This paper examines the meaning of religious freedom in Indonesia, the perspective of the Indonesian Ulema Council and the Indonesian National Commission especially in the context of Ahmadiyah. The essence of religion is freedom of religion. Therefore the state should protect the public interest, by guaranteeing the freedom of religion. But what happens in Indonesia as a nation state nempaknya will have difficulty to really fair to the minority. And in Indonesia Islam that becomes the majority often apply this way. This is as it is done with the flow of beliefs, or even against the Islamic groups themselves who call the Ahmadiyya school. Here there is a debate about the meaning of religious freedom between MUI and Komnas HAM. The focus of this paper is how is religious freedom in Indonesia in the perspective of MUI and Komnas HAM in the context of Ahmadiyya Jamaat?


E10 chick sympathetic ganglion cells display a cell contact-dependent rise in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) specific activity over the first several days in culture. This effect can be mimicked by addition of crude membrane fractions prepared from E10 retina and adult chicken brain, but not by those from E10 brain. The effects of both cell-cell and membrane-cell contact are inhibited by the addition of anti-NCAM Fab fragments. The membranes capable of increasing ChAT and those which are ineffective all contain NCAM, however their relative levels of NCAM polysialic acid differ. Whereas membranes with high polysialic acid NCAM are ineffective, selective enzymatic removal of polysialic acid renders them capable of producing an increase in ChAT. The inhibition of NCAM-mediated adhesion produced by Fab fragments can be compensated for by addition of wheat germ agglutinin, but only with membranes whose NCAM has low levels of polysialic acid. Taken together, these data suggest that NCAM can regulate cell contact-mediated increases in ChAT activity. We propose that NCAM-mediated adhesion promotes contact between cell membranes to allow the transmission of an otherwise NCAM- independent signal. In addition, NCAM's polysialic acid moiety appears to influence the ability of cells to transmit this signal, even in the presence of an alternative adhesion mechanism.


Radio frequency (RF) exposure from telecommunication structures in Malaysia is perceived by many to be a health hazard. This has led to contestation among the various stakeholders. Hence, this study examines thematically, how the social actors represent themselves and the other in the health debates on RF and, how social actions involving the exposure to RF are represented in the discourse by the various stakeholders. The research also explores ways to reduce the contestations of the various stakeholders by formulating recommendations for effective risk communication. This study plugs the gap in linguistic studies on risk as currently there is no analysis of risk on RF exposure from telecommunication structures from a Malaysian viewpoint and from a critical discourse analysis perspective. Risk has also not been researched through the lens of social actors and social actions as put forward by van Leeuwen (2008). Therefore, the premise of this research, which is a first-of-a-kind study in Malaysia, is to contribute to knowledge transfer in the telecommunication industry. The theoretical framework is based on Critical Discourse Analysis. The qualitative data comes from spoken conversations from thirty-one semi-structured interviews with representatives from seven stakeholder groups. The analytical frameworks for Research Questions 1 and 2 are based upon van Leeuwen's (2008) Social Actor and Social Action Networks. Research Question 3 employs an adapted version of Key Steps in Applying Effective Risk Communication which was initiated by Kemp (2009) to draw on the key findings from Research Questions 1 and 2 to formulate the recommendations. In the representation of the social actors, the representation of 'self' is mostly positive and differ based on the different roles the stakeholders play but the 'other' are represented usually negatively. The social actors tend to align the 'self' with the in-group that supports their own representation while they distance themselves from 'the other' or the out-group who do not share the same beliefs and values. The self-representation is mostly congruent to the roles of the actor's organization, their political affiliation and their position in society as the discourse carries differing ideologies and beliefs based on their respective roles. The representation validates that people tend to identify themselves with their own social groupings based on common knowledge, beliefs, ideologies, norms, and often place themselves in opposition to other social groupings that have differing views. The representations of social actions examine five themes: granting approval for the siting of telecommunication structures, construction of telecommunication structures, educating the public on RF, protests by residents, and media reporting on RF related issues. The social action representations' generally corresponded with that of the self-representation of the social actors and it legitimises their role in the social practice. However, the reactions from the affected stakeholders' delegitimise these representations as they feel that there are contradictions in the social actions and self-representation of the social actors. Overall, the representations impact trust which is vital in risk communication. Therefore, the recommendations stress on transparency and the participation of all stakeholders to facilitate the building, strengthening and repairing of trust.


In the complex movement that makes up the baseball pitch, shoulder motion is a single link in an orderly chain of events. It can be argued, though, that herein lies the weakest link and by far the most commonly affected cog in the spectrum of overuse injuries in pitchers. Just why the shoulder receives the brunt of the stress has been the subject of numerous studies in the past several years. The tools of choice in many of these articles have been electromyography and high speed photography which have enabled researchers to study dynamically the phases of the pitch and the sequential firing of the muscles involved. With this information and the knowledge gained from studies looking at muscle activity during specific exercises, the clinician should be able to tailor a rehabilitation program that meets the needs of his or her patient. What has been learned from these articles as applied to the biomechanics of the pitch and the rehabilitation of the athlete who throws and the limitations of this form of study need to be clarified.


Newspapers report almost daily on international tensions around 'strategic' or 'critical' minerals such as rare earth elements. The temporary freeze of rare earth exports from China to Japan in late 2010 in retaliation of the capture of a Chinese captain is but one example of the strategic use of non-fuel minerals in international relations today. Ensuring and safeguarding access to rare earths and other strategic mineral resources is quickly emerging as a strategic policy priority. A number of states are designing and implementing new policies aimed at increasing material security. By analyzing the strategic mineral policies of three countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, this report provides an insight into the emerging dynamic of securing economic interests.


Vertical scaling is necessary to facilitate comparison of scores from test forms of different difficulty levels. It is widely used to enable the tracking of student growth in academic performance over time. Most previous studies on vertical scaling methods assume relatively long tests and large samples. Little is known about their performance when the sample is small or the test is short, challenges that small testing programs often face. This study examined effects of sample size, test length, and choice of item response theory (IRT) models on the performance of IRT-based scaling methods (concurrent calibration, separate calibration with Stocking–Lord, Haebara, Mean/Mean, and Mean/Sigma transformation) in linear growth estimation when the 2-parameter IRT model was appropriate. Results showed that IRT vertical scales could be used for growth estimation without grossly biasing growth parameter estimates when sample size was not large, as long as the test was not too short (≥20 items), although larger sample sizes would generally increase the stability of the growth parameter estimates. The optimal rate of return in total estimation error reduction as a result of increasing sample size appeared to be around 250. Concurrent calibration produced slightly lower total estimation error than separate calibration in the worst combination of short test length (≤20 items) and small sample size (n ≤ 100), whereas separate calibration, except in the case of the Mean/Sigma method, produced similar or somewhat lower amounts of total error in other conditions.


Students coming directly from school to third level and mature students can struggle to manage their learning in a new environment. One approach to helping students make the transition to third level is providing a module in first year that aims to develop learning skills. ITT Dublin introduced a learning skills module (Learning-to-Learn at Third Level (L2L)) in September 2012 on a college-wide basis. The module syllabus was prepared by a multidisciplinary team, based on similar courses introduced in recent years in other third level institutes. Module content includes learning strategies, group work, communication skills, study skills, self-management and academic writing. Assessment was based on an in-class writing-skills exam, a group project and a learning journal. Feedback was sought from first year science students with the aim of assessing the efficacy of the module from a student perspective in order to enhance future delivery. A total of 103 students were surveyed of whom 81.6% had completed the Leaving Cert in the previous two years. The survey was completed in-class and was anonymous. 40.4% of respondents found the module helped them to understand the difference between learning at second and third level but 26.9% did not. More than half the students surveyed did not believe they needed the module. The feedback indicated that group-work opportunities should be retained. There were contrasting attitudes to the validity of reflective writing. Removal of time- consuming reflections with greater use of the learning journal in-class may help to develop reflective practice without making it a resented chore. It was notable that practical information on how work is assessed and how GPA is calculated was appreciated by many students. Different aspects of the module appeal to different students depending on their perceived deficits but greatest engagement occurs when students understand the practical application of the learning skills to their core subjects.


Pope Pius II, in 1462, initiated the "communication of privileges", in order to give to the Congregation of the Olivetani Benedictines all the same privileges of the Benedictine Congregation of St. Justina of Padua. Sixtus IV (1471-1484) then applied the "communication of privileges" to the Mendicants: the Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinian Hermits, Carmelites, etc., and the respective nuns and Third Orders. Leo X, in 1519, further extended the communication of these privileges. Now each Mendicant Order without distinction received all the privileges of the other Mendicant Orders.


PURPOSE
The molecular imaging of tumour neoangiogenesis currently represents a major field of research for the diagnostic and treatment strategy of solid tumours. Endothelial cells from tumour neovessels overexpress the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin, which selectively binds to Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-containing peptides. We evaluated the potential of the novel radiotracer (99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD for the non-invasive molecular imaging of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin expression in mice models of tumour development.

METHODS
(99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD, (99m)Tc-cRGD (specific control) and (99m)Tc-RAFT-RAD (non-specific control) were injected intravenously to mice bearing B16F0 or TS/A-pc tumours. In vivo whole-body tomographic imaging and post-mortem biodistribution studies were performed 60 min following tracer injection. Adjacent tumour slices were used to compare the localisation of neovessels from immunostaining and the pattern of (99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD uptake from autoradiographic ex vivo imaging.

