Abstract Twenty-five species of sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are recorded from Georgia, USA. One of these species is currently recognized as 2 distinct subspecies, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus L.) and head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer) of humans. Gray squirrels, southern flying squirrels, humans, and domestic cattle are parasitized by relatively rich faunas of sucking lice in Georgia with 3 characteristic species/subspecies recorded from each of these hosts within the state. Despite some previously published erroneous host-louse records, most species of sucking lice are host specific in Georgia. Sucking lice have been recorded from domestic hogs, cattle, equines, goats, and dogs in Georgia, and some of these lice can cause veterinary problems. The head louse is common in Georgia, especially in school children. The crab/pubic louse [Pthirus pubis (L.)] also appears to be widespread in the state. We report only one verified record of the body louse from Georgia, but we suspect this louse persists focally in the state. In nature, the body louse is a vector of at least 3 important pathogens: those that cause epidemic typhus, louse-borne relapsing fever, and trench fever. None of these diseases are currently known to be circulating in human populations in Georgia, but "urban" trench fever could be present in some homeless populations. Flying squirrels and their lice are known reservoirs and vectors, respectively, of an enzootic cycle of Rickettsia prowazekii da Rocha-Lima which can infect humans causing sporadic epidemic typhus. Taxonomically, we correct the description date for 2 anopluran species, Polyplax serrata (Burmesiter) and Polyplax spinulosa (Burmeister), from 1839 to 1838.


Ghrelin as a human natural hormone is involved in fundamental regulatory processes of eating and energy balance. Ghrelin signals the nutrient availability from the gastrointestinal tract to the central nervous system, up-regulates food intake and lowers energy expenditure mainly through hypothalamic mediators acting both centrally and peripherally including the gastrointestinal tract (motility, epithelium), promotes both neuro-endocrine and inflammatory signals to increase skeletal muscle growth and decrease protein breakdown, and increases lipolysis while body fat utilization is reduced. Ghrelin does more to exert its probably sentinel role around "human energy": it influences through mainly extra-hypothalamic actions the hedonic and incentive value of food, mood and anxiety, sleep-wake regulation, learning and memory, and neurogenesis. Recently numerous ghrelin gene-derived peptides were discovered, demonstrating the complexity within the ghrelin/ghrelin receptor axis. For clinical applications, not only the natural ghrelin and its slice variants, but also several modified or artificial molecules acting at ghrelin-associated receptors were and are developed. Current clinical applications are limited to clinical studies, focusing mainly on cachexia in chronic heart failure, COPD, cancer, endstage- renal-disease or cystic fibrosis, but also on frailty in elderly, gastrointestinal motility (e.g., gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, postoperative ileus), after curative gastrectomy, anorexia nervosa, growth hormone deficient patients, alcohol craving, sleep-wake regulation (e.g. major depression), or sympathetic nervous activity in obesity. The results of completed, preliminary studies support the clinical potential of ghrelin, ghrelin gene-derived peptides, and artificial analogues, suggesting that larger clinical trials are demanded to move ghrelin towards an available and reimbursed pharmaceutical intervention.


This article begins by establishing a rationale for not only teaching with reality television in the communication classroom, but also taking a theory-based approach to doing so. A theoretical framework for the pedagogical use of reality TV—semiotic theory, based on the work of Peirce— is presented. The discussion then moves to a specific outline of a sample classroom activity that demonstrates a semiotic approach, using the BRAVO TV website as a means of illustrating and teaching Cultural Studies Theory. The author concludes by qualifying the case for using reality TV as one—but not the only—means of teaching communication, and offers other alternative texts and media sources that can also help instructors illustrate abstract communication theories and concepts for their students.


The method of the penetrating ions allows to observe the creatine phosphokinase function of heart mitochondria in steady state conditions. The addition of ADP to respiring mitochondria decreases the membrane potential in the course of the ATP synthesis. The subsequent addition of creatine decreases the membrane potential for a long period of time because of ADP formation in creatine phosphokinase reaction. It was shown in the experiments with maintainance of the constant concentration of ADP or ATP in the medium that the ADP concentration in the medium acts mainly on the membrane potential during the creatine phosphate synthesis. There is no effect of creatine on the membrane potential of liver mitochondria which have no creatine phosphokinase.


The synthesis of force-closure grasps on three-dimensional (3-D) objects is a fundamental issue in robotic grasping and dextrous manipulation. In this paper, a numerical force-closure test is developed based on the concept of Q distance. With some mild and realistic assumptions, the proposed test criterion is differentiable almost everywhere and its derivative can be calculated exactly. On this basis, we present an algorithm for planning force-closure grasps, which is implemented by applying descent search to the proposed numerical test in the grasp configuration space. The algorithm is generally applicable to planning optimal force-closure grasps on 3-D objects with curved surfaces and with arbitrary number of contact points. The effectiveness and efficiency of the algorithm are demonstrated by using simulation examples.


Smartphone has been a popular device utilized to support productivity in human life and has become an integral part of human activities such as for communication, entertainment and social interaction. Those activities can be related to the information which needs to be protected because of its high privacy. Therefore, the smartphone needs a procedure that demonstrates an ability to secure that user information. However, more protective the scheme, more difficult the usage. Based on that pattern behavior, a good security scheme which support the users for easy security feature is urgently needed. One of such kind security features is authentication feature. In that manner, the ease of use aspect for acquiring the system by using an easy authentication mechanism becomes critically important. The ease of use intended is the efficiency of interaction between the user and that security feature for doing authentication including the time needed for doing that. This study developed the app which utilizes the context data, namely Geofilock. The context data meant is the location data based on the GPS and MAC address of the Wi-Fi. The system detected both context data and determined whether the smartphone needs to show the pattern screen lock as authentication feature or not, based on the context data analysis. The functionality of Geofilock works properly as shown by less user interaction number and less time needed by the user for obtaining the access. In addition, the app is easy to operate, as suggested by the user feedback.


Severe anaphylaxis, fortunately, is an uncommon disease. The actual incidence of anaphylaxis is unknown but is estimated to be 10 to 20/100,000 patients/year. The biggest study on anaphylaxis among hospitalised patients in the previous decade was conducted as a retrospective study of adult patients between 1992 and 2001 at a tertiary care centre in Bangkok. Of 448,211 admissions, 80 events of anaphylaxis in 79 patients (0.017%) were found. 2 So, it was very difficult to find a big sample to anaphylaxis due to seed or fruit. We had to revise the records of 21,879 patients admitted to our Allergy Department in the last 22 years to find the number of patients necessary for a good statistical analysis. The sample size was calculated by simple random sampling in a control:case ratio of 1, with confidence limits of 98%, a power of 90% and an average of exposition among controls of 25%. A stratified analysis was performed in order to estimate the confounding and artefactual factors among the different independent variables, avoiding the selection bias. We finally selected 52 patients who suffered from severe anaphylaxis and 28% of them had anticardiolipin antibodies and 17.3% had thrombosis. This percentage can be considered not too big, but the fact that 75% of patients' diagnoses as having antiphospholipid primary syndrome with thrombosis had specific IgE against vegetal allergen, should not be considered a coincidence. Although it is true that given the heterogeneity of the clinical manifestations of APS it is likely that more than one pathophysiological process may play a role. Recent studies about vegetal food-induced anaphylaxis in Italy found that LTP is the most important allergen causing food-induced anaphylaxis, peach being the most frequently offending food. These data are very similar to our data but obviously geographic and environmental differences both between Italy and other countries and within Italy seem to play a relevant role in the pattern of sensitisation to foods. 3 In the tables, we included as a medium level the patient number 33, who presented 18 GPL/ML in the first determination and 26 GPL/ML in the second analysis. We only presented in the table the first tests performed. None of our allergic patients were taking aspirin at the moment of anaphylaxis. The patients that suffered from thrombosis were treated with anticoagulants or aspirin after the diagnosis. We agree with our colleagues that antibodies should be reevaluated after three months. All patients with thrombosis were evaluated every three months. Those with anaphylaxis were tested again two months after discharge from the Hospital, in the third month of their process. The rise in the incidence of anaphylaxis over the two decades of the study period is alarming. Raising the awareness of anaphylaxis management among healthcare providers and the public is warranted. Thank you very much again for the criticism that undoubtedly has improved our work.


Firm lifecycle theory predicts that the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) will tend to fall over the lifecycle of the firm (Mueller, 2003, p. 80-81). However, given that previous research finds that corporate governance deteriorates as firms get older (Mueller and Yun, 1998; Saravia, 2014) there is good reason to suspect that the opposite could be the case, that is, that the WACC is higher for older firms. Since our literature review indicates that no direct tests to clarify this question have been carried out up till now, this paper aims to fill the gap by testing this prediction empirically. Our findings support the proposition that the WACC of younger firms is higher than that of mature firms. Thus, we find that the mature firm overinvestment problem is not intensified by a higher cost of capital, on the contrary, our results suggest that mature firms manage to invest in negative net present value projects even though they have access to cheaper capital. This finding sheds new light on the magnitude of the corporate governance problems found in mature firms.


