Botswana sits within interlocking circles of international, regional and national governance. It has not moved to a clean energy transition but faces complex energy decisions. This paper identifies the key decision makers and the views of Botswanan actors in the context of potential future energy shortages. Their view is that electricity availability for all should be the key goal for Botswana and that, as a non-Annex 1 country, utilisation of indigenous coal resources and building new coal fired power stations will be necessary. They see the hypocrisy of Annex 1 countries asking a country like Botswana to depend on low performance Renewable Energy Technologies, while not moving themselves to dependence on clean energy. The article provides an adjunct to the arguments for a new approach to the UNFCC negotiations as suggested by the Hartwell report (Prins et al. 2010) with the 'responsible use of coal' as part of a low carbon growth trajectory


A special bifilar 40t electroslag remelting(ESR) furnace for slab products has been fabricated to produce heavy plates for special application. The ESR slabs with the maximum thickness of the world in size of 980 mm thickness, 2000 mm wideness and 2800 mm length have been produced successfully. However, the ingots surface quality is a serious problemn in ESR process for large slab ingots, for ingot and mold with a relatively mobile, larger ingot contraction and thicker slag skin. Using CaF2-CaO-Al2O3-SiO2-MgO slag, suited remelting rate, lower filling ration, smooth movement of mold and adjusting taper of the mold and are necessary for improving surface quality of the ESR large slab ingots.


A 24 year-old woman was referred for suspicion of craniosynostosis. She had no past medical history and the ultrasound performed during first trimester screen for trisomy revealed a slightly flattened forehead, which alerted the treating physician. In our center, fetal cardiac and morphological ultrasounds were done and revealed significant craniofacial dysmorphism with prominent temporal bones, large thumbs and upward displacement of the right hemidiaphragm. Amniocentesis was normal. Follow-up ultrasound at 26 weeks showed progression of the craniofacial deformity, polyhydramnios and macrosomia. Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (GCPS) was then suspected. The patient opted for termination of pregnancy. On macroscopic evaluation, the fetus was a male weighing 1510 g (normal for 28–29 weeks). Craniosynostosis was confirmed from the prominent forehead and absence of fontanelles. Hypertelorism, polysyndactyly, brachydactyly and bilateral palmar creases were also noted. GCPS consists of a triad of hypertelorism, macrocephaly and polysyndactyly. Its incidence is estimated to be 1-9/1,000,000. Other anomalies seen in GCPS include craniosynostosis, diaphragmatic hernia, mental retardation and agenesis of the corpus callosum. It is caused by mutations in GLI3 and is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Careful observation of the forehead during first trimester screening could potentially allow early detection of Greig syndrome, especially in families at high risk.


Latent prediction models, exemplified by multilayer networks, employ hidden variables that automate abstract feature discovery. They typically pose nonconvex optimization problems and effective semi-definite programming (SDP) relaxations have been developed to enable global solutions (Aslan et al., 2014). However, these models rely on nonparametric training of layer-wise kernel representations, and are therefore restricted to transductive learning which slows down test prediction. In this paper, we develop a new inductive learning framework for parametric transfer functions using matching losses. The result for ReLU utilizes completely positive matrices, and the inductive learner not only delivers superior accuracy but also offers an order of magnitude speedup over SDP with constant approximation guarantees.


An integrated program of ecosystem modeling and extensive field studies at Glacier and Olympic National Parks has quantified many of the ecological processes affected by climatic variability and disturbance. Models have successfully estimated snow distribution, annual watershed discharge, and stream temperature variation based on seven years of monitoring. Various climatic scenarios were applied with the models to examine potential future wilderness conditions. This modeling indicates that reduced net primary productivity and altered disturbance patterns can be expected in dry, east-side forest ecosystems in Montana and Washington under climatic warming. In addition, empirical studies show that climatic variability has strong teleconnections with tree growth and regeneration at annual to decadal scales, resulting in predictable, directional changes under different climatic scenarios. A transect of mountain bioregions from the Pacific Coast to the Rocky Mountains, which builds on past research, is determining how future climatic variability will affect wilderness in the context of regional ecosystem dynamics.


with tritiated thymidine. Thrombosed vessels were occasionally seen in the bases of the oesophageal ulcers, with gross epithelial hyperplasia and numerous mitotic figures which were distinguishable from carcinomas only by the absence of muscular invasion of the disorganised epithelial overgrowth. Most of these lesions cleared with parenteral riboflavin.' Despite these widespread and severe changes in the squamous epithelium, ocular and respiratory abnormalities such as are found in vitamin A deficiency were not seen.


The SH2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase PTPN11 (Shp2) is required for normal development and is an essential component of signaling pathways initiated by growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix. In many of these pathways, Shp2 acts upstream of Ras. About 50% of patients with Noonan syndrome have germ-line PTPN11 gain of function mutations. Associations between Noonan syndrome and an increased risk of some malignancies, notably leukemia and neuroblastoma, have been reported, and recent data indicate that somatic PTPN11 mutations occur in children with sporadic juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, myelodysplasic syndrome, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia patients without PTPN11 mutations have either homozygotic NF-1 deletion or activating RAS mutations. Given the role of Shp2 in Ras activation and the frequent mutation of RAS in human tumors, these data raise the possibility that PTPN11 mutations play a broader role in cancer. We asked whether PTPN11 mutations occur in other malignancies in which activating RAS mutations occur at low but significant frequency. Sequencing of PTPN11 from 13 different human neoplasms including breast, lung, gastric, and neuroblastoma tumors and adult AML and acute lymphoblastic leukemia revealed 11 missense mutations. Five are known mutations predicted to result in an activated form of Shp2, whereas six are new mutations. Biochemical analysis confirmed that several of the new mutations result in increased Shp2 activity. Our data demonstrate that mutations in PTPN11 occur at low frequency in several human cancers, especially neuroblastoma and AML, and suggest that Shp2 may be a novel target for antineoplastic therapy.


This paper addresses dynamic data-driven prediction of lean blowout (LBO) phenomena in confined combustion processes, which are prevalent in many physical applications (e.g., land-based and aircraft gas-turbine engines). The underlying concept is built upon pattern classification and is validated for LBO prediction with time series of chemiluminescence sensor data from a laboratory-scale swirl-stabilized dump combustor. The proposed method of LBO prediction makes use of the theory of symbolic dynamics, where (finite-length) time series data are partitioned to produce symbol strings that, in turn, generate a special class of probabilistic finite state automata (PFSA). These PFSA, called D-Markov machines, have a deterministic algebraic structure and their states are represented by symbol blocks of length D or less, where D is a positive integer. The D-Markov machines are constructed in two steps: (i) state splitting, i.e., the states are split based on their information contents, and (ii) state merging, i.e., two or more states (of possibly different lengths) are merged together to form a new state without any significant loss of the embedded information. The modeling complexity (e.g., number of states) of a D-Markov machine model is observed to be drastically reduced as the combustor approaches LBO. An anomaly measure, based on Kullback-Leibler divergence, is constructed to predict the proximity of LBO. The problem of LBO prediction is posed in a pattern classification setting and the underlying algorithms have been tested on experimental data at different extents of fuel-air premixing and fuel/air ratio. It is shown that, over a wide range of fuel-air premixing, D-Markov machines with D > 1 perform better as predictors of LBO than those with D = 1.


Poets have commonly speculated about the purposes and effects of their works. Perhaps most famously, the British Romantics posited a version of the poet as prophetic mouthpiece of God. In Percy Bysshe Shelley's memorable formulation, "Poets are the hierophants of an unapprehended inspiration; the mirrors of the gigantic shadows which futurity casts upon the present.... the influence which is moved not, but moves. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world" ("Defense" 1087). In America, this lofty concept of the poet was taken up by the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson: [The Poet] stands among partial man for the complete man.... The poet is the sayer, the namer, and represents beauty. He is a sovereign, and stands on the centre.... whenever we are so finely organized that we can penetrate into that region where the air is music, we hear those primal warblings, and attempt to write them down. (242, 244) Walt Whitman took seriously Shelley's and Emerson's pronouncements, audaciously claiming, "American poets are to enclose old and new for America is the race of races. Of them a bard is to be commensurate with a people.... His spirit responds to his country's spirit.... he incarnates its geography and natural life and rivers and lakes" (713). Although Victorian types like the Fireside Poets, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John Greenleaf Whittier, were somewhat more restrained, they still saw their poetic works as contributing to both the democratization and ethical progress of America--and the world. Opposed to these nineteenth-century tendencies was a more archly modern view, which tended to dismiss romantic ideas about art. Instead, modernists attempted to create what Richard Poirier once called a "world elsewhere," meaning in part that properly modernist poets were uninterested in the moral effects of their writing. Art and poetry constituted activity separate from the mundane world. As Archibald MacLeish memorably put it, poems "should not mean, but be." W. H. Auden summed up this position in his poem, "In Memory of W. B. Yeats": For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives In the valley of its saying where executives Would never want to tamper; it flows south From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs, Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives, A way of happening, a mouth. (94) In recent days, there has been a resurgence, it seems, of certain romantic ideas about how art should be focused on this world and attempt somehow to legislate a proper view of culture and society. Much of this movement arose in the so-called protest poetry of the sixties era by the likes of W. S. Merwin and Gary Snyder. Certainly Merwin and Snyder have strong affinities with earlier pastoral poets. In addition, however, the work of "ecopoets" goes beyond the somewhat more naive speculations of the Romantics. Leonard M. Scigaj has noted, for instance, that ecopoetry is deeply conversant with contemporary ecological sciences, and as a result it "persistently stresses human cooperation with nature conceived as a dynamic, interrelated series of cyclic feedback systems" (Sustainable Poetry 37). According to J. Scott Bryson, ecopoetry, "while adhering to certain conventions of romanticism, also advances beyond that tradition and takes on distinctly contemporary problems and issues" (5). Bryson identifies three primary characteristics that take ecopoetry beyond earlier forms: a focus on the interdependent nature of the world, an imperative toward humility regarding the natural world, and an intense skepticism about rationalism and technology (5-7). The upshot is a movement convinced of its ability to shape belief and practice in the modern world but also one largely beyond the naive individualism of earlier romanticisms. John Gatta, in his impressively comprehensive study Making Nature Sacred, greatly expands and complicates the connection between the ecopoets and the Romantics. …


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 followed by docetaxel.

