As device feature size continues to scale down to the nanometer regime, the decreasing critical charge fundamentally reduces noise margins of devices and in turn increases the susceptibility of the ICs to external noise sources such as particle strikes. While protection techniques for memory such as ECC are mature and effective, protections for logic errors remain imperfect. Full-blown redundancy solutions for microprocessors such as mirrored cores and triple-modular redundancy incur significant overhead and are clearly limited to the niche market of mission-critical servers. The fundamental inefficiency of such redundancy lies in the repetition of all operations to detect the discrepancy caused by events much rarer than cycle-to-cycle activities. Clearly, for the vast majority of general-purpose systems, a detection mechanism that has low standby energy consumption is called for. In this paper, we propose a circuit-level solution to detect errors by monitoring the supply rail disturbance caused by a particle strike. Combined with checkpointing and rollback support, such a circuit can provide a high level of protection against particle-strike induced soft errors. At 17%, the power overhead of the design is reasonable and much lower than prior art. The design is also tolerant to process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations.


Gene transfer of TCR αβ-chains into T cells may be a promising strategy for providing valuable T lymphocytes in the treatment of tumors and other immune-mediated disorders. We report in this study the reconstitution of CD8+ T cells by transfer of TCR αβ-chain genes derived from an infiltrating T cell into P815. Analysis of the clonal expansion and Vβ subfamily usage of CD8+ TIL in the tumor sites demonstrated that T cells using Vβ10 efficiently infiltrated and expanded clonally. The TCR α- and β-chain sequences derived from a tumor-infiltrating CD8+/Vβ10+ single T cell clone (P09-2C clone) were simultaneously determined by the RT-PCR/single-strand conformational polymorphism method and the single-cell PCR method. When P09-2C TCR αβ-chain genes were retrovirally introduced into CD8+ T cells, the reconstituted T cells positively lysed the P815 tumor cells, but not the A20, EL4, or YAC-1 cells, in vitro. In addition, the CTL activity was blocked by the anti-H2Ld mAb. Furthermore, T cells containing both TCR α- and β-chains, but not TCR β-chain alone, accumulated at the tumor-inoculated site when the reconstituted CD8+ T cells were adoptively transferred to tumor-bearing nude mice. These findings suggest that it is possible to reconstitute functional tumor-specific CD8+ T cells by transfer of TCR αβ-chain genes derived from TIL, and that such T cells might be useful as cytotoxic effector cells or as a vehicle for delivering therapeutic agents.


It is widely believed that only primitive, barter economies existed prior to the introduction of minted coin (VII century BCE). The hundreds of thousands of cuneiform tablets to which these essays refer attest that already in the third millennium BCE. The Ancient Near East and Mesopotamia in particular saw frequent economic transactions and the consistent employment of a wealth of contractual instruments. We can ascribe to that area and period the first means of payment, among which the foremost was silver. Silver was employed as a form of money; the invention of minted coin was a natural step forward in the evolution of this metal as a means of payment. In spite of this evidence, however, such scholars as the followers of Karl Polanyi on the one hand, and Powell and Foster on the other, are still divided as regards the role played by silver in the period considered. The rich source of data and the huge amount of information mentioned above however, still remains to be thoroughly investigated. Four fifths of the tablets hesides, contain administrative, accounting and legal documents which directly shed light on the economy of the time. A thorough examination, therefore, requires an interdisciplinary approach, involving economists along with assyriologists.


Russian-Ukrainian conflict as the war of meaningsModern informational war is carried out in the transformed hybrid formats. The conflict which is related to the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine demonstrates the transformation of traditional methods of information attacks and propaganda effects in hybrid war. It combines all phases of the conflict — from latent forms to open armed confrontation. Information component of the conflict is appropriated to determine as a semantic war by the theory of George Pocheptsov. The main factors of the Russian-Ukrainian war meanings based of the material of modern media discourse are analyzed at the report. Specifically, that are the confrontation of values and interpretations; figurative, symbolic and emotional components of the conflict discourse naming a semantic eff ective weapon of war; narratives role in changes in behavioral patterns, framing, transformation promotional schemes. The hybrid nature of modern informational war consists into removing the actual relevance of the traditional distinction of journalism and propaganda, in a mimicry process of manipulation and propaganda by the "discourse of truth" and in the attempt to destroy the distinction between truth and false at all phenomenon of fakes. The analysis results show high level of conflict mythologizing in media discourse and this defines a leading semantic of modern war of meanings. Mythological technology of simulacrum, the use of bricolage, collective binary and ritualized patterns of perception, fanatical blind faith are treated as the main instrument of the war of meanings.


UNLABELLED
Ligand-dependent interactions between nuclear receptors and members of a family of nuclear receptor coactivators are associated with transcriptional activation. Here we used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) as an approach for detecting and quantitating such interactions. Using the ligand binding domain (LBD) of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARgamma) as a model, known agonists (thiazolidinediones and delta12, 14-PGJ2) induced a specific interaction resulting in FRET between the fluorescently labeled LBD and fluorescently labeled coactivators [CREB-binding protein (CBP) or steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1)]. Specific energy transfer was dose dependent; individual ligands displayed distinct potency and maximal FRET profiles that were identical when results obtained using CBP vs. SRC-1 were compared. In addition, half-maximally effective agonist concentrations (EC59s) correlated well with reported results using cell-based assays. A site-directed AF2 mutant of PPARgamma (E471A) that abrogated ligand-stimulated transcription in transfected cells also failed to induce ligand-mediated FRET between PPARgamma LBD and CBP or SRC-1. Using estrogen receptor (ERalpha) as an alternative system, known agonists induced an interaction between ERalpha LBD and SRC-1, whereas ER antagonists disrupted agonist-induced interaction of ERalpha with SRC-1. In the presence of saturating agonist concentrations, unlabeled CBP or SRC-1 was used to compete with fluorescently labeled coactivators with saturation kinetics. Relative affinities for the individual receptor-coactivator pairs were determined as follows: PPARgamma-CBP = ERalpha-SRC-1 > PPARgamma-SRC-1 >> ERalpha-CBP.

CONCLUSIONS
1) FRET-based coactivator association is a novel approach for characterizing nuclear receptor agonists or antagonists; individual ligands display potencies that are predictive of in vivo effects and distinct profiles of maximal activity that are suggestive of alternative receptor conformations. 2) PPARgamma interacts with both CBP and SRC-1; transcriptional activation and coactivator association are AF2 dependent. 3) Nuclear receptor LBDs have distinct affinities for individual coactivators; thus, PPARgamma has a greater apparent affinity for CBP than for SRC-1, whereas ERalpha interacts preferentially with SRC-1 but very weakly with CBP.


Moxalactam and ampicillin sodium therapy were compared with amikacin sulfate and ampicillin therapy for meningitis due to gram-negative enteric bacilli in 63 infants enrolled in the Third Neonatal Meningitis Cooperative Study. The population characteristics and causative organisms were comparable for the two treatment groups. Cultures of CSF were positive for approximately three days in both study groups. Case-fatality rates were 23% and 15% for moxalactam-treated infants and ampicillin- and amikacin-treated infants, respectively. Developmental or neurological abnormalities were found in about 40% of survivors, and the rates were comparable for both treatment groups. Computed tomograms in 44 infants were interpreted as normal in 13 (30%); hydrocephalus, abscesses, and low-density areas were the most frequent abnormalities. We conclude that moxalactam is a suitable alternative for treatment of meningitis due to gram-negative enteric bacilli.


Background: Nowadays, peritendinous adhesions after flexor tendons surgery are still a formidable challenge. In this trial, we aim to assess the effects of oral and local tamoxifen administration in prevention of adhesions after flexor tendons surgery in rabbits.

Material and Methods: This study was performed on 40 rabbits (10 animals in each group) underwent flexor tendon incision and then randomly subdivided into four groups. Exploratory incision was done after third postoperative day for macroscopic assessment of adhesions. Finally, we compared the properties of oral and local routs of tamoxifen administration at 2.5 mg/kg/day or both of them with the control group 1.

Results: Adhesion characteristic and adhesion tenacity score was measured as the last adhesion mark. The results showed that local tamoxifen was more effective than oral tamoxifen application in prevention of adhesion formation.

Conclusion: Our present results confirm that local tamoxifen administration can reduce the postoperative flexor tendon adhesion scores significantly; thus it might have a great benefit in patient's outcome after surgery.


