The endemic land snail genus Mandarina of the Ogasawara Islands provides an excellent model system to investigate adaptive radiation. Previously, it has been shown that coexisting species of the islands segregate by microhabitat, so that they are either predominantly found on the ground in relatively wet and sheltered sites, dry and exposed sites, or else are arboreal. Moreover, shell morphology correlates with microhabitat, so that species in wet and sheltered sites tend to have high-spired shells with a high aperture, and those in dry and exposed sites tend to have relatively low-spired shells with a wide aperture. We have now found that on Hahajima, Mandarina polita have variable shell morphology, and there is a correlation between morphology and the depth of leaf litter, as well as the presence/absence of other terrestrial species. Specifically, when high-spired terrestrial Mandarina ponderosa is present, M. polita tend to be low-spired and have a large aperture, indicative of character displacement. When M. ponderosa is absent, the shell shape of M. polita is much more variable, the overall spire is higher, individuals are found in deeper litter, and there is a strong correlation between litter depth and spire height. We argue that these patterns are due to local adaptation, but it remains possible that they are an artefact due to the 'ghost of species past'. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 91, 149–159.


Background Accurate and consistent risk assessment is vital for the protection of research participants. Yet, current evaluation of the risks of research interventions often does not take into account the relevant empirical data. This approach raises concern that current practice may not be protecting research participants adequately, or that it may be thwarting acceptable research. Purpose To propose and evaluate the possibility of creating and maintaining a Research Risk Repository which would make empirical data on the risks of research interventions available to institutional review boards, investigators, funders, and others. Methods Analysis of the usefulness of a Research Risk Repository and evaluation of whether currently available empirical data are sufficient to establish such a repository. Results Creation of a Research Risk Repository would provide a vital resource for systematically and accurately evaluating the risks of biomedical research. Realizing this goal requires data that have at least 4 characteristics: (1) trustworthy: to ensure credibility to all stakeholders; (2) robust: to support confident risk determinations; (3) inclusive: to cover all potential harms of the interventions under review; and (4) comprehensive: to determine which factors influence the risks of the interventions under review. Evaluation of existing data reveals that they satisfy these requirements for only a few research interventions and, even in those cases, only to a limited extent. Gaps in the currently available evidence highlight the need for systematic collection and maintenance of data on the risks posed by research interventions. Limitations Creation and maintenance of a Research Risk Repository would be costly and require regular updating as new data are collected, and new practices and interventions emerge. Conclusions A Research Risk Repository has the potential to significantly improve the consistency and accuracy of the evaluation of research risks. However, currently available data are generally insufficient for this purpose. Future collection and maintenance of data on the risks posed by research interventions will help to ensure that research participants receive appropriate protection and promote important research consistent with adequate subject protection.


Aims: Due to the complex anatomical structure of the trochanteric region, the options for reconstruction are relatively limited. This study aims to present a unique reconstruction of trochanter defects using a coxal region perforator flap and geometric planning to standardize the flaps. Subjects and Methods: Twelve patients with trochanteric defects that had been repaired with coxal region perforator flap following tumor excision between June 2016 and January 2019 were included in this study. The patients were aged between 20 and 68 years. Patients were evaluated with regard to age, gender, etiology, defect side and size, flap size, number of perforators, and complications. Results: Two patients were operated on for squamous cell carcinoma, one for Marjolin's ulcer, two for malignant melanoma, two for malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and five for dermatofibrosarcoma. Defect sizes ranged between 8 cm × 7 cm and 12 × 10 cm. The smallest flap size was 13 cm × 7 cm and the largest flap size was 21 cm × 10 cm. Nine flaps were raised from the single perforator, and three flaps were raised from two perforators. Venous congestion was seen in one patient postoperatively. There was no flap loss, infection, hematoma, suture detachment, and limitation of hip and knee movements in the patients. Conclusions: The pedicled perforator flaps are elevated over the major perforators located close to the defect in many parts of the body. Thus, low surgical morbidity is achieved, and surgery time is decreased. Furthermore, as in this study, preserving the muscles and preventing the functional deficits in the movement hip joint the body's major joint of the body, reveal the importance of using coxal region perforator flaps for reconstruction in ambulatory patients.


Low-velocity impact on composite sandwich panels has been investigated. The contact force is computed from a proposed modified Hertzian contact law. In the proposed contact law, the exponent is adjusted and the through-the-thickness elastic constant of honeycomb core is reduced properly to approximately predict the measured contact force-time history during the impact. The equivalent transverse elastic constant is calculated from the rule of mixture. Nonlinear equation to calculate the contact force is solved by the Newton-Raphson method and time integration is done by the Newmark-beta method. A finite element program for the low-velocity impact analysis is coded by implementing these techniques and an 18-node assumed strain solid element. Behaviors of composite sandwich panels subjected to low-velocity impact are analyzed for various cases with different geometry and lay-ups. It has been found that the present code with the proposed contact law can predict measured contact forces and contact times for most cases within reasonable error bounds, especially for thick sandwich plates.


BACKGROUND
The androgen, Danazol, was developed in the 1970's as a treatment for endometriosis. Its use was soon advocated in women with unexplained infertility. Two randomized trials were subsequently conducted to assess the effectiveness of danazol in this population.

OBJECTIVES
The objective of this review was to assess the effects of danazol on pregnancy rates in women with unexplained subfertility.

SEARCH STRATEGY
The Cochrane Subfertility Review Group specialised register of controlled trials was searched.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised trials of danazol compared with placebo or no treatment in women with unexplained subfertility.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Data were extracted by two reviewers.

MAIN RESULTS
Two trials involving 68 women were involved. There was no difference found in pregnancy rate between danazol and placebo (odds ratio 2.57, 95% confidence 0.53 to 12.46).

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS
There is not enough evidence to evaluate the effect of danazol on pregnancy rates in women with unexplained subfertility. The need to use contraception during danazol treatment, adverse effects and costs are additional considerations.


During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Church of Sweden gradually changed from being the uniform and monolithic church that had been closely bound to the state to instead being seen as merely subject to constitutional state legislation. One effect and sign of this shift was that new paths opened up for religious practice and fellowship. New movements emerged in the social life of groups, and over time most of these were constituted/established as ordinary associations, NGOs. One kind of nonstandard Christian activity that never took the form of a regular organisation was a series of 10 meetings held every few years between 1913 and 1937 at the Spa of Porla, Narke County, in central Sweden. At these meetings, up to 200 people gathered for a number of days at the end of summer. The main core of the participants consisted of well-educated women, mainly in the teaching profession. Some of these served as organisers, leaders, or lecturers at the events; but these duties were mostly performed by men with a background as leading priests and theologians within academia. The primary purpose of the meetings must be interpreted as having been to promote spirituality, which the participants sought to do by listening to lectures, attending services, and spending time together talking, all for the sake of both professional and personal edification. The main records of these meetings are stored at the University Library in Uppsala, and from the study of this material a picture emerges of the meetings in Porla. Not only are the contents and context of the meetings investigated, but also their organisation; and a closer description is provided of the organisers and the participants.


The TCP Authentication Option, TCP-AO, relies on security algorithms
to provide authentication between two end-points. There are many such
algorithms available, and two TCP-AO systems cannot interoperate
unless they are using the same algorithms. This document specifies the
algorithms and attributes that can be used in TCP-AO's current
manual keying mechanism.


Recognizing the neural patterns underlying different brain functions is essential to achieve a more comprehensive view on how small sets of neurons organize in complex 3D networks to determine different behaviours. In this framework optogenetic techniques have been successfully proven as a powerful tool to control brain functions achieving millisecond temporal resolution and cell-type specificity, by combining the use of light-gated opsins and ad-hoc light delivery optoelectronic devices. However, targeting small brain volumes with simultaneous electrical recording results in the introduction of photoelectric artefacts, in particular when light emission and recoding sites are very close one to each other. In this work we take advantage of the photonic properties of tapered fibers to present a fully integrated fibertrode to target small brain volumes with abated photoelectric noise. The device hosts a light emitting window just below a recording pad, and exploits the angled light emission from the window to achieve simultaneous activation and electrical readout of small groups of cells with no photoelectric artifacts in vivo. Despite the highly non-planar surface of the fiber taper, window's size, shape and electrode's impedance can be modulated by controlling the fabrication parameters during focused ion beam milling and deposition, thus resulting in a versatile, integrated and customizable optogenetic tool for neurobiology studies in closed-loop configuration over small brain volumes.


Changes in our Life might not always be detectable, even sometimes the scale of changes can be as radical as we can imagine. This radical changes also happen in every Leader's Journey of Life whether he or she likes it or not. However, Leaders should learn to accept it or further than that Leaders should anticipate the changes with open minded and ready to adjust his/her leadership style so that he/she can brings the whole team to achieve the goal that have been set for their purpose. Moreover, Leaders must introspects a few points of indicators that can broaden up to his/her personal acceptance upon this radical changes and turn it to his/her advantage to leap and overcome the changes for the sake of his/her life, the organization and his/her fellowmen.


We need all sectors of society involved in reducing obesity. The food industry's effort to reduce energy intake as part of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is a significant step in the right direction and should be recognized as such by the public health community. We also need to get organizations that promote physical inactivity, such as computer, automobile, and entertainment industries, to become engaged in efforts to reduce obesity.


BACKGROUND
Profound bradycardia during ophthalmic surgery is a rare but potentially serious event. Little is known about the predictability of the oculocardiac reflex.

