Analogies are 4-ary relations of the form "A is to B as C is to D". When A, B and C are fixed, we call analogical equation the problem of finding the correct D. A direct applicative domain is Natural Language Processing, in which it has been shown successful on word inflections, such as conjugation or declension. If most approaches rely on the axioms of proportional analogy to solve these equations, these axioms are known to have limitations, in particular in the nature of the considered flections. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach, based on the assumption that optimal word inflections are transformations of minimal complexity. We propose a rough estimation of complexity for word analogies and an algorithm to find the optimal transformations. We illustrate our method on a large-scale benchmark dataset and compare with state-of-the-art approaches to demonstrate the interest of using complexity to solve analogies on words.


Geographic routing is assumed to be the most potential routing scheme in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) due to its scalability and efficiency. Recently more and more research work about geographic routing pay attention to its application scenarios in duty-cycled WSNs because of the natural advantage of saving energy consumption with duty-cycling. However, it may cause significant latency issue when applying geographic routing in duty-cycled WSNs and almost all current researches try to handle the latency problem from the point of changing the geographic forwarding mechanism, apart from the connected-k neighborhood (CKN) algorithm which focuses on sleep scheduling. In this paper, we discuss and analyze the first transmission path's performance of the two-phase geographic forwarding (TPGF) in a CKN based WSN and further propose a geographic routing oriented sleep scheduling (GSS) algorithm to shorten the first transmission path of TPGF in duty-cycled WSNs. Further theoretical and simulation results show that GSS can achieve a good tradeoff between the length of the first transmission path explored by TPGF and the total energy consumption to transmit data with the explored first transmission path, compared with the CKN sleep scheduling algorithm.


Based on the Ecological Footprint Model, a Sustainability Index is put forward to measure the degree of regional sustainable development. Using correlation and sensitivity analysis, this study explored the level of sustainable development in the Xingguo County of China from 1996 to 2005, and revealed the driving factors of human activities on sustainable development. The results indicate that the consumption footprint of biological resources in the study area shows a slow, fluctuating upward trend. The increasing ratio of ecological carrying capacity is greater than that of per capita ecological carrying capacity. The values of the sustainable index range from 0.5 to 0.6 (which means unsafe), and it shows a slowly increasing trend. This indicates that the rate of population growth is faster than that of ecological recovery and improvement, which is beyond the bearing capacity of the ecological environment. The Sustainability Index in the study area has a significantly positive correlation with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) urbanization level and this has a significantly negative correlation with the proportion of primary industry. The Sustainability Index in the study area is more sensitive to population growth, followed by a decrease in primary industries.

 Key words: Sustainability Index, ecological footprint, sensitivity analysis, regional sustainable development.


Motivated by the intriguing properties of magnetic molecular wheels at field-induced level crossings, we investigate the spin-Peierls instability of antiferromagnetic rings in a field by exact diagonalizations of a microscopic spin model coupled to the lattice via a distortion-dependent Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We show that, beyond the unconditional instability at level crossings for infinitesimal magnetoelastic coupling, the model is characterized by a stronger tendency to distort at higher level crossings and by a dramatic angular dependence with very sharp torque anomalies when the field is almost in the plane of the ring. These predictions are shown to compare remarkably well with available torque and nuclear magnetic resonance data on CsFe8.


Objective: To evaluate surgical performance in pancreatoduodenectomy using clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) occurrence as a quality indicator. Background: Accurate assessment of surgeon and institutional performance requires (1) standardized definitions for the outcome of interest and (2) a comprehensive risk-adjustment process to control for differences in patient risk. Methods: This multinational, retrospective study of 4301 pancreatoduodenectomies involved 55 surgeons at 15 institutions. Risk for CR-POPF was assessed using the previously validated Fistula Risk Score, and pancreatic fistulas were stratified by International Study Group criteria. CR-POPF variability was evaluated and hierarchical regression analysis assessed individual surgeon and institutional performance. Results: There was considerable variability in both CR-POPF risk and occurrence. Factors increasing the risk for CR-POPF development included increasing Fistula Risk Score (odds ratio 1.49 per point, P < 0.00001) and octreotide (odds ratio 3.30, P < 0.00001). When adjusting for risk, performance outliers were identified at the surgeon and institutional levels. Of the top 10 surgeons (≥15 cases) for nonrisk-adjusted performance, only 6 remained in this high-performing category following risk adjustment. Conclusions: This analysis of pancreatic fistulas following pancreatoduodenectomy demonstrates considerable variability in both the risk and occurrence of CR-POPF among surgeons and institutions. Disparities in patient risk between providers reinforce the need for comprehensive, risk-adjusted modeling when assessing performance based on procedure-specific complications. Furthermore, beyond inherent patient risk factors, surgical decision-making influences fistula outcomes.


The shrinkage characteristics of buffer-backfilling materials play an important role in the security and stability of the high-level radioactive waste geological disposal system. COx argillite is considered as a kind of potential buffer-backfilling materials in France. In this investigation, both the initially saturated compacted COx specimens and the paste-like COx specimens are prepared and subjected to different test methods to study their volumetric shrinkage behaviours. For the compacted specimens, it is found that the volumetric shrinkage deformation is significantly influenced by the initial dry density; the shrinkage limit, shrinkage efficiency and shrinkage strain decrease with the increasing dry density; in addition, it is observed that the shrinkage direction of specimens shows obvious anisotropism. For example, at low degree of compaction, the radial shrinkage strain is higher than axial shrinkage strain, and the shrinkage geometry factor is larger than 3; however, the contrary results are obtained at high degree of compaction. For the paste-like specimens, three shrinkage stages can be distinguished: normal shrinkage, residual shrinkage and zero shrinkage; most of the volume shrinkage deformation occurs before the air-entry point while the soil is still fully saturated. A group of four general shrinkage models are employed to fit the shrinkage curve of the paste-like specimens. The results show that the G & C model can get the highest performance for the present soil.


Treatment Resource Manual for Speech Language Pathology, Fourth Edition is an ideal text for students entering clinical practicum. Not only are basic therapy and information reporting techniques discussed, but intervention strategies for working with unique child and adult client populations are covered in a well-written and concise manner. The new edition contains significantly expanded information on language disorders in children including early intervention, coverage of the response-to-intervention (RTI) service delivery model, metalinguistic skills, and appropriate instructional strategies for the development of writing skills. An expanded discussion of issues in articulation and phonology disorders including treatment models and goal selection strategies is also included. Updated references, evidence based practice, and additional resources are provided for all chapters, making the fourth edition of Treatment Resource Manual for Speech-Language pathology the most comprehensive text available on the treatment of communication disorders.


An efficient face detection scheme that can detect multiple faces in a color image with a complex environment and different illumination levels is proposed in this paper. The first stage adopts skin color-based segmentation to search potential face regions. The second stage detects the lip in potential face regions using a lip color model and searches the eyes using geometry textures. The last stage clips the face region using an optimization ellipse. Results of the study demonstrate that the proposed approach performs well in detecting various poses in different illumination conditions and complicated backgrounds.


Kang Er Xin-I (KEX-I) is a proved recipe used to treat viral myocarditis. It consists of Lonicera japonica, Ophiopogon japonicus, Astragalus membranaceus mainly and possesses the effect of clearing away heat and toxic materials and supplementing the vital energy and nourishing. The clinical study was carried out with KEX-I according to a random, paired and cross-over design. Coenzyme Q10 was used as a control and left ventricular function was observed. The result showed: after being treated with KEX-I for two weeks, the 26 patients' chief cardiac functional indexes assessed with STI improved markedly, the value of PEP/LVET and ICT/LVCT all decreased and the difference between the two groups was significant. The experimental study showed that KEX-I can inactivate directly the virus of Coxsackie B3, protect the heart cells in mice, prevent attack by Coxsackie B3, promote the growth of internal interferon and increase the NK cell's function to regulate immunity in experimental mice.


This article unpacks the events and reactions surrounding a mysterious 'fainting wave' that swept through Angolan middle and high schools from early 2011 on. By attending to the historicity and materiality of the fainting wave, the article investigates why the strong conviction took root of a dark political intentionality behind this inexplicable phenomenon, and why this conspiratorial interpretation prevailed over alternative explanations of a more psychological or spiritual bent. Through this, the article contributes to disaggregating the seemingly monolithic, neo-authoritarian Angolan state. More importantly, it points to the limitations of analyses pivoting on an idea of opposing rationalities, while at the same time demonstrating how historically attuned, deep ethnography can help us overcome the limits of more 'scientistic' psychological explanations.


Cholesterol net transport, esterification, and cholesteryl ester transfer have been determined in plasma during fasting, and postprandially, after a high fat-cholesterol meal. Significant rises in plasma triglyceride, phospholipid, and free cholesterol were associated with increases in cholesterol net transport, esterification, and transfer (all P less than 0.005), which were well correlated in individual subjects (r greater than 0.60). Essentially, the whole of free cholesterol required for such increased esterification was derived from cell membranes, when cultured fibroblasts were present, despite the increased level of free cholesterol in postprandial plasma; most of the additional cholesteryl ester generated was transferred to the low and very low density lipoproteins (LDL and VLDL) of plasma. Postprandial LDL (the major carrier of free and ester cholesterol and phospholipids among the acceptor lipoproteins) contained significantly decreased ratios of free cholesterol to phospholipid (P less than 0.001), which may modulate the increased transfer of cholesteryl ester to VLDL and LDL. These data suggest that the presence of postprandial acceptor lipoproteins in plasma may play an important role in stimulating the "reverse" transport of cholesterol from peripheral cells for hepatic degradation, which is effective even after the ingestion of dietary cholesterol.


