There has been a remarkable increase in the data exchange over web and the widespread use of digital media. As a result, multimedia data transfers also had a boost up. The mounting interest with reference to digital watermarking throughout the last decade is certainly due to the increase in the need of copyright protection of digital content. This is also enhanced due to commercial prospective. Applications of video watermarking in copy control, broadcast monitoring, fingerprinting, video authentication, copyright protection etc is immensely rising. The main aspects of information hiding are capacity, security and robustness. Capacity deals with the amount of information that can be hidden. The skill of anyone detecting the information is security and robustness refers to the resistance to modification of the cover content before concealed information is destroyed. Video watermarking algorithms normally prefers robustness. In a robust algorithm it is not possible to eliminate the watermark without rigorous degradation of the cover content. In this paper, we introduce the notion of Video Watermarking and the features required to design a robust watermarked video for a valuable application. We review several algorithms, and introduce frequently used key techniques. The aim of this paper is to focus on the various domains of video watermarking techniques. The majority of the reviewed methods based on video watermarking emphasize on the notion of robustness of the algorithm.


We investigate graphs that can be disconnected into small components by removing a vanishingly small fraction of their vertices. We show that, when a controllable quantum network is described by such a graph and the gaps in eigenfrequencies and in transition frequencies are bounded exponentially in the number of vertices, the network is efficiently controllable, in the sense that universal quantum computation can be performed using a control sequence polynomial in the size of the network while controlling a vanishingly small fraction of subsystems. We show that networks corresponding to finite-dimensional lattices are efficiently controllable and explore generalizations to percolation clusters and random graphs. We show that the classical computational complexity of estimating the ground state of Hamiltonians described by controllable graphs is polynomial in the number of subsystems or qubits.


Using a large sample of partial block acquisitions, we examine the importance of geographic proximity in corporate governance and target returns. We find that block acquirers have a strong preference for geographically proximate targets and acquirers that purchase shares in such targets are more likely to engage in post‐acquisition target governance activities than are remote block acquirers. Moreover, the targets of these acquirers realize higher announcement returns and better post‐acquisition operating performance than do targets of other types of acquirers, particularly when they face greater information asymmetries.


The present study Bibliometric analysis of Journal of Knowledge Management Practice covers the 180 articles of 21 volumes in 5 years from 2008-2012. The investigators attempted to reveal the year wise distribution of articles, authorship pattern of articles, citation pattern, country wise distribution of articles, average number of citation per articles and length of papers etc. Results showed that, in the year 2011, highest 42(23.3%) articles were published out of 180 articles in 5 years. Single author contribution has predominant with 42.7%. Average numbers of citations per article are 19. In geographical distribution of articles, USA has contributed highest 34 articles with 18.8% and highest 69.4% articles are published with page range of 11-20. KEY WORDSBibliometric analysis, authorship pattern, citation pattern.


The present article lies at the intersection of research on teacher cognitions and the rising importance of literary texts in second language learning. It is a qualitative analysis of teacher reports on integrating Language Arts (LA) in the context of New Senior Secondary (NSS) English Language Curriculum in Hong Kong. In particular, this study explores three English teachers' conceptions of teaching literary texts. Juxtaposing teachers' views of LA integration and their personal experience of English language learning offers teacher educators a useful lens through which to view the personal practical nature of teacher cognition. It also unveils the factors influencing their conceptions of the place of literary texts in the English Language Curriculum. The results portray teachers as individuals with unique personal characteristics and backgrounds. It is hoped that the study will offer insights into the development of teachers' personal practical knowledge (PPK) by highlighting their personal learning experience. The study suggests a reconsideration of the relationship between teacher knowledge and belief from various perspectives.


ABSTRACT The spread of most strains of vaccinia virus in cell monolayers occurs predominantly via extracellular enveloped virions that adhere to the tips of actin-containing microvilli and to a lesser extent via diffusion of released virions. The mechanism by which virions adhere to the cell surface is unknown, although several viral proteins may be involved. The present investigation was initiated with the following premise: spontaneous mutations that increase virus release will be naturally selected by propagating a virus unable to spread by means of actin tails. Starting with an A36R deletion mutant that forms small, round plaques, five independent virus clones with enhanced spread due to the formation of comet or satellite plaques were isolated. The viral membrane glycoprotein genes of the isolates were sequenced; four had mutations causing C-terminal truncations of the A33R protein, and one had a serine replacing proline 189 of the B5R protein. The comet-forming phenotype was specifically reproduced or reversed by homologous recombination using DNA containing the mutated or natural sequence, respectively. Considerably more extracellular enveloped virus was released into the medium by the second-site mutants than by the parental A36R deletion mutant, explaining their selection in tissue culture as well as their comet-forming phenotype. The data suggest that the B5R protein and the C-terminal region of the A33R protein are involved in adherence of cell-associated enveloped virions to cells. In spite of their selective advantage in cultured cells, the second-site mutants were not detectably more virulent than the A36R deletion mutant when administered to mice by the intranasal route.


We propose a THz spatial filter using frequency selective surfaces (FSS) integrated with bimaterial actuator for switching. The actuator consists of two materials that have different thermal expansion rates and can be designed based on temperature tuning. The goal for this design is to develop high performance reconfigurable filters operating in the THz band. The filter was fabricated using gold as filter pattern on silicon substrate. SiO2 and Al were used as bimaterial actuators. Simulations show excellent transmittance (>80%). Allowing different gap of the actuator (up and down), the peak frequency can vary from 0.35 to 0.37 THz.


The human quest for the meaning of life is an unending one marked by undulating landscapes. In order to  confront the flux of experience generated by this quest for meaning, the human embraces science, morality,  politics and religion. Religion is said to provide the basis for transcendental values which give humans succour  after the physical and material struggles have ended. At the same time, religion also uses the observable social world as the starting point for the embrace of transcendental values. In this essay, an attempt is made  to examine the interconnectedness of modernity (which has its basis in the social world), Islam (which  provides the human with transcendental values) and an African culture (which serves as a nexus of modernity and Islam). The essay is basically an exercise in analysis whereby the readers are made to draw some compelling inferences. Keywords : Modernity, Islam, African culture, Values, Human happiness


This briefing paper is the first output of the JISC funded project: PROCO2. The aim of PROCO2 is to explore how to re-engineer procurement and re-imagine the University thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically, the project aims to develop an ICT based decision-making tool enabling De Montfort University (and thereafter other HEIs) to reduce Scope 3 emissions, notably procurement. The project will involve a review of the impact of Scope 3 emissions, procurement best practice in the HEI sector, the design and construction and testing of an ICT tool to enable improved decision making around the environmental impact of suppliers, goods and services, and finally, to understand the organizational learning and change management issues surrounding such a change.
 This briefing paper sets out the landscape of sustainable procurement in 2011 by firstly providing a brief overview of the procurement function before second, reviewing definitions of sustainable procurement and giving an overview of the current policy context and range of organisations involved in sustainable procurement. Third and finally, the paper will show the potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions through more sustainable management of procurement decisions. This section takes the form of a case study of De Montfort University that should be illustrative and instructive for other Higher Education Institutions.


[1] With a 3-D global-scale hybrid simulation model, we investigate the energy spectra of cusp precipitating ions and issues associated with magnetopause reconnection under a southward IMF. Both the spatial and temporal energy spectra of cusp precipitating ions are computed by tracing trajectories of the transmitted magnetosheath ions. The spatial spectrum shows a dispersive feature consistent with satellite observations, with higher energy particles at lower latitudes and lower energy particles at higher latitudes. The simulation reveals (1) how and where particles are transmitted from the solar wind into the magnetosphere via direct magnetic reconnection on the dayside; (2) how the features of the spectra are related to ongoing magnetic FTEs; and (3) how the motion of the cusp, particularly the latitudinal variation of the open/closed field line boundary, is correlated with the dayside reconnection and reflected in the energy flux spectra of the precipitating ions as a function of time.


We consider the distribution of cycle counts in a random regular graph, which is closely linked to the graph's spectral properties. We broaden the asymptotic regime in which the cycle counts are known to be approximately Poisson, and we give an explicit bound in total variation distance for the approximation. Using this result, we calculate limiting distributions of linear eigenvalue functionals for random regular graphs.
Previous results on the distribution of cycle counts by McKay, Wormald, and Wysocka (2004) used the method of switchings, a combinatorial technique for asymptotic enumeration. Our proof uses Stein's method of exchangeable pairs and demonstrates an interesting connection between the two techniques.


The paper is an overview of diversity in history, starting as far back as the societies in classical Ancient Europe and traditional non-European societies, where differentiation was basically between the enslaved and free population and the out-of-caste in India. With the end of slavery the European feudal society adopted a functionalist tripartition based on priests, warriors and peasants. The analysis continues in pre-industrial Europe (1500-1800), where in many cities class struggle was represented by the conflicts between crafts and between cities, with some participation of the elites. In 17th century England only one class existed, and class struggle was the struggle inside one class. Other considerations on the stratification of pre-industrial society are related to classes inferred from empirical subjectivity, social hierarchy and horizontal and vertical solidarity. In industrial society, the paper discusses the Marxian, Weberian and Marshall models and the syncretism between status and class. The second part of the paper is devoted to diversity outside formal society with the definitions of the processes that generate the marginalization of people and social groups, while the third part of the paper concerns the urban milieu and social integration/differentiation. Considerations are made on urban topography (e.g. ghettos, "miracle courts", etc.) and on the relationship between topographic position within the urban tissue and positioning in the social pyramid. Finally, the last part of the paper is an excursus on the historiographic assumptions and policies toward diversity and marginality.


