Current design processes are all generally similar in approach, but none yet address sustainability directly. When sustainable design is pursued, bio-inspired design or biomimicry are invariably used. These approaches attempt to reuse principles found in nature to conceptualize artifact designs. However, sustainable design approaches have yet to be integrated into typical design
processes as they occur in practice; these methods generally work by seeking solutions only on a
case-by-case basis. As a result, sustainable design methods like biomimicry tend to be used as ancillary or "after the fact" techniques. To fully integrate sustainability into design processes, the authors believe we must look more deeply at the processes that occur in nature and that have led to
the organisms often referred to in biomimicry and related methods.
The authors' study of natural evolutionary processes has led them to believe that there is significant similarity in the way successive generations of artifacts and organisms change. We found that
we could describe processes in generic terms that applied equally well to natural evolution and the
way that artifacts change over time: that is to say, we found an analogy between generational
changes in artifacts and in organisms. The authors are now delving into more detail, and are finding that the analogy can extend to cover natural selection, mutation, and genetic structures. A detailed explanation of this analogy, working at several different levels, is given in this paper. Furthermore, natural and artificial lifecycle processes are shown to be nearly identical.
Since the analogy appears to hold well at many levels of detail, the authors propose to create a genetic structure (a genome) for artifacts. We contend that such a structure would be useful for designers. For example, we find that using the structure of the analogy as a guide can help reduce
complexity of design problems. Also, we show that the artificial "genes" lend themselves to description via pattern languages, which are also known to reduce problem complexity. We hypothesize that using pattern languages to represent an artificial genome for designed artifacts will result
in a useful, more holistic approach to sustainable design - one that is literally inspired by nature.


Abstract. In this study we developed and modified Taylor expansion method for approximating the solution of linear Fredholm and Volterra integro-differential equations. Via Taylor's expansion of the unknown function at an arbitrary point, the integro-differential equations to be solved is approximately transformed into a system of linear equations for the unknown and its derivatives which can be dealt with in an easy way. This method gives a simple and closed form solution for a linear integro-differential equation. This method also enable us to control truncation error by adjusting the step size used in the numerical scheme. Some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the accuracy of our approach.


Device figures of merit are commonly employed to assess bulk material properties for a particular device class, yet these properties ultimately originate in the linear and nonlinear susceptibilities of the material, which are not independent of each other. In this work, we calculate the electro-optic device figure of merit based on the half-wave voltage and linear loss, which is important for phase modulators and serves as the simplest example of the approach. This figure of merit is then related back to the microscopic properties in the context of a dye-doped polymer, and its fundamental limits are obtained to provide a target. Surprisingly, the largest figure of merit is not always associated with a large nonlinear optical response, the quantity that is most often the focus of optimization. An important lesson for materials design is that the figure of merit alone should be optimized. The best device materials can have low nonlinearity provided that the loss is low, or near resonance high loss may be desirable because it is accompanied by a resonantly enhanced, ultralarge nonlinear response, so device lengths are short. Our work shows which frequency range of operation is most promising for optimizing the material figure of merit for electro-optic devices.


In this paper we give an overview of labour supply incentives present in the Estonian income support system and how changes during the last ten years in the Estonian benefit system have influenced the incentives. As Estonia belongs to the group of EU countries where both taxes and social expenditures are relatively low, they generate high motivation to actively participate in the labour market, in general. Also the gradual introduction of contribution based and earnings related benefits, such as unemployment insurance benefits, parental benefits, a fully funded pension scheme together with earnings-related public pension scheme have all significantly increased rewards from employment and are often associated with increased labour supply as well as a reduction in undeclared work. The increase of the statutory retirement ages for men and women have increased average employment rates of the elderly, but also retirement through alternative schemes, most notably disability pensions and early retirement pensions. In a few cases, the Estonian benefit schemes generate disincentives to seek for a job or increase labour effort, affecting people both with low and high earnings. In case of unemployment benefits and early retirement benefits, even marginal income from labour leads to loss of all benefits, thus discouraging part time work. Also there are very high effective marginal tax rates when increasing work effort when receiving subsistence benefits and parental benefits, in certain cases. These disincentives become even more significant in this economic crisis when people are faced with long-term unemployment and it is vital that they are encouraged to return to the labour market.


A two-dimensional Occam model of crustal electrical conductivity is derived based on data from 35 magnetotelluric stations on a profile in Saskatchewan, Canada. The model is discussed in relation to a first order description of the resolution and variance of the model parameters. Prior to the two-dimensional Occam's inversion, the data are analysed with respect to underestimated data errors. The analysis is based on separate D+ inversions of the E- and H-polarization responses and a procedure for adjusting the data errors is presented. The main features of the model are the presence of two conductive structures with vertically integrated conductivity exceeding 30, 000 S and 100, 000 S respectively. In addition to these main features, some minor conductive structures are inferred.


The differential linearity adjustment procedure offers an accurate method of digital-to-analog converter (DAC) adjustment with only modest accuracy in the instrumentation. The author shows that the worst case error in linearity due to a differential linearity error (DLE) of e in the upper N bits is bounded by Ne/3. Self-heating effects and output drive asymmetry can cause superposition errors which also degrade the linearity of the DAC. The effect of the resolution of the instrumentation on the final gain adjustment is shown to increase exponentially with the number of bits corrected.


The present paper is concerned with formulae by which double integrals of functions of two independent variables may be evaluated approximately. The number of such formulae published hitherto is not great, and it has seemed desirable both to make a systematic search for new formulae, and to test the comparative merits of these, and of those previously known, by computing the numerical values of certain selected integrals.


STUDY DESIGN
A retrospective review.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes in adolescents diagnosed with psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis and to evaluate the efficacy of differential diagnosis methods.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
The incidence of low-back pain in adolescence is similar to that in adults, but the causes of low-back pain are difficult to determine in most cases. For these patients, a definitive diagnosis of psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis as well as adequate treatment are clinically important to avoid unnecessary surgical treatment.

METHODS
Eleven patients [3 males and 8 females; mean age, 16.5 years (range, 13-19 y)] diagnosed with psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis were followed up for 2-10.25 years (mean, 4.67 y). Nonorganic signs were observed in almost all patients. For the purpose of excluding organic disorders, the thiopentone pain study was used in patients who complained mainly of pain, and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) using transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured in patients experiencing primarily muscle weakness.

RESULTS
The psychiatric diagnosis was neurosis in 9 patients, whereas it was psychosomatic disorder in 2 patients. Conservative treatment, such as physiotherapy, was performed, and at the final follow-up evaluation, outcomes were regarded as excellent in 7 patients and good in 4 patients.

CONCLUSIONS
The prognosis of psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis in adolescence is relatively good. However, it is important to understand the characteristics of psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis in childhood and young adulthood and to perform accurate diagnosis via screening for nonorganic signs and excluding organic disorders by using the thiopentone pain study and MEPs obtained using transcranial magnetic stimulation.


The problem of optimally designing a trajectory for a space mission is considered in this paper. Actual mission design is a complex, multidisciplinary and multi-objective activity with relevant economic implications. In this paper we will consider some simplified models proposed by the European Space Agency as test problems for global optimization. We show that many trajectory optimization problems can be quite efficiently solved by means of relatively simple global optimization techniques relying on standard methods for local optimization. We show in this paper that our approach has been able to find trajectories which in many cases outperform those already known. We also conjecture that this problem displays a "funnel structure" similar, in some sense, to that of molecular optimization problems.


Abstract Background: Chronic, cumulative stress has been shown to negatively impact on health and wellbeing. Indigenous Australians often experience multiple stressful events across the life course. While hair samples have been the most often used chronic stress biomarker, limitations exist based on availability, cultural acceptability and possible influence of acute stress on levels. Fingernails samples have recently been explored with promising results. This study examines the correlation between cortisol and cortisone levels in hair and fingernails and their association with blood levels in an at-risk population. Methods: Cross-sectional data (2013-2015) obtained from 459 Indigenous and 117 non-Indigenous young adults aged 21-27. Directly collected height and weight used to calculate body mass index (BMI; kg/m2). Fingernail samples were clipped directly into a plastic bag and scalp hair samples cut from the posterior vertex area. Hair and fingernail samples were fragmented and then twice extracted with 1.5ml methanol as reported by Sharpley et al 2009. Methanol was evaporated under vacuum and then the residue redissolved in 100ul of methanol and analysed by LC/MS/MS using a Shimadzu UPLC and 8050 Mass Spectrometer. Log linear relationship between (i) cortisol and cortisone; (ii) sample methods was assessed by Pearson's correlation and multivariable regression. Results: Sample numbers varied; blood (Indigenous 410; non-Indigenous 108), hair (Indigenous 333; non-Indigenous 84), and fingernail (Indigenous 189; non-Indigenous 67). Median cortisol levels were lower than cortisone in hair (3.3 vs 5.7 pg/mg) and fingernail (4.3 vs 13.8 pg/mg), but higher in blood (71.6 vs 13.1 mmol/L). Cortisol and cortisone were correlated in all three sample methods. Examination of all available samples showed correlation between blood and hair cortisol (n=402, r=0.106, p=0.034) and between hair and fingernail cortisol (n=222, r=0.182, p=0.007) but not between fingernail and blood (n=242, r=-0.005, p=0.94). However, when limited to those who provided all three samples (n=211), only a correlation between hair and fingernail cortisol remained (r=0.184, p=0.007). The significant association between hair and fingernail was evident on adjustment for sex, Indigeneity and BMI. Similar results were seen in cortisone levels. Conclusions: Collection of fingernails provided an easily conducted, viable alternative to hair in this multicultural cohort. The correlation between cortisol and cortisone levels in hair and fingernail suggests both samples are reflective of chronic stress. Although not seen in the restricted cohort analysis, the possible weak correlation of hair with blood levels supports the need for further exploration of the mechanism of glucocorticoid incorporation in hair, as well in fingernails.


