Deepak Ahuja, Leonidas Bachas, D.Bhattacharyya Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, and Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0046 *Corresponding author: Dr. D.Bhattacharyya, Alumni Professor, Phone: (859)257-2794, e-mail: email@example.com . Abstract. Various remediation technologies are being developed for the destruction of groundwater pollutants like 2,4,6–trichlorophenol (TCP) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This paper is focused on the oxidative dechlorination of TCP by chelate-based Fenton reaction near neutral pH using enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide and chelate gluconic acid. For the application of Fenton reaction in in-situ remediation, its successful operation near neutral pH is essential. Hence, Fenton reaction is carried out in the presence of chelates that sequester ferrous and ferric ions, making its operation near neutral pH possible. The on-site simultaneous production of hydrogen peroxide and a non-toxic chelate for in-situ remediation of toxic organics by Fenton reaction is highly desirable. For this purpose, well-known enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx), and inexpensive reactants such as glucose and air were used. The study involved developing the correct protocols for the simultaneous enzymatic generation of hydrogen peroxide and chelate gluconic acid for the dechlorination of chlorinated organics by Fenton reaction. The oxidation of glucose was carried out using the enzyme in free and immobilized forms. The rate of production of hydrogen peroxide was determined for the homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, and was used to estimate the time required for complete consumption of glucose during the process, thus avoiding any traces of glucose in the Fenton reaction. The Fenton reaction was carried out at varying ratios of gluconic acid:Fe and under different pH conditions, and their effect on the decomposition of TCP and H2O2 was studied. The reaction rate was modeled in terms of the oxidation of parent compound TCP and decomposition of H2O2.


Ambitious climate mitigation policies face social and political resistance. One reason is that existing policies insufficiently capture the diversity of relevant insights from the social sciences about potential policy outcomes. We argue that agent‐based models can serve as a powerful tool for integration of elements from different disciplines. Having such a common platform will enable a more complete assessment of climate policies, in terms of criteria like effectiveness, equity and public support.


This paper documents a previously unrecognized debt‐related investment distortion. Using detailed project‐level data for 69 firms in the oil and gas industry, we find that highly levered firms pull forward investment, completing projects early at the expense of long‐run project returns and project value. This behavior is particularly pronounced prior to debt renegotiations. We test several channels that could explain this behavior and find evidence consistent with equity holders sacrificing long‐run project returns to enhance collateral values and, by extension, mitigate lending frictions at debt renegotiations.


A series of studies which have utilised the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp to measure insulin sensitivity is described. The methods for measuring insulin sensitivity have been evaluated and conclusions drawn about reproducibility and inherent limitations of the technique. The euglycaemic clamp has been used to examine the effects of angiotensin II and antihypertensive drugs on insulin sensitivity in normal subjects, patients with essential hypertension and patients with impaired glucose tolerance or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Each individual study was approved by the local Research and Ethical Committee and informed consent was obtained from each subject before participation in a study. (i) Evaluation of the euglvcaemic hvperinsulinaemic clamp technique. It was recognised that despite widespread use of the euglycaemic clamp in clinical research, key aspects of the technique remained to be validated. (a) The intra- and inter-subject variability in insulin sensitivity and the time for insulin mediated glucose disposal to reach steady state were evaluated in 18 healthy male subjects and 6 patients with essential hypertension who attended two study days when a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed. Measurements of insulin sensitivity derived from the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp were expressed as whole body glucose uptake (M), and the insulin sensitivity index (SIP). M values at 120 mins were significantly less than at 180 mins in both the healthy subjects and in the hypertensive patients indicating a progressive increase in glucose utilisation over the 180 minutes. The intra subject coefficient of variation (c.v.) of M at 120 mins and 180 mins was 8% and 6% for healthy subjects and 14% and 5% for patients with essential hypertension respectively. The inter subject c.v. of M at 120 mins and 180 mins was 22% and 21% for healthy subjects and 43% and 38% for patients with essential hypertension. The intra subject c.v. of the insulin stimulus was 10% in both groups. The intra subject c.v. of the was 21% for healthy subjects and 16% for patients with essential hypertension. Thus, it was demonstrated that the clamp is highly reproducible within subjects but the inter subject variability is wide. Clamps of 120 min duration underestimate M by up to 10% and are not as reproducible in patients with essential hypertension. The SIP is poorly reproducible; my data suggest that the M value is a better index for comparison of possible changes in insulin sensitivity. (b) The need to arterialise venous blood with a heated hand box was evaluated in 6 healthy subjects. Each subject attended 2 study days when a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed and "arterialised" (AV; heated hand vein) and mixed venous blood (MV; antecubital fossa) were collected simultaneously for the measurement of plasma glucose and oxygen saturations It was demonstrated that AV blood was effectively arterialised achieving oxygen saturations of 95+2%, and that plasma glucose concentrations were less variable when compared with MV samples. (c) The haemodynamic and metabolic effects of hand warming were evaluated in 6 healthy male subjects who attended 2 study days when a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed. On the first day AV blood was used to adjust the glucose infusion rate required to maintain euglycaemia; on the second study day MV blood was used. The results demonstrate that there was a significant trend for M values to be higher when arterialised blood was used when compared with mixed venous blood. My results suggest that hand warming may induce a blood pressure lowering effect that is associated with a confounding increase in the derived measurement of insulin sensitivity. (ii) Evaluation of the effects of lacidipine on insulin sensitivity. The acute and chronic (2 weeks) effects of the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, lacidipine (4 mg daily), on insulin mediated metabolic responses was evaluated in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study in 12 healthy subjects and 6 patients with essential hypertension. Each subject attended 4 study days when insulin sensitivity was evaluated using the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaeniic clamp. In the healthy subjects, reflex tachycardia was observed after lacidipine administration but neither first dose nor 2 weeks of lacidipine treatment altered insulin sensitivity when compared with placebo. A significant decrease in fasting triglyceride concentrations was observed after 2 weeks lacidipine treatment. 95% confidence intervals excluded a 15% change in whole body glucose uptake. In the hypertensive patients, lacidipine treatment was associated with reflex tachycardia and a trend towards decreased blood pressure but there was no significant effect on whole body insulin sensitivity. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).


There are several different neurodegenerative diseases, including prion disease, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, in which a particular misfolded protein contributes to neurodegeneration in the brain [1]. In particular, the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides into protein fibres is one of the main neuropathological features of A. Imaging of such aggregation is extremely important for understanding pathology and in the development of aggregation inhibitors [2]. Unfortunately, potentially highly toxic, early Aβ aggregates are difficult to observe by current electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods, due to low contrast and variability of peptide attachment to the substrate. In this paper we show that a poly-L-Lysine (PLL) surface can capture all protein components from monomers to fully formed fibres. We then use nanomechanical mapping via ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM), and scanning thermal microsopy (SThM) which marries high spatial resolution and contrast with the non-destructive nature of tapping mode AFM. This approach provided profound contrast to small Aβ aggregates, and allowed the study of internal features of PF and MF fibres with a resolution comparable to that of transmission electron microscopy. Crucially we found that a population of oligomers and PF persists at least up to 72 h after commencement of aggregation, shedding the light on pathways of peptide aggregation. The new method has potential for studying much broader range of biopolymers, biomolecular assemblies and supramolecular structures. 1. Walsh, D.M. and D.J. Selkoe, A beta Oligomers - a decade of discovery. Journal of Neurochemistry, 2007. 101(5): p. 1172-1184. 2. Parthsarathy, V., et al., A Novel Retro-Inverso Peptide Inhibitor Reduces Amyloid Deposition, Oxidation and Inflammation and Stimulates Neurogenesis in the APPswe/PS1ΔE9 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. PLoS ONE, 2013. 8(1): p. e54769.


Birds breeding in heterogeneous landscapes select nest sites by cueing in on a variety of factors from landscape features and social information to the presence of natural enemies. We focus on determining the relative impact of anthropogenic noise on nest site occupancy, compared to amount of forest cover, which is known to strongly influence the selection process. We examine chronic, industrial noise from natural gas wells directly measured at the nest box as well as site-averaged noise, using a well-established field experimental system in northwestern New Mexico. We hypothesized that high levels of noise, both at the nest site and in the environment, would decrease nest box occupancy. We set up nest boxes using a geospatially paired control and experimental site design and analyzed four years of occupancy data from four secondary cavity-nesting birds common to the Colorado Plateau. We found different effects of noise and landscape features depending on species, with strong effects of noise observed in breeding habitat selection of Myiarchus cinerascens, the Ash-throated Flycatcher, and Sialia currucoides, the Mountain Bluebird. In contrast, the amount of forest cover less frequently explained habitat selection for those species or had a smaller standardized effect than the acoustic environment. Although forest cover characterization and management is commonly employed by natural resource managers, our results show that characterizing and managing the acoustic environment should be an important tool in protected area management.


Researches in the brain science field have uncovered the human capability to use tools as if they are part of the human bodies (known as tool-body assimilation) through trial and experience. This paper presents a method to apply a robot's active sensing experience to create the tool-body assimilation model. The model is composed of a feature extraction module, dynamics learning module, and a tool-body assimilation module. Self-organizing map (SOM) is used for the feature extraction module to extract object features from raw images. Multiple time-scales recurrent neural network (MTRNN) is used as the dynamics learning module. Parametric bias (PB) nodes are attached to the weights of MTRNN as second-order network to modulate the behavior of MTRNN based on the properties of the tool. The generalization capability of neural networks provide the model the ability to deal with unknown tools. Experiments were conducted with the humanoid robot HRP-2 using no tool, I-shaped, T-shaped, and L-shaped tools. The distribution of PB values have shown that the model has learned that the robot's dynamic properties change when holding a tool. Motion generation experiments show that the tool-body assimilation model is capable of applying to unknown tools to generate goal-oriented motions.


