. Abstract. Controlled-release sources of N and K were compared with soluble sources on young 'Valencia' orange trees (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osb.). The effects of these fertilizers on leaf mineral concentration, soil chemical analysis, and tree growth were evaluated for 3 years. Soluble fertilizers were generally more readily available but had shorter residual effects on leaves and soil than controlled-release fertilizers. In the top 30 cm of soil, the plots treated with controlled-release N had 23% more total N than those treated with soluble N sources, while the plots fertilized with controlled-release K contained 56% more extractable K than those that received soluble K. Different effects on leaf and soil N between the two controlled-release N sources, sulfur-coated urea (SCU) and methylene urea (MU), were also found. With the use of controlled-release fertilizers, application frequency was reduced from a total of 15 to six applications with no adverse effects on tree growth, leaf mineral composition, or soil fertility during the first 3 years. Combining soluble and controlled-release fertilizers in a plant nutrition program offers an economical and effective strategy for citrus growers.


The article analyzes the techniques of human risk assessment and information security vulnerabilities. The comparative characteristic of existing standards of the Central Bank of Russia and the scientific works of specialists are carried out, the experience of the development of the Russian Federation techniques are also considered. Standards and methods for the presence of components of employee motivation theory are analyzed: content and organizational theories. The author made a conclusion about the most optimal solution of development methodology, reflecting the cross-section of scientific knowledge and scientific experience.


Flavonoids are plant-derived dietary components with a substantial impact on human health. Research has expanded massively since it began in the 1930s, and the complex pathways involved in bioavailability of flavonoids in the human body are now well understood. In recent years, it has been appreciated that the gut microbiome plays a major role in flavonoid action, but much progress still needs to be made in this area. Since the first publications on the health effects of flavonoids, their action is understood to protect against various stresses, but the mechanism of action has evolved from the now debunked simple direct antioxidant hypothesis into an understanding of the complex effects on molecular targets and enzymes in specific cell types. This review traces the development of the field over the past 8 decades, and indicates the current state of the art, and how it was reached. Future recommendations based on this historical analysis are (a) to focus on key areas of flavonoid action, (b) to perform human intervention studies focusing on bioavailability and protective effects, and (c) to carry out cellular in vitro experiments using appropriate cells together with the chemical form of the flavonoid found at the site of action; this could be the native form of compounds found in the food for studies on digestion and the intestine, the conjugated metabolites found in the blood after absorption in the small intestine for studies on cells, or the chemical forms found in the blood and tissues after catabolism by the gut microbiota.


The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) instrument currently on board the International Space Station is a new sensor designed specifically for the studies of turbid coastal waters and large inland lakes and rivers. It covers the wavelength range between 0.4 and 0.9 μm with a spectral resolution of 5.7 nm and a spatial resolution of approximately 90 m. The HICO sensor is not equipped with a second-order blocking filter in front of the focal plane array. As a result, the second-order light from the shorter visible spectral region falls onto the detectors covering the near-IR spectral region above 0.8 μm. In order to have accurate radiometric calibration of the near-IR channels, the second-order light contribution needs to be removed. The water-leaving radiances of these near-IR channels over clear ocean waters are close to zero because of strong liquid water absorption above 0.8 μm. Through analysis of HICO imaging data containing features of shallow underwater objects, such as coral reefs, we have developed an empirical technique to correct for the second-order light effects in near-IR channels. HICO data acquired over Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean and the Bahamas Banks in the Atlantic Ocean are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new technique.


South Africa is a multilingual country where eleven official languages are constitutionally entrenched and guaranteed. These languages have equal footing in all activities, including as a medium of teaching and learning at schools. This is the reality and the owners of these languages are very cautious of them and as such guide them jealously. This article argues that while it is constitutionally expedient to recognize and protect the eleven official languages, especially the indigenous ones, all of them cannot be used at the same time as medium of teaching and learning. Against this backdrop, this article emphasis that English, which is one of the official languages recognized in the South African Constitution and at the same time widely understood by other groups and worldwide should be singled out and be adopted as the medium of instruction and education in all schools.


The biogas potential of marine macroalga Ascophyllum nodosum was compared with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and white rice to determine the applicability of the feedstock for anaerobic digestion. For OFMSW three dry matter contents were compared, 3%, 10% and 25%, to determine the effect of dry matter on methane yield. Biogas was evolved in each system, but the rate of evolution of biogas changed with moisture content. The highest total methane yield was obtained from 3% OFMSW but A. nodosum yielded more methane at 176±37.62 L/kg VS than white rice and the drier anaerobic digestion of OFMSW. The substrates were digested using wastewater treatment plant inoculum to determine gas yield and gas quality under batch mesophilic digestion conditions.


Introduction: Comparison of the analgesic effect of Intramuscular Pethidine and Intramuscular Morphine on an Orthopedic Population.
Settings and Design: 1) Single Blinded Randomized Controlled study: Patients were divided into Morphine group or Pethidine group 2) Patient Satisfaction survey was administered to patients at the end of stay.
Material and Methods: 1) Visual Analogue Scores (VAS) were taken at eight hourly intervals for three consecutive days or until the day of discharge. Incidence of opioid related complications was noted 2) A patient satisfaction survey was administered at the end of stay.
Statistical Analysis: Average VAS during movement on day one during the 8am to 4pm period was calculated for both the morphine group and pethidine group. The percentage decrease in VAS was calculated for morphine vs. pethidine group on movement on Day 1. Pearson's correlation was used to assess the relationship between opioid, side effects and overall patient satisfaction. T-test was used to evaluate the relationship between morphine, pethidine and twenty-four-hour pain relief.A one-way ANOVA test was used to evaluate the statistical significance between the morphine and the pethidine group and patient satisfaction.
Results: The morphine group as compared with the pethidine group experienced an 18.5% decrease in Visual Analogue Score for pain on movement on day 1 (8 am-4 pm period). The morphine group was associated more drowsiness and prolonged time to first bowel action compared to the pethidine group. Only 1.4% (1) of patients experienced desaturation during the study which occurred in the morphine group. Overall, opioids were associated with minimal side effects and were generally safe to use. Patients who underwent regional anaesthesia used more morphine equivalents compared to those undergoing general anaesthesia.
The morphine group was associated with overall increased patient satisfaction when compared to the Pethidine group.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated a notable 18.5% decrease in VAS on movement with the morphine group as compared to pethidine group. Statistical significance was placed at 15%. Opioids were found to have a limited adverse side effect profile, with drowsiness and time to first bowel action being the most predominant. Only one patient representing 1.4% of the population had an episode of desaturation (Sp02 < 90%). Due to the minimal side effect profile opioids should be considered safe to use.


Research networks foster the dissemination of innovation-related knowledge. To address this conjecture, we evaluate the structure of collaborative networks and of knowledge transfer between research, innovation and deployment activities in the field of information and communication technology for the European Union as a whole and for several European regions. We find that research networks complement diffusion networks by increasing the number of links and organisations involved in exchanging knowledge. Two types of actors are key players in these networks: hubs maintain the bulk of ties in the networks also helping the smaller and more isolated members remain connected; gatekeepers bridge research and diffusion networks.


: The notion of prevention was theoretically based upon the doctrines of the development of nature and society, the organism and environment relationship and on the biological and social patterns determining the public and individual health. The concept of dispanserization of population proved to be the most fruitful of all ideas of prevention. In the conditions of XXI century, the disease prevention became the reflection of the social essence of medicine. This prevention approach is really effective when its purposes, forms and methods are coordinated with the public health characteristics. The progress of disease prevention is inseparable from public responsibility for protection and promotion of public health and maintenance of healthy environment and conditions of work. In present situation, the dispanserization has to be supported with the new organizational technologies to carry out medical, preventive and periodical check-ups and to arrange the dispanserization quotas according the disease nosologies and to rank them for the subsequent dynamic monitoring of profile specialists. The most effective is the dispanserization related to the diseases which can be subjected to the modern techniques of early diagnostics implementing screening and other high-tech technologies in the framework of evidence-based medicine.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osseointegration of two different types of surfaces, smooth and roughened surface implants nanocoated with calcium phosphate (CAP) around different bone environment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Five male mongrel dogs were used in this study. The premolars and molars were extracted on both sides of the mandible. Eight weeks after extraction, implants were submerged on both sides of the mandible. On the left, CAP nanocoated roughened surface (RCAP) implants were installed whereas, the CAP nanocoated smooth surface (SCAP) implants were installed on the right side. The control group had no defect, on the other hand, three-wall intrabony defects were surgically created adjacent to the implant in the experimental group. The dogs were sacrificed after 12 weeks.

RESULTS
Histological and histomorphometrical analysis were performed with the specimen. The SCAP and RCAP implants showed good osseointegration with no statistical significance in the control group. Histologically, the SCAP group showed little resolution of the defect compared with the RCAP group. In the experimental groups, there was a significant difference in defect fill between SCAP and RCAP.

CONCLUSION
Within the limits of our study, it can be concluded that SCAP and RCAP implants show no difference in sufficient bone area whereas, CAP nanocoating on roughened implant surface may enhance osseointegration in deficient bone environment.


