The aim of the present study was determination of reference values of blood serum enzymes of Huso huso. Descriptive study. 18 male and 18 female Huso huso was studied. Blood samples were obtained from caudal vein of 18 males and 18 females and the levels of enzymes were measured by an autoanalyzer. Parametric t- test and Pearson correlation test. Results of measurements for total samples are as follows: Asparat amino transferase (AST)=290/27±60/29 IU/L, Alanine amino transferase (ALT)=6/06±1/14 IU/L, Alkanine phosphatase (ALP)=76/13±13/54 IU/L, Lactate dehyrogenase (LDH)=2083/05±495/18 IU/L, Creatine phosphokinase (CK)=6724/85±2079/29 IU/L, Acid phosphatase (ACP)=16/76±2/53 IU/L, Obtained results showed, based on t- student statistical method used for the 6 enzyme that there is not any significant difference among male and female fishes. Also in pearson correlation test, there could neither be found any correlation among the 6 enzymes which were studied, nor any correlation among the male and female fishes.


The La (S,C)-TiO2 oriented films with honeycomb ceramic wafers as carriers were prepared by template hydrothermal synthesis. The effects of the hydrothermal reaction temperature and the amount of template agents on the performances of nano-TiO2 films were studied. The films were characterized on the XRD, BET, EDS and SEM. The results showed that the TiO2 films with anatase phase were obtained when hydrothermal reaction temperature was 150 °C and the reaction time was 10h, and the oriented films were obtained when the molar ratio of PEO-PPO-PEO(P-123)to Ti was 0.03. The data also revealed that the specific surface area of particles in the film increased from 148 m2/g to 240 m2/g, and the oriented film could fully decompose methyl orange in water for 3 h.


The Mediterranean Basin is one of the world's most biodiverse regions and it roughly counts 30,000 different plant taxa, of which approximately 50% are endemic taxa to the region. Thus, this area has been recognized among the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots. Furthermore, the rate of endemism of the big Mediterranean islands is higher than that usually recorded in the neighbouring mainland areas. Plants are vulnerable to many threats mainly represented by physical factors, such as climate change, extreme weather events, recurrent fires, agriculture, as well as by biological factors, such as invasive species and pests. All these factors are particularly worrying in island ecosystems where urban sprawl and human activities may represent a major source of threat hampering the preservation of important habitats and plant species, especially when circumscribed to small areas. In addition, less than 10% of these areas is protected (e.g. nature reserves, regional or national parks, etc.) and, likely most worrying, their management is not always based on the specific scientifically based plant needs. Given these circumstances, many plant species of the Mediterranean area are facing the risk of a severe decline and require urgent protection measures. While in-situ conservation is the fundamental approach to biodiversity conservation, ex-situ conservation is an alternative and effective way to prevent immediate extinction. The CARE-MEDIFLORA project, an initiative of eigh institutions all having a long experience in plant conservation, will make a step forward by using ex situ collections to experiment with in situ active management actions and measures for some taxa within the period of three years of the project. The involved institutions will jointly work to address both short-term and long-term needs, including: (1) in situ conservation for some of the most endangered plant species of the Mediterranean islands through active management actions (e.g. reintroduction, reinforcement, fencing, etc.), in collaboration with the most relevant local authorities to ensure the sustainability of the results; (2) ex situ conservation of the most endangered plant species of the Mediterranean islands through the collection and seed banking of accessions that will be representative of the overall diversity of the selected taxa; (3) establishing a network connecting scientific institutions from the Mediterranean islands in order to ensure the circulation of information, knowledge and project results sustainability. In addition, great efforts will be devoted to the training of conservation plant specialists, in order to increase collaboration among institutions dealing with in situ and ex situ conservation and to increase awareness about the vulnerability of the native flora through the involvement of local stakeholders and environment-related agencies.


"Music corrupts the minds of our young". This allegation has generated numerous studies investigating the 'music taste' and psychosocial functioning of popular music audiences. Youth are considered to be susceptible to messages promoting sexual promiscuity, substance use, violence and sometimes suicide. The most notorious music genres in this regard are rap/hip hop, and harder forms of rock such as heavy metal and punk. This thesis focused on the role of 'music taste' by; analyzing the consistency of music preferences over time investigating the behavioural correlates of different music tastes among adolescents and young adults (twelve to twenty-nine year olds); and exploring the positive effects of music on listeners. The first study showed that, at the intra-individual level, taste consistency varied substantially. Overall, however, musical taste in terms of genre and style ratings is surprisingly consistent for the age-group twelve to seventeen, and is even more consistent among older youth and young adults. Music preferences were found to be consistently associated with problem behaviours. Especially relevant was music that can be described as non-mainstream. Non-mainstream refers to both music that tends towards the deviant and subversive (e.g., punk/hardcore, techno/hardhouse), as well as music that can be qualified as elitist and adult-oriented (e.g. jazz, classical music). Preference for 'harder' types of music was associated with substance use and externalising problems, while preference for 'adult-oriented' music was positively associated with internalising problems. In addition, young people that displayed low or no involvement with predominant youth cultures appeared to belong to a non-mainstream sub-group and displayed higher rates of social problems. Youth that liked popular, accessible music types, such as the music found in the charts, reported an absence of problem behaviours. In these studies other factors associated with the problem behaviours under study, such as school functioning and relationship with parent were controlled for. Nevertheless, music preferences remained uniquely associated with problem behaviours. In the studies on the relationship between music preferences and substance use one important factor was the substance use behaviour of peers. Both music preference and reported substance use by peers showed partial and sometimes complete overlap in explaining self-reported substance use. Although it was not possible to test with cross-sectional data, it is likely that simultaneous processes of selection and influence of both music and friends were at work. Finally, these studies indicated a unique association between music taste on the one hand, and externalising and internalising problem behaviours on the other. Regardless of specific music preferences, music appeared to have a positive effect on most of its listeners. Even those that indicated the frequent use of music to act out negative emotions showed no evidence of sustaining negative states, as had been suggested previously in the literature. Instead, music listening appeared to help resolve those negative states. Music may be associated with psychosocial problems, but "without music, life would be a mistake" (F. Nietzsche, 1886).


Set within the framework of the newly established field of variational pragmatics (Schneider and Barron, 2008), this study investigates pragmatic variation between two different regional varieties of English, namely American English and Singaporean English. Specifically, the speech act of compliment responses is compared. The data were collected through written discourse completion tasks (DCT) and responses were analysed and coded using an adapted version of Holmes' (1988) categorization system for compliment responses (CRs). The CRs come from a total of 40 participants and a total of 320 compliment responses were analysed. The DCT was supplemented by an introspective-recall with six participants. The findings demonstrate that the preferred strategy for both groups is in the order of accept, evade and reject. Even so, the Singaporeans use more reject strategies and less accept strategies than the Americans do. Further, the Americans employ more combination strategies than the Singaporeans. The Singaporeans however, employ more non-verbal and paralinguistic cues than the Americans. The results also show differences in the two varieties' attitudes to and perceptions of compliment responses. In addition, the study suggests that compliments in Singapore might be undergoing a change. The findings are particularly important for pedagogical purposes.


This paper presents a stress analysis of the ceramic femoral heads of hip joint prostheses with different borehole shapes to evaluate their mechanical reliability in terms of stress concentration. Under the ideal loading conditions used for ceramic rupture tests specified by the ISO 7206-5 standard, a finite element (FE) modeling is performed to determine the tensile and hoop stress distributions in the ceramic femoral heads. Two borehole shapes that are currently used in the manufacturing industry for hip joint prostheses, namely the flat bottom and keyhole, were first studied. Two new borehole shapes, dome arc and dome ellipse, were then introduced by the authors in the paper to minimize the stress concentration. It was found that while the currently used borehole shapes lead to high tensile notch stresses at their critical corners causing possible fracture failure of ceramic heads, the authors' borehole designs can improve the mechanical reliability significantly. In addition, the effects of taper-bore contact length and their interface friction are investigated and discussed.


The impact of the Internet on Society also affects learning at University. Students use not only printed books and their own notes, but also the information available on the Net. WebQuests are learning tools that help the students use the In- ternet, but under the supervision of the lecturer, who has previously selected the most interesting sites to visit. An experience of using WebQuests with first year Computer Science students is shown, as well as the good results obtained both in the improve- ment of examination results and in the positive attitude of the students when using WebQuests.


Recent formation and structure models of Jupiter suggest that the planet can have composition gradients and not be fully convective (adiabatic). This possibility directly affects our understanding of Jupiter's bulk composition and origin. In this Letter we present Jupiter's evolution with a primordial structure consisting of a relatively steep heavy-element gradient of 40 M⊕. We show that for a primordial structure with composition gradients, most of the mixing occurs in the outer part of the gradient during the early evolution (several 107 yr), leading to an adiabatic outer envelope (60% of Jupiter's mass). We find that the composition gradient in the deep interior persists, suggesting that ~40% of Jupiter's mass can be non-adiabatic with a higher temperature than the one derived from Jupiter's atmospheric properties. The region that can potentially develop layered convection in Jupiter today is estimated to be limited to ~10% of the mass.


