A series of novel chalcones of 3-Benzylidene-2-chlorocyclohex-1-enecarbaldehyde were synthesized by reacting benzylidene derivative of chloro aldehyde with different aromatic and heterocyclic ketones. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR and Mass spectra. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity. In particular, the compounds of the series 5 and fluorinated compounds of 5-9 exhibited superior cytotoxic property.


Partitioned register-set architectures pose a challenge to standard scheduling algorithms. To create an efficient schedule, an instruction scheduler for such an architecture must consider the location of an operand in the register file, the availability of the intercluster data bus, and the profitability of a inter-cluster copy instruction. This technical report presents the implementation of Jingsong He's Top-Down Close scheduling instruction for the Texas Instrument's TMS320C6211 architecture. The report discusses the modifications required to implement the algorithm on the architecture and the results of running the algorithm on benchmarks.


New uniplanar microstrip-to-slotline, microstrip-to-coplanar strips (PS) and microstrip-to-coplanar waveguide (CPW) transitions for MIC/MMIC and slotline antennas for phased array applications are described. Such transitions are compact and suitable to be used in an open environment inside a package or a multichip module. The transitions share the concept of using a balun which consists of two microstrip lines connected to a slotline through a pair of coupled microstrips. In this paper, the transitions are studied theoretically using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) technique and measured experimentally using an HP8510C Network Analyzer. For a back-to-back microstrip-to-slotline transition, an insertion loss of less than 1.3 dB per transition is achieved over a 49% bandwidth with a minimum of 0.6 dB around the design frequency.


This study analyzed racial differences in the way African Americans and Caucasians perceive emotion from facial expressions and tone of voice. Participants were African American (n=25) and Caucasian (n=26) college students. The study utilizes 56 images of African American and Caucasian faces balanced for race and sex from the NimStim stimulus set (Tottenham, 2006). The study also utilized visual and auditory stimuli form the DANVA2. Participants were asked to judged emotion for each stimulus in the tasks. The BFRT, the WASI, and the Seashore Rhythm test were used as exclusionary criteria. In general the study found few differences in the way African Americans and Caucasians perceived emotion, though racial differences emerged as an interaction with other factors. The results of the study supported the theory of universality of emotion perception and expression though social influences, which may affect emotion perception, is also a possibility. Areas of future research were discussed. INDEX WORDS: Facial expressions, Tone of voice, Emotion, Emotion perception, Nonverbal, Racial differences ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN EMOTION PERCEPTION


The YAK-AEROSIB program collects high-precision in-situ measurements of the vertical distribution of CO2, CH4, CO, O3, black carbon and ultrafine particles distribution in the Siberian troposphere, as well as other parameters including aerosol lidar profiles, on a pan-Siberian aircraft transect. Recent efforts aim at better understanding the respective role of CH4 emission processes in driving its large scale atmospheric variability over the region. The October 2014 YAK-AEROSIB/MOCA campaign from Novosibirsk to Salekhard and over the Kara sea and the Yamal peninsula sampled air masses affected by local, regional and remote pollution. We analyse the contribution of local anthropogenic sources to measured CH4 enhancements, in relation to atmospheric mixing and transport conditions. Our analysis also attempts to detect CH4 signal from sources of methane in the Siberian shelf and the Arctic ocean during low level flight legs over the Kara sea using the airborne measurements and a Lagrangian model coupled to potential CH4 hydrate and geological sources. The measured CH4 concentrations do not contradict a potential source upstream of our measurements, but the interpretation is challenging due to a very low CH4 signal. The challenging question of the methane budget and its evolution in Siberia leads to a need for new approaches. A new generation of airborne measurements, more flexible, is now needed.


Many children who are blind regularly display stereotypic behaviour. Stereotypic behaviour is defined as persistent, predictable, pervasive, involuntary, repetitive movements of objects or body parts. The movements range from behaviours that are mild, in that there is no adverse sequelae, to problem behaviours that interfere with development and learning, to challenging behaviours that result in damage to property, injury to the child or others, and to community exclusion. Stereotypic behaviours, therefore, have the potential to seriously inhibit the child with vision impairment's educational opportunities, particularly in inclusive education settings.

A comprehensive survey of the literature determined that to date no New Zealand research into stereotypic behaviour in children who are blind has been conducted. In addition to there being no prevalence figures, no information could be found about how stereotypic behaviour might affect the education of these children when they attend inclusive education facilities in New Zealand. Also of concern was the distinct lack of information detailing which educational approaches are most effective and culturally appropriate for the New Zealand context. This lack of research information occurs within a context of educational policies and political rhetoric, namely the Education Act of 1989, Special Education 2000, and Special Education 2010. The tenor of this legislation emphasises an on-going commitment to increasing inclusive education practices while simultaneously raising educational achievement, especially for learners with special needs.

The research began with a quantitative study to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date set of prevalence figures. Fifty-nine responses were received from the 117 parents surveyed, thirty-five of whom reported stereotypic behaviour in their children. Analysis of the data offered detailed information on the prevalence, type, duration and contexts of the stereotypy. The majority of learners who are blind displayed a number of stereotypic behaviours, with those involving the hands/arms being the most common.

From the survey data, five learners were identified and qualitative case studies conducted. Data collection included interviewing the child's Resource Teacher: Vision (RTV), examining pertinent documentation and observing the learner in a range of relevant contexts. This information was then related to the individual learner's current functioning levels in respect to the Key Competencies in the New Zealand Curriculum, especially socialisation skills.

During the progress of the research, the researcher worked in middle management in Vision Education. A number of measures were introduced in order to account for the researcher being an insider researcher. To reduce possible bias and promote reliability and validity during the quantitative phase, the survey was independently managed, and the analysis undertaken using electronic software. In the qualitative phase of the study, to assist with credibility and trustworthiness, triangulation of data occurred. This entailed the sharing of interview transcripts with all participating specialist teachers, the keeping of a journal of observations for each learner and the critical and systematic analysis of all documentation. Systematic reflection throughout this second phase aimed at ensuring that insider knowledge did not impact on the authenticity of the inquiry.

Qualitative results revealed that despite the five case study learners being enrolled in inclusive schools, they were not actually receiving an inclusive education, with the majority of their program being provided by the RTV. Also, the five learners were not functioning at age-appropriate levels; with a substantial lag identified in the two key competencies; 'Relating to Others' and 'Participating and Contributing'.

Although generalisation from the qualitative data is not possible, a number of observations and themes are notable. This research suggests that a concerning number of learners in New Zealand who are blind and who display stereotypic behaviour are being marginalised within their inclusive environments. This situation raises serious questions regarding the way the philosophy of inclusive practice, together with policies and legislation are being enacted within the New Zealand education system. It is apparent that the responsibility for some learners who are blind, and who display stereotypy, is still held by the specialist teachers who provide teaching and learning in exclusive social environments. This study indicates that in order for learners who are blind and who display stereotypic behaviour, to reach their potential, to experience reciprocity of social interaction and personal empowerment, placement in social environments such as regular classrooms that are representative of society, is critical. Inclusive practice requires enlightened educators to develop their knowledge of this disordered behaviour in order to facilitate change. Stereotypic behaviour in children who are blind can no longer be the "elephant in the room". While this mixed methods research helps to fill the gap in the education literature on stereotypic behaviour in New Zealand children who are blind, it also raises questions that require further research.


Techniques and seismicity parameters described by Eneva and Ben-Zion [1997] are used to examine synthetic earthquake catalogs generated by Ben-Zion [1996] for precursory patterns of large model events. Different model realizations represent various levels of fault zone disorder. These include models with uniform properties (U), a Parkfield-type asperity (A), fractal brittle properties (F), and multi-size-scale heterogeneities (M). The seismicity parameters used are based on information contained in typical earthquake catalogs reflecting earthquake distribution in space, time, and size. The analysis highlights the complexity of the information content of the synthetic earthquake catalogs. Simple repetitive precursory signals have not been found. However, local extrema in the examined parameters are found to have significant association in time with large events. Thus our techniques and parameters may be useful for intermediate-term earthquake prediction, especially when parameters are used in combinations. Some analysis results are the same for all model realizations and some depend on the model. Features characterizing all catalogs are as follows: (1) Large model events are statistically predictable on the basis of patterns in the distribution of smaller events. (2) For a given parameter, the type of precursory extrema (maxima or minima) is the same for all models. (3) The interparameter correlation for any parameter pair has the same sign (positive or negative) in all models. (4) The large events are neither slip-nor time-predictable based on previous large events. Results that differ from model to model include the following: (1) The degree of predictability of large events correlates with the degree of regularity in the assumed fault properties, following the order U, F, A, and M. (2) There is no one-to-one correlation between type of precursory extrema (maxima or minima) and type of precursory trends (increase or decrease); this produces great variations in observable trends for any given parameter, both from model to model and for different events in the same model. (3) The interparameter correlations vary among models, with the highest correlations in model F. Most discussed patterns are in agreement with observations from seismically active zones, laboratory models, and mining-induced seismicity.


maps and history constructing images of the past is available in our book collection an online access to it is set as public so you can get it instantly. Our book servers hosts in multiple countries, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of our books like this one. Merely said, the maps and history constructing images of the past is universally compatible with any devices to read.


