Monitoring and evaluation system of many local non-governmental organizations are poorly developed and are also merely implemented to suit the purpose of M&E. The purpose of this five chapter's project is to explore the role of local non-governmental organization's management in developing and implementing M&E system in their respective organizations. However, other literature have referred this failure to challenges of M&E system of local non-governmental organizations in relation to lack of competent personnel, lack of financial capacity to fund M&E system development and lack of will to implement the M&E system. This study was specifically focused on examining the role of management in developing and implementing M&E system in local NGOs. The study was conducted at Uhakika Kituo cha Ushauri Nasaha (UKUN) which is a local NGO based in Bagamoyo District of Coast Region in Tanzania to explore the role played by management in M&E system development and implementation, M&E practices and also opportunities for effective M&E system development and implementation. Through review of organization reports, questionnaire administration with semi-structured questions to UKUN staff, management representatives and their stakeholders or beneficiaries this descriptive study obtained sufficient information in relation to UKUN M&E system and management responsibility. The findings of the study have identified management roles for M&E system development and implementation and have also identified some best possible M&E practices and opportunities for M&E system improvement. Finally, the study has drawn suggestions and recommendations for M&E system development and implementation for UKUN.


Phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM; EC 126.96.36.199) catalyzes the interconversion of 2‐phosphoglycerate and 3‐phosphoglycerate in the glycolytic pathway. Hereditary muscle PGAM deficiency has been identified in 9 patients with myopathy. All patients had exercise introlerance and 6 had myoglobinuria. Seven of the 9 patients were African‐Americans: 5 of them were homozygous for a nonsense mutation, TGG(Trp) to TAG at codon 78; 1 was a compound heterozygote for the nonsense mutation and a missense mutation, GAG(Glu) to GCG(Ala) at codon 89; and 1 could not be tested. The only 2 Caucasian patients, a brother and sister, were homozygous for a different missense mutation, CGG(Arg) to TGG(Trp) at codon 90. Despite the small number of patients identified, these findings indicate that there is a common mutation in African‐Americans while there may be molecular genetic heterogeneity in other ethnic groups. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


'White Youth' recovers and explains the relationship between far-right organisations and British youth culture in the period between 1977 and 1987. In particular, it concentrates on the cultural spaces opened up by punk and the attempts made by the National Front and British Movement to claim them as conduits for racist and/or ultra-nationalist politics. The article is built on an empirical basis, using archival material and a historical methodology chosen to develop a history 'from below' that takes due consideration of the socio-economic and political forces that inform its wider context. Its focus is designed to map shifting cultural and political influences across the far right, assessing the extent to which extremist organisations proved able to adopt or utilise youth cultural practice as a means of recruitment and communication. Today the British far right is in political and organisational disarray. Nonetheless, residues tied to the cultural initiatives devised in the 1970s–80s remain, be they stylistic, nostalgic or points of connection forged to connect a transnational music scene.


The paper shows that children with glomerulonephritis develop autoimmune disorders and stable thyroid dysfunction. That's why it is valid to include thyroid function correcting drugs in the combined regimens. The drugs should be assigned with consideration of individual clinical syndromes of acute and clinical forms of chronic glomerulonephritis.


Abstract The southern Australian continental margin is an immense cool-water carbonate factory. The high-energy open shelf is blanketed by heterozoan carbonates of both Holocene and late Pleistocene age. Three distinct grain types have been identified and radiocarbon dated. These include (1) relict grains, highly abraded iron-stained intraclasts formed during the intermediate sea-level stands of Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 4, (2) stranded grains, gray and buff-colored abraded biofragments and intraclasts marooned during the sea-level rise associated with Marine Isotope Stage 2, and (3) Holocene grains, unaltered biofragments formed during Marine Isotope Stage 1. Optical, mineralogical, and chemical characterization of grains of each age has revealed pathways of early diagenesis in this realm. Both calcitic and aragonite biogenic grains undergo dissolution. While dissolution of calcitic components is minor and incomplete (relict sediments are predominantly Mg calcite), aragonitic skeletons undergo significant dissolution within ~ 30,000 years. In contrast to early dissolution of aragonite, micritic calcite cement, with ~ 12 mol% MgCO3, is a significant diagenetic phase in these sediments, infilling many stranded and most relict skeletons. Similar cement precipitates between grains, forming small numbers of cemented grain aggregates in most samples. Microprobe and ICP-MS analysis demonstrates Fe oxides, Mn oxides, and associated clay minerals discolor stranded and relict grains, by coating grain surfaces and infesting micropores. Such coatings begin to form on Holocene grains during or soon after formation. The oxides scavenge trace elements including V, Ti, Cr, and REE, altering the elemental compositions of biogenic carbonate.


Researchers have demonstrated over the last decade the importance of tunability to reduce the complexity and the cost of telecommunication systems operating at multiple frequency bands and standards. This work focuses on novel optically tunable filters for microwave applications and therefore proposes alternative solution to commonly used tuning methods such as MEMS or diodes. The thesis has investigated different resonators for having good candidates for the novel optically tunable system developed throughout this manuscript. Different technologies are used to design such components, namely: Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) technology combined with metamaterial effect and cavity loading. All manufactured resonators are designed to be balanced between three features: the unloaded quality factor (Q0), the tuning range (TR) and the size. The last part deals with the tuning system based on SMT capacitance and optically controlled RF switches based on Si CMOS technology. Several methods have been used to improve the insertion loss of manufactured switches and therefore the performance of the whole system, demonstrating the feasibility of this novel optically based tunable concept.


The aim of this paper is to investigate the use of symbols by early years teachers and identify the types of symbols that teachers employ in when teaching early years science. Previous research concentrates on symbols within special education. Literature supports that symbols can help children visualise meanings of words and understand science. Research suggests that symbols can support children with special educational needs at many different levels. The theory behind this study is social constructivism which commonly underpins contemporary studies in science education. Social constructivism involves children constructing their knowledge based on previous knowledge, with an emphasis on the effect that. A case study was designed which included six individual interviews and lesson observations conducted with six early years teachers working in mainstream pre-primary schools. The participants of the study were six female early years teachers. Permission to conduct the research was granted by the Ministry of Education in Cyprus. The teachers and the parents were informed of the data collection procedures and gave their consent to participate knowing that they could withdraw at any time. Teachers tend to mainly use graphic for their teaching and report that replacing words with symbols can support children's learning and prepare them for reading/writing. The participants used symbols which they created on their own, usually using pictures and drawings. Teachers are not aware of the commercially available symbols sets. There is a need to train teachers on the use of symbols and inform about available resources that can be employed when teaching.


Introduction/Background In this study we aimed to compare the long-term oncological outcomes of laparotomy (LT) and laparoscopic (LS) surgeries in endometrial cancer under the light of 2016 ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classification system, focusing on the high intermediate and high-risk categories. Methodology Using multicentric database, overall (OS) and disease-free survivals (DFS) of 2745 endometrial cancer cases were compared according the surgery route, laparotomy vs laparoscopy. A sub-analysis was performed considering the 2016 ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classification for endometrial cancer. Thus, high intermediate and high-risk patients were grouped and a comparison was made between the groups. Results Among the enrolled patients 1743 (63.5%) were operated by laparotomy and 1002 (36.5%) were operated with laparoscopy. The total number of high intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer cases was 734 (45%) patients in the LT group and 307 (30.7%) patients in the LS group. OS and DFS were not statistically different when compared between LS and LT groups in terms of low, intermediate, high intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer. Conclusion Regardless of the endometrial cancer risk category, long-term oncologic outcomes of LS were found to be comparable to those treated classically with LT. Our results are encouraging for primarily considering laparoscopic surgery for high intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer cases in order to minimize surgical morbidity, as adjuvant therapies will mostly be offered to this population. It should be strongly emphasized that this suggestion is limited to gynecological oncology centers with high laparoscopical experience. Disclosure Nothing to disclose.


When investigating the wear phenomena often there is a need for studying the wear process on the basis of variable parameters (microstructure, surface roughness, and load). A new experimental method was developed thorough several set of tests, by which the effects of the mentioned parameters in the wear process can be examined. The method is based on the ball/plane contact which is suitable for examination of the local wear phenomena. There is a point like contact at the beginning of the experiments. The equipment gives the opportunity to analyse the "behaviour" of the specimens depending on the given load (normal load), on the rotations per minute, and on the surface roughness (Ra). The roughness of the counter ball does not change during the tests because of the random walk motion of the ball. A good understanding of the microstructure and its influence on wear resistance is of great importance to designers and engineers in selecting wear-resistant materials [1]. Under conditions of severe wear, the original structure with higher hardness does not exhibit a better wear resistance [2]. The experimental results demonstrate the influence of the local microstructure on the mechanism of the wear process and the dependancy of wear resistance as a function of the microstructure.


: More than a camp for special children, actor Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp provides a therapeutic and recreational experience for children with cancer and blood diseases. The editor of Pediatric Nursing describes the camp, the idea, and how the concept was operationalized.


Abstract:Dewey is not known for his theory of truth. Peirce's and James' theories have received more attention and Dewey's theory, when it is discussed, is often viewed as changing the subject, clearly inadequate, or as full of quirky idiosyncrasies. I argue here that Dewey does not have a theory of truth, not because he avoided speaking of truth, or sought to replace it with some other concept, but because (like Peirce) his goal is not to give a theory in the first place. Instead, Dewey operationalizes the concept of truth, linking it to practices and processes of inquiry, focusing less on what truth is and more on what truth does. Over the course of several decades he addressed the topic of truth directly, developing a consistent account of the concept. While similar to Peirce in how he focuses on the function of truth in assertoric discourse, Dewey's account is also distinct for how he prioritizes truth's subject-independence. I give a reading of Dewey on truth that does justice to his core commitments while offering clarifications and modifications where necessary. The result is a pragmatic account of truth that merits attention alongside more familiar theories.