Sponsorship is an important marketing tool in attracting parties to participate and provide support or assistance either in terms of finance, expertise, knowledge, or services in any event, project or program. In the context of the education industry in transforming the Malaysian education system through a Public-Private Partnership, the involvement of private and public sectors from various backgrounds to participate in a program called Trust Schools Program, an initiative between the Ministry of Education and Yayasan AMIR is the most critical. The objective of this research was to assess the influence of the future sponsors' perceived value on the attitude and impact towards the willingness of the future sponsors of the Trust Schools Program. The four dimensions of perceived value namely functional, price, emotional and social were examined. A survey questionnaire approach was used to collect primary data from various companies. In additional an interview session with the Head of Program Management of Yayasan AMIR, a non-profit organisation formed by Khazanah Nasional Berhad was carried out to understand the current situational of Yayasan AMIR in managing the Trust Schools Program. Yayasan AMIR is the only private sector which had been given the mandate by the Ministry of Education to be involved in the transformation of the Malaysian education system. Though the Public-Private Partnership, Yayasan AMIR is permitted to invite other private sectors in any industrial background, individuals or alumni to sponsor this program. In order to have more private sectors participating in the Program, it is important to assess the attitude of the future sponsors which will impact their willingness to sponsor the Trust Schools Program based on the perceived value. Findings from the regression analysis showed that the future sponsors' perceived value has a significant influence on the attitude towards the Trust Schools Program. It also showed that attitude has a positive impact on the willingness to sponsor the program. The key strategies for Yayasan AMIR to attract future sponsors were on communication and promotion strategies.


ABSTRACT In bacterial endocarditis (BE), intravascular infection withStaphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sanguis, or Staphylococcus epidermidis can lead to formation of a fibrin clot on the inner surface of the heart and cause heart dysfunction. The events that start the coagulation in the early stage of the disease are largely unknown. We have recently shown that human endothelial cells (EC) upon binding and internalization ofS. aureus, but not S. sanguis orS. epidermidis, express tissue factor (TF)-dependent procoagulant activity (TFA). The present study shows that infection of EC with these three pathogens induces surface expression of intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and monocyte adhesion. Subsequent coculture of these cells synergistically enhanced TFA, which was exclusively dependent on TF molecules that were expressed on EC during coculture. TFA induction required direct contact between monocytes and bacterium-infected EC, but the signals for this response were not generated by the binding of monocytes through their β2- or α4-integrins to ICAM-1 or VCAM-1, respectively, on infected EC. The mechanism by which monocytes induce TFA in bacterium-infected EC was partly mediated by the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 produced by the cells during coculture. Endogenous tumor necrosis factor alpha was not involved. This modulating effect of monocytes on species- and strain-dependent TFA of bacterium-infected EC supports our hypothesis that in an early stage in the pathogenesis of BE, as well as other intravascular infections that lead to detrimental fibrin formation, the coagulation cascade can be activated on the surfaces of EC as a consequence of specific interactions between pathogenic bacteria, EC, and monocytes.


A squamous cell carcinoma (ASB XIII) and a large cell carcinoma (ASB XIV) induced from mouse lung cells by chrysotile asbestos were established in serial transplant in BALB/c mice. New hosts were treated with retinoids by ip injection at 10 mg/kg 5 days/week. Growth inhibition of ASB XIII was 58%-64% (P less than 0.005) after treatments with all-trans retinoic acid, 52% after trimethylmethoxyphenyl analog, ethyl ester, 26% (not significant) after 13-cis retinoic acid. Growth inhibition of ASB XIV was 39% (P less than 0.02) after injections of all-trans retinoic acid, and 33% (P greater than 0.05) after trimethylmethoxyphenyl analog, ethyl ester. After daily oral administration of 10 mg/kg of all-trans retinoic acid in feed, there was 61%-81% inhibition (P less than 0.005) of ASB XIII. Growth of ASB XIII was not significantly inhibited by daily im injections of 200 mg/kg of vitamin C.


This Article examines the legality and policy concerns of state foster care agencies using children's Social Security benefits as a state funding stream. The practice requires foster children who are disabled or have deceased or disabled parents to pay for their own care. Often with the assistance of private consultants under contingency fee contracts, agencies look for children who are eligible for Social Security benefits and interject themselves as the children's representative payees. Rather than using the benefits to serve the children's unmet needs, the agencies use their fiduciary power to access the children's benefits and apply the funds to reimburse foster care costs for which the children have no legal obligation. Although the practice was upheld by the Supreme Court in Washington State Dep't. of Social and Health Services vs. Guardianship Estate of Keffeler, the decision was limited and legal and policy questions remain unresolved. This Article provides a framework for renewed policy discussions and expanded litigation strategies in the wake of Keffeler. The Article investigates agency practices, weighs the policy concerns, analyzes several possible legal challenges that remain after Keffeler, and concludes with concrete suggestions for reform.


Author(s): Pancoast, Anna Kathryn | Advisor(s): Treu, Tommaso | Abstract: Measuring the masses of supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN) allows us to trace their evolution over cosmic time and understand how black holes coevolve with their host galaxies. We present a new technique to measure black hole masses and constrain the structure of the broad line region in AGN using reverberation mapping data. We begin by developing a simply parameterized phenomenological model of the broad line region geometry and dynamics and apply this model to high-quality reverberation mapping data for six AGN from the Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2008 and 2011 datasets. The results of this analysis provide the most precise AGN black hole masses from reverberation mapping to date and the first detailed constraints on the geometry and dynamics of the broad line region emission. Specifically, we find that the shape of the broad line region is generally a close to face-on thick disk with preferential emission from the far side, and that the dynamics range from inflow to near-circular orbits. In addition, we present photometric AGN light curves using image subtraction for the Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011 dataset as a first step towards modeling the broad line region in a larger sample of AGN.


Introduction: G6PD deficiency favisme also called is a genetic disease with enzyme deficiency. This is the most common enzyme deficiency in the world, and among the main complications is the IRA by tubular necrosis. Patient and method: We report a case of renal damage when ingested bean. Observation: This is the SC infant, aged 11 months, without specific medical history .Admis pediatric dechocage for poorly tolerated anemic syndrome complicated with ARF following ingestion bean. Clinical examination revealed an infant in good enough condition afebrile, with mucocutaneous jaundice generalized abdominal distension with preserved diuresis DARK made from urine. In laboratory tests it had hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure to 24mg / l of plasma creatinine with a urea 2.2 g / l, leukocyturia and hematuria in urinalysis, and proteinuria 0 1g / 24h With the kidney echo normal sized kidneys without well differentiated pelvicalyceal expansion. The infant received a transfusion for anemia and its rehydration with hemodynamic monitoring and respiratory, evolution was marked by a gradual improvement in kidney failure, the disappearance of jaundice. Discussion: The G6PD enzyme deficiency can lead to acute hemolysis after ingestion of beans. It can, in severe attacks, lead to acute renal failure by consecutive acute tubular necrosis in renal ischemia or blockage of the tubules by hemoglobin clusters. Conclusion: Favisme is a disease caused by eating beans, which reaches only individuals predisposed due to a hereditary enzyme deficiency of red blood cells and can be complicated by an IRA.


Ionized magnesium (Mg++) and ionized calcium (Ca++) are the physiologically active forms of these elements in the body and their concentrations have clinical value. Though the AVL988/4 instrument that measures concentrations of Mg++ and Ca++ has been evaluated, some clinically important parameters were unknown. In this study, we evaluated AVL988/4 analyzer for measuring Mg++ and Ca++ concentrations and provided the following information: (1) The newly formulated Becton Dickinson (BD) Vacutainer plastic tubes with clot activator and silicone as the stopper lubricant (serial no. 367820) caused a significant high bias for the Mg++ measurement but had no effect on the Ca++ measurement; (2) the optimal conditions for specimen storage were no exposure to air at 4°C for up to 24 h; (3) no significant difference in the results of the Ca++ concentration determined using AVL988/4 or i-STAT; (4) no carryover between samples was found.


High-speed networks, such as ATM networks, are expected to support real-time Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees required by many applications such as those that involve voice and video communication. To support such services, routing algorithms that allow for the reservation of the needed bandwidth over a Virtual Circuit (VC) have been proposed. Commonly, these algorithms assign VCs to routes using the least-loaded concept, and thus result in balancing the load over the set of all candidate routes. In this paper, we show that for such reservation-based VC routing algorithms-which allow for the exclusive use of a preset fraction of a resource's bandwidth for an extended period of time-load balancing is not desirable as it results in resource fragmentation, which adversely affects the likelihood of accepting new VC requests. We present an on-line VC routing scheme that is based on the concept of "load profiling", which allows a distribution of "available" bandwidth across a set of candidate routes to match the characteristics of incoming VC QoS requests. We show the effectiveness of our load-profiling approach when compared to traditional load-balancing and load-packing VC routing schemes.


PurposeDespite immigrant-receiving countries' need for skilled professionals to meet labour demands, research suggests that many skilled migrants undergo deskilling, downward career mobility, underemployment, unemployment and talent waste, finding themselves in low-skilled occupations that are not commensurate to their education and experience. Skilled immigrant women face additional gendered disadvantages, including a disproportionate domestic burden, interrupted careers and gender segmentation in occupations and organizations. This study explores how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacted skilled newcomer women's labour market outcomes and work experiences.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw on 50 in-depth questionnaires with skilled women to elaborate on their work experiences during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe pandemic pushed skilled immigrant women towards unemployment, lower-skilled or less stable employment. Most study participants had their career trajectory delayed, interrupted or reversed due to layoffs, decreased job opportunities and increased domestic burden. The pandemic's gendered nature and the reliance on work-from-home arrangements and online job search heightened immigrant women's challenges due to limited social support and increased family responsibilities.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the conversation of increased integration challenges under pandemic conditions by contextualizing the pre-pandemic literature on immigrant work integration to the pandemic environment. Also, this paper contributes a better understanding of the gender dynamics informing the COVID-19 socio-economic climate.


