OBJECTIVE
Parents' comments about their adolescents' weight have been linked with adolescents' disordered eating, but we know little about the personal and contextual conditions that promote or mitigate the effects of parents' perceptions on adolescents' weight concerns. This study examined whether the prospective association between parents' perceptions of adolescents' weight and adolescents' weight concerns differed as a function of exposure to interparental conflict or adolescent gender.

METHOD
Participants were 386 adolescents (52% female; ages 11-18 years; predominately Caucasian/European American) from 197 families (i.e., up to two adolescents per family) and their parents. Two-parent families with a firstborn child in 8th, 9th, or 10th grade and a secondborn child 1-4 years younger were recruited to participate in a short-term longitudinal study of adolescent development and family relationships. Annual home interviews were conducted with adolescents and parents. Multilevel models tested whether parents' perceptions of adolescents' weight predicted adolescents' weight concerns one year later and whether interparental conflict and youth gender moderated this prospective association.

RESULTS
A significant three-way interaction revealed that when interparental conflict was low, increases in fathers' but not mothers' perceptions of daughters' overweight predicted increases in daughters' weight concerns the following year. In contrast, females exposed to high interparental conflict reported elevated weight concerns the following year regardless of parents' perceptions. Results for males were not significant.

DISCUSSION
Findings highlight the role of personal and family context characteristics in the development of weight concerns and the value of addressing family processes within preventive interventions for adolescent females' weight concerns.


Initial condition effects in a self-preserving plane wake were investigated for two wake generators, i.e. a triangular cylinder and a screen of 50% solidity. Two orthogonal arrays of sixteen X-wires, eight in the (x, y)-plane, i.e. the plane of mean shear, and eight in the (x, z)-plane, which is parallel to both the cylinder axis and the streamwise direction, are used to simultaneously obtain velocity data in the experimental investigation. Measurements were made at x/h (x is the streamwise distance downstream of the cylinder and h is the height of the wake generator) = 330 for the triangular cylinder and 220 for the screen. A two-dimensional orthogonal wavelet transform is used to analyze the measured hot-wire data. This technique enables the turbulence structures of various scales to be separated and characterized. Discernible differences are observed between the two wake generators in the turbulence structures of large- down to intermediate-scales. The differences are quantified in terms of the Reynolds shear stress, kinetic energy and root mean square vorticity values.Copyright © 2002 by ASME


Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are the most widely distributed of the Tachycineta species, extending from northern Alaska and Canada to the southern United States. They are semi-colonial, secondary cavity nesters, primarily aerial insectivores, and migratory throughout most of their range. Tree swallows are a widely used model organism for avian ecologists and environmental physiologists because their life history lends itself to longterm study. They can be readily and repeatedly trapped at nests, and losses to nest predators are low. Adults return to previous breeding sites with high fidelity, so individuals marked during or after their first reproductive season can be reliably captured in subsequent years, and return rate to the breeding area can be used as an index of survival. Swallows using nest boxes are extraordinarily resistant to the disturbance of handling, allowing repeated captures to obtain measurements, blood samples, etc., both within and between breeding seasons.


Epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal is an uncommon disease, but has increased in incidence with the HIV epidemic. Prior to the 1970s, treatment consisted of radical surgery with abdominoperineal resection. With the pioneering work of Dr. Norman Nigro, this has shifted to a nonsurgical approach, with primary treatment consisting of multimodality therapy with radiation and chemotherapy. This review provides an overview of the historical, current, and future treatments of epidermoid anal canal malignancies.


The receptor protein PfATP6 has been identified as the common target of artemisinin and curcumin. The work was initiated to assess the antimalarial activity of six curcumin derivatives based on their binding affinities and correlating the in silico docking outcome with in vitro antimalarial screening results. A ligand library of thirty two Knoevenagel condensates of curcumin were designed and docked against PfATP6 protein and six compounds with the best binding scores were synthesized and screened for their antimalarial activity against the sensitive 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. ADME/Tox, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of the designed compounds were analyzed and reported. 4-FB was found to have similar binding energy to the standard artemisinin (-6.75 and -6.73 respectively) while 4-MB, 3-HB, 2-HB, B, 4-NB displayed better binding energy than curcumin (-5.95, -5.89, -5.68, -5.35, -5.29 and -5.25 respectively). At a dose of 50 µg/mL all the six compounds showed 100% schizont inhibition while at 5µg/ml, five showed more than 75% inhibition and better results than curcumin. 4-FB showed the best activity with 97.8% schizonticidal activity. The in vitro results superimpose the results obtained from the in silico study thereby encouraging development of promising curcumin leads in the battle against malaria.


The goal of this work is to propose a simple continuous model that captures the dielectric properties of water at the nanometric scale. We write an electrostatic energy as a functional of the polarisation field containing a term in P4 and non-local Gaussian terms. Such a hamiltonian can reproduce two key properties of water: the saturation of the polarisation response of water in the presence of a strong electrostatic field and the nanometric dipolar correlations of the solvent molecules modifying the long range van der waals interaction. This model explores thus two fundamental aspects that have to be included in implicit models of electrolytes for a relevant description of electrostatic interactions at nanometric scales.


Film historiography typically considers the years following 1968 as an important period of crisis for gendered identities in the United States, particularly in respect to traditional models of white masculinity. Open to the investigation of gender representations since the middle of the seventies, film studies have since been able to shed light on the relationship between dominant ideals of manhood in Hollywood cinema and the political, social and economic contexts in which they were produced and consumed. Thus, the hyper-masculinity, the provider instinct or the outrageous violence of certain heroes have been considered in the light of the upheavals which the codes of masculinity have endured, be it through the setbacks of the Vietnam war, the rapid rise of the feminist movement, the claims of the civil rights movement of the Afro-American minority or the emergence of the gay and lesbian movement. Without contesting this view, my work aims at putting the filmic representation of the American masculinity from the end of the sixties until today into a wider perspective. If the values, the practices, and the norms endorsed by male characters indeed derive from a set of anxieties and desires related to the destabilizations that have affected American society, it appears essential to locate them in the wake of the traditionally antagonistic relationship that the American male subject maintains with respect to modernity and technological determinism since the end of 19th century. And according to this view, the legitimacy deficit of the dominant models of masculinity results at least as much from the deterioration of the social, political and ideological paradigms of the post-war period, than from the feeling of fundamental decentring that the economy of technological change has nourished ever since the Gilded Age or yet the Revolution.
My project thus makes the hypothesis that the crisis of gender relations which occurs in North America starting from the Second industrial revolution attenuates relatively during the two world wars to see, as of the end of 1960's, its stakes reformulated under the impulse of the important and rapid techno-scientific developments taking place in the Western world, first, through the arrival of the personal computer and the birth-control pill, second, through the appearance of the Internet, the cellular phone and genetics. Situated at a threefold crossroad – the history of cinema, the history of masculinity and the history of reception of technologies – this research project centers its analysis on the Hollywood production of these two periods of technological innovation, underlining the privileged space which they constitute for the imaginary reorganization of the hegemonic masculinity, as 'man' is frequently redefined in a performative mode, allowing for adjustments to the changing circumstances and to naturalize the meanings which legitimate the normalized state of its relations to women and its subordinates.


Behavior analysis has been at the forefront in establishing effective treatments for children and adults with chronic tic disorders. As is customary in behavior analysis, the efficacy of these treatments has been established using direct-observation assessment methods. Although behavior-analytic treatments have enjoyed acceptance and integration into mainstream health care practices for tic disorders (e.g., psychiatry and neurology), the use of direct observation as a primary assessment tool has been neglected in favor of less objective methods. Hesitation to use direct observation appears to stem largely from concerns about the generalizability of clinic observations to other settings (e.g., home) and a lack of consensus regarding the most appropriate and feasible techniques for conducting and scoring direct observation. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate and establish a reliable, valid, and feasible direct-observation protocol capable of being transported to research and clinical settings. A total of 43 children with tic disorders, collected from two outpatient specialty clinics, were assessed using direct (videotape samples) and indirect (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale; YGTSS) methods. Videotaped observation samples were collected across 3 consecutive weeks and two different settings (clinic and home), were scored using both exact frequency counts and partial-interval coding, and were compared to data from a common indirect measure of tic severity (the YGTSS). In addition, various lengths of videotaped segments were scored to determine the optimal observation length. Results show that (a) clinic-based observations correspond well to home-based observations, (b) brief direct-observation segments scored with time-sampling methods reliably quantified tics, and (c) indirect methods did not consistently correspond with the direct methods.


The PEEP in ALI/ARDS had been used since its' description (1967). Up-to-date no optimal approach to PEEP setting had been introduced, however common approaches that had been introduced included Pressure volume curves, increasing PEEP trial, decreasing PEEP trial & PEEP/FiO2 tables adopted by ARDS network. The present work assessed the safety and efficacy of three introduced approaches for PEEP setting namely increasing PEEP trial, decreasing PEEP trial and PEEP/FiO2 table. Sixty patients fulfilling the American-European Consensus Conference (AECC) criteria for ALI/ARDS were enrolled in this study, patients were randomly allocated into three equal groups (n = 20) 1, 2 & 3 using closed envelope technique. In GA: patients received an increasing PEEP trial, GB: patients received a decreasing PEEP trial and GC: PEEP was set according to PEEP/FiO2 tables of the ARDS network trial. Hemodynamic parameters (mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (Hr) were recorded. Respiratory & oxygenation parameters (peak airway pressure (Paw), plateau pressure (Pplat), mean airway pressure (Pmean), PEEP, PaO2, PaO2/FiO2 and arterial oxygen saturation (Sao2) were also recorded at eight specific times, prior to randomization (baseline), following PEEP setting and twice daily for 72 hours. Both increasing and decreasing PEEP trials were considered superior to PEEP/FiO2 tables in identifying desired PEEP level. Although increasing and decreasing PEEP trials had demonstrated increased PaO2, and decreased FiO2 and better PaO2/FiO2 ratios compared to baseline values, however increasing PEEP trial was associated with lower Paw and Pplat due to lower PEEP values compared to decreasing PEEP trial. Decremental trial was associated with best PaO2, FiO2, and PaOz/FiO2 compared to increasing PEEP trial and PEEP/FiO2 tables.