The effect of salinity and stocking density on the growth and survival of Barbodes gonionotus fry were studied. Experiments were carried out at the Aquaculture Research Station Puchong, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor. Parameters measured once a week were total length (cm), weight (g) and survival (%). Water quality such as dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, ammonia, nitrite and temperature were monitored once in two days prior to the water change. During the study period, fry were fed ad libitum with commercial pellets (Star Feed with 42% Crude protein), two times daily at 09:00 and 17:00 h. In the first experiment, 2 cm B. gonionotus fry were used and place in 6 glass aquarium (58x38x38 cm). Fry were cultured at three stocking densities, 3, 5 and 8 fry L-1. At the end of culture period, it was found that B. gonionotus fry stocked at 3 fry L-1 showed significantly higher (p<0.05) final weight and total length. However, stocking density of 5 fry L-1 resulted the highest percentage of survival at the end of the experimental period. In the second experiment, B. gonionotus fry were cultured in water with four different salinities, 0, 5, 10 and 15 ppt. Similarly, 2 cm fry were used and placed in 6 glass aquariums (58x38x38 cm) with 40 L water. Treatment with 15 and 20 ppt were terminated due to mass mortality between 3-7 days of exposure. As for the rest of the treatments, it was found that B. gonionotus fry cultured at 0 ppt showed significantly higher (p<0.05) final body weight and total length as compared to 5 and 10 ppt. However, by the end of the experimental period, the percentage of survival was significantly the highest at 10 ppt. This study showed that B. gonionotus fry can be stocked at 3 fry L-1 without adverse effect on its growth and survival and survive well at 10 ppt.


Aim Long QTc is associated with poor outcomes on CCU and acute stroke units. Its incidence and outcome in unselected medical admissions is unknown. A range of drug classes and electrolyte abnormalities may lead to acquired long QTc. Given the frequency with which these are encountered in medical admissions, the incidence of long QTc requires study. We have calculated the incidence of long QTc encountered in acute medical admissions. As inaccuracies in the correction formula may give misleading data, this study compared five formulas commonly used to correct QT interval duration by heart rate (HR): Bazett (B), Fridericia (Fa), Framingham (Fm), Hodges (H), Van der Water's (VdW) as a well as the automated QTc correction provided by the Welch Allyn (WA) ECG recorder. Methods 1000 records of consecutive patients admitted to acute medical wards at a tertiary teaching hospital were reviewed by two physicians. Admission ECGs were examined. QTc was calculated using the five formulas specified. The Pearson correlation coefficient (R2) was used to estimate the relationship between QTc and HR. Patient age and gender were recorded. QTc of ≥500 ms was considered significantly prolonged in both genders. ECGs with missing patient identifiers or poor trace quality were excluded. Cohen's kappa statistic, for inter-observer agreement, was made from a subgroup of 200 randomly chosen ECGs evaluated by a third observer. Results 715 ECGs were included. 356 males, 359 females. Age 61 ± 20 years (mean ± SD). Kappa inter-observer agreement was 0.65 indicating substantial agreement. Incidence of QTc ≥500 ms was 1.7% (B), 0.4% (Fa), 0.4% (Fm), 0.3% (H), 0.4% (VdW) but was 6.2% with WA. Pearson correlation between QTc and HR was 0.02 (B), 0.06 (Fa), 0.5 (Fm), 0.001 (H), 0.5 (VdW) 0.009 (WA). Conclusion The incidence of significant QT prolongation in unselected medical admissions varied by a factor of ten depending on the method used. Automated QTc software gave a far higher incidence of long QTc than manual interpretation. Framingham and Van der Water's equations show bias by HR. The clinical sequelae of long QT in unselected medical admissions needs further study.


Globally, human development has proceeded at a rapid pace for the past several decades for both terrestrial and aquatic/marine environments. Project developers, government decision-makers and the public have had little data regarding the relative values of natural resources, or losses thereof, to facilitate project – and corresponding natural resource takings/ecosystem degradation – decision-making, resulting in intrinsic, but poorly quantified, environmental degradation. Accordingly, we have found that an effective strategy for communicating the value of ecosystems and related natural resources to facilitate smart resource management is to monetize the replacement value of resource losses from development. A number of tools have been developed for monetizing resource value, including quantitative mitigation analysis to address compensating for ecosystem and related natural resource losses due to human development. Quantitative Mitigation Analysis is a methodology developed to assist project developers and regulatory agencies alike with developing or evaluating cost-effective, defensible, quantitatively based compensatory mitigation strategies for developments that result in the taking of, or diminution in quality to, habitats and related natural resources. Quantitative Mitigation Analysis quantifies loss of ecological function from proposed developments and determines the amount of mitigation required as compensation. This paper introduces and describes Quantitative Mitigation Analysis and presents a case example that demonstrates how Quantitative Mitigation Analysis may be applied to construction projects resulting in substantive habitat destruction for the benefit of project developers and the regulatory community alike.


In this paper, the position synchronization problem of robotic manipulators, in master–slave form, under a coordinated control scheme is addressed in both joint and task/operation space. The manipulators are considered fully actuated, with all system states measurable. The desired trajectory is only accessible to the master robot and information flow is only from master to slaves as opposed to the usual but restrictive assumption of cooperative synchronization scheme. Despite the parametric uncertainty in the system dynamics the proposed adaptive controllers yield asymptotic synchronization of the network in both joint and task space. Lyapunov-based arguments are applied in the stability proofs and controller design. Simulation studies performed on a two-robot manipulator network are presented to demonstrate the viability and performance of the proposed control methods.


Internationalization is one of the most important trends in retailing today. This process is not new, however has accelerated in the last two decades. It was less than 30 years ago that almost all of the world's retail firms were pure national firms with a negligible share in foreign markets. That scenario has changed dramatically. Taking a look at the top 200 global retailers, almost all players except those in the US operate in numerous countries, having established a noteworthy business capacity in foreign markets. It is observed that retailers often export their business model in new markets. Therefore they are regarded as driving forces of structural change in the agri food business. The understanding of retail internationalization is essential to the understanding of the changes in the agri food business. Investigating retail internationalization many scholars builds on the theories of the wider business internationalization literature. Other authors state that retailing is unique, therefore the business theories can not be applied. By reviewing the literature we try to overcome this tension and discuss how business internationalization theories can help to understand retail internationalization.


Abstract This article is concerned with the noticeable increase in musicians from previously disadvantaged communities (population groups who were previously disenfranchised) in South Africa who are studying, researching and performing Western art music. Because of the apparent discrepancy between the cultural and social contexts from which the musicians and the music originate, the article briefly considers the relationship between music, context and culture. African musicians' interest in Western art music should not be attributed to Western art music only now being discovered by these communities, but rather to an increase in opportunities for these musicians to formally study and research this music. This article specifically examines the rise in the involvement of African singers in opera. It provides an overview of the reasons for this rise and points out some of the challenges facing voice lecturers at tertiary institutions. Finally, the article gives some feedback on how students who had been part of the North-South-South Project experienced this opportunity to study abroad.


This paper studies how both pension systems and well-being at work can be improved to postpone retirement in European households. Option values for retirement are constructed from a pool of four countries: Finland, Belgium, Germany and Spain, all relying on public-sector mandated pensions. The pooled estimation strategy diminishes the caveats of using an existing institutional setting to examine the incentives of introducing a new pension system. Pension reforms have to implement higher pension rights accruals than what has so far been introduced in pension reforms during the 2000s.


Pituri ( Duboisia hopwoodii (F. Muell.) F. Muell.) (Solanaceae) is a narcotic shrub which grows in the parallel dune fields of the Simpson Desert of far south-western Queensland, Australia. The ethnographic literature points to an impressive scale of trade of pituri between Aboriginal groups across inland eastern Australia, and suggests total annual production of 2500-3000 kg of dried plant material. However, there has been no attempt to assess the feasibility of these figures, or investigate the number of pituri plants required to sustain such a scale of trade. We mapped the distribution and density of D. hopwoodii along four one km wide transects, totally 130 km in length. Our results suggest that the population of pituri west of the Mulligan River could number around 36,000 mature plants. Ninety randomly selected plants were measured, and the foliage of six of these was harvested and dried. Plants yielded between 0.15 and 6.68 kg of dry matter. Our 90 measured plants would have yielded around 155 kg of dried pituri . Therefore, between 1450 and 1740 plants would be required to sustain the purported level of trade and use. With knowledge of the location of dense pituri groves and highly efficient expeditions, harvesting this number of plants is feasible. However, numerous questions remain surrounding the ecological and ethnographic aspects of the pituri trade.


This paper presents the design and development of a hardware-based laboratory smart grid test-bed. This system is developed at the Energy Systems Research Laboratory, Florida International University. The hardware/software based system includes implementation of control strategies for generating stations, and power transfer to programmable loads in a laboratory scale of up to 35 kilowatts in ac power and 36 kW in renewable sources and energy storages. Appropriate software was developed to monitor all system parameters as well as operate and control the various interconnected components in varying connectivity architectures. The interconnection of alternate energy such as wind emulators, PV arrays, and fuel cell emulators are implemented, studied and integrated into this system. Educational experiences were drawn during the design and system development of this laboratory-based smart grid. The real-time operation and analysis capability provides a platform for investigation of many challenging aspects of a real smart power system. The design, development, and hardware setup of this laboratory is presented here in Part I of this paper. This includes component development, hardware implementation, and control and communication capabilities. Part II of the paper presents the implementation of the monitoring, control, and protection system of the whole setup with detailed experimental and simulation results.


