The review of literature in this paper includes the assessment of risk process and addresses issues of both human as well as ecological receptors. The main objective of this review is to highlight an overview of the scientific research literature published in year 2017. The review is focused on assessment of risk on human and ecology published in the literature such as analysis, methodology, interpretation, management, uncertainty, policy and regulatory guidance. The review on ecological and human health risk assessment is divided into two main sections namely ecological and human health. The focus of the review is on the risk assessment process as it is applied to human health, ecoological systems, site investigation, aspects of remediation as well as natural resources.


Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising candidates for future energy systems due to their ability to use renewable fuels and that they are energy efficient. A fully coupled two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the finite element method (using COMSOL Multiphysics) is developed to describe an intermediate temperature SOFC single cell. Governing equations for various transport processes including heat, mass, momentum and charge transport (ion and electron) are implemented and coupled with the chemical and electrochemical reactions that take place inside the cell. The chemical and electrochemical reactions are strongly bonded to heat transfer being special contributors to the global and local energy balances of the cell. Thus, the effect of methane in the fuel composition on the reaction rate focusing on the polarizations is studied. When considering a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen as the electrochemically active fuels, a lower open circuit voltage is observed, which means lower activation polarizations, increased reaction rates and an increase in the temperature difference of the whole cell unit. Consequently, by reducing the methane concentration, less methane steam reforming is required which leads to a higher cell temperature difference increasing the electrochemical reaction rate. Nevertheless, high temperature gradients introduce mechanical stresses and material degradation which may cause cell failure. (Less)


Crafting the models for effective model-based testing (MBT) requires deep understanding of the problem domain and expertise on formal modeling, and creating the models manually from the scratch requires a significant amount of effort. When an existing system is being modeled and tested, there are various techniques to automate the process of producing the models based on the implementation. Especially graphical user interface (GUI) applications have been a good domain for reverse engineering and specification mining approaches, but the existing academic approaches have limitations and restrictions on the GUI applications that can be modeled, and none of them have been adopted by the industry for testing commercial software. Although using implementation based models in testing has restrictions and requires special consideration, the generated models can be used in automated testing and supporting various manual testing actions. In this paper we introduce an industrial approach and platform-independent Murphy tool set for automatically extracting state models for testing GUI applications.


Advanced high spectral and spatial resolution imager spectrometers on board new generation of Earth Observation missions bring new exciting opportunities to the remote sensing scientific community. However, this progress goes hand in hand with new challenges. The exploitation of data acquired from these family of advanced instruments requires new processing algorithms able to deal with these particularities. As part of this evolution, atmospheric correction algorithms - a mandatory processing step applied prior to the Earth surface reflectance data exploitation - must be adapted or reformulated, thereby paying special attention to how atmospheric effects disturb the acquired signal in the spectral and spatial domains.
For these reasons, this Thesis aims to develop new atmospheric correction strategies to be applied over very high spectral and spatial resolution data. Following this goal, this Thesis was conducted in the framework of two missions during their development phase: (1) the FLEX/Sentinel–3 tandem space mission (for high spectral resolution data) and, (2) the Ingenio/SEOsat space mission (for high spatial resolution data). In the context of these missions, an additional challenge is introduced when acquiring proximal remote sensing data for their validation. This is especially relevant for the FLEX mission, which is dedicated to monitor the weak Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) signal.
Following this motivation, the main objectives of this Thesis are threefold:
The first objective involved to analyse atmospheric effects on the Ingenio/SEOsat high spatial and low spectral resolution satellite mission and to propose a new atmospheric correction strategy. This strategy was called Hybrid and combines: (1) a per–pixel atmospheric radiative transfer model inversion technique making use of auxiliary data to characterize the atmospheric state, followed by (2) an image deconvolution technique modelling the atmospheric MTF to correct for atmospheric spatial effects. The Hybrid method was applied to Sentinel–2 data, particularly over bands acquired at 10 m resolution due to its similarities with the Ingenio/SEOsat mission.
The second objective involved to define a novel atmospheric correction strategy for the FLEX/Sentinel-3 tandem mission. The proposed strategy is a two-steps method where information from Sentinel-3 instruments, OLCI and SLSTR, is first used in synergy to characterize the aerosol and water vapour presence. The high spectral resolution of FLEX data is subsequently exploited to refine the previously aerosol characterization. As part of this objective, the suitability of all the approximations assumed in the formulation proposed for the atmospheric inversion of FLEX data was validated against the FLEX mission requirements.
The third objective involved to develop a strategy that deals with the atmospheric correction of very high spectral and spatial resolution data acquired at lower atmospheric scales such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or systems mounted on towers. In this Thesis, it was demonstrated that even when acquiring the signal at proximal remote sensing scale, i.e. few meters from the target, oxygen absorption must be compensated to properly estimate SIF within these spectral regions. For this reason, a strategy to compensate for the oxygen absorption while properly dealing with the instrumental spectral response function convolution was presented and tested using simulated data.
Altogether, this work identified challenges associated with atmospheric correction when applying to high spatial and especially to very high spectral resolution data. In this Thesis, adequate formulations have been developed to resolve these difficulties, and successful methodologies have been designed for the particular cases of SEOsat (high spatial resolution) and FLEX (high spectral resolution); two future remote sensing space missions that will be launched in the forthcoming years.


In response to DNA damage a cell can be forced to permanently exit the cell cycle and become senescent. Senescence provides an early barrier against tumor development by preventing proliferation of cells with damaged DNA. By studying single cells, we show that Cdk activity is retained after DNA damage until terminal cell cycle exit. The low level of Cdk activity not only allows cell cycle progression, but also forces cell cycle exit at a decision point in G2 phase. We find that Cdk activity stimulates p21 production, leading to nuclear sequestration of Cyclin B1, subsequent APC/CCdh1-dependent degradation of mitotic inducers and induction of senescence. We suggest that the same activity that triggers mitosis in an unperturbed cell cycle drives senescence in the presence of DNA damage, ensuring a robust response when most needed.


agents, double auction, electronic trading, negotiation, adaptive behaviour Cliff (1997) has demonstrated that simple, adaptive agents are able to trade in a form of double auction marketplace, in such a way that trade prices converge towards the equilibrium price of the marketplace. However, the marketplace within which the agents trade is unrealistic. In this paper, we consider a more realistic form of double auction market, the persistent shout double auction. We present agents based on the ZIP agents of Cliff (1997), but with an alternative set of heuristics for use within this auction. We demonstrate that the resulting agents achieve equilibrium significantly faster than ZIP agents do, maintain a more stable equilibrium, and are more robust to changes in learning rate.


The volume collects the essays presented at the 11th Workshop on Public Finance organised by Banca d'Italia in Perugia on 26-28 March 2009. The workshop examined the issue of pension reform with the purpose of highlighting the recent analytical developments and the most relevant policy issues. Session 1 examined the impact of pension reforms on the labour market and their effects on investments in human capital and productivity growth. Session 2 was devoted to the impact of pension reforms on capital markets, and specifically on the effects of funded schemes. Section 3 considered the impact of reforms on income distribution, within and across generations, and macroeconomic developments. Section 4 dealt="" with the political economy of pension reforms and their role in the broader fiscal policy context.


but the second half has real importance for all who are interested in the textual history of the Greek or Latin Gospels. It is now over a quarter of a century since Professor Burkitt proved that / (Codex Brixianus) is descended from the Latin side of a Gothic-Latin bilingual, a fact of considerable importance, seeing that Codex Brixianus represents, in the opinion of Hort, Wordsworth, and White, the type of text employed by Jerome as the basis of his revision. What is chiefly novel in this volume is the serious contention that the ' African' Codex e (Codex Palatinus, now again at Trent) is also closely related to the Gothic. In this connexion those interested ought to consult two works from the pen of Professor H. J. Vogels, namely, Evangelium Palatinum (Miinster i. W. 1926), and Die Vorlage des Vulgatatextes der Evangelien {Revue Bhtidictine, 1926, pp. 123-138). Dr. Friedrichsen's book is most heartily to be welcomed. A. SOUTER.


Objective - To analyse obstetrical outcome of teenage pregnancies and conditions of discharge from the maternity ward. Patients and methods - A retrospective study of 62 deliveries of women 13 to 17 years old between 1997 and 2000. Results - A majority of patients is aged 16 or 17 (92%); 468% of teenagers were born in a sub-Saharan African country. The teenagers do not go to school in 452% of the cases. The first visit to hospital is late in the pregnancy (403% had their first visit after 30 weeks of amenorrhoea). There was no follow-up at all for 177% of the pregnancies. The obstetrical outcome is normal in 662% of the cases; 935% of the children were born after 37 SA and had a normal weight for gestational age; 935% were discharged from the maternity ward with their children. A specific follow-up took place for 362% of the women. Compared with women from other origins teenagers born in sub-Saharan Africa more often live with their boyfriend (P=003) who is likely to be over 25 (P=0001). Sub-Saharan African women more often return and live at the fathers home (P<0001) and a specific follow-up proves less often necessary (P=003). Discussion and conclusion - In developed countries obstetrical outcome of teenage pregnancies is generally good if the women are more than 15 years old. In some cases teenagers want to have a child for socio-economical cultural or psychological reasons. There is a great variability of interpersonal situations as shown in this study where a better prognosis was found in sub-Saharan African teenagers. It is recommended to permit an early access to the maternity hospital and to provide economical and psychological support during and after pregnancy. (authors)


In the history of the Dutch-Japanese relations, Shizuki Tadao is recognised as an extraordinary scholar. However, his translations of European books from Dutch into Japanese only paint a partial picture of his research. In fact, he also developed valuable theories on language that allowed the Japanese to better grasp Dutch. Furthermore, he introduced European grammatical concepts and terminology in Japan. A lesser-known interest of Shizuki was poetry, evidenced by three citations from the Dutch poet Jacob Cats (1577‑1660), found in Shizuki's works on language, by two Dutch poems attributed to him, and by an additional indirect reference to Shizuki's knowledge on the theory of poetry. The present article aims at better understanding the figure of Shizuki as a scholar of Dutch and to add a piece to the research on the spreading of Cats' emblems.