In this thesis I suggest that the work of the four contemporary poets studied manifests the vital role perceptual experience plays in the creation of literary texts. I engage primarily in the analysis of particular texts in order to argue for a shift in critical focus away from the explicit manipulation or exteriorization of the physical aspects of poetry (for example versification and explicit visual presentation) in order to concentrate on the role sensory aspects of thought play within it. Emphasis is therefore put on the way these poets draw from sensory experience, and the effect this has on the way their poetry functions. A shift away from traditional critical vocabulary is considered necessary in part due to the fact that discussions of the physical aspects of poetry often carry with them a variety of preconceptions concerning the nature of language, thought and the thinking subject. The tendency to pose dividing lines between mind and body, word and image, the physical and non-physical aspects of language has characterized the history of Western thought, and neither literature nor literary criticism have been exempt from the conceptual presuppositions inherent in such binary systems. Here, I consider how the work of Pierre Alferi, Valere Novarina, Anne Portugal and Christophe Tarkos transcends such dualisms, using the analysis of specific works to develop a critical approach that reflects their exploration of the ambiguity of the boundaries that separate different sorts of experience and means of expression. The thesis is therefore structured around the development of three concepts, 'pensee-vue', 'pensee-voix' and 'pensee-toucher', inspired directly by the texts studied, that are intended to indicate the vital role different forms of perception play in both the creation and experience of poetic texts. It is hoped that the development of an approach that emphasizes the connection between thought, perception and creativity will suggest the fertility of a shift in critical focus in domains beyond that of contemporary French poetry.


Problem statement: The game court of team sport, part of Sport Centre of Arturo
Collana, was closed after structural accident in 2006 and the local administration is now designing
the rebuilding of it. For this reason, it has already allocated economical resource to study a partial
reconstruction of it to reutilize actual structure. The problem is how can satisfy the customers
according to suggesting the old and new solutions. Approach: The aim is to recognize expected
demand about the real choice of customers with the proposal for a various architectural aspects. A
survey was carries out by using statistical model to correlate a demand of multi game sport relating
to various hypotheses, already designed with a different solution. A sample of 100 customers that
have submitted questionnaire with the specific parameters about the architecture and engine was
taken to apply the qualitative research method to the market research. Results and Conclusion: The
result of this study concludes that it is not possible to the partially construct but it is useful the
plenty reconstruction of game court. The local organization of Coni (Italian National Olympic
Committee) designed a new project according to a specific parameter that follows the same
characteristic of old game court without searching the other engineer and architectural solutions.
Thus the question is a mix of engine and architectural aspects, economical and functional elements
of it. The data showed association between demand of multisport and new architectonical hypothesis
and the association between demand of single sport and old architectural structure. The percentage
of multi sport demand is higher than single sport and this orientation has to follow to design a new
sport facilities.


Infant eye gaze is frequently studied because of its relevance as an indicator of early attention and learning. However, the coupling of eye gaze with an individual's head motion is often overlooked. This paper analyzes how head motion develops within a social interaction context. To measure this interaction, we developed an approach that can estimate infant head motion from ego perspective recordings as they are typically provided by eye-tracking systems. Our method is able to quantify infant head motion from existing social interaction recordings even if the head was not explicitly tracked. Therefore, data from longitudinal studies that has been collected over the years can be reanalyzed in more detail. We applied our method to an existing longitudinal study of parent infant interaction and found that infants' head motion in response to social interaction shows a developmental trend. Furthermore, our results indicate that this trend is less visible within gaze data alone. This suggests that head motion is an important element for understanding and measuring infants' behavior during parent-child interactions.


This paper proposes a method of robust optimal stabilization for balance systems such as rocket and missile systems, Segway human transportation systems, and inverted pendulum systems. Constant-gain controllers such as linear-quadratic regulators may not guarantee stability let alone optimality for balance systems affected by parametric variations. The robust stability and robust performance achieved through the proposed variable-gain controller are better than those of the linear-quadratic regulator. The proposed controller consists of two components, one of which is designed offline for nominal values of parametric variations and one of which is updated online for off-nominal values of parametric variations. A salient feature of the proposed method is a linear transformation that converts the vector control input of balance systems into scalar control input for application of the proposed method. A fourth-order linearized model of an inverted pendulum system is simulated to show the efficacy of the proposed method.


Family policies have been expanded in many OECD countries, whilst developments along other welfare state dimensions have been characterized by retrenchment. Although the contribution of gender analyses of the welfare state to a better understanding of family policies is widely acknowledged, the literature so far has largely failed to provide a comparative account explaining the recent expansions of employment-oriented family policies in countries that were previously categorized as pursuing policies in accordance with the strong male breadwinner model. This article aims to make a contribution to the comparative literature by investigating the socioeconomic conditions and politics of employment-oriented family policy expansions in Britain and Germany since the 1990s. We pay special attention to processes of post-industrialisation and especially changed skill compositions as well as the role of key policy actors, with a special focus on organized business.


The clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church is complex. While first and foremost a terrible violation of victims, it is not only about sex or abuse. It concerns unchecked, divinely sanctioned patriarchal power and its devastating consequences. The author reviews the theological issues at stake, including patriarchy, sexuality and sexual ethics, and sin. She argues that addressing the roots of the crisis calls for taking seriously the contributions of feminist theologians to the thinking of the church, especially about establishing relationships of mutuality and equality between clergy and laity.


These studies were conducted to determine the effect of 1) temperature on P leaching from a soilless medium amended with various P fertilizers, 2) water application volume on P leaching, and 3) various fertilizers on P leaching during production and growth of marigolds (Tagetes erecta L. 'Hero Flame'). Increasing temperature linearly decreased leaching fraction; however, total P leached from the single (SSP) or triple (TSP) superphosphate-amended medium did not differ regardless of temperature. Despite a smaller leaching fraction at higher temperatures and no change in the total P leached, P was probably leached more readily at higher temperatures. More P was leached from the medium amended with uncoated monoammonium phosphate (UCP) than from the medium containing polymer-coated monoammonium phosphate (CTP) at all temperatures, and more P was leached from UCP-amended medium at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures. More P was leached from TSP- than from SSP-amended medium and from UCP- than from CTP-amended medium regardless of the water volume applied, but leachate P content increased linearly as water application volume increased for all fertilizers tested. Plant dry weights did not differ regardless of P source. Leachate electrical conductivity (EC) was lower with TSP than with SSP. Leachate EC was also lower with CTP than with UCP. A higher percentage of P from controlled release fertilizer was taken up by plants rather than being leached from the medium compared to P from uncoated fertilizers.


Landscape fires are substantial sources of (greenhouse) gases and aerosols. Fires in savanna landscapes represent more than half of global fire carbon emissions. Quantifying emissions from fires relies on accurate burned area, fuel load and burning efficiency data. Of these, fuel load remains the source of the largest uncertainty. In this study, we used high spatial resolution images from an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) mounted multispectral camera, in combination with meteorological data from the ERA-5 land dataset, to model instantaneous pre-fire above-ground biomass. We constrained our model with ground measurements taken in two locations in savanna-dominated regions in Southern Africa, one low-rainfall region (660 mm year−1) in the North-West District (Ngamiland), Botswana, and one high-rainfall region (940 mm year−1) in Niassa Province (northern Mozambique). We found that for fine surface fuel classes (live grass and dead plant litter), the model was able to reproduce measured Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) (R2 of 0.91 and 0.77 for live grass and total fine fuel, respectively) across both low and high rainfall areas. The model was less successful in representing other classes, e.g., woody debris, but in the regions considered, these are less relevant to biomass burning and make smaller contributions to total AGB.


Industrial control systems have unique system requirements which often require diverse systems of cooperating components to achieve system goals. System requirements may be specified in the form of tasks which must be executed in sequential order. This paper presents a design perspective in which such problems can be decomposed and implemented by a distributed system in a modular-fashion. A System Scheduler is responsible for all flow control functions. Loosely coupled Task Processors respond to instructions from the scheduler to perform the control algorithm Parallelism, redundancy, and distributed control are presented as methods of improving system performance and reliability.


: An actinomycete strain No. 85 was isolated from a soil sample on media with bleomycin. It was described as a representative of a new species. Actinomyces cremeospinus sp. nov. An antibiotic substance identical with carminomycin, an antitumor antibiotic was isolated from the culture fluid of the strain.


In this paper, we study the design of pulse sequences for NMR spectroscopy as a problem of time optimal control of the unitary propagator. Radio frequency pulses are used in coherent spectroscopy to implement a unitary transfer of state. Pulse sequences that accomplish a desired transfer should be as short as possible in order to minimize the effects of relaxation and to optimize the sensitivity of the experiments. Here, we give an analytical characterization of such time optimal pulse sequences applicable to coherence transfer experiments in multiple-spin systems. We have adopted a general mathematical formulation, and present many of our results in this setting, mindful of the fact that new structures in optimal pulse design are constantly arising. Moreover, the general proofs are no more difficult than the specific problems of current interest. From a general control theory perspective, the problems we want to study have the following character. Suppose we are given a controllable right invariant system on a compact Lie group, what is the minimum time required to steer the system from some initial point to a specified final point? In NMR spectroscopy and quantum computing, this translates to, what is the minimum time required to produce a unitary propagator? We also give an analytical characterization of maximum achievable transfer in a given time for the two-spin systems.


