Aim of the study
The learning outcomes study, conducted as part of WP3 of the BioApp project, has as objectives: (a) generating a comprehensive list of the learning outcomes; (b) reaching an agreement on the scope and priority of the learning outcomes, and (c) making suggestions for the further development of the Biomedical Design module.
Method
To address the objectives of the study, the group concept mapping approach was applied. Group Concept Mapping (GCM) is a systematic approach that objectively identifies an expert group's shared vision on a particular issue, in our case the Biomedical Design module learning outcomes. The method involved the participants in activities that most professionals are used to: idea generation, sorting of ideas into groups and rating the ideas on some values (e.g., importance and difficulty to achieve). The analysis applied multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis to visually depict the experts' shared representations on the learning outcomes as thematic groups. One of the distinguishing characteristics of GCM is the visualisation of the results from the analysis. Visualisation allows the emerging data structures and their interrelationships to be grasped. This facilitates decision making. Group Concept Mapping produces three main types of visualisations: conceptual maps, pattern matches and go-zones.
Results
The following thematic groups (clusters) of learning outcomes emerged from the data: 'Attention to the end user', 'New approaches to design', 'Design process', 'Regulation and Ethics', 'Commercialisation', 'Knowledge integration', 'Communication', 'Collaboration', 'Higher order skills', 'Problem solving process', 'Connecting domains', and 'Learning goals'. Five more global areas of interest could be identified after conceptually related clusters were combined: 'Design' ( including 'Design process', 'New approaches', and 'Attention to end user'); 'Marketing' (containing 'Commercialization' and 'Regulation and Ethics'); 'Interdisciplinary group dynamics' (comprised of 'Communication' and 'Collaboration'); 'Learning objectives' (consisting of 'Learning goals', 'Higher order skills' and 'Problem solving process') and 'Creative combination' (which includes 'Knowledge integration' and 'Connecting domains'). Furthermore, the learning outcomes could be classified into two major categories: a) technical skills (new advancements in design process with special attention to users, also commercialisation and standardisation), and b) transversal skills, which include working effectively in teams ('communication' and 'collaboration') and creative problem solving ('problem solving process').
The rating results indicate that the most important groups of learning outcomes are 'Higher order skills' and 'Communication'. At the same time, however, these outcomes are deemed to be the most difficult to achieve. Other difficult to achieve learning outcomes are 'Learning goals', 'Problem solving process' and 'Connecting domains'. The least important group of learning outcomes is 'Commercialization' and the easiest to achieve is 'Regulation and Ethics'. The framework of learning outcomes consists of not only learning outcomes related to traditional topics such as 'Design process' and 'Creative problem solving', but also themes not very popular in curriculums on design such as 'Commercialisation', 'Standardisation', 'Regulations', and 'Ethics'. The results also show there is a moderate correlation between the two values of importance and difficulty to achieve on the cluster level. The clusters 'Problem solving process', 'Connecting domains' and 'Commercialization' score lower on importance but higher on difficulty to achieve. In contrast, 'Regulation and Ethics' scores higher on importance but relatively lower on difficulty to achieve.
Conclusions
This study provided not only an empirical basis for identifying the main learning outcomes areas for an educational module on Biomedical Design, but also suggested how to operationally define them (through the statements in each cluster). The study emphasizes the need for addressing the highest level of learning taxonomy (analysis, synthesis, problem solving, creativity) when defining learning outcomes. It further reveals the need to teach students to integrate knowledge from different professional domains.
However, the overall conclusion must be that the study not only identified learning outcomes for the Biomedical Design module when considered in isolation from the encompassing curriculum, but that the identified learning outcomes can only be effectively achieved when further integration of the module in the curriculum is allowed.


This thesis seeks to provide a comprehensive account of the nature and degree of change in British television news coverage of General Elections. By creating and utilising an in-depth content analysis coding frame, the analysis measures news quantitative and qualitative data across 270 bulletins, approximately 148hrs, of news content across the seven elections from 1979 to 2005. In doing so, it fills two gaps in the existing literature. First, it provides the first dedicated and consistent longitudinal analysis of British election news. Given the acknowledged importance of television news in the modern political process, it is important to develop an understanding of how campaign news content has changed, both as a source of information for the public at moments of democratic renewal, and also in terms of the normative role of journalism in British politics. Second, it develops a toolkit by which political news content can be accurately and reliably measured. Most of the existing empirical research into British television election news content has employed inadequate or non-replicable measures, leaving a fragmentary body of data from which longitudinal conclusions cannot be drawn with confidence. By adapting and applying a series of measures based on other longitudinal media content studies, the thesis sets out a means by which future studies of news content can be guided.

The thesis thus generates new data on four aspects of election news content. First, it casts serious doubt on the "tabloidisation" thesis, demonstrating that news in British terrestrial news bulletins has retained both an overwhelmingly serious news agenda, and a substantial commitment to election news coverage. Not only have levels of campaign coverage remained steady, but campaign coverage has been given a consistently prominent place in news bulletins, indicating a lasting commitment to a more "sacerdotal" approach to campaign coverage on both BBC and ITV, despite increasing competition in the television environment. Second, an analysis of the balance of substantive policy content and strategic campaign coverage shows that journalists on British television news have adopted aspects of an increasingly adversarial approach to covering campaigns, and have tended to view their role ever more as interpreters of political messages and campaign actions. Third, the research shows comprehensive evidence of a dramatic shrinking of political soundbites over the period of study, and a replacement of disappearing politician speech by journalists who feature more and speak progressively more often over the period of study. Finally, in order to determine the effect of technological changes in television news reporting, the thesis compares campaign and non-campaign news output, determining that, while some
aspects of change in election news can be ascribed to technological changes, the rise of the journalist as the most prominent speaker in campaign news items cannot.


Brain is a highly‐oxidative organ, but during activation, glycolytic flux is preferentially up‐regulated even though oxygen supply is adequate. The biochemical and cellular basis of metabolic changes during brain activation and the fate of lactate produced within brain are important, unresolved issues central to understanding brain function, brain images, and spectroscopic data. Because in vivo brain imaging studies reveal rapid efflux of labeled glucose metabolites during activation, lactate trafficking among astrocytes and between astrocytes and neurons was examined after devising specific, real‐time, sensitive enzymatic fluorescent assays to measure lactate and glucose levels in single cells in adult rat brain slices. Astrocytes have a 2‐ to 4‐fold faster and higher capacity for lactate uptake from extracellular fluid and for lactate dispersal via the astrocytic syncytium compared to neuronal lactate uptake from extracellular fluid or shuttling of lactate to neurons from neighboring astrocytes. Astrocytes can also supply glucose to neurons as well as glucose can be taken up by neurons from extracellular fluid. Astrocytic networks can provide neuronal fuel and quickly remove lactate from activated glycolytic domains, and the lactate can be dispersed widely throughout the syncytium to endfeet along the vasculature for release to blood or other brain regions via perivascular fluid flow.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and usability of different radiologic methods (single-slice computed tomography (CT), multi-slice CT and rotational tomography (RT)) for assessment of the position of cochlear implant electrodes. Cochlear implants in an isolated human temporal bone and in a complete formalin-fixed cadaver head were examined and the electrode position was determined. Subsequently, the labyrinth bone was isolated out of the cadaver head and histologically examined to compare the results of histology with imaging. Single-slice CT reliably identifies the electrode inside the human cochlea; however, due to the technically based large electrode artifact its position inside the cochlear spaces (e.g. electrode position in scala tympani or scala vestibuli) cannot be detected. Multi-slice CT of the cadaver head also showed artifacts that complicate the assessment of electrode position. Using RT the electrode artifact is small and therefore the electrode position within the cochlear spaces, scala tympani versus scala vestibuli, can be assessed. This technique was also applicable in a complete cadaver head, which is in contrast with former studies. In conclusion, CT allows the identification of electrode arrays inside the human cochlea. Multi-slice CT permits a much more precise depiction of the electrode inside the cochlea. RT alone has minimized electrode artifacts to a high extent and permits the assessment of the electrode position within the scala tympani or scala vestibuli. As RT was performed successfully in a complete cadaver head, further studies for evaluation of the intracochlear electrode position can now be performed in patients.


DNA‐binding proteins, including transcription factors (TFs), play essential roles in various cellular processes and pathogenesis of diseases, deeming to be potential therapeutic targets. However, these proteins are generally considered undruggable as they lack an enzymatic catalytic site or a ligand‐binding pocket. Proteolysis‐targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology has been developed by engineering a bifunctional molecule chimera to bring a protein of interest (POI) to the proximity of an E3 ubiquitin ligase, thus inducing the ubiquitination of POI and further degradation through the proteasome pathway. Here, the development of oligonucleotide‐based PROTAC (O'PROTACs), a class of noncanonical PROTACs in which a TF‐recognizing double‐stranded oligonucleotide is incorporated as a binding moiety of POI is reported. It is demonstrated that O'PROTACs of lymphoid enhancer‐binding factor 1 (LEF1) and ETS‐related gene (ERG), two highly cancer‐related transcription factors, successfully promote degradation of these proteins, impede their transcriptional activity, and inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. The programmable nature of O'PROTACs indicates that this approach is also applicable to destruct other TFs. O'PROTACs not only can serve as a research tool but also can be harnessed as a therapeutic arsenal to target DNA binding proteins for effective treatment of diseases such as cancer.


