Numerous direct-to-consumer genetic testing services now offer individuals genetic sequencing, testing, and ancestry mapping services outside of the traditional healthcare infrastructure and regulatory barriers. The rise of direct-to-consumer testing services presents policy questions on how to best protect consumers while still promoting future innovation. From a data privacy perspective, concerns include who can share other people's genetic information, what entities can use the information, what happens if the information is stolen, and whether law enforcement, or other entities, can request information from a third party. The overarching concern is that once disclosed, genetic information often cannot be unshared or returned. Further, genetic information from biological relatives can provide information on others who have not personally disclosed or authorized disclosure of their genetic information.

In the United States, a patchwork of regulations has been created at the state level that exceeds the minimum requirements created by Congress. In other parts of the world, countries and regional networks have similarly created varying regulations to govern genetic information and its use. This comment reviews various regulations both in the United States and Europe, discusses the implications of the various regulatory schemes, and proposes a regulatory regime. This proposal aims at harmonizing rules across jurisdictions, distinguishing between "faceless" and individually labeled data, and seeks to allow for data use, testing, and development of new technology, while limiting exposure of individuals genetic information.


Fourteen species of Trichomycetes living in the guts of aquatic insects are reported from two provinces of Argentina, Misiones and Tierra del Fuego. Twelve of the species belong to the Harpellales and two are Amoebidiales. Five harpellid species are reported from Misiones in the extreme northeast of the country (Genistellospora homothallica, Harpella tica, Smittium culisetae, Smittium sp., Stachylina sp.) and seven are from Tierra del Fuego, the southern tip of South America (H. meridianalis, Glotzia sp., S. culicis, S. cellaspora, S. imitatum, Stachylina minima, Penella simulii). Insect hosts all were immature stages of Culicidae, Simuliidae, Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae (Insecta: Diptera), and Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera. The lower diversity of Trichomycetes found at Misiones, which has a subtropical climate and rainforest vegetation, was due possibly to the warmer temperatures of the water (15–24 C), compared to the colder streams of Tierra del Fuego (9–15 C), with forests and steppes as typical vegetation.


A previous model for the calculation of C-13 chemical shifts is modified by replacement of 3 parameters representing the p-character of carbon atom in cyclic systems with a single parameter aiming for the development of a new set of parameters with a wide range of application for the calculation of C-13 NMR chemical shifts. The considered systems are cyclohexanes, trans decalins, and a number of hypothetical polycyclic 6-member ring hydrocarbons. The developed parameters include a combination of quantum mechanical and statistical methods. They are based on 2 factors: through bond (electronic) effect represented by the partial electronic charge on the tested carbon, and long-range (steric) effect expressed in terms of proton-proton interactions. The results of this study are compared to those of previous studies and sometimes are preferable.


We perform a systematic search for long-term extreme variability quasars (EVQs) in the overlapping Sloan Digital Sky Survey and 3 Year Dark Energy Survey imaging, which provide light curves spanning more than 15 years. We identified ∼1000 EVQs with a maximum change in g-band magnitude of more than 1 mag over this period, about 10% of all quasars searched. The EVQs have Lbol ∼ 1045–1047 erg s−1 and L/LEdd ∼ 0.01–1. Accounting for selection effects, we estimate an intrinsic EVQ fraction of ∼30%–50% among all quasars over a baseline of ∼15 yr. We performed detailed multi-wavelength, spectral, and variability analyses for the EVQs and compared them to their parent quasar sample. We found that EVQs are distinct from a control sample of quasars matched in redshift and optical luminosity: (1) their UV broad emission lines have larger equivalent widths; (2) their Eddington ratios are systematically lower; and (3) they are more variable on all timescales. The intrinsic difference in quasar properties for EVQs suggests that internal processes associated with accretion are the main driver for the observed extreme long-term variability. However, despite their different properties, EVQs seem to be in the tail of a continuous distribution of quasar properties, rather than standing out as a distinct population. We speculate that EVQs are normal quasars accreting at relatively low rates, where the accretion flow is more likely to experience instabilities that drive the changes in flux by a factor of a few on multi-year timescales.


The global distribution pattern of coccolithophorid blooms was mapped in order to ascertain the prevalence of these blooms in the world's oceans and to estimate their worldwide production of CaCO3 and dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Mapping was accomplished by classifying pixels of 5-day global composites of coastal zone color scanner imagery into bloom and nonbloom classes using a supervised, multispectral classification scheme. Surface waters with the spectral signature of coccolithophorid blooms annually covered an average of 1.4×106 km2 in the world oceans from 1979 to 1985, with the subpolar latitudes accounting for 71% of this surface area. Classified blooms were most extensive in the Subarctic North Atlantic. Large expanses of the bloom signal were also detected in the North Pacific, on the Argentine shelf and slope, and in numerous lower latitude marginal seas and shelf regions. The greatest spatial extent of classified blooms in subpolar oceanic regions occurred in the months from summer to early autumn, while those in lower latitude marginal seas occurred in midwinter to early spring. Though the classification scheme was efficient in separating bloom and nonbloom classes during test simulations, and biogeographical literature generally confirms the resulting distribution pattern of blooms in the subpolar regions, the cause of the bloom signal is equivocal in some geographic areas, particularly on shelf regions at lower latitudes. Standing stock estimates suggest that the presumed Emiliania huxleyi blooms act as a significant source of calcite carbon and DMS sulfur on a regional scale. On a global scale, however, the satellite-detected coccolithophorid blooms are estimated to play only a minor role in the annual production of these two compounds and their flux from the surface mixed layer.


Objectives: The current study had two aims. First, to develop a moral disengagement scale contextualized to underage drinking. Second, to investigate Bandura's (1986) self-regulatory model within the context of underage drinking. Method: Two different samples of students participated in the study. The first sample included 619 (362 females) adolescents (Mage = 15.3 years, SD = 1.09 years) and the second sample 636 (386 females) adolescents (Mage = 15.3 years, SD = 1.03 years). Students in the first sample completed the Underage Drinking Disengagement Scale (UDDS), and measures of engagement in underage drinking and heavy episodic drinking. Students in the second sample completed these measures as well as scales of general moral disengagement, personal standards and anticipatory guilt associated with underage drinking. Results: For the UDDS, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses verified a single factor structure. The UDDS was more strongly associated with engagement in underage drinking and heavy episodic drinking than a general measure of moral disengagement. A moderated mediation analysis revealed that adolescents who negatively evaluated underage drinking reported more anticipatory guilt, and more anticipatory guilt was associated with less engagement in underage drinking and less heavy episodic drinking. This relationship was weaker at high compared to low levels of underage drinking disengagement. Conclusions/Importance: Understanding how adolescents self-regulate their drinking, and ways that such self-regulation may be deactivated or disengaged, may help identify those adolescents at increased risk of drinking underage and of engaging in heavy episodic drinking.


E-mail sender authentication is a promising way of verifying the sources of e-mail messages. Since today's primary e-mail sender authentication mechanisms are designed as fully decentralized architecture, it is crucial for e-mail operators to know how other organizations are using and misusing them. This paper addresses the question "How is the DNS Sender Policy Framework (SPF), which is the most popular e-mail sender authentication mechanism, used and misused in the wild?" To the best of our knowledge, this is the first extensive study addressing the fundamental question. This work targets both legitimate and spamming domain names and correlates them with multiple data sets, including the e-mail delivery logs collected from medium-scale enterprise networks and various IP reputation lists. We first present the adoption and usage of DNS SPF from both global and local viewpoints. Next, we present empirically why and how spammers leverage the SPF mechanism in an attempt to pass a simple SPF authentication test. We also present that non-negligible volume of legitimate messages originating from legitimate senders will be rejected or marked as potential spam with the SPF policy set by owners of legitimate domains. Our findings will help provide (1) e-mail operators with useful insights for setting adequate sender or receiver policies and (2) researchers with the detailed measurement data for understanding the feasibility, fundamental limitations, and potential extensions to e-mail sender authentication mechanisms.


Understanding the mechanisms underlying the establishment of different bacterial cell shapes and the advantage that a particular shape imparts is one of the most fascinating and challenging areas of study in microbiology. One remarkable example of bacterial morphogenesis is the elaboration of long, tubular extensions of the cell envelope of certain aquatic bacteria. These appendages (also called prosthecae or stalks) possess features that make them particularly amenable models for experiments designed to uncover general principles of cell morphogenesis and of cell shape function. Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that stalk synthesis in Caulobacter crescentus is a specialized form of cell elongation that confers to the cell substantial advantages in nutrient uptake. Further insights into the mechanisms and function of stalk synthesis will require a multidisciplinary systems biology approach using principles and methodologies from ecology and evolutionary biology to biophysics and mathematical modelling.


The Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis, Serbia, had the honor and privilege of hosting for the tenth time the International Conference on Telecommunications in Modern Satellite, Cable, and Broadcasting Services - TELSIKS 2011, from October 5 to 8, 2011. The tradition of the TELSIKS conference dates from 1993. The first two conferences had a national character. An increasing number of participants from abroad allowed organizers to bring the conference quality to a higher level. In 1997, the TELSIKS conference formally acquired an international character. Like the previous conferences, TELSIKS 2007 and TELSIKS 2009, this year's event was organized jointly by the Faculty of Electronic Engineering Nis and by the national Society for Microwave Technique, Technologies, and Systems, Serbia. TELSIKS 2011 was organized under the technical co-sponsorship of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S), the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S), and IEEE Region 8. It was held in cooperation with the IEEE Section of Serbia and Montenegro, Serbia and Montenegro IEEE MTT-S Chapter, and IEEE Communications Chapter, as well as with the Telecommunications Society of Serbia, the Society for ETRAN, and the Academy of Engineering Sciences of Serbia. The conference was also supported by the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Government of the Republic of Serbia - Ministry of Education and Science.