The sensitivity of a passive impedance (admittance) to variations of its individual elements is discussed using Vratsanos' (Cohn's) theorem. The measure of the overall sensitivity which arises naturally is the sum of the magnitudes of the sensitivities to individual elements. For reciprocal realizations the sensitivity magnitude sums over resistances and reactances are separately related to the total power dissipation and the energy storage of the network. To minimize sensitivity, the energy storage must be minimized. Previous results for the energy storage of a one-port are used and extended to discuss further the minimum sensitivity problem. In certain cases it is shown how to find a synthesis having minimum sensitivity at all frequencies. The wider class of networks containing gyrators is also discussed, using an extension of Vratsanos' theorem. In this case the results obtained are weaker, since the properties of the actual realization, and that of the conjugate realization obtained by gyrator coupling reversals, are involved symmetrically. Bounds in terms of total power dissipations and energy storage are found for the sensitivity magnitude sums over resistances and reactances. The general results are illustrated by particular examples. It is shown by example that the sensitivity magnitude sum over resistances in a nonreciprocal network can be lower than the universal value imposed on reciprocal networks.


Rho GTPases are molecular switches controlling a broad range of cellular processes in lymphocytes including activation, immune response and gene transcription. They rapidly cycle between a guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-bound and guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-bound state, and the GTP-bound state is the active conformation that initiates downstream signaling pathways via effector proteins. We identified a novel Rho effector, RTKN2, that is highly expressed in lymphocytes, particulary freshly isolated CD4 T-cells; and is switched off in activated T-cells. When the protein was over-expressed in an unrelated cell line, it conferred resistance to apoptosis, and this resistance was maintained using the media alone from the over-expressing cells. In the current study we investigated genes relating to high or low expression of RTKN2 in lymphocytes. In human samples, RTKN2 expression was down regulated in PHA activated T-cells and it correlated with the expression of Zap-70, a Rho-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). We then utilized a real time cytokine array (Superarray Bioscience Corporation) to compare high versus low RTKN2 expression levels in the same population of lymphocytes. The real time array linked high levels of RTKN2 with cytokines BMP8b, (a TGF-beta family protein) and IL-16 (a modulator of T cell activation, and an inhibitor of HIV replication relationship), and this observation was confirmed in a series of T-cell samples. Further, we studied the effect of down regulation of RTKN2 in primary lymphocytes, using short hairpin (sh)RNA plasmid that also expressed GFP. Transfected GFP-positive cells had lower survival than cells transfected with scrambled (sh)RNA, and also demonstrated increased sensitivity to the the induction of apoptosis by oxysterols. These findings indicate that RTKN2 plays a role in survival of T-lymphocytes and this may be mediated through the secretion of cytokines.


Background Generally, scapula process fractures (coracoid and acromion) have been treated nonoperatively with favorable outcome, with the exception of widely displaced fractures. Very little has been published, however, regarding the operative management of such fractures and the literature that is available involves very few patients. Our hypothesis was that operative treatment of displaced acromion and coracoid fractures is a safe and effective treatment that yields favorable surgical results. Methods We reviewed 26 consecutive patients (27 fractures) treated between 1998 and 2007. Operative indications for these process fractures included either a painful nonunion, a concomitant ipsilateral operative scapula fracture, ≥ 1 cm of displacement on X-ray, or a multiple disruption of the superior shoulder suspensory complex. All patients were followed until they were asymptomatic, displayed radiographic fracture union, and had recovered full motion with no pain. Patients and results 21 males and 5 females, mean age 36 (18–67) years, were included in the study. 18 patients had more than one indication for surgery. Of the 27 fractures, there were 13 acromion fractures and 14 coracoid fractures. 1 patient was treated for both a coracoid and an acromion fracture. Fracture patterns for the acromion included 6 acromion base fractures and 7 fractures distal to the base. Coracoid fracture patterns included 11 coracoid base fractures and 3 fractures distal to the base. Mean follow-up was 11 (2–42) months. All fractures united and all patients had recovered full motion with no pain at the time of final follow-up. 3 patients underwent removal of hardware due to irritation from hardware components that were too prominent. There were no other complications. Interpretation While most acromion and coracoid fractures can be treated nonoperatively with satisfactory results, operative management may be indicated for displaced fractures and double lesions of the superior shoulder suspensory complex.


Here we report the result of three cases referred to our lab that had a combination of β-thalassemia and hemoglobin D (Hb D) traits. These individuals had no symptoms of profound anemia and hematological indices were similar to that of a β-thalassemia heterozygote. In all three cases, the Hb D level was elevated and no HbA was detected electrophoretically. The electrophoresis pattern suggested that all cases were homozygotes for Hb D. PCR followed by digestion with EcoRI and sequencing of the β-globin gene confirmed the presence of Cd 121 GAA>CAA in the heterozygous form with another β-globin mutation. In all cases, the mutations in the β-globin gene were detected by ARMS PCR technique and they were either IVSII-I or IVSI-5. Hematological studies of the family members showed that thalassemia which caused the mutations and Hb D were in the trans position.


This guide will provide MUS 120 students with a general library orientation including resources and strategies for accessing print and non-print resources about opera singers and operas.


Graphs are commonly used to represent sets of sequences. Either edges or nodes can be labeled by sequences, so that each path in the graph spells a concatenated sequence. Examples include graphs to represent genome assemblies, such as string graphs and de Bruijn graphs, and graphs to represent a pan-genome and hence the genetic variation present in a population. Being able to align sequencing reads to such graphs is a key step for many analyses and its applications include genome assembly, read error correction, and variant calling with respect to a variation graph. Given the wide range of applications of this basic problem, it is surprising that algorithms with optimal runtime are, to the best of our knowledge, yet unknown. In particular, aligning sequences to cyclic graphs currently represents a challenge both in theory and practice. Here, we introduce an algorithm to compute the minimum edit distance of a sequence of length m to any path in a node-labeled directed graph (V, E) in O(|V |+m|E|) time and O(|V |) space. The corresponding alignment can be obtained in the same runtime using space. The time complexity depends only on the length of the sequence and the size of the graph. In particular, it does not depend on the cyclicity of the graph, or any other topological features.


Consolidation is often considered as a means to lower service delivery costs and enhance accountability. This paper uses a prospective evaluation design to derive estimates of the potential cost savings that may arise from Local Healthcare Authorities (LHAs) amalgamation process, which is concerning the Italian National Health System. We focus specifically on cost savings due to scale economies with reference to a particular subset of the production costs of the LHAs, i.e. the administrative costs together with the purchasing costs of both goods as well as non-healthcare related services. Our results demonstrate the existence of economies of scale linked to the size of the LHA population. Hence, the decision to reduce the number of LHAs may result in larger local health authorities that are more cost efficient, especially when the consolidation process concerns merging a large number of LHA.


This article examines the development of the scout movement in pre-revolutionary Russia and the pioneer organization named after V.I. Lenin in the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1972. The article focuses on the way in which certain groups of proletarian adolescents evolved into a mass movement after WW II. Originally, old scout leaders led the pioneer groups. Between 1922 and the beginning of WWII the pioneer organisation underwent profound reforms with a view of developing the communist education of the young generation of Soviet people. Many psychopedologists participated in these reforms. In the post-war period, the reformed ideology of the pioneer organization became part of mass political culture. The pioneer organisation actively promoted the cult of pioneer heroes, who heroically defended their Soviet homeland, ideas of international solidarity and friendship among peoples.


Establish and develop a new approach for the Nordic property and construction industry – while there are still opportunities to guide this. Go in advance of the rest of Europe in working for change that entails very profound consequences for both society and the individual. It is a process of change which will take time since it will face powerful resistance.


AbstractSchedule analysts often resolve diverse schedule delay problems in construction projects based on their subjective experiences. Although various process-based and mathematical-model schedule delay analysis methods are available for effective schedule delay analysis, these methods require time-consuming manual operation. The use of computer-based schedule delay analysis methods seems to be a solution. However, schedule analysts still have difficulty developing computer-based schedule delay analysis methods. Therefore, this study applies information flow analysis to classify the necessary work to develop computer-based schedule delay analysis methods. In contrast to numerous studies that focus only on computerizing a process-based or a mathematical-model schedule delay analysis method, this study constructs a computer-based method that integrates two process-based schedule delay analysis methods simultaneously. In a tested case study, the delay liability for the project owner and contractor was clas...


The influence of the particle size of an ash from sugarcane bagasse on the properties of incorporated red ceramics was investigated. Mixtures of kaolinitic clay from the municipal area of Campos of Goytacazes-RJ were prepared with additions of 0, 5 and 10% in weight of ashes from sugarcane bagasse. Ashes with different particle sizes lower than 149 μm (100 mesh), 75 μm (200 mesh) and 44 μm (325 mesh), were used in each incorporated composition. Specimens were 20 MPa uniaxially press-molded and sintered at 900 and 1050°C. The firing technological properties evaluated were diametrical shrinkage, water absorption and mechanical strength by diametrical compression. The results showed that the ash incorporation caused significant changes in the ceramic properties.


The values of erythrocyte protoporphyrin, ferritin and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) measurements in diagnosing iron deficiency anemia were investigated in 72 iron deficient and in 25 healthy control infants. Receiver operator curve, sensitivity and specificity of erythrocyte protoporphyrin, ferritin and mean corpuscular volume were compared between the study and control groups. In the study group mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations were significantly lower, and erythrocyte protoporphyrin was significantly higher when compared to the control group. In the iron deficient study group, erythrocyte protoporphyrin was the most sensitive test and ferritin was the most specific test, whereas ferritin was the most diagnostic test and mean corpuscular volume was the least diagnostic test. A significant correlation between erythrocyte protoporphyrin and hemoglobin values was determined. We conclude that erythrocyte protoporphyrin is a more sensitive but less specific test than ferritin, and it can be used as a first-line diagnostic test in the evaluation of iron deficiency and in diagnosing iron deficiency anemia in infants.


