In recent years, the use of economic sanctions-statutory fines, surcharges, administrative fees, and restitution-has exploded in courts across the country. Economic sanctions are imposed for violations as minor as jaywalking and as serious as homicide, and can range from a few dollars to millions. When a person is unable to immediately pay off economic sanctions, "poverty penalties" are often imposed, including interest and collections fees and probation. Failure to pay economic sanctions can result in serious consequences, including prohibitions on obtaining or suspensions of driver's and occupational licenses, restrictions on public benefits, and even incarceration. Even when poverty penalties are not employed, an inability to pay off criminal debt means that the punishment imposed, even for very minor offenses, can effectively be perpetual. Desperate to avoid these repercussions, people go to extremes to pay. In an alarming number of cases people report having to forego basic necessities like food, housing, hygiene, or medicine, in order to pay what little they can, even if just a few dollars at a time. These and countless other stories of people trapped in persistent debt are becoming ubiquitous, and have raised the specter that current practices amount to modern day debtors' prisons.
Constitutional challenges to such practices have primarily focused on the narrow window of the post-sentencing collections context, relying on a series of Fourteenth Amendment cases prohibiting the automatic conversion of economic sanctions to incarceration where a debtor has no meaningful ability to pay. While these challenges can provide an important post hoc protection against the use of incarceration as a penalty for the failure to pay, they do not address the financial instability exacerbated by and ongoing threat of incarceration raised by debt from unmanageable economic sanctions.
A separate, albeit underdeveloped, constitutional provision that may be better suited to addressing the debtors' prison crisis lies in the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause, which provides protection at sentencing. To date, the United States Supreme Court has only determined that criminal and civil forfeitures constitute fines. This Article examines the key concerns underlying those determinations, explicating the Court's interest in treating economic sanctions as fines where they are used by the government to punish-evidenced by a link to prohibited conduct or treatment of economic sanctions like other recognized forms of punishment-as well as the Court's desire that the Clause serve as a bulwark against the risk that the prosecutorial power will be abused due to the revenue generating capacity of economic sanctions. Applying these core concerns supports the conclusion that common forms of economic sanction (including statutory fines, surcharges, administrative fees, and restitution) constitute fines for purposes of the Clause.
In addition, this Article examines the meaning of excessiveness, arguing that one's ability to pay is relevant to the question of whether a fine is constitutional. The Court has adopted the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause's gross disproportionality test for measuring excessiveness. Attending to financial circumstances in the excessiveness inquiry is in harmony with key principles animating the proportionality doctrine: equality in sentencing, comparative proportionality between offenses of different seriousness, the expressive value of punishment, concern for the criminogenic effect of and other social harms caused by punishment, and the prohibition on punishments that unreasonably infringe on human dignity.


Family history of cancer may represent shared genetic and environmental risk factors for leukemia. The authors examined associations of first-degree family history of cancer with adult acute leukemia incidence by using data on 811 patients (or their proxies) identified at diagnosis and 637 population-based controls in the United States and Canada during 1986-1990. For proxy-interviewed patients, relative risks were elevated for family history of any cancer (relative risk = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 2.4), hematopoietic cancer (relative risk = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.0), leukemia (relative risk = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 4.6), and breast cancer (relative risk = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0, 3.0) but not for colorectal, prostate, or lung cancer. For self-interviewed patients, family history of hematopoietic cancer was inversely associated with leukemia incidence (relative risk = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4, 1.1). Regardless of patient interview type, history of breast cancer in sisters was positively associated with adult acute leukemia, whereas history of breast cancer in mothers was not. The role of family history of cancer in leukemia etiology is unclear because of differential reporting by patients and proxies. Specifically, self-interviewed patients may underreport cancer in their first-degree relatives. Associations between family history of breast cancer and leukemia incidence may be the result of unmeasured, shared etiologies specific to these cancers.


In this paper we propose a technique for 3-D segmentation of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) from computed tomography angiography (CTA) images. Output data (3-D model) form the proposed method can be used for measurement of aortic shape and dimensions. Knowledge of aortic shape and size is very important in planning of minimally invasive procedure that is for selection of appropriate stent graft device for treatment of AAA. The technique is based on a 3-D deformable model and utilizes the level-set algorithm for implementation of the method. The method performs 3-D segmentation of CTA images and extracts a 3-D model of aortic wall. Once the 3-D model of aortic wall is available it is easy to perform all required measurements for appropriate stent graft selection. The method proposed in this paper uses the level-set algorithm for deformable models, instead of the classical snake algorithm. The main advantage of the level set algorithm is that it enables easy segmentation of complex structures, surpassing most of the drawbacks of the classical approach. We have extended the deformable model to incorporate the a priori knowledge about the shape of the AAA. This helps direct the evolution of the deformable model to correctly segment the aorta. The algorithm has been implemented in IDL and C languages. Experiments have been performed using real patient CTA images and have shown good results.


Background: The intense efforts made during 3-week stage races may reduce iron metabolism and hematological parameters. These efforts may increase the levels of circulating muscle damage markers and some hormones. All of these physiological changes may have negative consequences not only for the performance of athletes but also for their health. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with 80 mg/day of iron on haematological parameters, serum cortisol and biochemical muscle indicators on elite male cyclists during the 3-week stage race the Vuelta a España. Our secondary aim was to examine whether the hematological profile is associated with muscular damage parameters and cortisol. Methods: Eighteen elite male cyclists from two teams were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) control group (CG, n = 9; age: 26.1 ± 4.6 years; maximum oxygen uptake per kg: 78.0 ± 5.4 mL/kg/min) or (2) group treated with 80 mg/day iron (800 mg of iron protein succinylate, ITG, n = 9; age: 25.7 ± 6.4 years; maximum oxygen uptake per kg: 77.6 ± 6.5 mL/kg/min). The cyclists were subjected to blood tests one week before the start of the race (T1) and after 4 weeks of treatment, coinciding with the end of the competition (T2). Iron metabolism parameters, muscle damage indicators and serum cortisol were assessed. Repeated-measures ANOVA with group as a factor (GC and ITG) were used to examine the differences between groups throughout the study (time × group) after iron supplementation treatment. Results: Significant differences were observed between groups throughout the study in the group-by-time interaction and changes in serum iron (GC: −8.93 ± 10.35% vs. ITG: 0.60 ± 8.64%; p = 0.018), ferritin (GC: −13.88 ± 23.53% vs. ITG: 91.08 ± 118.30%; p = 0.004), haemoglobin (GC: 10.00 ± 3.32% vs. ITG: 13.04 ± 5.64%; p < 0.001), haematocrit (GC: −1.17 ± 3.78% vs. ITG: 7.32 ± 3.92%; p < 0.001) and cortisol (GC: 24.74 ± 25.84% vs. ITG: –13.54 ± 13.61%; p = 0.005). However, no significant group-by-time interaction was observed for the circulating muscle biomarkers. Additionally, significant negative correlations of serum iron, haemoglobin and haematocrit with muscle circulating biomarkers and cortisol (p < 0.05) were observed. Conclusions: Oral iron supplementation with 80 mg/day iron (800 mg of iron protein succinylate) effectively prevented a decline in haematological parameters (serum iron, ferritin, haemoglobin and haematocrit) and maintained optimal levels of recovery in elite cyclists during the Vuelta a España. Moreover, the hematological values were shown to have relationship with muscular recovery parameters.


A new genus, Acidianus, is characterized from studies of 26 isolates of thermoacidophilic archaebacteria from different solfatara fields and marine hydrothermal systems; these isolates grow as facultative aerobes by lithotrophic oxidation and reduction of SO, respectively, and are therefore different from the strictly aerobic Sulfolobus species. The Acidianus isolates have a deoxyribonucleic acid guanine-plus-cytosine content of 31 mol%. In contrast, two of three Sulfolobus species, including the type species, have a guanine-plus-cytosine content of 37 mol%; Sulfolobus brierleyi is the exception, with a guanine-plus-cytosine content of 31 mol%. In contrast to its earlier descriptions, S. brierleyi is able to grow strictly anaerobically by hydrogen-sulfur autotrophy. Therefore, it is described here as a member of the genus Acidianus. The following species are assigned to the genus Acidianus: Acidianus infernus sp. nov. (type strain, strain DSM 3191) and Acidianus brierleyi comb. nov. (type strain, strain DSM 1651).


SYNOPSIS. Some of the major features of nucleic acid structure and replication are reviewed in respect to their constancy and variability. These two qualities of conservation and change are broadly discussed in terms of the roles that genetic informational molecules play in biological evolution.


textabstractContainerized transportation has become an essential part of the intermodal freight transport. Millions of containers pass through container terminals on an annual basis. Handling a large number of containers arriving and leaving terminals by different modalities including the new mega-size ships significantly affects the performance of terminals. Container terminal operators are always looking for new technologies and smart solutions to maintain efficiency. They need to know how different operations at the terminal interact and affect the performance of the terminal as a whole. Among all operations, the stacking area is of special importance since almost every container must be stacked in this area for a period of time. If the stacking operations of the terminal are not well managed, then the response time of the terminal significantly increases and consequently the performance decreases. In this dissertation, we propose, develop, and test optimization methods to support the decisions of container terminal operators in the stacking area. First, we study how to sequence storage and retrieval containers to be carried out by a single or two automated stacking cranes in a block of containers. The objective is to minimize the makespan of the cranes. Finally, we study how to minimize the expected number of reshuffles when incoming containers have to be stacked in a block of containers. A reshuffle is the removal of a container stacked on top of a desired container. Reshuffling containers is one of the daily operations at a container terminal which is time consuming and increases a ship's berthing time.