Abstract Traditional cancer therapy choices for clinicians are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immune therapy which are used either standalone therapies or in various combinations. Other physical modalities beyond ionizing radiation include photodynamic therapy and heating and the more recent approach referred to as Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields). TTFields are intermediate frequency, low-intensity, alternating electric fields that are applied to tumor regions and cells using noninvasive arrays. TTFields have revolutionized the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) and unresectable and locally advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). TTFields are thought to kill tumor cells predominantly by disrupting mitosis; however it has been shown that TTFields increase efficacy of different classes of drugs, which directly target mitosis, replication stress and DNA damage pathways. Hence, a detailed understanding of TTFields' mechanisms of action is needed to use this therapy effectively in the clinic. Recent findings implicate TTFields' role in different important pathways such as DNA damage response and replication stress, ER stress, membrane permeability, autophagy, and immune response. This review focuses on potentially novel mechanisms of TTFields anti-tumor action and their implications in completed and ongoing clinical trials and pre-clinical studies. Moreover, the review discusses advantages and strategies using chemotherapy agents and radiation therapy in combination with TTFields for future clinical use.


BACKGROUND
Parental training is an effective way to treat and prevent children's conduct problems, but knowledge of who participates in such initiatives is limited.

METHOD
This study examined child and family factors associated with participation in an Internet-assisted parent training programme. The parents of 4-year-old children with high levels of disruptive behaviour in a region of Finland were offered the opportunity to participate in a randomised controlled trial of the Strongest Families Smart Website intervention (SFSW). The participants and nonparticipants were compared using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), duration of child problems and information about family demographics, which were routinely collected prior to randomisation to the SFSW and control group.

RESULTS
We found that 464 (64.5%) of the 709 parents of children fulfilling the screening criteria, participated. In the multivariable analysis, nonparticipation was most strongly associated with a child only having minor difficulties [odds ratio (OR): 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-3.0] and a shorter duration of problems, for less than 12 months (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.5), after controlling for other child factors. Nonparticipation was significantly associated with mothers spending a shorter time in the education system (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.3) after controlling for other parental factors.

CONCLUSIONS
A larger percentage of parents of children with longer lasting and more severe problems seemed to be motivated to participate in this remote parent training programme. Future studies on how to encourage parents with shorter duration of education to participate in early intervention programmes are warranted.


We commonly think of information as a means to an end. However, a growing theoretical and experimental literature suggests that information may directly enter the agent's utility function. This can create an incentive to avoid information, even when it is useful, free, and independent of strategic considerations. We review research documenting the occurrence of information avoidance as well as theoretical and empirical research on reasons for why people avoid information, drawing from economics, psychology, and other disciplines. The review concludes with a discussion of some of the diverse (and often costly) individual and societal consequences of information avoidance.


Ground-based synthetic aperture radar (GB-SAR) is an effective technique for monitoring over a widespread area. Save for the fact that it is installed on the ground, the GB-SAR operates in the same way as air- and satellite-borne microwave SAR remote sensing systems. By repeated acquisition of data and application of the repeat-pass interferometry principle, this technique can detect very small changes over a scene with a typically high temporal resolution of only a few minutes. In the system used in this study, interferometer error is less than 10% and the temporal resolution is approximately five minutes. Some applications require extensive monitoring capability; for instance, in this study, the GB-SAR technique was used to monitor a post-landslide surface in order to assess slope stability and to ensure the safety of the area. Whereas no major events were observed, the technique proved capable of detecting even small changes caused by snowfalls. The technique was also used to monitor the displacement of the ground surface in a tsunami-affected area in which the stability of the ground had come into question. The results of this assessment indicated that the distribution of displacement tended to be larger in waterfront areas and seemed to correlate to tidal effects. Although both of these measurement campaigns represent preliminary research, the advantages of the GB-SAR technique have been well illustrated. In this paper, the results of these measurements are provided, and the capability and potential of the technique are discussed.


It is known that indium oxide alloyed by tin is a semiconductor of n-type with high conductivity, depending on preparation conditions and kind of a material (monocrystals, ceramics, thin films) varies within from 10/sup -4/ up to 5*10/sup 4/ S/m. One of perspective ways of obtaining a current-conducting material on the basis of alloyed indium oxide is the sol-gel method based on a joint deposition of hydroxides of metals with the following crystallization of oxides at heat treatment. In this paper, the results of investigation of phase formation and change of concentration of free electrons (Ne) in indium tin oxide system during heat treatment of coprecipitated hydroxides of indium and tin from nitric and muriatic solutions and also for comparison melts of salt nitrates by an alkaline reactant (NH/sub 4/OH) are considered.


The Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) arose as a recommendation from the final Burgess report 'Beyond the Honours Degree Classification' and was first implemented in 2012-2013, with wide spread roll out continuing across the UK HEI sector. The HEAR includes a range of University validated activities - with an underpinning focus on employability, therefore the main risk to the Department/ HEI if the HEAR is not effectively implemented is an impact on the employability of their students. There is currently little information available from employers regarding whether they are aware of the HEAR, what they think of HEARs, if they have seen them, or what they would like to see on a HEAR etc. In order to evaluate the initial employer impact of the HEAR we developed a focussed online survey which was administered to over 150 STEM employers and post graduate course admissions tutors and targeted at individuals who participate in the graduate recruitment procedures for the company/organisation. Initial data will be discussed in terms of an evidence base on which to inform future development of the HEAR, to encourage students to engage with relevant HEAR activities and to encourage staff to provide support/ opportunities for students to engage with relevant HEAR activity.


The thesis comprises 3 sections: first a methodological description, then an analytical and theoretical expose, thirdly a study devoted to the five protagonists within the confines of the study. The methodological description is a presentation of the "Archives de la construction moderne", the laboratory within which our work took place, and its ethical, as well as its scientific and technical methods. This promotes continuity for a vaster project and fits into a continuum. The second section is an expose that synthetizes numerous theoretical directions that allow us to focus on those subjects elected by our research : Auguste Perret's Architecture, the "Classicisme structurel" School, Swiss Architecture from the end of the thirties to the seventies, the notion of school and student in architecture, transmission of knowledge and models and crossbreeding within the scope of a constructive context. We also broach on certain guidelines of architectural analysis used in our third section in reference to different built or projected objects. These analyses are founded on volumetric studies, urban form and implantation, as well as the relation between structure and interior lighting concepts within buildings, construction analysis through materialization and implementation, and the use of facade composition and intended meaning and finally the coexistence of the old and the new within a work and its components. We also evoke the ramifications of our study in the larger architectural field comprising French Switzerland in the second half of the twentieth century. The third section has five parts devoted to archive contents constituting our basic research material, material we attempt to rationalize with a scientific catalogue of archive funds through both an architectural and chronological analysis of a series of finished or projected works as well as points of reference from author biographies and career paths. As an appendum we reproduce both a Joseph Abram text that served as the basis for our questioning and a complete study of Fribourg's Christ-Roi Church, emblematic of the architecture within this research.


The equations relating the wing and tail loads are derived for a unit elevator displacement. These equations are then converted into a nondimensional form and charts are given by which the wing- and tail-load-increment variation may be determined under dynamic conditions for any type of elevator motion and for various degrees of airplane stability. In order to illustrate the use of the charts, several examples are included in which the wing and tail loads are evaluated for a number of types of elevator motion. Methods are given for determining the necessary derivatives from results of wind-tunnel tests when such tests are available.


Background Antimicrobial resistance develops following the accrual of mutations in the bacterial genome, and may variably impact organism fitness and hence, transmission risk. Classical representation of tuberculosis (TB) dynamics using a single or two strain (DS/MDR-TB) model typically does not capture elements of this important aspect of TB epidemiology. To understand and estimate the likelihood of resistance spreading in high drug-resistant TB incidence settings, we used molecular understanding to develop a compartmental epidemiological model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission. Methods A four-strain (drug-susceptible (DS), isoniazid mono-resistant (INH-R), rifampicin mono-resistant (RIF-R) and multidrug-resistant (MDR)) compartmental deterministic Mtb transmission model was developed to explore the progression from DS-to MDR-TB. The model incorporated strain-specific fitness costs and was calibrated using data from national tuberculosis prevalence surveys and drug resistance surveys from Philippines and Viet Nam. Using an adaptive Metropolis algorithm, we estimated drug resistance amplification and transmission rates. Results The posterior estimates for the proportion of isoniazid mono-resistant amplification among treatment failure was 0.75 (0.64 – 0.85) for Philippines and 0.55 (0.39 – 0.63) for Viet Nam. The proportion of rifampicin mono-resistant amplification among treatment failure was 0.05 (0.04 – 0.06) for Philippines and 0.011 (0.010 – 0.012) for Viet Nam. In Philippines, the estimated proportion of primary resistance resulting from transmission was 56% (42 – 68) for INH-R, 48% (34 – 62) for RIF-R and 42% (34 – 50) for MDR-TB. For Viet Nam, the estimated proportion of drug resistance due to transmission was 79% (70 – 86) for INH-R, 68% (58 – 75) for RIF-R and 50% (45 – 53) for MDR-TB. Discussion RIF-R strains were more likely to be transmitted than acquired through amplification, while both mechanisms of acquisition were important contributors in the case of INH-R. These findings highlight the complexity of drug resistance dynamics in high-incidence settings, and emphasize the importance of prioritizing testing algorithms which also allow for early detection of INH-R.


