OBJECTIVE To examine the predictive validity of MedisGroups, a widely used method of measuring severity of illness, among patients with rheumatic disease and identify determinants of hospital outcomes, after adjusting for severity of illness. METHODS Adult medical and surgical patients with rheumatic disease (5421) admitted to an academic medical center in 1988-90 were studied using a retrospective cohort design. Sociodemographic, clinical, and financial data were obtained from computerized hospital information systems. Severity of illness on admission was determined for each patient using MedisGroups, which classifies patients into groups of increasing severity. RESULTS MedisGroups admission severity groups were highly related (p < 0.001) to inhospital mortality rates, which were 0.4, 0.8, 5.1 and 16.1%, respectively among patients in 4 groups of increasing severity. Controlling for MedisGroups admission severity using logistic regression, age, admission from the emergency room, and transfer from an acute care hospital were found to be additional independent predictors of mortality. MedisGroups severity groups were also directly related (p < 0.001) to length of stay and total hospital charges. Controlling for admission severity using linear regression, length of stay, and charges were independently related to several other variables; for example, length of stay was greater for patients admitted from the emergency room or transferred from other hospitals and for nonwhites, women, and older patients. Finally, within common individual diagnoses, these factors substantially increased the amount of variance in length of stay and charges explained by MedisGroups alone. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that after adjusting for severity of illness using MedisGroups, several other easily measured variables were associated with hospital outcomes in patients with rheumatic disease. Thus, generic severity systems, such as MedisGroups, may not adequately adjust outcomes among patients with rheumatic disease. Comparative hospital data based on these systems may be subject to bias.


Rural Development policies and measures has since long been a primary aim for public policies in the EU and Greece, such that is the LEADER programme. The assessment of the performance of this policy for supporting an integrated development in a rural region in Greece is the main objective of the current study. Specifically, it is aimed to assess potential economy- wide impacts in the regional economy and capture impacts on the local output, employment and household income, employing regional Input-Output modeling. Results indicate that important impacts can be induced in the regional economy for specific sectors, despite the overall poor performance of the programme for the whole economy. The programme's performance is highly affected by the small budget and its distribution to the economy's sectors'.


The purpose of the study was to evaluate the development of Social Studies and its challenges at the Bolgatanga Technical Institute in the Upper Eat Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used in selecting the respondents for the study. In all, 285 students were selected from the Bolgatanga Technical Institute. Quantitative research approach was used in collecting and organizing data. Questionnaire was the main tool used to collect data for the study. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in which percentages, frequencies and tables were used. The study adopted the theory of attitudinal formation that focused on motivational bases for learning. The findings revealed that favourable development of Social Studies in the Bolgatanga Technical Institute has roots in utilitarian, value-expressive, and knowledge motivational bases while the opposite lies in ego-defensive bases. Research further revealed that students perceived that Social Studies is good to be studied as it broadens their intellect by enabling them acquire a lot of ideas about their society and country as a whole. However, students' attitude towards the subject is negative. It was found that some students do not attend social studies lessons while others attend classes but do not contribute in the lesson. It was also found that others hate their teachers because of how they teach the subject. As a result of students' negative attitude towards the subject their level of participation was low. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the major school factors influencing students' poor performance in Social Studies at the Bolgatanga Technical Institute emanated first, from the students' negative attitude towards the learning of the subject and second, the low level of participation from the students. Based on the findings, it was recommended that School authorities and Social Studies teachers should sensitize students on the significance of Social Studies in the school curriculum. The findings and recommendations of this study will assist teachers and other stakeholders in Social Studies to know the current perceptions of students towards the teaching and learning of Social Studies at the Bolgatanga Technical Institute.


Unpredictable flooding is a major constraint to rice production. It can occur at any growth stage. The effect of simulated flooding post-anthesis on yield and subsequent seed quality of pot-grown rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants was investigated in glasshouses and controlled-environment growth cabinets. Submergence post-anthesis (9-40 DAA) for 3 or 5 days reduced seed weight of japonica rice cv. Gleva, with considerable pre-harvest sprouting (up to 53%). The latter was greater the later in seed development and maturation that flooding occurred. Sprouted seed had poor ability to survive desiccation or germinate normally upon rehydration, whereas the effects of flooding on the subsequent air-dry seed storage longevity (p50) of the non-sprouted seed fraction was negligible. The indica rice cvs IR64 and IR64Sub1 (introgression of submergence tolerance gene Submergence1A-1) were both far more tolerant to flooding post-anthesis than cv. Gleva: four days' submergence of these two near-isogenic cultivars at 10-40 DAA resulted less than 1% sprouted seeds. The presence of the Sub1A-1 allele in cv. IR64Sub1 was verified by gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. It had no harmful effect on loss in seed viability during storage compared with IR64 in both control and flooded environments. Moreover, the germinability and changes in dormancy during seed development and maturation were very similar to IR64. The efficiency of using chemical spray to increase seed dormancy was investigated in the pre-harvest sprouting susceptible rice cv. Gleva. Foliar application of molybdenum at 100 mg L-1 reduced sprouted seeds by 15-21% following 4 days' submergence at 20-30 DAA. Analyses confirmed that the treatment did result in molybdenum uptake by the plants, and also tended to increase seed abscisic acid concentration. The latter was reduced by submergence and declined exponentially during grain ripening. The selection of submergence-tolerant varieties was more successful than application of molybdenum in reducing pre-harvest sprouting.


The nonequilibrium total dielectric function lends itself to a simple and general method for calculating the inelastic collision term in the electron Boltzmann equation for scattering from a coupled mode system. Useful applications include scattering from plasmon-polar phonon hybrid modes in modulation doped semiconductor structures. This paper presents numerical methods for including inelastic scattering at momentum-dependent hybrid phonon frequencies in the low-field Boltzmann equation for two-dimensional electrons coupled to bulk phonons. Results for electron mobility in GaAs show that the influence of mode coupling and dynamical screening on electron scattering from polar optical phonons is stronger for two dimensional electrons than was previously found for the three dimensional case.


The bacterial diseases of silkworms cause significant reductions in sericulture and result in huge economic loss. This study aimed to identify and characterize a pathogen from diseased silkworm. SW7-1, a pathogenic bacterial strain, was isolated from the diseased silkworm. The strain was identified on the basis of its bacteriological properties and 16S rRNA gene sequence. The colony was round, slightly convex, opaque, dry, and milky on a nutrient agar medium, the colony also exhibited jagged edges. SW7-1 was Gram-positive, without parasporal crystal, and 0.8–1.2 by 2.6–3.4 µm in length, resembling long rods with rounded ends. The strain was positive to most of the physiological biochemical tests used in this study. The strain could utilize glucose, sucrose, and maltose. The results of its 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that SW7-1 shared the highest sequence identity (>99%) with Bacillus cereus strain 14. The bacterial strain was highly susceptible to gentamycin, streptomycin, erythromycin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin and moderately susceptible to tetracycline and rifampicin. It exhibited resistance to other antibiotics. SW7-1 had hemolytic activity and could produce extracellular casease, lipase, and amylase. SW7-1 could reproduce septicemia-like symptoms with high mortality rate when re-fed to healthy silkworm. .The median lethal concentration (LC50) was 5.45 × 104 cfu/ml. Thus, SW7-1 was identified as B. cereus, which is a pathogen for silkworm and human infections are possible.


Unattended ground sensor (UGS) networks are intended to detect and localize the presence of strategic relocatable targets in the theater of operation over several kilometers. Passive acoustic sensors, an integral part of UGS, have achieved a high level of maturity and will allow acoustic target classification for tracked and wheeled vehicles. Of primary importance in the classification problem is the selection of a robust feature extraction technique, tolerant of both the environment and the nonstationary nature of the acoustic signatures. Several feature extraction techniques were used with experimental acoustic data collected from a small baseline, circular array. Results will be presented of the classification for acoustic features using a backpropagation neural network with simple power spectrum, harmonic line association [J. A. Robertson, IIT Research Institute, in‐house report], principal components [J. Mao and A. K. Jain, IEEE Trans. Neural Networks 6 (2) (1995)], and wavelet packet [K. Etemad and ...


Antenatal glucocorticoid has proven to be one of the most successful single therapeutic approaches for preventing serious consequences after preterm birth. The fetal compartment is protected against endogenous corticosteroid by the high endogenous 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 that converts cortisol to cortisone and by the poor responsiveness of the fetal hypothalamus to corticotropin-releasing hormone. High corticosteroid activity acutely enhances the functional maturity of the fetus. Persistently high fetal glucocorticoid activity has adverse effects on the growth and differentiation of the fetal brain and other organs. Intrauterine growth restriction may be associated with high fetal glucocorticoid activity. Antenatal glucocorticoid therapy which is aimed to be given within 1-10 days before preterm birth is likely to increase the success of postnatal noninvasive treatments of very preterm infants.


Historically, prison researchers have remained disengaged with explorations of pleasure in punishment because of the risk of romanticizing imprisonment. This risk is inherent in any discussion of pleasure experienced by prisoners. In this article, I advocate for the application of queer theory as a means of deconstructing the binary formation through which pain and pleasure in prison is understood. To do that, I explore how ex-prisoners' narratives might reveal (queer) moments of pleasure and complement existing criminological scholarship that has neglected such an issue. This exploration is framed by Foucault's theory of pleasure as a productive force that renders it akin to power: it produces an effect. In this article, I draw on Edelman's concept of "futurity" and Halberstam's "failure" to bring criminology and queer theory into a productive dialogue for the purpose of analyzing the production of narratives of pleasure by ex-prisoners. In my analysis, I use Jackson and Mazzei's "plugging in method" centered around the categories of (a) pleasure and pain, (b) pleasure and resistance, and (c) sexuality and pleasure. Drawing upon the findings, I argue that pleasure becomes a nexus of relations that exists and correlates with sexuality, power/resistance, and the feeling of pain. I conclude that a queer understanding of what is unpleasant is possible if we reconsider pleasure and pain in a spectrum as opposed to a binary formation.


