Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) occurs when there is narrowing or blockage of the peripheral arteries that carry blood to the extremities, most commonly the legs. The most common symptom of PAOD is intermittent claudication, or ischemic pain during exercise. Women with PAOD experience a greater extremity functional impairment than men. Since impaired vasodilation might cause the ischemic pain from PAOD, we should evaluate vasodilation post ligation in males and females in collateral vessels, which connect two arterial segments to maintain blood flow to an otherwise hypoxic area. First, we need to examine collateral vasodilation in unoperated male and female animals. The goal of this study was to create a consistent protocol to measure functional vasodilation in collaterals of male and female C57Bl/6 mice, and to test the hypothesis that unoperated male and female C57Bl/6 mice exhibit equal vasodilation. The spinotrapezius muscle allows for clear visualization of intramuscular collaterals, which in animal models and patients will undergo arteriogenesis in response to an arterial occlusion. The muscle was stimulated using microelectrodes to induce endogenous vasodilation, and resting and dilated diameters were recorded. Diameters obtained from covering the preparation with plastic wrap and irrigating the preparation with a physiological salt solution (PSS) were also compared to determine the effect of the preparation of the muscle on vasodilation. As expected, there was no difference between the resting diameters or the dilated diameters of males and females when preparations were irrigated with PSS. Additionally, the preparation of the muscle had no effect on vasodilation. These findings suggest further investigation into vasodilation post ligation in males and females in collateral vessels.


Sir .—I read with interest the editorials by Cherry 1 in the March 23/301990 issue of JAMA and by Fulginiti 2 in the August 1990 issue of AJDC and am concerned about an issue neither physician addressed, namely, the handouts from the Centers for Disease Control that pediatricians have been strongly encouraged to give to our patients. These handouts hardly help to dispel the myth of the connection between diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine and encephalopathy. These pamphlets not only tell parents that there is a connection, but give the approximate odds of encephalitis and permanent brain damage occurring. We have distributed these pamphlets not only to protect ourselves from the liability of failing to properly inform parents, but also to educate them about these possible problems associated with the vaccine. Now we are told the problem is all a myth. Thus, we are handing out pamphlets with misinformation. Should we continue to distribute


Open and distributed application scenarios like e-Health systems mandate for new coordination models and technologies. In particular, they require middleware providing coordination and security services modelled with abstractions promoting run-time observability and adaptation.
 Along this line, in this paper we describe the architecture of the TuCSoN coordination infrastructure, and show its application to an e-Health application scenario.


........................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT................................................................................................... vii DEDICATION .....................................................................................................................viii LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................................ xii LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................. xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. xv CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background of the Problem ........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................... 5 1.3 Purpose of the study ....................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Research Questions ........................................................................................................ 6 1.5 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................... 7 1.6 Scope of the Study .......................................................................................................... 8 1.7 Definition of Terms ........................................................................................................ 8 1.8 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................. 10 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................. 10 2.


This paper investigates cyber-slacking with Internet technologies in the classroom. Rooted in Lewin's Field Theory, we develop a model linking external forces (i.e., social norms, distraction by other students' cyber-slacking, and awareness of instructor monitoring) and internal forces (i.e., cognitive absorption with Internet technologies and multitasking) to an individual's behavior (i.e., intent to cyber-slack). Using data collected from 451 students, we found social norms, multitasking, and cognitive absorption contributed to the intent to cyber-slack. Further, we found cognitive absorption with Internet technologies mediated the relationship between multitasking and intent to cyberslack. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for teaching, course design, and research.


Lung gangrene is a potentially fatal disease, and primary or staged surgery, depending on the patient's condition, is reported to be useful. We describe successful management, by staged surgery, of a rare case of empyema and lung gangrene complicating lung radiofrequency ablation. The patient, who was a diabetic with colorectal pulmonary metastases, underwent embolization of a pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm in the right basal segment that developed after lung radiofrequency ablation. He subsequently developed lung gangrene caused by lung ischaemia, and empyema, necessitating pleural decortication followed by open-window thoracostomy. Subsequently, right basal segmentectomy was performed, with thoracostoma closure. Staged surgery might be beneficial for high-risk patients with empyema and lung gangrene caused by lung ischaemia.


Abstract An isolated limestone deposit preserving thousands of specimens of the dimerelloid brachiopod Peregrinella multicarinata is exposed in fossil-poor Hauterivian strata northwest of the town of Planerskoje on the Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine. The limestone consists of micrite that encloses abundant detrital components, mostly brachiopod shell fragments, and also contains authigenic, framboidal pyrite. Cavities are rare; a few have been filled by a sequence of anhedral yellow calcite, seam micrite, banded and botryoidal cement, and equant calcite spar. The limestone preserves a diverse mollusk fauna of low abundance, including modiomorphid, lucinid, and buchiid bivalves and abyssochrysoid, ampullinid, and neritid gastropods. The negative δ13C values of the micrite (as low as −13.6‰) and the character of the associated mollusk fauna indicate that this limestone formed at an ancient hydrocarbon seep. This evidence supports the earlier interpretation of Peregrinella as a seep-restricted brachiopod. The new Ukrainian records of some of the mollusk taxa—notably Caspiconcha and Paskentana—significantly extend the geographic range of these apparently seep-restricted mollusks, suggesting that mollusks at Early Cretaceous seeps had a wider geographical distribution than previously appreciated.


To distinguish Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Mycobacterium avium, specific M. tuberculosis antigens had been studied for improving the early differential diagnosis effect of tuberculosis caused by different Mycobacterium. The rabbit anti-M. avium sera and anti-M. tuberculosis sera were analyzed for antibody-based reactivity by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF Mass) against M. tuberculosis proteins. The immunoreactive spots, which were attributed to the proteins HspX, GroES and CFP-10, were mostly located at 10 - 60 kDa and PI 4 - 6, subsequently Western blotting result proved that HspX and CFP-10 were specific to M. tuberculosis and ELISA testing result of 30 M. avium positive sera showed that GroES were cross-reactive to M. avium. Lastly, positive and negative tuberculosis reference sera and based on the mechanism of indirect ELISA, the specificity and the sensitivity of the methods targeting the antibodies HspX, GroES or CFP-10 were evaluated at 37% and 26%, 12% and 97%, 81% and 98%, respectively. The combination of these three antibody detection methods allowed to reached a specificity of 42%, and of 39% without taken into account of the method targeting the GroES antibody. Using proteomics approach, we found three M. tuberculosis specific antigens showed good potential in tuberculosis diagnosis, providing basic study for serodiagnosis of tuberculosis.


Objective: To compare drainage and healing by secondary intention with drainage, delayed excision and direct closure (DE/DC).
Methods: Between January 2003 and January 2010, 130 patients admitted with an acute pilonidal abscess were randomized to undergo either elliptical incision and drainage (I&D) and healing by secondary intention (Group 1, n=66) or I&D and DE/DC (Group 2, n=64). Data regarding patient and sinus characteristics, hospital stay, healing time, postoperative complications, and recurrence were prospectively collected. Patients were followed-up for a mean of 62.4 months.
Results: Ninety percent of patients were men and 10% were women, with a mean age of 26.4 years and a mean body mass index of 31.5. There was no difference in hospital stay between both groups. Mean healing time was significantly (p=0.035) longer for patients in group 1 (32.2 days), compared to those in group 2 (10.7 days). Group 1 patients had significantly fewer postoperative complications (4.5% versus 17.2%, respectively) (p=0.020). The 2 groups had a similar recurrence rate of a pilonidal abscess (6.1% versus 6.3%, p=0.984), and a rate of development of a chronic pilonidal sinus (PNS) (25.8% versus 23.4%, p=0.840).
Conclusions: Although there is more rapid healing and fewer visits for dressing with I&D and DE/DC of an acute pilonidal abscess, this is accompanied by a significantly higher overall complication rate than with I&D and secondary healing. Recurrence of an acute abscess or development of a chronic pilonidal sinus is similar with both procedures.


This paper compares the wage structure between the public and private sectors in Japan by using a large microdata set covering public and private sector employees. Rather than comparing overall wage levels, we examine the differences in relative wages by gender, age, education, and region. According to the estimation of wage functions, wage gaps by gender and educational attainment are smaller in the public sector than in private companies. The public sector's age-wage profile is steeper than that of the private sector. Public sector wages are more compressed; the wages are relatively higher at the lower end of the wage distribution and relatively lower at the higher end. The regional wage differential is smaller in the public sector. As a result, the wage level of public sector workers is relatively higher in rural regions and relatively lower in large metropolitan regions. To ensure the efficient provision of public services, it is inappropriate to compare only average wages. We should carefully observe the differences in wage structure by individual characteristics and by region.


