his study was conducted to gain insight in the effects of groupmembership and changeability of perpetrators on perspective taking and judgment of perpetrators. The expectation was that changeability of a perpetrator would have a bigger influence on judgment reactions if the perpetrator belongs to an ingroup compared to a perpetrator belonging to an outgroup. That would indicate when the perpetrator would not show intention to change, the judgment of the ingroup member would be harsher than the judgment of the outgroup member (Black Sheep Effect, BSE). When the perpetrator would show intention to change, the judgment of the in-group member would be more lenient compared to the judgment of an outgroup member (In-group Leniency Effect). These influences were also expected on the degree of perspective taking. The expectations were tested in an experimental study, were the changeability and the groupmembership were manipulated. No evidence was found to confirm the two hypotheses (BSE and ILE). However, there were some interesting and unexpected interaction effects on some scales. It seems the changeability of a perpetrator plays a less significant role in the judgment of in-group members compared to the judgment of outgroup members. On the judgment of an unchangeable outgroup member, the degree of perspective taking was significantly lower than the degree of perspective taking of a changeable outgroup member. Perhaps this contributes to the fact that we have the tendency to attribute perceived crime of an ingroup to situational factors and the crime of an outgroup to dispositional factors. This phenomenon is called the ultimate attribution error (Pettigrew, 1979). In de theoretical foundation of this study this phenomenon will be explained further.


The transport characteristics of multivalent cations like Ba(2+) and Eu(3+) have been studied in bi-ionic form of the Nafion-117 membrane. The membranes have been prepared by loading different proportions of H(+)-Ba(2+)/Mg(2+)-Ba(2+)/Ba(2+)-Eu(3+)/H(+)-Eu(3+)/Na(+)-Eu(3+). The cationic compositions of the membranes have been determined from the measured ion exchange isotherms. Results show that the self-diffusion coefficient of Ba(2+) (D(Ba)) in H-Ba/Mg-Ba systems as well as the self-diffusion coefficient of Eu(3+) (D(Eu)) in H-Eu/Na-Eu systems are strongly dependent on the membrane ionic compositions and decreased continuously with increasing concentration of the highly hydrated ions (H(+)/Na(+)/Mg(2+)) in the membrane. Increase in the proportion of H(+)/Na(+)/Mg(2+) ions in the membrane increases the effective charge on the membrane matrix. This causes stronger electrostatic interaction of the less hydrated multivalent ions (Ba(2+)/Eu(3+)) with the membrane matrix charges, which ultimately results in their slower self-diffusion coefficients. The higher the valence, the stronger the electrostatic interaction is with the fixed ionic charges; hence, in general, D(Eu) is affected more as compared to D(Ba). On the basis of the free-volume theory for polymers, the effective interaction potential (Φ) of the Ba(2+) with the fixed ionic sites in the membrane has been calculated and found to be on the order of approximately millivolts. The higher the proportion of hydrated ion in the membrane, the higher the Φ is and the stronger the ion pair formation is with the fixed ionic sites in the membrane. However, in the Ba-Eu system, as the electrostatic interactions of the two ions with the membrane matrix are close, D(Ba) and D(Eu) are independent of the membrane ionic composition. The ionic composition dependence of D(Ba) in the H-Ba system is reflected in the transport rate of Ba(2+), showing the importance of such measurements in understanding the transport characteristics of the membrane.


A period of atoll emergence results in the development of a karst surface on the atoll. Upon resubmergence, this surface is preserved as a subsurface solution unconformity that can be identified by petrographic characteristics and a distinctive stable isotope signature imprinted by subaerial or phreatic diagenesis. Determination of the magnitude of Miocene sea-level falls by considering subsidence rates and depths to solution unconformities must take into account the lowering of the emergent atoll surface by dissolution. Previously, the depth to a Miocene solution unconformity below Midway Atoll was assumed to record a maximum highstand of sea level that preceded a period of island emergence. However, because of surface dissolution, the solution unconformity must represent some elevation between a past highstand and a subsequent lowstand. The subsurface stratigraphy of Midway Atoll shows that a late Miocene sea-level fall of 75–125 m below present sea level took place. The magnitude of this fall is greater than that previously determined, on the basis of stable isotope data, from Midway Atoll but approximates Miocene sea-level falls determined by seismic stratigraphic methods.


IBD has been associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture.1 Current guidelines suggest using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to identify IBD patients with osteoporosis as candidates for possible therapy, but focus on IBD patients with established risk factors (ie, postmenopausal women, hypogonadal men or long term (≥3 month) users of glucocorticoids). While the exact role and timing for DXA in IBD is not fully defined, it is even more controversial to consider when therapeutic intervention is indicated. Among the possible choices, bisphosphonates remain the most commonly prescribed pharmacological osteoporosis intervention. While there is little debate when postmenopausal women have osteoporosis-related fractures or osteoporotic bone mineral density (BMD) (ie, T-scores −2.5 or lower),2 ,3 the use of bisphosphonates when patients with IBD are initiating a limited course of glucocorticoids, when T-scores are not in the osteoporotic range, in men or in premenopausal women, requires greater consideration.

The literature evaluating bisphosphonate therapy in IBD, on balance, suggests a benefit for bisphosphonates for increasing BMD and reducing the risk of vertebral fractures.4 However, the studies of bisphosphonate therapy in IBD are quite heterogeneous. Since the use of bisphosphonates in postmenopausal women is not controversial2 ,3 for postmenopausal women who have IBD, there is an added incentive for the healthcare provider to consider a test (DXA) and treat approach. The use of bisphosphonates in the postmenopausal woman and an older man who is a chronic glucocorticoid user is also not controversial.5 One group investigated the feasibility of using bisphosphonates for short term glucocorticoids and found a benefit over calcium and vitamin D plus placebo.6 However, it is uncertain whether short …


Love wave dispersion and associated analytic partial derivatives are theoretically derived using the reflection/transmission (R/T) method. The numerical implementation is then applied to linearised inversion of synthetic and field data. For simple cases dominated by the fundamental mode, Love wave sensitivity and inversion stability is higher than the Rayleigh wave dispersion. However, in general, Rayleigh wave inversion converges more rapidly than Love waves, although similar low misfits can be achieved. When assumed interfaces are used, the inversion of fundamental-mode Love wave dispersion of the normally dispersive profile provides a more accurate result, because the Love wave dispersion is independent of the Poisson's ratio. In more realistic, irregularly dispersive profiles, deep structure is only interpreted using higher-mode Love and Rayleigh wave dispersion.

A field test over a shallow geologic fault with coincident Love and Rayleigh wavefields shows the fundamental–mode Love wave dispersion above 20 Hz to have at least 10% higher phase velocities than Rayleigh waves. However, at lower frequencies, Love wave dispersion is at least 10% slower. The resulting inverted models show up to 25% difference in shear-wave velocity. This is attributed to transverse isotropy of V SH and V SV in shallow fluvial sediments and allows improved geological horizon interpretation and soil discrimination over conventional, single-component surface wave inversion. A second test at a seismograph station site shows the Love wavefield less scattered and mode identification is simple, unlike Rayleigh waves over the same line, and the inversion results correlate well to downhole shear-wave velocity logs.


Many sensory and chemical signal inputs are transmitted by intracellular GTP-binding (G) proteins. G proteins make up two major subfamilies: "large" G proteins comprising three subunits and "small" G proteins, such as the proto-oncogene product RAS, which contains a single subunit. Members of both subfamilies are regulated by post-translational modifications, including lipidation, proteolysis, and carboxyl methylation. Emerging studies have shown that these proteins are also modified by ubiquitination. Much of our current understanding of this post-translational modification comes from investigations of the large G-protein α subunit from yeast (Gpa1) and the three RAS isotypes in humans, NRAS, KRAS, and HRAS. Gα undergoes both mono- and polyubiquitination, and these modifications have distinct consequences for determining the sites and mechanisms of its degradation. Genetic and biochemical reconstitution studies have revealed the enzymes and binding partners required for addition and removal of ubiquitin, as well as the delivery and destruction of both the mono- and polyubiquitinated forms of the G protein. Complementary studies of RAS have identified multiple ubiquitination sites, each having distinct consequences for binding to regulatory proteins, shuttling to and from the plasma membrane, and degradation. Here, we review what is currently known about these two well-studied examples, Gpa1 and the human RAS proteins, that have revealed additional mechanisms of signal regulation and dysregulation relevant to human physiology. We also compare and contrast the effects of G-protein ubiquitination with other post-translational modifications of these proteins.


This thesis aims to investigate new functions for ciliopathy proteins and identify
candidates for therapeutic application. The ciliopathies form a class of genetic
diseases whose aetiology lies in the primary cilium. Over 30 genes have been
identified as mutant in ciliopathies and their proteins localise at the primary
cilium. When mutated they can cause kidney disease, obesity, polydactyly, and
retinal degeneration.
In this project, I have studied craniofacial dysmorphology related to Bardet-Biedl
syndrome (BBS) in humans, mice, and zebrafish, and shown there to be consistent
midfacial flattening and hypoplasia. Bbs8, a causative gene of BBS, has a key
role in neural crest migration and possibly in cell migration in general. This
accounts for the frequent observation of Hirschsprung's disease, a gut immotility
disorder, in BBS. I identified new roles for BBS and other ciliopathy proteins in
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signal transduction and showed that they are important in
the downstream processing of the transcription factor Gli3.
I modelled ten different ciliopathy genes in the zebrafish and identified specific
ciliary phenotypes, such as laterality randomisation, otic vesicle anomalies, and
kidney cysts. Administration of two drugs, Rapamycin and Roscovitine, were
sufficient to rescue formation of kidney cysts and restore the filterative capacity of
the kidney. This paves the way for studies in mouse models and, ultimately, in
humans, where no treatment for ciliopathic renal disease exists.
I examined whether FTO, a gene associated with obesity in the general
population, functioned in ciliary processes. I provided some evidence that its
protein was involved ciliary processes and glucose homeostasis. I also showed
that fto interacted with its neighbouring ciliary gene, ftm, in the zebrafish. I
performed similar interaction studies to show that a non-synonomous SNP in a
gene associated with lipid accumulation in C. elegans had deleterious effects on
protein function, explaining its high degree of association in BBS patients.