Fusel oil is a side product of ethanol manufacturing process through the fermentation of molasses. Sometimes, fusel oil is accidently mixed with liquid waste from the bottom of alcohol rectifying column. This mixture is called lutter washer. Fusel oil contains isoamyl alcohol, n-amyl alcohol, and other alcohols. Isoamyl alcohol is the raw material of organic ester. Further processing is required to increase the economic value of fusel oil, such as the separation of components by distillation. In this study, the composition of isoamyl alcohol and n-amyl alcohol in the residue in the distillation process as a function of distillation time in a packing column was evaluated. An artificial waste lutter washer was used as a raw materials in this experiment. The processes were conducted using a distillation column with a cylindrical dan spherical glass packing materials. Lutter washer was distilled with total reflux until the equilibrium temperature was reached, then the data of the experiment was taken during 180 minutes at the condition of reflux at 5/5 (5 minutes distillate was returned to the tower and 5 minutes distillate was collected). The composition of the distillation residue were evaluated at interval time of 30 minutes. The same processes were evaluated using different heights of packing materials. The data show that the highest composition of isoamyl alcohol and n-amyl alcohol are 21.99% and 3.70% of the 15 mL total residue, respectively. It is obtained in the distillation process that used the packing materials with ball shape, the column with 85 cm of height and 3.5 cm of diameter.


Chronic hypertension caused by unilateral constriction of the renal artery in the presence of the opposite untouched kidney can be produced in the dog by progressive plication of the renal artery over a period of several hours. Twenty-three female dogs were studied. Mean arterial blood pressure was measured in the unanesthetized recumbent dog by direct puncture of the femoral artery. Reproducible control blood pressure readings were obtained only after daily training of the animals for at least 2 months. Mean arterial blood pressure for the whole group of animals was 98.25 ± 7.45 (SD) mm Hg prior to constriction. Three months after constriction, the mean arterial blood pressure of the group of dogs with a 50−63% reduction in renal blood flow was 132.4 ± 5.51 (SD) mm Hg (P < 0.001); for the group with a 78−86% reduction in renal blood flow it was 144.68 ± 10.68 (SD) mm Hg (P < 0.001). Six dogs from these two groups underwent ipsilateral nephrectomies 4−16 months after constriction, and their elevated arterial blood pressures returned to preconstriction normal values. It was concluded that this type of experimental hypertension in the dog is renal dependent in both the acute and the chronic stages.


The mining production systems, both for underground and open pit extraction consist mainly in a string of equipment starting with the winning equipment (shearer loader, in case of underground longwall mining or bucket wheel excavator in case of open pit mining), hauling equipment (armored face conveyor in longwall mining or the on-board belt conveyor in case of excavators), main conveying equipment (belt conveyor in both cases), transfer devices, stock pile or bunker feeding equipment. This system of mainly serially connected elements is characterized by the throughput (overall amount of bulk coal respectively overburden rock produced), which is dependent on the functioning state of each involved equipment, and is strongly affected also by the process inherent variability due to the randomness of the involved processes (e.g. the cutting properties of the rock). In order to model and simulate such production systems, some probabilistic methods are applied arising from the artificial intelligence approach, involving unit operations and equipment, as the overall system as a whole, namely the Monte Carlo simulation, neural networks, fuzzy systems, and the Load Strength Interference methods. The results obtained are convergent and offer the opportunity for further developments of their application in the study of mining production systems.


We evaluate the effect of differences in child care and food environments on obesity among children in the age group of four to six years. To address non-random selection of children into different child care settings, we first predict market price of child care and market wages, and then examine how these affect choice of child care settings and the amount of time children spend in different settings. Using panel data models, we analyze the role of care settings on frequency of consumption of different types of food items, such as soda, fast food, fruits, vegetables, and juice. Finally, we analyze the effect of food choices on obesity status, with and without controlling for child care environment. We analyze two types of households – single mother households and two-parent households. We find some notable differences in consumption of different types of high-calorie and low-calorie food items across different care settings. Further, higher consumptions of soda and fast food are associated with higher obesity rates among children in single mother households, while higher consumption of 100% juice is associated with higher rates of obesity and higher consumption of vegetables is associated with lower likelihood of obesity among children in two-parent households.


Hardly more than a decade old, the twenty-first century has already been dubbed the Asian Century in recognition of China and India s increasing importance in world affairs. Yet discussions of Asia seem fixated on economic indicators gross national product, per capita income, share of global trade. Makers of Modern Asia "reorients our understanding of contemporary Asia by highlighting the political leaders, not billionaire businessmen, who helped launch the Asian Century.The nationalists who crafted modern Asia were as much thinkers as activists, men and women who theorized and organized anticolonial movements, strategized and directed military campaigns, and designed and implemented political systems. The eleven thinker-politicians whose portraits are presented here were a mix of communists, capitalists, liberals, authoritarians, and proto-theocrats a group as diverse as the countries they represent.From China, the world s most populous country, come four: Mao Zedong, leader of the Communist Revolution; Zhou Enlai, his close confidant; Deng Xiaoping, purged by Mao but rehabilitated to play a critical role in Chinese politics in later years; and Chiang Kai-shek, whose Kuomintang party formed the basis of modern Taiwan. From India, the world s largest democracy, come three: Mohandas Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi, all of whom played crucial roles in guiding India toward independence and prosperity. Other exemplary nationalists include Vietnam s Ho Chi Minh, Indonesia s Sukarno, Singapore s Lee Kuan Yew, and Pakistan s Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. With contributions from leading scholars, Makers of Modern Asia" illuminates the intellectual and ideological foundations of Asia s spectacular rise to global prominence."


Arguably, the current interest in the complexity sciences has its roots in the natural sciences, often in interplay with, and enhanced by, developments in mathematics and informatics. An oft-cited reason for this interest has been the increased ability of current computing systems to deal with complex mathematics and algorithms. As complexity gains more traction in the natural sciences, so it does in the social sciences (see e.g. Castellani, 2009). Naturally, complexity has also invaded the evaluation literature since the 1990s, where it is increasingly discussed and applied (cf. Walton, 2014). For instance, the journal Evaluation has recently published a steady number of complexity-related pieces. A search within the journal on the terms 'complexity theory', 'complex system' or 'complexity science' yielded forty-nine articles as part of an increasing trend. Inquiries with Scopus into complexity and evaluation yielded similar results. In this article, we take stock of recent progress and discuss what complexity holds for evaluation by discussing three recent books.


Understanding how severe wildfires influence faunal movement is essential for predicting how changes in fire regimes will affect ecosystems. We examined the effects of fire severity distribution on spatial and temporal variation in movement of an Australian arboreal mammal, the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus cunninghami). We used GPS telemetry to characterise the movements of 18 possums in landscapes burnt to differing extents by a large wildfire. We identified a temporal change in movement patterns in response to fire. In unburnt landscapes, individuals moved greater distances early and late in the night and had less overlap in the areas used for foraging and denning, than in high-severity burnt landscapes. Habitat selection was dependent on the spatial context of fire in the surrounding landscape. Forest recently burnt at high severity may provide suitable habitat for species such as the mountain brushtail possum, if protected from subsequent disturbance, such as salvage logging. However, spatial and temporal patterns of habitat use and selection differ considerably between burnt and undisturbed landscapes. The spatial outcomes of ecological disturbances such as wildfires have the potential to alter the behaviour and functional roles of fauna across large areas.


With single- and multi-segment market data, this paper used a heteroskedasticity-adjusted instrumental variable technique to explore the determinants of air passenger service. The results showed that price played a more prominent role than income in both single- and multi-segment markets. The results further indicated that demand of air passengers is price elastic and rises as distance increases. We found evidence that population, tourism, and business factors were significant predictors of demand. Tourism has a larger impact than the local Professional Scientific Technical (PST) industry earnings on airline demand in single-segment markets, while the inverse relationship is found in multi-segment markets. Based on these results, policymakers should focus on continuation, growth, and improvement of their air transportation infrastructure in metropolitan areas that have a high demand for business travel as well as vacation travel.


