Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress contribute greatly to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Naringenin, a flavonoid derived from the citrus genus, exerts cardioprotective effects. However, the effects of naringenin on ER stress as well as oxidative stress under MI/R condition and the detailed mechanisms remain poorly defined. This study investigated the protective effect of naringenin on MI/R-injured heart with a focus on cyclic guanosine monophosphate- (cGMP-) dependent protein kinase (PKG) signaling. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with naringenin (50 mg/kg/d) and subjected to MI/R surgery with or without KT5823 (2 mg/kg, a selective inhibitor of PKG) cotreatment. Cellular experiment was conducted on H9c2 cardiomyoblasts subjected to simulated ischemia-reperfusion treatment. Before the treatment, the cells were incubated with naringenin (80 μmol/L). PKGIα siRNA was employed to inhibit PKG signaling. Our in vivo and in vitro data showed that naringenin effectively improved heart function while it attenuated myocardial apoptosis and infarction. Furthermore, pretreatment with naringenin suppressed MI/R-induced oxidative stress as well as ER stress as evidenced by decreased superoxide generation, myocardial MDA level, gp91phox expression, and phosphorylation of PERK, IRE1α, and EIF2α as well as reduced ATF6 and CHOP. Importantly, naringenin significantly activated myocardial cGMP-PKGIα signaling while inhibition of PKG signaling with KT5823 (in vivo) or siRNA (in vitro) not only abolished these actions but also blunted naringenin's inhibitory effects against oxidative stress and ER stress. In summary, our study demonstrates that naringenin treatment protects against MI/R injury by reducing oxidative stress and ER stress via cGMP-PKGIα signaling. Its cardioprotective effect deserves further clinical study.


Emmer (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum Schrank em Thell, syn T. dicoccon Schrank) and spelt (T. aestivum ssp. spelta L. em Thell.) are two hulled wheats that are still grown in some Spanish regions, mainly in Asturias (North of Spain), where are indistinctly named as escanda. One recent collecting mission carried out in this Spanish zone has showed the scarce presence of emmer (4 populations), together with the presence of foreigner spelt that could change the genetic patrimony of the escanda, because of present agronomic characteristics more adapted to the present requirements than the autochthon spelt lines. This supposes one clear danger to the maintaining of these hulled wheats, together with the lost of diversity associated to them. The endosperm storage proteins have showed to be good markers for measure of this diversity. The analysis of the autochthon populations collected showed wide variation for the storage proteins, also as for morphological traits. In conclusion, we think that the evaluation of these genetic resources could be useful for enlarging the background of the modern wheats. Likewise, for the obtaining of escanda lines with better agronomical, morphological and quality traits than the actual lines, with the advantage of to be materials adapted to the special conditions of the cultivated zone.


The integration of social networking concepts into the Internet of things has led to the Social Internet of Things (SIoT) paradigm, according to which objects are capable of establishing social relationships in an autonomous way with respect to their owners with the benefits of improving the network scalability in information/service discovery. Within this scenario, we focus on the problem of understanding how the information provided by members of the social IoT has to be processed so as to build a reliable system on the basis of the behavior of the objects. We define two models for trustworthiness management starting from the solutions proposed for P2P and social networks. In the subjective model each node computes the trustworthiness of its friends on the basis of its own experience and on the opinion of the friends in common with the potential service providers. In the objective model, the information about each node is distributed and stored making use of a distributed hash table structure so that any node can make use of the same information. Simulations show how the proposed models can effectively isolate almost any malicious nodes in the network at the expenses of an increase in the network traffic for feedback exchange.


Aristotle thought we are by nature political animals, but the state‐of‐nature tradition sees political society not as natural but as an artifice. For this tradition, political society can usefully be conceived as emerging from a pre‐political state of nature by the exercise of innate normative powers. Those powers, together with the rest of our native normative endowment, both make possible the construction of the state, and place sharp limits on the state's just powers and prerogatives. A state‐of‐nature theory has three components. One is an account of the native normative endowment, or "NNE." Two is an account of how the state is constructed using the tools included in the NNE. Three is an account of the state's resulting normative endowment, which includes a (purported) moral power to impose duties of obedience. State‐of‐nature theories disagree about the NNE. For Locke, it included a "natural executive right" to punish wrongdoing. Recent social scientific findings suggest a quite different NNE. Contrary to Locke, people do not behave in experimental settings as one would predict if they possessed a "natural executive right" to punish wrongdoing. Moral reproof is subject to standing norms. These norms limit the range of eligible reprovers. The social science can support two claims. One, is that the NNE is (as Aristotle held) already political. The other is that political authority can be re‐conceived as a matter of standing — that is, as the state's unique moral permission coercively to enforce moral norms, rather than as a moral power to impose freestanding duties of obedience.


Background & Issues: The American Stroke Association reports earlier administration of intravenous rt-PA following symptom onset is associated with greater functional recovery. The Target: Stroke Campaign has identified a door-to-needle goal of 60 minutes or less. Our adoption of the Target: Stroke guidelines led to the improvement of emergency staff awareness and interventions for immediate feedback and correction of misperceptions of goal time for rt-PA administration and improved results. Purpose: To improve door-to-needle time to 60 minutes or less. Methods: In April 2010, we initiated a process to improve door-to-needle time for rt-PA administration within 60 minutes of arrival to Emergency Department (ED) for anyone presenting with indication of stroke. Target: Stroke guidelines are implemented for initial patient evaluation within 10 minutes of arrival to ED, stroke team activation within 15 minutes of arrival, CT scan within 25 minutes of arrival, and interpretation of CT scan within 45 minutes. First responders notify the Emergency Department of a possible stroke patient enroute. The triage nurse activates the Stroke Team through mass paging the team members. The Stroke Team Nurse assesses the patient, determines the onset of symptom time and possible rt-PA exclusions, follows the patient to CT Scan notifying the neurologist of CT scan results, and initiates the immediate discussion between the Emergency Physician and neurologist to determine if rt-PA is appropriate. If rt-PA is administered, immediate feedback is given to all stroke team members using a door-to-needle tracking form. All time delays are reviewed by the Stroke Team Medical Director to determine causes for delay. The Stroke Team meets to determine where improvements can be made. Results: From April 2010 through June 2011, door-to-needle time was decreased from 107.75 minutes to 52 minutes per quarter average. Conclusions: Improvements were realized following the extensive education of the Emergency Department with clarification of door-to-needle goal. This resulted in the ED staff's design and implementation of a standardized process for following each stroke emergency, including early stroke team activation for patients presenting with any sign of acute stroke and the early initiation of a second intravenous line.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the predictive factors of renal functional change at postoperative period and at last follow-up in patients undergoing elective and clamped laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) with limited (≤20 minutes) and overextended (≥40 minutes) warm ischemia time (WIT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS
From our prospectively collected LPN database, elective and warm ischemia-applied LPNs were retrospectively analyzed in two groups: limited (n=55, Group 1, WIT≤20 minutes) and overextended (n=28, Group 2, WIT≥40 minutes) WITs. Preoperatively, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 in all patients. Demographic, clinical, perioperative and renal functional parameters were compared between two groups. Age, diabetes mellitus (DM), pathological tumor size, preoperative eGFR and WIT were used in multivariable analyses to investigate the independent predictors of de novo Stage 3 or greater CKD (eGFR<60 mL/min/1.73m2) at postoperative period and at the last follow-up.

RESULTS
Preoperative (p=0.009) and pathological (p=0.011) tumor size, PADUA (p=0.001) and R.E.N.A.L. Nephrometry (p=0.006) scores and operative time (p<0.001) were significantly higher in Group 2. Preoperative eGFR (86 vs. 88 mL/min/1.73 m2, p=0.328) was similar between two groups. In postoperative period, compared to Group 1, decreased eGFR (86 vs. 62.5 mL/min/1.73 m2, p<0.001) and percent preserved eGFR (97.2 vs. 77.2%, p<0.001) were found in Group 2. After median follow-up of 33 and 30 months (p=0.732) for Groups 1 and 2, respectively, eGFR at the last follow-up (84 vs. 80.0 mL/min/1.73 m2, p=0.347) and percentage preserved eGFR at last follow-up (97.7 vs. 92.5%, p=0.806) were similar between two groups. Overextended WIT (≥40 minutes), preoperative decreased eGFR (<77.5 mL/min/1.73m2) and DM were the independent predictors of de novo Stage 3 or greater CKD at postoperative period, while DM and age were the predictors of de novo Stage 3 or greater CKD at the last follow-up.

CONCLUSION
Overextended WIT (≥40 minutes) caused significant postoperative renal functional loss in elective LPN but this functional loss recovers at long term follow-up. However, diabetes mellitus is the only predictor of renal functional loss both in the postoperative period and at the last follow-up.


