Ab initio thermodynamic properties, equation of state and phase stability of periclase (MgO, B1-type structure) have been investigated in a broad P–T range (0–160 GPa; 0–3000 K) in order to set a model reference system for phase equilibria simulations under deep Earth conditions. Phonon dispersion calculations performed on large supercells using the finite displacement method and in the framework of quasi-harmonic approximation highlight the performance of the Becke three-parameter Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) hybrid density functional in predicting accurate thermodynamic functions (heat capacity, entropy, thermal expansivity, isothermal bulk modulus) and phase reaction boundaries at high pressure and temperature. A first principles Mie–Gruneisen equation of state based on lattice vibrations directly provides a physically-consistent description of thermal pressure and P–V–T relations without any need to rely on empirical parameters or other phenomenological formalisms that could give spurious anomalies or uncontrolled extrapolations at HP–HT. The post-spinel phase transformation, Mg2SiO4 (ringwoodite) = MgO (periclase) + MgSiO3 (bridgmanite), is taken as a computational example to illustrate how first principles theory combined with the use of hybrid functionals is able to provide sound results on the Clapeyron slope, density change and P–T location of equilibrium mineral reactions relevant to mantle dynamics.


We evaluated the levels of 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [15(S)-HETE] and the expression of 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) mRNA in induced sputum obtained from 10 control and 15 chronic bronchitis subjects. 15(S)-HETE was evaluated by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography separation followed by specific RIA. 15-LO mRNA expression was determined by primed in situ labeling. The levels of both soluble and cell-associated 15(S)-HETE resulted significantly higher in chronic bronchitis than in control subjects. The percentage of cells expressing 15-LO mRNA was significantly higher in chronic bronchitis than in control subjects (P < 0.01). Double staining for specific cell type markers and 15-LO mRNA showed macrophages and neutrophils positive for 15-LO, whereas similar staining of peripheral blood neutrophils did not show evidence for 15-LO expression, suggesting that expression of 15-LO in neutrophils takes place on migration into the airways. Because 15(S)-HETE inversely correlated with the percentage of neutrophils in sputum of chronic bronchitis subjects, we studied the effect of 15(S)-HETE on leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) production in vitro and evaluated the concentration of LTB(4) in induced sputum and the contribution of LTB(4) to the chemotactic activity of induced sputum samples ex vivo. The results obtained indicate that macrophages and neutrophils present within the airways of chronic bronchitis subjects express 15-LO mRNA; increased basal levels of 15(S)-HETE may contribute to modulate, through the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites production, neutrophil infiltration and airway inflammation associated with chronic bronchitis.


The authors present the results of examining the plasma lipids in 62 children with an infectious neurotoxic syndrome. The children were suffering from acute respiratory viral infections, lobular pneumonia, or intestinal infections. Hyperlipidemia and dysphospholipidemia were revealed: the former was due primarily to a rise of the content of non-saturated fatty acids and triglycerides, and the latter to a drop of the lecithin and cephaline levels. These changes correlated with the disease gravity. No substantial differences in the plasma lipid spectrum were revealed in the children with the neurotoxicoses due to the acute respiratory infections, pneumonias, and intestinal infections, however, in the latter cases a more marked rise of the triglyceride content was noted.


Numerous attempts have been made to create or facilitate Industrial Symbiosis networks and self-organized networks have been uncovered. Existing networks have been studied to identify its success or failure and its context. This thesis tries to suggest and assess an adapted approach to establish successful industrial symbiosis, with a case study on the northern Stockholm region. An extensive literature review, meetings with experts and stakeholder interaction by questionnaires, interviews and a workshop were used. Potential obstructions were identified, possibilities of self-organizations and planning explored and solutions suggested. Combined with the feedback from 25 questionnaires and a workshop with local stakeholders an approach to establishing industrial symbiosis in northern Stockholm was suggested and assessed. A neutral coordinator or waste companies were concluded to have a good chance of establishing an industrial symbiosis network in the region. Using existing networks, creating awareness and providing knowledge and examples are important factors for establishing an industrial symbiosis network.


OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a complex-care-based medical school in the context of the Brazilian health care system on students' career choices. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study based on medical regulatory organization records. It included records for 7,419 physicians who graduated from FMUSP. Geographic data were analyzed using Kernel maps, and the statistical analysis was performed with SPSS® version 24.0. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Of the 7,419 physicians, 68.6% (95% CI 67.5-69.7) were male, and 20.7% (95% CI 19.8%-21.7%) had no medical specialty, compared to 46.4% nationwide. Internal medicine and surgery-based specialties were more popular, accounting for 39.4% (95% CI 38.3%-40.5%) and 16.8% (95% CI 15.5%-17.6%) of our study group, compared to the Brazilian averages of 25.9% and 13.5%. Our graduates also had a higher probability of staying in São Paulo City, especially when born outside the city. CONCLUSION: We believe that FMUSP remains an interesting model for studying the impact of a highly specialized center on the education and career choices of medical students.


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This paper briefly describes some of the plan execution problems prevalent in the simulated battlefield domain and how they can be addressed. The system described uses generalised actions which are expanded to low level actions at the time they are executed, ensuring their relevance to the prevailing situation. The continuing value of plans is ensured by monitoring the assumptions and constraints used during planning and calling for re-planning when a violation is detected. An example of the operation of the planner is given and potential future enhancements briefly discussed.


OBJECTIVE
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is more common in developed countries and is the third most common cancer among both men and women. CRC provides an attractive model of tumour biology with normal mucosa to adenoma to carcinoma sequence. The TF-antigen (Thomsen-Friedenreich) can be identified by galactose oxidase-Schiff's (GOS) reaction either on tissues or on rectal mucus samples from patients with CRC. TF antigen is expressed in the neoplastic mucosa and not expressed in colonic mucosa of normal subjects. Apomucins play important role in cell signalling and their specific pattern of expression during the different steps of tumor progression toward adenocarcinoma suggests that they play significant roles in tumorigenesis. The family of secreted mucins including MUC2 is contributing in mucus formation to protect underlying epithelia against diverse injuries. The current study was investigated the expression of MUC2 and TF antigens in patients with adenoma and CRC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
MUC2 and TF antigen expressions were detected immunohistochemically in CRC biopsies using specific monoclonal antibodies. Moreover, the TF antigen was invesigated using GOS reaction.

RESULTS
The results showed that in normal colonic specimens, MUC2 expression was detected in 20%, while TF antigen was completely negative in 100% of samples as detected by GOS and immunohistochemistry using anti-TF monoclone. Expressions of MUC2, and TF antigen as detected by GOS and anti-TF monoclone were positive in 96%, 80%, and 60% respectively in cases with adenoma. On the other hand, in cases with adenocarcinoma, the expression of MUC2 was seen in 92% of cases, while TF antigen was observed in 84% and 60% of cases as detected by GOS and immunohistochemically respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Thus, it is concluded that the expression of MUC2 and TF antigens are altered during CRC carcinogenesis. Furthermore, MUC2 and TF antigens may have a diagnostic and or prognostic potential in CRC.


In this paper, the problem of the blind separation of independent sources is considered. Our approach relies on high-order inverse criteria. After generalizing the definition of classical contrast functions, we exhibit a wide class of generally nonsymmetrical functions that will be called "generalized contrasts" and whose maximization is proved to be a sufficient condition for source separation. We also establish a connection with "cumulant matching," showing an equivalence between the two approaches. Then, in the case of two sources, a statistical study of the estimated parameter based on one of these new contrasts is presented. Finally, computer simulations illustrate the results and demonstrate all the interest we can find in considering a nonsymmetrical contrast.


The reversal and splitting of traveling concentration waves was observed in a one-dimensional Belousov-Zhabotinski reaction medium under the influence of low-intensity electric field gradients (∼10 V per centimeter). The wave reversal and splitting were strongly correlated with a characteristic transformation of the shape of both the wave front and the refractory tail of a wave in the local field gradient. The secondary role of generated hydrodynamic flow on wave transformation was also investigated.


Nucleic acid polymerization is a key process for genetic inheritance in all living cells. This is performed by a set of DNA/RNA polymerases (Pols) that are effective drug targets in nove therapies. However, DNA damages represent an obstacle for the replication machinery. Here, the role of trans-lesion synthesis polymerases, like DNA Polymerase-η (Pol-η), stand out. Pol-η bypasses ultraviolet-induced basing its function on a highly flexible and conserved R61 and on a transient third ion resolved at the catalytic site in post-reactive state. Nevertheless, how these element assist damaged-DNA replication is still poorly understood. We unravel a highly cooperative mechanism for DNA repair performed by human Pol-η that, via specific R61 conformations, assists the recruitment of the (nucleotide-triphosphate) dNTP in pre-reactive state and ehnances pyrophosphate leaving in post-reactive state.
Moreover, bioinformatics analysis revealed that the dNTP always forms an intramolecular H-bond upon formation of the Michaelis-Menten complex. This previously unrecognized H-bond implies a novel self-activated mechanism (SAM), which synergistically connects the in situ nucleophile formation with subsequent nucleotide addition and nucleic acid translocation. Thus, SAM allows an elegant closed-loop sequence of chemical and physical steps for Pols catalysis. Our proposed mechanism is corroborated via ab initio QM/MM simulations on Pol-η. The structural conservation of DNA/RNA Pols supports the extension of SAM to all Pols.
Finally, we identified key amino-acids and cations optimally placed nearby the active site of two-metal-ion enzymes and ribozymes such as group-II intron. Such elements interact with the reactants and orient the substrates into the active site, being therefore indispensable for catalysis. Our analysis suggests an unprecedented extension of the two-metal-ion architecture in DNA and RNA polymerases, nucleases and ribozymes. In spite of different biopolymer scaffolds, size and biological function, these enzymes have surprisingly preserved previously-unrecognized positively-charged elements at conserved structural positions to aid DNA and RNA processing.