Background: Prefabricated adjustable thermoplastic mandibular advancement devices (PAT-MADs) are a practical short-term treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) in patients who have failed or refused continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a new professionally-fitted PAT-MAD in patients with OSAHS in Morocco. Method: Twenty-four adults with mild, moderate or severe OSAHS were fitted with the PAT-MAD (BluePro®; BlueSom, France). Respiratory parameters (apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI)) and daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS) were assessed before and after treatment. Adverse events were recorded. Results: Mean treatment duration was 106.3 ± 73.4 days. Mean AHI score decreased from 21.4 ± 7.4 to 9.3 ± 4.1 after treatment (p<0.0001) (mean reduction of 57.0 ± 12.3%). Mean ESS and ODI also decreased at EOS (from 10.4 ± 2.8 to 7.3 ± 2.3, mean reduction 30.3 ± 12.2%, p=0.0001; and 7.0 ± 6.9 to 4.7 ± 4.0, mean reduction 30.5 ± 25.0%, p=0.2, respectively). Treatment was considered to have been successful in 22 patients (91.7%) who had mild OSAHS or an AHI score of ≤5 at the end of the study. The device was well-tolerated. Conclusion: This new PAT-MAD appears to be effective at reducing respiratory parameters and improving daytime alertness in patients with OSAHS. Long term studies in a larger number of patients are warranted to assess the long-term efficacy, retention and side-effects of this device.


ABSTRACT Background Breast cancer (BC) stands first with high incidence and mortality in India. Most of the oncologists are unaware of cost savings by utilising generic drugs. Aim To perform a cost minimization analysis of generic versus branded chemotherapeutic regimen for treatment of BC. Methodology CIMS (current index of medical stores) was referred for the cost of branded drugs and the generic cost was taken from Jan Aushadhi scheme. The percentage cost variation and potential cost-saving particular to BC regimens on substituting available generic drug was calculated using standard formula and costs were presented in Indian Rupees and US Dollars (as of 2019). Results Among the branded agents considered, a range of 25% to 606.11% cost variation was observed with cyclophosphamide and 5-Fluorouracil respectively. Gemcitabine proposed the highest cost variation (373.68%-990.78%) and cyclophosphamide (71.42%-114.28%) with the lowest variation when compared to generic drugs. The highest level of cost-saving (₹60,807.3 to ₹1,31,864.1) with TAC regimen and the lowest range (₹12,15.84 to ₹15,667.2) with AC regimen was observed among adjuvant therapy regimens. Conclusion Our evaluation inferred that substituting generic chemotherapeutic drugs can bring potential cost savings. Healthcare professionals and patients should aware and opt generic drugs to achieve goals of BC therapy.


With the increasing number of protein structures available, there is a need for tools capable of automating the comparison of ensembles of structures, a common requirement in structural biology and bioinformatics. PSSweb is a web server for protein structural statistics. It takes as input an ensemble of PDB files of protein structures, performs a multiple sequence alignment and computes structural statistics for each position of the alignment. Different optional functionalities are proposed: structure superposition, Cartesian coordinate statistics, dihedral angle calculation and statistics, and a cluster analysis based on dihedral angles. An interactive report is generated, containing a summary of the results, tables, figures and 3D visualization of superposed structures. The server is available at http://pssweb.org.


In a turbulent environment and difficult to predict, effective strategic leadership is the foundation of success in a strategic management process. The aim of this research was to analyze the dimensions of strategic leadership and how the dimensions influence of the strategic leadership. The research method used was a survey. The sample comprised 67 respondents; Chairman of the Study Programs of graduate (Strata 1) and Postgraduate (Strata 2) of Economics and Management College in Jakarta. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS). The result shows that from the three dimensions of strategic leadership, the dimension which gives the biggest contribution to strategic leadership is to be a strategic expert (strategist), then is as change agent, and the last is as a visionary leader. The implication of this results is to improve the effective strategic leadership, a leader have to be a strategic expert, then to be change agent and should be able to create clear and relevant visions and mission of the organization.


The problem of compiling general quantum algorithms for implementation on near-term quantum processors has been introduced to the AI community. Previous work demonstrated that temporal planning is an attractive approach for part of this compilationtask, specifically, the routing of circuits that implement the Quantum Alternating Operator Ansatz (QAOA) applied to the MaxCut problem on a quantum processor architecture. In this paper, we extend the earlier work to route circuits that implement QAOA for Graph Coloring problems. QAOA for coloring requires execution of more, and more complex, operations on the chip, which makes routing a more challenging problem. We evaluate the approach on state-of-the-art hardware architectures from leading quantum computing companies. Additionally, we apply a planning approach to qubit initialization. Our empirical evaluation shows that temporal planning compares well to reasonable analytic upper bounds, and that solving qubit initialization with a classical planner generally helps temporal planners in finding shorter-makespan compilations for QAOA for Graph Coloring. These advances suggest that temporal planning can be an effective approach for more complex quantum computing algorithms and architectures.


BACKGROUND
The current status of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) education in Korean medical schools is still largely unknown, despite a growing need for a CAM component in medical education. The prevalence, scope, and diversity of CAM courses in Korean medical school education were evaluated.

DESIGN
Participants included academic or curriculum deans and faculty at each of the 41 Korean medical schools. A mail survey was conducted from 2007 to 2010. Replies were received from all 41 schools.

RESULTS
CAM was officially taught at 35 schools (85.4%), and 32 schools (91.4%) provided academic credit for CAM courses. The most common courses were introduction to CAM or integrative medicine (88.6%), traditional Korean medicine (57.1%), homeopathy and naturopathy (31.4%), and acupuncture (28.6%). Educational formats included lectures by professors and lectures and/or demonstrations by practitioners. The value order of core competencies was attitude (40/41), knowledge (32/41), and skill (6/41). Reasons for not initiating a CAM curriculum were a non-evidence-based approach in assessing the efficacy of CAM, insufficiently reliable reference resources, and insufficient time to educate students in CAM.

CONCLUSIONS
This survey reveals heterogeneity in the content, format, and requirements among CAM courses at Korean medical schools. Korean medical school students should be instructed in CAM with a more consistent educational approach to help patients who participate in or demand CAM.


Abstract This paper presents a conceptual study of the gendered perspectives on welfare and diaconia articulated in two recently published policy documents by the Church of Sweden, the Church's platform for welfare and the Bishop's letter on diaconia. It distinguishes how social innovation processes in the Church are enhanced or hampered by gendered potentials and delimitations. Such processes are increasingly being perceived as essential to the changing role the Church has in society as a consequence of the formal separation from the Swedish state and the growing importance of civil society organizations (CSOs) as welfare-service providers in Sweden.


Conservation of horseshoe crabs has recently received increasing attention as several populations are in decline. However, scarce information on their distributions in Southeast Asia is impairing conservation efforts. In this study, we sought to improve our understanding of the geographical range and distinct populations of the three Asian horseshoe crabs species in order to identify optimal conservation areas. We mapped the geographic range of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, Tachypleus gigas, and T. tridentatus using recent data from field work, literature, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and unpublished data from our scientific network. The data were correlated with 23 different environmental variables of potential ecological importance for horseshoe crabs using the openModeller webservices, including new tidal variables. Ecological niche models were generated using two algorithms, Maximum Entropy and support vector machine, for the three species under present conditions, and projected into a climate change scenario of 2050. The niches of the Asian horseshoe crabs were mostly determined by tidal regime, chlorophyll A concentrations, depth, distance to land, and sea surface temperature. According to our predictions, horseshoe crabs in Southeast Asia are not expected to experience any severe change in extent and distribution of suitable habitat in the future. In order to conserve Asian horseshoe crabs, we suggest establishing Marine Protected Areas at locations where distinct populations and several species occur, such as northern Vietnam, China, Borneo, and southern Japan.


Mouse dorsal interfollicular epidermis has a vertical organization consisting of approximately 1400 units/mm 2 . Each unit is identified by its uppermost 4 to 6 layers of roughly hexagonal flattened cornified cells or squames, which are stacked in a precise vertical column. Beneath each column of squames there are 3 differentiating cells and a group of 10 or 11 basal cells, which provide cells to replace those lost by desquamation at the top of the squame column. The whole unit is termed an epidermal proliferative unit or EPU. In the central region of the basal layer of each EPU is a single dendritic Langerhans cell, devoid of desmosomes, but held in position by the surrounding keratinocytes. The dendrites radiate outwards between the keratinocytes to the periphery of the unit. Keratinocyte migration into the spinous layer takes place from the edge of the unit. In the squame column itself, a modified cell-to-cell attachment (squamosome) runs around the edge of each cornified cell, and attaches it to the overlapping region of cells from adjacent squame columns.


The photolysis of 1,2-diiodotetrafluoroethane (CF2ICF2I) has served as a prototypical system in ultrafast reaction dynamics. Even though the intermediates, anti- and gauche-iodotetrafluoroethyl (˙C2F4I) radicals, have been characterized with electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction, their infrared spectra are unreported. We report the formation and infrared identification of these radical intermediates upon ultraviolet photodissociation of CF2ICF2I in solid para-hydrogen (p-H2) at 3.3 K. Lines at 1364.9/1358.5, 1283.2, 1177.1, 1162.2, 1126.8, 837.3, 658.0, 574.2, and 555.2 cm-1 are assigned to anti-˙C2F4I, and lines at 1325.9, 1259.7, 1143.4, 1063.4, 921.0, and 765.3 cm-1 to gauche-˙C2F4I. A secondary photodissociation leading to C2F4 was also observed. The assignments were derived according to behavior on secondary photolysis, comparison of the vibrational wavenumbers and the IR intensities of the observed lines with values predicted with the B3PW91/aug-cc-pVTZ-pp method. This spectral identification provides valuable information for future direct spectral probes of these important intermediates.

