Collaborative Filtering (CF) is a technique to generate personalised recommendations for a user from a collection of correlated preferences in the past. In general, the effectiveness of CF greatly depends on the amount of available information about the target user and the target item. The cold-start problem, which describes the difficulty of making recommendations when the users or the items are new, remains a great challenge for CF. Traditionally, this problem is tackled by resorting to an additional interview process to establish the user (item) profile before making any recommendations. During this process the user's information need is not addressed. In this thesis, however, we argue that recommendations would be preferably provided right from the beginning. And the goal of solving the cold-start problem should be maximising the overall recommendation utility during all interactions with the recommender system. In other words, we should not distinguish between the information-gathering and recommendation-making phases, but seamlessly integrate them together. This mechanism naturally addresses the cold-start problem as any user (item) can immediately receive sequential recommendations without providing extra information beforehand. This thesis solves the cold-start problem in an interactive setting by focusing on four interconnected aspects. First, we consider a continuous sequential recommendation process with CF and relate it to the exploitation-exploration (EE) trade-off. By employing probabilistic matrix factorization, we obtain a structured decision space and are thus able to leverage several EE algorithms, such as Thompson sampling and upper confidence bounds, to select items. Second, we extend the sequential recommendation process to a batch mode where multiple recommendations are made at each interaction stage. We specifically discuss the case of two consecutive interaction stages, and model it with the partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) to obtain its exact theoretical solution. Through an in-depth analysis of the POMDP value iteration solution, we identify that an exact solution can be abstracted as selecting users (items) that are not only highly relevant to the target according to the initial-stage information, but also highly correlated with other potential users (items) for the next stage. Third, we consider the intra-stage recommendation optimisation and focus on the problem of personalised item diversification. We reformulate the latent factor models using the mean-variance analysis from the portfolio theory in economics. The resulting portfolio ranking algorithm naturally captures the user's interest range and the uncertainty of the user preference by employing the variance of the learned user latent factors, leading to a diversified item list adapted to the individual user. And, finally, we relate the diversification algorithm back to the interactive process by considering inter-stage joint portfolio diversification, where the recommendations are optimised jointly with the user's past preference records.


This paper presents a framework to determine optimal resource allocation over time for the production of a good by heterogeneous producers who generate a stock externality. We analyze the optimal intertemporal and quality-specific combination of abatement strategies at the source given by a change in the intensity of production and in the chosen technology, and/or removal of existing pollution stock. The results show how the specifications of the production and the emission functions affect technology adoption and the design of the optimal intertemporal combination of source and stock abatement strategies. Moreover, the paper shows that regulation at the intensive margin cannot be considered as a substitute for a regulation at the extensive margin. The paper employs the so-called two-stage solution approach for solving the resulting quality distributed-intertemporal optimal control problem.


The primary sector has always had a fundamental role in human activities. In recent years, major industrialised and developed countries increased demand for the positive externalities generated by the agriculture, while they reduced the importance of the sector in terms of production of food. The evolution of public intervention followed the change of the role of agriculture and has tried to propose instruments able to consider and balance both private and public interests. It is especially with the Mid Term Review (MTR) that policy maker has tried to implement a system of subsidies that bound the farmer to a series of activities related either directly or indirectly with the collective welfare. Moving from coupled aid to decoupled one linked to the respect of cross-compliance means changing the concept of public intervention. In this context, a useful evaluation tool should be able to analyse and to catch the changes in farmers behaviour by considering also the territory in order to locate the effects. The territory, as a matter of fact, is not only the place where the effects passively fall, but it is capable of interfering directly in the farmers decision-making process. Therefore, the development of specific methodologies able to analyze farmers' behaviours and specific instruments linked to the territorial analysis could represent an important tool to assess agricultural policies effects both on enterprises and territory. In this framework a methodology based on the Positive Mathematical Programming (PMP) and on the implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS) seems to answer the several questions about the policies' assessment and land-use planning. The present research integrates this two methodologies. PMP is used in a territorial model and it is based on the optimization of an objective function representing a farm gross margin while GIS allows to analyze territorial aspects and to locate the effects of the policy. This tool has been tested in a specific case study in order to analyse the effects of the CAP Reform (in particular decoupling, cross-compliance and modulation) on the primary sector and on farm land use potential changes. The innovative aspect of the research is the attempt to study the impact of agricultural policy through an optimization model that considers among its variables also the specific localization of farms. The final result is represented by the creation of georeferred maps in which the land use changes are evaluated and interpreted under the framework of multifunctionality, in terms of quantitative analysis regarding landscape and, abandonment risk and cattle distribution.


EDITOR'S NOTE: This is 1 of 4 papers reporting on the results of a SETAC technical workshop titled "The Nexus Between Ecological Risk Assessment and Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under CERCLA: Understanding and Improving the Common Scientific Underpinnings," held 18–22 August 2008 in Montana, USA, to examine approaches to ecological risk assessment and natural resource damage assessment in US contaminated site cleanup legislation known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) convened an invited workshop (August 2008) to address coordination between ecological risk assessment (ERA) and natural resource damage assessment (NRDA). Although ERA and NRDA activities are performed under a number of statutory and regulatory authorities, the primary focus of the workshop was on ERA and NRDA as currently practiced in the United States under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This paper presents the findings and conclusions of the Synthesis Work Group, 1 of 3 work groups convened at the workshop. The Synthesis Work Group concluded that the different programmatic objectives and legal requirements of the 2 processes preclude development of a single, integrated ERA/NRDA process. However, although institutional and programmatic impediments exist to integration of the 2 processes, parties are capitalizing on opportunities to coordinate technical and scientific elements of the assessments at a number of locations. Although it is important to recognize and preserve the distinctions between ERA and NRDA, opportunities for data sharing exist, particularly for the characterization of environmental exposures and derivation of ecotoxicological information. Thus, effective coordination is not precluded by the underlying science. Rather, willing participants, accommodating schedules, and recognition of potential efficiencies associated with shared data collection can lead to enhanced coordination and consistency between ERA and NRDA.


Based on the three-dimensional computation model, the actual project ,a high-rise building with podiums on the jointless raft foundation, is made nonlinear numerical analysis, which aims at studying the characters of superstructure-foudation-soil's interaction, and analyzing the stress features in raft foundations under the former interaction , the distribution of stresses on foundation plate,and the range of stress dispersion about subgrade reaction. Through the factors, which can affect superstructure-foudation interaction, are analyzed , such as superstructure's stiffness, foundation's stiffness and soil's stiffness. Then, the distribution rule of stress and deformation about superstructure-foudation interaction. Which can provide some calculation basis for this kind of foundation design.


A kind of CAD/CAE integrated modeling method based on feature is proposed. Firstly, analysis features are attached to CAD model of part and standard part library is formed. Secondly, the CAD model is created using standard parts. Thirdly, geometry information of analysis features is extracted from CAD model and is reconstructed automatically under CAE environment. Finally, based on feature-based meshing and combination technique, CAE model is built quickly. A prototype software for large-scale antenna structure (LSAS) CAD/CAE integrated modeling has been developed and used in performance analysis of a 16-meter-diameter LSAS. The method has been proved to be useful for improving speed, accuracy and consistency of complicated structure CAE modeling notably.


A technique is described which examines the properties of helium trapped in bubbles in implanted metals. Helium implanted materials are characterized using resonant elastic proton backscattering and Transmission Electron Microscopy (T.E.M.). Spectroscopic measurements using synchrotron radiation in the far vacuum vutraviolet are then performed to examine the density sensitive optical absorption resulting from the 1S - 2P transition in the implanted helium. Experimental data for helium implanted aluminum thin films are presented which indicate atomic densities in small (50Å diameter) bubbles of the order of 1023 atoms cm-3.


Radiowave propagation over ground has been historically studied for predicting the radiated fields when the ground properties are known and the field has been well covered over the past hundred years. The theory of ground-wave propagation is applied to the inverse problem of the tomographic imaging of ground surfaces. After the inverse problem is formulated, an iterative technique for solving it is illustrated. This is based on the minimization of the cost function of the measured and estimated scattered fields produced by the surface under investigation in isolation. Numerical simulation results are presented for the reconstruction of four different ground features surrounded by sea water namely: (1) dry ground; (2) wet ground; (3) dry-wet mixed ground; and (4) dry ground with a central water pool. It has been demonstrated that the technique is able to reconstruct the distributions of normalized surface impedance of the isolated surfaces and, hence, their images. The iterative process can converge with a small number of iterations using the normalized surface impedance of sea water as the initial guessed values. However, better images can be produced using a priori information. This study thus illustrates a new application of ground wave propagation theory with possible applications in ground surface mapping, remote sensing, target positioning and monitoring, and navigation.


Hexamethylenebisacetamide (HMBA) selectively and reversibly inhibited proliferation of human and rat vascular smooth-muscle cells (VSMCs) compared with endothelial cells, fibroblasts or lymphocytes. Half-maximal inhibition of VSMC proliferation occurred at 2-5 mM-HMBA, and at 30- greater than 50 mM for other cell types. HMBA also prevented de-differentiation, defined by the loss of smooth-muscle-specific myosin heavy chain, of primary rat VSMCs and caused partial re-differentiation of subcultured cells. Other inhibitors of ADP-ribosyltransferase were also selective inhibitors of VSMC proliferation.


