In many countries, teaching assistants are working in schools in increasing numbers. While they formerly supported teachers by completing low-level administrative tasks, they are increasingly playing a pedagogical role and working directly with pupils, particularly those with special educational needs. However, little is known about the quality of the support that teaching assistants provide to these pupils. This paper systematically examines differences in the types and quality of interactions teaching assistants have with pupils compared with the interactions of teachers in the same classrooms. Differences were found, particularly in relation to the development of pupil thinking, and examples of the differential interactions are provided in the paper. Recommendations are made related to the need to examine existing models of teaching effectiveness to take account of the role of teaching assistants in classrooms and the role of teachers managing teaching assistants.


M anuel, P eter Jam es., (1990), Curriculum Policy in South Australia: 1968 1985., A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree, Doctor of Philosophy (Policy Studies in Education), at the University of Wollongong, NSW. The study objectives include a detailed analysis of the forces and processes shaping system curriculum policies developed in South Australia between 1968 and 1985. The study aims to provide evidence of the matches and mismatches between theoretical policy models and policy and practices operating in South Australia, to provide research data of value for future theory building about curriculum policy development, and for curriculum development which can be used to train future policy makers within educational settings. The study is empirical in design, and uses analytical tools developed for public policy. It investigates the degree to which the central curriculum policy making process in South Australia was comprehensive as opposed to incremental in development, whether the sources of the policy agendas were internal or external, how agendas were linked to social and political pressures, whether the policy statements developed by the educational system were outcomes of professional reformers or outcomes of publicly perceived needs, and other issues pertinent to public policy development The study shows that curriculum policy development in South Australia allowed for the acceptance of the broad outlines of existing curriculum policy with only marginal changes contemplated in any new development The processes highlighted the serial nature of the issues, and the piecemeal modification of policies, rather than any single comprehensive approach to the problem. Two stages of policy development were observed. There was a democratic and m consultative stage, where people and organizational politics became as important as processes, and the beliefs and values of key actors as critical as external influences. A brief 'political' stage followed, when other stakeholders or influential individuals reacted to the developed policy drafts and included statements to ensure the achievement of political purposes. The study also found that broad curriculum policy documents proved to be more effective as an interpretation of past decisions than as a programme or plan for the future. Their greatest attribute became their symbolic use as declarations of the activities of South Australia Education Department


eleed, Iss. 12 - Educational systems worldwide are facing an enormous shift as a result of sociocultural, political, economic, and technological changes. The technologies and practices that have developed over the last decade have been heralded as opportunities to transform both online and traditional education systems. While proponents of these new ideas often postulate that they have the potential to address the educational problems facing both students and institutions and that they could provide an opportunity to rethink the ways that education is organized and enacted, there is little evidence of emerging technologies and practices in use in online education. Because researchers and practitioners interested in these possibilities often reside in various disciplines and academic departments the sharing and dissemination of their work across often rigid boundaries is a formidable task.
Contributors to Emergence and Innovation in Digital Learning include individuals who are shaping the future of online learning with their innovative applications and investigations on the impact of issues such as openness, analytics, MOOCs, and social media. Building on work first published in Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, the contributors to this collection harness the dispersed knowledge in online education to provide a one-stop locale for work on emergent approaches in the field. Their conclusions will influence the adoption and success of these approaches to education and will enable researchers and practitioners to conceptualize, critique, and enhance their understanding of the foundations and applications of new technologies.


The prostacyclin class of drugs are used in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a vascular proliferative disease. While evidence suggests agents improve survival, they eventually stop working. Thus ways are being sort to improve their clinical efficacy. We hypothesised that prostacyclin action could be enhanced by inhibition of phosphodiesterase type 3 (PDE3), a major regulator of cyclic AMP levels in the lung, whose activity appears increased in PAH [1]. Cell proliferation (assessed by cell number) and cyclic AMP assays were performed in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells derived from patients with idiopathic PAH (n=6). Treprostinil (1μM) significantly (p<0.001) increased cAMP by 7.0±0.6 fold (n=6) at 30 mins but not thereafter. In the presence of the relatively selective PDE3 inhibitor, cilostamide (1μM), treprostinil produced twice as much cAMP (13.1±0.8 compared to 25.0±2.7 pmol/mg protein, n=3), and levels remained significantly (p<0.05) elevated at 24 hr compared to analogue alone (10.8±1.8 versus 3.22±0.8, pmol/mg protein). Cilostamide (1 & 10μM) also suppressed growth induced by 10% FBS by 20%, as did treprostinil (1μM). The combination however, produced further growth suppression of 35% (p<0.05) and 47% (P<0.001) for low and high PDE inhibitor dose, respectively. In conclusion, PDE3 inhibition may help improve prostacyclin analogue action in IPAH by prolonging elevation in cAMP and enhancing the antiproliferative effects of these agents. Reference: 1. Murray F, et al. Am J Physiol 2007; 292: L294-L303. Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from United Therapeutics.


Background: Dental plaque plays a major role in the etiology of periodontal diseases and the early colonizers of dental plaque are of great importance in the succession stages of biofilm formation such as Streptococcus mitis. Nowadays there is a need to find naturally occurring substances from plants with antimicrobial activity as an alternative to available used Chlorohexidine.

Aims: To investigate in vitro antibacterial effects of alcoholic Commiphora Myrrha and Ziziphus spina-christi leaves extracts alone and in Combination against Streptococcus mitis. Materials and Methods: At first tacking plaque samples from 15 patients with gingivitis-dental biofilm-induced then morphological, microscopical examination, biochemical tests and Vitek 2 were used to confirm identification of Streptococcus mitis. The Commiphora Myrrha and Ziziphus spina-christi leaves extracted by using ethanol alcohol. The susceptibility of bacteria against the extracts, the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration were determined separately and in Combination compared with chlorhexidine gluconate 0.2% and deionized water.

Results: The ethanol extracts exhibited considerable antibacterial effects against Streptococcus mitis with various degrees of growth inhibition zones. It was shown that Combination extracts was more antibacterial effects compared to Chlorohexidine then Myrrha and lastly Ziziphus leaves extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the extracts ranged from (0.2-0.6 g/ml). The minimum bactericidal concentration of alcoholic extracts ranged from (0.4- 0.8 g/ml).

Conclusion: Alcoholic Combination extracts showed higher antibacterial activity with all concentration against Streptococcus mitis than Myrrha and Ziziphus leaves extracts were even higher than Chlorohexidine when used at higher concentration, so it can be used as an alternative to Chlorohexidine.


The Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, as reflected in ethnohistoric documents underwriting the beliefs and practices of contemporary neo-kabbalists, practitioners of shamanic Judaism, Jewitchery, and other para-Judaic spiritualities (including Hermetic Qabalah and Christian Cabala) illustrate a cosmological theory of "kabbalistic perspectivism" analogous to the Amazonian perspectivism reported by Eduardo Viveiros de Castro (1998). Consideration of kabbalistic perspectivism provides Messianic Jewish, gentile Christian, and other religiously committed anthropologists opportunity for practicing comparative theology. It also may serve as a model for developing "methodological possibilianism," an ontologically-oriented complement to the epistemological model of critical realism popularized by Christian anthropologists Paul Hiebert and Charles Kraft.


We propose a feasible and efficient scheme to generate N-atom W-class states in spatially separated cavities without using any classical driving pulses. We adopt the model in which the couplings between different atoms are mediated only by virtual excitations of the cavity and fiber fields, so the scheme is insensitive to the cavity decay and fiber photon leakage. We carry out both theoretical investigation in a decoherence-free subspace and numerical calculation accounting for decoherence due to the atomic spontaneous emission as well as the decay of cavity and fiber modes. The theoretical and numerical results agree in the large atom-cavity detuning regime. Our scheme proves to be useful in scalable distributed quantum networks.


We demonstrate how to make the coordinate transformation or change of variables from Cartesian coordinates to curvilinear coordinates by making use of a convolution of a function with Dirac delta functions whose arguments are determined by the transformation functions between the two coordinate systems. By integrating out an original coordinate with a Dirac delta function, we replace the original coordinate with a new coordinate in a systematic way. A recursive use of Dirac delta functions allows the coordinate transformation successively. After replacing every original coordinate into a new curvilinear coordinate, we find that the resultant Jacobian of the corresponding coordinate transformation is automatically obtained in a completely algebraic way. In order to provide insights on this method, we present a few examples of evaluating the Jacobian explicitly without resort to the known general formula.


Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a highly prevalent, debilitating disease with heterogeneous symptoms of widespread pain and tenderness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and impaired cognition. The cause of FMS is unknown, but the clinical constellation of symptoms and abnormalities in the neuroendocrine system, autonomic nervous system, and sleep implicate the nervous system in its pathogenesis. In this issue of the JCI, Goebel, Krock, et al. identified antibodies from patients with FMS that produce FMS in mice by binding to satellite glial cells (SGCs), which envelope sensory neurons. Because antibodies harvested from patients with FMS, but not controls, stimulated SGCs to an activated state known to mediate chronic pain by augmenting neuronal activity, these findings reveal a pivotal role for autoreactive IgG in the pathophysiology of FMS. These important findings pave a pathway to study mechanism-based experimental therapeutics targeting IgG titers or antibody binding to SGCs underlying the neuroimmune dysfunction of FMS.


