In this study, a small-form-factor optical pickup (SFFOP), corresponding to the Blu-ray disc (BD) specifications has been developed. The developed SFFOP is composed of an integrated optical pickup and a swing-arm-type actuator. The integrated optical pickup has been developed in the form of an array using wafer-level fabrication technology. The developed SFFOP is composed of the fundamental optics which yields a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.85 and uses a blue laser diode having a short wavelength of 407 nm and a silicon optical bench, which consists of a laser diode, a photodiode and several mounts for the laser diode, an objective lens and mirrors. The micro objective lens is bonded to the lens holder on the SFFOP by an active alignment using a modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer. Also, a static focus error signal was detected to assemble a polarized holographic optical element. Through the measurement of the focus error signal with a swing-arm-type actuator, which was developed for the SFFOP, it is estimated that the developed SFFOP satisfies the BD specifications with the balance of the focus error signal below 10%.


This essay describes the growing public domain of inventions associated with drugs and medicine, and geographies associated with identifiable shifts in the balance of innovation that may be especially favorable for promoting wider access to socially useful technologies. To do so, it departs from the largely ex ante perspective that currently informs the intersectional debate regarding human rights and patent rights and, instead, looks backward to inquire what innovations from past patents have already become publicly available in service of the human rights objective of greater access to technology. Ex post analysis of this kind may help public and private institutions alike in identifying cycles of innovation that sustainably deprioritize socially valuable technologies and leave them free for public use.


A strong turnout of a broad cross-section of the New Orleans population lent legitimacy to a unique public conversation about post-Katrina recovery priorities. Designed and conducted by AmericaSpeaks, Community Congress II brought together over 2500 New Orleanians, linked electronically across five different cities plus smaller satellite sites in 15 diaspora communities across the country. Table observations of 48 deliberative rounds, along with exit interviews, post-event focus groups with participants, and stakeholder interviews are used to address three central questions about the social processes of deliberation: What are the patterns of interaction at the tables across race and gender; how do the participants interpret the meaning of the event for themselves; and what were the outcomes in terms of legitimacy, influence, and social trust? The article contextualizes the event in the unfolding story of the recovery process and culls out the lessons learned for deliberative democracy. Community Congress II demonstrates that inclusive public deliberation does more than provide reasoned public input into difficult policy decisions. It does more than legitimate new public initiatives. It can foster social trust and social healing across the divides of race, culture, and wealth. But the benefits will be sustained only if they are reinforced by an institutional infrastructure of civic engagement.


Salt stress during germination degenerates crop establishment and declines yield in wheat (Triticum subsp.). Against salt (NaCl) stress, we investigated 12 bread (Triticum aestivum L.) and 10 einkorn wheat (T. monococcum subsp. monococcum) entries for germination rate, germinating power, coleoptile length, shoot length, root length, shoot/root length ratio, root fresh weight, root dry weight, and root fresh/dry weigh ratio. An effective blocking in variance analysis improved statistical significance and differentiation between germination stages and wheat entries. Salt total and salt ranking tolerance indices grouped the wheat entries into tolerant (Bayraktar 2000, Gerek 79, Ikizce 96, Gun 91, Demir 2000, and Momtchil) and susceptible ones (Population-4, Population-14, Population-15, Population-9, Population-11, and Population-10). The best coleoptile length and root fresh weight developments occurred between 0 and 0.15 M and root length between 0 and 0.10 M salt doses. Coleoptile length, root fresh weight, and root dry weight started decreasing at 0.20 M. Pearson linear correlation coefficients were significant at different levels for coleoptile length, root fresh weight, and root dry weight. Spearman correlation coefficients were not significant between the worst salt affected characters of coleoptile length, shoot length, root length, root fresh weight, and root dry weight characters under the control treatment but were significant under salt stress. A significant PC value of 0.356 was recorded for root dry weight, 0.335 for root length, 0.310 for shoot root length ratio, and 0.309 for root fresh weight in PC 1. The first three PCs accounted for 90.52% of total variation. The highest PC was PC1 (71.946%), followed by PC2 (11.098%), and PC3 (7.481%). The dendrogram of all wheat entries clearly differentiated bread and einkorn wheats as both salt indices did. Here, it seemed, then, that those bread wheat cultivars were more salt tolerant than einkorn populations, most likely because of their geographic origin differences.


Saliency detection task has witnessed a booming interest for years, due to the growth of the computer vision community. In this paper, we introduce a new saliency model that performs active learning with kernelized subspace ranker (KSR) referred to as KSR-AL. This pool-based active learning algorithm ranks the informativeness of unlabeled data by considering both uncertainty sampling and information density, thereby minimizing the cost of labeling. The informative images are selected to train the KSR iteratively and incrementally. The learning model of this algorithm is designed on object-level proposals and region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN) features, by jointly learning a Rank-SVM classifier and a subspace projection. When the active learning process meets its stopping criteria, the saliency map of each image is generated by a weight fusion of its top-ranked proposals, whose ranking scores are graded by the learned ranker. We show that the KSR-AL achieves a reduction in annotation, as well as improvement in performance, compared with the supervised learning scheme. Besides, the proposed algorithm also outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. These improvements are demonstrated by extensive experiments on six publicly available benchmark datasets.


This manual has a twofold aim: to present the WeightedCluster library and offer a step-by-step guide to creating typologies of sequences for the social sciences. In particular, this library makes it possible to represent graphically the results of a hierarchical cluster analysis, to group identical sequences in order to analyse a larger number of sequences, to compute a set of measures of partition quality and also an optimized PAM (Partitioning Around Medoids) algorithm taking account of weightings. The library also offers procedures to facilitate the choice of a particular clustering solution and to choose the optimal number of groups. In addition to the methods, we also discuss the building of typologies of sequences in the social sciences and the assumptions underlying this operation. In particular we clarify the place that should be given to the creation of typologies in the analysis of sequences. We thus show that these methods offer an important descriptive point of view on sequences by bringing to light recurrent patterns. However, they should not be used in a confirmatory analysis, since they can point to misleading conclusions. WeightedCluster Library Manual A practical guide to creating typologies of trajectories in the social sciences with R Matthias Studer Institute for Demographic and Life Course Studies University of Geneva Abstract This manual has a twofold aim: to present the WeightedCluster library and offer a step-by-step guide to creating typologies of sequences for the social sciences. In particular, this library makes it possible to represent graphically the results of a hierarchical cluster analysis, to group identical sequences in order to analyse a larger number of sequences, to compute a set of measures of partition quality and also an optimized PAM (Partitioning Around Medoids) algorithm taking account of weightings. The library also offers procedures to facilitate the choice of a particular clustering solution and to choose the optimal number of groups. In addition to the methods, we also discuss the building of typologies of sequences in the social sciences and the assumptions underlying this operation. In particular we clarify the place that should be given to the creation of typologies in the analysis of sequences. We thus show that these methods offer an important descriptive point of view on sequences by bringing to light recurrent patterns. However, they should not be used in a confirmatory analysis, since they can point to misleading conclusions.This manual has a twofold aim: to present the WeightedCluster library and offer a step-by-step guide to creating typologies of sequences for the social sciences. In particular, this library makes it possible to represent graphically the results of a hierarchical cluster analysis, to group identical sequences in order to analyse a larger number of sequences, to compute a set of measures of partition quality and also an optimized PAM (Partitioning Around Medoids) algorithm taking account of weightings. The library also offers procedures to facilitate the choice of a particular clustering solution and to choose the optimal number of groups. In addition to the methods, we also discuss the building of typologies of sequences in the social sciences and the assumptions underlying this operation. In particular we clarify the place that should be given to the creation of typologies in the analysis of sequences. We thus show that these methods offer an important descriptive point of view on sequences by bringing to light recurrent patterns. However, they should not be used in a confirmatory analysis, since they can point to misleading conclusions.


Preclinical studies using genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM) have the potential to expedite the development of effective new therapies; however, they are not routinely integrated into drug development pipelines. GEMMs may be particularly valuable for investigating treatments for less common cancers, which frequently lack alternative faithful models. Here, we describe a multicenter cooperative group that has successfully leveraged the expertise and resources from philanthropic foundations, academia, and industry to advance therapeutic discovery and translation using GEMMs as a preclinical platform. This effort, known as the Neurofibromatosis Preclinical Consortium (NFPC), was established to accelerate new treatments for tumors associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). At its inception, there were no effective treatments for NF1 and few promising approaches on the horizon. Since 2008, participating laboratories have conducted 95 preclinical trials of 38 drugs or combinations through collaborations with 18 pharmaceutical companies. Importantly, these studies have identified 13 therapeutic targets, which have inspired 16 clinical trials. This review outlines the opportunities and challenges of building this type of consortium and highlights how it can accelerate clinical translation. We believe that this strategy of foundation-academic-industry partnering is generally applicable to many diseases and has the potential to markedly improve the success of therapeutic development. Cancer Res; 77(21); 5706-11. ©2017 AACR.


As consumer-level cameras are becoming cheaper and cheaper, the scene of interest can now be captured by multiple cameras simultaneously from different viewpoints. By transmitting texture and depth maps of the views captured using two adjacent cameras, users can synthesize any view in between using depth image based rendering (DIBR) technique such as 3D-warping. This provides users with continuous view angles and is key technique for Free Viewpoint TV (FTV), etc. In this scenario, multiple views must be delivered through bandwidth-limited wireless networks, how to adaptive reduce the source coding rate to fit the bandwidth becomes an important issue. The standard multi-view video codec H.264 MVC explores the inter-view and intra-view correlation to reduce source encoding rate. But all views are required at the client side for decoding any single view, which is apparently not transmission efficient. A better solution is using H.264 to differentially encode the two adjacent views separately, but still this requires double-folder bandwidth comparing to the traditional video streaming. Multiple description coding (MDC) encodes one view into multiple descriptions for robust transmission. This inspires another option: sending only part of each view. This can greatly reduce the source encoding rate, but interpolating skipped frames before synthesizing the middle view consumes mobile devices' precious battery life. Whether to send at a lower source encoding rate but with extra energy consumption or send at a high source encoding rate is nontrivial, and has not been studied in any formal way. In this paper, we investigated both source encoding rate reduction and energy consumption with the bandwidth constraint. We formulated the problem into an optimization problem, i.e., maximizing the system utility, which is defined as the received video quality minus the weighted energy consumption. Simulation results showed that our proposed scheme provides a significant advantage over competing schemes in typical network conditions.