Abstract Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) has been phylogenetically divided into several putative species based on nucleotide sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (mtCOI). To confirm the putative species among B. tabaci populations in Iran, insects were collected from different regions and plant hosts in Khuzestan province of southwestern Iran, and their mtCOI sequences were determined. DNA polymorphism and phylogenetic analysis of the 10 mtCOI sequences obtained showed four haplotypes among the specimens from Khuzestan province that were identified as the putative species MEAM1-subcladeB. Moreover, specimens previously collected from Iran were found to be members of the MEAM1-subcladeB2. Twelve variable sites were detected throughout the Iran-originated mtCOI sequences contributing to their position on the phylogenetic tree. This is the first study reporting the putative species MEAM1-subcladeB from southwestern Iran.


Militant groups that are in armed conflict with a government often coexist with political parties that have ethnic or ideological connections to them. In this article, we explore the extent to which electoral support received by militant associated opposition parties and nationally incumbent political parties influences subnational variation in militant attacks. We argue, and empirically demonstrate, that militants strategically target localities where the levels of electoral support for the opposition party and the nationally incumbent party are close in an effort to negatively influence the electoral performance of the incumbent party. To illustrate this dynamic we examine subnational data from 1995 to 2015 Turkish legislative elections and attacks organized by the Kurdish militants within the same time period. We also examine the impact of June 2015 legislative elections on militant attacks until the snap elections in November 2015. Our empirical examination shows that militants target localities where electoral support for the governing party and Kurdish opposition party is close. Moreover, increase in violence negatively influences the electoral performance of the governing party. However, it does not consistently have a significant influence on the opposition. The findings illustrate that militants strategically choose the location of their attacks based on electoral dynamics, and attacks can pose an electoral challenge to the governing party.


Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was employed to examine ZrO2-8wt.%Y2O3 (yttria stabilized zirconia, YSZ) thermal barrier coating (TBC) as a function of isothermal exposure time at 1121°C. Electrochemical impedance response (resistance and capacitance of YSZ and thermally grown oxide (TGO)) of TBC specimens was analyzed with an alternative current equivalent circuit based on the multi-layered micro-constituents of TBC, and the impedance response was correlated with microstructural changes attributed to isothermal oxidation. The resistance of YSZ was observed to increase initially and then decrease with thermal exposure. The initial increase was related to the high temperature sintering of YSZ, and the subsequent decrease was discussed in terms of microcrack initiation and electrolyte penetration. The TGO thickness was linearly correlated to the capacitance of TGO.


The anatomical knowledge of the musculocutaneous nerve and its variations play an important role for the surgeons, due to the fact that one of the complications in many upper-limb surgical procedures involve injury to this nerve. During our routine dissection, we observed an anatomical variation of the musculocutaneous nerve taking origin from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus and after passing through the coracobrachialis muscle it then gave a communicating branch to the median nerve in the left upper limb of a male cadaver. The union between the musculocutaneous nerve and the median nerve occurred approximately at the midpoint of the arm. We consider this variation to be rare.


This contribution will be devoted to the parallel legal orders which are established in the EU legal space. These legal orders align third countries through international agreements with the EU legal order. The Turkish association is one of them but also the European Economic Area (EEA), the Swiss bilaterals on persons, the Energy Community Treaty, the European Common Aviation Area Agreement and the Ukrainian Association can be counted as being among these special agreements. These agreements are not only characterized with the special aim of approximation to parts of the EU acquis but are also equipped with directly effective norms and homogeneity clauses. These homogeneity clauses are intended by the contracting parties to enable an identical interpretation of these international agreements norms with EU treaty norms. Relevant rulings on EU law will be also taken into account in the interpretation of identically or similarly phrased provisions. By comparing the different homogeneity clauses found in these agreements and putting them into the context of the relevant case law, it shall be concluded whether the judges follow the aims of these provisions.


Recent transit surveys have discovered thousands of planetary candidates with directly measured radii, but only a small fraction have measured masses. Planetary mass is crucial in assessing the feasibility of numerous observational signatures, such as radial velocities (RVs), atmospheres, moons and rings. In the absence of a direct measurement, a data-driven, probabilistic forecast enables observational planning and so here we compute posterior distributions for the forecasted mass of approximately seven thousand Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs). Our forecasts reveal that the predicted RV amplitudes of Neptunian planets are relatively consistent, as a result of transit survey detection bias, hovering around the few m/s level. We find that mass forecasts are unlikely to improve through more precise planetary radii, with the error budget presently dominated by the intrinsic model uncertainty. Our forecasts identify a couple of dozen KOIs near the Terran-Neptunian divide with particularly large RV semi-amplitudes which could be promising targets to follow-up, particularly in the near-IR. With several more transit surveys planned in the near-future, the need to quickly forecast observational signatures is likely to grow and the work here provides a template example of such calculations.


The small punch (SP) test technique is an attractive method for evaluating mechanical behavior in materials where only small volumes of materials are available. An SP-test machine was developed where miniature disc specimens 5 and 3 mm in diameter and with thickness ranging between 50 to 400 µm can be investigated. For two materials, a 1Cr-0.5Mo low alloy steel and an 18Cr-9Ni austenitic stainless steel, the stress-strain flow curve was assessed and compared with that in tensile tests. The yield strength was determined from the SP-test by analyzing the initial elastic deformation with help of classical plate bending theory. The effective flow properties in the biaxial stress state were evaluated through analytical modelling of the stretching deformation. Good agreement between the uniaxial and biaxial flow properties was found for the 1Cr-0.5Mo steel and acceptable agreement for the 18Cr-9Ni steel.


Observations of Young Star Cluster ({\bf YSC}) systems in interacting galaxies are reviewed with particular emphasis on their Luminosity Functions ({\bf LF}) and colour distributions. A few spectroscopic abundance measurements are available. They will be compared to YSC abundance predictions from spiral galaxy models. Evolutionary synthesis models allow to derive ages for individual YSCs on the basis of their broad band colours. With individual YSC ages, models predict the future colour and luminosity evolution of the YSC systems that will be compared - after a Hubble time - to observations of old Globular Cluster ({\bf GC}) systems. Using model M/L ratios as a function of age, YSC masses can be estimated. Age spread effects in young systems can cause the shape of the LF to substantially differ from the shape of the underlying mass function. Major sources of uncertainty are the metallicity, dust reddening, and observational colour uncertainties.


Inductively power transfer systems are becoming increasingly popular in modern applications like electric vehicles. In order to make this technology attractive, its transfer efficiency must be considerably high. Most works in the literature define the efficiency of the wireless charger as the one associated to the inverter, the coupled coils and the compensation networks. Therefore, they usually omit the study of the losses occurring in other parts of the system such as in the secondary rectifier. This paper evaluates the losses in a complete wireless charger, built and designed to provide V2G functionalities. The experimental evaluation based on the waveform analysis is contrasted with a theoretical model, which relies on the non-idealities of the components. The evaluation reveals that measurement error greatly impact on the power losses derived by the two approaches.


In order to perform efficient testing of software intensive safety-critical products, organisations often utilise hardware-in-the-loop simulation of the system under test surrounding environment. This way, the system could be invoked and its behaviour could be observed in a controlled setting rather than in the field. However, what effect simulation quality might have on the effectiveness of the testing process still remains an open question. An answer to such a question is rather critical for organisations who are obliged to safety certify their products.In this paper, we are presenting an approach used by Bombardier Transportation to validate their hardware-in-the-loop simulation of a safety-critical system, by executing test cases both in the control setting (lab) and on the real product (train). The process is intended to be used when certifying the simulation which is a necessary step in order to certify the complete system. In addition, we are also presenting some observations from the pilot study and lessons learned.


Barenblatt's idea of modeling the crack process zone by means of a cohesive zone has attracted considerable attention for predicting ductile crack growth. The model allows separation of the energy necessary for material separation from global plastic work. This has been a key problem in ductile fracture when searching for reasons for the geometry dependence of crack growth resistance curves. When using cohesive zone models, the correct determination of the cohesive zone material parameters is of eminent importance. In the past these parameters-the cohesive strength and the separation energy-were assumed to be material constants. However, micromechanical considerations show that this assumption is only an approximation in the case of ductile fracture. Here, the underlying mechanisms of void nucleation, growth, and coalescence are dependent on the stress triaxiality. This effect is accounted for in the new constitutive equation for cohesive zone models as presented here. In this new "triaxiality-dependent cohesive zone model," the cohesive material properties are taken to be dependent on the stress triaxiality in the solid element adjacent to the cohesive element. For low triaxiality, low values of cohesive strength and large values of the separation energy are observed; the opposite holds true for cases of high triaxiality. Ductile crack growth in a mild steel under quasistatic loading was investigated. The results from the use of the triaxiality-dependent cohesive zone model are compared to those of the Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) model as well as to the cohesive zone model with constant material parameters. The dissipation rate is shown to be a favorable measure for the characterization of the crack growth resistance. It allows the description of both the (global) plastic dissipation and the (local) work of fracture.


Representing information about music is a complex activity that involves different sub-tasks. This thesis mostly focuses on classical music, researching how to represent and exploit rich metadata. Our main goal is to investigate knowledge representation and discovery strategies applied to classical music, including research topics such as Knowledge-Base population, metadata prediction and recommender systems. We first propose a complete workflow for the management of music metadata using Semantic Web technologies. We introduce a specialised ontology and a set of controlled vocabularies for the different concepts specific to music. Then, we present an approach for converting data, in order to go beyond the librarian practice currently in use, relying on mapping rules and interlinking with controlled vocabularies. Finally, we show how these data can be exploited. In particular, we study approaches based on embeddings computed on structured metadata, titles, and symbolic music for ranking and recommending music. Several demo applications have been realized for testing the previous approaches and resources.