PATIENTS AND METHOD
Twenty-eight patients with advanced gastric cancer underwent gastrectomy without preoperative chemotherapy. These patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of cytologic results of peritoneal lavage (CY) and the presence of local peritoneal metastatic nodules (P): CY1-P0, CY0-P1, and CY1-P1. Oral S-1 (80 mg/m(2)/day) was administered for 3 consecutive weeks, followed by intravenous docetaxel (35 mg/m(2)) on days 29 and 43 (1 cycle). This cycle was repeated every 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was the ability to complete 6 cycles of S-1 followed by docetaxel. The secondary endpoints were safety, progression-free survival, mean survival time (MST), and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS
The subjects were 18 men and 10 women (39 to 78 years old, median age, 64 years). The extent of peritoneal metastasis was CY1-P0 in 8 patients, CY0-P1 in 14 patients, and CY1-P1 in 6 patients. Both hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities were generally mild. The completion rate of the planned 6 cycles of the protocol was 71.4% (20 of 28 patients). Median progression-free survival was 22.9 months, and the 2-year survival rate was 78.6%. The overall MST was 34.3 months, and the MST by group was 34.5 for CY1-P0, 34.3 for CY0-P1, and 19.3 months for CY1-P1. The OS in the CY1-P0 and CY0-P1 groups was significantly longer than that in the CY1-P1 group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
Adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 followed by docetaxel is safe and well tolerated and has the potential to improve OS in patients with a status of CY1P0 following relatively curative resection.


This study used the extended version of the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, which is based on the identity status paradigm developed by Marcia (1966), to examine the effects of several variables on identity development.

The relationship of ego identity to ethnic background, sex-role, intergenerational conflict, and self-esteem was investigated in a group of 278 year 11 and 12 students from four catholic schools in Perth, Western Australia. To study the effects of ethnicity on identity development, the subjects were divided into 2 main categories, Anglo-Australian and combined-Ethnic, which were further subdivided into four groups, Australian, Anglo, Italian, and Ethnic. Significant differences between these groups were obtained with regards to identity achievement. Both Anglo and Ethnic adolescents obtained significantly higher achievement stage scale scores than Australian and Italian adolescents. With regards to identity foreclosure, it was found that Italian adolescents were significantly more foreclosed than the Australian adolescents and more foreclosed than Ethnic and Anglo adolescents.

These findings suggested that culture-specific factors affect identity development conflict to a greater degree than cultural conflict.

Culture specific factors were also reflected in the results obtained for sex-role orientation. Females in the combined-Ethnic group tended to be more sex-typed than Anglo-Australian females, while males in the combined-Ethnic group were significantly more androgynous than the Anglo-Australian males. Furthermore, a masculine orientation in Anglo-Australian males seemed to be associated with identity achievement, while in all other groups an androgynous orientation tended to be associated with identity achievement. With regards to intergenerational conflict, the findings did not support the cultural conflict hypothesis, although females in the combined-Ethnic group tended to report more frequent disagreement with parents, as well as more drastic modes of handling these disagreements than all other groups.
The effects of ethnic identification on the identity development of the adolescents in the combined-ethnic group were also studied. The results tended to suggest that those individuals who did not consider themselves highly Australian, while they identified strongly with their own ethnic group, tended to be in the identity foreclosure status. Identity achievement seemed to be associated with high identification with the Australian culture, either to the exclusion of, or along with, high identification with the ethnic culture.

Androgynous males and females were found to score significantly higher than undifferentiated males and females on a self-esteem measure.

Theoretically consistent findings regarding the relationship between identity status and self-esteem, and identity status and sex-role, provided predictive validity for the extended version of the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOM-EIS) .


Bayesian model comparison requires the specification of a prior distribution on the parameter space of each candidate model. In this connection two concerns arise: on the one hand the elicitation task rapidly becomes prohibitive as the number of models increases; on the other hand numerous prior specifications can only exacerbate the well-known sensitivity to prior assignments, thus producing less dependable conclusions. Within the subjective framework, both difficulties can be counteracted by linking priors across models in order to achieve simplification and compatibility; we discuss links with related objective approaches. Given an encompassing, or full, model together with a prior on its parameter space, we review and summarize a few procedures for deriving priors under a submodel, namely marginalization, conditioning, and Kullback--Leibler projection. These techniques are illustrated and discussed with reference to variable selection in linear models adopting a conventional $g$-prior; comparisons with existing standard approaches are provided. Finally, the relative merits of each procedure are evaluated through simulated and real data sets.


Children's online activities are routinely tracked, aggregated, and exploited by online services, to manipulate children's online behaviour or monetise. This contributes to the so-called datafied childhood. Unfortunately, such datafication remains largely invisible behind the services and is practically impossible to avoid. Existing approaches largely focus on direct online harms, and provide limited support to raise children's awareness or understanding of how their data may be processed, transmitted across platforms, and used to affect their best interests. Through co-design workshops, we identified key barriers for children and families to cope with this type of data privacy risk. Our contribution is that instead of regarding children as passive users and needing protection, we draw on critical digital literacy theories and design a KOALA Hero app, which is aimed to enhance children's cognitive, situated and critical thinking of datafication and online data privacy risks. KOALA Hero represents our first step towards facilitating children's understanding of the invisible data privacy risks. We hope future empirical evaluations will further inform us regarding how our design approaches may affect the thinking process and behaviours of children and families.


5G networks promise high data rates, low latency and extreme reliability. Existing literature is saturated with simulation and numerical investigations on 5G. However, a limited number of studies are available on the evaluation of 5G networks in real-time heterogeneous environments. As 5G networks are being deployed worldwide. Therefore, it is significant to analyse the performance of 5G network in real life, which can be helpful for planning future deployments. This study provides the implementation of a portable 5G testbed and presents the experimental results of ground and aerial measurement campaign in order to evaluate the performance of 5G network operating at 3.5 GHz in terms of coverage, throughput and latency.


Introduction Achilles tendon is the most common tendon to suffer for complete rupture. Physically active young adults are often treated with surgery. Most of the patients do not suffer from activity limitations after injury3 but performance level is often significantly decreased.1,2 The purpose of this study was to follow recovery of Achilles tendon and triceps surae muscles after complete Achilles tendon rupture and subsequent surgery. This study served as a pilot phase for future research project. Methods Three subjects were recruited to this pilot phase of the study. Subjects were first time measured 2 to 8 months after injury and followed 6 to 8 months. Plantarflexion strength was measured with isometric maximal voluntary contraction in a dynamometer, triceps surae muscle size and architecture was measured using ultrasonography and Achilles tendon stiffness was calculated from force-elongation relationship (Figure 1) measured using dynamometer and ultrasonography. Abstract 99 Figure 1 An example of force-elongation relationship measured from injured Achilles tendon Results One of the three subjects reached plantarflexion strength level comparable to healthy leg. Other two subjects improved strength during follow-up but reached only 72 and 77% of the healthy leg's value at the end of the follow-up. Similarly to plantarflexion strength, gastrocnemius cross-sectional area recovered only in one of the three subjects during the follow-up. In the two subjects suffering from strength deficit after follow-up, pennation angle of medial gastrocnemius was larger in the injured leg during force production. Achilles tendon stiffness was not greatly different between the legs at the end of the follow-up and increased in each subject during the follow-up (Figure 2). Abstract 99 Figure 2 Achilles tendon stiffness during follow-up period measured from injured and healthy leg Discussion Persistent atrophy of the calf muscles may explain why two of the subjects were not able to produce similar plantarflexion force with the injured leg 10 to 16 months after injury compared to the healthy leg. Other factors contributing to force deficit may be related to possible elongation of the injured Achilles tendon causing alterations to muscle mechanics. For example, larger pennation angle will decrease the proportion of muscle force transmitted to skeleton. In future, the aim is to start systematic collection of data from patients recovering from Achilles tendon rupture in order to understand why some develop persistent physical deficits and to gain knowledge that can be used to develop operation and rehabilitation regimes. References 1 Amin, et al. Am J Sports Med. 2013;41:1864–1868 2 Olsson, et al. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011;19:1385–1393 3 Strauss, et al . Injury Int J Care Injured. 2007;38:832–838


Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world. The stimulant effects of caffeine are mediated through its antagonistic properties on neuronal adenosine receptors. In addition, caffeine blocks neurovascular adenosine receptors and decreases cerebral perfusion. Although the effects of caffeine on blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging measures are extremely important, there are few studies addressing this issue in the literature. Because chronic caffeine use causes an upregulation of adenosine receptors, the differential effects of caffeine in low and high users is of particular interest. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that caffeine has differential effects on the BOLD signal in high and low caffeine users. We demonstrated that the BOLD signal change in visual cortex was significantly greater in high users than in low users in the presence of caffeine. In addition, the magnitude of the BOLD signal was significantly correlated with caffeine consumption. We propose that the outcome observed here was due to an upregulation of adenosine receptors in high users, resulting in differential contributions of the neural and vascular effects of adenosine in the two study populations.


