In the decade and a half that separates the publication of Gravity's Rainbow (1973) from that of Vineland (1990), extensive attention has been paid to Pynchon's reliance on movies for thematic and structural purposes. In one of the more exhaustive analyses of this subject, Charles Clerc sounds a warning to those bent on emulating Pynchon by having recourse to television, lest denotational succinctness become speedily outdated topicality and intellectual depth give way to slickness. "The short-hand method of pop-top culture robs the imagination: it makes for laziness, for shoddiness, for superficiality of response, for shallowness of perception. We become the gulls of meretricious hucksterism and commercial entertainment. "Clerc concludes with a challenge: "The use that the fiction writer makes of television in the future thus may become the crucial issue" (Clerc 149).


: The levels of cytogenetic damages in cell cultures of chemical industry workers suffering from different forms of allergy have been investigated. The levels of chromosomal aberrations in cells of allergic patients are shown to reliably increase as against those of healthy donors. Studies on SCE levels have shown no such differences between the patients and donors. The SCE levels have been determined at different periods of BUdR addition and cultures fixation under the effect of environmental factors.


We investigate optimization problems with a non-smooth partial differential equation as constraint, where the non-smoothness is assumed to be caused by Nemytzkii operators generated by the functions abs,min and max. For the efficient as well as robust solution of such problems, we propose a new optimization method based on abs-linearization, i.e., a special handling of the non-smoothness with proficient exploitation of the non-smooth structure. The exploitation of the given data allows a targeted and optimal decomposition of the optimization problem in order to compute stationary points. This approach is able to solve the considered class of non-smooth optimization problems in very few Newton steps and additionally maintains reasonable convergence properties. Numerical results for non-smooth optimization problems illustrate the proposed approach and its performance.


CONTEXT
Federal regulations mandate independent review and approval by an "institutional review board" (IRB) before studies that involve human research subjects may begin. Although many researchers strongly support the need for IRB review, they also contend that it is burdensome when it imposes costs that do not add to the protections afforded to research participants and that this burden threatens the viability of research. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced its intention to reform the regulations governing IRB review.

METHODS
We used a search of the PubMed database, supplemented by a bibliographic review, to identify all existing primary data on the costs of IRB review. "Costs" were broadly defined to include both expenditures of time or money and constraints imposed on the scope of the research. Burdensome costs were limited to those that did not contribute to greater protections for the participants.

FINDINGS
Evidence from a total of fifty-two studies shows that IRBs operate at different levels of efficiency; that waiting to obtain IRB approval has, in some instances, delayed project initiation; that IRBs presented with identical protocols sometimes asked for different and even competing revisions; and that some decisions made (and positions held) by IRBs are not in accord with federal policy guidance.

CONCLUSIONS
While the evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is burden associated with IRB review, it is too limited to allow for valid estimates of its magnitude or to serve as the basis for formulating policies on IRB reform. The single exception is multicenter research, for which we found that review by several local IRBs is likely to be burdensome. No mechanism currently exists at the national level to gather systematic evidence on the intersection between research and IRB review. This gap is of concern in light of the changing nature of research and the increasingly important role that research is envisioned to play in improving the overall quality of health care.


The purpose of the present study was to compare the Type I error rate and power of two model-based procedures, the mean and covariance structure model (MACS) and the item response theory (IRT), and an observed-score based procedure, ordinal logistic regression, for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) in polytomous items. A simulation study was employed in which polytomous data with five ordered categories were generated using Samejima's graded response model under three crossed factors: sample size per group (300-, 500-, and 1,000-examinees), type of DIF (b-parameter, aparameter, and a- and b-parameter DIF), and magnitude of DIF (small and large magnitudes of DIF). The Type I error rate was inflated for IRT based tests and ordinal logistic regression when some of the items contained DIF. For the uniform DIF conditions, MACS and IRT exhibited similar power rates; however, ordinal logistic regression exhibited slightly higher power compared to the other two methods for smaller sample sizes. Lastly, for nonuniform DIF, IRT exhibited much more power compared to MACS and ordinal logistic regression.


The retina is a highly differentiated tissue with a complex layered structure that has been extensively characterized. However, most of the previous studies focused on the histology of the central retina while little is known about the cellular composition, organization and function of the marginal retina. Recent research has identified a subpopulation of multipotential progenitor cells in the marginal regions of the retina, closest to the ciliary body ("ciliary marginal zone"). These cells are capable of differentiation in response to an appropriate stimulus. Thus, it is possible that the structure and composition of the marginal retina are distinct from those of the central retina to accommodate the potential addition of newly formed neurons. To characterize the cellular profile of the chick marginal retina, we labeled it immunohistochemically for markers whose staining pattern is well established in the central retina: calbindin, calretinin, protein kinase C, and choline acetyltransferase. Calbindin was present at very low levels in the marginal retina putative photoreceptor layer. Calretinin-positive horizontal cells were also sparse close to the ciliary marginal zone. The bipolar cells in the marginal outer plexiform layer were positive for anti-protein kinase C antibodies, but the density of labeling was also decreased in relation to the central retina. In contrast, the marginal starburst cholinergic amacrine cell pattern was very similar to the central retina. From these data we conclude that the structure of the marginal retina is significantly different from that of the central retina. In particular, the expression of late retina markers in the marginal retina decreased in comparison to the central retina.


Classification is one of the most challenging tasks of remotely sensed data processing, particularly for hyperspectral imaging (HSI). Dimension reduction is widely applied as a preprocessing step for classification; however the reduction of dimension using conventional methods may not always guarantee high classification rate. Principal component analysis (PCA) and its nonlinear version kernel PCA (KPCA) are known as traditional dimension reduction algorithms. In a previous work, a variant of KPCA, denoted as Adaptive KPCA (A-KPCA), is suggested to get robust unsupervised feature representation for HSI. The specified technique employs several KPCAs simultaneously to obtain better feature points from each applied KPCA which includes different candidate kernels. Nevertheless, A-KPCA neglects the influence of subkernels employing an unweighted combination. Furthermore, if there is at least one weak kernel in the set of kernels, the classification performance may be reduced significantly. To address these problems, in this paper we propose an Ensemble Learning (EL) based multiple kernel PCA (M-KPCA) strategy. M-KPCA constructs a weighted combination of kernels with high discriminative ability from a predetermined set of base kernels and then extracts features in an unsupervised fashion. The experiments on two different AVIRIS hyperspectral data sets show that the proposed algorithm can achieve a satisfactory feature extraction performance on real data.


The effect of structural modifications of okadaic acid (OA), a polyether C38 fatty acid, was studied on its inhibitory activity toward type 1 and type 2A protein phosphatases (PP1 and PP2A) by using OA derivatives obtained either by isolation from natural sources or by chemical processes. The dissociation constant (Ki) for the interaction of OA with PP2A was estimated to be 30 (26-33) nM [median (95% confidence limits)]. The OA derivatives used and their affinity for PP2A, expressed as Ki (in brackets) were as follows: 35-methyl-OA (DTX1) [19 (12-25) pM], OA-9,10-episulphide (acanthifolicin) [47 (25-60) pM], 7-deoxy-OA [69 (31-138) pM], 14,15-dihydro-OA [315 (275-360) pM], 2-deoxy-OA [899 (763-1044) pM], 7-O-palmitoyl-OA [greater than 100 nM], 7-O-palmitoyl-DTX1 [greater than 100 nM], methyl okadate [much greater than 100 nM], 2-oxo-decarboxy-OA [much greater than 100 nM] and the C-15-C-38 fragment of OA [much greater than 100 nM]. The sequence of the affinity of these derivatives for PP1 was essentially the same as that observed with PP2A, although the absolute values of Ki were very different for the enzymes. The inhibitory effect of OA on PP2A was reversed by applying a murine monoclonal antibody against OA, which recognizes modifications of the 7-hydroxyl group of the OA molecule. It has been shown by n.m.r. spectroscopy and X-ray analysis that one end (C-1-C-24) of the OA molecule assumes a circular conformation. The present results suggest the importance of the conformation for the inhibitory action of OA on the protein phosphatases. The ratios of the Ki values for PP1 to that for PP2A, which were within the range 10(3)-10(4), tended to be smaller for the derivatives with lower affinity, indicating that the structural changes in OA impaired the affinity for PP2A more strongly than that for PP1.


We consider the possibility that the Higgs can be produced in dark matter annihilations, appearing as a line in the spectrum of gamma rays at an energy determined by the masses of the WIMP and the Higgs itself. We argue that this phenomenon occurs generally in models in which the the dark sector has large couplings to the most massive states of the SM and provide a simple example inspired by the Randall-Sundrum vision of dark matter, whose 4d dual corresponds to electroweak symmetry-breaking by strong dynamics which respect global symmetries that guarantee a stable WIMP. The dark matter is a Dirac fermion that couples to a Z' acting as a portal to the Standard Model through its strong coupling to top quarks. Annihilation into light standard model degrees of freedom is suppressed and generates a feeble continuum spectrum of gamma rays. Loops of top quarks mediate annihilation into γZ, γh, and γZ', providing a forest of lines in the spectrum. Such models can be probed by the Fermi/GLAST satellite and ground-based Air Cherenkov telescopes.


