ABSTRACT Amphioxus is the closest living proxy for exploring the evolutionary origin of the immune system in vertebrates. To understand the immune responses of amphioxus to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 5 ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-depleted libraries of amphioxus were constructed, including one control (0 h) library and 4 treatment libraries at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h post-injection (hpi) with LPS. The transcriptome of Branchiostoma belcheri was analyzed using strand-specific RNA sequencing technology (RNA-seq). A total of 6161, 6665, 7969, and 6447 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hpi, respectively, compared with expression levels at 0 h. We identified amphioxus genes active during the acute-phase response to LPS at different time points after stimulation. Moreover, to better visualize the resolution phase of the immune process during immune response, we identified 6057 and 5235 DEGs at 48 hpi by comparing with 6 and 24 hpi, respectively. Through real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of 12 selected DEGs, we demonstrated the accuracy of the RNA-seq data in this study. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs demonstrated that most terms were related to defense and immune responses, disease and infection, cell apoptosis, and metabolism and catalysis. Subsequently, we identified 1330, 485, 670, 911, and 1624 time-specific genes (TSGs) at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hpi. Time-specific terms at each of 5 time points were primarily involved in development, immune signaling, signal transduction, DNA repair and stability, and metabolism and catalysis, respectively. As this is the first study to report the transcriptome of an organism with primitive immunity following LPS challenge at multiple time points, it provides gene expression information for further research into the evolution of immunity in vertebrates.


A principal possibility to retrieve basic thermospheric parameters (neutral temperature Tex, atomic [O] and molecular [O2 ] oxygen as well as molecular nitrogen [N2 ] concentrations) from the observed daytime electron density profiles Ne(h) in the equatorial F2-region is demonstrated for the first time. The reduction of a 2D continuity equation for electron concentration in the low-latitude F2-region at the geomagnetic equator (I  = 0) results in a simple 1D equation which can be efficiently solved. The method was tested using Jicamarca Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) and Digisonde Ne(h) profiles for the periods when CHAMP and GRACE neutral gas density observations are available in the vicinity of the Jicamarca Observatory. The retrieved from ISR Ne(h) neutral gas densities were shown to be close to the observed ones (MRD  = 32%) and MSISE-00 (MRD  = 27%) for the analyzed cases. The implementation of the method with Jicamarca Digisonde Ne(h) profiles has also shown acceptable results especially for solar minimum conditions (MRD  ~ 12%) and higher prediction accuracy than modern empirical models provide. This finding seems to open a way for the practical exploitation of the method for thermospheric monitoring purposes.


Iterative decoding with flooding schedule can be formulated as a fixed-point problem solved iteratively by successive substitution (88) method. In this work, we model continuous-time analog (asynchronous) iterative decoding by a first-order differential equation, and show that it can be approximated as the application of the well-known successive over relaxation (SOR) method for solving the fixed-point problem. Simulation results for belief propagation (sum-product) and min-sum algorithms confirm that SOR, which is in general superior to the simpler 88 method, can considerably improve the performance of iterative decoding for short codes. The improvement in performance increases with the maximum number of iterations and by reducing the step size in SOR, and the asymptotic result, corresponding to infinite maximum number of iterations and infinitesimal step size represents the performance of continuous-time analog iterative decoding. This means that under ideal circumstances continuous-time analog decoders can outperform their discrete-time digital counterparts by a large margin. Moreover, the results obtained by the proposed model are surprisingly close to the results of circuit simulation of a min-sum analog decoder presented in [S. Hemati et al., 2003]. Our work also suggests a general framework for improving iterative decoding algorithms on graphs with cycles, even for synchronous digital implementations.


: Cerebellar specimens removed in surgical treatment of acoustic nerve neurinomas were studied morphologically in 16 patients. Histochemically, morphofunctional state of the vegetative adrenergic nervous fibers and endings of the vessels and connective tissue basis of the pia mater encephali in the region of the cerebellum indicates inhibited activity of the neuromediator contour of circulation and metabolism regulation in the brain. Light and electron microscopy in the cerebellar cortex detected disorders of circulation, nervous cell dystrophy, glyocytic proliferation. Correlation was found between activity of sympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system, severity of neurodystrophic changes in the cerebellar cortex and development of pathophysiological reactions arising intraoperatively and early after operation.


Universities of a new generation need to unite the representatives of science and business who are interested in turning ideas into a real market product. This paper provides an original analysis of prerequisites for the formation and development of entrepreneurial universities in Ukraine. This study used the results of the generalization of literature on entrepreneurial universities and European experience on their formation. It has shown the main approaches to the understanding of the nature and features of entrepreneurial universities and underlines its global impact. Analysis of the results of research has allowed to formulate the author's definition of "entrepreneurial university" and to form a synthesis of the key judgments about entrepreneurial universities. It was concluded that the key focus in determining of the entrepreneurial university must be made on the results of the commercialization of research activities of universities, as well as the practical training of students up to the demand of business. Statistical data and international ranking reports were used to illustrate the current state of the higher education system of Ukraine. Peculiarities of the educational environment in the context of global changes and the identified trends in world studies were considered. The constraints faced by the educational system of Ukraine were allocated, including legislation base, the autonomy of universities issues, the diversification of funding sources. This leads to the conclusion that the use of European experience will allow adapting the educational space of Ukraine to the requirements of time and the global labour market. The functioning of higher education system became the basis for the substantiation of prerequisites of the establishing of entrepreneurial universities in Ukraine, defining the catalysts factors of entrepreneurial activity of universities and identifying barriers to their development.


One of the important issues in speech emotion recognizing is selecting of appropriate feature sets in order to improve the detection rate and classification accuracy. In last studies researchers tried to select the appropriate features for classification by using the selecting and reducing the space of features methods, such as the Fisher and PCA. In this research, a hybrid evolutionary algorithm is proposed which uses support vector machine classifier and cuckoo search algorithm in combination with the genetic algorithm in order to select the optimal features. In the proposed method, at first, a set of characteristics based on the Cepstral, Spectral and Fourier coefficients of the speech signal is extracted and then with the proposed hybrid algorithm, the operation of selecting the optimal feature set is performed. The results of the experiments on the famous Berlin's emotional speech database showed that using this proposed method for selecting the features, increases the classification accuracy to about 93%.


Move over BRICS, Next 11 and CIVETS: The EAGLEs have landed. A new formulation by BBVA Research, which conducts economic analyses for the international banking group, reveals a special group of markets that it feels deserves closer investor attention. The author refers to these countries as EAGLEs, which stands for Emerging and Growth-Leading Economies. These 10 emerging countries will contribute more to global growth than the G7 average in the next 10 years. On top of this, this article identifies a dozen other countries to watch in the so-called EAGLEs' Nest. Though the opportunities for investors depend on many factors, there are two key areas that are common across all EAGLEs: the rise of the middle class, presenting opportunities for the retail and household service sector; and vast infrastructure needs, of special interest to construction companies in the developed world looking for new opportunities to boost their production capacity.


Randomized smoothing (RS) has been shown to be a fast, scalable technique for certifying the robustness of deep neural network classifiers. However, methods based on RS require augmenting data with large amounts of noise, which leads to significant drops in accuracy. We propose a training-free, modified smoothing approach, Smooth-Reduce, that leverages patching and aggregation to provide improved classifier certificates. Our algorithm classifies overlapping patches extracted from an input image, and aggregates the predicted logits to certify a larger radius around the input. We study two aggregation schemes -- max and mean -- and show that both approaches provide better certificates in terms of certified accuracy, average certified radii and abstention rates as compared to concurrent approaches. We also provide theoretical guarantees for such certificates, and empirically show significant improvements over other randomized smoothing methods that require expensive retraining. Further, we extend our approach to videos and provide meaningful certificates for video classifiers. A project page can be found at https://nyu-dice-lab.github.io/SmoothReduce/


Screens are ubiquitous today. They display information; present image worlds; are portable; connect to mobile networks; mesmerize. However, contemporary screen media also seek to eliminate the presence of the screen and the visibilities of its boundaries. As what is image becomes increasingly indistinguishable against the viewer's actual surroundings, this unsettling prompts re-examination about not only what is the screen, but also how the screen demarcates and what it stands for in relation to our understanding of our realities in, outside and against images. Through case studies drawn from three media technologies – Virtual Reality; holograms; and light projections – this book develops new theories of the surfaces on and spaces in which images are displayed today, interrogating critical lines between art and life; virtuality and actuality; truth and lies. What we have today is not just the contestation of the real against illusion or the unreal, but the disappearance itself of difference and a gluttony of the unreal which both connect up to current politics of distorted truth values and corrupted terms of information. The Post-Screen Through Virtual Reality, Holograms and Light Projections: Where Screen Boundaries Lie is thus about not only where the image's borders and demarcations are established, but also the screen boundary as the instrumentation of today's intense virtualizations that do not tell the truth. In all this, a new imagination for images emerges, with a new space for cultures of presence and absence, definitions of object and representation, and understandings of dis- and re-placement – the post-screen.


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the use of Quick Response (QR) code application among the tourists on their satisfaction at a destination regarding information about restaurants' offer.

Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative method was implemented in this study. The field study was conducted in 2019 in the two most visited urban destinations in Serbia. The proposed model was examined using partial least squares, and the model fits, composite reliability and convergent validity were assessed. The direction and significance of the relationships were determined by testing all of the hypotheses.