An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effects of some geometric parameters of runners and nozzles (e.g., diameter ratio and throat width ratio) on the efficiency in the cross-flow turbines, by varying of ratio of inner-to-outer diameters of runners and gate openings of two different turbine nozzles under different heads. In this study, four different types of runners (170 mm outer diameter, 114 mm width) were designed and manufactured to investigate the effects of the ratio of inner-to-outer diameters of runners on the turbine efficiency. Each runner had 28 blades and the ratios of inner-to-outer diameters of runners were 0·75, 0·67, 0·58 and 0·54, respectively. The runners were denoted with the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, and nozzles A and B. The blade inlet and outlet angles were selected as 30° and 90°. Nozzles A and B were of rectangular cross-sectional channels. Nozzles outlet angles of two solid walls of 16° were measured from the circumferential direction. The performance parameters namely output power, efficiency, runaway speed, reduced speed and power for different nozzle/runner combinations were investigated by changing head range from 8 to 30 m, the nozzle A-runner combinations (A–1, 2, 3, 4) and from 4 to 17 m, the nozzle B-runner combination (B–2) at different gate openings. The results of the present study clearly indicated that there was a negligible difference (e.g., 3% in total between 0·54 and 0·75 diameter ratio) in the efficiency of turbine for different diameter ratios and heads, and that the highest efficiency was obtained as 72% for A–2. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


We consider the possibility that all particles in the world are fundamentally identical, i.e., belong to the same species. Different masses, charges, spins, flavours or colours then merely correspond to different quantum states of the same particle, just as spin-up and spin-down do. The implications of this viewpoint can be best appreciated within Bohmian mechanics, a precise formulation of quantum mechanics with particle trajectories. The implementation of this viewpoint in such a theory leads to trajectories different from those of the usual formulation, and thus to a version of Bohmian mechanics that is inequivalent to, though arguably empirically indistinguishable from, the usual one. The mathematical core of this viewpoint is however rather independent of the detailed dynamical scheme Bohmian mechanics provides, and it amounts to the assertion that the configuration space for N particles, even N 'distinguishable particles', is the set of all N-point subsets of physical 3-space.


To develop new recombinant monoclonal antibody fragments for therapy and imaging, it is indispensable to have a simple and easy procedure to handle the eukaryotic expression system for production of proteins in high amounts. Gene amplification techniques such as the dehydrofolate reductase (DHFR) system in Chinese hamster ovary cells or the glutamine synthase system in myeloma cells have a couple of disadvantages. The selection procedure is complex, time-consuming, and not fruitful in all cases. The toxic drug methotrexate (for the DHFR system) can increase the production rate but decreases the specific growth rate of the cells. The production rate is not always stable over a long-term cultivation period. To overcome these problems, we are using stably transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells in combination with an efficient screening method. Sodium butyrate can increase the expression of recombinant antibody fragments in the transfectomas up to 500 micrograms/4.2 x 10(7) cells/24 h corresponding to 175 micrograms/mL culture medium. This strategy allows a rapid development of new recombinant monoclonal antibody fragments and allows one to proceed rapidly to in vivo testing.


We have selected a peptide-display phage library on IgM Abs and identified a panel of phage-expressing peptides that bind to IgM Abs in general, but not to Abs of other classes. A synthetic peptide corresponding to one of the displayed peptide sequences also binds to IgM Abs. The peptides bind to both soluble pentameric Abs and to monomeric cell-surface IgM. The phage-displayed and synthetic peptides inhibit the binding of IgM Abs to Ag. These peptides may create confounding artifacts when IgM Abs are used for epitope mapping studies. Nonetheless, the peptides may have both experimental and therapeutic utility.


For two generations, the Legal Process school of interpretation supplied the dominant framework for understanding statutory interpretation. At the most basic level, those materials instructed judges (a) to assume that the legislature consisted of "reasonable persons pursuing reasonable purposes reasonably" and (b) to interpret statutes accordingly. This essay examines ways in which Justice Scalia challenged this consensus. In particular, Justice Scalia emphasized that all legislation is as filtered through the complex processes that our Constitution prescribes for reducing policy impulses into binding law. Those processes consist of the steep requirements of bicameralism and presentment and the various rules of procedure that each House has adopted pursuant to its Article I authority to do so. According to Justice Scalia, those procedures deliberately make it difficult to enact legislation. This feature, in turn, accords to political minorities extraordinary power to block legislation or insist upon compromise as the price of assent. Sometimes the resulting compromises will be awkward because proponents of legislation must accept half a loaf. Hence, said Justice Scalia, to assume that laws are reasonable and coherent (as the Legal Process school did) is to deny the realities of the legislative process and to give short shrift to the very possibility of legislative compromise.


Improving basic riding technique is all about perfecting it over time. There is no quick fix; it takes months or even years to develop. You have to learn to work as a team with every horse you ride, whether you are a novice rider just starting out, or an advanced rider wanting to improve. This book will give you a greater insight as to how three aspects of riding - stopping, moving and turning - are used both separately and interlinked to enable you to establish a correct training regime, whether you are starting a young horse, or retraining an older individual. The outcome of being able to stop, go and turn with ease is a horse that is well balanced, attentive to the rider's aids and able to work through his back, and this can only be achieved under a ride with a correct position and clear aids. This book shows you how.


Ground reaction forces were recorded for jumps of three individuals each of Lemur catta and Eulemur fulvus. Animals jumped back and forth between a ground-mounted force plate and a 0.5-m elevated platform, covering horizontal distances of 0.5-2 m. In total, 190 takeoffs and 263 landings were collected. Animals typically jumped from a run up and into a run out, during which they gained or into which they carried horizontal impulse. Correspondingly, vertical impulses dominated takeoffs and landings. Peak forces were moderate in magnitude and not much higher than forces reported for quadrupedal gaits. This is in contrast to the forces for standing jumps of specialized leapers that considerably exceed forces associated with quadrupedal gaits. Force magnitudes for the lemur jumps are more comparable to peak forces reported for other quadrupeds performing running jumps. Takeoffs are characterized by higher hindlimb than forelimb peak forces and impulses. L. catta typically landed with the hindlimbs making first contact, and the hindlimb forces and impulses were higher than the forelimb forces and impulses at landing. E. fulvus typically landed with the forelimbs striking first and also bearing the higher forces. This pattern does not fully conform to the paradigm of primate limb force distribution, with higher hindlimb than forelimb forces. However, the absolute highest forces in E. fulvus also occur at the hindlimbs, during acceleration for takeoff.


Two laterally traceable discontinuities (Montana, United States) that vary in character and origin provide a means of subdividing fully nonmarine strata into genetic packages that are likely related to changes in relative sea level. Both discontinuities are situated >100 km inland of contemporaneous shorelines, and both are characterized by features that render them distinguishable from other surfaces in the alluvial record (e.g., pervasive oxidation, persistent and unusually thick lags, extraformational clasts). The lower discontinuity probably formed due to a fall in eustatic sea level and appears analogous to a marine sequence boundary. The upper discontinuity probably formed due to a tectonically induced increase in the rate of base-level rise and lacks characteristic


Oftentimes, prices at farmers' markets are much cheaper than those at grocery stores. However, little is known about the pricing relationship between farmers' markets and nearby grocery stores. Only by further analyzing this relationship can we gain a better understanding of these pricing trends. Although this trend is seemingly consistent, further research is necessary to test this assumption. Through the collection of prices at both locales, farmers' markets and grocery stores, producers as well as consumers will have access to current prices in both markets. In recent years, consumers are looking for local produce and are willing to pay for them as they are faced with increased grocery store prices, while producers are simultaneously seeking to increase their profit margins. This paper uses data that was collected over the course of one year while recording pricing trends from farmers' markets and nearby grocery stores. The survey also records demographic and operational data from individual producers and or vendors at those farmers' markets within the State of Florida. It is hypothesized that producers selling at farmers' markets are not receiving a price premium for their products and the current prices they charge are, on average, significantly less than those found at a grocery store. Research gives evidence that producers should be receiving a price premium for their products. It is believed that they are being paid only a portion of the true market value for their products. As a result of this research, farmers should have a better understanding of state-wide pricing trends at farmers' markets and grocery stores which in turn will help them make better, more informed decisions when pricing and marketing their specialty crops.