On the Doctrina de Connotatis as Discussed in Baroque Scholasticism In Baroque scholasticism the medieval semantic theory of connotation as a property of terms, originally elaborated by Ockham and others, received an ontological application or re-interpretation in the context of the theory of relations. The main proponent of this ontologized "doctrina de connotatis" seems to have been Suárez. Subsequently, this doctrine was severely criticised by the Jesuits Pedro Hurtado de Mendoza and Rodrigo de Arriaga, but also by the "princeps Scotistarum" Bartholomeo Mastri; whereas another Scotist, John Punch, adopted a theory of relations close to this doctrine. The fates of the original semantic theory of connotation, the ontologized "doctrina de connotatis" and the broader context of the relevant discussions (especially the new res–modus ontology established around 1600) document the complexity of the history of scholastic ideas, irreducible to any simple paradigm (like that of the realism–nominalism strife).


Applicable Pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM), including particulate matter less than or equal to 10 micrometers (:m) in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 :m in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that are in particulate form, such as most metals (mercury is the notable exception, as a significant portion of emissions are in the form of elemental vapor).


Need for reduction of energy use in greenhouse production has increased. First objective was to develop and validate a dynamic air temperature model. Second objective was to minimize total energy input to the greenhouse, for pre-set temperature boundaries. Optimal control techniques were used to minimize total energy input (cooling and heating). Results confirm that air temperature is on the upper boundary when cooling is applied and on the lower boundary when heating is applied. This work is a first step toward optimal deployment of a large array of possible options for the grower to optimally satisfy heat or cooling.


A new series of benzimidazolederivatives ,1,2,3 are reported herein. Their reactions with some nucleophiles gave 4 and 6.The reaction of 3 with sodium azide gave 5and with primary amines gave7a-c. Treatment of 7c with acrylonitrile, cinnamaldehyde, phenylisothiocyanate, gave 8,9and 10. Treatment of 10 with chloroacetic acid and/or malonic acid gave 11 and 12. The benzimidazol-2-thione derivative 2 reacted with acetylacetone to give the dicarbonyl derivative 13 which on hydrazinolysis gave the pyrazole derivative 14. Reaction of 2 with benzalacetophenone derivative, anthranilic acid, sodium nitrite and/or thiourea gave 15,16,17and 18 respectively. The formation of the 2-benzimidazolyl pyrimidine thione derivative 19 was also investigated. Some of the new synthesized derivatives were screened for their antitumor activities and theirmolecular docking and the results were encouraging.


Purpose: The paper examines the learning engendered by professionals working as multi-agency teams within a North-West England local authority Children's Services. As collaborative working becomes the norm across the sectors, the context of this empirical research typifies the broader challenges facing contemporary organisations across developed economies.

Design/Methodological approach: Using a case study design, the research takes a qualitative and largely inductive methodological approach. Data were derived from photo-elicitation focus-groups and interviews.

Findings: The learning that was reported is described and analysed in terms of its expansive outcomes, with specific focus upon the creation of new identity, practice and language.

Research limitations/implications: The research was limited by its small-scale exploratory nature and by the degree of researcher subjectivity. Proposals for extending the research are presented.

Practical implications: As we face the challenges of shifting workplace configurations in efforts to confront the complexities of change, so there is increased need for stimulating generative learning and co-creating new knowing within workplace settings.

Originality/value: The research fills an important gap in the literature in providing empirical evidence of relationships and learning within multi-agency teams. It refines and extends perceptions of learning that stress regularity of practice and social cohesion, by examining learning within a context typified by tension, difference and change.


Textile, Clothing and Design programmes' provision to students with diverse academic backgrounds in universities of technology in Zimbabwe has led to various concerns raised by the stakeholders emanating from curriculum implementation approaches, such as students' failure, drop out and prolonged completion of programmes. This study therefore, sought to examine teaching strategies used to cater for the students in provision of the programmes in 2 sampled universities. The study adopted post-positivism paradigm and used mixed method research approach that integrated concurrent qualitative and quantitative procedures in data collection, analysis and interpretation. Questionnaire, interview and document analysis were used to collect data from 36 lecturers, 2 quality assurance directors, 2 faculty deans of studies, 2 chairpersons and 6 lecturers. Collected data were analyzed using statistical and non-statistical procedures. The study revealed that lecturers used various teaching strategies to cater for the students, despite the absence of university curriculum implementation policy.


This qualitative desk research displays how two totally different national regulative approaches to prostitution, namely legalisation through a licensing system in the Netherlands and criminalisation of the client purchasing sexual services in Sweden, intend to curb trafficking in women for sexual purposes. By evaluating how well the regulations are implemented and how they contribute to the attractivity of the country for trafficking networks, conclusions on the actual influence of national prostitution legislation on trafficking for sexual purposes can be drawn. It will appear that both legislative systems struggle in getting hold of the trafficking business, but that structures in the Netherlands are more attractive for the trafficking business than in Sweden. In the long term trafficking for sexual purposes can only be eradicated by giving perspectives to women in the origin countries and through handling less protective immigration policies. In the short term national markets need to be rendered less attractive by pursuing and punishing perpetrators consequently, while strengthening the position of women providing sexual services in the prostitution sector and society. The sex business is a world hard to understand for outsiders and swarming with moral stances of authorities believing in their regulative approaches. In order to deal correctly with the sector and tackle its serious problems, sex workers, the real stakeholders, need to get a voice to take the lead and participate in policy-making.


The Marriage Act 1949 (Remedial) Order 2007 recently abolished the long-standing bar to marriages between former parents- and children-in-law. While the abolition of this restriction appears to provide an adequate response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in B and L v United Kingdom, it casts doubt on the coherence of the remaining prohibited degrees of consanguinity and affinity in English law. This article examines these restrictions on access to marriage in light of B and L and the earlier Strasbourg jurisprudence on Article 12 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950. It argues that B and L develops what appears to be a new strand of reasoning: namely, that a restriction on access to marriage pursuant to a legitimate aim may nevertheless be inconsistent with Article 12 if its rationality and logic can be attacked.


Artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) based cognitive solutions have widely been applied to deal with downlink inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) in long-term evolution (LTE) systems. This paper presents a random neural network (RNN) based novel framework to improve ICIC and radio resource management (RRM) in LTE-Uplink system. The RNN based cognitive engine (CE) is embedded within the eNodeB which allocates optimal radio parameters to attached users and also suggests acceptable transmit power to users served by adjacent cells, in order to reduce inter-cell interference (ICI). The proposed CE concurrently achieves long-term learning, fast decision making, and less computational complexity. These three CE design features are essential for the development and practical deployment of any real-time cognitive communication system and most of the existing AI/ML based cognitive solutions in literature lack them. The performance of RNN based optimization framework is compared with artificial neural network (ANN) and state-of-the-art fractional power control (FPC) scheme. In six different test-cases, simulation results have shown an improvement of 53.88%-87.53% in decision making accuracy and a decrease of 44.22% in scheduling delay as compared to ANN. In addition, throughput gain of 16.13% and 18.62% has been achieved as compared to ANN and FPC schemes respectively.


Introduction: The research in the last decade emphasizes the need for uncovering the gender differences in vulnerability to and the impact of, specific health conditions. Therefore this study was
undertaken to evaluate sex difference in body mass index (BMI) an indicator of obesity in healthy
subjects and subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: BMI was calculated in male and female healthy subjects ( n= 87 and 54 respectively) and in among the male and female healthy and diabetic subjects by employing Kruskal
by multiple comparison by Dunn test. P < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Result: In healthy subjects BMI was significantly higher in males compared to females (P < 0.05). In type 2 diabetics BMI was significantly higher in females compared to males (P< 0.001). BMI of female diabetics was significantly higher compared to healthy females (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in BMI between healthy males and type 2 diabetic males. Conclusion: There is a differential influence of sex on BMI in health and in type 2 diabetes. In healthy subjects BMI is higher in males and in type 2 diabetics, females have higher BMI compared to their counterparts.


An analysis is made on climate variables to establish the role of dynamic and thermodynamic processes involved in the movement of water vapour southward to the high southern latitudes. Atmospheric moisture fluxes over the Southern Hemisphere are analysed and decomposed into covariant components to obtain an understanding of the dynamical processes involved in the southward transport of moisture to the Antarctic continent. A method is used such that space and time covariant components of mixing ratio and wind velocities are calculated enabling an analysis of water vapour fluxes attributed to separate transient and quasi-stationary cyclonic activity and a mean flow component. Particular emphasis is placed on the snow accumulation rate over the Antarctic.

