A year before the much celebrated 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the Belfast electorate returned a hung Council to govern their city. The following years facilitated a transition from hegemonic or domination mechanisms of conflict management towards the traditionally more acceptable approach of power-sharing. Such a change provides an opportunity to understand the nature of public policy within an emerging power-sharing environment. Drawing on evidence from interviews with Belfast's bureaucratic elite, this article investigates how power-sharing changes the nature of elite-level bureaucrat responsibilities within a contested society. If consociational power-sharing is to be the conflict management model of choice, it is necessary that the role of the supporting institutions in driving its success is understood. Existing public administration research would lead to the expectation of greater bureaucrat involvement in the traditionally more mundane aspects of policy formulation, while in areas of greater public and political interest greater political involvement in the decision-making process would be expected. Converse to these expectations, however, evidence from Belfast suggests that the bureaucratic elite are found to play a pivotal role in the day-to-day management of power-sharing. For this reason, developing administrative capacity is a necessary condition not only for good governance but also for conflict management. Conflict management research must therefore pay closer attention to the role of the bureaucrat in the conflict management process.


Dimers formed by seven isoforms of the human 14-3-3 protein participate in multiple cellular processes. The dimeric form has been extensively characterized; however, little is known about the structure and properties of the monomeric form of 14-3-3. The monomeric form is involved in the assembly of homo- and heterodimers, which could partially dissociate back into monomers in response to phosphorylation at Ser58. To obtain monomeric forms of human 14-3-3ζ, we produced four protein constructs with different combinations of mutated (M) or wild-type (W) segments E(5), (12)LAE(14), and (82)YREKIE(87). Under a wide range of expression conditions in Escherichia coli, the MMM and WMM mutants were insoluble, whereas WMW and MMW mutants were soluble, highly expressed, and purified to homogeneity. WMW and MMW mutants remained monomeric over a wide range of concentrations while retaining the α-helical structure characteristic of wild-type 14-3-3. However, WMW and MMW mutants were highly susceptible to proteolysis and had much lower thermal stabilities than the wild-type protein. Using WMW and MMW mutants, we show that the monomeric form interacts with the tau protein and with the HspB6 protein, in both cases forming complexes with a 1:1 stoichiometry, in contrast to the 2:1 and/or 2:2 complexes formed by wild-type 14-3-3. Significantly, this interaction requires phosphorylation of tau protein and HspB6. Because of minimal changes in structure, MMW and especially WMW mutant proteins are promising candidates for analyzing the effect of monomerization on the physiologically important properties of 14-3-3ζ.


PURPOSE
To present a method developed for measuring areas of geographic atrophy (GA) in advanced age-related macular degeneration,

METHODS
A microfilm reader projected the 30 degrees fundus photograph of the macula. Retinal landmarks, atrophic areas, and spared areas within the atrophy were traced, without access to drawings of other years. The total atrophic area was calculated, as was the atrophy within a four-disc-area circle entered on the estimated foveal center. The configuration of the atrophy was documented.

RESULTS
Avoidable sources of discrepancy included variability in peripapillary atrophy seen on the photograph, and variability seen in the extent of the field. Reproducibility studies found a median absolute difference of 0.19 Macular Photocoagulation Study disc areas (DA) in total atrophy between repeat drawings, with 75% of repeat drawings having a difference of less than 0.33 DA. For central atrophy measures, there was a median difference of 0.08 DA, with 75% of pairs having a difference of less than 0.18 DA. Features making the definition of borders of GA difficult include the presence of drusen and pigmentary alteration, a fundus in which choroidal vessels are easily visible, and variation in the appearance of GA within a single area of atrophy.

CONCLUSIONS
This method provides a reliable means of measuring the size of atrophic areas in GA and will be useful for measuring longitudinal change. It may be difficult to determine whether central spared areas are present, and correlation with visual acuity and macular perimetry may be helpful.


A wideband compact multilayer microstrip antenna with a new feeding arrangement is presented for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. The antenna consists of a driven patch radiator and 5 stacked parasitic radiators. A new feeding technique is proposed to enhance the impedance bandwidth of the antenna structure. The feeding structure consists a via connected to a microstrip line which excites the patch radiator in a broadband manner. In order to achieve UWB performance, parasitic patches are electromagnetically coupled to the driven patch in the multilayered microstrip structures. The proposed antenna has a measured 10-dB return loss bandwidth of 48% and directional radiation, which covers the lower UWB band very well. The maximum gain is more than 6.5 dBi across the bandwidth. Furthermore, the proposed broadband structure can be deployed in a space-limited environment and multi-dielectric layer antenna applications.


The article discusses methods to build a product brand. Brands have long been accepted as ways of creating customer loyalty and driving corporate growth. Marketers can capitalize on this by building a company's brand from within, but they must make sure not to fall in love with the brand itself and forget the bigger picture.


In the Philippines and many other developing countries higher education has a special function, not only with regard to educating students for jobs but also with regard to partnerships for industry growth, research for national development and the formation of critical leaders in society. However, these aims are impeded by issues of access and the unclear impact of higher education and society on each other. In this conceptual study, the authors highlight four directions for a sociological analysis of Philippine higher education: students' access to higher education, its organization and whether it promotes or impedes access, institutions' responses to social, economic and technological changes, and their active influence on society. By reviewing and organizing different frameworks and empirical studies, the authors suggest ways of understanding higher education in the Philippines and how a sociological perspective can clarify postsecondary institutions' role in promoting access for students and having a greater impact on society. Having this sociological consciousness can help administrators, instructors, students and industry leaders to be aware of how higher education in developing contexts can be leveraged for societal development.


INTRODUCTION
Povidone iodine is a widely-used antiseptic agent, especially for cutaneous lesions. Despite its apparent innocuousness, some cases of acute renal failure are reportedly due to iodine toxicity.

CASE
We report a case of an acute renal failure secondary to povidone iodine exposure in a 37-year-old woman. She underwent a hysteroscopy for diagnosis of primary sterility, and povidone iodine was used as the contrast agent. She developed acute renal failure with oliguria during the postoperative period. Treatment with diuretics and hemodialysis led to a favorable outcome and return of normal kidney function.

DISCUSSION
Mucosal administration of povidone iodine appears to lead to greater iodine toxicity than cutaneous administration. The clinical feature of our patient suggested tubular necrosis caused by iodine, after the other possible causes of acute renal failure were ruled out.

CONCLUSION
Acute renal failure secondary to povidone iodine administration is possible, especially through mucosal surfaces. Outcome is favorable after the conclusion of exposure and symptomatic treatment.


The historiography of agrarian Germany before 1914 is fundamentally based upon two moments (in the Weberian sense): one of a structural and the other of an institutional nature. The structural moment comprises an emphasis upon the existence and role of agrarian dualism, that is, upon a sharp contrast, emerging from the later Middle Ages onwards, in the agrarian systems found east and west of the River Elbe and its tributary the Saale, which together formed a line bisecting Germany from Hamburg to the modern Czechoslavakian frontier. The institutional moment consists of the shift from a free-trade to a protectionist policy in respect of cereals after 1879. In the words of a leading West German agrarian historian, "On 1 January 1880 … a new epoch commenced for German agricultural policy." In addition, the adoption of a grain tariff from 1879 is generally assumed to have had a determining influence upon the subsequent development of German agriculture and, for that matter, is thought by some writers to have exerted a considerable influence upon the entire course of modern German history.


How myths and lore reflect a time of terror During and after the days of slavery in the United States, one way in which slaveowners, overseers, and other whites sought to control the black population was to encourage and exploit a fear of the supernatural. By planting rumors of evil spirits, haunted places, body-snatchers, and "night doctors" - even by masquerading as ghosts themselves - they discouraged the unauthorized movement of blacks, particularly at night, by making them afraid of meeting otherworldly beings. Blacks out after dark also risked encounters with "patterollers" (mounted surveillance patrols) or, following the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan. Whatever their guise, all of these "night riders" had one purpose: to manipulate blacks through terror and intimidation. First published in 1975, this book explores the gruesome figure of the night rider in black folk history. Gladys-Marie Fry skillfully draws on oral history sources to show that, quite apart from its veracity, such lore became an important facet of the lived experience of blacks in America. This classic work continues to be a rich source for students and teachers of folklore, African American history, and slavery and postemancipation studies.


We propose a new approach for static translinear network synthesis. We model the network topology in terms of graph theory, leading to a catalog of valid translinear networks. The catalog serves as a synthesis tool for circuits with given desired input-output behavior. Methods from algebraic geometry and computer algebra are used to match the desired behavior with the models from the catalog, turning our approach into a powerful synthesis tool for analog circuits. The strategy is applied successfully to new circuits for industrial use.


Data collected each October in the School Enrollment Supplement to the Current Population Survey provide an annual snapshot of the demographic characteristics, labor force activity, and school enrollment status of each year's cohort of recent college graduates


An aim of this study was to determine the extent to which general practitioners (GPs) are their patients' physicians of first contact (PFCs) for specific health problems. It was also designed to explain the differences between physicians who treat these problems, and those who do not, by the type of problem presented, the characteristics of the physician, and the characteristics of the environment in which the physician works. The study is based on data collected in a nationwide mail survey in 1993 among 677 GPs working in 1 or more of Israel's 4 health insurance funds. They were asked if they were their patients' PFC for 27 health problems. There was great variation in the responses to this question according to the type of health problem presented. Thus for problems such as abdominal pain or chest pain, 85% of the GPs reported being the PFC, compared with only 50% for problems of suicidal thoughts or alcohol dependence. Multivariate analysis revealed that those more likely to report being their patients' PFC for the majority of problems presented were specialists in family medicine (p < 0.001), physicians under the age of 55 (p < 0.01) and rural physicians (p < 0.05). Our findings support the model which proposes that characteristics of the physician, the type of problem presented, and characteristics of the environment influence the likelihood of the GP being the patient's PFC. The findings have implications for GP training programs designed to enable GPs to cope with the wide range of problems encountered in general practice and to provide high quality care at reasonable cost.