The widespread use of the measurement of educational outcomes in order to compare the performance of education within and across countries seems to express a real concern for the quality of education. This book argues that the focus on the measurement of educational outcomes has actually displaced questions about educational purpose. Biesta explores why the question as to what constitutes good education has become so much more difficult to ask and shows why this has been detrimental for the quality of education and for the level of democratic control over education. He provides concrete suggestions for engaging with the question of purpose in education in a new, more precise and more encompassing way, with explicit attention to the ethical, political and democratic dimensions of education.


This Library Research Guide is designed to support CMNS 120 which examines the history of journalism, the evolution of the role of the journalist in society, and the interrelationship between the practice of journalism and the broader social, cultural, po


Introduction: Puerperium infections are the most common types of infection in the post-partum period. Endometritis is 10-20 times more common after cesarean section than vaginal delivery. Symptoms such as fever, vaginal discharge, and abdominal pain are common, but signs and symptoms like vaginal discharge associated with uterine decidual cast and its protrusion into the vaginal canal are rare that can be misdiagnosed as intestinal tissue and omentum. In this article, we report two cases of endometritis following cesarean section with unusual manifestations including mass in the uterine cavity and mass protrusion from the vaginal area due to puerpurial endometritis and decidual casts. Case report: In this article, we report two cases of puerperium infection with uncommon signs including uterine mass and mass protrusion from the cervix with vaginal discharge. In the first case, because of delayed diagnosis and treatment, the patient underwent abdominal hysterectomy due to uterine rupture and omentum protrusion. However, in the second case, because of correct diagnosis and extensive antibiotic therapy and curettage, the uterus was preserved. Conclusion: After vaginal delivery or cesarean section, patients with signs and symptoms of endometritis should undergo antibiotic therapy. In case endometritis persists, sonography should be performed, and if mass in the uterine cavity is observed, curettage should be used. This is because correct and appropriate diagnosis and treatment prevent disease progression and emergency conditions like sepsis, and on rare occasions, vaginal mass protrusion, and thereby, invasive procedures. In addition, in cases of mass in the uterine cavity or mass protrusion from the vaginal area after vaginal delivery or cesarean section, decidual cast should be considered as a differential diagnosis.


Egg oiling is a form of management in which bird eggs are coated with mineral or corn oil, preventing gas exchange through the shell and killing embryos. Unlike other nest- disturbance techniques, egg oiling reportedly precludes colony abandonment and, thus, can be advantageous when managers wish to limit dispersal within the breeding season to other locations while stabilizing the population or reducing productivity. However, unintended, indirect effects of egg oiling are not well-characterized. We evaluated the influence of egg oiling on ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) within the Lake Champlain basin, Vermont, during the nesting season to determine whether egg oiling affected colony presence of adults. We radio- marked 58 ring-billed gulls captured on Young Island during 2008 to 2009 and treated all ring-billed gull nests in the colony with egg oiling except for 50% of the nests of radio-marked gulls (control group). Using a radio receiver with automated data logger, we documented the presence of ring-billed gulls at the colony throughout the breeding season. We examined effects of treatment (nests oiled or control), sex, reproductive period (pre- and post-hatch), year, and interactive effects on colony presence (i.e., the proportion of nights ring-billed gulls spent at Young Island). Although we found no effect of treatment, sex, or interactive effects on colony presence, colony presence was 87% greater in the pre-hatch period, presumably due to behavioral mechanisms related to incubation or foraging. Overall colony presence was 118% greater in 2009 than in 2008, potentially a consequence of increased colony disturbance in 2008. We suggest that egg oiling does not influence colony presence of ring-billed gulls within the breeding season.


An analytical framework predicts that, in response to an exogenous increase in resource-based government revenue, a benevolent government will partially substitute away from taxing income, increase spending and save. Fifty-one years of U.S.-state level data are largely consistent with this theory. A baseline fixed effects model predicts that a $1.00 increase in resource revenue results in a $0.25 decrease in non-resource revenue, a $0.43 increase in spending and a $0.32 increase in savings. Instrumenting for resource revenue reveals that a positive revenue shock is largely saved and the rest is transferred back to residents in the form of lower non-resource tax rates. JEL: Q38; H20


As many systems depend on electronics, concern for fault tolerance is growing rapidly. For example, a car with its steering controlled by electronics and no mechanical linkage from steering wheel to front tires (steer-by-wire) should be fault tolerant because a failure can come without any warning and its effect is devastating. In order to make system fault tolerant, there has been a body of research mainly from aerospace field. This paper presents the prediction based fault tolerant structure that can remove most erroneous values. In addition, several numerical simulation results are given where the suggested system outperforms well-known average and median voters.


The remarkable behind-the-scenes story of one of the most iconic clashes in sports and world history. In 1936, against a backdrop of swastikas flying and storm troopers goose-stepping, an African-American athlete won a staggering four Olympic gold medals. Jesse Owens, the son of sharecroppers, had single-handedly crushed Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy. The story of Jesse Owens at the 1936 games is that of a high-profile athlete giving a performance that transcends sports. But it is also the intimate and complex tale of the courage of one remarkable man. This is the incredible true story of one of the moment a black athlete beat Hitler at his own games.


This book is much more than you may think it is. Scale is not just about designing Web sites that dont crash when lots of users show up. It is about designing your company so that it doesnt crash when your business needs to grow. These guys have been there on the front lines of some of the most successful Internet companies of our time, and they share the good, the bad, and the ugly about how to not just survive, but thrive. Marty Cagan, Founder, Silicon Valley Product Group A must read for anyone building a Web service for the mass market. Dana Stalder, General Partner, Matrix Partners Abbott and Fisher have deep experiences with scale in both large and small enterprises. Whats unique about their approach to scalability is they start by focusing on the true foundation: people and process, without which true scalability cannot be built. Abbott and Fisher leverage their years of experience in a very accessible and practical approach to scalability that has been proven over time with their significant success. Geoffrey Weber, VP of Internet Operations/IT, Shutterfly If I wanted the best diagnoses for my health I would go to the Mayo Clinic. If I wanted the best diagnoses for my portfolio companies performance and scalability I would call Martin and Michael. They have recommended solutions to performance and scalability issues that have saved some of my companies from a total rewrite of the system. Warren M. Weiss, General Partner, Foundation Capital As a manager who worked under Michael Fisher and Marty Abbott during my time at PayPal/eBay, the opportunity to directly absorb the lessons and experiences presented in this book are invaluable to me now working at Facebook. Yishan Wong, Director of Engineering, Facebook The Art of Scalability is by far the best book on scalability on the market today. The authors tackle the issues of scalability from processes, to people, to performance, to the highly technical. Whether your organization is just starting out and is defining processes as you go, or you are a mature organization, this is the ideal book to help you deal with scalability issues before, during, or after an incident. Having built several projects, programs, and companies from small to significant scale, I can honestly say I wish I had this book one, five, and ten years ago. Jeremy Wright, CEO, b5media, Inc. Only a handful of people in the world have experienced the kind of growth-related challenges that Fisher and Abbott have seen at eBay, PayPal, and the other companies theyve helped to build. Fewer still have successfully overcome such challenges. The Art of Scalability provides a great summary of lessons learned while scaling two of the largest internet companies in the history of the space, and its a must-read for any executive at a hyper-growth company. Whats more, its well-written and highly entertaining. I couldnt put it down. Kevin Fortuna, Partner, AKF Consulting Marty and Mikes book covers all the bases, from understanding how to build a scalable organization to the processes and technology necessary to run a highly scalable architecture. They have packed in a ton of great practical solutions from real world experiences. This book is a must-read for anyone having difficulty managing the scale of a hyper-growth company or a startup hoping to achieve hyper growth. Tom Keeven, Partner, AKF Consulting The Art of Scalability is remarkable in its wealth of information and clarity; the authors provide novel, practical, and demystifying approaches to identify, predict, and resolve scalability problems before they surface. Marty Abbott and Michael Fisher use their rich experience and vision, providing unique and groundbreaking tools to assist small and hyper-growth organizations as they maneuver in todays demanding technological environments. Joseph M. Potenza, Attorney, Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. A Comprehensive, Proven Approach to IT Scalability from Two Veteran Software, Technology, and Business Executives In The Art of Scalability, AKF Partners cofounders Martin L. Abbott and Michael T. Fisher cover everything IT and business leaders must know to build technology infrastructures that can scale smoothly to meet any business requirement. Drawing on their unparalleled experience managing some of the worlds highest-transaction-volume Web sites, the authors provide detailed models and best-practice approaches available in no other book. Unlike previous books on scalability, The Art of Scalability doesnt limit its coverage to technology. Writing for both technical and nontechnical decision-makers, this book covers everything that impacts scalability, including architecture, processes, people, and organizations. Throughout, the authors address a broad spectrum of real-world challenges, from performance testing to IT governance. Using their tools and guidance, organizations can systematically overcome obstacles to scalability and achieve unprecedented levels of technical and business performance. Coverage includes Staffing the scalable organization: essential organizational, management, and leadership skills for technical leaders Building processes for scale: process lessons from hyper-growth companies, from technical issue resolution to crisis management Making better build versus buy decisions Architecting scalable solutions: powerful proprietary models for identifying scalability needs and choosing the best approaches to meet them Optimizing performance through caching, application and database splitting, and asynchronous design Scalability techniques for emerging technologies, including clouds and grids Planning for rapid data growth and new data centers Evolving monitoring strategies to tightly align with customer requirements


