The talk will summarize some issues  that were under study at MAP5 over the past years. Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arterial wall first characterized by lipid accumulation and by an inflammatory response in the intima. It results in the formation of a plaque that can lead to arterial narrowing. Obstructive lesions become clinically relevant when causing significant local changes that obstruct blood flow. We will first recall a p.d.e. model that was designed to describe the plaque formation in the intima.  Then, we will concentrate on the permeability of the endothelium to monocytes. References : Mathematical and numerical modeling of early atherosclerotic lesions, V. Calvez, J.-G Houot, N. Meunier, A. Raoult, G. Rusnakova, ESAIM Proceedings, 30, 1-14, 2010. Mathematical modelling of the endothelial wall permeability to leukocytes by ligand interactions, B. Grec, B. Maury, N. Meunier, L. Navoret, work in progress


Effective user security awareness campaign can greatly enhance the information assurance posture of an organization. Information security includes organizational aspects, legal aspects, institutionalization and applications of best practices in addition to security technologies. User awareness represents a significant challenge in the security domain, with the human factor ultimately being the element that is exploited in a variety of attack scenarios. Information security awareness program is a critical component in any organizations strategy. In contrast to other information security awareness work which mostly explains methods and techniques for raising information security awareness; this paper discusses and evaluates the effectiveness of different information security awareness tools and techniques on the basis of psychological theories and models. Finally, it describes how to measure information security awareness in an organization.


In applications such as geothermal energy, underground storage, mining, hydraulic fracturing, it becomes current practice to implement local seismic networks to monitor induced seismicity and to help mitigating the associated risks. In such contexts, it is crucial to guarantee that the network is able to detect a seismic event of predefined magnitude in a specific area. We propose a method to estimate this detection capability for existing kilometric-scale seismic networks which did not record any seismicity in the target zone yet. However, the network should be running for a time period long enough to record several local events listed in a reference catalogue. These earthquakes are used to calibrate an amplitude-magnitude relationship, knowing that the amplitudes are at the basis of the detection of seismic event candidates. This observation-based approach can take into account uncertainties in the magnitude estimate. The procedure was applied on the seismic network deployed over Bruchsal (Germany) geothermal field. Since mid-2010, no seismicity in the reservoir has been recorded by the network despite its good working order. The proposed technique suggests that there is 95% probability that no seismic event with ML ≥ 0.7 occurred below the network down to the reservoir depth at 2400 m.


An error field (EF) detection technique using the amplitude modulation of a naturally rotating tearing mode (TM) is developed and validated in the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch. The technique was used to identify intrinsic EFs of m/n  =  1/−12, where m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers. The effect of the EF and of a resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) on the TM, in particular on amplitude modulation, is modeled with a first-order solution of the modified Rutherford equation. In the experiment, the TM amplitude is measured as a function of the toroidal angle as the TM rotates rapidly in the presence of an unknown EF and a known, deliberately applied RMP. The RMP amplitude is fixed while the toroidal phase is varied from one discharge to the other, completing a full toroidal scan. Using three such scans with different RMP amplitudes, the EF amplitude and phase are inferred from the phases at which the TM amplitude maximizes. The estimated EF amplitude is consistent with other estimates (e.g. based on the best EF-cancelling RMP, resulting in the fastest TM rotation). A passive variant of this technique is also presented, where no RMPs are applied, and the EF phase is deduced.


The accumulation of industrial waste materials (e.g., coal wash and steel furnace slag) has become a critical environmental problem in Australia in recent years. The possible re-use of these types of materials as structural fill for transport embankments and land reclamation is one of the preferred options from a waste management perspective. Consequently, an experimental testing program was undertaken using the triaxial apparatus to evaluate the shear behavior of compacted mixtures of coal wash (CW) and steel furnace slag (SFS). The effect of varying the confining pressure and the percentage of coal wash on the isotropic compression line, the stress-strain behavior, and particle degradation during drained shearing was evaluated. The percentage of coal wash was found to influence the shearing behavior of the CW-SFS mixtures. When the content of coal wash increased, the shear strength of the CW-SFS mixtures decreased and the axial strain corresponding to the peak stress ratio increased. Moreover, the incidence of particle breakage increased for those mixtures with a higher CW content due to the low particle strength of CW. This paper also provided a non-linear strength envelope and a corresponding empirical equation to capture the shear strength of CW-SFS mixtures.


The paper describes the use of writing as an instructional strategy to integrate several contemporary issues all of which focus on the teaching of human development theories. Issues include postmodern thought, higher level thinking process, conceptual conflict, and arousal, motivation, and integra,ing the writing process into the psychology curriculum. Each issue is briefly discussed and the literature reviewed. The instructional methodology involves use of a dyadic technique and the writing of nine short essays throughout the semester. Students write essay questions and model answers based on assigned readings and text material. Students also write answers to each others' questions, then discuss answers both in dyads or triads and as a whole class. Finally, students' questions and answers are evaluated both by peers and the instructor. Students who received this instructional approach generally felt it was highly beneficial to their learning of both the content of the class and of each other's perceptions of that content. Results support efforts to expand writing activities across the college curriculum. Samples of questions and answers and a form for writing and rating questions are attached. Contains 55 references. (DB) ** ************** ***************** ********** ***** ********* * ************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. A Cooperative Pedagogical Strategy For Teaching Developmental Theories Through Writing: Dyadic Confrontations. Lawrence W. Sherman, Associate Professor School of Education and Allied Professions Department of Educational Psychology 120 McGuffey Hall Miami University


Adequate zinc stores in the body are extremely important during periods of accelerated growth. However, zinc deficiency is common in developing countries and low maternal circulating zinc concentrations have previously been associated with pregnancy complications. We reviewed current literature assessing circulating zinc and dietary zinc intake during pregnancy and the associations with preeclampsia (PE); spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB); low birthweight (LBW); and gestational diabetes (GDM). Searches of MEDLINE; CINAHL and Scopus databases identified 639 articles and 64 studies were reviewed. In 10 out of 16 studies a difference was reported with respect to circulating zinc between women who gave birth to a LBW infant (≤2500 g) and those who gave birth to an infant of adequate weight (>2500 g), particularly in populations where inadequate zinc intake is prevalent. In 16 of our 33 studies an association was found between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and circulating zinc; particularly in women with severe PE (blood pressure ≥160/110 mmHg). No association between maternal zinc C h a p t e r 2 P a g e | 2 0 status and sPTB or GDM was seen; however; direct comparisons between the studies was difficult. Furthermore; only a small number of studies were based on women from populations where there is a high risk of zinc deficiency. Therefore; the link between maternal zinc status and pregnancy success in these populations cannot be established. Future studies should focus on those vulnerable to zinc deficiency and include dietary zinc intake as a measure of zinc status.


To the Editor: The editorial by Professor Kincaid-Smith gives a nephrologically biased view of the current treatment of urinary calculi, and I should like to take up some of the points she has made. The majority of renal calculi are treated by urologists and not nephrologists. Primary dissolutional therapy for stones has been tried over many years and has been almost universally discarded because of its slowness and ineffectiveness. Such dissolution takes weeks rather than days to achieve, and has been used mainly for uric acid and the rarer cystine stones and to tidy up phosphatic stone fragments left after open surgery. Oxalate calculi, which constitute 60-70070 of the bulk of all stones in Westernized societies are virtually resistant to chemolysis. In my personal experience, chemolysis is an indifferent therapy and patients very soon become dissatisfied with the prolonged hospitalization entailed. I was, nevertheless, delighted to read that Professor Kincaid-Smith acknowledges that conventional renal stone surgery has become a rarity. In the last three and a half years we have treated over 85% of more than 600 unselected patients with renal stones at the Institute of Urology, London, by percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCN) only. In an even more recent eight-month period, with the advent of the Dornier extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripter, (ESWL), we have been able to treat a further 500 unselected patients non-invasively. Approximately 400 were treated by ESWL alone, and the remainder by a combination of ESWL, PCN and ureteroscopy. Open renal surgery was used in four patients. The Dornier machine is the end-product of over 10years' research and development, and I doubt whether any of the projected socalled "second-generation" machines will be any more effective. They may be cheaper, but it is a case of "you get what you pay for". Treatment of a small I-em pelvicstone by any type of lithotripsy is easy, but an instrument is required that can treat all types of complicated stone disease. I very much doubt that by means of ultrasound localization alone one could detect accurately the smaller stone particles that are scattered within a kidney by ESWL, and rapid and complete treatment of compound stones will still need to rely on bi-planar fluoroscopy. Other modalities of localization and alternative methods of transmitting the shock wave to the stone, such as water-bag contact, were fully investigated by Dornier and discarded in favour of bath immersion and fluoroscopy. I have been concerned with the various techniques of surgical stone management for the last 20 years, and as a urologist can perhaps give a practical rather than an academic view of the situation. I think that the Dornier machine (or something very similar both in nature and cost) is here to stay, and will provide the backbone of stone treatment in the foreseeable future. It is, and should be used like, a surgical instrument, by urologists who are backed by a team of surgeons skilled in percutaneous nephrolithotomy and open stone surgery, the latter being reserved for a very few stag-horn type of stones. I think it matters little whether the machine is sited in a practical or an academic environment. The period of academic evaluation of this machine isvirtually over, as the successful treatment of over 35 000 patients world-wide can attest. The machine is purely an advanced surgical instrument, but is in danger of becoming some sort of departmental status symbol. It is time that governments and academics responsible for national health care stopped haggling over who pushes the button and where, and appreciated that renal-stone sufferers should have this advanced form of treatment made available to them as soon as possible.