The mean aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between the coping strategies and psychological well-being of college students hurt in relationship. Purposive sample of 322 students are taken as sample for the present study. The participants are recruited students from main campus studying in various departments of Karnataka University, Dharwad respondents selected through using simple random sampling and Dharwad was research area. The researcher employed COPE Inventory, scale developed by Carver (1989), which measured coping in 15 areas The full length version of the COPE Inventory was used to measure stress coping skills and Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale (1995) This is a 18 item scale used to assess the psychological well-being .Pearson correlation coefficients and Stepwise multiple regression were employed in the analysis to find out the relationship between coping and psychological wellbeing and to predict psychological wellbeing from coping strategies. Results revealed that a total of 63.5% of the psychological wellbeing contributed by 11 coping strategies of the students hurt in relationship. Positive reinterpretation and growth, Focus on and venting of emotions and Behavioral disengagement coping strategies contributed maximum to the psychological wellbeing of the sample hurt in relationships. Denial, active coping, acceptance, use of emotional social support, use of instrumental social support and planning contributed least to the psychological wellbeing. Religious coping and restraint coping strategies moderately contributed to psychological wellbeing


The significance of ponds in the terrestrial carbon cycle has received increasing attention in recent years. Evidence suggests that ponds exhibit rates of biogeochemical cycling orders of magnitude greater than larger water bodies and, cumulatively, the storage of organic carbon (OC) in small ponds may equal or possibly surpass that of large water bodies.

This project furthers our understanding of OC storage within ponds, combining survey and experimental approaches to accurately quantify sediment carbon stocks and accumulation rates. It incorporates four distinct, yet complimentary components aiming to: i) Evaluate the accuracy of estimating OC storage in entire ponds from sediment cores; ii) Monitor physicochemical dynamics and quantify OC storage across newly constructed ponds; iii) Quantify OC storage across a suite of mature ponds and assess the impact of vegetation community development; iv) Identify variations in microbial communities between different ponds in relation to sediment physicochemistry and vegetation coverage, exploring the implications for OC storage and burial.

Carbon stocks were surveyed in 12 mature ponds across an experimental field site at Druridge Bay, Northumberland. Comprehensive historical ecological data was used to separate these ponds into three distinct groups based on hydrology and vegetation. One pond was selected from each of the resulting three groups and exhumed in its entirety to accurately quantify OC storage. Three sediment cores were taken beforehand in a novel attempt to evaluate the percentage difference between sediment core estimates and whole pond sediment OC storage. Whole pond exhumation suggests that the three ponds stored between 1565 – 2288 g OC m2, whilst results from the cores alone gave estimates within a 10-15% range. A further three ponds from each group were selected to quantify burial rates using sediment cores. Results suggest the ponds have stored between 1413 – 4459 g OC m2 over 20 yrs, equating to around 67 – 212 g OC m2 yr-1. OC storage was greater in ponds that had undergone the fastest establishment of vascular plant communities.

Three new ponds were constructed at the Druridge site. Physicochemical parameters were monitored at approximately fortnightly intervals across a period of three years. All three ponds were hyper-eutrophic, dominated by algae. However, OC storage was negligible, further suggesting that OC burial is only significant upon the establishment of vascular plant communities.

Sediment samples were subject to 16s rRNA analysis to identify microbial communities involved in carbon cycling. Variations in microbial community composition between ponds were observed and showed complex relationships with sediment physicochemistry and vegetation coverage. Microbial diversity was significantly higher in ponds storing more OC. Ponds dominated by Juncus vegetation, had lower diversity and a greater abundance of facultative anaerobic bacteria, and stored less OC.

The intense rates of OC burial observed in this study demonstrate the functional capacity of constructed ponds to operate as significant sinks of OC. High rates of OC accumulation compared to the surrounding terrestrial landscape highlights the potential for their construction across landscapes to act as versatile, yet effective carbon mitigation features.


Efficient fastest path computation in the presence of varying speed conditions on a large scale road network is an essential problem in modern navigation systems. Factors affecting road speed, such as weather, time of day, and vehicle type, need to be considered in order to select fast routes that match current driving conditions. Most existing systems compute fastest paths based on road Euclidean distance and a small set of predefined road speeds. However, "History is often the best teacher". Historical traffic data or driving patterns are often more useful than the simple Euclidean distance-based computation because people must have good reasons to choose these routes, e.g., they may want to avoid those that pass through high crime areas at night or that likely encounter accidents, road construction, or traffic jams.

In this paper, we present an adaptive fastest path algorithm capable of efficiently accounting for important driving and speed patterns mined from a large set of traffic data. The algorithm is based on the following observations: (1) The hierarchy of roads can be used to partition the road network into areas, and different path pre-computation strategies can be used at the area level, (2) we can limit our route search strategy to edges and path segments that are actually frequently traveled in the data, and (3) drivers usually traverse the road network through the largest roads available given the distance of the trip, except if there are small roads with a significant speed advantage over the large ones. Through an extensive experimental evaluation on real road networks we show that our algorithm provides desirable (short and well-supported) routes, and that it is significantly faster than competing methods.


This study identifies five distinctive stages of the current global financial crisis: the meltdown of the subprime mortgage market, spillovers into broader credit market, the liquidity crisis epitomized by the fallout of Northern Rock, Bear Stearns with contagion effects on other financial institutions, the commodity price bubble, and the ultimate demise of investment banking in the U.S. Monetary policy responses aimed at stabilizing financial markets are proposed. The study argues that the severity of the crisis is influenced strongly by changeable allocations of global savings, which lead to over-pricing of varied types of assets. The study calls such process a "wandering asset-price bubble". Unstable allocations have elevated market, credit and liquidity risks. Since its original outbreak induced by the demise of the subprime mortgage market and the mortgage-backed securities in the U.S., the crisis has reverberated across other credit areas, structured financial products and global financial institutions.


An AZ91 alloy pretreated by ultrasonic vibration (UV) was subjected to extrusion to refine the microstructure. The results indicated that the UV pretreatment had a strong influence on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the extruded AZ91 alloy. With UV pretreatment, a fine and uniform microstructure with an average grain size of 13.5 mm was obtained, and the fraction of the fiber-like, partiallyrecrystallized, structure was markedly reduced. In addition to the superior mechanical properties such as a yield strength of 256MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of 320MPa and a fracture elongation of 9.7% were achieved in the extruded AZ91 alloy with UV pretreatment. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MC200741]


OBJECTIVES
Abnormal signs or symptoms recorded on Papanicolaou (Pap) test requisitions may reflect disease not detected with Pap testing. Since 2009, these cases have been reviewed in our laboratory by a second cytotechnologist and a cytopathologist. The objective of this study was to document follow-up findings on these patients.

METHODS
A search for Pap test results of "Negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy, abnormal clinical signs or symptoms" was performed for cases from January 1, 2009, to October 10, 2013. Clinical information and follow-up findings were documented.

RESULTS
1,104 cases were identified. Signs and symptoms were abnormal bleeding 897 (81%), polyps 83 (8%), pelvic mass 54 (5%), visible cervical lesions 48 (4%), vaginal lesions 17 (2%) and endometrial masses 6 (0.5%). Six hundred sixty-seven (60%) had follow-up results, including 517 with histopathologic diagnoses. Two-hundred thirty-three (45%) had nonspecific benign diagnoses, 216 (42%) had benign tumor-like conditions, 28 (4%) had insufficient specimens, 16 (3%) had precancerous diagnoses and 23 (4%) had malignancies. Endometrial malignancy was identified in 14 (61%), ovarian in 6 (26%), and miscellaneous in 3 (13%). No cervical cancers were identified.

CONCLUSIONS
We report follow-up findings from patients with abnormal clinical signs or symptoms, negative Pap test results, and follow-up recommendations highlighting reported abnormal signs or symptoms. Abnormal clinical signs and symptoms should routinely be considered in assessment and management of patients with negative cervical screening test results.


The CS for All initiative places increased emphasis on the need to prepare K-12 teachers of computer science (CS). Professional development (PD) programs continue to be an essential mechanism for preparing in-service teachers who have little formal background in CS content, skills, and teaching pedagogy. While increased investment by federal agencies and the industry has raised the number of CS PD opportunities for K-12 teachers, there has been limited study of how teachers apply what they learn back in their classroom. This paper describes an in-depth qualitative study through interviews of 28 elementary, middle and high school teachers who participated in summer PD in preparation of teaching a full CS course or integrate CS modules into existing courses (e.g., science, engineering, business, technology, etc). The interview protocol focused on educators' involvement in the PD, specific skills and strategies they learned, whether and how they have been able to apply these new skills in the classroom, what facilitated or impeded this application, and how students have responded.


Summary.  Background: The adipocyte‐derived cytokine, adiponectin (Ad), exerts potent vascular effects, although the direct effects of Ad on blood platelets are unclear. Objective: The influence of globular Ad (gAd) on blood platelet function was investigated. Research design and methods: We measured platelet aggregation and tyrosine phosphorylation signaling events in human and mouse platelets. The ability of gAd to activate Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) activity was determined with a NFAT luciferase reporter assay. Results: gAd, but not full length Ad, induced rapid aggregation and granule secretion of human and mouse platelets through a pathway that is ablated under conditions of Src kinase inhibition, indicating a tyrosine kinase‐dependent mechanism. Consistent with this, gAd stimulates rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins in human and mouse platelets. The pattern of increase in tyrosine phosphorylation was similar to that induced by collagen, with the tyrosine kinase Syk and PLCγ2 being identified among the list of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins. As collagen activates platelet through the GPVI‐Fc receptor γ‐chain (FcRγ) complex, we used FcRγ null platelets (which also lack GPVI) to explore the mechanism by which gAd stimulates platelets. Stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation and platelet aggregation by gAd was abolished in FcRγ null platelets and markedly reduced in the absence of PLCγ2. Further, GPVI was confirmed as a collagen receptor for gAd by increased luciferase activity in Jurkat T‐cells transfected with GPVI. Conclusions: We identify gAd as a novel ligand for GPVI that stimulates tyrosine kinase‐dependent platelet aggregation. Our data raise the possibility that gAd may promote unwanted platelet activation at sites of vascular injury.