After the end of the commercial harvest, research regarding the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) in Russia was reduced and focused on the observation of animals at land-based haul-outs. This paper presents the long-term observations of the distribution, relative abundance, and direction of seasonal movements of walruses in the offshore waters of the Chukotka Peninsula, based on data obtained in 1990 – 2012. Observations of Pacific walruses and other marine mammals were conducted mainly from April through November, but some were conducted all year round. In some years up to 30 Native Chukotkan observers were employed at this task. Some watched from observation posts in Native villages onshore, and others from motorboats during hunting trips. These observations have shown that walruses are rare in January and February in the nearshore waters of the Chukotka Peninsula. Their numbers begin to increase in March. The northward movement of walruses begins in April, and walruses migrate from the Bering Sea to the Chukchi Sea throughout the summer months and early autumn. Based on observations from posts located directly in front of the southern Bering Strait, I conclude that 106 – 1055 walruses pass through the Bering Strait from July to September, to the northwest and north. At the haul-outs in the Gulf of Anadyr, the relative number of walruses remains stable during the summer (up to 11 000 individuals at all haul-outs in total based on observers' estimates) and decreases only with the appearance of ice in October – November.


This paper presents the enhancements that we have done on the TRAFIL (TRAce FILe) framework, which significantly extend its capabilities in the areas of simulation design and execution. In particular, TRAFIL now offers the possibility to design, create, execute and review NS-2 simulation scenarios, on top of its existing post-simulation trace analysis functionalities. The enhancements make TRAFIL a complete wrapper around the NS-2 simulator, allowing the user to perform all steps from pre-simulation design to actual simulation execution in an automated way and fast and convenient post-simulation analysis of potentially large amount of data. The paper describes the new TRAFIL architecture and how these enhancements were implemented with the goal of relieving NS-2 users from the often cumbersome tasks of script writing and validating, while also enabling them at to go behind the TRAFIL environment and into the simulator internals at any time. The paper presents the new GUI functionalities developed for that purpose, the approach that we took for their design and how these fit in the overall TRAFIL architecture.


Fluorescent calcium indicator proteins, such as GCaMP3, allow imaging of activity in genetically defined neuronal populations. GCaMP3 can be expressed using various gene delivery methods, such as viral infection or electroporation. However, these methods are invasive and provide inhomogeneous and nonstationary expression. Here, we developed a genetic reporter mouse, Ai38, which expresses GCaMP3 in a Cre-dependent manner from the ROSA26 locus, driven by a strong CAG promoter. Crossing Ai38 with appropriate Cre mice produced robust GCaMP3 expression in defined cell populations in the retina, cortex, and cerebellum. In the primary visual cortex, visually evoked GCaMP3 signals showed normal orientation and direction selectivity. GCaMP3 signals were rapid, compared with virally expressed GCaMP3 and synthetic calcium indicators. In the retina, Ai38 allowed imaging spontaneous calcium waves in starburst amacrine cells during development, and light-evoked responses in ganglion cells in adult tissue. Our results show that the Ai38 reporter mouse provides a flexible method for targeted expression of GCaMP3.


This paper examines the economics of introducing conservation tillage into maize cropping systems in the state of Jalisco, in the western part of Mexico. A stochastic cost-benefit analysis (SCBA) of introducing conservation tillage in two contrasting agro-climatic zones in the four main maize management systems in the area was carried out. The SCBA takes into account the effects of conservation tillage on average returns and fully evaluates its potential risk-reducing aspect. The SCBA results were then used for a stochastic dominance analysis to evaluate farmers' incentives, characterized by their aversion to risk. The analysis reveals that although conservation tillage is economically viable, cash-constrained farmers, especially in the dry areas, may not readily adopt it. This is because conservation tillage is not adapted to small-scale farmers in Mexico, who lack seeding equipment and need techniques that are less reliant on herbicides. It is suggested that more work should be done with the participation of farmers in the region to attain a conservation tillage system that is better adapted to their circumstances. (Resume d'auteur)


In this paper, we present a method to measurement a distance using a laser-pointer. This method calculated the distance from obstacles for the robot to transverse to its target location, while avoiding obstacles along the way. The environment is first captured as an image using a webcam. Image processing are then calculate to identify the existence of obstacles within the environment. Using the laser-pointer, ditance locations with obstacles are identified which laser-pointer consist of the webcam and the laser-pointer. It measure the distace mobile robot to the obstacles is identified. The program is written in MATLAB with the Image processing toolbox.


ABSTRACT Reactivation of the polyomavirus BK (BKV) causes polyomavirus nephropathy (PVN) in kidney transplant (KTx) recipients and may lead to loss of the renal allograft. We have identified two HLA-A*0201-restricted nine-amino-acid cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes of the BKV major capsid protein VP1, VP1p44, and VP1p108. Using tetramer staining assays, we showed that these epitopes were recognized by CTLs in 8 of 10 (VP1p44) and 5 of 10 (VP1p108) HLA-A*0201+ healthy individuals, while both epitopes elicited a CTL response in 10 of 10 KTx recipients with biopsy-proven PVN, although at variable levels. After in vitro stimulation with the respective peptides, CTLs directed against VP1p44 were more abundant than against VP1p108 in most healthy individuals, while the converse was true in KTx recipients with PVN, suggesting a shift in epitope immunodominance in the setting of active BKV infection. A strong CTL response in KTx recipients with PVN appeared to be associated with decreased BK viral load in blood and urine and low anti-BKV antibody titers, while a low or undetectable CTL response correlated with viral persistence and high anti-BKV antibody titers. These results suggest that this cellular immune response is present in most BKV-seropositive healthy individuals and plays an important role in the containment of BKV in KTx recipients with PVN. Interestingly, the BKV CTL epitopes bear striking homology with the recently described CTL epitopes of the other human polyomavirus JC (JCV), JCV VP1p36 and VP1p100. A high degree of epitope cross-recognition was present between BKV and corresponding JCV-specific CTLs, which indicates that the same population of cells is functionally effective against these two closely related viruses.


Poor urban households in the economic 'south' deploy various livelihood activities. One of these is a Home-Based Economic Activity (HBEA), e.g. sales of home-made snacks or car maintenance. This study examines the prevalence, organisation and relevance of HBEAs in four neighbourhoods in the Caribbean cities Paramaribo (Suriname) and Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago). Recent economic developments in these countries diverge; Suriname recovers slowly from a crisis while Trinidad and Tobago's economy is buoyant. These economic features together with local political developments have produced distinct institutional contexts. This gives ground for a comparison between the two cities. In addition, the study discusses the relevance of currently popular policies on entrepreneurship and micro-finance. The above issues have been assessed through use of multiple quantitative and qualitative methods. The study shows that forty percent of households in the examined neighbourhoods earn money through operating HBEAs. These are mainly operated by women and assist households in improving their livelihoods from a level of survival to a level of security. Most HBEA-operators aim at earning additional incomes and reducing vulnerability. Only a small group meets the image of the classic operator who innovates, takes risk and aims at growth and profit. The two groups organize their HBEA in very distinct ways. Differences between Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago are small. First of all economic growth has limited impact on assets and vulnerability of low-income groups. Moreover, policies aiming at stimulation of entrepreneurship such as micro-credit are relevant to classic entrepreneurs and not to the large group of security-seeking HBEA-operators.


The sudden switch to emergency remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic posed many challenges for learners, but it also provided the opportunity to research these challenges. This study empirically examines the relationships of the contextual challenges of emergency remote learning with future preference for e-learning, as well as moderating effects of learning outcomes on future preference for e-learning of undergraduates during the closure of Higher Education Institutions. Participants were drawn from two universities in Malaysia practising emergency remote learning during the survey period. Underpinned by the literature, the challenges of emergency remote learning and future preference for e-learning were operationalised into items reflective of each factor. In total, 352 valid responses were collected via a self-administered questionnaire hosted on Google Forms, and responses were analysed with Eviews statistical software. In this study, the significant challenges associated with future preference for e-learning, in descending order, were disadvantages (negative), learning outcomes, and advantages. Additionally, the interaction between learning outcomes and disadvantages has a positive relationship, reversing the original negative relationship of disadvantages with future preference for e-learning. Sustainability of higher education in times of crisis is critical. This study provides valuable insights concerning the importance of achieving learning outcomes in order to support sustainable higher education using emergency remote learning during similar future crises.


Questions and results concerning the quality of cardiac rehabilitation are discussed, and the outcomes of a study on 104 female and 206 male patients suffering from first coronary events are reported. No gender differences were found as far as rehabilitation utilization or rehabilitation programs are concerned. Rehabilitation programs and medicinal therapy were the same in women and men. Satisfaction with the in-hospital rehabilitation was slightly higher in women, but there were no gender differences in the preferences for cardiac rehabilitation features. Gender in Germany seems not a relevant variable in cardiac rehabilitation. Further questions for research on gender differences are discussed.