Die deutsche Version dieses Beitrags kann unter 1934727 APS gefunden werden.Before embarking on an analysis of gender roles in the media it is important to make clear what is to be conveyed by the term 'media' and what effects the media have on real life in society. Subsequently, media content is categorized: We distinguish between fictional, i.e. fabricated content and non-fictional content – in other words, reality as reflected in a given medium. This lecture deals with the representation of gender roles in advertising (Zurstiege 1998, Eck et al. 2005) and in a representative television series (Kurdna 2001 analysed "Ally McBeal) as well as the way the media characterize men and women in politics and business ("Spitzenfrauen im Fokus der Medien," Free University of Berlin and Leuphana University Luneburg 2010).It is beyond doubt that changes in the rendering of gender stereotypes do not arise of their own accord. Instruments which could be of practical help in achieving envisaged targets include positive incentives such as journalism prizes for symmetrical gender representation in fictional and non-fictional formats as well as an 'equality prize' in advertising.


This paper focuses on a differential tunable active inductor in CMOS 65nm process. This tunable differential active inductor is showing some high linearity and high quality factor (Q>1000) taking into account a wide input power range (−40 to 0dBm). The device is designed, simulated and layouted to be used in the frame of cellular transceivers for mobile applications. The feed-forward current source method "FFCS" was chosen to improve the linearity of a nominal structure. Two active inductors are designed (0.8 and 1.1nH) at mobile cellular frequencies. This paper leads to show the potential and the interest of using such inductors in different modules of a reconfigurable transceiver.


Osteoporosis that is by far the most common metabolic bone disease, has been defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing a person to an increased risk of fracture. Anabolic therapy with teriparatide, recombinant human parathyroid hormone (PTH 1-34), stimulates bone formation and resorption and improves trabecular and cortical microarchitecture. Teriparatide is indicated for the treatment of men and postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fracture, including those who have failed or are intolerant of previous osteoporosis therapy. In conclusion, although teriparatide seems quite effective in the treatment of osteoporosis, it may cause life-threatening hypercalcemia. Therefore, patients should be closely monitored if symptoms of hypercalcemia are present during teriparatide treatment. Sustained hypercalcemia due to teriparatide treatment can not be seen in literature so we wanted to emphasize that severe hypercalcemia may develop due to teriperatide.


Tidal flats form around the estuarine and coastal zone by continuous terrigenous sediment transport and deposition processes. Now a large body of published carbon research work frame within the vegetated area (mangrove forests, sea grass bed, and salt marshes). Nonvegetated tidal flats, which are characterized by predominantly silts and clays sediment, were generally impressed with low carbon stock due to their meager primary productivity. However, these regions may be a potentially important carbon sink, given their high burial rate, expanding areal coverage, and detrial organic carbon derived from watershed and adjacent vegetated area. Low carbon densities (<0.01 g cm−3) were found in Chinese tidal flat sediments by the study, but the carbon sequestration rates ranged from 35 to 361 g C m−2 yr−1, which were comparable to rates of worldwide vegetated coastal areas. The high rates can be ascribed to rapid sedimentation rates (1–2 cm yr−1) during the past several decades. The highest areal carbon stocks were located at tidal flat sites proximal to mangrove forests. The majority of carbon stocks (100 cm) was found in the unvegetated tidal flats instead of in the vegetated tidal flats. The former occupied 87% of the entire tidal area, 6.7 times larger than the latter. Tidal flats in coastal China store 78.07 Tg C (100 cm), accounting for nearly 80% of the C deposited in entire coastal tidal area. The future carbon sequestration rates of Chinese tidal flats are facing uncertainties under the pressures of reduced fluvial sediment loads from major rivers.


Oroo' secret sign language is a medium that has been used to communicate in the forest among Penan community. It is threatened language and identified as living cultural heritage that has high potential to be promoted as a major tourism product in the World Heritage Site, Mulu. However, the local level appreciation on their cultural elements is a question that would have implications for this language to become extinct imminently. Thus, this study aims to examine perception on the importance of Oroo' language among Penan community at Batu Bungan. This exploration was conducted through a qualitative approach with personal interview with two Penans who are tribal chief and boatman who lived at the settlement. They were identified as key informants due to their active involvement and grown in the community. The narrative was analysed by thematic analysis deductively to elucidate their views on importance of Oroo' secret sign language in the community today. It was found that most young generation did not understand the language due to some factors. They perceived that Oroo' has no significant to their life because words are main medium of communication nowadays. While middle-aged community has at least basic knowledge of Oroo' from their self-experience with old-aged generation in the forest. The language is threatened with extinction due to its significant declining users. There is a need for relevant stakeholders to take actions towards preserving this intangible and unique cultural heritage.


Background: Aurora A is a serine/threonine kinase that plays important roles in the regulation of the M phase of the mammalian cell cycle. Aberrant expression of Aurora A has been associated with spindle checkpoint dysfunction and increased resistance to the microtubule-polymerizing agents, paclitaxel and docetaxel (1). Moreover, Aurora A overexpression/ gene amplification has been reported in various types of human cancers. Previously, we have reported on the development of a highly potent and selective Aurora A inhibitor, TAS-119 (TAS-2104), which enhanced anti-proliferation activity by taxanes (2). This study was undertaken to select the optimal combination schedule of TAS-119 and taxanes both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of TAS-119 on peripheral neurotoxicity, a well known major toxicity of taxanes.

Materials and Methods: For in vitro experiments, cells were exposed to paclitaxel and/or the Aurora A inhibitor in different order and duration. Cell viability was determined by measuring cellular ATP concentration. For an in vivo tumor efficacy study, human tumor cell lines were subcutaneously transplanted into the side flank of nude mice or rats. Dosing of taxanes and TAS-119 was started when the transplanted tumor size reached > ∼ 200 mm3. Peripheral neurotoxicity was evaluated in rats. Paclitaxel was dosed weekly for 8 weeks and neurotoxicity was assayed by changes of action potential (M-wave amplitude) after electrical stimuli or histopathology changes in nerve neurons.

Results: In in vitro experiments, the Aurora A inhibitor enhanced paclitaxel activity in all 3 schedules tested; Aurora A inhibitor before or after paclitaxel or simultaneous treatment. However, the latter 2 schedules were better than first schedule. When different treatment duration times of the Aurora A inhibitor combined with a single dose of paclitaxel were tested, 48 hrs was found to be enough to cause maximum enhancement. Similar experiments were performed in in vivo xenograft models. Maximum enhancement by TAS-119 was observed with 2 to 4 days of treatment (dependent on the model). Moreover, the combination of TAS-119 did not exacerbate the paclitaxel-induced peripheral neurotoxicity in rats.

Conclusion: In this study, intermittent dosing of TAS-119 is efficacious for combination with taxanes, and sustained exposure of TAS-119 is not required for maximal combination efficacy. These findings provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of combination therapies of TAS-119 with taxanes under the defined optimal schedule.

Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):A269.

Citation Format: Keiko Ishihara, Hiroshi Sootome, Takamasa Suzuki, Norio Masuko, Akihiro Miura, Megumu Okada, Nobuyuki Oda, Hiroshi Hirai, Teruhiro Utsugi. A selective Aurora A inhibitor, TAS-119, enhanced the antitumor activity of taxanes in an intermittent dosing schedule without affecting neurotoxicity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A269.


The paper analyses the economic value of using electric heat boilers and heat pumps as wind power integration measures relieving the link between the heat and power production in combined heat and power plants. Both measures have different technical and economic characteristics, making a comparison of the value of these measures relevant. A stochastic, fundamental bottom-up model, taking the stochastic nature of wind power production explicitly into account when making dispatch decisions, is used to analyse the technical and economical performance of these measures in a North European power system covering Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. Introduction of heat pumps or electric boilers is beneficial for the integration of wind power, because the curtailment of wind power production is reduced, the price of regulating power is reduced and the number of hours with very low power prices is reduced, making the wind power production more valuable. The system benefits of heat pumps and electric boilers are connected to replacing heat production on fuel oil heat boilers and combined heat and power (CHP) plants using various fuels with heat production using electricity and thereby saving fuel. The benefits of the measures depend highly on the underlying structure of heat production. The integration measures are economical, especially in systems where the marginal heat production costs before the introduction of the heat measures are high, e.g. heat production on heat boilers using fuel oil. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A simple and efficient virtual-source ray-tracing technique for the simulation of indoor wideband radio and optical propagation channels is proposed. The parametric deterministic model considers the room geometry, transceiver locations, material properties and probe signal types. It is applied to the indoor ultrawideband channel in the FCC-allocated 3.1-10.6 GHz band, and a range of novel results are presented to illustrate several possible applications. The channel small-scale fading statistics and spatial variability are examined by synthesising a densely sampled aperture. Multiple-antenna array systems are simulated to evaluate multiple-input multiple-output performance. The multipath angular characteristics are analysed from the simulated azimuth-delay profile. The simulation results closely match previous channel measurement studies and statistical models, validating the proposed technique. It is shown that specular reflection is dominant, and power convergence is achieved with three reflections in a typical indoor environment. Thus, it is demonstrated that despite its simplicity, the model yields reliable and accurate results, and can therefore be a useful tool for indoor wireless network planning and performance prediction.


