Exploiting the advantage of a layered architecture, layered graphitic carbon nitride (CN) and NiFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH) have been coupled in the present investigation to design a series of highly efficient novel CNLDH composites for visible light-induced photocatalytic H2 and O2 evolution. The syntheses of these composites were carried out using a facile weight impregnation method while varying the wt% of CN on LDH. The structural, optical, and morphological properties of these composites were characterized by various physicochemical techniques. The results indicate a tuned-in band gap energy within the range of pure LDH to pure CN. In addition, the remarkable quenching of the PL signal and prolonged photogenerated charge lifetime confirmed by TRPL spectra demonstrates the excellent photocatalytic activity of these composites. The activity could be ascribed to the dispersion of exfoliated CN over the brucite layer of LDH, in which strong energy transfer takes place in terms of charge carriers. The visible light-induced photocatalytic H2 and O2 evolution study resulted in an enhancement in the activity of the CNLDH10 composite with a H2 evolution rate of 1488 μmol 2 h−1 and O2 evolution rate of 886 μmol 2 h−1. The high photocatalytic activities of these composites may be due to good dispersion of exfoliated CN over the brucite layer of edge-shared MO6 octahedra, higher life time of charge carriers, low PL intensity, appropriate band gap energy and enhancement in photocurrent density.


Receptor autoradiographic technique was studied to investigate sequential changes in adenylyl cyclase, adenosine A 1 receptors and L-type calcium channels in the striatum and substantia nigra 1-8 weeks after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine injection of the medial forebrain bundle in rats. [ 3 H]Forskolin, [ 3 H]cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and [ 3 H]PN200-110 were used to label adenylyl cyclase, adenosine A 1 receptors and L-type calcium channels, respectively. The degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway caused a significant increase in [ 3 H]forskolin binding in the striatum of both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides from 2 to 4 weeks post-lesion. The ipsilateral substantia nigra showed a transient increase in [ 3 H]forskolin binding 4 weeks post-lesion. In contrast, [ 3 H]CHA binding showed no significant change in most brain areas after lesioning. On the other hand, a conspicuous decrease in [ 3 H]PN200-110 binding was observed in the dorsolateral striatum of ipsilateral side 4 weeks post-lesion. Thereafter, the striatum of both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides showed a significant decrease in [ 3 H]PN200-110 binding 8 weeks post-lesion. These results demonstrate that unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine into the medial forebrain bundle of rats can experimentally cause a significant increase in adenylyl cyclase binding sites in the striatum and substantia nigra, whereas no conspicuous change in adenosine A 1 receptors is observed in these areas during post-lesion. In contrast, L-type calcium channels were progressively damaged in the striatum after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine treatment. These findings suggest that adenylyl cyclase and calcium system may contribute to the degeneration processes of the dopaminergic neurones.


This study was supported by the grant from Korea Science and Technology Foundation (KOSEF) through Intellrctual Biointerface Engineering Center(IBEC) of Seoul National University


Our interest in studying digital literacies arises from what we perceive as a failure to develop students' capacities to learn deeply in a technology-rich environment. The trends towards networked communities and digital citizenship, as well as workplace changes including distributed/collaborative work patterns and an (arguably) higher value being placed on 'knowledge' work, all make digital capabilities central to what higher education can offer. While we see efforts being made to support learners' ICT skills – or at least bring these up to a minimum standard of competence – these are rarely integrated with the development of other capabilities critical to higher learning.

E-learning is often celebrated for its potential to extend participation. As we are increasingly saturated in opportunities for acquiring knowledge (Downes 2005, Walton et al. 2007, Anderson 2008), informal networked learning has achieved a new prominence in educational discourse, to the extent that it has almost become the measure by which formal learning is judged. In practice, however, we see digital opportunities being disproportionately taken up, and benefited from, by those with existing educational capital (see for example NIACE 2008).

Too often, also, e-learning is used as a shorthand for the management of learning by digital means, rather than the exploration of disciplinary knowledge and knowledge practices in a new digital context.

A more competence-based curriculum is becoming the norm, a development which has arguably been accelerated by the standardisation of qualifications in a global (digital) learning market. And yet, we see evidence that effective learners in digital – as in other – contexts have not been motivated by competence-based approaches to learning.

We are excited by the current theoretical interest in digital literacies, and yet our motivation remains a pragmatic one: to investigate how learners are developing literacies for learning and meeting their learning goals, at a time when valued knowledge is predominantly communicated in digital forms. We continue to be involved in translating relevant research into effective interventions at curriculum and institutional levels.


Opportunities and risks are twins. There are few to deny the opportunities of global networks in general and of the Internet in particular. But many fear for the concomitant risks, or what they perceive as a risk. Racists speech, pornography and personality profiling rank highest in public awareness. Some concerns are quasi universal, like child pornography. For others there are at least differences of degree. Following its history, Germany has tabooed right wing publications. And Americans, in their majority, feel hurt by nudity, which most Germans find quite inoffensive. Such examples lure into a simplistic opposition: Global networks threat local values. The reality of global networks, and of their interrelation with local values, is much more complex. The National Research Council has set up a binational, German-American committee to study the question. The committee has convoked two symposia. This abstract refers to the final report drafted by the committee and approved by the review process of the National Research Council. The report brings to bear knowledge from many fields: technology, economics, political science, communications science and the law. The report starts by outlining how the historically highly unlikely success of the Internet could happen. It lays conceptual foundations by determining the individual and social functions of values, what makes them local, and how global networks can impact on them. On these conceptual foundations chapters are built that look at democracy and political institutions, the highly contentious issues of free speech, privacy and freedom of information, and at commercial values. Each of these chapters demonstrates that the issue is by far not as simple as public discourse tends to assume. Not surprisingly, the potential solutions are not simple either. Characteristically, they imply considerable institutional creativity, and usually some hybrid mix of private and public, national, international and sub-national inputs. The report concludes with an outlook beyond the German-American perspective. Posted along with this abstract is a short document, summarizing the basic insights of the report. The full report is accessible on the web.


Inspired by the affective and sensory turns in the paradigm of art history, this article discusses making pictures as a method of teaching art history in Finnish Upper Secondary Vocational Education and Training (Qualification in Visual Expression, Study Programmes in Visual and Media Arts and Photography). A total of 25 students majoring in visual and media arts and photography participated in the research, studying art history by visual means and reflecting on their learning experiences. This article follows the principles of contextual subject-related didactics, where contemporary conceptions of the discipline and the objectives of the curriculum direct the choice of instructional approaches. The study shows that making pictures motivated the students to study art history and develop practical skills within the discipline in accordance with the curriculum objectives. In visual terms, the kinesthetic and haptic qualities associated with making pictures brought affects and emotions to art historical inquiries, which built bridges between art history and the students' life-worlds. IJEA Vol. 18 No. 19 http://www.ijea.org/v18n19/ 2


Objective: To evaluate Safe Kids Week 2001—a national public awareness campaign on scald and burn prevention—run by Safe Kids Canada. Design: Random digit dial telephone survey. Setting: Canada. Subjects: Parents or guardians of children under 9 years. Two groups of parents were compared, those "exposed" to the campaign (defined as having "seen, heard, or read anything about scald and burn prevention during the period 28 May to 3 June 2001") and those "unexposed" to the campaign. Intervention: Burn safety information was disseminated via the media, 5000 retail stores, and 348 community partners across Canada. The campaign emphasized four key messages: (1) Lower your water temperature, hot tap water could burn your child! (2) Make sure your child is safe in the kitchen. (3) Keep hot drinks away from your child. (4) Check your smoke alarms regularly. Outcome measures: Change in parental knowledge and behavior. Results: A total of 29 871 telephone numbers were called, with a household refusal rate of 27%. Nationally, 14% of parents were exposed to the campaign and 504 parents were interviewed, 251 in the "exposed" group and 253 in the "unexposed" group. Parents exposed to Safe Kids Week 2001 were 1.5–5 times more likely to be aware of key campaign messages, and 2–3 times more likely to test and lower the water heater temperature, compared with unexposed parents. Conclusion: Safe Kids Week 2001 reached a significant proportion of parents of young children. In addition, the campaign appeared to increase burn safety knowledge and lead to behavior changes among exposed parents, compared with unexposed parents.


RPL is an open routing protocol standardized by the ROLL group of IETF for constrained IP smart objects. It is one of the emergent protocols dedicated for Low Power and Lossy Networks (LLNs). Unfortunately, RPL suffers from significant packet loss due to the instability of the routes, and from a poor updates. Most of the existing solutions dedicated to solve the routes instability are based on improving the metrics used for constructing the routes. Generally these metrics are based on some evaluation of the radio link quality. In this paper, we adopt a new approach for addressing route instability in RPL, by placing an additional constraint on the maximum number of children a node can accept during tree construction. We call our solution Bounded Degree RPL (BD-RPL). BD-RPL addresses the absence of updating in the downward routes construction. Technically, we use the existing control messages provided by RPL for bounding the node degrees, as well as for updating the downward routes. Therefore, BD-RPL does not generate any additional overhead compared to RPL. Also, BD-RPL does not depend on the radio link quality metric. That is, any improvement of the metric used for RPL will automatically yield an improvement for BD-RPL. We have evaluated BD-RPL using the Cooja simulator, and implemented it on the Iot-lab platform. The experimentation demonstrates an improvement over RPL by an average of 10% in packet delivery, 50% in energy consumption, and 60% in delay.