Pattern recognition techniques have been widely used. In this paper, we propose an interpolation method for making classification decision (AIMMCD). This method makes an interpolation of the class labels of the patterns of the training set for classifying a new pattern. Compared with conventional pattern recognition techniques, AIMMCD has several advantages. First, when we use AIMMCD to produce the class label for the test pattern, no any training procedure. This means that AIMMCD to be computationally efficient. Second, when AIMMCD predicts the class label for real-world data, it takes into account the information of the class labels of all the patterns from the training set in a reasonable way. Indeed, the algorithm assumes that the training sample close to a pattern will have much influence on the class prediction of this pattern and the training sample far from this pattern will have little influence. Third, though AIMMCD has a very simple form, it is directly applicable to not only two-class problems but also multi-class problems.


Gas chromatography analysis with the use of an electron captured detector including preparation of the halogen-substituted derivatives of fatty acids is a useful tool for the detection of lipid peroxidation products both in vitro and in vivo. This technique was applied to determine the content of fatty acid oxy-derivatives in lipid samples of transparent and completely opaque human lenses. At the stage of mature cataract a significantly increased level of oxyproducts was observed in the lens lipid fraction. It was concluded that accumulation of polar oxygroups in the lipid bilayer of plasma membranes of lens fibres is a plausible cause of their damage in cataracts.


To change the current negative trend of biodiversity and related ecosystem services, the actors that are capable of changing either policies or daily management of ecosystems or protected areas need to know what their biggest challenges are and how what the impact could be of changes in their current approaches. However, information on what possible futures might bring under the impact of global change and different policy and management measures is a generally recognized knowledge gap. Wetlands only occupy 9% of the land globally, but they provide proportionally significantly more ecosystem services, which are also of high importance (e.g. water provision, regulation of hazards). Especially in regions such as the Mediterranean Basin where wetland extent is decreasing while the human population is increasing, the importance of wetlands for ecosystem services and biodiversity is increasingly disproportionate. Meanwhile, ongoing social and political instability in the region means progress towards Sustainable Development Goals is not a trivial challenge. Information on how policy and management measures could improve the outlook for Mediterranean wetlands biodiversity and ecosystem services is however lacking.This study uses a systematic literature review to identify the pathways, conditions and criteria for positive developments of Mediterranean wetlands under the current global change context. The study is undertaken by the Scientific and Technical Network of MedWet. MedWet is a Mediterranean initiative of 27 Mediterranean countries that have signed the Ramsar convention on the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands.The information from this study is used to develop specific recommendations towards positive futures (e.g. water security, safe coasts). These recommendations are not primarily directed to global platforms, but rather to national governments, NGOs and local citizens' organizations. These parties are most directly concerned with the benefits from a sustainable development path and the safeguarding of related ecosystem services and biodiversity.


Perhaps no technological innovation has so dominated the second half of the twentieth century as has the introduction of the programmable computer. It is quite difficult if not impossible to imagine how contemporary affairs—in business and science, communications and transportation, governmental and military activities, for example—could be conducted without the use of computing machines, whose principal contribution has been to relieve us of the necessity for certain kinds of mental exertion. The computer revolution has reduced our mental labors by means of these machines, just as the Industrial Revolution reduced our physical labor by means of other machines.


A 6-year retrospective review is presented of 185 patients who underwent immediate reconstruction of the breast at the same operation as mastectomy for carcinoma. The patients were treated at two institutions under similar protocols of patient selection, surgical technique, and postoperative care. A detailed evaluation is presented from both the oncologic and surgical points of view. The data support the conclusion that immediate reconstruction of the breast does not alter survival or cancer recurrence rates and does not interfere with the treatment of primary or secondary disease. A low incidence of significant surgical complications is also detailed. Combined with previous reports answering psychological concerns about this mode and timing of reconstruction, this review offers significant reassurance about the overall safety of immediate reconstruction. The authors therefore recommend immediate reconstruction of the breast as a safe treatment option for the woman facing mastectomy.


Intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatment aims to increase the rate of conception by increasing the chances that the maximum number of healthy sperm reach the site of fertilization. IUI with controlled ovarian stimulation is frequently used in assisted reproduction practice. Although widely used, the efficacy of luteal support in IUI remains controversial. In this article, we aimed to review what we know regarding luteal support in IUI cycles and to adjudicate about the clinical use and benefits of this treatment. Based on the study results available in the literature, it appears to be beneficial to supplement the luteal phase in gonadotropin-stimulated IUI cycles that yield more than one follicle.


Chronic allograft rejection (CR) is the main barrier to long-term transplant survival. CR is a progressive disease defined by interstitial fibrosis, vascular neointimal development, and graft dysfunction. The underlying mechanisms responsible for CR remain poorly defined. TGF (cid:1) has been implicated in promoting fibrotic diseases including CR, but is beneficial in the transplant setting due to its immunosuppressive activity. To assess the requirement for T cell TGF (cid:1) signaling in allograft acceptance and the progression of CR, we used mice with abrogated T cell TGF (cid:1) signaling as allograft recipients. We compared responses from recipients that were transiently depleted of CD4 (cid:2) cells (that develop CR and express intragraft TGF (cid:1) ) with responses from mice that received anti-CD40L mAb therapy (that do not develop CR and do not express intragraft TGF (cid:1) ). Allograft acceptance and suppression of graft-reactive T and B cells were independent of T cell TGF (cid:1) signaling in mice treated with anti-CD40L mAb. In recipients transiently depleted of CD4 (cid:2) T cells, T cell TGF (cid:1) signaling was required for the development of fibrosis associated with CR, long-term graft acceptance, and suppression of graft-reactive T and B cell responses. Furthermore, IL-17 was identified as a critical element in TGF (cid:1) -driven allograft fibrosis. Thus, IL-17 may provide a therapeutic target for preventing graft fibrosis, a measure of CR, while sparing the immunosuppressive activity of TGF (cid:1) . The Journal of Immunology, 2009, the internal control, IL-2 (324 bp). Primers transgene forward and reverse were used to detect the transgenic allele (100 bp). CD4-DNR mice exhibit an autoimmune phenotype and immunopathology with age, result- ing in the development of multifocal inflammation best characterized by inflammatory bowel disease between 3 and 5 mo of age (10). To avoid potential complications of age-related autoimmunity, mice were transplanted at 6 wk of age and at the termination of each experiment the colons were examined macroscopically and histologically for autoimmune mani-festations. None of the mice used in this study exhibited an autoimmune phenotype. IL-17 (cid:2) / (cid:2) mice (46) were generated by Dr. Y. Iwakura (Uni-versity of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan) and provided by Dr. W. Zou (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI) in collaboration. All mice were housed under specific pathogen-free conditions in the Unit for Laboratory Animal Med- icine at the University of Michigan. These experiments were approved by the University Committee on Use and Care of Animals at the University of Michigan.


Financial institutions have in the recent past become a major player in the Kenyan economy. Consequently, for the institutions to sustain viable credit programmes, the criteria for assessing credit risk are essential so as to minimize the loan default. There are various known methods and tools which can be employed by credit offices to ensure that they lend quality loan. These methods try to establish the creditworthiness of the potential borrower. Quality loans means good returns to the business since there is less provisions for bad debt in the books of the lending institution. One of the criteria for establishing the creditworthiness of a borrower is the C's of credit model. These are initials for;-character, capacity , capital, collateral , common sense, contribution and conditions The C's of credit refers to the borrower's specific attributes which, if well used can help the lender arrive at a better decision of whether to lend or not to lend, the amount to lend and possibly the period to allow. Lending institutions, however, have continued to record nonperforming loans, despite there being elaborate known methods to aid in credit appraisal. The objectives of this study were to establish the factors that have contributed to non performing loans in financial institutions, whether the appraising persons are well versed on C's of credit and challenges affecting appraising persons during the appraising process. To arrive at reliable findings, the researcher engaged respondents from selected financial institutions who were supplied with questionnaires in order to collect the sought data. The researcher employed descriptive research design which entails distributing questionnaires to respondents. The respondents were sampled from twenty financial institutions where respondents were chosen randomly. The target population in this case was credit officers irrespective of their cadres. For ease of collection of data, the study was located in Nairobi County where most financial institutions are based. The data so collected was coded to facilitate analysis. The researcher employed both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data. The researcher further employed the credit scoring model which uses data on observed borrower characteristics, either to calculate the probability of default or to sort out borrowers into different default risk classes.


The aim of the study was to evaluate the compliance in a dietary intervention study. When drawing conclusions about the relationship between dietary intake and disease occurrence/disease-related variables it is important to obtain valid dietary data. 20 healthy, non-smoking normal-weight omnivores changed from a mixed to a lactovegetarian diet. Dietary surveys (four 24 h recalls per person and time-period), urinary and faecal sample collections were performed before and 3, 6 and 12 months after the dietary shift. The validation of energy, protein, sodium and potassium yielded approximately the same ratio of dietary intake to biological marker at 0 and 3 months. This ratio decreased towards 6 months and continued to decrease towards 12 months. The fibre intake was compared to the total faecal weight directly and indirectly by calculating the fibre intake from the stool weight, the water content in faeces and the excretion of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These four methods of fibre validation showed that the ratio of dietary intake to biological marker was always highest at 12 months, indicating an overestimation of the fibre intake at the end of the study. This is the first time these methods of validating fibre intake have been used in an epidemiological study. The ratio of dietary calcium intake to urinary and faecal calcium excretion did not show any statistical difference between the period before and 3 months after the dietary shift. To conclude, almost all investigated dietary data show approximately the same validity before and 3 months after the dietary shift, and show the least validity 12 months after the dietary shift. Thus, this study demonstrates that it is difficult to obtain valid dietary data 1 year after a drastic dietary change, indicating a decreased compliance to the new dietary regimen at the end of the 1 year study period. This represents important information when attempting to relate biological effects to dietary intake, and illustrates the importance of using biological markers for food intake in dietary surveys.