RESULTS
Biodistribution studies indicated that (99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD tumour uptake was significantly higher than that of (99m)Tc-RAFT-RAD in B16F0 (2.4+/-0.5 vs 1.0+/-0.1%ID/g, respectively) and in TS/A-pc tumours (2.7+/-0.8 vs 0.7+/-0.1%ID/g, respectively). Immunohistochemical and autoradiographic studies indicated that (99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD intratumoural uptake preferentially occurred in angiogenic areas. Tomographic imaging allowed tumour visualisation following injection of (99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD and (99m)Tc-cRGD with similar tumour-to-contralateral muscle (T/CM) ratios in B16F0 and in TS/A-pc tumours whereas (99m)Tc-RAFT-RAD T/CM ratios did not allow tumour imaging. In accordance with the higher level of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin expression on TS/A-pc tumours than on B16F0 tumours as determined from western blot and immunoprecipitation analyses, the (99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD T/CM ratio was significantly higher in TS/A-pc than in B16F0 tumours.

CONCLUSION
(99m)Tc-RAFT-RGD allowed the in vivo imaging of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin tumour expression.


The vast unallocated frequency band lying above 275GHz offers enormous potential for ultrahigh-speed wireless communication. An overall bandwidth that could be allocated for multi-channel communication can easily be several times the 60GHz unlicensed bandwidth of 9GHz. We present a 300GHz transmitter (TX) in 40nm CMOS, capable of 32-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) 17.5Gb/s/ch signal transmission. It can cover the frequency range from 275 to 305GHz with 6 channels as shown at the top of Fig. 20.1.1. Figure 20.1.1 also lists possible THz TX architectures, based on recently reported above-200GHz TXs. The choice of architecture depends very much on the transistor unity-power-gain frequency fmax. If the fmax is sufficiently higher than the carrier frequency, the ordinary power amplifier (PA)-last architecture (Fig. 20.1.1, top row of the table) is possible and preferable [1-3], although the presence of a PA is, of course, not a requirement [4,5]. If, on the other hand, the fmax is comparable to or lower than the carrier frequency as in our case, a PA-less architecture must be adopted. A typical such architecture is the frequency multiplier-last architecture (Fig. 20.1.1, middle row of the table). For example, a 260GHz quadrupler-last on-off keying (OOK) TX [6] and a 434GHz tripler-last amplitude-shift keying (ASK) TX [7] were reported. A drawback of this architecture is the inefficient bandwidth utilization due to signal bandwidth spreading. Another drawback is that the use of multibit digital modulation is very difficult, if not impossible. An exception to this is the combination of quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) and frequency tripling. When a QPSK-modulated intermediate frequency (IF) signal undergoes frequency tripling, the resulting signal constellation remains that of QPSK with some symbol permutation. Such a tripler-last 240GHz QPSK TX was reported [8]. However, a 16-QAM constellation, for example, would suffer severe distortion by frequency tripling. If the 300GHz band is to be seriously considered for a platform for ultrahigh-speed wireless communication, QAM-capability will be a requisite.


Small RNA (sRNA), such as microRNA (miRNA) and short interfering RNA (siRNA), are well-known to control gene expression based on degradation of target mRNA in plants. A considerable amount of research has applied next-generation sequencing (NGS) to reveal the regulatory pathways of plant sRNAs. Consequently, numerous bioinformatics tools have been developed for the purpose of analyzing sRNA NGS data. However, most methods focus on the study of sRNA expression profiles or novel miRNAs predictions. The analysis of sRNA target genes is usually not integrated into their pipelines. As a result, there is still no means available for identifying the interaction mechanisms between host and virus or the synergistic effects between two viruses. For the present study, a comprehensive system, called the Small RNA Illustration System (sRIS), has been developed. This system contains two main components. The first is for sRNA overview analysis and can be used not only to identify miRNA but also to investigate virus-derived small interfering RNA (vsiRNA). The second component is for sRNA target prediction, and it employs both bioinformatics calculations and degradome sequencing data to enhance the accuracy of target prediction. In addition, this system has been designed so that figures and tables for the outputs of each analysis can be easily retrieved and accessed, making it easier for users to quickly identify and quantify their results. sRIS is available at http://sris.itps.ncku.edu.tw/.


A healthy banking industry plays a vital role in the economic stability, and banks success depends on its products. Therefore, this study aims at cognizing the consumer's preference and awareness of Islamic Ijarah over the conventional lease in Pakistan. This research used regression as tools of analysis. The findings indicate that convenience is the prime determinant for preference of Ijarah over the lease. Moreover, all other factors except religion also support in the motivate selection of Islamic banking products. Therefore, it can be concluded that in Pakistan, religion is not the only fact motivates individuals to prefer Ijarah. Based on findings, it is recommended to relevant stakeholders to create more awareness among masses about Ijarah and to further ease out policies in order to harness optimum benefit. DOI: 1 0.15408/aiq.v10i2.7106


Foam cell macrophage (FCM) formation is an early event in atherosclerosis that precedes both fibrous cap development and subsequent cap rupture; FCM have been implicated in both events. To understand this further we compared the transcriptomes of FCM and non-foamy macrophages (NFM) produced in subcutaneous sponges implanted into fat-fed ApoE null or C57Bl6 mice, respectively (n=4 each). RNA samples of high quality by A260/280>2 were compared on Illumina bead chips. Differential expression was classified as significant (p<0.05 after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing) or suggestive (p<0.001 unadjusted). 62 genes were significantly upregulated and 59 downregulated in FCM compared with NFM. A total of 370 and 381 genes were upregulated and downregulated using the more relaxed criterion. Fold changes confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR (n=5–7) included upregulation of cathepsin C (15×), cathepsin E (19×), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 (18×) and MMP-23 (22×) but also upregulation of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 (4×) and TIMP-3 (8×) and downregulation of MMP-13 (5×). Surprisingly, several matrix proteins were significantly upregulated, including collagen Iα1 (55×) and VIα1 (31×), osteonectin (72×) and biglycan (19×), although thrombospondin declined (2×). Hence our genomic analysis demonstrated changes that could lead to both matrix degradation and deposition. Ingenuity pathway analysis implicated activation of LXR/RXR in FCM, in agreement with other literature, and highlighted responses to platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor β. The hypothesis that interaction of these pathways accounts for the ambiguous behaviour of FCM in matrix remodelling deserves further investigation.


Is it Possible to Speak of an Illuminationist Circle in the Ottoman Scholarly World? An Analysis of the Ottoman Scholarly Conception of Illuminationism, Nazariyat 4/3 (November 2018): 1-48. dx.doi.org/10.12658/Nazariyat.4.3.M0060en Abstract: This article seeks to answer the questions of how Ottoman scholars perceived Illuminationist thought and Illuminationism and whether a milieu favorably disposed to Illuminationism existed. It first questions how and through which works the debates on the nature of Illuminationism, which is foremost a pursuit of truth, reached the Ottoman scholarly milieus. It then traces over their works how the Ottoman scholars defined Illuminationism, who they viewed as being within this circle, and what sort of a relation they had with it. Since the Illuminationist philosophy is discussed in the literature together with theology, mysticism, and the Peripatetic philosophy, it is regarded as an alternative system. However, the exchange between Illuminationist philosophy and the aforementioned systems of thought, as well as their subsets, was present from the very beginning and continued from the fourteenth century onward in Iran and the Near East. As such, one may argue that the Illuminationist perspective and interpretation during the Ottoman era that constitutes the subject of study at hand is interwoven with other thought systems, as opposed to having an independent standing, meaning that it moved along methodical convergences.


Context. An approach towards understanding the formation of massive stars and star clusters is to study the structure of their hot core phase, an evolutionary stage where dust has been heated, but molecules have not yet been destroyed by ultraviolet radiation. These hot molecular cores are very line-rich, but the interpretation of line surveys is also hampered by poor knowledge of the physical and chemical structure. Aims. To constrain the radial structure of high-mass star-forming regions containing hot cores, we attempt to reproduce by radiative transfer modeling both the intensity and shape of a variety of molecular lines. Methods. We observed 12 hot cores with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) in lines of HCN, HCO + , CO, and their isotopologues, including high-J lines and vibrationally excited HCN. We investigate how well the sources can be modeled as centrally heated spheres with a power-law density gradient, making use of the radiative transfer code RATRAN and the radial profile of the submm continuum emission, taken from the APEX Telescope Large Area Survey of the GALaxy (ATLASGAL). Results. Most of the observed lines have complicated shapes that incorporate self-absorption, asymmetries, and line wings. Vibrationally excited HCN is detected in all sources, and vibrationally excited H 13 CN in half of the sources. We are able to successfully model most features seen in the APEX data, such as the ratio of the isotopologue lines (very high optical depths), self-absorption (temperature gradient), blue asymmetries (moderate infall), vibrationally excited HCN (high inner temperatures), and H 13 CN (high HCN abundance under dense and hot conditions). Other features could not be reproduced, such as an occasional lack of self-absorption, the emission from high-J lines in the outer pixels of the CHAMP+ receiver (15"-20" from the center), the outflow wings, and the red asymmetric profiles. Conclusions. The amount of molecular gas, in particular of HCN, at very high temperatures is larger than previously thought. A complex interplay between infall and outflow motions is present. Our basic model assumptions of pure central heating and a power-law radial density distribution can serve as approximations for most sources, but are too simple to explain all observed lines. In particular, taking into account clumpiness, multiplicity of heating sources and a more complex velocity field seems to be necessary to more closely match model calculations to observations. This would require three-dimensional radiative transfer modeling of high-resolution interferometric data.