The process of establishing a biosphere reserve (BR) under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme on the island of Samothraki in the NE Aegean (Greece) is conceptualized as a case study of transdisciplinarity. The point of departure has been the wish to preserve an island with unique natural and cultural heritage from potentialy destructive pathways of transforming it into just another Greek beach tourist destination and to come up with an alternative development model. This has generated a unique opportunity to pre-structure, observe and reflect on a process of evolving decision making and management towards a sustainability transformation of an island. After several years of research and communication efforts, the mayor of Samothraki, with the unanimous support of the municipal council and the Greek National MAB Committee, submitted an application to UNESCO for Samothraki to be included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. A positive decision will make Samothraki the first post-Seville BR in Greece. After briefly introducing the study area, this report will discuss the opportunities of this new perspective, as well as the challenges that need to be faced, both on the ground and in people's minds, for the island of Samothraki to become a true model of sustainable development in the wider region.


A causative role for nitric oxide has been postulated in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods, we examined the effect of β-amyloid plaques on nitric oxide-producing cells in transgenic mice which overexpress a mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP). In 14-month-old animals, nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-positive dystrophic neurites were observed frequently in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of all of 16 plaque-bearing transgenic animals and in none of 16 wild-type animals. Double labeling of NOS and β-amyloid revealed that 90% of β-amyloid plaques were associated with NOS-containing dystrophic neurites. In 7-month-old animals, β-amyloid plaques were very rare, but those present were frequently associated with NOS-positive neuritic dystrophy. We conclude that β-amyloid plaques induce neuritic dystrophy in cortical neurons containing NOS in this model of AD, and hypothesize that this finding may be relevant to the mechanism of β-amyloid neurotoxicity in human AD.


Affinity Propagation (AP) clustering is an algorithm based on message passing between data points, which mainly achieves clustering through the similarity between data. Compared with traditional clustering methods, the AP clustering algorithm can implement clustering without giving a predetermined number of clusters. Therefore, it has the advantages of fast and high efficiency. However, it has certain limitations in dealing with high-dimensional complex datasets. In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the AP clustering algorithm, a coarse-grained parallel AP clustering algorithm based on intra-class and inter-class distances is proposed: IOCAP. Firstly, the idea of granularity is introduced to divide the initial dataset into multiple subsets. Secondly, the similarity matrix is improved by combining the intra-class and inter-class distances for each subset. Finally, the improved parallel AP clustering is implemented based on the MapReduce model. Experiments on the Iris dataset, the Diabetes dataset, and the MNIST dataset show that the IOCAP algorithm has good adaptability on large datasets and can effectively improve the accuracy of the algorithm while maintaining the AP clustering effect.


Only a small fraction of effector CD8 T cells survives to become long-lived memory cells, whereas the majority of them die after an acute infection. What controls the formation of memory CD8 T cells remains mostly unknown. In this study, we showed CD8 T cells primed earlier during vaccinia viral infection received stronger stimulation, divided more extensively, and survived better than those primed later, leading to generation of a larger memory pool. Despite differentiation into effectors, the late-primed CD8 T cells lacked full cell division, displayed increased apoptosis, and failed to develop into memory cells, suggesting that the extent of stimulation influences the survival of effector CD8 T cells. We further demonstrated that the extent of stimulation, which included both the duration and the levels of antigenic stimulation/costimulation, during priming determined the formation of memory CD8 T cells via controlling the extent of Akt activation, and functional suppression of Akt led to defective CD8 memory formation in vivo. Collectively, our data suggest that the extent of stimulation controls CD8 memory formation via activation of Akt and may provide important insights into the design of effective vaccines.


Current security tools, using "signature-based" detection, do not handle compressed traffic, whose market-share is constantly increasing. This paper focuses on compressed HTTP traffic. HTTP uses GZIP compression and requires some kind of decompression phase before performing a string matching. We present a novel algorithm, Aho-Corasick-based algorithm for Compressed HTTP (ACCH), that takes advantage of information gathered by the decompression phase in order to accelerate the commonly used Aho-Corasick pattern-matching algorithm. By analyzing real HTTP traffic and real Web application firewall signatures, we show that up to 84% of the data can be skipped in its scan. Surprisingly, we show that it is faster to perform pattern matching on the compressed data, with the penalty of decompression, than on regular traffic. As far as we know, we are the first paper that analyzes the problem of "on-the-fly" multipattern matching on compressed HTTP traffic and suggest a solution.


Carbon monoxide (CO) provides crucial information about the molecular gas properties of galaxies. While $^{12}$CO has been targeted extensively, isotopologues such as $^{13}$CO have the advantage of being less optically thick and observations have recently become accessible across full galaxy discs. We present a comprehensive new dataset of $^{13}$CO(1-0) observations with the IRAM 30-m telescope of the full discs of 9 nearby spiral galaxies from the EMPIRE survey at a spatial resolution of $\sim$1.5kpc. $^{13}$CO(1-0) is mapped out to $0.7-1r_{25}$ and detected at high signal-to-noise throughout our maps. We analyse the $^{12}$CO(1-0)-to-$^{13}$CO(1-0) ratio ($\Re$) as a function of galactocentric radius and other parameters such as the $^{12}$CO(2-1)-to-$^{12}$CO(1-0) intensity ratio, the 70-to-160$\mu$m flux density ratio, the star-formation rate surface density, the star-formation efficiency, and the CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor. We find that $\Re$ varies by a factor of 2 at most within and amongst galaxies, with a median value of 11 and larger variations in the galaxy centres than in the discs. We argue that optical depth effects, most likely due to changes in the mixture of diffuse/dense gas, are favored explanations for the observed $\Re$ variations, while abundance changes may also be at play. We calculate a spatially-resolved $^{13}$CO(1-0)-to-H$_2$ conversion factor and find an average value of $1.0\times10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$ (this http URL^{-1}$ over our sample with a standard deviation of a factor of 2. We find that $^{13}$CO(1-0) does not appear to be a good predictor of the bulk molecular gas mass in normal galaxy discs due to the presence of a large diffuse phase, but it may be a better tracer of the mass than $^{12}$CO(1-0) in the galaxy centres where the fraction of dense gas is larger.


Abstract The gravity-induced mechanical touch stimulus can affect plant root architecture. Mechanical touch responses of plant roots are an important aspect of plant root growth and development. Previous studies have reported that Arabidopsis TCH1-3 genes are involved in mechano-related events, how-ever, the physiological functions of TCH1-3 genes in Arabidopsis root mechanoresponses remain unclear. In the present study, we applied an inclined hard agar plate method to produce mechanical touch stimulus, and provided evidence that altered mechanical environment could influence root growth. Furthermore, tch1-3 Arabidopsis mutants were investigated on inclined agar surfaces to explore the functions of TCH1-3 genes on Arabidopsis root mechanoresponses. The results showed that two tch2 mutants, cml24-2 and cml24-4, exhibited significantly reduced root length, biased skewing, and decreased density of lateral root. In addition, primary root length and density of lateral root of tch3 (cml12-2) was significantly decreased on inclined agar surfaces. This study indicates that the tch2 and tch3 mutants are hypersensitive to mechanical touch stimulus, and TCH2 (CML24-2 and CML24-4) and TCH3 (CML12-2) genes may participate in the mechanical touch response of Arabidopsis roots.


Advanced interference mitigation techniques relying on multipoint coordination have attracted significant attention from the wireless industry and academia in the past few years. In 3GPP LTE-Advanced, a work item on Coordinated Multiple Point transmission and reception (CoMP) was initiated in September 2011, and it is one of the core features of Release 11. The objective of this work item is to provide the necessary specification support to efficiently realize the benefits of cooperative transmission in the downlink and cooperative reception in the uplink. This article discusses the specification support for CoMP and the motivations behind the specific design choices. The deployment scenarios that were considered for the application of CoMP in Release 11 are also presented.