: The purpose of this paper is to explore and present something new with regard to school climate issues and improving teacher performance in the context of education in the 21 st century. One aspect that should be prioritized in the whole process of national education in Indonesia, especially in basic and medium education is the whole process of learning. Student learning outcomes in the school that are consisted of the cognitive, affective and psychomotor competencies are more dominantly determined by the teacher in school. Therefore, the quality of teachers' work is positively correlated with the quality of graduates from different levels and types of education. A teacher who has a positive performance that is reflected in the self and learning achievement of their students is certainly sustained by various factors. One factor that contributes significantly to teacher performance is the organizational climate of the school. Positive school organizational climate will continue to encourage teachers to devote everything they have relating to aspects of knowledge or mind, energy, time, commitment, alignment and sense of professionalism responsibility to improve student achievement. School organizational climates are in principle not seen, touched or addressed, but their impact on the workings of members of the organization, among others, Principals, Teachers, employees and students who clearly demonstrate the effects in the self and working behavior of school organization members, especially in a teacher. A teacher as a member of a school organization always perceives and responds to every circumstance, speech, attitude and or behavior that occurs around it. Therefore, in creating a positive school organization climate should be the primacy of the work of every educational leader called the principal. The implication of this paper is to provide effective and efficient information in the organizational climate and improve teacher performance in improving student learning outcomes in schools.


This paper employs a hybrid numerical method combining the differential transformation method and the finite difference method to study the dynamic behavior of a rigid rotor supported by a micro gas journal bearing system. The analytical results reveal a complex dynamic behavior comprising periodic, sub-harmonic, and quasi-periodic responses of the rotor center. Furthermore, the results reveal the changes which take place in the dynamic behavior of the bearing system as the rotor mass is increased. The current analytical results are found to be in good agreement with those of other numerical methods. Therefore, the proposed method provides an effective means of gaining insights into the nonlinear dynamics of micro gas film rotor-bearing systems.


Importance: The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center reported 358,088 mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) among U.S. service members worldwide between the years 2000 and 2020. Veterans with mTBI have higher rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depressive disorder, substance use disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide than their healthy counterparts. Currently, there is no effective treatment for mTBI. Objective: To assess the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a treatment option for mTBI. Design, Setting, Participants: This is a case series of 39 U.S. Veterans diagnosed with mTBI and treated with HBOT. Of these participants, 36 were men and 3 women, and their ages ranged between 28 and 69. The treatment was administered by The 22 Project (a veteran-centered nonprofit organization) using monoplace hyperbaric chambers located in Delray Beach, Florida. Neuroimaging using Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT) brain scans performed pre- and post-HBOT were made available for secondary analysis. Nilearn Python Library was utilized to visualize the corresponding neuroimaging data. A two-sided paired t-test in R was used to compare the pre- and post-treatment results. Intervention: A full treatment of HBOT involved 40 sessions. Each session consisted of the administration of 100% oxygen at 1.5 atmospheres for 90 min, twice a day, for 20 days, Mondays to Fridays only. Main Outcome and Measure: Perfusion in the brain's Brodmann Areas (BA) comparing pre- and post-HBOT using NeuroGam software analysis from brain SPECT scan neuroimaging and multi-symptom self-reports. Results: A comparison between the pre- and post-HBOT brain scans showed significant improvement in the brain perfusion, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Separately, participants reported reduced pain, improved mood, and better sleep, an outcome that translated into an average of about 46.6% improvement in the measured symptoms. Conclusions and Relevance: This series demonstrated that HBOT could be a useful treatment for mTBI in U.S. veterans. The participants in the study showed marked improvement in both brain perfusion measured on SPECT scan imaging and measured mTBI symptoms. This is the first study to use brain SPECT scans with quantitative numerical measurements to demonstrate improvement in brain perfusion in veterans with mild TBI treated with HBOT and measured mTBI symptoms. Future research studies are currently being done to validate these important findings.


OBJECTIVE
New quinolones (NQs) are widely used to treat various infections. However, concomitant oral administration of metal cations may decrease absorption of NQs and consequently decrease their blood concentration and pharmacological effect. A convenient approach to avoid this interaction is to separate the dosages by a certain interval. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel pharmacokinetic model to describe NQs-metal cation interactions in order to estimate the optimal dosing interval.

METHODS
Plasma concentration-time profiles of NQs after administration without or with metal cations at various dosing intervals were collected from the literature and analyzed with a pharmacokinetic model incorporating the formation ofNQs-metal cations complex. The model was fitted to the reported time profiles ofciprofloxacin (CPFX) plasma concentration after concomitant administration with aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide antacid (Al/Mg antacid; Maalox, Maalox70) at various dosing intervals to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters of CPFX. Model analysis was also carried out for gatifloxacin (GFLX) and norfloxacin (NFLX).

RESULTS
The developed model could adequately explain the interactions in all the combinations investigated. The model predicted, in the cases of usual doses of CPFX with Maalox, GFLX with Maalox70 and NFLX with sucralfate, that the NQ should be administered 4.5, 4.5 and 3.5 hours after, or 1, 1 and 0.5 hours before the administration of metal cations, respectively, to ensure 90% of control absorption.

CONCLUSIONS
The developed model can adequately describe the extent of interaction between NQs and metal cations, and should be clinically useful to design dosage regimens to circumvent the interaction.


Women shoulder a heavier burden of family work than men in modern society, preventing them from matching male success in the external labor market. Limiting working hours is a plausible way to level the playing field by creating the possibility of less gendered roles for both sexes. But why then are heavily regulated European labor markets associated with a smaller share of women in top management positions compared with liberal market economies such as in the United States? We explain this puzzle with reference to the difficulty of ambitious women to signal their commitment to high-powered careers in regulated markets.


In Japan, there are nine regional electric utilities. Their information systems are evolving to satisfy customers' needs for stable power supply. Also, the information systems are being utilized by the utilities to support and improve efficiency of the office works. The nine utilities are regional monopolies, but they are cooperative and stimulating one another to develop more advanced information systems. The authors summarize current status of the information systems in utilities, and discuss the key concepts to further develop them. They are EUC (end user computing), expert systems, cooperative system development, and so on.<<ETX>>


In the decade of the 2010s, the pace of economic growth in Russia slowed down to an annual rate of below 2% and most forecasts suggest that this is will be the new "normal" for the Russian economy at least in the medium-term. While politically and socially disappointing, such a growth slowdown is unavoidable due to adverse demographic trends. A combination of a shrinking working-age population and population aging must lead to a lower growth pace as compared to the period when the working-age population was still increasing and the effects of population aging were limited (the decade of the 2000s). Compensatory measures such as a gradual increase in the retirement age and an open labor migration policy, although economically positive, can only partly mitigate the negative effects of a shrinking domestic labor force. In this respect, Russia does not differ from other European countries and some Asian countries. However, demography and shrinking labor supply cannot fully explain low potential growth. Stagnation in total factor productivity is another reason. It results from a poor business and investment climate, difficulty in diversifying away from the dominant role of the hydrocarbon sector, and deteriorating political and economic relations with the US and EU which limit trade, investment and innovation opportunities. To increase its potential growth, Russia needs comprehensive economic and institutional reforms that, in turn, will be conditioned by political reforms and by improved economic and political relationships with the US, the EU and Russia's neighbors.


Two studies of a mindfulness training programme are presented. Study 1 reports on a pilot investigation of the impact on well-being of the Breathworks mindfulness-based pain management programme. Significant positive change was found on self-report measures of depression, outlook, catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy in the Intervention Group, but not the Comparison Group. Particularly large effects were found for pain acceptance. These results support the short-term efficacy of the Breathworks programme and reinforce the importance of acceptance for positive outcome with chronic pain patients. Study 2 investigated alterations in mindfulness following participation in the Breathworks programme. Subjective and non-subjective measures of mindfulness were used. Scores on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale were significantly higher at Time 2 in the Intervention Group, but not in the Comparison Group. There was no change on a measure of sustained attention. Results from an Implicit Association Test provided some support for an increased awareness of positive stimuli, following the intervention. These results are discussed with reference to the mechanisms of mindfulness.


Disposable N95 respirator masks are the current standard for healthcare worker respiratory protection in the COVID‐19 pandemic. In addition to shortages, qualitative fit testing can have low sensitivity for detecting poor fit, leading to inconsistent protection. Multiple groups have developed alternative solutions such as modified snorkel masks to overcome these limitations, but validation of these solutions has been lacking. We sought to determine if N95s and snorkel masks with attached high‐efficiency filters provide consistent protection levels in healthcare workers and if the addition of positive pressure via an inexpensive powered‐air purifying respirator to the snorkel mask would provide enhanced protection. Fifty‐one healthcare workers who were qualitatively fitted with N95 masks underwent quantitative mask fit testing according to a simulated workplace exercise protocol. N95, snorkel masks with high‐efficiency filters and snorkel masks with powered‐air purifying respirators were tested. Respiratory filtration ratios were collected for each step and averaged to obtain an overall workplace protocol fit factor. Failure was defined as either an individual filtration ratio or an overall fit factor below 100. N95s and snorkel masks with high‐efficiency filters failed one or more testing steps in 59% and 20% of participants, respectively, and 24% and 12% failed overall fit factors, respectively. The snorkel masks with powered‐air purifying respirators had zero individual or overall failures. N95 and snorkel masks with high‐efficiency filter respirators were found to provide inconsistent respiratory protection in healthcare workers.