Groundwater is one of the most impotent natural resources. Groundwater has become a necessary resource over the past decades due to the increase in its usage for drinking, water supply, irrigation and industrial uses etc. Groundwater resources are now facing threats due to anthropogenic activities. The groundwater quality is equally important as that of quantity. Mapping of spatial variability of groundwater quality is of vital importance and it is particularly significant where groundwater is primary source of potable water. The present study has been undertaken to analyze the spatial variability of groundwater quality for Virudhunagar District located in the Tamil Nadu state. Geographical Information System (GIS) is used for the spatial analysis and it is a powerful tool for representation and analysis of spatial information related to water resources. The major water quality parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids, Total hardness, Sulphates, Fluorides and Calcium have been analysed. The spatial variation maps of these groundwater quality parameters were derived and integrated through GIS. The final integrated map shows three priority classes such as High, Medium and Low groundwater quality zones of the study area and provides a guideline for the suitability of groundwater for domestic purposes.


Heterologous protein scaffolds engrafted with structurally defined HIV Env epitopes recognized by broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) represent a promising strategy to elicit broad neutralizing antibodies. In such regards, a protein scaffold based on the HIV p24 CA protein is a highly attractive approach, providing also Gag epitopes for eliciting HIV non-neutralizing protective antibodies and specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. In the present study, computational techniques were employed to verify the presence of acceptor sites for conformational HIV Env epitopes and, as proof of concept, the analysis of HIV p24 CA-based scaffolds using a complete V3 loop in a MAb-bound conformation is presented. The V3-p24 epitope-scaffold proteins show the formation of capsomers made of hexamers similarly to the p24 wild type protein. Moreover, the conformational V3 loop presented on p24 scaffold is recognized by a panel of anti-V3 MAbs. The results suggest that HIV p24 CA protein has suitable acceptor sites for engrafting foreign epitopes, without disrupting the formation of capsomer hexamer structures, and that the V3 epitope does retain its antibody-bound conformation. This strongly support the feasibility of developing a scaffolding strategy based on p24 CA proteins displaying conformational minimal structural, antigenic HIV Env epitopes.


This working paper discusses the "pattern of wary engagement" between Russia and Iran and its implications for future regional security issues in the Middle East. The paper was presented as part of the "U.S.-Iran Relations at a Crossroads" conference at the Baker Institute.


Purpose: The study was done to identify factors influencing the quality of life of elderly in non-paid or paid assisted living facilities. Methods: Data were collected by questionnaires from 634 elderly in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Measures were self-esteem, activities of daily living, depression, family support, health status, facility adaptation, care facility`s quality, and quality of life. Data were analyzed using -test, independent t-test, ANCOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 15.0 version. Results: The significant factors influencing quality of life of elderly in non-paid assisted living facilities were care facility`s quality, depression, self-esteem, family support, education, and activity of daily living, which explained about 40.4% of the variance. The significant factors influencing quality of life of elderly in paid assisted living facilities were activity of daily living, depression, family support, education, care facility`s quality, and facility adaptation, which explained about 83.9% of the variance. Conclusion: The results suggest that type of assisted living facilities in developing nursing interventions to improve quality of life of elderly should be considered.


Sustainable, safe and nutritious food productions are the major challenges for global food security which meets dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The objectives of the study were to utilize homestead resources in scientific method for producing fresh vegetables and fruits over space and time and to meet up the food and nutritional security of the farmers. Household survey was carried out to ascertain livelihoods information of the selected farm households before intervention. The trial was conducted at six replications by the participatory approaches following vegetables production "Golapgonj Model". Results revealed that a family consisting five members having small homestead area with some fruit trees could be capable of harnessing sufficient and diversified vegetables and fruit round the year by utilizing the all possible homestead nieces and management of fruit trees. Results also suggested that the farmers consumed lion share of their products that could meet up nutrition from various vegetables and fruits, some of them distributed a portion to relatives and neighbors and also sold a portion of them. The additional income generated by selling of surplus vegetables and fruits was generally utilized to purchase supplementary food items, in turn increase the diversification of the family's diet. Interestingly, active participation of family members (especially women and children) in their homestead vegetable production activities was also ensured. Thus, all these might be lead to full utilization of both physical & other farm resource available in the farm & mobilize resources that increased food & nutritional security, income as well as improved their livelihoods as well.


ABSTRACT As in many countries, in France, drug authorization is supposedly carried out by 'independent' agencies using 'evidence-based medicine'. French Health Ministers, however, have recently destabilized this system by intervening directly to remove specific drugs from the market. Drawing upon a study of one such decision concerning antidiabetics, this article refutes an explanation of ministerial intervention in terms of the 'heroic action' of politicians. Instead, drawing on concepts from sociology and policy analysis, a generalizable analytical framework is proposed to capture deep shifts in power relations between representatives of four 'fields' (medical science, administration, party politics and journalism) which underlie ministerial intervention of this type. Specifically, the claim tested is that power struggles within and between those fields strongly structure actor behavior, but also create contingency. Indeed, in the case studied, these struggles coincided in such a way as to prompt and legitimate ministerial coercion. Rather than perpetuate the illusion of agency independence, social science should therefore shed light upon the intra and inter-field frictions which inevitably occur around the authorization of drugs.


Ha Shuang Bridge is located in Harbin city within Heilongjiang province in the east north of China. The purposes of this study are to monitor the damage in structural members of Ha Shuang prestressed concrete box girder oblique bridge before strengthening and to evaluate the dynamic performance of the bridge structure by adopting dynamic load test. Monitoring process of damage of the bridge structure shows that the web of box girder in the quarter of the second span (about 10.5m from the pier) suffers from serious shear cracks. These cracks extend from the top to lower flange of box girder. The width of cracks rang from 0.5mm to 2mm and the angle is 45 degree. There are 6 bending cracks. The spacing between these cracks rang from 20cm to 30cm and the width is 035mm. In the span No. 3 near the pier, the web of box girder appears 12 diagonal cracks have width rang from 0.1mm to 0.12 mm. The results of dynamic load test analysis show that the values of measured vertical natural frequency is w1 = 3.616Hz and horizontal natural frequency w2 = 4.492Hz less than the values of theoretical natural frequency which is 3.863Hz and 4.848Hz, indicating that the actual stiffness of the bridge structure is less than the theoretical stiffness. Therefore the dynamic working state of bridge structure is not good. Therefore the working state of bridge is not good and it need to repair and strengthening.


ABSTRACT We argue that hope is not an expectancy based on beliefs about pathways to desired goals and personal capacities to act on them, but an experience of the mere possibility of a desired outcome. We propose that in the latter sense, hope has unique motivational consequences for goal striving. Specifically, we predicted that hope buffers against the detrimental impact of negative feedback on goal-progress. The results of the two studies confirmed this prediction. In Study 1, we measured participants' hopes of attaining a weight-loss goal. In Study 2, we induced hope at solving an unsolvable mathematical puzzle. In both studies, receiving negative feedback on goal-progress resulted in lower levels of success (Study 1) and persistence (Study 2) in goal-striving, but not for participants who experienced hope. We discuss the role of hope as an affective mechanism that functions to regulate energy expenditure in goal-striving.


Inspired by the double-debt problem in Japan where the mortgagor has to pay the remaining loan even if their house was destroyed by a catastrophic event, we model the lender's cash flow, by an exponential functional of a renewal-reward process. We propose an insurance add-on to the loan repayments and analyse the asymptotic behavior of the distribution of the first hitting time, which represents the probability of full repayment. We show that the finite-time probability of full loan repayment converges exponentially fast to the infinite-time one. In a few concrete scenarios, we calculate the exact form of the infinite-time probability and the corresponding premiums.


In this paper we extend the standard approach of horizontal tax competition by endogenizing the timing of decisions made by the competing jurisdictions. Following the literature on the endogenous timing in duopoly games, we consider a pre-play stage, where jurisdictions commit themselves to more early or late, i.e. to fix their tax rate at a first or second stage. We highlight that at least one jurisdiction experiments a second-mover advantage. We show that the Subgame Perfect Equilibria (SPEs) correspond to the two Stackelberg situations yielding to a coordination problem. In order to solve this issue, we consider a quadratic specification of the production function, and we use two criteria of selection: Pareto-dominance and risk-dominance. We emphasize that at the safer equilibrium the less productive or smaller jurisdiction leads and hence loses the second-mover advantage. If asymmetry among jurisdictions is sufficient, Pareto-dominance reinforces risk-domination in selecting the same SPE. Three results may be deduced from our analysis: (i) the downward pressure on tax rates is less severe than predicted; (ii) the smaller jurisdiction leads; (iii) the 'big-country-higher-tax-rate' rule does not always hold. Classification-JEL: H30, H87, C72.


A 3-DOF simulation turntable with perpendicular errors is introduced. The characteristics of period and variation in the perpendicular error are liable to bring about orientation error, which is a function of the overall static inaccuracy. Aimed to compensate orientation error, a perpendicular error calibration method is proposed to measure the perpendicular error between the axis and the bushing of a rotating axis in simulation turntable. Based on transformation matrix, gesture transformation matrix with various error items is achieved. As a result of this analysis, perpendicular error analysis is carried out when this measurement result is applied to a simulation turntable. Furthermore, this study also permits the user to know how to minimize some error sources of the simulation turntable.


This paper presents the role of space based technologies like remote sensing (RS) and Global Navigation and Satellite Systems (GNSS) for earthquake disaster management. The space based technologies like GNSS and RS applications can help in prediction, preparation, response and recovery phases of the disaster management cycle. After an earthquake mapping the extents of damages, locating the urgency of the areas and reconstruction of these areas can be provided as valuable information by space based solutions to disaster management. Financial and economic aspects of space systems are also presented through a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), and illustrated by a quantitative case study.