Biotransformation is an enzyme-catalyzed process in which the body converts endogenous compounds, xenobiotics and toxic substances into harmless or easily excreted metabolites. The biotransformation reactions are classified as phase I and II reactions. Uridine 5'-diphospho (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are a superfamily of phase II enzymes which have roles in the conjugation of xenobiotics or endogenous compounds, including drugs and bilirubin, with glucuronic acid to make them easier to excrete. The method the human body uses to achieve glucuronidation may be affected by a large interindividual variation due to changes in the sequences of the genes encoding these enzymes. In the last five years, the study of the genetic variants of the UGTs at a molecular level has become important due to its association with several diseases and the ability to predict adverse events due to drug metabolism. In the present review, the structure and the prominent genetic variants of the UGT1A subfamily and their metabolic and clinical implications are described.


In this paper, we investigate the population dynamics of phytoplankton–zooplankton–nanoparticle model with diffusion and density dependent death rate of predator. The functional response of predator in this model is considered as Beddington–DeAngelis type. The stability analysis of the equilibrium points is observed by applying the Routh–Hurwitz criterion. Numerical simulations are given to illustrate the theoretical results.


Background: Polyalthia longifolia Thwaites is an important traditional plant in India. Rutin, an active constituent has been reported to possess good amount of pharmacological as well as therapeutic potential. Objective: The aim of the present study was to find out by analytical techniques how much percentage of rutin is present in the plant leaves' ethanolic extract by analytical techniques. Materials and Methods: Shade dried leaves of Polyalthia longifolia were subjected to cold ethanolic extraction followed by monitoring the isolated rutin high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) after carrying out preliminary phytochemical screening. Results: Extraction yield was found to be 13.94% w/w. Phytochemical screening of the extract showed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, diterpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and phenolic compounds and mucilage. From the Rf value, the ethanolic extract was found to be having constituent identical to rutin. By HPTLC and HPLC the amount of rutin was found to be 11.60% w/w and 4.03% w/v, respectively. Conclusion: The active constituent isolated was found to be equal to rutin.


The squid fauna are a key component of the Southern Ocean ecosystem, although unfortunately
little is known of their distribution, biology and ecology. While the biomass of squid in the
Southern Ocean must impose a large amount of predatory pressure on lower trophic levels, few
dietary data exist for any of the Southern Ocean species. Conventional dietary analyses of squid
are fraught with many sources of bias, and therefore this study has employed complementary
stomach contents and fatty acid analyses to investigate aspects of the diet of Southern Ocean
squid. The diet of the onychoteuthid Moroteuthis ingens was largely comprised of myctophid
fish, and the digestive gland of M. ingens was rich in lipid and found to be an ideal source of fatty
acid dietary tracers that are unmodified from the diet. Fatty acid dietary tracers were then applied
in combination with stomach contents analyses to investigate the temporal, spatial and sizerelated
dietary patterns of M. ingens. Using these complementary techniques, the diet of M.ingens
was found to vary significantly on an interannual and seasonal basis within the vicinity of
Macquarie Island, largely due to fluctuations in the proportions of myctophid fish species in the
diet. Moroteuthis ingens also exhibited spatial variations in diet among Macquarie Island, the
Falkland Islands, the Chatham Rise and Campbell Plateau (the latter two sites located within New
Zealand waters). The diet at the New Zealand sites was characterised by a proportion of
temperate myctophid species not identified at other sites, whereas squid collected from the
Falkland Islands consumed a much greater proportion of cephalopod prey. Lipid class and fatty
acid analyses also indicated that the diet varied considerably between the Chatham Rise and
Campbell Plateau, most likely due to the influences of different oceanographic regimes. Stomach
contents and fatty acid analyses of squid collected from the Falkland Islands indicated that M.
ingens switches from a crustacean- and cephalopod-based diet to a fish- and cephalopod-diet at
around 200 mm mantle length. Lipid class and fatty acid analyses of the other Southern Ocean
squid indicated that oegopsid species accumulate a large amount of lipid in the digestive gland.
This lipid has been determined to be of dietary origin, and will thus provide a rich source of fatty
acid dietary tracers applicable to future food-web studies of squid. Further consideration of the
mode of lipid and fatty acid storage in the digestive gland will be required before squid fatty acid
profiles can be reliably applied to dietary studies of higher trophic predators.


Dunham, A. C. 1964. A petrographic and geochemical study of back-veining and hybridization at a gabbro-felsite contact in Coire Dubh, Rhum, Inverness-shire. Mineralogical Magazine , 33 , 887–902.

Dunham, A. C. & Emeleus, C. H. 1964. Observations on the acid rocks of Rhum. Proceedings of the Geological Society, London , 1621 , 52–54.

Sawkins, F. J., Dunham, A. C. & Hirst, D. M. 1964. Iron-deficient low-temperature pyrrhotite. Nature , 284 , 175–176.

Dunham, A. C. 1965. The nature and origin of the groundmass textures in felsites and granophyres from Rhum, Inverness-shire. Geological Magazine , 192 , 8–23.

Dunham, A. C. 1965. A new type of banding in ultrabasic rocks from central Rhum, Inverness-shire, Scotland. American Mineralogist , 50 ,1410–1420.

Dunham, K. C., Dunham, A. C., Hodge, B. L. & Johnson G. A. L. 1965. Granite beneath Visean sediments with mineralisation at Rookhope, northern Pennines. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, London , 121 , 383–417.

Dunham, A. C. & Kay, M. J. 1965. The petrology of the Little Whin Sill, County Durham. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society , 35 , 229–276.

Dunham, K. C., Johnson, G. A. L. & Dunham, A. C. 1965. Upper Teesdale and Lunedale: Field meeting 22–24 May 1964. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society , 35 , 287–290.

Dunham, A. C. & Hanor, J. S. 1967. Controls on barite mineralisation in the Western United States. Economic Geology , 62 , 82–94.

Dunham, A. C. & Emeleus, C. H. 1967. The Tertiary geology of Rhum, Inner Hebrides. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association , 78 , 391–418.


The energies, intensities and the angular anisotropy coefficients of Auger electrons have been calculated for the KLL Auger spectra of free oxygen atoms. For open shell atoms an anisotropic Auger emission can appear even for the KLL Auger lines. To study the oxygen KLL Auger spectra we calculated the Auger matrix elements within the multiconfigurational Dirac - Fock model using the intermediate coupling scheme for representing the atomic states. The energies, intensities and angular distribution parameters are discussed together with theoretical predictions in the LS coupling and are compared to recent experimental and theoretical results. We also discuss the influence of overlapping initial fine structure states on the Auger dynamics. Large anisotropy coefficients in conjunction with large intensities are predicted for a coherently excited initial and unresolved final state fine structure. It is suggested that the angular distribution of the Auger line is measured.


Grid computing environment involves all kind of resources namely network, software, data, storage and processing units, evolving towards Global computing to solve a single large problem using Grid scheduling architecture that addresses the interaction between the resource management and data management In this paper, two diferent approaches have been proposed to solve Grid scheduling problem with the objectives of maximizing the Job completion ratio (JCR) and minimizing the lateness. A population based evolutionary algorithm that involves evolution during the search process and a single point local search meta-heuristics that work on a single solution called as hybrid evolutionary algorithm. A Threshold accepting algorithm (TA) proposed is a single point local search meta-heuristic. Proposed algorithms are evaluated and the experimental results are presented for comparison.


Pulmonary metastasectomy is an accepted treatment modality for stage IV disease in various primary carcinomas and sarcomas. In addition to tumor removal, its objectives are preservation of normal lung parenchyma and maintaining optimal length of surgical margins. We analyzed the impact of risk factors and local recurrence on disease course, effect of surgical techniques and devices on local recurrence, relationship between molecular constellations and microscopic tumor spread in lung with local recurrence, and the role played by the type of resection and lymphadenectomy. Local recurrence at resection margin and in lymph nodes is attributable to resection site inadequacy and the extent of lymphadenectomy respectively, with lower incidence when surgical margins are wider and metastases are smaller. The incidence of local recurrence is comparable between minor and major resections, moreover when employing different resection techniques. Laser resection (Nd:YAG) has lower recurrence by causing alveolar coagulation and occlusion as well as leading to coagulation and necrosis of parenchyma, capillaries and lymphatics in the resection margin. The evaporation and coagulation zones on both sides of the resection line can be added to the pathologic measurement in order to calculate the size of the resection margin. Spread through air spaces (STAS), lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), tumor type and metastasis growth patterns, driver mutations are all major factors impacting locoregional recurrence. Safe resection margin during metastasectomy prevents local recurrence and wider resection margins are required when aggressive patterns of local spread are present. A safe resection margin should be at least either half the diameter of the metastasis. Microscopic tumor dissemination can only be identified postoperatively. Studies are required to additionally describe the radiomorphology and microscopic growth patterns of metastases, to facilitate surgeons to plan better and adequate resection margins.