The primary goal of a prediction market is to elicit and aggregate information about some future event of interest. How well this goal is achieved depends on the behavior of self-interested market participants, which are crucially influenced by not only their private information but also their knowledge of others' private information, in other words, the information structure of market participants. In this paper, we model a prediction market using the now-classic logarithmic market scoring rule (LMSR) market maker as an extensive-form Bayesian game and aim to understand and characterize the game-theoretic equilibria of the market for different information structures. Prior work has shown that when participants' information is independent conditioned on the realized outcome of the event, the only type of equilibria in this setting has every participant race to honestly reveal their private information as soon as possible, which is the most desirable outcome for the market's goal of information aggregation. This paper considers the remaining two classes of information structures: participants' information being unconditionally independent (the I game) and participants' information being both conditionally and unconditionally dependent (the D game). We characterize the unique family of equilibria for the I game with finite number of participants and finite stages. At any equilibrium in this family, if player i's last stage of participation in the market is after player j's, player i only reveals his information after player j's last stage of participation. This suggests that players race to delay revealing their information, which is probably the least desirable outcome for the market's goal. We consider a special case of the D game and cast insights on possible equilibria if one exists.


In the last decades, turbocharger technology has enabled the improvement of automotive internal combustion engines through downsizing, which promotes an interest in enlarging surge limit to increase engine low end torque. However, the operation in these conditions can be noisy. The objective of the work is the aeroacustical and flow analysis of a vaneless diffuser compressor by means of transient CFD calculations validated with experiments. Detached-eddy simulations from best efficiency to near surge conditions are performed. In the experimental apparatus, the compressor is installed in an anechoic chamber where dynamic pressure sensors located in the pipes allow the estimation of incoming and outgoing pressure waves. The results show that CFD calculations predict some features of experimental pressure spectra, whereas others are not properly captured. The model is also used to describe time-averaged flow field at different operating conditions. Also, a periodic oscillation of the detached boundary layer at blades suction side for best efficiency working point is found.


We describe several new techniques which accelerate Bayesian searches for continuous gravitational-wave emission from supermassive black-hole binaries using pulsar-timing arrays. These techniques mitigate the problematic increase of search dimensionality with the size of the pulsar array which arises from having to include an extra parameter per pulsar as the array is expanded. This extra parameter corresponds to searching over the phase of the gravitational wave as it propagates past each pulsar so that we can coherently include the pulsar term in our search strategies. Our techniques make the analysis tractable with powerful evidence-evaluation packages like MultiNest. We find good agreement of our techniques with the parameter-estimation and Bayes factor evaluation performed with full signal templates and conclude that these techniques make excellent first-cut tools for detection and characterization of continuous gravitational-wave signals with pulsar-timing arrays. Crucially, at low to moderate signal-to-noise ratios the factor by which the analysis is sped up can be $\ensuremath{\gtrsim}100$, permitting rigorous programs of systematic injection and recovery of signals to establish robust detection criteria within a Bayesian formalism.


Transformative learning as explained by Mezirow in the field of adult education has been criticized as a process that is overly dependent on critical reflection, such that it minimizes the role of feelings and overlooks transformation through the unconscious development of thoughts and actions. This paper further substantiates these concerns by exploring the emotional nature of rationality and unconscious ways of knowing (implicit memory) from the field of neurobiology and psychology and offers a physiological explanation of the interdependent relationship of emotion and reason and the role of implicit memory in transformative learning theory. Recent research not only provides support that emotions can affect the processes of reason, but more importantly, emotions have been found to be indispensable for rationality to occur. Furthermore, brain research brings to light new insights about a form of long-term memory that has long been overlooked, that of implicit memory, which receives, stores, and recovers outside the conscious awareness of the individual. From implicit memory emerges habits, attitudes and preferences inaccessible to conscious recollection but these are nonetheless shapes by former events, influence our present behaviour, and are an essential part of who we are. Finally, based on these new insights for fostering transformative learning is discussed, revealing the need to include practices inclusive of 'other ways of knowing,' and more specifically, from the study of emotional literacy and multiple intelligences.


Self-distributive (SD) structures form an important class of solutions to the Yang–Baxter equation, which underlie spectacular knot-theoretic applications of self-distributivity. It is less known that one can go the other way around, and construct an SD structure out of any left non-degenerate (LND) set-theoretic YBE solution. This structure captures important properties of the solution: invertibility, involutivity, biquandle-ness, the associated braid group actions. Surprisingly, the tools used to study these associated SD structures also apply to the cohomology of LND solutions, which generalizes SD cohomology. Namely, they yield an explicit isomorphism between two cohomology theories for these solutions, which until recently were studied independently. The whole story is full of open problems. One of them is the relation between the cohomologies of a YBE solution and its associated SD structure. These and related questions are covered in the present survey.


This paper addresses the fundamental problem of identifying driver talking directions using a single smartphone, which can help drivers by warning distraction of having conversations with passengers in a vehicle and enable safety enhancement. The basic idea of our system is to perform talking status and direction identification using two microphones on a smartphone. We first use the sound recorded by the two microphones to identify whether the driver is talking or not. If yes, we then extract the so-called channel fingerprint from the speech signal and classify it into one of three typical driver talking directions, namely, front, right and back, using a trained model obtained in advance. The key novelty of our scheme is the proposition of channel fingerprint which leverages the heavy multipath effects in the harsh in-vehicle environment and cancels the variability of human voice, both of which combine to invalidate traditional TDoA, DoA and fingerprint based sound source localization approaches. We conducted extensive experiments using two kinds of phones and two vehicles for four phone placements in three representative scenarios, and collected 23 hours voice data from 20 participants. The results show that our system can achieve 95.0% classification accuracy on average.


AbstractWhen glaciers calve icebergs, a fraction of the released potential energy is radiated away via gravity waves. The characteristics of such waves, caused by iceberg calving on Helheim Glacier in east Greenland, are investigated. Observations were collected from an array of five high-frequency bottom pressure meters placed along Sermilik Fjord. Calving-generated tsunami waves were identified and used to construct a calving event catalog. Calving events are observed to cluster around high and low semidiurnal tides and around high and prior-to-low semimonthly tides. In the postcalving ocean state, discrete spectral peaks associated with calving events are observed, and they are consistent among all the events. A numerical model is used to compute the resonant modes of the fjord and to simulate calving-generated ocean waves. Damped oscillator boundary forcing with 5- to 10-min periods is found to reproduce well the observed properties of calving waves. These observations and modeling are relevant for be...


The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is the world's first regional 10 carbon trading market. This article is a quantitative attempt to examine the temporal and spatial geography of European carbon trading. We show that carbon markets are especially sensitive to two factors: staging across time (Phase I versus II of the EU ETS) and across space (energy market structures in Europe). Carbon markets serve as a vehicle to better understand the economic geography of financial markets. Building on the theoretical vocabulary of the geography of finance, the article suggests that certain national factors (market structure) and institutional factors (regulatory phases) better explain how carbon markets operate than company level differences. These findings indicate that geographers have a key role to play in highlighting the local ramifications of carbon markets if and when the world moves towards its ambition for a global carbon market.


Competitive swimming is a demanding sport that requires rigorous training to achieve technical perfection. Research on computer simulations of flow have improved our understanding of how thrust and drag can be optimized for better performance. However, for a swimmer translating this information to technical improvement can be difficult. In this paper, we present an analysis and visualization framework for swimming motion that uses virtual reality to display 3-dimensional models of swimmers. The system allows users to digitize their motions from video sequences, create personalized virtual representations by morphing prototypical polygonal models, visualizing motion characteristics and comparing their motions to other competitors stored in a library. The use of virtual reality alleviates many problems associated by the current video-based visualization methods for analyzing swimming motion. 1


From the mid-1960s to the late 2000s, the number of people locked in U.S. prisons and jails, and forced onto parole or probation, increased from less than eight hundred thousand to more than seven million. From the beginning, this explosive growth, known commonly as mass incarceration, has been about containing, stigmatizing, and exploiting the poorest sectors of the working class. While an important prison reform movement has been underway for many years, private forces have attempted to co-opt this movement and have implemented and profited from alternative forms of mass coercion proliferating throughout society.


Eating is one of the most fundamental human activities, and because of the important role it plays in our lives, it has been extensively studied. However, an objective and usable method for dietary intake tracking remains unrealized despite numerous efforts by researchers over the last decade. In this work, we present a new wearable computing approach for detecting eating episodes. Using a novel multimodal sensing strategy combining accelerometer and range sensing, the approach centers on a discreet and lightweight instrumented necklace that captures head and jawbone movements without direct contact with the skin. An evaluation of the system with 32 participants comprised of three phases resulted in eating episodes detected with 95.2% precision and 81.9% recall in controlled studies and 78.2% precision and 72.5% recall in the free-living study. This research add technical contributions to the fields of wearable computing, human activity recognition, and mobile health.


A proper understanding of the effects of turbulence on the diffusion and drift of cosmic rays (CRs) is of vital importance for a better understanding of CR modulation in the heliosphere. This study presents an ab initio model for CR modulation, incorporating for the first time the results yielded by a two-component turbulence transport model. This model is solved for solar minimum heliospheric conditions, utilizing boundary values chosen so that model results are in reasonable agreement with spacecraft observations of turbulence quantities in the solar ecliptic plane and along the out-of-ecliptic trajectory of the Ulysses spacecraft. These results are employed as inputs for modeled slab and two-dimensional (2D) turbulence energy spectra. The modeled 2D spectrum is chosen based on physical considerations, with a drop-off at the very lowest wavenumbers. There currently exist no models or observations for the wavenumber where this drop-off occurs, and it is considered to be the only free parameter in this study. The modeled spectra are used as inputs for parallel mean free path expressions based on those derived from quasi-linear theory and perpendicular mean free paths from extended nonlinear guiding center theory. Furthermore, the effects of turbulence on CR drifts are modeled in a self-consistent way, also employing a recently developed model for wavy current sheet drift. The resulting diffusion and drift coefficients are applied to the study of galactic CR protons and antiprotons using a 3D, steady-state CR modulation code, and sample solutions in fair to good agreement with multiple spacecraft observations are presented.