Abstract Although buffers of inventories, time, and capacity are commonly recommended to mitigate variability in construction, they abstract away the role played by human agency. This study argues for slack as a socio-technical complement to buffers for dealing with variability. The investigation is based on two case studies conducted in construction projects that adopted the Last Planner® System. Data collection focussed on understanding how slack practices and resources (SPR) were used in production planning and control, and was based on observations, analysis of documents, and interviews. Findings revealed 57 instantiations of slack practices and 8 types of slack resources. Several of these SPR diverge from what are traditionally called buffers, highlighting how the concept of SPR gives visibility to a wider range of variability coping mechanisms. Thus, it is important to make SPR explicit so that managers can reflect on why SPR are necessary, understand how they relate to each other, and assess their unintended consequences. Five propositions are presented, encompassing: how to identify SPR; the variety and general- or context-specific nature of SPR; and the value of maintaining SPR. These propositions contribute to risk management in production planning and control.


Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli of serotype 06 : K 15 : H16 or H- have been shown to cause MRHA of bovine erythrocytes (MRHAbov), a characteristic associated with possession of socalled CFA (CFA/II) which facilitates adhesion to the intestinal mucosa. Using putative antiCFA/II antisera, raised to whole cell vaccines of MRHAL,, prototype strains of different biotypes with subsequent absorption with their MRHAco, variants, three immunologically distinct CS antigens were identified on enterotoxigenic strains of this serotype. CS1 antigen was found only on MRHA,+,, isolates of biotype A (rhamnose-negative). Specific anti-CS 1 antigen serum agglutinated rhamnose-negative strains, gave a single immunoprecipitate in double immunodiffusion against cell surface extracts of these bacteria, and only inhibited the MRHA,,, activity of biotype A strains. The presence of CSl serologically correlated with the presence of a 16.3 kDal polypeptide band upon SDS-PAGE of extracts. CS2 antigen was identified on MRHAk,, strains of biotypes B, C and F (rhamnose-positive). Specific anti-CS2 antigen serum agglutinated only the latter strains, gave a single immunoprecipitate against cell surface extracts of only rhamnose fermenting strains, and only inhibited MRHAbov activity of strains of these biotypes. The presence of CS2 antigen serologically was associated with the presence of a 15.3 kDal polypeptide band in SDS-PAGE patterns of extracts. The CS3 antigen was identified by immunodiffusion tests with extracts of most 06 : K 15 : H 16 or H- strains possessing CS 1 or CS2 antigen, i.e. independently of biotype, and was associated with the presence of a 14-8 kDal polypeptide band by SDS-PAGE. Anti-CS3 antigen antibodies did not agglutinate nor did they possess haemagglutination inhibition activity. CS3 antigen was also found on an enterotoxigenic isolate series of serotype 08 : K40 : H9, which was MRHA;,, and lacked the CS1 and CS2 antigens. A number of CS2-only 0-serogroup 6 strains were identified. Expression of MRHAbov activity and the production of CS1, CS2 and CS3 antigens were phenotypically suppressed by growth at 18 "C. Loss of ST and also, in most instances, of LT production accompanied loss of MRHAb,, activity and loss of production of the CS1, CS2 and CS3 antigens. Thus, the findings demonstrate the presence of two serologically distinct, biotype-associated haemagglutinins with different molecular weight properties on MRHA;,,, enterotoxigenic E. coli of serotype 06 : K15 : H 16 or H- of human origin and of a third non-haemagglutinating surface-associated antigen common to most strains which may also facilitate adhesion.


This paper considers the domain adaptive person re-identification (re-ID) problem: learning a re-ID model from a labeled source domain and an unlabeled target domain. Conventional methods are mainly to reduce feature distribution gap between the source and target domains. However, these studies largely neglect the intra-domain variations in the target domain, which contain critical factors influencing the testing performance on the target domain. In this work, we comprehensively investigate into the intra-domain variations of the target domain and propose to generalize the re-ID model w.r.t three types of the underlying invariance, i.e., exemplar-invariance, camera-invariance and neighborhood-invariance. To achieve this goal, an exemplar memory is introduced to store features of the target domain and accommodate the three invariance properties. The memory allows us to enforce the invariance constraints over global training batch without significantly increasing computation cost. Experiment demonstrates that the three invariance properties and the proposed memory are indispensable towards an effective domain adaptation system. Results on three re-ID domains show that our domain adaptation accuracy outperforms the state of the art by a large margin. Code is available at: https://github.com/zhunzhong07/ECN


This paper presents a state of the art review of different material combinations and applications of mineral-based and epoxy-based bonded Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP), used for the strengthening of concrete structures subjected to fatigue loading. In this review, models of the fatigue life at the material and structural level are presented. This study examines the mechanical behavior of the FRP-material, surface bonding behavior and concrete beams strengthened under fatigue loading with different types of FRP-systems. The parameters that are investigated are applied load value, time dependent effects, type of strengthened structures (shear, flexural or combined) and the configuration of sheets or plates. The building codes and researchers' recommendations are also discussed. As a result of this review, the reader will obtains an overview of suitable materials and methods for strengthening structures subjected to fatigue loading by referring to the estimated fatigue life of material and strengthening structures at various applied stress levels.


In this paper, we present preliminary empirical findings on the incidence of employee involvement practices in the Finnish manufacturing sector. The novel survey on EI practices is based on a representative random sample from the population of the Finnish manufacturing firms who had 50 or more employees in 2005. Our main findings are that employee involvement practices are widespread in Finnish firms, although there is variation in the use of individual practices. Job rotation and satisfaction surveys are the most common practices and board representation the least common. Studying the determinants of these practices, we find evidence that they are more commonly used in larger firms and in firms that use heavily other advanced management practices.


One of the debate topics in recent library literature is the reconfiguration of the managerial style, the new organization and functioning models of the info-documentary structures which could meet the requirements and characteristics of the digital society and the current needs of users for quality information services. Along with these aspects the new professional profiles of library specialists, the new roles which they should play and the skills needed are also addressed. Knowledge management, a process which has also been applied lately in the library world, and which supports organizational development, innovation and fosters collaboration and teamwork, is one of the possible successful models. A knowledge management strategy could prove to be an all-inclusive solution for libraries in the digital age. In this context, starting from the results of an interview based study, conducted with directors of academic libraries and heads of academic library branches in Romania, this paper evaluates the current stage in Romanian academic libraries in terms of understanding the importance of knowledge management and the implementation thereof within these institutions. Taking into account the results obtained in 2004, during the first research conducted in Romania on the subject of knowledge management at the level of the info-documentary structures and the strategic model proposed for the implementation of this process in Romanian libraries, and designed on the basis of researches conducted over several years in these institutions, the analysis of results obtained herein indicates a deep awareness of the importance of knowledge management application in libraries but a small progress in its effective implementation within the academic libraries in Romania, as well as a feeble concern in this regard from library directors.


Sustainability demands materials and energy saving. As a consequence light weight engineered products are a must. This paper approaches the possibility to substitute heavy weight metal design by multi-material light weight design considering polymeric materials and employing manufacturing techniques which are optimal adapted to the materials, e.g. assembly injection moulding. The needed necessary steps for such a development are described and the conceivable result is discussed exemplarily with regard to a novel and weight saving pump housing construction.


With the arrival of the Spaniards in the New World, the way of living of the indigenous population who habited Mesoamerica was blended with the traditions and customs of the European settlers who arrived as conquerors, and the emigrants from Europe that arrivedlater searching for fortune or a better kind of life from the one they had left behind in their land of origin. This encounter of cultures gave rise also to a technical and cultural exchange, and in the case of Mexico, this clash of cultures and techniques is well represented by the printing press, which was established in 1539 with the specific aim of accelerating the evangelisation and education of the Indians. As a consequence of this development, Mexico was turned into a centre of innovation, with the first printing press using movable metal type to be set up outside Europe, and other trades that support printing, such as bookbinding, were also developed.

This thesis investigates the influence of the Spanish and other European bookbinding practices on sixteenth-century Mexican limp, laced-case parchment bindings by the analysis of the features of the bindings of Mexican printed books from that period. In addition, by the analysis of the materials and techniques used to bind these books, as well as the specific structural characteristics of the bindings, the patterns of work that could be described as typically Mexican in the sixteenth-century, are also identified.

The research is divided into two parts: the first, theoretical, explains the historical context of Mexico during the sixteenth century when the printing press and bookbinding were developed. The second part concerns the archaeological study of the books as artefacts. For this purpose, thirty-nine sixteenth-century Mexican printed books bound in limp, laced caseparchment covers were analysed. The analysis of the features of these bindings, which form the majority of the whole sample, made possible the identification of Mexican patterns of work in the sixteenth century.

Given the lack of information and of complete studies of the craft of bookbinding in Mexico in the sixteenth century, this thesis aims to enhance our current knowledge of the historyof bookbinding as well as of the booktrade and the market for books in Mexico.