On the Turnpike traces the origin and history of the Indian Economic Service and in the process provides fascinating glimpses into how economic policy in India was shaped, the drama behind the various Budgets, and the thinking and compulsions that led to key decisions being made. It also captures the personalities of the key players who shaped these policies. The book describes the circumstances under which the Cadre for advising and shaping economic policy under the Ministry of Finance was born, the contributions it has made, the challenges it has faced and the path ahead. Those looking for a quick and comprehensible insights into the wisdom and follies of Indian economic policy over the last 60 years will find this book instructive and amusing.


Starting your midwifery programme is an exciting time and a key element of your role is being 'with woman'. One of the aims of this chapter is to explore various beliefs about how care should be provided, with the aim of starting you off thinking about the kind of midwife you would like to be. It explores philosophies and models of care, including the 6C's and how, through the use of appropriate language, you always keep women at the centre of your care. The latter half of this chapter helps you understand the role of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulatory body that is responsible for setting the rules and regulations that govern our practice as midwives, and how these will impact on you the moment you become a student midwife. They will shape the knowledge and skills you acquire, but more importantly the way you behave and what is expected of you by the public. Philosophy of care


Structural models for dislocation, vacancy clusters, twin boundary, stacking fault and nanocrystalline sample are constructed using copper as a model material. Positron lifetimes and momentum distributions of annihilating electron–positron pairs are calculated for these structural models. The calculated results indicate that the dislocation, twin boundary and stacking fault are shallow traps to positrons. The dislocation associated with monovacancies gives rise to a positron lifetime similar to that of monovacancies. The calculated positron lifetimes of the nanocrystalline copper show no dependence on the mean grain size. The as-constructed nanocrystalline samples contain vacancy clusters in grain boundaries, and positrons are localized by the vacancy clusters. However after relaxation the samples show only other two kinds of free volumes: one is the interatomic space in grain boundaries which is a shallow trap to positrons; the other is similar to a monovacancy. The latter contributes a positron lifetime of about 163 ps. This kind of free volume is not only observed in grain boundaries but also in the regions near grain boundaries. Positron lifetime calculation combined with the momentum distribution calculation is useful to identify the defect in the nanocrystalline Cu.


BACKGROUND
Treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis is complicated. There are studies suggesting that bezafibrate, alone or in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), is effective in the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis, but no systematic review has summarised the evidence yet.

OBJECTIVES
To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of bezafibrate in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

SEARCH METHODS
The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, LILACS, Clinicaltrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and full text searches were conducted until November 2011. The searches in Chinese Bio-medical Literature Database, China Network Knowledge Information, Chinese Science Journal Database, Chinese Medical Citation Index, Wanfang Database, and full text searches were conducted until January 2011. Manufacturers and authors were contacted.

SELECTION CRITERIA
All randomised clinical trials comparing bezafibrate at any dose or regimen in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis with placebo or no intervention, or with another drug. Any concomitant interventions were allowed if received equally by all treatment groups in a trial.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors extracted data. RevMan Analysis was used for statistical analysis of dichotomous data with risk ratio (RR) or risk difference (RD), and of continuous data with mean difference (MD), both with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Methodological domains were used to assess risk of systematic errors (bias). Trial sequential analysis was used to control for random errors (play of chance).

MAIN RESULTS
Six trials with 151 Japanese patients were included. All trials had high risk of bias. Four trials compared bezafibrate plus UDCA with no intervention plus UDCA (referenced as bezafibrate versus no intervention in the remaining text), and two trials compared bezafibrate with UDCA. No patient died and no patient developed liver-related complications in any of the included trials. Bezafibrate was without significant effects on the occurrence of adverse events compared with no intervention (5/32 (16%) versus 0/28 (0%)) (RR 5.40, 95% CI 0.69 to 42.32; 3 trials with 60 patients; I² = 0%) or with UDCA (2/32 (6%) versus 0/37 (0%)) (RR 6.19, 95% CI 0.31 to 122.05; 2 trials with 69 patients; I² = 0%). Bezafibrate significantly decreased the activity of serum alkaline phosphatases compared with no intervention (MD -186.04 U/L, 95% CI -249.03 to -123.04; 4 trials with 79 patients; I² = 34%) and when compared with UDCA (MD -162.90 U/L, 95% CI -199.68 to -126.12; 2 trials with 48 patients; I² = 0%). These results were supported by trial sequential analyses. Bezafibrate compared with no intervention significantly decreased plasma immunoglobulin M (MD -164.00 mg/dl, 95% CI -259.47 to -68.53; 3 trials with 50 patients; I² = 46%) and serum bilirubin concentration (MD -0.19 mg/dl, 95% CI -0.38 to -0.00; 2 trials with 34 patients; I² = 0%). However, the latter two results were not supported by trial sequential analyses. Bezafibrate compared with no intervention had no significant effect on the activity of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (MD -1.22 U/L, 95% CI -11.97 to 9.52; 4 trials with 79 patients; I² = 42%) and serum alanine aminotransferase (MD -5.61 U/L, 95% CI -24.50 to 13.27; 2 trials with 35 patients; I² = 34%). Bezafibrate compared with UDCA had no significant effect on the activity of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (MD 38.44 U/L, 95% CI -180.67 to 257.55; 2 trials with 49 patients; I² = 89%), serum alanine aminotransferase (MD -2.34 U/L, 95% CI -34.73 to 30.06; 2 trials with 49 patients; I² = 95%), and plasma immunoglobulin M concentration (MD -20.23 mg/dl, 95% CI -218.71 to 178.25; 2 trials with 41 patients; I² = 90%) in random-effects model meta-analyses, but bezafibrate significantly decreased the activity of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (MD -58.18, 95% CI -76.49 to -39.88; 2 trials with 49 patients; I² = 89%), serum alanine aminotransferase (MD -13.94, 95% CI -18.78 to -9.09; 2 trials with 49 patients; I² = 95%), and plasma immunoglobulin M concentration (MD -99.90, 95% CI -130.72 to -69.07; 2 trials with 41 patients; I² = 90%) in fixed-effect model meta-analyses. One patient had bezafibrate withdrawn due to an adverse event compared to no intervention (RD 0.03, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.16; 2 trials with 60 patients; I² = 0%).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review did not demonstrate any effect of bezafibrate versus no intervention on mortality, liver-related morbidity, adverse events, and pruritus in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Furthermore, we found no significant effects of bezafibrate on mortality, liver-related morbidity, or adverse events when compared with ursodeoxycholic acid, None of the trials assessed quality of life or fatigue. The data seem to indicate a possible positive intervention effect of bezafibrate on some liver biochemistry measures compared with the control group, but the observed effects could be due to systematic errors or random errors. We need more randomised clinical trials on the effects of bezafibrate on primary biliary cirrhosis with low risks of systematic errors and random errors.


The excellent Li+ conductivity (0.85 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature) and wide electrochemical stability window (>6 V) of the antiperovskite Li3OCl material make it a promising candidate electrolyte for rechargeable all-solid-state Li batteries. In this study, we systematically evaluate the electronic, mechanical, and thermodynamic properties of Li3OCl by first-principles density functional theory calculations. The defect chemistry and Li+ migration mechanisms are also discussed in the context since Li+ diffusion is strongly influenced by defects in the material. Our results show that Li3OCl is an indirect wide-band gap insulator in the equilibrium state with a band gap of ∼6.26 eV. Phonon spectral data confirm that Li3OCl is dynamically stable at its ground state. It is also revealed that Li3OCl is mechanically brittle. The bulk modulus of Li3OCl is greater than that of Li10GeP2S12, while it is comparable to that of Li0.5La0.5TiO3 and Li7La3Zr2O12. From quasi-harmonic approximation, the linear thermal expansion coefficient and thermal conductivity of the material are found to be 3.12 × 10−6 K−1 and 22.49 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature, respectively. With four types of point defect pairs in Li3OCl being considered, it is revealed that the LiCl defect pair has the lowest formation energy compared to Li2O, O substituted Cl, and Li/Li-vacancy Frenkel defect pairs. The LiCl and Frenkel defect pairs are the most important point defects responsible for the fast Li diffusion. Overall, our study provides fundamental and comprehensive insights into the bulk properties and transport mechanisms of Li3OCl for its practical application as a solid-state electrolyte in all-solid-state Li batteries.


In this retrospective study, the academic resilience of two individuals of Mexican heritage who graduated from Stanford University is described. The respondents (a woman and a man) now in their early 20s came from home backgrounds of extreme impoverishment and adversity. By means of in-depth interviews the challenges the two respondents faced in school beginning in kindergarten and continuing through their graduation from Stanford is described. Both respondents attribute their academic success to the support given them by their mothers and their personal motivation to succeed in school; however, the authors show that this was also possible because the respondents acquired knowledge of the "culture of college" that is essential for the transition from high school to college. The authors describe the processes of this information transmission and how even though it changed the life of their respondents, it has not altered the life of their family.


We propose a method of rotating the analyzer in front of the photodetector in a heterodyne interferometer system to implement optical phase shift and detection sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors. When the analyzer is rotated to shift the phase curve to be near the phase jump point, the phase detection sensitivity of the SPR sensor can be greatly enhanced. Theoretical calculations of a prism-coupled SPR device were performed using this method. Experimental result using an electro-optic heterodyne interferometer is reported.


