We designed and fabricated large arrays of polymer pens having sub-20 nm tips to perform chemical lift-off lithography (CLL). As such, we developed a hybrid patterning strategy called polymer-pen chemical lift-off lithography (PPCLL). We demonstrated PPCLL patterning using pyramidal and v-shaped polymer-pen arrays. Associated simulations revealed a nanometer-scale quadratic relationship between contact line widths of the polymer pens and two other variables: polymer-pen base line widths and vertical compression distances. We devised a stamp support system consisting of interspersed arrays of flat-tipped polymer pens that are taller than all other sharp-tipped polymer pens. These supports partially or fully offset stamp weights thereby also serving as a leveling system. We investigated a series of v-shaped polymer pens with known height differences to control relative vertical positions of each polymer pen precisely at the sub-20 nm scale mimicking a high-precision scanning stage. In doing so, we obtained linear-array patterns of alkanethiols with sub-50 nm to sub-500 nm line widths and minimum sub-20 nm line width tunable increments. The CLL pattern line widths were in agreement with those predicted by simulations. Our results suggest that through informed design of a stamp support system and tuning of polymer-pen base widths, throughput can be increased by eliminating the need for a scanning stage system in PPCLL without sacrificing precision. To demonstrate functional microarrays patterned by PPCLL, we inserted probe DNA into PPCLL patterns and observed hybridization by complementary target sequences.


The following is a list of special interest groups currently active in the association. SIGs marked with an asterisk (*) did not respond to a request for updated information for this directory; information for these SIGs is taken from last year's listing. Members may join a SIG by sending dues payment directly to AERA. Be certain to indicate which SIG(s) you wish to join, along with your name and address.


Creating formal data is a high initial barrier for small organisations and individuals wishing to create ontologies and thus benefit from semantic technologies. Part of the solution comes from ontology authoring, but this often requires specialist skills in ontology engineering. Defining a Controlled Natural Language (CNL) for formal data description can enable naive users to develop ontologies using a subset of natural language. However despite the benefits of CNLs, users are still required to learn the correct syntactic structures in order to use the Controlled Language properly. This can be time consuming, annoying and in certain cases may prevent uptake of the tool. The reversal of the CNL authoring process involves generation of the controlled language from an existing ontology using Natural Language Generation (NLG) techniques, which results in a round trip ontology authoring environment: one can start with an existing imported ontology (re)produce the CNL using NLG, modify or edit the text as required and subsequently parse the text back into the ontology using the CNL authoring environment. By introducing language generation into the authoring process, the learning curve associated with the CNL can be reduced. While the creation of ontologies is critical for the Semantic Web, without a critical mass of richly interlinked metadata, this vision cannot become a reality. Manual semantic annotation is a labor-intensive task requiring training in formal ontological descriptions for the otherwise non-expert user. Although automatic annotation tools attempt to ease this knowledge acquisition barrier, their development often requires access to specialists in Natural Language Processing (NLP). This challenges researchers to develop user-friendly annotation environments. While CNLs have been applied to ontology authoring, little research has focused on their application to semantic annotation. In summary, this research applies CNL techniques to both ontology authoring and semantic annotation, and provides solid empirical evidence that for certain scenarios applying CNLs to both tasks can be more user friendly than standard ontology authoring and manual semantic annotation tools respectively. iv


Traditional Chinese sexual values and morality are mainly based on the Confucian and Taoist traditions which overwhelmingly stress the reproductive function of sex and its role in cementing family and societal structures. In recent years attitudes towards sex love and marriage have changed dramatically since Chinas open-door policy and the economic reforms of the 1980s. Sexual attitudes become more open while the negative consequences of early sexual initiation increasingly become issues of social and health concern. In this paper the author provides an overview of the current literature relating to the sexual behaviour of adolescents and young people in contemporary China and suggests ways forward to positively promote the sexual health of its population. The results show that teenage sex and premarital sex are no longer disapproved of by the young. Some young people lost their virginity while still at high school and the rate of sexual initiation was generally higher among those who had left school and those at university. The take up of contraceptives was found to be low and multiple sexual partners casual sex pregnancies sexually transmitted infections and sexual abuse were also reported. These rapid changes in sexual values and behaviour call for the introduction of comprehensive sex education programmes and their associated services which are inclusive accessible and available to all adolescents and unmarried young people in China.


A growing tendency in policy making and carbon footprint estimation gives value to temporary carbon storage in biomass products or to delayed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Some life cycle‐based methods, such as the British publicly available specification (PAS) 2050 or the recently published European Commission's International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook, address this issue. This article shows the importance of consistent consideration of biogenic carbon and timing of GHG emissions in life cycle assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint analysis. We use a fictitious case study assessing the life cycle of a wooden chair for four end‐of‐life scenarios to compare different approaches: traditional LCA with and without consideration of biogenic carbon, the PAS 2050 and ILCD Handbook methods, and a dynamic LCA approach. Reliable results require accounting for the timing of every GHG emission, including biogenic carbon flows, as soon as a benefit is given for temporarily storing carbon or delaying GHG emissions. The conclusions of a comparative LCA can change depending on the time horizon chosen for the analysis. The dynamic LCA approach allows for a consistent assessment of the impact, through time, of all GHG emissions (positive) and sequestration (negative). The dynamic LCA is also a valuable approach for decision makers who have to understand the sensitivity of the conclusions to the chosen time horizon.


Abstract:  Multiplacophorans are Palaeozoic (Silurian to Permian) stem group polyplacophorans with 17 shell plates in a particular arrangement of single terminal plates separated by three columns of plates forming five transverse rows. Their distinctive morphology has prompted disparate interpretations of their relationship to polyplacophorans. Some features are strikingly similar to crown group polyplacophorans and even to some living families. Here we describe two Devonian forms, Protobalanus spinicoronatus sp. nov., a hercolepadid from northeast Ohio, USA, and Hannestheronia australis gen. et sp. nov., a strobilepid from South Africa. Using the results from a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock to test competing scenarios of the relationship of multiplacophorans to crown group polyplacophorans, we demonstrate that multiplacophorans are stem group polyplacophorans in which certain characters of the crown group evolved convergently.


In order to solve the problem of ECG acquisition and processing better, this paper designs a portable ECG tester, which uses the SCM as the core controller. Power basic frequency interference was removed by 50 Hz trap filter. Power harmonic interference, electrode polarization interference and my electricity interference were removed by low- pass filter. Baseline drift was removed by high- pass filter. At the same time; we test the performance of acquisition circuit, filter circuit and amplification circuit. As a result, it is shown that the system can well collect and process ECG signal.


ABSTRACT: Hydrology is both an applied practical science and a pure geophysical science. The goal of hydrology, as a geophysical science, is to achieve theories capable of explaining with satisfactory accuracy the phenomena of interest. Through the rapidly accelerating power and versatility of digital computing technology, theory development and application are immensely facilitated via increasingly sophisticated predictive modeling schemes, which are now the principal operating tools both for applied management hydrology and for basic geophysical hydrology. While this approach treats phenomena as classes or generalizations, social and behavioral scientists have long argued that human beings base their actions on percepts, i.e., on the concrete specifics of their experience. Thus, the commonly held ideal of basing policy, decisions, and public actions on the best possible science encounters a conflict in belief systems. A possible resolution of this dilemma lies in the use of observational components, which in concept‐centered science serve as data to test or calibrate models. These components also serve as a great repository of natural experience that is closely attuned to the perceptual reality that propels societal action. Landscapes and sediments provide indices of real processes, whose occurrence can be expected by continuity to extend to present and future activity. More attention to research on such indices is warranted as a means of triggering perception‐based action by responsible decision‐makers. Grounded in reality, and tempered by their intrinsic fallibility, the scientifically powerful conceptual schemes (models) will then serve as guides to further action. The full societal benefit of hydrological science requires a balanced approach in which subdisciplines focused on environmental indices are afforded equal attention to those focused on conceptual idealization.


Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is a short-lived metabolite of the fatty acid arachidonate that is formed upon platelet activation; it stimulates platelet responses including shape change, aggregation and secretion of granule contents. The TXA2 pathway of platelet activation is important clinically as demonstrated by the beneficial effect of aspirin, that inhibits TXA2 formation, in preventing arterial thrombotic events. TXA2 elicits its stimulatory responses on platelets by binding to the G protein-coupled thromboxane prostanoid (TP) receptor (approximately 55 kD). Of the α and β isoforms of the TP receptor that have been identified, TPα appears to be the predominant form expressed in platelets, utilizing Gq and G12 in signaling. There have been reports of inherited platelet function disorders involving the TXA2 pathway of platelet activation, and the best characterized is a single amino acid substitution (Arg60 → Leu) in the first cytoplasmic loop of the TPα receptor in a dominantly-inherited bleeding disorder characterized by a defective platelet response to TXA2. Here, we describe a pediatric patient with an inherited platelet defect in the TXA2 pathway that does not appear to involve a mutation in the TPα receptor. The 10 year-old patient and his mother (but not his father) have significant bleeding histories involving recurrent epistaxis (patient) and severe menorrhagia with chronic iron deficiency (mother). Platelet counts of both son and mother are in the normal range. Consistent findings with platelet aggregation testing were prolonged lag phases with collagen, decreased (mother) to minimal (patient) responses with arachidonate and shape change only with the stable TXA2 mimetic U46619. PFA-100 closure times were prolonged with the aspirin-sensitive collagen/epinephrine cartridge: >271 sec (patient), 222 sec (mother) (upper limit of normal: 163 sec for children, 142 sec for adults), but normal with the collagen/ADP cartridge: 97 sec (patient), 85 sec (mother) (upper limit of normal: 111 sec for children and adults). Dense granule counts, determined by whole mount electron microscopy, were slightly lower than normal for both the patient (2.3/platelet) and his mother (2.8/platelet) (normal range: 3–7/platelet). Western blotting utilizing the polyclonal P2 rabbit anti-human TP receptor antibody showed the presence of an approximately 55 kD band in both subjects. Fresh platelets from the patient's mother were available for flow cytometric analysis with the P2 antibody; mean fluorescence intensity of P2 binding for the patient's mother's platelets was 67.6 compared with 60.4 for platelets from a healthy control. Analysis of the TPα receptor gene of the patient indicated a heterozygous synonomous substitution C795T in Ile265 of the sixth transmembrane domain; this substitution was not present in the mother. Taken together, these results suggest a dominantly-inherited platelet function disorder involving the TXA2 pathway of platelet activation. The presence of a normal TPα receptor gene and normal levels of the TPα protein indicate the likelihood of a downstream TXA2-signaling defect.