High-speed milling tests were performed on SiCp/2009Al composites in the speed range of 600-1200m/min using PCD tools to investigate the cutting temperatures and the influence factors. The results showed that the cutting temperature could reach 580°C under the given cutting conditions. Graphitization took place on the PCD tools under the high cutting temperature coupled with the effects of abrasive wear of SiC particles and catalysis of copper in the 2009 aluminum matrix. Cutting parameters, tool materials, workpiece materials and tool wear condition had significant effect on the high speed milling temperature while tool geometries had the minor effect. Among these influence factors, cutting speed was the most significant factor. Reinforcement volume fraction was the less significant factor and followed by radial depth of cut, feed rate and tool materials.


In this contribution, a two-dimensional radar simulator, which is used to determine the specifications and to predict the accuracy of a scanning radar system for filling volume measurement of bulk solids in silos, is presented. The simulator is based on a simple scattering model using polar coordinates in order to achieve an efficient implementation. Additionally, a detection algorithm based on a speckle filter has been tested for an exemplarily bulk solid scenario, and the influence of the penetration depth of the bulk solid, the antenna beam width, and the filling level on the measurement error has been analyzed.With a minimum signal to noise ratio of 10 dB, a measurement error smaller 2 m has been obtained for the given scenario.


Plan B Paper. 2012. Master of Science in Education-Mathematics--University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Mathematics Department. 66 leaves. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 21-22).


Skilful surgery combined with blood-saving methods and careful management of blood coagulation will all help reduce unnecessary blood loss and transfusion requirements. Excessive surgical bleeding causes hypovolaemia, haemodynamic instability, anaemia and reduced oxygen delivery to tissues, with a subsequent increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality. The role of anaesthetists in managing surgical blood loss has increased greatly in the last decade. Position of the patient during surgery and the provision of a hypotensive anaesthetic regimen were once considered the most important contributions of the anaesthetist to decreasing blood loss. Now, several pharmacological haemostatic agents are being used by anaesthetists as blood-saving agents. After a brief discussion of the physiology of haemostasis, this article will review the evidence for the role of such agents in reducing perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements.


Internet characteristics — enhanced distribution customer relationships and information access in an information intensive industry — fit the tourism industry. There is little sense having an Internet presence though if visitors cannot find and use the website or receive answers to their e‐mail inquiries. Research lauds online tourism initiatives, yet little research investigates Internet use in wine tourism. Given the competitive nature of wine tourism, an important research area is what website features and e‐mail policies do wine tourism operations use for better site navigation site popularity and relationship marketing? Two online analyses of eight wine tourism operations, within and outside Western Australia, illustrate a methodology and dozens of possible metrics for analysing the competition and marketing electronic wine tourism. The results give wine tourism managers insights into short‐term competitive advantages via website features and e‐mail policies, and add to the academic literature and future research of the Internet's role in wine tourism.


ABSTRACT
Andesite stone crushing activities at PT. Perwita The work consists of two
stages of crushing using a crusher Jaw Crusher, Cone Crusher as the first and
second crusher. The raw materials for stone crusher plant Andesite is derived
from the people in the mining Progo were transported to the PT. Perwita work
using Dump Truck Hino brands. Products produced in the form of crushed stone
size:
1. -25 + 5 mm, with a production of 59.77 tons /hour.
2. -5 mm, with a production of 16.65 tons / hour.
Production targets set by PT. Perwita work amounting to 670 tons / day. Stone
crusher plant capacity to produce new Andesite Andesite stone size -25 + 5 mm
and -5 mm by 76.42 tonnes / h or 602.95 tons / day (90% of target) so there is still
a shortfall of 67.05 tonnes / days.
To achieve the production targets set by PT. Perwita work of 670 tons / day
is necessary to assess the readiness tool on the crusher unit, an assessment of the
reduction ratio, an assessment of the effectiveness of crusher equipment, and the
effectiveness of working hours. Efforts are made to meet the production target of
670 tonnes / day could do with some improvement alternatives are:
1. alternative I
Adding a number of feeds per hour is and the replacement of old brands Mcc
Cone Crusher cone crusher 600 with brand new Minyu Mcc 1000
2. alternative II
The number of feeds per hour is Menambahan, removal of double deck screen
position after a jaw crusher and replace the old brand Mcc Cone Crusher cone
crusher 600 with brand new Minyu Mcc 1000.
The results obtained after efforts to repair the alternative alternatives I and II
produced the final product 85 tons / hour and 7.89 hours working time / day of the
production targets that are targeted by the company amounted to 670 tons / day
can be met.


Objective: The current study investigated the buffering effect of positive social exchanges at work on the way workplace aggression and violence, both verbal and physical, affect individual well-being and commitment to the organization. Method: We collected survey responses from staff working in long-term care facilities (N = 723) about their experiences with residents and their outlook on their health and commitment to their workplaces. Results: Using multilevel modeling, we found a significant interaction effect of positive social exchanges with residents on resident-instigated aggression and violence in explaining the levels of employee well-being and commitment. Simple slopes analyses suggested that in staff who experience more positive social exchanges the negative effects of aggression and violence on individual well-being and commitment were dampened compared with staff who experienced less positive social exchanges. Conclusions: Because mistreatment behaviors operate in a wider context of concurrent social behaviors, examining experiences of aggression and violence without considering positive social exchanges can result in a truncated and misleading body of research findings. Furthermore, based on our findings, we recommend that employers should focus not only on eliminating aggressive and violent incidents at work but also on providing opportunities for care workers to develop high-quality relationships with their residents.


The glycogenolytic rates during maximum exercise with different durations have been calculated using own studies and reports from the literature. The initial glycogenolytic rates both in animal and in human muscle are close to the Vmax as determined in vitro. Already within the first seconds of electrical stimulation of human muscle the glycogenolytic rate reaches the maximum value and the phosphorylase is transformed to the a form to near 100%. Continued electrical stimulation or dynamic exercise for longer periods than 30 s results in successively decreasing rates of glycogenolysis, and a reversion back of phosphorylase a to b. The mechanism for this reversion is not known. In a study by Hermansen and Vaage from 1977, it was suggested that lactate formed during exercise could be resynthesized to glycogen by gluconeogenesis in muscle during the rest period after exercise. This study was repeated in our laboratory with addition of measurements of oxygen uptake and splanchnic metabolism. The results showed that only 10% of the lactate formed was taken up by the liver and that maximally 40% was oxidized during an 1 h recovery period. About 7% of the formed lactate remained unchanged in the body at the end of the recovery period. This leaves more than 40% of the lactate unaccounted for. Analysis of muscle tissue showed that glycogen content in muscle had decreased by 41 mmol glucosyl units X kg-1 after exercise and that 50% of this carbohydrate was retained in muscle as free glucose, phosphorylated intermediates and lactate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Glyphosate is easily exuded by the roots of plants. However, there is still some lack of information in the scientific literature as to whether Urochloa brizantha is capable of exuding glyphosate to influence the growth of crops such as sugarcane and citrus. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the translocation and root exudation of 14C-glyphosate by U. brizantha and its transport in sugarcane and citrus. Sugarcane seedlings, varieties SP80-1842, and citrus 'Limão Rosa' (Citrus limonia L. Osbeck) were cultivated with U. brizantha around the seedlings. Using a microsphere, 14C-glyphosate was applied on the leaves of U. brizantha. The plants were cultured for 12 days after treatment (DAT). The radioactivity of the herbicide was evaluated by liquid scintillation spectrometer, after oxidizing the soil and parts of the plants (leaves, culms and roots) of U. brizantha, sugarcane and citrus. The highest amount of glyphosate was detected in the U. brizantha leaves, where the applications were carried out, regardless of the culture studied. Only traces of glyphosate (0.001%) were detected in soil cultivated with sugarcane. On the other hand, in citrus, U. brizantha exuded 9.46% of the glyphosate by the root system in the soil. The total amount of herbicide found in sugarcane and citrus seedlings was only 0.006 and 0.095%, respectively, in all parts of the plant. These concentrations are lower than those required to cause intoxication in those crops. Considering the results, it is possible to state that the translocation of glyphosate in young plants of U. brizantha associated with citrus was higher in relation to sugarcane, and it was not exuded by the root system of the weed with sugarcane, but presented root exudation with citrus, however, the amount did not reach what is necessary to affect the dry mass of the agricultural crops.


Large-scale clinical trials in atrial fibrillation (AF) now are addressing issues other than that of thromboembolic prophylaxis. The "rate versus rhythm" debated is fundamental--whether to accept the occurrence of AF and attempt control of the ventricular rate or to strive for the restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm. The AFFIRM, PIAF, and RACE trials will provide information about the efficacy, costs, adverse effects, and benefits of attempting to maintain sinus rhythm. Atrial pacing is associated with less AF than ventricular pacing, and trials (AFT, SYNBIAPACE, and DAPPAF) now are assessing the antiarrhythmic efficacy of atrial pacing, including dual-site pacing and special algorithms compared with no pacing.