Demand for wood as structural components has kept increasing. The alternatives available to maintain an adequate supply include the controls to regulate the annual falling rate or to find fast-growing plantation trees as replacements for traditional popular species. Thus, this study focuses on the determination of strength performance of Hevea Brasiliensis at a structural size in green and air-dry condition. The British Standard BS 5820: 1979 method of testing structural size timber was adopted to test the strength properties of this species. For this thesis, the mechanical properties of Hevea brasiliensis that will be discussed is the modulus of elasticity (MOE) in NDT test. The physical properties that affect the strength of timber related to this study are moisture content and basic density. It was found that the strength value of modulus of elasticity was high in air-dry condition with an overall mean value of 14237.03N/mm 2 compared to Hevea brasiliensis in green condition with MOE value of 14208.21 N/mm 2 . The average density in green condition for top and bottom part of Hevea brasiliensis are 795.60 kg/m 3 and 825.70 kg/m 3 . While, the average density in air-dried condition for top and bottom part of this timber species are 659.10 kg/m 3 and 756.60 kg/m 3 respectively. For samples in green condition, the moisture content is 55.02% for the top part and 55.41% for the bottom part, while samples for the air-dry condition is dried until moisture content reached 18%. At air-dry condition, Hevea brasiliensis classified under light hardwood. This study revealed that the strength properties of Hevea brasiliensis in airdry condition are higher than in green condition. Also, the density was higher at bottom part compared to the top part of this species.


As urban waterfronts around the world de-industrialize, cities are increasingly capitalizing on these opportunities to provide open space and alternative commuting routes along riverbanks, bringing residents and visitors back to the waterfronts. Cairo has remarkable opportunities to reconnect its people with the river that was historically its heart. With a population of over eleven million, Cairo is one of the densest cities in the world. The urban population is underserved by parks and other public open space. The need for open space—and the compelling attraction of the wide river—is put in sharp focus by a common sight on Cairo's traffic snarled bridges: families set up chairs and picnic on the sidewalks, overlooking the river and enjoying the open space, seemingly oblivious to the honking traffic that crawls besides them. Most of the river banks are fenced off from public access, but those that are open to the public are heavily used by Cairenes of all ages and all walks of life. The potential for human use of the river banks as open-space is enormous. In an intensive workshop involving 23 students and seven faculty from Cairo University (CU), The American University in Cairo (AUC), and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), interdisciplinary teams systematically inventoried existing conditions along a 12-km reach of the Nile from Maadi to Tahrir Square, recording river-bank relations, building heights and conditions, circulation, and land-use. Based on this field work the student teams identified specific opportunities and challenges for interventions along the Nile. The low, wide flood plains along much of the Nile bank have great potential to be reconfigured into accessible and active public spaces. It was also identified as a feasible route for a continuous pedestrian/bicycle trail. Air quality measurements along the river bank showed that particulate matter levels along the flood plain were on average 30% lower than street level measurements. The presence of historic landmarks and tourist attractions along the Nile provides significant opportunities for urban revitalization and economic development. The excellent views of the Nile and the Pyramids of Giza available at many waterfront locations provide a unique opportunity that interventions along the waterfront can capitalize on. While some stretches of the Corniche have wide sidewalks that can be redesigned to function better as public spaces, the Nile bank provides ample opportunities for ecological restoration at many places. The presence of vacant lots along the Corniche provides opportunities for strategic developments and also for better open space connectivity with the rest of the city. The visible public interest in the limited ferry routes along the river illustrates the potential the Nile holds to function as a significant public transportation corridor if the city is able to expand the existing ferry system. There are also significant challenges related to existence of incongruent public and private land-uses along the Nile Corniche. Appropriate institutional and regulatory frameworks would be required to ensure that proposals for public space restructuring are implemented and maintained well. Urban waste management is a significant concern in Cairo and the Nile waterfront is no exception. Building on the identified opportunities and challenges, workshop participants developed a strategic plan for a longitudinally continuous trail network along the Nile with lateral connectivity to important nodes in Cairo. They also developed detailed plans for the revitalization of two key zones (Athur El Nabi and Old Cairo). The workshop ended just one week before the streets of Cairo became the venue for historic political demonstrations that eventually resulted in major political changes. While there have been many past efforts to rehabilitate the city and 'plan' the future growth of Cairo, including the 'Cairo 2050 Vision Plan' (a multi-year planning effort initiated by the Egyptian government and undertaken by international consultants), none of these prior efforts have highlighted the potential to develop the Nilotic riverfront. In the wake of the January events, 'Cairo 2050' quickly became uncertain and outdated. However, the collaborative research and planning process undertaken here could serve as a model for future planning efforts that are more in-touch with local conditions and reflective of real needs of everyday Cairenes. The political changes of January 2011 highlighted public desires, expectations, and demands for major economic changes and improvements in living conditions. Thus, the concept of reconnecting Cairo's urban population with the Nile is unusually timely. Bringing the people to the river banks could significantly improve daily life for millions, and could contribute to democratization of society and strengthening of the social fabric.


Frequency analysis based on the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) is examined as an alternative to Fourier spectral analysis in the study of EEG signals. This method overcomes the need for the EEG signal to be linear and stationary, assumptions necessary for the application of Fourier spectral analysis. The HHT method comprises two components: empirical mode decomposition (EMD) of the signal into intrinsic mode functions (IMF's); and the Hilbert transform of the IMF's. This technique is applied here in the study of consecutive eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC) EEG signals of able bodied and spinal cord injured participants. The study found that in this EO, EC pair the instantaneous frequencies in the EO state were higher compared to the EC state. The Hilbert weighted frequency, a measure of the mean of the instantaneous frequencies present in an IMF, is used here to detect these changes from EO to the EC state in an EEG signal. Although there was a good detection of this change with information obtained from just one IMF (94% in able-bodied persons and 84% in SCI persons), almost 100% success in detecting between group differences was achieved using all the IMF's. This result has implications for assistive technology that rely on EEG changes in EO and EC states.


Fitness for habitation in any housing tenure is essentially one provided for by local laws; not typically international nor regional. Among European Union member nations concerted efforts continue to be made to deal with poverty and social exclusion as a challenge common to the these States. Housing, and indeed, the adequacy of housing remain instrumental in attaining these objectives of the Union. This paper examines some leeway to bringing housing fitness regime, as an aspect of adequate housing, under European regional regulations with a view to defining a continental policy on housing standards.


Part I: The Late Classics / Post-classic in Oaxaca - An Introduction Part II: Chronology, Continuity and Disjunction - Etic and Emic Perspectives Part III: Continuity and Abandonment of Houses in the Valley of Oaxaca - Lambityeco and Macuilxochitl Part IV: Changing Power Relations and Interaction in the Lower Rio Verde Valley Part V: Sacred History and Legitimisation in the Mixteca Alta Part VI: New Research Frontiers in Oaxaca and Eastern Guerreo Index.


This study was attempted to identify key factors that are worth to be considered when the government of a developing country designs and implements the pre-employment VET policies and systems. For this, 7 policy cases of Korea were selected and analyzed according to 4 key policy issues that developing countries face. Key factors identified are (1) different modes of delivery (school, vocational training institute, employer); (2) relative efficacy of vocational education to general education; (3) relative effectiveness of public provision to private provision; and (4) funding rationale (who should pay for VET). Analysis identified 10 common key factors: (1) changes in employment opportunities and skill demands, (2) society's perception on VET and preference of academic programs, (3) capacity and readiness of existing VET providers, (4) cognitive skills of students and trainees, (5) government's policies to induce private sector to the pre-employment VET and to form training market, (6) government's financial capacity and funding rationale, (7) private sector's capacity and willingness to finance and provide VET, (8) supporting mechanisms (qualification system, quality assurance, and information system), (9) political leadership (initiation and sustainability of policies), and (10) cooperation & coordination mechanisms among stakeholders (ministries of central government, local governments, industry, providers, etc.). For effective investment, this study suggests long-term, comprehensive and demand-driven approach.