The Paleotethys Ailaoshan Ocean separated the South China and Indochina blocks during the late Paleozoic. Uncertainty remains regarding subduction of this ocean—whether it was subducted eastward beneath the South China block or westward beneath the Indochina block. In this study, we present new detrital zircon U-Pb age, and Hf and O isotope data from the Longtan Formation, which was recognized to be deposited before the ocean closed. Our results show that the formation can be divided into three units: Unit 1 is distributed west of the suture and dominates the area; it contains major age peaks at 290–250 Ma and minor multiple old age peaks. Unit 2 consists of a minor distribution west of the suture, and it shows a dominant 250 Ma age peak; old zircons are very few or not present. Their Hf and O isotopic signatures are similar to those of unit 1. Unit 3 is distributed east of the suture and is characterized by a single distinct ca. 240 Ma age peak with almost no Precambrian zircons. We interpret that units 1 and 2 were likely deposited in a back-arc and forearc basin, respectively, and a volcanic arc developed on the eastern margin of the Indochina block, similar to the present-day northeastern Japan arc. Meanwhile, unit 3 was likely deposited in a forearc basin on the western margin of the South China block. Therefore, the Ailaoshan Ocean may undergone bipolar subduction both westward and eastward beneath the Indochina and South China blocks, respectively.


This thesis is an attempt to establish how well the rural areas of Scotland have fared in improving their housing stock. In numerical terms the housing problems in rural Scotland do not appear to be very serious, however, as a proportion of the available stock, the problems in many areas are quite acute. Poor housing conditions in rural areas are generally associated with the most densely populated areas and tend to be concentrated in the private sector where it is more difficult for local authorities to intervene. The proportionally worst housing conditions are located in the N.W, mainland and the island areas which are characterised by crofting and are also areas which may suffer from an ''income reducing" effect. The state of the housing stock also varies within Districts and this observation highlights the need for very sensitive analysis in rural areas. The proportional size of the rural housing problem in many areas serves as an indicator of the need to improve the existing stock. However, the response of local authorities to improvement has been very varied. In recent years most rural authorities have approved some local authority rehabilitation schemes, albeit that many of these have been quite small covering only 5-10 houses on average. In view of the very small proportions of subtolerable stock in the local authority sector it is likely that some progress has been made in many rural areas. Private improvement activity on the other hand has been far more limited despite the fact that rural Scotland has had a proportionally large share of private improvement grant finance. Housing Action Areas offer local authorities a very positive approach to stimulating private improvement. However, by the end of 1978 only 10 rural Districts had declared any H.A.A.s and these were generally quite small - covering about 15 houses. Of those Districts who failed to declare any H.A.A.s, a few have approved quite nigh numbers of grants in relation to their subtolerable stock. Nevertheless, generally speaking, there has been very little progress in improving private subtolerable stock in rural Scotland. Even in the areas where quite large numbers of houses are in H.A.A.s there is still a lot more work required before any sizeable impact is made. There are a number of factors which may explain this lack of real concerted effort. Many rural authorities, rightly or wrongly, feel that H.A.A. procedures are too cumbersome and therefore unsuitable, particularly in areas where substandard stock is widely scattered. Innovation in some areas is all the more difficult because of the very small size of the Environmental Health Departments who are generally responsible for private improvement grants. It is also possible that in remoter and more rural landward areas high building costs coupled with high proportions of elderly householders may act as a barrier to improvement. Within some of the remoter areas local factors such as shortages of builders and skilled draughtsmen may also make it more difficult for some owners to improve. It is recommended that several changes be made to the existing legislative framework to overcome some of the problems associated with the present grant system. First of all it is recommended that 75% grants be made available for all properties in rural areas. Secondly that grants be made more flexible and be updated at six- monthly intervals to combat inflation. Thirdly that grants be linked to the Housing Cost Indicator to take account of Regional Cost variations. In order to try and encourage authorities to use H.A.A. procedures more widely it is suggested that these procedures be shortened for small rural schemes of houses or less. In view of the lack of innovation and activity in rural areas it is clearly necessary to both find ways of promoting the existing procedures for improving housing stock more vigorously and to devise new approaches for tackling the oustanding level of inadequate housing. It is therefore recommended that in all rural areas authorities should carry out a housing condition survey to find out the true extent of the problem in their area. Having done this it is suggested that maximum efforts be made to declare H.A.A.s in the main towns and villages and that in the landward areas careful consideration be given to the serving of improvement orders on some of the more widely scattered houses. In areas where the numbers of subtolerable houses are quite small, there may be less need to use such a positive approach in which case it may be possible to set up some form of promotional campaign to inform local people of the available grants and to apply for them. Before any active campaigns can be adopted it is essential that sufficient Government finance be made available to ensure that any enthusiasm generated is not lost becuase of lack of funds. In view of the persistent public expenditure cuts it will be very difficult to claim additional funds. However local authorities should put forward their case as strongly as possible in their housing plan reminding central Government of a) their commitment to improving existing stock, and b) the obligation they have imposed on local authorities under Section 13 of the 1974 Housing (Scotland) Act, The importance for planning of improvement work derives from the land use implications of maintenance instead of clearance or dereliction and the effects this has on the local plan process and on Regional Structure Plan Objectives.


A viscoelastic model for the nonlinear analysis of the coupled transverse, longitudinal, and rotational oscillations of an imperfect shear deformable microbeam is developed, for the first time, based on the modified couple stress theory. An energy dissipation mechanism is developed via use of the Kelvin–Voigt internal energy dissipation mechanism. For the stress and deviatoric part of the symmetric couple stress tensors, the viscous components along with the corresponding work terms are obtained. The size-dependent elastic energy along with the kinetic energy of the viscoelastic microsystem is formulated in terms of the displacement field together with system geometric and physical parameters. The internal energy dissipation is developed via the work done by the viscous components of the stress and the deviatoric part of the symmetric couple stress tensors by means of the Kelvin–Voigt mechanism. These work and energy terms are inserted into Hamilton's principle together with the work due to an external force in order to obtain three viscoelastically coupled equations governing the transverse, longitudinal, and rotational motions with cubic and quadratic nonlinear terms. A high-dimensional Galerkin approximation method is applied for all the three equations, yielding three sets of second-order coupled ordinary differential equations with cubic and quadratic nonlinearities. Upon application of a transformation, a continuation technique along with the backward differentiation formula (BDF) is employed in order to obtain the time-variant response of the system subject to a harmonic load. Special attention is paid to the effect of the Kelvin–Voigt type viscoelasticity on the system response in the presence of the length-scale parameter.


This thesis focuses on the phenomenon of illegal housing mediation within the municipality of
Amsterdam. Housing mediation in its general form has developed within the municipality to provide
potential tenants with an easy way of finding a place to live within the so-called "free sector" of the
housing market. Next to regular housing mediation, which is an integral and acknowledged part of the
housing market, illegal mediation has developed, utilizing the facilities of the regular market in its
processes. This form of mediation is mainly focused on facilitating individuals with criminal
intentions with housing within the municipality of Amsterdam. Why this study has been conducted is
the fact that the illegal branch of housing mediation is relatively invisible to the controlling
organisations and, following this, what can be done to improve their controlling position to counter the
phenomenon. The study is relevant in the sense that though this it can be made clear how an effective
approach to the phenomenon can be formed within municipalities as well as within the cooperation
between the various societal and institutional partners within these municipalities. Further, the
approach of this thesis could be used to analyse and develop measures against other types of
phenomena that occur within municipalities.
From this, the goal of this study can be seen as exposing the phenomenon and the factors that are
responsible for its occurrence, the various organisations that are confronted with its operations and
their ways of approaching and countering the phenomenon, and providing improvements in the current
way of countering it.
The study has taken its shape though conducting an elaborate document analysis in combination with
semi-structured interviews to acquire sufficient information for drawing the final conclusions. The phenomenon of illegal housing mediation is an illegal side-branch of housing mediation which
has its working area outside of the scope of controlling municipal organisations. Because of this, it is
possible to facilitate individuals with criminal intentions with anonymous housing possibilities within
the municipality of Amsterdam. This situation is mainly provided by individuals in Amsterdam who
offer their house to mediators for rent (which is illegal in Amsterdam in this form) so these mediators
have a source of houses which they can offer to their clients.
From the perspective of police, as well as from that of municipal divisions and housing-corporations
and real estate agents, attempts are being made to counter the phenomenon, however through the
shady character of it, it is hard to get a thorough grip on the phenomenon. The main limitation in this
is that there is insufficient manpower available that is being allocated to countering it as well as the
limited authority that is given to controlling organisations; because of the voluntary character of
cooperation with controls for citizens it is hard to implement an effective way of controlling.
Based upon the findings a number of recommendations has been provided to improve the finding and
controlling of illegal housing mediation. The points of improvement mainly focus on enlarging the
authorisations of the various controlling organisations and the strengthening of the connections
between the various form of cooperation that exist within the current structures of cooperation within
the municipality.
In conclusion, it has been viewed that within the municipality of Amsterdam there is a broad spectrum
of possibilities in existence for countering illegal housing mediation, but that the effective possibilities
of doing this are not being used at optimum efficiency. Actions are being conducted as to the
possibilities that the various organisations have, but no attention is given to the possible broadening of
these possibilities or to the improvement or strengthening of the existing structures of cooperation. It
can be concluded that there are quite a few improvements to be made to make the countering of illegal
housing mediation more effective.