Background Following recent recommendations, the oxygen saturation (SpO2) target range for preterm infants in our nursery was narrowed towards the higher end from 85%–95% to 90%–95%. We determined the effect of narrowing the SpO2 target range on the compliance in target range and distribution of SpO2 in preterm infants. Methods Before and after changing the target range from 85%–95% to 90%–95%, infants <30 weeks of gestation receiving oxygen were compared during their admission on the neonatal intensive care unit. For each infant, distribution of SpO2 was noted by collecting SpO2 samples each minute, and the percentage of time spent with SpO2 within 90%–95% was calculated. Oxygen was manually adjusted. Hypoxaemic events (SpO2 <80%) where oxygen was titrated were analysed. Results Data were analysed for 104 infants (57 before and 47 after the range was narrowed). The narrower range was associated with an increase in the median (IQR) SpO2 (93% (91%–96%) vs 94% (92%–97%), p=0.01), but no increase in median time SpO2 within 90%–95% (49.2% (39.6%–59.7%) vs (46.9% (27.1%–57.9%), p=0.72). The distribution of SpO2 shifted to the right with a significant decrease in SpO2 <90%, but not <80%. The count of minute values for Sp02 <80% decreased, while the frequency and duration of hypoxaemic events and oxygen titration were not different. Conclusion Narrowing the target range from 85%–95% to 90%–95% in preterm infants was associated with an increase in median SpO2 and a rightward shift in the distribution, but no change in time spent between 90% and 95%.


We show here that an active Cdk5‐p35 kinase is present in Golgi membranes, where it associates with a detergent‐insoluble fraction containing actin. In addition, Cdk5‐p35‐dependent phosphorylation of α‐PAK immunoreactive protein species was detected in Golgi membranes, as well as an interaction with the small GTPase, Cdc42. Moreover, antisense oligonucleotide suppression of Cdk5 or p35 in young cultured neurons, as well as inhibition of Cdk5 activity with olomoucine, blocks the formation of membrane vesicles from the Golgi apparatus. Taken together, these results show a novel subcellular localization of this kinase and suggest a role for Cdk5‐p35 in membrane traffic during neuronal process outgrowth.


Cycle ambiguity resolution in applications that require both high accuracy and high integrity is challenging. This paper describes new results, implementation details, and experimental validation for the Enforced Position-domain Integrity-risk Cycle resolution algorithm (EPIC). EPIC computes tight bounds on the integrity risk of cycle resolution by evaluating the impact of incorrect fixes in the position domain. Although the fundamentals of EPIC were mathematically formulated in previous work, EPIC was limited to simple snapshot-fixing systems (using least squares estimation). In this paper, EPIC's capabilities are expanded to more general applications that include Kalman filtering in the position estimation process. Practical implementation issues, such as using partially-fixed ambiguity vectors in the filter, dealing with satellite geometry changes and cycle slips, re-fixing the re-acquired satellites without jeopardizing integrity, and sensitivity analysis are thoroughly addressed. Finally, experimental validation is provided and the results are compared with other methods for integrity-constrained cycle resolution.


Objective: To study child mental health, parental support, and social support of children with epilepsy as these relate to quality of life (QOL) using child self-report, seizure-related variables, and estimated verbal intelligence based on receptive vocabulary. Methods: A cross-sectional structural equation model of baseline data from the QUALITÉ cohort study, which includes 6 Canadian child epilepsy ambulatory programs. A sample of 3,481 children were screened for the following eligibility: 8 to 14 years of age, with active or medication-managed epilepsy. Of 894 eligible children, 506 agreed to participate, of whom 26 were then excluded because of an inability to self-report based on a standard cutoff score of receptive vocabulary lower than 70. The primary outcome of child-reported QOL was measured using the Child Epilepsy QOL Questionnaire. Results: From the child's perspective, epilepsy-specific QOL is strongly related to their mental health and social support but not to their seizures. Specifically, child mental health and peer support exhibit direct associations with QOL; parental support has both direct and indirect associations with QOL (via child mental health); estimated verbal intelligence exerts its strongest association with QOL through mental health; and seizure status exhibits a weak relationship to QOL only through mental health. Conclusions: Among children with epilepsy aged 8 to 14 years, mental health and social support should be areas of focus in the assessment of QOL. Controlling seizures is insufficient care for influencing the child's perception of their life.


The authors treated 18 patients with multiple cholangiogenic hepatic abscesses, which developed after creation of the biliodigestive anastomoses due to digestive-biliary reflux with prolonged retention of food masses in the bile ducts, duodenostasis and stenosing of the anastomosis. Puncture of the abscesses under guidance of sonography in combination with complex antibacterial therapy, timely correction of digestive-biliary reflux contributed to achieving the satisfactory result of treatment.


PURPOSE
To compare the ocular surface tolerability of latanoprost 0.005% preserved with 0.02% benzalkonium chloride (BAK), bimatoprost 0.03% preserved with 0.005% BAK, and travoprost 0.004% preserved with the proprietary preservative system sofZia in patients previously treated with latanoprost.

METHODS
This randomized, multicenter, investigator-masked, parallel-group study enrolled patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who had been on latanoprost monotherapy for at least 4 weeks. At baseline, patients were randomized to receive once-daily bimatoprost (n=35), latanoprost (n=38), or travoprost (n=33) monotherapy for 3 months. Follow-up visits were at week 1, month 1, and month 3. The primary outcome measure was physician-graded conjunctival hyperemia at month 3. Secondary outcome measures included corneal staining with fluorescein and tear breakup time (TBUT).

RESULTS
There were no significant differences among the treatment groups in conjunctival hyperemia scores, corneal staining, or TBUT at the latanoprost-treated baseline or at any follow-up visit. Baseline mean (standard error of the mean) values were as follows--conjunctival hyperemia: bimatoprost 0.74 (0.10), latanoprost 0.74 (0.11), travoprost 0.86 (0.12), P=0.692; corneal staining: bimatoprost 0.59 (0.12), latanoprost 0.70 (0.13), travoprost 0.48 (0.11), P=0.423; TBUT (in seconds): bimatoprost 9.1 (1.0), latanoprost 8.6 (0.8), travoprost 7.9 (0.8), P=0.578. Month 3 values were as follows--conjunctival hyperemia: bimatoprost 0.80 (0.12), latanoprost 0.74 (0.10), travoprost 0.98 (0.13), P=0.340; corneal staining: bimatoprost 0.71 (0.78), latanoprost 0.47 (0.64), travoprost 0.36 (0.62), P=0.110; TBUT (in seconds): bimatoprost 9.7 (5.3), latanoprost 9.2 (5.3), travoprost 9.7 (6.3), P=0.909.

CONCLUSIONS
There were no significant differences among bimatoprost (preserved with 0.005% BAK), latanoprost (preserved with 0.02% BAK), and travoprost (preserved with sofZia) in objective clinical measures of ocular tolerability, including physician-graded hyperemia, corneal staining, and TBUT after 3 months of treatment. Longer-term studies are needed to further evaluate the ocular surface tolerability of these prostaglandin analogs.


ABSTRACT Pseudotumor cerebri syndrome refers to elevated intracranial pressure associated with papilledema without an identified etiology for intracranial hypertension. Over the past few decades, several medications have been described to be associated with this syndrome. We searched the literature for those case reports and series and evaluated the evidence for the association of such medications with pseudotumor cerebri syndrome.


The intention of this dissertation was the development of adequate, i.e. reliable and valid, test instruments for assessing pre-service teachers' content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) were developed. For this, the fundamental concept 'structure-property-relations' was chosen as the focus, covering comparable issues in a large variety of topics.
The fundamental concept as well as reasons for its selection are provided together with a presentation of literature on student difficulties focusing both on secondary and tertiary level. Also, item development as well as the use of these resulting instruments in a cross-sectional study are described. Apart from assessing pre-service teachers' subject-specific knowledge, the items are analyzed regarding possible factors influencing their difficulty. A qualitative analysis of answers to CK items reveals that pre-service teachers exhibit problems comparable to those described in literature. For CK, the following factors could be identified to explain variance in test outcomes: gender, successfully passing exams in organic chemistry, grade in school leaving certificate, last school grade in chemistry, and having studied chemistry in upper secondary. For PCK, those factors are gender, successfully passing exams in teaching chemistry, successfully passing exams in organic chemistry, the participants' teaching program, the progress in their studies, as well as the grade in school leaving certificate. The combinations of factors explain 34.6% and 23.0% of variance in test results on CK and PCK, respectively. A dimensional analysis of knowledge presents CK and PCK to be separable but related dimensions, with a latent correlation between both dimensions of .72.
In a subsequent step, the measures on structure-property-relations are combined with those on chemical representations, which have been developed and tested by another researcher (Taskin, 2014). A resulting dimensional analysis show all four dimensions to be separable and the dimensions showing latent correlations between the two CK dimensions of .87 and between the two PCK dimensions of .67.
In the end, results are discussed, deriving at both suggestions for further research studies and a short practitioner's perspective on the topic.


Wireless networks are expected to support real-time interactive multimedia traffic and must be able, therefore, to provide their users with Quality-of-Service (QoS) guarantees. Although the QoS provisioning problem arises in wireline networks as well, mobility of hosts and scarcity of bandwidth makes QoS provisioning a challenging task in wireless networks. It has been noticed that multimedia applications can tolerate and gracefully adapt to transient fluctuations in the QoS that they receive from the network. The additional flexibility afforded by the ability of multimedia applications to tolerate and adapt to transient changes in QoS can be exploited by protocol designers to significantly improve the overall performance of wireless systems. This paper presents a fair resource allocation protocol for multimedia wireless networks that uses a combination of bandwidth reservation and bandwidth borrowing to provide network users with QoS in terms of guaranteed bandwidth, call blocking and call dropping probabilities. Our view of fairness was inspired by the well-known maxmin fairness allocation protocol for wireline networks. Simulation results are presented that compare our protocol to similar schemes.