Acute-phase protein synthesis in the liver during inflammation is regulated via cytokines and glucocorticoids. Using quantitative reverse transcription (RT)–PCR analysis and immunoassay, we explored, in the rat, the response of the acute-phase protein, alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M), after systemic inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or localized inflammation induced by turpentine oil (TO). The results indicate that synthesis of A2M is higher following TO-induced inflammation than LPS-induced inflammation and is not correlated with interleukin (IL)-6 or glucocorticoid levels. We studied the putative role of heme in this differential A2M expression following localized vs. systemic inflammation; addition of heme during LPS-induced inflammation can boost the expression of A2M, whereas blocking heme synthesis (by succinyl acetone) or enhancing its consumption in parallel biosynthetic pathways (cytochrome P450 induction by phenobarbital) decreases A2M expression. This decrease was abolished by exogenous heme supplementation. Finally, we demonstrate that heme supplementation is also able to increase the A2M response in female rats to a level similar to that in male rats providing a new insight into the puzzling sexual dimorphism observed previously during localized inflammation. We propose that heme should be considered a new regulatory element in controlling liver A2M expression during inflammation.


All papers in this volume were peer-reviewed. The BIFI2006 Conference represents an interactive forum for physicists, chemists, biologists, and mathematicians for sharing ideas as well as adressing recent advances in the frontier between physics and biology. Current challenges in molecular and cell biology, biomedicine, and biotechnology require the interdisciplinary collaborative effort of theoretical and experimental researchers benefiting from the interplay between the latest computational and experimental developments. There were three main topics at the conference: nucleic acids, proteins and peptides, and collective behavior of biomolecules. This volume includes papers on: protein folding, nucleic acid structure, ligand binding, proteomics, network dynamics and topology, cell signaling, collective behavior, biomolecular modeling, systems biology, and biophysical computational methods.


In a distributed stream data processing system, an application is usually modeled using a directed graph, in which each vertex corresponds to a data source or a processing unit, and edges indicate data flow. In this paper, we propose a novel predictive scheduling framework to enable fast and distributed stream data processing, which features topology-aware modeling for performance prediction and predictive scheduling. For prediction, we present a topology-aware method to accurately predict the average tuple processing time of an application for a given scheduling solution, according to the topology of the application graph and runtime statistics. For scheduling, we present an effective algorithm to assign threads to machines under the guidance of prediction results. To validate and evaluate the proposed framework, we implemented it based on a highly-regarded distributed stream data processing platform, Storm, and tested it with 3 representative applications: word count (stream version), log stream processing and continuous query. Extensive experimental results show 1) The topology-aware prediction method offers an average accuracy of 84.2 percent. 2) The predictive scheduling framework reduces the average tuple processing time by 24.9 percent on average, compared to Storm's default scheduler.


The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Māori nurses and student nurses in Aotearoa New Zealand who combine culturally specific customary obligations in all areas of whānau (family), hapū (kinship group) and iwi (wider kinship group) life (in particular, caregiving responsibilities) with working or studying. The study was underpinned by a collaborative Kaupapa Māori (Māori principles and values) approach. Paired or triad interviews were undertaken with 13 Māori nurses and two Māori student nurses (all women), aged between 22 and 57, and from all parts of Aotearoa New Zealand, between October and December 2015. Their stories give a picture of considerable community service and duty outside work. The impacts on emotional and physical health which caregiving responsibilities have on Māori nurses are under-reported to their management. Facilitating Māori voices and realities to be heard will raise awareness of the issues and help identify potential strategies, policies and employment practices that will validate and support Māori nurses in their workplaces and in the wider community.


Stereo matching, a technique for acquiring depth information from many planar images obtained by several cameras, was developed several decades ago. Recently a novel depth-extraction technique that uses a lens array instead of several cameras has attracted much attention because of the advantages offered by its compact system configuration. We present a novel depth-extraction method that uses a lens array consisting of vertically long rectangular lens elements. The proposed method rearranges the horizontal positions of the pixels from the collection of perspective images while it leaves the vertical positions of the pixels unchanged. To these rearranged images we apply a correlation-based multibaseline stereo algorithm in properly modified form. The main feature of the proposed method is the inverse dependency of the disparity in depth between horizontal and vertical directions. This inverse dependency permits the extraction of exact depth from extremely periodically patterned object scenes and reduces quantization error in the depth extraction.


A review of the 2008 financial meltdown demonstrates instabilities in the global financial system that stem from an accepted corporate philosophy of short term profit maximization for its own sake, accompanied by huge executive bonuses. A thorough review of the foundations of international banking indicates a number of fallacies that permeate financial system. These issues are interrelated and require a coherent integrated paradigm shift involving the re-education of the captains of industry, trade and commerce. In this regard it is necessary to recognize that sovereign nations are not corporations in business to produce goods and services. While nations regulate the corporate playing field their primary responsibility is to the sustainable wellbeing and national identity of their domestic population. This is not consistent with a blind corporate philosophy of globalization for profit maximization by playing nations off against one another. Equitable domestic profit distribution between shareholder, employee and customer is essential to this end for the benefit of all. A definitive strategy is needed to implement the paradigm shift.


Here I take a somewhat personal perspective on signalling control, focusing on the rhomboid-like superfamily of proteins that my group has worked on for almost 20 years. As well as describing some of the key and recent advances, I attempt to draw out signalling themes that emerge. One important message is that the genetic and biochemical perspective on signalling has tended to underplay the importance of cell biology. There is clear evidence that signalling pathways exploit the control of intracellular trafficking, protein quality control and degradation, and other cell biological phenomena, as important regulatory opportunities.


ABSTRACT An increased interest in health, diet, and physical activity exist among young people, in this study termed 'fitness hype'. Viewing the body and health as commodities can be understood as part of a healthism discourse. In this study, we explored how Swedish high school students perceive and negotiate the trend regarding exercise, diet and body ideals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten high school students, aged 16–18 years, from various educational programs and with varying levels of physical activity. Using qualitative content analysis, we developd one overarching theme navigating life satisfaction in the face of an 'unhealthy fitness hype'. Four additional, interrelated categories showed how the young people negotiated this developing trend through: (1) the quest for social recognition and value, (2) social media sets the standards, (3) the paradox of strong and skinny as the new standard, and (4) the need for new safety nets. Our results highlight the young people's perceptions of an excessive and influential focus on health and exercise in contemporary society. They described a fitness hype as exorbitant and unhealthy ideals of body and exercise, and understood this as problematic. Social media was seen as contributing to this hype as a powerful arena for 'the quest for social recognition and value'. While not all the young people felt negatively affected by the fitness hype, they perceived its influence on their lives. Further, body and fitness ideals were gendered. Teenage girls faced the paradox of shaping themselves as 'strong and skinny'. Social ties were recognized as an important safety net, particularly classmates, sports mates, and coaches. Knowledge of these problems from the perspective of young people is crucially needed among health professionals and educators. Further research should explore additional support strategies, and young people's experiences of fitness hype among additional youth groups.


Extractive industries (mining, oil and gas) are one of the sectors that are most exposed to changes that governments may be making in order that climate change can be restricted. This report looks at the annual reports of extractive companies around the world to gauge how well and completely they are communicating that exposure to their investors and other stakeholders.

The study looks at 60 of the most carbon-intensive extractive companies and at the extent and quality of disclosures they make in the management report and in the financial statements about the potential impact of climate change on their business. Clearly there are risks to the long-term viability of their activities which would impact their mineral or hydrocarbon reserves and the related infrastructure and leave them with 'stranded' assets.

Overall the findings are that the reporting is not good enough and that annual reports lack clarity of and depth in climate change related disclosures. In the management report (the 'front end'of the annual report) though most make reference to the issue, not all by any means provide adequate information for example about their reserves, the impact of different climate change scenarios or how their business model is adjusting to the risks. The visible impact on the financial statements is scantier still. Only 10% refer to climate change when considering impairment of their assets and none acknowledge its impact on their estimates of the useful lives of the assets.


The many mechanisms for expanding horizontal ownership and control of economic resources pose ongoing challenges for merger enforcement. This is readily apparent in markets that have undergone profound structural change from horizontal consolidation and rising concentration over the last several decades, including wireless telecommunications, airlines, hospitals, health insurance, meat processing, and others. Horizontal control is a central concept in industrial organization and frequently encountered concern in antitrust enforcement. For example, the vast majority of all merger transactions challenged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) involve some form of horizontal control. Horizontal mergers that completely and permanently eliminate an independent competitor receive the most attention. But other forms of horizontal control that do not completely eliminate a rival — including acquisitions of partial ownership stakes and some joint venture agreements — have no less important implications for competition and consumers.

For example, production, marketing, and R&D joint ventures (or "competitor collaborations") can weaken incentives for parties to the agreement to compete independently. Such arrangements have become more common, as we have seen, for example, in the agricultural biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Rivals' partial ownership stakes in each other, and private equity and institutional investors that acquire stakes in multiple rivals competing in the same product markets, can also weaken competitive incentives. Private equity buyouts raise broader concerns about the damage left behind in the wake of rapid exits and in raising prices to consumers. Yet there remains little transparency around the role of private equity in the broader landscape of horizontal control. Moreover, research indicates that partial ownership can lessen incentives to compete more than under a monopoly. Meanwhile, there is ongoing debate over whether antitrust can reach to competitive issues raised by institutional investor ownership of stock in rivals in sectors such as airlines and banking.