This dissertation is concerned with research questions in the fields of labour economics and entrepreneurship. Chapter 1 introduces the four different research areas of this thesis and provides an overview of the subsequent chapters. Chapter 2 contributes to the understanding of the participation in on-the-job training from a behavioural perspective. This is done by incorporating individual's subjective beliefs about the return to training. These beliefs depend on their locus of control, a psychological concept about beliefs regarding an individual's control over the outcome of events in their life. Our empirical results suggest that having an internal locus of control is associated with higher participation in general but not in specific training. Specifically, general training is associated with greater expectations of future wage growth for those with an internal locus of control. There is no evidence of any link between locus of control and wage expectations or post-training wages in case of specific training. Chapter 3 evaluates the relationship between intergenerational co-residence and female labour force participation in Kyrgyzstan. The direction of the effect is not clear ex-ante. While elderly caretaking responsibilities might lead to lower labour force participation, child care support offered by grandparents might lead to the opposite effect. We find that co-residence has no effect on female labour force participation and the number of working hours. While other studies find positive impacts of co-residence on female labour force participation, we seek to analyze the channels that might link co-residence and female labour force participation. We find that intergenerational co-residence leads to around half an hour more spent per day on elder care, on average. We find that this is at the expense of the women's leisure time. Chapter 4 analyses constraints to investments of micro and small enterprises. I find that in the overall estimation sample, savings and managerial constraints are associated with lower investments. Further, the paper identifies several subgroups that are subject to certain constraints. These results reflect that savings and managerial constraints are non-negligible factors for firm investments. The subsample analysis provides an attempt to identify firms with similar constraints prior to treatment assignment, which is important to correctly match client characteristics with the type of training that will be useful for them. Chapter 5 evaluates two different financial education trainings. The first teaches simple rules of financial decision making (rule-of-thumb training) and the second training includes, in addition to the rule-of-thumb training, an add-on where entrepreneurs receive individual information (personalized training) about the financial situation of their business. Our estimates show that both trainings are generally effective. Evaluating the effect on each outcome family shows that the effect of personalized training on savings is strongest, which is 0.279 SD units and highly statistically significant.


Four cowpox virus (CPXV) outbreaks occurred in unrelated alpaca herds in Eastern Germany during 2012–2017. All incidents were initially noticed due to severe, generalized, and finally lethal CPXV infections, which were confirmed by testing of tissue and serum samples. As CPXV-infection has been described in South American camelids (SACs) only three times, all four herds were investigated to gain a deeper understanding of CPXV epidemiology in alpacas. The different herds were investigated twice, and various samples (serum, swab samples, and crusts of suspicious pox lesions, feces) were taken to identify additionally infected animals. Serum was used to detect CPXV-specific antibodies by performing an indirect immunofluorescence assay (iIFA); swab samples, crusts, and feces were used for detection of CPXV-specific DNA in a real-time PCR. In total, 28 out of 107 animals could be identified as affected by CPXV, by iIFA and/or PCR. Herd seroprevalence ranged from 16.1% to 81.2%. To investigate the potential source of infection, wild small mammals were trapped around all alpaca herds. In two herds, CPXV-specific antibodies were found in the local rodent population. In the third herd, CPXV could be isolated from a common vole (Microtus arvalis) found drowned in a water bucket used to water the alpacas. Full genome sequencing and comparison with the genome of a CPXV from an alpaca from the same herd reveal 99.997% identity, providing further evidence that the common vole is a reservoir host and infection source of CPXV. Only in the remaining fourth herd, none of the trapped rodents were found to be CPXV-infected. Rodents, as ubiquitous reservoir hosts, in combination with increasingly popular alpacas, as susceptible species, suggest an enhanced risk of future zoonotic infections.


SuWt 2 is a planetary nebula (PN) consisting of a bright ionized thin ring seen nearly edge-on, with much fainter bipolar lobes extending perpendicularly to the ring. It has a bright (12th magnitude) central star, too cool to ionize the PN, which we discovered in the early 1990s to be an eclipsing binary. Although it was anticipated that there would also be an optically faint, hot, ionizing star in the system, a spectrum from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) did not reveal a UV source. We present extensive ground-based photometry and spectroscopy of the central binary collected over the ensuing two decades, resulting in the determination that the orbital period of the eclipsing pair is 4.9 days, and that it consists of two nearly identical A1 V stars, each of mass ∼2.7 M☉. The physical parameters of the A stars, combined with evolutionary tracks, show that both are in the short-lived "blue-hook" evolutionary phase that occurs between the main sequence and the Hertzsprung gap, and that the age of the system is about 520 Myr. One puzzle is that the stars' rotational velocities are different from each other, and considerably slower than synchronous with the orbital period. It is possible that the center-of-mass velocity of the eclipsing pair is varying with time, suggesting that there is an unseen third orbiting body in the system. We propose a scenario in which the system began as a hierarchical triple, consisting of a ∼2.9 M☉ star orbiting the close pair of A stars. Upon reaching the asymptotic giant branch stage, the primary engulfed the pair into a common envelope, leading to a rapid contraction of the orbit and catastrophic ejection of the envelope into the orbital plane. In this picture, the exposed core of the initial primary is now a white dwarf of ∼0.7 M☉, orbiting the eclipsing pair, which has already cooled below the detectability possible by IUE at our derived distance of 2.3 kpc and a reddening of E(B − V) = 0.40. The SuWt 2 system may be destined to perish as a Type Ia supernova.


Maternal mortality is very high in Tanzania. Competent hospital care is key to improving maternal outcomes, but there is a crisis of availability and performance of health workers in maternal care. This article uses interviews with managers, nurse-midwives, and women who had given birth in two hospitals providing virtually all the emergency maternal care in one Tanzania city. It contrasts women's experience in the two hospitals, and analyses interconnections with nurse-midwives' and managers' experiences of working conditions. The conceptual literature on nurse empowerment identifies some key explanatory variables for these contrasts. Staff experienced less frustration and constraint in one of the hospitals; had more access to structurally empowering resources; and experienced greater congruence between job commitment and working culture, resulting in better work engagement. Conversely, nurse-midwives in the other hospital were constrained by supply shortages and recurrent lack of support. Contrasting management styles and their impacts demonstrate that even in severely resource-constrained environments, there is room for management to empower staff to improve maternal care. Empowering management practices include participatory management, supportive supervision, better incentives, and clear leadership concerning ward culture. Structural constraints beyond the capacity of health facility managers must however also be addressed. © 2015 The Authors. International Journal of Health Planning and Management published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Active vibration isolation is gaining increased attention in the ultra-high precision application of atom interferometry to effectively treat the unavoidable ground vibration. In this system, a digital control subsystem is used to process and feedback the vibration measured by a seismometer. A voice coil actuator is used to control and cancel the motion of a commercial passive vibration isolation platform. The system level simulation model is established by Simulink software, The simulation results demonstrate the asymptotic stability of the system and the robustness of the control algorithm. Compared with the conventional lead–lag compensation type controller, the algorithm adopted uses sliding mode control, taking advantage of its easy computer implementation and its robust high performance properties. With the feedback path closed, the system acts like a spring system with a natural resonance frequency of 0.02 Hz. The vibration noise in the vertical direction is about 20 times reduced during 0.1 and 2 Hz, The experimental results verify that the isolator has significant vibration isolation performance, and it is very suitable for applications in high precision gravity measurement.


State youth access laws often include restrictions for minor possession, use, or purchase of tobacco (PUP). The Minnesota PUP law allows cited youth to attend a tobacco diversion program in lieu of fines. We surveyed county attorneys in all counties (N = 87), tobacco diversion program coordinators (N = 47), and adolescents (N = 3,377) to assess PUP enforcement level, tobacco diversion program quality, and youth awareness of and experience with PUP laws and penalties. Although almost all county attorneys reported enforcement of the law, mean citation rates were low (9.3/1,000 youth) but somewhat higher in counties with tobacco diversion programs than in counties without such programs. Program coordinators also reported low attendance (Mdn = 30 adolescents per year per program). Almost 70% of classes were 2 h or less, and just 21.3% included multiple sessions; little variation in program approach or materials was observed, nor did programs meet criteria recommended for effective smoking cessation programs in this population. Overall, 59% of adolescents (79% among smokers) reported having heard of adolescents being caught by police or at school for smoking. Smoking prevalence was lower in counties with tobacco diversion programs than in counties without such programs (11.6% vs. 14.6%; adjusted OR = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.6-1.1). Receipt of a citation and attendance in a special class were more commonly reported among past-month smokers who lived in counties with tobacco diversion programs; the association for class attendance reached statistical significance. Our adolescent data provide some support for PUP laws as a potential tobacco control strategy, yet low citation rates and attendance in diversion programs of limited scope reduce the likelihood of detecting any benefit associated with this approach.


The aim of this paper is to research the determinants of FDI inflows in the SEE region with a special emphasis on corporate tax rates. The panel data analysis (GMM methodology) was conducted on six countries in the period 2000-2011 in two versions: as gravity model based on bilateral FDI inflows and on the total FDI inflows (and inward stock). The results pointed the most important determinants for attracting FDI in SEE countries are market size (population), growth rates, GDP per capita, and wages. Institutional variables and corporate tax rates were not significant in the analysis of flows, but they become significant in the analysis of FDI inward stock.
Key words: FDI, SEE, Corporate tax rates.JEL: F21, F23, H25.


Java is a safe programming language by providing bytecode verification and enforcing memory protection. For instance, programmers cannot directly access the memory but have to use object references. Yet, the Java runtime provides an Unsafe API as a backdoor for the developers to access the low- level system code. Whereas the Unsafe API is designed to be used by the Java core library, a growing community of third-party libraries use it to achieve high performance. The Unsafe API is powerful, but dangerous, which leads to data corruption, resource leaks and difficult-to-diagnose JVM crash if used improperly. In this work, we study the Unsafe crash patterns and propose a memory checker to enforce memory safety, thus avoiding the JVM crash caused by the misuse of the Unsafe API at the bytecode level. We evaluate our technique on real crash cases from the openJDK bug system and real-world applications from AJDK. Our tool reduces the efforts from several days to a few minutes for the developers to diagnose the Unsafe related crashes. We also evaluate the runtime overhead of our tool on projects using intensive Unsafe operations, and the result shows that our tool causes a negligible perturbation to the execution of the applications.