Submitted 2020-07-02 | Accepted 2020-08-24 | Available 2020-12-01 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2020.23.mi-fpap.132-136 The present study aimed to analyse dried grape pomace as a possible source of crude fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids in equine nutrition, as well as its effect on apparent digestibility of crude fat and selected fatty acids. Twelve clinically healthy sport horses were used in the feeding trial (Slovak warm blood breed). Animals were divided into three groups; control group (without supplementation) and two experimental groups where diets were enriched by 200 g and 400 g of dried grape pomace, respectively. Digestibility analysis was carried out by total faeces collection method. Crude fat of feeds and faeces, extracted by Soxhlet-Henkel method, was subsequently subjected to fatty acid profile analysis by gas chromatography. Grape pomace contained 96.17 g.kg -1 of crude fat with linoleic (70.03% in fat) and oleic (15.86% in fat) as the most abundant fatty acids. An indication (P>0.05) of higher digestibility of crude fat and oleic acid in both experimental groups, in comparison with control group, was detected. The digestibility of palmitic, linoleic, α-linolenic and cis-11-eicosenoic acids was not affected by dried grape pomace consumption (P>0.05). Based on the results of this experiment, dried grape pomace had no significant effect neither on digestibility of crude fat nor on the selected fatty acids. However, this winery by-product could be used as an alternative source of crude fat in equine diets. Keywords: crude fat, equine, polyunsaturated fatty acid utilisation, wine by-products References Aslanian, A., Dizaji, A. A., Farhoomand, P., Shahryar, H. A., Sis, N. M., & Rouhnavaz, S. (2011). Characterization of the nutritive value and protein fractions the cornell net carbohydrate and protein system in White and Red Grape (Vitis vinifera sp.) Pomace. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6(7), 298-303. Azevedo, J. A. G., Valadares Filho, S. C., Pina, D. S., Detmann, E., Pereira, L. G. R., Valadares, R. F. D., ... & Benedeti, P. B. (2012). Nutritional diversity of agricultural and agro-industrial by-products for ruminant feeding. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, 64(5), 1246-1255. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-09352012000500024 Brenes, A., Viveros, A., Chamorro, S., & Arija, I. (2016). Use of polyphenol-rich grape by-products in monogastric nutrition. A review. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 211, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.09.016 Burke, J. B. Equine International. (2009). Feeding Equine Athletes. Equine International, 1(2), 28-30. Davies, J. A., Krebs, G. L., Barnes, A., Pant, I., & McGrath, P. J. (2009). Feeding grape seed extract to horses: effects on health, intake and digestion. Animal, 3(3), 380-384. European Union. (2009). Commission regulation (EC) No 152/2009 of 27 Jan. 2009: Laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of feed. Foiklang, S., Wanapat, M., & Norrapoke, T. (2016). Effect of grape pomace powder, mangosteen peel powder and monensin on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, nitrogen balance and microbial protein synthesis in dairy steers. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 29(10), 1416-1423. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.15.0689 Galik, B., Kollathova, R., Rolinec, M., Juracek, M., Simko, M., Hanusovský, O., Biro, D., Vasekova, P., Kolesarova, A., Barantal, S. (2019). Grape by-products as bioactive substances in animal nutrition: A review. Agriculture and Food, 7, 67-172. Georgiev, V., Ananga, A., & Tsolova, V. (2014). Recent advances and uses of grape flavonoids as nutraceuticals. Nutrients, 6(1), 391-415. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6010391 Gulcu, M., Uslu, N., Ozcan, M. M., Gokmen, F., Ozcan, M. M., Banjanin, T., … Lemiasheuski, V. (2019). The investigation of bioactive compounds of wine, grape juice and boiled grape juice wastes. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 43(1), e13850. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.13850 Hanganu, A., Todască, M. C., Chira, N. A., Maganu, M., & Rosca, S. (2012). The compositional characterisation of Romanian grape seed oils using spectroscopic methods. Food Chemistry, 134(4), 2453-2458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.04.048 Hess, T., & Ross-Jones, T. (2014). Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in horses. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 43(12), 677-683. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982014001200008 Hinchcliff, K. W., Kaneps, A. J., & Geor, R. J. (2013). Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. Hussein, S., & Abdrabba, S. (2015). Physico-chemical characteristics, fatty acid, composition of grape seed oil and phenolic compounds of whole seeds, seeds and leaves of red grape in Libya. International Journal of Applied Science and Mathematics, 2(5), 2394-2894. Kentucky Equine Research. (2016). Nutrition of the performance horse. Kollathova, R., Galik, B., Halo, M., Kovacik, A., Hanusovský, O., Biro, D., ... & Simko, M. (2020). The effects of dried grape pomace supplementation on biochemical blood serum indicators and digestibility of nutrients in horses. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 65(2), 58-65. https://doi.org/10.17221/181/2019-CJAS Lichovnikova, M., Kalhotka, L., Adam, V., Klejdus, B., & Anderle, V. (2015). The effects of red grape pomace inclusion in grower diet on amino acid digestibility, intestinal microflora, and sera and liver antioxidant activity in broilers. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 39(4), 406-412. https://doi.org/10.3906/vet-1403-64 Mironeasa, S., Codină, G. G., & Mironeasa, C. (2016). The effects of wheat flour substitution with grape seed flour on the rheological parameters of the dough assessed by mixolab. Journal of Texture Studies, 43(1), 40–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4603.2011.00315.x National Research Council. (2007). National Research Council Committee nutrient requirements of horses. Piccione, G., Arfuso, F., Fazio, F., Bazzano, M., & Giannetto, C. (2014a). Serum lipid modification related to exercise and polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in jumpers and thoroughbred horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 34(10), 1181-1187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2014.07.005 Piccione, G., Marafioti, S., Giannetto, C., Panzera, M., & Fazio, F. (2014b). Effect of dietary supplementation with omega 3 on clotting time, fibrinogen concentration and platelet aggregation in the athletic horse. Livestock Science, 161, 109-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.12.032 Ribeiro, L. F., Ribani, R. H., Francisco, T. M. G., Soares, A. A., Pontarolo, R., & Haminiuk, C. W. I. (2015). Profile of bioactive compounds from grape pomace (Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca) by spectrophotometric, chromatographic and spectral analyses. Journal of Chromatography B, 1007, 72–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchromb.2015.11.005 Ross-Jones, T., Hess, T., Rexford, J., Ahrens, N., Engle, T., & Hansen, D. K. (2014). Effects of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on equine synovial fluid fatty acid composition and prostaglandin E2. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 34(6), 779-783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2014.01.014 Vineyard, K. R., Warren, L. K., & Kivipelto, J. (2010). Effect of dietary omega-3 fatty acid source on plasma and red blood cell membrane composition and immune function in yearling horses. Journal of Animal Science, 88(1), 248-257. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2009-2253 Viveros, A., Chamorro, S., Pizarro, M., Arija, I., Centeno, C., & Brenes, A. (2011). Effects of dietary polyphenol-rich grape products on intestinal microflora and gut morphology in broiler chicks. Poultry Science, 90(3), 566-578. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2010-00889


Abstract Many excellent aeolian sandstones suffer a decline of reservoir quality associated with structural compartmentalization by tectonic features. An onshore analogue, the Permo-Triassic Hopeman Sandstone, which crops out along the Southern side of the Moray Firth, Scotland, has been studied due to the difficulty in quantifying tectonic heterogeneities in the sub-surface. A hierarchy of structural flow barriers, with impermeable fault rock, has been observed. These vary from solitary deformation bands, via compound zones of bands to major slip surfaces/faults. Episodic faulting leads to the growth from bands to larger fault zones. Increased cementation of the sandstones is seen adjacent to these tight fault zones, and a zone of enhanced cementation, spatially governed by the main fault in the region, has been mapped. Conjugate extensional systems of deformation bands decrease in density away from major faults. Porosity reduction is related to proximity to faults, with porosity increasing abruptly away from the tectonic barrier; the deformation producing low-quality reservoir and flow barriers. Tectonic features have, intermittently, acted as both fluid conduits and barriers: enhanced cementation of sedimentary features adjacent to 'tight' faults shows migration of diagenetic brines along fractures. The relatively well sorted aeolian Hopeman Sandstones display better developed flow barriers than the poorly-sorted, mixed facies fluviatile Burghead Beds. Interaction of fluid-flow, diagenetic cementation and structural deformation produce flow barriers that compartmentalize the sandstones on all scales.


Visceral focal lesions are rarely encountered in patients with leishmaniasis despite the fact that splenomegaly, and to a lesser extent hepatomegaly, predominate among the clinical features of the disease. We present, using high resolution ultrasonography, the first 3 reported cases of focal splenic involvement in immunocompetent children with visceral leishmaniasis. All patients showed a prompt response to the conventional anti-leishmanial treatment administered. This favorable outcome indicates that localized splenic lesions should not be considered as a poor prognostic factor and that alteration of the standard anti-leishmanial regimens is not justified.


PURPOSE
To evaluate using MR imaging chronic changes in the brain parenchyma after electroencephalography depth electrode placement in patients with medically refractory epilepsy.

METHODS
A retrospective review of MR scans in 57 patients who underwent stereotactic placement of 210 depth electrodes was performed. Scans were evaluated for evidence of gliosis, hemorrhage, or infection along the probe tracts.

RESULTS
Signal abnormalities along the probe tracts were seen in 38 patients (67%). Of the 210 probe tracts evaluated on long-repetition-time images, 85 (41%) were associated with punctate hyperintensity and four (2%) with punctate hypointensity; 120 (57%) showed no MR changes to suggest prior electrode placement. One probe placement was complicated by a significant intraparenchymal hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS
Depth electrode implantation for electroencephalography monitoring results in imperceptible or minimal chronic changes as detected by MR in almost all patients. The punctate hypersensitivity on long-repetition-time images is though to be caused by gliosis along the probe tracts. These signal changes should not be confused with the seizure focus. Significant hemorrhage or infection is a rare complication of probe placement. Incorporation of MR angiographic data with conventional spin-echo images at the time of stereotactic probe placement may further reduce the low incidence of probe-related hemorrhage.