Multiplex-PCR Background and Objectives: In recent years, three new aminoglycoside resistance genes such as aph (3ʹ)-IIIa and ant (4ʹ)-Ia, that encode for the APH (3ʹ) and ANT (4ʹ) have also been identified. The aim of this study was to come up with a multiplex-PCR procedure for detection of aac(6ʹ)-Ie–aph(2ʹʹ)-Ia, aph(3ʹ)-IIIa, ant(4ʹ)-Ia genes in the Enterococcus spp. clinical isolates. Material and Method: 100 samples were isolated from various specimens, from various hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The grown colonies were identified by standard biochemical and disc diffusion tests. Multiplex-PCR for aac (6')-Ie -aph(2'')-Ia , aph(3ʹ)-IIIa, ant(4ʹ)-Ia genes amplification were performed in order to confirm bacterial colonies as Enterococcus spp. Results: Eighty four (84%) Enterococcus spp. isolates were collected from the 100 specimens. The highest and lowest isolates were related to urine (48%) and sputum (2%). Antibiotic susceptibility test results showed that the highest and lowest resistance was related to tetracycline and nitrofurantoin, respectively. Multiplex PCR results revealed that aac (6ʹ)-Ie-aph (2ʹʹ)-Ia, ant (4ʹ)-Ia and aph (3ʹ)-IIIa genes were present in 6% of the isolated bacteria from the urine, 2% from the wound and 1% from the pleural samples. the aac (6ʹ)-Ie-aph (2ʹʹ)-Ia and aph (3ʹ)-IIIa genes were present in 25% of the isolated strains from the urine, 3% from the wound and 2% from the plural specimens. Nine percent of the strains were isolated from the urine, 3% from the wound and 1% from the plural were positive for aac (6ʹ)-Ie-aph (2ʹʹ)-Ia and ant (4ʹ)-Ia genes. Discussion: we had observed enterococci isolates with phenotypic resistance to HLAR and demonstrated aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2′′)-Ia and aph(3′)-IIIa genes more frequently occurring than other genes. A collection of AMEs are accountable for HLAR status among Enterococcus species. The aac (6ʹ)-Ie-aph (2ʹʹ)-Ia gene was detected more frequently than the other genes. Article Info


Vehicular networks rely on Public Key Infrastructure (PKIs) to generate long-term and short-term pseudonyms that protect vehicle's privacy. Instead of relying on a complex and centralized ecosystem of PKI entities, a more scalable solution is to rely on Direct Anonymous Attestation (DAA) and the use of Trusted Computing elements. In particular, revocation based on DAA is very attractive in terms of efficiency and privacy: it does not require the use of Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) and revocation authorities can exclude misbehaving participants from a V2X system without resolving (i.e. learning) their long-term identity. In this paper, we present a novel revocation protocol based on the use of DAA and showcase a detailed design and modeling of the implementation on a real TPM platform in order to demonstrate its significant performance improvements compared to existing solutions.


ABSTRACT Developing countries need to rethink their copyright policy in light of the abundant information flows across the world. A nation's copyright policy is a pivotal source determining the forms of control that can be exercised over access to published information. The thrust for a global regime of trade related intellectual property rights (TRIPS), which includes copyright, was initiated by the United States of America in the eighth Uruguay round of GATT talks due to intense lobbying from its domestic knowledge based industries and with unequivocal support from Europe and Japan. The inclusion of TRIPS within the subsequent WTO framework has gone a long way in aligning and harmonizing intellectual property of most WTO member states with the US viewpoint. New digital technology, enabled by the Internet, is imposing a fresh challenge to conventional copyright policy. Large copyright owning organizations argue that digital media allows for an increasing possibility for piracy. Providing higher protection standards is therefore necessary. This argument led the US lawmakers into signing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Though a US law it has trans-national implications. A crucial dimension to the DMCA Act, beyond the US domestic horizon, is to explore how such a new copyright act will have impact on other countries, particularly developing ones. Protecting access to digital information at one end of the world through new copyright acts will have crucial consequence fo r the rest of the world.


The recent emergence of the interdisciplinary fields of ecoacoustics and sound studies has resulted in a dramatic increase in both artists and scientists engaged in the practice of audio field recording for a diversity of purposes. The recording techniques used vary substantially reflecting differing loci of interest. We argue that both fields could benefit from greater cross-fertilization, and enhanced discussion of existing field recording practices. We suggest acoustic ecology as a field provides a natural home for such interdisciplinary exchanges, and discuss our application of Acoustic Ecology in the Biosphere Soundscapes project.


Activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), the enzymes that catalyze DNA methylation, is dynamically regulated in the brain. DNMT inhibitors alter DNA methylation globally in the brain and at individual neural plasticity-associated genes, but how DNMT inhibitors centrally influence lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation is not known. We investigated whether the DMNT inhibitor, zebularine, would alter sickness behavior, DNA methylation of the Il-1β promoter and expression of inflammatory genes in hippocampus and microglia. Contrary to our hypothesis that zebularine may exaggerate LPS-induced sickness response and neuroinflammation, adult mice treated with an intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of zebularine prior to LPS had surprisingly faster recovery of burrowing behavior compared to mice treated with LPS. Further, genes of inflammatory markers, epigenetic regulators, and the microglial sensory apparatus (i.e., the sensome) were differentially expressed by zebularine alone or in combination with LPS. Bisulfite pyrosequencing revealed that ICV zebularine led to decreased DNA methylation of two CpG sites near the Il-1β proximal promoter alone or in combination with LPS. Zebularine treated mice still exhibited decreased DNA methylation 48 h after treatment when LPS-induced sickness behavior as well as hippocampal and microglial gene expression were similar to control mice. Taken together, these data suggest that decreased DNA methylation, specifically of the Il-1β promoter region, with a DNMT inhibitor in the brain disrupts molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation.


Leakage is usually the major cause of water loss in water-distribution systems. To minimize public health risk and economic loss and to conserve water, utilities regularly audit their distribution systems and conduct leak-detection surveys. When pressurized water leaks out from the cracks in the pipe, there will be loss of energy in the water. Some of this energy is transformed to noise, which spreads in all directions through soil and some of this noise reaches the surface. Some noise spreads longitudinally through the pipe and through water in the pipe. These leakages and blockages are detected by digging and checking for cracks on the entire length of the pipe which wastes a lot of time and resource. This problem can be solved by using a detector comprising of different sensors attached to a cable that will detect the leakage and the blockage in water pipelines.


This study examined judicial influence on academic decision-making by identifying factors in the tenure process that have induced courts to rule against higher education institutions in litigation stemming from tenure denials. Many interdisciplinary legal and educational studies have been conducted pertaining to tenure related litigation using qualitative, quantitative, and legal research methodologies. Empirical studies have been directed at varied issues, such as the peer review process; specific claims, such as discrimination; types of institutions; or time periods. Much of this scholarship has noted the importance of judicial deference to decisions made in academia. Unique to this study was the application of dual conceptual frameworks of shared governance and judicial deference as to decisions made in the academic tenure denial process. The study was also unique in that it was limited to tenure litigation cases in which institutions did not wholly prevail.Included in the study were published judicial opinions from the period of 1972 to 2011 from the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeal, and states' highest appellate courts. The study sought to determine first, the policies and procedures employed in public and private colleges and universities that have contributed to federal and state appellate courts' unfavorable rulings against institutions in tenure denial litigation; second, the remedies granted to faculty plaintiffs who prevail in tenure denial litigation; and finally, the steps that colleges and universities can take to minimize and mitigate tenure denial litigation.Complementary legal and qualitative research methods yielded evidence that courts were highly deferential to academic decision-making and that courts ruled against institutions' tenure decisions when the decisions were contrary to law. Courts granted legal and equitable remedies when institutions infringed upon a professor's rights, discriminated against a professor, or breached a contract with a professor. Based on the analysis of case law, this study proposed steps that institutions could take to avoid or mitigate tenure denial litigation. By gaining a better understanding of potential flaws in the tenure process and why courts have substituted judicial decisions for those of institutional decisions, this study contributes to our understanding as to how to decrease the influence of the courts on decisions made in academia.


A copolymer conjugate of the antineoplastic anthracycline doxorubicin and the water-soluble polymer N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA). Doxorubicin, an intercalator and a topoisomerase II inhibitor, prevents DNA replication and ultimately inhibits protein synthesis. This agent also generates oxygen free radicals, resulting in cytotoxic lipid peroxidation of cell membrane lipid. HPMA conjugation enhances the permeability and retention of this agent within the tumor vasculature. Poorly cleared by the lymphatic system, this formulation undergoes increased cleavage by tumor cell lysosomal proteinases, resulting in increased, sustained intracellular concentrations of free doxorubicin. Compared to other doxorubicin-containing formulations, this formulation may exhibit an improved toxicity profile due to the lower concentrations of free doxorubicin to which non-malignant tissues are exposed.


ABSTRACT The Israeli television drama Fauda (Arabic for 'chaos') has attracted wide and unprecedented interest in Israel and worldwide. It is an action series about Israeli undercover soldiers (mista'arvim) operating in the occupied territories that charts new ground by revealing the human dimensions of the men and women who grease the war machine in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In contrast to successful Israeli television dramas such as In Treatment (Betipul, Hagai Levy, 2005–2008) and Hostages (Bnei Aruba, Rotem Shamir and Omri Givon, 2010–2012), the plot of Fauda is set far from Israel's recognizable landscapes, venturing into the territories known to Israeli audiences only from news coverage. Looking for ways to re-humanize the enemy, scriptwriters Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff turn to melodrama. This article contends that although Fauda may be seen as radical because of its bold dramatic choices, the melodramatic infrastructure tones the show down and imposes a certain aura of conservativeness. As film historian Thomas Elsaesser has observed, 'the persistence of melodrama might indicate the ways in which popular culture has not only taken note of social crises, but […] has also resolutely refused to understand social change in other than private contexts and emotional terms'.


