This essay moves beyond questions of national identity and symbolic national territory in Ulysses by shifting the focus to the novel's coastal setting. It argues that Joyce strategically employs this setting to expose the economic and political mechanisms that have conspired to postpone Ireland's reciprocal engagement in the European interstate system, resulting, culturally, in a perpetual disruption of what Frantz Fanon called "international consciousness." This essay situates these observations in the context of recent critical arguments about the ways in which the opposing discourses of nationalism and cosmopolitanism obscure the pragmatic challenges of sustainable internationalism and egalitarian statehood in the developing world.


The concepts and clinical potential of interactive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in which an examiner manipulates the joint of interest during MRI, and of interventional sports medicine imaging in which radiological guidance is used for targeted therapy of injuries and masses are described. As illustrated by a series of clinical cases, we believe that with further development, interactive MRI will play an important role in the comprehensive evaluation of patients with shoulder pain or dysfunction as well as other joint derangements. Interventional sports medicine takes advantage of the increasingly sophisticated diagnostic value of MRI and the radiologist's ability to use imaging to guide percutaneous therapy. We review our recent experience treating a wide variety of disorders such as cysts, hematomas, and inflammatory disorders, focusing on techniques utilizing ultrasound and MR guidance.


Small molecules MYC inhibitors that are efficacious and tolerated in vivo will provide invaluable chemical probes and potential therapeutic agents. We have used in silico screening coupled to a rapid in vivo screen in mice to develop a series of novel small molecule MYC inhibitors (MYCi) which engage MYC inside cells, disrupt MYC/MAX heterodimerization and inhibit MYC-regulated gene expression. The compounds enhanced MYC phosphorylation on threonine-58, leading to increased proteasome-mediated degradation of MYC. The initial lead, MYCi361, showed excellent in vivo anti-tumor efficacy in mice, inhibiting proliferation and inducing immunogenic cell death of tumor cells. MYCi361 treatment increased tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and induced tumor PD-L1 expression. Accordingly, treatment with MYCi361 sensitized tumors to anti-PD1 immunotherapy. MYCi361 however showed a narrow therapeutic index. We therefore undertook additional medicinal chemistry optimization, which yielded the related molecule, MYCi975, which combined in vivo efficacy with remarkable tolerability. These findings support the potential of small molecule MYC inhibitors as chemical probes and possible therapeutic leads. Citation Format: Huiying Han, Atul Jain, Vinay Sargar, Jonathan Anker, Rama Mishra, Gary Schiltz, Sarki A. Abdulkadir. Development of small molecule MYC inhibitors that impair tumor growth and enhance anti-PD1 immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-273.


Background The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of studies reporting the frequency of neurocysticercosis (NCC) worldwide. Methods/Principal Findings PubMed, Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau (CAB) abstracts and 23 international databases were systematically searched for articles published from January 1, 1990 to June 1, 2008. Articles were evaluated for inclusion by at least two researchers focusing on study design and methods. Data were extracted independently using standardized forms. A random-effects binomial model was used to estimate the proportion of NCC among people with epilepsy (PWE). Overall, 565 articles were retrieved and 290 (51%) selected for further analysis. After a second analytic phase, only 4.5% of articles, all of which used neuroimaging for the diagnosis of NCC, were reviewed. Only two studies, both from the US, estimated an incidence rate of NCC using hospital discharge data. The prevalence of NCC in a random sample of village residents was reported from one study where 9.1% of the population harboured brain lesions of NCC. The proportion of NCC among different study populations varied widely. However, the proportion of NCC in PWE was a lot more consistent. The pooled estimate for this population was 29.0% (95%CI: 22.9%–35.5%). These results were not sensitive to the inclusion or exclusion of any particular study. Conclusion/Significance Only one study has estimated the prevalence of NCC in a random sample of all residents. Hence, the prevalence of NCC worldwide remains unknown. However, the pooled estimate for the proportion of NCC among PWE was very robust and could be used, in conjunction with estimates of the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy, to estimate this component of the burden of NCC in endemic areas. The previously recommended guidelines for the diagnostic process and for declaring NCC an international reportable disease would improve the knowledge on the global frequency of NCC.


I. INTRODUCTION The dearth of access to affordable AIDS therapies in developing countries is increasingly blamed on the intellectual property norms of the North and their operationalization in global free trade regimes. This article examines key issues, interests, orientations and preferences in the North-South debate on intellectual property rights (IPRs) and the prospects for treatment equity for HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries. The article argues that the North-South logjam over the nature, purpose and extent of IPRs, as illustrated by the polemics over the patentability of plant genetic resources and their ensuing pharmaceutical products, constitutes a significant stumbling block to achieving treatment equity for developing countries. The article further argues that to achieve much needed treatment equity for HIV/AIDS, the international community must examine and adopt new approaches that transcend the strictures of the North-South conflict over intellectual property. The article concludes with recommendations designed to improve the prospects for treatment equity for developing countries within the context of a global pandemic without undermining the basic framework of intellectual property protection. First, the article reviews the differences between North and South on intellectual property rights, especially with regard to the patentability of plants that often provide the compounds for commercial pharmaceutical products. Then, focusing on the illustrative case of plant genetic resources, the article discusses the differing North-South postures, preferences and priorities that have often colluded to create an impasse in negotiations on IPR protection. In the main, the article argues that the inability of the North and South to satisfactorily resolve key questions about the nature, purpose and extent of intellectual property protection in the previous negotiations sowed the seeds of future conflicts over issues such as compulsory licensing and sovereign rights. In Part II, the article examines the HIV/AIDS treatment gap between North and South and the efforts to close this chasm by achieving treatment equity. Here, the article will examine the perceived impact of the interaction between intellectual property norms and international trade rules, particularly TRIPS, on the affordability of AIDS therapies. Specifically, the article will focus on how the simmering unresolved issues in the North-South schism on the matter of intellectual property rights culminated in conflict over compulsory licensing for HIV/AIDS therapies. Against the backdrop of the North-South treatment gap, the article examines the illustrative conflict between the United States and South Africa over IPR protections, specifically over the matter of compulsory licensing for AIDS therapies and the application of trade policy. In Part III, the article argues that to achieve much needed treatment equity for HIV/AIDS, the international community must examine and adopt new approaches that break the North-South logjam over protection of intellectual property. The article makes several recommendations designed to increase the prospects for achieving treatment equity in the context of the AIDS pandemic without undermining global intellectual property and trade regimes. II. NORTH-SOUTH DEBATE OVER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS Below, the article examines North-South perspectives on intellectual property rights, focusing on the divergence in views on the nature, purpose and extent of IPRs in the biotech domain. The failure of both North and South to satisfactorily resolve key differences about intellectual property protection continues to fan the flames in the fracas over access and affordability. A. Introduction to Biotechnology The growth of biotechnology has been spurred by advances in biodiversity prospecting, (1) a practice that many believe will someday lead to a cure for several ailments, including HIV/AIDS. …


The present article deals with the study of propagation of plane wave and fundamental solution in the thermoporoelastic medium. It is found that for two dimensional model, their exist three longitudinal waves, namely PP1-wave, PP2-wave and T-wave in addition to transverse wave. Characteristics of waves like phase velocity, attenuation coefficient, specific loss and penetration depth are computed numerically and depicted graphically. The representation of the fundamental solution of the system of equations in the thermoporoelastic medium in case of steady oscillations is considered in term of elementary functions. Some basic properties of the fundamental solution are established. Some special cases are also deduced.


We describe a hypothetical new phase of carbon. The proposed structure is a rigid three-dimensional network with sp ^2 (threefold) coordination only. Tight-binding calculations indicate that the proposed material is a metastable metal significantly harder than diamond. Although it is unclear at present whether such a material can be produced in significant quantity, we speculate that it (and related structures) plays a role in the chemical vapor deposition of diamond films.


Austenitic stainless steels are probably the most important class of corrosion resistant metallic materials. In order to attain their good corrosion properties they rely essentially on two factors: a high chromium content that is responsible for the protective oxide film layer and a high nickel content that is responsible for the steel to remain austenitic. Thus the base composition is normally a Fe-Cr-Ni alloy. In practice the situation is much more complex with several other elements being present, such as, Mo, Mn, C, N among others. In such a complex situation one almost never has a single austenite phase but other phases invariably form. Those phases are, with few exceptions, undesirable and they can be detrimental to the corrosion and mechanical properties. It is therefore of considerable importance to study the formation of such phases. In this work the decomposition of austenite in austenitic stainless steels is reviewed in detail. First the binary equilibrium diagrams relevant to the system Fe-Cr-Ni are briefly presented as well as other diagrams, such as the Schaeffler diagram, that traditionally have been used to predict the phases present in these steels as a function of composition. Secondly the precipitation of carbides and intermetallic phases is presented in detail including nucleation sites and orientation relationships and the influence of several factors such as composition, previous deformation and solution annealing temperature. Next, the occurrence of other constituents such as nitrides, sulfides and borides is discussed. TTT diagrams are also briefly presented. Finally the formation of martensite in these steels is discussed.


Co-silica nanotubes were prepared with nanofibers of [Co(NH3)6](HCO3)(CO3)·2H2O as templates. The yield and morphology of Co-silica nanotubes were influenced by the pH value of the ammonia solution, the concentration of the Co salt solution as well as the rate of ethanol addition. The optimized sample contains 100% nanotubes with 150 – 300 nm in diameter and up to 30 -m in length.


Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and its receptors (FGFRs) have been described in several tissues, where they regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation, motility and apoptosis. Although FGF2/FGFRs expression in the male reproductive tract has been reported, there is scarce evidence on their presence in the female reproductive tract and their involvement in the modulation of sperm function. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the expression of FGF2 in the female reproductive tract and to assess the role of the FGF2/FGFRs system in the regulation of sperm physiology using the murine model. FGF2 was detected in uterus and oviduct protein extracts, and it was immunolocalized in epithelial cells of the uterus, isthmus and ampulla, as well as in the cumulus oophorus-oocyte complex. The receptors FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4 were immunodetected in the flagellum and acrosomal region of sperm recovered from the cauda epididymis. Analysis of testis sections showed the expression of FGFRs in germ cells at different stages of the spermatogenesis, suggesting the testicular origin of the sperm FGFRs. Sperm incubation with recombinant FGF2 (rFGF2) led to increased sperm motility and velocity and to enhanced intracellular Ca2+ levels and acrosomal loss compared to the control. In conclusion, this study shows that FGF2 is expressed in tissues of the female reproductive tract. Also, the fact that functional FGFRs are present in mouse sperm and that rFGF2 affects sperm motility and acrosomal exocytosis, suggests the involvement of this system in the in vivo regulation of sperm function.


The performance of an adsorption heat pump is a function of the equilibrium uptake and diffusion resistances of a particular system, which determine the refrigerant throughput during a cycle. Previous studies have sought improved sorption bed performance by increasing heat transfer; however, some of the proposed heat exchanger enhancements represent costly alterations to the system. This work instead investigates a method for optimizing sorption bed mass transfer, which can be implemented as a low-cost alternative to heat transfer enhancement or in addition to it. The objective is to balance the intra-particle diffusion resistance, which increases with adsorbent particle diameter, with the inter-particle pressure drop, which decreases with adsorbent particle diameter. A silica gel-water system model is used to show that the optimal particle geometry in a packed bed yields a 48% improvement in cooling duty and over 50% increase in COP compared with larger particles (dp = 1.42 mm).


In this research, we investigate the dynamic of the capital structure, using panel data techniques. A sample of new high-tech German Firms over the period 1998-2002 is used to specifically establish the determinants of a time-varying optimal capital structure. We consider the dynamic models, introducing the Anderson and Hsiao (1981) estimators and the critical distinction between Fixed and random effects. The empirical evidences obtained for capital structure from new high-tech German firms are stable and similar to those documented in the previous empirical researches. Confirming the pecking order model but contradicting the trade off model, we find that more profitable firms use less leverage. We also find that large companies tend to use more debt than smaller companies, and that firms which have high operating risk can lower the volatility of the net profit by reducing the level of debt. Leverage is also closely related to tangibility of assets and to the ratio of non-debt tax shield. Finally, estimating a dynamic panel data model, we find that new high-tech German firms adjust their target ratio very quickly.


The X-ray diffraction (XRD) of C2H5OH molecules confined in slit-shaped graphitic micropores of activated carbon fibers having different pore widths was measured at 303 K. The effect of the pore width in the range 0.7−1.1 nm on the molecular assembly structure of C2H5OH in the micropores was examined. The XRD patterns were analyzed by use of the electron radial distribution function (ERDF) analysis. The densities of C2H5OH molecular assemblies in micropores were determined by C2H5OH adsorption at 303 K and N2 adsorption at 77 K. The density of C2H5OH molecular assemblies in the 0.9 and 1.1 nm pores was close to the solid density of C2H5OH. The ERDFs showed that the first and second nearest-neighbor peaks shift to a shorter distance with a decrease of the pore width while their peak heights increase. These changes of the ERDFs coincided very well with the adsorbed density of C2H5OH, indicating that the serious confinement by the micropores gives rise to the solidlike ordering even at 303 K.


The search for invariants is a fundamental aim of scientific endeavors. These invariants, such as Newton's laws of motion, allow us to model and predict the behavior of systems across many different problems. In the nascent field of Human-Swarm Interaction (HSI), a systematic identification of fundamental invariants is still lacking. Discovering and formalizing these invariants will provide a foundation for developing, and better understanding, effective methods for HSI. We propose two invariants underlying HSI for geometric-based swarms: (1) collective state is the fundamental percept associated with a bio-inspired swarm, and (2) a human's ability to influence and understand the collective state of a swarm is determined by the balance between the span and persistence. We provide evidence of these invariants by synthesizing much of our previous work in the area of HSI with several new results, including a novel user study where users manage multiple swarms simultaneously. We also discuss how these invariants can be applied to enable more efficient and successful teaming between humans and bio-inspired collectives and identify several promising directions for future research into the invariants of HSI.


Thermal properties of honeycomb structures with different cell shapes are investigated in this paper. The influence of cell shape, relative density and pore gases on the macroscopic honeycomb thermal properties is investigated by means of transient dynamic computational simulations. The ANSYS CFX code is used to evaluate the heat conduction trough the base material and the filler gas, as well as the convection in gas filler. The computational results clearly show a strong influence of the filler gas on heat conduction and macroscopic thermal properties of analyzed honeycomb structures, which is attributed to low relative density of the cellular structure. Additionally, the influence of considered relative densities is more prominent than the influence of cell shape. The evaluated results are valuable for further development of homogenization models of heat transfer in honeycomb structures accounting for gaseous pore fillers.


The present study was conducted to explore the influence of geomorphic features of the area on the mobilization of arsenic in groundwater. In this study, remote sensing and GIS techniques were used to prepare the geomorphic and slope map of the area. Different geomorphic features were identified on the basis of spectral signature on the LISS III and Landsat satellite image and field survey. Groundwater samples were collected from each representative geomorphic feature to inspect the arsenic contamination in the area. The study area is drained by the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries and contain mainly fluvial geomorphic units especially older flood plain, palaeochannels, oxbow lakes, channel islands; and hilly areas at some of the places. In this study it was observed that enrichment of arsenic in groundwater varies along the geomorphic units in following trends Paleochannel> Younger alluvial plain> Active flood plain> channel island > dissected hills. The above trend shows that a higher concentration of arsenic is found in the groundwater samples collected from the fluvial landforms as compared to those collected from structural landforms. Brahmaputra River and its tributaries carry the sediment load from the Himalayan foothills, which get deposited in these features during the lateral shift of the river's courses. Arsenic bearing minerals may get transported through river and deposit in the geomorphological features along with organic matter. The flat terrain of the area as seen from the slope map provides more residence time to water to infiltrate into the aquifer. The microbial degradation of organic matter generates the reducing environment and facilitates the dissolution of iron hydroxide thus releasing the adsorbed arsenic into the groundwater.


Abstract VR technology is an emerging IT innovation that greatly affects consumer behaviour and consumer perception of products. The aim of this study is to examine how the virtual reality phenomenon can be used as a marketing communication tool and how its usage affects the reception of individual components of a marketing message. The research conducted examined the possible impact of virtual reality on message perception and attitude towards particular offers. Additionally the authors wanted to find out whether there was a relationship between the use of virtual reality and the acceptance of new technologies in marketing communication. To verify the stated hypotheses empirical research was conducted involving an experiment with 150 observations of respondents taking advantage of three different marketing communication tools including: VR presentation with Oculus Rift hardware, video and printed advertisements. The results obtained reveal that VR technology positively and significantly impacts the reception of the offer, the technology involved and the presentation itself.


In present work, an exergy based thermoeconomic optimization is applied to an actual cascade refrigeration system. The advantage of using exergy method of thermoeconomic optimization is that various elements of the system i.e. condenser, evaporator, compressor and cascade condenser can be optimized separately. A simplified cost minimization methodology based on thermoeconomic concept is applied to calculate the economic costs of all internal flows and products of the system by formulating thermoeconomic cost balance. Once these costs are determined, the system is thermoeconomically evaluated to identify the effects of the design variables on cost of the flows and products. This enables to suggest changes of the design variables that would make the overall system cost effective. Finally, an approximate optimum design configuration is obtained. The result shows that the increase in Coefficient of Performance and exergetic efficiency of the system by 13.76% and 16.20% respectively. The cost of the product and total investment cost are decreased by 19.71% and 19.18% respectively. This shows significant improvement in system performance as well as reduction in the cost of product and total investment cost. The reduction in cost and improvement in performance suggest the commercial acceptability of the cascade refrigeration system in a best efficient way.


Complexes of cyclodextrins with amino acid analytes are produced in the gas phase and are ideal for the study of molecular recognition. In this Account, we discuss the evidence for the presence of gas-phase inclusion complexes and the nature of the interaction. The use of cyclodextrins as chiral selectors in gas-phase guestexchange reactions is illustrated, and the nature of the enantioselectivity is discussed. The development of the enantioselective reaction into an analytical method for determining enantiomeric excess is also described.


Abstract. All Annex I Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) are required to report domestic emissions on an annual basis
in a "Common Reporting Format" (CRF). In 2015, the CRF data reporting was
updated to follow the more recent 2006 guidelines from the IPCC and the
structure of the reporting tables was modified accordingly. However, the
hierarchical categorisation of data in the IPCC 2006 guidelines is not
readily extracted from the reporting tables. In this paper, we present the
PRIMAP-crf data as a re-constructed hierarchical dataset according to the
IPCC 2006 guidelines. Furthermore, the data are organised in a series of tables containing all available
countries and years for each individual gas and category reported. It is
therefore readily usable for climate policy assessment, such as the
quantification of emissions reduction targets. In addition to single gases, the Kyoto basket of greenhouse gases
(CO2, N2O, CH4, HFCs, PFCs, SF6, and
NF3) is provided according to multiple global warming potentials. The
dataset was produced using the PRIMAP emissions module. Key processing steps
include extracting data from submitted CRF Excel spreadsheets, mapping CRF
categories to IPCC 2006 categories, constructing missing categories from
available data, and aggregating single gases to gas baskets. Finally, we
describe key aspects of the data with relevance for climate policy: the
contribution of NF3 to national totals, changes in data reported over
subsequent years, and issues or difficulties encountered when processing
currently available data. The processed data are available under an Open Data
CC BY 4.0 license, and are available at
https://doi.org/10.5880/pik.2018.001.