METHODS
Four vagotonic maneuvers were performed on six patients who had profound oculocardiac reflex (3- to 10-second asystole) during eye surgery, the results of which were compared with 30 previously studied control subjects. Electrocardiographs were monitored during the following vagotonic maneuvers: diving response (apneic facial immersion), Valsalva maneuver, ocular compression, and carotid sinus massage.

RESULTS
The degree of heart rate slowing as a result of diving response, Valsalva maneuver, and, notably, ocular compression did not differ when these patients were compared with the 30 previously studied control subjects. Carotid sinus massage produced significantly (P = 0.01) more bradycardia in the six patients (mean +/- standard deviation, -24% +/- 6%) than in the 30 control subjects (-12% +/- 7%). The heart rate response to pressure on the eyes did not correlate with prior intraoperative oculocardiac reflex.

CONCLUSION
The discrepancy in heart rate sensitivity between surgical extraocular muscle tension and ocular compression may be due to different sensory receptors and brain stem processing for the trigeminally mediated oculocardiac reflex. Carotid sinus massage may help predict low heart rates during eye surgery.


Abstract. The esterolytic activity of mixed and parotid saliva in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and normal subjects was determined using BAEE (α‐Benzoyl‐1‐arginine‐ethylester) as the substrate. Using soybeantrypsin‐inhibitor the trypsin‐like activity (TLA) was measured and plotted as a function of parotid flow rate. In addition calcium, protein and pH were determined. Trypsin‐like activity in mixed and parotid saliva showed large individual variations in CF and normal children. In parotid saliva we could not find any significant difference, whereas a reduction of TLA in mixed saliva of CF patients was observed. The fact that our normal values fell within the range of heterozygotes reported by Rao et al. (19), makes their hypothesis of a close relationship between reduced TLA and the genetic defect very doubtful. Protein, calcium and pH increased with augmented salivation and no difference between CF patients and normal age matched children could be found except for the pH at a flow rate above 0.75 ml/min per m2 body surface where significantly lower pH values resulted. The relevance of reduced TLA to the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis is discussed.


Abstract : The current Canadian Forces (CF) transformation focuses on network enabled capabilities and promotes joint operations both within the CF and under a broad joint, inter-agency, multinational, public (JIMP) paradigm. The past a few years have witnessed an increased demand on the science and technology (S&T) support for performing ergonomic analysis and workspace design for joint operations centres. A series of studies have been conducted from 2006 to 2008 in which workspace solutions were produced for three different joint command centres. In these studies, a new design process, Alternative method for Workspace Analysis and Design (AWAND), was proposed and then further developed. A-WAND is based on integrating and streamlining existing design procedures recommended in industrial standards and is tailored to support unique operational requirements of a CF joint command centre. In addition, it emphasizes the use of analytical methods and software tools that have been developed, and therefore possessed, by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). This report describes AWAND, documents the best design practises, and discusses future research and development (R&D) efforts that are needed to further advance DRDC's capability in this area.


We use a unique source from the Swedish royal demesnes to examine the work and relative wages of women in sixteenth-century Sweden, an economic laggard in the early modern period. The source pertains to workers hired on yearly contracts, a type more representative of historical labour markets than day labour on large construction sites, and this allows us to observe directly the food consumed by workers. We speak to the debate on the 'little divergence' within Europe, as women's work and gender differentials in pay is a key indicator of women's relative autonomy and seen as a cause for the economic ascen-dency of the North Sea region during the period. We find small gender differentials among both unskilled and skilled workers, indicating that Sweden was a part of the 'golden age' for women. We argue that despite superficial equality, women's economic outlooks were restrained in many other ways – including their access to higher-skilled work and jobs in the expanding parts of the economy – adding important nuance to the discussion about the relationship between women's social position and economic growth in the early modern period.


Abstract
This paper analyzes the differences in the manifestation of strength performance
between groups of seven-year-old male Macedonian students with different level
of explosive strength abilities. A total number of 120 children were measured in 11
motor tests used for estimation of explosive, repetitive and static strength qualities.
Tests hypothetically used for estimation of explosive strength were factorized with
component factor analysis. Orthogonal varimax factors were defined and factor
scores of participants were calculated using К-means clustering procedure in order to
determine groups of students with under average (low), average (medium) and above
(high) average explosive strength qualities. Group univariant differences among all
analyzed variables were also assessed using ANOVA analysis. It was concluded that
both: defined latent dimensions of relative manifestation of explosive strength of
upper part of the body and the absolute strength of lower body parts have a significant
and specific influence on the success of manifestation of strength performance in
students at this age. This type of findings should be used as a base for determining
the qualitative physical education teaching programmes and academic standards.
Key words: explosive, strength, abilities, physical education, students


ENOTRAC has developed a desktop simulation tool, codenamed OptiDrive, for the computation of energy-optimised operating speed profiles. OptiDrive solves the following problem: "A train must travel from A to B in a given time using as little energy as possible. What speed profile should it follow considering track and train characteristics as well as operating constraints?" OptiDrive implements a powerful genetic algorithm, which determines, heuristically, the operating speed profile that will minimise energy consumption while taking into account the aforementioned constraints. The output of OptiDrive is a table showing where, along the line, trains should accelerate, coast and decelerate to minimise energy consumption while keeping to the existing timetable. The results can be fed directly into FABEL, ENOTRAC's railway simulator, to assess the impact of new driving regimes at system level taking into account signalling, timetable and traction power network. In particular, OptiDrive provides operators with a practical, inexpensive and readily available solution to benchmark their present driving regime with theoretically-optimised driving regimes. The tool is ideal for the computation of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) route speed profile tables. On human-operated railways, OptiDrive can be used to analyse the impact of driving style complexity on the potential for energy saving, allowing operators to strike a compromise between energy saving and punctuality.


DIN 18009 Part 1 describes the fundamentals of the system for the selection of design fire scenarios. The working steps can only be regarded as indications for a performancebased design. This framework is supposed to ensure an adequate and uniform application of the variety of internationally available knowledge and methodologies. In 2008, the DIN working committee NA 005-52-21 AA started its work to standardize fire safety engineering methods in Germany. The second sub document DIN 18009 Part 3 shall cover the design fire scenarios and design fires. Some ideas related to methodology, requirements and scenario-based design are presented in this article.


Background: This study aimed to compare CD31, smooth muscle myosin (SMM), and transgelin antibodies for their efficiency in detecting venous invasion (VI) and the nature of free tumor deposits (TDs) in gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal adenocarcinomas. Materials and Methods: Eleven Whipple, 5 gastrectomy, and 3 colectomy specimens and 1 low anterior resection specimen were reviewed and examined, revealing 254 probable foci. Foci were reviewed and divided into 3 types: Type A, the "orphan artery" pattern; Type F, free TDs in the periorgan adipose and connective tissue without an unaccompanied artery; and Type X, a focus that could be detected only with the immunohistochemical procedures mentioned. Results: No foci were positive for CD31. Transgelin staining was more sensitive than SMM staining in all focus types, Type A only and Type F only (P < 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.10, respectively). In free TDs (Type F), 35.7% of the samples were negative for all four stains, and 64.2% of the samples were positive for SMM and transgelin. We did not make the distinction between a metastatic lymph node and VI in positive foci. Conclusion: We conclude that hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining is inadequate and that smooth muscle markers, such as transgelin and/or SMM, are more effective than endothelial markers, such as CD31, in revealing VI and lymph node/large extramural invasion.


This paper aims to present a method of creating architectures which allow monitoring occurrence of failure in Service oriented Architectures (SoA). The presented approach extends Discrete Event Systems techniques to produce a method of automated creation of Diagnoser Service which monitors interaction between the services to identify if a failure has happened and the type of failure. To do so, a formal representation of business processes is introduced, which allows modeling of Observable/Unobservable events, failure and the type of failure.The paper puts forward a set of algorithms for creating models of Diagnoser Service. Such models are then transformed into new Services implemented in BPEL, which interact with the existing services to identify if a failure has happened and the type of failure. The approach has been applied to an example of diagnosis of Right-first-time failure in Services used in telecommunications.


This study examined ethnic and language group differences on dimensions of parent-rated and teacher-rated parent involvement after adjusting for the influence of family socioeconomic factors. A total of 179 teachers and 481 parents provided information on parent school involvement for a sample of ethnically and linguistically diverse first-grade children attending one of three school districts in Texas. Four groups were examined: White, Black, Hispanic—English speaking, and Hispanic—Spanish speaking. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported four parent-reported involvement dimensions (positive perceptions about school, communication, parent–teacher shared responsibility, and parent school-based involvement) and three teacher-reported dimensions (alliance, general parent involvement, and teacher initiation of involvement). Data generally supported the hypothesized ethnic and language group differences in parent involvement and the moderating effect of dimension of parent involvement on group differences. Implications for school psychologists are discussed.


Artificial neural networks have the abilities to learn by example and are capable of solving problems that are hard to solve using ordinary rule-based programming. They have many design parameters that affect their performance such as the number and sizes of the hidden layers. Large sizes are slow and small sizes are generally not accurate. Tuning the neural network size is a hard task because the design space is often large and training is often a long process. We use design of experiments techniques to tune the recurrent neural network used in an Arabic handwriting recognition system. We show that best results are achieved with three hidden layers and two subsampling layers. To tune the sizes of these five layers, we use fractional factorial experiment design to limit the number of experiments to a feasible number. Moreover, we replicate the experiment configuration multiple times to overcome the randomness in the training process. The accuracy and time measurements are analyzed and modeled. The two models are then used to locate network sizes that are on the Pareto optimal frontier. The approach described in this paper reduces the label error from 26.2% to 19.8%.