A computer aided design (CAD) system for the design of flat
patterns for female clothing has been developed specifically
for use in an Educational environment. This Pattern Making
System (PMS) has been developed using a commercial computer
aided design software system, CADDS 4X, originally marketed
for Mechanical Engineering applications by the
Computervision division of Prime Plc. The software operates
on a Sun 3 computer Workstation under a Unix operating
system environment.

The features of the PMS include software programs, written
using CVMAC, the macroprogramming language of the host CAD
system, for the creation of basic blocks for many styles of
garments to suit any size of female body within a specified
size chart or user defined anthropometric data. Also
included are software programs for the design of auxiliary
patterns such as collars, cuffs etc., together with programs
to proportionally grade patterns to different sizes. These
programs have been compiled with appropriate CADDS 4X
graphics functions and structured into an icon menu driven
shell to form the PMS.

The main emphasis in developing the PMS was to make it
suitable for an Educational environment. Therefore an
extensive set of demonstration programs and on-line help
ivfiles
has been written and incorporated into the PMS to
assist the user. These help files explain the details of the
PMS and the CADDS environment, the functions of the programs
and the graphics commands and give guidance in their use for
the novice user. Furthermore, a series of explicit
tutorials have been written so that inexperienced users can
self-teach themselves in the use of the PMS for pattern
design so that the PMS also forms a system for computer
based learning.

The intention and hope is that, through the use of this
tutorial based PMS, students will gain considerable insight
into the use of a CAD system for pattern design which they
can readily transfer to other commercial systems.


Author(s): Woodruff, Maria Luisa | Advisor(s): Allen, Walter R | Abstract: Undocumented students, lacking United States residency or citizenship, select colleges annually. These students navigate a college application process in California whereby they prove AB 540 residency, take standardized exams, and attend competitive four-year universities without a social security number, a driver's license, or federal financial aid. A total of 20 Latino/a undocumented students and nine faculty or staff were surveyed and interviewed at three postsecondary institution types: Universities of California, California State Universities, and California private universities. This study examined the critical transition from high school to college and applied Laura Perna's college access and choice conceptual model to undocumented college students and explored the social, cultural, and economic resources that provided the conditions enabling their successful navigation through the college choice process. Participating Latino/a undocumented college students shared similar beginnings. They each migrated to the United States before the age of 13 from Mexico or El Salvador and enrolled, attended, and graduated from local elementary and secondary schools. Students and their parent(s) value education as a means of validation and social mobility, yet the access to a CSU, a UC, or a private university depended primarily on financial aid and secondarily on the information made available to them by counselors, teachers, and organizations facilitating college access. Students with the greatest access to information at every level of Perna's model, from the external legal policy to their community applied to the greatest number of colleges and had the greatest financial resources throughout their college decision-making process. Chain migration theory informed the application of Perna's model. Individuals and institutions through every contextual level could potentially inform the college decision process for undocumented students, yet available resources varied by institution type. Conferences, document review, and student and faculty staff surveys and interviews corroborated that public colleges have greater transparency about the application process for AB 540 students, and currently have easier access to financial aid information after the passage of AB 130 and 131. Some private colleges have over 20 full scholarships available to undocumented students, yet allies at the colleges and knowledge of such financial aid must be identified in advance to motivate undocumented students to apply. Students identified links in their respective chains for the colleges to which they applied and attended. Families and communities provided the support and motivation to succeed academically in elementary school, but links were vital to connect students to resources throughout high school and to college. The links came from teachers, programs like Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) or the Boys and Girls Club, and most importantly from organized undocumented student groups. Such groups provide inspiration and information regarding college access to their peers, but also demonstrate through example the ability and potential to access postsecondary education. This study informs practice at the policy, university, secondary, and elementary levels to improve college access for students regardless of legal status, regardless of nation of origin, and regardless of state of residency.


This article examined teachers' teaching experience and students' learning outcomes in the secondary schools in Ondo State Nigeria. As a correlational survey, the study population comprised all the 257 secondary schools that presented students for the year 2003 senior secondary certificate (SSC) examinations in the State. Out of the population, a sample of 180 schools was drawn through the process of stratified random sampling technique. An inventory and a semi-structured interview schedule were the instruments used to collect information for the study. The data collected were analysed using the chi square test, correlation analysis and t-test. The semi-structured interview was
conducted with selected principals and education officers. Their responses were analysed through content analysis. The findings revealed that teachers' teaching experience was significant with student' learning outcomes as measured by their performance in the SSC examinations. Schools having more teachers with five years and above teaching experience achieved better results than schools having more teachers with less than five years teaching experience. Considering the findings, it was recommended that government should encourage experienced teachers to stay on the job through the provision of incentives such as better promotional prospects, better welfare package and better conditions of service. African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. 3 2005: pp. 89-99


Dengue Virus (DENV) is a positive single stranded RNA virus presented in four serotypes, DEN1V, DEN2V, DEN3V and DEN4V. Its structure is composed of three structural proteins, capsid, precursor membrane (prM) and envelope, and seven non structural (NS) proteins, NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5. NS5 has a vital role in the replication of flavivirus. In this project, four different experimental procedures based on standard protocols, were used to create mutations in NS5 of DEN2V. There was no growth in original plates after overnight observation in experiment 1 and in experiment 2, competent cells were streaked on LB ampicillin plates but overgrowth reported in the result after overnight observation. Experience.3 the result of sequencing demonstrated that there was no change in the sequence of NS5 (DEN2V) as compared to the original sequence. Out of all the experimental procedures, optimized mutational results in experiment. 4 i-e., insertion of stop codon TAA and TGA were achieved in NS5 of DEN2V Replicon. It is clear from the sequencing analysis of NS5 of DEN2V Replicon after site directed mutagenesis that two stop codons (TAA & TGA) are inserted instead of AAA & AGA in the original SN5 sequence of DEN2V.


Microarc oxidation technique (MAO) is an electrochemical process which can be used to make ceramic coatings on the surfaces of titanium and its alloys. In this investigation samples of a commercially pure titanium (TA3) were anodized in 30g/L NaAlO2 solution under 280V voltage for 75 minutes to form a 3-10µm coating. XRD analysis showed that the main phase of the coating is TiAl2O5. Samples of the titanium and the MAO treated titanium were immersed in HCl and H2SO4 acid solutions at 250°C in an autoclave. Results show that in 0.1 mol/L concentration both the titanium and the MAO treated titanium have good corrosion resistance in the acid solutions. However, in 1 mol/L concentration the titanium samples completely dissolved in 24 hour immersion. The MAO-treated titanium samples did not dissolved away although some degree of weight losses took place. SEM shows that there are corrosion products on the surfaces of MAO treated titanium samples. XRD analysis showed that the corrosion products are titanium oxides (rutile and anatase). A corrosion resistance mechanism, which is based on the synergic protection of aluminum titanium oxides and titanium oxides for the titanium substrate, is proposed for explaining the enhancement of the corrosion resistance.


Background Higher intake of monounsaturated fat may raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol without raising low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. We tested whether increasing the monounsaturated fat content of a diet proven effective for lowering LDL cholesterol (dietary portfolio) also modified other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, specifically by increasing HDL cholesterol, lowering serum triglyceride and further reducing the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol. Methods Twenty-four patients with hyperlipidemia consumed a therapeutic diet very low in saturated fat for one month and were then randomly assigned to a dietary portfolio low or high in monounsaturated fatty acid for another month. We supplied participants' food for the two-month period. Calorie intake was based on Harris–Benedict estimates for energy requirements. Results For patients who consumed the dietary portfolio high in monounsaturated fat, HDL cholesterol rose, whereas for those consuming the dietary portfolio low in monounsaturated fat, HDL cholesterol did not change. The 12.5% treatment difference was significant (0.12 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05 to 0.21, p = 0.003). The ratio of total to HDL cholesterol was reduced by 6.5% with the diet high in monounsaturated fat relative to the diet low in monounsaturated fat (−0.28, 95% CI −0.59 to −0.04, p = 0.025). Patients consuming the diet high in monounsaturated fat also had significantly higher concentrations of apolipoprotein AI, and their C-reactive protein was significantly lower. No treatment differences were seen for triglycerides, other lipids or body weight, and mean weight loss was similar for the diets high in monounsaturated fat (−0.8 kg) and low in monounsaturated fat (−1.2 kg). Interpretation Monounsaturated fat increased the effectiveness of a cholesterol-lowering dietary portfolio, despite statin-like reductions in LDL cholesterol. The potential benefits for cardiovascular risk were achieved through increases in HDL cholesterol, further reductions in the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol and reductions in C-reactive protein. (ClinicalTrials.gov trial register no. NCT00430430.)


