Coffee is the major export crop in Honduras, but the export price is relatively low. This paper investigates the potential role for a coffee price insurance product - based on the use of the coffee future market - to increasing producer welfare by reducing coffee price risk faced by individual farmers. By constructing a typology of six different types of coffee farmers and developing a forecasting model, the authors show that more risk-averse farmers would prefer to buy the insurance contract than those with lower risk aversion. The subjective assessments analysis also show that Honduran coffee producers have optimistic expectations for coffee prices and appear to underestimate the variability of coffee prices.


Practical Applications Summary In More Than One Million Reasons to Lie about Structured Finance, from the Spring 2019 issue of The Journal of Structured Finance, Janet Tavakoli, president of Tavakoli Structured Finance in Chicago, describes a set of risks to investors in structured finance instruments that are not captured by mainstream risk analysis. Many of these risks became well known through the exposure of systemic fraud in the sub-prime mortgage market during years immediately preceding the mid-2000s mortgage meltdown. The author argues that these risks are re-emerging now because of the powerful, and highly distorting, incentives in the structured finance market. The risks that Tavakoli identifies include structural hazards of these investments, which are the risks arising from the legal and financial parameters of each investment vehicle. She catalogs many ways in which those parameters can be arranged to bring potential harm to investors. She also sets forth risks from poorly understood or misrepresented collateral in those investments. In those situations, the underlying collateral—the pool of assets whose performance will determine the performance of the instrument with claims on those assets—appears to be stronger and more creditworthy than is in fact the case. Tavakoli also depicts the risks that arise from a failure to correctly and fully specify the security interest in that collateral. In those cases, the bondholders may not have the claim they believe they have on the underlying assets should those assets fail to generate the expected returns.


A magmatic eruption at Shinmoe-dake (Kirishima), Japan, occurred in 2011 after 300 years dormancy. The eruption began with three sub-plinian explosive events, followed by lava accumulation at the summit crater and then vulcanian explosions. Precursory phreatic events took place first in 2008 and often in 2010. Seismic activity around the Kirishima region had increased since 2006 and had been escalating further since 2010. As well, ground deformation by GPS measurements suggested inflation of the region in the same time scale. Multi-purpose observational research was carried out on this eruption. Satellite SAR was very effective for monitoring the eruption condition and for issuing alerts to the public. Unmanned autonomous aerial vehicles were employed to get information on physical and chemical conditions of cooling lava which filled the summit crater. Details of the eruption story, magma system under the ground, and mechanisms of eruption phenomena were deciphered. We believe that the information and experiences of this eruption are very important for earth scientists in the world to understand how to face and prepare for infrequent eruptions of potentially intermediate-scale. This special issue under the title of "Shinmoe-dake Eruption in 2011—An Example of Less-Frequent Magmatic Activity—" contains 18 papers. They cover geological, geochemical and geophysical observations and results on this eruption, together with research on its crisis management, responses and impacts. Magma chamber and eruption processes, and changes of physical and chemical parameters during eruption events are discussed. Magma movement, magma degassing and gas-flow in the conduit, and ash-plume simulation during eruption are also presented. Research on this eruption was sponsored partly by Grant-in-Aid for Special Purposes (No. 22900001) and Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology (Urgent study on the 2011 eruption of Kirishima-Shinmoe-dake volcano) from MEXT. Papers in this issue are open access, being supported by Earthquake Research Institute, the University of Tokyo, and Grant-in-Aid for Publication of Scientific Research Results (No. 251001) of JSPS for journal "Earth, Planets and Space".


Explicit finite element method is adopted to simulate the crashworthiness performance of four types of typical thin—walled structures used in vehicle by software LS-DYNA. The structures with the same material、area and length are crash by a rigid body with 40km/h in10ms, The crash processes and crashworthiness characters are analyzed by a series crash parameters: deformation energy with unit displacement, impact force and deceleration to look for the optimal shape with crashworthiness. With comparing, the double caps section has ascendant performance than the others. The simulating methods of welded-joints are discussed to analysis their effects on crashworthiness simulation.


We present, for the first time, an adjoint variable method (AVM) for wideband sensitivity analysis of dispersive materials. The time domain transmission line modeling technique is exploited to calculate the response and its sensitivities with respect to all the designable parameters using at most one extra simulation. A z-domain representation of dispersive materials is utilized in the derivation of this technique. Our approach is illustrated through sensitivity analysis of a two-dimensional teeth-shaped plasmonic resonator. The AVM sensitivities are compared with the accurate and expensive finite difference approach and good agreement is achieved. This theory can be extended to other dispersive materials and dispersive metamaterials as well.


We study the effects of increased opportunities for one-on-one time with a parent during infancy on the human capital formation of children. To this end, we exploit a nationwide reform that mandated Swedish municipalities to offer childcare access for infants' older siblings, while parents were on parental leave to care for their infants. Survey data on childcare enrollment show that the reform had a significant impact on the childcare enrollment of older siblings. Using rich administrative data, we estimate intention-to-treat effects in a differences-in-differences setting, comparing infants with and without siblings of childcare age, preand post-reform, in municipalities that were affected the reform. We find no robust overall effects on the children's 6th grade test scores, but we find evidence of positive effects on test scores for sons of less than university educated mothers and daughters of highly educated mothers. Exploring potential pathways, we find no evidence of changes in quantity of parental time during infancy, pointing instead towards the role of improved quality of parent-child interactions as a result of less competition for parental time. We also find that improvements in physical and mental health in school age may have contributed to the positive effect for boys and a lower probability of having a younger sibling may have reduced competition for parental time further and contributed to the improved test scores for girls.


Intrusion detection is very essential for providing security to different network domains and is mostly used for locating and tracing the intruders. There are many problems with traditional intrusion detection models (IDS) such as low detection capability against unknown network attack, high false alarm rate and insufficient analysis capability. Hence the major scope of the research in this domain is to develop an intrusion detection model with improved accuracy and reduced training time. This paper proposes a hybrid intrusiondetection model by integrating the principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machine (SVM). The novelty of the paper is the optimization of kernel parameters of the SVM classifier using automatic parameter selection technique. This technique optimizes the punishment factor ( C ) and kernel parameter gamma ( γ ), thereby improving the accuracy of the classifier and reducing the training and testing time. The experimental results obtained on the NSL KDD and gurekddcup dataset show that the proposed technique performs better with higher accuracy, faster convergence speed and better generalization. Minimum resources are consumed as the classifier input requires reduced feature set for optimum classification. A comparative analysis of hybrid models with the proposed model is also performed. ACM CCS (2012) Classification : Security and privacy → Intrusion/anomaly detection and malware mitigation → Intrusion detection systems *To cite this article: S. T. Ikram and A. K. Cherukuri, "Improving Accuracy of  Intrusion Detection Model Using  PCA and optimized SVM", CIT. Journal of Computing and Information Technology , vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 133–148, 2016.


The present experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that, in vivo, intrapituitary angiotensin II (ANG II) mediates the effect of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) on prolactin release. After intravenous administration of LHRH (100 ng/100 microliters saline), plasma levels of both luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin were increased in ovariectomized rats pretreated with estradiol and progesterone. Intravenous administration of saralasin or sarthran (ANG II receptor blockers) reduced or abolished, respectively, the LHRH-induced increase in prolactin without affecting the rise in LH. In other ovariectomized steroid-treated rats, saralasin did not affect the increase in LH or prolactin induced by 10 min of restraint stress. Finally, in intact female rats on the day of proestrus, neither saralasin nor sarthran affected the mid-cycle prolactin surge. Taken together, these results show that in vivo exogenous LHRH stimulates prolactin release via a paracrine action of pituitary ANG II. However, under other conditions in which both LH and prolactin (and presumably endogenous LHRH) are elevated, pituitary ANG II does not appear to be involved in the prolactin rise.


For the development of a DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant the design of auxiliary heating systems is a key activity in order to achieve controlled burning plasma. The present heating mix considers electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), neutral beam injection (NBI) and ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) with a target power to the plasma of about 50 MW for each system. The main tasks assigned to the EC system are plasma breakdown and assisted start-up, heating to L-H transition and plasma current ramp up to burn, MHD stability control and assistance in plasma current ramp down. The consequent requirements are used for the conceptual design of the EC system, from the RF source to the launcher, with an extensive R&D program focused on relevant technologies to be developed. Gyrotron: the R&D and Advanced Developments on EC RF sources are targeting for gyrotrons operating at 240 GHz, considered as optimum EC Current Drive frequency in case of higher magnetic field than for the 2015 EU DEMO1 baseline. Multi-purpose (multi-frequency) and frequency step-tunable gyrotrons are under investigation to increase the flexibility of the system. As main targets an output power of significantly above 1 MW (target: 2 MW) and a total efficiency higher than 60% are set. The principle feasibility at limits of a 236 GHz, conventional-cavity and, alternatively, of a 238 GHz coaxial-cavity gyrotron are under investigation together with the development of a synthetic diamond Brewster-angle window technology. Advanced developments are on-going in the field of multi-stage depressed collector technologies. Transmission line (TL): different TL options are under investigation and a preliminary study of an evacuated quasi-optical multiple-beam TL, considered for a hybrid solution, is presented and discussed in terms of layout, dimensions and theoretical losses. Launcher: remote steering antennas have been considered as a possible launcher solution especially under the constraints to avoid movable mirrors close to the plasma. With dedicated beam tracing calculations, the deposition locations coverage and the wave absorption efficiency have been investigated, considering a selection of frequencies, injection angles and launching points. An option for the EC system structure is proposed in clusters, in order to allow the necessary redundancy and flexibility to guarantee the required EC power in the different phases of the plasma pulse. Number and composition of the clusters are analysed to have high availability and therefore maximum reliability with a minimum number of components.