Multidrug resistance (MDR) to chemically unrelated therapeutic anticancer agents in mammalian cells is mediated by the overexpression of an ATP-dependent 150- to 180-kD membrane glycoprotein P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Although the complete physiological role of P-gp is unknown, it is proposed to function in cellular detoxification of xenobiotics. In this study, we investigated whether the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos (O,O-diethyl O-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl phosphorothioate) or its metabolites interact with P-gp. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissues from male Fischer 344 rats administered chlorpyrifos (7.6 mg/kg gavage) showed increased P-gp expression in the kidney, adrenal, liver, jejunum, and stomach (tissues associated with elimination of xenobiotics), compared to control tissues. The most prominent increase was detected in the large bile ducts of the liver and the proximal tubule region of the kidney. P-gp expression was increased throughout the adrenal medulla and cortex, while a moderate increase was detected in the epithelial layers of the stomach and jejunum. To examine further the interaction between chlorpyrifos and P-gp, we evaluated whether chlorpyrifos or its active metabolite, chlorpyrifos oxon, could inhibit [3H]azidopine labeling of P-gp in MDR1 baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells. A concentration-dependent inhibition of [3H]azidopine labeling of P-gp was detected with chlorpyrifos oxon, while significant inhibition was not detected with chlorpyrifos. To correlate the binding of chlorpyrifos oxon to P-gp with a biochemical effect, we examined its ability to stimulate P-gp-mediated ATPase activity in these Sf9 cells. Chlorpyrifos oxon stimulated P-gp ATPase activity 1.75 times that of the positive control (10 microM verapamil). Taken together, these results suggest that chlorpyrifos oxon interacts with P-gp, and support the hypothesis that P-gp may play a role in the cellular detoxification of insecticides in mammalian tissues. To our knowledge this is the first report of an organophosphorus insecticide interacting with and increasing the expression of P-gp.


The pastoral areas of Tanzania have been experiencing increasing land-use pressure and
out-migration of pastoralists to other areas. In some areas the immigrant pastoralists have
been involved in resource-use conflicts; raising concern at various levels of governance.
However, the underlying causes of resource-use conflicts are yet to be established. This
study was conducted in Mkata plains and Ngorongoro Conservation Area in order to
determine the role of local institutions in the management of common grazing lands.
Specifically the study aimed at determining trends in land-use and resource tenure; establish strength of local institutions; determine factors determining resource-use conflicts in the study areas. The study indicated that the pastoral system in the study areas was shifting to agro-pastoralism, leading to high grazing intensities and rangeland deterioration. Local institutions were strong and plays central role in the management of communal grazing lands. Factors which significantly (p < 0.05) enhance local institutions include market integration, degradation of rangelands and local leadership. Livestock ownership and local
autonomy are significant in Ngorongoro area; whereas, wealth differentiation significantly
(p < 0.05) undermine local institutions in the study areas. Resource-use conflict in Mkata
plains is mainly over crop damages by livestock. Conflicts in Ngorongoro area involve
conservation authorities and local communities over expansion of cultivation. Factors
significantly (p<0.05) escalating conflicts are wealthy heterogeneity and restrictive policies
in Ngorongoro; and increasing herd size and commercialization in Mkata plains. Strong
local leadership significantly (p<0.05) minimise conflicts in study areas, while livestock
ownership and range deterioration minimises conflicts in Ngorongoro area Local
mechanisms for resolving resource-use conflicts include "conflict resolution committees" in
Mkata plains; and benefit sharing between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority
and local communities The study proposes a cross-linkage institutional framework for management of communal grazing lands. The main conclusion of this study is that local
institutions have persisted and plays a central role in governance of common grazing lands.
It is recommended to establish secure tenure ship of grazing lands for different pastoral
groups and establishing of sustainable carrying capacities and grazing systems in study
areas.


The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Cervitec Plus® on the level of mutans streptococcus (SM) and lactobacillus (LB) colonies and the development of white spot lesions (WSLs) in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. Informed consent was obtained from 32 volunteers (age 16.5 ± 2.75 years). At baseline, levels of the bacterial colonies were determined in saliva and plaque using a chairside test (CRT Bacteria, Ivoclar-Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein), and the number of WSLs was registered. After placing the fixed appliance, Cervitec Plus® or placebo varnishes (Ivoclar-Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein) were applied monthly around the brackets and tubes, randomly in the right or left (test and placebo) quadrants of the same dental arch. SM and LB colonies in saliva and the SM colonies in plaque were determined on 11–21, 13–23, 15–25, and 16–26 teeth monthly over a 6-month period. At the sixth month, the number of new WSLs was determined. By the end of the study, compared with baseline, the ratio of saliva samples belonging to the low-risk category was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.01) from the 2nd month regarding the SM (76 vs. 52%) and LB (69 vs. 52%); reduction of SM in plaque was significantly greater on the test than placebo sides (6.69 ± 1.71 and 4.45 ± 1.60, respectively; p ≤ 0.01). The mean number of new WSLs was significantly lower in the test (0.06 ± 1.60) than in the placebo quadrants (1.13 ± 1.50, p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: Monthly use of Cervitec Plus® could result in a significant improvement in oral health of orthodontic patients.


DNA-binding proteins play an important role in maintaining bacterial chromosome structure and functions. Heat-unstable (HU) histone-like protein is one of the most abundant of these proteins and participates in all major chromosome-related activities. Owing to its low sequence specificity, HU fusions with fluorescent proteins were used for general staining of the nucleoid, aiming to reveal its morphology and dynamics. We have exploited a single chromosomal copy of hupA-egfp fusion under the native promoter and used quantitative microscopy imaging to investigate the amount and dynamics of HUα in Escherichia coli cells. We found that in steady-state growing populations the cellular HUα content is proportional to the cell size, whereas its concentration is size independent. Single-cell live microscopy imaging confirmed that the amount of HUα exponentially increases during the cell cycle, but its concentration is maintained constant. This supports the existence of an auto-regulatory mechanism underlying the HUα cellular level, in addition to reflecting the gene copy number. Both the HUα amount and concentration strongly increase with the cell growth rate in different culture media. Unexpectedly, the HU/DNA stoichiometry also remarkably increases with the growth rate. This last finding may be attributed to a higher requirement for maintaining the chromosome structure in nucleoids with higher complexity.


Concerns regarding resident performance within a small animal department prompted a review of selection practices, with the intent of improving validity and efficiency. Information was gathered from semi-structured interviews and descriptions of current processes; emphasis was placed on determining how the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program application was used. Processes were found to lack standardization and rely heavily on arbitrary judgments. In addition, faculty members expressed concerns regarding their reliability and the time spent generating candidate rankings. Suggestions for improvement were based on current practices in personnel psychology and human resource management. The need for standardization within and across specialty groups was emphasized, along with a multiple-hurdle approach in which a substantial deficit or red flag in any component results in candidate disqualification. Comprehensive recommendations were made for the selection process as follows: Each application undergoes initial administrative screening for employment eligibility and academic cut-offs; eligible applications are scored by 2-3 faculty members using defined ratings on four equally weighted preinterview criteria (i.e., veterinary education, post-graduation experiences, personal statement, and standardized letters of reference); phone calls to colleagues with knowledge of the applicant follow specific guidelines and a rating scale; veterinary-situational structured interview questions with appropriate rating scales are used to assess candidates' standing on specified competencies identified as important for success; and the interview score is weighted equally and added to the four preinterview components to determine the final rank. It is hoped this new approach will take less time and facilitate the selection of successful residents.


Numerous independent reports have shown that sustainable investments have not only been more resilient during the covid-19 pandemic, but they are expected to increase. In fact, sustainable investments using ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) indicators become so popular that the biggest challenge for investors and reporting-solution providers is the ability to benchmark, verify, and cross-communicate this data. Ultimately, these are 'good problems' to have in sustainable energy: how do we make investments that yield the best alpha, while providing the most impact.


During cardiac arrest emergencies, lay rescuers are required to manually check the patient's carotid pulse after the delivery of defibrillation shocks to assess the cardiac resuscitation progress of the patient. As a more automated way of monitoring the resuscitation progress, a new Doppler-ultrasound-based carotid pulse assessment approach is presented in this paper. The method works by analyzing the temporal aperiodicity of Doppler shifts seen in the ultrasound echoes returned from the patient's carotid arteries. As a quantitative investigation with this method, we derived a new measure called the pulselessness indicator to assess whether a carotid pulse is absent based on the given Doppler information. To study the performance of the new carotid pulse checking method, we built a multi-channel CW Doppler prototype device to acquire Doppler data in vivo during cardiac arrest experiments conducted on five different swines and computed pulselessness indicator estimates with these data. Our results indicated that the Doppler-based pulse checking approach has good sensitivity and specificity: it had a pulselessness detection rate greater than 0.9 for a given false alarm rate of 0.05. As a further analysis, the prototype device was applied to other experiments where the swine had suffered cardiac arrest for over five minutes. It showed a consistent assessment performance on the monitoring of the swine's resuscitation progress after defibrillation and chest compressions.


The PAN shared tasks include tasks from a variety of disciplines, including authorship analysis, and are held annually. Participants are able to compete with each other by proposing approaches for a task, which are then compared and evaluated on a test dataset with predefined performance metrics. So far, the test datasets have traditionally been withheld, so that participants may only train and optimize approaches on the training and validation sets. In this year's Style Change Detection task, the objective of which is to locate author changes in multi-author text documents, PAN has also published the test set built from publicly available Q&A platform posts, albeit without ground truth labels. In this paper, we show that the ground truth of the test set can be recovered almost entirely by querying search engines with paragraph excerpts from the test set, crawling the query results and parsing author information of corresponding posts. We point out that this allows others to secretly tailor their approaches to the recovered test labels and thus gain an unfair advantage. Furthermore, as part of an in-depth data analysis, we address a variety of issues and finally suggest improvements for future Style Change Detection tasks.