The Pilbara region of Western Australia is one of only two areas on Earth - the other being the Kaapvaal Craton of southern Africa - that contain well preserved, near-continuous geological records of crustal evolution from the Paleoarchean into the late Paleoproterozoic. The Pilbara is famous for hosting fossil evidence of early life (stromatolites and microfossils), and for containing a record of the early Archean atmosphere. The geological record extends from granite-greenstone terranes and overlying clastic basins of the 3.53-2.83 Ga Pilbara Craton, across a major unconformity, to a series of 2.78-1.79 Ga volcanic and sedimentary successions. Between 3.53-3.23 Ga, a succession of mantle plume events formed a thick volcanic plateau on older continental crust, remnants of which include enclaves of c. 3.6 Ga granitic gneiss and abundant 3.8-3.6 Ga inherited and detrital zircons. During each of the plume events, the volcanic plateau was intruded by crustally-derived granitic rocks, leading to vertical deformation by partial convective overturn. By 3.23 Ga, these processes had established thick continental crust that was then rifted into three microplates separated by c. 3.2 Ga basins of oceanic crust. Subsequent plate tectonic processes to 2.90 Ga included subduction, terrane accretion, and orogeny. From 2.78-2.63 Ga the northern Pilbara Craton was affected by minor rifting, followed by deposition of thick basaltic formations separated by felsic volcanic and sedimentary rocks (Fortescue Basin). Rifting in the southern Pilbara resulted in progressively deepening marginal basin sedimentation, including thick units of banded iron formation (Hamersley Basin: 2.63-2.45 Ga). At c. 2.45 Ga, sedimentation in the southern Pilbara changed to a mixed assemblage of clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks of the Turee Creek Basin, including one unit of glacial diamictites. Deposition of the unconformably overlying 2.21-1.79 Ga Wyloo Group in the Ashburton Basin followed the Ophthalmian Orogeny, and all of these rocks were deformed by the Panhandle (c. 2 Ga) and Capricorn (c. 1.78 Ga) orogenies.


In this study, five Egyptian species were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial screening was carried out via disc diffusion method toward four strains of the clinical antibiotic resistant pathogens including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Among the methanolic extracts screened, Azadirachta indica, Tectona grandis and Ficus sycomorus showed a broad antimicrobial spectrum against three strains with inhibition zones between 13-27 mm followed by Gmelina arborea and Ficus microcarpa with inhibition zones between 11-17 mm, all plants showed no activity against Aspergillus niger except Gmelina arborea with inhibition zones 12 mm. Penicillin G was used as positive control at concentration of 100 µg/disc with inhibition zones (Staphylococcus aureus 28mm, Escherichia coli 22mm, Candida albicans 25mm and Aspergillus niger 0mm). Owing to the high activity of the methanolic extracts, these extracts were defatted via petroleum ether then were fractionated via; chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The n-butanol of Azadirachta indica was the most active against Candida albicans (25 mm), ethyl acetate of Ficus sycomorus against Staphylococcus aureus (18 mm), n-butanol of Gmelina arborea against Staphylococcus aureus (17 mm) and n-butanol of Ficus microcarpa against Staphylococcus aureus (15 mm). These results suggest that the tested plants may be effective potential sources of natural antimicrobials, and are potent inhibitors of antibiotic resistant pathogens.


Women from ethnic minority groups, including immigrants and refugees are reported to have low breast cancer (BC) screening rates. Active, culturally-sensitive outreach is vital for increasing participation of these women in BC screening programs. Women at high BC risk and who belong to an ethnic minority group are of special concern. Such women could benefit from ongoing trials aimed at optimizing screening strategies for early BC detection among those at increased BC risk. Considering the marked disparities in BC survival in Europe and its enormous and dynamic ethnic diversity, these issues are extremely timely for Europe. We systematically reviewed the literature concerning European surveillance studies that had imaging in the protocol and that targeted women at high BC risk. The aim of the present review was thereby to assess the likelihood that women at high BC risk from minority ethnic groups were adequately included in these surveillance programs. Twenty-seven research groups in Europe reported on their imaging surveillance programs for women at increased BC risk. The benefit of strategies such as inclusion of magnetic resonance imaging and/or more intensive screening was clearly documented for the participating women at increased BC risk. However, none of the reports indicated that sufficient outreach was performed to ensure that women at increased BC risk from minority ethnic groups were adequately included in these surveillance programs. On the basis of this systematic review, we conclude that the specific screening needs of ethnic minority women at increased BC risk have not yet been met in Europe. Active, culturally-sensitive outreach is needed to identify minority women at increased BC risk and to facilitate their inclusion in on-going surveillance programs. It is anticipated that these efforts would be most effective if coordinated with the development of European-wide, population-based approaches to BC screening.


Cognitive disorders remain a major cause of disability in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). They lead to unemployment, the need for daily assistance, and a poor quality of life. The understanding of the origin, factors, processes, and consequences of cognitive disfunction is key to its prevention, early diagnosis, and rehabilitation. The neuropsychological testing and continuous monitoring of cognitive status as part of the overall evaluation of patients with MS in parallel with clinical and paraclinical examinations are highly recommended. In order to improve health and disease understanding, a close linkage between fundamental, clinical, epidemiological, and socio-economic research is required. The effective sharing of data, standardized data processing, and the linkage of such data with large-scale cohort studies is a prerequisite for the translation of research findings into the clinical setting. In this context, this paper proposes a software platform for the cognitive assessment and rehabilitation of patients with MS called CogniSoft. The platform automates the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) test and diagnostic tests for the evaluation of memory and executive functions based on the nature of Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS), as well as implementing a set of games for cognitive rehabilitation based on BICAMS. The software architecture, core modules, and technologies used for their implementation are presented. Special attention is given to the development of cognitive tests for diagnostics and rehabilitation. Their automation enables better perception, avoids bias as a result of conducting the classic paper tests of various neurophysiologists, provides easy administration, and allows data collection in a uniform manner, which further enables analysis using statistical and machine learning algorithms. The CogniSoft platform is registered as medical software by the Bulgarian Drug Agency and it is currently deployed in the Neurological Clinic of the National Hospital of Cardiology in Sofia, Bulgaria. The first experiments prove the feasibility of the platform, showing that it saves time and financial resources while providing subjectivity in the interpretation of the cognitive test results.


The major longitudinal body axis of cnidarians (e.g. sea anemones, corals, hydroids) is called the oral-aboral axis and in the anthozoan cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, this axis is established by the selective stabilization and nuclear localization of the protein Beta-catenin (a component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway) in cells derived from the animal pole. These cells form the endomesoderm during gastrulation with the oral (anterior) pole forming at the animal pole. In bilaterian embryos the site of gastrulation occurs at the vegetal pole. We used a two-step experimental approach to mis-activate cWnt signaling in the developing cnidarian N. vectensis embryos by first erasing the endogenous oral-aboral axis by inhibiting the activation of cWnt signaling in the embryo and then, ectopically activating cWnt signaling at by blastomere injection at a site other than the animal pole. Using marker gene expression, we show that mis-activation of cWnt signaling in N. vectensis embryos result in a new oral-aboral axis. Our data show that the change in the site of gastrulation and endomesoderm specification is the result of moving localized components of the Wnt signaling pathways to the vegetal pole in the last common ancestor of all bilaterians, thus, providing a plausible mechanism for the change in the site of gastrulation from the animal pole in non-bilaterians to the vegetal pole in bilaterians. This change in the metazoan developmental program is arguably the largest developmental constraint in animal evolution as it restricts endomesodermal fates and neural fates to opposite poles of the embryo and paved the way for the rapid diversification (e.g. cephalization and mesoderm formation) of the bilaterian body plans.


In this paper, we show how the Gaussian mixture modeling framework used to develop efficient source encoding schemes can be further exploited to model source statistics during channel decoding in an iterative framework to develop an effective joint source-channel decoding scheme. The joint probability density function (PDF) of successive source frames is modeled as a Gaussian mixture model (GMM). Based on previous work, the marginal source statistics provided by the GMM is used at the encoder to design a low-complexity memoryless source encoding scheme. The source encoding scheme has the specific advantage of providing good estimates to the probability of occurrence of a given source code-point based on the GMM. The proposed iterative decoding procedure works with any channel code whose decoder can implement the soft-output Viterbi algorithm that uses a priori information (APRI-SOVA) or the BCJR algorithm to provide extrinsic information on each source encoded bit. The source decoder uses the GMM model and the channel decoder output to provide a priori information back to the channel decoder. Decoding is done in an iterative manner by trading extrinsic information between the source and channel decoders. Experimental results showing improved decoding performance are provided in the application of speech spectrum parameter compression and communication.