Findings
The results showed that there was a positive effect of using QR codes. However, the study showed that a QR code cannot completely affect the overall satisfaction at a destination. The analysis of the control variables (age and economic status) showed that individual, demographic and economic factors must be taken into consideration to predict individuals' behaviour.

Research limitations/implications
To enable the generalization of the results, it is advised to conduct research on cross-cultural levels. Future studies related to the topic could be conveyed in other forms of tourism, as well as in other industries, which would provide a better insight into the application of this technology in the future.

Originality/value
The study enables managers of tourism businesses, especially in hospitality, to better understand the importance of the use of a QR code at a destination as an important marketing tool for getting information, and thus to satisfy guests' expectations.


OBJECTIVE
This study evaluates the prevalence, type, and severity of hearing impairment in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to analyze audiologic and otologic outcomes in these patients.

STUDY DESIGN
Retrospective analysis of the AudGen Database.

SETTING
Tertiary academic referral center.

PATIENTS
Pediatric patients in AudGen Database with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Appropriate audiologic, otologic, and demographic data were recorded.Nine hundred forty patients met inclusion criteria. Hearing loss (HL) was defined as greater than 15 dB HL at any threshold by pure tone or greater than 20 dB HL by soundfield audiometry. Other available otologic and medical conditions were documented.

RESULTS
Of 940 patients, 367 (39%) had hearing loss. Of the 1,629 individual ears with HL, 782 (48%) had conductive, 63 (4%) had sensorineural, 410 (25%) had mixed, and 374 (23%) had unspecified hearing loss. Patients with mixed type 1 hearing loss had significantly worse PTAs.

INTERPRETATION
Hearing loss in CP has a large degree of sensorineural loss, with a predisposition to be bilateral. The severity of hearing loss was correlated with the degree of the motor and neurologic disability in these patients.


The incidence of cancer of the pancreatoduodenal organs (the pancreas, major duodenal papilla, extrahepatic bile ducts, duodenum) is reported according to the autopsy findings obtained at two clinical hospitals (provincial and municipal) of Donetsk city during the period from 1957 to 1973. There is a tendency to the increased mortality due to cancer of the localization concerned against the background of the reduced total mortality.


Genetic mosaicism for somatic mutations of oncogenes is common in genodermatoses, which can be complicated with extra‐cutaneous abnormalities. Here we describe an infant with a congenital anaplastic astrocytoma, a linear syringocystadenoma papilliferum, and ocular abnormalities. The BRAF c.1799T>A p.V600E mutation was detected in both the brain and skin tumor cells but not in the blood or normal skin cells, suggesting somatic mosaicsism for the mutation. Clinically, the brain tumor gradually became life threatening without any response to conventional chemotherapies including carboplatin, etoposide, and temozolomide. Vemurafenib, a BRAF p.V600E inhibitor, was administered daily after the detection of the BRAF mutation. This single‐agent therapy was dramatically effective against the anaplastic astrocytoma; the tumor regressed, the cerebrospinal fluid cell count and protein levels decreased to normal levels, and hydrocephalus resolved. Moreover, other lesions including a corneal cyst also responded to vemurafenib. The brain tumor continued shrinking after 6 months of treatment. We present a genodermatosis syndrome associated with BRAF c.1799T>A p.V600E mosaicism. This syndrome may represent a new entity in the mosaic RASopathies, partly overlapping with Schimmelpenning‐Feuerstein‐Mims syndrome, which is driven by mosaicism of HRAS and/or KRAS activating mutations. Screening for BRAF c.1799T>A p.V600E is especially useful for those with malignant tumors, because it is one of the most‐druggable targets. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Abstract Why do voters in single-party regimes express support for the ruling party in such large numbers? Scholars offer three sets of explanations: 1) Support is manipulated by regime leaders or falsified by frightened voters; 2) Support is due to genuine popularity or "performance legitimacy"; 3) The incumbent party holds an extreme incumbency advantage due to voters' certainty about their candidates' policy positions or access to state resources. Despite the impressive theoretical development in this literature, these arguments have not been subjected to a research design capable of examining the relative importance of each of these factors. We use a unique survey experiment on nearly 42,000 Vietnamese citizens over three years that reduces the threat of preference falsification and allows us to isolate voter's true preferences as much as possible. While we find some evidence for all three explanations, we find substantial support for incumbency bias. An important subset of Vietnamese voters—those inclined to vote for non-party candidates—sincerely favor the party under conditions of uncertainty about the candidates' policy stances or experience in the legislature.


When the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 was signed into law on April 20, 2005, it marked the conclusion of years of contentious debate. Much of the new law is directed toward consumer bankruptcy reform, and some of the most controversial aspects of it were debated at length by Congress and reported widely in the media. Buried within this massive law, however, are important changes that will significantly benefit family farmers who seek relief under Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code. This article focuses on one of these changes - the prohibition on the retroactive assessment of disposable income. It is an amendment that has not been widely reported, yet it reverses over a decade of misinterpretation of the original Chapter 12 disposable income requirement. As is evidenced throughout the article, it is a significant change that promises to greatly enhance the likelihood of successful family farm reorganizations throughout the country.


As an artist and writer who often works across disciplines and cultures, my education into effective and respectful engagement has been built on my experience working with First Nations friends, collaborators, and Elders.  The aim of this paper is to explore teachings from a number of these leading thinkers, writers, and Elders on the topic of knowledge sharing, cross-cultural awareness, and ethical engagement through practice-led research.  Drawing from personal experience, it will incorporate learnings that have informed a world view that has been evolving since childhood. The paper highlights the importance of giving rightful recognition to knowledge keepers and provides some guidance for readers interested in developing productive and respectful partnerships with First Nations collaborators. Here knowledge can be safely shared and celebrated as ways to understand the world around us that are restorative and regenerative. I speak as a woman of mixed European background raised in Australia on Gubbi Gubbi Country of South East Queensland, and Larrakia Country of Darwin. Culturally, I am descended from Norse, Celt, Saxon, and Druid ancestors. Through this lived experience I hope to share learnings that support the goals of reconciliation, truth telling, and First Nations determination in my home country, as well as facilitating greater awareness for people seeking to respectfully engage with Indigenous knowledge.


In today's volatile market economies, economic and social benefits of the competition must be evaluated from various financial and non-financial aspects. Among these aspects, Customer satisfaction measurements are recognised as the non-financial performance indicator that is the most widespread. A high level of customer satisfaction is argued to lead to stronger company image, protection of current market share, increased customer loyalty, decreased customer complaints and strengthened financial performance. Thus, understanding the drivers behind how customer satisfaction evolves over time is therefore crucial. This paper presents a longitudinal quantitative study based on customer perception data from the Swedish market research consultancy Svenskt Kvalitetsindex AB. A PLS-SEM analysis is performed to unravel how important latent variables drive customer satisfaction over time. Study findings indicate that it has been a paradigm shift during the last decade – product quality is substituted by service quality as one of the most crucial drivers for customer satisfaction throughout industries and societal sectors. The study findings suggest a need for new principles, practices and tools to enhance internal customer centricity and strengthen satisfaction and loyalty.


When faced with a large species pool of invasive or potentially invasive alien plants, prioritization is an essential prerequisite for focusing limited resources on species which inflict high impacts, have a high rate of spread and can be cost-effectively managed. The prioritization process as detailed within this paper is the first tool to assess species for priority for risk assessment (RA) in the European Union (EU) specifically designed to incorporate the requirements of EU Regulation no. 1143/2014. The prioritization process can be used for any plant species alien to the EU, whether currently present within the territory or absent. The purpose of the prioritization is to act as a preliminarily evaluation to determine which species have the highest priority for RA at the EU level and may eventually be proposed for inclusion in the list of invasive alien species of EU concern. The preliminary risk assessment stage (Stage 1), prioritizes species into one of four lists (EU List of Invasive Alien Plants, EU Observation List of Invasive Alien Plants, EU List of Minor Concern and the Residual List) based on their potential for spread coupled with impacts. The impacts on native species and ecosystem functions and related ecosystem services are emphasized in line with Article 4.3(c) of the Regulation. Only those species included in the EU List of Invasive Alien Plants proceed to Stage 2 where potential for further spread and establishment coupled with evaluating preventative and management actions is evaluated. The output of Stage 2 is to prioritize those species which have the highest priority for a RA at the EU level or should be considered under national measures which may involve a trade ban, cessation of cultivation, monitoring, control, containment or eradication. When considering alien plant species for the whole of the EPPO region, or for species under the Plant Health Regulation, the original EPPO prioritization process for invasive alien plants remains the optimum tool.


Vigabatrin (Sabril®) has recently been granted approval in the Unites States for the adjunctive treatment of complex-partial seizures in adults. The drug was first evaluated as a potential therapy for this population decades ago, and it has been available in other parts of the world for some time. Well controlled studies demonstrate that at doses up to 3 g/day, the drug is efficacious as add-on therapy for treatment resistant seizures. However, vigabatrin has been associated with significant side-effects limiting its use, and relegating it to a late therapeutic alternative. Specifically, vigabatrin has been implicated in the development of irreversible peripheral vision loss in a significant number of patients. For this reason, the approval of the drug in the United States was contingent upon the introduction of a rigorous monitoring protocol that must accompany its use. Additionally, the drug has been associated with a relatively high incidence of psychiatric disturbances, although there is disagreement about a direct correlation of these symptoms to the drug. Still, the drug remains a viable alternative for patients who have failed therapy with traditional anti-seizure medications.