Canadian households in transition: new perspectives on household experiences, immigration, regions and class in the early twentieth-century Drawing on a new Canadian historical series of census microdata samples, this paper provides the first analysis of household formation and experience based on the publicly available 1901 and 1911 samples. In this one decade, Canadian household composition is found to alter in parallel with patterns reported by Ruggles for the United States, including reductions in living in nuclear-family and other couple-headed households, slightly increased likelihood of household independence and increased residence in households extended to kin. The first decade of the twentieth century was an era of truly mass immigration to Canada. We find that the national patterns mask both large nativity and regional differences in household experiences, which deepen over the decade. The analysis pursues the implications of these immigrant-native-born and associated regional differences in statistical models incorporating gender, age, rural-urban, labour force sector and 'class' differentials as they were tabulated in the censuses. Independent of the effects of other conditions, regional variations remained powerful and nativity differences grew in significance after the massive immigration. DOI: 10.4424/ps2010-14


This paper gives the exact optimal solution to the problem of designing inspection schedules with fallible and time-consuming test procedures. The optimality criterion is designed to achieve a balance between the cost of inspections and the cost of undetected failure. The solution is derived in continuous time, with arbitrary failure distribution, and is based on infinite-horizon dynamic programming with time-dependent utilities, and with an additional optimization with respect to initial conditions. Results include uniqueness and monotonicity properties of the optimal solution, as well as computational algorithms.


Due to the time commitment on the part of the librarian to schedule, prepare, and execute effective research consultations, it is important to continue to evaluate how these consultations impact student learning. The purpose of this investigation was to assess graduate students' perceptions of their learning as a result of working individually with a librarian in a research consultation. A librarian and a member of the teaching faculty collaborated to embed required research consultations with the librarian in two graduate classes. Research journals and a focus group were used to assess the impact the consultations had on student learning.


This paper attempts to study the issue of manual scavenging and its various dimensions. It also looks into the initiatives taken economically, politically and socially by Government and various Civil Society Organisations which bring this scavenging community person together to eradicate or intend to eradicate manual scavenging in India. The papers work on the assumption of how constitutional frameworks and Laws leave much scope for radical reforms as the gaps prevail which weaken implementation. The paper also aspires to look into the Civil Societies Movements, their direction, leadership and strength to understand why these movements have not been able to sufficiently create a pressure group of manual scavenging community despite the constitutional law which prohibits the inhumane practice. Besides the historical legacy of the freedom movement, including Gandhi's and Ambedkar's opposed the practice of manual scavenging. Lastly, analysis and conclusion have drawn with the help of a survey of literature and secondary sources of available data.


In many application domains, data is collected and referenced by its geo-spatial location. Spatial data mining, or the discovery of interesting patterns in such databases, is an important capability in the development of database systems. A noteworthy trend is the increasing size of data sets in common use, such as records of business transactions, environmental data and census demographics. These data sets often contain millions of records, or even far more. This situation creates new challenges in coping with scale. In this paper we propose a novel pixel-oriented visual data mining approach for large spatial datasets. It combines a quadtree based distortion of map regions and a local reposition of pixels within these map regions to avoid overlap in the display. Experiments shows that it produces visualizations of large data sets for the discovery of local correlations, and is practical for exploring geography-related statistical information in a variety of applications including population demographics, epidemiology, and marketing.


Curved mountain belts have always fascinated geologists and geophysicists because of their peculiar structural setting and geodynamic mechanisms of formation.
 The need of studying orogenic bends arises from the numerous questions to which geologists and geophysicists have tried to answer to during the last two decades, such as: what are the mechanisms governing orogenic bends formation? Why do they form? Do they develop in particular geological conditions? And if so, what are the most favorable conditions? What are their relationships with the deformational history of the belt? Why is the shape of arcuate orogens in many parts of the Earth so different? What are the factors controlling the shape of orogenic bends?
Paleomagnetism demonstrated to be one of the most effective techniques in order to document the deformation of a curved belt through the determination of vertical axis rotations. In fact, the pattern of rotations within a curved belt can reveal the occurrence of a bending, and its timing. Nevertheless, paleomagnetic data alone are not sufficient to constrain the tectonic evolution of a curved belt. Usually, structural analysis integrates paleomagnetic data, in defining the kinematics of a belt through kinematic indicators on brittle fault planes (i.e., slickensides, mineral fibers growth, SC-structures).
My research program has been focused on the study of curved mountain belts through paleomagnetism, in order to define their kinematics, timing, and mechanisms of formation. Structural analysis, performed only in some regions, supported and integrated paleomagnetic data. In particular, three arcuate orogenic systems have been investigated: the Western Alpine Arc (NW Italy), the Bolivian Orocline (Central Andes, NW Argentina), and the Patagonian Orocline (Tierra del Fuego, southern Argentina).
The bending of the Western Alpine Arc has been investigated so far using different approaches, though few based on reliable paleomagnetic data. Results from our paleomagnetic study carried out in the Tertiary Piedmont Basin, located on top of Alpine nappes, indicate that the Western Alpine Arc is a primary bend that has been subsequently tightened by further ~50° during Aquitanian-Serravallian times (23-12 Ma). This mid-Miocene oroclinal bending, superimposing onto a pre-existing Eocene nonrotational arc, is the result of a composite geodynamic mechanism, where slab rollback, mantle flows, and rotating thrust emplacement are intimately linked.
Relying on our paleomagnetic and structural evidence, the Bolivian Orocline can be considered as a progressive bend, whose formation has been driven by the along-strike gradient of crustal shortening. The documented clockwise rotations up to 45° are compatible with a secondary-bending type mechanism occurring after Eocene-Oligocene times (30-40 Ma), and their nature is probably related to the widespread shearing taking place between zones of differential shortening. Since ~15 Ma ago, the activity of N-S left-lateral strike-slip faults in the Eastern Cordillera at the border with the Altiplano-Puna plateau induced up to ~40° counterclockwise rotations along the fault zone, locally annulling the regional clockwise rotation. We proposed that mid-Miocene strike-slip activity developed in response of a compressive stress (related to body forces) at the plateau margins, caused by the progressive lateral (southward) growth of the Altiplano-Puna plateau, laterally spreading from the overthickened crustal region of the salient apex. The growth of plateaux by lateral spreading seems to be a mechanism common to other major plateaux in the Earth (i.e., Tibetan plateau).
Results from the Patagonian Orocline represent the first reliable constraint to the timing of bending in the southern tip of South America. They indicate that the Patagonian Orocline did not undergo any significant rotation since early Eocene times (~50 Ma), implying that it may be considered either a primary bend, or an orocline formed during the late Cretaceous-early Eocene deformation phase. This result has important implications on the opening of the Drake Passage at ~32 Ma, since it is definitely not related to the formation of the Patagonian orocline, but the sole consequence of the Scotia plate spreading.
Finally, relying on the results and implications from the study of the Western Alpine Arc, the Bolivian Orocline, and the Patagonian Orocline, general conclusions on curved mountain belt formation have been inferred.


Background: On 2015, a cluster of chickenpox like symptoms was reported in Baidauli VDC of Nawalparasi, Nepal. This study aims to report the outbreak investigation and guide preventive and control measures.
Methods: This investigation was conducted in Baidauli VDC of Nawalparasi, Nepal where a large number of cases with infectious rashes with fever was reported. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire comprising of socio-demographic characteristics and clinical features. A detailed clinical examination of the cases was also performed. The outbreak was described by time, place and person and the epidemiological curve drawn.
Results: A total of 55 cases from 27 households were affected by chickenpox. The outbreak continued for 45 days. The number of cases peaked (n=25) one month after detection of the primary case. The last case was reported after 15 days of the peak. The commonest age group affected was 5 to 15 years with a mean of 11.3 years (SD 8.9). The mean duration of rashes was 7.2 days (SD 1.7) which ranged from 3 days to 12 days. All the cases had rashes on head/face, trunk, arm and legs, and some had rashes inside the mouth (n=8) and palm (n=5).  Almost 95% (n=52) cases experienced fever.
Conclusions: This study concluded that there was an outbreak of chickenpox. The signs and symptoms of the disease were due to chicken pox infection. Immediate preventive and control measures were recommended to halt the spread of the disease. Health education and awarness regarding the preventive measures of disease should be promoted.


[1] We have used five years of measurements on board the ROCSAT-1 satellite to develop a detailed quiet time global empirical model for equatorial F region vertical plasma drifts. This model describes the local time, seasonal and longitudinal dependence of the vertical drifts for an altitude of 600 km under moderate and high solar flux conditions. The model results are in excellent agreement with measurements from the Jicamarca radar and also from other ground-based and in situ probes. We show that the longitudinal dependence of the daytime and nighttime vertical drifts is much stronger than reported earlier, especially during December and June solstice. The late night downward drift velocities are larger in the eastern than in the western hemisphere at all seasons, the morning and afternoon December solstice drifts have significantly different longitudinal dependence, and the daytime upward drifts have strong wave number-four signatures during equinox and June solstice. The largest evening upward drifts occur during equinox and December solstice near the American sector. The longitudinal variations of the evening prereversal velocity peaks during December and June solstice are anti-correlated, which further indicates the importance of conductivity effects on the electrodynamics of the equatorial ionosphere.


WASH infrastructure at schools in Kenya has not kept pace with increasing student enrolment since the government introduced free primary education in 2002. Nyanza is one of the regions with low coverage in schools, with a deficit of more than 80 per cent of required water and sanitation facilities. While many agencies, including governments, have come up with school-based intervention programmes that alleviate the situation in the short term, sustainability has been a challenge as has monitoring, which is often centralized with little delegated authority at the local level. This paper looks at an innovative approach to delivering WASH services to schools, SWASH+, which piloted a model of devolved monitoring that also addresses sustainability issues.