As antitrust enforcers try to keep pace with the many forms of horizontal control and their competitive implications, we see indications of weakening merger enforcement under Section 7 of the Clayton Act. For example, the scales have tipped sharply toward merging parties in merely predicting the pro-competitive effects of their deals, while the government bears a nearly insurmountable burden of proving that a merger will harm competition. Research shows that the benefits of mergers are often speculative and never materialize, leaving consumers with higher prices, lower quality, less innovation. Moreover, data on merger enforcement reveals that the antitrust agencies increasingly seek remedies for problematic mergers, rather than moving to block them or to force their abandonment. Yet we see a growing list of failed merger remedies, leaving consumers with higher prices, lower quality, and less innovation.

Given its many faces, ubiquity, and indubitable link to market concentration, it is time to take a fresh look at horizontal control. Analysis in this White Paper reveals troubling issues for antitrust enforcement in light of rising concentration, weakening enforcement, evidence of failed mergers and merger remedies, and growth of the partial ownership model. These takeaways should inform potential antitrust reform proposals and approaches to invigorating merger enforcement and competition policy. The first part of the paper examines the competitive dynamics of different forms of horizontal control. The second part examines major enforcement and policy issues raised by expanding horizontal control and highlights areas of much needed analysis. This includes analyses of failed merger remedies, whether litigated mergers have produced claimed benefits, and how partial ownership acquisitions by private equity firms have affected market concentration. The paper also recommends that the agencies withdraw the "safe harbor" provision for some partial ownership acquisitions in their proposed revisions to the Hart Scott Rodino (HSR) Act filing requirements.


Holographic optical elements (HOEs) have a wide range of applications, including their emerging use in virtual and augmented reality displays, but their design and fabrication have remained largely limited to configurations using simple wavefronts. In this paper, we present a pipeline for the design, optimization, and fabrication of complex, customized HOEs that enhances their imaging performance and enables new applications. In particular, we propose an optimization method for grating vector fields that accounts for the unique selectivity properties of HOEs. We further show how our pipeline can be applied to two distinct HOE fabrication methods. The first uses a pair of freeform refractive elements to manufacture HOEs with high optical quality and precision. The second uses a holographic printer with two wavefront-modulating arms, enabling rapid prototyping. We propose a unified wavefront decomposition framework suitable for both fabrication approaches. To demonstrate the versatility of these methods, we fabricate and characterize a series of specialized HOEs, including an aspheric lens, a head-up display lens, a lens array, and, for the first time, a full-color caustic projection element.


Multimodal conversational spoken dialogues using physical and virtual agents provide a potential interface to motivate and support users in the domain of health and fitness. The paper presents a multimodal conversational Companion system focused on health and fitness, which has both a stationary and a mobile component.


St. Petersburg new media artist, writer, literary scholar, and translator (PhD in literary theory from Herzen State University) Natalia Fedorova published this interview with Bernstein in Russian in Translit (Moscow), a key journal of innovative poetics, in 2013. Bernstein discusses his connection to Russian poets, starting with Arkadii Dragomoshchenko. He also addresses the way the Cold War torqued the reception of Russian modernist poetry, using Mandelstam as an example.


Food security remains a key challenge to the development efforts of most poor nations. This study investigated the significance of gender (denoted by number of male, female and children in a household) and social amenities in the food security equation. Frequency of food-related illnesses in a household was used as proxy for food security situation, while the entitlement/food utilization side of the equation was represented by the number of male and female children in the household, main source of domestic water, distance to nearest health center, means of transport accessible, household sanitation and level of awareness on basic food preparation and handling methods. Both descriptive and econometric models were used for analysis of primary data from a random sample of 100 farm-households in Yala division, Siaya district of Kenya. This study was conducted in February 2004. Results of this study indicated that majority (74%) of the rural households were experiencing poor food utilization, and were thus generally food insecure. The study also revealed that gender and social amenities were significant in the food security equation. Specifically, there was high correlation between food-related illnesses and use of untapped water, more male children than females in a household, long distance to health centers, lack of quick means of transport, unsafe food disposal and poor food storage habits. In order to improve the food utilization and thereby security for the rural farm-households, the study recommends improvement in the provision of social amenities for both male and female household members equitably.


A wide range of biological processes are regulated by sumoylation, a post-translational modification involving the conjugation of SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-Like Modifier) to protein. In Arabidopsis thaliana, AtSIZ1 encodes a SUMO E3 ligase for SUMO modification. siz1 mutants displayed defective secondary cell walls (SCWs) in inflorescence fiber cells. Such defects were caused by repression of SND1/NST1-mediated transcriptional networks. Yeast two-hybrid assay indicated that SIZ1 interacts with the LBD30 C-terminal domain, which was further confirmed using bimolecular fluorescence complementation and immunoprecipitation. Mass spectrometry and co-immunoprecipitation indicated that SIZ1 mediates SUMO conjugation to LBD30 at the K226 residue. Genes controlling SCW formation were activated by the overexpression of LBD30, but not in the LBD30(K226R) mutant. LBD30 enhancement of SCW formation resulted from upregulation of SND1/NST1-mediated transcriptional networks. This study presents a mechanism by which sumoylation of LBD30, mediated by SIZ1, regulates SCW formation in A. thaliana.


This year's review of queer theory focuses on recent scholarship about transgender youth. Most of the scholarship reviewed in this chapter defines transgender expansively to include any identifications and/or expressions of gender that trouble dyadic sex-gender ideologies. Additionally, the scholarship reviewed in this chapter evinces a collapse of scholarship and activism by investing in scholarship as activism. Although queer theory is not often heralded for its use in taking a pragmatic approach to social change, the majority of theorists discussed in the chapter do in fact make practical recommendations for justice-oriented social policy and practice changes that would radically improve the lives of transgender youth. Even more, most of the scholars discussed in this chapter are themselves transgender and are committed to creating a world were trans lives can flourish. They resist liberal accommodation models of trans inclusion and instead theorize what meaningful structural change would look like. The chapter is divided into five sections: 1. Introduction: Queer Kids; 2. Queer Gender Now; 3. Queer Youth Now; 4. Transgender Youth In and Out of History; and 5. Conclusion.


In this paper, we revisit the problem online reclustering in clustered shape matching simulations and propose an approach that employs two nonlinear optimizations to create new clusters. The first optimization finds the embedding of particles and clusters into three-dimensional space that minimizes elastic energy. The second finds the optimal location for the new cluster, working in this embedded space. The result is an approach that is more robust in the presence of elastic deformation. We also experimentally verify that our clustered shape matching approach converges as the number of clusters increases, suggesting that our reclustering approach does not change the underlying material properties. Further, we demonstrate that particle resampling is not strictly necessary in our framework allowing us to trivially conserve volume. Finally, we highlight an error in estimating rotations in the original shape-matching work [Müller et al. 2005] that has been repeated in much of the follow up work.


An experimental technique is presented for studying aerosols generated from lyophilized bacteria by using Escherichia coli B, Bacillus subtilis var. niger, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Pasteurella tularensis. An aerosol generator capable of creating fine particle aerosols of small quantities (10 mg) of lyophilized powder under controlled conditions of exposure to the atmosphere is described. The physical properties of the aerosols are investigated as to the distribution of number of aerosol particles with particle size as well as to the distribution of number of bacteria with particle size. Biologically unstable vegetative cells were quantitated physically by using (14)C and Europium chelate stain as tracers, whereas the stable heat-shocked B. subtilis spores were assayed biologically. The physical persistence of the lyophilized B. subtilis aerosol is investigated as a function of size of spore-containing particles. The experimental result that physical persistence of the aerosol in a closed aerosol chamber increases as particle size is decreased is satisfactorily explained on the bases of electrostatic, gravitational, inertial, and diffusion forces operating to remove particles from the particular aerosol system. The net effect of these various forces is to provide, after a short time interval in the system (about 2 min), an aerosol of fine particles with enhanced physical stability. The dependence of physical stability of the aerosol on the species of organism and the nature of the suspending medium for lyophilization is indicated. Also, limitations and general applicability of both the technique and results are discussed.


: The population of seniors is growing and health service reimbursement is shrinking. Long-term home health care services were developed with an assumption that the services would decrease costs. This assumption has not been validated. What has been recognized is that long-term home health care targets a new and growing population of frail seniors who need services but are probably not at risk for institutionalization. The impact of long-term home care services on the health status and quality of life of seniors and caregivers has been limited by outcome measurement problems. There are indications that the services improved life satisfaction and reduced services needs, but further evaluations need to replicate the outcomes. In effect, long-term outcomes have not been sufficiently explored. Further research also needs to assist us in identifying outcomes for certain services with precise target populations. Public policy questions are ahead. Should a program that can increase costs, has demonstrated some but not dramatic impacts on quality of life and health status, and has the possibility of expansion, be funded? The question is obviously debatable. From a nursing perspective of health promotion and prevention, the answer is "yes." Funding should be continued in conjunction with increased research on the program impacts. In Kane's (1988) analysis of the Channeling experiments, she summarized the situation effectively: Knowing these facts, we are now in a position to reformulate public policies to design a system of long-term care that satisfies the preferences of consumers and protects them from catastrophic long-term expenses, while promoting the triple virtues of acceptable, quality, equitable access, and defensible costs. . . Nothing in the Channeling results should prevent us from going ahead and trying to develop both community based and institutionally based long-term services in which this country can take pride.