Methods: Trends in NF, PT and NBL were evaluated serially in 9 continuing Down syndrome pregnancies between 15 and −33 weeks' gestation. The corresponding MoM values were also calculated and plotted against gestational age. Results: In Down syndrome fetuses there is an increase in NBL and a modest increase in PT with gestation. However, NBLMoM and PTMoM remain fairly constant (median MoMNBL 0.66, r: 0.26–0.95 and median MoMPT 1.63, r: 1.25–2.06). Trends in NF measurement are difficult to interpret due to large interand intrafetus variation. Conclusions: PT and NBL tend to increase during gestation. As PTMoM and NBLMoM are constant during gestation, they can be used as second and third trimester markers for Down syndrome. Changes in NF measurements during gestation follow less clear trends.


The human alpha-globin gene displays the unusual property of transcriptional promiscuity: that is, it functions in the absence of an enhancer when transfected into nonerythroid cell lines. It is also unusual in that its promoter region lies in a hypomethylated HpaII tiny fragment (HTF) island containing multiple copies of the consensus sequence for the SP1-binding site. We have investigated whether there is a relationship between these two observations. First, we investigated the mouse alpha-globin gene since it does not lie in an HTF island. We have demonstrated that it was not transcriptionally promiscuous. Second, we studied the transcriptional activity of the human alpha-globin gene in the absence of the GC-rich region containing putative SP1-binding sites and found a small (two- to threefold) but consistent positive effect of this region on transcriptional activity in both nonerythroid and erythroid cell lines. However, this effect did not account for the promiscuous nature of the human alpha-globin gene. We found that in a nonreplicating system, the human alpha-globin gene, like that of the mouse, required a simian virus 40 enhancer in order to be transcriptionally active in nonerythroid and erythroid cell lines. Since we only observed enhancer independence of the human alpha-globin gene in a high-copy-number replicating system, we suggest that competition for trans-acting factors could explain these results. Finally, our experiments with the erythroid cell line Putko suggest that there are no tissue-specific enhancers within 1 kilobase 5' of the human alpha-globin cap site or within the gene itself.


We have carefully studied the mode coupling effect from analysis of the measured microwave scattering parameters of superconducting films using a parallel-plate-resonator technique. Due to its high resolution and simplicity, this technique has been widely employed to identify the quality of high-T/sub c/ superconducting films by measuring the resonance bandwidth, from which the microwave surface resistance is directly derived. To minimize the radiation loss, the resonator is usually housed in a conductive cavity. Using this method, we observe that a number of strong "cavity" modes due to the test enclosure fall around the lowest TM mode of the superconducting resonator and that a strong interaction between these two types of resonant modes occurs when their eigenfrequencies are close, causing a significant distortion or a strong antiresonance for the resonator mode. To describe this effect, a coupled harmonic-oscillator model is proposed. We suggest that the interaction arises from a phase interference or a linear coupling among the individual oscillators. Our model fits very well the observed Fano-type asymmetric or antiresonant features, and thus can be used to extract the intrinsic Q of the superconducting resonator.


Recently, we have automated a computational scheme based on Markov random field (MRF) and belief propagation algorithms in a tool code named NANOLAB to evaluate reliability of nano architectures. In this paper, we show how we extend this tool by developing libraries that automate the reliability analysis of systems in the presence of noise in the interconnects. The effectiveness of this automation is illustrated by modeling uniform and Gaussian noise and automatically deriving various reliability results for defect-tolerant architectures, such as triple modular redundancy (TMR), cascaded triple modular redundancy (CTMR) and multi-stage iterations of these. These results are used to interpret reliability/redundancy tradeoffs for these architectural configurations taking into account such noise models at the interconnects.


In this paper, after defining pure proportional navigation guidance in the 3- dimensional state from a new point of view, range estimation for passive homing missiles is explained. Modeling has been performed by using line of sight coordinates with a particular definition. To obtain convergent estimates of those state variables involved particularly in range channel and unavailable from IR trackers, nonlinear filters such as sequential U-D extended Kalman filter and Unscented Kalman filter in modified spherical coordinate combined with a modified proportional navigation guidance law are proposed. Simulation results indicate that the proposed tracking filters in conjunction with the dual guidance law are able to provide the convergence of the range estimate for both maneuvering and non- maneuvering targets.


One of the best ways to study antimatter is to investigate antihydrogen, the bound state of an antiproton and a positron. Antihydrogen atoms do not exist naturally and must be synthesized in the lab by merging carefullyprepared plasmas of positrons and antiprotons. If the atoms are created in a magnetic trap like the one used by the ALPHA experiment at CERN, then a fraction of the coldest atoms remain trapped, while the rest escape and annihilate on the trap walls. The trapped atoms may then be probed using microwaves or lasers to make high-precision comparisons with hydrogen. Increasing the trapping rate would allow us to perform precision measurements on antihydrogen in a shorter period of time and with better systematics. Particle simulations indicate that by sympathetically cooling positrons using laser-cooled beryllium ions, we have the ability to improve the antihydrogen trapping rate by up to two orders of magnitude. This thesis describes the e↵ort to design and qualify a beryllium ion source that is compatible with the extreme environment of the ALPHA trapping apparatus. To produce the ions, pulsed laser ablation of a beryllium target is investigated and the ion plume is characterized. By carefully choosing the laser parameters, a plume with a suitable number of ions and kinetic energy distribution can be created for subsequent trapping and laser-cooling in a Penning trap. This thesis reports the successful demonstration of the ion source, in particular its compatibility with the requirements of the ALPHA experiment. The ion source has been installed into the main apparatus at ALPHA and is expected to be commissioned early next year.


ONE OF THE most important projects of the Academy in recent years has been the sponsorship of postgraduate courses. This program grew out of discussions of the Executive Board, led by Carl Fischer. The idea was welcomed by the Committee on Medical Education, then chaired by Ed McClusky, and a subcommittee was named to study the proposal. They found few courses tailored to the pediatricans9s need as a specialist. It was also evident that more opportunity for clinical conference teaching and teaching from patients should be provided. The architect of the report outlining the plan for these courses was the Subcommittee of the Education Committee headed by Harry Towsley. This Committee9s report was accepted by the Executive Board in April, 1958. The Academy9s program is designed to provide the membership with postgraduate courses both in subspecialty areas and in general pediatrics. The Academy9s headquarters staff administers the courses under the capable direction of our Secretary, Bob Frazier, and the supervision of the Subcommittee on Postgraduate Education. Appropriately, the first postgraduate course was held at the University of Michigan Medical School, March 2, 3, 4 and 5 of 1959. Two courses were held the first year, the other being at Vanderbilt under Amos Christie. Four were conducted in 1960, and during this academic year, six courses have been planned. With this experience of almost three years, judging by the member and the generally favorable comments of those who have attended, it is apparent that our postgraduate program has gotten off to a very good start. I congratulate all those who were instrumental in bringing this program into being.


Background Dementia is a multifaceted disorder that impairs cognitive functions, such as memory, language, and executive functions necessary to plan, organize, and prioritize tasks required for goal-directed behaviors. In most cases, individuals with dementia experience difficulties interacting with physical and social environments. The purpose of this study was to establish ecological validity and initial construct validity of a fire evacuation Virtual Reality Day-Out Task (VR-DOT) environment based on performance profiles as a screening tool for early dementia. Objective The objectives were (1) to examine the relationships among the performances of 3 groups of participants in the VR-DOT and traditional neuropsychological tests employed to assess executive functions, and (2) to compare the performance of participants with mild Alzheimer's-type dementia (AD) to those with amnestic single-domain mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy controls in the VR-DOT and traditional neuropsychological tests used to assess executive functions. We hypothesized that the 2 cognitively impaired groups would have distinct performance profiles and show significantly impaired independent functioning in ADL compared to the healthy controls. Methods The study population included 3 groups: 72 healthy control elderly participants, 65 amnestic MCI participants, and 68 mild AD participants. A natural user interface framework based on a fire evacuation VR-DOT environment was used for assessing physical and cognitive abilities of seniors over 3 years. VR-DOT focuses on the subtle errors and patterns in performing everyday activities and has the advantage of not depending on a subjective rating of an individual person. We further assessed functional capacity by both neuropsychological tests (including measures of attention, memory, working memory, executive functions, language, and depression). We also evaluated performance in finger tapping, grip strength, stride length, gait speed, and chair stands separately and while performing VR-DOTs in order to correlate performance in these measures with VR-DOTs because performance while navigating a virtual environment is a valid and reliable indicator of cognitive decline in elderly persons. Results The mild AD group was more impaired than the amnestic MCI group, and both were more impaired than healthy controls. The novel VR-DOT functional index correlated strongly with standard cognitive and functional measurements, such as mini-mental state examination (MMSE; rho=0.26, P=.01) and Bristol Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale scores (rho=0.32, P=.001). Conclusions Functional impairment is a defining characteristic of predementia and is partly dependent on the degree of cognitive impairment. The novel virtual reality measures of functional ability seem more sensitive to functional impairment than qualitative measures in predementia, thus accurately differentiating from healthy controls. We conclude that VR-DOT is an effective tool for discriminating predementia and mild AD from controls by detecting differences in terms of errors, omissions, and perseverations while measuring ADL functional ability.