In this paper we propose a novel and practical variance reduction approach for additive functionals of dependent sequences. Our approach combines the use of control variates with the minimisation of an empirical variance estimate. We analyse finite sample properties of the proposed method and derive finite-time bounds of the excess asymptotic variance to zero. We apply our methodology to Stochastic Gradient MCMC (SGMCMC) methods for Bayesian inference on large data sets and combine it with existing variance reduction methods for SGMCMC. We present empirical results carried out on a number of benchmark examples showing that our variance reduction method achieves significant improvement as compared to state-of-the-art methods at the expense of a moderate increase of computational overhead.


Adult human Schwann cells represent a relevant tool for studying peripheral neuropathies and developing regenerative therapies to treat nerve damage. Primary adult human Schwann cells are, however, difficult to obtain and challenging to propagate in culture. One potential solution is to generate Schwann cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Previously published protocols, however, in our hands did not deliver sufficient viable cell numbers of hiPSC-derived Schwann cells (hiPSC-SCs). We present here, two modified protocols from two collaborating laboratories that overcome these challenges. With this, we also identified the relevant parameters to be specifically considered in any proposed differentiation protocol. Furthermore, we are, to our knowledge, the first to directly compare hiPSC-SCs to primary adult human Schwann cells using immunocytochemistry and RT-qPCR. We conclude the type of coating to be important during the differentiation process from Schwann cell precursor cells or immature Schwann cells to definitive Schwann cells, as well as the amounts of glucose in the specific differentiation medium to be crucial for increasing its efficiency and the final yield of viable hiPSC-SCs. Our hiPSC-SCs further displayed high similarity to primary adult human Schwann cells.


In the summer of 2010, French authorities organized the systematic dismantling of illegal Roma settlements. This resulted in the departure of a large number of Roma-EU citizens from France, as well as a significant dispute between France and the European Commission. While the dispute raises a number of issues of substantive EU law, it also illustrates some important strengths and weaknesses in the system of fundamental rights protection in EU law. This article takes these events as a test case to illustrate that tackling complex problems of human rights protection in the EU requires a hybrid approach in which individual and institutional enforcement mechanisms are complemented by a third level of collective vigilance. While ever since Van Gend & Loos the EU has built a comprehensive system of individual and institutional remedies for the enforcement of EU law, social and political factors may limit their usefulness for vulnerable minorities. The vigilance of collective actors such as networks, NGOs, trade unions and agencies may offer a useful additional layer of protection where they are well-integrated within the classic system of remedies for fundamental rights protection in the EU.


In the context of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, investigations are needed to refine the error budget for discharge estimations. This letter proposes to evaluate the uncertainties in the estimation of mean river discharge around the seasonal peak flow due to the satellite temporal sampling intervals. The daily time series of in situ river discharge measurements for 11 large rivers are used to analyze the uncertainties associated with the sampling of four altimeter repeat cycles: the 35-, 22-, and 10-day repeat cycles in the nadir-looking configuration of current altimeters and the 22-day repeat cycle in the SWOT wide-swath configuration, where a given location is observed every cycle twice at the equator and six times in higher latitudes. Results show that, for boreal rivers, a sampling of 35 or 22 days from current nadir altimeters is too coarse to give an accurate estimate of the average discharge around the seasonal peak flow, whereas for all watersheds, the uncertainties associated with a 10-day repeat cycle or the 22-day repeat cycle in the SWOT wide-swath configuration are within the range of acceptable uncertainties (15%-20%). In addition, the absolute maximum mean discharge uncertainties associated with the SWOT time sampling have a strong relationship with the variance of the river discharge. This suggests that, rather than the commonly used basin area, the magnitude of the short-time-scale variance of the discharge could be used as a predictor of the uncertainties associated with temporal sampling intervals when estimating average discharge around the seasonal peak flow.


A prospective, controlled, randomized, crossover design was used to examine a nutrition education curriculum's effects on knowledge and behavior of 463 limited-resource older adults in 13 counties. Counties were randomized to begin with the treatment or control curriculum and then the remaining curriculum. Participants completed a pre-test before beginning, a post-test at the completion of the first curriculum, and another post-test at the completion of the remaining curriculum. Significant results provide an evidence base for this intervention's effectiveness. The study reported here provides factors that can contribute to Extension outreach to limited-resource older adult audiences and to Extension scholarship.


Computing is ubiquitous in every domain of scientific research. Software is the means by which scientists harness the power of computers, and much scientific computing relies on software conceived and developed by other practicing researchers. The task of creating scientific software, however, does not end with the publication of computed results. Making the developed software available for inspection and use by other scientists is essential to reproducibility, peer-review, and the ability to build upon others' work. In fulfilling expectations to distribute and disseminate their software, scientist-programmers are required to be not only proficient scientists and coders, but also knowledgeable in legal strategies for licensing their software. Navigating the often complex legal landscape of software licensing can be overwhelming, even for sophisticated programmers. Institutional technology transfer offices (TTOs) exist to help address this need, but due to mismatches in expectations or specific domain knowledge, interactions between scientists and TTO staff can result in suboptimal outcomes. As practitioners in the scientific computing and technology law fields, we have witnessed firsthand the confusion and difficulties associated with licensing scientifically generated software. Together, we offer a primer on software licensing with a focus on the particular needs of the scientist-software developer in choosing a software license and engaging with TTOs.


When debugging an interoperability problem, it is often helpful to
have information about the implementation version of a peer. To enable
the disclosure of such information, HTTP defines header fields such as
Server and User-Agent. In CoAP, it is rarely appropriate to send
information of this kind in every request or response. Instead, the
present specification defines a link relation type, impl-info, that
can be used to convey this information via the self-description
capabilities of the /.well- known/core resource and the CoRE resource
directory.


The most recent study on cetaceans in Algoa Bay, South Africa, was conducted over 14 years ago. Consequently, knowledge of the cetacean species visiting this bay is currently based on incidental observations and stranding data. A number of developments in recent years: a deepwater
port, proposed oil refinery, increased boating and fishing (commercial and recreational), a proposed Marine Protected Area, and the release of a whale-watching permit, all of which may impact these animals in some way, highlight the need for a baseline study on cetaceans.
Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution, and habitat preference of cetaceans in Algoa Bay. Boat-based surveys were conducted monthly between March 2009 and July 2010. At each sighting the GPS location, species, group size and
composition, and behaviour were recorded. Using GIS, the sighting data was related to data layers of geographical variables such as sea surface temperature, depth and sea-floor substrate.
Approximately 365 hours of search effort were completed over 57 surveys, with a total of 346 sightings. Species observed were: southern right whales (Eubalaena australis), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera brydei), Indian Ocean bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), and longbeaked common dolphins (Delphinus capensis). Southern right whales were observed during austral winter, utilising the shallow, protected areas of the bay as a mating and nursery ground.
Humpback whales were also recorded extensively during winter, in more offshore waters, with a significant number of mother-calf pairs sighted. Bryde's whales were recorded in offshore waters during summer and autumn, where they were primarily observed travelling and foraging.
Bottlenose dolphins were the most prolific species sighted. They were recorded year-round throughout the inshore waters of the bay, with large group sizes (up to 500 animals), and
displayed a wide variety of behaviours. Humpback dolphins were observed in extremely shallow and inshore waters (mean bottom depth of 6.6 m) along the south-west corner of the bay, in small groups of approximately three individuals. Common dolphins were the least observed species,
and were mainly observed foraging in large groups of up to 800 individuals.
The results of this study indicate how cetaceans utilise the bay in significantly different ways.
Geographical and anthropogenic factors have influenced the spatial and temporal distribution of these animals and have resulted in habitat preferences, as well as potential key habitats, in the bay Thus, this study has provided baseline information for future research and for better informed
conservation and management strategies in Algoa Bay.


Only about 2.8 million ha of an estimated original 10 million ha of bottomland hardwood forests still exist in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV) of the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and state agencies initiated reforestation efforts in the late 1980s to improve wildlife habitat. We surveyed restorationists responsible for reforestation in the LMAV to determine the magnitude of past and future efforts and to identify major limiting factors. Over the past 10 years, 77,698 ha have been reforested by the agencies represented in our survey and an additional 89,009 ha are targeted in the next 5 years. Oaks are the most commonly planted species and bare‐root seedlings are the most commonly used planting stock. Problems with seedling availability may increase the diversity of plantings in the future. Reforestation in the LMAV is based upon principles of landscape ecology; however, local problems such as herbivory, drought, and flooding often limit success. Broad‐scale hydrologic restoration is needed to fully restore the structural and functional attributes of these systems, but because of drastic and widespread hydrologic alterations and socioeconomic constraints, this goal is generally not realistic. Local hydrologic restoration and creation of specific habitat features needed by some wildlife and fish species warrant attention. More extensive analyses of plantings are needed to evaluate functional success. The Wetland Reserve Program is a positive development, but policies that provide additional financial incentives to landowners for reforestation efforts should be seriously considered.