The thesis aims to examine simulation exercises comparatively in Korea and the UK, and provide practical suggestions for the future of Korean simulation exercises, based on lessons from the UK experiences and practices, regarding effective planning and execution of simulation exercises. To achieve this aim, two research questions were
formulated. Firstly, 'How are simulation exercises in Korea and the UK organised and conducted, and how can this knowledge be used to respond to crises or disasters more effectively?'. Secondly, 'Why are new methodological changes to organise and conduct simulation exercises needed in Korea?'. In order to practically assess whether or not
simulation exercises in Korea are sufficient in dealing with the nature and characteristics of a large-scale disaster, this thesis carries out an in-depth investigation
of two real-life underground fires: the King's Cross Underground Fire in the UK and the Daegu Subway Fire in Korea. Simulation exercises are influenced by the social,
political, and cultural contexts of emergency management arrangements, and hence, the study also conducts a comparative study of emergency management frameworks in Korea and the UK.
The current practices of simulation exercises in Korea can be categorised into the four main themes: 'Top-level Commitment and Support', 'Repeating Training through
Rehearsals', 'The Politics of Box Seats, Ill-structured Scenario-Scripts and a Lack of Adaptation', and 'The Politics of Podium and Speech-based Debriefs'. However, critical analysis of the empirical data in the study reveals that a complex and highly-coupled 'socio-technical' crisis does not respect such a conventional training and exercising methodology of Korean simulation exercises, and that a degree of 'adaptation' is indispensable to effective crisis response. Thus, it is proposed in the study that Korean simulation exercises need to allow adaptation and diversion to take place, encouraging communication and discussion between exercise players. Furthermore, ensuing afteraction reviews in Korea should be transformed into a discussion-based debriefing style to maximise learning effectiveness. Finally, it is suggested that emergency management arrangements in Korea should also evolve into a more flexible, decentralised, bottom-up model in terms of effective response to 'socio-technical' crises or disasters along with changes in simulation exercises and subsequent after-action reviews.


In operation of the full-scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) system at the Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery (SFW) Wellington distillery, a problem encountered in the treatment of grain distillation wastewater was the accumulation of a floating scum lay er. On occasion this was so severe that it forced shutdown of the UASB system to facilitate the physical removal of the scum. A preliminary investigation indicated that the scum-layer behaviour could be replicated at laboratory-scale. Thereafter, two laboratory-scale UASB systems were run in parallel: one (control) receiving wine distillation wastewater as influent, and the o ther (experimental) grain distillation wastewater at both high and low total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations. Scum-layer accumulation, COD removal and concentration profiles along the axis of flow through the reactors were compared. The scum layer developed only with grain distillation wastewater as influent, and its severity appeared to be linked to the TSS content of the grain wastewater. Reducing the TSS by drum filtration, settling or blending with wine wastewater could reduce, but not eliminate, th e scum-layer accumulation. With wine distillation wastewater as influent, concentration profiles exhibited the typical three dis tinct zones of sludge bed behaviour. However, with grain distillation wastewater as influent, the concentration profiles were marked ly different; the three zones of behaviour did not develop. This raises the question of the long-term viability of a UASB system treating grain distillation wastewaters.


Based on the time-dependent coincidence method, a preliminary experiment has been performed on uranium metal castings with similar quality (about 8–10 kg) and shape (hemispherical shell) in different enrichments using neutron from Cf fast fission chamber and timing DT accelerator. Groups of related parameters can be obtained by analyzing the features of time-dependent coincidence counts between source-detector and two detectors to characterize the fission signal. These parameters have high sensitivity to the enrichment, the sensitivity coefficient (defined as (ΔR/Δm)/R̄) can reach 19.3% per kg of 235U. We can distinguish uranium castings with different enrichments to hold nuclear weapon verification.


: Isolated Intestinal neuronal dysplasia is a disease characterized by symptoms of diarrhea or intestinal obstruction along with histopathologic diagnosis based on hyperplasia of submucous plexus with giant ganglia containing more than seven nerve cells, increased acetylcholinesterase activity in the lamina propria and around the submucosal blood vessels and heterotopic ganglia in the lamina propria. The aims of this study have been to determine the incidence of the congenital malformations associated with the isolated intestinal dysplasia type B (not associated to another anomaly of the enteric nervous system) and to correlate them with the severity of the symptoms and their possible familial involvement. We have retrospectively reviewed all the patients diagnosed with IND type B nonassociated to Hirschsprung's disease in our hospital from 1981 to 2002. Our serie consists of 44 cases, 1 for every 7500 newborn. 35% of the patients presented associated congenital anomalies, with digestive malformations being the most commonly found (20% of the total). 40% of the patients studied had previous history of constipation in the family. Onset of symptoms was detected in 75% of children during newborn period.


A modified cohesive zone interface model that has a damage factor couple with the thermal cycle and humidity aging was proposed. The damage factor not only can change the cohesive zone strength acting but also can effect on the energies of separation. The modified cohesive zone interfacial model is developed and implemented in ABAQUS, as a user element subroutine, to simulate the peeling process for the specimen bonding by anisotropic conducive adhesive film (ACF) under the thermal cycle and humidity tests. Finite element explicit code and the constitutive relation of this element has been defined by the user-defined mechanical material behaviour (VUMAT). The bulk material element selected is a 4-node bilinear plane stress quadrilateral element, and the reduced integration and hourglass control are also adopted. The numerical simulated results accorded well to the experiments to illustrate the validity of the new model.


Amateur dramatic societies have existed in Australian country towns since the 1850s, making a valuable contribution to the social and cultural life of the communities they serve. Two of their most important functions are to provide live theatre where there would otherwise be none and to create opportunities for ordinary people to be involved in the many aspects of theatre. However, their collective significance has not been fully recognised, possibly because the difficulties of accessing primary sources scattered over vast distances are considerable In this article, I show how it has been possible to create a framework for research into amateur dramatic societies in New South Wales regional communities between 1945 and 1970 by referring to the archive of the British Drama League, a semi-voluntary organisation established in Sydney in 1937 that acted as a coordinating body for amateur theatre until its demise in 1976. The League has faded into obscurity, but its remnants tell us a great deal about amateur theatre locally, nationally and internationally during the period of its existence.


The present study discussed the kinetic aspects of leachate decomposition from an aquatic macrophyte, Pistia stratiotes L (water lettuce). This species was collected from Barra Bonita Reservoir located in the State of São Paulo (Brazil). Decomposition chambers were prepared with high molecular weight (HMW), low molecular weight (LMW) and integral (INT = HMW + LMW) dissolved organic matter (DOM) diluted with reservoir water. The samples were incubated at 20 degrees C, in darkness and under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. For 79 days, the concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) and organic carbon (OC) were measured. For calculating the deoxygenation coefficients (k d) and maximum oxygen consumption (COmax) the concentration of DO was integrated and fitted to a first-order kinetics model, which also applied to the depletion of OC concentrations. The COmax of INT incubations were 4% higher than the sum of HMW and LMW fractions. The deoxygenation coefficients, k d, had the same order of magnitude for all treatments. In relation to carbon decay, regardless of the availability of oxygen, the INT DOM also showed higher mineralisation. These results suggest that the leachate mineralisations are short-term processes; when the fractionation of the leachates occurs, the LMW had organic compounds with more accessibility for heterotrophic metabolism. On the other hand, when compared to INT DOM, the HMW and LMW were less consumed suggesting an interaction of the reactivity of the leachate. Our data suggest that in the Barra Bonita Reservoir the mineralisation of P. stratiotes leachates occurs through two competitive pathways (i.e. mineralisation of the labile compounds and formation of recalcitrant organic resources and their mineralisation) in which the oxygen availability and the molecular mass of DOM can interfere in the rates of reactions.