Acetic acid is inhibitory to the growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, causing ATP starvation and oxidative stress, which leads to the suboptimal production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, where each strain of a CRISPRi library was characterized individually, many essential and respiratory growth-essential genes that regulate tolerance to acetic acid were identified, providing a new understanding of the stress response of yeast and new targets for the bioengineering of industrial yeast. ABSTRACT CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) is a powerful tool to study cellular physiology under different growth conditions, and this technology provides a means for screening changed expression of essential genes. In this study, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae CRISPRi library was screened for growth in medium supplemented with acetic acid. Acetic acid is a growth inhibitor challenging the use of yeast for the industrial conversion of lignocellulosic biomasses. Tolerance to acetic acid that is released during biomass hydrolysis is crucial for cell factories to be used in biorefineries. The CRISPRi library screened consists of >9,000 strains, where >98% of all essential and respiratory growth-essential genes were targeted with multiple guide RNAs (gRNAs). The screen was performed using the high-throughput, high-resolution Scan-o-matic platform, where each strain is analyzed separately. Our study identified that CRISPRi targeting of genes involved in vesicle formation or organelle transport processes led to severe growth inhibition during acetic acid stress, emphasizing the importance of these intracellular membrane structures in maintaining cell vitality. In contrast, strains in which genes encoding subunits of the 19S regulatory particle of the 26S proteasome were downregulated had increased tolerance to acetic acid, which we hypothesize is due to ATP salvage through an increased abundance of the 20S core particle that performs ATP-independent protein degradation. This is the first study where high-resolution CRISPRi library screening paves the way to understanding and bioengineering the robustness of yeast against acetic acid stress. IMPORTANCE Acetic acid is inhibitory to the growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, causing ATP starvation and oxidative stress, which leads to the suboptimal production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, where each strain of a CRISPRi library was characterized individually, many essential and respiratory growth-essential genes that regulate tolerance to acetic acid were identified, providing a new understanding of the stress response of yeast and new targets for the bioengineering of industrial yeast. Our findings on the fine-tuning of the expression of proteasomal genes leading to increased tolerance to acetic acid suggest that this could be a novel strategy for increasing stress tolerance, leading to improved strains for the production of biobased chemicals.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
Crohn's disease commonly recurs after intestinal resection. We evaluated whether the administration of infliximab after resective intestinal surgery for Crohn's disease reduces postoperative recurrence.

METHODS
We randomly assigned 24 patients with Crohn's disease who had undergone ileocolonic resection to receive intravenous infliximab (5 mg/kg), administered within 4 weeks of surgery and continued for 1 year, or placebo. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with endoscopic recurrence at 1 year. Secondary end points were clinical recurrence and remission and histologic recurrence.

RESULTS
The rate of endoscopic recurrence at 1 year was significantly lower in the infliximab group (1 of 11 patients; 9.1%) compared with the placebo group (11 of 13 patients; 84.6%) (P = .0006). There was a nonsignificant higher proportion of patients in clinical remission in the infliximab group (8 of 10; 80.0%) compared with the placebo group (7 of 13; 53.8%) (P = .38). The histologic recurrence rate at 1 year was significantly lower in the infliximab group (3 of 11 patients; 27.3%) compared with the placebo group (11 of 13 patients; 84.6%) (P = .01). The occurrence of adverse events was similar between the placebo and infliximab groups, and none occurred in the immediate postoperative period.

CONCLUSIONS
Administration of infliximab after intestinal resective surgery was effective at preventing endoscopic and histologic recurrence of Crohn's disease.


To accelerate level-set based abdominal aorta segmentation on CTA data, we propose a periodic monotonic speed function, which allows segments of the contour to expand within one period and to shrink in the next period, i.e., coherent propagation. This strategy avoids the contour's local wiggling behavior which often occurs during the propagating when certain points move faster than the neighbors, as the curvature force will move them backwards even though the whole neighborhood will eventually move forwards. Using coherent propagation, these faster points will, instead, stay in their places waiting for their neighbors to catch up. A period ends when all the expanding/shrinking segments can no longer expand/shrink, which means that they have reached the border of the vessel or stopped by the curvature force. Coherent propagation also allows us to implement a modified narrow band level set algorithm that prevents the endless computation in points that have reached the vessel border. As these points' expanding/shrinking trend changes just after several iterations, the computation in the remaining iterations of one period can focus on the actually growing parts. Finally, a new convergence detection method is used to permanently stop updating the local level set function when the 0-level set is stationary in a voxel for several periods. The segmentation stops naturally when all points on the contour are stationary. In our preliminary experiments, significant speedup (about 10 times) was achieved on 3D data with almost no loss of segmentation accuracy.


Due to the limited depth-of-field of optical lenses, it is difficult to get an image with all objects in focus. One way to overcome this problem is to take several images with different focus points and combine them into a single composite which contains all the regions full focused. This paper describes a pixel-clarity-based multifocus image fusion algorithm. The characteristic of this approach is that the pixels of the fused image are selected from the clearest pixels in the input images according to pixel clarity criteria. For each pixel in the source images, the pixel clarity is calculated. The fusion procedure is performed by a selection mode according to the magnitude of pixel clarity. Consistency verification is performed on the selected pixels. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm works well in multifocus image fusion.


Transcriptional stimulatory properties of virus-encoded transactivators appear to be critical for viral gene expression and may be linked to cellular transformation in certain cases. Recently, the simian virus 40 (SV40) 17-kDa small-t antigen was shown to stimulate transcription of polymerase II and III genes in transient transfection assays. In experiments performed in our laboratory, two of the polymerase II promoters of the adenovirus genome, namely, the EII-early and EIII promoters, were transactivation, we examined the transient transfection assays. To further elucidate the mechanism of this transactivation, we examined the ability of small-t to transactivate the adenovirus type 5 EII-early and EIII promoters in CV-1 cells under conditions in which the small-t gene or the reporter genes were introduced into the cells through transfection and other routes. In one approach, we used established CV-1 cell lines which constitutively express the small-t gene, and study of the EII-early promoter was afforded by infection of an EIA-negative adenovirus type 5 variant. For the second approach, a recombinant adenovirus was constructed in which small-t was expressed from a replication origin-negative SV40 early promoter in the EIA region of an adenovirus vector (Ad-SV-t). The effect of small-t on adenovirus EII-early and EIII promoter expression was studied in coinfection or single-infection experiments. In both cases, transcription of the adenovirus early promoters was not stimulated by small-t. These and other results indicate that transactivation of polymerase II promoters by small-t occurs only when the target gene is in a transiently transfected state. Thus, small-t-mediated transactivation of polymerase II promoters is dependent on the type of assay system used and may be mechanistically different from that of the widely studied EIA.


This paper analyzes the prospect and the associated impact on power grid of large-scale applications of electric vehicles, and the countermeasures to reduce such kind of impact. Electric public bus, electric mini-car and electric passenger car have good prospects, so that they will became a great charging load. It also will produce a variety of disadvantage effects to the distribution network under the natural charging mode. These effects can be reduced by rebuild and expansion of the distribution network, governance of technology and orderly utilization. Orderly utilization can improve acceptance ability of power grid greatly without adding new facilities, so it should be a prior method in use.


IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks offer the capability to build a cost efficient network infrastructure that is flexible and mobile. This technology provided an early security mechanism, wired equivalent protocol (WEP), to secure the network, however, that attempt failed to achieve the desired security goals due to holes found in it. Another attempt to rectify the issue was by introducing wi-fi protected access (WPA) scheme, which added more enhancements to both encryption and support for authentication. Despite its robustness and good authentication and encryption characteristics, WPA suffers from a few flaws that can allow attackers to tamper with the deployed network and its availability. In this paper, we introduce a new security scheme, CDM, that attempts to fix a flaw in the disassociation mechanism of the WPA protocol. This vulnerability allows an attacker to shutdown an entire network even for those users that are authorized to use its resources. Results of our proposed scheme are also given.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The US Preventive Services Task Force has recommended that adults ages 50 and over be screened for colorectal cancer. Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) is one available screening option. This study determined the current state of FS training in US family medicine residencies.

METHODS
Directors of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited family medicine residencies were surveyed regarding FS training.

RESULTS
Of 486 mailed surveys, 370 (76%) were completed and returned. Fifty-two percent of responding residency programs trained at least one resident in FS in 2003. Residents in these programs performed a mean of 20.1 +/- 1.2 FSs during their training. In 2003, 44% of family medicine graduates from these programs were certified by their programs as competent to perform FS. Fewer residents were certified in FS by programs in the eastern versus western United States. Military programs certified more residents than did nonmilitary programs.

CONCLUSIONS
More than half of programs offered FS training, but less than half of family medicine graduates were certified by their programs as competent. There were significant differences for FS training by region and program type.


ABSTRACT Background: Poor anger regulation is considered a risk factor of aggression in individuals with mild or borderline intellectual disabilities. Psychomotor therapy (PMT) targets anger regulation through body- and movement-oriented interventions. This study aims to inform practitioners on efficacy and research-base of PMT in this population. Method: This systematic review evaluated nine studies which met inclusion criteria in terms of participants, intervention procedures, outcomes and certainty of evidence. Results: Seven studies revealed a substantial reduction of aggressive behaviour or anger. Certainty of evidence was rated inconclusive in most cases due to absence of experimental control. Conclusions: We can conclude that body-oriented PMT, involving progressive relaxation and meditation procedure "Soles of the Feet", is a promising approach. However, the paucity of studies and methodological limitations preclude classifying it as an evidence-based practice. This suggests stronger methodological research and research aimed at PMT's mechanisms of action (e.g., improved interoceptive awareness) is warranted.


