Deep learning systems are typically designed to perform for a wide range of test inputs. For example, deep learning systems in autonomous cars are supposed to deal with traffic situations for which they were not specifically trained. In general, the ability to cope with a broad spectrum of unseen test inputs is called generalization. Generalization is definitely important in applications where the possible test inputs are known but plentiful or simply unknown, but there are also cases where the possible inputs are few and unlabeled but known beforehand. For example, medicine is currently interested in targeting treatments to individual patients; the number of patients at any given time is usually small (typically one), their diagnoses/responses/... are still unknown, but their general characteristics (such as genome information, protein levels in the blood, and so forth) are known before the treatment. We propose to call deep learning in such applications targeted deep learning. In this paper, we introduce a framework for targeted deep learning, and we devise and test an approach for adapting standard pipelines to the requirements of targeted deep learning. The approach is very general yet easy to use: it can be implemented as a simple data-preprocessing step. We demonstrate on a variety of real-world data that our approach can indeed render standard deep learning faster and more accurate when the test inputs are known beforehand.


Banking all over the world witnessed changes during last decade, which perhaps it did not see during its entire history. The changes are not only confined to developed countries, banking in developing countries like ours has also witnessed drastic changes. It is due to liberalization of economies and related policies, globalization of world markets especially because of increasing interdependence of different developed and developing countries. In this context of changing environment, the new financial services have been provided with the support of Information Technology such as transfer of funds across and beyond the national boundaries. Financial institutions, including banks, all over the world are, therefore, crucially dependent on information technology and consequently, it has become imperative to evaluate the performance of banking industry. The present paper analyzes the impact of IT on branch productivity and concludes that IT along with other factors, improving the productivity at an excellent rate and fully IT-oriented banks are the most beneficiaries whereas partially IT-oriented banks though proved increase in productivity in the post-ebanking period but still not harmonized with fully IT-oriented banks. The paper also suggests some measures to improve the branch performance along with better utilization of IT.


KDD (Knowledge Discovery in Databases) process has become a new and important research area. Within the framework of KDD process and the GLS (Global Learning Scheme) system recently proposed by us, this paper concentrates on the issue of KDD process planning. In our method, the KDD process is modeled as an organized society of intelligent agents (called KDD agents), and planning is a meta-agent. We propose a formalism to describe KDD agents, in the style of OOER (Object Oriented Entity Relationship data model). Based on this representation of KDD agents as operators, we apply AI planning techniques to organize dynamically the KDD process so that the GLS system increases both autonomy and versatility.


In this paper, a unified viewpoint is proposed to interpret the relation between various trellis-based soft-output decoding algorithms. From the unified viewpoint, we can easily obtain new algorithms of low complexity and good performance, and a unified decoding structure is devised for the newly proposed algorithms and those reported previously. Under the unified structure, all of the algorithms are mapped into a single decoding process and different algorithms can be easily switched between one another. Owing to the modularity and flexibility, this unified structure is especially suitable for the turbo decoder with programmable DSP implementation to optimize the trade-off between the performance and complexity.


Background: Criteria for mild cognitive impairment require objective evidence of a memory deficit but do not require objective evidence of memory decline. Application of these criteria may therefore result in the misclassification of older patients with memory decline as normal because their neuropsychological test performance at a single point in time may be within normal limits. This study aimed to identify and characterize older people with memory decline. Method: Word list delayed recall (WLDR) test performance was assessed on five occasions during a 2-year period in a cohort of healthy older individuals. Older people with declining (n = 35) and nondeclining (n = 66) WLDR scores were identified. Both subgroups were then compared on apoE genotype, Clinical Dementia Rating, and neuropsychological test performance at the fifth assessment. Results: Thirty-four percent of the group with declining memory recorded a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5, compared with 5% of the nondeclining memory group. No between-group differences were observed in cognitive domains other than memory, self-reported cognitive failures, or the proportion of each group carrying the apoE epsilon 4 allele. Conclusions: A large proportion of healthy older individuals show memory decline, which may represent the early stages of a potentially more severe cognitive impairment. Further investigation is necessary to determine the relationship between apoE genotype, self-reported cognitive impairment, and memory decline in older people.


The main objective of the study was to examine and describe the effects of liberalisation on the role of censorship and classification of film and video programmes by Kenya film classification Board (KFCB). The study was a qualitative investigation conducted through case study research design. Data was collected using interpersonal in-depth interview techniques from the target population which comprised of top and middle level managers of KFCB, Broadcast stations, Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) and video libraries in Nairobi. The study findings reveal that liberalisation has negatively affected the role of censorship and classification of film and video by KFCB in Kenya. Liberalisation of the media industry has led to an increase in the exhibition of video programmes with course language, violence, sex and nudity on local stations. KFCB's role in censorship and classification of film and video content in Kenya is hampered by the fact that the local TV stations have not fully implemented censorship and classification provisions and video sellers and buyers have allowed the business of unclassified video content to flood the market. Kenyans are able to access and download unclassified movies from sources such as the internet and video libraries. The study recommends that the government of Kenya should include media literacy an object of study at all levels; the regulatory response to changes in technology and society expectations should be increased in order to meet the challenges of access to unclassified video content in the new media; the media should playa more responsible role in their functions considering that children, in particular may be susceptible to negative influences from the media; there should be consistency in state laws concerning restrictions and prohibition on the sale of certain media content; KFCB should play a leading role in regulation oversight to meet concerned society expectations and safeguard society standards. The study recommends further study on the key success factors and the challenges encountered in implementation of laws on censorship and classification of film and video content by KFCB in Kenya.


True random number generators (TRNGs) are important in data encryption for information security applications. In this paper, we propose a TRNG that utilizes a comparator in the common-mode operation and the sampling uncertainty of a D flip-flop (DFF). The comparator output is affected by the input common-mode noise and the noise that is simultaneously self-induced. A slicer generates an unpredictable and asynchronous pulse to the input of the DFF according to the output-referred noise of the comparator. By sampling the random pulse with a 3-GHz external clock, there is a sampling uncertainty, which helps to increase the random quality. As a result, we use the independent two random sources for TRNG. The area of the designed circuit is 1609  $\mu \text{m}^{\mathrm { {2}}}$ . In spite of the small size, the data rate of the proposed TRNG is 3 Gb/s. We verify that the output bit stream passes all of the National Institute of Standards and Technology test suites. We fabricate the TRNG in a 65-nm CMOS process with a 1.2 V supply voltage. The power consumption of the proposed TRNG is 5 mW, and the energy per bit is 1.6 pJ/b.


L- and D-2-Aminoxy-3-phenylpropionic acid have been prepared from D- and L-phenylalanine by a route which is generally applicable to other optically active amino-acids. Appropriate methodology enabled incorporation of the L-isomer in place of L-phenylalanine in Asp-Phe-OMe (to provide an aminoxy-analogue which was not sweet) and Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2, (to provide an aminoxy-analogue which did not stimulate gastric acid secretion).


Anecdotal reports and empirical evidence suggest that sensory processing issues are a key feature of autism spectrum conditions. This study set out to investigate whether adults with autism spectrum conditions report more sensory over-responsivity than adults without autism spectrum conditions. Another goal of the study was to identify whether autistic traits in adults with and without autism spectrum conditions were associated with sensory over-responsivity. Adults with (n = 221) and without (n = 181) autism spectrum conditions participated in an online survey. The Autism Spectrum Quotient, the Raven Matrices and the Sensory Processing Scale were used to characterize the sample. Adults with autism spectrum conditions reported more sensory over-responsivity than control participants across various sensory domains (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory and proprioceptive). Sensory over-responsivity correlated positively with autistic traits (Autism Spectrum Quotient) at a significant level across groups and within groups. Adults with autism spectrum conditions experience sensory over-responsivity to daily sensory stimuli to a high degree. A positive relationship exists between sensory over-responsivity and autistic traits. Understanding sensory over-responsivity and ways of measuring it in adults with autism spectrum conditions has implications for research and clinical settings.


Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has become a relevant approach for Higher Education in the 21st century. Its aim is to align scientific development with societal needs through the continuous interaction between scientists, researchers, and societal actors. Various initiatives have been emerging on ICT and Science for society. However, there are various issues to be addressed: how do facilitators foster communities with different societal actors to develop and extend their understanding of RRI? How do participants develop co-inquiry by integrating RRI dimensions such as ethics, gender equality, governance, open access, public engagement and education? What are the key benefits and challenges to embedding RRI in the curriculum to support learning and assessment for contemporary education?

This work presents a community-based participatory research methodology and case studies about RRI and Education with various representatives from Educational Institutions, communities and research projects. This approach started during ENGAGE funded by the European Commission (2014-2017) whose aim focuses on equipping the next generation through inquiry-based learning for RRI. ENGAGE OER and MOOC were designed to help educators prepare students with 10 inquiry skills for RRI: devise questions, interrogate sources, analyse patterns, draw conclusions, examine consequences, estimate risks, use ethics, justify opinions, critique claims and communicate ideas.

Findings from previous workshops in Europe and in Brazil revealed some benefits and challenges on community-based participatory research approach supported by technologies during face-to-face and online events, which will be discussed through action-reflection strategies with participants.