P2P and SIP have its own advantages in media session establishment and transmission. A P2P-SIP based hierarchical architecture for real time stream media communication has been designed in this paper. In the hierarchical architecture, SIP is used to establish the media session, and P2P is adopted to maintain the overlay network architecture and transmit the stream media file. Because of the difference of participant node, we use the hierarchical architecture to organize the overlay network, and the relevant algorithms to maintain the overlay network is brought forward. The simulation show that the hierarchical architecture have obvious improvement in the following sides: first, the architecture is more stable than the existed P2P architecture; second, the design has reduced the system bandwidth and the delay for the location and registration resource.


This article examines the importance of R&D and new product development and explores their management. It describes three central aspects of managing R&D and new product development in firms: the product development funnel, R&D portfolio management, and R&D organization. Concepts such as the 'fuzzy front end' are introduced. It concludes with an outlook of trends affecting the future of R&D management


The bimetric generalization of general relativity has been proven to be able to give an accelerated background expansion consistent with observations. Apart from the energy densities coupling to one or both of the metrics, the expansion will depend on the cosmological constant contribution to each of them, as well as the three parameters describing the interaction between the two metrics. Even for fixed values of these parameters can several possible solutions, so called branches, exist. Different branches can give similar background expansion histories for the observable metric, but may have different properties regarding, for example, the existence of ghosts and the rate of structure growth. In this paper, we outline a method to find viable solution branches for arbitrary parameter values. We show how possible expansion histories in bimetric gravity can be inferred qualitatively, by picturing the ratio of the scale factors of the two metrics as the spatial coordinate of a particle rolling along a frictionless track. A particularly interesting example discussed is a specific set of parameter values, where a cosmological dark matter background is mimicked without introducing ghost modes into the theory.


Local synthesis of immunoglobulin within the central nervous system has been evaluated in 37 patients with acute cerebral malaria; seven patients were also studied in the convalescent phase. There was evidence in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 21 patients that intrathecal IgG synthesis occurs in the acute phase. There were raised IgG: albumin ratios in 43% of acute patients. Oligoclonal IgG bands or cathodal IgG was seen in the CSF of 43% of patients tested by polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Only eight out of 37 acute patients (22%) had no evidence of intrathecal IgG synthesis by either method. The serial studies showed that most patients had IgG-CSF abnormalities when tested in convalescence. These studies suggest that an immune stimulus (perhaps malarial antigens or mitogens) may be present in the brain in acute cerebral malaria.


This study evaluates the influences of air pollution in China using a recently proposed model—multi‐scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR). First, we review previous research on the determinants of air quality. Then, we explain the MGWR model, together with two global models: ordinary least squares (OLS) and OLS containing a spatial lag variable (OLSL) and a commonly used local model: geographically weighted regression (GWR). To detect and account for any variation of the spatial autocorrelation of air pollution over space, we construct two extra local models which we call GWR with lagged dependent variable (GWRL) and MGWR with lagged dependent variable (MGWRL) by including the lagged form of the dependent variable in the GWR model and the MGWR model, respectively. The performances of these six models are comprehensively examined and the MGWR and MGWRL models outperform the two global models as well as the GWR and GWRL models. MGWRL is the most accurate model in terms of replicating the observed air quality index (AQI) values and removing residual dependency. The superiority of the MGWR framework over the GWR framework is demonstrated—GWR can only produce a single optimized bandwidth, while MGWR provides covariate‐specific optimized bandwidths which indicate the different spatial scales that different processes operate.


This thesis covers devices exploring basic areas of physical and biological research including: surface plasmon enhanced InGaN light-emitting diode, analysis of using AlGaN emitters coupled with thin film heaters to cure onychomycosis infections, tunable organic transistors that use microfluidic source and drain electrodes, as well as an electrical microfluidic pressure gauge for PDMS MEMS. Also analyzed are devices created through the use of novel three-dimensional rapid prototyping techniques, such as: the replication of three-dimensional valves from printed wax molds, chemically robust three-dimensional monolithic SIFEL fluoropolymer microfluidics, microfluidic valves for customized radioactive positron emission dyes, reduction of microfluidic control inputs through the use of pressure multiplexing, bicuspid-inspired microfluidic check valves and microfluidic three-dimensional separation column. Devices created to analyze blood are also treated including: a microfluidic device to extract blood plasma from a fingerstick; inexpensive, portable immunoassay devices and their use in in small cell lung carcinoma and multiple sclerosis; as well as a device to screen metastasizing cancer cells. Devices created to perform polymerase chain reactions are also studied, including: an evaporative cooler for microfluidic channels, thermal management in microfluidics using micro-Peltier junctions in a microfluidic polymerase chain reaction system, and an accessible polymerase chain reaction system.


In the Medical area the use of technological tools for the training process of surgical procedures is an attractive solution, free of risks and implications. In this work the preliminary results of the development of an interactive virtual environment for medical training are exposed. This is developed in the context of an open source simulator of laparoscopic surgery. The geometrical and physical modeling of the anatomical structures or organs involved in surgical procedures are the main focus of this work. Medical images were used to obtain the real anatomical geometries and the Spring-Mass model was applied with a skeleton structure for modeling the mechanical behavior of the soft-tissues. The experimental results for a pancreas are exposed.


Designing a new Analytics programF requires not only identifying needed courses, but also tying the courses together into a cohesive curriculum with an overriding theme. Such a theme helps to determine the proper sequencing of courses and create a coherent linkage between different courses often taught by faculty staff from different domains. It is common to see a program with some courses taught by computer science faculty, other courses taught by faculty and staff from the statistics department, and others from operations research, economics, information systems, marketing or other disciplines. Applying an overriding theme not only helps students organize their learning and course planning, but it also helps the teaching faculty in designing their materials and choosing terminology. The InfoQ framework introduced by Kenett and Shmueli provides a theme that focuses the attention of faculty and students on the important question of the value of data and its analysis with flexibility that accommodates a wide range of data analysis topics. In this chapter, we review a number of programs focused on analytics and data science content from an InfoQ perspective. Our goal is to show, with examples, how the InfoQ dimensions are addressed in existing programs and help identify best practices for designing and improving such programs. We base our assessment on information derived from the program's web site.


Daily physical activity is advocated by various federal health agencies for reducing many of the health risks affecting old age, but older women are generally not heeding the message. The Health Belief Model proposes that sedentary living occurs when people believe that the risks of exercising exceed the benefits. To clarify the beliefs that act as incentives and barriers to more active living, the author asked 143 independent-living women aged 70 and older to respond to open-ended questions on their beliefs about benefits and risks for 6 fitness activities: brisk walking, aquacize, riding a bike or cycling, stretching slowly to touch the toes, modified push-ups from a kneeling position, and supine curl-ups. Content analysis organized perceived risks into 19 categories and perceived benefits into 6 categories providing original data on the conceptions that older women hold about the utility of various types of physical activity. Respondents generally recognized broad health benefits to fitness activities, but beliefs about risks were strong, anatomically specific, and sometimes sensational in description. The findings suggest that many older women feel physically vulnerable, are unsure about their actual risks and benefits in exercise settings, and, in the face of that uncertainty, report medical reasons why they should be excused from fitness-promoting exercise.


The purpose of the research report is to propose a model for an integrated rural entrepreneurial development agency in the Western Cape. In September 2010, it was reported that the economic development landscape in the Western Cape could expect significant changes in the coming months. Urban economic development has received a lot of attention in the past and probably will in the future as urban areas are densely populated with high incidences of poverty and unemployment. Rural areas on the other hand has not received the deserved attention and the work that are done somehow seem not to have the desired impact. The proposed model was developed from models available in literature and practical experience gained at Casidra (Pty) Ltd. Casidra is currently the implementing agent for the Western Cape Provincial Government with a focus on rural development. From the literature study, it is clear that entrepreneurial development in rural areas have some basic requirements such as community buy in into the process, a catalyst to start the process, skills and entrepreneurial training, access to markets and the establishment of a network of role players to drive the process of development. The proposed model explores possible opportunities and relationship that could assist in the process of rural entrepreneurial development. The proposed model could be standalone agency and function as such or it could be part of the proposed Economic Development Agency in the Western Cape driving rural development in the Province. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za


Butyrate possesses negative sensory qualities and is most effectively utilized in the intestine to provide energy to the colonocyte for the maintenance of intestinal health. Butyrate has also shown promise in the treatment of intestinal disorders and diseases such as short bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. To modify sensory properties, intestinal release, and butyrate production capabilities, tributyrin (TB) was microencapsulated in whey protein isolate (WPI)-based and gamma-cyclodextrin (GC)-based materials. Using an in vitro digestion and fermentation model, microcapsules containing TB were monitored for their release and production of butyrate in vitro. All samples containing TB showed limited butyrate release (<5%) during oral and gastric stages. In the small intestinal phase, all microcapsules containing TB released approximately 75% of their total butyrate with no significant differences (P > 0.05) across formulations. During the fermentation phase, GC-based microcapsules produced significantly more butyrate (P < 0.001) on a molar basis than all WPI-based microcapsules. Butyrate production increased significantly (P < 0.001) over each time interval with GC-based microcapsules having the highest during the 12 h of fermentation. The GC-based TB encapsulation systems were able to effectively deliver butyrate to the small intestine and generate butyrate in the large intestine. These microcapsules may, therefore, be beneficial for the maintenance of intestinal health and improvement of disease states across all areas of the gastrointestinal tract.


