BACKGROUND
Women affected by gynaecological cancer are often unaware of the sexual consequences of both the cancer and its treatment. Most do not receive appropriate advice or help to recover sexual function, and the effect on their sexuality may be profound, both physically and emotionally. However, several potential therapies can be effective in helping recover some sexual engagement and change self-perception around sex. A major initial challenge is informing and involving patients in an appropriate and sensitive manner, and a further issue is delivering therapies in busy gynaelogical oncology clinics. This study was conceived in response to a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) call asking for proposals to improve sexual functioning in women treated for gynaecological cancer while taking into account associated issues of mood. Existing evidence-based therapies for improving sexual function after cancer treatment were adapted and placed within a 'stepped care' model for delivering these in the NHS setting. An assessment and treatment stepping algorithm was developed in parallel, both to assign women to a treatment level at assessment and to follow their progress session by session to advise on changing intervention level. The assessment tool was applied to all participants on the principle that the problem was sexual difficulty, not the cancer of origin.

PARTICIPANTS
Women aged > 18 years (with partners at their choice) treated for any gynaecological malignancy with surgery and/or chemotherapy and/or radiation at University College London Hospital or Bristol Gynaecological cancer centres, minimally 3 months post end of treatment, of any sexual orientation, with sexual function difficulties identified by three initial screening questions.

DESIGN
A feasibility two-arm, parallel-group randomised controlled pilot trial.

SETTING
Two NHS gynaecological cancer centres, one in London and one in Bristol.

INTERVENTIONS
A three-level stepped care intervention.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility of conducting a full-scale investigation of stepped therapy and indicate the potential benefits to patients and to the NHS generally.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES
Recruitment to study, proportion of women stepping up, number of usable data points of all measures and time points over length of trial, and retention of participants to end of trial.

RESULTS
Development of the intervention and accompanying algorithm was completed. The study was stopped before the recruitment stage and, hence, no randomisation, recruitment, numbers analysed, outcomes or harms were recorded.

LIMITATIONS
As the study did not proceed, the intervention and its accompanying algorithm have not been evaluated in practice, and the capacity of the NHS system to deliver it has not been examined.

CONCLUSIONS
None, as the study was halted.

FUTURE WORK
The intervention could be studied within a clinical setting; however, the experience of the study group points to the need for psychosocial studies in medical settings to establish pragmatic and innovative mechanisms to ensure adequate resource when extending staff clinical skills and time to deliver any new intervention for the duration of the trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12010952 and ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02458001.

FUNDING
This project was funded by the NIHR HTA programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 5. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.


The safety of mining operations is significantly influenced by the in situ stress fields in which the mining excavations are created. From the point of view of planning of mining operations, the in situ stress field is a most important input parameter for valid modelling of excavations. Many in situ stress measurements have been carried out for mining and civil engineering projects in southern Africa over the past 30 to 40 years. A database of in situ stress measurement results and observations has been compiled. This paper presents results extracted from the database which are considered to be of particular interest to mining areas in South Africa. The database will permit the estimation of likely stress conditions in new areas of mining, provide a basis for evaluation of results from future in situ stress measurement programmes, provide a basis for comparison of observed behaviour with expected behaviour, and provide a source of data on which realistic design and layout analyses can be based. The information contained in the database indicates that horizontal to vertical stress ratios in the Carletonville, Klerksdorp and Rustenburg areas are significantly higher than the value of 0,5 which is commonly used in mine layout planning.


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to identify and understand the relationship dynamics amongst the key factors impacting the tier-I auto manufacturing domain which is currently under severe strain. It is an approach for improving the pace of the manufacturing excellence journey. Design/methodology/approach - – In total, 20 key factors impacting the manufacturing sector have been identified from the literature review coupled with the inputs from the experienced industry and academic experts. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach has been adopted for the inter-relationship understanding and in stratifying the factors into drivers and independent clusters. The interpretation of the ISM results with respect to the current environment has also been carried out. Findings - – Out of the 20 identified key factors, people- excellence related factors have been found to be the key drivers and global presence and visibility, operational cost reduction approach and customer responsiveness have a significant role to play in changing the pace of manufacturing excellence. Research limitations/implications - – ISM framework does not incorporate the feedback concept and transition dynamics toward manufacturing excellence. These issues may be tested through System dynamics, which will help in identifying the cause and effect relationship between variables and model the transition toward manufacturing excellence. Practical implications - – The manufacturing framework of 20 variables is a useful trigger to the strategic planners. The deep understanding of these variables in the current challenging environment is highly relevant and would facilitate the strategic industry leaders in their journey to excellence. Social implications - – The manufacturing sector has been the growth engine for a nation's economy. If the manufacturing sector grows, the impact on the society will always be favorable as it results in greater degree of employment, better earning capacity and improved quality of life. Through this paper an attempt has been made to identify those key factors which could accelerate the manufacturing excellence pace and hence it is very relevant for the society at large. Originality/value - – The paper provides some useful insight to manufacturing excellence framework and the application of ISM approach to it involving the experienced industry and academic experts.


Designing secure systems is a complex task, particularly for designers who are no security experts. Cyber security plays a key role in embedded systems, especially for the domain of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT systems of this kind are becoming increasingly important in daily life as they simplify various tasks. They are usually small, either embedded into bigger systems or battery driven, and perform monitoring or one shot tasks. Thus, they are subject to manifold constraints in terms of performance, power consumption, chip area, etc. As they are continuously connected to the internet and utilize our private data to perform their tasks, they are interesting for potential attackers. Cyber security thus plays an important role for the design of an IoT system. As the usage of security measures usually increases both computation time, as well as power consumption, a conflict between these constraints must be solved. For the designers of such systems, balancing these constraints constitutes a highly complex task. In this paper we propose a novel approach for considering possible security attacks on embedded systems, simplifying the consideration of security requirements immediately at the start of the design process. We introduce a security aware design space exploration framework which based on an architectural, behavioral and security attack description, finds the optimal design for IoT systems. We also demonstrate the feasibility and the benefits of our framework based on a door access system use case.


Abstract Objective. Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in children is a disease leading to a puberty absence. Some hypothalamic and pituitary defects cause hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Pituitary magnetic resonance imaging is routinely performed in these patients. In our study, we provide an information about pituitary pathologies associated with an idiopathic hypogonado-tropic hypogonadism in childhood. Methods. Twenty-two patients, who were admitted to the pediatric endocrine outpatient clinic of our hospital because of their undeveloped secondary sex characteristics during adolescence, were included in our study. Age, gender, history, physical examination findings, and laboratory tests were recorded in patients. Pituitary magnetic resonance imaging results were examined. The criteria for the diagnosis of hypogonadism were: absence of puberty or delayed puberty, clinical signs or symptoms of hypogonadism, and presence of low or normal gonadotropin levels. Results. In the present study, 22 patients were diagnosed with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The mean age of the patients was 15.90±1.09 years. Basal and stimulated luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone levels of the patients were found to be low. Prolactin, cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, free thyroxine, and thyroid stimulating hormone levels were within normal limits in all patients. The pituitary magnetic resonance imaging revealed six patients with pituitary adenoma, one with empty sella turcica, and five with pituitary hypoplasia. Conclusions. The present data showed that in the presence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, the hypothalamic-pituitary abnormalities are more likely to be present in the children compared to the adult population. Thus, it can be strongly emphasized the importance of the pituitary imaging examination, especially in the idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism cases.


Abstract Principles of chemostratigraphic characterization and correlation employing whole-rock inorganic chemical data and heavy mineral grain counts are applied to the frontier Bowser and Sustut basins. Methodologies commonly used with well samples in mature petroleum provinces can be applied to field samples, providing a vital and practical link between the earliest frontier investigations and more advanced hydrocarbon exploration. The major stratigraphic divisions of the basins, the Bowser Lake and Sustut groups, have markedly different indications of sedimentary provenance from heavy mineral analysis, and are readily differentiated geochemically. Variations in key elements are related directly to the provenance indications identified by heavy minerals. Lithofacies assemblages within the Bowser Lake Group also display contrasting provenance signatures. Sandstones and conglomerates from marine facies (Ritchie-Alger, Todagin, and Muskaboo Creek assemblages) are differentiated from those of the deltaic and nonmarine units (Eaglenest, Skelhorne, Groundhog-Gunanoot and Jenkins Creek assemblages) by higher Fe2O3 and MgO contents, which may relate to increased glauconite contents in marine units. Sandstones and conglomerates from the deltaic to nonmarine units are separated with less certainty by heavy mineral contents and element concentrations or ratios.


Proponents of the functional programming paradigm contend that higher-order functions combined with (parametric) polymorphism result in much more reusable code. Object-oriented (OO) programming has independently followed a parallel approach to reusability. Objects can be used instead of higher-order functions and subtype polymorphism partially substitutes parametric polymorphism. In this paper, we draw strong analogies between the object-oriented and functional programming paradigms. We show that several common OO design patterns (Visitor, Virtual Proxy, Command, Observer, and more) are closely related to functional programming patterns. Additionally, we show how better support for functional programming in OO languages can result in improvements for many design patterns (Command, Virtual Proxy, Builder, Abstract Factory, and more). The context for demonstrating our ideas is the FC++ library. FC++ adds to C++ many of the capabilities of modern functional programming languages, without any modification to the base language. Compared to other attempts to program functionally in C++, FC++ offers much richer support for polymorphic functions (allowing functions that take polymorphic functions as arguments and/ or return them as results).


