Successful emotion recognition is a key component of our socio-emotional communication skills. However, little is known about the factors impacting males' accuracy in emotion recognition tasks. This pre-registered study examined potential candidates, focusing on the modality of stimulus presentation, emotion category, and individual hormone levels. We obtained accuracy and reaction time scores from 312 males who categorized voice, face and voice-face stimuli for nonverbal emotional content. Results showed that recognition accuracy was significantly higher in the audio-visual than in the auditory or visual modality. While no significant association was found for testosterone and cortisol alone, the effect of the interaction with recognition accuracy and reaction time was significant, but small. Our results establish that audio-visual congruent stimuli enhance recognition accuracy and provide novel empirical support by showing that the interaction of testosterone and cortisol modulate to some extent males' accuracy and response times in emotion recognition tasks.


The rp1 locus of maize controls race-specific resistance to the common rust fungus Puccinia sorghi. Four mutant or recombinant Rp1 alleles (rp1-NC3, Rp1-D21, Rp1-MD19, and Rp1-Kr1N) were identified. They condition necrotic phenotypes in the absence of the rust pathogen. These Rp1 lesion mimics fall into three different phenotypic classes: (1) The rp1-NC3 and Rp1-D21 alleles require rust infection or other biotic stimulus to initiate necrotic lesions. These alleles react strongly to all maize rust biotypes tested and also to nonhost rusts. (2) The Rp1-MD19 allele, which has a similar phenotype, also requires a biotic stimulus to initiate lesions. However, Rp1-MD19 shows the race specificity of the Rp1-D gene. (3) The Rp1-Kr1N allele specifies a diffuse necrotic phenotype in the absence of any biotic stimulus and a race-specific reaction when inoculated with maize rust.


Weissella confusa is a Gram-positive coccus and a commensal bacterium of the human gastrointestinal tract with a potential to cause invasive infections. We report the presence of W. confusa in the blood of a 25-year-old male patient with Crohn's disease, short bowel syndrome treated with home parenteral nutrition, and a history of recurrent bloodstream infections, admitted to our hospital with fever and malaise. A polymicrobial culture of W. confusa and Aeromonas hydrophila was identified from blood, for which treatment with meropenem and metronidazole was initiated. The literature was searched for previous cases of infection with W. confusa . In total, 14 reports describing infection of 28 patients were found, most cases presenting with bacteremia. The previous reports have described variable susceptibility to antibiotics; however, all were reported to be vancomycin resistant. Because of its similarities to other vancomycin-resistant cocci, isolates of W. confusa might be difficult to identify with traditional methods. Infection may be facilitated by its natural vancomycin resistance, leading to severe infection in hosts with underlying diseases. We describe the treatment of previous cases of infection and suggest treatment methods shown effective in other cases. Vancomycin is often used as treatment of infection with Gram-positive organisms, but this may need to be reevaluated, as several pathogenic bacteria are intrinsically vancomycin resistant. A review on reported treatments of bacteremia by W. confusa suggests the use of daptomycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate or piperacillin/tazobactam as recommendable antibiotic regimens.


Coverage is a means to quantify the quality of a system specification, and is frequently applied to assess progress in system validation. Coverage is a standard measure in testing, but is very difficult to compute in the context of formal verification. We present efficient algorithms for identifying those parts of the system that are covered by a given property. Our algorithm is integrated into state-of-the-art Boolean satisfiability problem-based model checking using Craig interpolation. The key insight into our algorithm is the re-use of previously computed inductive invariants and counterexamples. This re-use permits a a rapid completion of the vast majority of tests, and enables the computation of a coverage measure with 96% accuracy with only 5× the runtime of the model checker.


Under the influence of rapid urbanization and economic development, many Chinese cities and towns have doubled or tripled in term of population and land use. As a result, a large number of traditional rural villages, located in the suburban areas of cities, became part of the built up areas. They have been turned into the so-called eurban villagesi. Recently, thousands of such villages have been demolished and rebuilt every year. The redevelopments of urban villages and the socio-economic and housing arrangement for the original village residents vary from city to city. This paper examines the redevelopment of urban villages through a case study of Weihai City in Shandong Province. It will examine the process of urban village redevelopment and discuss the diversified consequences of physical and social changes in different villages. The discussion and analysis is based on examination of local official documents, village redevelopment plans and policies and interview of local government officials and village residents.


Security Operations Center Building, Operating, and Maintaining Your SOC The complete, practical guide to planning, building, and operating an effective Security Operations Center (SOC) Security Operations Center is the complete guide to building, operating, and managing Security Operations Centers in any environment. Drawing on experience with hundreds of customers ranging from Fortune 500 enterprises to large military organizations, three leading experts thoroughly review each SOC model, including virtual SOCs. Youll learn how to select the right strategic option for your organization, and then plan and execute the strategy youve chosen. Security Operations Center walks you through every phase required to establish and run an effective SOC, including all significant people, process, and technology capabilities. The authors assess SOC technologies, strategy, infrastructure, governance, planning, implementation, and more. They take a holistic approach considering various commercial and open-source tools found in modern SOCs. This best-practice guide is written for anybody interested in learning how to develop, manage, or improve a SOC. A background in network security, management, and operations will be helpful but is not required. It is also an indispensable resource for anyone preparing for the Cisco SCYBER exam. Review high-level issues, such as vulnerability and risk management, threat intelligence, digital investigation, and data collection/analysis Understand the technical components of a modern SOC Assess the current state of your SOC and identify areas of improvement Plan SOC strategy, mission, functions, and services Design and build out SOC infrastructure, from facilities and networks to systems, storage, and physical security Collect and successfully analyze security data Establish an effective vulnerability management practice Organize incident response teams and measure their performance Define an optimal governance and staffing model Develop a practical SOC handbook that people can actually use Prepare SOC to go live, with comprehensive transition plans React quickly and collaboratively to security incidents Implement best practice security operations, including continuous enhancement and improvement


Journalism is under ever-increasing pressure, due in large part to the phenomenon of media convergence. Not only does media convergence redefine the tasks of journalists and newsrooms, it also re-shapes the business environments of media companies. In this book, international media practitioners and researchers describe and analyze the relationships between media convergence and advertising, public relations, social media and other areas of communication posing a challenge to journalism.


The thesis is based principally on the prose parts of the Sutta Pitaka but peculiarities of the syntax of gatha literature have been dealt with in comparison with the former. This study is made in seven chapters each of which discusses one case with a variety of examples showing its fundamental notions, general and special applications, and points of contact with other cases. The morphology of cases in relation to syntax has been treated in a separate introductory chapter, which forms a supplement to Geiger's presentation in his Pali Literatur und Sprache. In dealing with syntactic facts observations have been made in three ways, viz. the grammatical, the logical, and the psychological point of view. Syntactic categories are established according to the available material in comparison with those valid for Vedic and Class. Sanskrit wherever it was possible, with special consideration of points of similarity with the Vedic usage. In following this historical and comparative method paralellisms with the older idiom and divergences from it have been noted by references to Speyer's conclusions in particular and to those of other authorities such as Brugmann in general. The syntactic notions of local grammarians, chiefly of Panini, Moggallana and Kacchayana, have been critically examined and discussed in relation to Nikaya concinnity. As far as possible their method of looking at fundamental syntactic problems has been considered with reference to the scientific point of view. From the Pali Commentaries Buddhaghosa's observations on the cases, especially those with regard to archaic and sporadic uses, have been collated and compared with those of orthodox grammarians as well as of modern scholarship.


Identifying biophysical factors that define species' niches and influence geographical ranges is a fundamental pursuit of ecology. Frequently, models of species' distributions or niches are used to infer the importance of range- and niche-defining variables. However, very few—if any—studies examine how reliably distribution and niche models can be used for inference. Here we use a simulation approach to understand the conditions under which species distribution models reliably measure variable importance. Using a set of scenarios of increasing complexity, we explore how well models can be used to 1) discriminate between variables that vary in importance and 2) calibrate the effect of variables relative to an "omniscient" model used to simulate the species. Variable importance was assessed using a sensitivity test in which each predictor was permuted in turn. Importance was inferred by comparing model performance between permuted and unpermuted predictions and by calculating the correlation between permuted and unpermuted predictions. Of five metrics of importance (correlation statistic and AUC each calculated with presences/absences or presences/background sites, plus the Continuous Boyce Index), only the Continuous Boyce Index was capable of indicating absolute (versus relative) variable importance. In simple scenarios with one influential environmental variable with a linear spatial gradient and one uninfluential randomly-distributed variable, models were unable to discriminate reliably between variables under conditions that are typically challenging (low sample size, high prevalence, small spatial extent, coarse spatial data resolution with low spatial autocorrelation, and high collinearity between variables). In more complex scenarios with two influential environmental variables, models successfully discriminated between variables when they acted unequally, but overestimated the importance of the stronger variable and underestimated the importance of the weaker variable. When variables had equal influence, models underestimated importance when niche breadth was narrow. Generalized additive models and Maxent had better discrimination accuracy than boosted regression trees. Our work demonstrates that permutation tests can reliably discriminate between variables with different levels of influence but cannot accurately measure the magnitude of influence. The frequency with which distribution and niche models are used to identify influential variables begs further research into methods for assessing variable importance.