ABSTRACT The paper develops some of the conclusions, reached in Floridi (2007), concerning the future developments of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their impact on our lives. The two main theses supported in that article were that, as the information society develops, the threshold between online and offline is becoming increasingly blurred, and that once there won't be any significant difference, we shall gradually re-conceptualise ourselves not as cyborgs but rather as inforgs, i.e. socially connected, informational organisms. In this paper, I look at the development of the so-called Semantic Web and Web 2.0 from this perspective and try to forecast their future. Regarding the Semantic Web, I argue that it is a clear and well-defined project, which, despite some authoritative views to the contrary, is not a promising reality and will probably fail in the same way AI has failed in the past. Regarding Web 2.0, I argue that, although it is a rather ill-defined project, which lacks a clear explanation of its nature and scope, it does have the potentiality of becoming a success (and indeed it is already, as part of the new phenomenon of Cloud Computing) because it leverages the only semantic engines available so far in nature, us. I conclude by suggesting what other changes might be expected in the future of our digital environment.


The transcriptional profiles of mouse embryonic, neural, and hematopoietic stem cells were compared to define a genetic program for stem cells. A total of 216 genes are enriched in all three types of stem cells, and several of these genes are clustered in the genome. When compared to differentiated cell types, stem cells express a significantly higher number of genes (represented by expressed sequence tags) whose functions are unknown. Embryonic and neural stem cells have many similarities at the transcriptional level. These results provide a foundation for a more detailed understanding of stem cell biology.


Adaptation to hypoxia is an important object of medical research. The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamics of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), arterial blood pressure (BP), red blood cells, reticulocytes, hemoglobin and erythropoietin (EPO) concentrations during intermittent hypoxic training (IHT). The study was conducted in 11 healthy male volunteers; 2 regimens were tested: 11 and 14 days of IHT at FIO2 = 9%. Exposure to the hypoxic gas mixture caused a reduction in SpO2 by an average of 20.4% (p < 0.05), a 22% increase in the heart rate (p < 0.05) and a 4.5% decrease in diastolic BP (p < 0.05) relative to the initial levels. After 11 days of IHT training, the reticulocyte count was increased by 16.6% (p < 0.05), and there was a distinct tendency to elevated red blood cells (p > 0.05) and hemoglobin (p > 0.05). EPO concentrations declined by 44.2% (p < 0.05) relative to the initial level. Extending the regimen to 14 days resulted in a 3.9% increase in red blood cell count (p < 0.05) and a 4.7% elevation of hemoglobin concentrations (p < 0.05), accompanied by the recovery of the initial reticulocyte count. The applied 2-week IHT regimen resulted in the increased red blood cell count and elevated hemoglobin, suggesting an improvement in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The proposed regimen can be used to improve physical performance of individuals working in extreme environmental conditions.


ABSTRACT Identification with Europe can constitute an important part of psychological citizenship for European citizens. From a self-categorization perspective, higher-order (e.g. with Europe) and lower order subgroup identities (e.g. with the nation) may interfere with each other if they are seen as incompatible. We were interested in contextual moderators at school and country level of youth' national identity on identification with Europe. We used multi-level regression analyses based on data from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study, collected from 14-year old students (n = 71,282) from 22 European countries. Results showed strong positive effects of national identity at the individual, and classroom-level on European identity. However, main effects of national identity at the individual level were qualified by a number of interactions with contextual-level moderators. The relationship between national and European identity was weaker for adolescents attending classrooms or living in countries with lower average levels of trust in EU institutions. Living in countries with higher gender and income inequalities, less friendly immigration policies, and a communist past lessened the association between national and European identity. Results point to the powerful effects of context in shaping the relationship between national and European identity.


The ratio of companies and organizations in Norway with a number of employees between 5 and 9 and Internet access increased from 66% to 86% during a five year period from 2001 to 2006. This increased use of the Internet puts small companies in a vulnerable position considering information security. They are known to be remarkably less willing to pay for information security compared to companies with more employees and more revenue. There is no such thing as two identical organizations. Every single one has it's own assets, weaknesses, employees and fundamental strategies. This makes each company's requirement for ICT-systems and information security identical as well. One solution might be good for one company but not for others. The differences in organizational structure and mentality is important variables in the process of building a good and secure infrastructure for the organizations. The Australian Computer Crime Surveys presents four readiness to protect factors, they consist of: Technology, policies, training and standards. These factors are used as a template for this thesis. If companies focus on these four aspects of information security, and succeed in combining them in an optimal manner they are said to have security in depth. There is no use in investing great amounts of money on technology if these are not used in a justifiable manner. There might be several reasons for improper use of the technologies, among them; lack of knowledge, laziness and carelessness. The companies continuous inability to calculate their own risks of adverse events and their total losses experienced due to computer crime makes it difficult to perform investment analysis on information security. Smaller companies do often have very limited amount of money to spend in general, and therefore also on information security. The investment analysis model chosen therefore take the maximum amount of spend able money into account. The accuracy of the model presented relies in the companies ability to present trustworthy data, and use both willingness to pay calculations and cost/benefit-investments analysis methods, resulting in a more thorough presentation of an ALE/ROI method used in a proof of concept using estimated data based on surveys, professionals experiences and prices used by a Norwegian ICT-operations company.


This study quantifies the taphonomic context of fossil dinosaur elements in the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of Montana and North Dakota, USA. A previously published data base consisting of 649 individuals (counted at the family level) was used to establish statistically fundamental associations between the vertebrate faunal elements and the fluvial architectural elements in which they were found. In the Hell Creek, preservation is not equally distributed among the various fluvial architectural elements. Flood-plain and channel deposits preserve the preponderance of the Hell Creek dinosaur fauna. Articulated fossils most commonly occur within floodplain and point-bar deposits. Floodplain and related deposits, however, preserve the highest dinosaur faunal diversities. The dinosaur sample inferred to be most representative of the original dinosaurian assemblage structure, therefore, is obtained from floodplain and genetically related deposits. These yield eight families of dinosaurs represented in the following proportions: Ceratopsidae, 61%; Hadrosauridae, 23%; Ornithomimidae, 5%; Tyrannosauridae, 4%; Hypsilophodontidae, 3%; Dromaeosauridae, 2%; Pachycephalosauridae, 1%; and Troodontidae, 1%. Among these groups, dromaeosaurs and troodontids are represented only by teeth, a circumstance attributed at least in part to thin-walled bones whose potential for preservation in an active fluvial system is jeopardized. Ornithomimids constitute 5% of the total assemblage, which makes them the third most common dinosaur in this study. Their relatively high abundance may suggest a herbivorous dietary preference.


To the greatest extent, the indicators of the motor vehicles being in the normative technical state are influenced by the operational conditions, which, in turn, are characterized by road, relief (terrain) and transport conditions. The transport conditions of large cities of Ukraine are characterized by the intensive increase of motor transport, especially individual (private) one, on the street-road network of the city caused a number of problems, such as increased waste of time needed for a trip, increased number of forced stops, increased number of emergencies and road-traffic accidents, the occurrence of traffic jams, chemical and noise pollution of the environment. As the special investigations indicated, the volume of traffic has increased by 1.5...1.8 times in comparison with the data of ten years ago [1]. All this caused the necessity to substantiate the rational use of the power of the motor vehicles engines and to control their ecological indexes in order to reduce the negative influence on the environment. While evaluating the toxicity of the motor vehicles engines, two fundamentally different methods of investigations are being used: testing on steady-state operating conditions with constant parameters of the engine and testing on transient operating conditions when the input parameters are being changed. For the transient conditions, the main conditions of the motor vehicles motion have been identified: motion in the conditions of the city and motion out of its borders. Each of the conditions is characterized by the differences in the percentage of toxic components in the exhaust (burnt) gases. While developing the technique of determination of ecological indexes and parameters of fuel economy (saving) for motor vehicles, a large number of factors, which varies depending on the operating conditions, are considered. This is expedient in the case when the operating conditions are very different considering the typical motion conditions in the region and the several aspects that affect the fuel consumption. One of the main reasons for this is the unsatisfactory state of planning, accounting and standardization of the efficiency of the motor vehicles use. In this approach, the operation indexes are estimated based on not always impartial reporting and statistical data, so the standards are not an impartial factor or a model for the motor vehicles operation. These circumstances substantiate the urgency of the subject of research. While carrying out these investigations, the preliminary analysis of the motion conditions of the motor vehicles in different operating conditions is conducted and the peculiarities of the existing driving cycles of different countries of the world are considered. In order to ensure the determination of the motion conditions of motor vehicles in the conditions of the city of Lviv, the technique of investigations carrying out was developed on the basis of available means. The results of changing the conditions of the motor vehicles motion in the conditions of the city of Lviv were obtained taking into account the motion speed of the motor vehicle, the rotation frequency of the engine crankshaft, the instantaneous fuel consumption and the amount of consumed air. According to the results of the experiments carried out, the main features of the operational conditions of motor vehicles motion in Lviv were determined, the driving cycle for testing the motor vehicle in the conditions of Lviv and the method of comparative analysis of existing and improved driving cycles were developed. The analysis of indexes of existing and developed driving cycles is carried out and the expediency of use of the developed driving cycle is substantiated.