The use of a magnetic field to control the motion of electrically conducting fluids is studied. The incompressible boundary-layer solutions are found for flow over a flat plate when the magnetic field is fixed relative to the plate or to the fluid. The equations are integrated numerically for the effect of the transverse magnetic field on the velocity and temperature profiles, and hence, the skin friction and rate of heat transfer. It is concluded that the skin friction and the heat-transfer rate are reduced when the transverse magnetic field is fixed relative to the plate and increased when fixed relative to the fluid. The total drag is increased in all of the areas.


Today glass art presents itself as contemporary and innovative search for a component connected with research and experimentation. A link was forged between art and science, a discovery and use of a new knowledge in which a close relationship between the scientist and the artist is encouraged, through the development of new materials, such as the luminescent glass. The main premises of this relationship are: a theoretical and practical component for a glass study, glass science and technology as means to produce future glass works, the interface art/science and the creation of glass works. In this art-making practice, I would like to emphasise the use of new materials in contemporary glass art. The objects made are colourless under normal lighting conditions; it behaves as a monochromatic composition and their aesthetic value changes exposing them to UV light. Several colours can be integrated using the lanthanide oxides, and new harmonious chromatic concepts can be explored. One of the main objectives of this work was to study the effects of light in art works using luminescent glasses under ultraviolet radiation.


The cytosolic thioredoxin peroxidase II (cTPxII/Tsa2p) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae shares 86% identity with the relatively well characterized cytosolic thioredoxin peroxidase I (cTPxI/Tsa1p). In contrast to cTPxI protein, cTPxII is not abundant and is highly inducible by peroxides. Here, we describe a unique phenotype for ΔcTPxII strain; these cells were highly sensitive to tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) but presented resistance to H2O2 in fermentative and respiratory conditions. In contrast, ΔcTPxI strain was very sensitive to both TBHP and H2O2, whatever the carbon source present in the media. These differences in the response of mutant cells to the different kinds of peroxide insult could not be attributed to enzymatic properties of cTPxI and cTPxII since the recombinant proteins showed similar in vitro efficiencies (Kcat /Km) in the removals of both kinds of peroxide. This specific sensitivity of ΔcTPxII cells to TBHP could not be related to the expression pattern of TSA2 (cytosolic thioredoxin peroxidase II gene) either, since this gene is highly inducible by both H2O2 and TBHP when cells were grown in different conditions. Finally, peroxide-removing assays were performed and showed that catalase activity increased significantly only in ΔcTPxII cells, which appear to be related with the resistance of this strain to H2O2. Taken together, present data indicate that cTPxII and cTPxI are key components of the yeast defense system against organic peroxide insult. In regard to the stress induced by H2O2, catalases (peroxisomal and/or cytosolic) and cTPxII seemed to cooperate with cTPxI in the defense of yeast against this oxidant.


ABSTRACT On the basis of a review of current practice in coastal science and engineering with regard to quantitative determination of longshore drift, we conclude that coastal scientists and engineers have been trapped in an expected universe of longshore-transport sand volumes without critical assessment of assumptions made in pioneering studies. As a result, workers in this field have come to accept a range of sand volumes and a range of techniques to measure or predict these volumes, stabilized by opinion of the leading experts. The shortcomings of previous studies and subsequent practice, however, indicate that these transport volumes and techniques may well be wrong. Certainly at present we have no dependable, verifiable, and consistent field measure of net or gross instantaneous or annual longshore transport volumes against which predictions can be compared. Both field measurements and mathematical model results, especially as used for applied purposes and expressed in annual terms, are suspect for a number of reasons. These include questionable assumptions that lag far behind our current understanding of shoreface processes, "fudge factor" coefficients for equations, the lack of storm transport measurement, and a cascade of uncertainties that moderate current practice. Once determined, annual longshore-transport sand volumes tend to be long-lived and in all cases are unverifiable by field measurement. More fundamentally, the question is raised whether an earth surface system as complex and variable as longshore transport on beaches can ever be quantitatively modeled or measured successfully. Qualitative mathematical modeling remains a valid and useful approach to understanding the nature of sedimentary processes.


A highly antibacterial of hollow fiber polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was prepared by loading silver nanoparticles within the PES graft acrylamide (AAm)-membrane. The grafted layers of AAm were provided the matrix for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) entrapment. The characterization of the prepared hollow fiber (HF) PES membrane loaded with silver nanoparticles were examined by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To examine the antibacterial property of the prepared AgNPs-AAm-PES membrane, the halo zone and the shaking flask test were carried out. In these tests, both of unmodified PES membrane and AgNPs-AAm-PES membrane were exposed to pure culture suspension of Escherichia coli (E. Coli) bacteria with the concentration of 107 CFU/ml. The viable bacteria formed within the membrane surfaces and the membrane circumferences were observed by the halo zone formation, while the percentage of bacteria killing ratio was determined by shaking flask test method. The TEM results showed that the silver nanoparticles were formed within grafted layers of AAm-PES membrane and the size of silver nanoparticles were about 10 nm. The AgNPs-AAm-PES membrane were highly effective to prevent the membrane biofouling as shown by the clearly halo zone formation compared with the unmodified PES membrane. The shake flask test were also revealed that almost 99.9 percent of the E. coli bacteria were killed when they having exposed to the AgNPs-AAm-PES membrane. This was due to the silver ions are allowed to release from its membrane surface


The parameterization of heat and momentum fluxes over a heterogeneous surface consisting of sea ice and large areas of open ocean (polynyas) has been studied. Various theories required to calculate grid-averaged fluxes are discussed, and a two-dimensional mesoscale boundary layer model has been applied to simulate the flow and heat exchange processes inside a single grid element of a hypothetical atmospheric general circulation model. The theories are compared with model results. Considering the surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat, a mosaic method, based on the use of estimates for local surface temperature, air temperature, specific humidity, and wind speed over the ice-covered and ice-free parts of the grid square, performed well in the comparison. Parameterizing the net longwave radiation, an estimate for the subgrid distribution of cloudiness was useful. Parameterization of surface momentum flux seemed to be most reasonable on the basis of the surface pressure field and a geostrophic drag coefficient depending on the air-surface temperature difference.


Abstract The user-generated wiki encyclopedia Wikipedia was launched in January 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. Wikipedia has become the world's largest wiki encyclopedia, and behind many of its entries are interesting stories of creation, or rather intercreation, since Wikipedia is produced by a large number of contributors. Using the slogan "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit" (Wikipedia 2013), Wikipedia invites everyone to participate, but the participants do not necessarily represent all kinds of individuals or interests – there might be an imbalance affecting the content as well as the perspective conveyed. As a phenomenon Wikipedia is quite complex, and can be studied from many different angels, for instance through the articles' history and the edits to them. This paper is based on a study of Featured Articles from the Swedish Wikipedia. Three articles, Fri vilja [Free will], Fjäll [Fell], and Edgar Allan Poe, are chosen from a list of Featured Articles that belongs to the subject field culture. The articles' development has been followed from their very first versions in 2003/2004 to edits made at the end of 2012. The aim is to examine the creation, or intercreation, processes of the articles, and the collaborative production. The data come from non-article material such as revision history pages, article material, and some complementary statistics. Principally the study has a qualitative approach, but with some quantitative elements.


Brittleness is one of the most important properties of the rock. Brittleness is a function of strength and indicates rock strength to deformation in the elastic modules. However, there is no direct and standard method for brittleness measurement but it can be done indirectly by using rock properties such as different ratios of compressive strength and tensile strength of rock to determine the concept of brittleness. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concepts of brittleness which are presented by the researchers and to use seismic inversion, multi-attribute analysis and neural network in the Whicher-Range field in Perth, Western Australia to estimate brittleness. The Perth sedimentary basin stretches about 100,000 square kilometers in the north-south direction of the western Australian margin. About half of this sedimentary basin is located 1 km deep in the sea. Whicher-Range gas field is 22 km south of Baselton and 200 km south of Perth. Two wells and one seismic section of Whicher-Range field are selected in this research. The lowest brittleness indexes in the first and second wells drilled 1 km apart, are 1.69 and 1.67 MPa using criteria. The highest values of the brittleness are 39.78 and 48.15 MPa, respectively, which are difficult for drilling. The starting point of the inversion process is to have post-stack seismic data, velocity model, well logs, and seismic horizons. The product of the density log and sonic velocity is equal to the impedance. Then the current impedance is converted from depth to time using the appropriate depth to time relation. As a result, the convolution of a suitable wavelet and reflectivity over time will produce the synthetic seismic trace. Adaptation rate between synthetic seismic trace and composite field seismic trace yields an acceptable result. Next, the initial modeling is performed using wavelet, geological model, and a model-based algorithm. Next, the acoustic impedance of the inversion process along with other attributes is used to construct the optimal combination of attributes to estimate the brittleness index. First, an attribute is selected that has the highest correlation with the target log and the least estimation error in the training step. Then the second attribute, which makes the best combination with the first attribute, has the lowest estimation error. Then each attribute step is added to its previous step combination until the resulting combination results in the lowest estimation error. The results based on this method are obtained by increasing the number of attributes and decreasing the estimation error, while the error in the validation stage until the optimal attribute combination, is ascending. In the next step, three types of neural network algorithm including probabilistic method, multi-layer feed forward and radial basis function are used to estimate the target parameter, with optimal combination of available attributes and the use of neural network algorithm training from the optimal attributes using the Hampson-Russell software. In the last step, multi-attribute analysis is compared with three neural network algorithms. The results indicate a higher correlation coefficient for probabilistic neural network than that of multi-attribute analysis for determination of the brittleness index.