Wet land soils have got much importance in agriculture because they offer sustenance for rice, the staple food grain for majority of world population. Soil acidity is among the important environmental factors which can influence plant growth and can seriously limit crop production. Kerala, the southern most State of Indian peninsula with a geographical area of 38,864 km2 experiences a humid tropical climate with a mean annual rainfall of 3000 mm. 98% of the soils are acidic in nature and so the production potential of rice is highly reduced. In wet lands the cheapest method to alleviate acidity is by water management. Hence, the present study is been conducted in the rain fed low land rice soils of Kerala to unveil the effect of submergence on the kinetics of pH and available nutrients. Soil samples were collected from the 12 major rice growing tracts (3 each from each wet land tract) and invitro study was conducted by maintaining 5 cm water above soil for 12 weeks using CRD split plot design. The initial as well as fortnightly pH, available N, P, K, Na ,Fe,Mn,Zn,Cu ,Si and Al were determined by standard procedures. All the soils studied were acidic except the black soils of Chittoor which are neutral to alkaline in reaction. Based on the severity of acidity, the wet land rice soils of Kerala can be arranged as Kari > Pokkali> Karapadom > Vellayani > Kayal > Kole > Wyanad > Pattambi > Kaipaid > Karamana > Kattampally > Chittoor. The wet lands under study showed an increase in pH due to submergence to a fairly stable value. All the wetlands reached above pH 5.5 within two weeks of submergence except Pokkali, Kari, Kayal and Kole lands. Since most soils contained more Fe (iii) oxide hydrates than any other oxidant, the increase in pH is largely due to the reduction of Fe. Kari and Pokkali soils are identified as Potential acid sulphate soils. For acid sulphate soils, keeping the soil under submergence, liming @ 1000 kgha-1 and washing away of acidity is been recommended. For all other soils two weeks of submergence prior to transplanting rice seedlings can create the optimum pH for rice without addition of lime. All the soils showed an increase in available N, P, K, Na , Fe , Mn and Si due to flooding. The peak increase was noticed during the first two weeks and then a slow build up was noticed. Available aluminium decreased to very low values in all soils except kayal, kari and Pokkali soils due to flooding. Al 3+ activity is directly related to pH, as pH rises due to flooding, aluminium is precipitated as hydroxides or sulphates. Flooding a soil sets in motion chemical and electro chemical process that affect the supply of nutrients and their uptake by rice. After 2 to 4 weeks period of rapid changes, the processes tend to stabilize. The stable milieu favors rice because the nutrient supply is adequate and the level of toxins is low. A yield increase of about one tone ha -1 is been obtained by merely delaying transplanting for 2 weeks after flooding. After addition of green manures and organic manures during land preparation, two weeks submergence is a must in the rice fields of Kerala to increase pH, availability of nutrients and to minimize toxic elements like Al.


The purpose of this report is to demonstrate a scorecard approach for distilling different indicators of entrepreneurship and innovation. We reviewed popular international indices and indicators in an attempt to distill a large sample of indicators into a set of those that closely complement one another. It was presumed that honing in on a smaller set of indicators might be useful for policymakers, and might also help highlight areas deserving further attention from researchers.This report lists the selected countries, discusses the selection process for indicators and scorecard approach, and presents the resulting scorecards. The methodology underpinning the final presented values represents a good faith effort to compile accurate scorecards, but relies on a number of assumptions to produce comparable data values from non-standardized sets of indicators. Thus, we present these findings as exploratory and preliminary. We strongly advise against using this report to compare reported country charts or values, but instead hope that it will serve as a platform for discussions of how to improve entrepreneurship data collection.This report, produced in parallel with efforts by the U.S. Government to support and promote entrepreneurship, coincides with the announcement of the Global Entrepreneurship Research Network (GERN), an international collaboration of organizations working to gain a better understanding of policy barriers and the right policies for fostering entrepreneurship.


We investigated how spontaneous activity is generated in developing, hyperexcitable networks. We focused our study on the embryonic chick spinal cord, a preparation that exhibits rhythmic discharge on multiple timescales: slow episodes (lasting minutes) and faster intraepisode cycling (∼1 Hz frequency). For this purpose, we developed a mean field model of a recurrent network with slow chloride dynamics and a fast depression variable. We showed that the model, in addition to providing a biophysical mechanism for the slow dynamics, was able to account for the experimentally observed activity. The model made predictions on how interval and duration of episodes are affected when changing chloride-mediated synaptic transmission or chloride flux across cell membrane. These predictions guided experiments, and the model results were compared with experimental data obtained with electrophysiological recordings. We found agreement when transmission was affected through changes in synaptic conductance and good qualitative agreement when chloride flux was varied through changes in external chloride concentration or in the rate of the Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter. Furthermore, the model made predictions about the time course of intracellular chloride concentration and chloride reversal potential and how these are affected by changes in synaptic conductance. Based on the comparison between modeling and experimental results, we propose that chloride dynamics could be an important mechanism in rhythm generation in the developing chick spinal cord.


Security and privacy on the Internet and especially the e-mail, is becoming more and more important and crucial for the user. The requirements for the protection of e-mail include issues like tracking and privacy intrusions by hackers and commercial advertisers, intrusions by casual observers, and even spying by government agencies. In an expanding email use in the digital world, Internet and mobile, the quantity and sensitivity of personal information has also tremendously expanded. Therefore, protection of data and transactions and privacy of user information is key and of interest for many users. Based on such motives, in this paper we present the design and current implementation of our secure and privacy-enhanced e-mail system. The system provides protection of e-mails, privacy of locations from which the e-mail system is accessed, and authentication of legitimate users. Differently from existing standard approaches, which are based on adding security extensions to e-mail clients, our system is based on the concept of proxy servers that provide security and privacy of users and their e-mails. It uses all required standards: S/MIME for formatting of secure letters, strong cryptographic algorithms, PKI protocols and certificates. We already have the first implementation and an instance of the system is very easy to install and to use.


The 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina following the dissolution of socialist Yugoslavia became notorious for "ethnic cleansing" and mass rapes targeting the Bosniac (Bosnian Muslim) population. Postwar social and political processes have continued to be dominated by competing nationalisms representing Bosniacs, Serbs, and Croats, as well as those supporting a multiethnic Bosnian state, in which narratives of victimhood take centre stage, often in gendered form. Elissa Helms shows that in the aftermath of the war, initiatives by and for Bosnian women perpetuated and complicated dominant images of women as victims and peacemakers in a conflict and political system led by men. In a sober corrective to such accounts, she offers a critical look at the politics of women's activism and gendered nationalism in a postwar and postsocialist society. Drawing on ethnographic research spanning fifteen years, Innocence and Victimhood demonstrates how women's activists and NGOs responded to, challenged, and often reinforced essentialist images in affirmative ways, utilising the moral purity associated with the position of victimhood to bolster social claims, shape political visions, pursue foreign funding, and wage campaigns for postwar justice. Deeply sensitive to the suffering at the heart of Bosnian women's (and men's) wartime experiences, this book also reveals the limitations to strategies that emphasise innocence and victimhood.


Large-scale models are often applied to study past drought (forced with global reanalysis datasets) and to assess future drought (using downscaled, bias-corrected forcing from climate models). The EU project WATer and global CHange (WATCH) provides a 0.5o degree global dataset of meteorological forcing (i.e. WATCH Forcing Data, WFD), which was used as input for a suite of global hydrological models (GHMs) and land surface models (LSMs). Ten GHMs and LSMs have been run for the second half of the 20th C and seven for the whole century. Spatio-temporal drought characteristics were derived from gridded time series of daily and monthly aggregated runoff using the threshold level, and non-contiguous and contiguous approaches. GHMs and LSMs were intercompared and to some extent also tested against observations to explore to what level these models capture past drought events. This paper will present an overview of results. Global maps showing drought summary statistics (e.g. average duration) and distribution of drought clusters across the globe for major documented drought events will be presented. In addition, area in drought and the occurrence of the maximum drought cluster will be discussed. The main results from a number of studies are: (i) drought characteristics across the globe vary dependent on the selected window of years, (ii) GHMs and LSMs broadly identified major drought events in a number of large river basins around the world, (iii) drought events obtained with individual GHMs an LSMs may substantially deviate from those derived with a catchment scale hydrological model (selected EU WATCH river basins), but the multi-model ensemble mean agrees rather well, (iv) use of different calculation methods for reference evapotranspiration has little to substantial influence on drought characteristics dependent on the climate region (Koppen-Geiger), (v) groundwater systems are as important as climate for the development of drought in runoff. Understanding of past drought events will be discussed in the context of the assessment of uncertainty of projected drought and potential improvements of GHMs and LSMs.


Recombinase enzymes catalyse invasion of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) into homologous duplex DNA forming "Displacement loops" (D-loops), a process called synapsis. This triggers homologous recombination (HR), which can follow several possible paths to underpin DNA repair and restart of blocked and collapsed DNA replication forks. Therefore, synapsis can be a checkpoint for controlling whether or not, how far, and by which pathway, HR proceeds to overcome an obstacle or break in a replication fork. Synapsis can be antagonized by limiting access of a recombinase to ssDNA and by dissociation of D-loops or heteroduplex formed by synapsis. Antagonists include DNA helicases and translocases that are identifiable in eukaryotes, bacteria and archaea, and which target synaptic and pre-synaptic DNA structures thereby controlling HR at early stages. Here we survey these events with emphasis on enabling DNA replication to be resumed from sites of blockage or collapse. We also note how knowledge of anti-recombination activities could be useful to improve efficiency of CRISPR-based genome editing.


The pathophysiology of schizophrenia has not been fully elucidated but there are converging leads to understanding this complex psychiatric disorder. One family of molecules that may play a crucial role in the development of schizophrenia is the eicosanoids. Review of the literature on eicosanoids in patients with schizophrenia points to findings in three areas: precursor molecules such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and specifically arachidonic acid (AA), the actions of specific eicosanoids such as thromboxane A2 (TxA2), thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and enzymes with important functions in eicosanoid metabolism such as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). It has also been found that classical as well as second generation antipsychotics, drugs used to treat schizophrenia, influence eicosanoid metabolism. For example, clozapine and its metabolite N-desmethylclozapine (NDMC) decreased TxB2 production in vitro. Eicosanoids and the enzymes involved in their metabolism may provide novel future drug targets. Therapeutic response to COX-2 inhibitors has already been demonstrated in patients at an early stage of schizophrenia. COX-2 inhibitors may exert this therapeutic action through their effects in reducing PGE2, type-2 cytokine and kynurenic acid production and strengthening glutamatergic neurotransmission.