: It was found that the increase in the serum level of lipid peroxidation products in patients with meningococcal meningitis correlated with the severity of the disease. The dependence between the level of lipid peroxidation products and the activity of cell enzymes in the serum has been investigated. During the first day of the disease GOT activity was strongly increased, while the level of lipid peroxidation products was 1560 +/- 237 mumol/l, which may be of a diagnostic value.


In this paper, the reflection R and absorption A of an inhomogeneous dissipative magnetized plasma slab irradiated by an s-polarized electromagnetic wave are investigated analytically, and resonant transparency conditions are determined. Here, the direction of the external magnetic field is parallel to the plasma surface. The effects of the incidence angle, the external magnetic field, the electron thermal velocity, and the frequency of the incident wave on reflection and absorption are studied.


We consider Bayesian inference for a monotone density on the unit interval and study the resulting asymptotic properties. We consider a "projection-posterior" approach, where we construct a prior on density functions through random histograms without imposing the monotonicity constraint, but induce a random distribution by projecting a sample from the posterior on the space of monotone functions. The approach allows us to retain posterior conjugacy, allowing explicit expressions extremely useful for studying asymptotic properties. We show that the projection-posterior contracts at the optimal n−1/3-rate. We then construct a consistent test based on the posterior distribution for testing the hypothesis of monotonicity. Finally, we obtain the limiting coverage of a projection-posterior credible interval for the value of the function at an interior point. Interestingly, the limiting coverage turns out to be higher than the nominal credibility level, the opposite of the undercoverage phenomenon observed in a smoothness regime. Moreover, we show that a recalibration method using a lower credibility level gives an intended limiting coverage. We also discuss extensions of the obtained results for densities on the half-line. We conduct a simulation study to demonstrate the accuracy of the asymptotic results in finite samples.


Purpose To report our initial clinical cases of robotic laparoendoscopic single-site (R-LESS) partial nephrectomy (PN) performed with the use of the novel Da Vinci R-LESS platform. Materials and Methods Three patients underwent R-LESS PN from November 2013 through February 2014. Perioperative and postoperative outcomes were collected and intraoperative difficulties were noted. Results Operative time and estimated blood loss volume ranged between 100 and 110 minutes and between 50 and 500 mL, respectively. None of the patients was transfused. All cases were completed with the off-clamp technique, whereas one case required conversion to the conventional (multiport) approach because of difficulty in creating the appropriate scope for safe tumor resection. No major postoperative complications occurred, and all tumors were resected in safe margins. Length of hospital stay ranged between 3 and 7 days. The lack of EndoWrist movements, the external collisions, and the bed assistant's limited working space were noticed to be the main drawbacks of this surgical method. Conclusions Our initial experience with R-LESS PN with the novel Da Vinci platform shows that even though the procedure is feasible, it should be applied in only appropriately selected patients. However, further improvement is needed to overcome the existing limitations.


that no well-ordering of the reals can be constructive (th. 6). Even if the corresponding results for such spaces as the set of general recursive functions with the natural distance operator were included, this review would fail to do justice to the generality of the paper. Like the related papers of Lacombe (XXXI 133(2)) and Mal'c6v (XXXI 647(1)), it introduces concepts that suggest many interesting problems purely within the limits of recursive function theory. B. H. MAYOH


Mutualism–the disposition to cooperate in ways that benefit both actor and recipient–has been proposed as a key construct in the evolution of cooperation, with distinct adaptations for 1) partner choice, 2) division, 3) punishment, and 4) helping. However, no psychological validation of this 4-fold psychological structure exists, and no measure of the trait is available. To fill this need, in two pre-registered studies (total N = 902), we: (A) Develop and administer items assessing each of the four mutualist adaptations; (B) Show good fit to the predicted four factor model; (C) Demonstrate reliability and stability across time; (D) Evidence discriminant validity from existing constructs, including compassion and utilitarianism; (E) Establish external validity by predicting proportional choices in catch division, opposition to partner coercion, and reduced support for redistribution; and (F) Replicate each of these findings. Jointly, these results support the validity of mutualism, including a motive to maintain the freedom to choose, and provide reliable scales for use in integrating, further developing, and applying mutualism.


This paper discusses the Ohio University Virtual Haptic Back (VHB) project, including motivation, implementation, and initial evaluations. Haptics is the science of human tactile sensation and a haptic interface provides force and touch feedback to the user from virtual reality. The VHB combines high-fidelity computer graphics with haptic feedback to augment training in palpatory diagnosis in Osteopathic medicine, plus related training applications in physical therapy, massage therapy, and other tactile fields. We use the PHANToM haptic interface to provide position interactions by the trainee, with accompanying force feedback to simulate the back of a live human subject in real-time. Our simulation is intended to add a measurable, repeatable component of science to the art of palpatory diagnosis. Based on our experiences in the lab to date, we believe that haptics-augmented computer models have great potential for improving training in the future, for various tactile applications. Our main project goals are to: 1. Provide a novel tool for palpatory diagnosis training; and 2. Improve the stateof-the-art in haptics and graphics applied to virtual anatomy.


Is this the most sensible way to convince Iraqis and other Arabs that the United States doesn't want to subjugate them or control their oil? How can the United States democratize Iraq without Iraqis being in charge of the democratization process? Does the administration appreciate the intensity of internal opposition to its contingency plans? While U.S. officials are aware of the widespread conviction abroad that control of oil - not disarming Iraq - is the driving force behind U.S. policy, their plans reportedly envision raising revenues from oil sales not only for rebuilding Iraq but also for defraying some of the costs of the military occupation. Although last week Secretary of State Colin Powell stressed that oil will be used to benefit Iraqis, he did not deny reports, Newsweek said, about using oil money to pay for administration and occupation costs. U.S. officials don't seem to appreciate that democracy cannot be brought to Iraq by an outside power. Only Iraqis, with international assistance, can transform their country. Despite its half-hearted measures to prop up the Iraqi opposition (the United States has just begun the military training of some opposition fighters), the administration seems unwilling to create a transitional Iraqi government with real authority.


This research involves the fabrication of aluminum composite by using Palm Shell Activated Carbon (PSAC) and Boiler Slag as reinforcements. The method used is powder metallurgy. For aluminum composite fabrication process, set compaction pressure of 200 MPa and sintering temperature was at 500°c and for 2 hours. Composite samples produced from pure aluminum as a matrix and PSAC and Boiler Slag as reinforcement. All samples were set at 80% pure aluminum while the ratio of reinforcements is as follows; sample A, 0% PSAC, 0% Boiler Slag; sample B, 0% PSAC, 20% Boiler Slag; sample C, 2% PSAC, 18% Boiler Slag; sample D, 4% PSAC, 16% Boiler Slag; sample E, 6% PSAC, 145 Boiler Slag; sample F, 8% PSAC, 12% boiler Slag and sample G,10% PSAC, 10% Boiler Slag. These composites were tested using wear test (ASTM G99-95, 2000). The composites were also tested for hardness, density, porosity and microscopic test. Based on the wear test, is found that PSAC and Boiler Slag enforcement influence the wear rate of the aluminum composite produced. For the best wear resistance, composite composition is 80% Al, 2% PSAC and 18% Boiler Slag. Based on the observation of the microstructure of aluminum composite produced, is found PSAC and Boiler Slag particles still in original condition. This indicates it is appropriate to provide aluminum composite reinforcements. Based on the porosity test, is found PSAC and Boiler Slag enforcement influence the rate of porosity aluminum composite produced. Density test shows the contents of PSAC and Boiler Slag enforcement influence the density of the composite. Hardness test showed the contents of PSAC and Boiler Slag enforcement influence the hardness of the composite. Aluminum composite containing 80% Al, 2 PSAC% and 18% Slag is the most hard. Aluminum composite produced potential as automotive and motorcycle components.


Ratio processing methods are reviewed, and a new method is proposed for extracting water depth and bottom type information from passive multispectral scanner data. Limitations of each technique are discussed, and an error analysis is performed using an analytical model for the radiance over shallow water.


Hyaluronan synthases (HAS) normally make large (>MDa) hyaluronan (HA) products. Smaller HA fragments (e.g. 100–400 kDa) produced in vivo are associated with inflammation and cell signaling by HA receptors that bind small, but not large, HA. Although HA fragments can arise from breakdown by hyaluronidases, HAS might also be regulated directly to synthesize small HA. Here we examined the Streptococcus equisimilis HAS (SeHAS) C-terminus, which contains a tandem B-X7-B motif (K -X7-R -X7-K ), by testing the effects of 27 site-specific scanning mutations and 7 C-terminal truncations on HA synthesis activity and weight-average mass. Although HAS enzymes cannot be HA-binding proteins, these motifs are highly conserved within the Class I HAS family. Fifteen Arg mutants made large MDa HA (86–110% wildtype size), with specific activities from 70% to 177% of wildtype. In contrast, 10 of 12 Lys mutants made HA that was 8–14% of wildtype size (≤250–480 kDa), with specific activities from 14% to 64% of wildtype. Four nearly inactive (2% wildtype activity) C-terminal truncation mutants made MDa HA (56–71% wildtype). The results confirm earlier findings with Cys-mutants [Weigel PH, Baggenstoss BA. 2012. Hyaluronan synthase polymerizing activity and control of product size are discrete enzyme functions that can be uncoupled by mutagenesis of conserved cysteines. Glycobiology 22:1302–1310] that HAS uses two independent activities to control HA size and HA synthesis rate; these are two separate functions. We conclude that HAS regulatory modifications that alter tandem B-X7-B motif conformation could mimic these mutagenesis-induced effects, allowing HAS in vivo to make small HA directly. The results also support a model in which the tandem-motif region is part of the intraHAS pore and interacts directly with HA.