This study presents a dynamic way in a DG planning problem instead of the last static or pseudo-dynamic planning point of views. A new way in modeling the DG units' output power and the load uncertainties based on the probability rules is proposed in this paper. A sensitivity analysis on the stochastic nature of the electricity price and global fuel price is carried out through a proposed model. Six types of clean and conventional DG units are included in the planning process. The presented dynamic planning problem is solved considering encouraging and punishment functions. The imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) as a strong evolutionary strategy is employed to solve the DG planning problem. The proposed models and the proposed problem are applied on the 9-bus and 33-bus test distribution systems. The results show a significant improvement in the total revenue of the distribution system in all of the defined scenarios.


The prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve individuals remains stable in most developed countries despite a decrease in the prevalence of acquired drug resistance. This suggests that persistence and further transmission of HIV-1 that encodes transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRMs) is occurring in ART-naïve individuals. In this study, we analysed the prevalence and persistence of TDRMs in the protease and reverse transcriptase-sequences of ART-naïve patients within the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Study Cohort who were infected between 1996 and 2017. The prevalence of TDRMs and baseline susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs were assessed using the Stanford HIVdb list and algorithm. Mean survival times of TDRMs were calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The overall prevalence of TDR was 17.2% (95% CI 15.7–18.6, N = 466/2715). Transmitted NNRTI resistance was observed most frequently with 7.8% (95% CI 6.8–8.8), followed by NRTI resistance (5.0%, 95% CI 4.2–5.9) and PI resistance (2.8%, 95% CI 2.2–3.4). Total TDR (OR = 0.89, p = 0.034) and transmitted NRTI resistance (OR = 0.65, p = 0.000) decreased between 1996 and 2017 but has remained stable during the last decade. Viral susceptibility to NNRTIs (6.5%-6.9% for individual drugs) was mainly reduced, while <3% of the recommended NRTIs and PIs were affected. The longest mean survival times were calculated for the NNRTI mutations K103N (5.3 years, 95% CI 4.2–5.6) and E138A/G/K (8.0 years, 95% CI 5.8–10.2 / 7.9 years, 95% CI 5.4–10.3 / 6.7 years, 95% CI 6.7–6.7) and for the NRTI mutation M41L (6.4 years, 95% CI 6.0–6.7).The long persistence of single TDRMs indicates that onward transmission from ART-naïve individuals is the main cause for TDR in Germany. Transmitted NNRTI resistance was the most frequent TDR, showing simultaneously the highest impact on baseline ART susceptibility and on TDRMs with prolonged persistence. These results give cause for concern regarding the use of NNRTI in first-line regimens.


Despite the significant investment and growth both in Europe and globally in the development of virtual universities and virtual campuses over the last decade, there have been a number of high-profile projects and initiatives that failed to achieve their intended goals. If such failures are to be avoided in the future, then it is vital that a better understanding of best practice within virtual universities and virtual campuses is achieved. This paper reports on the work of a European Commission Education Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) co-financed project 'Promoting Best Practice in Virtual Campuses' (PBP-VC), which is aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the key issues and success factors underlying the implementation of virtual campuses. The paper will outline a tentative model of the issues underpinning best practice in virtual campuses which covers areas that include organisational, pedagogical, technological, student/user, financial and consolidation issues derived from an investigation into virtual campus projects and initiatives within Europe. The project is working towards developing a practical framework to help guide the process of creating best practice in virtual campuses, as well as raising awareness of issues and approaches to creating sustainable virtual campuses.


On the basis of the differential equation governing small flexure of thin elastic vibrating plate, the formula for calculating the phase velocity and group velocity of ice sheet wave propagation under the air cushion load is induced. The minimum of the phase velocity is the critical speed about ice breaking by air cushion vehicle (ACV). If ACV moves at the critical speed, the energy causing the deformation of ice sheet is concentrated constantly, thus the amplitude of the wave is enlarged enough to break the ice by resonance.


OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between plasma lactate concentrations in the first 6 hours of life and early neonatal mortality. METHODS: The patients were divided in 2 groups based on the cutoff point, obtained from a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, of the plasma lactate concentration that best predicted neonatal mortality during the first 3 days of life. The differences between groups and the correlations between the investigated variables and the plasma lactate concentrations measured in the first 6 hours of life were analyzed using the Chi-square, Student's t, or Mann-Whitney tests and logistic regression. RESULTS: The best cutoff point of the plasma lactate concentration as determined by the ROC curve for death during the first 3 days of life was 4.2 mmol/L. The investigated groups differed with regards to the average birth weight, which was lower in the group with serum lactate levels > 4.2 mmol/L, and the match between birth weight and gestational age, where the group with serum lactate levels > 4.2 mmol/L exhibited a higher number of newborns small for their gestational age. Seizures, intracranial hemorrhage, and death during the first 3 days of life occurred more frequently in the group with serum lactate levels > 4.2 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: In the investigated samples, the presence of plasma lactate concentrations > 4.2 mmol/L in the first 6 hours of life correlated with neonatal death during the first 3 days of life, a higher frequency of neurologic morbidity, and newborns that were small for their gestational age.


I wonder if your readers would agree with my line of reasoning. In keeping with my habit of limiting the amount of x-radiation to which my patients are exposed, particularly children, I refrained from asking for a radiological search for the screw, knowing full well that if any untoward symptoms occurred such an examination would then be necessary. If an x-ray had been taken in the absence of symptoms, parental anxiety would have been increased rather than otherwise. In these cases, which are not infrequent in general practice, the important thing seems to be the examination of all faeces passed for at least a week. What is the largest solid body which has passed unscathed through the intestine of a child of 3; and what is the longest that a foreign body has remained hidden from view before ultimately being evacuated ?-I am, etc., Peaslake, Surrey. G. I. WATSON.


Based on the analysis of the load curves taken from more than 300 beam pumping motors (BPMs) in China, a novel power-off control method for BPMs is developed, which enables the oil pumps to work continuously relying solely on the potential energy released during the power-off interval. The main advantages of this are: (1) variation of load curves is monitored by micro-computer in real time, and the control parameters, such as power-off moment and duration, are adjusted automatically; and (2) rapid soft re-switching technology, which is realized by SCR controlled by micro-computer, is developed for re-switching when the power source is needed during the power-off interval, by which the inrushing current is less than the rated one. To further broaden the applications for various beam pumping units, the multifunctional energy-saving device (MESD) is also developed, which uniquely integrates power-off control, wye-delta automatic conversion and auto-reactive power compensation technologies. During the past five years, more than 600 sets of MESDs had been put into use in Daqing oil field and the power saving ratio is in the range of 10-25%.


This study presents a social and political history of the Social Democratic Federation from the early 1880s to the end of the Edwardian era with a focus on the London area. The SDF has often been portrayed as an intransigent and alien organisation by the existing historiography but this study outlines the relationship between the political journey of individual members, the constraints and potential of the local area and the resultant politics of the SDF as an organisation. With the aid of under-utilised sources such as branch minutes and publications this thesis builds a profile of SDF membership in London and the factors affecting membership in the metropolis. There then follows sections on branch culture and propaganda followed by chapters on the cultural/political questions of gender, religion and education. The second half of the thesis deals with the more political questions of strategy, ideology, internationalism (and racism), trade unionism and relations with the Labour Party. The title 'People, Place and Party' is meant to indicate the tension between those elements that affect the development of an organisation. With an awareness of these elements and by using a breadth of source material it is possible to overcome the obstacle of the 'dogmatic' stereotype of the SDF.


The sites of action and the physiological role of oestrogens in the male reproductive tract are poorly understood. We have undertaken a systematic study of the immunoexpression of oestrogen receptor-alpha (ER alpha) in the male rat from late fetal life through to adulthood and compared the findings with results obtained in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) from neonatal to adult life. The testes, rete testis, efferent ducts and epididymis were examined from normal male rats (aged 4, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 38, 48 and 90 days) and from male rat fetuses on days 17.5 and 18.5 of gestation; comparable tissues were examined from neonatal, infantile, peripubertal and adult marmosets aged 8, 18-24, 54-62 and 92-112 weeks respectively. Immunolocalisation of ER alpha used antigen retrieval and a monoclonal antibody directed to the N-terminus, which had proved superior to six other antisera tested. ER alpha was immunoexpressed in interstitial cells, including the fetal/ neonatal generation of Leydig cells, in both the rat and marmoset. In the rat, the adult generation of Leydig cells were also immunopositive for ER alpha whereas the comparable cells in the marmoset were only weakly immunopositive. ER alpha was not expressed in Sertoli cells, peritubular myoid cells, blood vessels or germ cells at any time in either species. In late fetal life in the rat, ER alpha was immunoexpressed in cells surrounding the mesonephric tubules, whereas postnatally it was expressed in the epithelium of the rete testis and efferent ducts at all ages from 4 to 90 days; this immunoexpression was most pronounced in the efferent ducts. In the marmoset, the efferent ducts, but not the rete testis, also showed intense immunoexpression of ER alpha. Apart from sporadic immunostaining for ER alpha in the epididymal duct of the rat in the neonatal period, the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis were negative for immunoexpression of ER alpha at all ages in both species. These findings suggest that the main actions of oestrogens in the male reproductive tract, mediated by ER alpha, are related to the development and function of the efferent ducts and the Leydig cells. In consideration of data from this and previous studies of oestrogen binding, we predict possible sites of expression of other oestrogen receptors (e.g. ER beta) in Sertoli cells and the epididymis. Interactive effects, related to the relative levels of androgens and oestrogens, could be physiologically important in the excurrent ducts of the adult testis.