This study was carried out in order to evaluate the efficiency of blood-letting cupping (BLC) therapy as a complementary therapy in management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to investigate its modulatory effects on natural killer cells (NK) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (SIL-2R). Two groups of RA patients diagnosed according to American Rheumatology Association were included: Group I included 20 patients who received the conventional medicinal therapy of RA, Group II included 30 patients who received combined conventional and BLC therapy. Ten age and sex matched normal controls were also included, as group III. Visual analogue score (VAS), tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), disease activity scores (DAS), laboratory markers of disease activity [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Rheumatoid factor (RF)] were evaluated on 3 successive months, NK cell (%) measured by flowcytometry and SIL-2R concentrations measured by ELISA were also assessed. After one month of combined therapy there was significant (P < 0.001) reduction in VAS (5.16 +/- 0.28), TJC (11.62 +/- 1.03), SJC (10.13 +/- 1.02) and DAS (5.35 +/- 0.14). Early and marked reductions in laboratory markers of disease activity (26.90 +/- 3.68) for CRP, (51.46 +/- 6.06) for RF and (40.56 +/-3.36) for ESR were also detected as compared to base line, while the effects of conventional therapy appeared late after 3 months of treatment. Conventional therapy induced significant depression in white blood cell (WBC %) (p < 0.001) whereas combined therapy induced marked (p < 0.001) elevation since the first month (8.44 +/- 1.58) compared to base line (6.94 +/- 1.58). There was a significant (P < 0.05) lowering in NK cell (%) with conventional therapy while combined therapy induced significant (P < 0.001) increase (11.33 +/- 0.4.7) compared to base line level (8.50 +/- 0.46). Additionally, combined therapy resulted in marked reduction (P < 0.001) in SIL-2R conc. after 3 months of treatment (1790 +/- 68.11) compared to base line (2023 +/- 92.95), while insignificant reduction was detected with the conventional therapy. The improvement rate (%) of clinical, laboratory cellular & immunological parameters were significantly higher with combined therapy than with conventional therapy. Moreover, strong positive correlations (p < 0.0001) were detected between SIL-R conc. and clinical parameters VAS (r = 0.890), TJC (r = 0.905), SJC (r = 0.872) and DAS (r = 0.923) and also between SIL-R conc. and ESR (r = 0.973), CRP (r = 0.933), RF (r = 0.941), while a strong negative correlation was found with NK count cell % (r = 0.927). In conclusion, BLC therapy combined with conventional therapy may improve the clinical condition of patients with RA. It has modulatory effects on the innate (NK %) and adaptive cellular (SIL-2R conc.) immune responses that could be used as monitoring tools for disease activity and prognosis.


Appraisals of boards of directors are now well established and viewed as important contributors to the effectiveness of boards. Because board appraisal practices vary between companies and the benefits of an appraisal will only be obtained where an appropriate practice is followed, there is significant interest in the board appraisal practices adopted by companies. The authors first outline the benefits and challenges of board appraisals and identify the key features of an effective board appraisal. They then present the results of their study of how board appraisals are conducted in Australia in relation to large and small listed companies and compare the findings with the board appraisal practices of US Fortune 100 companies.


A field study was carried out during the 2016 cropping season to determine the effect of planting density on the growth and yield performance of two varieties of millet at Ekpoma. Gero badeggi and Gero bida varieties were sown at three densities (111,111, 222,222 and 333,333 plants ha -1 ). The experiment was a 2 x 3 factorial scheme laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The result shows that planting density had no significant effect on the growth parameters measured. However, Gero badeggi planted at 111,111 plants ha -1 had the tallest plants, highest number of leaves/plant and stem girth while Gero bida planted at 333,333 plants ha -1 gave the shortest plants, least number of leaves/plant and stem girth, respectively. There was no significant difference in flowering trait amongst densities, but the varieties differed markedly in days to 50% flowering. Increasing planting density significantly (P<0.05) increased the forage yield. However, crops sown at higher densities had higher forage yield than the low density. The differences in observed between varieties were significant in some of the studied characters and thus millet sown at 111,111 and 333,333 plants/ha is recommended for millet production in the area. Keywords : Millet, planting density, growth and forage yield.


Workers that fulfil the current skill demands of firms are an essential component of a correctly functioning labour market. A recent survey conducted by the Prince's Trust and HSBC interviewed over 600 business leaders from firms with more than 500 employees in all major sectors. In excess of 40% of these business owners said they were already experiencing skills gaps within their firms, while more than half also faced difficulties filling vacancies. What is possibly more concerning for the UK economy is that over two-thirds of the business leaders (68%) said they held fears that skills shortages would slow down any form of economic recovery, with an alarming 35% harbouring fears that these skill shortages would cause their business to fail.

Skill deficiencies appear to be a major issue in the United Kingdom, both in terms of their number, and the lagging economic performance that is blamed on them. Despite anecdotal evidence, and logical arguments, that these deficiencies are having a negative impact on the economy, very little empirical evidence exists. The principle aim of this thesis is to examine the impact that skill deficiencies are having on the UK economy at differing levels of aggregation. This will include looking at the effect in terms of the economy as a whole, from the perspective of establishments and from the perspective of employees.

Chapter 2 investigates how establishments respond to Hard to fill Vacancies (HTFV) and Skill Gaps (SGs) within the premise of a low skill equilibrium framework. Generalized Poisson and Zero Inflated Negative Binomial models are fitted to a count of establishments' positive responses, using data from the 2005, 2007 and 2009 waves of the National Employers Skill Survey. The results indicate that most establishments do not respond in a negative way (cutting jobs) to HTFVs or SG. This suggests that a low skill equilibrium is not an economy wide issue. There are some occupations that seem less likely to respond to both internal and external skill gaps, and these areas are the intermediate skilled jobs where Skill Biased Task Change and job polarisation have been seen. Most noticeably a negative response has been seen in the following occupations; 'Administrative', 'Skilled Trades' and 'Machine Operatives'. In these intermediate skill occupations there does seem to be evidence of negative employer responses to skill deficiencies, which may suggest a downward skill trajectory exists for this subsection of the economy.

Chapter 3 constructs an establishment-level dataset by matching productivity data from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) to skill information from the National Employers Skill Survey (NESS). The effect of internal skill gaps on productivity is then examined for the successfully matched workplaces. An IV estimator is used to remove the endogeneity of inputs problem, with lagged labour costs used as an instrument. Result from this regression analysis are contrary to prior expectations and suggest that the selection issue, whereby establishments that are more likely to have a skills deficiency may be the more productive workplaces, may be more significant that first believed. Due to this selection issue both a Heckman two-step model and Propensity Score Matching are investigated. The results suggest that while skill gaps are not having a positive effect on productivity (as was originally suggested by the IV results), they are not having any significant impact.

Chapter 4 attempts to establish whether there is a causal relationship between the level of skill deficiencies in a market and the remuneration workers receive in that market. In order to do this information on skill deficiencies from the Employers Skills Survey (ESS) is matched at an industry/occupation level to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) over the period 2006 to 2012. This information is used in a pseudo panel framework to test if wages in markets with greater skill deficiencies are higher than those in markets with lower skill deficiencies. To validate this result regressions were run on an individual's wage, with market level skill information matched in from the ESS. This allows us to further test if workers in markets with higher skill shortages receive a higher wage. An additional effort is made to decompose which workers gain (or lose) the most from being in a market with skill deficiencies. The results suggest that high levels of SSVs in a given market have a positive impact on a worker's wage. The analysis on SGs shows varying sized coefficients, but continuously suggests that SGs do have a significant negative effect on wages in the given market.

This thesis concludes that skill deficiencies do not have the clear negative effect on the UK economy that has been anecdotally claimed. There is no negative effect found on establishments' performance, and while intermediate occupations could be at risk of a downward spiral of skill attainment, the rest of the economy is not. It is believed that while a negative impact has not been seen in this work, this is more likely due to data limitations. Care should be taken when drawing implications from this work and further analysis should be conducted in regards to this topic.


Background Endemic HIV transmission in men who have sex with men (MSM) is a major concern in England. Since 2008, a new national anonymised genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic reporting system provides follow-up data on clinic attendees. Objective To calculate HIV seroconversion rates and identify predictors of acquisition in MSM clinic attendees to inform the development of further HIV prevention initiatives. Methods National cohort of MSM who tested HIV negative at a GUM clinic in England in 2009 and had a follow-up test within 1 year were included in these analyses. HIV seroconversion rates (per 100 person-years (py)) with 95% CI were calculated by subgroups and risk markers. HR with 95% CI are reported for significant (p<0.05) predictors of HIV seroconversion identified using Cox regression analyses. Population attributable risk was calculated to estimate the importance of each predictor for HIV infection. Results Among the 15 500 men who attended in 2009, there were 277 seroconversions, giving an overall incidence of 2.7/100 py (95% CI 2.4 to 3.1). Incidence was higher among MSM aged 35–49 years (3.4/100 py), of black ethnicity (4.1/100 py) and with a previous gonorrhoea or chlamydia infection (8.6/100 py and 9/100 py, respectively). In multivariable analysis, risk of acquiring HIV was higher among MSM with a previous gonorrhoea (HR: 2.4, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.1) or chlamydia infection (HR: 3.0, 95% CI 2.0 to 4.7) or who received treatment as a STI contact (HR: 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.9). Age predicted HIV acquisition in 30% of new infections and clinical risk markers from the previous year another 10%. Conclusions Annual HIV incidence among MSM re-attending GUM clinics is very high at almost 3%. None of the clinical risk factors were important predictors of HIV acquisition. Therefore more discriminatory behavioural information is required to identify MSM at higher risk of HIV and facilitate better triaging of HIV prevention measures in GUM clinics.