Ten new title compounds were synthesized and their crystal structures refined from X-ray powder diffraction data. For the light rare earth (R = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm) compounds, one of the copper sites is only partially occupied while the occupancies of this position are almost ignorable for the rare earth metals heavier than Gd including Y. The unit cell parameters show normal lanthanide contraction. The bonding energy and density of states of the La compounds are calculated. The results show that the La compound with partial Cu occupancy is more stable than that without the extra Cu.


AIM To determine if terbutaline given to mothers before elective caesarean section facilitates neonatal respiration and metabolism. METHODS A randomised controlled trial of 25 full term infants delivered by elective caesarean section was conducted. The mothers received a continuous infusion of terbutaline or saline 120–0 minutes before birth. Umbilical artery blood was collected at birth and analysed for blood gases and catecholamines. The lung function of each infant was assessed two hours after birth, and blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose and body temperature were monitored until 24 hours of age. RESULTS The infants of the treated mothers (n=13) had significantly higher dynamic lung compliance (p<0.001), lower airway resistance (p<0.001), and respiratory frequency than control infants (n=12). Blood glucose and adrenaline concentrations were significantly higher in the treated group (p=0.0014 and p<0.01). None of these infants had any clinical respiratory difficulties; there were two cases of transient tachypnoea in the control group. No negative side effects due to the terbutaline treatment were seen among the infants. The mothers felt no discomfort caused by the terbutaline infusion, although they bled more during surgery (p=0.03). CONCLUSION Stimulation of the β adrenoceptors in utero with terbutaline infusion to the mothers promotes neonatal respiratory and metabolic adaptation after elective caesarean section.


OBJECTIVES
Several studies have shown the increased vulnerability of and disproportionate mortality rate among frail community-dwelling older adults as a result of emergencies and disasters. This article will discuss the applicability of the Vulnerable Persons at Risk (VPR) and VPR Plus decision support algorithms designed based on the Resident Assessment Instrument-Home Care (RAI-HC) to identify the most vulnerable community-dwelling (older) adults.

DESIGN
A sample was taken from the Ontario RAI-HC database by selecting unique home care clients with assessments closest to December 31, 2014 (N = 275,797). Statistical methods used include cross tabulation, bivariate logistic regression as well as Kaplan-Meier survival plotting and Cox proportional hazards ratios calculations.

RESULTS
The VPR and VPR Plus algorithms, were highly predictive of mortality, long-term care admission and hospitalization in ordinary circumstances. This provides a good indication of the strength of the algorithms in identifying vulnerable persons at times of emergencies.

CONCLUSIONS
Access to real-time person-level information of persons with functional care needs is a vital enabler for emergency responders in prioritizing and allocating resources during a disaster, and has great utility for emergency planning and recovery efforts. The development of valid and reliable algorithms supports the rapid identification and response to vulnerable community-dwelling persons for all phases of emergency management.


ABSTRACT Word knowledge and the speed of word processing in monolingual children and adults are influenced by word properties, such as the age of acquisition (AoA), imageability, and frequency. Understanding how different properties of words contribute to the ease of processing by bilingual children is a critical step for establishing models of childhood bilingualism. However, a joint impact of these properties has not been so far assessed in bilingual children. Here, we compared the impact of AoA, imageability, and frequency on accuracy and response times in picture naming and picture recognition tasks in monolingual and bilingual children. We used Cross-Linguistic Lexical Tasks to test 45 monolingual children (aged 4 to 7 years) and 45 migrant bilingual children in their L1 (Polish). Word AoA, imageability, and frequency independently affected the accuracy and response times in both picture naming and picture recognition tasks. Crucially, bilingual children were more sensitive to word characteristics than their monolingual peers: Bilingual children's accuracy was particularly low for words of high AoA (in the picture recognition task) and for words of low frequency (in the picture naming task). Also, the increase in response times for low-imageable and low-frequent words was particularly salient in bilingual children. The results suggest a new area of interest for further studies: the question of whether bilinguals and monolinguals show different sensitivity to psycholinguistic factors, and if so, does that sensitivity change with age or language exposure?


Mineral temporary capping systems of landfills are required to accomplish the long-term coverage prerequisites or to use them as a basis layer prior to later permanent sealing. Such a capping system for a municipal waste landfill in Rastorf (Northern Germany) was developed and tested for its sealing capability on the basis of observed and simulated water balance components for the period between 2008 and 2015, considering observed local weather data and complemented by the Hydraulic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP 3.95 D) model. The modeling results of this case study could be improved by the correction of previously used global solar radiation data due to the consideration of exposure and inclination angle of landfill surface areas. The model could positively be validated by comparing observed and simulated outflow (surface runoff and lateral drainage) data with R2 values ranging between 0.95 and 0.99, as well as for the leachate rates with R2 values of 0.78–0.87. The statistical-empirical HELP model was found useful in predicting the leachate generation of a temporary landfill capping system for specific soil and site conditions, even if only a restricted set of observed data was available.


A retrospective study was performed to (1) characterize the clinical and histologic features of those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values, (2) compare the spectrum of NAFLD associated with normal versus elevated ALT levels, and (3) determine whether there were differences in the clinical or histologic spectrum of NAFLD between those with a low normal versus high normal ALT value. A total of 51 subjects with NAFLD and normal ALT were identified and compared with 50 consecutive subjects with NAFLD and elevated ALT. The major indications for liver biopsy in those with normal ALT were unexplained hepatomegaly (n = 21) and evaluation as a potential donor for living donor liver transplantation (n = 16). The 2 groups were comparable with respect to age, gender distribution, and ethnicity. Approximately 80% of cases in both groups had at least 1 feature of the metabolic syndrome, the major risk factor for NAFLD. The 2 groups were also comparable with respect to the grade of the individual histologic parameters of NAFLD. A total of 12 subjects with normal ALT levels had bridging fibrosis, whereas 6 had cirrhosis. Diabetes was the only factor independently associated with an increased risk of advanced fibrosis (bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis) by multivariate analysis (relative risk: 2.3, P < .01). The mean steatosis (1.6 vs. 2.16, P < .04) and perisinusoidal fibrosis scores (0.35 vs. 0.9, P < .049) were lower in those with low normal (<30 IU/L) ALT versus high normal ALT. However, the prevalence of advanced fibrosis was similar (5 of 15 vs. 13 of 36, respectively). In conclusion, (1) the entire histologic spectrum of NAFLD can be seen in individuals with normal ALT values, (2) the histologic spectrum in these individuals is not significantly different from those with elevated ALT levels, and (3) a low normal ALT value does not guarantee freedom from underlying steatohepatitis with advanced fibrosis.


The problem of task assignment in heterogeneous computing systems has been studied for many years with many variations. PSO [Particle Swarm Optimization] is a recently developed population based heuristic optimization technique. The hybrid heuristic model involves Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm and Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm. The PSO/SA algorithm has been developed to dynamically schedule heterogeneous tasks on to a heterogeneous processor in a distributed setup. PSO with dynamically reducing inertia is implemented which yields better result than fixed inertia.


Magnetic reconnection converts energy stored in magnetic fields to plasma kinetic energy by accelerating and heating the plasma, and is believed to be the underlying mechanism of many energetic phenomena in space. Electron distribution functions exhibit the effects of electron energization by the reconnection process. Using CLUSTER data, we have studied electron distributions in the inflow and outflow regions of magnetotail reconnection. Based on comparisons of CLUSTER measurements with PIC simulation results, we discuss the energization mechanisms. The inflow electron distributions can be characterized by their temperature anisotropy into three distinct categories: (1) anisotropic with Tepara>Teperp, (2) isotropic with Tepara=Teperp, and (3) hybrid with a lower energy anisotropic population exhibiting Tepara>Teperp with a higher energy isotropic population. The first two categories are likely associated with different temporal stages of reconnection while the third category may result from reconnection onset within the plasma sheet. Electron distributions show distinct anisotropic features in different regions throughout the reconnection exhaust. Near the electron diffusion region (EDR), distributions exhibit a temperature anisotropy of Teperp>Tepara. The electron distribution becomes isotropic between the EDR and magnetic field pile-up region. The parallel and perpendicular components of the distribution function in the pile-up region are enhanced in different ways by different mechanisms. Acceleration by the reconnection electric field during electrons' meandering orbits in the EDR, curvature and $\nabla B$ drift forces, and pitch angle scattering all contribute to form the distinct anisotropic structures of the distributions. In an effort of understanding a special type of dense electron distribution in the exhaust region, we explore the 3D structure of reconnection. The 3D magnetic field reconstruction shows that the dense distribution is associated with 3D magnetic nulls. Electron energization in 3D reconnection requires further investigation.