Abstract Citizen science offers chances to gather observations and ideas and process data cost-efficiently while simultaneously increasing the outreach of the research. From the perspective of science education, it provides first-hand experiences about actual research work and personal contacts with researchers to its participants. Realizing this opportunity for mutual benefits, Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has carried out a project combining citizen science with science education in co-operation with volunteering secondary schools. The project offered schools seven diverse research topics such as snow and birch pollen observations, development of weather service concepts and case studies in climate actions. Project work consisted of three parts: site visits, independent student work and reporting. Altogether 12 schools and over 200 students participated in the project during the fall and spring terms in the semester of 2014–2015. This paper describes the experiences from this first semester of the project. It is based on online questionnaires and interviews aimed at the participating students, teachers and researchers. Additional feedback was collected from an expert workshop. While actual research gains were modest, the satisfaction to the project was high within both the schools and FMI. Results encourage continuing this kind of cooperation and also studying further its educational impact.


Technology has been one of the key driver among many business nowadays especially in financial sector, this has significant impacts to overall business performance. One of the innovation of technology in banking industry is Mobile
banking service. However, the introduction of this new technology has not been well accepted by the end users who still prefer the old way of conducting financial transactions, therefore the aim of this study thought to investigate factors that affect consumer acceptance of mobile banking with specific reference to Akiba commercial
bank, Tanzania. The study was directed by the following specific objectives: To identify factors of Mobile banking, to examine how demographic characteristics affect consumer acceptance of Mobile banking and to examine the relationship
between consumer acceptance and mobile banking. This study employed a descriptive research method using structured questionnaires to collect data from respondents. The data collected was analyzed by use of frequencies and multiple
linear regression technique, the findings were presented in terms of tables. The findings concluded that the following factors age, monthly income, perceived ease of use, mode of advertisements, compatibility and trust had a positive influence on the consumer acceptance of mobile banking while highest academic qualification, cost of using and gender had no influence on the consumer acceptance of mobile banking. The bank should strive to educate their customers on the available technological advances and how to use them. The researcher recommends that another study
should be conducted on retail bank customers with a larger sample from the larger population that cut across the entire country of Tanzanian banking population.


The impacts of serum iron parameters and/or radiological evidence of systemic iron overload on the prognosis of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in acute leukemia are controversial. Unfortunately, some of the studies evaluating iron overload in transplant setting did not precisely show the patients with iron overload, mainly due to ignoring consideration of transferrin saturation along with hyperferritinemia for elimination of non-iron overload etiologies of hyperferritinemia. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of iron overload on transplantation related complications and prognosis in acute leukemia. Patients who undergone allogeneic HSCT for acute leukemia in Hacettepe University Medical School Department of Hematology were screened retrospectively in order to find cases with serum iron tests within 9 months before transplant. The endpoints investigated were overall and disease-free survivals, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease and veno-oclussive disease (VOD). There were 84 patients suitable for inclusion. When various ferritin plus transferrin saturation (TS) cut-off values were investigated for a possible relationship with major transplant-related complications/results only ferritin> 2000 plus TS> 45% was found to have an association with VOD at borderline significance (p= 0.067). In conclusion, we observed a non-significant borderline relationship between iron overload and post-transplant VOD. We did not confirm other post-transplant complications reported in the literature. It must be noticed that although many studies intended to investigate the relationship between iron status and transplant outcomes, only a few of them have really looked for the effect of iron overload.


This paper examines the over-the-counter (OTC) interest rate derivatives (IRD) market in order to inform the design of post-trade price reporting. Our analysis uses a novel transaction-level data set to examine trading activity, the composition of market participants, levels of product standardization, and market-making behavior. We find that trading activity in the IRD market is dispersed across a broad array of product types, currency denominations, and maturities, leading to more than 10,500 observed unique product combinations. While a select group of standard instruments trade with relative frequency and may provide timely and pertinent price information for market participants, many other IRD instruments trade infrequently and with diverse contract terms, limiting the impact on price formation from the reporting of those transactions. Nonetheless, we find evidence of dealers hedging rapidly after large interest rate swap trades, suggesting that, for this product, a price-reporting regime could be designed in a manner that does not disrupt market-making activity.


Coordinated rearrangements of the actin-myosin cytoskeleton facilitate early and late events in T cell activation and signal transduction. As many important features of cell shape rearrangement involve small GTP-binding proteins, we examined the contribution of Rho kinase to the functions of mature T cells. Inhibitors of the Rho kinase pathway all had similar actions to inhibit the proliferation of primary lymphocyte cultures. Likewise, transfection of the human Jurkat T cell line with a dominant negative, kinase-defective mutant of Rho kinase diminished Jurkat cell proliferation. Furthermore, inhibition of Rho kinase substantially attenuated the program of cytokine gene expression that characterizes T cell activation, blocked actomyosin polymerization, and prevented aggregation of the TCR/CD3 complex colocalized with lipid rafts. These actions are relevant to immune responses in vivo, as treatment with a Rho kinase inhibitor considerably prolonged the survival of fully allogeneic heart transplants in mice and diminished intragraft expression of cytokine mRNAs. Thus, Rho GTPases acting through Rho kinase play a unique role in T cell activation during cellular immune responses by promoting structural rearrangements that are critical for T cell signaling.


The recent Margate meeting of the Trades Union Congress and the Morecambe conference of the Labor Party were the first to be held in thirteen years with Labor's leadership out of office. For five years of wartime coalition, and then six: years of Labor government, the initiative in and control of both gatherings were firmly in the hands of the right wing of the unions and the party. Despite occasional "revolts," the rank and file for the most part had to be content with endorsing policies handed down from above. Even now, nominal majorities can still be rolled up for the leadership, thanks to the block vote of more than two millions provided by the two general workers' unions and the mineworkers, on which both the TUC General Council and the Labor Party Executive can count automatically before any debate begins. This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website , where most recent articles are published in full. Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.


Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients benefit from treat-to-target strategies, aiming for remission or low disease activity1. Clinical disease activity measures like the Disease Activity Score (DAS28) have questionable reproducibility and lack sensitivity for low disease activity states; MRI and ultrasound (US) are sensitive, but scanning multiple joints is time-consuming. Optical spectral transmission (OST) is stronger than DAS28 associated with inflammation assessed by both US and MRI2. OST measures the blood-specific absorption of light transmitted through tissue, which is reduced in presence of joint inflammation, but also influenced by other joint pathology. Objectives Evaluating the influence of joint pathology on the misclassification of joint inflammation, in the hand and wrist joints of RA patients, determined by OST, as compared to US, the reference standard. Methods Fifty RA patients with at least one swollen joint, generally with low disease activity were included in this cross-sectional study. Assessments were US, OST, and DAS28, performed according to established guidelines3 by separate experienced examiners, blinded for other study outcomes. US joint inflammation was defined as a gray-scale score>1 or a power Doppler score>0 (scales 0–3), assessed in MCP, (P)IP, and wrist joints. Using US as reference, diagnostic performance of OST in detecting inflammation at joint level was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses; at patient level, DAS28 and OST were correlated to US. Joint pathology potentially influencing misclassification of OST (erosions, osteophytes, tendon (sheet) inflammation, abnormal vasculature, and triangular fibrocartilage complex injuries) were evaluated for significance in a multivariate nominal logistic regression model. Results OST performed well at joint level, separately for the MCP (ROC-AUC:0.85), PIP (ROC-AUC:0.79) and wrist (ROC-AUC:0.72) joints and for all joints together (ROC-AUC:0.83). On patient level, DAS28 correlated poorly with US (r=0.29), but OST correlation was good (r=0.72). The presence of joint pathologies per misclassification group is shown in table 1. In the regression model, inflammation in MCP and PIP joints had a higher risk of false negative misclassification in the presence of dorsal bone erosions (OR:3.5, 95% CI:1.7–7.3), volar erosions (OR:5.0, 95% CI:1.8–14.1), flexor tenosynovitis (OR:2.5, 95% CI:1.4–4.5), osteophytes (OR:1.9, 95% CI:1.2–2.8), and extensor tendonitis (OR:3.7, 95% CI:1.6–8.5), and a higher risk of false positive misclassification in the presence of osteophytes (OR:2.3, 95% CI:1.6–3.2). Conclusions OST is a sensitive and specific technique to assess inflammation in hand and wrist joints of RA patients with low disease activity, nonetheless, joint pathology like erosions, tendonitis, and osteophytes increase the risk of misclassification of inflammation by OST. References Bijlsma J et al. Early rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab, methotrexate, or their combination. Lancet 2016;388:343–55. Van Onna M et al. Assessment of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using optical spectral transmission measurements. ARD 2016;75(3):511–518. Backhaus M et al, Guidelines for musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatology. ARD 2001;60(7),641–9. Disclosure of Interest N. Besselink: None declared, P. van der Meijde: None declared, A. Marijnissen: None declared, P. Meijer Shareholder of: Hemics, Employee of: Hemics, W. Rensen Shareholder of: Hemics, Employee of: Hemics, J. van Laar: None declared, F. Lafeber: None declared, J. Jacobs: None declared


In order to understand possible future scenarios of intracaldera volcanism at Yellowstone, we provide new insights on the generation and eruption of the youngest intracaldera rhyolitic magmas using quartz petrography, geochemistry, and geobarometry. We propose that magma ascent occurred rapidly from the source regions at 8–10 km to the surface along major regional faults, without storage at shallower depths. These source regions coincide with the upper parts of the present-day imaged magma chamber, while the faults focus much of the present-day caldera unrest. Based on these combined observations, we propose that volcanism has a higher probability to resume in three fault-controlled NNW-trending lineaments, the first coinciding with the western caldera rim, the second lying across the central region of the caldera, and the third extending across the northeastern caldera. The first two lineaments focused recent intracaldera volcanism (174–70 ka), while the latter is the most active in terms of current caldera unrest. Future volcanism could include large-volume lava flows and phreatomagmatic rhyolitic eruptions. The identification of these three regions together with potentially rapid eruptive mechanisms may help to better define future monitoring efforts necessary to improve eruption forecasting in this vast area of volcanic unrest.