Context. Consistent modeling of protoplanetary disks requires the simultaneous solution of both continuum and line radiative transfer, heating and cooling balance between dust and gas and, of course, chemistry. Such models depend on panchromatic observations that can provide a complete description of the physical and chemical properties and energy balance of protoplanetary systems. Along these lines, we present a homogeneous, panchromatic collection of data on a sample of 85 T Tauri and Herbig Ae objects for which data cover a range from X-rays to centimeter wavelengths. Datasets consist of photometric measurements, spectra, along with results from the data analysis such as line fluxes from atomic and molecular transitions. Additional properties resulting from modeling of the sources such as disk mass and shape parameters, dust size, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) properties are also provided for completeness.
Aim. The purpose of this data collection is to provide a solid base that can enable consistent modeling of the properties of protoplanetary disks. To this end, we performed an unbiased collection of publicly available data that were combined to homogeneous datasets adopting consistent criteria. Targets were selected based on both their properties and the availability of data.
Methods. Data from more than 50 different telescopes and facilities were retrieved and combined in homogeneous datasets directly from public data archives or after being extracted from more than 100 published articles. X-ray data for a subset of 56 sources represent an exception as they were reduced from scratch and are presented here for the first time.
Results. Compiled datasets, along with a subset of continuum and emission-line models are stored in a dedicated database and distributed through a publicly accessible online system. All datasets contain metadata descriptors that allow us to track them back to their original resources. The graphical user interface of the online system allows the user to visually inspect individual objects but also compare between datasets and models. It also offers to the user the possibility to download any of the stored data and metadata for further processing.


Functional trade-offs have long been recognised as important mechanisms of species coexistence, but direct experimental evidence for such mechanisms is extremely rare. Here, we test the effect of one classical trade-off - a negative correlation between seed size and seed number - by establishing microcosm plant communities with positive, negative and no correlation between seed size and seed number and analysing the effect of the seed size/number correlation on species richness. Consistent with theory, a negative correlation between seed size and seed number led to a higher number of species in the communities and a corresponding wider range of seed size (a measure of functional richness) by promoting coexistence of large- and small-seeded species. Our study provides the first direct evidence that a seed size/number trade-off may contribute to species coexistence, and at a wider context, demonstrates the potential role of functional trade-offs in maintaining species diversity.


SiCp reinforced copper matrix composites with the reinforcement content of 30-50vol. % were fabricated by hot pressing using Cu-coated and uncoated SiC powder. And the microstructure and electrical conductivity of the composites were also studied. The results showed that with the increasing of SiCp particle size, the electrical conductivity of the composites also increased. And the oxides in the composites can decrease the electrical conductivity of the composites obviously. The electrical conducting property of the composites can be improved by the copper coating layer and suitable annealing treatment. It provided important data for the application of SiCp/Cu composites as electronic packaging materials.


Background: Evaluation of the medicinal uses of plants remains a growing field of research. This study investigated the effects of Eucalyptus globules on alloxan -induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty male albino rats were randomized into 5 groups (n=6). Group A served as the control and was maintained on standard rat chow and water ad'libitum. Diabetes was induced in Group C, D and E animals by intraperitoneal administration of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg). Groups B and D were orally administered with aqueous extract of Eucalyptus globulus at a dose of 150 mg/kg per oral daily for 4 weeks, while group E received glibenclamide at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg orally in addition. Fasting plasma glucose, antioxidant status (catalase and xanthine), malondialdehyde (MDA), liver function enzymes (AST and ALT) and bicarbonate ion (HC0 3- ) were assessed after 4 weeks. Results: Aqueous extract of Eucalyptus globulus leaves significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose level, MDA, HC0 3- , and liver enzymes ( P <0.05). The aqueous extract also increased serum levels of xantine oxidase and catalase significantly ( P < 0.05). The effects of the aqueous extract on diabetic rats were similar to those of glibenclamide. Conclusion: Findings from this study revealed that aqueous extract of Eucalyptus globulus has hypoglycaemic property. The botanical also prevents complication of diabetes such as lipid peroxidation and ketoacidosis via its antioxidant potentials. This study lends credence to the ethnomedical use of the botanical in the management of diabetes.


Here in the proposed work the main focus is done on FFT analysis of output voltage of cascade H-bridge multilevel inverter employing selective harmonic elimination method. In selective harmonic elimination, a particular order of harmonic is selected and based on it, width of pulse is decided so that output voltage will be free from that harmonic[1]. Also focus is done on improving the efficiency of the multilevel inverter and quality of output voltage waveform. Selective Harmonics Elimination method is used to reduce the Total Harmonics Distortion (THD) value and to eliminate the lower order harmonics[2]. This topology is suitable for any number of levels. It reduces cost and complexity hence it is opt for industrial applications. In this paper fifth and seventh harmonics have been eliminated. Simulation work is done using the MATLAB software and experimental results have been presented to validate the theory.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Uncontrolled secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) in patients with ESRD is a risk factor for calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA; calciphylaxis).

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS
Adverse event reports collected during the Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events trial were used to determine the frequency of CUA in patients receiving hemodialysis who had moderate to severe sHPT, as well as the effects of cinacalcet versus placebo. CUA events were collected while patients were receiving the study drug.

RESULTS
Among the 3861 trial patients who received at least one dose of the study drug, 18 patients randomly assigned to placebo and six assigned to cinacalcet developed CUA (unadjusted relative hazard, 0.31; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.13 to 0.79; P=0.014). Corresponding cumulative event rates (95% CI) at year 4 were 0.011% (0.006% to 0.018%) and 0.005% (0.002% to 0.010%). By multivariable analysis, other factors associated with CUA included female sex, higher body mass index, higher diastolic BP, and history of dyslipidemia or parathyroidectomy. Median (10%, 90% percentile) plasma parathyroid hormone concentrations proximal to the report of CUA were 796 (225, 2093) pg/ml and 410 (71, 4957) pg/ml in patients randomly assigned to placebo and cinacalcet, respectively. Active use of vitamin K antagonists was recorded in 11 of 24 patients with CUA, nine randomly assigned to placebo, and two to cinacalcet, in contrast to 5%-7% at any one time point in patients in whom CUA was not reported.

CONCLUSION
Cinacalcet appeared to reduce the incidence of CUA in hemodialysis recipients who have moderate to severe sHPT.


: The study discusses changes which have occurred in Polish theory of physical education since 1805. From biomedical perspective the theory has been evolving towards humanistic paradigm. While reviewing relevant publications and their contents the author presents the developments in the theory of physical education in Poland, including in particular the changing goals of physical education. He explains the relationship of theory of physical education to pedagogy of physical culture and theory of physical culture as well as examines the position of physical education in relation to the concept of "physical culture". He also points to the impact of ideology and preconditions related to worldview which are unavoidable in the area of pedagogy. In addition to describing the current standard in teaching "theory of physical education" the author also suggests new themes which should be taken into account for the needs of the theory. Accordingly, the canon of pedagogy "suitable for the 21st century" would include concepts originating from personalism, radical humanism and holistic pedagogy. The article presents contemporary Polish applications of these humanistic concepts to the theory of physical education. The author believes that holistic approach to both a person and educational process is most appropriate.


To explain the abundance of species of genus Homo in the fossil record of Africa south of the Sahara, the small Moroccan-Algerian coastal zone that was isolated by the barren Sahara is proposed to have been a refuge in which cyclic evolution occurred. A dry climate in combination with a small population enabled natural selection to generate new sub species or species during each climate cycle. As generalized from the last two major glaciations, in each cycle three coastal zone climates of differing aridity occurred, depending on the latitudinal zonality of high latitude Gulf Stream flow. When initially isolated with minimal zonality (strong northward North Atlantic Drift of Gulf Stream water), the coastal climate was like today's, with warm summers and mild winter rains. Subsequently during intervals of ice sheet growth with intermediate zonality (weaker Drift), winters were colder, the climate was drier, and the environmental stresses increased. Finally, with the quite strong or complete zonality associated with Northern Hemisphere deglaciations (little or no Drift), extreme aridity often reduced the inhabitable area of the coastal zone. When each Eurasian deglaciation was completed, the isolation was probably briefly interrupted, as it was in the mid Holocene, by a well-watered savanna that developed across the Sahara. The savannas enabled each small and genetically modified population to increase and extend its range southward into the larger Africa. The pulses of evolution are directly related to glacial cycles by way of Earth's orbital eccentricity and precession of the equinox. The intervals of coastal zone isolation usually lasted almost 22,000 years, which is the time needed for the precession of the equinox to move summer around on Earth's orbit from one perihelion point to the next where monsoons are strong, and deglaciation and the savannas tend to occur. However, isolations as long as ~76,000 years also are found in the record because Eurasian ice sheet growth sometimes resumed before deglaciation was complete. In the last million years there may have been at least 18 pluvial savanna intervals when populations of new species or sub species of hominids would have extended their range by expanding on the savanna into the larger Africa or Eurasia. Periodic pulses of evolution of primitive hominids probably also occurred much earlier in the Pliocene with brief savannas but without large Northern glaciations. Generation of new species of hominids in the coastal zone and their injection into the larger Africa by savanna connections may therefore have been largely responsible for the abundance of genus Homo and predecessors in the fossil record and for our own Homo sapiens that we know today.