This report discusses the MX Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM),which is designed to be the most lethal strategic ballistic missile in the world. The missile was developed by the U.S. Air Force to augment the capabilities of the presently deployed ICBM force, which together with Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) and manned strategic bomber aircraft form the triad of U.S. strategic nuclear offensive forces.


In this paper, motor current signals from electrical control systems, rather than installing additional measurement systems, are characterised for the fault diagnosis of centrifugal pumps. Modulation signal bispectrum (MSB) analysis is applied to reveal the weak nonlinear characteristics of current signals when the pump with different impeller faults operates under a wide range of flow conditions. Experimental results show that two static features including the amplitude at supply frequency and the frequency value of bar-passing frequency can be based on to diagnose impeller defects on exit vane tips and inlet vane tips. In addition, the dynamic parameter of sidebands at vane-passing frequency can also be a good indicator for differentiating between the faults.


Responsible Leadership is a concept gaining ground in the more general zeitgeist of Corporate Responsibility. However it remains to date a less-than-well defined notion, and one in which fundamental questions arise, not least, "What do we mean by Responsible Leadership?" "What is it?" "And how might we recognise it?" Assuming we can begin to answer these questions, another follows – "Do we have the educational curricula and processes in place to educate and train Responsible Leaders, and if not, how might we develop them?" Are those in Higher Education even beginning to acknowledge and recognise the need for the development of such curricula? There is no doubt that our need for Responsible Leaders in the corporate world and in society more generally is significant and challenging; as Lovins notes, "most businesses are behaving as if people were still scarce and nature still abundant… but ... now people aren't scarce, ...nature is" (Lovins 2007.) And neither is becoming a Responsible Leader likely to be an easy mission to undertake; Parkin for example, asserts the need to develop "a personal sustainability-leadership model" which she says will be, "as unique as a snowflake" (Parkin 2010.) Given the scale of this challenge, from where do we expect such Responsible Leaders, capable of acknowledging and responding to fundamental shifts, and of developing their own leadership models, to materialise? This paper examines the emerging definitions of Responsible Leadership and the issues surrounding it, and drawing on data from University leaders, academics and leading edge curricula, begins to postulate as to how Higher Education Systems might begin to accommodate this burgeoning requirement. As McDaniel points out, "perhaps no greater educational challenge exists than emotionally reassociating humanity with the biosphere" (McDaniel 2005.) An important element in that process must surely be the appropriate education of Responsible Leaders.


: We describe an opioid-tolerant patient with severe acute pain which was unrelieved by morphine and ketamine via intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, but almost totally relieved by methadone. In the previous 24 hours, 509 mg of intravenous morphine and 769 mg of ketamine had been used and this was replaced by 200 mg of oral methadone. This implies that the success of methadone in morphine tolerant patients chiefly involves factors other than its role as an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, and that methadone should be considered as a replacement for morphine when the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine has proved ineffective.


Microinjections of the excitatory neurotoxin kainic acid into the lateral hypothalamus of rats produced a period aphagia and adipsia. Kainate-treated rats displayed transient motor effects during the first hours after the injection but did not show the persisting sensory-motor and arousal disturbances typically observed in animals with electrolytic lesions in this part of the hypothalamus. Histological examination revealed a significant reduction in the number of nerve cell bodies in the lateral hypothalamus. Silver-stained material indicated no evidence of damage to fiber systems passing through the affected region. Assays of dopamine in hypothalamus, striatum, and telencephalon did not indicate significant differences between experimental and control animals. These results are in agreement with recent reports of the anatomical and biochemical effects of intracerebral kainic acid injections and suggest that the observed effect on feeding behavior is related to the destruction of neurons in the lateral hypothalamus.


This study was conducted primarily to determine fish diversity of the coastal waters of mining areas in Tubay, Agusan del Norte. There were 23 fish species identified belonging to 19 genera and 12 families. Indo-pacific sergeant fish ( Abudefduf vaigiensis) was relatively the most abundant in all the three stations comprising more than 25% of the total. Station 1 had the most numerous (556) and diverse (1.969) fish species. There was a significant difference in the number of fish individuals but had no significant difference on species diversity index with respect to sampling stations. Station 2 had the highest species richness index (0.633), while Station 3 had the most even distribution (0.817). Stations 1 and 2 were 77.8% similar. The average water depth, temperature, transparency, pH and salinity were 4.52 meters, 26.53 ÂoC, 3.97 meters, 8 and 34.33 ppt, respectively. These all fall within the DENR standards for Class SC water.   Keywords - Fish diversity, properties, conservation, coastal waters


Introduction The development of both Barrett's oesophagus (BO) and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) may involve oxidative stress. We investigated whether the antioxidants vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and carotene were associated with a decreased risk of BO and OAC, in the same population, using nutritional information from 7-day food diaries, the most accurate questionnaire-based methodology. Method A cohort of 23,658 initially well individuals, aged 40–74 years, enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer-Norfolk Study completed 7-day food diaries. Serum vitamin C levels were measured. They were monitored till December 2008 to identify those diagnosed with BO and OAC, confirmed through reviewing medical records. Hazard ratios (HRs) for these two conditions were estimated for each quintile of intake, corrected for age, gender, BMI and smoking. The analyses were repeated in participants younger and older than 65 years at recruitment, the mid-point of the peak prevalence of BO. Results 92 participants who developed BO and 61 OAC were compared with 3712 randomly selected controls. In the whole cohort, and in those aged above 65 years at recruitment, there were no associations between any antioxidant and the risk of developing BO or OAC. However, in participants aged less than 65 years at recruitment, for BO statistically non-significant inverse associations were observed between all quintiles of food-diary assessed vitamin C intake (highest vs lowest quintile HR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.20–1.22), with a significant inverse trend across quintiles for serum vitamin C and BO risk (Trend HR = 0.76; CI = 0.59–0.97; P = 0.03). For the development of OAC in participants recruited when less than 65 years, there were significant inverse trends across quintiles for both dietary vitamin C intake (Trend HR = 0.65; CI = 0.44–0.96; P = 0.03) and serum vitamin C (Trend HR = 0.54; CI = 0.33–0.89; P = 0.02). In this group there was a borderline significant inverse trend between vitamin E intake and OAC (Trend HR = 0.70; CI = 0.48–1.01; P = 0.06), but no associations with zinc, selenium or carotenes. Conclusion Vitamin C deficiency may be involved in the aetiology of BO and possibly OAC, and may influence carcinogenesis below 65 years of age. Vitamin E may prevent the malignant progression of BO to OAC, again in younger individuals. Vitamins C and E levels should be measured in future aetiological studies for these conditions and randomised controlled trials of their use to prevent the malignant progression of BO may be justified. Disclosure of interest None Declared.


In this report we describe the results of a clinical and immunohistochemical analysis of 11 consecutive patients with the specific clinicopathologic entity of Lennert's lymphoma (non‐Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma with a multifocal epithelioid histiocytic reaction [MLEH]) evaluated at the Arizona Cancer Center. Detailed immunophenotyping of ten patients showed that seven patients (73%) had an activated "novel" T‐cell phenotype, indicative of peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTL). Additionally, six of these seven PTL patients had T‐helper (Leu‐3) antigen expression to the exclusion of T‐suppressor (Leu‐2) expression. Three patients, in complete contrast, had a B‐cell lymphoma with monoclonal immunoglobulin expression. The B‐cell MLEH were morphologically indistinguishable from T‐cell MLEH. Clinically, the initial diagnosis proved difficult; ten of the 11 patients were initially misdiagnosed, most often as another lymphoid disorder or as granulomatous disease (mean delay of 10 months in diagnosis from onset of symptoms). The median survival of all patients was 20 months (1 to 45+ months) with two apparent subgroups: those who had rapid progression of disease with a median survival of 5 months, all of T‐cell phenotype; and a small group whose median survival has not yet been reached, all of B‐cell phenotype. Our results suggest that the immunophenotype, B‐cell versus T‐cell, may be a major predictor of survival, with B‐cell MLEH patients having a longer survival than those of T‐cell type.


The part of credit spread that is not explained by corporate credit risk forecasts future economic activity. I show that the link with aggregate business risk and bond liquidity risk explains this fi nding. Once I project spreads on these two risk factors, which are readily measurable with the daily frequency, in addition to corporate credit risk, the forecasting power of the residual spread reduces substantially for some macro variables and disappears entirely for the others. Such residual, however, turns out to be an out-of-sample forecast of corporate bond market returns. An investment strategy based on such forecasts delivers risk-adjusted returns 50% higher than the corporate bond market.