Development is, in the Foucauldian sense, a particular discourse which does not reflect
but actually constructs reality. In doing so, it closes off alternative ways of thinking and so
constitutes a form of power (Kiely 1999: 31).
What do schools and McDonalds have in common? Both are powerful symbols of modernity… Each has a global profile… You will recognise them no matter where in the world you find them because they each follow a set format… Both are defined more by this formulaic sameness than by their geographic location… Should we be reassured by this sameness or alarmed? This chapter has nothing to say about hamburgers but raises serious concerns about the tendency to reproduce the same school design irrespective of
the prevailing local conditions.
This chapter case studies the educational initiative of a large indigenous NGO in Bangladesh (BRAC1) that breaks the mould by making the school fit the children rather than
the children fit the school. The initiative is noteworthy in its own right but perhaps of most significance here is the lukewarm response it has generated among those whose business is development. The chapter argues that in line with the quotation above, the dominant discourse on education within the development arena is such that initiatives of this nature are not welcome because they do not fit the constructed reality embedded in an unquestioning allegiance to conventional schooling. By neglecting to harness the fundamental principles that inform this initiative the western donors and the government
of Bangladesh are exercising their power to effectively silence an alternative way of approaching primary education. In global terms every silencing makes the McDonalds/school analogy more real.


The study aimed to evaluate whether Enalapril has any effects on the testicular tissue of the albino male mice which received or did not receive treatment with Enalapril. Mature mice were divided into three groups: control group which fed with 0.1mg of normal saline, the second group was orally fed with 10 mg/Kg of Enalapril drug while the third group was fed with 20 mg/Kg of drug, one time a day for 30 successive days by using gavage tube (0.1ml).  The histological sections were performed and the slides were examined using the light microscope.  The present study result of light microscopic images of mice testes cross sections which treated with 20 mg/Kg of Enalapril showed coagulated necrosis on spermatogonia germ cells, stopping the maturation in testicular tissue and ischematic alternations. Furthermore, the group treated with 10 mg/Kg showed arresting of spermatozoa maturation, congestion of blood vessels and spreading of edema. In comparison with the control group which demonstrated normal interstitial tissue and absence of edema with spermatogenic maturation observing numerous spermatozoa within the tubule lumen. In conclusion, Enalapril might play a role in pathogenesis of testicular tissue and men infertility.


Changing demographics in rural and urban North Dakota have provided both opportunities and challenges for rural communities. Cass County boasts the state's largest and fastest growing urban center, but the impact of the county's growth extends beyond the Fargo-West Fargo city limits. Towns like Casselton, Horace, and Kindred have experienced substantial changes not only in the number of residents, but also in the composition of households and their business and service needs and preferences. To address these questions, the Rural Cass County Business and Services Preference Survey was designed to identify and quantify residents' perceptions on a variety of issues. This report details respondents' perceptions on quality of life issues, business and service patronization, as well as describes some basic demographic characteristics of rural Cass County residents.


ABSTRACT Migration poses many physiological challenges for birds, including sustaining high intensity aerobic exercise for hours or days. A consequence of endurance flight is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS production may be influenced by dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which, although prone to oxidative damage, may limit mitochondrial ROS production and increase antioxidant capacity. We examined how flight muscles manage oxidative stress during flight, and whether dietary long-chain PUFA influence ROS management or damage. Yellow-rumped warblers were fed diets low in PUFA, or high in long-chain n-3 or n-6 PUFA. Flight muscle was sampled from birds in each diet treatment at rest or immediately after flying for up to a maximum of 360 min in a wind tunnel. Flight increased flight muscle superoxide dismutase activity but had no effect on catalase activity. The ratio of glutathione to glutathione disulphide decreased during flight. Oxidative protein damage, indicated by protein carbonyls, increased with flight duration (Pearson r=0.4). Further examination of just individuals that flew for 360 min (N=15) indicates that oxidative damage was related more to total energy expenditure (Pearson r=0.86) than to flight duration itself. This suggests that high quality individuals with higher flight efficiency have not only lower energy costs but also potentially less oxidative damage to repair after arrival at the destination. No significant effects of dietary long-chain PUFA were observed on antioxidants or damage. Overall, flight results in oxidative stress and the degree of damage is likely driven more by energy costs than fatty acid nutrition. Summary: Migration is oxidatively challenging for birds, and in yellow-rumped warblers, the oxidative challenge is strongly related to energy expenditure during flight but not dietary long-chain PUFA.


Consumer genetics has exploded, driven by the second-most popular hobby in the United States: genealogy. This hobby has been co-opted by law enforcement to solve cold cases, by linking crime-scene DNA with the DNA of a suspect's relative, which is contained in a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic database. The relative's genetic data acts as a silent witness, or genetic informant, wordlessly guiding law enforcement to a handful of potential suspects. At least thirty murderers and rapists have been arrested in this way, a process which I describe in careful detail in this article. Legal scholars have sounded many alarms, and have called for immediate bans on this methodology, which is referred to as long- range familial searching (or "LRFS"). The opponents' concerns are many, but generally boil down to fears that LRFS will invade the privacy and autonomy of presumptively innocent individuals. These concerns, I argue, are considerably overblown. Indeed, many aspects of the methodology implicate nothing new, legally or ethically, and might even better protect privacy while exonerating the innocent. Law enforcement's use of LRFS to solve cold cases is a bogeyman. The real threat to genetic privacy comes from shoddy consumer consent procedures, poor data security standards, and user agreements that permit rampant secondary uses of data. So why do so many legal scholars fear a world where law enforcement uses this methodology? I surmise that our fear of so-called genetic informants stems from the sticky and long-standing traps of genetic essentialism and genetic determinism, where we incorrectly attribute intentional action to our genes and fear a world where humans are controlled by our biology. Rather than banning the use of genetic genealogy to catch serial killers and rapists, I call for improved direct-to-consumer consent processes, and more transparent privacy and security measures. This will better protect genetic privacy in line with consumer expectations, while still permitting the use of LRFS to deliver justice to victims and punish those who commit society's most heinous acts.


This paper investigates the structure and characteristics of the full distribution of sheep farms achieving various levels of financial and technical performance. Analysing data from the Irish panel dataset, the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) shows Irish sheep farms exhibit relatively low level of technical performance and that on-farm technical advances have been stagnant over the past 20 years. NFS data files not previously manipulated for research purposes are used to capture monthly animal data flows for the full sample of NFS sheep farms for the 3 year period 2008 – 2010. Utilising this data we identify and analyse key flock performance indicators including reproduction, mortality rates. These "Livestock Demographic" variables are important indicators for estimating and modelling flock dynamics and production, combining two drivers of flock performance: the biological characteristics of the stock on the farm and the farmers' flock management practices. Results indicate the potential impacts on farm output and gross margins of improved animal performance which is achievable through specific technology adoptions.


The author helps redress the absence of serious theological thinking on the biblical and church doctrine of hell and indirectly contradicts current mythological caricatures. He first evaluates diverse views from history up through the twentieth century. He then argues that an orthodox contemporary theology could understand hell as the eternally loving presence of God, Christ, angels, saints, animals, vegetation, and material creation to the damned, the eternally obdurate, whose obstinate use of their freedom has rendered them incapable of receiving and responding to this loving presence.


On-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are widely used in the Southeastern United States for municipal wastewater treatment. As urban and suburban populations increase, the use of OWTSs is expected to further increase. This region heavily depends on surface waters for its water supply, therefore, the impact of OWTSs on surface water quality and quantity must be investigated. Conventional OWTSs can be potential sources of N pollution for groundwater and streams that can cause human health concerns and stimulate algal growth resulting in eutrophication. The overall goal of this project is to determine the impact of OWTSs on the N load and baseflow in urbanizing watersheds of Ocmulgee and Oconee River basins in Georgia. This paper presents preliminary results of the differences in the N load and baseflow as well as other water quality indicators such as electrical conductivity (EC) and chloride (Cl) in streams of watersheds impacted by high (HD) and low density (LD) OWTSs. Synoptic samples and discharge measurements of 24 watersheds were taken 3 times per year in fall, spring, and summer under baseflow conditions. EC and Cl concentrations were significantly higher in HD OWTS watersheds for all three sampling events. N concentrations were not statistically different between HD and LD watersheds for all three sampling events. Baseflow measurements in the fall and spring were not statistically different between HD and LD watersheds, but summer measurements were significantly higher in the HD watersheds. The results indicate the presence of OWTS effluent in streams of watersheds with HD OWTSs, while N analysis indicates a reduction in concentration through dilution and denitrification. However, increased baseflow in watersheds impacted by HD OWTSs results in an increase in total N load. Further analysis is needed to accurately determine and quantify the impact of OWTSs on water quality and quantity at the watershed-scale.


The ability to understand, predict, secure and exploit the vast array of heterogeneous network of things is phenomenal. With the ever-increasing threats to cyber physical systems and Internet of Things, security on those networks of data-gathering sensors and systems has become a unique challenge to industries as well as to military in the battlefield. To address those problems, we propose a trusted computing protocol that employs discrete Trusted Platform Modules and Hardware Security Modules for key management, a blockchain-based package verification algorithm for over-the-air security, and a secure authentication mechanism for data communication. The IoT-based Trusted Computing Protocol implements integrated hardware security, strong cryptographic hash functions, and peer-based blockchain trust management. We have tested the protocol under various circumstances where devices have built-in securities while others do not. We apply the new protocol to a SCADA system that contains more than 3,000 edge devices. The preliminary results show that proposed protocol establishes trust, improves security, integrity, and privacy.