In the response process of survey questionnaires, respondents generally express their opinions (assessment) in a fuzzy environment, i.e., assessment with a degree of membership, and in many cases, an aggregation of survey questionnaires is generally computed mathematically. In this paper, we propose a new aggregation method using the FEV (Fuzzy Expected Value) in summarizing survey questionnaires. As an application of proposed aggregation method, to quantify accurately the current state of opinions and the reasons for national IT investment increasing the rate of economic growth, we decided to circulate a survey questionnaire on national IT investment to interested parties throughout the research institute, government, IT industry. Generally, as we have already known and experienced in most of survey questionnaires, there was a little response. Moreover, according to interested parties, the result was biased views on the government IT investment. So, we consider big data analysis on the selection of the proper IT items for national investment. Proposed aggregation method is consisted of 2-phases. In phase 1, keyword selection for the proper IT items based on big data such as Facebook, Twitter, blog, Google, etc. is achieved. This phase is not mandatory (optional and dependent on the characteristic of survey). In phase 2, aggregation by using the FEV is obtained. Proposed aggregation method on survey questionnaires is particularly useful to find current focal issues such as trend, what's new, etc., on big data such as Facebook, Twitter, blog, Google, etc. Moreover, in many cases, aggregation using the FEV is a better representative value than the arithmetic mean. Generally, the FEV is more suitable than the value of averaging computation in searching for the representative value of fuzzy set.


Low progesterone concentrations during the bovine oestrous cycle induce enhanced responsiveness to oxytocin challenge late in the luteal phase of the same cycle. The delayed effect of low progesterone concentrations during one oestrous cycle on uterine PGF(2alpha) secretion after oxytocin challenge on day 15 or 16 of the subsequent cycle was studied by measuring the concentrations of the major PGF(2alpha) metabolite (13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGF(2alpha); PGFM) in plasma. Two experiments were conducted, differing in the type of progesterone treatment and in the shape of the low progesterone concentration curves. In Expt 1, progesterone supplementation with intravaginal progesterone inserts, with or without an active corpus luteum, was used to obtain high, or low and constant plasma progesterone concentrations, respectively. In Expt 2, untreated cows, representing high progesterone treatment, were compared with cows that had low but increasing plasma progesterone concentrations that were achieved by manipulating endogenous progesterone secretion of the corpus luteum. Neither experiment revealed any differences in plasma progesterone concentrations between the high and low progesterone groups in the subsequent oestrous cycle. In both experiments, both groups had similar basal concentrations of PGFM on day 15 (Expt 1) or 16 (Expt 2) of the subsequent oestrous cycle, 18 days after progesterone treatments had ended. In both experiments, the increases in PGFM concentrations in the low progesterone groups after an oxytocin challenge were markedly higher than in the high progesterone groups. These results indicate that low progesterone concentrations during an oestrous cycle have a delayed stimulatory effect on uterine responsiveness to oxytocin during the late luteal phase of the subsequent cycle. This resulting increase in PGF(2alpha) secretion may interfere with luteal maintenance during the early stages of pregnancy.


Retinoic acid inducible gene (RIG-I)-mediated innate immunity plays a pivotal role in defence against virus infections. Previously we have shown that Sendai virus (SeV) defective interfering (DI) RNA functions as an exclusive and potent RIG-I ligand in DI-RNA-rich SeV-Cantell infected cells. To further understand how RIG-I is activated during SeV infection, we used a different interferon (IFN)-inducing SeV strain, recombinant SeVΔC, which, in contrast to SeV-Cantell is believed to stimulate IFN production due to the lack of the SeV IFN antagonist protein C. Surprisingly, we found that in SevΔC-infected cells, DI RNAs also functioned as an exclusive RIG-I ligand. Infections with wild-type SeV failed to generate any RIG-I-associated immunostimulatory RNA and this correlated with the lack of DI genomes in infected cells, as well as with the absence of cellular innate immune responses. Supplementation of the C protein in the context of SeVΔC infection led to a reduction in the number of DI RNAs, further supporting the potential role of the C protein as a negative regulator of DI generation and/or accumulation. Our findings indicate that limiting DI genome production is an important function of viral IFN antagonist proteins.


1. Hemolytic streptococcus has been found in 100 per cent of the throats of patients with scarlet fever during the 1st week of the disease. 2. The average length of time that these organisms are present in the throat varies from 10 to 20 days. 3. No morphological or cultural characteristics peculiar to the hemolytic streptococcus from scarlet fever can be demonstrated. 4. Ten immune sera have been prepared from different strains of scarlet fever streptococci and each of the sera agglutinated more than 80 per cent of the strains isolated from scarlatinal throats. On the other hand, scarlatinal streptococci are not agglutinated by immune sera prepared from hemolytic streptococci isolated from other pathological sources. 5. Serum from patients convalescent from scarlet fever agglutinates weakly or not at all the homologous strain of hemolytic streptococcus. 6. The specificity of the agglutination reaction of scarlatinal streptococci is confirmed by absorption experiments. 7. Scarlatinal antistreptococcic serum affords some degree of protection against virulent scarlet fever streptococci but has no protective power against hemolytic streptococci from other diseases. 8. In a small epidemic of scarlet fever a healthy carrier of hemolytic streptococcus was detected; the organism carried was identical in its serological reactions with strains of hemolytic streptococci isolated from active cases of scarlet fever. 9. In a study of a number of contacts with a case of scarlet fever, in only one instance was a scarlatinal type of hemolytic streptococcus recovered from the throat.


The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced various aspects of our lives and triggered many long-term consequences. The actual well-being of women IT employees is in danger due to the prolonged period of work from home as the pandemic has influenced individuals differently across the world. Physical distancing, dread, vulnerability, and a continued period of remote working has prompted an enormous number of women in the IT sector to experience challenges to emotional well-being. Work-related pressure is one of the major sources of stress in the modern working environment. Stress and unfavorable working conditions have been connected to low efficiency, truancy, and increasing rates of mishaps in and out of work. This is largely due to ailments, substance abuse, and family issues experienced by a large number of work-from-home women software company employees. Extended period of work from home can disturb women and their mental health as they try to strike a work-life balance. The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of occupational stress factors on the mental health of the women software professionals working remotely in urban Bangalore during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exploratory factor analysis identifies that Workload, Job Insecurity, Poor Work Environment, Personal Problems, and Lack of Structure as the main five factors of occupational stress while working from home for women IT employees in urban Bangalore. Multiple regression analysis undertaken in the study indicates that the relationship between the five factors of Occupational Stress and Mental Health is negatively significant with an inverse relationship.


A class of algorithms for unconstrained nonconvex optimization is considered where the value of the objective function is never computed. The class contains a deterministic version of the first-order Adagrad method typically used for minimization of noisy function, but also allows the use of second-order information when available. The rate of convergence of methods in the class is analyzed and is shown to be identical to that known for first-order optimization methods using both function and gradients values. The result is essentially sharp and improves on previously known complexity bounds (in the stochastic context) by Defossez et al. (2020) and Gratton et al. (2022). A new class of methods is designed, for which a slightly worse and essentially sharp complexity result holds. Limited numerical experiments show that the new methods' performance may be comparable to that of standard steepest descent, despite using significantly less information, and that this performance is relatively insensitive to noise.


Seven Landsat thermal infrared (TIR) images taken over the period 2000–2010 were used to establish longitudinal temperature profiles of the middle Loire River where it flows above the Beauce aquifer. The groundwater discharge along the river course was quantified for each identified groundwater catchment area using a heat budget based on temperature variations of the Loire River estimated from the TIR images. The results showed that 75 % of the temperature differences, between in situ observations and TIR image-based estimations, remained within the ±1 C interval. The main discharge area of the Beauce aquifer into the Loire River was located between river kilometers 630 and 650, where there was a temperature drop of 1–1.5 C in the summer and a rise of 0.5 C in winter. According to the heat budgets, groundwater discharge was higher during the winter period (13.5 m s) than during the summer period (5.3 m s). These findings are in line with the results of both a groundwater budget and a process-based distributed hydrogeological model. Groundwater input was also found to be higher during the Loire's flow recession periods.


