Anopheles (An.) mosquitoes contain bacteria that can influence Plasmodium parasites. Wolbachia, a common insect endosymbiont, has historically been considered absent from Anopheles but has recently been found in An. gambiae populations. Here, we assessed a range of Anopheles species from five malaria-endemic countries for Wolbachia and Plasmodium infection. Strikingly, we found Wolbachia infections in An. coluzzii, An. gambiae s.s, An. arabiensis, An. moucheti and An. species 'A' increasing the number of Anopheles species known to be naturally infected by this endosymbiont. Molecular analysis suggests the presence of phylogenetically diverse novel strains, while qPCR and 16S rRNA sequencing indicates that Wolbachia is the dominant member of the microbiota in An. moucheti and An. species 'A'. We found no evidence of Wolbachia/Asaia co-infections, and presence of these endosymbionts did not have significant effects on malaria prevalence. We discuss the importance of novel Wolbachia strains in Anopheles and potential implications for disease control.


The core challenge in designing an effective static program analysis is to find a good program abstraction -- one that retains only details relevant to a given query. In this paper, we present a new approach for automatically finding such an abstraction. Our approach uses a pessimistic strategy, which can optionally use guidance from a probabilistic model. Our approach applies to parametric static analyses implemented in Datalog, and is based on counterexample-guided abstraction refinement. For each untried abstraction, our probabilistic model provides a probability of success, while the size of the abstraction provides an estimate of its cost in terms of analysis time. Combining these two metrics, probability and cost, our refinement algorithm picks an optimal abstraction. Our probabilistic model is a variant of the Erdos--Renyi random graph model, and it is tunable by what we call hyperparameters. We present a method to learn good values for these hyperparameters, by observing past runs of the analysis on an existing codebase. We evaluate our approach on an object sensitive pointer analysis for Java programs, with two client analyses (PolySite and Downcast).


A case of spinal cord injury (SCI) is defined as the occurrence of an acute traumatic lesion of neural elements in the spinal canal (spinal cord and cauda equina), resulting in temporary or permanent sensory and/or motor deficit. Most studies on traumatic SCI show a bimodal age distribution, with a first peak in young adulthood and a second peak in older adults. Spinal cord trauma activates a cascade of events that exacerbates the damage such as activation of inflammatory process that determinates cytokine and chemokine production and that generates reduction in functional recovery resulting in necrosis or apoptosis of neurons. However, the precise mechanism of SCI-induced inflammatory response remains not fully understood at present. Current strategy to treat damage to the spinal cord is limited, only the treatment with methylpredniso‐ lone (MP), if administered in excessive dose during the acute phase of the damage, could ameliorate patients with severe SCI. However, associated to the beneficial effects, there are growing evidence that high-dose of MP is correlated to increased risk of infec‐ tions, pneumonia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, there is a necessity to develop new therapies to treat SCI; one of these is to selectively reduce inflammation that possess unique role in the processes of injury and recovery.


Improving microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance continues to be the subject of research, yet the role of operating conditions, specifically duty cycling, on MFC performance has been modestly addressed. We present a series of studies in which we use a 15-anode environmental MFC to explore how duty cycling (variations in the time an anode is connected) influences cumulative charge, current, and microbial composition. The data reveal particular switching intervals that result in the greatest time-normalized current. When disconnection times are sufficiently short, there is a striking decrease in current due to an increase in the overall electrode reaction resistance. This was observed over a number of whole cell potentials. Based on these results, we posit that replenishment of depleted electron donors within the biofilm and surrounding diffusion layer is necessary for maximum charge transfer, and that proton flux may be not limiting in the highly buffered aqueous phases that are common among environmental MFCs. Surprisingly, microbial diversity analyses found no discernible difference in gross community composition among duty cycling treatments, suggesting that duty cycling itself has little or no effect. Such duty cycling experiments are valuable in determining which factors govern performance of bioelectrochemical systems and might also be used to optimize field-deployed systems.


An analysis of the relativistic electron motion at electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) condition in a magnetic field which is gradually growing in time is accomplished. The results show the existence of a strong mechanism (basically nonrelativistic) which automatically maintains the phase stability during the gyro-resonant acceleration. The conditions in which the gyro-resonant acceleration (up to arbitrarily high energies) is possible are established. The conceptual design of a gyro-resonant accelerator (Gyrac) is proposed. The parameters of possible Gyrac devices for the energies of 5 GeV, 1 GeV, 100 MeV, and 10 MeV with peak powers of accelerated electron bunches (e-vortex) correspondingly 2.5 TW, 0.5 TW, 25 GW, and 0.4 GW are given.


Emphysematous cystitis is characterized by gas collection within the bladder wall and lumen. A case of emphysematous cystitis in a 74-year-old diabetic male is reported. Radiogram demon strated an enlarged bladder with intraluminal gas.


The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board the Solar Orbiter (SO) spacecraft observed small extreme ultraviolet (EUV) bursts, termed campfires, that have been proposed to be brightenings near the apexes of low-lying loops in the quiet-Sun atmosphere. The underlying magnetic processes driving these campfires are not understood. During the cruise phase of SO and at a distance of 0.523\,AU from the Sun, the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager on Solar Orbiter (SO/PHI) observed a quiet-Sun region jointly with SO/EUI, offering the possibility to investigate the surface magnetic field dynamics underlying campfires at a spatial resolution of about 380~km. In 71\% of the 38 isolated events, campfires are confined between bipolar magnetic features, which seem to exhibit signatures of magnetic flux cancellation. The flux cancellation occurs either between the two main footpoints, or between one of the footpoints of the loop housing the campfire and a nearby opposite polarity patch. In one particularly clear-cut case, we detected the emergence of a small-scale magnetic loop in the internetwork followed soon afterwards by a campfire brightening adjacent to the location of the linear polarisation signal in the photosphere, that is to say near where the apex of the emerging loop lays. The rest of the events were observed over small scattered magnetic features, which could not be identified as magnetic footpoints of the campfire hosting loops. The majority of campfires could be driven by magnetic reconnection triggered at the footpoints, similar to the physical processes occurring in the burst-like EUV events discussed in the literature. About a quarter of all analysed campfires, however, are not associated to such magnetic activity in the photosphere, which implies that other heating mechanisms are energising these small-scale EUV brightenings.


In this article, I analyse the Zapatistas' political practices and literary discourse in order to discuss two features of Zapatismo that have largely been overlooked yet I believe were fundamental for its ability to cross national boundaries and influence oppositional practices, social movements and revolutionary activity in the last two decades. The first feature is what I will call the Zapatistas' fecund, living memory, that is, the place-specific memory that derives from everyday experience and learning, and therefore cannot be systematized and applied universally. If this first aspect is intrinsic to the Zapatista experience itself, the second feature is more related to how the Zapatistas' discourse and political practices were read outside the indigenous communities in which Zapatismo originated, namely, as following in the footsteps of the long and marginalized tradition of Cynicism and courageous truth telling. I argue that the combination of these two features—one intrinsic and particular, the other extrinsic and universalizable—enabled others to partake in the political truth of Zapatismo by partaking in a common spirit of resistance that nonetheless resists the impulse to extract universal principles from particular experiences and therefore acknowledges the need to reject ready-made recipes for revolution and other oppositional practices.


: The antigen activity of bile of rabbits, sheep and cattle infected with F. hepatica was investigated by the immunodiffusion methods. The sera obtained from animals with experimental fasciolosis and other infections were used. At the experimental fasciolosis and intensive natural infection antigens were found in bile, one of which was present in all the animals and turned to be identical immunologically to the specific protein antigene (molecular weight is 27 500) isolated from the extract of F. hepatica. Titres of this antigene in bile depended usually on the infection intensity and were, as a rule, higher than titres of corresponding antibodies in the blood serum. The presence of this antigen in bile can serve as a diagnostic indication of fasciolosis especially when ovoscope or immunological methods based on the finding of antibodies are inefficient.


This paper describes a novel approach to solute trapping and remobilization. It involves the use of a subambient trap, with a narrow capillary column passing through the cooled region. A mechanism allows for longitudinal movement of the trap relative to the chromatographic column or narrow transfer line through which analytes travel. Either the trap or the column can be moved, and the frequency or manner of relative movement determines the type of result obtained. A series of preliminary studies are described that define the general approach to using this device and demonstrate the unique benefits that may arise from the modulation movement. Significant improvement (reduction) in peak width occurs if the device is placed immediately prior to the detection system, and consequently a great increase in detection limits results. With a 25 cm length of capillary column between the trap and detector, it is calculated that the plate height of dodecane is 0.082 mm, equivalent to 12 100 plates/m. This was found to be much greater than that for dodecane analyzed on a 25 m column. By slow displacement of the column through the trap, it is demonstrated that the solute is trapped in the first 1 cm (or less) of the column located in the cold trap.


: Cloned DNA containing the first nine exons of the rat albumin gene was digested with EcoRI and HindIII, and the resulting fragments were used to screen for regions with relatively high affinity for protein. Of three restriction fragments preferentially bound, the fragment containing the first two exons of the albumin gene was consistently bound over others by heat-stable protein extracted from liver nuclei with 0.35-1.0 M NaCl. Proteins extracted with lower and higher ionic strength buffers bound the DNA fragments, but with little specificity. The DNA fragment that was preferentially bound consistently by the 1.0 M nuclear extract was subcloned into pBR325 and was used to isolate the specific DNA-binding activity. After purification, histone H1 was the polypeptide with preferential DNA-binding activity. Histone H1 has a high-affinity binding site in the 5' end of the rat albumin gene within 440 5'-flanking base pairs and the first two exons of the gene.