LSD1 (also known as KDM1A) is a histone demethylase that has been shown to play both oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles in breast cancer. However, the exact context under which it functions as a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein remains largely elusive. To address this, we characterized its role in normal mammary epithelial cells (MECs) and found MEC-specific ablation of Lsd1 largely phenocopied that of Gata3, which encodes a master regulatory transcription factor for luminal MECs. In the luminal lineage, LSD1-loss led to reduction in both mature ductal and alveolar luminal subpopulations. In human luminal breast cancer cells, we found LSD1 interacts with GATA3 and their common target genes are highly related to breast cancer. In particular, we found LSD1 might be recruited by GATA3 to the GATA3 promoter region, to positively regulate GATA3 expression via demethylation of H3K9me2. Knockdown of LSD1 led to increased invasion of luminal breast cancer cells, in part via downregulation of GATA3 and multiple cell junction genes (e.g., CDH1, VCL, CTNNA1), as well as upregulation of mammary stem/progenitor cell genes (e.g., ELF5, ITGB1). However, LSD1 knockdown also led to reduced proliferation of luminal breast cancer cells, in part via downregulation of RBBP4 (encoding a Histone-binding protein) and upregulation of CDKN1A (encoding p21). Collectively, our data suggest that LSD1 is required for maintaining luminal MEC differentiation and survival and for suppressing luminal breast cancer cell invasion, in part via GATA3. As inhibitors of LSD1 are currently under clinical trials (e.g., in leukemia), our data suggest that although treatment of luminal breast cancer by the LSD1 inhibitor may lead to reduced tumor cell proliferation (and thus tumor shrinkage), the treatment may also lead to increased invasion of surviving breast cancer cells. Thus, our study is expected to have important implications for developing better epigenetic therapy in an individualized, context-dependent fashion. Citation Format: Xin Hu, Dongxi Xiang, Luwei Tao, Ying Xie, Yue Jin, Yidi Guo, Luca Pinello, Guo-Cheng Yuan, Zhe Li. LSD1 maintains differentiation and survival of mammary luminal cells and suppresses invasion of luminal breast cancer cells via GATA3 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2563. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2563


Bereavement is an extremely personal feeling, but Japanese society tends to disapprove of displays of negative personal emotion or weakness. For ages, mourning rituals like funerals provided an exception where social permission was given to sharing grief and seeking support. However, the form and significance of Japanese funerals have changed rapidly over the past generation, and especially since the advent of COVID-19 restrictions on assembly and travel. This paper overviews the trajectory of changes and continuities in mourning rituals in Japan, looking at their psychological and social impacts. It goes on to summarize recent Japanese research showing that appropriate funerals are not merely of psychological and social benefit, but may have an important role in reducing or supporting grief that might otherwise require medical and social work intervention.


Biological electrophiles result from oxidative metabolism of exogenous compounds or endogenous cellular constituents, and they contribute to pathophysiologies such as toxicity and carcinogenicity. The chemical toxicology of electrophiles is dominated by covalent addition to intracellular nucleophiles. Reaction with DNA leads to the production of adducts that block replication or induce mutations. The chemistry and biology of electrophile−DNA reactions have been extensively studied, providing in many cases a detailed understanding of the relation between adduct structure and mutational consequences. By contrast, the linkage between protein modification and cellular response is poorly understood. In this Account, we describe our efforts to define the chemistry of protein modification and its biological consequences using lipid-derived α,β-unsaturated aldehydes as model electrophiles. In our global approach, two large data sets are analyzed: one represents the identity of proteins modified over a wide range of electrophile concentrations, and the second comprises changes in gene expression observed under similar conditions. Informatics tools show theoretical connections based primarily on transcription factors hypothetically shared between the two data sets, downstream of adducted proteins and upstream of affected genes. This method highlights potential electrophile-sensitive signaling pathways and transcriptional processes for further evaluation. Peroxidation of cellular phospholipids generates a complex mixture of both membrane-bound and diffusible electrophiles. The latter include reactive species such as malondialdehyde, 4-oxononenal, and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). Enriching HNE-adducted proteins for proteomic analysis was a technical challenge, solved with click chemistry that generated biotin-tagged protein adducts. For this purpose, HNE analogues bearing terminal azide or alkyne functionalities were synthesized. Cellular lysates were first exposed to a single type of HNE analogue (azido- or alkynyl-HNE), and then click reactions were performed against the cognate alkynyl- and azido-biotin derivative. The resulting biotin-labeled proteins were captured and enriched over a streptavidin matrix for subsequent mass spectrometric analysis. We thereby identified a multitude of HNE targets. Simultaneous microarray analysis of changes in gene expression triggered by HNE also produced an abundance of data. Functional analysis of both data sets generated the hypothesis that an important pathway of cellular response derives from electrophile modification of protein chaperones, resulting in the release of transcription factors that are their clients. Informatic analysis of the protein modification and microarray data sets identified several transcription factors as potential mediators of the cellular response to HNE-adducted proteins. Among these, heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) was confirmed as a sensitive and robust effector of HNE-induced changes in gene expression. Activation of HSF1 appears, in part, to be mediated by the electrophilic adduction of Hsp70 and Hsp90, which normally maintain HSF1 in an inactive cytosolic complex. The identification of HSF1 as a mediator of biological effects downstream of HSF1 has provided new opportunities for research, illustrating the potential of our systems-based approach. Accordingly, we characterized HSF1-mediated gene expression in protecting against electrophile-induced toxicity. Among the genes induced by HSF1, Bcl-2- associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is notable for its actions in promoting cell survival through stabilization of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, appearing to have a critical role in mediating cellular protection against electrophile-induced death.


In this paper, a novel multipath parameters estimation approach for GPS receivers using the maximum likelihood (ML) principle is proposed. Exploiting the replication property of the GPS C/A code within each symbol, we develop a coherent preprocessing approach based on a sample mean model. This model employs long integration time that improves the SNR and enhances receiver robustness against interference and weak signal effects. It also allows a simplified expression for the likelihood function which facilitates the use of computationally efficient iterative techniques for solving the complex ML optimization problem. In the proposed approach, the ML estimator is iteratively computed using the fast and low-complexity SAGE (Space-Alternating Generalized Expectation Maximization) algorithm. The proposed scheme is a candidate for indoor GPS navigation, as demonstrated by computer simulations.


We consider a time slotted cognitive radio network under Rayleigh fading where multiple secondary users (SUs) contend for spectrum usage over available primary users' channels. We analyze the performance of a channel access policy where each SU stochastically determines whether to access a wireless channel or not based on a given access probability. In the analysis, we focus on the queueing performance of an arbitrary SU with the channel access policy. To improve the queueing performance of SUs, the access probability in our channel access policy is adapted to the knowledge on the wireless channel information, e.g., the number of available channels and the nonfading probability of channels. It is then important to obtain the optimal access probabilities from the queueing performance perspective. In this paper we consider three scenarios. In the first scenario, all SUs have full information on wireless channel status and fading channel conditions. In the second scenario, all SUs have the information on wireless channel status but do not know their fading channel conditions, and in the last scenario all SUs do not have any information on wireless channel status and conditions. For each scenario we analyze the queueing performance of an arbitrary SU and show how to obtain the optimal access probabilities with the help of the effective bandwidth theory. From our analysis we provide an insight on how to design an optimal channel access policy in each scenario. We also show how the optimal channel access policies in three scenarios are related with each other. Numerical results are provided to validate our analysis. In addition, we investigate the performance behaviors of the optimal channel access policies.


A new photochromic diarylethene compound, 1-(2-methyl-5-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-thienyl)-2-(2-cyanophenyl)perfluorocyclopentene (1a), was synthesized and its photochromism and photo-induced anisotropy was investigated. The results showed that this compound exhibited reversible photochromism, changing from colorless to purple after irradiation with UV light both in solution and in PMMA amorphous film. In hexane, the open-ring isomer of the diarylethene 1a exhibited relatively strong fluorescence at 459 nm when excited at 316 nm. The fluorescence intensity decreased along with the photochromism upon irradiation with 297 nm light and its closed-ring isomer showed weak fluorescence.


Objective: To observe the influence of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), CD47, L-selectin and advanced oxidation proteinproducts (AOPP) in osteoarthritis and the intervention of curcumin. Methods: A total of 20 male C57BL/6 mice (10.05-15.00 g) were randomly divided into control group, OA group, Cur25 group and Cur50 group (intraperitoneal injected 25 μmol/L or 50 μmol/L of curcumin everyday after modeling). After 4 weeks treatment, we observed the morphological changes of the gross specimen by immunohistochemical method, and observed the ultrastructure of cartilage tissue under electron microscope. The expression of MMP-2, MCP-1 and CD47 were detected by western blotting, and L-selectin and AOPP were detected by ELISA and spectrophotometer, respectively. Results: In the cartilage tissue morphology, the chondrocytes of OA group showed obvious change, while Cur25 and Cur50 groups maintained the good cartilage cell membrane intact. Compared with control group, the expressions of MMP-2, MCP-1, L-selectin and AOPP in OA group, Cur25 group and Cur50 group were increased (all P<0.05), while CD47 levels were decreased (all P<0.05). Compared with OA group, the expressions of MMP-2, MCP-1, L-selectin and AOPP in Cur25 group and Cur50 group were decreased (all P<0.05), while CD47 levels were increased (all P<0.05), and such changes were more significant in Cur50 group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The MMP-2, MCP-1, CD47, L-selectin and AOPP are closely associated with the pathology course of OA. Curcumin has protection effect on cartilage, which can relieve joint cartilage degeneration, reduce cartilage inflammation and increase the metabolic activity of chondrocytes.