Background This project's aims are twofold (1) to uncover and define the underlying theories of change guiding competing active labor market programs (ALMP) in Sweden, and (2) to assess the relative effectiveness of these competing programs in a theory-based non-randomized controlled trial. The purpose is to assess the extent to which competing ALMPs are effective in moving long-term unemployed individuals (i.e. unemployed for 6 months or more) closer to the labor-market. Methods/Design This project will engage ALMP program administrators and service providers in semi-structured interviews. The transcribed interview material will be used as a basis for program theory reconstruction. All specified program theories will be presented back to program stakeholders for validation. ALMP program effectiveness will be assessed quasi-experimentally with pre- (T1) and posttest (T2) collection of self-reported data. Additionally, official register data from the Longitudinal integrated database for health insurance and labor market studies (LISA) will be collected for all participants. In addition, a matched sample will be collected from LISA to be used as a non-treated control group on final policy outcomes (e.g., employment, salary/wage). This study also assesses program implementation and economic outcomes of the included ALMPs. Discussion Long-term unemployment has profound impact of the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. In addition, the effects of long-term unemployment have been found to impact subgroups differently. Today we have scant knowledge on the mechanisms that are influential in moving individuals from long-term unemployment closer to the labor market. This study is designed to answer six research questions using a variety of methods (mixed-methods) and outcome measures (self-report, official register). In addition, this study leverages official register data to construct an untreated control group. This study will assess the extent to which an emerging theory of becoming job ready holds under experimental scrutiny.


SIR,-Any test that will help in the speedy and accurate diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis is to be welcomed, and the paper by Dr. B. K. Mandal and his colleagues (18 November, p. 413) provides useful information on this topic. I was, however, surprised both at their figures and those quoted of Bazin et al.1 for the demonstration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on direct microscopy of the cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.) in cases of tuberculous meningitis. Using the conventional technique of examining a thick film (4-5 drops) of C.S.F. stained with Ziehl-Neelsen stain we have demonstrated acid-alcohol-fast bacilli (A.A.F.B.) in 30 of the 32 cases of tuberculous meningitis seen at this hospital between March 1960 and the present time. A.A.F.B. were seen in the first specimen examined in 25 cases. Of the remaining five cases A.A.F.B. were first seen in the second specimen in three cases, in the third in one case, and in the fourth in the other case. M. tuberculosis was isolated from the first specimen cultured in 27 cases and from the second in one. Four specimens which were film-positive did not yield M. tuberculosis on culture (guinea-pig inoculatinn was nnt used). These figures show that by using standard technique, with careful and prolonged searching of the film by more than one observer if necessary to avoid fatigue, more than 75% of cases should be diagnosed on the day of admission. If the cases diagnosed on the second C.S.F. specimen are included the figure rises to 87-5%, and these would be diagnosed before the time at which the bromide partition test result would be available. Furthermore, our cases covered a wide age range, from 2 months to 68 years, so that there was no selection of cases by age; nor was there any selection by acuteness of onset and hence stage of disease. This is not to decry this test but to emphasize what can be achieved in routine practice. It is clear that in four of our cases the bromide partition or some similar test would have been of considerable help in arriving at a confident diagnosis, as well as in cases of viral meningitis where there was a lowered C.S.F. sugar or a prolonged illness. One of the factors which may have contributed to our high rate of positive films is that not only the cell content but also the suqar and protein levels in the C.S.F. were known at the time the film was examined and these, together with an accurate clinical history, have helned to spur on the sometimes flagping microscopist to greater effort! As noted by Dr. Mandal, the C.S.F. sugar may be normal in some cases and this was so in 13% of our cases (>45 mg/100 ml). In a further 16% the level was in the equivocal range of 40-44 mg/ 100 ml. Hence I would agree that a normal CS.F. sugar cannot be taken to exclude tuberculous meningitis any more than it can exclude any other common form of bacterial meningitis.2 -I am, etc., R. J. FALLON


Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a renotropic, antifibrotic and regenerative factor with cytoprotective effects that is produced by mesenchymal cells and shows high affinity to components of extra cellular matrix, such as heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HSPG), in healthy. Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) suffer from a chronic inflammatory disorder. In order to assess the underlying mechanisms for development of CRF we aimed to assess the amounts and affinity of HGF in this patient group. ELISA, western blot and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were used to study HGF in blood samples, as well as in isolated neutrophils, in CRF patients compared to healthy controls. Patients with CRF showed higher HGF levels in serum (P < 0.0001), but decreased affinity to HSPG (P < 0.0001). Addition of protease inhibitors decreased the difference between patients with CRF compared to healthy individuals. HGF with potent regenerative function during injury lacks affinity to HSPG in patients with CRF that may depend on production of proteases from activated immune cells. This information might be used to highlight underlying mechanisms for chronicity and leading to new strategies for treatment of chronic injuries.


The plant tracheary element is the constituent of vessels and tracheids. Tracheary elements are characterised by patterned secondary wall thickenings and programmed cell death (PCD) at maturity. Their differentiation is induced by plant hormones such as auxin, cytokinin and brassinosteroids, and suppressed by a small peptide, tracheary element differentiation inhibitory factor (TDIF), secreted from phloem cells. The final determination of tracheary element differentiation is initiated by master transcription factors, VAD6 and VND7 (vascular-related NAC-domain 7). The secondary wall pattern is formed by guiding the movement of cellulose synthase complex in the plasma membrane by the cortical microtubules. The PCD during tracheary element differentiation is initiated by the rupture of the central vacuole in which cell death-related hydrolytic enzymes have been accumulated. Thus the process of tracheary element differentiation is well understood, so that tracheary element differentiation is an excellent model of cell differentiation in plants.

Key Concepts:

The xylem, which is tissue specific to the vascular plants, is composed of tracheary elements (TEs), parenchyma cells and fibres.

Procambial cells produce the primary xylem containing protoxylem and metaxylem TEs in planta.

Typical characteristics of TEs are patterned secondary wall thickenings and programmed cell death (PCD).

TE differentiation is regulated by plant hormones such as auxin, cytokinin and brassinosteroids.

A small peptide secreted from phloem cells prevents procambial cells from differentiating into TEs.

VND6 and VND7 are master transcription factors that initiate TE differentiation.

Microtubules determine the secondary wall pattern by guiding the movement of cellulose synthase complex in the plasma membrane.

During the formation of secondary walls, levels of cellulose and hemicellulose increase and the deposition of pectin ceases, and a little later lignin deposition starts.

The central vacuole plays a crucial role in TE PCD.

A Zinnia xylogenic culture is an excellent model system of TE differentiation.

Keywords:

auxin;
brassinosteroids;
cell communication;
cytokinin;
master transcription factors;
procambium;
programmed cell death;
secondary cell walls;
xylem;
Zinnia


Drying process was applied to increase the antioxidant activity of onion powder: freeze-drying or air-drying at 50, 70, and 90°C and onion extracts were obtained from each powder using water or aqueous ethanol (50%) at 25°C and 60°C. In the color analysis, the freeze-dried powders showed higher L* and lower a* and b* values than did the air-dried ones. The browning index of powders air-dried at 90°C was significantly higher than that of freeze-dried powders or those air-dried at temperatures below 90°C. Phenolic content in the extracts was 4.02-23.12 mg gallic acid equivalent/g sample, and was the highest in the extract from the sample air-dried at 90°C, regardless of the extraction condition. The highest antioxidant activity, measured by 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl methods, was found in the powder air-dried at 90°C, which induced browning. These findings indicate that antioxidant activity depends more on browning during drying than on extraction conditions.


INS3D computes steady-state solutions to the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The INS3D approach utilizes pseudo-compressibility combined with an approximate factorization scheme. This computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code has been verified on problems such as flow through a channel, flow over a backwardfacing step and flow over a circular cylinder. Three dimensional cases include flow over an ogive cylinder, flow through a rectangular duct, wind tunnel inlet flow, cylinder-wall juncture flow and flow through multiple posts mounted between two plates. INS3D uses a pseudo-compressibility approach in which a time derivative of pressure is added to the continuity equation, which together with the momentum equations form a set of four equations with pressure and velocity as the dependent variables. The equations' coordinates are transformed for general three dimensional applications. The equations are advanced in time by the implicit, non-iterative, approximately-factored, finite-difference scheme of Beam and Warming. The numerical stability of the scheme depends on the use of higher-order smoothing terms to damp out higher-frequency oscillations caused by second-order central differencing. The artificial compressibility introduces pressure (sound) waves of finite speed (whereas the speed of sound would be infinite in an incompressible fluid). As the solution converges, these pressure waves die out, causing the derivation of pressure with respect to time to approach zero. Thus, continuity is satisfied for the incompressible fluid in the steady state. Computational efficiency is achieved using a diagonal algorithm. A block tri-diagonal option is also available. When a steady-state solution is reached, the modified continuity equation will satisfy the divergence-free velocity field condition. INS3D is capable of handling several different types of boundaries encountered in numerical simulations, including solid-surface, inflow and outflow, and far-field boundaries. Three machine versions of INS3D are available. INS3D for the CRAY is written in CRAY FORTRAN for execution on a CRAY X-MP under COS, INS3D for the IBM is written in FORTRAN 77 for execution on an IBM 3090 under the VM or MVS operating system, and INS3D for DEC RISC-based systems is written in RISC FORTRAN for execution on a DEC workstation running RISC ULTRIX 3.1 or later. The CRAY version has a central memory requirement of 730279 words. The central memory requirement for the IBM is 150Mb. The memory requirement for the DEC RISC ULTRIX version is 3Mb of main memory. INS3D was developed in 1987. The port to the IBM was done in 1990. The port to the DECstation 3100 was done in 1991. CRAY is a registered trademark of Cray Research Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines. DEC, DECstation, and ULTRIX are trademarks of the Digital Equipment Corporation.