In clinical oncology, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can be used to assess therapeutic response by quantifying the evolution of semi-quantitative values such as standardized uptake value, early during treatment or after treatment. Current guidelines do not include metabolically active tumor volume (MATV) measurements and derived parameters such as total lesion glycolysis (TLG) to characterize the response to the treatment. To achieve automatic MATV variation estimation during treatment, we propose an approach based on the change detection principle using the recent paradoxical theory, which models imprecision, uncertainty, and conflict between sources. It was applied here simultaneously to pre- and post-treatment PET scans. The proposed method was applied to both simulated and clinical datasets, and its performance was compared to adaptive thresholding applied separately on pre- and post-treatment PET scans. On simulated datasets, the adaptive threshold was associated with significantly higher classification errors than the developed approach. On clinical datasets, the proposed method led to results more consistent with the known partial responder status of these patients. The method requires accurate rigid registration of both scans which can be obtained only in specific body regions and does not explicitly model uptake heterogeneity. In further investigations, the change detection of intra-MATV tracer uptake heterogeneity will be developed by incorporating textural features into the proposed approach.


BACKGROUND
Radiographic contrast material is one of agents that are prone to cause nephropathy, although little is known about cellular mechanisms underlying contrast media-induced renal failure. The present study was designed to determine the role of caspase in contrast media-induced renal injury. The modulation by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) of cell injury was subsequently examined.

METHODS
LLC-PK1 cells (a proximal renal tubular cell line of porcine origin) were exposed to diverse contrast media for 30 minutes followed by incubation for 24 hours in normal medium. Cell viability was assessed by mitochondrial enzyme activity and propidium iodide stain. Apoptosis was determined by DNA electrophoresis and annexin V stain. Caspase activity was measured fluorometrically. The mRNA for bax and bcl-2 was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS
Iodinated and magnetic resonance contrast media reduced cell viability due to apoptosis. The cell damage induced by a non-ionic contrast medium ioversol was inhibited by specific inhibitors for caspase-3 and -9 but not caspase-8. Ioversol enhanced the activities of caspase-3 and -9, but to a lesser extent, caspase-8. The bax mRNA was enhanced, while bcl-2 mRNA was reduced, after exposure to ioversol. All of these actions of ioversol were reversed by dibutyl cAMP in the manner sensitive to a protein kinase A inhibitor H89 and a phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3) kinase inhibitor wortmannin.

CONCLUSION
We demonstrated for the first time that cAMP reversed caspase-dependent apoptotic renal cell damage caused by contrast media. Both protein kinase A and PI3 kinase might be involved in protective effect of cAMP.


Abstract : In September 1975, the Wide Aperture Research Facility (WARF) Over- the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) performed shipping surveillance as part of the Long- Range Acoustic Propagation Project (LRAPP) exercise Church Opal. The purpose of the OTHR experiment was to help determine the density and distribution of ships in three Pacific Ocean areas, each 5 deg by 5 deg square. The noise emitted by ships sometimes reduces the sensitivity of underwater acoustic systems. Over a period of five days, 26 separate ships were detected and tracked at WARF. An ocean area of approximately 250,000 sq km was searched eight times each day. The largest number of ships detected was nine, and the smallest was two, on any given day. Ship radial speeds ranged between 11 and 23 knots, and estimated ship lengths varied between 300 and 650 ft or more. OTHR and P3 ship density results were compared on the last day of WARF operation, and the agreement was good. By comparison, however, the correlation of the positions of individual ships reported by P3 and OTH radars was relatively poor. Both high probability OTH detections and P3 detections were apparently not seen by the opposite sensor. Church Opal was the second of three recent formal tests of the OTHR ship surveillance capability at WARF. It was the first time that any OTHR had routinely searched large ocean areas for surface shipping. The wide-area ship surveillance performed by OTHR in this experiment demonstrated utility for this and similar ocean surveillance applications. Recommendations for future work are discussed.


The discovery and properties of the plastid chaperonin are described. This chaperonin is implicated in the folding and assembly of the enzyme ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase and in the folding of proteins imported into plastids from the cytosol. The plastid chaperonin appears to be unique in that it contains two distinct types of 60 kDa polypeptide, whereas only a single subunit type has been reported for the bacterial and mitochondrial chaperonins. The plastid chaperonin polypeptides are encoded by nuclear genes which are subject to complex regulation.


The irritations, abrasions and dermatitis produced by adhesive plaster when used with wound dressings are too well known to require elaboration. In addition, there are many patients for whom adhesive plaster cannot be used at all, owing to allergies and extreme sensitiveness of the skin to the plaster. Two other disadvantages invariably connected with the use of adhesive plaster in surgical dressings are the varying degrees of discomfort to the patient and the necessity for removing adhesive debris with solvents that may further irritate the skin. The foregoing objections led to a search for a substance which could be used in place of adhesive plaster and which would have the following characteristics: (1) adhesive qualities, (2) elasticity, (3) ease of application, (4) ease of removal without debris, (5) freedom from toxic and allergic effects, (6) ready availability, (7) low cost and (8) freedom from staining. In order to achieve these


The ideas contained in this paper were first formulated as part of a chapter in my doctoral dissertation, which was completed in 1997. Some years later I added to my initial thoughts, scribbled some notes, and presented them at the 12th Annual Philosophy in Schools Conference, held in Brisbane in 2002. This presentation surfaced as a paper in Critical & Creative Thinking: The Australasian Journal of Philosophy in Schools (Burgh 2003a). Soon thereafter I revised the paper (Burgh 2003b) and it appeared in abridged form in the AsiaPacific Philosophy Education Network for Democracy (APPEND) Philosophy Series, Volume 4: Philosophy, Democracy and Education, edited by Philip Cam. It was once again revised, but also expanded, and appeared in Chapter 5 of Ethics and the community of inquiry: Education for deliberative democracy, a collaborative authorship with Terri Field and Mark Freakley (2006). Some sections have been further revised and appear in other publications (Burgh 2009, 2010; Burgh & Yorshansky 2011). These revisions would suggest that my thoughts on these matters are constantly changing. To some degree this is true, but each time the changes have built on previous ideas rather than new ideas replacing old ones. I welcomed the invitation to revise the original paper, which includes sections not included in later versions. However, with almost 11 years passing since the original publication, I found myself deleting sections and replacing others. Subsequently, this paper is a culmination of all the revisions and incorporates ideas from each.


In this study, copper(II) fluoroborate, one of the special boron products, was synthesized by high energy impacted ball milling method and characterization studies were carried out by means of FTIR and BF4 ion selective electrode. Copper fluoride and elemental boron were used as reactants in the study. Mechanochemical method by means of ball milling was carried out, in a three-dimensional spex-type ball mill in an argon atmosphere. Specimens were prepared at different mole ratios and mechanically milled in a ball mill for a fixed time to determine the optimum mole ratio and the reaction period was optimized in the next step. As a result of the experiments, the most efficient reaction was obtained when reactant mole ratio (nB/nCuF2) of 0.85:1 and reaction period of 1500 minutes. Copper(II) fluoroborate was produced with a yield of 84.5% under the optimum conditions.


A common form of MEMS actuator is a thermally actuated bimaterial, which is easy to fabricate by surface micromachining and permits out of plane actuation, which is otherwise difficult to achieve. This paper presents an analytical framework for the design of such microelectrothermal bimaterial actuators. Mechanics relationships for a cantilever bimaterial strip subjected to a uniform temperature were applied to obtain expressions for performance metrics for the actuator, i.e., maximum work/volume, blocked (force) moment, and free-end (displacement) slope. Results from finite-element analysis and closed form relations agree well to within 1%. The optimal performance for a given pair of materials and the corresponding thickness ratio were determined. Contours of equal performance corresponding to commonly used substrates (e.g., Si, SiO2) were plotted in the domain of governing material properties (thermal expansion coefficient and Young's modulus) to identify candidate materials for further development. These results and the accompanying methodology provide a rational basis for comparing the suitability of "standard" materials for microelectrothermal actuators, as well as identifying materials that might be suitable for further research


This report on the Korean Strategy for Green Growth and its implementation in urban areas assesses the contributions of sub-national governments to Korea's National Strategy for Green Growth and identifies the main challenges for effective implementation at the local level. Korea's economy, heavily reliant on foreign exports, was hard hit by the recent global financial crisis. Since the 1970s, Korea has become one of the most energy-intensive economies in the OECD area, thanks to higher living standards, rapid urbanisation and an expanding industrial sector. As a result, the country's greenhouse gas emissions almost doubled between 1990 and 2005, registering the highest growth rate in the OECD area. It is in this context of rapid urbanisation and unprecedented resource consumption and environmental pressures that the report focuses on the role of urban areas within Korea's National Strategy for Green Growth. The effectiveness of Korea's green growth agenda, which has been driven by a central government vision and strategy, will largely hinge on the contribution of urban areas toward more sustainable, greener growth. Through the lens of a multilevel governance framework, an assessment of green growth policies in Korean cities helps to identify concrete strategies for delivering a coherent policy message and improving governance across all levels of government, with particular recommendations in terms of policy, funding, technical capacity and information sharing.