SUMMARY Models that accurately describe and predict growth and nutrient utilization of fish can be useful in developing strategies to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of aquaculture operations. Current bioenergetics models are not sufficiently flexible to be applied to the wide range of conditions encountered in aquaculture. There is a need to move from bioenergetics approaches to more mechanistic approaches based on nutrient utilization by fish. A non-ruminant nutrient-based growth model has been successfully used in pig production. The model explicitly describes the utilization of energy-yielding nutrients and metabolites for body protein deposition (Pd) and body lipid deposition (Ld) at the whole animal level. Partitioning of intake of energy-yielding nutrients between Pd and Ld is governed by a minimum ratio (minLP) of the body lipid mass (L) to protein mass (P), a maximum daily rate of Pd (PdMax), or maximum efficiency of using intake of the first limiting dietary essential amino acid (AA) for body Pd. The growth model was adapted to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum 1792)) through parameterization and various modifications consistent with its framework. The fish nutrient-based model was evaluated by comparing model simulations with data from various experiments carried out with rainbow trout. Significant discrepancies between model predictions and experimental observations were observed. The model predicted energy retention well but did not always accurately predict growth rate, nor Pd and Ld. Overall, the model underestimated growth rate (expressed as thermal-unit growth coefficient (TGC)) by 37% and Pd by 15% and overestimated Ld by 13%. These discrepancies are probably attributable to differences in nutrient utilization and partitioning mechanisms between fish and pigs. The development of more reliable models requires better understanding of the nutritional and endogenous determinants of fish growth.


Chromosome 15q11-q13 duplication syndrome (Dup15q) is a neurogenetic disorder caused by duplications of the maternal copy of this region. In addition to hypotonia, motor deficits, and language impairments, Dup15q patients commonly meet the criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and have a high prevalence of seizures. Here, we explored mechanisms of hyperexcitability in neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from Dup15q patients. Maturation of resting membrane potential in Dup15q-derived neurons was similar to neurons from unaffected control subjects, but Dup15q neurons had delayed action potential maturation and increased synaptic event frequency and amplitude. Dup15q neurons also showed impairments in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity and homeostatic synaptic scaling. Finally, Dup15q neurons showed an increased frequency of spontaneous action potential firing compared to control neurons, in part due to disruption of KCNQ2 channels. Together these data point to multiple mechanisms underlying hyperexcitability that may provide new targets for the treatment of seizures and other phenotypes associated with Dup15q.


This research explores emotional response to gesture in order to inform future product interaction design. After describing the emergence and likely role of full-body interfaces with devices and systems, the importance of emotional reaction to the necessary movements and gestures is outlined. A gestural vocabulary for the control of a web page is then presented, along with a semantic diferential questionnaire for its evaluation. An experiment is described where users undertook a series of web navigation tasks using the gestural vocabulary, then recorded their reaction to the experience. A number of insights were drawn on the context, precision, distinction, repetition and scale of gestures when used to control or activate a product. These insights will be of help in interaction design, and provide a basis for further development of gestural vocabularies.


Some personality traits, including novelty seeking, are good predictors of vulnerability to stress-related mood disorders in both humans and rodents. While high-novelty-seeking rats [high responders (HRs)] are vulnerable to the induction of depressive-like symptoms by social defeat stress, low-novelty-seeking rats [low responders (LRs)] are not. Here, we show that such individual differences are critically regulated by hippocampal BDNF. While LR animals exhibited an increase in BDNF levels following social defeat, HR individuals did not. This difference in hippocampal BDNF expression promoted the vulnerability of HR and the resilience of LR rats. Indeed, preventing activation of BDNF signaling by infusing the BDNF scavenger TrkB-Fc into the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of LR rats led to social defeat-induced social avoidance, whereas its activation in HR rats by the TrkB agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone promoted social approach. Along with the changes in BDNF expression following defeat, we report in LR animals a downregulation of the inactive BDNF receptor TrkB.T1, associated with an activation of CREB through Akt-mediated signaling, but not MSK1-mediated signaling. In HR animals, none of these molecules were affected by social defeat. Importantly, the BDNF upregulation involved an epigenetically controlled transcription of bdnf exon VI, associated with a coherent regulation of relevant epigenetic factors. Altogether, our data support the importance of hippocampal BDNF regulation in response to stressful events. Moreover, we identify a specific and adaptive regulation of bdnf exon VI in the hippocampus as a critical regulator of stress resilience, and strengthen the importance of epigenetic factors in mediating stress-induced adaptive and maladaptive responses in different individuals.


Summary Mammography is the most contemporary option for the premature detection of breast cancer in women. Nevertheless, the opinion of the radiologist has a remarkable influence on the elucidation of the mammogram. The proposed research intends to develop an image processing algorithm for the recognition of microcalcifications and mass lesions to aid the premature detection of breast cancer. The work proposed deals with a novel approach for the extraction of features like microcalcifications and mass lesions in mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. The proposed technique is based on a three-step procedure: (a) regions of interest (ROI) specification, (b) two dimensional wavelet transformation, and (c) feature extraction based on OTSU thresholding the region of interest for the identification of microcalcifications and mass lesions. ROIs are preprocessed using a wavelet-based transformation method and a thresholding technique is applied to exclude microcalcifications and mass lesions. The method suggested for the detection of microcalcifications and mass lesions from mammogram image segmentation and analysis was tested over several images taken from mini-MIAS (Mammogram Image Analysis Society, UK) database. The implementation of the algorithm was carried out using Matlab codes programming and thus is capable of executing effectively on a simple personal computer with digital mammogram as accumulated data for assessment


By treating chitin with ultrasonic in hot concentrated NaOH solution for about 30-120min, chitosan swellable highly in alkali was prepared. The swelling behavior and the structure of the prepared chitosan were invested. It was shown that the prepared chitosan can swell highly in NaOH solution by freeze-thawing treatment, with the particles turns into hydrogel. The swelling behavior showed that with the increase of NaOH concentration, the swelling degree of chitosan increases, until a concentration of 8.0 wt%, and ultrasonic treatment time has less significant influence on the swelling behavior. SEM showed that ultrasonic treatment makes the structure of chitin enough looser for the permeation of NaOH and H2O, resulting in the swelling of chitosan in alkali solution.


This article sets out to examine ethnic differences in the key influences on quality of life for older people in the context of the increasing health and wealth of British older people generally and the ageing of the post-1945 migrants. It is based on secondary multivariate analysis of the Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities of England and Wales. Respondents aged 45–74 years belonging to four ethnic groups (1,068 white, 514 Caribbean, 581 Indian and East African Asian, and 199 Pakistani) were included in the analysis, which focuses on differences between ethnic groups by age and gender, using the white population as the reference group. Four dimensions (incorporating seven factors) that influence the quality of life were determined among this age group: quality of neighbourhood (availability of local amenities, and problems with crime and the physical environment); social networks and community participation (strength of family networks, and community participation); material conditions (income, wealth and housing conditions) and health. The relative position of the four ethnic groups on the seven factors illustrated two contrasting patterns. For the factors based on conventional indicators of social inequalities – such as material circumstances, health, participation in formal social networks, and quality of the physical environment – the white group ranked highest, the Pakistanis lowest, and the Indian and Caribbean groups ranked second and third. But factors that capture more immediate and subjective elements, such as frequency of family contact and the desirability of the residential neighbourhood, displayed a diametrically opposite rank-order, with the Pakistani group ranked first and the white group fourth. The study highlights the value of examining separately the various influences on quality of life. Contradictory patterns are revealed in key influences that are hidden by global measures. The study also reveals the difficulty of identifying culturally-neutral measures of quality of locality, with ethnic minority groups having a more positive perception of their area than rated by conventional measures of area deprivation such as the Index of Deprivation.


This note describes an iterative procedure for generating the prime implicants of switching functions by utilizing a new tabular mode of functional representation called clause-column table. The procedure generates all the prime implicants and can be applied equally well to functions given in the sum-of-products or in the product-of-sums froms, both canonical and noncanonical. The procedure can also be readily adapted to determine the prime implicants of functions having a large number of unspecified or DON'T CARE terms.


BACKGROUND
The etiology of developmental delay in children is frequently unknown. Increasing evidence supports the possibility that environmental and occupational factors might be part of the basis for such delays. This study focuses on the development of children born to mothers who were exposed during their pregnancy to waste anesthetic gases.

METHODS
The study population included 40 children aged 5-13 years born to female anesthesiologists and nurses working in operating rooms (OpRs) exposed to waste anesthetic gases, and 40 unexposed children born to female nurses and physicians who worked in hospitals during their pregnancy but did not work in OpRs. The unexposed group was matched for children's age and gender and maternal occupation (nurses vs. doctors). By means of standardized developmental tests, the present study population was evaluated for their medical and neurodevelopmental state. Questionnaires were given for the detection of attention and activity levels as perceived by the parents. Additional questionnaires dealt with information concerning developmental milestones, maternal and fetal morbidity, and gynecological history.

RESULTS
No differences were noted between the groups as newborns or in developmental milestones at the age of 5-13 years; however, the mean score of gross motor ability was significantly lower in the exposed versus the unexposed group. Additionally, the mean score of the DSM-III-R Parent-Teacher Questionnaire (PTQ) (i.e., measure of inattention/hyperactivity) was higher in the exposed group. The level of exposure, as measured by the number of weekly hours in the OpRs, was significantly and negatively correlated with fine motor ability and the score of IQ performance.

CONCLUSIONS
Our study supports the hypothesis that occupational exposure to anesthetic gases might be a risk factor for minor neurological deficits of children born to mothers who work in OpRs and therefore indicates the need for more studies in this area and perhaps more caution among OpR pregnant women and employers.


The Islamic veil is arguably the most politicized piece of fabric in the world, eliciting heated debate over its significance and complex meanings. The over 10 million Muslim women in China have their own histories and cultures of veiling. This article explores the ongoing struggle between the Chinese Communist Party and Xinjiang's Uyghur Muslim minority over the right to define what is "appropriate" and "normal" female adornment. New styles of veiling have entered China from abroad, intensifying the controversy over the scope of Uyghur ethnic attire. We contrast the party-state's antiveiling campaign to eliminate popular styles in Xinjiang, with the diverse reasons and meanings Uyghur women and men attach to them. While the party-state strives to control and standardize Uyghur dress, the community itself responds, sometimes defiantly, with a complex registry of veiling practices that reflect everything from ethnonational resistance, increased religious faith, and global Islamic haute couture.