Based on an empirical study of 184 Swedish manufacturers. Provides an operationalization of manufacturing strategy. Bases the definition of a manufacturing strategy on the competitive means which the business units emphasize to compete on the market, and the nature of manufacturing objectives. Formulates and tests hypotheses within areas of manufacturing strategy that have been identified as missing themes in the literature. Shows that companies that have a manufacturing strategy are significantly more profitable than those without one. They are also significantly better in competing with dependable deliveries. Argues that companies with a manufacturing strategy, regardless of the direction of the strategy, have identified quality programmes and other preventive actions as being fundamental issues in manufacturing. Thus gives support to the research that suggests that competitive priorities should be sequentially applied in manufacturing.


The objective of this paper is to present the regulatory activities and issues on reviewing the control room modernization process, Kori 1 nuclear power plant of Korea. The staff of Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety will review the safety analysis report for attaining plant modification permit in the perspectives on "Human Factors Engineering" of Kori-1 NPP, based on current regulatory requirements and guidelines. The HFE review will be focused if the modification of the main control room affects the roles and tasks of operators and is potentially significant to plant's overall safety. The focus of review activities and issues are presented in this paper. And, the implications of the overall results are discussed.


It's no secret the sexy and racy cover art of femme fatales from the golden age of paperbacks and magazines exalts the female form in all its sexy and sultry allure. Still today, these lustful, passionate and sometimes lurid images are enticing and artistically inspiring.From sexy, semi-dressed pin-up dolls to dangerous bad girls and deadly dames, many of these rare covers were painted by some of the most talented and collectible artists of the last 50 years, including popular American artists Robert Bonfils, Robert Maguire, Gene Bilbrew and Bill Ward, and British artists Reginald Heade and H.W. Perl.Always titillating, often tawdry, definitely not politically correct nor for the faint of heart, the nearly 700 full-color pulp fiction paperback cover images in this book show women in all their sexy, sassy and sinful best.This dynamic book also features: 700 covers with title, author, cover artist, publisher, book number, and date of publication for each book Values for three grades of condition A quick guide to collecting A list of specialist book dealers and collector shows


University education does not correspond to the need to apply
biofile transformation of the cur-rent anti-natural Culture as
soon as possible. Students have inadequate idea about the Earth
as the Culture's wider host system, about life as a planetary
phenomenon and about the function, integrity and value of the
Earth. Secondary schools have failed to inform them
sufficiently that the Earth is a creative system which had
preceded the Culture and which has spontaneously reproduced not
only humans but also all other natural prerequisites of the
human Culture. The Earth has not been introduced to the
students as an older, wider and more powerful system than the
artificial and temporarily existing Cul-ture. Secondary school
leavers do not understand the evolutionary value of the Earth,
its basic right to exist and develop independently. Vague
definitions of Culture is another reason for the deepening of
the current environmental crisis. Contemporary university
students are not taught about the Culture as a human-created
system with its own internal information. They do not know that
if we want to change a system with internal information, we
must change information within it. In case of Culture this
means a modification of Spiritual Culture. It happens because
two aggressive characteristics of human activity assert
themselves in the contemporary predatory form of Culture. The
first is the biological characteristic, which is, to-gether
with humility, the foundation of the human nature and therefore
we cannot change it. The second is the sociocultural
characteristic, which we call the predatory spiritual paradigm.
The outline of this paradigm was shaped by means of theoretical
abstraction in the Ancient Greece and it has been further
strengthened by the conceptual ideals of the New-Age classic
science. Abandonment of the predatory spiritual paradigm and
its replacement with a biofile paradigm are great intellectual
tasks faced by philosophy, social sciences and also university
education. Therefore we draw attention to the significance of
the philosophical concept of the Constitution of the Earth,
which was published in five languages, including Russian, in
the Czech Republic in 2015.


Purposeof the paper: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate theextent
to which functional and organizational measures influence employees'
participation in suggestion of ideas for continuous improvement(Kaizen)
in the South African automotive components industry.
Methodology: The methodology employed in the study included a
thorough review of the relevant literature and a questionnaire. A
questionnaire relating to the diverse contents of suggestion constructs was
developed and administered to both the management and employees of
the thirty three automotive components suppliers in Eastern Cape. The
target companies constituted the units of analyses and therefore provided
the opportunity for a detailed investigation of the links between
management and employees as well as a submission of ideas for operational
and organizational processes as established in the literature review. Data
generated from the questionnaire were analysed using Excel spread sheet
and statistical; Version 9.0 Findings: The study reveals that majority of the
respondents opineda lack of systematic mechanism for the practice and
administration of the Kaizen suggestion tools in most Eastern Cape
automotive companies. This demerit is found to have negatively affected
maximum employee participation and involvement in organizational
decision making within the automotive components companies in the
Province.
Conclusion:The study has established a basic level of awareness and
understanding among employees/employers relations that the Kaizen
suggestion scheme is a vital tool for delivering strategic objectives in the
management of decision making and organizational growth. The study
strongly advocates the inclusion of employee suggestion systems as part
of the organizational process, as well as the need for employees to acquire
skills on critical aspects of Kaizen suggestion tools.
Research limitations/implications: The organizational scope of this
research is limited to automotive components manufacturing companies
employing in excess of 50 workers in the Eastern Cape Province of South
Africa. Findings will help to determine the extent and performance of
employees in the Kaizen suggestion scheme in the companies. It identifies
the employees' engagement/empowerment phenomenon in automotive
industry and so forms the starting point for further studies in this area.
Originality/Value: This study can assist automotive components industry
in demonstrating the value of engaged and empowered employee for
organizational improvement and competitive advantage.


Integrated approaches to natural resource management are often undermined by fundamental governance weaknesses. We studied governance of a forest landscape in East Lombok, Indonesia. Forest Management Units (Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan or KPH) are an institutional mechanism used in Indonesia for coordinating the management of competing sectors in forest landscapes, balancing the interests of government, business, and civil society. Previous reviews of KPHs indicate they are not delivering their potential benefits due to an uncertain legal mandate and inadequate resources. We utilized participatory methods with a broad range of stakeholders in East Lombok to examine how KPHs might improve institutional arrangements to better meet forest landscape goals. We find that KPHs are primarily limited by insufficient integration with other actors in the landscape. Thus, strengthened engagement with other institutions, as well as civil society, is required. Although new governance arrangements that allow for institutional collaboration and community engagement are needed in the long term, there are steps that the East Lombok KPH can take now. Coordinating institutional commitments and engaging civil society to reconcile power asymmetries and build consensus can help promote sustainable outcomes. Our study concludes that improved multi-level, polycentric governance arrangements between government, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society are required to achieve sustainable landscapes in Lombok. The lessons from Lombok can inform forest landscape governance improvements throughout Indonesia and the tropics.


The scope of victims9 participation at the investigation stage of a situation and throughout case-related proceedings is today one of the critical issues before the ICC. The key provision on this matter is Article 68(3) of the Rome Statute. This provision entrusts the ICC Chambers with the discretion to determine (i) when victims can participate in ICC proceedings and (ii) the specific manner in which such participation can take place. The present article, which is written against the backdrop of the first Review Conference scheduled for next year pursuant to Article 121(1) of the Rome Statute, focuses on the systematic and casuistic approaches adopted so far by different ICC chambers in shaping, pursuant to Article 68(3) of the Statute, the role of victims at the investigation stage of a situation and in case-related proceedings.


Compensation for the downhill turning moment of a wheelchair on a 2-degree side slope results in retarding force approximately equal to the rolling drag of a wheelchair on a level surface. The total drag force on the wheelchair while transversing a sloping surface is, therefore, roughly double the rolling drag. In contrast, the net energy cost of propulsion on this side slope is only 30 percent greater than for a level surface. Side slope propulsion is managed by "dragging" the uphill rim while pushing the downhill rim. Although this results in increased mechanical efficiency through greater use of a smaller muscle mass, it is more difficult and tiring for the wheelchair user.


Si/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites are ideal anode materials for lithium ion batteries with high specific capacities. However, it has been a significant challenge to fabricate uniform Si/CNT nanocomposite anodes with high areal capacities, say above 0.4 mA h cm−2. In this paper, we demonstrate a layer-by-layer assembling technique as a facile and scalable method to prepare a multilayer Si/CNT coaxial nanofiber anode which possesses an areal storage capacity above 1 mA h cm−2. In addition, the prepared Si/CNT coaxial nanofiber anodes show an excellent cyclability. The excellent performance of the Si/CNT coaxial nanofiber multilayer anodes is attributed to the unique nanostructure. The CNT network matrix offers mechanical support to accommodate the stress associated with the large volume change of Si coating and the nanoporous multilayer structure provides continuous paths for Li ion and electron transport.


The use of a linearly chirped Bragg grating filter for dispersion cancellation in an optical-fiber link is discussed. Numerical and theoretical calculations are made, which show that, with the proper taper function, the filter can have a high reflectivity and a quasi-constant nonzero dispersion, proportional to the inverse of the chirp. The filter can compress dispersion-broadened pulses by factors of 2-5 or more, if many filters are cascaded. Its compactness and efficiency would make it suitable for on-line implementation.