AIM: To construct and highly express an epitope of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a foreign epitope presenting vectorbased on an insect virus, and to study the antigenicity of the epitope.METHODS: The HCV epitope sequence (amino acidresidues 315 to 328: EGHRMAWDMMMNWS) of the E1 region was constructed at different positions of a foreign epitope presenting vector based on an insect virus, flock house virus (FHV) capsid protein encoding gene as a vector, and expressed in E. coli cells. Western blottingand ELISA were used to detect the immunoreactivity of these recombinant proteins.RESULTS: The gene encoding of the concerned B-cell epitope of HCV E1 envelope protein was expressed on FHV capsid carrier protein at positions I1 (aa 106), I2 (aa153) and I3 (aa 305), respectively, on the surface of FHV capsid protein. The recombinant proteins in this system could be highly expressed in more than 40% of total cell protein of E. coli BL21. All the expressed recombinant proteins were in inclusion body form, and showed obvious immunoreactivity by Western blotting. Further purified recombinant proteins were detected by indirect ELISA as coating antigen respectively. All recombinant proteins could still show immunoreactivity.CONCLUSION: The epitope of HCV E1 envelope protein can be highly expressed in FHV carrier system as a chimeric protein with high immunoreactivity. This system has multiple entry sites conferring many possible conformations closer to the native one for a given sequence.


of the system is discussed but not proved. The basic elements of quantificational logic are explained. Axioms and rules of inference are given, sample proofs are constructed, and the notion of validity is defined. The axioms are all the universal closures of substitution instances of theorems of propositional calculus, and the rules of inference are applications of propositional calculus, exchange of quantifiers and negations, and universal and existential instantiation and general ization. Gtidel's and Church's results on completeness and undecidability are discussed. set theory is developed as an application of quantificational logic. Only one of the forty-five stated theorems is in the however.


The calculation of heart rate variability (HRV) is a popular tool used to investigate differences in cardiac autonomic control between population samples. When interpreting effect sizes to quantify the magnitude of group differences, researchers typically use Cohen's guidelines of small (0.2), medium (0.5), and large (0.8) effects. However, these guidelines were originally proposed as a fallback for when the effect size distribution (ESD) was unknown. Despite the availability of effect sizes from hundreds of HRV studies, researchers still largely rely on Cohen's guidelines to interpret effect sizes and to perform power analyses to calculate required sample sizes for future research. This article describes an ESD analysis of 297 HRV effect sizes from between-group/case-control studies, revealing that the 25th, 50th, and 75th effect size percentiles correspond with effect sizes of 0.26, 0.51, and 0.88, respectively. The analyses suggest that Cohen's guidelines may underestimate the magnitude of small and large effect sizes and that HRV studies are generally underpowered. Therefore, to better reflect the observed ESD, effect sizes of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.9 should be interpreted as small, medium, and large effects (after rounding to the closest 0.05). Based on power calculations using the ESD, suggested sample sizes are also provided for planning suitably powered studies that are more likely to replicate. Researchers are encouraged to use the ESD data set or their own collected data sets in tandem with the provided analysis script to perform custom ESD and power analyses relevant to their specific research area.


Background: Globally, childhood obesity is on the rise. It has more than quadrupled in adolescents since 1980. Childhood obesity has been linked with many chronic diseases. These diseases can decrease the life expectancy of the child. Our goal in nursing practice is to improve the care we provide, improve outcomes, and to educate the community on disease prevention. One way to positively impact the health of adolescents is by making an impression with our youth by teaching them how they can make healthy choices. Health education can be taught in the school systems targeting healthy lifestyle behaviors so adolescents will have a better knowledge base on choices to make and the repercussions of poor choices they make early in life. The purpose of this project is: Will high school student's age 18-19 years old identify healthy choices compared pre and post health education module. The pre and post-test will assess for knowledge gained from education.
Methods: The sample (n=15) consist of 8 males and 6 females and one who did not answer gender or ethnic group. The group is compiled of 6 Hispanic, 7 White, 1 Black, and 1 unknown of 18-19 years old. A pre-test was administered consisting of 16 questions related to healthy choices. A pre and post-test was administered to measure increased scores of knowledge on healthy behaviors. Then an educational lecture on health living and choices was delivered both with handouts and podium presentation. The pre-test and consent was done a week before the presentation and post-test. After the presentation, a posttest questionnaire was administered to the same group to determine if there were any changes in knowledge based on the pre-test findings. The purpose of the project: Will high school student's age 18-19 years old identify healthy choices compared pre and post health education module.
Education on the recommended nutrition and exercise per the American Heart Association (AHA) was taught emphasizing the importance of being healthy. The American Heart Association recommends a diet high in fiber, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. The AHA recommends 60 minutes of exercise every day. The recommendation from the American Heart Association what has been proven to be healthy and the reality of adolescent's food and lifestyle choices. According to an older survey administered by the CDC in 2013, only 27.1% of high school students participated in 60 minutes of physical activity the week prior to the survey. The recommendation for 60 minutes of exercise remains the gold standard based on the current literature.
Findings: IBM SPSS® predictive analytics software version 24 was used to calculated frequency tables which displayed the differences in answers to the pre and post-test question responses. It was noted there was an increase in knowledge in 11 out of 16 questions. The questionnaire contained multiple choice questions pertaining to harm of smoking, development of cardiovascular disease, benefits of physical activity, and the recommendations related to diet and exercise. Each question was given an option to choose I do not know. It was noted that only two questions, number 8 and 11 had a significant increase based on the post test results. With a significance level <0.05, question number 8 had a significance level of (p=0.016) and question 11 had a significance level of (p=0.002). An assumption could be made that it was significant. Although P-value was 0.016 and 0.002 we can't assume there was significance because the sample size was small. Because of the small sample size a power analysis couldn't be done. This was a convenience sample.
Using a standard 80% as passing it was noted that the majority (n=8) failed 4 out of the 16 questions on the pretest. Surprisingly, using 80% as passing score for the posttest, all of the participants scored a passing rate. Question number 11 was the most missed question with only 13.3% answering it correctly. In reference to Question number 11 which asked the following, how often should you eat fish (salmon, trout, and herring)? It was noted participants posttest answered question 11 with an increase of 66.7% in the post-test. Question number 8 (pre-test) was the second most missed question with only 46.7% answering it correctly. Question number 8 asked, the American Heart Association recommends that children and teenagers get at least-minutes of exercise per day. Post-test there was an increase of students answering question 8 correctly scoring 93%.
The small sample size may have contributed to the p value of <0.05. Another limitation was the possibility of students not answering questions honestly. Recommendations for future research would be to record the adolescent's lifestyle pre and post education to evaluate for actual behavioral change. The length of the educational program could be extended with more concentration on each health behavior topic and address barriers that may exist for the families.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the participants had an overall improvement in test scores. It is assumed that an awareness of knowledge was evident based on the scores from the post-test grades. Empirical evidence demonstrates an improvement when education is combined with behavioral change. Cason-Wilkerson et al. concentrated on the low income families and found that the families made changes related to physical activity and dietary choices as a result of the educational program offered. Education may be a tool used to empower and challenge youth to take a stand to live healthier while preventing chronic diseases. This project could motivate future research related to education and behavioral change.


Rush Ranch, with the largest contiguous area of fully-tidal marsh remaining in northern Suisun Bay, is critical habitat for a number of endemic bird species that breed in brackish tidal marsh. Despite the abundance of non-native invasive plants (particularly perennial pepperweed, Lepidium latifolium) and altered hydrology, it is the best remaining representative in Solano County of the tidal marsh that once covered more than 27,000 ha (67,000 acres) in Suisun Bay. This paper presents a synthesis of bird population studies conducted at Rush Ranch since the late 1970s, concentrating on California clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus), California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus), Suisun song sparrow (Melospiza melodia maxillaris), common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), and marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris). These studies indicate declines in clapper rail abundance, when we compared the past 8 years to surveys conducted 10 to 25 years ago. However, black rails appear to be increasing at Rush Ranch, and overall in Suisun Bay. Nest monitoring of reproductive attempts by song sparrows conducted between 1996 and 2005 indicates low overall nest survival rates, mainly from high predation rates, but also great year-to-year variability. Low nest survival rates of tidal marsh song sparrows observed at Rush Ranch appear to be too low to sustain populations, and such low rates are consistent with the apparent population declines observed for this subspecies at Rush Ranch. Nest survival and other components of reproductive success of tidal marsh birds should be monitored in the future to provide information on ecosystem condition and population health, as well as the response of these species to management, including control of non-native plant species.


In view of the problem that it's hard to determine the control points and morphing is not intuitionistic in traditional surface free-form deformation technology, an interactive surface free-form deformation method is proposed in this paper. Using this method, the user no longer needs to dynamically set constraint points outside the model. The point picked up by the user according to the desired deformation is used as a control point, and the neighborhood range of deformation or the deformation shape is controlled by deformation function. The designer can interactively deform the model simply by setting control parameters. The experiment results by applying the method to face modeling show that the proposed method is feasible and effective, providing a convenient way for the local modification of three-dimensional models.