With security issues increasingly gaining importance, cooperative environments and especially workflow systems have to incorporate techniques dealing with this problem. Existing concepts have, with very few exceptions [1], so far been focused on operating and database systems and little effort has been seen as far as workflow reference models are concerned. That is why this paper tries to evaluate the applicability of concepts originally developed for database and operating systems to workflow management systems.


The granulation process is known to be important to achieve high productivity in sinter process because the granulation of sinter mixture is connected with permeability of sinter bed. Past studies on the granulation in the drum mixer for sintering process mostly used the batch type drum mixer, hence their studies were on the raw material behavior for cross-section of the drum mixer. In contrast there were few reported on the raw material behavior for a drum axial and a residence time in a continuous type drum mixer. The raw material flows and the residence times have been investigated experimentally by using a continuous type drum mixer, and results were compared to those by the theory predicts suggested by Saeman. In addition, the effects of the ring dam fitted to the discharge end on the residence time and granulation improvement were investigated. As a result, with the drum set at the low angle, the observed residence times were shorter than the theory predicts. This is due to the level of the raw material tapering off as it reaches the discharge end. Thus, by newly considering angle ψ between the raw material surface and the drum mixer, the residence time was accurately estimated. Also, with the drum set the low angle, the ring dam fitted to the discharge end prevented any tapering, resulting in the longer residence time and greatly improved granulation.


Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a career planning workshop on the career satisfaction, decisions, and plans of graduate dental hygienists. Method. A workshop was designed to teach graduate dental hygienists a systematic process for analyzing their needs and opportunities and making informed, realistic, and satisfying career decisions. This workshop incorporated vocational testing, interpretation by a professional counselor, lecture/discussion, small group interaction, and an accompanying manual of career planning resources and exercises. Sixty-nine dental hygienists attended a two-day workshop in fall 1990. Participants completed data collection instruments consisting of 42-item pre-assessment and 40-item follow-up questionnaires designed by the authors. Sixty-three completed the pre-workshop questionnaire. Fifty-four participants responded to the follow-up questionnaire mailed six months after the workshop. Data analyses included frequency distributions, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Paired t-tests and chi-square statistics were also calculated. Results. Findings from the pre-workshop questionnaire indicated that over 76% of participants had considered leaving their present position and 70% had considered leaving the profession. The six-month follow-up questionnaire revealed that four participants had changed dental hygiene employers and two had left the profession to pursue different careers. Forty-four percent reported that their feelings toward dental hygiene as a career had become more positive since attending the workshop. Pre-workshop to six-month follow-up responses indicated increased mean satisfaction in amount of challenge, compensation/rewards, and overall career satisfaction. Conclusions. The results of this study indicated that career planning workshops, in combination with other methods, are a useful strategy for helping dental hygienists maintain satisfaction, and have the potential to promote career longevity in the dental hygiene profession.


This
script depicts the power quality intensification of Wind Energy Transfer System
(WETS) using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG) and Cascaded Multi
Cell Trans-Z-Source
Inverter (CMCTZSI). The PMSG knocks the induction generator and earlier generators, because of their stimulating
performances without taking the frame power. The Trans-Z-Source Inverter with
one transformer and one capacitor is connected newly. To increase the boosting
ratio gratuity a cascaded impression is proposed with adopting multi-winding
transformer which provides an option for this manuscript to use coupled
inductor as an alternative of multi-winding transformer and remains the
matching voltage gain as cascaded multi cell trans-Z- source inverter. Accordingly the parallel
capacitances are also balancing the voltage gain. The parallel correlation of
the method is essentially to trim down the voltage stresses and to improve the
input current gain of the inverter. By using MALAB Simulation, harmonics can be
reduced up to 1.32% and also DC side can be boosted up our required level 200 -
1000 V achievable. The new hardware setup results demonstrate to facilitate the
multi cell Trans Z-source inverter. This can be
generated high-voltage gain [50 V - 1000 V] and
also be credible. Moreover, the level of currents, voltages and Harmonics on
the machinery is low.


Unsupervised video object segmentation (UVOS) is a per-pixel binary labeling problem which aims at separating the foreground object from the background in the video without using the ground truth (GT) mask of the foreground object. Most of the previous UVOS models use the first frame or the entire video as a reference frame to specify the mask of the foreground object. Our question is why the first frame should be selected as a reference frame or why the entire video should be used to specify the mask. We believe that we can select a better reference frame to achieve the better UVOS performance than using only the first frame or the entire video as a reference frame. In our paper, we propose Easy Frame Selector (EFS). The EFS enables us to select an "easy" reference frame that makes the subsequent VOS become easy, thereby improving the VOS performance. Furthermore, we propose a new framework named as Iterative Mask Prediction (IMP). In the framework, we repeat applying EFS to the given video and selecting an "easier" reference frame from the video than the previous iteration, increasing the VOS performance incrementally. The IMP consists of EFS, Bi-directional Mask Prediction (BMP), and Temporal Information Updating (TIU). From the proposed framework, we achieve state-of-the-art performance in three UVOS benchmark sets: DAVIS16, FBMS, and SegTrack-V2.


OBJECTIVES: When comparing patient management and patient outcomes, the available services within a catchment area appear to be a major confounding factor. The ESMS aims to classify services and measure their activity in a standardized way, which opens new opportunities to adjust for service offer. The ESMS allows to map the services available in a set of catchment areas and to identify different profiles. In addition we evaluate the accuracy of the French standardized classification of mental health services and the applicability of the instrument in France. METHODS: 171 services in 24 catchment areas were involved in the study, which focused on the French public mental health care system. Each service was classified according to the ESMS and data were collected on service use. The data for each catchment area were aggregated in residential use, structured day activities, continuous out patient care and emergency out patient care, then a cluster analysis was performed. The ESMS classification of the services based on function was compared to the official French description of services. RESULTS: Four classes were identified: Class 1 high activity in all services, class 2 low activity in all services, class 3 low activity in continuous ambulatory care, class 4 high activity in continuous ambulatory care. The ESMS confirmed the consistency between the French official description of the services' missions and the actual activity. 10% of the services had at least one additional "non official" function. The study showed that the ESMS was adapted for use in France, but it requires expert supervision for large-scale implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The ESMS proves to be useful not only in mental health service research, but can also bring the possibility to adjust for the catchment area's service profile in outcomes research.


We consider the problem of mobile speed estimation using two common diversity schemes, selection combining (SC) and maximal ratio combining (MRC). We derive three new estimators, which rely on the inphase zero crossing rate, inphase rate of maxima, and the instantaneous frequency zero crossing rate of the output of SC. We also propose two estimators which work based on the level crossing rates of the envelopes at the output of SC and MRC. The performances of all these estimators are investigated in realistic noisy environments with different kinds of scattering and different numbers of diversity branches. Our simulation results reveal that a two-branch envelope level crossing rate estimator provides a performance gain. In terms of the implementation complexity, the SC-based estimator is superior to MRC, as it does not need channel estimation.


Hands-on, design oriented experiences have been shown to increase the retention of undergraduate engineering students. Creatively engaging students throughout their engineering curriculum, and providing increased exposure to hands-on content with realistic connections to future careers is one method that may be used to increase graduation rates. While each discipline may find focused, relevant topics, relatively few demonstrate multidisciplinary appeal. Fewer still supply the variable levels of difficulty needed for cross curriculum integration. At the University of Texas at Tyler, under a grant from the National Science Foundation, process control systems design is being used to provide a common theme, hands-on experience at each academic level. Although applied to a mechanical engineering program, process controls is applicable to a variety of engineering disciplines including agricultural, chemical, electrical and petroleum engineering. This paper briefly describes the process control breadboard system, the proof of concept basis for the hands-on design activities. Integrated into the design process is computer-aided solid modeling for system visualization and a Web-based "product catalog" to assist with component selection. The curriculum integration plan and an outline for the future direction of the three-year project are presented.


Digital technology represents a major threat to children and young people (CYP) in terms of, for example, the downloading of child abuse images, the grooming of young people online and sexting. Digital technology also offers, though, a means of combating these risks but also of promotong CYP's wellbeing more generally. A special issue of Child Abuse Review was published, in 2005, on the implications of 'new technology' for child protection. Digital technology has progressed massively over the intervening decade, and this led Child Abuse Review to commission a second special issue to provide some analysis of the impact that this technology was having uppn child protection currently. Bernard Gallagher, guest editor of this (and the 2005) special issue provides an overview of the five papers and two training updates that form this 2016 special issue.


Background The 'Study on patient safety in primary health care' (APEAS), published in 2008 by the Spanish Health Ministry declared that 48% of adverse events (AEs) detected in these patients were due to medicines errors (MEs). The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) promotes the development of internal systems to report medicines-related incidents in hospitals in order to achieve effective preventative measures. Purpose To analyse total errors in an intravenous mixing unit and establish checkpoints to prevent them. Materials and Methods Prospective observational study (August–December 2011) which included outpatients who might be exposed to an error with intravenous medicines. The variables were: Wrong drug, original prescription service, prescription type (manual or printed), who detected the error and process error (prescription, validation, preparation or administration). Errors were classified according to severity category and error type based on the taxonomies listed in ISMP Spain. The errors observed and reported by the staff involved with the process were recorded by the pharmacist. The differences between frequencies were checked with the Chi-Square statistical test. Results The total error frequency (EF) was 1.27%. The drugs most frequently involved were natalizumab (2.43%), infliximab (1.23%) and intravenous immunoglobulin (1.23%). No statistically significant differences between EF of each drug and the mean frequency were detected (P = 0.94, 0.76 and 0.94). The services involved were: Gastrointestinal (2.98%), Neurology (1.57%), Rheumatology (1%), Haematology (0.15%) and Oncology (0.035%). Only in the Haematology and Oncology services were differences from the average found (P = 0.038, p = 0.001). Most failed orders were manual (67%). All incidents occurred in the prescribing process and were detected by the pharmacist during validation. No errors reached the patient (category B). In the classification by error type: 67% were incorrect date (periodicity in the cycle), 22% dosage (50% excess) and 11% in the rate of administration. Conclusions After reviewing the results we can assume that the main checkpoints where our activities should focus on are the following: incorrect date, dosage and rate of administration. A possible methodological bias can be considered because the data were collected in the pharmacy unit and all errors were prescription errors – no pharmacy or process errors. No conflict of interest.