The recent financial crisis has demonstrated the importance of the linkages between the financial sector and the real economy. This paper sets out to develop two complementary methods for assessing the position of the economy in the financial cycle in order to identify emerging imbalances in timely manner. First, we construct a composite indicator using variables representing risk perceptions in the financial sector and calibrate this indicator to capture the credit losses the Czech banking sector experienced during the recent crisis. Second, we focus on the transitions of loans from one risk category to another, which allows us to capture the financial cycle from the perspective of the debt-paying ability of non-financial corporations. Both financial cycle measures can be used by policy makers for a wide range of policy decisions, including that on the setting of the countercyclical capital buffer.


Objective: The differential diagnosis of renal tumors can be problematic due to overlapping morphologic features. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential contribution of survivin expression in the differential diagnosis and determination of therapy modalities of these tumors.
Methods: This study consisted of 15 chromophobe (ChRCC), 15 clear cell (CCRCC) and 9 papillary (PRCC) renal cell carcinomas, and 13 oncocytomas. Sections were stained against survivin antibody.
Results: PRCCs and CCRCCs showed diffuse and strong survivin expression. Survivin expression was strikingly prominent in type1 PRCCs and cystic CCRCCs. In CCRCCs, survivin expression was more pronounced in low grade areas than high grade and sarcomatoid areas. In ChRCC, survivin expression was more limited and weaker than that of oncocytomas and other malignant renal tumors. In non-neoplastic renal tissue, survivin expression was more pronounced in podocytes and atrophic tubules than other nephron parts.
Conclusions: Our results suggested that survivin may helpful in the differential diagnosis of renal tumors despite limited number of our cases. Experimental studies have revealed that inhibition of survivin induces apoptosis and enhance radiosensitivity of RCC cells. Taken together, to be known the proportion of survivin expression in subtypes of renal tumors may contribute to determine new therapeutic strategies for RCCs. This needs to be proven in more wide series.


To investigate the soccer match-play work of players with cerebral palsy, 40 elite players were monitored for cardiovascular and locomotive demands of tournament match play. Using global positioning satellite and heart rate monitors, total distance travelled, distance travelled at high intensity and very high intensity (m); frequency of high intensity and very high intensity activity; heart rate. Disability classes C5/6, C7 and C8 were compared. The results showed C8 players covered the greatest distance. Frequency, contribution and maximum speed of high intensity and very high intensity activity was greater in C8. There was a progressive decline in distances covered in all classes across match quarters. C8 spent more time above 85% HRmax. No differences were observed between C5/6 and C7 classes. In conclusion, C8 players most notably perform best in very high intensity activity associated with game-defining moments. C5/6 and C7 players performed equitably. This study is the first to provide an insight for practitioners and coaches interested in the work rates in soccer for athletes with cerebral palsy.


Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) method was employed to simulate the adsorption properties of molecular hydrogen on crossing the critical temperature in all-silica ZSM-5 zeolite in this paper. The results indicated that the adsorbed amounts of hydrogen increased with decreasing temperatures and increasing pressures. The highest hydrogen uptake value is 2.24 wt% at 25 K and 10000 kPa. By comparing the variation of the hydrogen adsorption isotherms on crossing the critical temperature, it is shown that the micropore filling and capillary condensation were the main adsorption mechanism under the critical temperature of hydrogen, and the micropore filling was the adsorption mechanism above the critical temperature. The results and data of hydrogen adsorption properties obtained from the simulations are theoretically significant for understanding of the mechanism of hydrogen storage on microporous zeolites.


A new trend, "Precision Prevention," is emerging in public health. This term is borrowed from "Precision Medicine," a concept in medicine that allows for individualized treatments for patients. Precision prevention utilizes "biologic, behavioral, socioeconomic, and epidemiologic data to devise and implement strategies" tailored to specific individuals or populations. The goal of precision prevention is to target the "right intervention to the right population at the right time." Much of precision prevention accounts for one's social determinants of health, tailoring interventions based on a set of individual factors related to where we live, learn, work, and play that impact our health. Precision prevention works to move away from universal approaches to illness and injury prevention. Flaura Koplin Winston, MD, MPH, Chair of the Science and Medical Advisory Committee for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), applies a precision prevention framework, using a "tiered risk model" (see figure 1) for the Violence Prevention Initiative at CHOP. In the tiered risk model, there are three types of interventions focused around the needs of universal, selected, and indicated populations. At each level, interventions range from meeting the universal needs of the general population, to the select needs of populations at increased or different risk, and finally to interventions tailored for populations with adverse or indicated needs. For example, within the Violence Prevention Initiative, selected interventions that integrate appropriate community support services are tailored to children at greater risk for violence, and indicated interventions tailor the most intensive, direct support to child victims of violence. Disciplines Public Health


Thirty hemi-faces of fresh cadavers and two centuries of bibliographies have been studied. Both packed fat and organ fat linked to the mastication, the Corpus Adiposum Buccae (CAB-Bichat's fat ball) is an anatomic structure which involves the entire hemi-face. The CAB stretches from the temporal region to the cheek, passing through the zygomatico-malar tunnel and the pterygomandibular fossa. It is completely enclosed within a partitioned capsule of varying thickness which allows to recognise it. From its main part, the Body, the CAB has ten extensions. Size, volume and aspect are different from one subject to another and one side to another. Its cheek extensions are inconsistent or disappear with age. However, its outline remains characteristic. This is not a ball one except in the case of the foetus and new born and for the most sloping extension, buccal, which gives its name to CAB. The CAB is always found under the SMAS plane which keeps it apart from superficial fat. Where fronto-facial liftings are more extensive and deeper, the CAB becomes an important surgical reference. It is possible to use the CAB as a local flap for filling in the cheek area. Local partial amputations have been put forward as an aesthetic goal. In the light of the present study, the author suggests a discussion with regards to the validity of these surgical manipulations.


Objective. Antipsychotics have been associated with increased cardiac events including mortality. This study assessed cardiac events including mortality among antipsychotic users relative to nonusers. Methods. The General Practice Research Database (GPRD) was used to identify antipsychotic users, matched general population controls, and psychiatric diseased nonusers. Outcomes included cardiac mortality, sudden cardiac death (SCD), all-cause mortality (excluding suicide), coronary heart disease (CHD), and ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Sensitivity analyses were conducted for age, dose, duration, antipsychotic type, and psychiatric disease. Results. 183,392 antipsychotic users (115,491 typical and 67,901 atypical), 544,726 general population controls, and 193,920 psychiatric nonusers were identified. Nonusers with schizophrenia, dementia, or bipolar disorder had increased risks of all-cause mortality compared to general population controls, while nonusers with major depression had comparable risks. Relative to psychiatric nonusers, the adjusted relative ratios (aRR) of all-cause mortality in antipsychotic users was 1.75 (95% CI: 1.64–1.87); cardiac mortality 1.72 (95% CI: 1.42–2.07); SCD primary definition 5.76 (95% CI: 2.90–11.45); SCD secondary definition 2.15 (95% CI: 1.64–2.81); CHD 1.16 (95% CI: 0.94–1.44); and VA 1.16 (95% CI: 1.02–1.31). aRRs of the various outcomes were lower for atypical versus typical antipsychotics (all-cause mortality 0.83 (95% CI: 0.80–0.85); cardiac mortality 0.89 (95% CI: 0.82–0.97); and SCD secondary definition 0.76 (95% CI: 0.55–1.04). Conclusions. Antipsychotic users had an increased risk of cardiac mortality, all-cause mortality, and SCD compared to a psychiatric nonuser cohort.


In recent years, Romanian farmers had the opportunity to use in the culture the most modern creations of the researches from genetics and plant breeding domains, but also from the field of plant protection. In the paper is presented the behavior of some sunflower hybrids, newly introduced into the culture in Romania, under the conditions of Muntenia Plain. The experience was conducted in the farm I.I. Visan Daniela Elena, locality Slobozia Noua, Ialomita County. There were tested under field conditions two semi-early sunflower hybrids, existing from a short time in The Official Catalogue of the culture plants from Romania, on a typical chernozem soil type. In the paper is presented the culture technology applied to both sunflower hybrids, with reference to preliminary plant, administration of fertilizers, the applied soil tillage. Also, it was tested in the field a variant of technology concerning the culture protection against diseases and pests. Together with these elements, the authors tested under field conditions a variant of technology regarding the control of weeds.In order to accentuate the behavior of the two hybrids, we effectuated the following determinations: plants height, head diameter, weight of the whole plants, weight of heads with seeds, weight of heads without seeds, weight of seeds from the head, weight of 1,000 kernels. Considering that the surface cultivated with sunflower in Romania in 2013 was over 1 million hectares, and the average yield on the country was 2,000.5 kg/ha, the modern technology applied and the hybrids that are used may constitute a starting point for the farmers who want to implement in the production the modern technologies and sunflower hybrids tested in the present paperwork.


Nonequilibrium conditions due to either allopatry followed by secondary contact or recent range expansion can confound measurements of gene flow among populations in previously glaciated regions. We determined the scale at which gene flow can be estimated among breeding aggregations of bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) at the northern limit of their range in Ontario, Canada, using seven highly polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci. We first identified breeding aggregations that likely share a common history, determined from the pattern of allelic richness, factorial correspondence analysis, and a previously published mtDNA phylogeography, and then tested for regional equilibrium by evaluating the association between pairwise FST and geographic distance. Regional breeding aggregations in eastern Ontario separated by <100 km were determined to be at or near equilibrium. High levels of gene flow were measured using traditional F-statistics and likelihood estimates of Nm. Similarly high levels of recent migration (past one to three generations) were estimated among the breeding aggregations using nonequilibrium methods. We also show that, in many cases, breeding aggregations separated by up to tens of kilometers are not genetically distinct enough to be considered separate genetic populations. These results have important implications both for the identification of independent "populations" and in assessing the effect of scale in detecting patterns of genetic equilibrium and gene flow.