The topicality of the research is stipulated by the challenges of bringing the educational content and learning materials in line with the needs that young translators and interpreters have entering the labour market in modern fast developing society. The article aims to analyze from students' perspective the practical value and effectiveness of the learning materials for language mediators' training developed on the basis of the new content-focused technology in comparison to learning materials developed within the framework of the traditional approach. The methodology of the research included survey based experiment as well as the method of statistic data processing. The experiment involved the students doing their master degree course on Public Service Interpreting and Translation (total number of the participants is 30 students). The experiment was conducted in several stages including two surveys: the entry survey focused on obtaining the students' feedback on their general satisfaction with traditional learning materials, students' assessment of the materials' effectiveness for training as well as identifying particular areas of professional interest and respective needs; the second survey elicited students' responses concerning the effectiveness of the proposed new materials. The research enhances the awareness of the specific characteristics of the public services setting for training lingo cultural mediators. Practical learning materials were worked out and implemented into practice. The correlated training of interpreting and translation skills was proved. Based on the results obtained in the course of the experiment the authors propose new content focused approach to developing learning materials which constitutes practical outcomes of the research. The article had both theoretical and practical value as the theoretical background and the proposed methodology can be applied to developing training courses on translation and interpreting in various professional domains.


We report on a project bringing Tlingit language speakers to the University of British Columbia (UBC) as resident consultants for one academic year. Spearheaded by community members, this project contributes to a model of "best practices" (Penfield et al. 2008) for community-based language research.
 Our goal was to establish a sustainable long-term collaboration by building community and scholarly capacity for language revitalization, research, and training. Our successful integration of theory, practice, and application included:
 (i) New relationships with fluent speakers from two Tlingit speech communities (Coastal and Inland). This is a breakthrough, as modern nation-state boundaries between Alaska (USA) and the Yukon Territory (Canada) have obscured traditional Coastal-Inland relations. To date, most linguistic research has focused on Coastal Tlingit, so having access to both varieties allows us to document previously un-described differences.
 (ii) Student training for future work on the language: a field methods course parallels the research project, allowing us to train several undergraduate and graduate students, a subset of which continue to work on the language.
 (iii) Collaboration between linguistic subfields: leveraging expertise in different subfields (phonology, syntax, semantics, linguistic ethnography, and language pedagogy) affords a breadth of scope that would otherwise be impossible.
 (iv) Inter-institutional and international collaboration: the project involves two research institutions (UBC and University of Alaska Southeast) in two different countries (Canada, USA). This is especially important in Canada, as no Canadian-based research is currently conducted on Inland Tlingit.
 (v) Outreach within the university community: the project features in the Language of the Year initiative undertaken by UBC Linguistics, which brings to the attention of the university community the contribution that field-based linguistic research makes to language stabilization and revitalization.
 Bringing speakers to linguists — what we call the Convergent Streams model — used to be very common, but is no longer widely practiced. However, sustained involvement of linguists with different types of expertise over an extended period of time permits rapid advance across several domains and maximizes the impact of scholarly research on language teaching efforts. Our experience suggests that Convergent Streams is most effective when hosts involve administrators early, arrange culturally appropriate compensation such as honoraria rather than salaries, organize transport and accommodation, monitor wellness needs and ensure timely access to medical services, coordinate socio-cultural support by offering meaningful companionship, and have a plan for return to the community.
 Penfield, Susan D., et al. (2008) Community collaborations: best practices for North American indigenous language documentation. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 191, 187-202.


From abstract: Areas of abnormal radioactivity south of Ocala, Marion County, Fla., discovered in 1953 by aerial survey, were investigated by surface examination and by 10 power auger drill holes. Interbedded clay, clayey sand, and uraniferous phosphorite occur in the areas of anomalous radioactivity. Miocene fossils occur at three localities in these beds which are evidently outliers of Miocene sediments on the Ocala limestone of Eocene age. The preserved outliers are southwest of the main belt of Miocene sediments. The principal uraniferous rocks are clayey, sandy, pellet phosphorite that occurs in beds a
few feet thick, and very porous, phosphatic sand rock which makes abundant float at many places. Apatite forms the phosphate pellets in the unweathered phosphorite. The very porous, phosphatic sand rock is the highly leached residuum of the pellet phosphorite and is composed mainly of quartz, kaolinite, wavellite, and crandallite ( pseudowavellite2). It closely resembles the aluminum phosphate rock of the "leached zone" of the Bone Valley formation in the land-pebble phosphate district.


The dilute nitride (GaIn)(NAs) material system grown lattice matched to GaAs or Ge with a 1 eV band gap is an interesting material for the use in four-junction solar cells with increased efficiencies. As a result of its metastability, several challenges exist for this material system, which up to now limits the device performance. We performed nano-structural analysis in combination with photoluminescence characterization to optimize the metal organic vapor phase growth as well as the annealing conditions for the quaternary solar cell material. The optimum annealing conditions depend strongly on the In content of the quaternary material. Valence force field calculations of stable N environments in the alloy support the model that the N moves from a Ga rich environment realized during growth into an In rich environment upon annealing. Simultaneously, N induced strain fluctuations, which are detected in the N containing material upon growth, are dissolved and the device properties are improved.


Studies on speech acts in various languages and contexts could help bridge the gap among the speakers of different languages i.e. help to inform and alert speakers of the potential pragmatic failures that may arise in social, pedagogical and translation domains. These studies also may help speakers of dissimilar languages and cultures cope with interethnic communication difficulties. This article presents a study on speech acts that aims to fill the above-mentioned gap. The focus of the study is on the pragmatic analysis of the speech act of 'promising' in Jordanian Arabic. This particular article, however, concentrates on the analysis of the most prominent strategies of promising gender i.e. male promise and female promise. A questionnaire consisting of 17 hypothetical situations that express imitations of real life situation in Jordan was distributed to 140 Jordanians. The analysis reveals that Jordanians opt for either one or more of the following strategies when issuing their promises: discourse conditionals, tautological-like expressions, body-part expressions, self-aggrandizing expressions, time expressions, courtesy-like expressions, swearing in Jordanian Arabic that are utilized by Jordanians to forge promises with reference to expressions, adjacency pairs and false promises. Moreover, the analysis of this article have shown that there is a gender difference in the use of linguistic forms in the speech act of promising among Jordanian, i.e., use of body-expressions among women once they issue their promises. In account of that, women typically speak and hear a language of connection and intimacy stressing confirmations and support within their specific online communities. Their speech is inclusive, less direct, and avoids arguments and confrontation whenever possible. Men, on the other hand, speak and hear a language of status and independence, focusing on social order and the exhibition of knowledge and skill.


Major (Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Mg, Ca, Na, K, S, P), minor (Mn) and trace (Li, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Zr, Mo, Cd, Ag, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Pb, Bi and U) elements, their chemical forms and the mineral composition, organic matter (TOC) and carbonates (TIC) in surface sedi‐ ments from the Cai River estuary and Nha Trang Bay were first determined along the sal‐ inity gradient. The abundance and ratio of major and trace elements in surface sediments are discussed in relation to the mineralogy, grain size, depositional conditions, reference background and SQG values. Most trace-element contents are at natural levels and are derived from the composition of rocks and soils in the watershed. A severe enrichment of Ag is most likely derived from metal-rich detrital heavy minerals such as Ag-sulphosalts. Along the salinity gradient, several zones of metal enrichment occur in surface sediments because of the geochemical fractionation of the riverine material. The parts of actually and potentially bioavailable forms (isolated by four single chemical reagent extractions) are most elevated for Mn and Pb (up to 36% and 32% of the total content, respectively). The possible anthropogenic input of Pb in the region requires further study. Overall, the most bioavailable parts of trace elements are associated with easily soluble amorphous Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides. The sediments are primarily enriched with bioavailable metal forms in the riverine part of the estuary. Natural (such as turbidities) and human-gener‐ ated (such as urban and industrial activities) pressures are shown to influence the abun‐ dance and speciation of potential contaminants and therefore change their bioavailability in this estuarine system.


How do parents in an English as a Second Language class evaluate their learning experience, and what impact does learning English --and how they learn it-- have on their teaching practices with their children at home? The Mexican immigrants whose learning and use of English was analyzed from a critical pedagogy perspective attended a CBET (Community-Based English Tutoring) program in a large urban school district in Southern California. CBET is the product of Proposition 227, a controversial initiative that virtually eliminated bilingual education but provided for free adult ESL programs. In exchange for free ESL classes, adult students must tutor young English learners in English. Consequently, parents in CBET classes receive training in pedagogical methods, family literacy, and parenting skills. This study examines how, in a program born of legislation that many viewed as anti-immigrant, Mexican immigrant parents take advantage of the knowledge and skills offered by CBET, and what, if anything, of their new knowledge and skills they apply to their children's learning development. Three research questions guide this work: (1) What do parents learn about teaching and learning and about parenting in their CBET program via classroom instruction and their training as tutors?, (2) Which teaching methods and philosophies, if any, do parents transfer to their home literacy practices, and, (3) What other teaching and learning practices beyond those related to literacy occur in the home? To answer these questions, three randomly selected Mexican immigrant mothers in a CBET class who have pre or school-aged children served as case studies. I observed 30 hours of classes and conducted interviews with the instructor, the parents, and their children, and observed learning events in each home. The mothers viewed CBET as a useful resource for learning English, but not as the primary source that guided their parenting, and teaching methods and philosophies. Findings from this study inform instructional practices for CBET teachers, adult ESL educators, and K-12 teachers, while providing insight into the teaching roles that Mexican immigrant mothers play at home, therefore challenging negative stereotypes of their parenting skills, and allowing for positive partnerships between families and schools


In this paper, we analyze the delay performance of a point-to-multipoint secondary network (P2M-SN), which is concurrently sharing the spectrum with a point-to-multipoint primary network (P2M-PN). The channel is assumed to be independent but not identically distributed (i.n.i.d.) and has Nakagami- m fading. A constraint on the peak transmit power of the secondary-user transmitter (SU-Tx) is considered, in addition to the peak interference power constraint. The SU-Tx is assumed to be equipped with a buffer and is modeled using the M/G/1 queueing model. The performance of this system is analyzed for two scenarios: 1) P2M-SN does not experience interference from the primary network (denoted by P2M-SN-NI), and 2) P2M-SN does experience interference from the primary network (denoted by P2M-SN-WI). The performance of both P2M-SN-NI and P2M-SN-WI is analyzed in terms of the packet transmission time, and the closed-form cumulative density function (cdf) of the packet transmission time is derived for both scenarios. Furthermore, by utilizing the concept of timeout, an exact closed-form expression for the outage probability of the P2M-SN-NI is obtained. In addition, an accurate approximation for the outage probability of the P2M-SN-WI is also derived. Furthermore, for the P2M-SN-NI, the analytic expressions for the total average waiting time (TAW-time) of packets and the average number of packets waiting in the buffer of the SU-Tx are also derived. Numerical simulations are also performed to validate the derived analytical results.