Sumatera thin tail (STT) sheep are highly adapted to the local environment, no seasonal reproductive activity, and highresistance to internal parasite, but they have small body size and low mature body weight. "On Fann research" to identify morphological characteristics of intoduced breed and STT sheep, as well as an altemative conservation pattem were conducted in two location, i.e. Pulahan village, Air Batu District, Asahan Regency as the potensial area for STT sheep and Pulo Gambar village, Galang District, Deli Serdang Regency as the development area of introduced breed of sheep. The approach of Agroecosystem analysis, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of STT and introduced breed of sheep as well as interview to the farmer that raised STT in order to get recommendation of conservation pattern were aplied. The study show that STT sheep were isolated from the other area, and the populations tend to decrease from year to year. Qualitative characteristics of STT indicated smaller linear body measurements than those of introducted breed of sheep at the same age. Qualitative characteristics indicated that STT possess dominance body color of light brown and white (50.93% vs 41.28%). The STT mostly have one body color pattern (61.75%). The dominance spotted pattem were 1-10% of the body (60.29%), while the dominance of the head color was light brown (48.40%). Conservation pattern of STT are through natural process, in which the farmers are directly conserved, therefore the farmers do not have opportunity to develop their sheep farming. Therefore the conservation pattern recomnendation for STT sheep are by defending the location as "in situ conservation" or "on farm conservation" and giving "compensation program" to fanner because STT sheep farming less benefit than those of introduced breed of sheep. Key Word : Sumatera thin tail sheep, introduced breed of sheep, characterization, Conservation patter


Recent years have seen significant changes in the way scientists view microglia and their role in health and disease. For decades, it was presumed that microglia were stationary, inactive immune cells in the brain, waiting for an immunologic insult to call them into action. In contrast, modern imaging techniques have revealed that microglia are constantly in motion, surveying their environment. Lineage tracing studies have led to the understanding that microglia are part of a larger family of cells, called tissue-resident macrophages, which arise from early yolk sac progenitors during embryogenesis and engraft nearly every organ in the body. Microglia, and all tissue-resident macrophages, rely on signaling through CD115 (the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor) for survival, primarily through the ligand, macrophage colony-stimulating factor. However, it is now understood that some microglia have a specific need for another CD115 ligand, Interleukin-34, which is only shared with Langerhans cells in the skin. In contrast to classical views, recent evidence suggests that the primary functions of microglia may occur during postnatal neurodevelopment and adult homeostasis, as absence or impairment of microglia results in a pathology separate from inflammatory immune function. In summary, these advances suggest that microglia might eventually be utilized or targeted to improve disease outcomes via encouraging or enhancing their health-promoting homeostatic functions.


Abstract:In the spring of 1914, the US Bureau of Immigration sent Kate Waller Barrett, a well-known American medical doctor, social reformer, and suffragist, on a three-month trip across Europe to study the sources of the "white slave traffic." Although Barrett stressed her interest in protecting the victims of white slavery, her report focused on the power of the US government to deport noncitizen women for their postentry sexual conduct. Barrett argued that sexually immoral immigrant women could be redeemed through the process of deportation if they were cared for by women immigration officers with the cooperation of women's voluntary organizations around the world. This article examines how Barrett and the Bureau worked together to reconfigure deportation as a protective rather than a punitive act. In doing so, they expanded the authority of white maternalist women's organizations to police poor migrant women and women of color domestically, and to pursue US government interests in the international arena.


This study presents Optical, Microstructural, EPMA and X-ray tomography studies of the chromium-containing Beryl samples of Bangiriposi, Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The detailed microscopic studies followed by EDAX analysis of different phases revealed the presence of beryllium aluminium silicate as the major matrix with yttrium silicate, Apatite, Albite, Quartz, Zircon, Cordierite and Ferichromite as minor inclusions. Micro-Raman data of the polished surface established the presence of gaseous (CO2, CH4), Water, and other Minerals. Few rare earth (lanthanides) elements such as Ce, Nd, Gd, Y and Sc, along with other transitional elements such as Ti and Zr, Cs are found to be present in these beryl samples. The volume percentage of silicate, phosphate, and oxide, as well as gaseous inclusions, are determined by X-ray tomographic study and are found to be 24%, 3.122% and 6.717% respectively.


We present a detailed analysis of the space motions of 1203 solar-neighborhood stars with metal abundances [Fe/H] ≤ -0.6, on the basis of a catalog, of metal-poor stars selected without kinematic bias recently revised and supplemented by Beers et al. This sample, having available proper motions, radial velocities, and distance estimates for stars with a wide range of metal abundances, is by far the largest such catalog to be assembled to date. We show that the stars in our sample with [Fe/H] ≤-2.2, which likely represent a "pure" halo component, are characterized by a radially elongated velocity ellipsoid (σU, σV, σW) = (141 ± 11, 106 ± 9, 94 ± 8) km s-1 and small prograde rotation ⟨Vϕ⟩ = 30 to 50 km s-1, consistent with previous analysis of this sample by Beers and Sommer-Larsen based on radial velocity information alone. In contrast to the previous analysis, we find a decrease in ⟨Vϕ⟩ with increasing distance from the Galactic plane for stars that are likely to be members of the halo population (Δ⟨Vϕ⟩/Δ|Z| = -52 ± 6 km s-1 kpc-1), which may represent the signature of a dissipatively formed flattened inner halo. Unlike essentially all previous kinematically selected catalogs, the metal-poor stars in our sample exhibit a diverse distribution of orbital eccentricities, e, with no apparent correlation between [Fe/H] and e. This demonstrates, clearly and convincingly, that the evidence offered in 1962 by Eggen, Lynden-Bell, & Sandage for a rapid collapse of the Galaxy, an apparent correlation between the orbital eccentricity of halo stars with metallicity, is basically the result of their proper-motion selection bias. However, even in our nonkinematically selected sample, we have identified a small concentration of high-e stars at [Fe/H] ∼ -1.7, which may originate, in part, from infalling gas during the early formation of the Galaxy. We find no evidence for an additional thick disk component for stellar abundances [Fe/H] ≤ -2.2. The kinematics of the intermediate-abundance stars close to the Galactic plane are, in part, affected by the presence of a rapidly rotating thick disk component with ⟨Vϕ⟩ ≃200 km s-1 (with a vertical velocity gradient on the order of Δ⟨Vϕ⟩/Δ|Z| = -30 ± 3 km s-1 kpc-1) and velocity ellipsoid (σU, σV, σW) = (46 ± 4, 50 ± 4, 35 ± 3) km s-1. The fraction of low-metallicity stars in the solar neighborhood that are members of the thick disk population is estimated as ∼10% for -2.2 < [Fe/H] ≤ -1.7 and ∼30% for -1.7 < [Fe/H] ≤ -1. We obtain an estimate of the radial scale length of the metal-weak thick disk of 4.5 ± 0.6 kpc. We also analyze the global kinematics of the stars constituting the halo component of the Galaxy. The outer part of the halo, which we take to be represented by local stars on orbits reaching more than 5 kpc from the Galactic plane, exhibits no systematic rotation. In particular, we show that previous suggestions of the presence of a "counter-rotating high halo" are not supported by our analysis. The density distribution of the outer halo is nearly spherical and exhibits a power-law profile that is accurately described as ρ ∝ R-3.55±0.13. The inner part of the halo is characterized by a prograde rotation and a highly flattened density distribution. We find no distinct boundary between the inner and outer halo. We confirm the clumping in angular-momentum phase space of a small number of local metal-poor stars noted in 1999 by Helmi et al. We also identify an additional elongated feature in angular-momentum phase space extending from the clump to regions with high azimuthal rotation. The number of members in the detected clump is not significantly increased from that reported by Helmi et al., even though the total number of the sample stars we consider is almost triple that of the previous investigation. We conclude that the fraction of halo stars that may have arisen from the precursor object of this clump may be smaller than 10% of the present Galactic halo, as previously suggested. The implications of our results for the formation of the Galaxy are discussed, in particular in the context of the currently favored cold dark matter theory of hierarchical galaxy formation.


Most of the time in a distribution system, depot location and vehicle routing are interdependent, and recent studies have shown that the overall system cost may be excessive if routing decisions are ignored when locating depots. The location-routing problem (LRP) overcomes this drawback by simultaneously tackling location and routing decisions. This paper presents a cooperative metaheuristic to solve the LRP with capacitated routes and depots. The principle is to alternate between a depot location phase and a routing phase, exchanging information on the most promising edges. In the first phase, the routes and their customers are aggregated into supercustomers, leading to a facility-location problem, which is then solved by a Lagrangean relaxation of the assignment constraints. In the second phase, the routes from the resulting multidepot vehicle-routing problem (VRP) are improved using a granular tabu search (GTS) heuristic. At the end of each global iteration, information about the edges most often used is recorded to be used in the following phases. The method is evaluated on three sets of randomly generated instances and compared with other heuristics and a lower bound. Solutions are obtained in a reasonable amount of time for such a strategic problem and show that this metaheuristic outperforms other methods on various kinds of instances.


