinguish between the cases where the regime is strong enough and takes on challengers and those where the government is weak but surviving because opposition groups are unable to assume power. Also, there is a link between the rise of an oppositional coalition and the likelihood of regime change happening. Degree Type Dissertation This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2050 Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Political Science First Advisor Rudra Sil Second Advisor Julia Lynch


Submicron-sized monodisperse and spherical poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-glycidyl methacrylate)-β-cyclodextrin (PNG-CD) microgels with both thermo-responsive and molecular-recognition characteristics have been successfully fabricated via soap-free emulsion polymerization and subsequent chemical modification method. The thermo-responsivity of the microgels is based on the volume phase transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and the molecular-recognition property is based on the host-guest inclusion complexation of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) units with specific guest molecules. The as-prepared microgels are characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) instrument. When β-CD is introduced onto the PNG-CD microgels, the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) of resultant PNG-CD microgels shifts about 6 °C to a higher temperature in comparison with that of corresponding PNG microgels. When the β-CD units in PNG-CD microgels recognize 8-anilino-1-naphthal-enesulfonic acid ammonium salt (ANS) molecules in aqueous solution, the VPTT of PNG-CD microgels shifts around 3 °C negatively to a lower temperature. PNG-CD microgels present molecular-recognition induced swelling characteristics at fixed temperature. The results in this study provide valuable information for development of monodisperse and spherical dual thermo-responsive and molecular-recognition microgels which have potential applications in the fields of microscale molecular sensors and actuators and so on.


1. The interaction of aflatoxin B(1) with different polynucleotides was studied spectrophotometrically. Equations were derived that enable the degree of binding to be determined without first determining the extinction coefficient of the bound form. 2. The interaction with calf thymus DNA obeys first-order relationships with an association constant of 0.40mm(-1), but there is some evidence for a secondary binding process from results obtained at 390nm. 3. The spectral shifts decreased in the order polyadenylic acid+polyuridylic acid>DNA>polyadenylic acid>polyadenylic acid+polyinosinic acid. Polycytidylic acid, polyuridylic acid, polyinosinic acid (both single- and triple-stranded), AMP, CMP, GMP and UMP did not interact with aflatoxin. It was concluded that there is a requirement for the amino group of adenine (or possibly guanine) for binding of aflatoxin to polynucleotides to occur. 4. Binding is reversed by increasing ionic strength, and by Mn(2+) and Mg(2+) in the concentration range studied (0-5mm). The effect of the Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) was far greater than would be expected on the basis of their ionic strength. With both the bivalent cations and sodium chloride the reversal is greatest with double-stranded polynucleotides. 5. Inhibition in vitro of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli by aflatoxin B(1) was detected only in the absence of Mg(2+) and at concentrations of Mn(2+) below the optimum for RNA synthesis in vitro. 6. The degree of inhibition (maximally 30%) was dependent on the concentration of Mn(2+) and decreased during incubation.


The UK has one of the least energy-efficient housing stocks in Europe. By 2030, the emissions from UK homes need to fall by at least 24% from 1990 levels to meet the UK's ambitious goal, which is reaching net-zero emissions. The originality of this paper is to apply the building typology approach to predict energy savings of the UK housing stock under a step-by-step energy retrofit scenario, targeting the Passive House Standard for refurbishments of existing buildings, namely the EnerPHit "Quality-Approved Energy Retrofit with Passive House Components." The typologies consist of twenty reference buildings, representative of five construction ages and four building sizes. The energy balance of the UK residential buildings was created and validated against statistical data. A building stock retrofit plan specifying the order in which to apply energy efficiency measures was elaborated, and energy savings were calculated. The predicted total energy demand for the UK residential building stock for the year 2022 is 37.7 MTOE, and the carbon emissions estimation is 65.33 MtCO2e. The energy-saving potential is 87%, and carbon reductions are about 76%, considering all the steps of renovation applied. It has been demonstrated that the step that provides the biggest savings across the housing stock is the one that involves replacing windows, draught-proofing, and installing mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.


In this paper, the compressive strength, tensile strength and growing rate of compressive strength in 3, 7, 28 and 90 day ages for steel, polypropylene and hybrid steel-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete with different water to binder ratios (0.4 and 0.5) in a real marine condition and tidal zone were determined. Moreover, regarding a large number of gathered data from the other researches, new equations between compressive strength, tensile strength and elasticity modulus for different types of steel fiber reinforced concrete were proposed. Finally, proposed equations were compared and verified for a marine environment. Based on marine environment results, compressive strength of polypropylene and hybrid steel-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete were about 18 % and 5 % greater than plain concrete in 90 day ages, respectively and steel fibers had not meaningful effect on compressive strength in 90 day ages. By increasing the water to binder ratio, the compressive strength of plain concrete and steel fiber reinforced concrete was decreased about 18 % and 25 %, respectively. Also in 28 and 90 days, steel fiber reinforced concrete tensile strength was increased about 15 % in 0.4 water to binder ratio and 20 % in 0.5 water to binder ratio rather than plain concrete. Effect of steel fiber in increment of plain concrete tensile strength in 0.5 water to binder ratio was higher than 0.4. Steel fiber reinforced concrete elasticity modulus was lower than related plain concrete and with increasing the compressive strength, the difference between elasticity modulus of steel fiber reinforced concrete and plain concrete was decreased. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.24.2.17909