Introduction Magnetic bead oesophageal sphincter augmentation device (MSAD) offers an alternative to tissue fundoplication (TF) in the management of gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). This study evaluates patient decision pathways in selecting one of these surgical options and quality of life based outcomes. Method Consecutive patients with chronic GORD who underwent surgical intervention for definitive treatment were enrolled in the study. The selection criteria for MSAD procedure included objective evidence of GORD, good oesophageal motility, absence of a large hiatus hernia and long segment Barrett's oesophagus. Pre-operative symptoms, oesophageal physiology, pre-operative and one year post-operative reflux related quality of life scores (HRQL) and the reason for selection of a surgical technique were obtained from a prospective database. Comparative analysis between the MSAD and the TF group was performed. Results A total of 80 patients were included in the study. Forty six patients were suitable for MSAD, of which 44 (96%) elected to undergo the procedure. Thirty four patients failed to meet the inclusion criteria for MSAD and underwent TF, along with 2 patients who preferred to be treated with TF despite suitability for MSAD. Distal oesophageal acid exposure was significantly higher in the TF group (DeMeester score median 52.6 [22–74]) than in the MSAD group (DeMeester score median 34.4 [16–55] (p = 0.011). The HRQL score however were similar for both groups (TF 23.9; MSAD 25.8; p = 0.55). MSAD patients felt the main reason for choosing the procedure was becasue it was less invasive,(30/44, 71%) and secondarily because they perceived it to be associated with less side effects (5/44, 11%). In the TF group 24 patients (64%) felt that the surgeon had influenced their choice of procedure, of which 22 (94%) would have chosen MSAD had they been suitable. Four patients however (11%) chose TF because it was an established procedure with extensive experience.Abstract PWE-158 Figure 1 Patient reported reasoning when preferring either LINX procedure or Tissue Fundoplication Conclusion Suitability for MSAD was found in 57.5% of patients with objective evidence of GORD. The perception that it represents a less invasive, less problematic but definitive procedure, is an attractive option for patients who may not otherwise have considered more radical surgery. There was no clear correlation with the extent of distal oesophageal acid exposure and the impact of this on patient health related quality of life, suggesting that debilitating symptoms can still occur with relatively modest degrees of reflux. The option of MSAD as a sphincter augmentation rather than a gastric reconstruction procedure may broaden the spectrum of patients willing to undergo surgical rather than medical therapy. Disclosure of interest None Declared.


Increased timidity is a behavioral response to exploitation caused by a combination of learning and fisheries-induced selection favoring shy fish. In our study, the potential for angling-induced change in fish behavior was examined in two marine coastal fishes exploited by boat recreational fishing in the Mediterranean (Mallorca, Spain). It was expected that the mean vulnerability to capture of surviving individuals would differ across a gradient of previous exposure to recreational angling and that this effect would be present in multiple species. The prediction received partial empirical support. Recreational angling intensity was correlated with enhanced gear-avoidance behavior in only one of the two study species, the carnivorous painted comber (Serranus scriba). By contrast, the omnivorous fish species in our study, the annular seabream (Diplodus annularis), did not differ in its behavior towards hooks in exploited compared with unexploited sites. These results suggest that recreational angling may contribute to patterns of hyperdepletion in catch rates because of increased timidity and associated reduced vulnerability to fishing gear in some exploited species. Such effects would lead to erroneous interpretations about the status of the fish stocks when assessed by fishery-dependent data and would negatively affect catch rates and quality of the fishery in the


This paper describes the use of the conjugate gradient method in conjunction with the finite difference method for the calculation of the propagation characteristics of TE and TM modes, including cutoff wavenumbers and field distribution, of hollow conducting waveguides of arbitrary cross sections. This method is quite fast and accurate and can be applied in a straightforward fashion for the analysis of both TE and TM modes in waveguides of arbitrary cross sections. In order to check the accuracy of this method, the new approach has been applied to compute the cutoff wavelength of a rectangular waveguide as analytical results are available for this problem. This method has also been applied to compute the first six TE and TM modes for L-shaped, single ridge, vaned rectangular, T-septate and rectangular coaxial waveguides. Comparison of accuracy is made whenever data is available. Since the conjugate gradient method is an iterative method, computer storage is 6N instead of N2 for conventional matrix method...


A polygraphic study of nocturnal sleep was conducted in 11 patients with Huntington's chorea. It was found that Stage I sleep and the phase of rapid sleep (PRS) were prolonged while delta-sleep was considerably shortened. This was accompanied by an increase in the latent periods of all stages of slow sleep and the shortening of the latent period of PRS. The patients displayed a tendency toward an increased number of sleep spindles and a considerable decrease in the delta-index. Patients with Huntington's chorea showed an increase in body movements during sleep. Dissociations were detected in polygraphic characteristics of individual phases of sleep. The reduction of delta-sleep is related to cerebral cortex atrophy while the increase in PRS is explained by neurotransmitter disturbances characteristic of this disease.


Power quality is one of major concerns in the present era. It has become important, with the introduction of sophisticated devices, whose performance is very sensitive to the quality of power supply that results in a failure of end user equipment's. One of the major problems dealt here is the voltage sag. To solve this problem, custom power devices are used. One of those devices is the Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR), which is the most efficient and effective modern custom power device used in power distribution networks. Its appeal includes lower cost, smaller size, and its fast dynamic response to the disturbance. It can provide the most commercial solution to mitigation voltage sag by injecting voltage as well as power into the system. This paper presents modeling, analysis and simulation of a Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) using MATLAB. The efficiency of the DVR depends on the performance of the efficiency control technique involved in switching the inverters. In this model a PI controller and Discrete PWM pulse generator is used.


There are described benzenesulphonylureas and -thioureas of the formula I where R(1) is H, (fluoro)methyl, R(2) is H, Hal, (fluoro)(mercapto) alkyl(oxy), E is O, S; Y is -[CR(3)2]n- where R(3) = H or alkyl and n = 1 - 4, X is H, Hal, alkyl, Z is Hal, NO2, alkyl(oxy). The compounds (I) are used for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and for the prevention of sudden heart death due to arrhythmias and can therefore be used as antiarrhythmics. They are particularly suitable for those cases in which arrhythmias are the result of constriction of a coronary vessel, such as in angina pectoris or in acute cardiac infarct.


We consider the problem of simulating linear arrays and rings on the multiply twisted cube. We introduce a new concept, the reflected link label sequence, and use it to define a generalized Gray Code (GGC). We show that GGCs can be easily used to identify Hamiltonian paths and cycles in the multiply twisted cube. We also give a method for embedding a ring of arbitrary number of nodes into the multiply twisted cube.


The histone chaperone Chromatin Assembly Factor 1 (CAF-1) deposits tetrameric (H3/H4)2 histones onto newly-synthesized DNA during DNA replication. To understand the mechanism of the tri-subunit CAF-1 complex in this process, we investigated the protein-protein interactions within the CAF-1-H3/H4 architecture using biophysical and biochemical approaches. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange and chemical cross-linking coupled to mass spectrometry reveal interactions that are essential for CAF-1 function in budding yeast, and importantly indicate that the Cac1 subunit functions as a scaffold within the CAF-1-H3/H4 complex. Cac1 alone not only binds H3/H4 with high affinity, but also promotes histone tetramerization independent of the other subunits. Moreover, we identify a minimal region in the C-terminus of Cac1, including the structured winged helix domain and glutamate/aspartate-rich domain, which is sufficient to induce (H3/H4)2 tetramerization. These findings reveal a key role of Cac1 in histone tetramerization, providing a new model for CAF-1-H3/H4 architecture and function during eukaryotic replication. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18023.001


A striking feature of microRNAs is that they are often clustered in the genomes of animals. The functional and evolutionary consequences of this clustering remain obscure. Here, we investigated a microRNA cluster miR-6/5/4/286/3/309 that is conserved across drosophilid lineages. Small RNA sequencing revealed expression of this microRNA cluster in Drosophila melanogaster leg discs, and conditional overexpression of the whole cluster resulted in leg appendage shortening. Transgenic overexpression lines expressing different combinations of microRNA cluster members were also constructed. Expression of individual microRNAs from the cluster resulted in a normal wild-type phenotype, but either the expression of several ancient microRNAs together (miR-5/4/286/3/309) or more recently evolved clustered microRNAs (miR-6-1/2/3) can recapitulate the phenotypes generated by the whole-cluster overexpression. Screening of transgenic fly lines revealed down-regulation of leg patterning gene cassettes in generation of the leg-shortening phenotype. Furthermore, cell transfection with different combinations of microRNA cluster members revealed a suite of downstream genes targeted by all cluster members, as well as complements of targets that are unique for distinct microRNAs. Considered together, the microRNA targets and the evolutionary ages of each microRNA in the cluster demonstrates the importance of microRNA clustering, where new members can reinforce and modify the selection forces on both the cluster regulation and the gene regulatory network of existing microRNAs.


