Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive genetic disorder in the UK. A mutation in the CFTR gene, alters a Cl- transporter protein resulting in dehydration at epithelial surface and a thick mucus layer that provides a nutrient rich environment ideal for opportunistic bacteria to colonise. Bronchiectasis (BR) is similar symptomatically to CF, with localised dilations and inflammation events of the bronchial tree that can be linked to lung trauma or allergy. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is the most common opportunistic pathogen in CF that correlates to lowered lung function. Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) species have been shown to be more problematic to clear than Pa, due to increased antimicrobial resistance and progression to Cepacia syndrome that can be fatal.
These opportunistic bacteria and their genome plasticity allows adaptation to the lung and can correlate to pathogenicity of chronic infection which is associated with poor clinical outcomes. As adaptation to the lung environment is such a key aspect of chronic bacterial infection in the lung this study focuses on the temperate phages infecting Pa and Bcc. Temperate phages once integrated into the bacterial chromosome have been shown in other bacterial backgrounds to aid bacterial adaptation through increasing rates of recombination. They have also been previously characterised to aid positive selection by carrying genes that aid bacterial survival, aiding evolution of both the bacterium and phage. The aim of this project was to characterise temperate bacteriophages chemically induced from 94 Pa (47 associated with CF and 47 with BR patients), 47 Bcc isolates (associated with CF patients).
This study focuses on 3 key areas. The first studies how phages induced from Pa and Bcc infect isolates from patients at different stages of chronic infection. All the bacterial isolates used in this study had at least one inducible lysogenic phage, in some instances polylysogens.
Infectivity through Pa phage cross infection showed that adult CF phage were more infective across the Pa panel. Paediatric CF phages showed an infection profile similar to that of Pa phage induced from BR patients >10 years after clinical diagnosis. Pa phage associated with BR patients <10 years after clinical diagnosis showed the least infection across the Pa panel.
Secondly, isolating and purifying temperate phages can be difficult and time consuming as phages that induce from the bacterial host in high numbers can mask secondary or tertiary phages. Importantly identifying individual phages can be complex, as a sensitive bacterial host is needed to isolate and propagate. This study uses novel genomic approaches to overcome this problem and separate mixed phage communities using k-mer abundance. Stratified phages have been annotated and compared for similarities that link to the clinical aetiology of the bacteria that carried that phage.
Finally, this study begins to map genetic traits that may aid phage longevity in a microbial system. A model has been previously characterised with lytic phages where Ig-like domains or BAM motifs may explain how phages bind to complex carbohydrates in mucus. When evaluating the incidence of BAM, Ig-like domains in temperate phage DNA sequences isolated in this study we identify an increase in BAM motifs, that may correlating to the evolution of disease in both CF and BR. This aids the proposed BAM model and the evolution of temperate phages interacting at mucosal surfaces.


The main purpose of this paper is to initiate a discourse on how the various perspectives and ideas of 'political Islam' influences the design decisions of mosque architecture in Malaysia between the period of 1955 prior to independence and until 1998 when the new city of Putrajaya was unveiled to the public. The paper focuses on three different ideas of political Islam as propounded by the first prime minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman, the present prime minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and that of the present head of the opposition party, Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang. The three mosques chosen for discussion which are the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, the Putra Mosque in Putrajaya and the Rusila Madrasa in Kuala Terengganu represents the ideas of the three politicians respectively.


The thesis includes the studies of two phenomena related to continuous casting. One subject is the inclusion motion in the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) and mold when using a swirl flow. The swirl flow is generated in a SEN by using an electromagnetic swirl flow generator (EMSFG). The other subject is focused on FeSiRE particles (powder) that are added into the molten steel by using a wire feeding method, which in the future could be used in a continuous casting mold.Firstly, two kinds of a full type and a half type EMSFG were designed based on mathematical modeling. Then, the distributions of the magnetic flux intensity and the Lorentz force were obtained for two types of EMSFG devices. Based on the results of the Lorentz force, the flow field, temperature field and inclusion motion in the SEN and the mold were studied by using a full type and a half type EMSFG. Moreover, a comparison from the above aspects was investigated between a full type EMSFG and a half type EMSFG. In addition, the effect of different inclusion parameters such as the densities, sizes and boundary conditions, on the inclusion behavior was studied. It was found that light Al2O3 inclusion moves towards the rotational center by a centrifugal force and that a swirl flow prevents nozzle clogging. The heavy CeO2 inclusion more or less moves outwards towards the SEN wall and they may stick to the wall. It was also found that the inclusion separation to a mold meniscus increased and that the inclusions being trapped into a solidified shell decreased when using a swirl flow compared to when not using a swirl flow.A study of a wire feeding into molten steel in an induction furnace was done to determine the potential to implement wire feeding into a mold in the future. A major difference compared to a traditional solid wire is that the wire contains particles (powder). Firstly of all, the wire melting behavior in the molten steel was studied. More specially, the influence of the different wire materials (aluminum, copper and 316L stainless steel wires) on the dissolution time in the molten steel was modeled. Moreover, these simulation results were compared to experimental results. In addition, the FeSiRE particle (powder) motion in the induction furnace was also simulated. The results showed that the copper wire is more suitable to apply in the continuous casting mold when a small addition and a lower wire feeding speed are used. Conversely, if a large amount and a higher feeding speed are needed, the aluminum wire may be recommended for injections in the mold. The results also indicated that the thermal properties of particle (powder) have an influence on the wire melting behavior in the molten steel.


Purpose: Given the extensive data stored in healthcare data warehouses, data warehouse governance policies are needed to ensure data integrity and privacy. This review examines the current state of the data warehouse governance literature as it applies to healthcare data warehouses, identifies knowledge gaps, provides recommendations, and suggests approaches for further research. Methods: A comprehensive literature search using five data bases, journal article title-search, and citation searches was conducted between 1997 and 2012. Data warehouse governance documents from two healthcare systems in the USA were also reviewed. A modified version of nine components from the Data Governance Institute Framework for data warehouse governance guided the qualitative analysis. Results: Fifteen articles were retrieved. Only three were related to healthcare settings, each of which addressed only one of the nine framework components. Of the remaining 12 articles, 10 addressed between one and seven framework components and the remainder addressed none. Each of the two data warehouse governance plans obtained from healthcare systems in the USA addressed a subset of the framework components, and between them they covered all nine. Conclusions: While published data warehouse governance policies are rare, the 15 articles and two healthcare organizational documents reviewed in this study may provide guidance to creating such policies. Additional research is needed in this area to ensure that data warehouse governance polices are feasible and effective. The gap between the development of data warehouses in healthcare settings and formal governance policies is substantial, as evidenced by the sparse literature in this domain.


Summary Hyperglycemia-induced mitochondrial overproduction of reactive oxygen species leads to the activation of different biochemical pathways involved in endothelial damage of the diabetic retina. Tenilsetam [(±)-3-(2-thienyl)-2-piperazinone] is a dicarbonyl scavenger in the millimolar range anda transition metal ion chelator in the micromolar range. We tested its effect on experimental diabetic retinopathy, and on endothelial cell characteristics in vitro. Streptozotocin diabetic male Wistar rats (60 mg/ kg BW) received 50 mg/kg BW tenilsetam (D-T) for 36 weeks, or no treatment (D).The impact of tenilsetam (0–30 mM) on endothelial proliferation, apoptosis, sprouting, cytokine-induced leucocyte-endothelial interaction, and VEGF expression was tested in vitro.Tenilsetam did not affect glycemic control or body weight in diabetic animals. The 3.7 fold increase in acellular capillaries in diabetic rats [p<0.001 vs. non-diabetic controls (N)] was reduced by 70% (p<0.001) through treatment, but pericyte loss (D vs. N –33%; p<0.001) remained unaffected. In vitro, tenilsetam inhibited endothelial proliferation at lower doses, while inducing apoptosis at high doses. Leucocyte adhesion was only inhibited at high doses. Sprouting angiogenesis of bovine retinal endothelial cells was promoted at lower doses (≤ 10 mM). At micromolar concentrations, endothelial VEGF expression was upregulated by 100%. Long-term treatment with the AGEinhibitor and iron-chelating compound tenilsetam inhibits the formation of acellular capillaries without correcting pericyte loss. The compound has dose-dependent effects on endothelial cell function. These data suggest that, independent of known properties, tenilsetam shows important rescue functions on endothelial cells which could be useful for the treatment of early diabetic retinopathy.


This law and society reader taps a rich and diverse literature to compare and contrast the legal experience of many different cultures and nations. Drawing on a variety of methodological approaches, the selections allow students to evaluate whether there are general patterns that explain how legal systems work (or fail to work) and how these patterns relate to the structural and cultural facts of society. Every country, of course, has its own legal system, and no two systems are the same. But in teaching law and society, texts have focused nearly exclusively on American readings to the neglect of comparative and international work. This reader fills an obvious gap. It recognizes that law is increasingly global and cross-national, and shows how law relates to society in different times and places, the world over.


The Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust was established in 1964 and over the years has been a dynamic force in promoting research into and increasing knowledge of this common and often severely handicapping disease. It has also sought to improve the social welfare of affected children. The trust is a charitable organisation. As a further contribution to disseminating knowledge it commissioned this manual of diagnosis and management of cystic fibrosis. The book is designed to provide information for doctors, paramedical staff, and teachers handling children suffering from this disease. After an introduction to the nature, incidence, and inheritance of the disease there are chapters on pathogenesis and clinical and diagnostic features. Most of the book is devoted to management. The authors discuss the principles of management and the management of respiratory disease, nutritional problems, associated and complicating factors, and the patient in the family. These chapters provide much useful information of practical value, such as the names of the suppliers of various special dietary ingredients, cooking recipes for these ingredients, specific instructions for physiotherapy, and sources of financial support. Finally the book has chapters on specific laboratory and other investigations and on research into the basic defect of cystic fibrosis. Much of the information given here will be found in good textbooks of paediatrics or paediatric gastroenterology. The book is likely to be used in circumstances in which the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis has already been made. As such it might have been better to confine it to its main message, that of management. On this aspect of cystic fibrosis this book and the Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust have performed a useful service. The book would also be of use in educating the parents of affected children about the disease, as parents have such an important part to play in management. J 0 FORFAR


Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment has radically improved over the last years; however, MS symptom management is still challenging. The novel Spasticity-Plus syndrome was conceptualized to frame several spasticity-related symptoms that can be addressed together with broad-spectrum medication, such as certain cannabinoid-based drugs. The aim of this project was to gain insight into Spanish neurologists' clinical experience on MS spasticity and associated symptoms, and to assess the acknowledgment and applicability of the Spasticity-Plus syndrome concept in patients with MS. Methods: Ten online meetings were conducted using the Workmat® methodology to allow structured discussions. Fifty-five Spanish neurologists, experts in MS management, completed and discussed a set of predefined exercises comprising MS symptom assessment and its management in clinical practice, MS symptoms clustering in clinical practice, and their perception of the Spasticity-Plus syndrome concept. This document presents the quantitative and qualitative results of these discussions. Results: The specialists considered that polytherapy is a common concern in MS and that simplifying the management of MS spasticity and associated manifestations could be useful. They generally agreed that MS spasticity should be diagnosed before moderate or severe forms appear. According to the neurologists' clinical experience, symptoms commonly associated with MS spasticity included spasms/cramps (100% of the specialists), pain (85%), bladder dysfunction (62%), bowel dysfunction (42%), sleep disorders (42%), and sexual dysfunction (40%). The multiple correspondence analysis revealed two main symptom clusters: spasticity-spasms/cramps-pain, and ataxia-instability-vertigo. Twelve out of 16 symptoms (75%) were scored >7 in a 0–10 QoL impact scale by the specialists, representing a moderate–high impact. The MS specialists considered that pain, spasticity, spasms/cramps, bladder dysfunction, and depression should be a treatment priority given their frequency and chance of therapeutic success. The neurologists agreed on the usefulness of the new Spasticity-Plus syndrome concept to manage spasticity and associated symptoms together, and their experience with treatments targeting the cannabinoid system was satisfactory. Conclusions: The applicability of the new concept of Spasticity-Plus in MS clinical practice seems possible and may lead to an integrated management of several MS symptoms, thus reducing the treatment burden of disease symptoms.


Drawing on insights of current and past editors of top economics and finance journals, we provide guidelines for reviewers in preparing referee reports and cover letters for journals. Peer review is fundamental to the progress of science and we believe that fundamental changes in reviewing practices are needed to improve the integrity, quality, and efficiency of the publication process. Such changes will also allow scholars to reallocate time from navigating the publication process to developing innovative research. Also see our companion paper: Preparing a Referee Report: Guidelines and Perspectives


The effects of salmon farm inputs on pelagic nutrient concentrations and planktonic mi- crobial abundance and biomass were investigated in Loch Fyne, a temperate fjordic environment off the west coast of Scotland. The concentration of photosynthetic pigments and inorganic and organic nutrients, and the abundance and biomass of the autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, were determined over a complete annual cycle from 3 depths (5, 15 and 25-30 m) at 4 stations located at differing proximities to the fish farm. Ammonium and dissolved organic nitrogen concentrations and heterotrophic microbial abundance and biomass were significantly higher at the stations nearest to the fish farm, suggesting that these and other nutrients derived from the fish farm may be directly or indirectly enhancing heterotrophic microbial activity. This in turn suggests that the heterotrophic microbial food web was responsible, at least in part, for processing matter and energy released into the pelagic environment from the salmon farm. By contrast, pigment concentrations, including chlorophyll a, tended to be similar at all stations, supporting the conclusions of previous studies that failed to estab- lish a clear relationship between fish farm inputs and phytoplankton biomass. As such, the response of the heterotrophic microbial community is probably a more appro-priate indicator than chlorophyll concentration of local ecological effects of fish farms in temperate coastal waters.


The aim of this work was to report preliminary results on some features of two new resistant apple cultivars (cvs. 'Galiwa' and 'Story Inored') in multi-row system in the early bearing years of the orchard. Trees were planted in spring of 2015 in double row design (3.5 m+1.4 m x 1.0 m) with planting density of 5357 tree/ha. According to our results cv. 'Story Inored' presented more vigorous growth, than cv. 'Galiwa'. Trees of cv. 'Story Inored' reached 2.7 m in the third year, but cv. 'Galiwa' could reach only 1.95 meter. Due to late spring frost 100% yield loss was observed in the second year. In 2017 cv. 'Galiwa' produced 5.3 kg/tree (25 fruit/tree), while cv. 'Story Inored' presented 7.7 kg/tree (50 fruit/tree). Average yield was 28.4 t/ha for cv. 'Galiwa', as 'Story Inored' reached 41.3 t/ha in the third year. Cultivar 'Galiwa' reached the required fruit size (79.1 mm), but its coloration was weaker (43% fruit surface color). Cultivar 'Story Inored' can be described with smaller fruit size (69 mm) and higher percentage of surface color (93%).


Risk factors for colon cancer have essentially been considered in terms of relative risks. From a public health viewpoint, however, their impact depends not only on the strength of the association, but also on the distribution of exposures in the population. Thus we used data from a case-control study conducted in Italy between 1992 and 1996 to estimate the population-attributable risks (PARs) for colon cancer in relation to educational level, physical activity, energy and vegetable intake, eating frequency, and family history of colorectal cancer. Cases were 1,225 incident, histologically confirmed colon cancer patients admitted to the major teaching and general hospitals in six Italian areas; controls were 4,154 subjects with no history of cancer, admitted to hospitals in the same catchment areas for acute, nonneoplastic diseases. By use of the distribution of the risk factors in the cases and the multivariate relative risk estimates, PARs were computed, i.e., the proportion of colon cancer that would have been avoided if all subjects were moved to the lowest exposure level. The PARs were 12% for high education, 14% for low physical activity, 14% for high energy intake, 22% for low vegetable intake, 7% for high eating frequency, and 8% for a family history of colorectal cancer. These factors together accounted for 56% of colon cancer cases. PARs were similar across age strata. Men had higher PARs for education, physical activity, and their combination, but lower PARs for energy, eating frequency, vegetable intake, and their combination than women. The percentage of colon cancers attributable to all factors considered together was 50% in men and 67% in women. Even if the PAR estimates were based on several arbitrary assumptions on the exposure distribution for various risk factors, available knowledge could, in principle, explain > 50% of cases in this Italian population, thus indicating and quantifying the theoretical scope for prevention.


Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gaseous signaling molecule that has several important biological functions in the human body. Because of the difficulties of handling H2S gas, small organic compounds that release H2S under physiological conditions have been developed. The observed bioactivities of these H2S donors have generally been directly correlated with their H2S release properties. However, apart from H2S release, these H2S donors also exert biological effects by direct interaction with intracellular components within the cytoplasm after passive diffusion across cellular membranes. Here we report polymeric H2S donors based on ADT-OH which would alter cellular trafficking of ADT-OH to minimize the unfavorable interactions with intracellular components. We designed and synthesized a poly(ethylene glycol)-ADT (PEG-ADT) conjugate having ADT linked via an ether bond. Whereas ADT-OH significantly reduced cell viability in murine macrophages, the PEG-ADT conjugate did not show obvious cytotoxicity. The PEG-ADT conjugate released H2S in murine macrophages but not in the presence of serum proteins. The PEG-ADT conjugate was taken up by the cell through the endocytic pathway and stayed inside endolysosomes, which is different from the small amphiphilic donor ADT-OH that can directly enter the cytoplasm. Furthermore, PEG-ADT was capable of potentiating LPS-induced inflammation. This polymeric H2S donor approach may help to better understand the H2S bioactivities of the H2S donor ADT-OH.


Universally primed PCR (UP-PCR) fingerprinting combined with UP-PCR product cross hybridization, and ITS1 ribotyping were used to study the genetic relatedness of strains of Trichoderma and Gliocladium for two purposes: (1) to evaluate the ability of the methods to discriminate closely related strains and as tools to group strains which is necessary to facilitate; (2) identification of markers for development of specific detection assays for selected strains. Included among the strains were one T. harzianum, two T. virens, and one G. roseum that had been selected previously for their antagonistic ability against soil-borne phytopathogens. Similarity among strains, found by cross dot blot hybridization using UP-PCR amplification products, was used to group them into 15 genetic entities. ITS1 ribotyping of the strains was performed by digestion of the PCR amplified rDNA spacer region and electrophoresis of the products. The differences obtained from ribotyping as well as the differences in mobility of the intact spacer region were used for grouping of the strains. The UP-PCR hybridization groups and the ITS1 based groups proved to be consistent, but the resolution of the UP-PCR based approach was superior. The results demonstrate that the combination of UP-PCR and ribotyping can aid in clarifying species distinction in Trichoderma and Gliocladium and has the potential to become a valuable tool for studies of diversity and genetic structure of populations of these fungi. Furthermore, identification of single strains by the specific UP-PCR fingerprint seems feasible.