The mass transfer in the cathode electrode plays an important role in operating Li-O2 batteries. In this study, a two-dimensional, transient, and isothermal model is developed to investigate the mass transfer in discharging Li-O2 batteries. This model simulates the discharge performance of Li-O2 batteries with various electrolyte concentrations (0.1−1.0M) at various current densities (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 mA/cm2). The O2 diffusivity and the ionic conductivity and diffusivity of Li+ are altered as the bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide lithium salt (LiTFSI) concentration in the electrolyte of tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) changes. The distributions of O2, Li+, and lithium peroxide (Li2O2) in the cathode electrode after discharge are calculated using this model. Modeling results show that when the concentration decreases from 0.5 to 0.25M, the discharge capacity of Li-O2 sharply drops at various current densities. The mass transfer of Li+ determines the discharge capacity of Li-O2 batteries with dilute electrolytes (≤0.25 M). In contrast, the O2 supply is dominant regarding the discharge capacity when the electrolyte concentration is larger than 0.5M. The highest discharge capacity (e.g., 6.09 mAh at 0.1 mA/cm2) is achieved using 0.5M electrolyte since it balances mass transfer of O2 and Li+.


Airborne contaminants occur in the gaseous form or as aerosols. They may exist in the form of airborne dust, sprays, mists, smokes and fumes. According to occupational health study, all these forms may be important because they relate to a wide range of occupational health diseases. The atmosphere in the mines is always associated with dust, fumes and different gasses. Compare to underground coal mines, dust generation at opencast mines is too high. These days to fulfill the demand rate, there is an increasing in the number of opencast coal mines. Those release an enormous amount of dust. Drilling, blasting, loading and unloading, coal handling and transportation are the common sources of air pollution in mines. These air pollutants degraded the air quality, and they have an adverse impact on the health of people, animals and agriculture. Ground-based monitoring of particulate matter has been restricted to few selective sites. To overcome the problem, the present study utilised the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) level measured from satellite data to estimate the PM2.5 concentration over different coal mines. Aerosol Optical Depth is the measure of aerosols distributed over the column of air from the earth surface to the atmosphere. The present study analyses Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to estimate AOD levels. MODIS on board Terra and Aqua satellites are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days. So that annual, seasonal and diurnal variation of AOD level can be studied. Seasonal/monthly AOD variation were estimated for the year 2014-2015 over the coal mining regions of Odisha state. Diurnal AOD variations were studied during three months (April-June, 2014). The AOD levels were extracted from the AOD maps and used for regression analysis (both simple and multiple) for prediction of particulate matter (PM2.5) dust concentrations.


Cooperative multi-robot systems have been used in a vast array of fields and are of particular interest in perilous environments. One of the main issues in multi-robot systems is the lack of a common set of programming and control abstractions and middleware. Controlling and programming cooperative multi-robot systems is a highly complicated task that requires a flexible and agile control architecture and programming environment that are able to handle the distributed nature of multi-robot systems. A generalized, highly flexible and reconfigurable cooperative robot control platform called Mobile-R has been developed. Mobile-R consists of a mobile agent-based robot control system and a mission-based rapid deployment system. A real-world validation experiment involving cooperative multi-robot perimeter patrolling is presented.


A study of the relationship between climate and beach erosion was conducted on the Oregon coast from June 1973 through May 1974. The climatic year on the Oregon coast can be divided into two major seasons, the summer upwelling season, extending from early April through late September, and the winter storm season, from October through March. The summer upwelling season, dominated by the North Pacific high, is characterized by north winds, coastal upwelling, frequent fog, and low waves. The winter storm season is marked by strong southwest winds, heavy rain, and high waves. During the upwelling season, north winds were 0 to 15 m/s, and waves were 1 to 3 m high. Two sets of sand bars formed in the intertidal zone and advanced up the beach at 1 to 5 m/day and expanded to the south at 5 to 15 m/day. Topographic maps of the beach and intertidal zone were surveyed at low spring tides at South Beach, Oregon. There was a net deposition of 15,100 m 3 of sand on the beach from July 4 through August 12, 1973. In the winter storm season, the wind shifted to the southwest and increased to 22 m/s, and waves reached more than 5 m in height. Sand was stripped from the beach by longshore currents and backwash from waves during storms and returned to the beach in large bars between storms. The total volume of sand involved in the exchange was about 54,000 m 3 or 110 m 3 per linear metre of beach.


Objective:- Hepatitis B is noteworthy medical issues that may include the late continuation of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study aimed for the detection and diffrentiation of Hepatitis B virus HBsAg inactive non-replicative carriers, HBeAg-positive inactive replicative carriers, active carriers & HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B by Real Time PCR and their genotyping
Methods: This research conducted on 245 positive for HBsAg, 118 (48.16 %) were male and 127 (51.84%) were female patients, which was performed in central research station labortory of Microbiology at netaji subhash Chandra Bose subharti Medical College and Hospital, Meerut Between march 2016 to November 2017 The sera were separated and screened for HBsAg by ELISA kit. Positive samples for HBsAg were tested for HBeAg ELISA kit and DNA Viral load then sequenced for genotying
Results:. Of the 245 HBsAg Positive case 55 (1.12%) were HBeAg positive. In 16 PCR positive and HBV genotyping, In HBsAg inactive Non-Replicative 37.5% (n=6) genotype-B and 6.25% (n=1) genotype-A, In HBeAg inactive Replicative 12.5% (n=2) genotype-B and 12.5% (n=2) genotype-A and In HBeAg Active Chronic Hepatitis B 18.75% (n=3) genotype-B and 12.5% (n=2) genotype-A were detected
Conclusions: Management strategy, using HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA viral load, seems adequate for the confirmation and diffrentiation of Hepatitis B virus inactive, active carriers & HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients and genotype B was more prevalent in comparission to genotype A. Distribution of carriers & genotypes, help physicians to prescribe proper antiviral/interferon therapy according to current genotyping pattern in this region
Keywords: Hepatitis B virus, Carrier State, HBsAg, HBeAg, RT-PCR


Road bridges are subjected to millions of cycles of heavy vehicle loading over their design lives, and the introduction of higher vehicle mass limits on New Zealand roads will significantly increase the rates of fatigue damage in bridge superstructures. The NZ Transport Agencyrs Bridge Manual has relied on British and Australian standards for fatigue design criteria, and the aim of this project was to provide the basis for amended fatigue loadings based on New Zealand heavy vehicle characteristics, with allowances for forecast long-term growth in volumes and vehicle masses. The base fatigue loading was derived from analyses of effects on bridge spans of heavy vehicles recorded at weigh-in-motion sites between 2007 and 2011. The base fatigue loading was then adjusted for increases in legal vehicle masses permitted under a 2010 Land Transport Rule amendment (introducing HPMV-high productivity motor vehicles). The recommended fatigue design vehicle is a 54-tonne 8-axle truck-and-trailer, which represents the dominant freight vehicle on New Zealand roads scaled up to full HPMV higher mass limits. Cycle counts for this vehicle were derived to fit New Zealand routes and growth forecasts. Factors enabling the continued use of the Australian fatigue design vehicle are included. Other recommended fatigue design criteria draw on the Australian and Eurocode bridge design standards.


This paper argues the distinctiveness of the President's Council on Bioethics, as chaired by Leon Kass. The argument proceeds by seeking to place the Council in proper historical and philosophical perspective and considering the implications of some of its work. Sections one and two provide simplified descriptions of the historical background against which the Council emerged and the character of the Council itself, respectively. Section three then considers three basic issues raised by the work of the Council that are of relevance to philosophy and technology as a whole: the role of professionalism, the relation between piecemeal and holistic analyses of technology, and the appeal to human nature as a norm.


I test the forward rate unbiasedness hypothesis using the Error Correction Model (ECM) of Naka and Whitney (1995). It is shown that the Naka-Whitney treatment of the dynamic is perhaps necessary to ameliorate existing problems associated with testing the hypothesis. However, it is not sufficient due to the sensitivity of the non-linear regression to starting values. Monthly data from October 1985 to May 1998 for New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom (UK), Sweden, Germany, Japan and South Africa are used to test the forward rate unbiasedness hypothesis. The first four countries are inflation targeting regimes. Germany and Japan have both had very low inflation and South Africa experienced periods of very high inflation followed by periods of low inflation. The null hypothesis is widely rejected. The premia puzzle remains largely unexplained. Interestingly, the forward rate unbiasedness hypothesis holds in two inflation-targeting regimes namely New Zealand and UK. Implications of the Consumption - Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) are used to explain the finding.


Recurrent karyotypic abnormalities are a characteristic feature of cervical cancer (CC) cells, which may result in deregulated expression of important genes that contribute to tumor initiation and progression. To examine the role of gain of the long arm of chromosome 20 (20q), one of the common chromosomal gains in CC, we evaluated CC at various stages of progression using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, gene expression profiling, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses. This analysis revealed copy number increase (CNI) of 20q in >50% of invasive CC and identified two focal amplicons at 20q11.2 and 20q13.13 in a subset of tumors. We further demonstrate that the acquisition of 20q gain occurs at an early stage in CC development and the high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) that exhibit 20q CNI are associated (P = 0.05) with persistence or progression to invasive cancer. We identified a total of 26 overexpressed genes as consequence of 20q gain (N = 14), as targets of amplicon 1 (N = 9; two genes also commonly expressed with 20q gain) and amplicon 2 (N = 6; one gene also commonly expressed with 20q gain). These include a number of functionally important genes in cell cycle regulation (E2F1, TPX2, KIF3B, PIGT, and B4GALT5), nuclear function (CSEL1), viral replication (PSMA7 and LAMA5), methylation and chromatin remodeling (ASXL1, AHCY, and C20orf20), and transcription regulation (TCEA2). Our findings implicate a role for these genes in CC tumorigenesis, represent an important step toward the development of clinically significant biomarkers, and form a framework for testing as molecular therapeutic targets. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


BACKGROUND
The Dichotic Digits difference Test (DDdT) was developed to investigate the relationship between dichotic processing and cognitive abilities and, through the use of differential test scores, to provide professionals with a clinical tool that could aid in differentiation of clients with genuine dichotic deficits from those where cognitive disorders affect test performance. The DDdT consists of four subtests: dichotic free recall (FR), dichotic directed left ear, dichotic directed right ear, and diotic. Scores are calculated for six conditions: FR left ear (LE), right ear (RE), and total, as well as the directed left ear, directed right ear, and diotic, and four difference measures: dichotic advantage, RE advantage FR, RE advantage directed, and attention advantage.