Attention-based pre-trained language models such as GPT-2 brought considerable progress to end-to-end dialogue modelling. However, they also present considerable risks for task-oriented dialogue, such as lack of knowledge grounding or diversity. To address these issues, we introduce modified training objectives for language model finetuning, and we employ massive data augmentation via back-translation to increase the diversity of the training data. We further examine the possibilities of combining data from multiples sources to improve performance on the target dataset. We carefully evaluate our contributions with both human and automatic methods. Our model substantially outperforms the baseline on the MultiWOZ data and shows competitive performance with state of the art in both automatic and human evaluation.


According to the Realistic Conflict Theory opposing claims to scarce resources such as wealth, prestige, and power, that is opposed interests, generate antagonisms and initiate conflicts with potentially destructive consequences. It can be argued that consequences of the opposed interests may differ depending on people's conceptions of their interests, their interpretation of the conflict situation, and the strategies they adopt in dealing with the situation. The interests that are interpreted in utilitarian terms are more likely to be dealt with peacefully then interests interpreted in terms of self-esteem because, in many instances, the desire for protection and enhancement of the self-esteem instigates the self-other comparisons and a tendency to trump the opposite side. Dynamics of conflict depends on people's cognitive construal of the conflict situations. The construal can be described in terms of the "Dual Concern" Model that implies that in conflicts people might take into consideration their own as well as the other party interests. Definition of the situation, degree of trust in the other party, and the strength of personal motivation may influence the degree of concern. In conflict situations, there is a tendency to deal with the opposition by means of the direct physical force. However, societies have developed various normative regulations that are meant to control conflicts and restrict the use of physical force. There are also institutional arrangements that help in transformation the physical fights for scarce resources into economic and political competition (and other forms of competition, as well). The most advanced system of such institutional arrangements is democratic capitalism. Nevertheless, democratic capitalism has not eliminated indirect forms of oppression and power relations as means of solving conflicts for scarce resources. One may argue that people have capability to deal with conflict of interests by means of more advanced strategies consisting in well-elaborated forms of dialog and deliberative procedures. Broader application of these forms would require the development of specific institutions.


"Spore-pollen assemblages recovered from the Chenque Formation were analysed. Four informal biostratigraphic zones were defined, viz. lower zone (A), transition zone (T), middle zone (B) and upper zone (C). A Late Oligocene? - Early to Middle? Miocene age is assigned to the Chenque Formation. The Patagonian spore-pollen assemblages are similar to those of Late Oligocene and mainly Miocene age of New Zealand, Australia and Antarctica. Fossil spore-pollen assemblages of tropical America are less similar. Tree pollen of Podocarpaceae, Fagaceae and Araucariaceae is common; it probably developed in higher or more remote lands than most herbaceous and shrub forms. Chenopodiaceae, Ephedraceae, Restionaceae and Sparganiaceae are frequent and may have lived in a coastal-estuarine-saltmarsh environment. These habitats appear to be better developed in the upper part of the Formation (C zone). Other families such as Compositae, Malvaceae, Gramineae, Polygonaceae, Goodeniaceae, Onagraceae, Anacardiaceae, Escalloniaceae and Gunneraceae are present, but in a lower proportion. These spore-pollen assemblages suggest a humid and temperate to warm temperate climate."


DANC 2102 Contemporary Modern Dance I Description: Class provides an introduction to the use of gravity, spatial awareness, rhythm, and energy through study of global influences which construct contemporary dance through floor work, center, and traveling combinations. Suitable for the beginning through advanced student. Credit hours: 2 Contact hours: Lecture: 1 Lab: 2 Contact: 3 Levels: Undergraduate Schedule types: Lab, Lecture, Combined lecture and lab Department/School: Theatre


Experiments using equilibrium dialysis and fluorescence quenching provided direct evidence that approximately four moles of L-aspartic acid were bound per mole of tetrameric L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli, with a dissociation constant on the order of 60-160 microM. In addition, a set of weaker binding sites with a dissociation constant in the millimolar range were detected. Kinetic studies also revealed that L-aspartic acid inhibited L-asparaginase competitively, with an inhibition constant of 80 microM at micromolar concentrations of L-asparagine; at millimolar concentrations of the amide, an increase in maximal velocity but a decrease in affinity for L-asparagine were observed. L-Aspartic acid at millimolar levels again displayed competitive inhibition. These and other observations suggest that L-aspartic acid binds not only to the active site but also a second site with lower intrinsic affinity for it. The observed "substrate activation" is most likely attributable to the binding of a second molecule of L-asparagine rather than negative cooperativity among the tight sites of the subunits of this tetrameric enzyme. Further support for L-aspartic acid binding to the active site comes from experiments in which the enzyme, when exposed to various group-specific reagents suffered parallel loss of catalytic activity and in its ability to bind L-aspartic acid. Different commercial preparations of Escherichia coli L-asparaginase were found to contain approximately 2-4 moles of L-aspartic acid; these were incompletely removed by dialysis, but could be removed by transamination or decarboxylation. Efficiency of dialysis increased with increasing pH. Taken together, this set of results is consistent with the existence of a covalent beta-aspartyl enzyme intermediate.


Low p-type conductivity and high contact resistance remain a critical problem in wide band gap AlGaN-based ultraviolet light emitters due to the high acceptor ionization energy. In this work, interband tunneling is demonstrated for non-equilibrium injection of holes through the use of ultra-thin polarization-engineered layers that enhance tunneling probability by several orders of magnitude over a PN homojunction. Al0.3Ga0.7N interband tunnel junctions with a low resistance of 5.6 × 10−4 Ω cm2 were obtained and integrated on ultraviolet light emitting diodes. Tunnel injection of holes was used to realize GaN-free ultraviolet light emitters with bottom and top n-type Al0.3Ga0.7N contacts. At an emission wavelength of 327 nm, stable output power of 6 W/cm2 at a current density of 120 A/cm2 with a forward voltage of 5.9 V was achieved. This demonstration of efficient interband tunneling could enable device designs for higher efficiency ultraviolet emitters.


In the wake of ever-changing family values, how have the stances of evangelical and mainline Protestant churches toward marriage and parenting influenced the husbands and fathers that fill their pews? To answer that question this work examines the ideologies produced by Protestant churches since the 1950s. According to W. Bradford Wilcox there are fundamental differences between the family ideologies offered by evangelical and mainline churches. But these do not translate into large differences in family behavior between evangelical and mainline Protestant men who are married with children. Mainline Protestant men, he contends, are "new men" who take a more egalitarian approach to the division of household labor than their conservative peers and a more involved approach to parenting than men with no religious affiliation. Evangelical Protestant men, meanwhile, are "soft patriarchs" - not as authoritarian as some would expect and given to being more emotional and dedicated to their wives and children than both their mainline and secular counterparts. Thus, Wilcox contends that religion domesticates men in ways that make them more responsive to the aspirations and needs of their immediate families.


We utilized a recently developed long-term serum-free culture system for bovine parathyroid cells to detect antibodies in seven patients with autoimmune hypoparathyroidism (AHP). Antibodies were tested by indirect immunofluorescence methods and by cytotoxicity utilizing the chromium (51Cr) release technique. Seven AHP sera caused specific lysis [57 +/- 6% release of 51Cr vs. 5 +/- 1% for 56 controls (15 normal subjects and 41 patients with diverse other conditions associated with immune dysfunction)]. The least effect of any of the AHP sera on cell lysis exceeded the greatest effect of any of the control sera. Absorption of AHP sera (two cases) with bovine pituitary, thyroid, liver, or kidney cells did not affect lysis, but absorption with adrenal or parathyroid cells caused a marked decrease in specific lysis. Cytotoxicity determined by 51Cr release increased with antiserum concentration and time of incubation. Cytotoxicity was dependent on complement. Replicating parathyroid cells provide a uniform reproducible detection method for anti-parathyroid antibodies in AHP. The autoantibodies in AHP appear to be specific for tissue (parathyroid and adrenal cortex) but not for species.


Integrating the concerns of stakeholders into the decision process can be particularly important when adopting a new technology. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) offers many potential benefits to the healthcare industry. However, hospital administrators who are examining this technology may not be considering the concerns of some secondary stakeholders (e.g, patients). A consumer survey found that support for two RFID applications in hospitals varied both across respondents and across applications. Privacy attitudes and behaviors were linked with RFID support levels. Increased two-way communications between healthcare management and both primary and secondary stakeholders may help improve the technology adoption decisions.


In rat neocortical slices maintained in Mg2+-free Kreb's medium, the effects of Ca2+ concentration on repetitive spontaneous discharges and on GABA(B) receptor-mediated responses were investigated. Over a concentration range of 0.3-2.4 mM Ca2+, there was a reduction of discharge amplitude, with a 50 +/- 6.5% reduction in 0.3 mM Ca2+, whilst the burst frequency remained unaffected. Baclofen, the GABA(B) receptor agonist, produced a concentration-dependent depression of discharge frequency, reversibly antagonised by the antagonist (+)-(S)-5,5-dimethylmorpholinyl-2-acetic acid (Sch 50911). The EC50 value for baclofen in 2.4 mM Ca2+ was 11 microM, while the EC50 values in 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 mM Ca2+ were 1.3, 2.5, 3.6, and 10 microM, respectively, resulting in 8.5, 4.4, 3.1, and 1.1-fold leftward shifts. This enhanced action of baclofen in low extracellular Ca2+ concentrations in the neocortex may be the result of a lower concentration gradient which reinforces the action of baclofen.