Since China opened up in the late 70s and the early 80s, the low labor cost of Chinese workers have attracted many electronics companies from around the world to set up their factories there or to sub-contract their products to Chinese manufacturers. This has earned China the nickname, "the World's Factory". One can find many products around the world wearing the "Made in China" label. Initially, Chinese industry only took on product assembly and simple development jobs. Consumer items such as radios, calculators, and electronic toys were typical of "Made in China" products at that time. Most of the research and design activities were conducted elsewhere. Most components used in assembly were pre-made and shipped to China. Only simple components were sourced locally. At that time, most of the products manufactured by foreign enterprises were exported. The Chinese market was protected by high tax rates and very few Chinese could afford foreign-made products. This trend, however, has changed fundamentally in the last ten years. The Chinese economy has improved dramatically, experiencing double-digit growth every year. The standard of living for Chinese citizens in the major cities and the surrounding areas has improved substantially. This rise in income has opened up a huge consumer market. Foreign investment in the Chinese market is increasing. Many multinational companies have moved their critical component manufacturing sites to China. More and more international companies have set up major research and sales center in this high-potential market. Having entered the WTO, China now has become one of the most important electronics markets in the world. Its role in the electronics business has evolved from simply assembling products to research and development, component procurement, marketing and sales.


Neo-republican theorists have expressed scepticism at the idea of non-institutional moral rights which they associate with objectionable aspects of the natural rights tradition. However, their alternative risk making rights the gift of the state and so losing the role of rights as a vocabulary of political critique and struggle. In this chapter, I defend the coherence of rights as moral entitlements which individuals possess independently of state recognition. I examine an early radical strand of natural rights thinking as articulated by the English Levellers. These early modern radical republicans defended a right to resistance as a fall-back right that guaranteed the other rights one enjoyed. Attention to this current of thinking has the potential to correct the statist bias of contemporary republican accounts by highlighting the idea of rights as a vocabulary of social criticism tied to the people as a source of moral claims and collective resistance.


People with mental illnesses face the dilemma of whether to disclose or conceal their diagnosis, but this dilemma was scarcely researched. To gain in-depth understanding of this dilemma, we interviewed 29 individuals with mental illnesses: 16 with major depression/bipolar disorders and 13 with schizophrenia. Using a phenomenological design, we analyzed individuals' experiences, decision-making processes, and views of gains and costs regarding concealment and disclosure of mental illness. We found that participants employed both positive and negative disclosure/concealment practices. Positive practices included enhancing personal recovery, community integration, and/or supporting others. Negative practices occurred in forced, uncontrolled situations. We also identified various influencing factors, including familial norms of sharing, accumulated experiences with disclosure, and ascribed meaning to diagnosis. Based on these findings, we deepen the understanding about decision-making processes and the consequences of disclosing or concealing mental illness. We discuss how these finding can help consumers explore potential benefits and disadvantages of mental illness disclosure/concealment occurrences.


The innate immune response is characterized by activation of transcription factors, nuclear factor kappa B and activator protein-1 and their downstream targets, the pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 1β and interleukin 6. Normal development of this response in the intestine is critical to survival of the human neonate and delays can cause the onset of devastating inflammatory diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis. Previous studies have addressed the role of nuclear factor kappa B in the development of the innate immune response in the enterocyte, however despite its central role in the control of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, little is known on the role of Activator Protein 1 in this response in the enterocyte. Here we show that the canonical Activator Protein 1 members, cJun and cFos and their upstream kinases JNK and p38 play an essential role in the regulation of interleukin 6 in the immature enterocyte. Our data supports a model whereby the cFos/cJun heterodimer and the more potent cJun homodimer downstream of JNK are replaced by less efficient JunD containing dimers, contributing to the decreased responsiveness to interleukin 1β and decreased interleukin 6 secretion observed in the mature enterocyte. The tissue specific expression of JunB in colonocytes and colon derived tissues together with its ability to repress Interleukin-1β induction of an Interleukin-6 gene reporter in the NCM-460 colonocyte suggests that induction of JunB containing dimers may offer an attractive therapeutic strategy for the control of IL-6 secretion during inflammatory episodes in this area of the intestine


Formal verification is an important issue in circuit and system design. In this context, bounded model checking (BMC) is one of the most successful techniques. However, even if all the specified properties can be verified, it is difficult to determine whether they cover the complete functional behavior of a design. We propose a practical approach to analyze coverage in BMC. The approach can easily be integrated in a BMC tool with only minor changes. In our approach, a coverage property is generated for each important signal. If the considered properties do not describe the signal's entire behavior, the coverage property fails, and a counter example is generated. From the counter example, an uncovered scenario can be derived. This way, the approach also helps in design understanding. We demonstrate our method for a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) CPU. First, the coverage of the block-level verification is considered. Second, it is demonstrated how the technique can be applied on a higher level. Therefore, we investigate the instruction set verification of the RISC CPU. The experiments show that the costs for coverage analysis are comparable to the verification costs. Based on the results, we identified coverage gaps during the verification. We were able to close all of them and achieved 100% functional coverage in total.


The nonlinear filter associated with the discrete time signal-observation model (X k , Y k) is known to forget its initial condition as k → ∞ regardless of the observation structure when the signal possesses sufficiently strong ergodic properties. Conversely, it stands to reason that if the observations are sufficiently informative, then the nonlinear filter should forget its initial condition regardless of any properties of the signal. We show that for observations of additive type Y k = h(X k) + ξ k with invertible observation function h (under mild regularity assumptions on h and on the distribution of the noise ξ k), the filter is indeed stable in a weak sense without any assumptions at all on the signal process. If the signal satisfies a uniform continuity assumption, weak stability can be strengthened to stability in total variation.


Although marine chemists can accurately quantify both the concentration of dissolved iron (Fe) and the high-affinity organic ligands which complex Fe in surface waters, tools to character- ize the relative bioavailability of such organically bound Fe complexes remain unavailable. In this study, we compared the bioavailability of Fe released from the lysis of the heterotrophic bacterium Vibrio natriegens PWH3a to that of Fe complexed to synthetic chelators (EDTA) and siderophores (including the trihydroxamate desferrioxamine B (DFB) and 2 catecholates isolated from Fe-limited heterotrophic bacterial cultures) using a heterotrophic bioluminescent reporter of Fe availability (Pseudomonas putida FeLux). Using the bioluminescent response of P. putida FeLux, we were able to rank the Fe sources tested here in a decreasing order of bioavailability: lysates > Fe-homologous catecholate (from a P. putida FeLux culture) ~ Fe-exogenous catecholate (from V. natriegens culture) > inorganic Fe (FeCl3, 15 nM) ~ Fe(III)' from EDTA-buffered treatment (pFe 18.12) > Fe:DFB, where pFe is -log (Fe 3+ ). Combined with estimates of Fe assimilation of 55 Fe-labeled lysates, our data further demonstrate that organic Fe complexes released during virus-mediated cell lysis are ca. 1000 times more bioavailable and efficiently assimilated by bacterial cells than Fe(III)'. Our results validate the utilization of P. putida FeLux as a bioreporter of Fe-bioavailability and also support the assumption that virus activity plays a crucial role in the regeneration of biologically available Fe complexes in surface seawater.


INTRODUCTION : Varicocelectomy is a common operation in urology associated with consid- erable postoperative pain. The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blind study was to investigate whether a combination of general anesthesia and bi- lateral nerve stimulator guided paravertebral nerve blocks could provide better postoperative pain relief compared to general anesthesia in combination with placebo paravertebral nerve block. METHODS : Sixty patients scheduled for varicocelec- tomy were randomized prospectively. Thirty patients each in either the active group (general anaesthesia combined with nerve stimulator guided bilateral para- vertebral block) or the control group (general anaes- thesia combined with normal saline nerve stimulator guided bilateral paravertebral block). Postoperative pain was assessed by visual analogue scale scores at predetermined time intervals. RESULTS : The active group was found to have better postoperative pain-relief (p < 0.005), reduced need for analgesics (p < 0.05), and also a more rapid return to normal activities (p < 0.001) compared to con- trol group. Higher surgeon and patient satisfaction (p < 0.001) were noted in the active group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION : Preoperative paravertebral blockade combined with general anesthesia showed significantly reduced postoperative pain scores and analgesic con- sumption, earlier return to normal activity and was associated with better patient and surgeon satisfaction during varicocelectomy surgery.


Heart disease, one of the major causes of mortality worldwide, can be mitigated by early heart disease diagnosis. A clinical decision support system (CDSS) can be used to diagnose the subjects' heart disease status earlier. This study proposes an effective heart disease prediction model (HDPM) for a CDSS which consists of Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) to detect and eliminate the outliers, a hybrid Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique-Edited Nearest Neighbor (SMOTE-ENN) to balance the training data distribution and XGBoost to predict heart disease. Two publicly available datasets (Statlog and Cleveland) were used to build the model and compare the results with those of other models (naive bayes (NB), logistic regression (LR), multilayer perceptron (MLP), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), and random forest (RF)) and of previous study results. The results revealed that the proposed model outperformed other models and previous study results by achieving accuracies of 95.90% and 98.40% for Statlog and Cleveland datasets, respectively. In addition, we designed and developed the prototype of the Heart Disease CDSS (HDCDSS) to help doctors/clinicians diagnose the patients'/subjects' heart disease status based on their current condition. Therefore, early treatment could be conducted to prevent the deaths caused by late heart disease diagnosis.