The relationship between yeast colonisation, symptoms and antifungal self-medication remains poorly understood. Previous studies have involved pregnant women or women using hormonal contraception, and many have been underpowered. This American cohort study aimed to determine the prevalence of yeast colonisation over a 1-year period in 18–30-year-old, sexually active, non-pregnant women. A total of 1248 women were recruited and more than 80% of the scheduled visits at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 months were attended. At each visit a questionnaire was used to enquire about symptoms, antifungal use, sexual/personal behaviour and contraception in the preceding 4 months. A swab of vaginal fluid was transferred to candida-selective culture media. Some 70% of women were colonised by vaginal yeast at one or more visits, but only 4% were colonised at all four visits. Factors associated with yeast colonisation included marijuana use [odds ratio (OR) 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.5], depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) use (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.7), sexual activity in past 5 days (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.8) and concurrent colonisation with lactobacillus and group B streptococcus. Symptoms of pruritis and vulvovaginal burning were associated with yeast colonisation but antifungal use was not. The results support the concept that Candida albicans exists as part of the normal vaginal flora in many healthy asymptomatic women, and that host factors influence the development of symptoms. The authors suggest that the lack of an association with antifungal use casts doubt on the reliability of self-diagnosis and self-treatment of thrush symptoms. However, the study was limited by possible recall bias and the fact that most women were not examined at the time they had symptoms or used antifungal treatment. Moreover, the study population was relatively young (80% under 25 years) and from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, so may not be representative of the wider female population. The finding of an association with DMPA conflicts with previous studies showing a protective effect against yeast colonisation. Further research is therefore required to confirm an association between yeast colonisation and injectable progestogen-only contraceptives.


In attempting to parcel out the components within calls that may have functional significance or "message value", the present study of the series pitted "best audible" frequencies of Bobwhite Quail against one another in a frequency discrimination task, and further looked at these frequencies relative to their durational limits. The tasks set for the birds were difficult. In Expers. I and II, 8 adult quail discriminated between frequencies which presumably have independent significance (the 1.0-kc/s of the adult separation call, and the 3.5-kc/s of the chick "lost" call) at lessening durations (200-30 msec). In Exper. III, duration discrimination was tested at single frequencies. The tasks were related in several ways to "real call" situations like those met by birds under field conditions. Mean frequency discrimination performance was about 75%-correct when the standard and comparison tones were both 200 msec in duration, about 65% when both were at 100 msec, and at chance levels at shorter durations. This was true whether the standard tone remained at 200 msec (Exper. I) or was shortened along with the comparison tone. The limit of durational discrimination at both peak frequencies was also of the order of 100 msec. Thus, quail can discriminate the frequency of peak frequency signals that vary in duration down to a limit of 100 msec., but as the task becomes more difficult (i.e., reduced duration or similar frequency content) decreased sensitivity might have to be offset by enhancement of other signal parameters.


This study investigates linguistic variation in a case of dialect change and
maintenance, for a Northern (NT) Thai dialect in a Northern Industrial Estate (NTIE) of Thailand, in Lamphun province. The target area is the Ban Klang Municipal (MBK) community where locals use the NT Thai dialect. However, due to internal immigration over the past 30 years, MBK has undergone a dramatic change in socio-economics and culture, from an agriculturally-based society, swiftly transforming into an urbanised and industrialised one. The national standard Bangkok (BKK) Thai, has influenced and motivated dialect shift among MBK speakers who speak the NT Thai dialect. The
quantitative variationist approach can clarify the changing linguistic situation in the MBK area.

The dependent linguistic variables include rhotic consonant onset (r)
incorporating [r], [ɾ], [l] and [h] as its variants, such as [rɯa:n0], [ɾɯa:n0], [lɯa:n0] and [hɯa:n0], "house". The consonant cluster onset with rhotic (Cr) comprises {Cr}, {Cɾ}, {Cl} and {C∅}, such as [kʰrap3], [kʰɾap3], [kʰlap3] and [kʰap3], "male polite final particle". Only the (r) onset includes the local variant [h] in NT Thai dialect; only (Cr) includes a deleted variant. The independent variables comprise Labovian style factors, demographic social factors, social network strength (SNS) factors and phonological
constraints. The dyadic interviews included 66 respondents. Defined by geographic origin differences, the 57 MBK locals were the focused group, while the 9 BKK speakers were the control group. A friend-to-friend method and judgment sampling were employed. The total length of interviews was around 120 hours.

The study revealed the following:
1. In both (r) and (Cr) variables, the study showed that [l] and {C∅} were the most commonly-used forms. Stylistic stratification occurs, with formal styles favouring the standard rhotic variants.
2. Style plays a major role in linguistic variability, followed by social factors and linguistic constraints, respectively. LMC women are the linguistic trailblazers in certain variants. MMC elderly local males are the primary dialect maintainers. The MMC and WC locals used the covert prestige form [h] more often, but with different underlying social meanings.
3. Social network (SN) analysis employed an ego-centric network approach. SN factors were significant in the model but not a strong explanatory predictor. MBK networks were largely ethnically homogeneous. Contact frequency and intimacy scores were highly correlated. This confirms that all attributes forming the SN are highly interrelated and dependent.
4. The corresponding variants of (r) and (Cr) reveal non-parallel linguistic patterns.The relationship between variable (r) and (Cr) exhibited weak associations, with the rhotic variants patterning similarly, while the lateral variants were not aligned. The emergence of laterals in (Cr) might be derived partly from articulatory errors, while [l] patterned in line with {C∅} as the neutral variants in casual styles.
5. The stylistic and social factors played greater roles in linguistic variability than the internal linguistic factors. This might be due to the social structure that has an effect on the linguistic structure, particularly in these Tai-Kadai family and related non-Western languages. The style and social factor elements are an important determinant of linguistic structure.


The transmission of measles in medical settings has become increasingly recognized. Due to the lack of information on nosocomial measles in Mexico we performed a 14 year retrospective study at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. The objectives of our study were: a) to determine the frequency of the disease in our hospital; b) to determine the association between nutritional status and risk of acquiring nosocomial measles and c) to establish the relationship between nutritional status and complications in morbidity and mortality due to nosocomial measles. Eighty nine children with nosocomial measles were identified. We observed that patients with severe malnutrition had a greater risk of acquiring nosocomial measles developing complication and dying. The most frequent complication was pneumonia.


Probing packing rules The crystals of a well-defined ligand-covered gold nanoparticle can reveal how packing into a lattice happens. Zeng et al. synthesized nanoparticles with a 246-atom gold core surrounded by 80 4-methylbenzenethiol ligands. These nearly spherical nanoparticles did not pack into a cubic arrangement but instead formed a lower-symmetry monoclinic structure. A hierarchy of interparticle ligand interactions controlled the packing, including sets of chiral packing arrangements that reversed between layers. Science, this issue p. 1580 Structural studies of a well-defined ligand-covered gold nanoparticle reveal rules for hierarchical packing. We demonstrate that nanoparticle self-assembly can reach the same level of hierarchy, complexity, and accuracy as biomolecules. The precise assembly structures of gold nanoparticles (246 gold core atoms with 80 p-methylbenzenethiolate surface ligands) at the atomic, molecular, and nanoscale levels were determined from x-ray diffraction studies. We identified the driving forces and rules that guide the multiscale assembly behavior. The protecting ligands self-organize into rotational and parallel patterns on the nanoparticle surface via C-H⋅⋅⋅π interaction, and the symmetry and density of surface patterns dictate directional packing of nanoparticles into crystals with orientational, rotational, and translational orders. Through hierarchical interactions and symmetry matching, the simple building blocks evolve into complex structures, representing an emergent phenomenon in the nanoparticle system.


The main objective of this study is to optimize a new natural biosorbent for the depollution of contaminated water. This pollution can have adverse effects on both human health and the environment. The subject of our study is to use a natural material, abundant and less expensive, like the Pineapple Bark (PB), for the treatment of colored water by adsorption method. In this case, the adsorptive power of the BP was tested on a cationic dye which is Methylene Blue (MB). Hence, the physicochemical and morphological compositions of PB were characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A series of experiments were carried out in order to study the influence of certain parameters on the adsorption capacity in particular: the mass of the adsorbent, the initial concentration of the dye, the contact time, the pH and temperature. The optimum adsorption capacity of MB on PB is in the order of 0.78 mg.g-1 with a removal percentage of 96% for a MB concentration of 20 mg.l-1 an amount of 2 g.l-1 of the adsorbent, pH=6 and a temperature of 20°C. The results show that the kinetics of adsorption of the dye MB by PB is described by the second-order model, also the adsorption isotherms are described satisfactorily by the Langmuir model.


This thesis investigates experimentally the elastic scattering of hard x-rays. Combining the novel technologies of a third-generation synchrotron radiation source and a Si(Li) strip detector which acts as a highly efficient x-ray Compton polarimeter allows to measure the linear polarization of the elastically scattered photons for a highly linearly polarized incident beam. Here, such a polarization transfer is considered for the first time in the hard x-ray regime. With a photon energy of 175 keV and gold as scatterer, a highly relativistic regime is chosen where Rayleigh scattering is the only significant elastic scattering contribution. In addition to the polarization of the elastically scattered photons, also the angular distribution is measured. The data are compared to fully relativistic second-order QED calculations. Both observables are well described by these predictions whereas the form factor approximation fails. The simultaneous measurement of angular distribution and
polarization allows to identify spurious agreement of the form factor theory in only one observable. At scattering angles around 90°, the assumption that the incident beam is completely linearly polarized is not sufficient to explain the data. The measured linear polarization of the Compton-scattered photons is used to obtain an independent estimate for the incident beam polarization of about 98 % which leads to an agreement between experiment and theory at all measured data points. The significant change introduced by this depolarization of 2 % indicates a strong sensitivity on the polarization of the incident beam. In the present experiment, this sensitivity limits the precision, but on the other hand, it allows a precise reconstruction of the incident beam polarization when the theory is established. Here, such a reconstruction is performed and the result agrees with the 98 % from the Compton polarization, but with a slightly lower uncertainty and with less statistics.