Over the period 1986-1990, an intramedullary saw was used to correct length inequality, rotational and axial deformities and malunions of 17 femora in 15 patients. Interlocking intramedullary nails were inserted after the osteotomies were performed. No postoperative complications were encountered. Quadriceps function returned within 2-8 days and all osteotomies healed radiographically within 3 months. All deformities were satisfactorily corrected and all patients were pleased with the outcome. The intramedullary nails were removed in the majority one year following surgery. The authors conclude that closed intramedullary osteotomy of the femur is a safe and effective technique to correct deformities of the femur, although demanding in terms of experience and equipment.


Abstract. Waterlogging as a perennial problem is deep rooted on the urban fabrics of English Bazar Municipality. The present study pertains to vulnerability and risk assessment of flood and waterlogging susceptible areas in a micro or local scale, based on an integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process-Geographic information System (AHP-GIS) category model. For this purpose, a multi-criteria assessment of natural, quasi-natural and man-made factors have been performed. Criterion includes six parameters namely elevation, slope, soil, flow accumulation, land use land cover, density of digitized drain network which are responsible to initiate the waterlogged condition within municipality premises. The weights of all criterion are computed by pair wise comparison decision matrix (AHP). According to their weightage, information of different parameters are superimposed for a final weighted overlay analysis following a spatial modelling, under ArcGIS 10.5 platform to delineate the flood and water logging susceptible zones. The result obtained from this study indicate 11.45 %, 3.05 % and 85.49 % area of municipality corresponds with highly vulnerable, low and moderately vulnerable respectively. The major finding in the study reveals that unplanned urban expansion in the hazardous low-lying area by filling up of wetlands and depressions in association with inadequate drainage gravity provisions in the newly built-up wards (3, 23, 24 and 25) are noteworthy for resultant waterlogging condition. The present paper also aims to suggest long-term mitigation measures to be well integrated for arriving at a well drafted and implementable comprehensive drainage plan of English Bazar municipality.


In this research an extensive analysis on both grainsize and subgrain boundary density was performed. Several interesting conclusions can be drawn from this research as discussed
- Numerous subgrain boundary types can be found within the NEEM ice core. N-type typically formed by the dislocation glide on the basal plane. P-type subgrain boundaries can have multiple origins and further analysis on these boundaries might be necessary. Z-type subgrain boundaries are most likely formed due to dislocation glide on multiple glide planes to accommodate the stress.
- Grainsize is affected by the formation and evolution of a dislocation wall developing into a subgrain boundary and ultimately a new grain boundary. Data shows a decrease in grainsize in the upper hundreds of meter, despite other observation in other ice cores. A measurement flaw can be used as an explanation, since small grains formed, due to relaxation, probably were taken into account. This lowers overall the grainsizes. Another possibility is that other observations do not take into account all grains present in the ice core. Small grains can form due to rotation recrystallization that effectively reduce the grainsize.
- Subgrain boundaries tend to reflect the amount of strain in the ice core, with increasing density showing an increase in strain. At 1000-2000m depth the density becomes constant, likely caused by reaching a steady state for the subgrain boundary density. Other possibilities for the constant subgrain boundary densities can be found with stress and strain becoming more constant in the mid-level depths of the ice core. In deeper sections the density decreases due to SIBM with nucleation and strain softening occurs followed by an increase in strain rate, tertiary creep.
- Glen's flow law proposed for creep in ice is not a good description for the flow in ice. Microstructures and grainsizes are not taken into account in Glen's flow law, despite their importance in ice. Also Glen's flow law is based on secundary creep in ice and is not representative for the whole ice sheet. A new flow law must be formed in order to address the problems with grainsize, microstructures and to address flow in the whole ice sheet.


Abstract This article is the third in a series of five articles explaining the grounded theory named RESPoND: Reflection in the Education and Socialization of Practitioners: Novice Development. Participants in the grounded theory study included a cohort of audiology students, clinical faculty, and preceptors. This particular article focuses on the first of three facets that together explain the role of reflection in novice development, in the context of the RESPoND theory. This facet represents the concept of reflection as a window—for faculty, preceptor, and mentor insight—into student and novice development. The notion of reflection as a professional development approach or mechanism for learners or professional practitioners is well documented. However, there is a lack of theorization about how reflection by health professional students may present opportunities for their faculty, preceptors, and mentors to improve their educational approaches. Findings are discussed in the context of implications for audiology education. We acknowledge that these findings relate specifically to the participant cohort; however, the understanding gained from this research may nonetheless be informative to a wide audience of individuals interested in audiology education.


T he 1998 Purdue Land Values survey indicates that the value of an acre of average bare Indiana cropland was $2,155 per acre in June 1998, $55 more than the all-time peak reached in 1981. This is an increase of $158 per acre, or approximately 8 percent, over the value reported in 1997. In each of the past five years, annual increases in the value of this land have ranged from about $100 to over $200 per acre, resulting in an increase of 65 percent for the fiveyear period. Cash rents rose from 1997 to 1998 on average land by a little less than 2 percent to $112 per acre. While rents continued to move upward setting new highs, the rate of increase was significantly less than the 6-percent increase reported in 1997. The increase in cash rents for the past five years has been only 26 percent, in contrast to the 65percent increase in average land values.


For the widespread use of adhesive joints an exact and reliable prediction of the strength is mandatory. In this work, a new approach to assess the strength of single lap joints is presented. The approach is based on the hybrid criterion as postulated by Leguillon in the framework of finite fracture mechanics. It strictly combines a consideration of an energy release balance and a fulfillment of a strength criterion. The present work is based on a simple model of the joint behavior and assumptions about crack initiation. From the stress distribution of the classical shear lag theory an incremental energy release rate is derived and is used to formulate the optimization problem of the failure load. The resulting predictions of critical failure loads are compared to experimental results of single lap joints. It is shown that the new approach is able to physically describe crack formation and the corresponding critical load within the framework and limitations of the underlying assumptions and simplifications. The work closes with a discussion of the limitations and an outlook on possible improvements of the underlying models and assumptions.


Recent advances in team dynamics research suggest subgroups to be an inevitability in sport, and that their presence can have facilitative and debilitative implications at both athlete and team levels (Wagstaff & Martin, 2018). Interestingly, the relative impact that subgroups have within a team appears to revolve less around their objective presence, and more so around athletes' subjective experiences (Martin et al., 2015). As such, the purpose of this study was to advance a series of components expected to be indicative of the way that athletes perceive subgroups in sport. Using a critical realist approach, a theory-driven literature review informed a preliminary list of perceptual components that were then assessed in detail through face-to-face or virtual focus-group interviews with 28 athletes (61% female; Mage = 22.2) from a range of sports (e.g., basketball, hockey, rowing). Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, coded to identify demi-regularities, and analyzed through abduction and retroduction. The resulting proposed subgroup components include: Observability (e.g., distinctiveness), structural (e.g., variability, exclusivity), organizational orientation (e.g., citizenship behavioural tendencies), organizational representativeness (e.g., team level prototypicality of subgroup members), and affective (e.g., feelings associated with particular subgroups). These components uncover numerous ways that subgroups may be observed by athletes and could further inform our understanding of athletic experiences in sport. Indeed, whereas the traditional discourse pertaining to subgroups has involved trepidation and avoidance, the proposed components can provide a foundation for a more nuanced approach to their investigation.Acknowledgments: This research project was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Canada Graduate Scholarship for Master's Students.


We have used XMM–Newton and ground-based optical/near-infrared photometry to explore the old classical nova, and asynchronous polar V1500 Cyg. The X-ray light curve shows a single bright phase once per orbit, associated with the main accretion region. Analysis of the X-ray light curve indicates that the white dwarf spin period is now similar to the orbital period. When this inference is combined with the ground-based photometry, we find that the most probable explanation for the observed behaviour is a system that has become fully synchronized. The X-ray spectrum and luminosity of V1500 Cyg are consistent with a high state polar. The optical and near-IR light curves can partially be explained as a heavily irradiated secondary star, but exhibit strong deviations from that model. We find that the most likely explanation for the observed excesses in these light curves is cyclotron emission from distributed accretion regions, or from a multipole geometry.


For John, Jesus' exaltation on the cross and his exaltation to the Father coincide. From this perspective, a resurrection account could be missing. John adds it nevertheless in order to show the consequences of Jesus' being exalted to the Father: Jesus brings from the Father God's eschatological gifts. John uses the tradition of the earlier evangelists about the empty tomb, but in a critical way. This tradition belongs to the Synoptic Gospels as narrative texts and is influenced by early Jewish Apocalyptic and speculations about the raising of heroes of the past to God. The oldest traditions of the NT before and in Paul do not yet know this tradition.


Using the US EPA 100 office-building BASE Study dataset, they conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to quantify the relationship between indoor CO{sub 2} concentrations (dCO{sub 2}) and mucous membrane (MM) and lower respiratory system (LResp) building related symptoms, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, presence of carpet in workspace, thermal exposure, relative humidity, and a marker for entrained automobile exhaust. In addition, they tested the hypothesis that certain environmentally-mediated health conditions (e.g., allergies and asthma) confer increased susceptibility to building related symptoms within office buildings. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for statistically significant, dose-dependent associations (p < 0.05) for dry eyes, sore throat, nose/sinus congestion, and wheeze symptoms with 100 ppm increases in dCO{sub 2} ranged from 1.1 to 1.2. These results suggest that increases in the ventilation rates per person among typical office buildings will, on average, reduce the prevalence of several building related symptoms by up to 70%, even when these buildings meet the existing ASHRAE ventilation standards for office buildings. Building occupants with certain environmentally-mediated health conditions are more likely to experience building related symptoms than those without these conditions (statistically significant ORs ranged from 2 to 11).