In order to solve the problems of the high energy cost of the pump and the low efficiency of the motor, we developed a voltage regulator control system with an advanced LPC2368 chipset. By changing the motor voltage, the system ensures the motor work in a mode that the voltage of the free or light load is lower than the rated voltage. In this mode, the system ultimately saves energy. The simulation results indicated that the system not only can avoid the impact of instantaneous current and reduce the energy consumption, but also can save energy effectively


The rise in popularity for quinua in the Global North, known as the quinua boom, has created an incredible transformation on Bolivia's altiplano. Over a short period of time, quinua has transitioned from a subsistence crop to an international luxury commodity. By placing the boom in a wider historical context, and detailing two distinct commodity chains through which quinua might flow, I show that the "ecological harmony" championed by the organic commodity chain has not delivered all that it has promised. Despite the long list of standards designed to ensure that quinua is grown organically, the quinua boom has changed the metabolism of production, and produced new natures. Additionally, these standards, enforced by distant and powerful private actors in the Global North, create exclusions as producers are unevenly able to comply with norms, and cope with increasing pest populations and issues of soil degradation. Importantly, certain producers and other actors in Bolivia contest this commodity chain and assert an alternative one in the form of a Denomination of Origin. Placing these commodity chains side by side highlights the power asymmetries of transnational organic agriculture. As some producers, along with the state, reject the organic commodity chain, and envision a new system of governance in which local labor practices, ecology, and culture determine the metabolism between society and nature, these actors call into being the ways in which the organic commodity chain reproduces asymmetrical power relations. QUINUA OR QUINOA? TRANSFORMATION, CERTIFICATION, AND THE CONTESTATION OF THE COMMODITY CHAIN ON THE BOLIVIAN ALTIPLANO


Economists use micro-based and macro-based approaches to assess the macroeconomic return to population health. The macro-based approach tends to yield estimates that are either negative and close to zero or positive and an order of magnitude larger than the range of estimates derived from the micro-based approach. This presents a micro-macro puzzle regarding the macroeconomic return to health. We reconcile the two approaches by controlling for the indirect effects of health, which macro-based approaches usually include but micro-based approaches deliberately omit when isolating the direct effect of health. Our results show that the macroeconomic return to health lies in the range of plausible microeconomic estimates, demonstrating that both approaches are in fact consistent with one another. Abstract Economists use micro-based and macro-based approaches to assess the macroeconomic return to population health. The macro-based approach tends to yield estimates that are either negative and close to zero or positive and an order of magnitude larger than the range of estimates derived from the micro-based approach. This presents a micro-macro puzzle regarding the macroeconomic return to health. We reconcile the two approaches by controlling for the indirect effects of health, which macro-based approaches usually include but micro-based approaches deliberately omit when isolating the direct effect of health. Our results show that the macroeconomic return to health lies in the range of plausible microeconomic estimates, demonstrating that both approaches are in fact consistent with one another.


The Hamiltonian and the wave function in the Davydov theory have simultaneously been improved and extended, based on some physical and biological grounds and on results from other models. The equations of motion for the improved Davydov model with a quasicoherent two-quanta state and a new interaction term in the Hamiltonian describe bioenergy transport along the molecular chains in protein molecules by a soliton mechanism. Some elementary properties of the soliton, including the nonlinear coupling energy and greatly increased binding energy of the soliton, are also given. The results obtained suggest that the model could be a candidate for a bioenergy transport mechanism in protein molecules.


It is universally accepted that deep sedation involves more risks than light-to-moderate sedation. Deep sedation for endoscopic explorations is normally provided by anesthesiologists in Spain and in most countries of the European Unión. The present debate about deep sedation-anesthesia states goes beyond the topic of cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events, and targets the cognitive consequences and global increased mortality of uncontrolled sedation states, especially in specific fragile populations. We consider that strong recomendations for sedative techniques in endoscopic procedures should be made in Spain taking in consideration to two basic principles: 1) according to published evidence concerning patient safety, deep sedation must be an unequivocal responsibility of the anesthesiologist, and 2) we must define which patients are candidates for deep sedation during endoscopic procedures, as this will help to regulate patient flow in clinics and to reduce adverse effects associated with overtreatment of patients.


A novel structure of 26 GHz bandpass filters using TM/sub 11/spl delta// rectangular-mode dielectric cavity resonators is introduced. The resonator of high-permittivity ceramics shows a high quality factor (Q) value of 2600, which is roughly comparable to that of waveguide type ones, in spite of its small structure. A three-stage Tchebyscheff bandpass filter with 0.4% relative bandwidth was fabricated and the passband insertion loss was measured to be 1.7 dB. The filter has input/output ports of microstrip lines for the surface mounting. A duplexer, consisting only of two TM/sub 11/spl delta// mode filters and a microstrip T-junction, is also presented. These filter and duplexer have a configuration compact and easy to manufacture as well as the high-Q performance.


This paper explores how institutions of property rights and collective action play a particularly important role in the application of technologies for agriculture and natural resource management. Those technologies with long time frames tend to require tenure security to provide sufficient incentives to adopt, while those that operate on a large spatial scale will require collective action to coordinate, either across individual private property or in common property regimes. In contrast to many crop technologies like highyielding variety seeds or fertilizers, natural resource management technologies like agroforestry, watershed management, irrigation, or fisheries tend to embody greater and more varying temporal and spatial dimensions. Whereas the literature addressing constraints and enabling factors for rural technology adoption have largely focused on their direct effects on crop technologies, the conceptual framework presented here shows how property rights and collective action interact with many other constraints to technology development (such as wealth, information, risk, or labor availability). The paper further explores how the structure of property rights and collective action shape the efficiency, equity and environmental sustainability of technological outcomes, thereby enriching our understanding of different technologies' contributions to poverty alleviation.


This study employs a Stochastic Frontier Analysis to decompose Total Factor Productivity for the manufacturing corridor of Indonesia. Technological progress, technical efficiency change, and scale effects are captured at a firm level covering all Java provinces from 2007 to 2013. The period is of particular interest as it covers the efforts of re-industrialization under the Master Plan for Acceleration of Indonesian Economy (MP3EI) and the sharp increase-decrease in global demand and global prices. The study captures sources of productivity growth supporting/deterring output growth, differentiating across firm characteristics based on size (large and medium), technology intensity, skill intensity, location (province), and capital-output ratio employed in production. As firms differ in the five elements, productivity and efficiency performance also differ. This paper questions whether productivity growth is limited to conventional sources -input growth and technological progress-, or if manufacturing is managing some gains through non-conventional channels -technical efficiency and scale effects. The paper also questions the presence of patterns in productivity among group firms (characteristics), finding that firms which combine a low-tech level, a higher skill ratio, and are medium in scale reported TFP at least 70 % higher than the average firm. Combinations of firm size, technology, skills, and ratio output affect the performance. Cost analysis of factors of production is also carried out, finding that energy is canceling out possible gains in scale effects by rising disproportionately both in consumption and prices. TFP growth was found to be negative and falling, raising the possibility of a path towards de-industrialization.


Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is commonly expressed in human tumours and provides an important target for therapy. Several classes of agents including small molecule inhibitors and antibodies are currently under clinical development. These agents have shown interaction with chemotherapeutic agents in vitro and in vivo. However, the mechanisms of these interactions are not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate mechanisms for this modulation. Experimental Design: The synergistic effects of the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib (Iressa, ZD 1839) in combination with a variety of chemotherapeutic agents was determined in several cancer cell lines and analysed pharmacologically. Using the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay, the kinetics of DNA damage and repair following treatment with the chemotherapeutic drugs combined with gefitinib were investigated. The modulation of DNA-PK activity by gefitinib was quantitated using a variety of techniques including immunoprecipitations, immunoblotting, cellular fraction extractions and immunohistochemistry. The effects of inhibiting the DNA repair protein DNA-PK, with LY294002, wortmannin and siRNA to its catalytic subunit (DNA-PKCs) were investigated in the same cancer cell lines and compared with the effects of gefitinib. Results: Synergistic effects of EGFR inhibitors and chemotherapy were found with a variety of cell lines. The synergy was found with etoposide, doxorubicin and cisplatin but interestingly not with melphalan. Experiments on DNA repair using the comet assay demonstrated delay in repair of DNA strand breaks and inter-strand cross links (ICLs) by gefitinib following treatment with etoposide and cisplatin respectively. The mechanism of this interaction was investigated and found that interference with the DNA-PK pathway mimicked the effects of EGFR inhibition. Additionally, gefitinib treatment induced a physical interaction between EGFR and DNA-PK and a cellular re distribution of DNA-PK was associated with a fall in DNA-PK activity. Conclusions: These results highlight the important effects EGFR inhibitors have on DNA repair and its associated machinery when added in combination with certain chemotherapeutic agents. These results will form the design of further clinical schedules combining these classes of agents and point the way to further studies to investigate the molecular mechanisms of these interactions.


Essential oils from three plant species growing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ocimum gratissimum (OG), Ocimum tenuiflorum (OT) and Hyptis suaveolens (HS) all from family Labiateae, were extracted by hydrodistillation and evaluated for laboratory and field based repellency against afro-tropical vectors of malaria and lymphatic filariasis. All oils were found to exhibit high mosquito repellency activity against Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto in the laboratory tests with RC50 values ranging from 2.0- to 15-×10−5 mg cm−2, whereas standard N,N-diethyl- 3-toluamide (DEET) was more repelling with RC50 value of 0.1×10−5mg cm−2. The formulation containing 10% of O. gratissimum provided protection against mosquito bites from Anopheles funestus of 70.5 to 95.7%, A. gambiae of 63.2 to 91.5% andCulex quinquefasciatus of 83.8 to 89.5%. The 30% O. gratissimum formulation was more effective with better protection against mosquito bites from A. funestus of 84.2 to 96.6%, A. gambiae of 73.7 to 91.5% and C. quinquefasciatus of 89.5 to 91.5%. The formulation containing 15% DEET showed slightly lower protection against mosquito bites from A. funestus of 70.5 to 78.9%, A. gambiae of 68.4 to  94.0%, C. quinquefasciatus of 85.5 to 89.5% (P<0.05). The individual components of the oils were identified by GC-MS. The implication of these results in the development and promotion of repellent plant extracts for commercialization is of priority in rural Tanzania where whole plants are currently used as repellents against mosquito vectors.