We provide an overview over the concepts, pitfalls and challenges involved in conducting scientifically sound impact evaluations and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in conflict-affected and fragile states or areas. We consider both interventions aimed at preventing and overcoming war, conflict and insecurity as well as interventions targeted at common socio-economic outcomes such as livelihoods, employment, microfinance, health or poverty which happen to be in insecure or post-conflict reconstruction environments. Surprisingly, this is a significant methodological research gap. Generating sound lessons from such interventions requires careful research design and a profound understanding of the underlying institutional environment. The good news is that rigorous impact evaluations and RCTs are possible even under adverse circumstances. We offer some specific suggestions and guidelines in this paper on how to achieve this. There are many opportunities for better interventions to help overcome the development challenges of violence and conflict.


Nonlinear, nonlocal optical media has emerged as an ideal setting for experimentally observing and studying spatial optical solitary waves which otherwise cannot occur in Kerr media. Of particular interest is the eventual application to all-optical circuits. However, there is considerable work left to do on the theoretical end before this is a possibility. In this thesis we consider three problems. The first is how to solve the governing equations for optical beam propagation in the particular medium of the nematic liquid crystal (NLC), which is used as a prototypical example, exactly and approximately. In this respect we provide the first known, explicit solutions to the model as well as a comprehensive assessment on how to use variational, or modulation theory, in this context. This leads to the discovery of a novel form of bistability in the system, which shows there are two stable solitary wave solutions for a fixed power or L2 norm. We then consider how to approximate solutions for optical solitary waves propagating in a more general class of nonlocal nonlinear media using asymptotic methods. This is a long open problem and is resolved in the form of a simple to implement method with excellent accuracy and general applicability to previously intractable models. We conclude with the discovery and characterization of an instability mechanism in a coupled, defocussing nonlinear Schrödinger system. We show there is no stable, coupled, localized solution. This result is compared with the more well-studied bright solitary wave system and physical and mathematical explanations are offered.


This study is an attempt to understand how Islamists, especially a significant part of the Shi'a clergy, become the dominant political force in Iran in the 1970s, which was a decade of state transformation. Employing a conceptual toolbox and methods of investigation based on the Strategic-Relational Approach and Cultural Political Economy, this study introduces fresh perspectives, concerns, and concepts to reconstruct the key features of the complex revolutionary moment in 1979 and provide a periodisation of state (trans-)formations in Iran. It identifies two main periods: national state building (1848-1970) and expansion (1970-). By exploring the recontexualization and changing articulation of three discursive formations and taking note of different temporalities, this study identifies a 'holy triad' (justice, progress and independence) that sheds light on the development of the national state in Iran. I argue that justice is the master frame for conceptualising the changing significance of the other two. The thesis also argues that the political economy of oil became the triad's primary point of crystallisation in the 1970s. Thus, an economic crisis that followed the collapse of the oil boom in the mid-1970s profoundly disoriented the state's political and cultural legitimacy. This crisis created the setting for the rise and dominance of an innovative, Shi'ite messianic narrative. This was embodied in Khomeini's role in Iranian politics. Therefore, this study explores the history of Shi'ism and the Shi'a messianic movements to identify the resources and capacities available to Khomeini to promote his counter-hegemonic visions. A further factor favouring Khomeini's messianic movement was the history of (semi-)colonialism in the region and the intensifying Arab-Israeli conflict, which tended to confirm Khomeini's narrative rather than the ideas of his rivals. In short, rather than re-interpreting the 1979 Revolution in the light of new historical findings, this study provides a spatio-temporally sensitive strategic-relational account of revolutionary conjuncture and historical specificity of the background to the revolution and its path-shaping impact on the present moment.


Even in a developed economy, visual impairment can limit further economic development

Taylor et al writing in this issue of the BJO (p 272) are to be congratulated for their excellent description of the economic burden of visual impairment in Australia. While most in the eye care community have always assumed that visual impairment represents an important social burden, the authors have shown that the absolute economic burden of visual impairment ranks with cancer, dementia, and arthritis. The impact relative to the entire Australian economy (0.6% of the Australian GDP) also emphasises the non-trivial nature of the burden of visual impairment. The results should catch the attention of health policy makers because they suggest that, even in a developed economy, visual impairment can limit further economic development.

In order to make appropriate use of the important findings, readers must understand the inputs into the burden calculation, the way in which a measure of burden can fit into cost effectiveness or cost benefit models, and notable points about the methods used. Epidemiological and economic data are inputs for a national burden calculation. The epidemiological information is either prevalence or incidence; Taylor et al used prevalence, and this has implications for how the results can be incorporated into an economic evaluation. The economic data include expenses related to prevention and treatment of conditions leading to visual impairment, productivity loss among the visually impaired population, and expenses attributable to informal care. The inputs suggest that in the absence of vastly improved methods of preventing the incidence or progression of cataract, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, the national prevalent burden will grow over time in ageing populations unless the economic costs per person are …


Abstract Is the underground (or informal) economy growing in European countries and to what extent is it related to (illegal) immigration? This paper draws on research primarily from the experiences of European Union countries since the early 1990s, and critically analyses the relationship between the apparent growth of (illegal) immigration, n forms of political economy, and what shall be referred to in this paper as 'underground employment'. By disentangling these complex processes, I provide afire-grained critical assessment of some of the more hyperbolic statements about the growth of underground employment, especially with respect in (illegal) immigration. That is, without denying the presence of underground employment, or the role of immigration within it, my discussion ranges from the agnostic to the skeptical. 1 conclude by suggesting what implications my analysis has for economic development policies with respect to underground employment in European countries. I. INTRODUCTION In early January 2005, the putatively left-leaning British daily, The Guardian, published yet another expose on 'illegal workers' in the UK. To anyone working in the field of immigration or employment in Europe (or anywhere else for that matter) this could hardly be labeled 'news', worrying or depressing, as it may have seemed to some. Indeed, for most critical political economists, it is no longer novel to critique the assumption that the world's economies are on some ineluctable path to 'modernization' and 'formalization'. Most of us can accept this without too much scholarly protest. What chimes as more suspect is the consensus among academics, governments, and the popular press that the 'underground economy' has been growing over the last three decades across the 'post-industrial' economies. In fact, it may come as a surprise that as early as the late 1970s, O'Higgins (1980) believed that the 'hidden economy' had peaked in the UK, for example, because of the lack of cash required to redistribute work (Pahl and Wallace, 1985). While these same observers cite a range of reasons for this growth, they also persistently attach causality (to not use the word blame) to an apparent increase in ('illegal')' immigration. In this respect, nearly two decades ago, Castells and Portes (1989) questioned the widespread assumption that directly linked the growth of underground activity to an increase in immigration. As they put it: "... European case studies contradict the view that the underground economy is primarily a consequence of immigration [..]..Undoubtedly, immigrants provide one source of labor for the expansion of these activities, and they may be preferable to domestic workers because of their vulnerability. However, the underlying causes for the expansion of an informal economy in the advanced countries go well beyond the availability of a tractable foreign labor supply." (p. 25). More recently, other observers provide evidence from national case studies which support Castells and Portes' conclusions, and argue similarly that (illegal) immigration (to the extent that it is increasing) may facilitate, but does not create underground activity (Quassoli, 1998; Reyneri, 1998; Sassen, 1996, 1998; Wilpert, 1998). Indeed, it is commonly argued that citizens, rather than immigrants, perform the bulk of underground activity, even if the majority of immigrants are involved in underground activity (Williams and Windebank, 1998). In any case, we need to move beyond the verb 'facilitate' however, to elaborate on the precise processes involved, if only because some authors ardently dismiss the availability of an immigrant labor force as a causal explanation, while nonetheless slipping occasionally into such reasoning (compare Sassen, 1991, 1996, and 1998 for example). In this sense, this paper draws on research primarily from the experiences of European Union countries since the early 1990s, and critically analyses the relationship between the apparent growth of (illegal) immigration, new forms of political economy, and what I shall call 'underground employment'. …


Research examining children's and young people's food and eating practices has become more common place in recent years. Qualitative methods can be useful in such sense-making research, where an individual's narrative is likely to involve complexity, contradiction and ambiguity. Speaking and writing about food and eating can offer participants of all ages and most abilities the opportunity to delve into their own world of practice. Commonly used methods, like the individual interview and focus group, whilst suitable for studies of this kind, are not without their drawbacks. There are important ethical issues concerning children's privacy and their right not to reveal 'too much' to the researcher or their family. Innovative methods which deserve greater consideration include audio diaries, memory work/books, email interviews and interviews 'on the move'. All offer the researcher the opportunity to build rapport with and collect narratives about food and eating from children and young people.