This study undertakes an analysis of how ergative/absolutive Case marking takes place in Basque, a structure which appears to be similar to that of an accusative language. Case marking of argument NP's is argued to occur under government by independent AGR elements which surface as agreement affixes on the auxiliary and which may occupy different structural positions in different sentences, resulting in the disparity between syntactic structure and Case marking which Basque presents. This analysis is shown to have important consequences for the analysis of impersonal and reflexive constructions, where an argument position is left unmarked for Case. Impersonal or reflexive interpretations are obtained depending on whether the subject or the object position is Caseless. The analysis also extends naturally to certain sentences which do not contain Case assigners and where the Case filter is shown to force restructuring.


The changes in internal states, such as fear, hunger and sleep affect behavioral responses in animals. In most of the cases, these state-dependent influences are "pleiotropic": one state affects multiple sensory modalities and behaviors; "scalable": the strengths and choices of such modulations differ depending on the imminence of demands; and "persistent": once the state is switched on the effects last even after the internal demands are off. These prominent features of state-control enable animals to adjust their behavioral responses depending on their internal demands. Here, we studied the neuronal mechanisms of state-controls by investigating energy-deprived state (hunger state) and social-deprived state of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, as prototypic models. To approach these questions, we developed two novel methods: a genetically based method to map sites of neuromodulation in the brain and optogenetic tools in Drosophila. These methods, and genetic perturbations, reveal that the effect of hunger to alter behavioral sensitivity to gustatory cues is mediate by two distinct neuromodulatory pathways. The neuropeptide F (NPF) – dopamine (DA) pathway increases sugar sensitivity under mild starvation, while the adipokinetic hormone (AKH)- short neuropeptide F (sNPF) pathway decreases bitter sensitivity under severe starvation. These two pathways are recruited under different levels of energy demands without any cross interaction. Effects of both of the pathways are mediated by modulation of the gustatory sensory neurons, which reinforce the concept that sensory neurons constitute an important locus for state-dependent control of behaviors. Our data suggests that multiple independent neuromodulatory pathways are underlying pleiotropic and scalable effects of the hunger state. In addition, using optogenetic tool, we show that the neural control of male courtship song can be separated into probabilistic/biasing, and deterministic/command-like components. The former, but not the latter, neurons are subject to functional modulation by social experience, supporting the idea that they constitute a locus of state-dependent influence. Interestingly, moreover, brief activation of the former, but not the latter, neurons trigger persistent behavioral response for more than 10 min. Altogether, these findings and new tools described in this dissertation offer new entry points for future researchers to understand the neuronal mechanism of state control.


Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major public health concern, affecting almost 16 million people in the U.S. and leading to 452,300 deaths in 2004 alone. Low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol have been shown to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The role of genetics in affecting total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides levels is significant, with heritability estimates exceeding 50%. Recent studies have identified major loci associated with HDL-cholesterol through genome-wide association studies, which investigated influences of common variants on common traits. Relatively few studies have investigated the impact of rare variants (or common variants with a modest affect) on common disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the genetic variation in APOA2 (a biological candidate gene involved in HDL metabolism) in relation to HDL-cholesterol levels in epidemiological samples of African Blacks and U.S. Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). We resequenced APOA2 in individuals with HDL-cholesterol levels in the upper 5th percentile (47 NHWs and 48 Blacks) and lower 5th percentile (48 NHWs and 47 Blacks), allowing us to identify both rare and common variants. Common tagSNPs and all rare variants have been screened in the larger NHW and Black samples for associations with HDL-cholesterol levels. We detected a total of 26 variants (25 single nucleotide substitutions and 1 microsatellite); 12 of which were previously unreported. Of the 12 new variants, 6 were present in NHWs and 6 in Blacks. We observed an increased number of minor alleles of APOA2 variants (either increased heterozygosity for rare variants or increased homozygosity for common variants) in subjects with low HDL levels, more pronounced in NHWs. We performed a preliminary analysis using a total of 9 variants that were screened in NHWs (n=624, 8 variants) and Blacks (n=788, 5 variants) with TaqMan SNP genotyping assays to date. For the 8 variants that were screened in NHWs, we found significant association in only females for variants 2233C>T/rs6413453 (p=0.028) and 3251A>G (p=0.023). Completing genotyping for remaining variants will allow us to determine the extent to which APOA2 variants influence HDL levels.