Three factors are related with the pathogenesis of venous thrombosis: (1) blood stasis, (2) hypercoagulability, and (3) vessel damage. Local and systemic factors are implicated in blood stasis. Remarkable advances have been recently achieved regarding the understanding of the concept of hypercoagulability, with special emphasis to thrombophilic molecular abnormalities. Increased thromboembolic risk has been described in patients with antithrombin III, protein C, or protein S deficiencies as well as factor V Leiden, prothrombin mutation G20210A, or hyperhomocystinemia. Vessel wall has a remarkable role in protecting against and in promoting thrombosis. The role of inflammation on venous thrombosis is under investigation.


In recent decades the Indian subcontinent has displayed remarkable invariance in the incidence of working poverty despite strong economic performance. It is widely held that education can rescue households from various types of poverty traps created by information problems and incorrect expectations. Yet very little is known about the motivation of the working poor in acquiring education. From a field study conducted in Bangladesh, this paper provides invaluable insights for the first time, to our best understanding, into the factors that shape the decision of a poor household to care about and respond to educational decisions of others in one's community. Based on the "Choice-Theoretic Framework of Rational Emulation and Deviance", this paper empirically explains why some households choose to copy others, while some choose deviance even though social deviance in acquiring education can throw subjects into abject poverty. In particular, the paper examines the determinants of the (individual) educational expenditure of a household sheltering the working poor.


Ballooning is a popular solution for dynamic memory balancing. However, existing solutions may perform poorly in the presence of heavy guest swapping. Furthermore, when the host has sufficient free memory, guest virtual machines (VMs) under memory pressure is not be able to use it in a timely fashion. Even after the guest VM has been recharged with sufficient memory via ballooning, the applications running on the VM are unable to utilize the free memory in guest VM to quickly recover from the severe performance degradation. To address these problems, we present MemFlex , a shared memory swapper for improving guest swapping performance in virtualized environment with three novel features: (1) MemFlex effectively utilizes host idle memory by redirecting the VM swapping traffic to the host-guest shared memory area. (2) MemFlex provides a hybrid memory swapping model, which treats a fast but small shared memory swap partition as the primary swap area whenever it is possible, and smoothly transits to the conventional disk-based VM swapping on demand. (3) Upon ballooned with sufficient VM memory, MemFlex  provides a fast swap-in optimization, which enables the VM to proactively swap in the pages from the shared memory using an efficient batch implementation. Instead of relying on costly page faults, this optimization offers just-in-time performance recovery by enabling the memory intensive applications to quickly regain their runtime momentum. Performance evaluation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of MemFlex when compared with existing swapping approaches.


The attitudes of the European Union (EU) citizens towards immigration and the impact of their national identification on attitudes towards the EU have received ample attention in the literature. However, the immigrants' identification with Europe has not been adequately studied. This article investigates the impact of non-EU immigration heritage on European identification. Based on social identity theory and using Eurobarometer cross-sectional data, it compares the European identification of those with a first generation non-EU immigration heritage to that of EU country natives. Moreover, it focuses on salient aspects of immigrant experience such as country policies directed at reducing discrimination and personal experience of discrimination. The results show that those with non-EU immigration heritage have higher European identification compared to the natives. Furthermore, in line with social identity theory, this article shows that successful anti-discrimination policies pull immigrants towards national identification rather than European identification.


This paper briefly reviews the physiological components of the microcirculation, focusing on its function in homeostasis and its central function in the realization of oxygen transport to tissue cells. Its pivotal role in the understanding of circulatory compromise in states of shock and renal compromise is discussed. Our introduction of hand-held vital microscopes (HVM) to clinical medicine has revealed the importance of the microcirculation as a central target organ in states of critical illness and inadequate response to therapy. Technical and methodological developments have been made in hardware and in software including our recent introduction and validation of automatic analysis software called MicroTools, which now allows point-of-care use of HVM imaging at the bedside for instant availability of functional microcirculatory parameters needed for microcirculatory targeted resuscitation procedures to be a reality.


In the recent times it has been seen that wireless network is established with the help of nodes and used them as a monitoring system. But the problem arises that the traffic each node handles is of great extent. Also the security and efficiency in working in emergency situations is very low. It has a limitation over worldwide access everywhere due to non-standardized communication between multiple mobile service provider in the emergency conditions. Hence we are proposing a system for wireless modem control and statistics monitoring in such networks. In this the different nodes will be the intermediate between the user and the mobile service provider. So In this model a user will send its data through a message generator node which will further carried by data forwarder node and at last to the GSM node. A sleep scheduling algorithm is used for efficient energy consumption and avoiding congestion and collision. So this paper discusses about the technology used for fruitful, reliable and secured communication and monitoring in emergency ad hoc networks.


PROMETEA is an Artificial Intelligence system created in Argentina, within the spheres of the Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the School of Law of the University of Buenos Aires and the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. The system, at first, was devised and implemented in order to optimize the Justice service and exponentially expedite judicial processes for the benefit of the citizen. Afterwards, it was recognized that greater advantage of its benefits could be taken by any public organization. Through the different layers of innovation, its development constitutes a highly disruptive technological advance, whose implementation is based on the need for the State itself to be the one that provides the effective and innovative means which can generate an impact on society as a whole


Clay catalyst has received much attention to replace the homogeneous catalysts in the esterification reaction to produce fatty acid methyl ester as the source of biodiesel as it is low cost, easily available, as well as environmental friendly. However, the use of unmodified clay, in particular montmorillonite K10 (MMT K10), for the esterification of fatty acids showed that the acid conversion was less than 60% and this is not preferable to the production of biodiesel. In this study, synthesis of stearic acid methyl ester using Cu 2+ -MMT K10 (Cu-MMT K10) was successfully optimized via response surface methodo-logy (RSM) based on 3-variable of Box-Behnken design (BB). The parameters were; reaction time (5-180 minutes), reaction temperature (80-120 o C) and concentration of Cu 2+ in MMT K10 (0.25-1 M). The use of RSM in optimizing the conversion of stearic acid was successfully developed as the actual experimental conversion of stearic acid was found similar to the actual values under the optimum conditions. The model equation predicted that the following conditions would generate the maximum conversion of stearic acid (87.05 %reaction time of 62 minutes, a reaction temperature of 80 o C and catalyst used is 1.0 M Cu-MMT K10. This finding can be considered as green catalytic process as it worked at moderate reaction temperature using low cost clay catalyst with a short reaction time. Copyright © 2018 BCREC Group. All rights reserved Received: 26 th July 2017; Revised: 13 rd January 2018; Accepted: 13 rd January 2018; Available online: 22 nd January 2018; Published regularly: 2 nd April 2018 How to Cite : Almadani, E.A., Harun, F.W., Radzi, S.M., Muhamad, S.K. (2018). Cu 2+ Montmorillonite K10 Clay Catalyst as a Green Catalyst for Production of Stearic Acid Methyl Ester: Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis , 13 (1): 187-195 (doi:10.9767/bcrec.13.1.1397.187-195)


A 78-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with gait ataxia and diplopia. Her past medical history included the surgical resection of a phyllodes breast tumour 8 years prior, with no known recurrence. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain demonstrated multifocal right supratentorial hemispheric subacute infarcts in the frontoparietal, posterior temporal and occipital regions. The patient developed recurrent generalized seizures in hospital. Transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated a large 2.7 × 1.8 × 0.8 cm mobile echogenic mass attached to the left posterior atrial wall. CT angiogram of the chest revealed the left atrial mass as well as a mass encasing the right bronchus intermedius. The patient opted for comfort care and passed away in hospital. Autopsy revealed the tumour to be a primary cardiac solitary fibrous tumour. We present a case of multifocal ischemic stroke and seizures secondary to tumor emboli originating from intracardiac solitary fibrous tumour.


We study a collection of concepts and theorems that laid the foundation of matchgate computation. This includes the signature theory of planar matchgates, and the parallel theory of characters of not necessarily planar matchgates. Our aim is to present a unified and, whenever possible, simplified account of this challenging theory. Our results include: (1) A direct proof that Matchgate Identities (MGI) are necessary and sufficient conditions for matchgate signatures. This proof is self-contained and does not go through the character theory. More importantly it rectifies a gap in the existing proof. (2) A proof that Matchgate Identities already imply the Parity Condition. (3) A simplified construction of a crossover gadget. This is used in the proof of sufficiency of MGI for matchgate signatures. This is also used to give a proof of equivalence between the signature theory and the character theory which permits omittable nodes. (4) A direct construction of matchgates realizing all matchgate-realizable symmetric signatures.