In this paper, the rise of hyperlinked activist communities, and their role in organizing, coordinating and supporting offline (physical) activism, is discussed as a new form of information and communication technology (ICT)‐enabled collective action. The role of networked civil society in India is examined in the context of the movement for the right to information (RTI), which is known as freedom of information (or FOI) in some Western democracies. The paper focuses on the role of RTI‐related online discussion groups, known to each other as "sister‐groups", and their offline networks in generating collaborations towards collective actions, at least in the short term. The study assumes significance in light of attention surrounding the highly visible, ICT‐driven anti‐corruption movement of 2011, often referred to as "India's Arab Spring". By examining a period of comparably intense collective action in the real and virtual worlds by the RTI movement during 2006, the paper takes a step back to look at the emerging connections between ICTs and civil society in India. A thematic analysis (N=959) is conducted of the email discussion messages of the premier RTI e‐group in India, the Hum Janenge ('We Will Know') yahoo group, in August 2006, during which sister‐groups rallied against the federal government's proposal to amend the RTI legislation. The thematic analysis reveals the types of collective actions that materialized; the role of Hum Janenge and its sister‐groups in creating a relatively unified and coordinated RTI campaign; as well as the difficulties in sustaining collective actions, despite the connecting medium of the internet. It is found that the existence of networked online communities amplifies the abilities of activists and enables greater coordination of collective actions, rather than create any new repertoires of collective action; a finding that resonates with arguments about the role of technology as amplifier.


Saccharomyces cerevisiae MERIT.ferm was used as mono- and mixed-cultures with Williopsis saturnus var. mrakii NCYC500 in mango wine fermentation. A ratio of 1:1000 (Saccharomyces:Williopsis) was chosen for mixed-culture fermentation to enable longer persistence of the latter. The monoculture of S. cerevisiae and mixed-culture was able to ferment to dryness with 7.0% and 7.7% ethanol, respectively. The monoculture of W. mrakii produced 1.45% ethanol. The mango wines fermented by S. cerevisiae alone and the mixed-culture were more yeasty and winey, which reflected their higher amounts of fusel alcohols, ethyl esters and medium-chain fatty acids. The mango wine fermented by W. mrakii alone was much less alcoholic, but fruitier, sweeter, which corresponded to its higher levels of acetate esters.


The correct functioning of the intestinal mechanism is very important for human health. In particular, the microecosystem of the gut has a vital role in the development of the host and the continuity of metabolism. For this reason, many studies have been conducted on the intestinal microbiota. Today, the use of phenolic compounds in the production of complementary and alternative medicines is quite common. In our study, changes in intestinal micro�ora at the species level were evaluated in Wistar Albino rats treated with Ellagic Acid and Sinapic Acid. The �rst group was formed as the control group. Ellagic Acid (EA) was given to the second group of rats (50 mg/kg/d). The third group of rats was given Sinapic Acid (SA) (20 mg/kg/d). Fourth group of rats were given Ellagic Acid EA (50 mg/kg/d) and Sinapic Acid SA (20 mg/kg/d). At the end of the study, intestinal tissues were taken under appropriate sterile conditions. The V3-V4 points located in the 16 S rDNA gene regions of the bacteria in the micro�ora were replicated by the speci�c primers developed in accordance with these regions. The data obtained as a result of sequencing analyzes were evaluated comparatively for four groups. As a result, it was determined that Ellagic Acid and Sinapic Acid have a positive effect on probiotic microorganisms (Lactobacillus) in the intestine. It was also determined that while it caused a decrease in the rate of some pathogenic microorganisms such as Streptococcus, it caused an increase in the number of some pathogens.


In recent years, determination of proteins and peptides has been gaining more popularity. However, one-dimensional separation systems cannot always offer sufficient sensitivity or selectivity, especially for more complex samples. Two-dimensional separation systems can provide more peak capacity by coupling two orthogonal separation methods together. To achieve better two-dimensional separation, two conditions must be satisfied: 1. the two coupled separation methods should have different separation mechanisms, so called orthogonal; 2. the second dimensional separation method should be much faster than the first dimension to ensure that more effluent from the first dimension be transferred to the second dimension. Capillary electrophoresis, with its different separation mechanism from HPLC, and its high separation speed, serves as a good candidate as the second dimension separation method when HPLC serves as the first dimension separation method. In addition, chip electrophoresis is more advantageous to us due to its faster speed and more efficiency compared to capillary electrophoresis. Therefore, we would like to set up a two-dimensional separation system with the first dimensional HPLC separation followed by the second dimensional chip electrophoresis separation. As for HPLC, elevated temperature is utilized to increase the separation speed. The viscosity of the solvent is related to temperature in such a way that higher temperature leads to lower viscosity. The diffusion coefficient of the solute is therefore decreased based on Stokes-Einstein equation ( ). As a result, higher linear velocities can be achieved with regular pressure. It is suggested that diffusion coefficient plays such an important role in affecting the separation speed that efforts are deserved to investigate how diffusion coefficient changes with temperatures. In our experiment, we would like to determine the diffusion coefficients of several peptides and compare the experimental values with estimation values from various empirical equations.


Complex projects require specific project management (PM) competences development. However, while no complex projects have standards that are recognized to guide their management, complex projects do not have guides to deal with their complexity. To lead complex projects to success, this complexity must be measured quantitatively and, in our opinion, project management complexity assessment should be based on existing PM standards. In this work, the main project complexity assessment approaches based on PM standards are analyzed, observing that International Project Management Association (IPMA) approach is the closest to a tool that can be used as a complexity quantitative measurement system. On the other hand, several authors have shown that the inherent complexity of specific kind of projects must be measured in a particular way. The main objective of this research is to propose a project management complexity assessment tool for IT projects, providing a Complexity Index that measures the impact that complexity factors inherent to IT projects have under a specific complexity scenario. The tool combines the use of complexity factors defined by IPMA approach and the use of complexity factors found in the literature to manage inherent complexity of IT projects. All these factors were validated by expert survey and the tool was applied to a study case.


Orientation: Qualitative research is marked by phenomenal growth and development over the years. Research purpose: This article aims to offer insight into the emerging qualitative methodologies used in the fields of Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management. Motivation for the study: The value of qualitative organisational research has been recognised since the 1970s. Regardless of its perceived value, national and international trends show a greater tendency for quantitative research. Research design, approach and method: This article investigates qualitative articles ( n = 242) published over two decades in the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology (SAJIP), South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP), and the South African Journal of Human Resource Management (SAJHRM). More specifically, a content analysis was conducted to highlight the trends of paradigms, designs and analysis methods employed in the studies. Main findings: Although there seems to be a slight increase in qualitative publications over the years, qualitative studies show a lower volume than its counterparts. The SAJIP published the least qualitative articles when compared to the SAJP and SAJHRM. There is a pattern of preference for specific paradigms and methods in all the journals. Overall, all the journals carry a large number of articles that do not specifically state their paradigmatic alignment or the designs they used, while some articles omits the methodology used in the studies altogether. Practical/managerial implications: The results indicate a clear need for increased exposure to qualitative methodology, both by publishing more qualitative studies in local journals and by providing formal training opportunities. A publication does not solely rely on authorship, but also on a review process. Therefore certain adjustments in this process may lead to more and better qualitative publications in future. Contribution/value-add: This article provides a critical analysis of the current trends and developments in qualitative research conducted in Industrial and Organisational Psychology(IOP) research in South Africa. The study identifies dominant methodologies in use, and thereby identifies possible opportunities to expand the 'methodological menu' of IOP research.


Temperature regimes that cause malformed flowers were examined and histological observation was carried out at the developmental stage of flowers by using mutants of the potted carnation ( Dianthus caryophyllus L.) 'Cherry' producing malformed flowers according to cultivation season. Plants of normal (WT) and malformed ( mlf ) lines were grown under several temperature regimes. All WT plants produced normal flowers, whereas mlf lines showed a variety of malformed floral phenotypes, including phyllody-like proliferated sepaloids, proliferated petaloids, proliferated pistillodes with or without petals, secondary flower formation, and a flattened receptacle. In Experiment 1, mlf plants produced no malformed flowers when grown under constant 26°C, whereas 34.2% of mlf plants produced malformed flowers at 14–16/12°C (day/night, natural light). Malformation frequency was slightly lower at a night temperature of 5°C compared with 14–16/12°C. When malformed mlf plants were transferred from 17/5°C to 23/18°C, flower malformation was alleviated. Conversely, when mlf plants grown under constant 26°C with a normal phenotype were transferred to 17/12°C, flower malformation was induced. Thus, flower malformation was reversible depending on the temperature regime. In Experiment 2, 92.2% of mlf plants produced malformed flowers under constant 15°C, whereas 3.1% and 1.3% showed flower malformation when grown under constant 20°C and 25/20°C, respectively. These findings suggested that the threshold for flower malformation is between 15°C and 20°C. Observation of shoot apices by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed morphological differences between WT and mlf after sepal formation. Petal primordia were not visible in mlf plants at 15°C, although petal primordia were initiated in WT. After this stage, flower malformations observed in mlf included undeveloped petals, undeveloped or irregularly developed stamens, secondary flower primordia formation, and completely irregular arrangement of undeveloped flower organs. No phytoplasma was detected by PCR, indicating that it could not be the causal agent of the abnormal phenotypes. This is the first report of mutant flower phenotypes dependent on temperature and induced by only a 5°C difference within optimal growing-temperature regimes in carnations.


In this paper, we describe the principles of an imaging technique that produces a map of the mechanical response of an object to a force applied at each point. The method uses ultrasound radiation force to remotely exert a localized oscillating stress field at a desired frequency within (or on the surface of) an object. Harmonic radiation force is produced by mixing two ultrasound beams of different frequencies at their focal point. The resulting radiation force occurs at the difference and the sum of the two frequencies. In response to this force, a part of the object vibrates. The size of this part and the motion pattern depend on object viscoelastic and reflection characteristics. The acoustic field resulting from object vibration at the difference frequency, which we refer to as "acoustic emissions," is detected by a sensitive hydrophone and used to form the image of the object that represents magnitude or phase or frequency content of the signal at each point over a raster scanned region. This method benefits from the high spatial definition of ultrasound radiation force and high motion‐detection sensitivity offered by the hydrophone. The images have no speckle and are of high contrast. We call this technique ultrasound‐stimulated vibroacoustography (USVA). The method has been applied to imaging lesions in breast, detection of calcification in vessels, detection of brachytherapy seeds in prostate, and modal vibration of vessels. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand radiation pressure. 2. Understand vibro‐acoustography. 3. Understand possible applications of vibro‐acoustography in Medical Imaging.