Holocene environmental change in the northern and central Nile Valley was controlled primarily by shifts in the Intertropical Convergence Zone over time, leading to changes in aridity and water availability for early occupants of the region. Although local environmental changes may help to motivate societal changes such as those in settlement patterns or technological productions, evidence from pedogenic carbonates at Sai Island, in northern Sudan, indicate that the most significant environmental changes predated a key shift in local food production from foraging to pastoralism. Changes in local environmental conditions from a wetter and more diverse vegetative context to a more arid and C4‐dominant landscape occurred during the occupation of Khartoum Variant foragers, whereas later Abkan pastoralists arrived without any notable differences in the region compared to the environments inhabited by the most recent foragers. The lack of an external environmental driver for food production changes at Sai suggests that other, potentially cultural factors were more important in these economic decisions in the mid‐Holocene.


Abstract The main objective of this study was to determine if an acute bout of static stretching of the quadriceps muscle affects the sense of joint position, the threshold to detect passive movement, and the sense of force. Thirty young, healthy men (age : 22.1 ± 2.7 years) were randomly divided into two groups. The Stretching Group (n=15) underwent stretching of the dominant quadriceps muscle, which comprised ten passive stretches lasting 30 seconds each, while the Control Group (n=15) remained seated for the same length of time. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to establish intragroup differences over time, and an independent sample t-test was used to compare the dependent variables between groups at each moment. None of the measurements revealed any significant change between both groups in each assessment moment or between moments within groups (p>0.05). This study demonstrated that static quadriceps muscle stretching has no effect on the sense of knee joint position, threshold to detect passive movement, and force sense, suggesting that stretching does not have appreciable effect on the spindle firing characteristics and tendon organs activation.


Purpose: Cleft palate is known to cause recurrent otitis media with hearing loss. Various studies have stated the incidence of middle ear disease in patients with cleft palate is around 90%. The anomalous position of the Eustachian tubes in patients with cleft palate leads to otitis media with effusion. If left uncorrected this leads to complications such as cholesteatoma, retraction pockets, and atelectasis leading to permanent hearing loss. In this study, we evaluated the children presenting to our institute with cleft palate for hearing-related issues. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in our institute from January 2017 to September 2020. It was a cross-sectional study, where 45 children with cleft palate were compared with 36 children with cleft lip who were considered the control group. Hearing of all children was assessed using tympanometry, otoscopy, and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA). Results: About 93.3% of children in the cleft palate group had an abnormal tympanic membrane on otoscopy, whereas in the control group only 11.1% of children had an abnormal tympanic membrane on otoscopy. About 97.8% of children in the cleft palate group had a hearing threshold greater than 25 decibels, whereas only 13.9% of children in the control group had a hearing threshold of above 25 decibels. More children in the cleft palate group had an abnormal tympanogram (42.2% had a type B tympanogram and 46.7% had a type C tympanogram) compared to the control group (5.6% had a type B tympanogram and 2.8% had a type C tympanogram). Conclusion: Our study adds to the evidence that there is a high incidence of hearing impairment in children with cleft palate. Hence, we advocate that early identification by screening measures such as otoscopy, tympanometry, auditory brainstem response, and pure tone audiometry during the first visit itself in these children so that early treatment can be initiated.


Cogongrass and guineagrass are serious perennial weeds in small-scale farms in lowland subhumid zones of West Africa. Field studies were conducted in 2002 and 2003 at two sites in Ibadan, Nigeria [Ijaye and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)], to evaluate the effect of rimsulfuron on weed communities dominated by cogongrass and guineagrass in corn. At both sites, treatments were rimsulfuron dosages of 0 (nontreated control), 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 g ai/ha. Rimsulfuron did not cause any visible phytotoxicity on the corn at any dosage at either site. There was a rapid increase in weed control as the dosage of rimsulfuron increased from 0 to 20 g/ha. Weed control was not improved at rates higher than 20 g/ha. Rimsulfuron was very effective against sedges, Ipomoea involucrata, Bengal dayflower, gulf leafflower, old-world diamond-flower, and wild jute providing more than 80% control at dosages between 10 and 20 g/ha at Ijaye. Rimsulfuron was less effective for cogongrass, with a maximum of only 38% control observed. At IITA, the herbicide was very effective against guineagrass, Bengal dayflower, nodeweed, coat buttons, redfruit passionflower, and waterleaf; all of which were controlled more than 70% with any rate of rimsulfuron. Regression analysis showed that the dosage of rimsulfuron required to reduce shoot dry biomass by 70% was 5 g/ha for guineagrass and 35 g/ha for cogongrass at 3 wk after treatment (WAT). At crop maturity, the dosage of rimsulfuron required to reduce shoot dry biomass by 70% was 43 g/ha for guineagrass and 200 g/ha for cogongrass. The dry biomass of cogongrass and guineagrass was higher at crop harvest than at 2 WAT regardless of herbicide dosage. Corn grain yield was 1.8 times higher at IITA than at Ijaye. At both sites, corn grain yield increased with increased herbicide dosage. Maximum corn grain yields were obtained at a rimsulfuron dosage of 20 g/ha. Nomenclature: Rimsulfuron; coat buttons, Tridax procumbens L. TRQPR; cogongrass, Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. IMPCY; old-world diamond-flower, Oldenlandia corymbosa L. OLDCO; guineagrass, Panicum maximum Jacq. PANMA; gulf leafflower, Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn. PYLAM; nodeweed, Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn SYDNO; redfruit passionflower, Passiflora foetida L. PAQFO; sedges, Cyperus, Mariscus, and Kyllinga spp; Bengal dayflower, Commelina benghalensis L. COMBE; waterleaf, Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd TALTR; wild jute, Corchorus tridens L. CRGTR; corn, Zea mays L. 'TZL Comp 4W'.


This review discusses the evolution of microsimulation models in health over the past three decades. We focus on three aspects of health microsimulation. First, we describe the origins and applications of health microsimulation, including how early research challenged early methodologies and led to the development of more rigorous models. We describe limitations of early means-based models and how more detailed methods, which are based on health-specific input data, overcame many of the early data shortfalls and assumptions. Second, we discuss the global expansion of applications of microsimulation to health over the last ten years. Many health microsimulation models have focussed on health expenditure, the ageing population, diabetes, mortality modelling, and spatial models. Health models over the past few decades have expanded to many countries including Canada, Africa, the United States, the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia. Finally, we describe future developments, including emerging research fields for microsimulation and health and how the early development of health microsimulation models provides important lessons for emerging applications. These include the emerging field of genomics and precision medicine, and the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancers and rare diseases. We suggest research directions, including the need for good data to avoid model errors, and highlight some pitfalls to avoid.


Thermal decomposition of a mixture of the two stereoisomeric bis(2,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazoles) cis- and trans-2, which was prepared by treatment of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dithione with excess of diazomethane in the presence of two equivalents of N-methylmaleimide, led to a mixture of three 1:2 cycloadducts of type 4. The structures of these thiocarbonyl methanide-adducts have been established by X-ray crystallography. In the presence of only one equivalent of N-methylmaleimide, a complex mixture of the three 1:2 adducts of type 4, the known dispirocyclic bis-thiiranes cis- and trans-3, and a 1:1 adduct 6, containing one thiirane ring and one fragment resulting from a [2+3]-cycloaddition of a thiocarbonyl methanide, was formed. The structure of the latter has again been proven by X-ray crystallography.


Objectives:To investigate the impact of HAART-induced HIV suppression on levels of 24 serological biomarkers of inflammation and immune activation. Design:A prospective cohort study. Methods:Biomarkers were measured with multiplex assays in centralized laboratories using stored serum samples contributed by 1697 men during 8903 person-visits in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) from 1984 to 2009. Using generalized gamma models, we compared biomarker values across three groups, adjusting for possible confounders: HIV-uninfected (NEG); HIV-positive, HAART-naive (NAI); and HAART-exposed with HIV RNA suppressed to less than 50 copies/ml plasma (SUP). We also estimated changes in biomarker levels associated with duration of HIV suppression, using splined generalized gamma regression with a knot at 1 year. Results:Most biomarkers were relatively normalized in the SUP group relative to the NAI group; however, 12 biomarkers in the SUP group were distinct (P < 0.002) from NEG values: CXCL10, C-reactive protein (CRP), sCD14, sTNFR2, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-&agr;), sCD27, sGP130, interleukin (IL)-8, CCL13, BAFF, GM-CSF and IL-12p70. Thirteen biomarkers exhibited significant changes in the first year after viral suppression, but none changed significantly after that time. Conclusion:Biomarkers of inflammation and immune activation moved towards HIV-negative levels within the first year after HAART-induced HIV suppression. Although several markers of T-cell activation returned to levels present in HIV-negative men, residual immune activation, particularly monocyte/macrophage activation, was present. This residual immune activation may represent a therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of HIV-infected individuals receiving HAART.


In order for health institutions to continue their activities, the goods and services they need must be supplied at the right time, in the right amount, at the right quality, at an affordable price and from the right source. This is possible with an effective supply chain management and selection of the right supplier. Supplier selection studies in the health sector are almost nonexistent, therefore, it was wanted to contribute to the literature by studying in this sector. In this study, it was aimed to work with the right suppliers to ensure that a dental health center provides critical medical supplies. First of all, the products of vital importance were determined by ABC (Always, Better Control)-VED (Vital, Essential, Desirable) matrix analysis and a supplier list was created. The best suppliers were selected with the Zero-One Goal Programming method based on AHP priorities, one of the multi-criteria decision making methods, by determining the criteria suitable for the sector.It is thought that this model will contribute significantly to the literature and will save time in supplier selection studies in the health sector.