Primary lung cancer occurs mainly among elderly smokers. Smoking and radon are generally considered to be the main causes of lung cancer. By simply studying the age dependence of all primary lung cancer incidences it seems plausible to suggest that the risk for obtaining lung cancer from domestic radon is low for children. In addition, as there are few non-smoking primary lung cancer cases at older ages, it seems plausible to suggest that most of the radon-induced lung cancer cases are to be found among the smoking population. Reduction of smoking habits would appear to be the most cost effective method to reduce lung cancer cases.


Today's medical training environment exposes medical trainees to many aspects of what has been called "the hidden curriculum." In this article, we examine the relationship between two aspects of the hidden curriculum, the performance of emotional labor and the characterization of patients and proxies as "bad," by analyzing clinical ethics discussions with resident trainees at an academic medical center. We argue that clinicians' characterization of certain patients and proxies as "bad," when they are not, can take an unnecessary toll on trainees' emotions. We conclude with a discussion of how training in ethics may help uncover and examine these aspects of the hidden curriculum.


Mode-locked sub-picosecond operation of Yb-, Er- and Tm:Hodoped fiber lasers operating at 1.05 microm, 1.56 microm and 1.99 microm, respectively, is demonstrated using the same sample carbon nanotube-based saturable absorber mirror. A mesh of single-walled carbon nanotubes was deposited on an Ag-mirror using a one-step dry-transfer contact press method to combine broadband saturable absorption and high reflectance properties. The novel fabrication method of the polymer-free absorber and device parameters determined using nonlinear reflectivity measurement are described in detail. To our knowledge the observed operation bandwidth of approximately 1 microm is the broadest reported to date for a single carbon nanotube-based saturable absorber.


We consider a hybrid wireless sensor network with static and mobile nodes. Static sensors monitor the environment and report events occurring in the sensing field. Mobile sensors are then dispatched to visit these event locations to conduct more advanced analysis. A big challenge is how to schedule these mobile sensors' traveling paths in an energy-balanced way so that their overall lifetime is maximized. We formulate this problem as a multiround sensor dispatch problem and show it to be NP-complete. Then, we propose a centralized and a distributed heuristics to schedule mobile sensors' traveling paths. Our heuristics allow arbitrary numbers of mobile sensors and event locations in each round and have an energy-balanced concept in mind. The centralized heuristic tries to minimize mobile sensors' moving energy while keeping their energy consumption balanced. The distributed heuristic utilizes a grid structure for event locations to bid for mobile sensors. Through simulations, we show the effectiveness of our schemes. This paper contributes in defining a more general multiround sensor dispatch problem and proposing energy-efficient solutions to it.


Abstract : Is there a single comprehensive theory that could shape future space and air forces? This essay examines the current state of space power theory. The method of research was a literature review of books, periodicals, government and private reports, and conference proceedings via Air University Library and the Internet, as well as personal contact with faculty members from several military schools. This effort identified basic elements of military theory-definitions, explanations and predictions-which then became a qualification as well as a framework for this paper. The major findings of this paper are that: (1) Space power theory is emerging: it exists and is growing in the form of definitions, explanations and predictions of the nature, significance and functioning of systems in space; (2) A single comprehensive space power theory does not exist; and (3) Space power theory has much room for improvement in its definitions, explanations and predictions of space power. Finally, this paper recommends that future theorists: (1) Expand all areas of space power theory to create a more robust body of literature; (2) Thoroughly examine the contributions of early space theorists (see Chapter 3, Note 1); (3) Address, in detail, the two 'hot topics' in space power theory today-space control and space force organization; and (4) Seek a single comprehensive space power theory to bring together the lasting ideas of space power for the purpose of shaping future space forces.


This book follows a similar style to those already published in this highly successful series. As with the more recent issues, the book is in larger format of 8.5″×11″. This is the fourth environmental volume in the series and focuses exclusively on one of the most regulated (yet poorly researched by comparison to lead and arsenic) elements, mercury.

The volume has been well edited with comparatively few typographic mistakes. A minor point but one worth noting is that the book could perhaps have done with more thought as to organization of later chapters which jump between aquatic and gaseous mercury chemistry, blended with chapters on mercury interactions with the biosphere.

The content covers a broad range of topics related to mercury, although I was surprised to see no account of artisan mining and gold amalgamation (other than a brief historical overview in Chapter 1 and an expanded section in Chapter 2). This is, perhaps, one of the more significant sources of mercury pollution in many developing countries. …


The implementation of asphalt solar collectors as a means of an energy source is being widely studied in recent years. Asphalt pavements are exposed to daily solar radiation, and are capable of reaching up to 70°C in temperature. The potential of harvesting energy from solar pavements as an alternative energy source in replace of non-renewable energy sources prone to depletion such as fuel is promising. In Malaysia, the sun intensity is quite high and for this reason, absorbing the heat from sun radiation, and then utilizing it in many other applications such as generating electricity could definitely be impressive. Previous researches on the different methods of studying the effect of heat absorption caused by solar radiation prove to be quite old and inaffective. More recent findings, on the otherhand, prove to be more informative. This paper focuses on determining the potential of heat collection from solar radiation in asphalt solar collectors using steel piping. The asphalt solar collector model constructed for this research was prepared in the civil engineering laboratory. The hot mixed asphalt (HMA) contains 10% bitumen mixed with 90% aggregates of the total size of asphalt. Three stainless steel pipes were embedded into the interior region of the model according to the design criteria, and then put to test. Results show that harvesting energy from asphalt solar collectors proves highly potential in Malaysia due its the hot climate.


Bronchus-derived relaxing factor (BrDRF) decreases contractility of newborn rat pulmonary arteries (PA) and is dependent on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. In vivo, this factor appears to gain access via the adventitial side of the PA. However, the adventitia has been reported to be a barrier to NO. We studied the effect of an adjacent bronchus on PA contractility to norepinephrine in nine juvenile lambs in the presence and absence of inhibitors of the NO pathway (LNA, ODQ, and Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPS), cytochrome P-450 inhibitor (17-ODYA), perivascular nerve activity blocker (TTX), and superoxide scavenger (tiron), and following disruption of bronchial epithelium. We also evaluated whether BrDRF was effective on both the endothelial and/or adventitial side of PA. Fifth-generation PA rings with and without an attached bronchus were contracted in standard baths with norepinephrine. PA were dissected, cut open, and placed in a sided chamber in which adventitial and endothelial sides of the PA were exposed to unattached bronchus separately. Norepinephrine (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) contractions were expressed as a fraction of maximal KCl (118 mM) contractions. Norepinephrine contractions were significantly reduced by the presence of an attached bronchus, an effect reversed by pretreatment with LNA, ODQ, and Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPS, and removal of bronchial epithelium. Unattached bronchus in the bath perfusing the adventitial side was effective in inhibiting the contractile response in PA. NO gas relaxed PA when administered on the endothelial side only. We speculate that BrDRF is a diffusible factor that crosses the adventitia and stimulates production of NO within the PA.


Most of the existing studies of language use in social media content have focused on the surface-level linguistic features (e.g., function words and punctuation marks) and the semantic level aspects (e.g., the topics, sentiment, and emotions) of the comments. The writer's strategies of constructing and connecting text segments have not been widely explored even though this knowledge is expected to shed light on how people reason in online environments. Contributing to this analysis direction for social media studies, we build an openly accessible neural RST parsing system that analyzes discourse relations in an online comment. Our experiments demonstrate that this system achieves comparable performance among all the neural RST parsing systems. To demonstrate the use of this tool in social media analysis, we apply it to identify the discourse relations in persuasive and non-persuasive comments and examine the relationships among the binary discourse tree depth, discourse relations, and the perceived persuasiveness of online comments. Our work demonstrates the potential of analyzing discourse structures of online comments with our system and the implications of these structures for understanding online communications.


This guide lists selected children's and young adult books by or about African Americans that are available in the Curriculum Materials Center.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

Ultraviolet (UV) induced ROS production is considered a major cause of photoaging via abnormal expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and NADPH oxidase (NOX) is a key enzyme of endogenous ROS production. Here, we investigated the anti-photoaging effect of delphidin, a major anthocyanin found in berry, beans, and red wine, and its molecular target in UVB-induced MMP-1 expression using primary cultured human dermal fibroblast. Delphinidin inhibited UVB-induced MMP-1 expression in human dermal fibroblasts. UVB-induced MKK4-JNK1/2, MKK3/6-p38, and MEK-ERK1/2 phosphorylation were suppressed by delphinidin. In addition, quantification of ROS stained with the 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) dye showed that delphinidin significantly inhibited UVB-induced ROS production. Delphinidin significantly inhibited UVB-induced NOX activity. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect of delphinidin on UVB-induced NOX activity was stronger than apocynin, a pharmaceutical NOX inhibitor. Fractioned cell analysis results using a western blot assay showed that delphinidin strongly suppressed UVB-induced P47phox, a NOX subunit, translocation from the cytosol to the membrane. Delphinidin produced similar effects with apocynin on UVB-induced MMP-1 expression. Pull down assays showed that delphinidin directly bound to P47phox. Collectively, our results suggest that NOX is a potential target of delphinidin in the suppression of UVB-induced MMP-1 expression in human dermal fibroblasts.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4981. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4981


An excavation process is a nonlinear dynamic problem that includes geometrical, material, and contact nonlinearities. The simulation of ground excavation has to face contact interaction in a changing geometry composed by several solid domains. The particle finite-element method (PFEM) is based on a Lagrangian description for modeling the motion of a continuum medium. The PFEM is particularly suitable for modeling a fluid motion with free surfaces. The application of the PFEM in ground excavation includes the use of the remeshing process, α-shape concepts for detecting the domain boundary, contact mechanics laws, material constitutive models, and surface wear models. Everything is correctly matched to quantify the excavation and the corresponding damage caused to the ground. The erosion and wear parameters of the soil/rock material govern the evolution of the excavation process. The preliminary results presented in this paper show that the PFEM it is a very suitable tool for the simulation of ground excavation processes.