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How do everyday acts of policing hinge upon the contrastive evaluation of sensible intensities? This article examines how various attunements toward regimes of sensible intensities shape the policing of borders and bodies in a place where questions of the "sovereign" and identifications of the "illegal" are semiotically and politically up for grabs: the Indonesia-Malaysia borderlands. In two expository sketches, it examines the various ways in which the Indonesia-Malaysia border is policed as a virtual threshold between people and places considered to be "more-or-less the same."


Using data from the Longitudinal Business Database and Form W-2, I document trends in local industrial concentration from 1976 through 2015 and estimate the effects of that concentration on earnings outcomes within and across demographic groups. Local industrial concentration has generally been declining throughout its distribution over that period, unlike national industrial concentration, which declined sharply in the early 1980s before increasing steadily to nearly its original level beginning around 1990. Estimates indicate that increased local concentration reduces earnings and increases inequality, but observed changes in concentration have been in the opposite direction, and the magnitude of these effects has been modest relative to broader trends; back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that the 90/10 earnings ratio was about six percent lower and earnings were about one percent higher in 2015 than they would have been if local concentration were at its 1976 level. Within demographic subgroups, most experience mean earnings reductions and all experience increases in inequality. Estimates of the effects of concentration on earnings mobility are sensitive to specification.


The purpose of this book is to make accessible to a broad audience the ideas, principles and practicalities of establishing effective social protection in Africa. It focuses on the major shift in strategy for tackling hunger and vulnerability, from emergency responses mainly in the form of food transfers to predictable cash transfers to the chronically poorest social groups. The diverse case studies in this book provide a unique and timely exploration of the effective, and less effective, ways that social transfers are delivered to the chronically poor and vulnerable in Sub-Saharan Africa.


ean distance is at most r, for some prescribed r. We show that monotone properties for this class of graphs have sharp thresholds by reducing the problem to bounding the bottleneck matching on two sets of n points distributed uniformly in [0, 1] d . We present upper bounds on the threshold width, and show that our bound is sharp for d = 1 and at most a sublogarithmic factor away for d ≥ 2. Interestingly, the threshold width is much sharper for random geometric graphs than for Bernoulli random graphs. Further, a random geometric graph is shown to be a subgraph, with high probability, of another independently drawn random geometric graph with a slightly larger radius; this property is shown to have no analogue for Bernoulli random graphs.


Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer worldwide. Its high recurrence rate makes bladder cancer one of the most prevalent types of cancer in the western world and the most costly type of cancer over the patient's lifetime. In the Netherlands, each year 5,400 new patients with bladder cancer are diagnosed. Approximately 75% of these suffer from non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. These patients have a good prognosis regarding life expectancy. However, 40-80% will develop at least one tumor recurrence within 12 months after primary treatment. Disease progression, though relatively rare (10-15%), to muscle invasive or disseminated disease will severely affect their prognosis. Evaluation of the bladder wall and biopsy of suspect lesions of the bladder are performed during transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Histopathology of the acquired biopsy samples is used to establish the final diagnosis of bladder cancer. Frequent reexamination of the bladder and repeated TURBT of suspicious lesions place a significant burden on the public healthcare system. Optimization of this procedure by enhancing early detection will directly affect patient outcome as well as the costs associated with bladder cancer. Fluorescence cystoscopy, as an extension to ordinary visual bladder inspection to improve the detection, has slowly been introduced in urology. It considerably enhances the sensitivity of bladder cancer detection, but suffers from a mediocre specificity. Raman spectroscopy is an optical technique that examines the interaction of light with molecular bonds, which has many applications in the identification of substances and processes because of its inherent specificity. The aim of this thesis is to optimize the clinical application of fluorescence imaging and to assess the place for optical diagnosis by means of Raman spectroscopy. The ultimate goal is to enhance bladder cancer diagnosis, which in the long run should result in the possibility to perform an optical biopsy without the need for confirmation by histopathology. Clinical observations in fluorescence imaging led to an evaluation of the differences between the initial and subsequent fluorescence cystoscopy procedures particularly with respect to its specificity. Raman spectroscopy proved not only able to distinguish between benign and malignant tissues of the bladder, but also allowed prediction of the grade and stage of the lesion in vitro. An evaluation of prerequisites for in vivo fluorescence guided Raman spectroscopy showed this a promising tool to enhance the specificity of bladder cancer detection.


We present an end-to-end system for extracting deontic logic formulae from legal text using a generic semantic parsing module and task-specific graph grammars, and for performing automated reasoning on the extracted formulae. The pipeline enables automated compliance checking and is applied to text documents of the zoning map of the city of Vienna. All components are released as open-source software, the full pipeline is showcased in an online demo.


SPEED routing algorithm is a service quality based algorithm in which data aggregation dose not happen. In this article, data aggregation has been added to the conventional technique in SPEED algorithm. The idea involves virtual configuration of sensors and specification of an individual ID to the created data by the sensors in each region, then data aggregation in relay node is done by this ID, resulting in less energy consumption, lower traffic and repeated data, an increase in network lifetime and better quality of service.


What do Americans think about the US role in world affairs and why do they think the way they do? Americans typically do not think about foreign policy most of the time, and, as a consequence, know relatively little about it (Almond 1950, Lippmann 1955, Converse 1964, Erskine 1963, Edwards 1983, Sobel 1993, Holsti 2004, Canes-Wrone 2006, Page and Bouton 2006, Berinsky 2007). While foreign policy issues can become salient when major international events (like 9/11 and the Iraq War) arise or when political candidates focus on foreign policy (Aldrich, Sullivan and Borgida 1989), ceteris paribus, Americans know and care more about domestic politics (Delli-Carpini and Keeter 1996, Holsti 1994, Canes-Wrone 2006, Converse 1964). Consequently, typical Americans are broadly aware of foreign policy, and have some available attitudes about it (Page and Bouton 2006, Aldrich et al. 1989). However, except in the face of political priming by elites or exogenous shocks, such attitudes may not be broadly accessible when making political decisions, like voting.


The steady state and transitional dynamics of two-sector models of endogenous growth are analyzed in this paper. We describe necessary conditions for endogenous growth. The conditions allow us to reduce the dynamics of the solution to a system with one state-like and two control-like variables. We analyze the determinants of the long run growth rate. We use the Time-Elimination Method to analyze the transitional dynamics of the models. We find that there are transitions in real time if the point-in-time production possibility frontier is strictly concave, which occurs, for example, if the two production functions are different or if there are decreasing point-in-time returns in any of the sectors. We also show that if the models have a transition in real time, the models are globally saddle path stable. We find that the wealth or consumption smoothing effect tends to dominate the substitution or real wage effect so that the transition from relatively low levels of physical capital is carried over through high work effort rather than high savings. We develop some empirical implications. We show that the models predict conditional convergence in that, in a cross section, the growth rate is predicted to be negatively related to initial income but only after some measure of human capital is held constant. Thus, the models are consistent with existing empirical cross country evidence.


The genetic structure of a population of the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Laccaria amethystina (Bolt. ex Hooker) Murr. was assessed in a closed 150‐year‐old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest in the Vosges Mountains in northeastern France. During the autumn of 1994 and 1997, sporophores were collected from three 100‐m2 sampling plots located along a 120‐m transect crossing the beech stand. The genetic variation of 676 sporophores was initially estimated using heteroduplex analysis of the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer (IGS1). Ten unique IGS1 heteroduplex/homoduplex patterns were identified, although three types represented most of the sporophores analysed. Each group of IGS1 type was then analysed using random amplified microsatellite analysis (RAMS). RAMS resolved 388 different genotypes amongst the 634 sporophores analysed from the three plots during the autumn of 1994 and 1997. Density as high as 130 genets per 100 m2 was observed during the autumn of 1994. The largest clone covered ≈ 1 m2, but most genets covered a few cm2 and produced only one to three sporophores. Only eight genotypes identified in 1994 were found in 1997. Although L. amethystina has the capacity for vegetative persistence, the present study indicates that its populations maintain a genetic structure more consistent with a high frequency of sexual reproduction. This suggests that beech trees could be recolonized by new genotypes each year. Alternatively, this spatial distribution may also arise from erratic fruiting of underground persistent genets. These features (i.e. numerous genets of small size), typical of ruderal species, contrast with studies carried out on other ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes occurring in mature closed forests.


Abstract In order to reduce the damage to the old reinforced concrete walls and work out the best construction scheme during the renovation of old buildings, it is often required to detect the position of rebar buried in concrete walls. In this paper, we propose a non-destructive method to detect the buried rebar by self-inductive sensor combined with surface acoustic wave resonator (SAWR). The proposed method has the advantages of wireless, passive and convenient operations. In our new design, the sensing element of self-inductance coil was made as a component of SAWR matching network. The distribution of rebar could be measured according to the system resonant frequency, using a signal demodulation device set. The depth of buried rebar and the deviation of output resonant frequency from inherent frequency of SAWR have an inverse relation. Finally, the validity of the method was verified in theoretical calculation and simulation.