We developed a microindentation instrument that allows direct measurement of the point of contact for reasonably conductive samples. This is achieved in the absence of a contact load using a simple electrical circuit. Force is measured using an optical interrupter to measure the deflection of a cantilever beam. Displacement is achieved using a piezoelectric motor and is measured using an independent optical interrupter. Force and displacement measurements are accomplished in real time, allowing the specification of arbitrary waveforms. The instrument was rigorously validated by comparing mechanical property measurements from the indenter with results from traditional dynamic mechanical analysis. Details of the construction and feedback control schemes are given explicitly.


The a-C:H:Zr-x coatings are deposited on micro-drills using a closed field unbalanced magnetron (CFUBM) sputtering system with pulsed-DC power frequencies in the range 30 kHz to 110 kHz (the x in the term a-C:H:Zr-x is the frequency varied in the deposition process). The hardness of the various coatings is systematically explored. Additionally, the machining performance of the coated micro-drills is investigated by conducting high-speed through-hole drilling tests utilizing Printed Circuit Board (PCB) specimens. The experimental results reveal that the a-C:H:Zr-70 coating has the highest hardness (42 GPa), while the a-C:H:Zr-110 coating has the lowest hardness (26 GPa). In addition, it is shown that the a-C:H:Zr-70 coating increases the life of the micro-drill by a factor of three compared to that of an uncoated micro-drill.


If reproducing this work please include the following attribution statement:
'This Teaching Award 2011 Case Study was written by Liz Willis for the Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre, Loughborough University. Copyright © June 2011.'


Research and enhancements related to OER textbooks, digital library collections, quality of access, and mapping of resources to the curriculum.


The effect of buoyancy caused by heat generation from a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based thermal shear stress sensor is investigated. Due to the small size and relatively low power consumption of such sensors, the buoyancy effect on the overall flow structure is generally negligible. However, its impact on the flow variables such as shear stresses can be significant because such quantities are local and depend on the gradients of the velocity profile next to the sensor. Due to the small dimension of the MEMS sensor, a multiscale modeling approach is adopted to examine the effect of buoyancy on the velocity and wall shear stress profiles. Full-length channel computations are initially performed with finer resolution near the sensor region. Using the boundary conditions derived from the full-length computations, another simulation is performed concentrating on a small region near the shear stress sensor. Based on the temperature distribution in the region of the sensor, the effective thermal length scale is several times the streamwise dimension of the sensor. For a state-of-the-art MEMS sensor dimension of 200\,\mu {\bf m} , the effect of buoyancy on the accuracy of shear stress measurement can be noticeable.


The effect of three regrowth ages (4, 8 and 12 weeks) on forage yield, nutritional quality and fatty acid profile were evaluated in herbaceous legumes: Clitoria ternatea, Pueraria phaseoloides, Canavalia brasiliensis, Centrosema molle, Centrosema macrocarpum, Alysicarpus vaginalis, y Lablab purpureus; in shrubby legumes: Cratylia argentea, Gliricidia sepium, Desmodium velutinum, Cajanus cajan, Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae); and in a non-leguminous shrub: Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae). A split-plot design with random blocks was used, in which the forage species was the main plot and the regrowth age the subplot. The main fatty acids found in the species were palmitic acid (C16:0), linolenic acid (C18:3) and linoleic acid (C18:2). However, the fatty acid concentration differed between herbaceous and shrubby legumes compared to non-leguminous species, and decreased with regrowth age in both groups. The herbaceous legumes evaluated had a higher C18:2/ C18:3 proportion than shrubby legumes, which could in turn result in a higher conjugated linoleic acid (cla) content in milk fat. The legume Cajanus cajan showed the highest (p<0.05) cla (C18:3) and cla precursors content in the three regrowth ages evaluated, suggesting that its use as bovine feed in dual-purpose systems can result in higher c9 t11 cla concentrations in milk fat compared to other species.


In this letter, we introduce a novel fabrication method to make InGaAs absorptive first-order grating for loss-coupled distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD) using reactive ion etching. By this technique, it is possible to control duty rate of the first-order grating. A very-low-threshold current of 6 mA was obtained from our loss-coupled LD at the wavelength of 1.547 /spl mu/m, which was unusually high for a loss-coupled LD because of the excessive light absorption. In addition to the low-threshold current, it shows high SMSR and longitudinal single-mode yield as high as 50 dB and 90%, respectively.


Abstract. In increasingly diverse societies, discrimination against social groups and their members continues to be a public and political concern. Research has addressed three basic cognitive processes that precede discrimination: categorization, stereotype/prejudice activation, and stereotype/prejudice application, suggesting that these processes occur in an automatic fashion. However, there are multiple components of automaticity, including unawareness, efficiency, unintentionality, and uncontrollability. Most of the previous research implies that these components of automaticity converge with respect to cognitive antecedents of discrimination. Here, we review evidence on the distinct components of automaticity in order to assess whether (a) categorization, (b) stereotype/prejudice activation, and (c) stereotype/prejudice application occur (1) without awareness, (2) efficiently, and (3) goal-independently. We highlight evidence indicating convergence or divergence of the automaticity components during each of the processing stages. This analysis provides readers with an up-to-date review that helps to evaluate whether a multi-component approach to automaticity is of additional benefit in aggregating knowledge about the cognitive antecedents of discrimination. We discuss open issues and avenues for future research.


Bell playing clocks are clocks in which the movement plays a programmed melody on a series of tuned bells at set times. This type of clock flourished in the mid-18th century. A large number of bell playing clocks have been preserved. These clocks provide an interesting musicological source for the music that the clock owners heard daily. What was the musical repertoire on 18th century bell playing clocks in the Netherlands, and what does this have to say about the clock owners' taste in music? A collection of recordings by Melgert Spaander, a clockmaker from Zutphen, and eight bell playing clocks in Utrecht's Museum Speelklok's collection serve as the basis for this study. Most bell playing clocks were either longcase clocks or table clocks. There was considerable English influence on the Dutch clock market: English clockmakers worked in the Netherlands, clocks for the Dutch market were made in England, and Dutch clockmakers ordered parts from England. Clockmakers virtually never made a clock entirely by themselves; many aspects, such as crafting the cabinet, were contracted out. Customers could commission a clock, buy one ready-made from a clockmaker, or lease or acquire one through an estate sale or lottery. The movements in bell playing clocks would have been made by clockmakers. A musician was recruited to help with the arrangements, however. Bell playing clocks were quite expensive, and owners predominantly belonged to a wealthy ruling class. Due to the technical and acoustic limitations of bell playing clocks, relatively short, simple melodies were programmed. The melodies usually had a Dutch title, but there were also French and a few English titles, too. In any case, many of the melodies originally came from France. Dances, especially minuets, and songs were the most popular choices for bell playing clocks. Clock owners would have heard serious songs set to the melodies, for example about politics or love, but the vast majority were drinking songs, songs about comical, waggish courtships, and even risque songs. The most widely programmed melody on bell playing clocks has the standard title 'Allemande ik prees weleer'. The bell playing clock owners would have been familiar with the melodies not only from their clocks. Bell playing clock melodies were also available as sheet music and heard in the theatre, as house music for royalty and on organ clocks, but most of all in the carillon repertoire (as far as popular music is concerned), as well as published in books featuring instrumental tunes and songbooks. Although some of the books of instrumental tunes were for 'traditional' professional musicians, most were used by the more affluent Dutch who took lessons from professional musicians. The songbooks featuring the most bell playing clock repertoire were likewise intended for the well-to-do circles.