At the end of 2020, policy responses to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak have been shaken by the emergence of virus variants. The emergence of these more contagious, more severe, or even vaccine-resistant strains have challenged worldwide policy interventions. Anticipating the emergence of these mutations to plan ahead adequate policies, and understanding how human behaviors may affect the evolution of viruses by coevolution, are key challenges. This article hopes to provide a simple, starting illustration to these important, complex dynamics. We present a dual genetic algorithm model in which viruses fighting for survival and policy measures aiming at minimising infection rates in the population competitively evolve. Simulation runs reproduce the emergence of more contagious variants, and identifies the evolution of policy responses as a determinant cause of this phenomenon. This evolution opens new possibilities to visualise the impact of governments interventions not only on outbreak dynamics, but also on its evolution, to improve the efficacy of policies.


STUDY DESIGN
Biomechanical study using a programmable testing apparatus that replicated physiologic flexion-extension cervical spine motion, and loading mechanics.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the influence of anterior, posterior, or combined plating on multilevel cervical strut-graft mechanics in vitro.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
The addition of instrumentation does not prevent construct failure in multilevel (more than two levels) cervical corpectomy.

METHODS
Six fresh human cadaveric cervical spines (C2-T1) were tested in six sequential conditions that included harvested (H), C4-6 corpectomy, strut grafted, strut grafted with an anterior cervical plate (SGAP), strut grafted with posterior plates (SGPP), and strut grafted with combined anterior and posterior plates (SGAPP). A customized force-sensing strut graft (FSSG) was used to measure axial compression-tension, flexion-extension and lateral bending moments, and axial torsion. Parameters of stiffness, segmental vertebral motion, and strut-graft loads were compared, to determine differences among the spine conditions.

RESULTS
Flexion of the strut-grafted spine loaded the FSSG, and extension motion unloaded the FSSG. With the anterior plate, flexion of the SGAP spine significantly unloaded the FSSG; extension loaded the FSSG more than flexion of the unplated spine (P = 0.03). The opposite occurred with the posterior plates (SGPP), where flexion of the spine significantly loaded the FSSG (more than the strut grafted spine) and extension unloaded the FSSG (P < 0.03). The combined construct (SGAPP) counteracted the tension band effect of the individual plates and demonstrated significantly less overall FSSG load change than either plate alone (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS
Multilevel cervical instrumentation effectively increases stiffness after corpectomy. However, anterior or posterior plating alone excessively loads the graft with small degrees of motion, which may promote pistoning and failure of multilevel constructs.


Platelets from patients with Montreal platelet syndrome (MPS) consistently display a defect in the mechanisms that regulate platelet size during shape change and undergo spontaneous aggregation and stir-induced microaggregate formation. We now provide data that the surface glycoprotein composition of MPS platelets is indistinguishable from that of normal platelets. However, a defect in calcium-activated neutral proteinase (calpain) was detected in MPS platelets. The specific activity of calpain in the cytosolic fraction of platelets from four MPS patients was found to be only 30% of that in platelets from normal control donors (n = 18, P less than .001). Additionally, platelets from MPS patients (n = 3) contained only 50% (P less than .001) of the calpain I catalytic subunit antigen found in platelets from normal control donors (n = 9). Platelets from the asymptomatic father/grandfather of the MPS patients had normal amounts of both total calpain proteolytic activity and calpain I catalytic subunit antigen. This represents the first report of a defect in calpain in human cells. The abnormally low calpain activity in MPS platelets may account for the platelet defects characteristic of this disorder.


Traditional chemotherapeutic drugs are often restricted by severe side effects and lack of tumor specificity. Peptide prodrugs cleavable by peptidases present in the tumor environment have been explored to improve the therapeutic index of cytotoxic drugs. One such prodrug of doxorubicin (Dox), CPI-0004Na [N-succinyl-alanyl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-leucyl-Dox (sALAL-Dox)] has been shown to have an improved antitumor efficacy profile with reduced toxicity compared with Dox in tumor xenograft models (V. Dubois et al., Cancer Res., 62: 2327–2331, 2002). In this study, we demonstrate that CD10, a cell surface metalloprotease expressed on a variety of tumor cell types, is capable of cleaving CPI-0004Na and related peptide prodrugs such as N-succinyl-alanyl-L-isoleucyl-L-alanyl-Lleucyl-Dox (sAIAL-Dox). This proteolytic cleavage generates leucyl-Dox, which is capable of entering cells and generating intracellular Dox. In a [H]thymidine proliferation assay, analogues of CPI-0004Na showed a 100–300-fold increase in potency on CD10 cells compared with CD10 cells. Cytotoxicity of CPI-0004Na was inhibited by phosphoramidon, a known inhibitor of CD10 enzymatic activity. Furthermore, Chinese hamster ovary CHO-S cells, which are resistant to CPI-0004Na, could be sensitized to the cytotoxic effect of the prodrug by transfection of a CD10 cDNA. Tumor xenograft studies using LNCaP prostate tumor cells support the important role of CD10 in the antitumor efficacy of these prodrugs against tumors expressing CD10. CPI-0004Na and sAIAL-Dox achieved statistically significant 70% tumor growth inhibition at day 22. CD10 is expressed on many types of human tumors including B-cell lymphoma, leukemia, and prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung carcinomas; therefore, CD10-cleavable prodrugs may be effective in a range of different tumor types.


To meet the increased requirements on higher efficiency and better functionality of hydraulic systems, new components and system concepts have been developed over the years. However, the most important component in a hydraulic system, which has a major impact on system efficiency and wear are the fluid itself. The last decades, major attention on hydraulic fluid development, have been set upon environmental adaption. Today, energy efficiency has been a hot topic and a number of energy efficient fluids have been launched on the market. Besides energy efficiency, environmental adaption of fluids, are extremely important in mobile applications.In this paper the focus is set on hydraulic fluid properties and its impact on system efficiency. Environmental adapted fluids will also be discussed. Synthetic saturated esters are analysed and compared with mineral oils. The main question that will be tried to answer is - "How to select the best fluid for a specific application?".


Because of the poor response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, new treatment approaches by immune-based therapy involving activated T cells are required for melanoma. We previously reported that the uncarboxylated form of osteocalcin (GluOC), derived from osteoblasts, potentially suppresses human prostate cancer cell proliferation by direct suppression of cell growth. However, the mechanisms in vivo have not been elucidated. In this study, we found that GluOC suppressed tumor growth of B16 mouse melanoma transplants in C57Bl/6N wild-type mice. Our data demonstrated that GluOC suppressed cell growth by downregulating phosphorylation levels of receptor tyrosine kinases and inducing apoptosis in vitro. Additionally, stimulation of primary mouse splenocytes with concanavalin A, a polyclonal T-cell mitogen, in the presence of GluOC increased T cell proliferation and their interferon-γ production. Taken together, we demonstrate that GluOC exerts multiple antitumor effects not only in vitro, but also in vivo through cellular immunostimulatory effects against B16 mouse melanoma cells.


It has been reported that lipids are the only macromolecules which display consistency in their pattern of biosynthesis for all living system. In this study, lipid biosynthesis in the liver microsomes of female Sprague-Dawley rats as they aged (3, 7, 12 , 16 and 20 weeks) was studied. The microsomes were isolated by homogenization and centrifugation. The aliquot of the microsomes and soluble enzymes fraction were dried and separated into neutral and polar lipids. The separation of neutral and polar lipids fractions was by silicic acid column chromatography. The data obtained from the study showed that the total lipid content of the rat liver microsomes, the cholesterol, the triglycerides, and the polar (phosphoglycerides) lipids increased as the rats grew older. The results imply that similar pattern of lipid biosynthesis occurs in rats as in humans. This study has given a better understanding of the pattern of biosynthesis of lipids in female rats.


This paper presents time–series data that can be extracted from the Linux Credits files and discusses methodological challenges of automatic extraction of research data from open source files. The extracted data is used to describe the geographical expansion of the core Linux developer community. The paper also comments on attempts to use the Linux Credits data to derive policy recommendations for open source software.


Nowadays, industrialization along with urbanization and growing deforestation, increasing trend of green house effect, raising earth temperature, and rapid climate change have fallen a burden on the environmental resources and caused the earth to encounter twofold problems. Undoubtedly, man's presence and his destructive activities are not ignorable in reaching such a crisis. Nigeria has been encountering intensive environmental destruction in recent years because of the need to increase the revenue base and better the standard of living for the citizenry. This paper is aimed to answer this question: what are the effective factors that lead to the destruction of land in Nigeria? Land use change and environmental destruction not only has endangered natural resources, but also has had social and human resources to demolishment and torn local societies. In this paper, qualitative methods like interviewing and observation were used to indicate reasons of land destruction and land use change. The conceptual models were created to investigate the interaction between the factors and their results on the trend of forming unsustainable development as a result of quest for higher values of the land in the country. A systems dynamic method was used for this analysis. Unsustainable trends in the land use changes were predicted and finally some suggestions were made to prevent the trend of land destruction.