Abstract Helicoplacoids are Early Cambrian echinoderms with triradiate ambulacra that are covered by helically-arranged columns of calcite plates. They are abundant only in shales of the Middle Member of the Lower Cambrian Poleta Formation (Atdabanian) at Westgard Pass in the White-Inyo Mountains of California. To identify and understand the unique taphonomic conditions that led to their preservation, 146 helicoplacoid specimens were examined along with the rocks in which they are preserved. Considering their loosely articulated skeletal construction, together with their common occurrence at the base of cm-scale graded beds, helicoplacoids most likely were preserved during obrution events. A majority (69%) of helicoplacoid specimens are partially disarticulated, probably indicating that most helicoplacoids underwent some combination of pre-burial and post-burial decay. Because most (73%) helicoplacoid specimens are preserved on the same bedding plane as at least one other individual, and many (39%) are preserved on bedding planes containing at least 10 individuals, it appears that helicoplacoids were gregarious and frequently were preserved in mass mortality obrution deposits. Low levels of bioturbation, possible microbial stabilization of the sediment, a shallow redox boundary, and a normally calm depositional environment capable of preserving obrution deposits are all factors that aided in the preservation of helicoplacoids. Additionally, the presence of helicoplacoids in several facies of the Middle Member of the Poleta Formation indicates that they lived in a wider range of paleoenvironments than those represented by the shales, where they are found most commonly. The exceptional preservation of helicoplacoids, therefore, is most likely narrowly restricted stratigraphically and geographically because the proper balance of energy regimes, together with the factors mentioned above, was achieved only rarely during the Early Cambrian, not because helicoplacoids were restricted to living in one paleoenvironment.


. Let G be a locally compact group and B ( G ) the Fourier–Stieltjes algebra of G . Pursuing our investigations of power bounded elements in B ( G ), we study the extension property for power bounded elements and discuss the structure of closed sets in the coset ring of G which appear as 1-sets of power bounded elements. We also show that L 1 -algebras of noncompact motion groups and of noncompact IN-groups with polynomial growth do not share the so-called power boundedness property. Finally, we give a characterization of power bounded elements in the reduced Fourier–Stieltjes algebra of a locally compact group containing an open subgroup which is amenable as a discrete group.


Abstract. The formation of cold air pools in valleys under stable conditions represents an important challenge for numerical weather prediction (NWP). The challenge is increased when the valleys that dominate cold pool formation are on scales unresolved by NWP models, which can lead to substantial local errors in temperature forecasts. In this study a 2-month simulation is presented using a nested model configuration with a finest horizontal grid spacing of 100 m. The simulation is compared with observations from the recent COLd air Pooling Experiment (COLPEX) project and the model's ability to represent cold pool formation, and the surface energy balance is assessed. The results reveal a bias in the model long-wave radiation that results from the assumptions made about the sub-grid variability in humidity in the cloud parametrization scheme. The cloud scheme assumes relative humidity thresholds below 100 % to diagnose partial cloudiness, an approach common to schemes used in many other models. The biases in radiation, and resulting biases in screen temperature and cold pool properties are shown to be sensitive to the choice of critical relative humidity, suggesting that this is a key area that should be improved for very high-resolution modeling.


Abstract Objective: To compare the Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets in deterring 10-year CVD. Design: Prospective cohort (n 2020) with a 10-year follow-up period for the occurrence of combined (fatal or non-fatal) CVD incidence (International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10). Baseline adherence to the Mediterranean and DASH diets was assessed via a semi-quantitative FFQ according to the MedDietScore and DASH scores, respectively. Setting: Attica, Greece. Participants: Two thousand twenty individuals (mean age at baseline 45·2 (sd 14·0) years). Results: One-third of individuals in the lowest quartile of Mediterranean diet consumption, as compared with 3·1 % of those in the highest quartile, developed 10-year CVD (P < 0·0001). In contrast, individuals in the lowest and highest DASH diet quartiles exhibited similar 10-year CVD rates (n (%) of 10-year CVD in DASH diet quartiles 1 v. 4: 79 (14·7 %) v. 75 (15·3 %); P = 0·842). Following adjustment for demographic, lifestyle and clinical confounding factors, those in the highest Mediterranean diet quartile had a 4-fold reduced 10-year CVD risk (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 4·52, 95 % CI 1·76, 11·63). However, individuals with highest DASH diet quartile scores did not differ from their lowest quartile counterparts in developing such events (adjusted HR 1·05, 95 % CI 0·69, 1·60). Conclusions High adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and not to the DASH diet, was associated with a lower risk of 10-year fatal and non-fatal CVD. Therefore, public health interventions aimed at enhancing adherence to the Mediterranean diet, rather than the DASH diet, may most effectively deter long-term CVD outcomes particularly in Mediterranean populations.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride on prostatic diameter and volume, semen quality, and serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone concentrations in dogs with spontaneous benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

DESIGN
Double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

ANIMALS
9 dogs with BPH.

PROCEDURE
Five dogs were treated with finasteride for 16 weeks (0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg [0.05 to 0.23 mg/lb] of body weight, PO, q 24 h); the other 4 received a placebo. Prostatic diameter, measured radiographically, prostatic volume, measured ultrasonographically, semen quality, and serum DHT and testosterone concentrations were evaluated before and during treatment. After receiving the placebo for 16 weeks, the 4 control dogs were treated with finasteride for 16 weeks, and evaluations were repeated.

RESULTS
Finasteride significantly decreased prostatic diameter (mean percentage decrease, 20%), prostatic volume (mean percentage decrease, 43%), and serum DHT concentration (mean percentage decrease, 58%). Finasteride decreased semen volume but did not adversely effect semen quality or serum testosterone concentration. No adverse effects were reported by owners of dogs in the study.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results suggest that finasteride can be used to reduce prostatic size in dogs with BPH without adversely affecting semen quality or serum testosterone concentration.


Piezoelectric fibrous membranes of barium titanate (BTO) – polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites were studied. BTO nanoparticles of about 40 nm were synthesized by the sol-gel method and mixed in PVDF–dimethyl formamide solutions at 0, 0.1, 1 and 3 wt.% relative to the polymer weight. The suspensions were electrospun using a horizontal set-up with an applied voltage of 15 kV. The samples were heat treated for 24 hours at 100°C in air to increase the crystallinity of the polymer. The heat treatment induced a phase transformation from α to β phase in the pure polymer sample, while the nanocomposite membranes did not undergo such phase transformation. It was found that the addition of nanoparticles affected not only the morphology and diameter of the fibers, but also the content of beta phase of the polymer. In order to pursue the crystallization of β phase, additional samples were prepared by surface modification of the BTO nanoparticles and the addition of tetraisopentyl ammonium chloride. The best results were obtained with the last additive, which lead to the crystallization of only β phase and a homogeneous fibrous morphology. All these aspects were strongly correlated and consequently, governed the ferroelectric behavior of the samples.


The recent financial crisis has motivated economic educators to rethink what economics should be taught, acknowledging disconnects between classroom content and real world events. We introduce a learning theory approach that is broader, one that goes beyond such context specific discussions of foundational knowledge and application (i.e., teaching about this specific crisis) and provide a framework to address the broader issue of how teaching practices can, by their very nature, minimize such disconnects and provide more effective processes for teaching about current economic conditions. The theory of significant learning (Fink 2003) is presented as a model of how experiences can be used to develop a deep approach to learning, learning that lasts. Experiential learning pedagogies are timeless in that they can be readily modified to promote deeper understanding over a wide range of economic environments. Focusing on one category of significant learning, the human dimension, and one component of the financial crisis, unemployment, examples which modify existing experiential learning practices are described to demonstrate how such pedagogic practices can be readily adapted to teaching and learning about current economic conditions. In short, we demonstrate that incorporating student experiences into pedagogic practice provides a natural alignment of teaching content and real world events, regardless of how those change over time.