A theoretical approach to calculate the bit error rate (BER) in optical systems containing silicon photonic wires (Si-PhWs) is presented. Specifically, the optical link consists of a single-mode silicon-on-insulator strip waveguide followed by a direct-detection optical receiver containing an optical filter, an ideal square-law photodetector, and an electrical filter. We assume that the optical input consists of a superposition of a nonreturn-to-zero ON-OFF keying modulated optical signal and an additive white Gaussian noise, the BER of the transmitted optical signal being calculated using the time domain Karhunen-Loève expansion method. The propagation of the optical signal in the Si-PhW is described by employing both a rigorous theoretical model that incorporates all relevant linear and nonlinear optical effects and the mutual interaction between the free carriers and the optical field, as well as a linearized model valid in the low-noise power regime. These analytical and computational tools are then used to comprehensively investigate the influence of the parameters characterizing the waveguide and optical signal on the transmission BER.


Objective Description and evaluation of a newly developed artificial temporal bone (TB) model suitable for surgical training for cochlear implantation. Subject Based on micro–computed tomographic images, a TB model was designed with material properties as similar to bone as possible. The bony anatomic details were rebuilt as closely as possible with preservation of the endocochlear lumen. Intervention The TB model was compared with a human cadaveric TB by 8 otologists experienced in cochlear implantation. Main Outcome Measure The otologists were asked to respond to a semiquantitative questionnaire with scales from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Anatomic details were compared macroscopically and microscopically. The surgical steps of mastoidectomy, posterior tympanotomy, cochleostomy, and insertion of a cochlear electrode were assessed. Results The material properties and anatomic details of the TB model were generally comparable to the human TB. One exception was the round window membrane, which was not modeled appropriately. The surgical steps, including the insertion of the electrode, were rated as comparable. Conclusion The TB model is suitable for surgical training for interventions such as cochlear implantation. It cannot replace cadaveric human temporal bones completely, but it provides an easily available alternative to train and develop surgical skills. A wider variety of anatomic models, such as an infant's TB or malformations, will increase the value of TB models.


This thesis examines the extent to which teachers' lives and practices are influenced
and shaped by policy and reform. The data draw on life history interviews with eight
primary school teachers who have extensive practical experience working as
classroom teachers, principals, and advisors. Most of the participants work in
schools serving areas of socio-economic disadvantage.
The participants have taken part in a range of initiatives aimed to combat
educational disadvantage and to improve children's participation in schools. The
findings of this research suggest that teachers who work in disadvantaged schools
have more opportunities to vary their teaching roles and to experience change and
reform than their colleagues working in middle-class settings.
Change is a constant motif in many of the participants' careers. They emerge as
change agents, leading reforms as school principals or through their involvement in
school-based change initiatives. All of the participants have experienced externally
generated reforms, many of which provide opportunities for professional
development and personal growth. Their engagement in locally-based professional
networks maintains their enthusiasm and their receptivity to change.
The research finds that policy texts have little significance for teachers' lives and
work. While most of the participants have attained Master's or other post-graduate
qualifications, their engagement with policy texts is extremely limited. Principal
teachers and others working in advisory services were more aware of policy and its
implications for their work than classroom teachers.
The pace of educational reform in Ireland in the last decade has led to change
overload. For many of the participants there is insufficient time, support or
opportunity for them to implement the full extent of the reforms and to embed them
in their practice. However, the participants continue to exercise their professional
discretion concerning their level of involvement with different reforms and they
interact with reforms that resonate with their personal values and missions.
The participants make a significant emotional investment into their work and while
entering the later stages of their career, they remain enthusiastic and committed and
are open to change and innovation. The desire of this group of teachers to
continuously broaden their horizons and to experience new challenges is unique.
The study concludes that the participants' career trajectories are individual and are
formed by personal biography and by their previous experiences of change and role
diversification in their schools. Their successful engagement with reforms is
enhanced through their ongoing engagement in further studies and their participation
in professional networks.


It has become a custom in this Society, fixed by formal observances of more than half a century and by the example of a long line of elders, to the number now of more than fifty, for the President of the year to deliver an address closing his administration. As to content or method of treatment there seems to have been no rule. A review of the titles indicates that the larger number have chosen topics representing their major life-time interests. Only a few are philosophical, although there are many such observations tucked away in others. An occasional one has the evident purpose of bringing an important current problem or policy into the limelight, while more rarely a forward look either for the good of the organization or for the advancement of the science may be discerned. Only three are missing—that of James D. Dana in 1890, that of . . .


The influence of bird droppings on the growth and fragmentation of five lichen species transplanted to slate and cement substrates was studied over a period of 15 months in South Gwynedd, Wales. The results suggested that at 15 months (1) thallus areas of Parmelia conspersa (Ehrh. Ex Ach.)Ach. were greater on both substrates with the addition of bird droppings with a greater increase on cement; (2) In Parmelia saxatilis (L.)Ach. And Parmelia glabratula ssp. fuliginosa (Fr. ex Duby)Laund., thallus areas were greatest on slate alone and least on cement with bird droppings; (3) in Physcia orbicularis (Neck.)Poetsch, thallus area was significantly reduced on cement alone compared with slate and cement treated with bird droppings; and (4) in Xanthoria parietina (L.)Th.Fr., thallus area was significantly greater on cement with bird droppings compared with slate and cement alone. These responses were attributable to the effect of the substrate and bird droppings on radial growth and the degree of fragmentation of the thalli. The results suggested that nutrient enrichment was more important than the substrate in determining the distribution of P. conspersa and Ph. orbicularis. However, the substrate and bird droppings were important in the remaining species, the data suggesting that P. saxatilis and P. glabratula ssp. fuliginosa would prefer nutrient-poor, siliceous rocks and X. parietina calcareous, nutrient enriched rocks in South Gwynedd.


Presents the aims and needs of research in facilities management (FM) at the Section of Planning and Management of Building Processes at BYG(DTU. As the building stock in Denmark is rapidly increasing, socio‐demographic development implies profound changes in both the needs of inhabitants and the way that buildings are used, combined with an increased consciousness of sustainability. Buildings should be seen as long‐term "investments" while also keeping in mind the construction sector's need for increased productivity, long‐term product quality and enhanced value. This is the background for developing a research position. Identifies "the Scandinavian way" as using FM on a multi‐actor level, rather than just to serve the interests of a single organisation. The aim is to focus on small and medium‐sized enterprises, non‐profit associations and tenants, as well as the bodies administrating infrastructure within the mainstream FM field. There is an urgent need to address how society can best manage the growing (and decaying) building stock, to develop life‐cycle‐rooted infrastructure and building design, and finally allow buildings to be appropriated by their current and future users.


SUMMARY Despite the large body of scholarship on drag and its performance of misogyny, mimicry, and masculinity, little attention has been paid to the role of musical genres in Black drag performance and its reception. This essay explores drag performances of gospel music and its relationship with the spectator at the Biology Bar, a Black gay drag site in Chicago. By examining the shift from the club "space" to the church "place," this research locates several possibilities for queer gospel performances. Through the introduction of a theory of transformance, this essay highlights the contradictions, complications, and complexities of the relationship between the Black church and the Black gay community.


Phagocytic cells such as neutrophil granulocytes and monocytes are an essential part of our innate immune system and play an important role in the battle against pathogens. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and more specifically chemoattractant receptors are a vital part in guiding phagocytes towards the site of infection. Chemoattractant receptors are also involved in an effective activation of these cells. This thesis investigates activating ligands and signalling properties of three different G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) involved in innate immunity. Where the first two belongs to the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family of chemoattractant receptors and the third is a non-chemotactic receptor expressed on monocytes. The first paper describes the selective activation of the two receptors formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) and formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) by a synthetically derived hexapeptide with the sequence WKYMVm. We show that WKYMVm binds to both receptors but signal through FPR1 only when FPR2 is blocked. In paper number two we add the peptide MMK-1 to the list of FPR2 binding activators of the NADPH-oxidase. We also showed that calcium signalling induced by both FPR1 and FPR2 is dependent of release from intracellular stores and a subsequent opening of store operated calcium channels (SOCs) in the plasma membrane. Desensitization of chemotactic receptors is of importance for the termination of proinflammatory activities acted out by phagocytes. The third paper is a methodological study with the aim of solving problems associated with oxidation of stimulus in in vitro desensitization studies where intracellular calcium is measured. The solution put forward was to add serum proteins in the reaction mixture or to use a flow cytometry based method where the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the bulk could be reduced. In the fourth paper we identify a monocyte activating peptide, gG2p19, derived from the secreted portion of the Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) glycoprotein G. Monocytes produced ROS in response to stimulation with gG2p19 while neutrophils did not. The receptor for gG2p19 was shown to be a GPCR by its sensitivity to pertussis toxin, but the peptide could not induce chemotaxis through this receptor. It was determined that the receptor responsible for activation did not belong to the FPR family, but still share at least one common signalling pathway with FPR2.


In this paper, proposed an advance approach for dynamic data protection using LSB and hybrid approach. Steganography is the art of communicating a message by embedding it into multimedia data. The proposed method for replacing one or two or three LSB of each pixel in video frame and apply Advance encryption standard (AES). It becomes very difficult for intruder to guess that an image is hidden in the video as individual frames are very difficult to analyze in a video. In this observation peak to signal noise ratio (PSNR) is grater for 1 bit LSB substation as compared to 3 bit LSB substation so that when number of LSB substation bit increased then security level is also increased and observation correlation coefficient has the value r=1 if the two image are absolutely identical, r=0 if they are completely uncorrelated and r=-1 if they are completely anti correlated for example if one image is the negative of the other.