At a recent meeting of the program committee of a surgical society, members of the committee faced the dilemma of interpreting the results described in a number of abstracts where authors provided limited information. For example, an author describing a new operative procedure stated that he "had a limited experience which would be described." Did this mean that he had a series of 20 such operations, five years' experience, or a single patient he had operated on last week? Any physician wishing to communicate his work either in the literature or by presentations at meetings can learn the craft of writing an abstract, whether for summation of work to be considered by a program committee or a synopsis-abstract of a manuscript to be published in theArchives. The origins of the "abstract" and guidelines for preparation of abstracts for completed manuscripts were presented by Richard Warren in 1976 when he


SPECT can be used to image regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and has been shown to help localize the seizure focus in partial epilepsies as part of the presurgical evaluation. Few studies have explored the possible relation between preoperative SPECT and underlying pathology, or any relation to postsurgical outcome. In this study preoperative ictal and interictal rCBF in relation to the histopathological diagnosis and outcome in a series of 35 children (24 females, 11 males; mean age 9.6 years, age range 11 months to 18 years) who had undergone resective surgery for epilepsy were retrospectively evaluated. A correlation between ictal hyperperfusion and the underlying responsible pathology was shown, with a consistent ictal increase in perfusion in developmental pathologies and Rasmussen's encephalitis, and consistent interictal hypoperfusion in hippocampal sclerosis (HS). No rCBF study parameter appeared to relate to outcome but in the group with HS the best outcome was seen in those with localizing ictal rCBF. The varied group of pathologies from hemispherectomy had excellent outcome but the SPECT findings had little to contribute over the abnormalities detected on MRI. In conclusion, rCBF studies remain a useful presurgical investigation in children with partial epilepsy, especially where HS, cortical dysplasia, or inflammatory disease are the underlying pathology. However, rCBF studies add little to the investigation of children with seizures secondary to benign tumours or cerebral infarcts, or where hemispherectomy is the likely preferred surgical option.


In this paper, we propose a framework to establish localization and routing in mobile underwater sensor networks. Localization and routing are done at two consecutive rounds. Localization messages include localization specific data and additional fields which are used in the routing decision. The proposed "catch up or pass" forwarding algorithm is a greedy geo-forwarding scheme. It benefits from the uncontrolled motion of the underwater nodes. The underwater nodes use position and velocity information to decide whether to carry the packet until they "catch up" with a sink or "pass" it to a faster or slower relay.


Fixed income ETFs were a natural evolution in the securities markets, driven by investor demand for a flexible and cost-efficient alternative to individual bond portfolios, mutual funds, and futures contracts. The rapid growth in bond ETF assets indicates widespread use among (individual and) institutional investors for precise portfolio diversification and opportunistic trading strategies. This article discusses the development and application of this vehicle.


Background: My Diabetes My Way (MDMW) is an electronic personal health record (ePHR) that provides access to educational resources and clinical data to people with diabetes in Scotland. This questionnaire study aims to assess user experience, barriers to access, and inform future development. Methods: All active MDMW users (n = 3797) were invited to complete an online questionnaire in May 2015, surveying usage patterns and system utility. A "utility score" was calculated, based on responses to Likert-scale questions and used as the dependent variable within regression analysis, with demographic features as independent predictors. Free-text responses were analyzed thematically and presented using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 1095/3797 (27.5%) active users completed the survey. Of them, 690/1095 (63%) were male. There was representation of all age and socioeconomic groups. Respondents were positive regarding the system utility, which met expectations. The majority of respondents believed that online access to diabetes information has the potential to improve diabetes self-care within the population. The most valued features were personal clinical data associated visualizations. Th main problems cited were data accuracy and system access (ie, log-in procedure). Perceived usefulness of the system was inversely associated with duration of diabetes, which was the only significant predictor of utility score. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that MDMW users find the system useful in supporting diabetes self-management. The system was found to have greatest utility among those most recently diagnosed with diabetes. This study has informed further development of the service, including enhancing data visualization and the need to improve access to the system.


Small-angle X-ray diffraction data has been collected from 99 `core-cut' breast tissue specimens representing a number of different pathologies. Data in the range 75–1390 A have been compared with controls from patients with no breast disease. Bessel functions and Bragg maxima resulting from the fibrillar structure of collagen have been identified. The Bragg maxima indexed onto a 649 A lattice. Systematic differences in the intensities and D-spacings between the collagen of malignant, benign and normal tissue groups have been clearly demonstrated and quantified. These differences appear to be due to a significantly lower structural order within the malignant tissues. Possible explanations for this are discussed and the potential for utilizing this observation in cancer diagnosis is considered.


ABSTRACT The outcome of cryptococcal pneumonia correlates with local macrophage polarization status, as M1 and M2 polarization marks protective and nonprotective responses, respectively. Overall, pulmonary macrophage polarization status changes over time during a cryptococcal infection. This could have been caused by repolarization of individual macrophages or by a replacement of M2-polarized cells by new M1-polarized cells. To explore the ability of macrophages to change between polarization states, we conducted a series of experiments using in vitro macrophages. Coculture of macrophages with Cryptococcus neoformans resulted in development of a weak M1-like phenotype, with modestly increased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) but lacking interleukin 6 (IL-6) induction. The C. neoformans-induced M1-like polarization state was plastic, as macrophages stimulated first with C. neoformans and then with gamma interferon (IFN-γ) or IL-4 expressed mRNA polarization patterns similar to those stimulated with cytokines alone. To further evaluate macrophage polarization plasticity, cytokine stimulatory conditions were established which fully polarized macrophages. IFN-γ and IL-4 stimulation differentially induced complete M1 and M2 polarization, defined by differential expression of marker mRNA panels, surface marker expression, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) protein production. Switching IFN-γ- to IL-4-stimulating conditions, and vice versa, resulted in uniform changes in profiles of polarization marker genes consistent with the most recent cytokine environment. Furthermore, the ability of sequentially stimulated macrophages to inhibit C. neoformans reflected the most recent polarizing condition, independent of previous polarization. Collectively, these data indicate that M1/M2 macrophage polarization phenotypes are highly plastic to external signals, and interventions which therapeutically repolarize macrophages could be beneficial for treatment of cryptococcosis. IMPORTANCE Our studies reveal how a major opportunistic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, interacts with macrophages, immune cells which can ingest and kill invading pathogens. Macrophages play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcal infection, as their polarization phenotype determines the outcome of the battle between the infected host and C. neoformans. This study suggests that dynamic changes in polarization of macrophages at the level of individual cells are an important characteristic of in vivo cryptococcosis, as they occur throughout the natural course of infection. We demonstrate that macrophages can rapidly and uniformly reverse their polarization phenotype in response to dynamic signaling conditions and lose or regain their fungicidal function. Demonstrating importance of these pathways may become a cornerstone for novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of cryptococcosis in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Our studies reveal how a major opportunistic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, interacts with macrophages, immune cells which can ingest and kill invading pathogens. Macrophages play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcal infection, as their polarization phenotype determines the outcome of the battle between the infected host and C. neoformans. This study suggests that dynamic changes in polarization of macrophages at the level of individual cells are an important characteristic of in vivo cryptococcosis, as they occur throughout the natural course of infection. We demonstrate that macrophages can rapidly and uniformly reverse their polarization phenotype in response to dynamic signaling conditions and lose or regain their fungicidal function. Demonstrating importance of these pathways may become a cornerstone for novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of cryptococcosis in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients.


Abstract To investigate the mechanical properties of jet grouted soilcrete, uniaxial compression tests, Brazilian tests and ultrasonic tests were conducted on a number of samples. It was found that the uniaxial compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, failure strain, tensile strength and P-wave velocity of soilcrete increase with increasing dry density. Dry density should be one of the critical criteria to control the quality of jet grouting. Significant variation of strength was monitored for soilcrete from the same depth because of the non-uniform mix of soil and grout with a high-pressure jet. The maximum axial and lateral strain at failure were found to be 0.62% and 0.20%, respectively. These values are relatively close to the failure strains for concrete, rather than for soil. The Brazilian tensile strength varied between 1/10 and 1/30 of the uniaxial compressive strength.


In the present study new unsaturated terpolyesters based on diarylidenecyclohexanone, were synthesized by the interfacial polycondensation polymerization technique. Aldol condensation reaction in acid media was used for preparation of three kinds of monomers and investigated by FT IR and 1H NMR as discussed in our resent work. The terpolymers were synthetized by the polymerization of 2,6-bis (4-hydrxybenzylidene) cyclohexanone I, 2,6-bis (3-hydroxybezylidene) cyclohexanone II, and 2,6-bis (4-hydroxy-3- methoxybenzylidene) cyclohexanone III with isophthaloyl, terphthaloyl, adipoyl, sebacoyl and azobenzene 4,4-dicaroxyldichloride. The resulting terpolyesters were characterized by FT-IR, 1HNMR. The molecular weight was determined by the intrinsic viscosity measurements. The thermal stabilities of the prepared Terpolyester were evaluated thermogravimeteric analysis (TGA). Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was used for determination of glass temperatures. X-ray analysis shows the degree of crystallinity. The morphological properties of some selected polymers were detected by SEM.