Fuzzy Decision Tree (FID 3.4) and other algorithms were used for the classification of the defects that occur in the production process of glass for packing. In this study we used the Project "Newglass" installed in Portugal. This project used a model of Manufactures to study the process of manufacturing glass packaging. The database Project "Newglass" consists of the operating variables of the furnace and the percentage of defects found in end products of the factory model. The classification obtained through the Fuzzy Decision Tree was compared with the results obtained in the manufacture of glass for packing. The classifications obtained in the manufacture and in the FID 3.4 software were also compared with the classification obtained with CART (Classification and Regression Tree) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms.


This article focuses on prevailing views on literary internationalism and the way it was institutionally organised and developed in the Belgian PEN Club. The organisation of the Belgian PEN and the way internationalism was set up there cannot be discussed independently of developments in the rest of the international intellectual field. It was a 'entangled history'. I have limited myself to a comparison with other countries and literatures where it was hard to implement the original PEN model with a single coordinating branch for each nation state. What arguments were used to mark off autonomous entities from each other in an international intellectual world that became increasingly institutionalised between the wars? The Belgian case was interesting when it came to answering these questions. It was only in 1930 (formally in 1931), after lengthy discussions reflecting on these issues, that the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking authors in Belgium went their separate ways. In an article he wrote about the PEN Club in L'Europe in 1926, Stefan Zweig offered an interesting analysis of the difference between internationalism and cosmopolitanism. In Zweig's opinion, the aims might have been more focused. The members of the club did well to opt decisively for genuine internationalism: 'ce qu'il nous faut, c'est un internationalisme sincere, pret a yous les sacrifices, une fidelite durable et indissoluble a la seule veritable patrie, qui est pour nous la communaute de l'esprit europeen'. Has the PEN Club ever come anywhere near the ideal that Zweig outlined, the achievement of a sincere internationalism loyal to only one native land, 'la communaute de l'esprit europeen'? In fact to a certain extent it has, in that it was initially a chiefly European affair, but in other respects it has not at all. Previous research has already pointed out that, in spite of the noble aspirations of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation and the related International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation, it has never been possible to become detached from the power politics of governments and from affinities with such categories as race, nation, religion, class and so on. In addition, it was all too easily assumed that resourceful institutions with complex information networks and equally complex decision-making processes would smooth away any differences. Another of the principles of the PEN Club was to encourage intellectual cooperation and in this way it expressed the cultural internationalism that first saw the light in the shadow of the First World War. Such equally ingenious constructions as the voting procedures used in the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation regulated the balance between the large and small PEN centres with their proportional expectations. There are nevertheless also major differences between the PEN Club and the ICIC. In the first place there were few indications of direct political involvement in PEN by the great powers (the symbolic significance of PEN was too small to warrant it). Another difference is that in the view of the protagonists in PEN the cultural world order was not defined by a dialogue between major 'civilisations'. There was little or no talk in the PEN Club of any ambition to mediate between civilisations. The literary world order was defined by dialogue between autonomous literatures. The basic entities involved in the organisation of literary internationalism were literatures and cities. These were supplemented by such additional entities as (native) countries, nations, world empires and regions, but the basic foundations consisted of a metropolitan literary culture. The world's literary system is more complex than any economic world system with its clearly identifiable dominant centre and peripheral (or semi-peripheral) areas. The PEN Club does not fit into a model that takes Paris as its absolute centre. Between the wars, Paris was at most just one of several centres. If we nonetheless persist with the centre-periphery model, the PEN Club symbolises the loss of the French centralist model of culture that applied to the old nation states of the nineteenth century. The PEN never clearly defined what autonomous literatures were, though the Belgians (and others), with August Vermeylen at the forefront, requested a vague definition. What we see here at a macro level are the same mechanisms as those for determining who could be recognised as a 'real' writer: everything occurred in the form of co-option. 'Real' writers determine who the other 'real' writers are by means of all sorts of mechanisms and media for consecration. Representatives of 'autonomous' literatures within PEN determined what the other autonomous literatures were. In accordance with this organic process, the regulations under which it was hoped to organise literary internationalism were repeatedly discussed in the course of the 1920s. It was not until the congresses in The Hague and Amsterdam in 1931 that consensus was reached. The unitary Belgian branch of the PEN Club ceased to exist at the end of the 1930s too, at the same time as the end of the discussions on the organisation of the international club. The broad, interwoven view of the Belgian PEN Club demonstrates that the Belgian compromise, with alternating chairmanship and peaceful coexistence, can also be seen as a choice made out of sheer necessity, determined in part by centrifugal literary forces in other countries. The French-speaking Belgians were especially uncomfortable with the self-confident Flemish writers in their ranks. There was never any doubt about the autonomy of French and Dutch literature in the international PEN Club. But Belgium was by no means the only country where it was hard to implement the original PEN model with its single coordinating branch in each nation state. The organisation of a Yiddish PEN (a literature without territory) saw to it that for a long time two separate branches were not tolerated in a single city. This was compounded by the fact that the problems with national and regional attachment and the urge for independence always manifested themselves together with and building on other fault lines, including those between generations and political persuasions. This was the case in Germany even before the breakthrough of fascism. It was not easy to organise literary internationalism, let alone define it.


802.11 wireless local area networks are now common in the home. The 802.11e amendment allows for quality of service (QoS) provisioning over these networks to help meet the QoS demands of the growing number of multimedia applications on these home networks. The H.264 video coding standard is suitable for most multimedia applications due to its high compression and error resilience. This paper investigates how the quality of H.264 video is affected as the number of concurrent video streams sent over an 802.11e network is increased. We compare two traffic mapping schemes with and without the use of the flexible macroblock ordering (FMO) tool of H.264. We show that the mapping scheme which prioritises video packets based on their frame type is more successful at maintaining the quality of video when congestion occurs. A more gradual degradation in quality can be achieved rather than the cliff-edge drop that otherwise occurs. We also identify that errors caused by congestion tend to occur towards the bottom of each frame and that FMO can reduce this effect.


The problem of survival memory management of a Viterbi decoder (VD) was solved by introducing a novel pointer implementation for the register exchange method, where a pointer is assigned to each row of memory in the survivor memory unit (SMU). The content of the pointer which points to one row of memory is altered to point to another row of memory, instead of copying the contents of the first row to the second. In this paper, the one-pointer VD is proposed; if the initial state of the convolutional encoder is known, the entire SMU is reduced to only one row. Because the decoded data bits are generated in the required order, even this row of memory is dispensable. Thus, the one-pointer architecture, referred to as memoryless VD (MLVD), reduces the power consumption of a traditional traceback VD by approximately 50%, but has some performance degradation. A prototype of the MLVD with a one third convolutional code rate and a constraint length of nine is mapped into a Xilinx 2V6000 chip, operating at 25 MHz with a decoding throughput of more than 3 Mbps and a latency of two data bits.


Results of psychological "additional investigation" of the crash of Boeing-737, "Aeroflot-Nord" on 14.09.2008 near Perm are presented. 37 pilots from the one of the leading airline companies sensed the attitude and rolling out the aircraft to the forward flight under the moving horizon with straight display of bank and tangage (view from the aircraft to the ground) in model conditions. 29 pilots (78.4%) made a mistake at determining the roll direction and tangage, they made a mistake at determining the roll direction 61 times (16.4%) and 44 times at determining the tangage direction, in other words they confused left and right bank and also nose-up and nose-down. Visual illusions of mobility of space and handling of ground (instead of aircraft) during the flight were revealed in pilots. These illusions may be the important cause of the following crashes. The necessity of "back" faultless display of bank in all aircrafts of civil aviation and development of computer complex for training of visual spatial orientation is proved.


Topological states of matter have attracted a lot of attention due to their many intriguing transport properties. In particular, two-dimensional topological insulators (2D TI) possess gapless counter propagating conducting edge channels, with opposite spin, that are topologically protected from backscattering. Two basic features are supposed to confirm the existence of the ballistic edge channels in the submicrometer limit: the 4-terminal conductance is expected to be quantized at the universal value 2e/h, and a nonlocal signal should appear due to a net current along the sample edge, carried by the helical states. On the other hand for longer channels the conductance has been found to deviate from the quantized value. This article reviewer the experimental and theoretical work related to the transport in two-dimensional topological insulators (2D-TI), based on HgTe quantum wells in zero magnetic field. We provide an overview of the basic mechanisms predicting a deviation from the quantized transport due to backscattering (accompanied by spin-flips) between the helical channels. We discuss the details of the model, which takes into account the edge and bulk contribution to the total current and reproduces the experimental results.