The potential of exploitation of miRNA as diagnostic agents and therapeutic tools will likely only be realized when a complete knowledge of their biology is revealed. Despite more than a decade of research, the use of miRNA as diagnostic and therapeutic tools remains a 'work in progress'. The objective of this review is to explore more recent developments in the role of deregulated miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This includes emerging insights involving miRNA biogenesis, their deregulation by cancer and their role in deregulating the principal HCC cancer pathways. Specific attention is directed at the role of deregulated miRNAs in HCC in a developing country context with high hepatitis B/C burden, as well as an examination of the challenges that confront the use of extracellular miRNAs as commercially viable diagnostic tools to detect early stage HCC.


Cocktail effects and synergistic interactions of chemicals in mixtures are an area of great concern to both the public and regulatory authorities. The main concern is whether some chemicals can enhance the effect of other chemicals, so that they jointly exert a larger effect than predicted. This phenomenon is called synergy. Here we present a review of the scientific literature on three main groups of environmentally relevant chemical toxicants: pesticides, metal ions and antifouling compounds. The aim of the review is to determine 1) the frequency of synergy, 2) the extent of synergy, 3) whether any particular groups or classes of chemicals tend to induce synergy, and 4) which physiological mechanisms might be responsible for this synergy. Synergy is here defined as mixtures with minimum two-fold difference between observed and predicted effect concentrations using Concentration Addition (CA) as a reference model and including both lethal and sub-lethal endpoints. The results showed that synergy occurred in 7%, 3% and 26% of the 194, 21 and 136 binary pesticide, metal and antifoulants mixtures included in the data compilation on frequency. The difference between observed and predicted effect concentrations was rarely more than 10-fold. For pesticides, synergistic mixtures included cholinesterase inhibitors or azole fungicides in 95% of 69 described cases. Both groups of pesticides are known to interfere with metabolic degradation of other xenobiotics. For the four synergistic metal and 47 synergistic antifoulant mixtures the pattern in terms of chemical groups inducing synergy was less clear. Hypotheses in terms of mechanisms governing these interactions are discussed. It was concluded that true synergistic interactions between chemicals are rare and often occur at high concentrations. Addressing the cumulative rather than synergistic effect of co-occurring chemicals, using standard models as CA, is therefore regarded as the most important step in the risk assessment of chemical cocktails.


The main forces of trade agreements and budgets will certainly play a strong role in driving the 2007 farm bill debate. Other factors ranging from the political makeup of Congress to the growing level of rhetoric calling for reform, from the cost-price squeeze facing producers to the emergence of nonprogram commodities at the table will also play, at this time, uncertain roles in the development of the final legislation. These various forces and factors are assessed and projections as to the final outcome of the debate hesitatingly provided.


This thesis contributes to the concept of wireless broadband access networking infrastructures by the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel network configuration that utilises a cellular architecture and provides symmetric interactivity over broadband downlink and uplink transmission channels.
The design of the network configuration converges current wireless broadband access technologies, integrates all the appropriate hardware and software tools, and finally proposes a prototype wireless network, which is capable of providing access via the same platform to: i) high quality interactive multimedia services such as audio/video on demand (featuring bitrates higher than IMbps) over the TCP/IP stack, ii) fast Internet services (>lMbps), and iii) digital TV broadcasts (MPEG-2 format) based on the digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard. According to the proposed design, the network uses an innovative cellular architecture that utilises macro-cell configuration in the downlink and micro-cell configuration in the uplink. In this way, both digital TV broadcasts and the data for the interactive multimedia services (along with the Internet traffic) are multiplexed and transmitted to the user's neighbourhood (cell) wirelessly in the frequency band of 42GHz, by utilising the broadcasting delivery method and local multipoint distribution service (LMDS) technology. End-users of each cell may access the Internet or multimedia services via an intermediate communication node, the cell main node (CMN). The bi-directional communication between each user and the corresponding CMN is via 2.4GHz multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) based links. These links provide for multiple user access under the IEEE 802.11 communication protocol, while enabling for user-to-user communication at rates of about 3Mbps (within a cell). For symmetric communication, each user returns to the service provider over the 42GHz frequency band via the intermediate CMN. The use of the 42GHz LMDS technology in both the uplink and downlink transmission paths enables symmetric interactivity, providing end-to-end data rates higher than IMbps.
The network performance was evaluated using simulation tests (concerning the network throughput during multimedia services provision over the TCP/IP), the results of which indicated that the proposed architecture provides equal sharing of the system's resources during multiple users access.
Based on the proposed design, this research involves the implementation of a prototype testbed that utilises a single-cell wireless network, incorporating a service provider about 5km away from the CMN, and a number of wireless users, geographically neighbouring the CMN.
The implementation of the prototype system has been deployed in the frame of the E.U. funded project entitled CRABS (Cellular Radio Access for Broadband Services ACTS96/AC215). The service provider broadcasts a bouquet of live digital TV programmes (at a rate of 27.5Msymbols/s) multiplexed with interactive data information via the 42GHz link. All users within the cell receive the digital TV programmes over the 42GHz downlink. Users' requests for the provision of interactive services (i.e. fast Internet access, video/audio on demand) are carried from each user's premises to the CMN in the 2.4GHz band (IEEE 802.11 with frequency hopping) and subsequently to the service provider via a 42GHz uplink, at rates higher than IMbps.
The implemented test-bed makes use of the TCP/IP stack, over which all interactive services are provided. In this respect, the research also involved performance evaluation tests on the test-bed regarding its network throughput. The work also examines the feasibility of the implemented test-bed to distribute non-live MPEG-2 encoded video streams (i.e. video on demand - VoD, audio on demand - AoD) over the TCP/IP stack and elaborates on the tradeoff between encoding rate, picture quality and network throughput. Towards this, a prototype objective picture quality evaluation method was developed, and experimental measurements verified this approach.
The account of the research presented in this thesis is structured as follows: After a brief review and evaluation of relevant and currently available wireless access technologies, the thesis describes the design and the architecture of a prototype wireless broadband interactive access network capable of providing MPEG-2 multimedia services, distribute digital TV broadcasts and enable fast Internet access by converging MMDS and LMDS technologies.
The research then evaluated the proposed design by conducting simulation tests, that concern the sharing of network resources during multimedia services' provision to single and multiple users, and a formula was derived, which provides an accurate estimation of the network throughput (in terms of available bit-rate) that an end-user accommodates, versus the number of concurrent end-users. Subsequently, the research discusses the implementation and evaluation of a prototype network, built according to the design specifications. In this respect, the work elaborated on the network performance during the provision of multimedia services (over the IP stack) for stationary and portable/mobile access by conducting a series of real condition tests (indoor and/or outdoor experiments) that were performed on the prototype network. Comparison of the real condition test-results with those of the simulation tests, confirmed the validity of the proposed design and network architecture and verified the capability of the prototype to distribute efficiently wireless broadband interactive audio-visual services and to share, equally, the network resources among all simultaneous users. The research then investigated the capability of the prototype network to deliver wirelessly (with the unicast method) MPEG-2 encoded video streams over the TCP/IP with satisfactory picture quality. An assessment was then made on the trade-off between picture quality and MPEG-2 video encoding rate, elaborating on the minimum rate that provides for acceptable picture quality. There is an examination of the trade-off between network resources and picture quality, and an evaluation of the minimum network throughput for satisfactory picture quality. Finally the research proposes an objective picture quality evaluation method and defines a threshold below which the picture quality (received by the end-user wirelessly over the TCP/IP stack in a VoD application) is acceptable. Based on this approach, real condition tests were undertaken that confirmed the capability of the proposed network to distribute wirelessly MPEG-2 video on demand streams over the TCP/IP with satisfactory picture quality. The thesis concludes by proposing further opportunities and directions for future exploitation and new configurations, including related topics for future research.


The study assessed regional differences and effects in berry morphology (skin, pulp and seeds) in relation to chemical compounds. The flavonoids containing in berries (ITF), of the autochthonous cultivar, Shesh i Bardhe, of grapevine, in three micro zonal of Albania (Gjirokastra, Tirana, Durres) has been determined with spectrophotometrically and they ranged from 165.62; 66.36; 183.85 respectively for three different eco-climatic zones of Albania. The content of sugar, Brix, was: 13.53 for cv. Shesh i Bardhe, Gjirokastra; 17.5 per cv. Shesh i Bardhe, Tirana and 11 for cv. Shesh i Bardhe, Sukth. The effect of climatic zones, therefore ripening, was deep in the grape, with drastic variabilities in the different components: the content of sugar Brix, total Acidity, total Index of poliphenols, total flavonoids, colour intensity. Statistical analyses of the data over physical indicator (The weight of the sample, the weight of the berries sample, the weight of rachis sample, coefficient of construction, weight of 100 berries, contents of peeling, the content of the seeds, size of berries (length /width), the index of berries, the coefficient of the berries composition), and even chemical, had a correlation of indicators of research with environmental factors in the vineyard.