Assets in the fossil fuel industries are at risk of losing market value due to unanticipated breakthroughs in renewable technology and governments stepping up climate policies in light of the Paris commitments to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2°C. Stranded assets arise due to uncertainty about the future timing of these two types of events and substantial intertemporal and intersectoral investment adjustment costs. Stranding of assets mostly affects the 20 biggest oil, gas, and coal companies who have been responsible for at least one-third of global warming since 1965, but it also affects carbon-intensive industries such as steel, aluminum, cement, plastics, and greenhouse horticulture. A disorderly transition to the carbon-free economy will lead to stranded assets and legal claims. Institutional investors should be aware of these financial risks. A broader definition of stranded assets also includes countries reliant on fossil fuel exports and workers with technology-specific skills.


We present Manifold Alignment Determination (MAD), an algorithm for learning alignments between data points from multiple views or modalities. The approach is capable of learning correspondences between views as well as correspondences between individual data-points. The proposed method requires only a few aligned examples from which it is capable to recover a global alignment through a probabilistic model. The strong, yet flexible regularization provided by the generative model is sufficient to align the views. We provide experiments on both synthetic and real data to highlight the benefit of the proposed approach.


IN THIS PAPER, CHILDREN'S idealised playspace drawings, arising from their participation in planning a children's playground in a local shopping centre, are examined. This examination is conducted by engaging with theories of human/nature connection, significance of place, and children as agents in co-construction of playspaces. Analysis of the drawings—through a combination of iterative visual methods and children's narratives—highlights the value children place on being outdoors and on natural elements, loose parts and activity in their play. The playspaces imagined/drawn by the children are in stark contrast to the design of play environments in many schools and early childhood settings where safety and supervision are the dominant focus. These conflicting views are examined in the context of international discourse on playspace design, and the concluding discussion adds to the growing number of voices affirming that children should be actively engaged in the planning process and become co-constructors in spaces that are designed for their use.


Cryoplasty has been shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions in the peripheral vasculature and offers the promise of improving on the results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) by limiting dissection, vessel recoil, and restenosis. The PolarCath Peripheral Dilatation System utilizes nitrous oxide rather than the standard mixture of saline and contrast medium to inflate and cool the balloon to the desired temperature of approximately −10°C. Cryoplasty can be used in combination with other therapies, can be repeated, and offers the advantage of not leaving any foreign objects in the body. In a multicenter registry of claudicants with de novo or restenotic femoropopliteal lesions and in a multicenter trial of CLI patients with infrapopliteal lesions (86.9% mean diameter stenosis, 33.9% occlusions), favorable results with primary cryoplasty included minimal need for bailout stenting, avoidance of repeat revascularization, and high amputation-free survival. We review cases in which cryoplasty was used for diffuse superficial femoral and popliteal artery disease, for infrapopliteal stenosis and occlusion, for in-stent restenosis, and as part of a hybrid strategy for treating multilevel occlusive disease. As these clinical cases demonstrate, cryoplasty therapy can be employed effectively as a primary strategy, or in conjunction with debulking, for the treatment of lesions of varying severity in different segments of the infrainguinal vasculature. Further studies will be required to better define the role of this therapy relative to the other modalities that are currently available for the treatment of femoropopliteal and infrapopliteal disease.


This paper discusses two issues including a new power-combined technique and efficiency enhancement technique in mm-wave power amplifier design. A new concept of "folded-transformer" is proposed to reduce effectively the active area of power combiner and splitter. Furthermore, the efficiency enhancement technique at power-back operations is presented to extend the battery service time of the mobile device. The 60-GHz PA adopts an ultra-compact 4-way folded-transformer based architecture and provides power level-dependent multi-operating modes. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first mm-wave power amplifier with efficiency enhancement technique at power back-off operations. The PA is implemented in TSMC 90nm low-power CMOS process. While 1.2 V supply, the measurement results show that the peak power is 18.5 dBm at 60GHz and the drain efficiency of the power stage achieves of 24.1%. At 6dB/10dB power back-off operation, the drain efficiencies of power stage can be enhanced from 5.9% / 2.4% to 11.9% / 8%, respectively.


Introduction There has been no recent review of genital dermatology (GD) training for GUM trainees. The 2010 GUM specialist registrar curriculum states specific learning objectives that trainees should meet by CCT. Aim In order to evaluate and improve training, the BASHH GD Special Interest Group (SIG) conducted an online survey to assess specialist registrar training in GD. Methods The survey was designed through Survey Monkey and cascaded to trainees across the UK in 2014. Results 42 trainees responded, representing several deaneries (50% London) and grades. 68% of trainees receive GD training through adhoc clinical teaching; 85% through formal lectures. 26%, 32%, 37% have attended specialist GD clincs by gynaecologist, GUM physician, dermatologist respectively. Mean confidence in managing specific conditions varied from 5 (vulval pain syndromes) to 7.5 (fungal infections) (1–10 confidence scale). 47% were ≥7/10 confident in topical steriod use (1–10 confidence scale). Independently able to perform procedures: 21% punch biopsies, 63% fungal scrapings, 15% curettage. 50% of trainees are satisfied with GD training with 69% feeling they will be adequately trained by CCT. 58% would like a formal qualification in GD to be available. Discussion Training in GD is variable with mixed confidence in diagnosis, treatment and practical procedures. Many trainees feel training could be improved with requests for a formalised attachment, formal qualification and greater training in practical procedures. The BASHH GD SIG, in liaison with BASHH, aims to optimise GD training for registrars. Plans for improved resources are in progress, including a practical skills course and e-learning.


Observations of colour-ringed choughs were carried out at communal roosts and feeding flocks. 1. Of the three roosts studied, one was in continual use over the whole year holding from 30 to 120 choughs. The other two roosts were used by family groups after fledging and by young birds over the late autumn and were not in use all year. 2. The numbers of choughs using communal roosts were not static. The highest numbers were during the summer period when the young were fledging. 3. At the roost which was in continual use, numbers of first and second year choughs fluctuated to a greater degree than those of older birds with young birds moving to other roosts during the autumn / winter. 4. At the roost which was in continual use and where detailed observation of individual choughs could be carried out, there was an age-related dominance hierarchy with older birds winning and initiating more aggressive interactions than young birds (particularly first years). The majority of aggressive interactions were settled by threat rather than physical contact. 5. Young choughs arrived in the evening at the communal roost earlier and were less site-faithful in their roosting positions than older birds. 6. There was segregation of age classes within the roost flock during the summer with second nearest neighbours of each age class being of the same age greater than expected by chance. There was no difference from random in the age associations during the winter. 7. Choughs arrived earlier in the evening and at higher light intensities during the summer months than in the winter. The time at which birds arrived at the roost was more closely associated with time before sunset than light intensity. However, settling in the roost was more closely associated with light intensity than time before sunset. 8. Experimental food patches were provided on six occasions during the winter to test the "information centre" hypothesis. Choughs took several hours after dawn to find the bait on the first day but were quick to return after leaving the roost the following day (i. e. within minutes). More birds arrived on the second day. The reason for this is unknown but may be due to birds following others out from the roost, or local enhancement. The fact that choughs quickly returned to the experimental food patch suggests that they are quick to take advantage of newly avaiable food sources especially during the winter. 9. Set route surveys were carried out and the locations of colour-ringed choughs recorded. The areas in which 75% of roosting choughs were found feeding from each roost did not overlap though these discrete "core " areas were not defended. 10. Foraging range from the roost varied seasonally with birds foraging further in the summer. Young choughs foraged further (nearly twice as far) during the winter than older birds. 11. There was no significant difference in the distribution of flock sizes between seasons although in spring and summer the highest proportion of flock sizes being flocks of two. 12. There were differences in the proportions of different age classes in different areas. There were also differences in the proportions of different age classes depending on flock size. In an area where a higher proportion of the population was composed of older choughs, first year choughs tended to be found in smaller flocks especially during the winter. In areas where there were few older choughs present, first year choughs tended to flock together and were found in higher proportions in larger flocks than in an area where there were more older birds. 13. In feeding flocks individual birds' vigilance was related to flock size, decreasing with increasing flock size. For first year choughs however, as flock size increased over 11-15, their vigilance levels increased. This was possibly related to aggression avoidance when feeding on patchy, defendable food such as cow dung, or may have been related to observational learning when feeding on cryptic, non-defendable food items such as sub-soil invertebrates. As flock size increase, rates of aggressive interactions increased especially when choughs were feeding on dung and involved first year choughs to a greater extent than older birds. 14. Young choughs with their parents, while feeding on food items within dung had higher feeding rates, spent more time feeding and less time begging than when the family group was feeding on subsoil invertebrates. 15. Although sample size was small, the majority of colour-ringed female first time breeders were three, although several did breed in their second year. A higher proportion of first time breeders of four years old or over were male.