1. Obstetric and gynecologic infections especially ascending intrauterine infections, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and postoperative infections are usually polymicrobial infections involving enterobacteria and anaerobes. 2. The antibiotic treatment of these infections must primarily be active against the two groups of organisms mentioned. Semisynthetic penicillins, cephalosporines or aminoglycosides combined with clindamycin or one of the new large spectrum penicillins, or cephalosporines alone proved to be effective. In addition to the antimicrobial therapy surgical intervention is very often required in postoperative infections after obstetric and gynecologic surgery and for pelvic abscesses. 3. For treatment of infections in pregnancy specific side effects of antimicrobial agents concerning the mother and the fetus have to be considered. Transfer of the antibiotic to the fetus and the amniotic fluid in sufficiently high concentrations is mandatory for the treatment of intrauterine infections. 4. In cervicitis and salpingitis the possibility of a gonococcal infection has to be kept in mind.


In recent times, incidences of social vices in our society has been unprecedented. The deluge of legal cases our courts receive on a daily basis has posed a great challenge to the Judiciary with respect to accurate information management. In response to this, the study set out to investigate the problems associated with the manual record keeping process through the filling system using the survey research methodology. Firstly, the manual record keeping system done via the filling caused problems such as situations where records kept in files are either outrightly missing or misplaced and files not properly placed in their appropriate locations thereby not providing easy access to legal information as at when required for the making of critical judicial decisions. Secondly, the risk involved in unauthorized disclosure of vital information was also adduced. A framework for the design and implementation of a legal information management system was presented. Ultimately to show the functionality of our system, the framework was translated into a software using some Object Oriented Design Tools, a suitable event-driven Programming Language; visual basic 6.0 was adopted and Microsoft Access was used as the database component.Keywords: Legal Information, Court Case, Judiciary, Manual, Records, event-driven


OBJECTIVE: To develop an easy-to-use tool for decision-making on prophylactic replacement of Björk-Shiley convexo-concave heart valves. DESIGN: Decision analysis comparing elective replacement with observation. SETTING: Referral centres for patients with artificial heart valves. PATIENTS: Quantitative estimates were obtained from a follow up study conducted in The Netherlands, including 2303 patients with a mean follow up of 6.6 years and from recently published studies. INTERVENTION: Elective valve replacement with a new artificial heart valve. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Loss of life-expectancy. RESULTS: A simple graph was constructed to present the loss of life-expectancy caused by strut fracture for combinations of basal life-expectancy (life-expectancy without strut fracture) and lethal fracture risk (strut fracture risk multiplied by lethality of fracture). This loss can be compared directly with the loss of life-expectancy caused by surgical mortality. This quantitative approach takes into account individual patient characteristics, such as age, gender, cardiac comorbidity, and position of the valve, but the final estimation of surgical mortality also requires clinical judgement. The calculations can be made easily by hand or with a simple computer application. CONCLUSIONS: This decision support tool enables the direct estimation of the gain or loss of life-expectancy that is likely with replacement of a Björk-Shiley convexo-concave heart valve. It can be used to evaluate individual patients as well as groups of patients, and allows for easy incorporation of revisions of fracture risk estimates.


The Navier-Stokes incompressible model is used to describe two-dimensional metal casting flow. Such flows involve moving free boundaries. A new numerical algorithm has been developed using the Lagrangian finite-element method. It allows treatment of flows with moderate Reynolds numbers. The main feature is to avoid the calculation of the convective term, together with an automatic remeshing technique, to cure the mesh distortions. The problem of the free oscillation of a liquid is treated to verify the formulation. An application of this method to the computation of an industrial metal casting flow situation is presented


Empowerment efforts at the workplace are typically divided into two analytical categories: social-structural and psychological empowerment. These have been extensively researched in terms of their application and handling as well as their outcome and general usefulness in human resource management. However, less research has dealt with communicative aspects of empowerment and the communicative interactions between change agents (managers) and recipients (employees) that frame empowerment efforts. To contribute to a more nuanced empowerment discourse, this paper uses a micro-/individual-oriented perspective on empowerment communication and theorizes why empowerment change efforts sometimes end up being counterproductive – leading to disempowerment rather than empowerment. As starting point for theorizing empowerment communication, a "basic communicative structure" is identified and analyzed as comprising a contractual and a communicative context, referring to conditions as outlined in written employment contracts on the one hand, and implicitly shared and understood definitions of the social employment situation on the other. Building on sociological and social-psychological theories of communicative interaction, it is argued that focusing on change agents' and recipients' mutual ascriptions of meanings to each other's communicative messages might improve empowerment outcomes: A communicative analysis of common empowerment efforts suggests that recipients' sensemaking of their roles and situations as defined by written employment and/or psychological contracts is not necessarily in line with the communicative meanings they ascribe to the change agents' actions, and vice versa.


This paper focuses on two canonical representations of water in 12th-century Venetian churches: (i) the so-called 'peltae pattern', usually defined as 'geometric decoration' and recognized as the symbol of water; and (ii) the 'marble slab', usually included among non-iconic decorations and recognized as il mare. Why did the medieval masters represent the same natural element in the same type of location in these two different ways? Our hypothesis is that (i) represented the turbulent water of terrestrial life, while (ii) represented heavenly water. We argue that support for both claims can be found by retracing the sources of the two decorative models and looking at them from an art historical point of view, and by analyzing them from a philosophical and perceptological standpoint in order to retrieve universal perceptual patterns that can sustain the iconological reading.


This model illustrates a positive 'growth' feedback loop described in which the areal extent of an entity increases through time. In this case the entity is a patch of vegetation. Growth of plants is controlled by the availability of water in the soil. In turn, the availability of water in the soil is determined by the density of plants nearby, as plants facilitate infiltration. Consequently, conditions for plant establishment are better near existing patches of vegetation, leading to the growth of the vegetation patch.


Background Although it has been hypothesized that fetal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may increase obesity risk, empirical data are limited, and it is uncertain how early in life any effects may begin. Objectives We explored whether prenatal exposure to several organochlorine compounds (OCs) is associated with rapid growth in the first 6 months of life and body mass index (BMI) later in infancy. Methods Data come from the INMA (Infancia y Medio-Ambiente) Child and Environment birth cohort in Spain, which recruited 657 women in early pregnancy. Rapid growth during the first 6 months was defined as a change in weight-for-age z-scores > 0.67, and elevated BMI at 14 months, as a z-score ≥ the 85th percentile. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the risk of rapid growth or elevated BMI associated with 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene, β-hexachlorohexane, and polychlorinated biphenyls in first-trimester maternal serum. Results After multivariable adjustment including other OCs, DDE exposure above the first quartile was associated with doubling of the risk of rapid growth among children of normal-weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2), but not overweight, mothers. DDE was also associated with elevated BMI at 14 months (relative risk per unit increase in log DDE = 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–2.03). Other OCs were not associated with rapid growth or elevated BMI after adjustment. Conclusions In this study we found prenatal DDE exposure to be associated with rapid weight gain in the first 6 months and elevated BMI later in infancy, among infants of normal-weight mothers. More research exploring the potential role of chemical exposures in early-onset obesity is needed.


Upgrading supervisory HVAC control in commercial buildings is one of the most attractive decarbonization tools at our disposal. Modern controls are software programs and can in theory be deployed at scale and with a low up-front carbon "pulse". In practice, however, control delivery is a disjointed and inefficient process, dominated by manual handoffs of imprecise English language documents. A particularly high barrier exists between control implementation and building energy modeling (BEM) which results in control sequences typically not being tested for correctness or performance before implementation. Together with industry partners, DOE and the national labs are developing an ecosystem of tools and standards that can support fully digital performance-based control delivery workflows. This paper describes this ecosystem, which consists of three mutually supportive efforts. Semantic models of buildings and their systems enable automatic configuration and installation of control software. Platform-neutral control descriptions separate control algorithms from control platforms and enable the creation of libraries of reference control implementations. Dynamic whole-building energy-control simulation that can execute physically realistic control sequences makes it possible to test and evaluate the performance of control sequences and then directly compile them for installation and execution in control systems. In addition to digitizing and streamlining project-level control delivery, these standards and related software support benchmarking of control algorithms, both rule-based and optimization-based, and help to both advance the state of the art and to implement ratings and programs that encourage the adoption of high-performance control.


