The recognition of the paramount importance of networks for innovation management leads to the concept of open innovation systems, which are characterized by a flexible way of firms to coordinate a large number of innovation projects through partnerships. This paper is an empirical investigation of collaborations among Turkish manufacturing companies in order to shed light on the relationship between partnerships and innovation efforts of the firms. Turkey has an established manufacturing system compared to many developing countries but Turkish manufacturers need to increase their innovative capabilities. That is why new models such as open innovations and building technological partnerships might be means of joining into technology race. The findings show that Turkish firms have collaboration ties with other organizations but the existing partnerships have weak impact on innovativeness. They need to find ways to improve their partnerships and in-house capabilities.


Studies have shown that renin-angiotensin-system (RAS)-induced inflammation at the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) contributes to hypertension development by increasing sympathetic outflow and elevating blood pressure. Recent data suggest that PRR activation increases pro-inflammatory cytokine (PIC) production in an Ang II-independent manner helping sustain kidney inflammation, retinal disease and diabetic neuropathy. Astrocytes house all the components of the RAS and help regulate the immune response within the brain. However, the role of (pro)renin (PRO) receptor (PRR) activation at the PVN on blood pressure regulation and astrocyte activation has not been evaluated. We show that at the PVN, 12 weeks old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) have significantly (p < 0.05) higher PRR mRNA levels than normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (1.6 ± 0.3 vs. 0.96 ± 0.4 & 1.0 ± 0.2, SHR, WKY and SD respectively). In situ-hybridization data using RNA Scope, confirmed these results as qualitative analysis from coronal sections containing the PVN from SD and WKY rats showed lower PRR signal when compared to those from SHRs. Our data shows that bilateral downregulation of the PRR, using a short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) vector construct, at the PVN of SHRs (n = 5) reduces blood pressure compared to control animals (n = 5) with PRR levels intact (146.1 ± 6.6 vs. 133.3 ± 9.0 mmHG; p < 0.05). Similarly, PRR downregulation at the PVN can also reduce the pressor response triggered by sub-cutaneous Ang II infusion (200ng/kg/min) in SD rats (143 ± 13.2 vs. 114.8 ± 13.2 mmHG, p < 0.05; control vs. shRNA animals, respectively). In both experimental designs, blood pressure decreases were not accompanied by changes in heart rate. Our results also show lower glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and interleukin (IL)-1β mRNA levels at the PVN in shRNA-injected animals and using the Image J tool we show a trend for astroglial area fraction in the PVN to decrease. These changes are in concert with our in vitro data which show that PRO increases PICs levels and astrogliosis in cultured astrocytes. Our findings show that at the PVN, PRR activation is key in RAS-induced hypertension and potential mechanisms may include astrocyte- and neuroimmune activation.


The field of computational geometry is concerned with the design and analysis of geometric algorithms. For such algorithms, correctness and efficiency proofs are constructed, or problems are proven to be hard when no correct and efficient algorithms exist. In order to be able to do this, several assumptions about the input data for geometric algorithms are made. One of them is that this data is correct, with absolute certainty and infinite precision. In practical applications, this is often not the case, and as a result the value of these theoretical guarantees may be questionable. If we want to supply geometric algorithms with theoretical guarantees that are actually observed in practice, we have to loosen our assumptions about the input data to a more realistic level. Depending on the application, we may be confident that each data point, for example, is not more than some value epsilon away from its given position. We can then construct algorithms that are guaranteed to be correct and efficient as long as the input satisfies this weaker assumption. Furthermore, we can analyse how the imprecision in the input influences the accuracy of the output. In this thesis, we present new algorithms for classical geometric problems, that explicitly take data imprecision into account. These algorithms cannot produce the real answers to those problems, but instead produce information about the possible values that the answers can have. In several cases, this can be done without adding any extra cost to the asymptotic running times of the classical solutions. In some cases, though, computing this information is significantly more costly than using classical algorithms, and in some cases we prove that indeed no efficient algorithms exist.


As the largest randomized clinical trial conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) will yield data on a diverse sample of 576 7.0- to 9.9-year-old children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Combined type, regarding the relative and combined effectiveness of psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions. After delineating key challenges posed by such a multi-site investigation, we describe the MTA's multiple-gating procedures for recruitment, screening, and diagnosis of a diverse sample. We then discuss the cross-domain assessment battery for tracking the sample before, during, and after 14 months of active intervention. Throughout, we emphasize the guiding principles that shaped pertinent decision making. Highlighted are issues of psychometric adequacy; dimensional vs. categorical measurement; multi-method, multi-agent, and multi-domain coverage; plotting of individual trajectories of development and change; respondent bias and burden; appraisal of treatment processes as well as outcomes; and con struction of composite indices.


At the present 50 to 100 microseconds are necessary for a liquid crystal to change its state from opacity to clarity; 1.14 × 10−5 microseconds are however proved to be enough for light to pass through a clarity liquid crystal device. Rooted from this great difference in time, an optical adder was constructed with parallel through carry lanes (PTCL) composed of liquid crystals. Because all carries in PTCL process in parallel, the carry delay in the ternary optical computer's adder is avoided. Eliminating the carry delay in adder of ternary optical computer by physical means, the PTCL is also applicable for other types of optical adders. Moreover a light diagram of the adder and one PTCL structure are provided.


Redress of historical injustice in access to land provided a mobilizing force for the overthrow of the apartheid government in South Africa. Inequality of access to water resources marks South Africa's history even more profoundly than inequality of access to land. Yet in South Africa, post-apartheid legislative reform relating to land and water has followed largely separate, if parallel, paths. This article traces the development and current status of water reforms in the Inkomati Water Management Area, where water use is dominated by established commercial agriculture and forestry, by important environmental interests, including the Kruger National Park, and by demands for improved access to water from a black population of around 1.5 million living in former Bantustan areas. It indicates that in practice water and land reform are interdependent, but, although both have become more closely linked within local political and economic arenas, they remain largely disconnected and disabled by unresolved tensions within their separate policy processes. The article argues that the commoditized nature of land and water use within the established patterns of commercial agriculture sets constraints on what redistributive land and water reform can deliver to those historically dispossessed. In particular, increasing recourse to 'strategic partnerships' between African community landowners and commercial agribusiness as a means of maintaining the productivity of commercial farmland poses questions about the control and beneficial use of new forms of communal property.


Title of Thesis: MOISTURE CONTENT EFFECTS ON ENERGY AND EMISSIONS RELEASED DURING COMBUSTION OF PYROPHYTIC VEGETATION Nathaniel Andrew May, Master of Science, 2017 Thesis Directed By: Professor Michael J. Gollner Department of Fire Protection Engineering A series of small-scale laboratory fires were conducted to study the influence of species type and moisture content (MC) on the burning of vegetative fuels common in wildland fires. The experimental results seek to understand the effects these have on the release of gaseous emissions, namely carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, as well as particulate matter (PM2.5), and fire radiative energy (FRE). Current wildland fire emissions estimates rely on remote sensing techniques coupled with empirically-based linear relationships to relate FRE to biomass consumed, regardless of fuel type and moisture content. Emission factors (EF) are then applied to the estimated fuel consumption to estimate total emissions of specific combustion byproducts. In this study, we revisit these assumptions under the influence of moisture content for species containing volatile oils (pyrophytic species). Experimental results show that while the relationship between FRE and biomass consumed remains linear for dead, dry fuels, pyrophytic species examined in this study failed to follow existing relationships when their moisture content was increased.


The performance and handling of automobile are significantly affected by its aerodynamic properties. One of the main causes of aerodynamic is about lifting force. This will influence all the aspect of the vehicles such as overall performance, fuel consumption, safety and stability. The addition of rear spoiler to an aerodynamically optimized car body, leads to decrease lift coefficients. In an aerodynamic field, the main important thing to get the stability and performance is to design a vehicle with low CL. The reduction of lift and flow separation is the key results that will be a point of discussion. Rear spoiler will reduce the flow separation at the trunk that causing the turbulent airflow. The wake region also will be reduced and this will make the lift force that produce at the rear trunk will reduce. The task was done by doing a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis for expected vehicle speed of 110 km/h. A lift force and drag force was obtained based on inputs from CFD analysis. This force was used to calculate the lift and drag coefficient of the model as a whole. The approach needed to justify the amount of lift that can be reduced by addition of a rear spoiler as compared to the model without the rear spoiler. This project is to get an overall comparison of the pressure distribution before and after the rear spoiler is added. Five different type of rear spoiler designed to study its effect on passenger car. The lift coefficient of the vehicle was minimized up to 0.0405 (case 4) by adding rear spoiler from 0.2036 without spoiler (case 1). This is due to the design type of spoiler in case 4 which cause greater pressure coefficient on upper wing of rear spoiler.


This thesis explores successive police reform agendas over the period 1979 – 2012 in terms of the relationship between political ideology, police reform and police occupational culture. The thesis addresses the interplay between ideologically driven police reform and the reception of reform agendas within the central mindset of policing. It examines the significance of political and economic drivers in police reform agendas and literature on police occupational culture, with emphasis upon change and reform and the response within the police. As a means of exploring the relationship between reform and police culture the thesis gathers data through empirical research based upon documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews. Research upon street and management cops (Reuss-Ianni 1983) and the analytical model of cultural knowledge and change outlined by Chan (1997), was used to analyse and present the research findings. The main conclusions concern how ideology in police reform agendas was received by police occupational culture. Utilising the theoretical frameworks of Reuss-Ianni and Chan, the thesis argues that the ideology in police reform agendas is received and assessed through cultural knowledge. This places into context documented features of police occupational culture such as the sense of mission, conservatism, resistance to change and the street – management divide. As a result, this thesis contributes to the understanding of police occupational culture through the prism of reform and the implications for practice, outlining how ideologically driven police reform agendas are received and interpreted through police occupational culture.