Addition of the Lewis acid Zn(2+) to (TBP(8)Cz)Mn(V)(O) induces valence tautomerization, resulting in the formation of [(TBP(8)Cz(+•))Mn(IV)(O)-Zn(2+)]. This new species was characterized by UV-vis, EPR, the Evans method, and (1)H NMR and supported by DFT calculations. Removal of Zn(2+) quantitatively restores the starting material. Electron-transfer and hydrogen-atom-transfer reactions are strongly influenced by the presence of Zn(2+).


This paper investigates the growing phenomenon of selling drugs and medical services over the Internet via Internet Pharmacies. It discusses some of the benefits of Internet Pharmacies and some serious concerns that they bring for regulators, governments and global consumers. In addition, the paper compares regulatory frameworks governing the operation of Internet Pharmacies in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), to illustrate some of the challenges related to differences. Some of these comparisons relate to regulatory structure, advertising of prescription drugs, online prescribing, data protection, policy on importing drugs for personal use and self-regulation/certification of websites. In assessing reasons for differences in the two jurisdictions, the paper concludes that these are due to various historic, economic, geographic and political factors. The paper argues that continuing regulatory challenges arise due to the nature of the Internet, jurisdiction issues, economic realities, and a lack of harmonisation of regulatory policy at an international/global level. The paper further argues that a global approach is needed to regulate online medical services, because of the potential threat to the health and well-being of the global community.


An optical method to generate a family of color coded equidensities from a continuous tone input is presented. A halftone screen technique is used together with the method of theta modulation to encode each density slice independently. The resulting coded image is demodulated in a spatial filtering system using a polychromatic extended source. With a simple screen, the method allows the number of slices and their density levels to be adapted to the input to be processed while a color code can easily be added to the processed output.


Despite years of high accuracy observations, none of the available theoretical techniques has yet allowed the confirmation of a moon beyond the solar system. Methods are currently limited to masses about an order of magnitude higher than the mass of any moon in the solar system. I here present a new method sensitive to exomoons similar to the known moons. Due to the projection of transiting exomoon orbits onto the celestial plane, satellites appear more often at larger separations from their planet. After about a dozen randomly sampled observations, a photometric orbital sampling effect (OSE) starts to appear in the phase-folded transit light curve, indicative of the moons' radii and planetary distances. Two additional outcomes of the OSE emerge in the planet's transit timing variations (TTV-OSE) and transit duration variations (TDV-OSE), both of which permit measurements of a moon's mass. The OSE is the first effect that permits characterization of multi-satellite systems. I derive and apply analytical OSE descriptions to simulated transit observations of the Kepler space telescope assuming white noise only. Moons as small as Ganymede may be detectable in the available data, with M stars being their most promising hosts. Exomoons with the ten-fold mass of Ganymede and a similar composition (about 0.86 Earth radii in radius) can most likely be found in the available Kepler data of K stars, including moons in the stellar habitable zone. A future survey with Kepler-class photometry, such as Plato 2.0, and a permanent monitoring of a single field of view over five years or more will very likely discover extrasolar moons via their OSEs.


Traditional techniques for tracking data provenance have difficulty adapting to the dynamics of the Web. This paper proposes a scheme for provenance estimation, based on domain ontologies. This scheme is part of the POESIA approach for multi-step integration of semi-structured data. The ontologies used for tracking provenance also help to describe, discover, reuse and integrate data and services. In contrast to traditional techniques, this scheme derives data provenance with fewer annotations at the extensional level and thus lower maintenance costs. Additionally, it promotes the use of ontologies to categorize and correlate scopes of data sets, thereby capturing the operational semantics of data integration processes.


This paper presents a dq power flow based energy storage control system for reliable and stable operation of a renewable power generation based microgrid system. The control objectives are storing the excess energy from the microgrid into the storage unit or supplying energy deficit from the storage unit to the microgrid to achieve power equity between the generation and load, and regulation of voltage and frequency during stand-alone microgrid operation. Whereas during grid-connected microgrid operation, the control objective is to ensure storing energy in the storage unit and exchange power between the microgrid and the utility grid. The proposed controller is developed for inverter interface energy storages using dq power flow. The dq power flow is formulated using bus voltage components and the bus admittance matrix in dq frame. The dq power flow in the developed controller generates command (reference) active and reactive powers for the inverter interfaced storage unit connected to the microgrid buses. In addition, the implemented current controller of the inverter assures such command powers exchange between the storage unit and the microgrid. The developed dq power flow based storage unit (DQPFSU) control system is tested under various operating conditions for both in grid-connected and stand-alone microgrid operation. The test results of the developed DQPFSU controller illustrates satisfactory performance in generating fast control actions to ensure reliable and stable microgrid operation under various changing conditions. Moreover, the validity of such control actions has examined from the frequency response and bus voltages of the case study microgrid under various tested operational conditions.


Abstract Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) is often used to measure the performance of an estimator in binary classification problems. An AUC-maximizing classifier can have significant advantages in cases where ranking correctness is valued or if the outcome is rare. In a Super Learner ensemble, maximization of the AUC can be achieved by the use of an AUC-maximining metalearning algorithm. We discuss an implementation of an AUC-maximization technique that is formulated as a nonlinear optimization problem. We also evaluate the effectiveness of a large number of different nonlinear optimization algorithms to maximize the cross-validated AUC of the ensemble fit. The results provide evidence that AUC-maximizing metalearners can, and often do, out-perform non-AUC-maximizing metalearning methods, with respect to ensemble AUC. The results also demonstrate that as the level of imbalance in the training data increases, the Super Learner ensemble outperforms the top base algorithm by a larger degree.


This paper presents a new stable hybrid visual servo controller to complete the task of robotarm positioning. Our method is generic hybrid method and superior to the state of the art. The objectivefunction is designed to include the full but weighted 2D and 3D available information. The positioningtask has been formulated as a minimization problem. Here, each of the 2D and 3D error functions is usedto control the six degrees of freedom. The importance weights are computed to satisfy a set of constraintsdefined by the visual servoing process. Stability analysis is also presented for the proposed control law.The experimental evaluation is done in order to show the enhanced performance of the visual servoingprocess. Simulation results show that this method provides an efficient solution to the camera retreat andfeatures visibility problems. Performance of the visual servoing system is evaluated by its ability to keepfeatures visible in the image and the Cartesian trajectory within the robot workspace during the process.


A growing body of literature shows that law students exhibit unique signs of psychological distress, including elevated levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. Law students also report significantly higher incidences of alcohol and drug abuse than their peers at other graduate schools. The article assesses the programs that 75 top law schools currently use to combat these alarming trends and finds that they are primarily reactive and that they do not sufficiently address the source or the scope of the problem. This article explores some of the ways in which positive psychology may be uniquely suited to address this student distress. The scientific literature offers a number of methodologies that law schools could utilize to help insulate students from stress and depression. The article then presents the results of an empirical study in which one of these methods was tested in the law school context. The study showed high rates of depression and stress, similar to the results of earlier studies, and shows a very high correlation between stress and depression. The results also confirm that students who find ways to use their top strengths are less likely to suffer from depression and stress and more likely to report satisfaction with life. Encouraging students to utilize their personal strengths may therefore act as a buffer against psychological distress in law school. The article concludes with suggestions for law schools to incorporate these findings and other well established positive psychology principles into a proactive program to benefit their students.


Exploring the genetic diversity of microbes within the environment through metagenomic sequencing first requires classifying these reads into taxonomic groups. Current methods compare these sequencing data with existing biased and limited reference databases. Several recent evaluation studies demonstrate that current methods either lack sufficient sensitivity for species-level assignments or suffer from false positives, overestimating the number of species in the metagenome. Both are especially problematic for the identification of low-abundance microbial species, e. g. detecting pathogens in ancient metagenomic samples. We present a new method, SPARSE, which improves taxonomic assignments of metagenomic reads. SPARSE balances existing biased reference databases by grouping reference genomes into similarity-based hierarchical clusters, implemented as an efficient incremental data structure. SPARSE assigns reads to these clusters using a probabilistic model, which specifically penalizes non-specific mappings of reads from unknown sources and hence reduces false-positive assignments. Our evaluation on simulated datasets from two recent evaluation studies demonstrated the improved precision of SPARSE in comparison to other methods for species-level classification. In a third simulation, our method successfully differentiated multiple co-existing Escherichia coli strains from the same sample. In real archaeological datasets, SPARSE identified ancient pathogens with ≤ 0.02% abundance, consistent with published findings that required additional sequencing data. In these datasets, other methods either missed targeted pathogens or reported non-existent ones. SPARSE and all evaluation scripts are available at https://github.com/zheminzhou/SPARSE.