PURPOSE
To investigate the role of cognitive abilities on DDdT test performance.

RESEARCH DESIGN
Correlational analysis between the various DDdT conditions and difference measures, as well as between dichotic, diotic, and cognitive factors (memory, intelligence, and attention).

STUDY SAMPLE
Fifty typically developing children (aged 7 yr 0 mo to 12 yr 1 mo, mean = 9 yr 2 mo) and ten children recruited from the Australian Hearing CAPD Service who were diagnosed with a memory or dichotic deficit (aged 7 yr 0 mo to 15 yr 0 mo, mean = 9 yr 5 mo) took part in the study.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
The Pearson product moment correlations were used to determine the strength of relationships between DDdT conditions as well as relationships between scores on these conditions and performance on the various cognitive assessment tools, which included the number memory forward and reversed subtests of the Test of Auditory Processing Skills - Third Edition, IVA + Plus Continuous Performance Test, and the Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence-4 (TONI-4). A parent questionnaire (Fisher's Auditory Checklist) and a participant questionnaire (Listening Inventory for Education) were also administered.

RESULTS
Diotic performance was significantly correlated with performance on all the DDdT dichotic FR conditions (r = 0.6-0.8; p < 0.00001). Further, significant correlations were found between the FR LE, total, and diotic conditions, and the cognitive measures of attention and memory, with r ranging from 0.4 to 0.5 (p < 0.01-0.001). Right-ear performance was not significantly correlated to any cognitive measure, except for FR RE and number memory forward (r = 0.35; p = 0.006). The DDdT dichotic advantage measure was investigated in a subset of clinical children and found to aid in differentiating true dichotic from spurious results.

CONCLUSIONS
As found in the DDdT normative data study that precedes in the companion paper (DDdT Study Part 1; Cameron et al, 2016), the high correlation between dichotic and diotic performances by the clinical and typically developing participants suggests that factors other than dichotic performance play a substantial role in a child's ability to perform a dichotic listening task. Indeed, 61% of the variance in FR total scores for the children in this study was accounted for by factors that do not involve the perception of dichotic stimuli. This view is supported by the correlations between measures of attention and memory and dichotic scores. This result has wide-spread implications in respect to interpretation of central auditory processing disorder test results and further investigation of the use of the DDdT in a clinical population is warranted.


The focus of the present paper is on work MILK – A National Problem , written by the doctor, journalist and professor Francisco Pompeo do Amaral, which earned the National Academy of Medicine 1955 award, and was then published by Jose Olympio Editora in 1957. The reason of our interest is the presence of memory hints relevant for the history of chemistry and dietetics, such as scientific instruments and iconographic and bibliographic documents deposited at Memory Center, Carlos de Campos State Technical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil. To elucidate the process of management of this work, we describe the studies conducted from the 1940s onward at Superintendency of Professional Education of the State of Sao Paulo, involving the dietitian staff, namely teachers at course for "Food Assistants or Dietitians", which was the be first devoted to diet and nutrition in Brazil, established by Pompeo do Amaral in 1936. The aforementioned studies mention dietary surveys conducted with students at the female and male professional institutes of Sao Paulo, as well as teaching practices recorded in books and scientific journals from 1940 to 1955, which provide information on the use of scientific instruments in chemical laboratories via the iconographic records of the Institutes and exhibited at Diet and Nutrition Visiting Technical Reserve.


A prevalence study of skin myiasis in small ruminants was carried over a one year period. Animals, which were admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, were examined for wound myiasis and the larvae collected were identified as Chrysomyia bezziana. Prevalence of 13.0% and 10.0% were recorded in sheep and goats respectively. Sites of infestation, gender and age were concerned during the investigation. Fixed flocks (animals reared completely indoors) showed higher prevalence than semi-fixed ones particularly in winter. No cases of myiasis was observed during summer. Female animals were more significantly infested (p = 0.0001) than males, age seems to have no role with infestation rates. Surgical and medicinal intervention were successfully carried out and recommendations were given to avoid repeated infestation.


Introduction The function of a tissue and, therefore, the health of an organism can be compromised by the presence of mutant or unfit cells. Cell competition is a mechanism that has evolved to prevent such cells from contributing to tissues. Two widely studied models of cell competition are Myc-induced supercompetition, whereby cells with increased levels of Myc outcompete and actively kill neighboring wild-type cells, and competition in which wild-type cells eliminate cells carrying a Minute mutation, a class of mutants in Drosophila affecting ribosomal protein genes. Minute cells are viable, but when surrounded by wild-type cells they are eliminated by apoptosis. Relative cell vigor or fitness is believed to be a critical feature assessed in cell competition, but the mechanisms that underlie the recognition and elimination of the less-fit "loser" cell remain mysterious. TRR/NFκB modules mediate the elimination of loser cells in two distinct contexts of cell competition. (Top) The relatively less-fit cells in mosaic tissues (green) are eliminated via cell competition. (Bottom) The competitive context influences the TRR/NFκB signaling module that is triggered in the loser cells. This module then selectively activates a proapoptotic inducer that kills the loser cells. Rationale The recognition and elimination of unfit or mutant cells in cell competition is reminiscent of the detection of pathogens by the innate immune system. In Drosophila, the Toll and immune deficiency (IMD) signaling pathways govern the innate immune response to a broad range of pathogens and activate the NFκB transcription factor homologs Relish (Rel), Dorsal (dl), or Dorsal-related immunity factor (Dif). The conceptual similarities between innate immunity and cell competition led us to investigate whether the Toll and IMD pathways were required for cell competition in Drosophila wing discs. Results Analysis of both Myc-induced and Minute-induced cell competition revealed requirements for two related but distinct cohorts of components from the IMD and Toll pathways. Both signaling cohorts required the extracellular ligand Spätzle and noncanonical Toll-related receptors (TRRs) and led to elimination of the less-fit loser cells by inducing NFκB-dependent activation of proapoptotic genes. However, our analysis uncovered interesting differences between the signaling module deployed in each competitive context. In Myc-induced competition, elimination of wild-type loser cells required four of the nine TRRs encoded in the Drosophila genome (Toll-2, Toll-3, Toll-8, and Toll-9) in nonredundant roles. By contrast, elimination of RpL14–/+ cells in Minute-induced competition required only Toll-3 and Toll-9. Furthermore, the NFκB factor activated downstream of the TRRs was also context-dependent. Signal transduction within wild-type loser cells led to selective activation of Relish, whereas the death of RpL14–/+ loser cells in Minute-induced competition required Dorsal and Dif. These results suggest that signaling from the different TRR subsets influenced which NFκB factor was activated. Finally, although in each competitive context apoptosis of the relatively less-fit cells was induced, the specific death-inducing gene expressed was determined by specifically activated NFκB factor. Conclusion In two genetically distinct contexts of cell competition, the ancient innate immune defense response system is activated and drives the elimination of the cells perceived as relatively less fit. In each competition paradigm, different signaling modules are employed, suggesting that the genetic identity of the competing cell populations influences the pathway that is activated. Our results thus provide evidence for evolutionary adaptation of TRR-NFκB signaling modules in an organismal surveillance system that measures internal tissue fitness rather than external pathogenic stimuli. Developing tissues that contain mutant or compromised cells present risks to animal health. Accordingly, the appearance of a population of suboptimal cells in a tissue elicits cellular interactions that prevent their contribution to the adult. Here we report that this quality control process, cell competition, uses specific components of the evolutionarily ancient and conserved innate immune system to eliminate Drosophila cells perceived as unfit. We find that Toll-related receptors (TRRs) and the cytokine Spätzle (Spz) lead to NFκB-dependent apoptosis. Diverse "loser" cells require different TRRs and NFκB factors and activate distinct pro-death genes, implying that the particular response is stipulated by the competitive context. Our findings demonstrate a functional repurposing of components of TRRs and NFκB signaling modules in the surveillance of cell fitness during development. Components of the innate immune system are repurposed to eliminate weak cells during development. [Also see Perspective by Morata and Ballesteros-Arias] Cell competition and immunity Even in what appears to be homogeneous tissue, cell variability exists. The presence of mutant cells can compromise the functional integrity of a tissue and ultimately the organism's health. Cell competition is an internal cell surveillance mechanism that monitors cell fitness to eliminate compromised cells and prevent them from contributing to the tissue. However, how cells recognize fitness differences has remained elusive. Meyer et al. report that this recognition uses signaling pathways from the innate immune response system. Cell-cell differences in fitness activate distinct NF-κB/Rel factors in the weaker population that lead to activation of distinct pro-apoptotic genes, leading to cell death in the losing cells. Science, this issue 10.1126/science.1258236


With the goal to tune the emission properties of colloidal InP quantum dots, the incorporation of Ga was explored. Unexpectedly, depending on the nature of the gallium precursor, the photoluminescence shifted either to the red (gallium oleate) or to the blue (gallium acetylacetonate). In the first case, larger-sized InP/GaP core/shell nanocrystals were formed, while in the second case the formation of an InGaP alloy structure enabled the blue range of emission (475 nm) to be accessed.