There is mounting evidence that complex human phenotypes are highly polygenic, with many loci harboring multiple causal variants, yet most genetic association studies examine each SNP in isolation. While this has led to the discovery of thousands of disease associations, discovered variants account for only a small fraction of disease heritability. Alternative multi-SNP methods have been proposed, but issues such as multiple-testing correction, sensitivity to genotyping error, and optimization for the underlying genetic architectures remain. Here we describe a local joint-testing procedure, complete with multiple-testing correction, that leverages a genetic phenomenon we call linkage masking wherein linkage disequilibrium between SNPs hides their signal under standard association methods. We show that local joint testing on the original Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) data set leads to the discovery of 22 associated loci, 5 more than the marginal approach. These loci were later found in follow-up studies containing thousands of additional individuals. We find that these loci significantly increase the heritability explained by genome-wide significant associations in the WTCCC data set. Furthermore, we show that local joint testing in a cis-expression QTL (eQTL) study of the gEUVADIS data set increases the number of genes containing significant eQTL by 10.7% over marginal analyses. Our multiple-hypothesis correction and joint-testing framework are available in a python software package called Jester, available at github.com/brielin/Jester.


In this study, nonlinear analysis for thick cylindrical pressure vessels with arbitrary variable thickness made of hyperelastic functionally graded material properties in nearly incompressible state and clamped boundary conditions under non-uniform pressure loading is presented. Thickness and pressure of the shell are considered in axial direction by arbitrary nonlinear profiles. The FG material properties of nearly incompressible hyperelastic shell are graded in the radial direction with a power law distribution. Effective combination of shear deformation theory and match asymptotic expansion of perturbation theory are used to derived and solve the nonlinear governing equations, respectively. A numerical modelling based on finite element method is presented to validate the results of the current analytical solution. The effect of material constants, non-homogeneity index, geometry and pressure profiles on displacements, stresses and hydrostatic pressure distributions are illustrated for different hyperelastic material properties and case studies. This approach enables insight to the nature of the deformation and stress distribution through the thickness of rubber vessels and may offer the potential to study the mechanical functionality of blood vessels such as artificial or natural arteries in physiological pressure range.


PIXE (Proton inducted X-ray emission) analysis of food samples was carried out with 2 Mev protons. The measured seven trace elements for 62 food samples are listed in tables.


Occupational stress is the most significant cause of stress in today's societies and a major factor leading to decline in the productivity of organizations. The identification and institutionalization of workers' values is an important fundamental source guaranteeing growth, survival and efficiency of organizations. The present study was conducted to examine the role of organizational and ethical values in reducing occupational stress in the view of directors and deans of Guilan University of Medical Sciences. The present descriptive, correlational study with its cross-sectional approach had 44 directors of staff of Guilan University of Medical Sciences as its statistical population. Data collection instrument was a 3-section questionnaire consisting of one section for personal and demographic information (7 items), one for the role of organizational values in stress (22 items) and another one for the role of ethical values in stress (10 items), which were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The questionnaire validity was examined and confirmed by means of surveying the university professors and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Data collected were analyzed in SPSS software using descriptive statistics, and the correlation among components was determined through Pearson's correlation coefficient and regression analysis. There was a direct, significant correlation between organizational and ethical values and reduction of occupational stress (P=0.0001). The statistical difference between the mean score obtained by gender for the role of organizational values in reducing occupational stress was also significant (P=0.017). However, the difference between the mean score obtained by gender for the role of ethical values in reducing occupational stress was not significant (P=0.056). Observing ethical and organizational standards paves the ground for reducing occupational stress and job tension. In general, adherence to values provides the basis for reducing occupational stress.


Secretory and clinical characteristics of 339 hospital patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcers, 182 with pyloro-duodenal stenosis, 124 operated upon in Copenhagen by proximal vagotomy and 174 in whom bleeding or perforation was the reason for admission were studied. The results indicate that all duodenal ulcer subjects secrete more acid than normal, but that in approximately half of them acid secretion to maximal stimulation does not rise outwith the range of normal and most of these are of 0 blood group. These patients are classified as Type I duodenal ulcer. The character of acid hypersecretion beyond two standard deviations of the mean of the maximal acid output in normal subjects appears to be determined mainly by the possession of A, B and AB blood group: these hypersecreting ulcer patients are classified as Type II. The complications of perforation and bleeding and stenosis are linked mostly to the 0 group subjects and not to acid hypersecretion as such, but the strongest family prevalence is in the A, B, AB series and in them also the disease appears earlier.

A hypothesis is presented to explain the aetiology of the two types.


Background: Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome (HUVS) is a rare multisystemic autoimmune disease. The cardiac involvement in HUVS, mainly in the heart valves, can be differentiated from late-onset rheumatic fever sequelae with specific criteria, although similarities are observed among these pathologies.

Case Report: We describe the case of a patient with Jaccoud's arthropathy associated with urticarial skin lesions, elevated inflammatory markers and consumed complement fractions. Skin biopsy revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis, fully controlled with rituximab and mycophenolate. In the follow-up, echocardiographic abnormalities consistent with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) were detected.

Review: HUVS is an immune complex-mediated small vessel vasculitis involving prominently the skin vessels, synovial membrane and glomeruli. Case reports showing mitro-aortic valve involvement in patients with HUVS raised the possibility of association with post-rheumatic valve disease, corroborating the hypothesis of a common pathophysiological pathway linking HUVS and RHD. The initial treatment of HUVS include corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine, colchicine and dapsone, however more potent immunosuppressants, such as mycophenolate or immunobiological therapy are often necessary for complete remission of symptoms and weaning from corticosteroid therapy.

Conclusions: Although rare, it is important to consider the association of RHD in patients with HUVS, due to significative changes in the treatment and preventive measures.


Flow and heat transfer of the air cavity between two glass facades designed in the box window type of double skin facade (DSF) was evaluated in a test room which was set up for measurements in the laboratory environment and analyzed under different working conditions by using a computational fluid dynamics tool. Using data from the experimental studies, the verification of the numerical studies was conducted and the air flow and heat transfer in the cavity between the two glass facades were examined numerically in detail. The depth to height of the cavity, the aspect ratio, was changed between 0.10 and 0.16, and was studied for three different flow velocities. Reynolds and average Nusselt numbers ranging from 28,000 to 56,500 and 134 to 272, respectively, were calculated and a non-dimensional correlation between Reynolds and Nusselt numbers was constructed to evaluate the heat transfer from the cavity (except inlet and outlet sections) air to the inside environment and it could be used the box window type of DSF applications having relatively short cavities.


The media furore over the Liverpool care pathway, the widely used protocol for the care of dying patients that has been branded "euthanasia by the backdoor" in some sections of the press, has scared patients and their families and made some doctors reluctant to use it, experts in palliative care have said.

At a press briefing on Tuesday in London aimed at dispelling the myths surrounding palliative care, Bee Wee, president of the Association for Palliative Medicine, said that although she "would not want to overstate it" she had heard reports from colleagues of relatives frightened by what they had read and of terminally ill patients too afraid to go into hospital. …


This research aims to develop an ocean wave energy converter kit from low-cost materials as a teaching tool. The kit is developed using the working principle of a wave energy converter that uses a buoy as a system drive and a weight balancer that is connected to a chain. The dimensions of the kit are 6.7 × 0.3 × 0.4 m (length × width × height) with the ratio of the final wheel used is 1:40. The kit generated electricity when the system was driven by a buoy that utilized vertical wave action. The test kit was carried out in the marine engineering laboratory through three stages each using a wave period of 1 s, 2 s, and 3 s at a wave height of 0.1 m, 0.15 m and 0.20 m. The observed data was the voltage generated by the kit using a digital multimeter. The observed data is the amount of voltage generated by the developed kit, and each observation takes 60 s. Based on observations during the experiment, the kit was functioning properly. The results showed that with a greater wave period, the kit produced smaller voltage, and with a greater wave height, the kit produced greater voltage. We finally found that the voltage generated by the kit was affected by the wave period and wave height.


Location monitoring systems are used to detect human activities and provide monitoring services, e.g., aggregate queries. In this paper, we consider an aggregate location monitoring system where wireless sensor nodes are counting sensors that are only capable of detecting the number of objects within their sensing areas. As traditional query processors rely on the knowledge of users' exact locations, they cannot provide any monitoring services based on the readings reported from counting sensors. To this end, we propose an adaptive spatio-temporal histogram to enable monitoring services without the need of users' exact locations. The main idea of the histogram is to keep statistics about the distribution of moving objects. At the core of the histogram, we propose three techniques, memorization, locality awareness and packing, to improve monitoring accuracy and efficiency. Furthermore, the histogram is designed in a way that achieves a trade-off between the energy and bandwidth consumption of the sensor network and the accuracy of monitoring services. Experimental results show that the proposed histogram provides high-quality location monitoring services (i.e., 90% accuracy for both skewed and uniform mobility patterns) and outperforms a basic histogram and the state-of-the-art spatio-temporal histogram by two orders of magnitude in most cases.