We describe a system that allows researchers to control an implantable neural microstimulator from a PC via a USB 2.0 interface and a novel dual-carrier wireless link, which provides separate data and power transmission. Our wireless stimulator, Interestim-2B (IS-2B), is a modular device capable of generating controlled-current stimulation pulse trains across 32 sites per module with support for a variety of stimulation schemes (biphasic/monophasic, bipolar/monopolar). We have developed software to generate multi-site stimulation commands for the IS-2B based on streaming data from artificial sensory devices such as cameras and microphones. For PC interfacing, we have developed a USB 2.0 microcontroller-based interface. Data is transmitted using frequency-shift keying (FSK) at 6/12 MHz to achieve a data rate of 3 Mb/s via a pair of rectangular coils. Power is generated using a class-E power amplifier operating at 1 MHz and transmitted via a separate pair of spiral planar coils which are oriented perpendicular to the data coils to minimize cross-coupling. We have successfully demonstrated the operation of the system by applying it as a visual prosthesis. Pulse-frequency modulated stimuli are generated in real-time based on a grayscale image from a webcam. These pulses are projected onto an 11times11 LED matrix that represents a 2D microelectrode array


The investigation of neotectonic activity is of high priority when dealing with inaccessible regions where a lack of data and a limited knowledge of the tectonic activity is often typical. There are various individual analyses that investigate features associated with neotectonic activity (for example geoinformatics, geophysical methods and field surveys). However, none of these methods combine low cost techniques based on geospatial and geophysical technologies with field validation of the outcomes. This study offers a methodology that covers all aforementioned approaches for detecting zones of neotectonic activity, linking computer-based observations with actual field observations and geophysical
measurements. The combination of satellite imagery and DEM analysis can provide a cost-effective alternative to satellite radar interferometric analysis (InSar) and differential GPS monitoring.

Crete is a complex, tectonically active region: an ideal "natural laboratory" to assess the interaction between neotectonic processes and geomorphological processes in landscape evolution and to test the effectiveness of geomorphometric methods for determining zones of neotectonic activity.

Geoinformatic and geomorphometric techniques have been used here to assess landscape evolution in tectonically active zones. The results provide new information about the influence of tectonic and erosional processes on geomorphological evolution, with specific insights into the interactions between neotectonic deformation, faulting and drainage networks.

Geomorphic indices have been used here to evaluate neotectonic behaviour at regional and local scales, identifying uplifted blocks, valley-floor tilting and zones of relatively intense neotectonic activity. Landsat ETM+ imagery and DEMs were used to discriminate lithological boundaries and identify lineaments. Field and VLF geophysical surveys verified that the lineaments coincide with faults. The GIS based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was considered as a strong approach to integrate the various factors associated with tectonic activity and to highlight, spatially, the potential zones undergoing active tectonic control.


Since MSWI fly ash enriches heavy metals and many toxic components and these components would potentially leach when the ashes are land filled, it is regulated as hazardous waste in many countries. Electrokinetic removal, an electrochemically assisted extraction method, has recently been adopted as a new method for removal of heavy metals from MSWI fly ashes. But the generation of metal hydroxide precipitation near the cathode decreased conductivity of electrokinetic removal system and limited metal extraction from the sample area. In this study, cation exchange membrane was used in electrokinetic removal experiment to improve this method. After 192 hours of electrokinetic removal, about 15%Cd,20%Pb, 30% Zn, and 10% As was removed from 2.850kg MSWI fly ash. It showed positive effect compared to the trial test. But there still exists some problems, such as low removal efficiency. Further work should be done to solve it.Moreover, the high conductivity in fly ash limits the current , which in turn causes low electroosmotic flow. While electroosmotic flow is the main factor leting the heavy meatals release from fly ash, it would become the focus in further experiment to look for ways increasing the electroosmotic flow in sample cell.


OBJECTIVE
To (1) determine if histologic scores of pelvic flexure biopsies can predict short-term survival in horses with large colon volvulus (LCV) and (2) identify clinical variables predictive of short-term survival.

STUDY DESIGN
Case series.

ANIMALS
Horses (n = 28) with LCV (≥ 360°).

METHODS
Medical records (January 2000-February 2008) of 28 horses were reviewed and clinical data recorded. Pelvic flexure biopsies were reviewed by 2 board-certified veterinary pathologists, unaware of clinical history and outcome, using 2 scoring systems. Exact logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between histopathology scores (tissue viability), clinical data, and short-term survival (hospital discharge).

RESULTS
Twenty-four horses (86%) survived to hospital discharge. Using a similar cutoff, neither scoring system was capable of predicting short-term survival. One scoring system failed to correctly predict clinical outcome in 5/25 horses (20%) and the other failed in 6/28 horses (22.4%). Heart rate (at admission and 24 hours after surgery) and packed cell volume 24 hours after surgery were significantly associated with short-term survival.

CONCLUSION
Histopathologic evaluation of pelvic flexure biopsies did not accurately predict short-term survival in a significant proportion of horses with LCV in this study.


This Article argues that the ambiguous normative regime currently governing unilateral humanitarian intervention provides an adequate legal framework for such intervention. The Article reviews the arguments typically made in support of a codified, strict normative regime, finding that strict normativity is unlikely to deter human rights violators more effectively than the current framework. In addition, the Article points out that any effort to codify a norm of unilateral humanitarian intervention faces formidable obstacles. Such an effort must overcome the conflict between the traditional doctrine of state sovereignty and emerging principles of human rights, as well as practical difficulties in reaching international consensus on the content of a codified norm. A permissive legal regime, while imperfect, provides adequate safeguards against abuse, acknowledges the exceptional nature of unilateral intervention, benefits both intervening and target states, and protects human rights. Although the Article argues that normative ambiguity is the only viable legal regime at this time, it recognizes strict normativity as an ideal towards which the international community should strive.


Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Breast self-examination (BSE) remains the most effective means of early detection of breast cancer among women in middle- and low-income countries where mammography is neither available nor affordable. Aim: This study explored the influence of educational level on knowledge and practice of BSE among women in Sokoto, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using structured questionnaire. A sample of 400 participants was selected for the study using multistage sampling technique among educated women in Sokoto. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20.0, IBM Corp, New York) was used for data analysis. Chi-square was used to establish significant relationships. Results: Findings showed that 75% (294/392) of women had average knowledge of BSE, but only 34.4% (135/392) practiced BSE regularly. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between educational level and the knowledge and practice of BSE. Conclusion: Findings of this study suggest that though women may have knowledge about BSE, the practice of BSE is sporadic.Therefore, there is a need for health care practitioners to provide women with BSE education and emphasize on the need for regular practice of BSE.


A new design method for multiplierless two-dimensional (2-D) state-space digital filters (SSDFs) with very low roundoff noise is presented. To eliminate multipliers in the hardware implementation, multiplierless 2-D SSDFs are designed under the constraint that all coefficients are expressed as one or two powers-of-two terms. They are attractive for low-cost implementation and high-speed operation. In addition, they can also perform highly accurate 2 D digital filtering because of very low roundoff noise. A combinatorial optimisation method based on a genetic algorithm (GA) is given to determine the coefficients. A stability test routine is also embedded in the GA-based design procedure to ensure the stability of the resultant multiplierless SSDFs. The proposed method can design multiplierless 2-D SSDFs not only with small approximation error but also with almost minimum roundoff noise. In addition they require fewer computational volume than 2-D SSDFs designed in a continuous coefficient space. For 16-bit words, the designed multiplierless 2-D SSDFs can be implemented with 24%, of the computational volume of 2-D SSDFs with real multipliers. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is demonstrated by two design examples.


