Virtually all functions of a cell are influenced by cytoplasmic [Ca2+] increases. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) channels, located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), release Ca2+ in response to binding of the second messenger, IP3.IP3Rs thus are part of the information chain interpreting external signals and transforming them into cytoplasmic Ca2+ transients. IP3Rs function as tetramers, each unit comprising an N-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD) and a C-terminal channel domain linked by a long regulatory region. It is not yet understood how the binding of IP3 to the LBD regulates the gating properties of the channel. Here, we use the expression of IP3 binding protein domains tethered to the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to show that the all-helical domain of the IP3R LBD is capable of depleting the ER Ca2+ pools by opening the endogenous IP3Rs, even without IP3 binding. This effect requires the domain to be within 50 Å of the ER membrane and is impaired by the presence of the N-terminal inhibitory segment on the LBD. These findings raise the possibility that the helical domain of the LBD functions as an effector module possibly interacting with the channel domain, thereby being part of the gating mechanisms by which the IP3-induced conformational change within the LBD regulates Ca2+ release.


Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is going to be an emerging wireless technology for the future. With the increasing popularity of Broadband internet, wireless networking market is thriving. Wireless network is not fully secure due to rapid release of new technologies, market competition and lack of physical infrastructure. In the IEEE 802.11 technology, security was added later. Iin IEEE 802.16, security has been considered as the main issue during the design of the protocol. However, security mechanism of the IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) still remains a question. WiMAX is relatively a new technology; not deployed widely to justify the evidence of threats, risk and vulnerability in real situations. This paper will address the security aspects of the IEEE 802.16 Standard and point out the security vulnerabilities, threats and risks associated with this standard.


Dutch disease is a condition whereby a booming export sector along with a concomitant strengthening of the non-tradable sector cause a deterioration in the rest of the tradable sector. Regression analysis finds that Dutch disease due to international remittances appears to afflict the developing countries more than the upper income countries. Developing countries, however, can inoculate their economies with policies that strengthen the domestic economy and facilitate structural change to keep the disease from setting in.


Abstract. Decreases in surface emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) in North America have led to substantial improvements in air-quality over the last several decades. Here we show that satellite observations of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) columns over the contiguous United States (US) do not decrease after about 2009, while surface NO2 concentrations continue to decline through to the present. This divergence, if it continues, could have a substantial impact on surface air quality due to mixing of free-tropospheric air into the boundary layer. Our results show only limited contributions from local effects such as fossil fuel emissions, lightning, or instrument artifacts, but we do find a possible relationship of NO2 changes to decadal climate variability. Our analysis demonstrates that the intensity of transpacific transport is stronger in El Nino years and weaker in La Nina years, and consequently, that decadal-scale climate variability impacts the contribution of Asian emissions on North American atmospheric composition. Because of the short lifetime, it is usually believed that the direct contribution of long-range transport to tropospheric NOx distribution is limited. If our hypothesis about transported Asian emissions is correct, then this observed divergence between satellite and surface NOx could indicate mechanisms that allow for either NOx or its reservoir species to have a larger than expected effect on North American tropospheric composition. These results therefore suggest more aircraft and satellite studies to determine the possible missing processes in our understanding of the long-range transport of tropospheric NOx.


This investigation seeks to explore the hypothesis, derived from observation and practice, that there is a strong relationship between the development of literacy skills and the growth of confidence in adult literacy students. Implicit in the developmental approach is the notion of progression towards some cognitive goal. Such a goal necessitates the establishment of a base line of existing attainment, together with subsequent assessment so that progress and development can be measured. The study includes an evaluation of existing formal and informal methods of initial and subsequent assessment and diagnosis available at the time for Adult Literacy Scheme Co-ordinators. Underlying the funding by Cheshire County Council for the project is the assumption that the results will be available for all practitioners and that the tools of measurement may be used by other Adult Literacy Co-ordinators in the County. It is intended, therefore, that this research should result in practical outcomes in which methods of assessment will involve active participation by students as well as by tutors, becoming part of the learning process. It is hypothesised that this kind of co-operation could lead ultimately to self-directed learning and student-independence. For the purposes of this research, a balance is attempted in the use of assessment tools, between standardised tests and informal methods. The study provides facts about students! reading habits; as well as their reading levels, their spelling levels, their handwriting, their writing skills and their writing habits. The study seeks to show the students' feelings towards education, their educational attainments and the type of school which they attended. The study also attempts to come to some measurement of those aspects of student personality which relate to confidence, by means of tests and questionnaires. The study concludes with an examination of the link between cognitive and affective progress.


Nanofluidic devices provide an arena for interesting science and new technological applications. We review experimental work that illustrates qualitative differences in the behavior of ions, polymers, and molecular motors at the nanoscale as compared with their behavior at macroscopic scales. Ionic transport is governed by the surface charge density inside a nanofluidic device and the overlap of Debye screening layers becomes significant. Furthermore, pressure-driven fluid flows entrain significant ionic streaming currents, and this electrokinetic effect has been used to probe the phenomenon of surface charge inversion and to harness mechanical work and convert it into electrical power. Polymers like DNA must pay an entropic penalty under nanofluidic confinement, which governs its configurational statistics, and in turn influences DNA's transport characteristics in pressure-driven fluid flows and in more complex electrokinetic flows driven by electric fields. Finally, the molecular motor kinesin has been incorporated into fluidic devices in order to drive the motion of microtubules. Within a network of fluidic channels, electric fields can be applied to steer and sort kinesin-driven microtubules, and to probe the mechanical bending of single microtubules.


High-throughput screening (HTS) is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry to identify novel chemical starting points for drug discovery projects. The current study focuses on the relationship between molecular hit rate in recent in-house HTS and four common molecular descriptors: lipophilicity (ClogP), size (heavy atom count, HEV), fraction of sp3-hybridized carbons (Fsp3), and fraction of molecular framework (fMF). The molecular hit rate is defined as the fraction of times the molecule has been assigned as active in the HTS campaigns where it has been screened. Beta-binomial statistical models were built to model the molecular hit rate as a function of these descriptors. The advantage of the beta-binomial statistical models is that the correlation between the descriptors is taken into account. Higher degree polynomial terms of the descriptors were also added into the beta-binomial statistic model to improve the model quality. The relative influence of different molecular descriptors on molecular hit rate has been estimated, taking into account that the descriptors are correlated to each other through applying beta-binomial statistical modeling. The results show that ClogP has the largest influence on the molecular hit rate, followed by Fsp3 and HEV. fMF has only a minor influence besides its correlation with the other molecular descriptors.


In his book "The Ethics of Immigration", political philosopher Joseph Carens argues for the rights of migrant populations on the grounds of democracy, freedom, and equality. He advocates for open international borders, focusing on democratic countries in North America and Europe. Carens compares the current international order of closed borders to feudalism and discusses various forms of privilege Westerners have, which, he says, makes those in the West complacent and unaware of the injustices from which Westerners benefit. Focusing on the case of Spain, this project evaluates public opinions on the debate over open borders. I survey the support for open borders by examining whether Spaniards support democracy and human rights. I examine support for closed borders through whether they support self-determination. Finally, I examine support for a middle ground by looking at support for refugees and other special cases of migration. This project proposes that although Spaniards are overwhelmingly accepting of democratic values and human rights in theory, the data shows a reluctance to fully accept immigrants, regardless of their education level and place of origin.


In this paper, we introduce document level features that capture necessary information to help MT system perform better word sense disambiguation in the translation process. We describe enhancements to a Maximum Entropy based translation model, utilizing long distance contextual features identified from the span of entire document and from both source and target sides, to improve the likelihood of the correct translation for words with multiple meanings, and to improve the consistency of the translation output in a document setting. The proposed features have been observed to achieve substantial improvement of MT performance on a variety of standard test sets in terms of TER/BLEU score.


One of the world's largest countries, Brazil's national policies on early childhood are some of the most progressive and comprehensive in the world. Notable themes in Brazil's early childhood system include the national protection of children's rights, the integration of children's development, starting at birth, into the national education system, and universal preschool education. These rights are juxtaposed against a highly devolved political structure in the context of significant socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic disparities. As a result, there is variability in access to quality early childhood settings. This case study explores access to quality early childhood education (ECE) for children aged four to six years. We describe the economic and policy contexts of ECE in Brazil, with emphasis on the role of ECE in addressing regional, racial/ethnic, and economic disparities.


Despite the strength of the Cre/loxP recombination system in animal models, its application in rats trails that in mice because of the lack of relevant reporter strains. Here, we generated a floxed STOP tdTomato rat that conditionally expresses a red fluorescent protein variant (tdTomato) in the presence of exogenous Cre recombinase. The tdTomato signal vividly visualizes neurons including their projection fibers and spines without any histological enhancement. In addition, a transgenic rat line (FLAME) that ubiquitously expresses tdTomato was successfully established by injecting intracytoplasmic Cre mRNA into fertilized ova. Our rat reporter system will facilitate connectome studies as well as the visualization of the fine structures of genetically identified cells for long periods both in vivo and ex vivo. Furthermore, FLAME is an ideal model for organ transplantation research owing to improved traceability of cells/tissues.