We propose new optimal matching techniques for large administrative data sets. In current practice, very large matched samples are constructed by subdividing the population and solving a series of smaller problems, for instance, matching men to men and separately matching women to women. Without simplification of some kind, the time required to optimally match T treated individuals to T controls selected from C≥T potential controls grows much faster than linearly with the number of people to be matched—the required time is of order O{(T+C)3}—so splitting one large problem into many small problems greatly accelerates the computations. This common practice has several disadvantages that we describe. In its place, we propose a single match, using everyone, that accelerates the computations in a different way. In particular, we use an iterative form of Glover's algorithm for a doubly convex bipartite graph to determine an optimal caliper for the propensity score, radically reducing the number of candidate matches; then we optimally match in a large but much sparser graph. In this graph, a modified form of near-fine balance can be used on a much larger scale, improving its effectiveness. We illustrate the method using data from US Medicaid, matching children receiving surgery at a children's hospital to similar children receiving surgery at a hospital that mostly treats adults. In the example, we form 38,841 matched pairs from 159,527 potential controls, controlling for 29 covariates plus 463 Principal Surgical Procedures, plus 973 Principal Diagnoses. The method is implemented in an R package bigmatch available from CRAN.


Abstract Introduction: Infection of goats with caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) has been detected in variable proportions in many countries all over the world. Here, we investigated the seroprevalence of CAEV in goats raised in Algeria. Material and Methods: A serological survey was performed on serum samples from 1,313 goats, including the local breeds (Arabia and Dwarf of Kabylia) and imported European breeds (Alpine and Saanen). Blood samples were taken from goats on 38 farms distributed across four different geographical regions of Algeria. Serum samples were tested for CAEV antibodies using a commercial ELISA. Results: A total of 390 serum samples were found to be positive for CAEV, giving an overall seropositivity rate of 29.7% in individual animals and 97.37% (37/38) at the goat farm level. Conclusion: These results provide the first large-scale serological evidence for the presence of CAEV infection in both the local and imported breeds of goats raised in Algeria, indicating that the virus infection is widespread.


Solid amine sorbents having adequate particle size with high CO2 adsorption capacity were successfully prepared using poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) as the amine and mesoporous poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) beads as the support. The PEI-impregnated PMMA-supported sorbent exhibited CO2 adsorption capacity up to 4.26 mmol/g with PMMA-55 at 75 °C in pure CO2 gas flow. The effect of the temperature on the adsorption capacity of PMMA-55 was investigated, and the maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at 50 °C with a CO2 exposure time of 180 min, different from the tendency of most silica-supported sorbents. The effect of surfactant addition on the adsorption performance of PMMA-supported sorbents differed from those of silica-supported sorbents because of the different surface characteristics between PMMA and silica. Adsorption/desorption cycling was also performed to examine the suitability of the amine sorbent for potential application.


The international community, in its efforts to overcome the security dilemmas that inhibit conflict resolution, need not always offer forceful security guarantees to combatants in civil wars. We argue that noncoercive, liberal international intervention can end civil wars. As suggested by a constructivist perspective and the insights of the democratic peace, the promotion of liberal democracy can successfully resolve civil wars by transforming the identities and institutions of the combatants. We develop this argument by examining the resolution of civil wars in Central America during the 1990s. Of the Central American cases, Nicaragua, the country subject to the strongest security guarantees, has been the least stable of the three. El Salvador and Guatemala, in contrast, have experienced more successful conflict resolution despite the lack of any forceful security guarantees by the international community. The termination of these civil wars can be best explained by the adherence of local actors to liberal democratic norms and institutions in response to a variety of international pressures and opportunities.


A new dual-pump coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) technique for the simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature is discussed. For these measurements the wavelengths of the two pump lasers and the Stokes laser are selected so that the vibrational and pure rotational spectra of nitrogen are simultaneously acquired. Because collisional narrowing is an important effect for the vibrational spectrum but not for the isolated pure rotational lines, the relative intensities of the vibrational and pure rotational spectra change markedly as the pressure changes. Consequently, pressure as well as temperature can be determined from the spectral shape of the dual-pump CARS spectrum. The pressure measurement capability of the technique was demonstrated in a room-temperature gas cell at pressures ranging from 0.1 to 20 atm. The pressures determined from averaged dual-pump CARS spectra are in good agreement with pressure transducer measurements over this entire pressure range. Simultaneous pressure and temperature measurements were also performed along the centerline of an underexpanded jet. Results agreed well with theoretical predictions. Single-laser-shot pressure and temperature measurements are discussed. (Author)


In discrepancy theory, we investigate how well a desired aim can be achieved. So typically we do not compare our solution with an optimal solution, but rather with an (idealized) aim. For example, in the declustering problem, we try to distribute data on parallel disks in such a way that all of a prespecified set of requests find their data evenly distributed on the disks. Hence our (idealized) aim is that each request asks for the same amount of data from each disk. Structural results tell us to which extent this is possible. They determine the discrepancy, the deviation of an optimal solution from our aim. Algorithmic results provide good declustering scheme. We show that for grid structure data and rectangle queries, a discrepancy of order (log M)^((d-1)/2) cannot be avoided. Moreover, we present a declustering scheme with a discrepancy of order (log M)^(d-1). Furthermore, we present discrepancy results for hypergraphs related to the hypergraph of arithmetic progressions, for the hypergraph of linear hyperplanes in finite vector spaces and for products of hypergraphs.


It has become common to publish large (billion parameter) language models that have been trained on private datasets. This paper demonstrates that in such settings, an adversary can perform a training data extraction attack to recover individual training examples by querying the language model.
We demonstrate our attack on GPT-2, a language model trained on scrapes of the public Internet, and are able to extract hundreds of verbatim text sequences from the model's training data. These extracted examples include (public) personally identifiable information (names, phone numbers, and email addresses), IRC conversations, code, and 128-bit UUIDs. Our attack is possible even though each of the above sequences are included in just one document in the training data.
We comprehensively evaluate our extraction attack to understand the factors that contribute to its success. For example, we find that larger models are more vulnerable than smaller models. We conclude by drawing lessons and discussing possible safeguards for training large language models.


A highly efficient and convenient conjugate electrospinning technique is employed to obtain high pairing rate Janus-structured microfibers in electrospun products by optimizing the spinning conditions. In addition, a Janus-structured microfiber array rendering tri-functional performance of tunable magnetism, electrically anisotropic conduction and increased fluorescence is prepared via the same technique using a rotating device as a fiber collector. The array is composed of an ordered arrangement of Janus-structured microfibers. The extraordinary Janus structure and oriented arrangement endow the Janus-structured microfibers with excellent fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity of the Janusstructured microfiber array is, respectively, 1.21, 14.3 and 20.3 times higher than that of the Janusstructured microfiber non-array, the composite microfiber array and the composite microfiber nonarray. The Janus-structured microfiber array has a similar saturation magnetization to the contradistinctive specimens. Additionally, the magnetism of the Janus-structured microfiber array can be modulated with different mass ratios of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs), and the conductance ratio between the length direction and diameter direction of the Janus-structured microfibers for the array can be tuned from 10 to 10 by adding a higher percentage of polyaniline (PANI). Our new findings have established a highly efficient conjugate electrospinning technique to prepare Janus-structured microfibers of high pairing rate, and complete isolation of fluorescent material from magnetic nanoparticles and conductive material is accomplished in the Janus-structured microfibers to ensure high fluorescence intensity without a notably disadvantageous influence of dark-colored substances. More importantly, the fabrication technique for the Janus-structured microfibers can be generalized to manufacture other Janus-structured multifunctional materials.


Herpesviruses infect most humans. Their infections can be associated with pathological conditions and significant changes in T cell repertoire but evidences of symbiotic effects of herpesvirus latency have never been demonstrated. We tested the hypothesis that HCMV and EBV-specific CD8 T cells contribute to the heterologous anti-viral immune response. Volume of activated/proliferating virus-specific and total CD8 T cells was evaluated in 50 patients with acute viral infections: 20 with HBV, 12 with Dengue, 12 with Influenza, 3 with Adenovirus infection and 3 with fevers of unknown etiology. Virus-specific (EBV, HCMV, Influenza) pentamer+ and total CD8 T cells were analyzed for activation (CD38/HLA-DR), proliferation (Ki-67/Bcl-2low) and cytokine production. We observed that all acute viral infections trigger an expansion of activated/proliferating CD8 T cells, which differs in size depending on the infection but is invariably inflated by CD8 T cells specific for persistent herpesviruses (HCMV/EBV). CD8 T cells specific for other non-related non persistent viral infection (i.e. Influenza) were not activated. IL-15, which is produced during acute viral infections, is the likely contributing mechanism driving the selective activation of herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells. In addition we were able to show that herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells displayed an increased ability to produce the anti-viral cytokine interferon-γ during the acute phase of heterologous viral infection. Taken together, these data demonstrated that activated herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells inflate the activated/proliferating CD8 T cells population present during acute viral infections in human and can contribute to the heterologous anti-viral T cell response.