Two data sets are used for this study: global assimilated analyses from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Global Assimilation and Prediction Scheme (GASP) and output from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) nine level coupled atmosphere/ocean model. The GASP data have been used successfully in similar studies and are presented here as a climatology with which to compare model results. A transient C02 model run using the CSIRO model at R21 resolution was conducted and run out with increasing greenhouse gases to 3 times the pre-industrial equivalent C02 conditions following the C02 scenario IS92(a) as specified by IPCC (1992).

Data are presented for each of the separate covariant components for snow accumulation rates over the Antarctic (diverging vertically integrated moisture fluxes on a grid point basis), vertical profiles of horizontal moisture fluxes across the Antarctic continental edge and global water vapour stream functions and vertically integrated horizontal moisture fluxes.

The snow accumulation rate over Antarctica is calculated at 156.7 mm year-1 from the GASP analyses and 178.2 mm year-1 from the initial conditions of the CSIRO model. On a seasonal basis the transient cyclonic activity provides the greatest net inflow of moisture into the Antarctic continent, followed by that of the quasi-stationary and mean flow components respectively. This establishes cyclonic activity as the major contributor to the transport of moisture into the Antarctic. Results from the stream function analysis show that the transient cyclonic activity is responsible for the increased snow accumulation during the winter months. Vertical profiles of horizontal fluxes show that while summer inflow is close to that of winter inflow, outflow of moisture during summer is far greater than during winter. The transient component is positive in both summer and winter with outflow occurring within the mean flow and the stationary component during summer. Water vapour flux movement across 70° south is at a maximum at about 900 hPa. While the mean flow circulation is the main contributor to low latitude atmospheric moisture circulation, transient cyclonic activity is the major contributor to mid and high latitude moisture circulation.

Results for changes over time from increasing greenhouse gases are presented. Annual net snow accumulation over Antarctica increases by 26.5% after 3xC02, although decreases in some areas are apparent during summer months. Colder months show the greatest increase in net snow accumulation. As time progresses the transient component of the moisture fluxes is the major contributor to accumulation increase in most areas. Vertical profiles of horizontal fluxes show significant increases in inflow into the continent over time, particularly during the winter months. A close association is found between the increases in temperature and net snow accumulation from the climate model. Similar increases are found from the observation based atmospheric analyses over the available period. The similarity between the results from the climate model and the observational analyses provides increased confidence in the reliability of the model results.


Proposes some simple algorithms for decoding BCH codes. The authors show that the pruned FFT is an effective method for evaluating syndromes and for finding the roots of error-locator polynomials. They show that a simple variation of the basic Gaussian elimination procedure can be adapted to compute the error-locator polynomial efficiently for codes with small designed distance. Finally, they give a procedure for computing the error values that has half the complexity of the Forney algorithm. >


Replication of Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus was inhibited when PS cells were treated with actinomycin D, daunomycin or cordycepin during the first 9 hr after infection. Autoradiography of SLE virus-infected pulse labelled cells demonstrated that viral RNA synthesis is localized within the nuclear area. Nuclei purified from cells after 12 hr of infection contained heterogeneous 20 S to 26 S viral RNA but no SLE virus genome sized 43 S RNA. Later during infection, nuclei isolated from infected cells contained large amounts of 43 S and 20 S to 26 S RNAs. The 43 S viral RNA present in cells late in infection could not be removed with 1% Tween 80: Nonidet P 40. Purified nuclei isolated from cells early in infection supported the synthesis of 43 S virion RNA in the absence of cytoplasmic factors. The cytoplasmic membrane fraction prepared from cells early in infection contained heterogeneous 10 S to 26 S RNA species; later during infection these membranes contained viral 43 S, 26 S to 30 S and 4 S RNA. These results suggest that the nucleus is an important site of early viral synthesis.


A structural-dynamic analysis of 85 patients with protracted endogenous depressions was performed. In accordance with th clinical picture all the patients were divided into two groups: 1. with a polymorphic picture of a depressive state and deep psychopathological disturbances (45 cases); 2. with a relatively monomorphic structure of the phase (attack), a mild level of positive disturbances (pseudoneurotic disturbances 40 cases). The clinical picture was characterized by an atypicity, instability of the leading signs. Among the patients there was a prevalence of people with intravert traits, with a high hereditary loading. In the premanifest period, these patients showed alleviated disturbances of mental activity, leading to personality shifts. Following 3--3.5 years after the depression there was a tendency towards its chronification with noncompliance to all forms of therapy.


Existing photographic theory prioritises the image over any account of making. To date there is no theory that engages with the making of photographs and photographic works. Where the critical theory of the late 1970s and early 1980s saw major developments towards more culturally inclusive accounts of photography, it did little to address and even avoided the conditions of how photographs and photographic works of art came into being. As a consequence making has been consistently overlooked in photographic theory, leaving the issue of making images and photographic works absent of any constructive theory that could be used to describe and account for the complex activities and thought processes that are involved. My research aims to address this and to work towards providing a theoretical approach that accounts for making, specifically within the context of making photographs of the landscape.

In an attempt to provide this I have turned to a late essay by Martin Heidegger - The Question Concerning Technology (1956) - as a philosophical model since he addresses many issues related to making in a culture defined by its reliance on technology. In this essay Heidegger provides a rereading of Aristotle's theory of the causes of making (350 B.C.) to provide a rich potential for a constructive, though not unproblematic, account of how making takes place and is embedded in culture. I adopt the model of four causes as a means to provide a hermeneutic description of the stages of making photographs and a completed work. I discuss at length my experiences of photographing, post-production and the construction of a book of photographs as a coherent work of art. In conclusion, I find that the theory of causation offers much potential in providing a means of theorising the drawing together of the things that have been photographed, the mode of their representation and presentation, the discourse that circumscribes making and the purpose of the work. A potential weakness is that in providing a model for excellence it does not fully account for failure, doubt and uncertainty, aspects that seem intrinsic risks when making art work. On the other hand it does seem to provide a method for navigating a way towards the construction of a work, albeit one framed within a particular genre, that accounts for the pre-existence of a greater world and history. In this way, it provides a promising theory for making in the absence of critical debate related to how photographers make work.


BACKGROUND: Robotic prostatectomy and robotic hysterectomy require steep Trendelenburg positioning. Many authors documented significant increases in intraocular pressure (IOP) during steep Trendelenburg. However, the long-term biological effect of a significant increase in IOP on the structural and functional ocular system is unknown. This study examines the effect of a significant increase in IOP on the visual acuity, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in 52 patients without preexisting ocular disease of both genders before and 3 months after their procedures. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study. The total number of patients included was 56, then 3 females and 1 male case were excluded, totaling 28 robotic hysterectomies and 24 robotic prostatectomies were performed. Patients underwent complete eye examination before the procedure and 3 months after, measuring the main outcome of RNFLT and the secondary outcomes of GCC thickness, foveal threshold (FT), mean deviation (MD), and pattern standard deviation (PSD). These outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. On the day of surgery, we examined the IOP after induction of anesthesia, at the end of steep Trendelenburg, and in the recovery room. RESULTS: There were significant differences in IOP values at the end of steep Trendelenburg versus after induction and 45–60 minutes post-awakening (P < .001 for both groups). No difference between IOP 45 and 60 minutes post-awakening and IOP after induction was observed in either group. The highest IOPs occurred at the end of the steep Trendelenburg time point for both groups. The mean duration of steep Trendelenburg in robotic prostatectomy was 184.6 minutes (standard deviation [SD] = 30.8), while the mean duration in robotic hysterectomy was 123.0 minutes (SD = 29.8). All ophthalmologic examinations were normal preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. The ocular parameters in the retina and optic disk did not differ significantly before surgery and 3 months after. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant increase in IOP during steep Trendelenburg positioning. There was no significant difference in the ocular parameters examined 3 months after the procedure in this cohort.


Background

Although 18FDG PET/CT is validated in baseline workup of esophageal cancer to detect distant metastases, it remains underused in assessing local staging and biology of the primary tumor. This study aimed to evaluate the association between 18FDG PET/CT-derived parameters of esophageal cancer, and its clinico-pathological features and prognosis.

Methods

All patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma or squamous cell cancer of operated between 2005-2014 were analyzed. Linear regression was used to identify clinico-pathologic features of esophageal cancer associated with the tumor's maximal Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax), Total Lesion Glycolysis (TLG) and Metabolic Tumor Volume (MTV). ROC curve analysis was performed to precise the optimal cutoff of each variable associated with a locally advanced (cT3/4) status, long-term survival and recurrence. Kaplan Meier curves and Cox regression were used for survival analyses.

Results

High baseline SUVmax was associated with cT3/4 status and middle-third tumor location, TLG with a cT3/4 and cN+ status, whereas MTV only with active smoking. A cT3/4 status was significantly predicted by a SUVmax >8.25g/mL (p<0.001), TLG>41.7 (p<0.001) and MTV>10.70 cm3 (p<0.01) whereas a SUVmax > 12.7 g/mL was associated with an early tumor recurrence and a poor disease-free survival (median 13 versus 56 months, p=0.030), particularly in squamous cell cancer.

Conclusions

Baseline 18FDG PET/CT has a high predictive value of preoperative cT stage, as its parameters SUVmax, TLG and MTV can predict a locally advanced tumor with high accuracy. A SUVmax > 12.7 g/mL may herald early tumor recurrence and poor disease-free survival.