Forty eight high resolution stratigraphic sections and more than 850 thin sections were used to study the Eocene of Cyrenaica. Sections are located on the northern limb of Al Jabal al Akhdar inversion anticlinorium that formed a series of submerged Cretaceous structural highs and islands. These played an important role in the development of the Eocene nummulitic ramp complex. Evolved regionally parallel facies belts consisted of outer ramp mudstone clinoforms and mass transported facies, mid-ramp nummulite facies and inner ramp miliolid-orbitolites, coral-coralgal and skeletal facies respectively. Progradation of these belts led to an upward shallowing mega-sequence constituting Apollonia and Dernah Formations. It consisted of three correlatable nummulite dominated sequences in Ras al Hilal area. The top two of which pass eastward into structurally controlled reefal-coralgal-discocyclinid dominated facies. Reworking of nummulite bodies by waves and currents over structural highs led to improvement of primary porosity. Syndepositional reactivation of the structures not only triggered mass transport of the mid-ramp deposits, but also controlled nummulite body geometry, internal heterogeneities and diagenesis by spatially shifting high-energy and subaerial exposure zones through time. There no single nummulite ramp model that would characterize this active inversion setting, as depositional parameters changes in space and time.


In this work, we present a generic approach to transform CSS codes by building upon their equivalence to phase-free ZX diagrams. Using the ZX calculus, we demonstrate diagrammatic transformations between encoding maps associated with different codes. As a motivating example, we give explicit transformations between the Steane code and the quantum Reed-Muller code, since by switching between these two codes, one can obtain a fault-tolerant universal gate set. To this end, we propose a bidirectional rewrite rule to find a (not necessarily transversal) physical implementation for any logical ZX diagram in any CSS code. Then we focus on two code transformation techniques: code morphing, a procedure that transforms a code while retaining its fault-tolerant gates, and gauge fixing, where complimentary codes can be obtained from a common subsystem code (e.g., the Steane and the quantum Reed-Muller codes from the [[15,1,3,3]] code). We provide explicit graphical derivations for these techniques and show how ZX and graphical encoder maps relate several equivalent perspectives on these code-transforming operations.


Abstract We obtain a new representation for the solution to the operator Sylvester equation in the form of a Stieltjes operator integral. We also formulate new sufficient conditions for the strong solvability of the operator Riccati equation that ensures the existence of reducing graph subspaces for block operator matrices. Next, we extend the concept of the Lifshits-Krein spectral shift function associated with a pair of self-adjoint operators to the case of pairs of admissible operators that are similar to self-adjoint operators. Based on this new concept we express the spectral shift function arising in a perturbation problem for block operator matrices in terms of the angular operators associated with the corresponding perturbed and unperturbed eigenspaces.


Abstract Aluminum matrix composites containing graphene nano-platelets (GNPs) as reinforcement additive were fabricated by a two-step process consisting of mechanical alloying and pressureless sintering. The effects of graphene nano-platelets amounts and mechanical alloying duration on the microstructural and mechanical properties of aluminum were investigated. The characterization studies were performed by X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry, particle size analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Archimedes' density and microhardness test method. The microhardness of composites increased gradually by the addition of 0.5 and 1 wt.-% GNP, whereas an adverse effect was observed by the increment of the GNP amount to 2 wt.-%.


Moving effortlessly between symbolist poetry and Barbie dolls, artificial intelligence and Kleist, Kant, and Winnicott, Barbara Johnson not only clarifies psychological and social dynamics; she also re-dramatizes the work of important tropes - without ever losing sight of the ethical imperative with which she begins: the need to treat persons as persons.In "Persons and Things", Johnson turns deconstruction around to make a fundamental contribution to the new aesthetics. She begins with the most elementary thing we know: deconstruction calls attention to gaps and reveals that their claims upon us are fraudulent. Johnson revolutionizes the method by showing that the inanimate thing exposed as a delusion is central to fantasy life, that fantasy life, however deluded, should be taken seriously, and that although a work of art "is formed around something missing," this "void is its vanishing point, not its essence." She shows deftly and delicately that the void inside Keats' urn, Heidegger's jug, or Wallace Stevens' jar forms the center around which we tend to organize our worlds.The new aesthetics should restore fluidities between persons and things. In pursuing it, Johnson calls upon Ovid, Keats, Poe, Plath, and others who have inhabited this in-between space. The entire process operates via a subtlety that only a critic of Johnson's caliber could reveal to us.


Self-polymerized hollow Mo-dopamine (PDA-Mo) spherical composites are appealing precursors for constructing robust N-doped carbon-encased Mo-containing electrode materials. Here, a method involving facile chemical precipitation combined with vapor selenization processes has been developed to prepare three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical MoSe2/N-doped carbon microsphere composites. The developed synthetic process eliminates the use of an expensive carbon matrix and toxic reagents, and the preliminary preparation of templates, and is deemed a facile, green, and cost-effective route to fabricate 3D hierarchical architectures. The as-synthesized hierarchical MoSe2/N-doped carbon microsphere composites are constructed from sheet-like MoSe2 layers that are encased by amorphous N-doped carbon. As expected, the as-synthesized 3D hierarchical MoSe2/N-doped carbon microsphere composites have excellent rate capacity (1500 and 600 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and 10 A g−1, respectively) and long-life cycling stability (141.7 mA h g−1 remains even after 2000 cycles at 30 A g−1). Besides, the as-synthesized hierarchical MoSe2/N-doped carbon microsphere composites deliver a high capacity of about 570 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 when used as sodium-ion battery anode materials. Our work provides a successful approach for fabricating 3D hierarchical architectures applying simple synthetic methods, which could shed some light on future research pertaining to the construction of high-performance electrode materials.


In this vivid ethnography, Jessaca B. Leinaweaver explores "child circulation," informal arrangements in which indigenous Andean children are sent by their parents to live in other households. At first glance, child circulation appears tantamount to child abandonment. When seen in that light, the practice is a violation of international norms regarding children's rights, guidelines that the Peruvian state relies on in regulating legal adoptions. Leinaweaver demonstrates that such an understanding of the practice is simplistic and misleading. Her in-depth ethnographic analysis reveals child circulation to be a meaningful, pragmatic social practice for poor and indigenous Peruvians, a flexible system of kinship that has likely been part of Andean lives for centuries. Child circulation may be initiated because parents cannot care for their children, because a childless elder wants company, or because it gives a young person the opportunity to gain needed skills.

Leinaweaver provides insight into the emotional and material factors that bring together and separate indigenous Andean families in the highland city of Ayacucho. She describes how child circulation is intimately linked to survival in the city, which has had to withstand colonialism, economic isolation, and the devastating civil war unleashed by the Shining Path. Leinaweaver examines the practice from the perspective of parents who send their children to live in other households, the adults who receive them, and the children themselves. She relates child circulation to international laws and norms regarding children's rights, adoptions, and orphans, and to Peru's history of racial conflict and violence. Given that history, Leinaweaver maintains that it is not surprising that child circulation, a practice associated with Peru's impoverished indigenous community, is alternately ignored, tolerated, or condemned by the state.


Solar powered wireless mesh nodes must be provisioned with a solar panel and battery combination that is sufficient to prevent node outage. When such a network is deployed, there are usually restrictions in the way the nodes can be positioned, and this results in a time-varying and node-dependent attenuation of the available solar energy. Unfortunately, conventional resource provisioning methodologies do not take into account these positional variations, and therefore the deployed system may be over-provisioned. In this paper the resource provisioning problem is considered from this point of view. A linear programming formulation is first developed which gives lower bounds on the node resource provisioning cost assignments. A provisioning algorithm is then introduced that takes positional solar energy variations into consideration. Our results show that a significant reduction in provisioning cost can be obtained using the proposed methodology when compared to the conventional case.


Our purpose is to illuminate compliances with, and resistances to, what we are calling ?compulsory fluency? which we define as conventions for what constitutes competent speech. We achieve our purpose through a study of day-to-day communication between a woman with less conventional speech and her support providing family members and friends. Drawing from McRuer?s (2006) compulsory ablebodiedness and Kafer?s (2013) compulsory able-mindedness, we use ?compulsory fluency? to refer to a form of articulation that is standardized and idealized and imposed on all speakers including those whose speech is less conventional. We see compulsory fluency as central to North American conceptions of personhood which are tied to individual ability to speak for one?s self (Brueggemann, 2005). In this paper, we trace some North American principles for linguistic competence to outline widely held ideals of receptive and expressive language use, namely, conventions for how language should be understood and expressed. Using critical disability studies (Goodley, 2013; McRuer, 2006) together with a feminist framework of relational autonomy (Nedelsky, 1989), our goal is to focus on experiences of people with less conventional speech and draw attention to power in communication as it flows in idiosyncratic and intersubjective fashion (Mackenzie & Stoljar, 2000; Westlund, 2009). In other words, we use a critical disability and feminist framing to call attention to less conventional forms of communication competence and, in this process, we challenge assumptions about what constitutes competent speech. As part of a larger qualitative study, we conduct a conversation analysis informed by Rapley and Antaki (1996) to examine day-to-day verbal, vocal and non-verbal communications of a young woman who self identifies as ?having autism? - pseudonym Addison - in interaction with her support-providing family members and friends. We illustrate a multitude of Addison?s compliances with, and resistances to, compulsory fluency to bring awareness to competence inherent in less conventional speech and we argue this illumination as a call for listening with greater care and more open expectations in efforts to understand, and participate in the expression of, meanings embedded in less conventional speech.