Spindles in cotton picking machinery are the key component, wear of the spindles significantly reduces harvest efficiency of the cotton picking process. To improve its wear resistance, the substrate surfaces of spindles are usually electroplated with chromium coating. But the failure process and wear mechanism of the spindle have not been studied so far. In this paper, based on the surface analyses and wear behavior of spindles of a cotton picker in field work, the test results showed that the worn surface was smoother and wear trend of surface topographies tend to consistent along with the rotation direction of the spindle and found a significant reduction in roughness and coating thickness. The coating of the spindle surface has not been damaged in the picking process, the wear mechanism was mainly abrasive wear. After the worn out of surface coating, abrasive wear is always present accompanied by oxidation wear. Multi-oxides were deposited on the substrate surface; the oxide particle was sheared by cotton fiber in the subsequent picking, leading to an increase in surface roughness and aggravating substrate wear. These in filed wear mechanisms and processes of spindles could be of help for the design and surface modification with longer working life.


Architects, designers, and engineers have been using computers for decades to increase productivity, to solve seemingly insoluble problems, and for sophisticated presentations. Frank Gehry is particularly recognized for his innovative use of the computer. It is only recently, however, that computers are being used not just as tools, but as creative devices capable of generating startling new design ideas and entirely unexpected forms for the built world. For the first time in decades, a generation of technocratic architects and designers are producing buildings and structures that are redefining the practice and understanding of architecture. By breeding ideas with form, the real with the virtual, they create hybrid spaces that challenge long-held conventions of space, architecture, and time. This innovative publication presents the work of twelve leading international practitioners of architecture who are spearheading the creative wave. The explosive growth in the field has been fueled by a variety of new softwares and computer-programming techniques. Whether derived from digital animation or complex algorithms, the results of these methods are sending shockwaves around the architecture world. From Greg Lynn's animate forms to UN Studio's diagrammatics, from dECOi's multidisciplinary researches to NOX's crossbreeding of biology and technology, little of this work has been seen in any but the most exclusive design circles. The author introduces the various approaches that lie behind "Hybrid Space," while placing the new work within the context of contemporary developments in architecture and technology. The book's core features extensive profiles of the architects, which detailtheir philosophies and design processes, and present several of their most recent projects. A substantial reference section includes comprehensive information on each architect and a glossary of technical terms. At a time when architects around the world search for new forms of creative expression, this timely publication considers the exceptional work of architects for whom technology" is" expression, not just a means to an end.


When social workers empathically engage with their clients' traumatic recollections, they sometimes experience strong emotional reactions, such as grief or rage. These reactions may reflect secondary traumatic stress, i.e. negative emotional reactions resulting from knowledge of traumatizing events experienced by others. Many clinical social workers in New York City who provided counseling, debriefing and support to 9/11/01 witnesses, survivors, victims' family members, and rescue workers were at risk for developing secondary traumatic stress, with such risk elevated by their personal experiences of stress during and following the terrorist attacks. This study explored predictive factors of secondary traumatic stress for social workers assisting 9/11/01 clients, including extent of exposure to traumatized clients, and protective factors that were tested as direct and interactive (buffering) influences. These effects were tested controlling for demographic factors (age, marital status, income, hours per week in the field, and years in the field). Data, in which Doctoral and MSW level members of the Manhattan Chapter of the NASW (N=1257) were surveyed, were drawn from the Post 9/11/01 Quality of Professional Practice Survey (Tosone & Moore, 2007), yielding a 38% return rate (N=481). The primary independent variable, exposure to trauma in practice was measured by a block of three indicators: being 9/11/01 mental health provider/total work hours of exposure to 9/11/01 related events, percent of time working with traumatized clients generally, and number of different types of trauma client worked with. Hierarchical multiple regressions of secondary traumatic stress symptoms included a block of controls, the exposure block, and additional protective variables (receiving supervision, peer support, family and friend support, disaster training before and after 9/11/01) examined separately for their direct and interactive effects with exposure. The results indicated that social workers' level of exposure to traumatized clients significantly increased secondary traumatic stress. Also, peer support marginally buffered the negative consequences of trauma exposure. Further, older and more experienced social workers had somewhat lower levels of secondary traumatic stress, at least in part because they had less exposure to traumatized clients; older and more experienced workers may have been more negatively impacted by exposure to traumatized clients. The results have implications for all direct providers who may experience secondary traumatic stress symptoms: administrators and practitioners in social agencies, clinics, and hospitals; the findings also apply to students in schools of social work who need to learn how to effective treat traumatized clients.


Cell line lgSV195, derived from a pancreatic tumor that arose in an SV40 T-antigen transgenic mouse, retains certain morphological and physiological characteristics of pancreatic β-cells throughout in vitro and in vivo passage. Insulin secretion is stimulated by exposure of these cells to fetal bovine serum and a combination of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and glutamine but not by concentrations of glucose in the physiological range. Insulin processing appears to be intact. Neither class I nor class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens are routinely expressed at the cell surface; however, MHC class I– but not class II–encoded gene products are detected after treatment with recombinant interferon-γ (IFN-γ) alone or in combination with tumor necrosis factor. Cytolysis of lgSV195 cells by SV40 T-antigen-specific H-2b-restricted lymphocytes is similarly dependent on IFN-γ pretreatment. These results emphasize that SV40 T-antigen transgenic mice are likely sources of cell lines that retain their differentiated function in vitro. The lgSV195 cell line provides an accessible model in which to investigate the control of gene expression and function of pancreatic β-cells.


There has been a growing interest in understanding the flow behaviour inside diffuser/nozzle elements in order to identify performance characteristics of these elements for micropump applications. Flat-walled diffuser/nozzle element is the most commonly used type for valveless micropump applications due to its ease of fabrication and compact design. In this paper, we study generic flat-walled diffuser/nozzle elements and apply optimization techniques to explore how the pumping efficiency can be improved by changing geometry to provide higher rectification efficiency and lower pressure drop in rectification valveless micropumps. The primary motivation for this study is to evaluate the performance of flat-walled diffuser/nozzle elements based on geometry variations under several Reynolds numbers (Re). In this study we employ a design methodology for diffuser/nozzle elements that incorporates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) within an optimization methodology. To start the process a series of geometric parameters are selected including element neck width, depth, divergence angle, and entrance fillet radius. Then, the pressure drop and rectification property of an element are calculated as performance parameters, i.e., by varying the geometry it is desirable to maximise pressure rise and the rectification property of the element. Design of experiments (DOE) is employed to generate the experimental table which corresponds to different geometries representing the design space. These limited numbers of geometries generated by DOE are evaluated by using CFD to obtain corresponding performance parameters. By preparing all the design and performance parameters, Surrogate model (SM) technique is applied to obtain the relationship (approximation function) between design and performance parameters. Eventually, based on the developed approximation functions or response surfaces, a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) is employed to maximise pressure rise and rectification property of diffuser/nozzle element. This design methodology is a very powerful tool to design and optimise flat-walled diffuser/nozzle elements for micropump applications and can speed up the micropump design process significantly.


Objective:The objectives of the study were to determine the impact of nocebo effects on adverse events (AEs) in drug trials in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods:MEDLINE, CENTRAL, SCOPUS, and the databases of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America were searched until December 31, 2010. Randomized controlled trials with a parallel design of any drug therapy compared with pharmacological placebo in patients with FMS and DPN were included. Pooled estimates of nocebo effects (number of patients with at least 1 AE and dropping out due AEs) were calculated for placebo and true drug groups by a random effects model. Results:Fifty-eight FMS (62 DPN) trials included a total of 5065 (5095) patients in placebo groups. The quality of reporting the assessment strategy of AEs was poor in most trials. The pooled estimate of the event rate drop out rate due to AEs in placebo groups was 9.6 [95% confidence control (CI): 8.6-10.7] in placebo and 16.3 (95% CI: 14.1-31.2) in true drug groups of FMS trials and was 5.8 (95% CI: 5.1-6.6) in placebo and 13.2 (95% CI: 10.7-16.2) in true drug groups of DPN trials. Nocebo effects accounted for 72.0% (44.9) of the drop outs in true drug groups in FMS (DPN). Discussion:Nocebo effects substantially accounted for AEs in drug trials of FMS and DPN. Standards to assess and report AEs should be defined by regulatory agencies. Strategies to minimize nocebo effects in both clinical trials and clinical practice should be developed.


Argument Following World War II, as macroeconomics and econometrics became a necessary tool for policy-making, economists worldwide rose in influence. Those economists in peripheral and new countries were especially important as they could wield the instruments essential in forming states. Israel was no exception. In Israel this process was associated with the establishment of the economics department at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Falk Project, led by Don Patinkin and the community of economists that he nurtured. This article poses three questions regarding Patinkin's influence and his role in the process of state formation. First, how did he affect economic policy discourse in Israel; second, what role did Patinkin and his students play in the process of state formation; and finally, what was the effect of Patinkin and his students on Israeli government policies? I argue that Patinkin had a specific and irreducible influence on the localization of pro-market ideas and policies in Israel, and that he and his students contributed to the consolidation of the state autonomy and capacity. Furthermore, I argue that they contributed to a more strict implementation of the recession policy in the mid-1960s.