The dose-response effects of extracts of fresh and dry shrimps contaminated with cyanobacterial
toxins on total hepatic proteins and redox state were determined in the livers male of albino rats.
Redox state was determined based on mitochondrial NAD+/NADH ratios which was measured at 260nm
and 340nm, respectively. Total protein was determined in liver cytoplasmic fraction by the biuret
method. The rats were grouped and fed with various doses of either fresh or dry shrimp extracts, while
control rats were not fed either shrimp extract. Results show classical dose-response decreases of
over 50% in cytoplasmic total protein content in rats fed with 2.5ml/kg bw of fresh shrimp extract and
5.0ml/kg bw of dry shrimp extract respectively when compared to the control value. Similarly, there
were decreases in mitochondrial NAD+/NADH ratios in rats fed with 2.5ml/kg bw and 5.0ml/kg bw of
fresh and dry shrimp extracts over control, although the percent decreases were below 25% of control.
These results suggest the probable interference of the toxin with redox reaction pathway in the
mitochondria and inhibition of cytoplasmic protein "pool", and thus potential hepato-toxicity to humans
in the Niger Delta who consume these shrimps on a daily basis, and consistent with other reports by
others


This study investigated teachers' pedagogical competence as determinant of students' attitude towards Basic Science in South-West Nigeria. The study was a descriptive survey type study. Participants were 2160 students randomly selected from 108 secondary schools across four States in South- west Nigeria together. 324 teachers teaching Basic Science in Junior Secondary Schools were purposively selected for the study. Two instruments were used for data collection. The first was a 25 item questionnaire titled "Basic Science Teachers pedagogical Competence Questionnaire (BSPCQ) and the second instrument was also a questionnaire with 25 structured item questions titled "Students' Attitudinal Questionnaire" (SAQ). The reliability of the instruments was determined through test and re-test method which yielded a correlation co-efficient of 0.87 and 0.89 for BSPCQ and SAQ, respectively at 0.05 level of significance. Mean and Ranking Order and Multiple Regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that, teachers' pedagogical competence can significantly influence students' attitude towards Basic Science. It was recommended that, emphasis should be laid on teachers' qualifications while employing Basic Science teachers. Teachers should also intensify efforts in using various teaching styles which could influence students' attitude. It was also recommended that adequate measures should be taken by the teachers to ensure that students benefit from their teaching. In addition, the government and other educational stakeholders should arrange for seminars and workshops for their teachers to boost their levels of competence in the classroom. Teachers should also exhibit positive attitude that can influence students' attitude towards Basic Science.

 Key words: Teachers' pedagogical competence, students' attitude, teacher's attitude, basic science.


In an article published thirteen years ago, I tried to break new ground by showing that the texts transmitted under the title Catalepton as the work of Virgil can be seen to form an elaborately arranged and highly allusive book of verse written by a single author. This latter, I argued, was identical with the anonymous poet who, in an epilogue, represents the preceding poems as the juvenilia of the author later known for his Bucolics, Georgics and Aeneid and, consequently, is himself speaking in the alleged early works as Virgil impersonator. This anonymous poet, however, cannot rightly be labelled a literary forger, since he repeatedly and quite unmistakably recalls each of Virgil's three opera as well as other texts written after the year 19 b.c. Evidently, then, he is inviting his readers to take part in a literary lusus, one in which they are expected to be familiar not only with the texts of Bucolics, Georgics and Aeneid but also with the life of the man who wrote them. The fiction of a young Virgil is created, one who wrote his first poems—the verses referred to in the epilogue as elementa and rudis Calliope (Catal. 18[15])—primarily under the influence of Catullus, the said poems being, with the exception of Catal. 12(9) and 16(13), epigrams. My interpretation has borne fruit, with Irene Peirano and Markus Stachon each devoting, in 2012 and 2014 respectively, a monograph to this approach and offering what are often very thorough analytical readings of the poems as the creations of a Virgil impersonator. However, neither of these two Latinists has considered one particular interpretative aspect, which I myself had only been able to introduce very briefly into my paper: the recognition that, as many more recent studies have now further corroborated, Roman poetry books were designed for linear, sequential reading, that they have, as it were, a story to tell. Peirano, moreover, disregards in her study the three Priapea positioned in editions before the other fifteen epigrams and shown there with their own separate numbering. In the manuscripts, however, the title Catalepton refers without exception to a unit comprising the three Priapea and the fifteen epigrams. The title Priapea, found in the catalogue of the Murbach manuscripts and in some codices (for example the Graz fragment), is always attached solely to the poem Quid hoc noui est? In the Vita Suetoniana-Donatiana (VSD), the terms Catalepton, Priapea and Epigrammata were evidently used as three different titles; the author (or his source) may not have seen that Catalepton is the title of all the poems. Furthermore, I should like to point out that, counted together, 'Virgil's' Priapea and epigrams come to a total of seventeen poems and so match precisely both the total of seventeen books in the real Virgil's three works and the total number of Horace's epodes, of the poems, that is, which the not-so-real Virgil quite conspicuously evokes in his own penultimate poem (Catal. 16[13]). More significantly, however, a sequential reading of the Priapea et Epigrammata can in fact build a watertight case for taking the texts to be, as it were, a composite whole, and that is what I intend to argue in the rest of the article.


The challenges facing public health, and the broader world context in which we struggle, have become too numerous and too complex for a business-as-usual approach." (Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General) This study is an interim report. It is conceived as a living document to support the implementation of the Health 2020 framework by countries at various levels of governance. It builds on Governance for health in the 21st century: a study conducted for the WHO Regional Office for Europe (Kickbusch & Gleicher, 2012) from 2012. It provides policy-makers with examples from around the world of how whole-ofgovernment and whole-of-society approaches have been implemented together with a set of process tools to manage the complex policy process as developed in the policy sciences. These have been selected with a special view to the priority areas that have since been set by the Health 2020 policy framework and with the following criteria in mind: be able to derive general knowledge, find best practice examples with model character, cover a wide variety of different contexts and countries and, as far as possible, only use policies that are implemented and ideally evaluated. The study aims to contribute in particular to the Health 2020 strategic policy objective of "improving leadership and participatory governance for health". It is conceived as a living document that will be continually enriched with new examples and analysis.


Specialization of majors in a study program becomes something important must be an option for a student, for that they must think carefully before choosing the majors. Because later this thing can determine the success or failure of a student to understand what they learned to apply to during the final project. In the past few years there has been a question about the problem of electing majors in the Computer Technology Study Program. Because almost every year the majority of interest voters in majors are interested in computer network majors rather than robotics majors. majoring in majors, so the authors analyzed and retrieved data from 145 student samples in the electronic practicum course and chose 7 attributes in this study because this course was very influential on the interest in the robotics department in the Computer Technology study program. The author uses the classification tree Decision method to predict interest in students. Therefore, with this research, the authors hope that in the future with the results of this analysis can be found a solution to the problem of why students are more inclined to choose the interests of departments other than robotics, whether due to factors or other factors. Keywords: Computer Technology, Analysis, Classification


Author(s): Cutting, Andrew Scott | Abstract: Bacterial meningitis is a severe, life threatening concern, which results in a high proportion of patients succumbing to disease. There are limited treatments available for this disease and individuals that survive endure an immense amount of outstanding consequences for the remainder of their lives. An important causative agent of bacterial meningitis is the human pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS). GBS is known to be the leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis thereby resulting in a high incidence of mortality and morbidity. To cause meningitis, this bacterium must penetrate one of the most important barriers in the body, the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Still, the molecular mechanisms associated with the development of disease have yet to be completely described. In the past, invasive GBS was visualized within brain endothelial cells, the single cell layer that comprises the BBB, however the intracellular fate of GBS has yet to be explored. This dissertation seeks to understand the intracellular host defenses activated in response to GBS infection, the bacterial factors responsible for this activation, and the specific host and bacterial proteins that contribute to bacterial invasion and the initiation of the immune response. We explored the self-digestion pathway, known as autophagy, as playing a critical role in targeting intracellular GBS for destruction. My data suggest that while the autophagic pathway is activated in response to bacterial infection; this process is incompletely effective in eliminating the intracellular GBS. I believe that GBS can subvert autophagic recognition and subversion of this pathway may be the first step of the development of BBB disruption. Additionally, this dissertation explored canonical endocytic trafficking during GBS infection and the bacterial factors associated with differential trafficking. Finally, I have successfully identified a novel autophagy related protein responsible for bacterial uptake into brain endothelium as well as stimulation of the immune response. This protein may be a master regulator of a variety of intracellular processes and will be an interesting target for therapeutic intervention. In the end, this dissertation uncovered new information critical for understanding the intracellular potential and transcytotic nature of GBS during disease manifestation


Introduction: Hypertension is a multifactorial disease influenced by genetic and environmental components, with its prevalence varying across ethnic groups. Manifold studies on blood pressure regulatory system genes have been carried out —such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, the sympathetic nervous system, endothelial factor, and sodium balance—, but the results yielded were inconsistent among populations. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of both variants in genes AGT, AGTR1, ACE, ADRB2, DRD1, ADD1, ADD2, ATP2B1, TBXA2R PTGS2, and the result of the individual ancestry component on hypertension and blood pressure levels among population in Antioquia. Methods and materials: 107 cases and 253 controls were genotyped for 12 variants on genes AGT, AGTR1, ACE, ADRB2, DRD1, ADD1, ADD2, ATP2B1, TBXA2R y PTGS2, and for 20 ancestry informative markers. The association of polymorphisms and their interactions, and the association of ancestral genetic composition with hypertension and blood pressure levels were examined. Results: Genes ADD2, rs4852706 (OR=3.0; p=0.023); DRD1, rs686 (OR=0.38; p=0.012) and ADRB2, rs1042718 (OR=10.0; p=0.008); as well as genotypic combinations of DRD1 and AGTR1; AGT and ADD1; and ADD1 to ATP2B1 and PTGS2 were associated to hypertension. The Amerindian ancestry component was associated to some decrease in diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion: Variants on genes ADD2, DRD1, ADRB2, AGTR1, AGT, ADD1, ATP2B1 and PTGS2 individually or interacting, are associated to hypertension. The Amerindian ancestry component has an effect on blood pressure. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v33i4.1489


A cross sectional survey on pattern and perception of herbal use among medical patients in Penang Hospital was conducted. Among 250 patients surveyed, 67.9% were using herbal medicine and conventional medicine concomitantly. A majority of the patients used herbs for health maintenance (51.3%) purpose. More than 90% of herbal users did not disclose herbal use to their physician and "Doctor never asked" was the major reason given (54.2%). The Chinese reported the highest rate of herbal use but was least likely to disclose. These findings are important for health professionals to ensure medication safety and recognise potential drug herb interaction.