The German economy recovered more rapidly than the majority of other developed countries from the severe slump that the global economic and financial crisis brought in its wake. Weak demand in the euro area was offset by robust growth in exports to countries outside the region. The German economy's strong competitive position on global markets, particularly on the dynamic emerging and developing markets, played a vital role here. In contrast, over the last decade, the euro area's crisis countries in particular have experienced a decline in their competitiveness on international markets. Due to their dependence on the single European market and failure to focus on innovative products in demand on global markets, they are among the losers in the global competition for foreign direct investment. The reforms that have been introduced will not be able to generate an immediate trend reversal. Even Germany will struggle to maintain its favorable market position as global structural change and competition to attract business to the region are likely to increase in intensity.


Since the 1990s, (onshore) wind power has become an important technology for electricity generation throughout the world. The economic rationale is the mitigation of negative externalities of conventional technologies, in particular emissions from fossil fuel combustion. However, wind power itself is not free of externalities. Wind turbines are alleged visual and noise impacts as well as threats to wildlife. Further indirect economic effects comprise costs for integrating variable wind electricity into the power system. Economic outcomes, such as employment and GDP, can be positively or negatively affected both locally and nationally. This Roundup summarizes evidence from multiple literatures on mitigated and imposed external costs and further indirect economic effects.


Brachioradial pruritus (BRP) is a mysterious entity characterized by localized pruritus of the dorsolateral aspect of the arm. The precise etiology of BRP remains unknown, but sun exposure and/or cervical spine lesions seem to be triggering or at least aggravating factors. Many treatment alternatives including non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, topical capsaicin, topical corticosteroids, photoprotection, carbamazepine and acupuncture have been used with different success rates. Recently, gabapentin, an antiepileptic agent, has been reported to be an effective therapeutic agent in BRP. Herein, we report a 64‐year‐old man with BRP who showed good response to gabapentin therapy.


Gunungkidul is one of the regencies at Yogyakarta, Indonesia which is 90% occupied by dry land, and thus vulnerable to climate change impact. Since dryland relies on water only from rain to meet crop water requirement, part of land management is rainfed. This condition encourages farmers to make the right decision regarding their additional income to meet household needs. Under the limited land resources, farmers decided to plant upland rice once or twice a year. The aim of the study is to analyze the interrelationship of households economics activities of upland rice farmers in rain-fed farming based on production, labor allocation, and consumption. The research method is descriptive analysis, with research site Ponjong sub-district, determined by the purposive method. Sampling method using proportional random sampling. Economics model was determined by using simultaneous equation model, with 2 SLS estimation method. The results showed that the household economics model of upland rice farmers in the rainfed land can be explained by using farmers household model and there is a linkage between production, labor allocation, and consumption.


Psychology offers conceptual and analytic tools that can advance the discussion on the nature of risk preference and its measurement in the behavioral sciences. We discuss the revealed and stated preference measurement traditions, which have coexisted in both psychology and economics in the study of risk preferences, and explore issues of temporal stability, convergent validity, and predictive validity with regard to measurement of risk preferences. As for temporal stability, does risk preference as a psychological trait show a degree of stability over time that approximates what has been established for other major traits, such as intelligence, or, alternatively, are they more similar in stability to transitory psychological states, such as emotional states? Convergent validity refers to the degree to which different measures of a psychological construct capture a common underlying characteristic or trait. Do measures of risk preference all capture a unitary psychological trait that is indicative of risky behavior across various domains, or do they capture various traits that independently contribute to risky behavior in specific areas of life, such as financial, health, and recreational domains? Predictive validity refers to the extent to which a psychological trait has power in forecasting behavior. Intelligence and major personality traits have been shown to predict important life outcomes, such as academic and professional achievement, which suggests there could be studies of the short- and long-term outcomes of risk preference—something lacking in current psychological (and economic) research. We discuss the current empirical knowledge on risk preferences in light of these considerations.


Purpose: MicroRNA-936 (miR-936) was previously reported to be dysregulated and involved in the development of non-small cell lung cancer and glioma. However, the functional roles of miR-936 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate miR-936 expression in EOC and investigate its regulatory role in EOC cell behavior. Methods: The expression of miR-936 in EOC was measured by RT-qPCR. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as tumor growth in vivo, were determined by CCK-8, fl ow cytometry, migration and invasion assays, and xenograft models in nude mice, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays, RT-qPCR, and Western blot analysis were performed to investigate the relationship between miR-936 and fi broblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Results: miR-936 expression was signi fi cantly downregulated in EOC tissues and cell lines. Low miR-936 expression was found to be correlated with the tumor size, FIGO stage, and lymphatic metastasis in EOC patients. Functional experiments indicated that ectopic miR-936 expression suppressed EOC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion; promoted cell apoptosis; and decreased tumor growth in vivo. In addition, the FGF2 gene was veri fi ed to be a direct target of miR-936 in EOC cells. FGF2 expression levels were upregulated in EOC tissues and were inversely correlated with miR-936 expression. Furthermore, effects of FGF2 silencing were similar to those of miR-936 overexpression in EOC cells. Recovered FGF2 expression rescued the miR-936-induced inhibitory effects in EOC cells. Notably, miR-936 was able to deactivate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EOC cells by regulating FGF2 both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: Altogether, our fi ndings provided initial evidence that miR-936 inhibits the aggressiveness of EOC cells in vitro and in vivo, at least partially, by targeting FGF2-mediated suppression of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Therefore, the miR-936/FGF2/PI3K/Akt pathway is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of EOC patients.


Trajectory data are prevalent in systems that monitor the locations of moving objects. In a location-based service, for instance, the positions of vehicles are continuously monitored through GPS; the trajectory of each vehicle describes its movement history. We study joins on two sets of trajectories, generated by two sets M and R of moving objects. For each entity in M , a join returns its k nearest neighbors from R. We examine how this query can be evaluated in cloud environments. This problem is not trivial, due to the complexity of the trajectory, and the fact that both the spatial and temporal dimensions of the data have to be handled. To facilitate this operation, we propose a parallel solution framework based on MapReduce. We also develop a novel bounding technique, which enables trajectories to be pruned in parallel. Our approach can be used to parallelize existing single-machine trajectory join algorithms. To evaluate the efficiency and the scalability of our solutions, we have performed extensive experiments on a real dataset.


The success of CMBS market in the US and the internationalization of CMBS have brought about significant impact on the real estate financing landscape in many Asian markets. We have seen innovative structuring of real estate financing via the CMBS framework in Singapore through various attempts initiated by REIT. This study conducted a mailed questionnaire exercise to evaluate the feasibility of CMBS market in Singapore, and the results showed that 86% of the respondents felt strongly on the potential of establishing a CMBS market in Singapore. In current excess liquidity condition in the financial market, there may be resistance in banks and finance companies to part their valuable commercial mortgage assets through CMBS. The fear of disrupting the good relationships with their preferred mortgage clients also impedes the sale of the mortgages by the banks. On the demand side, investors demand for better supporting services in default and credit protections, if they were to invest and include CMBS in their portfolio. 83% of the respondents were in favor of setting up a government sponsored SMI to jumpstart the creation of a sustainable CMBS market and facilitate CMBS issues in a big way. The success of CMBS issuance and distribution would provide necessary depth and breadth in the capital markets to position Singapore as a financial hub in the region.


Meaningful information about an RDF resource can be obtained not only by looking at its properties, but by putting it in the broader context of similar resources. Classic navigation paradigms on the Web of Data that employ a follow-your-nose strategy fail to provide such context, and put strong emphasis on first-level properties, forcing users to drill down in the graph one step at a time. We introduce the concept of semantic paths: starting from a set of resources, we follow and analyse chains of triples and characterize the sets of values at their end. We investigate a navigation strategy based on aggregation, relying on path characteristics to determine the most readable representation. We implement this approach in S-Paths, a browsing tool for linked datasets that systematically identifies the best rated view on a given resource set, leaving users free to switch to another resource set, or to get a different perspective on the same set by selecting other semantic paths to visualize.