Hierarchical goal decompositions have proved to be a useful method to make explicit the knowledge required by users to perform tasks in a wide range of applications such as computer-aided drafting (CAD) systems. This analysis method progressively decomposes a given task starting from the task layer on the top of the decomposition, to the keystroke layer at the bottom. The analysis enables a close inspection of the knowledge required to perform the task at each layer of the decomposition. In this paper we show how the method of hierarchical goal decomposition can be used to understand more precisely the knowledge that is required to perform information search tasks. The analysis pinpoints: (1) the critical strategies in the intermediate layers of knowledge that are known by experts searchers; (2) why such knowledge is difficult to acquire by novice searchers; (3) how the analysis provides testable predictions of behavior based on the acquisition of different types of knowledge. We conclude by discussing the advantages provided by hierarchical goal decompositions, and how such an approach can lead to the design of systems and training.


Background and aims Initial clinical management decision in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is often based on identifying high- and low-risk patients. Little is known about the role of lactate measurement in the triage of patients with acute GIB. We intended to assess if lactate on presentation is predictive of need for intervention in patients with acute GIB. Patients and methods We performed a single-center, retrospective, cross-sectional study including patients ≥18 years old presenting to emergency with acute GIB between January 2014 and December 2014. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission, inpatient endoscopy (upper endoscopy and/or colonoscopy), and packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion were assessed as outcomes. Analyses included univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Of 1,237 patients with acute GIB, 468 (37.8%) had venous lactate on presentation. Of these patients, 165 (35.2%) had an elevated lactate level (>2.0 mmol/L). Patients with an elevated lactate level were more likely to be admitted to ICU than patients with a normal lactate level (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.74–5.01; p<0.001). Patients with an elevated lactate level were more likely to receive PRBC transfusion (AOR 3.65, 95% CI 1.76–7.55; p<0.001) and endoscopy (AOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.02–2.65; p=0.04) than patients with a normal lactate level. Conclusion Elevated lactate level predicts the need for ICU admissions, transfusions, and endoscopies in patients with acute GIB. Lactate measurement may be a useful adjunctive test in the triage of patients with acute GIB.


This paper presents the design and evaluation of IPv4/IPv6 translator which supports co-existence of IPv4 based and IPv6 based fieldbus protocols. Although IPv6 is the subsequent version of IPv4, there is no compatibility between them. A number of fieldbus protocols work on IP, but they are designed on IPv4. Moreover, IPv6 based fieldbus will co-exist with IPv4 based fieldbus. Therefore, we should consider the co-existence of IPv6 based and IPv4 based fieldbus. This paper introduces the experiments to achieve the interoperability between IPv4 based field device and IPv6 based field device. The authors investigate the required functionalities for the translator, design the solution and evaluate the behavior. The authors concluded that intelligent translation functionality is required in addition to non-intelligent one. Moreover, the authors concluded proposed design reduces the administrative load. The authors choose FOUNDATION Fieldbus HSE for this work since it is the representative of IP based fieldbus protocols.


The revelations about the data collection and espionage activities of the National Security Agency (NSA) have left their mark on transatlantic relations. In the beginning of 2013, the future of relations between the United States and the European Union looked bright, fueled by optimism about the negotiation of a transatlantic free trade area. Since then, tensions have risen over leaked information about the NSA's actions. The dispute is significant beyond the immediate issue of surveillance because it draws attention to the enduring asymmetries in the transatlantic relationship. Discussions about its decline notwithstanding, the U.S. upholds its claim to global leadership and continues to rely on controversial security measures in the name of fighting terrorism. Despite their initial indignation at the revelations, the leaders of European governments have offered conflicting and ineffective responses. In the intelligence field as well as the EU's broader relationship with the U.S., Europe does not seem prepared to challenge the status quo. This poses questions about the nature of future transatlantic cooperation.


Two pathways of free oxidation in liver mitochondria were examined. One of these pathways is determined by the protonophoric action of free fatty acids, and the other pathway, by passive proton leakage in the absence of fatty acids. According to the model of the proton futile cycle of mitochondria, the protonophoric activity of fatty acids was defined as a quotient of the division of the acceleration of respiration by fatty acid by the coefficient of respiration control for the proton leakage. The temperature dependence of the palmitate protonophoric activity on the Arrhenius plot has a break at 22 degrees C and is characterized by the transition of activation energy from 120 to 60 kJ/mol. The dependence of the respiration rate in state 4 on the Arrhenius plot is linear and, the activation energy is 17 kJ/mol. It was concluded that the first pathway of free oxidation is determined by the cyclic transport of fatty acids with the participation of metabolic carriers, and this process depends on the membrane fluidity; the second pathway is determined by passive leakage of protons through membrane channels, without fatty acids and this process is independent on membrane fluidity.


Irrigation door is a big issue for farmers. The factor that became a hot issue at the irrigation gate was the irresponsible attitude of the irrigation staff regarding the schedule of opening/closing the irrigation door so that it caused the rice fields to becoming dry or submerged. In this research, an automatic prototype system for irrigation system will be designed based on integrating several sensors, including water level sensors, soil moisture sensors, acidity sensors. This sensor output will be displayed on Android-based applications. The integration of communication between devices (Arduino Nano, Arduino Wemos and sensors supporting the irrigation system) is the working principle of this prototype. This device will control via an Android-based application to turn on / off the water pump, to open/close the irrigation door, check soil moisture, soil acidity in real time. The pump will automatically turn on based on the water level. This condition will be active if the water level is below 3cm above ground level. The output value will be displayed on the Android-based application screen and LCD screen. Based on the results of testing and analysis of the prototype that has been done in this research, the irrigation door will open automatically when the soil is dry. This condition occurs if the water level is less than 3 cm. The calibrated Output value, including acidity sensor, soil moisture sensor and water level sensor, will be sent to the server every 5 seconds and forwarded to an Android-based application as an output display. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license


Integrating psychometric indicators in latent class choice models allows to enhance the characterization of the latent classes. In this research, we consider measurement equations that include socio-economic indicators of the decision-makers. We show that such a specification increases the significance of the parameters relative to the class-membership relation and leads to a better interpretability of the behavior of individuals in the latent classes. The method is applied to a transportation mode choice case study in Switzerland.


The leiomodin 1 protein has a putative membrane-spanning region and 2 types of tandemly repeated blocks. The transcript is expressed in all tissues tested, with the highest levels in thyroid, eye muscle, skeletal muscle, and ovary. Increased expression of leiomodin 1 may be linked to Graves' disease and thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. From these insilico research studies we understand the molecular 3 D structure and drug binding sites of the Leiomodin, receptor (LMOD1) and also design the potential drug candidates using Cheminformatics tools and databases. The major benefits of the designed de novo drug is to reduce the thyroid problems as well as decrease inflammatory and stress related problems The scope of the present project lies in the field of, Pharmaco-informatics and Cheminformatics.


Deep hole drilling is one of the most complicated metal cutting processes and one of the most difficult to perform on CNC machine-tools or machining centres under conditions of limited manpower or unmanned operation. This research work investigates aspects of the deep hole drilling process with small diameter twist drills and presents a prototype system for real time process monitoring and adaptive control; two main research objectives are fulfilled in particular : First objective is the experimental investigation of the mechanics of the deep hole drilling process, using twist drills without internal coolant supply, in the range of diarneters O 2.4 to O4.5 mm and working length up to 40 diameters. The definition of the problems associated with the low strength of these tools and the study of mechanisms of catastrophic failure which manifest themselves well before and along with the classic mechanism of tool wear. The relationships between drilling thrust and torque with the depth of penetration and the various machining conditions are also investigated and the experimental evidence suggests that the process is inherently unstable at depths beyond a few diameters. Second objective is the design and implementation of a system for intelligent CNC deep hole drilling, the main task of which is to ensure integrity of the process and the safety of the tool and the workpiece. This task is achieved by means of interfacing the CNC system of the machine tool to an external computer which performs the following functions: On-line monitoring of the drilling thrust and torque, adaptive control of feed rate, spindle speed and tool penetration (Z-axis), indirect monitoring of tool wear by pattern recognition of variations of the drilling thrust with cumulative cutting time and drilled depth, operation as a data base for tools and workpieces and finally issuing of alarms and diagnostic messages.