Protose is the enzyme digest of mixed proteins that is recommended for culture media, bulk production of enzymes, antibiotics, toxins, veterinary preparations, etc. This study was proposed to evaluate the effect of biofield energy treatment on the physicochemical and spectroscopic properties of protose. The study was achieved in two groups i.e. control and treated. The control group was remained as untreated, while the treated group was received Mr. Trivedi's biofield energy treatment. Finally, both the control and treated samples were evaluated using various analytical techniques. The X-ray diffractograms (XRD) of control and treated samples showed the halo patterns peak that suggested the amorphous nature of both the samples of protose. The particle size analysis showed about 12.68% and 90.94 increase in the average particle size (d50) and d99 (particle size below which 99% particles are present) of treated protose with respect to the control. The surface area analysis revealed the 4.96% decrease in the surface area of treated sample as compared to the control sample. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed the 22.49% increase in the latent heat of fusion of treated sample as compared to the control. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analysis showed increase in maximum thermal degradation temperature (Tmax) by 5.02% in treated sample as compared to the control. The increase in Tmax might be correlated with increased thermal stability of treated sample as compared to the control. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) study showed the alteration in the vibrational frequency of functional groups like N-H, C-H, and S=O of treated protose as compared to the control sample. Based on the overall analytical results, it is concluded that Mr. Trivedi's biofield energy treatment has a significant impact on the physicochemical and spectral properties of protose. As a result, the treated protose might be more effective as a culture medium than the corresponding control.


A prototype molecular switch is demonstrated that works on the principle that the local electric field produced by one photogenerated ion pair (D1+-A1−) can influence the rate constants for photoinduced electron transfer and recombination in a second donor-acceptor pair (A2-D2). Two ultrafast laser pulses were used to control the rate of a photoinduced electron transfer reaction within a molecule that consists of two covalently linked electron donor-acceptor pairs fixed in a linear structure, D1-A1-A2-D2. This type of molecular architecture may lead to the development of electronic devices that function on the molecular length scale.


The validation of simulation models (e.g., of electronic control units for vehicles) in industry is becoming increasingly challenging due to their growing complexity. To systematically assess the quality of such models, software metrics seem to be promising. In this paper we explore the use of software metrics and outlier analysis as a means to assess the quality of model-based software. More specifically, we investigate how results from regression analysis applied to measurement data received from size and complexity metrics can be mapped to software quality. Using the moving averages approach, models were fit to data received from over 65,000 software revisions for 71 simulation models that represent different electronic control units of real premium vehicles. Consecutive investigations using studentized deleted residuals and Cook's Distance revealed outliers among the measurements. From these outliers we identified a subset, which provides meaningful information (anomalies) by comparing outlier scores with expert opinions. Eight engineers were interviewed separately for outlier impact on software quality. Findings were validated in consecutive workshops. The results show correlations between outliers and their impact on four of the considered quality characteristics. They also demonstrate the applicability of this approach in industry.


Using device-to-device communications as an underlay for cellular communications will provide an exciting opportunity to increase network capacity as well as improving spectral efficiency. The unique geometry of device-to-device links, where user equipment is often held or carried at low elevation and in close proximity to the human body, will mean that they are particularly susceptible to shadowing events caused not only by the local environment but also by the user's body. In this paper, the shadowed $\kappa-\mu$ fading model is proposed, which is capable of characterizing shadowed fading in wireless communication channels. In this model, the statistics of the received signal are manifested by the clustering of multipath components. Within each of these clusters, a dominant signal component with arbitrary power may exist. The resultant dominant signal component, which is formed by the phasor addition of these leading contributions, is assumed to follow a Nakagami- $m$ distribution. The probability density function, moments, and the moment-generating function are also derived. The new model is then applied to device-to-device links operating at 868 MHz in an outdoor urban environment. It was found that shadowing of the resultant dominant component can vary significantly depending upon the position of the user equipment relative to the body and the link geometry. Overall, the shadowed $\kappa-\mu$ fading model is shown to provide a good fit to the field data as well as providing a useful insight into the characteristics of the received signal.


Most research that has examined the international variation in homicide levels has focused on structural variables, with the suggestion that socio-economic development operates as a cure for violence. In Latin America, development has occurred, but high homicide levels remain, suggesting the involvement of other influencing factors. We posit that government effectiveness and corruption control may contribute to explaining the variation in homicide levels, and in particular in the Latin America region. Our results show that social and economic structural variables are useful but are not conclusive in explaining the variation in homicide levels and that the relationship between homicide, government effectiveness, and corruption control was significant and highly pronounced for countries in the Latin American region. The findings highlight the importance of supporting institutions in improving their effectiveness in Latin America so that reductions in homicide (and improvements in citizen security in general) can be achieved.


In this paper, less than 50nm nano-sized W-Ni-Fe composite powder was prepared by Sol-Spray-Drying Process. The preparing processes such as sol formation condition, reduction process of the procusor were studied in detail. The powder characteristics and sintering behavior of the powders were also studied. The powder is nearly spherical and it has good sinterability. In comparison with traditional micron mixed powder consisting of same composition, the melting temperature of the second phase lowered about 70°C, and the sintering temperature for nearly full densification was about 1390°C, which lowered more than 100°C.The effects of rare earth on sintering of the alloy were discussed.


: Nociceptive effects induce a hyperenzymemia by the majority of hydrolases (amylase, tripsin, its inhibitor, alkaline phosphotase) of the blood plasma and increase their release in the saliva. The saliva hydrolases may play the part of an unspecific parameter of the altered homeostasis of the organism's hydrolases in nociceptive effects.


Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is considered to be rare among individuals from Bangladesh. The objective of the study was to delineate the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of pediatric cystic fibrosis cases.Method: This observational study included pediatric patients (up to 14 years of age) with a clinical diagnosis of CF. Data were collected within the period from February 2021 and October 2021. Written informed consent was obtained from the accompanying parent. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics were analyzed on the basis of demographic data, medical history, laboratory tests, and outcome information. Data analysis was done with SPSS 26.Result: A total of 50 patients (66% male) with a mean age of 39.7 ±30.75 (SD) months were included. Twenty-eight patients (57.14%) had siblings with CF, and 41.67% of parents had a history of consanguineous marriage. The majority of them were stunted (86%) and underweight (86%), and half of them had wasting (54%). Median disease duration was 12 months (range: 2 – 72). Cough (100%) and purulent sputum (100%) were the predominant respiratory symptoms, while failure to thrive (98%) and bulky offensive stools (86%) were prime gastrointestinal symptoms. Among the signs, malnutrition (94%), short stature (72%), digital clubbing (64%), and bronchiectasis (40%) were most frequent. Pulmonary hypertension (48%, n=24) was the most common comorbidity identified in the study participants. In hospital, mortality was 16% (n=8). Digital clubbing, bronchiectasis, pancreatic insufficiency, and abnormal liver function tests were significantly higher in the patient who died.Conclusion: Children with cystic fibrosis most commonly present with undernutrition and respiratory symptoms. Failure to thrive was almost a global phenomenon. Pulmonary hypertension was the most common complication found in echocardiography.


Graphite-in-diamond (GiD) nanoparticles in which the secondary-electron-emission coefficient was larger than the MgO protective film were introduced to enhance the electrical and optical characteristics in alternating-current plasma displays. The GiD nanoparticles suspended stably in ethanol solvent were sprayed uniformly on an MgO film. Based on the results of field-emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis after continuous operation for approximately 300 h, the morphology of the GiD nanoparticles as well as the carbon element in the particles was preserved nicely, and their characteristics could ensure long lifetime without degradation in plasma environment. It is noted that the average firing voltages of the GiD panels are 135 and 80 V lower than those of the conventional one for gas mixtures of Ne + He (50%) + Xe (15%) and Ne + He (50%) + Xe (30%), respectively. It was revealed that the optimum coverage ratio of the GiD nanoparticles sprayed on the MgO film was 6%. The luminous efficiency of the GiD panel was improved up to 40% for relatively higher xenon contents.


A kind of 4A zeolite, which was modified by magnesium chloride and aluminum chloride, was used to treatment phosphorus wastewater. The effect of several parameters on phosphorus removal was also investigated, including zeolite dosage, pH, phosphorus concentration and the adsorption time. The results showed that, under the conditions of pH 7, the amount of modified 4A zeolite 0.05g, reaction time 15min, room temperature, the removal efficiency of phosphorus with initial concentration 2mg/L reached 98%. The SEM analysis explained that crystalline structure of 4A zeolite has changed after modification, thus resulted in the improvement of adsorption capacity. What's more, the phosphorus removal mechanism was also discussed.


Although QCA (Quantum-dot Cellular Automata) is a promising nanotechnology to replace CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor), it has several known reliability problems. Consequently, the design of robust QCA structures is a mandatory step towards the consolidation of this new technology. This paper presents a novel methodology for error analysis of QCA structures based on deterministic and random insertion of possible defects to either the cells and to the phase shifts of the clocking circuit. Further features presented are an evaluation of structures robustness and identification of the design elements most susceptible to the defects. Simulation results obtained from the implemented QCA Defects Simulator indicate the feasibility of the proposed error exploration methodology, also revealing starting-points for robustness improvements of known QCA structures.