Background: Studies have shown that one out of every thirteen Canadians suffers from a significant food allergy, and that 1.2 million Canadians may be affected by food allergies in their lifetime. As food allergies are common, many would assume that allergen safety would be a significant component of public health promotion and food education. This study, on food allergen knowledge, is one step towards addressing the deficit that exists with regards to understanding food allergens in public health. Method: The study was conducted by surveying Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) nationwide using an online questionnaire. It was distributed via email with the aid of the Environmental Health faculty at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The survey was also posted to the BCIT Environmental Health and Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) groups on the online social networking service Facebook. The results helped determine whether opinions, behaviors, and knowledge level regarding food allergens and food allergen safety depended on having a food allergy themselves. Results: The data extracted from the survey was analyzed using the statistical software NCSS. The results of the Allergen Knowledge portion (t-test) concluded that there is no association between the score of the Allergen Knowledge test, and whether or not the participants have a food allergy, inferred by its p-value of 0.268010. The results of a chi-square test indicated that there is a borderline association between how often EHOs educate restaurant operators on allergen safety, and whether or not they have a food allergy (p = 0.049) Conclusion: The t-test performed concluded that the participant's knowledge regarding food allergens was not dependent on the presence or absence of a food allergy. The second statistical analysis (chisquare test) supported an association between how often EHOs educated restaurant operators on allergen safety, and whether or not they have a food allergy. Health Authorities can use these results to provide a basis for establishing a food allergen training program for EHOs in the future, thereby raising awareness and helping to better manage the presence of food allergens in public health.


China represents multi-faceted opportunities and challenges for private equity firms that are considering investments in the world's fastest-growing economy. Well established as an ideal outsourcing opportunity with an eager, low-wage workforce, China also represents a growing market for consumer goods, with U.S. brands in high demand. On the other hand, China's regulatory and cultural environments are extremely complex, and there are literally hundreds of ways in which Western business people can find themselves mired in difficult situations. The secrets to success in China include careful research and planning, thorough evaluation of risk and reward, and expert guidance each step of the way.


Magnesium alloys due to their compact hexagonal structure (HCP) usually have a yield asymmetry in tensile and compressive loadings. This is due to various active plastic deformation mechanisms under tensile and compressive loadings. Therefore, it is necessary to study the deformation behavior of magnesium alloys on the grain scale. This study focuses on the 3D Representative Volume Element (RVE) simulations of extruded magnesium alloy to investigate the effect of basal texture intensity on tensile–compressive yield asymmetry of Mg-0.8wt% Y. Polycrystalline aggregate models are built based on the theory of Voronoi diagram; then, the Slip-based crystal plasticity formulation is applied as a User Material Subroutine in ABAQUS (UMAT) to study the relationship of microstructures and stress-strain responses in Mg-0.8wt% Y alloy during tension and compression test and the results are presented.
The results show that when the orientation of the grains is considered random (zero texture intensity), the activities of different deformation modes are almost the same and minimum tensile-compressive yield asymmetry happens.
 Also, the results reveal when all the grains are oriented in a certain direction (texture intensity 1), maximum tensile–compressive yield asymmetry occurs. Indeed, according to the Relative Activity (RA) results, in agreement with Schmid Factor (SF) results, in a strong basal texture with the intensity of 1, maximum contribution of accumulated plastic deformation is related to tensile twinning while in compressive loading, prismatic slip and contraction twinning are responsible for major plastic deformation. Therefore, due to the activation of various deformation modes in strong basal texture, the highest amount of tensile–compressive yield asymmetry occurs.
The S-shape strain hardening curve which is the main characteristic of twin-dominated deformation shows a strong dependency on texture in the extruded material so that during loading at the weaker texture, s-shape hardening is no longer present due to the dominated non-basal slips in weaker texture.


Author(s): Li, Zhiyuan | Advisor(s): Tang, Chao | Abstract: During development, cells with identical genomes acquires different fates in a highly organized manner. In order to decipher the principles underlining development, we used C.elegans as the model organism. Based on a large set of microscopy imaging, I first constructed a "standard worm" in silico: from the single zygotic cell to about 500 cell stage, the lineage, position, cell-cell contact and gene expression dynamics are quantified for each cell in order to investigate principles underlining these intensive data. Next, I reverse-engineered the possible gene-gene/cell-cell interaction rules that are capable of running a dynamic model recapitulating the early fate decisions during C.elegans development. I further formulized the C.elegans embryogenesis in the language of information genesis. Analysis towards data and model uncovered the global landscape of development in the cell fate space, suggested possible gene regulatory architectures and cell signaling processes, revealed diversity and robustness as the essential trade-offs in development, and demonstrated distinctive strategies in building multicellular organisms. The dynamic model also emphasized previously over-looked constrains on development, and lead to testable experimental predictions.


After decades of phase III trials failing to demonstrate an impact on survival of various drugs in metastatic melanoma there are finally significant advances in systemic therapies for melanoma emerging. Novel ways to modulate the immune system by monoclonal antibodies as well as various signalling pathway inhibitors are responsible for creating a whole new therapeutic landscape. For the first time it is likely that a number of new drugs with completely different mechanisms of action will be approved in the near future. The imminent candidates are the anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab, and the highly selective BRAF inhibitor PLX4032. But in each class other molecules are under development with good perspectives. Various new combinations will have to be explored and it is reasonable to expect synergies between the different classes of drugs as well as between novel molecules within the same class of drugs. Here, an overview of current developments and the most important new drugs under consideration is provided.


Genetic contribution to the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is generally accepted based on the studies of the familial form of the disease and progress in molecular genetic techniques. To date, specific mutations have been identified in five separate genes and several chromosomal loci have been linked for different forms of familial parkinsonism. The discovery of alpha-synuclein, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase, parkin, tau and DJ-1 mutations and analysis of the biochemical and molecular properties of these gene products point to the critical role of protein aggregation in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra as the basic mechanism leading to neurodegeneration also in sporadic form of the disease. Lewy bodies, even in sporadic PD, contain some of these gene products, particularly abundant fibrillar alpha-synuclein. Studies of familial parkinsonism provide evidence that PD is genetically heterogeneous. Evidence elucidated from genetic studies in PD suggests that parkinsonism is a complex disorder in which multiple gene-gene and gene-environment interactions play a critical role in the development of the disease and phenotypic variability. Further genetic studies in familial parkinsonism will enhance our knowledge of pathogenesis of PD and allow the development of neuroprotective treatments of PD and perhaps other forms of parkinsonism as well.


This thesis presents methods that address three fundamental tasks in the field of microscopy image analysis: detection of instances of an object, counting instances of an object when individual detection is not possible, and exploration of large datasets of microscopy images. We address these areas while strongly considering the constraints related to the usability and flexibility of a real practice. Through the use of computer vision and machine learning, we aim to deal with minimalistic user annotations, interactivity and intuitive data visualization. Firstly, a novel framework is presented to detect all the instances of an object of interest in microscopy images, where they may be partially overlapping and clustered. To this end, a tree-structured discrete graphical model is introduced, that is used to select and label a set of non-overlapping candidate regions in the microscopy image by a global optimization of a classification score. Additionally, it is shown how to learn, from the images, the generation of a surface that can improve the collection of the candidate regions. The learning for the object model and optimal surface only require simplistic annotations -- a dot on each instance of the object. Secondly, it is considered the scenario where individual instances of an object may not be discernible due to extreme overlap, but the count of instances over regions of interest is still useful quantitative information. A novel object density estimation approach is proposed, which is also trained from simple dot-annotations, and achieves a similar accuracy to current state-of-the-art methods while being considerably faster to train. The application to counting in time-lapse microscopy sequences is illustrated. Moreover, by taking advantage of the possibility to learn on-the-fly from simple annotations, an interactive counting system is developed which allows a user to quickly obtain object counts on simple cases, or to bootstrap dataset annotations for more complex scenarios. Finally, the exploration of microscopy datasets coming from large exploratory studies is considered. An unsupervised pipeline is proposed, which allows the discovery and visualization of the effect of external perturbations such as drugs over a target of interest (e.g. a cell protein). This framework enables a user to perform large scale image-dataset exploration in an intuitive way using a novel 2D visualization tool.


This paper discusses specific aspects of a study being conducted in the southwestern part of the Netherlands with regard to coastal morphology and the design of coastal structures. The main part of this study examines the statistical distribution of wave heights in relation to the height of the sea surface at fixed points as a function of time, the water depth, and the energy spectrum of the wave motion. The results of theoretical studies by D.E. Cartwright and M.S. Longuet-Higgins and data on wave measurements obtained by Rijkswaterstaat in the North Sea were used. The theoretical frequency distributions of the wave heights, derived by Cartwright and Longuet-Higgins for the linear model are based on the assumption that the distribution of the ordinates of the sea surface as a function of time is Gaussian. A brief description is given of the linear model and its limitations. The deviations of frequency distributions of the sea surface from those of the linear model are examined. The wave heights are described in terms of four parameters and the distributions of these four wave height parameters are considered as a function of the standard deviation, the skewness of the sea surface distribution, and the relative width of the energy spectrum. From the frequency distributions obtained from observations, the quotients of the significant wave heights are determined as a function of the relative width and skewness variables. The wave height parameters are further examined following the foregoing formulations. Based on this study, the authors concluded that the statistical distribution of wave heights in relatively shallow water apparently depends on the standard deviation of the distribution of the sea surface ordinates, the relative width of the energy spectrum, and the relation between the wave length, the mean energy and the water depth.