The Kullback–Leibler divergence (KLD) between two multivariate generalized Gaussian distributions (MGGDs) is a fundamental tool in many signal and image processing applications. Until now, the KLD of MGGDs has no known explicit form, and it is in practice either estimated using expensive Monte-Carlo stochastic integration or approximated. The main contribution of this letter is to present a closed-form expression of the KLD between two zero-mean MGGDs. Depending on the Lauricella series, a simple way of calculating numerically the KLD is exposed. Finally, we show that the approximation of the KLD by Monte-Carlo sampling converges to its theoretical value when the number of samples goes to the infinity.


The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of the different task variance involving providing topic sentences and signal words on student teacher's writing proficiency at one public university's English Education Program in Jambi, Indonesia. Two groups of the first year students were selected as participants. Each consisted of 30 students. Group I was required to perform the writing task and provided with a topic sentence and group II was required to perform the writing task and provided with signal words. The results of the test were rated or scored by using the analytical and holistic rating systems. The data were analyzed statistically by using Independent Sample T – Test and Correlation. The findings of the study showed that on average, Group I had a higher level of effect on student's writing proficiency (M = 72.57, SE = 1.81) than Group II on student's writing proficiency (M = 56.50, SE = 2.16). This difference is significant (t (58) = 5.70; p < 0.05). Our findings suggest the interactions among the components of complexity have a strong correlation. The positive relationships among the components of coherence are also statistically proved. We concluded that providing topic sentences helps students much better to develop paragraph writing than providing signal words.


We present an application of machine learning to automated robust optimization of electronic circuit design that combines artificial neural networks and global optimization. A neural network regressor is constructed to predict circuit operation metrics such as power, offset, delay, phase margin based on input parameters such as device size, temperature, supply voltage and current, and process corner. This regressor is then used to build an objective function for global optimization to find the optimal set of controllable parameters that optimize the objective function subject to input constraints such as device size range and output constraints such as power consumption or delay. Experimental results from tuning state-of-the-art high performance PLL circuits show that this framework is promising and can in much less time find optimized circuits that outperform circuit designs that were manually tuned by a skilled circuit designer.


Several national and international initiatives were conducted to estimate or monitor current occupational carcinogenic exposures (OCE). However, older periods are usually less well documented. Moreover, both the methodological approaches used and the limited number of agents considered are likely to underestimate situations of multiple-exposure. The aim of this study was to characterise multiple OCE at the job level among patients with cancer. We used data from the GISCOP93 permanent survey to describe OCE from a list of 54 carcinogens, separately for men and women. Associations between these exposures and jobs' characteristics were assessed by using Poisson model with robust variance. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Ascendant Classification were used to identify gendered patterns of multiple OCE. Respectively 61.1% of men jobs (834 patients, 5202 jobs) and 26.7% of women jobs (183 patients, 885 jobs) were exposed to at least one carcinogen. Among exposed jobs, two-third were multiply-exposed (i.e. ≥ 2 OCE) in men (n = 2173) and 1/3 in women (n = 82). Among men, blue collars workers had an increased risk (factor of three to four) of OCE as compared to employees. Women working as blue collar workers in the metallurgy, confection and mechanics industries were also two to three times more often exposed to carcinogens than employees. Eight patterns of multiple OEC were identified in men's jobs: multiple-exposures to widespread carcinogens, mixed silica dust, heavy metals/combustion products, organic compounds/radiations, metal working, solvents/heavy metals, wood dust/formaldehyde/pesticides, and fuels exhausts. Three patterns of multiple OCE were observed among women's jobs: biological/organic compounds, industrial working, and fuels exhausts. These results based on a study considering cancer as a sentinel event highlight evidence of a gendered pattern in multiple OCE, inconsistent with the criteria in use among the occupational disease compensation system based on a single-factor approach of carcinogenesis.


This paper aims at providing a consistent framework to appraise alternative modeling choices that have driven the so-called "when flexibility�? controversy since the early 1990s dealing with the optimal timing of mitigation efforts and the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC). The literature has emphasized the critical impact of modeling structures on the optimal climate policy. But, to our knowledge, there has been no contribution trying to estimate the comparative impact of modeling structures within a unified framework. In this paper, we use the Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) RESPONSE to bridge this gap and investigate the structural modeling drivers of differences in climate policy recommendations. RESPONSE is both sufficiently compact to be easily tractable and detailed enough to capture a wide array of modeling choices. Here, we restrict the analysis to the following emblematic modeling choices: the forms of the damage function (quadratic vs. sigmoid) and the abatement cost (with or without inertia), the treatment of uncertainty, and the decision framework (one-shot vs. sequential). We define an original methodology based on an equivalence criterion to carry out a sensitivity analysis over modeling structures in order to estimate their relative impact on two output variables: the optimal SCC and abatement trajectories. This allows us to exhibit three key findings: (i) IAMs with a quadratic damage function are insensitive to changes of other features of the modeling structure, (ii) IAMs involving a non-convex damage function entail contrasting climate strategies, (iii) Precautionary behaviours can only come up in IAMs with non-convexities in damages.


In this paper, we present the construction of tensor network states (TNS) for some of the degenerate ground states of 3D stabilizer codes. We then use the TNS formalism to obtain the entanglement spectrum and entropy of these ground-states for some special cuts. In particular, we work out the examples of the 3D toric code, the X-cube model and the Haah code. The latter two models belong to the category of "fracton" models proposed recently, while the first one belongs to the conventional topological phases. We mention the cases for which the entanglement entropy and spectrum can be calculated exactly: for these, the constructed TNS is the singular value decomposition (SVD) of the ground states with respect to particular entanglement cuts. Apart from the area law, the entanglement entropies also have constant and linear corrections for the fracton models, while the entanglement entropies for the toric code models only have constant corrections. For the cuts we consider, the entanglement spectra of these three models are completely flat. We also conjecture that the negative linear correction to the area law is a signature of extensive ground state degeneracy. Moreover, the transfer matrices of these TNS can be constructed. We show that the transfer matrices are projectors whose eigenvalues are either 1 or 0. The number of nonzero eigenvalues is tightly related to the ground state degeneracy.


Operant control of a prosthesis by neuronal cortical activity is one of the successful strategies for implementing brain-machine interfaces (BMI), by which the subject learns to exert a volitional control of goal-directed movements. However, it remains unknown if the induced brain circuit reorganization affects preferentially the conditioned neurons whose activity controlled the BMI actuator during training. Here, multiple extracellular single-units were recorded simultaneously in the motor cortex of head-fixed behaving rats. The firing rate of a single neuron was used to control the position of a one-dimensional actuator. Each time the firing rate crossed a predefined threshold, a water bottle moved toward the rat, until the cumulative displacement of the bottle allowed the animal to drink. After a learning period, most (88%) conditioned neurons raised their activity during the trials, such that the time to reward decreased across sessions: the conditioned neuron fired strongly, reliably and swiftly after trial onset, although no explicit instruction in the learning rule imposed a fast neuronal response. Moreover, the conditioned neuron fired significantly earlier and more strongly than nonconditioned neighboring neurons. During the first training sessions, an increase in firing rate variability was seen only for the highly conditionable neurons. This variability then decreased while the conditioning effect increased. These findings suggest that modifications during training target preferentially the neuron chosen to control the BMI, which acts then as a "master" neuron, leading in time the reconfiguration of activity in the local cortical network.


ABSTRACT  Significant differences in views on race (once a core anthropological concept) occur between scientists from different countries. In light of the ongoing race debate, we present the concept's current status in Europe. On three occasions in 2002–03, we surveyed European anthropologists' opinions toward the biological race concept. The participants were asked whether they agreed that there are biological races within the species Homo sapiens. A dependence was sought between the type of response and several factors. Three of these factors—country of academic education, discipline, and age—were found to be significant in differentiating the replies. Respondents educated in Western Europe, physical anthropologists, and middle-aged persons reject race more frequently than respondents educated in Eastern Europe, people in other branches of science, and those from both younger and older generations. The survey shows that the views of anthropologists on race are sociopolitically (ideologically) influenced and highly dependent on education. [Keywords: human races, race concept, physical anthropology, Europe]


The objective was an assessment of the impact of Leonurus cardiaca L. extract (LCE) and ursolic acid (UA) on the adhesive properties of Staphylococus aureus NCTC 8325 strain, expressing virulence factors important in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. The adhesion and biofilm formation of bacteria cultured in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of LCE or UA on the abiotic surface or covered with fibrinogen, fibronectin or collagen, were evaluated. Inhibitory effects of LCE and UA on staphylococcal adherence to both types of surface were demonstrated. This, in the case of UA, resulted in a significant reduction of biofilm formation.


Learning a complex task can be significantly facilitated by defining a hierarchy of subtasks. An agent can learn to choose between various temporally abstract actions, each solving an assigned subtask, to accomplish the overall task. In this paper, we study hierarchical learning using the framework of options. We argue that to take full advantage of hierarchical structure, one should perform option-specific state abstraction, and that if this is to scale to larger tasks, state abstraction should be automated. We adapt McCallum's U-Tree algorithm to automatically build option-specific representations of the state feature space, and we illustrate the resulting algorithm using a simple hierarchical task. Results suggest that automated option-specific state abstraction is an attractive approach to making hierarchical learning systems more effective.