This paper sets out to analyze the obstacles hindering the success and development of SMEs in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe. To achieve this, the research hypothesised that limited access and cost of finance,?lack of marketing skills and market knowledge inadequate  management and entrepreneurial skills,?lack of access to infrastructure, inaccessible to land,?lack of information and?a hostile regulatory environment are some of the factors hindering the development of SMEs in Chinhoyi. This is a conceptual paper and the methodology used is a secondary research in which in depth literature review has been from books and journal as well as articles. The findings of this paper confirm that, SMEs view it as advantageous to remain part of the unregulated market because of perceived advantages like not paying taxes and other statutory dues, not having to comply with regulations that apply to formal business, being able to take short-cuts and being accountable to no-one. This then creates barriers against those same SMEs doing business with registered operators, who are the large companies. It therefore severely curtails the SME's potential market. Again the "informal" setup is the fact that the SMEs themselves do not keep proper accounting records of their activities and as such there is no track record of what the proprietor would have done and this makes banks reluctant to offer them credit facilities resulting in financial difficulties to finance operations for expansion. Again SMEs have a tendency to jump from one thing to another, depending on what will be making money at any particular time, an approach referred to as "kiya-kiya" (patchy/quick-fix) which makes them to fail to deliver the service promise and as a result they lose customers. Therefore the study concludes that SMEs firms need to transform their mindset that will see them succeed and graduate to becoming large corporations. Keywords: MoSMEs - Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises,SME- Small and Medium Enterprise, RBZ -Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.


Concomitant HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common yet complex coinfection. The present document is a practical guide for treating HCV infection in people coinfected with HIV. Effective antiretroviral therapies have prolonged survival rates for HIV-infected people over the past decade, which have made latent complications of HCV major causes of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Advances in the treatment of HCV (eg, combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin) offer the possibility of eradicating HCV infection in coinfected persons. The treatment of HCV must be considered in all cases. Intensive management of the adverse effects of HCV treatment is one of the factors for the success of these therapies. HCV eradication is predicted to decrease the mortality associated with coinfection and reduce the toxicity of HIV treatment.


The diversity of the U.S. urban population has increased dramatically in recent decades, yet the processes through which population diversity may be driving neighborhood change remain insufficiently understood. Building on Claude Fischer's subcultural theory of urbanism and other classic sociological insights, this article makes the case that population diversity shapes the character of place and drives the spatial clustering of artists and art organizations. Contributing to recent debates on Richard Florida's "creative class" thesis, the paper proposes a reorientation of the conceptual and analytical focus from the predominant metropolitan area level to the neighborhood level. Analyses map and examine population and organizational data from over 850 neighborhoods in Chicago over two decades and spatially model neighborhood change. The results indicate that neighborhood diversity predicts over time an intensification of the creative scene, as reflected in rising hotspots of artists and nonprofit art organizations.


Ferrets have become recognized as a useful and interesting model for study of neocortical development. Because of their immaturity at birth, it is possible to study very early events in the ontogeny of the brain. We used living slices of ferret somatosensory cortex to study the formation and development of intrinsic elements within the neocortex. A small number of fixed, hemisected brains injected with 1,1′‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) were also used. The slices were obtained from ferret kits aged postnatal day (P)1 to P62 and maintained in a chamber; each slice received injections of fluorescent‐labeled dextrans. The injections were made at different ages in several distinct sites, which included the proliferative ventricular zone, the intervening white matter (or intermediate zone), and different sites of developing cortex, including the deeper cortical plate, which incorporated the subplate in young animals, and more superficial cortical sites, depending on the age of the animal. Several animals also received injections into the ventrobasal thalamus. Injections into young animals (P1–7) produced a dominant radial pattern that extended from the ventricular zone into the cortex. Injections into the ventricular zone labeled many cells that appeared morphologically like radial glia as well as presumptive neurons. Although the predominant pattern was radial, injections in the ventricular zone often produced tangentially oriented cells and horizontally arranged fibers at the outer edge of the proliferative zone. These cells and fibers may provide a substrate for tangential dispersion of neurons within the neocortex. More superficial injections within the slice labeled lines of cells that appeared to be stacked upon one another in a radial pile in the cortex; the cortical plate received very few lateral projections. Data obtained from more mature slices indicated that, although the overall pattern of staining remained radial, the precise character of the pattern changed to include more lateral spread into surrounding cortex, which eventually refined and developed into distinct patches by P28, when the overall cortical architecture appeared adult like. The data involving thalamocortical connections were more limited, but they indicated that the thalamus projects precisely to the somatosensory cortex in a point‐to‐point fashion from the earliest date studied (P0) and that the ventrobasal nucleus terminates upon the somatosensory cortex in a patchy manner during the early postnatal days of development. This study of the development of the somatosensory cortex confirms the ubiquitous nature of column‐like connections throughout the neocortex and provides a novel view of the radial nature of early neocortical maturation. © Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Reliable estimates of fresh manure water output from dairy cows help to improve storage design, enhance efficiency of land application, quantify the water footprint, and predict nutrient transformations during manure storage. The objective of the study was to construct a mechanistic, dynamic, and deterministic mathematical model to quantify urinary and fecal water outputs (kg/d) from individual lactating dairy cows. The model contained 4 body water pools: reticulorumen (QRR), post-reticulorumen (QPR), extracellular (QEC), and intracellular (QIC). Dry matter (DM) intake, dietary forage, DM, crude protein, acid detergent fiber and ash contents, milk yield, and milk fat and protein contents, days in milk, and body weight were input variables to the model. A set of linear equations was constructed to determine drinking, feed, and saliva water inputs to QRR and fractional water passage from QRR to QPR. Water transfer via the rumen wall was subjected to changes in QEC and total water input to QRR. Post-reticulorumen water passage was adjusted for DM intake. Metabolic water production and respiratory cutaneous water losses were estimated with functions of heat production in the model. Water loss in urine was driven by absorbed N left after being removed via milk. Model parameters were estimated simultaneously using observed fecal and urinary water output data from lactating Holstein cows (n=670). The model was evaluated with data that were not used for model development and optimization (n=377). The observations in both data sets were related to thermoneutral conditions. The model predicted drinking water intake, fecal, urinary, and total fresh manure water output with root mean square prediction errors as a percentage of average values of 18.1, 15.6, 30.6, and 14.6%, respectively. In all cases, >97% of the prediction error was due to random variability of data. The model can also be used to determine saliva production, heat and metabolic water production, respiratory cutaneous water losses, and size of major body water pools in lactating Holstein cows under thermoneutral conditions.


This chapter examines the growing commercial interest in the higher education sector as a source of new forms of value creation and profit making. We are particularly interested in the rapid 'unbundling' of the sector as services that were once housed under one roof are increasingly outsourced, re-articulated, and in some cases innovated from scratch. Our empirical focus is projects and discourses that have both advanced education trade and services agreements, as well as framed higher education as an object of financial austerity. We suggest that together these have resulted in a recent step change in unbundling. The chapter is developed in three parts; 1) the recent re-emergence of trade negotiations around services where higher education is a key component; 2) the emergence of various types of joint ventures between universities, hybrid public-private agencies, commercial firms, and venture capital; and 3) the reworking of sectoral and institutional borders that together are forming more uneven spaces of higher education as well as facilitating new modes of selectivity that favour privatization and commodification. In the conclusion we reflect on what this means for the ongoing purpose of the university as it is tied more closely into the logic of capital.


Purpose: Identification of predictive biomarkers is critically needed to improve selection of patients who derive the most benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy. We hypothesized that decreased expression of SMARCA4/BRG1, a known regulator of transcription and DNA repair, is a novel predictive biomarker of increased sensitivity to adjuvant platinum-based therapies in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Experimental Design: The prognostic value was tested using a gene-expression microarray from the Director's Challenge Lung Study (n = 440). The predictive significance of SMARCA4 was determined using a gene-expression microarray (n = 133) from control and treatment arms of the JBR.10 trial of adjuvant cisplatin/vinorelbine. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank tests were used to estimate and test the differences of probabilities in overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) between expression groups and treatment arms. Multivariate Cox regression models were used while adjusting for other clinical covariates. Results: In the Director's Challenge Study, reduced expression of SMARCA4 was associated with poor OS compared with high and intermediate expression (P < 0.001 and P = 0.009, respectively). In multivariate analysis, compared with low, high SMARCA4 expression predicted a decrease in risk of death [HR, 0.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.4–0.8; P = 0.002]. In the JBR.10 trial, improved 5-year DSS was noted only in patients with low SMARCA4 expression when treated with adjuvant cisplatin/vinorelbine [HR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.0–0.5, P = 0.002 (low); HR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.5–2.3, P = 0.92 (high)]. An interaction test was highly significant (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Low expression of SMARCA4/BRG1 is significantly associated with worse prognosis; however, it is a novel significant predictive biomarker for increased sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy in NSCLC. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2396–404. ©2015 AACR.


This study aimed to look for evidence in the literature about the inclusion of children with Down syndrome into the regular education system. A review of the literature was undertaken, looking for articles in PubMed and PsycINFO, using the keywords Down syndrome, schools, mainstreaming (education), education, infant, newborn, adolescent, child, and preschool, between 1994 and 2007. Eight articles were selected. The analysis of the articles enabled us to identify the following theme: experiences and recommendations for inclusion. Data from this review, which mostly resulted from experience reports, indicated that the factors that either collaborated with or made the inclusion process of the child with Down syndrome into the regular education network more difficult were related to the school itself, the parents and the teacher. The results of this study offer possibilities for improving the inclusion process, while also presenting the challenges and indicating the need for further research, the results of which have practical applications.