The primary function of a trade union is to promote and protect the interest of its members; improve working and living conditions and to represent workers' interests. Trade unions have however fallen short of achieving their set objectives due to challenges that are both external and internal. This study was designed to investigate the challenges facing trade unions in Kenya. A census survey design was used. Primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and thirty two out of the forty trade unions responded to the questionnaire. The results showed that there are many challenges affecting trade unions in Kenya which include financial constraints emanating from loss of membership, splitting of unions and mismanagement, government and employer intervention in trade union activities and controlling of their affairs, the differentiated and changing composition of workers that has had a general effect on weakening trade unions and advancements in technology have made it possible for the new units of production to be geographically dispersed hence it is no longer necessary for staff to be physically located in the same place, thereby reducing the workforce and in turn union membership. It is recommended that trade unions enhance member education programmes, with emphasis on improvement of employee performance and build teamwork. Government should facilitate the role of trade unions through stringent enforcement of labor


Note-taking provides a unique opportunity to investigate consecutive interpreting (CI). This study approaches note-taking from a cognitive perspective, combining product analysis with the process research method of pen recording. It investigates such variables as the choice of form, the choice of language, the relationship between note-taking and interpreting performance, and the relationship between note-taking and cognitive load in CI. In the context of CI between Chinese and English, the study finds that interpreters prefer language to symbol, abbreviation to full word, and English to Chinese regardless of the direction of interpreting. Interpreting performance is not directly related to either the quantity or the quality of notes; it is a function of both. Pen recording appears to be a powerful method to tap into the process of note-taking and CI, and the collected data could potentially serve as useful indicators of cognitive load.


This paper describes how China is the world's second largest greenhouse gas emitter. Emissions from the road transport sector represent one of the fastest growing carbon dioxide CO(2) sources in China. Based on previous research of projections about China's future vehicle ownership and the CO(2) emission in the road transport sector, this paper reviews all recent environmental policies in the automobile industry and employs scenario analysis to estimate different emission inventories in different development strategies. The new policy scenario considered all possible mitigation options available in the road transport sector from a bottom-up perspective and examined the fuel efficiency improvement effects and costs of these mitigation options – vehicle technology improvement, a Bus Rapid Transit system, and a fuel switch, through which the carbon dioxide emission reduction potential was estimated. Not only does this paper indicate that a large emission reduction potential exists in China's road transportation sector, but it infers that vehicle technology improvement, especially engine technology, is likely to be the most effective means to meet emission reduction targets. This paper concludes by identifying key barriers to implement those options in China and induces China's demand, mainly in technical, financial and institutional aspects, for national capacity building and international aids, to achieve emission reduction goals.


s | 39 Abstract Oxytocin has been proposed as a potential treatment approach in drug addiction, but little is known about the effects of oxytocin in translationally relevant models of addiction or the neurobiological substrates of the actions of oxytocin. This presentation highlights the ability of oxytocin to reduce drug taking and drug seeking in a rat model of methamphetamine (meth) addiction. In the first set of experiments, we developed and applied a behavioral economics model of meth addiction to assess the effects of oxytocin on both meth demand and conditioned cueinduced reinstatement of meth seeking following a period of drug withdrawal. Systemic oxytocin treatment reduced both meth demand (determined by an increase in α, the downward acceleration of a demand curve) and reinstatement of cueinduced meth seeking. Notably, oxytocin had the highest efficacy to reduce reinstatement in those rats showing the highest motivation for meth. A second set of experiments examined the central effects of oxytocin on meth demand and reinstatement. The effects of systemic oxytocin on meth demand were completely blocked by central infusion (icv) of an oxytocin receptor antagonist, while direct application of oxytocin in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) abolished the effects of oxytocin on both meth demand and reinstatement. Finally, oxytocin activity in the NAc was found to be necessary for enhanced meth demand, as central antagonism of oxytocin receptors in the NAc blocked the effects of systemic oxytocin. Taken together, these results show a centrally mediated action of oxytocin in reducing demand for meth and cueinduced reinstatement of meth seeking. Future development of oxytocin-based pharmacotherapy may be beneficial for psychostimulant addiction.Oxytocin has been proposed as a potential treatment approach in drug addiction, but little is known about the effects of oxytocin in translationally relevant models of addiction or the neurobiological substrates of the actions of oxytocin. This presentation highlights the ability of oxytocin to reduce drug taking and drug seeking in a rat model of methamphetamine (meth) addiction. In the first set of experiments, we developed and applied a behavioral economics model of meth addiction to assess the effects of oxytocin on both meth demand and conditioned cueinduced reinstatement of meth seeking following a period of drug withdrawal. Systemic oxytocin treatment reduced both meth demand (determined by an increase in α, the downward acceleration of a demand curve) and reinstatement of cueinduced meth seeking. Notably, oxytocin had the highest efficacy to reduce reinstatement in those rats showing the highest motivation for meth. A second set of experiments examined the central effects of oxytocin on meth demand and reinstatement. The effects of systemic oxytocin on meth demand were completely blocked by central infusion (icv) of an oxytocin receptor antagonist, while direct application of oxytocin in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) abolished the effects of oxytocin on both meth demand and reinstatement. Finally, oxytocin activity in the NAc was found to be necessary for enhanced meth demand, as central antagonism of oxytocin receptors in the NAc blocked the effects of systemic oxytocin. Taken together, these results show a centrally mediated action of oxytocin in reducing demand for meth and cueinduced reinstatement of meth seeking. Future development of oxytocin-based pharmacotherapy may be beneficial for psychostimulant addiction.


Grade 1 responders and non-responders to an iPad-based reading intervention were evaluated on their cognitive attributes. Cognitive measures included phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, verbal memory and statistical learning, which were correlated with a lack of response to reading interventions in previous studies (Al Otaiba & Fuchs, 2006). The overall research question was whether and which of the cognitive variables could differentiate treatment responders versus non-responders, since this would provide valuable information in predicting which children may be better served by different types of intervention. The intervention study was conducted as a randomized controlled design, wherein 147 children (Mage = 6.75) who were identified as at risk for reading difficulties at primary school entry were allocated to either phonics or word reading based interventions. Responders included children who attained criterion-referenced word reading and fluency and decoding accuracy and fluency scores (e.g., above grade equivalent scores or above a mean of typically developing peers), whereas nonresponders did not attain age-based scores at post-intervention compared with their preintervention scores. Four separate MANCOVA analyses were conducted to determine if nonresponders differed from their peers on any of the cognitive measures. The two groups differed only on the fluency outcomes. On the reading fluency task, non-responders varied from the other groups on their phonological awareness and verbal memory scores. For decoding fluency outcomes, responders and non-responders differed only on rapid automatized naming. Altogether, these findings do suggest differences between the groups, suggesting implications of building on cognitive skills together with language skills for children with reading difficulties.


Fatty alcohol alkoxylates are non-ionic surface active compounds comprised of a hydrophobic fatty alcohol moiety of variable chain length linked to a hydrophilic polyalkoxylate chain of repeating alkylene oxide subunits containing ethylene and propylene oxides. Materials falling inside this group that are derived from a fatty alcohol and ethylene oxide alone are referred to as fatty alcohol ethoxylates. The unifying features of this class include (1) the use of fatty alcohol fractions drawn from alkyl chains between 4 and 100 carbons in length, each with deliberately wide or narrow ranges and falling within or across specific groups, and (2) the chemical addition to these fractions of specific numbers of repeating structural units of an alkylene oxide in molar ratios ranging from 2 to 100 for ethylene oxide and from 0 to 30 for propylene oxide. A useful rationale establishing the cohesiveness of grouping, or "clustering," of this family of chemistry is described based on a comparison of similarities across chemical structures contained in the cluster, the continuum of predictable change in associated physiochemical properties, and the accompanying consistency in underlying biological data. A semiquantitative approach is described using the accessible non-confidential information.


Using a systematic review of the last 55 years of research within risk management this paper explores how risk management as a management technology (methodologies, tools and frameworks to mitigate or manage risks) singles out risks as an object for management in order to make action possible. The paper synthesise by developing a framework of how different views on risk management enable and constrain the knowledge about risk and thus frame the possibilities to measure, analyse and calculate uncertainty and risk. Inspired by social studies of finance and accounting, the paper finally develops three propositions that illustrate how the framing of risk establishes a boundary for how managers might understand value creation and the possible future and how this impacts the possible responses to risk.


The article by Garden and Robinson' in this issue of theArchivessuccinctly presents a case of cutis verticis gyrata, reviews the literature and classifications of the condition, and discusses the medical and surgical treatment. This condition is most often diagnosed and best treated by the dermatologist who is skilled in dealing with an irritant and odoriferous dermatitis. If the medical treatment is inadequate, the proper surgery can be performed quickly, simply, and inexpensively in a dermatology outpatient surgery facility. The article by Garden and Robinson also illustrates how techniques that have been designed and developed primarily for cosmetic purposes can be applied successfully to medical conditions. Dermatologists have been in the forefront in the use of scalp reduction techniques for treatment of male pattern alopecia. It is difficult, probably impossible, to determine who actually invented the scalp reduction procedure; it seemed to burst on the medical community simultaneously from


Everywhere in the world, population ageing is perceived as a double-edged sword. While it does show an incredible perseverance of the human race and its ever-growing feats, it constitutes a problem when observed from the point of view of health care systems and governments. The current situation of a declining economy puts an even greater strain on the difficulties that nations need to overcome. As people age, they experience changes related to perceptual, motor and cognitive systems. In these scenarios, chronic conditions are more likely to develop. Dementia is one such condition, notable for being very frequent and highly impacting to the lives of the elderly. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and causes people to progressively lose their ability to live independently. Caregivers are thus essential to help them overcome a wide variety of obstacles, but in order to do that, they too struggle psychologically, socially and financially. This dissertation focuses on the design, evaluation and development of technology to aid in dementia contexts, namely to people with early-stage AD and their caregivers. It builds upon a previous project in which a system called mobileWAY was partially designed and tested and not at all implemented. mobileWAY explores the concept of caregivers using a mobile application that can connect with the TV at the home of, and watched by the dementia-affected persons. The system enables caregivers to communicate information to the dementia-affected persons regarding who they are, their whereabouts and how long they will take until returning to the home of the dementia-affected person. In this dissertation, the initial version of mobileWAY is tested again, redesigned and improved, and a working prototype is developed and tested. This project encompasses the areas of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Software Engineering. During the project's development, a user-centred design (UCD) approach was followed and combined with agile methodologies to achieve the final working prototype. The project contributes with a tested system prototype that follows adequate design guidelines and best development practices. The system was systematically evaluated and makes use of state-of-the-art technologies that include an Android-powered tablet device and Google TV to provide support in the scope of dementia, which is a difficult yet increasingly important area of research.