Despite a critical need to predict component life based on wire fatigue data, a survey of the literature indicates that no standard specimen exists for fatigue testing of fine wires. This article describes a plastically formed, precurved loop specimen developed to meet this need. The loop geometry localizes damage, permitting the use of in-situ, automated crack detection systems. The loop specimen is appropriate for wire diameters between a few hundred micrometres to a few millimetres, and for materials with a high elastic modulus. Material properties are presented for a cobalt-chromium-based alloy (Elgiloy) wire used as a practical example. Analytical and finite element stress analyses are presented which quantify the maximum stress at the loop apex. Fatigue life results using the present specimen are given for Elgiloy wire. Post-test SEM examinations are presented to show that fracture initiation takes place at the maximum stress location as predicted by the analyses. A fracture path and morphology characterization is also shown to be consistent with the anticipated stress regimes.


Radioactive isotopes in nuclear fuel and radioactive waste must be quantified for safety control and management of various nuclear facilities. In this study, an isotope analysis method based on diode laser absorption spectroscopy by using an arc-jet plasma wind tunnel is developed for rapid analysis without sample preparation and sophisticated maintenance. The translational temperature and flow velocity downstream of a supersonic nozzle are measured using an atomic argon transition of 826.45 nm from an excited state, and then, the temperature upstream of the nozzle is estimated using the two measured values. Next, the trace gas measurement capability is verified by injecting natural xenon into argon plasma, and optical measurements are carried out at an atomic xenon transition to 823.16 nm from a metastable state. The detection limit of xenon over the argon molar ratio is estimated to be 140 parts per million downstream.


Integrating inverter-based generators in power systems introduces several challenges to conventional protection relays. The fault characteristics of these generators depend on the inverters' control strategy, which matters in the detection and classification of the fault. This paper presents a comprehensive machine-learning-based approach for detecting and classifying faults in transmission lines connected to inverter-based generators. A two-layer classification approach was considered: fault detection and fault type classification. The faults were comprised of different types at several line locations and variable fault impedance. The features from instantaneous three-phase current and voltages and calculated swing-center voltage (SCV) were extracted in time, frequency, and time–frequency domains. A photovoltaic (PV) and a Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) wind farm plant were the considered renewable resources. The unbalanced data problem was investigated and mitigated using the synthetic minority class oversampling technique (SMOTE). The hyperparameters of the evaluated classifiers, namely decision trees (DT), Support Vector Machines (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN), and Ensemble trees, were optimized using the Bayesian optimization algorithm. The extracted features were reduced using several methods. The classification performance was evaluated in terms of the accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and precision metrics. The results show that the data balancing improved the specificity of DT, SVM, and k-NN classifiers (DT: from 99.86% for unbalanced data to 100% for balanced data; SVM: from 99.28% for unbalanced data to 99.93% for balanced data; k-NN: from 99.64% for unbalanced data to 99.74% for balanced data). The forward feature selection combined with the Bag ensemble classifier achieved 100% accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and precision for fault detection (binary classification), while the Adaboost ensemble classifier had the highest accuracy (99.4%), compared to the other classifiers when using the complete set of features. The classification models with the highest performance were further tested using a new dataset test case. They showed high detection and classification capabilities. The proposed approach was compared with the previous methodologies from the literature.


Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins, particularly Cas9, have provided unprecedented control on targeting and editing specific DNA sequences. If the target sequences are prone to folding into non-canonical secondary structures, such as G-quadruplex (GQ), the conformational states and activity of CRISPR-Cas9 complex would be influenced, but the impact has not been assessed. Using single molecule FRET, we investigated structural characteristics of the complex formed by CRISPR-Cas9 and target DNA, which contains a potentially GQ forming sequence (PQS) in either the target or the non-target strand (TS or NTS). We observed different conformational states and dynamics depending on the stability of the GQ and the position of PQS. When PQS was in NTS, we observed evidence for GQ formation for both weak and stable GQs. This is consistent with R-loop formation between TS and crRNA releasing NTS from Watson-Crick pairing and facilitating secondary structure formation in it. When PQS was in TS, R-loop formation was adequate to maintain a weak GQ in the unfolded state but not a GQ with moderate or high stability. The observed structural heterogeneity within the target dsDNA and the R-loop strongly depended on whether the PQS was in TS or NTS. We propose these variations in the complex structures to have functional implications for Cas9 activity.


OBJECTIVE
This report describes a 1-year follow-up study of survivors of a mass shooting incident. Acute-phase data from this incident were previously reported in this journal.

METHOD
The Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement was used to assess 136 survivors at 1-2 months and again a year later, with a 91% reinterview rate.

RESULTS
In the acute postdisaster period, 28% of subjects met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 18% of subjects qualified for another active psychiatric diagnosis. At follow-up, 24% of subjects reported a history of postdisaster PTSD (17% were currently symptomatic), and 12% another current psychiatric disorder. Half (54%) of all 46 individuals identified as having had PTSD at either interview were recovered at follow-up, and no index predictors of recovery were identified. There were no cases of delayed-onset PTSD (beyond 6 months). Considerable discrepancy in identified PTSD cases was apparent between index and follow-up. Inconsistency in reporting, rather than report of true delayed-onset, was responsible for all PTSD cases newly identified at 1 year. The majority of subjects with PTSD at index who were recovered at follow-up reported no history of postdisaster PTSD at follow-up, suggesting considerable influence of fading memory.

CONCLUSIONS
This study's findings suggest that disaster research that conducts single interviews at index or a year later may overlook a significant portion of PTSD. The considerable diagnostic comorbidity found in this study was the one robust predictor of PTSD at any time after the disaster. Disaster survivors with a psychiatric history, especially depression, may be most vulnerable to developing PTSD and therefore may deserve special attention from disaster mental health workers.


Introduction Activating mutation of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR), with gain in function in the renal tubule and the parathyroid gland, is associated with hypocalcaemia hypercalciuria. Aggressive treatment to 'normalise' serum calcium can lead to progressive hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis in the long term. It is important to recognise and distinguish this condition from other well-established aetiologies of primary hypoparathyroidism. Abstract G143 Table 1 Clinical features. Sex/Age Y Age at diagnosis Y Family History Ca mmol/l Pi mmol/l PTH pg/l Urine Ca/Cr Nephrocalcinosis 1 M/16 15 Y 1.99 1.7 11 0.58 Y 2 M/3.5 1.5 Y 1.68 2.28 <3 0.3 N 3 F/6 0.1 Y 1.8 2.3 15 0.5 N 4 F/9 0.02 Y 1.74 2.8 15 0.5 Y 5 F/8 7 Y 1.6 2.6 <3 0.5 N 6 M/11 10 Y 2.03 1.6 <6 1.15 Y Aims and methods We describe our single centre experience of symptoms, investigations and management of 6 children with activating mutation in CaSR. Results Four were asymptomatic. One had sensory neural deafness, autism and seizures for several years, with cerebral dysplasia. One had palpitations with flushing episodes, and incidental hypocalcaemia. Initial renal ultrasonography was normal in all. Five were started on alphacalcidol. Shortly after starting treatment, while calcium levels were still low (1.8–2.1), there were sharp rises in the urinary Ca/Cr ratio (up to 1.4) – confirming hypocalcaemic hypercalciuria. Genetic studies confirmed activating mutation of CaSR in all five tested. All children are currently asymptomatic (follow-up 10 months–9 years). Three have now developed nephrocalcinosis. Conclusions Activating mutation in CaSR is an important cause of primary hypoparathyroidism with hypocalcaemia. Our experience highlights that contrary to literature reports, these children can have profoundly low/unrecordable PTH levels. The key to diagnosis is close monitoring of urinary Ca/Cr ratio – which starts increasing at relatively 'subnormal' serum calcium levels. Cautious treatment with alphacalcidol, and close monitoring for 'optimal' serum calcium levels to minimise hypercalciuria will help delay the onset of nephrocalcinosis and consequent renal impairment.


rive at God cosmologically, by causal inference. He seems to deny the essence of the ontological encounter in self-consciousness, such as drawn out by Augustine. Despite his evident and proved h o w l edge of existentialism, he gives this little place in his final approach or in his historical analysis. Causal relation and causal analogy provide his fundamental keys, and he seems to divorce reason from faith in the Thomistic tradition, as would be expected of a Catholic thinker. This is not to detract, however, from the value of this book as a historical study of natural theology, One could wish that more attention had been paid to the whole series of Gifford Lectures, which are concerned just with this issue and which, in a varied way, reflect the changing currents of our time. E. C. Rust


Rheological behaviour of Indian heavy crude oil has been investigated using novel surfactant, Brij 30. The results have been compared with addition of dilutants namely mineral oil and 3-pentanol. The effect of addition of additives on viscosity, yield stress and viscoelastic behaviour including non-Newtonian viscosity, elastic modulus, loss modulus, phase angle and complex viscosity and thixotropy are studied. The most efficient additive among the three is found to be Brij 30. Addition of 10% 3-pentanol, mineral oil and Brij-30 reduce the viscosity of crude oil by 79.75, 42.1 and 87%, respectively at 25°C. Yield stress reduces by 98% after addition of Brij 30. Thixotropotic area for crude is reduced to 9.11 kPa/s from 326.53 kPa/s after addition of 10% Brij 30. Brij-30 dropped interfacial tension of crude to a greater extent compared to other additives. FTIR studies show disappearance of C=O, C=C and NO2 groups in surfactant-crude mixture which indicate effectiveness of the Brij-30 surfactant. Brij 30's efficiency as a surfactant may be employed to improve rheological characteristics of heavy crude oil for proper pipeline transportation.