Sporting Females: Critical Issues in the History and Sociology of Women's Sports Jennifer Hargreaves London: Routledge, 1994Reviewed by Helen Jefferson Lenskyi Department of Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Toronto, OntarioSporting Females is an extremely readable and comprehensive account of historical and contemporary issues in British women's sport over the past century. Also included are discussions of developments in women's sport in other countries, mainly in the western world. In this ambitious historical and sociological project, sport is broadly defined to include all forms of women's physical recreation, and the comprehensive review of the history of physical education and sport in English schools and communities throughout the century provides an important background to understanding contemporary patterns of activity. Of particular value and interest is the detailed information on autonomous, women - only clubs and leagues in the UK; rarely do accounts of such initiatives appear in sport scholarship.The book's seamless quality can be largely attributed to the author's skilful interweaving of archival materials, documentary and media sources, secondary analyses, interviews with "hundreds of women," and oral histories. Given this interesting blend of sources, and the paucity of work on research methods in the history and sociology of women and sport, readers would no doubt be interested in having a more detailed description of Hargreaves' methodological approaches.A more serious problem arising from the multiple methods and sources is that the reader is sometimes unable to determine on whose authority Hargreaves is speaking. And, with little explicit information on Hargreaves' own subject position, the reader is even less well equipped to evaluate her arguments. This problem is especially evident in her discussion of Olympic sport and sporting practices in Islamic countries. In three pages of discussion (pp. 231 - 233), only four sources are identified, and at least two of these are non - Islamic commentators. The reader is left wondering about the origins of this largely unreferenced discussion - is it based on the author's interviews with Islamic sports - women or observations in Islamic countries, or is it her synthesis of media coverage and secondary sources?An example closer to home -- the discussion of Canadian sport policy -- reveals similar problems. In an unreferenced statement, Hargreaves credits the lobbying efforts of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport (CAAWS), "to a great extent," for recent reforms in "gender relations" in Canadian sport (p.184), and fails to recognize the role of Sport Canada's Women's Program throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, and, more specifically, the work of the feminist managers of that program in securing ongoing funding for CAAWS. Equally important, the effectiveness of liberal feminist groups such as CAAWS (and its American and UK counterparts) has been the topic of debate in feminist sport literature for several years, but Hargreaves presents such groups in largely unproblemative terms and does not refer to their critics.Hargreaves provides an extensive and valuable analysis of the interactions of gender ideologies and sporting practices, and investigates the impact of race, class, sexuality and ability on women's sport choices. …


The hydrological regime of freshwater systems plays a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of the different biological communities that inhabit them. Climate change is expected to cause major alterations in the hydrological regime of dune slacks by producing shifts in temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration. Across seasons, we explore the controls on common water fleas (Cladocera) and aquatic plant communities relative to water level regime, water chemistry, weather and geomorphological setting, in a slack of the Sheskinmore dune system, Co. Donegal, northwest Ireland. Cladoceran abundance and diversity peak in summer, but also vary inter-annually, and drivers for this and hydrological variability are discussed. Vegetation is likewise affected by hydrology in a spatial sense, where distribution follows wet/dry patches of water. Water chemistry is more variable within the same season than across different years, particularly related to the drying out of the slack. Rainfall through 2016-2017 was lower than average and evapotranspiration showed higher values than average for the same time period. The influence on the slack of this decreased precipitation extended across successive seasons. The water table is the most important driver of slack ecology, with incidence on biological communities expressed by the increased variability inter-annually, as opposed to seasonal variation.


This chapter assesses the use of public procurement to enforce labour standards from a competition and State aid perspective, and concentrates on the establishment of contract compliance clauses under the rules of Article 26 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Article 70 of Directive 2014/24/EU and in relation with the Posted Workers Directive. In particular, it assesses the case law of the European Court of Justice in Ruffert, Bundesdruckerei and RegioPost from an economic perspective. This highlights the potential negative competitive implications that derive from the asymmetrical rules the case law creates for the cross-border and the inter-regional provision of services to the public sector. It also underlines the risk of (regional) economic protectionism that they create. The chapter then assesses these issues from the perspective the EU public procurement, competition and State aid rules. It concludes that, given the current ineffectiveness of the checks and balances theoretically oriented towards the prevention of these undesirable effects, contracting authorities and policy makers would be well advised to abandon their efforts of setting partial, incomplete and difficult to monitor minimum/living wage requirements for public contracts only.


The development and growth of the Thai livestock industry in recent years has been significantly hindered by the level of endemic livestock disease in the South East Asian region. In rapidly developing countries such as Thailand, livestock diseases represent significant costs at the private and national level. Infectious livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth, Aujeszky and Newcastle diseases reduce production and hence the income of livestock owners and create barriers to export of livestock products. Consequently animal health is becoming increasingly important in national development programs undertaken in Thailand and other South East Asian countries. There is a growing need for more rigorous economic and epidemiological analysis of livestock disease and disease control to enable more informed decisions to be made in terms of national animal health management. National disease control programs require significant expenditure and effort and have considerable information needs for effective management. The collection and analysis of socio-economic and epidemiological data in rural Thailand plays an important role therefore in the development of efficient and effective disease control programs for livestock. In this report we analyse data supplied by Mr Angus Cameron on behalf of Hang Chat Veterinary Centre, Lampang, Northern Thailand. This data was collected in late 1994 by direct survey of villages in three provinces in Northern Thailand.


The consequences of causality and analyticity are commonly invoked in procedures for determining optical constants from reflectance data using the Kramers–Kronig relation. Here an entirely elementary argument is advanced, which exploits only the parity of Fourier transforms and the vanishing of the impulse response for negative times, and which avoids the concept of analyticity. This leads to a simply understood algorithm for such computations. The new procedure shows large gains of computational efficiency over the classical Kramers–Kronig approach. The method is applied first to model data and compared with exact results; it is then applied to real data and compared with the result obtained by the standard method. Excellent agreement is obtained in all cases.


To elucidate the mechanism of adaptation of leguminous plants to iron (Fe)-deficient environment, comprehensive analyses of soybean (Glycine max) plants (sampled at anthesis) were conducted under Fe-sufficient control and Fe-deficient treatment using metabolomic and physiological approach. Our results show that soybeans grown under Fe-deficient conditions showed lower nitrogen (N) fixation efficiency, however, ureides increased in different tissues, indicating potential N feedback inhibition. N assimilation was inhibited as observed in the repressed amino acids biosynthesis and reduced proteins in roots and nodules. In Fe-deficient leaves, many amino acids increased, accompanied by the reduction of malate, fumarate, succinate and α-ketoglutarate, which implies the N reprogramming was stimulated by the anaplerotic pathway. Accordingly, many organic acids increased in roots and nodules, however, enzymes involved in the related metabolic pathway (e.g., Krebs cycle) showed opposite activity between roots and nodules, indicative of different mechanisms. Sugars increased or maintained at constant level in different tissues under Fe deficiency, which probably relates to oxidative stress, cell wall damage and feedback regulation. Increased ascorbate, nicotinate, raffinose, galactinol and proline in different tissues possibly helped resist the oxidative stress induced by Fe deficiency. Overall, Fe deficiency induced the coordinated metabolic reprogramming in different tissues of symbiotic soybean plants.


Yielding of polycrystalline low carbon steel is characterized by a clear yield point followed by unstable Lüders deformation and such a yielding behavior is taken over to fine grained steel with the grain size of 1μm or less. Yield strength of ferritic steel is increased with grain refinement standing on the Hall-Petch relation. The following equation is realized up to 0.2μm grain size in the relation between yield strength y and grain size d: y [MPa]= 100+600×d[μm]-1/2. In low carbon steel, it might be concluded that the Hall-Petch coefficient (ky) is around 600MPa•μm1/2. However, the ky value of interstitial free steels is substantially small as 130-180MPa•μm1/2 and it can be greatly increased by a small amount of solute carbon less than 20ppm. It was also cleared that the disappearance of yield point by purifying is due to the decrease in the ky value. On the other hand, the ky value is changeable depending on heat treatment conditions such as cooling condition from an elevated temperature and aging treatment at 90°C. These results suggest the contribution of carbon segregation at grain boundary in terms of the change in the ky value. On the contrary, substitutional elements such as Cr and Si do not give large influence to the ky value in comparison with the effect by carbon.


Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is well recognised as a key technological infrastructure that facilitates business operations and growth in a dynamic business environment. Implementation of ERP system however is mirrored by numerous problems, a fact well cited in many academic studies. Research addressing the reasons for ERP implementation problems has identified a plethora of success factors. Following a similar research direction, we leveraged on the resource based view (RBV) to investigate the effects of firms' capacity to deploy intangible resources with valuable and inimitable characteristics (termed as intangible capabilities) on successful ERP implementation. Three intangible capabilities were assessed, i.e. governance, knowledge and relationships. Using data collected from a survey with service firms in Malaysia, we found evidence that relationships capability effect towards successful ERP implementation was direct and significant. Further analysis revealed that governance capability reinforces the effects of knowledge and relationship capabilities toward successful ERP implementation. The empirical findings suggest that successful ERP implementation lie at the firms' capacity to deploy and reconfigure their intangible capabilities of valuable and inimitable characteristics to create reinforcing superseding effects. We conclude that governance capability plays the antecedent platform role to strengthen the effects of knowledge and relationships capabilities on ERP project's success.


After performing one-dimensional simulation of electron transport in narrow quantum wires without gate control in (Fang et al., 2014) and (Fu and Fischetti, 2013) using the open boundary-conditions full-band plane-wave transport formalism derived in (Fu, 2013), we now extend the work to simulate three-dimensionally field-effect transistors (FETs) with a gate bias applied and obtain their transport characteristics. We optimize multiple procedures for solving the quantum transport equation (QTE), such as using a selected eigenvalue solver, the fast Fourier transform (FFT), block assignment of matrices, a sparse matrix solver, and parallel computing techniques. With an expanded computing capability, we are able to simulate the transistors in the sub- 1 nm technology node as suggested by the ITRS, which features 5 nm physical gate length, 2 nm body thick6ness, 0.4 nm effective oxide thickness (EOT), 0.6 V power supply voltage, and a multi-gate structure. Here we simulate an armchair graphene nanoribbon (aGNR) FET using a gateall- around architecture and obtain its transport properties. We will discuss the numerics concerning the matrix size of the transport equation, memory consumption, and simulation time.