At the end of 2014 Helsinki planning department published the draft of their new general plan. It includes an initiative to convert several of its major roads from expressways to urban boulevards, in order to utilize this central land for development of housing and workplaces. Such a large scale initiative is bound to result in much accumulated experience and knowledge about this topic which other cities could learn from. In Stockholm projects to utilize land along roads has occurred but none has yet been at the scale of motorways. Considering the extreme housing shortage in the region it can be assumed that there would be an interest in Stockholm to learn from experiences in Helsinki.However, planning experiences can often be quite case specific; not always translatable from one project to another. Different cities will have different conditions. The main objective of this research is therefore to investigate the similarities and differences in the conditions for boulevardisation in Stockholm and Helsinki. Factors considered are laws, regional and national regulations, political and public opinion and physical circumstances such as structure of development and transport networks. The investigation is done through examinations of plan documents, statistics and through case studies of three projects. One of the projects is the boulevardisation project of Helsinki. The other two cases are projects in two different municipalities of Stockholm county in which the possibilities for conversion have been investigated by planners.The conclusions present several similarities and differences between conditions for boulevardisation in Stockholm and Helsinki. Some of the differences are favorable to Stockholm and some to Helsinki. Some of the conclusions suggest the need for the county to have a larger role in a boulevardisation project on a similar scale as the one in Helsinki.


Not only Swedish studies, but also several international studies, claim an increase in anti-Semitic attitudes in recent decades. As prejudice is acquired in the early years of socialization, and/or is innate and fairly stable over the life cycle, examining adolescents' attitudes is vitally important. Hence, by controlling for individual demographic and socio-economic background factors, we study two interrelated questions: Has anti-Semitism among Swedish secondary school-age youths changed between 2003 and 2009? Are changes equal across groups, with a specific focus on religious groups? Using two unique cross-section surveys of secondary school-age students in Sweden for the years 2003 and 2009, we try to address the above questions. Our analysis shows, in contrast to the views of the general public and other related studies, that anti-Semitism has decreased slightly during the examined period. Moreover, the study finds a variation in anti-Semitism by religious affiliation: it has increased among Muslim youth, but remains stable in other groups.


The paper focuses on the parallels, which are rooted in the simultaneous development of mathematics and informatics. Both mathematics and informatics are based on problem-solving. However, the approaches to determining problems, solution techniques and interpretation of results are different. The paper shows different approaches of mathematics and informatics for solving a simple problem from the informatics competition. It was presented for students, who would be future informatics teachers, and it has become the beginning of the discovery of unexpected relationships and rules' chain, the source of successive tasks, and various methods of their solution. The paper brings the results of the constructivist teaching of students in the form of a fictional interview of mathematician and informatician. Fictional cooperation of a mathematician and an informatician in analysing and solving problems will allow for a detailed analysis and comparison of both fields, which will lead to determining both common and different elements.


In recent years new conceptualisations of marketing have been founded in social practice theory. Markets and market boundaries, however, while debated, have not been re-theorised and definitions remain based in the neoclassical economics paradigm. Social practices theory provides a basis for defining markets and market boundaries by practices and their performances by market actors. This thesis advances the debate on a general theory of markets by theorising a new conceptual model of markets as social structures demarcated by nine specific categories of routinised practices described here as parameters. A qualitative study grounded within the social constructionist epistemology was conducted to explore the market practices model, particularly the categories of practices forming the parameters that define market boundaries. The New Zealand mobile telecommunications market provided an opportunity for a situational-specific exploration involving interviews with service providers, users, and regulators as actors performing in the market between 1990 and 2014, triangulated against 26-years of documentary evidence. The research enabled understanding of practices through the comparison of performances between progressive eras in the mobile telephone market in New Zealand. The findings supporting the market practice model not only advance new theory that extends our understanding of markets and market boundaries but also provide context for marketing academics. Furthermore, the model provides new perspectives for business strategy and policy development. The thesis concludes with a summary of contributions to the academic knowledge of markets and an overview of directions for future research and debate.


Two different congenital malformations of the heart were seen in two calves and two ewe lambs. In all these malformations the left ventricle was more or less hypoplastic; it was small with a narrow lumen and a thick wall. In one malformation the aorta began as a cul-de-sac above the left ventricle; in the other, the aorta arose from the right ventricle, to the right of the supraventricular crest.


Objective To evaluate the effect of alcohol cessation on the risk of developing laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers, combining available evidence in the scientific literature in a meta-analysis. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted, and a meta-analysis was applied on the retrieved studies. The generalised least squares method was used to estimate the trend from dose-response data to assess changes in the risks of laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers after drinking cessation. Results A total of 9 case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis (4 and 8 estimates for laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers, respectively). On average, alcohol drinking cessation was associated with a 2% yearly reduction in the risk of developing laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers. There was a considerable heterogeneity between the studies of pharyngeal cancer, but this was mostly due to two studies. The increased risk of laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers caused by alcohol was reversible; the time periods until the risks became equal to those of never drinkers were 36 (95% CI 11–106) and 39 (95% CI 13–103) years, respectively. Moreover, 5 years of drinking cessation was associated with a reduction of around 15% in the alcohol-related elevated risk of laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers. Conclusion Although a long time period is required to completely eliminate the alcohol-related elevated risk of laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers, a substantial risk reduction can be seen in the short term (5–10 years), and drinking cessation should therefore be encouraged to reduce the incidence of these cancers.


The rate of construction materials is subjected to constant changes. The unexpected price changes affect the carrying-out rates of projects and even challenges the competence to finish the projects. The rapid and vast changes that occur all over the world in construction materials prices impacts the individual construction market value of each country. To avoid this problem, the contractor should have a tool or method that is capable to predict the future material prices. It is essential to predict the material prices variations during the implementation of the project as well as for preparing the tenders. Prediction of material price is an important function for effectively handling projects in terms of more exactly estimating, pursuing and monitoring projects. There are many tools that can help the construction contractors by its ability to accurately predict the future material price. Some of the methods normally used for prediction of materials prices are Artificial Neural Network, Fuzzy Logic, Statistical Method (includes regression analysis, MONTE CARLO method, ANOVA), and Trend Analysis. The type of predictors to these tools can be any factors that tend to have an impact on the prices of material. Macroeconomic indicators are one such factor that influences the prices of material as it reflects a country's economic status. This is a pilot study conducted in India to determine the possible macroeconomic indicators that influence the building material prices namely Portland cement and steel.


The object of the analysis of this article is Sŏnsan County, the most advanced agricultural region of the Chosŏn Dynasty during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This advanced region, however, started to go downhill from the sixteenth century and declined further in the seventeenth century. The rise and fall of Sŏnsan was closely tied with its geographical and irrigation conditions. The region, located around the Naktong River, the greatest river in Kyŏngsang Province, had favorable conditions for development in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries with the spread of the farming method of broadcast seeding to wet rice fields (水耕直播法) and the active development of both plains and hilly areas. But, this area faced adverse conditions in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when the new farming method of transplanting rice seedlings (移秧法) was widely introduced, shifting development to more mountainous regions.


This paper presents a phase noise analysis of charge-pump phase-locked-loops. Fundamental results from the theory of discrete-time systems are employed to derive closed-form expressions of noise transfer functions and design guidelines. The proposed expressions allows predicting the PLL in-band noise and spurs induced by VCO internal white and flicker noise sources and by external interferences coupled to VCO most sensitive nodes. To verify the correctness of the presented theoretical results, a simulation method is developed, which takes into account the time-varying nonlinear characteristics of the VCO and which is much more efficient than transistor-level noise simulations.


This paper addresses the modeling and controller design of a swashplate-less coaxial helicopter with a center-of-gravity variation mechanism. The moving-mass system is used to decouple the control moments from the propulsion system. The mathematical model is thoroughly derived to capture the interaction between the dynamics of the vehicle and of the moving-mass mechanism. Furthermore, based on this model, the nonlinear controller that guarantees the exponential tracking between the system and any arbitrary trajectory is developed. This controller is designed using the geometric approach, which allows the system to be considered separately as a few subsystems. The coupling effects between these subsystems are shown to be bounded, which preserve the stability of the overall system. Two simulation trials, in which this controller is implemented, demonstrate the stability.


Humoral immune responses elicited after secondary exposure to immunizing Ag are characterized by robust and elevated reactivity of memory B cells that exceed those of naive B cells during the primary response. The mechanism underlying this difference in responsiveness of naive vs memory B cells remains unclear. We have quantitated the response of naive and memory human B cells after in vitro stimulation with T cell-derived stimuli. In response to stimulation with CD40 ligand alone or with IL-10, both IgM-expressing and Ig isotype-switched memory B cells entered their first division 20–30 h earlier than did naive B cells. In contrast, the time spent traversing subsequent divisions was similar. Consistent with previous studies, only memory cells differentiated to CD38+ blasts in a manner that increased with consecutive division number. These differentiated CD38+ B cells divided faster than did CD38− memory B cell blasts. Proliferation of CD40 ligand-stimulated naive B cells as well as both CD38+ and CD38− cells present in cultures of memory B cells was increased by IL-10. In contrast, IL-2 enhanced proliferation of CD38− and CD38+ memory B cell blasts, but not naive cells. Thus, memory B cells possess an intrinsic advantage over naive B cells in both the time to initiate a response and in the division-based rate of effector cell development. These differences help explain the accelerated Ab response exhibited by memory B cells after secondary challenge by an invading pathogen, a hallmark of immunological memory.