The way speech prosody encodes linguistic, paralinguistic and non-linguistic information via multiparametric representations of the speech signals is still an open issue. The Superposi-tion of Functional Contours (SFC) model proposes to decompose prosody into elementary multiparametric functional contours through the iterative training of neural network contour generators using analysis-by-synthesis. Each generator is responsible for computing multiparametric contours that encode one given linguistic, paralinguistic and non-linguistic information on a variable scope of rhythmic units. The contributions of all generators' outputs are then overlapped and added to produce the prosody of the utterance. We propose an extension of the contour generators that allows them to model the prominence of the elementary contours based on contextual information. WSFC jointly learns the patterns of the elementary multi-parametric functional contours and their weights dependent on the contours' contexts. The experimental results show that the proposed weighted SFC (WSFC) model can successfully capture contour prominence and thus improve SFC modelling performance. The WSFC is also shown to be effective at modelling the impact of attitudes on the prominence of functional contours cuing syntactic relations in French, and that of emphasis on the prominence of tone contours in Chinese.


We calculate observables relevant for forward jets at LHC. The simulations are performed using Monte Carlo event generators. In particular we compare results from CASCADE based on high energy factorization and PYTHIA which is based on collinear factorization.


This article evaluates the predictive performance of the market variance risk premium (VRP) in Japan on the Nikkei 225 returns, credit spreads, and the composite index of coincident indicators. Different measures such as expected and ex-post VRPs, which are constructed from model-free implied and realized variances, are used to verify the predictability. Moreover, the VRP is estimated by the Bollerslev, Gibson and Zhou (2011) method using Japanese macroeconomic variables to approximate the dynamics of the representative investor's relative risk aversion. The main empirical findings are: (i) the ex-post VRP, which is defined as the difference between implied and ex-post realized variances, is useful in predicting the Nikkei 225 returns, whereas the expected VRPs, which are the differences between implied and current or model-based realized variances, lose their predictive ability, (ii) the expected and ex-post VRPs provide significant predictability of credit spreads and the composite index of coincident indicators, (iii) the VRP involving Japanese macroeconomic variables contains plausible business cycle dynamics of the Japanese economy.


Dr J. V. Hepworth has provided the following Introduction to the published papers: This meeting was originally planned to deal with the area between Burma and Java, in which UN and IGS teams had been active over the last decade. Events and restrictions compelled us to extend the scope eastwards into the active arcs. Recent work is reported from Thailand, Sumatra and the Banda Arcs. This is a collection of papers on work in progress, drawing attention to some of the major problems, and is not intended as a review of the magmatism and tectonics of this region, which has an area larger than the USA or Europe. The Geological Society meeting in December 1978 had been preceded by a number of conferences and workshops within the region itself, which had stimulated discussion, comparison and correlation. Thus the SEATAR workshop in Bandung, the CGMW sub-commission for SE Asia in Bangkok, the IGCP Project 32 (Correlation of Sedimentary Basins), and GEOSEA III (Geology and Mineral Resources of SE Asia) in Thailand, had contributed in October and November 1978 a number of important papers to the body of knowledge. At these meetings compilation maps of the region produced by various coordinating bodies were also displayed: the IOC Atlas series depicting tectonics, bathymetry, magnetics, gravity, crustal thickness and thermal gradient; the USGS maps of tectonics, earthquake data, bathymetry and sedimentation; the CGMW World Atlas series; and the maps of the Circum-Pacific commission. In view of the size and geological complexity of the region


The dominant policy decision emphasis on urbanisation problem in developing countries is itsrate of growth, ignoring the level of provision of resources, including the infrastructure, to match this growth. It isagainst this background that the paper undertook a broad analysis of the state of infrastructure in developing countriesusing such indices as access and quality of water supply, sanitation and solid waste management, to explore how theirprovision and improvements over time could gradually match the rate of urbanisation. Extensive literature review wasadopted for data collection in articles and journals which were analysized using content analysis technique. There issignificant proportion of population using unimproved drinking water sources (42%), unimproved sanitation facilities(50%) and without access to designated waste disposal sites (44%). Water, sanitation and hygiene are key to improvinghealth and development. Providing sustainable access to these infrastructures is the most important things that can bedone to reduce disease and improve human development.


In this paper a new procedure for finding an upper bound on the clique number of a given graph is described. Gendron, Hertz and StLouis (2008) proposed a sequential elimination algorithm which, given any method that computes an upper bound on the clique number, improves upon that bound by iteratively reducing the graph. The idea of the new algorithm is to apply the sequential elimination algorithm to the given graph and then apply it again to some subgraphs in order to further improve the obtained bound. A preliminary set of computational results shows that if the new algorithm is associated with a simple but sufficiently accurate method for computing an upper bound on the clique number it can substantially improve the bounds obtained with the Gendron, Hertz and St-Louis algorithm within reasonable execution times.


Given only a few available images for a novel unseen category, few-shot image generation aims to generate more data for this category. Previous works attempt to globally fuse these images by using adjustable weighted coefficients. However, there is a serious semantic misalignment between different images from a global perspective, making these works suffer from poor generation quality and diversity. To tackle this problem, we propose a novel Local-Fusion Generative Adversarial Network (LoFGAN) for fewshot image generation. Instead of using these available images as a whole, we first randomly divide them into a base image and several reference images. Next, LoFGAN matches local representations between the base and reference images based on semantic similarities, and replaces the local features with the closest related local features. In this way, LoFGAN can produce more realistic and diverse images at a more fine-grained level, and simultaneously enjoy the characteristic of semantic alignment. Furthermore, a local reconstruction loss is also proposed, which can provide better training stability and generation quality. We conduct extensive experiments on three datasets, which successfully demonstrates the effectiveness of our proposed method for few-shot image generation and downstream visual applications with limited data. Code is available at https://github.com/edward3862/LoFGAN-pytorch.


PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the effect of industry growth rates on the characteristics of high-growth firms (HGFs) that are active in a particular industry. By making a distinction between HGFs active in stable and declining industries and HGFs active in growing and high-growing industries, it is analyzed if the main dimensions of firm performance are significantly different for HGFs active in one of these different industry types. Gaining more insight into this industry aspect of high firm growth is important as governmental measures towards HGFs may be more effective if they have a specific sectoral focus.Design/methodology/approachA subset of 740 Belgian HGFs was analyzed. Data were gathered from the Belfirst database. HGFs were classified within their corresponding industry type: a declining industry (negative growth), a stable industry (0 −5% growth), a growing industry (5 −10% growth) and a high-growth industry (>10% growth). Four dimensions of structural firm performance that are expected to correlate with high growth were taken into consideration: productivity (value added per FTE), profitability (ROA), innovativeness (intangible assets) and financial health (solvency and liquidity).Tukey's range tests in conjunction with post-hoc analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were carried out to test for significant differences in all the mentioned variables for the HGFs in the four different industry types.FindingsResults show that HGFs active in a stable industry are not significantly more profitable or innovative than HGFs active in a growth industry. However, significant differences could be encountered when it comes to the other two dimensions of structural firm performance: productivity and financial health. It is shown that HGFs active in declining and stable industries are significantly more productive than HGFs active in growth industries and high-growth industries. Also, HGFs active in declining and stable industries have significantly higher liquidity ratios than firms active in growth industries, pointing towards a better financial health for HGFs in nongrowing industries.Research limitations/implicationsThe results confirm the conceptual logic that the differences between resource-based view (RBV) and industrial organization (IO) propositions will have an impact on the drivers of firm performance and high business growth. Every future study that focuses on the growth determinants of HGFs should be aware that considering the subset of HGFs as one homogenous group may be suboptimal. It is likely that the growth determinants of both HGF types will indeed be fundamentally different.Originality/valueUntil now, all studies on HGFs have considered the subset of HGFs as a whole. This paper tried to disentangle the subset based on the growth rate of the industry in which HGFs are mainly active. In this proposition, a reason for the lack of knowledge about characteristics of HGFs may – at least partially – be found in the fact that industry membership plays an important role in determining the characteristics of a high-growth firm. Future studies focusing on high-growth determinants may benefit from systematically taking the industry growth rates into account, with the knowledge that the propositions of two different theories – IO and RBV – may be the fundamental drivers of a firm's high-growth rates.


There has been much debate about whether judicial review is premised on legislative intent, specific or general, or whether it is grounded in the common law. It has now been suggested in an article in this journal that legislative intent should be conceived in constructive terms, that the common law model is defective in not recognizing this and that it adopts an inadequate account of the relationship between judicial review and sovereignty. The present article answers this critique. It will be seen that there are major problems with the very idea of constructive legislative intent, and with the relationship posited between judicial review and sovereignty.