The question is how to realize under what conditions international solidarity could be acceptable and could contribute to the truly sustainable development of the countries of the third world. What are the requirements (ethical, scientific, environmental ...) of a truly sustainable development? It will be straightforward to demonstrate that any international solidarity of a project (i.e. any multilateral or bilateral financing, etc.) that does not provide a chain of values in its execution, evidencing a clear theory of change, this international solidarity will be declared ineffective, and therefore rejected by Third World countries, since it does not guarantee in any way sustainable development, but is only capable of favoring all other evils (corruption, corruption, etc.). ...) that Dambisa Moya had to stigmatize in a book "Help fatale". Keywords: International solidarity. Sustainable development. Developing countries


: The history of the pathomorphosis teaching is outlined. The study of this problem should rest on the knowledge of general and partial causes underlying pathomorphosis, peculiar features and contribution of each of these causes and their interaction.


MELD, AChE activity was not related to PHES. Neither was the hemoglobin adjusted AChE activity in U/g hemoglobin (Hb) associated with pathological PHES results, but correlated with elevated transaminases, bilirubin and INR. Conclusion: PlasmaAChEactivitydoesnotemergeasasuitable bloodbiomarkerforthedetectionofmHEinpatientswithlivercirrhosis.Theinvestigationofappropriatebiomarkersthuscontinuesandneeds to be addressed in further studies.


We examine persistence in employment-to-population ratios in excess of that implied by persistence in aggregate labor market conditions, among less-educated individuals using state-level data for the United States. Dynamic panel regressions and local projections indicate a moderate degree of excess persistence, which dissipates within three years. We find no significant asymmetry between the excess persistence of high vs. low employment rates. The cumulative effect of excess persistence in the business cycle surrounding the 2001 recession was mildly positive, while the effect in the cycle surrounding the 2008-09 recession was decidedly negative. Simulations suggest that the lasting employment benefits of temporarily running a ?high-pressure? economy are small.


The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that 58 percent of roadway fatalities are lane departures, while 40 percent of fatalities are single-vehicle run-off-road (SVROR) crashes. Addressing lane-departure crashes is therefore a priority for national, state, and local roadway agencies. Horizontal curves are of particular interest because they have been correlated with increased crash occurrence. This toolbox was developed to assist agencies address crashes at rural curves. The main objective of this toolbox is to summarize the effectiveness of various known curve countermeasures. While education, enforcement, and policy countermeasures should also be considered, they were not included given the toolbox focuses on roadway-based countermeasures. Furthermore, the toolbox is geared toward rural two-lane curves. The research team identified countermeasures based on their own research, through a survey of the literature, and through discussions with other professionals. Coverage of curve countermeasures in this toolbox is not necessarily comprehensive. For each countermeasure covered, this toolbox includes the following information: description, application, effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages. Countermeasures covered are as follows: speed signs, chevrons, widening/adding paved shoulders, reflective barriers, high-friction treatments, raised pavement markers, edge lines, transverse pavement markings, vertical delineation, rumble strips, rumble stripes, on-pavement curve signing, flashing beacons, dynamic curve warning systems, and pavement inset lights.


Measuring martian organics and methane The Curiosity rover has been sampling on Mars for the past 5 years (see the Perspective by ten Kate). Eigenbrode et al. used two instruments in the SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) suite to catch traces of complex organics preserved in 3-billion-year-old sediments. Heating the sediments released an array of organics and volatiles reminiscent of organic-rich sedimentary rock found on Earth. Most methane on Earth is produced by biological sources, but numerous abiotic processes have been proposed to explain martian methane. Webster et al. report atmospheric measurements of methane covering 3 martian years and found that the background level varies with the local seasons. The seasonal variation provides an important clue for determining the origin of martian methane. Science, this issue p. 1096, p. 1093; see also p. 1068 The background level of methane in Mars' atmosphere varies with season, providing a clue to its origin. Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.


Interviews were obtained from 125 women with oral cavity cancer and 107 female controls to assess the role of mouthwash use as a risk factor for oral cancer in women. In addition to detailed information on mouthwash use throughout adult life, information was obtained regarding smoking, alcohol consumption, general oral hygiene practices, and occurrence of nonmalignant conditions of the oral cavity. Mouthwash use was not associated with increased oral cancer risk in terms of frequency, duration of use, dilution, or rinsing practices. Among mouthwash users, cases reported taking more mouthfuls of mouthwash at each use compared with controls. Again among mouthwash users, cases were significantly more likely than controls to give as a reason for using mouthwash "to disguise the smell of tobacco" and "to disguise the smell of alcohol," whereas similar proportions of cases and controls reported using mouthwash to "disguise the smell of onions, garlic, etc." and "to disguise breath odors due to mouth infections or dental problems." These first two reasons for using mouthwash were strongly associated with smoking and drinking, respectively, and appear to be proxies for these exposures. Smoking, drinking, having 10 or more missing teeth, and religious background (non-Jewish versus Jewish) were significantly associated with oral cancer.


Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is understudied, especially after the initial pandemic wave and in South East Asian Region. Materials and Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort of 856 hospitalized COVID-19 cases between March 26, 2021, and June 7, 2021 in India to study the spectrum of AKI in COVID-19. The primary outcome was to analyze predictors of AKI. Other secondary outcome measured was mortality in AKI. Results: The incidence of AKI was 38.1%. The incidence of hemodialysis requirement was 3.5%. The proportion of AKI I, II, and III was 80.2%, 8.2%, and 11.6%, respectively. The mortality in AKI was statistically significantly higher than in non-AKI compared to AKI. Among the laboratory markers, the highest area under the curve (AUC) in the receiver operator curve was reached for red cell distribution width [AUC = 0.77 (0.73–0.81); P < 0.01]. The predictors for AKI calculated by multivariable logistic regression model in the cohort were obesity (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.2 (1.08–9.73); P = 0.04) and baseline European Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG ≥ 3) (HR = 3.4 (1.77–6.69); P < 0.01). Similarly, the risk factors for developing AKI III included male sex (HR = 1.33 (1.05–1.68); P = 0.02) and ECOG ≥ 3 (HR = 1.5 [1.18–1.9]; P < 0.01). Conclusion: The incidence of AKI is high in hospitalized patients in the COVID-19 second wave. The mortality associated with AKI remains high. The comorbidity burden was not linked with AKI.


We evaluated the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging retrospectively in 72 patients (76 examinations). 10 examinations were normal, 2 showed normal variants, 21 inflammatory disease, 2 osteoarthritis, 7 neoplasia, 21 traumatic changes, 3 pathology in systemic disease, 5 avascular necrosis, 5 iatrogenic changes. When considering the original reports, accuracy had been 72.4%, sensitivity 75%, specificity 62.5%. After review of the hard copies several diagnoses were revised, improving the values to 86.6%, 84.4% and 100% respectively. Compared with other radiologic examinations the main advantages of magnetic resonance imaging were its high contrast resolution and the free choice of the imaging plane. The main disadvantages were the reduced spatial resolution compared to CT and the significantly worse definition of calcification and cortical bone. In conjunction with other radiologic and clinical examinations magnetic resonance imaging played an important role in the examination of avascular necrosis, inflammation, tendon pathology and neoplasia.


: The authors studied 53 patients with hysterical neurosis and 66 with hysterical neurotic development of personality. Factors contributing to an unfavourable course of neurosis and its transformation into a hysterical development were elicited; clinical variants of the formation of the hysterical neurotic personality development are described. A study was carried out aimed at comparing the functions of the serotoninergic and cholinergic systems in patients with hysterical neurosis, hysterical development and hysteroid psychopathy at the stage of decompensation. An increase in the changes in these systems in the "neurosis-development-psychopathy" series and their time-course were defined in the process of treatment. On the basis of the clinical and laboratory data, a conclusion was drawn about the advantage of treating the hysterical development with phenothiazine drugs as compared with tranquilizers.


Over the past decade public perception of GM food in China has become increasingly contentious. Concerns have emerged with regard to public health, environmental safety, and economic impacts. This paper utilizes a survey conducted in 2013 to evaluate China's urban consumers' acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for genetically modified rice. The survey was conducted in thirteen of the main rice consuming provinces of China. Responses from 994 consumers are used to estimate WTP for GM rice relative to non-GM rice. A double bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method is used to estimate consumers' WTP for GM rice products. The effect of socio-demographic characteristics of consumers on acceptance and WTP is also reported. The survey design includes different information treatments for GM rice: no specific rice trait information, environmental/producer trait information (Bt rice), consumer health trait information (Golden rice) and stacked environmental/producer plus consumer health traits information. For the three specific rice trait information treatments, the risks and benefits information were reordered for the half of the respondents. The main result of the study is that a majority of Chinese urban consumers require a large discount to be willing to pay for GM rice regardless of rice trait and information treatment. Compared to previous studies, Chinese consumers' WTP and attitudes on GM rice have become more negative.