Introduction. The use of unlicensed food and herbal supplements to enhance sexual functions is drastically increasing. This phenomenon, combined with the availability of these products over the Internet, represents a challenge from a clinical and a public health perspective. Methods. A comprehensive multilingual assessment of websites, drug fora, and other online resources was carried out between February and July 2013 with exploratory qualitative searches including 203 websites. Additional searches were conducted using the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN). Once the active constitutes of the products were identified, a comprehensive literature search was carried out using PsycInfo and PubMed. Results. The most common sexual enhancement products available on the Internet were identified. Their active ingredients included yohimbine, maca, horny goat weed and Ginkgo biloba. These four substances were reported with the occurrence of adverse events and the induction of psychological symptoms, such as mood changes, anxiety, and hallucinations as well as addictive behaviours. Conclusions. Uncontrolled availability of sexual enhancement products that contain potentially harmful substances is a major public health concern. The possible impact on population health, particularly among subjects with psychiatric disorders, usually at risk for sexual dysfunction, may be significant. This new trend needs to be extensively studied and monitored.


In prior research, reading behavior was predominantly measured using either a questionnaire, which is economical and easy to implement but imprecise, or paper-pencil diaries that document reading behavior quite accurately, but which are time consuming and costly. The present study aims to introduce and evaluate a precise and easy to implement measure of reading behavior, namely a reading diary app in which participants can record their reading behavior on a smartphone. To evaluate the development procedure, the first research question asked whether data gathered with the app is of high quality (e.g., reliability). The second research question asked how reading time recorded via the app is related to reading time assessed via different retrospective questionnaires. n = 31 German university students recorded their reading activities for 14 days. Different approaches were applied to estimate the data quality and reliability and yielded satisfactory results. Participants reported more time spent reading daily on the retrospective questionnaire than when recording their reading time using the app. The correlation between reading diary app data and questionnaire data was medium in size. Our findings are discussed in the light of future directions for reading research and the use of ambulatory assessments.


PURPOSE
To compare the handling and 6-month clinical performance of an experimental resin-modified glass ionomer cement (K-512 = Fuji III LC) with that of a light-cured resin-based sealant (Delton Opaque) when used as a pit and fissure sealant in 15-27 year old subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seventeen patients with 65 cement and 55 resin-based sealants were recalled after 6 months for clinical examination and color photographs.

RESULTS
Sealant retention failures requiring retreatment were 74% for the glass ionomer cement sealant and 11% for the resin-based sealant, with one instance of fissure caries being found for each material. The resin-modified glass ionomer cement sealant showed a slight darkening from its initial placement, and was also more difficult to handle than the resin-based sealant.


This study aims to design and build water resource conservation model with emphasis on technical, socio-economical,and ecological aspects involving extensive changes in land use, population growth, continuity of operation of the hydropower of Asahan and some other aspects of the catchment. Illustration of the water balance was made under the influence of land use and other economic activities. Modelling of water balance was constructed by the method of dynamic modeling systems using Powersim software. The water availability was analyzed using FJ.Mock method with variables derived from the analysis of the ecological condition of the catchment area of Lake Toba. The simulations ofwater balance and water level was performed for the condition without intervention variables and with intervention variables. The intervention variables was performed in pessimistic, moderat and optimistic scenario to provide an overview of conservation policy. The simulation of the water balance and lake water level indicate that either in the year of 2017-2057, the best scenario is between moderate and optimistic scenarios in the condition of the population growth between 0.8% - 1.0% per year, infiltration coefficient values between 0.40 to 0.45, the value of land cover factor between 0.25 to 0.3, while the flow ofwater released into the Asahan River of 91.69 m3/sec in average.Keywords: FJ. Mock, water balance, land cover factor value, Lake Toba


The first study of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) for four surgical procedures in NHS hospitals in England has been published.

PROMs are self completed questionnaires that measure a patient's health status or health related quality of life. Since April 2009 it has been a requirement for all providers of NHS funded hip replacements, knee replacements, groin hernia surgery, or varicose vein surgery to collect these data from patients before and after the procedures.

The data, from April 2009 to April 2010, have now been published by the NHS Information Centre, whose chief executive, Tim Straughan, said, "PROMs are a very exciting development in the way we consider the quality and value of care being delivered to patients. This is the first time this type of information has been gathered on such a large scale, and it will be of enormous interest to those charged …


The study consisted in the extraction and characterization of zeins of Venezuelan maizes, according to their solubility and molecular properties. The cultivars analyzed were the hybrids Ceniap PB8, Tocoron 127, Arichuna, Obregon, Ceniap 3, Corocito 101 and the varieties Maquina del Ceniap, Venezuela-1 and Venezuela-1 Opaco-2. Zeins were extracted with 70% ethanol and fractionated by two methods: 95% ethanol and column filtration with Sephadex G-200. The molecular weight was determined by electrophoresis in a discontinuous polyacrilamide gel with sodium dodecyl sulfate (PAGE-SDS). The results demonstrated that zeins account for 36.57% of the total protein present in normal corn grain and 9.38% in Opaque-2 corn. Prolamines presented a soluble fraction in 95% ethanol (alpha zeins) which represented 33,12% of zeins and another insoluble (beta zeins) the 66.88%. In column fractionation, three fractions were obtained, two major A and C and another B in minor quantity, which varied in proportion between cultivars. Zeins which were reduced with 2-mercaptoethanol separated into two subunits with molecular weights of 21,300 and 24,300 daltons, whereas unreduced zeins presented large sized aggregates which remained at the origin and large numbers of bands (nine) whose molecular weights oscillated between 24,300 and 87,000 daltons. The electrophoretic patterns of normal maizes were similar, but differ from the pattern of the Opaque-2. In this maize, zeins reduced presented only the band with molecular weight 24,300 daltons and the unreduced zeins showed those with molecular weights of 87,000; 78,500; 48,500 and 24,300 daltons. Reduced alpha and beta are made up of the same basic components of zeins. Likewise unreduced alpha zeins are made up of the same polypeptides as unreduced zeins. The difference between Opaque-2 zeins and normal ones in that they contain more alpha zeins and less polypeptides of high molecular weight.


Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is a phloem-limited virus whose natural host range is restricted to citrus and related species. Although the virus has killed millions of trees, almost destroying whole industries, and continually limits production in many citrus growing areas, most isolates are mild or symptomless in most of their host range. There is little understanding of how the virus causes severe disease in some citrus and none in others. Movement and distribution of CTV differs considerably from that of well-studied viruses of herbaceous plants where movement occurs largely through adjacent cells. In contrast, CTV systemically infects plants mainly by long-distance movement with only limited cell-to-cell movement. The virus is transported through sieve elements and occasionally enters an adjacent companion or phloem parenchyma cell where virus replication occurs. In some plants this is followed by cell-to-cell movement into only a small cluster of adjacent cells, while in others there is no cell-to-cell movement. Different proportions of cells adjacent to sieve elements become infected in different plant species. This appears to be related to how well viral gene products interact with specific hosts. CTV has three genes (p33, p18, and p13) that are not necessary for infection of most of its hosts, but are needed in different combinations for infection of certain citrus species. These genes apparently were acquired by the virus to extend its host range. Some specific viral gene products have been implicated in symptom induction. Remarkably, the deletion of these genes from the virus genome can induce large increases in stem pitting (SP) symptoms. The p23 gene, which is a suppressor of RNA silencing and a regulator of viral RNA synthesis, has been shown to be the cause of seedling yellows (SY) symptoms in sour orange. Most isolates of CTV in nature are populations of different strains of CTV. The next frontier of CTV biology is the understanding how the virus variants in those mixtures interact with each other and cause diseases.


Intra-aortic infusions of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide-(1-38) (PACAP) produced a dose-related fall in aortic blood pressure over the range of 4-40 pmol.min-1.kg-1 in the presence of exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone-(1-24) (ACTH, 2 ng.min-1.kg-1 i.v.; P < 0.01). At the higher dose there was a significant fall in adrenal vascular resistance in the absence, but not in the presence, of ACTH. PACAP also produced a dose-related increase in right adrenal cortisol output over the same range, which was significantly greater in the absence of exogenous ACTH (P < 0.01). At the higher dose, PACAP produced small but significant increases in adrenal epinephrine and norepinephrine output (P < 0.01) both in the presence and the absence of ACTH. There was also a small rise in Met5-enkephalin output, and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) was released in the presence, but not in the absence, of ACTH. It is concluded that PACAP is capable of exerting potent steroidogenic and vasodilator effects in the adrenal gland in the normal conscious calf and of releasing significant amounts of catecholamines, enkephalins, and CRF from the adrenal medulla. These findings identify PACAP as a candidate neuromodulator in the adrenal gland in this species.