A novel simultaneous fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) and fault tolerant control (FTC) strategy for nonlinear stochastic systems in closed loops based on a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is presented. The purpose of control is to track the reactant concentration setpoint. Instead of output feedback we propose here to use proportional-integral-derivative (PID) state feedback, which is shown essential to achieve FTC against sensor faults. A new concept of "equivalent bias" is proposed to model the sensor faults. Both the states and the equivalent bias are on-line estimated by a pseudo separate-bias estimation algorithm. The estimated equivalent bias is then evaluated via a modified Bayes' classification based algorithm to detect and diagnose the sensor faults. Many kinds of sensor faults are tested by Monte Carlo simulations, which demonstrate that the proposed strategy has definite fault tolerant ability against sensor faults, moreover the sensor faults can be on-line detected, isolated, and estimated simultaneously.


Welcome to your online guide to finding resources for Music! The basics of using the library to find what you need


The present work is focused on complex evaluation of crack profiles, created around Vickers indents in two types of cutting tool ceramics, namely in the Al2O3 + ZrO2 ceramics and -Si3N4. The geometry of Vickers indents is investigated using two different evaluation methods. The first one is based on the application of serial sectioning from the indented specimen surface. The second method consists in the layer removing from plane perpendicular to the indented surface. These evaluation methods are convenient for determine the shape of created cracks and profiles of deformed area developed around the investigated indents. The mentioned methods contribute to the understanding of physical engineering principles resulting from the radial/median and lateral crack formation as the important characteristics influencing the reliable technical application of investigated ceramic materials.


Estimating the thickness of cerebral cortex is a key step in many MR brain imaging studies, revealing valuable information on development or disease progression. In this work we present a new approach to measure the cortical thickness, based on minimizing line integrals over the probability map of the gray matter in the MRI volume. Previous methods often perform a binary-valued segmentation of the gray matter before measuring the thickness. Because of image noise and partial voluming, such a hard classification ignores the underlying tissue class probabilities assigned to each voxel, discarding potentially useful information. We describe our proposed method and demonstrate its performance on both artificial volumes and real 3D brain MRI data from subjects with Alzheimer's disease and healthy individuals.


Until recently, food production focused mainly on delivering high-quality products at low cost and little attention was paid to environmental impact and depletion of natural resources. As a result of the growing awareness of climate change, shrinking resources, and increasing world population, this trend is changing. A major concern in Food Supply Chains (FSCs) is food waste. To remain competitive, FSCs are challenged to adopt new technologies that reduce or valorize food waste. These technologies can contribute to maintaining or increasing economic output and concurrently reduce the environmental impact of current operations, i.e. achieving what has been defined as eco-efficiency. Designing eco-efficient supply chains requires complex decision support models that can deal with multiple dimensions of sustainability while taking into account the specific characteristics of products and their supply chain. Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), a research field within Operations Research, is particularly suitable to support decision making when multiple and (mostly) conflicting criteria are involved. In this research, multi-objective optimization was used to quantify trade-offs between conflicting objectives and derive eco-efficient solutions, i.e. solutions in which environmental performance can only be improved at higher cost. The overall objective of this thesis was to support decision making in FSCs by developing dedicated decision support models to optimize and re-design FSCs by balancing the economic and environmental criteria. The emphasis is directed towards valorization of product flows by means of closing loops and waste management at a chain level. In line with this overall objective, four research questions were defined, which are addressed in Chapters 2 to 5. In Chapter 2, the use of MCDM approaches for designing Green Supply Chains (GSCs) is reviewed; GSCs extend traditional supply chains to include activities that minimize the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. A conceptual framework was developed to find relevant publications and categorize papers with respect to decision problems, indicators, and MCDM approaches. The analysis shows that the use of MCDM approaches for designing GSCs is a new but emerging research field. Most publications focus on production and distribution problems, and there are only a few inventory models with environmental considerations. Most papers assume all data to be deterministic. Moreover, little attention has been given to minimization of waste in studies on FSCs, and numerous indicators are used to account for eco-efficiency, indicating the lack of standards. Chapter 2, therefore, identifies the need for more multi-criteria models for real-life GSCs, especially with respect to supply chains dealing with food production, and with inclusion of uncertainty in parameters. Environmental concerns and scarcity of resources encourage decision makers in supply chains to consider alternative production options that include preventing the production of waste streams and simultaneously reusing and recycling waste materials. Until now, quantitative modelling approaches on closing loops in FSCs have been rare in the literature. The aim of Chapter 3 was to develop a mathematical model that can be used for quantitative assessment of alternative production options associated with different ways of dealing with waste in FSCs, i.e. prevention, recycling, and disposal of food waste. A multi-objective mixed integer linear programming model was developed to derive a set of eco-efficient solutions corresponding to production planning decisions. The environmental performance of the chain is expressed by an indicator based on exergy analysis, which has the potential to capture other commonly used indicators, such as energy consumption, fuel consumption, and waste generation, in a single value. This simplifies the calculation of the eco-efficient frontier and enables its intuitive graphical representation, which is much easier to communicate to the decision makers. The applicability of the model is demonstrated on a real-life industrial bread supply chain in the Netherlands. The results confirm the findings from the literature that prevention is the best waste management strategy from an environmental perspective. The advantages of using exergy as an indicator to capture the environmental performance is demonstrated by comparing the outcomes with other commonly used indicators of environmental performance. The potential of studying food production planning decision problems in a multi-objective context is illustrated and the applicability of the model in the assessment of alternative production options is demonstrated. In contrast to closed-loop studies in industry involving discrete parts, in FSCs the value of the final product usually cannot be regained. However, the components used for production, such as organic matter or a growing medium, can be recycled. The aim of Chapter 4 was to reveal the consequences of closing loops in a mushroom supply chain. A multi-objective mixed integer linear programming model was proposed to quantify trade-offs between economic and environmental indicators and to explore alternative recycling technologies quantitatively. The model was developed to re-design the logistical structure and close loops in the mushroom supply chain. It was found that adopting closing loop technologies in industrial mushroom production has the potential to increase the total profitability of the chain by almost 11% and improve the environmental performance by almost 28%. It is concluded that a comprehensive evaluation of recycling technologies and re-designing logistical structures requires quantitative tools that simultaneously optimize managerial decisions at strategic and tactical levels. Multi-objective optimization models are often developed under the assumption that all information required for model parameterization is known in advance. In practice, however, not all the required information is available in advance because of various sources of uncertainty in FSCs. In Chapter 5, a multi-objective two-stage stochastic programming model was proposed to analyse and evaluate the economic and environmental impacts to account for uncertainty in FSCs. A mushroom supply chain in the Netherlands is presented as an illustrative case study. Optimal production planning decisions calculated with a two-stage stochastic programming model are compared with the results of an equivalent deterministic model. It is demonstrated that taking uncertainty into account at the production planning phase in an FSC can bring substantial economic and environmental benefits. The research presented in this thesis contributes to the scientific literature on eco-efficient FSCs by providing decision support models for use by decision makers to assess alternative logistical structures and quantify the economic and environmental implications of closing loop technologies. This thesis shows that technological innovations, which allow for reuse and recycling of waste streams, have the potential to improve the economic and environmental performance of an FSC substantially. The case studies illustrate that it is worthwhile investing in research on technological innovations (and their development) for closing loops in FSCs. The greatest benefits are brought about by using materials to their full potential by valorizing waste streams as much as possible.


Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are blood pumps that augment the function of the failing heart to improve perfusion, resulting in improved survival. For LVADs to effectively unload the left ventricle, the inflow cannula (IC) should be unobstructed and ideally aligned with the heart's mitral valve (MV). We examined IC orientation deviation from a hypothesized conventional angle (45° right-posterior) and the approximate angle for direct IC-MV alignment in many patients. Three-dimensional anatomic models were created from computed tomography scans for 24 LVAD-implanted patients, and angles were measured between the IC and the apical z-axis in both the coronal and the sagittal planes. Common surgical IC angulation was found to be 22 ± 15° rightward and 21 ± 12° posterior from the apical z-axis; 38% (n = 9) of patients fell in this range. Direct IC-MV angulation was found to be 34 ± 8° rightward and 15 ± 7° posterior; only 8% (n = 2) of patients fell in this range. Rightward deviation toward ventricular septal wall and anterior deviation toward LV anterior freewall are associated with mortalities more so than leftward and posterior deviation. In conclusion, anatomic reconstruction may be a useful preoperative tool to obtain general population and patient-specific alignment for optimal LVAD implantation.


Objectives Cancer's insidious onset and potentially devastating outcomes have made it one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century. However, advances in early diagnosis and treatment mean that death rates are declining, and there are more than 30 million cancer survivors worldwide. This might be expected to result in more sanguine attitudes to the disease. The present study used a qualitative methodology to provide an in-depth exploration of attitudes to cancer and describes the balance of negative and positive perspectives. Design A qualitative study using semistructured interviews with thematic analysis. Setting A university in London, UK. Participants 30 participants (23–73 years), never themselves diagnosed with cancer. Results Accounts of cancer consistently incorporated negative and positive views. In almost all respondents, the first response identified fear, trauma or death. However, this was followed—sometimes within the same sentence—by acknowledgement that improvements in treatment mean that many patients can survive cancer and may even resume a normal life. Some respondents spontaneously reflected on the contradictions, describing their first response as a 'gut feeling' and the second as a more rational appraisal—albeit one they struggled to believe. Others switched perspective without apparent awareness. Conclusions People appear to be 'in two minds' about cancer. A rapid, intuitive sense of dread and imminent death coexists with a deliberative, rational recognition that cancer can be a manageable, or even curable, disease. Recognising cancer's public image could help in the design of effective cancer control messages.