would only be easily available for 10 years on average. This would have been a sum equal to our entire annual drug budget. It could also have been used to buy two new Land Rovers for public health work-assuming that someone was generous enough to continue subsidising the heavy fuel and maintenance costs. Ultimately we had to face the fact that even when the machine was running we could on average afford only one or two radiographs per course of treatment for tuberculosis. I was surprised to find that without the unit our tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment programme was little affected. In 9900 of cases an early diagnosis could be made with full confidence simply by paying more attention to the patient's story, to every available clue on general examination, and to routine laboratory findings-all of which were tabulated on a card so that response to treatment could be easily gauged. We stopped a previous policy of sending patients with multiply resistant organisms to Kinshasa (the capital) when we heard that having spent all their money on expensive top quality radiographs and drugs they promptly died of malnutrition. Instead we concentrated harder on the nutritional aspects of management and on obtaining stocks of relatively cheap second line drugs such as ethionamide and pyrazinamide. This policy was more successful. Our combined failure and drop out rate for an 18 month twice weekly programme of treatment was about 10%. This contrasted with an equivalent combined failure rate of about 50% at a bigger hospital in the regional capital, where only 200-300 patients were under treatment at any one time. The problem was that village patients could not earn a living to support and feed themselves and their families during treatment, as they could near a rural hospital. The presence of a brand new $40 000 x ray unit did nothing to alter that fact. Our own unit cost $7000 new and was made by Philips-the only company with anything resembling an agency service in Zaire. For four years before its breakdown it had taken excellent pictures. It ran off a 3 kW generator, and it had three controls and two basic positions (erect and supine) although others could easily be improvised. I suspect that most Western doctors would need special training to interpret 90 of the 100 projections incorporated as "basic" in the WHO system. I also suspect that this system would successfully do 99-9% of what is required in the average district general hospital in Britain. In most developing countries, however, the priorities are totally different, and one of the most important remains the training, equipment, and encouragement of indigenous medical staff to work in the isolated rural areas where they are most needed. I suggest that the promotion of one comparatively expensive radiography system as "appropriate" in such a manner as to imply that other more affordable systems are any less so and without clear demonstration ofthe backup services provided is a contradiction in terms. STUART H ANDERSON


Background: While the number of hospitalized patients in Dutch hospitals has increased since 1997, the demand for red blood cell units (RBCs) has simultaneously decreased. This implies a dramatic change in transfusion practice toward fewer blood transfusions on average per patient.Objectives: In order to explain the RBC reduction, different patient groups (surgical, medical, obstetrical, and specific age groups) were studied retrospectively in relation to RBC use. In addition, the use of combinations of RBCs, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets during a transfusion episode was examined for trends over time.Materials and methods: Data from the PROTON database, containing information on all transfusions in twelve Dutch hospitals in the period 1996–2005, including corresponding patient data (age, diagnosis, treatment, and hospitalizations) and blood unit data (type, amount, and date) were analyzed.Results: The proportion of RBCs used for surgical patients declined from 50% in 1996 to 40% in 2005, whereas medical use increased from 47% to 58% (the remaining 2%–3% went to obstetrical patients). Changes were more marked in the higher age groups. Also, a trend was observed toward the use of only one or two RBCs during a transfusion episode rather than three or more. Among surgical patients who received blood, the use of combinations of blood units, as compared to RBCs only, increased from 32% to 39%.Conclusion: The results suggest a more restrictive transfusion policy for surgical patients as well as an increase in medical indications for transfusion. This fits well with the current focus on more cost-effective transfusion policies. Keywords: red blood cell usage, combinations of blood units, trends in blood use, medical and surgical patients


Mutation testing has been shown to be one of the strongest testing criteria for the evaluation of both programs and test suites. Comprehensive sets of mutants require strong test sets to achieve acceptable testing coverage. Moreover, mutation operators are valuable for the evaluation of other testing approaches. Although its importance has been highlighted for aspect-oriented (AO) programs, there is still a need for a suitable set of mutation operators for AO languages. The quality of the mutation testing itself relies on the quality of such operators. This paper presents the design of a set of mutation operators for AspectJ-based programs. These operators model instances of fault types identified in an extensive survey. The fault types and respective operators are grouped according to the related language features. We also discuss the generalisation of the fault types to AO approaches other than AspectJ and the coverage that may be achieved with the application of the proposed operators. In addition, a cost analysis based on two case studies involving real-world applications has provided us feedback on the most expensive operators, which will support the definition of further testing strategies.


This paper presents a mathematical model of a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) in the positive synchronous reference frame under distorted grid voltage conditions. The oscillations of the DFIG's electromagnetic torque and the instantaneous stator active and reactive powers are fully described when the grid voltage is harmonically distorted. Four alternative control targets are proposed to improve the system responses during grid harmonic distortions. A new rotor current control scheme implemented in the positive synchronous reference frame is developed. The control scheme consists of a proportional-integral (PI) regulator and a harmonic resonant (R) compensator tuned at six times the grid frequency. Consequently, the fundamental and the fifth- and seventh-order components of rotor currents are directly regulated by the PI-R controller without sequential-component decompositions. The feasibility of the proposed control strategy is validated by simulation studies on a 2.0-MW wind-turbine-driven DFIG system. Compared with the conventional vector control scheme based on standard PI current controllers, the proposed control scheme leads to significant elimination of either DFIG power or torque oscillations under distorted grid voltage conditions.


This paper describes the application of climate-based daylight modelling to predict the annual daylight exposure received by an 18th century painting oil displayed on the Stone Staircase at Mount Stewart, near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The simulation predicted that the painting was receiving several times the recommended daylight exposure limit of 0.6 Mlux hrs for this type of artefact. The predictions were compared against the limited monitored data that were taken at the site. Notwithstanding the shortcomings of the monitored data, the agreement with simulation was sufficiently encouraging to allow recommendations to be made regarding interventions to help reduce the daylight exposure experienced by the painting.


Perhaps some acting talents are simply too big for the screen. Laurence Olivier, for example, has directed and acted in some splendid motion pictures, but the best of these are theatrically based. Olivier has been considered an actor's actor, and the stage is and has been his proper medium. Other British actors have made smoother and more complete transitions to the screen, but not all. The late Richard Burton's greatest film roles-Look Back in Anger, The Taming of the Shrew, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, for example-were generated by theatrical vehicles. On the other hand, Nicol Williamson's Hamlet is splendid on film, arguably more plausible than Olivier's, but as an acting performance, matched by his later portrayal of Merlin in John Boorman's Excalibur. Kevin Kline represents a new generation of American actors trained on the stage but also highly effective on the motion picture screen. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Kline studied music and drama at Indiana University, where the Bloomington campus boasts one of the strongest programs in the country in music and opera. He first majored in music at Indiana University but eventually got hooked on theatre when he took a course in acting and then got involved in campus productions. He is still an accomplished pianist, and has said that "playing the piano is my therapy." The melding of his musical and theatrical talents eventually was realized during the summer of 1980 with his highly acclaimed rendering of the Pirate King in Joseph Papp's The Pirates of Penzance in New York's Central Park, after Kline had moved on to the Julliard Drama Center and after he had gained much theatrical experience as a founding member of John Houseman's Acting Company. During his four years with The Acting Company, Kline played lead roles in a classical repertoire that included The School for Scandal, She Stoops to Conquer, The Three Sisters, and The Lower Depths. More recently Kevin Kline played Shakespeare's Richard III and Henry V to very good notices. Frank Rich of The New York Times wrote, for example, "Mr. Kline is a grand King," against whom "most other American actors of his generation are mere pretenders to the throne." Kline won his first Tony Award for his Broadway debut in the musical On the Twentieth Century (with Imogene Coca, Madeline Kahn, and John Cullum), then was featured in Michael Weller's play Loose Ends that opened at Washington's Arena Stage before moving on to Broadway. In Los Angeles he played with Marurice Evans, Sally Kellerman, and Marisa Berenson in the Ahmanson Theatre revival of Philip Barry's Holiday, first introduced in 1928. Kevin Kline's breakthrough performance, however, was with Linda Ronstadt, Rex Smith, and George Rose in The Pirates of Penzance, first in Central Park, then, later, on Broadway. That performacne won a second Tony Award for Kline as Best Actor in a Musical Comedy and assured him of a role in the motion picture version of Penzance. After director Alan J. Pakula had seen Kline's Pirate King on Broadway, he was so impressed that he signed Kline for the role of Nathan in his screen adaptation of William Styron's novel Sophie's Choice, with Meryl Streep and Peter MacNicol. Kline told The New York Times (12 December 1982) that he prepared for that role "by reading up on subjects ranging from the Holocaust to the work of R. D. Laing." His mother was Roman Catholic and he was educated by the Benedictine monks in St. Louis, but his father was Jewish, and this biographical link helped him to understand Nathan "in terms of understanding what it meant to be a Jew in 1947, when people were finding out about 'The Final Solution,' the guilt of survivors," he told The New York Times, and "Nathan's guilt about not being part of it, about being safe and sound in Brooklyn while his people were being annihilated." Kline's next movie was The Big Chill, directed by Lawrence Kasdan in South Carolina, a larger popular success than Sophie's Choice, one supposes, because of its story and often nostalgic 1960s ambience. …


Biosensors have revolutionized the way of diagnosis by allowing detection of diseases at earlier stage & detection of altered amount of biomarkers in the body. All biosensors usually involve minimal sample preparation as the biological sensing component is highly selective for the analyte concerned. There are numerous biosensors available now-a-days such as electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, DNA biosensors, microbial biosensors, mass based biosensors, calorimetric biosensors etc, which enable reliable & fast detection of analyte & provide accurate results at earliest. Biosensors have many uses in clinical analysis, general health care monitoring, veterinary and agricultural applications, industrial processing and monitoring, and environmental pollution control. Biosensor technology has the potential to provide fast and accurate detection, reliable imaging of cancer cells, and monitoring of angiogenesis and cancer metastasis, and the ability to determine the effectiveness of anticancer chemotherapy


Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott, AZ, USA) was awarded a grant from the William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center in October 1999 to develop and maintain a web site dealing with a wide variety of airport safety wildlife concerns. Initially, the web site enabled users to access related topics such as wildlife management (at/near airports), bird identification information, FAA wildlife management guidelines, education, pictures, current news, upcoming meetings and training, available jobs and discussion/forum sections. In April 2001, the web site was augmented with an on-line wildlife strike report (FAA Form 5200-7). Upon submittal on-line, "quick look" email notifications are sent to concerned government personnel. The distribution of these emails varies as to whether there was damage, human injuries/fatalities, and whether feather remains were collected and will be sent to the Smithsonian Institution for identification. In July 2002, a real-time on-line query system was incorporated to allow federal and local government agencies, airport and operator personnel, and USDA and airport wildlife biologists to access this database (which as of June 2005 contains 68,288 researched strike reports added to at a rate of approximately 500 strike reports/month) to formulate strategies to reduce the hazards wildlife present to aviation. To date (June 2005), over 15,000 on-line real-time queries were processed. In June 2004, ERAU was authorized to develop a graphical interface to this on-line query system. Current capabilities include mapping strikes (by species) on the US map, each of the contiguous 48 state maps (with AK and HI being added), and airport diagrams of the major metropolitan airports as well as the next 46 airports with the most reported strikes The latter capability depicts strikes by runway in plan as well as in elevation view. Currently under development is the ability to view time-sequenced strikes on the US map. This extensive graphical interface will give analysts the ability to view strike patterns with a wide variety of variables including species, seasons, migration patterns, etc. on US and state maps and airport diagrams. Dickey/Newman/Hovan 2


BACKGROUND
The accurate localization of depth electrodes in epilepsy surgery is important for correct interpretation of stereoelectroencephalography recordings and neurosurgical resection. Unfortunately, image quality in postimplantation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is degraded by metal artifacts. The registration of postimplantation computed tomography (CT) or MRI to preimplantation (artifact-free) MRI facilitates electrode imaging and optimal visualization of brain anatomy. However, registration errors negatively affect electrode localization accuracy.

OBJECTIVE
To compare the relative registration deviation between postimplantation CT and MRI with preimplantation MRI.

METHODS
Retrospectively, 14 pharmacoresistant epilepsy patients were included who underwent stereotactic insertion of multiple depth electrodes and preimplantation and postimplantation MRI and postimplantation CT. Postimplantation MRI and CT image sets were registered to preimplantation MRI. The registration error between the registered postimplantation MRI and CT was quantified by measuring the geometrical distance between the electrodes of the registered postimplantation CT and the postimplantation MRI.

RESULTS
The registration error of postimplantation imaging to preimplantation MRI was dependent on the algorithm used. After optimization, the smallest registration error was 1.22 ± 0.29 mm (mean ± SD) at the tip and 2.25 ± 1.18 mm at the base of the electrode.

CONCLUSION
The good correspondence between the CT/MRI and the MRI/MRI registration suggests that either postimplantation MRI or CT is sufficient for accurate electrode localization. In case of postoperative morphological brain deformations, postimplantation MRI is still recommended.


A boundary-layer analysis of laminar film condensation on a vertical plate has been carried out to study the effects of superheated vapor and noncondensable gases. For a pure, superheated vapor the effects of superheating on the surface heat transfer are accounted for by a simple modification of previously available results for saturated vapors. For a given temperature difference between the plate surface and the liquid-vapor interface, superheating increases the heat transfer to the surface, but only to a modest extent for most practical situations. Although free convection was not included in the analysis, its role has been estimated to be small. For noncondensable gases the analysis shows that the presence of a few per cent of noncondensable in the bulk of the vapor causes a great reduction in the surface heat transfer. The fact that the predicted reduction is substantially larger than that found experimentally indicates that free convection, which is not included in the analysis, plays an important role when noncondensables are present.


We model education as an investment in human capital that, like other investments, is appropriately evaluated in a framework that accounts for risk as well as return. In contrast to dominant wage-premia approach to calculating the returns to education, but which implicitly ignores risk, we evaluate the returns by treating the value of human capital as the price of a non-tradable risky asset. We do so using a lifecycle framework that incorporates risk preferences and earnings risk, as well as a progressive income tax and social insurance system. Our baseline estimate is that a college degree provides a $440K dollar increase in annual certainty-equivalent consumption. Although significantly smaller than traditional estimates of the value of education, these returns are still large enough to offset both the direct and indirect cost of college education for a large range of plausible preference parameters. Importantly, however, we find that accounting for risk reverses the finding from the education wage-premia literature regarding the trends in the returns to education. In particular, we find that the risk-adjusted gains from college completion actually decreased rather than increased in the recent period. Overall, our results show the importance of earnings risks in assessing the value of education.


Molecular interactions affect the evolution of complex traits. For instance, adaptation may be constrained by pleiotropic or epistatic effects, both of which can be reflected in the structure of molecular interaction networks. To date, empirical studies investigating the role of molecular interactions in phenotypic evolution have been idiosyncratic, offering no clear patterns. Here, we investigated the network topology of genes putatively involved in local adaptation to two abiotic stressors—drought and cold—in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our findings suggest that the gene-interaction topologies for both cold and drought stress response are non-random, with genes that show genetic variation in drought expression response (eGxE) being significantly more peripheral and cold response genes being significantly more central than genes which do not show GxE. We suggest that the observed topologies reflect different constraints on the genetic pathways involved in environmental response. The approach presented here may inform predictive models linking genetic variation in molecular signalling networks with phenotypic variation, specifically traits involved in environmental response.


In lattice simulations one generally projects correlators over zero spatial momentum to calculate masses and related spectral data. The sum over space lattice points, however, discards information which may be useful especially in the calculation of
disconnected diagrams. By using momentum conservation, the calculation of non-zero momentum components of disconnected diagrams and other quantities related to space convolutions can be done with little additional computational cost and may
be useful in the analysis of disconnected correlators.


Prioriphora is an extinct genus of phorid flies that has been described from the Upper Cretaceous amber of Canada, Siberia and the U.S.A. Here, we present the first record of this genus in amber from south‐western France, with a description of Prioriphora schroederhohenwarthi Solórzano Kraemer & Perrichot sp.n. The holotype and two paratypes were studied using traditional light microscopy and propagation phase‐contrast X‐ray synchrotron microtomography (PPC‐SRµCT), rendering high‐resolution three‐dimensional models for critical examination. A key to the nine species of Prioriphora is provided, and the diversity and ecology of the prioriphorine grade during the Cretaceous is briefly discussed.


This article discusses how art-based research can function as a decolonizing research method. Its analysis is based on the collaboration of social work and art education disciplines for advancing social justice and deconstructing power dominances. Empirically, the research builds on a participatory theatre project, "My Stage," with immigrant women. The project was established as part of a larger interdisciplinary project, "Art Gear," in Northern Finland, which promoted the bidirectional integration of the local population and people with immigrant backgrounds. The research data were collected through participatory observation and reflective discussions by the social work researcher in the theatre workshops. By the analysis of an interdisciplinary team of social work and art education researchers, we develop a context-sensitive framework of art-based research to advance decolonizing research methods, which contribute to supporting the agency and inclusion of marginalized populations in research and in their integration processes at times of complex and rapid demographic and societal changes.


Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is becoming the de facto standard for bacterial typing and outbreak surveillance of resistant bacterial pathogens. However, interoperability for WGS of bacterial outbreaks is poorly understood. We hypothesized that harmonization of WGS for outbreak surveillance is achievable through the use of identical protocols for both data generation and data analysis. A set of 30 bacterial isolates, comprising of various species belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family and Enterococcus genera, were selected and sequenced using the same protocol on the Illumina MiSeq platform in each individual centre. All generated sequencing data were analysed by one centre using BioNumerics (6.7.3) for (i) genotyping origin of replications and antimicrobial resistance genes, (ii) core-genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST) for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and whole-genome multi-locus sequencing typing (wgMLST) for all species. Additionally, a split k-mer analysis was performed to determine the number of SNPs between samples. A precision of 99.0% and an accuracy of 99.2% was achieved for genotyping. Based on cgMLST, a discrepant allele was called only in 2/27 and 3/15 comparisons between two genomes, for E. coli and K. pneumoniae, respectively. Based on wgMLST, the number of discrepant alleles ranged from 0 to 7 (average 1.6). For SNPs, this ranged from 0 to 11 SNPs (average 3.4). Furthermore, we demonstrate that using different de novo assemblers to analyse the same dataset introduces up to 150 SNPs, which surpasses most thresholds for bacterial outbreaks. This shows the importance of harmonization of data-processing surveillance of bacterial outbreaks. In summary, multi-centre WGS for bacterial surveillance is achievable, but only if protocols are harmonized.


In 95 patients treated by electroimpulse techniques for their cardiac fibrillation the incidence and diagnostic importance of postextrasystolic depression of the sinus rhythm were studied. Two groups of patients were singled out for a comparative study of the value of different prognostic criteria of the stability of the restored sinus rhythm: group 1--53 patients with unsatisfactory results of treatment (the sinus rhythm was preserved for not more than 1 month), and group 2--21 patients with good late results (the sinus rhythm persisted for over 6 months). A study of the distribution of the incidence of different prognostic signs in either of these groups showed that their prognostic value may be presented in the following succession: presence of intraventricular conductivity, severity of cardiac insufficiency, frequent postconversion extrasystoles, history of cardiac fibrillation of over 3 years, presence of a postextrasystolic depression of the sinus rhythm.