To overcome multipath fading and Inter symbol Interference (ISI), in convolutional single carrier systems equalizers are used. But it increases the system complexity. Another
approach is to use a multicarrier modulation technique such as OFDM, where the data stream to be transmitted is divided into several lower rate data streams each being modulated on a subcarrier. To avoid ISI, a small interval, known as the guard time interval, is inserted into OFDM symbols. The length of the guard time interval is chosen to exceed the channel delay spread. Therefore, OFDM can combat the multipath fading and eliminate ISI almost completely.

The another problem is the reduction of the error rate in transmitting digital data. For that we use error correcting Codes in the design of digital transmission systems. Turbo Codes have been widely considered to be the most powerful error control code of practical importance. Turbo codes can be achieved by serial or parallel concatenation of two (or more) codes called the constituent codes. The constituent codes can be either block codes or convolutional codes. Currently, most of the work on turbo codes have essentially focused on Convolutional Turbo Code (CTC)s and Block Turbo Code (BTC)s have been partially neglected. Yet, the BTC solution is more attractive for a wide range of applications. In this paper, Block Turbo Codes or Turbo Product Codes are used which is similar to the IEEE 802.11a WLAN standard.
In this thesis work simple explanation of BTCOFDM theory is given. The BER performance is evaluated for the Block Turbo coded BPSK and QPSK OFDM system, under both AWGN channel and Rayleigh fading channel. It also compares the BER performance of Block Turbo coded OFDM with the uncoded OFDM. It is verified in the present work that the BTCOFDM system with 4 iterations is sufficient to provide a good BER performance. Additional number of iterations does not show noticeable difference. The simulation results shows that the BTCOFDM system achieves large coding gain with lower BER performance and reduced decoding iterations, therefore offering higher data rate in wireless mobile
communications.


Abstract During the months of April to August in 1999 and 2002, oral swabs were collected from 146 tortoises (Testudo sp.) in private collections in the United Kingdom and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus (ChHV). The presence of M. agassizii was confirmed by restriction digestion of the PCR product. A 307-bp fragment of the ChHV UL5 homologue gene was sequenced and found to show most similarity to equine herpesvirus type 1. A prevalence of 15.8 and 8.2% was found for M. agassizii and ChHV, respectively. Comparison of the carriage of both M. agassizii and ChHV in different species of tortoises correlated the presence of M. agassizii with Testudo horsfieldii and ChHV with Testudo marginata and Testudo graeca iberia. An association of ChHV with stomatitis was also found. Mixed infections with both agents were detected. The findings further demonstrate this pathogen–tortoise association and the cross transmission of these infections if different tortoise species are housed together.


Context. V838 Mon erupted at the beginning of 2002 becoming an extremely luminous star with $L=10^6~L_{\sun}$. Among various scenarios proposed to explain the nature of the outburst, the most promising is a stellar merger event. Aims. We attempt to obtain information about the structure and evolution of the object in the decline from the 2002 eruption. Methods. The results of spectroscopic observations of the object obtained in October 2005 with the Keck/HIRES instrument, presented in detail in Paper I, are analysed and discussed. Modelling of the observed line profiles has been used to constrain the physical parameters of the system. Results. The kinematics of the atmosphere of V838 Mon is very complex. Our analysis of the molecular bands and the P-Cyg profiles of atomic lines shows that the object loses matter with a velocity of up to 215 km s -1  and a rate of $10^{-6}{-}10^{-5}$ $M_{\sun}$ yr -1 . In the profiles of some atomic lines, we have, however, found evidence of matter infall. Moreover, a narrow absorption component, which is particularly strong in some P-Cyg profiles, may indicate that a jet-like outflow has also been formed.
We show that the observed emission in the [$\ion{Fe}{ii}$] lines and an eclipse-like event observed in November/December 2006 was probably caused by interactions of the expanding matter, ejected by V838 Mon in 2002, with radiation from the B3V companion. In particular, the observed profiles of the [$\ion{Fe}{ii}$] lines can be easily modelled in this scenario and allow us to estimate parameters of the system, such as the position of the B3V companion relative to V838 Mon and the line of sight, density in the outflowing matter, and mass lost in the 2002 eruption. The observed appearance of strong H α emission, just before and during the eclipse-like event, can be interpreted as a result of the accretion of the outflowing matter onto the B3V companion: the accreted matter, shocked above the stellar surface, can be a source of extreme-UV and soft X-ray radiation capable of ionizing and exciting H in the outflow.


Even though almost all components of an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant are proven and mature technologies, the sheer number of them, the wide variety of competing technologies (e.g., gasifiers, gas clean-up systems, heat recovery options), system integration options (e.g., cryogenic air separation unit and the gas turbine) including the recent addition of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) with its own technology and integration options render fundamental IGCC performance analysis a monumental task. Almost all published studies utilize highly complex chemical process and power plant heat balance software, including commercially available packages and in-house proprietary codes. This makes an objective assessment of comparable IGCC plant designs, performance (and cost) and other perceived advantage claims (IGCC versus other technologies, too) very difficult if not impossible.This paper develops a coherent simplified parametric model based on fully physics-based grounds to be used for quick design performance assessment of a large variety of IGCC power plants with and without CCS. Technology parameters are established from complex model runs and supplemented by extensive literature search. The model is tested using published data to establish its confidence interval and is satisfactory to carry conceptual design analysis at a high level to identify promising alternatives, development areas and assess the realism in competing claims.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Wearer DNA is the deposit of epithelial cells on clothing worn by an individual. Detection of the last individual to handle or wear an item is often an important and desirable determination in forensic science. The most commonly used collection methods for wearer DNA include swabbing and scraping. These often result in mixture profiles. Recently, adhesives have been introduced as a possible reliable method for the collection of biological evidence. The goal of the research was to compare the current collection methods of swabbing and scraping with a gel film called Gel-Pak '0' which shares similar properties with adhesives. Gel-Pak '0' has been previously studied in comparison to other adhesives for the collection of epithelial cells, and was shown to recover the top layer of loose particulate. This particulate had a tendency to be deposited by the individual who last came in contact with an item. Therefore, in comparison to the other two collection methods, Gel-Pak '0' was hypothesized to recover single source profiles on clothing items from the most recent wearer. DNA analysis was performed on samples collected by the three methods from various clothing items including baseball hats, t-shirts, sweatpants, socks, and other items commonly submitted to crime labs for DNA analysis. The habitual wearer and the second/last wearer wore each item for a predetermined amount of time. The results of the research showed that Gel-Pak '0' recovered a similar number of CODIS (local and national) eligible profiles as swabbing. However, coupled with the fact that it is time consuming, costly, and cannot be used on all surfaces, Gel-Pak '0' was determined to not make for an effective collection method of the most recent wearer's DNA. Therefore, Gel-Pak '0' will not be considered for casework. Although Gel-Pak '0' will not be further used, the results did reveal some trends that may shed light on how DNA analysts may approach wearer DNA cases. Swabbing had a tendency to yield smaller amounts of DNA in comparison to scraping, but obtain DNA from the last wearer of the piece of clothing more effectively than the other two methods. Scraping had a tendency to yield greater quantities of DNA, recovering more DNA from the habitual wearer due to its invasive nature. Revealing individuals who last wore an item can be of great importance in forensic science, and therefore, further research with various adhesives and gel films could be vital for solving forensic investigations.


This work presents a summary of the main tools and contributions, since the 2000s, to solve temperature control problems and to predict thermal temperatures in steel ladles. We discuss different modeling strategies implemented to several applications related to heat transfer in steel ladles and their most relevant contributions, as well we show some of the main process parameters. Finally, future perspectives are described, mainly the advantages of the implementations based on machine learning.