The study of noble gases and reactive gases (i.e., CO2, N2 and CH4) in crustal reservoirs can help better understand the origin, migration and accumulation processes of crustal fluids in the subsurface environment, which provide further insights into fluid dynamics underground. This PhD thesis develops noble gas isotopes as geochemical tools in crustal fluid studies. Study sites have been selected to cover different types of geofluids, including geothermal fluids in Krafla, Iceland and natural gases in the Sichuan Basin, China. Following a short introduction to the research background, objectives and thesis layout are presented in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 gives a literature review on the application of noble gases as powerful geochemical tools in hydrothermal and hydrocarbon systems. Chapter 3 describes a noble gas extraction and purification system, interfaced to a multi-collector NGX noble gas mass spectrometer (Isotopx), which is constructed particularly for this study. The detailed description of each section in sample preparation system, as well as gas sampling, extraction, purification and separation protocols is provided. Temperatures of 50 K and 95 K can be used as the optimal releasing temperatures for He and Ne on the cryotrap in sample prepline. The temperature of 210 K is tested to be the optimal temperature for releasing Ar and Kr but keeping Xe being trapped onto the charcoal trap in the prepline. Chapter 4 characterizes noble gas and stable isotope data of hydrothermal fluid system in Krafla, Iceland. Stable isotope results indicate that CO2 in the samples is considered to be magmatic in origin, with δ13C (CO2) ranging between -7.99 and -3.86 ‰. Modelling results show that processes of boiling and steam separation have occurred during the circulation of geothermal fluids in the shallow crust in the Krafla field. Air addition, possibly introduced by groundwater re-injection, has had a significant effect on the geochemical signatures of Krafla geothermal fluids as well. Chapter 5 focuses on using noble gas isotopes to trace the interaction between hydrocarbon and groundwater systems in the central Sichuan Basin, China. Twenty-six natural gas samples were collected from the Anyue and Weiyuan gas fields in the central Sichuan basin, China for stable isotope and noble gas isotope determination. Noble gases together with stable carbon isotopic parameter (Δδ 13C1-2) can be an effective tool to differentiate the occurrence of two distinct genetic groups of natural gases in the central Sichuan basin. Elemental fractionations of noble gases in samples from the western area (coal-derived gas) can be well explained by solubility-controlled Rayleigh fractionation model with relatively less effect of mass-dependent fractionation process. However, noble gas elemental and isotopic compositions in samples from the eastern area can be interpreted as a mixing effect of solubility-controlled and mass-dependent fractionation processes. This thesis further develops noble gases as a versatile tool in the study of crustal fluids. It is the first-time noble gas isotopes are used in understanding fluid dynamics in natural gas reservoirs in China. This work has demonstrated a huge potential to apply the noble gas tool in basin studies in China and Asian geology in general.


The randomness enhancement of physical chaos generated by slave vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (S-VCSEL) subject to dual-path polarization-preserved optical injection (DP-PPOI) from single master VCSEL (M-VCSEL) with variable-polarization optical feedback (VPOF) is investigated numerically. The randomness of chaotic signals is evaluated quantitatively by an information-theory-based quantifier, the permutation entropy. The randomness properties for S-VCSEL with DP-PPOI and S-VCSEL with single-path PPOI are compared, as well as the effects of injection strength, frequency detuning, and VPOF are considered. It is shown that, the PE values for S-VCSELs with two different injection schemes are both much higher than those for M-VCSEL, and increase initially and then decrease until they saturate at a constant level. The region of injection parameter space contributing to randomness-enhanced chaos in S-VCSEL can be greatly broadened by adopting DP-PPOI. The generation of randomness-enhanced chaos via photonic approach is highly desirable for high-speed random number generators based on chaotic VCSELs.


Computers have been applied to problems in chemistry and the chemical sciences since the dawn of the computer age; however, it is only in the past ten or fifteen years that we have seen the emergence of computational chemistry as a field of research in its own right. Its practitioners, computational chemists, are neither chemists who dabble in computing nor programmers who have an interest in chemistry, but computa tional scientists whose aim is to solve a wide range of chemical problems using modern computing machines. This book gives a broad overview of the methods and techniques employed by the computational chemist and of the wide range of problems to which he is applying them. It is divided into three parts. The first part records the basics of chemistry and of computational science that are essential to an understanding of the methods of computational chemistry. These methods are described in the second part of the book. In the third part, a survey is given of some areas in which the techniques of computational chemistry are being applied. As a result of the limited space available in a single volume, the areas covered are necessarily selective. Nevertheless, a sufficiently wide range of applications are described to provide the reader with a balanced overview of the many problems being attacked by computational studies in chemistry."


This study explores the metamorphosis of three major voluntary health agencies — American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association — from charities supported primary by donations into lobbying organizations seeking taxpayers' funds and grants from commercial enterprises in exchange for supporting private or political initiatives only peripherally related to their charitable missions. Prior to the 1980s, lobbying was all but nonexistent, limited to seeking increased funding for disease research. Fearing loss of tax-exempt status, health charities largely avoided political advocacy. The AIDS movement revealed that vast sums could be acquired from government by intense lobbying, and this advocacy evidently did not threaten tax-exempt status. All three of these charities copied the AIDS movement and targeted tobacco tax revenues at the state level. The American Lung Association, in particular, has acted as a public relations flack for both government agencies and corporations — selling its charitable reputation as a selfless entity concerned only with public health for self-interested purposes. The implications of this transition for both the charities themselves and the public interest are analyzed and discussed.


Secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) (SIgA) is the most abundant Ig produced at the surface of mucosal membranes in mammals. These very thin and sensitive barriers are challenged by occasional pathogenic microbes as well as by permanently residing commensal bacteria. Although not the unique guardian of mucosal epithelia, SIgA is an important component of the protective function guaranteeing maintenance of homoeostasis and wellness. Topics presented in this article include: (1) mechanisms involved in local induction of SIgA via T-cell-dependent and -independent pathways; (2) structure–function relationship in SIgA; (3) immunoregulatory role of SIgA vis-a-vis pathogens and commensals and (4) the unexpected contribution of SIgA in diseases. Because this is the most studied mucosal environment, most of the functional characteristics of SIgA are exemplified with respect to the gastrointestinal tract.

Key Concepts:

SIgA is the most abundant immunoglobulin produced at mucosal surfaces, and it exists in secretions in polymeric forms of high and low antigenic affinity/avidity.

The presence of secretory component in SIgA confers additional features including improved stability, proper anchoring in mucus and adequate localisation for optimal functions on the antibody.

Because epithelia in the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urogenital tracts are highly sensitive to invading environmental antigens, shielding of mucosal surfaces by SIgA is crucial to the process of protection and homoeostasis.

In addition to canonical immune exclusion, SIgA is endowed with the capacity to transport immune complexes via M-cells to underlying dendritic cells, thus inducing attenuated mucosal and systemic immune responses.

Communication between natural polyreactive SIgA-commensal bacteria complexes and the epithelial cells lining mucosal surfaces contributes to regulate the symbiotic host–commensal relationship.

SC, by itself, via multiple glycosylation sites, displays neutralising properties against pathogen-associated molecules. This holds true when SC is bound to polymeric IgA in the SIgA molecule.

Increasing knowledge of the multiple modes of action of SIgA provides opportunities to investigate the potential of the antibody in passive immunisation against bacteria, viruses and toxins in the clinics.

Keywords:

secretory IgA ;
secretory component;
mucosal immune responses;
pathogens;
commensals;
dendritic cells;
Peyer's patch;
homoeostasis


Purpose: PARP inhibitors are being developed as therapeutic agents for cancer. More than six compounds have entered clinical trials. The majority of these compounds are β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-competitive inhibitors. One exception is iniparib, which has been proposed to be a noncompetitive PARP inhibitor. In this study, we compare the biologic activities of two different structural classes of NAD+-competitive compounds with iniparib and its C-nitroso metabolite. Experimental Design: Two chemical series of NAD+-competitive PARP inhibitors, iniparib and its C-nitroso metabolite, were analyzed in enzymatic and cellular assays. Viability assays were carried out in MDA-MB-436 (BRCA1-deficient) and DLD1−/− (BRCA2-deficient) cells together with BRCA-proficient MDA-MB-231 and DLD1+/+ cells. Capan-1 and B16F10 xenograft models were used to compare iniparib and veliparib in vivo. Mass spectrometry and the 3H-labeling method were used to monitor the covalent modification of proteins. Results: All NAD+-competitive inhibitors show robust activity in a PARP cellular assay, strongly potentiate the activity of temozolomide, and elicit robust cell killing in BRCA-deficient tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Cell killing was associated with an induction of DNA damage. In contrast, neither iniparib nor its C-nitroso metabolite inhibited PARP enzymatic or cellular activity, potentiated temozolomide, or showed activity in a BRCA-deficient setting. We find that the nitroso metabolite of iniparib forms adducts with many cysteine-containing proteins. Furthermore, both iniparib and its nitroso metabolite form protein adducts nonspecifically in tumor cells. Conclusions: Iniparib nonselectively modifies cysteine-containing proteins in tumor cells, and the primary mechanism of action for iniparib is likely not via inhibition of PARP activity. Clin Cancer Res; 18(2); 510–23. ©2011 AACR.


Abstract A new closed cell is presented for in situ X-ray ptychography which allows studies under gas flow and at elevated temperature. In order to gain complementary information by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, the cell makes use of a Protochips E-chipTM which contains a small, thin electron transparent window and allows heating. Two gold-based systems, 50 nm gold particles and nanoporous gold as a relevant catalyst sample, were used for studying the feasibility of the cell. Measurements showing a resolution around 40 nm have been achieved under a flow of synthetic air and during heating up to temperatures of 933 K. An elevated temperature exhibited little influence on image quality and resolution. With this study, the potential of in situ hard X-ray ptychography for investigating annealing processes of real catalyst samples is demonstrated. Furthermore, the possibility to use the same sample holder for ex situ electron microscopy before and after the in situ study underlines the unique possibilities available with this combination of electron microscopy and X-ray microscopy on the same sample.