 Key words: Repellent plants, Labiatae, Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus, essential oils..


Self-consistent band calculations on four intermetallic compounds of the CsCl structure are presented. The calculations were performed employing the self-consistent ultrasoft pseudopotential method based on the density functional theory, within the local density approximation and the generalized gradient approximation. The calculations predicted that the equilibrium lattice constants are in excellent agreement with the experiment for CoAl and are 1% smaller than experimental values for CoBe, CoSc and CoZr, respectively. In the present study, ordered CoAl do not show any magnetic moment, whereas the other three compounds have moderate magnetic moments of about 0.2 and 0.7 Bohr magnetons (μB ) per atom. The elastic constants are calculated using two approaches, the energy-strain method and the use of phonon dispersion curves. The values obtained from the two methods are in reasonable agreement for the studied intermetallic compounds CoZ (Z = Al, Be, Sc and Zr). The brittleness and ductility properties of CoZ (Z = Al, Be, Sc and Zr) are determined by Poisson's ratio σ criterion and Pugh's criterion. The calculated elastic constants satisfy the mechanical stability criterion and the ductility of CoZr and CoSc is predicted by Pugh's criterion. The band structure and density of states, and phonon dispersion curves have been obtained and compared with the available experimental results as well as with existing theoretical calculations. We studied and discussed the position of Fermi level for the selected four intermetallic compounds.


The traditional tests that have been used for the past 30 yr to determine plasma cholinesterase phenotype--measurement of esterase activity with a variety of substrates, dibucaine inhibition, fluoride inhibition, and Ro2-0683 inhibition--are inadequate for identifying some variants of this enzyme and leave many cases of prolonged response to succinylcholine unexplained. The application of the techniques of molecular genetics has permitted precise identification of plasma cholinesterase variants and has resulted in the discovery of previously unrecognized variants. It is now possible, in cases of prolonged response to succinylcholine resulting from genetically determined alterations in plasma cholinesterase, to ascertain the nature of the mutations in the alleles, and from them to deduce the structural changes in the enzymes responsible for the impairment in drug metabolism.


PURPOSE
Despite the importance of research in the discipline of nursing, current trends in nursing research have rarely been discussed across countries. The purpose of this article was to identify current trends in nursing research across five countries, including the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong, in order to provide directions for future global nursing research.

ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT
A discussion article.

METHODS
To identify the current trends, seven leaders from the five countries had discussions through a series of workshops and conference presentations. After the most recent conference, all the leaders reflected for a month on their presentations and compiled the exemplars and cases from their experience and the existing literature in individual countries into a table. The tables and supporting references were collected at the completion of the reflection period. Then, the PowerPoint (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) slideshows of the conference presentations by the leaders and the collected tables were analyzed using a content analysis.

FINDINGS
Six themes reflecting the current trends in nursing research were extracted: (a) demographic alterations; (b) increasing diversities and globalization; (c) technology innovation; (d) individualized or personal care and population health initiatives; (e) health policies and regulations; and (f) nursing workforce changes.

CONCLUSIONS
Future directions for nursing research across the countries were proposed: (a) cost-effectiveness research; (b) implementation science; (c) data science; (d) training of the future generation of nurse researchers; (e) population health; and (f) team science.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
This topic could be applied to any clinical settings.


The World Masters Games (WMG) are an international, multi-sport event which, in terms of competitor numbers, is
the world's largest. The purpose of this manuscript was to summarize research to date that has been conducted on the WMG
cohort. This paper also reports a
descriptive and analytical overview of this large sample to document aspects of demographics
and health indices for this population. Masters athletes demonstrated significant improvements in health related indices over
age matched comparative national populations. Notable among these improvements were body mass index and cardiovascular
disease (CVD) risk factors for the majority of participants, with female WMG participants presenting improved scores for CVD
risk factors (blood pressure and high density lipoproteins, p < 0.05) and body mass index (p < 0.05) when compared to males.
There were also improved lifestyle behaviors such as reduced smoking. A concern was improved health indices might be negated by increased injury from competitive sport at older ages, however findings did not support the premise of masters football code athletes having higher incidence of injury compared to younger athletes. With improved health indices associated with masters competition, it is relevant when promoting physical activity at older ages that the most motivating factor behind participation was socialization with others.


In this study we examine the introduction of online homework in a first-semester engineering mathematics course at a German university of applied sciences. The aim of the study was to find out whether students in general and students with low incoming mathematics skills in particular benefit from graded online homework. We found a high correlation between the number of online homework problems correctly solved and exam results, but also between placement test scores and exam results. Furthermore, we found that students with high placement test scores were more likely to use online homework regularly. We conclude that although online homework can promote successful student learning, further efforts are necessary to ensure completion of homework especially by students with low placement test scores.


The Enhanced Health in Care Homes framework for England sets out standards for how primary care should work with care homes. How care home staff and General Practitioners work together and the quality of their working relationships are core to resident healthcare. This study explored the current models of care and relationships between General Practitioners′ practices and care homes. Sixty-seven respondents from 35 practices were recruited in the East of England and completed a semi-structured online survey. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Free text responses were interpreted thematically. The number of care homes that practices supported ranged from 0–15. Most reported having designated General Practitioners working with care homes and a good working relationship. Despite the national rollout of the Enhanced Health in Care Homes framework, two-thirds reported no recent changes in how they worked with care homes. There is a shift towards practices working with fewer care homes and fewer accounts of fractured working relationships, suggesting that residents' access to primary care is improving. The continuing variability suggests further work is needed to ensure it is driven by context, not inequitable provision. Future work needs to address how policy changes are changing work practices and residents' health outcomes.


Abstract
The availability in France, for the last decade, of low dialysate flow rate hemodialysis monitors, specifically adapted for daily hemodialysis (5 to 6 sessions per week), is contemporary with a real renewal of home hemodialysis. The clinical benefits of daily hemodialysis with high dialysate flow and of thrice-weekly long nocturnal hemodialysis, which are two intensive hemodialysis modalities, have been demonstrated ; however they are less well demonstrated with low dialysate flow hemodialysis. Thus, some patients may still wish to use conventional hemodialysis monitors in order to limit the number of sessions (and therefore the number of vascular punctures) to 3 per week (or every other day) or wish to benefit from a modality of intensive hemodialysis.


Since the mid-1950s, there has been a clear predominance of the Frequentist approach to hypothesis testing, both in psychology and in social sciences. Despite its popularity in the field of statistics, Bayesian inference is barely known and used in psychology. Frequentist inference, and its null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), has been hegemonic through most of the history of scientific psychology. However, the NHST has not been exempt of criticisms. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to introduce a Bayesian approach to hypothesis testing that may represent a useful complement, or even an alternative, to the current NHST. The advantages of this Bayesian approach over Frequentist NHST will be presented, providing examples that support its use in psychology and social sciences. Conclusions are outlined.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the way to induce mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons in vitro.

METHODS
MSCs were obtained from rat bone marrow, cultured and passaged. MSCs used in this experiment had multipotency, which was indirectly proved by being induced to differentiate into chondrocytes and adipocytes. MSCs were cultured in medium containing 0.5 mmol/L IBMX for 2 days. Then the medium was replaced with induction medium, which contained GDNF, IL-1beta, mesencephalic glial-cell-conditioned medium and flash-frozen mesencephalic membrane fragments. The surface markers of the differentiated neurons, such as NSE, nestin, MAP-2a, b and TH were detected by immunocytochemistry and Western blot after MSCs were cultured in induction medium for 7 days and 15 days.

RESULTS
MSCs differentiated into neural progenitors and expressed nestin after MSCs were incubated with medium containing IBMX for 2 d. After the medium was replaced with induction medium containing many inducing agents, MSCs differentiated into neuron-like cells and dopaminergic neuron-like cells and expressed NSE, MAP-2a, b and TH. The percentage of NSE-positive cells, MAP-2a, b-positive cells and TH-positive cells was 30.032 +/- 2.489%, 41.580 +/- 5.101% and 34.958 +/- 5.534%, respectively after MSCs were induced in medium containing GDNF, IL-1beta, mesencephalic glial-cell-conditioned medium and flash-frozen mesencephalic membrane fragments for 15 days.

CONCLUSION
MSCs can differentiate into dopaminergic neuron-like cells and are a new cell source for the treatment of neurodegeneration diseases and have a great potential for wide application.


Volcanoes are natural phenomena that have global environmental impacts. Satellite remote sensing can help classify volcanic eruptions and track the dispersion of emissions. We assess multiple volcanic eruptions in Iceland (Eyjafjallajökull 2010, Grímsvötn 2011, and Holuhraun 2014–2015), using space‐borne observations to infer information about the geological dynamics of each volcano and the properties and evolution of plume particles. We derive qualitative constraints on plume particle size, shape, and light‐absorption characteristics from Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) space‐borne imagery. With the MISR Research Algorithm (RA), we distinguish sulfate/water‐dominated volcanic plumes from Holuhraun and ash‐dominated plumes from Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn, and even identify subtler changes in ash particle size and light‐absorption within plumes. Additionally, plume heights are retrieved geometrically from MISR. These are combined with surface thermal anomalies from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and SO2 concentrations derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) to synthesize eruption remote‐sensing chronologies. Signals related to differences in particle properties are identified and linked to evolving magma composition at Eyjafjallajökull. The results illustrate the potential to distinguish qualitative differences in eruptive magma composition based on particle light absorption and plume profile from remote‐sensing. For the sulfate‐rich Holuhraun plumes, the influence of aerosol hygroscopic growth during transport is inferred from such data. Three processes appear to dominate plume evolution in Iceland: downwind aerosol formation, particle hydration, and particle deposition. This work demonstrates enhanced MISR capabilities and, more generally, remote‐sensing analysis that can be applied globally, especially where suborbital volcano observations are limited or entirely absent.