Experiments were performed in the in situ kidney of rats and in isolated afferent arterioles of the rabbit to study the interaction between angiotensin II and adenosine in producing afferent arteriolar vasoconstriction. In the intact rat kidney, we observed that 1) peritubular infusion of the adenosine1-receptor blocker 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (CPX, 10(-4) M) blocked the fall in stop-flow pressure (PSF) induced by angiotensin II (5 x 10(-7) M) but not that caused by vasopressin (10(-5) M) or norepinephrine (10(-5) M), 2) peritubular infusion of saralasin (5 x 10(-5) M) attenuated the fall in PSF caused by N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA, 10(-5) M) 3) the fall in PSF following luminal application of CHA (10(-5) M) was reduced in angiotensin II-depleted states (volume expansion and converting enzyme inhibition) and this could be reversed by infusion of low doses of angiotensin II, and 4) the reduction in PSF in response to luminal infusion of CHA was augmented in a greater-than-additive fashion when angiotensin was simultaneously administered at low intravenous infusion rates. In isolated afferent arterioles of the rabbit, we noted that 1) addition of 10(-5) M CPX to the bath significantly blunted the constrictor effect of angiotensin II (10(-8) M), 2) presence of the converting enzyme inhibitor quinaprilate (10(-7) M) caused a right shift in the constrictor-response curve to increasing concentrations of CHA (10(-9)-10(-5) M) but 10(-5) M saralasin did not affect vasoconstriction caused by 10(-6) M adenosine, 3) simultaneous administration of submaximal constrictor doses of angiotensin II (10(-10) M) and adenosine (10(-6) M) produced vasoconstriction that was greater than additive, and 4) 10(-5) M CHA and angiotensin II (10(-7) M) constricted afferent arterioles after removal of the glomerulus, whereas either agent alone had no constrictor effect in this preparation. Our results suggest that adenosine and angiotensin cooperate in a mutually dependent and synergistic fashion in producing afferent arteriolar vasoconstriction.


Transformer explosions are caused by electrical arcs occurring in the insulating oil. They generate dynamic pressure waves that propagate in the tank and interact with its structure leading to its explosion. This whole process was studied using experiments performed on large scale transformers. Moreover, to accurately study the phenomena exhibited during this experimental campaign and in order to minimize the costs and the risks of the testing, a computational tool was developed to simulate the transformer explosion. An unsteady compressible 2-phase flow approach was used and viscous flow, electromagnetic, thermal and gravity effects are taken into account. The equations are solved using a finite volume method on unstructured mesh, allowing computing complex 3D transformer geometries. Comparisons between experiments and simulations validate the model that can thus be used to study explosions of large transformer tanks and their prevention by fast-direct-tank-depressurization-based methods.


The complete amino acid sequence for human erythrocyte band 4.2 has been derived from the nucleotide sequence of a full-length 2.35-kilobase (kb) cDNA. The 2.35-kb cDNA was isolated from a human reticulocyte cDNA library made in the expression vector lambda gt11. Of the 2348 base pairs (bp), 2073 bp encode 691 amino acids representing 76.9 kDa (the SDS/PAGE molecular mass is 72 kDa). RNA blot analysis of human reticulocyte total RNA gives a message size for band 4.2 of 2.4 kb. The amino acid sequence of band 4.2 has homology with two closely related Ca2(+)-dependent cross-linking proteins, guinea pig liver transglutaminase (protein-glutamine gamma-glutamyltransferase; protein-glutamine: amine gamma-glutamyltransferase, EC 188.8.131.52) (32% identity in a 446-amino acid overlap) and the a subunit of human coagulation factor XIII (27% identity in a 639-amino acid overlap), a transglutaminase that forms intermolecular gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine bonds between fibrin molecules. The region of greatest identity includes a 49-amino acid stretch of band 4.2, which is 69% and 51% identical with guinea pig liver transglutaminase and the a subunit of factor XIII, respectively, within the regions that contain the active sites of these enzymes. Significantly, within the five contiguous consensus residues of the transglutaminase active site, Gly-Gln-Cys-Trp-Val, band 4.2 has an alanine substituted for cysteine (which is apparently essential for activity). Consistent with this active site substitution, erythrocyte membranes or inside-out vesicles, which contain band 4.2, show no evidence of transglutaminase activity by two types of in vitro assay.


This paper applies Ricardian approach to measure the effect of climate change on crop production in Nepal using cross-section data of Nepal Living Standard Survey 2003/04 and climate data from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Nepal. The study examines the relationship between net farm revenue and climate variables using 656 households of 14 districts covering all climatic zones of Nepal. Net farm revenue is regressed on climate and socio-economic variables. The findings show that these variables have significant impact on the net farm value per hectare. More specifically, relatively low precipitation and high temperature seem to have positive impact on net farm income during the fall and spring seasons. Net farm income is likely to be increased by summer precipitation, but not by temperature. Marginal impacts are mostly in line with the Ricardian model, showing marginally increasing precipitation during summer and winter would increase net farm income, but reduce by the quarter terms and temperature of these seasons. Moreover, marginally increasing precipitation would increase farm income in the hilly region, but reduce in Terai region. Other variables such as ratio of irrigated farm land and obtaining credit are found to be positive impact on net farm value but not by farm size. Conclusively, the impact of climate change on agriculture seems to be varied with the temperature and precipitation in different climatic zones.


Human surfactant contains lung-specific, high molecular weight glycoproteins which are composed of disulfide-linked 34-kilodalton peptide subunits. We prepared antibodies to both isolated HMW glycoproteins and 34-kilodalton peptides and tested the antisera for specificity with immunochemical procedures. In the present study we have investigated the cellular distribution and subcellular localization of these glycoproteins in surgically excised human lung tissue with or without type II cell hyperplasia. An immunoperoxidase technique was used, and cytoplasmic staining reflecting labeling with antibodies to either high molecular weight glycoproteins or the 34-kilodalton peptide subunits was consistently observed in normal type II cells, Clara cells, and some alveolar macrophages and was more intense and diffuse in hyperplastic type II cells. The ultrastructural localization of surfactant-associated glycoproteins was investigated using the periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde fixative and a peroxidase-labeled antibody technique. In both normal and proliferating type II cells the staining was localized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, perinuclear cisternas, vesicles of the Golgi complex, vesicles and lamellar membranes of the multivesicular bodies, and some multivesicular body-lamellar body forms. In addition, staining was frequently found in peripheral portions of partially preserved lamellar bodies including those at the stage of secretion, as well as in association with of alveolar tubular myelin. Labeling was also observed in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of Clara cells. We conclude that antibodies against human surfactant-associated glycoproteins are markers for normal and regenerating type II cells, as well as for Clara cells which apparently retain limited ability to produce surfactant-associated glycoproteins independently of surfactant phospholipids. The results indicate that, in type II cells, synthesis and secretion of these glycoproteins involve the same cytoplasmic organelles that are responsible for synthesis, packaging, storage, and exocytosis of surfactant phospholipids. However, maturation of the lamellar bodies, known to be characterized by progressive accumulation of phospholipids, may not require parallel storage of surfactant-associated glycoproteins within the entire lamellar body compartment.


Multilayered structures consisting of alternating negativepermittivity and dielectric layers are explored to obtain high-resolution imaging of subwavelength objects. The peaks with the smallest |ky| (ky is the transverse wave vector) on the transmission curves, which come from the guided modes of the multilayered structures, can not be completely damped by material loss. This makes the amplitudes of the evanescent waves around these peaks inappropriate after transmitted through the imaging structures, and the imaging quality is not good. To solve such a problem, the permittivity of the dielectric layers is appropriately chosen to make these sharp peaks merge with their neighboring peaks, whose corresponding guiding modes in the multilayered structure are cutoff. Wide flat upheavals are then generated on the transmission curves so that evanescent waves in a large range are transmitted through the structures with appropriate amplitudes. In addition, it is found that the sharp peaks with the smallest |ky| can be eliminated by adding appropriate coating layers and wide flat upheavals can also be obtained.


We have studied hypoxic regulation of the expression of different insulin-like growth factor binding protein genes in U87 glioma cells in relation to inhibition of IRE1 (inositol requiring enzyme-1), a central mediator of endoplasmic reticulum stress, which controls cell proliferation and tumor growth. We have demonstrated that hypoxia leads to up-regulation of the expression of IGFBP6, IGFBP7, IGFBP10/CYR61, WISP1, and WISP2 genes and down-regulation--of IGFBP9/NOV gene at the mRNA level in control glioma cells, being more signifcant changes for IGFBP10/CYR61 and WISP2 genes. At the same time, inhibition of IRE1 modifies the effect of hypoxia on the expression of all studied genes: eliminates sensitivity to hypoxia the expression of IGFBP7 and IGFBP9/NOV genes, suppresses effect of hypoxia on IGFBP6, IGFBP10/CYR61, and WISP2 genes, and slightly enhances hypoxic regulation of WISP1 gene expression in glioma cells. We have also demonstrated that the expression of all studied genes in glioma cells is regulated by IRE1 signaling enzyme upon normoxic condition, because inhibition of IRE1 significantly up-regulates IGFBP7, IGFBP10/CYR61, WISP1, and WISP2 genes and down-regulates IGFBP6 and IGFBP9/NOV genes as compared to control glioma cells. The present study demonstrates that hypoxia, which contributes to tumor growth, affects all studied IGFBP and WISP gene expressions and that inhibition of IRE1 preferentially abolishes or suppresses the hypoxic regulation of these gene expressions and thus possibly contributes to slower glioma growth. Moreover, inhibition of IRE1, which correlates with suppression of cell proliferation and glioma growth, is down-regulated expression of pro-proliferative IGFBP genes, attesting to the fact that endoplasmic reticulum stress is a necessary component of malignant tumor growth.


Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of transmembrane receptors that recognize molecular motifs of pathogen origin and activate immune response. Although TLRs were first identified in immune system cells, recent studies show they can also be expressed in tumor cells. TLR3 recognizes dsRNA or its synthetic ligand poly (I: C) and is responsible primarily for the defense against viral infections. Recent studies showed that TLR3 can trigger apoptosis in cancer cell. Furthermore, other dsRNA binding receptors (MDA5 and RIG-I), localized in cytoplasm, can also bind poly (I: C) and therefore contribute to this effect. With TLR3's capacity to induce apoptosis and activate the immune system at the same time, TLR3 ligands are an attractive therapeutic option for treatment of cancer. Novel therapies include combining poly (I: C) with other components such as chemotherapeutics, apoptosis enhancers, other TLR ligands and peptides activating the immune system. Slightly modified TLR3 agonists (Ampligen®, Hiltonol®, poly IC-LC) are already being used in clinical studies for cancer therapy as single agents or in combination with other drugs. On the other hand, latest studies forewarn that TLR3 activation can also have tumor promoting role so it is crucial to identify the terms by which TLR3 has pro-tumor/anti-tumor effect in order to safely implement TLR3 ligand based therapy into clinical trials.


The outcome of an anatomical shoulder replacement depends on an intact rotator cuff. In 1981 Grammont designed a novel large-head reverse shoulder replacement for patients with cuff deficiency. Such has been the success of this replacement that it has led to a rapid expansion of the indications. We performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the functional outcome of each indication for the reverse shoulder replacement. Secondary outcome measures of range of movement, pain scores and complication rates are also presented.


Transforming growth factors (TGFs) are mitogenic polypeptides produced most conspicuously by transformed cells and conferring on normal cells several phenotypic alterations associated with transformation. TGFs comprise two distinct sets of molecules: TGF-alpha s are structurally similar to epidermal growth factor (EGF), binding to and inducing the tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor in a manner indistinguishable from that of EGF. In addition, the 50-amino acid rat TGF-alpha has 33 and 44% homologies with mouse and human EGFs, respectively, and shares with EGFs a conserved pattern of three disulphide bridges. Thus, it has been proposed that TGF-alpha s belong to a family of EGF-like polypeptides. TGF-beta s, on the other hand, display no measurable binding to EGF receptors, but potentiate the growth-stimulating activities of TGF-alpha. Here we report the isolation of a complementary DNA clone encoding rat TGF-alpha. This cDNA hybridizes to a 4.5-kilobase (kb) messenger RNA that is 30 times larger than necessary to code for a 50-amino acid polypeptide and is present not only in retrovirus-transformed rat cells but also at lower levels in normal rat tissues. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA predicts that TGF-alpha is synthesized as a larger product and that the larger form may exist as a transmembrane protein. However, unlike many polypeptide hormones (including EGF), cleavage of the 50-amino acid TGF-alpha from the larger form does not occur at paired basic residues, but rather between alanine and valine residues, suggesting the role of a novel protease.


This article basically deals with the details of Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), the specific schemes that would be available use by people and the various benefits provided under Part D of Medicare and Medicaid. MMA would be available under Part D providing for outpatient medications. The Act would also improve the application of IT with relation to healthcare and in this way improve quality issues in e-prescription and EMR. The rate of medical errors is set to improve following the implementation of the MMA act. The details of the health plan provide under MMA would vary from one state to another. In the US, the implementation of the MMA act is beneficiary for the entire population. However, studies have shown that MMA would not help decrease the cost of healthcare. Efforts should be made to use this act to bring down the costs of healthcare.


This study examines the West Texas Intermediate crude oil (WTI), Europe Brent crude oil (Brent), heating oil no. 2, and Henry Hub natural gas futures markets' efficiency following Fama's (1970) weak-form efficiency hypothesis, using spot and futures prices at 1, 2, 3, and 4 months maturity based on the tests with unknown multiple regime shifts. The results show that it is important to consider the multiple regime shifts when determining whether energy futures markets are efficient. We find that WTI and Brent futures markets are not efficient, whereas natural gas and heating oil futures markets are efficient. Additionally, the findings also shed light on discussions about the stationary properties of energy commodities and whether spot and futures prices are cointegrated. In particular, this study presents new evidence based on the unit root and cointegration tests with multiple structural breaks.


Damage identification and health monitoring is an important aspect in the evaluation of structural safety recently. This paper presents a modal experiment and analysis of a 2×2 bay (6.128m×6.128m) 1 storey (1.4m) RC flat plate frame structure on rigid foundation. The displacement mode experiments were carried out by hammer-hitting excitation method in the age of frame concrete. The varieties of the modal parameters of the flat plate were obtained by dynamic testing along with the growth of elastic modulus of concrete and change of the environment temperature. it can be used to identify the location and form of the damage. Base on the missing of some specific structure modal shapes and reduction of the frame horizontal stiffness, it can be revealed that the interior slab-column connection cannot transfer the unbalance moment well. Further more, modal parameters of the RC flat plate with the interior column removed had been exhibited and discussed. A 3-D solid finite element models with the interior column fixed/hinged were constructed, they were validated to match the frame natural frequencies and mode shapes. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of modal parameters identification method in estimate the damage of column in RC flat plate frame. Additionally, the dynamic modulus of elastic is obtained by the comparison of experimental test and FEM simulation analysis.


This paper presents the results of a research study on the current state of biographical-narrative research in teacher training in universities in Colombia, making an analysis of the places in which the main work scenarios are located, their maximum exponents and the events in which it has congregated. It allows the finding of results and the generation of initial elements that contribute to the development of future studies, inter-institutional research work, creation of work networks, creation of new scenarios to show the results, training processes that guarantee that a continuity appropriates biographical-narrative research in the Colombian context. The text ends with conclusions that allow grouping some key points in the configuration of biographical-narrative research in Colombia, projecting it and benefiting other roles of work are benefited by the research advances


Macromolecular adhesion factors have been obtained which differed from the previously obtained ones. They are acidic glycoconjugates with the molecular mass about 20-40 kD, which are capable of forming macromolecular aggregates and are located in the periphery of cell surface. After subdivision and purification of the mouse liver extract two-adhesion-active fractions were isolated, which changes the viscous-elastic properties of the liver tissue at extra low concentrations: 10(-13)-10(-17) M.


Context: Self-rated health (SRH) is a subjective measure of health considered valid to predict mortality among the elderly. With the rapid increase of older people living in Nigeria and the lack of adequate social security, it is important to identify factors affecting their SRH. Social support has also taken on added importance among the elderly in view of scarce resources. Objective: To determine the level of satisfaction with the forms of social support received by the elderly and the factors associated with their SRH. Settings and Design: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study design among the elderly in Southwest Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 360 elderly respondents for the study. A standardised questionnaire, Short Form Health Survey-36 was interviewer administered. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Significant associations between categorical variables were evaluated using Chi-square (χ2) test. Multiple regression test and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were employed to assess the relationship of the various predictors of SRH. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the 360 elderly respondents was 73 ± 9.3 years, 60.3% were female and 43.9% were widowed. Almost all (91.9%) the respondents received emotional while domestic support was the least in 50.3%. About 30.0% of the elderly self-rated their health as poor. The predictors of good SRH after multiple logistic regression included being married (OR = 1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–3.33, P = 0.04); engagement in work (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.11–4.63, P = 0.02); the absence of morbid conditions (OR = 12.6, 95% CI: 2.86–55.4, P = 0.001) and higher levels of education (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.19–0.91, P = 0.03). Conclusions: About one-third of the elderly had poor SRH. Targeted interventions such as creating employment fit for the elderly and improving healthcare access is recommended.


Background There is growing evidence that physical activity is related to a better prognosis after a breast cancer diagnosis, whereas sedentary behavior is associated with worse outcomes. It is therefore important to stimulate physical activity and reduce sedentary time among patients with breast cancer. Activity trackers offer a new opportunity for interventions directed at stimulating physical activity behavior change. Objective This study aimed to explore the experience of patients with breast cancer who used an activity tracker in addition to a supervised exercise intervention in the randomized UMBRELLA Fit trial. Methods A total of 10 patients with breast cancer who completed cancer treatment participated in semistructured in-depth interviews about their experience with and suggestions for improvements for the Jawbone UP2 activity tracker. Results The activity tracker motivated women to be physically active and created more awareness of their (sedentary) lifestyles. The women indicated that the automatically generated advice (received via the Jawbone UP app) lacked individualization and was not applicable to their personal situations (ie, having been treated for cancer). Furthermore, women felt that the daily step goal was one-dimensional, and they preferred to incorporate other physical activity goals. The activity tracker's inability to measure strength exercises was a noted shortcoming. Finally, women valued personal feedback about the activity tracker from the physiotherapist. Conclusions Wearing an activity tracker raised lifestyle awareness in patients with breast cancer. The women also reported additional needs not addressed by the system. Potential improvements include a more realistic total daily physical activity representation, personalized advice, and personalized goals.


In the wake of the establishment of ad hoc tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda in 1993 and 1994 and the July 1998 adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, much has been written on the history and the future of international criminal law. This Article attempts the more modest task of selecting one category of international criminal law - crimes against humanity - and examining the efforts to define the elements of the various offenses encompassed within the category's reach. This task is particularly relevant given the ongoing work of the Preparatory Commission for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (PrepCom), which is scheduled to prepare a draft text of the elements of crimes against humanity by June 30, 2000. Additionally, this Article attempts to contribute to the jurisprudence of the international criminal tribunals currently in existence, with particular emphasis on the often-overlooked work of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Part II of this Article provides an overview of the three definitions of crimes against humanity elaborated in the statutes of the two ad hoc Tribunals and the Rome Statute. Part III then considers the general requirements that elevate an act to a crime against humanity. Part IV examines the elements of specific offenses, focusing on the three acts that have received particular judicial consideration: murder, extermination, and rape. The Article concludes by observing that the divergent approaches adopted in the three fora under consideration here - the two ad hoc Tribunals and the conferences on the permanent Court - expose distinct and sometimes inconsistent underlying policy goals.