OF THESIS RELEVANT ANGRY AFFECT SLOWS RESPONSE TIME TO COMMANDS Previous research has found that emotional prosody can interact with speech perception and listeners' processing of the meaning of particular word/emotion pairings (Kim and Sumner, 2017). What remains unclear is how this interactive processing can affect behavioral responses such as responses to imperatives. To answer this question, 71 participants were presented with a series of commands given in a relevant affect. Commands were read either with angry prosody, happy prosody, or neutral prosody (control) and the participants were instructed to press the requested button on a response box as quickly and accurately as possible. All emotional states were simulated and normed for perceived emotion, rather than induced. On average, participants responded 50ms slower to the commands which were performed with angry prosody than to the control (neutral prosody), and 164 ms slower when that angry prosody was given in a pragmatically relevant situation: after an incorrect response (see 4.1. There was no significant difference between responses to happy prosody commands and the control. This difference in response time may be due to the heightened neurological responses to angry stimuli. (Frühholz and Grandjean, 2013). These results are consistent with a model of speech perception in which linguistic and social information are processed simultaneously and interactively (Sumner et al., 2014), but not with a model in which emotional aspects of the speech signal are discarded or irrelevant to perception. The latency of the response to the pragmatically relevant angry commands observed in experiment two reinforces the findings from experiment one, where angry affect slows response time to commands.


In a networked system, any change in the underlying network structure, such as node and link removals due to an attack, could severely affect the overall system behavior. Typically, by adding more links and connections between nodes, networks can be made structurally robust. However, this approach is not always feasible, especially in sparse networks. In this paper, we aim to improve the structural robustness in networks using the notions of diversity and trustedness. Diversity means that nodes in a network are of different types and have many variants. Trustedness means that a small subset of nodes are immune to failures and attacks. We show that by combining diversity and trustedness within the network, we can significantly limit the attacker's ability to change the underlying network structure by strategically removing nodes. Using pairwise connectivity as a measure, we show that by appropriately distributing trusted nodes and assigning types to nodes, network robustness can be significantly improved. We analyze the complexity of diversifying and computing a set of trusted nodes, and then present heuristics to compute attacks consisting of node removals. We also present heuristics to defend networks against such attacks by distributing node types and trusted nodes. Finally, we evaluate our results on a set of benchmark networks to demonstrate the usefulness of our approach.


We have performed a detailed analysis of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720) using Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 images and derived a new three-dimensional model. Existing high spectral resolution spectra played an important supplementary role in our modeling. It is shown that the Main Ring of the nebula is an ionization-bounded irregular non-symmetric disk with a central cavity and perpendicular extended lobes pointed almost toward the observer. The faint outer halos are determined to be fossil radiation, i.e., radiation from gas ionized in an earlier stage of the nebula when it was not ionization bounded. The narrowband WFC3 filters that isolate some of the emission lines are affected by broadening on their short wavelength side and all the filters were calibrated using ground-based spectra. The filter calibration results are presented in an appendix.


Space-borne ozone (O3) measurements have indicated consistent positive trends across the entire Asia–Pacific region despite the considerable reduction of NOx since 2000s. The rate of increase in O3 derived from lower free tropospheric column measurements was observed to be 0.21 ± 0.05 DU/decade during 2005–2018. Our space-borne-based diagnosis of the nonlinear photochemical formation regimes, NOx-limited and NOx-saturated, show that O3 chemistry is undergoing a transitional process to the NOx-limited regime throughout most of the Asian region. Nevertheless, NOx-saturated conditions persist at present in and over eight major megacities. These NOx-saturated conditions in megacities contribute to the increased O3 due to NOx reduction, which could also affect the enhanced O3 concentrations throughout the Asia–Pacific region via long-range transport. This indicates that VOC limits along with NOx reductions are needed in megacities in the short term to reduce O3 levels. Moreover, NOx saturation in major megacities will continue until 2025, according to the forecast emission scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These scenarios gradually shift nearly all cities to the NOx-limited regime by 2050 with the exception of few cities under IPCC RCP8.5. Thus, continued reductions in NOx will be a key factor in reducing O3 in the long term.


A new technique is presented for generating symbolic expressions for the harmonic transfer functions of linear periodically time-varying (LPTV) systems, like mixers and PLL's. The algorithm, which we call Symbolic HTM, is based on the organisation of the harmonic transfer functions into a harmonic transfer matrix. This representation allows to manipulate LPTV systems in a way that is similar to linear time-invariant (LTI) systems, making it possible to generate symbolic expressions which relate the overall harmonic transfer functions to the characteristics of the building blocks. These expressions can be used as design equations or as parametrized models for use in simulations. The algorithm is illustrated for a downconversion mixer.


Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) is one of the most straightforward surface science experiments for the determination of the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of a reaction. In our previous study (J. Phys. Chem. C, 2013, 117, 6136-6142), we proposed a model combining DFT methods with microkinetics to investigate the TPD spectra of NH3 and H2O on the RuO2(110) surface. Although our model predicted both the physisorption and chemisorption peaks of both adsorbates in agreement with the experimental TPD spectra, it failed to explain the region between the physisorption and chemisorption areas and underestimated the intensity of the adsorbate in these areas. Hence, to improve our model, in this study, we considered the diffusion of adsorbates from the sub-monolayer to the second layer. Accordingly, we simulated the TPD spectra of both NH3 and H2O on the RuO2(110) surface using condensation approximation. Our results indicate that the diffusion barriers of the adsorbates at high coverage are smaller than their direct desorption energies. Hence, the diffusion of the adsorbates to the second layer from the sub-monolayer at higher coverage is kinetically favorable, which then desorb directly even at low temperatures. Furthermore, the simulated TPD spectra clearly depict the previous experimental results of both adsorbates after considering the diffusion.


The classification "gastrointestinal stromal tumor" (GIST) became commonplace in the 1990s and since that time various advances have characterized the GIST lineage of origin, tyrosine kinase mutations, and mechanisms of response and resistance to targeted therapies. In addition to tyrosine kinase mutations and their constitutive activation of downstream signaling pathways, GISTs acquire a sequence of chromosomal aberrations. These include deletions of chromosomes 14q, 22q, 1p, and 15q, which harbor putative tumor suppressor genes required for stepwise progression from microscopic, preclinical forms of GIST (microGIST) to clinically relevant tumors with malignant potential. Recent advances extend our understanding of GIST biology beyond that of the oncogenic KIT/PDGFRA tyrosine kinases and beyond mechanisms of KIT/PDGFRA-inhibitor treatment response and resistance. These advances have characterized ETV1 as an essential interstitial cell of Cajal-GIST transcription factor in oncogenic KIT signaling pathways, and have characterized the biologically distinct subgroup of succinate dehydrogenase deficient GIST, which are particularly common in young adults. Also, recent discoveries of MAX and dystrophin genomic inactivation have expanded our understanding of GIST development and progression, showing that MAX inactivation is an early event fostering cell cycle activity, whereas dystrophin inactivation promotes invasion and metastasis.


Tuberculosis in childhood is an important cause of mortality worldwide. The disease is difficult to diagnose and the underlying immune mechanisms are poorly understood. Advances in the application of molecular genetic tools, as illustrated by the recent completion of the genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, provide opportunities for the development of improved diagnostic tools and vaccines for tuberculosis. It is important that research efforts in this area should include consideration of the unique problems and possibilities related to the control of tuberculosis in children.


Surface treatment processes of stainless steel, such as pickling, produces acidic waste water consisting of , , , , , , , and . At Sandvik ABs steel works in Sandviken, this waste water is treated and neutralized using slaked lime before being released into the lake Storsjon.The aim of this report was to make a literary review of previous work in using slag as a neutralizing agent for acidic waste water. Furthermore, to see if it's possible to replace some or all of the slaked lime in the neutralization process with slag and to study what slag that might be suitable to use.Since the waste water contains HF acid, the focus of this report was on different materials used for fluoride adsorptions. The literary study showed that the fluoride adsorption process with BOF slag, quick lime and magnesium oxide as adsorbents were endothermic. Therefore, it benefitted from an increased temperature. Furthermore, the literature study showed that many materials follow a pseudo-second-order kinetic model as well as a Langmuir or Freundlich isotherm for a fluoride adsorption. A previous experiment showed that a mixture of BF slag and slaked lime had the best HF acid neutralization among the tested materials.A fluoride adsorption experiment was made at different temperatures (25 – 55 °C) by using a slag from an aluminium reduced steel melt and a slag from a silicon reduced steel melt from the AOD converter in Sandviken. The silicon reduced steel melt slag showed an increase of fluorides in the solution, due to the presence of calcium fluoride in the slag. This was observed for all temperatures. The aluminium reduced steel melt slag also increased the fluoride content in the solution at 25 and 30 °C. At higher temperatures the fluoride content in the solution decreased with 93.6 to 94.9 %.


OBJECTIVES
Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) belong to the same peptide family, and both neuropeptides have been shown to exert in vitro and in vivo neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the protective effects of PACAP and VIP in permanent focal cerebral ischemia in rats. The effect on the progression of the cerebral infarct was also studied.

METHOD
Male rats were injected 450 pmol PACAP or VIP dissolved in physiological saline intracerebroventricularly, preceding the occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Control animals received vehicle treatment. Permanent focal ischemia was induced by the intraluminal filament occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Animals were sacrificed 12 or 24 hours after the onset of ischemia, and infarcted brain areas were determined by staining bran sections with triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride.