In 1880 the Jewish community in Palestine encompassed some 20,000 Orthodox Jews; within sixty-five years it was transformed into a secular proto-state with well-developed political, military, and economic institutions, a vigorous Hebrew-language culture, and some 600,000 inhabitants. "The Origins of Israel, 1882 1948: A Documentary History" chronicles the making of modern Israel before statehood, providing in English the texts of original sources (many translated from Hebrew and other languages) accompanied by extensive introductions and commentaries from the volume editors. This sourcebook assembles a diverse array of 62 documents, many of them unabridged, to convey the ferment, dissent, energy, and anxiety that permeated the Zionist project from its inception to the creation of the modern nation of Israel. Focusing primarily on social, economic, and cultural history rather than Zionist thought and diplomacy, the texts are organized in themed chapters. They present the views of Zionists from many political and religious camps, factory workers, farm women, militants, intellectuals promoting the Hebrew language and arts as well as views of ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionists. The volume includes important unabridged documents from the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict that are often cited but are rarely read in full. The editors, Eran Kaplan and Derek J. Penslar, provide both primary texts and informative notes and commentary, giving readers the opportunity to encounter voices from history and make judgments for themselves about matters of world-historical significance.Best Special Interest Books, selected by the Public Library Reviewers Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians"


This book contains an edition - with an extensive introduction, translation and commentary - of The Light of the World, a text on theoretical astronomy by Joseph Ibn Nahmias, composed in Judeo-Arabic around 1400 C.E. in the Iberian Peninsula. As the only text on theoretical astronomy written by a Jew in any variety of Arabic, this work is evidence for a continuing relationship between Jewish and Islamic thought in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The text's most lasting effect may have been exerted via its passage to Renaissance Italy, where it influenced scholars at the University of Padua in the early sixteenth century. With its crucial role in the development of European astronomy, as well as the physical sciences under Islam and in Jewish culture, The Light of the World is an important episode in Islamic intellectual history, Jewish civilization, and the history of astronomy.


AIMS
Bioprosthetic valve dysfunction (BVD) is a major concern regarding transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) durability. We aimed to assess incidence, correlates, causes, and outcome of early to mid-term BVD after TAVI in relation to patient's life expectancy.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Consecutive TAVI recipients (2007-20) with a follow-up ≥1 year were prospectively included. BVD and bioprosthetic valve failure (BVF) were assessed according to Valve-Academic-Research-Consortium-3. BVD/BVF and all-cause death served as endpoints. Average life expectancy was calculated from National Open Health Data and patients were stratified according to tertiles (1st: <6.85 years, 2nd: 6.85-9.7 years, 3rd: >9.7 years). Of 1047 patients (81.6 ± 6.8 years old, EuroSCORE II 4.5 ± 2.5), ≥2 follow ups were available from 622 (serial echo cohort). After a median echo follow up of 12.2 months, incidence rates of BVD/BVF were 8.4% (95% confidence interval 6.7-10.3), and 3.5% (2.5-4.9) per valve-year, respectively, without differences between life expectancy tertiles. The incidence of BVD was two-fold higher within the first year of implant (9.9% per valve-year) vs. beyond (4.8% per valve-year). Valve-in-valve procedure and residual stenosis, but not age/life expectancy predisposed for BVD. BVD/BVF were independently associated with outcome for patients in the first [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 1.72 (1.06-2.88)/2.97 (1.72-6.22)] and second [AHR 1.96 (1.02-3.73)/2.31 (1.00-5.30)], but not the third tertile of life expectancy (P = n.s.).

CONCLUSIONS
In this large prospective observational cohort, early to mid-term BVD after TAVI occurred at the same rate across the spectrum of life expectancy and was associated with increased mortality in patients with short but not in those with the longest life expectancy.


This study was conducted to determine some significant characteristics and select superior walnut genotypes within seedling population of Mardin central district and Diyarbakir central districts and their villages during years 2008-2009. Although, Mardin and Diyarbakir central districts have rich walnut genotypes, no studies have been made about walnut trees in the areas up to now. Therefore, this research is very important with respect to be firsting on walnut genotypes in these areas. During this study, firstly about thousand walnut trees were surveyed. Three hundred marked and evaluated in the genotypes. Accoding to results of this research, twelve walnut trees were selected as ''promising genotypes'' with respect to fruit quality properies according to the weighted ranked method. In the physical properties of these walnut genotypes, it was determined that fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, shell thickness, kernel weight and kernel ratio changed from 20.20 to 12.39 g, from 48.86 to 34.11 mm, from 36.71 to 30.45 mm, from 2.26 to 1.40 mm, from 9.55 to 6.73 g and from 58.04 to 40.85%, respectively. Based on the chemical properties of the selected genotypes, it was determined that protein, oil, moisture and ash contents changed from 20.80 to 13.98%, from 68.70 to 57.13%, 4.23 to 1.90% and 2.83 to 1.78%, respectively. In addition, based on the phenological properties of the these genotypes, it was observed that protandrous, protogynous and homogamouus ratios of flowering habits determined to be 50.00%, 33.33% and 16.16%, respectively.


Galectin-3, well characterized as a glycan binding protein, has been identified as a putative RNA binding protein, possibly through participation in pre-mRNA maturation through interactions with splicosomes. Given recent developments with cell surface RNA biology, the putative dual-function nature of galectin-3 evokes a possible non-classical connection between glycobiology and RNA biology. However, with limited functional evidence of a direct RNA interaction, many molecular-level observations rely on affinity reagents and lack appropriate genetic controls. Thus, evidence of a direct interaction remains elusive. We demonstrate that antibodies raised to endogenous human galectin-3 can isolate RNA-protein crosslinks, but this activity remains insensitive to LGALS3 knock-out. Proteomic characterization of anti-galectin-3 IPs revealed enrichment of galectin-3, but high abundance of hnRNPA2B1, an abundant, well-characterized RNA-binding protein with weak homology to the N-terminal domain of galectin-3, in the isolate. Genetic ablation of HNRNPA2B1, but not LGALS3, eliminates the ability of the anti-galectin-3 antibodies to isolate RNA-protein crosslinks, implying either an indirect interaction or cross-reactivity. To address this, we introduced an epitope tag to the endogenous C-terminal locus of LGALS3. Isolation of the tagged galectin-3 failed to reveal any RNA-protein crosslinks. This result suggests that the galectin-3 does not directly interact with RNA and may be misidentified as an RNA-binding protein, at least in HeLa where the putative RNA associations were first identified. We encourage further investigation of this phenomenon employ gene deletions and, when possible, endogenous epitope tags to achieve the specificity required to evaluate potential interactions.


The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is the most frequent deletion syndrome in humans. The genomic architecture of this chromosomal region makes it prone to anomalous meiotic rearrangements causing the loss of genetic material in the parental gamete. Gene dosage-dependent embryonic developmental processes are subsequently disrupted and lead to multiple birth malformations, the severity of which is modulated by other unknown genetic and environmental factors. The resulting clinical picture is a heterogeneous phenotype with no correlation with the genetic lesion. Currently, genetic diagnosis is mostly performed by gene dosage quantification techniques targeting region 22q11.2, but the recent development of whole-genome scanning methods enabling a full molecular characterisation of patients under uniform criteria and a better genotype–phenotype correlation will help to understand the pathogenesis of this disorder.

Key Concepts:

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is the most common human microdeletion syndrome.

It usually occurs de novo, although an estimated 10% of cases are inherited.

LCR22s are homologous DNA sequences that spontaneously mediate the deletion process during meiosis.

Parents should be studied both genomically and cytogenetically to rule out carrier status or occasional balanced rearrangements.

Phenotypic variability is likely to be due to genetic and environmental factors during development, and it hampers a genotype–phenotype correlation.

Genomic techniques will contribute to a better genotypic characterisation and understanding of the disease.

Keywords:

22q11.2 deletion syndrome;
DiGeorge syndrome;
velocardiofacial syndrome;
microdeletion syndrome;
chromosome 22


The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. There is considerable circumstantial evidence that multiple sclerosis is a complex trait, probably autoimmune in nature, and is determined by both genetic and environmental factors. It is recognized that relatives of multiple sclerosis patients are at greater risk for developing the disease than the general population, although this risk is still relatively low in absolute terms. Monozygotic co-twins of multiple sclerosis patients appear to have the highest risk of any group of relatives, although the absolute risk is well under 100%, as would be predicted if multiple sclerosis is purely a genetic disorder.


We reviewed 82 primary arthroplasties (in 71 patients) in which cementless porous-coated hip prostheses were used. The mean age of the patients at operation was 52 years (24 to 86); they were followed up for an average of 62.1 months (60 to 66). The diagnosis was avascular necrosis of the femoral head in 35%, fracture of the femoral neck in 24%, primary osteoarthritis in 16% and miscellaneous in 25%. The average preoperative Harris hip score was 56.7 points and the average postoperative score was 83.3 points. Eight hips (10%) had component loosening; four had been revised and four were awaiting revision. In 27 hips (33%) there was a radiolucent line wider than 2 mm in zones 1 and 7. In 55 hips (67%) there was calcar resorption of more than 10 mm. Twenty patients (28%) complained of thigh pain although they had no radiographic evidence of loosening of a component. Factors that may have contributed to the poor clinical and radiographic results were: 1) inadequate surface area for bone ingrowth, particularly on the lateral aspect of the upper part of the prosthesis, 2) poor initial fit of the stem in the metaphysis, which resulted in cantilever motion of the proximal part of the stem about the well-fixed distal stem, and 3) the collar of the prosthesis, which prevented it from subsiding to a naturally stable position and caused damage to the calcar.