In this paper, the author presents experimental work with a generic switch-mode hydraulic circuit that aims to validate a previously presented computational model, with primary focus on the energy loss due to fluid compressibility. While multiple previous papers have presented experimental works with switch-mode hydraulic circuits, the presented experimental system is unique due the capability of in-flow measurement of the entrained air in the hydraulic fluid. A designed experiment was run that varied the entrained air, system pressure, and volume of the fluid experiencing pressure fluctuations, defined as the switched volume. The calculated volumetric efficiency from these experiments ranged from to 61% to 75%, with efficiency increasing with decreased levels of entrained air, system pressure, and switched volume. These efficiency trends and the pressure profile in the switched volume agree well with the computational model presented in Part I of this two part set (Van de Ven, 2013, "On Fluid Compressibility in Switch-Mode Hydraulic Circuits—Part I: Modeling and Analysis," ASME J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control, 135(2), p. 021013). Differences between the experimental results and the computational model include approximately 10% higher predicted efficiency and pressure oscillations found in the experimental work that were not predicted by the model.


Hot ductility of Ti-added ultra low carbon steels has been studied with particular emphasis on the bahavior of TiS. Hot ductility of low Mn low carbon steels initially solution-treated in the high temperature γ region is reduced with intergranular fracture by high strain rate deformation at temperatures ranging from 900 to 1100°C. This can be explained by the fact that hardening due to dynamic precipitation of Fe-rich sulfide within the matrix accelerates the void initiation at interface of grain boundary precipitate/matrix. In Ti-added steels, the ductility loss is considerably smaller to that of Ti-free low Mn steels, since Ti has a role of trapping S atoms as TiS particles in the same way as Mn. However, nitrogenation due to heating in the nitrogen gas atmosphere or in air changes TiS into the more stable TiN especially in the surface layer. As a result, the extra free S atoms formed by this reaction leads to hot embrittlement by the same mechanism.


With increasing levels of variable renewable energy, there is a growing need to study its impacts on power system operation. Variable generation (VG) is variable and uncertain at multiple timescales, and it is important that system operators understand how each of these characteristics impact their systems since each may have different mitigation strategies. To date, many of the studies of VG integration are limited to studying at one time resolution and therefore cannot analyze the variability and uncertainty impacts across multiple timescales. Here we study the variability and uncertainty impacts across multiple operational timescales. A model is used which integrates multiple scheduling sub-models with different update frequencies, time resolutions, and decision horizons. Using metrics that describe reliability and costs with a methodology that describes the sensitivities and tradeoffs of variability and uncertainty impacts separately with respect to the conditions that cause those impacts, case studies are performed which display greater information on expectations of these impacts on future systems with high penetrations of VG.


A measurement of the Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen yields a charge radius of the proton that is smaller than the CODATA value by about 5 standard deviations. We explore the possibility that new scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, and tensor flavor-conserving nonuniversal interactions may be responsible for the discrepancy. We consider exotic particles that, among leptons, couple preferentially to muons and mediate an attractive nucleon-muon interaction. We find that the many constraints from low energy data disfavor new spin-0, spin-1, and spin-2 particles as an explanation.


Samples of B. improvisus, a warm-temperate water barnacle, were collected from five British estuaries. The allele frequencies from ten enzyme loci were analysed using horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. The allele frequency distributions between samples differed significantly at only three out of eleven loci. Nei's genetic distances between populations were very low. The sample from the Conwy estuary showed a consistent deficiency of heterozygosity and large deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The population is considered to be rather isolated and to exhibit considerable inbreeding, mainly through self-fertilisation. Investigation of the salinity tolerance for adults, eggs and larvae shows that salinity would not be a barrier to migration from one estuary to another. The chances of the mass migration necessary to maintain the level of uniformity seen in B. improvisus allele frequencies must be very small indeed.


The nephrotic syndrome is characterized by increased permeability across the glomerular filtration barrier. Several mechanisms of glomerular injury are responsible for pathogenesis, such as circulating factor, circulating immune factors in immune-mediated disorders and mutations in podocyte or slit diaphragm proteins. Children with nephrotic syndrome are classified as primary, secondary and congenital / infantile nephrotic syndrome. Children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, the most common form, can be divided into those with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, who are at increased risk for developing end-stage renal disease, and those with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome, representing the majority of cases. They often have serious side effects due to corticosteroids and treatment with other agents is recommended in order to maintain remission while reducing corticosteroid dosing. The purpose of treatment of steroid-resistant cases is to decrease proteinuria and to preserve kidney function. Treatment strategies include immunosuppressive and non-immunosuppressive measures. A kidney biopsy should be done in these children in order to reveal the underlying histology. In patients with a strong suspicion for a genetic cause genetic testing should be done as well. Congenital nephrotic syndrome is a nephrotic syndrome that presents at birth or during the first three months of life while infantile nephrotic syndrome presents between three and twelve months of age. In majority of these children there is a genetic basis for the disease and poor outcome with no indication for immunosuppressive treatment. A new way of possible treatment of this type of nephrotic syndrome in the future is presented.


Most studies of the effects of transport infrastructure on the performance of individual firms have focused on marginal expansions of the rail or highway network over time. In this paper, we study the short-run effects of a large discrete shock in the quality of transport infrastructure, viz. the opening of the Great Belt bridge connecting the Copenhagen area with a neighboring island and the mainland of Denmark. We analyse the effect of the opening of the bridge on the productivity of firms throughout the country using a two-step approach: we estimate firm- and year-specific productivity for a large panel of individual firms, using the approaches developed by Levinsohn and Petrin (2003) and De Loecker (2011). Then, controlling for firm-fixed effects, we relate productivity to a calculated measure of accessibility that captures the effect of the opening of the bridge. We find large productivity effects for firms located in the regions near the bridge, especially for relatively small firms in the construction and retail industry. Estimation results further suggest statistically significant but small positive wage effects throughout the country, even in regions far from the bridge. Finally, there is some evidence that the bridge has stimulated new activities in the Copenhagen region at the expense of firms disappearing on the neighboring island Funen.


Intracellular pH (pHi ) is a crucial parameter in cellular physiology but its mechanisms of homeostasis are only partially understood. To uncover novel roles and participants of the pHi regulatory system, we have screened an Arabidopsis mutant collection for resistance of seed germination to intracellular acidification induced by weak organic acids (acetic, propionic, sorbic). The phenotypes of one identified mutant, weak acid-tolerant 1-1D (wat1-1D) are due to the expression of a truncated form of AP-3 β-adaptin (encoded by the PAT2 gene) that behaves as a as dominant-negative. During acetic acid treatment the root epidermal cells of the mutant maintain a higher pHi and a more depolarized plasma membrane electrical potential than wild-type cells. Additional phenotypes of wat1-1D roots include increased rates of acetate efflux, K(+) uptake and H(+) efflux, the latter reflecting the in vivo activity of the plasma membrane H(+) -ATPase. The in vitro activity of the enzyme was not increased but, as the H(+) -ATPase is electrogenic, the increased ion permeability would allow a higher rate of H(+) efflux. The AP-3 adaptor complex is involved in traffic from Golgi to vacuoles but its function in plants is not much known. The phenotypes of the wat1-1D mutant can be explained if loss of function of the AP-3 β-adaptin causes activation of channels or transporters for organic anions (acetate) and for K(+) at the plasma membrane, perhaps through miss-localization of tonoplast proteins. This suggests a role of this adaptin in trafficking of ion channels or transporters to the tonoplast.


ABSTRACT The Mesozoic rocks of the Surendranagar district of Saurashtra (Gujarat), which overlie the Early Proterozoic basement and underlie the Deccan basalt, are interpreted to record the infilling of an Early Cretaceous failed riff. The rift-fill, comprising four formations (Than, Surajdeval, Ranipat, and Wadhwan, in ascending order), consists predominantly of an interbedded terrigenous assemblage of seven major and three minor lithofacies. The lowermost Than Formation is mainly composed of coarsening upward successions of carbonaceous shale, including thin stringers of coal, interbedded siltstone and shale, and white and reddish crossbedded sandstone, interpreted to be the deposits of delta distributary channels in the proximity of shoreline. The succeeding Surajdeval Formation consists of lenticular bodies of crossbedded sandstone, local lenses of conglomerate, and laminated red shale and mudstone, exhibiting recurring fining-upward cycles; minor lithofacies include flaser-bedding and hummocky cross-stratification. These deposits are interpreted to have been laid down in the distal delta plain and nearshore tidal/coastal environment. The overlying Ranipat sandstone is mainly white, coarse, medium- to fine-grained, show ng profuse development of large and small scale planar- and trough-crossbedding, including locally herringbone crossbedding, probably deposited in subtidal/tidal and beach environment. The uppermost Wadhwan Formation contains lenses of fossiliferous limestone in the interbedded assemblage of pebbly, coarse to medium sandstone and mudstone and is interpreted to have been deposited in estuaries and embayments. Overall, the vertical lithic fill shows a progressive increase of coarse clastics from Than to Wadhwan, with a general increase of fine clastics laterally along the length of the basin in the direction of paleoflow and paleoslope from northeast to southwest. It is suggested that the development and infilling of the Early Cretaceous Saurashtra failed rift, including subsequent eruption of Deccan basalt, coincided with the pericratonic rifting and opening of the Arabian sea to the west. Using the Saurashtra basin as a model, an idealized rift fill of the subsiding part should represent a succession of delta distributaries and tidal channels and interchannels in the lower part, grading up to nearshore coastal plain, embayments and estuaries, as shoreline advanced landward through time. The overall sequence tends to be transgressive through time and space.