The labour market has increasingly begun to impose, intensively and insistently, criteria for the competence profile of graduates. All the more important is its relationship with the university, providing, to the latter, anongoing and dynamic feedback on the job offer and demand for graduates with a certain profile and level of training. During July-December 2016, the Department of Professional Counselling from Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacău has implemented the project Professional Development and Employability – the convergence of university and labour market (DeProfAn) obtained in a CNFIS-FDI national competition (institutional development funds). It concerned the design, implementation and exploitation of a dedicated SharePoint platform to achieve its main objectives in relation to the labour market: monitoring the graduates' insertion on the labour market; determining the degree of satisfaction of students and graduates in relation to the training and services offered by the university; identifying the point of view of employers regarding the quality of the graduates' training. Realistically, platform implementation in monitoring the convergence of university with the labour market takes the form of an experiment. Its production period was 6 months (July-December 2016), the target group was 832 beneficiaries (500 students, 300 graduates, 32 employers).Through this study we aim: to illustrate how such an informatics tool may be achieved / may operate with relatively few funds; to highlight the main streams of data that we intend to collect; to globally interpret the main data sets obtained in terms of the efficiency of the achieved tool; to address the informatics tool and the results obtained through a SWOT analysis, having as a benchmark further development in the future.


Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall, there has been a widespread affirmation of economic ideologies that conceive the market as an autonomous sphere of human practice, holding that market principles should be applied to human action at large. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the ascendance of market reason has been countered by calls for reforms of financial markets and for the consideration of moral values in economic practice. This book intervenes in these debates by showing how neoliberal market practices engender new forms of religiosity, and how religiosity shapes economic actions. It reveals how religious movements and organizations have reacted to the increasing prominence of market reason in unpredictable, and sometimes counterintuitive, ways. Using a range of examples from different countries and religious traditions, the book illustrates the myriad ways in which religious and market moralities are closely imbricated in diverse global contexts.


A mechanical prosthetic heart valve can become acutely obstructed despite anticoagulation therapy. This can be a life-threatening complication. We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who survived obstruction of her Sorin prosthetic mitral valve. She was admitted to the hospital because of severe pulmonary edema. On auscultation, mechanical valve sounds were absent. Transthoracic echocardiography showed an immobile mechanical valve. The patient suffered a cardiac arrest while being prepared for surgery, but she underwent successful mitral valve replacement after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When patients with prosthetic mitral valves present with acute dyspnea, the possibility of an obstructed prosthetic valve must be considered in the differential diagnosis.


Tree planting and natural regeneration are the main approaches to achieve global forest restoration targets, affecting multiple hydrological processes, such as infiltration of rainfall. Our understanding of the effect of land use history and vegetation on the recovery of water infiltration and soil attributes in both restoration strategies is limited. Therefore, we investigated the recovery of top-soil saturated soil hydraulic conductivity (Ks), soil physical and hydraulic properties in five land use types: (i) a secondary old-growth forest; (ii) a forest established through assisted passive restoration 11 years ago; (iii) an actively restored forest, with a more intensive land use history and 11 years of age; (iv) a pasture with low-intensity use; and (v) a pasture with high-intensity use, in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. For these land use types, we determined the historical land use patterns and conducted soil sampling, using the Beerkan method to determine Ks values in the field. We also measured tree basal area, canopy cover, vegetation height, tree density and species richness in forest covers. The Ks decreased when land use was more intense prior to forest restoration actions. Our results indicate that land use legacy is a crucial factor to explain the current difference in soil and vegetation attributes among study sites.


We examine project adoption decisions of firms constrained in the number of projects they can handle at once. Adoption requires a commitment for a period of uncertain duration, restricting the firm in subsequent periods. Capacity constraints create a "fear of commitment" — some positive return projects are not adopted. In the sequential move dynamic game, the second mover sometimes adopts projects that were rejected by the first, even when both firms are symmetric and equally informed. We study the e§ects of competition on the fear of commitment, and compare the jointly optimal adoption decision to the behavior of strategic non-cooperative firms.


Abstract In many countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., there is ongoing concern about the extent to which young people from lower-income backgrounds can acquire a university degree. Recent evidence from the U.K. suggests that for a given level of prior achievement in secondary school a disadvantaged student has as much chance of enrolling in a university as a more advantaged student. However, simply participating in higher education is not sufficient—graduation is important. Therefore, this paper investigates whether students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have a higher rate of university dropout when compared to their wealthier counterparts, allowing for their differential prior achievement. Using a combination of school and university administrative data sets, we show that there is indeed a sizeable and statistically significant gap in the rate of withdrawal after the first year of university between advantaged and disadvantaged English students. This socioeconomic gap in university dropouts remains even after allowing for their personal characteristics, prior achievement in secondary school and university characteristics. In the English context, at least, this implies that retention in university of disadvantaged students is arguably a more important policy issue than barriers to entry for these students.


The concern with the issue of school culture has arisen in the context of a turn taken by the works in the history of education and of an ever so fruitful confluence with the discipline of History, be it for the practice of gathering, organization and expansion of the documental mass of data to be used in the analyses, be it by the acceptance of legitimacy protocols from the historiographic narrative. The article represents a synthesis of the investigations that have been conducted by researchers, and intends to apprehend how school culture has been taken on board by the field of History of Brazilian Education as a category of analysis and as a topic of study. To such purpose, the paper is composed of three parts. The first part deals with the most commonly used definitions of school culture. Works by Dominique Julia, André Chervel, Jean-Claude Forquin and António Viñao Frago are focused here in an attempt to establish similarities and differences between the ideas of the various authors. The dissemination of these texts in Brazil is also discussed in this first part. The second part of the article, without any intention of representing a complete bibliographic review or a comprehensive listing of titles and authors, draws attention to some of the dimensions of the Brazilian education reality, which the researchers have been trying to understand with the aid of the notion of school culture. Finally, the article points out some of the challenges that have to be faced in carrying on these studies and in strengthening the theoretical-methodological foundations of the studies that use the general framework discussed here.


In this paper we use an experimental approach to investigate how linguistic conventions can emerge in a society without explicit agreement. As a starting point we consider the signaling game introduced by Lewis [28]. We find that in experimental settings, small groups can quickly develop conventions of signal meaning in these games. We also investigate versions of the game where the theoretical literature indicates that meaning will be less likely to arise—when there are more than two states for actors to transfer meaning about and when some states are more likely than others. In these cases, we find that actors are less likely to arrive at strategies where signals have clear conventional meaning. We conclude with a proposal for extending the use of the methodology of experimental economics in experimental philosophy.


Many ad hoc routing protocols use flooding as the basic mechanism to propagate control messages. Flooding is inefficient because of the unnecessary message forwarding and additional overheads. The gossip based approach is proposed as an alternative to the flooding. Most of these protocols are not energy efficient due to the idle stage energy consumption. By randomly keeping the nodes in sleep mode for some small interval of time, the energy consumption can be reduced. We propose an enhancement to the AODV routing protocol by incorporating gossip based sleep probability for the nodes. In this approach, each node forward a message with some gossip probability p to reduce the overhead and randomly decide to go sleep stage for some time with gossip-sleep-probability 1-p or to awake stage with probability p, to reduce the energy consumption. Simulations show that almost every node gets the message with gossip probability p between 0.65 and 0.7, and gossip-sleep-probability 1-p between 0.35 and 0.3, respectively. Adding gossip based approach to AODV improves the performance and reduces the energy consumption.


Polymer nanofibers, with their specific set of material properties, are favorable for many applications in biomedical engineering (scaffold, stent, or tissue engineering). This application, however, requires the ability to control the manufacturing process together with organization and orientation of the deposited fiber. Electrospinning device parameters leading to a stable fiber extrusion were already found, together with the influence of the individual working parameters on the fiber properties. It was also found that fiber steering via the external electrostatic field, created by auxiliary electrodes, has very limited steering capabilities. In this article, electrodynamic steering of the electrospun polymer nanofiber is discussed, with focus on the macroscopic fiber deposition pattern and microscopic fiber alignment and straightness. Different electric field distributions are examined, and the corresponding fiber collection patterns are demonstrated on a series of experiments. Finally, a mathematical model of a discretized fiber is created. Matching the simulation and experimental results allows for the determination of unknown fiber properties, like the structural damping coefficient or Stokes drag coefficient.


This paper proposes a novel algorithm for inferring genetic regulatory networks by exploiting the knowledge of gene expressions, DNA sequences and binding sites. The integration of multiple data sources helps to improve both the specificity and the sensitivity of network inference. The transcription factors of a target gene are determined by applying the reversible jump Markov chain Monte-Carlo (RJMCMC) algorithm to the linear regression model. The scheme is simulated on yeast data and the results provide insight on the regulation mechanism associated with environmental changes.


BACKGROUND
Acute myocardial infarction carries a high mortality among cardiac patients.The discovery of the fact that certain enzymes like CPK, LDH liberated into circulation following necrosis of the myocardial cells came as boon for physicians and patients. There has been a constant search of different parameters for the diagnosis and management of CoronaryArtery Diseases (CAD).