Ultra Wide Band (UWB) is an emerging technology in the field of indoor localization, mainly due to its high performances in indoor scenarios and relatively easy deployment. However, in complex indoor environments, its positioning accuracy may drastically decrease due to biases introduced when emitters and receivers operate in Non Line-of-Sight (NLOS) conditions. This undesired phenomenon can be attenuated by creating, a priori, a map of the measurement error in the environment, that can be exploited at a later stage by a localization algorithm. In this paper, the error map is the result of a calibration process, which consists of collecting several measurements of the localization system at different locations in the environment. This work proposes the leveraging of mobile robots in order to automatize the calibration process with the ultimate purpose of improving UWB-based people localization in a realistic indoor environment. The whole process exploits existing algorithms in the field of robot localization conveniently adapted in order to address our use case and technology. Experiments in real environments of incrementally increasing complexity show how the average localization accuracy can be improved up to 50% by adopting this method.


Sub-harmonic resonance in zero pressure gradient three-dimensional boundary layer flow occurs in the classical N-type pathway of turbulence transition. Three- dimensionality incurs exorbitant computational demands on the numerical simulations. Imposition of a spectral method and a non-uniform grid countervails the impractical computational demands. Eigenvalue analysis ascertains ranges of stability of the numerical method. Validation of the numerical method versus the three-dimensional OS equation avers confidence in the accuracy of the model. Numerical realizations of the generation, amplification, and interaction of two- and three-dimensional sub-harmonic waves agree qualitatively with classical experiments.


Hypoxia and intracellular Ca2+ transient are fundamental traits of cancer. Signaling cascades initiated or regulated by HIF-1 is essential for hypoxic responses. Stromal-interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is well known as a Ca2+ sensor on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that mediates SOCE activation and promotes tumor invasion and migration. However, there was no general consensus about the relationship between HIF-1 and STIM1. Also, the significance of STIM1, as well as the Ca2+ mobilization route in cancer cells during hypoxia remains unknown. Our results show that STIM1 correlates with elevated hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in hypoxic hepatocarcinoma cells (HCC) and is upregulated during hepatocarcinoma growth. HIF-1 directly transcripts STIM1 and contributes to store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), while STIM1-mediated SOCE is also required for HIF-1 accumulation in hypoxic HCC, via activating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and p300. Administration of YC-1, a HIF-1 inhibitor, or knockdown of HIF1A significantly diminishes hypoxia-enhanced STIM1 and suppresses tumorigenesis. Moreover, ectopic expression of STIM1 or HIF-1α partially reverses the impaired growth of the tumor treated with YC-1. These results suggest a mutual dependency and regulation of STIM1 and HIF-1 in controlling Ca2+ mobilization and hypoxic tumor growth, and highlight a potential target for early hypoxia-related intervention. Citation Format: Yongsheng Li. A novel regulatory circuit involving STIM1 and HIF-1 mediates hypoxia-driven hepatocarcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr A198.


High power semiconductor laser diodes and optical power amplifiers have important roles in solid state laser and optical fiber pumping, optical storage and recording, and can serve as efficient sources for medical and display applications. These high power devices must be mounted in the epitaxy-side down configuration for good heat transfer and so require a well-controlled, high yield, void-free, die attach method. We have developed a method which consistently yields absolute thermal resistances of 1.5/spl deg/C/W (/spl plusmn/4%) on tapered angle facet semiconductor optical amplifiers and specific thermal resistances of 0.004 K/spl middot/cm/sup 2//W for lasers and optical amplifiers mounted on oxygen-free high conductivity (OFHC) copper heatsinks. Our method has wide process margins, exhibits excellent yield (>95%, N=30) and repeatability, relaxes the requirements for highly polished heatsinks, and is well suited for laser die attach to heatspreading diamond submounts or advanced composite materials.


This paper introduces a new algorithm for tracking the minor subspace of the correlation matrix associated with time series. This algorithm is shown to have a better convergence rate than existing methods. Moreover, it guarantees the orthonormality of the subspace weighting matrix at each iteration, and reaches a linear complexity.


Objective: Consuming alcohol forms an important aspect for the young and old in many cultures despite the fact that it is the most harmful drug. To gain more knowledge on determinants that are of influence on alcohol consumption, this research attempts to create a theoretical European model based on determinants of which already has been proven that they have a direct effect on alcohol consumption but of which a possible mediating effect have not been established yet. It states that social norms and religion have a direct and indirect effect mediated by a direct effect on outcome expectancies on alcohol consumption. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that alcohol advertising has a direct and indirect effect, mediated by a direct effect on outcome expectancies, on alcohol consumption as well. Therefore, it is also hypothesized that social norms and religion are of influence on the indirect effect of alcohol advertising on alcohol consumption via outcome expectancies. Method: The data for this cross sectional research was collected in four different countries in Europe, namely Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. The total number of respondents was 9060 of youth with an average age of 14.05. Using an online questionnaire that was similar for each country data on alcohol consumption, exposure to alcohol advertising, religion, perceived social norms on alcohol consumption and alcohol outcome expectancies were obtained. Results: Using structural equation modeling, the proposed model turned out to have a good fit with the data and is therefore a correct theoretical model. The results indicated that social norms were the strongest predictors of alcohol consumption amongst youth. Alcohol advertising and religion turned out to have a direct effect on social norms, therefore an indirect effect on alcohol consumption mediated by social norms as well. The expected direct effect of religion turned out to be non significant. Conclusion: The assumption that social norms and religion influence the indirect effect of alcohol advertising on alcohol consumption via outcome expectancies turned out to be true. Since social norms were the strongest predictors and alcohol advertising turned out to have a direct effect on social norms, a clear image is created on how much alcohol advertising influences the shaping of positive norms towards alcohol use and therefore influences alcohol consumption amongst youth. Religion turned out to have, unexpectedly, a non significant direct effect on consumption and a significant direct effect on social norms, therefore indirect on alcohol consumption. This implies that more research is needed on the relation of religion, alcohol consumption and possible mediating factors. Implications for interventions that are aimed at stopping and preventing the influence of alcohol advertising on social norms and therefore on alcohol consumption amongst youth are discussed.


The present paper is a survey concerned with certain aspects of solvability and well-posedness of initial and initial-boundary value problems for various quasilinear evolution equations of the third order. This class includes, for example, Korteweg - de Vries (KdV) and Zakharov - Kuznetsov (ZK) equations.


Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfection are challenges in the control of tuberculosis transmission. We aimed to assess and summarize evidence available in the literature regarding the treatment of LTBI in both the general and HIV-positive population, in order to support decision making by the Brazilian Tuberculosis Control Program for LTBI chemoprophylaxis. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, Trip database, National Guideline Clearinghouse, and the Brazilian Theses Repository to identify systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, clinical guidelines, evidence-based synopses, reports of health technology assessment agencies, and theses that investigated rifapentine and isoniazid combination compared to isoniazid monotherapy. We assessed the quality of evidence from randomized clinical trials using the Jadad Scale and recommendations from other evidence sources using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach. The available evidence suggests that there are no differences between rifapentine + isoniazid short-course treatment and the standard 6-month isoniazid therapy in reducing active tuberculosis incidence or death. Adherence was better with directly observed rifapentine therapy compared to self-administered isoniazid. The quality of evidence obtained was moderate, and on the basis of this evidence, rifapentine is recommended by one guideline. Available evidence assessment considering the perspective of higher adherence rates, lower costs, and local peculiarity context might support rifapentine use for LTBI in the general or HIV-positive populations. Since novel trials are ongoing, further studies should include patients on antiretroviral therapy.


Site-specific information about structural heterogeneities of the protein-folding transition-state ensemble is commonly derived from the scatter of the Brønsted plot through the individual values of = Delta logk(f)/Delta logK(D-N). Here, we provide a second level of site-specific detail in the transition-state analysis by demonstrating that the scatter of the Hammond plot is related to heterogeneities in the -value growth. That is, the extent of transition-state movement (Delta beta(++)) is proportional to the free-energy gradient of the mutational perturbation across the top of the activation barrier, '(beta(++)) proportional, variant Delta logK(D-N). The analysis is applied to the two-state protein L23 where the site-specific free-energy gradients are used to identify the interactions that show the highest degree of consolidation after crossing the barrier top. These interactions are distributed as a shell around the high- initiation point and denote the side-chain contacts that add criticality to the folding nucleus.


The types of birds preserved at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales in Buenos Aires. The Ornithology division of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ¨Bernardino Rivadavia¨ in Buenos Aires, holds twenty-eight type specimens of birds in the Coleccion Nacional Ornitologica. Of these, nine represent type species while the remaining nineteen represent type subspecies. These specimens are prepared as study skins, with the exception of three which are mounted for exhibition; details of which are given in each case. The types are listed in a systematic order at family level. Within each genus, species and subspecies are headed by their original denomination, and are listed in alphabetical order. This is followed by the bibliographical reference of the description and, where applicable, the synonym in current use. For every type, the catalogue number in the inventary of the Ornithology division is presented, along with the data presented on the specimen tag


Introduction
Substitution of e-cigarettes for tobacco smoking has the potential to prevent almost all the harm caused by smoking. Identifying strategies that may increase smokers' capability, opportunity and motivation to use e-cigarettes in place of tobacco cigarettes is vital. Former smokers who have successfully used e-cigarettes to quit smoking may be especially well qualified to increase current smokers' interest in switching and ability to switch to e-cigarettes.

Methods
A multi-national, self-selected sample of 4192 former smokers who quit smoking by using e-cigarettes were asked, via an online survey, the advice they would offer to smokers who are considering using e-cigarettes to support an attempt to quit smoking.

Results
Thematic analysis of participants' qualitative responses identified four emergent themes: (1) Find a combination of vaping device, flavors of e-liquid and nicotine strength that "works for you"; (2) Continuing to smoke for a while after starting to vape is OK; (3) Failure to quit smoking with the use of approved smoking cessation aids before success with e-cigarettes is common; and (4) Awareness of improved health and hygiene since switching to vaping.