The authors propose a self-reconfigurable approach to perform H.264/AVC variable block size motion estimation computation on field-programmable gate arrays. We use dynamic partial reconfiguration to change the hardware architecture of motion estimation during run-time. Hardware adaptation to meet the real-time computing requirements for the given video resolutions and frame rates is performed through self-reconfiguration. An embedded processor is used to control the reconfiguration of partial bitstreams of motion estimation adaptively. The partial bitstreams for different motion estimation computation arrays are compressed using LZSS algorithm. On-chip BlockRAM is used as a cache to pre-store the partial bitstreams so that run-time reconfiguration can be fully utilized. We designed a hardware module to fetch the pre-stored partial bitstream from BlockRAM to an internal configuration access port. Comparison results show that our motion estimation architecture improves toward data reuse, and the memory bandwidth overhead is reduced. Using our self-reconfigurable platform, the reconfiguration overhead can be removed and 367  MB/sec reconfiguration rate can be achieved. The experimental results show that the external memory accesses are reduced by 62.4% and it can operate at a frequency of 91.7 MHz.


The directorate of the North Health Area of Guatemala along with the National Nutrition Institute of Centro-america and Panama in 1991 carried out a rapid evaluation of the quality of care provided to the population for oral rehydration, acute diarrhea and cholera. The purpose was to collect data to facilitate the implementation of efficacious activities to improve quality and optimize the use of resources. The current article contains the results of the evaluation of twenty Health Centers of the North Health Area of Guatemala, and the consequent activities to improve the process of care. The main failures in performance where: deficient distribution of inputs; errors in the performance of physical exams of the children in the determination of the severity of dehydration; poor use of antibiotics and in the treatment of those with severe dehydration; and specially the failure to educate the mother about the proper feeding for a sick child. The delivery of inputs improved as a outcome of the actions product of the evaluation. Another activity was a workshop, combining theory and practice, of the treatment of cholera. Currently, local authorities prepare and carry out longer term interventions taking into account the results of the evaluation.


Cervical cancer screening services have led to a significant decrease in the incidence of cervical cancer in countries were such services are implemented as population-based services. Cervical cancer still remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Eastern Asia. This study explored the awareness, utilization and provision of cervical screening services among Primary Health Care providers in Zaria, Nigeria. A qualitative study was conducted among Primary Health Care providers in Zaria Local Government Area Kaduna State Nigeria. Five Primary Health Care centres were purposively selected for the study. Data was collected using Focus Group discussion method. The data from the discussion sessions were recorded on tape and transcribed verbatim to capture the exact messages. The transcripts were then analysed into themes. Majority of the participants were within 30-39-year age range, 75% were females, 64.3% were Community Health Extension Workers' and 42.9% had >10 years working experience. The major themes were awareness of cervical cancer, awareness of cervical cancer screening methods, knowledge about cervical cancer screening methods and utilization. Many participants were not well informed about cervical cancer screening methods. Uptake among female participants was also low. In light of these findings, there is a need to train the health personnel in Primary Health Care centres on cervical cancer screening so that they can adequately educate women on cervical cancer screening.


This paper investigates the impact of the corporate income tax on the geographical distribution of French firms Foreign Direct Investment port- folio across 26 European countries. The empirical assessment is based on Baldwin (1999) new economic geography model in which we focus on the location of firms with respect to level of taxation. In this model, the magnitude of the impact of taxation on location decision partly depends on the market size and the level of trade costs. Indeed, firms may not only seek lower production costs but better market access and market opportunity when investing abroad. Through panel data regressions, we find a negative impact of the corporate income tax rate on Foreign Direct Investment. We also find that trade costs between source and host coun- try increases Foreign Direct Investment. In advanced specifications we show that increasing trade costs reduce the impact of tax level on capital location.


1. The author considers the genus Schima monotypic. Its only species, Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth., is subdivided into nine geographically separated subspecies and three varieties.These may be recognised sometimes by one dominating chax*acter,mostly, however, by a complex of characters.Several new combinations are made. 2. Yet the variability of most of the subspecies is still often enormous and at first sight appears complex. Thus we may often encounter the polymorphy of the whole species in its subspecies again. It was the striking different percentage-numbers of(phenotypically) about the same characters which turned the scale in favour of the recognition of the subspecies, besides their geographic separation.The attempts made by the author to divide certain resulting complex-polymorphous subspecies into units of still lower rank and to trace correlations with peculiarities of environment such as different heights above sealevel, or with different stages in the age of the trees, failed. 3. On account of these negative results and the above mentioned different percentage-numbers for phenotypically about the same characters, the author came to the conclusion that the most probable explanation is that the variability within the subspecies is just due to Mendel-segregation and nothing else.It looks very much as if one is dealing here with the inheriting of striking characters, each caused by one or only a few polymeric factors, characters which hold their own, just as in panmictlcally propagated populations (by cross-pollination). This explanation, too,makes the striking fact that in some subspecies we find back phenotypically the whole, or part, of the polymorphy of the entire species more understandable, as well as the fact that individuals of different subspecies may agree phenotypically, whereas genotypically they belong to different races (subspecies), Moreover, all these phenomena strongly support the monotypic conception of the genus. 4. The author saw few examples from the area outside Indonesia. However,this does neither influence his monotypic conception of the genus, nor his method of dividing it into units of lower ranks. The study of the scanty amount of specimens,literature, and the drawings seen appeared more than sufficiently convincing. Yet he is not quite certain whether the correct rank was ascribed to some of the lower taxa involved. It would perhaps have been advisable to consider the variety superba and the continental parts of the subspecies oblata and monticola as distinct subspecies.Future consideration of this matter shall have to decide.


Summary Fluoroquinolone antibiotics have been available since the 1980s when ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were licensed. Structural revisions of the quinolone molecule have provided new compounds that were well suited to the treatment of upper and lower community-acquired respiratory tract infections, having good activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time before the pneumococcus developed effective resistance against these new agents. There are populations of fluoroquinolone-resistant S. pneumoniae and, more worryingly, many of these strains are also resistant to penicillin and to macrolides. Surveillance studies such as PROTEKT (Prospective, Resistant Organism Tracking and Epidemiology for the Ketolide Telithromycin) can provide an early warning system and, with the provision of global surveillance on a local level, can assist in the selection of empirical antibiotic treatment. The new ketolide antibiotic, telithromycin, has excellent activity against the major community-acquired respiratory pathogens (including atypical/intracellular organisms), and has the advantage of retaining its activity against strains of S. pneumoniae that are resistant to penicillin, macrolides and fluoroquinolones.


Debussy's 'Iberia'. By Matthew Brown. (Studies in Musical Genesis and Structure.) New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. [xv, 177 p. ISBN 0-19-816199-9. $85.] Music examples, bibliography, index. One of Debussy's most significant works, the Images for orchestra have stood somewhat in the shadow of earlier masterpieces like Nocturnes and La mer. Matthew Brown provides us with an in-depth study of Iberia, the center trilogy of Images. His book has a double purpose: it explains the genesis of Debussy's work and provides an analysis, then moves beyond Debussy to place this analysis into a larger context, to be explained below. The first part of the study deals with the compositional history and aesthetic context of Iberia. For this work the composer uncharacteristically left a substantial body of sketches, and Brown carefully extracts the information they have to oiler. Through these sketches Brown observes that Iberia, like most of Debussy's compositions, took shape over a long period (1903-10) and went through numerous revisions, some of them drastic. Iberia is the most substantial of Debussy's Spanish soundscapes, and the author asks what gives the piece the authentic flavor so praised by Manuel de Falla among others. Brown identifies its "Spanish" elements as idiosyncratic motivic formulae (though not actual folk themes); modal harmonies and pedal points; rhythms of regional dances, especially the sevillana and habanera; and the inclusion of native instruments (castanets) as well as suggestions of others (e.g., numerous orchestral "guitar" effects). Save for one brief jaunt across the border to watch a bullfight, Debussy never visited Spain, so he did not learn its music on-site. Brown shows, however, that Debussy had plenty of opportunities to absorb Iberian sounds in Paris, then home to Isaac Albeniz, Falla, Joaquin Turina, and Ricardo Vines. Spanish or Spanish-themed compositions regularly appeared on Parisian concerts. In order to examine the thematic and tonal structure most effectively, Brown adopts a Schenkerian approach, which he finds illuminating despite Debussy's heterodox treatment of harmony and form. The composer's greatest challenge in Iberia was to create a work of three independent yet deeply interconnected movements. Brown shows that Debussy ensures continuity throughout the work by means of constant and often subtle motivic transformations. Further, his graphs indicate that the background harmonic structure follows relatively conventional norms, however unpredictable the foreground may be. In the second part of the book, Brown considers the genesis of each movement in greater detail. The sketches reveal that Debussy arrived at the final forms through painstaking experimentation. Techniques he employed to organize his material include tonal modeling, or the reworking of one section to create another; inserting a section of one movement into part of a subsequent one; and auxiliary cadences, in which the movement ends on the tonic but begins elsewhere. Brown's insights into Iberia prove highly illuminating; his book is lucidly written and extremely generous with examples and documentation. It helps to have a score at hand, but even the most involved parts of the analysis flow easily, and one need not be either a specialist in Schenker or sketch studies to follow it. Regarding the presentation, I note only the erroneous labeling of "Jeux de vagues" as the third movement of La mer (p. 126), and the overuse of certain phrases, especially "top-down bottom-up" in reference to Debussy alternating between foreground and broader perspectives when contemplating his compositional choices for each movement. One might also welcome an interpretation of the cover photo of the famous Spanish dancer Caroline Otero (1868-1965), who otherwise makes no appearance in the text. Brown regards his study of Iberia as an illustration of a second and (to him) more important project. …