There is a relationship between shift work and the beginning of organized life. Health services require shift work to keep activities running twenty-four hours a day. This study thus aimed to identify nursing staff shift work systems in a university hospital, evaluate health workers' perceptions of the possible effects of shift work on their health and social life, and assess workers' participation in preparing nursing schedules. In terms of materials and methods, this was an exploratory and descriptive study with a sample of 348 nursing staff members, using an appropriate questionnaire. Most were married women under 40 with at least one child, working on rotating shifts with more than fifteen-days frequency of rotation, and with neurological, psychological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular health complaints. They also reported relational problems on the job. Most of the nursing staff played a minor role in preparing nursing schedules.


Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with large aspect ratios and excellent electrical properties can enhance the killing effect of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) on tumor cells, which can improve the electrical safety of nsPEF during tumor treatment. To study the mechanism of the CNT-enhanced killing effect of a nsPEF on tumor cells, a spherical, single-cell, five-layer dielectric model containing randomly distributed CNTs was established using COMSOL and MATLAB, and then, the effects of the addition of CNTs on the electric field and the electroporation effect on the inner and outer membranes were analyzed. The results showed that CNTs can enhance the local electric field strength due to a lightning rod effect, and the closer the CNT tip was to the cell, the greater the electric field strength was around the cell. This increase in the local electric field strength near the cells enhanced the electroporation effects, including pore density, pore area, and pore flux. The simulation results presented in this paper provide theoretical guidance for subsequent development of nsPEF combined with CNTs for use in both cell and tissue experiments.


A description is given of a procedure for certifying the reliability of software before its release to users. The ingredients of this procedure are a life cycle of executable product increments, representative statistical testing, and a standard estimate of the MTTF (mean time to failure) of the product at the time of its release. The authors also discuss the development of certified software products and the derivation of a statistical model used for reliability projection. Available software test data are used to demonstrate the application of the model in certification process.


BACKGROUND
An association between systemic inflammatory markers and the presence and severity of atherosclerotic plaques has not been demonstrated in a nonselected population. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of inflammatory markers with aortic atherosclerotic plaques in a sample of the general population and in a subgroup free of clinical vascular disease.

METHODS
Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 386 subjects (median age, 66 years; 53% men). We examined the association between systemic inflammatory markers and aortic atherosclerotic plaques.

RESULTS
Aortic plaques were present in 267 subjects (69%). Plaques at least 4 and 6 mm thick and mobile debris were present in 114, 41, and 20 subjects, respectively. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level was associated with the presence of aortic plaques, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, and additional atherosclerosis risk factors. Among subjects with plaques, hs-CRP level was independently associated with plaques at least 6 mm thick; similar trends were observed for the associations of hs-CRP level with plaques at least 4 mm thick and mobile debris. In subjects with aortic plaques who were free of clinically apparent coronary artery or cerebrovascular disease, hs-CRP level was independently associated with plaques at least 6 mm thick.

CONCLUSIONS
Level of hs-CRP is independently associated with the presence and severity of aortic atherosclerotic plaques. These observations establish the association of systemic inflammation with anatomically defined atherosclerosis in the general population.


An analysis of twenty (20) Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Technologies was executed in order to investigate how
they may be applied to minimise the Cyber-Threats associated with 'undefined
requirements' pertaining to Contracts,
Litigation, Acquisitions & Procurement
(CLAP). However, our analysis concludes that only one (1) COTS Technology is
capable of achieving this objective (Testimation Technology); as demonstrated
utilising four (4) Simplified Examples. One (1) Simplified Example pertaining
to Contracts, demonstrates
Cyber-Threat minimisation by precisely & unambiguously specifying the
minimum level of Cyber-Confidence to be delivered & the maximum level of
Cyber-Risk to be tolerated. Three (3) Simplified Examples pertaining to Litigation, Acquisitions & Procurement
respectively, demonstrate Cyber-Threat minimisation by the application of a Decision Assistance Table (DAT)
generated by this COTS Technology. All four (4) Simplified Examples presented,
demonstrate how it is possible to Manage Cyber-Risk utilising a scientifically
formulated tool which has been experimentally verified to Predict & Measure
all forms of Cyber-Risk to greater than 98.07% accuracy.


Abstract. On 24 August 2006, a debris flow took place in the Moscardo Torrent, a basin of the Eastern Italian Alps instrumented for debris-flow monitoring. The debris flow was recorded by two seismic networks located in the lower part of the basin and on the alluvial fan, respectively. The event was also recorded by a pair of ultrasonic sensors installed on the fan, close to the lower seismic network. The comparison between the different recordings outlines particular features of the August 2006 debris flow, different from that of events recorded in previous years. A typical debris-flow wave was observed at the upper seismic network, with a main front abruptly appearing in the torrent, followed by a gradual decrease of flow height. On the contrary, on the alluvial fan the wave displayed an irregular pattern, with low flow depth and the main peak occurring in the central part of the surge both in the seismic recording and in the hydrographs. Recorded data and field evidences indicate that the surge observed on the alluvial fan was not a debris flow, and probably consisted in a water surge laden with fine to medium-sized sediment. The change in shape and characteristics of the wave can be ascribed to the attenuation of the surge caused by the torrent control works implemented in the lower basin during the last years.


Later stages of the product life-cycle are characterized by diminishing sales and declining prices. Especially firms with substantial product development costs, as is the case in the video game industry, are dependent on long product life-cycles to amortize initial costs. This confronts firms with the fundamental challenge of maintaining the value of their product from the consumer's perspective and thus delaying the natural price decline. We investigate whether product features that facilitate community involvement and interaction are an effective means to keep the product stimulating and relevant in the long run. Using extensive data from the PC video game market, we show that the inclusion of interactive, community-engaging features allows firms to both charge higher prices and delay the natural price decline of their product. However, for one of the investigated features we find the opposite effect, which we explain by subsequent analysis. Thereby, we gain valuable insights into the importance of robustly designed incentive systems in community-focused features. Our findings could help firms in their efforts to design attractive and economically viable products with prolonged life-cycles. Keywords: Product life-cycle; digital goods pricing; user communities; co-creation; digital gaming platforms.


In this paper, the very rapid thermal cycles imposed on an ultrafine grain steel plate were successfully simulated using a Gleeble™ simulator. The simulated heat affected zone was obtained suitable for Vickers hardness and impact toughness examination of laser weld that originally bear a narrow zone with high hardness gradient. Effect of preheat treatment on the mechanical behavior of laser HAZ was estimated. It was indicated that the simulated HAZ was composed of fine martensitic ferrite laths with average width in 65nm and 175nm in the case of preheat at 200°C and not, respectively. The laths were cramped by retained austenite film within the prior austenite grain with average size of 9.5 and 6.5μm, much less than that of base metal. The impact toughness of HAZ was improved by laser thermal cycle comparing to that of base metal, and there is no obvious brittle-ductile transition under temperatures from -80°C to 20°C. Preheat treatment of steel plate prior to laser welding resulted in an effective reduction of the maximum hardness and alleviation of the hardness gradient in the weld.


The fall of Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, like the ousting of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, will go down as the stuff of democracy promotion legend. As in any successful campaign, veterans were revered and the defeated grew bitter. Authoritarians everywhere foamed at the mouth. "There were democracy camps where the Serbs trained the Georgians!" snarled one Russian parliamentarian, perhaps made uneasy by headlines about the triumph of people power. Although such accounts heralded the victory of democracy, from the sidelines many democracy activists were secretly and silently puzzled. What did the Serb and Georgian activists do right? What are we doing wrong? What did Serbia and Georgia have going for them that, say, Russia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan do not? Serbia and Georgia offer many lessons. When specific conditions come together, we see extraordinary outcomes. The international community has enormous control over some of these conditions, and very little over others. All of them, however, must be better understood if we are to see peaceful regime change and democracy promotion at its best. Getting Supply and Demand Right The success in Georgia reaffirmed the importance of matching local activists with like-minded international democracy trainers. A very specific form of regime change has emerged from this close match between local demand and international supply. But it is unusual. Democracy training--in election observation, in the nuts and bolts of campaigns--goes on all over the world, every day, and the sort of chemistry we saw in Serbia and Georgia rarely manifests itself. I know from personal experience. In 2002 I helped bring some of the very same Serb activists who worked in Georgia to talk with human rights activists in Russia. Like in most trainings, however, the results were minimal. The Serbs, though funny, smart, and interesting, were not especially good trainers for what the Russians needed: basic training in strategic communication and public awareness campaigns. As they freely admit, they are gas on the fire only if it is already lit. So before rushing Serb or Georgian activists to the next exotic locale, democracy promoters ought to think more about supply and demand. One solution is the establishment of an international training center that could match activists from around the world. Although Freedom House has attempted such cross-border work in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, this effort should be institutionalized and adequately subsidized. The demand side is simpler. Public demand can be measured by large quantity, randomly sampled survey data, which allows donors to program dollars efficiently and helps activists on the ground speak effectively to the local population. Foreign assistance is commonly criticized as Western imperialism, driven by outsiders' interests. But when guided by survey data, assistance becomes fundamentally about responding to citizens. What do the people want? How can activists address citizens' interests? The Serb organization Otpor! did not manufacture resentment of Milosevic any more than the Georgian organization Kmara did of Shevardnadze in Georgia. They simply started listening and responding to the people. Sufficient Assistance, Consistent US Policy Democracy-promotion efforts in Georgia and Serbia were well-funded. In Serbia, estimates ranged from US$10 to $40 million over two years, and in the post-Soviet period, the United States might have spent more than a billion dollars on assistance in Georgia. The good news is that the impact of democracy promotion is especially great in less populated countries such as Georgia and Serbia. The bad news, however, is that US foreign policy is often self-contradictory, rhetorically supporting democracy promotion in regions such as the Middle East while under-funding and ignoring assaults on democratic activists elsewhere, as in Central Asia and Russia. …