The geochemical and geochronological fingerprint of rock debris eroded and carried by ice streams may be used to identify the provenance of iceberg-rafted debris (IRD) in the marine sediment record. During ice retreat following glacial maxima, it has been shown that there is an increase in IRD accumulation in marine sediments underlying the western limb of the Weddell Gyre. Here we present IRD provenance records from sediment core PS1575-1 in the NW Weddell Sea, and interpret these records in terms of the geographic sequence of ice sheet retreat in the Weddell Sea embayment during the most recent deglaciation.
We first characterize the source areas of eroded debris around the Weddell Sea Embayment, using published mapping of the embayment and new material from: 1. Till in modern moraines at the edges of ice streams, including the Foundation Ice Stream, the Academy Glacier, and the Recovery Glacier; and 2. Subglacial till and proximal glaciomarine sediment from existing cores located along the front of the Filchner and Ronne Ice Shelves, collected on past expeditions of the RV Polarstern. The analyses on these samples include 40Ar/39Ar hornblende and biotite thermochronology and U-Pb zircon geochronology on individual mineral grains, and K-Ar thermochronology, Nd isotopes, and clay mineralogy on the clay grain size fraction.

Results so far indicate that samples along the front of the Filchner and Ronne Ice Shelves record the geochemical and geochronological fingerprint that would be expected from tracing ice flow lines back to the bedrock terranes. The Ronne (west), Hughes (central), and Filchner (east) sectors have distinguishable provenance source signatures, and further subdivision is possible. In core PS1575-1, downcore IRD provenance changes reflect iceberg output and ice sheet retreat from the different sectors of the embayment through the last deglaciation. The detrital provenance method of interpreting the geographic sequence of ice retreat can equally be applied to previous deglaciations of the Weddell Sea Embayment.


The biggest stories of the year 2020 were the COVID-19 pandemic and a trade dispute between the United States and China. The pandemic significantly damaged the Asian economies. The US-China trade war halted after a phase one trade deal and the pandemic, but the future is unclear.


Two new spectrophotometric methods (MBTH and AP) are developed for the determination of vardenafil in bulk and in tablet dosage forms. The MBTH method involves oxidative coupling of vardenafil with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride in presence of ferric chloride in acidic medium, yielding green colored chromogen with absorption maxima at 625 nm. The AP method is based on the oxidation of 4-aminoantipyrine by potassium periodate, which subsequently couples with vardenafil in an alkaline medium to form a red colored product having absorption maxima at 530 nm. The absorbance concentration graphs were rectilinear over the range of 4-40 μg/ml for MBTH method and 4-60 μg/ml for AP method. The developed methods were fully validated as per the guidelines prescribed by ICH. The application of the proposed methods in the determination of vardenafil in their commercial tablet dosage forms was successful showing good percentage recoveries. Key words : vardenafil, electrophilic coupling agent, MBTH, aminoantipyrine, analysis.


The development of Zn-air batteries with a high energy density of 1350 W h kg-1 is one of the breakthroughs required to achieve a low carbon society. However, morphology control of the Zn negative electrode during charge/discharge (Zn-deposition/stripping) is essential for practical application. Considering the manufacturing process, a simple strategy is preferable. Herein, we employed surfactants as an inhibitor of the formation of mossy and dendrite Zn structures, and studied electrochemical Zn growth from the perspective of the electric charge of the surfactant. Even by using an additive free electrolyte of 0.25 M ZnO + 4 M KOH and with 1 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS: anionic surfactant) or polyacrylic acid (PAA: non-ionic surfactant), mossy and dendrite formations were unavoidable irrespective of the current density. On the other hand, a cationic surfactant, trimethyloctadecylammonium chloride (STAC), suppressed the shape change and resulted in a smooth and dense morphology. Zeta potential measurements, kinetic current densities observed from Tafel plots, and constant potential electrolysis indicate that quaternary ammonium cations (STAC) with bulky size adsorb onto protrusions which are the cause of shape change and suppress Zn deposition in the region to promote lateral growth. Although the adsorption of STAC increased the average overvoltage for Zn-deposition/stripping in a symmetric Zn|Zn cell under a current density of 10 mA cm-2, significantly stable behavior continued for 200 h. In contrast, the overvoltage of the additive free system suddenly increased after 156 h, associated with the accumulation of insulating ZnO and Zn(OH)2 formed on the Zn surface. In charge-discharge tests using an asymmetric Cu|Zn cell, the coulombic efficiency in the additive free electrolyte was less than 95%, whereas the addition of STAC at 1 mM achieved superior cycling performance without any capacity loss originating from the generation of dead Zn (electrical isolation). These results demonstrate that the addition of STAC is a promising method of controlling the Zn morphology.


On the basis of the shear-lag theory, an analysis was presented for stress redistributions of cross-ply laminates with a transverse matrix crack in the 90º ply under bending by establishing a layered shear-lag model. The present results show that approximate solutions of displacement and stress distributions for cross-ply laminates with a transverse crack under bending can be obtained by using a shear-lag method. The present paper therefore affords a new approach for studying the stress redistributions and failure mechanism for cross-ply laminates with flaw under bending.


Seventy-nine profoundly deaf 8 to 12-year-olds were tested for comprehension of spoken, written and signed (Paget-Gorman Sign System, PGSS) English grammatical contrasts. Understanding of spoken language was below the 4-year-old level, with few deaf children understanding enough vocabulary to attempt the test. On written and signed forms, many children responded to content words with little understanding of grammar. Others would interpret word order sequentially, producing characteristic errors. PGSS can provide a viable communication channel and does not hinder oral or written language acquisition, but it does not overcome the grammatical problems of deaf children.


Presented in this paper is a stability condition for a class of nonlinear feedback systems where the plant dynamics can be represented by a finite series of Volterra kernels. The class of Volterra kernels are limited to p-linear stable operators and may contain pure delays. The stability condition requires that the linear kernel is nonzero and that the closed loop characteristic equation associated with the linearized system is stable. Next, a sufficient condition is developed to upper bound the infinity-norm of an external disturbance signal thereby guaranteeing that the internal and output signals of the closed loop nonlinear system are contained in L∞. These results are then demonstrated on a design example. A frequency domain controller design procedure is also developed using these results where the trade-off between performance and stability are considered for this class of nonlinear feedback systems.


difficulties underlying the pathogenesis Neuro-otological Examination By of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Takuya Uemura, Jun-Ichi Suzuki, Jiro The third section is devoted to papers Hozawa, and Stephen M. Highstein. and comments related to multiple (Pp. 175; illustrated; £28.25.) University sclerosis, and there is good and succint Park Press: Baltimore and London, discussion on the problems of pathoIgaku Shoin Limited: Tokyo. 1977. genesis and epidemiology. The final In this Paper Age it must happen rarely section consists of critical papers on the that a new book does not have to jostle approach to slow virus infection includfor elbow room in an overcrowded maring the views of virologists, geneticists, ket. Significant gaps are rare in the and epidemiologists, and ends with Dr medical bibliography, and it is to the Mim's excellent outlook on future credit of Professor Uemura and his research. colleagues from Tokyo and New York This is a good book and highly recomthat they have identified and rectified a mended. Each chapter is short and to deficiency. the point, with full references. Each Obviously it is in rapidly developing section includes thoughtful and interyoung subspecialities, such as neuroesting comments and discussion. The tology, that such gaps do exist. Uneditors have done an excellent job and fortunately, for the same reason new the publishers are to be complimented books tend to suffer inevitably from an the layout and standard of print "publication lag", rendering many out and pictures. of date at, or soon after, publication.


The paper will devote to explore the deeper integration of translation aesthetics and pragmatics from the perspective of the relevance theory in an effort to contribute to the advance of traditional Chinese discourse on translation.


We present the results of a two-epoch variability survey in the Hubble Deep Field with the goal of investigating the population of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) to z ≃ 1. The high resolution and stability of the Hubble Space Telescope allow accurate photometry to be obtained within subarcsecond apertures, resulting in the ability to probe much lower AGN/host galaxy luminosity ratios than can be done from the ground. The primary data sets analyzed for galactic variability are the original Hubble Deep Field observations obtained in 1995 December and a second V-band (F606W) image obtained almost exactly 5 yr later in 2000. We find evidence for nuclear variability in 16 of 217 galaxies brighter than Vnuc = 27.5. Correcting for incompleteness and spurious detections, variable nuclei make up ~8% of the surveyed galaxies. These sources have a redshift range of 0.09 < z < 1.8 and cover the full range of galaxy nuclear V-I colors. Seven of our variable sources are coincident with X-ray sources detected in the 2 Ms Chandra survey, six from the main catalog and one from the supplementary catalog. We find that 44% of the variable nuclei are associated with mid-IR detections at 15 μm, and 31% are detected at 1.4 GHz. Optical spectra are available for 13 of the 16 variables. One is a broad-line AGN, and two others show weak evidence of type 2 AGNs. With the assumption that these variables are all active nuclei, we estimate the AGN luminosity function (LF) at 0.4 < z < 1.1 extending to MB ≃ -15. We find evidence for an increase in the number density of faint AGNs when comparing to the local Seyfert luminosity function. The LF for optically varying nuclei appears to rise in number density, with no evidence of turning over at these faint magnitudes.