Three populations of small wild British rodents were studied by capture-recapture methods over a period of 3 years, a fourth group was studied for 1 year and a fifth was sampled annually for 4 years. Blood smears were taken from 3 species of rodents: the woodmouse Apodemus sylvaticus, the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus (and an island sub-species C.g. skomerensis) and the short-tailed vole Microtus agrestis. The smears were examined microscopically. Four genera of haemoparasites Babesia, Hepatozoon, Trypanosoma and Grahamella were detected. Babesia was absent from C.g. skomerensis, Hepatozoon was rarely found in A. sylvaticus and M. agrestis and Trypanosoma was rare in A. sylvaticus. More males were infected than females but the difference was only statistically significant for the infection with Hepatozoon in adult C.g. skomerensis. Infections with Babesia and Hepatozoon were more prevalent in adult animals and infections with Trypanosoma were more prevalent in younger individuals. Only in C.g. skomerensis was there a significant difference between age classes in the prevalence of infection with Grahamella - there being more adults infected. Concurrent infections were detected, Hepatozoon being the parasite most commonly involved. The prevalence of infections was found to be approximately proportional to the number of animals known to be alive, regardless of the season.


One emerging application of computing technology is that of interactive rooms and furniture. For instance, Interactive Tables allow for a workspace that is intuitive, natural, and conducive to creating multi-user collaborative work environments. Although several interactive table prototypes have been developed, we have engineered a method using a computer vision system instead of touch screen technology, which allows increased flexibility to the end user because of its ability to ignore or even make use of objects placed upon the table and its decreased likelihood of accidental input. In this work we present a method for implementing such a camera-driven interactive table with a ceiling-mounted camera and demonstrate some of its potential uses. The vision system makes use of a novel hand detection and segmentation technique designed to be tolerant of any level of background complexity on the display and any reasonable range of indoor lighting conditions, thus allowing the highest level of freedom to the end user. It searches the results of multi-scale line and curve finding systems to locate thimble-shaped finger models, marking them as candidate fingers and performing a set of geometric and texture-based tests on each to remove false positives. Finally, it groups finger detections that are similar to each other in location and appearance, while allowing the reintroduction of weak candidates that are supported by strong neighbors, into hand detections with finger and palm locations. Results demonstrate the system's ability extract enough information from images of hands in very complex backgrounds to allow for finger and palm placement recognition


OBJECTIVE : Fractures are a well-recognized inciting event in the development of complex regional pain syndrome. This study aimed to prospectively determine the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome following foot and ankle fractures. METHODS : A prospective study was conducted of patients presenting to two metropolitan hospitals with plain radiograph diagnosis of fractures to the foot or ankle. Patients were initially screened by phone 3 months after injury using the validated International Association for the Study of Pain Budapest criteria. Patients who fulfilled the screening criteria were then physically examined by a pain specialist to assess clinical signs as part of the Budapest criteria. RESULTS : A total of 306 consecutive eligible patients were included. One hundred and ten patients reported at least one symptom of complex regional pain syndrome; however, only three fulfilled the minimum requirements to necessitate clinical review. Of these three, only one patient fulfilled the combination of symptom and sign criteria for a positive diagnosis according to the validated Budapest criteria. The incidence of complex regional pain syndrome following foot and ankle fracture in this study was 0.3%. CONCLUSION : Although many patients may experience vasomotor, sensory, and sudomotor disturbance following a fracture to the foot and ankle, the observed incidence of complex regional pain syndrome using a prospectively collected validated criteria is significantly lower than previously published.


In a retrospective study, initial diagnosis and method of treatment were evaluated in 118 patients with invasive basal cell carcinoma (formerly basalioma terebrans) of the head and neck. In 97 of the total 118 patients, radical surgery with resection of important organs had to be performed, and the follow-up results of 107 patients were recorded. In 44 (41%) of the latter 107 cases, recurrences were observed despite radical tumor excision, and only 63 (59%) patients were free of tumor. In 20 patients a second recurrence and in 12 patients a third recurrence was found. The recurrence rate amounted to only 1.9% in a comparative study group of 6932 patients with ''simple'' basal cell carcinoma. The findings reveal that healing without recurrence was achieved in only half of the patients with invasive basal cell carcinoma (basalioma terebrans). In cases in which bony structures had been invaded by the tumor, the recurrence rate was 71.4%. Despite the hypothesis of primary incurability of invasive basal cell carcinoma, it is pointed out that radical surgery may still improve a patient's quality of life. Although definite healing seems impossible, surgery may contribute to an acceptable quality of life for several years.


A spontaneous mutation in the Albino Swiss (AS) rat has been shown to be a single point mutation (agu) in the gene coding for the gamma isoform of protein kinase C (PKC-γ). The characteristics of the mutant include movement disorders, a failure to release dopamine in the striatum and elevations of molecules such as parkin and ubiquitin in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC). This present study examined SNC cell bodies and dopaminergic synaptic terminals within the caudate-putamen. Cell volume and nuclear volume were reduced in the AS/AGU mutant compared to the AS control, but the volume fractions of mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum were significantly higher. No Lewy bodies were present in the mutant, although microglia were found adjacent to some SNC cells. Dopaminergic terminals were identified in the caudate-putamen by electron microscopy with low-glutaraldehyde fixation and immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase using immuno-gold visualisation. AS/AGU mutant rats had less than half of the synaptic vesicles of AS controls; this was not only true of "readily-releasable" zones adjacent to the synaptic cleft but also "storage pool" zones. The findings support the hypothesis that the initial bar to dopamine availability in the striatum is the reduced release, with nigral cell death being a later phenomenon.


Illegal drugs have enormous significance for world trade, consumer safety, and the social and natural environment. Thus, drug policy is one of the principal policy choices society faces as the new century approaches. Numerous skirmishes in the War on Drugs are being fought on an agricultural battlefield. But the combat strategies for these skirmishes lack tactical support from the scientific agricultural establishment even though agriculture's unique perspective could contribute new weapons and maneuvers with which the war could be pursued.


This thesis examined how people make and understand judgments of subjective experience using the categories of Remember, Know, Familiar, and Guess (R, K, F, G), and represents the first attempt to use all four categories in a standard episodic recognition task. The key findings of this body of work are that Know and Familiar categories of subjective experience can be reliably differentiated, as can each of the four subjective experience categories from confidence. Chapter 2 examined lay understanding of subjective experience by asking participants to examine others' memory justification statements. Participants reliably differentiated the four justification types (R, K, F, G) in terms of confidence (Experiment 2.1) and subjective experience (Experiments 2.2 and 2.3); manipulations of confidence influenced assignment of justifications to subjective experience categories for some types of justification more than others (Experiment 2.2); and participants were able to divide justification statements into Know and Familiar when no definitions of those concepts were provided (Experiment 2.4). Chapter 3 investigated the influence of experimentally imposed familiarity on subjective experience. Pre-exposure of target and lure items led to impaired recognition across all experiments, but differences in subjective experience were only observed when pre-exposure was performed between-subjects (Experiment 3.1 vs. 3.2 and 3.3). Participants were able to use recollection strategically to overcome the familiarity induced by pre-exposure. Chapter 4 compared source, confidence, and subjective experience judgments and demonstrated subjective experience judgments to be more sensitive to source accuracy than confidence judgments; confidence judgments were more lenient than subjective experience; and confidence judgments were more affected by source manipulations than were subjective experience judgments. Across the thesis, analysis of reaction time also demonstrated reliable differences between and within judgment types. This thesis found critical differences between Remember, Know, and Familiar. Know and Familiar judgments were shown to dissociate on recognition accuracy, source accuracy, confidence, and response time. In contrast, Remember and Know judgments were only shown to be differentiated by source accuracy. The findings have implications for methodological and theory development and are discussed in terms of single- and dual-process accounts of memory.


The photosynthetic organisms consist a cluster of membrane bound protein-pigment complexes, which utilize absorbed photons to drive electron transfer reactions to convert light energy into chemical energy. In the photosynthetic bacterial reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides , light induces a transfer of an electron from the primary electron donor, a special pair of two bacteriochorophylls forming a dimer, through a series of intermediate electron acceptors and a primary quinone Q A , to a reversibly-bound quinone Q B . Reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides have been reconstituted into various liposomes, with varying fatty acid chain lengths from C 12 to C 18 , resulting in different hydrophobic thicknesses of the lipid bilayer. Compensations are expected both from the lipid and the protein if the hydrophobic thicknesses are not matched. Lipid-protein interactions were explored and identified due to this hydrophobic mismatch by studying the phase behavior of the lipid and probing the function of the protein. The optimal thickness for the membrane, using saturated phospholipids to incorporate the bacterial reaction center, was found to be equivalent to a carbon length of C 14 . Prolonged illumination induced conformational rearrangements in the protein structure. Lipid environment, acidic pH, long illumination, and low temperature favored the formation of the long-lived charge separated state. This light-adapted conformation had a lifetime up to 8.9 hours, which is three million times as much as the lifetime of the dark-adapted charge separated state induced by flash excitations.


This paper studies the problem of sentence-level semantic coherence by answering SAT-style sentence completion questions. These questions test the ability of algorithms to distinguish sense from nonsense based on a variety of sentence-level phenomena. We tackle the problem with two approaches: methods that use local lexical information, such as the n-grams of a classical language model; and methods that evaluate global coherence, such as latent semantic analysis. We evaluate these methods on a suite of practice SAT questions, and on a recently released sentence completion task based on data taken from five Conan Doyle novels. We find that by fusing local and global information, we can exceed 50% on this task (chance baseline is 20%), and we suggest some avenues for further research.