This workshop will give participants a background to the social, technical, and economic considerations in the brave new world of open-access publishing for academic journals. Led by Martin Paul Eve, Professor of Literature, Technology and Publishing at Birkbeck, University of London and co-founder of the Open Library of Humanities, the workshop will present a practical and down-to-earth overview of the nuts and bolts, but also a general orientation to open access and the current policy environment with respect to research publication. Specific elements covered within the workshop will include:

* Technical platform choices
* Editorial board and peer-review procedures
* Digital preservation
* Digital Object Identifiers
* Open access policy
* Production workflows and XML
* Workflow scheduling

There will also be time within the workshop for extensive Q&As on all aspects of the procedure.


The V(_s)(OH) band of methanol in binary system has been studied by using infrared spectroscopy, over the whole concentration range between 0.01 - 0.7 methanol mole fraction. The aim of this study is to analyze this band which is very complicated, due to overlapping between its band components, and to correlate the results to the possible underlying equilibrium. Also the change in the V(_s)(OE) band shape across the concentration range, imposed the necessity of studying the V(-s)(OH) of methanol in non-polar solvent at a very low concentrations (0.0049 to 0.0246 mol/dm(^3)) in order to identify the existing varieties of methanol hydrogen bonded species, as well as the monomer. A study of the V(_s)(OH) for methanol in the ternary system (CH(_3)OH/CH(_3)CN/CCL(_4)) was undertaken, in order to defferentiate the band components of the hydrogen bonded complexes formed from methanol and acetonitrile molecules, from the hydrogen bonded methanol aggregates. This study was carried out in a concentration range of 0.0044 to 0.0177 mol/dm(^3). For the binary system, because of the complexes of the bands, a band fitting programs were used as a means of estimating the number of bands present, their positions and band shapes of each component. As a result, this study has shown that the I.R. data for methanol in acetonitrile band fitting model contained: monomer, dimer, 1:1 and 2:1 complexes, trimer, tetramer and pentamer species.


Religion and Spirituality can provide a unique perspective on life outcomes. The study to deepen subjective well being by exploring its relationships with religious and spirituality (secular values) and characteristics individu by the graph. Data were obtained from survey. The sample was drawn from the population aged 70 or more years in Surabaya by simple random sampling. The instrument using the Philadelphia geriatric center morale scale (PGCMS) and the self spirituality and religious. Most respondents reported being 'low of religiousity and spirituality' in their lives. The mean PGCMS score was 7.89. The median PGCMS score was 8, 57.4% (139) score PGCSM above the median and 42.6% (103) score PGCSM under the median. Among elderly who were included the high well being category (PGCSM≥10) was 27.2% and most of elderly 72.7% didn't have good well being. The elderly people who describe themselves as religious are showed graph constant. The graph of self religious is equal according to characteristic individu (age, men and women, marital status). The elderly who describe themselves as spiritual are likely to report greater or lower perceived well being. Exploring using the graph showed different according to characteristic individu. Elderly who demonstrated subjective well being were more likely to male and not married. Elderly's perception of spirituality depends on characteristic individuals and experience in which individuals live.


Operations constraints can be expected in any mission and are taken into account during mission preparation. However, practical experience needs to be gained to fully assess those constraints in order to align the operation concept accordingly. This paper addresses the operations constraints experienced by the payload operations team while continuously operating external ESA payloads (SOLAR by B.USOC, and EuTEF by Erasmus USOC) on ISS/Columbus for a period of over 1.5 years. Constraints covered by the paper include issues related to the ISS attitude and orbit, availability of the various ISS resources, and various types of events that potentially interfere with payload operations (ISS thruster firings, vehicle (un)dockings, crew EVAs, ISS maintenance and anomalies, and other ISS operations). This is complemented by an overview of the operations products needed for dealing with these constraints in operations, and some practical issues that were experienced. This overview could be helpful to teams planning operations of external payloads on ISS, in order to properly prepare for the kind of constraints and situations they will typically encounter while operating their payload. Several of the constraints also apply to internal payloads, though additional constraints are likely to apply there. The SOLAR operations are performed from the B.USOC by the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB/BIRA) with Belgian company Space Applications Services, whilst EuTEF was operated from the Erasmus USOC located at ESA/ESTEC by Nederlandse Luchten Ruimtevaartlaboratorium (NLR) jointly with Space Applications Services, both Centers being under contract of the European Space Agency. © 2010 by Space Applications Services.


Selective laser melting offers the possibility of manufacturing parts with complex geometries and a wide range of materials. Besides steel, aluminum or titanium alloys for which the process has been studied extensively, copper alloys are of great importance especially due to their unique physical properties. Facing difficulties such as high thermal conductivity, low absorption and resulting poor reproducibility, there is still a great need to optimize the manufacturing process and to describe the influence of the process parameters on the component quality. In this study the influence of laser power, scanning speed and hatch distance as well as interactions of these parameters on the mechanical properties and the relative density were investigated for the bronze CuSn10 using an industrial plant (Yb-fiberlaser, power: 250 W, beam diameter: 40 μm). The parameters are configured according to Design of Experiments enabling an efficient and economical way of evaluating the occurring effects.


Although the genome organization and overall structure of hepatitis A virus are similar to those of other picornaviruses, nothing is known about the protein-processing pathways used by this virus to generate its capsid and nonstructural proteins from the polyprotein precursor. RNA transcripts of cloned hepatitis A virus cDNAs representing parts of the P2 and P3 regions of the genome were translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates in vitro, and the translation products were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis before and after immunoprecipitation with specific antisera. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated rapid cleavage at the P2-P3 junction, followed by further but incomplete processing at the 3C-3D junction. Mutation of the 3C coding sequence eliminated all cleavages. Efforts to demonstrate intermolecular cutting of the P2-P3 cleavage site by active 3C or 3CD sequences were unsuccessful; thus, it is likely that this cleavage occurs by intramolecular reaction, in cis.


Many methods have been proposed to detect communities in complex networks, but very little work has been done regarding their interpretation. In this work, we propose an efficient method to tackle this problem. We first define a sequence-based representation of networks, combining temporal information, topological measures and nodal attributes. We then describe how to identify the most emerging sequential patterns of this dataset and use them to characterize the communities. We also show how to highlight outliers. Finally, as an illustration, we apply our method to a network of scientific collaborations.


This paper analyzes price formation and dynamics according to the industry structure. It divides manufacturing industries of Mexico into two groups: perfectly and imperfectly competitive. The results show that imperfectly competitive industries predominate. Then this classification is used to build consumer price sub indexes for the goods of both sectors. These sub indexes' inflation dynamics indicate that the exchange rate pass-through in the perfectly competitive sector is significantly higher than in the imperfectly competitive sector, while wage pass-through only affects the imperfectly competitive sector. Also, that inflation inertia is lower in the former than in the latter; adding up in more volatility of the perfectly competitive inflation rate. For policy makers an interesting feature of the perfectly competitive price index is that the evidence suggests that its variations precede those of the imperfectly competitive price index. For economic theorists these features validate recent macroeconomic models with heterogeneous price setting behavior


This article studies Delay tolerant networks (DTNs) where each node knows the probabilistic distribution of contacts with other nodes. Delay tolerant networks are characterized by the sporadic connectivity between their nodes and therefore the lack of stable end-to-end paths from source to destination. Since the future node connections are mostly unknown in these networks, opportunistic forwarding is used to deliver messages. Based on the observations about human mobility traces and the findings of previous work, we introduce a new metric called conditional intermeeting time. We propose Conditional Shortest Path Routing (CSPR) protocol that route the messages over conditional shortest paths in which the cost of links between nodes is defined by conditional intermeeting times rather than the conventional intermeeting times. When a node receives a message from one of its contacts, it stores the message in its buffer and carries the message until it encounters another node which is at least as useful (in terms of the delivery) as itself. Through trace-driven simulations, we demonstrate that CSPR achieves higher delivery rate and lower end-to-end delay compared to the shortest path based routing protocols that use the conventional intermeeting time as the link metric.


The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) includes formulas that produce an estimate of a scalar output quantity that is a function of several input quantities, and an approximate evaluation of the associated standard uncertainty. This contribution presents approximate, Bayesian counterparts of those formulas for the case where the output quantity is a parameter of the joint probability distribution of the input quantities, also taking into account any information about the value of the output quantity available prior to measurement expressed in the form of a probability distribution on the set of possible values for the measurand. The approximate Bayesian estimates and uncertainty evaluations that we present have a long history and illustrious pedigree, and provide sufficiently accurate approximations in many applications, yet are very easy to implement in practice. Differently from exact Bayesian estimates, which involve either (analytical or numerical) integrations, or Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling, the approximations that we describe involve only numerical optimization and simple algebra. Therefore, they make Bayesian methods widely accessible to metrologists. We illustrate the application of the proposed techniques in several instances of measurement: isotopic ratio of silver in a commercial silver nitrate; odds of cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients; height of a manometer column; mass fraction of chromium in a reference material; and potential-difference in a Zener voltage standard.


DNA Events
DNA is packaged into chromatin, and it must be actively unpacked, or remodeled, for genes to be transcribed into mRNA. That mRNA, synthesized in the nucleus, is also packed onto proteins, forming mRNA ribonucleoparticles (mRNPs). mRNPs are then shunted into the cytoplasm. Babour et al. show that one of the chromatin remodeling machines, the enzyme complex ISW1, has a second role in checking that mRNPs are properly packaged and competent to be exported to the cytoplasm. The ISW1 complex binds directly to the premature mRNPs, retaining them in proximity to their transcription sites.

Cell 167 , 1201 (2016).