Induced polarization is widely used for mineral exploration. In the presence of sulfides (more generally
speaking, semiconductors), the charge carriers inside the particles are electrons and electron
gaps. The mechanism of induced polarization is not fully understood in those cases. In order to
improve our knowledge about the mechanisms controlling induced polarization in such media, we
carried out spectral induced polarization measurements on unconsolidated mineralised medium and
performed a numerical modelling based on the solution of the Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations set.
Different types of semiconductors (graphite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and galena) have been included in
the experiments. The polarization effects of grain radius, semiconductor content, and electrolyte
salinity and type have been investigated at the lab scale. The experimental results showed that the
chargeability or frequency effect of the medium is a function of the mineral volume and is independent
of electrolyte salinity and type. Furthermore, the time constant (τ) is highly dependent on grain
radius and electrolyte salinity, whereas it is slightly dependent on mineral type. The observed
dependence of the chargeability and time constant on salinity could be explained by considering the
semiconductor grain as an electric dipole impacting the potential and consequently the charge distribution
in its vicinity. This dipole is generated inside the particle to compensate the primary electrical
field. Since the Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations are coupled, the potential depends in return
on the resulting ions distribution. Therefore, it could be used to explain the induced polarization
phenomena. Using the finite element method, we computed the solution of the Poisson–Nernst–
Planck equations for a grain of pyrite surrounded by an ionic solution, where the charge diffusions
in both grain and electrolyte were considered. Regarding the electrolyte salinity, the dependence of
the relaxation time observed from the experimental study is qualitatively consistent with that
extracted from the numerical simulation.


Cyclin D1 and p16INK4A are molecules with pivotal roles in cell cycle control and the development of diverse human cancers, and overexpression of cyclin D1 and loss of p16INK4A expression are common genetic events in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The prognostic significance of these molecular events at different sites within the head and neck, however, remains controversial. Thus, we sought to determine the relationship between cyclin D1 and/or p16INK4A expression and disease outcome in squamous cell carcinoma of the anterior tongue. Immunohistochemical detection of nuclear proteins cyclin D1, p53, and p16INK4A, and the Ki-67 labeling index was undertaken in tissue sections from 148 tongue cancers treated by surgical resection. Nuclear antigen status was analyzed in relation to pathological variables, tumor recurrence, and patient survival. Statistical significance was assessed using chi2 analysis for pathological variables and the Kaplan-Meier method, log rank test, and the Cox proportional hazards model for survival parameters. Overexpression of cyclin D1 occurred in 68% of tumors (100 of 147) and was associated with increased lymph node stage (P = 0.014), increased tumor grade (P = 0.003), and reduced disease-free (P = 0.006) and overall (P = 0.01) survival. Loss of p16INK4A expression was demonstrated in 55% of tumors (78 of 143) and was associated with reduced disease-free (P = 0.007) and overall (P = 0.014) survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed that in addition to pathological stage and regional lymph node status, cyclin D1 overexpression and loss of p16INK4A expression are independent predictors of death from tongue cancer. Loss of p16INK4A in the presence of cyclin D1 overexpression conferred a significantly worse disease-free (P = 0.011) and overall (P = 0.002) survival at 5 years. p53 nuclear accumulation and the Ki-67 labeling index were not prognostic. These data indicate that cyclin D1 overexpression and loss of p16INK4A expression predict early relapse and reduced survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the anterior tongue. Simultaneous assessment of cyclin D1 and p16INK4A protein levels define subgroups of patients at increased risk of relapse and may be of clinical utility in optimizing therapy.


Optical surface finish below Ra 10nm can be achieved on a 'Tetraform C' grinder of ultra-high stiffness, when grinding a low alloy steel with or without the help of ELID (electrolytic in process dressing). Surface roughness generation modelling has been carried out to predict thepossible surface roughness values. Efforts have been made to transfer the process knowledge to different grinding mode using a rigid 5-axis Edgetek CNC grinder. The effects of material removal rate and grit size and also that of spark out passes on the surface roughness generated have been investigated.


The Innovative Corridors Initiative (ICI) represents an innovative business model for public agencies to partner with private industry to improve transportation system management and provide real-time information to users. The Call for Submissions (CFS) issued by Caltrans, MTC, LA MTA, ITS America, and CCIT offered private industry access to public rights-of-way and data. However, no funds were offered as part of the CFS, meaning the companies that submitted a proposal and participated needed to have the capacity to self-fund their projects. This report provides a summary of the processes to implement the CFS including: public outreach, proposal review, negotiations between the public agencies and private companies, operations, coordination with the 2005 ITS World Congress in San Francisco, and project closure. Researchers chronicled the lessons learned throughout the process through a series of interviews conducted with the parties involved. Especially important were findings related to the public-private partnership for ITS deployment that the ICI project pioneered.


The diagnosis of pathological fractures is on the rise. The morbidity involved does not only burden the patient and their families but it has a great toll on the healthcare system as well. Early identification of the patient at risk is an invaluable tool to cut cost and improve the patient's quality of life. Multiple renal pathologies have been highlighted in relation to the risk of pathological fractures; however, complications in renal tubular acidosis have been rarely documented. Nevertheless, prompt action with adequate and relevant patient education ultimately can reduce the associated morbidity. We present a case of poor control of the disease and its debilitating pathological fracture complications.


This first book-length examination of the Klan in Alabama represents exhaustive research that challenges traditional interpretations. The Ku Klux Klan has wielded considerable power both as a terrorist group and as a political force. Usually viewed as appearing in distinct incarnations, the Klans of the 20th century are now shown by Glenn Feldman to have a greater degree of continuity than has been previously suspected. Victims of Klan terrorism continued to be aliens, foreigners, or outsiders in Alabama: the freed slave during Reconstruction, the 1920s Catholic or Jew, the 1930s labor organizer or Communist, and the returning black veteran of World War II were all considered a threat to the dominant white culture. Feldman offers new insights into this "qualified continuity" among Klans of different eras, showing that the group remained active during the 1930s and 1940s when it was presumed dormant, with elements of the "Reconstruction syndrome" carrying over to the smaller Klan of the civil rights era. In addition, Feldman takes a critical look at opposition to Klan activities by southern elites. He particularly shows how opponents during the Great Depression and war years saw the Klan as an impediment to attracting outside capital and federal relief or as a magnet for federal action that would jeopardize traditional forms of racial and social control. Other critics voiced concerns about negative national publicity, and others deplored the violence and terrorism. This in-depth examination of the Klan in a single state, which features rare photographs, provides a means of understanding the order's development throughout the South. Feldman's book represents definitive research into the history of the Klan and makes a major contribution to our understanding of both that organization and the history of Alabama."


A 300-MOPS image digital signal processor (IDSP) including four pipelined date processing units and three parallel input-output (I/O) ports has been developed using a 0.8- mu m BiCMOS technology. The IDSP integrates 910000 transistors in a 15.2-mm*15.2-mm area using a macrocell-oriented building-block design environment. The power dissipation was reduced to 1.0 W per 25-MHz instruction cycle, and a TTL-compatible I/O interface was retained by implementing two power supplies-one providing 3 V and the other 5 V. With this performance, a single-board 64/128-kb/s video codec was implemented with four IDSPs. >


This paper argues that debates over art exhibitions that make use of live animals, such as the Guggenheim Museum's 2017 Art and China After 1989: Theater of the World, are reflective of a schism between two general approaches to the ethico-political criticism of art. One of these approaches, the interpretation-oriented approach, is dominant in the art world and its adjacent institutions. The other, the production-oriented approach, is tacitly adopted by art-interested non-specialists. This rift explains why the use of animals in contemporary art—a practice that many art-interested people outside of the art world find bizarre and prima facie unethical—is so rarely discussed critically within art world institutions such as museums and journals. In an attempt to redress this oversight, the paper argues that the production-oriented approach is not only conceptually sound, but rationally preferable to the interpretation-oriented approach in many such cases.


Objectives: To detect and compare the inhibitory effect of Nigella sativa extracts and compare their effects with traditional drugs on intestinal parasites. Materials and Methods: Stool samples were collected from 144 students of primary schools: (Al-Arqam primary school for boys, Al-hady primary school for girls, and Al-Arpachia primary school for (boys and girls) in both sexes out of 252 students of about 6-12 years old. Stools were taken from students in a clean water-proof with a tight fitting container 10 ml saline as a transport medium. Each sample was transported at 37C and examined directly under the microscope. They were treated by different doses of different conc. of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of N. sativa and compare the effect with Metronidazole and Albendzole as traditional drugs. Results: The results of this study revealed clear potentiality of N. sativa as a source for antiparasitic drugs and support its use in folk medicine for the treatment of intestinal infections. Discussion: There was an inhibitory effect of Nigella sativa on intestinal parasites being isolated but fewer than that of traditional drugs. This finding warrants necessity of further investigation of this product for folk medicine.


Settlement patterns of immigrants from Suriname, Turkey, and Morocco living in the Netherlands between 1970 and 1982 are described. The author "explores to what extent general theories about ethnic residential differentiation are corroborated by the ethnic patterns in Dutch cities. On the basis of the literature four 'theories' of ethnic residential differentiation are formulated. It is pointed out that three of these four 'theories' contribute to our understanding of the existing ethnic patterns in Dutch cities, though they certainly do not fit perfectly." (SUMMARY IN ENG)


The role of light in the effect of salt stress on PSII photochemistry in the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis grown at 50 micromol m(-2) s(-1) was investigated. The time-course of changes in PSII photochemistry in response to high salinity (0.8 M NaCl) incubated in the dark and at 30, 50 and 100 micromol m(-2) s(-1) was composed of two phases. The first phase, which was independent of light, was characterized by a rapid decrease (20-50%) in the maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry (F:(v)/F:(m)), the efficiency of excitation energy capture by open PSII reaction centres (F(1)(v)/F(1)(m)), photochemical quenching (q(P)), and the quantum yield of PSII electron transport (Phi(PSII)) in the first 15 min, followed by a recovery of up to about 86-92% of their initial levels after 4 h of incubation. The second phase took place after 4 h, in which a further decline in the above parameters occurred only in the light but not in the dark, reaching levels as low as 32-56% of their initial levels after 12 h. Moreover, the higher incubation light intensity, the greater the decrease in the above parameters. At the same time, Q(B)-non-reducing PSII reaction centres increased significantly in the first 15 min and then recovered to the initial level during the first phase, but increased again in the light in the second phase. Photosynthetic oxygen evolution activity decreased sharply by 70% in the first 5 min, and then kept largely constant until 12 h. The changes in oxygen evolution activity were independent of light intensity during both phases.