Purpose: Starting from the classic definition of "alien abduction", the present research, starting from the study published in 2020 on the proposed clinical classification of this particular phenomenon, is aimed at confirming the theoretical assumption of psychopathological origin. Methods: Clinical interview, based on narrative-anamnestic and documentary evidence and the basis of the Perrotta Human Emotions Model (PHEM) concerning their emotional and perceptual-reactive experience, and administration of the battery of psychometric tests published in international scientific journals by the author of this work: 1) Perrotta Integrative Clinical Interviews (PICI-2), to investigate functional and dysfunctional personality traits; 2) Perrotta Individual Sexual Matrix Questionnaire (PSM-Q), to investigate the individual sexual matrix; 3) Perrotta Affective Dependence Questionnaire (PAD-Q), to investigate the profiles of affective and relational dependence; 4) Perrotta Human Defense Mechanisms Questionnaire (PDM-Q), to investigate the defence mechanisms of the Ego. Results: Preliminary results from the interviews and the anamnestic form would suggest that the phenomenon of alien abductions has a greater tendency to occur in the female group, in the adult and mature group (and tends to diminish but not disappear with advancing age) and in the group geographically originating in central-northern Italy (due to lower religious influences but greater openness to the typical contents of ufological and mystery narratives). Moreover, the subsequent results would lead us to deduce with almost total certainty, concerning the selected sample, that the phenomenon of alien abductions has an absolute prevalence in the believing population concerning the existence of paranormal phenomena per se, even in the absence of objective and/or scientific evidence. It is a phenomenon that is almost completely linked (110/112, 98.2%) to a medium-low or not fully educated cultural level. Based on the PICI-2 it emerged that the primary emerging disorder is alternatively the delusional disorder, the dissociative disorder and the narcissistic disorder; followed, as secondary disorders, by the delusional disorder (if it is not considered as primary disorder), the schizoid disorder, the borderline disorder, the obsessive disorder and the psychopathic disorder. The analysis of functional traits also reported the marked dysfunctional tendency of the classes referring to self-control, sensitivity, Ego-Es comparison, emotionality, ego stability, security and relational functionality, confirming here too the marked dysfunctional tendency of the clinical population. According to the PSM-Q, almost 2/3 of the participants (73/112, 65.2%) present a dysfunctional tendency to sexual behaviour and a marked tendency to chronicle feelings of shame in avoidance behaviour or hyposexuality. Furthermore, 100% of the sample of the population surveyed report having suffered significant or serious psychological or physical abuse at a young age, or intra-parental relational imbalances, or in any case a sexual upbringing that was not open and lacking in free communication. According to the PDM-Q, 27.7% (31/112) are affected by affective dependency, with greater emphasis on types I (neurotic), VI (covert narcissist), V (borderline) and III (histrionic), in that order of descent. Finally, the PDM-Q reveals the widespread psychopathological tendency of the functional ego framework for the mechanisms of isolation, denial, regression, reactive formation, denial, projection, removal, withdrawal, instinct, repression and idealisation. Conclusion: This research confirms the psychopathological nature of the alien abduction phenomenon, which deserves to be treated using a psychotherapeutic approach (preferably cognitive-behavioural and/or strategic) and possibly also pharmacological in serious cases, depending on the symptoms manifested and the severity of the morbid condition.


. The air textured warp yarn; produced from polyester fiber, is used as warp yarn in carpet weaving industry and is one of the yarns that form the floor of the carpet. Air textured warp yarn; that does not reflect the quality values, will cause elongation, shortening, stretching, shrinkage, irregularity problems in the carpet, during or after weaving process. Since these defects occur on the warp yarn, that forms the length of the carpet, directly affect the quality of carpet to be produced, therefore the purpose of the production in the companies producing this yarn, is based on the philosophy of producing quality products, before making a profit. For these reasons; certain criteria, determining the quality yarn, were identified during the production of air textured warp yarn, and standard production values were assigned, depending on those values. In this paper 649 samples of 800 Denier air-jet textured yarn subjected to a series of strength tests with the physical properties of the yarn. Tested yarn properties are count, elongation, shrinkage, tenacity, RKM (reisskilometer), force in kilograms. All tested properties of the yarns are ranked by TOPSIS method, which is a multi-criteria decision-making method, based on certain weights. As a result all samples, from best to worst, shown to the decision-maker, to try to help which sample will be used in the next step of if a classification will be defined for quality.


I. INTRODUCTION Fiduciaries hold an esteemed and valuable position in the U.S. common law of trusts and agency as inherited from England. In these contexts, the duty a fiduciary owes to a beneficiary is essential to protect dependent beneficiaries from potential abuses arising from the power a fiduciary holds over the interests of the beneficiary.1 Literally, a fiduciary is either "[o]ne who owes to another the duties of good faith, trust, confidence, and candor," or "[o]ne who must exercise a high standard of care in managing another's money or property."2 In essence, "[t]he duty of loyalty, coupled with restitution of any gain the trustee obtains by favoring his own interest," creates the special relationship that the common law recognizes as containing the fiduciary duty owed in a fiduciary relationship.3 Although appropriate and necessary in certain contexts, a fiduciary duty may be inapposite in other contexts, detracting from economic value or upsetting the longstanding expectations of parties to a contract.4 This age of expanding fiduciary duties5 demands recognition of limits on the reach of fiduciary duties or relationships, particularly where the fiduciary duty might interfere with legitimate property rights or upset principles of contract law. Fundamental principles of property and contract law govern the relationships between parties to mineral leases in the context of oil and gas law. In mineral leasing, the inequality resulting from the ownership of disparate property interests can create the opportunity to contract. But some courts have supplanted the bargaining power attendant to the unequal property interests in the relationship between the owner of the executive interest6 and owner(s) of the nonexecutive interest7 in a mineral estate. They have found that a fiduciary obligation exists in that relationship that accrues to the benefit of the nonexecutive.8 Holders of the executive mineral interest in mineral estates, whose executive right is a legitimate property right,9 were not originally subject to strict fiduciary obligations10 requiring them to subordinate their interests to those of the nonexecutive interest holder when contracting with third parties in mineral leases before these courts began imposing a fiduciary duty on them. This Comment examines this expansion of fiduciary duties in the mineral estate in a bid at reestablishing the executive mineral interest holder's freedom of contract when leasing with third parties. First, Part II surveys the spectrum of duties of care-arising out of property and contract law-in oil and gas relationships. The duties that arise in these relationships constitute various duties of care rather than a fiduciary duty of loyalty,11 which precludes any selfish benefit on the part of the fiduciary. Part III investigates fiduciary relationships in search of what sets them apart from other standards of care, concluding that the duty of loyalty, combined with a standard of care concerned with measuring competence in performance, creates a fiduciary obligation. Absent a duty of loyalty, the severity of which is so starkly exemplified in MagruAer v. Drury,12 a mere duty of care does not rise to the level of a fiduciary duty. Part IV compares the strict nature of the fiduciary obligation and its characteristic duty of loyalty with the spectrum of relationships and duties of care in oil and gas operations. Absent special facts that normally create a fiduciary relationship in other contexts, the duty of loyalty-the prohibition against any selfish benefit to the fiduciary-inherent in a fiduciary obligation does not naturally exist in these relationships. Part V examines the applicability of a fiduciary obligation between the executive and the nonexecutive interest owners in a mineral estate, questioning the soundness of the court's reasoning in Manges v. Guerra^ the leading case holding that a fiduciary duty is proper in this relationship. The Manges court's lack of adequate analysis or explanation for departing from the earlier intermediary standard in favor of the unreasonably high fiduciary standard renders recent court decisions reinforcing Manges\ "radical departure from orthodoxy"14 troublesome, not least because the Manges fiduciary duty inevitably exposes executive mineral interest holders to the fiduciary severity of Magruder. …


Pancreatic pseudocysts are a common complication of pancreatitis. Although 20% regress spontaneously, persistent pseudocysts may lead to various complications such as infection, bleeding or compression of adjacent structures or organs. Due to the barrier function of the diaphragm, infection of pancreatic pseudocysts with posterior mediastinal extension represents a rare entity. Because of the rareness and untypical symptoms of such events, a mediastinal extension of an infected pancreatic pseudocyst often ist not recognized. In our case the expansion of the infection to the mediastinum had led to a compression of the distal esophagus. Preoperative diagnostic evaluation was highly suggestive for a malignant distal esophageal tumor. A laparotomy was performed to further elucidate the origin of the mass. Intraoperative findings showed a pancreatic pseudocyst with infiltrative extension of an infection from retrogastral to the lower mediastinum. After histologic preparations from intraoperative tissue samples had ruled out malignancy, we performed a cystojejunostomy of the pseudocyst and partial resection of the infected surrounding tissue. Mediastinal masses with chronic pancreatitis should raise suspicion for extension of pancreatitis to the mediastinum. In our opinion, for this course of chronic pancreatitis operative intervention represent the standard for therapy.


Abstract Double gloving of disposable gloves is now commonplace in healthcare settings when extra protection is needed against aqueous solutions and especially for antineoplastic drugs in isotonic aqueous media. In the present study, an ASTM F739 2.54 cm cell with closed-loop water collection without recirculation at 35 °C in a moving tray water bath was used to test the permeation of diethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether (DGBE) through four types of disposable nitrile gloves that were singly and doubly layered in the permeation cell. Samples were taken over 8 hr for capillary gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer quantitation. The breakthrough time (tn) at a permeation of 250 ng/cm2 increased as thickness increased for single layers, but the steady-state permeation rates Ps in µg/cm2/min did not always decrease with increasing thickness. The double-layer tn, Ps and thickness were also more variable relative to a single layer. The thinnest glove with 80 m thickness showed a tn = 0–5 min whereas its double layer was 15–20 min. The thickest glove of 132 µm exhibited a tn = 10–15 min but its double layer was tn = 45–55 min. The adjusted double-layer average tn divided by the adjusted single-layer average tn was 4.0 ± 0.8. The adjusted average single-layer Ps divided by the adjusted average double-layer Ps was 3.5 ± 0.8. Other results showed that the average glove swelling was <10%; microscopic and leak testing indicated no penetration and reflectance infrared analysis also showed no chemical changes on the inside glove surfaces. Thus, the permeations were adjudged to obey Fick's First Law of Diffusion to allow calculation of diffusion coefficients D in cm2/min. The average single-layer D divided by the average double-layer D was 1.3 ± 0.2. Double gloving in the field is therefore also probably more protective than single gloving against DGBE for the four types of disposable nitrile gloves tested.


The Elo rating system is widely adopted to evaluate the skills of (chess) game and sports players. Recently it has been also integrated into machine learning algorithms in evaluating the performance of computerised AI agents. However, an accurate estimation of the Elo rating (for the top players) often requires many rounds of competitions, which can be expensive to carry out. In this paper, to minimize the number of comparisons and to improve the sample efficiency of the Elo evaluation (for top players), we propose an efficient online match scheduling algorithm. Specifically, we identify and match the top players through a dueling bandits framework and tailor the bandit algorithm to the gradient-based update of Elo. We show that it reduces the per-step memory and time complexity to constant, compared to the traditional likelihood maximization approaches requiring O(t) time. Our algorithm has a regret guarantee that is sublinear in the number of competition rounds and has been extended to the multidimensional Elo ratings for handling intransitive games. We empirically demonstrate that our method achieves superior convergence speed and time efficiency on a variety of gaming tasks.