Soil phosphate (PO 4 –P) sorption and release is affected by reactions at the solution–soil surface interface. The objective of this study was to determine how the net negative surface charge and phosphate adsorption/desorption processes in a sandy-loam soil were affected by cattle manure and inorganic fertilizer applications. The soil came from a fi eld experiment where manure and triple superphosphate (TSP) were applied annually on an equivalent plant-available P basis. After 4 yr, manured soils had 37% more negative surface charge in soil suspensions from pH 4 to 7 than TSP-fertilized soils. Phosphate adsorption was 23% lower in soils receiving manure than TSP. The phosphate adsorption data (adsorption of added phosphate + native adsorbed phosphate) was modeled with the Langmuir 2-surface equation, which revealed that the binding strength for phosphate, including native adsorbed phosphate, was about 50% less in the manured soils than the TSP-fertilized soils. These results suggest that manure applications that increase the net negative surface charge also reduce the soil phosphate adsorption capacity. The cumulative desorbed phosphate was twofold greater from manured soils than TSP-fertilized soils. This confi rmed the results from phosphate adsorption isotherms showing that phosphate was weakly bound in manured soils, compared with TSP-fertilized soils. We found that manuring not only decreased phosphate retention by the soil but also increased phosphate release into the soil solution, and thus may lead to greater transport of phosphate from agricultural land to waterways.


The expression of genes belonging to the Ada regulon of Escherichia coli under the action of mono- and bifunctional alkylating agents--high-efficiency antitumor HMM, ACNU, and BCNU preparations--was studied. The functional specificity of the alkA, alkB, and aidB1 genes concerning both the structure and volume of DNA alkylation and the specificity of cell preadaptation was revealed. Additional experimental evidence for the role of the aidB1 gene as a unique "hazard gene", a component of the E. coli ada operon, was obtained. A phenomenon of positive interference between alternative SOS and Ada responses was observed for the first time upon gene expression.


Cases of polycystic kidney observed in infancy, with necropsy findings, are still sufficiently rare to justify the report of the following case. REPORT OF CASE History. —E. S., of Syrian parentage, born July 1, 1916, of healthy parents. There were several other children in the family who were well and healthy. The family history was entirely negative. There was no history of miscarriages, no luetic history of any other kind and no known exposure to tuberculosis. The child was brought to the King's Daughters' visiting nurse clinic on July 28, 1916, then 4 weeks old. Present Illness. —The mother said that she noticed before the child was 1 week old that its abdomen was unusually large, and that she thought it had grown since then. The child had appeared uncomfortable at times. There had been no vomiting. The stools had been regular, one to three per day, and on several


: The influence of the auxin transport inhibitors naph-thylphthalamic acid (NPA) and methyl-2-chloro-9-hydroxyflur-ene-9-carboxylate (CF), as well as the gaseous hormone ethylene on cambial differentiation of poplar was determined. NPA treatment induced clustering of vessels and increased vessel length. CF caused a synchronized differentiation of cambial cells into either vessel elements or fibres. The vessels in CF-treated wood were significantly smaller and fibre area was increased compared with controls. Under the influence of ethylene, the cambium produced more parenchyma, shorter fibres and shorter vessels than in controls. Since poplar is the model tree for molecular biology of wood formation, the modulation of the cam-bial differentiation of poplar towards specific cell types opens an avenue to study genes important for the development of vessels or fibres.


Unlike Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3 and similar ferroelectric relaxors which never truly become ferroelectric at zero-field, disordered Pb(Sc1/2Ta1/2)O-3 (PST) is a relaxer that spontaneously transforms into a ferroelectric phase. The control of the degree of order of the B-site cations in PST by appropriate heat treatment has been often used to demonstrate the influence of chemical disorder on the dielectric properties of ferroelectrics. Here it is shown that, in PST, disorder itself is not sufficient to prevent a macroscopic ferroelectric transition, and that disordered stoichiometric PST exhibits a strong dielectric relaxation, but upon cooling it spontaneously becomes a macroscopic ferroelectric. Lead deficiency in disordered Pb(Sc1/2Ta1/2)O-3 prevents this spontaneous ferroelectric transformation, and the material shows more usual relaxer properties.


ABSTRACT DNA damage tolerance (DDT) mechanisms allow cells to synthesize a new DNA strand when the template is damaged. Many mutations resulting from DNA damage in eukaryotes are generated during DDT when cells use the mutagenic translesion polymerases, Rev1 and Polζ, rather than mechanisms with higher fidelity. The coordination among DDT mechanisms is not well understood. We used live-cell imaging to study the function of DDT mechanisms throughout the cell cycle of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We report that checkpoint-dependent mitotic delay provides a cellular mechanism to ensure the completion of high fidelity DDT, largely by homology-directed repair (HDR). DDT by mutagenic polymerases is suppressed during the checkpoint delay by a mechanism dependent on Rad51 recombinase. When cells pass the G2/M checkpoint and can no longer delay mitosis, they completely lose the capacity for HDR and simultaneously exhibit a requirement for Rev1 and Polζ. Thus, DDT is coordinated with the checkpoint response so that the activity of mutagenic polymerases is confined to a vulnerable period of the cell cycle when checkpoint delay and HDR are not possible.


Using a quasi-experimental research design, this study examines the effect of terrorist events on the perception of immigrants across 65 regions in nine European countries. It first elaborates a theoretical argument that explains the effect of events and points to economic conditions, the size of the immigrant population, and personal contact as mediating factors. This argument is evaluated using the fact that the terror attack in Bali on October 12, 2002, occurred during the fieldwork period of the European Social Survey. The findings from this natural experiment reveal considerable cross-national and regional variation in the effect of the event and its temporal duration. The analysis on the regional level supports the argument about contextual variations in the response to the event and a second analysis based on the 2004 Madrid bombing confirms the study's conclusions. Implications of the findings for societal responses to terror attacks, the literature on attitudes toward immigrants, and survey research are discussed.


Wastewater of Gambier (Uncaria gambier Roxb) is a byproduct of pressing gambier leaves used for textile dyes. This wastewater cannot be stored for a long time to ease the moldy and rot process. The use of textile dye directly requires several long process steps. The study's purpose was to make a natural liquid dyestuff from gambier wastewater using varying mordant concentrations and test the quality of the dyestuff on cotton fabrics. The gambier wastewater was reacted with the FeSO 4 mordant to form a concentrated liquid used directly to dye textiles in a rapid and straightforward process. The study investigated varying the concentration of the FeSO4 mordant from 1 to 5% (by weight). The reaction between wastewater and mordant was conducted while being stirred at 300 rpm and 70C for 30 minutes. It was generated a dark green liquid dyestuff. The concentration of FeSO 4 influenced the color strength (K/S) of the dyestuff and resulted in K/S values from 2.49-3.70. This dyestuff-colored cotton cloth a greenish-grey color. The resulting color depth depended on diluting the dyestuff with K/S values ranging from 6.34 to 12.64. The color fastness against washing, sunlight, and rubbing varied from reasonably good (2-3), good (4), and very good (4-5). It was observed that after a year of storage, the dyestuff retained its color, was stable and showed no visible sign of mold contamination, and was still able to dye the fabric effectively. Keywords— gambier; mordant; liquid dyestuff; Uncaria gambir Roxb; wastewater of gambier.


While access-related dysfunction is a clear driver of clinical outcomes and costs, the full impact of vascular access dysfunction on patient experience and quality of life is not fully characterized in the literature. One way to more comprehensively characterize the patient experience from the patient perspective is through patient reported outcomes (PROs). However, the limited implementation of PROs in clinical trials, patient registries, quality measurement, and other research settings has significantly constrained the patient voice in evaluation of vascular access outcomes and vascular access decision-making. To address these issues, the Kidney Health Initiative, a public-private partnership between the American Society of Nephrology and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, assembled an interdisciplinary workgroup to enhance uptake of access-related PROs with the aims of: (1) reviewing the domains of HRQOL that are affected by vascular access, collect information on existing instruments that measure access-specific HRQOL in hemodialysis, and identify gaps in existing measures; (2) identifying and critically assessing barriers to widespread use of access-specific PRO measures; and (3) defining initiatives to overcome barriers and make recommendations for strategies to improve the use and utility of access-specific PRO measures. A consensus group process identified potential barriers to use of PRO measures in six categories: (1) PRO misperceptions, (2) patient factors, (3) regulators and payers, (4) instrument factors, (5) study design, and (6) physicians. The workgroup provided recommendations for actions to promote the widespread utilization of vascular access-related PRO measures in five categories: (1) development of vascular access-specific PRO measures, (2) ensuring comprehensive assessment when using vascular access PRO measures, (3) ensuring accessibility and applicability of vascular access PRO measures to all end stage kidney disease populations, (4) establishing universal guidelines and accepted vascular access PRO measures, and (5) engaging stakeholders across all facets.


The gold standard of treatment for major burns is early burn excision and autografting. In major burns this is complicated by a lack of donor site availability. Another challenge after burn injury is achieving optimal cosmetic and functional outcomes. Dermal regeneration templates (DRT) are biomatrices that help to address these problems. Within our centre the most commonly used are two-stage Integra® and single-stage Matriderm®. We review the use and outcomes of DRT in primary burns reconstruction within our regional burns centre. All patients undergoing primary burn reconstruction using Integra® (n=59) or Matriderm® (n=35) over a 13-year period were included. Integra® was used in patients with significantly larger burns (20.4% TBSA vs 1.7% TBSA). Comparable levels of graft take were seen in both groups. Major infections were significantly higher in the Integra® group (11/35 compared to 3/59). There was no significant difference in haematoma development, hypertrophic scarring or the need for secondary reconstructive surgery. Burn contractures developed in 15 patients treated with Matriderm® and 21 with Integra®. DRT have been used safely and effectively and have played an increasingly important role in our service over the last 13 years. Integra® is used primarily in large burns with limited donor sites and Matriderm® in smaller burns in cosmetically sensitive areas.