Spatial Resolution of Quantitative Electroencephalography and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Phoneme Discrimination Tasks: An Abbreviated Meta-Analysis Emily Jean Jacobs Department of Communication Disorders, BYU Master of Science Phonological processing, the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of one's native language, is an essential linguistic skill. Deficits in this skill may lead to decreased social, educational, and financial success (Kraus & White-Schwoch, 2019). Additionally, phonological disorders have been shown to be highly variable and individualized (Bellon-Harn & CradeurPampolina, 2016) and therefore difficult to treat effectively. A better understanding of the neural underpinnings of phonological processing, including the underlying skill of phonemic discrimination, could lead to the development of more individualized and effective intervention. Several studies, some using quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and others using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have been conducted to investigate these neural underpinnings. When considering the relative strengths and weaknesses of qEEG and fMRI, the scientific community has traditionally believed qEEG to be excellent at determining when brain activity occurs (temporal resolution), but to have limited abilities in determining where it occurs (spatial resolution). On the other hand, the reverse is believed to be true for fMRI. However, the spatial resolution of qEEG has improved over recent decades and some studies have reached levels of specificity comparable to fMRI. This thesis provides an abbreviated meta-analysis determining the accuracy and consistency of source references, or areas where brain activation is determined to originate from, in qEEG studies evaluating phonemic discrimination. Nineteen experiments were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. A study's event rate was defined as the number of times an anatomical area was coded as a source reference, divided by the participants in the study. Results show that each of these experiments had relatively low event rates, culminating into a summary event rate of 0.240. This indicates that qEEG does not provide source references that are as accurate or consistent as fMRI. This meta-analysis concludes that although there is research suggesting qEEG may have developed to be comparable to fMRI in spatial resolution, this is not supported in the analysis of qEEG studies focused on phonemic discrimination.


Hong Kong's wet markets play a crucial role in the country's supply of safe, fresh meat to satisfy the dietary needs of its population. Whilst food safety regulations have been introduced over the past few years to maintain the microbial safety of foods sold from these wet markets, it remains unclear whether the hygiene maintenance that is performed on the wooden cutting boards used for meat-processing is effective. In fact, hygiene maintenance may often be overlooked, and hygiene standards may be insufficient. If so, this may lead to the spread of harmful pathogens through cross-contamination, thereby causing severe risks to public health. The aim of this study was to determine the level of microbial transfer between wooden cutting boards and swine meat of various qualities, using 16S metagenomic sequencing, strain identification and biofilm screening of isolated strains. The results established that: (a) the traditional hygiene practices used for cleaning wooden cutting boards in Hong Kong's wet markets expose the surfaces to potentially harmful microorganisms; (b) the processing of microbially contaminated meat on cutting boards cleaned using traditional practices leads to cross-contamination; and (c) several potentially pathogenic microorganisms found on the cutting boards have good biofilm-forming abilities. These results reinforce the need to review the traditional methods used to clean wooden cutting boards after the processing of raw meat in Hong Kong' wet markets so as to prevent cross-contamination events. The establishment of proper hygiene protocols may reduce the spread of disease-causing microorganisms (including antibiotic-resistant microorganisms) in food-processing environments.


Background: Fagara zanthoxyloides belongs to the family Rutaceae. The stem and the root of the plant are both used as chewing stick in Nigeria particularly among the Yoruba ethnic group in the South-Western part of the country. This study determined the antimicrobial activity of the extracts from F. zanthoxyloides on selected cariogenic and enteric bacterial isolates.
Methods: Crude extracts were obtained by cold extraction method of the powdered stem in methanol-water mixture (MW) in ratio 3:2 and phosphate buffer saline (PBS). Filtrates obtained were concentrated in a rotary evaporator and lyophilized. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts, at a concentration of 25 mg/ml was tested against four bacterial isolates using agar well diffusion method. Phytochemical analysis of the plant extract for the presence of tannins, saponins, alkaloids and flavanoids was based on chemical examination.
Results and discussions: Extracts from methanol-water mixture showed some antimicrobial activity against Lactobacillus brevis (NCIMB 4617), L. plantarum (NCDO 1752) and Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of extracts ranged between 1.57 and 12.5 mg/ml except in E. coli with value greater than 12.5.mg/ml. The phytochemical screening indicated that the extract tested positive for tannin, saponin, flavonoids and alkaloids. Results showed that F. zanthoxyloides would be valuable in the treatment of microbial diseases particularly those of the oral cavity. The considerable antibacterial activities exhibited by the extract of the plant thus justify the use as a teeth cleansing agent in the local setting. The problem of antibiotics resistance to synthetic drugs is also expected to be mitigated with the use of natural drugs.


Inhibitors of myristoylation and analogues of myristic acid inhibit the replication of some retroviruses including human immunodeficiency virus, but no studies with other virus families have been reported. We have shown that replication of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in tissue is inhibited by DL-2-hydroxymyristic acid at concentrations similar to those required for inhibition with acyclovir. Protein synthesis is not inhibited, but protein myristoylation is non-specifically reduced. Despite this lack of specificity, DL-2-hydroxymyristic acid inhibits VZV replication without apparent cytotoxicity. This is in agreement with our earlier suggestion that non-specific inhibitors of myristoylation could have antiviral effects without toxicity to cells due to the stability of cellular myristoylproteins. This supports suggestions that myristoylation inhibitors have potential as antiviral drugs against the many viruses that produce myristoylproteins.


Large high-resolution displays (LHRDs) are entering into our daily life. Today, we already see them in installations where they display tailored applications, e.g. in exhibitions. However, while heavily studied under lab conditions, real-world applications for personal use, which utilize the extended screen space are rarely available. Thus, today's studies of LHRD are particularly designed to embrace the large screen space. In contrast, in this paper, we investigate a real-world application designed for researchers working on large text corpora to support them in deep text understanding. We conducted a study with 14 experts from the humanities and computational linguistics which solved a text analysis task using a standard desktop version on a 24 inch screen and an LHRD version on three 50 inch screens. Surprisingly, the smaller display condition outperformed the LHRD in terms of task completion time and error rate. While participants appreciated the overview provided by the large screen, qualitative feedback also revealed that the need for head movement and the scrolling mechanism decreased the usability of the LHRD condition.


The Diels-Alder (DA) reaction channel of the thermal C(2)-C(6) (Schmittel) cyclization of enyne-allenes is studied computationally and experimentally evaluating the influence of temperature on product ratios. Remote substituents at the alkyne terminus influence the mechanism of the C(2)-C(6)/DA cyclization steering it either to a stepwise or a concerted course. Temperature independent product ratios, selectivity of product formation, and computational results obtained at (U)BLYP/6-31G(d) level unveil a mechanism that is strongly controlled by nonstatistical dynamics.


Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of fluconazole for the treatment of onychomycosis. Data Sources: Searches of MEDLINE (1966–May 2009) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–May 2009) were performed. Key search terms included fluconazole and onychomycosis. In addition, reference citations from identified publications were reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All articles in English identified from the data sources were evaluated. All studies evaluating oral fluconazole for the treatment of onychomycosis were included in the review. Data Synthesis: Seven studies evaluating fluconazole treatment for onychomycosis were identified. One study used daily dosing and the rest used once-weekly dosing. Treatment doses ranged from 100 mg to 450 mg weekly and 150 mg daily, and durations ranged from 12 weeks to 12 months. Most of the studies evaluated the efficacy of fluconazole in patients with toenail onychomycosis due to dermatophyte infection. Fluconazole was superior to placebo, with mycologic eradication rates ranging from 36% to 100% in placebo-controlled studies. In one of the comparative studies, the mycologic cure rate was lower with fluconazole (31.2%) compared with terbinafine (75%) and itraconazole (61.1%). Common adverse events reported with fluconazole use were headache, gastrointestinal pain, and diarrhea. Conclusions: Fluconazole is less effective than terbinafine and itraconazole in the treatment of onychomycosis. However, fluconazole may be preferred in patients unable to tolerate other oral antifungal agents due to the dosing regimen, adverse effect profile, and drug interactions.


The intertidal zone of tropical islands is particularly poorly known. In contrast, temperate locations such as California's Monterey Bay are fairly well studied. However, even in these locations, studies have tended to focus on a few species or locations. Here we present the results of the first broadscale surveys of invertebrate, fish and algal species richness from a tropical island, Oahu, Hawaii, and a temperate mainland coast, Central California. Data were gathered through surveys of 10 sites in the early 1970s and again in the mid-1990s in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, California, and of nine sites in 2001–2005 on Oahu. Surveys were conducted in a similar manner allowing for a comparison between Oahu and Central California and, for California, a comparison between time periods 24 years apart. We report a previously undocumented richness of intertidal species in both locations: 516 for Oahu and 801 for Central California. Surprisingly, when differences in search efforts are controlled, overall (alpha) diversity appears to be similar between locations, although site level (beta) diversity is much higher in California. Species richness in California generally increased along a wave exposure gradient and distance from an urban area. Much higher numbers of both invasive and endemic species were found on Oahu. In California, more invertebrate species were found in the 1990s, likely due to an improvement in taxonomic resources since the 1970s, and species composition was different in the two surveys due to the high incidence of rare species. Although some southern species increased in number between the two time periods and some northern species decreased, we detected little evidence of change favoring southern or northern species. These results are in line with recent findings that water temperatures in the Monterey Bay have been in a cooling trend since the 1980s, in contrast to many locations elsewhere in the world.


In this paper we provide a general framework for pricing forward start derivatives, i.e. contingent claims which set their exercise price on a later time than inception. We show that dealing with this kind of options mainly means exposure to future stochastic volatility. In particular, we propose a theoretical comparison between the pricing implications of modeling through Monte Carlo simulations forward start calls or puts as derivatives of two state variables, namely the underlying price process and the stochastic instantaneous volatility, and the same implications arising if the stochastic implied volatility is modeled as well. Therefore, we address the issue on whether it is worthwhile employing the implied volatility as a primitive state variable when pricing derivatives sensitive to volatility risk.