This paper describes the development and testing of a multimodal visitors' guide service for guests to the city and university in Trondheim. The system is under continuous development. At the present state it serves as a help for visitors to Trondheim aiming at meeting people at the university. Using a natural speech interface with a mobile phone it provides help in finding the right bus connection, how to find your way on the campus, and finally how to find the office inside the building where you are going to meet. Information is provided to the user in the form of speech and graphics (maps, illustrations). It is also illustrated how a robotguide can be used in helping the visitor in finding his way inside a building. Presently, the user end of the demonstrator is implemented on a standard PC, using IPbased telephony (Skype Out). However, in order to utilize all aspects of the system, a practical implementation would require a type of PDA-based phone.


Futurity denotes the quality or state of being in the future. This article explores futurity as an effect of response, as an aesthetic experience of playing a narrative video game. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the ways in which video games are engaged in ecocriticism as an aspect of cultural work invested in the future. In the presented reading of the 2017 video game Horizon: Zero Dawn, it is argued that the combination of the affect creating process of play, in combination with a posthumanist and postnatural plot, creates an experience of futurity, which challenges generic notions of linear temporal progress and of the conventional telos of dystopian fiction in a digital medium. The experience of the narrative video game Horizon Zero Dawn is presented as an example of an aesthetic experience that affords futurity as an effect of playing, interlinked with a reflection on the shape of the future in a posthumanist narrative.


The intelligent design technology based on the Expert System (ES) was applied into injection mould design. The experts' knowledge and experience related to the injection mould project design (IMPD) was expressed in the form of production rule. The knowledge base of intelligent project design of injection mould was constructed. The knowledge automatic reasoning via CLIPS (C Language Integrated Production System) knowledge deducing machine was realized. The achievement of the injection mould project's intelligent design was reached. The research on the injection mould intelligent design based on CLIPS was made. The intelligent design system for injection mould project (IDSIMP) was developed. The injection mould design project could be provided to the injection mould design engineers via the system. The system is of better application value on engineering.


This study was carried out
to evaluate the potential of the use of predominant yeast strains (Sacharomyces cerevisiae and Issatkenkia orientalis) and lactic acid
bacteria (Lactobacillus fermentum) of
Rwandese traditional sorghum beer "ikigage"
as starter cultures to improve ikigage beer. The results show that L. fermentum has an influence on taste sour of ikigage beer and contributes also to generating ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate and higher
alcohols such as 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-me- thylbutan-1-ol and
2-methylpropan-1-ol of this beer. I. orientalis contributed to the production of ethyl butyrate, ethyl
caprylate, isobutyl butyrate and their corresponding acids, and to the generation
of phenyl alcohols in ikigage beer.
The association of S. cerevisiae with I. orientalis and L. fermentum produced ikigage beer with taste, aroma and mouth
feel more similar to ikigage beers
brewed locally by peasants. It is recommended to use S. cerevisiae in association with L. fermentum and I. orientalis as stater cultures to produce ikigage beer having the uniform organoleptic characteristics and a
high ethanol content. This method also reduces the risk of contamination of the
brew with food sanitary indicator and pathogenic microorganisms and will
increase the chance of preservation of ikigage beer.


To determine the effect of oncogene expression on gamma radiation sensitivity of hematopoietic compared to fibroblastic cells, we selected clonal sublines of an interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell line 32D cl 3 and NIH/3T3 embryo fibroblastic cells following transfection with each oncogene linked to the mycophenolic acid resistance gene. Each mycophenolic acid-resistant subclone demonstrated high levels of specific poly(A)+ mRNA for each oncogene. The parent line 32D cl 3 demonstrated similar radiosensitivity at 116 cGy/min (D0 126, n 1.17) compared to 5 cGy/min (D0 123, n 1.65). This pattern was not altered in subclones of 32D cl 3 cells transfected with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor gene and grown in EGF (at 116 cGy/min D0 104, n 0.998, at 5 cGy/min D0 115, n 1.09), or in 32D cl 3 cells expressing the v-sis oncogene (at 116 cGy/min D0 122.4, n 1.79, at 5 cGy/min D0 135, n 1.43). In contrast, expression of the transfected oncogenes v-erb-B, v-abl, or v-src conferred significant radioresistance at 5 cGy/min dose rate (D0 194, n 1.77; D0 165.5, n 1.56; D0 171, n 1.28, respectively). With the exception of v-sis, oncogene expression resulted in nonautocrine factor independence of 32D cl 3 subclones, and production of donor origin tumors in syngeneic new-born or adult mice. Two rare spontaneous factor-independent subclones of 32D cl 3 were also tested. Nonautocrine clone 32D cl 2 demonstrated significantly increased radioresistance at low dose rate (D0 186, n 1.63), while autocrine (IL-3 producing) subclone 32D cl 4 revealed no significant increase in radioresistance at 5 cGy/min. The parent fibroblast cell line NIH/3T3 showed an intrinsic relative radioresistance at low dose rate (at 5 cGy/min D0 157.3, n 1.81, compared to 116 cGy/min D0 134.3, n 1.57). Expression in NIH/3T3 of transfected oncogenes v-abl, v-fms, v-fos, or H-ras increased radioresistance at low dose rate (D0 208.6, n 1.61; D0 206.6, n 1.51; D0 167.5, n 1.85; and D0 206.8, n 1.08, respectively). Thus expression of each of several oncogenes induces resistance to gamma irradiation at 5 cGy/min in hematopoietic and fibroblast cell lines. These data may help explain the clinical recurrence of oncogene-expressing leukemia and lymphoma cells after marrow stem cell ablative doses of low-dose-rate total-body irradiation.


Complexity theory can assist our understanding of social systems and social phenomena. This paper illustrates this assertion by linking Talcott Parsons' model of societal structure to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Parsons' model is used to organize ideas about the underlying causes of the recession that currently afflicts the US. While being too abstract to depict the immediate factors that precipitated this crisis, the model is employed to articulate the argument that vulnerability to this type of event results from flaws in societal structure. This implies that such crises can be avoided only if, in Parsons' terms, structural change occurs in the relations between polity, economy, community, and culture. The Occupy movement has called attention to the need for such fundamental change.


In this work, we implement and compare two fourth-order compact finite difference (CFD) methods to model the propagation of acoustic waves on a 1-D domain. The first scheme is based on standard implicit CFD constructed on nodal grids and must solve a couple of tridiagonal linear systems at each time iteration. The formulation of the second method uses the novel staggered mimetic CFD that explicitly approximate derivatives at cell center points. Mimetic FD operators inherit this name from the fact that some conservation properties fulfilled by the continuous divergence, gradient, and curl operators, are also satisfied by the discrete mimetic counterparts. Both CFD methods are combined to high-order Runge-Kutta schemes for time integration. In our current preliminary experiments, results show that the mimetic CFD scheme is slightly more accurate and shows similar fourth-order convergence than the nodal scheme. In this paper, we also compare the simulation times spent by the compact schemes to an explicit Leap-frog staggered solver. This comparison reflects the high computational efficiency of the mimetic CFD scheme, and along with its accurate results, suggests the potential of this method for multidimensional wave propagation problems.


This study was conducted to investigate the accuracy of self-report assessment in measuring cognitive ability, and its relationship with academic achievement and metacognitive skills. In order to do this, results of cognitive ability tests were compared to responses from self-report assessments of matched domains of ability. The discrepancy between tested and self-reported responses was then compared to academic achievement, and possible connection with metacognitive skills was examined. The study adopted a quantitative approach using cross-sectional descriptive research design. A self-report assessment of cognitive ability was developed to measure verbal, number and spatial ability by adapting several items from the MIDAS, (Shearer, 1996) and the SDQIII (Marsh, 1989) inventories. All measures were translated into the Malay language. Several sets of cognitive ability tests were used to get an objective measure of the matched abilities. The tests include a set of test that was self-developed (vocabulary test), extracts from SPM Bahasa Malaysia paper II examination as well as several tests from the Kit of Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests (Ekstrom, French, Harman & Dermen, 1976). University achievement was measured by the students' cumulative grade point average (CGPA). A total of 465 second year UTM students from an engineering degree programme were involved in the study. Results indicate that the accuracy of self-assessment can be questioned and possible connection with metacognitive skills was suggested.
INTRODUCTION Investigating the ability of students in determining academic success is no doubt important, but in practice, intelligence or ability tests are not a normal part of the national educational practice in many countries outside the United States. What is more, attributing success or failure to cognitive ability or intelligence alone may only confirm ability or deficits (Keogh & Becker, 1973). It does not really provide information that would be helpful for interventions. The main contribution of intelligence tests should not be used to make predictions but to assist students, so much so that the American National Commission on Testing and Public Policy Testing has called for the transformation of testing in America from a gatekeeper to that of a facilitator (Harrington, 1995). The commission stated that testing programmes must change from an over-reliance on objective tests to alternative forms of assessment that help people become aware of and develop their talents.


Introduction. This paper presents the results of a study on the methods for calculating the capacity of level crossings. The purpose of writing this research paper is determine the best methodology for calculating the intervals in the main flows for the prevailing road conditions in the Russian Federation, that a new methodology to calculate capacity adapted to domestic road conditions would be developed in the future.Materials and methods. In recent decades of market relations in the Russian Federation, one can note a rapid increase in motorization in human settlements. The number in 550 vehicles per 1000 people in domestic entities is expected to have been increasde by 2025, which is significantly higher than the current level in European part of the Russian Federation. It is important to note that when the number of vehiclec is increasing, which level is about 80%, it is essential to increase road crossings capacity. Results. At the moment the methodology for calculating capacity and queue length is the same. It should be noted that the current models are not properly described in the domestic studies, but the calculations were made using models developed in the 1960s and 1970s.