If the rationale for the protection of World Heritage and the philosophical outlook of the Convention were revolutionary, Part III including Article 14 embodies the related ground-breaking aspect - the mechanisms to implement its goals. The roles devolving to and evolving for the Secretariat of the World Heritage Committee and the Advisory Bodies are unique and extensive. So extensive and ill-defined in fact that it has led to tensions and recent efforts to more clearly articulate the competences of the Secretariat, the World Heritage Committee, the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention, and the various organs of UNESCO. The composition, role and interplay of the Secretariat with the other institutional components of the World Heritage framework are the subject of this chapter. The first part examines the historical development of the Secretariat and defines its relationship to other conventional organs and the broader UNESCO institutional framework; and details its current role. The second part examines how this role is complemented over time by the work of the of the Advisory Bodies; then there is a brief backgrounder to each of the Advisory Bodies; and their roles as they are currently defined in respect of the Secretariat's activities is outlined.


Excimer-laser-assisted metal organic deposition is a straightforward process for growing uniaxially oriented Dion–Jacobson perovskite thin films. We have confirmed that on amorphous glass substrates, Dion–Jacobson phases normally crystallize and become oriented with layer-stacking ordering, for example, in RbLa2Ti2NbO10 and RbLaNb2O7 thin films under KrF laser irradiation. Here, we observed a unique orientation in RbCa2Nb3O10 thin films, where almost perfect upright layered structures were realized on amorphous glass substrates. The precursor RbCa2Nb3O10 thin film crystallized in uniaxial (100)-orientation under KrF laser irradiation with a fluence above 100 mJ cm−2 and with a preference for (100)- and (001)-orientations below 100 mJ cm−2. The obtained (100)-oriented RbCa2Nb3O10 thin films showed an extremely high proton–electron conductivity of 4.9 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 400 °C.


The complexity of a real road network structure of a city and the variability of its real traffic information make a city's intelligent transportation system (ITS) hard to meet the needs of the city's vehicle navigation. This paper has proposed a simplified real-time road network model which can take into account the influence of intersection delay on the guidance for vehicles but avoid the calculation of intersection delay and troublesome collection of a city's traffic data. Based on the new model, a navigation system has been presented, which can plan a dynamic optimal path for a vehicle according to the real-time traffic data received periodically from the city's traffic center. A simulated experiment has been given. Compared with previous real-time road network models, the new model is much simpler and more effective on the calculation of vehicle navigation.


Abstract. Organic soils are extensively under agricultural management for cereal and high-value cash crop production or as grazing land. Drainage and tillage is known to promote emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), however, a previous monitoring program found that, in addition to effects of land use, annual N2O emissions from fields with rotational grass and potato showed distinct seasonal patterns. A new study was therefore conducted to investigate the regulation of N2O emissions in an area with raised bog and which was previously classified as a potentially acid sulfate soil. Four sites, i.e., two sites with rotational grass and two with a potato crop, were equipped for weekly monitoring of soil surface N2O emissions and sub-soil N2O concentrations to 1 m depth during spring and autumn 2015. Also, various environmental variables (precipitation, air and soil temperature, soil moisture, water table (WT) depth, and soil mineral N) were recorded. In late April and early September 2015, intact cores to 1 m depth were further collected at adjacent grassland and potato sites and analysed for pH, EC, nitrite (NO2−), total reactive Fe (TRFe), acid volatile S (AVS) and chromium-reducible S (CRS). The soil pH varied between 4.6 and 5.5. Total N2O emissions during 152–174 days were 4–10 kg N2O ha−1 for rotational grass, and 30–32 kg N2O ha−1 for arable sites with a potato crop. Soil N2O concentrations ranged from around 10 µL L−1 at grassland sites to several hundred µL L−1 at 50–100 cm depth at sites with potato. This reflected lower soil mineral N concentrations at grassland sites where probably competition from plants for available N was effective. Fertilisation had no immediate effect on N2O emissions, but effects appeared in connection with rainfall where the WT also rose toward the soil surface and N2O accumulated in the soil profile at all sites. Graphical models showed that the strongest predictor for N2O emissions from both grassland and potato sites in spring, and grassland sites in autumn, was soil N2O concentration near the WT depth. In contrast, for potato sites in autumn, nitrate (NO3−) in the top soil, together with temperature, controlled N2O emissions. The distribution of TRFe and NO2− in soil profiles suggested that chemodenitrification in the capillary fringe could be a significant source of N2O during WT drawdown in spring, while N2O emissions associated with the rapid soil wetting and WT rise in autumn may be attributed to biological denitrification. The concentration of TRFe in soil profiles was related to soil organic carbon, and much higher than concentrations of AVS, and thus iron oxides/hydroxides rather than iron sulfides were probably the source of TRFe. Controlling seasonal WT dynamics and soil mineral N accumulation appear to be important controls of N2O emissions in acid organic soil used for agriculture.


Electron motion in the cathode sheath region of a glow discharge in helium has been simulated using a one-dimensional computer model. Distribution functions for the electron flux across the cathode sheath have been calculated for fourteen values of the cathode fall between 150 and 1700 V. Macroscopic variables including the Townsend ionisation coefficient, multiplication coefficient and mean electron energy have been determined for the cathode fall range 150-1000 V. It is shown that the proportion of electron flux crossing the cathode sheath without collisions increases as the cathode fall is raised. For a cathode fall between 400 and 1400 V, the electron flux at the cathode sheath/negative glow boundary possesses beam-like characteristics. Beyond 1400 V, the largest component, in the electron flux distribution, to reach the sheath boundary is the collision-free group. These electrons enter the negative glow with energies corresponding to the cathode fall potential, and are practically mono-energetic. The authors propose that this is a suitable criterion to refer to the entire cathode sheath/negative glow region as an 'electron-beam' glow discharge.


Buffer and/or adhesive layers were used to decrease the dewetting of Ni thin film at graphene growth temperatures of around 900 °C. Depositing a thin buffer (Al2O3) layer onto SiO2/Si substrate significantly reduced the dewetting effect and surface roughness of Ni catalyst film. Thin adhesive (Cr) layers with or without Al2O3 buffer layers increased the texturing in (1 1 1) orientation, which was promoted by growing at an elevated temperature (450 °C). The effects of pretreatment and growth temperature on crystal orientation, grain size and surface roughness of Ni film were analyzed. Our results indicated a large positive correlation coefficient between the film thickness and surface roughness for thinner and non-buffered films, and a negative correlation coefficient between the thickness and 900 °C -annealed film roughness for thicker and buffered films. The graphene coverage was greatly improved over the films grown with Al2O3 and/or Cr layers. In summary, we suggest that growing high quality, large area, 1- or 2-layer graphene on polycrystalline Ni transition metal thin film is optimized by using Al2O3 and/or Cr layers to reduce Ni dewetting, surface roughness, and groove depth while controlling grain size and texturing in (1 1 1) orientation by annealing at 900 °C.


This monograph brings together a number of important papers dealing with the medical, societal and demographic ramifications of fertility and is a very valuable contribution to the European debate on fertility. The very low fertility levels in several EU Member States are a matter of public concern. An increase in fertility will not by itself stop demographic ageing but can contribute to decelerating current demographic trends. It is therefore essential to better understand the reasons behind Europe's low fertility rates. The difficulty of reconciling private life with a professional career far too often compels women to postpone having a family or to have fewer children than they would desire. More and more couples reach an age where fertility problems become prevalent. Involuntary infertility is a serious medical condition with strong negative consequences on the well-being of the couples concerned and has a negative impact on demographic trends. Policies that encourage couples to have their children earlier should be developed. Prevention is the most effective way to deal with involuntary infertility. But the general trend towards having children later in life is likely to continue. As a consequence, it is also essential to better investigate the access to, and quality of, assisted reproductive techniques.


To assess future returns an investor must understand the components on which returns are based. These components include the growth in the P/E ratio and the growth in real earnings. Our analysis shows that the growth rate in the P/E ratio and the growth rate in real earnings, as estimated over long periods and reported in the literature, have tended to obscure some important changes in the growth rates of these two variables. Examining the growth rates over shorter intervals reveals a different story and may offer insight into better forecasts of market returns.