Approximately one-third of expressed genes are misspliced in AML, opening the possibility that additional factors than splicing factor mutations might cause RNA missplicing in these diseases. AML cells harbor a constellation of epigenetic modifications and regularly express large amounts of WT1 transcripts. Histone acetylation/methylation and DNA CpG methylation favor either exon skipping or inclusion, mainly through interfering with RNA Pol II-mediated elongation. This can result either from the binding of various factors on Pol II or alternatively from the recruitment of DNA binding factors that create roadblocks to Pol II-induced elongation. WT1 exhibits pleiotropic effects on mRNA splicing, which mainly result from the binding properties of WT1 via its zinc fingers domains to DNA, RNA, and proteins. Through the repression of the kinase SRPK1, WT1 modifies the splicing of VEGF, which plays important roles in hematopoiesis and angiogenesis. At the protein level, WT1 interacts with the splicing factors U2AF2, WTAP, and RPM4. Therefore, AML cells appear to have acquired numerous properties known to interfere with mRNA splicing. The challenge is now to elucidate these links in order to trigger mRNA splicing at the therapeutic level.


A stochastically perturbed parameterization (SPP) approach that spatially and temporally perturbs parameters and variables in the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino planetary boundary layer scheme (PBL) and introduces initialization perturbations to soil moisture in the Rapid Update Cycle land surface model was developed within the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh convection-allowing ensemble. This work is a follow-up study to a work performed using the Rapid Refresh (RAP)-based ensemble. In the present study, the SPP approach was used to target the performance of precipitation and low-level variables (e.g., 2-m temperature and dewpoint, and 10-m wind). The stochastic kinetic energy backscatter scheme and the stochastic perturbation of physics tendencies scheme were combined with the SPP approach and applied to the PBL to target upper-level variable performance (e.g., improved skill and reliability). The three stochastic experiments (SPP applied to PBL only, SPP applied to PBL combined with SKEB and SPPT, and stochastically perturbed soil moisture initial conditions) were compared to a mixed-physics ensemble. The results showed a positive impact from initial condition soil moisture perturbations on precipitation forecasts; however, it resulted in an increase in 2-m dewpoint RMSE. The experiment with perturbed parameters within the PBL showed an improvement in low-level wind forecasts for some verification metrics. The experiment that combined the three stochastic approaches together exhibited improved RMSE and spread for upper-level variables. Our study demonstrated that, by using the SPP approach, forecasts of specific variables can be improved. Also, the results showed that using a single-physics suite ensemble with stochastic methods is potentially an attractive alternative to using multiphysics for convection allowing ensembles.


In previous work we defined the concept of x is all an agent knows about y by augmenting Levesque's logic of only-knowing with appropriate modal operators. In this paper we demonstrate how various notions of relevance can be captured within such a logic of only-knowing-about. For example, we are able to formalize what it means for a sentence to be relevant to a subject matter (set of atomic propositions) or for one atomic proposition to be relevant to another relative to some background theory. Moreover, we provide a proof theory for the logic of only-knowing-about. While we have not been able to prove completeness for the whole logic, completeness is established for the class of sentences which is used to define our various notions of relevance.


We generalize Einstein's master equation for random-walk processes by considering that the probability for a particle at position r to make a jump of length j lattice sites, Pj(r), is a functional of the particle distribution function f(r, t). By multiscale expansion, we obtain a generalized advection-diffusion equation. We show that the power law Pj(r)∝f(r)α-1 (with α>1) follows from the requirement that the generalized equation admits scaling solutions (f(r;t)=t−γϕ(r/tγ)). The solutions have a q-exponential form and are found to be in agreement with the results of Monte Carlo simulations, so providing a microscopic basis validating the nonlinear diffusion equation. Although its hydrodynamic limit is equivalent to the phenomenological porous media equation, there are extra terms which, in general, cannot be neglected as evidenced by the Monte Carlo computations.


The fact that the market is the main trading instrument influencing the development of the national economy makes it necessary to analyze the lessons of all the factors that will affect its development. Consumer markets have a significant share of daily demand.Therefore, the article analyzes the behavior of consumers of agricultural products. It describes many factors that affect consumer behavior. The study argues that consumer behavior is not only affected by price and income factors. There are dozens of external factors that affect consumer behavior. Studies show that many factors can influence consumer choices, from social factors to psychological factors. The article graphically describes consumer behavior under the influence of these factors. The article also provides information on per capita consumption and market prices of agricultural products in Azerbaijan. Proposals have been put forward to stimulate the development of consumer markets in Azerbaijan.


Epidemiological studies show an association between the concentration of ultrafine particles in the atmosphere and the rate of mortality or morbidity due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. For the quantitative assessment of the toxicity of airborne nanoparticles the dose–response relationship is tested in in vitro test systems using bioassays of cell cultures as sensor. For the air-liquid interface exposure of cell cultures towards aerosols the Karlsruhe exposure system was developed. The human lung cell cultures are exposed in VITROCELL® system modules with a constant flow of the conditioned aerosol. After exposure the cells are analyzed to measure the biological responses such as viability, inflammatory or oxidative stress. For the determination of the dose response relationship the accurate knowledge of the deposited particle mass is essential. A new online method is developed in the Karlsruhe exposure system: the sensor of a quartz crystal microbalance is placed in an exposure chamber instead of the membrane insert and exposed to the aerosol in the same way as the cell cultures. The deposited mass per area unit is monitored as a function of exposure time showing a linear relationship for a constant aerosol flow with defined particle concentration. A comparison of this new dose signal to a dosimetry method using fluorescein sodium particles shows a very good correlation between the sensor signal of the quartz crystal microbalance and the deposited mass on the membranes shown by spectroscopy. This system for the first time provides an online dose measurement for in vitro experiments with nanoparticles.


This paper presents the use of a bio-inspired method in robotics research. We discuss the Particle swarm optimization (PSO) for two ground robots: an omnidirectional rolling robot and a biped walker robot. For the wheeled robot, we studied the navigation in a flat environment with eventual obstacles. Thus, for the biped robot, we applied on the gesture of the straight walk. The PSO algorithm shows that is very tempting for contribution in the evolutionary robotics researches.


The Gebel Abu Shaar represents the southern end of a tilted fault-block consisting of Precambrian basement upon which a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate platform developed during mid-Miocene time. The Miocene sequence contains coral reefs and reef facies. Palaeozonation patterns of the Miocene coral reefs were assessed on the well-preserved outcrops of the Gebel Abu Shaar by recording both qualitative and quantitative data of reef-building assemblages. The various patterns of palaeozonation were analysed and compared at different spatial and temporal scales, including both within-reef and between-reef variations. The palaeozonal changes recorded within these fossil reefs are similar to those described from present-day living coral reefs and involve contraction or extension, fusion or splitting, replacement and omission of reef-builder zones. Depending on the scale concerned, the nature and importance of changes affecting the palaeozonation pattern vary. Spatial variations of the palaeozonal pattern appear mainly controlled by local changes of ecological conditions while temporal variations are related to regional and global environmental changes.


The purpose of the current study was to investigate how generation membership and career stage influences the incidence of workaholism. Contrary to hypothesis 1 no difference in workaholism was found across the three career stages: establishment advancement and maintenance. Hypotheses 2 and 3 were not supported as workaholism levels did not differ between the Baby Boomers Generation X and Generation Y. However additional results revealed differences on the control measure of the WART as those in the establishment and advancement career stages had higher levels of control than the maintenance stage and Generation Y had higher levels of control compared to the Baby Boomer generation. A factorial MANOVA revealed that the structure of workaholism for those in Generation Y differed from the other generations in that they reported higher levels of control and lower levels of compulsive tendencies. Practical implications include suggesting organizations establish workaholism awareness and interventions equally across all career stages and generations but provide greater support for those segments of the workforce that were found to be higher on the WART control measure.