Several transmitter candidates including serotonin (5-HT), ATP, and norepinephrine (NE) have been identified in taste buds. Recently, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as well as the associated synthetic enzymes and receptors have also been identified in taste cells. GABA reduces taste-evoked ATP secretion from Receptor cells and is considered to be an inhibitory transmitter in taste buds. However, to date, the identity of GABAergic taste cells and the specific stimulus for GABA release are not well understood. In the present study, we used genetically-engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably co-expressing GABAB receptors and Gαqo5 proteins to measure GABA release from isolated taste buds. We recorded robust responses from GABA biosensors when they were positioned against taste buds isolated from mouse circumvallate papillae and the buds were depolarized with KCl or a stimulated with an acid (sour) taste. In contrast, a mixture of sweet and bitter taste stimuli did not trigger GABA release. KCl- or acid-evoked GABA secretion from taste buds was Ca2+-dependent; removing Ca2+ from the bathing medium eliminated GABA secretion. Finally, we isolated individual taste cells to identify the origin of GABA secretion. GABA was released only from Presynaptic (Type III) cells and not from Receptor (Type II) cells. Previously, we reported that 5-HT released from Presynaptic cells inhibits taste-evoked ATP secretion. Combined with the recent findings that GABA depresses taste-evoked ATP secretion [1], the present results indicate that GABA and 5-HT are inhibitory transmitters in mouse taste buds and both likely play an important role in modulating taste responses.


A new methodology was introduced to produce hollow nano calcite particles in homogenous size distribution without aggregation. The design consisted of a jet flow system in which the crystallization region was separated from the stabilization region. The newly produced nano CaCO3 particles of about 140 nm were removed from the crystallization region as quickly as possible into the stabilization region before aggregation or crystal growth. In the stages of crystallization, the particles started to dissolve from their edges which opened-up the pores inside the particles. At the late stages of crystallization, the open eywords: ollow ano aCO3 a(OH)2 tability pores closed. These particles were stable in Ca(OH)2 solution and no aggregation was detected. Different particles with different morphologies can be produced by adjusting the stages in the crystallization. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


Abstract. Heavily tuberculated glyptosaur osteoderms were collected in an active limestone quarry in northern Berkeley County, South Carolina. The osteoderms are part of a highly diverse late Paleocene vertebrate assemblage that consists of marine, terrestrial, fluvial, and/or brackish water taxa, including chondrichthyan and osteichthyan fish, turtles (chelonioid, trionychid, pelomedusid, emydid), crocodilians, palaeopheid snakes, and a mammal. Calcareous nannofossils indicate that the fossiliferous deposit accumulated within subzone NP9a of the Thanetian Stage (late Paleocene, upper part of Clarkforkian North American Land Mammal Age [NALMA]) and is therefore temporally equivalent to the Chicora Member of the Williamsburg Formation. The composition of the paleofauna indicates that the fossiliferous deposit accumulated in a marginal marine setting that was influenced by fluvial processes (estuarine or deltaic). The discovery of South Carolina osteoderms is significant because they expand the late Paleocene geographic range of glyptosaurines eastward from the US midcontinent to the Atlantic Coastal Plain and provide one of the few North American records of these lizards inhabiting coastal habitats. This discovery also brings to light a possibility that post-Paleocene expansion of this group into Europe occurred via northeastward migration along the Atlantic coast of North America.


In this thesis I examine the relationship between knowledge and action in anaesthesia. I begin by exploring the potential of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) to guide anaesthetic practice and what implementing evidence based recommendations involves. This introduces a number of 'other' considerations that affect the course of an anaesthetic. I draw on ethnographic data of anaesthetic practice to explore how these 'other' elements contribute to shaping an anaesthetic trajectory. I consider the role of the patient who, being unconscious, can easily be overlooked. I suggest that it is the union of the patient and anaesthetic machine that affords the patient a form of agency. I then focus on the anaesthetist's work in crafting an account of a clinical situation that both renders the situation intelligible and indicates an appropriate course of action. I explore how accounts are legitimated and propose it is the legitimation of the accounts, more than their construction, which provides a lead for action. I also explore the processes that regulate the participation of Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) and anaesthetic nurses and its consequences. I argue that their involvement is stratified in line with the professional identity to which they aspire and I consider the effects this has in terms of initiating action. Finally, I examine how the tools and devices may be said to contribute to shaping anaesthetic care. I discuss how the anaesthetist develops an awareness of the form, position and configuration of both humans and devices, and how this body of 'normal appearances' serves as a resource to anticipate and identify impending difficulties. This exploration of 'acting' in anaesthesia has necessitated a reconceptualisation of agency, provoked an examination of what it means to participate, illuminated the importance of legitimation when initiating action, and I propose, it calls for the reconfiguration of professional accountability.


ABSTRACT Packaging of food products is one of the most important stages of the food supply chain. Nano-size materials for packing food substances with appropriate properties result in better packaging performance and longer food shelf-life. In this review, the application of ZnO nano-size in active packaging of foods is discussed to identify gaps in applications for food packaging and safety. First, the crystal structures and morphologies of modified ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are presented, and their synergistic effects on antimicrobial activities are discussed. This review also provides an overview of antimicrobial packaging containing ZnO NPs with a focus on preparation methods, antimicrobial mechanisms, and recent progress in packaging applications. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the primary antimicrobial mechanism, which can be varied depending on morphology and size. Generally, ZnO NPs can inactivate fungi or Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria growth, which reduce the risk of cross-contamination, thereby extending the shelf life of products. Notably, the health concerns and hazards regarding the safety and migration of ZnO NPs application are also elaborated. Unintentional migration, inhalation, skin penetration, and ingestion may result in human health hazards. Therefore, to provide safety regulations, further investigations such as case by case study are recommended.


The objective of this paper is to present an overview of topics related to one of the fundamental parameters for semiconductor lasers-the linewidth broadening factor α that describes the coupling between carrier-concentration-induced variations of real and imaginary parts of susceptibility. After introducing the definition of α and discussing its dependence on carrier concentration, photon energy, and temperature, we give a short historical summary on how the concept of α evolved over the past two decades. This is followed by a discussion of α dependence on device structure in gain-guided and subdimensional lasers (quantum wells and quantum wires). The bulk of the paper is devoted to a detailed review of laser properties influenced by α and of associated methods of estimating the value of α. Results of measurements reported to date are collected and the most reliable methods are indicated.


ASTRONOMYUTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS-- Astronomers have traditionally believed that the formation of planets would leave little or no dust around a star because all the dust would end up in planets; a disk of dust, they thought, was a sign that no planets had formed in that particular system. But researchers have now found a dust disk around 55 Cancri, a dim, sunlike star in the constellation Cancer that is thought to be accompanied by one or possibly two massive planets. Apparently, dust disks and planets are not mutually exclusive after all.


Photonic crystal slabs are able to support optical bound states in the continuum. The latter are eigenmodes of the structure that are truly guided (no radiation leakage) despite the fact that they lie above the light cone within the continuum of radiation modes. Such peculiar states can be viewed as modes with an infinite quality factor $Q$. Therefore, the question of the behavior of Fano resonances, as optogeometrical parameters are tuned close to optical bound states in the continuum, is of importance for applications of photonic crystal slabs with ultrahigh $Q$ factors. We study theoretically the reflection and transmission of a photonic crystal slab close to an optical bound state in the continuum with a phenomenological approach involving the poles and zeros of the scattering matrix. In particular, we derive a general relation valid for asymmetric structures that gives the position of a pole in the complex plane as a function of the positions of the zeros. We provide closed-form expressions for the reflection and transmission. The proposed phenomenological approach is validated through rigorous numerical calculations.


The $1/3$-$2/3$ Conjecture, originally formulated in 1968, is one of the best-known open problems in the theory of posets, stating that the balance constant (a quantity determined by the linear extensions) of any non-total order is at least $1/3$. By reinterpreting balance constants of posets in terms of convex subsets of the symmetric group, we extend the study of balance constants to convex subsets $C$ of any Coxeter group. Remarkably, we conjecture that the lower bound of $1/3$ still applies in any finite Weyl group, with new and interesting equality cases appearing.
We generalize several of the main results towards the $1/3$-$2/3$ Conjecture to this new setting: we prove our conjecture when $C$ is a weak order interval below a fully commutative element in any acyclic Coxeter group (an generalization of the case of width-two posets), we give a uniform lower bound for balance constants in all finite Weyl groups using a new generalization of order polytopes to this context, and we introduce generalized semiorders for which we resolve the conjecture.
We hope this new perspective may shed light on the proper level of generality in which to consider the $1/3$-$2/3$ Conjecture, and therefore on which methods are likely to be successful in resolving it.


Abstract Abundant and diverse dinosaur footprints have been discovered recently on bedding surfaces of the Lower Cretaceous Patuxent Formation of Maryland and Virginia. Found along with those ichnofossils is a fossil preserved partially as natural casts and partially as natural molds of a baby nodosaurid ankylosaur so small as to justify interpreting it as a hatchling. Despite the rather unusual type of preservation, the find is properly termed a body fossil and not an ichnite, per se, because it records not the action of an organism, but the body form and bone structure (including partial articulation) of a dinosaur. We here name it Propanoplosaurus marylandicus and provide a description of its diagnostic characteristics. Although actual skeletal remains referable to P. marylandicus have not been found in the Patuxent Formation, other nodosaurids recognized from skeletal remains are known from both the Lower and Upper Cretaceous strata of the Western Interior of North America and Europe. P. marylandicus represents the only diagnostic nodosaurid from the Early Cretaceous of the eastern U.S.A., provides information on growth patterns among nodosaurids, and is the first direct evidence of a dinosaur hatchling and, deductively, nesting, on the entire eastern seaboard.