The goals of this study are to examine the relationships between loan knowledge, money management skills, debt tolerance attitudes, and student income potential to their willingness to incur educational debt at a mid-western university. The current study showed that freshmen students lacked personal and general loan knowledge and had unrealistic expectations of future income at graduation.


Dependability is an important consideration during the design and development of IT systems and services. But in services computing systems, the traditional definition and evaluation methods from the systems' and components' point of view meet challenges. In this paper, we veer from the angle of view and study the dependability and their attributes from the service-oriented perspective. A stochastic model using the semi-Markov process is put forward, and the quantitative analysis of the dependability attributes is carried out. By extending and transforming this model, the mean time to dependability attributes failure is calculated. Based on the analysis and calculations, some theorems are proposed and proved, to show the inter-relationships and comparisons of the different dependability attributes. Furthermore, we model the service composition and conduct workflow analysis to show how this model could deal with complex services. In addition, LANL service systems are analyzed as a case study to show how the proposed model and calculation methods could apply to real systems, and sensitivity analysis is also performed to identify the bottlenecks and find effective ways for dependability optimization.


Purpose The workload of health care and its impact on patient functioning and well-being is known as treatment burden. The purpose of this study was to finalize a conceptual framework of treatment burden that will be used to inform a new patient-reported measure of this construct. Patients and methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 chronically ill patients from a large academic medical center (n=32) and an urban safety-net hospital (n=18). We coded themes identifying treatment burden, with the themes harmonized through discussion between multiple coders. Four focus groups, each with five to eight participants with chronic illness, were subsequently held to confirm the thematic structure that emerged from the interviews. Results Most interviewed patients (98%) were coping with multiple chronic conditions. A preliminary conceptual framework using data from the first 32 interviews was evaluated and was modified using narrative data from 18 additional interviews with a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of patients. The final framework features three overarching themes with associated subthemes. These themes included: 1) work patients must do to care for their health (eg, taking medications, keeping medical appointments, monitoring health); 2) challenges/stressors that exacerbate perceived burden (eg, financial, interpersonal, provider obstacles); and 3) impacts of burden (eg, role limitations, mental exhaustion). All themes and subthemes were subsequently confirmed in focus groups. Conclusion The final conceptual framework can be used as a foundation for building a patient self-report measure to systematically study treatment burden for research and analytical purposes, as well as to promote meaningful clinic-based dialogue between patients and providers about the challenges inherent in maintaining complex self-management of health.


1. The pokeweed antiviral protein, previously identified in two forms (PAP and PAP II) in the leaves of Phytolacca americana (pokeweed) [Obrig. Irvin & Hardesty (1973) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 155, 278-289; Irvin, Kelly & Robertus (1980) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 200, 418-425] is a protein that prevents replication of several viruses and inactivates ribosomes, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. 2. PAP is present in several forms in the seeds of pokeweed. One of them, which we propose to call 'pokeweed antiviral protein from seeds' (PAP-S) was purified in high yield (180 mg per 100 g of seeds) by chromatography on CM-cellulose, has mol.wt. 30 000, and is similar to, but not identical with. PAP and PAP II. 3. PAP-S inhibits protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate with an ID50 (concentration giving 50% inhibition) of 1.1 ng/ml (3.6 x 10(-11) M), but has much less effect on protein synthesis by whole cells, with an ID50 of 1 mg/ml (3.3 x 10(-5) M), and inhibits replication of herpes simplex virus type 1.


This research attempts to depicts the language used in lnclonesian television, especially in
news, editorial, and talk show in post reform era. The main issue in this research is the language
used in Indonesian television contributes to the formation of democracy in this country. To answer
the question, this research applies Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) that is able to portray the
social processes and the language that is representation of the social processes, including their
genres and registers. The results show that news exploits recount whereas editorial and talk show
employ discussion genre. The recount and discussion genres in news and editorial and talk show
accelerate the atmosphere of democratizatirm in Indonesia. News provides facts and phenomena
whereas editorial and talk show discusses them. However, in the level of register, editorial and ta!k
show exploit the use of more raised evaluation that a number of communication experts believe
that Indonesian editorial and talk show go beyond the democracy level or are still provocative.
Keywords

Bahasa Demokratis, Genre, Register, Appraisal


Objectives The fit note replaced the sick note in the UK in 2010, with the aim of improving support for patients requiring sickness absence, yet there has been very little research into fit note use. This study aims to describe number of fit notes by condition, to improve our understanding of patterns of fit note use in primary care. Previous fit note research has relied on extracting diagnoses directly from fit notes, rather than extracting information from clinical records. In this paper, we extract information from clinical records to explore demographic factors and conditions associated with number of fit notes issued. Design This is a longitudinal study of clinical data. We analysed individual-level anonymised data from general practitioner consultations, including demographic information and condition recorded at first fit note. The latter encompassed diagnoses, individual symptoms and psychosocial issues. Setting A database called Lambeth DataNet, containing electronic clinical records on 326 415 adults (ages 16–60) from all 45 general practices within the London Borough of Lambeth from 1 January 2014 to 30 April 2017. Participants Our analytical sample contained 40 698 people with a condition recorded at first fit note. Primary outcome measure Predicted number of fit notes in the period January 2014–April 2017 Results Of all studied diagnostic groups, mental illness had the highest predicted number of fit notes (n=3.3; 95% CI: 3.1 to 3.4) after controlling for demographic factors and long-term conditions. The highest predicted number of fit notes for any condition subgroup was among patients presenting for drug and/or alcohol misuse (n=4.5; 95% CI: 4.1 to 4.8). Conclusions For the first time, we show drug and/or alcohol misuse at first fit note are associated with the highest number of fit notes. Research is needed to understand the trajectories of individuals at highest risk of long-term sickness absence, in particular, people presenting with drug and/or alcohol misuse.


Adiponectin is secreted by adipose cells and mimics many metabolic actions of insulin. However, mechanisms by which adiponectin acts are poorly understood. The vascular action of insulin to stimulate endothelial production of nitric oxide (NO), leading to vasodilation and increased blood flow is an important component of insulin-stimulated whole body glucose utilization. Therefore, we hypothesized that adiponectin may also stimulate production of NO in endothelium. Bovine aortic endothelial cells in primary culture loaded with the NO-specific fluorescent dye 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-2 DA) were treated with lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) (a calcium-releasing agonist) or adiponectin (10 μg/ml bacterially produced full-length adiponectin). LPA treatment increased production of NO by ∼4-fold. Interestingly, adiponectin treatment significantly increased production of NO by ∼3-fold. Preincubation of cells with wortmannin (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor) blocked only adiponectin- but not LPA-mediated production of NO. Using phospho-specific antibodies, we observed that either adiponectin or insulin treatment (but not LPA treatment) caused phosphorylation of both Akt at Ser473 and endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) at Ser1179 that was inhibitable by wortmannin. We next transfected bovine aortic endothelial cells with dominant-inhibitory mutants of Akt (Akt-AAA) or AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (AMPKK45R). Neither mutant affected production of NO in response to LPA treatment. Importantly, only AMPKK45R, but not Akt-AAA, caused a significant partial inhibition of NO production in response to adiponectin. Moreover, AMPK-K45R inhibited phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1179 in response to adiponectin but not in response to insulin. We conclude that adiponectin has novel vascular actions to directly stimulate production of NO in endothelial cells using phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent pathways involving phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1179 by AMPK. Thus, the effects of adiponectin to augment metabolic actions of insulin in vivo may be due, in part, to vasodilator actions of adiponectin.


As more focus on communication is promoted in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) classrooms and general proficiency is usually enhanced in these settings, this study aims to explore (i) whether a lower rate of L1 use, as regards interactional strategies and transfer lapses, is found in CLIL learners when compared to NON-CLIL learners; (ii) whether differences exist between both groups in lexical richness (type/token ratio and D), accuracy (word order and correct production of the definite and indefinite article) and syntactic complexity (production of simple and complex sentences and variety of tenses used); and (iii) whether L1 use correlates with lexical richness, accuracy and syntactic complexity. The analysis of an oral production task of two groups of fourteen year-old Basque/Spanish bilingual students learning L3 English indicates that the CLIL group made lower use of L1. The CLIL group also obtained better scores in lexical richness and general proficiency as well as in the correct production of definite and indefinite articles and in the use of complex clauses. No correlation was observed between L1 use and accuracy or syntactic complexity, suggesting that a decrease in L1 use is not always related to better performance in specific aspects of language or the use of more complex language.


Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) benefits heath therefore, it is important to understand which factors might influence LTPA. Studies link early life factors with adult health and behaviours but their associations, particularly developmental factors, with LTPA are unclear. Further, examining if associations found change with age may shed light on underlying mechanisms. The aim of this thesis was to examine associations of socioeconomic and developmental factors from early life with LTPA across adulthood. Published studies were systematically reviewed to examine associations between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and adult LTPA. Remaining objectives were addressed using data from up to 3545 participants from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD). Prospectively collected data from early life used in analyses were birth weight, infant motor milestones, ability at school games, upper and lower limb motor coordination and pubertal development. LTPA was self-reported five times between ages 36 and 68. Associations were examined using standard and mixed-effects binary and multinomial logistic regression. Age by early life factor interactions tested if associations varied by age at assessment of LTPA. Among 36 published studies identified, lower childhood SEP (most commonly indicated by parental occupation and education) was associated with less LTPA in adulthood (particularly among women and in UK cohorts) but there was considerable heterogeneity between studies. In the NSHD, low birth weight, lower ability at games and slower tapping speed in adolescence were associated with lower likelihood of participation in LTPA across adulthood and these associations did not vary by age. There was some suggestion that early maturing boys and later maturing girls were more likely to participate in LTPA in adulthood but this evidence was weak. Socioeconomic and developmental factors from early life were associated with LTPA across adulthood. The main implications of these findings are that those with low birth weight, less motor competence and lower SEP may require additional support to take up and maintain LTPA across adulthood.


Having sufficient fiscal capacity to tax is a key hallmark and defining feature of states, and there is a growing literature trying to explain its origins. Existing empirical evidence on fiscal capacity is scarce and focuses on large, ex-post successful territories. In this paper we study the introduction of the first centralized, permanent fiscal institutions in the multifarious territories of the Holy Roman Empire from 1400 to 1800. We link information on fiscal centralization and the size and survival of territories to an extensive dataset on state-formation and growth-related outcomes. We empirically confirm that territories are more likely to centralize when neighboring territories are centralized and when they are exposed to a higher threat of war. In line with the literature on the consequences of fiscal capacity, we show that centralized territories are more likely to survive than non-centralized territories and as a result grow more in size. They invest more in administrative and military structures, but investments in the military only occur in the core areas of centralized territories. This contradicts the central assumption of models on fiscal capacity which states that investments into the military are a non-excludable public good.


The American Cancer Society estimates that >500,000 new cases of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) are diagnosed each year. Although the incidence varies widely around the world, it is especially high in developing countries and is positively associated with higher rates of exogenous risk factors including, smoking, alcohol use, and viral infection. But, only a fraction of the people in these high-risk groups will develop the disease. Treatment times tend to be long and costly with survival rates averaging 50%, one of the lowest for the major cancers. Therefore, further work is needed to aid in our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors, as well as the underlying biology of SCCHN. To further assess the etiology of SCCHN, the study used the approach of examining one candidate gene, the Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated gene (ATM), located at 11q22.3 and functioning in the DNA damage response/repair pathway. Compared to other cancers, SCCHN tumors exhibit a very high rate of chromosomal instability, often showing amplification of chromosome 11q13 and loss of 11q22-qter. We hypothesized that SCCHN patients (cases) have a higher incidence of germline alterations in ATM than controls. Three hundred cases and 360 controls were genotyped for nine ATM tag-SNPs and supplemented with one splice-site SNP. Logistic regression analysis showed that two SNPs (rs611646 and rs373759) were associated with increased risk of developing SCCHN: P = 0.012 and P = 0.025, respectively. In SNP rs611646, the TT genotype was more common in cases than controls (45 versus 32%) while the AA and AT genotypes were less common in cases than controls (18 versus 21% and 37 versus 46%, respectively). In SNP rs373759, the CC genotype was more common in cases than controls (56 versus 48%) with the CT type being less common in cases than controls (29 versus 40%). Genetic studies such as this could have a public health impact by identifying markers for early detection of SCCHN, for predicting prognosis, for therapy and drug development, and aiding in the development of new, individualized treatment strategies.


Fathers and Daughters explores the complex nature of this subject using the voices and experiences of both fathers and daughters. Sue Sharpe provides an examination of the important processes operating within the relationship such as those affecting gender roles, achievement, teenage sexuality, women's relationships with men and ageing. It is an original and captivating treatment of a strangely neglected subject. Sue Sharpe is a free-lance writer and researcher based in London.


This paper is devoted to the problem of neural networks as means of intrusion detection. We show that properly trained neural networks are capable of fast recognition and classification of different attacks. The advantage of the taken approach allows us to demonstrate the superiority of the neural networks over the systems that were created by the winner of the KDD Cups competition and later researchers due to their capability to recognize an attack, to differentiate one attack from another, i.e. classify attacks, and, the most important, to detect new attacks that were not included into the training set. The results obtained through simulations indicate that it is possible to recognize attacks that the intrusion detection system never faced before on an acceptably high level


Birds in cities start singing earlier in the morning than in rural areas; commonly this shift is attributed to light pollution. Some studies have suggested that traffic noise has a stronger influence on singing activity than artificial light does. Changes in the timing of singing behaviour in relation to noise and light pollution have only been investigated in the temperate zones. Tropical birds, however, experience little seasonal variation in day length and may be less dependent on light intensity as a modifier for reproductive behaviours such as song. To test whether noise or light pollution has a stronger impact on the dawn chorus of a tropical bird, we investigated the singing behaviour of rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) in Bogota, Colombia at two times during the year. We found that birds in places with high noise levels started to sing earlier. Light pollution did not have a significant effect. Birds may begin to sing earlier in noisy areas to avoid acoustic masking by traffic later in the morning. Our results also suggest that some tropical birds may be less sensitive to variations in day length and thus less sensitive to light pollution.


Oral diseases represent a major public health problem, especially for economically marginalized communities with limited access to health services. In addition, the constant increase in bacterial resistance to many of the antibiotics contributes to worsen the problem. In this context, great importance had been given to natural compounds for the discovery of new drugs that contribute to the prevention and control of oral affection. The present study proposed a systematic review of articles that used the techniques of agar diffusion and broth dilution to measure the efficiency of plant samples against Streptococcus mutans, one of the main agents involved in the development of dental cavities. Families and plant species most used in the study, the concentration and polarity measurements of the samples used in the tests, the disk and well variants in the agar diffusion technique, as well as the most outstanding results presented by the articles are reported. The review highlights the bacteriostatic effect of natural products against S. mutans and strengthened parameters that could validate the best strategy for the identification of natural products with antimicrobial action, having as object the S. mutans. The agar diffusion test should not be neglected as screening test but scientific measurements should be taken into consideration to obtain plant extracts which are likely to undergo clinical usage against S. mutans.

 Key words: Medicinal plant, plant extract, antimicrobial, qualitative technique, quantitative technique.


Diamond has been well recognized a strategic engineering material. It possesses excellent physical and chemical properties including the highest hardness and thermal conductivity, and good resistance to chemical erosion. Although CVD diamond film has good potential outstanding properties, its industrial applications have been limited by the non-uniform thickness and rough surface. In the current study, the CVD diamond film is polished by the chemical-assisted mechanical method with different slurries. These slurries contain strong oxidation chemical and diamond powder. During the process, the diamond film was held against the rotational ceramic plate with transverse oscillation at 90 °Cor lower. The profilometer, atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope were used to evaluate the surface integrity of the diamond films before and after polishing. Based on the experimental results, the slurry containing potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) produces the highest material removal rate while potassium permanganate (KMnO4) develops the best local surface roughness. The strategy of using potassium persulfate for coarse polishing followed by potassium permanganate for fine polishing yields the diamond films of the best global surface roughness. The average surface roughness of the diamond film produced by the proposed technique is below 10 nm after 5 hours.


Abstract The properties of particle-reinforced aluminum composites depend on the microstructure and evolved uniformity distribution of particles in the matrix. The distribution of Al2O3 particles in the matrix and microstructure properties of varying volume fraction of particles up to 15% Al2O3 particle-reinforced Al metal matrix composites produced by the mechanical alloying technique was investigated. Alloying was performed in a planetary ball mill using a milling time varying from 0 h to 7 h, a ball-to-powder ratio of 10:1, and a ball mill velocity of 400 rpm. The produced compositions were cold-pressed at 700 MPa with a single action and sintered at 600°C for 3 h under Argon gas atmosphere. The relative density (both pressed and sintered), porosity and hardness of composites were also examined. The results of mechanical alloying processing were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and laser particle size analyzer. SEM observations showed that relatively homogeneous distribution of Al2O3 reinforcement in the matrix could be obtained by mechanical alloying after 5 h. Moreover, the variation in hardness of the composites with alumina volume fraction and milling time was observed to be a strong function of the work hardening mechanism.


OBJECTIVETranscranial color-coded duplex sonography (TCCS) is a reliable tool that is used to assess vasospasm in the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A distinct increase in blood flow velocity (BFV) is the principal criterion for vasospasm. The MCA/internal carotid artery (ICA) index (Lindegaard Index) is also widely used to distinguish between vasospasm and cerebral hyperperfusion. However, extracranial ultrasonography assessment of the neck vessels might be difficult in an intensive care unit. Therefore, the authors evaluated whether the relationship of intracranial arterial to venous BFV might indicate vasospasm with similar or even better accuracy.METHODSPatients who presented between 2008 and 2015 with aneurysmal SAH were prospectively enrolled in the study. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and TCCS were performed within 24 hours of each other to assess vasospasm 8-10 days after SAH. The following different TCCS parameters were analyzed to assess vasospasm in the MCA and were compared with the gold-standard DSA parameters: 1) mean time-averaged maximum BFV (Vmean) of the MCA, 2) peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the MCA, 3) the Lindegaard Index using Vmean as well as PSV, and 4) a new arteriovenous index (AVI) between the MCA and the basal vein of Rosenthal using Vmean and PSV. The best cutoff values for these parameters to distinguish vasospasm from normal perfusion or hyperperfusion were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value as well as the overall accuracy for each cutoff value were analyzed.RESULTSA total of 102 patients (mean age 52 ± 12 years) were evaluated. Bilateral MCA assessment by TCCS was successful in all patients. In 6 cases (3%), the BFV of the basal vein of Rosenthal could not be analyzed. The AVI could not be calculated in 50 of 204 cases (25%) because the insonation quality was very low in one of the ICAs. An AVI > 10 for Vmean and an AVI > 12 for systolic velocity provided the highest accuracies of 87% and 86%, respectively. Regarding the Lindegaard Index, the accuracy was highest using a threshold of > 3 for the mean BFV (84%) as well as systolic BFV (80%). BFVs in the MCA of ≥ 120 cm/sec (Vmean) and ≥ 200 cm/sec (PSV) predicted vasospasm with accuracies of 84% and 83%, respectively. A combined analysis of the MCA BFV and the AVI led to a slight increase in specificity (Vmean, 94%; PSV, 93%) and positive predictive value (Vmean, 88%; PSV 86%) without further improvement in accuracy (Vmean, 88%; PSV, 84%).CONCLUSIONSThe intracranial AVI is a reliable parameter that can be used to assess vasospasm after SAH. Its reliability for differentiating vasospasm and hyperperfusion is slightly higher than that for the established Lindegaard Index, and this method has the additional advantage of a remarkably lower failure rate.