The present study integrated a number of streams of research on the antecedents of innovation to develop and test a model of individual innovative behavior. Hypothesizing that leadership, individual problem-solving style, and work group relations affect innovative behavior directly and indirectly through their influence on perceptions of the climate for innovation, we used structural equation analysis to test the parameters of the proposed model simultaneously and also explored the moderating effect of task characteristics. The model explained approximately 37 percent of the variance in innovative behavior. Task type moderated the relationship between leader role expectations and innovative behavior.


Evaluation of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as energy consumption is essential for decisionmaking during the design and operation of smart manufacturing systems. The measurements of KPIs are strongly affected by several uncertainty sources such as input material uncertainty, the inherent variability in the manufacturing process, model uncertainty and the uncertainty in the sensor measurements of operational data. A comprehensive understanding of the uncertainty sources and their effect on the KPIs is required to make the manufacturing processes more efficient. Towards this objective, this paper proposes an automated methodology to generate a Hierarchical Bayesian network (HBN) for a manufacturing system from semantic system models, physics-based models and available data in an automated manner, which can be used to perform uncertainty quantification (UQ) analysis. The semantic system model, which is a high-level model describing the system along with its parameters is assumed to be available in the Generic Modeling Environment (GME) platform. Apart from semantic description, physics-based models, if available, are assumed to be available 1 Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-615-322-3040 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com in model libraries. The proposed methodology is divided into two tasks – (1) Automated Hierarchical Bayesian network construction using semantic system model, available models and data, and (2) Automated uncertainty quantification (UQ) analysis. A metamodel of a HBN is developed using the GME, along with a syntax representation for the associated conditional probability tables/distributions. The constructed HBN corresponding to a system is represented as an instance model of the HBN metamodel. On the metamodel, a model interpreter is written to be able to carry out the UQ analysis in an automated manner for any HBN instance model conforming to the HBN metamodel. The proposed methodologies are demonstrated using an injection molding process.


71 of 840 patients admitted to an intensive care unit (I.C.U.) between 1970 and 1974 because of acute myocardial infarction were aged over 80 years. Age was thus an important determinant of infarction and the death-rate rose steeply with age, the hospital death-rate being 61% in those over 80 but only 8.4% in those under 50 years. The high incidence and severity of haemodynamic complications (pulmonary oedema, generalized heart failure, cardiogenic shock) were the main cause of the high death-rate. Supraventricular arrhythmias (atrial flutter and fibrillation) were frequent. Early treatment in an I.C.U. improved prognosis even in the elderly patient, by control of conduction disturbances and other arrhythmias but also by early recognition and treatment of haemodynamic complications.


2,6-Pyridinedicarboxylic acid (H$_{2}$dipic) reacts with copper-exchanged zeolite NaY to form [Cu(dipic)(H$_{2}$O)$_{2}$]$_{n}$, which is encapsulated in the pores of the zeolite. In this zeolite-encapsulated form, the copper derivative functions as an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of cyclohexene, toluene, cyclohexane, and ethyl benzene in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (as an oxidant). The catalyst was readily recovered from the reaction mixture, and it could be reused for an additional three runs without perceptible loss of activity. The heterogeneous catalyst exhibited considerably higher activity and selectivity compared with [Cu(dipic)(H$_{2}$O)$_{2}$]$_{n}$ itself.


This session keynote paper presents a framework for designing and deploying production systems. The framework enables the communication and determination of objectives and design solutions from the highest level to the lowest level of a manufacturing enterprise. The design methodology ensures that the physical implementation, called Design Parameters (DPs), meets the objectives or Functional Requirements (FRs) of the production system design. This paper presents a revolutionary approach to determine the objectives and the implementation of a "lean" production system design for a manufacturing business as guided by the design axiom of independence.


Every year newspapers and television screens are dominated at some point by a natural
disaster of international concern. In a disaster, generation of waste is unavoidable. This
causes serious environmental and economic burden on normal living conditions,
reconstruction as well as on general municipal waste collection processes. Within this
context, waste management has emerged as a critical issue in responding to a disaster.
This became a critical issue in Sri Lanka which was heavily affected by Asian Tsunami
2004. This was mainly due to inexperience, incapacity and lack of concentrated and
effective planning and monitoring processes. In this context, it is vital to explore the
capacities which need to be enhanced for effective post disaster waste management at
national level in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this paper addresses research methodological
aspects underpinning of this research looks into capacity building for post disaster waste
management within the Sri Lankan context. Further, the paper illustrates how the
philosophical issues such as epistemology, ontology and axiology directed the use of
case studies as the suitable research approach. Case study design considerations
associated with this research will also be discussed.


Rhetorical studies has long worried about its identity as a critical discipline and a practical art. Since the Great Recession of 2008, a myriad of social and political forces has provoked a discourse about the vitality of the liberal arts, which brings this identity crisis to the fore. Defenders of the liberal arts have deployed a negative critical stance, positing the liberal arts as external to liberalism as a public culture. This stance limits criticism's political potential because it ignores the productive role of liberal cultural constraints in forming social bonds and creating self-understandings. As the liberal arts grapple with an evolving liberty to learn, so too might the rhetorical arts commit to the productive possibilities of simulation and judgment. This path would respond to the needs of students, who find themselves between structural constraints and contingent possibilities for change.


Background Iatrogenic injury to the bile ducts is the most feared complication of cholecystectomy and several are the possibilities to occur. Aim To compare the cases of iatrogenic lesions of the biliary tract occurring in conventional and laparoscopic cholecystectomy, assessing the likely causal factors, complications and postoperative follow-up. Methods Retrospective cohort study with analysis of records of patients undergoing conventional and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All the patients were analyzed in two years. The only criterion for inclusion was to be operative bile duct injury, regardless of location or time of diagnosis. There were no exclusion criteria. Epidemiological data of patients, time of diagnosis of the lesion and its location were analyzed. Results Total of 515 patients with gallstones was operated, 320 (62.1 %) by laparotomy cholecystectomy and 195 by laparoscopic approach. The age of patients with bile duct injury ranged from 29-70 years. Among those who underwent laparotomy cholecystectomy, four cases were diagnosed (1.25 %) with lesions, corresponding to 0.77 % of the total patients. No patient had iatrogenic interventions with laparoscopic surgery. Conclusion Laparoscopic cholecystectomy compared to laparotomy, had a lower rate of bile duct injury.


Few concepts in the social sector have caught on as quickly and have captured the imagination of so many, or have been the subject of such intense debate, as has social entrepreneurship. We need to create a healthy, vibrant eco-system that supports innovative social entrepreneurs, but with appropriate discipline to ensure that capital is directed to its best uses, without some devices to filter out the under-performers, scare resources will be spread among those who put it to good use and those who do not, fortunately, a member of innovative and exciting efforts are underway to address these issues. Many in this field express caution hope that the next decade will bring significant advances in the development of the field of social entrepreneurship. These advances could have a beneficial impact on the social sector as a whole.


The over-the-counter derivatives market involves trillions of dollars. Before Congress enacted The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ("Dodd-Frank") in 2010, this enormous market largely was left unregulated. Dodd-Frank changed the playing field dramatically, subjecting over-the-counter derivatives to extensive new regulation by the Securities Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC"). About ten years before Dodd-Frank, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 (the "CFMA") had established that most over-the-counter derivatives were not securities for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). At the same time, the CFMA subjected a specific category of over-the-counter derivatives — security-based swap agreements — to the antifraud prohibitions under Securities Act § 17(a) and Exchange Act § 10(b) and Rule 10b-5. Since the CFMA was enacted, few courts have interpreted the term "security-based swap agreement" and only one has given it studied attention. Dodd-Frank narrowed the definition of the term and left the antifraud prohibitions in place. This Article examines the historical interpretation of the term "security-based swap agreement," its application in recent SEC enforcement actions involving interest rate swaps and the continuing viability post-Dodd-Frank of having security-based swap agreements subject to the antifraud provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. It concludes that Congress should eliminate application of those antifraud provisions to security-based swap agreements because continuing to have them apply is unnecessary and undesirable after Dodd-Frank. The Article begins with a discussion of how the securities laws applied to swaps, the most common over-the-counter derivatives, prior to Dodd-Frank. After reviewing and critiquing the handful of opinions that have considered the scope of the term "security-based swap agreement," the Article considers whether the interest rate swaps at issue in the recent SEC enforcement actions are security-based swap agreements. The Article next describes generally the jurisdictional division between the SEC and the CFTC under Dodd-Frank and how security-based swap agreements fit within the new regime. It then explores reasons to do away with the "security-based swap agreement" concept in the federal securities laws, while considering the possible benefits of retaining it. The Article ultimately concludes that Congress should eliminate the "security-based swap agreement" concept from the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and explains why its continuing presence in the federal securities laws is unnecessary and undesirable.