Climate change is an important issue and educators have a responsibility to prepare students to face the challenges and future changes that climate change presents. Unfortunately, public uncertainty about the extent and causes of climate change and the interdisciplinary nature of the climate change topic present significant barriers to effectively teaching this topic. In spite of the Alberta Science 10 Program of Studies including climate change, Science 10 teachers in Alberta tend to de-emphasize, or even omit, the teaching of the climate unit. Authorized Science 10 teaching resources are outdated, do not address some major misconceptions about climate change, present limited actions to address climate change, and in one case, even perpetuate uncertainty about some aspects of climate change that are considered very certain by the scientific community. This Master's project aims to detail the strengths and limitations of the current authorized climate change resources, and to identify teaching and learning resources that are able to supplement these resources. By finding flexible, accessible, and engaging climate change resources, teachers in Alberta may be better equipped to address misconceptions and will hopefully be more encouraged to give the topic of climate change the emphasis that it deserves.


Background. Beef cattle breeds need to be evaluated in pasture production systems. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the performance, morphology and carcass characteristics of Sindhi bulls on pasture. Methodology. Twenty Sindhi bulls belonging to eight different herds of the state of Rio Grande do Norte were evaluated on an official weight gain test conducted by the Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders (ABCZ). The experiment lasted for 294 days, including an adaptation period of 70 days. The animals were managed under a rotational grazing system, with periods of occupation of 20 days. Records of body weight and scrotal circumference measurements were taken every 56 days. Carcass evaluation and visual assessment were performed at the last weighing. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, simple linear correlation and means test. Results. The final body weight, average daily gain and scrotal circumference gain reached 304.60 kg, 0.482 kg/day and 10.29 cm, respectively. The loin eye area and intramuscular fat averaged 52.36 cm² and 1.25%, respectively. Significant and positive correlations between carcass ultrasound parameters were observed. Moreover, a positive and significant correlation between loin eye area and visual assessment was reported. There was no effect (P>0.05) of initial body weight on carcass characteristics, performance and visual assessment. Implications. Sindhi breed cattle are efficient in producing meat when fed exclusively with pasture, but need more genetic work that focuses on the deposition of adipose tissue in more valued regions of the carcass. Conclusions. The pasture-based gain performance test demonstrates the hardiness of the Sindhi breed, and the carcass evaluation validates the breed's aptitude for meat production and their precocity in depositing muscles.


This paper applies cross-sectional and longitudinal propensity score matching estimators to data from the National Supported Work (NSW) Demonstration that have been previously analyzed by LaLonde (1986) and Dehejia and Wahba (1999, 2002). We find that estimates of the impact of NSW based on propensity score matching are highly sensitive to both the set of variables included in the scores and the particular analysis sample used in the estimation. Among the estimators we study, the difference-in-differences matching estimator performs the best. We attribute its performance to the fact that it eliminates potential sources of temporally-invariant bias present in the NSW data, such as geographic mismatch between participants and non-participants and the use of a dependent variable measured in different ways for the two groups. Our analysis demonstrates that while propensity score matching is a potentially useful econometric tool, it does not represent a general solution to the evaluation problem.


This paper presents a community-centered study of cultural limitations of text-to-image (T2I) models in the South Asian context. We theorize these failures using scholarship on dominant media regimes of representations and locate them within participants' reporting of their existing social marginalizations. We thus show how generative AI can reproduce an outsiders gaze for viewing South Asian cultures, shaped by global and regional power inequities. By centering communities as experts and soliciting their perspectives on T2I limitations, our study adds rich nuance into existing evaluative frameworks and deepens our understanding of the culturally-specific ways AI technologies can fail in non-Western and Global South settings. We distill lessons for responsible development of T2I models, recommending concrete pathways forward that can allow for recognition of structural inequalities.


Background: The shoulder is the most commonly dislocated major joint, affecting roughly 2% of the general population. Long-term studies have demonstrated a correlation between the number of instability episodes and the risk of degenerative arthritis. In an effort to treat the unstable shoulder, orthopedic surgeons have described several different operations that may help to prevent recurrent subluxation or dislocation in chronic instability cases. This study has been undertaken to assess the short-term functional outcome of Arthroscopic repair of Bankart's Lesion in patients with Chronic Anterior Instability of the Shoulder using Constant Murley's Score. Material and Method: This prospective observational study was carried out at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), from July 2017 to June 2019. Twenty cases of chronic anterior shoulder dislocation meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were taken in this study and underwent arthroscopic repair of bankart lesion. Here, 3 or 4 anchors were used. Cases were followed up for 6 months. The outcome was assessed with Constant Murley Scoring. Results: The mean age was 26.716.83 years with a male predominance (95%). Most cases were students (50%) and the main cause of injury was sports (50%). The mean recurrence number was 10.65 ± 4.75 times and was significantly associated with decreasing age. The mean interval between 1 injury and surgery was 3 ± 1.89 years. Bankart lesions were found in 20% of cases in pre-operative imaging. At the final follow-up, 2 (10%) cases of limited movement were found. In 18 (90%) cases, 3 anchors were used. Finally, there was significant improvement regarding pain status, activity of daily living, forward flexion, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation and power of shoulder muscle. In the last follow-up, 2 (10%) cases of limited movement were found. The mean CMS pre-operatively and post-operatively were 63.05 ± 5.23 and 88.25 6.29 respectively (p<0.05). In the final outcome, 16 (80%) scored excellent, 3 (15%) were found good and 1 (5%) was found poor. Conclusion: It may be concluded that arthroscopic Repair of Bankart Lesion with suture anchors in chronic anterior instability of the shoulder is a safe surgery regardless of shoulder function or range of motion.


Wireless Video Sensor Networks (WVSNs) - a type of WSNs - comprise of sensor nodes that can capture, process and communicate video frames. The battery powered sensor nodes have limited hardware resources while video processing and communication are resource intensive tasks i.e., require high-end processors, large memory and bandwidth. Video encoding is a popular method used to reduce the communication overhead but being an inherently complex process it results in higher computational energy-drain on video sensor nodes. This establishes an interesting computation-communication tradeoff for energy efficient video communication (encoding and transmission) in WVSNs. In this paper, we study this computation-communication tradeoff under Intel-imote2 based single-hop and multi-hop video sensor networks testbed by empirically evaluating selected implementations of the MPEG-4 (Part 2) and H.264/AVC encoders. The analysis has been carried out to characterize the performance of encoders in terms of energy efficiency, compression efficiency and video distortion. The experimental results show that in single-hop WVSNs, MPEG-4 is energy efficient over H.264 whilst in multi-hop WVSNs, H.264 is energy efficient over MPEG-4.


The only treatment that succeeds is to admit the patient to hospital, to provide short-term sedation, and to wean him or her totally from ergot. Spectacular remission of headache occurs after one or two early rebound headaches in he first few days after withdrawal. Drs Rose and Wilkinson are right to point out that ergotamine habituation can occur on doses of 1 mg or more per day. The drug manufacturers should be urged to modify their present recommendations for the treatment of migraine, which mostly advise up to six doses (6-12 mg depending on the preparation) per 24 h and up to 12 doses (12-24 mg) per week. In our experience if 1 mg, repeated if necessary after j-1 h, is ineffective .then ergot should be abandoned for that particular attack; analgesics will provide some degree of relief-certainly sufficient to make a severe pain tolerable. Recognising these difficulties, we find that the correct use of ergotamine, often by suppository, is still highly effective in between 50 and 600% of our patients with migraine. It should not be discarded because of the relatively uncommon examples of habituation. The unpleasant acute dyskinesia2 which complicates the use of metoclopramide and the phenothiazines in a minority of patients serves to remind us that no treatment is without hazard and that, to be successful, therapy must be carefully tailored to the individual.


Affordable, stable and earth-abundant photo-electrochemical materials are indispensable for the large-scale implementation of sunlight-driven hydrogen production. Here we present an intrinsically stable and scalable solar water splitting device that is fully based on earth-abundant materials, with a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 14.2%. This unprecedented efficiency is achieved by integrating a module of three interconnected silicon heterojunction solar cells that operates at an appropriate voltage to directly power microstructured Ni electrocatalysts. Nearly identical performance levels were also achieved using a customized state-of-the-art proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. As silicon heterojunction solar cells and PEM electrolysis systems are commercially viable, easily scalable and have long lifetimes, the devices demonstrated in this report can open a fast avenue toward the industrialization and deployment of cost effective solar-fuel production systems. (C) 2016 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.


Wild-type HIV-1 group O RT (reverse transcriptase) shows increased thermostability in comparison with HIV-1 group M subtype B RT and MLV (murine leukaemia virus) RT. However, its utility in the amplification of RNA targets is limited by the reduced accuracy of lentiviral RTs compared with oncoretroviral RTs (i.e. MLV RT). The effects of the mutations K65R, R78A and K65R/V75I on the fidelity of HIV-1 group O RTs were studied using gel-based and M13mp2 lacZ forward-mutation fidelity assays. Forward-mutation assays demonstrated that mutant RTs K65R, R78A and K65R/V75I showed >9-fold increased accuracy in comparison with the wild-type enzyme and were approximately two times more faithful than the MLV RT. Compared with MLV RT, all of the tested HIV-1 group O RT variants showed decreased frameshift fidelity. However, K65R RT showed a higher tendency to introduce one-nucleotide deletions in comparison with other HIV-1 group O RT variants. R78A had a destabilizing effect on the RT, either in the presence or absence of V75I. At temperatures above 52 °C, K65R and K65R/V75I retained similar levels of DNA polymerase activity to the wild-type HIV-1 group O RT, but were more efficient than HIV-1 group M subtype B and MLV RTs. K65R, K65R/V75I and R78A RTs showed decreased misinsertion and mispair extension fidelity in comparison with the wild-type enzyme for most base pairs studied. These assays revealed that nucleotide selection is mainly governed by kpol (pol is polymerization) in the case of K65R, whereas both kpol and Kd affect nucleotide discrimination in the case of K65R/V75I.