The standard approach to the resection of aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma has involved traditional full median sternotomy. In this case series, we demonstrate a minimally invasive approach to the resection of these cardiac tumors to decrease operative trauma, reduce postoperative bleeding, decrease pulmonary complications, and expedite recovery from surgery. All patients recovered without incident.


In this paper, we propose an equivalent Wiener-Hopf equation. The proposed algorithm can obtain the weight vector of a TDL(tapped-delay-line) filter and the error simultaneously if the inputs are orthogonal to each other. The equivalent Wiener-Hopf equation was analyzed theoretically based on the MMSE(minimum mean square error) method. The results present that the proposed algorithm is equivalent to original Wiener-Hopf equation. In conclusion, our method can find the coefficient of the TDL (tapped-delay-line) filter where a lattice filter is used, and also when the process of Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization is used. Furthermore, a new cost function is suggested which may facilitate research in the adaptive signal processing area


Magnetic materials exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have an important role in the development of high-density magnetic random-access memory and domain-wall devices. Exotic physical phenomena result from spin-orbit coupling, such as PMA and the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (iDMI), at interfaces between nonmagnetic (NM) and ferromagnetic (FM) materials. We report on the NM Pt thickness dependence of PMA and iDMI in Ta/Pt/CoFeSiB/Ta films and the MgO thickness dependence of PMA in Ta/Pt/CoFeSiB/MgO/Ta films. We selected amorphous FM CoFeSiB because of its lower saturation magnetization (560 emu/cm3) than that of Co or CoFeB, which may be beneficial for lowering the current density for switching. All samples were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering and annealed at 300 °C for 1 h. The Ta(3)/Pt(5)/CoFeSiB(1.5)/Ta(5) (nm) film exhibited PMA in the as-deposited state as well as after heat treatment. This structure possessed an iDMI energy density of 0.386 mJ/m2.


Solution-focused coaching (SFC) represents a short-term, future-focused, and person-directed therapeutic approach that helps people focus on solutions rather than problems. Thirteen cases of SFC of staff dealing with people with severe and moderate intellectual disabilities (S/MID) are described. In all 13 cases, the progress toward the team goal, proactive thinking of staff, and the quality of the relationship (QOR) between staff and people with S/MID were measured directly before SFC, directly after SFC, and 6 weeks after SFC. After SFC, progress toward the team goal was found in seven out of 13 teams, improvement of proactive thinking was found in 5/10 teams and improvement of the QOR was found in 7/13 teams. With regard to individual staff members, improve- ment of proactive thinking was found in 12/34 staff members and improvement of the QOR was found in 22/42 staff members. The authors note that SFC stimulates dealing with support problems in a behavioral, proactive way and that SFC can be a useful approach to build useful relationships. The findings are in line with results of earlier research on the value of solution-focused brief therapy applied to carers (parents or professionals) of people with ID. Future investigation of SFC, preferably using a randomized controlled design, could test the hypothesis that SFC can increase self-efficacy and proactive thinking in teams, can positively alter staff's perceptions of people with ID, and that teams find it a useful approach.


: In 31 subjects (16 men and 15 women) in model of the gender differences the brain mechanisms of two different strategies of visual-spatial tasks performance were studied. Although we did not find gender differences in the performing of visual-construction task the pattern of evoked activity was unequal in men and women. In men the early answer of the parietal cortex was related with spatial transformation of figure: the more was rotation of figures details, the more was amplitude of P1 wave. Moreover the amplitude of P1 wave in parietal area decreased with incorrect answers. In opposite, in women we did not find any ERP changes reflecting the details rotation. At the same time, in women we observed the increase of N150 negativity in occipital and infero-temporal cortex area when figure ungrouped into separate details. Our results shed light on some additional information concerning the basis of gender differences in performing of visuo-spatial tasks. Our data show that different strategies are not only defined by the later, but also the early stages of visual processing.


Cryptography has a much wider application than secrecy, such as authentication and digital signature. There are two common types of cryptographic algoritlims symmetric and asymmetric. The Data Encryption Standaid (DES) is the first and only, publicly available cryptographic algoritlim tliat has been widely used in commercial conmiunication. The DES is a block cipher symmetric algoritlim and its design is based on the Shannon's two general principles diffusion and confusion. With the decreased cost of hardware and a better understanding of block ciphers and cryptanalysis techniques, a number of DES-like ciphers have been proposed as the replacement for DES. One-way hashing functions are useful in implementing any digital signature schemes. A hashing function accepts a vai'iable size message M as input and outputs a fixed size representation of tlie message H(M). A number of hashing functions of fixed size or variable size message digest have been proposed. The cryptographic primitives (des, feal, loki, kliufu, and kliafre), block cipher based hashing algorithms (sbh and dbh), and key-less hashing algorithms (md4, md4x, md5 and haval) have been implemented as standard commands and C library calls for the UNIX Operating System.


To date, the advantage of adjuvanted over non-adjuvanted vaccines in the specific anti - bodies formation is proved. However, cellular mechanisms, including parameters of the innate immunity, involved in the vaccine-induced immune response are not well studied. The human study of inactivated vaccines showed that both subunit vaccine and split vaccine induced cellular immune response, but adjuvanted vaccine containing Polyoxidonium had the greatest potential. Despite the fact that influenza vaccines must activate endosomal receptors, they cause non-specific activation of the surface TLRs. They can trigger intracellular signals leading to the induction of antiviral mechanisms and to the activation of the body's protective resources against microbial infections. To assess the immunological efficacy of adjuvanted vaccines and humoral reactions to vaccination it is necessary to evaluate activation of cellular mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity.


Study Objectives: Several studies have assessed the association between midday nap and cardiovascular outcomes and reported heterogenous results. Concern exists that confounding might have distorted these results and contributed to discrepancies among them. This study prospectively examines the association between midday nap habits and the occurrence of coronary artery disease in a non-Mediterranean population. Participants: The baseline examination of 4,123 participants aged 45-75 years. Measurements: Measurements included interviews, physical examinations, laboratory tests, and electron beam computed tomography. We studied the influence of midday nap habits on risk of coronary artery disease. We adjusted for several potential confounders including measures of subclinical atherosclerosis—such as coronary calcium score and ankle brachial index—at baseline. Cardiac events during a median follow-up of 8.1 years were defined as nonfatal myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Results: Overall, 135 of 4,123 subjects (3.3%) either suffered from acute myocardial infarction (81 subjects) or died due to a sudden cardiac death (54 subjects) during follow-up. After adjustment for several confounders including measures of subclinical atherosclerosis, regular long (> 60 min) midday nap was associated with an increased hazard ratio of cardiac events (hazard ratio 2.12, 95% confidence interval 1.11-4.05). Conclusions: As our detailed confounder analyses showed, confounding is not the sole explanation for this finding. Future research on midday naps should focus on biological mechanisms that may be responsible for increasing the risk of coronary artery disease among subjects taking regular long midday naps.


Strain sensors with high sensitivity and large sensing range have great potential in a wide range of applications. However, in the design of strain sensors, there is usually a trade‐off between sensitivity and sensing range. Herein, a crack‐based strain sensor with engineered microstructure is facilely prepared through a biotemplating method. Under large tensile strains, randomly distributed microcavities on the strain sensor surface can effectively trap and terminate propagating cracks to prevent catastrophic fracture failure. As a result, the strain sensor shows both wide sensing range (up to 80%) and high sensitivity (gauge factor = 20 at 20% strain, 350 at 80% strain). The strain sensor enables sensitive and reliable detection of both subtle human motions, including wrist pulse and throat vibration, and large motions, such as finger bending. Moreover, a multipixel strain sensor array has been fabricated and applied for both static and dynamic strain mapping. The good sensing performance, together with its easy‐fabrication process, make the biotemplated strain sensor a promising candidate for applications in e‐skins and wearable electronics.


This paper researches a number of similarities and differences between European legal regimens with regard to food and non–food product safety, based on the assumption that these regimens may have overly diverged. A tentative conclusion is that there are enough similarities to justify an effort to reconcile the two regimens. The point of departure for this research (Section 1) is an overview of sources of law laid down in the EC Treaty for drawing up legislation in the area of product safety (food and non–food). In Section 2, the Product Safety Law acquis is presented; this is the cumulative body of European law implemented so far, based on these sources. EC–Treaty articles constitute the legal basis for the Product Safety Law acquis, which in turn forms the legal basis for policies. Therefore, Section 3 deals with the Commission's current policy intentions: indications of what can be expected in this area in years to come.
A core characteristic of the Product Safety Law acquis is the precautionary principle (Section 4), which refers to safety risk management, intended to prevent the marketing of defective products. Should preventive risk management measures fail, the producer's ability to trace already marketed hazardous products is crucial in order to limit liability, as explained in Section 5. Section 6 highlights an important legal presumption in non–food safety law. The safety of non–food products is presumed if production took place according to standardised norms. A long term European law–reform programme is introduced in Section 7. This so–called Better Regulation programme is a perfect opportunity to adjust the Product Safety Law acquis to new insights. Section 8 summarizes our observations and findings. Section 9 discusses the utility of the Confident Consumer concept. Because it seems disadvantageous to focus on the differences between food and non–food safety rules, the possible advantages of a policy and law reform are assessed. Therefore Section 10 concludes to attune both parts of product safety law to the similarities instead of focusing on differences. Maintaining the dichotomy is disadvantageous to progress.