Technology is the technical means people use to improve their surroundings. People use technology to improve their ability to do work. Clas.srooms around the world have implemented many forms of technology to enhance student interest and achievement. One form of technology that is common to math classrooms is the graphing calculator. One eighth grade math class of nineteen students from an urban middle school was taught a unit on Solving Systems of Equations by Graphing. The unit was implemented with and without the use of the graphing calculator. Students were first introduced to the unit through the use of pencils and graph paper. All the graphing was done by hand and students had to determine the solutions of the systems of equations by proper graphing techniques. The students were then tested at the end of the unit. Students were then given the same unit but were now able to use the graphing calculator as a means to enhance their learning of Solving Systems of Equations through graphing. Students were then tested again but this time they were able to use the graphing calculator during the test. Student achievement for the unit had risen and grades on the assessments had increased due to the presence of technology. Student engagement and interest had also increased due to the presence of technology. Table of


Abstract Despite the fact that the benefits of pair and group work for those espousing an interactionist view of second language learning are well documented (Lightbown & Spada, 1999; Long, 1981; Pica, 1994, 1996; Van Lier, 1996), learning environments exist in which students have no option but to study alone. Of particular interest for this research are learners who, despite studying in contexts supportive of collaborative interaction in the classroom, have little opportunity to interact with partners when trying to participate in collaborative reading comprehension exercises outside school. In an attempt to find a solution to this potentially inhibiting learning context, this research comprises an investigation into (a) whether the introduction of computer-mediated Elaborative feedback before Knowledge of Correct Response (KCR) feedback better promotes quality interaction and comprehension of a web-based reading text and (b) whether computer-mediated communication (CMC) offers a suitable means for generating quality interaction between peers in remote locations. While completing a web-based multiple-choice reading comprehension exercise, students worked in pairs and received either KCR feedback only, or Elaborative feedback before KCR feedback. In contrast to KCR feedback which simply comprises the correct answers, Elaborative feedback was produced in the form of hints to foster interaction and to support dyads in their attempts at self-correcting any incorrect answers. Using a multiple-try methodology, hints became increasingly specific for questions repeatedly answered incorrectly. Upon completing a follow-up comprehension exercise alone, all students were provided with KCR feedback only. Results from a quantitative analysis of the comprehension scores indicate that students who were provided with Elaborative feedback subsequently scored significantly higher on the follow-up exercise. Furthermore, results from a qualitative analysis of interactions suggest that CMC is a suitable way of generating quality interaction between students, particularly when Elaborative feedback is included.


The paper aims to capture post-accession effects of Romania's integration in the common market upon the external performances of the agricultural products; the analysis of intra-Community agri-food trade, by commodity groups, highlighted the existing opportunities of the products with expressed export potential and the areas affected by the net imports. The calculation of the relative unit value indices provided the bases for assessment of the quality of Romanian agricultural traded products, resulting empiric evidences upon the level of integration of the agricultural trade flows and post-accession evolution, i.e. deterioration or improvement, of their terms of trade.


An investigation as to whether any particular subgroup of patients with Hodgkin's disease was particularly likely to be Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome positive was made on samples from 95 patients. These were grouped according to age and Hodgkin's disease subtype, and analysed using Southern blot analysis. Most samples from children or adults aged 50 years or over contained detectable EBV genomes; samples from young adults were only rarely positive. The differences in EBV positivity by age were highly significant, but there was no significant association between EBV and histological subtype after allowing for the effect of age. The results support the hypothesis that Hodgkin's disease in different age groups may have different aetiologies, and suggest that EBV does have a pathogenetic role in Hodgkin's disease in children and older age groups.


Androgen insensitivity syndrome is a condition that affects sexual development before birth and during puberty. People with this condition are genetically male, with one X chromosome and one Y chromosome in each cell. Because their bodies are unable to respond to certain male sex hormones (called androgens), they may have mostly female external sex characteristics or signs of both male and female sexual development.


CARM1 (PRMT4) is a type I arginine methyltransferase involved in the regulation of transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, cell cycle progression and the DNA damage response. Overexpression of CARM1 has been implicated in breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Since CARM1 appears to be a good target for the development of therapies against these cancers, we studied the substrate specificity and kinetic mechanism of the full-length human enzyme. CARM1 has been shown to methylate both residues R17 and R26 of histone H3. Substrate specificity was examined by testing CARM1 activity with several H3-based peptide substrates using a radiometric assay. Comparison of kcat/KM values reveal that methylation of H3R17 is preferred over H3R26. An R17/R26K peptide produced 8-fold greater kcat/KM value compared to the corresponding R17K/R26 peptide. These effects are KM-driven as kcat values remain relatively constant for the peptides tested. Shortening the peptide at the C-terminus by 5 amino acid residues greatly reduced the specificity (16-24-fold), demonstrating the contribution of distal residues to substrate binding. In contrast, adding residues to the N-terminus of the shortened peptide had a negative effect on activity. CARM1 displays little preference for monomethylated over unmethylated H3R17 (2-5-fold by kcat/KM) suggesting that it operates through a distributive mechanism. Previous crystallographic studies with mouse CARM1 showed that part of the substrate binding groove was formed by cofactor binding, thereby suggesting an ordered kinetic mechanism (Yue et al., EMBO J., 2007). Our results from dead-end and product inhibition studies performed with human CARM1, however, are consistent with a random kinetic mechanism. SAH and sinefungin demonstrate competitive inhibition with respect to SAM and produced noncompetitive inhibition patterns with respect to peptide. Both dimethylated R17 product peptide and dead-end R17K peptide exhibited noncompetitive inhibition patterns with respect to SAM. Furthermore, binding of SAM and peptide substrates were shown to be independent of each other in initial velocity experiments where both substrates were varied. Together, these results elucidate the kinetic mechanism of CARM1 and highlight elements important for binding affinity. Citation Format: Suzanne L. Jacques, Katrina P. Aquino, Jodi Gureasko, P Ann Boriack-Sjodin, Robert A. Copeland, Thomas V. Riera. CARM1 preferentially methylates H3R17 over H3R26 through a random kinetic mechanism. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 97. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-97


Photo by Alex Guillaume on Unsplash
Introduction
The problem of climate change raises some important philosophical, existential questions. I propose a radical solution designed to provoke reflection on the role of humans in climate change. To push the theoretical limits of what measures people are willing to accept to combat it, an extreme population control tool is proposed: allowing people to reproduce only if they make a financial commitment guaranteeing a carbon-neutral upbringing.
Solving the problem of climate change in the long run by halting the procreation of human beings is controversial. In the absence of human beings and consequent climate change, other animals and plant species would benefit from an atmosphere more conducive to prolonging their existence and even improving their ability to thrive. If someone were to invent something to reverse the effects of climate change and improve animals' lives, then human beings' presence would be justified by the invention. Whether the propagation of the human species is beneficial to anyone or anything but human beings themselves is difficult to answer. Perhaps human beings are unfit to tackle this issue, being unable to judge it objectively.
Managing Procreation: An alternative to Piecemeal Approaches
Measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gases by nudging individuals and corporations may have a positive effect, but if their behavior is not climate neutral, they continue to contribute to climate change. Consequently, as long as the number of people increases, reducing greenhouse gases is at best a mitigation tool. If humans could rely solely on renewable energy, decreasing the population arguably would not be necessary.
Significantly reducing the number of people appears to provide a solution to both problems: people who do not exist do not contribute to climate change, and renewable energy could meet the demand of a smaller population. One option is to let only those who produce the problem pay for its solution. One could determine the expected annual emission of greenhouse gases per person, assuming an average life expectancy, and calculate the costs to compensate them by, e.g., installing extra solar panels. Those expected costs could then be paid by the parents of each new person annually over the first eighteen years of that person's life by dividing the total expected costs by eighteen.
There are also practical difficulties. It would be difficult to determine the payment necessary. What should be done if a child has been born whose parents cannot afford to pay? In addition, child benefits could be canceled, contrary to recent incentives for child births instated in Italy,[1] where additional benefits will be made available to pay for childcare, and Hungary,[2] where women with four children or more will be exempted for life from paying income tax. A transition period could exist once the policy has been adopted, since it would be unreasonable to confront those who are already pregnant with costs they could not reasonably have expected. While the analysis is both hypothetical and theoretical, the impracticality is a noteworthy obstacle. There are several practical issues that cannot be addressed here, like the difficulty of calculating the added negative effects of each new individual and the unlikelihood that many citizens will support politicians who propose adopting policies that discourage having children.
The upshot of what I have proposed is that climate change can be solved in the long run without financial costs to society as a whole, notwithstanding the transitional measures that would bring costs with them.
Managing Procreation to Reduce Suffering
Should this be deemed too harsh a stance, it is important to consider the basic issue of whether it is justified to introduce measures to reduce the number of people in an already overpopulated world, especially if climate change leads to additional suffering. One need not agree with Benatar, but his perspective must at least be taken seriously:
It is curious that while good people go to great lengths to spare their children from suffering, few of them seem to notice that the one (and only) guaranteed way to prevent all the suffering of their children is not to bring those children into existence in the first place.[3]
Benatar argues that non-existence is preferable to existence,[4] which raises the question why new people should be created at all. Those who question whether this planet will be habitable for future generations presuppose that such generations will exist. If people are not brought into existence, they may be said to be deprived of what life has to offer, but life must not be presupposed to be something positive. Whether this is the case in fact merits an inquiry of its own. A solution to the problem of climate change despite an increased population does not equate to a positive outcome since it merely means that something negative is removed. After all, solving the problem is not a means to an end, but a means to a means, the latter means being a means to a happy life, which does not automatically ensue from a solution to the problem.
Benatar, as an anti-natalist, argues that procreation is morally wrong. His basic idea is that there is an asymmetry between pleasure and pain and that the pleasure that is not experienced by someone because that person does not exist is not something bad whereas the absence of pain that is not experienced – for the same reason – is something good.[5] Accordingly, "The reason why we do not lament our failure to bring somebody into existence is because absent pleasures are not bad."[6] One may question whether such a perspective suffices to prove that coming into existence is always a harm, but the assertion that coming into existence exposes a new being to potential harm is clear.
Objections
A drawback of the proposed radical solution, placing the financial impediment on procreation, is that it will not solve climate change in the short run. A significant drop in the number of people (if that were achieved) may have a positive effect in the long run, but for now the behavior of the people in existence is the problem. Other climate change mitigation policies would necessarily continue.
Additionally, there are important practical reasons to continue to procreate. The benefits for the elderly are paid for by the labor force. It is a problem that new generations are created as mere means to benefit older people. Perhaps more troubling, a pyramid scheme is created: by the time those people have themselves become old, a new labor force must have been brought into existence, a process that must presumably continue. If a consideration for people in developing countries to have children is that they cannot provide for themselves at an advanced age, while benefits are either lacking or insufficient, developed countries could collectively fund a pension scheme.[7] This may be low-cost if it is tailored to the living standard in the countries in question and given the life expectancy. Such a pension scheme should be predicated on the countries' efforts in reducing the birth rate.
If the labor force decreases, the economy may suffer. The focus on economic growth is arguably one of the causes of climate change, but if the number of people is reduced, the living standard does not have to be compromised, since the economy can then still grow. If fewer people began to use natural resources and nonrenewable energy at higher per capita rates, then the procreation might not be beneficial to the climate. It would need to be accompanied by regulations on use.
One may also object that only wealthy people will be able to afford children. This is correct, but there is no right to have a child one cannot afford. The right to procreate does not entail the right to have as many children as one wants.[8] Yet in many countries, like the United States, it is a fundamental right that is constitutionally protected.
There are numerous social, emotional, and even biological reasons why people choose to procreate. These may include the joy of having a family, the hope that children may bring in society, and the intergenerational transference of knowledge. People may have a strong desire to raise children or even a religious duty.
If someone procures a sports car that is highly polluting, it would be justifiable to impose a tax in such a case (also discouraging future buyers). Many taxes and fines are imposed on corporate polluters. Procreation is significantly different but if the issue is regarded with some distance, then a climate change prevention tax could be appropriate.
Some may argue that raising children is expensive already, which nonetheless does not deter people from having children. The tax I propose would be additional and specifically dedicated to carbon neutrality, but it would be difficult to predict whether it would discourage procreation.
One last objection may be that for those now dedicated to sustainability for preserving the earth for the sake of future generations, there would be little or no incentive to continue any climate change mitigation efforts at all. If they sense they cannot afford to procreate, they may simply use every natural resource rather than save the earth for animals or for next generations. In a democracy, this problem does not exist if the majority can afford to procreate and agree with legislation on the basis of which such behavior is discouraged or punished.
CONCLUSION
Prior to their existence, there is no obligation to bequeath the earth to next generations. Such generations will only exist if they are actually created, and there is no obligation to create them. The lack of existence should not be confused with harm. Climate change provides an important reason to stem overpopulation. Ironically, fast rates of procreation may lead to the earth becoming uninhabitable for humans altogether.
The radical solution that has been proposed here is