AIM
The present study was undertaken to investigate a possible relation between the changes in plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration and acute myocardial infarction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Fifty cases (25 males and 25 females) of acute myocardial infarction were selected for the present study. All the patients were in the age group of 40-70 years. For the control group fifty (25 male and 25 female) subjects of same age group were selected from patient's relatives and friends. Plasma free fatty acid concentration was estimated by Titrametric method of Trout et al., (1960), a modified version of Dole (1956).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
The statistical analysis of the data of the present study was done by using SPSS, version 14.0.1 was used.

RESULTS
Our study showed a significant increase in plasma FFA in the first 24 hours of acute myocardial infarction with subsequent normalisation on the 7th day.The difference between the first and the seventh day was statistically significant.

CONCLUSION
The FFA were found raised in cases of acute myocardial infarction.On the basis of present study, it is worth to say that estimation of serum free fatty acid should be done routinely at the earliest opportunity in all cases of acute myocardial infarction.


Since the occurrence of the 1992 CE Mw 7.3 Landers and 1999 Mw 7.1 Hector Mine earthquakes in the Mojave Desert (California, USA), postseismic deformation following both earthquakes has been intensively studied, and models with a strong crust overlying a low-viscosity mantle asthenosphere have been favored. However, we recently found that the near-field postseismic transients after the two earthquakes have lasted longer than previously thought, which requires a revision of the postseismic modeling. Our new modeling results based on the revised postseismic transients show that: (1) the effective viscosity of the lower crust beneath the Mojave region at the decadal time scale is ∼2 × 1020 Pa·s (transient viscosity ∼2 × 1019 Pa·s), i.e., only ∼5 times that of the underlying mantle asthenosphere, and (2) the transient viscosity of the upper mantle exhibits a time-dependent increase, providing fresh geodetic evidence for frequency-dependent rheology (e.g., Andrade or extended Burgers rheology). The inferred transient rheology for the first year agrees well with that obtained for the July 2019 Mw 6.4 and Mw 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquakes ∼180 km north of the two Mojave events. Our modeling results support a thin crème brûlée model for the Eastern California Shear Zone (part of the Pacific-North America plate boundary) in which both the lower crust and the upper mantle exhibit ductility at decadal time scales.


Over the past two decades the United States and Europe have engaged actively in efforts to prevent conflict and to manage crises around the world. How effective have such efforts been, and how could they be improved? This volume offers recommendations and applies them to specific case studies. In includes a Crisis Management Toolbox that outlines the key principles, actors, and instruments guiding such efforts.


A relatively large and established population of Houttuynia cordata from Itatiaia National Park in Brazil represents the first record of naturalized Saururaceae in South America. Although the species is potentially invasive, unknown mechanisms have prevented its spread to other localities between 1940, when it was recorded in cultivation in Brazil, and the present. The nearest known naturalized population is situated 5,600 km away, in Costa Rica, Central America.


The coast of Bangladesh has a specialty in terms of high bending and many off- shore islands. Incorporation of the coastline and island boundaries properly in the numerical scheme is essential for accurate estimation of water levels due to surge. For that purpose a numerical scheme consisting of very fine mesh is required along the coastal belt, whereas this is unnecessary away from the coast. In this study, a fine mesh scheme covering the coastal belt and islands has been nested into a coarse mesh scheme covering up to 15 N latitude in the Bay of Bengal. For the existence of so many small and big islands and also for high bending of the coastline along the Meghna estuary, a very fine mesh scheme for the region between Barisal and Chittagong is again nested into the fine mesh scheme. A vertically integrated model is developed in Cartesian coordinate system to solve the shallow water equations using semi- implicit finite difference technique for computing surge associated with storms. The developedsystem is applied on a severe cyclonic storm 'SIDR' that hit Bangladesh on 15th November, 2007. The computed water levels are found to be in good agreement with those observed.


Kohn-Sham theory (KST) is the "workhorse" of numerical quantum chemistry. This is particularly true for first-principles calculations of ground- and excited-state properties for larger systems, including electronic spectra, electronic dynamic and static linear and higher order response properties (including nonlinear optical (NLO) properties), conformational or dynamic averaging of spectra and response properties, or properties that are affected by the coupling of electron and nuclear motion. This Account explores the sometimes dramatic impact of the delocalization error (DE) and possible benefits from the use of long-range corrections (LC) and "tuning" of functionals in KST calculations of molecular ground-state and response properties. Tuning refers to a nonempirical molecule-specific determination of adjustable parameters in functionals to satisfy known exact conditions, for instance, that the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) should be equal to the negative vertical ionization potential (IP) or that the energy as a function of fractional electron numbers should afford straight-line segments. The presentation is given from the viewpoint of a chemist interested in computations of a variety of molecular optical and spectroscopic properties and of a theoretician developing methods for computing such properties with KST. In recent years, the use of LC functionals, functional tuning, and quantifying the DE explicitly have provided valuable insight regarding the performance of KST for molecular properties. We discuss a number of different molecular properties, with examples from recent studies from our laboratory and related literature. The selected properties probe different aspects of molecular electronic structure. Electric field gradients and hyperfine coupling constants can be exquisitely sensitive to the DE because it affects the ground-state electron density and spin density distributions. For π-conjugated molecules, it is shown how the DE manifests itself either in too strong or too weak delocalization of localized molecular orbitals (LMOs). Optical rotation is an electric-magnetic linear response property that is calculated in a similar fashion as the electric polarizability, but it is more sensitive to approximations and can benefit greatly from tuning and small DE. Hyperpolarizabilities of π-conjugated "push-pull" systems are examples of NLO properties that can be greatly improved by tuning of range-separated exchange (RSE) functionals, in part due to improved charge-transfer excitation energies. On-going work on band gap predictions is also mentioned. The findings may provide clues for future improvements of KST because different molecular properties exhibit varying sensitivity to approximations in the electronic structure model. The utility of analyzing molecular properties and the impact of the DE in terms of LMOs, representing "chemist's orbitals" such as individual lone pairs and bonds, is highlighted.

acs-specific: authorchoice/editors choice usage agreement


"An existing model of the commercial property development process was applied to a mixed-use site. The case studied was the redevelopment of 7.7 hectares of previously developed land in central Edinburgh, containing nine listed buildings. 158,000 square metres of accommodation are planned, 65% of which will be residential and 25% offices. The site was marketed in 2000-01, construction began in 2005 with approximately 40% complete by spring 2009. Documents and plans were inspected and site visits conducted. Semi-structured in depth interviews were held with senior executives from all the organisations that were influential in decision making. The commercial model was found to represent the reality of the project environment well, with amendments to cope with mixed-use redevelopment. The overall fate of the site was determined by the interplay of market forces and state policy, yet the detailed evolution of the project was dependent upon the organisations and individuals that became involved. Particular site characteristics and design issues played important roles. ePlace makingi was fundamental in both planning and financial terms. A genuine mixed-use environment, that is well conceived and managed, was confirmed to be very attractive to the public, residents, businesses and investors. While some listed buildings were sacrificed, involving controversy and delay, conversions of others made a significant contribution both environmentally and financially. These results contribute to the literature of detailed property development cases and refine the model used.""


Bariatric surgery is the most efficacious therapy for morbid obesity today, and now moving from bariatric surgery to metabolic surgery for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Advancement in laparoscopic technique contributed to a rapid surge of the volume of bariatric surgery. However, the type of bariatric/metabolic procedures evolved over the past 60 years and is still evolving. Single anastomosis (mini-) gastric bypass (SAGB) was first proposed by Dr. Robert Rutledge in 2001. Many surgeons across the world have strong concerns to this procedure but do not perform it. Although controversy existed, tens of thousands of this procedure have been reported throughout the world with universally good results. The advantages of this procedures included technique simplicity, shorter learning curve, easy to convert and better weight loss and co-morbidities resolution. However, data about the result of SAGB specifically for the treatment of T2DM in Asian is less known. The review examines the current status, long-term result of SAGB on weight reduction and the efficacy on T2DM treatment in Asian.


Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) is an important enzyme responsible for cancer growth and energy metabolism in various cancers via the aerobic glycolytic pathway. Here, we report that machilin A (MA), which acts as a competitive inhibitor by blocking the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) binding site of LDHA, suppresses growth of cancer cells and lactate production in various cancer cell types, including colon, breast, lung, and liver cancers. Furthermore, MA markedly decreased LDHA activity, lactate production, and intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels induced by hypoxia-induced LDHA expression in cancer cells, and significantly inhibited colony formation, leading to reduced cancer cell survival. In mouse models inoculated with murine Lewis lung carcinoma, MA significantly suppressed tumor growth as observed by a reduction of tumor volume and weight; resulting from the inhibition of LDHA activity. Subsequently, the suppression of tumor-derived lactic acid in MA-treated cancer cells resulted in decrease of neovascularization through the regulation of alternatively activated macrophages (M2) polarization in macrophages. Taken together, we suggest that the reduction of lactate by MA in cancer cells directly results in a suppression of cancer cell growth. Furthermore, macrophage polarization and activation of endothelial cells for angiogenesis were indirectly regulated preventing lactate production in MA-treated cancer cells.