New optical waveguide technology for integrated optics, based on propagation of long-range surface plasmon polaritons (LR-SPPs) along metal stripes embedded in dielectric, is presented. Guiding and routing of electromagnetic radiation along nanometer-thin and micrometer-wide gold stripes embedded in polymer via excitation of LR-SPPs is investigated in the wavelength range of 1250-1650 nm. LR-SPP guiding properties, such as the propagation loss and mode-field diameter, are investigated for different stripe widths and thicknesses. A propagation loss of /spl sim/6 dB/cm, a coupling loss of /spl sim/0.5 dB (per facet), and a bend loss of /spl sim/5 dB for a bend radius of 15 mm are evaluated for 15-nm-thick and 8-/spl mu/m-wide stripes at the wavelength of 1550 nm. LR-SPP-based 3-dB power Y-splitters, multimode interference waveguides, and directional couplers are demonstrated and investigated. At 1570 nm, coupling lengths of 1.9 and 0.8 mm are found for directional couplers with, respectively, 4- and 0-/spl mu/m-separated waveguides formed by 15-nm-thick and 8-/spl mu/m-wide gold stripes. LR-SPP-based waveguides and waveguide components are modeled using the effective-refractive-index method, and good agreement with experimental results is obtained.


Restoration of vasculature is a critical component for successful integration of implants in musculoskeletal tissue. Sodium hyaluronate (NaHY) has been used as a carrier for demineralized bone matrix (DBM). DBM is osteoinductive and osteoconductive, but whether NaHY by itself has an effect is not known. NaHY has been reported to promote neovascularization, suggesting it may increase neovasculature when used with DBM as well. To test this, we used a rat tibial marrow ablation model to assess neovascularization during bone formation and regeneration of marrow with different combinations of NaHY alone and NaHY+DBM. To assess neovascularization during normal healing, animals were euthanized at 3-, 6-, 14-, 21-, and 28-days post-ablation, and the vasculature perfused using a radio-opaque contrast agent. Vascular morphology was assessed using μCT and histology. Peak vessel volume within the marrow cavity was observed on day-14 post-ablation. Test materials were injected into the ablated marrow space as follows: (A) empty defect controls; (B) high MW (700-800 kDa) NaHY + heat inactivated DBM; (C) DBM in PBS; (D) low MW NaHY (35 kDa) + DBM; (E) high MW NaHY + DBM; (F) D:E 50:50; (G) low MW NaHY; (H) high MW NaHY; and (I) G:H 50:50. Neovascularization varied with bone substitute formulation. μCT results revealed that addition of NaHY resulted in an increase in vessel number compared to empty defects. Total blood vessel volume in all NaHY only groups were similar to DBM alone. Histomorphometry of sagittal sections showed that all three formulations of NaHY increased blood vessel number within the marrow cavity, confirming that NaHY promotes neovascularization.


Production agriculture and agribusiness are exposed to many weather-related risks. Recent years have seen the emergence of an increased interest in weather-based derivatives as mechanisms for sharing risks due to weather phenomena. In this study, a unique precipitation derivative is proposed that allows the purchaser to specify the parameters of the idemnity function. Pricing methods are presented in the context of a cotton harvest example from Mississippi. Our findings show a potential for weather derivatives to serve niche markets within U.S. agriculture.


Background: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) has been identified as the cause of Merkel cell carcinoma. The increased incidence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Merkel cell cancer cohorts and the lymphotropic properties of the virus suggest a possible viral association with lymphomagenesis. To investigate this potential role, we explored seroreactivity against MCV VP1 capsids within the Epilymph case–control study in Spain. Methods: Serum samples from 468 incident lymphomas, categorized into up to 11 entities, and 522 controls frequency matched by age, sex, and recruitment center were tested for MCV antibodies by enzyme immunoassay using Virus-Like-Particles. Adjusted multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the OR and 95% confidence interval (CI) associated to MCV seroprevalence. Immunosuppressed subjects were excluded. Results: MCV seroprevalence was 82% in controls and 85% in lymphoma cases. Among 11 lymphoma categories, MCV seropositivity was significantly higher in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL; 96.4%; OR = 6.1, 95%CI = 1.9–19.8), as compared with controls. MCV prevalences were also higher in follicular lymphoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and mature T-cell lymphoma but differences did not reach statistical significance. Lower prevalences were observed for multiple myeloma and other B-cell lymphoma. Exclusion of samples collected after start of treatment did not change the results. In a subset analysis, no significant association was observed between BKV and JCV seroprevalence and DLBCL. Conclusion: The association observed between serologic evidence of MCV exposure and DLBCL warrants further research. Impact: MCV might be involved in the pathway of DLBCL and other lymphomas. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(9); 1592–8. ©2012 AACR.


Urban green spaces are useful natural assets that support the development of cities in diverse ways. However, statistics show that these spaces are under severe threat with the situation in Africa been critical. This study sought to assess the governance of urban green spaces and develop sustainable strategies to address problems affecting the development of urban green spaces in the context of Africa. The case study design was used and Kumasi Metropolis (Ghana) was selected as the study area. Different qualitative research techniques were employed whilst representatives of green spaces organisations and the local people constituted the study population. The study revealed that there is poor state of urban green spaces in Kumasi with factors such as urbanisation, poor enforcement of development controls, conflicting land ownership rights on green spaces, and lack of priority to green spaces being among the major causes for that. This problem was further exacerbated by complexity in the governance of green spaces, poor regulation of power among stakeholders, lack of community participation, and lack of consensus in decisions on green spaces. Sustainable strategies recommended to address the situation include controlling encroachment of green spaces, prioritising green spaces and building stronger collaborative governance for green spaces.


Sacred Sisters focuses on five saints: the four female Irish saints who have extant medieval biographies (Darerca, Brigid, Íte, and Samthann), and Patrick, whose writings -- fifth-century Ireland's sole surviving texts -- attest to the centrality of women in Irish Christianity's development. Women served as leaders and teachers, perhaps even as bishops and priests, and men and women worked together in a variety of arrangements as well as independently. Previous studies of gender in medieval Ireland have emphasized sexism and sex-segregated celibacy, dismissing abundant evidence of alternative approaches throughout the sources, including in the Lives of Ireland's female saints. Sacred Sisters places these generally marginalized texts at its center, exploring their portraits of empowered, authoritative, compassionate women who exemplified an accepting and affirming ethics of gender and sexuality that would be unusual in many mainstream Christian movements in the present day, let alone in the Middle Ages.


Specialized mental health courts (MHCs) address the growing problem of defendants with mental illness cycling through the criminal justice system. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this article explores if MHCs can slow the "revolving door" of criminal justice involvement. We use quantitative data to evaluate the effectiveness of one MHC on different measures of criminal recidivism with logistic regression, event history analysis, and negative binomial regression. Modeling strategies report that graduates of MHC, defendants offered a dismissal of criminal charges, and defendants who maintained the same noncrisis mental health treatment while in court as they had prior to court had lower odds of new criminal charges, a longer time to a new criminal charge, and fewer new criminal charges. Qualitative data—court observations and interviews—suggest that providing incentives for program compliance, connecting defendants to planned mental health treatment services, and court completion are central to reducing recidivism.


Seismic observations show that some rifted continental margins may have substantial amounts of offshore sediments. For example, sediment layers of several kilometres thick are found on the margins of Mid Norway, Namibia and Angola. Intriguingly, these margins are wide, being characterised by distances of several hundreds of kilometres from typical continental crustal thicknesses of 30-40 km to clearly identifiable oceanic crust. On the other hand, some margins that are sediment-starved, such as Goban Spur, Flemish Cap and Northern Norway, have short onshore-to-offshore transitions. Variations in the amount of sediments not only impact the development of offshore sedimentary basins, but the changes in mass balance by erosion and sedimentation can also interact with extensional tectonic processes. In convergent settings, such feedback relationships between erosion and tectonic deformation have long been highlighted: Erosion reduces the elevation and width of mountain belts and in turn tectonic activity and exhumation are focused at regions of enhanced erosion. But what is the role played by surface processes during formation of rifted continental margins?

I use geodynamic finite-element experiments to explore the response of continental rifts to erosion and sedimentation from initial rifting to continental break-up. The experiments predict that rifted margins with thick syn-rift sedimentary packages are more likely to form hyper-extended crust and require more stretching to achieve continental break-up than sediment-starved margins. These findings imply that surface processes can control the style of continental break-up and that the role of sedimentation in rifted margin evolution goes far beyond the simple exertion of a passive weight.


The sustainability of agriculture depends as much on the natural resources required for production as it does on the stakeholders that manage those resources. It is thus essential to understand the variables that influence the decision-making process of agricultural stakeholders to design educational programs, interventions, and policies geared towards their specific needs, a required step to enhance agricultural sustainability. This study employed a survey of multiple-choice and open-ended questions to examine the perceptions, experiences, and priorities that influence management decisions of agricultural stakeholders across Montana, United States. A total of 272 respondents completed a survey, representing five distinct agricultural stakeholder groups: 103 (34.9%) conventional producers, 78 (28.7%) consultants, 37 (13.6%) researchers, 33 (12.1%) organic grain producers, and 21 (7.7%) organic vegetable producers. The results revealed that, while stakeholder groups have distinct perceptions, experiences, and priorities, there were similarities across groups (pseudo-F = 22.92, p = 0.001). Specifically, organic vegetable and organic small-grain producers showed similar responses that were, in turn, divergent from those of conventional producers, researchers, and crop consultants. Conventional small-grain producers and researchers showed overlapping response patterns, while crop consultants formed an isolated group. Six clusters resulting from the classification of the multiple-choice response dataset associated with specific agricultural professions (χ2 = 549.72, p = 0.001). The classification of open-ended questions that assessed agronomic challenges and research needs resulted in six distinctive clusters, with specific associations between clusters and agricultural stakeholder groups (χ2 = 164.41, p = 0.001). These results reinforce the need for agricultural education and programs that address unique and shared experiences, priorities, and concerns of multiple stakeholder groups. This study endorses the call for a paradigm shift from the traditional top-down agricultural extension model to one that accounts for participants' socio-ecological contexts to facilitate the adoption of sustainable agricultural systems that support environmental and human wellbeing.