A new optimization framework for a high-dynamic point-to-point direct drive motion control system (HDPDMS) is proposed. The conventional system optimization approach considers all design parameters simultaneously, resulting in a high-dimensional search space and extensive computation. In contrast, the proposed framework uses a new DDM surrogate model that establishes a correlation between the key DDM characteristic parameters to decouple the whole optimization process. It begins with a system-level optimization to identify suitable driver types, motion profile design parameters, and characteristic parameters of the direct drive motors (DDMs) by the new surrogate model. Bayesian optimization then determines the DDM design parameters corresponding to the identified characteristic parameters. Once the DDM surrogate model is built, the proposed framework achieved the desired HDPDMS design in just 1 hour, saving 98.6% of computation time compared to the traditional approach. Additionally, multi-objective optimization and Gaussian process regression prediction intervals were employed to obtain a suitable training dataset and input range for the surrogate model, resulting in a 99.8% reduction in computation resources compared to the traditional DDM surrogate model. Through completing three unique motion task optimizations and creating a prototype, the optimization framework was proven effective, demonstrating the potential of this novel method.


This thesis examines the development of recruitment within fisheries in recent years in three North Norwegian coastal communities. Recruitment of fishers is vital for the survival of coastal fishery communities, as well as for the cultural identity of the people living in them. Traditional fisheries have sustained coastal communities for centuries and were the reason the coast was inhabited in the first place. The riches of the sea will long be available to us if we manage them wisely. In an increasingly urbanized and specialized world, harvesting local fishery resources in a sustainable way is a sensible strategy, from both a resource perspective and from a community perspective. In recent decades coastal communities have experienced a dramatic decline in the recruitment of fishers, partly caused by, and partly resulting in, social changes. Not only does a coastal fishery depend on continued recruitment, but coastal people are also at risk of being alienated from their cultural identity if this industry is not maintained. This becomes a kind of dialectic process, in which the effect of a particular cause becomes in turn the cause of further, similar effects. One community in this study has gone from catching wild fish to fish farming, whereas the other two have been able to continue catching wild fish. If we are going to be able to secure the future of recruitment in coastal fisheries, we must more thoroughly understand the causes and effects of recruitment. The future for fishing communities depends on it. To explore these issues, during the winter of 2017–2018, several interviews with young fishers and other actors in these communities were conducted, as was a document study. A major goal was to examine what system of interaction were active in the communities, particularly as related to recruitment in the local fishery. This study also examines the local repercussions of centrally formulated fishing policies, and the room to maneuver they allow at the local level. This will help determine whether it is possible to steer recruitment processes through local involvement. The argument set forth here is that coastal fisheries cannot be viewed separately from the communities in which they are based. Policies based in overarching discourses should not be seen as all-determining factors for recruitment. More important are local social networks, local policies and alternative work options.


We propose a system that allows multiple groups of users at remote locations to naturally share a 3D image of real objects. All users can interactively observe a 3D stereoscopic image without distortion from their own viewpoints. The system basically consists of a combination of systems: imaging and display. The imaging system captures the real object's images from certain number of viewpoints which are used to generate stereoscopic images from arbitrary viewpoints based on an image-based rendering technique implemented on GPU. The display system interactively generates a 3D virtual image of the real object based on the IllusionHole technique. Users at one place just put the real object on their imaging system to capture a set of its images from sparse viewpoints around it; other groups of multiple users at remote places connected by networks observe its virtual image from arbitrary viewpoints on their display systems.


Local integrals of motion play a central role in the understanding of many-body localization in many-body quantum systems in one dimension subject to a random external potential, but the question of how these local integrals of motion change in a deterministic quasiperiodic potential is one that has received significantly less attention. Here we develop a powerful new implementation of the continuous unitary transform formalism and use this method to directly compute both the effective Hamiltonian and the local integrals of motion for many-body quantum systems subject to a quasiperiodic potential. We show that the effective interactions between local integrals of motion retain a strong fingerprint of the underlying quasiperiodic potential, exhibiting sharp features at distances associated with the incommensurate wavelength used to generate the potential. Furthermore, the local integrals of motion themselves may be expressed in terms of an operator expansion which allows us to estimate the critical strength of quasiperiodic potential required to lead to a localization/delocalization transition, by means of a finite size scaling analysis.


The INFINITY method ® is a special rehabilitation method developed at the Rehabilitation Institute in Brandys nad Czech Republic. It is a kinesitherapy approach based on neurophysiology, biomechanics, and anatomy. The method is employed during rehabilitation of patients with functional and/or structural changes of the musculoskeletal system. It allows adjustment of the postural control system of the body, which gradually improves balance and symmetrization of the whole body in space, thus creating a precondition for better quality and more efficient movement. Specifically, therapy move ments can be active and/or passive, and great variability of active movements is a perfect advantage for autotherapy. Now, the corrective therapeutic movement and posture can be conscious, meaning there is an increased awareness and control of the patient's whole body, and/or subconscious, which is based on a reflex therapy. In both cases, straighten ing and balancing of the patient's body are increased. This method positively affects the musculoskeletal system and quality of the soft tissue, such as the muscle and connective tissue. Thanks to its well-crafted methodology, easily practiced active exercises, and pas - sive therapy performed with the help of a therapist, the method works well for patients with painful disorders of the spine and joints.


Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are widely used in commercial products and are found in many goods of daily use. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) is one of the PFAAs that possesses endocrine disrupting properties and we have recently shown that PFNA affects testicular functions in Parkes mice. Exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors during fetal life is believed to affect gonadal development and they might produce reproductive abnormalities in males. Therefore, the present study examined the effect of gestational exposure to PFNA on the testes of neonatal mice offspring. Pregnant Parkes mice were orally administered PFNA (2 and 5 mg/kg body weight) or distilled water from gestational day 12 until parturition. Male pups were killed on postnatal day 3. PFNA treatment decreased testosterone biosynthesis by inhibiting expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, cytochrome P450scc, and 3β‐ and 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; proliferation of testicular cells was also affected in treated mice. Furthermore, a marked decrease in expression of Wilms tumor 1, steroidogenic factor 1 and insulin‐like factor 3 was noted in neonatal mice testes, indicating that the PFNA treatment may affect the development of the testis. Moreover, observation of the dose‐related expression of anti‐müllerian hormone and c‐Kit in neonatal mice testes is also suggestive of an interference with gonadal development by PFNA exposure. In conclusion, the results suggest that the gestational exposure to PFNA decreased testosterone biosynthesis and altered the expression of critical factors involved in the development of the testis, thereby advocating a potential risk of PFNA to male reproductive health.


Growing water scarcity in agriculture is an increasing problem in future in many regions of the world. Recent trends of weather extremes in Saxony, Germany also enhance drought risks for agricultural production. In addition, signals of longer and more intense drought conditions during the vegetation period can be found in future regional climate scenarios for Saxony. However, those climate predictions are associated with high uncertainty and therefore, e.g. stochastic methods are required to analyze the impact of changing climate patterns on future crop water requirements and water availability. For assessing irrigation as a measure to increase agricultural water security a generalized stochastic approach for a spatial distributed estimation of future irrigation water demand is proposed, which ensures safe yields and a high water productivity at the same time. The developed concept of stochastic crop water production functions (SCWPF) can serve as a central decision support tool for both, (i) a cost benefit analysis of farm irrigation modernization on a local scale and (ii) a regional water demand management using a multi-scale approach for modeling and implementation. The new approach is applied using the example of a case study in Saxony, which is dealing with the sustainable management of future irrigation water demands and its implementation.


It is usually thought that bacteriophage T7 is female specific, while phage T3 can propagate on male and female Escherichia coli. We found that the growth patterns of phages T7M and T3 do not match the above characteristics, instead showing strain dependent male exclusion. Furthermore, a T3/7 hybrid phage exhibits a broader host range relative to that of T3, T7, as well as T7M, and is able to overcome the male exclusion. The T7M sequence closely resembles that of T3. T3/7 is essentially T3 based, but a DNA fragment containing part of the tail fiber gene 17 is replaced by the T7 sequence. T3 displays inferior adsorption to strains tested herein compared to T7. The T3 and T7 recombinant phage carries altered tail fibers and acquires better adsorption efficiency than T3. How phages T3 and T7 recombine was previously unclear. This study is the first to show that recombination can occur accurately within only 8 base-pair homology, where four-way junction structures are identified. Genomic recombination models based on endonuclease I cleavages at equivalent and nonequivalent sites followed by strand annealing are proposed. Retention of pseudo-palindromes can increase recombination frequency for reviving under stress.