Human ecosystems are real-life systems characterized by very strong and longterm interactions between human communities and their environment; as such they constitute an expansion of the ecological concept of ecosystem. According to Stepp and colleagues (2003), human ecosystems not only process matter and energy flows, but - and more specifically - information flows as well. Therefore, they display very specific characteristics due to our ability to communicate and learn from others, creating the conditions for co-evolutionary processes in which chance lends a hand to necessity. Bradbury (2006) argues that, until recently, human beings had been able to adapt to changes and to cope with co-evolution through rather simple heuristics. But human activities have gradually strengthened the links globally between loosely connected environments and societies. More information, more interactions and shorter communication paths tend to create intractable dependencies between events and to generate deeper uncertainties overall


In this paper the authors relate an example of an approach to conceptualizing curriculum innovation based on Innovation Translation, informed by Actor-Network Theory (ANT). This approach has an advantage over other innovation models in allowing the researcher to concentrate on just those aspects of the innovation that led to its adoption in a particular form, rather than relying on the explanatory power of its supposedly innate characteristics. The paper briefly outlines the theory of innovation translation, and actor-network theory, and describes an instance of how this theory can be applied to describing an information systems curriculum innovation. This example shows the advantages of innovation translation over other ways of viewing curriculum change.


this thesis explores the writings of Anne Morrow Lindbergh and their potential for oral performance. Lindbergh's life and works are examined, theories of interpretation are explored, and a solo performance script is compiled from various writings of Anne Morrow Lingbergh. The script was rehearsed and presented so that its effectiveness in oral performance could be evaluated. Both the performer and the audience members attest to the appeal of Lindbergh's writings as literature to be performed orally.


Sintered magnesia with different particle sizes, fused MgAl2O4 and FeAl2O4 were used as the raw materials. FeAl2O4 is added in MgO-MgAl2O4 bricks at different ratios to gradually replace MgAl2O4. After the raw materials were molded and sintered at the tunnel furnace with the temperature 1 530°C for 10 hours, the MgO-MgAl2O4-FeAl2O4 bricks could be made. After the analysis of the phase composition, microstructure and routine performance of the specimens, the influence by adding FeAl2O4 to the samples on the properties such as thermal shock resistance, adhesion strength of kiln crust are discussed as the key point. The result shows that the addition of FeAl2O4 has no evidently influence on the apparent porosity and volume density. The cold compressive strength of the samples reduces gradually with the addition of FeAl2O4, and it decreases obviously when the amount of FeAl2O4 is more than 8%. When the addition of FeAl2O4 is 5% FeAl2O4 in the MgO-MgAl2O4-FeAl2O4 bricks, MgAl2O4 and FeAl2O4 can combine each other's advantages. The thermal shock resistance not only decreased obviously but the adhesion strength to kiln crust is increased.


Skeleton-based person re-identification (Re-ID) is an emerging open topic providing great value for safety-critical applications. Existing methods typically extract hand-crafted features or model skeleton dynamics from the trajectory of body joints, while they rarely explore valuable relation information contained in body structure or motion. To fully explore body relations, we construct graphs to model human skeletons from different levels, and for the first time propose a Multi-level Graph encoding approach with Structural-Collaborative Relation learning (MG-SCR) to encode discriminative graph features for person Re-ID. Specifically, considering that structurally-connected body components are highly correlated in a skeleton, we first propose a multi-head structural relation layer to learn different relations of neighbor body-component nodes in graphs, which helps aggregate key correlative features for effective node representations. Second, inspired by the fact that body-component collaboration in walking usually carries recognizable patterns, we propose a cross-level collaborative relation layer to infer collaboration between different level components, so as to capture more discriminative skeleton graph features. Finally, to enhance graph dynamics encoding, we propose a novel self-supervised sparse sequential prediction task for model pre-training, which facilitates encoding high-level graph semantics for person Re-ID. MG-SCR outperforms state-of-the-art skeleton-based methods, and it achieves superior performance to many multi-modal methods that utilize extra RGB or depth features. Our codes are available at https://github.com/Kali-Hac/MG-SCR.


A computational tool that integrates a Radial basis function (RBF)-based Meshless solver with a Lumped Parameter model (LPM) is developed to analyze the multi-scale and multi-physics interaction between the cardiovascular flow hemodynamics, the cardiac function, and the peripheral circulation. The Meshless solver is based on localized RBF collocations at scattered data points which allows for automation of the model generation via CAD integration. The time-accurate incompressible flow hemodynamics are addressed via a pressure-velocity correction scheme where the ensuing Poisson equations are accurately and efficiently solved at each time step by a Dual-Reciprocity Boundary Element method (DRBEM) formulation that takes advantage of the integrated surface discretization and automated point distribution used for the Meshless collocation. The local hemodynamics are integrated with the peripheral circulation via compartments that account for branch viscous resistance (R), flow inertia (L), and vessel compliance (C), namely RLC electric circuit analogies. The cardiac function is modeled via time-varying capacitors simulating the ventricles and constant capacitors simulating the atria, connected by diodes and resistors simulating the atrioventricular and ventricular-arterial valves. This multi-scale integration in an in-house developed computational tool opens the possibility for model automation of patient-specific anatomies from medical imaging, elastodynamics analysis of vessel wall deformation for fluid-structure interaction, automated model refinement, and inverse analysis for parameter estimation.


This paper analyses foreign direct investment (FDI) flows in food, beverages and tobacco, including primary agriculture and retail, from 2003 to 2014. It provides information on global, regional and - where possible - national trends in FDI flows in food, beverages and tobacco. When data are available, this study also provides more detailed insights into particular qualitative traits of FDI flows, such as whether FDI seems to be market- or resource-seeking, or in how far changes in sub-sector-specific investment could be linked to changes in consumer demand. Thus it contributes to the ongoing global debate on the relevance and characteristics of FDI in developing country agriculture.


Glucose limitation and increased lactic acid levels are consequences of the elevated glycolytic activity of tumor cells, and constitute a metabolic barrier for the function of tumor infiltrating effector immune cells. The immune‐suppressive functions of regulatory T cells (Tregs) are unobstructed in lactic‐acid rich environments. However, the impact of lactic acid on the induction of Tregs remains unknown. We observed increased TGFβ‐mediated induction of Forkhead box P3+ (FoxP3+) cells in the presence of extracellular lactic acid, in a glycolysis‐independent, acidity‐dependent manner. These CD4+ FoxP3+ cells expressed Treg‐associated markers, including increased expression of CD39, and were capable of exerting suppressive functions. Corroborating these results in vivo, we observed that neutralizing the tumor pH by systemic administration of sodium bicarbonate (NaBi) decreased Treg abundance. We conclude that acidity augments Treg induction and propose that therapeutic targeting of acidity in the tumor microenvironment (TME) might reduce Treg‐mediated immune suppression within tumors.


Epigenetics describes the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur in the absence of a change to the DNA sequence. Specific patterns of epigenetic signatures can be stably transmitted through mitosis and cell division and form the molecular basis for developmental stage- and cell type-specific gene expression. Associations have been observed that endogenous and exogenous stimuli can change the epigenetic control of both somatic and stem cell differentiation and thus influence phenotypic behaviours and/or disease progression. In relation to drug safety, DNA methylation changes have been identified in many stages of tumour development following exposure to non-genotoxic carcinogens. However, it is not clear whether DNA methylation changes cause cancer, or arise as a consequence of the transformed state. Toxic agents could act at different levels, by directly modifying the epigenome or indirectly by altering signalling pathways. These alterations in chromatin structure may or may not be heritable but are probably reversible. That said, there is currently insufficient data to support inclusion of epigenetic profiling into pre-clinical evaluation studies. Several international collaborations aim to generate data to determine whether epigenetic modifications are causal links in disease and/or tumour progression. It will only be when an understanding of chemical mode-of-action is required that evaluation of epigenetic changes might be considered. The current toxicological testing battery is expected to identify any potential adverse effects regardless of the mechanism, epigenetic or otherwise. It is recommended that toxicologists keep a close watch of new developments in this field, in particular identification of early epigenetic markers for non-genotoxic carcinogenicity. Scientific collaborations between academia and industry will help to understand inter-individual variations in response to drug and toxin exposure to be able to distinguish between adverse and non-adverse epigenetic changes.


College football programs invest millions of dollars into recruiting top high school prospects. This recruiting process is covered extensively by reporters from sports media outlets. While the players being recruited are predominately Black, the sports media is disproportionately dominated by White men. In this context, the current study reports on data from interviews with 15 participants who work in the college football recruiting media industry. While some participants adopted a color-blind perspective dominated by a belief that racism no longer exists, most reporters expressed an awareness of racial stereotypes in the sports media and felt a need to address racial inequity. Such awareness presents an opportunity for anti-racist training that may help media members avoid racial stereotyping and address racism in the field.


Since its inception in 1995, the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism has resolved an impressive number of trade disputes and has earned a reputation as the "crown jewel" of the global trading system. Today, however, the mechanism is in crisis. WTO members have failed to negotiate updates to the rulebook, including rules on dispute settlement itself. As a result, the WTO Appellate Body increasingly is asked to render decisions on ambiguous or incomplete WTO rules. Its interpretations of such provisions have provoked charges by the United States and others that binding Appellate Body rulings, which establish precedents for future cases, effectively circumvent the prerogative of member countries to revise the WTO rulebook and thus undercut the national sovereignty of WTO members. For the past few years, US officials have blocked appointments of Appellate Body members to force WTO members to negotiate new rules that address US concerns and limit the scope for judicial overreach. If this problem is not resolved, the Appellate Body soon will not have enough members to review cases and the vaunted WTO dispute settlement system will grind to a halt.