Inter-Country Adoption is one of the most debatable issues in the current Private International Law regime. This concept has helped the needy children in providing them homely environment, which is an essential aspect for proper growth and welfare of the children. With the world-wide recognition of Inter-country adoption, the time has come to validate and legalize the concept in India too. The Indian judiciary has taken pro-active approach in highlighting the pros and cons of the inter-country adoption. With the recent judgment and development in Indian Law, it can be noticed that Indian judiciary as well the lawmakers are determined to work for the welfare and interest of the child. Various landmark judgments has created a ray of hope in the life of the needy children, who may once again sit into the laps of new parent and enjoy the same life, same culture and have the sense of family-hood.


This study aimed to characterize the implementation of clinical guidelines and other instruments and practices for health care quality improvement among health plan operators in Brazil. It was a national cross-sectional descriptive study, initially considering 1,573 health plan operators registered in the National Agency for Supplementary Health Care. The sample design was complex, stratified by macro-region, market segment, and number of beneficiaries. Ninety health plan operators agreed to participate and were interviewed. To obtain estimates for the universe of health plan operators, a sample expansion factor attributed per stratum was considered. Only 32.3% of the health plan operators implemented clinical guidelines, with important variation across regions and market segments. Clinical governance practices are still in the very initial stages. Challenges are presented with regard to health care incorporation as a dimension of management within health care organizations, including health plan operators. Initiatives to improve quality of care need to be integrated and conducted at the organizational level.


A PowerPoint presentation facilitates an oral presentation that gives information, explores research, teaches concepts, or proposes a course of action. It offers visual guidelines that outline information as well as reinforce key terms and concepts. Because templates make it easy to create PowerPoint presentations, some writers do so without carefully considering their audience, purpose, or ethos (their credibility or authority in the eyes of the audience). They may crowd each slide with information, expecting it to be the presentation rather than to facilitate it. Has the writer carefully considered the audience, purpose, and occasion for the presentation? Has the writer carefully considered his or her position in relation to the audience and how he or she wishes to be perceived by them (ethos)? Does the presentation truly complement the talk? Is the slide progression logical? Is the text simple and phrased in a consistent manner (parallelism)? If appropriate, does the presentation reinforce key concepts or phrases? Do the text, images, tables, and graphs facilitate and complement the presentation? Does white space appropriately set off text, images, tables, and graphs? Are the background, colors, fonts, and themes appropriate and consistent?


Three key points are discussed to manufacture 300Mpa cylinder block castings. The first one is the design of grey iron chemical composition. The chemical composition used for production is as follows: C: 3.20-3.30%, Si: 1.60-1.80%, Mn: 0.70-1.00%, S: <0.10%, P: <0.06%, Cu: 0.70-0.80%, Cr: 0.25-0.35%, Ni: 0.30-0.40%, Sn: 0.06-0.08%. The stream inoculation is adopted. Another key point is to increase the chilling effect of molding material. A kind of ceramic sand is used in the experiment. The ceramic sand is mainly composed of electric fusion bauxite. The material gives much stronger chilling effect. The tensile strength can be 20 MPa higher compared with ordinary silica sand. The third key point is to use the technology of synthetic cast iron. The 300 MPa cylinder block is successfully developed.


This article seeks to defend the thesis that Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (AVHs) can be interpretable and meaningful phenomena. By meaningful, I mean to argue that AVHs can be motivated events—even if they are experienced as alien and uncontrollable—and, as such, they are expressions the meanings of which can be seen as determined in a manner comparable with dialogical speech. In working toward a hermeneutic of AVHs, I will begin by reviewing pertinent literature that justifies the claim that we can view certain cases of AVHs as essentially involving a disruption to one's relationship with inner speech and thought. From here, given a view of AVHs as fundamentally dialogical, I argue that the interpretation of AVHs ought to be grounded within an analysis of the nature of language and understanding. For this, I will turn to the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer, whose ontology of language can be said as being formulated via an explication of linguistic understanding as it occurs in conversation and, thus, of significant relevance to understanding the nature and meaning of AVHs as they are construed in this article. The hermeneutic framework developed in this article will be further elaborated on and applied by discussing a clinical example.


This study examines how the performance of the maize seed system in Ethiopia affects small-scale farmers' access to and use of improved maize varieties. Particular emphasis is given to the droughtprone agro-ecologies of the Rift Valley region and the specific maize varieties developed for and disseminated in this area. Data for this study were gathered in 2005 from focus group discussions with maize farmers across three districts in the Rift Valley; household surveys of a random sample of 60 maize farmers; key informant interviews with public and private sector stakeholders in the maize seed market; and government and industry secondary sources. Findings show that despite extensive varietal development by the public research system, dissemination of improved varieties to farmers remains limited. This may be partially due to the continued dominance of public sector organizations in the multiplication and supply of seed to farmers, and to the relatively low level of private sector participation. The result is a seed market characterized by limited competition, insufficient supply of seed relative to demand, limited choice in the few varieties that are available, and excessively high costs of maize seed production. Without significant structural and organizational change to the maize seed system, these market and institutional failures will continue to hamper smallholder access to improved varieties developed for drought-prone regions such as the Rift Valley.


Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was initially described as an intervention to be used in otherwise healthy individuals suffering acute cardiorespiratory arrest. Over the years, CPR has been extended to all hospitalized patients unless specific orders not to resuscitate have been written with the informed consent of the patient and/or surrogate. The 14–15% survival to hospital discharge reported for in‐hospital CPR has not changed over the past three decades. Compared with other diseases, chronic kidney disease reduces long‐term survival (more than 6 months) following CPR, and the functional status of the few who survive is often quite poor. Nevertheless, most dialysis patients want to be resuscitated. Unfortunately television shows portraying resuscitation imply that survival after CPR is much more common than it really is. Such misinformation contributes to the overwhelming choice for CPR despite the dismal prognosis. Dialysis unit staff need to educate patients and families about the expected success and complications of CPR as part of the advance care planning process that should now be routine.


This study set out to construct an alternative index for the Nairobi stock Exchange. The need for the study emanated from the weaknesses of the current NSE 17-Share daily Index. The index excludes most of the active companies quoted on the exchange in the last six years. Among those ignored are such active stocks as Barclays Bank and the Standard Chartered Bank. The index also gives equal weight to all companies irrespective of the number of shares quoted. In addition, on a stock market there is usually need for alternative performance measures to give interested parties a wide range of choice in order to meet their diverse needs. The index arrived at in this study was a 23-share index made up of the most actively traded stocks in 1991. It had the period of January-June, 1975 as the base period and the base value was set at 100 in this period. The index is weighted by the number of shares outstanding in the base period. The prices used were the geometric means of the bid and offer prices. The index was computed using a laspeyres type formula. The weights were adjusted for changes in capitalization for example through bonus, r ghts is ue or new sues. CHAPTER


Children with difficult tracheal intubation are at increased risk of severe complications, including hypoxaemia and cardiac arrest. Increasing experience with the simultaneous use of videolaryngoscopy and flexible bronchoscopy (hybrid) in adults led us to hypothesise that this hybrid technique could be used safely and effectively in children under general anaesthesia. We reviewed observational data from the international Pediatric Difficult Intubation Registry from 2017 to 2021 to assess the safety and efficacy of hybrid tracheal intubation approaches in paediatric patients. In total, 140 patients who underwent 180 attempts at tracheal intubation with the hybrid technique were propensity score‐matched 4:1 with 560 patients who underwent 800 attempts with a flexible bronchoscope. In the hybrid group, first attempt success was 70% (98/140) compared with 63% (352/560) in the flexible bronchoscope group (odds ratio (95%CI) 1.4 (0.9–2.1), p = 0.1). Eventual success rates in the matched groups were 90% (126/140) for hybrid vs. 89% (499/560) for flexible bronchoscope (1.1 (0.6–2.1), p = 0.8). Complication rates were similar in both groups (15% (28 complications in 182 attempts) hybrid; 13% (102 complications in 800 attempts) flexible bronchoscope, p = 0.3). The hybrid technique was more likely than flexible bronchoscopy to be used as a rescue technique following the failure of another technique (39% (55/140) vs. 25% (138/560), 2.1 (1.4–3.2) p < 0.001). While technically challenging, the hybrid technique has success rates similar to other advanced airway techniques, few complications and may be considered an alternative technique when developing an airway plan for paediatric patients whose tracheas are difficult to intubate under general anaesthesia.