Introduction and aim According to the policy towards gender equality, Georgia has become one of the most reformed countries in the Caucasus. Despite the fact that many steps have been taken in this regard, the problems are still in the society. The main objective of the study is to identify and analyze gender imbalances in the country on the background of gender stereotypes in the context of civil cognitive levels. Research methodology: In development of the article, generally accepted qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods of the economic science were employed, among them, statistical data processing, data grouping, inductive deductive data analysis methods. The scientific study employs surveying, observation, as well as comparative, analytical, and graphical methods, which are used by the author to compare and analyze facts and assess solutions to specific issues. Results and implications: The paper considers the gender aspects of Discussion of inequality problems in Georgia. Besides, the trends of unemployment and their reasons are identified and the international instruments of protection of human rights regulating the equality between the men and the women in Georgia are considered. In addition, based on the statistical data, is given the analysis of employment and unemployment in a gender respect; a particular accent is made on the need of International practice of gender protection. Conclusion: Stereotypical views on gender roles still exist in Georgia: the function of women is the care and upbringing of children, doing homework, and man-taking care of family finances. The fact is that more men employed in Georgia than women. The level of inactivity in women is almost twice as high as in men with a similar indicator of 42.0% and 21.8% respectively. In 2017, unemployment rate for women Increased by 1.8 percentage points to 12.7 percent, and for men decreased by 1.6 percentage points and by 15 percent. Changes for to the same period are also indicators of activity level. The level of activity increased realised by 1.5 percentage points for women and decreased by 2.8 percentage points for men and 58.2 percent and 74.6 percent respectively. Interesting trends are shown by employment indicators according to age marks. The number of men employed by the 45-54 age group is significantly higher than the number of women employed for the whole nine years, indicating the employment rate of women, especially in the 15-24 age group where the number of men employed is twice as high as the number of women employed. It is also true that the average level of compensation for women is lower than men. Their rates of growth are also different.


A new technique for cinematographic recording at 24 frames per see of variations in auroral forms is discussed. The equipment is a very sensitive image orthicon television system from whose monitor the image is photographed with a 16-mm movie camera. The technique permits changes in auroral forms to be studied which occur in as little as 1/24 sec.


The article describes physical health, psychological health, social trust, and financial situation in persons with deafblindness due to Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1) in comparison with a cross-section of the Swedish population. Persons with USH1 were recruited through the Swedish Usher database. Totally, 87 adults received the Health on Equal Terms (HET) questionnaire. The HET was adjusted, thus the questions were translated into Swedish sign language, and a large font size, better contrast, and a structure compatible with the Braille script reader were also provided. The questionnaire comprises a wide range of domains related to health and wellbeing. In all, 60 persons responded (60% women, mean age: 49 years, range: 21–79 years). The persons with USH1 were compared to a cross section of the Swedish population that included 5738 individuals (56% women, mean age: 49 years, range: 16–84 years). Significant differences in physical health, psychological health, social trust, and financial situation as well as the odds ratio adjusted for sex and age, and its 95% confidence interval are reported. The psychological health, social trust, and financial situation of persons with USH1 were significantly poorer compared to the reference group although this was not the case for physical health. Persons with USH1 only expressed significantly more problems with headache compared to the cross section of the Swedish population. The respondents revealed major problems with fatigue, loss of confidence, and suicide thoughts and attempts. Major social trust and financial problems were reported in terms of refraining going out alone, not receiving help, having no one with whom to share thoughts, and confide in and being unable to obtain 15.000 SEK (approximately US$1.724 or €1.544) in the case of an unforeseen situation. To identify factors associated with physical health, psychological health, social trust, and financial situation is important in the design of future rehabilitation strategies for persons with USH1. The high level of psychological distress and lack of social trust reported could be related to ontological insecurity, as well as lack of recognition from others. Special attention must be devoted to suicide behavior.


Cyclists are one of the main categories of road users particularly exposed to accident risk. The increasing use of this ecological means of transport requires a specific assessment of cyclist safety in terms of traffic flow and human factors. In this study, a particular visual tracking tool has been used to highlight not only the main critical points of the infrastructure, where a high level of distraction is recorded, but also the various interactions with different road users (pedestrians, vehicles, buses, wheelchairs, cyclists). To confirm the critical aspects of the infrastructure and the trend of workload, a similar circuit was reproduced in a bicycle simulator, which also allowed a meaningful comparison of cycling behaviour. The innovative component of this paper is a comparison between a real test, held in Stockholm, and a simulator where the same scenario has been represented, in order to highlight the objective differences in behaviour. The cycling performance was also evaluated both from an objective point of view, with the count of frames related to each category of visualization, and from a subjective one, through the questionnaires. The results show the crossing as a critical aspect because only 4/3% fixation is required for both simulated and real tests to confirm the significance of the comparison between the two experiments. The high attention rate, resulting from frame-by-frame analysis, also points to a clear difference in the perception of users, who feel with a low workload.


Abstract X‑ray diffraction analysis and ultrasonic measurements of a glass with the pyrope composition were conducted to determine its structural and elastic properties at pressures from 1 atm to 12.9 GPa. Our results indicate that its structural evolution is closely related to changes in the compression wave velocity (VP), shear wave velocity (VS), and Poisson ratio. We observed three modes of pyrope glass compression. Moderate shrinkage in the intermediate-range ordered structure occurred at pressures below 6 GPa. Significant shrinkage in the intermediate-range ordering was observed at pressures between 6 and 9 GPa. We observed changes in the short-range ordered structure at pressures above 9 GPa, which were associated with an increase in the coordination number of tetrahedral cations. The absolute values of VP and VS in pyrope glass are similar to those in magnesium-bearing silicate glasses with enstatite and diopside compositions. However, the velocities are higher than those observed in sodium aluminum silicate glasses with jadeite and albite compositions. This indicates that the velocities are governed by the initial density of a glass, which is determined by its chemical composition. In terms of pressure, the velocity minimum in pyrope glass occurs at ~5 GPa, which is similar to the velocity minima in fully polymerized glasses, such as jadeite and albite. The degree of polymerization in pyrope glass is intermediate, and it has a relatively polymerized network. A drastic increase in velocity was observed when the pyrope glass was subjected to pressures above 7–8 GPa, and the velocity exceeded that observed in silicate glasses. Densification phenomenon, such as an increase in the Al coordination number, was efficiently promoted. This was because the cationic field strength of Mg2+ exceeds those of typical non-network forming cations. Magnesium cations may have an important role in controlling the behavior of silicate glass, and partially melted mantle becomes enriched with Mg under pressure. Studying Mg-bearing aluminosilicate glasses can thus help us to better understand the behavior of magma deep in the interior of the Earth.


A new error amplifier is presented for fast transient response of dc-dc converters. The amplifier has low quiescent current to achieve high power conversion efficiency, but it can supply sufficient current during large-signal operation. Two comparators detect large-signal variations, and turn on extra current supplier if necessary. The amount of extra current is well controlled, so that the system stability can be guaranteed in various operating conditions. The simulation results show that the new error amplifier achieves significant improvement in transient response than the conventional one.


Herein, a hybrid catalyst of Pt/CoNiO2 on carbon nanotubes (Pt/CoNiO2–CNTs) has been successfully synthesized by a facile and cost-effective method, and its crystal structures, chemical valence states, and morphologies have been characterized in detail. CO stripping voltammograms reveal that the adsorbed COads on the active sites of the Pt/CoNiO2–CNT catalyst is easily oxidized at a lower potential (−0.60 V) as compared to the Pt particles on rGO (−0.35 V) and acid-treated CNTs (−0.36 V). Cyclic voltammograms demonstrate that the designed Pt/CoNiO2–CNT catalyst possesses an ultrahigh electrocatalytic activity (1136.2 mA mgPt−1) for ethanol oxidation, which is 5.1 and 3.0 times higher than that of Pt/rGO (221.6 mA mgPt−1) and Pt/CNTs (375.4 mA mgPt−1), respectively. The Tafel plot of Pt/CoNiO2–CNTs is 205 mV dec−1, indicating much faster reaction kinetics than that of the compared catalysts. In addition, the outstanding long-term stability indicates that the designed Pt/CoNiO2–CNT catalyst exhibits expected application prospects in direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells. Moreover, the catalytic mechanism of the hybrid Pt/CoNiO2–CNTs has been proposed and discussed via C2 and C1 pathways with respect to the final products for CH3COO− and CO32−, respectively.


The database of grape transcription factors (DGTF) is a plant transcription factor (TF) database comprehensively collecting and annotating grape (Vitis L.) TF. The DGTF contains 1423 putative grape TF in 57 families. These TF were identified from the predicted wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) proteins from the grape genome sequencing project by means of a domain search. The DGTF provides detailed annotations for individual members of each TF family, including sequence feature, domain architecture, expression information, and orthologs in other plants. Cross-links to other public databases make its annotations more extensive. In addition, some other transcriptional regulators were also included in the DGTF. It contains 202 transcriptional regulators in 10 families.