A gaseous mass transfer model has been proposed for quantitative evaluation of the chemical chain-back reaction system with volatile species in a boiling channel. Theoretical expression for concentration transients in liquid and vapor phases were obtained. The model was applied to water radiolysis in a boiling water reactor core channel with Bankoff's two-phase flow treatment. Hydrogen injection tests in the Oskarshamn-2 and Dresden-2 units were simulated. The calculated results showed that gas release and absorption rates in the boiling channel were not consistent with Henry's law. By using optimized parameters related to the gaseous mass transfer, calculated results agreed within a factor of 2 for lower hydrogen injection rates at the two plants. It was determined that more exact treatments are needed to determine the radiation level in the downcomer and catalytic decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide in order to provide better evaluations of water radiolysis phenomena.


A cDNA clone for the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin), neuroserpin, was isolated from a human whole brain cDNA library, and recombinant protein was expressed in insect cells. The purified protein is an efficient inhibitor of tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA), having an apparent second-order rate constant of 6.2 × 105 m −1 s−1 for the two-chain form. However, unlike other known plasminogen activator inhibitors, neuroserpin is a more effective inactivator of tPA than of urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Neuroserpin also effectively inhibited trypsin and nerve growth factor-γ but reacted only slowly with plasmin and thrombin. Northern blot analysis showed a 1.8 kilobase messenger RNA expressed predominantly in adult human brain and spinal cord, and immunohistochemical studies of normal mouse tissue detected strong staining primarily in neuronal cells with occasionally positive microglial cells. Staining was most prominent in the ependymal cells of the choroid plexus, Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, select neurons of the hypothalamus and hippocampus, and in the myelinated axons of the commissura. Expression of tPA within these regions is reported to be high and has previously been correlated with both motor learning and neuronal survival. Taken together, these data suggest that neuroserpin is likely to be a critical regulator of tPA activity in the central nervous system, and as such may play an important role in neuronal plasticity and/or maintenance.


Text classification is the most fundamental and essential task in natural language processing. The last decade has seen a surge of research in this area due to the unprecedented success of deep learning. Numerous methods, datasets, and evaluation metrics have been proposed in the literature, raising the need for a comprehensive and updated survey. This paper fills the gap by reviewing the state of the art approaches from 1961 to 2020, focusing on models from shallow to deep learning. We create a taxonomy for text classification according to the text involved and the models used for feature extraction and classification. We then discuss each of these categories in detail, dealing with both the technical developments and benchmark datasets that support tests of predictions. A comprehensive comparison between different techniques, as well as identifying the pros and cons of various evaluation metrics are also provided in this survey. Finally, we conclude by summarizing key implications, future research directions, and the challenges facing the research area.


The knowledge of spatial and temporal variability of soil water content and others soil-vegetation variables (leaf area index, fractional cover) assumes high importance in crop management. Where and when the cloudiness limits the use of optical and thermal remote sensing techniques, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery has proven to have several advantages (cloud penetration, day/night acquisitions and high spatial resolution). However, measured backscattering is controlled by several factors including SAR configuration (acquisition geometry, frequency and polarization), and target dielectric and geometric properties. Thus, uncertainties arise about the more suitable configuration to be used. With the launch of the ALOS Palsar, Cosmo-Skymed and Sentinel 1 sensors, a dataset of multi-frequency (X, C, L) and multi-polarization (co- and cross-polarizations) images are now available from a virtual constellation; thus, significant issues concerning the retrieval of soil-vegetation variables using SAR are: (i) identifying the more suitable SAR configuration; (ii) understanding the affordability of a multi-frequency approach. In 2006, a vast dataset of both remotely sensed images (SAR and optical/thermal) and in situ data was collected in the framework of the AgriSAR 2006 project funded by ESA and DLR. Flights and sampling have taken place weekly from April to August. In situ data included soil water content, soil roughness, fractional coverage and Leaf Area Index (LAI). SAR airborne data consisted of multi-frequency and multi-polarized SAR images (X, C and L frequencies and HH, HV, VH and VV polarizations). By exploiting this very wide dataset, this paper, explores the capabilities of SAR in describing four of the main soil-vegetation variables (SVV). As a first attempt, backscattering and SVV temporal behaviors are compared (dynamic analysis) and single-channel regressions between backscattering and SVV are analyzed. Remarkably, no significant correlations were found between backscattering and soil roughness (over both bare and vegetated plots), whereas it has been noticed that the contributions of water content of soil underlying the vegetation often did not influence the backscattering (depending on canopy structure and SAR configuration). Most significant regressions were found between backscattering and SVV characterizing the vegetation biomass (fractional cover and LAI). Secondly, the effect of SVV changes on the spatial correlation among SAR channels (accounting for different polarization and/or frequencies) was explored. An inter-channel spatial/temporal correlation analysis is proposed by temporally correlating two-channel spatial correlation and SVV. This novel approach allowed a widening in the number of significant correlations and their strengths by also encompassing the use of SAR data acquired at two different frequencies.


Dengue is one of the world's most important mosquito-borne diseases and is usually transmitted by one of two vector species: Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus . These two diurnal mosquitoes are frequently found coexisting in similar habitats, enabling interactions between adults, such as cross-mating. The objective of this study was to assess cross-mating between Ae. aegypti females and Ae. albopictus males under artificial conditions and evaluate the locomotor activity of Ae. aegypti virgin females injected with male accessory gland (MAG) homogenates to infer the physiological and behavioural responses to interspecific mating. After seven days of exposure, 3.3-16% of Ae. aegypti females mated with Ae. albopictus males. Virgin Ae. aegypti females injected with conspecific and heterospecific MAGs showed a general decrease in locomotor activity compared to controls and were refractory to mating with conspecific males. The reduction in diurnal locomotor activity induced by injections of conspecific or heterospecific MAGs is consistent with regulation of female reproductive activities by male substances, which are capable of sterilising female Ae. aegypti through satyrisation by Ae. albopictus .


Increasingly Industrial Control Systems (ICS) systems are being connected to the Internet to minimise the operational costs and provide additional flexibility. These control systems such as the ones used in power grids, manufacturing and utilities operate continually and have long lifespans measured in decades rather than years as in the case of IT systems. Such industrial control systems require uninterrupted and safe operation. However, they can be vulnerable to a variety of attacks, as successful attacks on critical control infrastructures could have devastating consequences to the safety of human lives as well as a nation's security and prosperity. Furthermore, there can be a range of attacks that can target ICS and it is not easy to secure these systems against all known attacks let alone unknown ones. In this paper, we propose a software enabled security architecture using Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) that can enhance the capability to secure industrial control systems. We have designed such an SDN/NFV enabled security architecture and developed a Control System Security Application (CSSA) in SDN Controller for enhancing security in ICS against certain specific attacks namely denial of service attacks, from unpatched vulnerable control system components and securing the communication flows from the legacy devices that do not support any security functionality. In this paper, we discuss the prototype implementation of the proposed architecture and the results obtained from our analysis.


The magnetic structure of wedge-shaped Co/Au(111) films has been analyzed in the thickness range of around five monolayers where a reorientation transition takes place. The detection of two critical thicknesses with an apparently new phase in between them can be understood by evoking general considerations of stability and coexistence of phases. The analysis in terms of thickness-driven evolution in the anisotropy space of the system leads to the determination of the surface anisotropy constants of first and second order in a most direct and consistent manner. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}


This blog features documents housed in the Moorland Spingarn Research Center, one of the largest repositories of African American history in the world.


In ion beam figuring process, typically, the smaller ion beam diameter has a good ability to "correct" the optical surface error, i.e. the smaller ion beam diameter indicates the higher material removal efficiency ε. The material removal efficiency is defined as the ratio of the volume of desired material removal to that of the real material removal. However the smaller ion beam diameter always results in more processing time, which usually decreases the process reliability. In this paper, the relationship between the material removal efficiency and the ion beam diameter is analyzed. The theoretical result shows that the material removal efficiency is a negative exponential function of the ratio of ion beam diameter to the spatial error wavelength, (i.e. d/λ). And when d/λ= 0.5, the material removal efficiency is 87%, which is acceptable in ion beam figuring process. When d/λ = 1, it rapidly decreases to 58%, which is unacceptable. According to theoretical analysis and simulation results, we recommend that d/λ should be less than 0.5 in order to obtain acceptable material removal efficiency in ion beam figuring process.


This study uses molecular dynamics simulations with an embedded-atom method (EAM) potential to investigate the effects of strain rate on a copper wire in tension at the nanoscale. By averaging the atomic stresses over the entire system, the stress-strain curves for the nanowire were predicted. The results show that an elastic region clearly exists in the early deformation of the copper nanowire and the elastic modulus is about two times of the value measured at the macroscale. The yield stress of the nanowire increases with the strain rate. Moreover, the evolution of the crystal structure was investigated in terms of the radial distribution function and the local atomic order was also examined by the common neighbour analysis. The dislocations and recrystallization processes inside the nanowire have been observed. The simulated results reveal the process of the fracture of copper nanowire in tension.


Transfection is currently used to insert molecules into cells. In vivo transfection is mainly performed via viral or chemical transfection. However, electrical transfection is known to be a more efficient way to insert drugs into cells without side effects. In spite of this advantage, not too many devices allow to perform electrotransfection in vivo because of their invasiveness. Here we present a new microfluidic microdevice which is small enough to be inserted into deep region with a minimum of drawbacks. Therapeutic molecules, genes or drugs can be injected into targeted tissues. High voltage electric impulsions can be applied. This device offers the advantage to be a stand alone device with a 500/tm square section. This generic tool can be used for drug delivery, electrotransfection as well as electrostimulation.