As the result of an interesting experiment in co-research, the crs1 group provides us with a short but pointed political pamphlet that is worth reading for several of its aspects. First, by explicitly adopting a labour perspective, it helps us to unravel the highly ideological design which lies behind the recent 'politics of production'2 of the Italian fiat.3 Second, by trying to connect a theoretical analysis of the transformations undergone by labour under neoliberalism with the need for renewed and more effective labour organisation, it gives us the opportunity to rethink the relationship between theory and praxis, as originally envisaged by the Italian workerists.4 From this unique political and cultural background, and from Tronti's theses in particular,5 the research derives not only its basic methodological tools, but also its overall interpretative key. Finally, at a broader level, the book can offer us a useful contribution to the current debate in Marxist political economy, by shedding light on issues concerning capital – labour relations, corporate strategies and resistance practices that are now globally characterising the production realm. The present article aims to highlight the relevance of the conflict lately emerged within the fiat plant under analysis, the possibility of reconsidering a workerist view, and the still strong need for antagonist positions to counter global capital strategies.


Abstract. The 3rd edition of the international summer school "Close-range Sensing Techniques in Alpine terrain" took place in Obergurgl, Austria, in June 2019. This article reports on results from the training and seminar activities and the outcome of student questionnaire survey. Comparison between the recent edition and the past edition in 2017 shows no significant differences on the level of satisfaction on organizational and training aspects. Gender balance was present both in candidates and in the outcome of selections. Selection was based on past research activities and on topic relevance. The majority of trainees were therefore doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers, but also motivated master students participated. The training took place through keynotes, lectures, seminars, in the field with hands-on surveys followed by data analysis in the lab, and teamwork for preparing a final team presentation over different assignments.


Since its foundation in 1875, the activities of St Patrick's College Drumcondra and its graduates have been closely woven into the educational and cultural fabric of Irish society. This volume charts how music and music education have fulfilled a major role throughout the history of the Dublin-based establishment that began as a teacher training college and later evolved into a college of education and liberal arts. Graduates of St Patrick's College have taught hundreds of thousands, if not millions of pupils across the country, have made significant contributions to various facets of professional and amateur music activity, and have had an invaluable influence on the wellbeing of individuals, the development of communities and the advancement of the nation as a whole.
The book records and interprets key musical developments, appraises the work of major contributors, and captures the activities of students, staff and visiting musicians at St Patrick's College up to its incorporation into Dublin City University in 2016. It represents a major scholarly work that details the progress of music at a university college in Ireland, and it is envisaged that its varied chapters and themes will evoke further memories and discussions among graduates of the College and others.


This work reports the position and orientation of helical mm-sized microswimmers in circular channels obtained by image processing of recorded images. Microswimmers are biologically inspired structures with huge potential for medical practices such as delivery of potent drugs into tissues. In order to understand the hydrodynamic effects of confinement on the velocity and stability of trajectories of swimmers, we developed helical microswimmers with a magnetic head and a rigid helical tail, similar to those of \textit{E. coli} bacteria. The experiments are recorded using a digital camera, which is placed above the experimental setup that consists of three Helmholtz pairs, generating a rotating magnetic field. A channel containing the microswimmer is placed along the axis of the innermost coil. Image processing tools based on contrast-enhancement are used to obtain the centroid of the head of the swimmer and orientation of the whole swimmer in the channel. Swimmers that move in the direction of the head, i.e. pushed kinematically by the tail, has helical trajectories, which are more unstable in the presence of Poiesuille flow inside the channel; and the swimmers that are pulled by the tail, have trajectories that stabilize at the centerline of the channel.


BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate responses on multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) with ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness on cirrus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in glaucoma. METHODS: All diagnosed glaucoma patients attending glaucoma services at our institute from November 2012 to April 2013 were screened for this observational hospital-based study. Controls included patients attending our outpatient services for general eye checkup. Structural parameters on SD-OCT including GCIPL and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were compared with functional parameters on mfERG in early (mean deviation <−6 dB), moderate (−6 to − 12 dB), and controls. RESULTS: A total of 54 cases and 33 controls fulfilling inclusion criteria were recruited for the study. The average and minimum GCIPL thickness did not vary significantly between early and control eyes while moderate glaucoma eyes had marginally lower GCIPL thickness than early glaucoma eyes. The GCIPL minimum thickness on univariate regression was found to be influenced by N2 amplitudes (β = −0.5, P = 0.012) and global N2P1amplitudes (β =0.6, P = 0.01) in moderate glaucoma. In early glaucoma, these were influenced only by RNFL parameters with no association with functional mfERG responses. Multivariate logistic regression identified global N2P1 amplitude to be significantly influencing GCIPL average and minimum thickness (P = 0.01 and 0.02, R2 = 47.8% and 52.3%, respectively) in moderate glaucoma. Maximum area under the curve was found for GCIPL minimum (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53–0.81) and N2P1 amplitude (95% CI 0.55–0.80). CONCLUSIONS: The second order responses N2P1 and N2 amplitude on mfERG predict function that correlated with structural GCIPL thickness in moderate glaucoma. Early glaucoma may be best predicted by RNFL thickness rather than on mfERG responses.


Ultrasound transducers with center frequency above 100 MHz are expected to be used for future diagnostic tissue characterization because of their high lateral resolution. We have fabricated a 120-MHz transducer that consists of a ZnO piezoelectric film on a sapphire substrate that has a concave acoustic lens. The lateral resolution was calculated as 13 μm. The insertion loss of the transducer, defined as the difference between the received voltage and the transmitted one, was −45 dB. The 6-dB bandwidth of the received signal was approximately 40 MHz. The transducer was mounted in a rod-shaped probe to ensure contact with in vivo tissue, because of the low penetration of ultrasound in the high frequency region. While the probe is rotated and moved along its axis mechanically, the transducer receives backscattered ultrasound from the surrounding tissue on a cylindrical plane that is kept a constant distance from the probe surface. The feasibility of this high-frequency tissue imaging probe has been demonstrated by obtaining preliminary images of an in vitro bovine kidney.


Remembering 1989: Post-Communist Commemorations in Berlin and Warsaw Kyle Jordan Meadows Germany and Poland since 1989 have become lands of contested memory, as reflected by their attempts to commemorate the series of reforms that led to the end of their Communist regimes. This study is an attempt to analyze the various modes of commemoration dedicated to the transition from communism that have taken place in the intervening years between 1989 and the present. Included amongst these efforts are events occurring in public spaces, such as official remembrance ceremonies like Berlin's Festival of Freedom in 2009, physical monuments, and institutions dedicated to preserving memory, specifically the Gauck Authority in Germany and the Institute of National Remembrance in Poland. An evaluation of the various forms that commemorations may take demonstrates the pluralities of memory in Germany and Poland, and how political factions have used this malleable state of memory to construct popular narratives. The most common narrative that has been seized upon by right-wing factions in both countries, and which has been supported by the official state memory institutions, is the false demographic separation of Communist era Germany and Poland into lands comprised solely of victims, perpetrators, and collaborators. Despite the major differences in their transitional processes, Germany and Poland followed similar trajectories in their commemorative paths, beginning with an initial period of little commemorative effort in favor of a national focus on political and economic development. After a period in which both countries saw similar major shifts in their national governments, the opening decade of the current century saw a resurgence of right-wing politics which brought about the aforementioned focus on memory. The recent focus on memory and commemoration attests to the fact that only now is the transitional period coming to a close, as younger generations with little to no personal memory of 1989 have begun to receive higher education and enter the workforce. Likewise, by studying Germany and Poland in particular, two countries with contrasting transitional experiences yet similar tracks in post-transition memory development, it is shown that there is likely a pattern to how the former Communist bloc countries that experienced peaceful reforms have remembered their post-transition experiences, and that this has negatively impacted the political landscape.


Neurounina-1 [chemical name: 7-nitro-5-phenyl-1-(pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl)-1H-benzo[e][1,4]diazepin-2(3H)-one] is a new compound provided with relevant neuroprotective effect during stroke and in neonatal hypoxia by increasing the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) isoforms NCX1 and NCX2 activity. This study shows for the first time, the development and validation of a sensitive and selective method for analysis of neurounina-1 in beagle dog plasma by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The sample preparation consisted of extraction of the analyte and the internal standard (IS) (ropivacaine) from plasma (50 μL) by liquid-liquid extraction using acetonitrile (100 μL). The selected reaction monitoring mode of the positive ion was performed and the precursor to the product ion transitions of m/z 365 > 83 and m/z 275 > 126 were used to measure the derivative of neurounina-1 and ropivacaine. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a Phenomenex C18 Luna (150 mm × 4.6 mm × 5 μm) analytical column with an isocratic mobile phase composed of methanol/acetonitrile/water (50/40/10, v/v/v) + 0.1% formic acid + 1 M ammonium formate. The method was linear over a concentration range of 1–500 ng/mL. The method was applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of neurounina-1 after a single intravenous administration of three different doses (0.1 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, and 1 mg/kg) to beagle dogs (n = 5). The mean AUC0-tlast values were 26.10, 115.81, and 257.28 ng∗h/mL following intravenous administration of 0.1, 0.3, and 1 mg/kg, respectively. Linear pharmacokinetics was observed up to 1.0 mg/kg. The neurounina-1 was rapidly eliminated, with mean CL values of 46.24, 47.57, and 69.15 L/h, Vd of 130.31, 154.15, and 210.79 L and t1/2 of 2.14, 2.54, and 2.04 h after intravenous administration of 0.1, 0.3, and 1 mg/kg, respectively. This new analytical method allows the rapid determination of the neurounina-1, a new developed compound, able to exert a remarkable neuroprotective effect in the low nanomolar range.


evolution of networked audio technologies has created unprecedented opportunities for musicians to improvise with instrumentalists from a diverse range of cultures and disciplines. As network speeds increase and latency is consigned to history, tele-musical collaboration, and in particular improvisation will be shaped by new methodologies that respond to this potential. While networked technologies eliminate distance in physical space, for the remote improviser, this creates a liminality of experience through which their performance is mediated. As a first step in understanding the conditions arising from collaboration in networked audio platforms, this paper will examine selected case studies of improvisation in a variety of networked interfaces. The author will examine how platform characteristics and network conditions influence the process of collective improvisation and the methodologies musicians are employing to negotiate their networked experiences. KeywordsCollaboration, Improvisation, Internet Audio. Sound Art.