PUF disk passive air samplers were evaluated under field conditions to assess the effect of temperature and windspeed on sampling rate for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Passive samples integrated over 28-day periods were compared to high volume air samples collected for 24-h, every 7 days. This provided a large data set of 42 passive sampling events and 168 high volume samples over a 3-year period, starting in October 2003. Average PUF disk sampling rates for gas-phase chemicals was ~7 m3d-1 and comparable to previous reports. The high molecular weight PAHs, that are mainly particle-bound, experienced much lower sampling rates of ~0.7m3d-1. This small rate was attributed to the ability of the sampling chamber to filter out coarse particles with only the fine/ultrafine fraction capable of penetration and collection on the PUF disk. Passive sampler derived data was converted to equivalent air volumes (VEQ, m3) using the high volume air measurement results. Correlations of VEQ against meteorological data collected on-site yielded different behaviour for gas- and particle-associated compounds. For gas-phase chemicals, sampling rates varies by about a factor of 2 with temperature and windspeed. The higher sampling rates at colder temperatures were explained by the wind-effect on sampling rates. Temperature and wind were strongly correlated with greatest winds at colder temperatures. Mainly particle-phase compounds (namely, the high molecular weight PAHs) had more variable sampling rates. Sampling rates increased greatly at warmer temperaures as the high molecular weight PAH burden was shifted toward the gas-phase, and subject to higher gas-phase sampling rates. At colder temperatures, sampling rates were reduced as the partitioning of the high molecular weight PAHs was shifted toward the particle-phase. The observed wind effect on sampling for the particle-phase compounds is believed to be tied to this strong temperature dependence on phase partitioning and hence sapling rate. For purposes of comparing passive sampler derived data for POPs, the factor of two variability observed for mainly gas-phase compounds is deemed to be acceptable in many instances for semi-quantitative analysis. Depuration compounds may be used to improve accuracy and provide site specific sampling rates although this adds another level of complexity to the analysis. More research is needed to develop and test passive air samplers for particle-associated chemicals.


This publication describes processes, methods, and techniques of safeguarding biometric authentication systems from fingerprint spoof attacks. A fingerprint spoof attack occurs when a malicious party attempts to access a user's computing device by mimicking/replicating biometric identifiers inherent to the user's fingerprint. To prevent fingerprint spoof attacks, an improved biometric authentication protocol includes, in a first step, verifying a user's identity and, in a second step, determining if the finger presented is alive. As a result, fingerprint spoof attacks can be rejected when it is determined that the spoof finger does not exhibit characteristics of life.


Absorbable magnesium stents have become alternatives for treating restenosis owing to their better mechanical properties than those of bioabsorbable polymer stents. However, without modification, magnesium alloys cannot provide the proper degradation rate required to match the vascular reform speed. Gallic acid is a phenolic acid with attractive biological functions, including anti-inflammation, promotion of endothelial cell proliferation, and inhibition of smooth muscle cell growth. Thus, in the present work, a small-molecule eluting coating is designed using a sandwich-like configuration with a gallic acid layer enclosed between poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) layers. This coating was deposited on ZK60 substrate, a magnesium alloy that is used to fabricate bioresorbable coronary artery stents. Electrochemical analysis showed that the corrosion rate of the specimen was ~2000 times lower than that of the bare counterpart. The released gallic acid molecules from sandwich coating inhibit oxidation by capturing free radicals, selectively promote the proliferation of endothelial cells, and inhibit smooth muscle cell growth. In a cell migration assay, sandwich coating delayed wound closure in smooth muscle cells. The sandwich coating not only improved the corrosion resistance but also promoted endothelialization, and it thus has great potential for the development of functional vascular stents that prevent late-stent restenosis.


Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral region was applied to standard steel samples in dual-pulse excitation mode with an ambient gas. Two lasers were employed in collinear geometry, one as an ablation laser (Spectron: 200mJ/15ns) and the other a reheating laser (Surelite: 665mJ/6ns).

A dual-pulse scheme was applied to the traditional single-pulse LIBS and led to a significant enhancement, increasing both the signal to background ratio (SBR) and concomitantly the limit of detection (LOD). Three types of gases, nitrogen, argon and helium were investigated individually as ambient environment. The variation in signal gain with ambient gas pressure was measured.

The feasibility study of dual-pulse (DP) LIBS) in the deep VUV spectral region was carried out by optimizing a number of parameters for limit-of-detection (LOD) calibration. The pulse energy choices of laser beam, the signal recording position for the space-resolved detection system, the CCD exposure time and the number of laser shots accumulated for a spectrum were among the first few parameters optimized for the current LIBS system.

The dependence of emission intensity on focusing conditions was investigated for both single-pulse (SP) and dual-pulse (DP) mode. In DP mode, the lens-to- target distance of the reheating pulse was varied while the ablation pulse was held at a fixed focusing condition. The optimal focusing for signal enhancement was found to be about 10 mm under the sample surface for single-pulse laser beam and 5 - 10 mm for the reheating pulse in dual-pulse mode.

The effect of inter-pulse delay on the emission intensity were studied in vacuum and in ambient gas background in the dual-pulse configuration. An intensity peak at about 100 ns and an intensity revival in the μs range were observed on the intensity vs. inter-pulse delay curves. The optimal inter-pulse delay was considered to be 100 ns. The μs range intensity plateau led to a discussion on the plasma expansion dynamics in dual-pulse mode.

Finally the limit of detection (LOD) of C and S in steel was improved by a factor of 2 or more over single pulse LIBS with the combination of optimized experimental parameters. The initial measurements and results suggest that DP-LIBS in an ambient gas environment for VUV spectroscopy is practicable and brings with it even further improvement of the LIBS performance in the VUV regime.


LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 and graphite–SiOx composites have been considered as potential cathode and anode materials for next-generation batteries due to their high specific capacity. It is significant to illustrate the degradation mechanism of NCA/graphite–SiOx power batteries under various conditions for their wide application. In this study, 10 A h NCA/graphite–SiOx power batteries were prepared and their deterioration mechanism at different temperatures (25 °C, 45 °C, and 65 °C) and discharge rates (1C and 3C) was systematically investigated. The results show that the batteries experienced 15.02% and 52.17% capacity loss after 400 cycles at 25 °C and 45 °C at 1C, respectively, and 21.94% after 400 cycles at a discharge rate of 3C. The capacity loss is as high as 79.93% after only 150 cycles at 65 °C and 1C. The long-term cycling behavior of the batteries is strongly affected by temperature, whereas it is negligibly affected by the discharge rate. The reversible lithium loss from the NCA cathode and structure decay of graphite–SiOx are responsible for the capacity loss of the battery. Many lithium alkyl carbonate (Li2CO3 and ROCO2Li), fluorophosphate (LixPOyFz and LixPFy), LiF, and oxygenated species are observed on the surface of graphite–SiOx due to the decomposition of the electrolyte at high temperatures. These species are deposited on the separator and thus block the pores and hinder ion transport; this results in a great increase of battery resistance and sudden loss of battery capacity.


Enhancements of a building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) system intended for coupling with an air source multispeed heat pump (MSHP) is presented. The systems were analyzed using a modified version of EnergyPlus, a quasi-steady state building energy simulation program. A sensitivity analysis of the internal channel surface and cover emissivity parameters of the Opaque BIPV/T, transparent BIPV/T, and building integrated solar air heater collectors (BISAH) was conducted. In addition, collector arrangement analyses were performed. A BIPV/T- BISAH array design was selected based on the results of the analyses and evaluated using a net-zero energy house and an energy efficient house. The integrated BIPV/T-BISAH coupled ASHP system reduced space heating electricity consumption of the net-zero house by 6.5% and the energy efficient house by 3.4%. These low levels of savings were largely due to the passive design of the houses that reduced heating loads during sunny hours; this resulted in a mismatch between the hours when the integrated system could provide energy savings and the need for space heating.


Objective: The objective of this study was to determine current practices of anticoagulation in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Design: Internet-based cross-sectional survey distributed between November 2010 and May 2011. Setting: Extracorporeal Life Support Organization-registered extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centers internationally. Participants: Extracorporeal membrane oxy genation medical directors and coordinators. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: There were 121 responses from extracorporeal membrane oxy genation medical directors and coordinators at 187 Extracorporeal Life Support Organization centers with access to the survey. Eighty-four of 117 (72%) respondents reported having a written institutional extracorporeal membrane oxy genation protocol for both anticoagulation and blood product management at their institutions. Sixty-nine of 117 (59%) respondents reported use of tip-to-tip or partially heparin-bonded circuits. Unfractionated heparin was used at all centers; only 8% of respondents indicated use of alternative anticoagulation medications in the six months prior to the survey. The preferred method of anticoagulation monitoring was the serial measurement of activated clotting time, as reported by 97% of respondents. In this survey, 82% of respondents reported antithrombin III testing, 65% reported anti-factor Xa testing, and 43% reported use of thromboelastography during extracorporeal membrane oxy genation. Goal ranges for these three tests and interventions triggered by out-of-range values were found to be variable. Conclusions: Extracorporeal membrane oxy genation anticoagulation management policies vary widely by center. The majority of extracorporeal membrane oxy genation programs employ activated clotting time as the preferred anticoagulation monitoring tool. The coagulation system is also monitored using more specific markers such as antithrombin III, anti-factor Xa, and thromboelastography by a large number of centers. Future research is needed to elucidate optimal anticoagulation management and improve outcomes.


The concept of 'formalisation' has been ubiquitous in development discourse and policymaking. It has underpinned policy interventions and proposals from tax registration to property titling, and a range of measures intended to connect informal entities with state institutions or formally structured markets. Despite the policy enthusiasm, however, the outcomes of formalisation policies have frequently been disappointing. Summary of Working Paper 127.