Cytosolic lipid droplets were considered until recently to be rather inert particles of stored neutral lipid. Largely through proteomics is it now known that droplets are dynamic organelles and that they participate in several important metabolic reactions as well as trafficking and interorganellar communication. In this review, the role of droplets in metabolism in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the fly Drosophila melanogaster, and several mammalian sources are discussed, particularly focusing on those reactions shared by these organisms. From proteomics and older work, it is clear that droplets are important for fatty acid and sterol biosynthesis, fatty acid activation, and lipolysis. However, many droplet-associated enzymes are predicted to span a membrane two or more times, which suggests either that droplet structure is more complex than the current model posits, or that there are tightly bound membranes, particularly derived from the endoplasmic reticulum, which account for the association of several of these proteins.


: Elevation of liver transaminases is common in patients infected with the HIV. Although this is usually an incidental finding during regular work-up, HIV-infected patients with transaminase elevations require additional visits for laboratory studies and clinical assessments, and often undergo interruptions and changes in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Alanine aminotransferase is present primarily in the liver, thus being a surrogate marker of hepatocellular injury. Aspartate aminotransferase is present in the liver and other organs, namely cardiac and skeletal muscle, kidney and brain. Serum levels of both liver transaminases predict liver-related mortality. Moreover, serum fibrosis biomarkers based on alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase predict all-cause mortality. In a busy clinical setting, a diagnostic approach to elevated liver transaminases could be complicated given the frequency and nonspecificity of this finding. Indeed, HIV-infected individuals present multiple risk factors for liver damage and chronic elevation of transaminases, including coinfection with hepatitis B and C viruses, alcohol abuse, hepatotoxicity due to ART, HIV itself and frequent metabolic comorbidities leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This review provides an update on epidemiology of elevated liver transaminases, summarizes the main etiologic contributors and discusses the prognostic significance and a pragmatic approach to this frequent finding in the clinical practice of HIV medicine. With the aging of the HIV-infected population following the successful implementation of ART in Western countries, liver-related conditions are now a major comorbidity in this setting. As such, clinicians should be aware of the frequency, clinical significance and diagnostic approach to elevated liver transaminases.


Introduction The aim of the study was to determine stress factors related to medical education as predictors of burnout in medical students (MS) in the 5th year of studying, just before entering the world of work. Methods Actual cross-sectional study was conducted by the Institute of Occupational Health of RM, including 165 MS in the 5th year of medical studies. Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Socio-economic and Studying Conditions Questionnaire were used. Multiple regression models were tested to examine the associations of stress factors related to medical education to burnout dimensions controlling for age, learning hours/week, and interpersonal relationships with parents/friends. Results Bivariate analyses showed significant positive correlations of burnout dimensions with all domains of MS stressors. Emotional exhaustion demonstrated significant positive correlations with learning hours/week (r=0.234, p=0.003), and poorer interpersonal relationships with parents (r=0.193, p=0.014) and friends (r=0.343, p<0.001), while depersonalization only with poorer interpersonal relationships with friends (r=0.258, p=0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that domain Academic related stressors (examination systems, academic schedule, getting poor marks, high-self expectation to do well, large amount of content to be studied, lack of time, etc.) (Standardised Beta=0.359, p=0.006), poorer interpersonal relationships with friends (Standardised Beta=0.244, p=0.001), and learning hours/week (Standardised Beta=0.140, p=0.044) were significant predictors of higher emotional exhaustion (R 2=0.418). On the other hand, only poorer interpersonal relationships with friends positively predicted depersonalization (Standardised Beta=0.197, p=0.019) (R 2=0.159). Discussion Actual study shows that psychosocial factors in MS entering the world of work are related to higher burnout scores. Preventive strategy oriented towards improvement of health and safety at work in physicians should involve measures for tackling academic related stressors in MS in order to reduce later burnout development.


Neural mass models provide an attractive framework for modeling complex behavior in cortical circuits. The models are based on describing the dynamics of large neural populations through the space and time evolution of a small number of key aggregate statistical quantities. Fitting these models to electrode array recordings can provide insight into connectivity and structure of neural circuits as well as the response of these circuits to stimuli. However, neural mass models are fundamentally nonlinear dynamical systems with large numbers of hidden states, and validating the models on actual recordings and estimating the key parameters remains challenging. This work proposes a novel method for systematically identifying neural mass models that is particularly well-suited for high-density micro-electrocorticographic (μECoG) data. The methodology requires minimal assumptions on the model, and can automatically uncover the underlying components in the neural populations We discuss possible applications to in vivo recordings from feline visual cortex using a recently-developed, high-density 360 contact flexible electrode array with 500 μm inter-electrode spacing.


Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) microspheres containing flurbiprofen were prepared by an oil-in-water emulsion solvent evaporation method, in order to develop a particulate drug delivery system for localized administration. A response surface method (RSM) using a central composite design was employed to evaluate the effect of the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (%, w/v) concentration in the aqueous phase and the PHBV concentration in the organic phase (%, w/v) on some of the resulting microspheres properties. The response variables were the encapsulation efficiency (EE), the mean particle size, the width of particle size distribution (expressed by the SPAN value) and the required time for the in vitro release of 50% of the encapsulated drug (t50%). Second-order polynomial and linear equations were fitted to experimental data and were also used to interpret the results. Results indicated that the concentration of the stabilizer (PVA) showed a highly negative effect on the EE probably due to the increased drug solubility in the aqueous phase as a result of the higher PVA concentrations. Particle diameter mean size increased with the increased polymer concentration while the width of the particle size distribution was found to decrease with the increase of the stabilizer agent. Finally, results indicated that none of the investigated variables presented a significant effect on the t50% values.


The sanctity of human life is the core issue in almost all religions of the world. In the present world scenario, human beings are suffering a lot. Human life is at risk. The most important and precious figure in society is human beings as it is the greatest creature of Almighty Allah. Buddhism and Islam both emphasize the sanctity of human life. The stress laid by the teaching of Islam on the sanctity and respect of human life can be understood by the fact that Islam does not allow the killing of people who are not physically involved in the war. Islam also against suicide. Similarly, the teaching of Buddha has emphasized the holiness and sanctity of human life. According to the philosophy of non-violence in Buddhism (Ahimsa), Killing of human beings is far from Buddhist's creed even they are against the killing of insects. In Buddhism, "The nonviolence is one of the five precepts of Dhamma, which form the right action, right views and right-thinking on Eightfold Path. This article focuses on the teaching of Buddhism and Islam, a comparative study regarding killing and suicide as these topics are closely related to the sanctity of human life.


Glycoprotein H (gH) is a conserved herpesvirus gene product functionally implicated in the penetration of the virus into the host cell. Other human herpesviruses require an accessory glycoprotein named gL for the synthesis of mature gH. We constructed a series of recombinant baculoviruses to determine whether gL expression can overcome the constraints upon Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) gH (gp85) folding and transport in this expression system. When gH and gL were co-expressed some EBV gH was transported to the insect cell surface. Deletion of 27 amino acids from the gH carboxy terminus resulted in the secretion of an 80 kDa protein (gHt) into the culture medium when it was expressed either in the presence or absence of gL and this protein could also be immunoprecipitated with E1D1. In contrast, gL was not secreted into the culture medium. Our results suggests that either co-expression of gH with gL or removal of the predicted transmembrane anchor sequence can overcome some of the constraints upon EBV gH expression in the baculovirus system.


Market farming in the rugged northern Philippine highlands has resulted in a unique blend of new and old economic, environmental and religious practices. Predictably, the onset of "modern" farming methods has brought ecological degradation but, contrary to most theories of rural development, traditional beliefs and communal bonds have flourished at the same time. The explosion of commercial agriculture after World War II, which brought unaccustomed prosperity to the region of Buguias, reinforced the religious practice of lavish feasting. Since the host will have "good luck" if the ritual succeeds in placating the ancestors, he feels free to adopt the most destructive farming methods. While pursuing heavenly favour these growers are literally wagering their lands, hopeful of gaining prosperity and prestige.


We perform atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of melts of four precise acid copolymers, two poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (PEAA) copolymers, and two poly(ethylene-co-sulfonic acid) (PESA) copolymers. The acid groups are spaced by either 9 or 21 carbons along the polymer backbones. Hydrogen bonding causes the acid groups to form aggregates. These aggregates give rise to a low wavevector peak in the structure factors, in agreement with X-ray scattering data for the PEAA materials. The structure factors for the PESA copolymers are very similar to those for the PEAA copolymers, indicating a similar distance between aggregates which depends on the spacer length but not on the nature of the acid group. The PEAA copolymers are found to form more dimers and other small aggregates than do the PESA copolymers, while the PESA copolymers have both more free acid groups and more large aggregates.


Two new species of Cryptoxilos are described from the South Pacific region. A new species from Auckland, New Zealand, Cryptoxilos thorpei Shaw & Berry, is described and illustrated. This is the first described species of the genus Cryptoxilos from New Zealand. The species is associated with a scolytine bark beetle, Chaetoptelius mundulus (Broun) (Coleoptera : Scolytinae), on a dead Pittosporum tree. A second new species, Cryptoxilos beaveri Shaw & Berry, is described from Fiji, also a new locality record for the genus. The species is associated with cryphaline ambrosia beetles, Hypothenemus curtipennis and Hypothenemus dorsosignatus, in the tree Commersonia bartramia. The existing subgenus classification system is discussed in relation to character states expressed in these two new species. Neither new species can be easily assigned to a subgenus based on the existing system. Given serious problems in the consistent application of the previous subgenus system, we recommend that subgenera be abandoned and we treat subgenus Cryptoxiloides simply as a junior synonym of Cryptoxilos.