An investigative survey approach was used to explore social aspects of recovery after childbirth and to examine changes in functional status during the first six months post-partum. In addition, this study also explored the relationship between functional status, self-esteem, social support, anxiety and satisfaction with motherhood. The sample consisted of 200 mothers selected from a culturally diverse population residing within the lllawarra and Shoalhaven Districts. These were new mothers who at the time of survey were attending Maternal Child Health Centres and Immunisation Clinics. All had experienced a healthy pregnancy, normal delivery, normal puerperium and delivered a healthy baby between 37 and 42 weeks gestation. Following full ethics approval, prospective participants were approached and provided with detailed information about the project. All ethical considerations were addressed. Questionnaires were mailed to each mother when their infant approached the age of six weeks, three months and six months of age. The questionnaire booklet contained a general demographics form, The Inventory of Functional Status After Childbirth (IFSAC) (Fawcett, Tulman, & Myers, 1998), the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile (Curry, Camplell, & Christian, 1993), the Support Behavior Inventory (Brown, 1986) and the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1983). Although functional status scores increased significantly over the first six months post-delivery, none of the respondents achieved full functional status as measured by IFSAC. A positive correlation was identified between functional status and maternal self-esteem (r = 0.2077, p = 0.013). Likewise, an inverse correlation was noted between functional status and maternal anxiety (r = -0.2900, p < 0.0001). It was also discovered that satisfaction with support received from one's partner decreased significantly during the six month survey period (t = 3.82, df 139, p < 0.0001) as did satisfaction with support from others (t = 8, df 139, p O.0001). Recovery of full functional ability for most women requires longer than physiological recovery after childbirth. Full functional status as conceptualised by Fawcett et al. (1988) and as measured by IFSAC was not reached by any of the respondents. Many factors can affect a woman's ability to assume her motherhood role and integrate that role with her past role responsibilities. Further research is required to improve our understanding of this multidimensional construct, and the complex nature of the social realities of motherhood.


This article attempts to pinpoint the interaction of Cultural Representation in Wole Soyinka's play The Lion and the Jewel. Culture can be perceived as a bunch of regular convictions that hold individuals together, these normal convictions lead to social practices, and practices that are instilled with significance. Culture is to incorporate every one of the aspects of human experience that stretch out past our actual truth, culture alludes how we comprehend ourselves both as people and as member of the society incorporates stories, religion, media, ceremonies, and even language.The Europeans colonization in African made many changes in their culture, some people thought that they are reformed by the European, but some thought that their culture was changed by them. The play sets in the village named Ilujinle in West Africa, and it has the characteristics like comedy, love, myth, folklore, dance, music, and cultural conflict between old culture and new culture, because the old culture was followed by uneducated people, they were led by Baroka and the new culture was followed by Lakunle, who works as a teacher in that village. Wole Soyinka presents the custom and traditions of Yoruba in the play The Lion and the Jewel and he created significant characters, who defends the modernity because they are deeply rooted with old custom and tradition of their culture.


The tightly regulated expression patterns of structural cell wall proteins in several plant species indicate that they play a crucial role in determining the extracellular matrix structure for specific cell types. We demonstrate that AtPRP3, a proline-rich cell wall protein in Arabidopsis, is expressed in root-hair-bearing epidermal cells at the root/shoot junction and within the root differentiation zone of light-grown seedlings. Several lines of evidence support a direct relationship between AtPRP3 expression and root hair development. AtPRP3/b-glucuronidase (GUS) expression increased in roots of transgenic seedlings treated with either 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) or a-naphthaleneacetic acid (aNAA), compounds known to promote root hair formation. In the presence of 1-a-(2-aminoethoxyvinyl)glycine (AVG), an inhibitor of ethylene biosynthesis, AtPRP3/GUS expression was strongly reduced, but could be rescued by co-addition of ACC or a-NAA to the growth medium. In addition, AtPRP3/GUS activity was enhanced in ttg and gl2 mutant backgrounds that exhibit ectopic root hairs, but was reduced in rhd6 and 35S-R root-hair-less mutant seedlings. These results indicate that AtPRP3 is regulated by developmental pathways involved in root hair formation, and are consistent with AtPRP3's contributing to cell wall structure in Arabidopsis root hairs.


The actual yields of sugar beets harvested by farmers in Poland are much below the yielding potential of currently cultivated varieties, even when grown on fertile soils. Deficiency of micronutrients can be considered as a factor which prohibits reaching a state of nutrient balance, especially in nitrogen, by a crop. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of foliar application of multi-microelement fertilizers on a sugar beet nutritional status in early stages of canopy growth and, in turn, on yields of taproots and recoverable sugar. For this purpose, in two growing seasons, 2005 and 2006, eight field trials were set up in the region of Wielkopolska on fertile soils originated from sandy loam. A simple experimental design comprised three treatments: (1) control (a plot fertilized only with NPK), and (2) multi-microelement fertilizer composed of cations (Mi), (3) cations plus boron (MiB). It has been found that the applied micronutrient fertilizers had a significant effect, irrespectively of the field location and seasonal yield variability, on the sugar beet nutritional status, especially in terms of nitrogen. Yields of taproots have increased by 31.6% and 22.1% for the NPK+Mi and NPK+MiB treatments, respectively. Almost the same degree of increase was noted for yields of recoverable sugar. The achieved nitrogen balance at the stage of harvestable part development, as measured at BBCH43, was probably the main reason for high positive response of sugar beet crop to external supply of micronutrients. All the analyzed standards of sugar beet nutritional status, DRIS indices, responded to the investigated experimental factor, i.e., foliar application of multi-microelement fertilizer, but only


This paper investigates a new spectral solution technique to accurately and efficiently predict the dynamics of laminated doubly curved structures that includes functionally graded materials (FGM). To describe the effective material properties, Mori-Tanaka method is used. The integral boundary value problem of FGM curved structures, three-dimensional (3D) elasticity equations are used together with extended Hamilton's principle. For the numerical solution, Tchebychev polynomials are used and the system matrices are calculated through the exact evaluation of differentiation and inner-product operations using the Tchebychev matrix operators. Finally, to impose the essential boundary conditions on the boundary value problem, the projection matrices approach is used; therefore the necessity of applying different basis/trial functions for each different structure and boundary conditions is eliminated. To validate and demonstrate the performance of the presented technique, various case studies are performed on laminated doubly-curved composite structures.


How significantly inter-industry wage differentials contribute to rising income inequality is an essential policy issue for transitional economies. Using regression-based inequality decomposition, this paper finds that inter-industrial wage differentials contributed increasingly to income inequality in urban China through 1988, 1995, and 2002, mainly due to rapid income growth in monopolistic industries. Factors such as region, education, ownership, occupation, and holding a second job also contribute increasingly to income inequality, while being employed the whole year and age have decreasing contributions. If China seeks to reduce urban income inequality, removing entry barriers in the labor market and breaking monopoly power in the goods market are essential policy prescriptions.


ABSTRACT Nucleophosmin (NPM) (B23) is an essential protein in mouse development and cell growth; however, it has been assigned numerous roles in very diverse cellular processes. Here, we present a unified mechanism for NPM's role in cell growth; NPM directs the nuclear export of both 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits. NPM interacts with rRNA and large and small ribosomal subunit proteins and also colocalizes with large and small ribosomal subunit proteins in the nucleolus, nucleus, and cytoplasm. The transduction of NPM shuttling-defective mutants or the loss of Npm1 inhibited the nuclear export of both the 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits, reduced the available pool of cytoplasmic polysomes, and diminished overall protein synthesis without affecting rRNA processing or ribosome assembly. While the inhibition of NPM shuttling can block cellular proliferation, the dramatic effects on ribosome export occur prior to cell cycle inhibition. Modest increases in NPM expression amplified the export of newly synthesized rRNAs, resulting in increased rates of protein synthesis and indicating that NPM is rate limiting in this pathway. These results support the idea that NPM-regulated ribosome export is a fundamental process in cell growth.


Students are exposed to various types of injuries at schools that need first aid. School-teachers are often the first individuals to witness and handle these injuries. Consequently, first aid competencies should be attained by school-teachers to save students' life. This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of first aid educational intervention on students-teachers knowledge and attitudes in the Lebanese university, faculty of education. This study was conducted on a convenient sample of 50 students-teachers. Data were obtained via questionnaire used as pre/post-test, and a survey distributed to students-teachers to test their knowledge and attitudes. Concerning their first aid knowledge, the mean of the grades in pre-test was (14.32+ 4.58) and it was improved after the educational intervention to )21.84+2.44( in the post-test. Regarding their attitudes, all the students, before and after the educational intervention, had positive attitudes towards first aid. Also, the majority of them (90%) were very satisfied at the end of the intervention. A significant improvement in students' knowledge after first aid educational intervention was seen. Moreover, students had positive feedback about the first aid educational intervention. It is recommended that first aid course be integrated in the curriculum of the faculty of education at Lebanese university.