This research is a continuation of the potential mapping from Trowulan Art and Crafts commodity based on its material which consist of Terracotta, Stone and Brass. Studies are limited to Terracotta and bricks as its products. Terracotta of Trowulan has a distinctive color texture and the product that based on this material are mostly sculpture, roofs tile, roofs ornament and bricks. Bricks are the most common material for building construction and being exposed in a common principles of bricks formation. This recent research aims to find an alternative principles of bricks formation through parametric design approach. The software that being used are Rhinoceros and Grasshopper plug ins. Product of studies are parametric script that enables designer to make a well calculated simulation and shorten the prototyping process. It is also implemented as design module or designs pattern that can be developed manually by handworkers.


Introduction: Serum sickness is an acute and self-limiting disease caused by allergic reactions as a result of foreign proteins, injection or allergens. It is diagnosed by fever, lymphadenopathy, rash, gastrointestinal disorders and weakness. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of serum sickness and serum-like sickness in patients hospitalized in Kurdistan province. Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The study included all patients who were hospitalized during 2001 to 2014. Demographic data, etiologic factors, clinical symptoms and laboratory findings using patients' records were extracted. The data were analyzed using the software Stata 12. Results: Out of 74 patients 55 (74.3%) were male and 19 (25.7%) were female. The mean age of all patients was 25.13±17.9 years. The average length of hospital stay in patients was 3.48±0.47 days. The mean interval between medication consumption and the onset of symptoms was 7.32±2.44 days. Moreover, the mean interval between taking medication and onset of symptoms is not different among groups (P ˃ 0.05). In the majority of cases, the most affected of body areas were the right buttock (27%) and left buttock (25.7%), respectively. In this study, most cases of serum sicknesses (66.2%) are caused by medication administration. Of them, cefixime and penicillin (2.7%) were the most common medications responsible for this disease. Other causes were included amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, diclofenac, dexamethasone and amoxicillin (1.4%). Conclusion: Drugs are a common cause of serum sickness which is generally started 7 to 14 days after consumption. In most patients with mild disease, drug discontinuation is the choice treatment.


This article will examine the key concepts and traits of entrepreneurial action that the author believes are necessary to sustain and grow an Extension unit. The article will examine The Ohio State University South Centers' efforts utilizing these concepts. From this examination, future directions for programming, staffing, and structure will be shared.


Tourism in southern Africa is based on the region's wildlife and nature assets and is generally environmentally sustainable, but the extent to which it contributes to other aspects of sustainable development — overall income generation or poverty eradication — is less well explored. In this paper, we use social accounting matrices to compare the economic impacts of foreign tourism in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Overall impacts on GDP range from 6% (South Africa) to 9% (Namibia). However, South Africa's economy is more diversified than its neighbours' and more of the goods and services used by tourists and by the tourism industry are supplied domestically. Consequently, the impact per Rand spent is considerably larger for South Africa than for Botswana or Namibia. The poorer segments of the population appear to receive shares of tourism income that are smaller than their share of overall income in all three countries.


Background Plasma cell myeloma is a devastating disease of clonal plasma cells that show considerable diversity both in their immunophenotypic and in their cytogenetic features. Immunophenotyping has been used widely for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of malignant plasma cells. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the immunophenotypic profile and standard prognostic factors, and also to determine the correlation between different antigenic expression and the cytogenetic aberrations as well as clinical stage in patients with plasma cell myeloma. Patients and methods A total of 31 newly diagnosed Egyptian patients with plasma cell myeloma were evaluated by multiparameter flow cytometry. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed for detection of the expression of the 14q32 immunoglobulin H rearrangement, t(11;14), t(4;14), 13q del, and 17p del on bone marrow samples collected from the patients at diagnosis. Results Positive expression of CD19, CD20, CD13, and CD33 was detected in 38.7, 51.6, 19.4, and 12.9% of patients, whereas CD56, CD45, CD65, and CD117 were expressed in 41.9, 77.4, 9.7, and 25.8% of patients, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between CD13 positivity, CD56 positivity, or CD45 negativity and advanced International Staging System (P=0.011, 0.036, and 0.004, respectively). CD33-negative cases were significantly associated with absence of the 14q32 immunoglobulin H rearrangement (P=0.050) and absence of t(4;14) (P=0.018). CD45 positivity and CD13 negativity were correlated with absence of 13q del (P=0.031 and 0.011, respectively). Conclusion Immunophenotypic antigenic expression profile is associated with advanced clinical stage and absence of some cytogenetic aberrations in plasma cell myeloma.


China is confronted with three intrinsic dilemmas related to farmland conversion: (1) conserving farmland for national food security versus converting farmland to boost local government income; (2) protecting farmland to ensure the basic living conditions of vulnerable farmers versus developing farmland to encourage farmers' transition toward urban livelihoods; (3) preserving farmland by exercising national regulatory controls versus managing farmland through localised negotiations among the concerned stakeholders. This paper analyses three cases based on interview data collected from Shanghai, Guizhou, and Henan between 2009 and 2012. Each case consists of an informal local resolution to one of the three farmland dilemmas, and involves a variety of actors—local entrepreneurs, ethnic minority farmers, and village committee members—who act as 'barefoot planners'. On the basis of these findings, this paper makes a series of policy recommendations and calls for more flexible, spontaneous, and place-based farmland planning in China through social learning.


Over the past two years, horrific disasters such as the Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the Pakistan Earthquake have demonstrated the critical need for effective technological infrastructure that is scientifically grounded in geo-visual group interaction theory [1] and humanitarian knowledge management procedures [2] to quickly and effectively facilitate planning for predictable events and post-event response. In this demonstration, we address specific issues that negatively impact the effectiveness of geocollaborative process in disaster relief. These include lack of common group operating picture, lack of command structure understanding and blatant miscommunication and misunderstanding about where relief supplies needed to be delivered, who will deliver them, when they need to be delivered, and the relevancy of deliveries to stricken areas. Our approach improves on existing systems by using methods and technologies that meet the challenges of coordinating the efforts of diverse and spatially distributed private, public, and governmental agencies throughout the world responding to disasters. This is accomplished by applying new forms of distributed geospatial data, technology, and collaboration functionality. We present our progress on the development of the Geocollaborative Web Portal (GWP), an asynchronous, open source geospatial information framework designed to support international group interaction and knowledge management in the context of humanitarian relief logistics.


In recent years, much research has been devoted to the biomimetics research; however, few have deployed the study of the research trend. In fact, grasping the research trend is imperative for enterprises and researchers. The study aims at analyzing the trend change of biomimetics research from 2001 to 2010. The contribution of the study includes the following two points. First, the study has found the shift of the biomimetics research from shifts from "scaffold" and "engine" related issues to the focuses of "surface" and "structure". Second, the study finds a new way of literature survey by using the text mining method in order to explore the trend change.


Abstract Infant mortality is widely recognized as an indicator of poor living conditions. Scholars have identified economic, housing, environmental, and more recently, cultural determinants of infant mortality. Using individual-level data and record linkage this paper documents and explains the geography of infant mortality in Ottawa in 1901. Infant death in Ottawa mirrored the geography of poor living conditions in the city. The poorest and most densely settled community in Ottawa was Lowertown, a mostly French-Canadian part of the city with a disproportionate share of the city's infant deaths. In addition to environmental factors, infant mortality was linked to economic standing. Poorer families in Lowertown were more likely to have one of their infants die than better off families. After controlling for economic standing, however, cultural factors were stronger predictors of infant deaths. French-Canadian families in Lowertown had a greater risk of infant deaths than did families of other backgrounds irrespective of material circumstances. Supporting conclusions drawn elsewhere, this paper suggests that the interaction of particular cultural practices, such as shorter periods of breast-feeding among French-Canadians and a poor sanitary environment, resulted in high infant mortality rates in Ottawa.


The author is also the author of the intellectual biography of the important catalan historian Ferran Soldevila. He considers the possibility that the history of Catalan historiography is consolidated as a special branch in local history studies. He makes a critical review of the recent books published on this subject, pointing out the links between historians and politicians in the catalan culture.


Gender politics and the public sphere have been two key areas of intervention on the part of both the secular Pahlavi monarchy of Iran and the religious government under the Islamic regime. One of the consequences of Reza Shah's modernising project, which allowed for more open and progressive gender norms and gave women access to education, work and other opportunities, was the alienation of the vast majority of conservative Iranian families who no longer recognised the new secular public sphere they found outside their door. Unsurprisingly, while a small number of Iranian women managed to benefit from the changes that were supposedly enacted for their benefit, for the vast majority these reforms were hardly liberating and family life remained fairly traditional.


An 18-month-old infant presented with a history of arrest of neurological development from the age of eight months, with progressive ataxia, deafness, retinitis pigmentosa and hepatomegaly. Biochemical investigations revealed an elevated plasma phytanic acid level and deficiency of phytanic acid oxidase in skin fibroblasts. Histopathological findings in a liver biopsy were similar to those reported in infantile phytanic acid storage disease. Unexpected findings were the presence of elevated levels of plasma pipecolic acid, and elevated plasma long-chain fatty acid ratios, biochemical findings previously considered to be diagnostic of Zellweger's hepato-cerebro-renal syndrome, and of adrenoleucodystrophy, respectively. Recent biochemical evidence suggests that this patient, and other similar cases that have recently come to our attention, may have a fundamental defect in the peroxisomal enzyme system.