Conclusions
Experienced vapers who used to smoke appear eager to give smokers advice and practical information about vaping that may assist attempts to switch from smoking to vaping. Encouraging cigarette smokers to interact with experienced vapers in places where vapers themselves once received advice and now give advice about vaping-vape shops and online discussion fora-may have significant potential to help more smokers to switch to e-cigarette use.

Implications
This study describes the advice that former-smokers who used e-cigarettes to quit smoking would offer to smokers who are considering using an e-cigarette to support an attempt to quit smoking. Vapers advised smokers to find the right combination of device, flavors and nicotine strength, continue to smoke and vape for a while if they wished, not be deterred by past failed attempts to quit smoking, and expect health to improve after they have switched to vaping. Encouraging smokers to interact with vaping peers in vape shops and in online vaping-dedicated discussion fora may help significantly more smokers switch to vaping.


This paper examines the risk environment of film consumption in the United States during the 1930s when moviegoing dwarfed all other paid-for leisure activities. We argue that the wide variability in the financial performance of films, reflecting the considerable risks that were involved in film production, can be interpreted as being mirrored in the risks incurred by consumers in the film consumption process. We further argue that production risk needs to be understood within the context of consumer risk. Using a dataset derived from the trade journal Variety, we examine the weekly fortunes of movies in first-run cinemas as consumers rapidly substitute movies that are currently on release for the promised pleasures of yet unseen movies. That expected utility was not always realised was commonplace, as was the pleasurable surprise that came with being thrilled by certain films. These are important results since, perhaps for the first time in modern society, they led to the emergence of the long right tail of consumer preferences for mass distributed goods.


Hybrid multiplexing and demultiplexing schemes with the capability to integrate microwave and millimeter-wave frequency radio-over-fiber signals in a wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON) infrastructure are proposed. The proposed schemes exploit the benefits of a spectrally efficient wavelength-interleaving technique and enhance the performance of optical millimeter-wave signals without employing an additional device. The schemes are demonstrated experimentally with simultaneous transport of 1 Gbit/s baseband, 2.5 GHz microwave, and 37.5 GHz millimeter-wave signals that have the potential to converge last-mile optical and wireless technologies, leading to an integrated dense WDM network in the access and metro domains.


This paper, published in the 2005 Berkeley Journal of African-American Law and Policy, explores a connection between the Lochner Era economic rights doctrine of government neutrality and the Court's early civil rights jurisprudence. In the first half of this paper we describe the tension existing between economic associative and civil associative rights doctrine. The Court in Lochner v. New York prohibited state interference with private associative rights in the formation of contracts. However, beginning with Plessy v. Ferguson, the Court accepted public purpose justifications to allow states to regulate association among the races. Both Berea College v. Kentucky and Buchanan v. Warley presented the Court with countervailing claims couched in terms of both economic and civil associative rights, forcing the Court to reconcile these jurisprudential inconsistencies. In the second half, we explore how the Court resolved these doctrinal inconsistencies within the context of civil rights era litigation. First, it no longer accepted the public purpose justifications offered by the state in defense of segregation. Second, it did not abandon the doctrine of government neutrality after 1937, but changed its realm of application from economic associative rights to civil associative rights. While repudiated as a jurisprudential basis for reviewing government economic regulation, government neutrality provided the foundation for modern standards of due process and equal protection, beginning with Shelley v. Kraemer, Brown v. Board of Education, and Bolling v. Sharpe. The Court in these cases employs logic from the Lochner Era by framing the issues before it in terms of a substantive right deserving equitable and neutral government enforcement, similar to treatment of property rights in Buchanan. Because of this framework, the Court in Brown does not articulate a broad prohibition on racial classifications, but instead classifies education as a substantive right.


Objective: To determine the impact of the new 2013 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis on GDM prevalence and pregnancy outcomes in Asian ethnic groups compared to the 1999 WHO criteria. Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 855 pregnant females of Chinese, Malay, and Asian Indian ethnicity at high risk of GDM who underwent 75-g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) between July 2008 and June 2010 in a tertiary center in Singapore. GDM prevalence, reclassification, and pregnancy outcomes were determined using the 2013 and 1999 diagnostic cutoffs for fasting and 2-hour postglucose (PG) values. Results: The prevalence of GDM was reduced from 28.8% to 21.1% when the 2013 criteria were used. Overall, 10.2% subjects were reclassified from GDM to normal using the 2013 criteria, and 2.6% were reclassified from normal to GDM, giving a net reclassification rate of 12.8%. Reclassification from GDM to normal was greatest among Chinese, followed by Asian Indians, but the prevalence rate was unchanged among Malays. Babies of mothers who were reclassified from normal to GDM were more likely to have birth weight >95 th centile and shoulder dystocia. Conclusion: The prevalence of GDM was reduced when the 2013 criteria were used, with the greatest reduction seen among Chinese, followed by Asian Indians. Lowering the fasting cutoff as per the new criteria identified a select group of patients who might benefit from GDM treatment. However, raising the 2-hour PG cutoff would miss a significant number of patients who might potentially benefit from GDM treatment. (Endocr Pract. 2014;20:1064-1069)


How exposure to risk affects economic growth is a key issue in development. This article quantifies both the ex ante and ex post effects of risk using long-running panel data for rural households in Zimbabwe. It proposes a simulation-based econometric methodology to estimate the structural form of a micro model of household investment decisions under risk. The key finding is that risk substantially reduces growth in this particular setting: the mean capital stock in the sample is (in expectation) 46 percent lower than in the absence of risk. About two-thirds of the impact of risk is due to the ex ante effect (that is, the behavioral response to risk), which is usually not taken into account in policy design. These results suggest that policy interventions that reduce exposure to shocks or that help households manage risk could be much more effective than is commonly thought.


5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an important component of chemotherapy for metastatic colon cancer and can be administered as an intravenous infusion or bolus. Coronary vasospasm is a known complication of infusional and bolus 5-FU administration. In patients who experience coronary vasospasm, 5-FU is often discontinued. Several cases of successful re-challenge with bolus 5-FU, utilizing calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and nitrates to prophylaxis against coronary vasospasm recurrence, have been reported in the literature. However, since there is increased variability of time to symptom onset with infusional 5-FU, re-challenge with infusional 5-FU has not been widely studied. Given potential differences in the toxicity profile and exposure time, infusional may be more appropriate than bolus for some patients. Here we report successful re-challenge with infusional 5-FU, following coronary vasospasm during the first cycle of 5-FU plus leucovorin plus oxaliplatin chemotherapy, in a patient with metastatic colon cancer and coronary artery disease (CAD). The 5-FU re-challenge plan included dose reduction, CCB and nitrate prophylaxis, and telemetry monitoring.


Rape awareness and prevention programs are common on college campuses and a potentially useful way to reach large numbers of young adults. One largely unexamined potential mediator or moderator of program effectiveness is the personal knowledge of student audiences. In this study, we assess the prevalence of knowing a victim and, notably, a perpetrator of sexual assault. A stratified random sample of 2,400 undergraduates was recruited for an online survey about sexual assault. A total of 53.5% participated and yielded a sample representative of the student body. Sixteen questions were modified from the Sexual Experiences Survey to assess whether participants knew a victim of any one of eight types of sexual assault. Findings indicate that students begin college with considerable personal knowledge of sexual assault victimization and perpetration. Nearly two thirds (64.5%) reported that they know one or more women who were a victim of any one of eight types of sexual assault, and over half (52.4%) reported that they know one or more men who perpetrated any of the types of sexual assault. Most students reported knowing victims and perpetrators of multiple types of assault. Knowledge varied substantially by gender and ethnicity. Students' preexisting personal knowledge should be included in assessments of program effectiveness and, ideally, in program design.


The functional properties of the amino terminus (NT) of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor type 1 (R1) were studied by use of murine (m) CRFR1 and rat (r) parathyroid hormone (PTH)/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor (PTH1R) chimeras. The chimeric receptor CXP, in which the NT of mCRFR1 was annealed to the TMs of PTH1R, and the reciprocal hybrid, PXC, bound radiolabeled analogues of sauvagine and PTH(3--34), respectively. Neither hybrid bound radiolabeled CRF or PTH(1--34). CRF and PTH(1--34) weakly stimulated intracellular cAMP accumulation in COS-7 cells transfected with PXC and CXP, respectively. Thus the NT is required for ligand binding and the TMs are required for agonist-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Replacing individual intercysteine segments of PXC with their mCRFR1 counterparts did not rescue CRF or sauvagine radioligand binding or stimulation of cAMP accumulation. Replacement of residues 1--31 of mCRFR1 with their PTH1R counterparts resulted in a chimeric receptor, PEC, which had normal CRFR1 functional properties. In addition, a series of chimeras (F1PEC--F6PEC) were generated by replacement of the NT intercysteine residues of PEC with their PTH1R counterparts. Only F1PEC, F2PEC, and F3PEC showed detectable CRF and sauvagine radioligand binding. All of the PEC chimeras except F5PEC increased cAMP accumulation. These data indicate that the Cys(68)(-)Glu(109) domain is important for binding and that the Cys(87)(-)Cys(102) region plays an important role in CRFR1 activation.