The records of all patients who presented to a Level 1 trauma center during a two-year period for whom a prehospital cricothyrotomy was attempted or ordered were reviewed. Twenty patients met the study criteria. The average age was 37 years (range, 11 to 65 years). Indications for prehospital cricothyrotomy were massive facial trauma (eight), failed oral intubation (seven), and suspected cervical-spine injury (one). Cricothyrotomy was attempted in 16 patients (80%), with the remaining four having the procedure ordered but not attempted. A successful airway was achieved in 14 patients (88%). Horizontal incisions were used in all cases and were anatomically correct in 15 of 16 attempts (94%). The overall immediate complication rate was 31%. Two patients (12%) sustained major complications (failure to obtain an airway). No hemorrhagic complications occurred, but 16 of the 20 were in cardiac arrest in the field. Long-term complications were not evaluated. All patients sustained major injuries (mean Injury Severity Score, 53.7), except one patient who suffered airway obstruction from food. Three patients (15%) survived; two of the three suffered permanent, severe brain dysfunction. These preliminary findings demonstrate that prehospital cricothyrotomy is being used chiefly in massively injured patients who are already beyond recovery. It is thus difficult to assess whether the procedure is either safe or effective. There is a need for further investigation to determine whether prehospital cricothyrotomy has any beneficial effect on outcome and, if so, in what setting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The method of function parametrization, developed by H. Wind for fast data evaluation in high energy physics, is demonstrated in the context of controlled fusion research. This method relies on a statistical analysis of a large database of simulated experiments in order to obtain a functional representation for intrinsic physical parameters of a system in terms of the values of the measurements. Rapid determination of characteristic equilibrium parameters of a tokamak discharge is shown to be a particularly indicated application. The method is employed on the ASDEX experiment to determine the following parameters of the plasma: position of the magnetic axis, geometric centre, and current centre; minor radius, elongation, and area of the plasma column; a normalized safety factor at the plasma boundary; the Shafranov parameter βp + ℓi/2; the flux difference between the plasma boundary and an external reference value; the position of the lower and upper saddle points, and the intersections of the separatrix with the four divertor plates. The relevant measurements consist of three differential poloidal flux measurements, four poloidal field measurements, the current through the multipole shaping coils, and the total plasma current. Function parametrization supplies a very accurate interpretation of these data, which is now used for on-line data analysis, and which is also sufficiently fast to be suitable for real time control of the plasma.


Unlike conventional insurance, which indemnifies policyholders for verifiable production losses arising from multiple perils, index insurance indemnifies policyholders based on the observed value of a specified 'index' or some other closely related variable that is highly correlated with losses. Index insurance exhibits lower transaction costs than conventional insurance, potentially making it more affordable to the poor in the developing world. However, it also offers less effective individual risk protection. This article provides a review of recent theoretical and empirical research on index insurance for developing countries and summarizes lessons learned from index insurance projects implemented in the developing world since 2000. Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press.


Cause-related marketing (CRM) is a growing area of corporate social responsibility that involves a joint venture between a for-profit brand and a nonprofit organization. Over the past 30 years, cause-related marketing research has expanded to all corners of the globe. Themes in CRM research include cause-brand fit, cause involvement, cultural values and beliefs, and the influence of CRM on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions. A series of bivariate metaanalyses were conducted using a random effects assumption to determine effect sizes in this field, and explain the variance in effects across a global body of literature. Results include the effect of CRM campaigns on brand attitudes, r=.284, 95% CI(0.189,0.373), and purchase intentions, r=.277, 95% CI(0.141, 0.404). A meta-analytical structural equation model (MASEM) of CRM effects on attitudes and purchase intentions (K=78, N=22,849) based on the theory of planned behavior is presented to guide future studies that explore the impact of beliefs such as cause involvement (=.12) and skepticism (= -.34) on consumer perceptions of causebrand alliance fit, and the substantial impact (=.40) these perceptions have on consumer attitudes. Recommendations for nonprofit marketers, for-profit marketers and academic research topics and methods are discussed.


Impaction of a permanent tooth is a relatively common clinical occurrence in the human dentition. First mandibular molars and maxillary second molars are rarely impacted with a reported prevalence of 0–2.3% for second molars, 0.02% for the maxillary first molar, and of less than 0.01% for the mandibular first molar. The failures in their eruption mechanism may occur due to an obstacle such as the presence of a supernumerary tooth or an odontoma, lack of adequate space in the arch, an abnormal eruption path, or with idiopathic etiology. It is an asymptomatic pathology which is usually a casual discovery. Early diagnosis and treatment of permanent molars eruption disturbances contributes to optimal outcomes and favorable long-term prognosis by reduction of complication. The purpose of this is chapter is (1) to define prevalence and etiopathogeny of impacted first and second permanent molars, (2) to pinpoint the needs of earlier diagnosis, and finally (3) to highlight the treatment options.


The intestinal barrier serves as a first line of host defense against potentially harmful stressors from the environment ingested with food, and is primarily formed by epithelial cells connected by tight junctions. Oligosaccharides have been identified as components in milk, particularly in colostrum, that support the development of intestinal microbiota in the early phase of life and contribute to the maturation of the immune system in infants. Currently, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are used in infant formulas to improve and maintain intestinal health. The aim of the research project described in this thesis was to identify possible non-microbiota dependent effects of GOS. To this end, various in vitro and in vivo models were developed, in which the epithelial barrier function was experimentally disrupted by the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). DON is regularly occurring in human food commodities, particular in wheat and wheat based products, but also in breast milk, and is of increasing concern in human and animal health. Using an in vitro model with Caco-2 cell monolayers (a human colonic epithelial cell line) grown on inserts, it could be demonstrated that exposure to DON resulted in a loss of barrier integrity, a derangement of tight junction proteins and an increase in the paracellular transport of marker molecules. Comparative in vivo experiments in mice confirmed the derangement of tight junction proteins, revealed changes in the intestinal architecture and again demonstrated an increased paracellular transport of marker molecules indicating the loss of barrier integrity. With these models at hand, the protective effects of GOS (oligosaccharides based on the milk sugar lactose) were studied. Both, in vitro as well in vivo experiments indeed demonstrated a significant protective effect of GOS when applied prior to a DON challenge. Next to the protective effect on tight junction assembly and cellular localization, GOS also prevented the pro-inflammatory effects of DON, measured by a suppression of the synthesis and release of interleukine-8 (CXCL8) (and its murine homolog CXCL1) in both experimental models. Even more interesting was the protective effect of GOS on the release of IL-33, a more recently detected cytokine that together with its receptor ST2 plays a pivotal role in the induction of Th2-cell mediated immune responses in the course of various inflammatory reactions, allergies and auto-immune diseases. Additional experiments were devoted to the identification of the possible structure-activity relationship of various galacto- and fructo-oligosaccharides and revealed that in addition to concentration-dependent effects, particularly the degree of polymerization seems to be a key parameter determining the biological activity of individual oligosaccharides. In summary, the work described in this thesis demonstrates for the first time a number of non-microbiota dependent, direct effects of oligosaccharides on the intestinal immune system as well as on the tight junction network that guarantees the intestinal barrier integrity.


This paper investigates the impact of the pilot phase of Paraguay's conditional cash transfer programme, Tekoporã, on the demand for healthcare and education, and how much of this impact was due to the cash transfers and/or due to changes in behaviour/preferences, possibly as an effect of other, non-monetary programme components such as the conditionalities and family support visits. It also explores the presence of externalities effects through a decomposition of the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) into participation and externality effect. This decomposition was possible thanks to the use of two distinct comparison groups, one within the village and possibly exposed to the externality, and another in a different district not affected by the programme. The results indicate that the programme was successful in improving children's attendance at school and increasing visits to the health centres. They also suggest that the positive impacts do not reach non-beneficiary families (no externality effect). In the pilot phase, with no conditionality enforcement in place, the role of conditionality and social worker visits is not yet clear. No differential effect was found for those who were aware of the conditionalities and/or were visited by social workers, although the message of the importance of education and healthcare somehow did reach the households, altering their preferences towards a greater consumption of healthcare and education services.


Most multiprocessors employ coherent caches despite the overheads of doing so. As future processors will be multiprocessors with elaborate cache hierarchies, the overheads of cache coherence will be an important area for efficiency improvements. This paper proposes a novel technique, called Multi-Line Invalidation (MLI) messages, to reduce an important aspect of coherence overhead—the invalidation traffic—by combining multiple traditional (single-line) invalidation messages into a single message. MLI messages can be used alongside any traditional coherence protocols. Two empirical phenomena—the coarse-grain nature of data sharing and the trend towards programs that are free of data races—enhance the utility of MLI messages. This paper illustrates how MLI messages could be constructed and deployed alongside an existing coherence protocol. It then presents an evaluation of their effectiveness in reducing the number of invalidation messages for several benchmark programs. We find that in several cases a significant reduction in the overall address network traffic and energy consumption could be achieved without performance degradation.


The workshop intended to bring together researchers who had been working on the general issue of "structuring online collaboration" with different approaches, be they collaboration techniques, strategies, scripts, content schemes, or any other type of structuring technique. The need for this workshop had emerged from the current intense debate, in the literature, around how it is possible to support students' online collaboration. As a matter of fact, such debate has been focusing on whether, to what extent and under what circumstances structuring the interactions among students enhances the effectiveness of collaborative processes. While some studies support the claim that an excess of freedom in the way collaborative tasks are proposed may fail to engage all team members in productive interactions, others maintain that there is a danger in over-scripting collaborative learning activities, in that too much guidance, due to an excess of structure of the task, may hinder learners creativity, flexibility and ability to self-regulate, therefore jeopardizing the co-construction of knowledge and ultimately causing a loss of effectiveness of the learning process.


The inhibiting action of Tetraclinis Articulata inhibitors was investigated as the corrosion inhibitors of mild steel in 1M HCl solution using potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods, and weight loss measurements. The results revealed that both inhibitors of Tetraclinis Articulata were effective inhibitors, and the inhibition efficiencies obtained from polarization and weight loss experiments were in good agreement. The data obtained indicates that TCE and TCO behave as a mixed-type adsorbing onto the carbon steel surface according to the Langmuir isotherm inhibitors. Thermodynamic parameters such as activation energy and free energy of adsorption were calculated.