Background: In Japan, recommended treatment durations are 6 or 9 months for patients with isoniazidand rifampin-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) and, following culture conversion, 18 months for patients with multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB). However, Japan does not report nationwide data of treatment duration of MDR-TB. Aims: To examine treatment duration of MDR-TB patients registered in TB surveillance in Japan between 2011 and 2012. Methods: We analysed routinely collected data of newly notified MDR-TB patients from national TB surveillance system in Japan, in terms of treatment duration and co-morbidities. Treatment duration was calculated by subtracting the therapy start date from the therapy end date. Results: Between 2011 and 2012, a total of 147 MDR-TB patients were newly notified to TB surveillance. 85 (57.8%) had completed treatment at the end of 2015. Duration of treatment was calculated for 80 (94.1%) patients. Mean of treatment duration was 724 days. Median was 761 days and interquartile range was 563-859 days. Mean of treatment duration by age group 0-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+ was 663 days, 803 days, 813 days, 831 days, 747 days and 601 days, respectively. Mean of treatment duration by male and female was 737 days and 701 days. Mean of treatment duration by diabetes and nondiabetes was 837 days and 709 days. There were no HIV-positive patients. Conclusions: On average, the treatment duration of MDR-TB patients in Japan exceeded 24 months, and of those with DM was 28 months. The treatment duration was the longest among those aged 50-59. Further clinical study may be necessary to investigate the possible risk factors for prolonged treatment.


Match-fixing is a topic that captures the imagination of the public and increasingly attracts academic interest as well. Manipulation of sports games can be sports related, to achieve a better result for the team or a player, or gambling related to gain financially from the outcome. This paper describes the results of an empirical study of match-fixing in The Netherlands and analyses the main risk factors involved. These are social relations of persons involved in sports with criminals; the availability of the game for betting; financial difficulties of clubs, players and others who can influence the out¬come of a match, and gambling addiction. Currently, match-fixing is high on the agenda of sports associations, gambling operators and government institutions on both the national and international levels. The 'Convention on the manipulation of sports competitions' drawn up by the Council of Europe encompasses a broad range of measures and can be viewed as the leading international initiative to curb match-fixing. Finally, we argue that the importance of sports in society requires more thor¬ough and comparative empirical research of the scope and nature of the problem, on non-gambling related match-fixing, and on the relationship between sports-betting and manipulation.


What happens when we attempt to draw together the concepts of 'the maternal' and of 'labour' in the category of 'maternal labour'? What is the specificity of maternal labour as labour and what is its specificity as maternal? This paper argues that there is a peculiar difficulty in the category of 'maternal labour', even a fundamental contradiction, but that this is not a reason to reject it. Beginning with a brief discussion of Marx's comments, in the Introduction to the Grundrisse, on the category of labour, the paper then considers some classic Marxist feminist literature from the 1970s and 1980s on the relation between Marxism and feminism and on the domestic labour debates in order to try to explain the nature of the contradiction in the category of 'maternal labour' and its significance for thinking the possibility of a non-capitalist maternal subject.


BackgroundLosing independence is a concern for older people, and sadly a reality for many. In Scotland there is an ageing population and unlike the rest of the UK, a policy to provide free personal and nursing care for those in need of assistance; this makes loss of independence high on the agenda of government, local authorities, care providers, older people and their families alike.
ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the factors associated with entry to formal care for older people in Scotland. In addition to socio-demographic, geographical and health characteristics, this study considered three lesser studied or novel factors: living in a flat, population density and recent employment.
MethodsA Scottish Longitudinal Study project (https://sls.lscs.ac.uk/) provided a 5.3% representative sample of the Scottish population for longitudinal analysis. This included people aged 65 and older in 1991 whose care-entry status was then followed-up in 2001.
FindingsAssociations were found for age, sex, marital status, longterm illness, housing tenure, recent employment, urban/rural classification and population density. Notably, whilst living in rural areas had a protective association with formal care home entry (OR 0.35 [95% CI 0.29,0.43]), paradoxically, living in areas with a low population density was associated with greatly increased odds (OR 9.05 [95% CI 7.34, 11.19]).
ConclusionsThis study indicates that the factors associated with care-entry in the Scottish population are similar to those in other Western countries. Possible explanations and justifications for the apparently paradoxical association found for population density are discussed. This finding might be relevant in populations outside Scotland, and future research should explore this.


Extended-reach-drilling (ERD) wells are expensive and challenging; however, in special situations, compared with conventional drilling, ERD wells are more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Application of drilling fluids with good lubrication for ERD is one of the most important methods to facilitate longer total depth (TD) of the wells. To better simulate the elevated-temperature environment in the borehole, this study proposes a method to perform tribological studies of drilling fluids at temperatures higher than 100°C by conducting experiments in a high-chamber-pressure environment, which can suppress the evaporation of the drilling fluid at high temperatures. Two lubricant additives were studied, and the results showed that, for the drilling fluid at elevated temperatures, a prototype additive (Additive A) reduced the coefficient of friction (COF) significantly by 44.8%, whereas a commercial additive (Additive B) caused only a slight reduction of the COF by 4%. After the tribological experiments, the wear mechanisms of the additives and abrasive particles were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).


Ethics is one of the longest standing intellectual endeavors of humanity. In recent years, the fields of AI and NLP have attempted to wrangle with how learning systems that interact with humans should be constrained to behave ethically. One proposal in this vein is the construction of morality models that can take in arbitrary text and output a moral judgment about the situation described. In this work, we focus on a single case study of the recently proposed Delphi model and offer a critique of the project's proposed method of automating morality judgments. Through an audit of Delphi, we examine broader issues that would be applicable to any similar attempt. We conclude with a discussion of how machine ethics could usefully proceed, by focusing on current and near-future uses of technology, in a way that centers around transparency, democratic values, and allows for straightforward accountability.


A comprehensive introduction to the theory and practical applications of content networkingi¾ Get a strong introduction to the basic networking concepts necessary for content networking, including network address translation, IP multicast content delivery, quality of service, and streaming media Master the application-layer protocols, including HTTP, SSL, RSTP, RTP and FTP Design redundancy and high availability by using server load balancing, Domain Name System (DNS) directory services, Cisco DistributedDirector software, proximity-based load balancing, and global sticky databases Learn to switch and offload encrypted content by importing, creating, and configuring certificates and keys in Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) termination devices Examine how to configure routers with Web Cache Communication Protocol (WCCP) and to switch content requests to content engines for serving frequently requested objects Learn how to configure caching, live push- and pull-splitting, content acquisitioning, and pre-positioning using Cisco Application and Content Networking System (ACNS) softwareContent networking is the most popular technology used to enhance network and application performance. The growth of content networking has been driven by end-user demands for richer content and lowered response times. These demands have caused the field of content networking to flourish with technological advances. Today many companies use content networking to add a layer of intelligence to their systems, scaling server availability and optimizing content delivery.Content Networking Fundamentals introduces you to content networking solutions and the underlying networking technologies that content networking uses to accelerate your applications in new and unique ways. You'll discover various algorithms behind content networking and learn how the Cisco Systems® product suite implements them.In this comprehensive guide, you start with a review of the protocols required for content networking, building your knowledge of introductory concepts and applications. From there, you delve into the components specific to content networking, with a focus on the content-aware Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Layers 4 through 7. Numerous deployment examples help you understand the more advanced topics. You can use the configuration snapshots in this book as skeletal configurations for your production network.Following the valuable lessons taught in Content Networking Fundamentals, you'll be able to effectively design, deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot content networks.


Prominent scientists and policymakers assert with confidence that there is no scientific controversy over the health effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)—that genetically modified crops currently in commercial use and those yet to be commercialized are inherently safe for human consumption and do not have to be tested. Those who disagree are cast as "GMO deniers." This article examines scientific reviews and papers on GMOs, compares the findings of professional societies, and discusses the treatment of scientists who have reported adverse effects in animal feeding experiments. This article concludes by exploring the role that politics and corporate interests have had in distorting an honest inquiry into the health effects of GMO crops.


OBJECTIVE
Several promising studies investigated marine omega-3 fatty acids (ie, fish oil) in borderline personality disorder (BPD), but overall effects remain unclear. The aim of this study was to obtain estimates of effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in BPD using meta-analysis, with a priori differentiation of affective, impulsive, and cognitive-perceptual symptom domains.

DATA SOURCES
We performed a literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE, using terms related to BPD and omega-3 fatty acids. Publication date was not a restriction.

STUDY SELECTION
We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared omega-3 fatty acids to placebo or any active comparator and pooled data using meta-analysis. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis, describing 4 RCTs testing effects of omega-3 fatty acids in 137 patients with BPD or BPD-related behavior.

DATA EXTRACTION
Using a pre-piloted data extraction form, we obtained data including intervention dose, duration, and BPD symptom scale scores, differentiating affective, impulsive, and cognitive-perceptual symptom domains.

RESULTS
Random effects meta-analysis showed an overall significant decreasing effect of omega-3 fatty acids on overall BPD symptom severity (0.54 standardized difference in means [SDM]; 95% CI = 0.91 to 0.17; Z = 2.87; P = .0041), without heterogeneity (I2 = 0.00; Q = 2.63; P = .45). A priori differentiation of relevant symptom domains showed significant effects on affect dysregulation (0.74 SDM; 95% CI = 1.21 to 0.27; Z = 3.11; P = .002) and impulsive behavior (0.45 SDM; 95% CI = 0.84 to 0.059; Z = 2.26; P = .024). However, effects on cognitive-perceptual symptoms did not reach the significance threshold.

CONCLUSIONS
Available data indicate that marine omega-3 fatty acids improve symptoms of BPD, particularly impulsive behavioral dyscontrol and affective dysregulation. Marine omega-3 fatty acids could be considered as add-on therapy.