These selected abstracts and titles from the world literature are arranged in the following sections: Syphilis and other treponematoses (Clinical and therapy; serology and biological false positive phenomenon; pathology and experimental) Gonorrhoea (Clinical; microbiology; therapy) Syphilis and other treponematoses (Clinical and therapy) Secondary syphilis revealed by rheumatic complaints J. C. GERSTER, A. WEINTRAUB, T. L. VISCHER, AND G. H. FALLET (1977). Journal of Rheumatology, 4, 197-200 Six patients (five men and one woman) are described, who consulted rheumatologists with varied rheumatic complaints. Four patients had subacute synovitis with effusion, frequently associated with vague arthralgias, and five had back pain which was more severe at rest. Most of the patients had some clinical signs of secondary syphilis, such as roseola, loss of hair, or lymphadenopathy, and the results of their serological tests for syphilis were strongly positive. As no other cause for these rheumatic complaints could be found, secondary syphilis was considered responsible for them. In all cases the rheumatic complaints cleared with specific treatment. Authors' sumnnmary Syphilis in Australian aborigines in the Northern Territory D. S. JACOBS (1978). Medical Journal of Australia, 1, 10-1 1 Syphilis (Pathology and experimental) Anabolic potential of virulent Treponema pallidum J. B. BASEMAN AND N. S. HAYES (1977). Infection and Immunity, 18, 857-865 Non-specific genital infection Reiter's disease Trichomoniasis Candidosis Genital herpes Other sexually transmitted diseases Selective in vitro response to thymus-deprived lymphocytes from Treponema pallidum-infected rabbits C. S. PAVIA, J. D. FOLDS, AND J. B. BASEMAN (1977). Infection and Immunity, 18, 603-611 Gonorrhoea (Clinical) Gonorrhoea in women: Diagnostic, clinical and laboratory aspects D. BARLOW AND 1. PHILLIPS (1978). Lancet, 1, 761-764 Examination of the case notes of all women seen at a large metropolitan clinic during 1976 showed 607 episodes of gonorrhoea (92 3 % of all such cases seen in the hospital), of which three were in prepubertal girls. Gonorrhoea occurred more often and at an earlier age in Negroids than in Caucasians. In about 300% of patients gonococci could be found in only one of the sites tested (cervix 18%, urethra 6%, rectum 4 8%, and throat 1 5%). Microscopical examination of Gram-stained cervical and rectal samples was of value, but that of urethral samples made no significant contribution to the diagnosis. Of the gono_occal isolates 31 % showed diminished sensitivity to penicillin, but none showed significant resistance to spectinomycin, kanamycin, or sulphamethoxazole. The complication rate was lower than that reported from the United States. Overall, 40% of patients were symptomfree. The presence of other infection significantly increased the probability of a patient with gonorrhoea having symptoms. 'Epidemiological' treatment would have led to the unnecessary treatment of 142 female patients and would have included only four of 16 patients with gonorrhoea 285 Public health and social aspects Miscellaneous who defaulted before treatment could be given.


In this study, we test the predictive power of several alternative measures of bank capital adequacy in identifying U.S. bank failures during the recent crisis period. We find that an unconventional ratio – the non-performing asset coverage ratio (NPACR) – significantly outperforms Basel-based ratios including the Tier 1 ratio, the Total Capital Ratio, and the Leverage ratio – throughout the crisis period. It also outperforms in predicting failures among "well-capitalized" banks (as defined by the current Prompt Corrective Action guidelines). Based on our results, we argue that NPACR outperforms other ratios in at least five aspects: (i) it aligns capital and credit risks – the two primary risks of bank failures – in one measure; (ii) it is easier to calculate than the Tier 1 and Total Capital ratios, as it requires calculation of no complex risk weights; (iii) it allows one to account for various time period and cross-country provisioning rules and regimes, including episodes of regulatory forbearance and cross-country differences; (iv) it removes the incentives of both banks and regulators to mask capital deficiencies by creating/requiring insufficient loan-loss reserves; and (v) it outperforms all other commonly used capital ratios in predicting bank failures. We believe that all the above features of proposed measure promise its effective use in the prompt corrective actions by bank regulators. We also expect that this single and informative measure of bank risk can be efficiently used in empirical banking studies. The results of this study also shed light on regulatory forbearance during the recent banking crisis.


Historically, experimental fission studies were based on reactions in direct kinematics with fixed target-like fissioning systems. Besides its advantages, this technique suffers from some drawbacks such as the difficulty of producing exotic fissioning systems and the seldom measurement of the fragment atomic number. Inverse kinematic provides an alternative to ease these issues and offers a new set of experimental observables that improves our level of information about the fission process, including an unprecedented access to the scission point. In this document, we review some of the observables obtained from the experimental campaign based on inverse kinematics, performed at VAMOS/GANIL.


This paper considers approaches to combining information from multiple arrays in matched-field processing (MFP) for underwater acoustic source localization. The standard approach is to apply conventional MFP for each array independently, and sum the resulting Bartlett ambiguity surfaces computed for each array; this approach assumes that individual arrays comprise calibrated sensors which are synchronized in time. However, if the relative calibration and/or time synchronization is known between some or all arrays, more informative multiple-array processors can be derived using maximum-likelihood methods. If the relative calibration between arrays is known, the observed variation in received signal amplitude between arrays provides additional information for matched-field localization which is absent in the standard processor. If synchronization is known between arrays, phase variations provide additional localization information. Multiple-array processors accounting for different levels of interarray information are derived and evaluated in terms of the probability of correct localization from Monte Carlo analyses for a range of signal-to-noise ratios and the number of frequencies for simulated shallow-water scenarios with multiple horizontal and/or vertical arrays. The analysis indicates that, dependent on array configurations, significant improvements in source localization performance can be achieved when including relative amplitude and/or phase information in the multiple-array processor. The improvement is reduced by environmental and array (calibration and synchronization) mismatch; however, this degradation can be partially mitigated by including additional frequencies in the processing.


Antenna problem is a phenomenon of plasma induced gate oxide degradation. It directly affects manufacturability of VLSI circuits, especially in deep-submicron technology using high density plasma. Diode insertion is a very effective way to solve this problem Ideally diodes are inserted directly under the wires that violate antenna rules. But in today's high-density VLSI layouts, there is simply not enough room for "under-the-wire" diode insertion for all wires. Thus it is necessary to insert many diodes at legal "off-wire" locations and extend the antenna-rule violating wires to connect to their respective diodes. Previously only simple heuristic algorithms were available for this diode insertion and routing problem. In this paper we show that the diode insertion and routing problem for an arbitrary given number of routing layers can be optimally solved in polynomial time. Our algorithm guarantees to find a feasible diode insertion and routing solution whenever one exists. Moreover we can guarantee to find a feasible solution to minimize a cost function of the form /spl alpha/ /spl middot/ L + /spl beta/ /spl middot/ N where L is the total length of extension wires and N is the total number of Was on the extension wires. Experimental results show that our algorithm is very efficient.


BACKGROUND
Psychodynamic clinicians cite defensive actions observed in evaluation and treatment as a source of important information. Empirical support for such assertions has seldom been based on objective study of recorded psychotherapy. A quantitative study of the association of signs of defensive control with disclosure of conflicted beliefs was undertaken.

METHODS
Brief dynamic psychotherapies of two patients with pathological grief reactions were recorded and reviewed by independent judges. Periods of heightened defensive control of verbal and nonverbal communication were quantified using operational definitions. Reliably scored defensive episodes were algorithmically selected by computer programs. The people and topics discussed by patients were independently scored.

RESULTS
Highly defensive periods contained disproportionately more frequent instances of patient discourse about people involved in conflict and unresolved topics.

CONCLUSIONS
The findings support the psychodynamic hypothesis that observation of defensive behaviors may locate times of communication about conflicted themes.


Gonadal steroid hormones influence CNS functioning through a variety of different mechanisms. To test the hypothesis that estrogen modulates synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, in vitro hippocampal slices from 2-mo-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were used to determine the effect of 17beta-estradiol on both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) through intracellular recordings and long-term potentiation (LTP) through extracellular recordings. Intracellular EPSPs and extracellular field EPSPs (fEPSPs) were recorded from CA1 pyramidal cells by stimulating Schaffer collateral fibers. In intracellular experiments, slices were perfused with medium containing bicuculline (5 microM) and low Mg2+ (0.1 mM) to enhance the NMDA receptor-mediated currents and 6, 7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) (10 microM) to block the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprianate (AMPA) receptor-mediated component. The effects of 17beta-estradiol on NMDA receptor-mediated activity were excitatory; concentrations >10 nM induced seizure activity, and lower concentrations (1 nM) markedly increased the amplitude of NMDA-mediated EPSPs (both the first and second responses increased during paired pulse stimulation by 180 and 197%, respectively). In extracellular experiments, slices perfused with 17beta-estradiol (100 pM) exhibited a pronounced, persisting, and significant enhancement of LTP of both the fEPSP slope (192%) and fEPSP amplitude (177%) compared with control slices (fEPSP slope = 155%; fEPSP amplitude = 156%) 30 min after high-frequency stimulation. These data demonstrate that estrogen enhances NMDA receptor-mediated currents and promotes an enhancement of LTP magnitude.


Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health problem that is complicated by liver fibrosis and insulin resistance (IR). Aim The aim of this study was to validate neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) and platelets-to-lymphocytes ratio (PLR) as indirect biomarkers of liver fibrosis and IR in HCV patients. Patients and methods One hundred and fifty patients were enrolled. Physical examination, BMI, liver function tests, serum creatinine, complete blood count, serum HCV RNA count by PCR, and abdominal ultrasonography were performed. Transient elastography measurement using FibroScan was performed. Patients were classified into those with mild fibrosis (F1–F3) and significant fibrosis (F4). IR was defined as homeostasis model assessment of IR more than 2. NLR and PLR were calculated. Results The average age of the patients was 47.21±10.51 years, mainly men (n=119; 79.3%), and 87.3% (n=131) had IR and 44.7% (n=67) had significant fibrosis. PLR was lower in patients with IR (74.95±37.90 vs. 94.71±31.45; P=0.032) unlike the NLR, which was comparable (P>0.05). Patients with significant fibrosis had lower PLR (66.43±39.38 vs. 86.35±33.85; P=0.001) unlike NLR (P>0.05). PLR (cutoff≥77.47) had 78.9% sensitivity, 60.3% specificity, 22.4% positive predictive value, and 95.2% negative predictive value for non-IR (P=0.008). At a cutoff of at least 63.71, PLR had 73.5% sensitivity, 61.2% specificity, 70.1% positive predictive value, and 65.1% negative predictive value for nonsignificant fibrosis (P=0.001). Age and PLR (odds ratio=0.99; 95% confidence interval=0.976–0.999) were predictors of IR, whereas age, total bilirubin, serum albumin, liver stiffness, and PLR (odds ratio=0.98; 95% confidence interval=0.974–0.994) were predictors of significant fibrosis. Conclusion PLR is useful in distinguishing the patients with significant fibrosis or IR unlike NLR.


Histochemistry is accepted as a method for investigating body tissues and organ function, and although much research has been made into many human tissues, the ovary alone would appear to have been neglected; there do exist a few reports which deal with the histochemical findings in ovarian tumours, and also with the vasculature, but the present writer has not found any reports of any organised or formal study of the histochemistry of the human ovary. Such a study was undertaken by the writer, and it is this work and the results obtained which form the Thesis. In the first instance the mature human ovary was studied, sections being treated by a variety of staining techniques, the main ones being the Schiff reaction and various qualitative modifications of it, and the Sudan reaction. As a result of this a lipo-mucoprotein substance was discovered in the ovary, this substance being particularly associated with the follicular system, being found in the granulosa layer of the developing follicle, to a greater extent in the corpus luteum, and to a slight degree in association with the corpus albicans. Closer examination revealed that this substance was visualised in two forms - first, as granules within cells, and second, as globules apparently not contained within cells. (Figs. 1 and 2). It has been noted that there is greater evidence of this Schiff positive material in the corpus luteum associated with the pregnancy state than at any other time. Apparently not the result of break-down products, it seemed that this substance was intimately associated with activity of the ovary. Study of foetal/baby ovaries and of postmenopausal ovaries revealed that activity in these organs was not an infrequent occurrence, and particularly with regard to the foetal/baby ovaries, this activity was especially associated with a maternal pregnancy toxaemia. As in the mature ovaries, Schiff positive material was found related to the follicular bodies within these foetal/baby and post-menopausal ovaries. It seemed that the lipo-mucoprotein found in these ovaries might possibly be related to gonadotrophins, probably of pituitary origin, or perhaps with the ovarian hormones themselves; but whether the Schiff positive material revealed the presence of the actual hormones or merely a carrier substance, cannot be stated. In an attempt to resolve the question of the true nature and significance of this Schiff positive material, certain animal experiments were carried out. Animals - rabbits, rats, mice were injected with urine from both pregnant and non-pregnant women, and also with various hormonal preparations. As a result it was shown that urine from pregnant women and gonadotrophic hormones produced activity in the experimental animals, and further, that Schiff positive material, similar to that found in the human ovary, was associated with this activity, and in similar sites. The true nature of the material, however, remains unresolved. Discussion of the results of the investigation leads to the following conclusions: 1) The human ovary, when active, exhibits the presence of some substance which is demonstrable by histochemical procedures, in particular the Schiff reaction and its various modifications. 2) The Schiff positive substance is complex and would appear to be a mixture of lipoid and mucoprotein, the protein moiety probably containing tryptophan. 3) This Schiff positive substance is especially associated with the follicular system of the ovary. 4) It seems unlikely that this substance is either an artefact or due to simple breakdown products, but is in fact representative of some positive active phase in the ovarian cycle. 5) It seems more than likely that what in the past have been referred to as ovarian interstitial cells are in fact a terminal stage of the Schiff positive substance which is now reported. 6) Animal experiments show that the ovaries of rabbits, rats, and mice respond to stimulation in a way similar to that of the human ovary, and exhibit Schiff positive material under similar conditions. 7) Further investigation will be required in order to establish identification of the Schiff positive material.


The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein widely studied for its role as the source of β-amyloid peptide, accumulation of which is causal in at least some cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD). APP is expressed ubiquitously and is involved in diverse biological processes. Growing bodies of evidence indicate connections between AD and somatic metabolic disorders related to type 2 diabetes, and App-/- mice show alterations in glycemic regulation. We find that App-/- mice have higher levels of insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) mRNA, protein, and activity compared with wild-type controls. This regulation of IDE by APP was widespread across numerous tissues, including liver, skeletal muscle, and brain as well as cell types within neural tissue, including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of APP in the SIM-A9 microglia cell line elevated IDE levels. Fasting levels of blood insulin were lower in App-/- than App+/+ mice, but the former showed a larger increase in response to glucose. These low basal levels may enhance peripheral insulin sensitivity, as App-/- mice failed to develop impairment of glucose tolerance on a high-fat, high-sucrose ("Western") diet. Insulin levels and insulin signaling were also lower in the App-/- brain; synaptosomes prepared from App-/- hippocampus showed diminished insulin receptor phosphorylation compared with App+/+ mice when stimulated ex vivo. These findings represent a new molecular link connecting APP to metabolic homeostasis and demonstrate a novel role for APP as an upstream regulator of IDE in vivo.


Summary The methanol extract of its leaf was investigated for its anti$inflammatory and analgesic activities in animal models. The hydro$alcoholic ex tract, ethyl acetae and n$butanol fractions at 100 mg/kg body weight reduced significantly the formation of oedema induced by carrageenan. In the acetic acid$induced writhing model, the extract and the fractions had a good analgesic effect (P<0.01) characterized by a reduction in the number of writhes when compared to the control. In tail flick method, the extract and all the fractions at 1 00 mg/kg showed signif icant activity (P<0.01) after 30 minutes . These results were also comparable to those of indomethacin , the reference drug used in this study. Acute toxicity test showed that the pl ant may be safe for pharmacological uses. This study has provided some justification for the folkloric use of the plant in several communities for conditions such as pain and inflammations .


Electron mobility in nanocrystal films has been a controversial topic in the last few years. Theoretical and experimental studies evidencing carrier transport by hopping or showing band-like features have been reported in the past. A relevant factor to analyze transport results is the progressive improvement in quantum dot superlattice fabrication, leading to better regimented structures for which band-like transport would be more relevant. This work presents an efficient model to compute temperature-dependent band-like electronic mobilities in 2D quantum dot arrays when a realistic quantum dot size distribution is considered. Comparisons with experimental results are used to estimate these size distributions, in good agreement with data of the samples.


This inductive qualitative study examines the process of how nonprofit professionals collaborate with local elites to create and sustain immigrant services in suburban Chicago. It shows how the race and ethnicity of local elites and nonprofit professionals influences the status of distinct agencies. The evidence presented is drawn from eighty semi-structured interviews with nonprofits professionals and local officials, over one thousand hours of observations in the two communities spent attending professional association meetings and spending time with community leaders. This comparative case study shows: (1) how Latina entrepreneurs have to work within the unofficial guidelines of the white power elite; (2) how the conflicts between Latino professionals' understanding of Latino social needs provides space for their white colleagues to experience occupational mobility; and (3) how the challenges of low organizational density limits the extent to which suburban nonprofits can engage in statewide efforts towards immigrant specific programming. My findings provide models that can be tested to: a) measure ethnic homogeneity within professions; b) examine the relationship between race, community networks, and organizational legitimacy; c) and a model to examine the relationship between community, organizational density, and social policy change.


An important consequence of Turner's syndrome is short stature. We previously reported that the optimal doses of ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and GH for the stimulation of short term growth in such patients were 100 ng/kg.day and 0.15 U/kg (administered sc three times weekly), respectively. The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of low dose estrogen and GH would stimulate short term growth more than either agent administered alone. Thirty-nine girls with Turner's syndrome (aged 5-15 yr) underwent one to three 6-month cycles, each consisting of a 2-month baseline period, a 2-month treatment period, and a subsequent 2-month washout period. During the first 2 yr of the study, the girls were assigned to receive the three treatments in random order. The treatments were EE2 (100 ng/kg.day, orally), GH (0.15 U/kg, sc, three times weekly), or the combination of EE2 and GH. Subsequently, some of the girls were treated with reduced doses of EE2 (50 ng/kg.day) and GH [0.09 U/kg, three times weekly (tid)] according to the same protocol. Lower leg length was measured every 2 months throughout the study. EE2 increased lower leg growth rate significantly at the dose of 100 ng/kg.day, but not at the dose of 50 ng/kg.day. Similarly, the higher dose of GH (0.15 U/kg, tiw) increased lower leg growth rate significantly, whereas the lower dose (0.09 U/kg, tiw) did not. However, combined treatment with the lower doses of EE2 (50 ng/kg.day) and GH (0.09 U/kg, tiw) stimulated lower leg growth rate significantly and to a similar degree as the higher dose of GH (0.15 U/kg, tiw). This higher dose of GH appeared to cause a maximal increase in lower leg growth rate, which was not further increased by combined administration with the higher dose (100 ng/kg.day) of estrogen. Thus, addition of low dose EE2 to an optimal dose of GH did not cause any apparent increase in short term lower leg growth rate in girls with Turner's syndrome. Whether the long term outcome of GH treatment would be altered by concurrent administration of low dose estrogen will require long term clinical trials.