Background —Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in men and women in the United States, yet prior research has shown a lack of awareness of risk among women. The purpose of this study was to assess the contemporary awareness, knowledge, and perceptions related to CVD risk among American women and to evaluate trends since 1997, when the American Heart Association initiated a national campaign to improve awareness of CVD among women. Methods and Results —A telephone survey of a nationally representative random sample of women was conducted in June and July 2003, with an oversampling of black and Hispanic women; results were compared with those of similar surveys in 2000 and 1997. The present survey included 1024 respondents age (cid:1) 25 years; 68% were white, 12% black, 12% Hispanic, and 8% other ethnicities. Awareness, knowledge, and perceptions about heart disease were evaluated by use of a standard interviewer-assisted questionnaire. A shift in awareness of heart disease as the leading killer of women has occurred since 1997. In 2003, 46% of respondents spontaneously identified heart disease as the leading cause of death in women, up from 30% in 1997 ( P (cid:1) 0.05) and 34% in 2000 ( P (cid:1) 0.05). In contrast, the percentage of women citing cancer as leading cause of death has significantly decreased. Black, Hispanic, and younger women ( (cid:1) 45 years old) had lower awareness of heart disease as their leading cause of death than did white and older women. Nearly all women reported comfort in discussing prevention with healthcare providers, but only 38% of women reported that their doctors had ever discussed heart disease with them. Conclusions —Awareness of CVD has increased, although a significant gap between perceived and actual risk of CVD remains. Educational interventions to improve awareness and knowledge are needed, particularly for minority and younger women. ( Circulation . 2004;109:573-579.)


Abstract Context: Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. (Myrtaceae) is a tall evergreen tree found commonly in Bangladesh. Its use in traditional folk medicine for the treatment of various health complications are well known. Objective: To explore the in vivo antitumor effect of Eucalyptus camaldulensis stem bark methanol extract (ME) against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. Materials and methods: The antitumor activity of ME was studied by determining viable tumor cell count, recording tumor weight and survival time, observing morphological changes and nuclear damage of EAC cells, and estimating hematological as well as biochemical parameters of experimental mice (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day for 5 d, i.p.). Results: ME showed 96% (p < 0.001) cell growth inhibition and reduced tumor burden significantly (81.4%; p < 0.01) when compared with control mice. It also increased the lifespan of EAC-bearing mice significantly (71.36%; p < 0.01). It also restored the altered hematological and biochemical parameters towards normal level. The high LD50 value (1120 mg/kg) of ME indicated its low host toxic effects. ME-treated EAC cells showed membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation (apoptotic features) in Hoechst 33342 staining under fluorescence microscope. The DNA profile in agarose gel (1.5%) electrophoresis also confirmed that ME caused EAC cell death by apoptosis. Discussion and conclusion: Results showed that ME exhibits strong anticancer activity through apoptosis and stimulation of host immunity. Thus, E. camaldulensis may be considered as a promising resource in cancer chemotherapy.


Welcome to the Social Work Library Resources guide! This guide is designed as a jumping-off point for your research in the field of social work.


Increasing the immunogenicity to delivered antigens by recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccines (RASV) has been the subject of intensive study. With this goal in mind, we have designed and constructed a new generation of RASV that exhibit regulated delayed attenuation. These vaccine strains are phenotypically wild type at the time of immunization and become attenuated after colonization of host tissues. The vaccine strains are grown under conditions that allow expression of genes required for optimal invasion and colonization of host tissues. Once established in the host, these virulence genes are turned off, fully attenuating the vaccine strain. In this study, we compared 2 of our newly developed regulated delayed attenuation Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains χ9088 and χ9558 with the Δcya Δcrp Δasd strain χ8133, for their abilities to express and present a secreted form of the α-helical region of pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) to the mouse immune system. All 3 strains induced high levels of serum antibodies specific for PspA as well as to Salmonella antigens in orally immunized mice. However, both RASVs expressing delayed attenuation elicited significantly greater anti-PspA immune responses, including serum IgG and T cell secretion of IL-4 and IFN-γ, than other groups. Also, vaccination with delayed attenuation strains resulted in a greater degree of protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae challenge than in mice vaccinated with χ8133 (71–86% vs. 21% survival, P ≤ 0.006). Together, the results demonstrate that the regulated attenuation strategy results in highly immunogenic antigen delivery vectors for oral vaccination.


The concept of a housing professional is a new and often disputed term. Qualitative research into the culture and identity of occupational groups involved in social housing provision and management has been relatively scarce. Research has concentrated, almost exclusively, on the individual involved in the housing construction and output side of housing provision. This neglect is surprising given the importance of housing in people"s lives. The thesis examines the identities, experiences and education of those working in the Irish social housing field. It explores how individuals utilise various forms of identity work to sustain credible occupational identities, often in the face of considerable challenge from their academically qualified colleagues (in the area of architecture and surveying and so on). It focuses on the importance of communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation in allowing a coherent professional identity to emerge. The centrality of caring and cared-for citizen is highlighted and the importance of flexibility and responsiveness is noted, as social housing professionals struggle to care for their clients within the highly bureaucratic system of local authority structures.

The nature of education and training that professionals in public sectors (such as social housing) need, to gain capacity and professionalism in this specialised field is explored. The role of academic qualifications is analysed in terms of career progression, experiences and recognition of housing professionals. Key actors in the field give a structural and cultural context for reflecting and considering future possibilities for education provision in this area (through interviews). A new understanding of professionalism in housing emerges which involves challenging the nature of "expert" knowledge, a greater recognition of the importance of the caring 'self', and the personal qualities and responsiveness of the professional.


The coated seeds have multiple advantages in relation to the common seeds. In addition to the increase in size and uniformity in their shape, treatment products can be incorporated in them helping the germination process. Against the foregoing, the objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological quality of the colza (Brassica napus L.) seeds coated with bentonite, gypsum and kaolin and treated with fungicide (carboxin+thiram) and plant extract of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.). Colza seeds were encrusted with bentonite, gypsum and kaolin and received or not treatment with fungicide (carboxin + thiram) and aqueous extract of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) which were added together with the cementing mixture (30% of glue of polyvinyl acetate). Germination was evaluated in three periods (4, 7 and 14 days after sowing). The experiment was organized in a completely randomized design and arranged in a factorial scheme (filling materials × treatment products). The means, when necessary, were compared by the Scott-Knott test (p ≤ 0.05). The seeds coated with gypsum presented the best results for germination and vigor, followed by kaolin and bentonite. The seed coating with gypsum + plant extract presents the same germination and vigor of the seeds without coating.

 Key words: Coating, bentonite, physiological response.


The objective of this study was to compare the effects of rearing calves outdoors, with and without all-weather calf jackets, with calves reared indoors on calf immunity and animal performance. In February 1999, male Holstein calves (mean (s.e.) weight 55 (1.90) kg) were randomly assigned to one of three treatments (n=30 per treatment): 1) outdoors with jacket, (J; mean age 19 (s.e. 2.0) days); 2) outdoors without jacket (NJ; mean age 19 (s.e. 1.8) days), and 3) indoors on straw (I; mean age 19 (s.e. 1.0) days). Calves received an individual allowance of 25 kg of milk replacer dry matter during the first 42 days with ad libitum access to a concentrate ration from day 0 to 63. The jackets were removed from the calves on day 42. Live-weight gain from day 0 to day 63 of the study was not significantly different between treatments (J, 0.79; NJ, 0.80; I, 0.80 kg). Sixty percent of the J calves and 53% of the NJ calves required four or more antibiotic treatments for respiratory disease while corresponding treatments were required for 97% of the I calves. The incidence of diarrhoea was significantly higher in both outdoor treatments compared to the I treatment. There was no significant difference in white blood cell counts or in serum immunoglobulin concentrations between treatments on days 0, 21, 42 and 63 or in in vitro interferon-y production on day 63. It is concluded that using calf jackets on calves reared outdoors had no beneficial effect on calf performance or immune status. The incidence of respiratory disease was higher and diarrhoea incidence was lower in calves reared indoors compared with calves reared outdoors. There was no significant difference in incidences of diarrhoea and respiratory disease between the two outdoor treatments.


We study the reduced dynamics of a pair of nondegenerate oscillators coupled collectively to a thermal bath. The model is related to the trilinear boson model where the idler mode is promoted to a field. Due to nonlinear coupling, the Markovian master equation for the pair of oscillators admits non-Gaussian equilibrium states, where the modes distribute according to the Bose-Einstein statistics. These states are metastable before the nonlinear coupling is taken over by linear coupling between the individual oscillators and the field. The Gibbs state for the individual modes lies in the subspace with infinite occupation quantum number. We present the time evolution of a few states to illustrate the behaviors of the system.


A novel hybrid method, which simultaneously possesses the efficiency of Fourier spectral method (FSM) and the applicability of the finite element method (FEM), is presented for the vibration analysis of structures with elastic boundary conditions. The FSM, as one type of analytical approaches with excellent convergence and accuracy, is mainly limited to problems with relatively regular geometry. The purpose of the current study is to extend the FSM to problems with irregular geometry via the FEM and attempt to take full advantage of the FSM and the conventional FEM for structural vibration problems. The computational domain of general shape is divided into several subdomains firstly, some of which are represented by the FSM while the rest by the FEM. Then, fictitious springs are introduced for connecting these subdomains. Sufficient details are given to describe the development of such a hybrid method. Numerical examples of a one-dimensional Euler-Bernoulli beam and a two-dimensional rectangular plate show that the present method has good accuracy and efficiency. Further, one irregular-shaped plate which consists of one rectangular plate and one semi-circular plate also demonstrates the capability of the present method applied to irregular structures.