A major challenge in systems biology is to develop a detailed dynamic understanding of the functions and behaviors in a particular cellular system, which depends on the elements and their inter-relationships in a specific network. Computational modeling plays an integral part in the study of network dynamics and uncovering the underlying mechanisms. Here we proposed a systematic approach that incorporates discrete dynamic modeling and experimental data to reconstruct a phenotype-specific network of cell signaling. A dynamic analysis of the insulin signaling system in liver cells provides a proof-of-concept application of the proposed methodology. Our group recently identified that double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) plays an important role in the insulin signaling network. The dynamic behavior of the insulin signaling network is tuned by a variety of feedback pathways, many of which have the potential to cross talk with PKR. Given the complexity of insulin signaling, it is inefficient to experimentally test all possible interactions in the network to determine which pathways are functioning in our cell system. Our discrete dynamic model provides an in silico model framework that integrates potential interactions and assesses the contributions of the various interactions on the dynamic behavior of the signaling network. Simulations with the model generated testable hypothesis on the response of the network upon perturbation, which were experimentally evaluated to identify the pathways that function in our particular liver cell system. The modeling in combination with the experimental results enhanced our understanding of the insulin signaling dynamics and aided in generating a context-specific signaling network.


In the Vietnamese science community, knowledge production and sharing are still limited. Based on intensive field work, this book investigates how organizations operating in the field of water research understand and practice knowledge management. The national science policy, culture, tradition, international collaboration, and local market forces all contribute to the current conditions of knowledge exchange in Vietnam. It is shown that the concentration of organizations in "knowledge clusters" could possibly increase the innovative capacity of research and development, which represents a key driving force in the country's ambitious plans of becoming a middle income country. (Series: ZEF Development Studies - Vol. 17)


Purpose Cell transplantation for the diseased central nervous system requires a substantial amount of neural stem cells(NSCs)to be generated in vitro.High expansion rates of NSCs in culture are thus crucial for the clinical application.When the size of a neurosphere cultured in vitro reaches a certain critical value,a necrotic core appears inside the neurosphere because of the lack of oxygen or other nutrients transport from medium to the cells in the neurosphere.Large necrotic core will greatly reduce the expansion of NSCs.Therefore,it is important to simulate the dynamic process of the growth of neurospheres and analyze the critical size of the neurosphere at which the necrotic core appears.Methods A cellular automaton approach was proposed in this article to model the growth of NSCs in sphere state.The appearance and enlargement of the necrotic core in a neurosphere is calculated by coupling the CA(cellular automaton) model with the nutrient diffusion analysis.Results The calculation results indicated that the culture conditions,including seeding density,concentration of nutrients in medium and the mass transfer coefficient between a neurosphere and medium,have influence on the appearance of the necrotic core.The necrotic core mainly depends on the inner diffusion.Necrotic core appeared when the size of neurosphere was large enough even the outside mass transfer was in a good condition.Additionally,the appearance of necrotic core resulted from the shortage of oxygen was earlier than that caused by the limitation of glucose.And the growth of necrotic core was very fast after its appearance,and the whole neurosphere may become necrotic.Conclusion The established automaton model could simulate NSCs growth in vitro.


Atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP) stimulate renal Na+ excretion by poorly understood mechanisms, perhaps involving direct inhibition of Na+ transport in the kidney medulla. To examine the effects of ANP on renal cells directly, we prepared highly purified cell suspensions derived from inner and outer medullary collecting duct and thick ascending limb of rabbit kidney and monitored ouabain-sensitive oxygen consumption (QO2). Human ANP diminished QO2 by 27.4 +/- 1.6% (mean +/- SE) in inner medullary collecting duct cells but had no effect in cells derived from outer medullary collecting duct or thick ascending limb. The inhibitory effect of ANP was not additive with either amiloride or ouabain. ANP was without effect in the presence of amphotericin. These results indicate that ANP inhibited Na+ entry in inner medullary collecting duct cells. ANP-mediated inhibition of QO2 was dose dependent (Ki = 5.5 X 10(-10) M) and exhibited selectivity for peptide structure. These results suggest that atrial peptides enhance renal sodium excretion partly by direct inhibition of medullary collecting duct sodium transport.


Numerical computational technique(s) with simulation tool is one of the most important difficult tasks in order to carry out real time scientific astronomical and other sophisticated problems. The main focus and highlight of this paper is concerned with the introduction of a method Runge-Kutta (4, 4) technique to determine the distribution of thermodynamic variables inside protoplanets during pre-collapse stage, formed by gravitational instability, for protoplanetary masses between 0.3 to 10 Jupiter. The case of convection is a significant concern for transference of heat inside the protoplanets and the graphical solution demonstrates positively better performance by the RK (4, 4) algorithm for any length of time. A viable quantitative analysis has been carried out to clearly visualize the goodness and robustness of the Runge-Kutta (4, 4) algorithm.


This article argues that the current understanding of English paganism relies too heavily on the belief that, when they wrote of the pre-Christian religion(s) of the English, Pope Gregory I (d. 604), in the letters preserved in his Register, and the Northumbrian monk Bede (d. 735), in his Ecclesiastical History, were describing English religion before conversion to Christianity as it really was. Their purpose in discussing English paganism, it is argued, was to provide succour and support for the process by which the English would be saved from eternal damnation in the face of the coming Day of Judgement. Neither Gregory nor Bede, both of whom came to be revered as Fathers of the Church, were passive observers of the conversion process. On the contrary, both men were active participants in the eradication of error amongst the English; error whose detail they had no interest or incentive to describe empirically. These were men who answered to a greater Truth – the Truth of the Word of God. It was this Truth which, this article argues, actually informed their descriptions of English paganism and should inform our understanding of their words on this subject.


The focus of wind erosion studies in Germany is located in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country, where wind erosion is a major soil threat and environmental concern. One of the most susceptible regions not only within Germany, but also within Europe (1, 2) is Western Saxony even though no high resolution erosion risk map exists for that region yet. A new wind erosion model for modeling soil loss by wind called SoLoWind was developed and tested for Western Saxony (3). SoLoWind extends the existing DIN model (DIN standard 19706) applied by the public authorities in Germany to a multidirectional model with new causal factors. The new factors are combined by fuzzy logic with the original DIN factors into four modules. The "Natural Wind Erosions Susceptibility" (SUS) module determines the regional soil erodibility with respect to soil texture, soil organic content, soil moisture and wind speeds. A "Soil Cover" (COV) module distinguishes between bare soil and covered soil in satellite images. Furthermore, the modules "Mean Field Length" (MFL) and "Mean Protection Zones" (MPZ) are parameters for the wind erosions avalanching effect and sheltering of windbreaks. Both modules are weighted according to the frequency of wind directions. The application showed that about one-third of all arable land in Western Saxony have either high (26.9%) or very high soil erosion risk (3.6%) by wind. As such, wind erosion is a serious land degradation threat for the region as it is in the adjacent federal states. According to the modeled off-site effects of wind erosion, a potential danger of reduced visibility by windblown dust to sections of the highway A72 could clearly be identified which calls for immediate protection measures. The transparency, adaptability, and user-friendliness of the model suggest that SoLoWind might serve as a planning tool for soil conservation strategies not merely in Western Saxony, but also in other regions.


The proposed research is a study of the technology and applications of personal projectors, small and inexpensive video projection devices intended for use in batterypowered hand-held or wearable products. This research will describe some ways of steering laser beams in one dimension to produce up to a one-meter wide screen. A one dimensional micro laser array will be used to avoid the effect of flickering while projecting an image. The use of a single lens to focus all lasers will save the complexity of collimating each laser independently. At the moment, the Micro Laser Personal Projector is displaying an image of 50 x 480 pixels. A DC brushless motor is used to steer the laser beams vertically. A fixed plano-convex lens focuses all 50 lasers. A piezo-electric device will be used on the future to increase the laser projector's image resolution from 50 x 480 to 200 x 480 pixels. With this image resolution the Micro Laser Personal Projector can be used in communications, entertainment, and medical applications. Thesis Supervisor: V. Michael Bove Jr. Title: Principal Research Scientist


A 2-month-old girl who lost 30 g over 7 days is noted to have multiple hepatic masses during abdominal ultrasonography to rule out pyloric stenosis; she is referred for further evaluation. She has a history of physiological jaundice and gastroesophageal reflux (GER). She continues to vomit despite treatment with ranitidine.