Most of the time, complete adherence to prescribed medication is a big step towards recovery from either chronic or acute diseases, but patients often are unaware of the adverse effects that could arise from inconsistency in adherence. The inability of patients to adhere to prescription can affect the potency of some effective therapies known to treat many conditions, and passive compliance may result in the development of resistant to drug causing a need for treatment modification. Shockingly, more than half of the drugs prescribed for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension were found not to be taken as recommended.  Adherence is so important because it can assist clinicians in successful supervision of evidence-based treatment of patients; therefore this paper presents an overview of medication adherence, non-technology and technology-based approaches, and lessons for developing countries.


Despite several publications on venous ulcers, there is still a lack of evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to support certain treatments for patients with this disorder. Well‐designed research questions using the PICOT (Population; Intervention; Comparator; Outcome; Time‐frame) format in RCTs can improve the quality of research. The objectives of this study were to assess how the PICOT format is used to frame research questions in RCTs published on venous ulcer disease and to determine the factors associated with better adherence to the PICOT format. We conducted a systematic survey of RCTs on venous ulcers published in the PubMed database between January 2009 and May 2016. All RCTs published in English addressing therapeutic interventions for venous ulcer disease in human subjects were included. We examined whether the five elements of the PICOT format were used in formulating the research question and scored them between 0 and 5. The primary outcome of this systematic survey was the percentage of studies that adequately reported all five PICOT elements. Eighty‐five (85) RCTs were included with median PICOT score of 3 (IQR = 1.5). Four elements of PICOT were present in 28 reports (32.9%) and only 2 RCTS (2.3%) reported all the PICOT elements. Population and intervention were often appropriately described, in (70/85) 82.4% and (83/85) 97.6% of the studies, respectively; however, comparison intervention and outcome were presented in only (53/85) 62.3% and (48/85) 56.5% of studies, respectively. Very few RCTs (7.1%; 6/85) reported the study time frame. No journal or RCT characteristics were found to be significantly associated with better reporting. Use of the PICOT format to frame research questions in RCTs published on venous ulcers is suboptimal, and our study reinforces the importance of framing a good research question to improve the design of trials and quality of evidence in venous ulcer disease.


This article is concerned with the precarious employment situations of migrant youth and the supportive role of social networks. It draws on interviews conducted with 30 young migrants in Accra, Ghana. The empirical findings reveal that the precarious nature of young people's employment manifests in the uncertain nature of work, exploitation by clients and employers, as well as low and irregular income. These lead to socioeconomic hardships such as not being able to meet basic needs. The article further demonstrates how social networks strengthen young migrants' agency through the provision of financial resources that allow them to navigate hardships. However, exploitative practices are also inherent within these networks and this article exposes these, alongside thedemonstrable benefits. Provision of financial support for rural young people to further their education, enforcement of laws within the informal sector and support for migrants' networks would help improve the situation.


It is well recognized that institutional municipal portfolio managers prefer premium bonds to those selling near par. This article shows that such aversion to par bonds is justified because they are expected to underperform comparable premium or discount bonds in the near term. The extent of the underperformance depends on the shape of the yield curve and is positively correlated with the level of expected interest rate volatility. The underperformance is attributable to tax considerations. When an investor purchases a municipal bond (muni) below par, the resulting gain is taxed at maturity, and the price is depressed by the present value of the tax. This tax effect amplifies the interest rate sensitivity of discount munis. Munis selling near par are also negatively convex; the potential decline attributable to higher interest rates exceeds the increase stemming from commensurately lower rates. The underperformance of near-par munis relative to those selling at a high premium (or at a deep discount) arises from the resulting combination of extended duration and negative convexity. The changing value of tax liabilities creates a unique challenge in determining interest rate sensitivity and expected return—which conventional analytics fail to recognize. The tax-neutral analytics used in this article not only incorporate the value of future tax costs but also provide an accurate method for predicting muni price changes and investment returns. Key Findings ▪ Because of their negative convexity, municipal bonds (munis) selling near par perform poorly relative to comparable premium and discount bonds. Negative convexity arises from the so-called de minimis tax effect, which further depresses the price once it falls below par. ▪ The expected underperformance depends on the shape of the yield curve and the volatility of the interest rates. Portfolio managers whose performance is based on market prices should avoid par munis in favor of those selling at a high premium. ▪ Tax-neutral option-adjusted spread (OAS) technology is essential for the proper analysis of near-par munis; conventional OAS underestimates their duration and completely misses their negative convexity.


A field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based functional link radial basis function network (FLRBFN) control is proposed in this study to control the mover of a permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (PMLSM) servo drive system to track periodic reference trajectories. First, the dynamics of the field-oriented control PMLSM servo drive with a lumped uncertainty, which contains parameter variations, external disturbances and non-linear friction force, is derived. Then, to achieve accurate trajectory tracking performance with robustness, an intelligent control approach using FLRBFN is proposed for the field-oriented control PMLSM servo drive system. The proposed FLRBFN is a radial basis function network (RBFN) embedded with a functional link neural network (FLNN). Moreover, the on-line learning algorithm of the FLRBFN, including the connective weights, the centres and the centres' width of the receptive field functions, are derived using back-propagation (BP) method. Furthermore, an FPGA chip is adopted to implement the developed control and on-line learning algorithms for possible low-cost and high-performance industrial applications using PMLSM. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme and the robustness to parameter variations, external disturbances and friction force of the PMLSM servo drive system are verified by some experimental results.


A model reduction methodology, based on the quasi steady-state approximation (QSSA), is employed for the construction of reduced mechanisms in the case of an n-heptane/air premixed flame. Several issues related to the construction of these reduced mechanisms are discussed; such as the influence of the size of the starting skeletal mechanism, the stiffness reduction, and the truncation/simplification of (i) the expressions of the global rates and (ii) the steady-state relations. The starting point for the reduction is two skeletal mechanisms that involve 177/768 and 66/326 species/reactions, respectively [J. Prager, H.N. Najm, M. Valorani, and D.A. Goussis, Skeletal mechanism generation with CSP and validation for premixed n-heptane flames, Proc. Combust. Inst. 32 (2009), pp. 509–517] and which were derived from the detailed mechanism of Curran et al. [H.J. Curran, P. Gaffuri, W.J. Pitz, and C.K. Westbrook, A comprehensive modeling study of iso-octane oxidation, Combust. Flame 129 (2002), pp. 253–280], which involves 561/2538 species/reactions. From these two skeletal mechanisms, a number of reduced mechanisms of various sizes are produced and analysed. The validity of the reduced mechanism with the minimum size is demonstrated by considering its accuracy regarding the mass fractions of major and minor species, the temperature, and the flame speed, over a wide range of equivalence ratios and pressures.


Short-term rentals such as Airbnb have become a persistent element of today's urbanism around the globe. The impacts are manifold and differ depending on the context. In cities with a traditionally smaller accommodation market, the impacts might be particularly strong, as Airbnb contributes to ongoing touristification processes. Despite that, small and medium-sized cities have not been in the centre of research so far. This paper focuses on Santa Cruz de Tenerife as a medium-sized Spanish city. Although embedded in the touristic region of the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz is not a tourist city per se but still relies on touristification strategies. This paper aims to expand the knowledge of Airbnb's spatial patterns in this type of city. The use of data collected from web scraping and geographic information systems (GIS) demonstrates that Airbnb has opened up new tourism markets outside of the centrally established tourist accommodations. It also shows that the price gap between Airbnb and the housing rental market is broadest in neighbourhoods that had not experienced tourism before Airbnb entered the market. In the centre the highest prices and the smallest units are identified, but two peripheral quarters stand out. Anaga Mountains, a natural and rural space, has the highest numbers of Airbnb listings per capita. Suroeste, a suburban quarter, shows the highest growth rates on the rental market, which implies a linkage between Airbnb and suburbanization processes.


The present paper was treats to the thermal study of the poly-vinylphenyl dithiocarbamats triethylammonium (PVPDT) and their respective monomers. The PVPDT was prepared is polyaminostyrene by chemicals reactions, synthetic procedures for the preparation were described. The chemical structures of the polymers were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The physical properties of polymers including solution viscosity, thermal stability and thermal behaviour were studied as well. The polymer showed excellent stability. Their inherent viscosities were in the range of 0,7 – 1.0 dL/g. Thermal study of the polymers show that at the first stage of the thermolysis process, there is an elimination of the triethylamine and the carbon disulfide. The kinetic parameters of the elimination process have been evaluated using the theoretical Horowitz-Metzger method. At the second stage, the obtained monomer undergoes a polymerization according to a Zwitter-ion mechanism.


Abstract Single courses of prenatal corticosteroids have many beneficial effects including reduction in respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular hemorrhage and neonatal mortality. Postnatal corticosteroids, however, have both beneficial and harmful effects. The beneficial effects include shortened time on the ventilator and a reduction in chronic lung disease. Dexamethasone treatment started within the first 4 days of life is associated with an increased risk of abnormal neurodevelopment including cerebral palsy. Other adverse effects include metabolic disturbances, cardiac hypertrophy, reduced growth and gastrointestinal perforation. The risks of early dexamethasone treatment in currently used doses outweigh the benefits. Further research is needed to determine the optimal corticosteroid drug, its dose and timing of administration to maximize benefit and reduce risk to a minimum. Other non-drug interventions should be used to minimize the risk of chronic lung disease in very preterm infants.