Limiting global warming to prevent dangerous climate change requires drastically reducing global greenhouse gases emissions and a transformation towards a low-carbon society. Existing energy- and climate-economic modeling approaches that are informing policy and decision makers in shaping the future net-zero emissions society are increasingly seen with skepticism regarding their ability to forecast the long-term evolution of highly complex, nonlinear social-ecological systems. We present a structured review of state-of-the-art modeling approaches, focusing on their ability and limitations to develop and assess pathways towards a low-carbon society. We find that existing methodological approaches have some fundamental deficiencies that limit their potential to understand the subtleties of long-term low-carbon transformation processes. We suggest that a useful methodological framework has to move beyond current state of the art techniques and has to simultaneously fulfill the following requirements: (1) representation of an inherent dynamic analysis, describing and investigating explicitly the path between different states of system variables, (2) specification of details in the energy cascade, in particular the central role of functionalities and services that are provided by the interaction of energy flows and corresponding stock variables, (3) reliance on a clear distinction between structures of the sociotechnical energy system and socioeconomic mechanisms to develop it and (4) ability to evaluate pathways along societal criteria. To that end we propose the development of a versatile multi-purpose integrated modeling framework, building on the specific strengths of the various modeling approaches available while at the same time omitting their weaknesses. This paper identifies respective strengths and weaknesses to guide such development.


The fatigue crack growth tests of compact tension (CT) specimens of 2024-T4 aluminum alloy were conducted under constant amplitude loading with different R-ratios, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, respectively. The thickness of the specimen is 3.8mm. All the fatigue crack growth experiments were carried out in ambient air without a pre-crack. The early crack growth region reflects the influence of the notch. An optical reading micrometer with a magnification of 40 was used to measure the crack length. The size of the notch together with the loading conditions has a great influence on the early crack growth within the notch influenced region. Beyond the notch influenced zone, the stable fatigue crack growth is reached and can be characterized by the Paris law. The experimental results indicate that fatigue crack growth rate increases with the R-ratio for a given stress intensity factor amplitude.


Orietta Lanzarini and Roberta Martinis "Questo libro fu di Andrea Palladio": Il codice Destailleur B dell'Ermitage Rome: "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, 2015, 320 pp., 70 b/w illus. €195, ISBN 9788891306685

"This book belonged to Andrea Palladio." This intriguing attribution, inscribed by an anonymous, sixteenth-century hand (Vincenzo Scamozzi?) on the verso of the final folio of the coeval codex Destailleur B, hints at the illustrious provenance of this beguiling, little-studied manuscript of antiquarian study drawings, which is held in the Library of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. That is, the manuscript was little studied until now. Orietta Lanzarini and Roberta Martinis's "Questo libro fu di Andrea Palladio": Il codice Destailleur B dell'Ermitage succeeds in providing comprehensive analysis and documentation of the 130-folio (260-page) manuscript.

"Questo libro fu di Andrea Palladio" is composed of two principal sections. The first—a trio of essays—considers the form, content, and history of the codex Destailleur B; its relevance in regard to sixteenth-century antiquarian culture; and the archaeological information contained in its drawings. The second section takes the form of an extensive catalogue detailing the contents of each folio of the codex, including drawing analyses, transcriptions of annotations, bibliographic notes, and references to manuscripts or single-sheet drawings that illustrate comparable subject matter. The authors provide photographic reproductions of 139 pages from the codex—the vast majority of which have not been published previously—as well as two appendixes that catalogue extant manuscripts and drawings that may be directly or indirectly correlated to the Destailleur B.

The attribution of ownership of the codex Destailleur B to Andrea Palladio provides the foundation for Lanzarini and Martinis's impressive and intricate reconstruction of the manuscript's provenance and history. Building on the previous scholarship of Federico Rausa, Michael H. Crawford, and Ian Campbell, the authors conclusively link the manuscript's contents—563 drawings of ancient buildings and objects—to the circle of Pirro Ligorio and to antiquarian …


This selection of 117 contributions is a fascinating record of twenty-five years of poetry writing. It includes not only poetry but also articles about famous poets such as Dylan Thomas and Gwenallt, and controversial letters and editorials on Anglo-Welsh poetry and politics. Poetry Wales has never been a coterie magazine and has always embraced the wide world of poetry outside Wales, even outside Britain. Although this anthology focuses on Welsh writers, the magazine's extraordinary range and variety is represented here by poets such as Herbert and Heaney and by articles on subjects as diverse as 'Women's Poetry' and 'Poetry in the USA'.


Calls attention to despatch No. 466 of June 25 covering developments in Austrian economic situation; Austria's destiny depends upon outside support; England would like to sidestep her responsibility; favorite saying there is that Austria is not Belgium; if Germany succeeds in taking over Austria it is merely first step toward economic and political control of Southeastern Europe and inevitable war; recent German efforts in London for purpose of calming public opinion to prepare way for credits, raw materials, and improved trade relations; enclosing copy of letter to Ambassador [William E.] Dodd [see entry No. 513]; because of economic and financial factors involved, thinks Feis will be interested; very hot spell in Vienna, but will stay in spite of heat; so much happening every day one must keep in touch; read with interest Feis' article in Foreign Affairs.


Since the discovery of the M7C3-type carbide in 1935, it has been the subject of many experimental and theoretical studies. Initially, the structure was thought of as being either trigonal or hexagonal, while later publications indicated that the structure was more likely to be orthorhombic. Even today, 8 decades after its discovery, many publications claim that M7C3 carbides are either hexagonal or orthorombic "beyond doubt", while others, acknowledge the lack of agreement in the literature and try to resolve it using first principles calculations which rely on the atomic positions in the previously suggested structures. To date, no hard evidence was presented to support either claim in an indisputable manner. Using EBSD (electron backscattered diffraction), TEM (transmission electron microscopy) diffractions and high-resolution STEM (scanning transmission electron microscopy) imaging gathered from 8 zone-axis of the (Cr,Fe)7C3 phase formed in the as-cast AlCrFe2Ni2 high entropy alloy, we were able to determine that only the hexagonal structure is a viable option. Furthermore, we demonstrate the co-existence of two variants of the newly revealed atomic structure which we believe were mistakenly identified as stacking faults in previous studies.


Summary:Summary: Glutathione reductase (GR, EC 22.214.171.124) is a flavoprotein that catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to glutathione (GSH). This enzyme is essential for the GSH redox cycle which maintains adequate levels of reduced cellular GSH. A high GSH/GSSG ratio is essential for protection against oxidative stress. The Cayman Chemical Glutathione Reductase Assay Kit measures GR activity by measuring the rate of NADPH oxidation. The oxidation of NADPH to NADP+ is accompanied by a decrease in absorbance at 340 nm. Since GR is present at rate limiting concentrations, the rate of decrease in the A340 is directly proportional to the GR activity in the sample. The Cayman GR Assay Kit is provided in a convenient 96 well plate format and can be used to measure GR activity inplasma, erythrocyte lysates, tissue homogenates, and cell lysates.


Purpose

This study aims to provide insight into the meaning and perceptions of leadership and its subsequent management control system (MCS) practices in family business in less developed countries. More specifically, the study attempts to understand the cultural context of family business and its importance in developing its leadership and MCS, the production and reproduction processes of the culture into the MCS and the resulting MCS.

Design/methodology/approach

We shared the view that organizational reality is negotiated and constructed by collective participants' consciousness. The study used interpretive case study. Interviews, observation and documentary analysis were used to collect the data.

Findings

Leadership and MCS of family business is embedded in its societal culture. A leader–owner is not a creator but a mere manager of organizational culture because he/she is also a product of the societal culture. The owner and his/her inner circle (family and non-family members) may collectively play crucial roles in producing and reproducing the legitimate MCS based on the extended family concept. In this sense, cultural control based on shared family norms is the most dominant one and simplifies process and result controls. However, business pragmatism may go hand-in-hand with the culture in giving room for MCS transformations.

Research limitations/implications

The family business under study is still run by the family's first generation, has no subsidiaries and is embedded in Javanese paternalistic culture. Although rich in details, the sample size of the study is a limitation.

Practical implications

This study encourages the owners of a family business to consider the use of strong cultural control along with bureaucratic controls to create a sustainable organisation.

Originality/value

This study offers insight to help understand and explain how leadership and MCS practices in family business are embedded in broader societal culture in less developed countries.