We examine the impact of multiple risks of related goods on consumption of a risky good. We argue that the consumption of a risky good depends on both its absolute risk level and its relative risks to other risky goods. Seafood consumption in eastern North Carolina is studied. We elicit, in a survey, the individual perceived risks as the reference points to derive the economic value of reducing health risk in seafood consumption. Revealed and stated data are combined to trace out demand changes in response to absolute and relative risk reductions. Our results show that seafood consumption is affected by the perceived absolute risk and by the relative risk to poultry, which confirms that individuals react to the multiple risks in a nonlinear way--as predicted by our analytical model.


ABSTRACT Approximately 50% of transitioning service members report difficulty adjusting to civilian life. However, there is limited research exploring factors that influence adjustment for former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of demographic and service-related characteristics, trauma exposure, health, and participation in meaningful occupations on adjustment for former ADF members. One hundred and ninety-eight former ADF members completed a voluntary, online survey containing validated self-report measures for adjustment, health, and exposure to combat and military sexual trauma. Participation in meaningful occupations was assessed using open-ended questions and a rating scale for frequency of participation. A more difficult adjustment was reported by participants who had completed operational service, reported exposure to combat and/or military sexual trauma, had poor physical health and were discharged for medical reasons. Other characteristics associated with a difficult adjustment included emotional distress, involuntary discharge, age category 30–49 years, final rank of Senior Noncommissioned Officer/Warrant Officer or below, and discharge 6–8 years previously. Employment, voluntary work and care, and social and community interaction were associated with an easier adjustment. Screening tools that consider health, age, deployment type, final rank, type of discharge and exposure to combat or military sexual trauma may be helpful to identify and refer high risk individuals to employment, rehabilitation or transition support programs.


A system was developed for reporting gynecologic procedures at Chicago Lying-In Hospital. The system is designed to report procedures and treatments performed during both inpatient stays and outpatient visits. Key features of the system are (1) the automatic encoding of all gynecologic procedures in both the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) coding systems, (2) the use of an independent program to maintain and update a multiply referenced network of operative procedures and (3) the use of a cross-indexing system that allows each procedure to be accessed in several ways and according to several patterns of keys (billing code number, CPT category, common abbreviation and/or linguistic feature).


Dally and Rohde3 found that iproniazid responders had non-endogenous depression. The clearest evidence that patient type predicts outcome when using monoamine oxidase inhibitors comes from controlled trials comparing phenelzine with placebo. Paykel4 reviewed 12 such studies and found that the relation between response and subtype was weak. Outpatient studies have generally shown a superiority of drug over placebo where inpatient studies have failed to do so. Recently, however, tricyclic antidepressants have also been shown to be effective in the more neurotic depressive disorders.5 6 Direct comparisons between tricyclics and monamine oxidase inhibitors have been few and have failed to show clear differences.7 8 A study performed at St George's Hospital, Tooting, also failed to show clear predictors of response.9 10 In this study 131 outpatients were treated double blind for six weeks with phenelzine, amitriptyline, or placebo. Both drugs were clearly superior to placebo; both exerted their main effects on core symptoms of depression. In addition, phenelzine showed weak effects on symptoms of anxiety. Predictor analyses showed few interactions between diagnostic subgroups and effects of the two classes of antidepressants. There was a weak tendency to stronger effects of phenelzine than amitriptyline in patients with additional anxiety and without evidence of characterological depression. Patients with atypical depressive illness, rated in several ways, did no better with one drug than with the other. The similarities between the two classes of compound were much greater than the differences. At present, I believe that the evidence fails to identify a subgroup of patients with depressive illness who are clearly selectively responsive to a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. PETER ROWAN


Mike Joshi (MJ) - IT Director of ABC Corp (ABC) just got done with a meeting with Bob – Executive Vice President of Global Field Operations and Assurance for ABC Corp. MJ was asked to improve the output of ABC Corp's current workforce to stay competitive in the hyper competitive telecommunications sector using technology. Bob demanded that MJ figure out a way to improve efficiency in ABC's staff as they needed to push for the 5G deployment as well as Intelligent Edge Network. MJ was already aware of the fact that T-Mobile, one of ABC Corp's fiercest competitors, was gaining traction on them on network connectivity, customer satisfaction and plethora of services it was providing. T-Mobile was offering incentives to ABC Corp's existing customer to leave ABC Corp and move their service.
5G was in the midst of deployment and could become a game changer in terms of mobile connectivity and data throughput. It was a necessity in the world of social media, where the majority of the world population had handheld devices. Bob knew he needed skilled technology workers as well as customer care to support this mobile technology. How would he achieve such a goal when he was faced with a trimmed workforce? Bob wanted to know how he could squeeze higher performance from his top performers in the company using technology. Could he drive someone to put in the hard work required with the implementation of 5G and supporting existing technology and services? Bob needed a leaner and much more agile workforce especially after the recent job restructuring at ABC Corp. Bob needed employees to keep moving the goal line for the performance metric when T-Mobile was able to win over some contracts with large corporations due to the output and quality of its workforce. T-Mobile was able to offer a faster time for implementation of network services and Bob knew in order to improve efficiency at ABC Corp he needed a cultural transformation inside the workforce.
MJ knew he did not have much time to come up with a presentable plan to management. Bob was wondering if IT can build and implement any solution to help with the cultural transformation he needed. Bob also had an idea that there was an efficiency problem with the ABC Corp' task force, he knew he would need MJ to pull some reports and analyze them to make sure he could back up his gut instinct.


A novel cytokine originally designated murine CTLA-8 was described as a cDNA isolated from an activated T cell hybridoma produced by fusing a mouse cytotoxic T cell clone and a rat T lymphoma. This cDNA, which contains mRNA instability sequences characteristic of many cytokines, encoded a putative secreted protein that was homologous to the ORF13 gene of Herpesvirus saimiri. The human homolog to this molecule has recently been identified as the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17. We describe the isolation of a cDNA encoding mouse IL-17 from a cDNA library generated from αβTCR+CD4—CD8— thymocytes using a subtraction technique that enriched for activation specific genes. This cDNA shares 87.3% amino acid identity to the previously described murine CTLA-8. Comparison of murine CTLA-8 to a cDNA we isolated from activated rat splenocytes revealed that murine CTLA-8 is, in fact, the rat homolog of IL-17. Mouse IL-17 mRNA is specifically expressed by activated αβTCR+CD4—CD8—T cells, a small subset with a potentially...


Alongside drones and Special Forces, the 'disposition matrix' – a kill/capture list and database – is a key device in the US government's global 'war on terror', in which targeting individuals has become increasingly institutionalized. The majority of studies to date have focused on the human world of the military, insurgents and policy makers with a limited access to reliable knowledge. Using insights from technoscience and software studies, I seek here to develop a material-based perspective focusing on the neglected non-human world of software artefacts, which codify, standardize and sort our world. I will first present available knowledge about the 'disposition matrix' and the 'targeting methodology'. Second, I will elaborate on the materiality of databases and data mining algorithms, showing how their technorationality is built on recombination, which fosters the production of possible future targets for a data-driven killing apparatus, in which human and non-human decision-making processes are intimately intertwined. In the third part of my article, I will discuss how computational actors make the messy targeting process more opaque and less traceable – not at least because of their underlying technorationality with its open-ended search heuristics – which advances a possibilistic, preemptive culture of technosecurity.


Climate change would significantly affect the temporal pattern and amount of annual precipitation at the regional level, which in turn would affect the regional water resources and future water availability. The Peace Region is a critical region for northern British Columbia's social, environmental, and economic development, due to its potential in various land use activities. This study investigated the impacts of future climate change induced precipitation on water resources under the A2 and B1 greenhouse gas emission scenarios for 2020–2040 in a study area along the main river of the Kiskatinaw River watershed in the Peace Region as a case study using the Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA) modeling system. The simulation results showed that climate change induced precipitation changes significantly affect monthly, seasonal and annual stream flows. With respect to the mean annual stream flow of the reference period (2000–2011), the mean annual stream flow from 2020 to 2040 under the A2 and B1 scenarios is expected to increase by 15.5% and 12.1%, respectively, due to the increased precipitation (on average 5.5% in the A2 and 3.5% in the B1 scenarios) and temperature (on average 0.76 °C in the A2 and 0.57 °C in the B1 scenarios) predicted, with respect to that under the reference period. From the seasonal point of view, the mean seasonal stream flow during winter, spring, summer and fall from 2020 to 2040 under the A2 scenario is expected to increase by 10%, 16%, 11%, and 11%, respectively. On the other hand, under the B1 scenario these numbers are 6%, 15%, 6%, and 8%, respectively. Increased precipitation also resulted in increased groundwater discharge and surface runoff. The obtained results from this study will provide valuable information for the study area in the long-term period for seasonal and annual water extractions from the river and allocation to the stakeholders for future water supply, and help develop a regional water resources management plan for climate change induced precipitation changes.