ABSTRACT Equilibrium leeside profiles inferred from sediment fallout patterns on an artificial slipface were compared across stability fields for subaqueous bedforms. Flow conditions appropriate to angular bedforms (ripples, dunes) yielded fallout patterns that translated into concave profiles, whereas runs conducted within the stability fields for flat beds yielded profiles that were convex in the vicinity of the brinkpoint. This correspondence occurs because flow separation is readily induced by an angular brinkpoint but is inhibited as the brinkpoint becomes increasingly obtuse to smoothly rounded. For runs just above threshold of motion, the upper part of the inferred leeside profiles becomes less strongly concave as grain size increases, changing to convex between D = 0.46 mm and D = 0.65 mm. This changeover occurs when the boundary is crossed between the ripple field and lower-flat-bed field. It suggests that a lower flat bed need not imply the disappearance of streamwise perturbations that initiate ripples but merely that incipient ripples are unable to develop the required angular profiles. For sands 0.65 mm and coarser, the change from lower flat bed to dunes (with increasing flow strength) occurs when the inferred lee profile changes from convex to concave. Because this change is not observed when sediment feed is sparse, it is attributed to the increased drag caused by tractive load. Within the field of angular bedforms (for all grain sizes), profiles diminish in concavity with increasing strength of flow. At the transition to upper-flat-bed conditions, the upper part of the lee profile becomes convex, implying that incipient bedforms should not be stable. This threshold evidently is reached when enough of the load is carried high enough in the flow to cause the position of maximum sediment outfall to shift downstream away from the brinkpoint.


Abstract It is shown that tunnelling splittings in ergodic double wells and resonant widths in ergodic metastable wells can be approximated as easily calculated matrix elements involving the wavefunction in the neighbourhood of a certain real orbit. This orbit is a continuation of the complex orbit which crosses the barrier with minimum imaginary action. The matrix element is computed by integrating across the orbit in a surface of section representation, and uses only the wavefunction in the allowed region and the stability properties of the orbit. When the real orbit is periodic, the matrix element is a natural measure of the degree of scarring of the wavefunction. This scarring measure is canonically invariant and independent of the choice of surface of section, within semiclassical error. The result can alternatively be interpretated as the autocorrelation function of the state with respect to a transfer operator which quantises a certain complex surface of section mapping. The formula provides an efficient numerical method for computing tunnelling rates while avoiding the need for the exceedingly precise diagonalisation endemic to numerical tunnelling calculations.


In order to produce predictable and robust systems forprotein purification and detection, well characterized, small,folded domains descending from bacterial receptors have beenused. These bacterial receptors, staphylococcal protein A (SPA)and streptococcal protein G (SPG), possess high affinity to IgGand / or HSA. They are composed of repetitive units in whicheach one binds the ligand independently. The domains foldindependently and are very stable. Since the domains also havewellknown three-dimensional structures and do not containcysteine residues, they are very suitable as frameworks forfurther protein engineering.Streptococcal protein G (SPG) is a multidomain proteinpresent on the cell surface ofStreptococcus. X-ray crystallography has been used todetermine the binding site of the Ig-binding domain. In thisthesis the region responsible for the HSA affinity of ABD3 hasbeen determined by directed mutagenesis followed by functionaland structural analysis. The analysis shows that the HSAbindinginvolves residues mainly in the second α-helix.Most protein-based affinity chromatography media are verysensitive towards alkaline treatment, which is the preferredmethod for regeneration and removal of contaminants from thepurification devices in industrial applications. Here, aprotein engineering strategy has been used to improve thetolerance to alkaline conditions of different domains fromprotein G, ABD3 and C2. Amino acids known to be susceptibletowards high pH were substituted for less alkali susceptibleresidues. The new, engineered variants of C2 and ABD shownhigher stability towards alkaline pH. Also, very important forthe potential use as affinity ligands, these mutated variantsretained the secondary structure and the affinity to HSA andIgG, respectively. Moreover, dimerization was performed toinvestigate whether a higher binding capacity could be obtainedby multivalency. For ABD, binding studies showed that divalentligands coupled using non-directed chemistry demonstrated anincreased molar binding capacity compared to monovalentligands. In contrast, equal molar binding capacities wereobserved for both types of ligands when using a directed ligandcoupling chemistry involving the introduction and recruitmentof a unique C-terminal cysteine residue.The staphylococcal protein A-derived domain Z is also a wellknown and thoroughly characterized fusion partner widely usedin affinity chromatography systems. This domain is consideredto be relatively tolerant towards alkaline conditions.Nevertheless, it is desirable to further improve the stabilityin order to enable an SPA-based affinity medium to withstandeven longer exposure to the harsh conditions associated withcleaning in place (CIP) procedures. For this purpose adifferent protein engineering strategy was employed. Smallchanges in stability due to the mutations would be difficult toassess. Hence, in order to enable detection of improvementsregarding the alkaline resistance of the Z domain, a by-passmutagenesis strategy was utilized, where a mutated structurallydestabilized variant, Z(F30A) was used as a surrogateframework. All eight asparagines in the domain were exchangedone-by-one. The residues were all shown to have differentimpact on the alkaline tolerance of the domain. By exchangingasparagine 23 for a threonine we were able to remarkablyincrease the stability of the Z(F30A)-domain towards alkalineconditions. Also, when grafting the N23T mutation to the Zscaffold we were able to detect an increased tolerance towardsalkaline treatment compared to the native Z molecule. In allcases, the most sensitive asparagines were found to be locatedin the loops region.In summary, the work presented in this thesis shows theusefulness of protein engineering strategies, both to explorethe importance of different amino acids regarding stability andfunctionality and to improve the characteristics of aprotein.Keywords:binding, affinity, human serum albumin (HSA),albumin-binding domain (ABD), affinity chromatography,deamidation, protein A, stabilization, Z-domain, capacity,protein G, cleaning-in-place (CIP), protein engineering, C2receptor.


Background: Current training programs for complex pediatric minimal invasive surgery (MIS) are usually bulk training, consisting of 1- or 2-day courses. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of bulk training versus interval training on the preservation of high-complex, low-volume MIS skills. Materials and Methods: Medical students, without prior surgical experience, were randomly assigned to either a bulk or interval training program for complex MIS (congenital diaphragmatic hernia [CDH] and esophageal atresia [EA] repair). Both groups trained for 5 hours; the bulk group twice within 3 days and the interval groups five times in 3 weeks. Skills retention was assessed at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 6 months posttraining, using a composite score (0%-100%) based on the objective parameters tracked by SurgTrac. Results: Seventeen students completed the training sessions (bulk n = 9, interval n = 8) and were assessed accordingly. Retention of the skills for EA repair was significantly better for the interval training group than for the bulk group at 6 weeks (P = .004). However, at 6 months, both groups scored significantly worse than after the training sessions for EA repair (bulk 60 versus 67, P = .176; interval 63 versus 74, P = .028) and CDH repair (bulk 32 versus 67, P = .018; interval 47 versus 62, P = .176). Conclusion: This pilot study suggests superior retention of complex pediatric MIS skills after interval training, during a longer period of time, than bulk training. However, after 6 months, both groups scored significantly worse than after their training, indicating the need for continuous training.


Summary: The response of 31 ascomycetous yeasts to a reduction in water activity (aW) adjusted with D-glucose or NaCl was investigated. The growth of most yeasts was more tolerant to glucose than to NaCl at equivalent aW. Zygosaccharomyces rouxii was the most osmotolerant yeast examined. Natural abundance 13C-NMR spectroscopy and HPLC analyses of eight yeasts indicated that glycerol and arabitol or mannitol were accumulated intracellularly in response to aW. reduction. Pichia sorbitophila, Candida cacaoi, Candida magnoliae and Zygosaccharomyces bisporus responded to reduced aW by a decrease in specific growth rate and cell volume, and an accumulation of glycerol. The other polyol accumulated did not increase in concentration with aW reduction to the same degree as glycerol. A polyol concentration ratio (intra/extracellular) as high as 800-fold was attained across the membrane. Greater amounts of polyols were produced at equivalent aW values when adjusted with glucose than with NaCl. The ability to accumulate high concentrations of polyols appears to be the most important criterion in determining osmotolerance.


This issue of Departures in Critical Qualitative Research ( DCQR ) takes up the theme and issue of travel in complex and compelling forms. The pieces in the collection take us on the American Expedition travel-study course in Yosemite National Park, CA; a series of Voodoo Tours in the heart of New Orleans, LA; a Youth Experience Tour in Masada National Park, Israel; to, through, and into roadside and digital tourism in the Irish Hills of Michigan; and an electronic dance music festival on the beaches of Goa, India. The authors use scrapbooking, performative autoethnography, touring and curation, and experimental writing to suggest the affective experience, texture, and dialogic critique generated by encounters in and through each of these sites. Each of the essays charts the confluence of bodies, languages, stories, and the materiality of the artifacts we make and carry through our encounters with geographic spaces. …


Abstract In Rwanda, rural water supply is not uniformly distributed. Rural areas are characterized by differences in the distance to the nearest water point and in water quality for domestic water, by watering frequency and water availability for irrigation water, and by the price for both. A household's perception of further improvements in water supply will, therefore, depend heavily on the situation it currently faces. The authors used a choice experiment to model how the individual status quo (SQ) affects preferences. Accounting for individual SQ information improves model significance relative to simply using the generic SQ parameter in the model, and the willingness to pay increases. Not using this information leads to a downward bias – and, in some cases, statistical insignificance – in estimates of households' valuation of health improvements linked to improved domestic water availability, as well as of increased watering frequency linked to the improved availability of irrigation water.


The brain ...There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brain--an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines * How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. * The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attention--and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. * Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. * Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniques--what various technologies can and cannot tell us--and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakers--and many scientists as well--with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."