In fluid power systems, the presence of undissolved air greatly influences the properties of the liquid-gas mixture. Even marginal amounts of undissolved air may drastically reduce the apparent bulk modulus of the mixture. In current state-of-the-art 1D simulation tools, the estimation of the apparent bulk modulus of the mixture is based on the assumption that both liquid and gas fractions act as springs. However, the so-called Rayleigh-Plesset equation frequently used for cavitation analysis shows that the gas bubbles should rather be regarded as non-linear mass-spring-damper systems, implicating a frequency-dependent stiffness of the gas phase. In the present paper, these dynamic effects are investigated by considering monodisperse as well as polydisperse mixtures. For the polydisperse case, a log-normal bubble size distribution is used. First, a frequency domain solution for the bubble dynamics is developed by linearizing the Rayleigh-Plesset equation. An expression of the mixture bulk modulus is derived, which is complex-valued and frequency-dependent. Based on the bulk modulus, a theoretical solution for the dynamics of a whole pipeline is developed by utilizing transmission line theory. It is shown that the dynamics of the bubbles leads to a significant shift of the system's natural frequencies towards lower values — a phenomenon that needs to be accounted for during the design phase of a fluid power system. After the development of this analytical solution, by introducing a bubble dynamics source term, an established numerical scheme for 1D pipe simulation based on the method of characteristics is expanded. Finally, the newly developed numerical approach is compared with the analytical solution in order to determine its accuracy. The findings and simulation approaches in this work will enable fluid power system engineers to predict dynamic system behavior more precisely during early stages of system layout.


Christianity has been instrumental in fashioning the contemporary Western paradigm of humanitarian aid and development. However, as a secular agenda increasingly defines this space, the question of what difference a religious cosmology makes to Christian faith-based development organisations (FBDO s) becomes significant. While faith convictions initiated early humanitarian efforts, Christian FBDO s have arguably acquiesced to secular pragmatic rationales for their work, rather than allow theology to have explanatory and regulatory influence. In many ways, therefore, FBDO s are devoid of the influence of "faith", or more specifically, the influence of a robust theological foundation. To address this deficit, a critique of the philosophical moorings of Western international development is mounted, with consideration given to nascent trajectories of an alternate Christian rationale and praxis. In particular, the paper argues that the ontological foundation for the dynamics of human well-being is divine well-being. Employing a Trinitarian relational ontology, the dynamic characteristic inherent to the actualisation of divine well-being is identified as a triune kenosis (self-giving). Such an ontology of divine well-being provides the context to articulate principles for actualising human well-being as a reiteration of the divine archetype. From such a perspective, the Trinitarian doctrine of God provides the pivotal foundation for a Christian cosmology necessary to articulate an alternative paradigm for sustainable development.


In this paper, we argue that democracy is meant to be not the consensus on «government», or on public choices, but a broadly unanimous or very largely majority sharing of a set of rules that, in the Italian case, are expressed in the Constitution of the Republic. Among other things, two implications derive from such an assumption: the real start in Italy does not lie in the formation of the Savoy Kingdom but in the approval of our Constitution; federalism has to be defined within constitutional rules, among which the art. 3 (de facto equality of all citizens) and the art. 53 (progressivity principle for tax system) are pre-eminent. These articles fix the distribution rules - the most important in our Country. As regards the formation of the Kingdom and the origins of the Southern question, in the author's opinion the fiscal choices made in the first years after Country's unification are very important. These choices favour consumption taxes, chiefly levied through local authorities, which are burdened by a lot of improper costs. In this respect, the Ricardo's model is suggested: taxes decrease employment, increase gross wages, trigger a huge migration from Southern territories. All this has caused, from the start, an obstacle to the development of Southern economy that cannot be overcome.


Informal and self-regulated learning are the processes that trigger learners to pursue their goals and transform their day to day questions and reflections into thoughts oriented towards achieving results. Nowadays, most people take advantage of online resources through opinion sharing or by taking part in building knowledge and expertise while debating different topics of interest. Online knowledge building communities (oKBC) emerge and evolve in a similar manner to face-to-face communities, but their specificity relies on the fact that they are developed on, and maintained using technologies over the web. The concept of oKBC is intertwined with concepts such as shared interests, shared expertise, building social connections and growing the knowledge about the topic, all orbiting around social collaboration. This process of pulling and pushing information drives collaboration through all the stages of personal development, assimilation and evolution. In this paper we aim to observe the development of virtual communities, integrative and non-integrative, following a multitude of dimensions: analysis of members' activity, detection of the degree of involvement within the community, finding key topics that can change the normal routine of the community, and creating an interaction network that connects the members and links the underlying information. Finally, as main scope of this paper we set the target to observe the timeline evolution of these communities by crawling them on a regular basis and by using a predefined crawling schema that is preserved throughout the analysis period. A crawling schema is defined by: preserving the infrastructure parameters of crawling, respecting the time quota for the crawling process and through structure preservation of the information extracted.


Several summers of engaging in dialogue and debate have led one scholar to examine closely the ways and means of English Studies in light of contemporary conditions and restraints--particularly as pertains to American literature. As a woman of African American descent, she appreciates Black Southern culture. As their rhetorical and literary history illustrates, African American women writers and readers seem to perceive a certain inevitability about their stations in life. Writers such as Alice Walker and Anna Julia Cooper present metaphorical strategies for countering such inevitability. There seems to exist among African American women a deeply encoded message that encourages them to seize every opportunity to count. Choices in curricula, content, pedagogy, and assessment present such opportunities. Every day English teachers structure activities designed to enable them and their students to develop their powers of imagination to the extent that they can envision a world in which people have the courage and compassion to imagine themselves in better worlds and the commitment to work relentlessly to make it so. English teachers must act with the courage of their well-deliberated convictions and with compassion that emphasizes an individual's interconnectedness with others. Teachers must teach with a desire to talk and listen well, with an understanding that survival is a cooperative venture, and that teaching and learning are a human enterprise. (SAM) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you teach By Jacqueline Jones Royster


By using historical books and data of A-Share listed companies in China from 2007 to 2016, this paper examines the effect of Confucian culture and its implicit value norms on corporate philanthropy from the perspective of informal institution. The results show that Confucian culture has a significant promoting influence on corporate philanthropy. Specifically, the greater the influence of Confucian culture on enterprises, the greater the likelihood and extent of corporate giving. Further analysis indicates that comparing with state-owned enterprises, Confucian tradition has a more positive effect on corporate philanthropy in non-state-owned enterprises. Meanwhile, we also find a stronger relationship between Confucian culture and corporate philanthropy when enterprises encounter weaker pressure from peers' giving. Moreover, the promoting effect of Confucian culture on corporate philanthropy has a continuous character, and it presents a typical "altruism" color beyond the purpose of utilitarianism.This study combines macro-regional cultural characteristics with micro corporate decision, revealing the impact of Oriental Confucian tradition and its implicit value norms on corporate charitable donation behavior. Our study broadens the understanding of the determinant factors of corporate philanthropic donations, and enriches the literature on "culture and corporate decision-making" which has emerged in recent years. Furthermore, the existing research on Confucian ethical value is mainly based on the philosophical and sociological aspects, and most of them adopt the normative analysis paradigm. In contrast, this paper combines Confucian thought with empirical methods to test the positive role of Confucian ethics in promoting corporate philanthropy. It also expands the research paradigm of Confucian ethical value and deepens the theoretical understanding of the economic consequences of Confucian culture. In addition, General Secretary Xi has repeatedly stressed "cultural confidence", seeking solutions to practical problems from excellent traditional culture (especially Confucianism). Our findings also provide a necessary theoretical basis and policy reference for promoting and exerting the excellent traditional culture in guiding the unique role of corporate philanthropy.


Abstract. Space-based measurements from an imager aboard the high-apogee NASA-IMAGE satellite allows for global-scale observations of nightside ionospheric densities and structure. Such a view cannot be provided by imagers in near-Earth orbit or based on the ground. The IMAGE Spectroscopic Imager (SI) isolates the Far-ultraviolet (FUV) O I 135.6nm emission which is produced through radiative recombination of O+. These observations clearly show the distribution of FUV emissions of the equatorial airglow bands over the range of local times between the evening terminator to points well after midnight. Determination of plasma drift speeds in these local time sectors is performed by identification and subsequent tracking of localized depressions in the FUV emissions. This determination is made for nearly 200 plasma bubbles in the March-May period of 2002. Important findings of this study include (1) an unambiguous association between Dst and zonal plasma drift speeds, and (2) a longitudinal dependence of the zonal plasma drift speeds, with a peak around the Indian sector. The first effect is attributed to penetrating ring current electric fields, while the second is apparently due to a longitudinal variability in the vertical polarization electric fields that directly affects the zonal plasma drift speeds.


AIMS
The present study investigated the effect of the newly synthesized cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist, SR147778, on alcohol intake and the motivational properties of alcohol in selectively bred Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats.

METHODS AND RESULTS
In Experiment 1, the repeated administration of SR147778 (0.3-3 mg/kg twice daily, i.p.) specifically suppressed the acquisition of alcohol drinking behaviour in alcohol-naive rats exposed to the two-bottle "alcohol vs water" choice regimen for 24 h/day. In Experiment 2, an acute administration of SR147778 (2.5-10 mg/kg, i.p.) specifically reduced alcohol intake in alcohol-experienced rats that were given alcohol and water under the two-bottle choice regimen in daily sessions of 4 h. In Experiment 3, an acute administration of SR147778 (0.3-3 mg/kg, i.p.) suppressed the "alcohol deprivation effect", i.e. the extra-intake of alcohol occurring after a period of alcohol abstinence. In Experiment 4, an acute administration of SR147778 (0.3-3 mg/kg, i.p.) specifically suppressed the extinction responding for alcohol, i.e. the maximal number of lever responses reached in the absence of alcohol in rats trained to lever-press for alcohol (measure of the motivational properties of alcohol). In Experiment 5, the combination of 3 mg/kg of SR147778 (i.p.) and 0.5 g/kg of alcohol (i.p.), a dose comparable with those usually consumed by sP rats in each drinking binge, failed to induce any conditioned taste aversion.