The study was conducted to determine the effects of lack of a government high school for girls in Kapiri Mposhi district. The district has many basic schools but only two mission secondary schools with very limited enrolments, namely; St. Pauls to the east and Mpunde to the west. Despite its central position in the economy of the country, Kapiri Mposhi district Central Business District (CBD) has had no government high school where most girls could go. The study, therefore, sought to establish the effects of the lack of a government high school in the district on the education of girls. The study was a survey where data was collected using a questionnaire, interviews and observations. Quantitative data was analysed using frequency distribution tables and percentages while qualitative data was coded and grouped into emerging themes. The major findings of the study were that there were more girls (53%) than boys enrolled in grade nine and since there was no government high school in Kapiri Mposhi district, pupils who qualified to grade ten had to go to Kabwe urban schools as day scholars or to boarding schools outside the district. This greatly affected girls' access to and continuation of education. Many girls, unlike their boys counterparts, could not take up places in Kabwe urban for fear of being abused. Access to boarding schools outside the district was highly competitive for pupils, especially girls whose cut-off point was usually lower than that of boys. Most girls failed to proceed beyond junior secondary level due to non availability of high school places in the district. There were no alternative education facilities for girls in Kapiri Mposhi district, save for evening (GCE) classes at Lukomba basic school. As a result, girls could not continue with their education and efforts to encourage them were futile amidst the existing challenges. The consequences were high levels of vulnerability such as early marriages, substance abuse, exposure to the HIV/AIDS scourge and limited participation in development activities by girls and women. The study concluded that girl children were disadvantaged by the absence of government high schools to enable them realise their educational pursuits in Kapiri Mposhi district. This exposed the girls to various forms of abuse and denying them the right to educational advancement opportunities, which is at variance with the national goals of education and development. The study, therefore, recommended that the government should build high schools in the CBD of Kapiri Mposhi to enable most girls continue with their education. Further, it was recommended that the government should set up alternative education centres, such as GCE classes, skills training centres and women clubs to empower girls with appropriate knowledge and skills necessary for national development. Background Kapiri Mposhi town lies 60 kilometres north of Kabwe town, the provincial headquarters of the Central province of Zambia, at the junction of the Great North road and the Lusaka-Ndola road. It is a railway junction town of the Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA) and the Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ), making it a gateway to the Northern province of Zambia and East Africa. ZAMBIA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION 2013, Volume 4, Number 1


In patients with Niemann–Pick disease type C (NPC), an autosomal recessive lipid storage disorder, neurodegeneration can occur in early life. Vertical ophthalmoplegia and extrapyramidal signs may be seen. Cholestatic jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly occur frequently in patients with early onset disease, with bone marrow biopsies showing diffuse infiltration of foamy histiocytes. Cholesterol esterification in skin fibroblasts is reduced, resulting in intracellular accumulation of cholesterol. NPC1 mutations are responsible for the disease in ,95% of patients. NPC1 encodes a 1278 amino acid protein which contains 13 transmembrane domains. Over 130 mutations have been identified in NPC1, with over a third present within an NPC1 specific cysteine-rich domain positioned in a large extracellular loop. It has been proposed that the defect in cholesterol homoeostasis is the cause of neuronal apoptosis, but the precise role of the NPC1 protein and the functional implications of its mutations remain unknown. Although NPC is routinely diagnosed by biochemical analysis, identification of molecular defects helps confirm the diagnosis and enables family studies, and rapid, accurate prenatal diagnosis. This report describe the analysis of the NPC1 gene in five Taiwanese/Chinese patients with NPC. Six novel NPC1 mutations (N968S, G1015V, G1034R, V1212L, S738Stop, and I635fs) were identified of which three are missense mutations located in the cysteine-rich domain. These are the first NPC1 mutations reported from Chinese patients with NPC.


: Small excision wounds were made in the parietooccipital cortex of adult mice, and in some of the animals a variety of fetal and adult tissues were implanted into the defect. The response of the oligodendrocytes to trauma and implantation was studied autoradiographically and immunohistochemically and compared to that seen in other glia. The results following trauma alone resembled those seen following implantation. Within 3 days of the surgery a marked proliferative response was seen in mature oligodendrocytes, as judged by uptake of tritiated thymidine in the nuclei, both around the wound and at distant sites extending even into the opposite hemisphere. Labeled astrocytes, microglia (macrophages), and endothelial cells were also found in the same distribution. Immunohistochemical examination using the myelin proteins, myelin basic protein and myelin-associated glycoprotein, failed to show any difference in staining characteristics from normal, in contrast to the marked increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein accompanying the division of astrocytes. The results of this experiment demonstrate that mature oligodendrocytes can proliferate and undergo mitosis in response to nonspecific damage to the central nervous system, in a manner similar to that seen with other glia. This response is, however, not linked to a nonspecific production of myelin proteins, which obviously require some other stimulus for their production.


Learning Objectives: After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Discuss the key points in diagnosing lymphedema. 2. Understand the imaging modalities that facilitate diagnosis and surgical planning. 3. Appreciate the indications for both physiologic and ablative procedures. 4. Recognize the potential role of lymphaticovenular anastomosis and vascularized lymph node transfer in the treatment of patients with lymphedema. Summary: Lymphedema is an incurable disease caused by insufficient lymphatic drainage leading to abnormal accumulation of interstitial fluid within the soft tissues. Although this condition may result from a primary structural defect of the lymphatic system, most cases in developed countries are secondary to iatrogenic causes. The diagnosis of lymphedema can be made readily by performing a clinical history and physical examination and may be confirmed by imaging studies such as lymphoscintigraphy, magnetic resonance lymphangiography, or indocyanine green lymphangiography. Nonsurgical treatment continues to be the mainstay of lymphedema management. However, advances in microsurgical techniques have revolutionized surgical options for treating lymphedema, and emerging evidence suggests that reconstructive methods may be performed to restore lymphatic flow. Procedures such as lymphaticovenular anastomosis and vascularized lymph node transfer can potentially offer a more permanent solution to chronic lymphedema, and initial studies have demonstrated promising results.


The primary role of Actin-Depolymerizing Factors (ADFs) is to sever filamentous actin, generating pointed ends, which in turn are incorporated into newly formed filaments, thus supporting stochastic actin dynamics. Arabidopsis ADF4 was recently shown to be required for the activation of resistance in Arabidopsis following infection with the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst) expressing the effector protein AvrPphB. Herein, we demonstrate that the expression of RPS5, the cognate resistance protein of AvrPphB, was dramatically reduced in the adf4 mutant, suggesting a link between actin cytoskeletal dynamics and the transcriptional regulation of R-protein activation. By examining the PTI (PAMP Triggered Immunity) response in the adf4 mutant when challenged with Pst expressing AvrPphB, we observed a significant reduction in the expression of the PTI-specific target gene FRK1 (Flg22-Induced Receptor Kinase 1). These data are in agreement with recent observations demonstrating a requirement for RPS5 in PTI-signaling in the presence of AvrPphB. Furthermore, MAPK (Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase)-signaling was significantly reduced in the adf4 mutant, while no such reduction was observed in the rps5-1 point mutation under similar conditions. Isoelectric focusing confirmed phosphorylation of ADF4 at serine-6, and additional in planta analyses of ADF4's role in immune signaling demonstrates that nuclear localization is phosphorylation independent, while localization to the actin cytoskeleton is linked to ADF4 phosphorylation. Taken together, these data suggest a novel role for ADF4 in controlling gene-for-gene resistance activation, as well as MAPK-signaling, via the coordinated regulation of actin cytoskeletal dynamics and R-gene transcription.


The current cross-sectional study examined the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) household isolation on household conflict and cohesion in one-, two-, and three-generation households with older adults (aged ≥65 years). Participants were 757 adults (aged ≥18 years) with at least one older adult in their household. Respondents were from 51 countries. Study variables were measured with the COVID-19 Household Environmental Scale. Non-parametric tests were used to assess differences between groups. Most participants (n = 437, 57.7%) lived in three-generation homes. Three-generation homes reported greater increases in conflict (p < 0.001) and cohesion (p < 0.001) during household isolation compared to oneand two-generation homes. Findings suggest that older adults living in multigenerational households experienced more cohesive and conflictive household environments as a function of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research should explore how family or health care interventions could better support older adults and families as a unit of care to avoid adverse outcomes and boost resilience. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(4), 47-56.].


An explicit description of the convex hull of solutions to the uncapacitated lot-sizing problem with backlogging, in its natural space of production, setup, inventory and backlogging variables, has been an open question for many years. In this paper, we identify valid inequalities that subsume all previously known valid inequalities for this problem. We show that these inequalities are enough to describe the convex hull of solutions. We give polynomial separation algorithms for some special cases. Finally, we report a summary of computational experiments with our inequalities that illustrates their effectiveness.


Starting from the work of Stephen Greenblatt and Pierre Bourdieu, this essay studies narrative production and interpretation as an interplay between sociocultural templates and individual dispositions. Such an interplay installs various relations between the objective and the subjective, the general and the individual. Some of these relations are culturally sanctioned, others are invalidated. The present article investigates the thin line between acceptable and unacceptable narrative productions and interpretations by focusing on paranoia narratives. To Umberto Eco, such narratives exaggerate the relations they install between various semantic and sociocultural fields. However, the paranoia narratives written by Thomas Pynchon and Antonio Lobo Antunes show that these so-called exaggerations may be indispensable rhetorical devices (based on metaphorization) to grasp the Real lurking beneath superficial sociocultural presentations and cliches. Both narratives present a critique of these cliches and propose an alternative view on truth, logic, and knowledge.