Keratins (K) are intermediate filament proteins important in protection from stress. The roles of keratins in the intestine are not clear, but K8 knockout (K8(-/-)) mice develop a Th2-type colonic inflammation, epithelial hyperproliferation, and mild diarrhea caused by a keratin level-dependent decrease in short-circuit current and net sodium and chloride absorption in the distal colon. The lack of K8 leads to mistargeting or altered levels of membrane proteins in colonocytes; however, the main transporter responsible for the keratin-related ion transport defect is unknown. We here analyzed protein and mRNA levels of candidate ion transporters CFTR, PAT-1, NHE-3, and DRA in ileum, cecum, and proximal and distal colon. Although no differences were observed for CFTR, PAT-1, or NHE-3, DRA mRNA levels were decreased by three- to fourfold and DRA protein was almost entirely lost in K8(-/-) cecum and proximal and distal colon compared with K8(+/+), whereas the levels in ileum were normal. In K8(+/-) mice, DRA mRNA levels were unaltered, while decreased DRA protein levels were detected in the proximal colon. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the loss of DRA in K8(-/-) distal colon, while K8(+/-) displayed a similar but more patchy apical DRA distribution compared with K8(+/+) DRA was similarly decreased when K8 was knocked down in Caco-2 cells, confirming that K8 levels modulate DRA levels in an inflammation-independent manner. Taken together, the loss of DRA in the K8(-/-) mouse colon and cecum explains the dramatic chloride transport defect and diarrheal phenotype after K8 inactivation and identifies K8 as a novel regulator of DRA.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether problematic internet use is associated with somatic complaints and whether this association remains when checking for internet activity among a random sample of adolescents living in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

METHODS
Cross-sectional survey of 3,067 8th graders (50.3% females) divided into average (n = 2,708) and problematic (n = 359) Internet users and compared for somatic complaints (backache, overweight, headaches, musculoskeletal pain, sleep problems and sight problems) controlling for sociodemographic and internet-related variables. Logistic regressions were performed for each complaint and for all of them simultaneously controlling variables significant at the bivariate level.

RESULTS
At the multivariate level, when taken separately, problematic internet users were more likely to have a chronic condition (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] with 95% CI: 1.58 [1.11:2.23]) and to report back pain (aOR: 1.46 [1.04:2.05]), overweight (aOR: 1.74 [1.03:2.93]), musculoskeletal pain (aOR: 1.36 [1.00:1.84]) and sleep problems (aOR: 2.16 [1.62:2.88]). When considered in the full model, only sleep problems remained significant (aOR: 2.03 [1.50:2.74]).

CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm that problematic internet users report health problems more frequently, with lack of sleep being the most strongly associated and seeming to act as mediator regarding the other ones. Clinicians should remember to screen for excessive internet use their patients complaining of sleep-related problems, back or musculoskeletal pain or overweight. Clinicians should advise parents to limit the amount of time their adolescent children can spend online for leisure activities. Furthermore, limiting the number of devices used to connect to the internet could help warrant enough sleeping time.


Payments by the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2014 crop year have totaled $5.2 billion so far. Intense criticism has accompanied them, in part because the Congressional Budget Office projected payments of $3.8 billion for the first year of ARC ($2.1 billion) and PLC ($1.7 billion). However, the criticism has not considered potential payments that the 2008 farm bill revenue program would have made for the 2014 crop year. In particular, the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program would have made larger per acre payments than ARC for the 2014 crops of corn, soybeans, and wheat. For 2015, per acre payments are essentially the same for soybeans and wheat while ARC payments are somewhat larger for corn.


BACKGROUND
Motivational processes play an important role in addictive behaviours. Craving is mainly an explicit or conscious process that can motivate individuals to continue alcohol, take drugs or smoke cigarettes. Craving also plays a role in relapse; self-reported craving has often been associated with relapse. However, craving cannot explain all addictive behaviours. In addition to craving, implicit cognitive processes play an important part in motivating individuals to become involved in substance use.

AIM
To describe some of these implicit cognitive processes, namely the role of salience, attention bias, automatic memory associations and action tendencies.

METHOD
A description is given of recent research results and the implications of these implicit processes for clinical practice.

RESULTS
Oversensitive/hypersensitive motivational processes and a lack of control over these processes both play an important role in addiction. This can be expressed by an uncontrollable urge to inject the drug or substance again, in spite of the fact that it is unwise for the person in question to do so. Recent research has shown that there are various very promising methods for dealing with these two problems (oversensitive/hypersensitive motivational processes and a lack of control over these processes), either separately or together. The methods involve behavioural training programmes, medication and neural stimulation.

CONCLUSION
The research results are very promising, but more research is needed.


The aim of the article is to give an overviews of the development of publishing business in the 18th century Tallinn. It presents the most important groups of publishers and characterises their publishing articles. The article also analyses how the main characteristic features of European publishing of the time (subscription, authorship rights, contracts with authors) were adapted in Estonian publishing activities. KEYWORDS: book history, publishing, the 18th century, Tallinn, printer-publishers, booksellers, bookbinders, publishing companies, subscription, censorship.


The global economic crisis is pushing many poor nations, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, into a danger zone and poses a serious threat that many of the United Nations' millennium development goals will not be met by the 2015 target date. The prospects are gravest for goals related to health, warns a report by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, warned that the financial crisis risks becoming "a human and social crisis."

"The prospects of reaching the MDGs [millennium development goals] by 2015, already a cause for serious concern, now look even more distant," the two agency chiefs observed. They emphasised that international efforts "must be …


The failure rate of intrasynovial tendon repair is high due to substantial elongation at the repair site and to the development of adhesions between the tendon's surface and the surrounding digital sheath. To minimize these complications, we sought to reduce the incidence of gapping and to facilitate the initiation of early motion by improving the time zero structural properties of repair. The Winters-Gelberman 8-strand repair technique was modified by adding surface lock loops and by using Fiberwire suture material. Forty-eight canine flexor digitorum profundus tendons were transected and repaired with one of three 8-strand techniques (Pennington modified Kessler, half hitch loops, or surface locking Kessler) using either 3–0 Supramid or 4–0 Fiberwire suture. Biomechanical testing was performed to determine the physiologic and failure mode properties of the repairs. The surface locking Kessler technique improved repair maximum load, load necessary to create a 2 mm repair site gap, and yield force compared to the modified Kessler and half hitch loop techniques. Fiberwire suture improved maximum load, the load necessary to create a 2 mm repair site gap, stiffness, and yield force compared to Supramid suture. Failure occurred by both suture pull out and by suture breakage in the modified Kessler, Supramid suture repair group. Failure occurred consistently by suture breakage in the surface locking Kessler, Supramid suture repair group. These results reveal that a novel locking Kessler repair is significantly stronger than the current state-of-the art flexor tendon suture repair technique. The use of a surface locking Kessler technique with Fiberwire suture markedly improves the mechanical properties of intrasynovial tendon repair by reducing the risk of post-operative gapping and rupture.


Collaboration is vital to promote international understanding, raise cultural awareness and competency, and cultivate an environment of vibrant inclusion. A successful example of this intercultural collaboration is One World, One Purdue (OWOP), a series of events organized every November to support International Education Week (IEW). OWOP was conceptualized by the International Student Peer Coaching (ISPC) Program and the Global Engineering Programs and Partnerships (GEPP) of the College of Engineering in 2017, and expanded in 2019 with the participation of Cultural Catalysts, Purdue Fulbright Association (PFA), and the Environmental and Ecological Engineering Graduate Student Organization. Planning for OWOP 2019 began with the realization that many organizations, especially cultural organizations, work independently in silos creating, at times, repetitive or conflicting events. We made this observation by documenting all the cultural events at Purdue every week for posting in the Cultural Catalysts (now OWOP) Facebook page and attending most of them. OWOP's first role was to bring all these organizations into one common classroom and enable them to believe in a common goal of cultural celebration. While OWOP is a vision shared by organizations whose missions are to celebrate culture, OWOP 2019 was a year-long effort to achieve that vision. Many initiatives were made possible through the team's personal networks, resources, and collaboration. As a testament to its success, OWOP 2019 was named Co-Sponsorship/Collaboration of the Year, awarded to a collective effort for the betterment of campus, students and Purdue University by Purdue Student Life and the Student Activities and Organizations Office. One of the key reasons for the success of OWOP 2019 is its collaborative efforts. The OWOP 2019 organizing committee quickly realized that to provide undergrads with maximum cultural exposure during a short time, OWOP would need the help of cultural organizations and programs on campus. The OWOP organizing committee worked with over 50 student groups and programs on campus to help organize their own event during the OWOP timeline. OWOP 2019's calendar featured close to 100 events throughout the weeks of November. Organizations reported that through collaboration with OWOP's marketing team, events saw a diversification of the demographics of their audience. With limited funding, OWOP was able to bring in a large attendance throughout the events. At the same time, OWOP 2019 relied heavily on the core organizers and partners to spread the word and organize events. While this meant an over-stress especially on the core group, the enthusiasm of the group to push forward its objectives of increasing cultural competency and inclusion among students made the pilot university-wide celebration perform beyond what was expected. If we are to institutionalize OWOP, we must ensure that it is properly funded every year. We also noticed that most of the attendees of these cultural events are international students and the goal for the next OWOP is to increase the attendance of domestic students through stronger promotions and more collaborations.