I am compelled to write this commentary after reading the paper by Jade et al.13; 1. Although the authors have been gracious enough to acknowledge us, I consider this13; paper a violation of scientific ethics. Let me briefly sketch the background. The data and the survey points used in their paper form part of a project that I conceived and commenced independently in 2001. Since we did not have any GPS receivers, we used to get them on loan from various organizations, and in 2003, we took them from CMMACS,13; Bangalore. Sreedevi Jade (scientist at C-MMACS and the senior author of the paper in question) suggested that Souvik Banerjee who was working in CMMACS as project assistant would accompany us to help handle their receivers and also to occupy two points at Port Blair (CARI campus) and Havelock (HAVE), previously established by 13; C-MMACS. Banerjee, however, made it clear to me that his interest was mainly in locating and occupying the two points established previously by scientists from 13; C-MMACS, other than being a field help to us. However, these survey points (known as13; CARI and HAVE) could not be located, as they were probably destroyed by construction13; activities. Nonetheless, we invited Banerjee to join us with our work and he joined us in setting up two stations, those at DGLP (Diglipur) and Chatham (CHAT). In addition, we had also shown him our station at Havelok, set up by us in 2002 (note that this is different from HAVE, the C-MMACS point, which was not traceable). During the same season, we set up additional stations at Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay, but Banerjee chose not to13; accompany us to these sites. After completing the work in that season, we returned the receivers and the data were downloaded to the computer at C-MMACS. Subsequently, Banerjee left C-MMACS, and Jade did not show any interest in this work (although I suggested a collaborative study, initially), nor did she evince any interest in future work in these sites. In fact, when I requested to loan the equipment in September 2004, Jade discouraged me from conducting the survey at that time and did not lend us the units. Since I thought it was important to continue the work, I borrowed them from elsewhere and continued our work. The 2004 earthquake suddenly kindled their interest and computing the coseismic displacement became an important issue. At this time, the CMMACS group went ahead and reoccupied our control points, clandestinely.13; They never communicated with us nor cared to request our permission, either about using the data collected in 2003 or about reoccupying the bases established and maintained by us. The basis of the paper in question are the data from 2003 and that collected after the earthquake, by reoccupying some of the stations, set up independently by my student and me. None from C-MMACS (including Banerjee) ever visited Car Nicobar before the earthquake to set up any GPS control points that have now provided the crucial data; it was set up by my student and myself, spending a lot of time and money, in tough field conditions. However, since the coordinates and data were available in C-MMACS, their personnel could trace all our stations and reoccupy them.


During pregnancy, CRH and CRH-related peptides appear to regulate the fetoplacental circulation via activation of the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP pathway. Pregnancies with abnormal placental function such as preeclampsia (PE) are characterized by increased maternal plasma CRH concentrations and reduced placental CRH-receptor 1alpha (CRH-R1alpha) expression. In this study, we investigated the actions of CRH/CRH-related peptides on the NO/cGMP system in normal and PE placentas (n = 8 for each group). Fluorescent in situ hybridization, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence experiments in human term placenta detected mRNAs expression for both R1 and R2 types of CRH-R, as well as urocortin (UCN) II and UCN III and showed CRH-R protein expression mainly in syncytiotrophoblast, whereas the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression was confined within the cytoplasm of the chorionic villi. In placental explants, CRH and UCN induced mRNA and protein expression of eNOS, but not inducible NOS, and also caused an acute increase in cGMP levels (maximal stimulation, 80-90% above basal; P < 0.05). UCN II also induced a modest induction of cGMP (42% above basal; P < 0.05). These responses were attenuated by the NOS and soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitors, l-N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one. In PE placental explants there was a significant reduction in CRH/CRH-related peptide-induced cGMP response; however, changes in the mRNA content of eNOS, inducible NOS, and soluble guanylyl cyclase (assessed by quantitative RT-PCR) between normal and PE placentas were not altered. In conclusion, we demonstrated that CRH and CRH-related peptides can positively regulate the placental NO/cGMP system. This pathway appears to be impaired in PE and may contribute toward dysregulation of the balance controlling vascular resistance.


Deposition of liposomal drugs into solid tumors is a potentially rate-limiting step for drug delivery and has substantial variability that may influence probability of response. Tumor deposition is a shared mechanism for liposomal therapeutics such that a single companion diagnostic agent may have utility in predicting response to multiple nanomedicines. Methods: We describe the development, characterization and preclinical proof-of-concept of the positron emission tomography (PET) agent, MM-DX-929, a drug-free untargeted 100 nm PEGylated liposome stably entrapping a chelated complex of 4-DEAP-ATSC and 64Cu (copper-64). MM-DX-929 is designed to mimic the biodistribution of similarly sized therapeutic agents and enable quantification of deposition in solid tumors. Results: MM-DX-929 demonstrated sufficient in vitro and in vivo stability with PET images accurately reflecting the disposition of liposome nanoparticles over the time scale of imaging. MM-DX-929 is also representative of the tumor deposition and intratumoral distribution of three different liposomal drugs, including targeted liposomes and those with different degrees of PEGylation. Furthermore, stratification using a single pre-treatment MM-DX-929 PET assessment of tumor deposition demonstrated that tumors with high MM-DX-929 deposition predicted significantly greater anti-tumor activity after multi-cycle treatments with different liposomal drugs. In contrast, MM-DX-929 tumor deposition was not prognostic in untreated tumor-bearing xenografts, nor predictive in animals treated with small molecule chemotherapeutics. Conclusions: These data illustrate the potential of MM-DX-929 PET as a companion diagnostic strategy to prospectively select patients likely to respond to liposomal drugs or nanomedicines of similar molecular size.


ABSTRACT In a verbal memory study of language developaent, thirdthrough sixth-grade children read and orally recalled short, expository passages which were presented in three syntactic paraphrase forms: (11 complex sentences with preverbal elaboration such as complex subject nominalizations and relative clauses, (2) complex sentences with postverbal elaboration, and (3) simple sentences. Syntactic analysis of the children's best recall samples (those showing high semantic recall) revealed that third through fifth graders tended tc paraphrase the target information in simple sentences, regardless of the complexity of the material they had read. Sixth graders, however, maintained the original syntax more often than younger subjects, suggesting a better recall memory for syntactically complex features of discourse. The results corroborate previous findings showing that children's speech in the upper elemental), grades shifts towards greater structural complexity. As suggested by Ingram (19751, such a shift may reflect important developmental changes in the linguistic strategies children use during this age range for producing complex sentences in connected discourse. (Author)


There is a growing interest in applying pre-trained large language models (LLMs) to planning problems. However, methods that use LLMs directly as planners are currently impractical due to several factors, including limited correctness of plans, strong reliance on feedback from interactions with simulators or even the actual environment, and the inefficiency in utilizing human feedback. In this work, we introduce a novel alternative paradigm that constructs an explicit world (domain) model in planning domain definition language (PDDL) and then uses it to plan with sound domain-independent planners. To address the fact that LLMs may not generate a fully functional PDDL model initially, we employ LLMs as an interface between PDDL and sources of corrective feedback, such as PDDL validators and humans. For users who lack a background in PDDL, we show that LLMs can translate PDDL into natural language and effectively encode corrective feedback back to the underlying domain model. Our framework not only enjoys the correctness guarantee offered by the external planners but also reduces human involvement by allowing users to correct domain models at the beginning, rather than inspecting and correcting (through interactive prompting) every generated plan as in previous work. On two IPC domains and a Household domain that is more complicated than commonly used benchmarks such as ALFWorld, we demonstrate that GPT-4 can be leveraged to produce high-quality PDDL models for over 40 actions, and the corrected PDDL models are then used to successfully solve 48 challenging planning tasks. Resources including the source code will be released at: https://guansuns.github.io/pages/llm-dm.


Synthesis of human immunodeficiency virus structural proteins is dependent on expression of the virus-encoded Rev protein due to the constitutive nuclear sequestration of mRNAs coding for the structural proteins. The pathway by which Rev, through interaction with the Rev-responsive element (RRE) within the mRNA, achieves export of the mRNA remains unclear. To probe the mechanism by which Rev induces nuclear export of its target mRNAs, the effect of inhibiting mRNA synthesis on the function of Rev was examined. Two approaches to address this issue were pursued: (i) the use of general transcription inhibitors such as 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole riboside (DRB) and actinomycin D, and (ii) the more selective modulation of target gene transcription permitted by the use of a tetracycline-regulated promoter. Addition of either DRB or actinomycin D inhibited Rev action despite the presence of significant quantities of the target mRNA throughout the course of drug treatment. Furthermore, prolonged DRB treatment was found to improve rather than diminish the induction observed. Subsequent analysis using the tetracycline-modulated promoter demonstrated that Rev function was dependent on the transcription rate of the target mRNA and independent of target mRNA concentration. These data strongly indicate that Rev functions through interaction with newly synthesized target mRNA, facilitating its export by preventing its interaction with the host factors that effect nuclear sequestration.


Soluble type 1 collagen (COL1) is used extensively as an adhesive substrate for cell cultures and as a cellular scaffold for regenerative applications. Clinically, this protein is widely used for cosmetic surgery, dermal injections, bone grafting, and reconstructive surgery. The sources of COL1 for these procedures are commonly nonhuman, which increases the potential for inflammation and rejection as well as xenobiotic disease transmission. In view of this, a method to efficiently and quickly purify COL1 from limited quantities of autologously-derived tissues would circumvent many of these issues; however, standard isolation protocols are lengthy and often require large quantities of collagenous tissues. Here, we demonstrate an efficient COL1 extraction method that reduces the time needed to isolate and purify this protein from about 10 days to less than 3 hr. We chose the dermis as our tissue source because of its availability during many surgical procedures. This method uses traditional extraction buffers combined with forceful agitation and centrifugal filtration to obtain highly-pure, soluble COL1 from small amounts of corium. Briefly, dermal biopsies are washed thoroughly in ice-cold dH2O after removing fat, connective tissue, and hair. The skin samples are stripped of noncollagenous proteins and polysaccharides using 0.5 M sodium acetate and a high speed bench-top homogenizer. Collagen from residual solids is subsequently extracted with a 0.075 M sodium citrate buffer using the homogenizer. These extracts are purified using 100,000 MW cut-off centrifugal filters that yield COL1 preparations of comparable or superior quality to commercial products or those obtained using traditional procedures. We anticipate this method will facilitate the utilization of autologously-derived COL1 for a multitude of research and clinical applications.