This paper investigates the workload and work-life balance of members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) working in Government Departments and Executive Agencies, Non Departmental Governmental Bodies and in the private and commercial sectors. The research underpinning this argument is based upon the findings of a survey of PCS members which explores their working hours, their workload and the influence they are able to exert to control their workload.

The research also explores the impact of working hours and workload upon members' work-life balance and their experience of stress and ill health. The potential impact of the changes to terms and conditions outlined in the Cabinet Office proposals of December 2012 are also examined.

The research was conducted through a web-based survey of PCS members conducted between August and September 2013. In total, 4,827 civil servants participated in the survey. The results are also compared with the findings of a smaller survey of PCS members from 2006 using a number of matched questions.

The findings highlight:

• increased working hours and commuting time, lengthening the working day for members;
• workload intensification driven by reduced staffing, new working practices and performance management;
• limited access to, but perceived effectiveness of, policies designed to promote employee-friendly flexible working and the work-life balance; and
• significant levels of workplace stress and sick leave levels, leading to evidence of stress-related errors at work which affect the delivery of public services

While it is important to stress that the report focuses upon analysing the overall findings, highlighting the impact of work intensification on a large proportion of PCS members, analysis of disaggregated data also indicates that members who are disabled, members of black and minority ethnic communities and those with caring responsibilities for adult relatives are disproportionately affected by current working hours patterns, workload levels, finding it particularly difficult to maintain a work-life balance.

Comparison of the results of the two surveys also highlight the impact of the financial crisis and the current austerity policies of the Coalition Government, with most data indicating that the situation facing PCS members has worsened considerably since 2006.


Alija Ali Izetbegović (1925-2003) is one of the outstanding Muslim thinkers in recent history who have re-conceptualized the Islamic worldview and ethos in the context of the contemporary world on the one hand and critically reflected upon the modern Western civilization, on the other. Izetbegović conceives Islam as a system representing a middle path between Christian spiritualism and materialism of modern civilization. However, like any profound philosophical system, his thought requires exposition and interpretation, which the present paper ventures to undertake. Specifically, the paper inquires whether and how far his vision of Islam facilitates coexistence between Muslims and the others, especially regarding the Muslims living in Western societies. The query is crucial because some writers have accused Izetbegović of being a fundamentalist who pursued an agenda of monolithic Islamic culture with little room for meaningful participation of non-Muslims. The paper concludes that contrary to such negative renderings of his thought, Izetbegović was a thinker with a vast intellectual spectrum and an open outlook. Some of his peculiar notions can be conducive to the coexistence between Muslims and other European communities as well as Islamic culture and Western civilization.


Campylobacter infections are the most common bacterial cause of human diarrhoeal illness. When stressed, C. jejuni can enter a viable but not culturable (VBNC) state, which may aid survival in harsh environments. Although resuscitation
has been reported in live animal models and eggs, other investigators have been unable to replicate these experiments. The importance of the VBNC state is therefore still under debate. Development of a reliable protocol for inducing resuscitation would greatly aid further investigations. The Rpfs produced by Actinobacteria spp are molecular signals capable of promoting resuscitation. The hypothesis under investigation in this thesis was that the resuscitation of VBNC C. jejuni is controlled by a Rpf orthologue.
Bioinformatics searches demonstrated that the predicted C. jejuni NCTC 11168 protein, Cj0645 shares: domain content and arrangement, sequence similarity, and genomic synteny, with M. luteus Rpf. This strongly suggests a shared ancestry.
A two-pronged approach was taken to investigate whether Cj0645 was capable of resuscitating VBNC C. jejuni. Firstly, attempts were made to produce a recombinant
protein for functional analysis. However, none of these attempts were effective in producing soluble protein. The second approach involved the construction
and phenotypic testing of an isogenic mutant and a genetically complemented strain. Phenotypic testing demonstrated that mutation of cj0645 affects growth rate, and the process of cell division, causing the cj0645 mutant to form filaments. However,
experiments testing the ability of conditioned media to promote growth from the VBNe state and low cell density found no evidence of a Rpf-like activity in exponential phase C. jejuni culture supernatants. Since the cj0645 is known to be expressed during this growth phase, it appears that, unlike M. luteus Rpf, Cj0645 does not promote growth and as such is not a orthologue.


Abstract We use recently deployed seismological arrays in Africa to sample a 2D cross section through the mantle down to the core–mantle boundary (CMB). By making use of travel‐time residuals of S , ScS , and SKS phases, a new shear‐velocity model of the African low‐velocity zone (ALVZ) is derived. Our model suggests between 1.2% shear‐velocity reduction at the top and 5% at the bottom with respect to 1D reference models. The average reduction over the whole low‐velocity zone (LVZ) amounts to 2% in the presented model and is therefore about twice as strong as values found in global tomographic models. The top of the LVZ reaches up to 1200‐km depth, and its lateral extent at the CMB is about 35°. We propose the existence of a gap of 300 km, splitting the structure into two blocks. Our results are based on remarkable differences in SK ( K ) S travel‐time residuals over a few degrees distance. The complexity of the structure could provide a key to an improved understanding of the deep‐mantle LVZ dynamics and composition by comparison to geodynamic models. The gap in the model might suggest that the 2D cross section is cutting through a 3D indentation in the boundary of the ALVZ but may also be interpreted as a sign of two individual plumes, rather than one large homogeneous upwelling. Electronic Supplement: Figures of preprocessed original waveforms aligned with the synthetics for the corresponding event, and tables of applied corrections.


The London moment is the magnetic moment acquired by a rotating superconductor. We propose that the London moment reveals the following fundamental properties of the superconducting state: (i) superconductors (unlike normal metals) know the sign of the charge carriers; (ii) the superconducting charge carriers are free electrons; (iii) electrons are expelled from the interior to the surface in the transition to the superconducting state; (iv) superfluid electrons occupy orbits of radius 2λL (λL = London penetration depth); and (v) a spin current exists in the ground state of superconductors. These properties are consistent with the Meissner effect, however the Meissner effect does not directly reveal the sign of the charge carriers nor the fact that the carrier's mass is the free electron mass nor the fact that a spin current exists in superconductors. Note also that within the BCS theory of superconductivity none of the key properties of superconductors listed above are predicted. Instead, these properties are predicted by the theory of hole superconductivity.


The neuroscientific study of musical behavior has become a significant field of research during the last decade, and reports of this research in the popular press have caught the imagination of the public. This enterprise has also made it evident that studying the development of musical behavior can make a significant contribution to important questions in the field, such as the evolutionary origins of music, cross‐cultural similarity and diversity, the effects of experience on musical processing, and relations between music and other domains. Studying musical development brings a unique set of methodological issues. We discuss a select set of these related to measurement of the electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetoencephalogram (MEG). We use specific examples from our laboratory to illustrate the types of questions that can be answered with different data analysis techniques.


An abridged version of this article (reported by Prof. Nicola Colaianni, University of Bari "Aldo Moro") was presented at the Seminar on "Secularism and Liberal Constitutionalism", held at the University of LUISS "Guido Carli" (Rome) on 6th July 2010.This article is due to be published in the International Review of Sociology, in 2011. SUMMARY: 1. Introduction – 2. Relation-Collaboration between the State and Churches in Constitutional Democracies – 3. The laicite a la francaise Tested by a Deprivatised Religious Process – 3.1. The French Rigid Secularism. Freedom (of Religion) through the State – 4. Canada's Open Secularism. The  question of Religious-Based Family Law Disputes – 4.1 Reasonable Accommodation and "New" Religious Nomoi Groups – 5. Collaboration-Relation between the State and Churches in Italy – 5.1. The Italian Secularism Tested by the New "Religious Geography" – 6. Conclusion. Abstract Under the pressing process of immigration and globalisation many Western constitutional democracies have moved from a number of religions, sharing a common culture, to today's age of diversity. As opposed to the past, the current democracies are facing the lack of overlapping consensus over the basic constitutional laws: namely, the meaning and the scope of freedom of religion, secularism, the separation Church-State, equal treatment and the rule of law. This is because individuals often come to adopt their basic values by very different ways. The nature, scope and force of such values are likely to be affected by competing and, sometimes, contested fundamental values and worldviews. From here stems the pressing tension – or dilemma – between "unity" and "diversity". This essay starts with general considerations about the freedom of religion principle, strictly related with the "separation" as well as "collaboration" between secular States and Churches; then the author analyses three case-studies (France, Canada and Italy), pointing out some specific legal approaches. In particular he focuses the analyses over the French "droit commun", the Italian ecclesiastic law and the Canadian arbitral tribunals that, especially in family law, allow disputes to be arbitrated using religious jurisdictions.