A biocidal product is a substance or mixture prepared to limit, destroy, neutralize or control the effects of a harmful microorganism, plants and animals. The active substance in a biocidal product can be a natural oil or extract, a chemical substance or a microorganism, virus or fungus. Biocides consist of four main groups: disinfectants, preservatives (wood, paint, etc.), pest control and other type of biocidal products. A biocidal substance can also be added to a product to make the product itself into a biocidal product. These products range from disinfectants, hand sanitizers, preservatives, insect repellents, to rodenticides and insecticides and are used to protect humans, animals, materials and articles by controlling the intended target organism by a chemical or biological action. To make sure the use of biocidal products do not have unacceptable risks for people, animals and the environment, they are regulated to control their marketing, sale and use. In the current study biocidal products have been overviewed in the scope of current European Union regulations, product types and conformity tests.
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Affiliation: Kampala International University , Uganda
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For estimating the fatigue properties of orthotropic deck bridges, a finite element analysis method was provided. In the method, the models of orthotropic decks steel bridge were established by using Midas and Ansys finite element software respectively, the Midas software has tracked two kinds of live load positions that corresponding to maximum and minimum stress of the fatigue checking points, and the most unfavorable loads were loaded to the Ansys model, then the stress ranges of fatigue checking points were obtained and the fatigue properties of the bridge were estimated. The results show that, it is feasible that using the new finite element method to checking the fatigue performance of orthotropic deck steel bridge.


This paper derives high-SNR asymptotic average error rates over fading channels by relating them to the outage probability, under mild assumptions. The analysis is based on the Tauberian theorem for Laplace-Stieltjes transforms which is grounded on the notion of regular variation, and applies to a wider range of channel distributions than existing approaches. The theory of regular variation is argued to be the proper mathematical framework for finding sufficient and necessary conditions for outage events to dominate high-SNR error rate performance. It is proved that the diversity order being d and the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the channel power gain having variation exponent d at 0 imply each other, provided that the instantaneous error rate is upper-bounded by an exponential function of the instantaneous SNR. High-SNR asymptotic average error rates are derived for specific instantaneous error rates. Compared to existing approaches in the literature, the asymptotic expressions are related to the channel distribution in a much simpler manner herein, and related with outage more intuitively. The high-SNR asymptotic error rate is also characterized under diversity combining schemes with the channel power gain of each branch having a regularly varying CDF. Numerical results are shown to corroborate our theoretical analysis.


Despite a fairly homogeneous way of functioning, our modernity is marked by different conceptual identities: some consider it as an epoch of simulation, others insist on the expediency of terminological equivalents such as risk society, butterfly and black swan effect, and some argue that a short period, criterion uncertainty and functional turbulence. Such a priori problems are dangerously supplemented by a decrease in the level of scientific thinking and the culture of managerial decision-making, as a result of which the horizon of seeing problem challenges and effective answers to them narrows. Even ambitious international institutions, projects and initiatives are increasingly playing the role of selfish interests of individuals and lobby groups through political marketing, populist, demagogic and manipulative tools. After all, the most threatening problem is the inability to determine the hierarchy of problems, dangers and challenges, resulting in the inability to build a symmetrical hierarchy of means to overcome existing problems. Such intellectual and managerial shortcomings are mostly tried to be eliminated by increasing the level of formalization, substituting quality criteria with purely quantitative criteria and giving priority to secondary factors. The consequence of such an incorrect perception of reality and paying hypertrophied attention to marginal tendencies is the exacerbation of real and priority problems, which more and more often become chronic, questioning the full functioning not only of science and education in Ukraine but also society and the state as a whole. In such circumstances, the prospects for cultivating competence and responsibility at all levels of management decision-making, and above all, mainly at the highest political level, become crucial.


The actual scenario regarding antibiotic resistance is extremely worrying and the scientific community invest time and efforts in the search for solutions. Essential oils (EOs) are products of the secondary metabolism of aromatic plants and are complex mixtures of several compounds. EOs show a wide variety of biological activities, that may suggest interesting applications in the reproduction field, as cryo-preservatives or substitutes for antibiotics, but studies regarding their effects on spermatozoa are lacking.
The present research aimed at evaluating the opportunity to use essential oils in refrigerated swine seminal doses as a potential alternative to antibiotics. The preliminary step was about the study of swine seminal parameters in farm setting using advanced statistical methods, to better predict in vivo fertility on the basis of semen morpho-functional evaluations. In the first step some specific EOs were selected and the cytotoxic effects on swine spermatozoa were evaluated to identify non-spermicidal concentrations. The lower concentrations of Rosmarinus officinalis and Melaleuca alternifolia EOs not impacted the semen morpho-functinal parameters. The last step was the evaluation of antibacterial effects of the previously tested concentrations on the liquid phase of swine refrigerated seminal doses. In order to obtain standardized results, an in vitro model with the addition of E. coli was set up. Analyses, performed at 24 and 120 hours, included optical density evaluation, bacterial DNA quantification by qPCR, and colony count. The results demonstrated that both EOs, at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml, are capable of delivering similar effects to ampicillin. At the lower concentration, M. alternifolia EO seemed more effective when compared to R. officinalis. In conclusion, this project showed the potential of some EOs in the field of swine artificial insemination, but also highlighted how it is necessary, before claiming natural compounds as future "miracle-workers", to investigate their safety and mechanisms of action.


Indigenous bacteria in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract comprise a rich ecosystem of organisms and secreted factors with direct effects on intestinal immunity. Commensal constituents of the gastrointestinal microbiota include the lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus species. The genus Lactobacillus includes a restricted set of intestine-indigenous species from a pool of more than 100 Lactobacillus species. Scientific challenges include the abilities to define commensal species and specific bacterial clones with specific immunomodulatory activities. Our studies have resulted in the identification of Lactobacillus strains from mice and humans with potent anti-inflammatory effects. Commensal-derived Lactobacillus strains were isolated from healthy mice lacking evidence of intestinal inflammation and identified as candidate probiotics due to immunomodulatory activities. Less than 10% of commensal strains isolated from humans and mice had potent tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-inhibitory activity. These strains down-regulated the production of TNF-α by macrophage cell lines and successfully suppressed inflammation in mouse colitis models. Human-derived Lactobacillus reuteri strains have been identified with potent human TNF-α-inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated human myeloid cell lines and primary monocyte-derived macrophages from children with Crohn's disease. Human commensal-derived probiotics suppressed the transcription of human TNF-α by inhibition of MAP kinase signaling via AP-1. Alternatively, commensal-derived human L. reuteri strains suppressed nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling in TNF-α-stimulated human myeloid cells. Suppression of NF-κB signaling in TNF-α-activated immune cells promotes apoptosis of activated immune cells and provides a novel mechanism for anti-inflammatory action in the mammalian intestine. In summary, commensal-derived probiotics provide opportunities for understanding mechanisms of microbial–host interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. By understanding mechanisms of probiosis, novel therapeutic strategies may be developed for prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and other intestinal disorders.


Prosociality is fundamental to human social life, and, accordingly, much research has attempted to explain human prosocial behavior. Capraro and Rand (Judgment and Decision Making, 13, 99-111, 2018) recently provided experimental evidence that prosociality in anonymous, one-shot interactions (such as Prisoner's Dilemma and Dictator Game experiments) is not driven by outcome-based social preferences – as classically assumed – but by a generalized morality preference for "doing the right thing". Here we argue that the key experiments reported in Capraro and Rand (2018) comprise prominent methodological confounds and open questions that bear on influential psychological theory. Specifically, their design confounds: (i) preferences for efficiency with self-interest; and (ii) preferences for action with preferences for morality. Furthermore, their design fails to dissociate the preference to do "good" from the preference to avoid doing "bad". We thus designed and conducted a preregistered, refined and extended test of the morality preference hypothesis (N=801). Consistent with this hypothesis, our findings indicate that prosociality in the anonymous, one-shot Dictator Game is driven by preferences for doing the morally right thing. Inconsistent with influential psychological theory, however, our results suggest the preference to do "good" was as potent as the preference to avoid doing "bad" in this case.


— With the growing need for user-friendly design of mobile software, user experience has attracted more attention from researchers and practitioners. In particular, it is vital to improve the user acceptance of mobile recommendation systems that are new technologies that provide convenience for mobile device users. Based on recent studies, this paper provides a conceptual framework including important factors that affect the user experience of mobile recommendation. These factors range from basic factors in terms of classification to other effective factors including personalization, privacy and social norms.


We present BOCoSy, a tool for Bounded symbolic Output-feedback Controller Synthesis. Given a specification, BOCoSy synthesizes symbolic output-feedback controllers which interact with a given plant via a pre-defined finite symbolic interface. BOCoSy solves this problem by a new lazy abstraction-refinement technique which starts with a very coarse abstraction of the external trace semantics of the given plant and iteratively removes non-admissible behavior from this abstract model until a controller is found. BOCoSy steers the search for controllers towards small and concise state space representations by utilizing ideas from bounded synthesis. As a result, BOCoSy returns small and explainable controllers that are still powerful enough to solve the given synthesis problem. We show that BOCoSy is able to synthesize small, human readable symbolic controllers quickly on a set of benchmarks.