I was commissioned to research new works for the exhibition, 'The Spirit of Liberty'. This work focused on developing ideas resulting from a series of placements at the Spode factory, Staffordshire.

I worked on existing ware, researching and using the Spode archive of copper engraved transfers as a visual vocabulary, to be appropriated through collage to create new images. It is significant that my approach to this process is to be seen as a continuum of the factory's own methods whereby in the 18th century, imported Chinese ceramics, featuring famous imagery such as Willow Pattern, were reinterpreted to become, in time, quintessentially English.


Late nineteenth-century news reporters struggled with depictions of Sojourner Truth. There was tension between her obvious influence and dominant ideologies at the time, but the acknowledgments of her power, regardless of how mediated, were enough to solidify her place in American history. People were incredibly fascinated by her, even if they were not quite ready to accept her message. While they were sure to mention her race, gender, and lack of formal education in derogatory ways, the fact that the media reported on her so heavily reveals the novelty status of Truth, and the platform that this gave her in a time when people like her were not readily listened to. Their interest in her might have more to do with the sensationalized aspects of her identity (her status as a former slave, an uneducated black woman, her presumed old age), but that interest made sure her reputation as an effective advocate of abolition and women's rights lived on long after she did. This says a lot about how people of marginalized identities find a platform from which to speak and are remembered for their insistence on such a platform, despite attempts to mediate their influence. This article examines historical newspapers for how mediated these reports were and explores the impact that mediation may have had on Truth's reputation in her own time.


Williams's syndrome is a complex syndrome characterized by developmental abnormalities,craniofacial dysmorphic features, and cardiac anomalies. Clinical diagnostic criteria are available for WS; the mainstay for diagnosis is detection of the contiguous gene deletion of the Williams-Beuren syndrome critical region (WBSCR) that encompasses the elastin (ELN) gene which can be detected using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) or targeted mutation analysis.A two and half year old child was referred to our Molecular Biology and Cytogenetic lab for cytogenetic analysis which revealed normal male karyotype. As the diagnosis could not be confirmed the sample was further tested for WBS critical region- ELN-locus in 7q11 by FISH analysis. Loss of ELN-locus in 7q11 confirmed the clinical diagnosis of WBS in the child. The parents of the child benefited enormously by learning that the risk of recurrence was < 1% as this microdeletion occurs sporadically (new mutation). The main aim of this study is to emphasize on two aspects: (i) the importance of making use of modern molecular techniques to diagnose such a syndrome and (2) the difficulties faced by the physician to provide appropriate diagnosis and the adequate genetic counseling to such patients due to the lack of such molecular facilities


Studying the influence of market uncertainty on the strategic decision of entry mode in service sectors is an attractive topic for both industrial insiders and academic researchers. Empirical research results derived from single service sector as well as other qualitative analyses have argued that the influence is significant. However, the underlying mechanism and statistical evidence is not carefully developed to date. After an innovative clarification of both service property and market uncertainty in line with various factors engaged, the paper creates a factor-matching model that can produce hypotheses for entry mode choice in service sectors. Moreover, preliminary statistical test followed shows that the model is workable and the validity of those hypotheses does exist.


Rice production in the rainfed shallow lowlands in the eastern region and the favorable shallow lowlands in the southern region of India has, for a long time, remained stagnant. The potential of high-yielding varieties is not fully realized. Several breeding lines are being evaluated every year in these ecosystems in trials organized under the All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Program (AICRIP). When compared with national checks Salivahana and Pranava, none could qualify for release in favorable shallow lowlands in the southern region. However, in the rainfed shallow lowlands of the eastern region, CR1002 (1992) and Pooja (1999)were released for cultivation. This shows that yield improvement per se of varieties bred for these ecosystems, especially in favorable shallow lowlands, is limited, though improvement was considerable in quality and pest resistance as reflected by the release of several varieties at the state level.


A seismic refraction project known as the North Atlantic Seismic Project (NASP) was carried out in the NE North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland during July 1972. This thesis presents the results and interpretation of the data obtained between Scotland and the Faeroe Islands. The first arrival travel time data was analysed by firstly fitting straight line segments by least squares, and secondly by time term analysis. The shot-station configuration of the project favoured time term analysis as this method combines the large quantity of data obtained, and the interpretation is not limited by apparent velocities. Amplitude measurements were made on some of the data in order to positively identify the large amplitude secondary arrivals observed as the reflected phase from the Moho, PmP. This phase was used to supplement the crustal structure information obtained from the first arrivals, and theoretical travel times have been calculated for these reflections. Little use has-been made of S wave arrivals. Two main crustal layers were established beneath the Scottish shelf with a Moho depth of 25-26 km. The upper basement layer is at a depth of about 2-3 km beneath mainly Palaeozoic sediments (5.0 km s(^-1)) and has a P wave velocity of 6.1 km s(^-1). It is interpreted as Lewisian schists and gneisses. The lower layer at a depth of about 9 km has a P wave velocity of 6.48 km s(-1) and is interpreted in terms of granulite facies Lewisian material. A normal Moho Pn velocity of 7.99 km s(^-1) was found. A continental crustal thickness of about 30 km was determined beneath the Faeroe Plateau. There is quite an abrupt transition in the basement material between the north west and south-east regions of the Plateau. The material in the north-west has a velocity of about 6.1 km s(^-1) and is interpreted as normal continental metamorphic rocks such as gneisses. In the south-east the velocity of about 5.5- 5.6 km(^-1) is interpreted in terms of slates, and the transition between the two as a change in metamorphic grade. The crustal structure was not well determined beneath the Faeroe/Shetland Channel but the region appears to be underlain by anomalous oceanic material with a Moho depth of 11-18 km. Two main crustal layers were identified with velocities of about 4.65 km s(^-1) and 6.l6 km s(^-1), and at depths of about 2.2 km and 7.9 km respectively.


Importance
Living kidney donation is associated with increased long-term risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). An early postdonation marker of ESRD risk could improve postdonation risk assessment and counseling for kidney donors and allow early intervention for donors at increased risk.

Objective
To determine the association between renal function in the first 6 months postdonation and subsequent risk of ESRD in kidney donors.

Design, Setting, and Participants
This secondary analysis of a prospective national cohort uses a population-based registry of all living kidney donors in the United States between October 26, 1999, and January 1, 2018, with follow-up through December 31, 2018. All kidney donors who had donated in the date range and had serum creatinine measured at 6 months (±3 months) postdonation were included.

Exposures
Renal function as measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate 6 months after donation (eGFR6).

Main Outcomes and Measures
End-stage renal disease, ascertained via linkage to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data.

Results
A total of 71 468 living kidney donors were included (of 109 065 total donors over this period). Their median (interquartile range) eGFR6 was 63 (54-74) mL/min/1.73 m2. Cumulative incidence of ESRD at 15 years postdonation ranged from 11.7 donors per 10 000 donors with eGFR6 values greater than 70 mL/min/1.73 m2 to 33.1 donors per 10 000 donors with eGFR6 values of 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 or less. Adjusting for age, race, sex, body mass index, and biological relationship, every 10 mL/min/1.73 m2 reduction in eGFR6 was associated with a 28% increased risk of ESRD (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.06-1.54]; P = .009). The association between predonation eGFR and ESRD was not significant and was fully mediated by eGFR6 (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.86-1.17]; P = .97). The postdonation eGFR value was a better marker of ESRD than eGFR decline after donation or the ratio of eGFR6 to predonation eGFR, as determined by the Akaike information criterion (in which a lower value indicates a better model fit; eGFR6, 1495.61; predonation eGFR - eGFR6, 1503.58; eGFR6 / predonation eGFR, 1502.30).

Conclusions and Relevance
In this study, there was an independent association of eGFR6 with subsequent ESRD risk in living kidney donors, even after adjusting for predonation characteristics. The findings support measurement of early postdonation serum creatinine monitoring in living kidney donors, and the use of these data to help identify donors who might need more careful surveillance and early intervention.