Background According to RELESSER (Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry) data, bacteremia is the main cause of death by infection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the available information about this severe infection in SLE patients remains scarce. Methods Retrospective, nested case-control study of SLE patients (ACR-97 criteria) with at least one bacteremic episode and random controls from RELESSER Registry. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis (logistic regression) Results 114 bacteremic episodes in 83 patients were recorded. Incidence rate: 2,7/ 1,000 patient-years (n total: 3658). At the time of the bacteremia: median age: 40.5 (8–90) years, 88.6% female, disease duration: 9.7 (IR16.7), median SELENA-SLEDAI: 4 (IR8), 66% with severe flare (SFI criteria), active nephritis: 16.7%, median SLICC/ACR DI: 3 (IR4), any comorbidity: 64% (McCabe-Jackson criteria: 28.1% rapidly or ultimately fatal), more frequently renal failure (15.8%) or diabetes (11.4%). SLE treatment at the time of bacteraemia: 88.6% corticosteroids (68,6%>10mg/day), 57% immunosuppressors (mycophenolate 17.5% and cyclophosphamide 12.3%), 27% antimalarials. 44.7% suffered invasive procedures, more frequently intravascular catheter (24.6%). The bacteremia was nosocomial in 35.1% and the source was more frequently urinary (27.2%). 64% developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome and 35% needed intensive care unit admission, with multiorganic failure in 22.8%. The most frequent microorganism was E.coli (29.8%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (16.7%) (22% methicillin-resistant) and Salmonella spp. (10.5%). 16% of the gram-negative enteric bacilli were extended-spectrum b-lactamase positive. 17.5% were multidrug resistant. 68,4% started the antibiotherapy before blood culture results, resulting finally active in susceptibility testing in 56 cases (71.8%), indicating an appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy in 49%. The bacteremia-related mortality was 14%. The risk of death was higher in patients with severe sepsis (Pitt index >8) (OR: 13 (IC95%: 3.71–45.17). The bacteremia was recurrent in 26.3%. Associations with bacteremia in bivariate analysis (114 bacteremias vs 688 controls) are shown in Table 1. Antimalarials were protective. In the multivariate analysis (adjusted for disease duration), only elevated creatinine (OR 1.31 (95% CI 1.01–1.70), p=0.045), diabetes (OR 6.01 (95% CI 2.26–15.95), p=0.000), cancer (OR 5.32 (95% CI 2.23–12.70), p=0.000), immunosuppressors (OR 6.35 (95% CI 3.42–11.77), p=0.000), cyclophosphamide (OR 9.37 (95% CI 5.12–17.14), p=0.000) and SLICC/ACR DI (OR 1.65 (95% CI 1.31–2.09), p=0.000) remained statistically significant. Conclusions Bacteremia occurred mostly in active SLE, frequently in the context of a severe flare. Gram negative bacilli predominated, with high rate of multidrug resistance. The empiric treatment was inappropriate in a half of the cases. The recurrence and mortality were high. Immunosuppressors use, comorbidity and damage were all associated to bacteraemia. Disclosure of Interest None declared


. Rabbits (n = 11) were fitted with large PMMA lenses to completely occlude the cornea and the anterior chamber lactate measured. The corneal epithelium was examined by light microscopy. The time period was 12 h. The results were compared with other authors' finding. There was a similarity of findings. The levels of lactate were found to have increased and the epithelium though edematous not stripped off. An individual response appeared to be the reason for the large variation in the individual findings.


A cross-sectional epidemiologic study associating air quality with swine health was conducted on 28 swine farms in southern Sweden. Correlation of housing air environment to swine diseases and productivity (data collected over the preceding 12 months) were investigated. The most prevalent swine health problems detected at slaughter were pneumonia and pleuritis. In farrowing and nursery operations, the most prevalent problem was neonatal pig mortality. Several air contaminants (dust, ammonia carbon dioxide, and microbes) were found to be correlated with these swine health problems. Maximal safe concentrations of air contaminants were estimated on the basis of dose-response correlation to swine health or human health problems. Recommended maximal concentrations of contaminant were: dust, 2.4 mg/m3; ammonia, 7 ppm; endotoxin, 0.08 mg/m3; total microbes, 10(5) colony-forming units/m3; and carbon dioxide, 1,540 ppm. The overall quality of the ventilation system was correlated with lower concentration of ammonia, carbon dioxide, microorganisms, and endotoxin, but not with dust concentrations. High animal density was related to high ammonia and air microbe concentrations. Animal density measured as kilograms of swine per cubic meter (compared with kilograms of pig weight or swine per square meter) had the highest correlation to animal health and air contaminants.


In this research, we examine the hypothesis that gender disparities in international research collaboration differ by collaboration intensity, academic position, age, and academic discipline. The following are the major findings: (1) while female scientists exhibit a higher rate of general, national, and institutional collaboration, male scientists exhibit a higher rate of international collaboration, a finding critically important in explaining gender disparities in impact, productivity, and access to large grants. (2) An aggregated picture of gender disparities hides a more nuanced cross-disciplinary picture of them. (3) An analysis of international research collaboration at three separate intensity levels (low, medium, and high) reveals that male scientists dominate in international collaboration at each level. However, at each level, there are specific disciplines in which females collaborate more than males. Further (4), gender disparities are clearly linked with age. Until about the age of 40, they are marginal and then they begin to grow. Finally, we estimate the odds of being involved in international research collaboration using an analytical linear logistic model. The examined sample includes 25,463 internationally productive Polish university professors from 85 universities, grouped into 27 disciplines, who authored 159,943 Scopus-indexed articles.


: Microbiological studies were conducted in the water of the Baltic sea and the Kurshsky bay polluted with mazut as the result of a tanker wreck in November 1981 as well as in the water of nonpolluted regions. Within the summer of 1982 and 1983, 755 bacterial strains were isolated from water samples taken at three different depths. Bacteria belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus + Mycobacterium and Arthrobacter predominated in the hydrocarbon-oxidizing cenoses of the Baltic sea and the Kurshsky bay. The central part of the Baltic sea pure from mazut did not differ from the polluted regions in the qualitative composition of the hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacterial flora. Rhodococci and mycobacteria prevailed in the water near harbours, and pseudomonades, in the open waters. The greatest variety of species was found at a depth of 1 m. The proportion between the predominating genera of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria was not stable. The state of studies conducted with the hydrocarbon-oxidizing microflora is analysed and the factors causing discrepancies are discussed. One must keep in mind that it is necessary to use a strictly elective medium and to examine cultures with a microscope many times throughout their growth in the isolation and identification of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria. The interrelationship is analysed between the predominant genera of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria.


Purpose The purpose of this master thesis is to examine ind ividual social media behaviour in relation to corporate sustainability issues. Base d on a model from environmental psychology, factors that influence this behaviour a re identified. Methodology/approach The study followed an explanatory and qualitative a pproach. Three focus groups, that consisted of 19 students in tota l, were conducted. Findings Key findings are (1) the level of social media acti vity with regard to corporate sustainability issues is not directly connected to the students' awareness and knowledge of sustainability issues; (2) responsibility and priorities have a weaker influence on social media than on offline behaviour; (3) the perceived locus of control can prevent students from communicating about corporate sustainability in soc ial media; (4) students with high knowledge on sustainability are less inclined to trust corporate sustainability communication. Research limitations/implications To further examine individual social media behavio ur in relation to corporate sustainability issues, future research needs to apply long-term studies with bigger samples. Furthermore, participants with different socio-economic characteristics should be compared to see if key factors, relations , a d barriers that have been the result of this study, are also true for other socio-economic groups. Practical implications The study's findings suggest that corporations need to consider three main issues if they want to inform and engage indiv iduals in corporate sustainability activities via social media: (1) content has to be tailored fo r target groups with different levels of knowledge on sustainability issues; (2) third-party -endorsements significantly support the creation of confidence in the communication of corp orate sustainability activities and are therefore crucial; (3) detailed replies to critical omments from individual users help to create trust and transparency. Originality/value This study differs from previous research on social media in two ways: (1) it focuses on social media's empowerment potent ial for sustainability instead of political issues; (2) it addresses the gap on individuals' re asons to actively participate in social media.


Different resolutions of ERS SAR data are available at CRISP. They include the full-resolution PRI data with 12.5 m of pixel size, the intermediate-resolution in-house 1K TIFF data with 100 m of pixel size and the low-resolution web-site quick-look JPEC data with 333 m of pixel size. This paper aims to make a comparison among these three formats for ocean oil slick detection, so as to understand their advantages and disadvantages. A total of 9 scenes at different locations were selected for the study. Results show that slick numbers detected from a scene decrease with the image resolution, whereas no significant difference has been found on slick area. The PRI format is suggested for more accurate detection and the 1K TIFF format for quick and rough detection, whereas the JPEG format is not encouraged.


Investigation on the continuous dehydration process of calcium silicate hydrate with C/S 1.5 during heating in the air was carried out. Results showed that the heating at 200°C of C-S-H resulted in decreasing basal spacing from 1.2 nm to 1.0 nm, and the basal spacing disappeared as the temperature raised to 400°C. Small amount of the dehydrated calcium silicate hydrate, portlandite and calcite were detectable in the heated sample at 400°C. The phases in the samples heated at 500°C and 650°C are β-C2S, quartz, and calcite. At 800°C and 900°C, α′-C2S, β-C2S, and quartz are main phases in the heated sample.


Botswana like many other countries worldwide encounters challenges of vulnerable children that are strategically placed at Save-Our-Soul (SOS) Children's Villages where they are supposed to be safe and happy because they receive day care, education and medical assistance. Unfortunately, many of the kids placed at SOS villages become "run-away kids". The main focus of this article is to report on findings of a qualitative research project that was conducted among purposefully selected stakeholders to determine why vulnerable learners placed at SOS villages become "run-away kids" (street kids). In addition to the use of interviews coupled with observation and reflective notes, the researchers also applied the Mmogo-method which is a projective research technique used in psychological projections. Mmogo projections allow unconscious meanings to emerge from the participants" reflections on their sense of belonging. Thus, the researchers were able to access and clarify the symbolism behind the visual representations within the participants" cultural context. An analysis of qualitatively derived data revealed a myriad of factors that triggers learners placed at SOS children"s villages to become "run-away-kids". Among other problems one main problem is that they believe that the SOS village and community failed them by not giving them the necessary freedom that they want. They think that they are better off without the help of anybody. To alleviate their fears it is recommended that parents need to establish a positive communicative medium that would allow both the affected child and the parent to fully communicate with each other while at the SOS village and beyond.