A frequently voiced critique is that due to lower yields on organically managed farmlands, one cannot feed a country using organic agriculture. In this paper, we aim to mathematically disprove this claim by developing a linear programming model and produce a detailed agriculture plan for Turkey sufficient to feed her population with a 2400 kcal daily menu on average, solely comprising of organic foods. The model uses information about population sizes and food needs of 81 cities in Turkey, and yields of 120 food, feed, forage crops, and four animal products. I ntensive and extensive livestock production methods as well as food transportation between cities has been incorporated into the model. The resulting problem with 950 thousand variables and 40 thousand constraints can be solved with an optimization package in under a minute. Results, prescribing how many acres of each crop should be grown in each city, indicate that to feed the country fully on organic produce, 63% of the arable land suffices, yielding 8.9 million hectares of unused land where further organic foods could be grown for export or aid. We also run the model under different scenarios: fully vegetarian diet, omnivore model, different transportation structures, drought conditions and a limit on fruit trees. With this work, we have shown that it is possible to feed the whole population of Turkey with an agricultural practice that is not harmful to human health, soil, water and air; respects biological cycles and reduces food miles and fossil fuel consumption, thus contributing to sustainability and fighting climate change. We tested preliminary scenarios to understand the robustness of organic agriculture in the face of extreme weather events. The proposed model can also be applied to other countries when appropriate data are used.


Linear focal elastosis is an uncommon dermal elastic disorder, characterized by palpable, linear bands clinically and an increase in abnormal elastic tissue histologically. Two similar cases are presented and discussed.


An instrument combining an electrospray ionization source and a velocity-map imaging (VMI) spectrometer has been developed in order to study the delayed electron emission of molecular anions and especially of polyanions. It operates at a high repetition rate (kHz) in order to increase the acquisition speed. The VMI spectrometer has been upgraded for nanosecond time resolution by gating the voltages applied on the position-sensitive detector. Kinetic energy release distribution of thermionic emission (without any contribution from direct detachment) can be recorded for well-defined delays after the nanosecond laser excitation. The capability of the instrument is demonstrated by recording photodetachment spectra of the benchmark C60(-) anion and C84(2-) dianion.


We present the geochemical composition and the stable isotope signature ( 18 O/ 16 O and 2 H/ 1 H) of waters sampled from six lakes (Caldonazzo, Levico, Lases, Santa Colomba, Lamar and Santo) located in the Province of Trento. The chemical compositions invariably revealed a HCO3-Ca hydrochemical facies; however slight differences were observed among the lakes, in relation to the lithologies distinguishing each lakes'drainage basin. Elemental ratios and in particular the Rb/Sr provide a discriminative tool to recognize the rocks that have been weathered; for example this ratio is high in water that interacted with volcanic ignimbrites (rhyolites), and low in rocks that interacted with carbonate rocks. Many other trace elements were analyzed, thus providing baseline data, and only arsenic displayed concentrations higher than the legislative threshold defined for drinking water (10µg/l), especially in Lake Levico (10-19 µg/l). As concerns the stable isotopes δD and δ 18 O, the obtained results approach the meteoric signature for waters sampled during the 2012 winter season. The waters sampled during two summers (2011 and 2012) displayed distinctive trends, reflecting the significant influence of evaporative processes. We emphasize that the annual differences recorded in the isotopic composition of distinct years are plausibly related to temperature changes and type of precipitation that recharged the lakes. In this light, the peculiar isotopic signature recorded in the year 2011 is possibly related to a significant snowy period, which greatly contributed to the lakes' water budget. Interestingly, waters from Lake Santa Colomba were systematically different from all the other samples, possibly due to more effective evaporative processes, or to


A sub-group of at-risk learners, familiar to high school counsellors, consists of students who have demonstrated academic capability yet begin to fail in their senior years. Although they do not fit within a high-risk profile, such students are at risk of not completing their secondary school education and may acquire inadequate preparation for post-secondary education or rewarding careers. Our goal was to describe the achievement perspectives of three such students from a small rural community, using qualitative interviews. We found that academic, social, family, and peer factors influenced their decision making. We suggest ways to modify school practices to provide better support for such students.