In this paper, we revisit the Kalman filter theory. After giving the intuition on a simplified financial markets example, we revisit the maths underlying it. We then show that Kalman filter can be presented in a very different fashion using graphical models. This enables us to establish the connection between Kalman filter and Hidden Markov Models. We then look at their application in financial markets and provide various intuitions in terms of their applicability for complex systems such as financial markets. Although this paper has been written more like a self contained work connecting Kalman filter to Hidden Markov Models and hence revisiting well known and establish results, it contains new results and brings additional contributions to the field. First, leveraging on the link between Kalman filter and HMM, it gives new algorithms for inference for extended Kalman filters. Second, it presents an alternative to the traditional estimation of parameters using EM algorithm thanks to the usage of CMA-ES optimization. Third, it examines the application of Kalman filter and its Hidden Markov models version to financial markets, providing various dynamics assumptions and tests. We conclude by connecting Kalman filter approach to trend following technical analysis system and showing their superior performances for trend following detection.


The tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. Missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH37. Both show the critical need for robots capable of working together as a mobile sensor network in a highly dynamic, potentially hazardous environment. Nina Mahmoudian wants to increase the effectiveness of the response by robots to environmental and human disasters. Her goal: to develop tools and algorithms that lower deployment and operating costs, increase efficiency and boost endurance for missions with a high level of complexity, including coastal surveillance, subsea structural inspection, hazards detection, and rescue and relief. "What is really needed for search missions that require vast underwater inspection and detection, such as locating boats and aircrafts at sea, is an underwater robot that can explore an area with a sense of what it is looking for," says Mahmoudian. Even better: A fleet of underwater robots. "In contrast to the use of a single vehicle, multi-robot systems could vastly increase mission area, decrease operation time, and offer a diverse suite of sensors, system resiliency, and goal redundancy," she adds. Mahmoudian and her research team at the Michigan Tech Nonlinear and Autonomous System Laboratory are building four such robots: low-cost autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), each weighing about twenty-five pounds. Named ROUGHIE (for Research Oriented Underwater Glider for Hands-On Investigative Engineering) Mahmoudian's AUVs sport better, more powerful brains equipped with multi-agent motion control algorithms and tools for more efficient underwater discovery. They are also modular, allowing users to swap out different components depending on what tasks the AUVs undertake. Powered only by batteries, ROUGHIEs "fly" slowly through the water simply by adjusting their buoyancy and weight. "They are designed for use near the water's edge, which offers a special challenge," adds Mahmoudian. "ROUGHIEs will come up on the coast, which means they have to operate where there's lots of traffic and noise." ROUGHIEs are also less expensive than commercial gliders. "At a fraction of the cost of one commercial vehicle, it is possible for us to test glider swarm algorithms and compare them to established single glider models," she says. "Testing control methods for hazardous underwater zones such as ports, shipping channels, and reefs can be done without much financial risk." Mahmoudian's work combines fundamental and applied research. "One of our goals is to facilitate a seamless transition between academic modeling/simulation problem-solving approaches and real-world applications."


Background Therapeutic targeting of TNF is approved to be highly effective in ankylosing spondylitis patients who fail to respond to conventional anti-inflammatory drugs. However, only around two-thirds of anti-TNFa treated AS patients show an adequate response according to the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) independently from the biological used. Therefore, there is an urgent need for biomarkers which would aid in treatment choice and treatment outcome separating responders and non-responders to such expensive therapies and to avoid side effects induced by inefficient drugs. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify cell-based biosensors in peripheral blood by multiparametric flow cytometry that can be used for an early treatment stratification of AS patients. Methods A multiparametric flow cytometric approach, including 50 monoclonal antibodies combined to 10 staining cocktails, was applied to identify useful baseline predictors in 38 AS patients with active disease before treatment with the TNF blocker Adalimumab, Etanercept, Golimumab or Infliximab. BASDAI response criteria were used to determine therapeutic success after 1 to 6 month. Automated clustering of flow data, correlation analysis and receiver operator characteristics were accomplished to appoint auspicious candidate phenotypes. Results Out of multiple potentially significant parameters, which are involved both in acquired and adaptive immunity the NK cell compartment revealed most promising subsets that are predictive for a successful therapy response to Etanercept in AS. Correlation analyses showed an error-free classification of responders and non-responders for Etanercept but not for Adalimumab-treated patients. Conclusions This is the first study demonstrating that the composition of the NK cell compartment has predictive power with respect to classify AS patients whether they will respond or fail to the treatment by Etanercept. These results also shed some new light on the mode of action comparing TNF-alpha neutralising antibodies and soluble TNF alpha-receptors. In conclusion, these data make it reasonable to assume that monitoring of particular NK cell phenotypes can be used in terms of a companion diagnostic to realise the concept of personalised medicine in the field of rheumatology.


Engagement is a psychological construct that was originally defined in an organizational context to refer to the emotional, cognitive and physical components that drive people to get actively involved in their occupational duties. In sports science, the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire conceptualizes engagement as a multidimensional construct comprising four factors: confidence, vigor, dedication and enthusiasm. The purpose of this study was to analyze the measurement model invariance of the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire across different competitive levels and to provide evidence of construct validity in relation to burnout. To this end, we recruited 1157 athletes of both sexes, aged between 12 and 35 years, to complete the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire and Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. The results provided evidence of Athlete Engagement Questionnaire measurement model invariance and its validity with respect to burnout.


The Programme has the objective of providing a regional approach to environmental management in the Danube River Basin where there is great pressure from a diverse range of human activities. Serious pollution problems exist from urban populations, from industry, and from intensive agricultural practices. Although the water quality of the main Danube river is probably better than the Rhine because of its greater flow, the same is not the case in the tributaries where there the problems are more serious. A factor which makes a compelling case for a regional approach is the deterioration of the Black Sea into which the main Danube river discharges significant loads of nutrients and a range of non-degradable contaminants. The application of limited financial resources will require fine judgement about the high priority pollution sources that will lead to cost-effective improvements. This action, and other technical assistance, also requires a considerable effort to strengthen the organisations having responsibility for environmental management, and to develop effective public participation. The paper emphasises the water pollution problems in the river basin.


Limited luminous flux per wafer area of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for high power solid state illumination causes some packaging real estate issues. This problem can be tackled with laser diodes (LDs). At high current densities, LDs offer higher efficiency, however with very low etendue and divergent angle. This significantly increases the complexity of color conversion for white light generation. Concentrated light can carbonize the color conversion unit and have high speckle contrast. These problems can be addressed by efficient diffusion of the laser beam and this paper is aimed to introduce the first laser diffusion system based on TiO2 Mie particles. Based on a series of ray tracing simulations, an idealized cost-effective system is modeled and results showed an almost lossless diffusion with a guiding system based on reflection resulting in an almost uniform irradiance level with only 17% power loss. Furthermore, offered design can reduce the challenges for the compact packaging of white LDs by eliminating the heat sink for color conversion coating and enabling a safe light intensity for utilizing quantum dots for color engineering.


Higher and further education institutions are increasingly using social software tools to support teaching and learning. A growing body of research investigates the diversity of tools and their range of contributions. However, little research has focused on investigating the role of the educator in the context of a social software initiative, even though the educator is critical for the introduction and successful use of social software in a course environment. Hence, we argue that research on social software should place greater emphasis on the educators, as their roles and activities (such as selecting the tools, developing the tasks and facilitating the student interactions on these tools) are instrumental to most aspects of a social software initiative. To this end, we have developed an agenda for future research on the role of the educator. Drawing on role theory, both as the basis for a systematic conceptualization of the educator role and as a guiding framework, we have developed a series of concrete research questions that address core issues associated with the educator roles in a social software context and provide recommendations for further investigations. By developing a research agenda we hope to stimulate research that creates a better understanding of the educator's situation and develops guidelines to help educators carry out their social software initiatives. Considering the significant role an educator plays in the initiation and conduct of a social software initiative, our research agenda ultimately seeks to contribute to the adoption and efficient use of social software in the educational domain.


Abstract The purpose of the present study was to determine whether Internet overuse was associated with empathic ability in college students. A total 261 participants (145 males and 116 females; mean age of 21.93 years) completed Empathy Quotient (EQ), Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and questionnaires about demographic data and internet using patterns. Of these 261 subjects, 85 (32.5%) were categorized as over-users. There was no significant difference in EQ total score between the over-user group and the average user group. The over-user group had lower scores of Social Skills than the average user group in subscale profiles. The over-user group stayed longer in cyberspace than the average user group. EQ score was found to have positive correlation with time spent in Internet use and the number of close friends. Results of the present study suggest that conventional Internet use is positively associated with empathic ability in interpersonal relationships. Therefore, such positive association between Internet use and empathic ability should be considered when evaluating possible problematic internet use.


Introduction Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly included within cancer clinical trials. If appropriately collected, analysed and transparently reported, these data might provide invaluable evidence to inform patient care. However, there is mounting indication that the design and reporting of PRO data in cancer trials may be suboptimal. This programme of research will establish via three interlinked studies whether these findings are applicable to UK cancer trials, and if so, how to best enhance the way PROs are assessed, managed and reported in clinical trials. This study will explore with key stakeholders factors that influence optimal PRO protocol content, implementation and reporting and make recommendations for training and guidance. Methods and analysis Semistructured interviews will be conducted with members of key stakeholder groups. The purposive sample of up to 48 participants will include: (1) trial chief investigators, trial management group members, statisticians and research nurses of cancer trials including primary or secondary PRO recruited via the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Clinical Studies Group and Consumer Liaison Group and the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Registered UK Clinical Trial Unit Network; (2) NCRI Consumer Liaison Group members; (3) international experts in PRO oncology trial design; and (4) journal editors and funding bodies. Data will be analysed using directed thematic analysis employing a coding frame and modified as analysis progresses. Formal triangulation of coding and member checking will be employed to enhance credibility. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the University of Birmingham Ethics Committee (Ref: ERN_17–0085). Findings will be disseminated via conference presentations, peer-reviewed journals, patient groups and social media (@CPROR_UoB; http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/cpror). PROSPERO registration number CRD42016036533.