Abstract Questions: 1. Do relationships among forest plant traits correspond to dispersability-persistence trade-offs or other inter-trait correlations found in the literature? 2. Do species groups delineated by trait similarity, differ in occurrence in ancient vs. new forests or isolated vs more continuous forest patches? 3. Are these patterns consistent for different forest types? Location: Central Belgium, near Leuven. Methods: We investigate the distributions of a large set of plant traits and combinations among all forest species occurring in patches with varying forest continuity and isolation. Through calculation of Gower's similarity index and subsequent clustering, 'emergent' species groups are delineated. Then, the relative occurrence of these different groups in forest patches of different age and size, sustaining different forest types (alluvial vs. Quercion), and having different isolation status is compared through multivariate GLM analysis. Results: Correlations among several life history traits point towards trade-offs of dispersability and fecundity vs. longevity. We distinguished three species groups: 1= mainly shrubs or climbers with fleshy or wind dispersed fruits and high dispersal potential; 2 = dominated by small, mainly vegetatively reproducing herbs; 3 = with spring flowering herbs with large seeds and mainly unassisted dispersal. Relative occurrence of these groups was significantly affected by forest age, area, isolation and forest type. Separate analyses for alluvial and Quercion forests indicated that the relative importance of these factors may differ, depending on forest type and species group. Both forest continuity and isolation are important in restricting the relative occurrence of forest species in alluvial forests, whatever their group membership. In Quercion forests forest patch area was the primary determinant of relative occurrence of species groups. Conclusions: It is very important to preserve the actual forest area including the spatial setting and the dispersal infrastructure within the landscape. Next, forest connectivity may be restored, but it is inherently a long process. Nomenclature: Lambinon et al. (1998).


The importance of strategic planning is universally recognized in the business world as an effective approach to enable achievement of enterprise business objectives over long time periods. However, despite the criticality of the task, the strategic planning process often does not take advantage of analytics to support the process in a consistent way. This paper describes a transformation of the strategic planning process for a globally integrated enterprise through development of a planning system that provides a planning framework as well as a set of analytic capabilities to improve both efficiency and effectiveness. The system consists of a hierarchically structured data store, rules that govern relationships among data elements, and an enterprise dashboard with reports and insights supported by analytic capabilities. The hierarchical nature of the planning model can account for the needs and opportunities of individual lines of business while yielding a coherent, executable strategy at the enterprise level. Integrated scenario and sensitivity analysis, enterprise simulation, and other analytic capabilities enable optimal planning in the face of volatile and uncertain market conditions characteristic of a long planning horizon. In addition, the system fosters collaboration among planners and exemplifies the key attributes of a Smarter Planet™ instrumentation, interconnectedness, and intelligence.


ChiZe's health system has been evolving rapidly in recent years. Among other things, profit-making enterprises have assumed a growing role, medical care has become increasingly technical, and the importance of less highly trained health workers has grown. Also, the assigned role of the Chilean Medical Association in deciding matters of medical misconduct has diminished, while that of the courts has grown; the nature of the doctor-patient relationship has changed; and clear divergences between medical ethics codes, laws, and prevailing social practices have emerged. Within this context, bioethics has come to be regarded as a necessary element in the teaching and practice of medicine. So while this discipline has not yet become fully institutionalized in Chile, it seems likely to play a growing role in dealing with the aforementioned changes and could make a substantial contribution toward solution of associated problems in the future.


The exercise methods available to individuals with spinal cord injuries are limited, increasing their risk of pressure sores, muscle atrophy, diminished bone strength, and diminished blood flow efficiency. The FES Energy Storing Exoskeleton combines the simplicity of a passive exoskeleton with functional electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscles, enabling the user to stand and walk using their own muscles. To reduce muscle fatigue, the initial energy supplied by FES is supplemented by gas springs for energy storage and bidirectional clutch mechanisms for joint locking and control. Gas springs have superior energy storage qualities over pneumatic cylinders and elastomer bands due to their high energy-to-weight ratio and constant force properties. A qualitative analysis of joint locking mechanisms has suggested that a bidirectional clutch mechanism has the potential to overcome the sagging exhibited by the wrap springs used in previous versions of the exoskeleton. While the design of the novel clutch mechanism is the subject of a future work, the functionality and benefits of the mechanism are described in the context of the overall performance of the exoskeleton. The revised design is predicted to weigh 10.2 kg, which is 6.8 kg lighter than the previous exoskeleton design, and is significantly lighter than most commercial motorized walking exoskeletons. A detailed CAD model of the improved system has been developed and future work includes creating and validating a physical prototype.


Combustion instabilities, known as "rumble" and "screech" are the self-excited aerodynamic instabilities in the gas turbine combustor. They cause the premature failures of the gas turbine components, and, consequently, the failure of the gas turbine as a whole. Because of the complex physical effects underlying the rumble and the screech phenomena, it is difficult to eliminate them completely at the design stage. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the detection of the combustion instabilities in the gas turbine in order to prevent its prolonged operation in this mode. There are known techniques, which are able to detect the rumble and the screech in gas turbines. Most of them do not consider the combustion instabilities as non-linear and non-stationary events and, therefore, have lower detection efficiency. Novel technique for in-service combustion instability detection is implemented in this paper. This technique overcomes the limitations of the existing solutions.


Abstract A stochastic simulation modeling framework was developed for measuring the impact of weed management technologies in terms of their risk and efficacy. The framework explicitly accounted for the variability of environmental conditions, which underpins risk, and its effect upon the weed population dynamics and crop yields. It was applied to wild oat and wild radish in spring wheat as case studies. Technologies considered included a postemergence herbicide, preseeding tillage, increased crop density, and a selective spray-topping (seed-head sterilizing) herbicide. All stages of the weed life cycle were specified as random variables on the basis of triangular probability distributions, which either were derived from daily environmental conditions or specified as a subjective probability distribution. By using probability density functions the study identified the risks to changes in the weed seed bank and weed density associated with various integrated weed management strategies. This approach not only quantified the probabilities associated with the different outcomes, but also identified how the probability distributions of outcomes were changed as a result of different technology combinations used in weed management strategies. For instance, strategies involving a selective spray-topping herbicide to control seed rain not only resulted in lower seed banks, but the range in possible values was considerably reduced, implying lower likelihood of a population increase. The use of such a risk framework not only benefits weed scientists in terms of designing more effective weed management technologies, but can also assist farmer adoption by being able to quantify the probabilities of success and failure of a technology. Nomenclature: Wild oat, Avena spp.; wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum L.; wheat, Triticum aestivum L.


Factors associated with orthostatic hypotension such as age, drug induced hypotension, hypertension and diabetes mellitus have still been debatable. Most of previous studies were conducted in subjects 65 years or older, only a few were done in subjects from younger to older adults. The purpose of this study is to find the prevalence and predictor factors of orthostatic hypotension among adult population aged 40 years and above in Indonesia. This study is a part of Indonesian Hypertension Epidemiologic Survey. A random sample of 4436 subjects aged 40–94 years was obtained from various municipalities in every big island in Indonesia. Orthostatic testing, assesment of history of medical conditions (diabetes mellitus, stroke, and hypertension), blood pressure measurement and use of anti-hypertensive medications were performed. A stepwise logistic regression was used to determine the significant predictor of orthostatic hypotension. A total of 561 persons (12.6%) experienced orthostatic hypotension. Central α2-agonist and other centrally acting drug is the only anti hypertension medicine which influences orthostatic hypotension. Multivariate analysis showed that high systolic and diastolic blood pressures were predictor factors of orthostatic hypotension. The use of anti-hypertensive medicine was a protective factor for orthostatic hypotension. This study confirms the conclusion that age is not a predictor factor for orthostatic hypotension. In fact, the existence of comorbidities in the subjects such as hypertension (high systolic and diastolic blood pressure) is a predictor factor, while the use of anti-hypertensive medication is a protective factor. (Med J Indones 2004; 13: 180-9) Keywords: adult, orthostatic hypotension, prevalence, risk factor


PURPOSE
Methods for assessing physical activity (PA) and energy expenditure (EE) were reviewed to identify potential limitations to evaluating and interpreting dose-response relationships between PA and health-related outcomes and to suggest future research directions in this area.

METHODS
Literature describing PA and EE assessment methodology was reviewed according to the reported validity, reliability, and feasibility of the measurement in epidemiologic studies. A summary of this review is presented for techniques applicable to studying PA or EE among free-living individuals.

RESULTS
Several methods with varying degrees of precision and feasibility have been used to assess PA and EE in free-living populations. Lack of a gold standard field measure of PA may explain some of the variability in precision among these methods. The most accurate field measure of EE appears to be doubly labeled water; however, this approach has limited feasibility in terms of cost and use in studies of total EE only. Electronic motion sensors and physiologic measures related with EE are limited in their ability to discriminate specific types of PA and by inconvenient measurement procedures. Self-reported PA records and surveys are low-cost, relatively unobtrusive methods of assessing PA and EE in field settings and vary in terms of their format, mode of administration, and degree of detailing habitual PA levels. Disparity in the metric used to quantify PA and EE exists within the current literature, which limits the interpretation and comparison of observed dose-response relationships.

CONCLUSIONS
Efforts to develop equated methods of assessing PA and EE in free-living populations are needed before a systematic evaluation and interpretation of dose-response characteristics between PA and specific health-related parameters can be undertaken.


We investigate the economic consequences of additional disclosure about assets with no active market in terms of liquidity, perception of information reliability and relevance. We use an experimental design: 181 MBA students are asked to value 24 investments. We manipulate the level of disclosure on the fair value of assets (Limited versus Full), the perception of expected profit (Gain versus Loss) and the firm's business risk (Low versus High). In the case of Limited (resp. Full) disclosure, participants are given a point estimate for the fair value of the investment (resp. plus a range of possible fair values). We find that in the Full disclosure situation, participants tend to make an offer more frequently, to bid prices lower than the fair value and to earn a lower return on their investments compared to the Limited disclosure case. These consequences vary with the environment (expected profit and risk).