In this philosophical thesis, I propose global education as one approach for fostering global citizenship which, I believe, leads to a global consciousness. This increasingly interconnected and interdependent world calls for a global consciousness that not only nurtures a sense of caring about global as well as local and/or national issues, but also encourages contributive action. Once I introduce the rationale and goals for promoting a global consciousness, I then focus on education as one avenue for promoting the global citizenship that is essential for a global consciousness. However, global education faces its own challenges that impede its ability to foster global citizens. I specifically highlight six areas of concern that need to be addressed. To achieve a greater understanding of the complex relationship between citizenship and education, I explore the ideologies of traditional and more contemporary philosophers. Having established the linkage between citizenship, both as a nation-state and global concept, and education, I present a philosophy of education which is rooted in the teacher-student relationship. I advocate this bond as a primary step that leads to the promotion of global education in classrooms. By tying together all my main points in section five, I establish the foundation and steps that foster the emergence of a global consciousness.


: Measurements of blood and liver water-soluble vitamins and of their metabolites urinary excretion helped characterize these vitamins metabolism in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The liver levels of recovered ascorbic acid and total thiamin were virtually the same in diabetic and intact rats. Essential changes of riboflavin metabolism were revealed in diabetes: riboflavin urinary excretion was five times higher than that in intact animals, the blood serum levels being the same in health and disease, whereas liver riboflavin levels in diabetic rats had a trend to lowering. The activities of FAD-dependent hepatic enzymes were the same in both groups. 4-pyridoxylic acid excretion was increased and 1-methylnicotinamide excretion reduced in diabetic rats.


Title of dissertation: Language-based Techniques for Practical and Trustworthy Secure Multi-party Computations Aseem Rastogi, Doctor of Philosophy, 2016 Dissertation directed by: Professor Michael Hicks Department of Computer Science Secure Multi-party Computation (MPC) enables a set of parties to collaboratively compute, using cryptographic protocols, a function over their private data in a way that the participants do not see each other's data, they only see the final output. Typical MPC examples include statistical computations over joint private data, private set intersection, and auctions. While these applications are examples of monolithic MPC, richer MPC applications move between "normal" (i.e., per-party local) computations and "secure" (i.e., joint, multi-party secure) modes repeatedly, resulting overall in mixed-mode computations. For example, we might use MPC to implement the role of the dealer in a game of mental poker – the game will be divided into rounds of local decision-making (e.g. bidding) and joint interaction (e.g. dealing). Mixed-mode computations are also used to improve performance over monolithic secure computations. Starting with the Fairplay project, several MPC frameworks have been proposed in the last decade to help programmers write MPC applications in a high-level language, while the toolchain manages the low-level details. However, these frameworks are either not expressive enough to allow writing mixed-mode applications or lack formal specification, and reasoning capabilities, thereby diminishing the parties' trust in such tools, and the programs written using them. Furthermore, none of the frameworks provides a verified toolchain to run the MPC programs, leaving the potential of security holes that can compromise the privacy of parties' data. This dissertation presents language-based techniques to make MPC more practical and trustworthy. First, it presents the design and implementation of a new MPC Domain Specific Language, called Wysteria, for writing rich mixed-mode MPC applications. Wysteria provides several benefits over previous languages, including a conceptual single thread of control, generic support for more than two parties, high-level abstractions for secret shares, and a fully formalized type system and operational semantics. Using Wysteria, we have implemented several MPC applications, including, for the first time, a card dealing application. The dissertation next presents Wys, an embedding of Wysteria in F, a fullfeatured verification oriented programming language. Wys improves on Wysteria along three lines: (a) It enables programmers to formally verify the correctness and security properties of their programs. As far as we know, Wys is the first language to provide verification capabilities for MPC programs. (b) It provides a partially verified toolchain to run MPC programs, and finally (c) It enables the MPC programs to use, with no extra effort, standard language constructs from the host language F, thereby making it more usable and scalable. Finally, the dissertation develops static analyses that help optimize monolithic MPC programs into mixed-mode MPC programs, while providing similar privacy guarantees as the monolithic versions. Language-based Techniques for Practical and Trustworthy Secure Multi-party Computations


Background:Telomeres are crucial parts of chromosomes that protect the genome. They shorten every time the cell replicates, and shorter telomeres have been associated with increasing age and with many health behaviours. There is inconclusive evidence on the association between physical activity (PA) and telomere length. Objectives: To examine how leisure-time PA (LTPA) is associated with telomere length and telomere attrition during 10 years of follow-up in elderly people. Design: This study is a 10-year prospective follow-up study. Method: For this prospective study, we examined 1,014 subjects (mean age at baseline 60.8 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (HBCS). Relative leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured with a quantitative real-time PCR and LTPA with a validated questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between sex-specific LTPA quartiles and LTL at baseline and change in LTL over 10 years. The analyses were adjusted for age, educational attainment, smoking, body fat percentage, oestrogen exposure in women and for follow-up time when applicable. Results: At baseline, volume of LTPA was not associated with LTL in men (p = 0.66) or in women (p = 0.33). Among women, however, higher volume of LTPA at baseline was associated with greater shortening of LTL (p for linearity 0.040) during the 10-year follow-up. No association was found among men (p for linearity 0.75). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PA has a sex-specific role in regulation of telomere length in the aging process as in our study a high volume of LTPA in elderly women, but not in men, was associated with more rapid telomere attrition.


INTRODUCTIONIn a recent international multicenter study performed on the behalf of the European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, we reported the high prevalence (27%) of inflammatory lesions in the intergluteal fold (pilonidal sinus disease – PSD – in 77%) in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Although the exact underlying mechanisms are not understood, we also showed evidence that HS patients with PSD have a specific phenotype associating smoking, more severe HS and frequent disease occurrence in the breast, the buttocks, and in genital and anal regions. In the present study, we aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of patients operated for HS-free PSD and HS-associated PSD.The next step of our work was to compare the clinical characteristics of patients operated for HS-free PSD and HS-associated PSD.
METHODSWe prospectively included all consecutive patients who 1) underwent surgery in our secondary/tertiary center (Clinique du Val d'Ouest, Lyon, France) for inflammatory lesions in the intergluteal fold, and 2) had a definitive pathological diagnosis of PSD (patients operated for an inflammatory lesion in the intergluteal fold and with an actual pathological diagnosis of HS were excluded). Clinical and pathological data were recorded. Normality of the distributions was checked using a combination of Skewness and Kurtosis tests. Comparisons were performed using Student's t test for continuous variables and Chi-squared test (gender, smoking, PSD recurrence, family history) and Fisher exact test (inflammatory comorbidities and acne conglobata) for categorical variables.
RESULTS459 patients were included, 118 (26%) with and 341 (74%) patients without associated HS (Table 1). Patients with HS-associated PSD were significantly younger at surgery (25 vs 28 years), more frequently women (51% vs 34%), and smokers (75% vs 47%). They had a higher BMI (26 vs 24 kg/m2) and more frequently a medical history of inflammatory joint diseases (4% vs 1%) and acne conglobata (3% vs 0%). They also had more frequently a family history of HS (25% vs 4%) and a family history of "dermal swelling" (21% vs 4%; as defined by the patient, without any medical indication about the exact nature of the swelling: simple cyst, boil, abscess …).
Age at PSD occurrence was not different between the two groups in this univariate analysis. When associated with HS, PSD had longer dimensions (Table 1) and was more frequently recurred at the time of surgery (44% vs 29%).
Using logistic regression analyses, we identified age at surgery, female gender, BMI, smoking, family history of HS, and family history of dermal swelling as independent positive predictors of an HS-associated PSD (Table 1). Age at PSD occurrence proved to be an independent negative predictor of an HS-associated PSD.
CONCLUSIONPSD is a frequent clinical condition. The frequent and non-coincidental association of PSD and HS, as well as the fact that PSD can be the first occurring inflammatory skin lesion in HS patients (in up to 36% of the patients), raise the question of an associated HS. The physician facing a PSD should be aware of this possibility and should specifically look for HS through a complete physical examination (gender, age, BMI, other obvious inflammatory skin lesion) and by directly questioning the patient about his/her habits (smoking), his/her medical history ("have you ever experienced any kind of inflammatory lesion elsewhere in your body?") and his/her family history. The discovery of any factor among those here found to be associated with an increased risk of HS should be accompanied by a specific follow-up or at least specific information delivered to the patient and/or his/her GP.


Research suggests that behavioral self-regulation skills are critical for early school success, but few studies have explored such links among young children in Europe. This study examined the contribution of early self-regulation to academic achievement gains among children in France, Germany, and Iceland. Gender differences in behavioral self-regulation skills were also explored. A total of 260 children were followed longitudinally over one to two years (average age at Wave 1 was 74.5 months). Behavioral self-regulation was assessed using a structured direct observation (Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task) and assessment. Multilevel analyses revealed that higher levels on both ratings of self-regulation predicted higher academic skills after controlling for gender, age, maternal education, and previous achievement, but the relations depended on the cultural context. Teacher ratings were more consistently related to achievement gains than directly assessed behavioral self-regulation. Girls outperformed boys only in Iceland. We discuss universal and culture-specific findings and implications for educational practices.