This article analyses the structural changes in Latin American industry, which speeded up in the 1990s with the consolidation in the region of the external openness programmes, the deregulation of many markets, and the privatization of major sectors of industrial activity which had previously been dominated by State enterprises. The branches of manufacturing which have turned in the best relative performances over the last twenty years are natural resource-based industries producing staple industrial commodities, industries assembling computers, video equipment, television sets or clothing, and the motor industry, which has been given preferential treatment in government economic policy. In contrast, industries producing labour-intensive final goods, those making intensive use of technological knowledge and new product design engineering, or those producing heavy capital goods have been losing relative weight. The pattern of production specialization and the places occupied in world markets for manufactures have clearly been changing, with greater emphasis on utilization of the natural comparative advantages of the region (i.e., its abundant natural resources); or on sectors which have been given special treatment in industrial policy. The article explores the behaviour of the Latin American industrial structure in terms of productivity, comparing it with that of the developed countries. Using the case of the United States as a reference universe, it estimates the labour productivity gap with respect to that country and evaluates the performance of countries and industrial branches in the region as a function of that parameter.


Anti‐CD2 treatment provides targeted immunomodulatory properties that have demonstrated clinical usefulness to condition the immune system and to treat transplant rejection. The treatment is species‐specific due to structural CD2 antigen differences between nonhuman primates and humans. Herein, we report the safety profile and efficacy of two modifications of the same anti‐CD2 monoclonal antibody in cynomolgus macaques. Twelve subjects received one i.v. anti‐CD2 (of rat or rhesus type) dose each, range 1–4 mg/kg, and were followed for 1–7 days. Treatment effects were evaluated with flow cytometry on peripheral blood and histopathological evaluation of secondary lymphoid organs. In vitro inhibitory activity on primary MHC disparate mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLRs) was determined. Upon anti‐CD2 treatment, CD4+, CD8+ memory subsets were substantially depleted. Naïve T cells and Tregs were relatively spared and exhibited lower CD2 expression than memory T cells. Early immune reconstitution was noted for naïve cells, while memory counts had not recovered after one week. Both antibodies displayed a concentration‐dependent MLR inhibition. Lymph node examination revealed no significant lymphocyte depletion. None of the animals experienced any significant study drug‐related adverse events. This study outlines the safety and pharmacodynamic profile of primate‐specific anti‐CD2 treatment, relevant for translation of anti‐CD2‐based animal models into clinical trials.


: The authors characterized global cytosine methylation levels in 2 different genotypes of the ecotoxicological model organism Daphnia magna after exposure to a wide array of biotic and abiotic environmental stressors. The present study aimed to improve the authors ' understanding of the role of cytosine methylation in the organism ' s response to environmental conditions. The authors observed a signi fi cant genotype effect, an environment effect, and a genotype (cid:2) environment effect. In particular, global cytosine methylation levels were signi fi cantly altered after exposure to Triops predation cues, Microcystis , and sodium chloride compared with control conditions. Signi fi cant differences between the 2 genotypes were observed when animals were exposed to Triops predation cues, Microcystis , Cryptomonas , and sodium chloride. Despite the low global methylation rate under control conditions (0.49 – 0.52%), global cytosine methylation levels upon exposure to Triops demonstrated a 5-fold difference between the genotypes (0.21% vs 1.02%). No effects were found in response to arsenic, cadmium, fi sh, lead, pH of 5.5, pH of 8, temperature, hypoxia, and white fat cell disease. The authors ' results point to the potential role of epigenetic effects under changing environmental conditions such as predation (i.e., Triops ), diet (i.e., Cryptomonas and Microcysti s), and salinity. The results of the present study indicate that, despite global cytosine methylation levels being low, epigenetic effects may be important in environmental studies on Daphnia . Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;9999:1 – 6. # 2015 SETAC


SUMMARY: A penicillinase-positive variant was isolated from a penicillinase-negative strain of Escherichia coli during 'training' towards ampicillin resistance. The penicillinase activity of the variant was increased tenfold when the organisms were disrupted in a Milner press or treated with toluene, suggesting the presence of a permeability barrier. The enzyme released by disrupting the organisms was not precipitated by centrifugation nor removed by filtration. The penicillinase activity of toluene-treated organisms was easily removed by centrifugation. Disruption of the organisms released enzyme into solution whereas it remained intracellular in toluene-treated organisms. The variant strain, although resistant to over 200 μg. ampicillin/ml., did not appreciably destroy it; of other penicillins tested only penicillins G and V were readily destroyed. The enzyme was a 'penicillinase' (β-lactamase) since the product was penicilloic acid. The enzyme was not inducible: exposure of organisms to 6-amino-penicillanic acid or phenoxybenzylpenicillin produced a threefold increase in penicillinase activity not due to true induction but to an increased permeability. The penicillinase of this strain of E. coli thus differs qualitatively and quantitatively from other penicillinases.


Most fingerprint recognition techniques are based on minutiae matching and have been well studied. However, this technology still suffers from problems associated with the handling of poor quality impressions. One problem besetting fingerprint matching is distortion. Distortion changes both geometric position and orientation, and leads to difficulties in establishing a match among multiple impressions acquired from the same finger tip. Marking all the minutiae accurately as well as rejecting false minutiae is another issue still under research. Our work has combined many methods to build a minutia extractor and a minutia matcher. The combination of multiple methods comes from a wide investigation into research papers. Also some novel changes like segmentation using Morphological operations, improved thinning, false minutiae removal methods, minutia marking with special considering the triple branch counting, minutia unification by decomposing a branch into three terminations, and matching in the unified x-y coordinate system after a two-step transformation are used in the work. Keywords—Biometrics, Minutiae, Crossing number, False Accept Rate (FAR), False Reject Rate (FRR).


Based on a single-molecule sensitive fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay, an analytical platform for the detection of lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a lipopolysaccharide marker of tuberculosis, was established that is about 3 orders of magnitude more sensitive than comparable current ELISA assays. No amplification step was required. Also, no particular sample preparation had to be done. Since individual binding events are detected, true quantification was possible simply by counting individual signals. Utilizing a total internal reflection configuration, unprocessed biological samples (human urine and plasma) to which LAM was added could be analyzed without the requirement of sample purification or washing steps during analysis. Samples containing about 600 antigen molecules per microliter produced a distinct signal. The methodology developed can be employed for any set of target molecules for which appropriate antibodies exist.


Composite analysis is used to examine the physical processes that drive the growth and decay of the surface air temperature anomaly pattern associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Using the thermodynamic energy equation that the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts implements in their reanalysis model, we show that advection of the climatological temperature field by the anomalous wind drives the surface air temperature anomaly pattern for both NAO phases. Diabatic processes exist in strong opposition to this temperature advection and eventually cause the surface air temperature anomalies to return to their climatological values. Specifically, over Greenland, Europe, and the United States, longwave heating/cooling opposes horizontal temperature advection while over northern Africa vertical mixing opposes horizontal temperature advection. Despite the pronounced spatial correspondence between the skin temperature and surface air temperature anomaly patterns, the physical processes that drive these two temperature anomalies associated with the NAO are found to be distinct. The skin temperature anomaly pattern is driven by downward longwave radiation whereas stated above, the surface air temperature anomaly pattern is driven by horizontal temperature advection. This implies that the surface energy budget, although a useful diagnostic tool for understanding skin temperature changes, should not be used to understand surface air temperature changes.


It was shown that E. coli C, E. coli MRE 600 DNA, and also plasmid DNA of Col E1, RSF 2124 from E. coli K-12, and plasmid DNA from E. coli MRE 600 were completely resistant against restriction endonuclease R. Eco RII. Plasmid DNAs of Col E1, RSF 2124 amplificated for 4 hours in the presence of chloramphenicol are sensitive to R. Eco RII but after 16-hour amplification in the presence of chloramphenicol these DNAs acquire complete resistance against R. Eco RII. These data point to the slower rate of modification of DNA in vivo by DC-methylases of Eco RII type in comparison with DNA methylase Eco RII.


This annotated chronology of western music from 313-1425 is the first in a series of outlines covering the history of music in western civilization. The present volume covers the background, philosophy, theory, notation, style, and forms or classes of music of the periods stated and also the works of theorists or composers. Sources, facsimiles, and transcriptions of musical manuscripts and sources of treatises by musical theorists, in the original language and in English translation, are indicated where possible. The instruments of each historical period are listed and described. Musical terms are defined at the end of each chapter. Foreign words, parts of the liturgy of the Roman Catholic church, musical terms, titles of theoretical works and musical manuscripts, and names of composers, theorists, and places of interest are defined in the section entitled Definition and Pronunciation. This section also includes the translation and pronunciation of words in Classical and Ecclesiastical Latin, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Old English, and Old French. At the end of each section of the book are maps that show pertinent Empires and Kingdoms, and the areas of musical development and activity of each historical period. Appendices have been added in order to discuss notation and rhythm in greater depth and to divulge some different theories concerning the material found in the text. Supplemental sources for further study are found at the end of each historical period.


This work reports on the considerations for building RF switches in deeply scaled CMOS. As demonstrator single pole single throw (SPST) switches in a standard 65 nm technology are designed and measured. Goal of this design is lowest insertion loss while achieving high power handling capability, linearity, and robustness. For the novel design of switch variant Dev 1 0.8dB of insertion loss, 30dBm of power handling and an input third order intermodulation intercept point (iIP3) of 48.8 dBm has been achieved at 1.8 GHz. High robustness is achieved by stacking 4 transistors. Isolation at 1.8 GHz is better than 22dB. For high power handling capability in off state a method is implemented to rise the DC voltage level at inner nodes of the switch. Thus the threshold voltage lowering in deeply scaled CMOS can be counteracted. The small and large signal behaviour of the switch is compared to conventional designs and benefits are proven.