This paper evaluates a class of simple monetary policy rules which feed back from explicit forecasts of future inflation - inflation forecast-based (IFB) rules. These rules aim to mimic current monetary policy practices among the inflation-targeting countries, where policy decisions are based on inflation forecasts. The rules themselves are evaluated using simulations from a small, rational expectations, open-economy macro-model. IFB rules are found to perform well in comparison with other simple rules, such as the Taylor rule. The reasons for this are: first, because they embody the lags in monetary transmission, aligning explicitly the control and the feedback variables of the policymaker; second, because IFB rules are capable of smoothing output by as much as is possible with rules which target output directly - for example, through variations in the forecast horizon; and third, because IFB rules implicitly condition on all state variables, and thus are information-efficient. For these reasons, inflation-targeting rules with an explicitly forward-looking dimension are found to take us within reach of the fully-optimal rule.


Around the world, it is increasingly being recognized that for sustainability goals to be reached, efforts need to go beyond complying with standards and mitigating adverse impacts, to identifying environmental sustainability as an objective of the development process. This approach requires the integration of environmental, sustainability, and climate change considerations into policy and sector reform. Because sector reform brings about significant policy change involving adjustments in laws, policies, regulations, and institutions, it is a sensitive political process often driven by strong economic interests. Policy makers are subject to a number of political pressures that originate in vested interests. The recommendations of environmental assessment are often of little relevance unless there are constituencies that support them and have sufficient political power to make their voices heard in the policy process. While strong constituencies are important during the design of sector reform, they are even more important during implementation. It follows that effective environmental assessment in policy and sector reform requires strong constituencies backing up recommendations, a system to hold policy makers accountable for their decisions, and institutions that can balance competing and, sometimes, conflicting interests.


Abstract. We report efficient frequency downconversion of a continuous-wave low-power Raman laser using intracavity difference frequency mixing in a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN)-adopted optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The Raman laser was obtained using a 1060-nm fiber laser and 137-m passive fiber. Its central wavelength was fixed at 1111 nm with the power ranging from 320 mW to 5.984 W. The 1060- and 1111-nm pump beams were incident into the OPO at the same time. The high-power 1060-nm pump beam built parametric oscillation first, and the difference frequency generation (DFG) occurred between the low-power Raman laser and intracavity signal laser. The PPLN temperature was properly controlled at 45°C to ensure both the OPO and DFG processes synchronously satisfy phase matching conditions. Benefiting from intracavity high signal power, the Raman laser was successfully converted to the 3560-nm midinfrared radiation under every investigated pump power level. The maximum 3560-nm idler power reached 1.026 W, indicating a 17.4% pump-to-idler slope efficiency and about 15% optical-to-optical conversion efficiency. The comparative experiments also verified that the phase matching conditions were satisfied maximally at 45°C.


We present an interactive perception system that enables an autonomous agent to deliberately interact with its environment and produce 3D object models. Our system verifies object hypotheses through interaction and simultaneously maintains 3D SLAM maps for each rigidly moving object hypothesis in the scene. We rely on depth-based segmentation and a multigroup registration scheme to classify features into various object maps. Our main contribution lies in the employment of a novel segment classification scheme that allows the system to handle incorrect object hypotheses, common in cluttered environments due to touching objects or occlusion. We start with a single map and initiate further object maps based on the outcome of depth segment classification. For each existing map, we select a segment to interact with and execute a manipulation primitive with the goal of disturbing it. If the resulting set of depth segments has at least one segment that did not follow the dominant motion pattern of its respective map, we split the map, thus yielding updated object hypotheses. We show qualitative results with a Fetch manipulator and objects of various shapes, which showcase the viability of the method for identifying and modelling multiple objects through repeated interactions.


AIMS
Positive affect is believed to predict cardiovascular health independent of negative affect. We examined whether higher levels of positive affect are associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a large prospective study with 10 years of follow-up.

METHODS AND RESULTS
We examined the association between positive affect and cardiovascular events in 1739 adults (862 men and 877 women) in the 1995 Nova Scotia Health Survey. Trained nurses conducted Type A Structured Interviews, and coders rated the degree of outwardly displayed positive affect on a five-point scale. To test that positive affect predicts incident CHD when controlling for depressive symptoms and other negative affects, we used as covariates: Center for Epidemiological Studies Depressive symptoms Scale, the Cook Medley Hostility scale, and the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory. There were 145 (8.3%) acute non-fatal or fatal ischaemic heart disease events during the 14 916 person-years of observation. In a proportional hazards model controlling for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors, positive affect predicted CHD (adjusted HR, 0.78; 95% CI 0.63-0.96 per point; P = 0.02), the covariate depressive symptoms continued to predict CHD as had been published previously in the same patients (HR, 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.07 per point; P = 0.004) and hostility and anxiety did not (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION
In this large, population-based study, increased positive affect was protective against 10-year incident CHD, suggesting that preventive strategies may be enhanced not only by reducing depressive symptoms but also by increasing positive affect.


Maintenance performance measurement aims to assess and improve the value created after maintenance efforts, as it determines the impact of maintenance on the performance of a system or facility and its business process. As objects of maintenance, prison facilities ought to provide a safe and decent environment for prison staff and prisoners to work and live in, as well as for all others who interact with the facilities. This study evaluates the satisfaction ratings of maintenance performance on prison facilities in Southwestern, Nigeria. A survey approach was adopted to collect data from the relevant Nigerian prison staff population of 2,187 prison workers, excluding staff in the maintenance unit within a specific period. Stratified sampling technique was used to generate a sample of 1,094, which is representative of the entire population across the prisons. Three hundred and eighty (35%) out of the one thousand and ninety-four copies of the questionnaire were completed and returned. Data collected were analysed using the SPSS package. The study found that prison staff showed satisfaction with the level of cleanliness in the prison environment, quality of water and control of ventilation employing a window, as well as partial satisfaction with the twenty-nine other criterion assessed. Overall, the study indicated partial satisfaction for performance on prison facilities and established a significant agreement among prison staff regarding the perception of the performance of prison facilities. The research, therefore, suggests continuous evaluation of maintained prison facilities to ascertain their condition and performance levels.
Keywords: Maintenance Performance Criteria; Prison Facilities; Prison Staff; Satisfaction Ratings


The purpose of this guide is to provide information about publications produced by Howard University School of Law (HUSL).  Access information is provided, along with context for name changes over time. A tab about the Barrister


Water is not only one of the most important and basic natural resources on earth but also one of the most vital commodity of our daily life. This natural resource forms the sustenance of all the living organisms. Rain and snowfall are the two natural sources of pure water on earth. The initial stage of the journey of water on earth includes surface run-off in the form of streams, rivers and lakes. These streams, rivers and lakes are the main source of potable water in India. In India many toxic hazardous metals discharged into the river from mining industries, which leads many lethal diseases to human being. So the potable water quality is very significant and vital concern at present as it is related with the present and future health perspective of the human race. Awareness of health risks associated with unsafe water is still very low among the many rural and urban areas in India. Only about 7% of total Indian people using water purifier. This unhealthy situation of water is not only present in India but also present in many underdeveloped countries. The major reason behind this is the high cost of water purifier. This current study geared towards development of economical and efficient technology for the removal of maximum possible toxic metals and pathogen bacteria. The work involves the design of portable water purification system using iron impregnated activated carbon (coconut-shell) and other filtration materials. Objective of this work is the removal of iron and arsenic from the drinking water. This study comprises of three phases: a) In the first phase, Activated carbon made from coconut shell was impregnated with Fe3+.Then SEM analysis was done to know the texture, orientation and chemical composition of the impregnated activated carbon. Surface area of the impregnated activated carbon was done by BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) analysis. Iodine value, total pore value, methylene blue value was calculated by ASTM method. b) In second phase, Batch adsorption test was done by taking iron and arsenic sample. The result detailed batch adsorption results were discussed in this study. c) In the third phase, Design of filtration media was done using modified activated carbon, polypropylene filter cloth and manganese modified sand. Then iron and arsenic samples were filtered through the filter media and was analysed by AAS (atomic adsorption spectroscopy).


Carbon prepared from waste plants for the treatment of dyeing industry effluents has high significance in environmental sustainability and economic viability. Methylene Blue (MB) in aqueous solutions was subjected to color removal by the adsorption technique onto activated sunflowers seeds shell carbon (SSSC) as agricultural material. Results obtained indicate that the removal efficiency of Methylene Blue varies from 92.7 to 95.6% by rising the temperature from 30 to 60°C at pH from 6 to 8. The results fit the BET model for adsorption of Methylene Blue on SSSC, verify the assumption that the adsorbate molecules could be adsorbed in more one layer thick and non homogenous on the surface of the adsorbent. A comparison of kinetic models (pseudo first-order, the pseudo secondorder, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion) at different conditions showed that the pseudo second-order kinetic model correlate the experimental data well. Van't Hoff equation was used to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG), which indicate that adsorption processes for the present work are exothermic, and this is agreement with the stability of adsorption capacity with temperature, chemically in nature, and spontaneous.