Transdermal delivery that avoids the presystemic disposition can provide an alternative to oral administration of tadalafil. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to select the best vehicle as the first step in optimization of tadalafil transdermal delivery. The vehicles were used neat or in selected binary combinations and were evaluated for drug solubilization and transdermal delivery. The drug solubility in pure vehicles were ranked as polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 > propylene glycol (PG) > ethanol > ethyl oleate (EO) > isopropyl myristate (IPM) > water. The solubility in binary systems containing ethanol at 2:1 ratios with EO or IPM was greater than that obtained with pure ethanol, EO, or IPM. This effect could be due to the cosolvency effect. The transdermal drug delivery from pure vehicles was ranked as IPM > EO > ethanol > PG > PEG > water. The delivery from binary mixtures of ethanol with either IPM or EO was higher than that obtained from pure solvents with the delivery increasing with increasing ethanol concentration in the mixtures. The delivery from binary mixtures was synergistic rather than additive. The study thus demonstrated a potential of tadalafil transdermal delivery. Binary combinations of ethanol with either IPM or EO provided the first step forward toward the development of transdermal delivery system for tadalafil.


Article History: Received 01.06.2012 Received in revised form 07.02.2013 Accepted 03.03.2013 Available online 15.12.2013 In today's business world where there is intensive competition, one of the reasons of stress, the disease of our era, is the mobbing behaviours at work. Stress can be both the reason and the result of mobbing actions. In organizations, the mobbing behaviours both from top to bottom and from bottom to top negatively affect the process of reaching organizational goals. Mobbing from bottom to top highly occurs in educational organizations in accordance with the others. In this paper, mobbing behaviours from the staff to the principals in primary and secondary schools are studied. The data were obtained from the negative behaviours scale from a total of 60 principals working in various primary and secondary schools who were selected using random sampling in the central district of Erzurum. These data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software package for frequency distribution, percentages, and t-test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis, and Mann-Whitney U-test. Given the data types and sampling numbers, it is understood from the analyses applied that of the school principals 1,74 % always, 1,96 % usually, % 5,83 sometimes and % 21,4 rarely are exposed to mobbing behaviours by the staff, and there is not a meaningful difference between mobbing behaviours according to the variables of age, sex, seniority, rotation, state of education and school. © 2013 IOJES. All rights reserved


Many new anticancer agents can be combined with existing drugs, as combining a number of drugs may be expected to have a better therapeutic effect than monotherapy owing to synergistic effects. Furthermore, to drive drug development and to reduce the associated cost, there has been a growing tendency to combine these as phase I/II trials. With respect to phase I/II oncology trials for the assessment of dose combinations, in the existing methodologies in which efficacy based on tumor response and safety based on toxicity are modeled as binary outcomes, it is not possible to enroll and treat the next cohort of patients unless the best overall response has been determined in the current cohort. Thus, the trial duration might be potentially extended to an unacceptable degree. In this study, we proposed a method that randomizes the next cohort of patients in the phase II part to the dose combination based on the estimated response rate using all the available observed data upon determination of the overall response in the current cohort. We compared the proposed method to the existing method using simulation studies. These demonstrated that the percentage of optimal dose combinations selected in the proposed method is not less than that in the existing method and that the trial duration in the proposed method is shortened compared to that in the existing method. The proposed method meets both ethical and financial requirements, and we believe it has the potential to contribute to expedite drug development.


Abstract. During the 2006 FLAME study (Fire Laboratory at Missoula Experiment), laboratory burns of biomass fuels were performed to investigate the physico-chemical, optical, and hygroscopic properties of fresh biomass smoke. As part of the experiment, two nephelometers simultaneously measured dry and humidified light scattering coefficients (bsp(dry) and bsp(RH), respectively) in order to explore the role of relative humidity (RH) on the optical properties of biomass smoke aerosols. Results from burns of several biomass fuels from the west and southeast United States showed large variability in the humidification factor (f(RH)=bsp(RH)/bsp(dry)). Values of f(RH) at RH=80–85% ranged from 0.99 to 1.81 depending on fuel type. We incorporated measured chemical composition and size distribution data to model the smoke hygroscopic growth to investigate the role of inorganic compounds on water uptake for these aerosols. By assuming only inorganic constituents were hygroscopic, we were able to model the water uptake within experimental uncertainty, suggesting that inorganic species were responsible for most of the hygroscopic growth. In addition, humidification factors at 80–85% RH increased for smoke with increasing inorganic salt to carbon ratios. Particle morphology as observed from scanning electron microscopy revealed that samples of hygroscopic particles contained soot chains either internally or externally mixed with inorganic potassium salts, while samples of weak to non-hygroscopic particles were dominated by soot and organic constituents. This study provides further understanding of the compounds responsible for water uptake by young biomass smoke, and is important for accurately assessing the role of smoke in climate change studies and visibility regulatory efforts.


This article discusses the role played by interpersonal comparisons (of utility or goodness) in matters of justice and equity. The role of such interpersonal comparisons has initially been made explicit in the context of social choice theory through the concept of extended preferences. Social choice theorists have generally claimed that extended preferences should be taken as being uniform across a population. Three related claims are made within this perspective. First, though it is sometimes opposed to social choice theory, the social contract approach may also consider the possibility of interpersonal comparisons. This is due to the fact that justice principles may be partially justified on a teleological basis. Second, searching for the uniformity of interpersonal comparisons is both hopeless and useless. In particular, moral disagreement does not originate in the absence of such uniformity. Third, interpersonal comparisons should be accounted for both in social choice and social contract theories in terms of sympathetic identification based on reciprocal respect and tolerance, where each person's conception of the good partially takes care of others' good. From the moral point of view, any person's conception of the good should thus be 'extended' to others' personal conceptions. This extension is, however, limited due to the inherent limitations in sympathetic identification and is a long way from guaranteeing the uniformity assumed by social choice theorists.


This paper takes a particular period in the biographies of a set of Chinese Buddhist images - 1850s-1860s – in order to examine the different meanings bestowed upon them by antiquarian collectors. The set consists of five deity figures, the largest of which is a rare, almost life-size, bronze statue of the Goddess of Compassion, Guanyin, with twenty-two outstretched arms, dating to the early fifteenth century. The sculptures today are in the collections of the World Museum Liverpool, where three of them are exhibited in the World Cultures gallery. The deities were originally located in temples on the Chinese pilgrimage island of Putuo, and were removed from this sanctuary by a British soldier, Major William Edie, after the First Opium War (1839-42). Edie returned to England in 1850 and the following year placed the bronzes on display in the main avenue of the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park. Not long after this, the five moved into the cabinet of their next owner, a London-based gem dealer, Bram Hertz.


Disorders of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain are associated with various brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), for which there are no effective treatments. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offer a remarkable potential for finding new therapeutic strategies because they are self-renewable and capable to differentiate into all cell types. However, biomedical applications of PSCs require knowledge of the molecular mechanisms directing PSCs into midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) cell fate. During development the generation of mDA neurons is induced by the extrinsic molecules SHH, FGF8 and WNT1 in the caudal region of the Otx2 positive domain, which marks the presumptive foreand midbrain, and rostrally to the future hindbrain expressing Gbx2. In this study I have further investigated the role of FGF signalling in the generation of mDA neurons. Here, I have used mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). Based on their developmentally primed pluripotent state, we assumed that they represent a more suitable system when compared with mouse embryonic stem cells. I validated neural differentiation of EpiSCs as an alternative model to study neural development in vitro. I found that inhibition of the FGF/ERK activity at the onset of EpiSC differentiation initiated expression of Wnt and Shh and further induced ventral midbrain progenitor markers, accompanied by suppressing caudalisation as well as forebrain induction. To maintain ventral midbrain progenitor fate, cells required a period of endogeneous FGF/ERK signalling. Subsequent treatment of FGF8 and SHH, which restricts progenitors from adopting alternative fates, led to highly efficient production of authentic mDA neurons. These neurons exhibited functional, neuron-like properties and when implanted into the striatum of mouse PD model strongly restored parkinsonian features without any signs of overgrowth. In conclusion, a temporally controlled modulation of FGF/ERK activity during neural differentiation from PSCs is crucial for reliable and highly efficient generation of functional authentic mDA neurons.


Engineering is often described as an enduring bastion of masculine culture where women experience marginality. Using diaries from undergraduate engineering students at four universities, the authors explore women's interpretations of their status within the profession. The authors' findings show that women recognize their marginality, providing clear and strong criticisms of their experiences. But these criticisms remain isolated and muted; they coalesce neither into broader organizational or institutional criticisms of engineering, nor into calls for change. Instead, their criticisms are interpreted through two values central to engineering culture: meritocracy and individualism. Despite their direct experiences with sexism, respondents typically embrace these values as ideological justifications of the existing distributions of status and reward in engineering and come to view engineering's nonmeritocratic system as meritocratic. The unquestioned presumption of meritocracy and the invisibility of its muting effects on critiques resembles not hegemonic masculinity—for these women proudly celebrate their femininity—but a hegemony of meritocratic ideology. The authors conclude that engineering education successfully turns potential critics into agents of cultural reproduction. This article contributes to ongoing debates concerning diversity in STEM professions by showing how professional culture can contribute to more general patterns of token behavior—thus identifying mechanisms of cultural reproduction that thwart institutional change.