Zinc is an essential dietary element that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer, a cancer that disproportionately affects men of African descent. Studies assessing the association of zinc intake and prostate cancer have yielded inconsistent results. Furthermore, very little is known about the relationship between zinc intake and prostate cancer among African Americans. We examined the association between self-reported zinc intake and prostate cancer in a hospital-based case-control study of African Americans. We then compared our results with previous studies by performing a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence regarding the association between zinc and prostate cancer. Newly diagnosed African American men with histologically confirmed prostate cancer (n = 127) and controls (n = 81) were recruited from an urban academic urology clinic in Washington, DC. Controls had higher zinc intake, with a mean of 14 mg/day versus 11 mg/day for cases. We observed a non-significant, non-linear increase in prostate cancer when comparing tertiles of zinc intake (OR <6.5 vs 6.5–12.5mg/day 1.8, 95% CI: 0.6,5.6; OR <6.5 vs >12.5mg/day 1.3, 95% CI: 0.2,6.5). The pooled estimate from 17 studies (including 3 cohorts, 2 nested case-control, 11 case-control studies, and 1 randomized clinical trial, with a total of 111,199 participants and 11,689 cases of prostate cancer) was 1.07hi vs lo 95% CI: 0.98–1.16. Using a dose-response meta-analysis, we observed a non-linear trend in the relationship between zinc intake and prostate cancer (p for nonlinearity = 0.0022). This is the first study to examine the relationship between zinc intake in black men and risk of prostate cancer and systematically evaluate available epidemiologic evidence about the magnitude of the relationship between zinc intake and prostate cancer. Despite of the lower intake of zinc by prostate cancer patients, our meta-analysis indicated that there is no evidence for an association between zinc intake and prostate cancer.


The glasses of the composition 30PbO-65B2O3-0.5SiO2-(4.5–x)Al2O3-xSm2O3 with x varying from 0 to 2 mol% have been synthesized. Optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra in the spectral range 300-2200 nm and 450-700 nm, respectively, were studied at ambient temperature. The Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to characterize these spectra. The analysis of the results indicated that the glasses containing maximum concentration of Al3+ ions in octahedral positions is preferable for achieving the highest luminescence efficiency.


This project is mainly focused on the improving and design of the ventilation system of two rooms at different levels of a gym (Friskis and Svettis in Gavle, Sweden) to reduce the concentration to never be higher than 1000 ppm.For this purpose, several field measurements were performed in different locations and situations. Two main measurements were necessary. On one hand, the level in different parts of the rooms during different activities. On the other hand, the air flow through the inlet and outlet ducts of the ventilation system. It was also important to take into account the indoor temperature and humidity. These measurements were enough to analyze the failures of the system and to recognize the worst points of each room.Comparing both rooms, the necessity of changing the ventilation system in one of these rooms was much higher, due to there were measured values up to 3000 ppm during a typical day in the gym.With this information the consequences of high CO2 levels in human people were analyzed. Among various ventilation systems, displacement ventilation system was proposed as the new design. Theoretical calculations were made to reach to the value of 31.8 in the air change rate (ACH), which was the necessary value for the new design to keep the carbon dioxide level under 1000 ppm.


Water determines the survival, health, and welfare of human beings and other biotic and abiotic communities, as well as destructive agents in some situations/times. More than a billion people do not have access to potable water and more than two billion people lack proper sanitation globally. For any environmentally sustainable usage of water resources to be meaningful a sound management practice and procedure that will take into consideration the needs (clean water for human consumption and other domestic uses, to support agricultural industries and other manufacturing industries, hydro-power generation, mining, fisheries and fish farming) must be in place. Water resources management in Niger Republic has been prioritised in line with the above needs, as in the millennium development goals (MDGs) while achieving the set target in targeted year 2015 cannot be guaranteed, Niger as other Sub-Saharan countries and the entire African countries have put enormous efforts to meet this MDGs target but more is needed to be done. The challenges facing Niger's water supply and sanitation (WSS) sector are serious obstacles to achieving sustainable drinking water access and sanitation. To achieve its 2015 MDGs, Niger's WSS sector will need to double its capacity in the years to come.


Alert correlation is a promising technique in intrusion detection. It analyzes the alerts from one or more intrusion detection system and provides a compact summarized report and high-level view of attempted intrusions which highly improves security effectiveness. Correlation component is a procedure which aggregates alerts according to certain criteria. The aggregated alerts could have common features or represent steps of pre-defined scenario attacks. Correlation approaches composed of a single component or a comprehensive set of components. The effectiveness of a component depends heavily on the nature of the real alerts or the dataset analyzed. The order of correlation components affects the correlation process performance. Moreover not all components should be used for different dataset. This paper presents implementation of an Agent Based Correlation Model for real-time intrusion detection alerts. Learning agent learns the nature of alerts within a network then guides the whole correlation process and components in such a suitable way of which components could be used and in which order. The model improves the performance of correlation process by selecting the proper components to be used. The simulation results showed that ABCM model assures minimum alerts to be processed on each component depending on the dataset and minimum time for correlation process.