In the quest for new antibacterial lead structures, activity screening against Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified antitubercular effects of gallic acid derivatives isolated from the Nigerian mistletoe Loranthus micranthus. Structure-activity relationship studies indicated that 3-O-methyl-alkylgallates comprising aliphatic ester chains with four to eight carbon atoms showed the strongest growth inhibition in vitro against M. tuberculosis, with a MIC of 6.25 μM. ABSTRACT In the quest for new antibacterial lead structures, activity screening against Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified antitubercular effects of gallic acid derivatives isolated from the Nigerian mistletoe Loranthus micranthus. Structure-activity relationship studies indicated that 3-O-methyl-alkylgallates comprising aliphatic ester chains with four to eight carbon atoms showed the strongest growth inhibition in vitro against M. tuberculosis, with a MIC of 6.25 μM. Furthermore, the most active compounds (3-O-methyl-butyl-, 3-O-methyl-hexylgallate, and 3-O-methyl-octylgallate) were devoid of cytotoxicity against various human cell lines. Furthermore, 3-O-methyl-butylgallate showed favorable absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) criteria, with a Papp of 6.2 × 10−6 cm/s, and it did not inhibit P-glycoprotein (P-gp), CYP1A2, CYP2B6 or CYP3A4. Whole-genome sequencing of spontaneous resistant mutants indicated that the compounds target the stearoyl-coenzyme A (stearoyl-CoA) delta-9 desaturase DesA3 and thereby inhibit oleic acid synthesis. Supplementation assays demonstrated that oleic acid addition to the culture medium antagonizes the inhibitory properties of gallic acid derivatives and that sodium salts of saturated palmitic and stearic acid did not show compensatory effects. The moderate bactericidal effect of 3-O-methyl-butylgallate in monotreatment was synergistically enhanced in combination treatment with isoniazid, leading to sterilization in liquid culture.


AIM
Based on the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis and our experimental studies, to investigate the effect of dexamethasone and dextran in treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

METHODS
Thirty-two patients with severe acute pancreatitis were treated with 0.5-1 mg/kg per day dexamethasone for 3-5 d, and 500-1,000 mL/d of dextran 40 for 7 d, besides the routine therapy.

RESULTS
After 4-8 h of treatment, abdominal pain began to be relieved; range of tenderness began to be localized in 27 patients. They were cured with nonsurgical treatment. Five of them were deteriorated, and treated with surgery. Four patients in this group died.

CONCLUSION
Dexamethasone and dextran 40 block the pathologic process of severe acute pancreatitis through inhibition of inflammatory mediators and improvement of microcirculation disorders respectively.


The rise of human–machine interaction and the internet of things technology requires the development of functionalized sensors that are mechanically flexible and fabulously wearable. Therefore, the emergence of new materials and devices is particularly important for technology design and development. Graphene has the atomically level thickness, mechanical flexibility, lightweights, and high conductivity and transparency. Especially, the large specific area of graphene enables the perception of external stimuli with high sensitivity, which is expected to be used in flexible sensor technology. In this review, we will introduce the research progress of graphene in flexible physical signal sensors, including the device structure design and the applications of these devices in wearable technology. We will overview the development of new directions of sensors, such as miniaturization, intelligence, and multi-modal. We will also focus on the latest technical progress of related sensing devices and point out the challenges and directions of future development of wearable sensors.


The research is focused on the evaluation of regional differences by the level of deposit risk. Deposit risk is connected with resources sustainability of regions and can constrain the transformation of attracted deposits into credit and investment resources. The literature review shows that previous works were primarily focused on deposit risks at the micro level, that is, at the level of a bank. The Bank of Russia uses the same inductive approach to assess the financial sustainability and development prospects of credit institutions at the regional and national levels. However, the execution of prudential regulations by banks, in particular, liquidity ratios, does not allow to make a precise estimation of the differences among regions in terms of deposit risk. The presence of imbalances in the territorial concentration of credit institutions can affect the volatility and cost of deposit resources. The purpose of this paper is to improve the scientific and methodological approaches for assessing deposit risk. For this purpose, we propose to use cluster methods for classifying the regions based on the revealed internal links between deposit risk indicators. In contrast to previous scientific works, we offer to use semi-dispersion for calculating the volatility of deposits. The volatility of deposits can be interpreted as a measure of adverse downside risk. Furthermore, we propose the nominal scale to distinguish the different level of deposit risk. The research results confirm that there is a nonlinear linkage between the territorial concentration of credit organizations, level of provision of regions with banking services as well as volatility of deposits at the level of regions. We have revealed that the concentration of banking business in all regions is more closely connected with the sustainability of bank resources. The scientific approach to deposit risk evaluation presented in the paper expands the system of indicators for the development of the economy of regions. This approach can be used for both the monitoring of the financial and economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation and the macroeconomic forecasting.


A 9-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to a generalized seizure and consciousness disturbance. The patient had a fever and rash four days before admission, but she had no respiratory symptoms. The seizure and consciousness disturbance was prolonged and intractable. We diagnosed the patient as having encephalitis because of the increase in the cell count in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and a diffuse slow EEG wave. The computed tomography of the head was normal. The causative agent was identified as Mycoplasma pneumoniae because of the increase of antibodies, and the detection of a specific DNA with a polymerase chain reaction. The interleukin (IL)-6 level of CSF was high (384 pg/ml). In spite of intensive treatment she had severe neurological sequelae. The invasion of Mycoplasma pneumoniae to the central nervous system appeared to have a role in the development of encephalitis in the patient. We speculated that there is a possible relationship between the IL-6 levels of CSF and clinical severity of encephalitis.


The foraminiferal content of one hundred eight modern marine sediment samples off Vengurla-Cochin sector (ranging in water depth from 30 to 1330 m), West Coast of India were studied. A total of two hundred four foraminiferal species (comprised of one hundred eighty benthic and twenty four planktonic species) were recorded. Based on the external morphology, the benthic foraminiferal population was clubbed into two coarser morphogroups namely, angular-asymmetrical and roundedsymmetrical. The distribution profiles of these morpho-groups in the surface sediments apparently showed that angular-asymmetrical morpho-group is more or less abundant in deeper regions while, rounded-symmetrical morpho-group tends to flourish in relatively shallower regions. Such characteristic pattern indicates depth control over the external morphology of benthic foraminifera. Therefore, if these morpho-groups are studied in the subsurface, sediments may show great potential in generating proxy data for paleodepth.


Background: Maternal and perinatal mortality remain high in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, in spite of declines at the global level. With the sustainable development goal (SDG) 3 target of reducing maternal and perinatal mortality, more needs to be done to accelerate progress and improve survival. Maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) is a strategy to identify the clinical and social circumstances that contribute to maternal and perinatal deaths. Through MPDSR, an active surveillance and response cycle is established by bringing together different stakeholders to review and address these social and clinical factors. Community engagement in MPDSR provides a strong basis for collective action to address social factors and quality of care issues that contribute to maternal and perinatal deaths. Studies have shown that community members can support identification and reporting of maternal and/or perinatal deaths. Skilled care at birth has been increasing globally, but there are still gaps in quality of care. Through MPDSR, community members can collaborate with health workers to improve quality of care. But we do not know how community engagement in MPDSR works in practice; for whom it works and what aspects work (or do not work) and why. This realist review answers the question: which strategies of community engagement in MPDSR produce which outcomes in which contexts? Methods: For this realist review, we will identify published and grey literature by searching relevant databases for articles. We will include papers published from 2004 in all languages and from all countries. We have set up an advisory group drawn from academia, international organizations, and practitioners of both MPDSR and community engagement to guide the process. Conclusion: This protocol and the subsequent realist review will use theoretical approaches from the community engagement literature to generate theory on community engagement in MPDSR. Prospero registration number: CRD42022345216


We propose the object-oriented networking (OON) framework, for meeting the generalized interconnection, mobility and technology integration requirements underlining the Internet. In OON, the various objects that need to be accesse d through the Internet (content, smart things, services, peo ple, etc.) are viewed as network layer resources, rather than as application layer resources as in the IP communications mod el. By abstracting them as computing objects -with attributes and methodsthey are identified by expressive, discoverable na mes, while data are exchanged between them in the context of their methods, based on suitably defined system-specific names. An OON-enabled Internet is not only a global data delivery medi um but also a universal object discovery and service developme nt platform; service-level interactions can be realized through native network means, without requiring standardized protocols.OON can be realized through existing software-defined networki ng or network functions virtualization technologies and it can be deployed in an incremental fashion.


Synthesis of tryptophanase, D-serine deaminase and alkaline phosphatase in Escherichia coli C was repressed as the result of infection with the single-stranded DNA bacteriophage φX174. However, the degree of repression differed, the more catabolite-sensitive the operon was, the more severe was the repression. For the catabolite-sensitive enzymes it was found that cyclic adenosine 3'5' monophosphate (cyclic AMP or cAMP) was unable to release or reduce the phage-induced inhibition. Experiments with amber mutants of φX174 revealed that A*, product of cistron A, was responsible for the inhibition. The cistron A product probably acted at the level of transcription. The possible role of A* in the observed modulation of gene expression is discussed.


Mentoring has become a popular model of intervention to reduce the risk of offending, and has been proposed as an effective tool to tackle the risk of gang membership. This paper reviews the existing literature on mentoring and reports on a qualitative evaluation of a mentoring programme targeted at young people 'at risk' of gang membership in an English city. The study highlights important issues around these interventions. Although we found it a useful way to engage otherwise hard-to-reach families, important limitations remain: their potential labelling impact and their limited impact in isolation from other more ambitious measures.


The National veterinary institute, SVA, produces heat through an incinerator which is in use
from Monday to Friday during office-hours. Before 2014 the heat was used by the veterinary
clinic next-door but after the veterinary clinic moved to new buildings the produced heat is used
in-house by SVA. However, SVA does not have the same heat requirements that the veterinary
clinic had. As a result, SVA must feed some of the excess heat to the district heating-grid since
they can't use all the heat in-house.