Life expectancy is constantly increasing in developed countries. Unfortunately, a longer life does not always correspond to a healthier life, as even normal aging is associated with cognitive decline and increased risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases. Episodic memory (EM) is one of the most vulnerable cognitive functions in aging, and its decline is the hallmark of typical Alzheimer's disease. This memory system is defined as the ability to acquire and recollect personally experienced episodes associated with a specific affective, spatial, and temporal context. However, most of the neuropsychological and experimental tasks currently employed to assess EM consist in learning simple material (e.g., list of words) in highly stereotyped contexts. In the same vein, classical paper-and-pencil or numeric remediation tools have shown their limitations in the transfer of acquired skills to daily life. Virtual reality (VR), thanks to its immersive properties, and the possibility of delivering realistic and complex scenarios, seems a promising tool to address the limitations of the assessment and remediation of EM. Here, we review existing studies employing VR in normal and pathological aging to assess and reeducate EM. Overall, we show that VR has been mainly used via non-immersive systems. Further studies should, therefore, test the impact of different degrees of immersion. Moreover, there is a lack of VR remediation tools specifically targeting EM. We propose that future studies should fill this gap, addressing in particular the adaptivity of VR remediation protocols.


With the growing wind power penetration in the emerging power system, an accurate wind power forecasting method is very much essential, to help the system operators, to include wind generation into economic scheduling, unit commitment, and reserve allocation problems. It also assists the wind power producers to maximize their benefits by bidding in the electricity markets. A statistical-based wind power forecasting without using numerical weather prediction (NWP) inputs is carried out in this work. The proposed approach consists of two stages. In stage-I, wavelet decomposition of wind series is carried out and adaptive wavelet neural network (AWNN) is used to regress upon each decomposed signal, to predict wind speed up to 30 h ahead. In stage-II, a feed-forward neural network (FFNN) is used for nonlinear mapping between wind speed and wind power output, which transforms the forecasted wind speed into wind power prediction. The effectiveness of the proposed method is compared with persistence (PER) and new-reference (NR) benchmark models and the results show that the proposed model outperforms the benchmark models.


We apply the mathematical formalism of vector spherical harmonics decomposition to convective stellar velocity fields from multi-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations, and show that the resulting power spectra furnish a robust and stable statistical description of stellar convective turbulence. Analysis of the power spectra help identify key physical parameters of the convective process such as the dominant scale of the turbulent motions that influence the structure of massive evolved pre-supernova stars. We introduce the numerical method that can be used to calculate vector spherical harmonics power spectra from 2D and 3D convective shell simulation data. Using this method we study the properties of oxygen shell burning and convection for a 15-M star simulated by the hydrodynamics code FLASH in 2D and 3D. We discuss the importance of realistic initial conditions to achieving successful core-collapse supernova explosions in multi-dimensional simulations. We show that the calculated power spectra can be used to generate realizations of the velocity fields of pre-supernova convective shells. We find that the slope of the solenoidal mode power spectrum remains mostly constant throughout the evolution of convection in the oxygen shell in both 2D and 3D simulations. We also find that the characteristic radial scales of the convective elements are smaller in 3D than in 2D while the angular scales are larger in 3D.


Abstract A conjugate-gradient variational blending technique, based on the method of direct minimization, has been developed and applied to the problem of initialization in a limited-area model in the summer monsoon region. The aim is to blend gridded winds from a high-resolution limited-area analysis with a lower-resolution global analysis for use in a limited-area model that uses the, global analyst for boundary conditions. The ability of the variational matching approach in successfully blending meteorological analyses of varying resolutions is demonstrated. Reasonable agreement is found between the blended analyses and the imposed weak constraints, together with an adequate rate of convergence in the unconstrained minimization procedure. The technique is tested on the 1979 onset vortex vortex case using data from the FGGE Summer MONEX campaign. The results indicate that the forecasts made from the variationally matched analyses show positive impact and perform better than those from the unblended anal...


According to one definition, the prion is the "thing" that causes transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) (1). Two decades ago, Stanley Prusiner proposed that the prion consists exclusively of protein and replicates without agent-borne nucleic acids (2). This view encountered opposition initially but now enjoys widespread consensus. The precise physical nature of prions is still debated (3), its mode of replication is unclear, and no remedies to prion diseases have been found yet.

Aspects of the prion saga have captured popular imagination and inspired scientific scrutiny: the tragedy of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), the grossness of cannibalism, the greed and incompetence of politicians during the crisis of mad cow disease, and the iconoclastic passion of its protagonists. Life scientists cannot be immune to the fascination of an essentially enigmatic agent, which is still defying attempts at identification, molecular characterization, and therapy.

These unresolved questions are blended with literate craftsmanship in Maxime Schwartz's historical popularization of the plight between the agent causing TSE and the individuals (farmers, veterinarians, physicians, scientists) trying to understand and contain it. In his volume of spirited "edutainment" (in the best sense of the word), Schwartz recounts the emergence of what he refers to as "The Disease" in a dazzling variety of incarnations — from scrapie in sheep, through bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, and CJD transmitted through surgical instruments, growth hormones, and inheritance. While targeted to the sophisticated lay public, this book is quite ambitious in scope: it will certainly be useful to students and postgraduate life scientists and offers pleasurable reading even to those actively working in the prion field. Written in a style not usually attributed to this field, Schwartz's book presents a murder mystery that grabs the reader's attention.

The journey begins with a well-documented recounting of the early study of sheep scrapie in the 19th century. Amazingly, veterinarians of two centuries ago were already debating whether the essence of scrapie is infectious or genetic — a debate that continues today! We are then led through a narrative of historically accurate accounts of subsequent discoveries. The rise of The Disease from relative obscurity to center stage today is well told and entertaining. Many of the individuals who have shaped our understanding of prions, such as Carleton Gajdusek, William Hadlow, Stanley Prusiner, and Charles Weissmann, are described with empathy. Schwartz does a good job of reconstructing the intellectual pathways by which these protagonists arrived at their discoveries. The reader is immersed in the climate and feelings that surrounded the scientific developments and advances of the day.

Some of the previous popular books on this topic (4) were biased against Prusiner's hypothesis of prion propagation. Instead, Schwartz takes an equanimous stand and does justice to both the supporters and the critics of the protein-only hypothesis. Here, however, the book's dramaturgy falls short of real life: the debate on the nature of the prion is by no means settled, as exemplified by Nobel prize–winner Kurt Wuthrich's widely publicized reflections on the role of PrPSc (the protease-resistant form of the prion protein) in prion disease (5, 6). The passionate and occasionally incandescent clashes surrounding the identity of the agent, which once even led to the abrupt termination of a scientific meeting for reasons of "public order," are regrettably absent — although they would have undoubtedly contributed to the entertainment value of the book.

As former director of the French Institut Pasteur, Schwartz does not fail to highlight the role of Louis Pasteur in the discovery of microbes and to draw parallels with the chase of The Disease. However, these analogies remain somewhat superficial. It might have been challenging to reflect on the parallels between the "spontaneous generation" beliefs prevalent among Pasteur's contemporaries and the current expectation that prions are produced de novo as a proof of the protein-only hypothesis.

Schwartz provides an entertaining account of the subject. He does an excellent job of avoiding swamping the reader with technicalities — while adhering to exact concepts and rigorous terminology. The latter cannot be taken for granted, even in the technical TSE literature.

Have we conquered the disease? Both Schwartz and the present authors agree that this is not the case: some of the debates have continued in disturbingly similar form for nearly 100 years and are still open. It transpires from Schwartz's prose that maybe discoveries of Pasteurian reach are still out there to be made: this is why the study of prions continues to rank among the most exciting fields of modern biology.


Soluble salts are enriched in sewage sludge compost because of their inherent derivation. Accordingly, the content of soluble salt in sludge compost is usually much higher than most seedlings can tolerate. To determine whether sludge compost is suitable for use as a nursery substrate, some experiments were conducted. Reduction of the electrical conductivity (EC) value could improve seed germination in saturated extract from sludge compost. In addition, water elution and mixing dilution with raw soil were all shown to be able to alleviate saline inhibition on seed germination and seedling growth, including stem diameter, seedling height, and above-ground weight. Overall, salinity is a crucial problem when sewage sludge compost is reused as a nursery substrate, and some effective and convenient approaches to reduce salt should be served prior to its reuse. Implications:  Sewage sludge after being composted is usually reused as organic fertilizer or plant substrate. However, salt is the main problem during its reclamation. What is the highest salt level the seedling can tolerate? Which types of salts are effective in salinity of sludge-amended substrate? Meanwhile, can the salinity be reduced through water elution or soil mixing dilution? This paper is the first to investigate the salinity and its reduction of sewage sludge compost prior to its use in the development of nursery substrate.


A method was elaborated enabling an isolation of a stable and highly active thrombin to be used in determining the thrombin time and fibrinogen concentration in plasma. The stability of the thus obtained preparations was studied, which showed no changes in the activity of their liquid variations for as long as 28 days at 2-8 degrees C.


Four local grape cultivars (Halawani, Beiruiti Zaini and Beituni) were bench grafted on four different grape rootstocks (B41, Paulsen, Rugerri and Richter). Two grafting methods were used: whip tongue and wedge grafting. The experiment was conducted for two successive seasons (1997 and 1998). All rootstock basis were treated with Indolebutyric- acid (IBA) at 8000 ppm in the form of powder. The results showed a great variability in the rooting ability of the different rootstocks with Paulsen rootstock which resulted in the higher rooting ability, while Rugerri and B41 resulted significantly in the lower rooting percentage in both seasons. The scion as well as the grafting method did not affect the rooting ability of the rootstocks. The rootstock scion combination showed high healing ability with a significant interaction between both graft partners. Rugerri and Richter resulted in the highest healing of grafts. The vegetative bud growth of the graft varied among the different scion cultivars but without any significant effect of grafting method or rootstocks in both seasons. Both Halawani and Beiruiti resulted in the higher vegetative growth during propagation.