TH UhmV¥l﷿qe , JK OhT3W(h9, JH Parkg4kciI , SJ YanghAm—(P , JH Kime—_◊ys Introduction: The height and body weight of 6th grade elementary school children may have influence on chest compression. Materials & methods: In accordance with the 2005 American Heart Association guidelines and 2006 Korean Association of CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) guidelines, a 25-minute audiovisual presentation and practical demonstration of CPR were presented by the researchers and assistants. The assistants supervised and corrected the practical performance of the students who performed 5 cycles of CPR (2 minutes each) with the aid of the Laerdal Resusci ® Anne SkillReporter™ . The students then carried out another 5 cycles of CPR (2 minutes each) using the skill reporter; and a short report was printed. Results: The correlation coefficient between body weight and chest compression was 0.467 (p=0.000), and the correlation coefficient between height and chest compression was 0.309 (p=0.009). The intercept between body weight and chest compression was 21.763 (p=0.000), and the slope was 0.324 (p=0.000). Student height showed no linear correlation with chest compression depth. Conclusions: The body weight of 6th grade elementary school children showed moderate correlation with chest compression depth. A minimal body weight of 50 kg is required to attain a standard chest compression depth of 38 mm. With improved training, some students with body weight less than 50 kg may also achieve satisfactory performance of CPR. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2010;17:218-223)


The most recent elections in the three states of the South Caucasus and in Kyrgyzstan have all represented strong setbacks for the development of democracy. While the specific situations are different in each case, they all reflect the common problem of a close connection between politics and property rights. In each state, the incumbent authorities feel compelled to hold on to power through any means possible because losing their public office would likely force them to give up their access to wealth and, potentially, even their personal liberty. Typically, leaders have focused on destroying free media and repressing any form of opposition, or apparent opposition, which arises. Progress toward democracy will be impossible without breaking the connection between political and economic power, which facilitates high levels of corruption in each case.


Semidefinite relaxations often provide excellent starting points for nonconvex problems with multiple local minimizers. This work aims to find a local minimizer within a certain neighborhood of the starting point and with a small objective value. Several approaches are motivated and compared with each other.


Year 2010 marks a centennial anniversary of the description by Stella Starkel and Lesław Węgrzynowski, Polish students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lwów, the fetal zone of the human fetal adrenal gland. In 1911 both, Starkel and Węgrzynowski were graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Lwow University. The paper appeared in the German Arch. Anat. Physiol. and its original title was "Beitrag zur Histologie der Nebeniere bei Feten und Kindern" ("Contribution to histology of adrenals of fetuses and children"). The studies were performed on 100 adrenal glands obtained from fetuses (from 6th month of gestation) and up to 5-year-old children. They described the fetal zone as a "medullary zone", also as "immature cortex", which undergoes involution in first years of life. To commemorate this discovery, this review aimed to present the most important achievements of studies on the development and involution of the human adrenal fetal zone.


On the principle of green planning for the industial production, the optimization model oriented to the environmental attributes is discussed and solved by the genetic algorithm improved with the cellular automata based on an artificial life game. The solution of the influencing factors in production offers the optimal operational parameters. To achieve those optimal parameters in actual production, some innovations and integrated technologies are applied in the process planning and multiple productions in workshop. Technical route, new organic methods, application technology and facilities for complex productions are contributed to improve the process planning and physical manufacturing for mass products. A comprehensive assessment system based on resource and environment attributes for production is developed for the process planning and operational optimization for each general product. The case study on the typical product of the valve used in thermal power generation is demonstrated in this paper. An optimistic estimate on the resource and environment impacts is obtained when the green optimization is entirely implemented for the process planning and production operation in the manufacturing workshop.


We produce predictions of Norwegian GDP. To this end, we estimate a Bayesian Dynamic Factor model on a panel of 14 variables (all followed closely by market operators) ranging from 1990 to 2011. By means of a pseudo real-time exercise we show that the Bayesian Dynamic Factor Model performs well both in terms of point forecast, and in terms of density forecasts. Results indicate that our model outperforms standard univariate benchmark models, that it performs as well as the Bloomberg Survey, and that it outperforms the predictions published by the Norges Bank in its monetary policy report.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Besides genetic disorders, dysregulation of epigenetic machinery has been proved to play a crucial role in human carcinogenesis, and the histone methylation/demethylation process has been considered as one of key regulators for this event. In this study, we demonstrate that one of the HMTs, suppressor of variegation 3-9 homolog 2 (SUV39H2), plays pivotal roles in human carcinogenesis. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that SUV39H2 is aberrantly overexpressed in lung cancer, bladder cancer and multiple myeloma compared with their corresponding normal tissues, and immunohistochemical analysis revealed its positive staining in 251 out of 392 lung cancer cases and 16 of 29 bladder cancer cases, while no significant staining was observed in various normal tissues we examined. cDNA microarray analysis using a number of clinical tissues also confirms overexpression of SUV39H2 in various types of cancer. SUV39H2-specific small interfering RNAs significantly knocked down its expression, and caused the G1 arrest as well as suppression of cancer cell growth. Since SUV39H2 expression was undetectable in the normal tissues, SUV39H2 is considered to be an ideal target for development of tumor-specific therapeutics.

Citation Format: Kembun Sone, Yusuke Nakamura, Ryuji Hamamoto. The histone methyltransferase SUV39H2 is a novel target of anticancer therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5159. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5159


Introduction Little is known about the sexual functioning and behavior of men anxious about the size of their penis and the means that they might use to try to alter the size of their penis. Aim To compare sexual functioning and behavior in men with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) concerning penis size and in men with small penis anxiety (SPA without BDD) and in a control group of men who do not have any concerns. Methods An opportunistic sample of 90 men from the community were recruited and divided into three groups: BDD (n = 26); SPA (n = 31) and controls (n = 33). Main Outcome Measures The Index of Erectile Function (IEF), sexual identity and history; and interventions to alter the size of their penis. Results Men with BDD compared with controls had reduced erectile dysfunction, orgasmic function, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction on the IEF. Men with SPA compared with controls had reduced intercourse satisfaction. There were no differences in sexual desire, the frequency of intercourse or masturbation across any of the three groups. Men with BDD and SPA were more likely than the controls to attempt to alter the shape or size of their penis (for example jelqing, vacuum pumps or stretching devices) with poor reported success. Conclusion Men with BDD are more likely to have erectile dysfunction and less satisfaction with intercourse than controls but maintain their libido. Further research is required to develop and evaluate a psychological intervention for such men with adequate outcome measures.


Energy crisis and carbon emission have become two seriously concerned issues universally. As a feasible solution, Energy Internet (EI) has aroused global concern once proposed. EI is a new power generation developing a vision of evolution of smart grids into the Internet. The communication infrastructure is an essential component to the implementation of EI. A scalable and permanent communication infrastructure is crucial in both construction and operation of EI. In this paper, we present an introduction and the motivation to the evolution from smart grid to EI. We also introduce a representative EI architecture, i.e., the future renewable electric energy delivery and management system. Four critical EI features are emphasized. Then, we summarize the essential requirements that EI systems have to meet. With several key supporting technologies, EI shall realize the optimal utilization of highly scalable and distributed green energy resources, so that the situation of severe energy source crisis and carbon emission can be efficiently relieved. Since an EI system might have extensively distributed consumers and devices, the guarantee of its reliability and security is extremely significant. The further specific exploration for challenges, including reliability and security, will be stated in this paper.


The exact calculation of the radiant transfer in gaseous enclosures has remained impractical for design ; the highly complex nature of the absorption spectrum of the gases has meant that an inordinately large computational effort is required to effect an exact answer. In this paper we show how the complex absorption distribution for an isothermal gas can be replaced by a set of smooth curves. This procedure can be visualized as one of actually reordering the full complex absorption distribution within each vibration-rotation band, and then replacing it by a smooth curve. Such a smooth curve can then be readily approximated by a stepwise function, and radiant exchange calculations can be carried out at each step and then summed over all the steps to get the total exchange. This paper explains how the reordered curve can be obtained and gives some sample plots of the reordered absorption coefficient curve. Fitted functions for the rearranged curves have been provided, and some solutions to the radiant exchange problems are given and compared to line-by-line solutions. About 50 to 200 steps in the stepwise curve are found to be adequate in order to obtain an answer within a few percent of the exact answer.


ABSTRACT Much of the public debate about space militarization has involved organizational structures: Should the United States create a separate (i.e. sixth) military service, or elevate the mission now carried out by the US Air Force Space Command, making it into another unified combatant command? Proponents of the first idea want to use a Marine Corps model – the Marines are a separate service, even though under the administrative umbrella of the US Navy – while supporters of the second vision support the US Strategic Command (Stratcom) model. But this structural discussion obscures a more important question: How can the United States best protect its interests in outer space without creating a space arms race that could actually jeopardize US long-term economic and national security?


Within this article is included a description and justification of a didactical sequence to improve the learning of problem solving strategies of Secondary Education students. The design of the didactical sequence is guided by four principles: a) to context the activities and problems to solve in students' every day practices; b) to use teaching methods that show the problem solving processes; c) to design didactical materials in order to guide strategies such as selection, organisation and control; d) to facilitate the co-operative learning of problem solving strategies.