Background Thrombotic disorders remain one of the leading causes of death in the Western world. Dabigatran appeared as an alternative to warfarin for anticoagulation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The risk associated with bleeding due to its use has been documented in several randomized clinical trials, but no large study has examined in detail the risk of bleeding during dental extraction and other dental procedures involving bleeding. Objective To compare the intensity of bleeding in individuals taking dabigatran or vitamin K antagonist (warfarin) and undergoing dental procedures. Methods Prospective, single-center, controlled study with one single observer. Patients diagnosed with nonvalvular AF, on warfarin or dabigatran, cared for at a cardiology referral center, and requiring single or multiple dental extractions, were evaluated up to seven days post-extraction. The following outcomes were assessed: bleeding time between the beginning and the end of suture and complete hemostasis; bleeding before the procedure, after 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, during and after suture removal (late); p<0.05 was defined as of statistical relevance. Results We evaluated 37 individuals, 25 in the warfarin group and 12 in the dabigatran group. Age, sex, weight, height, blood pressure, color, schooling, family income and comorbidities were similar between the two groups. Regarding bleeding after 24 hours of the procedure, no one in the dabigatran group had bleeding, whereas 32% in the warfarin group had documented bleeding (p = 0.028). The other variables analyzed did not differ between the groups. Conclusions This study suggests that, regarding dental extraction, there is no statistically significant difference in the intensity of bleeding of patients taking dabigatran as compared to those taking warfarin. Bleeding 24 hours after the procedure was less frequent among patients on dabigatran.


Economists always have disputes over the relationship between corruption and economic growth. From the end of 2012 to the present, the Communist Party of China has launched a fierce anti-corruption campaign so that a large number of officials suspected of corruption were investigated. Anti-corruption, however, did not actually promote economic growth. To explain this, we build a framework based on government regulation and mixed oligopoly. The basic views are as follows: First, on the premise of meeting the government's budget balance, fighting against corruption accompanied with removing inefficient regulation is the optimal anti-corruption policy, which will facilitate economic growth. Second, given there are inefficient regulations, lower cost of corruption and superior employment pressure; no anti-corruption is a better choice than anti-corruption. Current Chinese anti-corruption campaigns focusing solely on anti-corruption rather than removal of regulation are useless to economic development. These movements contribute to the development of the state-owned enterprises at the cost of private sectors' growth. As a result, the whole economic growth has been dragged down.


Cell cycle-regulated expression of histone genes is vital for coordination of DNA replication with chromatin assembly. In yeast, histone genes are regulated by transcriptional activation in S phase and transcriptional repression in other phases of the cell cycle, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we describe a role for histone H2B monoubiquitylation (H2Bub1), a histone mark that is linked to RNA polymerase II transcription elongation, in the activation of replication-dependent histone genes in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Loss of H2Bub1 is also associated with a delay in S phase progression and reduced expression of the replication initiation factor Cdc18 (ortholog of Cdc6). We provide evidence that H2Bub1 impacts histone gene transcription and acts through a mechanism that involves the 3'UTR. Consistent with our previous finding that H2Bub1 is functionally opposed to the elongation factor Cdk9, we also find that the effects of H2Bub1 on histone genes are suppressed by reduction in the activity of Cdk9. Our data suggest that H2Bub1 promotes cell growth by activating cell cycle-regulated genes.


Genisson Silva Coutinho is a Ph.D. student at the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. He is a CAPES grantee and also professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Technology at the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia da Bahia. He is a mechanical engineer and holds a Bachelor's degree in law and a Master's degree in mechanical engineering. He has been teaching at different levels, from the first year of technical high school to the final year of mechatronic engineering course, since 1995. He also has considerable experience in the design and implementation of mechatronic and production engineering courses. His non-academic career is centered on product development and manufacturing processes.


This chapter focuses further on the nature of autodidactic traditions of yoga in the early twentieth century including the role of physical culture journals such as Health & Strength, as well as the postal courses on Yogism offered by Desmond Dune from his 'World Headquarters' in Surrey. It goes on to consider the world of adult education in Britain and how the founder of the British Wheel of yoga, Wilfred Clark was a product of this tradition. Wilfred Clark went on to establish a network of self-educated yoga teachers prepared to popularize yoga in adult education venues across the country. Clark and early Wheel members argued that yoga should be taught primarily in philosophy departments, and should consist of philosophical lectures, breathing exercises, postures, meditation and relaxation. The yoga enthusiasts and practitioners of this environment formed distinctive (if often idiosyncratic) assumptions about the nature and purpose of yoga.


The case of submarine rendezvous where a high-maneuverability AUV should meet a submarine platform for energy, samples and data service is considered. The AUV has a set of thrusters. It is difficult to know how to activate the thrusters for the rendezvous operation. A simulation is developed to consider several scenarios, with submarine obstacles, and to solve the control problem. Genetic algorithms are used to determine the best AUV trajectory from surface to the final state, and to obtain the best control planning, using the thrusters, for path following along the trajectory. This paper describes the problem and the solution in simulation. Several scenarios are considered, and the solutions are presented. The simulation system will be used for programming a real AUV before diving.


Offers comprehensive guidance for practitioners, students, and researchers in psychology, psychiatry, and counseling to teach relaxation to clients.
 Two clinical psychologists widely known for their writings on relaxation present state-of-the-art methods for teaching clients to ease muscle and mind tension to deal with stress and anxiety disorders, as well as other conditions where stress and anxiety play a role.
 Bernstein and Hazlett-Stevens explain who the targets for Progressive Relaxation Training (PRT) are; the rationale, basic procedures, and variations of PRT; the setting and possible problems and solutions of PRT; and how to assess a client's progress. They also address hypnosis, drugs, and PRT, as well as PRT used in a mindfulness-based clinical practice. Case studies and evaluative research in PRT are also included.
 Students and practitioners in psychology, psychiatry, and counseling will find this work of interest. This book may also be useful supplemental reading for behavior modification courses and practicum courses in behavior therapy.


Here, we define a test bed for fast flow regions and its vicinity embedded in an ice sheet. This test bed is designed for outlet glaciers and ice streams of the Greenland ice sheet. It consists of a fine resolution part with a manufactured basal trough over which the professional software COMSOL (Multiphysics Modeling Software) operates as a full- Stokes model. Results by COMSOL are compared with coarse resolution simulations with the ice-sheet model SICOPOLIS operating in shallow-ice-approximation mode and using parameterizations of the fast flow effects. For simplification, in this preliminary approach, both models run in isothermal mode. Definition of surface mass balance follows the EISMINT intercomparison project with parameters adapted to the Greenland ice sheet. In particular, we inspect with this test bed upstream and lateral flow effects of ice streams and outlet glaciers. We present first simulations with this approach, although presentation of the test bed itself is the main emphasis of this presentation.


Crit Care Med 2016 • Volume 44 • Number 12 (Suppl.) female was admitted to the hospital with new onset hematemesis and hematochezia. She had a complicated history of MAS with two aortic surgeries: ascending aortic and aortic hemi-arch replacement two years before presentation and thoracic endovascular aortic repair around eight months before presentation. Her CT angiography (CTA) of chest noted enlarged diameter of the descending thoracic aorta to 7.6 cm with arterial phase extravasation of contrast within the esophagus. The patient was resuscitated and taken to the operating room where no obvious defect in the aortic wall or any well-formed track from aortic wall to esophagus was identified a pseudoaneurysm at the level of carina surrounded by thrombus and soft-tissue material. The existing aortic grafts were divided and removed and then, the aorta was repaired with new grafts. The esophagogastroscopy revealed a small defect in the esophagus which was repaired. Results: The incidence of aneurysms involving thoracic and abdominal aorta is 2.2 per 100 000 and it is a potentially fatal disease with a mortality of 100% at 5 years. According to one study, the disease appeared to be more common in women who were thin, frail and heavy smokers. The possible etiologies for MAS are Marfan's syndrome, cystic medial necrosis, myxomatous degeneration and aortic syndrome. Most patients become symptomatic before catastrophic presentations; chief symptoms being chest pain, a pulsatile mass, dizziness, stroke-like manifestations and presence of a diastolic murmur. Aorto-esophageal fistula (AEF) is a potential complication of MAS and has been never described in literature before. Typically, dysphagia, hoarseness, and/or chest pain can occur because of compression of the esophagus or the vagus nerve, and these symptoms usually precede hematemesis.


On November 8, 1965, Days of Our Lives debuted on NBC. The show overcame a rocky beginning to become one of the best-loved and longest running soap operas on daytime television. For 30 years, the story of the shows Horton family has been closely followed by a dedicated audience. Through extensive research, including the first-ever examination of the shows archives, and interviews with cast members, writers, producers and production personnel, the shows history is told here. This reference work provides a complete cast list from the shows debut through 1994, as well as the most comprehensive storyline of the show ever available. Also included are family trees of the shows characters, tracing the often confusing relationships involved in thirty years of developing roles.