The aim of this master-thesis was to analyse how this excess heat could be used more effectively
in-house by converting it to electricity or cooling and investigate how it would affect SVA
economically. Another aim of the thesis was to find and choose the best suited technology to
install at SVA. The selected technology was an Organic Rankine Cycle, ORC, which can
produce electricity from low-temperature waste-heat, in this case the flue gases. A model of an
ORC-facility was created in MATLAB. Simulations showed that an ORC-facility with a gross
electric power between 33 and 37 kW and an electricity production of 62 to 68 MWh per year
was the best alternative for SVA. Because of the few load hours, 2080 hours per year, the
investment would not be profitable for SVA since the electricity production won't cover the
initial investment cost.


The current study was designed to examine associations among stress due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, social support, and health (depression and physical illness) in a college student sample. In December 2001, students from Eastern universities (N= 666; 482 women, 184 men; average age 19.5 yrs.) completed measures of stress from terrorism (developed by the authors), supportive behaviors received from friends and family (Experienced Support Scale; Xu & Burleson, 2001), symptoms of depression (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and illness (Pennebaker Inventory of Limbid Languidness; Pennebaker, 1982). The results indicate that even among college students with low exposure to the 9/11 attacks, terrorism-related stress was associated with greater depressive and illness symptoms (p < .05), and that emotional and tangible support were associated with fewer symptoms (p < .05). Findings are considered for their practical implications for college students and personnel.


In this article, four observation points are selected in the flow field when predicting aerodynamic noise of a multi-element airfoil for both a coarser grid and a finer grid. Numerical simulation of N-S equations is employed to obtain near-field acoustic information, then far-field acoustic information is obtained through acoustic analogy theory combined with FW-H equation. Computation indicates: the codes calculate the flow field in good agreement with the experimental data; The finer the grid is, the more stable the calculated sound pressure level (SPL) is and the more regularly d(SPL)/d(St) varies.


A new type residual current protector is designed in this paper. Using residual magnetic flux and the resonance voltage as leakage current signal in iron core, when there are residual current in power suply system, the device can automatically take relevant actions according to the real-time residual current value that is detected by detection circuit. The protector can be used to against electric shock and protect a ground fault. When the protection is occurred, the residual current protective device (RCD) possesses the inverse time lag function, ideal time delay and the automatic reclosing function. It also transmits the fault information to control center by the inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus. Resonant circuit can avoid live parts injury, which limit the current value through contact resistance, and does not interrupt the work of electrical equipment. So the RCD can be used in all kinds of low voltage single-phase system that will snsure the safety and the reliability of the power supply.


Second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) have been associated with risk of stroke in elderly patients, but the molecular and genetic background under this association has been poorly investigated. The aim of the present study was to prioritize a list of genes with an SGA altered expression in order to characterize the genetic background of the SGA-associated stroke risk. Genes with evidence of an altered expression after SGA treatments in genome-wide investigations, both in animals and men, were identified. The Genetic Association Database (GAD) served to verify which of these genes had a proven positive association with an increased stroke risk, and alongwith it each evidence was tested and recorded. Seven hundred and forty five genes had evidence of a change of their expression profile after SGA administration in various studies. Nine out of them have also been significantly related to an increased strokes risk. We identified and described nine genes as potential candidates for future genetic studies aimed at identifying the genetic background of the SGA-related stroke risk. Further, we identify the molecular pathways in which these genes operate in order to provide a molecular framework to understand on which basis SGA may enhance the risk for stroke.


The design of selective and active heterogeneous catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of biomass-derived platform molecules requires understanding of the catalyst structure under reaction conditions. In this work, we design, build and qualify an operando X-ray absorption (XAS) cell to characterize a highly selective NiCu3 catalyst under HDO conditions. We complement XAS measurements with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies and theoretical calculations to show that in bimetallic NiCu catalysts, Ni and Cu are segregated. The as-made catalysts are mixed oxides, with a NiO shell over a NiCuOx core. The core becomes a partially reduced metal alloy after treatment with hydrogen at temperatures below 473 K, while the shell becomes fully reduced at higher treatment temperatures. The liquid-phase reaction results in gradual reoxidation of the catalyst to a core–shell mixed oxide, in which the Cu in the core is predominately Cu(I) and the Ni shell is predominately Ni(II).


Author(s): Danilin, Michael Y; Sze, Nien-Dak; Ko, Malcolm K. W; Rodriguez, Jose M; Prather, Michael J | Abstract: The contribution from the chlorine and bromine species in the formation of the Antarctic ozone hole is evaluated. Since chlorine and bromine compounds are of different industrial origin, it is desirable, from a policy point of view, to be able to attribute chlorine-catalyzed loss of ozone with those reactions directly involving chlorine species, and likewise for bromine-catalyzed loss. In the stratosphere, however, most of the chemical families are highly coupled, and, for example, changes in the chlorine abundance will alter the partitioning in other families and thus the rate of ozone loss. This modeling study examines formation of the Antarctic ozone hole for a wide range of bromine concentrations (5–25 pptv) and for chlorine concentrations typical of the last two decades (1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 ppbv). We follow the photochemical evolution of a single parcel of air, typical of the inner Antarctic vortex (50 mbar, 70°S, NOy=2 ppbv, with polar stratospheric clouds(PSC)) from August 1 to November 1. For all of these ranges of chlorine and bromine loading, we would predict a substantial ozone hole (local depletion greater than 90%) within the de-nitrified, PSC-perturbed vortex. The contributions of the different catalytic cycles responsible for ozone loss are tabulated. The deep minimum in ozone is driven primarily by the chlorine abundance. As bromine levels decrease, the magnitude of the chlorine-catalyzed ozone loss increases to take up the slack. This is because bromine suppresses ClO by accelerating the conversion of ClO and Cl2O2 back to HCl. For this range of conditions, the local relative efficiency of ozone destruction per bromine atom to that per chlorine atom (α-factor) ranges from 33 to 55, decreasing with increase of bromine.


Primary and secondary amine contents of some dried Nigerian forages were analyzed as their sulphonamides by gas chromatography interfaced with a chemiluminescence detector-Thermal Energy Analyzer modified for use in nitrogen mode. Both nitrate and nitrite were analyzed spectrophotometrically using an automated dual channel continuous flow nitrate-nitrate analyzer as nitrite following cadmium reduction of nitrate to nitrite and diazotization of nitrite with sulphanilamide, and coupling with N-(1-naphythyl) ethylenediamine. Secondary amines detected in the forage were diethylamine, dimethylamine, methylbenzylamine, piperidine, methylamine, while primary amines found include n-butylamine, ethylamine, methylamine, isopentylamine and propylamine. Total secondary amines were highest in Urena lobeta (92.7 ppm), but lowest in Dichrostachys cinera (5.6 ppm), while total primary amines were also highest in Urena lobeta (94.7ppm) but lowest in Rottboellia exaltata (8.4 ppm). Only trace amounts of nitrite were detectable in some samples. The toxicological relevance of these findings are discussed with respect to potential endogenous formation of hepatotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic n-nitroso compounds in animals, and the consequences of this phenomenon on animal health and production. Keywords: N-nitroso precursors, forages, Nigeria
Trop. Vet. Vol. 21 (2) 1-8 (2003)


INTRODUCTION
This study aimed to investigate the effects of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) on intestinal flora in peritoneal fibrosis.

METHODS AND METHODS
Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were divided into 3 groups as the control group, which received 0.9% saline (3 mL/d) intraperitoneally; the chlorhexidine gluconate (CH) group, which received 3 mL/d injections of 0.1% CH intraperitoneally, and the ESA group, which received 3 mL/d injections of 0.1% CH intraperitoneally and epoetin beta (3 doses of 20 IU/kg/wk) subcutaneously. On the 21st day, the rats were sacrificed and the visceral peritoneum samples were obtained from left liver bowel. Blood samples were obtained from abdominal aorta and intestinal flora samples were obtained from transverse colon.

RESULTS
Histopathologically, the CH, ESA, and control groups had peritoneal thickness of 135.4 ± 22.2 µm, 48.6 ± 12.8 µm, and 6.0 ± 2.3 µm, respectively. Escherichia coli was the predominant bacterium in the intestinal flora in the control group. Significant changes in microbial composition of intestinal flora towards Proteus species and Enterobacter species was seen among the groups (P < .001). There was no significant difference between the ESA and CH groups regarding the isolates from blood cultures. However, the bacterial isolates from cultures of intestinal flora among these groups were significantly different (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents change intestinal flora by a clinically significant amount in experimental peritoneal fibrosis. We consider that ESAs achieve this via regulating intestinal peristaltism.


Landscape change can range from the patter of tiny raindrops and the shuffling of beetles and rodents on hillslopes, to major slope failures that generate colossal debris flows, to cratering of the earth's surface caused by the impact of meteorites (Allen, 2005: 961). The scale of these examples encapsulates processes of change that range from uniformitarianism to catastrophism. Archaeologists have generally tended to discuss change in a gradualistic or uniformitarian way. It is increasingly recognized, however, that various types of discontinuity occur in environmental change, and identifying these discontinuities is critical to understanding their impacts on landscapes and their potential human impacts. Allen (2005) notes that physical landscapes are a result of two interacting systems: an internal system driven by tectonic fluxes of rock and an external system dominated by climate. Landscapes are perturbed by both these internal and external mechanisms at a range of temporal and spatial scales.