Asphyxia is mainly induced by interference with respiration, or lack of oxygen in respired air as in entrapment suffocation that may occur in animals or human. In this study 24 male albino rats were assigned into four equal groups: G1 (control negative); G2 (exposed to asphyxia); G3 (asphyxiated pretreated rats with salbutamol); G4 (asphyxiated pretreated rats with digoxin). The results revealed no change in the time intervals from onset of suffocation till coma (G2, G3 and G4). Also, all external and internal classical signs of asphyxia appeared on animals of different asphyxiated groups. Moreover, Asphyxiated rats (G2) showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in serum ALT, AST, urea and uric acid and insignificant increase in serum direct and total bilirubin levels but significant reductions of serum glucose, total protein and albumin levels compared to control ones. Pretreatment with salbutamol or digoxin induced insignificant reverse effects on mentioned parameters than those of asphyxiated rats except in serum ALT and AST activities and serum urea level of digoxin pretreated rats. The histopathological examination of different organs revealed no changes in histopathological appearance between asphyxiated and/or pretreated groups but various pathological alterations mainly congestion, hemorrhage and edema were found in these groups in relation to control group. In conclusion, entrapment asphyxia induced acute and progressive biochemical alterations in liver and kidney functions with presence of classical pathological changes of asphyxia in internal organs. Pretreatment with either salbutamol or digoxin could not improve the altered parameters than asphyxiated group. We recommend further study to asses the extent of reversibility of these parameters after resuscitation of asphyxiated rats.


The objective of this study was to demonstrate the use of Class F coal fly ash in combination with lime or lime kiln dust (LKD) in full depth reclamation (FDR) of failing asphalt pavements. Full-scale test sections (about 4 miles in length) of two structurally deficient asphalt pavements were reclaimed using Class F fly ash in combination with lime and LKD. In addition, control sections were constructed using cement, cement and emulsion, LKD and emulsion, and simple recompaction. The service performance and structural behavior of the reclaimed pavement test sections were monitored to determine how the fly ash sections compared with other admixtures. Service performance and structural behavior were determined through a program of falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests and embedded sensors installed at the time of construction. Monitoring results of the FWD tests conducted up to 3 yr after reclamation show that the cement, fly ash and LKD, and fly ash and lime sections exhibited resilient modulus values comparable to soil cement. The cement treatment resulted in a significant increase in resilient modulus within three weeks of the end of construction but beyond this curing time stiffness increase was slow. Tests on fly ash and LKD and fly ash and lime test sections indicated a slower short-term increase in stiffness, but the two fly ash stabilized sections 3 yr after construction exhibit average resilient modulus values of 400–1,300 ksi.


Sensors used in protective applications are typically placed on perimeters or over areas in an evenly distributed pattern. However, such patterns may actually be sub-optimal, since environmental factors may make some forms of attack more or less likely than others. We describe a protective application of sensors for detecting underwater threats in an urban estuary environment. We demonstrate that environmental information, derived from a computational river current model, can be utilized to optimize sensor placement, increasing detection rates and decreasing the number of required sensors. Simulation results show a significant improvement in detection for a given number of sensors; alternatively, fewer sensors can be used while still maintaining the detection rate of a conventional approach


Objectives—To assess the impact of potentially modifiable environmental factors on the risk for pedestrian and cyclist injuries among school age children. Setting—Population of school age children in Düsseldorf (population 570 000) in the west of Germany. All pedestrian and cyclist injuries involving children between 6 and 14 years brought to the attention of the police between January 1993 and March 1995 were eligible. Methods—A case-control design was used, with controls matched by age and sex. Criteria for inclusion of cases were: residence in Düsseldorf, and injury within 500 meters from home. A random sample of 174 cases was selected. For each an age-sex matched child, resident in Düsseldorf, was randomly selected from a list of all school age children. The environment within a radius of 500 meters around the homes of cases and controls was analysed by blinded on site investigators. These used a standardized questionnaire to assess the number of streets with speed limits of 30 kph, the number of pedestrian crossings with traffic lights per street with speed limits of 50 kph or above, and the number of playgrounds for children. Results—Complete information was available for 170 cases and 168 controls. There were significantly more streets with a speed limit of 30 kph around the homes of controls (p=0.0003; mean 9.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 8.8 to 10.1) than cases (mean 7.8; 95% CI 7.3 to 8.3). For every five streets with a speed limit of 30 kph injury risk was reduced by nearly 50% (odds ratio 0.57; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.76). There were also significantly more pedestrian crossings with traffic lights on streets with a speed limit 50 kph or above around the homes of controls (p=0.0004; mean 2.7; 95% CI 2.4 to 2.9) compared with cases (mean 2.1; 95% CI 1.9 to 2.3). Finally there were significantly more playgrounds around the houses of controls (p=0.04; mean 1.9; 95% CI 1.7 to 2.2) compared with the houses of cases (mean 1.7; 95% CI 1.4 to 2.0). Conclusions—Significant associations with injury risk were identified for some prespecified modifiable environmental factors.


BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of patients requiring intensive care nationwide, leading to nurse staffing shortages in many units.

LOCAL PROBLEM
At the beginning of the statewide COVID-19 surge, a tertiary teaching hospital in the upper Midwest experienced a sharp increase in patients needing intensive care. To relieve the resulting staffing shortage, it implemented a pilot program to bring general care nurses into its 21-bed mixed specialty intensive care unit to free intensive care unit nurses to help staff the hospital's COVID-designated units.

METHODS
Using a team nursing model, the intensive care unit recruited, oriented, and incorporated 13 general care nurses within 4 days. Education and resources were developed to distinguish team nurses from intensive care unit nurses, introduce them to the intensive care unit environment, outline expectations, communicate between team nursing pairs, and guide charge nurses in making staffing decisions and assignments. Staff feedback identified additional resources, barriers, and successes. An adaptive process was used to improve and update tools and resources on the basis of staff needs.

RESULTS
The pilot program ran for 6 weeks. Positive outcomes included a reduced need for float nurses and self-perceived reduction in nursing workload. The principal barrier was charge nurses' challenges involving staffing-to-workload balance based on the existing staffing model. This model identified productivity of a general care nurse and an intensive care unit nurse as equivalent, despite differences in their skill sets.

CONCLUSION
Team nursing in the intensive care unit is an agile tactic easily replicated in dire staffing situations.


Electrically conductive nanocomposites were prepared by a selective in situ polymerization of pyrrole within the lamellae ionomeric microdomains of sulfonated poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-alt- propylene)), SEP, diblock copolymers. A conductivity of 10-3-10-1 S/cm was achieved parallel to the film surface for PPy concentrations from 5 to 11 wt % PPy. Although the microstructure of the block copolymer was not purposefully aligned, the conductivity was anisotropic, varying 1-2 orders of magnitude parallel and normal to the plane of the composite films. The in situ polymerization of pyrrole in the SPS microphase did not disrupt the texture of the block copolymer microstructure, though the interphase between the polystyrene and rubber lamellae became more diffuse. Incorporation of PPy also improved the modulus of the block copolymer above the Tg of the ionomer microdomains.


The sensitivity and accuracy to be expected from the ALMA water vapour radiometers is estimated. Even with quite pessimistic assumptions about noise temperature and gain stability, it appears that the sensitivity of the present design is at least a factor of 2 better than the specifications. It is more difficult to predict the medium term stability and accuracy that will be achieved, but the indications are that these will not be a limiting factor in using the data from the radiometers. An estimate of the errors that would occur in correcting the single-dish pointing for the effects of water vapour gradients is also given.


During the colonial era there was a huge disparity between modem sciences and indigenous knowledge systems. For instance, modem sciences have gained momentum while indigenous knowledge was labelled as primitive, out-dated and to certain extend as witchcraft. The disparity in health system created a parallel between modem sciences and indigenous knowledge system. WHO (2003) has recommended the collaboration between Western medicine and Traditional healers for treatment of HIV and AIDS. The latter are skilled in the treating secondary or opportunistic infections. Therefore, Traditional Healers have a hope that they can cure HIV/AIDS if they can be allowed to practice e ectively in hospitals and if their medicines can be accessed. In Africa, traditional herbal medicines are often used as primary treatment for HIV and AIDS symptoms such as dermatological disorders, nausea, depression, botseno, letshollo le malwetsi a thobalano. Also, people living with HIV and AIDS resorts to traditional medicine to augment conventional therapeutic products. In this context, a descriptive research used qualitative interviews to investigate the role of traditional healers/ doctors in the treatment of opportunistic infections of HIV and AIDS in Mahikeng (Tsetse village) North West Province. The study utilised unstructured interviews which consisted of various interview questions that are developed in such a way that neither the exact questions the interviewer asks nor the responses of the subjects are predetermined. The units for the study were ten (1 0) Traditional Healers because they are the key participants for the study and ensured the researcher has knowledge of the topic. The study has found out that Traditional healers play a signi cant role in the treatment of opportunistic infections and is willing to work with Department of Health in treating people infected with HIV and AIDS. People who are living HIV and AIDS will rstly consult Traditional healers for assistance. The study has made the following recommendations. Traditional healers must be prohibited from certain procedures, for instance, drawing of blood from patients, rapid use of razors, claiming to cure HIV and AIDS. Traditional healers have knowledge in midwifery and government should give training on continuous basis. In Hospitals Traditional Healers with relevant certi cate must work together with western doctors in the diagnosis of diseases and treatment of opportunistic infections. Drastic measures must be taken against bogus doctors who do street abortions and claim to cure more than thousands diseases. URI http://hdl.handle.net/10394/17304 Collections Humanities [1574] Copyright © North-West University Contact Us | Send Feedback Theme by The role of traditional healers in the treatment of HIV and AIDS in Tsetse Village: The case of Mahikeng in the North West Province  how communities perceive them. A traditional healer in Teso noted the need for "any information that could be put on paper that communicates about these conditions." HIV/AIDS is the most serious health concern in South Africa. The country has the fourth-highest adult HIV prevalence rate in the world, according to the 2016 United Nations statistics. According to a UNAids dataset sourced from the World Bank, in 2016 the HIV prevalence rate for adults aged 15 to 49 was 27% in Swaziland, 25% in Lesotho, 25% in Botswana and 19% in South Africa.