Metformin (MET) is currently being used in several trials for cancer prevention or treatment in non-diabetics. However, long-term MET use in diabetics is associated with lower serum levels of total vitamin B12. In a pilot randomized controlled trial of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and MET, whose participants were characterized by different components of metabolic syndrome, we tested the effect of MET on serum levels of B12, holo transcobalamin II (holo-TC-II), and methylmalonic acid (MMA). The study was conducted on 165 women receiving MET or placebo for three years. Results of the study indicate a significant overall reduction in both serum total B12 and holo-TC-II levels according with MET-treatment. In particular, in the MET group 26 of 81 patients and 10 of the 84 placebo-treated subjects had B12 below the normal threshold (<221 pmol/L) at the end of the study. Considering jointly all B12, Holo-TC-II, and MMA, 13 of the 165 subjects (10 MET and 3 placebo-treated) had at least two deficits in the biochemical parameters at the end of the study, without reporting clinical signs. Although our results do not affect whether women remain in the trial, B12 monitoring for MET-treated individuals should be implemented.


Abstract It is well documented that groundwater levels in a number of cities in this country and abroad have been rising over the past few years. Parts of central London are experiencing rises of one metre per year, while in Paris, previously dry basements are now affected by severe flooding. The extraction of good quality water from city wells for a variety of industrial and domestic purposes led to a general lowering of groundwater levels from the early 1800s. During the period of depressed groundwater levels development within restricted city centre sites required higher buildings with deeper basements and foundations. Communication networks also moved underground to ease congestion at the surface. A large percentage of this work was carried out during a period when the groundwater was tens of metres below ground level; a situation accepted as being stable at the time. Consequently the effect of a higher water table was often not considered in the geotechnical design of structures. Within central London the water table is still very deep and may not cause problems for years to come. In Birmingham the situation is more critical and the rise in groundwater level is already causing problems. Computer model predictions play a leading role in predicting tomorrow's groundwater levels. Evidence suggests that groundwater levels in the near future will attain those of natural conditions. The effect that these levels will have on current structures requires assessment. Simplified calculations for the London area show that the bearing capacity of deep basement foundations and piles could be reduced by 25'30% if the rise in groundwater level continues. High levels of sulphates have been recorded during recharge experiments and these will produce adverse effects on unprotected foundations. Problems with high artesian pressure during construction are also likely if the aquifer is confined. These is an urgent need to assess the geotechnical risk to engineering structures with respect to the rising groundwater levels. This should be carried out now so that problems can be properly anticipated and solutions developed in good time.


Unknown words, or out of vocabulary words (OOV), cause a significant problem to morphological analysers, syntactic parses, MT systems and other NLP applications. Unknown words make up 29 % of the word types in in a large Arabic corpus used in this study. With today's corpus sizes exceeding 10 9 words, it becomes impossible to manually check corpora for new words to be included in a lexicon. We develop a finite-state morphological guesser and integrate it with a machine-learning-based pre-annotation tool in a pipeline architecture for extracting unknown words, lemmatizing them, and giving them a priority weight for inclusion in a lexical database. The processing is performed on a corpus of contemporary Arabic of 1,089,111,204 words. Our method is tested on a manually-annotated gold standard and yields encouraging results despite the complexity of the task. Our work shows the usability of a highly non-deterministic morphological guesser in a practical and complex application.


The El Chichon volcanic eruption in 1982 was immediately followed by the strongest El Nino of the century in 1982–83. We investigate a possible mechanism proposed by Hirono whereby volcanic eruptions might trigger or enhance El Ninos. Three distributions of volcanic ash aerosol in the troposphere over the eastern Pacific Ocean were used to force simulations with a modified version of the NCAR CCM1 atmospheric general circulation model for the month of April 1982, using observed sea surface temperatures. Only in the case of mid-tropospheric heating is there a strong dynamical reaction in the atmosphere resulting in a weakening of the trade winds in the eastern Pacific Ocean north of the equator, consistent with surface wind observations and with the first part of Hirono's theory. However, the 1982 ENSO event had started before this wind anomaly, and only trade wind collapses in the western equatorial Pacific can initiate El Ninos. The results suggest that, while tropospheric aerosols from volcanic eruptions can influence atmospheric circulation, the timing and location of the El Chichon eruption and the large ENSO event that followed was a coincidence, and that Hirono's mechanism was not responsible for the strength or timing of the El Nino.


Over the last thirty years spatial information technologies and sustainability theory drove the creation of new visions, models and roles for the cadastre. Concepts including multipurpose cadastres, Cadastre 2014, and sustainable development radically altered understandings of the cadastre and its potential. Many of these concepts continue to be relevant in the contemporary context; however, cadastral science must continue to look to the future. This paper begins this process and provides preliminary insights into the characteristics and potential role of future cadastres. Factors including globalisation, population urbanization, good governance, climate-change response, environmental management, 3D visualization/analysis technologies, WSNs, standardization, and interoperability are found to be driving developments in the cadastral domain. Consequently, six design elements of future cadastre emerge: Survey-Accurate Cadastres, Object-Oriented Cadastres, 3D/4D Cadastres, Real-Time Cadastres, Global Cadastres, and Organic Cadastres. Together, these elements provide a potential vision for the role and nature of future cadastres. Collaborative research, potentially through the FIG framework, would enable further development of these design concepts and assist in defining the nature and role of future cadastral systems.


Codiagnosability and coobservability in discrete event systems where observations are dynamic are considered. Instead of having a fixed set of observable events, the observation of an event is dynamic (trace-dependent) in this paper. A procedure is developed to transform the problem of coobservability to the problem of codiagnosability in the context of dynamic observations. This proves that problems of coobservability are transformable to problems of codiagnosability and enables us to leverage the large literature available for codiagnosability to solve problems of coobservability. Furthermore, in the case of dynamic observations, the known polynomial-complexity tests for the property of codiagnosability based on verifier automata with fixed observable event set(s) are no longer directly applicable. A new testing procedure is developed that can handle transition-based dynamic observations and remains of polynomial complexity in the state space of the system. This new testing procedure employs a covering of the state space of the system based on cluster automata, which enhances its computational efficiency. Based on cluster automata, a new type of verifier automaton is built, called the C-VERIFIER, for verification of codiagnosability. As an application of the above mentioned transformation, the C-VERIFIER becomes a unified method for verifying both codiagnosability and coobservability.


: Experiments on 50 rabbits examined the hemostatic effects of negative oxygen aeroions (AI). In control experiments, keeping the animals under hypodynamia led to 40% animal death, significant aortic atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. The animals developed the thrombohemorrhagic syndrome with hypercoagulemia and drastically suppressed blood fibrinolytic activity. Keeping the animals in the excess AI-containing premise saved all rabbits' life and prevented arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction. Unlike the controls, these animals failed to develop the thrombohemorrhagic syndrome. Clotting time, plasma recalcification time, and plasma silicon and kaolin time did not reduce, but prolonged. There was no drop in the content of antithrombin III or rise in values of paracoagulation tests. It is recommended that Chizhevsky's electroeffluvial chandeliers should be used to prevent hemostatic disorders and arteriosclerosis in hypodynamia.


The finite element method was employed for the analysis of the polyhedral domed sandwich structures. Two different variational approaches were used for comparison reasons. These are the "displacement formulation" and the "mixed formulation" as they are commonly known. Initially seven sandwich plate bending models were developed. These models were used to solve a number of problems where a numerical or experimental solution existed and comparisons were made. The agreement varied from fair to excellent depending on the nature of the model and the type of the solved problem. As a result of this comparative study four of these models were consequently selected to be extended for the development of the sandwich dome models. The accuracy of these four sandwich dome models was tested by modelling five polyhedral dome structures. The results derived from each individual model were compared with experimental results obtained by other researchers and by the author himself. The author's contribution to the experimental work was the design, construction and subsequent testing of two full scale prototypes, namely, the 24 faced and the 36-faced domes. From the whole analysis it was established that the developed numerical models, when selectively applied in the most appropriate way with regard to their special characteristics and the nature of the problem, produce reliable results. Special problems were investigated arising from the boundary conditions as well as structural details! of the joint-lines. of the plates forming the polyhedron, and thus a solution was suggested. Finally, a data generation routine is also described in order to facilitate further application of the various developed models by future users or researchers.


Given that individuals who rebound from setbacks to improve functioning are considered psychologically resilient, this quality may also help to optimise students' functioning and heighten prospective, educational attainment. In this study we explored how individual resilience was linked to end of Year 1 degree classifications. Resilience was assessed at the start of the first year among 1485 (710 Females) undergraduate inductees (mean age 18.60 SD 1.48) to a single UK university. From a validated self-report scale (Connor & Davidson, 2003) we calculated total resilience (0-100) and five contributory subscale scores of (i) Competence (0-32), (ii) Trust (0-28), (iii) Change (0-20), (iv) Control (0-12), and (v) Spirit (0-8). A two-step cluster analysis was then undertaken to generate homogenous groups of resilience based on gender, total resilience and subscale scores. These clusters were then cross tabulated with end of first year grade classifications. Four clusters emerged based on high and low resilience scores; each cluster comprised at least 300 students. Academically, males reporting high resilience were consistently outperformed by both female clusters. High resilience females achieved twice as many 2i classifications and three times more Firsts than their male counterparts. Equally, high male resilience on entry to Higher Education was linked to great levels of withdrawal, failing or achieving a third class classification at the end of Year 1. These findings suggest a diversified relationship between resilience and prospective academic performance, while also questioning the pursuit of 'high' resilience in male students.


This paper aims to introduce the role of forests in mitigating climate change and summarise some of the key issues and research covered in Palmer and Engel (2009). Section 2 presents the climate change problem, the role of forests and the policy debate so far. Section 3 focuses on research to assess the cost-effectiveness of avoided deforestation as a strategy to mitigate climate change, while section 4 examines the barriers to the adoption of such a strategy, primarily those related to policy and institutions. Section 5 looks at policy design, with a focus on overcoming additionality and leakage constraints and maximising the efficiency and effectiveness of potential avoided deforestation schemes. The main findings are analysed alongside some further issues for discussion in section 6. It should be noted upfront, however, that providing a full review of related literature is beyond the scope of this paper4. Excellent studies are constantly adding to the existing body of knowledge relevant for REDD policy design. Section 7 concludes by addressing some of the key, remaining open questions along with suggestions for future research.


ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to foster reflections on the similarities and differences between the Communicative Approach, one of the best-known methods for teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) around the world, and Critical Literacy, a relatively recent trend in the Brazilian EFL scenario, as suggested by the National Guidelines for High School Teaching (BRASIL, 2006). First, we will address the theoretical traditions that give rise to the two teaching approaches, explaining their main concepts. We will then discuss the similarities between the two approaches, as well as their main differences. We claim that the two teaching approaches, however different in their epistemological underpinnings, are not incompatible, but rather complementary. Finally, we suggest an example of an integrated activity that aims to reconcile the objectives of the two approaches.


Objectives:This study examines the cytotoxicity potential and the mechanism of toxicity of the HIV-1 gp120 on human neuroblastoma cells. Design:Previous data from our group have suggested that the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 promotes the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α and other factors by astrocytes and microglial cells present in primary human brain cell cultures, thereby contributing to the injury of neurons in these cultures. This study investigates the cytotoxicity potential and the mechanism of toxicity of gp120 on human neuroblastoma cells. Methods:SK-N-SH cells were treated with HIV-1 gp120, and was followed by in situ DNA fragmentation staining and small molecular weight DNA extraction studies to ascertain the induction of apoptosis by gp120 in these cells. To evaluate a potential role of the growth suppressor gene p53, gp120-treated SK-N-SH cells were subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analyses for the induction of p53. An antisense oligodeoxynucleotide against p53 was used to investigate the role of p53 in the gp120-induced apoptosis in these cells. Results:Data from T7 DNA polymerase staining and small molecular weight DNA extraction studies demonstrated that gp120-induced DNA breakage in SK-N-SH cells with fragmentation patterns characteristic of apoptosis. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses revealed that the gp120-mediated induction of apoptosis was dependent on a gp120-induced and gp120-sustained upregulation of p53. The induction of p53 by gp120 was specific, since an antibody against gp120 prevented both the induction of p53 and subsequent apoptosis in SK-N-SH cells. The critical role of p53 was further illustrated by the effectiveness of a p53 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to inhibit the gp120-induced apoptosis. As a control, the apoptosis-inducing potential of gp120 on SK-N-SH cells was not seen in the HIV-1 Gag proteins even when used at up to 5 nM. Conclusions:These results established that HIV-1 gp120 is potentially cytotoxic to human neuronal cells through the induction of p53, which may eventually lead to induction of apoptosis.


In this research, a kind of composite cement plates are utilized as permanent formworks, and poured concrete together to form composite slabs. Through static test of composite slabs with different bonding modes of interface between formwork and concrete, bearing capacity, deformability and cooperation states of concrete and composite formwork are studied. Through static test of composite slabs with splicing joints formworks at different positions, bond quality near the splicing joints are observed visually, stress nature and deformability variations resulted from different splicing joint positions of formwork are analyzed. And meanwhile, stress and deformability of the ordinary concrete slab without formwork is researched under the same conditions. Through above experiments, acting as a part of the slab, how composite formwork influence bearing capacity and deformability of the combined slab is investigated.


This article is based on the project Experimental theatre:. Intersectional encounters between dramatic art, school and academia, financed by the Swedish Research Council. It is an action research project on interactive dramatic art based at ung scen/ost (Ostgotateatern), an experimental theatre group for children and young people..  with Malin Axelsson is the group'sas artistic director. Project manager Anna Lundberg has a background in drama studies and gender studies. The troika of dramatic art-school-academia provides an empirical focus, coupled with a closer analysis of the artistic processes between children and adults based on productions by ung scen/ost. What happens with the staging when the method involves open collaboration and shared learning? How is knowledge and meaning negotiated in artistic endeavours The project includes two performances and a publication. The project received financial support from the Swedish Research Council for the period 2012–2013. This article focuses on translation practices at ung scen/ost, the creative processes within the project built by the group as a form, i.e. director, ensemble (actors), researcher and other members of the artistic team exploring ideas and expressions and creating theatre together.


This paper presents the results of a partnership between Alstom and Hydro-Québec for the development of a new factory robotic polishing process. The goal is to improve turbine efficiency by reducing surface roughness to a level that is unattainable with conventional methods. Three entire axial-flow turbines for Hydro-Québec's Sarcelle power station were polished with this new technique at the Alstom manufacturing plant in Sorel-Tracy as a pilot project between July 2010 and March 2011. The surface finish was lowered from Ra = 15 μm to Ra = 0.1 μm, and the waviness left by numerical control machining was grinded away at an overall rate of 5 h/m2. The reduction of surface roughness from the standard IEC recommendation of Ra=3 μm to Ra=0.1 μm resulted in a 0.5% increase in turbine efficiency. This safe, new method proves its great potential for enhanced surface finish quality, productivity and worker safety.


Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are unavoidable aspects of foods and their packaging. Some VOCs provide pleasant odors and contribute to flavor profiles, while others can cause negative health and environmental effects. VOCs are most commonly measured using headspace gas chromatography, and more recently, kinetic techniques such as solid phase microextraction (SPME). In microwave popcorn, diacetyl and possible other related substances (DAPORS) have recently become an emerging concern. Diacetyl was first discovered to cause bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) in microwave popcorn plant workers, but some claim levels of these compounds in microwave popcorn is of concern to consumers; particularly because of the high temperatures reached during cooking. Eight DAPORS were analyzed using SPME/GCMS in both high-fat and low-fat varieties of microwave popcorn. Results found elevated levels of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione in low-fat varieties. Diacetyl was below the limit of detection in high-fat varieties. Because of the close proximity of these compounds to both plant workers and the consumers, solutions are now being developed to monitor VOC contamination in real time during manufacture of microwave popcorn. Additionally, real-time monitoring technologies can be applied to a wide variety of compounds and packaging substrates to monitor organic and inorganic contamination. A combination sensor array technology was developed in conjunction with a proprietary neural network. The array was successfully trained to detect and predict contamination in thermoplastics. This technology has application in detecting VOCs of interest both in total concentration, and speciation of certain chemical functional groups.


During the last 4 decades, the Centre has performed 16 pieces of forecast on the various health professions in France, the majority being devoted to medical doctors. During the 60's, information were scarce, and calculations on both the inflows of future new graduates and the outflows of future deaths and retirements could not reach an acceptable level of relevance. In 1972, a numerus clausus system was established at the beginning of medical training. Moreover, efforts were deployed to collect better data and improve projection techniques. All these factors contributed to raise strongly the quality of the forecasting work. The discrepancies between the projected and actual trends were narrowing, as showed below: Forecast Number of physicians 10 years carried out in after the forecast Projected Actual Difference (%) 1982 180691 164667 + 9,7% 1985 193160 184516 + 4,7% 1988 197406 189802 + 4,0% 1992 192779 196968 - 2,0% Note : Full data are displayed in Table 5 The forecasts were based on the demographic projection techniques and the results obtained showed not only the total number of active physicians in the country but equally the distribution by age groups of this total number. The latter element allows the predictions of the aging process of the medical profession as an impact of the present-day policies concerning medical student intake (numerus clausus).


We study consumers' attitudes towards sharing payments data with incumbent and new providers of payment and account information services, and using their services. This is important, in order to understand the possible impact of the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) on the functioning of the retail payments market. We do so using a representative panel of Dutch consumers. We obtain a number of results. First, consumers' propensity to give consent for payments data usage is highest if the data user is their own bank. Only a minority would give consent to the usage of payments data to make a financial overview with personalised offers. Second, an explicit financial reward can tempt more people to use this service and to demand the service from a BigTech instead of one's own bank. Third, support for the usage of payments data by other banks and BigTechs to decide on loans is also positively related to financial incentives. Finally, the propensity to use the two new PSD2 services is driven by consumers' trust in the providers of these services. Consumers have more trust in their own bank than in BigTechs.


In Territories of Difference , Arturo Escobar, author of the widely debated book Encountering Development , analyzes the politics of difference enacted by specific place-based ethnic and environmental movements in the context of neoliberal globalization. His analysis is based on his many years of engagement with a group of Afro-Colombian activists of Colombia's Pacific rainforest region, the Proceso de Comunidades Negras (PCN). Escobar offers a detailed ethnographic account of PCN's visions, strategies, and practices, and he chronicles and analyzes the movement's struggles for autonomy, territory, justice, and cultural recognition. Yet he also does much more. Consistently emphasizing the value of local activist knowledge for both understanding and social action and drawing on multiple strands of critical scholarship, Escobar proposes new ways for scholars and activists to examine and apprehend the momentous, complex processes engulfing regions such as the Colombian Pacific today.

Escobar illuminates many interrelated dynamics, including the Colombian government's policies of development and pluralism that created conditions for the emergence of black and indigenous social movements and those movements' efforts to steer the region in particular directions. He examines attempts by capitalists to appropriate the rainforest and extract resources, by developers to set the region on the path of modernist progress, and by biologists and others to defend this incredibly rich biodiversity "hot-spot" from the most predatory activities of capitalists and developers. He also looks at the attempts of academics, activists, and intellectuals to understand all of these complicated processes. Territories of Difference is Escobar's effort to think with Afro-Colombian intellectual-activists who aim to move beyond the limits of Eurocentric paradigms as they confront the ravages of neoliberal globalization and seek to defend their place-based cultures and territories.