In arid and semiarid regions the reclamation and reuse of municipal wastewater can play a strategic role in alleviating water resources shortages. Public awareness is growing about the need to recycle and reuse water for increasing supply availability. Many wastewater reuse projects have been put in operation In European and Mediterranean countries adopting extensive treatment systems such as aquifer recharge, lagooning, constructed wetlands, and storage reservoirs, mainly for landscape and agricultural irrigation. In agricultural reuse systems, there is an increasing interest in extensive technologies because of their high reliability, and easy and low cost operation and maintenance. Wastewater storage reservoirs have become the option selected in many countries because of the advantages they present in comparison with other treatment alternatives, namely the coupling of two purposes, stabilization and seasonal regulation. This paper describes an example of a wastewater storage system, built in Caltagirone (Sicily, Italy). The storage results in a tertiary treatment of a continuous inlet flow of activated sludge effluents. The prediction of the microbiological water quality has been evaluated by means of a non-steady-state first-order kinetic model. Single and multiple regressions were applied to determine the main variables that most significantly affected die-off coefficients. The proposed model has been calibrated using the results of a field monitoring carried out during a period from March to October 2000.


Refractory ceramics used for thermal insulating applications should be porous; containing large number of air cells.This work addresses a highly porous local ceramic prepared via simple and low cost process (direct foaming method) by using Iraqi raw material (kaolin) and egg white as a binder and a foaming agent. Porosity, thermal conductivity and flexural strength were obtained after sintering of the specimens at 1100 and 1300 o C. The prepared ceramic foam contained a large amount of spherical microspores; it has high porosity (68.1-80%), low thermal conductivity (0.2-0.6) W/m.K with flexural strength range (0.4-2.8) MPa. The direct foaming method, using egg white foam, proved to be an efficient and feasible method for producing highly porous ceramics with good mechanical properties for thermal insulating applications.


The purpose of this research was to examine the incidents of verbal abuse faced by nurses in the workplace in the last year. Data were collected from 290 hospital nurses in Turkey. The study found that the majority of nurses had faced verbal abuse (n = 233, 80.3%). The findings from the research confirm the need for urgent and continuous plans for addressing verbal abuse in the workplace and for adoption of zero tolerance.


The mei-yu season over the Yangtze–Huai Rivers basin, typically occurring from mid-June to mid-July, is one of three heavy-rainfall periods over China and can contribute 50% of the annual precipitation. In this study, the first and second heaviest daily precipitation events at the Wuhan station have been selected to represent typical mei-yu and pre-mei-yu precipitation events where the differences in the atmospheric thermodynamic characteristics, precipitation nature, influencing systems, and mechanisms are investigated. During the mei-yu case, moist air mainly came from the South China Sea. Precipitation occurred south of the mei-yu front where abundant moisture and favorable thermodynamic conditions were present. The main influencing systems include a stable blocking pattern and strong and stable western Pacific subtropical high in the midtroposphere, and a small yet intense mesoscale cyclonic vortex in the low troposphere. Rainfall in Wuhan was continuous, caused by a well-organized convective line. A heavy rainband was located along the narrow band between the elongated upper-level jet (ULJ) and the low-level jet (LLJ) where the symmetric instability was found in the midtroposphere near Wuhan. Quite differently, for the pre-mei-yu precipitation case, moist air primarily came from the Beibu Gulf and the Bay of Bengal. Precipitation happened in the low-level convective instability region, where a short-wave trough in the midtroposphere and a mesoscale cyclonic vortex in the low-troposphere were found. Precipitation in Wuhan showed multiple peaks associated with independent meso-β-scale convective systems. A rainstorm occurred at the exit of the LLJ and the right entrance of the ULJ, where convective instability exited in the mid- to low troposphere.


Ammonium removal from aqueous solution by a natural ion-exchange resin was investigated by considering the factors affecting the ammonium-exchange capacity including the zeolites' particle size, the loading flow rates and the impact of a number of regenerations upon the ion-exchange capacity. The resin column was exhausted by downflow at 10, 25, 50 and 75 bed volume (BV)/h, until effluent ammonium concentration of more than 10 mg/l NH 4 + was achieved. The results indicate that conditioning of the zeolite improves the ion-exchange capacity and that the smaller particle size also causes a higher ion-exchange capacity due to greater available surface area. The actual ion-exchange capacity of the conditioned fine (-1.00+0.125) and coarse (-2.00+1.00) mm clinoptilolite was found to be 0.57 and 0.38 meq/g zeolite, respectively.


Depletion of CD4+ T cells from the gut occurs rapidly during acute HIV-1 infection. This has been linked to systemic inflammation and disease progression as a result of translocation of microbial products from the gut lumen into the bloodstream. Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) substantially restores CD4+ T cell numbers in peripheral blood, but the gut compartment remains largely depleted of such cells for poorly understood reasons. Here, we show that a lack of recruitment of CD4+ T cells to the gut could be involved in the incomplete mucosal immune reconstitution of cART-treated HIV-infected individuals. We investigated the trafficking of CD4+ T cells expressing the gut-homing receptors CCR9 and integrin α4β7 and found that many of these T cells remained in the circulation rather than repopulating the mucosa of the small intestine. This is likely because expression of the CCR9 ligand CCL25 was lower in the small intestine of HIV-infected individuals. The defective gut homing of CCR9+β7+ CD4+ T cells - a population that we found included most gut-homing Th17 cells, which have a critical role in mucosal immune defense - correlated with high plasma concentrations of markers of mucosal damage, microbial translocation, and systemic T cell activation. Our results thus describe alterations in CD4+ T cell homing to the gut that could prevent efficient mucosal immune reconstitution in HIV-infected individuals despite effective cART.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although stress-induced bony changes often resolve with conservative treatment, the long-term effects of such mechanical stresses on intervertebral discs have not been studied. We aimed to assess the differences in the temporal evolution of disc in segments of the lumbar spine with and without signs of increased mechanical stresses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using MR imaging performed >6 months apart, 2 radiologists evaluated lumbar intervertebral discs for degenerative changes affecting the annulus fibrosus, the nucleus pulposus, and the endplates in 42 patients (22 male, 20 female; mean age, 16.0 ± 3.7 years [range, 7–25 years]) with low back pain and imaging evidence of stress reaction/fracture in the lumbar spine. Data were analyzed for differences in the presence and progression of disc degeneration in stressed versus nonstressed segments. RESULTS: At baseline, stressed discs had a higher burden of annular fissures, radial fissures, herniation, and nuclear degeneration. Endplate defect burden was comparable in stressed and control discs. At follow-up, the burden of new annular fissures and endplate defects was comparable for stressed and control discs. However, a higher proportion of stressed discs showed worsening nuclear signal intensity grade (14.3% versus 0% control discs; P = .008) and worsening nuclear degeneration grade (11.9% versus 0% control discs; P = .02). An increased risk of progressive nuclear degeneration of stressed discs was observed irrespective of the outcome of bony changes. CONCLUSIONS: Stressed discs exhibit a higher burden of nuclear and annular degeneration at baseline. These discs have a higher risk of progressive nuclear degeneration irrespective of improvement or worsening of stress-related bony changes.


: The method for application of the esophago-intestinal anastomosis after total gastrectomy for cancer of the stomach has been developed. Over 400 patients were operated on by this method. Substantial decrease of postoperative complications' rate was observed, particularly--faibure of sutures of the anastomoses have been developed only in 0.9% of patients. Reflux-esophagitis in long-term postoperative period was detected only in 2.2% of patients due to the usage of afferent loop of the bowel for the creation of valvular mechanism. Regarding the simplicity of the procedure, high reliability and favourable functional abilities of this anastomosis, the authors recommend it for wide application in surgical practice.


Background: Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are available, but uptake is suboptimal. Information on factors influencing parental decisions regarding vaccination will facilitate the development of successful interventions. Methods: Parents of girls ages 9 to 17 years (n = 476; cooperation rate = 67%) from a panel of U.S. households completed online surveys between September 2007 and January 2008, documenting vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and intentions. Results: Among those aware of the vaccine, 19% had already vaccinated their daughter(s), 34% intended to, 24% were undecided, and 24% had decided against vaccination. Awareness of HPV was high but knowledge levels were suboptimal (mean 72%, SEM 0.8%). Black and Hispanic parents were significantly less likely to be aware of the vaccine compared with White parents. In multivariate analyses, compared with parents who opposed vaccination, those who had already vaccinated their daughter(s) or who intended to do so had more positive attitudes, reported fewer barriers, and were more likely to perceive that family and friends would endorse vaccination. They also reported higher levels of trust in pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccine. Conclusions: Despite limited knowledge, most parents had decided to vaccinate their daughter(s). Given evidence of diminished access to information among Black and Hispanic parents, programs should focus on reaching these groups. Interventions should address parental concerns about behavioral consequences, reduce structural barriers, and promote the perception that vaccination is endorsed by significant others. Moreover, interventions may need to address mistrust of pharmaceutical companies. Impact Statement: This study documents factors associated with parental decisions about HPV vaccination for their daughter(s) and provides direction for intervention development. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(9); 2187–98. ©2010 AACR.