Koshinski, R., Velichkova, K., Sirakov, I. & Stoyanova, St. (2020). Effect of Angelica archangelica L. extract on growth performance, meat quality and biochemical blood parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss W.), cultivated in a recirculating system. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 26 (1), 232–237 The medicinal herbs as natural products can be use like not expensive additives in artificial diets for aquatic animals which are safe for fish and the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the Angelica archangelica L. extract on the growth performance, meat quality and biochemical blood parameters (glucose, urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, ASAT, ALAT, ALP, Ca, P, Mg, triglycerides, cholesterol) of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Thirty specimens from the rainbow trout with anaverage weight of 42.55±7.48 g (control, C) and 42.51±6.02 g (experimental, Ang.a.) in good health condition were placed in each tank and cultivated for 60 days. A control group (no added) and an experimental (with added 433 mg.kg-1 of angelica extract) option, each with a two repetition, were set in a recirculating system in the Aquaculture Base of the Faculty of Agriculture at the Trakia University. At the end of the experiment were calculated average final weight, specific growth rates, feed conversion ratio, meat quality and blood biochemical parameters. The average individual weight gain of rainbow trout from the group fed with A. archangelica extract supplemented was 84.61±0.06 g which was with 15.01% higher compared to this one of control fish and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The blood biochemical parameters glucose, urea, albumin, ALP, ASAT, cholesterol in control variant were higher compare to values of this parameter of fish from the experimental (P > 0.05). Better growth performance and blood parameters were measured in trout fed with angelica supplement.


In this paper, a 2-D oriented wavelet transform (OWT) is introduced for efficient remote-sensing image compression. The proposed 2-D OWT can perform integrative oriented transform in arbitrary direction and achieve a significant transform coding gain. To maximize the transform coding gain, two separable 1-D transforms are implemented in the same direction for local areas with direction consistency. Subpixel interpolation rules are designed for rectangular subbands generation. In addition, semidirection displacement is adjusted to handle direction mismatch after the first 1-D transform. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed 2-D OWT compression scheme outperforms JPEG2000 for remote-sensing images with high resolution, up to 0.43 dB in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), 0.0261 in the measure of structural similarity, 0.44% in Kappa coefficients, respectively, and significant subjective improvement. Meanwhile, it outperforms JPEG2000, previous adaptive directional lifting and weighted adaptive lifting methods, up to 1.98, 0.36, and 0.19 dB in PSNR for natural images. Furthermore, it is suitable for real-time remote-sensing processing for its low computational cost.


Eric Richards describes the appalling conditions and treatment suffered by the Highland people, yet at the same time illustrates how difficult the choices were that faced even the most benevolent landlords in the face of rapid economic change. The Clearances were the most rugged and painful of many attempted 'solutions' to the problem of those who maintain a population on marginal and infertile land. In drawing attention away from the mythology or the hard facts of what actually happened, this book offers a balanced analysis of events which created a terrible scar on the Highland and Gaelic imagination, the historical legacy of which still lies unresolved in the twenty-first century.


The issue of thermal comfort, especially cooling, is highly significant due to the role that it plays in sustaining the environment and climate. Indeed, thermal comfort is the main constituent of vernacular architecture in all regions. Shelter as a man-made development, has taken climate into consideration in the form of passive cooling and heating throughout history. In spite of its significance, the issue of climate has been ignored in the past century. It can be argued that the purpose of construction is livelihood. In an urban context, thermal comfort comes alongside architectural development. In this paper, the indigenous architecture of different regions has been analyzed and the physical features of earth in arid and tropical climates have been compared with one another. By considering the climatic classification, and in order to achieve appropriate techniques for cooling by passive means by using the earth mass, several vernacular architectural structures have been examined.


Objective Coronary microembolization (CME) results in progressive contractile dysfunction associated with cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Alprostadil injection improves microcirculation, which is effective in treating various cardiovascular disorders. However, the therapeutic effects of alprostadil in CME-induced myocardia injury remain unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of alprostadil injection on cardiac protection in a rat model of CME and explored the underlying mechanisms. Methods A rat model of CME was established by injecting polyethylene microspheres into the left ventricle. After injection of microspheres, rats in the alprostadil group received alprostadil via tail vein within 2 minutes. Cardiac function, histological alterations in myocardium, serum c-troponin I (cTnI) levels, myocardium adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in myocardium, and myocardial apoptosis-related proteins were detected 12 hours after CME modeling. Results Compared with the Sham group, ATP concentrations, SOD activity in the myocardium, and cardiac function were significantly decreased in a rat model of CME. In addition, serum cTnI levels, MDA content, expression levels of pro-apoptotic proteins, and the number of TUNEL-positive nuclei were remarkably higher in CME group than those in the Sham group. However, alprostadil treatment notably reduced serum cTnI levels and expression levels of pro-apoptotic proteins, while noticeably improved cardiac function, and accelerated SOD activity in the myocardium following CME. Additionally, it was unveiled that the protective effects of alprostadil injection inhibit CME-induced myocardial apoptosis in the myocardium potentially through regulation of the GSK-3β/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Conclusion Alprostadil injection seems to significantly suppress oxidative stress, alleviate myocardial apoptosis in the myocardium, and improve cardiac systolic and diastolic functions following CME by regulating the GSK-3β/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.


A unique introductory guide to the rich, complex and diverse tradition of Islamic philosophy. Islamic Philosophy A-Z comprises over a hundred concise entries, alphabetically ordered and cross-referenced for easy access. All the essential aspects of Islamic philosophy are covered here: key figures, schools, concepts, topics, and issues. Articles on the Peripatetics, Isma'ilis, Illuminationists, Sufis, kalam theologians and later modern thinkers are supplemented by entries on classical Greek influences as well as Jewish philosophers who lived and worked in the Islamic world. Topical entries cover various issues and key positions in all the major areas of philosophy, making clear why the central problems of Islamic philosophy have been, and remain, matters of rational disputation. This book will prove an indispensable resource to anyone who wishes to gain a better understanding of this fascinating intellectual tradition.


Congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) is a heterogeneous group of conditions. Ullrich CMD is due to defect in extra cellular matrix protein- Collagen type VI. It is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in 1 of the 3 collagen type VI genes (COL6A1, COL6A2, COL6A3). Clinical features include slow progressive muscle weakness, distal laxity (hand, foot, finger), contracture of proximal joints ,early respiratory failure, protruded calcaneum and may never achieve ability to walk. We report a four year old boy with the above features diagnosed to have Ullrich CMD. This case is being reported for its rarity and to highlight the importance of diagnosis of subtype of CMD


Lazy Initialization Multilayer Modeling (LIMM) is an object oriented modeling language targeted to the declarative definition of Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) for Model Driven Engineering. It focuses on the precise definition of modeling frameworks spanning over multiple layers. In particular, it follows a two dimensional architecture instead of the linear architecture followed by many other modeling frameworks. The novelty of our approach is to use lazy initialization for the definition of mapping between different modeling abstractions, within and across multiple layers, hence providing the basis for exploiting the potential of metamodeling.


Summary
Different methods were investigated to prevent microbial hazards during rice sprouting. Disinfection of rice seeds before germination resulted in an immediate but temporary fall in microbial counts, except for minor populations (e.g. coliforms growing at 44 °C), which were totally eliminated. The levels were otherwise back to those of unsanitized seeds 24 h later. In-process sprays of chlorinated water failed to limit the growth of residual bacteria. Post-harvest decontamination was considered to improve the microbiological quality of sprouts. Experiments with artificially inoculated seeds demonstrated that immersing sprouts for 5 min in 60 °C water could decrease potential Listeria contamination to a safe level but that immersion would have no effect on the numbers of Bacillus cereus unless the temperature was increased to 100 °C.


The purpose of this communication is to investigate the pressure fields, for a large range of cw excitation levels, of two different focusing transducers such as those used for the medical applications. The first one (45‐mm diameter, 200‐mm focal distance, and 6.15 linear gain) works at 1.16 MHz, and the second one (70‐mm diameter, 90‐mm focal distance, and 63.85 linear gain) works at 2.24 MHz. The pressure signal measured along and across the acoustic axis is transmitted to a computer where its maximum and minimum are recorded, analyzed, and displayed. For the low gain and small aperture source and at low excitation levels, the highest pressure of the field does not occur at the geometrical focus but before it. For the high gain and large aperture source, the highest pressure is measured around the geometrical focus, whatever the excitation level used. Special attention is devoted to the saturation phenomenon.


The beneficial effects of PHB as supplement for giant tiger prawn Penaeus monodon postlarvae using a short-term enrichment strategy via Artemia were examined. The effects of co-supplementing with a lipid emulsion were also evaluated to determine whether it yielded an additional benefit. Results on the average weight and larval development were not significantly different among postlarvae fed the different dietary treatments, indicating that PHB supplementation could not be used to stimulate growth in P. monodon postlarvae while such positive results have been reported in other aquaculture species. Nonetheless, significantly higher survival was obtained in postlarvae fed PHB-enriched Artemia irrespective of lipid enrichment. In addition, PHB increased the survival of the postlarvae after exposure to a lethal dose of ammonia. Lipid supplementation nullified this effect. The cumulative mortality of postlarvae subjected to a sublethal concentration of ammonia for 24h and subsequent exposure to pathogenic Vibrio campbelli showed that PHB but not lipids could effectively enhance the resistance of the postlarvae. Co-supplementing lipids even significantly decreased this outcome. Our study indicates that PHB supplementation increases the quality of larval P. monodon and their chance of surviving under adverse environmental conditions. The short-term co-supplementation with lipid emulsion did not add to these effects.