Parallel bottom-up evaluation provides an alternative for the efficient evaluation of logic programs. Existing parallel evaluation strategies are neither effective nor efficient in determining the data to be transmitted among processors. In this paper, we propose re different strategy, for general Datalog programs, that is based on the partitioning of data rather than that of rule instantiations. The partition and processing schemes defined in this paper are more general than those in existing strategies. A parallel evaluation algorithm is given based on the semi-naive bottom-up evaluation. A notion of potential usefulness is recognized as a data transmission criterion to reduce, both effectively and efficiently, the amount of data transmitted. Heuristics and algorithms are proposed for designing the partition and processing schemes for a given program. Results from an experiment show that the strategy proposed in this paper has many promising features. >


Network simulation is the most useful and common methodology used to evaluate different network topologies without real world implementation. Network simulators are widely used by the research community to evaluate new theories and hypotheses. There are a number of network simulators, for instance, ns-2, ns-3, OMNET++, SWAN, OPNET, Jist, and GloMoSiM etc. Therefore, the selection of a network simulator for evaluating research work is a crucial task for researchers. The main focus of this paper is to compare the state-of-the-art, open source network simulators based on the following parameters: CPU utilization, memory usage, computational time, and scalability by simulating a MANET routing protocol, to identify an optimal network simulator for the research community.


CRM1-mediated protein export is an important determinant of the nuclear accumulation of many gene regulators. Here, we show that the NFκB transcription factor Dorsal is a substrate of CRM1 and requires the nucleoporin Nup214 for its nuclear translocation upon signaling. Nup214 bound to CRM1 directly and anchored it to the nuclear envelope. In nup214 mutants CRM1 accumulated in the nucleus and NES-protein export was enhanced. Nup214 formed complexes with Nup88 and CRM1 in vivo and Nup214 protected Nup88 from degradation at the nuclear rim. In turn, Nup88 was sufficient for targeting the complex to the nuclear pores. Overexpression experiments indicated that Nup214 alone attracts a fraction of CRM1 to the nuclear envelope but does not interfere with NES-GFP export. By contrast, overexpression of the Nup214-Nup88 complex trapped CRM1 and Dorsal to cytoplasmic foci and inhibited protein export and immune response activation. We hypothesize that variation in levels of the Nup214-Nup88 complex at the pore changes the amount of NPC-bound CRM1 and influences the relative strength and duration of NFκB signaling responses.


This paper constructs an econometric model of Israel's allocation of resources as between defense, public nondefense, and private consumption goods. Because these allocations are influenced by and simultaneously influence U.S. assistance and Arab military outlays, equations for U.S. and Arab allocations are also constructed. This entire multiequation system represents a multicountry allocation and arms race process in the Middle East. A comprehensive body of data on Israeli expenditures, surrounding Arab states expenditures, and U.S. assistance has been assembled for the period 1960 to 1979, and the multiequation model has been estimated. Several conclusions of both theoretical and policy importance emerge from the analysis.


This paper presents new VLSI architectures for finite impulse response (FIR) filters and discrete wavelet transform, intended for very high-speed signal and image processing. The proposed architectures, based on combining pipeline and parallel arithmetic methods, provide a new and very fast convolution approach with a reduced critical path. The key to this is a clever use of D-latches and multipliers which are efficiently distributed. Furthermore, an advanced discrete wavelet transform (DWT) approach, with an area-efficient architecture, is designed to produce one output in every clock cycle. As a result, a very high-speed is attained. The proposed structure can increase the work frequency (85%) at a low cost of additional hardware elements (55%). The systems are verified, using JPEG2000 coefficients filters, on Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices.


The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has considerable utility in the clinical management of patients with solid cancers. However, the phenotypic heterogeneity of CTCs and their low numbers in the bloodstream of patients means that no standardized detection method currently exists for these cells. This, together with differences in pre-analytical sample processing, has led to the collection and accumulation of inconsistent data among independent studies. Here, we compare the ability of three methods to detect CTCs in the blood of colorectal cancer patients. Specifically, different aliquots of the same blood sample were screened for the presence of CTCs by a multimarker RT-PCR assay, the standardized CellSearch assay and dHPLC-based gene mutation analysis. In the population tested, none of the blood samples analysed appeared to be positive by all three methods. Of the samples, 75% were positive for the presence of CTCs by the RT-PCR method. Only 20% were positive by the CellSearch assay, while 14.3% of samples displayed gene mutations consistent with the presence of CTCs when the dHPLC method was applied. The samples which were positive for CTCs by the CellSearch assay did not overlap with those that were positive by dHPLC. Interestingly, however, all of these samples were positive when assessed by RT-PCR. Conversely, of the samples that resulted negative by RT-PCR analysis, none appeared to be positive by either of the other methods. These data, therefore, indicate that of the three methods tested, the multimarker RT-PCR assay provides maximal probability of CTC detection. Here, we present the preliminary results of an ongoing clinical study. Future follow-up involving detection of CTCs in the blood of colorectal cancer patients using these three distinct methods will allow us to verify whether either a single method, or a combination of different assays, is necessary to uncover further prognostic significance of circulating tumor cells.


Purpose: Full implementation of electronic oncologyinformation system (OIS) requires strategic planning and complete staff participation. The major hurdles are the reluctance of staff to make the change, their fear of losing information, increased workload due to data entry, and perceived loss of control. At our institution, we undertook familiarity‐based strategy to overcome these challenges in the implementation of OIS to streamline the practice and eliminate paper work. Method and Materials: Prior to full implementation of the OIS, a steering committee consisting of information technology personal, medical physicist,radiationoncologist, and administrator was formed to assess the adequacy of our present system utilization. Next, the group engaged the vendor to learn about the clinical processes of radiotherapy and the functionality of the software. The functionality was mapped into the clinical processes and divided into tasks separating them in accordance to the disciplines. The steering committee was then expanded to include nurse, therapist, and office staff. A timeline was established with milestones towards completing the implementation. The strategy of implementation was initiated with tasks in the discipline our staff was most familiar with in the OIS rather than the logistics of the clinical processes. Training was then provided to educate the new functionality. In order to showcase the benefits of a more robust implementation, communication tasks such as scheduling, resources handling were implemented. As the staff began to see the results, resistance to the new implementation decreased. The implementation was then expanded beyond the familiar base and monitored weekly by the steering committee. Results: Familiarity‐based strategy in implementing the OIS is successful. Personnel were interested in learning and teaching newly acquired tools and functionality. Conclusion: Familiarity‐based implementation of an OIS is a superior strategy compared to clinical processes‐based implementation.


The demand for fresh vegetables including specialty vegetables such as Asian vegetables is increasing in the US. In addition to broad-line food retailers Asian grocery stores and restaurants cater to this demand. However, the supply chain for these Asian vegetable retailers has not yet been documented while supply chain research has focused on the broad-line vegetable retailers. This study traces the supply chain of the Asian vegetable retailers, both groceries and restaurants, based on a case study of Michigan. It also analyzes the potential to grow vegetables in Michigan that are common to the supply chain of Asian vegetable retailer's in Michigan and evaluates the potential of Michigan produced vegetables to access the supply chain. This study shows that the Asian grocery stores cater to a niche market that relies heavily on Asian customers. These Asian customers demand Asian specialty vegetables that are not common to broad-line grocery retailers and thus have a supply chain that is distinctive with ethnic ties. The variables such as ethnic presence, predominance of exotic Asian varieties and Asian customers, limited use of technology, fragmented businesses selling limited produce items and limited value addition make the supply chain distinctive. The study findings indicate that Michigan has potential to grow some general vegetables and limited Asian vegetables which gives Michigan producers a limited potential access to the supply chain of Asian vegetable retailers.


New 1-alkoxy-3-alkyl-4,5-dimethylimidazolium bromides were synthesized by alkylation of the corresponding 1-alkylimidazole 3-oxides, which were conveniently prepared via condensation of alpha-(hydroxyimino)ketones, primary aliphatic amines, and formaldehyde. By using enantiomerically pure chiral amines, optically active imidazolium salts were obtained. Treatment with sodium tetrafluoroborate in acetone yielded the corresponding imidazolium tetrafluoroborates. All these compounds, with only one exception, were obtained as oils, which are considered as potential ionic liquids and 'chiral ionic liquids'. The reduction of the chiral or non-chiral 1-alkylimidazole 3-oxides with Raney-Ni, followed by alkylation with alkyl bromides and subsequent ion exchange to tetrafluoroborates, gave the corresponding 1,3-dialkylimidazolium salts, most of them showing properties of ionic liquids. The alkylation of 1-butyl-4,5-dimethylimidazole 3-oxide and the corresponding imidazole, respectively, with 1,3-dibromopropane led to the first bis-imidazolium dibromides and bis-tetrafluoroborates.


This research aims to synthesize polyurethane membrace from avocado seed oil as a source of hydrixyl (-OH) and hexametylhene -1.6-dissocyanate (HDMI) as a source of isocynate (-NCO). The oil were extracted from avocado seeds at temperature of  60-80oC for 2 hours using n-hexane solvent. The results of FTIR spectrum analysis from avocado seed oil showed that there were -OH clusters absorption on the wavelength number of 3393.819 cm-1, thus this oil can be used to synthesize polyurethane membrane. The isocyanate composition, time and temperature during synthesis process of polyurethane membrane were varied. The polyurethane membrane were moulded in petri dishes, then heated up for 48 hours on the temperature of  70oC, and finally taken out from its mould. The characteristics of the polyurethane membrane from avocado seed oil are brown in colour, homogenous, elastic, solid, transparent and shaped like a membrane. The measurements from FTIR spectrum showed that the -NCO clusters are no longer present. This condition happened because there were no more absorption in the wavelength number of  2270 cm-1 . It can be concluded that the isocyanate has completely reacted during polymerization and the curing process, thus urethane was created in the 1699,965 cm-1 absorption which was the urethane C=O clusters absorption.