The volume sounds out the methodological potential of the central narratological category of 'voice' in its relation to 'person' and specifies this category principally against the background of Genette and Bachtin. In addition to papers with a theoretical orientation, there are also case studies, these always being linked with more general methodological concerns. The main focus is on borderline cases for unequivocally determining the position of the speaker or speech in texts. The papers examine, for example, the position and function of the text itself as a literary 'voice', and whether polyphony can be described as a variety of 'autonomous voices' without recourse to the concept of 'person'. The authors draw up new concepts of 'voice' in narrative theory, discuss the phenomenon of 'multiple voices' in literary texts and examine the category of 'voice' for its relevance as an instrument of textual analysis. The volume investigates all aspects of the relationship between the narrator's speech and that of the narrative figures within the triad of author, narrator and figure, drawing in historical aspects and insights from the psychology of cognition and reception. In this, it presents innovative fundamental research on central questions of modern narrative theory.


When a policy gives temporary incentives for healthy behaviors, how long does the impact last? I study the U.S. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, which gives vouchers for healthy foods. Using household-level scanner data, I find that the effect of the program diminishes when households become ineligible. Demand model estimates show that price differences between healthy and unhealthy foods play a large role in the decrease of the program's impact. The estimates imply that the program has a persistent effect, in that it increases the impact of subsequent policies like subsidies on healthy foods.


In this paper, the modular concept of DC/DC converters for the power conversion of solar panels is presented. As a result, individually doing maximal power point tracking for each solar panel plus soft-switching technique can maximally increase the global efficiency. Due to the modular concept, un-planed shutting down big distributed power generator in smart grids can be avoided. In addition, the appropriate strategies of power management are defined and applied for charging the GPS-driven electric vehicles (in right place at right time). As the electric vehicles are only in charging state in smart grids, the lifetime of the on-board batteries can be guaranteed. The evaluation results show that the on-board batteries possibly provide enough freedom in smart grids to mitigate the fluctuation of power flow, so power quality can be ensured without extra energy storage in this case.


The residential load scheduling problem is concerned with finding an optimal schedule for the operation of residential loads so as to minimize the total cost of energy while aiming to respect a prescribed limit on the power level of the residence. We propose a mixed integer linear programming formulation of this problem that accounts for the consumption of appliances, generation from a photovoltaic system, and the availability of energy storage. A distinctive feature of our model is the use of operational patterns that capture the individual operational characteristics of each load, giving the model the capability to accommodate a wide range of possible operating patterns for the flexible loads. The proposed formulation optimizes the choice of operational pattern for each load over a given planning horizon. In this way, it generates a schedule that is optimal for a given planning horizon, unlike many alternatives based on controllers. The formulation can be incorporated into a variety of demand response systems, in particular because it can account for different aspects of the cost of energy, such as the cost of power capacity violations, to reflect the needs or requirements of the grid. Our computational results show that the proposed formulation is able to achieve electricity costs savings and to reduce peaks in the power consumption, by shifting the demand and by efficiently using a battery.


Professional practices in technical communication are increasingly being challenged by the emergence of collaborative media that enable users to access technical information created by non-professionals. At the same time, these technologies also allow technical communicators to provide a continually expanding audience with knowledge and skills needed now more than ever. Through a co-design case study, researchers developed a new and innovative platform for producing and distributing technical information including user-generated content. Moreover, the events of the case included market strategies in which a professional organization moved from a reactive to a more proactive position on collaborative media. In so doing, they outlined a set of new professional roles for technical communicators including editors, curators, facilitators, and community managers.


This project aims to describe how workflow systems can integrate and make use of context information from context rich environments, to enhance the execution of workflow processes. Context information can for example be used to control transitions between activities, activity enactment and process/activity coordination. A dynamic contextual environment also requires that a workflow system is capable of responding to contextual events. A set of requirements for a context-aware workflow system, based on existing workflow standards, theory behind context-aware computing and activity theory, will be presented and elaborated. Prototypes, which illustrate how these requirements can be implemented in a standard based workflow system, are also provided. Based on the solutions presented in the prototypes, a new interface for a workflow enactment service is presented. This new interface serves as the link between the contextual environment and the workflow system. We also present a solution for handling context related exception states. The definition of basic terms in workflow systems are expanded to better support context-aware behaviour. Ideas and solutions for more complex requirements not met in our prototypes are also discussed, such as situated activity coordination.


A rare ability to enhance dengue virus disease In some cases, secondary infections of dengue virus can be extremely serious and result in plasma leakage, thrombocytopenia, and hemorrhagic disease. This phenomenon has been attributed to antibody-dependent enhancement. Wang et al. show that a specific subclass of antibody, IgG1, which lacks fucosyl residues on the Fc segment of the heavy chain of the immunoglobulin, is elevated in patients with severe secondary dengue disease. These non-neutralizing antibodies bind activating Fc receptors and appear to cross-react with platelet antigens to cause platelet depletion, contributing to thrombocytopenia. Science, this issue p. 395 Immunoglobulin subclass IgG1, which lacks fucosyl residues, is implicated in severe dengue disease during secondary infections. Dengue virus (DENV) infection in the presence of reactive, non-neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) (RNNIg) is the greatest risk factor for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Progression to DHF/DSS is attributed to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE); however, because only a fraction of infections occurring in the presence of RNNIg advance to DHF/DSS, the presence of RNNIg alone cannot account for disease severity. We discovered that DHF/DSS patients respond to infection by producing IgGs with enhanced affinity for the activating Fc receptor FcγRIIIA due to afucosylated Fc glycans and IgG1 subclass. RNNIg enriched for afucosylated IgG1 triggered platelet reduction in vivo and was a significant risk factor for thrombocytopenia. Thus, therapeutics and vaccines restricting production of afucosylated, IgG1 RNNIg during infection may prevent ADE of DENV disease.


The major purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the theoretical relevance and empirical validity of the trichotomous model for studying achievement motivation in the sport setting. This framework suggests that performance goals can be partitioned into separate approach and avoidance tendencies. Consequently, the trichotomous achievement goal framework holds that three distinct achievement goals can be identified ; i.e. (a) Mastery goals that focus on the development of competence and task mastery (b) Performance-approach goals that focus on the attainment of favorable judgments of normative competence, and (c) Performance-avoidance goals that focus on avoiding unfavorable judgments of normative competence.

Specifically, are examined : 1 I the conceptual fundations of the achievement goals theory framework, 2 I the theoretical basis and the empirical validity of the trichotomous model in the sport setting, 3 I the personal and environment antecedents of goal adoption, 4 I the relationships between the three achievement goals and sport intrinsic motivation, and 5 11 the links between the three achievement goals and sport learning behaviors. Based on this work, it is proposed that the trichotomous model can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of achievement goals and optimal motivation in sport and physical education settings.


Paracocidioides brasiliensis (P. brasiliensis or Pb) is the etiological agent of paracocidioidomycosis which is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in South America. About 60% of the clinical cases are found concentrated in Brazil and the disease is a major threat for the public health there, p. brasiliensis is a dimorphic fungus because it undergoes a morphological switching from a mycelium to yeast form after shifting the temperature from 26 c to 37 c. Similar morphological changes have been implicated to be important in the pathogenicity of other dimorphic fungi and they appear to be under the control of the с AMP signalling transduction pathway. In order to establish the relationship of с AMP signalling pathway and the morphological change in p. brasiliensis, a project was initiated to clone the key components of the с AMP signalling pathway and analyze their functions. To this end, a genomic DNA library and two cDNA libraries oiPb were constructed. Degenerate primers were synthesized based on the sequence of genes of several other important fungi in GenBank. After amplification, specific PCR products were obtained and sequenced. The specific PCR products were used for labeling to screen libraries and their sequences were used for designing specific primers to do genomic walking and RACE-PCR. Both cDNA and genomic DNA sequences have been determined for the key components of the с AMP signalling pathway including adenylate cyclase (PbCYRl), three G protein α subunits (PbGPAl,PbGPA2 and PbGPA3), a G protein β subunit (PbGPBl), a G protein γ subunit (PbGPGl), a с AMP dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (PbTPKJ), a с AMP depentdent protein kinase-like gene (PbTPKLl) and a TUP gene (PbTUPA).The interactions of the proteins encoded by the genes in the с AMP signaling pathway were studied with Clontech's Matchmaker yeast-two-hybrid System III. This approach demonstrated that the N-terminal third of adenylate cyclase PbCyrl 1 •678 can interact with PbGpal and PbGpbl. To further test if PbGpa2, PbGpa3, PbRasl, and PbActin can interact with adenylate cyclase, random mutagenesis libraries were made for these genes and screened with PbCyr1 1 •678, PbCyr1 600- 1316, PbCyri 1302 1876 and PbCyr1 1648-2100. It was demonstrated that PbCyrl 1-678, where the Ras association domain resides, can interact with truncated versions ofPbGpa2, PbGpa3, PbRasl, and PbActin, i.e., PbGpa21 -102, PbGpa21-183, PbGpa3 1-160, PbGpa3 1-213, PbRas1 1-83,PbRas 126-238, and PbActin 1-314. For the first time, the major components of Pb cAMP signaling pathway have been cloned and characterized; and we provide direct evidence that the G protein a subunits, G protein p subunit, RAS protein and actin interact directly with adenylate cyclase in fungal biology. This thesis funds the basis for the further study of the cAMP signalling pathway in P. brasiliensis. It may facilitate delineation of the mechanism for the dimorphic switching and the development of potentially novel antifungal drugs.