The bridge plug is a staple tool used in downhole operation and the performance of the slips has a directly influence on the oil well productivity and production safety. We raised an optimize method based on BP network and genetic algorithm to make sure the slips satisfy the high temperature and high pressure demands. Establishing the slips system and making finite element analysis by ANSYS, abtaining sixteen group datas to constitute the BP network training samples, establishing the BP simulation model reflecting curvature radius of the slip fluke, dip angle of the fluke, angle of the fluke and distance between flukes using nonlinearity mapping ability of the neural network, applying optimize design for the simulation model using global optimization ability of the genetic algorithm and abtaining the optimum structure parameters of the slip. The optimized results indicate the whole performance of the slips system has increased notably.


Background The stress concentration at the site of supraspinatus tendon repair, either by suture anchor fixation or by transosseous suture fixation, has not been fully clarified. Hypothesis Suture anchor fixation showed higher stress concentrations in the tendon than did transosseous suture fixation. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Three finite element models were developed based on a previously published model of normal supraspinatus tendon (0° abduction). Single-row fixation, double-row fixation, and transosseous suture fixation were simulated. A tensile force was applied to the proximal end of the supraspinatus tendon to simulate its contraction force. Results In the single-row model, the stress appeared from the site of the anchor and extended into the proximal tendon. The highest stress concentration was observed on the bursal surface of the tendon. The double-row model showed a similar pattern to the single-row model except that the stress concentration was observed only around the medial anchor. In the transosseous model, the stress appeared from the attachment site to a bony trough, which extended proximally into the tendon substance. No significant stress concentration was observed inside the tendon. Conclusion Both single-row and double-row fixations showed higher stress concentration inside the tendon than did transosseous suture fixation. Clinical Relevance A high stress concentration might be a cause of the rerupture often observed after arthroscopic cuff repair using suture anchors.


CONTEXT
Chronic pain is common in primary care patients and is associated with distress, disability, and increased health care use.

OBJECTIVE
To assess whether a collaborative intervention can improve chronic pain-related outcomes, including comorbid depression severity, in a Department of Veterans Affairs primary care setting.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Cluster randomized controlled trial of a collaborative care assistance with pain treatment intervention vs treatment as usual at 5 primary care clinics of 1 Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Forty-two primary care clinicians were randomized to the assistance with pain treatment intervention group or the treatment as usual group. The 401 patients had musculoskeletal pain diagnoses, moderate or greater pain intensity, and disability lasting 12 weeks or longer and were assigned to the same treatment groups as their clinicians. Recruitment occurred from January 2006 to January 2007 and follow-up concluded in January 2008.

INTERVENTION
Assistance with pain treatment included a 2-session clinician education program, patient assessment, education and activation, symptom monitoring, feedback and recommendations to clinicians, and facilitation of specialty care.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Changes over 12 months in pain-related disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, range of 0-24), pain intensity (Chronic Pain Grade [CPG] Pain Intensity subscale, range of 0-100), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 [PHQ-9], range of 0-27), measured as beta coefficients (difference in slopes in points per month).

RESULTS
Intervention patients had a mean (SD) of 10.6 (4.5) contacts with the assistance with pain treatment team. Compared with the patients receiving treatment as usual, intervention patients showed greater improvements in pain-related disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire beta, -0.101 [95% confidence interval {CI}, -0.163 to -0.040]; P = .004 and CPG Pain Intensity subscale beta, -0.270 [95% CI, -0.480 to -0.061]; P = .01). Among patients with baseline depression (PHQ-9 score > or = 10), there was greater improvement in depression severity in patients receiving the intervention compared with patients receiving treatment as usual (PHQ-9 beta, -0.177 [95% CI, -0.295 to -0.060]; P = .003). The differences in scores between baseline and 12 months for the assistance with pain treatment intervention group and the treatment as usual group, respectively, were -1.4 vs -0.2 for the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, -4.7 vs -0.6 for the CPG Pain Intensity subscale, and -3.7 vs -1.2 for PHQ-9.

CONCLUSION
The assistance with pain treatment collaborative intervention resulted in modest but statistically significant improvement in a variety of outcome measures.

TRIAL REGISTRATION
clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00129480.


The synthesis of influenza virus ribonucleoprotein structures (RNPs) in infected chick embryo cells was analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in the presence of sodium deoxycholate which resolves the RNPs into five size classes. A relatively small proportion of total RNPs accumulated in the nucleus but free NP protein was found there in large amounts over the period 1.5 to 4 h post-infection. In contrast, by 4 h post-infection, all cytoplasmic NP was complexed into RNP structures. At early times, during a 15 min pulse of [aSSlmethionine, nearly all the newly synthesized NP was incorporated into RNPs but by 4 h the majority of pulse-labelled NP was present as free protein. However, the proportion of free NP:NP in RNPs remained constant over the 1.5 to 4 h post-infection period, indicating that there was a delay before the NP synthesized later in infection was assembled into RNP structures. Individual RNP size classes were predominantly cytoplasmic and accumulated at similar rates but were not produced in equimolar amounts. The rates of synthesis of individual RNPs were in general agreement with their rates of accumulation with the remarkable exception of RNP d (containing RNA 7, the matrix protein gene). This was synthesized nearly 10-fold faster but accumulated at the same rate as the other RNPs. Possibly RNP d is more rapidly degraded than the other RNPs.