The ESA project MELiSSA is an artificial ecosystem of micro-organisms and higher plants with the aim of enabling human survival in space by providing for generation of food, water recycling, atmospheric regeneration, and waste management. Essential for the use of an artificial ecosystem as a reliable life support system is that it has to be fully predictable. To enable the understanding and predictability of the higher plant compartment of MELiSSA, the major goal of the Food Characterisation project is to fully understand the chosen plants and all the processes related to them. To fulfill that purpose mathematical models describing those processes have to be elaborated. One important process to model is the mass flux at the surface of the plant leaf.The aim of this report is to state the equations describing the various diffusion processes at the surface of plant leaves. This includes and focuses on the release of water vapour and the release and uptake of carbon dioxide and oxygen. The result of the project, i.e. the model presented in this report, is to be used in an extended model which will describe all the processes involving the plant and its interaction with the surrounding environment.


Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has created a special niche for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in humans as a result of the defect/reduction in cell mediated immunity. M. tuberculosis still responsible for most cases of death due to infectious diseases after HIV. In this study, prevalence of M. tuberculosis was determined in people living with HIV in Osun state of Nigeria with identification of culture positive isolates by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 160 samples were collected from people living with HIV with mean age of 36.8 years old of age (Median -34; age range 16 – 68; 95% confidence interval – 2.49) after seeking ethical approval from the Ministry of Health, Osun State. The result of the microscopy by ZN stain showed that 40 (25%) of the 160 samples were positive for acid fast bacilli while culture on Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium revealed that 30 (18.75%) of the samples processed, grew organism that conformed to the characteristics of M. tuberculosis complex. Polymerase chain reaction for IS6110 was used to confirm the identity of the colonies on LJ slope as M. tuberculosis complex while the PCR for 260 bp of Rv1255c was used in identifying M. tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis represented 92% of the M. tuberculosis complex. The prevalence of M. tuberculosis among people living with HIV was found to be 15% after PCR identification. The effects of socio-demographic factors on the prevalence of TB were analysed. Occupation was found to be associated with the proportional distribution of TB in people living with HIV (X2 = 14.85; p Key words: Molecular identification, Polymerase chain reaction, M ycobacterium tuberculosis complex; Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Prevalence, HIV, Nigeria


Introduction: Uganda has limited health resources. It is important to measure the need for imaging in order to set policy and plan for imaging services. Objectives: The first specific objective was to develop and apply four imaging needs indices on a case study basis, in five selected Ugandan hospitals. The indices were: Imaging Load (IL), Imaging Burden (IB), Type Specific Imaging Burden (TSIB), and Disease Specific Imaging Burden (DSIB). The second objective was to explore the perceptions of the patient, referring clinician, and radiologist regarding the values, meaning, and objective of imaging in patient care. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey employing triangulation methodology, conducted in 5 Ugandan hospitals over a period of 3 years during 2005 - 2008. The subjects were divided into four clusters: Obstetrics and gynecology (obs/gynae), surgery, internal medicine, and pediatrics. For the quantitative component of the study, data from case notes was used to calculate the indices. The qualitative component explored the non-measurable aspects of imaging needs from the clinician's, radiologist's, and patient's perspective. Results: A total of 1961 patient case notes were studied. The IB was 460 per 1000 hospital patients per year. The highest TSIB was for ultrasound at 232 per 1000 hospital patients per year, followed by 191 patients for general X-ray. The majority of the patients interviewed had special desires, expectations, and misconceptions. Conclusions: There is a high IB of 460 per thousand patient populations per year, mainly due to ultrasound. The majority of the patients have perceptions, misconceptions, beliefs, and values which influence the need for imaging. There is a need to address the medical and non-tangible imaging needs of the patient and to counteract imaging-related misconceptions and over-expectations. Public awareness of the value, capabilities, limitations, and adverse effects of various imaging modalities need to be addressed to ensure that the patients make informed imaging choices and readily avail themselves of interventions in situations when imaging is crucial, for example in suspected high-risk pregnancy.


The current research aimed to find out the effects of skill development training on mental well-being and mental health among women of Kalohi, Tharparkar. This particular area was selected because the people were deprived of basic necessities of their lives such as employment and shelter. 120 females belonging to the age range 14 to 25 years were recruited for the purpose of data collection through purposive sampling. The study was quantitative in nature. The participants were assessed through objective tests for mental health and well-being along with a qualitative interview for skill training assessment. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (Tennant et al., 2007) and Mental Health Screening Form-III (Carroll & McGinley, 2001) were used to assess well-being and mental health respectively. The Sindhi version of the scales was used for the convenience of the participants. Participants were divided into control (non-targeted) and experimental (targeted) groups through fishbowl technique. Pre-testing and post-testing on both groups were conducted to check the authenticity and effectiveness of the training. The results revealed that skill development training proved to be effective as mental health and well-being were significantly increased in the targeted group as shown in the post-testing. This study pointed out the necessity of self-helping tactics which aid individuals to fulfil their daily requirements and earn a livelihood.


In polycythemia vera (PV) erythroid colonies that grow in vitro in the absence of exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) arise from the abnormal clone that is responsible for overproduction of red blood cells. Although the mechanism of autonomous formation of burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) is not fully understood, a spontaneous release of growth regulatory molecules by PV cells and/or by accessory cells is likely to be involved. Because of its cytokine synthesis inhibiting action, interleukin-10 (IL-10) could be a potentially useful molecule to modulate abnormal erythropoiesis in PV. We studied the effect of recombinant human IL-10 on the EPO-independent growth of erythroid bursts derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) of patients with PV. IL-10 showed a profound, dose-dependent, and specific inhibitory effect on autonomous BFU-E formation. Ten nanograms per milliliter of IL-10 significantly suppressed spontaneous growth of erythroid colonies in methylcellulose in five of five PV patients tested with a mean inhibition by 81% (range, 72-94). To elucidate the possible mechanism of the inhibitory action of IL-10 we further studied the effect of anticytokine antibodies on autonomous BFU-E growth and the ability of exogenous cytokines to restore IL-10-induced suppression of erythroid colony growth. Among a panel of growth regulatory factors tested (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], IL-3, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, and insulin-like growth factor-1) GM-CSF was the only molecule for which both an inhibition of spontaneous BFU-E formation by its respective antibody as well as a significant restimulation of erythroid colonies in IL-10-treated cultures by exogenous addition was found. Moreover, inhibition of GM-CSF production by IL-10 was shown in PV PBMNCs at the mRNA level. Our data indicate that autonomous BFU-E growth in PV can be profoundly inhibited by IL-10 and that this inhibitory effect seems to be at least in part secondary to suppression of endogenous GM-CSF production.


This thesis introduces Potree, a web-based renderer for large point clouds. It allows users to view data sets with billions of points, from sources such as LIDAR or photogrammetry, in real time in standard web browsers. One of the main advantages of point cloud visualization in web browser is that it allows users to share their data sets with clients or the public without the need to install third-party applications and transfer huge amounts of data in advance. The focus on large point clouds, and a variety of measuring tools, also allows users to use Potree to look at, analyze and validate raw point cloud data, without the need for a time-intensive and potentially costly meshing step. The streaming and rendering of billions of points in web browsers, without the need to load large amounts of data in advance, is achieved with a hierarchical structure that stores subsamples of the original data at different resolutions. A low resolution is stored in the root node and with each level, the resolution gradually increases. The structure allows Potree to cull regions of the point cloud that are outside the view frustum, and to render distant regions at a lower level of detail. The result is an open source point cloud viewer, which was able to render point cloud data sets of up to 597 billion points, roughly 1.6 terabytes after compression, in real time in a web browser.


This policy brief highlights flaws in the current federal tax treatment of stock buybacks and proposes to address those flaws by equalizing the tax treatment of buybacks and dividends. (We explore the proposal in greater detail in Hemel & Polsky, Taxing Buybacks, 38 Yale J. on Reg. 246 (2021), https://ssrn.com/abstract=3764112.) Stock buybacks allow foreign shareholders to avoid U.S. withholding tax on corporate cash distributions. Stock buybacks also allow U.S. taxable investors to reduce or eliminate shareholder-level tax on corporate cash distributions through a combination of deferral, loss harvesting, and stepped-up basis at death. Our proposal—based on an idea first suggested by Marvin Chirelstein a half century ago—would plug these gaps in the tax base by treating stock buybacks as imputed dividends. We explain the mechanics of the proposal and the principal design choices facing policymakers. We also estimate—conservatively—that the proposal would raise more than $500 billion over the 10-year budget window.