We measure the impacts of Malawi's 2009 Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) on fertilizer use and maize yields in central and southern Malawi. Using three rounds of panel data and instrumental variables regression strategies to control for endogenous selection into the subsidy program we find positive and statistically significant correlations between participation in the FISP and fertilizer use intensity. Fertilizer use is found to be higher among households that plant improved maize varieties than among those that plant traditional varieties. Results are broadly robust to the inclusion of previous fertilizer intensity to control for household-specific differences in fertilizer use. We combine these results with those from a maize production function to calculate program-generated changes in average maize availability, accounting for estimated subsidy-induced changes in crop area. Our findings have implications for the way input subsidy programs are designed and implemented.


Abstract The onset and evolution of the dynamic stall vortex (DSV) are analysed by means of large eddy simulations of an SD7003 aerofoil undergoing periodic plunging motion in a transitional Reynolds number flow ($Re =6\times 10^{4}$). Interactions between upstream propagating Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities and a shear layer formed at the leading edge trigger flow separation. The former appear to be related to acoustic waves scattered at the trailing edge due to initial vortex shedding. Two freestream Mach numbers ($M_{\infty }=0.1$ and $0.4$) are employed to examine the flow differences due to compressibility variations. The existence of a common timing for the acoustic perturbations in both flows suggests a possible Mach number invariance for the birth of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Increasing compressibility, however, induces earlier spanwise fluctuations, higher flow three-dimensionality and a weaker and more diffuse DSV, which is formed further downstream of the leading edge and has lower residency time. In order to better characterize the onset of the DSV, two empirical criteria are assessed: the leading edge suction parameter and the chord-normal shear layer height. Results demonstrate a higher robustness of the latter with respect to Mach number variations. Modal decomposition, performed with both the classical dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) and its multi-resolution variant (mrDMD), highlights key trends and demonstrates the capacity of the mrDMD to extract physically meaningful flow structures related to the stall onset. Such detailed characterization of the shear layer can be used for a systematic exploration of flow control strategies for unsteady aerofoils.


The purpose of this study is to better understand the positive and negative, intended and unintended, consequences of community notification on sex offenders' rehabilitation and reintegration. A sample of 183 convicted male sex offenders from Florida completed the survey. Overall, about one third of participants had experienced dire events, such as the loss of a job or home, threats or harassment, or property damage. Physical assaultwas a relatively rare occurrence. The majority identified negative effects, such as stress, isolation, loss of relationships, fear, shame, embarrassment, and hopelessness. Some participants noted positive effects of Megan's Law, including motivation to prevent reoffense and increased honesty with friends and family. Fewsex offenders believed that communities are safer because of Megan's Law, and more than half reported that the information posted about them on Florida's Internet registry was incorrect. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.


The focus of the paper is on identifying major factors that can determine the vulnerability of Polish manufacturing companies to exchange rate risk. In order to verify our hypotheses, we have estimated logistic regression models based on a unique database to assess internal and external factors that make companies vulnerable to exchange rate risk. Our observations confirm the importance of exchange rate variability as one of the obstacles to starting and conducting export activity as well as expanding it to new markets. We have found that exchange rate risk is particularly severe for companies that are financially constrained and get financing abroad as well as those whose balance sheets are negatively affected by devaluation. Also vulnerable are innovative firms and those that rely more on input imports. Exchange rate volatility appears to be less of a concern for foreign-owned companies and enterprises that have higher shares of euro-denominated receivables and invoice exports in the Polish zloty. Companies competing by means of product quality and distribution channels are also among those less vulnerable to exchange rate risk. Generally, we have confirmed the problem of exchange rate risk as an important cost to export activity. This gives some implications for exchange rate risk management at both the macroeconomic and microeconomic levels as well as for monetary integration.


Road networks are lifelines for the community and are essential for the economic and social well-being of New Zealand. Significant natural hazard events can cause widespread damage to transportation networks, leading to significant repair costs to road controlling authorities, access difficulties for emergency services and disruption to road users and the community at large. To improve the resilience of the road network to natural hazards, risk management is required. This report, Part II of a research study, develops methods of implementing natural hazard risk management at five levels: national, regional, local network, emergency management and project development. The responsibility for implementation is discussed, together with the need for an integrated approach between the five levels. Project risk evaluation is illustrated through examples of risk economic analysis at project and link levels. Road funding policies have a significant influence on risk management. Suitable amendments to funding mechanisms to encourage and facilitate risk management at all levels are discussed. (a)


AIMS
The objective of this study is to establish factors associated with death after diagnosis of Ebstein's anomaly (EA) during childhood and adolescence.

METHODS AND RESULTS
This study is a retrospective chart review. All paediatric patients were diagnosed with EA and followed in tertiary-care university hospitals between 1980 and 2005. Factors associated with death were obtained using the Cox regression and log-rank tests. Of the 93 patients with EA, 18 (19%) died and 75 (81%) survived. The median age at EA diagnosis and follow-up was 0 (range 0-162) and 86 months (range 0-216), respectively. After 35 months of diagnosis, the Kaplan-Meier survival probability remains stable at 80%. Young age at presentation (< or =12 months), hepatomegaly, the need for medication (diuretics and Prostin) and mechanical ventilation at presentation, pulmonary valve defects (defined as moderate-to-severe pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia), patent arterial duct, and ventricular septal defect were significantly associated with death.

CONCLUSION
The overall survival of patients with EA during childhood and adolescence has dramatically improved when compared with earlier reports.


When extracting the weak lensing shear signal, one may employ either locally normalized or globally normalized shear estimators. The former is the standard approach when estimating cluster masses, while the latter is the more common method among peak finding efforts. While both approaches have identical signal-to-noise in the weak lensing limit, it is possible that higher order corrections or systematic considerations make one estimator preferable over the other. In this paper, we consider the efficacy of both estimators within the context of stacked weak lensing mass estimation in the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We find that the two estimators have nearly identical statistical precision, even after including higher order corrections, but that these corrections must be incorporated into the analysis to avoid observationally relevant biases in the recovered masses. We also demonstrate that finite bin-width effects may be significant if not properly accounted for, and that the two estimators exhibit different systematics, particularly with respect to contamination of the source catalog by foreground galaxies. Thus, the two estimators may be employed as a systematic cross-check of each other. Stacked weak lensing in the DES should allow for the mean mass of galaxy clusters to be calibrated to ≈2% precision (statistical only), which can improve the figure of merit of the DES cluster abundance experiment by a factor of ∼3 relative to the self-calibration expectation. A companion paper investigates how the two types of estimators considered here impact weak lensing peak finding efforts.


Wildfires are the dominant disturbance agent in the Siberian larch forests. Extensive low- to mediate-intensity non-stand-replacing fires are a notable property of fire regime in these forests. Recent large scale studies of these fires have focused mostly on their impacts on carbon budget; however, their potential impacts on energy budget through post-fire albedo changes have not been considered. This study quantifies the post-fire surface forcing for Siberian larch forests that experienced non-stand-replacing fires between 2001 and 2012 using the full record of MODIS MCD43A3 albedo product and a burned area product developed specifically for the Russian forests. Despite a large variability, the mean effect of non-stand-replacing fires imposed through albedo is a negative forcing which lasts for at least 14 years. However, the magnitude of the forcing is much smaller than that imposed by stand-replacing fires, highlighting the importance of differentiating between the two fire types in the studies involving the fire impacts in the region. The results of this study also show that MODIS-based summer differenced normalized burn ratio (dNBR) provides a reliable metric for differentiating non-stand-replacing from stand-replacing fires with an overall accuracy of 88%, which is of considerable importance for future work on modeling post-fire energy budget and carbon budget in the region.


Scientists are becoming every day more aware that a deep knowledge of an animal used in biomedical science can lead to more reliable data. The translational value of animal models is becoming an important topic of debate due to the high frequency of fail when animal experiments are replicate on humans.
The first aim of this work was to better characterize the role of nutrition on the gut microbiota in the pig model.
The second aim of my work was to investigate a chemically inducible retinal degeneration pig model.
The results lead to a thorough understanding of pig gut microbiota and its modulation to nutritional changes, these understandings are fundamental for the interpretation of data when experiments are conducted on animals.
The potential role in reduction and refinement is clear especially considering the pig as the emerging gold standard model for gastro intestinal research.
The microencapsulation of iron was found to be protective against the side effects of iron dietary supplementation maintaining the healing effect, opening a new prospective on iron fortified foods.
New tools have been established for the assessment of vision in a pig model. An easy visual evaluation behavioral test has been validated, giving to researchers and clinicians the opportunity to assess vision in a sentient pig model.
Moreover the pattern electroretinogram (pERG) was recorded for the first time in pigs. The pERG is a sensitive indicator of dysfunction within the macular region and it reflects the integrity of the optics, photoreceptors, bipolar cells and retinal ganglion cells.
Hopefully this work will contribute to the translational value of the pig model, which in my opinion is the future gold standard model for gastro-intestinal and vision systems and will completely replace the use of dogs and non-humane primates in biomedical science.