The Economic and Organized Crime Office, (EOCO) is an agency designed to address critical national security and public health challenges. These include organized crime activities, official and institutional bribery and corruption among others. Despite this mandate, EOCO appears to have lost the ability to police the economy of Ghana in the face of rampant reported and actual cases of massive corruption in government institutions and agencies. This paper poses the perplexing question as to whether EOCO has already agreed to play the umpire role as official and institutional corruption insidiously becomes the new national sport, pervasive and ubiquitous. Under EOCO law, it is designed to operate on hunches and suspicions; it is to develop its eavesdropping and spying skills so as to be able to apprehend the wrong doer before he/she completes the commission of the malfeasance. It appears the mere suspicion, the mere hunch that a crime is about to be committed or is being committed seems to be enough probable cause to deplore the police and subpoena powers on the suspect and correlative persons as provided for in the Second Schedule to L.I. 2183 of the EOCO Operations. The Act and the LI are more concerned with sophisticated crimes, and aim to engage in pre-crime interventions, espionage of certain classes of people in civil society and continuous monitoring. To realize these ends, they are given extra-judicial powers such as search and seizure of personal communications and effects without the production of a warrant guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. It is therefore vexatious that corruption has taken over the image of Ghana in quick step against unprecedented swooping powers given to EOCO to breach; for the public good, the civil and constitutional rights of companies and citizens bent on committing serious crime.


Abstract Human‐driven land use change can fundamentally alter ecological communities, especially the diversity and abundance of large‐bodied predators. Yet, despite the important roles large‐bodied predators play in structuring communities through feeding, there have been only a few investigations of how the feeding patterns of large‐bodied predators change in human‐dominated landscapes. One group of large‐bodied predators that has been largely overlooked in the context of land use change is the crocodilians. To help fill these gaps, we studied the feeding patterns of juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) on neighboring barrier islands on the southeast coast of Georgia, USA. Jekyll Island has multiple golf courses and substantial amounts of human activity, while Sapelo Island does not have any golf courses and a much smaller amount of human activity. We found that juvenile alligator populations on both islands ate the same types of prey but in vastly different quantities. Sapelo Island alligators primarily consumed crustaceans while alligators that lived on Jekyll Island's golf courses ate mostly insects/arachnids. Furthermore, the Jekyll Island alligators exhibited a much more generalist feeding pattern (individuals mostly ate the same types of prey in the same quantities) than the more specialized Sapelo Island alligators (diets were more varied across individuals). The most likely explanation for our results is that alligators living on golf courses have different habitat use patterns and have access to different prey communities relative to alligators in more natural habitats. Thus, land use change can strongly alter the feeding patterns of large‐bodied predators and, as a result, may affect their body condition, exposure to human‐made chemicals, and role within ecological communities.


Previous research in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) has indicated an important contribution of de novo protein-coding variants within specific genes. The role of de novo noncoding variation has been observable as a general increase in genetic burden but has yet to be resolved to individual functional elements. In this study, we assessed whole-genome sequencing data in 2,671 families with autism, with a specific focus on de novo variation in enhancers with previously characterized in vivo activity. We identified three independent de novo mutations limited to individuals with autism in the enhancer hs737. These mutations result in similar phenotypic characteristics, affect enhancer activity in vitro, and preferentially occur in AAT motifs in the enhancer with predicted disruptions of transcription factor binding. We also find that hs737 is enriched for copy number variation in individuals with NDDs, is dosage sensitive in the human population, is brain-specific, and targets the NDD gene EBF3 that is genome-wide significant for protein coding de novo variants, demonstrating the importance of understanding all forms of variation in the genome. One Sentence Summary Whole-genome sequencing in thousands of families reveals variants relevant to simplex autism in a brain enhancer of the well-established neurodevelopmental disorder gene EBF3.


Remote laboratory exercises are gaining popularity due to advances in communication technologies along with the need to provide realistic yet flexible educational tools for tomorrow's engineers. Laboratory exercises in turbomachinery aerodynamics generally involve substantial equipment in both size and power, so the development of remotely controlled facilities has perhaps not occurred as quickly as in other fields. This paper presents an overview of a new interactive laboratory exercise involving aerodynamics in a linear cascade of stator blades. The laboratory facility consists of a high-speed fan that delivers a maximum of 2.5 kg/s of air to the cascade. Traversing pneumatic probes are used to determine pressure profiles at upstream and downstream locations, and loss coefficients are later computed. Newly added equipment includes cameras, stepper motors, and a data acquisition and control system for remote operation. This paper presents the laboratory facility in more detail and includes discussions related to user interface issues, the development of a virtual laboratory exercise as a complement to experiments, and comparative evaluation of virtual, remote, and local laboratory exercises.


The abundance of the megalopae of Callinectes sapidus, Uca spp., and Libinia spp. and the post-larvae of Penaeus spp. settling on collectors hung from the end of the Army Corps of Engineers' Field Research Facility (FRF) pier in Duck, North Carolina. USA, was measured daily during the period 2 August through 3 November 1994. During this period the coastal oceanography was dominated by the effects of the winds; winds from the NE tended to generate surface onshore flow and downwelling while those from the SW tended to generate surface offshore flow and upwelling. If the post-larvae were transported shoreward by coastal currents then variations in their abundance should relate to the physical parameters which generate the transporting currents. Using time-series analysis the daily abundance of post-larvae was statistically analyzed and compared to alongand cross-shore wind stress, alongand cross-shore current speed near thv bottom (23 m) and near the surface (4 m), and temperature, salinity, and current speed measured at the end of the FRF pier. Fourier analysis suggested that the abundance of post-larval C. sapidus and Penaeusspp. varied on a semi-lunar cycle, e.g. 15 d. No cycles were apparent in the Fourier analysis of the abundance of Ltca spp. megalopae and the megalopae of Libjnia spp. varied on an 18 d cycle. Significant cross-correlations were found between the log-transformctd daily abundance of post-larval C. sapidus and Penaeus spp. and the maximum daily tidal range, which, coupled with the Fourier analysis, suggests that peak catches of these postlarvae tended to occur at and just after the spring tides. The cross-correlation analysis suggests that abundance of Uca spp. megalopae was weakly related to the tides, with peak catches tending to occur around the spring tides. No significant cross-correlations were found between the abundance of Libinia spp. megalopae and the maximum daily tidal range. To test for the effects of the other physical variables on post-larval abundance Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models were fitled to the biological and physical data, and cross-correlations were run between the residuals from these models. The analysis suggests that the abundance of C. sapidus megalopae did not vary with any of the measured physical variables, Penaeus spp. and lica spp. tended to be more abundant during penods of onshore surface flow and down~velling. whilc Libin~a spp. megalopae tended to be more abundant during periods of offshore surface flow and upwelling. The results of this study suggest that post-larval C. sapidus and Penaeus spp. were transported shoreward by tidally drlven processes, both Penarus spp. and Uca spp. were transported shoreward by wind-driven surface currents, and Libinia spp megalopae were transported shoreward in near-bottom waters during upwelllng events.


The Cas9-crRNA complex of the Streptococcus thermophilus DGCC7710 CRISPR3-Cas system functions as an RNA-guided endonuclease with crRNA-directed target sequence recognition and protein-mediated DNA cleavage. We show here that an additional RNA molecule, tracrRNA (trans-activating CRISPR RNA), co-purifies with the Cas9 protein isolated from the heterologous E. coli strain carrying the S. thermophilus DGCC7710 CRISPR3-Cas system. We provide experimental evidence that tracrRNA is required for Cas9-mediated DNA interference both in vitro and in vivo. We show that Cas9 specifically promotes duplex formation between the precursor crRNA (pre-crRNA) transcript and tracrRNA, in vitro. Furthermore, the housekeeping RNase III contributes to primary pre-crRNA-tracrRNA duplex cleavage for mature crRNA biogenesis. RNase III, however, is not required in the processing of a short pre-crRNA transcribed from a minimal CRISPR array containing a single spacer. Finally, we show that an in vitro-assembled ternary Cas9-crRNA-tracrRNA complex cleaves DNA. This study further specifies the molecular basis for crRNA-based re-programming of Cas9 to specifically cleave any target DNA sequence for precise genome surgery. The processes for crRNA maturation and effector complex assembly established here will contribute to the further development of the Cas9 re-programmable system for genome editing applications.


ARY RACHMAWATI. Coping Strategies and the Factors that Influence Subjective Well-being of the Recipient Families "Program Keluarga Harapan" (PKH). Under the direction of HERIEN PUSPITAWATI and RETNANINGSIH. PKH is one of poverty alleviation programs of government issued in 2007. This study aims to identify coping strategy and the factors that influence subjective well-being of the recipient families PKH. This study conducted in Bogor district Dramaga sub-district in May to July 2009. Design used was crosssectional study with survey methods. Samples in this research are the recipient mother and the sample size is 150 samples. Based on research results can be seen that the coping strategy economic functions performed low percentage on samples. In addition, the factors that influence subjective well-being of the recipient's family PKH is long education wife, great family members, social support, total family expenditures and economic functions coping strategy. In general, this study shows that the program can not be said succeeded because the welfare level of the sample is still low even this program unwittingly creating dependency on recipient families PKH so that these families can not live independently and have a low social security level.