Two cases of lymphocytic hypophysitis are reported, in which hypothalamic involvement causing diabetes insipidus was a prominent clinical feature. In one case, a man had clinical and radiological evidence of the involvement of the cavernous sinus. This represents the second reported case of a man with lymphocytic hypophysitis. A transsphenoidal biopsy established the diagnosis in both cases. Neither the involvement of the cavernous sinus nor permanent diabetes insipidus has been reported previously. A review of the literature is provided.


The present study was conducted to characterize the genetic diversity of 10 germplasm accessions of finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L) Gaertn) collected from diverse locations spread across the geographical zone of Northern Nigeria.  The digest was carried out using the molecular marker Restriction Fragment Digest (RFD on agarose gel while EcoR1 and Hind III restriction enzymes were used to cut the genomic DNA at specific sites. The results of our findings using RFD generated four clear DNA bands of molecular weights ranging from 10000, 8500, 1000 and 200 KDA. This clearly suggests the existence of polymorphism among the plant accessions.  These results demonstrate the high variability that exists amongst the genetic traits for these germplasm accessions. Information on this plant is very useful in unraveling the pedigree genetic relationships, as well as, in designing breeding and selection experiments for improvement of this crop. It will further stimulate growing interest on the genetic diversity and classification of this crop.

 Key words: Genotypic, restriction digestion, finger millet, Eco R1, Hind 111, northern Nigeria.


We present studies of accelerator-induced backgrounds in the BaBar detector at the SLAC B-Factory, carried out using LPTURTLE, a modified version of the DECAY TURTLE simulation package. Lost-particle backgrounds in PEP-II are dominated by a combination of beam-gas bremstrahlung, beam-gas Coulomb scattering, radiative-Bhabha events and beam-beam blow-up. The radiation damage and detector occupancy caused by the associated electromagnetic shower debris can limit the usable luminosity. In order to understand and mitigate such backgrounds, we have performed a full programme of beam-gas and luminosity-background simulations, that include the effects of the detector solenoidal field, detailed modelling of limiting apertures in both collider rings, and optimization of the betatron collimation scheme in the presence of large transverse tails.


C-fiber primary afferent sensory nerves, containing neuropeptides such as substance P and neurokinin A, mediate excitatory nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (e-NANC) bronchoconstrictor responses in guinea pigs. We have studied the effects of sensory nerve depletion in vivo and at four different airway levels in vitro. Capsaicin pretreatment significantly reduced the cholinergic responses to electrical field stimulation at all airway levels studied when compared to similar responses obtained in tissues from both untreated animals and animals treated with the vehicle for capsaicin (at 8 Hz, 27.2 +/- 4.9% of maximal contraction to 10(-2) M acetylcholine in lower trachea from vehicle-pretreated animals compared with 11.6 +/- 2.9% in lower trachea from capsaicin-pretreated animals, P less than .01). Stimulation of lower tracheal segments at 30-min intervals revealed a cholinergic response which was followed by a small, delayed e-NANC component. In vivo cholinergic bronchoconstrictor responses to vagal stimulation were also significantly diminished (at 5 Hz from 11.6 +/- 2.2 cm H2O in vehicle-pretreated animals to 3.3 +/- 1.4 cm H2O in capsaicin-pretreated animals). Bronchoconstrictor responses to acetylcholine or substance P in normal, vehicle-pretreated or capsaicin-pretreated animals were not significantly different either in vitro or in vivo. Sensory neuropeptides released from C-fiber afferent nerves may facilitate cholinergic neurotransmission in airways. This effect appears more marked at airway levels in which e-NANC responses are demonstrable.


ITALIAN NATIONALISM: BETWEEN NATIONALITARIANISM AND NATIONAL-FASCISMThe subject of this article is the doctrine of Italian nationalism considered using the approach of the Polish italianist Joanna Sondel-Cedarmas. This doctrine found its most complete expression in the activity and journalism of Italian Nationalist Association Associazione Nazionalista Italiana; ANI, of which the main theorists and leaders were Enrico Corradini, Luigi Federzoni, Alfredo Rocco and Francesco Coppola. Although the organization was active relatively briefly, that is, for 13 years from 1910 to 1923, it played a key role in the transitional period between the parliamentary system and the fascist dictatorship. The historical role of ANI consisted in breaking with the nationalitarian ideology dominating in nineteenth-century Italy and related to the Risorgimento Rising Again movement, which was liberal, democratic and anti-clerical. Instead, ANI adopted integral nationalism, connected with right-wing, conservative, monarchist, anti-liberal and authoritarian ideology and favourable to the Catholic religion. However, in contrast to countries like France, Spain, Portugal or Poland, nationalism of this kind failed to retain its autonomous political position and organisational separation, because after World War I it encountered a strong competitor in the anti-liberal camp — fascism, which as a plebeian and revolutionary movement found a broader support base in the pauperised and anarchy-affected society. Nationalists, forced to cooperate with the National Fascist Party after the March on Rome and the coming to power of Benito Mussolini, modified their doctrine in the spirit of the national-fascist ideology. In spite of that, the nationalists active within the fascist system were preventing that system from evolving towards totalitarianism and defended the monarchy, as well as the independence of the Roman-Catholic Church.


Introduction: Myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA) accounts for 5-15% of acute myocardial infarction (MI) cases. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and family history of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their association with gender in patients with MINOCA. Patients and Methods: Around 1772 patients entered this cross-sectional study. Prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia was significantly higher in women compared to men (P<0.001). Smoking was more common in men than women (P<0.001). Results: Women with MINOCA are more likely to have hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes than men with MINOCA, whereas men are more likely to be smokers. Conclusion: Effective blood pressure control, correction of lipid profile and proper glycemic control can prevent MINOCA and its associated morbidities and mortality, especially in women.


This paper considers resource allocation in a network with mobile agents competing for computational priority. We formulate this problem as a multi-agent game with the players being agents purchasing service from a common server. We show that there exists a computable Nash equilibrium when agents have perfect information into the future. We simulate a network of hosts and agents using our strategy to show that our resource-allocation mechanism effectively prioritizes agents according to their endowments.


In Fact and Fiction in Global Energy Policy: 15 Contentious Questions, Benjamin J. Sovacool, Marilyn A. Brown and Scott V. Valentine provide an essential guide to the international debate on how to create a more sustainable energy system by probing into some of the key areas of contention. Dr Robert Falkner highly recommends this volume as a tour de force that will be of utility to students, researchers and practitioners seeking to better understand global energy policy.


In semidefinite programming a proposed optimal solution may be quite poor in spite of having sufficiently small residual in the optimality conditions. This issue may be framed in terms of the discrepancy between forward error (the unmeasurable `true error') and backward error (the measurable violation of optimality conditions). In his seminal work, Sturm provided an upper bound on forward error in terms of backward error and singularity degree. In this paper we provide a method to bound the maximum rank over all solutions and use this result to obtain a lower bound on forward error for a class of convergent sequences. This lower bound complements the upper bound of Sturm. The results of Sturm imply that semidefinite programs with slow convergence necessarily have large singularity degree. Here we show that large singularity degree is, in some sense, also a sufficient condition for slow convergence for a family of external-type `central' paths. Our results are supported by numerical observations.


The period from 1944 until the end of 1945 was marked by the ecclesiastical fight for the chaplaincy of the Italian community in Australia, which ultimately led to the removal overseas of Fr Ugo Modotti sj, chaplain to the Italian community of Melbourne. Fr Modotti had introduced a programme of religious renewal for the Italian community (Opera Religiosa Italiana). But Rome had its own policy carried out by the Apostolic Delegate, Giovanni Panico. (1) It was in the implementation of this Roman policy and the actions of the Apostolic Delegate that the predominantly Irish Australian Catholic Church was transformed. The Italian community would prove fundamental to that change. Giovanni Panico, who came to Australia in 1936, was keen to end the appointment of Irish bishops to Australian sees. (2) Beginning with Bartholomew Cattaneo in 1917, Rome was committed to the notion that an Australian episcopacy should be built from Australian-born (and usually Roman-trained) priests. The so-called 'Roman policy' ultimately created tension between the Roman Curia, represented by the Apostolic Delegates, and the Irish-Australian hierarchy. Instances of this tension date back to 1873 when the first Archbishop of Sydney, English Benedictine, Bede Polding, appealed to Rome about the appointment of Irish bishops. Polding argued at the time that the Australian church would be identified as an Irish church if Irish bishops only were appointed. (3) This confusion was compounded when local bishops would sign Irish episcopal statements, such as the 1870 documents about the occupation of Rome by Italian nationalists. (4) The Roman Curia attempted to rectify the problem by appointing three Italian-born bishops: E. Torreggiani in 1879, John Cani in 1879 and, later, Ernest Coppo in 1923. The clergy resented such moves, as did the laity, which remained principally of Irish descent. By the time of Panico's arrival in 1936, the Irish position was as strong as ever and Panico secretly advised those around him that his task was to 'break the influence exercised in the appointment of bishops'. (5) That year saw the appointment of the first non-Irish Archbishop--Justin Simonds in Hobart. Panico had certainly come into an Irish-dominated Australian church. In the well known journal, The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, John Hennig in 1944 wrote an article entitled: 'Ireland's Spiritual Empire: Church Dedications in Australia', and concluded: Thus, up to the most recent times, in dedications of churches and of educational, ecclesiastical and charitable institutions, Australasia has established a lively connection with her spiritual mother-country, a bond of faithful gratitude and a document of Ireland's enduring significance as an Island of Saints. (6) Even the Italian migrants were affected. One can get a glimpse of the Irishness of the church by recollections of Peter Dalseno on his friend, Peter: He was Italian by birth, Australian by domicility, and Irish in spirit. He learnt much of Irish folklore, came to revere the Shamrock, admired John MacCormack the tenor, idolised St. Patrick for his exploits with the serpents of Ireland, and loved listening to the Irish brogue. His only pet resentment was the Sisters' assertion that the Irish were stronger Catholics than the Italians. (7) With the influx of Italian migrants and various other ethnic groups, it was vital the transformation should begin earlier rather than later. Archbishop Panico versus Archbishop Mannix Between the ambitious Panico carrying out his mission and Daniel Mannix, determined chieftain of Irish Australian Catholicism, there developed quite a strong animosity. Labor Minister, Arthur Calwell, recalls in his biography the less than friendly rivalry between Mannix and Panico: 'there was bad blood, real bad blood, between Panico and Mannix and I've got the whole story from Mannix's own lips'. …