This work deals with the comparative study of a minority language for teaching purposes with Kabyl Tamazight as a specific case study. Since teaching is a sociolinguistic behaviour, a sociolinguistic approach has been adopted to understand the present-day social setting of that vernacular in relation to the people making use of it within the multilingual Algerian society. A questionnaire was conducted in Algeria to explore the attitudes of the native speakers of Kabyl Tamazight towards their language and its teaching at primary school level. Several countries were visited to inform thinking about the education of bilingual children from minority groups and to observe classroom activities in bilingual primary schools. Accordingly, contacts were established with minority language teachers in the following locations:
Scotland (Lowlands, Highlands and Western isles) at different times. The latest visits were to the isles of Lewis (Stornoway), Harris and Skye from March 18th to 26th 1997.
The Republic of Ireland (Dublin, Ceathru Rua and Galway) in 1994 (May 28th-June 4th)
Wales (Aberystwyth) in 1996 (14-21 February)
Brittany (Rennes) in 1995 (16-23 May)
and Catalonia (Barcelona) in 1997 (8-15 March).
Personal interviews with minority language advisers, mainly Scottish Gaelic, have been made to discuss the nature of problems encountered in the teaching of that language.
It is concluded that, in the short term, research about the Tamazight language and its cultivation is needed so as to establish a standard form of the language which can then be used in Education. In the long term, objectives could be best achieved if a top-to-bottom approach is adopted, i.e., Tamazight should firstly be taught at university level then at secondary school level and finally at primary school level. The bilingual (Tamazight-Arabic) primary school education is a continuing process which started already. It is proposed that an approach to the teaching of Kabyl Tamazight should specifically consist of a communicative and mother-tongue teaching approach. More attention to reading and writing skills should be given since the majority of children in primary school (for those aged 6 to 13) in the Amazighophone regions (where the Tamazight language
originated) already know the spoken form of their language. During the first two years of primary education (P1 and P2), the language learning process should be conducted only in the children's first language. According to the results of the questionnaires given to children's parents, Latin characters are favoured to transcribe Tamazight during the early stages of its being taught at school. Later on, Tifinagh signs could be used once these are fully discovered and developed. Prior to learning Arabic (which has to be taught starting from P3, once the reading and writing skills in the mother tongue are mastered), the teaching of Islamic religion should be done orally in P1 and P2. Finally, an adequate curriculum reflecting aspects of the Amazigh culture has to be developed and used as a support to the teaching of Kabyl, one variety of the Tamazight language spoken in Higher and Lower Kabylia. These regions - divided by the deep gorge formed by the Summam wadi - are situated on east of Algiers, as shown on map 1 .2, page 4.


Background Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) have an inflammatory origin. Moreover, chronic psychosocial stress is associated both with inflammation and CVD. Our aim was to test whether the prognostic value for future CVD risk of a single inflammation test depends on the presence of chronic psychosocial stress. Methods Data come from the nationally-representative English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Psychosocial factors (financial strain, depression, social isolation, loneliness) and inflammatory markers (serum fibrinogen and C-reactive protein [CRP]) were collected in 4762 men and women, free of CVD and aged 52 to 101 y at baseline (2004–2005). Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to estimate the relationship (hazard ratios [HR] and 95% confidence intervals) between inflammatory marker and incident CVD death. Interactions terms between fibrinogen and each psychosocial factor were tested. Models were stratified by sex and adjusted for age, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, HDL/total cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension and diabetes. Added predictive value over conventional CVD risk factors was assessed by change in C-statistics and reclassification. Results There were 158 CVD deaths during a median follow-up of 8.1 y. The association between both inflammatory markers and CVD mortality was linear: HR 1 g/L of fibrinogen=1.46; 95% CI 1.20, 1.78 and HR log-unit CRP=1.35; 1.16, 1.57. Financial strain modified these associations. In the presence of financial strain (n=506, 24 deaths), the HRs for fibrinogen (3.32; 1.68, 6.57) and for CRP (2.15; 1.42, 3.26) were stronger than in the absence of financial strain (n=4256, 134 deaths) (HR fibrinogen 1.33; 1.07, 1.66 and HR CRP 1.26; 1.07, 1.49). The added predictive value was higher in the group that experienced financial strain, in particular for CRP. Conclusion The positive association between inflammatory biomarkers and CVD death was much stronger in the presence of financial strain. When assessing the presence of inflammation with a single test for prediction of CVD risk, it may be necessary to take into account the presence of chronic psychosocial stress.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the correlation between cervical cytology and final histological results in patients who have undergone loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) with or without colposcopy-directed biopsy.

METHODS
A retrospective review was performed of 829 patients who underwent LEEP for abnormal cervical cytology at Gangnam Severance Hospital between January 2004 and December 2008. Patients were classified to three groups according to cervical cytology and also divided into two groups based on the treatment they received: see-and-treat group and the standard three-step group. Final histological results were compared for the each study group.

RESULTS
There were no differences in the final histological results between see-and-treat and three-step group in patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) cytology (N=523) (p=0.71). However, in patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL)/atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) (N=257) or normal cytology (N=49), the final histological results were significantly different between see-and-treat and three-step group (p<0.001) and the rate of overtreatment was significantly higher in the see-and-treat group (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
A see-and-treat protocol may be a viable alternative only in patients with HSIL cytology if colposcopic impression is suggestive of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or 3 lesions.


Abstract A new method for isolation and specrophotometric determination of emodin is presented. Emodin was isolated by thin layer chromatography (tlc) and column chromatography (cc) techniques, as an orange long crystalline substance. Emodin exhibits two absorption maxima, at 420 and 520 nm. Stability of the color and the effect of pH were studied. Beer's law is obeyed in the range 2–30 ppm. The method is applied to the determination of emodin in roots, stems, and leaves of Rumex cyprius plant.


National Audit Data highlight persistent sub‐optimum control among increasing numbers of people living with diabetes, with severe consequences for the individual and the NHS. The aim of the present review was to introduce a new cohesive, holistic model of care, tailored to individual needs to support optimum diabetes outcomes. This model of diabetes is necessary in order to understand the driving forces behind behaviour and their impact on diabetes management. Feelings (an emotional state or reaction) and beliefs (an acceptance that something is true or real) are fundamental behavioural drivers and influence diabetes self‐management choices. Individually, these explain some of the complexities of behaviour and, collectively, they impact on personal motivation (rationale/desire to act) to achieve a specific outcome. Inevitably, they independently affect diabetes self‐management and the environment in which individuals live. A model of care that proposes the encompassing of environment, intrinsic thought and therapy regimens to provide tailored, personalized healthcare should support enhanced diabetes self‐management and outcomes from diagnosis. The Kaleidoscope model of care could be deliverable in routine care, incorporating each of the influences on diabetes self‐management, and should benefit both individuals with diabetes and healthcare professionals.


Although humans are assumed to be rational beings, there has been little consensus regarding the criteria for distinguishing rational from irrational behaviors. For example, overgrazing that often results in a tragedy of the commons is usually considered irrational. A subsequent question may be why there are always some rational people engaging in irrational overgrazing. Based on rationality theories and related research findings, this research analyzes the overgrazing behavior in the National Health Insurance system of Taiwan. The research findings indicate that system sustainability, the effectiveness of control, and the possibility of jumping out of the system are the critical factors that have effects on overgrazing behavior and the rationality orientation. If system sustainability is not a question, rational and opportunistic agents tend to be driven by greed, and the effectiveness of control is crucial in determining the behavior of the agents. However, once the system is perceived to be unsustainable, the motive of fear may dominate and the possibility of jumping out of the system becomes critical for the agents to choose between self-restrained and overgrazing behaviors. In addition, it is suggested that the "it won't be me effect"may be responsible for the eventual collapse of the system.


Seagrasses sequester globally significant amounts of carbon (C), which is stored mainly in the sediment. Both C fixation by the seagrass (autochthonous) and the trapping of organic matter that is derived from outside the ecosystem (allochthonous) contribute to seagrass sediment organic C (OC). However, due to limitations in current methods we do not yet fully understand which sources of C are most important to blue C ecosystems. We used environmental‐DNA (eDNA) to identify and estimate the contribution of floral sources to seagrass sediment OC sampled from three sites in Moreton Bay, Australia that differ in potential levels of autochthonous and allochthonous OC inputs. Using the plant barcode gene rbcL and a next‐generation sequencing platform we identified 150 plant operational taxonomic units in the sediment samples. We found that seagrass DNA composed on average 88% of the eDNA pool in the sediment samples. Allochtonous sources were primarily mangrove, saltmarsh, and freshwater marsh species, but the proportional contribution of other sources varied among meadows. Carbon and nitrogen (N) stable isotope mixing models suggested a lower autochthonous contribution than the eDNA data, but had high ambiguity due to indistinguishable isotopic values among some of the sources. Our study shows that eDNA can be an effective tool for identifying sources to sediment OC in blue C ecosystems and can be used in conjunction with stable isotope analysis to reduce ambiguity. Identifying the sources of OC to the sediments of blue C ecosystems is crucial for building robust and accurate C budgets for these systems.