By 2045, Sweden is to have zero net emissions of greenhouse gases. To reach this goal, stakeholders involved in planning and construction of Swedish transport infrastructure aim to half their climate impact by 2030. Planning for emission reduction measures require network level studies showing environmental impacts of the infrastructure network. Previous studies do not allow assessment of current hotspots in the infrastructure network, which limits their relevance for decision-support in this question. The aim of this paper is to assess the current annual climate impact and primary energy use of Swedish transport infrastructure by using a methodological approach based on life cycle assessment. The scope includes new construction and management (operation, maintenance, and reinvestment) of existing roads, railways, airports, ports, and fairway channels. The annual climate impact was estimated to 2.8 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents and the annual primary energy use was estimated to 27 terawatt hours. Mainly road and rail infrastructure contributed to these impacts. Environmental hotspots of the infrastructure network were management of the infrastructure stock (particularly reinvestment of road and rail infrastructure) and material production (particularly production of asphalt, steel, and concrete). If climate targets are to be met, these areas are particularly important to address. Additional research on impacts of small construction measures, the size of biogenic carbon emissions (in standing biomass as well as soil carbon), and the use and impacts of asphalt for road construction and management would further increase the understanding of impacts related to Swedish transport infrastructure at the network level.
(Note: an Erratum has been published to this paper in volume 20(2))


The Plackett-Luce (PL) model is popular in learning-to-rank (LTR) because it provides a useful and intuitive probabilistic model for sampling ranked lists. Counterfactual offline evaluation and optimization of ranking metrics are pivotal for using LTR methods in production. When adopting the PL model as a ranking policy, both tasks require the computation of expectations with respect to the model. These are usually approximated via Monte-Carlo (MC) sampling, since the combinatorial scaling in the number of items to be ranked makes their analytical computation intractable. Despite recent advances in improving the computational efficiency of the sampling process via the Gumbel top-k trick [23], the MC estimates can suffer from high variance. We develop a novel approach to producing more sample-efficient estimators of expectations in the PL model by combining the Gumbel top-k trick with quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) sampling, a well-established technique for variance reduction. We illustrate our findings both theoretically and empirically using real-world recommendation data from Amazon Music and the Yahoo learning-to-rank challenge.


A solar air drying system including solar air collector, drying cabinet and air blower for notoginseng drying has been constructed and tested. Two identical air solar collectors with two air channels, V-groove absorption heat plates and a single glass cover have been employed. The results of test show that the solar air collectors can obtain a good thermal performance in winter season. When the air flow mass rate is fixed at 0.0597kg·s-1, the maximum values of thermal efficiency and outlet air temperature are 76.0% and 62.2°C, respectively. The experimental analysis between two sampling notoginseng drying suggests that the solar drying is very effective, and the drying time has been shorten to about 440 minutes from 990 minutes of the traditional drying by sun. It is also observed that using the solar drying system notoginseng has a higher quality than traditional drying method.


The article discusses the relationship between gender equality politics and the advancement of neo-liberalism in Sweden from the 1980s–90s. As theoretical starting point serves a discussion by Nancy Fraser, concerning the relationship between feminism and neo-liberalism, and her fears that capitalism has co-opted the feminist agenda, in fact putting feminism in the service of market-liberalism. From many perspectives, it is evident that Swedish society, like so many in the Western world, has been subjected to the forces of market logic, imbuing the politics from conservatism to social-democracy alike. To what extent has this development affected feminism on the one hand, and gender equality politics on the other? Do we detect a new kind of liberal feminism? A neo-liberal feminism? The article makes use of empirical evidence concerning the current politics on behalf of the Liberal-Conservative Swedish Government to promote female entrepreneurship. Three political areas with relevance for both gender equality and the issue of female entrepreneurship are investigated: the future of the public welfare sector, the issue of tax-deduction for household services, and, finally, gender quotas and women on company boards. While promoting a politics where the market is increasingly substituted for the public welfare-sector, and offered as a solution in most political areas, the Liberal-Conservatives of today have nevertheless embraced a feminist rhetoric. Acknowledging the forces of 'the gender powerorder' and structural inequality is now a standard feature within liberal gender equality politics. This political merger between feminism and neo-liberal politics may be interpreted as just paying lip-service; as a way of reconciling a long tradition of consensus surrounding gender equality with the overall neo-liberal aim of transforming the entire society along market principles. But, we may also see a neo-liberal feminism in its own right, intent on expanding the field of gender equality to enterprise, ownership and economic power.


Monolithic file servers are limited by the power of an individual system. Cluster file servers are limited by resource sharing and recovery issues as the number of cluster nodes increases. DiFFS is a file service architecture that allows system resources to be added (or removed) dynamically, e.g., storage and processors. Resources are partitioned in such a way that contention is avoided, while maintaining a single namespace. Resources may be heterogeneous, and geographically dispersed. This architecture has several advantages. A file's physical location is decoupled from its location in the namespace. This decoupling enables a powerful and flexible mechanism for the placement of file system objects. For example, different types of files, e.g., text or video, may reside anywhere in the namespace while being hosted by servers best suited to handling their content type. DiFFS also provides lightweight protocols for online dynamic reconfiguration (volume reassignment and object migration) to address fluctuating demand and potentially mobile file system entities. A DiFFS prototype has been implemented in Linux. Performance results indicate that the architecture achieves its flexibility and scalability goals without sacrificing performance.


Physiological and biochemical variables in captive tigers (Panthera tigris) immobilised with dexmedetomidine and ketamine or dexmedetomidine, midazolam and ketamine were evaluated. Thirty tigers received either dexmedetomidine (0.025 mg/kg) and ketamine (3 mg/kg) (group DK) or dexmedetomidine (0.0125 mg/kg), midazolam (0.1 mg/kg) and ketamine (3 mg/kg) (group DMK). Heart rate, SPO2 and blood pressure were measured at five-minute intervals. Arterial pH, PO2, PCO2, glucose, K+ and arterial and venous lactate were measured at 15 and 45 minutes after immobilisation. A generalised linear mixed model was used for statistical comparison. There was no difference within or between groups at any time point for any measured variable. Measured PO2 was 73.2±17.5 mm Hg and SPO2 was 88.9±10.8 per cent. Systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressures were 170.5±48.4, 138.9±41.8 and 121.8±37.2 mm Hg, respectively. Venous lactate was higher than arterial lactate within groups at each time point. Seizure-like behaviour was observed in 25 per cent of tigers in group DK but not in group DMK. The addition of midazolam into a protocol for immobilisation of tigers did not result in a difference in any of the measured variables but may have prevented the development of seizure-like behaviour.


The use of machine learning in embedded systems is an interesting topic, especially with the growth in popularity of the Internet of Things (IoT). The capacity of a system, such as a robot, to self-localize, is a fundamental skill for its navigation and decision-making processes. This work focuses on the feasibility of using machine learning in a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, solving the localization problem using images and fiducial markers (ArUco markers) in the context of the RobotAtFactory 4.0 competition. The approaches were validated using a realistically simulated scenario. Three algorithms were tested, and all were shown to be a good solution for a limited amount of data. Results also show that when the amount of data grows, only Multi-Layer Perception (MLP) is feasible for the embedded application due to the required training time and the resulting size of the model.


The study was conducted with the aim of assessing the distribution and abundance of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) in two administrative Zones (1 and 3) of the Afar region. Data were collected using systematic sampling technique and regular intervals of 10 km were used during the field survey. The following weeds Calotropis procera, Cryptostegia grandiflora, Jatropha curcas, Lantana camara, Opuntia stricta, Parkinsonia aculeata, Parthenium hysterophorus, Prosopis juliflora, Senna occidentalis, and Solanum incanum were recorded in this study. Prosopis was found in 38% of the 91 sample waypoints in the altitude range of 347-1005 meters above sea level whereas C. procera was recorded in 28% of the interceptions between 347 m and 1010 meters above sea level. P. hysterophorus occurred in 15 % of the waypoints in the altitudes ranged from 603 to 1005 meters above sea level. C. grandiflora and P. aculeata were observed respectively in 3% and 6% of the interceptions while L. camara and O. stricta were recorded only at a single waypoint. Higher abundance levels were observed for P. juliflora and C. procera. The majority of the IAPS were found infesting diversified habitats such as road sides, cropland, grazing land, riversides, forest and habitation areas. Awash Fentale district had the highest IAPS richness by possessing all the recorded species. The detailed distribution maps of the identified IAPS were developed and prioritization and ranking of invasive species was made based on abundance levels. The results of this study can be used in invasive weed management or extension programs that aim to tackle major IAPS problems in the region.


: According to the lay mind the psyche is somehow responsible for the cancer growth, at least to name one reason for the verdict of guilty. Scientifically this issue has no evidence, as well as there is no evidence that the psyche has an influence on neither survival time nor healing rates. Merely undisputed is the effect of the psychosocial stress of a life-threatening medical illness onto the quality of life of the patients and family members. This kind of stress is called "distress"in the American-speaking countries. The translation into German terms is still poorly defined and mainly concentrated to the psychiatric disorders (ICD-10) like depressions and anxiety disorders. Psycho-oncological research is currently interested besides others issues in the question of a suitable screening-method to identify patients in regard to their distress level, who would profit by a specific psycho-oncological intervention.