This study tackles a question largely neglected in the debate in economics about local government structure: What impact does the structure of government have on poverty? Using data from the 2000 Census and the 2002 Census of Governments for 331 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, I model the poverty rate as a function of government structure and other factors and test how the structure of government in U.S. metropolitan areas affects poverty rates. I find that as the number of general-purpose governments per 100,000 population increases, the poverty rate increases. These results offer some support for the conclusion that having more local governments leaves low-income households behind and also present a potential downside to Tiebout's solution for the provision of public goods.


Researchers have studied athletic identity (AI) and explored the impact that having a strong AI can have on an athlete. Additionally, researchers have explored the maintenance of AI, but only among very specific athletic populations. Little is known about how different athletes manage their AI at various stages in their career (i.e., still competing versus retired). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how both retired and non-retired elite athletes from a range of sports maintain and perpetuate their AI. Five male and eight female elite athletes were individually interviewed on two separate occasions. Participants were asked questions regarding their AI, their successes and failures in sport, and how their feelings of self-worth were related to their athletic achievements. An inductive data analysis process was used, and relevant themes were identified. It was also found that there are things athletes do, or that occur in their environment that maintain and perpetuate their AI. The current findings expand this body of literature by exploring the various strategies elite athletes use to support their AI.


Considers the architecture and production of everyday life and its positive outcomes, as well as ways of disrupting it, resulting in the loss of these outcomes. Indirectly, such disruption might be brought about by the possible effects of the huge, interacting global changes (in the fields of macro‐economics, technology, culture and politics) on our organisations. These changes force organisations to change themselves too, in order to survive. Some of these forms of adaptation are discussed. Looking at their consequences on the everyday life of their employees, the article roughly distinguishes two kinds of consequences. The article indicates a number of possible sources of stress, and some approaches and interventions that may mitigate their possible harmful effects. Moreover, it concludes that such interventions can have more general positive effects for the organisation, because stress‐related complaints can be indicators of underlying factors that may negatively affect other organisational goals as well.


Distance perception is among the most pervasive mental phenomena and the oldest research topics in behavioural science. However, we do not understand well the most pervasive finding of distance perception research, that of large individual differences. There are large individual differences in acrophobia (fear of heights), which we commonly assume consists of an abnormal fear of stimuli perceived normally. Evolved navigation theory (ENT) instead suggests that acrophobia consists of a more normal fear of stimuli perceived abnormally. ENT suggests that distance perception individual differences produce major components of acrophobia. Acrophobia tested over a broad range in the present study predicted large individual differences in distance estimation of surfaces that could produce falls. This fear of heights correlated positively with distance estimates of a vertical surface—even among non-acrophobic individuals at no risk of falling and without knowledge of being tested for acrophobia. Acrophobia score predicted magnitude of the descent illusion, which is thought to reflect the risk of falling. These data hold important implications in environmental navigation, clinical aetiology and the evolution of visual systems.


Beet soil-borne mosaic virus (BSBMV) and Beet necrotic yellow vein virus
(BNYVV) are members of Benyvirus genus. BSBMV has been reported only in
the United States while BNYVV has a worldwide distribution. Both viruses are
vectored by Polymyxa betae, possess similar host ranges, particles number and
morphology. Both viruses are not serologically related but have similar genomic
organizations. Field isolates consist of four RNA species but some BNYVV
isolates contain a fifth RNA. RNAs 1 and 2 are essential for infection and
replication while RNAs 3 and 4 play important roles on plant and vector
interactions, respectively. Nucleotide and amino acid analyses revealed BSBMV
and BNYVV are different enough to be classified in two different species.
Additionally in BNYVV/BSBMV mixed infections, a competition was
previous described in sugar beet, where BNYVV infection reduces BSBMV
accumulation in both susceptible and resistant cultivars.
Considering all this observations we hypothesized that BNYVV and
BSBMV crossed study, exploiting their similarities and divergences, can improve
investigation of molecular interactions between sugar beets and Benyviruses.
The main achievement of our research is the production of a cDNA
biologically active clones collection of BNYVV and BSBMV RNAs, from which
synthetic copies of both Benyviruses can be transcribed.
Moreover, through recombination experiments we demonstrated, for the
first time, the BNYVV RNA 1 and 2 capability to trans-replicate and encapsidate
BSBMV RNA 3 and 4, either the BSBMV RNA 1 and 2 capability to replicate
BNYVV RNA2 in planta. We also demonstrated that BSBMV RNA3 support
long-distance movement of BNYVV RNA 1 and 2 in B. macrocarpa and that
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foreign sequence as p29HA, GFP and RFP, are successfully expressed, in C.
quinoa, by BSBMV RNA3 based replicon (RepIII) also produced by our
research. These results confirm the close correlation among the two viruses.
Interestingly, the symptoms induced by BSBMV RNA-3 on C. quinoa
leaves are more similar to necrotic local lesions caused by BNYVV RNA-5 p26
than to strongly chlorotic local lesions or yellow spot induced by BNYVV RNA-
3 encoded p25. As previous reported BSBMV p29 share 23% of amino acid
sequence identity with BNYVV p25 but identity increase to 43% when compared
with sequence of BNYVV RNA-5 p26.
Based on our results the essential sequence (Core region) for the longdistance
movement of BSBMV and BNYVV in B. macrocarpa, is not only
carried by RNA3s species but other regions, perhaps located on the RNA 1 and
2, could play a fundamental role in this matter.
Finally a chimeric RNA, composed by the 5' region of RNA4 and 3' region
of RNA3 of BSBMV, has been produced after 21 serial mechanically inoculation
of wild type BSBMV on C. quinoa plants. Chimera seems unable to express any
protein, but it is replicated and transcript in planta. It could represent an
important tool to study the interactions between Benyvirus and plant host.
In conclusion different tools, comprising a method to study synthetic
viruses under natural conditions of inoculum through P. Betae, have been
produced and new knowledge are been acquired that will allow to perform future
investigation of the molecular interactions between sugar beets and Benyviruses.


It is well known that certain types of pre-malignant lesions can predispose some women to increased risk of breast cancer. These certain types of pre-malignant lesions are generally classified as high-risk breast lesions. These lesions become invasive cancers in about 15% of patients and hence the management and treatment of these lesions warrant a significant discussion. There are several categories of these lesions, to include atypical hyperplasia of the breast (atypical ductal hyperplasia and atypical lobular hyperplasia); carcinoma in situ (ductal carcinoma in situ and lobular carcinoma in situ); columnar cell pre-malignant lesions; lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN III); radial scar/complex sclerosing lesion; sclerosing adenosis and papillary lesions of the breast. These lesions are morphologically, radiologically, histologically and clinically heterogeneous and early identification can help to prevent progression to invasive can - cers. The management of these lesions has been debated internationally for years by experts as to the best treatment modality with surgical excision of the lesion often not considered necessary. It is thus important to evaluate each patient on an individual case-by-case basis. The characteristics of these high-risk breast lesions are further dis- cussed in this chapter. situ atypical lobular hyperplasia lobular intraepithelial lobular carcinoma


US military Research and Development (R&D) expenditures arguably represent the best example of mission-oriented policy. They are sizeable, with a clear-cut public purpose (national defense) and with the government being their exclusive beneficiary. Exploiting a longitudinal dataset linking public R&D obligations to private R&D expenditures for US states, we investigate the impact of defense R&D on privately-financed R&D. To address potential endogeneity in the allocation of funds, we use an instrumental variable identification strategy leveraging the differential exposure of US states to national shocks in federal military R&D. We document considerable "crowding-in" effects with elasticities in the 0.11-0.14 range. These positive effects extend also to the labor market, when focusing on employment in selected R&D intensive industries and especially for engineers.


Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (also known as combination tones) are sounds generated within the listener's ears upon physical and physiological interactions between spectral components in a given auditory input. The relationship between sounds generated by loudspeakers and sounds generated in the listener's ears offers fertile ground for the exploration of spatial depth in music. The author's On the Sensations of Tone is a series of compositions that provoke ear tones to create an additional spatial dimension in each piece. Following a brief overview of the history and mechanisms behind otoacoustic emissions, this paper discusses techniques for composing with the phenomenon as used in On the Sensations of Tone VII (2015).


This article aims to explore the impact of global governance on legal thinking by studying the case of global administrative law. Tracing global governance at the core of the international rule of law movement to the restructuring of legal landscape, I suggest that global administrative law, supported by the underlying values of administrative law, reflects a deliberately chosen approach to the new nomos of the earth in the global era. Distanced from the will of nation-states, the legality and legitimacy of global administrative law are reconstructed around the idea of publicness, suggesting a new paradigm of law based on inter-public legality. I argue that under this new paradigm of law, political calculation displaces legal reasoning. Legality amounts to the dispensation of legal weight and is thus merged with politics. Given the non-public, interest-oriented character of dialogues in the politics of weighting, however, global administrative law suggests a post-public conception of legitimacy.