Concept inventories (CIs)—typically multiple-choice instruments that focus on a single or small subset of closely related topics—have been used in science education for more than a decade. This paper describes the development and validation of a new CI for astronomy, the Star Properties Concept Inventory (SPCI). Questions cover the areas of stellar properties (focussing primarily on mass, temperature, luminosity, and lifetime), nuclear fusion, and star formation. Distracters were developed from known alternative conceptions and reasoning difficulties commonly held by students. The SPCI was tested through an iterative process where different testing formats (open-ended, multiple-choice + explain, and multiple-choice) were compared to ensure that the distracters were in fact the most common among the testing population. Content validity was established through expert reviews by 26 astronomy instructors. The SPCI Version 3 was then tested in multiple introductory undergraduate astronomy courses for non-science majors. Post-test scores (out of 23 possible) were significantly greater (M = 11.8, SD = 3.87) than the pre-test scores (M = 7.09, SD = 2.73). The low post-test score—only 51.3%—could indicate a need for changing instructional strategies on the topics of stars and star formation.


: Purpose: This article aims to identify both the advantages and disadvantages of conducting surveys and face-to-face interviews to measure well-being at the local government community level. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research methodology was based on the analysis and evaluation of questionnaire surveys, which included residents' opinions on the functioning of municipalities in many basic dimensions and their institutions. The research was conducted in seven communes of Lower Silesia in Poland (Wałbrzych, Świdnica, Świebodzice, Strzegom, Jawor, Dobromierz, Mieroszów). When assessing the results obtained, information from other sources was also used, mainly collected statistics and direct knowledge of the surveyed communes. Findings: The developed statistical materials were prepared to make diagnoses necessary to develop new local development strategies for the studied communes and local communities, emphasizing the directly understood well-being of the local community. Practical Implications: During the analysis of the questionnaires, the authors of the study listed the primary types of mistakes made during surveys on prosperity and well-being at the level of local communities in Poland. Originality/Value: The conclusions from the research on survey research carried out in seven Lower Silesian municipalities allow for highlighting the crucial clues that will avoid several basic mistakes that reduce the results' cognitive and implementation value. Knowing the potential advantages and disadvantages of questionnaire surveys may protect against the deterioration of their values, which are very useful for implementing welfare (well-being) at the level of local communities.


Studies implicating sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in glucagon secretion by pancreatic α-cells reported controversial results. We hypothesized that interindividual heterogeneity in SGLT2 expression and regulation may affect glucagon secretion by human α-cells in response to SGLT2 inhibitors. An unbiased RNA-sequencing analysis of 207 donors revealed an unprecedented level of heterogeneity of SLC5A2 expression. To determine heterogeneity of SGLT2 expression at the protein level, the anti-SGLT2 antibody was first rigorously evaluated for specificity, followed by Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis on islets from 10 and 12 donors, respectively. The results revealed a high interdonor variability of SGLT2 protein expression. Quantitative analysis of 665 human islets showed a significant SGLT2 protein colocalization with glucagon but not with insulin or somatostatin. Moreover, glucagon secretion by islets from 31 donors at low glucose (1 mmol/L) was also heterogeneous and correlated with dapagliflozin-induced glucagon secretion at 6 mmol/L glucose. Intriguingly, islets from three donors did not secrete glucagon in response to either 1 mmol/L glucose or dapagliflozin, indicating a functional impairment of the islets of these donors to glucose sensing and SGLT2 inhibition. Collectively, these data suggest that heterogeneous expression of SGLT2 protein and variability in glucagon secretory responses contribute to interindividual differences in response to SGLT2 inhibitors.


Introduction Among the most critical health systems components that requires strengthening to improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes in Nigeria is the concept of equity. UNICEF has designed the equitable impact sensitive tool (EQUIST) to enable policymakers improve equity in MNCH and reduce disparities between the most marginalized mothers and young children and the better-off. Methods Using the latest available DHS data sets, we conducted EQUIST situation and scenario analysis of MNCH outcomes in Nigeria by sub-national categorization, wealth and by residence. We then identified the intervention package, the bottlenecks and strategies to address them and the number of deaths avertible. Results EQUIST profile analysis showed that the number of under-five deaths was considerably higher among the poorest and rural population in Nigeria, and was highest in North-West region. Neonatal causes, malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea were responsible for most of the under-five deaths. Highest maternal mortality was recorded in the North-West Nigeria. Ante-partum, intrapartum and postpartum haemorrhages and hypertensive disorder, were responsible for highest maternal deaths. EQUIST scenario analysis showed that an intervention package of insecticide treated net can avert more than 20,000 under-five deaths and delivery by skilled professionals can avert nearly 17,000 under-five deaths. While as many as 3,370 maternal deaths can be averted by deployment of skilled professionals. Conclusion Scaling up integrated packages of essential interventions across the continuum of care, addressing the human resource shortages in rural area and economic/social empowerment of women are policy recommendations that can improve MNCH outcomes in Nigeria.


It has been shown that POU domain genes play critical roles in the development of the nervous system. We have obtained a new member of the class III POU domain genes, qBrn‐1, from the cDNA library of embryonic day 5 quail and have made an extensive expression pattern analysis of qBrn‐1 and qBrn‐2 throughout the early embryonic development by in situ hybridization. With a specific antibody we prepared, further analysis by immunohistochemistry showed that the location of qBrn‐1 protein was consistent with that of the transcripts in the early developing quail. Our results showed that both qBrn‐1 and qBrn‐2 were preferentially expressed in the developing central nervous system, and their transcripts were initially detected in the neural plate and later in the distinct regions of the neural tube with a stage‐dependent pattern. Moreover, their expression was also detected in both notochord and neural crests. However, qBrn‐1 signal, different from qBrn‐2, was more widely found in the auditory pits, branchial arches, and in the mesodermal components of the developing kidney. And the expression of qBrn‐1 in nephric region was earlier and wider than that of mouse Brn‐1, suggesting the characteristic function of qBrn‐1 in the kidney formation. The distinct dynamic expression patterns of qBrn‐1 and qBrn‐2 indicate multiple roles of the class III POU genes in quail neurogenesis and organogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 235:1107–1114, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


A survey of infective endocarditis in the North East Thames Regional Health Authority was carried out over a period of 30 months from 1982 to 1984. The incidence, clinical characteristics, and in-hospital mortality were studied. Important causes of endocarditis were dental treatment, the presence of dental disease, drug abuse, and cytoscopy. The omission or incorrect administration of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with valve disease was noted, but failure of correctly prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis was not recorded. Adverse prognostic features were increased age, prosthetic valve infection, Gram negative or staphylococcal infections, and aortic valve involvement. In contrast, mortality was lower in patients with mitral valve prolapse, ventricular septal defect, and streptococcus viridans infection. Deaths were usually attributable to irreversible complications present at the time of diagnosis. Vegetations were detected on the echocardiogram in half of those studied and mortality was higher in those with vegetations than without. Operation for native valve infection was associated with a low mortality and it is likely that the overall mortality for infective endocarditis has been improved by surgical intervention.


Abstract People with haemophilia may neglect their oral hygiene due to the fear of bleeding during brushing, leading to an increase in dental caries, gingivitis and periodontitis in this group. The available literature shows very few studies on the oral health status of children with haemophilia. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to assess the oral health status of children with haemophilia in comparison with healthy children. Data were collected from a study and control groups of haemophilic and healthy children aged 6-16 years. All children were examined under standardised conditions by a single qualified examiner and Plaque Index (PI), Modified Gingival Index (MGI) and permanent decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) and primary dmft index were recorded. A questionnaire distributed to the parents was analysed using Chi-Square and Kruskal-Wallis test, and showed a significant difference in GMI and DMFT and dmft scores between the study and control groups, a lower level of parental education level in the study group, a difference in the frequency of tooth brushing between the two groups, and a statistically higher frequency of sugar consumption among the children with haemophilia. The study concluded that children with haemophilia have poor oral health status compared to healthy children. Parental education levels, beliefs and attitude towards dental health have an impact on the child's overall dental health. This indicates a need for early intervention by dental services as a preventive measure for children with haemophilia.


We introduced a liquid gating membrane-based catheter system with anticoagulation and positionally drug release properties. Catheters are indispensable medical devices that are extensively used in daily medical treatment. However, existing catheter materials continue to encounter many problems, such as thrombosis, single functionality, and inadaptability to environmental changes. Inspired by blood vessels, we develop a self-adaptive liquid gating membrane-based catheter with anticoagulation and positionally drug release properties. Our multifunctional liquid gating membrane-based catheter significantly attenuates blood clot formation and can be used as a general catheter design strategy to offer various drugs positionally releasing applications to comprehensively enhance the safety, functionality, and performance of medical catheters' materials.


ABSTRACT COVID-19 has quickly become a public health problem worldwide, and treatment for this new disease is needed. Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial that in vitro studies have shown action against SARS-CoV-2, which is why it has been the target of clinical studies with conflicting results. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to assess the association of hydroxychloroquine use with the virological cure, clinical recovery, mortality, and development of adverse effects in patients with COVID-19. PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Lilacs were searched until 7 January 2021, for randomized clinical trials with COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. Of the 130 studies found, 12 met the inclusion criteria. Compared to the patient's control group, the risk ratio (RR) for the virological cure and clinical recovery with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine use was 1.04 (95%CI 0.91–1.17) and 1.03 (95%CI 0.92–1.13), respectively. Hydroxychloroquine (with or without azithromycin) was also not associated with mortality (RR = 1.09, 95%CI 0.98–1.20). Treatment with hydroxychloroquine was associated with any adverse effects (RR = 1.50, 95%CI 1.18–1.81). Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine use did not have a significant effect on virological cure, the time of clinical recovery, and improvement in survival in COVID-19 patients. However, patients who used hydroxychloroquine showed an increase in adverse effects.