The value of NMR tomography for the diagnosis of carcinoma of the rectum and of recurrences has been studied, using a 1.5 Tesla NMR apparatus and comparing the results with high resolution CT. There were five patients with a histologically proven primary tumour, eighteen patients with a recurrence and five patients who had had a rectal carcinoma removed, where there was no evidence of recurrence. By obtaining images in three planes, NMR showed the true tumour extent in all cases and was superior to CT in the diagnosis of the primary tumour (in four patients out of five) and in showing recurrences (in five out of eighteen patients). NMR also had advantages in demonstrating lymph node enlargement in the pelvis, where difficulties are often encountered using CT. Early experience with tissue characterisation indicates that it is possible to diagnose rectal tumours confined to that organ. These are usually missed by CT. CT is superior to NMR in demonstrating destructive lesions in bone. Early clinical experience suggests that NMR is a further advance in the early diagnosis of carcinoma of the rectum and of recurrences.


Once, the coveted position of CEO - chief executive officer - was the unreachable pinnacle reserved for the lucky few born with a silver spoon in their mouths, that priveleged group that went to the right schools with the right people. But on today's level playing field, corporate chiefs get there on their merits. At last, you can understand the qualities that CEOs have - and how to make them your own as you make your own way to the top. Drawing on in-depth interviews, Benton identifies 22 vital traits that make a CEO - the leader responsible for making decisions, guiding teams, selling ideas, managing crises and conquering the mountains before them. Penetrate the mystery of why some make it to the top - and some don't, even when they are equally good at their jobs. Learn how to avoid getting fired and how to get promoted more quickly, how to enjoy the life you deserve - and if you want to be the big boss, how to develop the character traits that will get you there.


In the intervening years since Hurricane Andrew in August 1992, there have been studies by federal agencies and the Academy of Public Administration, changes in Florida statutes, assessments of the affected counties, a strengthened directive of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in training activities, and legislative and executive orders to link the levels of government. The emerging problem is how to effect cooperation in a multi-centered county with multiple municipalities, more communities seeking incorporation, and only unincorporated areas under direct county control. The problem is not for the threat of hurricanes alone. It is for the many potential disasters, natural and man-made, which may be addressed with incident command systems at the local level, but may also need mechanisms to coordinate county, regional, state, or national responses. The counties in southeast Florida are a true megalopolis and officials are slowly recognizing that intergovernmental cooperation is imperative. This article examines the issue and provides data on local support for regional efforts in southeast Florida.


The extruded sheets were prepared at the temperature between 350ıand 400ı, and the magnesium alloy sheet was manufactured by a new method, cross rolling, in which the rolling direction was changed in each pass. At the time, deep drawing of magnesium alloy sheet was investigated at elevated temperatures. The results show that the sheet has refined-grain by cross-rolling after it was annealed at 250ı, and the formability is significantly improved at lower temperatures, which is superior to the extruded sheet and the one-way rolled sheet. Deep drawing of magnesium alloy was performed successfully, and cylindrical cup of limited drawing ratio (LDR) 2.6 and 35 mm deep rectangular box (65ı50) was achieved at the lower temperature of 170ı. The different types of fracture were analyzed and reasonable parameters were determined.


This article develops an application of ETFs to the management of an absolute return fund. The use of dynamic core-satellite portfolio management makes it possible to construct absolute return funds using ETFs on stock and bond indices. As a result of the ease with which they are traded, ETFs make an ideal vehicle for putting dynamic risk budgeting into practice. The advantage of the dynamic core-satellite portfolio is that, unlike conventional strategic or tactical asset allocation, it relies solely on the observable price path of different ETFs, and a range of predefined parameters. So the problems of estimation and prediction uncertainty of the two conventional allocation methods are avoided. The combination of advanced dynamic risk-budgeting techniques and highly liquid and transparent instruments may provide a more investor-friendly way to deliver a given absolute return with a target level of volatility, independent of prevailing market conditions.


Hillforts in Scotland are smaller than their counterparts in southern Britain and extremely difficult to define as a site category. This is even more true in the western and northern parts of the country traditionally described as Atlantic Scotland, where the plethora of small enclosed sites forms a continuum in terms of size and morphology that cuts across the boundaries of current classifications. Using the recent definition of a hillfort by J.D Hill as a site type that is not a farmstead, this thesis attempts to analyse enclosed sites in terms of their area enclosed, morphology/architecture and particularly their landscape position to try to identify groups of sites or individual monuments that are these 'not-farmsteads'. Three case study areas have been chosen for GIS-based analysis. Skye and Kintyre are in Atlantic Scotland. The former is a region where brochs have always been central to interpretations of the Iron Age, but it has a considerable number of larger hilltop enclosures classed as forts, and small, less regular drystone enclosures classed as duns. The forts of Kintyre in Argyll have been more studied, but their social role, as well as their relationship with and distinctiveness from the duns of Kintyre are still unknown. The final case study area is the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, part of Galloway, in Prof. Piggott's Solway-Clyde province. Generally included with southern Scotland and the Borders in syntheses of Scottish prehistory, it has many aspects to its later prehistoric archaeology that may be considered 'Atlantic' in nature, such as small prominent drystone enclosures, promontory forts and sites with complex, traditionally Atlantic architecture. However, there are also hilltop enclosures classed as forts that are much larger than in the other two case study areas. GIS based analyses have been used, and combined with statistical testing to try to identify patterns in the landscape positioning of certain classes or sizes of enclosed site. Sites have been analysed in terms of their distance from the sea, altitude, topographic prominence, visibility in the landscape, and proximity to/visibility of agricultural land. These results have been interpreted to try to refine present site categorisations, and to attempt to identify those sites that are different from merely farmsteads.


BACKGROUND
Whether a family history of glaucoma (FHG) in patients with pigmentary glaucoma (PG) is a prognostical indicator, is unknown. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of FHG on the severity of the disease in PG and pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS). Furthermore risk factors in PG and PDS were evaluated.

METHODS
The findings of 207 patients with PG and PDS, who were able to give information about FHG, were evaluated (149 PG, 43 PDS with ocular hypertension (OH), 15 PDS without OH).

RESULTS
Significance of FHG: FHG was found in 39.1%, and in one third of the patients more than one relative had the disease. FHG was found in PG not more frequent than in PDS. Pigmentary glaucomas in advanced stages of the disease did not have a higher incidence of FHG than patients in beginning stages. Out of 207 patients with PG and PDS 71% were male and 29% female (p < 0.001). In patients with FHG the share of men was 64.2% and not significantly different to the group without FHG with 75.4%. The sex distribution in parents and grandparents having a glaucomatous disease was 1:1.

RISK FACTORS
The pf1p4nts with and without FHG in PDS with and without OH, PG, and within the different stages of visual field loss, showed no significant differences in risk factors, for example in maximum intraocular pressure, refraction and cup-disc ratio. Myopia: Patients with PG had a significantly higher myopia than patients with PDS (p < 0.01). The higher the myopia, the earlier the disease was diagnosed (p = 0.008). Krukenberg spindle: During miotic therapy the Krukenberg spindle decreased in the upper half of the cornea. Time of diagnosis: PG was diagnosed at a higher age compared to PDS.

CONCLUSION
FHG does not influence the severity of the disease in PG. Family history of glaucoma is a risk factor in patients with PG, but no prognostical indicator. Patients with FHG do not have primarily larger cup-disc ratios than patients without FHG. Myopia is a risk factor.


Abstract The carbon isotope record from ancient epicontinental seas may contain much more of a local-scale carbon cycling signal than is generally appreciated. A unique opportunity exists to examine this issue in the case of the Late Ordovician Mohawkian Sea of eastern Laurentia, where the Millbrig K-bentonite stratigraphic framework has been used to delineate a time slice at 454 Ma, extending over ~ 1,500,000 km2 of the eastern United States. Across the time slice, carbonate and organic carbon δ13C vary by 4.5‰ and 7.5‰ respectively, a spatial variation that is as large as temporal (secular) changes in epeiric-sea δ13C that have been reported in the past. These new data are considered in the context of geographic variations in lithological, biological, and other geochemical sediment characteristics. Collectively, these sediment properties distinguish regions of the Mohawkian Sea which likely differed in terms of the nature and relative importance of carbon cycling processes. Water-column depth and structure, and barriers to free exchange of water across the Mohawkian Sea, may have been overarching factors in the development of these regions, raising the possibility that changes in circulation patterns, such as those caused by sea-level change, played a role in driving secular carbon isotope excursions by changing the rate of exchange of dissolved inorganic carbon between water masses. If the observed effects of local carbon cycling on the distribution of Mohawkian Sea δ13C were commonplace in ancient epicontinental marine environments, it would imply that local-scale carbon cycling may have left a nontrivial imprint on epeiric-sea records of secular variations in δ13C, in addition to the imprint left by changes in the global carbon cycle. This may have contributed to the broad scatter in δ13C values observed in the Paleozoic portion of the global carbon isotope secular curve.