Interest in recycling of rare metals has greatly increased recently because of the rapid growth in the demand for, and uneven distribution of, natural resources. Substance flow analysis (SFA) is a useful tool for determining the flow of substances in specific geographic regions. However, few SFAs have been conducted for rare metals. In this paper, we focus on indium and conduct SFAs of indium both in Japan and globally. Indium is primarily used as indium tin oxide (ITO), whose end uses can be categorized into two groups: liquid crystal displays and plasma panel displays; these are then assembled into final products. We quantified the flow of indium during its life cycle through mining, smelting and refining, manufacturing, use and waste management. For mining, smelting and refining, data were collected on the indium content in ore and production of primary metallic indium during 19992008. For manufacturing, we estimated the content of indium in final products, and estimated the input of indium in production as ITO in Japan. Then, we extrapolated the result to an SFA at the global scale. In-use stock and discarded indium were estimated by dynamic SFA, in which time-series data on the input of indium into final products and their lifetime distribution were used. We considered the loss of indium in each process to be the potential recyclable amount. We found that the extraction rate of indium in the mining, smelting and refining process was 811%, and the loss of indium in this process was 4,826 t in 2004. The loss in manufacturing amounted to 316 t, the in-use stock of indium was 116 t and the discarded indium in end-use products amounted to 5 t globally in 2004. Therefore, it was concluded that the biggest recovery potential of indium is during mining, smelting and refining. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2012279]


This paper presents the architecture design and evaluation of a relational machine employing advanced data structures and algorithms to manipulate set-level operations required in a relational model.
 We have developed data structures and algorithms that are suitable for VLSI-oriented parallel processing. The data structure called VTF (valid tuple flags) is a simple bit string that is used to distinguish valid tuples from invalid ones. VTF helps to reduce the cost to recognize the valid tuples, to minimize the memory requirement, and to avoid constructing a temporary relation as a result of executed relational operations.
 By extending concepts of VTF, we have established an advanced processing method based on efficient data structures and algorithms that could avoid reconstructing relations and numbers of iterative searches required in accomplishing relational operations.
 This paper describes basic concepts of VTF, an efficient processing method using VTF, design of a relational machine architecture introducing this method, and performance evaluations of the method and the architecture. Basic concepts and extended concepts of the method incorporated with VTF will provide strong foundations on architecture design of a relational machine.


OBJECTIVES:After the skin, the gastrointestinal tract is the second most common target of systemic sclerosis (SSc).AIM:Our aims were to investigate orocecal transit time (OCTT) and the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in SSc as a cause of intestinal symptoms.METHODS:Fifty-five SSc patients and 60 healthy controls, sex and age matched, entered the study. Enrolled subjects completed a questionnaire for intestinal symptoms and a global symptomatic score (GSS) was calculated. OCTT and the presence of SIBO were assessed by a lactulose breath test (LBT). Patients with SIBO were treated with rifaximin 1,200 mg/day for 10 days. Finally, a second questionnaire and LBT were performed 1 month after the end of therapy.RESULTS:The prevalence of SIBO was higher in SSc patients compared with controls (30/54 vs 4/60, respectively, P < 0.001). OCTT was significantly slower in SSc patients compared with controls (150 min, 25–75th percentile 142.5–165 vs 105 min, 25–75th percentile 90–135, respectively, P < 0.001). In patients with SIBO, the median GSS score was 8 (25–75th percentile 3.25–10.75). Eradication of SIBO was achieved in 73.3% of patients, with a significant reduction of symptoms in 72.7% of them (GSS score 2, 25–75th percentile 1–3, P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that SIBO occurs more frequently in SSc patients than in controls. Intestinal symptoms in these patients may be related to this syndrome and its eradication seems useful to improve clinical features. OCTT is significantly delayed in SSc patients, suggesting an impairment of intestinal motility, a further risk factor for the development of SIBO.


Ni films are deposited by using ultra high vacuum dc magnetron sputtering onto silicon substrates at room temperature, and the high-quality and high-density films are prepared. The parameters, such as thickness, density and surface roughness, are obtained by using small-angle x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses with the Marquardt gradient-expansion algorithm. The deposition rate is calculated and the Ni single layer can be fabricated precisely. Based on the fitting results, we can find that the surface roughness of the Ni films is about 0.7nm, the densities of Ni films are around 97% and the deposition rate is 0.26nm/s. The roughness of the surface is also characterized by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The changing trend of the surface roughness in the simulation of XRD is in good agreement with the AFM measurement.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the macro- and micro essential and non-essential minerals in apple fruits collected from farmland in Wollega, Chencha, Ankober (Ethiopia) and Addis Ababa which are imported to Ethiopia from South Africa and Israel. Samples were wet-digested using 3 mL HNO3 and 1 mL HClO4 for 2:15 hours at 210 oC. Selected metals (Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu, Al, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cd and Pb) were determined by microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The validity of optimized procedure was evaluated by the analysis of spiked samples and recoveries were in 90.8-106% range. The mean concentration range (mg/kg) of metal in fruit samples were Ca (1065-36275, 1013-36143), Mg (27-153, 78.3-139), Fe (103-276, 123-241), Mn (13.5-13.7, 11.5-16.3), Cu (5.13-6.56, 4.11-12.6), Al (77.8-129, 52.5-89.6), Zn (41.3-73.6, 47.4-54.4), Cr (6.15-10.04, 6.57-7.14), Co (6.57-7.14, 1.70-2.35), Ni (1.33-2.37, 1.43-7.66), respectively. Cd and Pb were not detected. Analysis of variance showed significant difference (p = 0.05) in the levels of Cu, Al and Co among sampling sites in green apple fruit while all the other metals did not show significance difference. Red apple fruit showed a significance difference in the levels of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr and Co metal while the other metals showed insignificance differences. Pearson correlation coefficients indicated strong, moderate and weak correlation between different pairs of metals in both the green and red apples.


This study contributes to the work on board composition and firm corporate social responsibility by extending it to the environmental domain. It evaluates the relationship between boards of directors' composition and environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR) by integrating literatures on board composition, firm corporate social responsibility, and individual differences in attitudes toward and information about environmental issues. Using disclosed company data and the natural environment ratings data from Kinder Lydenberg Domini (KLD) Inc. for 78 Fortune 1000 companies, the study finds that a higher proportion of outside board directors is associated with more favorable ECSR and higher KLD strengths scores. Firms with boards composed of three or more female directors received higher KLD strengths scores. And, boards whose directors average closer to 56 years in age and those with a higher proportion of Western European directors are more likely to implement environmental governance structures or processes. Our results also reinforce growing concerns around unidimensional KLD measures.


The analysis of the current condition on the prediction of radiation embrittlement for VVER RPV materials of the first and second generation has been carried out. The radiation lifetime of a definite type of pressure vessel is determined by various parameters caused by operational features and the chemical composition of pressure vessel's metal. The emphasis on re-irradiation embrittlement kinetics is given for the first generation of VVER RPV steels (VVER-440/179 and VVER-440/230 grades). The technique for the first generation RPV materials monitoring, based on sampling and studies of metal from the pressure vessel's inner surface, is considered. The current program of cutting out templates, for the inner surface of a RPV wall, and their re-irradiation in surveillance channels of VVER-440 units with full core and dummy assembles is described. The new approaches to re-irradiation embrittlement models are analyzed. The basic problems of VVER-440/213 and VVER-1000 metal monitoring are analyzed. The representativity of VVER-440/213 and VVER-1000 RPV surveillance programs is discussed. The necessity of updating of the current standard reference dependences for the prediction of radiation embrittlement of RPV materials is shown. The most urgent questions of reactor dosimetry for VVER pressure vessel materials have been covered. The lifetime extension problem for the first and second generation of VVER units is considered.


Laugier-Hunziker-Baran syndrome is characterized by multiple and melanin pigmentation of the lips, oral mucosa, and fingers. There is no risk of development of oral malignancies or malignant melanoma. However, it is important that Laugier-Hunziker-Baran syndrome is diagnosed correctly to rule out other differential diagnoses (i.e. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Addison disease, and Albright syndrome).A 69-year-old man presented with multiple pigmented spots of the mouth and lips; these spots appeared 3 yearspreviously.His right fingers had brownish spots 2-3 mm in diameter. Similar spots were present on the buccal mucosa, lips, palate, and gingiva.The patient had no history of gastrointestinal disorders or generalized skin disorders. A biopsy specimen takenfrom a site of the lower lip with melanotic pigmentation showed increased pigmentation of the basal cell layer ofthe epithelium. No malignant features were noted in the specimen.


Summary The present study proposes a new methodology for the quantification of parasite eggs in animal tissue. Quantification of parasites are important to understand epidemiology of spirorchiid infections in sea turtles, however different methodologies for quantifying Spirorchiidae eggs in turtle tissues have been used. The most representative way to quantify Spirorchiidae burdens in tissues is counting eggs / g of tissue, however, this method is very laborious. As an alternative, we propose quantifying number of Spirorchiidae eggs/ area of tissue on a microscope slide. We compared this method to number of eggs / slide, a common metric of egg burden in turtle tissues. Both methods correlated well with eggs / g with eggs/mm2 of tissue having better correlation.