We develop a theory of firm scope in which integrating two firms into one facilitates the allocation of resources, but leads to weaker incentives for effort, compared with non-integration. Our theory makes minimal assumptions about the underlying agency problem. Moreover, the benefits and costs of integration originate from the same problem – to allocate resources efficiently, the integrated firm's top management must obtain information about the possible use of resources from division managers. The division managers' job is to create profitable investment projects. Giving the managers incentives to do so biases them endogenously towards their own divisions, and gives them a motive to overstate the quality of their projects in order to receive more resources. We show that paying managers based on firm performance in addition to individual performance can establish truthful upward communication, but creates a free-rider problem and raises the cost of inducing effort. This effect exists even though with perfect information, centralized resource allocation would improve the managers' incentives. The resulting tradeoff between a better use of resources and diminished incentives for effort determines whether integration or non-integration is optimal. Our theory thus provides a simple answer to Williamson's "selective-intervention" puzzle concerning the limits of firm size and scope. In addition, we provide an incentive-based argument for the prevalence of hierarchically structured firms in which higher-level managers coordinate the actions of lower-level managers.


As more reports emerge of improved mortality and morbidity rates in infants born at the edge of viability, there may be need to reassess protocols and recommendations that encourage only comfort care for infants who are born at less than 24 weeks' gestation. Analysis of those studies that report extremely poor survival of these infants reveals that, all too often, the results are measures of a self-fulfilling prophesy that reflects a predetermined non-aggressive global policy of no resuscitation and minimal investment in intensive care. Furthermore, little distinction is made between high- and low-risk infants of the same gestational age despite repeated studies that indicate that one can identify subpopulations that have as much as a 20–50% increased chance of surviving with little if any long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. Thus, the need to reassess current policies is discussed.


This paper proposes reversible and reliable data hiding in images .Nowadays system encryption and security has become a challenging thread for the society. Thus, we have made a move towards understanding and developing an enhanced version of reversible encryption technique under critical scenario of design. The system aims to achieve a high threshold value analysis under a reduced SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio) ratio of channel. The signals obtained are defined under a range of programmed and parametric values. This paper poses a scheme of secure data hiding in encrypted images using distributed source coding. After encrypting the original image with a stream cipher, some bits of MSB planes are selected and compressed to make room for the additional secret data. On the receiver side, all hidden data can be extracted with the embedding key only, and the original image approximately recovered with high quality using the encryption key only. When both the embedding and encryption keys are available to the receiver, the hidden data can be extracted completely and the original image recovered perfectly.


Abstract This paper is about educational advising and adaptation to learner style in the provision of advice about learning. The recipients of the advice are students attempting to complete a course of study. SOLA*, an advisory system (implemented in SMALLTALK-80) provides help with what should be learned, how it should be learned and when it should be learned. Providing advice of this sort is becoming increasingly important as the range of educational materials available to the student continues to increase and the need for independent co-ordination of study becomes more common. Advisory systems are valuable in circumstances where learners are expected to control their own learning as not all students (particularly at first) are capable of successfully managing their study time. SOLA* is flexible in its approach to advising about study plans not only at the level of local decision making (e.g. which study materials to use) but also at the level of its global approach to a domain. SOLA* provides a series of study plans adapted to the learner.


Abstract Investigating the genesis and justification of norms in a theoretical way requires a clear-cut distinction between normative and descriptive discourse. From a philosophical perspective, the descriptive-normative dichotomy can itself be understood either in a descriptive (or 'reportive') or in an normative (or 'stipulative') way. In the first case such a dichotomy is understood as the factual border between descriptive and normative discourse in a given language; exploring this border is a hermeneutic enterprise. In the other case it is understood as a boundary between descriptive and normative discourse to be implanted in a language which is developed in order to fit certain purposes, in particular theoretical purposes; this implanting procedure is a matter of regimentation. In this paper I will deal shortly with the first question of hermeneutics and then in more detail with the second question of regimentation. In the final part of the paper I will distinguish different types of naturalistic fallacies resulting from disregarding descriptive-normative dichotomies.


Prefrontal cortical functioning depends on D1 family receptors and their complex signal transduction cascade, including protein phos-phatase-1 (PP1). Three PP1 isoforms are prominent in the brain: PP1a, PP1b and PP1g1. PP1 localization by a variety of scaffolding proteins is critical for dopamine-mediated modulation of glutamate-rgic neurotransmission. We have quantified the subcellular distribution of each isoform in primate prefrontal cortex using immunoelectron microscopy. All three are found in spines, dendrites, axon terminals, axons and glia. However, PP1a and PP1g1 labeling is enriched in spines, whereas PP1b label is enriched in dendrites. Using post-embedding immunogold labeling, we further examined the distribution of PP1a and PP1g1 within spines. PP1g1 is highly and specifically concentrated in the postsynaptic density (PSD) of these spines, while PP1a is enriched in the PSD but also found subjacent to the PSD in moderate amounts. Thus, PP1 isoforms are heterogeneously distributed in the cortical neuropil and within spines. These results suggest that each PP1 isoform has access to a different set of substrates and, furthermore, they demonstrate that the composition of signal trans-duction proteins varies in different parts of the neuron and even in different regions of a dendritic spine in the primate PFC.


Over the past three decades the amount of state funding provided to the 500 school districts across the state of Pennsylvania has decreased from a high of fifty percent of educational funding to a current thirty-five percent. Reports over the past several years such as the Costing Out Report commissioned by the State General Assembly have identified problems with state funding of education and specific short falls that should altered. The current economic conditions of the state and a projected state debt of four billion dollars do nothing but reduce the state's ability to provide adequate funding for public education in Pennsylvania. The goal of this paper is to discuss the drastic cuts to education that have been driven by a four billion dollar deficit in the state of Pennsylvania, and identify the problem and solutions that school districts have developed for better or worse.


Wind power prediction is of great importance in the utilization of renewable wind power. A lot of research has been done attempting to improve the accuracy of wind power predictions and has achieved desirable performance. However, there was no complete performance evaluation of machine learning methods. This thesis presented an extensive empirical study of machine learning methods for wind power predictions. Nine various models were considered in this study, which also included the application and evaluation of deep learning techniques. The experimental data consisted of seven datasets based on wind farms in Ontario, Canada. The results indicated that SVM, followed by ANN, had the best overall performance, and that k-NN method was suitable for longer ahead predictions. Despite the findings that deep learning failed to give improvement in basic predictions, it showed the potential for more abstract tasks, such as spatial correlation predictions.


The displacement of people in times of crises represents a challenge for humanitarian agencies. This challenge is especially acute within developing countries, which home the majority of displaced people. Within this paper, we will demonstrate a spatially explicit agent based model that explores the spread of cholera in the Dadaab refugee camps. Poor sanitation and housing conditions contribute to frequent incidents of cholera outbreaks. We model the spread of cholera by explicitly representing the interaction between humans (host) and their environment, and the spread of the epidemic using Susceptible-ExposedInfected-Recovered (SEIR) model. We utilize elevation surface data combined with rainfall to carry pollutants (disposal and feces). We model agents as mobile and purposeful oriented individuals engaging in daily activities all of whom are susceptible to diseases. Infected agents spread cholera bacteria through excretion of feces to the environment and this can then be spread throughout the system. Results from the model show that the spread of cholera grows radially from contaminated water sources. Agents' social behavior and movements contribute to the spread of cholera to other camps where water sources were relatively safe. This modeling effort highlights the potential of agent based modeling to explore the spread of cholera in a humanitarian context and its impact on service provision.


Abstract Background. There is controversy on whether estrogen receptors are present and functioning in the myocardium. Aims. To explore if after myocardial infarction (MI) estrogen receptors α (ERα) and β (ERβ) are upregulated in myocardial tissue and to explore if the presence/ absence of ERα or ERβ influences angiogenesis after MI. Methods. MI was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending artery in knockout (KO) mice, ERαKO and ERβKO, respectively, and non-KO littermate-controls, C57Bl/6 mice. The hearts were harvested after 12 days. A part of the periinfarct tissue was collected for ERα and ERβ mRNA expression determination by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Using immunohistochemistry, ERα and ERβ protein expression and capillary and arteriolar densities were blindly determined in the periinfarct area. Results. In myocardium disrupted mRNA was upregulated in both ERαKO and ERβKO, (p < 0.005) and did not change after MI. There was no change in mRNA expression of ERα or ERβ in wild type mice after MI. Expression of ERβ in ERαKO and of ERα in ERβKO did not change. Following MI ERα or ERβ could not be demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in either wild type or ERαKO or ERβKO. The capillary and arteriolar densities after MI did not differ between the groups in the periinfarct area. Conclusions. Although disrupted ER mRNA is upregulated in myocardium of ER knockout mice, no change in these or native receptors occurs following MI. At least in this model ER therefore seems not to have a role in myocardial arteriogenesis and angiogenesis after MI.


The present paper describes the characteristic switching of a multilayer thin electrostatic actuator supported
by only lubricating oil and its application in the control of an ultra-precision fine stage.


In recent years, a number of firms from Asia and Latin America have been internationalizing their businesses to access new markets and to acquire new technology. This follows similar attempts only a few years earlier by leading firms from countries such as Korea and Taiwan. Much research has gone during the last two decades into understanding the success of Korean and Taiwanese firms. In this paper we carry out a case study of the Haier group—one of the most promising global enterprises emerging out of mainland China. We explain the need for recognizing some important differences in the early stages of growth between emerging MNCs today and MNCs from Korea and Taiwan. Unlike firms from the latter countries, globalizing firms of recent times during their early years of existence had little incentives to improve their technological competence. Furthermore, they generally had a one-off relationship with international technology suppliers that further prevented the regular upgrading of their technological base. Nevertheless these firms have shown themselves to be adept in facing up to the challenges of globalization by adopting innovative technological and business strategies. What are the distinctive features of these strategies? How useful are these strategies for long-run growth? What lessons can other firms and governments learn from these experiences? We hope to offer some preliminary answers to these important questions. Case studies like ours can also contribute towards developing newer frameworks for a better understanding of the internationalization of businesses in modern times.