The Hierarchically Distributed Tree (HD Tree) is a novel distributed data structure built over a complete tree. The purpose of proposing this new data structure is to better support multi-dimensional range query in the distributed environment. HD Tree doubles the number of neighbors at the cost of doubling total links of a tree. The routing operation in HD Tree is supposed to be highly error-resilient. In HD Tree, the routing table size is determined by the system parameter k, and the performance of all basic operations are bound by O(lg(n)). Multiple routing options can be found between any two nodes in the system. This paper explores fault tolerant routing strategies in HD Tree. The experimental results produce very limited and unnoticeable increases in routing cost when conducting range queries in an error-prone routing environment. The maximum failures we have tested are about 5 percent of routing nodes. The experimental results also indicate that higher fault tolerant capability requires finer consideration in the design of the error-resilient routing strategy.


HeLa cells depleted of polyamines by treatment with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) or a combination of the two, were examined for sensitivity to micrococcal nuclease, DNAase I and DNAase II. The degrees of chromatin accessibility to DNAase I and II appeared enhanced somewhat in all three treatment groups, and the released digestion products differed from those in non-depleted cells. DNA released from MGBG- and DFMO/MGBG-treated cells by DNAase II digestion was enriched 4-7-fold for Mg2+-soluble species relative to controls. DNA released by micrococcal nuclease digestion from all three treatment groups was characterized as consisting of higher-order nucleosomal structure than was DNA released from untreated cells. At least some of the altered chromatin properties were abolished by a brief treatment of cells with polyamines, notably spermine. These studies provide the first demonstration in vivo of altered chromatin structure in cells treated with inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis.


The present volume covers some 1724 Lebanese place-names in the districts of Mount Lebanon and North Lebanon. The aim has been to: a) establish a database of place-names based on fieldwork; b) present the etymologies of these names based on the latest findings in Semitic lexicography, onomastics and dialectology; and c) plot the results across the Lebanese territory.The present volume presents a glimpse of Lebanon's yesterday. An analysis of the place-names, focusing on language, geography and society, tends to confirm that language and religion shifts in Lebanon were gradual. Nearly 49% of the place-names are Arabic, 36% are Aramaic, while some 6% are Phoenician. The traditional dividing lines between religious groups are only slightly reflected in place-names. These groups seem to have had a similar sociocultural development. The landscape holds a central position in Lebanese place-names. Water, human occupation, religion and the family also hold a prominent position.


ABSTRACT The special issue: Migration Trajectories and Transnational Support Within and Beyond Europe brings together a set of papers with fresh empirical analysis from diverse settings documenting the experiences of migrants residing within and beyond the boundaries of Europe. This introductory article has the objective of laying the groundwork for a better understanding of how migration trajectories are shaped and continued in the contexts of transnational (social) networks and migration control. Firstly, we argue that migration journeys are not necessarily linear and unidirectional movements from origin to destination countries, nor are they clearly demarcated events in time and space. On the contrary, we highlight the dynamic and changing nature of migration trajectories. Secondly, we examine different types of relevant actors who provide support for migrants during their journeys. We focus on transnational social networks and transnationally operating institutions and human smugglers, which influence and facilitate or disrupt migration trajectories. Subsequently, based on the premise that migrants' social networks, expectations, motivations and needs change throughout the migration process, we discuss the ways in which transnational support in a context of migration control relates to the lives of migrants on the move.


Background Awareness of alcohol as a public health issue has increased in the UK and elsewhere over recent years. Evidence exists to support the use of price mechanisms to address alcohol harms. While various Canadian provinces have used reference pricing to control off-license alcohol prices in state-run monopolies, no country has implemented a uniform minimum unit price (MUP) that applies to all alcohol sales. This policy is being actively considered in Scotland, with legislation likely to be passed this year. Studying developments in Scotland may therefore help those working in public health to improve their engagement with policymakers as well as being of use to other countries seeking to introduce MUP in the future. Methods Political science theories can be used to identify potential explanations for the development of policy. We draw on a number of theories to allow a range of explanations to be identified (a 'multiple-lenses' approach). Punctuated-Equilibrium Theory (PET) suggests policymakers use their limited time to address a few issues in detail (which can experience major policy change), while paying little attention to most other policy areas. Alternatively, multi-level governance highlights the diversity of actors seeking to influence policy within different governmental levels (venues). The same policy issue can therefore be considered at European Union, Westminster Parliament or Scottish Parliament, for example. We utilise political science theories to provide explanations for the development of minimum unit pricing for alcohol as a public health policy in Scotland. Results PET highlights the importance of redefining the policy problem so that it becomes a focus for policymaking. This therefore suggests reframing of alcohol as a public health problem amenable to a population-based solution has been instrumental in bringing about consideration of MUP. A multi-level governance framework suggests that the devolution of health (but not trade or taxation policy) to Scottish Parliament illustrates how public health advocates were able to 'venue shop' from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament. We also provide a necessary description of the process through which MUP has emerged. Conclusion Political science theories are useful for understanding public health policy developments and could be more widely used by the public health community to inform advocacy or engagement with policymakers. This case study illustrates their value as well as providing more generalisable lessons for public health advocates (such as to seek opportunities for 'venue shopping' and an appreciation of the importance of framing of policy issues).


Motile magnetotactic bacteria are normally separated from a solution by applying a low intensity (mT) orientating magnetic field. This constrains the bacteria to swim in the required direction. High gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) is a well established method for the extraction of magnetic particles from solutions. This paper reports on the separation properties of both motile and non-motile magnetotactic bacteria using both techniques. A comparison of HGMS separation with low field orientational magnetic separation is made and the conditions under which HGMS becomes beneficial are considered.


Despite the importance of life cycle and household characteristics for residential mobility, these factors are seldom considered in the extensive field of ethnic residential segregation research. This study integrates the household composition of ethnic minorities into the spatial assimilation theory, the ethnic enclave theory and the self-segregation theory. We investigate the relationship between the type of household and living in a concentration neighbourhood for Turkish and North-African origin households. Moreover, we distinguish between both higher-educated and lower-educated people. For these purposes, we use a selection of the Belgian census data of 2011 (N=126,451). We used multilevel binary logistic regression analyses comparing families with children, childless couples and single and living alone households. We find clear associations between living in a Turkish of North-African concentration neighbourhood and the household type: families with children are more likely to live in concentration neighbourhoods than childless couples. Moreover, only lower educated families with children are more likely to live in concentration neighbourhoods than lower educated singles. Higher educated families are equally likely to live in a non-concentration neighbourhood as higher educated single and living alone households.


As the shift towards the next generation of Internet services runs its course, the emphasis within accounting for such services has moved towards robust and flexible components. Rating is the process of applying an algorithm to a set of usage data to produce a charge for a particular service. An accounting architecture with the ability to scale, based on the foundation of a solid core of rating components, incorporating transaction management, object pooling and queuing is presented. Using the workbook approach to algorithm modelling is a logical option that allows for the decoupling of the algorithm from the architecture of the rating component. Decoupling the algorithm, allows for the design of core functionality that will rate for any service based on the concept of "pluggable" algorithms for each respective service.


Human decomposition is a little-understood process with even less currently known about the microbiology involved. The aim of this research was to investigate the bacterial community associated with exposed decomposing mammalian carcasses on soil and to determine whether changes in this community could potentially be used to determine time since death in forensic investigations. A variety of soil chemistry and molecular biology methods, including molecular profiling tools T-RFLP and DGGE were used to explore how and when bacterial communities change during the course of a decomposition event. General bacterial populations and more specific bacterial groups were examined. Decomposition was shown to cause significant and sequential changes in the bacterial communities within the soil, and changes in the bacterial community often correlated with visual changes in the stage of decomposition. Organisms derived from the cadavers and carcasses were able to be detected, using molecular methods, in the underlying soil throughout the decomposition period studied. There was little correlation found between decomposition stage and the presence and diversity within the specific bacterial groups investigated. Organisms contributing to the changes seen in the bacterial communities using molecular profiling methods were identified using a cloning and sequencing based technique and included soil and environment-derived bacteria, as well as carcass or cadaver-derived organisms. This research demonstrated that pig (Sus scrofa) carcass and human cadaver decomposition result in similar bacterial community changes in soil, confirming that pig carcasses are a good model for studying the microbiology of human decomposition. The inability to control for differences between donated human cadavers made understanding the human cadaver results difficult, whereas pig carcass study allowed many variables to be held constant while others were investigated. The information gained from this study about the bacteria associated with a cadaver and how the community alters over the course of decomposition may, in the future, enable the development of a forensic post mortem interval estimation tool based on these changes in the bacterial community over time. The findings in this thesis suggest that high variability between human bodies and their microflora is likely to present a challenge to the development of such a tool, but further study with emerging high-throughput molecular tools may enable identification of microbial biomarkers for this purpose.


A microbially mediated carbon-nitrogen cycle involving a newly isolated facultatively methylotrophic pseudomonad is described. The new isolate utilizes formamide as its sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source. Other organisms involved in the proposed cycle are cyanogenic plants; phytopathogenic fungi, which convert cyanogenic glycosides to formamide; and nitrifying microorganisms. This cycle may be quantitatively important in view of the large variety of cyanogenic plants known to exist.