This paper presents two new wireless temperature sensors made with a standard CMOS process exhibiting an on-chip antenna. The realized chips include a 3-stage ring oscillator structure which transforms the silicon substrate temperature variation into a frequency modulation. The first device works at a frequency of about 750 MHz @ 30degC. The signal is transmitted by a small loop antenna structure which is realized by aluminium deposition on the top surface of the chip. The electronic design of the ring oscillator has been carefully tuned to get a linear dependence of frequency vs. temperature. However, a bias voltage dependence is observed. An improvement of this design involves the implementation of a technique, based on a mathematical procedure between two different signals, that allows the extraction of reliable information on temperature, regardless of the bias voltage variation, and without recurring to power consuming voltage regulators. This concept is implemented using two 3-stage ring oscillators with slightly different frequency-vs-temperature characteristics, both close however to 2.4 GHz, switched alternatively on for a few milliseconds. Each ring-oscillator has its own antenna and the device is realized with a standard 0.35 mum process, improving the antenna efficiency with respect the first one.


Rationale: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a substrate for sirtuin (SIRT) lysine deacylases. Stimulation of SIRT1 is cardioprotective against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, prompting interest in orally-available NAD+ precursors such as nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) as potential cardioprotective agents. While the biological activity of NMN has been largely attributed to SIRT stimulation, NMN effects on metabolism, and any role these may play in cardioprotection, are less well understood. Objective: To investigate potential non-SIRT mechanisms for NMN cardioprotection, with a focus on metabolism. Methods & Results: NMN was protective in perfused mouse hearts (post-IR functional recovery: NMN 42±7% vs. vehicle 11±3%). However, protection was insensitive to the SIRT1 inhibitor splitomicin (recovery 47±8%), and NMN did not impact lysine acetylation in the cytosol where cardiac SIRT1 is located, thus suggesting NMN does not stimulate cardiac SIRT1 activity. Surprisingly, NMN was not protective in hearts perfused without glucose (palmitate as fuel source; recovery 11±4%). Since glycolysis requires NAD+, and is associated with some cardioprotective paradigms, we hypothesized NMN protection may be due to glycolytic stimulation. In primary cardiomyocytes, NMN induced cytosolic and extracellular acidification, and enhanced lactate generation, indicative of increased glycolysis. Finally, since extension of ischemic acidosis into early reperfusion (i.e., acid post-conditioning) is cardioprotective, we hypothesized that NMN delivery at reperfusion may protect, and indeed this was the case (recovery 39±8%). Conclusions: The acute cardioprotective benefit of NMN is mediated via glycolytic stimulation, and this effect of NMN may be worthy of investigation in other situations where NAD+ precursor supplements are of therapeutic interest.


Department of Economics, Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic Introduction: The regulatory area is one that restricts human behaviour and opportunities, but it also allows the prevention of loss of property, health, or even life in various fields. Regulations provide the market with public confidence, which is extremely important in the field of innovative medical devices. The aim of this article is to analyse critical factors and economic methods for regulatory impact assessment in the medical device industry, to focus on the finances, processes, or innovation activity of organisations operating in the medical device sector. Methods: The paper consists of a scoping review according to the PRISMA methodology of the available literature in Web of Science and Scopus database, whereby combing the keywords "regulation" AND "innovation" AND "medical device" AND "economic impact," we obtained a set of 156 results in the form of English-written articles. The output was then limited to the period between 2011 and 2020. Finally, 23 papers were used based on the exclusion and inclusion criteria. Results: The resulting challenges of the identified problems in particular are the amount of high-quality data available at an appropriate cost and the availability of a flexible notified body. There are also challenges specific to the situation, such as demands on the safety of medical devices for children. From a public expectations point of view, there is a continuing need to maintain the urgency of the balance between available innovation and safety. Discussion: As for the methods of economic assessment in general, or methods for assessing the economic impact of regulations in particular, cost-effectiveness analysis is the most commonly used method for research and development, while internal rate of return is frequently used for the producers, and budget impact analysis is typically used for healthcare service providers. A non-financial indicator that is often discussed is the time demands associated with meeting compliance requirements. The time-to-market indicator is also often mentioned. Economic and financial topics are not discussed in depth, as the reviewed articles simply mention the generally high costs attendant on complying with regulations and obtaining certificates.


The origin of Ultraluminous X-ray Sources (ULXs) in external galaxies whose X-ray luminosities exceed those of the brightest black holes in our Galaxy by hundreds and thousands of times is mysterious. The most popular models for the ULXs involve either intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) or stellar-mass black holes accreting at super-Eddington rates. Here we review the ULX properties. Their X-ray spectra indicate a presence of hot winds in their accretion disks supposing the supercritical accretion. In recent years, new surprising results were discovered in X-ray data, ULX-pulsars and high-velocity outflows up to 0.2c. They are also in accordance with the super-Eddington accretion. However, the strongest evidences come from optical spectroscopy. The spectra of the ULX counterparts are very similar to that of SS433, the only known supercritical accretor in our Galaxy. The spectra are apparently of WNL type (late nitrogen Wolf-Rayet stars) or LBV (luminous blue variables) in their hot state, which are very scarce stellar objects. We find that the spectra do not originate from WNL/LBV type donors but from very hot winds from the accretion disks, which have similar physical conditions as the stellar winds from these stars. The results suggest that bona-fide ULXs must constitute a homogeneous class of objects, which most likely have supercritical accretion disks.


The massive use of bisphenols, actually bisphenol A, in consumer products and food packaging has been associated with certain hazardous conditions for human health, which include their interactions with a family of specific membrane receptors and their effects as endocrine disruptors related to breast cancer. For this reason, bisphenol A was removed from many products, but it has been replaced by structural analogs whose pathways of action and metabolic effects are so far partially unknown. This chapter emphasizes the discovery of bisphenols, their uses in human life, and their impact on health population by focusing on breast cancer. Regarding their mechanisms of action, we have focused on the signaling routes activated by bisphenols following their binding to G protein–coupled receptors.


In this paper, the electrical and noise performances of a 0.8 /spl mu/m silicon germanium (SiGe) transistor optimized for the design of low phase-noise circuits are described. A nonlinear model developed for the transistor and its use for the design of a low-phase noise C band sapphire resonator oscillator are also reported. The best measured phase noise (at ambient temperature) is -138 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset from a 4.85 GHz carrier frequency, with a loaded Q/sub L/ factor of 75,000.


An approach to solving the problem of image reconstruction based on applied quasipotential tomographic data in the three-dimensional case is developed. It is based on the synthesis of spatial analogues of numerical quasiconformal mapping methods and algorithm for identifying the parameters of local bursts of homogeneous materials using similar methods on the plane. The peculiarity of the corresponding algorithm is taking into account (for each of the appropriate injections) the presence of only equipotential lines (with given values of the flow function or distributions of local velocities on them) and flow lines (with known potential distributions on them) at the domain boundary. Numerical experiments of simulative restoration of the environment structure are carried out. Keywords—applied quasipotential tomography; quasiconformal mappings; identification; numerical methods; impedance tomography


The paper focuses on the elements that have prevented the governments of developing countries to establish a sustainable infrastructure. The focus on investments in the infrastructure of developing countries should be more significant. The analysis of the infrastructure development in developing economies comprises two main phases. The first step refers to the funding of infrastructure projects, which do not produce sufficient funds to cover the original investment. The second phase is the financing part, which refers to the aspects related to the capital markets functioning in developing economies (World Economic Forum, 2014). The present article analyses the financing and funding opportunities in emerging economies and demonstrates the possibility of advancing investments in renewable energy. Providers of long term funds, such as the New Development Bank can establish an infrastructure company with expertise in projects developed in emerging markets, in order to access significant equity investment that uses this potential of development.


A key component of scientific inquiry, especially inquiry devoted to developing mechanistic explanations, is delineating the phenomenon to be explained. The task of delineating phenomena, however, has not been sufficiently analyzed, even by the new mechanistic philosophers of science. We contend that Marr's characterization of what he called the computational level (CL) provides a valuable resource for understanding what is involved in delineating phenomena. Unfortunately, the distinctive feature of Marr's computational level, his dual emphasis on both what is computed and why it is computed, has not been appreciated in philosophical discussions of Marr. Accordingly we offer a distinctive account of CL. This then allows us to develop two important points about delineating phenomena. First, the accounts of phenomena that figure in explanatory practice are typically not qualitative but precise, formal or mathematical, representations. Second, delineating phenomena requires consideration of the demands the environment places on the mechanism—identifying, as Marr put it, the basis of the computed function in the world. As valuable as Marr's account of CL is in characterizing phenomena, we contend that ultimately he did not go far enough. Determining the relevant demands of the environment on the mechanism often requires detailed empirical investigation. Moreover, often phenomena are reconstituted in the course of inquiry on the mechanism itself.


Abstract Ultimate is a field sport played by two teams, each with seven players on the field. USA Ultimate administers nationwide leagues that consist of a regular season and post-season with Sectional, Regional, and National Championship tournaments. USA Ultimate ranks teams by applying an algorithm to the regular season results, and distributes the sixteen bids for the National Championship to the eight regions based on these rankings. Teams then compete at Regionals to earn the bids granted to their region. This article presents a novel score-augmented win-loss model for ranking Ultimate teams and distributing National Championship bids. The proposed approach facilitates predicting the placement of each qualifying team at the 2016 Club National Championships as well. The key innovations are the use of a pseudo-outcome called the win fraction that splits a win between the two teams based on the final score of their match, and a weighted quasi-likelihood function that facilitates discounting older results. The proposed approach is applied to the 2016 Club Division results. Rankings, bid allocations, and predictive placement probabilities are reported, as well as a comparative evaluation with the USA Ultimate algorithm, a win-loss model, and a point-scoring model.