To the Editor. —Fluorescein has been proposed as an aid in vitreous surgery. This agent can be injected intravenously prior to operation 1 or introduced directly into the eye. 2 Intravenous injection carries the risk of serious systemic reaction and is also of little use in unplanned procedures, since the dye has to be injected at least 18 hours preoperatively if uniform staining of the vitreous is to be achieved. Direct introduction of a known dilution of fluorescein in a balanced salt solution (BSS) seems to be a more useful technique. However, to my knowledge there are no studies confirming the safety of fluorescein when used in this context. The pH of BSS varies slightly but is usually in the region of 7.5. A single minim drop of 2% fluorescein in 2 mL of BSS increases the pH by about 0.2. The osmolality (308 mOsm) remains about the same as


How Americans talk when they talk about #MeToo is often deeply rooted in the law—even in non-legal settings, participants in the #Me-Too conversation often deploy legal definitions of victims and perpetrators, reference legal standards of proof and the role of legal forums, draw explicit or implicit comparisons to legal punishments, and derive meaning from legal metaphors and legal myths. In this essay, I identify and assess the deployment of such law talk to help understand both how legal rhetoric may facilitate the national #MeToo conversation and related legal reforms, but may also simultaneously limit and obscure some of the #MeToo's more transformative possibilities. Such critical engagement seeks to open space for selective pushback, including initial thoughts on the possibilities of reclaiming colloquial law talk to better match the interests at stake in non-legal settings as well as bringing to the forefront the therapeutic, informative, and structural issues law talk might crowd out.


Value chain analysis (VCA) has been used by an ongoing project in south-west Ethiopia to explore how a spice, korerima, can be developed to increase forest value and enhance sustainable forest livelihoods. The Ethiopian government has identified the spice sector as having economic growth potential within its strategy for commercializing agriculture but the VCA identifies significant challenges that need to be addressed to achieve this. These include practical problems of harvesting spice safely from the forest, quality issues relating to processing and storage, and market-based issues of access and information. Practical and organizational interventions are identified but the implications for poverty, environment and gender are significant and more detailed, qualitative research is necessary before implementation. The paper concludes that VCA is not a quick fix and requires significant investment and expertise for effective use and therefore needs to be part of long-term, flexible, iterative development initiatives. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment


The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set includes a variety of powerful electronic parts (motors, sensors, and the programmable NXT microcomputer) and lots of building elements. With these parts you can create thousands of unique, intelligent robots. The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor's Guide helps you to harness the capabilities of the NXT set and effectively plan, build, and program your own NXT robots. The first part of the book contains a brief introduction to the NXT set. You'll then examine the pieces in the NXT set and the roles they play in construction. Next, you'll learn practical building techniques, like how to build sturdy structures and work with gears. Then it's time to learn how to program with the official NXT-G programming language (and learn a bit about several unofficial programming languages). You'll also learn what author David J. Perdue calls the MINDSTORMS method: a strategy for creating your own robots. Finally, you'll follow step-by-step instructions for building, programming, and testing six sample robots (all of which can be built using only the parts found in one NXT set). These six robots include: Zippy-Bot, a two-wheeled vehicle with a ball caster Bumper-Bot, a version of Zippy-Bot that explores your room and avoids objects Claw-Bot, a version of Zippy-Bot that searches for objects and pushes them away with its claw Tag-Bot, a four-wheeled steering vehicle that dashes around while you try to "tag" it with a flashlight Guard-Bot, a six-legged walking robot that launches a ball at intruders Golf-Bot, a stationary robot that finds a target and then hits a ball into the target You'll also find an NXT-G Quick Reference, which provides information on the 30 types of standard programming blocks, and the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Piece Library, which features detailed information and images of the more than 80 types of LEGO pieces in the NXT set. So go ahead. Grab your NXT set, fire up your creative mind, and see what you can invent with The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor's Guide .


"It seems probable that a very long period will elapse before another important earthquake occurs along that part of the San Andreas rift which broke in 1906; for we have seen the strains causing the slip were probably accumulating for 100 years." Professor Reid in his 1910 contribution to the Lawson Commission report thus anticipated why the centenary of the San Francisco earthquake would be so significant to earthquake scientists: the northern San Andreas, in decimal markers of logarithmic age, is entering a mature stage of the Reid cycle.

It is this context—the heightening risk to a sometimes indifferent society—that compels my own thinking on the troublesome topic of earthquake prediction.

The south-central portion of the San Andreas reached its earthquake centenary when I was a kid (in 1957), while the southernmost stretch probably passed this milestone before Thomas Jefferson was elected president (circa 1800). Tectonic forces are inexorably tightening the springs of the San Andreas fault system. The probability that at least one of these three segments will rupture in the next 30 years is thought to lie somewhere between 35% and 70%, depending on how you interpret the paleoseismic data and other constraints on the regularity of the Reid cycle.

The sedimentary basins of coastal California have become highly urbanized since the last major San Andreas earthquake. These basins are strung out along the San Andreas fault system in a natural but unfortunate geometry that funnels energy from large earthquakes into very intense, long-duration basin waves. New physics-based simulations of San Andreas earthquakes indicate that the low-frequency shaking in the urban basins could be substantially larger than previously predicted. Moreover, the strong shaking from large ruptures on subsidiary faults, such as the Puente Hills blind thrust directly beneath Los Angeles, could be even worse—in the words of one …


Ever since we first came across it, art has allowed us to see a sight enriched with the impression of entering a territory of our own. From its very beginning, art is the visible expression of the passages between images, the making visible of its own laws, its analogies and affinities. Walter Benjamin already shed light on  the "auratic" value of such transformations, and while he is known for stating that photography causes a degradation of the aura, it is no less true, though less known, that that loss is redeemed by the aura photography carries in itself. Image's secret, its potency and splendour, lies precisely in that distance between image and thing, between word and thing. In photography – as a medium inheriting water's and mirror's powers of reflection – the leaning over one's own reflection (the Greeks called it Narcissus) is 'magically' reinstated.


Close to 40% of students currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities are adult undergraduate learners, many of whom attend school on a part-time basis (Day et.al., 2011). The rate of college enrollment by adult students, age 25 and older, can be expected to rise even further due to the current economic recession, as adults find themselves in need of new skills and knowledge to pursue continued employment (Day et. al., 2011). This capstone project was conducted through a transformative paradigm with the intention of making a positive change for the adult population at Northern Stark University. I conducted eight interviews with adult learners from Northern Stark University, a public university located in the northeast, asking questions related to their reason for starting or returning to college, their student and work status (part-time or full-time), their experiences as adult students and what changes they would like to see implemented at NSU to benefit all adult learners. Following data analysis, I created recommendations for NSU adult students which included improved advising, an updated advising web-page, a comprehensive center for adult students, adult student orientation, class improvements, and new student services and a coordinator position to assist the adult students at NSU. ASSESSING ADULT LEARNER EXPERIENCE 3


Glyphosate (Gly) is a broad-spectrum herbicide widely used thanks to its high efficiency and low toxicity. However, evidence exists of its toxic effects on non-target organisms. Among these, the animals inhabiting agricultural fields are particularly threatened. Recent studies demonstrated that exposure to Gly markedly affected the morphophysiology of the liver and testis of the Italian field lizard Podarcis siculus. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the herbicide on the female reproductive system of this lizard in order to have a full picture of Gly-induced reproductive impairment. The animals were exposed to 0.05 and 0.5 μg/kg of pure Gly by gavage for 3 weeks. The results demonstrated that Gly, at both doses tested, profoundly interfered with ovarian function. It induced germ cells' recruitment and altered follicular anatomy by anticipating apoptotic regression of the pyriform cells. It also induced thecal fibrosis and affected oocyte cytoplasm and zona pellucida organizations. At the functional levels, Gly stimulated the synthesis of estrogen receptors, suggesting a serious endocrine-disrupting effect. Overall, the follicular alterations, combined with those found at the level of the seminiferous tubules in males, suggest serious damage to the reproductive fitness of these non-target organisms, which over time could lead to a decline in survival.


This study focuses on the representation of materiality on wall paintings, as depicted objects functioned as triggers of emotion to convey meaning in images. In medieval aesthetics images were made to engage all the senses in the spectator so as to create a truthful experience. The material perspective combines well with medieval rhetoric in understanding this process, particularly the concepts of ekphrasis, enargeia and ductus. By doing close readings of images, and identifying materials, figures, objects, gestures and so on, in the same manner as one can close read texts, narratives of the images can be discovered. It is also a reading that helps in identifying emotive expressions and rhetorical gestures that together with material aspects of images and texts also help in identifying gender-related contents. During the 15th century the Pietà (the mourning Virgin Mary holding her dead son) was introduced in Sweden. The image is key in understanding the Marian cult as it was established alongside the expanding devotion to the Virgin in the Nordic countries. By fusing the material aspect and rhetoric in a close reading of the motif that focuses on gender and emotion this study aims to find alternative paths in analysing medieval art.