A full wave analysis of microstrip floating line structures by wavelet expansion method is presented. The surface integral equation developed from a dyadic Green's function is solved by Galerkin's method, with the integral kernel and the unknown current expanded in terms of orthogonal wavelets. Using the orthonormal wavelets (and scaling functions) with compact support as basis functions and weighting functions, the integral equation is converted into a set of linear algebraic equations, with the matrices nearly diagonal or block-diagonal due to the localization, orthogonality, and cancellation properties of the orthogonal wavelets. Limitations inherited in the traditional orthogonal basis systems are released: The problem-dependent normal modes have been replaced by the problem-independent wavelets, preserving the orthogonality; the trade-off between orthogonality and continuity (e.g. subsectional basis functions including pulse functions, roof-top functions, piecewise sinusoidal functions, etc.) is well balanced by the orthogonal wavelets. Numerical results are compared with measurements and previous published data with good agreement. >


In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed rapidly and ignominiously, but within a framework of treaty-based order. Soon the rest of the Soviet bloc was to follow. The treaty law dimension to the collapse (principally a question of state succession to treaties) has been comprehensively commented upon, at least as regards treaties between the Soviet Union and the United States, the Soviet Union and the various Western European states, and the former Soviet bloc states themselves. Adopting both a political and jurisprudential perspective, this article discusses the Australian treaty law dimension to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its starting point is the set of little-known treaties between Australia and Gorbachev's Soviet Union in the late 1980s - a time when it was felt that glasnost, perestroika and novoe politicheskoe myshlenie had given the Soviet Union a new lease on life. An analysis of the 1990 Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics relating to Cooperation in Fisheries, with respect to strategic imperatives and the text of the Agreement, is central to the discussion. Commentary is also provided on treaty termination and treaty continuation as practised since 1991 by Australia and the Russian Federation - the state continuer of the Soviet Union. Customary international law doctrines (rebus sic stantibus, desuetude and effectiveness) are also arguably relevant and are assessed as justificatory rubrics for the termination and continuation approaches discussed. There is a strong comparative strand to the analysis, with the discussion contrasting this specific Australian approach with those used in Europe as the various post-Soviet actors struggled to manage the sprawling treaty system left by the collapse. Political and jurisprudential perspectives are closely fused in the analysis as this best reflects the highly political character of this seemingly formalist area of international law.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the effects of glutamine (L-Gln) or whey-protein supplementation on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

METHODS
Thirty-two healthy male Wistar rats were used in the experiment. Eight rats served as baseline controls (G-1). The remaining 24 animals received alloxan 150 mg/Kg intraperitonially dissolved in buffer solution and were equally distributed in 3 subgroups, upon induction of diabetes mellitus, and treated as follows: (G2): saline, 2.0 ml; (G3): glutamine solution (0.7 g/kg), 2.0 ml; and (G4): whey-protein (WPS) solution (0.7 g/kg), 2.0 ml. All solutions were administered by daily 7:00 AM gavages during 30 days. Next, arterial blood samples (3.0 ml) were collected from anesthetized rats for CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte count through flow cytometry technology.

RESULTS
CD4+ and CD8+ counts decreased significantly in all groups compared with baseline values (G1). G2 rats CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased significantly compared with G1. CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased significantly (>260%) in L-Gln treated group (G3) compared with saline-treated rats (G2). There were no statistical differences in lymphocyte counts (CD4+ and CD8+) between L-Gln (G3) and saline-treated (G2) groups. There was a significant reduction in CD8+ cell count compared with CD4+ cell count in L-Gln treated rats (G3).

CONCLUSION
The offer of L-Gln to experimental diabetic rats enhances the immunologic response to infection.


Smart CAD/CAM technologies for superior product modeling in the intelligence of designing complete product variants become more and more pertinent in future. Many design techniques to help interdisciplinary design actions in different engineering domains in addition to consequent processes have to be developed. A necessary job to achieve this aim is to permanently investigate the present state of the art, emerging trends, new approaches, in addition to industrial problems and requirements about the entire CAD/CAM area. With the aim of direct future research and development activities as close as possible to the continuously rising requirements of a worldwide market we carried out a wide-ranging national study in cooperation with one of the Germans leading CAD/CAM magazines. In this way, it became possible to reach a representative amount of users, to obtain their experience based assessments on today's most important aspects of CAD/CAM technology. The results of this examination are summarized in this paper to give system developers, engineers, and researchers an overview of the present condition as well as to serve as a direction for decision makers in the Design and Development areas.


This master thesis examines how love and eroticism are being provoked and established by the inter-subjective relations in Pan. From Lieutenant Thomas Glahn's Papers (1894). I briefly present former research of Pan in the introduction, and problematize the distinction between love and eroticism. The method I apply in my thesis is close reading, and I choose to use a selection of text passages which I consider to be essential for this thesis' examination. I mainly use Roland Barthes (2000) and Rene Girard (1976) as theoretical input, because they both elaborate on the themes of love and eroticism in Pan. I also utilize other relevant research on Hamsun, and analytical approaches to the novel. Atle Kittang (1996) and Henning Howlid Waerp (1999) are central literary critics in my analysis.Furthermore, I illustrate the importance of the epilogue as an explanatory function of Glahn's report from his summer in Nordland. It also works as a continuation of the triangular constellations, which I show in my comparison of "Glahn's Death. A Document of 1861" published by Samtiden (1893), and the epilogue with the same title in Pan. From Lieutenant Thomas Glahn's Papers (1894).The thesis' analysis is structured into two parts, and the first one deals with the love and the eroticism in Pan. Glahn is an observer and this can, for instance, be illustrated with his description of the flowers and bugs as if they inherit human qualities. These details in the protagonist's recollection of the summer in Nordland, have been significant as they form a ground for how love and eroticism are being constituted. Additionally, it is among others, Glahn's erotic depictions of nature which display his lustily approaches towards some of the women in the novel. The transitions between love and eroticism are also important for this thesis. I consistently highlight several of Barthes' love figures in my analysis, and parallel them with Glahn's staged recollections. Subsequently, in the second part of the analysis, I examine the triangular desire in Pan with the help of Girard's terminology. These relations are fundamentally different, and in addition, they are complicating love and eroticism in the novel.During my research, I have found several text passages which illustrate how the love and the eroticism are displayed and established in the novel. I can identify a complex and underlying structure in the triangular relationships. One can trace the language of love in the lover's direct speech, as shown through the subject Glahn. Most importantly, I have found that there is a hidden pattern for how Glahn approaches the women erotically or with love.


Myelination defects associated with premature birth may be ameliorated by drugs that activate GABA receptors. Due to impaired respiratory function, premature birth places infants at risk for a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a decreased number of the oligodendrocyte precursors NG2 cells and decreased formation of the protective and insulating myelin sheaths that mature oligodendrocytes produce. Zonouzi et al. used mice that expressed a red fluorescent protein in NG2 cells and cells derived from NG2 cells (NG2DsRed mice) to examine the effects of chronic neonatal hypoxia. Analysis of cerebellar sections from newborn mice housed in a hypoxic chamber showed that the cerebellum had reduced size and altered structure. Additionally, the cerebellum had decreased dendritic arborization of Purkinje cells [cerebellar neurons that respond to and release the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] and decreased abundance of myelin basic protein (MBP). Confocal microscopy for specific markers revealed increased abundance and proliferation of NG2 cells but decreased abundance of mature oligodendrocytes in the cerebellar white matter from neonatal hypoxic NG2DsRed mice compared with controls. However, no difference in marker abundances was observed at postnatal day 60, suggesting hypoxia delayed oligodendrocyte maturation. GABA input evokes inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in NG2 cells, thereby restricting their proliferation and promoting their differentiation. Purkinje cells and interneurons are potential sources of this GABAergic input. Slice recordings and confocal microscopy revealed decreased firing frequency in Purkinje cells and a reduced number of interneurons in hypoxic mice. Whole-cell recordings showed that hypoxia decreased the number of NG2 cells that exhibited spontaneous IPSCs in neonatal mice, although GABAA receptors were still present, indicating that GABAergic input was decreased. In control NG2DsRed mice, the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline or N2-specific knockout of the Na+-K+-Cl+ cotransporter NKCC1, which sets the Cl- gradient so that GABA signaling induces depolarization early in development instead of the hyperpolarization that occurs later, increased the number and proliferation of NG2 cells and decreased the number of mature oligodendrocytes. In contrast, pharmacologically increasing the availability of GABA using tiagabine or vigabatrin had the opposite effects, and the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol decreased NG2 cell proliferation. Treating neonatal mice with tiagabine or vigabatrin for several days after hypoxia exposure reversed the effects of hypoxia and increased the abundance of MBP in the cerebellum. The findings suggest that stimulating GABAergic signaling in the neonatal cerebellum may prevent delayed myelination caused by hypoxic conditions. M. Zonouzi, J. Scafidi, P. Li, B. McEllin, J. Edwards, J. L. Dupree, L. Harvey, D. Sun, C. A. Hübner, S. G. Cull-Candy, M. Farrant, V. Gallo, GABAergic regulation of cerebellar NG2 cell development is altered in perinatal white matter injury. Nat. Neurosci. 18, 674–682 (2015). [PubMed]


New regulations and consumer tests for passive safety in passenger cars have increased the demand on accurate models for occupant analysis. Thus, effects that have been neglected or modeled rather coarsely in recent occupant models might necessitate a more detailed modeling in order to capture the dummy behavior sufficiently accurate. This paper contributes to the discussion of the importance and the modeling techniques of prestressed parts in dummy models for occupant analysis. The authors present solutions provided by LS-DYNA to handle the pre-stressed parts like mapping, pre-simulation, or implicit time-stepping for positioning. Finally, the paper discusses sources of pre-stress in different parts of side impact dummies (SID), Hybrid III adult and child dummies. With simple examples the influence of the pre-stress is estimated.


As self-assembled nanotechnology tackles increasingly complicated structures, biological self-assembly can teach us a great deal about the challenges of more complicated self-assemblies relative to the simpler systems accessible in current practice. The present study uses computer simulations of spherical assemblies inspired by virus capsids to understand the challenges artificial self-assembly systems will face as they approach biological levels of complexity. We quantify system complexity by two parameters-the total size of the completed structure in assembly monomers and the size of the first stable assembly nucleus. Simulations on a set of five model systems capturing a range of values for both parameters reveal several obstacles to extrapolating experience with simple systems to more complex ones. Assemblies of greater size result in total yields and assembly fidelities that are substantially more sensitive to the system parameters of intersubunit binding rates and to concentrations than are those of simpler assemblies. Larger nuclei partially mitigate these effects. Conversely, large assemblies have overall assembly rates with reduced sensitivity to system parameters, a feature that is also only partly mitigated by large nuclei. These changes can be partially understood by theoretical models based on nucleation processes, but such theory itself becomes less informative for the larger systems. We close with a consideration of mechanisms by which these obstacles may be overcome in actual viral systems.