Abstract While the evaluation of quantitative research frequently depends on judgements based on the "holy trinity" of objectivity, reliability and validity (Spencer, Ritchie, Lewis, & Dillon, 2003, p. 59), applying these traditional criteria to qualitative research is not always a "good fit" (Schofield, 2002). Instead, educational researchers who engage in qualitative research have suggested various sets of alternative criteria including: transferability, generalisability, ontological authenticity, reciprocity, dependability, confirmability, reflexivity, fittingness, vitality and, even, sacredness and goodness (Creswell, 2002; Garman, 1996; Guba & Lincoln, 1989; Patton, 2002; Spencer et al., 2003; Stige, Malterud, & Midtgarden, 2009). While over one hundred sets of qualitative research criteria have been identified (Stige et al., 2009), some researchers warn against the absolute application of any criteria to qualitative research which is, by its nature, wide‐ranging and varied, and does not necessarily lend itself to the straightforward application of any evaluation criteria. Nevertheless, whether or not criteria are applied at all in the research evaluation process, postgraduate students face a number of decisions associated with the process of evaluating qualitative research: 1) whether or not to adopt a set of appraisal criteria; 2) which criteria to select, if criteria are used; and 3) how to apply alternative approaches to criteria‐focused evaluation. These decisions often require a paradigm shift (Khun, 1962) in the way postgraduate students perceive and approach their research. The messiness and complexity associated with such decisions can be confronting. This paper examines a number of approaches used by researchers to evaluate qualitative investigations in educational research.


Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, pulmonary fibrosis (asbestosis), and various pleural diseases. Despite extensive research on the topic, the mechanisms of asbestos carcinogenicity are only partly understood. Two implications of this lack of knowledge are touched upon in this issue. Merler and his colleagues have reviewed the modalities of surveillance and health intervention for asbestos-exposed workers. Apart from the exposure and elimination of smoking, very few evidence-based tools seem to be available for reducing cancer mortality or promoting the health of exposed workers. In the other review Hillerdal & Henderson summarize the extensive literature dealing with the question of whether asbestos fibers as such, or asbestosis, is the reason for the increased risk of lung cancer. The question has 2 major practical implications: the strategies of primary prevention and the compensation for lung cancer among asbestos-exposed workers. The epidemiologic evidence of a causal relationship between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma is convincing and, despite the long latency time, some examples of successful prevention already exist. The incidence of mesothelioma has decreased in certain areas in the 1990s, but not everywhere (1, 2). In addition the statistics of the Finnish Cancer Registry indicate a plateau or a decline in the 1990s for men under 55 years of age and for women, while the incidence is still rising for men over 65 years of age (3). Up to 1995 the highest annual number of cases of mesothelioma was 57 in 1989. Meanwhile, the reporting of work-related cases has reached a high level, about 80% of all mesotheliomas in men. Preliminary data indicate possible modifying genetic and exogenous determinants for the asbestos-associated risk of mesothelioma (4, 5). Such findings may hopefully improve our understanding of the carcinogenic process, but eliminating the hazardous asbestos exposure remains the only effective means of prevention. Asbestos-related lung cancer is numerically even more important than mesothelioma. Hillerdal & Henderson point out that lung cancer is a common disease and even a low relative risk, if common, will result in a large number of lung cancers. The national policies vary in respect to whether the scientific evidence is considered to justify a total ban or the limited use of asbestos. The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark were the first countries to implement a total ban. In the 1990s the same decision was made in Germany, Finland, and, quite recently, France. Meanwhile, the use of chrysotile asbestos is increasing in Asia and many other regions. It is to be expected that full control of exposure levels will be a difficult, if not impossible task in these societies. Surveillance and periodic medical examinations have an obvious social role in detecting and monitoring asbestos-associated occupational diseases, albeit their health benefits have not been evaluated. The risk of asbestos-associated diseases among exposed workers can be reduced by the elimination of asbestos exposure and the cessation of smoking, although Merler & his colleagues point out that more could perhaps be known, and better results achieved, if ongoing programs were integrated. Screening for lung cancer with X rays or sputum cytology is not considered beneficial. Nor do chemoprevention trials among asbestos-exposed workers so far indicate evidence of protection. In lung cancer screening studies, the number of lung cancer deaths in the screening group has been at least as high as in the reference group, and some chemoprevention trials have been interrupted due to adverse effects. There is a need for new early-diagnostic tools or new chemopreventive agents, but their application must be based on controlled trials. An important task in the surveillance of exposed workers is to provide them with adequate information on the health risks of asbestos. The right to know should be a self-evident principle. Motivation to avoid further exposure and to quit smoking is also enhanced by this information. On the other hand, one should not inspire fear in those who have been exposed. The provision of balanced and adequate information is a real challenge for those involved in the follow-up of exposed workers. In a Finnish screening campaign among construction and shipyard workers, the information given during the screening activities reduced the concern of the personal health risk of past exposure for 15% of those who were worried (6). For the rest, the concern increased or remained unchanged. The information aspect should not be forgotten when the details of future surveillance activities or health intervention is planned for exposed workers. Exposure intensity and the presence of pulmonary fibrosis are closely related, and epidemiologic studies will probably never lead to a scientific consensus on whether the fiber itself, the consequent fibrosis, or its progression is the reason for the increased risk of lung cancer. A better mechanistic understanding may reveal an independent role for each of these. Meanwhile, the compensation for lung cancer remains a controversial issue, from the point of view of both science and practice. Chest X-rays, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and histology possess different sensitivities in detecting pulmonary fibrosis, and a medical differential diagnosis between (mild) asbestosis and other diffuse pulmonary fibrosis is not always simple. The sensitivity of CT instruments is continuously increasing, and there are no studies that have compared the occurrence of the various HRCT findings between asbestos-exposed and unexposed persons. If cumulative exposure and the relative risk of lung cancer, and not just the presence of fibrosis, are accepted as the basis for compensation, practical problems may arise from relatively low exposure and risks. When legal compensation is concerned, apportionment according to the estimated etiologic fractions of asbestos, tobacco smoking, and other lung carcinogens at the individual level is a justifiable solution. On the other hand, if the compensation for occupational diseases is integrated into the social security system, a dichotomous concept is reasonable. A system in which a varying part of an individual's social security comes from 1 source and the rest from another may cause problems. A relative risk of 2 is commonly used as a cut point for a dichotomous system. While the administrative basis for compensation is a political question, an abundance of scientific data is available to help to develop the actual criteria. A thorough exposure interview is often the best estimate of exposure. Reliable complementary information on the intensity of exposure and the consequent relative risk of lung cancer can be achieved by lung and bronchoalveolar lavage asbestos measurements, whereas recent Scandinavian studies confirm that the presence of pleural plaques as such indicate only a rather small relative risk of lung cancer, if any (7, 8). In the Finnish population, the risk of lung cancer was found to be 17-fold for asbestos sprayers, about 3-fold for insulators and asbestos quarry workers, 1.5-fold for plumbers, and 1.3-fold for construction carpenters. The exposure gradient behind this risk pattern was clearly reflected by the asbestos concentrations in pulmonary and bronchoalveolar lavage samples of workers in these occupations and unexposed referents. Finnish construction workers with long-term exposure to asbestos and pleural plaques as an occupational disease had a 1.2-fold risk of lung cancer. The surveillance of former asbestos workers and the compensation for asbestos-related cancers remain long-standing social challenges. Even though the occurrence of cancers may already have reached the maximum in some areas, the decline is unlikely to be rapid. This situation is unforgivable, as the basic knowledge for effective primary prevention was available already in the mid-1960s. Although the minimization of future exposures is the most important task, the concern for the health of past asbestos workers is an undeniable social responsibility. It should, however, not create the illusion that hazardous asbestos exposure is a past problem in modern societies. The quality of asbestos demolition work is a continuous problem, and a recent survey in Finland found occasional high fiber concentrations even inside the personal protectors during asbestos removal work. There is a need for continuous education and a more systematic health surveillance of asbestos demolition workers.


This study investigates whether Turkey utilizes its road transportation indicators efficiently or not within the framework of the European Union (EU) accession process. In addition, it aims to demonstrate Turkey's current position compared to other EU countries by performing relative efficiency analysis on road transportation indicators. Data Envelopment Analysis, which is among efficiency measuring methods and used in this research, is a non‐parametric method that is based on linear programming principles. In the analysis, three different models were formed in order to determine the dimensions of different road transportation parameters with the aim of minimizing the number of accidents and the number of casualties in accidents. As a candidate for the EU membership, Turkey's road transportation performance was demonstrated in this study using Data Envelopment Analysis in comparison to members (27 countries whose data were fully accessed) of the EU, which requires its members of fulfilling certain criteria and targets.


The spontaneous assembly of a peptide bolaamphiphile in water, namely, RFL4FR (R, arginine; F, phenylalanine; L, leucine) is investigated, along with its novel properties in surface modification and usage as substrates for cell culture. RFL4FR self-assembles into nanosheets through lateral association of the peptide backbone. The L4 sequence is located within the core of the nanosheets, whereas the R moieties are exposed to the water at the surface of the nanosheets. Kinetic assays indicate that the self-assembly is driven by a remarkable two-step process, where a nucleation phase is followed by fast growth of nanosheets with an autocatalysis process. The internal structure of the nanosheets is formed from ultrathin bolaamphiphile monolayers with a crystalline orthorhombic symmetry with cross-β organization. We show that human corneal stromal fibroblast (hCSF) cells can grow on polystyrene films coated with films dried from RFL4FR solutions. For the first time, this type of amphiphilic peptide is used as a substrate to modulate the wettability of solid surfaces for cell culture applications.