Plants prevent uncontrolled water loss by synthesizing, depositing and maintaining a hydrophobic layer over their primary aerial organs-the plant cuticle. Quercus coccifera L. can plastically respond to environmental conditions at the cuticular level. When exposed to hot summer conditions with high vapour-pressure deficit (VPD) and intense solar radiation (Mediterranean atmospheric conditions; MED), this plant species accumulates leaf cuticular waxes even over the stomata, thereby decreasing transpirational water loss. However, under mild summer conditions with moderate VPD and regular solar radiation (temperate atmospheric conditions; TEM), this effect is sharply reduced. Despite the ecophysiological importance of the cuticular waxes of Q. coccifera, the wax composition and its contribution to avoiding uncontrolled dehydration remain unknown. Thus, we determined several leaf traits for plants exposed to both MED and TEM conditions. Further, we qualitatively and quantitatively investigated the cuticular lipid composition by gas chromatography. Finally, we measured the minimum leaf conductance (gmin) as an indicator of the efficacy of the cuticular transpiration barrier. The MED leaves were smaller, stiffer and contained a higher load of cuticular lipids than TEM leaves. The amounts of leaf cutin and cuticular waxes of MED plants were 1.4 times and 2.6 times higher than that found for TEM plants, respectively. In detail, MED plants produced higher amounts of all compound classes of cuticular waxes, except for the equivalence of alkanoic acids. Although MED leaves contained higher cutin and cuticular wax loads, the gmin was not different between the two habitats. Our findings suggest that the qualitative accumulation of equivalent cuticular waxes might compensate for the higher wax amount of MED plants, thereby contributing equally to the efficacy of the cuticular transpirational barrier of Q. coccifera. In conclusion, we showed that atmospheric conditions profoundly affect the cuticular lipid composition of Q. coccifera leaves, but do not alter its transpiration barrier properties.


Purpose: To characterize the ion recombination effect of a liquid‐filled ionization chamber (LIC) in high‐energy photon beams. Methods: The ion recombination effect on the response of a PTW micro liquid ion chamber model 31018 (microLion) was investigated with a 6 MV photon beam in normal and SRS modes produced from a Varian Novalis Tx linear accelerator. Repetition rates were set to 100, 400 and 1000 MU/min, which correspond to pulse repetition frequencies of 60, 240 and 600 Hz, respectively. Polarization voltages applied to the microLion were +800 V and +400 V. The collection efficiency of the microLion as a function of dose per pulse was experimentally measured and theoretically calculated with changing polarization voltage and repetition rate. Results: The relative collection efficiency of the microLion decreased with increasing dose per pulse or pulse repetition frequency from the linear accelerator, or with decreasing polarization voltage to the microLion because of more ion recombination in the liquid. For repetition rates of 100, 400 and 1000 MU/min, the collection efficiency decreased by up to 0.62%, 0.71% and 1.9%, respectively, in a range of dose per pulse from 0.062 to 0.429 mGy/pulse with the polarization voltage of +800 V. For +400 V, the collection efficiency decrease was by up to 0.92%, 2.0% and 5.8% at 100, 400 and 1000 MU/min, respectively. For pulsed radiation with high repetition rate, the experimental relative collection efficiency for all polarization voltages tends to the theoretically calculated efficiency for continuous beams because of low ion mobility in the liquid. We proposed a correction technique for differences in recombination between different radiation fields. Conclusions: Ion recombination effects in a LIC were quantified and a practical correction method was proposed thereby enabling the use of the LIC for accurate measurements of output factors and relative doses in small and nonstandard fields.


Friendly postconflict (PC) interactions between former opponents have been described for a large number of primate species held in captivity. We investigated conflict management behaviour for wild Hanuman langurs, Semnopithecus (Presbytis) entellus entellus, in India, using a large sample of over 6000 agonistic and affinitive interactions recorded in one one-male/multifemale troop and three all-male bands. We compared dyadic PC affinity with the dyadic baseline affinity during the overall observation time to minimize biases of traditional matched-control samples. PC affinity was recorded during only 15% of all dyads (immature male-immature male 0%, adult male-adult male 0%, adult male-immature male 5%, adult male-adult female 0%, adult female-adult female 42%). PC affinity is probably absent amongst males because their dominance relationships are strongly asymmetrical, leaving little room for emotional insecurity. Dyads among females, on the other hand, reflect frequent rank changes and close kinship which probably corresponds to higher levels of emotional uncertainty and greater need for PC affinity. Overall, PC affinity reached only 26% of the randomly expected value. Thus, the vast majority of langur monkey opponents avoided each other after conflicts. Avoidance as a low-cost option for group-living animals to cope with conflicts is often not possible in captivity. This suggests that reports of high rates of reconciliation may be at least partly-artefacts of captivity. (C) 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


BACKGROUND
Although studies have reported large reductions in the risks of AIDS and death since the introduction of potent anti-retroviral therapies, few have evaluated whether this has been similar for all AIDS-defining diseases. We wished to evaluate changes over time in the risk of specific AIDS-defining diseases, as first events, using data from individuals with known dates of HIV seroconversion.

METHODS
Using a competing risks proportional hazards model on pooled data from 20 cohorts (CASCADE), we evaluated time from HIV seroconversion to each first AIDS-defining disease (16 groups) and to death without AIDS for four calendar periods, adjusting for exposure category, age, sex, acute infection, and stratifying by cohort. We compared results to those obtained from a cause-specific hazards model.

RESULTS
Of 6,941, 2,021 (29%) developed AIDS and 437 (6%) died without AIDS. The risk of AIDS or death remained constant to 1996 then reduced; relative hazard = 0.89 (95% CI: 0.77-1.03); 0.90 (95% CI: 0.81-1.01); and 0.32 (95% CI: 0.28-0.37) for 1979-1990, 1991-1993, and 1997-2001, respectively, compared to 1994-1996. Significant risk reductions in 1997-2001 were observed in all but two AIDS-defining groups and death without AIDS in a competing risks model (with similar results from a cause-specific model). There was significant heterogeneity in the risk reduction across events; from 96% for cryptosporidiosis, to 17% for death without AIDS (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that studies reporting a stable trend for particular AIDS diseases over the period 1979-2001 may not have accounted for the competing risks among other events or lack the power to detect smaller trends.


Lightning research needs on-demand lightning strikes, because of the random character of natural lightning. Lasers have been proposed as alternatives to the current technique using rocket-pulled wires, because they would expectedly provide more flexibility. However, high-energy, nanosecond lasers cannot provide long connected plasma channels. In contrast, we recently reported the triggering of electric events in thunderclouds using ultrashort laser pulses. Further improvements of the laser pulse sequence and experiment geometry are discussed.


1. Relay cells of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) respond in one of two modes: tonic or burst. The purpose of this study was to determine whether, and under what conditions, burst responses occur in LGN cells of an awake, behaving animal. 2. We recorded the extracellular responses of cells located in the A layers of LGN in two cats trained to perform a simple fixation task. In our paradigm, head position was fixed and gaze monitored with the use of the scleral search coil technique. They were trained to fixate on a small target light while we probed the receptive field of an isolated LGN cell with drifting gratings. 3. Many LGN cells (37/48; 77%) recorded in the awake cat showed some form of burst firing. However, the degree of burstiness a given cell displayed was relatively low. The probability of recording a burst response during any second within the fixation task was 0.09. This reflects the fact that during wakefulness, LGN cells are generally in a state of relative depolarization and the low-threshold Ca2+ conductance underlying burst firing is inactivated. 4. The majority of bursts occurred (262/377; 71%) during visual stimulation. These comprised the initial response to the grating and were confined to the early phase of fixation. As the cat continued to hold fixation and as subsequent cycles of the grating passed through the cell's receptive field, the response shifted from a burst to a tonic firing pattern. Some bursts (67/377, 18%) were related to eye movements. All of these were postsaccadic, and most occurred > 150 ms from the onset of the eye movement. Finally, some bursts were neither visually driven nor related to eye movements. However, these spontaneous bursts were infrequent (41/377; 11%) and never rhythmic. 5. Burst firing in LGN cells has a dual purpose. During quiescent states such as slow-wave sleep, they support the decoupling of retinal signals from LGN. During the waking state, bursts can facilitate signal transmission during target acquisition and early phases of fixation.


Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) promotes trafficking and activation of the GluR1 subunit of α-amino- 3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) during synaptic plasticity. GluR1 is also modulated in parallel by multiprotein complexes coordinated by synapse-associated protein 97 (SAP97) that contain A-kinase anchoring protein 79/150 (AKAP79/150), protein kinase A, and protein phosphatase 2B. Here we show that SAP97 is present in CaMKII immune complexes isolated from rodent brain as well as from HEK293 cells co-expressing CaMKIIα and SAP97. CaMKIIα phosphorylated recombinant SAP97 within immune complexes in vitro and in intact cells. Four alternative mRNA splice variants of SAP97 expressing combinations of four inserts (I2, I3, I4, I5) in the U5 region between Src homology 3 (SH3) and guanylyl kinase-like (GK) domains were identified in rat brain at postnatal day 21. CaMKIIα preferentially phosphorylated a full-length SAP97 and a glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein containing the I3 and I5 inserts (SAP97-I3I5 and GST-SH3-I3I5-GK, respectively) and also specifically interacted with GST-SH3-I3I5-GK compared with GST proteins containing other naturally occurring insert combinations. AKAP79/150 also directly and specifically bound only to GST-SH3-I3I5-GK, but CaMKII phosphorylation of GST-SH3-I3I5-GK prevented this interaction. AKAP79-dependent down-regulation of GluR1 AMPAR currents was ablated by overexpression of SAP97-I2I5 (which does not bind AKAP79) or by infusion of active CaMKIIα. Collectively, the data suggest that CaMKIIα targets a specific SAP97 splice variant to disengage AKAP79/150 from regulating GluR1 AMPARs, providing new insight into protein-protein interactions and phosphorylation events that are required for normal regulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission, learning, and memory.