A body of evidence has indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) may have significant roles in cancer. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has frequently been observed in various human malignancies, including osteosarcoma (OS). However, the roles of miRNAs in OS remain poorly understood. In the present study, high-throughput deep sequencing was performed to screen for deregulated miRNAs in OS. Screening identified 310 miRNAs which were significantly overexpressed and 41 miRNAs which were significantly downregulated (>2-fold) in OS samples, compared with adjacent non-tumor bone tissues. Among these miRNAs, miR-33a-5p was notably downregulated. TaqMan reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis further verified that miR-33a-5p expression was significantly reduced in a large cohort of human OS samples. Enhancing miR-33a-5p expression via transfection with miR-33a-5p precursor significantly inhibited OS cell growth, suggesting potential antitumor properties of miR-33a-5p. The results of the present study provide novel insights into the miRNAs involved in OS, and suggest that miR-33a-5p may function as a tumor suppressor in OS. Therefore, miR-33a-5p may be able to serve as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for OS treatment.


Background & objectives: Diabetes is a multi-factorial metabolic disorder caused by defects in insulin secretion/function or both. Diabetes has become a global problem because of increasing trend of elderly, socio-economic transformation and demographic changes. This study tried to evaluate the effectiveness of integration of diabetes control program in health networks and utilization of family practice in caring diabetics. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 462 type 2 diabetic patients with no complication detected in screening program in rural areas of Kordkoy district, Golestan province. The diabetic patients were divided into two groups using stratified random sampling. The incidence rates of eye and renal failure, diabetic foot ulcer, stroke and heart attack were compared between two groups. Results: In this study incidence rate of retinopathy, nephropathy, diabetic foot ulcer, stroke and heart attack in patients were 9.7, 5.9, 3.5, 3.3 and 6.1%, respectively. Diabetic foot ulcers and heart attacks significantly correlated with quality of the care received ( p <0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that family practice plan was not successful enough to achieve its goals in preventing and reducing the short-term and long-term complications of diabetes in Kordkuy city.


This loose leaf publication follows in the footsteps of Lillian Chenwi's Evictions in South Africa: Relevant International and National Standards (2008), which also adopts a practice-orientated approach to the discussion of the law of evictions. These types of publications are gaining popularity among practitioners because they provide concise guidelines for the solution of a particular problem. This publication, however, exceeds the parameters of easy ascertainable pointers and ventures into the realms of a substantial academic work that is unfortunately crippled by slightly watered down theoretical discussions and case law analyses.


File sharing, and particularly the sharing of music files, has been labeled 'piracy', 'theft' and 'free-riding' by its detractors, particularly those in the music industry. The phenomenon is lauded by certain supporters, such as Kembrew McLeod, as well as by its "practitioners", for reasons ranging from the principled (promotion of sharing or the public domain) to the practical (perceived overcharging in the industry prior to the practice, or the impossibility of stopping it). A recent study by Geert Demuijnck has effectively questioned the free-riding charge from the perspective of the traditional analytic and economic literature on free-riding. In my view, one might also call upon virtue-based notion of ethics to justify the morality of file sharing in the modern context. This discussion will necessarily turn to context and an understanding of the informal normativity that surrounds music file sharing. Given the communicative and social importance of the practice of music file sharing in the modern context, particularly among younger users, one can readily understand the virtues of sociability and friendship that are developed by this practice, as well as the development of expression and creativity on an individual level. Sharing is thus a key practice linked to virtue, and not necessarily to vice. I shall make an argument, again particularly with regard to music, that such a sharing ethos has always been part of the way that music has been written, performed and appreciated. Finally, I shall argue that current normative structures ought to be adapted to reflect this more profound understanding of the impulse to share music.


We provide a basic overview of inheritance, fertility and influence of IBD and pregnancy, therapy in pregnancy and childbirth options. A crucial factor for good results is the degree of inflammation at the time of conception and during pregnancy. If the disease is inactive, there is no decrease in fertility and no greater risk of deterioration of disease in pregnancy and pregnancy does not differ from the normal population. The opposite situation occurs if there is a pregnancy at the time of disease activity. Then, in up to 75% of pregnancy courses with big problems, fertility declines, inflammation also worsens and the risk of exacerbations increases during pregnancy. This aggravates the course of pregnancy and childbirth and has a negative effect on the fetus. Therefore, it is necessary to plan for a longer period of disease stabilization and continue chronic medication and not discontinue drugs for the fear of negative impact of medications on fetal development. Commonly used drugs such as aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and biological therapy appear to be safe and well tolerated during pregnancy. The method of delivery is different for each individual and depends on the form and location of the inflammation and the preceding operations.


Abstract Exercise has a long history as a therapeutic modality and has existed, in some form, in all cultures throughout recorded history. In recent years, therapeutic exercise has taken on new significance as a relatively low cost medical intervention designed to improve people's health and well-being and reduce the downstream effects of comorbidity. Drawing our inspiration from Foucault and Deleuze, we argue that seeing therapeutic exercise as primarily 'medical' carries with it consequences – some recognised, others unseen – that are problematic and worthy of consideration. Our focus is on the acts of marginalisation, exile and exclusion implicit in the quotidian practice of therapeutic exercise, and how these acts mediate people's daily lives. In the paper we explore how therapeutic exercise is being instrumentalised, normalised and constrained, arguing for much greater critical attention towards its putative 'goodness' and virtue as a health intervention.


Laparoendoscopy for abdominal cancer To the Editor: With growing interest in the application of laparoendoscopic techniques in abdominal surgery and the universal acceptance of endoscopic cholecystectomy. there is now work in progress both in the United States and in Europe to apply the technology to colorectal surgery. I wish to report a case where sigmoid colectomy was performed by means of a laparoendoscopic technique. which enabled a safe clearance for colon cancer and an early discharge from hospital. An 80-year-old woman presented with an adenocarcinoma of the distal sigmoid colon. The site of the tumour was confirmed atlaparoscopy. and the liver was checked for metastatic involvement. Laparoscopic instruments were used to prepare the proximal limb of the anastomosis. The mesentery of the sigmoid colon was divided and vessels were ligated with titanium clips. The inferior mesenteric artery was divided at the sacral promontory between ligatures that were tied using an extracorporeal knotting technique. The distal limb of the anastomosis was prepared by diathermy dissection and clip ligation of vessels in the rectal mesentery. A mirror image of the standard "battle" appendicectomy incision was made low in the left iliac fossa. The cancer and mobilised bowel were exteriorised and resected. An end-to-end anastomosis was created with the circular stapling device. The patient passed wind and liquid stool on the second postoperative day and was rapidly mobilised with little abdominal pain. She was considered fit for discharge on the third day. but was kept in hospital for routine observation for a further 24 hours. The pathology report confirmed the diagnosis of a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Duke's stage B. The 10 nodes sampled in the sigmoid mesentery were all free of metastatic involvement. There is obviously an important future for laparoendoscopic colon surgery. When intracorporeal stapling devices become available in this country later in the year it will be possible to perform similar operations by a totally closed technique, with extraction of the specimen through the rectal stump. depending of course on the size of the primary tumour. I have attended operations in America where laparoscopic dissection of the rectum was made down to the level of the levator plate. with surprising accuracy and ease. Low anterior resection has not yet been performed. but it is certainly feasible. and the approach may also be useful for abdominal-perineal excision of the rectum. Tim Wilson, MB BS, FRACS, FRCS, FRCS(Edin) Clinical Director The Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery Sydney Hospital Macquane Street. Sydney. NSW 2000


This article considers how a phenomenological perspective contributes to the theme of 'human bodies in material space'. The author reviews several central phenomenological concepts, including lifeworld, natural attitude, epoche, and the phenomenological reduction. The author then draws on the phenomenological discussion of lived body, body-subject, and environmental embodiment to describe the intimate lived relationship between human bodies and the physical worlds in which they find themselves. Particularly relevant in this regard is the phenomenological concept of place, which is defined as any environmental locus that gathers human actions, experiences, and meanings spatially. The article uses the work of urban critic Jane Jacobs (The Death and Life of Great American Cities, 1961) and sociologist Eric Klinenberg (Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, 2002) to illustrate how environmental embodiment and vibrant urban places are supported or stymied by material and spatial qualities like street configuration, population density, and mix of activities. The author concludes by considering what a phenomenological perspective on environmental embodiment and place might mean for human rights and environmental justice. The possibility of place justice is proposed: the use of indirect means like environmental design, public policy, and place-oriented law to protect vibrant places and to invigorate moribund environments.