In 2010 the Swedish national curriculum was revised and learning goals concerning chemistry and physics were introduced. That has induced a need for further understanding of teaching and learning of specific content in preschool. Focus in this article is how physics content is constructed as an object of learning during preschool teachers' planning of teaching. The result of a phenomenographic analysis focusing themes of the conversation concerning the intended object of learning reveals a complex process. Occurrences in the activities with the children, available tools at the preschool, the preschool teachers' perceptions of the mission and understanding of the learning object, contribute to the construction of the learning object. All these aspects are discussed and implications for preschool practice are suggested.


Membrane cholesterol in adrenal cortical cells is enriched in the plasma membrane. Stimulation of isolated adrenal cortical cells with corticotropin leads to the production of corticosterone. At high levels of corticotropin, cholesterol for corticosterone synthesis arises by hydrolysis of cellular cholesteryl ester, whereas at lower levels of corticotropin cholesteryl ester levels are unchanged from control values and there is a decrease in plasma-membrane cholesterol levels.


Link adaptation techniques, where the modulation, coding rate, and/or other signal transmission parameters are dynamically adapted to the changing channel conditions, have emerged as powerful tools for increasing the data rate and spectral efficiency of wireless data-centric networks. While there has been significant progress on understanding the theoretical aspects of time adaptation in LA protocols, new challenges surface when dynamic transmission techniques are employed in broadband wireless networks with multiple signaling dimensions. Those additional dimensions are mainly frequency, especially in multicarrier systems, and space in multiple-antenna systems, particularly multiarray multiple-input multiple-output communication systems. We give an overview of the challenges and promises of link adaptation in future broadband wireless networks. We suggest guidelines to help in the design of robust, complexity/cost-effective algorithms for these future wireless networks.


The process of long-distance hot oil pipeline is complicated, and its safety and optimization are contradictory. In actual production and operation, the theoretical calculation model of oil temperature along the pipeline has some problems, such as large error and complex application. This research relies on actual production data and uses big data mining algorithms such as BP neural network, ARMA, seq2seq to establish oil temperature prediction model. The prediction result is less than 0.5 C, which solves the problem of accurate prediction of dynamic oil temperature during pipeline operation. Combined with pigging, the friction prediction model of standard pipeline section is established by BP neural network, and then the economic pigging period of 80 days is given; and after the friction database is established, the historical friction data are analyzed by using the Gauss formula, and 95% of the friction is set as the threshold data to effectively monitor the variation of the friction due to the long period of waxing in pipelines. The closed loop operation system of hot oil pipeline safety and optimization was formed to guide the daily process adjustment and production arrangement of pipeline with energy saving up to 92.4%. The prediction model and research results based on production big data have good adaptability and generalization, which lays a foundation for future intelligent control of pipelines.


Background. Tube thoracostomy is widely used throughout the medical, surgical, and critical care specialities. It is generally used to drain pleural collections either as elective or emergency. Complications resulting from tube thoracostomy can occasionally be life threatening. Aim. To present an update on the complications and management of complications of tube thoracostomy. Methods. A review of the publications obtained from Medline search, medical libraries, and Google on tube thoracostomy and its complications was done. Results. Tube thoracostomy is a common surgical procedure which can be performed by either the blunt dissection technique or the trocar technique. Complication rates are increased by the trocar technique. These complications have been broadly classified as either technical or infective. Technical causes include tube malposition, blocked drain, chest drain dislodgement, reexpansion pulmonary edema, subcutaneous emphysema, nerve injuries, cardiac and vascular injuries, oesophageal injuries, residual/postextubation pneumothorax, fistulae, tumor recurrence at insertion site, herniation through the site of thoracostomy, chylothorax, and cardiac dysrhythmias. Infective complications include empyema and surgical site infection. Conclusion. Tube thoracostomy, though commonly performed is not without risk. Blunt dissection technique has lower risk of complications and is hence recommended.


We provide a comprehensive performance comparison of soft-output and hard-output demodulators in the context of non-iterative multiple-input multiple-output bit-interleaved coded modulation (MIMO-BICM). Coded bit error rate (BER), widely used in literature for demodulator comparison, has the drawback of depending strongly on the error correcting code being used. This motivates us to propose the mutual information of the equivalent modulation channel (comprising modulator, wireless channel, and demodulator) as a code-independent performance measure. We present extensive numerical results for spatially independent identically distributed (i.i.d.) ergodic and quasi-static fading channels under perfect and imperfect channel state information. These results reveal that the performance ranking of MIMO demodulators is rate-dependent and provide new insights regarding MIMO-BICM system design, i.e., the choice of antenna configuration, symbol constellation, and demodulator for a given target rate.


The new information and communication technologies (ICTs) allow us to disseminate and revalue local culture in the information society through computer-mediated communication. With the emergence of ICTs and social access to information in web format, audiovisual production is now being developed as a tool for marketing and for attracting the "eye of public opinion". Today's cities compete to attract visitors and investors and to build a "brand image" that differentiates them from competitors. Local culture and community identities, local traditions, music, gastronomy, lifestyles, etc., can become digital products offered on a global market, via web portals and e-commerce systems as territorial marketing and communication strategies. Thus, ICTs can become tools to aid communication, helping to create a new audiovisual culture and strengthen the cultural identity of towns and cities. This also means that audiovisual productions are used as spectacles and to create consumer needs based on aesthetics. This article introduces theoretical and conceptual bases that allow for the establishment of links between ICTs, audiovisual culture and the forming of local-level cultural economies. It also analyses the case seen in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, north-west Spain.


Background:  Positive supplier relationships result in trust and eventually sustainability. However, the opposite seems to be true in the South African automotive supply chain relationships that are characterised by conflict. Literature states that in the absence of trust, sustainability is compromised. The problem pertains to the erosion of trust because of conflict between suppliers in the South African automotive supply chains. Objectives:  The main purpose of the research was to address the question: What are the antecedents of trust between buyer and seller within the South African automotive supply chains? The primary objective was to determine the value-adding antecedents of trust followed by presenting the antecedent with the strongest correlation towards trust. Method:  The study was explanatory and descriptive by nature to determine relationships between constructs. The empirical research utilised a quantitative census, thus targeting all senior managers representing Tier 1 automotive component suppliers. A deductive approach through a structured close-ended questionnaire tested the managers' perception on trust. The response rate was 81.4% with 144 participants. After factor analysis, a path analysis was compiled, depicting the antecedents of trust. Results:  The study found that antecedents showing the strongest correlation with trust were the core offering, inclusive of product delivery and quality followed by personal interaction that forms part of the sourcing process. Conclusion:  The research study makes a theoretical contribution by presenting a conceptual structure on trust by depicting its antecedents. Managerial contributions include recommendations on how to enhance trust through a relational governance strategy.


Symbiotic relationships between bioluminescent bacteria and fishes have evolved multiple times across hundreds of fish taxa, but relatively little is known about the specificity of these associations and how conserved they have been through time. This study describes the degree of specificity of a bioluminescent symbiosis between cardinalfishes in the genus Siphamia and luminous bacteria in the Vibrio family. Primarily using museum specimens, we investigate the co-divergence of host and symbiont and test for patterns of divergence that correlate with both biogeography and time. Contrary to expectations, we determined that the light organ symbionts of all 14 Siphamia species examined belong to one genetic clade of Photobacterium mandapamensis (Clade II), indicating that the association is highly specific and conserved across the host genus. Thus, we did not find evidence of codivergence among hosts and symbionts. We did observe that symbionts hosted by individuals sampled from colder water regions were more divergent, containing more than three times as many single nucleotide polymorphisms than the rest of the symbionts. Overall our findings indicate that the symbiosis between Siphamia fishes and P. mandapamensis Clade II has been highly conserved across a broad geographic range and through time, despite the facultative nature of the bacterial symbiont. These results suggest that this bioluminescent symbiosis could have played a key role in the evolution of the host genus and that there are conserved mechanisms regulating its specificity that have yet to be defined.


This paper investigates the common, yet previously opaque, practice of using non-U.S. audit firms (commonly referred to as component auditors) to conduct portions of audit work for U.S. public companies. This investigation is important because U.S. regulators have expressed concern for the transparency and quality of audits using component auditors. Employing data disclosed in the newly-mandated PCAOB Form AP, we answer several questions that could not previously be examined in the U.S. We find that component auditor use is largely structural, determined by the size and complexity of clients' foreign operations. Unexpectedly, we do not find the mere use of component auditors is detrimental to audit outcomes, rather, the amount of work conducted by component auditors is associated with lower audit quality (i.e., higher likelihood of misstatement), less timely reporting, and higher audit fees, which collectively suggest that component auditor engagements are associated with adverse outcomes. Further, we find that not all component auditors are created equal and that only work performed by less competent component auditors and those facing geographic and cultural/language barriers, including significant geographic and cultural distance, weak rule of law, and low English language proficiency, are associated with adverse audit outcomes. Overall, these findings provide initial archival evidence that the use of certain component auditors on U.S. audits is associated with audit coordination issues, which suggests that PCAOB Form AP disclosures provide relevant information.