CONCLUSION
Taken together, these results extend to SR147778 the anti-alcohol profile of the prototype cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist, rimonabant (SR141716), and strengthen the hypothesis that the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor is part of the neural substrate mediating alcohol intake and the motivational properties of alcohol.


Desiccation of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, has led to continued increases in the lake9s alkalinity (currently pH 9.4) that may threaten the resident Lahontan cutthroat trout population. In this study, Lahontan cutthroat trout were challenged with more alkaline water (pH 10). The objectives were to describe physiological responses which may permit survival or lead to death in future potential environmental conditions and to cast further light on the mechanisms of nitrogenous waste excretion, acid-base regulation and ionoregulation in this unusual salmonid. Ammonia excretion (Jamm) was reduced by 50 % in the first few hours, but had fully recovered by 24 h and exceeded control values by 36–48 h. A sustained, twofold elevation of plasma ammonia concentration may have facilitated the recovery of Jamm by increasing the blood-to-water ammonia partial pressure diffusion gradient (deltaPNH3) and NH4+ electrochemical gradient. Urea excretion (Jurea) almost doubled at 24–48 h of pH 10 exposure. Activities of ornithine-urea cycle enzymes in the liver were very low and there was no induction at pH 10. However, all three enzymes of the uricolytic pathway were present, and allantoicase activity increased significantly at pH 10, a possible explanation for the elevated Jurea. Increased liver glutamine synthetase activity at pH 10 is consistent with a possible ammonia detoxification mechanism. A combined respiratory (decreased PaCO2) and metabolic (gain of basic equivalents) alkalosis developed at pH 10 and resulted in a 0.25 unit increase in arterial blood pH. Electrochemical gradients for CO32- and OH- entry and H+ efflux all increased, but the gradient for HCO3- entry decreased to zero. Blood lactate level increased without marked changes in arterial O2 tension, suggesting that increased lactic acid production contributed to acid-base control. Plasma Na+ and Cl- levels decreased and K+ level increased during pH 10 exposure. Survival at pH 10 was relatively poor: more than 50 % of the fish died after 72 h exposure. Greatly elevated plasma PNH3 and depressed plasma Na+ and Cl- levels in non-surviving trout suggest that a combination of ammonia toxicity and ionoregulatory failure led to death in susceptible cutthroat trout.


We have heard from readers with concerns about the publication of the Letter "Harassment charges: Injustice done?" (A. Moya et al. , 17 August, p. [655][1]). At Science , we take harassment issues very seriously. We are working to develop policies that adhere to our editorial principle of airing a wide range of perspectives and that also prevent causing further harm to the targets of harassment.

Publication of a Letter does not represent an endorsement by the editorial staff at Science . Past practice has been based on the understanding that reader-submitted Letters are intended to reflect conversations taking place in the scientific community. The published Letter in question did that by raising concerns about the transparency of the investigatory process. This point touched on the challenges institutions face when determining how the processes and outcomes of harassment investigations should be shared, decisions that must weigh the benefits of transparency against important privacy concerns. However, the Letter also discussed the personal conduct and scientific accomplishments of the individual found guilty of harassment.

In the future, we will not publish Letters in which authors argue that an individual accused or found guilty of harassment is likely innocent because others have interacted with that person without incident; this argument is logically flawed. In addition, although some information about a person's scientific achievements is at times necessary to establish context, we will not publish Letters in which authors argue that professional achievements have any bearing at all on the likelihood that the individual engaged in harassment. Such arguments not only lack relevance to harassment behavior but also may result in further harm to the targets of harassment and exacerbate the already daunting process that targets face in coming forward publicly.

We are striving to increase our understanding of all facets of the issue of harassment and to review and modify our editorial processes accordingly.

 [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/361/6403/655.3


Regulatory transcription factors (rTFs), which bind specific DNA sequences in the regulatory regions of genes and subsequently activate or repress transcription, play a central role in programming genomic expression. The number of rTFs in a species might therefore reflect its functional complexity. For simple organisms like yeast, a relatively small number of rTFs might be expected that is fairly constant between yeast species. We show that the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, contains 201 rTfs, which is one of the largest rTF numbers found in yeast species for which genome sequences are available. This is a much higher number than the 129 rTFs found in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which is currently the yeast with the lowest number of rTFs. Comparative analysis of several different budding yeast species shows that most of the 'extra' rTFs found in S. cerevisiae were probably acquired as a result of a whole genome duplication (WGD) event that occurred in an ancestor of a subset of budding yeast species. However, we also show that budding yeast species that have not been affected by the WGD contain a greater number of rTFs than S. pombe (mean = 145). Thus, two or more mechanisms have led to the 60% increase in rTFs in S. cerevisiae compared to S. pombe. This difference may correlate with a more extensive functional divergence in budding yeasts compared to fission yeasts. The relatively small number of rTFs in S. pombe make this organism an attractive model for global studies of mechanisms that programme gene expression. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This paper presents a knowledge-based system (KBS) designed to locate distribution system outages using comprehensive data from customer trouble calls, a wireless automated meter reading (AMR) system, and distribution supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). The algorithm uses the on-demand read capability of a wireless AMR system, which allows the utility to communicate directly with the meter controllers. The algorithm of the developed KBS has two major parts: an outage escalation procedure and meter-polling procedure. The escalation procedure involves searching for the outage region according to the comprehensive outage information. The meter-polling procedure includes designing the meter-polling schema and confirming the outage locations based on the meter polling results. The algorithm was designed to handle both single outage and multiple outage situations. The expert system shell, G2, was used as the development tool.


Agribusiness innovation has contributed to the economic development and industrial capabilities of many countries thereby reducing poverty. However, the potentiality of agriculture in Nigeria has yielded little output due to political and institutional challenges. The cardinal objective of this study is to explore the agribusiness policies and initiatives as a strategy to mitigate poverty in the Nigerian context. Hence, the study employed qualitative research design and collected data from fifteen informants on the strategies to reduce poverty in the study area. Accordingly, findings from the survey indicated that the National, state, Non-governmental organizations, private firms were the main activities applied in pushing agribusiness. Conversely, poor political will, financial constraints, scarcity of agro-allied industries, marketing difficulties, low awareness and enlightenment among the farmers were observed as the major challenges of agribusiness initiatives in Bauchi state. Yet, the results revealed that agricultural revenue, food security, employment opportunities, the involvement of public, private and the NGOs in agribusiness shall accelerate the production of animals and crops. Therefore, the study proposed for steady political commitment from the government through expansion of capital resources in addition to public and private collaboration in agribusiness. The improvement of infrastructural facilities in the state, establishment of marketing boards, and mechanized farming.


Abstract Objectives This study examines (1) the overall structures of multifaceted coping resources, that is, coping repertoires, among Chinese older immigrants in the United States, (2) the optimal coping repertoire that is associated with best psychological outcomes of these older immigrants, and (3) the most effective coping repertoire in different adversities. Method Using data from 2,923 Chinese older immigrants in Chicago, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to identify the overall coping repertoires of U.S. Chinese older adults. Negative binomial and logistic regressions were used to examine associations between coping repertoires and depression and Quality of Life (QoL), respectively. We further tested whether coping repertories moderate the relationships between adversities in health, economic, and social domains, and the two psychological outcomes. Results LCA revealed four types of coping repertories: low-resource (43%), spouse-oriented (32%), community-oriented (15%), and multi-source coping (10%). Overall, Chinese older immigrants who had the multi-source coping repertoire reported the best psychological outcomes. The community-oriented and multi-source coping repertories had significantly stronger buffering effects on psychological well-being among individuals with IADL difficulties or low acculturation. However, spouse-oriented coping intensified the association between ADL difficulties and depression, and community-oriented coping intensified the association between poorer subjective health and lower quality of life. Conclusion This study revealed overall low coping repertories of Chinese older immigrants, suggesting the most optimal coping repertories should consist of both intrinsic and extrinsic coping sources. The findings further show that relying on limited sources might be harmful to older immigrants' mental health.


In Hungary the introduction of quality assurance and food safety systems have achieved considerable results in the middle of the food-supply chain (i.e. in companies of food industry and trade sector), but in the ends of the chain (in agriculture and catering sector) there are still several problems. This article and our presentation wish to show a general overview on the Hungarian milk sector, to describe the present situation of the Hungarian dairy farms and try to explore and examine the main difficulties of the building-up process, installation and operation of HACCP System in the Hungarian fresh milk producing sector and, furthermore its opportunities and threats, too. We also give a short description of the Hungarian dairy sector, the main Hungarian and EU quality standards of fresh milk and the main regulations of milk quality in Hungary and the European Union. In the final part of our article we wish to present a cost-benefit calculation model calculated for the Jozsefmajor Experimental and Demonstration Farm, (a demonstration farm of the Szent Istvan University) where the HACCP System was installed in the last year, and also to determine the strengths and weaknesses and some practical experiences of installation and operation of the system. The situation outlined in our paper is not unique, it can be applied to the greatest proportion of Hungarian dairy farms.