Deliberate food and water contamination remains the easiest way to distribute biological or chemical agents for the purpose of terrorism, despite the national focus on dissemination of these agents as small-particle aerosols or volatile liquids. Moreover, biological terrorism as a result of sabotage of our food supply has already occurred in the United States. A review of naturally occurring food- and waterborne outbreaks exposes this vulnerability and reaffirms that, depending on the site of contamination, a significant number of people could be infected or injured over a wide geographic area. Major knowledge gaps exist with regard to the feasibility of current disinfection and inspection methods to protect our food and water against contamination by a number of biological and chemical agents. However, a global increase in food and water safety initiatives combined with enhanced disease surveillance and response activities are our best hope to prevent and respond quickly to food- and waterborne bioterrorism.


Interest in low-power embedded systems has increased considerably in the past few years. To produce low-power code and to allow an estimation of power consumption of software running on embedded systems, a power model was developed based on physical measurement using an evaluation board and integrated into a compiler and profiler. The compiler uses the power information to choose instruction sequences consuming less power, whereas the profiler gives information about the total power consumed during execution of the generated program. The used compiler is parameterized such that, e.g., the register file size may be changed. The resulting code is evaluated with respect to code size, performance, and power consumption for different register file sizes. The extracted information is especially useful during application analysis and architecture space exploration in application-specific integrated processor (ASIP) design. Our analysis gives the designer the ability to estimate the desirable register file size for an ASIP design. The size of the register file should be considered as a design parameter since it has a strong impact on the energy consumption of embedded systems.


We investigated the simple method of non-invasive Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF), and its use as a reproducible standard method for measuring skin blood flow. Microcirculatory blood flow shows both considerable temporal as well as regional variation. The study of reactive changes in skin blood flow, e.g. in irritancy tests, requires repeated measurements. The normal variation of skin blood flow was studied on the forearms of healthy volunteers. Males showed higher values than females. Differences between left and right arms, and recordings in the morning and the afternoon were not significant. Differences between lateral and medial aspects were borderline significant; and significant differences were measured between proximal and distal test sites. To improve the reproducibility of the measurements, a probeholder was designed with a considerably larger test area than that of the original probeholder. Fixation at both ends of the probeholder allows for repeated measurements without affecting skin blood flow. Recommendations are given for repeated testing by LDF.


Superficial fungal infections, including oral thrush, often affect aged full denture wearers and many individuals over 65 years old. The aim of this study was to examine the ultrastructural morphology of a very rare yeast, named Hanseniaspora uvarum/guillermondi, member of the Ascomycetes family, whose pathogenesis and behaviour is not widely known. The yeast was isolated from whitish lesions of the buccal mucosa of an 70 years old woman. The specimen was collected with a mouth swab and cultured in Sabourauds-Dextrose agar. The identification of the organism was performed on the Api 20C Aux system. The yeast colonies, after fixation in glutaraldehyde 3% for 1 hour were immersed in OsO4 1% solution for 1 hour and were "in tissue" stained with uranyl acetate. Ultrathin sections, were observed with TEM Jeol C x 100. Our ultrastructural observations showed that this yeast had a thick cell wall in which the outer surface appeared fuzzy. In some yeasts we observed multilayered intracytoplasmic membrane a figure which is not described as far as we know in any yeast. Many vacuoles were frequently observed in the cytoplasm and especially in the center of the oval shaped cells. Bilateral budding which form ascospores is identical for the morphology of this yeast.


BACKGROUND
Heavy alcohol drinking is a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC); previous studies have shown a linear dose-dependent association between alcohol intake and CRC. However, some studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption may have a protective effect, similar to that seen in cardiovascular disease. Other factors may interact with alcohol and contribute additional risk for CRC. We aimed to determine the association between moderate alcohol consumption, limited to 30 g of alcohol per day, by beverage type on CRC risk and to assess the effects of other factors that interact with alcohol to influence CRC risk.

METHODS
The PubMed database was used to find articles published between 2008 and 2014 related to alcohol and CRC. Twenty-one relevant articles were evaluated and summarized, including 11 articles reporting on CRC risk associated with moderate intake and 10 articles focusing on genetic interactions associated with alcohol and CRC risk.

RESULTS
The association between alcohol and increased risk for CRC was found when intakes exceeded 30 g/d alcohol. Nonsignificant results were consistently reported for intakes <30 g/d. Additional risks for CRC were found to be related to obesity and folate status for regular alcohol consumers. Some significant results suggest that the development of CRC is dependent on the interaction of gene and environment.

CONCLUSIONS
The association between the amount of alcohol consumed and the incidence of CRC was not significant at moderate intake levels. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced CRC risk in study populations with greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet, where wine contributed substantially to the alcoholic beverage consumed. Other factors such as obesity, folate deficiency, and genetic susceptibility may contribute additional CRC risk for those consuming alcohol. To minimize CRC risk, appropriate recommendations should encourage intakes below 30 g of alcohol each day.


Marine algae have gained much importance in the development of nutraceutical products due to their high content of bioactive compounds. In this work, we investigated the activity of Padina pavonica with the aim to demonstrate the pro-osteogenic ability of its extract on human primary osteoblast (HOb). Our data indicated that the acetonic extract of P. pavonica (EPP) is a safe product as it did not show any effect on osteoblast viability. At the same time, EPP showed to possess a beneficial effect on HOb functionality, triggering their differentiation and mineralization abilities. In particular EPP enhanced the expression of the earlier differentiation stage markers: a 5.4-fold increase in collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1), and a 2.3-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), as well as those involved in the late differentiation stage: a 3.7-fold increase in osteocalcin (BGLAP) expression and a 2.8-fold in osteoprotegerin (TNFRSF11B). These findings were corroborated by the enhancement in ALPL enzymatic activity (1.7-fold increase) and by the reduction of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) ratio (0.6-fold decrease). Moreover, EPP demonstrated the capacity to enhance the bone nodules formation by 3.2-fold in 4 weeks treated HOb. Therefore, EPP showed a significant capability of promoting osteoblast phenotype. Given its positive effect on bone homeostasis, EPP could be used as a useful nutraceutical product that, in addition to a healthy lifestyle and diet, can be able to contrast and prevent bone diseases, especially those connected with ageing, such as osteoporosis (OP).


Mechanical injuries are the main cause of losses in the post harvest of horticultural products. The effect of different mechanical injuries was evaluated on the quality of watermelons 'TopGun®'. The impact was evaluated when the injury was made by allowing the product to fall from 20 cm height on a hard and plane surface, compression of fruits under a weight of 294N and cutting the fruits with an appropriate blade. After this, the injuried and intact fruits were stored at room temperature (25+1oC, 65+5%RH). The evaluations were performed every 4 days, for appearance, loss of fresh mass, the content of soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, internal color and respiratory activity. During the storage period of 15 days, the injuries prejudiced the quality and the apearance of the fruits, mainly those submitted to the cut and impact, presenting the worst quality, affecting the chemical parameteres, the appearance and reducing the days of possible comercialization. The pulp turned slightly darker. Loss of fresh mass also was observed during this period and became worst on the fruit submited to the impact. The content of soluble solids and ascorbic acid reduced through the storage period. The respiratory activity was afected in the first hours of analisis by the cut and the impact.


Transformer has been considered the dominating neural architecture in NLP and CV, mostly under supervised settings. Recently, a similar surge of using Transformers has appeared in the domain of reinforcement learning (RL), but it is faced with unique design choices and challenges brought by the nature of RL. However, the evolution of Transformers in RL has not yet been well unraveled. In this paper, we seek to systematically review motivations and progress on using Transformers in RL, provide a taxonomy on existing works, discuss each sub-field, and summarize future prospects.


Cryptographic algorithms are utilized in various environments in which security is a key requirement. The widespread use of large data storage networks and information technology has led to an increase in demand of high speed, low power and low area consumption cryptographic systems. The established cryptographic systems which have existed for a long period of time are having a difficult time to come up with ever increasing performance requirements. In this work, a cipher generator for encryption algorithm is proposed based on different methods and techniques (Central spiral technique, outer spiral technique, transpose array method and exclusive –OR operation) to increase the strength of proposed algorithm system by making the cipher of encryption system more robust and more reliable. This system is able to encrypting any input data such as text message, image and audio. The simulation results show that the proposed encryption algorithm has best values in three tests(ARE, maximum deviation analysis and peak signal to noise ratio) comparing with the traditional schemes(Lorenz, Chua, Rössler and Nien) flow sequences when it has been implemented on 256*256 images, while getting very close results for other tests, and the proposed algorithm system has excellent results compared with the performance of the traditional encryption systems in which has passed most of the FIPS PUB 140-1 statistical tests successfully.