This paper presents the next stage of an investigation into the potential of historical theatre sound effects as a resource for Sonic Interaction Design (SID). An acoustic theatre wind machine was constructed, and a digital physical modellingbased version of this specific machine was programmed using the Sound Designer's Toolkit (SDT) in Max/MSP. The acoustic wind machine was fitted with 3D printed gearing to mechanically drive an optical encoder and control the digital synthesis engine in real time. The design of this system was informed by an initial comparison between the acoustic wind machine and the first iteration of its digital counterpart [8]. To explore the main acoustic parameters and the sonic range of the acoustic and digital wind machines in operation, three simple and distinct rotational gestures were performed, with the resulting sounds recorded simultaneously, facilitating an analysis of the real-time performance of both sources. The results are reported, with an outline of future work.


Objectives: Fetal stroke is defined as fetal intracranial hemorrhage that occurs between 14 weeks of gestation and the onset of labor. It has been associated with postnatal epilepsy, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy and may be caused by antenatal ischemic, thrombotic, or hemorrhagic injury. Maternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and trauma are common predisposing conditions, but there are many unknown risk factors. MRI can depict intracranial hemorrhage, infarct, porencephaly, cystic encephalomalacia, and ischemia. Methods: This was a retrospective, chart review of cases performed between January 1, 2000 through February 2008. A comparison of CNS findings on prenatal ultrasound and fetal MRI was performed to assess potential differences in the two imaging modalities Results: Review of fetal MRI's revealed 23 cases of diagnosed CNS hemorrhage, ischemia, and infarcts. MRI can delineate the features and extent of the cerebral injury and can define acute and chronic ischemic changes. This is extremely important for predicting prognosis and decision making. Prior studies have shown that major destructive lesions, diffuse excessive high signal intensity within the white matter, cerebellar hemorrhage, and ventricular dilatation after intraventricular hemorrhage are associated with adverse outcomes, but punctate white matter lesions, hemorrhage, or ventricular dilatation without intraventricular hemorrhage are not necessarily correlated with unfavorable results. Conclusions: We present the spectrum of CNS injury diagnosed at our institution. Accurate diagnosis of CNS injury was valuable in prenatal counseling and decision making. It is hoped that additional studies will be performed with long term outcomes assessment to assist in prognostication of fetuses diagnosed with CNS ischemia/infarct.


Meeting the education needs of children is increasingly recognized as a necessary part of humanitarian response in emergencies. Experiences of war, dislocation, and trauma are known to affect children's psychosocial wellbeing. Less is known about how mental health and psychosocial wellbeing affect children's learning in emergencies. In this article, we examine this effect among children experiencing the crisis in Syria. The data we use are from children (N=7,191) who received educational support in northwest Syria from November 2018 to May 2019. We used the literacy levels reported by teachers to measure student learning, and the Washington Group Questions to measure cognitive or psychosocial difficulties. The average length of time between moving up a literacy level was 64 days. We fit mixed ordinal models to assess the associations between having one, every, or multiple cognitive and psychosocial difficulties. Having a single cognitive or psychosocial difficulty was associated with poorer learning progress. Children with two or more cognitive or psychosocial difficulties were less likely to progress as far as those without any such difficulties. The findings suggest that psychosocial and cognitive support for children in emergencies is needed, not just for their wellbeing but to enable them to learn effectively.


Abstract:  Although lacking an NADPH→NAD+ transhydrogenase system, the essentially energetically anaerobic mitochondria of the adult intestinal nematode Ascaris suum display an inner membrane-associated NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenation reaction. This reaction is considered to be reflective of a mechanism(s) that acts in catalyzing a transmembrane translocation of reducing equivalents from NADH in the intermembrane space to matrix NAD+, thereby forming matrix NADH that would serve in electron transport. Ascarid mitochondrial lipoamide dehydrogenase rather than an NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenase system has been viewed as the predominant source of inner membrane-associated NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenation activity. However, the present study made apparent yet another source of mitochondrial, inner membrane–associated NADH→NAD+ activity in A. suum, viz., NADH dehydrogenase. This was made evident via comparisons of the A. suum mitochondrial NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenation, NADH dehydrogenase, and lipoamide dehydrogenase activities in terms of pH effects, thermal labilities, the involvement of NADH dehydrogenase in the activities of mitochondrial, membrane-associated rotenone-insensitive and rotenone-sensitive NADH-dependent cytochrome c reductases, and mitochondrial membrane versus mitochondrial soluble localizations. Studies of the responses of the NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenation, rotenone-insensitive and rotenone-sensitive cytochrome c reductases, and lipoamide dehydrogenase activities to inhibition by copper and cadmium lent additional support to the catalysis of an NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenation activity by NADH dehydrogenase. Collectively, the data presented are consistent with an additional physiological catalysis of an NADH→NAD+ transhydrogenation in A. suum mitochondria by an inner membrane NADH dehydrogenase component of the rotenone-sensitive cytochrome c reductase system, i.e., the NADH dehydrogenase component of the electron transport system. Comparisons of the A. suum data with those from other essentially anaerobic helminth parasites as well as free-living eukaryotic mitochondrial systems are noted.


For sustainable electric energy supply, the on-site production with photovoltaic systems can be a possibility. For this purpose, it is important to evaluate the potential based on the location, the technical solutions, and also the economic aspects. The present research analyses all those factors for a case study based on a commercial building in Vienna, Austria. In a first step, the energy consumption of the facility was analyzed in detail. Based on the outcome, different cases for optimization and retrofitting were developed. Different scenarios for the installation of PV-systems were evaluated via simulation, covering different fractions of the electricity need and considering the usage of local electricity storage (battery). The results show that using PV systems for covering the base load is more economically convenient and, when also retrofitting of lighting system is considered, interventions to the most inefficient parts are preferred to those to the whole system. Moreover, it was demonstrated that, due to current Austrian practice regarding pricing of PV-generated electricity, overproduction does not pay off, even though it has the potential to reduce the CO2 emission of buildings.


The aim of the study was to isolate intergeneric or interspecific lactic acid
bacteria (LAB) producing the pediocin PA-1 like bacteriocin from different sources.
The isolates obtained from vegetable sources displayed strong anti-listerial activity
and were considered for further characterization. The pediocin specific gene PCR and
dot-blot hybridization helped in the rapid detection of the pediocin PA-1 like
bacteriocin. Further, the culture filtrate (CF) of the selected isolates was found to have
class IIa bacteriocin properties, which include, stability at wide temperatures and pH,
proteinaceous in nature and the anti-microbial peptide was found to be 4.6 KDa. The
physiological, biochemical and molecular typing techniques like RAPD and RFLP,
followed by 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed the taxonomical status of the LAB
producing the putative pediocin PA-1 like bacteriocin. The isolates were identified as
Streptococcus equinus Ac1 NCIM 5418, Pediococcus acidilactici NCIM 5419, Ped.
pentosaceus NCIM 5420, Lactobacillus plantarum Acr2 and, three isolates of
Enterococcus faecium NCIM 5421, NCIM 5422 and NCIM 5423, respectively. The
bacteriocin production at different temperatures, pH and salt concentrations was
studied to investigate the optimal condition for application of these isolates as a starter
culture or as a biopreservative in either acidic or non-acidic foods.
The isolates Pediococcus acidilactici NCIM 5419 and NCIM 5424, Ped.
pentosaceus NCIM 5420, Enterococcus faecium NCIM 5423 and Lactobacillus
plantarum Acr2 were selected to determine the genetic determinants of the
bacteriocin encoded. The use of class IIa bacteriocin specific primers, plasmid curing,
immunity assay and Southern hybridization with pedB as probe, revealed that all the
isolates produced plasmid encoded pediocin PA-1 like bacteriocin. It was observed by
PCR analysis that the selected isolates had a conserved operon arranged in pedABCD
order. The amplification of the flanking regions was performed by inverse PCR and
obtained a variation in the amplicon sizes ranging from 6 to 12 Kb. A variation in the
amplicon size was observed in the downstream region in Lactobacillus plantarum
Acr2, indicating a deletion or recombination event. The PCR assays, Southern
hybridization, sequencing of amplified products, phylogenetic tree revealed the
presence of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) like repB, ISLpl1, relaxases (mobA) and
integrases (tyrosine recombinase) in the flanking regions of the operon. Hence, such
MGEs are found to be responsible for the transfer of pediocin operon among LAB.The in situ production of the pediocin PA-1 like bacteriocin and the
fermentation ability by Pediococcus acidilactici NCIM 5424, Enterococcus faecium
NCIM 5423 and Lactobacillus plantarum Acr2 in soymilk was investigated. The
isolates Enterococcus faecium NCIM 5423 and Lactobacillus plantarum Acr2 showed
ability of fermentation within 4 and 6 h respectively, and production of bacteriocin
around 25600 AU/ml, unlike NCIM 5424. No significant difference was observed
(P>0.05) in the viable count during storage at 4 oC for 15 days, when co-cultivated
with Listeria monocytogenes ScottA. The pH, titratable acidity, pediocin activity,
anti-oxidant property and sensory attributes for Enterococcus faecium NCIM 5423
were studied. An acceptable score for sensory features was achieved for the soymilk
fermented by Ent. faecium NCIM 5423.
The transfer of plasmid encoded pediocin PA-1 like bacteriocin from
Pediococcus acidilactici NCIM 5424, Enterococcus faecium NCIM 5423 and
Lactobacillus plantarum Acr2 to Ent. faecalis JH2-2 was determined. In the present
study, the conjugal transfer under in vitro (filter mating method) and in situ (soymilk
model) conditions were used. The in situ method gave more transfer frequency,
ranging from 10-7 to 10-4 transconjugants per recipient cell. The isolate Enterococcus
faecium NCIM 5423 was able to transfer the bacteriocin only under in situ conditions,
whereas the isolate Enterococcus faecium 5423 transferred the bacteriocin under both
the methods. No transconjugants were obtained between the mating pair Lact.
plantarum Acr2 to Ent. faecalis JH2-2. Several molecular techniques were used to
characterize the obtained transconjugants. The physiological conditions like pH and
temperature were found to influence the production of bacteriocin in the
transconjugants. The results of these experiments suggest the horizontal gene transfer
and the natural spread of pediocin PA-1 like bacteriocin among LAB present in their
close vicinity by means of conjugation. The dissemination of pediocin PA-1 like
bacteriocin under in situ conditions is noteworthy, and such bacteriocin producers can
be useful in the fermentation of dairy products and gives a scope for the development
of starter cultures, and as a bio-preservative and bio-protective culture in the
fermentation of dairy and meat products.