A cross-sectional study was conducted in Malaysia with the objectives of determining the prevalence of smoking in Malaysia, reasons for starting to smoke, age first
started to smoke, duration of smoking and to determine the relationship between smoking and age, sex, race, education level, peer influence and parental smoking status. Methods: All residents aged 18 years and above from selected households were included in this study. A standardised pre-tested structured questionnaire was used in this study. Results: The results showed that the overall mean age of the 17, 246 respondents was 38.8 (95%
CI= 38.5 - 39.2) years with a range of 18 - 100 years. The majority were Malays (55.5%)
followed by Chinese (21.2%) and Indians (11.2%). The age, sex and ethnicity adjusted
prevalence of ever and current smokers were 32.0% and 24.9% respectively. The prevalence
of ever and current smokers for males was 59.3% and 47.2% respectively. For the females,
the prevalence of ever and CUlTentsmokers was 4.8% and 2.7% respectively. The highest
ethnicity adjusted prevalence of current smokers was in Malays (28.9%), followed by the
Chinese (18.7%). The lowest prevalence was amongst the Indians (16.8%). The highest
prevalence of current smokers was found in Kelantan (30.2%), Terengganu (29.7%), Pahang
(28.7%) and Kedah (26.9%); the lowest prevalence was in Kuala Lumpur, Federal Teritory
(20.4%). The overall mean initiation age of current smokers was 19.2 years (95% CI =
19.1, 19.4 years). The mean initiation age of male current smokers was significantly lower
(18.9 years) compared to female current smokers (24.1 years). The mean duration of
smoking amongst the current smokers was 18.6 years. Males smoked significantly more
cigarettes than the females ( p < 0.00 I). D isc u ssio n : Multivariate logistic regression
analysis showed that smoking was significantly associated with age, sex, ethnicity,
educational level and peer and family influence.


HILLYER, Norman, New International Biblical Commentary: I and 2 Peter, Jude (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1992), pp. xv + 297. N.p., ISBN 0943575-87-7. The New International Biblical Commentary: 1 and 2 Peter, Jude meets its goal of 'representing thc best of contemporary scholarship in a form that does not require formal theological education' (p. ix). The comments follow the text of the New International Version verse by verse in a relatively narrative style of comment beginning with a one or two sentence summary of a section of verses followed by a more detailed explanation of the text. After each section of verses there are 'Additional Notes' which providc dctailcd comment on the Greek language and on differences in English translation. At the end of the book is a helpful bibliography for those interested in reading further material about the biblical books considered. Overall, the commentary is well organized, clear and easy to use. RAR


We review recent studies in ecological genetics considering the way genes interact with the environment. Studies on morphological and allozyme polymorphisms continue to highlight problems in identifying selective factors. Selection on allozymes as well as quantitative traits may only occur under specific conditions. Responses to toxins illustrate how adaptive changes can be based on major genes with polygenic modifiers. Analyses of continuous variation in ecologically relevant traits suggest low levels of heritable variation in some natural situations and emphasize the importance of genetic interactions. It is still not clear if adaptive responses in quantitative traits tend to involve major or minor genes. There is some evidence for genetic tradeoffs among environments and life history traits. Low levels of genetic variation, tradeoffs, and gene flow may restrict distributions and habitats occupied by species, but their relative importance remains unclear.


The project proposes an efficient implementation for IoT (Internet of Things) used for monitoring and controlling the home appliances via World Wide Web. Home automation system uses the portable devices as a user interface. They can communicate with home automation network through an Internet gateway, by means of low power communication protocols like Zigbee, Wi-Fi etc. This project aims at controlling home appliances via Smartphone using Wi-Fi as communication protocol and raspberry pi as server system. The user here will move directly with the system through a web-based interface over the web, whereas home appliances like lights, fan and door lock are remotely controlled through easy website. An extra feature that enhances the facet of protection from fireplace accidents is its capability of sleuthing the smoke in order that within the event of any fireplace, associates an alerting message and an image is sent to Smartphone. The server will be interfaced with relay hardware circuits that control the appliances running at home. The communication with server allows the user to select the appropriate device. The communication with server permits the user to pick out the acceptable device. The server communicates with the corresponding relays. If the web affiliation is down or the server isn't up, the embedded system board still will manage and operate the appliances domestically. By this we provide a climbable and price effective Home Automation system.


This paper aims to point out that the world‐wide education reforms for education quality are experiencing three waves based on different paradigms and theories of education quality and school effectiveness, and they result in different strategies and approaches to education assurance. The first wave of school reforms and initiatives focuses mainly on internal quality assurance and makes an effort to improve internal school performance, particularly the methods and processes of teaching and learning. The second wave emphasizes interface quality assurance in terms of organizational effectiveness, stakeholders' satisfaction and market competitiveness and makes an effort to ensure satisfaction and accountability to the internal and external stakeholders. The coming improvement initiatives should be moving towards the third wave, which emphasizes strongly future quality assurance in terms of relevance to the new paradigm of education concerning contextualized multiple intelligences (CMI), globalization, localization and individualization.


Background: The ongoing outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), emerged in Wuhan, China, and caused disruption among the health care populace and the rest of the world. As COVID-19 is highly contagious in nature, the front-line health care workers are at a higher risk and dental health care workers are of no exception to this and they are also at high risk than other health care professionals as we expend a lot of time close to the patient's oral cavity and the aerosols generated from dental treatments and the fluids that we came into contact like saliva, blood, etc., increases the risk multifold. Hence our aim was to assess the awareness, knowledge of dental students towards COVID-19.Materials and methods: A total of 350 dental students participated in the study. A structured custom-made questionnaire composed of 16 questions was designed to assess the students level of awareness, knowledge, towards COVID 19. The questionnaire was distributed among 3rd 4th year, interns undergraduate and postgraduate students, and informed consent was obtained before commencing the questionnaire. Results: A total of 350 students participated in a questionnaire study. The majority of the study participants were females (74%) and majority of the students were aware of CoVID-19 (99%) and only 1% were unaware. 79% of students were aware that COVID 19 is highly transmissible and about 76% has knowledge about the incubation period of COVID 19 which is usually between 1-14 days. Inadequate knowledge and awareness make students vulnerable to infections. Adequate training is required to protect students and their patients.Conclusion: Our study concluded that the majority of dental students had knowledge and awareness and its detrimental effects on COVID 19. Few students had a lack of awareness and inadequate knowledge about the mode of transmission, cross-contamination with dental instruments, incubation period and laboratory investigations.


These are days in which the spirit of inquiry is perhaps more
alive than at any other time in the history of humanity.
Not only in the sciences is experimentation taking place. New
methods of teaching are being tried out and tested, and the
laboratory has invaded the language field.
The whole field of education is continually under review.
Insistence is increasing that schools must provide an education
suited to the needs of the modern world. This has led to a new
appraisal of the value of various subjects.
It is generally agreed that the teaching of French in
Australia is at the crossroads. In fact, the claims of modern
language study itself have come under close scrutiny.
Many people feel that the results commonly achieved in
modern language study are not commensurate with the time and
energy expended. Many pupils leave school with little ability
to understand the foreign language when it is spoken, with
inadequate skill in using it either in speech or in writing, and
with little facility in reading it.


In the 2010 Toronto summit, the leaders of the G-20 countries agreed on the implementation of urgent fiscal consolidation plans, following the expansionary policies adopted to curb the recessionary effects of the financial crisis. Unprecedented cuts in public expenditures have taken place, particularly in the European Union periphery, reviving the discussion on the optimal size of the public sector. Supporters of fiscal restraint defend that bigger governments tend to be more inefficient, its opponents assume that government size determines the effectiveness of its performance. However, the social and economic impacts from contractionary fiscal policies ultimately depend on the level of public sector efficiency. Relatively inefficient governments have more scope to consolidate without compromising social welfare. In this paper, we adopt a multiple decision aiding approach, not previously employed for the assessment of complex macroeconomic performances, and employ the ELECTRE TRI-C outranking method to categorize OECD countries on a set of criteria representing the quality of their public sectors. We then compare the obtained classifications with the share of each government's expenditures on GDP, to identify distinct levels of efficiency. Our analysis suggests that various countries exhibit a margin for efficiency gains, attenuating the social and economic effects of fiscal consolidation policies.


"Solomon and Marcolf" is known for being both important and mysterious. It pits wise Solomon, famous from the Bible, against a wily peasant named Marcolf. One of its two parts is a dialogue, in which the king and jester, sage and fool, prophet and blasphemer bandy back and forth questions and comments. Whereas Solomon is solemn and pompous, Marcolf resorts to low language and earthy topics. The other part comprises twenty short chapters in which Marcolf tricks Solomon time and again. These episodes are as impudent and scatological as is the dialogue. Together, the two parts constitute a rudimental prose novel or "rogue biography."Cited by Bakhtin in "Rabelais and His World", "Solomon and Marcolf" is widely known by name. But until now it has not been translated into any modern language. The present volume offers an introduction, followed by the Latin and English, detailed commentary, and reproductions of woodcut illustrations from the 1514 edition. Appendixes help readers understand the origins and influence of a work that was composed around 1200, that attained its greatest popularity in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and that has the potential still today to delight and instruct.