The use of Y chromosome haplotypes, important for the detection of sexual crimes in forensics, has gained prominence with the use of databases that incorporate these genetic profiles in their system. Here, we optimized and validated an amplification protocol for Y chromosome profile retrieval in reference samples using lesser materials than those in commercial kits. FTA® cards (Flinders Technology Associates) were used to support the oral cells of male individuals, which were amplified directly using the SwabSolution reagent (Promega). First, we optimized and validated the process to define the volume and cycling conditions. Three reference samples and nineteen 1.2 mm-diameter perforated discs were used per sample. Amplification of one or two discs (samples) with the PowerPlex® Y23 kit (Promega) was performed using 25, 26, and 27 thermal cycles. Twenty percent, 32%, and 100% reagent volumes, one disc, and 26 cycles were used for the control per sample. Thereafter, all samples (N = 270) were amplified using 27 cycles, one disc, and 32% reagents (optimized conditions). Data was analyzed using a study of equilibrium values between fluorophore colors. In the samples analyzed with 20% volume, an imbalance was observed in peak heights, both inside and in-between each dye. In samples amplified with 32% reagents, the values obtained for the intra-color and inter-color standard balance calculations for verification of the quality of the analyzed peaks were similar to those of samples amplified with 100% of the recommended volume. The quality of the profiles obtained with 32% reagents was suitable for insertion into databases.


PURPOSE
Many people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PALS) experience speech changes, which may interfere with participation in communication situations. This study was designed to investigate the effects of aided communication on self-rated communicative participation among PALS and the relationship between speech function and communicative participation for PALS at various stages of speech impairment and communication aid use.

METHOD
Participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis completed an online questionnaire in which they identified their current communication methods, rated their speech function, and rated their communicative participation in various situations on a modified version of the Communicative Participation Item Bank short form. PALS who reported using aided communication rated their communicative participation under two conditions: with unaided communication only and with access to all of their communication methods.

RESULTS
Communication aids appeared to support communicative participation for many participants with dysarthria. Across all levels of speech function, PALS who use aided communication reported better participation under the all-methods condition than the unaided-only condition, with the largest benefits for participants with anarthria (Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale [ALSFRS-R] speech rating = 0). Communicative participation ratings worsened with more severe speech impairment under both conditions for most levels of speech function, but PALS with anarthria (ALSFRS-R speech rating = 0) reported better participation under the all-methods condition than those who used residual speech in combination with non speech methods (ALSFRS-R speech rating = 1).

CONCLUSIONS
Aided communication can help PALS continue to participate in various communication situations as their speech function deteriorates. Variability in self-rated communicative participation, even for PALS at the same level of speech function, highlights the need for an individualized approach and consideration of personal and environmental factors in augmentative and alternative communication intervention.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.22782986.


This thesis explores the role of previously acquired languages in third language (L3) acquisition, providing evidence that L3 transfer is determined by the underlying structural similarities and differences between previously acquired languages and the target L3. The analysis proposes a 'feature-based' approach to L3 transfer studies, highlighting the importance of linguistic features and the way in which they are assembled in different languages. I examine the acquisition of null and overt arguments by L1 English-L2 Spanish-L3 Chinese earners [+SP], conducting a comparative analysis with a group of L1 English-L2 non-null subject language-L3 Chinese learners [-SP]. The three languages of the [+SP] participants are not typologically related, but the L1 and L2 have similarities related to subject pronouns in the L3. Null subjects are allowed in Spanish and Chinese (although there are syntactic differences) and overt subjects behave in a similar way in English and Chinese. Therefore, transfer can occur from the L1 or L2. A Written Production Task (WPT) and a Pronoun Interpretation Task (PIT) test the use and interpretation of arguments, and a Language Relations Questionnaire (LRQ) explores the learners' perceptions of the relatedness between languages. The results show transfer from L1 English (overt pronouns) and L2 Spanish (null subjects), indicating that L3 transfer can occur from either the L1/L2, depending on the property being acquired (i.e. it is selective). Furthermore, the data shows that the [+SP] group outperform the [-SP] group with null subjects, indicating that reassembling features associated with null subjects is straightforward despite syntactic differences between the languages. In addition, learners' perceptions of language relatedness do not play an important role for typologically unrelated languages. Therefore, the study concludes that future L3 transfer studies can make more specific predictions regarding the source of transfer if linguistic features are taken into account.


We investigated how affective commitment (AC), continuance commitment (CC), and normative commitment (NC) coalesced to elicit different commitment profiles to differentially exercise their effects on voluntary turnover intentions (VTOI) among 752 information technology (IT) professionals from the Indian IT sector. The key purpose, however, of this research endeavor was to empirically examine the validity of the "two-faces" conceptualization of NC [i.e. indebted obligation and moral imperative]. The empirical findings, in this connection, first comported to the multi-dimensional nature of organizational commitment (OC) comprising the three components of AC, NC, and CC. Second, the results did not exhibit the presence of high inter-correlation between the construct AC and NC. Third, of the six identified commitment profiles, highly committed [High AC–NC–CC] profile was found to be the strongest in alleviating the VTOI among the IT professionals. VTOI was found to be the most severe in employees who belonged to the least committed [Low AC–NC–CC] profile. Fourth, as regards the construct of NC, the empirical findings of this study offered very little evidence, if any, to support the "two-faces" conceptualization of NC and comported to the idea of NC as a unidimensional construct that is driven fundamentally by introjected regulation. This is because the construct of NC was not found to alleviate VTOI among employees over and above AC, a fundamental assumption of the two-face theory. Last, the findings of this study did not reveal the existence of high NC–CC commitment profile, thereby casting doubts on whether employees even experience 'indebted-obligation' towards their respective organizations.


Deep learning based quantitative assessment of digital pathology images and understanding the underlying reasons for a specific clinical decision is challenging, and automatic histology pattern classification and tumor localization in whole-slide pathology images are critical for interpretable learning systems. In this study, we propose an end-to-end deep learning framework for automatic detection and localization of tumors directly from non-stained whole slide prostate core biopsy images (WSI). We use a previously described Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based model from our laboratory for computational Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining of native non-stained pathology images. A convolutional neural network to detect and classify tumor regions in 1024×1024 virtually stained HE pixel patches, and a concurrent deep weakly supervised (WSL) model that provides localization of predominant histologic patterns used for tumor classification without the need for pixel-level annotations are reported in this study for the first time. The end-to-end system was evaluated on a 17K hold out set of 1024×1024 non-stained patches extracted from 13 whole slide prostate biopsy images. Experimental results yielded 86.37% patch-level classification accuracy with 85.05% precision, and achieved a Dice index of 65.07±1.99 (compared to 70.24±1.86 Dice index in the U-Net reference model for pixel-level segmentation). The end-to-end deep learning framework thus automates digital pathology image workflow from tissue staining to interpretable prostate tumor classification and can be valuable for accurate grading of prostate cancer and generalized to other whole-slide image classification tasks.


Pennywort (Hydrocotyle bonariensis) is one of the most common vegetables and medicinal herbs used in Malaysia. It was believed to help in wound-healing, blood circulation, and has effects on blood pressure, tumours and depression. Most of the pennyworts used come from the wild or are imported. Lack of knowledge regarding the agronomical parameters of this plant may affect the medicinal value of the herb, cause extinction, or loss of foreign exchange in the herb trade. This study examined the effects of light intensities and fertilizers on the growth and chlorophyll content of the pennywort.
A 2x3 factorial using complete randomized block design experiment with five replicates was carried out. Thirty boxes (32 cm x 42 cm x 15 cm) of pennywort were fertilized weekly under three fertilizer conditions: organic (50 gm-2), inorganic (12.5 gm-2), and control. They were grown under moderate (542.6 μmols-1m-2) and high (1089.2 μmols-1m-2) light intensities. Results showed that leaf area was the most suitable method to determine growth. The result also exhibited that chlorophyll content in H. bonariensis was maximum in the third week of growth for all treatment. For productivity, H. bonariensis gave higher productivity compared to Centella asiatica. The most significant result was that plant in moderate light intensity was better in all growth aspects and chlorophyll content (p<0.05), except density. However, due to the bigger sized leaves, this disadvantage was negligible.
Results showed that rate of fertilizing at 50 gm-2 of organic fertilizer weekly or 12.5 gm-2 inorganic fertilizers weekly was adequate to maintain healthy growth. The experimental results indicate that both organically and inorganically fertilized plants were significantly higher in all growth aspects compared to the control plant (p<0.05). However, there were no significant effects of fertilizers on plant's chlorophyll content.


Considerations of justice have moved to a central place in planning theory following Susan Fainstein's (2010) eloquent plea to elevate justice to the principal criterion for the evaluation of planning practice. Justice based on this understanding is the object of planning -the normative end that planning practice should strive to achieve. In this essay I explore the implications for planning theory and practice of making justice the subject rather than the object of planning. This formulation places justice at the center of rather than regarding it as the outcome of practice: what is of concern here is planning as the practice of justice rather than the justice of planning practice. The question for planning in this mode shifts from 'Is this a just outcome?' to 'What is justice in this situation?'. Based on John Dewey's pragmatist philosophy, this question transcends the dualisms between subject and object, and process and outcome, by understanding outcomes as already formulated (what Dewey called ends-in-view) in the process of their production. A planning process that takes justice as its subject is anti-foundational and contextual rather than universal, anticipatory rather than retrospective, generative of solutions rather than evaluative of outcomes, culturally encompassing rather than project-delimited, and inclusively democratic rather than expert-driven. Examples from a variety of sources illustrate the practice of justice as the subject of planning.