Introduction The concept of work-life balance, health and well-being is about behaviour change management in ones physical, social, and mental state to attain a measure of stability. This stability can be achieved through creative and substantial preventative and or corrective actions taken in a collaborative manner with other relevant persons. Professors Jodi Oakman and Siew Chan in their safety journal on the topic Risk management: Where should we target strategies to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorder; did a study on Australian companies with high reported instances of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). In this study, it was found that there was evidence to support the claim that there is a link between WMSD and psychosocial factors. Psychosocial factors such as stress, work place demand, job security and working hours are said to be predicators of WMSDs. The study also revealed that there is an inverse relationship between work-life balance and psychosocial factors. A low level of work-life balance indicates that there is a high level of stress, workplace demand complicated by work-related musculoskeletal disorders. It's a general belief that the mean age for employees at the reproductive age is 35 years. It is at this crossroads that most employees are working the hardest at balancing their priorities; work, family, social and their personal development. It is at this juncture of their lives that the psychosocial factors of work related stress, economic stress, physical inactivity and life style illnesses take centre stage. The imbalance occurs as one or two priorities are given more attention and the focus on the others significantly decreases. From the premise of a proactive employer who is concerned about the health and wellbeing of the workers; behaviour change intervention programs become necessary. These interventions are relevant to ensure that workers remain healthy so that productivity does not suffer and the worker will benefit, eventually with financial rewards. The worker more often is sometimes is not able to individually, and unilaterally, restore the require work-life balance, hence the support of the employer becomes important. Methods To achieve this balance there has to be a vision of what the behaviour change intervention programme is to achieve. How will the program impact lifestyle and lay the foundation for good health, a decent quality of life and wellbeing. From the vision, the mission will be derived as to the targets; how they will they be measured and over what time period. The values of the program has to be shared where workers and the employer agree and work together to achieve common goals. To strategically attain work life balance; a principled health and wellness programs has to be developed and integrated into the business operations as a key performance indicator. By so doing the programs will be aligned to the business strategies. Results With this alignment some of the possible results that could be realised are: A culture of safety Reduction in on the job accidents Increased productivity and reduced absenteeism Reduction in sick days leading to reduction in utilisation of health insurance scheme Improved profit margins Improved brand image – employer of choice A more satisfied employee A changed worker with improved attitude and behaviour Discussion Many blue chip companies in developed countries have established programs in place to achieve work-life balance, health and wellbeing for their staff. Some of these companies are Google, Alcoa, Fiat and Virgin Airlines, to name a few well know ones. Paul O'Neill, former CEO of Alcoa in a CNN May 2014 interview spoke about safety as a priority at Alcoa. It could be gleaned from his remarks that work life balance was achieved from the involvement of management and their commitment to a vision. Also that the desired values and attitudes for a culture of safety, work-life balance, health and wellbeing were cascaded down to the workers from the strategic level and were accepted by the employees. In summary, Work-Life Balance Health and Well-Being is not an insurmountable goal. To support the achievement of this balance for workers, the ILO under its pillar of Decent Work has a health and safety convention that serves as an international standard for nations to pattern in their national programs. In this respect, legislations have been passed in many countries in support of the Convention. It is of note that European countries in support of the promotion of workers health and wellbeing have passed legislations. The European Framework Agreement on work-related stress was one such legislation that was passed on 8 October 2004. There is also the Italian Regulatory Framework for Health and Safety in the Workplace, Legislative Decree 81/08. This was bench marked form the UK Health and Safety Management Standard for Work related Stress, Belgian Screening, Observation, Analysis, Expertise (SOBANE) Strategy of Risk Management and German stress–psychology–health (start). The principle of work of work-life balance is generally accepted globally. However there is a perception of institutional inertia in many developing countries to enact the necessary legislations to support a national policy and program framework for occupational health and safety. It is hoped that developed countries that are signatories to the ILO Occupational Health and Safety Convention as well as countries in the European Unions, will extend more significant and substantial support in the areas of human resource and capacity building, as well as financial assistance to help developing countries strike that desired balance.


after which they became finally extinct. The author, in conclusion, referred to the various localities from which he had obtained " conein-cone," and stated that in the Scottish coalfield the structure seems to be always associated with strata in which the contained organisms indicate a freshwater and lacustrine origin for the beds, and that the deposits were therefore probably formed within the areas of wide and shallow lakes.


REBa2Cu3Oy superconducting tapes are appropriate for high field magnet applications at low temperatures (i.e. below liquid nitrogen temperature). To clarify the morphology and the volume of the effective pinning center at low temperatures, we used a low-temperature growth technique to fabricate SmBa2Cu3Oy (SmBCO) films with various amounts of BaHfO3 (BHO) nanorods onto MgO-buffered metal substrates produced by ion-beam-assisted deposition; we investigated their flux pinning properties using a 25 T cryogen-free superconducting magnet that was recently developed at Tohoku University. According to the microstructural analysis using transmission electron microscopy, the BHO nanorods have a content-dependent morphology and are aligned for the higher content. The inclined and discontinuous BHO nanorods were observed in SmBCO films with BHO contents up to 3.8 vol%; they show an excellent flux pinning force density (1.5 TN m−3 at 21 T and 4.2 K) even when the magnetic field is perpendicular to the films. Based on the effective mass model for the flux pinning, the random pinning centers are dominant at low temperatures. The correlated flux pinning is stronger for aligned nanorods; however, the random pinning center becomes weaker in the 4.5 vol% BHO-doped films. Therefore, the optimal BHO doping level is approximately 3.8 vol% in terms of the amplitude of the critical current density and the anisotropy from 4.2 K to 20 K because this provides the best mixture of correlated and random flux pinning centers.


The contributors to this volume address themselves to the growth, behavior, and prospects of the two largest Communist parties in Western Europe. The book deals in particular with the adaptation of the French and Italian Communist parties to the secular changes in their advanced societies. It emphasizes the different attempts made by each party's leaders to participate actively and fruitfully in parliamentary political systems.Originally published in 1976.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


X‐ray spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools to access structure and properties of matter in different states of aggregation as it allows to trace atomic and molecular energy levels in course of various physical and chemical processes. X‐ray spectroscopic techniques probe the local electronic structure of a particular atom in its environment, in contrast to ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy, where transitions generally occur between delocalized molecular orbitals. Complementary information is provided by using a combination of different absorption, emission, scattering as well as photo‐ and autoionization X‐ray methods. However, interpretation of the complex experimental spectra and verification of experimental hypotheses is a nontrivial task and powerful first principles theoretical approaches that allow for a systematic investigation of a broad class of systems are needed. Focusing on transition metal compounds, L‐edge spectra are of particular relevance as they probe the frontier d‐orbitals involved in metal–ligand bonding. Here, near‐degeneracy effects in combination with spin‐orbit coupling lead to a complicated multiplet energy level structure, which poses a serious challenge to quantum chemical methods. Multiconfigurational self‐consistent field (MCSCF) theory has been shown to be capable of providing a rather detailed understanding of experimental X‐ray spectroscopy. However, it cannot be considered as a "blackbox" tool and its application requires not only a command of formal theoretical aspects, but also a broad knowledge of already existing applications. Both aspects are covered in this overview.


Background: Centenarians are known to be successful agers compared to other older adults.Objective: The objective of the present study was to compare coronavirus disease (COVID-19) symptoms and outcomes in centenarians and other residents living in nursing homes. Design-Setting-Subjects-Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted using data from 15 nursing homes in the Marseille area. Older residents with confirmed COVID-19 between March and June 2020 were enrolled. The clinical and biological characteristics, the treatment measures, and the outcomes in residents living in these nursing homes were collected from the medical records. Results: A total of 321 residents were diagnosed with COVID-19 including 12 centenarians. The median age was 101 years in centenarians and 89 years in other residents. The most common symptoms were asthenia and fever. Three centenarians (25%) experienced a worsening of pre-existing depression (vs. 5.5% of younger residents; p = 0.032). Mortality was significantly higher in centenarians than in younger residents (50% vs. 21.3%, respectively; p = 0.031). A quarter of the younger residents and only one centenarian were hospitalized. However, 33.3% of the centenarians received treatment within the context of home hospitalization. Conclusion: Worsening of pre-existing depression seems to be more frequent in centenarians with COVID-19 in nursing homes. This population had a higher mortality rate but a lower hospitalization rate than younger residents.


To identify a relationship between atherosclerotic vascular disease and differences in blood pressure between the right and left arms, blood pressure differences between arms were measured in patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD, n = 58), in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD, n = 38), and in patients with no evidence of atherosclerotic disease, who served as a control group (n = 38). The incidence and magnitude of right and left arm pressure difference determined by the oscillometric technique were compared between the patient groups. The incidence of systolic pressure difference greater than or equal to 20 mmHg between arms in patients with PVD (21%) was greater than that in either those with CAD (3%) (P less than or equal to 0.05) or control subjects (0%) (P less than 0.01). The incidence of systolic pressure difference greater than or equal to 45 mmHg between arms in patients with PVD (10%) was greater than that in either those with CAD (0%) (P less than 0.05) or control subjects (0%) (P less than 0.05). Patients with PVD also had a greater incidence of right and left arm difference than did those with CAD or controls for mean and diastolic blood pressures. Of all patients with a systolic difference greater than 10 mmHg, neither the right nor the left arm blood pressure was consistently higher: 21 of 35 (60%) had a higher pressure in the right arm, and 14 of 35 (40%) had a higher pressure in the left arm (P = 0.33). Gender, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and age were not associated with a difference in blood pressure between the right and left arms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


This paper considers a series of field-work activities conducted at the intersection of three main subjects: a speculative design installation, a plant ecotype of the hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis Halleri and a heavy metalcontaminated site located in North-Rhein Westfalia, Germany. The paper offers a "geo-speculative" (Gabrys, 2016, p. 139) account of a brownfield, considering how vegetal agency might open onto alternative
opportunities of becoming for a polluted territory. At the core of this work is the question of how an empirical approach towards research in multispecies environments allows for a transdisciplinary mode of site-writing and can be used as ground for speculating about the future of a land. Ultimately, while reflecting on the imbroglio of scientific, ecological and speculative elements explored during the research, this work proposes that a science-informed "act of viewing" vegetal life (Gabrys, 2012) can support the exploration of more than-human functions and motivate the emergence of speculative processes
associated with past and futures of an anthropized environment.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Objective: Cisplatin (CDDP) is a key drug used to treat ovarian carcinoma that activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling cascade and a phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway, both of which are considered pathways for cell proliferation and survival. The present study aimed to elucidate the roles of the MEK-ERK and PI3K-Akt pathways in regulating cytotoxicity in ovarian carcinoma cells induced by CDDP.