The Privilege against Self-Incrimination is widely lauded by courts as an "ancient," "venerable," "noble" principle of justice, a "precious" privilege of free men, and a "mainstay of the American adversary system" - from which it is natural to assume that the privilege enjoys special, perhaps even absolute protection. It is also natural to assume that once the U.S. Supreme Court interprets the privilege to prevent the state from using a witness's testimony against him, Congress may not disregard the interpretation by authorizing the state to use such testimony against him. Indeed, the Court seemed to support that view in Dickerson v. United States (2000), holding that Congress may not lawfully replace Court-imposed Miranda warnings with a provision that authorizes the federal government to use any statement against an arrestee that is "voluntary." I shall argue that the foregoing assumptions are both mistaken and that both mistakes derive from a failure to appreciate the significance of Murphy v. Waterfront Commission 1964). The decision in Murphy, which the Court recently reaffirmed in United States v. Balsys (1998), demonstrates that the Court is willing to resolve Fifth Amendment cases by weighing individual interests against governmental interests. Murphy also suggests that the federal courts have authority to effectuate the testimonial interests that underlie the privilege by adopting rules of federal common law or constitutional common law that Congress, in turn, has constitutional authority to modify. Commentators fail to appreciate Murphy's significance because they focus on only one of the two things that Murphy does. They focus on its interpretation of the privilege to protect witnesses before one government within the United States (whether state or federal) from being compelled to give testimony that may incriminate them in the courts of other governments within the United States (whether state or federal). The true significance of Murphy, however, lies in a covert and companion ruling in Murphy that serves as a predicate for Murphy's interpretation of the privilege - an interpretation that, in the end, is relatively prosaic, given Murphy's companion ruling. Murphy's companion ruling has passed largely unnoticed, but it enabled the Murphy Court to interpret the privilege in the way it did. The companion ruling is a federal or constitutional common law rule of use immunity: it is a rule to the effect that each and every government within the United States has authority to grant any witness a certain measure of immunity in the courts of every other government within the United States, simply by ordering the witness to testify over the witness's claim that testifying will lead to self-incrimination in the courts of those other governments. Murphy's Exclusionary Rule reveals something significant about the scope of the privilege against self-incrimination with respect to judicial witnesses. It reveals that the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment privilege is only as strong as the government's ability to elicit testimony under grants of use immunity, and that where governments within the United States lack authority to grant witnesses immunity, the privilege that witnesses ordinarily possess not to be compelled to incriminate themselves must yield to the government's interest in obtaining their testimony.


Melt Phase-splitting[1] method was a new one of preparing supported nano-photocatalytic materials.The nano TiO2 prepared loaded to the porous glass carrier. In this study,the technology of preparing nano TiO2 by melt phase-splitting method was Optimization, also doing doping modifcation on them. Using nano TiO2 photocatalyst to do photocatalytic degradation test on formaldehyde.The result had shown that: the degradation efficiency of the catalyst containing ZnO was higher than that free of ZnO. The rate of degradation of formaldehyde of the catalyst free of ZnO could reached 58.7% in 8 hours, but that of the catalyst containing was only 53.3%. Using fluorescent lamps as the light source,the photocatalytic efficiency of the catalyst free of ZnO could reached 43.2%.


Tunable laser diodes with a tuning range of several tens of nanometers are generally being acknowledged as key components for future generation optical networks. However, all presently available devices suffer from several serious drawbacks. The most well-known issue is the time-consuming calibration procedure that has to be carried out for every single device. Recently the so-called sampled or superstructure grating tunable twin-guide or (S)SG-TTG laser diode has been suggested to overcome some of the prevailing problems. In this paper we will present tuning characteristics of first devices and discuss the influence of facet reflections on the tuning behaviour. The widely tunable twin-guide laser diodes operate around 1.55 μm and have a continuous tuning range of ~ 2 nm. However, by utilizing Vernier-effect tuning, the overall quasi-continuous tuning range is extended to 28 nm. Within this tuning range, five supermodes can be continuously tuned without the occurrence of any mode hops. The side-mode suppression ratio is kept between 25 and 37 dB.


Moisture-absorbent poly- (acrylate-co-methacrylate) was synthesized by solution polymerization, using N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide as the crossinglinking agent, sodium bisulfate and ammonium persulfate as the initiator. The moisture absorption properties of the copolymer in different temperatures and humidities have been systematically studied. Experimental results indicated that the moisture absorption behavior has been enhanced with the increase amount of methacrylate. Under different relative humidity, the moisture adsorption ability was distinct. When the relative moisture reached 40%, the humidity behavior became less evident. As the increase of moisture, the absorbency for moisture improves correspondingly. When the relative moisture get to 90%, the properties of this copolymer was obviously improved compared with the traditional materials, such as silica gel and molecular sieve.


The administrations in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand have all put in place economic policies designed to increase growth, reduce poverty, and improve governance. In Thailand, the government is taking a more activist role, a change from the previous, more hands-off approach. In both Indonesia and Malaysia, new policies reduce the activist role of the state, creating greater predictability and transparency. Better governance remains a key to growth, with many reforms within governments' reach. While many of the policies focus on the medium term, there is an acceptance of the need for prudent short-term management. The open question is whether progress on structural changes can persist when the short-term macroeconomic picture becomes more challenging.


Title: "One step forward, one step backwards'. An exploration of the perception of life of adult people, as influenced by the diagnosis of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa.
Aim: The aim of this study is to generate an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon regarding the 'the experiences of life' as influenced by the symptoms of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa.
Background: In the Netherlands, current treatment programmes for eating disorders mainly focus on the physical and psychological recovery of patients with acute anorexia nervosa. However, treatment interventions focussing on those with shorter illness trajectories may not be appropriate for those with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa (SE-AN) (Touyz et al.,2013), since short-term treatment seems to have a minimal effect on persistent issues pertaining to weight, food and body shape (Touyz et al., 2013).It is precisely these beliefs that are inextricably linked to SE-AN. Hence,health care professionals identify the need for non-specific medical palliative care for patients with SE-AN. It seems reasonable, therefore, to suggest that the complexity of the condition as a severe and chronic disorder requires a different treatment paradigm (Tierney &
Fox, 2009; Touyz et al., 2013; Touyz & Hay, 2015). Thus, full recovery from every manifestation of SE-AN should perhaps
not be the primary goal of treatment for individuals with SEAN. Instead, the focus should be on improving the quality of
life and avoiding failure experiences in treatment that further discourage patients (Touyz & Hay, 2015).
Method & Methodology: The Constructivist Grounded Theory approach focuses on the experienced quality of life for people diagnosed with SE-AN (Charmaz, 2006, 2008, 2010). In this study, eight women were interviewed, adhering to the guidelines of Charmaz's approach. The data was then analysed employing the Constant Comparative Method, with the support of the software program, MAXQDA.
Findings: Twelve key aspects were revealed within four theoretical categories, which were: 'Suffering, but not in silence';'One step forward, one step backwards'; 'Connective tissue'; and 'Best friend, best enemy'.
Contribution to the current knowledge: Four key messages are described concerning the current findings and which contribute to a deeper understanding of the social processes of people with SE-AN, which are seen as responsible for the experienced quality of life. The findings are considered as being a logical result of the research process. Firstly, Key Message One: 'Recognising suffering as a continual additional effect in the approach of people with SE-AN' is presented, which suggests active changes in the behaviour of professionals. Key Message Two proposes the 'Validation of the cyclical process of 'adaptation versus rejection' of the anorexia nervosa status'. This message suggests offering psycho-education which refers to the Developmental Model of Chronicity with the aim of improving of the quality of life experiences. Furthermore, it also encourages patients in the establishment of daily routines with regards to contacts and hobbies, perhaps even with the assistance of an assistance dog. To help achieve this, professionals should plan regular meetings with the SE-AN sufferer's family and other important people in their lives in terms of the education of the chronicity and to support them in the acceptance of SEAN in their loved ones. Key Message Three presents the following stance: 'Recognising the impact of, and respecting the communication through the SE-AN condition'. This refers to recognising the need for customised psycho-education, accommodating the SE-AN approach for all people involved, including the healthcare professionals, such as nurses, psychiatrists, general practitioners and others. Moreover, it meets the individual criteria of being specific and respects the shared decision-making approach. Finally, Key Message Four presents the 'Respectful approach of the request for attendance and help, in the attention of an adjusted paradigm'. The data which emerged explicitly identifies the need for unconditional access to professionals for people with SE-AN, without imposing an impossible regime on them regarding their SE-AN condition, which refers to the demand for an adjusted treatment paradigm.


The Greenland Ice Sheet is the largest ice sheet in the northern hemisphere. Ongoing melting of the ice sheet, resulting in increased mass loss relative to the longer term trend, has raised concerns about the stability of the ice sheet. Melt water generated at the surface is temporarily stored in supra-glacial lakes on the ice sheet. Connections between melt water generation, storage and ice sheet dynamics highlight the importance of the surface hydrological system.In this thesis different methods are used that improve our ability to observe the supra-glacial lake system on the west Greenland Ice Sheet. This region of the Greenland Ice Sheet has the most extensive supra-glacial hydrological system with a dense network of streams connecting lakes that can exceed several square kilometres in area. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and visible-near infrared (VNIR) images are used to explore the potential of different sensor systems for regular observations of the supra-glacial lakes. SAR imagery is found to be a useful complement to VNIR data. VNIR data from moderate resolution sensors are preferred as these provide high temporal resolution data, ameliorating problems with cloud cover.The dynamic nature of the lakes makes automated classification difficult and manual mapping has been widely used. Here a new method is proposed that improves on existing methods by automating the identification and classification of lakes, and by introducing a flexible system that can capture the full range of lake forms. Applying our new method we are better able to analyse the evolution of lakes over a number of melt seasons. We find that lakes initiate after approximately 40 positive degree days. Most lakes exist for less than 20 days before draining, or later in the season, and less often, freezing over. Using the automated method developed in this thesis lakes have been mapped in imagery from 2001–2010 at approximately five day intervals.


The development of nanoscale materials for optical chemical sensing applications has emerged as one of the most important research areas of interest over the past decades. Nanomaterials exhibit highly tunable size- and shape-dependent chemical and physical properties, show unique surface chemistry, thermal and electrical properties, high surface area and large pore volume per mass unit area. Because of their unique and advantageous features they can help to improve sensitivity, response time and detection limit of sensors. In this review, recently developed photoluminescence-based optical chemical nanosensors are presented. Some future trends of the nanomaterial-based optical chemical sensors are given.