Research has identified two core difficulties many students have with fractions: first, they often struggle with processing fraction magnitudes, and second, they rely on natural number concepts in fraction problems ["Natural Number Bias" (NNB)]. Yet, the relation between these two difficulties is not well-understood. Moreover, while most studies of the NNB relied on analyses of whole samples, there is empirical evidence that the occurrence of the NNB differs between student subgroups. In the present study, we investigate individual students' profiles of the occurrence of the NNB and their ability to process fraction magnitude, using a dynamic assessment that utilizes continuous diagrams on touchscreen devices. We analyze data of 234 low-achieving 6th-grade students from Germany who completed a symbolic fraction comparison task, and a fraction magnitude estimation task with continuous circle and tape diagrams. A cluster analysis on the comparison task revealed three distinct clusters: a Typical Bias cluster (better performance on symbolic fraction comparison items congruent to natural number-based reasoning), a Reverse Bias cluster (better performance on items incongruent to natural number-based reasoning), and a No Bias cluster (similar performance on congruent and incongruent items). Only students in the No Bias cluster but not students in the other clusters demonstrated a distance effect in symbolic fraction comparison, suggesting fraction magnitude processing. Linear mixed models on the percent absolute error in the magnitude estimation task revealed significantly lower percent absolute error for students in the No Bias cluster compared to students in the other two clusters. Students in the No Bias cluster were significantly slower to solve both fraction comparison and fraction magnitude estimation tasks than students in the other clusters. The results of this study suggest that the occurrence of the natural number bias and the ability to process fraction magnitude are closely related. The continuous representations used in our digital assessment tools appeared to be suitable for assessing both the natural number bias and fraction magnitude processing.


Background: Playgrounds provide children with many sensory, motor, and socioemotional experiences that are critical to child development. Unfortunately, playgrounds also represent an environment where children with disabilities experience barriers to accessing play. Structures and materials that are prominently found in almost all playground designs (e.g., swings, slides, sand) can present as obstacles for many children with disabilities to engage in independent play. Aims: This scoping review engaged in the empirical literature to address the research question, "What are the evidence-informed recommendations for designing inclusive playgrounds to enable participation for children with disabilities?" Consideration was given not only to the physical design of playgrounds, but also the playgrounds' surrounding built and social environments. Methods: A systematic search of Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBase, ERIC and Scopus was conducted. Only peer-reviewed literature published in English between January 1990 and January 2021, with a primary focus on inclusive playground structure design related to any type of disability were included. Data extraction included the study author(s), year of publication, country of origin, purpose, disability types considered, methods, sample characteristics and key findings. Key findings were synthesized into evidence-informed recommendations, which were later collated, using inductive content analysis, into five broader thematically congruent groups. Results: Thirty-five studies were included using case study (n = 17); observational (n = 6); survey (n = 5); experimental (n = 4); and multiple study (n = 3) designs. Thirteen evidence-based recommendations and one promising practice were categorized into five broad playground elements: entry points; surfacing and paths; features to foster inclusive play; staffing/supervision; and design process. Conclusion: These recommendations build upon previous design-based best-practices that focused exclusively on the physical design of the playground. Our recommendations have implications for how future playgrounds should be designed to maximize usability and inclusiveness and the overall playground experiences for children with disabilities.


In 1990, 25.2 million people watched minor league baseball games. In 2001, that number had increased to 38.8 million thanks in large part to the "new minors." In addition to the die-hard fans, families and business associates and church, social and school groups come to eat crab cakes and sushi and drink lattes, take in the between-inning contests such as "Race the Mascot," see entertainers such as the Blues Brothers of Wisconsin, and watch post-game fireworks. This book examines the concept of the "new minors" as it has developed over the past fifteen years. Part One traces and analyzes the changes in the organization and operation of minor league franchises and the shifting relationship between the majors and the members of the National Association. Part Two focuses on the people, places and events of the 2003 season and playoffs. Special attention is paid to the personnel of the minor league franchises, the coaches and players, the player development departments of the major league clubs, and the relationships between them. Part Three offers general observations about the future of the "new minors." The Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League, the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League, the El Paso Diablos of the Texas League, the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League, and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Pennsylvania League are highlighted.


Loaded with unique tips, tricks and workarounds for handling the most difficult SQL Server admin issues, Professional Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Administration is a how-to guide for experienced DBAs. Understand how to manage and monitor the SQL Server, automated administration, security, change management, performance tuning, scaling and replication, clustering, and backup and recovery. This updated edition includes new information about Change Data Capture, Performance Studio, Query Governor, and new techniques for monitoring and policy management so that you can have the latest and most comprehensive information at your fingertips.


Background/Aims: Recent studies suggest that the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing in Korea. However, studies on risk factors for GERD have yielded inconsistent results. The aims of this study were to compare clinical features between symptomatic syndromes without esophageal injury (=non-erosive disease [NED]) and syndromes with esophageal injury (=erosive disease [ED]), and to determine risk factors associated ED. Methods: A total of 450 subjects who visited gastroenterology clinics of six training hospitals in Daegu from March 2008 to April 2010 were consecutively enrolled. The subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire which inquired about gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. The questionnaire also included questions about smoking, alcohol drinking, consumption of coffee, use of drugs, exercise, and other medical history. The subjects were subdivided into NED and ED groups. Results: The proportion of subjects in each NED and ED group was 172 (38.2%) and 278 (61.8%). Male gender, smoking, alcohol drinking, consumption of coffee, large waist circumference, infrequent medication of antacids, aspirin and NSAIDs, infrequent and mild GERD symptoms were all significantly associated with ED on univariate analysis. Age, hiatal hernia, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, change in weight during 1 year, and number of typical GERD symptoms were not independent risk factors for ED. However, the association between ED and alcohol drinking, infrequent medication of antacids, mild typical GERD symptoms remained as strong risk factors after adjustments on multivariate logistic analysis. Conclusions: Independent risk factors associated with ED were alcohol drinking, infrequent medication of antacids and mild typical GERD symptoms. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2011;57:281-287)


A critical examination of the history of theories and uses of concepts such as 'primitive' and 'savage' in the academic study of religion in imperial, colonial and postcolonial contexts is particularly urgent in our time with its demands to decolonise Western models of knowledge production. In  Savage Systems  ( 1996 ) and  Empire of Religion  ( 2014 ), David Chidester has contributed to this project by relating the invention and use of terms such as 'religion', 'primitive' and 'savage' by theorists of religion in European imperial metropoles to South African colonial and indigenous contexts. This article intends to take Chidester's project further by relating Gerardus Van der Leeuw's phenomenological analysis of 'primitive mentality' (particularly in  De primitieve mensch en de religie ,  1937 ) to Chidester's analysis and postcolonial critique of imperial theories of religion. By taking animism and dreams in Chidester's and Van der Leeuw's works as example, it is argued that in spite of the latter's decontextualised use of ethnological material, a fundamental shift occurred in the judgement of 'primitive' religion from Tylor's evolutionary to Van der Leeuw's phenomenological analysis, which is contrary to claims according to which modern theories are unanimously denigratory of indigenous religions.


Marine mammals are under growing pressure as anthropogenic use of the ocean increases. Ship strikes of large whales and loud underwater sound sources including air guns for marine geophysical prospecting and naval midfrequency sonar are criticized for their possible negative effects on marine mammals. Competent authorities regularly require the implementation of mitigation measures, including vessel speed reductions or shutdown of acoustic sources if marine mammals are sighted in sensitive areas or in predefined exclusion zones around a vessel. To ensure successful mitigation, reliable at-sea detection of animals is crucial. To date, ship-based marine mammal observers are the most commonly implemented detection method; however, thermal (IR) imaging–based automatic detection systems have been used in recent years. This study evaluates thermal imaging–based automatic whale detection technology for its use across different oceans. The performance of this technology is characterized with respect to environmental conditions, and an automatic detection algorithm for whale blows is presented. The technology can detect whales in polar, temperate, and subtropical ocean regimes over distances of up to several kilometers and outperforms marine mammal observers in the number of whales detected. These results show that thermal imaging technology can be used to assist in providing protection for marine mammals against ship strike and acoustic impact across the world's oceans.


Introduction. The Upper Red Barren Measures cover an area of considerable extent and of vast economic importance, occupying at the one time the heart of the mining district and the centre of the Glasgow Basin. They occur mainly as one uninterrupted mass in the Uddingston district, extending N. and S. for 8 miles and E. and W. for 6 miles. Scattered around this main mass are several small outliers, the chief one on the north side being bounded by the east-and-west fault at Shettleston, and on the south side the main outlier is bounded by the east-and-west fault at Rutherglen. They attain their maximum thickness in the Uddingston district (roughly 800 feet in the Hallside Colliery), and overlie the Productive Coal Measures without un-conformity, the position of Skipsey's Marine Band being taken as the line of demarcation. The lower half of the Barren Measures consists of sandstones, shales, and fireclays, with occasional thin seams of coal and cream-coloured limestone. The upper part, with which this paper deals, consists mainly of massive Red Sandstone. Historically they are interesting both to the geologist and to the student of the economic development of the land they occupy, for prior to 1840 they were considered to be Old Red Sandstone. The men who corrected this error have left no record of their work, so that we are in ignorance of the methods by which they arrived at their conclusions. These sandstones occupy the level plain about the Clyde, and, having This 250-word extract was created in the absence of an abstract


Advances in protein-protein interaction (PPI) detection technology and computational analysis methods have produced numerous PPI networks, whose completeness appears to depend on the extent of data derived from different PPI assay methods and the complexity of the studied organism. Despite the partial nature of human PPI networks, computational data integration and analyses helped to elucidate new interactions and disease pathways. The success of computational analyses considerably depends on PPI data understanding. Exploration of the data and verification of their quality requires basic knowledge of the molecular biology of PPIs and familiarity with the assay methods used to detect PPIs. Both topics are reviewed in this chapter. After introducing various types of PPIs the principles of selected PPI assays are explained and their limitations discussed. Case studies of the Wnt signaling pathway and splice regulation demonstrate some of the challenges and opportunities that arise from assaying and analyzing PPIs. The chapter is concluded with an extrapolation to human systems biology that offers a glimpse into the future of PPI networks.