Wildlife management deals with problems concerning sustainable harvest, conservation of threatened species and adjustment of wildlife populations to levels acceptable to for instance forestry, agriculture, traffic and conservation interests. A detailed knowledge of the population is then required. It is therefore important to develop reliable and cost-efficient survey methods. The purpose of this study was to test the distance sampling method where objects are observed while walking along a line, as a way of counting deer pellet groups and to compare the results with ordinary plot surveys. The inventory speed for distance sampling increases with increasing amount of droppings/km2. The amount of droppings seems to have little or no effect on the inventory speed of the plot survey method. Therefore the plot survey method could be a better alternative than the distance sampling method when the densities of droppings are high and vice versa. When comparing the two methods estimates of animal densities with data (orally) from game managers based on other surveys and flying observations and estimations in the different areas, both methods showed too low density for red deer in Valinge. This indicates that the supplementary feeding seem to have an effect on the results of red deer density for both methods.


An Extramedullary Plasmacytoma (EMP) is characterized by a neoplastic proliferation of clonal plasma cells outside the medullary cavity. EMPs are a rare occurrence compared to other malignant plasma cell disorders and account for approximately 3-5% of plasma-cell neoplasms. Although most cases of EMP are not immediately life threatening at diagnosis, EMPs can progress to Multiple Myeloma (MM) and thus, warrant monitoring. Currently, there are no standard guidelines for when and how to monitor patients who are diagnosed with or treated for a solitary plasmacytoma. We present a case of solitary EMP who was treated adequately and definitively but developed a distinct, non-contiguous subsequent solitary EMP and was only discovered due to surveillance 18F-Fludeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (18F-FDG) (PET) scan. Uniform surveillance guidelines should be developed and the potential benefits of PET and other imaging techniques as well as their cost should be considered.


The need to reduce saturated fat levels in food and the different ways of doing this are among the most important issues facing the food industry. Reducing saturated fats in foods reviews the sources and effects of saturated fats in food and the ways in which the food industry can effectively reduce saturates.

 Part one covers the functional and nutritional aspects of saturated fats in foods, with chapters covering sources of dietary saturated fats, their functional attributes and the health issues associated with saturated fatty acids. Part two focuses on reducing saturated fats through food reformulation, concentrating on both the technologies used and the food categories affected. Chapters cover topics such as emulsion technology for reduction of saturated fats and the application of diacylglycerol oils, as well as different food categories including milk and dairy products, processed meats, fried foods and pastry products.

 With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Reducing saturated fats in foods is an essential reference for oils and fats processors and food manufacturers, as well as those researching saturated fats in the academic sector.

 Reviews the sources and effects of saturated fats in food and the ways in which the food industry can effectively reduce saturates

 Explores the functional and nutritional aspects of saturated fats in foods, covering sources of dietary saturated fats and their functional attributes

 Focuses on reducing saturated fats through food reformulation, concentrating on both the technologies used and the food categories affected


For nonlinear time-delay systems with globally Lipschitz vector fields, we propose a relaxed sufficient condition for global exponential stability (GES), in which the dissipation rate of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is not needed to involve the functional itself, but merely the point-wise current value of the solution. Our proof technique consists in explicitly constructing a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional that satisfies existing criteria for GES. Consequences for robustness to exogenous inputs are briefly evoked and an example taken from neuroscience literature illustrates the applicability of the result.


In this paper, a comparison between CNFET and Si-MOSFET SRAM cells at 32nm technology node are presented. The designs are based on predictive technology model (PTM) for the Si-MOSFET cell and CNFET Stanford model for the CNFET cell. For practical reasons, in the CNFET case, the substrate of the entire chip is considered to be one node. The effect of the voltage of this node on improving the overall characteristics of the CNFET cell is described. HSPICE simulation results show that CNFET has better performance compared to Si-MOSFET. Finally, the characteristics of the SRAM cell in the presence of fabrication imperfections of CNFET are studied. The write stability of CNFET SRAM is low because of the same current drive capability for both p- and n-CNFETs. For solving this problem, we weaken the pull up transistors by different channel length and CNT diameter with respect to n type transistors.


Fertilization triggers Ca2+ increase and alkalization in the eggs of some species such as the frog. Ooplasmic Ca2+ increase triggers fertilization potential (FP), and alkalization can have a permissive effect in Ca2+ increase. It can be expected that pH regulation in the egg can affect both ooplasmic Ca2+ levels and the events triggered by increasing Ca2+. The evidence of the possibility of H+-K+ ATPase in different tissues in recent studies prompted us to wonder about the probability of the existence of this pump in the egg. Therefore, we decided to investigate the presence of H+-K+ ATPase by bioelectrical potential recordings in frog eggs. Thus, frog eggs were inseminated while the resting membrane potential (RMP) in the solution containing different concentrations (0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 mM) of pump inhibitors (omeprazole and lansoprazole) was recorded. Evidence of H+-K+ ATPase was sought from the effects of these pump inhibitors on FP variables. While omeprazole had a significant effect on RMP and FP variables at a 1.2 mM concentration alone, lansoprazole had significant effects at concentrations higher than 0.6 mM in the frog eggs. It was determined that the effects of the 2 inhibitors were similar. In conclusion, H+-K+ ATPase may be present in frog eggs due to the similar effects of both pump inhibitors on the potential change triggered by fertilization. Thus, this pump might have a function in alkalization triggered by fertilization in the frog egg.


Among the handful of high-profile terrorism cases in which the U.S. government has failed to win convictions in jury trials, that of Muhammad Salah stands out. Like the cases against Sami Al-Arian, Abdelhaleem Ashqar, and the Holy Land Foundation, the case against Salah was built on the criminalization of political support for the Palestinian resistance. But while the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is at the core of all four cases, Salah9s, unlike the others, was primarily about Israel: the case was manufactured in Israel, the evidence on which it was based was generated in Israel, and its prosecution depended on close U.S.-Israeli cooperation at every turn. Salah, a Palestinian-American Chicago resident and former grocer, was arrested in Israel in January 1993 while on a mission to distribute money to poverty-stricken Palestinians in the occupied territories. Accused of being a U.S.-based Hamas terrorist commander, he was interrogated by Shin Bet, tried before a military tribunal, and spent almost five years in prison in Israel. While the U.S. initially supported Salah and rejected Israel9s accusations against him, in January 1995 he became (while still in prison) the first and (to date) only U.S. citizen to be branded a ""specially designated terrorist"" by his government. Upon his return home in November 1997, he was one of the main targets of an intensive terrorism funding investigation, dropped in 2000 for lack of evidence but reactivated in 2002 in the wake of 9/11. In this two-part exclusive report, Salah9s lawyers recount for the first time the details of their client9s labyrinthine case. Part I focused on the Israeli phase of the story, including the political context of Salah9s arrest, and the investigations and legal proceedings launched against him in the United States when he returned. In essence, part I laid the foundation for the trial to come, emphasizing in particular its complex legal underpinnings and implications as well as its importance as a ""test case."" Part II focuses on the post-9/11 period that unfolded under the George W. Bush Justice Department, starting with Salah9s indictment in November 2004, continuing with the two years of contentious pretrial preparations and hearings, and ending with the trial itself. As in part I, the legal dimensions of the case are emphasized, as are the government9s maneuvers to advance new standards governing the admissibility of coerced confessions and secret evidence at trial and to manipulate other established principles of the U.S. criminal justice system. This article deals solely with Muhammad Salah, but Abdelhaleem Ashqar, a former professor of business administration in Virginia, was his codefendant at trial. Both were indicted, along with twenty other coconspirators, for participation in a fifteen-year ""racketeering conspiracy"" to ""illegally finance terrorist activities"" in Israel and the occupied territories, as well as for several lesser charges. The two men had never met before the trial opened in October 2006. Despite the common charge, their cases were very different and went forward in parallel fashion, with different lawyers, witnesses, arguments, and entirely separate pretrial proceedings. When the jury trial ended in February 2007, both men were acquitted of all terrorism-related charges.


The Mediterranean tsunami warning system is based on national monitoring centers (Tsunami Service Providers, TSPs) and operates under the IOC/UNESCO umbrella. For the first time we evaluate in depth the system's performance for improving its operational effectiveness in conditions of extremely narrow time frames due to the near-field tsunami sources. At time 10 (± 2) min from the origin time, to, of the 2 May 2020 (Mw6.6) earthquake in Crete, the Greek, Italian and Turkish TSPs sent alerts to civil protection subscribers. A small tsunami (amplitude ~16 cm a.m.s.l.) of magnitude Mt6.8, arriving at south Crete in ~17 min from to, was documented from tide-gauge records and macroscopic observations. The analysis of the upstream alert messages showed that the tsunami alert efficiency is not adequate, since (1) earthquake parameters of low accuracy were used for the initial message, (2) alerts were issued after some forecasted wave arrival times had expired, (3) alert messages are characterized by various discrepancies and uncertainties. Our calculations showed that the upstream component improves if the alert time is shortened by a few minutes and the initial earthquake parameters are more accurate. Very late procedures were noted in the Greek civil protection downstream component, thus rendering response actions useless. In Israel, a bit more time was available to the authorities for decision making. A drastic improvement of the downstream component is needed to achieve timely alerting for local authorities and communities.