The resourcefulness of African smallholders in the face of recurrent food deficits is often overlooked by professionals and officials concerned with food security. Food scarcity has provoked a wide range of interventions by exogenous institutions but only rarely have the coping strategies maintained by small farmers been recognized as affording a basis for such action. Research has shown that rural production systems in different parts of sub-Saharan Africa incorporate a wide range of activities designed to reduce the incidence and impact of food shortage (e.g. Campbell, D.J., 1984; Walts, 1983a; Matiza et al. 1989). These activities are integral to rural production systems and are based on resources and relationships found in the social, economic and political institutions of society and on the generosity of the local physical environment.


Since the election of the first African American president in 2008, race relations have deteriorated in the United States. In May 2017, the emergence of the "alt-right" movement advocating for white nationalism caused further polarization between the races. This transcendental phenomenological research examined how white adult males' exposure to racist ideologies influenced their perceptions towards African Americans, and how they emancipated from environments that promoted racist tenets. The study was guided by three research questions: How have white males been impacted by their exposure to racial antipathy and discrimination? What events or circumstances have white males experienced that led them to denouncing negative racial stereotypes and/or participation with hate groups? And, what efforts have they made to reconcile with individuals or groups they have harmed in the past? The literature review revealed racial conflict is a social phenomenon evolving from historical narratives posited by fear, social class, and white superiority. By employing qualitative data analysis, interviewing eight participants, and applying the theoretical lenses of critical race theory, social Darwinism, hate theory, and regenerative justice, the primary essence of the phenomenon acknowledged individuals are mentally and emotionally affected by negative historical narratives about racism. Six major themes evolved: 1) Familial Influences, 2) Southern White Experience, 3) Education and Race Relations, 4) Spiritual Convictions, 5) Immersion into the African American Experience, and 6) Physical and Mental Emancipation. The findings in this study contribute to the field of conflict resolution by advocating for advanced exploration into socio-psychology, racial reconciliation, and restorative justice.


Objective: This study compared speech perception benefits in adults implanted with the HiResolutionTM (HiRes) Bionic Ear who used both conventional and HiRes sound processing. A battery of speech tests was used to determine which formats were most appropriate for documenting the wide range of benefit experienced by cochlear-implant users. Study Design: A repeated-measures design was used to assess postimplantation speech perception in adults who received the HiResolution Bionic Ear in a recent clinical trial. Patients were fit first with conventional strategies and assessed after 3 months of use. Patients were then switched to HiRes sound processing and assessed again after 3 months of use. To assess the immediate effect of HiRes sound processing on speech perception performance, consonant recognition testing was performed in a subset of patients after 3 days of HiRes use and compared with their 3-month performance with conventional processing. Setting: Subjects were implanted and evaluated at 19 cochlear implant programs in the USA and Canada affiliated primarily with tertiary medical centers. Patients: Patients were 51 postlinguistically deafened adults. Main Outcome Measures: Speech perception was assessed using CNC monosyllabic words, CID sentences and HINT sentences in quiet and noise. Consonant recognition testing was also administered to a subset of patients (n = 30) using the Iowa Consonant Test presented in quiet and noise. All patients completed a strategy preference questionnaire after 6 months of device use. Results: Consonant identification in quiet and noise improved significantly after only 3 days of HiRes use. The mean improvement from conventional to HiRes processing was significant on all speech perception tests. The largest differences occurred for the HINT sentences in noise. Ninety-six percent of the patients preferred HiRes to conventional sound processing. Ceiling effects occurred for both sentence tests in quiet. Conclusions: Although most patients improved after switching to HiRes sound processing, the greatest differences were seen in the 'poor' performers because 'good' performers often reached ceiling performance, especially on tests in quiet. Future evaluations of cochlear-implant benefit should make use of more difficult measures, especially for 'good' users. Nonetheless, a range of difficulty must remain in test materials to document benefit in the entire population of implant recipients.


The relative strength of bottom-up and top-down processes operating within food webs is a fundamental determinant of community structure and function. In marine systems, inconspicuous but often highly abundant invertebrate herbivores (mesograzers) are implicated as strong consumers of primary production and important prey for higherorder consumers. Because of their small size, however, mesograzer abundance is not easily manipulated in the field, which limits our ability to adequately assess their grazing impacts. Seagrass systems present a pressing need for the study of food web dynamics because anthropogenic nutrient and sediment inputs decrease the amount of light reaching seagrass leaves, which limits the depth distribution of seagrasses via reduced photosynthesis to respiration ratios. Mesograzers benefit seagrass through their consumption of epiphytic algae and thus may mitigate the loss of seagrass beds due to nutrient enrichment. I test the relative impacts of nutrient enrichment and crustacean mesograzer abundance on epiphytes in a natural seagrass bed without using cages. My work presents the first cage-free tests of crustacean mesograzing impacts in natural seagrass communities. I successfully decreased crustacean abundance for extended periods of time in multiple experiments using a degradable chemical deterrent. Crustacean mesograzer reduction led to concomitant increases in epiphytic algal biomass, while nutrients increased epiphytes only in the absence of mesograzers. My results validate early work from mesocosm and field cage studies designed to test grazing impacts of mesograzers and support the hypothesis that mesograzers indirectly benefit seagrass through a positive indirect interaction. Basal food web dynamics in a Chesapeake Bay seagrass community: field experimentation


BACKGROUND
For the first time, we define and correlate visual and histologic grading systems of composite tissue allograft (CTA) skin rejection in a large-animal model and determine the utility of these grading systems for early diagnosis and monitoring of rejection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixteen pairs of outbred swine underwent transplant of a forelimb osteomyocutaneous free flap. Group I (n = 6) did not receive immunosuppressive therapy. Group II (n = 10) received oral cyclosporin A, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. The flap was visually inspected and protocol skin biopsies were taken at frequent intervals over a 90-day period. Visual Grades 0 (no rejection) to 4 (severe rejection) were assigned based on skin color, bleeding from biopsy site, and blister formation. Histologic Grades 0 to 4 were assigned based on the degree of vasculitis, folliculitis, dermal inflammation, and epidermal degeneration present.

RESULTS
All Group I animals progressively rejected their graft by Day 7. Group II grafts survived from 19 and 90 days; 93% of 115 biopsy specimens were read to be within +/-1 histologic score of their assigned flap visual grade. Visual assessment carried an 8% false positive and 39% false negative rate with regard to biopsy-proven rejection. However, 81% of missed rejection specimens were histologic Grade 1. Biopsy, when visually indicated, would detect all rejection episodes when histologically Grade 1 or 2 and still potentially reversible.

CONCLUSIONS
Visual scoring of CTA skin serves as a useful tool for initially detecting rejection, but repeated histologic evaluation is necessary for monitoring the subsequent course of the graft.


Berlin—Not since the heady days of anti-Vietnam War protests and student strikes had Berliners seen such a massive university demonstration. But this time the 30,000 students who took to the streets on 24 April were not railing against the academic establishment; they were marching in step with militant university presidents, deans, faculty members, and many scientists who joined in protesting deep cuts in Berlin's subsidies for higher education and university research. The planned cuts could hit science programs especially hard.


The environmental levels of radioactivity and other pollutants found in the vicinity of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) during 1979 are summarized. As an aid in the interpretation of the data, the amounts of radioactivity and other pollutants released in airborne and liquid effluents from Laboratory facilities to the environment are also indicated. The environmental data includes external radiation levels; radioactive air particulates; tritium and iodine concentrations; the amounts and concentrations of radioactivity in and the water quality of the stream into which liquid effluents are released; the concentrations of radioactivity in sediments and biota from the stream; the concentrations of radioactivity in and the water quality of ground waters underlying the Laboratory; and concentrations of radioactivity in milk samples obtained in the vicinity of the Laboratory.


s S429 for statins using data collected in 2000 to define use from 1994 forward. Prospective analysis for general lipid-lowering drugs was conducted during the same study period. Responses to the 2000 questionnaire indicated that by that year approximately 93% of the cholesterol-lowering drugs used in this cohort were statins. Analysis of statin use included 53,611 women, and analysis of general lipid-lowering drugs use included 56,953 women. Multivariate relative risks were assessed using the Cox model. Results: In the statin analysis we ascertained 2,581 cases of cholecystectomy during 305,197 person-years of follow-up. The multivariate relative risk (R.R.) for current statin users, compared with nonusers, was 0.82 (95% confidence interval (C.I.), 0.70 to 0.96). Among diabetic women, longer duration of statin use (≥ 2 years) was associated with a seventy-five percent risk reduction. Compared with diabetic nonusers, the R.R. for current diabetic users for two or more years was 0.25 (C.I., 0.07 to 0.88). In the general cholesterol-lowering drugs analysis, we ascertained 2,434 cases of cholecystectomy during 298,726 person-years of follow-up. Compared with nonusers, the R.R. for current users of general cholesterol-lowering drugs, mostly statins in this cohort, was 0.86 (C.I., 0.75 to 0.99). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that statin use, particularly among diabetic women, may reduce risk of cholecystectomy.