Over the last decade, clinical studies show a strong interest in real-time 3D imaging. This calls for ultrasound probes with high-element-count 2D matrix transducer arrays. These may be interfaced to an imaging system using an in-probe Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) that takes care of signal amplification, element switching, sub-array beamforming, etc. Since the ASIC is made from silicon and is mounted directly behind the transducer elements, it can acoustically be regarded as a rigid plate that can sustain traveling lateral waves. These waves lead to acoustical cross-talk between the elements, and results in extra peaks in the directivity pattern. We propose two solutions to this problem, based on numerical simulations. One approach is to decrease the phase velocity in the silicon by reducing the silicon thickness and absorbing the energy using a proper backing material. Another solution is to disturb the waves inside the silicon plate by sub-dicing the back-side of the ASIC. We conclude that both solutions can be used to improve the directivity pattern.


Objective – Anecdotal preliminary evidence suggests that chiropractic care may be of benefits for individuals suffering from ADHD. This case series presents the improvement in attention experienced by 9 adult patients undergoing Network Spinal Analysis. Methods – Nine adult patients are presented (4 male, 5 female) with a mean age of 40.4 years (range 22 – 58 years old). All patients were evaluated with the Test of Variable of Attention (TOVA) before receiving Network Spinal Analyis (NSA) care and at 2 months into care. The nine patients received level 1 NSA care for two months, as taught by the Association for Network Care. Neurospinal integrity was evaluated with palpation, as well as surface electromyography. Cognitive process of attention was objectively evaluated using a continuous performance test, the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). Results: We evaluated our patient cohort before and after Network care using sEMG and variables from the continuous performance test (TOVA). Before care, all patients had an abnormal ADHD score with a mean of -3.74 (range: - 8.54 to 1.89). After 2 months of care, all patients had a significant change in ADHD score (p=0.08) and 88% completely normalized the ADHD score. 77% and 66% of patients experienced significant change in reaction time and variability score, respectively. All patients experienced a significant reduction in sEMG pattern of activation (p=0.08). We discuss possible mechanisms by which spinal care may have enhanced the function of the prefrontal cortex, thereby resulting in improved attentional capacities Conclusion – In this case series the nine adult patients experienced significant improvement in attention, as measured by objective outcomes, after receiving two months of Network Spinal Analysis. The progress documented in this report suggests that NSA care may positively affect the brain by creating plastic changes in the prefrontal cortex and other cortical and subcortical areas serving as neural substrate for the cognitive process of attention. These findings may be of importance for individuals suffering from attention deficit. Further research into this area is greatly needed.


Background: Most people with mental illness has experienced stigma in society in terms of discrimination and negative attitudes. This can lead to isolation and experiences of exclusion. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe people's experiences of living with mental illness. Method: The method was a qualitative literature study of nine qualitative articles. Results: The result showed three themes; "to be needed", "to be a part of the normal society" and "experiencing society's attitudes" Conclusion: The conclusion from this study is that people with mental illness experience feelings of despair, hopelessness, fear, loneliness, worthlessness, isolation, shame and low self-esteem because of their illness


Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have attracted a great deal of scholarly attention in the last few decades due to their unique properties and potential for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. The mechanical and electrical properties of MHPs are substantially affected by altering pressure and/or temperature. Near the phase transition pressure, these properties alter dramatically and a discontinuity in the Raman frequencies is observed. In this study, the Raman frequencies of the modes were calculated as a function of pressure (at room temperature) through the isothermal mode Gruneisen parameter for these modes by using the experimental volume data from the literature for CsPbI3. Moreover, I calculated the isothermal compressibility and the bulk modulus through the calculated Raman frequency shifts and isothermal Gruneisen parameter as a function of pressure for the orthorhombic and monoclinic phases of CsPbI3 at room temperature. The predicted Raman frequencies, isothermal Gruneisen parameter, isothermal compressibility, and the bulk modulus for the studied modes were compared with the experimental measurements below and above the orthorhombic and monoclinic phases.


RNA polymerase (Pol) I is a 14-subunit enzyme that solely transcribes pre-ribosomal RNA. Cryo-EM structures of Pol I initiation and elongation complexes have given first insights into the molecular mechanisms of Pol I transcription. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of yeast Pol I elongation complexes (ECs) bound to the nucleotide analog GMPCPP at 3.2 to 3.4 Å resolution that provide additional insight into the functional interplay between the TFIIE/TFIIF-like A49-A34.5 heterodimer and the TFIIS-like subunit A12.2 present in Pol I. Strikingly, most of the nucleotide-bound ECs lack the A49-A34.5 heterodimer and adopt a Pol II-like conformation, in which the A12.2 C-terminal domain is bound in a previously unobserved position at the A135 surface. Our work suggests a regulatory mechanism of Pol I transcription where the association of the A49-A34.5 heterodimer to Pol I is regulated by subunit A12.2, thereby explaining in vitro biochemical and kinetic data.


In humans, the HLA‐DR molecule is a major stimulatory molecule of allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) and a major restriction molecule for the presentation of soluble antigens to the T cell. Little is known of the biological function of HLA‐DQ. To examine the size of the repertoire of precursor T cells recognizing the autologous or allogeneic HLA‐DQ molecule, the frequency of T cells reactive to HLA‐DQ was estimated in comparison with T cells reactive to HLA‐DR. We made use of a limiting dilution analysis and mouse L cells transfectants expressing the HLA‐DR or ‐DQ molecule, as stimulators. Human T cells recovered from a primary MLR stimulated with allogeneic peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) proliferated in response to L cell transfectants expressing HLA class II genes shared by the stimulator cells in the primary MLR. This observation suggested that the HLA class II molecules on L cell transfectants shared to some extent epitopes for alloreactive T cells with those expressed on human PBL. The precursor frequencies of CD4+ T cells reactive to allogeneic or autologous DQ molecules were as high as those of T cells reactive to allogeneic DR molecules and were estimated to be 1/800 ∼ 1/1800. The frequency of the T cells reactive to autologous DR molecules was low (1/7200 ∼ 1/16000). The biological significance of the high frequency of HLA‐DQ‐reactive precursor T cells is discussed.


Starting from some suggestions of the television program "Il Tempo e la Storia", broadcasted by RAI, the author identifies a book, a place and a movie as emblematic elements characterizing the Special Pedagogy. In continuity with previous personal and other scholars' (Gatto, Canevaro, Trisciuzzi, Crispiani, De Anna, Goussot, d'Alonzo, Pavone, Mura, Galanti, Zappaterra and others') papers, the author in this article tries to highlight some typical historical events of the education of disabled people, who seldom are included in the History of Education and Pedagogy. In particular, also here emerges what seems to be a peculiarity of Special Pedagogy, that is, bringing out issues related to the education of all (starting from the most vulnerable ones) but often not immediately visible to all (and among these, even those should be insiders).


1 Introduction New Public Management (NPM) has become a standard international model for public administration reform (Schedler and Proeller, 2002: p. 163) during the last two decades. The rise of NPM reforms in Germany had several impacts on the federal and state police services. Against this background, we compare and contrast the development of NPM reforms in the police services to analyze if the NPM concepts of entrepreneurial management are appropriate to reform this special type of executive administration. At first we depict the competences of Germany's eighteen polices services assigned by the German constitution and present policies' responsibilities defined by federal or state police law. Correspondingly we highlight characteristics and derive implications for NPM reforms. Secondly we describe global economic forces and socio-demographic change, and the upcoming new management ideas generating reform pressure towards NPM reforms. Thirdly we summarize the development of NPM reforms and distinct three phases to identify varying NPM implementation measures and NPM variants within the police services. 2 Police Services as a special type of public administration: Characteristics and Implications for Public Management Reforms We argue that contexts are of outstanding importance when analyzing management reforms (Flynn, 2002: p. 57). The context of the specific German police system presents several implications for the introduction of management reforms which we like to discuss in the following. Competences of German police services assigned by the German constitution Under the German constitution (German Basic law) legislative powers on the general police law are assigned to the federal states (Grundgesetz, Artikel 70). Only special police responsibilities are assigned to the federal police services, e.g. the Border Police tasks (Grundgesetz, Art. 73 Nr. 5), the suppression of international terrorism (Grundgesetz, Art. 73 Nr. 9a), and the coordination of federal and federal states' authorities in criminal police matters (Grundgesetz, Art. 73 Nr. 10). Therefore the fundamental responsibility for public security falls under the legislative competence of the federal states' authorities (Schenke, 2007: p. 10). Hence, each of the 16 federal states enacted its own police law and maintains its own police service (Landespolizei). In addition, the federal government has two specialised police services, namely the Federal Police (Bundespolizei, BPol) and the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA). Competences of German police services-Implications for management reforms Because of the separation of competences of police services management reforms are quite diverse and heterogeneous as they are part of the individual states' or federal government's policy programme. Since police services have been a symbol of the specific state's authority (Terpstra and Van der Vijver, 2006: p. 91) and are perhaps the most political of all bureaucracies, partisan politics influence management reforms. A commonly invoked condition for successful management reforms is the particular willingness of political leadership to drive through radical changes (Flynn, 2002: p. 63) which might be different within governments' initiatives. Besides, the political context management reform concepts also have to be in line with the historical context of various governments' experience. For instance the reform process began later in the "new" federal states than in the "old" ones as a long period was necessary to transform the East German police forces (Rickards and Ritsert, 2008). Responsibilities of German police services at the federal states' level (Landespolizeien) The state police laws define the responsibilities of the Landespo-lizeien. In general, the main responsibility of the Landespolizeien is to maintain public order and security by preventing and detecting crime (Lange and Schenck, 2004: p. …


The increasing availability and maturity of DNA microarray technology has led to an explosion of cancer profiling studies. To extract maximum value from the accumulating mass of publicly available cancer gene expression data, methods are needed to evaluate, integrate, and intervalidate multiple datasets. Here we demonstrate a statistical model for performing meta-analysis of independent microarray datasets. Implementation of this model revealed that four prostate cancer gene expression datasets shared significantly similar results, independent of the method and technology used (i.e., spotted cDNA versus oligonucleotide). This interstudy cross-validation approach generated a cohort of genes that were consistently and significantly dysregulated in prostate cancer. Bioinformatic investigation of these genes revealed a synchronous network of transcriptional regulation in the polyamine and purine biosynthesis pathways. Beyond the specific implications for prostate cancer, this work establishes a much-needed model for the evaluation, cross-validation, and comparison of multiple cancer profiling studies.