Abstract: The present inquiry engages with the perception of Islam and of Christian-Muslim relations in the works of the sixteenth-century Zurich Reformer Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575). On the basis of previous research, it attempts to deepen our understanding of the Reformer's theory of Islam by comparing it with the notions of true and false prophecy. This theological perspective is broadened by a discussion of Bullinger's more practical advice on the Christian presence in Turkish territories and on evangelization of Muslims. These themes are explored through the Reformer's correspondence, his 1551 catechetical letter to Hungarian Protestants, and his 1567 systematic and polemical exposition of Islam (Der Turgg).


The investigation take place in the local government of Pueblo Libre during the year 2017, it has as main objective: evaluate the level of external articulation of the Youth, Sports, Education, Culture and Tourism Management of the local government of Pueblo Libre in the period 2015-2018, taking as reference methodological tools that are derived from Social Network Analysis (SNA). This analysis is possible thanks to the networks between organizations that exchange resources in a specific context, this is part of the term applied in social sciences: social capital, defined as: "a resource centered and distributed in the structure of relationships or networks. Only indirectly, and as a result that comes from the articulation of relationships and the formation of cohesive groups and / or equivalence classes, the attributes or classifications appear "(Lozares & Marti, 2008, p.24).
Qualitative tools were used to measure the level of articulation between the local government of Pueblo Libre and the other cultural organizations of the district. All the information collected from the field work was encoded and processed in the WebQDA software. To do this, a weight scale was used that ranged from level one to level six, being the strongest link between two organizations the participation in joint projects (Maya-Jariego & Ramos, 2013). Likewise, it stipulated the type of link that the organization maintained, and this made reference to the resource that flowed in the network either it was tangible or intangible. After that we obtained the matrices of weights and links, allowed to enter the information to Gephi, obtaining the graphic of the Pueblo Libre cultural network and the result of the variables to be analyzed.
The local government presented the largest number of links (24) of the Pueblo Libre cultural network. However, 50% of the links identified are of a weak nature and, in addition, evaluating the density variable resulted in 15.7%, showing the low level of articulation. The local government must consider the cultural potential translated into tourism and history to generate development projects that meet the cultural needs of the neighbors. In this sense, it is recommended not to limit cultural activities for economic reasons to generate links that allow the flow of diverse resources in the network.
Finally, it is important to promote the approach towards other organizations through dialogue in order to know the strategic cultural objectives of both parties and achieve the mobilization of resources.


Studies with a murine cytomegalovirus mutant tsm5 suggested two possible approaches to producing a live attenuated human cytomegalovirus vaccine. One approach would be to use a combination of five to six mutants where an attenuating mutation in the gene of one mutant is compensated by the wild-type version in a second mutant, which in turn has a mutation in a different gene compensated by the wild-type version in a third mutant, etc. Important genes in this approach could include those involved in DNA replication. The importance of the carboxy terminase of the primase gene (M70/UL70) for its function suggested a second approach where some of the natural codons in this region could be substituted with synonymous non-preferred (minor) codons that would reduce the replication fitness of the mutant.


Previous studies have demonstrated that Nocardia brasiliensis is susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and that its beta-lactamases are inhibited in vitro by clavulanic acid. A cardiac transplant patient with disseminated infection caused by N. brasiliensis was treated with this drug combination with good response, but relapsed while still on therapy. The relapse isolate was found to be identical to the initial isolate by using genomic DNA restriction fragment patterns obtained by pulsed field gel electrophoresis, but it was resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. On isoelectric focusing, the beta-lactamase from the relapse isolate exhibited a shift in the isoelectric point (pI) of its major band from 5.10 to 5.04 compared with the enzyme from the pretreatment isolate. As determined by using values of the amount of beta-lactamase inhibitor necessary to give 50 +/- 5% inhibition of beta-lactamase-mediated hydrolysis of 50 microM nitrocefin, the beta-lactamase of the relapse isolate was also 200-fold more resistant than the enzyme from the pretreatment isolate to clavulanic acid and was more resistant to sulbactam, tazobactam, cloxacillin, and imipenem. The beta-lactamase of the relapse isolate exhibited a 10-fold decrease in hydrolytic activity for cephaloridine and other hydrolyzable cephalosporins compared with that for nitrocefin. Acquired resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in this isolate of N. brasiliensis appears to have resulted from a mutational change affecting the inhibitor and active site(s) in the beta-lactamase.


Judith Butler's philosophical writings on identity have provided inspiring, if occasionally 'troubling', ways of rethinking gender. A key contribution has been the challenge to conventional social constructionist ideas and thinking on subjectivity. In developing a paradigm of performativity, Butler's work takes us beyond the territory of identity secured in much previous feminist poststructuralist debate. She does so in part by providing an ontological critique—a type of 'queering' if you will—of such seemingly knowable categories as 'man', 'woman', 'girl' or 'boy'. In addressing the radical interruption in identity theorising offered in Butler's writing, we consider the arresting claim that identity is a type of 'doing' that is only made manifest at the point of action. To explore the theoretical, empirical and political issues at stake, we draw especially upon Butler's writings on identity and ally this to some of our own ethnographic research on gender, youth and schooling. Here, we explore young people's compulsion to enact and display stylised forms of gender embodiment, and the spectacular enactments of transgression that can elicit a practice of gender dissimulation. Our focus is upon the subversion, regulation and embodiment of gender identities and its implications for the sociology of education.


During the period 2000-2017, the Mexican economy was characterized by favourable results at the macroeconomic level. Among other factors of good performance, GDP increased from US$707.9 billion to US$1224 billion. However, growth was uneven within the country and there were large gaps between the federative entities and the economic sectors. Regarding social indicators, inequality improved, though multidimensional poverty increased between 2000 and 2017. Moreover, Mexico is one of the most conflictive countries in Latin America, with an increasing number of social conflicts, which are related mainly to narcotrafficking and organized crime. This paper discusses the relationship between the increased conflict and growth, and its disparities with social outcomes. The paradox between good economic performance and social conflict is discussed, at both a national and state level.


A system is presented for compression of hyperspectral imagery which utilizes trellis coded quantization (TCQ). Specifically, DPCM is used to spectrally decorrelate the hyperspectral data, while a 2-D discrete cosine transform (DCT) coding scheme is used for spatial decorrelation. Entropy-constrained codebooks are designed using a modified version of the generalized Lloyd algorithm. This coder achieves compression ratios of greater than 70:l with average PSNR of the coded hyperspectral sequence exceeding 40.0 dB.


This case describes the establishment of a new Cisco Systems R&D facility in Shanghai, China, and the great concern that arises when a collaborating R&D site in the United States is closed down. What will that closure do to relationships between the Shanghai and San Jose business units? Will they be blamed and accused of replacing the U.S. engineers? How will it affect other projects? The case also covers aspects of the site's establishment, such as securing an appropriate building, assembling a workforce, seeking appropriate projects, developing managers, building teams, evaluating performance, protecting intellectual property, and managing growth. Suitable for use in organizational behavior, human resource management, and strategy classes at the MBA and executive education levels, the material dramatizes the challenges of changing a U.S.-based company into a global competitor.


In this paper we present a coding framework for a low energy instruction bus for embedded processors. The encoder exploits application-specific knowledge regarding program hot-spots to generate codewords that deliver savings in power and to furthermore provide concurrent detection of errors. Power savings can be obtained through the use of codewords that reduce the switching activity on the bus. The analysis shows that generating codewords that prohibit the occurrence of three consecutive transitions in three adjacent lines is fundamental to capturing the worst-case crosstalk faults in the bus lines at run time, thus improving the overall reliability of the bus. The desired codewords can be generated through a set of simple prespecified transformations. The detailed analysis we outline shows that the presented transformations are optimal. The proposed encoding scheme is dynamically reprogrammable, thus targeting code particularities effectively. The restriction to a simple yet efficient set of transformations reduces the required storage capacity and eases reprogrammability while achieving these objectives. Extensive experimental analysis on numerical and DSP codes indicates significant improvements in power savings.


Defining the expected benefits from an intended change, development and/or investment has been recognized for some time as being an integral part of a decision making process. A dictionary definition of Benefit is: "A favorable or helpful factor or circumstance, advantage, profit." A definition of Realization is: "Convert into actuality; acquire; convert into money; achieve.


Widening corporate bond spreads have caused a dislocation between corporate-bond-based pension discount rates and the rates of commonly used interest rate hedging tools. As a result, widening spreads have brought the issue of how to manage liability credit risk to the forefront for plan sponsors. Whereas managing liability interest rate risk via interest rate swaps and/or Treasuries is relatively straightforward, managing liability credit risk is more challenging for three reasons: 1) the credit component of liability returns are not investable, 2) no capital-efficient risk management tool exists to hedge liability credit risk, and 3) the connection between credit spreads and the returns of common risky assets (i.e., equities) is relatively reliable, especially during periods of economic stress when the values of risky assets typically fall as credit spreads widen. In order to construct efficient liability-driven solutions and avoid poor funding ratio outcomes, it is thus essential to view liability credit spread risk from a total portfolio perspective inclusive of risky assets. Meder recommends that, from a long-term policy perspective, plan sponsors should generally avoid credit risk in the liability hedge. From a tactical perspective, however, adding credit risk to the liability hedge when credit spreads are wide and expected to narrow can improve funding ratio outcomes, but the amount of credit risk taken must be appropriately scaled to the total portfolio.