In this thesis I study the magnetic activity of young stars via observations of stellar prominences on single stars and by applying the Zeeman Doppler imaging (ZDI) technique to map the magnetic fields and measure differential rotation of a young binary system. Stellar prominences can be observed as absorption transients in the rotationally broadened chromospheric lines of rapidly rotating stars. Observations of Speedy Mic (K3V) reveal a densely packed prominence system at heights far above the stellar corotation radius. Further observations were used to estimate prominence column densities and masses. From very high signal-to-noise observations, loops of emission are found that trace the path of prominences seen transiting the stellar disc. I also present what appears to be the first observation of an erupting stellar prominence on AB Doradus (K0V). I modify an existing ZDI code so that it can recover the magnetic maps of a binary system. The new code is applied to observations of the pre-main sequence binary system HD 155555 (G5IV+K0IV). The radial magnetic maps reveal a complex surface magnetic topology with mixed polarities at all latitudes and rings of azimuthal field present on both stars. The evolution of the relative field strengths between observations in 2004 and 2007 could be indicative of a magnetic activity cycle. I adapt the sheared image technique for measuring differential rotation parameters to the binary case. Both stellar components of HD 155555 are found to have rates of differential rotation similar to those of the same spectral type main sequence single stars. This is in apparent conflict with previous work on evolved binary systems where low rates of differential rotation were found, leading to the suggestion of suppression by binary tidal forces. I find that the depth of convection zone alone can likely explain the differential rotation results without invoking tidal forces.


Introduction: Self-report measures such as the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) are frequently used during baseline and postconcussion testing to evaluate athletes' symptom profiles. However, the common approach of evaluating the total symptom score and/or symptom clusters may not allow for a complete understanding of the nature of athletes' symptom reporting patterns. The primary objective of this study was to apply three "global indices of distress" variables, derived from the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) framework, to the PCSS at baseline and postconcussion. We aimed to evaluate the utility of these symptom indices in relation to four PCSS symptom clusters and the total PCSS symptom score. Method: Participants included college athletes evaluated at baseline (N = 846) and postconcussion (N = 86). Athletes underwent neuropsychological testing at both time points, including completion of the PCSS and a paper/pencil and computerized test battery. Eight symptom indices were derived from the PCSS, and a postconcussion neurocognitive composite score was calculated. Results: Results showed that there were significant mean increases from baseline to postconcussion on four of the eight symptom indices evaluated. Furthermore, a significant proportion of athletes showed no change from baseline to postconcussion when evaluating the total symptom score, but showed at least a one standard deviation increase in symptom reporting from baseline to postconcussion when evaluating at least one other symptom index (i.e., a global index of distress or symptom cluster). Finally, the three global indices of distress variables, two of the four symptom clusters, and the total symptom score significantly predicted a postconcussion neurocognitive composite score, such that greater postconcussion symptoms were associated with lower postconcussion neurocognitive performance. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, in addition to evaluating the postconcussion total symptom score, there may be value in examining more specific symptom indices such as the global indices of distress variables and symptom clusters.


Delay-tolerant networks (DTN) are sparse mobile ad hoc networks where contemporaneous end-to-end path is typically not available. Therefore, nodes act as relays for each other to enable data delivery. The cooperation among mobile nodes however can be hindered by selfish users. Incentive schemes are inevitably introduced to regulate the behavior of DTN users. The motivation of this paper is to seek conditions under which cooperators can survive, and even prevail in DTN without incentives. We study the formation of cooperation in DTN routing following an Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT) approach. In particular, the two-hop routing protocol is assumed to be adopted which applies to a large class of DTN routing schemes. We first formulate the two-hop DTN routing as a multi-player game. Using the concept of Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS), we show that defection always dominates cooperation when the population is infinite and well-mixed. Recent developments in evolutionary biology reveal that in finite and structured populations such as graphs, cooperation is nevertheless promoted. We derive a sufficient condition for cooperators to be favored over defectors on K-regular graph. Simulation results validate our theoretical finding, and prove that cooperation indeed can prevail in DTN routing games without incentives.


OBJECTIVES
Our goal was to assess the incidence of the endoscopically-identified small intestinal and colonic Dieulafoy-like lesions in our GI bleeding population and to characterize the clinical and endoscopic features and response to endoscopic therapy.

METHODS
Patients with GI bleeding from Dieulafoy lesions were identified from our Bleeding Team and GI laser data bases from August 1984 to September 1993. Clinical and endoscopic information contained within the data bases and from each patient's medical record were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnostic criteria that had been used to endoscopically diagnose a Dieulafoy lesion were arterial bleeding or nonbleeding visible vessel stigmata, all without ulceration or erosion.

RESULTS
Nine patients (three male; six female; median age, 70 yr; range, 16-94) were identified from a population of 3059 patients. Symptoms included: melena (2); hematochezia (7); and unstable hemodynamics (3). The mean hemoglobin was 8.4 +/- 2.2 g/dl. There was no significant nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug or alcohol use. Four patients had small bowel and five patients had colonic Dieulafoy's lesions. Specific sites were: distal duodenum (3); jejunum (1); cecum (1); hepatic flexure (3); and transverse colon (1). The diagnosis was made at initial endoscopy in seven patients, after two endoscopies in one patient, and after four in another patient. Active bleeding was encountered in seven patients (three small bowel; four colon). Endoscopic therapy was successful. Two patients rebled, one from the same site (small bowel) 1 yr later. Both were successfully retreated. There were no complications or deaths.

CONCLUSIONS
The endoscopic Dieulafoy lesion of the small bowel and colon is infrequently encountered. The diagnosis is most often made during active bleeding. The endoscopic diagnosis requires an aggressive approach, including repeated endoscopy. Endoscopic therapy of proximal small intestinal and colonic Dieulafoy lesions is safe, effective, and should be performed.


In this paper, we propose a context adaptive bit-plane coding (CABIC) with a stochastic bit reshuffling (SBR) scheme to deliver higher coding efficiency and better subjective quality for fine granular scalable (FGS) video coding. Traditional bit-plane coding in FGS algorithm suffers from poor coding efficiency and subjective quality. To improve coding efficiency, our CABIC constructs context models based on both the energy distribution in a block and the spatial correlations in the adjacent blocks. Moreover, it exploits the context across bit-planes to save side information. To improve subjective quality, our SBR reorders the coefficient bits by their estimated rate-distortion performance. Particularly, we model transform coefficients with Laplacian distributions and incorporate them into the context probability models for content-aware parameter estimation. Moreover, our SBR is implemented with a dynamic priority management that uses a low-complexity dynamic memory organization. Experimental results show that our CABIC improves the PSNR by 0.5~1.0 dB at medium and high bit rates. While maintaining similar or even higher coding efficiency, our SBR improves the subjective quality


It is now well recognized that education expedites the process of growth in an economy. In agriculture, leaving aside the external effects, it affects productivity in two quite distinct ways known as the allocative effect and the worker effect (Welch" 1970). The former centres on better allocation decisions including adoption and diffusion of new technology whereas the latter relates to a more efficient use of given inputs, i.e.. the technical efficiency aspect of production. Whilethe allocative effect is inherently predicated on disequilibrium (created, for example, by a change in technology) (Nelson and Phelps 1966), there is some evidence to suggest that even the worker effect of education is more likely to arise in disequilibrium resulting from technical change (Moock 1981). This is because technical change renders the cultural practices learnt over generations obsolete or inadequate and calls for an adjustment. A more educated farmer is supposed to make the required adjustment more quickly. In this paper I have attempted to test this hypothesis for Pakistan during the green revolution period when the introduction of new crop varieties disturbed the prevailing equilibrium. For this purpose I have used production function analysis and have conducted the analysis for not only the new but also the traditional crops. The results lend support to the hypothesis by showing that the worker effect is more pronounced in the case of new crop varieties as compared to the traditional ones. The paper is divided into three sections. In Section II, I have presented the hypothesis and discussed the methodology used for the analysis. Section III concludes the paper with a discussion of the results.


Different volatility estimators have different effects on the pricing of interest rate-sensitive options by the single-factor Black, Derman, and Toy model. The estimators used here include the moving average, such as constantly weighted and exponentially weighted moving average, and time series models, such as generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) and integrated GARCH (IGARCH), for estimating the volatility of short rates. Empirical results, based on 4,228 estimated prices, indicate that valuation of Eurodollar futures options is sensitive to the volatility model used. The time series models provide a more accurate representation of the underlying time-varying volatility structure than the moving average models.


Abstract It has been commonly observed that scrambling and wh-movement share sensitivity to strong movement constraints (Webelhuth 1989, Saito 1992, Bailyn 1995). At the same time, the two processes clearly differ in certain other respects, such as wh-island sensitivity, a finding that has inspired a range of analyses of scrambling as entirely distinct from better-understood movement processes (Müller and Sternefeld 1993, Bošković and Takahashi 1998, among many others). Careful comparison of Ā-scrambling and overt wh-movement in a language that shows both (Russian) reveals that this seemingly paradoxical behavior can be captured effectively in a probe-goal theory of scrambling that obeys a form of Relativized Minimality defined across feature classes, following Rizzi 2004. The resulting analysis exposes the distinct nature of strong and weak islands, with consequences for our understanding of the core architecture of syntactic movement.