Climate policy spillovers can be either positive or negative since firms change their production processes in response to climate policies, which may either increase or decrease emissions of other pollutants. Understanding these ancillary benefits or costs has important implications for climate policy design, modeling, and benefit-cost analysis. This paper shows how spillovers can be decomposed into output effects (which have ancillary benefits) and substitution effects (which may have ancillary benefits or ancillary costs). The ambiguous net effect highlights the importance of polluters' responses to climate policy. I then test for climate policy spillovers in electricity power generation. The estimates are consistent with ancillary benefits from climate policy arising primarily from reductions in output (primarily at older plants) rather than from changes in emissions rates.


ABSTRACT Rangel-Buitrago, N.G.; Thomas, T.; Phillips, M.R.; Anfuso, G., and Williams, A.T., 2016. Wave climate, storminess, and northern hemisphere teleconnection patterns influences: The Outer Bristol Channel, South Wales, U.K. This paper investigates potential climate-change impacts on the Outer Bristol Channel (Wales, U.K.) by analysing a 15-year wave-buoy dataset (1998–2013) to characterise wave climate and storms. The research showed that the increasing storminess experienced during the latter half of the 20th century did not, as expected, continue into the first decades of the 21st century; however, the wave climate showed clear cyclic variation in average monthly significant wave height (Hs), with low values occurring between May and August (Hs < 1.4 m, Hsmax < 6 m) and a minimum in August (Hs = 1.3 m, Hsmax = 5.2 m). Monthly mean wave power was 27.4 kwm−1, with a maximum of 951 kwm−1 during December. The 267 storm events were recorded during the assessment period. Storm-severity distribution presented a log-normal trend, with weak and moderate events making up 73% of the record (125 and 69 events, respectively); significant (18%), severe (4%), and extreme (6%) storms resulting in 73 events that are more destructive made up the remainder of the record. Fifty-five percent of the monthly averaged wave variations, wave power, and storminess indices are linked to several teleconnection patterns, the most relevant being the Arctic Oscillation, with 23.45%, the North Atlantic Oscillation, with 20.65%, and the East Atlantic with 10.9%. This kind of characterization is essential for design considerations to any proposed developments within the Bristol Channel that affect the coastal zone, e.g., the proposed design of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, which is capable of generating over 542,000 MWhyr−1 of renewable energy.


Progression through the cell cycle is controlled by the induction of cyclins and activation of cognate cyclin-dependent kinases. The human hepatitis B virus-X (HBV-X) protein functions in gene expression alterations, in the sensitization of cells to apoptotic killing and deregulates cell growth arrest in certain cancer cell types. We have pursued the mechanism of growth arrest in Hep3B cells, a p53-mutant human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line. In stable or transient HBV-X transformed Hep3B cells, HBV-X increased protein and mRNA levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) p21(waf1/cip1) increased binding of p21(waf1/cip1) with cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), markedly inhibited cyclin E and CDK2 associated phosphorylation of histone H1 and induced the activation of a p21 promoter reporter construct. By using p21 promoter deletion constructs, the HBV-X responsive element was mapped to a region between -1185 and -1482, relative to the transcription start site. Promoter mutation analysis indicated that the HBV-X responsive site coincides with the ets factor binding sites. These data indicate that in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, HBV-X can circumvent the loss of p53 functions and induces critical downstream regulatory events leading to transcriptional activation of p21(waf1/cip1). As a consequence, there is an increased chance of acquisition of mutations which can enhance the genesis of hepatomas. Our results also emphasize the chemotherapeutic potential of p21(waf1/cip1) inhibitors, particularly in the HBV-X infected hepatoma which lacks functional p53.


The use of limited organic resources to build resilience to drought in semi-arid regions was investigated using systems modelling. The study focused on Halaba in Ethiopia, drawing on biophysical and socio-economic data obtained from a survey of farms before, during and after the 2015/16 El Niño event. Using a simplified weather dataset to remove noise from weather fluctuations, a ten yearly El Niño was demonstrated to cause significant long-term degradation of soil, reducing crop yields by 9%–14% and soil carbon by 0.5%–4.1%; more frequent droughts would increase this impact. Farmers in Halaba usually apply manures to soils untreated. Counteracting the impact of El Niño on soil degradation is possible by increasing application of untreated manure, but would result in a small net cost due to loss of dung as fuel. By composting manure its recalcitrance increases, allowing soil degradation to be counteracted without cost. The best option investigated, in terms of both food and fuel security, for households with access to water and finances needed for anaerobic digestion (500–2000 US$), is to use manure to produce biogas and then apply the nutrient-rich bioslurry residue to the soil. This will result in a significant benefit of over 5000 US$ per decade from increased crop production and saved fuel costs. However, many households are limited in water and finances; in that situation, the much cheaper pyrolysis cook-stove (50 US$) can provide similar economic benefits without the need for water. The biochar residue from pyrolysis is highly recalcitrant, but pyrolysis results in loss of nutrients, so may result in lower yields than other uses of manures. This may be countered by using biochar to capture nutrients from elsewhere in the farm, such as from animal housing or compost pits; more work is needed to quantify the impact of treated biochar on crop yields.


Wolbachia endosymbionts in arthropods often cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) that results in embryonic death when infected males mate with uninfected females or females harboring different Wolbachia strains. Here, we use Drosophila transgenics and a variety of CI gene (cifA and cifB) homologs to test if sequence variation causes phenotypic variation in the strength of CI and incompatibilities between strains. We report that cif homologs cause weak and rescuable CI, closely related cifA homologs are often interchangeable and compatible, cifB sequence variation associates with CI levels, and divergent homologs can exhibit unidirectional CI against each other.


This paper provides inference methods for best linear approximations to functions which are known to lie within a band. It extends the partial identification literature by allowing the upper and lower functions defining the band to be any functions, including ones carrying an index, which can be estimated parametrically or non-parametrically. The identification region of the parameters of the best linear approximation is characterised via its support function, and limit theory is developed for the latter. We prove that the support function approximately converges to a Gaussian process, and validity of the Bayesian bootstrap is established. The paper nests as special cases the canonical examples in the literature: mean regression with interval valued outcome data and interval valued regressor data. Because the bounds may carry an index, the paper covers problems beyond mean regression; the framework is extremely versatile. Applications include quantile and distribution regression with interval valued data, sample selection problems, as well as mean, quantile and distribution treatment effects. Moreover, the framework can account for the availability of instruments. An application is carried out, studying female labor force participation along the lines of Mulligan and Rubinstein (2008).


This spirited and engaging multidisciplinary volume pins its focus on the lived experiences and cultural depictions of women's mobility and labor in Japan. The theme of "modern girls" continues to offer a captivating window into the changes that women's roles have undergone during the course of the last century. Here we encounter Japanese women inhabiting the most modern of spaces, in newly created professions, moving upward and outward, claiming the public life as their own: shop girls, elevator girls, dance hall dancers, tour bus guides, airline stewardesses, international beauty queens, overseas teachers, corporate soccer players, and even female members of the Self-Defense Forces. Directly linking gender, mobility, and labor in 20th and 21st century Japan, this collection brings to life the ways in which these modern girls-historically and contemporaneously-have influenced social roles, patterns of daily life, and Japan's global image. It is an ideal guidebook for students, scholars, and general readers alike.


The object of this report is to bring together the investigations of the various aerodynamic laboratories in this country and Europe upon the subject of aerofoils suitable for use as lifting or control surfaces on aircraft. The data have been so arranged as to be of most use to designing engineers and for the purposes of general reference. The absolute system of coefficients has been used, since it is thought by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics that this system is the one most suited for international use, and yet is one for which a desired transformation can be easily made. For this purpose a set of transformation constants is included in this report.


We construct a smooth algebraic stack of tuples consisting of genus two nodal curves, line bundles, and twisted fields. It leads to a desingularization of the moduli of genus two stable maps to projective spaces. The construction is based on systematical application of the theory of stacks with twisted fields (STF), which has its prototype appeared in [9, 10] and is fully developed in this article. The results of this article are the second step of a series of works toward the resolutions of the moduli of stable maps of higher genera.


ABSTRACT  This article explores shifts in anthropological career opportunities and subjectivities in the United States since World War II. Survey and interview data reveal a lively discourse surrounding the changing job market in which practicing anthropology outside of the academy is often identified as a secondary occupational choice. We argue that the nonacademic practitioner's subjectivity is defined in contrast to (and by) academically based anthropologists and the long-standing, but often implicit, hierarchy of universities and programs. Typically, the nonacademic "other" is further marginalized by his or her gender and racial-ethnic minority status. However, we find evidence of a "sea change" within the discipline, led by nonuniversity-based practitioners and a subset of departments (often with a commitment to applied anthropology), that produces and links practitioners with students and faculty in their programs.