Sphingolipids are an essential class of membrane lipids in eukaryotic cells. Due to their high packing density and their affinity for cholesterol, sphingolipids are able to promote bilayer rigidity and impermeability. Apart from its ability to maintain biomembrane integrity, sphingomyelin (SM) is also a major source for ceramide, involved in signal transduction. Thus, by balancing the formation of ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG), which is known to act as second messenger, SM synthesis and degradation may play a fundamental role in cell growth and survival. In this thesis, we use C. elegans as an animal model which represents, due to its easy manipulation of gene function by mutation and RNAi, an attractive model to study the implications of SM synthase activity on the molecular level in animal physiology. We identify two proteins of the multigenic protein family as SM synthases and one enzyme as a ceramide phophoethanolamine (CPE) synthase. Glycosphingolipids (GSLs), the other class of membrane sphingolipids, contain polar headgroups which consist of one or more carbohydrate moieties. Here, we discuss the technical issues restraining progress in the elucidation of nanoscale localization of GSLs. Complex GSLs, such as gangliosides, fulfill important roles in recognition and signaling at the plasma membrane and are also used as receptors by parasites, bacteria, viruses and toxins. GM1, a monosialoganglioside, has been shown to be involved in the regulation and activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor, and acts as a receptor for cholera toxin. A defect in the degradation of this interesting lipid leads to its accumulation and storage in the lysosomes, displaying a clinical phenotype, Landing disease or GM1 gangliosidosis. Recently, the accumulation of GM1 was found to activate various channels, and it was suggested that GM1 may accumulate at the ER, eventually leading to a perturbation of calcium homeostasis. In this study we show the localization of accumulated GM1 in diseased cells by immune-electron microscopy after freeze substitution, thereby preventing relocation of lipids during labeling procedures. GM1 was indeed mainly localized to lysosomal/endosomal structures and no evidence for significant increase of GM1 content at other cellular organelles was found. Glycosphingolipids, together with SM and cholesterol are thought to play an essential role in the formation of microdomains, called lipid rafts. The lateral organization of biomembranes was proposed to be required for the sorting of lipids and specialized proteins, and has been shown lately to play a fundamental role in signal transduction. In this present work, we combined for the first time EM and homo-FRET analysis, two techniques that have been successfully used to study nanoscale organization at the plasma membrane. Exploiting the complementary ranges of the two techniques, we were able to study the influence of glycosphingolipids on the distribution of different lipid-anchored proteins on the cytosolic side of the plasma membrane. Glycosphingolipids did not affect the diameter of the protein clusters but increased the number of molecules of the proteins per cluster, while at the same time they lowered the level of molecular interaction between these molecules.


This paper analyzes a firm's propensity to commit securities fraud and the real consequences of fraud. The theory shows that fraud has real economic cost, as investment distortions can arise from fraud-induced market misvaluation and management's ability to influence the firm's litigation risk through investment. The cost of inefficiency is borne by not only shareholders of fraudulent firms but also those of honest firms. The theory also characterizes a firm's equilibrium supply of fraud. A firm's fraud propensity and the magnitude of fraud are shown to depend on the nature of the firm's assets, growth potential, and the quality of corporate governance. The theory provides testable implications for cross-sectional variations in firms' fraud propensities and for firms' investment incentives in the presence of fraud. It also sheds light on he potential effectiveness of legislative initiatives and regulatory changes that deal with fraud.


This guide will help you locate resources for writing, and for the study of literature at UNH, including American literature, English literature, and Shakespeare.


Purpose: New strategies that target selected molecular characteristics and result in an effective therapeutic index are needed for metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Experimental Design: A series of preclinical and clinical studies were designed to increase the therapeutic index of targeted radiation therapy for prostate cancer. 111In/90Y-monoclonal antibody (mAb), m170, which targets aberrant sugars on abnormal MUC1, was evaluated in androgen-independent prostate cancer patients to determine the maximum tolerated dose and efficacy of nonmyeloablative radioimmunotherapy and myeloablative combined modality radioimmunotherapy with paclitaxel. To enhance the tumor to liver therapeutic index, a cathepsin degradable mAb linkage (111In/90Y-peptide-m170) was used in the myeloablative combined modality radioimmunotherapy protocol. For tumor to marrow therapeutic index improvement in future studies, anti-MUC1 scFvs modules were developed for pretargeted radioimmunotherapy. Anti-MUC1 and anti-DOTA scFvs were conjugated to polyethylene glycol scaffolds tested on DU145 prostate cancer cells and prostate tissue arrays, along with mAbs against MUC1 epitopes. Results: The nonmyeloablative maximum tolerated dose of 90Y-m170 was 0.74 GBq/m2 for patients with not more than 10% axial skeleton involvement. Metastatic prostate cancer was targeted in all 17 patients; mean radiation dose was 10.5 Gy/GBq and pain response occurred in 7 of 13 patients reporting pain. Myeloablative combined modality radioimmunotherapy with 0.4 GBq/m2 of 90Y-peptide-m170 and paclitaxel showed therapeutic effects in 4 of 6 patients and 30% less radiation to the liver per unit of activity. Neutropenia was dose limiting without marrow support and patient eligibility was a major limitation to dose escalation. Hypoglycosylated MUC1 epitopes were shown to be abundant in prostate cancer and to increase with disease grade. Anti-MUC1 scFvs binding to prostate cancer tissue and live cells were developed into di-scFv binding modules. Conclusions: The therapeutic index enhancement for prostate radioimmunotherapy was achieved in clinical studies by the addition of cathepsin cleavable linkers to 90Y-conjugated mAbs and the use of paclitaxel. However, the need for marrow support in myeloablative combined modality radioimmunotherapy restricted eligible patients. Therefore, modular pretargeted radioimmunotherapy, aiming at improving the tumor to marrow therapeutic index, is being developed.


Previous nuclear magnetic resonance studies in this laboratory have shown a beneficial biochemical effect of antegrade cerebroplegia (CP-A) during hypothermic circulatory arrest. This study compared CP-A with other methods of cerebral protection during hypothermic circulatory arrest to assess the clinical utility of this technique. Twenty-three sheep were divided into four groups: systemic hypothermia alone (SYST) and systemic hypothermia combined with external cranial cooling (EXTNL), retrograde cerebroplegia (CP-R), or CP-A. Cardiopulmonary bypass was started, and the sheep were cooled to 15 degrees C and subjected to 2 hours of circulatory arrest. Cardiopulmonary bypass was restarted, and the animals were rewarmed and weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. Serial neurological examinations were performed and hourly scores assigned until the animals were extubated. Postanesthetic neurological scores improved in all groups throughout the 6-hour recovery period except the CP-R group. The improvement over time for these scores was similar for the EXTNL and CP-A groups and significantly better than for the SYST or CP-R groups (p = 0.004). The CP-A group had 5 of 7 animals with deficit-free survival despite the similarity in recovery of baseline brainstem function. We conclude that both antegrade infusion of cerebroplegia and external cranial cooling confer distinct cerebroprotective effects after a protracted period of hypothermic circulatory arrest when compared with the other methods studied.


BACKGROUND
Vehicle alcohol ignition interlocks reduce alcohol-impaired driving recidivism while installed, but recidivism reduction does not continue after removal. It has been suggested that integrating alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment with interlock programs might extend the effectiveness of interlocks in reducing recidivism beyond their removal. This study evaluated the first implementation of a Florida policy mandating AUD treatment for driving under the influence (DUI) offenders on interlocks. Treatment was required when the offender accumulated 3 violations (defined as 2 "lockouts" within 4 hours; a lockout occurs when the device prevents a drinking driver from starting the vehicle).

METHODS
Cox regression was used to compare alcohol-impaired driving recidivism during the 48 months following the interlock removal between 2 groups: (i) 640 multiple DUI offenders who received AUD treatment while interlocks were installed; and (ii) 806 matched offenders not mandated to treatment while interlocks were installed.

RESULTS
The ignition interlock plus treatment group experienced 32% lower recidivism, 95% confidence interval [9, 49], following the removal of the interlock during the 12 to 48 months in which they were compared with the nontreatment group. We estimated that this decline in recidivism would have prevented 41 rearrests, 13 crashes, and almost 9 injuries in crashes involving the 640 treated offenders over the period following interlock removal.

CONCLUSIONS
This study provides strong support for the inclusion of AUD treatment for offenders in interlock programs based on the number of times they are "locked out." The offenders required to attend treatment demonstrated a one-third lower DUI recidivism following their time on the interlock compared to similar untreated offenders.


Increase in demand for ethanol as a fuel additive has resulted in growth in ethanol production. Ethanol is produced from corn by either wet milling or dry grind processing. In wet milling, the corn kernel is fractionated into different components, resulting in several coproducts. Wet mill plants are capital intensive because of equipment requirements and typically are corporate owned. In dry grind processing, the corn kernel is not fractionated and only one coproduct, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), is generated. Dry grind plants require less equipment and capital than wet mills. They typically are producer owned and add direct benefits to rural economies. Most of the increase in ethanol production during the past decade is attributed to growth in the dry grind industry. The marketing of coproducts provides income to offset processing costs. For dry grind plants, this is especially important, because only one coproduct is available. Several issues affect DDGS marketing. The increasing volume of DDGS accompanying ethanol production could reduce market value; high phosphorus content could limit use of DDGS, because of animal waste disposal issues. Technologies to remove germ and fiber from DDGS could produce a coproduct suitable for feeding to nonruminants; this would expand the markets for DDGS. Reducing phosphorus in DDGS would sustain markets for conventional DDGS. New technologies could contribute to long term stability of dry grind plants.


Psychotherapy Utilization and Presenting Concerns Among Black International and AfricanAmerican Students in a University Counseling Center Mica Nicole McGriggs Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education, BYU Doctor of Philosophy Little is known about the psychotherapy utilization, presenting concerns, and outcome differences between Black international and African American university students. The aim of this research is to identify potential similarities and differences between the two groups, as well as potential differences between the aforementioned groups and white students. This study examined archival data collected over the course of a 17-year period that focused on experiences of African-American, Black international, and White students at a large university in the Rocky Mountain West, United States. More specifically, archival data were analyzed to identify differences between the aforementioned groups of students in regard to psychotherapy utilization, presenting concerns, distress levels endorsed at intake, and distress levels endorsed at termination. Results indicate significant differences between African-American, Black international, and White student groups in terms of the maximum number of psychotherapy sessions attended and length of treatment in days. We found significant differences between these groups of students on several items assessed in the Presenting Problem Checklist and the Family Concerns Survey. We found no significant difference between African-American, Black international, and White student groups in the severity of presenting distress as measured by the Outcome Questionaire-45. We found a significant difference between groups in treatment improvement as measured by change scores on the Outcome Questionaire-45, with White students experiencing the greatest change, followed by Black international students and AfricanAmericans. Possible explanations and implications for practice will be discussed in the body of the paper.