Portaline located in Greece has a production line of doors and frames. Constructs doors and wooden, steel and aluminium frames


Amusement parks are excellent laboratories of physics, not only to check physical laws, but also to investigate if those physical laws might also be applied to human behaviour. A group of Physics Engineering students from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya has investigated if human behaviour, when driving bumper cars, can be modelled using tools borrowed from the analysis of molecular dynamics simulations, such as the radial and angular distribution functions. After acquiring several clips and obtaining the coordinates of the cars, those magnitudes are computed and analysed. Additionally, an analogous hard disks system is simulated to compare its distribution functions to those obtained from the cars' coordinates. Despite the clear difference between bumper cars and a hard disk-like particle system, the obtained distribution functions are very similar. This suggests that there is no important effect of the individuals in the collective behaviour of the system in terms of structure. The research, performed by the students, has been undertaken in the frame of a motivational project designed to approach the scientific method for university students named FISIDABO. This project offers both the logistical and technical support to undertake the experiments designed by students at the amusement park of Barcelona TIBIDABO and accompanies them all along the scientific process.


Recent developments in astronomical observations enable direct imaging of circumstellar disks. Precise characterization of such extended structure is essential to our understanding of stellar systems. However, the faint intensity of the circumstellar disks compared to the brightness of the host star compels astronomers to use tailored observation strategies, in addition to state-of-the-art optical devices. Even then, extracting the signal of circumstellar disks heavily relies on post-processing techniques. In this work, we propose a morphological component analysis (MCA) approach that leverages low-complexity models of both the disks and the stellar light corrupting the data. In addition to disks, our method allows to image exoplanets. Our approach is tested through numerical experiments.


Introduction: The stress-oxidative is involved in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Due to the potential and previous reported for antioxidant properties of atorvastatin, omega-3, vitamin E and vitamin C, their efficacy to prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity was investigated in this study Methods: Fifty-six male rats were divided into 8 groups which received omega-3, atorvastatin, vitamin E, vitamin C, normal saline and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) via gavage for 14 days then a single dose of DOX (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally except two last groups that received only normal saline or DMSO. The level of oxidative stress parameters like ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) before and after DOX injection and malondialdehyde (MDA) of heart were estimated. Also the histopathologic assessments were done on heart sample at the end of experimental period. Results: The results showed that compared to other agents, omega-3 could emerge as the most protection against DOX. Its pretreatment led to one of the most FRAP changing percent meanwhile less MDA value and cardio pathologic indexes almost close to control groups compared to that of other agents (P<0.01). Conclusion: Omega-3 may have a promising protective effect against DOX-induced


This study determined the ameliorative effects of the novel microorganism, Lactobacillus plantarum CQPC02 (LP-CQPC02), fermented in soybean milk, on loperamide-induced constipation in Kunming mice. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed that LP-CQPC02-fermented soybean milk (LP-CQPC02-FSM) had six types of soybean isoflavones, whereas Lactobacillus bulgaricus-fermented soybean milk (LB-FSM) and unfermented soybean milk (U-FSM) only had five types of soybean isoflavones. LP-CQPC02-FSM also contained more total and active soybean isoflavones than LB-FSM and U-FSM. Results from mouse experiments showed that the defecation factors (quantity, fecal weight and water content, gastrointestinal transit ability, and time to first black stool) in the LP-CQPC02-FSM-treated mice were better than those in the LB-FSM- and U-FSM-treated mice. The serum and small intestinal tissue experiments showed that soybean milk increased the motilin, gastrin, endothelin, acetylcholinesterase, substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and glutathione levels and decreased the somatostatin, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, and malondialdehyde levels compared with the constipated mice in the control group. The LP-CQPC02-FSM also showed better effects than those of LB-FSM and U-FSM. Further results showed that LP-CQPC02-FSM upregulated cuprozinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), catalase (CAT), c-Kit, stem cell factor (SCF), glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and aquaporin-9 (AQP9) and downregulated the expression levels of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and aquaporin-3 (AQP3) in the constipated mice. LP-CQPC02-FSM increased the Bacteroides and Akkermansia abundances and decreased the Firmicutes abundance in the feces of the constipated mice and decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio. This study confirmed that LP-CQPC02-FSM partially reversed constipation in mice.


This study presents the perspectives of education graduate students of using Twitter as a pedagogical tool for 15 weeks as a required social media activity in class. The results indicated that each course participants reported a positive learning experience of using Twitter. Although this was their first experience with Twitter, participants reported that Twitter provided space and opportunities to engage in academic activities as a new pedagogical tool. Participants reported they used Twitter to receive immediate and frequent course information, ask questions to the mentor, update course assignment, and to share helpful information from outside the text book to their fellow classmates and mentor.  This study also highlights suggestions and implication of Twitter in personal and professional developments.


Abstract : The Department of Defense (DoD) continues to emphasize the need to assess the level and consequences of racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination within the Reserve components. This overview report discusses findings from the 2011 Workplace and Equal Opportunity Survey of Reserve Component Members (2011 WEOR), a source of information for evaluating and assessing the race/ethnicity-relations environment in the Reserves. The 2011 WEOR is the second Reserve component survey on race/ethnicity-relations issues mandated by Title 10 U.S.C. 481(a)(2)(B). This overview report and accompanying briefing provide information on the prevalence rates of racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination; and personnel policies, practices, and training related to racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination. The 2011 WEOR was fielded from December 2011 to April 2012.


The environmental threat has gained high profile within the media and has been placed at the centre of the political agenda. The Green Movement warns that drastic action is needed to prevent global warming, the exhaustion of raw materials and the extinction of species. But has the alarm they have generated hindered rather than assisted some of the genuine issues at stake? In this book, Wilfred Beckerman sets out to expose the hollowness of the Green's claim to the moral high ground in environmental policy and the falsity of their argument that sustainable development is threatened by the exhaustion of so-called "finite resources". He discusses the difficulties involved in basic ethical issues such as intergenerational justice and the value of species preservation, and sets out the nature of the case for the retention of biodiversity. He aims to show that, far from there being any conflict in the long run between economic growth and the environment, growth is a necessary condition for the solution of genuine environmental problems, particularly those of the Third World.


An optical monitoring system has been developed by the authors aiming at real-time monitoring of laser cutting of thick plates of mild steel. This optical system uses photodiodes and a NIR camera as sensors. The concepts and results of the photodiode-based monitoring system have already been reported [1,2]. This paper is dedicated to the development of the optical set-up for camera-based monitoring of the laser cutting process. Firstly, some general aspects concerning the sensing principles and the conceptual design of the physical layout of the camera set-up are discussed. Based on a detailed optical analysis of the proposed conceptual design, some relevant information with regard to the selection of the camera type was obtained. Aspects related to the acquisition and analysis of the images, are highlighted. The initially developed camera set-up is presented. Firstly the design of the corresponding optical path is discussed in detail, including the results of the performed optical analysis. Next the results of the verification tests, performed on this physical set-up, are presented. Finally some preliminary results are included, proving the superior capability of the NIR camera compared to the photodiode-based solution for monitoring purposes.


Introduction. In submitting to the consideration of the Society the following observations, I would remark that they are intended to form, not a full description, but a sketch of the physical geology of East Anglia during the glacial period. The evidence upon which they are founded is derived from deposits that either have been, or will be, mapped by the officers of the Geological Survey. Full descriptions will appear in their published maps and memoirs; therefore the subject will here be treated generally, and all details omitted. The object I have more especially in view, is to offer an explanation of the origin of a somewhat puzzling series of gravels and sands, classed by Mr. S. V. Wood, Jun., as "Middle Glacial" to give a reason for their occurrence in certain areas and non-occurrence in others, and to account, on mechanical grounds alone, for the almost total absence therefrom of any (except derived) fossil remains. I wish also to remark briefly on the probable means of formation of the so-called "Denudation gravels." The subject is divided, for reasons that will appear, into two parts; the first relates to the district south and east, and the second to that north and west, of the great Chalk escarpment. By the term "East Anglia" is meant a tract of country, north of the Thames, which may be considered to be bounded on the west by a line passing from London through Hertford, Royston, and St. Ives to the estuary of the "Wash," and


Clinical data from 1,752 ambulatory patients treated at five public mental health clinics were used to test hypotheses concerning the diagnoses and psychopharmacotherapy of Hispanic patients compared with Anglos and blacks. Hispanics were less likely than the other two groups to be labeled schizophrenic but more likely to be diagnosed as having other mental illnesses. Hispanics were less likely to receive medication than the other two groups. However, when pharmacotherapy was used there were no significant differences among groups in the number of medications prescribed. There were no differences among the groups in the doses prescribed.