A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a 3-Dimensional representation of Earth ground surface without any object. The SRTM, ASTER and ALOS are the most well-known DEMs that have been made to general public free of charge and almost global coverage. The very recent release DEMs which is TanDEM-X with great accuracy from German Aerospace Center (DLR), calls for opportunities for the conduct of the localized assessment of the DEM's quality and accuracy to verify their suitability for a wide range of applications in the science studies. Since TanDEM-X vertical datum is referenced to ellipsoid height, this research responsible to investigate into the most suitable geoid model for our region is needed to determine a regional, seamless, and precise geoid model for orthometric height transformation of TanDEM-X. The Geoid Model is a type of spherical harmonic model developed from a complex mathematical modeling process of various sources of data includes satellite gradiometry, satellite altimetry, terrestrial gravity data and elevation data. The EGM96 and EGM2008 are global geoid model while PMGM2014 and MyGEOID are local geoid model has been tested in this research. Each Geoid Model has its own advantages, and the accuracy differs between regions. Therefore, the investigation into the most suitable geoid model for our region is needed to determine a regional, seamless, and precise geoid model for TanDEM-X. In this study, the evaluation of TanDEM-X, SRTM, ASTER and ALOS has been performed with the use of 1277 GPS point at land used area while to analyze the accuracy TanDEM-X was used the 5651 CRM points and IFSAR as a reference data. Meanwhile, the evaluation of the Geoid Model is carried out using 38 GPS/leveling benchmarks (BMs). Based on the statistical analysis, it is shown that highest accuracy of DEM with lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) at agriculture is TanDEM-X 12m (RMSE=0.413m), coastal is TanDEM-X 12m (RMSE=0.655m), flat is TanDEM-X 30m (RMSE=2.107m), urban is SRTM (RMSE=2.216 m), hill is SRTM (RMSE=4.937m) and foothill is TanDEM-X 30m (RMSE= 5.581m). The analyze accuracy of TanDEM-X compared to CRM point was conducted using Confidence Interval (CI) with TanDEM-X 12m shows the better accuracy with RMSE for 68% CI is 0.712m, 95% CI is 1.262m and 99% CI is 1.336m. The accuracy of IFSAR against GPS data are 0.570m for agriculture, 2.411m for urban, 0.499m for flat and 0.841m for hill. The comparison between TanDEM-X and IFSAR shows TanDEM-X 12m performed well at agriculture (RMSE =0.696m) and urban (RMSE=2.314m) while TanDEM-X 30m lead the better accuracy at flat (RMSE=0.797m) and hill (RMSE=3.752m). The suitable Geoid Model for orthometric height transformation of TanDEM-X is MyGeoid because produced the good accuracies are 2.277m (TanDEM-X 12m) and 2.016m (TanDEM-X 30m). The results confirm the outstanding accuracy of the delivered product, which can be now utilized for both scientific and commercial applications


: Interaction of streptokinase and alpha-2-antiplasmin with plasmin and plasminogen fragments was compared. Binding sites on the enzyme become half-saturated, streptokinase and alpha-2-antiplasmin concentration being 8.5 and 30 nM, respectively. 6-Aminohexanoic acid in concentration of 20 mM reduces the adsorption of streptokinase and and alpha-2-antiplasmin by 20 and 60%, respectively. From all the investigated fragments, streptokinase shows the greatest affinity for mini-plasminogen and alpha-2-antiplasmin for kringles 1-3. Both proteins in the presence of 20 mM 6-aminohexanoic acid do not bind with kringle domains. Arginine dose 0.1 M does not influence streptokinase adsorption on mini-plasminogen and decreases the value of alpha-2-antiplasmin binding with mini-plasminogen by 50%. The data obtained indicate that plasminogen molecule has the sites of the highest affinity for streptokinase on the serine-proteinase domain, however for alpha-2-antiplasmin it is in the kringles 1-3. Streptokinase with equimolar quantity in respect of alpha-2-antiplasmin inhibits the adsorption of alpha-2-antiplasmin on the plasmin by 70% and in the presence of 6-aminohexanoic acid it is inhibited completely. Addition of streptokinase also increases the influence of increasing concentration of the acid. Inhibiting influence of streptokinase decreases, and that of 6-aminohexanoic acid increases, when plasmin is modified with diisopropylfluorophosphate in its active centre. At the same time maximum inhibition of streptokinase adsorption on the plasmin at different concentrations of alpha-2-antiplasmin and 6-aminohexanoic acid accounts for only 20%. We suppose that in the process of complex formation streptokinase competes with alpha-2-antiplasmin for the binding sites on the catalytic domain of the plasmin. Partial or complete blocking of the plasmin active centre contact zone by streptokinase effectively protects it from inhibition by alpha-2-antiplasmin.


Governments at different levels need to appreciate the environmental impacts of socioeconomic activities within their boundaries. They also need to decide relevant environmental policies after carefully examining future pathways based on the relationship between the environment and the economy. This study focuses on Japanese basic administrative divisions (i.e., municipalities) and attempts to quantify the annual environmental efficiency of processes and socioeconomic activities within each of these divisions using life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) concepts. A key element of the LCIA is the integration of different environmental loads across various impact categories, such as global warming, air pollution, and land use, and their representation through a simple indicator. First, we conduct annual environmental impact assessments for all Japanese municipalities based on reliable, verifiable, and comparable statistical information. Next, we estimate the environmental efficiency of socioeconomic activities within each division by dividing the gross regional product (GRP) with the environmental damage amounts calculated through LIME2, an LCIA-based tool tailored for Japan. Assessment results for each municipality are visualized on maps of Japan in order to highlight the spatial distribution of the values for each indicator. The findings of this study can aid local, regional, and national governments in Japan to inform environmental policy design and decision-making at different spatial levels.


Measurements of basal metabolic rate (BMR), body water, fat, and lean dry mass of different organs were obtained in 22 bird species, ranging from 10.8 to 1,253 g body mass. Residuals of BMR (after subtracting BMR allometrically predicted from body mass) were positively correlated with residuals of lean dry heart and kidney mass. Measurements of both BMR and the daily energy expenditure of parent birds (DEEpar) during the period of nestling care as assessed by labeled-water turnover were collected from the literature for 26 altricial bird species. The allometric relationships with body mass in this data set were: log BMR (W) = -1.385 + 0.684 log mass (g) [fraction of variance (r2) = 0.973] and log DEEpar (W) = -0.797 + 0.659 log mass (g) (r2 = 0.967). Residuals of log BMR and log DEEpar were positively correlated with each other. The parallel regressions and correlation of residuals lead to reduced variance in the ratio of BMR/DEEpar (mean 0.301; SD 0.086). We suggest that natural selection has led to an adjustment of the size of organs (such as heart and kidney) involved in sustaining energy metabolism at the DEE maximized during parental care and that size-independent variation in BMR reflects the relative size of this highly metabolically active machinery. These relationships of BMR lead to new interpretations of the decline in mass-specific BMR with increasing body size and decreasing latitude and of the difference in mass-specific BMR between birds and mammals.


The abundance of growth and size of colonies of 10 isolates of Eikenella corrodens were studied using 15 commonly available media in aerobic, 5% CO2, and anaerobic atmospheres of incubation. Chocolate agar was the best medium for overall growth in all three atmospheres. Growth on Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with 5% blood and on Brucella agar supplemented with 5% blood was equivalent to that on chocolate agar in 5% CO2 and anaerobic environments but not in an aerobic atmosphere. Strains of E. corrodens did not grow on the selective media studied. Growth on media without blood or hemin supplements occurred in anaerobic but not in aerobic or 5% CO2 environments, and was consistently poorer than growth on the same media with these supplements.


MY PERSONAL JOURNEY to becoming a nursing director was not a 'traditional' one. Having trained as a nurse and midwife, I obtained posts in midwifery education and, eventually, in midwifery and nursing management.


The Purpose of this study was to examine middle managers experiences of psychic and social work environment and how it affects the middle managers work. More exactly, we interviewed middle managers from the municipal elderly care in one of Kronoberg county municipalities. Middle managers work in a position in between politicians, organizations, clients and their relatives; staff groups etc. and they all have a lot of demands on them. The research shows that if the district chiefs' psychic and social work environment is good, they have the condition to do a great job and help the clients to a better life. But if the work environment is bad and the district chiefs are unsatisfied it will affect many people as the clients, the staff and the organization. The interviews were based on four different themes to gather the whole picture of the district chiefs' psychic and social environment. We used three different theories along with our pre-understanding to analyze the five qualitative interviews: Demands and control model, KASAM and Strain and reward model. We interviewed four district chiefs and one union representative for SKTF. The study was too small to give any general conclusions but it showed that the district chiefs that we interviewed had a good psychic and social work environment and that it is very important for the health and happiness of themselves, the organization, the staff and the clients.


The primary aim of this book is to bring together in one volume the current knowledge about ulcerative and granulomatous colitis by specialists in pathology, radiology, medicine, and surgery. To a reasonable extent, this aim was fulfilled. After a foreword by Kirsner, an introduction by Bercovitz and an historical summary by Marshak and Lindner, there are two chapters by Sommers describing the pathologic changes found in ulcerative and granulomatous colitis. There is not much information about immunopathology or the pathology of the extracolonic manifestations of these diseases, but what is presented is done clearly and with excellent pictures. The chapters by Marshak and Lindner are outstanding. Here, as throughout the book, the quality of the photographic reproductions and of printing is a credit to the publisher. There appear refreshing nuggets like "In with toxic megacolon the portion of the colon most prominently distended is the transverse colon. This is due