Abstract— Merocyanine 540 (MC) is an anionic dye that is used to photopurge the bone marrow of leukemia cells. Under these conditions it is localized mostly in cell membranes, which may affect its photochemical reactivity. We investigated the photochemistry of MC dissolved as a hydro‐phobic ion pair with a hexadecyltrioctadecylammonium cation in cyclohexane, trimethylpentane and toluene as well as in propylene carbonate, CH3CN, C2H5OH and D2O. In organic solvents, the absorption and fluorescence spectra of MC were strongly red‐shifted compared with aqueous solutions. The fluorescence was also more intense despite aggregation that occurred in some solvents. Aggregation strongly affects the spectral and photochemical properties of MC, especially in aliphatic hydrocarbons in which distinctive H‐type aggregates are formed. Hydrophobic MC is a moderate photosensitizer of singlet molecular oxygen (1O2). The following values for 1O2 quantum yields were calculated based on 1O2 phosphorescence relative to 1O2 generation by Rose Bengal: ∼0.12 in trimethylpenthane, ∼0.13 in cyclohexane, 0.045 in EtOH, 0.039 in toluene, 0.007 in CH3CN and ∼3 × 10–4 in D2O. The H‐aggregates of MC in cyclohexane and trimethylpentane are better 1O2 producers than monomeric MC. The above 1O2 quantum yields are corrected for self‐quenching because MC is an efficient 1O2 quencher (17 × 107M−1 s−1 in CH3CN, 6.8 × 107M−1 s−1 in D2O, 5.2 × 107M−1 s−1 in EtOH, and 1.4 × 107M−1 s−1 in toluene). Merocyanine undergoes photodegradation, a solvent‐dependent process that proceeds faster when the dye is aggregated. The initial photodegradation rate is much slower in organic solvents than in water, but photodegradation products accumulated during longer irradiation may increase the rate in most solvents. Higher photostability and better photosensitization by MC in hydrophobic nonpolar solvents suggest that the killing of leukemia cells via a photodynamic mechanism may operate mostly in cell membranes. In contrast, any cytotoxic products from photodecomposition may be important in hydrophilic cell compartments. Our data show the spectral and photochemical properties of MC in a pure hydrophobic environment.


The study investigated the impact of Nigerian capital market on domestic resource mobilization for economic development, using time series data from 2000 to 2015. The study employed secondary data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, the Nigerian Stock Exchange Fact Book and Securities and Exchange Commission database. To evaluate the impact of the independent variables on the dependent, the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method of estimation was employed. Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test was used to identify the order of integration. Economic growth was proxied by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while the capital market variables considered include: Market Capitalization (MCAP), Total New Issues (TNI) and Value of Transactions (VLT). Applying Johansen and Juselius co-integration test, the result showed that there was at most one co-integrating equation in the model, implying that there is a long run relationship between the variables in the model. The causality test results suggest bidirectional causation between the GDP and the Value of Transactions (VLT) and to the GDP but not vice-versa. Using two-tailed test, the F-statistics is significant at 5 percent level of significance. Furthermore, there was no evidence of reverse causation from GDP to market capitalization and there was no evidence of independence causation between the GDP and Total New Issues (TNI). The study showed that the major problem with domestic resource mobilization in Nigeria have been that not enough savings are being generated to facilitate the required investment. Also, the type of savings available does not easily make financial intermediation possible. The Nigerian stock market has been constrained by policies that tend to make the exchange look like a mechanism by which government raise loan finance rather than an instrument for mobilizing industrial finance. It is recommended therefore that the regulatory authority should appraise and modify the restrictive policies that constrained resource mobilization capacity of the Nigerian capital market.


The industrial implementation of whole-cells and enzymes in flow biocatalysis microreactors is essential for the
emergence of a biobased circular economy. Major challenges concern the efficient immobilization of delicate enzymes
inside miniaturized reactors without compromising their catalytic activity. We describe the design and application of four
different immobilization techniques including self-immobilizing whole-cells and purified enzymes on magnetic
microbeads, as well as reactor modules manufactured by 3D printing of bioinks containing thermostable enzymes. To
increase the volumetric activity of our microreactors we furthermore developed and applied self-assembling all-enzyme
hydrogels with cofactor-regenerating capabilities. The resulting reactor formats have excellent operational stability times
of > 14 days and maximum space-time yields of > 450 g product/L-1day-1 paving the way for mild and effective
immobilization techniques of biocatalysts in microfluidic systems.


* Equal contributors. Received August 18, 2012; Accepted September 24, 2012; Epub October 20, 2012; Published October 30, 2012 Abstract: Objective: To construct a transgene expressing human endomorphin-2 by linking the signal peptide of mouse nerve growth factor (PN) to a human endomorphin-2 DNA sequence containing a short linker recognized by the protease FURIN and test the analgesic effect of endomorphin-2 on neuropathic pain. Methods: The transgene was inserted into the cosmid pAxCAwt to generate PN-EM-2-pAxCAwt. The recombinant adenovirus Ad-PNEM2 was packaged and propagated in HEK293 cells. After the Ad-PNEM2-infected NIH3T3 cells had been cultured, protein expression was examined by immunofluorescence and ELISA. A CCI rat model was constructed and the Ad-PNEM2 was administered intrathecally. The rats' pain thresholds (PWL) were measured and the presence of endomorphin-2 in the cerebrospinal fluid was confirmed through ELISA. Results: The Ad-PNEM2 expressed endomorphin-2 smoothly and abundantly in NIH3T3 cells at a significantly higher rate than the viral control (P<0.01) or blank control (P<0.01). The expressed endomorphin-2 was mainly observed in the cytoplasm. The concentration of endomorphin-2 in the cerebrospinal fluid increased 1 day after injection and peaked between 7 and 14 days after injection. After injection, PWL approached normal levels in the operated study group. No significant change was observed in the control groups. There was a significant correlation between PWL and endomorphin-2 level (r = 0.944, P<0.001). Conclusion: The constructed human endomorphin-2 transgene was expressed effectively, and endomorphin-2 expressed by the recombinant adenovirus altered the threshold to thermal stimulus and showed good analgesic effect.


In this thesis, so far insufficiently considered characteristics of long-run equilibriums in food markets are investigated. For this purpose, multivariate time series methodologies, which were developed for the estimation of long-run relationships by allowing for causality and convergence, are employed. In three essays, the proposed procedures are applied to food prices in Germany, the United States and Europe.
The long-run equilibrium is defined as a state of an economic system (e.g. a market), to which the variables of the system revert as a consequence of economic mechanisms after being affected by shocks. For the analysis of a long-run equilibrium scholars usually resort to the framework of cointegration. However, the corresponding econometric tests are limited to detecting the existence of a fixed long-run equilibrium of endogenous variables. This thesis contributes to the literature by proposing alternative methodologies, which enable an estimation of long-run equilibriums and thereby allow to take further properties into account, such as causality and convergence.
Exogenous shocks, like macroeconomic or policy changes, evidentially have an influence on food markets. Analyses of such relationships benefit from the procedures, which actually consider the causality structure. A well-known methodology, which measures the impact of a permanent change in the level of one variable on the level of another variable, is the long-run neutrality test of Fisher and Seater (1993). Their procedure is utilized here to investigate the influence of exogenous shocks on food prices. This empirical application is the first undertaking of this kind to be used in the literature. Furthermore, an extension of the basic framework is proposed, which considers a second exogenous variable in the relationship.
However, in some markets the long-run equilibrium is not fixed. The alterations might be triggered by policy measures or changes in market characteristics (e.g. spatial modifications, transaction cost reductions or supply chain improvements). The econometric concept of convergence can be deployed in order to determine whether the market efficiency is improving or worsening. In this thesis, the test of Phillips and Sul (2007), which is by definition a quite general procedure, is utilized for this purpose. The concept of convergence, particularly the aforementioned test, has not yet been employed intensively to study the dynamics of food markets.
Furthermore, this thesis makes important empirical and political contributions to the analysis of food markets. In the first case study, the impacts of money supply changes initiated by the European Central Bank and of agricultural policy modifications implemented by the European Commission on German food prices are investigated. Research into the influence of money supply on agricultural product prices has never been conducted on such a disaggregated level before. The results show that aggregated agricultural prices are neutral in the long run, whereas the effects differ for different disaggregated markets. Staple food prices in particular, are more sensitive to changes in money supply due to good storability and demand inelasticity. In contrast, animal product prices are less sensitive to money supply changes, perhaps due to larger demand elasticities and quick production adjustments. Furthermore, the policy component in the model reveals that the dynamics triggered by the EU's decoupling policies (Mid-Term Review) increase production efficiency for specific products.
In a second case study, a theoretical model, which explains the influence of money supply on food markets, is derived in order to research the long-run impact of money supply on U.S. agricultural prices over the last five decades. The results reveal that agricultural prices as a whole and most individual product prices are neutral in response to money supply in the long run. However, the prices of products with large supply elasticities with respect to money supply remain significantly below a neutral equilibrium. Hence, the producers of these commodities are particularly vulnerable to monetary policy changes.
In the third case study, the unsteadiness of the long-run equilibriums of important livestock prices within the EU is analyzed. The occasional changes in the market structure result from policy measures, which are intended to offset the remaining non-tariff trade barriers, and the enlargements of the EU. Moreover, the different currencies in the market might contribute to the heterogeneity in the adjustment to a long-run equilibrium. In order to investigate these hypotheses, the single market after the important expansion of the EU to Eastern Europe in 2004 is analyzed. Including all EU countries, the results confirm that market efficiency is increasing. In a separate analysis of the new member states, their catching-up process is confirmed. Additionally, a comparison of EMU and non-EMU countries shows that the common currency significantly contributes to a further integration.


: External customers have a choice in the laboratory they use for testing. They will select the one that best meets their needs and expectations. This article identifies 15 key strategies aimed at creating and maintaining a successful outreach program: 1) marketing must be a "top-down" commitment; 2) assess your market; 3) deploy a focused sales team; 4) develop competitive pricing strategies; 5) seek out managed care affiliations; 6) provide timely and appropriate testing services; 7) become a low-cost provider; 8) deploy a sophisticated laboratory information system; 9) develop customer-friendly billing; 10) provide convenient courier services; 11) establish a strategic patient service center network; 12) make it easy to contact you; 13) develop user-friendly requisition forms; 14) let the market know you're there; 15) know where you are headed.