Four polymeric surfactants of consistent chemistry with different architectures were evaluated in concentrated emulsions, also known as emulsions in water (EW), of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester (2,4-D ester). EW dilution performance was evaluated using the ASTM E1116-98 standard emulsion test, and the emulsion was analyzed for droplet size distribution using a light scattering technique; zeta potential was determined, and rheology measured. A structure-property-performance relationship for these polymeric surfactants in the subject EW was developed. All four polymeric surfactants proved to be effective in formulating stable EWs with the corresponding emulsion stability increasing positively in the order of random, triblock, quasi-diblock, and finally diblock. Preferred polymeric surfactant performance in EW provided small droplet sizes with excellent dilution stability due primarily to the steric stabilization of the dispersed phase in both the concentrates and upon dilution.


Online forums (synchronous and asynchronous) offer exciting data opportunities to analyze how people influence one another through their interactions. However, researchers must address several analytic difficulties involving the data (missing values, nested structure [messages within individuals within topics], non-sequential messages), outcome variables (discrete outcomes, rare instances, multiple outcome variables, similarities among nearby messages), and explanatory variables (sequences of explanatory variables, indirect mediation effects, false positives, and robustness of results). We explicate a method that addresses these difficulties (Statistical Discourse Analysis or SDA) and illustrate it on 1,330 asynchronous messages written and self-coded by 17 students during a 13-week online educational technology course. Both individual characteristics and message attributes were linked to participants' online messages. Men wrote more messages about their theories than women did. Moreover, some sequences of messages were more likely to precede other messages. For example, opinions were often followed by elaborations, which were often followed by theorizing.


This dissertation examines the attitudes towards the use of medicine in Jewish traditions of the third and second centuries BCE. More specifically, I examine the references to medicine and healing found in the books of 1 Enoch (particularly in the Book of Watchers and the Epistle of Enoch), Tobit, Ben Sira and Jubilees. These texts participate in a debate about the appropriateness of medicine on the one hand, and on the consultation of physicians, on the other. By means of an examination of the multiple manuscript evidence for these texts, I aim to throw light on the earliest strata of the textual tradition. Furthermore, through a discussion on the picture of medicine as presented in Assyria-Babylon, Egypt and Greece—nations alongside which ancient Israel has lived for centuries—I attempt to explore the historico-cultural milieu that lies behind these texts, to offer some fresh insights and to account for the attitudes towards the use of medicine these present. My thesis is that there was no unified approach towards the use of medicine in the Jewish circles of the third and second centuries BCE; the authors of these literary compositions, each in his own unique way, ventured to create afresh medical awareness to his fellow Jews. The existence of opposing views towards medical practice should be understood as different ways to comprehend the multifarious Jewish identity of the Second Temple period. Finally, I suggest that the medical and healing material of the aforementioned writings may be considered as further literary evidence that can contribute to the broader understanding of the manifold medical situations in Hellenistic times.


The British Library's EThOS service harvests thesis metadata from over 100 repositories and works hard to combine it into a consistent and comprehensive national index. The variation we see between the different sets of data from different institutions is remarkable. That's not surprising when the data has to travel from the student's hand, through the research office, institutional repository, OAI export service, through a harvesting process and finally into EThOS. No wonder data can be lost, misplaced or changed along the way!
 Variations are caused by different technical systems, different versions of the same system, the repository set-up, data input requirements, and the level of repository expertise amongst the staff. But what does beautiful thesis metadata look like and how is it created?
This interactive workshop will help participants unravel the challenges and secrets of good thesis metadata. We'll look at different metadata schemas, how the OAI-PMH export and harvest process works, and how you can set up your repository to expose the best metadata for aggregators like EThOS to re-use.
We will base our discussion on the UK's thesis schema, UKETD_DC, but we hope it will be a useful session for all delegates.


The quality of life (QoL) of end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients is a frequently overlooked yet critical consideration when evaluating the overall medical care of patients. There are a variety of measures used to assess the QoL of ESRD patients. Some of the more frequently used tools include the single-question QoL questionnaire, the 36 Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQoL) questionnaire. The best intervention to improve the QoL of ESRD patients is renal transplantation. The role of erythropoietin and intensification of dialysis dose in improving patients' QoL is undergoing review. We have previously shown relationships between patients' perception of quality of life and depressive affect, perception of burden of illness (IEQ), social support (MSP), pain and sleep disturbances. Further studies should focus on interventions that modify patients' perceptions of these psychosocial parameters with the goal of improving their QoL. Treatment of depression, pain and sleep disorders holds particular promise in this regard.


A field trial in Beel Akbarpur village, Dadri PHC, District Ghaziabad (U.P.) was carried out to test the impact of burning neem oil in kerosene lamp from dusk-to-dawn in living rooms on vector populations and incidence of malaria. Results revealed that burning 1% neem oil in kerosene lamps resulted in the deviation of An. culicifacies from living rooms to cattlesheds. This was also reflected when malaria incidence was compared in experimental and control villages. Cases/000 and Pf/000 were 1.03 and 0.0 in experimental village as against 9.6 and 4.3 in control village. Discontinuation of burning 1% neem oil in kerosene lamp resulted in recurrence of An. culicifacies in living rooms and increase in malaria incidence in experimental village.


ABSTRACT This article poses the question of what analytical insight can be gained by comparing ritual and cliché, both of which involve evaluations of the significance of repetition. The case study is kava-drinking sessions in indigenous Fiji. Whether purposeful or casual, kava-drinking sessions always follow rules which give them significant form and regularity of the kind some anthropologists consider definitive of ritual practice. Yet many indigenous Fijians criticise present-day kava-drinking sessions for several reasons. One prominent line of criticism is that kava drinking is now a matter of too much repetition – too many people drinking too much too often – and losing the meaningful link to chiefly tradition as a result. Analysing criticism of ritual in terms of cliché clarifies situations in which the iconic force of repetition is treated as an index of excess.


Recent reports suggest that dietary ethanol, or alcohol, is a supplemental source of calories for some primates. For example, slow lorises (Nycticebus coucang) consume fermented nectars with a mean alcohol concentration of 0.6% (range: 0.0–3.8%). A similar behaviour is hypothesized for aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) based on a single point mutation (A294V) in the gene that encodes alcohol dehydrogenase class IV (ADH4), the first enzyme to catabolize alcohol during digestion. The mutation increases catalytic efficiency 40-fold and may confer a selective advantage to aye-ayes that consume the nectar of Ravenala madagascariensis. It is uncertain, however, whether alcohol exists in this nectar or whether alcohol is preferred or merely tolerated by nectarivorous primates. Here, we report the results of a multiple-choice food preference experiment with two aye-ayes and a slow loris. We conducted observer-blind trials with randomized, serial dilutions of ethanol (0–5%) in a standard array of nectar-simulating sucrose solutions. We found that both species can discriminate varying concentrations of alcohol; and further, that both species prefer the highest available concentrations. These results bolster the hypothesized adaptive function of the A294V mutation in ADH4, and a connection with fermented foods, both in aye-ayes and the last common ancestor of African apes and humans.


As of the latest national elections, it costs approximately $1 billion to become president, $10 million to become a Senator, and $1 million to become a Member of the House. High-priced campaigns, an elite class of donors and spenders, superPACs, and increasing corporate political power have become the new normal in American politics. In Capitalism v. Democracy, Timothy Kuhner explains how these conditions have corrupted American democracy, turning it into a system of rule that favors the wealthy and marginalizes ordinary citizens. Kuhner maintains that these conditions have corrupted capitalism as well, routing economic competition through political channels and allowing politically powerful companies to evade market forces. The Supreme Court has brought about both forms of corruption by striking down campaign finance reforms that limited the role of money in politics. Exposing the extreme economic worldview that pollutes constitutional interpretation, Kuhner shows how the Court became the architect of American plutocracy. Capitalism v. Democracy offers the key to understanding why corporations are now citizens, money is political speech, limits on corporate spending are a form of censorship, democracy is a free market, and political equality and democratic integrity are unconstitutional constraints on money in politics. Supreme Court opinions have dictated these conditions in the name of the Constitution, as though the Constitution itself required the privatization of democracy. Kuhner explores the reasons behind these opinions, reveals that they form a blueprint for free market democracy, and demonstrates that this design corrupts both politics and markets. He argues that nothing short of a constitutional amendment can set the necessary boundaries between capitalism and democracy.


Objectives The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins are critical modulators of chemotherapeutic resistance in various cancers. To address the alarming emergence of chemotherapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer, we investigated the efficacy of the turmeric derivative curcumin in reducing IAP protein and mRNA expression resulting in pancreatic cancer cell death. Methods The pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line PANC-1 was used to assess curcumin's effects in pancreatic cancer. Curcumin uptake was measured by spectral analysis and fluorescence microscopy. AlamarBlue and Trypan blue exclusion assays were used to determine PANC-1 cell viability after curcumin treatment. Visualization of PANC-1 cell death was performed using Hoffman Modulation Contrast microscopy. Western blot, and polymerase chain reaction analyses were used to evaluate curcumin's effects on IAP protein and mRNA expression. Results Curcumin enters PANC-1 cells and is ubiquitously present within the cell after treatment. Furthermore, curcumin reduces cell viability and induces morphological changes characteristic of cell death. Additionally, curcumin decreases IAP protein and mRNA expression in PANC-1 cells. Conclusions These data demonstrate that PANC-1 cells are sensitive to curcumin treatment. Futthermore, curcumin is a potential therapeutic tool for overcoming chemotherapeutic resistance mediated by IAPs. Together, this data supports a role for curcumin as part of the therapeutic approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.