Silicon (Si) is a beneficial nutrient for rice plants; it improves their resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses. Recent research showed that Si availability in soils is, on a large geographic scale, determined by stocks of weatherable silicate minerals. However, also on the smaller regional scale, pronounced differences in Si uptake of rice plants were observed. The reasons for these differences are not yet clear. They might include effects of agricultural management, such as crop residue recycling and irrigation. Here, we test the long-term effects of four different agricultural management practices in Vercelli (Northwest Italy), where one rice crop per year is cultivated from May to September. The experimental platform was installed in 2003 on a Haplic Gleysol known to be under continuous rice cultivation for the last 30 years and having low plant-available Si concentration. The following management practices were considered (i) tillage and crop residue incorporation in spring (ii) post-harvest rice straw burning and tillage in spring, (iii) tillage and crop residue incorporation in autumn, and (iv) tillage and crop residue incorporation in spring followed by dry seeding and delayed flooding. After seven years, in 2010, topsoil and plants were sampled at five points of time during the cropping season. We will examine plant-available Si concentrations in soil and Si uptake by rice. Results will be presented at the conference; they will reveal whether farmers are able to actively improve Si supply to rice plants by their agricultural management.


Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) improve survival and reduce morbidity in patients with heart failure, reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF), and mild-to-severe symptoms, and in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. These clinical benefits are observed in addition to those of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and beta-blockers. The morbidity and mortality benefits of MRAs may be mediated by several proposed actions, including antifibrotic mechanisms that slow heart failure progression, prevent or reverse cardiac remodelling, or reduce arrhythmogenesis. Both eplerenone and spironolactone have demonstrated survival benefits in individual clinical trials. Pharmacologic differences exist between the drugs, which may be relevant for therapeutic decision making in individual patients. Although serious hyperkalaemia events were reported in the major MRA clinical trials, these risks can be mitigated through appropriate patient selection, dose selection, patient education, monitoring, and follow-up. When used appropriately, MRAs significantly improve outcomes across the spectrum of patients with HF-REF.


Purpose of this case report is to present patients in the age is 16.9 years with a rare atypical form of severe myoclonic epilepsy (SME) in infancy and poor outcome. The disease occurred in mild-infancy in form of repeated, lengthy hemiconvulsions, clonic or generalized tonic-clonic convulsions caused by fever, which had little reaction to a small applied anticonvulsive drugs. Current age of little and preschool children frequently appeared focal motor, generalized tonic-clonic seizures and with or without fever. Myoclonic nor atypical apsans attacks were not reported by any. The attacks were extremely stubborn on polytherapy. Were used at least 2 or 3 drugs simultaneously, and experienced all of our available antiepileptics and ketogen diet. The success of applied treatment was partial. In the second and third years reveals a very slow speech development, behavioral hyperactivity prevails with autistic elements. The motor is characteristically awkwardness (clumsiness). EEG recording was made several times in wakefulness, drowsiness and sleep disrupted showed a moderate basic activity with multifocal primary focal changes. Neither one revealed no generalized paroxysmal changes as well as paroxysmal response to fotostimulation. Neuroimagine search: CT brain was normal and MR of brain showed a small arachnoid cyst on the left temporo-basal to the other normal finding. Genetic analysis revealed a mutation in exons 12 SCN1A gene corresponding to the clinical syndrome of severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy. The same analysis in the parents showed normal findings indicating the occurrence of fresh mutations in patients (de novo). The patient continues to have daily uncontrolled generalized tonic and / or clonic seizures, focal motor less frequently, usually during sleep, lasting 1-2 minutes, taking in therapy topiramat, klobazam, stiripentol. Expressed as moderate to severe mental retardation. The boy can not speak, but their demands expressed by mimics and gestures, self-moved, but it is extremely awkward (clumsy) with atactic walk. The participant is a school for children with special needs and is completely dependent on the care of another person.


In acute experiments the oxygen transport properties of two solutions of modified stroma-purified hemoglobin were investigated using anesthetized Wistar rats. The solutions were: solution 1 (Hb = 8.0 g per 100 g, P50 = 12.5 mm Hg) and solution 2 (Hb = 4.4 g per 100 g, P50 = 21.5 mm Hg). The solutions were used in stage-by-stage isovolumic substitution in rats of two groups. The modified hemoglobin solution with a lower hemoglobin oxygen affinity was found to be a more efficient blood substitute. In spite of its low oxygen capacity, it could sustain life activity at very low hematocrit values. When the oxygen capacity of blood is moderate or low, hemoglobin oxygen affinity plays a very important part in oxygen supply to different tissues, specifically to the heart. The latter determines the crucial compensatory physiological reaction to acute anemia, i. e. increase of cardiac output.


The PriceWaterhouseCoopers has been carrying out surveys on CEO's Most Respected Companies in East Africa since 1999. These companies also continue to showcase their financial soundness as they have been profitable over the years. No study has been undertaken to date to establish the link between these companies' reputation and their financial performance in Kenya. A study on Kenya is necessary because the business environment in Kenya is quite different from those o f the developed nations where studies on reputation have been carried out before. The objective o f this study was to establish the relationship between company's corporate reputation and financial performance. This was a relational study of listed companies on the Nairobi Stock Exchange market. The target firms were the 56 firms listed on the NSE. The respective companies were asked to identify their major customers who were approached to take part in the study. Thus, there were 140 employees and 140 customers in the final sample size. Data was collected using questionnaires. These questionnaires were administered using drop and pick later method. Secondary data, especially the financial performance were obtained from the companies' financial statements. Descriptive statistics such as mean scores and standard deviations were used to analyze data using the SPSS. Further, correlation analyses were used to establish the relationship between the independent variable and firm performance as measured by sales growth and return on assets. The study found no significant differences between employee and customer view of corporate reputation. The study also found that the corporate reputation gap for firms listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange is low. It was also noted that corporate reputation influenced both future sales and return on assets but these relationships were insignificant. The study concludes that when the employee perception o f the firm reputation exceeds that of the customers (positive gap), there is much more favorable company performance and the converse is also true. These results have several important implications. The results reveal that it is shortsighted to focus entirely on projects designed to increase reputation among consumers, as marketing managers may do. There is also need to question the previous emphasis on alignment between consumer and employee perceptions. This study suggests that the alignment of affective associations between employees and customers should be seen in a very different way. If, over time, employee perceptions can be consistently kept above those o f customers, this and not the alignment of the two are optimal.


Aim Increasing evidence exists with respect to the relation between stressful life events and functional constipation (FC). We aimed to investigate the prevalence of FC in Palestinian refugee preschool children and to determine if stress and trauma exposure are risk factors of FC in these children. Methods From November 2013 until May 2014, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in West Bank, Gaza and Jordan. Mothers of 862 Palestinian refugee children aged 7–48 months were interviewed on defecation pattern, socio-economic factors and the child's exposure to traumatic events. Results Twelve percent of the Palestinian refugee children fulfilled the criteria for FC. The prevalence of constipation was significantly lower in Gaza compared to Jordan (2% vs. 17%, p <0,001). Living in Gaza was associated with lower odds of FC (OR 0,08, 95% CI 0,03–0,20). Trauma exposure was associated with higher odds of FC (OR 1,19, 95% CI 1,06–1,35), however only a small number of children had been exposed to traumatic events. Conclusion The overall prevalence of FC in Palestinian preschool children is comparable to prevalence rates among older children worldwide. In this age group stressful life events and trauma exposure seem not to play an important role in the development of FC.


This paper reviews the situations and features of earthquake damage to industrial facilities, manufacturing companies, energy supply facilities, and mechanical structures and installations in Japan, and traces trends of countermeasure technology developed focusing on earthquake resistance and vibration control. In Japan, with the 1964 Niigata earthquake as the turning point, earthquake damage to industrial facilities became a social problem. With power stations being constructed in the 1960s, it also became an important technological policy to establish seismic design method for nonbuilding structures such as equipment and piping systems related to nuclear power. The Kobe earthquake in 1995 damaged production companies including leading manufacturers so extensively that it brought a new focus to seismic considerations. We studied the damage to typical equipment and installations and, based on this experience, investigated the features of damage modes to industrial facilities and machinery and considered corresponding technical measures. We present some examples and discuss progressive trends in seismic and vibration control technology following the Kobe earthquake. In particular, we focus on the new seismic design code for high-pressure gas facilities and the development of seismic and vibration control dampers and their applications.


Challenges to traditional American gender scripts, initiated by feminist activists and theorists in the twentieth century, necessitate the reconceptualization of manhood. Central to contemporary feminist texts—both creative and theoretical—is the overt rejection of patriarchal femininities. In envisioning a non-separatist society in which such new ideals of femininity are welcomed, feminist authors simultaneously outline new masculinities suitable for such an egalitarian polity. Feminist works envisioning the improved society and its attending masculinities are therefore invaluable sources for scholars within masculinity studies searching popular culture for improved conceptions of manhood. Responding to the so-called crisis of masculinity, scholars within masculinity studies theorize the attributes of a new, feminist-oriented version of manliness that rejects traditional interests in power and control and, instead, values equality, community, and healing. Contemporary feminist utopias present societies and masculinities grounded in feminist thought and therefore make up an overlooked site for mining new concepts of manhood. During the years in which such novels moved from the margins to the mainstream, the early 1970s to the late 1980s, feminist utopias grew more complex, challenging essentialist conceptions of masculinity and female experience. In addition, they widened their scope to consider the ways patriarchal masculinities reinforce intersectional forces of oppression and how men function within a network of power that, while valuing their gender, distances them from power according to other identity elements such as race and sexuality. While these novels vary in their focus, they are united by an interest in transforming patriarchal masculinities and replacing them with an alternative informed by second wave and intersectional feminism. Contemporary American feminist utopias are, therefore, an overlooked and invaluable site for mining new masculinities that reject hierarchical perspectives and value equality, fraternity, and freedom.