By placing a quantum emitter in the mouths of nanogaps consisting of two metal nanoparticles nearly in contact, significant increases in emission rate are obtained. This mechanism is central in the design of modern plasmonic nanoantennas. However, due to the lack of general knowledge on the balance between the different decay rates in nanogaps (emission, quenching, and metal absorption), the design of light-emitting devices based on nanogaps is performed in a rather hazardous fashion; general intuitive recipes do not presently exist. With accurate and simple closed-form expressions for the quenching rate and the decay rate into gap plasmons, we provide a comprehensive analysis of nanogap light-emitting devices in the limit of small gap thickness. We disclose that the total decay rate in gap plasmons can largely overcome quenching for specifically selected metallic and insulator materials, regardless of the gap size. To confront these theoretical predictions, we provide a comprehensive numerical analysis o...


For a structure subjected to an intermediate velocity impact in which the duration of loading is in the order of milliseconds and in excess of the period of it's first free vibration mode there is a relationship between impact duration and buckling load. Although this relationship results in higher buckling loads for shorter duration impacts, the precise nature of the correlation depends on a number of other factors, one of which is geometry. Since the design of many lightweight structures subject to dynamic loading in this intermediate range is based on the use of a static buckling load to which a load factor is then applied, it is essential that this factor accurately represents the relationship between the two and takes of account of any variations. Failure to do so will at least result in an over designed structure and at worst in catastrophic failure. A series of finite element analyses (FEA) have been performed in order to determine the relationship between dynamic and static buckling loads for a range of stiffened panels with differing radii of curvature. This paper describes preliminary tests performed to determine the feasibility of using high speed digital image correlation (DIC) to study such an impact and hence provide validation of the earlier FEA analyses. These are performed on a longitudinally stiffened panel subject to uniaxial compression, clamped within a rig designed to provide built-in end conditions and allow motion of one end in the direction of loading only. The specimen is tested using an accelerated drop test rig. Impact load is monitored throughout using a load cell. Full field displacement contours are obtained using a high speed DIC system. Results are presented which demonstrate deflection contours during and after impact enabling the path of the shock wave through the specimens to be determined. An initial comparison is then made the FEA results.


One of the central debates in contemporary socio-economics concerns the relationship between institutions and firm-level practices and the persistence of a number of alternative viable models for economic development. We examine diversity within and between specific types of capitalism using data from a transnational survey incorporating 14 organizational level practices in a sample of six capitalist archetypes, constituting 27 countries and some 6503 firms. We focus on one of the key-defining features of different varieties of capitalism, the interdependence of employers and employees. We find that there are clustering tendencies, consistent with the literature, but also considerable diversity within as well as between the varieties, although we did not find "diffuse diversity" or homogeneity. The analysis supports a complex and nuanced relationship within and between varieties of capitalism that has not been previously captured in the literature.


The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Milestones are a systematic assessment framework for medical trainees within the six core competencies of practice. Their use by internal medicine subspecialties, including semiannual reports to the ACGME, was mandated beginning in 2014. The Milestones, which were based on specific, observable behaviors, improved upon the prior subjective, global comparisons of each fellow with an " average " fellow in his or her field and served the goals of competency-based medical education. However, the original set of Milestones has proven challenging to apply and interpret. Part of the challenge stems from the use of identical Milestones across all medicine subspecialties, which led to unclear relevance of the patient care and medical knowledge domains to the practice of pulmonary and critical care. This also precluded their use for individualized feedback or development of a learning plan for fellows. In addition, verbose behavioral descriptors, which were designed to provide specificity, ultimately led to rater fatigue among assessors and clinical competency committees. Therefore, the ACGME convened committees for each of the medical subspecialties to revise the original Milestones in an effort to improve subspecialty relevance, minimize educational jargon, and simplify the current iteration. New patient care and medical knowledge Milestones were created to be subspecialty specific and improve utility. The remaining four Milestones were developed as a common set of shorter Milestones, harmonized across specialties. For pulmonary, critical care, and combined fellowship programs, the resulting Milestones 2.0 aims to simplify the use, implementation, and interpretation of this framework for program directors, trainees, and society.


This paper presents the trends of damage detection parameters over the lifetime of a rolling element bearing. In the experimental part, a series of bearing tests was performed using the twin-disc test device, until the monitored bearing was severely worn. This was followed by the analysis of measured acceleration and acoustic emission data in a constant-load condition, but also as loaded with impact-type loading. The results showed that traditionally used parameters, such as kurtosis and RMS, can indicate whether the bearing is damaged or not in a non-impact load condition. However, especially under impact-loading, the parameters based on acoustic emission data showed good performance and enabled monitoring of progress of the bearing damage.


Background and Objectives: To compare surgical outcomes of overweight and obese patients with acute appendicitis who have undergone single-port extracorporeal laparoscopically assisted appendectomy (SP) with those who have had conventional 3-port laparoscopic appendectomy (TP). Methods: This single-center retrospective chart review included patients 21 years of age and younger with a preoperative diagnosis of appendicitis who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy from January 2010 through December 2015. Cases of gangrenous and perforated appendicitis were excluded. Subgroup analyses of patients with acute appendicitis were performed. Operative time (OT), length of stay (LOS), and cost were compared between groups stratified by body mass index (BMI) and operative technique. Results: A total of 625 appendectomies were performed—457 for acute appendicitis. Sixty-eight patients were overweight. The SP technique (n = 30) had shorter OT (median minutes, 41 vs 68; P < .001), lower cost (median , $5741 vs $8530; P < .001), and shorter LOS (median hours, 16 vs 19; P = .045) than the TP technique had (n = 38). Seventy patients were obese: 19 were treated with SP and 51 with TP. LOS did not differ significantly between the SP and TP groups, but subjects treated with SP had shorter OT (median minutes, 39 vs 63; P < .001) and lower cost (median, $6401 vs $8205; P = .043). Conclusions: The SP technique for acute appendicitis was found to have a significantly shorter OT and lower cost in all weight groups. There were minimal differences in LOS. SP should be considered in patients with acute appendicitis, regardless of their weight.


A series of multi-channel transient waveform digitization integrated circuits with up to 5 GHz sample rates and parallel 10-bit digitization has been designed, tested, and fabricated in large quantities. The current CMOS circuit uses four arrays of 128 fast switched capacitors per channel to record four parallel analog transient inputs. Triggering and clocking is provided by a current-mode adjustable asynchronous active delay line that uses look-ahead to generate 128 4-way interleaved clocks without the need for external high-speed clocking. After transient capture, each channel is fed into 128 parallel 10-bit analog to digital converters for fast, channel-parallel digitization, followed by digital readout. The fast triggering and waveform capture, channel-parallel digitization and convenient word-parallel digital readout results in a responsive and low dead-time system. Acquisition sample rates range from ~50 kHz to ~3 GHz. Analog input bandwidth is approximately 350 MHz. Fixed-pattern spatial noise, after on-chip digitization, is equivalent to ~5 mV RMS. Temporal noise is typically equivalent to ~1 mV RMS, for a signal to noise ratio of ~2,500:1, RMS. This integrated circuit, the "Analog Transient Waveform Digitizer," has been successfully used to instrument the AMANDA and KamLAND neutrino physics experiments, and has been selected for use in the IceCube neutrino observatory. Current efforts to improve this technology will yield larger array sizes, sample rates in excess of 10 GHz, analog bandwidth exceeding 1 GHz, higher conversion rates, lower dead-time, greater uniformity and enhanced flexibility and ease of use.


Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between students' dedication (S_DED) and their perception of person-job fit (P_J Fit) and investigate how it correlates with students' career aspirations (CAREER_ASP). Additionally, the relationship between perceived P_J Fit and students' work experience (WORK_EXP) and social support (S_SUPPORT) have been analyzed. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study was conducted among tourism and/or hospitality students of two universities that agreed to participate in the study. They are located in cities of Poland and Croatia which are very attractive tourist destinations. The questionnaires were administered in each institution and the auditorium survey technique was applied to gather the data. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that there is a positive and significant correlation between students' dedication and their perception of person-job fit. It was also indicated that there is a positive and significant correlation between students' work experience, students' social support and perceived P_J Fit. Finally, it was proved that the more students perceive their skills and abilities as matching the requirements of their future work, the more they believe they can pursue a career in this field. Practical Implications: It is recommended that the educators pay more attention to the person-job fit of students when recruiting them for T&H courses at higher education institutions. Moreover, it is important to offer a variety of activities to increase students' dedication to the studies undertaken. Specifically, for curriculums to be suitable and to generate enthusiasm among students, they should be customized to meet the requirements of the labor market and modern teaching techniques should be applied to actively engage students in the learning process, making it challenging. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is one of the first to focus on identifying factors relating to students' perception of their P_J Fit by linking it with their career aspirations in a single research model.