RESULTS
Twelve hours after ischemia, the infarcted brain volume resulted to be 14.8% in the control group, 15.3% in the VIP-treated group and 5.8% in the PACAP-treated animals. Twenty-four hours after middle cerebral artery occlusion, the infarcted brain volumes were 21.5%, 20.7% and 14.3% in the control, VIP and PACAP-treated animals, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Our results provide further evidence for the neuroprotective effects of PACAP38 as given in form of a preischemic bolus. It slows down the progression of the evolution of the infarct and reduces the final infarct size. In contrast, a related peptide, VIP, does not have neuroprotective effects under the same experimental conditions.


We investigate the effects of disorder on single particle time-evolution and two-particle correlations in an array of evanescently coupled waveguides with position-dependent tunneling rates. In the clean limit, the energy spectrum of such an array is widely tunable. In the presence of a Hermitian on-site or tunneling disorder, we find that the localization of a wave packet is highly sensitive to this energy spectrum. In particular, for an input confined to a single waveguide, we show that the fraction of light localized to the original waveguide depends on the tunneling profile. We compare the two-particle intensity correlations in the presence of Hermitian, tunneling disorder and non-Hermitian, parity-and-time-reversal ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetric, on-site potential disorder. We show the two-particle correlation function in both cases is qualitatively similar, since both disorders preserve the particle-hole symmetric nature of the energy spectrum.


Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of any tissue-specific cancer in both men and women. Research continues to investigate novel drugs and therapies to mitigate poor treatment efficacy, but the lack of a good descriptive lung cancer animal model for preclinical drug evaluation remains an obstacle. Here we describe the development of an orthotopic lung cancer animal model which utilizes the human sodium iodide symporter gene (hNIS; SLC5A5) as an imaging reporter gene for the purpose of non-invasive, longitudinal tumor quantification. hNIS is a glycoprotein that naturally transports iodide (I-) into thyroid cells and has the ability to symport the radiotracer 99mTc-pertechnetate (99mTcO4-). A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells were genetically modified with plasmid or lentiviral vectors to express hNIS. Modified cells were implanted into athymic nude mice to develop two tumor models: a subcutaneous and an orthotopic xenograft tumor model. Tumor progression was longitudinally imaged using SPECT/CT and quantified by SPECT voxel analysis. hNIS expression in lung tumors was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, hematoxylin and eosin staining and visual inspection of pulmonary tumors was performed. We observed that lentiviral transduction provided enhanced and stable hNIS expression in A549 cells. Furthermore, 99mTcO4- uptake and accumulation was observed within lung tumors allowing for imaging and quantification of tumor mass at two-time points. This study illustrates the development of an orthotopic lung cancer model that can be longitudinally imaged throughout the experimental timeline thus avoiding inter-animal variability and leading to a reduction in total animal numbers. Furthermore, our orthotopic lung cancer animal model is clinically relevant and the genetic modification of cells for SPECT/CT imaging can be translated to other tissue-specific tumor animal models.


Over the last few decades, innovation has doubled automobile performance at a time when outsourcing has increased. But outsourcing is subject to well-known contracting hazards that would also afflict outsourcing for innovation. In this paper, we examine how supplier firms generate innovation in the presence of such hazards, using a recent survey of the US automotive supply chain that contains new measures of innovative activity. Taking the supplier perspective on the traditionally buyer-framed make-or-buy problem pays surprising dividends. First, we identify three supplier innovation strategies — distinct combinations of various innovative activities. Next, we find evidence that each strategy represents a response to the transactional hazards associated with innovating in this environment. Finally, the coexistence of heterogeneous supplier strategies enhances our understanding of the buyer's make-or-buy problem, providing a more complex picture of the various approaches to transactional hazards that buyers employ simultaneously.


A requirement of multiple format standards by mobile telecommunication (GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, and TD-SCDMA) test set needs to be delivered possibly at lower cost. As to support its capability, phase-locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizer has been designated as an essential part in most of the design within the box. The old design may be bulky and subject to many issues with the components ' variation and aging effect. In recent years, the direct digital synthesizer (DDS) has been popularly in used to replace the PLL architecture. This chapter will focus on the DDS selection, architecture topology, prototyping, implementation technique with both hardware and software, and performance as a clock source to a sampled system as referred to receiver interest. The key parameters in the sampled system greatly rely on the jitter and phase noise specification. If they are not properly defined, the overall signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the sampled system output will be impacted. Eventually the receiver quality will be degraded and resulted in tremen-dous loss. Thus, a proper reconstruction filter design will be delivered to ensure the jitter and phase noise performance is met without degrading the existing specification by taking accountability into the matching characteristic and signal integrity.


Sows often receive the same feed during gestation even though their nutrient requirements vary during gestation and among sows. The objective of this study was to report the variability in nutrient requirement among sows and during gestation, in order to develop a precision feeding approach. A dataset of 2511 gestations reporting sow characteristics at insemination and their farrowing performance was used as an input for a Python model, adapted from InraPorc®, predicting nutrient requirement during gestation. Total metabolizable energy (ME) requirement increased with increasing litter size, gestation weeks, and parity (30.6, 33.6 and 35.5 MJ/d for parity 1, 2 and 3 and beyond, respectively, P < 0.01). Standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) requirement per kg of diet increased from week 1 to 6 of gestation, remained stable from week 7 to 10, and increased again from week 11 until the end of gestation (P < 0.01). Average Lys requirement increased with increasing litter size (SID Lys: 3.00, 3.27, 3.50 g/kg for small, medium and large litters, P < 0.01) and decreased when parity increased (SID Lys: 3.61, 3.17, 2.84 g/kg for parity 1, 2 and 3++, P < 0.01). Standardized total tract digestible phosphorus (STTD-P) and total calcium (Total-Ca) requirements markedly increased after week 9, with litter size, and decreased when parity increased (STTD-P: 1.36 vs 1.31 g/kg for parity 1 and parity 3 and beyond; Total-Ca: 4.28 vs. 4.10 g/kg for parity 1 and parity 3 and beyond, P < 0.01). Based on empirical cumulative distribution functions, a 4-diets strategy, varying in SID Lys and STTD-P content according to parity and gestation period (P1 from week 0 to 11, P2 from week 12 to 17), may be put forward to meet the requirements of 90% of the sows (two diets for multiparous sows: P1: 2.8 g SID Lys/kg and 1.1 g STTD-P/kg; P2: 4.5 g SID Lys/kg and 2.3 g STTD-P/kg; and two diets for primiparous sows: P1: 3.4 g SID Lys/kg and 1.1g STTD-P/kg; P2: 5.0 g SID Lys/kg, 2.2 g STTD-P/kg). Better considering the high variability of sow requirement should thus make it possible to optimize their performance whilst reducing feeding cost and excretion. Feeding sows closer to their requirement may initially be achieved by grouping and feeding sows according to gestation week and parity, and ultimately by feeding sows individually using a smart feeder allowing the mixing of different feeds differing in their nutrient content.


Although evidence suggests a correlation between fertility and employment, comparative studies on this topic are relatively scarce, particularly when considering the diverse ways in which the two variables interact in different countries. The aim of this article is to analyse the relationship between the employment and reproductive behaviours of women born between 1940 and 1979 in seven European countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Georgia, Italy, and Lithuania). Using data from the second wave of Generation and Gender Surveys (GGS) and the Istat survey Famiglia e Soggetti Sociali (FSS) in Italy, we estimated the propensity of first and second childbirth through multi-process modelling. The article's contribution is both theoretical and methodological. First, this research aims to investigate the correlation between employment and the timing of first and second births in a comparative perspective challenging the traditional East-West divide in Europe and the potential convergence in the impact of employment on fertility behaviours across European countries. Furthermore, the study asks whether the relationship between employment and fertility is changing similarly across European countries or whether differences tend to persist over time.
The results are discussed considering women's emancipation in different institutional settings, highlighting how women's participation in labour markets affects reproductive behaviour. In particular, the relationship between employment and fertility behaviour is examined in relation to the opposing macro-level thesis, which suggests that the association between employment and fertility changed from negative to positive after the mid-80s.
The second contribution of the article is a methodological one. It involves using simultaneous models with three equations to account for potential unobserved factors that influence the timing of the first and second childbirth and the potential endogeneity of employment status on fertility behaviour. The three equations include two log-Hazard equations for the transitions to the first and second birth order and an additional probit model to estimate the probability of being currently employed over the life course. By using this approach, we aim to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between employment and fertility, while controlling for potential confounding factors.
Results suggest relevant national differences. On the one hand, the three Western countries considered in the analysis, France, Germany, and Italy, show a clear incompatibility of work and childbearing. However, in the first two, younger cohorts seem to be less affected by employment, likely because they benefitted from family policies introduced after the mid-1980s. On the other hand, the post-socialist countries are highly heterogeneous. In this area, we can find three different models. First, in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic employment is largely compatible with fertility choices resulting in a higher propensity of having the first and the second childbirth among working women. Second, in Lithuania the positive impact of employment for the first childbirth turns negative for the second one. Third, in Georgia we found a clear postponement of childbirth among working women for both birth orders. Overall, our results show deep differences across countries, suggesting that some European countries are far from demonstrating convergence in the relationship between employment and fertility.