This thesis explores racial discourse in translation; using a semiotic approach, it demonstrates how racial discourse, characterized by a specific language, is subject to a "slippage of meaning" when translated into a target language. The example considered is a novel by Haitian writer Dany Laferriere, and its English translation by David Homel. Considering the widespread yet historically and scientifically discredited concept of "race", we will explore the impacts of translational displacements of meaning on Black identity. The "slippage of meaning", an unconscious "deformation" according to Berman's theory of ethnocentric and hypertextual translation, bears traces of a discourse, of an understanding of the world that can differ from the author's: "transformed" by the translator, "discourse" will be analysed in relation to Teun A. van Dijk's Critical Discourse Analysis. The works by Judith Lavoie and Helene Buzelin will also be evoked in this research: their analyses of identity in the translation of vernaculars are of great relevance here.


The prgB gene encodes the surface protein, Asc10, which mediates cell aggregation, resulting in high-frequency conjugative transfer of the pheromone-inducible tetracycline-resistance plasmid pCF10 in Enterococcus faecalis. Messenger RNA analysis by Northern blot hybridization and primer extension indicates that prgB transcription is pheromone-inducible and monocistronic. Previous transposon mutagenesis and sequencing analysis of a 12-kilobase (kb) region of pCF10 indicated that several genes including prgR and prgS are required to activate expression of prgB. The distance (3-4 kb) between these regulatory genes and prgB suggested that the activation might function in trans. To test this, a promoterless lacZ gene fusion to prgB was constructed and cloned without some or all of the regulatory genes. Several restriction fragments of the regulatory region were cloned in a higher copy-number plasmid, and numerous complementation studies were carried out in E. faecalis. Complementation in trans was not observed in any of these experiments. However, when the regulatory region and target genes were cloned in different sites of the same plasmid, separated by as much as 12 kb, activation of prgB was observed. Interestingly, this activation occurred only when the regions were cloned in the same relative orientation in which they exist on wild-type pCF10. These results suggest that one or more regulatory molecules may bind to an upstream cis-acting site and track along the DNA to reach a target site to activate prgB transcription.


The 651 tunes presented in this book represent an important segment of the musical heritage of North America and comprise what may well be the largest collection of Anglo-Celtic-American instrumental folk music. Tunes brought over by the first settlers from England, Germany, Scotland, and Ireland remained essentially unchanged despite many variations in the less accessible parts of Pennsylvania, thus preserving a musical tradition that stretches from colonial times to the recent past. The advent of electronic media and automotive transport brought an end to the isolation that sustained that tradition, and today its music is being diluted and homogenized through outside influences.Professor Bayard began collecting tunes in southwestern Pennsylvania in 1928 by listening to local fiddlers and fifers and transcribing what they played into standard musical notation by ear. His later collecting was aided by the addition of a tape recorder in 1948. The tunes he collected, along with those furnished by his associates in this project, were then sorted and organized into the present collection of 651 (some with as many as twenty-five versions) and annotated with the aid of leading authorities and published sources.The book starts with an introduction describing the general character of the tunes, the playing techniques of the fiddlers and fifers, and the circumstances in which the tunes were played. A note on the treatment of the music explains how tunes were used for different purposes (various dance and march steps, for example) through rhythmic modifications, and also details how fingering in traditional fiddling is related to key and pitch. The 651 tunes, arranged roughly by function (i.e., by the type of dance with which they are most often associated) are each labeled to show whether they were played on the fiddle, the fife, or both, and each tune version is identified by when, from whom, and by whom it was collected. An appendix connects the Pennsylvania tunes to other ones by giving transcriptions of forty-four related tunes from Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, Prince Edward Island, and County Cork, Ireland. Biographical sketches of the performers, a list of sources and an index of tune titles conclude the book.The authentic tunes of the Bayard collection will be invaluable both to the folklorists and to composers, performers, or students of music who seek understanding of the American idiom. Notes following each of the transcriptions link the tunes to others of Anglo-Celtic provenance, as well as to continental European airs."


We consider a generalized time-dependent risk model with constant interest force, where the claim sizes are of pairwise quasiasymptotical independence structure, and the claim size and its interclaim time satisfy a dependence structure defined by a conditional tail probability of the claim size given the interclaim time before the claim occurs. As the claim-size distribution belongs to the dominated variation class, we establish some weakly asymptotic formulae for the tail probability of discounted aggregate claims and the finite-time ruin probability, which hold uniformly for all times in a relevant infinite interval.


Misinformation surrounding climate change (CC) proliferates across the internet at such rapid speeds and in such large quantities that human fact-checkers are unable to feasibly verify the veracity of most online CC-related information. While automatic fact-checking algorithms can supplement human factchecking efforts, existing models suffer from a lack of domainspecific training data to robustly fact-check CC information. To address this problem, we tailor an existing automatic factchecking system to the CC domain by introducing the popular semi-supervised training method, Unsupervised Data Augmentation (UDA), into our system's pipeline, allowing us to leverage large amounts of unlabeled CC-related claims. We evaluate our fact-checking model on the CC fact-checking dataset CLIMATE-FEVER, yielding a state-of-the-art (SotA) F1 score of 0.7182, improving upon the previously reported SotA F1 score of 0.3285.


To the Editor. —Dr Ginzberg 1 makes two fundamental errors in his recent assessment of our health care system, which in turn, make it impossible to arrive at a correct solution. First, Ginzberg incorrectly assumes that the health insurance market has been a free market. Quite the opposite is true. Since World War II, the private health insurance industry has been largely an employer-based system in which the consumer is out of the loop. Rather than having the consumer choose his or her own insurance policy, his or her employer has been the one to do so. This approach arose out of the wage and price controls of the 1940s and is really a way to give a worker nontaxable income (by calling it a benefit instead). It is not unexpected that the bureaucratic tinkering of the 1940s has led to the insurance crisis of today. One solution to the


Abstract Variation of shaking intensity for the 18 April 1906 earthquake in and around the city of San Jose, California, is established based on 607 damage locations, using a methodology suitable for high-resolution mapping of intensity. This detailed methodology uses a refined modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) scale and is based on the premise that an intensity estimate can be calculated from the damage to a single building, provided extent of damage and style of building construction are sufficiently well known. To reflect the rich detail in the damage descriptions, the refined scale recognizes partial steps in the range MMI 6–9. For the 138 km 2 area of study, earthquake damage is compiled from published descriptions, mostly made by building-industry professionals within 10 days after the 1906 earthquake and never before evaluated for an intensity study. Sanborn–Perris Map Company fire insurance maps provide precise location and nature of construction for 483 damaged structures within, and 124 outside, the 1906 San Jose city limits. The distribution of assigned intensities approximates a normal distribution with median intensity 7.5, mean intensity 7.36, and standard deviation 0.687. Maximum intensity (8.5–9.0) is identical to contoured MMI from previous intensity studies with lower density of data. For analysis, damage data points are grouped at two scales. At the first, 227 modern census blocks contain as many as 31 buildings each, with mean of block median intensities 7.46 and standard deviation 0.660. In 71% of 101 blocks with two or more data points, intensity range is one point or less. This low variability indicates consistent building response in these blocks to ground shaking. Moderate to larger variations in intensity within some blocks may be attributed to differences in construction, prior damage to structures, or anthropogenic factors. At the second scale, geographically distinct associations of neighboring blocks are grouped into six microzones from 1.5 to 7.0 km across, with mean microzone intensity 6.6 to 8.2 and standard deviation 0.160 to 0.637. These intensity differences, which match variations observed in modern ground-motion studies, are inferred to reflect real variation in damage-causing ground motion in 1906. Methods presented here can be used to constrain ground-motion models, identify seismic hot spots, and improve site-specific assumptions for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA).


Asthma prevalence in Australia is high by international standards. The disease is more common among Indigenous than non-Indigenous Australians. This article provides analyses of a music medicine intervention undertaken in 7 locations. Our team sought to evaluate whether a program of teaching didgeridoo playing and singing to Aboriginal people would be beneficial. Engaging community organizations, schools, and parents was met with challenges. While there were difficulties with retention of some participants, the overall results were positive. Spirometry indicated small improvements to lung function in a few participants; however, the overall value of the program's capacity to improve general well-being was considered to be high by both participants and parents. Increased appreciation of traditional culture was an additional outcome. In consideration of the program's effects and how best to sustain such health and cultural benefits to a small number of participants, its value will be weighed against the potential pragmatic problems of implementation and running costs. It is hoped that this article's reflective stance in review of outcomes will prompt further consideration of how best to develop music and medicine, music therapy, and/or educational programs that meet unique clinical and health needs through inclusion and that also address diversity. These aspects additionally offer consideration and insight into the profound effects that culture, particularly when expressed through live and active music mak- ing, may play in the health and wellness of both individuals and families of underserved communities.


: The aim of the study was to specify topographoanatomic features of internal thoracic artery (ITA) and right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) for optimization of surgical and endoscopic methods of their mobilization. The study was carried out on 50 cadavers (27 men, 23 women) aged from 29 to 82 years (mean age 59 years). The following topographic parameters of the conduits were evaluated: disposition of the artery ostium; presence and disposition of parietal branches; presence and disposition of visceral branches; type of a terminal part of the artery; interdisposition with surrounding anatomic structures. It was found that topographic anatomy of ITA and RGEA permits one to use effectively mini-invasive and endoscopic methods of their mobilization and therefore, to reduce rate of complications and to optimize methods of ITA and RGEA effective use.