In studying past landscapes archaeologists must be conscious of the fact that landscapes can change in response to a range of internal and external factors and at a number of time scales. This is demonstrated in this chapter by reference to climate change. Three periods of change—the Younger Dryas, the 8.2 cal ka event, and the Medieval Warm Period/Little Ice Age—of different magnitude and extent are described, and their implications for landscape modification are considered.


The films of polyaniline:polyethyleneterephthalate films were prepared by polymerizing aniline soaked in polyethyleneterephthalate films of different thicknesses. The films were characterized by FTIR as well as for their electrical properties. The electrical properties of the films were observed to be of good quality as almost all the films showed a great increase in their electrical conductivity from insulator to semiconductor region after doping with hydrochloric acid. All the films in their doped state follow the Arrhenius equation for the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity from 35 to 115oC. The thermooxidative stability was studied by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. The stability in terms of dc electrical conductivity retention was also studied under ambient conditions by two slightly different techniques viz. isothermal and cyclic techniques. The dc electrical conductivity of the films was found to be stable below 90oC for all the films under ambient conditions.


In Blockchain Regulation and Governance in Europe, Michele Finck examines the relationship between blockchain technology and EU law and introduces the theme of blockchain governance. The book provides a general introduction to blockchains as both a regulatable and a regulatory technology and outlines the interaction between distributed ledger technology and specific areas of EU law, such as the General Data Protection Regulation. It should be read by anyone interested in EU law, the relationship between law, innovation and technology, and technology governance.


Fiber is a variable material with respect to its nutritional qualities depending upon its composition and physical properties. Biological properties possessed by one type of fiber might not be shared by another type. Separate methods are required to describe quantity, composition, and quality of fiber in foods. Fibers can be generally classified into three groups: vegetable fibers, which are highly fermentable with low indigestible residue; brans, which are less fermentable; and chemically purified fibers such as wood cellulose, which are relatively unfermentable. A class of soluble substances including pectins and gums may not be true fibers, but are considered part of the dietary fiber complex because of the similar effects they can elicit in the diet. A major need is the replacement of the crude fiber method, the present official method, which is seriously defective. Since crude fiber values are erratic and poorly related to the true fiber value of food, a second major need is the reanalysis of all foodstuffs by appropriate methods and the replacement of standard tables of food composition. Accomplishment of these purposes will require more support and promotion than is presently being received.


Proteins are vital to all cells in the body. They consist of long chains of amino acids. To be able to study the amino acid composition of a protein it is necessary to hydrolyse it, followed by separation and quantification. When the protein is hydrolysed, in this case s-lactoglobulin, the protein is divided into individual amino acids. The method that traditionally has been used to hydrolyse proteins takes 24-72 hours to complete. Recently a new microwave heating technique was introduced. With the Ethos1 microwave oven it takes less than one hour to hydrolyse proteins. The objective of this study was to see if the result of the hydrolysis with the new microwave oven technique had the same quality as the previously used method. If the microwave technique can hydrolyse proteins with as good results as the old oven, then it will significantly reduce test turnaround times. The result of this study indicates that the microwave technique is just as reliable as the older method, and thus a good and time saving alternative.


Neuroscience
Individuals suffering a stroke show various degrees of neurological dysfunction due to brain tissue that has been deprived of oxygen. Strategies to minimize damage from this common problem are needed, and this has focused the attention of investigators on a process whereby the resistance of neurons to ischemia (or loss of blood flow) is increased if cells have been exposed previously to a mild bout of ischemia insufficient to cause permanent damage. Stapels et al. conducted a systematic search for proteins that showed increased abundance in such resistant neurons and identified SCMH1, a mouse homolog of a Drosophila polycomb group protein. SCMH1 can modify histones and is thought to function by repressing transcription. In a mouse neuroblastoma cell line, depletion of SCMH1 diminished the induction of tolerance to ischemia, and overexpression of SCMH1 promoted tolerance even in the absence of a conditioning ischemic event. SCMH1 associates with the promoters of two potassium ion–channel genes, and inhibiting the transcription of these genes was sufficient to produce tolerance to subsequent ischemia.

Sci. Sig. 3 , ra15 (2010).


The article discussed issues on fee-based library services in private university libraries - challenges and prospects. It is limited to the need for fee-based library services in university libraries, challenges of fee-based university library services and solutions to the challenges of fee-based university library services. The study is limited to Private University Libraries in Anambra State-Nigeria. The private university libraries are:-Madonna University Library-Okija Campus, Tansian University Library-Oba and Paul University Library-Awka all in Anambra State. The findings from the study are quite revealing. It was discovered that fee-based library services are already in existence in the three(3) private universities understudy though at a very low level. It was also discovered that the library are already rendering book binding services, photocopying services, internet connectivity, computer typesetting, membership registration fees and over-due book charges. There is no written fee-based library services policy on ground in the three(3) private university libraries. This has resulted in the half-hazard organization management of the existing fee-based library services. The library staff runs the fee-based library services like ordinary library services. It has resulted to the inability of the library management to give proper account and take proper decision on the operations and guideline of fee-based library services. Keywords: Fee-based Services, University Library, Information Marking.


Humans have domesticated hundreds of plant and animal species as sources of food, fiber, forage, and tools over the past 12,000 years, with manifold effects on both human society and the genetic structure of the domesticated species. The outcomes of crop domestication were shaped by selection driven by human preferences, cultivation practices, and agricultural environments, as well as other population genetic processes flowing from the ensuing reduction in effective population size. It is obvious that any selection imposes a reduction of diversity, favoring preferred genotypes, such as nonshattering seeds or increased palatability. Furthermore, agricultural practices greatly reduced effective population sizes of crops, allowing genetic drift to alter genotype frequencies. Current advances in molecular technologies, particularly of genome sequencing, provide evidence of human selection acting on numerous loci during and after crop domestication. Population-level molecular analyses also enable us to clarify the demographic histories of the domestication process itself, which, together with expanded archaeological studies, can illuminate the origins of crops. Domesticated plant species are found in 160 taxonomic families. Approximately 2500 species have undergone some degree of domestication, and 250 species are considered to be fully domesticated. The evolutionary trajectory from wild to crop species is a complex process. Archaeological records suggest that there was a period of predomestication cultivation while humans first began the deliberate planting of wild stands that had favorable traits. Later, crops likely diversified as they were grown in new areas, sometimes beyond the climatic niche of their wild relatives. However, the speed and level of human intentionality during domestication remains a topic of active discussion. These processes led to the so-called domestication syndrome, that is, a group of traits that can arise through human preferences for ease of harvest and growth advantages under human propagation. These traits included reduced dispersal ability of seeds and fruits, changes to plant structure, and changes to plant defensive characteristics and palatability. Domestication implies the action of selective sweeps on standing genetic variation, as well as new genetic variation introduced via mutation or introgression. Furthermore, genetic bottlenecks during domestication or during founding events as crops moved away from their centers of origin may have further altered gene pools. To date, a few hundred genes and loci have been identified by classical genetic and association mapping as targets of domestication and postdomestication divergence. However, only a few of these have been characterized, and for even fewer is the role of the wild-type allele in natural populations understood. After domestication, only favorable haplotypes are retained around selected genes, which creates a genetic valley with extremely low genetic diversity. These "selective sweeps" can allow mildly deleterious alleles to come to fixation and may create a genetic load in the cultivated gene pool. Although the population-wide genomic consequences of domestication offer several predictions for levels of the genetic diversity in crops, our understanding of how this diversity corresponds to nutritional aspects of crops is not well understood. Many studies have found that modern cultivars have lower levels of key micronutrients and vitamins. We suspect that selection for palatability and increased yield at domestication and during postdomestication divergence exacerbated the low nutrient levels of many crops, although relatively little work has examined this question. Lack of diversity in modern germplasm may further limit our capacity to breed for higher nutrient levels, although little effort has gone into this beyond a handful of staple crops. This is an area where an understanding of domestication across many crop taxa may provide the necessary insight for breeding more nutritious crops in a rapidly changing world.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new scale for measuring the scope (i.e. breadth and depth) of industrial service offering.

Design/methodology/approach

The scale and its constructs are developed by combining the key insights from prior literature and practitioners gained through expert interviews; validating the constructs by 3 item-construct validation rounds with 9 academic experts; and by testing and further revising the scale, with a sample of 91 manufacturing firms.

Findings

The distinct contribution of the study is the construction and validation of a new multi-dimensional scale for operationalizing the scope of industrial service offering. In addition, the identified service categories (i.e. pre-sales services, product support services, product life-cycle services, R&D services and operational services) extend the current literature on service typologies.

Research limitations/implications

The data are somewhat biased toward small- and medium-sized industrial firms. Hence, the development of the measurement in the context of large industrial firms provides one fruitful avenue for further research.

Practical implications

For managers of industrial firms, the identified service categories provide novel insight on how to develop, bundle and commercialize industrial services to their varying customer segments.

Originality/value

This study develops a multi-dimensional, fine-grained, statistical and relationship-level scale for measuring the scope of industrial service business. Moreover, this study tests and further develops the scale with quantitative empirical data.