In numerous settings in areas as diverse as security, ecology, astronomy, and logistics, it is desirable to optimally deploy a limited resource to observe events, which may be modelled as point data arising according to a Non-homogeneous Poisson process. Increasingly, thanks to developments in mobile and adaptive technologies, it is possible to update a deployment of such resource and gather feedback on the quality of multiple actions. Such a capability presents the opportunity to learn, and with it a classic problem in operations research and machine learning - the explorationexploitation dilemma. To perform optimally, how should investigative choices which explore the value of poorly understood actions and optimising choices which choose actions known to be of a high value be balanced? Effective techniques exist to resolve this dilemma in simpler settings, but the Poisson process data brings new challenges. In this thesis, effective solution methods for the problem of sequentially deploying resource are developed, via a combination of efficient inference schemes, bespoke optimisation approaches, and advanced sequential decision-making strategies. Furthermore, extensive theoretical work provides strong guarantees on the performance of the proposed solution methods and an understanding of the challenges of this problem and more complex extensions. In particular, Upper Confidence Bound and Thompson Sampling (TS) approaches are derived for combinatorial and continuum-armed bandit versions of the problem, with accompanying analysis displaying that the regret of the approaches is of optimal order. A broader understanding of the performance of TS based on non-parametric models for smooth reward functions is developed, and new posterior contraction results for the Gaussian Cox Process, a popular Bayesian non-parametric model of point data, are derived. These results point to effective strategies for more challenging variants of the event detection problem, and more generally advance the understanding of bandit decision-making with complex data structures.


The article discusses effects of the financial crisis on the bargaining position of labour in the Baltic States based on the power resources approach. It analyses in how far distinctly Baltic characteristics of industrial relations have intensified the crisis impact as compared to other Central and Eastern European Countries. The findings stress two interrelated effects. Firstly, they do reveal a sharp drop in structural power due to the particularly high unemployment rate. Secondly, this trend is accompanied by a loss of associational and institutional power that is likely to have a weakening impact on the bargaining position of labour due to three developments: specific forms of membership losses, the widespread failure of renegotiating collective agreements and the non-compliance of anti-crisis social dialogue results. The author argues that in the outcome the crisis could distinctly intensify the individualised nature of the respective industrial relations systems. This is due to the extremely high costs it would cause labour to reverse the three mentioned developments.


The research presented in this thesis belongs to the subject area of operations research. The study investigates and utilises the solution methodologies known as heuristics and local search for three practical problems related to cutting and packing using irregular shapes and multiple bins. From an application point of view, the problems domains remain in manufacturing, specifically where minimising the resources is required to meet a particular outcome. Many manufacturing processes begin with cutting desired items from a stock sheet of material, hence this study focuses on generating efficient cutting patterns, which is applicable in the manufacture of furniture, shoes, tools, ships, and garments. First, we consider designing an efficient solution procedure for solving two-dimensional irregular shape single bin size bin packing problem and two-dimensional irregular shape multiple bin size bin packing problem. Our intention is to consider alternative strategies such as placement policies, hole-filling and handling rotation of pieces; particularly with unrestricted rotations. Despite the fact that both problems are widely applicable in sheet cutting, their consideration in the literature is limited. To our knowledge, only a few authors have attempted to incorporate the first problem with the unrestricted rotation of pieces while the second problem with unrestricted rotation has not been considered at all. Being applicable in the real world, both the problems require powerful algorithms to determine the arrangement of irregular pieces on stock sheets in order to minimise the material waste. In this thesis, our focus is on developing algorithms to solve each problem efficiently. These algorithms draw on concepts in computational geometry, computer science as well as operations research. We investigate a set of newly proposed single-pass constructive algorithms that builds a feasible solution by adding pieces sequentially to a packing area defined by a set of bins which can either be homogeneous or heterogeneous. Each problem has a large solution space due to the different combinations of bins and arrangements of irregular pieces. We adopt the optimisation power of local search methods and metaheuristics to find good solutions. As one of the useful heuristic procedures, we use the Jostle heuristic (JS) to solve irregular shape single bin size bin packing problem and irregular shape multiple bin size bin packing problem due to its promising performances in handling both allocation and placement decisions of the pieces together. The Jostle was used in earlier studies for solving irregular strip packing problems and in this study we adopt it first time to solve irregular bin packing problems. Also, our implementation of Jostle handles identifying promising orientation angles of the pieces using the newly proposed angled tuning mechanism when placing pieces. Experimental results reveal that the proposed algorithms can manage different variants of the problem and find solutions with good utilisation of material. For the third problem of this study, we consider multi-period irregular bin packing problem with use of residuals. This allows using leftovers of a certain period which are usable as input stock material for the next periods. Here, we expand the previous work on irregular bin packing algorithms for heterogeneous stock sheets to consider the inventory and production process of sheet cutting. We propose two models to test the impact of a variety of operational policies around the retention and reuse of residual materials in the sheet cutting process. It also examines the cost sensitivity of using residuals with respect to nine practical scenarios within those operational policies. The computational results demonstrate that the proposed multi-period approach with residuals derives better results than solving each order individually for a selected set of operational scenarios and disclose which policy would be more advantageous to operate in each scenario. The results facilitate developing a tool to guide the manufacturers to take effective decisions based on the scenarios applicable to their sheet cutting process.


Health promotion campaigns are typically designed to elicit fear, yet the use of fear is often ineffective in achieving the desired behavior change. Campaigns which attempt to use fear as part of a punishment procedure are unlikely to succeed. Consistent with established principles of learning, fear is most likely to be effective if the campaign allows for the desired behavior to be reinforced by a reduction in the level of fear. This entails five requirements: 1) fear onset should occur before the desired behavior is offered; 2) the event upon which the fear is based should appear to be likely; 3) a specific desired behavior should be offered as part of the campaign; 4) the level of fear elicited should only be such that the desired behavior offered is sufficient to substantially reduce the fear; 5) fear offset should occur as a reinforcer for the desired behavior, confirming its effectiveness. Under some circumstances it may be difficult to ensure that these requirements are met. In general, a positive reinforcement approach may prove to be more effective than the use of fear.


This paper studies the labour market effects of pension fund restoration plans at a business cycle frequency. During a recession, pension funds' funding ratios typically drop significantly and regulations force funds to restore their buffers by increasing their contributions, lower future indexation or cut liabilities immediately. Using a standard search and matching model of the labour market, I find that especially raising contribution rates has significant amplification effects on the key labour market statistics. A less distorting solution is to let pension rights fluctuate with the value of the pension assets and to use pension contributions only to finance new rights. This paper shows that risk sharing via the pension system will amplify labour market fluctuations, something not taken into account by standard risk sharing recipes.


The goal of the project was to measure accelerations in cars, buses and motorcycles. A cubic wooden box was built and three (two-axis) acceleration sensors were installed. A Matlab-program that filters the signal and calculates the acceleration components was developed.Measuring the angular acceleration was more complicated than expected. With the current setup and software the box only measures the linear accelerations in three dimensions.The accelerations of cars and buses tested never exceed 1 g under normal urban driving. The motorcycle tested reached 2 g accelerations in the x-y-plane and 4 g in the z-direction.


This study investigated learning and memory performance similarities and differences between healthy, Spanish-speaking older adults of Hispanic/Latino descent and English-speaking Caucasian older adults. It explored the possibility that the novelty of verbal memory tasks, along with cultural and educational differences, may lead to performance differences in Spanishspeaking older adults' effective use of organizational strategies, such as semantic clustering. It was hypothesized that an alternative strategy instruction, which provided explicit detail on how to use the effective semantic clustering strategy, would reduce differences observed between the Hispanic and Caucasian groups. Forty-eight healthy, Spanish-speaking older adults and 55 healthy, English-speaking older adults were administered list-learning tasks in their dominant language. Under standard task instruction, Spanish-speaking older adults with low levels of formal education learned fewer words on the task than Caucasian and Hispanic participants who had higher levels of education. Hispanic participants, regardless of educational levels, also utilized semantic clustering recall at lower rates than Caucasian participants under standard instruction. When provided with explicit strategy instructions, both groups showed reduced list learning, and Hispanic older adults demonstrated reduced response to strategy manipulation compared to Caucasian participants. Finally, in the Hispanic older adult sample, the quality of their formal education and level of acculturation were identified as important predictors of verbal learning outcomes. These findings highlight the need to continue to examine the complex role of demographic and cultural variables on verbal learning and memory processes, as they may impact the assessment of pathological processes such as dementia, as well as the development of effective cognitive interventions for diverse elders. INDEX WORDS: Memory assessment; verbal learning; acculturation; aging; older adults; bilingual; dementia assessment; assessment with Spanish-speakers; learning strategies; cognitive rehabilitation; neuropsychological assessment; Hispanic; Latinos/Latinas ASSESSING LEARNING STRATEGY USE IN ENGLISHAND SPANISH-SPEAKING OLDER ADULTS DURING VERBAL LEARNING TESTS


Even though dynamic geometry software (DGS) is becoming an emergent instructional tool for mathematics teachers, many teachers are still in the process of consideration about whether to use it. In order to encourage teachers to use DGS, this study seeks to discover mathematics teachers' salient beliefs about the use of DGS in mathematics class. The theory of planned behaviour serves as the theoretical framework for understanding teachers' intentions to use DGS. Thirty mathematics teachers who have knowledge of and experience using DGS were invited to fill out an online survey. Content analysis of teachers' responses was analysed using the theory of planned behaviour. The behavioural, normative and control beliefs of mathematics teachers using DGS in class were identified. These noticeable beliefs of teachers may be used to create conditions for teachers to successfully integrate this new tool in mathematics class.