Jewish Feminists: Complex Identities and Activist Lives, by Dina Pinsky. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2010. 152 pp. $20.00 (paper), $60.00 (cloth). The sociological analysis in Dina Pinsky 's Jewish Feminists, developed from interviews with two dozen women and five men, is clear, lively, and anecdotal, so much so that the reader may happily lose herself in the subjects' stories until Pinsky gently reminds us that the assemblages from her conversations are actually in the service of an enterprise that is larger than oral history per se. Pinsky organizes the data ft om these interviews to illustrate and discuss significant concepts in identity and cultural theory, in particular, "intersectionality," that is, the place in one's self understanding where different self-identifications collide, in this case, Jewish identity and feminist identity. Pinksy's"book is about making sense of what it means to be composed of varied and dynamic selves," and she demonstrates how these Jews, who were active in the feminist movement in the 1970s, negotiated contradiction and ambivalence. The cohort of pseudonymous personalities - Miriam and Mark, Rhonda and Natalie - share their recollections of their early involvements as Jewish feminists, guided by the interviewer to reflect on the origins and development of these distinct aspects of their self-definitions. Because the subjects are so engaging this study does its educational work with a light touch, largely through the skillful organization of data and Pinsky's intelligent contextualizing commentary. Although to date inadequately studied (as Pinsky observes, academic attention to the intersectionality of race, class, and gender has curiously neglected the category of "Jews"), the particular intersectionality of Jewish and feminist identities is especially interesting because Jews understand what it means to be Jewish in many different ways. Some profess to be "allergic to religion" but nonetheless identify strongly as Jewish, sometimes by virtue of ethnic attachments and sometimes through allegiances (ironically) forged by antisemitism or the memory of the Holocaust. For some, Judaism and feminism are understood to share values (championing the disenfranchised), and Jewish values (often absent Jewish practice) informs their social activism; for some, being Jewish and being a woman duplicates the sense of disempowerment that motivates activism; for others, Judaism is alienating and disempowering, one influential source of patriarchy and the authorization of male privilege. Further complicating this mix, being Jewish affects how people experience their gender identity: stereotypes support the conviction that being a Jewish woman or a Jewish man is different from being simply a woman or a man. Pinsky helps us to hear both harmony and dissonance as she creates an artful map of shifting Jewish feminist identities over time. One interest of this book is that it shows how varied are the self-understandings among people who may claim the same set of overlapping identities, a cautionary tale against presuming affinities. The interviewed subjects will charm any reader, irrespective of her personal identifications, though the book will be of special interest to Jewish feminists. …


The PT/PS/SiO2 nanocomposite of polythiophene (PT), polystyrene (PS), and SiO2 with a grain size of 100–150 nm was synthesized by chemical polymerization using FeCl3 oxidant in nanoqueous medium (CHCl3). The properties of PT/PS/SiO2 synthesized were compared to those of PT, PT/PS, and PT/SiO2 synthesized in the same conditions. The synthesized materials were subsequently characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of PT in the composite was endorsed by FTIR studies. TGA revealed enhanced thermal stability of the PT/PS/SiO2 nanocomposite compared to that of PT. SEMs showed globular particles and the presence of clusters of composite particles. The conductivity of the PT/PS/SiO2 nanocomposite was measured as 1.30×10−7 Scm−1 and the conductivity value of PT (1.02×10−4 Scm−1) decreased with entiring PS and SiO2 to PT structure. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 746–752, 2005


BackgroundPrevalence and causes of sex-based differences in morbidity and mortality secondary to cardiovascular disease remain controversial. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a sensitive and specific marker for myocardial injury. Serial cTnI measurements have been used to identify perioperative myocardial cell injury. ObjectiveTo determine whether sex influences the extent of myocardial injury during cardiac surgery, we measured perioperative cTnI in male and female patients. DesignA total of 17 male and 17 female patients were prospectively studied in an age- and case-matched manner. Arterial cTnI were obtained preinduction, 30 mins after the application of the aortic cross-clamp, at arrival to the intensive care unit, and on postoperative day 1. SettingTertiary cardiac surgery center at a major teaching hospital. ResultsThere was no difference between men and women in body mass index (kg/m2), duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic cross-clamp times. Preoperative cTnI measurements were similar in men (0.24 ± 0.15 ng/mL) and women (0.25 ± 0.13 ng/mL, mean ± sem). The maximum serum cTnI occurred on postoperative day 1 in all patients, and it was 3-fold higher in men (18.5 ± 5.7 ng/mL) compared with women (6.4 ± 1.0 ng/mL). ConclusionsMen had markedly higher serum cTnI compared with women, although they were case matched with respect to age and cardiac risk factors. Our results may suggest there may be sex-related differences in the myocardial response to ischemia and reperfusion injury or intrinsic differences between the male and female myocardium.


Critical orthodoxies around British television drama suggest the 'developmental model': a transition from a 'theatrical' production mode based around live performance mediated through multi-camera studio, to a 'cinematic' mode utilising film, post-production editing, and location shooting. As Jacobs (2000) has argued, the introduction of videotape in 1958 arguably did little to change the model of studio production until the late 1970s: '… segments of drama lasting up to 30 minutes continued to be recorded on videotape in continuous time 'as if live' until the introduction of time-coded signals on the tape in the mid-1970s … In this way some of the style and aesthetics of early pre-1955 television had considerable longevity' (Jason Jacobs, The Intimate Screen: early British television drama, Oxford, 2000, 24). Drama produced in the multi-camera studio could be transferred to film, but this 'telerecording' method—filming straight off a monitor—was deemed low quality and was largely unsuitable for sale to the lucrative US market. This paper examines an abortive attempt by the BBC to develop a method of combining multi-camera studio production with outputting direct to film. Known variously as 'videofilm,' 'Video Film Recording' (VFR) or 'Intervideo,' this process attempted to combine electronic multi-camera technique with the medium of film to provide high-quality film programmes without compromising the speed and efficiency of multi-camera studio production. The resulting programmes would maximise studio use and require minimal post-production editing, but would produce high-resolution filmed programmes for the international market. However, the system was never developed to the stage where it was used in regular production. Drawing on files at the BBC Written Archive, this paper examines the development of the VFR system in the 1960s and the reasons for its failure.


We demonstrate that Drosophila melanogaster provides a rich model system for studying behavioral development. Two additions to the many well-known advantages of this species are exploited here. First, as in mammals and higher vertebrates, early experience affects behavioral development of Drosophila. Second, the affected behaviors are complex and yet readily studied in the laboratory. Thus, Drosophila can be used to study the developmental mechanisms by which organisms can optimize their behavioral repertoires to enhance their chances for survival. Evidence that early experience affects female responsiveness to courting males is reviewed; in each case, experience modifies responses to behavioral targets. Our results demonstrate that developmental plasticity allows adjustment of intrinsically determined responses to visual targets so that they can take into account the actual characteristics of the developing animal's environment. Furthermore, plasticity makes it possible to introduce 'cultural' and 'social' elements into courtship and mate choice in insects. This previously unrecognized role for developmental plasticity in insects has broad theoretical and practical implications.


An ectopic reentrance into the cell cycle with ensuing DNA replication is required for neuronal apoptosis induced by beta-amyloid. Here, we investigate the repertoire of DNA polymerases expressed in beta-amyloid-treated neurons, and their specific role in DNA synthesis and apoptosis. We show that exposure of cultured cortical neurons to beta-amyloid induces the expression of DNA polymerase-beta, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and the p49 and p58 subunits of DNA primase. Induction requires the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases. The knockdown of the p49 primase subunit prevents beta-amyloid-induced neuronal DNA synthesis and apoptosis. Similar effects are observed by knocking down DNA polymerase-beta or by using dideoxycytidine, a preferential inhibitor of this enzyme. Thus, the reparative enzyme DNA polymerase-beta unexpectedly mediates a large component of de novo DNA synthesis and apoptotic death in neurons exposed to beta-amyloid. These data indicate that DNA polymerases become death signals when erratically expressed by differentiated neurons.


Abstract Soil insecticides were evaluated in laboratory and field studies against larvae of an insecticide resistant population (Phelps County, NE) of western corn rootworm,Diabrotica virgifera virgiferaLeConte. Insecticide toxicity was evaluated by topical application of technical insecticides to 3rd instars from Saunders County, NE (susceptible) and Phelps County populations. Resistance ratios (LD50Phelps County/LD50Saunders County) for the insecticides methyl parathion, tefluthrin, carbofuran, terbufos, and chlorpyrifos were 28.0, 9.3, 8.7, 2.6 and 1.3, respectively. Biochemical investigation of suspected enzymatic resistance mechanisms in 3rd instars identified significant elevation of esterase activity (alpha and beta naphthyl acetate hydrolysis [3.8- and 3.9-fold]). Examination of 3rd instar esterases by native PAGE identified increased intensity of several isoenzymes in the resistant population. Assays of cytochrome P450 activity (4-CNMA demethylation and aldrin epoxidation) did not identify elevated activity in resistant 3rd instars. Granular soil insecticides were applied at planting to corn, Zea mays L., in replicated field trials in 1997 and 1998 at the same Phelps County site as the source of resistant rootworms for the laboratory studies. In 1997, planting time applications of Counter 20CR, Counter 15 G (terbufos), and Lorsban 15 G (chlorpyrifos) resulted in the lowest root injury ratings (1–6 Iowa scale); 2.50, 2.55, 2.65, respectively (untreated check root rating of 4.55). In 1998, all insecticides performed similarly against a lower rootworm density (untreated check root rating of 3.72). These studies suggest that resistance previously documented in adults also is present in 3rd instars, esterases are possibly involved as resistance mechanisms, and resistance to methyl parathion in adults is also evident in larvae, but does not confer cross-resistance in larvae to all organophosphate insecticides.