Fisheries, wildlife and pastures are under massive pressure in the Kafue Flats, a wetland, which is one of the largest floodplains in Southern and Central Africa. This ecosystem which once harboured abundant common-pool resources and which was managed by local common property regimes is now being threatened with overexploitation. The last 30 years however, have witnessed severe pressure and overuse of these commons. A historical and institutional analysis of the situation of common-pool resources indicates that overuse of fisheries and the mismanagement of wildlife goes back to the erosion of traditional institutions by state governance. Institutional weakness resulting from economic decline in the country is of major concern as the institutions can no longer effectively enforce regulations in the area, a situation which has led to a de facto open access constellation for common-pool resources. The paper discusses three cases. The first is the WWF-Wetland Project and the Administrative Management Design (ADMADE) initiative which was designed to deal with management of Lochinvar and Blue Lagoon National Parks and the adjacent Game Management Area through the involvement of local chiefs and local communities. The second case refers to the Partners for Wetlands Project, which included local people via their chiefs as well as the public and private sectors from large agricultural enterprises to the eastern side of the Kafue Flats (Mwanachinwala Conservation Area project in Mazabuka). However, both attempts yielded poor results due to misconceptions of traditional representation of local communities and misinterpretation of local economic and political incentives. Although the ADMADE programme appears to be a scaling up case, its implementation continues to receive considerable resistance from opposition leaders of chiefs and later by the chiefs themselves. In the third case, the paper examines the fishery constitutional process which had started in 2004 for creating by-laws based on initiatives of local staff of the Department of Fisheries, local interest groups and researchers. A broad local debate on how to manage the fisheries in a sustainable way and develop locally based by-laws for joint management of fisheries gives good potential for success and appears promising for the future of fisheries in Kafue Flats. Despite many difficulties it is an example of local collective action in order to scale up governance of common-pool resources.


Mesoamerica is well known for the Mayan civilization, which flourished in this region during pre-Columbian times and made use of plant diversity for medicinal purposes. Currently, there are 21 Mayan ethnic groups in Guatemala, including the Q'eqchi'. The use of medicinal plants is still prevalent among them, they have been an important medicinal source for the population. The present study aims to compile traditional knowledge of the use of medicinal plants from three Q'eqchi' communities in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala and identify the important medicinal plants that are currently being used to treat relevant diseases. The study also aims to determine the relative importance of the identified species to propose new species for further pharmacological studies. Based on the cultural richness and the low level of perturbation of the vegetation, we selected the Q'eqchi' communities of Sanimtaqá, Santo Domingo de las Cuevas, and Chirrepec in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. There, semi-structured interviews were conducted between June 2013 and December 2014 with common people. Plant-related questions and certain sociocultural contexts of the informants were included. Herbarium specimens for identification were collected with the help of the informants in their gardens with people from each community. The data were analyzed in two forms, the first non-quantitative based on the interpretation of the interviews (emic concepts of diseases) the second by following quantitative methods: informant consensus factor (Fic), Friedman's fidelity index (Fl), and use-reports (Ur). A total of 169 interviews were conducted. One hundred thirty-seven species of plants with medicinal uses were identified, which were described 2,055 times. These species belong to 59 families and 117 genera. Gastrointestinal conditions and pain/fever had the highest number of plant species uses for treatment. The main gastrointestinal conditions included diarrhea (Nume'sa'), stomach pain and worms (Luqum), while the pain/fever classification included headaches (rail jolom), and fevers (Tiq'). The most important cultural condition is called Chaquiq'yaj, the symptoms of the disease; diarrhea, vomiting, fever, lack of appetite, and thirst could be associated with a gastrointestinal. Conclusions: After analyzing the data, we can conclude that; Ageratina ligustrina, Catopheria chiapensis, Baccharis inamoena, Peperomia maculosa, Baccharis salicina, Clinopodium brownei, Calea integrifolia, and Smallanthus maculatus var. maculatus are the most culturally relevant species.


An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of shigella toxin. For the assay, a mouse monoclonal antibody against the B subunit of the toxin and a rabbit polyclonal antibody against the holotoxin were employed. The monoclonal antibody was used to coat wells of a microtiter plate, and the polyclonal antibody preparation was used as the detecting antibody. The amount of bound polyclonal antibody was determined by using a goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G-alkaline phosphatase conjugate and substrate. The ELISA was able to detect as little as 12 pg (0.06 ng/ml) of shigella toxin. The assay was specific for shigella toxin, not detecting a variety of other bacterial enterotoxins and lethal toxins. The ELISA values correlated well with cytotoxin activity during toxin purification. Shigella toxin was detected by ELISA and by immunoblot analysis in human fecal specimens from persons with S. dysenteriae infections, demonstrating that this toxin is produced in vivo.


This work introduces a new Advanced Layered Composite (ALC) design that redirects impact load through the action of a lattice of 3D printed micro-compliant mechanisms. The first layer directly comes in contact with the impacting body and its function is to prevent an intrusion of the impacting body and uniformly distribute the impact forces over a large area. This layer can be made from fiber woven composites imbibed in the polymer matrix or from metals. The third layer is to serve a purpose of establishing contact between the protective structure and body to be protected. It can be a cushioning material or a hard metal depending on the application. The second layer is a compliant buffer zone (CBZ) which is sandwiched between two other layers is responsible for the dampening of most of the impact energy. The compliant buffer zone, comprised by the lattice of micro-compliant mechanism, is designed using topology optimization to dynamically respond by distributing localized impact in the normal direction into a distributed load in the radial direction (perpendicular to the normal direction). The compliant buffer zone depicts a large radial deformation in the middle but not on the surface, which only moves in the normal direction. The effect is a significant reduction of the interfacial shear stress with two adjacent layered phases. A low interfacial shear stress translates into a reduced delamination. The ALC's response to the impact is tested by using dynamic finite element analysis. The proposed ALC design is intended to be used for the design of protective devices such as helmets and crashworthy components in vehicle structures.


Depending on the identification methods of quality state such as correlation analysis, a quality identification and control model based on quality state was established in this paper. This model included formal description methods, identification methods, and quality control strategies. Based on the product quality data correlation analysis, the model's application procedures were put forward. It provides an effective approach to maintaining ideal quality state, to improving the stability and controllability of quality control system. It constructs an application foundation for quality dynamic control.


Debate continues over what was spoken in Britain before, during and after it was settled by the Anglo-Saxons in the middle of the first millennium ad. Schrijver (2009) argues that phonological and phonetic developments in Old English provide vital clues. Accordingly, Old English changed in different ways from other Germanic languages due to contact with an early British Celtic variety that resembled Old Irish. Aspects of this proposal have been greeted with a degree of interest and approval by linguists but have escaped detailed review. This article argues instead that the Old English developments are closely aligned to those found in other Germanic languages. It also includes novel research results which explain the variation in late Northumbrian Old English  and  spellings on (morpho)phonological grounds, showing that this alternation too provides no evidence for Celtic influence.


Detailed strain relaxation studies of epitaxial magnetite, Fe3O4, films on MgO(100) substrates grown by magnetron sputtering reveal the accommodation of strain up to 600 nm thickness, a thickness far above the critical thickness (tc) predicted by theoretical models. The results are in agreement with the suggestion that the excess strain in Fe3O4/MgO (100) heteroepitaxy is accommodated by the presence of antiphase boundaries. The compressive strain generated by the antiphase boundaries compensates for the tensile strain within the growth islands, allowing the film to remain fully coherent with the substrate. Contrary to earlier findings, magnetization decreases with an increase in the film thickness. This vindicates the view that the structure of the antiphase boundaries depends on the growth conditions.


The structural gene for the catalase of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was cloned into a Kat- strain of that organism by using a recombinant vector derived from one of the beta-lactamase-specifying plasmids found in that organism. The kat gene was then successfully subcloned into both pUC8 and pGB2, transformed into Escherichia coli, and shown to complement the E. coli katE mutants UM2 and UMRl. The gene was subsequently mutagenized and returned to the gonococcus to generate a Kat- strain that was phenotypically identical to the strain originally used to clone the gene. The sequence of the gene and the derived amino acid sequence showed that the gonococcal kat gene closely resembles the hktE gene of Haemophilus influenzae. The sequence of the promoter region of the gonococcal kat gene is unusual and may explain the extremely high, loosely regulated expression of the gene.


Ads are basically oriented marketing (publicity) and the parameters of satisfaction level of
product sales, but in terms of political advertising is one of the vote rising presidential
candidate.
SBY's campaign team expertise, cleverly tried to harness the power of mass media as a
supporter of the publicity, the pumping rate popularistasnya. Figure SBY is the answer will
be longing for the presence of a leader, an idol star of the public community. Political
campaign ads is a new medium of political communication that arise from the dynamics due
to speed the reform process of democratization since the fall of president Soeharto. The need
for political communication forms that are more mass has been started and is considered
important by the political parties old and new as a means to mobilize voter support when
fighting for the vote on Election 1999 and subsequent elections
Based on the above explanation, the problem can be formulated question (problem question)
research as follows: "how the constructed imagery in political ads (version" a brief profile ")
SBY-Boediono through television advertising campaign?". From the formulation of the
problems mentioned above, the purpose of this study is to interpret what kind of image
building has been built by Indonesia on the political ads Fox SBY-Boediono through political
campaign ads on television (version "a brief profile"), so it can be presented with a slick and
SBY won.
This study uses qualitative research interpretive theoretical base which is intended to convey
a description and / or understanding of how and why political ads SBY capable of forming
images and image building that once wore in the community through advertising campaigns
in television versions of "short profile." Using Roland Barthes's semiotic approach where
researchers feel there's suitability in examining political ads SBY using this approach. The
approach used in this study is to see and interpret how the message or rather signs that
construct the image and image building through political ads SBY-Boediono (version "a brief
profile"). Data analysis techniques will be used in this research is to use Roland Barthes's
semiotic analysis to interpret the meaning of political advertising campaign version of "SBY-
Boediono brief profile" which will be investigated. Based on the model of Barthes's semiotic
analysis, the sign is the construction of symbols or messages that pemaknaannya not enough
only by linking the signifier and signified only, but must also be conducted with respect to
the composition (construction) and content (content) of the symbol.
Based on this research, the researcher could draw a common thread, namely how the image is
built with a very slick political consultants SBY-Boediono namely Fox Indonesia. The first
SBY and Boediono described its origins came from a humble family and ordinary people, but they were dedicated to become leaders. Second, the government of SBY in the previous
period is considered to have been quite successful and should continue, and entrusted to a
leader like SBY. Third and principal of all advertising is to build a personal image of SBY.
SBY and a slick Boediono in outlook (simple, and stout). Television and mass media has
influenced our artistic charm and persuade, so with that expected us to realize that political
ads have been created and established a series of imaging through visual and narrative
representation. Must be aware of political campaign ads has created a hyper reality of the
president and vice president candidates, namely removal of the reality of actual (real reality)
and creating false realities (pseudo reality) in political life with the promise of success and
prominence has ever achieved before. It is expected that more intelligent people in assessing
the political ads subsequently, where political ads are not only contains the personal image of
the candidate, but rather the ideology and vision of the future if a clear and realistic to be
realized.