College students choose a major or an area of specialization for a variety of reasons. Earning potential, parental pressure, perceived demand and sometimes accident may enter in. They often report choosing travel and tourism or related fields based on pre-employment expectations of the glamour and excitement that this field is thought to provide. Graduates of many fields often enter professions and occupations only to find· that reality does not meet pre-employment expectations. As the tourism and travel industry matures, and greater numbers of students are attracted, differences between expectations and experiences take on added importance. The objective of this study was to ascertain, the actual experience across the U.S. in a variety of travel/tourism occupations. This paper concerns the special comments made by those surveyed relative to their extreme "lik.es" and "dislikes". PERCEPTION AND REALITY IN TRAVEL-RELATED EMPLOYMENT


Real estate is complex ecosystem with multiple factors related to human society. For a long time, real estate regulation policy in China focuses on statistics rather than classification analysis, less ecotype evaluation. Michaelis-Menten equation is a model used to descrbe enzyme kinetics by relating enzymatic reaction rate to the concentration of a substrate. It was used to analyze the real estate policy, control and regulation by simulation of inhibition mechanism, and classification of competitive, non-competitive, mixed and uncompetitive for distinction. This model would to be a new way and helpful to study policy ecologically of the real estate industry


The provision of recreational facilities is among the more important functions of local government. Their scale and location are often controversial as they can have significant positive and adverse effects on a community. Cricket is traditionally New Zealand's summer game, often televised and contributing to the culture of the nation through the deeds of its top players (including Sir Richard Hadlee, a Cantabrian who was knighted for his services to cricket), and controversies like the under-arm bowling incident (Australia vs NZ, 1981). It should therefore come as no surprise that seeking a new home for test cricket in Christchurch has created significant debate and been a subject of great interest for planners. This article places the issue in historical context and briefly reviews the range of options considered before evaluating the final choice based on the relevant planning matters.


BACKGROUND
High-resolution amplicon melting analysis was recently introduced as a closed-tube method for genotyping and mutation scanning (Gundry et al. Clin Chem 2003;49:396-406). The technique required a fluorescently labeled primer and was limited to the detection of mutations residing in the melting domain of the labeled primer. Our aim was to develop a closed-tube system for genotyping and mutation scanning that did not require labeled oligonucleotides.

METHODS
We studied polymorphisms in the hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene (T102C), beta-globin (hemoglobins S and C) gene, and cystic fibrosis (F508del, F508C, I507del) gene. PCR was performed in the presence of the double-stranded DNA dye LCGreen, and high-resolution amplicon melting curves were obtained. After fluorescence normalization, temperature adjustment, and/or difference analysis, sequence alterations were distinguished by curve shape and/or position. Heterozygous DNA was identified by the low-temperature melting of heteroduplexes not observed with other dyes commonly used in real-time PCR.

RESULTS
The six common beta-globin genotypes (AA, AS, AC, SS, CC, and SC) were all distinguished in a 110-bp amplicon. The HTR2A single-nucleotide polymorphism was genotyped in a 544-bp fragment that split into two melting domains. Because melting curve acquisition required only 1-2 min, amplification and analysis were achieved in 10-20 min with rapid cycling conditions.

CONCLUSIONS
High-resolution melting analysis of PCR products amplified in the presence of LCGreen can identify both heterozygous and homozygous sequence variants. The technique requires only the usual unlabeled primers and a generic double-stranded DNA dye added before PCR for amplicon genotyping, and is a promising method for mutation screening.


We present a simple diffraction experiment with fractal gratings based on the triadic Cantor set. Diffraction by fractals is proposed as a motivating strategy for students of optics in the potential applications of optical processing. Fraunhofer diffraction patterns are obtained using standard equipment present in most undergraduate physics laboratories and compared with those obtained with conventional periodic gratings. It is shown that fractal gratings produce self-similar diffraction patterns which can be evaluated analytically. Good agreement is obtained between experimental and numerical results.


This study considers what constitutes an appropriate religious education for student
teachers of religious education in the second-level sector in the Republic of Ireland.
The research adopts an interpretive approach to relevant documentary sources and
traces the evolution of how the State and the Catholic Church, given its prominent
role in that society, understand the term religious education. This analysis suggests
that how the nature and purpose of religious education is understood is a significant
context in developing an appropriate religious education for teachers of religious
education. It is argued that religious education is best conceived of as a
conversational activity that is hermeneutical in nature. How the religious educator is
prepared to lead such a conversation is crucial. This concept of religious education is
developed by drawing on Thomas Groome's theological vision of appropriation and
Robert Jackson's educational concept of edification. The argument considers how
the study of theology, an essential requirement in the initial teacher education of
teachers of religious education according to the Teaching Council of Ireland, can
contribute to the religious education of these students. The tradition of theological
education, with its focus on how theology is taught, emerges as a significant
foundation for a religious education that is appropriate for the students in question.
Six principles for such a theological education arise from this research indicating
essential elements for an appropriate religious education for future teachers of
religious education in the Republic of Ireland and beyond.


ABSTRACT The increasing use of computer enhancement and simulation to reveal the unseen human body brings with it challenges, opportunities and responsibilities at the interface of art and science. Here they are presented and discussed in the context of efforts to understand the role of blood-flow dynamics in vascular disease.


China's South–NorthWater Transfer Project (SNWTP) is a vast and still expanding network of infrastructure and institutions that moves water from the Yangtze River and its tributaries to cities in North China. This article aims to assess the SNWTP's impacts by beginning to answer seven questions about the project: How is the management of the SNWTP evolving? What are the problems to be resolved when managing SNWTP water within jurisdictions? What are the status and management of water quality in the SNWTP? What are the consequences of resettlements caused by the SNWTP? How is increased water supply affecting regional development? Is the SNWTP achieving its stated environmental goals? What are the sustainability credentials of the SNWTP? Drawing on primary and secondary data, the article demonstrates oth that the opportunities and burdens characterising the project are highly uneven and that management systems are evolving rapidly in an attempt to enforce strict water quality targets. Furthermore, while the SNWTP may be helping to resolve groundwater overexploitation in Beijing, it is highly energy intensive, raising questions about its sustainability. Our analysis highlights the need to continue to interrogate the socioeconomic, ,environmental, and political implications of such schemes long after they are officially completed.


The major goal of this study was to observe the effectiveness of Virtual Reality Training (VRT) in assisting students who suffer from Communication Apprehension (CA). CA seems to be prevalent throughout a large portion of the human population. Apparently, this study has only a few precedents and can be considered a novel step in treatment of CA. Thirty undergraduate volunteer students enrolled at a university in Georgia participated in this study. A virtual auditorium scene for CA training was created. Virtual Auditorium was a simulation of a 48 foot wide, 100 foot long, and 55 foot high auditorium with three sections of chairs that accommodated over 100 spectators. The virtual auditorium program was designed to allow the audience to enter the auditorium one at a time, then by five at a time until the whole auditorium was filled. Also, several audio clips were used to react to and create a desired effect upon the participant. The audio clips included making comments, encouraging the participant to speak louder, ignoring the participant, laughing, holding conversations with others, and clapping hands at the beginning or end of the entire session. An amplifier was used in conjunction with the virtual reality software in order for the participant to hear the echo of their own voice. A Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale was used for all five sessions to measure the participantâ??s anxiety level. SUD scale ranged from 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (panic-level anxiety). Sessions lasted approximately 40 to 45 minutes. After analyzing the data, the result of this research showed VRT to be effective at reducing CA anxiety. While there was fluctuation in the standard deviation of data, meaning participants responded the VRT at different rates, the average level of anxiety reported during the post-test was significantly less than that of the pre-test. The participants reported experiencing the same symptoms during VRT sessions just as they would experience in a real situation. The symptoms were dry mouth, nervousness, dizzy eyes, sweating, shaking, and increased heart rate. The results indicated that VRT may be an effective method in reducing CA anxiety in participants. In general, VRT was shown to decrease CA anxiety symptoms and increase self-confidence in participants, and also allowed them to get involved in discussions and presentations more frequently.


Samples of thermogenic hydrocarbon gases, from vents and gas hydrate mounds within a sea-floor chemosynthetic community on the Gulf of Mexico continental slope at about 540 m depth, were collected by research submersible. The study area is characterized by low water temperature (mean = 7 C), high pressure (about 5,400 kPa), and abundant structure II gas hydrate. Bacterial oxidation of hydrate-bound methane (CH{sub 4}) is indicated by three isotopic properties of gas hydrate samples. Relative to the vent gas from which the gas hydrate formed, (1) methane-bound methane is enriched in {sup 13}C by as much as 3.8% PDB (Peedee belemnite), (2) hydrate-bound methane is enriched in deuterium (D) by as much as 37% SMOW (standard mean ocean water), and (3) hydrate-bound carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) is depleted in {sup 13}C by as much as 22.4% PDB. Hydrate-associated authigenic carbonate rock is also depleted in {sup 13}C. Bacterial oxidation of methane is a driving force in chemosynthetic communities, and in the concomitant precipitation of authigenic carbonate rock that modifies sea-floor geology. Bacterial oxidation of hydrate-bound methane expands the potential boundaries of life in extreme environments.