There is limited research detailing the precise reason for foals failing to achieve different life-stages from birth to racing, even though almost 50% of foals do not reach flat race training in the UK (Wilsher et al., 2006). In order to increase the proportion of the Thoroughbred foal population that reach the racecourse, a better understanding of the reasons behind failure and associated risk factors is required. The aims of this project were to:
• Identify veterinary reasons for foals failing to reach training and racing.
• Identify juvenile veterinary problems associated with reduced race performance.
Content analysis (Wordstat: Provalis Research, Canada), was used to extract information from a free-text dataset that included the histories of 1044 foals born within an international breeding operation between 2000 and 2004, inclusive. Chi-squared tests were used to identify associations between type of early career injury (prior to entering full training) and successful entry into training.
Further analyses explored associations between the three most common juvenile veterinary problems and performance in racing. Career profiles were collected for the entire cohort using the Racing Post's online dataset (www.racingpost.com). Information collected included; number of career starts, wins and places, prize money earned through winning a race, total prize money won, Official Ratings (OR's) and Racing Post ratings. Two sampled t-tests and Mann Whitney tests were used to identify associations between juvenile veterinary problems and different measures of race performance. Sidak-Bonferonni corrections were used to adjust for multiple comparisons. Multiple linear regression models were used to account for potential confounding effects of other variables on performance (gender, year of birth and month of birth) and sire and dam were also included as a random effect in the model.

Of the original cohort, 56.5% (590) of horses entered full training successfully, while still under the ownership of the breeding operation. Sixty-one (7%) horses died before reaching this stage. Of these, 38% (23/61) failed to reach weaning and 62% (38/61) died either before entering training or before being sold post-weaning. A total of 717 horses (69%) were identified as having had at least one veterinary problem during their early years. Two hundred and fifty-seven horses were identified with no veterinary problems and 70 horses included insufficient data to identify whether they had veterinary problems. The most common veterinary problem identified was musculoskeletal injury or disease (excluding fractures) (MSK), with 50% (522/1044) of horses being affected, followed by fractures, 214 (21%), and the respiratory system, 179 (17%). Other problems identified included gastrointestinal, neurological, ophthalmic, infection and reproductive ailments.
One hundred and three horses (9.9%) sustained a fracture before reaching an age when they would have entered training. Of these, 64 (62%) did not enter training under ownership of the breeding operation; of these 46 (72%) were sold or gifted before entering training, 13 (20%) died before entering training and the remaining five (6%) were still in pre-training or went directly to stud. A total of 326 horses (31%) sustained an MSK before reaching training age. Of these, 141 (43%) did not enter training under ownership of the stud; of these 109 (77%) were sold or gifted before entering training, 21 (15%) died before entering training and 11 (8%) were still in pre training or went directly to stud. Ninety one horses (9%) were identified with a respiratory problem prior to reaching training age. Of these, 48 (53%) did not enter training under ownership of the breeding operation; of these 43 (90%) were sold or gifted, four (8%) died before reaching training age and one (2.1%) was still in pre training. Horses that sustained a fracture during their juvenile years were significantly less likely to enter training compared with the remainder of the cohort (p-value <0.001). Of the original 1044 horses 658 (63%) horses raced at least once. Maximum and mean OR's were significantly reduced in horses that sustained a fracture prior to reaching training age (p-value <0.001). Gender was retained as being significantly associated with the outcome in multiple linear regression models (p-value <0.05) but adding sire and dam as a random effect did not significantly change any of the outcomes.
These analyses demonstrate the importance of avoiding serious injury during the first two-years of life for Thoroughbred racehorses. Although this study has identified the major priorities which could contribute to loss in the Thoroughbred breeding industry, further work is needed to identify and initiate potential management techniques that may help to minimise the risk of injury in the early years of a Thoroughbred's career.


Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, outsiders will have two versions of the Katrina experience. One version will be the images they recall from news coverage of the aftermath. The other will be the intimate portrayal of the determination of New Orleans residents to rebuild and recover their lives. HBO's Treme offers outsiders an inside look into why New Orleanians refused to abandon a place that many questioned should not be rebuilt after the levees failed. This critically acclaimed series expanded the boundaries of television making in its format, plot, casting, use of music, and realism-in-fictionalized-TV. However, Treme is not just a story for the outside gaze on New Orleans. It was a very local, collaborative experience where the show's creators sought to enlist the city in a commemorative project. Treme allowed many in the city who worked as principals, extras, and who tuned in as avid viewers to heal from the devastation of the disaster as they experimented with art, imitating life, imitating art. This book examines the impact of HBOs Treme not just as television making, but in the sense in which television provides a window to our worlds. The book pulls together scholarship in media, communications, gender, area studies, political economy, critical studies, African American studies and music to explain why Treme was not just about television.


Amid COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan announced the closure of all public and private universities and Higher Education Institutes from mid of March 2020. The paper highlights the issues faced by the university faculty in terms of techno-stress due to a lack of pandemic preparedness. The data gathered for this research is qualitative using the exploratory methodology. The methods of the study are In-depth interviews and FGDs. Interview guide and FGD Checklist are tools employed to gather data from the faculty of sixteen Pakistani universities which is sorted thematically and illustrated through descriptive statistics. The findings of the study suggest that the global pandemic has seriously affected the higher education sector in Pakistan. The private universities and the heavily funded public universities have taken off in a bullish mode. However, the public sector universities are coping up in a bearish trend. The faculty's response also corresponds with the transition to online teaching. Besides the university's efforts to ease out learning through an online interface, the majority of the faculty is feeling overburdened with additional responsibilities about online teaching. The study highlights the gap between policymaking and the on-ground situation of the universities in terms of online readiness.


A high-resolution pollen and micro-charcoal (>5 μm) record has been produced from a short sediment (50 cm) core recovered from a salt marsh in the Little Swanport Estuary, eastern Tasmania. This record suggests that there are four phases associated with the European settlement of the region. An initial phase from around 1830 to 1858 AD, which is similar to the previous Aboriginal period; a relatively low impact transitional phase from 1859 to 1898 AD; a rapid and marked deforestation period from 1899 to 1932 AD; and establishment of the contemporary landscape, with reforestation occurring, but with marked differences in species composition (i.e. greater representation of exotic taxa and altered understorey composition) from 1933 to 2006 AD. Key similarities are seen across Australia with the European settlement phase (i.e. addition of exotic taxa, deforestation and/or changes in vegetation composition, alterations in fire regimes and increased sedimentation rates), but high-resolution analysis suggests that these impacts may manifest in different ways depending on the local environmental setting and/or historical context of the settlement location. Furthermore, Amaranthaceae pollen representation appears to be impacted by changes in sea level. However, other factors such as human modifications, particularly grazing, and climate variability may play additional roles and further research is required to disentangle the relative effects of these factors.


Pharmacokinetic variables of etomidate were determined after IV administration of etomidate (3.0 mg/kg of body weight). Blood samples were collected for 6 hours. Disposition of this carboxylated imidazole best conformed to a 2- (n = 2) and a 3- compartment (n = 4) open pharmacokinetic model. The pharmacokinetic values were calculated for the overall best-fitted model, characterized as a mixed 2- and 3-compartmental model. The first and most rapid distribution half-life was 0.05 hour and a second distribution half-life was 0.35 hour. Elimination half-life was 2.89 hours, apparent volume of distribution was 11.87 +/- 4.64 L/kg, apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 4.88 +/- 2.25 L/kg, apparent volume of the central compartment was 1.17 +/- 0.70 L/kg, and total clearance was 2.47 +/- 0.78 L/kg/h.


Many cancers overexpress ATF4, a stress-induced transcription factor that promotes cell survival under hypoxic conditions and other stresses of the tumor microenvironment, but the potential contributions of ATF4 to oncogenesis itself have been little explored. Here, we report that ATF4 promotes oncogene-induced neoplastic transformation by suppressing the expression of cellular senescence-associated genes. Strikingly, primary embryo fibroblasts from ATF4-deficient mice were resistant to transformation by coexpression of H-ras(V12) and SV40 large T antigen. In wild-type cells these oncogenes induced expression of the murine Atf4 gene along with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor Cdkn2a, which encodes the cell senescence-associated proteins p16INK4 and p19ARF. Elevated levels of ATF4 were sufficient to suppress expression of these proteins and drive oncogenic transformation. Conversely, genetic ablation of ATF4 led to constitutive expression of p16INK4a and p19ARF, triggering cellular senescence. Our findings define a central function for ATF4 in promoting oncogenic transformation by suppressing a central pathway of cellular senescence.


The paper presents the results of an investigation of the wave equation describing the processes of wave propagation from accelerating moving gravitational masses. It is stated that a wave can propagate both in a rigid medium (Earth core, ocean's bottom, water, atmosphere) and in a medium without rigid interactions. Mathematical analogues between rigid and gravitational waves are found out. The approximate formulae for the velocity of gravitational wave propagation caused by underwater earthquakes are suggested. It is shown theoretically that the wave equation under investigation is true not only for distances close to the Earth but for rather far distances from the Earth up to the Moon. Experimental research carried out not far from the Earth and ocean surfaces proves that gravitational waves really exist and propagate with the finite velocity.


