Truck parking has been identified as a major issue both in the USA and E.U. and has been selected by the American Transportation Research Institute as the most important research need for the trucking industry in 2015. The lack of appropriate and convenient parking locations has been the cause of several safety issues over the past years as drivers might be forced to either drive while tired and increase the risk of accidents or park illegally in unsafe locations, which might also pose a safety hazard to them and other drivers. Additionally, the parking shortage also impacts the shipment costs and the environment as the drivers might spend more fuel looking for parking or idling for power when parked in inappropriate locations. This project's objective was to study the truck parking problem, generate useful information and parking assist algorithms that could assist truck drivers in better planning their trips. By providing information about parking availability to truck drivers, the researchers expect to induce them to better distribute themselves among existing rest areas. This would decrease the peak demand in the most popular truck stops and attenuate the problems caused by the parking shortage. In this project, several parking availability prediction algorithms were tested using data from a company's private truck stops reservation system. The prediction MSE (mean squared error) and classification (full/available) sensitivity and specificity plots were evaluated for different experiments. It is shown that none of the tested algorithms is absolutely better than the others and has superior performance in all situations. The results presented show that a more efficient way would be to combine them and use the most appropriate one according to the situation. A model assignment according to current time of the day and target time for prediction is proposed based on the experiment data. View the NCST Project Webpage


Recent years have witnessed an influx of superhero films, particularly those based on Marvel comics. From X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002) to team-up mega-blockbuster The Avengers (2012) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), the stream of Marvel superhero adaptations is ongoing and relentless. These films have received modest academic attention; however, close examination of the specific portrayals of women in superhero films has remained sporadic.

This thesis is the first work to cohesively consider representations of women in films based on Marvel comics, from The Punisher (1989) to more recent films such as Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Through textual analysis which accounts for discursive, contextual and ideological issues surrounding these films, I discuss how representations of women in Marvel adaptations are informed by discourses of anxiety and struggle regarding gender issues in wider Western culture.

The superhero boom occurred at a time which can be considered "postfeminist," in which discourses of women's "empowerment" are actively incorporated into media texts, while specific references to political feminism are shunned. Tracing historical and cultural contexts from the characters' comic book forms, this thesis provides an exhaustive account of issues of women's empowerment in Marvel films with particular emphasis on the ways in which postfeminist culture has shaped such portrayals. The films are considered within a wider action genre framework, drawing from existing scholarship in the field of feminist film studies. However, attention is also drawn to the role of sexuality and race within these largely white, heterosexual portrayals of feminine empowerment. Overall I consider the questions: How is power negotiated within female Marvel characters? How does an emphasis on sex appeal relate to feminist and postfeminist culture? How do these representations intersect with greater issues involving sexuality and race? And, importantly, in what ways do these representations tie in to modes of women's empowerment in the time periods during which these films were released?


One of the main indicators of inflationary pressures used by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is the output gap. The output gap is not directly observable and estimates have to be inferred from the data. This paper evaluates whether the output gap, however measured, is a good indicator of inflationary pressures in New Zealand. The results suggest that the output gap provides a useful signal to the monetary authority. When the output gap is positive (negative) two times out of three inflation will increase (decrease) in the next quarter and three times out of five it will increase (decrease) the following year.


One of the most common problems in using of adaptive filters is their behavior in condition of application of a high amplitude and short time pulses at the filters' input. The ALMS mean filter is an OSLMS filter, featured by a good convergence of their coefficients into optimal values, but a low stability of the prediction coefficients. Another OSLMS filter is the MLMS mean filter, featured by greater prediction coefficients stability, but a lower coefficients convergence to the optimal values.

This paper studie the properties of three algorithms (gradient algorithm, SHARF algorithm and Steiglitz-Mc Bride algorithm), used to compute the IIR filters coefficients. It was studied three kind of IIR filters (IIR, Average-IIR and Median-IIR) implemented in direct form and in lattice form.