ABSTRACT The Whirlpool Sandstone (basal Silurian of southern Ontario and New York) consists of two units: a lower fluvial unit, deposited by braided rivers on a paleoslope inclined to the NW, and an upper marine unit, consisting of interbedded sandstone and shale deposited offshore during a marine transgression. The transgressive surface that separates these two units has been mapped across the whole outcrop belt; at outcrop scale it is characterized by scours, several meters across and a few decimeters deep, cutting into the fluvial sandstone below. The scoured transgressive surface locally displays a thin, discontinuous shale-clast lag, marine burrows extending down into the fluvial sandstone, and extensive fields of symmetrical wave ripples. Wave ripples on this surface and higher within th marine unit show a regionally consistent NNW-SSE crest alignment, indicating the trend of the shoreline during transgression. Exceptional exposures of the transgressive surface, produced during quarrying operations near Georgetown, show that the transgressive scours include parabolic, linear, and irregular forms. Parabolic scours are several meters long and have a SW-pointing apex with arms opening towards the NE. Linear scours are cigar-shaped to channel-shaped and trend NE-SW: one channel-like scour deepens towards the NE. The scours clearly were formed by marine erosion (probably by storm-induced, offshore-directed currents) during transgression at a time when the fluvial sandstone was somewhat compacted but not cemented. They indicate flow offshore towards the NE, suggesting that the transgression proceeded from NE to SW. The change from a regional paleoslope to the NW, during deposition of the fluvial l wer Whirlpool, to a transgression moving westwards across a shore trending NNW-SSE implies tectonic tilting of the basin towards the east, probably as a result of thrust emplacement at the continental margin.


The research objective is to reveal and analyze the problems in developing the informational environment of a university. The authors applied theoretical and empirical methods, such as observation, polling, composing a Likert scale, calculation of Spearman ranking correlation coefficients, tabular and diagram techniques of data visualization, etc., which enabled to achieve the set goal. The score method based on Likert scale enabled to reveal the problem aspects of forming the informational and digital environment of a university. Also, these techniques enabled to quantitatively assess each problem, assess their significance and reveal the degree of each factor's relation to each problem of using the information and communication technologies at a university. University professors were polled about using innovative information technologies in order to both enhance the education efficiency and apply new pedagogical concepts and techniques. The poll revealed the problem aspects impeding the development of the informational environment. The research results are presented as a series of diagrams, reliably characterizing the issues which the university professors face when implementing the educational process. Besides, a number of indicators were calculated to determine the correlation coefficients, which enabled to quantitatively assess the degree of correlation between the two series of the compared quantitative indicators. The research revealed the factors impeding the development of the informational environment of a university. Awareness of these factors by the university administration and teaching staff would allow overcoming them, with a view of increasing the quality of educational services. The authors are making a substantiated conclusion that, despite certain difficulties, the informational technologies integrated into the educational process comply with the modern requirements of the society and enhance the competencies of both the students and professors participating in the educational process.


BACKGROUND
Evidence was sought in the published literature on how best to measure, monitor, and treat disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

METHODS
A systematic review was performed of English-language literature published between January 1, 1988, and November 15, 2001. Interventional and observational studies of adults with CFS were eligible if they reported measures of disability and employment. A qualitative synthesis of results relating impairment measures to employment was performed.

RESULTS
Of 3840 studies identified, 37 reported employment status and some measure of mental or physical impairment associated with disability. Most patients with CFS in these studies were unemployed. In 22 studies, the employment status of control subjects was also available. Only depression seemed to be associated with unemployment in patients with CFS. No other measurable impairment seemed to be consistently associated with disability or work outcomes. Only cognitive behavior therapy, rehabilitation, and exercise therapy interventions were associated with restoring the ability to work. No specific patient characteristics were identified as best predictors of positive employment outcomes. No quantitative syntheses of results were performed.

CONCLUSIONS
For questions of disability and employment in CFS, the limitations inherent in the current literature are extensive. Methodologically rigorous, longitudinal, and interventional studies are needed to determine baseline characteristics that are associated with the inability to work and interventions that are effective in restoring the ability to work in the CFS population. Simple and consistent evaluations of functional capacity in patients with CFS are needed.


Embedded systems have become commonplace in recent years, and are increasingly being networked Middleware offers many advantages to the distributed application programmer, yet there exist very few middleware frameworks for the low end of the embedded systems market. In this paper we describe MicroQoSCORBA. It represents a fundamental, bottom-up rethinking of what middleware can and should support for resource-constrained devices. This middleware is tailorable, with a fine degree of granularity, to both the device and the application program's constraints. We describe the multiple Quality of Service domains that MicroQoSCORBA supports, and present an evaluation of our working framework.


This report describes archaeological rescue work in four looted tombs from late Roman and early Byzantine times in the surroundings of Ramallah, located in the Occupied Palestinian National Territories (OPNT). One goal of our work was to assess in detail how much of the original remains of a tomb are left behind after looting. A second aim was to explore the actual practices of looting by comparing interviews with looters with the results of an archaeological examination of looting practices of these tombs. This provides a unique comparative perspective that draws on oral history and its material correlates. Finally, this work helps to assess future possibilities for reconstructing what has been lost during looting events. The results of the research include unexpected insights, such as the repetitive character of looting single tombs, the presence of modern material remains of the looting process itself, but also the use of previously looted tombs for new purposes.


In this volume, Julie Klein provides the first comprehensive study of the modern concept of interdisciplinarity, supplementing her discussion with the most complete bibliography yet compiled on the subject. Spanning the social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and professions, her study is a synthesis of existing scholarship on interdisciplinary research, education and health care. Klein argues that any interdisciplinary activity embodies a complex network of historical, social, psychological, political, economic, philosophical, and intellectual factors. Whether the context is a short-ranged instrumentality or a long-range reconceptualization of the way we know and learn, the concept of interdisciplinarity is an important means of solving problems and answering questions that cannot be satisfactorily addressed using singular methods or approaches.


BACKGROUND
MSM remain at great risk for HIV infection. Program planners and policy makers need descriptions of interventions and quantitative estimates of intervention effects to make informed decisions concerning prevention efforts.

OBJECTIVES
1. To locate and describe outcome studies evaluating the effects of behavioral and social interventions targeting MSM. 2. To summarize the effectiveness of these interventions among MSM. 3. To stratify results by characteristics of interventions and participants. 4. To identify gaps and indicate future research, policy, and practice needs.

SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched electronic databases (MedLine, PsycInfo, etc.); several current journals (e.g., AIDS, AIDS and Behavior, AIDS Education and Prevention, American Journal of Public Health, Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, etc.); manuscripts submitted by researchers; bibliographies of relevant articles; and other published reviews, for published and unpublished reports from 1988 through 1997.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Studies were considered in scope if they examined the effects of behavioral interventions to reduce risk for HIV or STD transmission. We reviewed studies in scope for criteria of outcome relevance (measurement of at least one of a list of behavioral or biologic outcomes, e.g., unprotected sex or incidence of HIV infections) and methodologic rigor (randomized controlled trials or certain strong quasi-experimental designs with comparison groups).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
As of June 1998 we had identified 13 eligible studies. Twelve studies (7 trials of small group interventions, 3 community-level interventions, and 2 individual level interventions) reported intervention effects on unprotected sex. Because few studies reported effects on condom use (3 studies), number of sex partners without regard to condom use (4 studies), or HIV or STD incidence (1 study in which no infections occurred) we do not address these outcomes at this time. We present those analyses which can be performed in the current Cochrane RevMan software, followed by more complete analyses that permit inclusion of community-level studies, adjustment for baseline conditions, calculation of effect sizes from a wider variety of statistics (e.g., an F-statistic from a one-way ANOVA), and simultaneous meta-analysis of continuous and dichotomous outcomes (Johnson 2002b). We translate the summary effect to reduction in risk behavior based on the background prevalence of unprotected sex. Finally we provide analyses stratified by intervention content (interpersonal skills addressed or not), intervention format (community vs small group or individual) and mean age of participants (23 to 31 vs. 32 to 36).

MAIN RESULTS
A summary measure of intervention effects on reducing unprotected sex was favorable (odds ratio = 0.73) and statistically significant (CI, 0.60 to 0.88), corresponding to a 23% reduction in the proportion of men engaging in unprotected sex. Effects were homogeneous among studies, but were slightly more favorable among community-level interventions, those that served populations in their 20s rather than their 30s, and those that promoted interpersonal skills.