: Patients with firmly established belief systems frequently enter analysis. The analyst must determine the extent to which neurotic and therefore analyzable components are involved in the patient's beliefs as such, as opposed to how the beliefs are embraced and adhered to as expressions of personal neurotic symptom formation or character pathology. The author discusses typical patterns of neurotic religious involvement as they are expressed clinically in hysterical, obsessional, depressive-masochistic, narcissistic, and paranoid modes and styles. He illustrates the manifestations of these patterns with clinical examples drawn from psychoanalytic experience.


The history of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) study in the Crimea was retraced and the possibility of introduction of TBE virus to the Crimea in the process of the acclimatization of vertebrates from areas enzootic for TBE is discussed. The foci of TBE were found throughout the whole of the mountain forest zone of the Crimea and coincided with the habitat area of lxodes ricinus, the main vector of TBE. Such ticks as Dermacentor reticulatus, D. marginatus and Hyalomma marginatum were also found to take part in the circulation of the virus. Among the residents of the mountain forest zone, 13.9% were found to have immunity to TBE, testifying to the wide contact of the population with the pathogen. TBE morbidity had pronounced seasonal character and the morbidity rate was low with the prevalence of mild clinical forms. The characteristic feature of the virus population was polymorphism: strains identical to the Far-Eastern strains Sofyin (about 60-70%) and strains differing in their antigenic structure circulated here.


Gender inequality is one of the biggest challenges to equitable and sustainable natural resource and water governance in developing communities. This thesis investigates the gendered politics of access to water and participation in water governance, using a case study of Makondo Parish in rural Uganda. It empirically explores the micro political and institutional mechanisms that gender access and management of water resources in a rural context in Uganda.
The study draws on a theoretical framework that includes: power and difference, particularly the works of Michel Foucault; the politics of access to resources; and theories of gender and participatory democracy and governance. A 'qualitative-dominant' mixed method approach was used, in which a cross-sectional survey, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, participant observation and community meetings were conducted in the study area. It is argued that whereas there are technical and administrative flaws in water governance at all levels in Makondo Parish, gender divisions and inequalities determine men and women's access to water, water collection and participation in local water governance.
The study contends that children and women are negatively impacted by the current modes of access to water, such as water technologies; formal institutions; knowledge and information; and payments or in-kind contributions. For example, despite the existence of "improved" and perhaps safer water sources in the study area, children and women mainly use "unimproved" water sources due to closer proximity, 'reliability' of source, and it not being necessary to pay repair or maintenance fees to use them, among other reasons. Men's reluctance to pay repair fees and women's inadequate access to money, a major determinant of functionality of "improved" water sources, increases the troubles that women and children face in accessing water. The study further confirms that the burden of collecting water on a daily basis falls primarily on children and women, who move long distances to fetch water, and/or queue for long periods at "improved" water sources, activities that consume their time. Women and children's health and safety are also unevenly impacted by this burden. Health problems arise from the strain of carrying water, from accidents while negotiating hilly and uneven roads and paths, and in addition children and women's safety can be compromised as deaths occur from drowning at 'unimproved' sources. Both women and children can find
themselves vulnerable to verbal and physical assault as gendered social interaction unfolds around water processes.
With regard to participation in water governance, this study exposes that despite their recognised roles as water managers at the household-level and national objectives to include women in community management processes, they are less involved in the governance of water than men and therefore have little influence on how water is managed. Women are not effectively represented in water resource management in Makondo parish, and although they attend water meetings more than men (largely due to their household water management role and their higher enthusiasm compared to men's), women's physical presence is not enough for them to voice their water needs and concerns in local water spaces. Women's voices and choices are undermined in local water decision-making processes due to patriarchal norms and stereotypes that give men more power and opportunities and give women low self-belief in their abilities. More transformative, gender-equitable, and inclusive approaches are needed to bring about sustainable water governance in rural developing communities.


There are few unequivocably established environmental carcinogens for breast cancer in women. Nevertheless, environmental factors are believed to explain much of the international variation in breast cancer risk and possibly differences among racial/ethnic groups. Along with lifestyle, some adverse exposures may be higher in minority racial/ethnic groups and in underserved populations that experience higher ambient contamination. Associations have been found between environmental agents and breast cancer in subgroups of women who can be identified by common susceptibility traits as well as by timing of exposures at certain milestones of reproductive life. Susceptibility can be defined by social, environmental, and genetic modalities–factors that may predominate in certain racial/ethnic groups but that also transcend racial/ethnic boundaries. For example, genes involved in transcription and estrogen metabolism have rapid variants that are more prevalent among African‐Americans, yet risk accompanying metabolic changes from these genes will prevail in all racial/ethnic groups. Lack of reliable exposure assessment remains a principal obstacle to elucidating the role of environmental exposures in breast cancer. Resources must be identified and consolidated that will enable scientists to improve exposure assessment and to assemble studies of sufficient size to address questions regarding exposure, susceptibility, and vulnerability factors in breast cancer. Breast cancer studies should be expanded to examine combinations of chemicals as well as competing or complementary exposures such as endogenous hormones, dietary intake, and behavioral factors. Cancer 2003;97(1 Suppl):289–310. © 2003 American Cancer Society.


In this paper, we introduce a perspective informed by the social
phenomenology of Alfred Schutz, emphasising the inherently practical nature
of action in the social world. We detail several important respects in which this
view stands in contrast to other (notably social-scientific) perspectives that
seek to account for social action. We briefly present a case from our own
design practice of a 'handover' meeting where we staged a boardroom activity
intended to facilitate the client's appropriation of the design proposal. This
provides a concrete illustration for a discussion that articulates the utilities of
adopting Schutz's distinction between practical and scientific 'attitudes' for
the study of design, opening avenues for practical action as a revealing form of
inquiry into design practice.


The paper presents an efficient way to mitigate the magnetic field resulting from the three-phase 500kV single circuit high voltage transmission line existing in Egypt, by using a passive loop conductor. The aim of this paper is to reduce the amount of land required as rights-of-way (ROW). The paper used an accurate method for the evaluation of 50Hz magnetic field produced by overhead transmission lines. This method is based on the matrix formalism of multiconductor transmission lines (MTL). This method obtained a correct evaluation of all the currents flowing in the MTL structure, including the currents in the subconductors of each phase bundle, the currents in the ground wires, the currents in the mitigation loop, and also the earth return currents. Furthermore, the analysis also incorporates the effect of the conductor's sag between towers, and the effect of sag variation with the temperature on the calculated magnetic field. Good results have been obtained and passive loop conductor design parameters have been recommended for this system at ambient temperature (35°C).


The effect of pretreatment (0.5% citric acid solution) and drying air temperature (40, 50, 60, and 70°C) on drying characteristics of button mushroom slices was investigated in a cabinet dryer. The experimental results show that the drying temperature and pretreatment have significant effects on the moisture removal from mushroom. In addition, rehydration ratio of pretreated samples was higher than that of control ones. Four kinds of classical model were used to obtain moisture data and the logarithmic model was the best for representation of mushroom drying. The values of effective moisture diffusivity were found to range between and m2/s over the temperature range studied. The activation energy was found to be 35.04 and 37.21 kJ/mol for control and pretreated samples, respectively.


Summary In Australia, the last decade has witnessed considerable changes to both the scope of paramedic practice and the education of these practitioners. Notably within education, there has been a national trend to move from on-the-job training, towards a pre-employment, undergraduate university qualification. Despite increases in depth, breath and consistency to the curriculum and delivery by subject experts with training in education, criticism remains targeted at the preparation of the graduate for readiness to undertake the paramedic role. Australian undergraduate courses are currently experiencing unprecedented enrolment numbers, with complex student learning expectations and requirements. Producing work ready graduates within traditional curriculum frameworks is a challenge. Capstone courses target the final preparation of the graduating student, with a strong emphasis on articulating them successfully with their chosen industrial settings. While widely accepted in other disciplines, such as engineering, capstone is a new concept to paramedicine. This paper discusses how a capstone topic was created and implemented at Flinders University within the Bachelor of Paramedic Science degree. It describes the differentiated student learning methodology employed and the strategies used to respond to specific student and industry concerns regarding university teaching.