The article describes the historical circumstances and context of the beginnings of Progressive Judaism in Central Europe in the nineteenth century, with the rabbis I.N. Mannheimer and A. Jellinek and the famous cantor Salomon Sulzer in the historic Viennese city temple (which still stands today) as the main protagonists. In the interwar period, the founding of the Verein fur fortschrittliches Judentum in Vienna, its president Heinrich Haase (1864–1943) and its dissolution (in 1936) are discussed, and biographies of Liberal rabbis in Vienna and in some parts of the Austrian provinces are presented. After 1945 the focus is on the history of the Liberal Viennese community Or Chadasch, founded in May 1990, which is celebrating twenty-five years in November this year with a Festschrift and a Festakt with a keynote speech by Anat Hoffman.


Small grains, approximately 15 μm in size, of a Ni-phosphide, have been discovered in two chromite deposits associated with altered mantle peridotite: (i) in Bakanov Kluch, Alapaesk ophiolite, Russia and (ii) in Agios Dimitrios, Gerakini-Ormylia ophiolite, Greece. On the basis of the chromite composition, both the Bakanov Kluch and the Agios Dimitrios chromitites are classified as Cr-rich chromitites with a boninitic affinity. Under reflected-light optical microscope, the Ni-phosphides are yellow in colour and isotropic. Their calculated stoichiometry, based on the average of 20 electron microprobe analyses, approaches the ideal formula (Ni,Fe) 5 P. One essential condition for the formation of terrestrial minerals in the Ni-Fe-P system is the presence of a highly reducing local geochemical environment. Serpentinization of oceanic peridotites produces reducing fluids containing dissolved H 2 resulting from the reduction of H 2 O. Therefore, we suggest that the (Ni,Fe) 5 P from the Alapaevsk and Gerakini-Ormylia were very likely formed after the precipitation of the host chromitites during the serpentinization process at low temperatures. Nickel may have been released during the alteration of olivine and phosphorous may represent an alteration product of apatite. The (Ni,Fe) 5 P grains analyzed in the present work contain the highest value of Ni and they are characterized by the highest Ni to P ratio reported so far from similar minerals. Their stoichiometry indicates that the (Ni,Fe) 5 P grains found in the Alapaevsk and Gerakini-Ormylia chromitites represent a new mineral species. However, their small size prevents the acquisition of crystallographic data to support this assumption.


Pre-term birth is strongly associated with subsequent neuropsychiatric impairment. To identify structural differences in preterm infants we have examined a dataset of magnetic resonance (MR) images containing 88 preterm infants and 19 term born controls. We have analyzed these images by combining image registration, deformation based morphometry (DBM), multivariate statistics, and effect size maps (ESM). The methodology described has been performed directly on the MR intensity images rather than on segmented versions of the images. The results indicate that the approach described makes clear the statistical differences between the control and preterm samples, showing a leave-one-out classification accuracy of 94.74% and 95.45% respectively. In addition, finding the most discriminant direction between the groups and using DBM features and ESM we are able to identify not only what are the changes between preterm and term groups but also how relatively relevant they are in terms of volume expansion and contraction.


Most socioeconomic pathways compatible with the aims of the Paris Agreement include large changes to land use and land cover. The associated vegetation changes can interact with the atmosphere and climate through numerous mechanisms. One of these is emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which may lead to the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) and atmospheric chemistry changes. Here, we use a modeling framework to explore potential future global and regional changes in SOA and tropospheric ozone following idealized, large-scale vegetation perturbations, and their resulting radiative forcing (RF). Guided by projections in low-warming scenarios, we modify crop and forest cover, separately, and in concurrence with changes in anthropogenic emissions and CO2 level. We estimate that increasing global forest cover by 30% gives a 37% higher global SOA burden, with a resulting forcing of −0.13 W m−2. The effect on tropospheric ozone is relatively small. Large SOA burden changes of up to 48% are simulated for South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Conversely, increasing crop cover at the expense of tropical forest, yields similar changes but of opposite sign. The magnitude of these changes is strongly affected by the concurrent evolution of anthropogenic emissions. Our land cover perturbations are representative of energy crop expansion and afforestation, two key mitigation measures in 1.5 °C compatible scenarios. Our results hence indicate that depending on the role of these two in the underlying mitigation strategies, scenarios with similar long-term global temperature levels could lead to opposite effects on SOA. Combined with the complexity of factors that control SOA, this highlights the importance of including BVOC effects in further studies and assessments of climate and air quality mitigation involving the land surface.


Research on women in a coastal area tends to focus only on their roles as processors and vendors of fishery products. However, their contribution to the family economy is rarely overlooked. This descriptive study is an initial examination of the fisherwoman's role on household income in Sawohan Village, East Java, Indonesia. The village, which is famous for the fishery products it turns out, is classified as a poor village because the local income is far below the East Java average minimum wage. The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to empower fisherwomen to improve the economy of the family; second, to analyze the factors that influence fisherwomen's intentions to become entrepreneurs as a second income for the household. Entrepreneurship Capacity Building (ECB) methods using a participatory approach were performed to involve fisherwomen in identifying problems, the causal factors of the issues, handling strategies, and developing models for managing the village's problems based on science and technology. A quantitative method, using an in-depth interview based on a questionnaire, was used to determine the factors that influence fisherwomen to become entrepreneurs. Multiple linear regression shows that fisherwomen are significantly affected to become entrepreneurs by self-motivation to earn profits (FP_PRFT), hobbies/pleasure (FP_HOBY), and government policy (FL_GOVT). The linear relation between those factors and entrepreneurship intention concludes that fisherwomen voluntarily wish to contribute to household income. The sustainability of this program must be done by providing entrepreneurship assistance and providing knowledge about product marketing.


Large penetration of renewable energy is currently attenuated by concerns regarding their impact on the controllability and reliability of the electrical system. As the inclusion of energy storage is to a great extent the solution to these issues, this paper proposes a methodology for approaching the calculation of the size of the energy storage to be connected to a PV power plant for providing inertia emulation, primary control, and the reduction of power fluctuation. A complete control strategy, developed for the inclusion of these services in the operation of a dc-ac grid connected converter has been implemented and validated through simulation results. The obtained results are validated by experimental tests performed on a scaled 10 kW prototype.


A unified treatment of all known types of singularities for flat, isotropic and homogeneous spacetimes in the framework of loop quantum cosmology (LQC) is presented. These include bangs, crunches and all future singularities. Using effective spacetime description we perform a model-independent general analysis of the properties of curvature, behavior of geodesics and strength of singularities. For illustration purposes a phenomenological model based analysis is also performed. We show that all values of the scale factor at which a strong singularity may occur are excluded from the effective loop quantum spacetime. Further, if the evolution leads to either a vanishing or divergent scale factor then the loop quantum universe is asymptotically deSitter in that regime. We also show that there exists a class of sudden extremal events, which includes a recently discussed possibility, for which the curvature or its derivatives will always diverge. Such events however turn out to be harmless weak curvature singularities beyond which geodesics can be extended. Our results point toward a generic resolution of physical singularities in LQC.


We investigate moduli field dynamics in supergravity/M-theory like set ups where we turn on fluxes along some or all of the extra dimensions. As has been argued in the context of string theory, we observe that the fluxes tend to stabilize the squashing (or shape) modes. Generically we find that at late times the shape is frozen while the radion evolves as a quintessence field. At earlier times we have a phase of radiation domination where both the volume and the shape moduli are slowly evolving. However, depending on the initial conditions and the parameters of the theory, like the value of the fluxes, curvature of the internal manifold and so on, the dynamics of the internal manifold can be richer with interesting cosmological consequences, including inflation.


Abstract Many mechanisms, functions and structures of life have been unraveled. However, the fundamental driving force that propelled chemical evolution and led to life has remained obscure. The second law of thermodynamics, written as an equation of motion, reveals that elemental abiotic matter evolves from the equilibrium via chemical reactions that couple to external energy towards complex biotic non-equilibrium systems. Each time a new mechanism of energy transduction emerges, e.g., by random variation in syntheses, evolution prompts by punctuation and settles to a stasis when the accessed free energy has been consumed. The evolutionary course towards an increasingly larger energy transduction system accumulates a diversity of energy transduction mechanisms, i.e. species. The rate of entropy increase is identified as the fitness criterion among the diverse mechanisms, which places the theory of evolution by natural selection on the fundamental thermodynamic principle with no demarcation line between inanimate and animate.


Background: Collaborative networks of health organizations have received a great deal of attention in recent years as a way of enhancing the flow of information and coordination of services. However, relatively little is known about how such networks are formed and evolve, especially outside a local, community-based setting. This article is an in-depth discussion of the evolution of the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). The NAQC is a network of U.S. and Canadian organizations that provide telephone-based counseling and related services to people trying to quit smoking. Methodology: The research draws on data from interviews, documents, and a survey of NAQC members to assess how the network emerged, became formalized, and effectively governed. Findings: The findings provide an understanding of how multiregional public health networks evolve, while building on and extending the broader literature on organizational networks in other sectors and settings. Specifically, we found that the network form that ultimately emerged was a product of the back-and-forth interplay between the internal needs and goals of those organizations that would ultimately become network members, in this case, state-, and provincial-level tobacco quitline organizations. We also found that network formation, and then governance through a network administrative organization, was driven by important events and shifts in the external environment, including the impact and influence of major national organizations. Practice Implications: The results of the study provide health care leaders and policy officials an understanding of how the activities of a large number of organizations having a common health goal, but spanning multiple states and countries, might be coordinated and integrated through the establishment of a formal network.