The idea of "integrated reporting" has been in the mind of business organizations, the accounting profession, and academics for 40 years now, with the first reports being published in the early 2000s. "For many years, integrated reporting has been something of a holy grail for advocates of accountability, something that has not been achieved through most efforts at triple bottom line reporting" (Todd, 2005, p. 3). However today, "[…] we are perhaps witnessing the early stages of widespread promulgation of a different way of thinking about corporate success and reporting" (Adams, 2015, p. 23).

Six years after the publication of the first integrated reporting framework (the IR Framework from the IIRC) that embodies the idea of « integrated reporting », three researchers have investigated the diffusion of this accounting innovation.

Their research makes the following new contributions to our understanding of integrated reporting:

• Their research outlines several new countries that have a large number of integrated reports and have not been investigated in depth: Sri Lanka and Mexico for example.

• It demonstrates the high proportion of industries linked to "intangibles" that publish integrated reports.

• Their research contrasts the impression given by earlier research that only large companies publish integrated reports, as 42% of companies have less than 5,000 employees.

• Despite previous acknowledgement of the large joint use between the GRI and integrated reporting (83% according to the WBCSD (2018)), they find that only a little over 50% acknowledge both approaches together.

• Our research also outlines that a large number of companies have now adopted the title "integrated report", which demonstrates a deepening of adoption.


Possible future increases in atmospheric temperature may threaten wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production and food security. The purpose of this research is to determine the response of wheat growth to supplemental heating and to seasonal air temperature from an unusually wide range of planting dates. A field study was conducted at Maricopa, AZ, where wheat was planted from September to May over a 2-yr period for a total of 12 planting dates. Supplemental heating was provided for 6 of the 12 planting dates using infrared heaters placed above the crop which increased canopy temperature by 1.3°C during the day and 2.7°C during the night. Grain yield declined 42 g m ―2 (6.9%) per 1°C increase in seasonal temperature above 16.3°C. Supplemental heating had no effect on grain yield for plantings in winter (Dec./Jan.) since temperatures were near optimum (14.9°C). However, in spring (Mar.) plantings where temperature (22.2°C) was above optimum, supplemental heating decreased grain yield from 510 to 368 g m ―2 . Supplemental heating had the greatest effect in the early fall plantings (Sept./Oct.) when temperature was slightly below optimum (13.8°C) and mid-season frost limited the yield of unheated plots to only 3 g m ―2 whereas yield of heated plots was 435 g m ―2 . Thus, possible future increases in temperature may decrease wheat yield for late plantings and shift optimum planting windows to earlier dates in areas of the world similar to the desert southwest of the United States.


Traffic congestion comes from three phases order: the free travel phase, the meta-stability phase, and the traffic jam phase. Therefore, it can be considered that if the meta-stability phase can be detected, forecasting traffic jams becomes possible. This paper proposes a driver model that forecasts traffic congestion based on changes in driving behavior and that does not rely on traffic flow monitoring infrastructure. As a result of evaluation in driving simulators, it was understood that the distribution of steering and throttle input frequency changes based on changes in the travel phase. It is possible to distinguish these changes using neural networks or support vector machines, and it is possible to make this into a driver model that forecasts traffic congestion.


Abstract : In light of the Gulf War, in which airpower played a more dominant, effective, and visible role than in past military conflicts, many nations in the world seem likely to increase their emphasis on airpower. To better understand the potential implications of such a shift in military strategy, Project AIR FORCE at RAND has launched a multiyear effort that addresses the emergent role of airpower. The analysis is divided into two main efforts. The first portion explores the probable future position of the United States in the global balance of airpower. The second portion of the research analyzes the air forces of various major powers to see how these nations and their air force leaderships think about the past, current, and future role of airpower in support of their national security objectives. This report, written in support of the second element of this research effort, provides an overview and assessment of China's large and diverse air arm-the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Analysis of the PLAAF has traditionally focused on air order of battle enumerations and projections about equipment procurement. Until the past few years there were very few available primary source materials about the PLAAF. Virtually nothing was written in China to give the air force-or other Chinese military institutions-a detailed identity. As a result, only two books have been published in the West devoted to the PLAAF (Bueschel, 1968; Allen, 1991). This study, which draws extensively upon newly disseminated Chinese-language sources, should help to fill this gap in our knowledge. (KAR) P. 4-5


Systems of coupled non-linear Schrödinger equations with soliton solutions are integrated using the six-point scheme which is equivalent to the multi-symplectic Preissman scheme. The numerical dispersion relations are studied for the linearized equation. Numerical results for elastic and inelastic soliton collisions are presented. Numerical experiments confirm the excellent conservation of energy, momentum and norm in long-term computations and their relations to the qualitative behaviour of the soliton solutions.


Although the Political Skill Inventory (PSI) is the benchmark measure of the political skill construct, the existence and frequent use of other measures suggest that the PSI fails to cover the content domain of the construct comprehensively. This study utilised the extant political skill measures in developing a robust and parsimonious political skill scale for assessing the political sensitivity of teacher-leaders in higher education. Cognitive tests, behaviour coding and respondent debriefing were conducted to evaluate a 38-item pool on political skill in a sample of 36 teacher-leaders drawn from nine polytechnics situated in Northeast Nigeria. The scale's interrater agreement was computed using Fleiss' κ statistic based on categorical data from five expert reviews. The results of our analyses revealed a 15-item Political Skill Scale (PSS) that reflects the social competence teacher-leaders need in performing the largely voluntary roles of teacher leadership. This work contributes towards contextual mapping of the political skill construct in an African setting. It also offers a new political skill measure.


Vibrio cholerae can be differentiated into epidemic and non-epidemic strains by sorbitol fermentation speed, but little research has been done on its mechanisms. In this study, we investigated differential protein expression of the two strains in response to sorbitol metabolism. V. cholerae strains were cultured in media with and without sorbitol, respectively. Proteins were separated by 2-DE, and those that showed different expression in the two media were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Fifteen proteins in epidemic strains and 11 proteins in non-epidemic strains showed a different expression in sorbitol medium. Among them, 4 proteins were common to epidemic and non-epidemic strains. Gene sequence analysis showed that some mutations occurred in these proteins between the two strains. Potential functions of these proteins included sugar uptake, amino acid uptake, electron transport, sulfate and thiosulfate transport.


Fascaplysin is a marine alkaloid which is considered to be a lead drug candidate due to its diverse and potent biological activity. As an anticancer agent, fascaplysin holds a great potential due to the multiple targets affected by this alkaloid in cancer cells, including inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and induction of intrinsic apoptosis. At the same time, the studies on structural optimization are hampered by its rather high toxicity, mainly caused by DNA intercalation. In addition, the number of methods for the syntheses of its derivatives is limited. In the current study, we report a new two-step method of synthesis of fascaplysin derivatives based on low temperature UV quaternization for the synthesis of thermolabile 9-benzyloxyfascaplysin and 6-tert-butylfascaplysin. 9-Benzyloxyfascaplysin was used as the starting compound to obtain 9-hydroxyfascaplysin. However, the latter was found to be chemically highly unstable. 6-tert-Butylfascaplysin revealed a significant decrease in DNA intercalation when compared to fascaplysin, while cytotoxicity was only slightly reduced. Therefore, the impact of DNA intercalation for the cytotoxic effects of fascaplysin and its derivatives needs to be questioned.


A study program for offshore platform location and design near the Mississippi River Delta includes comprehensive analyses of geologic conditions. In addition to site and regional geophysical investigations, samples from borings and drop cores are tested using techniques of soil geochemistry, x-ray radiology, clay mineralogy and paleontology; radioisotope dating of sediments by Pb-210 and Ce-137 analysis is also used in certain regions where soil conditions are appropriate. When results are combined with data on site history from old bathymetric maps of the delta and by comparisons of repeated geophysical surveys, a detailed picture of site and regional depositional history is constructed. Engineering properties such as in situ soil strength, are measured in deep-penetration borings and laboratory test programs performed on samples recovered from the boring. Near-surface soil variability is estimated from results of in situ strength tests 10 to 20 ft deep, performed at various locations. Borings are also drilled into nearby geologic features that may influence design and analysis. Pore pressures are commonly measured using piezometers placed in granular deposits several hundred feet below the seafloor. Programs of this type have been pursued in the mudflow region of the delta since the early 1970's. The scope and sophistication of the investigations have changed over the years in response to the availability of new tools and techniques and the growing knowledge of depositional processes. However, regional coverage now includes the full sweep of the active delta front from Southwest Pass in the west to Pass A Loutre in the east and many of the most significant types of seafloor features and stratigraphic variations have been studied to some degree. It is inherent in development of a project report that comparisons are made between geologic test results and soil engineering measurements. With the passage of time and completion of successive projects, useful models of interrelationships between engineering properties and depositional characteristics have been developed. It is possible, for example, to typify shear strength properties of certain types of mudflows, or to predict pore pressures in buried sand strata. Differences between engineering properties of soils in transport gullies on the seafloor can also be contrasted to adjacent, more stable deposits. In the discussion, examples are given of geologic and engineering characteristics of stratigraphic conditions encountered in the delta front region of the Mississippi River. Emphasis is placed upon relationships between these soil properties. Methods of inferring (a) soil engineering properties from geologic studies and (b) soil depositional history from engineering tests are presented for sites in the delta. Using results of studies performed within the massive mudflow region of South Pass, the development of engineering design parameters from geologic evidence is outlined. End_of_Record - Last_Page 3---------