This thesis examines two aspects of the path following control design problem for L.T.I. systems assigned closed curves in their output space. In the first part of the thesis we define a path following normal form for L.T.I. systems and study structural properties related to this normal form. We isolate how unstable zero dynamics alter the feasibility of using the path following normal form for control design. In the second half of the thesis we consider a synchronized path following problem for a homogenous multi-agent system and cast the problem as an instance of an output synchronization problem to leverage recent results from the literature. It is desired that each individual agent follow a specified path. The agents communicate with one another over an idealized communication network to synchronize their positions along the path. The main result is the construction of a dynamic feedback coupling that drives all the agents in the network to their respective reference paths while simultaneously synchronizing their positions along the path. Laboratory results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Dendrimers have been shown to be capable of interfering in vitro with the formation of the amyloid fibrillar structures typically related to the onset and development of the so-called conformational diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and prion diseases. This makes dendrimers potentially useful as compounds that could prevent or inhibit the action of the cytotoxic amyloid species. In the present paper we summarise the works on the interaction of dendrimers with amyloid peptides related to Alzheimer and prion diseases and take it as the basis from which to focus on some developments that will contribute to enhance the potential of dendrimers as antiamyloidogenic agents. An important first set of works was dedicated to the characterization of the effects of positively charged PAMAM and phosphorous dendrimers on the polymerization processes of different amyloid peptides. However, due to the inherent toxicity of positively charged dendrimers, the research has moved towards the design of more biocompatible dendrimers such as glycodendrimers. This sugar-decorated dendrimers have shown as well their capacity to interact with amyloids, a low level of cell toxicity has been measured for different cell lines and they have shown interesting properties as antiamyloidogenic agents. Other surface-decorated dendrimeric structures are finally also taken into account.


Aims Gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella typhimurium and the treatment of this disease with antibiotics follows by problems such as drug resistance and side effects emergence. Using herbs and probiotics can be a solution to this problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Lactobacillus plantarum with extracts of Satureia hortensis and Anethum geravolens on Salmonella typhimurium; in vitro and in animal model. Methods In this experimental study, 35 female mice 6 to 8 weeks old were divided into 7 groups of 5. The mice infected with appropriate strains of Salmonella typhimurium. After extraction of Satureia hortensis and Anethum geravolens, antibacterial effect on Salmonella typhimurium was studied in vitro. Antibacterial activity of 5 strains of Lactobacillus plantarum that showed the highest amount of exopolysacharide production studied on Salmonella typhimurium. Mice were treated with oral and growths of Salmonella typhimurium in their feces were assessed. The results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA test in SPSS 18 software. Results Mice which treated with ethanolic extract of Satureia hortensis alone and in combination with probiotic showed significant decrease in the rate of excretion and colonization of Salmonella typhimurium in comparison with mice that treated with ethanolic extract of Anethum geravolens alone and in combination with neutralize probiotic and control groups. Conclusion Ethanolic extract of Satureia hortensis has a synergistic effect on antimicrobial effect of Lactobacillus plantarum neutralized supernatant against Salmonella typhimurium. A B S T R A C T A R T I C L E I N F O


The aim of the study is to investigate the current state of awareness of urban shrinkage inLiepājaby the key actors involved in the planning process. Last couple of hundred years have brought many transformations in urbanity that was always accompanied by the growth of the population and expansion of the city. However, the new patterns of urban development emerged in the last decades all over the globe, causing cities to lose the inhabitants resulting in urban shrinkage.Liepāja, the third largest city inLatvia, has lost a quarter of its population in last two decades and the trend continues. The long-term municipal planning document is being presented during this research in a light of which the research question is asked: "What is the current state of awareness of urban shrinkage inLiepājaby the key actors?" Utilising Flyvbjerg's phronetic form of inquiry in combination with case study and repeated semi-structured interviews, the dominant planning views related to urban shrinkage are sought and analysed. The research identifies three underlying causalities that shape the decisions in planning and leave formidable consequences for the future of the city. The causalities identified and discussed in this paper are (1) the planning legacy; (2) the misconception; and (3) the political sensitivity of the urban shrinkage.


During the 1980s crisis in the agricultural economy, some observers claimed that many towns were too small, too isolated, or too distant from larger population centers to survive in times of eco nomic turmoil. We decided to evaluate these assumptions through a series of in-depth case studies of thriving small communities in the Great Plains. The communities we studied fit the general description of towns that were doing better than expected. Using an anthropological approach, the teams of field researchers from the Heartland Center for Leadership Development visited communities, ranging in size from 300 to 6,000, in Colorado, the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas to interview opin ion leaders, positional leaders, and average citizens. These findings were updated recently through telephone interviews. The findings suggest that leadership, rather than size or location, is a clearly critical factor in whether or not a community survives. This article summarizes the re search approach, reviews examples of local leadership behaviors and community development strategies that illustrate these characteristics, reflects on the characteristics commonly shared in thriving small towns, and offers some ideas for additional research that may add to this or related bodies of knowledge.


The objective of this research program is to continue developing, editing, maintaining, utilizing and making publicly available the Oil and Gas Well History file portion of the Natural Resources Information System (NRIS) for the State of Oklahoma. This grant funds that ongoing development work as a continuation of earlier grant numbers DE-FG19-88BC14233 and DE-FG22-89BC14483. The Oklahoma Geological Survey, working with Geological Information Systems at the University of Oklahoma Sarkeys Energy Center, has undertaken to construct this information system in response to the need for a computerized, centrally located library containing accurate, detailed information on the state's natural resources. Particular emphasis during this phase of NRIS development is being placed on computerizing information related to the energy needs of the nation, specifically oil and gas.


ABSTRACT The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) protein is functionally pleiotropic. LANA contributes to KSHV-associated pathogenesis, in part, by increasing entry of cells into S phase through a process that is driven by LANA interaction with the serine-threonine kinase glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and stabilization of β-catenin. We now show that LANA affects the activity of another protein involved in cell cycle regulation, c-Myc. Sequencing of c-Myc coding sequences revealed that c-Myc in KSHV-positive primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cell lines is wild type in the N-terminal region that regulates c-Myc protein stability. Despite this, c-Myc in PEL cells is stabilized. In LANA-expressing cells, inactivation of nuclear GSK-3 reduced phosphorylation of c-Myc at Thr58 and contributed to c-Myc stabilization by decreasing c-Myc ubiquitination. Phosphorylation of c-Myc on Ser62 also affects c-Myc stability and function. We now show that LANA increases the level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and increases ERK phosphorylation of c-Myc on Ser62. LANA also interacted with c-Myc, and c-Myc amino acids 147 to 220 were required for this interaction. LANA (L1006P) retained the ability to bind to c-Myc and activate ERK1, indicating that these events did not require LANA interaction with GSK-3. Thus, LANA stabilizes c-Myc; prevents the phosphorylation of c-Myc at Thr58, an event that promotes Myc-induced apoptosis; and independently stimulates phosphorylation of c-Myc at Ser62, an event that transcriptionally activates c-Myc. LANA-mediated manipulation of c-Myc function is likely to contribute to KSHV-associated tumorigenesis through the induction of c-Myc regulated cellular genes, as well as by the stimulation of cell cycle progression.


Ultra-WideBand (UWB) communications has emerged as a promising technology for high data rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs). In this article, we address two key issues that impact the performance of a multihop UWB-based WPAN: throughput and transmission range. Arbitrary selection of routes in such a network may result in reserving an unnecessarily long channel time, and hence low network throughput and high blocking rate for prospective reservations. To remedy this situation, we propose a novel cross-layer resource allocation design. At the core of this design is a routing technique (called RTERU) that uses the allocated channel time as a routing metric. RTERU exploits the dependence of this metric on the multiple-rate capability of an UWB system. We show that selecting the route that consumes the minimum channel time while satisfying a target packet delivery probability over the selected route is an NP-hard problem. Accordingly, RTERU resorts to approximate path selection algorithms (implemented proactively and reactively) to find near-optimal solutions at reasonable computational/communication overhead. We further enhance the performance of RTERU by integrating into its design a packet overhearing capability. Simulations are used to demonstrate the performance of our proposed solutions.


The aim of this follow-up study was to see if, by the application of a special endoprosthesis for the replacement of the proximal femur, a radical tumour resection could be achieved and/or the function of the lower limb could be preserved or restored respectively. Between 11/1986 and 12/1992 a proximal femoral endoprosthesis was implanted in 9 patients with metastases in the proximal femur. In 21 cases this special endoprosthesis was used in the revision of conventional cemented total hip arthroplasties with loosening of the implant and extreme bone loss at the proximal femur. Twenty-three patients were seen for a follow-up examination with an average follow-up period of 20 months. In all cases the walking ability was preserved or restored respectively. The majority (22/23) of the patients had complete or, nearly complete pain relief. In those patients with skeletal metastases, were no cases of local reoccurrence. The majority problem of this endoprosthesis was the increased risk of dislocation. There is a clear indication for such a special endoprosthesis in the treatment of primary and secondary bone tumours in the proximal femur. For revision of cemented total hip prostheses with loosening and bony defects a revision prosthesis with uncemented distal fixation should be used.


We consider the method of moments estimation of a structural equation in a panel dynamic simultaneous equations model under different sample size combinations of cross-sectional dimension, N, and time series dimension, T. Two types of linear transformation to remove the individual-specific effects from the model, first difference and forward orthogonal demeaning, are considered. We show that the Alvarez and Arellano (2003) type GMM estimator under both transformations is consistent only if ${T \over N} \to 0$ as $\left( {N,T} \right) \to \infty $. However, it is asymptotically biased if ${{{T^3}} \over N} \to \kappa \ne 0 < \infty$ as $\left( {N,T} \right) \to \infty $. Since the validity of statistical inference depends critically on whether an estimator is asymptotically unbiased, we suggest a jackknife bias reduction method and derive its limiting distribution. Monte Carlo studies are conducted to demonstrate the importance of using an asymptotically unbiased estimator to obtain valid statistical inference.