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS
These studies demonstrate that interventions can promote risk reduction among MSM. Yet given the epidemiology of HIV in Pattern I countries, the small number of rigorous controlled intervention trials for this population is striking. Many more rigorous evaluations of HIV prevention efforts with MSM are needed to ascertain with confidence the effects of specific intervention components, population characteristics, and methodologic features.


The primary objective of this paper is to analyse the growth of energy-related CO 2 emissions in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), with specific emphasis on identifying its trends and underlying drivers. This objective is premised on the arguments that: (1) there is a general lack of analysis of energy-related CO 2 emissions growth across ASEAN countries; and (2) such an analysis is critical, because it could enable an assessment to be made of the efficacy of existing energy policies for reducing emissions. Decomposition analysis is the main approach adopted in this paper. The findings of this paper suggest that the growth of energy-related CO 2 emissions has slowed in some major emitters in the region, due to energy efficiency improvement, and, to a lesser extent, a gradual switch in energy fuel mix towards lower emission sources (gas and renewables). However, this improvement is unlikely to drive a major transformation in the energy sectors of the region to the extent considered adequate for redressing the challenge of rising emissions, as indicated by a steady emissions growth in most ASEAN countries over the entire study period (1971–2016). By implication, this suggests that a significant scale-up of existing policy effort is needed to rectify the situations.


The poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEM) - Pluronic F127 - PDEAEM pentablock copolymer (PB) gene delivery vector system has been found to possess an inherent selectivity in transfecting cancer cells over non-cancer cells in vitro, without attaching any targeting ligands. In order to understand the mechanism of this selective transfection, three possible intracellular barriers to transfection were investigated in both cancer and non-cancer cells. We concluded that escape from the endocytic pathway served as the primary intracellular barrier for PB-mediated transfection. Most likely, PB vectors were entrapped and rendered non-functional in acidic lysosomes of non-cancer cells, but survived in less acidic lysosomes of cancer cells. The work highlights the importance of identifying intracellular barriers for different gene delivery systems and provides a new paradigm for designing targeting vectors based on intracellular differences between cell types, rather than through the use of targeting ligands. The PB vector was further developed to simultaneously deliver anticancer drugs and genes, which showed a synergistic effect demonstrated by significantly enhanced gene expression in vitro. Due to the thermosensitive gelation behavior, the PB vector packaging both drug and gene was also investigated for its in vitro sustained release properties by using polyethylene glycol diacrylate as a barrier gel to mimic the tumor matrix in vivo. Overall, this work resulted in the development of a gene delivery vector for sustained and selective gene delivery to tumor cells for cancer therapy.


The provision of services as e-commodities and the wide use of networked business models have driven buyer experience to new heights. Innovation, coupled with quality is the competitive advantage e-commerce vendors strive to achieve when designing or re-designing their software. In terms of quality, evaluation stood in the spotlight for many years. However, software analysis and design based on quality models have been used mostly for understanding, rather than improving. In this work, we present a new model for the analysis and design of e-commerce software systems mapped to the software life-cycle process. Quality control procedures are mapped to every phase, from initiation and design to delivery. Based on current ISO standards such as ISO25000 series, this work discusses technical and managerial principles that need to be applied in order to obtain quality e-commerce software.


We investigate the use of recently proposed character and word sequence kernels for the task of authorship attribution and compare their performance with two probabilistic approaches based on Markov chains of characters and words. Several configurations of the sequence kernels are studied using a relatively large dataset, where each author covered several topics. Utilising Moffat smoothing, the two probabilistic approaches obtain similar performance, which in turn is comparable to that of character sequence kernels and is better than that of word sequence kernels. The results further suggest that when using a realistic setup that takes into account the case of texts which are not written by any hypothesised authors, about 5000 reference words are required to obtain good discrimination performance


Microwave breast hyperthermia (MH) aims to increase the temperature at the tumor location with minimal change in the healthy tissue. To this end, the specific absorption rate (SAR) inside the breast is optimized. The choice of the MH applicator design is important for a superior energy focus on the target. Although hyperthermia treatment planning (HTP) changes for every patient, the MH applicator is required to be effective for different breast models and tumor types. The linear applicator (LA) is one of the previously proposed applicator designs with linearly arranged antennas; however, it suffers from low focusing ability in certain breast regions due to its unsymmetrical geometrical features. In this paper, we propose to radially adjust the LA to obtain alternative excitation schemes without actually changing the applicator. Antipodal Vivaldi antennas were utilized, and the antenna excitations were optimized with particle swarm optimization (PSO). The comparison of the rotated and the fixed linear applicator, between 12-antenna circular and linear applicators, and finally, between a 24-antenna circular applicator are provided. Within the 12 rotation angles and two target locations that were analyzed, the 135° axially rotated linear applicator gave a 35% to 84% higher target-to-breast SAR ratio (TBRS) and a 21% to 28% higher target-to-breast temperature ratio (TBRT) than the fixed linear applicator. For the deep-seated target, the 135° rotated linear applicator had an 80% higher TBRS and a 59% higher TBRT than the 12-antenna circular applicator, while the results were comparable to the 24-antenna circular applicator.


Electrostatic discharge (ESD) effects on GMR recording heads have been reported as the major cause of head failure. Since the information density in hard-disk drives has dramatically increased, the GMR head will be no longer used. The tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) read heads are initially introduced for a 100 Gbit/in2 density or more. Although the failure mechanism of ESD in GMR recording head has not been explicitly understood in detail, study to protect from this effect has to be undergone. As the TMR head has been commercially started, the ESD effect is closely watched. This is the first time report of the TMR equivalent circuit in order to evaluate the ESD effect. A standard human body model (HBM) is discharged across R+ and R- where the capacitance of flex on suspension (FOS) is varied. It is intriguingly found that the electrical characteristic of the TMR head during discharge period depends on discharge position. This may be explained in terms of asymmetry impedance of TMR by using adapted Thevenin's theory. The effect of FOS component on TMR recording head is also discussed.


Backhousia citriodora commonly known as lemon myrtle belongs to Myrtaceae family. This species is an evergreen tree which can grow up to 30 meters. Lemon myrtle is highly aromatic, having an exquisite flavour and aroma of a blend of lemongrass, lime and lemon. The leaf and flowers are used in tea blends and beverages, dairy, biscuits, breads, confectionery, pasta, syrups, liqueurs, flavoured oils, dipping and simmer sauces. In our study, the chemical composition and antioxidant properties of the lemon myrtle volatile oil obtained via hydro distillation were investigated. Examination by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed that the volatile oil obtained from the leaves was made up predominantly neral (39.57%) and geranial (52.43%). Linalool (0.37%), citronellal (0.15%), E-isocitral (2.47%), geraniol (0.66%), ethyl geranate (0.13%), caryophyllene (0.08%) and spathulenol (0.09%) were the other component present in significant amounts. For the stem part, similarly the major components also are neral (36.76%) and geranial (56.30%). Other minor components found in stem oil were 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (0.13%), linolool (0.24%), citronellal (0.09%), trans-paramentha-2,8-dien-1-ol (0.39%), E-isocitral (0.92%), (3Z)-hexenyl-(3Z)-hexenoate (0.22%), 8-hydroxy-neo-menthol (1.17%), (E)-α-Damascene 0.70%), spathulenol (0.17%) and globulol (0.14%). The obtained volatile oils were screen for the antioxidant properties by using DPPH (1,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) radical scavenging assay and xanthine/xanthine oxidase superoxide scavenging assay. Our study indicated both the lemon myrtle leaf and stem volatile oil showed high antioxidant properties. DPPH scavenging activity for both the leaf and stem parts are 83.72% and 84.46% respectively. As for the xanthine/ xanthine oxidase superoxide scavenging assay, both the lemon myrtle leaf and stem volatile oil showed high superoxide scavenging activity, which are 83.72% and 84.46% respectively.


The sensitivity of many physics analyses can be enhanced by constructing discriminants that preferentially select signal events. Such discriminants become much more useful if they are uncorrelated with a set of protected attributes. In this paper we show that a normalizing flow conditioned on the protected attributes can be used to find a decorrelated representation for any discriminant. As a normalizing flow is invertible the separation power of the resulting discriminant will be unchanged at any fixed value of the protected attributes. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach by building supervised jet taggers that produce almost no sculpting in the mass distribution of the background.


We explore the tradeoff between hopping and spreading in a wideband spread spectrum transmitter-receiver link in an ad-hoc network with multi-user interference. The receiver is assumed to track the user's channel, spreading signature and the overall SINR. Using expressions for the ergodic capacity of the link, we determine the amount of spreading required that maximizes the link capacity. As a comparison we also discuss optimal spreads in centralized architectures where the receiver has interference knowledge. While we find that in general a combination of spreading and hopping may achieve higher throughputs than either pure spreading or pure hopping, we prove that pure hopping and pure spreading are optimal strategies for ad-hoc networks at low SINR and for centralized networks at all SINR, respectively. Numerical results suggest that in an ad-hoc network, spreading is beneficial at high SNR.