The objective of this study was to investigate basic density and its within-stem variation by studying 84 European aspen stems from 28 forest stands in Latvia. The studied forest stands covered all age classes from young stands to matured forests in representative growth conditions of European aspen. The densities of 2722 wood and 1022 bark specimens were measured from the sampled trees. Only the knot-free wood specimens without obvious wood defects were chosen for analyses. A map of basic density summarizing its radial and axial variations was constructed to show species-specific, within-stem variability and the relationships between density and tree and stand variables were examined. Stem wood and bark of the European aspen show different patterns of basic density variation along the tree stem. Wood density increases from pith to bark up to certain dimensions and shows a slight decrease afterwards. The weighted basic density of bark (446 ± 39.6 kg m–3) was higher than stem wood density (393 ± 30.4 kg m–3). Our results suggest that wood and bark density measurements obtained at breast height can be used for reliable estimation of the densities of whole-tree stem components, while tree parameters such as diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height and social status or stand parameters, including number of trees, basal area and age, are weak predictors in this context.


Background An earthquake, measuring 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale, hit central Italy on 24 August 2016 at 3.36am. Its epicentre was close to Accumoli, in the central Apennines. The intrahospital emergency plan for massive inflow of injured patients was activated and at least 365 wounded had to be treated, mainly in Ascoli Piceno and less in Rieti, while people with less serious injuries were treated in place. Purpose The aim of this study was to determinate the pharmaceutical response level to the disaster and its accuracy. The rationality of drug use needs to be discussed to determine if it was functional. Rational use of drugs requires that patients receive medications appropriate to their clinical needs, in doses that meet their own individual requirements (WHO, May 2010). Material and methods The study analysed the pharmacy's role and its work shifts, including the main types of drugs used in the hospital, which was the nearest to the epicentre of the earthquake. This was based on analysis of informatic records of drug transfer during the first week after the earthquake. Furthermore, through the management software, the rapidity of emergency drug purchase and delivery was determined. Results Ascoli Piceno's pharmaceutical department staff had been working at 6am in order to satisfy the needs of the emergency units, during a continuous 60 hour work shift. For analyse of urgent needs, several inspections at the earthquake site had been carried out by pharmacists. They had supported every medical unit in the Marchigian territory that had requested pharmaceutical care, suggesting and supplying drugs such as metronidazole, levofloxacin and clindamycin, the most frequently asked for antibiotics. Other drugs used were volume expanders, tranexamic acid, furosemide, dexamethasone, atropine, adrenaline, dopamine, tetanus antitoxin, lidocaine and nitroglycerine. These data suggest that the use of drugs was consistent with the recommendations of WHO. The pharmacy quickly made several emergency purchases, informing the supply companies immediately. The materials arrived in 24 hours from order. Conclusion There is no doubt that pharmacists played an important role in promoting rational drug use and in satisfying the need of the emergency units in a professional way in the medical response to the earthquake. Pharmacists also provided drug information. No conflict of interest


Navigation is playing an increasingly important role in virtual environments (VE). Today virtual worlds are very large and present challenging navigation tasks. Usually a VE contains few visual details and hence few landmarks to support navigation. In this paper, we propose a technique to automatic identify landmarks in large virtual environment using spatial data mining techniques. Identified landmarks are used to enrich landmark knowledge which is essential for navigation in VE. Initially three datasets with different number of objects have been generated based on a realistic distribution of buildings on one of newest and well designed Egyptian cities. A new model for extracting landmarks in VE was developed based on the models used in real environment. The proposed technique was applied on the generated cities and successfully identified the landmarks.


This article examines the revival of Islam in Albania through Tajdid (renewal) and Islah (reform) tendencies carried out by the Albanian Muslim Community and Muslim intellectuals, after the fall of the Communist System, in 1990s. The study intends to show the role of Tajdid and Islah activities in the restoration of Islam in the post-communist Albania. The significance of this research lies in its highlights of the renewal process of Islam in Albania within the first ten years after the fall of communism. This paper starts with a brief introduction on Albanians and their religious identity and continues with the discussion of: (1) the main factors leading to Tajdid and Islah in post-communist Albania, (2) the restoration of the Islamic educational institutions and the places of worship, and (3) the reformation of Muslim's intellect, identity and belongingness. Descriptive and analytical methods are utilized. The analysis of this study adds new insights to the exiting literature on Tajdid and Islah tendencies for the revival of Islam in Albania.


Groundnut is considered as an important oil seed throughout the world and having a unique nutritional composition. According to the utilization pattern groundnut can be categorized in to oil types and confectionary types. In confectionary type groundnut, there are some important trade attributes. In developing new varieties with quality characteristics for confectionary products seed size is one of the important traits. In Sri Lanka there is a trend to consume jumbo type groundnut products. Hence there is a need for developing varieties which can fulfill the market demand as well as adaptable to local cropping systems. Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka has received confectionary type/large seeded groundnut accessions from various foreign sources. There is a need to evaluate the available large seeded groundnut genotypes to identify the extent of genetic variability within them and heritability of pod and kernel yield, for developing groundnut varieties. Nineteen exotic groundnut genotypes were evaluated at Grain Legumes and Oil Crops Research and Development Center, Angunakolapelessa, Sri Lanka for their agronomic and yield performances. Results revealed that growth and yield parameters tested were significantly different among lines indicating that there is a significant amount of variability among the genotypes. Significant (p=0.01) differences among groundnut genotypes for characters such as number of pods per plant, height of main stem, plant spread, days to 50% flowering, 100 seed weight and  days to maturity  were observed. All the genotypes tested were taken more than 100 days to mature. ICGV 05182, ICGV 06229, ICGV 05174 and ICGV 06211 genotypes were matured earlier than other types. This is one of the important traits, which can influence on the acceptability of the local farmers. Among the genotypes, ICGV 05200 has yielded the highest pod weight per plant. Significant amount of variability was shown for this character. Pod yield were ranged from 1500 to 4500 kg/ha. ICGV 05200 and ICGV 05198 has high pod yields of more than 4000 kg/ha. The recommended variety Walawa has yielded around 3000kg/ha, while the yields of  most of the other lines varied from 1500 to 2000 kg/ha. 100 seed weight and days to maturity were highly heritable characters while pod weight per plant and number of pods per plant were controlled by environmental factors for about 50 %. The results can be used in decision making in order to make improvements of the groundnut breeding program.


The immediate reality reveals a significant difference in terms of practical use between public and private property management. It can be noticed that the emphasis is placed to a higher extent on the private property management, which is more profit-oriented, compared to the public property management, driven by the public sector's purpose to achieve the welfare of its citizens. However, during the last years, the interest in assets management has grown also at municipal level. The motivation for applying a strategic municipal property management comes from the necessity to mach the municipal long-term needs for their own use of properties, as well as to use their properties in order to attract investment and promote sustainable socio-economic development of their cities and regions. Referring to the Balkan area, a lack of strategy can be noticed with regard to the real asset management of municipal properties. In order to support the efforts of the municipalities in articulating real asset strategies, a project on "Municipal Property Management in South- Eastern Cities (PROMISE)" is carried on (2009-2012), supported by the ERDF within the South-East Territorial Co-operation Programme. It is expected to contribute to supporting urban environmental sustainability improvement through regeneration programmes, to promoting economic sustainability via the encouragement of innovative investments, to facilitating social sustainability through urban social infrastructure development, as well as to improving social services and social cohesion policies. This paper, derived from the above mentioned project, emphasizes the importance of using the most suitable classification criteria in order to ensure an effective municipal property management. In the beginning a comprehensive international literature review and a structured conceptual clarification are provided, referring to papers like those by Jolicoeur and Barret (2004) and Musil (2006) as having had an important contribution to this topic. Then, specific classification criteria in the case of Romania are pointed out, followed by a discussion on features of assessment extracted from the evaluation practice. The results may contribute to the identification of reliable variables that can be used as a starting point for the strategic management of municipal properties. Keywords: municipal property, classification criteria, strategic management


The model coil with the racetrack geometry based on second generation High Temperature Superconducting tapes has been developed for an electrical machine where a winding pack is a stack of 2G HTS tapes. It is important to evaluate transport current AC losses and possible methods to reduce them in a winding. In a device made of 2G HTS tapes, the main the AC losses are the hysteresis ones. Only numerical simulation permits to predict them in full. The FEM model for calculation of the hysteresis losses developed before for 2G HTS power cables was modified for a stack of the 2G HTS tapes in a coil. In this paper the methods to increase a computational speed are presented. Possible ways to reduce AC losses are discussed also. The details of the model and comparisons of calculations with measurements of the AC loss are presented.