This thesis is an exploration of the social and political processes involved in the introduction of new technology to the shopfloor. Through a series of case studies of applications of microelectronics to batch manufacture, it attempts to uncover the ways in which the values and interests of managers, engineers, workers and others profoundly influence the choice and use of technology, and thus the work organisation which emerges. Previous analyses have tended to treat new technology as if it had "impacts" on work organisation - especially skills - which are inevitable in particular technical and economic circumstances. It is in opposition to this view that technical change is here treated as a matter for social choice and political negotiation, the various interested parties to the change being shown to attempt to incorporate their own interests into the technical and social organisation of work. Section one provides the relevant background to the case studies by summarising and criticising previous theoretical and empirical work in the area. The inadequacies of this work for our concerns are drawn out, and the need for detailed studies of the political aspects of technical change is justified. The case studies are presented in section two as a set of "episodes" of innovation, and section three analyses the empirical findings. The innovations are compared and contrasted in order to illustrate the social and political dynamics involved in the various stages of the innovation process. Finally some comments are made on policy issues for which the research has important implications.


We notc the description by Pelimon and Simunovic (Anaeslhesia 1987; 4 2 83) of a modification to the standard Magill forceps for intubation. In 1978, Dr H. Liberman' from this Department described a new intubating forceps in which the forceps applies an anteroposterior grasp on the tube instead of the traditional side to side grip of the Magill forceps. The jaws are smooth, not serrated like the Magill forceps, since the jaws on the Magill forceps frequently damaged the cuffs of tracheal tubes. Early attempts to achieve this grasp by turning sideways the ridged end jaws of the Magill forceps, were abandoned in favour of a sliding mcchanisrn to open the two smooth jaws. These forceps have now been in use in this hospital for over 10 years and a paediatric version has been particularly useful in the manipulation of tracheal tubes during nasotracheal intubation in premature and other neonates. The anteroposterior grip and the ability to manoeuvre the tip of the tube in a fore-and-aft direction are definite advantages of this type of forceps.


Ability to detect and to isolate faults which may affect the system depends essentially on instrumentation architecture. This is why, before designing an industrial supervision system, determination of monitoring ability based on technical specifications is important. Used methods in the consulted literature are based on a model given as a set of collected data in different modes (faulty and normal) or under complex differential equations. In the present paper it will be shown how the behavioral, structural and causal properties of the bond graph model can be used for monitoring ability analysis (which part of the system is over, just or under constrained) with no need of calculation. The developed method is applied to the designing a real time monitoring of an electromechanical system.


Realizing the many benefits from Facebook require users to share information reciprocally, which has overtime created trillions of bytes of information online—a treasure trove for cybercriminals. The sole protection for any user are three sets of privacy protections afforded by Facebook: settings that control information privacy (i.e., security of social media accounts and identity information), accessibility privacy or anonymity (i.e., manage who can connect with a user), and those that control expressive privacy (i.e., control who can see a user's posts and tag you). Using these settings, however, involves a trade‐off between making oneself accessible and thereby vulnerable to potential attacks, or enacting stringent protections that could potentially make someone inaccessible thereby reducing the benefits that are accruable through social media. Using two theoretical frameworks, Uses and Gratifications (U&G) and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), the research examined how individuals congitvely juxtaposed the cost of maintaining privacy through the use of these settings against the benefits of openness. The application of the U&G framework revealed that social need fulfillment was the single most significant benefit driving privacy management. From the cost standpoint, the PMT framework pointed to perceived severity impacting expressive and information privacy, and perceived susceptability influencing accessibility privacy.


Inspired by the human vision system, a new image representation and analysis model based on Gaussian multiscale multivariate image analysis (MIA) is proposed. The multiscale color texture representations for the original image are used to constitute the multivariate image, each channel of which represents a perceptual observation from different scales. Then the MIA decomposes this multivariate image into multiscale color texture perceptual features (the principal component score images). These score images could be interpreted as 1) the output of three color opponent channels: black versus white, red versus green and blue versus yellow, and 2) the edge information, and 3) higher-order Gaussian derivatives. Finally the color image denoising approach based on the models is presented. Experiments show that this denoising method against Gaussian filters significantly improves the denoising effect by preserving more edge information.


The mammalian superior colliculus (SC) is made up of seven distinct layers. Based on overall differences in neuronal morphology, afferent and efferent projection patterns, physiological properties, and presumptive behavioral role, the upper three layers have been classically grouped together as the superficial layers and the remaining four layers collectively make up the deep layers. Although the superficial layers receive their primary inputs from the retina and primary visual cortex, the deep layers receive inputs from extrastriate visual cortical areas and from auditory, somatosensory, and motor-related structures. In contrast, there is no evidence of monosynaptic nonvisual inputs to the superficial layers. However, more recent studies have revealed anatomical connections between the superficial and deep layers, thus providing the substrate for possible communication between these two functional divisions of the SC. In this study, we provide physiological evidence for auditory influences on visual responses in the superficial layers of the SC. Using extracellular recordings of local field potentials (LFPs) and multiunit activity, we demonstrate multisensory effects in the superficial layers of the cat SC such that subthreshold auditory activity (as seen in the LFP) modulates visual responses (reflected in spiking activity) when the two stimuli are presented together. These results have important implications for our understanding of the functional organization of the SC and for the neural basis of multisensory integration in general.


Background Birth defects and inborn errors of metabolism are related to variable poor perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Our aim was to explore the pattern and prevalence of birth defects and metabolic birth errors in Al-Ahsa Governorate in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Methods This retrospective case control study was done from April 2006 to 2009. Children with any birth defect or metabolic errors of metabolism at birth or in the neonatology section were our sample for study. Control group was randomly selected from the cases with normal live births. Blood tests were performed for children suspected to suffer from genetic blood disorders. The principal BD as per the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) code was also noted. Results Out of 38001 live births, birth defects were found in 1.14% and errors of metabolism were detected in 0.17%. The most common birth defects were craniofacial malformations. The 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency was the most common inborn errors of metabolism. Consanguinity, rural residence and prematurity were associated with significant rise in birth defects. On the other hand, consanguinity and low birth weight were associated with significant rise in metabolic errors. Conclusion First cousins consanguinity represented the most significant risk factor for birth defects and inborn errors of metabolism. High degree of inbreeding, consanguinity may exacerbate underlying recessive genetic risk factors.


The clinical case concerns a 75-year-old woman with operated breast cancer, hormone receptors positive, who is progressing to hormonal treatment at lymph nodes, skin and bone level. She is administered with metronomic chemotherapy based on capecitabine which is added, from the eighth cycle, oral vinorelbine. After 17 total cycles there is a progressive clinical response to the disease, particularly at the level of skin lesions that appear to be smoothed and reduced in volume. Treatment with oral vinorelbine and capecitabine in metronomic mode has also shown poor toxicity, easy handling and reduced hospital accesses.


A desirable objective in self-supervised learning (SSL) is to avoid feature collapse. Whitening loss guarantees collapse avoidance by minimizing the distance between embeddings of positive pairs under the conditioning that the embeddings from different views are whitened. In this paper, we propose a framework with an informative indicator to analyze whitening loss, which provides a clue to demystify several interesting phenomena as well as a pivoting point connecting to other SSL methods. We reveal that batch whitening (BW) based methods do not impose whitening constraints on the embedding, but they only require the embedding to be full-rank. This full-rank constraint is also sufficient to avoid dimensional collapse. Based on our analysis, we propose channel whitening with random group partition (CW-RGP), which exploits the advantages of BW-based methods in preventing collapse and avoids their disadvantages requiring large batch size. Experimental results on ImageNet classification and COCO object detection reveal that the proposed CW-RGP possesses a promising potential for learning good representations. The code is available at https://github.com/winci-ai/CW-RGP.


Corpora of texts are used typically to study the structure and function of language. The distribution of various linguistic units, comprising texts in a corpus are used to make and test hypotheses relevant to different linguistic levels of description. News reports and editorials have been used extensively to populate corpora for studying language, for making dictionaries and for writing grammar books. News reports of financial markets are generally accompanied by time-indexed series of values of shares, currencies and so on, reflecting the change in value over a period of time. A corpus linguistic method for extracting sentiment indicators, e.g. shares going up or a currency falling down, is presented together with a technique for correlating the quantitative time-series of values with a time series of sentiment indicators. The correlation may be used in the analysis of the movement of shares, currencies and other financial instruments.


Ecotourism can fuel an important source of financial income for African countries and can therefore help biodiversity policies in the continent. Translocations can be a powerful tool to spread economic benefits among countries and communities; yet, to be positive for biodiversity conservation, they require a basic knowledge of conservation units through appropriate taxonomic research. This is not always the case, as taxonomy was considered an outdated discipline for almost a century, and some plurality in taxonomic approaches is incorrectly considered as a disadvantage for conservation work. As an example, diversity of the genus Giraffa and its recent taxonomic history illustrate the importance of such knowledge for a sound conservation policy that includes translocations. We argue that a fine-grained conservation perspective that prioritizes all remaining populations along the Nile Basin is needed. Translocations are important tools for giraffe diversity conservation, but more discussion is needed, especially for moving new giraffes to regions where the autochthonous taxa/populations are no longer existent. As the current discussion about the giraffe taxonomy is too focused on the number of giraffe species, we argue that the plurality of taxonomic and conservation approaches might be beneficial, i.e., for defining the number of units requiring separate management using a (majority) consensus across different concepts (e.g., MU—management unit, ESU—evolutionary significant unit, and ECU—elemental conservation unit). The taxonomically sensitive translocation policy/strategy would be important for the preservation of current diversity, while also supporting the ecological restoration of some regions within rewilding. A summary table of the main translocation operations of African mammals that have underlying problems is included. Therefore, we call for increased attention toward the taxonomy of African mammals not only as the basis for sound conservation but also as a further opportunity to enlarge the geographic scope of ecotourism in Africa.