Purpose: Report the results of a randomized, controlled trial of Live Healthy, Work Healthy (LHWH), a worksite translation of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP). Design: 14 worksites were randomly assigned to LHWH, standard CDSMP (usual care) or no-intervention (control) group. Setting: The diverse set of work organizations centered around a rural community in SE US. Subjects: 411 participants completed baseline data with 359 being included in the final analyses. Intervention: LHWH had been adapted to fit the unique characteristics of work organizations. This translated program consists of 15 sessions over 8 weeks and was facilitated by trained lay leaders. Measures: The primary outcomes including health risk, patient-provider communication, quality of life, medical adherence and work performance were collected pretest, posttest (6 mos.) and follow-up (12 mos.). Analysis: Analyses were conducted using latent change score models in a structural equation modeling framework. Results: 79% of participants reported at least one chronic condition with an average of 2.7 chronic conditions reported. Results indicated that LHWH program demonstrated positive changes in a most outcomes including significant exercise (uΔ = 0.89, p < .01), chronic disease self-efficacy (uΔ = 0.63, p < .05), fatigue (uΔ = −1.45, p < .05), stress (uΔ = −0.98, p < .01) and mentally unhealthy days (uΔ = −3.47, p < .001). Conclusions: The translation of LHWH is an effective, low cost, embeddable program that has the potential to improve the health and work life of employees.


Admixture with archaic hominins has altered the landscape of genomic variation in modern human populations. Several gene regions have been previously identified as candidates of adaptive introgression (AI) that facilitated human adaptation to specific environments. However, simulation-based studies have suggested that population genetics processes other than adaptive mutations, such as heterosis from recessive deleterious variants private to populations before admixture, can also lead to patterns in genomic data that resemble adaptive introgression. The extent to which the presence of deleterious variants affect the false-positive rate and the power of current methods to detect AI has not been fully assessed. Here, we used extensive simulations to show that recessive deleterious mutations can increase the false positive rates of tests for AI compared to models without deleterious variants. We further examined candidates of AI in modern humans identified from previous studies and show that, although deleterious variants may hinder the performance of AI detection in modern humans, most signals remained robust when deleterious variants are included in the null model. While deleterious variants may have a limited impact on detecting signals of adaptive introgression in humans, we found that at least two AI candidate genes, HYAL2 and HLA, are particularly susceptible to high false positive rates due to the recessive deleterious mutations. By quantifying parameters that affect heterosis, we show that the high false positives are largely attributed to the high exon densities together with low recombination rates in the genomic regions, which can further be exaggerated by the population growth in recent human evolution. Although the combination of such parameters is rare in the human genome, caution is still warranted in other species with different genomic composition and demographic histories.


Objective To review the methods used for determining novel psychiatric research diagnoses in children and adolescents after acquired brain injury, and their limitations. Method A literature search was conducted using EMBASE, Medline, PsycInfo, and CINAHL. 61 papers were identified, of which 18 met the inclusion criteria. The 18 papers were analysed in terms of their focus, participant characteristics, psychiatric disorders studied, evidence level, and the methods used for diagnosing novel psychiatric disorders. A grounded theory approach was used to classify any limitations identified in the papers. Results The majority of studies focused on specific psychiatric disorders or symptoms. Most studies included participants with a broad range of ages and injury severity. Mood disorders, anxiety disorders and secondary ADHD were commonly studied. All studies used standardised assessment measures for determining psychiatric diagnoses. Most studies used structured clinical interviews, predominantly K-SADS. Limitations were identified relating to general study design, the participant. Conclusion Studying novel psychiatric disorders after paediatric ABI is a highly important but challenging area. Further research is needed to assess the validity of current assessment methods, and to develop new tools for specific use in this population. Researchers in this area should be mindful of the multiple limitations faced, and address or acknowledge these where possible.


Acrylamide is a chemical compound which starchy foods such as biscuits are prone to formation. Since biscuit is one of the most consumed floury products specially for children, the objective of this research is to assay the effect of the replacement of whey protein powder with dried milk in the 3 levels (25, 75 and 100 %), and the effect of the replacement of ammonium hydrogen carbonate and baking powder with sodium hydrogen carbonate on acrylamide, reducing sugar, protein, moisture, pH and acidity content on Petit Beurre and Madar biscuits were investigated. By increasing whey protein powder replacement in both kinds of biscuits, pH, only in samples which were completely produced by dried milk powder and whey protein powder, was considerable. In this phase protein content had decreasing, while acidity and reducing sugar had increasing procedure. The content of acrylamide in Madar and Petit Beurre biscuit samples produced by 100 % whey protein powder, in comparison with control, decreased 11.9 % and 4.1 % respectively, which may be related to the decrease of protein content in formulation. The content of pH and acidity respectively decreased and increased by replacing sodium hydrogen carbonate with baking powder. By using sodium hydrogen carbonate in both biscuit samples the content of reducing sugar considerably decreased. The minimum and maximum amount of acrylamide was observed in the samples containing sodium hydrogen carbonate and ammonium hydrogen carbonate, respectively.


This paper offers an in-depth sociological analysis of how the interplay of climatic factors, agricultural technologies and markets shapes smallholder livelihoods in Bangladesh to help sketch the outline for a sustainable agricultural adaptation strategy. It intends to question the technological optimism inherent in mainstream climate change policy discourse by highlighting the multiple sources of vulnerabilities of smallholder peasants in Bangladesh. Using findings from a qualitative study, it demonstrates how smallholders in Bangladesh currently experience climate change through their everyday agricultural practices, and how climate change along with the ecosystem destruction from modern farming technologies adversely affects their livelihoods. Drawing on the recent literature on sustainable adaptation, this paper argues that any agricultural adaptation strategy in Bangladesh must analyse the vulnerabilities of farming communities at the intersection of their geographically specific exposure to climatic threats, the extent of their market participation and the socioecological implications of their technology adoption. It concludes that an eventual departure from the current rice monoculture pivoted on chemical dependence and an excessive use of natural resources is the prerequisite for a sustainable agricultural adaptation.


Abstract Ipomoea species are troublesome weeds in crop systems through Brazil. Drought stress typically reduces glyphosate efficacy by reducing the foliar uptake of herbicides and their translocation. Using both glyphosate tolerant (GT) and sensitive (GS) plants from Ipomoea grandifolia, I. indivisa and I. purpurea species, this research aimed to (a) correlate amounts of epicuticular wax and tolerance to glyphosate in plants and (b) determine the effect of drought stress (DStress) on changes in the quantity and chemical composition of plant epicuticular waxes. The dose that causes 50% inhibition of growth (GR50) of the biotypes varied between 62 and 1208 (I. grandifolia), 159 and 913 (I. indivisa), and 389 and 1925 g a.e. ha−1 of glyphosate (I. purpurea). There was low inverse correlation (–0.46) between the amount of epicuticular wax and the sensitivity to glyphosate. GT biotypes of the species presented greater plastic capacities than GS biotypes for increasing the amount of epicuticular wax under DStress. The three Ipomoea species exhibited different chemical profiles of waxes supported by IR spectra, which allows for their differentiation. For I. grandifolia and I. purpurea, there was an increase in the polar components in the state without DStress, while for the species I. indivisa, no differences in infrared spectra were detected between the two water conditions.


This life cycle design (LCD) project was a collaborative effort between the National Pollution Prevention Center at the University of Michigan, General Motors (GM), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The primary objective of this project was to apply life cycle design tools to guide the improvement of fuel tank systems. Two alternative fuel tank systems used in a 1996 GM vehicle line were investigated: a multi-layer high density polyethylene (HDPE) tank system, and a steel tank system. The design analysis included a life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis, performance analysis and preliminary life cycle cost analysis. The scope of the LCI study encompassed materials production, the manufacturing processes for each tank system, the contribution of each tank system to the use phase burdens of the vehicle, and the end-of-life management processes based on the current vehicle retirement infrastructure. The LCI analysis indicated lower energy burdens for the HDPE tank system and comparable solid waste burdens for both systems. Based on the results of the LCI, streamlined environmental metrics were proposed. While both systems meet basic performance requirements, the HDPE system offers design flexibility in meeting capacity requirements, and also provided a fuel cost savings. The life cycle design framework was useful in evaluating environmental, performance, and cost trade-offs among and between both fuel tank systems. Life Cycle Design of a Fuel Tank System


Background Cardiovascular disease (CVO) prevention suffers from a major gap between clinical evidence (Information) and clinical practice (Implementation). Insufficient control risk factor levels and under-utilization of aspirin, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors and beta-blockers are well-known examples. Methods The SaM (Screening and Monitoring) approach was devised by a family physician in order to facilitate closure of this gap. It does so by providing solutions to problems in the fields of Information and implementation. A simple manipulation of the electronic medical record used In the practice serves to facilitate cyclic monitoring of patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Technological and human resources available In the primary care setting are used. The approach Is described In the first part of the article. The second part presents results obtained by employing the approach on one family physician's patient population. Results The final results demonstrate a marked Improvement over time in risk factor levels and use of medications in accordance with Indications. The values achieved are superior to those reported In the literature. Blood pressure In hypertensive patients 134175mmHg; haemoglobin A1c 7.27%; low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol In patients with CVO or diabetes, 97mg/dl; patients with CVO receiving anti-thrombotic medication, 94%; dyslipldaemic patients with CVO or diabetes· receiving lipid-lowering drugs, 90%; post myocardial Infarction patients receiving beta-blockers, 76%; hypertensive diabetics or patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) receiving ACE-Inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, 86%. Conclusions In this one-practice pilot-study, the SaM approach was employed with marked Improvement in risk factor levels and use of appropriate medications. This may translate into reductions in morbidity and mortality in a larger population. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 12:56-62 © 2005 The European Society of Cardiology


Background: Recent guidelines from NICE have proposed that open access gastroscopy is largely limited to patients with "alarm" symptoms. Aims and methods: This study reviewed the outcome of all our patients with verified oesophageal or gastric carcinoma who presented with uncomplicated dyspepsia to see if endoscopic investigation is warranted in this group. All patients with histologically verified upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers who presented over a period from 1998 to 2002 were identified. Their presenting symptoms, treatment, and outcome were analysed. Results: 228 upper GI cancers (119 oesophageal, 109 gastric; mean age 72 years (29–99 years); 130 male, 82 female) were identified in 11 145 endoscopies performed. Only 14 patients (6.2%) presented without alarm symptoms; three patients were under 55 years of age and all had gastric carcinoma—one of these had chronic diarrhoea only. Eleven had dyspepsia or reflux symptoms only, and two were under surveillance for Barrett's oesophagus. Only five patients had a curative surgical resection and are still alive two—six years from diagnosis. A sixth patient had a curative operation but died of a cerebrovascular accident one year later. The remaining eight patients unfortunately had either metastatic disease or comorbidity, which precluded surgery. All of these died within two years of diagnosis, mean survival 10 months. Conclusion: Only five patients with dyspepsia and no alarm symptoms had resectable upper GI malignancies over a four year period. Limiting open access gastroscopy to those with alarm features only would "miss" a small number of patients who have curable upper GI malignancy.