This paper proposes a configuration and characterisation of the economic sectors in Chile applying Malerba's sectoral innovation systems approach. Its objective is to examine the existence of sectoral systems of innovation in Chile and their characteristics.
Using data from the Chilean Tenth Innovation Survey of Firms, a three-step statistical analysis was performed. In the first step, 15 variables were chosen and converted by factor analysis into four components reflecting the configuration of the sectoral system. In the second step, a cluster analysis was carried out to determine the characterisation of the sectors. In the final step, a simple econometric model was developed to estimate a proxy for the propensity to patent of the economic sectors.
It is possible to discover the existence of three groups of sectoral innovation systems. One is characterised by a low propensity to patent. Another one uses market information and some effort in R&D to innovate. A third one is characterised by a strong use of market sources, high effort in R&D, strong networking and collaboration, and a close interaction with the industrial property system.
This paper shows the usefulness of composite variables in identifying those sectors with higher propensity to patent. In particular, the factor networks and collaboration is the most important. This last is important to highlight in terms of policies in science and technology that aim to establish formal mechanisms to share common knowledge strengthening the relationships among the different players of the innovation process


Laestadianism is an evangelical and fundamentalist movement inside the Lutheran Church, principally in northern FennoScandia and particularly in Saamiand Finnish-speaking communities. This essay considers the historical circumstances in which Laestadian blossomed among the coastal Saami of North Norway. It looks at the changes that were wrought in social relations and value orientations between coastal Saami and the surrounding non-Saami world; in particular, Saami learned to accept (as a measure of grace) their own traditional social arrangements and, compared to non-Saami, their own humble material circumstances . In interpreting the material, recourse is made to the Batesonian distinctions pertaining to processes of schismogenesis and steady state.


Stormwater is being harvested for potable and non-potable reuse applications across Australia. Whilst the range of pathogens present in wastewater are well characterised, significantly less is known of the range of pathogens present in stormwater. Pathogen data for stormwater are limited both within Australia and overseas. This, in turn, limits the effective application of the health risk assessment framework to stormwater as this is underpinned by the assessment of hazards and exposure to them. The overall aim of this study is to identify pathogenic bacteria (not indicator organisms) present in stormwater drains from two inner city precincts in a metropolitan city. Eighteen grab samples were collected twice a week from three central Melbourne stormwater drains. Cell culture techniques and microscopy were utilised to identify and enumerate Campylobacter sp., Legionella sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. Results of this study strengthen our understanding of the pathogenic bacteria individuals may be exposed to via different routes of exposure including ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. This knowledge will inform the assessment of microbial human health risks associated with stormwater reuse and will assist policy makers and regulatory authorities in developing and applying risk management strategies that are protective of human health.


Every State in Australia is moving towards establishing policies and structures in schools that allow for greater parent participation. Following is a summary of each State's policies in order to establish the context in which this study was deemed as significant. Having led the rest of Australia in school council involvement in controlling school affairs, the Victorian Ministry of Education in 1983 formally recognised the important role of parents in schools. The ministry's booklet entitled Parent Participation, originally printed in 1985, was revised and reprinted in 1987. The introduction states 'parents have been recognised as partners, with teachers, in affecting educational outcomes, and have been given shared responsibility for making decisions about schooling'. The Education Department of South Australia, in its policy statement on parent participation in schools, entitled Parents and Schools, states that: The policy puts an onus on schools to reach out to their parents to encourage involvement or participation in decision-making affecting the education of their children while observing the rights of parents to choose the type and level of their commitment. Defining 'involvement' as the contribution that parents made to the life and business of the school without necessarily being part of the decision making process, and 'participation' as parents sharing with school staff and students in the making of decisions about school aims, policies and programs, the Department called upon each school to develop a policy which not only promoted and developed the role of parents in the school, but also enabled parents to participate in school decision making. The implementation of a plan consistent with each school's policy was due to begin in 1989. This working paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cmsworkpapers/16


Abstract Our objectives were to compare wheat and wheat-ryegrass mixtures for patterns of DM accumulation and forage quality changes with maturity. Two genotypes of soft red winter wheat ('Magnum' and the hybrid 'HW 3015') were grown alone or in mixture with 'Marshall' annual ryegrass. Plots were harvested at six wheat growth stages from beginning of pseudostem elongation to soft dough. Handclipped samples were separated into species and leaf and stem (including inflorescence) components, and the components were analyzed for NDF and in vitro DM disappearance. Annual ryegrass in mixture with wheat did not enhance the forage yield over wheat alone; however, the later maturity of ryegrass in relation to wheat resulted in a slower decline in total mixture leaf proportion with advancing maturity than in wheat alone. Enhanced leafiness did not, however, augment total mixture in vitro DM disappearance over that of wheat alone because of the low in vitro DM disappearance of ryegrass stems. If wheat is to be grown for harvest at the soft dough stage for forage, it should not be grown with annual ryegrass, because the latter dilutes the high quality, wheat grain portion with low quality ryegrass stems.


A method for achieving redundant arm kinematic control based on parameterization is presented. The method, referred to as the parameterization method, parameterizes properly chosen redundant joints, and obtains a close form of parameterized inverse kinematic solution to accomplish position-based kinematic control. The parameterization of redundant joints is based on: (1) selecting a point in the solution manifold of redundant joints that is closest to one of the reference points, where the reference points represent desirable arm configuration in the parameter space; and (2) adjusting the selected parameter values in the parameter space for the optimization of performance specified by a potential field over the joint space. The proposed method provides the computational efficiency and numerical stability, as well as the capability of trajectory planning in the joint space for redundant arm kinematic control. The case study demonstrates that the parameterization method can be successfully applied to the position-based kinematic control of the eight-degree-of-freedom redundant arm.<<ETX>>


For improving water scenery of Quanzhou city to form a good-looking artificial lake, a barrier is planned to be built in the Jinjiang estuary to store up water from runoff and tide. Some water problems dealing with the barrier construction in the lower reach of the Jingjiang River, such as city flood control and draining waterlogging, water quality, ship passing, and so on, also are concerned by many aspects of whole society. Detail research on these problems for providing a basis of design and operation of the barrier was performed in Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute according to a physical model test. The result shows that there is a small impact to flood running, and disadvantageous impact to water quality can be reduced to minimal extent by reasonable operation manner of the barrier.


The inflated transiting hot Jupiter HD 209458b is one of the best studied objects since the beginning of exoplanet characterization. Transmission observations of this system between the mid-infrared and the far-ultraviolet have revealed the signature of atomic, molecular, and possibly aerosol species in the lower atmosphere of the planet, as well as escaping hydrogen and metals in the upper atmosphere. From a re-analysis of near-ultraviolet transmission observations of HD 209458b we detect ionized iron (Fe+) absorption in a 100 Å-wide range around 2370 Å, lying beyond the planetary Roche lobe. However, we do not detect absorption of equally strong Fe+ lines expected to be around 2600 Å. Further, we find no evidence for absorption by neutral magnesium (Mg), ionized magnesium (Mg+), nor neutral iron (Fe). These results avoid the conflict with theoretical models previously found by Vidal-Madjar et al., which detected Mg but did not detect Mg+ from this same data set. Our results indicate that hydrodynamic escape is strong enough to carry atoms as heavy as iron beyond the planetary Roche lobe, even for planets less irradiated than the extreme ultra-hot Jupiters such as WASP-12 b and KELT-9 b. The detection of iron and nondetection of magnesium in the upper atmosphere of HD 209458b can be explained by a model in which the lower atmosphere forms (hence, sequesters) primarily magnesium-bearing condensates, rather than iron condensates. This is suggested by current microphysical models. The inextricable synergy between upper- and lower-atmosphere properties highlights the value of combining observations that probe both regions.


Physician scientists provide an invaluable resource in the pursuit of clinically relevant basic and translational research discoveries. The establishment of joint degree MD-PhD educational programs throughout the United States has helped to maintain a cohort of medical professionals who are well trained in both clinical medicine and biomedical research. However, professional development after graduation from a MD-PhD program until appointment as a faculty member has remained largely amorphous and unstructured. To fill this void in medical training and to promote the career development of talented individuals in academic medicine, the physician scientist training program (PSTP) was established at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 2000. This program provides training in general internal medicine and medical subspecialties, or in general dermatology, followed by research training leading to an appointment as a faculty member. In this article, the rationale for the development of the PSTP, its structure, and the initial outcomes of the program are described.


GALANTE is an optical photometric survey with seven intermediate/narrow filters that has been covering the Galactic Plane since 2016 using the Javalambre T80 and Cerro Tololo T80S telescopes. The P.I.s of the northern part (GALANTE NORTE) are Emilio J. Alfaro and Jes\'us Ma\'iz Apell\'aniz. and the P.I. of the southern part (GALANTE SUR) is Rodolfo H. Barb\'a. The detector has a continuous 1.4 degr x 1.4 degr field of view with a sampling of 0.55"/pixel and the seven filters are optimized to detect obscured early-type stars. The survey includes long, intermediate, short, and ultrashort exposure times to reach a dynamical range close to 20 magnitudes, something never achieved for such an optical project before. The characteristics of GALANTE allow for a new type of calibration scheme using external Gaia, Tycho-2, and 2MASS data that has already led to a reanalysis of the sensitivity of the Gaia G filter. We describe the project and present some early results. GALANTE will identify the majority of the early-type massive stars within several kpc of the Sun and measure their amount and type of extinction. It will also map the Halpha nebular emission, identify emission-line stars, and do other studies of low- and intermediate-mass stars.