Abstract Multivariate statistical analysis can be applied in order to group sediments with similar characteristics and be an important tool for the interpretation of sedimentary facies for a given depositional environment. This study investigates the use of multivariate analysis to produce a sectorization of an estuarine system located along a regressive coast (Espirito Santo, southeast Brazil). Results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis were compared to qualitative sediment interpretation based on well-known sediment classifications. Multivariate analysis defined four distinct sedimentary groups for the estuarine and adjacent inner shelf system. These groups reflect distinct sedimentary facies found along the system: inner estuarine facies, outer estuarine facies, fluvial–coastal facies, and shelf facies. This sectorization is used to propose a sedimentary facies model for the system. Sedimentological variables used in the sectorization were shown to be good indicators of depositional environments, indirectly expressing the hydrodynamic energy.


Chapter 1 introduces the main question addressed in this thesis: was there a 'consumer
revolution' in England in the third quarter of the eighteenth century? The question was
posed by Neil McKendrick in The birth of a consumer society published in 1983.
McKendrick called for 'detailed quantitative work' on probate inventories to answer the
question. Probate inventories pose challenges to the historian and their interpretation is
enhanced when they are used in conjunction with other sources. This is the subject of
chapter 2.
Following McKendrick's call, two major studies were carried out. The first was Lorna
Weatherill's Consumer behaviour and material culture in 1988 and the second was
Overton et al, Production and consumption in English households in 2004. 1 Weatherill's
study was based on eight regions in England and Overton et al's on two counties, Kent
and Cornwall. However, there were major problems in their approach. The first problem
concerned is coverage of the vital period after 1750. Both studies rejected
McKendrick's proposed 'consumer revolution' in the third quarter of the eighteenth
century. Yet Weatherill only covered the period up to 1725 and Overton et al had
relatively few primary sources beyond 1730 and their study period terminated in 1750.
The main reason for this failure was non survival of the sources. The second problem
faced by both studies arose because few inventories for labourers survived for their
selected locations. 2 Labourers represented the largest social group in most parts of
England and evidence about their possessions is important in establishing how far
ownership of consumer goods extended down the social scale.
1 L., Weatherill, Consumer behaviour and material culture in Britain 1660-1760, (2"d edn. London, 1996);
M., Overton, J., Whittle, D., Dean and A Hann Production and consumption in English households 1600-
1750 (Abingdon, 2004) 2 Weatherill, Consumer behaviour and material culture, pp.21 0-1; Overton et a!, Production and
consumption in English households, p.22.
The two studies by Weatherill and by Overton et al showed that locality had a profound
influence on the consumption of goods. This thesis is based on Yorkshire and
Huntingdonshire. Chapter 3 explores the contrasting economies of these two counties,
Yorkshire in the heartland of industrial change, and Huntingdonshire, an agricultural
county. These counties were also chosen because both had large numbers of probate
inventories covering the crucial period after 1750 and Huntingdonshire had more than
250 inventories for labourers. Based on 2949 probate inventories and over 400 probate
accounts, this thesis represents the second largest study of consumption using probate
records. It is the first evidence about consumption based on probate material dated after
1750.
Consumption of consumer goods is related to social structure as well as location.
Chapter 4 considers the problems in defining social and occupational groups. It
demonstrates that social groups were not homogenous but represented a wide range of
people. Two f~ctors influence social structure and relative personal wealth: the extent to
which agriculture was practised and scale of credit. Chapter 5 examines agricultural
production and the extent of by-employment. Chapter 6 discusses the importance and
scale of borrowing and lending in the early modern economy and its impact on
assessment of individual wealth.
The inventoried population was not the same as the population in society as a whole.
The problem of representativeness, discussed in chapter 7, is difficult to resolve.
Overton et al admitted that their sample of inventories was not random and therefore
that their results could not be generalised to the entire population of Kent or Cornwall.
Weatherill did not attempt a study of society as a whole but people of middle rank. By
using occupational data recorded in Anglican baptism registers and hearth tax records
2
the present study seeks for the first time to measure the extent to which probate records
reflect the whole population.
The economic changes of the early modern period were reflected not just in material
goods but in the houses in which they were displayed. Housing is considered in chapter
8 and chapter 9 examines ownership patterns of selected consumer goods. These
consumer goods included both new products such as clocks and more 'traditional' goods
such as bedding and silver. Consumer change took place largely in the eighteenth
century. There was a sharp rise in ownership of certain new consumer goods during the
period of McKendrick's consumer boom after 1750. Ownership levels for some other
goods rose earlier in the century. Location generally had a greater effect on the
likelihood of ownership of consumer goods than wealth. With the single exception of
clocks, consumer goods were much more commonly owned by inventoried persons in
parishes with market towns than in more rural parishes. The large number of labourers'
inventories provided a rare insight into their material culture. There was little evidence
that most ne'Y consumer goods reached those towards the bottom end of the social
spectrum. However ownership of these goods began to change after 1750. The new
evidence covering the second half of the eighteenth century showed that clocks and to
some extent looking glasses were being acquired by husbandmen and even labourers.
The consumer revolution was at last beginning to arrive in the bottom half of society.


Observes that traditional retail, catalog, and online‐only businesses face a critical decision – to accept a new, yet unrefined business model that includes multiple channels or to retain their single channel model and risk becoming obsolete and left behind by new, multi‐channel competitors. The decision process and implementation of a multi‐channel strategy could be simplified if businesses understood what drives consumers to a single channel, multiple channels, and which channels are preferred. Outlines the key issues facing multi‐channel marketers, and encourages multi‐channel businesses to take a customer‐centric view rather than a channel focused view to work through the challenges unique to the multi‐channel marketer. A model of multi‐channel buyer behavior is proposed to help the multi‐channel marketer develop a customer‐centric view. Presents a series of propositions which serve to encourage and direct future research in this area.


In this thesis we investigate how well Automatic Identification System data can describe the nautical chain of the Port of Rotterdam and we use this data analysis to optimize the positioning of tugboat resting locations in the port. We find that the quality of AIS data is not flawless, however, it can accurately describe certain parts of the nautical chain, such as locations where pilot tenders and tugboats meet deepsea vessels to start or end service and service durations. Because of missing data, we find that the AIS data cannot be used to describe interarrival times of nautical service requests accurately. Using the findings of this analysis, we then model the problem of positioning tugboat resting locations in the Port of Rotterdam as a two-stage stochastic problem with uncertainty in the demand and return parameters. We are able to find upper and lower bounds on the optimal objective value of the stochastic model and we find the optimal solution within reasonable computation time. We test the effect of changing to the optimal locations with a discrete-event simulation model, where we find that a yearly saving of almost e65,000 or 3.8% of total costs is achieved.


The spread of invasive species is considered a major threat to biodiversity, second only to habitat loss. Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta) are a globally invasive species with negative impacts reported on native invertebrate and vertebrate species. Federally endangered Houston Toads (Bufo [=Anaxyrus] houstonensis), endemic to Texas, are among the vertebrates reportedly negatively impacted by Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA). Threats posed by RIFA to Houston Toads needed to be explicitly characterized. Large-scale chemical treatments to suppress RIFA and facilitate brood survival in Attwater's prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge (APCNWR) afforded us an opportunity to experimentally examine the influence of RIFA abundance on juvenile Houston Toad growth and survival. We also sought to examine whether juvenile Houston Toads could grow and survive in a vegetation type similar to a historic species locality. We conducted a terrestrial mesocosm experiment to test whether the application of bait-driven suppressant decreased counts of RIFA relative to untreated sites. We examined whether counts of native ant and non-ant native invertebrates were higher in response to potential decreases in RIFA. We compared growth and survival rates in juvenile Houston Toads among treated and untreated sites, expecting juvenile growth and survival to be higher in response to potentially decreased RIFA counts and increased native invertebrate counts. We saw lower counts of RIFA in treated prairies, but we also observed a decrease in native ant counts possibly due to chemical treatment. Therefore, the application of bait-driven suppressant may not affect RIFA alone. We saw no difference in counts of non-ant invertebrates among treated and untreated sites. Juvenile Houston Toads did not differ in growth and survival among treated and untreated sites. We recognize that the lack of a relationship between juvenile growth and survival with a treatment effect, and therefore RIFA abundance, may be limited to APCNWR. We encourage additional experimental studies to elucidate RIFA impacts at other sites. We extrapolated apparent survival estimates from our study to one year. These appear comparable to juvenile survivorship required in simulations for Houston Toad population persistence and on this basis, we recommend that APCNWR be re-evaluated as a reintroduction site for Houston Toads. We also recommend further studies to potentially broaden the regulatory definition of Houston Toad habitat beyond the current restrictive view of canopied forest alone. Such studies would need to examine the utility of native grasslands as dispersal corridors/upland habitat for juvenile Houston Toads. Our findings emphasize the utility of experimental studies in directly examining the influence of perceived threats to imperiled species and the role of such clarifications in adapting recovery efforts.