MERRITT, RONALD L., JR. The Effect of Concept Mapping on Community College Precalculus Students' Conceptual Understanding of Inverse Functions. (Under the direction of William M. Waters, Jr.) The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of concept mapping on community college precalculus students' conceptual understanding of inverse functions. This study employed a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design in which a single instructor taught one experimental precalculus algebra class and one control precalculus algebra class. Students in the experimental group (n = 15) participated in one collaborative "System of Equations" concept mapping exercise. These students also individually constructed maps given the seed concepts "Inverse" and "Functional Inverse." Other than the concept mapping treatment, all assignments, assessments and instruction were equivalent for the experimental and control groups (n = 21). The duration of the experiment was about 12 weeks. Three veteran mathematics community college instructors and two professors of mathematics education from a local university collaborated to create criterion maps for this study. The Markham, Mintzes and Jones' rubric for scoring science-oriented concept maps and these criterion maps were used to quantify students' individual maps. Quantification of the maps relied on seven components: concept, link, hierarchy, initial branching, successive branching, crosslink, and example. Other data collected for analysis in this experiment includes pretest diagnostic scores, unit test scores and selected subscores, a routine writing assignment score, final examination subscore, and a variety of demographic data. ANOVA and a Backward Elimination model ( 05 . = α ) revealed that the inverse function map score is significant and contributes to significant variation in the final course grade. However, distribution-free and independent non-equivalent t-tests disclose very few significant differences between the two groups for the duration of the course. Qualitative analyses of the (1) mathematics instructors and professors surveys on concept mapping usefulness, (2) system of equations and inverse function maps, and (3) the follow-up survey provided further evidence that concept mapping supports the NCTM and AMATYC Standards. THE EFFECT OF CONCEPT MAPPING ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRECALCULUS STUDENTS' CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF INVERSE FUNCTIONS


The study re-appraised the validity of long-run money neutrality in Nigeria. The reason for this owes from the dilemma faced by monetary authorities via their inabilities to utilize an effective monetary policy that can drive and actualize her key macroeconomic objectives in a sustainable manner. The study employed Johannsen co-integration test and Vector error correction mechanism approach to re-validate the tenacity of money neutrality in Nigeria, both in the long and short-run using annual time series data from 1981 to 2018. The results from the Phillips curve model refute the validity of long-run money neutrality while that of Fishers effect relation exerted partial long-run money neutrality in Nigeria. Hence, revealing that Fishers effect is more effective in validating money neutrality in Nigeria comparatively. Similarly, the Normalized co-integration test and the VECM estimate supported that of the above. Also, the error correction model (ECM) suggests that, for money to be wholly neutral in the long-run, it will take one year and nine months. Consequently, the study concludes that the old debate of money neutrality is not entirely practicable in Nigeria due to the existence of nominal rigidity and partial violation of the classical and monetarist dichotomies of monetary aggregates. Based on the above conclusion, the study recommends that the government should adopt sound policy coordination to achieve an overall macroeconomic objective in the long-run. Furthermore, the CBN should put all measures in place to suppress the uncomplimentary time lag between the time they spot the need for changes in monetary policy and the time to take action, to enhance a successful result of fine-tuning monetary policy instruments


.. Objectives: To study the impact of anti-inflammatory agent like Bryophyllum pinnatum aqueous extract and diclofenac on blood pressure and creatinine clearance. Study Design: Experimental study. Setting: Sargodha Medical College, Sargodha, Department of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha. Period: 1st January 2019 to 30th June 2019. Material & Methods: 24 Sprague Dawley rats were obtained and were then divided into four groups. Negative control group (A) contained animals received normal diet while Group B, C and D received diet containing sucrose (20% w/w) to induce hypertension. After that group B (positive control group) received distilled water 0.5 ml was by oral route, group C (Bryophyllum pinnatum group) received Bryophyllum pinnatum aqueous extract 300 mg/ml intraperitoneally and group D received diclofenac 12 mg/kg intraperitoneally as a single morning dose for two weeks. Blood pressure of animals was recorded at baseline and then weekly throughout the study using tail cuff using non-invasive blood pressure controller (ML125R). Animals were anesthetised with chloroform and two ml blood was drawn through cardiac puncture at 0, 4 and 6 weeks. Blood was tested for haematocrit. Serum sodium and potassium levels were estimated by flame photometer. Urinary creatinine levels were estimated by kinetic Jaffé method. The data collected was processed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20). Results: Mean and standard deviation of systolic blood pressure (BP) of group A rats did not change with time, while that of group B, C and D increased till 4th week. Creatinine clearance of group A, B and C did not change much with time but that of group D decreased towards end of study period. Conclusion: Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf aqueous extract is an effective anti-hypertensive agent with minimal renal effects.


Movements can be analysed in terms of horizontal or vertical dimensions, but cetacean movement is ultimately three-dimensional, and it is the integration of analyses of both horizontal and vertical movements that will provide the most insight about an animal's behaviour. Current field techniques can provide simultaneous information on both diving (vertical movements) and ranging (horizontal movements). We discuss the considerations, techniques and analyses for diving and ranging studies, together with the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. Ranging studies using VHF or satellite-linked radio-transmitters have evolved alongside studies of diving behaviour using time‐depth recorders, and problems associated with deployment and attachment techniques apply to both. The diving (and concurrent ranging behaviour) of 13 species of odontocetes has been studied using time‐depth recorders or acoustic transponders with VHF-or satellite-transmitters. However, differences in sampling techniques used, and summary statistics presented, have made comparisons difficult. We review these issues and suggest parameters that should be presented in future studies of diving and ranging. In general, studies should be consistent in their presentation of the basic parameters and statistics, and provide enough information for the reader to assess the limitations of the data.


Fucoidan, the complex fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharide varies considerably in structure, composition, and bioactivity, depending on the source, species, seasonality, and extraction method. In this study, we examined five fucoidans extracted from the same seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida but from different geological locations, and compared them to the laboratory-grade fucoidan from Sigma (S). The five products differed in molecular composition. The amount of over 2 kDa low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of the New Zealand crude fucoidan (S1) was larger than that of S, and this fraction was unique, compared to the other four fucoidans. The difference of molecular compositions between S and S1 explained our previous observation that S1 exhibited different anticancer profile in some cancer cell lines, compared with S. Since we observed this unique LMWF, we compared the cytotoxic effects of a LMWF and a high molecular weight fucoidan (HMWF) in two breast cancer cell lines—MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Results indicated that the molecular weight is a critical factor in determining the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan, from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida, as the LMWF exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, significantly better than the HMWF, in both cell lines. A time-dependent inhibition was only observed in the MCF-7. Induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells, through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway alone, or with the extrinsic pathway. LMWF stimulated a dose-dependent NOS activation in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the fucoidan extracted from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida contains a unique LMWF, which could effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the LMWF from New Zealand U. pinnatifida could be used as a supplement cancer treatment.


We study the effects of violence towards children on early childhood cognitive and noncognitive development. We use data from a longitudinal nationally representative survey of Chilean children to generate estimates of the effect of different types of violence on child development. We have measures of children's exposure to verbal and/or physical violence for two rounds of the survey conducted in 2010 and 2012. We study its effects on two different tests: one that measures vocabulary (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, PPVT) and one that measures socio-emotional development (Child Behavioral Check List, CBCL). We contribute to the literature by providing estimates, which can be interpreted as causal under plausible conditions that are less restrictive than cross-sectional estimates. We find that after controlling for child-mother unobservable characteristics, being exposed to either verbal or physical violence has a negative and significant effect on verbal skills of children, and that exposure to any form of violence negatively affects socio-emotional development, increasing internalization and externalization problems, as well as sleep problems. We also find that systematic exposure to violence over time decreases child development in both areas. Finally, we study heterogeneous effects along three lines: child's sex, age, and maternal education level. We find that both boys and girls are negatively affected by violence, particularly in terms of their non-cognitive development, and that its negative effects are stronger among boys. We also find that the negative effects diminish as children get older, but they remain negative over the complete age range. In terms of mother's education, we find stronger effects on children with lower educated mothers. Overall our estimations consistently and clearly reveal that exposure to violence has causal and significant negative effects on the cognitive and non-cognitive development of children.


This is an extension of our previous paper [4] on the queue GI/IH,, /s. In that paper we have derived results for the actual waiting time, the number of customers in the system at arrival epochs and the number of customers during a busy cycle. Here we obtain results for the virtual waiting time and the number of customers in the system at arbitrary times.