An Empirical Analysis of Health Implications and Costs of Obesity in Appalachia Saman Janaranjana Herath Bandara Obesity is a major health problem in the United States (U.S.) and approximately 34 percent of the U.S. adult population is obese. Studies using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and many other research findings warn that if the current trend of obesity continues, 50 percent of the U.S. population will be obese in 2030. Unfortunately, several diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes (type II), hypertension, cancer, arthritis, asthma, and some psychological disorders are linked with obesity. Obesity increases the risk of premature mortality, and nearly 300,000 annual deaths are associated with obesity in the U.S. The economic burden associated with obesity is remarkably high. The magnitude of the health impacts of obesity depends on the levels of obesity-related diseases, socioeconomic factors, behavioral factors, environmental factors and geographical characteristics of a particular region. The main objective of this study is to examine health implications and costs of adult obesity in the Appalachian region. Appalachia is an economically less-developed region. It consists of 420 counties in 13 states and reports high rates of obesity compared to the rest of the U.S. The theoretical models and arguments of the study are developed within the context of a consumer's utility maximization model based on a household production function. The empirical models and analyses are conducted at the county level as well as at an individual level, using a system of simultaneous equations and logit analyses. Three-stage least squares (3SLS) estimations were used for the simultaneous equations. The main source of data is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's BRFSS. The statistical package of STATA is used to run the analyses. The empirical results of the county level analyses reveal that obesity and obesity-related diseases are increasing in Appalachia, indicating that the healthcare sector has failed to control obesity even as incomes have been increasing. Importantly, results indicate potential reductions of obesity and obesity-related diseases with increasing employment opportunities. Individual level analyses using logit estimations show a potential high risk of asthma, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension with the occurrence of obesity. Almost all logit estimations highlight the potential benefits of increasing income and employment opportunities along with higher education to reduce obesity and obesity-related diseases. The cost estimations for all diseases show a $14.7 billion healthcare cost linked to adult obesity. This is nearly 1.4 percent of total GDP of the Appalachian region in 2009. Results further reveal the potential gains of reducing obesity compared to national and federal obesity rate targets. An individual level analysis examining the potential use of reduced calorie intake and engaging in more physical activities indicates that these two behaviors could be used to significantly reduce obesity in Appalachia as long as there are adequate recreational facilities.


Contextualisation as hermeneutical question Christian proclamation has always been aware of the need to apply its message meaningfully. As such, contextualisation is a hermeneutical question proper. In modern times contextualisation is given a special meaning. It now refers to meaningfulness in a political context. This critical political paradigm asks why the oppressed receive so little attention in Western theology, This study gives relief to several motifs of the Reformation. A basic pattern is developed in such a way that it is able to establish questions about horizontal love and a just social structure as an important facet of theological reflection.


While people may accidentally come across political information online, the question of the conditions under which this incidental exposure facilitates political participation remains. To answer this question, the current study acknowledges the need to consider the content of incidental exposure, namely, information that supports or challenges one's views. Furthermore, this relationship between incidental exposure and political participation may depend on individuals' cultural worldviews of themselves and their social units: individualism and collectivism. By analyzing two panel survey data sets collected before the presidential elections in the United States and South Korea, the current study advances a dual theoretical model in which pro-/counter-attitudinal incidental exposure and collectivism/individualism interact respectively to predict political participation offline and online. We find that pro-attitudinal incidental exposure may be a catalyst for political participation among highly collectivist individuals, whereas counter-attitudinal incidental exposure may be a suppressor among people who hold weak individualist values in the United States rather than in Korea.


Investigations of sea ice-ocean interaction on the continental shelf in the southwestern Weddell Sea reveal a strong correlation between fluctuations of atmospheric forcing and the variability of sea ice formation.Anomalies of meridional wind stress in the inner Weddell Sea are consistent with the phase of the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW).Positive anomalies of northward wind stress cause an increase of sea ice export in the same, and of sea ice formation in the following year leading to an increased production of High Salinity Shelf Water.Driven by a varying zonal density distribution over the continental shelf, the circulation in the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf cavity fluctuates between two modes, each of which features a characteristic distribution of basal freezing and melting regions.Thus, signals of interannual atmospheric variability propagate into the deep ocean and the sub-ice shelf cavities.


Abstract. Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) typically rely on plant functional types (PFTs), which are assigned distinct environmental tolerances and replace one another progressively along environmental gradients. Fixed values of traits are assigned to each PFT; modelled trait variation along gradients is thus driven by PFT replacement. But empirical studies have revealed "universal" scaling relationships (quantitative trait variations with climate that are similar within and between species, PFTs and communities); and continuous, adaptive trait variation has been proposed to replace PFTs as the basis for next-generation DGVMs. Here we analyse quantitative leaf-trait variation on long temperature and moisture gradients in China with a view to understanding the relative importance of PFT replacement vs. continuous adaptive variation within PFTs. Leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and nitrogen content of dry matter were measured on all species at 80 sites ranging from temperate to tropical climates and from dense forests to deserts. Chlorophyll fluorescence traits and carbon, phosphorus and potassium contents were measured at 47 sites. Generalized linear models were used to relate log-transformed trait values to growing-season temperature and moisture indices, with or without PFT identity as a predictor, and to test for differences in trait responses among PFTs. Continuous trait variation was found to be ubiquitous. Responses to moisture availability were generally similar within and between PFTs, but biophysical traits (LA, SLA and LDMC) of forbs and grasses responded differently from woody plants. SLA and LDMC responses to temperature were dominated by the prevalence of evergreen PFTs with thick, dense leaves at the warm end of the gradient. Nutrient (N, P and K) responses to climate gradients were generally similar within all PFTs. Area-based nutrients generally declined with moisture; Narea and Karea declined with temperature, but Parea increased with temperature. Although the adaptive nature of many of these trait-climate relationships is understood qualitatively, a key challenge for modelling is to predict them quantitatively. Models must take into account that community-level responses to climatic gradients can be influenced by shifts in PFT composition, such as the replacement of deciduous by evergreen trees, which may run either parallel or counter to trait variation within PFTs. The importance of PFT shifts varies among traits, being important for biophysical traits but less so for physiological and chemical traits. Finally, models should take account of the diversity of trait values that is found in all sites and PFTs, representing the "pool" of variation that is locally available for the natural adaptation of ecosystem function to environmental change.


Single-chain urokinase (scuPA), the unique form of urokinase secreted by cells, is converted to an active two-chain molecule through the cleavage of a single peptide bond by plasmin and other specific proteinases. Although scuPA may express limited enzymatic activity, its contribution to plasminogen activation on cell surfaces remains uncertain. Further, although it is well known that scuPA binds to a specific extracellular urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, the effect of this interaction on the enzymatic activity of scuPA has not been described. In the present paper we report that the binding of scuPA to cellular and to recombinant soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptors (suPAR) increases its catalytic activity as measured by the cleavage of a urokinase-specific chromogenic substrate. suPAR increased the Vmax of scuPA 5-fold with little change in its K. suPAR also stimulated the plasminogen activator activity of scuPA by decreasing its K for Glu-plasminogen from 1.15 μM to 0.022 μM and by increasing the k of this reaction from 0.0015 to 0.022 s. Preincubation of scuPA with suPAR also enhances its susceptibility to inhibition by plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1, consistent with exposure of its catalytic site. The activity of scuPA bound to suPAR is not accompanied by cleavage of scuPA, which continues to migrate as a single band in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions. Moreover, suPAR increases the plasminogen activator activity of a plasmin-insensitive variant, scuPA (scuPA-Glu), as well. Enhancement of scuPA activity by suPAR is both prevented and reversed by its amino-terminal fragment (amino acids 1-135), which competes for receptor binding, suggesting that continued binding to the receptor is required for expression of scuPA's enzymatic activity. Thus, our data suggest that scuPA may undergo a reversible transformation between a latent and an active state. The urokinase receptor may induce or stabilize scuPA in its active conformation, thereby contributing to the initiation of plasminogen activation on cell surfaces.


For explaining the situation arising from spontaneous combustion, there is a necessity for quick and accurate analysis of the gaseous products of combustion. It is also very important to interpret these data correctly. This interpretation provides information prominence to mine rescue crew and the mine management concerning the withdrawal or continuity of rescue team in a rescue and recovery operation before an explosion takes place. Additionally, it is also of utmost importance to see whether the fire combating techniques are effective or the fire is under control ensuring the security of workers and equipment during and after the sealing works. Therefore, the indices related with spontaneous combustion which are still commonly in use are summarised in this work.


Abstract Job characteristics are linked with health, safety, well-being and other performance outcomes. Job characteristics are usually assessed by their presence or absence, which gives no indication of the specific purposes for which workers might use some job characteristics. We focused on job control and social support as two job characteristics embedded in the well-known Demand–Control–Support model. In Study 1, using an experience sampling methodology (N = 67) and a cross-sectional survey methodology (N = 299), we found that relationships between the execution of job control or the elicitation of social support and a range of other variables depended on the purposes for which job control was executed or social support elicited. In Study 2 (N = 28), we found that it may be feasible to improve aspects of well-being and performance through training workers on how to use job control or social support for specific purposes.


Mesoporous titanium nitride (TiN) microspheres with tunable chamber structures were synthesized through NH3 nitridation of organotitania obtained via solvothermal alcoholysis. Owing to high content of organic species in organotitania, which stabilized the original structure and also promoted the nitridation at low temperature, TiN duplicated the solid, yolk-shell, and hollow chambers of organotitania in NH3 nitridation and also formed the mesoporous structure after removing organic species. During visible light-induced photocatalytic water splitting, the yolk-shell TiN demonstrated a higher H2 evolution efficiency than the solid, hollow, and crushed TiN; the yolk-shell TiN obtained through N2 nitridation; and other semiconductor photocatalysts reported so far without the aid of noble metals. This could be attributed mainly to the narrow energy band gap for absorbing visible light, high surface area, and excellent electrical conductivity, which facilitated light harvesting, reactant adsorption, and photoelectron-hole separation to suppress their recombination. Moreover, it could be easily recycled and thus used repetitively.