Isolates of Sporothrix schenckii were examined for their infectivity in BALB/c mice. The mice were injected with yeast forms of S. schenckii isolates differing in clinical source (human cutaneous lesions and pulmonary lesions), and fungal growth was determined at intervals in the footpad and visceral organs. After subcutaneous injection of approximately 10 colony forming units (cfu) of S. schenckii into the footpad, locally restricted fungal infection developed gradually. At the peak of the infection (3-4 weeks post-inoculation), viable fungal counts reached 102-106 cfu/footpad. Dissemination to other tissues and visceral organs was not observed. After intravenous or intraperitoneal injection of 106 cfu of yeast forms, three of four isolates from cutaneous sporotrichosis were unable to establish infection and were eliminated from blood and visceral organs. The development of systemic infection was observed only with S. schenckii isolates obtained from the human lung lesion. Thus, inherent properties of each clinical isolate and routes of infection were shown to be critical for the establishment of systemic infection in spite of the remarkably strong infectivity of S. schenckii to the cutaneous tissue.


The Hare Bay fault is a major subhorizontal detachment at the base of the ophiolitic St. Anthony Complex in the Hare Bay allochthon, northwestern Newfounland. The fault is a postmetamorphic brittle detachment that truncates footwall structures related to both initial Ordovician (Taconian) assembly of the allochthon and subsequent Silurian-Devonian (Acadian) deformation. Although previously mapped as a thrust, the fault has an extensional rather than a contractional geometry; it cuts downsection to the west in the direction of transport, and it juxtaposes a hanging-wall sequence that contains little or no Acadian deformation against a footwall sequence that was pervasively deformed during the Acadian orogeny. The St. Anthony Complex lies on the western margin of the Acadian deformed zone. Its final emplacement, through movement on the Hare Bay fault, probably occurred through extensional faulting during gravitational collapse of the Acadian mountain front.


We demonstrated ultraviolet laser diode with improved optical and electrical features. By employing linear graded rising aluminium concentration in phases from first quantum barrier to last quantum barrier, the suggested LD design improves internal quantum efficiency (IQE) and output power while minimizing the lasing threshold. The proposed LD increases optical gain while lowering carrier leakage from the active region. This study demonstrates high-efficiency AlGaN-based ultraviolet laser diodes with high optical gain and output power.


UC11 human astrocytoma cells transported glutamate by at least two distinct systems which appeared to be very similar to the Na(+)-dependent XAG- system (glutamate and aspartate are preferred substrates) and the Na(+)-independent xc- system (glutamate and cystine are preferred substrates) described in other cells, including primary cultures of rat astrocytes. The xc- system accounted for about 80% of the total glutamate influx. In a Na(+)-free buffer, the average Km and Vmax values for glutamate influx in UC11 cells were 167 +/- 15 microM and 0.82 +/- 0.04 nmoles/min/mg protein. Substance P, acting via an NK1 receptor, caused half maximal inhibition of glutamate and cystine transport at a peptide concentration of approximately 3 nM. Maximal inhibition was usually in the range of 60-80% and was noncompetitive in nature. Substance P also induced a significant increase in the release of endogenous glutamate. These effects of Substance P may be of pathophysiological significance in the CNS: first, a combination of inhibition of glutamate influx and stimulation of glutamate efflux from astrocytes is potentially toxic with respect to nearby neurons; second, an inhibition of cystine influx could result in a depletion of intracellular glutathione, resulting in increased sensitivity to oxidative stress.


Objective: Grape is one of the most well-known fruits. People usually consume only the fruit and the skin; however, the seed is the part of the fruit that contains important antioxidant rich polyphenol. However, grape seed and its extract have an unpleasant taste. Therefore, this study aimed to formulate effervescent tablets containing grape seed extract (GSE) to overcome the unpleasant taste. Methods: Effervescent tablets of GSE were formulated using three formulas, each with a different percentage of the effervescent mix. The tablets were prepared using wet granulation method at 40% relative humidity (RH) (the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water) and 25°C temperature. The effervescent granules and the tablets were evaluated for various characteristics in term of granules flowability, moisture content, as well as tablets appearance, size and weight uniformity, hardness, friability, effervescence time, pH, and total phenol content. In addition, all three formulations of the effervescent tablets and solutions were evaluated for appearance, taste, and flavor using the hedonic test that involved 30 panelists. Results: The evaluation of the effervescent granules and tablets showed that they had good characteristics. The disintegration time of the three formulations was within the acceptable range, between 3.67 minutes and 4.69 minutes. The pH of the effervescent solution was between 5.18 and 5.80. Based on the hedonic test, all the effervescent solutions had favorable appearance, taste, and flavor. Conclusions: Clinical Streptococcus salivarius isolates from the dorsum of the tongue had greater potential for inhibiting Enterococcus faecalis growth compared to the saliva isolates and control bacteria. Therefore, we can conclude that the effervescent tablets containing grape seed extract are potential be used as a nutraceutical dosage form.


Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare open tension free mesh hernia repair with Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernioplasty for inguinal hernia in regard to recurrence, postoperative pain, chronic pain, hospital stay, return to work, operation length and technical difficulty, and lastly financial considerations. Background: Surgical repair of the hernia is considered to be the only definitive Management of hernia. The outcome of hernia surgery is highly surgeon Dependent "no disease of the human body, belonging to the province of surgeons requires in its treatment a greater combination of accurate anatomical knowledge with surgical skill than hernia in all its varieties". The exact cause of inguinal hernia is still unknown but the following factors contribute in its occurrence. A preformed congenital sac, raised intra abdominal pressure and weak abdominal musculature. There is no "gold standard" operation for treatment of inguinal hernias. The optimal surgical approach must be selected individually for the patient, taking into account patient's age, hernia size, unilaterality or bilaterality, primary or recurrent status, type of anesthesia, occupation, and patient's activities. There are three important landmarks in the history of repair of Inguinal hernia: 1.Tissue repair (Eduardo bassini 1887). 2.Onlay mesh (Irving Lichtenstein 1984), tension-free repair. 3.Laparoscopic hernia repair (1990). Methods: The study included 60 adult male patients with inguinal hernia, distributed into two groups randomly. Group A: underwent Lichtenstein Repair and group B: underwent laparoscopic total extraperitioneal hernioplasty. Results: In patients who underwent Lichtenstein repair the mean age was 40 years, the mean operative time for unilateral cases was 78 min. and for bilateral cases 137.4 min., the hospital stay ranged from 1 to 3 days, with one case of recurrence and they returned to work after 25 +/- 5days. While in patients who underwent laparoscopic total extraperitoneal hernioplasty, the mean age was 40.5 years, the mean operative time for unilateral cases was 83.56 min, and for bilateral cases 118.33min, the hospital stay was one day in all cases, with one case of recurrence and they returned to work after 15 +/- 5days. This study showed that, laparoscopic TEP is a better alternative than open repair in terms of lesser postoperative pain, earlier ambulation, earlier return to work and better cosmetic results. However, laparoscopic TEP had a longer and steeper learning curve. Conclusion: Laparoscopic TEP repair is nearly equal to open repair in the management of primary unilateral hernia, but it is more time consuming and more costy. It is better in terms of less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, earlier return to work, shorter operative time in bilateral cases and better cosmetic results.


This Article explores a relatively new phenomenon in family law: same-sex divorce. The Article's central claim is that parties to the first wave of same-sex divorces are not effectively bargaining against the backdrop of legal dissolution rules that would govern in the absence of an agreement. In other words, to use Robert Mnookin and Lewis Kornhauser's terminology, they are not "bargaining in the shadow of the law. " Instead, the Article argues, many same-sex couples today bargain in the shadow of a myth that same-sex couples are egalitarian-that there are no vulnerable parties or power differentials in same-sex divorce.
The Article shows how a myth of egalitarianism undermines current bargaining for same-sex divorce. First, the myth leads to what the Article calls "divorce exceptionalism, " that is, when a party claims that existing marriage dissolution rules do not apply in same-sex divorce because they were designed to remedy the non-egalitarian conditions of different-sex marriages. Divorce exceptionalism disables effective bargaining because without default legal rules there is nothing to guide the bargaining process. Second, the myth of egalitarianism eliminates key bargaining chips: under a presumption of formal equality neither party really has anything to "give" or "get" in the bargain for divorce. Finally, the myth, combined with the general fog of uncertainty regarding how courts will treat same-sex divorces, may lead to increased strategic behavior. The Article proposes a realistic solution, arguing that the legal actors who participate in same-sex divorce, including lawyers, mediators, courts, and the parties themselves, should reject divorce exceptionalism and apply ordinary divorce rules. It also proposes to protect vulnerable parties by extending to same-sex divorce the current trend toward joint-custody presumptions.
The myth of egalitarianism in same-sex couples, which was quite helpful in achieving marriage equality, is now haunting the first wave of same-sex divorces and harming vulnerable parties. It is time to let it go and address the reality of same-sex relationships.