Future robotic deployments will require robots to be able to repeatedly solve a variety of tasks in application domains. Task and motion planning addresses complex robotic problems that combine discrete reasoning over states and actions and geometric interactions during action executions. Moving beyond deterministic settings, stochastic actions can be handled by modeling the problem as a Markov Decision Process. The underlying probabilities however are typically hard to model since failures might be caused by hardware imperfections, sensing noise, or physical interactions. We pro-pose a framework to address a task and motion planning setting where actions can fail during execution. To achieve a task goal actions need to be computed and executed despite failures. The robot has to infer which actions are robust and for each new problem effectively choose a solution that reduces expected execution failures. The key idea is to continually recover and refine the underlying beliefs associated with actions across multiple different problems in the domain. Our proposed method can find solutions that reduce the expected number of discrete, executed actions. Results in physics-based simulation indicate that our method outperforms baseline replanning strategies to deal with failing executions.


Agricultural monitoring has greatly benefited from the increased availability of a wide variety of remote-sensed satellite imagery, ground-sensed data (e.g., weather station networks) and crop models, delivering a wealth of actionable information to stakeholders to better streamline and improve agricultural practices. Nevertheless, as the degree of sophistication of agriculture monitoring systems increases, significant challenges arise due to the handling and integration of multi-scale data sources to present information to decision-makers in a way which is useful, understandable and user friendly. To address these issues, in this article we present the conceptual architecture and service-oriented implementation of a regional geoportal, specifically focused on rice crop monitoring in order to perform unified monitoring with a supporting system at regional scale. It is capable of storing, processing, managing, serving and visualizing monitoring and generated data products with different granularity and originating from different data sources. Specifically, we focus on data sources and data flow, and their importance for and in relation to different stakeholders. In the context of an EU-funded research project, we present an implementation of the regional geoportal for rice monitoring, which is currently in use in Europe's three largest rice-producing countries, Italy, Greece and Spain.


Food insecurity is an issue that disproportionately affects inner city communities. While food insecurity focuses more on the individual level, food deserts affect the community on a societal level. Food insecurity is an issue of public health significance because it affects food environments and has negative consequences on those living in food insecure communities. This review discusses factors that impact access to quality food in inner city communities such as lack of grocery stores, school environments and food affordability and how these factors can lead to an inadequate food supply, poor nutrition, obesity and chronic diseases. Food insecurity often results in an increase in food related health risks such as malnutrition, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease among other things which can ultimately result in death. Food affordability, knowledge of school environments and supermarket politics regarding negative outcomes of food insecurity are highlighted. Recommendations are provided to address ways that inner city communities can have better access to nutritional food. These recommendations include mobilizing the community via the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) strategic approach, food labeling and diversifying neighborhood income.


The application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) enhanced modelling techniques in biomass and solid waste supply chain problems is hinged on a common denominator for both systems: the spatial distribution of supply points and variability of resource quantities. Since the sustainability of bioenergy or waste-to-energy projects around these resources will be affected significantly by the cost of supplying them, it is important to optimize decisions around facility location, size and transport routes. GIS is an important tool that can be used to capture the spatial and temporal dynamics of the biomass and waste. It can then be used alone or integrated with other software tools, for strategic and tactical level optimization of biomass and solid waste supply chains. In as much as a lot of progress has been made globally in research and application of GIS enhanced modelling techniques in biomass and solid waste supply chains, developing nations have trailed behind. This explains why spatial and temporal waste or biomass statistics are not readily available in these areas. This paper reviews recent developments in the application of GIS in biomass and solid waste supply chain models, with the ultimate objective of identifying the gaps and opportunities that exist. It is especially biased towards the use of the biomass and waste in renewable or waste to energy schemes- a fast growing field within the green economy.


Objective To investigate the occurrence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) in a large cohort of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) across the European Union, China, Turkey, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Methods Patients with a definite diagnosis of AAV who were followed for ≥ 3 months and had sufficient documentation were included. Data on myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke were collected retrospectively from tertiary vasculitis centers. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. Results Over a median follow-up of 62.0 months (IQR 22.6-100.0), CVEs (mostly MIs) occurred in 245 (10.7%) of 2286 patients with AAV, with a higher frequency in China and the UK. On multivariate regression analysis, older age (55-64.9 yrs, HR 2.93, 95% CI 1.99-4.31), smoking (HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.48-2.64), Chinese origin (HR 4.24, 95% CI 3.07-5.85), and pulmonary (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09-2.06) and kidney (HR 3.02, 95% CI 2.08-4.37) involvement were independent variables associated with a higher occurrence of CVEs. Conclusion We showed that geographic region and both traditional and disease-specific (kidney involvement in particular) factors were independently associated with CVEs. Proper assessment and management of modifiable cardiovascular (CV) risk factors are essential for prevention of CV morbidity in patients with AAV.


In order to understand the strain fatigue crack growth rate of pressure vessel steel controlled by displacement or load, we did experiments on strain fatigue of 16MnR steel and describe the fatigue with the energy method. We have obtained delayed cycle curve of strain fatigue controlled by displacement or load and calculated the J-integral at crack tip. In order to compare strain fatigue crack growth rates of 16MnR steel on two conditions,we compute weighted means of the strain fatigue controlled by displacement or load. Comparing two kinds of fatigue growth rate, it is obvious that the crack growth rate of fatigue controlled by displacement is greater than that controlled by load. All experiments show that compress plastic energy is higher, the fatigue growth rate of 16MnR is lower.


Using a technique that was previously developed for measuring the radius of curvature of spherical surfaces, an alternative method for testing cylindrical as well as toric lenses is presented. The basic equipment required is a nodal bench and a low power He–Ne laser.


In a search for alkane candidates for 193 nm immersion fluids, several alkanes and cycloalkanes were synthesized, purified and screened to ascertain their absorption at 193 nm, refractive index and temperature dispersion coefficient in the context of the actual application. In general, cycloalkanes, and more specifically polycycloalkanes, possess a higher refractive index than do linear alkanes. Decalin, cyclodecane, perhydrophenanthreme (PHP), perhydrofluorene (PHF) and perhydropyrene (PHPY) are examined as potential second and third generation immersion fluids. The use of perhydropyrene, which possesses a high refractive index of 1.7014 at 193 nm, may be limited as an immersion fluid because of high absorption at 193 nm. Mixtures of cycloalkanes can lead to a higher enhancement of the refractive index together with a decrease on the viscosity. Exhaustive purification of the fluids is a critical step in determining the real absorption of the different fluids at 193 nm. Two simple purification processes of these cycloalkanes were developed that led to low absorption fluids in the VUV region. The possibility of forming the oxygen complex in aerated fluids was reduced by purging samples with argon or nitrogen. This easy elimination of the oxygen complex shows the weak bonding nature of this complex.


PURPOSE
To describe quality-of-life considerations in post-remission therapies for children with acute myelogenous leukemia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
A quality-adjusted survival analysis, using the quality-adjusted time without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST) method, was applied to Pediatric Oncology Group Trial 8821, which compared randomized assignment with intensive consolidation chemotherapy (CC) or autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). Nonrandomized assignment to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo BMT) on the basis of availability of a matched related donor was also evaluated. A 25-patient cohort provided data for modeling chronic graft-versus-host disease. The Q-TWiST analysis was performed based on the intent-to-treat principle.

RESULTS
As previously reported, the 3-year event-free survival was not significantly different between the randomized arms (CC v ABMT). At a median follow-up of 5 years (of the censoring distribution), the CC group had less time in toxicity (TOX) and more time without symptoms or toxicity (TWiST), relapse-free time, and alive time than patients assigned to ABMT (none of these were statistically significant). Compared with the CC group, allo BMT patients spent more time in TOX (P <.001), more time in TWiST (P =.06), and had more relapse-free time (P =.03) and time alive (P =.07). Allo BMT was superior to ABMT with greater time in TWiST (P =.02), relapse-free time (P =.01), and time alive P =.002).

CONCLUSION
The Q-TWiST analysis is a powerful decision aid in choosing among alternative therapies. Prospective information on patient preferences will facilitate future trials evaluating treatment outcomes. Refinements in the Q-TWiST method could be included to further enhance the power of this patient care decision-making tool.


Abstract A system for continuous monitoring of atmospheric corrosivity has been developed. An electronic unit measures and records changes in the electrical resistance of a thin metal track applied on an insulating substrate. If the metal corrodes, the effective cross sectional area of the track decreases and the electrical resistance increases. Sensors made of silver, copper, iron/steel, zinc, lead, tin, aluminium, bronze, and brass at thicknesses from 50 nm to 250 µm were tailored for environments with different corrosivities. The developed technology proved capable of providing high sensitivity, allowing for real-time corrosion monitoring even in low-corrosive indoor cultural heritage facilities. Laboratory tests showed good reproducibility with the standard deviation of parallel measurements at less than ±20% for metals which corrode uniformly in the tested environments. Several examples selected from a broad testing programme in partner museums, libraries, and other institutions show successful applications of the logger system for characterization of air quality control in indoor locations, during transport and in temporary exhibitions; assessment of new buildings and storage facilities; and fundamental studies of optimal conservation and storage procedures. A first outline of a classification system for lead, which is particularly sensitive to the presence of carboxylic acids, is given. The technique has a large potential as an independent method for monitoring air quality in facilities displaying and storing valuable objects of cultural heritage.