The music industry is [still] in a genuine maelstrom. Globalization is affecting this industry more than many other industries and it is primarily induced by developments in Information Technology. The foremost avenue for change is through the institution providing the foundation of the industry - copyright, which [may] be largely disabled. The oddly global and local structure of the music industry [,premised on copyrights, might] be undergoing some fundamental changes. The roles of music publishers and record companies especially [may be] about to alter. In an institutional economic analysis, I will analyze the present situation in this industry, where Information Technology impacts on this system, and how in general the industry is likely to change. [The original article was featured in the May of 2000 issue of First Monday - much has changed since then, but much of my original text still seems to have some validity. What may have changed, however, are the likely prospects for this industry, especially for incumbent firms.]


The rationale for this study was to evaluate the home literacy environments of educators and non-educators to investigate whether educators provide "richer" home environments than non-educator mothers. This research explores the mothers' perceptions of their children, views of reading, methods of promoting a positive reading environment, dealing with personal demands and emotions, and their expectations related to promoting reading. The participants in the study are 2 elementary school teachers with preschool children and 2 non-educator mothers with preschool children. Results indicated that being an educator is not an isolated characteristic of providing a rich home environment. The educational attainment of the mother was discovered to have greater influence on home literacy environment than the mother's profession. Higher educated mothers provided richer home environments than their less educated counterparts.


SUMMARY To investigate whether mechanoreception is used in non-visual feeding in larval striped bass (Morone saxatilis), the ontogeny of superficial neuromasts along the lateral line was described using the vital stain FM1-43FX and fluorescent microscopy. The number of neuromasts visible along one flank increased from 11 at first feeding [5 to 7days post-hatch (dph)] to >150 by the juvenile stage (27dph). A neomycin dose response (0, 1, 2 and 5mmoll −1 ) was evaluated for neuromast ablation of bass aged 10, 13, 17 and 20dph. Using these same age groups, the ability of bass to catch Artemia salina prey in both dark and light tank-based feeding trials was compared between larvae with neuromasts ablated using neomycin (5mmoll −1 ) and controls. Neomycin significantly reduced the incidence of feeding in the light and dark. Among larvae that fed, those in the dark treated with neomycin caught fewer Artemia (~5preyh −1 ; P<0.05) than controls (16preyh −1 at 10dph; 72preyh −1 at 20dph). In the light, by contrast, neomycin treatment had no significant effect on prey capture by larvae age 13 to 20dph, but did inhibit feeding of 10dph larvae. Verification that neomycin was specifically ablating the hair cells of superficial neuromasts and not affecting either neuromast innervation, olfactory pits, or taste cells was achieved by a combination of staining with FM1-43FX and immunocytochemistry for tubulin and the calcium binding proteins, S100 and calretinin.


The development of secure software systems is of ever-increasing importance. While software companies often invest large amounts of resources into the upkeeping and general security properties of large-scale applications when in production, they appear to neglect utilizing threat modeling in the earlier stages of the software development lifecycle. When applied during the design phase of development, and continuously throughout development iterations, threat modeling can help to establish a "Secure by Design" approach. This approach allows issues relating to IT security to be found early during development, reducing the need for later improvement – and thus saving resources in the long term. In this paper the current state of threat modeling is investigated. This investigation drove the derivation of requirements for the development of a new threat modelling framework and tool, called OVVL. OVVL utilizes concepts of established threat modeling methodologies, as well as functionality not available in existing solutions.


Poecilia reticulata, also known as guppy, is the most popular fish in the aquarium environment. Guppys are viviparous fish with high tolerance to extreme temperatures. The development of the offspring takes between 25 and30 days. We developed a technology for raising guppys, which outlines infrastructure and devices for reproduction, nursery, feeding, and commercialization, evaluating the financial and technical feasibility of this technology in a case study. The complete reproductive cycle occured in floating cages with 1 mm mesh and the method was tested in a tropical lagoon in Mexico. Water quality was monitored throughout the study period (temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH levels). A marketing survey was carried out at all existing aquarium shops in Veracruz City. Data collected depict quantities demanded and offered for each species by season, place of origin, and resistance to handling. The hydrobiological characteristics were: average temperature 31.4°C, dissolved oxygen 4.5 mgl - 1 , and pH level 6.8. With these values we built a production function, and used it to evaluate profitability. We estimate a benefit/cost ratio of 1.16, with a net annual income of US$257.67. The system may provide two permanent jobs.


Reef habitats in the South Atlantic Bight comprise only a small proportion of the available benthic habitat, but support enormous densities of fishes, invertebrates, and algae. Because these reefs are distant from shore and in deeper waters (usually >20 m), we know very little about the factors affecting the distribution of fishes or the structure of fish assemblages on these reefs. Our goal in this study was to deternune how variance in macroalgal structure and species composition on reefs off the coast of North Carolina affects reef fishes. Manipulations of algal density and species composition in artificially created 1.5 m2 plots indicated that: (1 ) patches w ~ t h Sargassum fil~pendula had greater numbers and higher specles richness of reef fishes than patches without algae; (2) fishes responded to variability in Sargassum density with high fish abundance in patches with higher algal dens~ty, but this response varied among fish species; (3) greater numbers of individuals and species of fish used Sargassum patches compared to patches of 2 other brown algae common in this region (Zonaria and Dictyoptens); (4) fish densities were higher in patches with taller algae and greater percent cover of algae. Many of the fishes using experimental patches were small, young-of-the-year individuals. Our results indicate that variability in the structure of seaweed beds on reefs in the South Atlantic Bight can influence the distribution and abundance of reef fishes. Although the algal beds in the South Atlantic Bight are more diminutive and less extensive than kelp beds of cold temperate waters, they may be a critical habitat for juvenile reef fishes in this region, and the algal species dominating the beds will have a large effect on their value as juvenile habitat. K E Y WORDS. Reef fish. Temperate reef. Habitat structure. Macroalgae . South Atlantic Bight. North Carolina . Sargassum . Recruitment


The Costa Brava (Girona, Spain) is one of the pioneering regions along the Spanish Mediterranean coast in terms of wastewater treatment. Since the 1950s, the water quality in swimming areas has been affected by the ongoing tourist development. However, at the same time, this issue has motivated the implementation of wastewater treatment systems that, otherwise, would have been delayed. With that mission, the Costa Brava Consortium (CCB) was created in 1971. The CCB is a public institution formed by all the municipalities along the coast of Girona, the head of Girona province and the watershed authority (formerly called the Eastern Pyrenees Hydrographical Confederation). Taking a conceptual approach derived from the Political Ecology of Tourism, the aim of this study is to explore the close relationship among the tourism boom, the economic and technologic investments related to wastewater management, and the improvement of environmental quality of the Costa Brava swimming areas. We believe that the tourist sector has forced public administrations to minimize the environmental impact derived from tourist activities. In fact, wastewater treatment has contributed to achieve improved and optimal swimming conditions in beaches, the most valuable resource for sun and sand tourist sector. The increasingly strict environmental regulations issued at European level have an important role in the discursive legitimation of high public expenses. Nevertheless, water-related management costs have been progressively financed by tax-payers, under pretexts of economic crisis or limited public budget. In addition, private capital is considered as the only way to maintain present infrastructures and to invest in new ones.


Purpose: The purpose of the article is to propose and develop a distinct perspective in Islamic marketing research through fusing the Islamic paradigm and the macromarketing theory. Design/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual article that is based on intellectualising and reflecting on differences in understanding what marketing is and what role it plays in society. Findings: The article reveals some commonality of purpose between the macromarketing discipline and Islamic macromarketing, while the latter field of inquiry offers a unique outlook to a number of domain-specific issues. Research limitations/implications: The characterisation of Islamic macromarketing will open new avenues for future research and will make researchers more theoretically sensitive to ontological and epistemological assumptions that underlie marketing investigations. The limitation of the present discussion is that Islamic macromarketing may not have yet emerged as a separate discipline. Additionally, research on genuinely macromarketing issues in Islamic contexts is very sparse. Practical implications: Muslim practitioners and managers are to realise that the means and ends of marketing are better understood if viewed from a broader perspective of marketing's impact and consequences on society. By adopting the Islamic macromarketing perspective, public, societal institutions, business stakeholders, and managers will find a better platform to cooperate on maximising the realisation of hasanah (excellence) for all. Originality/value: This article contributes to the discipline by introducing and characterising a potentially new field of marketing inquiry. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.


An unusual condition of the inferior retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and neural retina has been observed in essentially all the large bullfrogs examined (Rana catesbeiana, 13 to 20 cm body length, supplied from the U.S. West Coast and Midwest). By ophthahnoscopy the inferior fundus exhibited numerous white spots and lines, which were found by light microscopy to be overlain by smaller black dots and lines. Closer examination revealed that the light areas were regions of depigmented RPE and that the black dots and lines were melanosome-laden macro-phages within the adjacent retina. Further examination by light microscopy and electron microscopy allowed the formulation of the following sequence. (1) Monocytes in the choroidal capillaries crossed Bruch's membrane and passed vitreally between adjacent RPE cells. (2) In the subretinal space monocytes transformed into phagocytic macrophages, which became en-gorged with melanin granules and other RPE inclusions, whereas nearby RPE cells became much thinner and very depigmented. (3) The pigment-laden macrophages then mooed vitreally into the avascular neural retina. Although in most areas only the RPE appeared affected by macrophage invasion, occasional localized photoreceptor disruption occurred. The severity of the lesion varied with frog size, being pronounced in large frogs, moderate in medium-sized animals, and absent in small frogs. Because the pigmentary changes were localized to the inferior part of the eye (which receives the most light from the sun overhead) of large bullfrogs (which are likely old), this phenomenon may be due to a change in RPE melanin granules resulting from the cumulative effect of light exposure.