CASE DESCRIPTION
During the same week, 3 sequential patients (a 10-year-old 8.7-kg spayed female poodle cross [dog 1], 13-year-old 2.6-kg spayed female domestic longhair cat, and 13-year-old 9.0-kg castrated male mixed-breed dog [dog 2]) underwent CT-angiography (day 0) and transarterial embolization (day 1) for nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 2) or prostatic carcinoma (1).

CLINICAL FINDINGS
Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) was suspected in all animals on the basis of higher serum creatinine concentrations after contrast medium administration (exposure), compared with baseline concentrations before exposure, consistent with CIN definitions. The total dose of contrast medium was < 3 mL/kg for each exposure. For all 3 patients, creatinine concentration peaked at a median of 3 days (range, 2 to 3 days) after the first exposure (day 0), and the median absolute and relative increases in creatinine concentration after exposure (vs baseline concentrations before exposure) were 2.9 mg/dL (range, 2.2 to 3.7 mg/dL) and 410% (range, 260 to 720%), respectively.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME
The patients received individually tailored supportive care for acute kidney injury. Serum creatinine concentrations began to improve at a median of 4 days (range, 3 to 4 days) and returned to within reference limits at a median of 7 days (range, 3 to 13 days) following initial exposure.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
CIN should be considered as a potential complication following IV administration of contrast medium. Short-term outcome following CIN can be excellent with supportive care.


On March 24, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Veneman v. Livestock Marketing Associations, Docket No. 03-1164, which presents the question of whether mandatory assessments on beef producers used to fund generic beef advertising violate the First Amendment rights of dissenting industry members. The Court undoubtedly decided to hear the case to resolve the sharply diverging reasoning in its two earlier decisions on industry-association advertising, Glickman v. Wileman Brothers and Elliot, 521 U.S. 457 (1997), and United States v. United Foods, 533 U.S. 405 (2001). This article discusses the compelled subsidization doctrine, which holds that there is a First Amendment right not to subsidize the speech of others. The Supreme Court has considered the First Amendment rights of dissenters in the context of mandatory union dues, bar association payments, state university student fees, and industry-association advertising. This article argues that the Court has failed in these cases to formulate a clear, universally applicable test for deciding when the right against compelled subsidization is violated, and that this failure results from the lack of a coherent account of what First Amendment interests are at stake in compelled subsidization. It also recommends an alternative account of wherein the right lies, which is the danger of covert state subsidization of one side or another in public debate on contentious political or ideological issues. From this account follows a new general test: The compelled subsidization of the speech of others violates the First Amendment just when the funds collected are used to promote the message of an identifiable viewpoint or interest in debate on a controversial political or ideological issue. In addition to making specific recommendations on how Veneman should be decided, the article briefly describes the connections between the compelled subsidization doctrine and the Court's recent rulings on campaign finance regulation, particularly McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 124 S. Ct. 619 (2003). Not only do both lines of cases raise the question of whether money is ever speech, but both also turn on the extent to which the First Amendment protects not only individual expressive rights, but the integrity of public political debate.


Flap edema can often compromise an otherwise successful lower-extremity microsurgical reconstruction. To train a flap toward maturity, various wrapping and dangling protocols have been described. Mixed tissue oxygenation of a myocutaneous free flap for lower-extremity reconstruction is examined as measured by ViOptix with wrapping and unwrapping during dangling at different postoperative time points. The results are compared with the nonaffected lower extremity and additional healthy controls. Upon dangling a reconstructed lower extremity, the tissue oximetry recording of a free flap descended rapidly until the leg was reelevated and then continued at this low level with a gradual return to the predangling baseline. The extent of this drop in tissue oxygenation depended upon positioning, and the length of time to reach its baseline upon reelevation decreased as flap matured postoperatively. In addition, wrapping of a reconstructed lower extremity also decreased the overall drop in tissue oxygenation level and the time to recovery while having no effect on the control. Results of this prospective study can lead to an increased understanding of free flap physiology in lower-extremity reconstruction and can further validate and refine our postoperative management strategies regarding dependency and edema control.


Inferring selective sweeps from genetic data has been a breakthrough in population genetics. The most prominent examples come from populations suddenly exposed to extreme stressors, such as insecticides... One of the most useful models in population genetics is that of a selective sweep and the consequent hitch-hiking of linked neutral alleles. While variations on this model typically assume constant population size, many instances of strong selection and rapid adaptation in nature may co-occur with complex demography. Here, we extend the hitch-hiking model to evolutionary rescue, where adaptation and demography not only co-occur but are intimately entwined. Our results show how this feedback between demography and evolution determines—and restricts—the genetic signatures of evolutionary rescue, and how these differ from the signatures of sweeps in populations of constant size. In particular, we find rescue to harden sweeps from standing variance or new mutation (but not from migration), reduce genetic diversity both at the selected site and genome-wide, and increase the range of observed Tajima's D values. For a given initial rate of population decline, the feedback between demography and evolution makes all of these differences more dramatic under weaker selection, where bottlenecks are prolonged. Nevertheless, it is likely difficult to infer the co-incident timing of the sweep and bottleneck from these simple signatures, never mind a feedback between them. Temporal samples spanning contemporary rescue events may offer one way forward.


Current criteria regarding hypertension in pregnancy consider two distinct types: gestational hypertension (pure type) and preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome, the latter with albuminuria as a mandatory clinical fact. However, reports of lasts years show that a 15 to 46% of cases classified as pure type gestational hypertension evolve to a preeclamptic state, underlying the possibility that both clinical conditions represent diferent stages of the same disease. On the other hand, albuminuria may not be present in severe cases of pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders such as HELLP syndrome or eclampsia. It follows that if albuminuria is not necessary to establish the most severe forms of the disease, must the non-albuminuric hypertensive-type still be considered as a diferent diagnosis? This report reviews the medical literature on the subject, stressing similarities and diferences of both conditions in order to reflect about the need to change the classification concepts pregnancy-related hypertensive entities.


The purpose of this study was to develop and analyze an updated scale of teacher assessment literacy that measures teachers' self-ratings of skills in areas mentioned in the current literature on assessment. Items were included in the scale based on expert judgment. The participants were 193 Kindergarten through fifth grade teachers in a rural school district in the southeastern United States. All demographic surveys and scales were distributed in classrooms or at an after school staff meeting and all were collected within a three week time frame. Following collection data were entered and analyzed. Independent t-tests and analysis of variance indicated that statistically significant differences existed in overall scale scores as a function of education level grade level taught and measurement courses taken. Teachers with a higher level of education had higher overall scores than teachers with less education and teachers who have taken a course in measurement had higher overall scores than teachers who have not taken a course in measurement. Principal components analysis indicated that all items had moderate to high loadings on to a single component which may be called "assessment literacy."


Vesicovaginal fistula cases treated in our clinic betvveen 1983-1998 has been evaluated retrospectively. Etiologic causes and approaches to treatment have been discussed. 70.6 % of the cases were caused by gynecologic re- asons vvhereas the remaining 29.4 % were due to obstetric reasons. Three cases treated by electrocoagulation, eleven cases by transabdominal-transvesical approach and another three by transvaginal approach. After eva- luation of the results, 66.6% (2/3) success rate has been reached with electrocoagulation while this rate was 100% (3/3) at transvaginal methods and 72.7% (8/11) with transabdominal-transvesical approach. Three cases which failed at the first application of transabdominal-transvesical method ended up with recovery after the se- cond treatment with the same method. Although the number of cases are not enough to give a solid decision, we concluded that the transvaginal approach may be preferred as a first method in vesicovaginal fistula by con- sidering the lesser amount of morbidity, minimum blood loss, easiness of operation and control over the operated area, shorter hospital stay and simultaneous treatment of stress incontinance.


The role of a power transformer protective relay is to rapidly operate the tripping during internal faults and block the tripping during magnetizing inrush. This paper presents a new approach for discriminating transient phenomena of power transformer, which may be implemented in digital relaying for transformer differential protection. Discrimination between internal faults, external faults and magnetizing inrush currents is achieved by combining wavelet transforms and fuzzy logic. The wavelet transform is applied for the analysis of the power transformer transient phenomena because of its ability to extract information from the transient signals in both time and frequency domain. Fuzzy logic is used because of the uncertainty in the differential current signals and relay settings. MATLAB power system toolbox is used to generate current signals at both sides of a power transformer in a typical system with various conditions. The simulation results obtained show that the new algorithm provides a high operating sensitivity for internal faults and remains stable for external faults and inrush currents.


Cell death is an essential event in normal life and development, as well as in the pathophysiological processes that lead to disease. Although the literature on cell death has grown enormously in size and complexity, a pattern has emerged that each of several distinct organelles (plasma membrane, mitochondrion, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome) gives rise to signals that induce cell death. Most often these signals converge on mitochondria to initiate a common pathway to either caspase-dependent apoptosis or ATP depletion-dependent necrosis. This brief overview emphasizes the multiple and often redundant pathways between different organelles that lead ultimately to a cell's demise.