X'. L" The research carried out in this thesis describes the processing of liquids and ceramic suspensions, having a viscosity >100mPa s, using electrostatic atomization, mainly in the stable cone-jet mode. Electrostatic atomization, also called electrospraying, refers to a process where a liquid or a suspension is made to flow through a needle. The liquid or suspension is subjected to a high voltage maintained between the needle and a ground electrode. Two major physical properties, namely electrical conductivity and viscosity, affect electrostatic atornization in the stable cone-jet mode and the investigations described in this thesis focussed on the latter. Firstly, a set of liquid mixtures were prepared using distilled water and glycerol. The dc electrical conductivity of these mixtures were kept constant and the viscosity was varied. The mixtures were subjected to electrostatic atornization and in each case the mode of atornization, the cone/jet characteristics and relic sizes were studied as a function of viscosity. The effect of applied voltage on the conejet mode electrostatic atornization of glycerol having a viscosity of 1338mPa s was also investigated. Secondly, the possibilities of electrostatically atomizing ceramic suspensions were studied in detail. Several alumina suspensions were used including one containing a high volume fraction of solids (20 vol. % the highest filler loading attempted to date using any jet-based processing route). Applied voltage flow rate atornization mode maps were constructed for this suspension incorporating even pico-flow rate regimes. This is a new input into the aerosol science and engineering literature. This section also highlights the importance of controlling the applied voltage and flow rate as these parameters affect the jet diameter and relic/droplet size generated. The effect of the geometry of the ground electrode used for electrostatic atornization was also investigated. In particular, the use of a point-like ground electrode was studied for the very first time. The third and most innovative facet of this research was the discovery of ceramic electrostatic atornization printing (CEAP) and the use of electrostatic atornization to produce ceramic foams. In CEAP a point-like ground electrode is used to focus the spray which was printed as characters, collection of characters and single tracks. This investigation was extended to explore the printing of multiple tracks produced with the aid of several needles and ground electrodes which worked simultaneously. A ring shaped ground electrode was used to electrospray ceramic droplets onto a polyurethane template and this paved the way for the development of a new method to prepare open-cell ceramic foams with a very high porosity. This method was extended to prepare ceramic structures and complex components.


ident Council -representatives ext term in the Class of '63 Jules-Gelber with 98, Kathy -atriek 94. Donald Glickman ian»6 Coheo 1&, JDonatd F triad T»f-Da>ry-Hw9ch ?*.• • y d e f e a t e d M e n a c h e m D a v i d 71 v . Philip Machnikoff 7 1 , Roson—65,—r.art"«r—Aaronson id Fred Leiber 4S. • the Class of '64 Class Counections. Jerry Landau was <1 president with 117 "yes" to 23 "no" votes. Mark Zuian defeated David Shulman • tes to ,40 votes to win the B o b B r o o k s ' 63 .and Nei l P a l o m b a '64 will s e r v e a s n e x t s e m e s t e r ' s S t u d e n t C o u n c i l p r e s i d e n t a n d v ice p r e s i d e n t , r e s p e c t i v e l y . T h e y w e r e e l e c t ed y e s t e r d a y in u n c o n t e s t e d r a c e s . B r o o k s rece ived 446 " y e s " v o t e s a n d 98 " n o " v o t e s , w h i l e P a ! l o n i b a g a r n e r e d 451 y e a s " a n d 8 1 " n a y s . "


We analyze the Weyl invariance constraints on higher spin vertex operators in open superstring theory describing massless higher spin gauge field excitations in d-dimensional space-time. We show that these constraints lead to low-energy equations of motion for higher spin fields in AdS space, with the leading order beta-function for the higher spin fields producing Fronsdal's operator in $AdS_{d+1}$, despite that the higher spin vertex operators are originally defined in flat background. The correspondence between the $\beta$-function in string theory and $AdS_{d+1}$ Fronsdal operators in space-time is found to be exact for $d=4$, while for other space-time dimensions it requires modifications of manifest expressions for the higher spin vertex operators.
We argue that the correspondence considered in this paper is the leading order of more general isomorphism between Vasiliev's equations and equations of motion of extended open string field theory (OSFT), generalized to include the higher spin operators.


The TMPRSS2/ERG (T/E) fusion gene is present and thought to be an oncogenic driver of approximately half of all prostate cancers. Fusion of the androgen-regulated TMPRSS2 promoter to the ERG oncogene results in constitutive high level expression of ERG which promotes prostate cancer invasion and proliferation. Here, we report the characterization of multiple alternatively spliced T/E fusion gene isoforms which have differential effects on invasion and proliferation. We found that T/E fusion gene isoforms differentially increase NF-κB-mediated transcription, which may explain in part the differences in biological activities of the T/E fusion isoforms. This increased activity is due to phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 on Ser536. Tissue microarray immunochemistry revealed that p65 phospho-Ser536 is present in the majority of prostate cancers where it is associated with ERG protein expression. The T/E fusion gene isoforms differentially increase expression of a number of NF-κB associated genes including PAR1, CCL2, FOS, TLR3, and TLR4 (Toll-like receptor). TLR4 activation is known to promote p65 Ser536 phosphorylation and knockdown of TLR4 with shRNA decreases Ser536 phosphorylation in T/E fusion gene expressing cells. TLR4 can be activated by proteins in the tumor microenvironment and lipopolysacharide from Gram (-) bacteria. Our findings suggest that bacterial infection of the prostate and/or endogenous microenvironment proteins may promote progression of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and/or prostate cancers that express the T/E fusion gene, where the NF-κB pathway might be targeted as a rational therapeutic approach.


Objective There are significant regional differences in survival outcomes across British Columbia among women with ovarian cancer. The age-adjusted hazard ratio for mortality is 1.27 (95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.49) in 1 health authority region compared to the provincial mean. The objective of this study was to look at variations in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer among the 5 health authority regions in the province of British Columbia and determine their effect on survival. Methods and Materials This was a population-based retrospective cohort study of all incident cases of epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed in British Columbia from 2005 to 2008. Health authority regions were compared with the &khgr;2 test for demographic and disease characteristics, as well as treatment practices including assessment by a gynecologic oncologist, rate of optimal debulking, and proportion receiving platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Multivariable Cox regression analysis evaluated the effect of covariates on survival. Results There were 854 evaluable patients. Across health authority regions, there were significant differences in disease characteristics, including the proportion with serous histotype (44.0%–60.7%, P = 0.043) and stage IIIC/IV disease (50.3%–69.4%, P = 0.0048). There were also significant differences in treatment, including the proportion of patients assessed by a gynecologic oncologist (56.8%–79.4%, P = 0.0003), rate of suboptimal debulking, (21.4%–60.2%, P = 0.0036), and the proportion receiving combination chemotherapy, (61.5%–81.9%, P < 0.0001). Cox regression model revealed that stage, grade, optimal debulking, and combination chemotherapy were significantly associated with survival. The health authority region with the highest mortality had the lowest rate of optimal debulking and combination chemotherapy. Conclusions Differences in survival rates for ovarian cancer across British Columbia can be attributed to variations in disease characteristics and treatment, particularly rates of optimal debulking and combination chemotherapy.


A striking feature of many sensory processing problems is that there appear to be many more neurons engaged in the internal representations of the signal than in its transduction. For example, humans have 30,000 cochlear neurons, but at least 1000 times as many neurons in the auditory cortex. Such apparently redundant internal representations have sometimes been proposed as necessary to overcome neuronal noise. We instead posit that they directly subserve computations of interest. Here we provide an example of how sparse overcomplete linear representations can directly solve difficult acoustic signal processing problems, using as an example monaural source separation using solely the cues provided by the differential filtering imposed on a source by its path from its origin to the cochlea [the head-related transfer function (HRTF)]. In contrast to much previous work, the HRTF is used here to separate auditory streams rather than to localize them in space. The experimentally testable predictions that arise from this model, including a novel method for estimating the optimal stimulus of a neuron using data from a multineuron recording experiment, are generic and apply to a wide range of sensory computations.


The aim of this article is to evaluate Italian consumers' acceptance and willingness to purchase GM foods based on the type of benefit (input vs output trait) and product (plant based vs animal based). Two surveys were administered in two consecutive years (2004 and 2005) and the data used to test for possible changes in consumer acceptance. The results of a multinomial logit analysis suggest that on average consumer acceptance for plant-based GM food was higher in 2005. This study confirmed the key role of information strategies to consumers, with the most relevant results being the role distorted information play in raising the consumer's level of fear and perceived risk. Respondents also place a higher level of confidence on scientists who are generally seen as independent of the industry. Consumers that usually consume and buy enhanced food products have a higher probability to buy a GM product providing an increased vitamin content.


The aim of the BRAND EVN project is to build a very wide receiver prototype for primary focus with a frequency range from 1.5 GHz to 15.5 GHz In addition we will investigate solutions for secondary focus telescopes. The project has received funding from the European Union's
Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 730562 [RadioNet]. We present the status of the project which was started on January 1st, 2017 and is progressing smoothly: Feed, LNA, filters, major digital components, and some of the firmware are available now.


To assess the effects of housing characteristics and home environmental factors on lung function of Chinese children, 6740 children (aged 6–16 years) were recruited from seven cities in Northeast China in 2012. Performance of lung function was determined by comparison of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF). Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the associations with lung function deficit. The results showed that housing conditions were associated with lung function deficit in children. The adjusted odds ratios were 0.47 (95% CI: 0.26–0.83) for FVC for "ping-fang" housing compared with "dan-yuan-lou-fang" housing and 2.90 (95% CI: 2.43–3.47) for FEV1 with home renovations completed within two years compared with counterparts. The linear regression models consistently showed a significant association of housing conditions and home environmental factors with lung function measurements across subjects. A residence taller than seven stories was negatively associated with FEV1 ( β = −55; 95% CI: −97 to −13). In conclusion, housing conditions and home environmental factors are particularly important to the development of lung function and respiratory health in children. These factors are concerning and action should be taken to improve them.