The numerical solution of the Chemical Master Equation (CME) governing gene regulatory networks and cell signaling processes remains a challenging task due to its complexity, exponentially growing with the number of species involved. When considering separated representations of the probability distribution function within the Proper Generalized Decomposition-PGD-frame-work the complexity of the CME grows only linearly with the number of state space dimensions. In order to speed up calculations moment-based descriptions are usually preferred, however these descriptions involve the necessity of using closure relations whose impact on the calculated solution is most of time unpredictable. In this work we propose an empirical closure, fitted from the solution of the chemical master equation, the last solved within the PGD framework.


The dynamic nature of organizations and technologies require a comprehensive understanding of how organizational forms and information technology interact. While previous research and theories of information technology have investigated aspects such as organizational structure, individual and group behavior, and inter-organizational relationships, shift work, an important temporal aspect often found in service organizations, is surprisingly absent in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect that shift work has on employee use and satisfaction with information technology. The results of a field study of a police organization indicate that information technology systems are valued differently by workers on different shifts. The authors discuss how this research helps advance theories of technology use and effectiveness (such as task-technology fit and technology acceptance model) and present important practical implications of this study for strategic alignment of technology in the areas of systems design, implementation, addressing the needs of peripheral workers, and resource management.


An investigation was done to study the heterotic grouping and patterning in quality protein maize inbreds. Biochemical screening resulted in the choice of 3 inbreds each with high (UQPM 2, UQPM 4, and UQPM 21) and low (UQPM 18, UQPM 19, and UQPM 20) lysine and tryptophan contents respectively for genetic studies using diallel analysis. UQPM 20 × UQPM 18 was notable as it possessed high standard heterosis and specific combining (sca) effect for grain yield, protein, tryptophan, and lysine. Based on yield sca, the 6 parental inbreds were classified into 3 heterotic groups. Intergroup cross UQPM 20 × UQPM 18 was the best in yield and quality. The superior heterotic pattern was flint × dent. In genetic diversity analysis using simple sequence repeat markers, the inbreds of the best hybrid, UQPM 20 × UQPM 18, lay in same cluster but different subclusters. Correlations between genetic distance and sca effects were low for grain yield, which hampers the prediction of heterosis from molecular data alone.


can be seen as the process of transforming the material into a form through embodied knowledge (Groth, 2017). With a focus on the materiality, this article presents a case study of collaboration between the human and non-human, wool in particular, in the process of practising a craft. In this article, the material's role in making is elaborated during the various skill stages. We follow the model of skill acquisition proposed by engineering researchers S. Dreyfus, philosopher H. Dreyfus, and Tom Athanasiou (1986). The model This article examines the interaction between maker and material in craft making in the case of felting. From the perspective of material agency, the article argues that the craft practice is the result of a negotiation between the material and the maker, and the bodily movements of a practice emerge from this dialogical act. The article investigates felting processes and uncovers how they occur through bodily movements and material transformations. This investigation refers to the processes that a novice maker and two expert makers go through a negotiation. The emergence of the artefact is studied with a focus on the relationship between the maker, material, and practice by examining different ways of interacting with the material and its transformations. The research employed a practice-led approach and participant observation as methods to collect various types of data in various studio settings. The data was collected in the form of reflective diaries, field notes, and videos. Through a meticulous analysis, we examined the movements of the body and the material in felting. This examination enabled us to understand what happens in each contact moment between the maker and the material.


The external and internal imbalances that appeared in the early 1980s, together with the adjustment and stabilization policies applied throughout that decade in Latin America, juxtaposed the need to reduce the fiscal deficit with the need to make up for the loss of income sustained by the most vulnerable groups of the population as a consequence of the external debt crisis. This article examines patterns of social expenditure in a number of countries in the region, in an effort to determine how these policies affected the level and composition of social spending and, hence, influenced social policy. As a method of analysis, the author reviews patterns of social spending during various episodes of fiscal adjustment and maladjustment in each of these countries and compares them with the trends observed in those countries' public-sector finances. The data suggest that social expenditure was used chiefly as an instrument of fiscal adjustment, which would account for the widespread deterioration seen in this variable during the 1980s. In addition, the impact of this policy was not evenly distributed among the various social sectors but instead had a particularly strong effect on housing and education.


Research question: This paper, on the example of strategic alliances in the automotive industry, investigates how diagrams could be useful in studying complex power relationships. Motivation: The relative power of individuals and institutions is a crucial driving force of their interactions. It is however hard to evaluate because the interactions can take place simultaneously or sequentially in different markets or forums.  Diagrams of power, that this study introduces, help us abstract the relative power of agents. This enables us to use insights of decision and game theory, especially those from the literature, in strategic decision making under uncertainty (Courtney, Kirkland, & Viguerie, 1997), to arrive at successful and sustainable solutions. They enable us to view relationships between firms as security dilemmas (Posen, 1993), which can explain why emerging market multinationals (EMMs) treat the acquired companies as strategic partners (Kale, Singh, & Raman, 2009). Idea: Diagrams of power and security dilemma help us better understand strategic alliances in the automotive industry. Moreover, we believe that diagrams of power could both offer new insights to scholars and represent an intuitive tool for businessmen and policy makers less experienced with advanced mathematical methods. Data: To quantify the power of several automotive producers, we have used selected contemporary data items from their annual reports and the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. Tools: The tool we introduce to better understand power relationships between automotive producers are the diagrams of power. We then apply them to two cases from the industry to better understand the strategic interactions within alliances. Findings: We demonstrate that diagrams of power can help managers define the goals of strategic alliances, minimize the risks of their establishment and management, and recognize the problems and opportunities that arise in strategic partnerships due to security dilemmas, a concept that originated in the study of wars. Diagrams of power enrich the analytical toolkit of the existing literature, enabling faster understanding of the relationship between agents as well as decision making based on more complete information. Contribution: This paper introduces diagrams of power – a tool for study of strategic interactions – and applies the concept of security dilemma to the study of the automotive industry.


BACKGROUND
The current climate of increasing patient complexity coupled with rising costs have prompted the need for adaptive innovation. There are limited data describing inpatient interventions targeting improvements in both communication and transitional care.

OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the patient navigator (PN) program, an innovative inpatient intervention intended to enhance navigation through the complexity of hospital admissions for patients and providers.

INTERVENTION
PNs were dedicated patient-care facilitators without clinical responsibilities integrated as full members of the inpatient care team responsible for enhancing communication between and among patients and providers.

DESIGN
Observational retrospective cohort study.

PATIENTS
All patients admitted to the general medical service between July 2010 and March 2014.

SETTING
Academic medical center.

MEASUREMENTS
Primary outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission rate matched by case mix group, age category, and resource intensity weight.

RESULTS
Our matched cohort included 5628 admissions (4592 patients) exposed and 2213 admissions (1920 patients) not exposed to PNs. Admissions with PNs were 1.3 days (21%) shorter than admission without PNs (6.2 vs 7.5 days, P < 0.001). Thirty-day readmission rate was not different between the 2 groups (13.1 vs 13.8%, P = 0.48).

CONCLUSION
Implementation of this intervention was associated with a reduction in LOS without an increase in 30-day readmission.


In Punjab, the influx of migrant labour particularly in agriculture sector started with the green revolution and picked up subsequently. Due to monoculture in the cropping pattern, the state has become largely dependent on migrant labourers for various agricultural operations. The influx of seasonal as well as permanent labour from outside has led to various socio-economic problems in Punjab. In the wake of this, the present study was purposively conducted in the Central Zone of Punjab for the year 2011 to find the causes and impact of labour in-migration in Punjab. A total of 105 respondents belonging to the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Nepal constituted the sample frame. The results have revealed that better income and employment opportunities at the destination place were the major factors responsible for migration. About 64 per cent of the respondents earned less than ` 20000 per annum at their native places and 60 per cent of them had less than 200 days of employment in a year, whereas 23 per cent of the labourers were unemployed at their native place. However, after migration 63 per cent of the migrants could earn from ` 20000 to ` 50000 per annum and 34 per cent earned more than ` 50000 per annum in Punjab, leading to a major share (60% of total income) as remittances sent back to their native places. On the other hand, the flip side of the influx of migrants in the study area increased the drug menace by 37 per cent, social tension by 45 per cent and crime by 43 per cent. The state government should maintain a demographic balance by regulating the migrants and should help in verification of credentials of migrating labourers to Punjab.


Abstract Peru has shifted away from centralized mining management to governance among government, companies, and communities. Various mechanisms facilitate community participation, including the mining canon, dialogues, and corporate social responsibility programs. Even with these laws and mechanisms, mining pollution and conflicts continue. In this study, we ask: how do communities perceive and participate in mining governance? And what are some alternative ways, driven by community priorities, to address governance in mining contexts? We collected 53 semi-structured with agricultural actors in two Peruvian districts with mining activity and analyzed those perspectives through the lens of community-centered governance. Our analyses revealed how centering community priorities in data collection and analysis illuminates context-specific factors that shape community attitudes toward mining and highlights community-driven approaches to addressing mining governance. Such community-driven approaches could include integrating understandings of local livelihoods and historical contexts, implementing transparent participatory processes, and improving laws to give communities decision-making power over mining development.