The aim of the paper is to evaluate theoretically sources of economic growth in agriculture. Considerations are conducted on the basis of formal analytical models referring to the standards on the sophisticated reasoning used in microeconomics. Considerations have been subjected to both the endogenous and exogenous sources. The endogenous sources result among others from productive use of land, labor and capital factors. The exogenous sources include transfers and subsidies flowing to the agricultural sector causing investment in agriculture.


17 beta-Estradiol (E2) alters different functions of pituitary cells, including cell sensitivity to several neurohormones such as LHRH, TRH, somatostatin, or dopamine, presumably by affecting receptor coupling mechanisms. Attempting to pinpoint the membrane processes underlying this modulation, we studied the effect of E2 on pituitary kinase-C (PKC) activity, a major signal transduction enzyme. The distribution of calcium- and phospholipid-dependent partially purified PKC (chromatography on DEAE-52 cellulose columns) was evaluated in membrane and cytosol fractions from anterior pituitaries of ovariectomized (OVX) or OVX plus E2-treated rats. E2 administration by implants to OVX animals increased significantly both soluble and particulate enzyme activity. The effect increased progressively from 24 h to 5 days after E2 treatment. Administration of 17 alpha-estradiol, an inactive stereoisomer of E2, was ineffective, pointing to stereospecific interaction. Total destruction of neural connections to the pituitary (complete hypothalamic lesions) did not modify the enzyme response to E2 administration, indicating a direct effect of the steroid on pituitary PKC activity. A direct E2 (10(-9) M) effect was confirmed in primary mixed cultures of pituitary cells; it was time dependent (15-96 h) and specific, and reflects a genomic E2 action. E2 treatment for shorter times had no effect on the enzyme levels or the membrane redistribution of PKC activity. In contrast, under the same experimental conditions phorbol esters (12-O-tertadecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA] induced a rapid and sustained translocation of the enzyme. PKC activity was found in all pituitary cell types, with maximal activity in fractions of gonadotropes and thyrotropes, as evaluated in cultures enriched in certain types of pituitary cells separated by means of unit gravity gradient sedimentation. E2 treatment (10(-9) M; 72 h) significantly increased both soluble and particulate enzyme levels in all cell types. In addition, administration of E2 (10(-9) M; 72 h) to cell cultures strongly increased the TPA-evoked LH and PRL release. These results indicate that E2-induced changes in pituitary function include selective effects of the steroid on PKC activity involved at different levels in the coupling mechanisms.


The vibrational theory of olfaction is an attempt to describe a possible mechanism for olfaction which is explanatory and provides researchers with a set of principles which permit predictions allowing for structure-odor relations. Similar theories have occurred several times throughout olfactory science; this theory has again recently come to prominence by Luca Turin who suggested that inelastic electron tunneling is the method by which vibrations are detected by the olfactory receptors within the hose. This work is intended to convey to the reader the an up-to-date account of the vibrational theory of olfaction, both the historical iterations as well as the present iteration. This text is designed to give a chronological account of both theoretical and experimental studies on the topic, while providing context, comments and background where they were found to be needed.


This study explores the role of the triad relationship in shaping pre-service teachers' experience during teaching practice. The study is descriptive in nature employing a qualitative approach and data from a sample of five pre-service teachers, five college supervisors, five mentor teachers and three Heads of school. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that limited triad relationship, limited social and instructional support from mentor teachers and supervisors' limited assessment and feedback provision, negatively impacted pre-service teachers' learning during teaching practice. To achieve a functioning triad the paper suggests that it is important to equally engage supervisors, mentor teachers and Heads of school in formulating appropriate support practices for pre-service teachers. Such practice may include implementing a feedback process where all members of the triad come together.


BACKGROUND
An increased risk of renal cell cancer (RCC) has been reported in subjects with hypertension. Whether this association may vary according to sex, smoking, obesity, or RCC clinical presentation is unclear. Results on the link between diabetes mellitus and RCC are inconclusive.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
We conducted an Italian multicenter case-control study, including 767 (494 men, 273 women) incident cases of RCC, under 80 years of age, and 1534 hospital controls, frequency-matched to cases. Multiple logistic regression models, conditioned to center, sex, and age, and adjusted for period of interview, education, smoking, and body mass were used to estimate odds ratios (OR).

RESULTS
Compared with subjects never treated, patients with a history of treated hypertension [OR = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-2.1] reported an excess risk of RCC. This pattern was confirmed in different strata of sex, education, smoking habits, body mass, tumor histological type, stage, or grade. The attributable risk of RCC for treated hypertension in this population was 16%. A slight, nonsignificant increased risk was found for history of diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 0.9-1.7).

CONCLUSION
A possible causal role of hypertension in renal cell carcinogenesis is supported by the consistency of the direct association.


In this study, relevant cases were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who were diagnosed as suffering from myofascial pain only according to the research diagnostic criteria/temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) criteria, in order to examine whether or not they could fulfil the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP) diagnostic criteria for TMD-related masticatory muscle disorders. One hundred and twenty-seven patients, diagnosed according to the RDC/TMD criteria as having myofascial pain with or without limited jaw opening only, were allocated to two groups according to their answers to the RDC/TMD 'jaw disability checklist'. The two groups were compared for Axis I and II data taken from the RDC/TMD questionnaire. Thirty-eight of the patients (29·9%) did not associate their symptoms with jaw functions (e.g. chewing and yawning). This group was characterised by increased range of motion (ROM) and older average age. The AAOP diagnostic criteria for TMD require pain on function in all subtypes of TMD-related muscle disorders. An association between pain and jaw function is common and research is needed to determine whether this should be categorised differently to muscle pain unrelated to jaw function. There may well be different pathophysiological mechanisms and consequently different management strategies for these two pain conditions.


This paper provides an overview of the four key sections of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, with regard to Administrative Detention (Section 303), Facilities Registration (Section 305), Records and Maintenance (Section 306), and Prior Notice of Food Imports (Section 307). The potential impacts of the Bioterrorism Act on the food industry are examined through qualitative analysis of industry submissions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) docket for each provision, and quantitatively through survey results, which were administered online by the Food Institute (FI) of Woodbridge, NJ and analyzed by Rutgers, Food Policy Institute (FPI). Of the four key sections from the Bioterrorism Act that most affect the food industry, stakeholders were surveyed on two sections, Prior notice of Food Imports and Facilities Registration. While survey responses reveal that many food firms are aware of pending Bioterrorism Act policies, few however, have taken action towards compliance. Facilities registration is touted as the least cumbersome in terms of compliance. Results indicate that 50 percent of food industry professionals surveyed were not aware that many food firms must register with the FDA by the 12 December 2003 deadline; and, 20 percent, while aware of the facilities registration deadline, have done nothing to prepare. Being unprepared for and subsequently complying with Bioterrorism Act rules is an overarching concern, which is apparent in both the survey results and docket summaries. Moreover, upon review of docket submissions to the FDA, it seems that food firms are generally sympathetic towards the need for increased food system security; however, the impact of the Bioterrorism Act can be both daunting and costly. Many perceive that significant changes to capitol costs will be required to meet FDA standards.


Picture the mechanisms that govern the behavior of a cell as an enormous puzzle. Each piece represents a critical function responsible for some aspect(s) of cellular behavior. In normal cells, all of the pieces fit perfectly. Those that touch one another represent communicating functions that carry vital chemical signals from one point to another in the cell. This function-to-function communication or signaling contributes to the normal control of growth and differentiation and the failure of a cell to develop neoplastic characteristics. In a cancer cell, some of the pieces do not fit, because of distortions of shape, size, or both. Others are lost altogether. Yet others are abnormally replicated, sometimes many times over. By comparison with that of a normal cell, the picture that emerges from a cancer cell puzzle is disorderly. However, it is still a picture of limited size and shape, and discoveries of the last 20 years


A thick film anemometer for in situ control of the flow rate in fluidic systems was designed, manufactured and characterized. The sensor is integrated in a retention modulus consisting of Low Temperature Cofired Ceramics (LTCC). These materials allow the cost-effective realisation of fluidic microsystems with integrated electronics. The challenge of the work is to design an anemometer under the exclusive use of thick film technologies. The necessity to trim resistors causes the external use of relevant pastes. Therefore, the use inside of a closed fluidic system requires the leak of process gases and, at the same time, a maximal heat-insulating of the sensor element from the substrate. Free-standing elements necessitate the control of stress due to shrinking mismatch, TCE mismatch, density gradients and deformation during the lamination. In the presented solution, embossed flue channels prevent blow forming on a free-standing bridge. The anemometer has a linear sensor characteristic for flow rates up to 0.1 ml/min. The layout guarantees that the fluid gets only in contact with the basic ceramic material, which is compatible with a wide range of biological substances. Therefore the sensor is applicable in contact with cell fluids or PCRreagents.


When a Burmester point coincides with the Ball point at the inflection circle pole, given a fixed joint and the point, which is on the expecting straight-line and direction can synthesize an infinite number of mechanisms with coupler curve having a five-point contacts with its tangent, namely, Burmester point. Any displacement is corresponding to three four-bar straight-line linkages with the synthesis formulations given. The property charts, which include the bar ratio, the sum of bars, the relative straight-line length, mechanism types, and so on, are drawn by developing a mechanism software based on vc++6.0 with the solution region method. So the users can find out the involved linkages information intuitively, and also the aimlessness in choosing optimal mechanisms is avoided effectively.