Archean cratons are dispersed crustal fragments derived from larger ancestral landmasses. Their individual and combined study in paleogeographic reconstructions reveal details relevant to understanding larger Archean tectonic systems. Canada's Superior craton is considered the central piece of the late Archean Superia supercraton paleogeographic reconstruction that also includes the Karelia-Kola (Finland/Russia), Wyoming (USA), and Hearne (Canada) cratons. The relationship between Superior and Karelia-Kola is of interest because the position of the Karelia-Kola craton within the context of the Superia reconstruction is not fully resolved. Dyke swarm correlations based on age and geometry indicate that Karelia-Kola and Superior were 'nearest-neighbours', yet paleomagnetic studies disagree. However, these data are complicated due to multiple metamorphic overprints, and are limited by a lack of high-precision U-Pb ages. The focus of this study is to test the correlation between the Karelia-Kola and Superior cratons by integrating U-Pb geochronology, whole-rock major, trace element and Sm-Nd isotope geochemistry, and dyke swarm geometry. These methods confirm the occurrence of sharply timed large igneous provinces (LIP) in Karelia-Kola correlated to Superior using geochronology, test whether the magmas were from a common source, and refine the paleogeographic Superia reconstruction by incorporating regional dyke trends. This study presents nine ages from dykes and sills that confirm LIP correlations between the Karelia-Kola and Superior cratons at ca. 2.40 Ga, 2.22 Ga, 2.11 Ga and 1.98 Ga, and three ages at ca. 2.32 Ga confined to Karelia-Kola. Geochemical studies were completed on mafic magmatic events at ca. 2.22 Ga and 2.11 Ga. The evaluation of 2.22 Ga dykes and sills confirms that the Senneterre and Maguire dykes are compatible feeders to the Nipissing sills (Superior) and that the Karjalitic sills (Karelia-Kola) are not their direct continuation. At 2.11 Ga, mafic dykes and sills from Superior, Karelia-Kola, Wyoming and Hearne cratons were generated from two mantle end-member sources that mixed together and assimilated a crustal component. In support of a nearest-neighbour connection between the Karelia-Kola and Superior cratons, the integration of U-Pb geochronology, geochemistry and dyke trends provide controls for a refined configuration of the Karelia-Kola craton within the Superia supercraton paleogeographic reconstruction.


Database-centered environment architectures differ significantly from file-based architectures. Consequently they require a different set of primitives for tool support. This paper describes a form of tool composition called cotools which provides many of the benefits of UNIX pipes in terms of being able to reuse existing tools in tool composites, and allowing tools to operate concurrently ad incrementally on data. However, the tool language and the composition model is tailored to provide these benefits in a database-centered environment where tools do not directly communicate with each other. The effect of communication is achieved by allowing member tools in a cotool to access common data in a coordinated manner while allowing the changes made to data by one tool immediately visible to other tools in the cotool.Since database transactions normally maintain consistency in a database by disallowing interleaved data manipulation amongst separate applications, certain modifications to the concept of transactions are required. One of goals from a systemic point of view is to allow the benefits of tool cooperation without completely violating the transactions idea, which is a very clean mechanism for maintaining data consistency in a shared data store.


On November 25, 2009, Dubai shocked the world by requesting a moratorium on debt repayment. Foreign banks had previously pumped significant amounts of money into Dubai, knowing that they would suffer huge losses if the emirate defaulted on its debt. Thus, Dubai's request prompted financial markets worldwide to plummet immediately. Revelations that Nakheel, a subsidiary of the state-run Dubai World, had suffered losses of US$3.64 billion since June 2009 caused further financial turbulence, especially in Dubai's stock market. Faced with financial turmoil and a collapsing real estate market, Dubai is now in the throes of an identity crisis. Once the symbol of Middle Eastern prosperity and the opulence of contemporary globalization, the emirate must reinvent itself because its model of economic development is no longer realistic. Dubai must adopt a diversified approach to sustainable growth by developing other industries and looking to become the cultural gateway to the Middle East. During the real estate boom, Dubai could do no wrong. Riding a wave of easy credit and a deluge of foreign capital, the emirate built the world's tallest buildings, most luxurious hotels, and most exotic celebrity getaways, epitomizing the rewards of international finance and becoming the crown jewel of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). By attracting foreign investment to develop the Middle East's prime business environment and the world's most posh desert getaway, backed by the expectation of forever rising property prices, the emirate sought to diversify its industries and escape dependence on oil revenues. For several years this strategy worked, as the world's elite paid handsomely for Dubai's luxurious new real estate. The expectation of perpetually rising real estate prices, however, proved to be irrationally exuberant. Since real estate prices began to drop in 2007, a combination of excess real estate supply and dwindling demand has threatened the very foundations of Dubai's economy. The declining real estate market is especially dangerous in Dubai because the government is heavily invested in the real estate industry. Indeed, government investment in real estate has far outstripped state support of other industries. While there is wisdom to the concept of comparative advantage, the principle of risk management warns against putting all of an economy's eggs in one basket. As real estate prices dropped by 50 percent in 2009, Dubai's economy grew by only an estimated 1.3 percent, down from 6.4 percent in 2008. Abu Dhabi has agreed to provide some conditional bailouts, and the UAE's central bank has put together a liquidity scheme to help Dubai meet some of its short-term debt obligations. Both of these actions should reduce the international impact of Dubai's financial crisis and improve the domestic economy in the short term. In the long run, however, Dubai must radically restructure its economy and adopt a more realistic goal for its future role in the world. The emirate's plan to develop more real estate above ground than Manhattan by the end of 2010 must be replaced by a less glamorous but more robust alternative. Rather than seeking to be a dazzling spectacle of high rise buildings and opulence, Dubai should focus on becoming the international gateway to the Middle East. Dubai's social and economic policies, which are liberal in comparison to those of the rest of the Middle East, have attracted foreigners for over a century. This influx of people has helped the emirate develop into a cosmopolitan city and has provided a steady stream of immigrants to the area, from wealthy international investors to ambitious young workers. Dubai's liberal domestic policy has also led the emirate to play a central cultural role within the Middle East itself; Dubai often serves a center for conflict resolution, and it has become a tourist mecca for many Middle Easterners. …


Low doses of cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) have recently been administered by intravenous (IV) infusion and intermittent subcutaneous (SC) injection to patients with pre-leukemia and acute leukemia. Our studies have demonstrated that the continuous IV infusion of low-dose (20 mg/m2/d) ara-C produces hematologic improvement in patients with preleukemic syndromes. The present work has monitored plasma ara-C levels in five of these patients. The results demonstrate mean steady-state plasma levels ranging from 1.8 to 6.9 X 10(-8) mol/L. The range for total drug exposure (area under the curve) for the 14-day course was 6.5 to 15.9 X 10(-6) mol/L X hour. These findings have been compared to the pharmacokinetics of ara-C (10 mg/m2) given by bolus SC injection. This dose schedule resulted in peak ara-C levels 15 minutes after injection that were tenfold to 30-fold higher than the mean plasma level achieved during continuous IV infusion in the same patient. Furthermore, there was no detectable plasma ara-C at six hours after bolus injection. The differences in ara-C pharmacology for the continuous IV infusion and bolus SC injection dose schedules may contribute to the variability in response and toxicity achieved with these regimens.


One of the main challenges of human resources management in public administration is to make sure that civil servants are committed to and driven by values of the public ethos. Understanding the elements that give meaning to their work can be a way to take pertinent action, leaving aside the stigma and misinterpretation of the relationship between individuals and their work in the public sector. This article aims to assess the antecedent factors of our central construct, meaning of work, and its relationships with psychological well-being, psychological distress and affective commitment for forensic experts in the Federal Police. It is a quantitative study that uses confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results show that forensic experts find meaning in their work through its social utility and the opportunities they have to learn and develop. Meaning is positively related to psychological well-being and affective commitment, and negatively related to psychological distress. This study discusses the results of applying this model in light of a managerial accountability framework to develop the civil service and concludes that it offers a good contribution to human resources management in the public sector, making it possible to discuss factors that favor the experience of commitment and psychological quality of life in the work environment.


South Africa`s financial sector is believed to have weathered the contagion and catastrophic effects of the 2008 worldwide financial crisis partly on account of a sound regulatory framework and solid macroeconomic policies. In this paper, we seek to measure efficiency and productivity changes during the period of the crisis through an analysis of bank performance over the period 2000 – 2010 using a two stage methodology framework. The recently developed Hicks-Moorsteen total factor productivity (TFP) index approach developed by O`Donnell as opposed to the popular Malmquist TFP was utilised. Our first stage results showed that during the crisis period there was a noticeable but mild deviation of total factor productivity and efficiency measures. Second stage analysis using the censored Tobit model showed that the financial crisis was the main determinant of bank efficiency, indicating that total factor productivity efficiency was 16.96% lower during the crisis period compared to the pre-crisis period.


To investigate the mechanism of interaction of the toxin colicin E1 with membranes, three cysteine substitution mutants and the wild type of the channel-forming fragment were spin labeled at the unique thiol. Time-resolved interaction of these labeled proteins with phospholipid vesicles was investigated with stopped-flow electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The fragment interacts with neutral bilayers at low pH, indicating that the interaction is hydrophobic rather than electrostatic. The interaction occurs in at least two distinct steps: (i) rapid adsorption to the surface; and (ii) slow, rate-limiting insertion of the hydrophobic central helices into the membrane interior.