Different from conventional wireless sensor networks (WSNs), ultra-reliable and low-latency WSNs (uRLLWSNs), being an important application of 5G networks, must meet more stringent performance requirements. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm to improve uRLLWSNs' performance by applying machine learning techniques and genetic algorithms. Using the  $K$ -means clustering algorithm to construct a 2-tier network topology, the proposed algorithm designs the fetal dataset, denoted by the population, and develops a clustering method of energy conversion to prevent overloaded cluster heads. A multi-objective optimization model is formulated to simultaneously satisfy multiple optimization objectives including the longest network lifetime and the highest network connectivity and reliability. Under this model, the principal component analysis algorithm is adopted to eliminate the various optimization objectives' dependencies and rank their importance levels. Considering the NP-hardness of wireless network scheduling, the genetic algorithm is used to identify the optimal chromosome for designing a near-optimal clustering network topology. Moreover, we prove the convergence of the proposed algorithm both locally and globally. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the viability of the proposed algorithm compared to state-of-the-art algorithms at an acceptable computational complexity.


Given a graph or similarity matrix, we consider the problem of recovering a notion of true distance between the nodes, and so their true positions. We show that this can be accomplished in two steps: matrix factorisation, followed by nonlinear dimension reduction. This combination is effective because the point cloud obtained in the first step lives close to a manifold in which latent distance is encoded as geodesic distance. Hence, a nonlinear dimension reduction tool, approximating geodesic distance, can recover the latent positions, up to a simple transformation. We give a detailed account of the case where spectral embedding is used, followed by Isomap, and provide encouraging experimental evidence for other combinations of techniques.


Two new genera and 3 new species of Phengodidae: Penicillophorinae, are described and illustrated. They were colleted in Ixtlahuacan, Colima, Huatulco, Oaxaca and Santiago Dominguillo, Oaxaca. These genera and new species are: Walterius caballeroae, n. sp. W. emilioi n. sp. and Tarsakanthos minuta n. sp. Key for of the 5 known genera of Penicillophorinae is presented.


When designing new molecules with particular properties, it is not only important what to make but crucially how to make it. These instructions form a synthesis directed acyclic graph (DAG), describing how a large vocabulary of simple building blocks can be recursively combined through chemical reactions to create more complicated molecules of interest. In contrast, many current deep generative models for molecules ignore synthesizability. We therefore propose a deep generative model that better represents the real world process, by directly outputting molecule synthesis DAGs. We argue that this provides sensible inductive biases, ensuring that our model searches over the same chemical space that chemists would also have access to, as well as interpretability. We show that our approach is able to model chemical space well, producing a wide range of diverse molecules, and allows for unconstrained optimization of an inherently constrained problem: maximize certain chemical properties such that discovered molecules are synthesizable.


Since the publication of "The Moral Trollope" by Ruth apRoberts in 1971, literary critics have generally agreed that Trollope s morality is worthy of study. apRoberts sees Trollope as an early exponent of situation ethics, a liberal moralist who believes that traditional principles must always bend to the circumstances of the particular case. For critics like Robert Tracy and Shirley Letwin, however, Trollope is a conservative moralist who believes that good conduct means strict obedience to the conventions of the society into which one is born. "Trollope & Victorian Moral Philosophy" presents still another view of Trollope s complex response to the moral philosophy of his era. The most influential schools of Victorian moral philosophy were Utilitarianism, Intuitionism, and Idealism. Though they shared few assumptions, philosophers of all three schools believed that they could devise a more comprehensive and rational morality than the one their society had inherited: the Stoic Hebrew Christian ethical tradition. Realizing that this inherited morality was coming under intense philosophical attack, Trollope moved to define and defend it in a series of novels written during the 1870s and 1880s. In this examination of nine of these novels, we find that Trollope rejects the belief in reason and innovation upon which most Victorian moral philosophy rests. He affirms the central principles of Britain s ethical tradition, but he uses those principles as the basis for a critique of its laws and customs. "Trollope & Victorian Moral Philosophy" suggests that, although few critics have anything complimentary to say about his capacity for abstract thought, Trollope was nevertheless an interesting moralist, whose novels influenced the contemporary debate."


Nickel silicide is considered the best candidate material to achieve the lowest contact resistance in sub 45 nm CMOS devices. NiSi films with thickness 20–60 nm were prepared by rapid thermal annealing of Ni (temperature 230 °C–780 °C) on top of thin 230 nm silicon-on-insulator substrates, with a constant formation ratio. Based on film independent characterizations, a novel model for the interpretation of spectroscopic ellipsometry data, featuring a combination of two Lorentzian oscillators and one Drude dispersion model, is proposed, and its goodness is checked in comparison to other known models. This new approach is proved to deliver more accurate estimation of the film thickness and resistivity.


Abstract Objective To examine the characteristics of supporters and opponents of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax and to identify pro-tax messages that resonate with the public. Design A survey was administered by telephone in February 2013 to assess public opinion about a penny-per-ounce tax on SSB. Support was also examined for SSB consumption reduction and pro-tax messages. Individual characteristics including sociodemographics, political affiliation, SSB consumption behaviours and beliefs were explored as predictors of support using logistic regression. Setting A representative sample of voters was recruited from a Mid-Atlantic US state. Subjects The sample included 1000 registered voters. Results Findings indicate considerable support (50 %) for an SSB tax. Support was stronger among Democrats, those who believe SSB are a major cause of childhood obesity and those who believe childhood obesity warrants a societal intervention. Belief that a tax would be effective in lowering obesity rates was associated with support for the tax and pro-tax messages. Respondents reporting that a health-care provider had recommended they lose weight were less convinced by pro-tax messages. Women, Independents and those concerned about childhood obesity were more convinced by the SSB reduction messages. Overall, the most popular messages focused on the importance of reducing consumption among children without mentioning the tax. Conclusions Understanding who supports and opposes SSB tax measures can assist advocates in developing strategies to maximize support for this type of intervention. Messages that focus on the effect of consumption on children may be useful in framing the discussion around SSB tax proposals.


Charmless B → P P decays are studied using flavor SU(3) symmetry. Amplitude with charming penguin topology is considered for two cases: with zero and with arbitrary strong phase. Two sets of data (an older and the most recent one) are used in the fits, so that the stability of the fits is tested. It is shown that within the present uncertainties in the data the parameters of the fit may be significantly modified, especially the γ angle. The fits indicate the strong phase of the charming penguin amplitude to be around ±20 o .


: Purpose: The article concludes on the importance of scientometric analysis to present research areas and directions in data science in order to support decision-making process. Design/Methodology/Approach: Scientometric analysis. Findings: Article is part of scientometric research performed by authors that results in series of two separate papers. The first one described leading researchers and their area of interest who provide significant input into data science development. The current article quantitatively characterizes the literature thematically related to data science issues, particularly in decision-making processes. The scientometric method was used for data content analysis. The Scopus database was chosen as a source database to perform scientometric analysis. The authors identified core business areas where data science tools have been used in decision-making processes. It is also worth noting the correlation between domain areas and funding sources. Practical Implications: Executing scientific analysis can help to identify research directions in data science area. Originality/value: In our study, we showed that a significant increase in the number of scientific articles in the medical field is directly dependent on research funding institutions. The quantitative characteristics and evolution of keywords, which were the subject of the publications, are also presented. Research directions and their evolution over the years are as well indicated. Acknowlegdement:


Many advantages can be derived from preparing budgets. Budgets force managers to think ahead by requiring them to formalize their planning efforts. Budgets provide a blueprint for accomplishing a set of stated hospital-wide objectives and fitting your department into the overall plan. They provide definite goals and objectives which serve as bench-marks for evaluating subsequent performance. In essence, they set up a warning system for conditions requiring some type of remedial action. In an overall sense, the budget process coordinates the activities of the entire institution by integrating the plans and objectives of the various departments. Budgets help administration ensure that the goals of your department are consistent with the broad goals of the entire hospital.


In this paper, the analysis of the design and operation of a hybrid trigeneration/photovoltaic system installed in a shopping mall is presented. Thermodynamic models based on the first and second laws are developed to analyze all the system's components individually and integrated all together in a trigeneration scheme. Thermodynamics models were validated through experimental data obtained from the equipment running on site. Once the models were validated, it was possible to analyze the actual operating conditions to determine the suitability of the design configuration and to predict the overall performance of the system. In the analysis of the system's design, the first and second law efficiencies, the exergy of each stream, as well as the exergy destruction in each component are reported. In the analysis of the system's operation, several scenarios under different operating conditions were studied and the most suitable scenario was determined by applying an economic analysis based on the net present value. The results show the configuration on which the maximum energy efficiency of the system is obtained as well as the best operation strategy where the greatest economic savings are achieved.


Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are transcription factors belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily. PPARs have three isoforms, alpha, beta (or delta) and gamma. It has been conceived that PPARgamma is expressed predominantly in adipose tissue and promotes adipocyte differentiation and glucose homeostasis. Recently, synthetic antidiabetic thiazolidinediones and natural prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) metabolite, 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2), have been identified as ligands for PPARgamma. Following demonstration that PPARgamma is present in a variety of cell types, further study of PPARgamma has been conducted. Although activation of PPARgamma appears to have beneficial effects on atherosclerosis and heart failure, it is still largely uncertain whether PPARgamma ligands prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases. Recent evidence suggests that some benefit from the antidiabetic agents known as thiazolidinediones may occur through PPARgamma-independent mechanisms. In this review, we report on the latest developments concerning the study of PPARs and summarize the roles of the PPARgamma-dependent pathway in cardiovascular diseases.


Amiodarone, an iodine -- rich benzofurane derivate, is a highly effective agent for the prophylaxis and treatment of various cardiac arrhythmias, but it is associated with numerous side effects. Aim of this study was to elucidate dermatological adverse effects of therapy with amiodarone. Patients (n=468, mean age 48.7+/-0.7 years) receiving oral amiodarone were followed-up for 1-134 months (mean 20.85+/-1.2 months). Photosensitivity was quite common (41.4%). Spectrum of skin reactions was wide, ranging from erythema and swelling of area exposed to sunshine. Some patients (0.8%) developed pigmentation of the exposed skin areas.