A set of rules to integrate Object Constraint Language (OCL) and the RALSE Specification Language (RSL) are shown and discussed. The rules presented here cover the translation of OCL expressions to semantically equivalent RSL expressions. The proposed rules here complete our previous work where we showed how to derive an initial formal specification in RSL from a UML class diagram, illustrated the use of RSL and OCL integration via an example, and proposed a complementary subset of rules for the translation of types and operations. We also present here a brief explanation of previous work on which the transformation rules are based.


The purpose of this work was to investigate whether the phenomenon of metabolic adaptation of HT-29 cells to glucose deprivation and subsequent emergence of differentiated subpopulations (A. Zweibaum et al., J. Cell. Physiol., 122: 21-29, 1985) also applies to anticancer drugs that act at a metabolic level like methotrexate (MTX). Stepwise adaptation of exponentially growing HT-29 cells to increasing concentrations of MTX (10(-7), 10(-6), and 10(-5) mol) results, after a phase of high mortality, in the emergence of subpopulations with stable growth rates and curves close to those of untreated control cells. In contrast to control cells which are heterogenous and contain, after confluency, only a small proportion of differentiated cell types (less than 4%), postconfluent cultures of MTX-adapted cells are totally differentiated. Cells adapted to 10(-7) M MTX form a mixed population of columnar absorptive and mucus cells; at higher concentrations cells are almost exclusively of the mucus-secreting type. All cells, whether mucus-secreting or not, develop an apical brush border which strongly expresses dipeptidylpeptidase IV, carcinoembryonic antigen, and villin. These differentiation features, which resemble those of fetal colon, are associated with decreased rates of glucose consumption and lactic acid production. Both differentiation characteristics and metabolic changes are stably maintained when the cells are subcultured in the absence of the drug. Like the original population, MTX-adapted cells are tumorigenic in nude mice. We propose that cells which are able to differentiate and which are the origin of the small proportion of differentiated cell types found in postconfluent cultures of the original cell line possess an advantage which allows them to be adaptable to "metabolic stress" conditions.


It is reported about the state of implementation of the new compensation system for inpatient care. Problems arise especially in determining flat «prices» for case and treatment categories (similiar to diagnosis related groups). With regard to the obligatory introduction of the new system in 1996, hospitals have to make far-reaching internal changes, especially in accountancy and documentation. Obligations of hospitals to data transmission to the sickness funds and resulting administrative expenditure has to be confined to what is ultimately necessary


This study was conducted for diagnosis and description of the pathological changes of AIV-H5 as the causative pathogen in Iraqi broiler farms. The current study was carried out on 84 broiler farms. Infected birds were tested for detection of the AIV infection from the tracheal swabs by rapid chromatographic AIV type A and H5 test kits. In RRT-PCR 8 samples (8 farms) of Trachea were selected to be tested by this assay. Samples of trachea, lung, and spleen from the dead birds with natural AIV-H5 infection were submitted for histopathological examination. seventy-two out of 84 farms tested for AIV-Type A gave positive results, and 58 out of 72 positives for type A-AIV gave a positive result for H5 antigen in a rapid chromatographic strip. The main gross lesions in the trachea of infected birds were severe congestion and hemorrhage. In the RRT-PCR assay, 8 out of 8 samples gave a distinct positive result for this test. The microscopic histopathological examination of infected tracheas showed obvious desquamation of lining epithelium with complete loss of cilia associated with congestion of blood vessels in lamina properia. Infected lungs revealed diffuse alveolar damage and severe multifocal vascular congestion. There was deposition of fibrinous material in the splenic tissue associated with the disappearance of the germinal centers. Thus, we concluded that AIV-H5 infection causes severe pathological and histopathological changes as a result of systemic infection. The RRT-PCR assay was highly sensitive and specific for the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtypes.


This article examines the relationship between networked infrastructure and uneven development in transitional cities through a study of premium water networks in China. Beginning in the mid-1990s, select buildings and housing enclaves began to bypass municipal tap water supply systems through the construction of small-scale secondary pipe networks for purified drinking water. I focus on the early development of these premium water networks to highlight the ideological interplay between a new more market-based approach to networked supply and the existing model characterized by relatively universal and uniform access within cities. I illustrate how this dual water supply model was well suited to the ideological conditions and contradictions associated with China's economic liberalization in the 1990s. While the emergence of premium water networks can be linked to ascendant forms of market reasoning in the environmental and social spheres, I also argue that they were enabled by unresolved ideological tensions associated with China's transitional program. Rather than providing a basis for resistance in the early development of premium water supply, the socialist legacy in urban water supply left its mark more in the noticeable absence of debate regarding the distributional outcomes. By examining premium water networks in relation to the politics of ideology in China's transitional period, my analysis highlights the complex and sometimes unexpected ways that ideologies can influence the development of new infrastructural spaces and processes of splintering urbanism.


The discussion of the subject matter is introduced by a definition of the phenomenon bullying. A vivid case description additionally illustrates the results. The severity of the problem is pointed out by taking empirical findings into account. International research has yielded risk and protection factors of bullying in schools which are subsequently presented as crucial for its successful prevention. The following presentation of the German version of MindMatters is underpinned by these theoretical corner stones. This resource aims to prevent bullying by its integration into mental health promotion and the development of quality in schools.


Cancer stem–like cells (CSC) are a small population of cancer cells with superior tumor initiating, self-renewal, and differentiation properties. In this study, we show that the cancer-testis antigen and HSP40 family member DNAJB8 contributes to the CSC phenotype in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). DNAJB8 overexpression increased the percentage of side population (SP) cells representing CSCs in RCC cells, enhancing their tumor-initiating ability. Conversely, attenuation of DNAJB8 decreased SP cells and reduced tumor-initiating ability. The utility of DNAJB8 as an immunologic target was established in DNA vaccination experiments. Compared with immunization with the tumor-associated antigen survivin, which was expressed in both CSCs and non-CSCs in RCC, immunization with Dnajb8 expression plasmids yielded stronger antitumor effects. Together, our findings suggest that DNAJB8 plays a role in CSC maintenance and that it offers a candidate for CSC-targeting immunotherapy in RCC. Cancer Res; 72(11); 2844–54. 2012 AACR.


Diabetes type I (DTI) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a progressive destruction of the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas that requires insulin substitution therapy. Recent epidemiological data show an annual increase of the incidence of DTI of 3.9%. Children with new onset diabetes typically present with polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss. As of today no cure for DTI exists. However new therapeutic immunomodulary approaches are under investigation. In the meantime adherence to insulin therapy is mandatory to achieve near physiological glucose levels. Monogenic forms of diabetes remain rare in children, but their diagnosis is important in order to propose a specific treatment. A critical period for the diabetic patient is the transition from pediatric to adult care.


This multidisciplinary study adopts econometric analysis for investigating how different characteristics determine the choice of the language used in the signs of a shopping street. We work with a dataset containing about 200 observations collected in the main shopping streets of the cities of Donostia (Spain) and Ljouwert (The Netherlands). The results corroborate the important assumption that multilingualism and the choice of the language (even in a street sign) is an individual and a social preference. Therefore, understanding individuals' linguistic preference structures is preliminary to the target and design of proper linguistic and social policies.


In spite of its vast oil endowments, Nigeria continues to experience sporadic domestic oil supply shortages. These oil shortages manifest in regular queues at fuel stations that are often empty and in thriving parallel markets that sprout all over the country. The shortages have resulted in huge economic and non-economic costs to the economy. This study investigates the causes of the shortages and provides quantitative estimates of the economic costs to the Nigerian economy using a survey and a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The findings from this study show very clearly that oil sector supply shocks are costly both directly and indirectly. Oil supply shocks result in lower real GDP, higher average prices and greater balance of payment deficits. Other macroeconomic variables such as private consumption, investment, government revenue and employment also decline. In addition, the distributional impact of the quantitative energy supply shocks is higher for poor households than rich households. We also find that the sectoral impacts are mixed, often depending on the oil intensity of the sector. Finally, our survey results show that many economic agents on the demand side are willing to pay higher prices if that will guarantee a stable oil supply. Few players in the market chain benefit from supply disruptions, while consumers and the poor bear the main burden of these shocks.