Flow boiling heat transfer characteristics of CO2 with and without oil were investigated experimentally in horizontal smooth and enhanced tubes with an inner diameter of 11.2 mm. The visualization of flow pattern provides a detailed attributes of the nucleate and the convective boiling heat transfer. In order to investigate the effect of the miscible oil on the heat transfer of CO2, POE (polyolester) RENSIO C85E oil is added to give an oil circulation rate (OCR) between 0.5% and 2%. Results are compared with those of pure CO2. The experimental conditions include evaporation temperatures of −15 °C, mass fluxes from 40 to 200 kg/m2 s, heat fluxes from 0.5 to 10 kW/m2, and vapor qualities from 0.1 to 0.8. Oil generally deteriorates the heat transfer coefficient of pure CO2. The reduction in heat transfer coefficient is most apparent at low vapor qualities, 0.1 to 0.4, and at low mass fluxes, 100 and 200 kg/m2. It is caused by the suppression of nucleate boiling due to increased surface tension. At conditions where the convective boiling contribution is dominant, vapor qualities above 0.5, oil increases heat transfer coefficients. Through visualization, it is shown that the wetted area on the perimeter of inner tube is enhanced due to formation of foaming in the smooth tube. However, such enhancement of heat transfer due to forming is negligible in the enhanced tube, because the enhanced factor due to micro-finned structures is dominant.© 2013 ASME


The anthropic interference in aquatic ecosystems, favors the disordered colonization of T. domingensis, damaging the production of hydroelectric power and river traffic. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of C. typhae as a mycoherbicide in the control of T. domingensis, in vitro and in greenhouse. 107 samples of symptomatic T. domingensis leaves were collected in flooded areas of rivers in Brazil, with identification and isolation of the collected fungal species. The concentration of inoculum was determined to evaluate the incidence and severity of the disease, the influence of temperature on mycelial growth and conidia germination, the effect of temperature and leaf wetness period on T. domingensis infection by C. typhae and the host range test. The growth of the colonies of C. typhae was higher at 25 to 30 ºC, there was no interference of the photoperiod on germination of the spores, but the highest percentage of germination occurred at 17.39 ºC. The influence of environmental conditions on infection of inoculated leaves of T. dominguensis indicated that at 15 °C and the period of leaf wetness of 48 hours promoted the highest incidence of the disease, as well as the severity for the same period of leaf wetness. The specificity test showed that C. typhae is specific and pathogenic to T. domingensis. Being this the first report of the occurrence of this pathogen in aquatic macrophytes of this species and in T. domingensis in Brazil.


Summary
Bite force is used to investigate feeding performance in a variety of vertebrates. In all taxa studied, bite force is strongly correlated with body and head size. Studies of bite force in bats have largely centred on neotropical species with a particular focus on species that maximize dietary differences. Little is known about the bite force of bats from the Old World tropics, nor of variation in bite force within diverse assemblages of obligate insectivores. Moreover, factors other than size are poorly known but may be important in driving interspecific differences in bite force, and thereby diet.
Here, we examine the correlation between morphological variation and bite force of 35 species of insectivorous bats from a single palaeotropical assemblage. We confirmed the overall relationship between size and bite force across species, but found that bite force is predicted more strongly by head length than body mass or forearm length.
From the combined action of jaw muscles and muscle-bone mechanisms, bats generate a mechanical advantage that creates pressure during biting. We calculated the size-independent mechanical advantage for each of five mandible lever systems (three delineated by the temporalis muscle and two delineated by the masseter muscle) operating through three function points (molar, canine and incisor). Size-independent mechanical advantage of the suprazygomatic portion of the temporalis muscle at the molar function point was the only significant predictor of size-independent maximum bite force across all species.
Within families, the size-independent mechanical advantage of the superficial portion of the masseter muscle plays a significant role in predicting size-independent maximum bite force in both the Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae. For the family Hipposideridae, however, size-independent mechanical advantage showed no role in predicting size-independent maximum bite force, suggesting that size really matters in predicting the maximum bite force capacity for this family.


Employees often share personal information with professional contacts on social media (e.g., Facebook), complicating boundaries between private and professional identities. According to Ollier-Malaterre, Rothbard, and Berg (2013), the online behavior of employees on social media can be described by what they communicate online about themselves determined by their self-evaluation motives (self-verification vs. self-enhancement) and with whom they prefer to connect on social media (integration vs. segmentation of personal and professional identities). This study tests the effects of these strategies on respect and likability in a professional context. We conducted an online experiment (N=257) in which individuals were exposed to a Facebook profile page illustrating a particular type of boundary management behavior of a possible colleague. Respondents rated the individual on 'likability' and 'respect'. Results indicated that integrating personal and professional contacts yields higher levels of likability than segmenting them. Posting self-enhancing messages results in higher levels of respect than posting self-verifying messages. Findings imply that the best strategy to preserve respect and likability among colleagues is to integrate professional contacts on Facebook and post self-enhancing messages (so called 'content' behavior).


Hadith is the second main guidelines after the Holy Quran in the Islamic religion, which was revealed through the Messenger of Allah. Today, Hadith can classified by more than one class such as advice class, prohibited, and information to facilitate readers of Hadith in filtering the appropriate classes for each Hadith of Rasulullah SAW. In the course of research, there are many kinds of data involved in a text classification study. Therefore, special handling that fit with the characteristics of certain data is required. This study investigates the handling of multi-label data—Hadith Bukhari in Indonesian translation—focusing on feature extraction, feature weighted, and preprocessing methods. This study uses a rule-based feature extraction combined with several types of preprocessing along with three types of feature-weighted methods: TF-IDF, Word2vec, and Word2vec weighted with TF-IDF, the five preprocessing stages in this research: Case Folding, Tokenization, Remove Punctuation, Stopword Removal, and Stemming. From the 13 experiments conducted in this study consist of 2000 hadiths, it was found that the best performance for multi-label classification of Hadith data produced by the combination of the proposed rule-based feature extraction, Word2vec feature weighted method, and without using Stemming and Stopword Removal in the preprocessing phase. The Hamming Loss value obtained from this combination was 0.0623. The results show that our rule-based feature extraction method better than baseline method.


Rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere could alter Earth's climate system, but it is thought that higher concentrations may improve plant growth through a process known as the "fertilization effect". Forests are an important part of the planet's carbon cycle, and sequester a substantial amount of the CO2 released into the atmosphere by human activities. Many people believe that the amount of carbon sequestered by forests will increase as CO2 concentrations rise. However, an increasing body of research suggests that the fertilization effect is limited by nutrients and air pollution, in addition to the well documented limitations posed by temperature and precipitation. This review suggests that existing forests are not likely to increase sequestration as atmospheric CO2 increases. It is imperative, therefore, that we manage forests to maximize carbon retention in above- and belowground biomass and conserve soil carbon.


Background: Mortality trends for subpopulations, e.g., countries in a region or provinces in a country, tend to change similarly over time. However, when forecasting subpopulations independently, the forecast mortality trends often diverge. These divergent trends emerge from an inability of different forecast models to offer population-specific forecasts that are consistent with one another. Nondivergent forecasts between similar populations are often referred to as "coherent." Methods: We propose a new forecasting method that addresses the coherence problem for subpopulations, based on Compositional Data Analysis (CoDa) of the life table distribution of deaths. We adapt existing coherent and noncoherent forecasting models to CoDa and compare their results. Results: We apply our coherent method to the female mortality of 15 Western European countries and show that our proposed strategy would have improved the forecast accuracy for many of the selected countries. The results also show that the CoDa adaptation of commonly used models allows the rates of mortality improvements (RMIs) to change over time. Contribution: This study opens a discussion about the use of age-specific mortality indicators other than death rates to forecast mortality. The results show that the use of life table deaths and CoDa leads to less biased forecasts than more commonly used forecasting models based on the extrapolation of death rates. To the authors' knowledge, the present study is the first attempt to forecast coherently the distribution of deaths of many populations.


The childhood epilepsy syndrome of benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC) exhibits the remarkable feature of clinical remission within a few weeks of onset and a favourable prognosis, sparing cognitive abilities despite persistent expression of the mutant KCNQ2 or KCNQ3 potassium channels throughout adulthood. To better understand such dynamic neuroprotective plasticity within the developing brain, we introduced missense mutations that underlie human BFNC into the orthologous murine Kcnq2 (Kv7.2) and Kcnq3 (Kv7.3) genes. Mutant mice were examined for altered thresholds to induced seizures, spontaneous seizure characteristics, hippocampal histology, and M‐current properties of CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Adult Kcnq2A306T/+ and Kcnq3G311V/+ heterozygous knock‐in mice exhibited reduced thresholds to electrically induced seizures compared to wild‐type littermate mice. Both Kcnq2A306T/A306T and Kcnq3G311V/G311V homozygous mutant mice exhibited early onset spontaneous generalized tonic‐clonic seizures concurrent with a significant reduction in amplitude and increased deactivation kinetics of the neuronal M‐current. Mice had recurrent seizures into adulthood that triggered molecular plasticity including ectopic neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in granule cells, but without hippocampal mossy fibre sprouting or neuronal loss. These novel knockin mice recapitulate proconvulsant features of the human disorder yet show that inherited M‐current defects spare granule cells from reactive changes in adult hippocampal networks. The absence of seizure‐induced pathology found in these epileptic mouse models parallels the benign neurodevelopmental cognitive profile exhibited by the majority of BFNC patients.