In the assessment of health risks of environmental pollutants, both conventional methods and probabilistic methods based on the use of cumulative probability plots have been used. Probabilistic risk assessment has the advantage that the statistical distributions of both the exposure data set and the adverse effect data set are taken into account in risk characterization. In addition, the method of overall risk probability (ORP) has been used to quantify the overall risk probability of adverse effects for the population samples. The disadvantage is that many more data points are needed to obtain the cumulative probability plots and the calculation of the ORP from the probability plots is more complicated. In this paper, a simplified computational method for the estimation of the ORP was developed. In this method, an overall risk factor (ORF), as an estimated value of the ORP value, was obtained from the mid-point of an exposure exceedence curve. The ORF can also be obtained from an inversed cumulative probability plot of the exposure curve, thus eliminating the needs for the use of the exposure exceedence curve and the numerical integration of the exceedence curve in ORP computation. The use of ORF method was illustrated with a practical example and the results indicated that the values of the ORF and ORP are about the same.


Introduction. Several previous studies have identified an association between endometriosis and the development of ovarian carcinomas. This study aims to follow-up the prevalence of endometriosis and the histological features in ovarian tumors. Materials and method. The study group included 50 patients from the County Emergency Hospital of Galaţi diagnosed with different histological types of ovarian tumors of the surface epithelium during the period 2015-2018. The cases were reviewed in order to highlight the presence of endometriosis and the different histopathological changes. Results. In this study, the incidence of endometriosis was 14% (7/50). The average age of patients in the group with endometriosis associated with ovarian tumors was 59.4±11.35, respectively 59.5±13.4 in the group presenting only ovarian tumors. From the group of 50 patients, 29 (58%) were diagnosed with serous carcinoma, 8 (16%) with endometrioid carcinoma, 5 (10%) with mucinous carcinoma, 4 (8%) with serous borderline tumors, one (2%) with mucinous borderline tumor, one (2%) with clear cell carcinoma, one (2%) with undifferentiated carcinoma, and one (2%) with malignant Brenner tumor. From the seven cases of tumors associated with endometriosis, two presented areas with atypia, considered premalignant lesions. Conclusions. Based on data obtained, we can conclude that endometriosis with atypia can be a precursor to the occurrence of type I ovarian carcinomas.


There is a growing awareness that the problematic nature of collaboration in construction design projects is further complicated by the use of interoperable information technologies (IT) in Building Information Modelling (BIM) enabled projects. Consequently, there is a need to better understand the ways interoperable IT get involved in inter-disciplinary relations and affect mutual engagement of different design members. Findings from the study of a BIM enabled design project are analysed using the concept of interdependencies in the interactions between practitioners and their organisations. The paper draws a distinction between "model interdependencies" and "design interdependencies" concerned with the IT and the design task respectively. This distinction helps to deal with the complex nature of practice by expressing the different needs people have in their task interactions using technology in organisations. It is concluded that the conflicts between model and design interdependencies cause segregation into separate model development and design development at the organisational level. Project organisations should be aware of this and take necessary social and technological precautions to achieve better design collaboration.


Abstract We propose a multivariate nonlinear econometric time series model, which can be used to examine if there is common nonlinearity across economic variables. The model is a multivariate censored latent effects autoregression. The key feature of this model is that nonlinearity appears as separate innovation-like variables. Common nonlinearity can then be easily defined as the presence of common innovations. We discuss representation, inference, estimation and diagnostics. We illustrate the model for US and Canadian unemployment and find that US innovation variables have an effect on Canadian unemployment, and not the other way around, and also that there is no common nonlinearity across the unemployment variables.


Aim of this study was to verify the incidence of Separation Related Disorder in Miniature and Toy Poodles. A questionnaire was used, divided into three sections: the first concerning the personal data of the owner, the second the dog (age, sex, castration and date of acquisition) and the last one intended to analyze the behavior of the animal. Questionnaires received were 227, of which 124 males (17 castrated) and 103 females (34 neutered). Among the owners, 44.49% of them believed their animals (n = 101) experience SRD. The statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the two sexes of animals, with an incidence of separation problems of 41.7% among the males and 46.8% among the females (X 2 = 0.576; n.s.) The most common behaviors encountered during periods of loneliness by animals showing SRD were vocalizations (76.24%), destruction (28.71%), inappropriate eliminations (16.83%), loss of appetite (12.87%) and finally excessive salivation (11.88%). Vocalizations (♀ 86.0% vs ♂ 69.0%; Χ 2 = 3.977; p = 0.047) and excessive salivation (♀ 17.2% vs ♂ 4.7%; X 2 = 3.793; p = 0.05) were more statistically presented by females than males. These data represent a first analysis of the incidence of Separation Related Disorder in Miniature and Toy Poodle. The great percentage of owners (44%) who said that their animals show discomfort when being alone at home permit to suppose that this breed is particularly predisposed to live the periods of loneliness with difficulty.


COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF A DOSIMETRIC NEBULIZER USING CIRCULAIRE AND A TRADITIONAL VIXONE NEBULIZER By Nwakaego C. Okere, RRT Aerosol administration via small-volume nebulizers are still being used by selected patient-population. In the economic market, several nebulizer designs have become available, with each incorporating unique features that will potentially establish it as the preferred choice in aerosol delivery. With the continuous rising cost of health care services, clinicians are faced with the task of identifying opportunities for cost reduction in respiratory care. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of dosimetric nebulization using the Circulaire system and the traditional VixOne nebulizer. The desired outcome was to elevate awareness of the potential impact of the Circulaire, and how its adoption might reduce costs and enhance productivity in respiratory care. METHODS: A retrospective study using existing data collected from an urban tertiary adult hospital with a Level II Trauma Center was completed. DATA ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were run for each variable. The total cost of a full-time Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) with benefits per hour was calculated. The average number of RRTs per 12-hour shift, average number of nebulizer treatments by an RRT per 12-hour shift, average costs of traditional VixOne nebulizer and the Circulaire system were also calculated. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics indicated the annual cost of delivering aerosol therapy using the traditional VixOne nebulizer at 9-minutes treatment time to be $114,263.25 per year. The Circulaire was compared at two different treatment times of 5-minutes and 3-minutes, and the annual costs were $137,422.50 per year and $116,982.50 respectively. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted, and the treatment load was increased by 30%, with a reduction to 5 RRTs per shift. Data indicated an annual savings of 8% with the Circulaire at 5-minutes treatment time, and 21% with the Circulaire at 3-minutes treatment time. CONCLUSION: The use of the Circulaire system at 5-minutes or 3-minutes treatment time can reduce department expenditure by reducing labor costs.


The use of conventional flocculants such as Aluminum sulphate (Alum) alone to treat the wastewater may be insufficient to get the required turbidity, suspended solids removal as well as it requires relatively a long residence time. Magnetic flocculation is one of the used techniques for increase the efficiency of the turbidity removal. In the present study, three sets of experiments are carried out in order to investigate the possibility of increasing the suspended solid removal efficiency from Al Doura oil refinery wastewater using iron oxide (Fe3O4), Nickel (Ni), and Cobalt (Co) ferromagnetic powders with alum. The following operating conditions namely, pH, alum dose, ferromagnetic powder dose, and initial turbidity are studied. The results revealed that an improvement in turbidity removal efficiency is satisfied, as well as, a reasonable reduction in the sedimentation period is achieved. The highest turbidity removal is 99.88% that obtained for 122NTU sample for alum dose 120 mg/L+ Nickel dose of 80mg/L and pH of 6.5.


The evolvement of plate in 15-roller combination leveler has been studied in this paper using both geometrical analysis and FEM. The results show that the bending deformation and curvature evolvement are different from those obtained by general leveler. The technologies of parallel leveling and tension leveling are adaptive to the roll system of combination leveler, which not only can improve leveling precision, but also can erase the influence of negative torque on leveling roll, thus improving the leveling strength capacity of leveling materials. Meanwhile, a new calculating method of leveling process was pointed out, whose results were basically consistent to those of experimental results.


cDNAs were recently isolated from BALB/c mouse mast cells (MCs) that encode the new signaling protein mouse Ras guanine nucleotide releasing protein 4 (mRasGRP4). The present study evaluates the expression pattern and biological activity of mRasGRP4 in a variety of mouse strains. As assessed immunohistochemically and by RNA analysis, mRasGRP4 is not coordinately expressed with any of its family members. Normally, mRasGRP4 is an MC-restricted protein in tissues, and kinetic studies revealed that mRasGRP4 is expressed relatively early in developing MCs. The expression of mRasGRP4 in the fetus before granulated MCs become abundant supports the conclusion that RasGRP4 participates in MC-specific differentiation pathways. Functional studies conducted with recombinant material revealed that mRasGRP4 is a cation-dependent, diacylglycerol (DAG)-regulated, guanine nucleotide exchange factor. Immunoelectron microscopic studies revealed that mRasGRP4 resides in either the cytosol or inner leaflet of the plasma membrane of the MC, implying that DAG controls the intracellular movement of this signaling protein in c-kit-stimulated MCs. The mRasGRP4 gene resides on chromosome 7B1 within a site that is prominently linked to baseline airway reactivity in backcrossed C3H/HeJ and A/J mice. A truncated isoform of mRasGRP4 that lacks its DAG-regulatory domain was isolated from C3H/HeJ mouse MCs. Sequence analysis showed that this isoform is the result of defective splicing of the precursor transcript. MCs play a central role in allergic inflammation. The discovery of a novel isoform of mRasGRP4 in hyporesponsive mice suggests that airway reactivity is influenced by RasGRP4-dependent signaling events in pulmonary MCs.