The emerging practice of using information and communication technologies (ICTs), including the web, SMS, Geographic Information Systems and others, in peacebuilding projects has over the past few years generated growing interest from donors, practitioners and more recently academia. This is in large parts due to three trends: the observed role of new media in conflict situations; the attention given to digital data for conflict analysis, humanitarian and development work; and the emerging use of new forms of ICTs in peacebuilding activities. This interest however leaves implicit the range of constructive contributions ICTs can make to peacebuilding and conflict transformation processes and ways to conceptualise this emerging field. Moreover work undertaken in this area often falls within disciplinary silos that are not conducive to gaining a holistic perspective of the wider implications of using ICTs in peacebuilding contexts. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this paper proposes a framework for understanding some of the constructive contributions ICTs have to make to peacebuilding and conflict transformation processes. Grounded in current debates around the 'liberal peace', this framework allows us to conceptualise ICTs as sociotechnical phenomena, moving beyond ideas of 'solving problems' through technology or a focus on external interventions. Instead the analytical emphasis shifts to the co-evolutive nature of local and other uses of technology, in situations where complex power dynamics are at play, and as such allows us to better understand the technologies' emergent properties, providing a more comprehensive account of their wider societal impacts.


The terrestrial biosphere is a key component of the global carbon cycle and is heavily influenced by climate. Climate variability can be diagnosed through metrics ranging from individual environmental variables, to collections of variables, to the so-called climate modes of variability. Similarly, the impact of a given climate variation on the terrestrial carbon cycle can be described using several metrics, including vegetation indices, measures of ecosystem respiration and productivity and net biosphere-atmosphere fluxes. The wide range of temporal (from sub-daily to paleoclimatic) and spatial (from local to continental and global) scales involved requires a scale-dependent investigation of the interactions between the carbon cycle and climate. However, a comprehensive picture of the physical links and correlations between climate drivers and carbon cycle metrics at different scales remains elusive, framing the scope of this contribution. Here, we specifically explore how climate variability metrics (from single variables to complex indices) relate to the variability of the carbon cycle at sub-daily to interannual scales (i.e. excluding long-term trends). The focus is on the interactions most relevant to the European terrestrial carbon cycle. We underline the broad areas of agreement and disagreement in the literature, and conclude by outlining some existing knowledge gaps and by proposing avenues for improving our holistic understanding of the role of climate drivers in modulating the terrestrial carbon cycle.


The construction of efficient crop straw recycling logistics system is the premise of utilizing the enormous straw resources in rural areas. According to the biology characteristics of crop straw resources and the actual logistics conditions in China, the main influence factors of crop straw recycling logistics were analyzed at length. Moreover, the constituent elements of crop straw recycle logistics system were sorted into five categories, and its operation processes and system framework were elaborately designed for government management departments and crop straw machining enterprises to accelerate the industrialization utilization of straw resources.


The spin crossover (SCO) phenomena are a remarkable example of spin-state switching at the molecular level. The low- and high-spin states can be reversibly selected through application of external stimulus – often simply a variation in temperature. Since the particular spin-state embodies optical, electronic and structural characteristics, the spin switching can be readily detected or probed using a variety of techniques. In this regard, SCO phenomena show great promise for a range of devices. The key to this uptake is the preparation of high-quality, thin-films capable of retaining SCO properties, and solution-based materials, in particular, provide further opportunities for integration or blending with other functional materials. The present work examines SCO behaviour from two iron(II)–triazole polymers, with short and long side chains, prepared and investigated in a variety of formats – from bulk powders to thick and thin films. Magnetic, optical and electronic techniques all verify the SCO behaviour is faithfully maintained for all formats. The two materials serve to highlight the impact on key properties arising from the different density of Fe atoms. The results, all from solution-based materials, are extremely promising and clearly emphasise the growing capabilities and processing advances associated with SCO compounds.


Chrysobalanaceae s.l., one of the few suprafamilial subclades of Malpighiales that is supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses, and containing Chrysobalanaceae, Dichapetalaceae, Euphroniaceae, and Trigoniaceae, was comparatively studied with regard to floral structure. The subclade is well supported by floral structure. Potential synapomorphies for Chrysobalanaceae s.l. are the following shared features: floral cup; flowers obliquely monosymmetric; sepals congenitally united at base; sepals of unequal size (outer two shorter); fertile stamens concentrated on the anterior side of the flower and sometimes united into a strap; staminodes absent in the posteriormost antepetalous position; anthers extremely introrse, with thecae almost in one plane; endothecium continuous over the dorsal side of the connective; dorsal anther pit; gynoecium completely syncarpous up to the stigma; carpel flanks slightly bulged out transversely and thus carpels demarcated from each other by a longitudinal furrow; flowers with dense unicellular, non-lignified hairs, especially on the gynoecium; light-coloured, dense indumentum on young shoots and inflorescences. Potential synapomorphies for Chrysobalanaceae + Euphroniaceae include: spur in floral cup; clawed petals; lignified hairs on petals; nectary without lobes or scales and mostly annular. Potential synapomorphies for Dichapetalaceae + Trigoniaceae include: special mucilage cells in sepals in mesophyll (in addition to epidermis); anthers almost basifixed; gynoecium synascidiate up to lower style; nectary with lobes or scales and semi-annular.


Chapter One: The World Has Gone Global Chapter Two: Studying Globalization Chapter Three: Setting the Stage: Foundations of Globalization Waves of Nationhood Early Waves of Economic Globalization Neo-Colonialism and Cold War Strategic Advantage The Contemporary Period of Nation Building Shaping the Modern State Early Globalization of Liberalism Establishing International Law and Organization Chapter Four: Making the Global Economy Post WWII Waves of Economic Globalization Shaping a New Wave Globalization as Transitioning Industrial Sectors Globalization as Outsourcing and Offshoring Globalization as Trade in Labor Growing Economic Inequalities: Within and Among Societies The Global Economic Crisis The View from the World Social Forum: Civil Society Reports The View from the Group of 20 The Debt Crisis The Circumstances of Globalization Shaping Globalization: The Possibility of a New Order? Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Five: Forging a Global Civil Society Defining Civil Society Emergence of Global Civil Society The Challenge of Democracy in Global Civil Society Global Civil Society: Interacting Layers of Governance Civil Society Case Studies Case Study: Treaty to Ban Landmines Case Study: The Environmental Regime The Human Rights Regime The Global Field Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Six: Who Gets What, When and How: Global Governance Propositions for Global Governance Summary Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Seven: Globalizing Political Culture and State Governance Globalization of Normative Criteria for Governance Wave Effects in Globalization Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Eight: Trends and Transitions in Democracy 2011: A New Democratic Wave? The Development of Democracy around the World Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Nine: Globalizing Culture: Change and Continuity Conversion and Divergence in Globalization Global Culture: Compromise and Clash Cultural Flows Emerging from Global Life Summaru Questions, Investigations Chapter Ten: Globalization and Everyday Life Education Global Patterns of Health and Health Care Sports Questions and Investigations Chapter Eleven: Religion: Conflict and Compromise Chapter Twelve: Transborder Threats to Well-Being: Inequality and Migration Transborder Threats to Wellbeing: Inequality and Migration Risk and Uncertainty Inequality: The Global Pyramid Three Case Studies to Alleviate Poverty Migration Questions and Investigations Chapter Thirteen: Transborder Threats to Human Well-Being: Violent Conflict and Crime The Challege of Violent Conflict Peace Making and Peace Building Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Responding to Risks Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Fourteen: Transborder Threats to Human Well-Being: Food and the Environment A World of Contrast: Starving on a Planet of Plenty Threats to the Natural Environment Questions, Investigations, and Resources Chapter Fifteen: Global Trajectories: The City Contemporary Cities Cities and the Qualities of Life Innovative Approaches to City Life Questions and Investigations


Morphological traits provide the interface between species and their environment. For example, body size affects the fitness of individuals in various ways. Yet especially for ectotherms, the applicability of general rules of interspecific clines of body size and even more so of other morphological traits is still under debate. Here we tested relationships between elevation (as a proxy for temperature) and productivity with four ecologically relevant morphological traits of orthopteran assemblages that are related to fecundity (body size), dispersal (wing length), jumping ability (hind femur length), and predator detection (eye size). We measured traits of 160 orthopteran species that were sampled along an extensive environmental gradient at Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), spanning elevations from 790 to 4,410 m above sea level (a.s.l.) with different levels of plant productivity. For traits other than body size, we calculated the residuals from a regression on body length to estimate the variation of traits irrespective of body size. Bayesian analyses revealed that mean body size of assemblages, as well as the means of relative wing length, hind femur length, and eye size, decreased with increasing elevation. Body size and relative eye size also decreased with increasing productivity. Both phylogenetic relationships, as well as species-specific adaptations, contributed to these patterns. Our results suggest that orthopteran assemblages had higher fecundity and better dispersal and escape abilities, as well as better predator detection at higher temperatures (low elevations) than at low temperatures (high elevations). Large body sizes might be advantageous in habitats with low productivity because of a reduced risk of starvation. Likewise, large eye size might be advantageous because of the ability to detect predators in habitats with low vegetation cover, where hiding possibilities are scarce. Our study highlights that changes in temperature and productivity not only lead to interspecific changes in body size but are also related to independent changes of other morphological traits that influence the ecological fit of organisms in their environment.