Capacity has become of primary importance in broadband wireless access (BWA) networks due to the ever-increasing demand for multimedia services and the possibility of providing wireless Internet, leading to their standardization by IEEE (802.16WirelessMAN) and ETSI (BRAN HIPERACCESS). The major factor limiting capacity in such systems is interference originating from co-channels and cells, namely intercell interference. This thesis presents a general analysis of intercell interference for a spectrally efficient BWA cellular configuration. It examines the statistical properties of the carrier-to-interference ratio in downstream channels. The focus is on the spatial inhomogeneity of rain attenuation over multiple paths, which is the dominant fading mechanism in the frequency range above 20 GHz, especially when two-layered [i.e., line-of-sight (LOS) and non-LOS] architectures are involved. Besides attenuation from precipitation, various architectural and propagation aspects of local multipoint distribution service systems are investigated through simulations, and worst-case interference scenarios are identified.


Soil microbial diversity is often studied from the perspective of community composition, but less is known about genetic heterogeneity within species and how population structures are affected by dispersal, recombination, and selection. Genomic inferences about population structure can be made using the millions of sequencing reads that are assembled de novo into consensus genomes from metagenomes, as each read pair describes a short genomic sequence from a cell in the population. Here we track genome-wide population genetic variation for 19 highly abundant bacterial species sampled from across a grassland meadow. Genomic nucleotide identity of assembled genomes was significantly associated with local geography for half of the populations studied, and for a majority of populations within-sample nucleotide diversity could often be as high as meadow-wide nucleotide diversity. Genes involved in specialized metabolite biosynthesis and extracellular transport were characterized by elevated genetic diversity in multiple species. Microbial populations displayed varying degrees of homologous recombination and recombinant variants were often detected at 7-36% of loci genome-wide. Within multiple populations we identified genes with unusually high site-specific differentiation of alleles, fewer recombinant events, and lower nucleotide diversity, suggesting recent selective sweeps for gene variants. Taken together, these results indicate that recombination and gene-specific selection commonly shape local soil bacterial genetic variation.


Optical methods of measurement do not require contact of a probe and the object under study, and thus have found use in a broad range of applications such as nondestructive testing (NDT), where noninvasive measurement is crucial. Measuring the refractive index of a material can give a valuable insight into its composition. Low‑coherence radiation sources enable measurement of the sample's properties across a wide spectrum, while simultaneously measuring the absolute value of optical path difference between interfering waves, which is necessary to calculate the refractive index. The measurement setup used in this study consists of a fiber‑based Fabry‑Perot interferometer, illuminated by a low‑coherence infrared source. The samples under measurement are located in the cavity of the interferometer, and their transmission spectra are recorded using an optical spectrum analyzer. Additional reference measurements are performed with the cavity filled with air, in order to precisely measure the geometrical length of the cavity. The purpose of the study was to develop a digital signal processing algorithm to improve the resolution of analysis of the spectra of radiation measured at the output of the interferometer. This goal was achieved by decreasing the broadening of the signal in the Fourier domain caused by dispersion of the medium filling the cavity. The Fractional Fourier Transform is a generalization of the Fourier transform allowing arbitrary rotation of the signal in the time-frequency domain, allowing more precise analysis of signals with variable frequency. This property makes this transformation a valuable tool for the analysis of interferometric signals obtained from measurements of dispersive media, as the variable rate of change of the optical path length with respect to wavenumber in such media results in varying frequency of the modulation of measured spectra. The optical path difference inside the material under measurement is used together with the geometrical length obtained from the reference measurement in order to determine the refractive index. The parameters of the transformation are found by iterative adjustment to the signal under analysis. The developed algorithm was tested using both real measured spectra and simulated signals based on a theoretical model of the interferometric setup, and its effectiveness was compared to previously used methods of analysis. It was found to increase the resolution of analysis up to the Fourier limit that occurs in signals with no dispersion.


Spherical NiO nanocrystals were obtained by thermal decomposition of the precursor obtained via a hydrothermal method using urea as precipitant and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as surfactant. The structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the products were examined by XRD, TEM, ED, IR and VSM. The results of the structure and magnetic measurements on NiO nanocrystals were discussed. The results showed that the products were nanocrystalline NiO with a diameter of 21 and 50 nm, respectively, after calcined at 300 and 500 oC. The calcined NiO nanocrystals exhibited the characteristics of weak ferromagnetism by magnetic analysis at room temperature. At low external field, the hysteresis loops exhibit low coercivity, Hc=144.7 and 200.5 Oe, for the samples calcined at 300 and 500 oC, respectively.


Understanding the drivers and mechanisms of past, natural changes in Earth's climate is a fundamental goal of palaeoclimate science. Recent advances in cosmogenic surface exposure dating and numerical glacier modelling have greatly improved the utility of geological glacial records for palaeoclimatic reconstruction. Here, I apply these techniques to investigate the timing and magnitude of late Quaternary mountain glacier fluctuations on Tongariro massif and Mt. Ruapehu volcanoes in central North Island, New Zealand (39°S).  First, I constrain the local cosmogenic ³He production rate, in order to compare my subsequent ³He moraine chronologies with other well-dated palaeoclimate records. I present a new radiocarbon age for a large debris avalanche event on the northwest slopes of Mt. Ruapehu that occurred at 10.4-10.6 cal. ka BP. Cosmogenic ³He concentrations in surficial boulders deposited during this event are consistent with that predicted by a global compilation of similar production rate calibrations. Thus, I conclude that this globally compiled production rate is suitable for cosmogenic ³He exposure age calculations in New Zealand.  Exposure ages from moraine boulders on both volcanoes constrain the timing of two periods of glaciation during the last glacial cycle, when the termini of valley glaciers reached c. 1200 m asl. The most recent of these events occurred between c. 31-17 ka, which corresponds with the global Last Glacial Maximum. During this period, the local equilibrium line altitude was depressed by c. 800-1100 m. Numerical model simulations of the glaciers, using a coupled energy balance/ice flow model, suggest that local atmospheric temperature was 4-7 °C colder than present. This palaeotemperature estimate is not greatly impacted by post-glacial topographic change on these active volcanoes. Surface exposure ages from a degraded lateral moraine on Tongariro massif indicate that an earlier period of glaciation, of similar extent to that at the LGM, culminated during Marine Isotope Stage 4.  During the last glacial-interglacial transition (c. 18-11 ka), glacial retreat on Mt. Ruapehu was interrupted by a re-advance during the late-glacial (c. 15-11 ka). Exposure ages for this event exhibit some scatter, likely due to surface processes. Accounting for these processes with a topographic diffusion model yields a best-estimate age of 14-13 ka, corresponding to the Lateglacial reversal in New Zealand. Glacier model experiments indicate this re-advance resulted from a temperature lowering of 2.5-3.4 °C relative to present. Comparison with other proxy records suggests that this cooling was most pronounced during summer. Due to its lower elevation, it is unlikely that glaciers were present on Tongariro massif at this time.  The results of this research provide the first direct age constraint and quantitative palaeoclimate reconstructions for late Quaternary glacier fluctuations in central North Island, New Zealand. The timing and magnitude of these changes are in good agreement with glacial records from the Southern Alps and South America. This suggests that glaciers in the southern mid-latitudes were responding to common climatic forcings at orbital- and millennial-timescales, during the last glacial cycle.


Provided is a method: demultiplexing the bit stream to extract the intra prediction mode information and the residual signal; recovering the intra prediction mode of the current prediction unit using the intra prediction information and the intra prediction mode of the prediction unit adjacent to the current prediction unit; generating a reference pixel using one or more available reference pixels if the prediction unit has an unavailable reference pixel; adaptively filtering the reference pixel according to the recovered intra prediction mode, using the recovered intra prediction mode and the reference pixel to generate a prediction block and decoding the remaining signals to generate the remaining blocks; and generating the reconstructed blocks using the prediction blocks and the remaining blocks. Therefore, it is possible to effectively reduce the extra coding due to the increase in the number of intra prediction modes. Moreover, by generating a prediction block similar to the original block, the image compression ratio can be improved.


Polymer FBGs have advantages for sensing because of low Young's modulus, high temperature sensitivity, large strain range and so on. They are attractive for many niche applications such as structural health monitoring of composite materials, biochemical and biomedical sensing. While polymer FBGs have been developed for some time, polymer microfibre Bragg gratings are developed only recently and have shown to introduce some interesting features, e.g. increased pressure sensitivity to pressure / force and improved response time to humidity. We will report and discuss the recent work on polymer FBG and polymer microfibre Bragg gratings as well as their applications such as accelerometer, humidity sensor and force and pressure sensor. © 2015 OSA.


The accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 had a devastating impact on the local population and forced 116,000 people to permanently leave their homes. But now researchers have discovered that, while the people may not have returned, the contaminated area of Belarus is teeming with wild animals, including elk, wild boar, deer and wolves. Perhaps surprisingly, many of these numbers seem to be on the rise and some of them are higher than in uncontaminated areas.