Wireless sensor network consists of sensor nodes which are powered by battery; to communicate with each other for environment monitoring. Energy efficiency is the main issue in wireless sensor networks. Therefore, to maximize network lifetime and achieve maximum reliability and scalability, routing techniques have been developed. LEACH is the conventional hierarchical clustering protocol widely used in WSNs. This paper reviews the taxonomy of WSN routing protocols and also highlights issues in LEACH protocol along with disadvantages. The objective of this paper is to provide brief detail of some LEACH improved versions. Finally this paper compares some features of LEACH protocol variants. General Terms Comparison among various descendants of LEACH protocol


Misalignment of interaural cortical response maps in asymmetric hearing loss evolves from initial gross divergence to near convergence over a 6 month recovery period. The evolution of left primary auditory cortex (AI) interaural frequency map changes is chronicled in squirrel monkeys with asymmetric hearing loss induced by overstimulating the right ear with a 1 kHz tone at 136 dB for 3 h. AI frequency response areas (FRAs), derived from tone bursts presented to the poorer or better hearing ears, are compared at 6, 12, and 24 weeks after acoustic overstimulation. Characteristic frequency (CF) and minimum threshold parameters are extracted from FRAs, and they are used to quantify interaural response map differences. A large interaural CF map misalignment of ΔCF ∼1.27 octaves at 6 weeks after overstimulation decreases substantially to ΔCF ∼0.62 octave at 24 weeks. Interaural cortical threshold map misalignment faithfully reflects peripheral asymmetric hearing loss at 6 and 12 weeks. However, AI threshold map misalignment essentially disappears at 24 weeks, primarily because ipsilateral cortical thresholds have become unexpectedly elevated relative to peripheral thresholds. The findings document that plastic change in central processing of sound stimuli arriving from the nominally better hearing ear may account for progressive realignment of both interaural frequency and threshold maps.


Most of the papers included here were part of the Plenary Sym posium on The Testing of General Ecological Theory in Lotic Ecosys tems held in conjunction with the 29th Annual Meeting of the North American Benthological Society in Provo, Utah, April 28, 1981. Sev eral additional papers were solicited, from recognized leaders in certain areas of specialization, in order to round out the coverage. All of the articles have been critiqued by at least two or three re viewers and an effort was made to rely on authorities in stream and theoretical ecology. In all cases this has helped to insure accur acyand to improve the overall quality of the papers. However, as one of our purposes has been to encourage thought-provoking and even controversial coverage of the topics, material has been retained even though it may upset certain critical readers. It is our hope that these presentations will stimulate further research, encourage the fuller development of a theoretical perspective among lotic ecologists, and lead to the testing of general ecological theories in the stream environment."


With the rapid development of information technology, people's daily life becomes more and more dependent on wireless technologies. Wireless mesh network consists of a number of characteristics associated with the return path, with a strong fault tolerance, stability, widely used by the light to the city network construction, military applications, and key service providers and other fields. Compared with traditional wired communication technologies, how to provide qualified QoS routing service is a primary problem for wireless mesh networks waiting for effective solution. Regarding this problem, this paper applys the theory of Evolutionary Game to QoS routing algorithm for wireless mesh networks and proposed a novel algorithm called EGWRA which can not only improve the performance of traditional QoS routing protocols but also be able to reduce the cost of the routing algorithm.


The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) is proposing Canada-wide municipal wastewater effluent regulations. This would put pressure on small communities to install wastewater collection systems and treatment facilities. Artificially constructed wetlands are cost-effective wastewater treatment systems that achieve secondary effluent standards in warmer climates. This study was conducted to assess the phosphorus and nitrogen removal of a constructed wetland during a typical Nova Scotian winter, compare the observed treatment ability to the proposed regulations, and estimate the cost-savings treatment wetlands could provide to the local community. The wetland system is located in Bible Hill and consists of a pond-marsh-pond system. The samples collected from the inlet and outlet of the system between October 2007 and February 2008 demonstrate an average phosphorus removal of 47.6% and an average nitrogen removal of 30.8%. The effluent concentrations were within the proposed regulatory limits for the parameters observed, however the CCME has proposed limits for numerous substances of concern that were not studied. The estimated cost for treatment wetlands for the village of Bible Hill over a 25-year period was $7.8 million, resulting in $6.3 million in savings over conventional facilities. These results provide insight into the range of nutrient removal efficiencies that can be expected from surface-flow wetland systems in Nova Scotia. The regulatory review shows that more research on the fate and transport of emerging contaminants of concern is needed to better understand the feasibility of installing treatment wetland systems.


The thesis is implementing an improvement for the depot planning decision support system at DSB S-tog (Danish State Railways S-train). In the literature, for the sake of tractability, rail depot planning (shunt planning) is divided into different sub-problems and each is solved independently. In the Jeppesen system we have divided the problem into following sub-problems: Composition and rotation steps, parking problem and driver scheduling.
The parking problem which was proved to be NP-Hard was seen as the hardest step of the overall plan in some literature, and the focus of the thesis is on that problem. Given a timetable and the specifications of trains in the timetable, the problem focuses on parking the trains at shunt tracks which will be idle for a while and will operate later by considering the topology of the shunt yard and the demands of shunt planners.
In the current system used at Jeppesen, the composition and rotation steps are solved quite efficiently for real life instances, and the parking problem is modeled as a Set Partitioning Problem in which all the feasible assignments for each track are generated explicitly. The current model then chooses at most one assignment for each shunt track. Since the number of feasible assignments grows exponentially in the number of trains, it is hard to solve the problem for some real life cases.
In the thesis, by taking into consideration the requirements from DSB S-tog, a MIP model is developed that has polynomial number of variables in the number of trains and shunt tracks. All the shunt tracks at DSB are of type LIFO that allows the trains get in/out using a single end. Although the new model satisfies all the requirements of the customer, some extensions existing in the literature are not included in the system, and some extensions differ from the ones in literature. Compared to the current model being used, instead of generating all the feasible assignments for each track which leads to an exponential number of decision variables, all the requirements are modeled as constraints. The model is tested and applied to 6 depots at DSB S-tog. The results show that the new MIP model is superior for most of the small and medium instances. For the larger instances, which were hard to solve by the current system and sometimes could not be solved at all, the MIP model finds the optimal solutions in a reasonable amount of time.


As part of an ongoing search for diabetes susceptibility loci, we tested linkage with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) for 19 candidate loci or regions chosen for their potential to affect directly or indirectly the action of insulin. Loci were associated with insulin resistance, known effects on lipid metabolism, or effects on glucose metabolism or insulin action. Loci included the insulin-responsive (GLUT4) glucose transporter, hexokinase 2, glucagon, growth hormone, insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, hepatic and muscle forms of pyruvate kinase, hepatic phosphofructokinase, the apolipoprotein B and the apolipoprotein A2 cluster, lipoprotein lipase, hepatic triglyceride lipase, the very-low-density-lipoprotein receptor, and the Pima insulin resistance locus on chromosome 4. For several candidates, no specific informative marker was available; consequently, we tested the surrounding region with highly informative markers. These regions included the diabetes-associated ras-like gene, rad, and the cholesterol ester–transfer gene, both mapped to chromosome 16. Additionally, we tested for linkage with markers at the tumor necrosis factor–α gene and the Friedreich's ataxia region. All regions were tested for linkage with microsatellite polymorphisms in >450 individuals from a minimum of 16 Caucasian families under parametric (LINKAGE 5.1) and nonparametric (affected pedigree member) models. On initial analysis, each region was rejected as a major diabetogenic locus under parametric models (logarithm of odds [LOD] <− 2) and nonparametric analyses, except growth hormone (LOD = 1.42; P < 0.005, nonparametric analysis) and IRS1 (P < 0.001, nonparametric analysis). Linkage of IRS1 and NIDDM was no longer significant when additional families were tested, and linkage of growth hormone under parametric analysis could likewise be rejected. However, under nonparametric, model-independent analysis, linkage to the growth hormone region remained suggestive. Additionally, possible evidence for linkage (P < 0.05) was found under nonparametric models for apolipoprotein A2 in an expanded sample of 29 families. We excluded multiple candidates as major diabetogenic loci, including fatty acid binding protein 2, IRS1, the insulin-responsive glucose transporter, and rad. However, the region around the growth hormone locus on chromosome 17 warrants further analysis in other populations.


Background Recent reports suggest that exposure to repetitive concussions in sports is associated with an increased risk of symptoms of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) and of later development of neurodegenerative diseases, in particular chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Objective To explore the relationship between sports career-related concussions and the subsequent occurrence of symptoms of CMD among former male professional athletes. Design Cross-sectional analyses performed on baseline electronic questionnaires from three prospective cohort studies. Setting National unions or players' associations in professional football, ice hockey and rugby. Patients (or Participants) A total of 576 former male professional athletes were enrolled. Mean age at recruitment was 37 years; mean duration of sports career was 10 years. Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors) The total number of confirmed concussion incidents during an athlete's career and diagnosed by a medical professional was examined. Main Outcome Measurements Several Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) were included and assessed with validated scales, namely symptoms of distress, anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance, adverse alcohol use. Results The number of sports career-related concussions was a predictor for all outcome measures (β=0.072–0.100; P≤0.035). Specifically, former professional athletes who reported a history of four or five concussions were approximately 1.5 times more likely to report symptoms of CMD, rising to a two- to four-fold increase in those reporting a history of six or more sports career-related concussions. Conclusions These data demonstrate a direct relationship between exposure to sports concussion and subsequent risk of symptoms of CMD in former professional athletes across a range of contact sports. Further work to explore the association between sports concussion and symptoms of CMD is required; in meantime strategies for effective risk reduction and improved management appear indicated.