The transmembrane (TM) domain of HIV glycoprotein gp41 anchors the envelope (Env) spike in the viral membrane and is highly conserved. The mid-span arginine 696 is particularly conserved, and the only other residue found in this position is lysine. Seeking to examine the role of this conserved positive charge in the structure and function of the gp41 TM domain, we synthesized a series of peptides corresponding to this region. Analysis of the peptides in a previously validated fluorescence assay in model membranes showed that the native TM domain is trimeric. Peptides in which the intramembrane arginine was mutated to alanine showed significantly lower trimerization propensity. In contrast, this mutation in the context of infectious pseudovirus caused only modest decreases in viral stability and infectivity. We propose a model to explain the importance of this charge to gp41 structure and to HIV infection.


Kenya has increasingly relied on modern agricultural technology to increase productivity since land extensification is no longer a feasible option to satisfy national food demands. Hybrid maize varieties have been one of the more successful technologies developed, responsible for dramatic yield increases in the developed world since World War II and more recently as an integral part of the Green Revolution. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that affect the adoption of hybrid maize varieties in Kenya. A household survey was conducted to collect data on demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as to elicit farmers' perceptions of the agronomic and consumption benefits of hybrid maize compared to open pollinated varieties. Using econometric (discrete choice) models, results showed that farmers' perceive that hybrid maize provides significant benefits in obtaining higher yields, but are less effective protecting against drought. Several other demographic and socioeconomic variables also had positive effects on hybrid maize adoption including access to modern farm equipment, distance to market, age, gender, education level and occupation of the household head. As Kenya and other African countries look to biotechnology as a means to increase productivity, the seed industry will need to continue finding ways to develop genetically modified maize to improve drought protection.

 Key words: Hybrid maize, adoption, open pollinated variety, farmer's preference, Kenya.


Culture, orgin and identity are hot topics that are being discussed everywhere, for example in newspapers, lunchrooms and on Twitter. Politicians, media and ordinary people have displayed different antiracist acts, for example campaigns, marches and political actions.But you may wonder if it really is that effective, or if the antiracism reproduces racism with its language. The purpose of this study is to see if articles from the newspaper Aftonbladet's antiracist campaign "We like different!" reproduces racism through its language.The method that is used is discourse analysis, more specific Chantal Laclau och Ernesto Mouffes discourse theory. The theories the study relies on are race, racism, framing, racism in news, binary oppositions, stereotypes, whiteness and orientalism.Two discourses were found in the material, "We like different" and "We like the same". The most central piece in the "We like different"-discourse is "different", which is associated with other origins than Swedish and different skincolor than white. "Swedish" and "white" are instead connected to "the same". "Different" is portrayed as "the other", the negative part of an binary opposition against "the same". "We" is an identity the articles gives "We like different" and is a dominant part of a binary opposition against "them". The identity "immigrant" also exists in the discourse and is build as a stereotype."We like the same" is given a "them" identity. "Racism" is a central piece in the discourse and is associated with categorizing humans after "race". "The Swedendemocrats" is build as an identity, and is connected to "ignorance", "judging people after the color of their skin" and "cold". "The voters of the Swedendemocrats" is described in a different way than the party itself. The peoples responsibility is taken away and they are instead connected to "dissatisfaction" and that they "don't understand" what they are voting for.


Water, oxygen, temperature, and mechanical resistance are the soil physical factors that can directly influence plant growth. Under favorable temperature not only sufficient water is available for the plant at the last limiting water range (LLWR), but also the other two factors are not limiting for the root activity. In order to study the corn single cross (Zea mays L. ) response to the soil water content with reference to LLWR, a greenhouse experiment was conducted. Topsoil with clay loam texture was passed through 4.76-mm sieve, and transferred into PVC cylinders (diameter 15.2 cm and height 50 cm). The soil columns were compacted to achieve two levels of bulk densities (1.25 and 1.6 g cm -3 ). With three soil moisture levels (the LLWR range, less than its lower limit and greater than its upper limit), two compactions and three replications, 18 soil columns were prepared. Three corn seeds were planted in each column. After seedling emergence and thinning them to one plant per PVC pot, soil water treatments were applied at 5-leaves growth stage. Plant traits including plant height, leaf area, leaf relative water content and stomatal conductance were measured. The difference in these traits between the three soil water levels were significant (p<0.01). Increase in bulk density decreased LLWR (v/v) from 18% at 1.25 g cm -3 to 6% at 1.6 g cm -3 . Mean values comparisons of the plant traits at both bulk densities showed that the soil water range defined by LLWR led to the highest values of the traits. Therefore, the thresholds values corresponding to air-filled porosity of 10%, permanent wilting point of 1.5 MPa suction and mechanical resistance of 2 MPa (as defined in the LLWR concept) were verified for the corn growth in the examined soil.


Background: The effects of transthyretin (TTR) over-expression on the proliferation and cell cycle of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells and its possible mechanism were verified. Methods: A total of 196 LC patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled at Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China between Apr 2017 and Oct 2017. The serum TTR content was detected by ELISA. Through lentiviral transfection method, NSCLC cells were divided into non-transfected group (group A), negative control group (group B) transfected with empty vector and experimental group (group C) transfected with TTR over-expression. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 method, TTR mRNA expression was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and TTR protein expression was tested by Western blot (WB). Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry, Wnt3a/β-catenin protein expression was detected by WB, and mRNA expression was detected by RT-qPCR. Results: The serum TTR content in early, middle and late LC group was remarkably lower than that in healthy group (P<0.05). Compared with late stage, TTR content in early and middle stages of LC group was higher, and the difference was statistically marked (P < 0.05). The absorbance value of group C was lower than that of groups A and B, indicating that the cell proliferation activity dramatically decreased, with statistically marked difference (P<0.05). LC A549 cells in group C were obviously blocked in G2M, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: TTR over-expression can inhibit the proliferation of NSCLC A549 cells, and the expression is related to Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway. TTR in serum of patients was helpful for diagnosing LC and has certain clinical value.


This article uses case studies from the history of the Federal Reserve to illustrate the capacity of "soft constraints" to impose meaningful limits on an agency's effective independence. This analysis suggests that the Federal Reserve is not nearly as unconstrained as it may appear if one looks only at the formal mechanisms limiting its independence. Two types of soft constraints illustrate their power. The first set, principled norms, are principles that are generally accepted by experts and policymakers and that dictate how the Fed ought to act in a given set of circumstances, provide. Using the real bills doctrine, Bagehot's dictum, and the Taylor rule as examples, the analysis suggests that even when the Fed has no legally enforceable obligation to act in accord with a principled norm, the existence of the norm shapes Fed action and discussions about the same. The Fed Chairperson's concern with his reputation provides a second and complementary soft constraint on how the Federal Reserve uses its authority. Fed Chairs often serve for exceptionally long periods, exercise significant influence while in office, and are held accountable, by politicians, the press and academics, for actions the Federal Reserve takes while they are in office. Fed Chairs thus have the incentive and means to influence the Federal Reserve's actions to enhance their individual reputations. These analyses suggest that soft constraints play a meaningful and underappreciated role shaping Fed action and facilitating transparency and oversight.The article also considers the ramifications of soft constraints for debates about the Fed's authority and discussions about agency independence more generally. It suggests that soft constraints should reduce the likelihood of arbitrary action, thus serving as a partial substitute for political accountability and enhancing agency legitimacy. Soft constraints also serve as important complements to traditional mechanisms of accountability by increasing transparency and serving as a reference points that facilitates discussion and oversight. The article further suggests that soft constraints may be particularly important in settings where there are significant drawbacks to using formal tools to enhance accountability.


In antitrust literature, "populism�? is associated with sympathy for small local businesses and fears of large firms. In other areas and everyday language, "populism�? means a confrontational approach that is used to attack institutions and influential elites. With the rise of populism in the United States and around the world, this Article questions the antitrust tradition of equating populism with ideas that shaped antitrust law a century ago. The tradition shields contemporary antitrust populists from the criticism and stigma that they deserve and, thus, empowers populist ideas that courts and scholars frequently endorse. The Article makes three contributions to antitrust literature and the understanding of antitrust law. First, the Article clarifies the general characteristics of populism, contrasting the alleged cause of serving "the people�? with the phenomenon's costly dogmatic, anti-intellectual, and destructive methods. It then defines "antitrust populism�? as an expression of the populist style in antitrust law and literature—the use of thin ideas, exaggerations, and anxieties to advance antitrust theories. Properly understood, certain forms of antitrust populism rely on dogmatic beliefs that reject nuanced policies and the need for analysis. Second, the Article identifies anti-bigness and anti-enforcement sentiments as the two primary populist strains in antitrust law and literature. Each strain is related to a populist political movement, guided by distrust in institutions, decorated with various theories, and critical of the other strain. Third, the Article explores the relationship between technological progress and antitrust populism. It explains why rapid technological change tends to inspire antitrust populists. The Article argues that courts, the agencies, and scholars should make an effort to reject populist arguments for their anti-intellectual nature and other flaws.