PURPOSE OF REVIEW
There is a need for newer anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) with improved efficacy and tolerability. This article reviews AEDs introduced since 2007 and investigational compounds in clinical development.

RECENT FINDINGS
Two recently introduced AEDs, stiripentol and rufinamide, have been licensed exclusively for orphan indications, that is severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (stiripentol, Europe) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (rufinamide, Europe and the USA). This signals a welcome new trend to explore novel treatments in specific pediatric syndromes for which there are high therapeutic needs. Two additional AEDs, lacosamide and eslicarbazepine acetate, have been licensed recently for a more traditional indication, refractory partial-onset seizures. Although newly introduced agents given as adjunctive therapy have been found to be superior to placebo in reducing seizure frequency, the ultimate goal of sustained seizure freedom is rarely achieved. Therefore, the search for better agents should continue. Several investigational compounds are currently in various stages of clinical development.

SUMMARY
The recent introduction of newer AEDs has enlarged the armamentarium against epilepsy. However, newer agents had only a modest impact on the probability of achieving long-term remission. Novel strategies for the discovery and development of truly innovative AEDs are sorely needed.


OBJECTIVES
The isotope bone scan (IBS) is the gold-standard imaging modality for detecting skeletal metastases as part of prostate cancer staging. However, its clinical utility for assessing skeletal metastatic burden is limited due to the need for subjective interpretation. We designed and tested a novel custom software tool, the Metastatic Bone Scan Tool (MetsBST), aimed at improving interpretation of IBSs, and compared its performance with that of an established software programme.

METHODS
We used IBS images from 62 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and suspected bone metastases to design and implement MetsBST in MATLAB by defining thresholds used to identify the texture and size of metastatic bone lesions. The results of MetsBST were compared with those of the commercially available automated Bone Scan Index (aBSI) with regression analysis.

RESULTS
There was strong agreement between the MetsBST and aBSI results (R2 = 0.9189). In a subregional analysis, MetsBST quantified the extent of metastatic disease in multiple bone sites in patients receiving multimodality therapy (radium-223 and external beam radiotherapy) to illustrate the differences in bone metastatic response to different treatments.

CONCLUSION
The results of MetsBST and the commercial software aBSI were highly consistent. MetsBST introduces novel clinical utility by its ability to differentiate between the responses of different bone metastases to multimodality therapies.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE
MetsBST reduces the variability in assessment of tumour burden caused by subjective interpretation. Therefore, it is a useful aid to physicians reporting nuclear medicine scans, and may improve decision-making in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer.


We initiate a systematic study of 3-dimensional 'defect' topological quantum field theories, that we introduce as symmetric monoidal functors on stratified and decorated bordisms. For every such functor we construct a tricategory with duals, which is the natural categorification of a pivotal bicategory. This captures the algebraic essence of defect TQFTs, and it gives precise meaning to the fusion of line and surface defects as well as their duality operations. As examples, we discuss how Reshetikhin-Turaev and Turaev-Viro theories embed into our framework, and how they can be extended to defect TQFTs.


Ectopic pregnancy (implantation anywhere outside the normal uterine cavity) is the most common pregnancy complication leading to mortality. In the era of artificial reproductive techniques and liberated life style, ectopic pregnancy is not rare. However, ovarian pregnancy is an uncommonly encountered variety of ectopic pregnancy, and a definitive preoperative diagnosis is very challenging. Intraoperative findings and histopathology usually provide the final diagnosis. High serum beta human chorionic gonadotrophin levels, lack of an intrauterine gestational sac, tubo ovarian mass on ultrasonography (USG), patient's risk factors, in addition to the Spiegelberg's criteria gives a high probability of ovarian pregnancy. Management with surgical approach is required in all cases. We have made an attempt to present a case of ovarian pregnancy, consistent with Spiegelberg's criteria. Our case demonstrates the difficulty in preoperative and intra operative diagnosis of ovarian ectopic, the final confirmation has been made by histopathology.


In recent years, scholars writing in the emerging law and emotion field have explored the role of emotions on criminal, administrative, securities, torts, employment, and constitutional law. Yet, surprisingly few scholars have examined their role in family law. Examining the role of emotion in family law is particularly important because the potential for harm resulting from negative emotions such as persistent anger and the desire for vengeance may be greater in the family law context. A divorced parent's anger towards the other parent can lead to excessive conflict for years after the legal relationship has ended, harming both parents and their children. The law and emotion literature has focused on negative emotions, such as anger, disgust, and vengefulness. However, to the extent that society would benefit from both a reduction in negative emotions and an increase in positive emotions, such as love, hope, and forgiveness, it is worthwhile to explore the law's ability to facilitate both. This Article explores the law's ability to cultivate forgiveness between divorcing parents. Although legal scholars have not examined forgiveness in any depth, scholars in other fields have conducted numerous studies demonstrating its benefits, including a reduction in anger. Drawing from various forgiveness models, Professor Maldonado analyzes why and how the law should cultivate forgiveness between divorcing parents: first, by making marital misconduct irrelevant in divorce, property, alimony, and custody proceedings; and second, by requiring that high-conflict divorced parents participate in a forgiveness education program. She argues that these reforms, which she has named Healing Divorce, may significantly reduce inter-parental hostility and conflict. Demonstrating that lawmakers have already attempted to facilitate forgiveness in the criminal law context, she argues that the law can and should cultivate forgiveness after divorce.


: Concept of construction of new type of vaccines for inducing rapid nonspecific immunological protection against pathogens by activation of innate immunity mechanisms has been formulated. Materials about formula of the concept, theses of theory of innate immunity, and experimental and clinical data, which confirm the concept, are presented. Results of studies with recombinant proinflammatorycytokines and synthetic ligands for Toll-like receptors as well as with polycomponent vaccine containing antigens of opportunistic bacteria (Immunovac VP-4) are also presented. Obtained data allowed to assume that activation of innate immunity mechanisms by preparations carrying pathogen-associated and molecular structures of microorganisms can result in formation of rapid and nonspecific protection against any pathogen.


The National Population Policy (NPP) was promulgated to improve the living standards and quality of life of Nigerians by reducing the persistently high level of fertility and population growth and achieving an even rural-urban development. The aim of this study was to review Nigerias demographic pattern in the last decade against the 1995 and After Death (AD) 2000 benchmarks stipulated in the NPP. The results revealed that the total fertility rate fell significantly to 6.2 in the earlier half of the decade but is still far from the targeted figure of 4.0. The infant mortality rate had risen in the past 5 years and although the crude death rate declined by 21.4% in 1995 it has remained stagnant since then. There has been no appreciable decline in the rate of natural increase which was expected to fall by 31.03% in AD 2000. The current contraceptive prevalence rate of 11.0% is a far cry from the targeted 80% set in the population policy. In general the situation that influenced the decision to promulgate the NPP in 1988 has not improved much: the national decline in fertility is not appreciable neither is the increase in welfare significant. The key issues in the reproductive health sectors include the limited availability and poor quality of services which lead to high maternal and infant mortality rates inadequate adolescent outreach and limited use of contraceptives. This evaluation of the policys targets and objectives in the light of the 1995 and AD 2000 benchmarks reveals that the NPP has failed due to an underestimation of the huge financial resources required for its implementation lack of political will poor and uncoordinated organization gender-divide and the prolonged political instability in the country. (authors)


A microstrip patch antenna that is coupled to a microstripline by an aperture in the intervening ground plane is analyzed by using the method of moments. Integral equation is formulated by considering the exact dyadic Green's function in spectral domain for grounded dielectric slab so that the analysis includes all coupling effects and the radiation and surface wave effects of both substrates. The combination of the reciprocity method analysis and a Galerkin moment method solution seems to be suitable for a number of planar antenna problems, especially when coupling slots in the ground plane are included. Results for antenna input impedance are compared with other authors and verified by experimental results.


A model of the labor market is built where imperfect detection in case of auditing induces underreporting of earnings. The introduction of the minimum wage makes some workers increase compliance, boosting fiscal revenues. A spike at the minimum wage level appears in the distribution of earnings. The model predicts a positive correlation between the size of the spike at the minimum wage level and the size of the informal economy. Empirical evidence supporting this prediction is presented.


A novel thermal neutron collimator was successfully fabricated by coating the inner surface of the capillary plate (CP) with gadolinium oxide using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology. This CP-based collimator is efficient and compact. A numerical model is presented in the paper to estimate the main performance characteristics of the collimator and to optimize the design for specific applications. According to the results of the calculation based on currently available CPs, the FWHM of the collimator's rocking curve can be smaller than 0.15° while suppressing more than 99.9% of the incident thermal neutrons on the double wings of the curve. Such a coated CP is as thin as 1.25 mm or even thinner, providing high angular resolution with good transmission in a very limited space.


The increase use of formal youth diversion programs in Canada coincided with the enactment of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003. Following the tenets of the labeling theory, the statute sought a balance that would help limit formal court intervention to increase fairness and accountability for youth committing minor offenses. Despite the perceived benefits, diversion programs have not escaped criticism. Some researchers contend pre-charge diversion programs that are based on police discretion may suffer from selection bias. Using police data from a local police service (N = 6,479 cases) in Ontario, Canada, this article conducts a bivariate analysis to explore the personal characteristics of first-time offending youth (gender, race, and area of residence) and attempts to determine whether there are any differences in the youth being charged or diverted for minor drug possession and minor thefts. Results demonstrate variances in charging practices based on race. Race has a small but statistically significant impact on arrest decisions. In general, Black youth are more likely to be charged and less likely to be cautioned than White youth and youth from other racial backgrounds. The implications of these findings are discussed.