Label estimation is an important component in an unsupervised person re-identification (re-ID) system. This paper focuses on cross-camera label estimation, which can be subsequently used in feature learning to learn robust re-ID models. Specifically, we propose to construct a graph for samples in each camera, and then graph matching scheme is introduced for cross-camera labeling association. While labels directly output from existing graph matching methods may be noisy and inaccurate due to significant crosscamera variations, this paper propose a dynamic graph matching (DGM) method. DGM iteratively updates the image graph and the label estimation process by learning a better feature space with intermediate estimated labels. DGM is advantageous in two aspects: 1) the accuracy of estimated labels is improved significantly with the iterations; 2) DGM is robust to noisy initial training data. Extensive experiments conducted on three benchmarks including the large-scale MARS dataset show that DGM yields competitive performance to fully supervised baselines, and outperforms competing unsupervised learning methods.


Digital elevation model (DEM) data are elemental in deriving primary topographic attributes which serve as input variables to a variety of hydrologic and geomorphologic studies. There is however still varied consensus on the effect of DEM source and resolution on the application of these topographic attributes to landscape characterisation. While elevation data for South Africa are available from several major sources and resolutions: Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM), Earth ENV and Stellenbosch University DEM (SUDEM). Limited research has been conducted in a local context comparing the extraction of terrain attributes to high resolution Digital Terrain Data (DTM) such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) that are becoming increasing available. However, the utility of LiDAR to topographic analyses presents its own challenges in terms of operational-relevant resolution, processing demands and limited spatial coverage. There is a need to quantify the impact that generalisation approaches have on simplifying detailed DEMs and to compare the accuracy and reliability of results between high resolution and coarse resolution data on the extraction of localized topographic variables. In this regional study, we analyse the accuracy on selected local terrain attributes: elevation, slope and topographic wetness index derived from DEMs from varying sources, at different spatial resolutions and using three generalisation algorithms, namely: mean cell aggregation, nearest neighbour and hydrological corrected topo-to-raster. We show that topographic variable extraction is highly dependent on DEM source and generalisation approach and while higher resolution DEMs may represent the "true" surface more accurately, they do not necessarily offer the best results for all extracted variables. Our results highlight the caveats of selecting DEMs not "fit-for-purpose" for topographic analysis and offer a simple yet effective solution for reconciling the selection of DEMs based on neighbourhood size resolution prior to terrain analyses and topographic feature characterization .


We construct a bounded degree graph $G$, such that a simple random walk on it is transient but the random walk path (i.e., the subgraph of all the edges the random walk has crossed) has only finitely many cutpoints, almost surely. We also prove that the expected number of cutpoints of any transient Markov chain is infinite. This answers two questions of James, Lyons and Peres [A Transient Markov Chain With Finitely Many Cutpoints (2007) Festschrift for David Freedman]. Additionally, we consider a simple random walk on a finite connected graph $G$ that starts at some fixed vertex $x$ and is stopped when it first visits some other fixed vertex $y$. We provide a lower bound on the expected effective resistance between $x$ and $y$ in the path of the walk, giving a partial answer to a question raised in [Ann. Probab. 35 (2007) 732--738].


Studies on curcumin, the principal element of turmeric powder, have demonstrated several biological actions such as antibacterial activity. Evaluation of new analogs or new compounds of curcumin for their antibacterial effect is interesting for researchers. In this in vitro study, we attempted to test the antibacterial activity of indium curcumin (In(CUR)3), indium diacetylcurcumin (In(DAC)3), and diacetylcurcumin (DAC) in comparison with curcumin. The action of these agents were examined on Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 14990), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Escerichia coli (ATCC 25922). Curcumin was effective against S. aureus and S. epidermidis, whereas In(DAC)3 showed activity against S. epidermidis and P. aeruginosa. The effect of In(DAC)3 on P. aeruginosa is an advantage. Strikingly, In(CUR)3 exhibited antibacterial activity on all the four mentioned strains. DAC did not show antibacterial effect on any of the four test bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of curcumin was 187.5 ig/ml for S. aureus, and 46.9 ig/ml for S. epidermidis. However, the MIC of In(CUR)3 was lower for the same bacterial strains (93.8 ig/ml for S.aureus and 23.4 ig/ml for S. epidermidis). Therefore, In(CUR)3 was found to have more antibacterial effect than curcumin itself and could be a suitable candidate for further in vivo investigations.


This article provides a cultural-historical (CHAT) analysis of the practices used by an effective teacher of Latino/a children previously classified as "underachieving" and "beginning/novice" English Language Learners. Although the teacher would not describe her practices in strict CHAT, or sociocultural theory (SCT) terms, our analysis shows that teaching practices in this classroom are better understood using a SCT model rather than more prevalent second language acquisition (SLA) models that dominate the field of bilingual/English as a Second Language education. We describe the fundamental limitations of SLA assumptions about learners vis-à-vis a SCT perspective and use classroom and case study data to illustrate how a CHAT perspective illuminates this teacher's practices. From a CHAT perspective, teaching and learning are socially reorganized around the mediation of dynamic learner identities and include shifts in expert–novice status, dialogic interactions, and the use of innovative mediational tools (e.g., keystrokes on a calculator) to promote academic writing and oral communication. The mediational reorganization described in the classroom opened up access to students who might have been dismissed by a SLA model as "incapable" of engaging in such tasks. We draw on classroom-level data (i.e., standardized scores in reading and math) as well as the work of selected focal students to illustrate our case.


Self-adaptive systems continuously adapt to internal and external changes in their execution environment. In context-based self-adaptation, adaptations take place in response to the characteristics of the execution environment, captured as a context. However, in large-scale adaptive systems operating in dynamic environments, multiple contexts are often active at the same time, requiring simultaneous execution of multiple adaptations. Complex interactions between such adaptations might not have been foreseen or accounted for at design time. For example, adaptations can partially overlap, requiring only partial execution of each, or they can be conflicting, requiring some of the adaptations not to be executed at all, in order to preserve system execution. To ensure a correct composition of adaptations, we propose ComInA, a novel reinforcement learning based approach, which autonomously learns interactions between adaptations as well as the most appropriate adaptation composition for each combination of active contexts, as they arise. We present an initial evaluation of ComInA in an urban public transport network simulation, where multiple adaptations to buses, routes, and stations are required. Early results show that ComInA correctly identifies whether adaptations are compatible or conflicting and learns to execute adaptations which maximize system performance. However, further investigation is needed into how best to utilize such identified relationships to optimize a wider range of metrics and utilize more complex composition strategies.


Abstract †Pycnodontiformes was a successful lineage of primarily marine fishes that broadly diversified during the Mesozoic. They possessed a wide variety of body shapes and were adapted to a broad range of food sources. Two other neopterygian clades possessing similar ecological adaptations in both body morphology (†Dapediiformes) and dentition (Ginglymodi) also occurred in Mesozoic seas. Although these groups occupied the same marine ecosystems, the role that competitive exclusion and niche partitioning played in their ability to survive alongside each other remains unknown. Using geometric morphometrics on both the lower jaw (as constraint for feeding adaptation) and body shape (as constraint for habitat adaptation), we show that while dapediiforms and ginglymodians occupy similar lower jaw morphospace, pycnodontiforms are completely separate. Separation also occurs between the clades in body shape so that competition reduction between pycnodontiforms and the other two clades would have resulted in niche partitioning. Competition within pycnodontiforms seemingly was reduced further by evolving different feeding strategies as shown by disparate jaw shapes that also indicate high levels of plasticity. Acanthomorpha was a teleostean clade that evolved later in the Mesozoic and which has been regarded as implicated in driving the pycnodontiforms to extinction. Although they share similar body shapes, no coeval acanthomorphs had similar jaw shapes or dentitions for dealing with hard prey like pycnodontiforms do and so their success being a factor in pycnodontiform extinction is unlikely. Sea surface temperature and eustatic variations also had no impact on pycnodontiform diversity patterns according to our results. Conversely, the occurrence and number of available reefs and hardgrounds as habitats through time seems to be the main factor in pycnodontiform success. Decline in such habitats during the Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene might have had deleterious consequences for pycnodontiform diversity. Acanthomorphs occupied the niches of pycnodontiforms during the terminal phase of their existence.


Do you remember the first time you encountered the idea that while the universe could be infinitely large, its basic building blocks are actually very small? These building blocks, the atoms and molecules comprising all matter, in effect make up the world of nanoscience. The basic fodder for nanotechnology, throughout our world's history, has always been at play. As described by Wilson et al. (2002), the alkali and the alkaline earth metals (Groups 1 and 2 from the Periodic Table of Elements), as well as the transition metals (Groups 3 to 12), due to their various electrical properties, make good providers of electrons, and good conductors, respectively, useful in nanotechnology. Further, carbon and silicon from Group 14 are important base materials for many nanomaterials. In other words, these atoms and various simple molecular combinations of these, not only are the building blocks of nanotechnology, but also of our world. Our understanding of this reality has developed relatively recently through the development of tools, in particular those that allow us to see (scanning probe and atomic force microscopes) and engage (lithography and masks enabling building up through deposits or chiseling away of various surfaces). Facilitated by the inert noble gases such as xenon and radon (Wilson et al., 2002), this has allowed humans to witness, and lately attempt to play with, the ongoing miracle of the composition and dynamics of matter operating at the nanoscale.