W. A. Pool, Director of the Animal Diseases Research Institute, Libertoii, gave ani account of the history of grass disease which suggested that it was first encountered in 1907 at Barry Camp, Forfarshire. It was supposed to have splread gradually until now cases had occurred in every county in the north-east of Scotlalnd. The disease lhad been attributed to various organisms, -including types of streptococci in the nervouis system of animals suffering from the disease,. but the latest evidence suggested that thlese were of onlly secondary importance. Conisiderable attention had been given to the possibility of fungi catusing diseases of this type. It lhad also been suggested that the disease was the same as botulism, but the symptoms of the two diseases were different, although four types of the Bacillus botiilinuis were recognized. Th-e lecturer thought that the cause of grass disease was at present an olen question. Professor Russell Grieg of the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburlglh, describrd the clinical symptoms of acute grass disease, wlhich gave somiie indication as to the nature of the toxin producing them; it belonged apparently to the so-called sympathico-mimetic group. The discussion was continued by Professor Clark of Edinburgh University, who declared ,there was a fairly strong plrobability that the disease was caused by a toxin of some kind. Dr. Drverre, lecturer on bioplhysics in Edinburgh Univer-sity, suggested the possibility of dietetic irritation of tlhe miiucous mem-abrane as a cause. Mr. John Brown, F.R.C.V.S., who was inclined to attribute the disease to inihalationi, and who said that cases occurred on uncultivated land as well as in hiighly cultivated areas, was among numlerous other speakers.


Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is present in nerve fibres throughout the mammalian heart. We have elucidated the effects of NPY on the isolated papillary muscle and heart (Langendorff) from the guinea-pig. The paced papillary muscle was studied with regard to duration of the action potential, peak force, maximum rate of force development, time to peak force, and time from peak force to half relaxation; all these parameters were identical whether or not NPY (5 X 10(-7) M) was present in the medium. When a stimulation with trains of pulses was superimposed, the paced papillary muscle exhibited enhanced contractions. This increase in contractility was not observed in the presence of the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (10(-6) M) and was thus considered to be adrenergically mediated. The latter (adrenergic) response was markedly attenuated by NPY. Since NPY did not interfere with the response to exogenous noradrenaline (NA) it is suggested that the peptide exerts a pre-junctional inhibitory affect on adrenergic nerve-mediated positive inotropy. Neuropeptide Y did not influence the electrocardiogram from the spontaneously beating heart (Lagendorff), nor did the peptide modify the positive chronotropic effect of exogenously applied NA. In conclusion, the results indicate that NPY is without effect on the heart muscle proper but that the sympathetic terminals of the heart possess pre-junctional receptors for NPY (and/or related peptides) related to suppression of stimulated NA release.


This chapter is unique in its focus on infections that are acquired in water. For those who like to swim and spend time in water parks and pools, the exposure to water and therefore the risk of infection is higher. Recreational water illnesses are illnesses related to recreation in water. Of these recreational water illnesses, infections are the most common because water laden with microorganisms or contaminated by human activity gains access to healthy tissue through the skin and body orifices. Infection occurs by inhalation, ingestion, or direct invasion of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal infections are the most common. This chapter discusses skin and soft tissue infections, ocular infections, urinary tract infections, pulmonary infections, central nervous system infections, and disseminated infections that can occur as people come into contact with natural nonmarine water bodies as well as manmade aquatic environments. Most of these infections are mild but can occasionally be life threatening. There is a focus on the latest methods to treat these infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a very common pathogen in water. The chapter discusses P. aeruginosa dermatitis at length and also looks at keratitis and pneumonia caused by this organism. The chapter also discusses the latest treatments for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a severe life-threatening illness with a high mortality, caused by Naegleria fowleri. Finally, there is an in-depth discussion of the notorious gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus and Cryptosporidium parvum that can affect large numbers of people at a time.


Since the 1970s a growing number of Israelis have moved to seek spiritual fulfillment and communal attachments in new religious movements. The crisis of secular modernist Zionist Israel, which started after the Yom Kippur War in 1973, allowed new religious movements to find a fruitful ground for their activities. Many of these new groups developed within the Jewish tradition, often attracting followers based on different ethnic, political and gender sensitivities. Non-Jewish religious movements have also competed in an increasingly open market of spiritual and communal choices in Israeli society. The groups that have done particularly well are those that do not present "foreign deities" as part of their messages. New religious movements have helped Westernize and democratize Israeli society, turning Israel into a nation where individuals have the freedom to join or create new spiritual communities based on their preferences.


The cytomorphology of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is distinctive yet variable. To the authors' knowledge, to date only small case series have described the cytologic findings noted in patients with ALCL. The current series is the largest case series presented to date to retrospectively review the cytomorpholgic findings noted in patients with ALCL, with specific attention paid to those with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐negative ALCL.


The study investigates the long-term relationship and dynamic short-term impact of public debt on foreign private investment for a developing country – Nigeria during the period 1962 to 2012. The paper deploys cointegration model to examine long-term relationship between the variables. The study also examines dynamic short-term impact and causality between public debt and foreign private investment using the VECM and Granger causality test. The study further examines the response paths of foreign private investment variable due to public debts shocks using variance decomposition. The results confirm absence of long-term relationship between public debt and foreign private investment in Nigeria. The results also show that external debt has negative impact on foreign private investment in the short-term. Finally, the results show that there is no causality between foreign private investment and public debt. The major economic implication of these findings is for debt management authorities to be conscious of growing external debts as it discourages foreign private investments into Nigeria.


In 1973, the United States Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, ruled that the 50 states could not regulate abortion up to 24-28 weeks' gestation, except as necessary to insure the safety of the woman, and severely limited state legislation of abortion after 28 weeks by a broad interpretation of the "health" restriction. This article will explore (1) the history of abortion prior to 1973, (2) the scope of the Court decision, (3) abortion from the perspective of medical ethics, and (4) the sequelae of permissive abortion 16 years after Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton.


Aluminum-containing adjuvants have been used to enhance the immune response against killed, inactivated, and subunit antigens for more than seven decades. Nevertheless, we are only beginning to gain important insight as to what may be some very fundamental parameters for optimizing their use. For example, there is evidence that the conventional approach of maximizing antigen binding (amount and/or strength) may not result in an optimal immune response. Adsorption of antigen onto the adjuvant has recently been suggested to decrease the thermal stability of some antigens; however, whether adsorption-induced alterations to the structure and/or stability of the antigen have consequences for the elicited immune response is unclear. Finally, the thermal stability of vaccines with aluminum-containing adjuvants is not robust. Optimizing the stability of these vaccines requires an understanding of the freeze sensitivity of the adjuvant, freeze and heat sensitivity of the antigen in the presence of the adjuvant, and perhaps most important, how (or whether) various approaches to formulation can be used to address these instabilities. This review attempts to summarize recent findings regarding issues that may dictate the success of vaccines with aluminum-containing adjuvants.


Parasitic worms and molecules derived from them drive Th2/Treg immune responses in mammalian hosts and have powerful anti-inflammatory properties which are shown to
have therapeutic effects on inflammatory diseases. Using products derived from the helminth parasites Fasciola hepatica and Ascaris lumbricoides we investigated the
mechanism by which these responses are induced. Dendritic cells (DC's) play a crucial role in linking the innate to adaptive arms of the immune system and directing the
subsequent immune responses. Here, we report that Fasciola hepatica tegumental antigens (FhTeg) can suppress DC maturation and function. While FhTeg alone did not
induce cytokine production or cell surface marker expression on DCs, it can maintain the DCs in an immature state, suppressing their function to Toll-Like-Receptor (TLR) stimulation and impairing the subsequent development of adaptive immunity. Furthermore, we selected recombinant forms of two major F. hepatica secreted molecules, the protease cathepsin L (rFhCL1) and anti-oxidant, sigma class glutathione S-transferase (rFhGST-si), to examine their interactions with DCs. Despite enzymatic and functional differences between these antigens they both induced IL-6, IL-12p40 and chemokine secretion from DCs in a TLR4 dependent manner. While neither helminth enzyme induced Th2/Treg immune responses both could instruct DCs that suppress IL-17 secretion in vivo. This study also demonstrates that another helminth-derived heterogeneous extract, Ascaris lumbricoides pseudocoelomic fluid (AlPCF), induced partial maturated of DCs as characterised by the increased production of IL-6, IL-12p40 and MIP-2. These DCs were capable of inducing Th2 responses. Overall the data
suggests that helminth parasites secrete multiple molecules each possessing a unique mechanism of modulation, which can either suppress inflammatory Th1/Th17 responses or induce/permit the uninhibited development of modified Th2 responses.