This project is a practitioner inquiry into the practice of a form of organisational consulting that uses conversation as its primary contracting and change process. To provide a backdrop I begin by locating the practice in the management consulting domain, and specifically in an emerging field becoming popularly known as Dialogic Organisation Development. Conversation with the literature opens up the historical and theoretical assumptions that have shaped the field to date. Using this broad context I outline my consulting practice as an employee of the Office for Public Management Ltd (OPM). My interest in using conversation as a process in consulting relationships is described and my inquiry aims are outlined: 1. To develop my understanding of conversational consulting and the skills I need to practice it effectively. 2. To explore the potential of conversational inquiry approaches to support the development of conversational consulting skills amongst a group of management consultants (including myself). 3. To combine the learning from both individual and collective strands of research to offer management consultants an emerging framework that defines 'Conversational Consulting' more accurately, describes the practice in greater depth and helps them understand some of the ways in which they can develop the necessary skills to practice confidently and effectively. To support the achievement of these aims I begin by engaging in a conversation with the literature and focus particularly on social constructionist texts. This work reshapes my understanding of the potential of conversational consulting. I explain my rationale for selecting a participatory action research method called Co-operative inquiry. This is a framework involving consulting colleagues at OPM in a shared inquiry into the role of conversation in our practice. This report describes the inquiry process and how thematic analysis processes are applied to group meeting transcripts. My approach uses the first two inquiry aims as the lens through which I interpret the material. In parallel, I continue my own individual inquiry by maintaining a learning log and engaging in conversation with a client. This material is subject to a similar thematic analysis. The learning themes identified across all three elements contribute to an emerging framework with recommended activities to support the development of practice. The framework consists of three main elements, individual consulting practice development, collaborative development and learning with clients. I discuss how my original definition and understanding of conversational consulting has changed as a result of the project. My on-going commitment to inquiry and sharing my learning with others in the field is outlined alongside closing reflections on the experience and personal practice impact of the project.


Ultraviolet radiation in the 2850 to 3150 angstrom range can produce abnormal cutaneous reactions and exacerbation of systemic manifestations in some cases of subacute and acute systemic lupus erythematosus. It may also be responsible for cutaneous lesions and systemic involvement in rare cases of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus--probably those with disseminated lesions. The pathophysiological mechanism producing these photobiological effects in lupus erythematosus remains unknown.


The thermodynamic properties of the ABO3 perovskite-type compounds are strongly affected by the A- and B- site substitution and the oxygen nonstoichiometry. The paper presents the thermodynamic properties of some doped nano- and microstructured lanthanum manganites of general formula La1-xMxMn1-yMeyO3 (where M=Sr, Ca; Me=Al; x=0.3;0.33, y=0;0.05) which have been studied within the temperature range of 873-1273 K in a reducing atmosphere (10-6 Pa). The relative partial molar free energies, enthalpies and entropies of oxygen dissolution in the perovskite phase and the equilibrium partial pressures of oxygen have been obtained by using a solid electrolyte galvanic cell method. The influence of the oxygen stoichiometry change on the thermodynamic properties was examined using the data obtained by a coulometric titration technique coupled with measurements of the electromotive force (EMF). The focus of the research was to emphasise modifications of the thermodynamic properties connected with the nanocrystalline state. The results obtained are discussed in relation to significant changes in the overall concentration of defects.


Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus or human herpes virus 8 is considered the etiological agent of KS, a highly vascularized neoplasm that is the most common tumor affecting HIV/AIDS patients. The KS-associated herpesvirus/human herpes virus 8 open reading frame 74 encodes a constitutively active G protein-coupled receptor known as vGPCR that binds CXC chemokines with high affinity. In this study, we show that conditional transgenic expression of vGPCR by cells of endothelial origin triggers an angiogenic program in vivo, leading to development of an angioproliferative disease that resembles KS. This angiogenic program consists partly in the expression of the angiogenic factors placental growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor B, and inducible NO synthase by the vGPCR-expressing cells. Finally, we show that continued vGPCR expression is essential for progression of the KS-like phenotype and that down-regulation of vGPCR expression results in reduced expression of angiogenic factors and regression of the lesions. Together, these findings implicate vGPCR as a key element in KS pathogenesis and suggest that strategies to block its function may represent a novel approach for the treatment of KS. The Journal of Immunology, 2005, 174: 3686–3694.


The importance of Cassava in the food systems of Ghanaians cannot be underestimated. As a main staple crop, Cassava contributes about 22% and 30% to the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) and daily calories intake respectively. Per capita consumption of 152 kg makes it the highest among all food crops. Due to Cassava's importance, there have been lots of attention paid to it by the Government and Donor agencies towards its improvement. This has yielded substantial results in terms of the development of cassava varieties and good agronomic practices. This chapter reviewed cassava technologies development in Ghana, adoption of these technologies by smallholder farmers, and livelihood implications. Results generated showed that Research and Development since 1993 has developed, released, and disseminated 25 new cassava varieties to smallholder farmers. Average cassava yields have increased from about 14 t/ha in 2009 to 21 t/ha in 2018. Partial budget analysis showed that smallholder farmers' profitability has increased over the years from GH₵644.32 (about US$ 111) in 2009 to GH₵5243.27 (about US$ 904) in 2018. Again, the crop is gradually gaining attention as an industrial crop for flour, starch, and alcohol production, a drive that would further improve on returns to farmers. It is a food security crop because it is robust, produces more per unit area, and versatile for multiple usages in household foods and derivatives. It is recommended that continuous policy consideration on cassava in national agricultural agenda setting is essential.


Stem cells play a key role in a wide range of biological processes, in large part due to their ability to self-renew or differentiate into specialized cell types in response to various biological cues. In vivo, stem cells reside in a complex microenvironment, termed niche, that regulates cell fate through intricate combinations of biophysical and biochemical factors. To recapitulate some of these crucial interactions ex vivo and to facilitate a quicker transition to clinical and pharmaceutical applications of stem cells, numerous technologies have been developed in recent years to better control and manipulate the cellular microenvironment. In particular, combining synthetic hydrogels having controllable mechanical and biochemical signaling with microfluidic technologies that can automatically and precisely handle fluids results in unprecedented control over in vitro microenvironmental conditions. In this thesis, novel microfluidic approaches were developed to engineer stem cell niches presenting defined and modular cell-instructive physicochemical cues. In a first approach, a novel platform based on computer-controlled hydrodynamic flow focusing was developed in order to tether steady-state gradients of tagged proteins, using Fc or biotin tags, onto the surface of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels displaying selective capturing proteins (ProteinA or NeutrAvidin). This versatile patterning strategy permitted the generation of complex biomolecule gradients, with fine control over the patterning resolution and shape. Furthermore, the chosen binding schemes enabled parallel and orthogonal gradients of multiple proteins to be formed. As a proof-of-principle, we employed this technology to assess the influence of immobilized leukemia inhibitor factor (LIF) concentration on mouse embryonic stem cell self-renewal. While this technology allowed biomolecule dose effect on stem cell behavior to be investigated, it was limited in its ability to modulate multiple microenvironmental factors simultaneously. To address this limitation, droplet-based microfluidic technology was adopted which allows perturbing microenvironmental conditions in a combinatorial fashion and with nearly unmatched precision and throughput. To this end, microfluidic chips were fabricated for the generation of PEG-based microgels with precisely controlled dimensions and physico-chemical properties. First, we developed a versatile biofunctionalization technique for tethering biomolecules of interest to the reactive PEG microgels. Then, selective peptide- and protein-modified formulations were tested for their ability to promote adhesion and proliferation of various stem cell types in a bioreactor-based suspension culture. Next, programmable modulation of the flows was adopted to generate microgels with varying elasticity, biochemical ligands or both. The different microgel properties were encoded with specific fluorescent markers such that the microenvironment properties could be readily identified via microscopy or flow cytometry. Controlling syringe pumps through computer programming allowed us to generate up to 100 populations of microgels with different elasticities and bioactive ligand concentrations in a single experiment. Thousands of compositionally distinct microgels were then analyzed by the intensity levels of two fluorescent moieties incorporated in the hydrogel network. As a proof-of-principle, we demonstrated that this technology can be adopted to [...]


The aim of this chapter was to analyze associations between measures of cortisol in saliva and mental health and to see if divergent results were functions of the methods used. Measures of mental health outcome included Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), symptoms of depression, and symptoms of anxiety, Burnout (BO), and Vital Exhaustion (VE). Only studies on otherwise healthy individuals were included. Cortisol measures were grouped into single time point measures, measures of deviations, laboratory test responses, Area Under the Curve (AUC), and response to dexamethasone. Some consistency is seen for MDD, mainly higher mean levels. The results regarding single measures and depressive mood are less consistent, but the overall picture for depression shows poorer diurnal deviation and response to stress. Inconsistency among papers studying depression seems to be related mainly to the study population. Very few significant findings were found for anxiety, therefore cortisol does not seem to be strongly related to anxiety. Most of the statistical analysis does not show a significant relationship between BO and cortisol, and when these are present, the results are inconsistent. One explanation seems to be the measures of BO used, probably due to the different conceptual basis for BO. VE measured using the Maastricht Questionnaire seems to be related to a poorer cortisol response to stress and poorer diurnal deviation. The coexistence of BO and VE in many studies does make it difficult to conclude how the different concepts are related to cortisol. However, an interesting difference appeared between MDD and VE in response to dexamethasone administration, showing lower suppression in MDD patients and higher suppression in VE patients. A general conclusion for all mental health measures is that a large proportion of non-significant findings are due to low power and few sampling days combined with low contrasts between study groups and within study populations. Generally, deviation measures such as diurnal deviation seem to be more valid measures compared with single measures to capture possible changes in the hypothalamus-pituitaryadrenal axis, measured using salivary cortisol.


Soft notes of music, the hum of an engine, the stridence of a jackhammer... How are sounds produced and how do they get to our ears? Sound is composed of oscillations that propagate in compressible media, especially in fluids and solids, with characteristics that are specific to each of them. In this article, the concepts of frequency, wavelength and sound power are discussed. We will even go a little further by identifying the concepts of proper modes and resonance, illustrated by the examples of the swing and the music produced by a violin.