ABSTRACT Remote Sensing image super-resolution aims to improve the spectral and/or spatial resolution of the satellite imageries. In order to improve the performance of the CNN-based super-resolution methods, increasing the depth of the network is commonly used. However, this increases computational complexity and training difficulties only with small improvement of the performance. Meanwhile, the CNN kernels treat all the channels equally and cannot take the advantage of the abundant high-frequency information contained in the low-resolution images. To address these problems, Channel attention is one of the mechanisms and has been proven to be useful in many tasks. In this research, we proposed a channel attention-based framework for Remote Sensing Image Super-resolution (CARS) by constructing a novel residual channel attention block (RCAB) to further extract the features. In addition, a densely residual channel attention block (RCAB+) and densely residual spatial attention block (RSAB) were proposed to improve the performance. We adopted a post-upsampling architecture to reduce the computational complexity and time cost. Moreover, transfer learning strategy (CARS+T) was introduced to further improve the SR performance and proved to generate finer edge details. Experimentally, our proposed CARS, CARS_SA and CARS+T achieved competitive quantitative and qualitative results both on Data Fusion Contest Dataset and Pleiades Dataset that we created.


While the field of educational data mining (EDM) has generated many innovations for improving educational software and student learning, the mining of student data has recently come under a great deal of scrutiny. Many stakeholder groups, including public officials, media outlets, and parents, have voiced concern over the privacy of student data and their efforts have garnered national attention. The momentum behind and scrutiny of student privacy has made it increasingly difficult for EDM applications to transition from academia to industry. Based on experience as academic researchers transitioning into industry, we present three primary areas of concern related to student privacy in practice: policy, corporate social responsibility, and public opinion. Our discussion will describe the key challenges faced within these categories, strategies for overcoming them, and ways in which the academic EDM community can support the adoption of innovative technologies in large-scale production.


SUMMARYA method is described for the detection of American foulbrood (AFB) outbreaks, based on the culture of bulk honey samples for Bacillus larvae spores and traceback to hives from which infected honey was extracted. The procedures, which involve the centrifugation of honey, heat treatment of the sediment and culture on to sheep blood agar containing nalidixic acid, also provide an efficient means of locating AFB infection sources where signs of AFB may not be evident. The method was used to examine 505 honey samples (each approximately 125 ml) obtained from 200-litre drums at three packing plants in Australia. B. larvae was identified in 63 samples which had come from 52 of the 315 beekeepers involved. Of these 52, five were aware of the presence of AFB in their colonies, 18 were unaware of its presence, 12 had a history of AFB but were free of it at the time of the investigation, and 17 had neither a recent history of AFB or any colonies showing signs of the disease.


When different asset classes display varying degrees of serial correlation, the investment horizon may substantially alter optimized mixed-asset portfolio allocations. Private-market assets (such as commercial real estate and private equity) often display much higher levels of autocorrelation than their public-market counterparts. Consequently, the one-year returns typically used in mixed-asset portfolio optimization procedures often generate excessive allocations to private-market asset classes. To counteract these excessive loadings, many researchers and practitioners advocate either ad hoc rules designed to constrain the maximum allocation to private-market vehicles and/or the use of some de-smoothing procedure to inject additional volatility in the observed return series. This paper takes a different approach by examining the three components in the standard portfolio optimization technique as the investment horizon lengthens; the auto-correlated nature of the observed returns of private-market assets implies that (annualized) long-horizon volatility decays less slowly – as compared to those public-market asset classes exhibiting the random walk – and long-horizon correlation (with most public-market alternatives) increases. In re-running the mixed-asset portfolio optimization with long-horizon returns, the allocations to commercial real estate – as one example of private-market assets – are much reduced and more consistent with allocation levels generally found in large institutional pension plans.


This paper proposes a methodology for collision prevention in car following scenarios. For this purpose, Emotional Learning Fuzzy Inference System (ELFIS) approach is used to simulate and predict the behavior of a driver-vehicle-unit in a short time horizon ahead in the future. Velocity of the follower vehicle and relative distance between the follower and the lead vehicles are predicted in a parallel structure. Performance of the proposed algorithm is assessed using real traffic data and superior accuracy of this method is demonstrated through comparisons with another available technique (ANFIS). The predicted future driving states are then used to judge about safety of the current driving pattern. The algorithm is used to generate a warning message while a safe-distance keeping measure is violated in order to prevent a collision. Satisfactory performance of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulations using real traffic data. The proposed method can be applied, in real time, for a variety of applications including driver assistant and collision prevention systems as well as other intelligent transportation applications. Language: en


The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is important for human food production and as a model organism for biological research. The genetic diversity contained in the global population of yeast strains represents a valuable resource for a number of fields, including genetics, bioengineering, and studies of evolution and population structure. Here, we apply a multiplexed, reduced genome sequencing strategy (restriction site−associated sequencing or RAD-seq) to genotype a large collection of S. cerevisiae strains isolated from a wide range of geographical locations and environmental niches. The method permits the sequencing of the same 1% of all genomes, producing a multiple sequence alignment of 116,880 bases across 262 strains. We find diversity among these strains is principally organized by geography, with European, North American, Asian, and African/S. E. Asian populations defining the major axes of genetic variation. At a finer scale, small groups of strains from cacao, olives, and sake are defined by unique variants not present in other strains. One population, containing strains from a variety of fermentations, exhibits high levels of heterozygosity and a mixture of alleles from European and Asian populations, indicating an admixed origin for this group. We propose a model of geographic differentiation followed by human-associated admixture, primarily between European and Asian populations and more recently between European and North American populations. The large collection of genotyped yeast strains characterized here will provide a useful resource for the broad community of yeast researchers.


Financing the transition to low-carbon economic development must be the focus of any framework to encourage developing countries' participation in the global carbon market. It needs to do so with the aim of eventual full participation in carbon markets while maintaining the core market's integrity and meeting the environmental goal of avoiding long-term warming in excess of 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. This paper proposes a mechanism to achieve these goals: Clean Investment Budgets (CIBs).Under this proposal, emerging economies could adopt binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions, set above current levels but within economic and environmental constraints. Such a step would enable these nations to access carbon finance immediately and far more efficiently than existing and proposed mechanisms. Moreover, the growth increment - the portion of the CIB in excess of a nation's actual emissions - provides a pool of readily available emissions allowances that could be leveraged in carbon markets, financing investments in renewable and low-carbon energy generation, energy efficiency, and technology transfer. CIBs would thus reward early action taken by emerging economies, providing them with a source of capital to enable a rapid transition to a low-carbon economic development path.


Married couples who began their relationship by cohabiting appear to face an increased risk of marital dissolution, which may be due to self-selection of more dissolution-prone individuals into cohabitation before marriage. This paper uses newly developed econometric methods to explicitly address the endogeneity of cohabitation before marriage in the hazard of marital disruption by allowing the unobserved heterogeneity components to be correlated across the decisions to cohabit and to end a marriage. These methods are applied to data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. We find significant heterogeneity in both cohabitation and marriage disruption, and discover evidence of self-selection into cohabitation.


Tetrahydropalmatine (THP), with one chiral centre, is one of the major constituents of Rhizoma corydalis. THP is considered to possess analgesic, sedative, hypnotic actions and cardiac protection. The aim of this study was to elucidate the stereoselective interaction between THP and ABC transporters. The present study investigated three most important ABC transporters, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). The intracellular accumulation and bidirectional transport suggested THP enantiomers were inhibitors of P-gp, but not of MRP1 or BCRP. The IC50 values of (−)-THP and (+)-THP on rhodamine 123 (P-gp substrate) efflux were 48.6 and 20.0 µM, respectively, which showed obvious stereoselective difference. In the bidirectional transport, THP enantiomers showed high passive permeability and the contribution of P-gp could not be testified. The western blot and real-time RT-PCR assays showed that THP enantiomers reduced the protein expression of P-gp, but did not affect its mRNA expression. In in vitro cytotoxicity test, THP enantiomers showed the potential of increasing the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in P-gp-mediated multidrug resistant tumour cells. The present study showed the stereoselective interaction between THP enantiomers and P-gp, which should be considered in clinical practice.


This work simulates a complex fluid flow in fluid–structure interaction (FSI). The flow under consideration is governed by Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible viscous fluids and modeled with the finite volume method. Large eddy simulation is used to simulate the unsteady turbulent flow. The structure is represented by a finite element formulation. The present work introduces a strongly coupled partitioned approach that is applied to complex flow in fluid machinery. In this approach, the fluid and structure equations are solved separately using different solvers, but are implicitly coupled into one single module based on sensitivity analysis of the important displacement and stress modes. The applied modes and their responses are used to build up a reduced‐order model. The proposed model is used to predict the unsteady flow fields of a 3D complete passage, involving in stay, guide vanes, and runner blades, for a Francis hydro turbine and FSI is considered. The computational results show that a fairly good convergence solution is achieved by using the reduced‐order model that is based on only a few displacement and stress modes, which largely reduces the computational cost, compared with traditional approaches. At the same time, a comparison of the numerical results of the model with available experimental data validates the methodology and assesses its accuracy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.