Abstract Carbon isotope exchange between calcite and graphite is a useful and reliable geothermometer for medium- to high-grade marbles. However, in rare instances, such as at Naxos, Greece, apparent disequilibrium carbon isotope fractionation between calcite and graphite has been previously reported. In this study, new results are presented on the morphological features, X-ray diffraction studies, Raman spectroscopic studies, and carbon isotope studies of graphite. Three morphologically distinct graphite types are identified. The first type is fine grained with distinct polygonal crystal aggregates having smooth pinacoid faces. The second type consists of large botryoidal aggregates with typical crystal overgrowth features, and the third type is "normal" large platy crystals associated with phlogopite. Graphite morphological features using an FE-SEM suggests that the botryoidal aggregates are composed of complexly intergrown and stacked graphite layers, comprised of cone-helix structures. Different types of graphite display distinct Lc(002) and DG values as well as a sharp first-order Raman peak at -1580 cm-1 with disordered bands. The presence of Raman disordered bands in fine-grained well-crystallized graphite is attributed to edge effects. Carbon isotope analysis of graphite reveals that marble with fine-grained well-crystallized graphite show a consistent isotope fractionation with the calcite, which perfectly match temperature estimates based on the mineral isograds. In contrast, coarse botryoidal graphite gives heterogeneous carbon isotope values (about a few per mill) and show anomalous carbon isotope fractionation between the calcite and graphite. The graphite associated with phlogopite also shows variations in the carbon isotope values. Combining morphologic, crystallographic, and carbon isotopic data we conclude that the variations in carbon isotopic composition were caused by the overgrowth of graphite on the preexisting grain and that morphological observations and structural characterizations of graphite crystals is a key for predicting isotopic equilibration during metamorphism.


Objective: To evaluate the utility of MRI hippocampal and entorhinal cortex atrophy in predicting conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Baseline brain MRI was performed in 139 patients with MCI, broadly defined, and 63 healthy controls followed for an average of 5 years (range 1 to 9 years). Results: Hippocampal and entorhinal cortex volumes were each largest in controls, intermediate in MCI nonconverters, and smallest in MCI converters to AD (37 of 139 patients converted to AD). In separate Cox proportional hazards models, covarying for intracranial volume, smaller hippocampal volume (risk ratio [RR] 3.62, 95% CI 1.93 to 6.80, p < 0.0001), and entorhinal cortex volume (RR 2.43, 95% CI 1.56 to 3.79, p < 0.0001) each predicted time to conversion to AD. Similar results were obtained for hippocampal and entorhinal cortex volume in patients with MCI with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores ≥ 27 out of 30 (21% converted to AD) and in the subset of patients with amnestic MCI (35% converted to AD). In the total patient sample, when both hippocampal and entorhinal volume were entered into an age-stratified Cox model with sex, MMSE, education, and intracranial volume, smaller hippocampal volume (RR 2.21, 95% CI 1.14 to 4.29, p < 0.02) and entorhinal cortex volume (RR 2.48, 95% CI 1.54 to 3.97, p < 0.0002) predicted time to conversion to AD. Similar results were obtained in a Cox model that also included Selective Reminding Test (SRT) delayed recall and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Digit Symbol as predictors. Based on logistic regression models in the 3-year follow-up sample, for a fixed specificity of 80%, the sensitivities for MCI conversion to AD were as follows: age 43.3%, MMSE 43.3%, age + MMSE 63.7%, age + MMSE + SRT delayed recall + WAIS-R Digit Symbol 80.6% (79.6% correctly classified), hippocampus + entorhinal cortex 66.7%, age + MMSE + hippocampus + entorhinal cortex 76.7% (85% correctly classified), age + MMSE + SRT delayed recall + WAIS-R Digit Symbol + hippocampus + entorhinal cortex 83.3% (86.8% correctly classified). Conclusions: Smaller hippocampal and entorhinal cortex volumes each contribute to the prediction of conversion to Alzheimer disease. Age and cognitive variables also contribute to prediction, and the added value of hippocampal and entorhinal cortex volumes is small. Nonetheless, combining these MRI volumes with age and cognitive measures leads to high levels of predictive accuracy that may have potential clinical application.


Soil and stain removal has always been a contributing factor in the acceptance of a neat and clean appearance for most types of wearing apparel. Investigates the strength and whiteness retention and degree of stain removal of representative nurse‐uniform fabrics, after removal of selected medicinal and other dye‐based stains. Although many fabric properties affect the ease of soil removal or the retention of fabric strength, the objective was to compare the serviceability of twill versus rib weave fabrics and soil‐release versus non‐soil‐release finished fabrics. Of the stains tested, the most problematic stain was that created by permanent marker. Although removed in the early stages of testing, it became increasingly difficult to maintain fabric whiteness.


The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between an opportunistic pathogen and mixed community biofilms, in terms of integration, proliferation and subsequent release. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was used as the test strain in conjuction with community biofilms obtained from sink drains. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis showed that PAO1 could successfully incorporate into the community. The relative abundance of PAO1 in the biofilms was dependant on the order of inoculation. Biofilm cell yield was studied using conventional plate counting, CLSM and flow cytometry, which revealed that PAO1 became a dominant community member. Cells were released from the biofilms in the form of single cells, duplets and aggregates of various zies. Detached aggregates were often observed to contain PAO1 and community members. It was also determined that association with communities provided PAO1 with increased protection against EDTA but not against streptomycin, when applied at planktonic minimal inhibitory concentration.


Drawn from an archive of online pornographic selfies, this meditation reconsiders black gay art historical critique of the visual fetish of the black male body in the context of the undisciplined and contradictory circulation of images on the Internet. It asks: Does authorship of the image, or the action of gazing, make you a subject? Who is the gazer in the context of the Internet? What does it feel like to be an object looking at an object?


The calcium-activated monovalent cation channel TRPM5 is expressed in human and murine beta cells. Members of the TRP ion channel family can be activated by a plethora of different stimuli as temperature, voltage, and ligands, including natural compounds. Studies have shown that TrpM5-knockout mice have increased blood glucose levels and an impaired insulin secretion. Mutations in TRPM5 are more prevalent in patients with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Stevioside is a sweet tasting organic molecule isolated from the leaves of the scrub plant Stevia rebaudiana, it is widely used in consumer foods and beverages. Despite its wide use, the molecular interactions of stevioside in the body remained elusive. Here we show that stevioside potentiates TRPM5 channel activity. This leads to increased calcium dynamics in both human and mouse islets, which relates to increased insulin secretion. We show that the steviol core of stevioside is responsible for the TRPM5-potentiating effect. When mice on a high fat diet are given stevioside, we observe an attenuation of the development of hyperglycemia in a TRPM5-dependent manner. With this work, we elucidate the molecular mechanism of action of stevioside. Furthermore, we provide a deeper insight in the regulation of insulin secretion from the beta-cells and identify TRPM5 as an important part of a healthy secretion pathway. TRPM5 constitutes a novel possible drug target in the battle against type 2 diabetes. Disclosure K. Philippaert: None. R. Vennekens: None. P.E. Light: None.


Psychostimulants, including methamphetamine (MA), have neurotoxic effect, especially, if they are targeting CNS during its critical periods of development. The present study was aimed to examine cognitive changes after prenatal and neonatal MA treatment in combination with chronic MA exposure in adulthood of male rats. Eight groups of male rats were tested in adulthood: males whose mothers were exposed to MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (SA, 1 ml/kg) during the first half of gestation period (GD 1-11), the second half of gestation period (GD 12-22) and neonatal period (PD 1-11). In addition, we compared indirect neonatal application via the breast milk with the group of rat pups that received MA or SA directly by injection (PD 1-11). Males were tested in adulthood for cognitive changes in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). MWM experiment lasted for 12 days: Learning (Day 1-6), Probe test (Day 8) and Retrieval Memory test (Day 12). Each day of the MWM animals were injected with MA (1 mg/kg) or SA (1 ml/kg). Prenatal MA exposure did not induce changes in learning abilities of male rats, but neonatal exposure to MA leads to an increase search errors and latencies to find the hidden platform. Prenatal and also neonatal MA exposure impaired cognitive ability to remember the position of the platform in Retrieval Memory test in adulthood. Animals exposed to the prenatal treatment within the second half of gestation (ED 12-22) swam longer, slower and spent more time to find the hidden platform in Retrieval Memory test than animals exposed throughout other periods. The present study demonstrated that stage of development is crucial for determination the cognitive deficits induced by prenatal or neonatal MA exposure.


This chapter will explore the potential future meanings of being woman not as secondary to men, nor as the 'other' of men, but through a lens of 'difference' and embodiment. It will explore the future of community based youth work as an example of community-based and intergenerational learning, which embraces individuals in small groups, networks and large coalitions and online spaces and connections. Against 'necrophilic' and intensely unsustainable ways of being-in-the world (of which capitalist and individualistic relations are the most powerful and damaging) this chapter will explore the connectedness of becoming woman with other ways of becoming, and other forms of life. It will offer a model of life-affirming practice which embraces but does not commodify difference. The question will be : what sort of inter-generational and transcultural spaces of learning will support the development and lives of girls and women in the future. Cities can provide some context for these explorations as they become home to more and more diverse communities seeking to live peacefully on common ground. Material for this chapter will be drawn from case studies in Manchester UK, from the Partispace Project currently being conducted in 8 European Cities and from Zimbabwe. The examples to be developed and worked through will be: Same sex love and relationship in the face of persecution; Mental Illness and frailty and our responses to it. By choosing examples where women's lives have been defined and limited when seen as 'the second sex' and seen through other hierarchical oppressions such as racism it is hoped that we will be able to imagine a different and more affirmative future for practice. The need to challenge practices which shame and silence is not neglected here, but taken as read as the starting point from which an affirmative woman-centred practice might be developed. The aim will be to move away from liberal and individualistic accounts of feminist practice towards one rooted in an ethic of solidarity and care as a starting point.