Census data from Queensland were used to test whether or not the relationships between population and retail trade patterns derived from central place theory were applicable at the local authority level. Larger local authorities achieve higher per capita retail sales than less populous places. Proximity to larger centres reduces per capita sales. Population growth allows a local authority to capture a higher proportion of spending locally, while decline encourages and even forces people to shop elsewhere. There is a general tendency toward fewer retail firms, presumably due to technological changes in retailing, but the rate of loss is related to population change. Only places with moderate population growth show increases in firm numbers. Changes in retail sales per firm are also directly related to population change.


The ability to deliver flexible biosensors through the toughest membranes of the central and peripheral nervous system is an important challenge in neuroscience and neural engineering. Bioelectronic devices implanted through dura mater and thick epineurium would ideally create minimal compression and acute damage as they reach the neurons of interest. We demonstrate that a three-dimensional diamond shuttle can be easily made with a vertical support to deliver ultra-compliant polymer microelectrodes (4.5 μm thick) in-vivo through dura mater and thick epineurium. The diamond shuttle has 54% less cross-sectional area than an equivalently stiff silicon shuttle, which we simulated will result in a 37% reduction in blood vessel damage. We also discovered that higher frequency oscillation of the shuttle (200 Hz) significantly reduced tissue compression regardless of the insertion speed, while slow speeds also independently reduced tissue compression. Insertion and recording performance are demonstrated in rat and feline models, but the large design space of these tools are suitable for research in a variety of animal models and nervous system targets.


The faecal indicator paradigm as a risk management tool for water undertakers throughout the world has served a useful purpose for well over a century. However, new approaches to risk control and identification are emerging, principally driven by both WHO Guidelines and technological developments in analytical laboratories which offer more rapid microbial enumeration and direct pathogen analysis. Water undertakers and regulators are faced with questions which derive from this rapid development of both regulatory approaches and methodological opportunities. This leads to a series of current science debates in microbiology. Perhaps the most pressing is the relevance of parallel, total coliform and Escherichia coli analyses in the water industry and whether alternative organisms provide better risk assessment and health protection than offered by total coliform analyses. To date, enterococci, sulphite reducing Clostridium spp., Bacteriodes fragilis, Bifidobacteria spp., bacteriophages and non-microbial indicators such as faecal sterols, have been suggested. The extent to which change is justified in the context of emerging Water Safety Plan implementation is explored in this chapter.


The Belgrade-based activist group Women in Black has been for twenty years now articulating a feminist anti-war stance in an inimical socio-political climate. The operation of this anti-patriarchal and anti-militarist organization, which has resisted numerous instances of repression, has not been until now systematically approached from a social movement perspective. This paper draws upon a range of empirical methods, comprising life-story interviews, documentary analysis and participant observation, to address the question as to how it was possible for this small circle of activists to remain on the Serbian/post-Yugoslav civic scene for the last two decades. My central argument is that a consistent collective identity, which informs the group's resource mobilization and strategic options, holds the key to the surprising survival of this activist organization. I apply recent theoretical advances on collective identity to the case of the Belgrade Women in Black with the view of promoting a potentially fruitful cross-fertilization between non-Western activism and the Western conceptual apparatus for studying civic engagement.


ABSTRACT The role of rock type in controlling downstream variation in clast parameters in non-jokulhlaup-affected, Oraefi sandar in Iceland was evaluated. Clast changes in the Svinafellsa are simple, but the effects of tributary sources complicate the clast parameter-distance relationships in the Morsardalur-Kjos system. The behavior of individual rock types must be studied to understand the changes. Both selective sorting and abrasion are taking place, and the relative importance of these processes is evaluated. The volcanic rocks are rounding relatively rapidly, with variation among individual rock types, but there are no significant changes in sphericity and clast form with distance. The compressive strength of the volcanic suite is variable, and significant weathering changes must be takin place during transport from rock face to distal sandur. The influence of such weathering changes on changes in clast parameters needs further research.


Phospholipase D (PLD) catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidylcholine to the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid. Two mammalian isoforms of PLD have been identified, PLD1 and PLD2, which share 53% sequence identity and are subject to different regulatory mechanisms. Inhibition of PLD enzymatic activity leads to increased cancer cell apoptosis, decreased cancer cell invasion, and decreased metastasis of cancer cells; therefore, the development of isoform-specific, PLD inhibitors is a novel approach for the treatment of cancer. Previously, we developed potent dual PLD1/PLD2, PLD1-specific (>1700-fold selective), and moderately PLD2-preferring (>10-fold preferring) inhibitors. Here, we describe a matrix library strategy that afforded the most potent (PLD2 IC(50) = 20 nM) and selective (75-fold selective versus PLD1) PLD2 inhibitor to date, N-(2-(1-(3-fluorophenyl)-4-oxo-1,3,8-triazaspiro[4.5]decan-8-yl)ethyl)-2-naphthamide (22a), with an acceptable DMPK profile. Thus, these new isoform-selective PLD inhibitors will enable researchers to dissect the signaling roles and therapeutic potential of individual PLD isoforms to an unprecedented degree.


Nature-based tourism in protected areas, which is growing worldwide, offers much potential to enhance biodiversity conservation, poverty alleviation, and ultimately sustainable development. Understanding the evolution of protected areas as tourism destinations and the causes and consequences of changing supply and demand elements is an essential step toward sustainably managing tourism in these critical ecosystems. This research applied the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model to illustrate and analyze the 30-year evolution of tourism in Wolong Nature Reserve. Being inscribed in UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage programmes, Wolong is a flagship protected area in China. We showed that the Reserve experienced exploration, involvement, and development stages of the TALC before tourism growth was completely halted by the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008. We systematically investigated the changes related to the evolution of tourism and identified various internal and external driving forces. We examined the dynamics of politics, economy, and tourism growth that might propel the Reserve through the life cycle and identified significant tourism governance structural changes through the stages. The results have implications for sustainable tourism development in China's protected areas and also contribute to a broader and general understanding of the complex relationships between protected areas, sustainable tourism, and community development.


Economic losses as a result of natural hazards have been rising over the past few decades due to socio-economic development and perhaps climate change. This upwards trend is projected to continue, highlighting the need for adequate adaptation strategies. This raises the question of how to determine which adaptation strategies are preferred to cope with uncertain climate change impacts. This study shows how a multi-disciplinary cascade of hazard modelling, risk modelling, and a cost-benefit analysis can be applied to provide a first indicator of economically efficient adaptation strategies. We apply this approach to an analysis of flood risk and the desirability of flood protection in the state of Tabasco in Mexico, which faces severe flooding on an almost yearly basis. The results show that expected annual damage caused by coastal flooding is expected to increase from 0.53 billion USD today up to 4.12 billion USD in 2080 due to socio-economic development and climate change. For river floods, expected annual damages are estimated to increase from 1.79 billion USD up to 10.6 billion USD in 2080 if no adaptation measures are taken. Based on the estimated risk and cost-benefit analysis of installing flood protection infrastructure, we determined the economically optimal protection standards for both river and coastal floods as at least 100 years, if we take into account climate change. Our main conclusions are robust to key uncertainties about climate change impacts on flood risks, indirect damage caused by floods, the width of the protected floodplains, and the adopted social discount rate. We discuss how our multi-disciplinary approach can assist policy-makers in decisions about flood risk management, and how future research can extend our method to more refined local analyses which are needed to guide local adaptation planning. This chapter is based on: Haer, T., Botzen, W. J. W., Zavala-Hidalgo, J., Cusell, C., & J. Ward, P. (2017). Economic evaluation of climate risk adaptation strategies: Cost-benefit analysis of flood protection in Tabasco, Mexico. Atmósfera, 30(2), 101–120. doi:10.20937/ATM.2017.30.02.03


Administrative divorce is an optional divorce procedure which allows couples to bypass the court system and dissolve their marriages in a streamlined, uncontested process. The lack of court involvement renders the administrative divorce faster and less expensive than the conventional divorce. In this paper, I investigate whether the administrative divorce option affected the stability of marriages in the Netherlands. Leveraging the ban of the procedure in 2009, I show that the divorce risks were 11.6% higher under the legal regime which allowed for administrative divorce. This effect is causal, and it exhibits considerable heterogeneity, being stronger among dual-earner couples, native couples, and couples living in rural regions.


The infection by Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has high incidence with 2,7 millions cases reported in 2010. Sensitive distal peripheral neuropathy (SDPN) is the most common nervous system disease caused by HIV infection. This entity characteristically painful could be associated directly to infection: polyneuropathy distal symmetric (PDS) or secondary for antiretroviral agents neurotoxicity: neuropathy toxic antiretroviral (NTA). In order to explain its physiopathology many hypothesis are proposed; the most recent hypothesis accepted suggest a synergy level between NTA and DSP, with mechanisms inflammatory in common. Other mechanisms proposed are mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by mitochondrial polymerase gamma depletion, creatine deficit and direct viral protein toxicity, especially by glycoprotein 120. Future investigations are required for developing new therapeutics targets to manage and treat NSDP.