Anthraquinone compounds have been shown to induce apoptosis in different cancer cell types. Effects of chrysophanol, an anthraquinone compound, on cancer cell death have not been well studied. The goal of this study was to examine if chrysophanol had cytotoxic effects and if such effects involved apoptosis or necrosis in J5 human liver cancer cells. Chrysophanol induced necrosis in J5 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Non-apoptotic cell death was induced by chrysophanol in J5 cells and was characterized by caspase independence, delayed externalization of phosphatidylserine and plasma membrane disruption. Blockage of apoptotic induction by a general caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) failed to protect cells against chrysophanol-induced cell death. The levels of reactive oxygen species production and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) were also determined to assess the effects of chrysophanol. However, reductions in adenosine triphosphate levels and increases in lactate dehydrogenase activity indicated that chrysophanol stimulated necrotic cell death. In summary, human liver cancer cells treated with chrysophanol exhibited a cellular pattern associated with necrosis and not apoptosis.


This paper investigates the impacts of droughts on food expenditure and macronutrient consumption among rural Indian households. To isolate causal effects, I exploit random year-to-year variation in a dry shock, defined as the absolute deviation of rainfall below its long-run mean. I find that the dry shock has a statistically significant and negative effect on household nutrition. For a median dry shock, I estimate that households spend 1 percent less per capita per month on food and consume up to 1.4 percent fewer calories, protein, and fat; these estimates serve as lower bounds for the true negative impact of droughts in absolute terms. Disaggregating the effects by food group, I demonstrate that household diets become less balanced as a result of droughts: the dry shock leads households to rely primarily on cereals and to purchase less vegetables, fruits, pulses, and animal-sourced foods. Hence, droughts negatively impact not only the quantity but also the quality of rural household diets. Finally, I explore the potential channels for these effects. I argue that rather than higher food prices, a decline in household market and non-market income is the primary reason for lower household food consumption and nutrition during droughts. Taken together, these findings suggest that attaining food security amid extreme weather conditions requires an integrated approach that focuses on food not only for survival but also for leading a healthy and active life.


In this paper, the concatenated system of phase preceding and trellis coded modulation (TCM) is investigated. Simulations of throughput (Rb) of 2 bits/sec/Hz show that phase precoding gains at BER of 10E-6 by 6.5 dB and 2.5 dB for rate 2/3 8PSK-TCM with four and eight state code respectively, compared to sub-optimum soft output equalization (SSE) at the receiver with the same TCM-codes. This pure precoding is verified on uncoded-QPSK in which more than 30 dB is gained compared to SSE. In addition at Rb of 3, a newly designed multiple-TCM (16PSK-2MTCM, 8 states) with precoding confirms this concatenation system for powerful ISI cancellation by achieving more than 1.5 dB of gain.


In this paper, we propose the use of wideband chirp signals in modulation schemes that combine multiuser detection with multipath diversity in frequency selective fading channels with known channel state information (CSI). We achieve this by appropriately designing the chirp parameters. For channels with unknown CSI, we also show that good channel estimation can be obtained, even in fast varying channels, with reduced interference by transmitting pilot chirp signals simultaneously with the users information.


An experiment was conducted to determine if negative associations between yield and fiber quality in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) were due to leaf CO2 exchange rate (CER). A 3-year study evaluated six high-quality genotypes, with two high-yielding commercial control cultivars and a G. barbadense L.cultivar, for CER and stomatal conductance to water vapor (g) across contrasting seasons. Yield, fiber quality, and har vest index (HI) were compared with CER and g measured on the uppermost fully expanded leaf on two occasions between mid-flower and cutout. The results show no significant associations between CER and fiber-quality parameters (p <0.05). There was no association between CER and yield, HI, or stem weight. It was concluded that highquality lines did not photosynthesize less than the high-yielding commercial check. There was a positive association between HI and yield (p<0.01). An inefficient growth habit as measured by a low HI in at least one high-fiber quality genotype was a possible reason for lower lint yield.


Plenoptic cameras, constructed with internal microlens arrays, focus those microlenses at infinity in order to sample the 4D radiance directly at the microlenses. The consequent assumption is that each microlens image is completely defocused with respect to to the image created by the main camera lens and the outside object. As a result, only a single pixel in the final image can be rendered from it, resulting in disappointingly low resolution. In this paper, we present a new approach to lightfield capture and image rendering that interprets the microlens array as an imaging system focused on the focal plane of the main camera lens. This approach captures a lightfield with significantly higher spatial resolution than the traditional approach, allowing us to render high resolution images that meet the expectations of modern photographers. Although the new approach samples the lightfield with reduced angular density, analysis and experimental results demonstrate that there is sufficient parallax to completely support lightfield manipulation algorithms such as refocusing and novel views


Widespread blast fishing destroys living scleractinian corals and creates vast fields of shattered coral rubble that can only recover to coral dominance through a successional process that includes coral recruitment. Given the extent of damaged areas on many SE Asian reefs, successful recruitment and survival of juvenile corals will be important components of either natural recovery or human-assisted rehabilitation. Early scleractinian coral recruitment to tiles was assessed in blasted and unblasted sites in Komodo National Park, Indonesia, from 1998 to 2000. A total of 6530 corals recruited to 527 tiles (each 400 cm 2 ), primarily of the families Acroporidae (27.1 %), Pocilloporidae (44.7%) and Poritidae (12%). Acroporids settled primarily during NW monsoon months (October-April), while pocilloporids and poritids settled year-round. Standardized recruitment rates averaged from 285 to 772 spat m -2 yr -1 across all sites, with a site maximum of 2663 spat m -2 yr -1 . While significant spatial and temporal variation was detected across sites and seasons, no significant difference in abundance of coral spat was found between blasted and unblasted sites. Results from this study suggest that these blasted sites are not recruitment-limited, and that failure of corals to recover in rubble fields is due to post-settlement mortality.


Translations with piecewise cubic trajectories are studied in the frequency domain. This class of motion has as an important subcase: cubic spline trajectories. Translations with trajectories depending on time with general polynomial law are preliminarily considered, and a general theorem concerning this type of motion is introduced. The application of this theorem to the case of cubic time dependence and the consideration of finite-duration effects lead to the solution of the piecewise cubic trajectory case. The results, which are remarkably different from those concerning constant velocity translations, clearly indicate the importance of the role of velocity and time duration. In this respect, they confirm the validity of constant velocity motion as a first-order model for frequency domain analysis of motion. >


Abstract This article, which looks at exposure to and the use of host and home media by Turkish diaspora in Belgium, illustrates that media use is determined by cultural as well as socio-demographic features. By means of a quantitative survey among four hundred respondents of Turkish origin between the ages of eighteen and sixty, the use of host and home media (i. e., old and new) in general and news contents in particular were analyzed in relation to culture-specific features such as ethnic cultural position, religion, and command of language, alongside with socio-demographic features such as age, gender, education, years of residence and socio-economic status. Our investigation showed religion, ethnic-cultural position and command of the Turkish language to be the strongest determinants for home language news media use, while host language news media use was strongly determined by command of the Dutch or French language, length of residence and educational level. These findings, especially those pertaining to news use, bring nuance to a certain number of earlier findings with Turkish youngsters in the Netherlands and Flanders (12–19), whose media use was predominantly related to socio-demographics.


Abstract Background:   The incidence of Caesarean section is increasing day by day, which is usually conducted under spinal anesthesia. It is done on lower abdominal region and for this reason; the working of digestive system can slow down in the coming period. This is known as ileus, and is distressing for the patient but the way to prevent this problem, is there. One possible way of avoiding this consequence is chewing gum which tricks the body into thinking it is eating making the bowel start its function again. Objective:   To compare the effect of chewing gum as compared to no intervention for early recovery of bowel system after lower segment caesarean section at term. Methodology:   This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 100 females who were planned to undergo caesarean section. Informed consent was obtained and demographic details were noted. In group A, females were suggested to take chewing gum after 6 hours of surgery to chew for 60 minutes while in group B, females were not subjected to chewing gum. They were followedup in wards and time required for first bowel sound and first fecal discharge was noted and compared in both groups by using t-test. Results:   The mean age of females was 24.48 ± 1.99 years. The females presented at mean gestational age of 38.76 ± 0.87 weeks. The mean BMI of females was 25.49 ± 2.29 kg/m 2 . Total duration of surgery required for c-section including anesthesia time was 42.28 ± 2.38 minutes. After surgery, the mean duration bet-ween c-section and first onset of feeling of hunger was 11.38 ± 3.14 hours in chewing gum group and 16.84 ± 0.49 hours in control group. The mean duration bet-ween c-section and first bowel sound was 21.39 ± 0.68 hours in chewing gum group and in control group were 28.27 ± 0.60 hours. The mean duration between c-section and first passage of flatus was 25.94 ± 0.71 hours in chewing gum group and 32.00 ± 0.77 hours in control group. The mean duration between c-section and first defecation was 31.56 ± 0.81 hours in chewing gum group and 41.28 ± 0.80 hours in control group. The difference was significant and chewing gum group required less duration for feel of hunger, first bowel sound, passage of flatus and defecation than control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion:   In conclusion, use of chewing is effec-tive and beneficial in early recovery of females after caesarean section in terms of early return of bowel activities. Key words:   Bowel Sound, Caesarean Section, Chew-ing Gum, Digestive System, Fecal Discharge, Ileus.