Wetlands are a critical part of the coastal environment. Encompassing estuaries,
saltmarsh, mangroves, coastal swamps, lakes and lagoons, saline wetlands occupy
the biophysical interface between terrestrial and marine, and between marine
and freshwater environments (Australian State of the Environment Committee
(ASEC), 2011, p. 849). They have values oflocal, regional, state, national and,
occasionally, international significance. Coastal wetlands perfonn ecosystem
functions important for commercially valuable industries such as fisheries and
tourism, including nutrient and pollutant filtering, erosion control to protect
coastal infrastructure and aid the adaptation of coastal communities and carbon
sequestration (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), 2005; Australian
State of the Environment Committee (ASEC), 2011, p. 858; McLeod et al.,
2011). They also have cultural significance for indigenous people, as well
as scenic, research, conservation and recreational values (Rogers et al., 2014,
pp. 67-8). Their protection affects both public and private property rights.
Accordingly, decisions over their use, protection, destruction and management
potentially span multiple tiers of government, public and private actors and
a wide range of sector-specific agencies and managers. The need for integrated
governance approaches is clear. Despite the importance of coastal wetlands, like many estuaries around
the world the heavy concentration of Australia's population around the estuaries
of major river systems has transformed our coasts (Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment (MEA), 2005, pp. 41-2). The combined pressures of urban development,
catchment land and water use and flood mitigation measures have
radically altered and, in many places, destroyed, these coastal ecosystems (Lee
et al., 2006; Australian State of the Environment Committee (ASEC), 2011,
pp. 858-61; Rogers et al., 2014, p. 68). Climate change will further threaten
coastal ecosystems and the land on which they are located (Nicholls et al., 2007,
pp. 507, 540; Australian State of the Environment Committee (ASEC), 2011,
pp. 878-81; Burley et al., 2012; Wong et al., 2014, p. 18). Sea level rise and
more intense storm activity will exacerbate coastal erosion and shoreline
recession in many areas (Gilman et al., 2008). The changed frequency and extent
of coastal flooding from both stom1 surge and catchment rainfall will affect the
health and composition of these ecosystems. Saltwater intrusion into
groundwater will have impacts on both water supply and ecosystem dynamics
in some places (ASEC, 2011 , p. 854). Warmer conditions will also affect the
diversity of wetland ecosystems, and increase the risks of pests and disease. Under appropriate conditions, many coastal wetlands have some capacity to
adapt to higher sea levels in situ, by increasing their root mass and hence their
elevation. Critical factors in this process include overall sea level rise and
sedimentation, which is affected by flood barriers and other structures that alter
natural flows (Rogers et al., 2014). Wetlands that are unable to adapt in situ
could potentially move landward (ASEC, 2011, p. 880), but in countries like
Australia, extensive development in the coastal zone restricts the potential for
this natural migration (Blankespoor et al., 2012; Rogers et al., 2014). Australia's
population is already highly concentrated in coastal areas. Projected population
increases are expected to follow this trend and further restrict adaptation
space for coastal wetlands. Furthermore, as sea levels rise and coastal hazards
worsen, there is likely to be considerable pressure to protect existing settlements
and infrastructure with hard coastal and flood defences, such as sea walls, groynes
and levies which fundamentally disrupt natural coastal processes (Department
of Climate Change (DCC), 2009; ASEC, 2011). In many situations, planned retreat policies (involving the avoidance or
removal of hard coastal defences) will be critical to maintaining coastal
ecosystems and providing room for them to migrate inland as sea levels rise.
Indeed, 'living shorelines' (the deliberate construction or rehabilitation of
coastal wetlands, such as mangroves, as an alternative to traditional engineering
structures such as seawalls) are increasingly promoted as an adaptation approach
to increase the resilience of shorelines to erosion and inundation (Siders,
2013). Planning for such measures raises difficult trade-offs between the shortteml
socio-economic costs associated with limiting land use and development,
and losing buildings and infrastructure before the end of their economic life;
and longer-term goals of public interest nature conservation (Abel et al., 2011).
Trans-jurisdictional tensions therefore arise between tiers of government,
between public and private legal interests and actors, and across regulatory
regimes for different land uses or policy domains. The uncertainties and long
timeframes that pervade projected climate change impacts raise new issues of
'temporal trans-jurisdictionality', which compound existing governance
challenges. In light of these current and future pressures, this chapter explores contemporary
approaches to the management of coastal wetlands in Australia and
argues for urgent reinvigoration of Integrated Coastal Zone Management
(ICZM). We begin in Part Two by briefly reviewing the history and current
status of ICZM in Australia as a strategic framework for improved coastal
management in a climate change context. Part Three then maps and critiques
the current regulatory framework, focusing specifically on legal and policy
regin1es for coastal land use planning, coastal protection works, catchment water
to ICZM, our analysis reveals a complex, fragmented regulatory landscape that
has hitherto failed to protect coastal wetlands and which is likely to be vastly
insufficient to support their adaptation to climate change. Our research also
suggests that current approaches reinforce static patterns of land use and
environmental protection that are ill-equipped to respond to the impacts of
climate change and directly threaten many coastal aquatic ecosystems over the
long term. These deficiencies point to the need for a fresh approach to coastal
governance, which gives greater prominence to the protection of coastal
ecosystems in a changing climate. To this end, in Part Four we suggest some
priority reforms for refreshing and reinvigorating the ICZM agenda in Australia.


Adequate androgen receptor (AR) function is crucial for male sex development and maintenance of secondary male characteristics. Mutations in the AR lead to androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) characterized by an end-organ resistance to androgens. The clinical appearance of individuals with 46,XY karyotype and an AR mutation varies widely from normal male to the ultimate completely female phenotype of complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS). We have analyzed the androgen receptor missense mutations P723S, P904S, and H917R, clinically associated with CAIS, which were described to have a normal maximum androgen binding (Bmax) but elevated equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd's) and compared their properties with the F916X deletion mutant, leading to the loss of the last four amino acids of the AR. Functional analysis allowed a quantitative and qualitative discrimination of these mutants in transactivation, amino-terminal/carboxy-terminal (N/C)-interaction, and coactivation capacity, varying widely with each distinct mutation. We conclude that mutations in the AR have to be characterized meticulously, not only to prove any quantitative functional deficit as a proof of consequence, but also to gain knowledge on qualitative functional properties. This is necessary as a possible link to genotype-phenotype correlation in AIS, but also with respect to medical decision making in CAIS.


Cerebral palsy is a condition that may be associated with swallowing disorders, that is, oropharingeal dysphagia. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the swallowing processes of 32 children with this condition, by clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluation, with special focus on tracheal aspiration detectability. Results show an important compromise of oral phase. The most important findings during the pharyngeal phase were velopharingeal incompetence and residuals on the pharyngeal recesses. Aspiration was more common with liquids, before and after deglutition. On clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluation, cervical hyperextension was the commonest postural abnormality. Videofluoroscopy confirmed the occurrence of aspiration on most of the cases that presented suggestive signs of aspiration during clinical evaluation. We conclude that clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluations are complementary on deglutition evaluation and together may point to the most specific rehabilitation procedure.


IBISWorld provides industry or market reports for a wide variety of industries in both consumer and manufacturing and include some more niche industries. Most of the reports are for the US, but they also have content for other countries including Canada, Mexico, UK, China, and more.
 The database also has some content and tools that would help entrepreneurs and companies. There are many options for modules that institutions can subscribe, but the heart of the database is the US industry reports. The reports cover what is occurring in an industry, projections for the industry
 outlook, and details on what it is like for businesses in the industry. The interface or search options could use some improvements, but it is a relatively easy database to use especially with the large search box. The resource contains some great content that anyone doing marketing research
 and entrepreneurs would find it helpful.


This paper presents a method enabling the evaluation of the averaging fault-tolerant technique, using the output probability density functions of unreliable units that are acquired from Monte Carlo simulations. The method has been verified by comparing numerical simulations and analytical developments. A fault-tolerant four-layer architecture using averaging and with both fixed and adaptable threshold is compared with triple and R-fold modular redundancy (RMR) techniques, at gate level and using fault-free decision gates, showing that the redundancy factor can be reduced by a factor of two to three using the proposed four-layer architecture, in replacement of RMR, thus enabling significant savings in the area, and power dissipation. The analysis of the reliability of averaging techniques together with the redundancy optimization has been performed for the first time in the context of a large-scale system, showing that a target reliability can be achieved with low redundancy factors (R < 8) for moderate defect densities (device failure rate up to 10-5). The performed analysis of the optimal size of the reliable islands (clusters) supports the assumption that clustering needs to be applied at the lower levels of design abstraction hierarchy, especially for fabrication technologies with increased defect density.


This is a socio-economic study of agriculture and its contribution to livelihoods in Venda, one of the black 'homelands' created in South Africa under apartheid. It is based on a survey of households on the Tshiombo irrigation scheme, a project in central Venda with approximately six hundred plot-holders. The alms of the study are to understand the opportunities and constraints facing small farmers, and to suggest ways in which public action can promote rural livelihoods and overcome the legacy of racial oppression and under-development in South Africa. The study includes a review of micro-studies of agriculture and livelihoods from the ten former homelands. A range of unpublished materials and original field research are also used to provide an overview of society and economy in Venda at the end of apartheid and to highlight the problems faced by households attempting to secure a livelihood from the land. The Tshiombo case found that agriculture, on average, contributed approximately a quarter of household income (in cash and kind), with the balance coming mainly from wages and state pensions. Wide disparities were found between households, however, in terms of land-holding, agricultural output and overall household income. Relative poverty was associated with a lack of wage income and poorer households tended to be disproportionately dependent on agriculture. Both arable and livestock farming were dominated by older men, some of whom had a history of off-farm employment but others who had been full-time farmers since the 1960s. The study concludes that there is scope for further development of the agricultural economy at Tshiombo but this will require comprehensive reform of existing state services such as tractor ploughing and agricultural extension. More flexible partnerships between the state and non-state organisations, including private entrepreneurs, individual farmers and the struggling Tshiombo Co-operative in the provision of credit, marketing and transport services are also identified as areas suitable for development. Constraints of land, capital and household labour suggest that in most cases agriculture is likely to remain supplementary to income obtained from the non-farm economy, but can be a valuable source of food and an important safety-net in times of crisis.