A new thermal bimorph actuator for large out-of-plane displacement is designed, fabricated and tested. The deflecting beam is composed of polyimide, heater, and polyvinyl difluorides with tetrafluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE). The large difference of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of two polymer layers (polyimide and PVDF-TrFE) can generate a large deflection with relatively small temperature rising. Compared to the most conventional micro actuators based on MEMS (micro-electro mechanical system) technology, a large displacement, over 1 mm at 20 mW, could be achieved. The proposed actuator can find applications where a large vertical displacement is needed while keeping compact overall device size, such as a micro zooming lens, micro mirror, micro valve and optical application.


Abstract Augustyn Jakubisiak (1884-1945), Polish priest, philosopher and theologian, undertook polemics with Jan Łukasiewicz, whom he knew personally. A dispute concerning the so-called logistics (mathematical logic) and its relationship with philosophy developed between the two. The most important arguments were laid out, primarily in the following works: in the case of Jakubisiak, in the book From Scope to Content and in the case of Łukasiewicz, in the texts Logistics and Philosophy and In the Defense of Logistics. Jakubisiak criticized logistics for its anti-metaphysical, anti-theological and anti-religious attitude, which was based on neo-positivist philosophy, and led, in consequence to atheism. He also claimed that one should focus on what is concrete, avoiding idealization and abstraction (meaning the content of concepts, not their scope). Łukasiewicz defended logistics claiming that it possesses its own methods based on intellect, and is also an area of independent knowledge (but not completely detached) from philosophy, due to the fact it can consider the most important philosophical problems such as finiteness and infinity. This dispute, as the researchers identified, basically concerned the reduction of philosophy to the study of language (analytic philosophy) and initiated one of the most important discussions concerning the relationship between philosophy and logic. This debate was crucial because it also concerned questions related to fundamental metaphysical issues (naturalism – supranaturalism, rationalism – irrationalism) and epistemological issues (realism – idealism, boundaries and structure of cognition).


Oxidative stress plays a prominent role in the development of endothelial dysfunction. L-arginine and L-citrulline have been demonstrated to have beneficial effects in vascular disease and this thesis aimed to determine whether this protective effect is mediated via an antioxidant mechanism. With evidence to suggest L-citrulline may have antioxidant properties in plants, and the current contradictions that exist concerning the antioxidant properties of L-arginine in cells and in humans, a study aimed at fully characterising the antioxidant properties of both molecules was needed. The ability of L-arginine and L-citrulline to scavenge both superoxide and hydroxyl radicals were investigated with an antioxidant effect only demonstrated against hydroxyl radicals. The mechanism of antioxidant action was shown to be two fold: 1) through inhibition of hydroxyl radical production and 2) through direct scavenging of the hydroxyl radical. Three model systems were developed to test the effect of endogenous and exogenous ROS on biological function. This allowed investigation into whether the antioxidant properties demonstrated in vitro were transferable to physiological and pathophysiological systems. Both amino acids were able to regulate endogenous ROS in platelets but this was shown to have little effect on overall platelet function. In terms of exogenous radicals, L-citrulline but not L-arginine, was able to protect against superoxide mediated endothelial dysfunction in vessels however this was deemed to be through a ROS independent effect Both amino acids inhibited hydroxyl radical mediated lipid peroxidation at concentrations of amino acid found in the plasma. Taken together, these studies suggest that the improvement in vascular function seen upon administration of L-arginine and L-citrulline is in part mediated through an ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals. However, their inability to directly affect superoxide levels draws into question whether significant antioxidant effects occurs in vivo and would suggest that a certain proportion of their protective effect on the vascular system is mediated via an antioxidant independent mechanism.


A randomised, single‐blinded, controlled trial was conducted to determine if a new laryngeal mask deflation tool offered any advantages over manual or free deflation. Ten laryngeal mask airways were tested and the deflation tool provided a significantly superior and more consistent shape than either hand manipulation or the free deflation, but did not offer any benefits in terms of residual volume. The deflator tool should encourage wider use of the standard recommended insertion technique. It can be used as a backup when manual deflation cannot provide the correct shape and may be useful for researchers studying laryngeal mask airway placement.


This study examines the fundamental factors that influence the dividend payout policy, namely leverage, liquidity, free cash flow, firm size, firm growth, business risk and profitability. Several previous research results indicate differences in research findings. This study was conducted on five construction contractor companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange during 2010 to 2016. Multiple regression analysis was operated through SPSS 20 program and hypoteses testing simultaneously with F-test and partially with t-test. The results show that all independent variable are important factors in dividend payout policy, and firm size is the most dominant factors affecting dividend payout policy.


Introduction. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the macula and is a leading cause of significant and irreversible loss of central visual acuity in persons aged over 60 in developed countries [1,2]. Epidemiological studies estimate that the prevalence of AMD in Australia, Europe and North America is 0.2%  in 55-64 year-old patients and it increases to 13 percent in the age group of 85 years [3]. According to the Blind Register Centre, about 50% of blind people lose vision due to ADM in Great Britain [4]. Macular pigment  accumulates in the central retina and is composed of the carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin, which give the macula its characteristic yellow colour. L and Z are not synthesized de novo in humans and are of dietary origin, whereas meso-Z has been reported to be predominantly non-dietary and formed following conversion from L in the retina [5,6]. MP confers powerful antioxidant protection and also filters actinic short wavelength, blue light, limiting the (photo-)oxidative damage to retinal cells [7]. These properties of MP are believed to limit the development and/or progression of AMD [8]. The aim of our reseach was to evaluate macular pigment optical density (MPOD) in patients with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD )and compare results with  healthy age and gender matched controls. Materials and methods. Having obtained permission from the Kaunas Regional Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, the study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology at Lithuanian University of Health sciences. The inclusion criteria for patients with AMD were as follows: 1) patients of both genders, diagnosed with early mild or early intermediate AMD who did not have other eye disorders found on detailed ophthalmologic examination; 2) the diagnosis confirmed by colour fundus photography; 3) participation consent. The inclusion criteria for healthy controls were as follows: 1) no ophthalmological eye disorders were found on detail ophthalmological evaluation; 2) participation consent. A total of 25 patients with early AMD (aged 53,86 ± 18,25 years [range 40 - 74]) and 25 healthy subjects (aged 48,19 ± 17,94 years [range 24 - 78]) were incuded into our study . In this study the visual acuity as well as the transparency of the cornea and lens, and the fundus were investigated in the patients. Pupils of the subjects were dilated with tropicamide 1% or cyclogyli 1%. After dilation of the pupils, fundoscopy was performed with an ophthalmoscope of the direct monocular type and the slit-lamp, using a double aspheric lens of +78 diopters. A peripheral retinal examination was performed using an indirect ophthalmoscope. Results of the eye examination were recorded on standardized forms that we developed for this study. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs of the macula were obtained: centered at 45o and 30o to the fovea for a detailed fundus analysis. The optional macular pigment density module for the Visucam 200 used the reflectance of a single 460-nm wavelength based on a single blue-reflection fundus image to determine MPOD and its spatial distribution. A shading correction is used that approximates the reflectance of the fundus in absence of MP. It is based on a three-dimensional parabolic function automatically fitted to fundus reflectance at peripheral locations. The subject was positioned in front of the fundus camera and instructed to look at a target inside. The fundus was illuminated by a monochromatic blue light. Four MPOD parameters were automatically calculated: maximum optical density (MPOD measured at the peak); mean OD (mean MPOD within the measurement area); area (area where macular pigment could be detected); and volume (sum of all optical densities, as recommended by the manufacturer). Statistical Analysis. Mean and standard deviation of MPOD were calculated.  MPOD levels between males and females were compared using t-test for two independent samples. Results. The mean of MPOD in patients with early AMD was  0.129 ± 0.029. The mean of MPOD in healthy age and gender matched controls was 0.120 ± 0.019. Patients with early AMD did not showed a reduced MPOD as compared to the healthy control group, p = 0.091. Conclusion. There was no statistically significant difference of MPOD in patients with early AMD compared to healthy controls. Discussion . The question whether AMD patients show reduced MPOD as compared to healthy subjects is discussed controversially in literature. The present data indicate that patients with AMD are characterized by a relative lack of MPOD as compared to healthy control subjects. Whether a difference in MPOD was found between healthy subjects and patients with AMD in previous studies strongly depends on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, the sample size and the employed technique. Also, in total, the mean MPOD as measured in this aged population of early AMD patients and healthy individuals is remarkably lower when compared with values published by other investigators measuring with similar techniques. A future study comparing the population of our study with age-matched populations with different hereditary and geographic characteristics would be interesting. References 1. Klein R, Peto T, Bird A, Vannewkirk MR. The epidemiology of age-related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol 2004;137:486–95. 2. Klein R, Chou CF, Klein BE et al. Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in the US population. Arch Ophthalmol 2011;129(1):75-80. 3. Smith W, Assink J, Klein R et al. Risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: pooled findings from three continents. Ophthalmol 2001;108:697–704. 4. Coleman HR, Chan CC, Ferris FL et al . Age-related macular degeneration. Lancet. 2008;372(9652):1835-45 5. Ham WT Jr, Mueller HA, Sliney DH . Retinal sensitivity to damage from short wavelength light . Nature . 1976 ; 260 : 153 – 155 . 6. Beatty S, Koh H, Phil M . The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration . Surv Ophthalmol . 2000 ; 45 : 115 – 134 . 7.Group EDC-CS . Antioxidant status and neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group . Arch Ophthalmol . 1993 ; 111 : 104 – 109 . 8. Khachik F, Beecher GR, Goli MB, Lusby W . Separation and quantitation of carotenoids in foods . Methods Enzymol . 1992 ; 213 : 347 – 359 .