Large variation exists in the frequency of informal childcare provided by grandparents across Europe. At the same time, a wide North-South divide characterizes European social policies. Do welfare policy arrangements shape the role of grandparents? If yes, to what extent do grandparenting depend on the availability of public services offered for child care, parental leave regulation and legal obligations of family support? Combining micro-data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and macro-indicators from the Multilinks database, this study aims to answer these questions and to further clarify the link between welfare provision and use of grandparentsí resources for working mothers. By implementing country-specific regression models, we find a clear association between the policy context of the country of residence and (daily) grandparenting.


The maximum ratio combined total isotropic sensitivity (TIS) of high order MIMO system in a real phone prototype is presented in this paper. The value of combined TIS is estimated through antenna pattern combination and verified by experiments. The impact from the order of MIMO system, the propagation model and the user body effect are investigated.


Open access: www.balimedicaljournal.org and ojs.unud.ac.id/index.php/b j Spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation after dual antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in patients with unstable angina Agha Bhargah,1 I Gusti Agung Bagus Krisna Jayantika,2 I Putu Yuda Prabawa,3 Ida Bagus Putra Manuaba4* Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia and often becomes persistent with a high risk of thromboembolism event. Spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm can occur in 50% of cases with new-onset AF. In this case report we report the spontaneous conversion of AF to sinus rhythm in patients with Unstable Angina without any thromboembolic complications. Case description: A 65-year-old man with unstable angina pectoris (UA) with new-onset atrial fibrillation normal ventricular rate (AF-NVR) came to the Emergency Department Bali Mandara General Hospital. Patients have a history of uncontrolled hypertension and active smokers. Standard management of UA using dual antiplatelet, nitrates, and anticoagulants was given to this patient. There were no anti-arrhythmia drugs given to seek for AF cardioversion. Within 6 hours after initial therapy, spontaneous conversion of AF to sinus rhythm occurs. The patient was treated for five days in a stable condition without thromboembolic complications. Long-term anticoagulants were not given to patients because the CHA2DS2-Vasc score is less than two indicating a low risk of thromboembolism. Conclusion: New-onset AF has the chance of spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm within 48 hours, proper management of the trigger factors of AF and optimal rate control are determinants of prognosis. Provision of long-term anticoagulants must be based on the CHA2DS2-Vasc score.


As a representative of chain-based protocol in Wireless Sensor
Networks (WSNs), EEPB is an elegant solution on energy efficiency. However, in the
latter part of the operation of the network, there is still a big problem: reserving
energy of the node frequently presents the incapacity of directly communicating
with the base station, at the same time capacity of data acquisition and transmission
as normal nodes. If these nodes were selected as LEADER nodes, that will accelerate
the death process and unevenness of energy consumption distribution among nodes.This paper proposed a chain
routing algorithm based ontraffic prediction model (CRTP).The novel algorithmdesigns a threshold judgment method through introducing the traffic prediction
model in the process of election of LEADER node. The process can be dynamically
adjusted according to the flow forecasting. Therefore, this algorithm lets the energy
consumption tend-ing to keep at same level. Simulation results show that CRTP has superior
performance over EEPB in terms of balanced network energy consumption and the prolonged
network life.


Understanding the organization and orientation of surface-immobilized single stranded DNA (ssDNA) in aqueous environments is essential for optimizing and further developing the technology based on oligonucleotide binding. Here the authors demonstrate how sum-frequency-generation (SFG) spectroscopy can be used to compare the structure and orientation of model monolayers of ssDNA on gold in air, D2O, and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. Films of adenine and thymine homo-oligonucleotides showed significant conformational changes in air versus aqueous environments in the CH stretching region. The thymine films showed changes between D2O and PBS solution, whereas the SFG spectra of adenine films under these conditions were largely similar, suggesting that the thymine films undergo greater conformational changes than the adenine films. Examination of thymine films in the amide I vibrational region revealed that molecules in films of nonthiolated DNA were lying down on the gold surface whereas molecules in films of thiol-linked DNA were arranged in a brushlike structure. Comparison of SFG spectra in the amide I region for thiol-linked DNA films in air and D2O also revealed substantial conformational changes.


Calcium chloride–based deicing salts can react with calcium hydroxide in concrete pavements, resulting in the formation of calcium oxychloride. The formation of calcium oxychloride can cause damage in the pavements, especially at the joints. Recently, it has been shown that low-temperature differential scanning calorimetry can be used to measure calcium oxychloride contents in cement pastes exposed to calcium chloride. This article explores the extension of the low-temperature differential scanning calorimetry test method from applications on ground paste to ground mortar and concrete. Specifically, the influence of dilution due to the aggregate volume causes the measured amount of calcium oxychloride to be smaller in mortar and concrete than the pastes. To successfully measure the amount of calcium oxychloride, a higher powder-liquid ratio is used in concretes as compared to pastes. Low-temperature differential scanning calorimetry can successfully be used to measure the amount of calcium oxychloride in ground mortars and concrete; however, there is an increase in the variation of the measurement, and, as such, it is recommended that the average of three tests should be considered as a test specimen.


ABSTRACT An experimental technique to measure various characteristics of plug flow in dense phase pneumatic conveying systems based on the unique characteristics of plug flow, i.e., the fluctuation of axial pressure drop along a pipeline and pressure difference in the radial direction at the back of a plug, was developed by Li et al. (2002). Based on this work, a further experimental study combined with numerical modeling was carried out to describe the structure of plugs through the analysis of the measurements of pressure difference in both axial and radial directions. A theoretical explanation of these pressure differences was proposed and agrees very well with the recorded signals of pressure difference from differential transducers. This explanation will prove useful in understanding plug structures in industrial applications.


BACKGROUND
Assessing and reporting the quality of care provided are increasingly important in palliative care, but we currently lack practical, efficient approaches for collection and reporting.

OBJECTIVE
In response, the Global Palliative Care Quality Alliance ("Alliance") sought to create a Quality Data Collection Tool for Palliative Care (QDACT-PC).

METHODS
We collaboratively and iteratively developed QDACT-PC, an electronic, point-of-care quality monitoring system for palliative care that supports prospective quality assessment and reporting in any clinical setting. QDACT-PC is the web-based data collection and reporting interface. Quality measures selected to be used in QDACT-PC were derived from a systematic review summarizing all published palliative care quality measure sets; Alliance clinical providers prioritized measures to be included in QDACT-PC to ensure maximal clinical relevance. Data elements and variables required to ascertain conformance to all selected quality measures were included in the QDACT-PC data dictionary. Whenever possible, variables collected in QDACT-PC align with validated surveys and/or nationally recognized common data elements. QDACT-PC data elements and software programmed business rules inform real-time assessments of conformance to selected quality measures. Data are deposited into a centralized registry for future analyses.

RESULTS
QDACT-PC can be used to report on >80% of all published palliative care quality measures and 100% of high-priority measure.

CONCLUSION
Electronic methods for collecting point-of-care quality monitoring data can be developed using collaborative partnerships between community and academic palliative care providers. Feasibility testing and creation of feedback reports are ongoing.


In spite of the fact that international law has proclaimed that outer space is to be used for peaceful purposes, States continue to expand their military capacity beyond the bounds of the Earth's atmosphere. Recent testing of anti-satellite weaponry is a cause for concern that the term 'peaceful uses' is losing its meaning in an increasingly militarized outer space environment. The problem certainly stems from the fact that space law does not explicitly define said uses, thereby allowing States to provide a legal justification for their actions. This article will examine existing space law, as well as general international law, in an attempt to flesh out a more substantial meaning for the most oft-abused provisions of the relevant treaties in three distinct sections: first, we shall explore the notion of 'peaceful uses' as a general term; we shall proceed with an analysis of the prohibition of stationing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in outer space; finally, we shall see how the Liability Convention may be read as limiting States' potential advantages from militarizing space.


TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. MAPPING FEDERALISM DEBATES A. Sovereignty, Process Federalism, and the Exit Option B. Cooperative Federalism and the Power of the Servant C. Federalism(s) in Practice II. WHY PLURALISM MATTERS A. Forms of State Power: Substitutes or Complements? B. The Neglect of Cooperative and Uncooperative Federalism 1. Context, Not Contests CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION Like all academics, federalism scholars typically divide into camps. Some favor state sovereignty; others favor state autonomy. Some insist that states require formal, judicially enforceable protections against federal intrusion; others favor the informal protections afforded by the political process. Some favor cooperative federalism; others are not even sure that cooperative regimes can properly be called federalism. Scholars even divide as to the source of state power in its ongoing competition with the national government. Some imagine states occupying a separate sphere from the federal government. (1) Others assume that some level of state-federal integration is not just inevitable but healthy. Still others imagine that it is useful to have states serve as fully integrated administrative units within the federal system. When scholars write about these debates, they often write as if we must choose between these different accounts of federalism--that we need one theory to rule them all (with apologies to Tolkien). It is not surprising that federalism scholarship usually rests on this assumption. Academics mostly write about the case law. And in a given case, one usually does have to make a choice between one theory or another. (2) In the legislative and administrative arenas, however, our choices are far more varied. We need not hew exclusively to one vision of federalism. We can choose all of them at once. And we do. Every flavor of federalism can be found somewhere in our system. Institutional structures and interactions vary dramatically from domain to domain, program to program. Substantial variegation can be found within the same statutory scheme. (3) Indeed, even in the judicial context, we can--and do--choose more than one vision of federalism. "Our Federalism," (4) in short, contains multitudes. It would be more accurate to call it "Our Federalism(s)." (5) It would be useful if federalism debates were more attentive to the fact that there are many federalisms, not one. In this Article, I identify three main reasons why federalism debates would improve if we paid more attention to federalism's many facets. First, federalism debates have an all-or-nothing quality to them, as if different accounts of federalism are mutually exclusive. Arguments typically rest on the assumption that different forms of state power are substitutes for one another. As a result, scholars have largely neglected the possibility that these forms of state power can also be complements. Sovereignty can be leveraged to give states more power within the national policy-making process. States' status as administrative insiders can help them preserve their power outside of national policymaking. It would be useful if scholars were more attentive to the fact that the questions federalism raises need not involve an either/or answer. Often they will involve a both/and. Second, if we paid more attention to the many forms state power can take, we would find there is a good deal more to say about federalism doctrine and theory. The dominance of the sovereignty and process federalism accounts--both of which endorse a markedly similar view of state power--has led constitutional theory to neglect the huge swaths of federalism in which the states and federal government regulate together, with the states carrying out national policy. At present, constitutional theory lacks the tools necessary to analyze these cooperative federal regimes. But although there is a great deal of room to write in these areas, scholars continue to rehearse the same, tired debates over sovereignty and process federalism that have dominated the field for decades. …


The exoerythrocytic stage of Plasmodium malaria infection is a critical window for prophylactic intervention. Using a genome-wide dual RNA sequencing of flow-sorted infected and uninfected hepatoma cells we identify the human mucosal immunity gene, Mucin13 (MUC13), as strongly upregulated during Plasmodium exoerythrocytic hepatic-stage infection. We confirm that MUC13 expression is upregulated in hepatoma cell lines and primary hepatocytes. In immunofluorescence assays, host MUC13 protein expression distinguishes infected cells from adjacent uninfected cells and shows similar colocalization with parasite biomarkers such as UIS4 and HSP70. We further show that localization patterns are species independent, distinguishing both P. berghei and P. vivax infected cells, and that MUC13 can be used to identify compounds that inhibit parasite replication in hepatocytes across all Human-infecting Plasmodium species. This data presents a novel interface of host-parasite interactions in Plasmodium, in that a component of host mucosal immunity is reprogrammed to assist the progression of infection.


Background: Earlier, the scholars of family studies have primarily focused on the problems and weaknesses of the families. However, during these days, there is a shift from problems to strength-based perspective. Methodology: Search of literature was carried out through internet-based Google Scholar search engine. Of the 112 titles obtained 21 titles fit the criteria of the study objectives, of which 9 full-text articles were finally selected for the purpose of this review. Results: In this review, nine full-text articles were reviewed. Nine of these researches investigated different facets of strengths perspective among the homeless adolescents. Chronologically, nine of these reviewed studies delineated the following thematic facets of strengths perspective among the homeless adolescents. These include personal strength and informal resources, personal strength in high-risk environment, strengths perspective during the transition of adolescence to adulthood, personal and social strengths that refrained the homeless adolescents form intravenous drug use, resilience and self-esteem, religion as an important strength, "hope" as a way of living among the homeless adolescents, coping strategies of street-involved youth, and usage of internet and social media as an important strength among homeless adolescents. Conclusion: Strengths perspective helps the youth to become a master of their own lives and helps to deal with all the adversities in life.


The modelling of biological neuroregulated systems is usually complex because of their non-structured and distributed architecture. Software agents are a very useful tool to use in the modelling of this kind of systems, allowing increasing the model with characteristics which are not present in the biological equivalent. This work proposes a model of a neural regulator incorporating modularity, flexibility and scalability. The main approach has been the modelling of each neural centre as an agent, incorporating the distributed behaviour of the system. On the other hand, the model can solve local dysfunctions in the centres using extra diagnostic information. The neural regulator of the lower urinary tract has been implemented as an example. We have developed several experiments adding artificial dysfunctions to the model and comparing the results with a normal functioning of the model


The paper applies the evolutionary concept to an analysis of the role of intellectual property rights protection in the model of two countries North and South (and two firms) where only the Northern firm conducts innovative activity. The concept of social evolution and learning in oligopolistic industries (an aspiration-based model) is developed and the general algorithm of social evolution and aspiration learning for asymmetric duopoly is presented. The evolutionary equilibrium in R&D duopoly with spillovers is presented and analyzed. The results show that strengthening intellectual property rights protection always has negative welfare effects. In particular, it decreases not only the profit (producer surplus) of both the Northern and the Southern firms, but also the consumer surplus in both countries, and, consequently, it lowers social welfare in both countries.


In this study, to effectively control urban non point source pollution, natural and artificial materials which were processed in various ways were charged as a filter media in a real size urban non point source pollution plant(EcoTank) and compared and evaluated the efficiency of filtering solid and organic compounds. The efficiency of filter media was evaluated after collecting dust from urban surface and artificially producing runoffs to evaluate runoff control efficiency of pollutants that caused from pollution in urban streets. To evaluate the efficiency of pollutants runoff control depending on different filter types, EPP(Expanded polypropylene), GAC(Granular activated carbon), Zeolite, Mix-1(EPP in the upper part, GAC in the lower part), Mix-2(GAC in the upper part, EPP in the lower part) was charged to the EcoTank and conducted experiments in an identical condition[6]. As a result of the filter evaluation using real size reactor, EPP was identified as the best filter media for non point source pollution runoff control, and the efficiency was in the following order: EPP > Mix-1 > Mix-2 > GAC > Zeolite.


Derivatives of the secondary metabolites of Streptomyces bacteria account for over half of the antibiotics currently used in the clinic. A crucial part of overcoming antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is in the development of new antibiotics that function with a novel mechanism of action, to avoid the rapid acquisition of microbial resistance. We previously reported the isolation of the new species Streptomyces formicae, from African Tetraponera penzigiplant-ants, shown to have potent activity against several strains on the World Health Organisation's AMR watch list including MRSA. Genetic analysis of this strain revealed one of its 45 biosynthetic gene clusters, a type 2 polyketide synthase, produced all 13 formicamycins, the natural products responsible for S. formicae's antimicrobial activity. Several regulators of the formicamycin biosynthetic pathway have been identified, including the major repressor (ForJ). Having purified ForJ, DNA binding assays were performed based on previous cappable-RNA and ChIP sequencing experiments to confirm the interaction of ForJ with different putative promoters in the cluster. By optimising gene-reporter fusion assays in this novel strain, it has been possible to characterise some of the promoters in relation to ForJ to determine the effect of its binding upon activity of the gene cluster. Such work is essential in the progression of novel antimicrobials from the laboratory into a clinic as it must be thoroughly understood how a compound is synthesised and how its biosynthetic pathway is regulated before it can be exploited for overproduction.


New seed yam systems from minisetts, minitubers and vine cuttings have been developed for yam production to supplant the traditional systems, which have proven inefficient and costly. The new techniques provide producers in tropical countries with the opportunity to minimize production costs, reduce seed yam price and promote greater seed availability. A discounted cash flow budget with a whole farm perspective was used to analyse the economic performance and risk implications of a hectare investment in the new seed yam system over time for a representative farm. Data based on realistic process costs and review of past reported studies were employed to reflect the relative economic worthiness and opportunity cost of investment and operating capital of seed yam systems in Nigeria. From the net present value (NPV) and benefit:cost ratio (BCR) analyses, the new seed yam production systems were more viable than current traditional seed yam production systems through milking of live immature plants. This raises the need to identify which among the new production techniques could be the most profitable and recommendable. Therefore, understanding the economics of seed yam production systems would not only help a significant proportion of local, regional and national stakeholders but also assist the policymakers, funding agencies and other organizations involved in yam projects and programmes.


The hepatitis B virus (HBV) must release its contents to initiate infection, making capsid disassembly critical to the viral life cycle. Capsid assembly proceeds through a cascade of weak interactions between copies of capsid protein (Cp) to yield uniform particles. However, there is a hysteresis to capsid dissociation that allows capsids to persist under conditions where they could not assemble. In this study, we have sought to define the basis of hysteresis by examining urea-induced dissociation of in vitro-assembled HBV capsids. In general, capsid samples show a mixture of two pools, differentiated by stability. Labile capsid dissociation corresponds to an ∼5 μM pseudocritical concentration of assembly (pcc), the same as that observed in assembly reactions. Dissociation of the stable pool corresponds to a subfemtomolar pcc, indicative of hysteresis. The fraction of stable capsids in an assembly reaction increases with the integrity of the Cp preparation and when association is performed at a higher ionic strength, which modifies the Cp conformation. Labile complexes are more prevalent when assembly conditions yield many kinetically trapped (incomplete and overgrown) products. Cp isolated from stable capsids reassembles into a mixture of stable and labile capsids. These results suggest that hysteresis arises from an ideal capsid lattice, even when some of the substituents in that lattice have defects. Consistent with structural studies that show a subtle difference between Cp dimers and Cp in capsid, we propose that hysteresis arises when HBV capsids undergo a lattice-dependent structural transition.