Recording a patient's places of origins is next to standard medical practice around the world.
In some cases, this record will include the patient's ethnic or racial affiliation. The assumption is that this knowledge will allow for better assessment of health risks, assist in diagnosis and guide prescription.
But racial and ethnic (self-)identifications are notoriously inconsistent, while researchers alert to how problematic and potentially harmful their use is.
In this discussion, we will explore the contemporary uses of race and ethnicity in the context of health and medicine.
We ask if such categories, even if not understood as biologically real, could be seen as useful tools in medical research and practice. And we will discuss the possible social, ethical and policy implications of their continued use.


The biologic and microenvironmental factors determining (99m)Tc sestamibi (MIBI) and (99m)Tc tetrofosmin (TF) uptake in breast tumors are incompletely understood, especially in P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-negative tumors. We analyzed the influence of glucose administration on the uptake and retention of MIBI and TF in Pgp-negative tumor-bearing mice in vivo. Twenty (20) mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor cell (EATC) xenografts were divided into four groups: (1) MIBI, (2) MIBI+glucose, (3) TF, and (4) TF+glucose. Glucose was administered (5.0 g/kg body weight) intraperitoreally (i.p.) 1 hour before scintigraphy. There were significant differences between the E-UPR MIBI and MIBI+glucose groups (p = 0.009) and minor differences in L-UPR between these groups (p = 0.04). There was a significant inverse correlation between E-UPR of MIBI and glucose levels (r = 0.71, p = 0.02). Comparing the four groups, the highest E-UPR was obtained in the MIBI group (p = 0.006). Other parameters were not different in the MIBI and MIBI+glucose groups and in the TF and TF+glucose groups. Increased blood glucose level affected the MIBI uptake of tumor tissue, particularly for E-UPR. We suggest that these findings were due to basically decreased blood flow and secondarily decreased extracellular pH. However, glucose administration did not affect TF.


Land levying for Sudetan river based on problem faced by two Electricity Producers in Blitar Residence, they were PLTA Wlingi Raya and PLTA Lodoyo. Each year, dam in both electricity producer always full with mud, so that it could inhibit the electricity production, especially if the Kelud Mountain exploded, mud from the mountain entered the dam. The problem statement of the writer was how the land levying for Sudetan River Development to overcome the Kelud Mountain disaster, and what problem existed in Land Levying. In this research, the writer used socio juridical method. To find data, there found two dataa source, they were secondary data which found by library study and primary data found from the field and interview. Data analysis technique was qualitative descriptive. Land levying activity for Sudetan river development was done in three phases. First phase was location stipulation, the second phase committee structuring. Both phases was fit with President Decision No.55/1993. The third phase was land levying by the committee. In the third phase, there was improper thing, there was no counseling to the people. Problem existed when land levying done, the people rejected the payment, improper land measurement, forcing the land owner and the people quest to build the street and irrigation couldn't be fulfilled. In every land levying there should be counseling to the people who owed the land. It aimed to give knowledge and understanding to the people about development project for public needs In land levying process, there should be an agreement with written evidence. So if there were problem by one party, it could be an authentic evidence with law power. Keyword : Pengadaan Tamah, Tahap, Penyuluhan Related Link : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/343/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2009-ekoagusvic-17150-PENDAHUL-N.pdf


The retrograde, puritanical and belligerent ideologies may seem anachronistic, related to the specificity of the 21st century. The need for understanding the reality augmented by the emergence of new forms of manifestation in international relations is materialised by transposing novelty elements into strategic models specific to the current century. A concrete example is the use, within specialised circles, of the concept of "smart power", an intelligent combination of punitive actions with the ability of persuasion. This concept incorporates, in a unitary conception, aimed at identifying the optimal solution to ensure strategic success, the specific elements of soft and hard power. Another aspect of everyday reality is the significant use of cyberspace as a means of facilitating the process of fulfilling the goals in different areas of activity, respectively at different levels of society. In this regard, in this paper, the role of the cyber environment in achieving the specific objectives of implementing the strategic concept of "smart power" will be addressed.


Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as adherent stem cells are being increasingly used as a therapeutic cell source, thus developing a better understanding of how to control MSC fate choice is an increasingly important task. Unlike the well known chemical cues, the biophysical properties of the surrounding extracellular environment, such as the appropriate spatial display of adhesion sites and environment stiffness should be clarified. The atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based technique called force spectroscopy mapping (FSM) was applied for examination biophysical properties such as elasticity and adhesion site size and spacing. Using the indentation, the spatial changes in the mechanics of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(acrylamide) (PAam) hydrogels were detected. PVP hydrogels had very heterogeneous elastic moduli as a function of hydrogel position as well as the amount of crosslinker. PAam hydrogels were a much more homogeneous substrate, showing little spatial variation in moduli. Coupled with chemical-functionalized probe, the technique of chemical FSM (CFSM) was shown the capability of recognizing sub-micron adhesive sites from probe retraction studies. By functionalizing the probe to recognize the charged surface of copolymers, the spatial display of adhesion sites in diblock copolymer foams was investiaged. Prepared by high internal phase emulsion templating using amphiphilic copolymers of polystyrene- block-polyacrylic acid and polystyrene-block-polyethylene oxide, the porous foams have been synthesized and characterized. With nanoscopic domains of cell inert and active chemistries mimicking native matrix, the nanodomains of adhesive sites were detected by CFSM. Protein adsorption on surfaces was examined in spatially macro-, micro-, and nanoscopic level. MSCs from different cell sources of human-embryonic stem-mesoderm progenitors (hES-MPs) and human bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were examined by quantitative PCR to assess their expression of myogenic, adipogenic, and osteogenic genotypes as a result of their interaction with the foams of varying composition. Interestingly, without the induction media, hBMSCs expressed adipogenic genes and proteins on 'patchy' matrices where adhesive nano-domains were present. More interestingly, and their expression depends on stem cell origin: marrow-derived and mesenchymal progenitor cells exhibit fundamentally different differentiation patterns, adipo- and osteogenic, respectively. Together these data for the first time implicate adhesion as a complex regulator of cell fate


Existing research has established captions as effective second-language (L2) or foreign language (FL) listening comprehension aids. However, due to the transient nature of captions, not all learners are capable of attending to captions in all cases. Previous work posited that to leverage the impact of technologies in learning and instruction, a better understanding of the interplay between technology and cognition is warranted. In this vein, the current study set out to investigate the effects of four different caption modes (full vs. partial vs. real-time vs. control) on the listening comprehension of 95 high-intermediate Taiwanese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) with different caption reliance (i.e. more-caption-reliant vs. less-caption-reliant). The results showed no significant difference between the participants' listening comprehension outcomes under the four caption conditions when their caption reliance was not considered. However, when this was considered, the differences among the four caption conditions became salient, which was suggestive of the selective effect of captions on L2 learners with different caption reliance. While less-caption-reliant L2 learners had the best listening comprehension outcome under the partial-caption condition and the worst under the full-caption condition, more-caption-reliant L2 learners exhibited the best performance under the full-caption condition yet the worst under the partial-caption condition. The finding underscores the importance of considering L2 learners' processing profiles when utilizing captioned videos as multimodal instructional/learning materials and speaks to the need of utilizing differentiated video materials for optimal listening outcomes.


Electrochemical power devices with a long lifespan, long-term energy retention and great cycle stability are extremely important for periodic energy store/supply, especially for solar energy storage for space equipment and for power electronics in integrated circuits. In this report, we have systematically investigated the effects of the charging current density and temperature over the self-discharge (SDC) process of activated carbon fabric-based (ACF) supercapacitors with 1 M LiPF6/EC–DEC (v/v = 1) and 1 M TEABF4/PC as electrolytes, respectively. The experimental results have shown that a different control mechanism governs the SDC process in each electrolyte system. Significant energy retention (in excess of 70%) was obtained in the ACF–TEABF4 system after 36 h. SDC at room temperature. A dual-mechanism control model is proposed for the first time which describes perfectly the SDC process of the supercapacitor using 1 M TEABF4/PC as the electrolyte over different charge current densities and at different SDC temperatures.


A soybean germplasm collection was studied for the identification of accessions with low trypsin inhibitor content in seeds. Twenty-nine accessions, parental plants, and two hybrid populations were selected and analyzed using genetic markers for alleles of the Ti3 locus, encoding Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI). Most of the accessions had high or very high KTI (49.22–73.53 Trypsin units inhibited (TUI/mg seeds), while the two local Kazakh cultivars, Lastochka and Ivushka, were found to have a moderately high content of KTI, at 54.16–54.87 TUI/mg. In contrast, two soybean cultivars from Italy, Hilario and Ascasubi, showed the lowest levels of trypsin units inhibited, at 25.47–27.87 TUI/mg. Electrophoresis of seed proteins in a non-denaturing system showed a simple discrimination pattern and very clear presence/absence of bands corresponding to KTI. The SSR marker Satt228 was the most effective diagnostic marker among the three examined, and it confirmed the presence of the homozygous null-allele ti3/ti3 in cultivars Ascasubi and Hilario, which were used for hybridization with the local cv. Lastochka. Heterozygote F1 hybrid plants and homozygous ti3/ti3 lines in F2 segregating populations were successfully identified using Satt228. Finally, through marker-assisted selection with Satt228, prospective homozygous ti3/ti3 lines were produced for further application in the breeding program aimed at improving soybean seed quality in Kazakhstan.