Methods: Seven human ovarian serous adenocarcinoma cell lines were used in this study (KF, KFr, KOC-2S, SK-OV-3, SHIN-3, TU-OS-3, and TU-OS-4). We treated the cell lines with CDDP combined with PI3K inhibitor (LY294002 [LY]), MEK inhibitor (PD98059 [PD]), or ERK activator (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate [PMA]), then assessed cell viability by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The levels at which proteins expressed MEK, phosphorylated (p)MEK, ERK, pERK, Akt, pAkt, and cleaved caspase-9 were detected by western blotting. Cell cycle distribution and apoptotic cells were determined by flow cytometry, 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, and staining with Annexin V.

Results: The range of IC50 to CDDP was 2.4 to 26.9 μM for those cell lines. KFr, a CDDP-resistant cell line, was established from KF cells, and the IC50 to CDDP was 9.6 μM. We defined the cell lines which had 9.6 μM or higher IC50 value as CDDP-resistance. Proteins MEK, pMEK, Akt, pAkt, ERK and pERK were expressed in all cell lines. CDDP combined with LY had an additive effect on inhibiting growth of cells in all lines. In contrast, we observed an antagonism for all cell lines when CDDP was combined with PD. Interestingly, growth of cells was dramatically suppressed when CDDP was combined with PMA in the CDDP-resistant cells (KFr, SK-OV-3, SHIN-3, TU-OS-3, TU-OS-4). Treatment with PMA upregulated protein expression levels of pERK and cleaved caspase-9 only in the CDDP-resistant cells. CDDP combined with PMA increased the S-phase fraction and apoptotic cells in the CDDP-resistant cells. Conclusion: ERK activated by PMA may overcome resistance to CDDP in ovarian carcinoma cells.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3543.


Grain boundary (GB) is the interface between different oriented crystals of the same material, and it can have a significant effect on the many properties of materials. When the average or entire range of grain size is reduced to less than 100 nm, the conventional plastic deformation mechanisms dominated by dislocation processes become difficult and GB mediated deformation mechanisms become increasingly important. One of the mechanisms that can play a profound role in the strength and plasticity of metallic polycrystalline materials is the heterogeneous nucleation and emission of dislocations from GB. In this study, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations to study the dislocation nucleation from copper bicrystal with a number of 〈1 1 0〉 tilt GBs that covered a wide range of misorientation angles (θ). We will show from this analysis that the mechanic behavior of GBs and the energy barrier of dislocation nucleation from GBs are closely related to the lattice crystallographic orientation, GB energy, and the intrinsic GB structures. An atomistic analysis of the nucleation mechanisms provided details of this nucleation and emission process that can help us to better understand the dislocation source in GB.


We report on a continuous electromagnetic metal planar metamaterial, which resembles a "fish scale" structure. Apart from the one isolated wavelength, it is highly transparent to electromagnetic radiation throughout a broad spectral range and becomes completely "invisible" at some frequency inflicting no transmission losses and phase delay. When the structure is superimposed on a metallic mirror it becomes a good broadband reflector everywhere apart from one wavelength where the reflectivity is small. At this wavelength the reflected wave shows no phase change with respect to the incident wave, thus resembling a reflection from a hypothetical zero refractive index material, or "magnetic wall." We also discovered that the structure acts as a local field concentrator and a resonant "amplifier" of losses in the underlying dielectric.


Near real-time measurements of carbonaceous aerosols were performed in fine aerosols for a 10-day period during winter at a suburban site of Paris (France). These measurements were performed using an OCEC Sunset Field instrument for elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC); a Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler coupled with a Total Organic Carbon (PILS-TOC) instrument for water-soluble OC (WSOC); and a 7-lambda aethalometer for absorption. A successful comparison was performed with filter sampling performed in parallel for EC, OC, and WSOC, providing further confidence on the results obtained by the online analyzers. A modified version of the aethalometer model was used to derive hourly concentrations of 3 organic aerosol (OA) sources: fossil fuel, wood burning, and secondary. This source apportionment was validated for primary OA (fossil fuel, wood burning) using time-resolved measurements of specific tracers (including levoglucosan, water-soluble potassium and methanol for wood burning) and showed that secondary organic aerosols (SOA) were the most abundant OA species during our study. Water-soluble properties of these different OA sources were investigated from the reconstruction of experimentally determined water-soluble/insoluble OC. About 23% of WSOC was found to be of a secondary (photochemical) origin. A large fraction of SOA was assigned as water-insoluble and could originate from semi-volatile primary OA from wood burning and/or anthropogenic emissions. These results have been obtained at a typical suburban site in France and may be then representative of a larger European area. They bring new light on the commonly accepted idea that SOA is mainly water-soluble.


This thesis describes a program of research designed to investigate longitudinally the role of debt in a cohort of 1232 final-year New Zealand secondary school students, their tertiary entry decisions and their attitudes towards tertiary education and student debt. It follows some of these students into their first year out of school into tertiary education or otherwise. Two surveys were conducted that employed the Attitude to Debt Scale (Davies and Lea, 1995) to address students' debt and savings behaviour and estimates, tertiary education entry decisions, and attitudes to tertiary education and term-time working. Debt attitudes are found to be more complex than previously proposed, and this has significant ramifications for debt attitude theory and research. Longitudinal comparisons suggest students' views regarding debt necessity does not change but their attitude to avoiding does. Students become more or less avoidant of debt depending on their circumstances. However, debt attitude results still support many of the findings of earlier research such as debt acquisition preceding a more tolerant attitude change. Debt and tertiary education attitudes are not well predicted. Students report engaging in term-time working to limit their student loans, but engaging in term-time working results in lower grades in their studies. Those from the middle and higher socio-economic classes are more likely to be positive towards tertiary education, and thus entrants, compared with the lower socio-economic classes. However, the results do not suggest this is due to debt attitudes or fear of debt.


Enhancement in fatigue life of the rolling-element bearing has been captivating since years. The hollow concept had been triggered years back; however, it could not catch widespread applications due to catastrophic failure. Thus, any novel concept of the rolling element must be assessed for its strength against catastrophic failure before competing for better fatigue life on field with other alternatives. This paper commences with the outcomes of the comparative assessment of the experimental evaluation of strength against fracture under static loads for layered and hollow rollers with solid rollers, which devise the requirements for new concepts. The end hemispherical cavity (EHC) roller concept, being a proper geometrical blending of solidity and hollowness, prospects to overcome the strength concern along with a considerable reduction in contact stresses. Thus, experimental investigation was conducted with full-bearing fracture tests and individual roller specimens fracture tests for five variants: EHC, solid, layered, 61H, and 37H (hollow rollers with 61% and 37% hollowness, respectively). The simulations were carried out to support the outcomes of experimental trials. The experimental results with full-bearing samples and individual roller specimens demonstrated ranking as follows: EHC, 37H, layered, and 61H. The EHC roller concept was substantiated to be stronger than hollow and layered rollers besides prompting appreciable reduction in contact stresses compared with the solid roller. The simulation results agreed well with experimental results of fracture tests, and the recommendations from findings of failure theories (maximum normal stress, distortion energy, and maximum shear stress) adopted for estimating fracture load for rollers have been discussed.


Incubation of normal mouse peritoneal cells consisting of over 90% phagocytizing macrophages with delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) resulted in a inhibition of phagocytic function. The THC in a dose-related manner suppressed the percentage of macrophages per culture which ingested yeast and the average number of yeast particles ingested by the phagocytizing macrophages. The vehicle used to suspend the THC in vitro, i.e., DMSO, had no detectable effect on macrophage function. Suppression of phagocytosis with no effects on viability or cell number occurred with doses of 10 micrograms or less THC per milliliter culture medium. Measurable suppression also occurred after 24- to 48-hr treatment of the macrophages with the THC. This compound had little if any detectable effect on phagocytosis when added directly to the cultures shortly before testing for phagocytosis. Further studies concerning the effects of THC on macrophage function appear warranted.


The welfare dominance of ad valorem taxes over unit taxes in a single-market Cournot oligopoly is well-known. This article extends the analysis to multi-market oligopoly. Provided all ad valorem taxes are positive, unit costs are constant, firms are active in all considered markets, and a representative consumer has convex preferences, it is shown that ad valorem taxes dominate in multi-product equilibrium. We discuss the role of unit cost covariances across multi-product firms in determining the extent of cost efficiencies arising under ad valorem taxation. The issue of merger under oligopoly is also considered. Conditions are identified under which a merger increases the sum of consumer and producer surpluses while also increasing the revenue yield from a set of unit taxes. If not all firms are active in all considered markets, then it is also shown that additional conditions are required to ensure the dominance of ad valorem taxes. In multi-input Cournot oligopsony, however, unit taxation welfare dominates. This is because ad valorem taxes on inputs reduce demand elasticities, amplifying market power distortions.