For cell reprogramming, context matters Differentiated cells in a culture dish can assume a new identity when manipulated to express four transcription factors. This "reprogramming" process has sparked interest because conceivably it could be harnessed as a therapeutic strategy for tissue regeneration. Mosteiro et al. used a mouse model to study the signals that promote cell reprogramming in vivo. They found that the factors that trigger reprogramming in vitro do the same in vivo; however, they also inflict cell damage. The damaged cells enter a state of senescence and begin secreting certain factors that promote reprogramming, including an inflammatory cytokine called interleukin-6. Thus, in the physiological setting, cell senescence may create a tissue context that favors reprogramming of neighboring cells. Science, this issue p. 10.1126/science.aaf4445 In mice, senescent cells created by tissue damage induce reprogramming of neighboring cells, enhancing tissue repair. INTRODUCTION The ectopic expression of transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and cMYC (OSKM) enables reprogramming of adult differentiated cells into pluripotent cells, known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), that are functionally equivalent to embryonic stem cells. Expression of OSKM in vivo leads to widespread cell dedifferentiation and reprogramming within tissues and eventually to the formation of teratomas (tumors arising from iPSCs). The molecular mechanisms operating during in vitro OSKM-driven reprogramming have been extensively characterized; however, little is known about in vivo reprogramming. RATIONALE The process of OSKM reprogramming is inefficient both in vitro and in vivo. A number of cell-intrinsic barriers have been identified in vitro, most of which are activated by cellular damage and are particularly prominent in aged cells. Mechanistically, these cell-intrinsic barriers for reprogramming are primarily mediated by the tumor suppressors p53, p16INK4a, and ARF (the latter two are encoded by the Ink4a/Arf gene locus). In this work, we have investigated the effect of these tumor suppressors, cellular damage, and aging on in vivo reprogramming. RESULTS We found that the expression of OSKM in vivo not only triggers reprogramming of some cells but also inflicts extensive damage on many other cells, driving them into a state known as cellular senescence. Senescent cells are characterized by their inability to proliferate and by their secretion of inflammatory cytokines. We have observed a positive correlation between senescence and OSKM-driven reprogramming. For example, tissues lacking p16INK4a/ARF do not undergo senescence, and their ability to reprogram is severely compromised. By contrast, in tissues lacking p53, damage is rampant; this leads to maximal levels of senescence, exacerbated cytokine production, and increased in vivo reprogramming. To explore the connection between senescence and reprogramming, we manipulated these processes in vivo through pharmacological interventions. In particular, an increase in senescence produced by palbociclib (a drug that functionally mimics p16INK4a) results in higher levels of reprogramming. Conversely, a reduction in senescence achieved by navitoclax (a proapoptotic drug with selectivity against senescent cells) leads to decreased in vivo reprogramming. We found that the cross-talk between senescence and reprogramming is mediated by the cytokine-rich microenvironment associated with senescent cells. This is based, among other evidence, on the observation that pharmacological inhibition of NFκB, a major driver of cytokine production, reduces in vivo reprogramming. Analysis of the inflammatory cytokines produced by senescent cells, both in vivo and in vitro, led us to identify interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a critical secreted factor responsible for the ability of senescent cells to promote reprogramming. In support of this, blockade of IL-6 or its downstream kinase effector PIM potently reduced in vivo reprogramming. These observations can be recapitulated in vitro, where reprogramming efficiency is strongly enhanced by the presence of damaged cells or by the conditioned medium derived from damaged cells. Moreover, immunodepletion of IL-6 from the conditioned medium abolished reprogramming. Having established that senescence promotes reprogramming, we studied whether tissue injury leading to senescence has a positive effect on OSKM-driven reprogramming. In particular, we show that bleomycin-induced tissue damage strongly promotes reprogramming in the lung. Finally, aging, which is associated with higher levels of cellular senescence, also favors OSKM-driven reprogramming both in progeric and in physiologically aged mice. CONCLUSION The expression of OSKM in vivo triggers two different cellular outcomes: reprogramming in a small fraction of cells, and damage and senescence in many other cells. There is a strong positive association between these two processes, due to the fact that cellular senescence creates a tissue context that favors OSKM-driven reprogramming in neighboring cells. The positive effect of senescence on reprogramming is mediated by secreted factors, of which IL-6 is a key player. This also applies to tissue injury and aging, where there is an accumulation of senescent cells that send signals to surrounding cells to promote OSKM-driven dedifferentiation and reprogramming. A similar conceptual interplay may occur in physiological conditions, where damage-triggered senescence could induce cell dedifferentiation to promote tissue repair. Interplay between cellular senescence and OSKM-driven reprogramming. Expression of OSKM in vivo, apart from inducing the reprogramming of a small population of cells, also induces damage and senescence in many other cells. Senescent cells release factors that promote the reprogramming of neighboring cells, with IL-6 being a critical mediator. Tissue injury and aging, through the accumulation of senescent cells, favor in vivo reprogramming. Reprogramming of differentiated cells into pluripotent cells can occur in vivo, but the mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. Senescence is a cellular response to damage, characterized by abundant production of cytokines and other secreted factors that, together with the recruitment of inflammatory cells, result in tissue remodeling. Here, we show that in vivo expression of the reprogramming factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and cMYC (OSKM) in mice leads to senescence and reprogramming, both coexisting in close proximity. Genetic and pharmacological analyses indicate that OSKM-induced senescence requires the Ink4a/Arf locus and, through the production of the cytokine interleukin-6, creates a permissive tissue environment for in vivo reprogramming. Biological conditions linked to senescence, such as tissue injury or aging, favor in vivo reprogramming by OSKM. These observations may be relevant for tissue repair.


The nutritional approach to the treatment of atherosclerosis was tested in 100 patients with proved coronary atherosclerosis. Fifty patients were treated with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. The other 50 patients were not given any specific treatment and acted as controls. By the end of 12 years, 19 of the 50 patients treated with the diet survived. Of the 50 control patients, all had died by the 12th year of observation. The total daily fat intake in this diet was 25 Gm. Animal fats were eaten in minimum quantities. Large-scale trial under controlled statistical conditions encountered in clinical practice is suggested for further evaluation of the role of fat in coronary atherosclerosis.


We examine corporate publishing - i.e. firms' involvement in the production of scientific publications - with two research questions. First, why do firms publish? Through systematic literature review, we propose a framework of five incentives for firms to publish: (i) accessing external knowledge and resources; (ii) attracting and retaining researchers; (iii) signalling and reputation building; (iv) supporting IP strategies; and (v) supporting commercialization strategies. Second, how does firms' engagement in publishing differ across sectors? Variation in corporate publishing has not yet been comprehensively characterized in the literature. We present an empirical analysis of the publication activity of a global sample of 2,500 firms (and the 570,000 directly owned subsidiaries of these firms) operating in 20 industrial sectors. We find that corporate publishing is widespread, though considerable heterogeneity exists within and between sectors. Most firms (84%) in our sample contributed to at least one publication from 2011 to 2015. The number of firms' publications grew over the observation period (2.3% on a yearly basis), though not as fast as the global science output in general. Firms' publications are often co-authored with researchers at academic institutions (58%) and are cited more than expected (about 12% of firms' articles are within the top 10% most cited articles). We conclude by proposing a taxonomy of sectors based on their R&D investment intensity and publication activity.


Foam glass is a cellular material that is used in thermal insulation applications due to its low thermal conductivity. The high crushing resistance, low moisture absorption, high temperature and corrosion resistance of foam glass are considered to be key advantages over polymer and cement based cellular structures that are used in the construction industry. Foam glass technology has been thoroughly documented from both scientific and industrial perspective. Conventional processing of this material utilizes either recycled or chemically controlled glass as its main source of raw material, which is formed into a controlled cellular structure using foaming reactions at high temperatures (typically between 700-1000C) [1, 2]. Different from the conventional production methods, this study has focused the formation and its mechanisms of formation of cellular structures at room temperature conditions using recycled glass as the starting raw material. Foaming was achieved in aqueous suspensions of glass particles using the reaction between aluminum metal powder and calcium hydroxide as the gas forming (foaming) mechanism. This route allows the formation of the pores, their size and size distributions at room temperature using slurry rheology as a critical parameter. This article will present the foaming behavior of slurries prepared using recycled soda-lime silica glass that was milled and screened to three different size distributions and mixed with water between 50 and 60 weight % solids content. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was used as a binder and stabilizer at 2 and 4 weight % of the slurry composition. The results on the dynamic expansion behavior (Figure 1) and the rheology of the suspensions will be presented discussing the critical relation between these two and their effects on the control over the pore formation and structure of the green body. This study aims to provide a new insight for foam glass production by combining the established methodologies utilized in the processing of aerated concrete and conventional foam glass production. Although the study has used recycled soda-lime silica glass as the main ingredient, the discussed method lends itself to using other forms and chemistries of recycled glass making it a viable green technology candidate.


Business clusters are a new theory and idea of companies' functioning, regardless of the kind of business they do or their market shares. Cluster initiatives are a business phenomenon because they are able to combine, and most importantly, to bring benefits to both small and large companies. Organizations with large resources as well as those that do not have a sufficiently large potential are able to cooperate in order to create mutual benefits, increase their competitiveness and obtain better financial results. The impulse for creating business clusters in a region is caused by the need to broadly support innovation and cooperation of business entities with scientific research and local government institutions in order to achieve common socio-economic benefits for the region.