Background—Despite advances in surgical and percutaneous coronary revascularization, ongoing ischemia that is not amenable to standard revascularization techniques is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) has potent angiogenic and anti-apoptotic activities, and this study evaluated the functional and biochemical effects of HGF gene transfer in a rat model of postinfarction heart failure. Methods and Results—Lewis rats underwent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery with direct intramyocardial injection of replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus encoding HGF (n=10) or empty null virus as control (n=9), and animals were analyzed after six weeks. Pressure-volume conductance catheter measurements demonstrated significantly preserved contractile function in the HGF group compared with Null control animals as measured by maximum developed LV pressure (79±5 versus 56±4 mm Hg, P <0.001) and maximum dP/dt (2890±326 versus 1622±159 mm Hg/sec, P <0.01). Significant preservation of LV geometry was associated with HGF treatment (LV Diameter HGF 13.1±0.54 versus Null 14.4±0.15 mm P <0.01; LV wall thickness 1.73±0.10 versus 1.28±0.07 mm P <0.01). Angiogenesis was significantly enhanced in HGF treated animals as measured by both Von Willebrand's Factor immunohistochemical staining and a microsphere assay. TUNEL analysis revealed a significant reduction in apoptosis in the HGF group (3.42±0.83% versus 8.36±1.16%, P <0.01), which correlated with increased Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression in the HGF animals. Conclusions—Hepatocyte Growth Factor gene transfer following a large myocardial infarction results in significantly preserved myocardial function and geometry, and is associated with significant angiogenesis and a reduction in apoptosis. This therapy may be useful as an adjunct or alternative to standard revascularization techniques in patients with ischemic heart failure.


Oxynitride glasses are effectively alumino-silicate glasses in which nitrogen substitutes for oxygen in the glass network, resulting in increases in glass transition and softening temperatures, viscosities (by two to three orders of magnitude), elastic moduli and microhardness. Calcium alumino-silicate glasses containing fluorine are known to have useful characteristics as potential bioactive materials. Therefore, the combination of both nitrogen and fluorine additions to these glasses may give useful bioglasses with enhanced mechanical stability. This paper gives a review of oxynitride glasses and reports glass formation and evaluation of glass properties in the Ca-Si-Al-O-N-F system. Within the previously defined glass forming region in the Ca-Si-Al-O-N system, homogeneous, dense glasses are formed. However, addition of fluorine affects glass formation and reactivity of the glass melts and can lead to fluorine loss as SiF4, but also nitrogen loss, and cause bubble formation. At high fluorine and high Ca contents under conditions when Ca- F bonding is favoured, CaF2 crystals precipitate in the glass. It was found that fluorine expands the glass forming region of Ca-Sialon system and facilitates the solution of nitrogen into the melt.


Increased walking among facility-dwelling older adults, who are very old, frail, and have low physical activity, could have substantial health benefits. Multilevel approaches to improving physical activity, based on Ecological Models and Social Cognitive Theory, have not been tested in this population but hold promise for improved effects. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and outcomes of a 3-month enhanced, multilevel walking intervention, compared to a standard walking intervention, among older adults in retirement communities. Participants in the enhanced intervention group were hypothesized to have improved outcomes compared to those in the standard intervention. Data were collected at baseline (N = 87) and post-intervention (N = 67) from residents in 4 retirement facilities. Sites were quasi- randomized to condition (N = 2 sites per condition). Standard intervention components included pedometers, printed materials, and biweekly group sessions; those in the enhanced intervention also received individual biweekly phone counseling and environmental awareness components. Measures included activity related outcomes (pedometers, sedentary behavior, activities of daily living, on and off-site walking, satisfaction with walking opportunities, neighborhood barriers), physical function, mental health outcomes (quality of life, depression), study satisfaction, and adherence to study components. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for between group differences and repeated measures ANCOVA for pre-post test changes. None of the outcomes were significantly different between walking intervention conditions except for neighborhood barriers. Standard intervention participants had significantly fewer neighborhood barriers post-intervention compared to the enhanced intervention group. Significant improvements from baseline to post-intervention occurred among the total sample for step counts, neighborhood barriers, walking up stairs, walking off-site, and satisfaction with walking opportunities but significance disappeared after adjustment for covariates. Study satisfaction and adherence was high for both groups. The results of this study suggest that two different types of walking interventions are feasible to conduct and result in improved step counts among facility-dwelling older adults. The most change occurred for environment-related variables. Findings suggest that the context of walking is important for older adults residing in retirement facilities and should be targeted in future interventions. Future studies can build on this novel multilevel approach to improving walking among very old adults


Ischemic heart conditions are some of the most prevalent disorders in the United States. These diseases also cause a significant number of mortalities each year. Despite considerable advances in treatment of the ischemic and infarct heart, many patients still develop complications and often progress to heart failure. These outcomes are typically related to factors such as the inability to deliver medication to the affected area, lack of successful stem cell implantation, improper tissue regeneration, and additional damage caused after reperfusion to ischemic tissues. The use of nanotechnology in the treatment of the ischemic and infarct heart has shown promising results for therapeutic improvement. This review focuses on several nanotechnologybased treatments for ischemic heart diseases including simple and modified drug/stem cell delivery systems ranging from magnetic, antibody-linked, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Additional nanotechnology systems such as nanoscaffolds and graphene compounds assist the repair of damaged cardiac tissue, therefore, increasing treatment efficacy. Based on these technologies, future models such as multi-functional nanoparticles should be considered for further advancement in this area. Abbreviations: CAD, coronary artery disease; ECM, extracellular matrix; GO, graphene oxide; IHD, ischemic heart disease; IR, ischemic reperfusion; MI, myocardial infarction; MSC, mesenchymal stem cell; nano-DDS, nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery system; PEG, polyethylene glycol; ROS, reactive oxygen species.


With few surviving Greek sources from Hellenistic Babylonia, we are often ill-informed about the details of Seleucid imperialism 'on the ground' — in particular, about the Seleucids' relationship with the Babylonian priestly elites and Babylonian cult and culture. This makes the cuneiform sources all the more important. One of the most intriguing is the Antiochus (or Borsippa) Cylinder, a clay cylinder in the form of a traditional Mesopotamian royal inscription recording Antiochus I's restoration of a Babylonian temple. Although the Cylinder was previously seen as evidence for the adoption of Babylonian cultural forms by the Seleucids, recent readings have analysed it as a product of interaction between Babylonian tradition and Seleucid imperial ideology. Yet the accuracy of such readings crucially depends on situating the Cylinder correctly within its cultural context. Here the inscription is reassessed with close reference to earlier and contemporary Mesopotamian sources. While evidence for 'copy-and-paste' redaction imposes significant methodological constraints on textual analysis, certain elements of the Cylinder which are non-traditional from a Babylonian perspective can persuasively be interpreted in terms of Seleucid royal ideology. Ultimately, however, we must question the extent to which the inscription's ideological maneouvres are broadly 'Babylonian' or 'imperial', rather than shaped by and targeted at a specific local context.


This thesis analyses the social life of British Indian picture postcards of Bengaluru from their initial production in the early 20th century into the postcolonial present. The research is based upon a mixed methodological approach of participant observation, and archival and digital research conducted over the course of 15 months in Bengaluru. Whilst the current body of literature on colonial picture postcards has been conducted solely from a historical perspective, my research shows that their biographies continue into the present as they act as material mediators in postcolonial experiences of history, locality, heritage and urban renewal. Discussions of Bengaluru, both in popular and academic discourse, often focus on its rise into the 'IT capital of India'. In doing so, the identities and histories of the city that stretch back beyond the 1990s liberalisation of the Indian economy are often obscured. Within this context, this thesis proposes that postcolonial Bengalureans reflexively engage with the ephemeral debris of colonialism as an accessible archive of historical documents as they contend the forces of rapid urban development that are experienced as de-historicising the city. Situated between visual and historical anthropology, the project focuses on the multiple engagements of picture postcards as they are brought into new relationships, forms and contexts in their journey through time and space. Ultimately, I propose that acts of collecting, remediating and displaying picture postcards of Bengaluru are key referents that help citizens understand the city's transformations and, at times, become enmeshed in wider discourses of its future.


Macrophage responses following the implantation of orthopaedic implants are essential for successful implant integration in the body, partly through intimate crosstalk with human marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) in the process of new bone formation. Additive manufacturing (AM) and plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in the presence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are promising techniques to achieve multifunctional titanium implants. Their osteoimmunomodulatory properties are, however, not yet fully investigated. Here, we studied the effects of implants with AgNPs on human macrophages and the crosstalk between hMSCs and human macrophages when co-cultured in vitro with biofunctionalised AM Ti6Al4V implants. A concentration of 0.3 g/L AgNPs in the PEO electrolyte was found to be optimal for both macrophage viability and inhibition of bacteria growth. These specimens also caused a decrease of the macrophage tissue repair related factor C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 18 (CCL18). Nevertheless, co-cultured hMSCs could osteogenically differentiate without any adverse effects caused by the presence of macrophages that were previously exposed to the PEO (±AgNPs) surfaces. Further evaluation of these promising implants in a bony in vivo environment with and without infection is highly recommended to prove their potential for clinical use.


Tuskegee University has been providing various types of technical expertise to limited resource farmers who have been supplying Walmart with collard greens, watermelons and purple hull peas. A number of pests bedevil the cultivation of these crops; cost-effective management methods for these pests are needed. The objectives of this paper are to document the IPM activities associated with supplying produce to Walmart; summarize pest problems encountered on the afore-stated crops; recommend IPM methods suitable for limited resource farmers; and suggest other activities that ensure that farmers incur even less pest-related crop losses. Anthracnose was the major pest encountered on watermelons. Some purple hull pea growers had problems with purple hull pea curculio and downy mildew. The major pests encountered on collard greens were diamond-back moth and downy mildew. Pesticide residues on vegetables produced and consumed in the U.S. and possible pest management practices that are responsible for these residues are discussed.