Real-time PCR provides a fast, reliable, and cost-effective method for detecting the presence or absence of
Petri disease fungi in grapevines. The primer pairs, Pmo1f + Pmo2r, and Pac1f + Pac2r, were designed for species and
genus-specific amplification of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium spp. respectively, using realtime
PCR with SYBR® Green. The primers were specific and showed no primer-primer dimers until after 35 cycles.
Pa. chlamydospora was detected in roots, shoots, and young trunks of drill-inoculated vines. Phaeoacremonium was
detected in trunk cross-sections of naturally infected vines from which Phaeoacremonium aleophilum had been isolated.
The protocol presented here can be adapted to provide a reliable detection system for research and industry.


Because many military veterans face mental health issues, it is important to research and practice alternative treatments including therapeutic recreation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a single 45-minute adaptive scuba diving session on veterans' psychological well-being, specifically state-level mindfulness (Brown & Ryan, 2003) and contentment (Taylor, 2015). A one-group pretest-posttest evaluation was conducted with 28 veteran divers. Of them, 16 had mental health issues (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder), while 11 had physical impairments (e.g., spinal cord injuries). Statistical results indicated that the post-dive mindfulness and contentment levels were significantly higher than their pre-dive counterparts (p = .007 and < .001, respectively). Moreover, the changes in mindfulness through scuba diving were positively correlated with the changes in contentment. The significant increases in mindfulness were present only among veterans with mental or physical health issues. These findings are discussed in relation to the literature on scuba diving, therapeutic recreation, mindfulness, and contentment. Subscribe to TRJ


In 1979 the United States Air Force elected under the Engine Model Derivative Program (EMDP) to explore derivative engine concepts by the General Electric Company and the Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Division of United Technology Corporation with the objective of improving engine durability and reducing engine ownership cost for future procurements of their first line fighter engines. Concurrently, General Dynamics was invited to develop the necessary airframe/engine interface definition to assure engine compatibility with the airplane requirements. This EMDP development culminated in 1981 with the Alternate Fighter Engine (AFE) competition with General Electric proposing the F110-GE-100 engine and Pratt and Whitney Aircraft proposing the F100-PW-220. Both engines were placed in Full Scale Development and both met the USAF objectives of 4000 TAC cycle life and improved engine cost and warranty for application to the F-15 and F-16 fighters. General Dynamics evolved the concept of the Common Engine Bay which has all aircraft interfaces compatible with either AFE engine and the current Pratt and Whitney Aircraft F100-PW-200 engine. The original F-16 nacelle design, with minor modification of the interfaces and engine mount structure, was adapted to permit full interchangeability for the F100-PW-200, F100-PW-220, or the F110-GE-100 engines. Design requirements were set to permit a common airplane with no break in the production line or aircraft model change and with appropriate simple kits to permit interchangeability of any of the three engines in the field at the organizational level. This manufacturing capability allows the USAF the flexibility to conduct subsequent competitive procurement of the engine.Copyright © 1985 by ASME


An effective way to solve the inverse scattering from dielectric objects relies on the Born approximation, which allows to linearize the problem and retrieve a qualitative reconstruction of the targets in terms of location and extent. The limits of the validity of the linear model can be extended by considering a quadratic approximation of the operator relating the scattered field data to the unknown object function. The use of the quadratic operator allows on the one hand to recover additional spatial variations of the object profile and on the other hand to mitigate the local minima (false solution) problem typically affecting nonlinear inversion methods. In this letter, we present an experimental validation of the quadratic inverse model for dielectric objects in free space. The data processing confirms that the tomographic images based on the quadratic model are better resolved compared to the ones provided by the inversion of the linear Born model.


Eye movements are vitally important for living, survival and vision. A basic model of the eye,  including ocular muscles, is considered that may be essential for better understanding the optical and sensory apparatus involved in vision, perception, and processing and control machinery of human movement.
A state space model based on Newton-Euler formulation of the dynamics of the head and the eyeballs is presented that can be integrated with the dynamics of the skeletal system. The formulation allows integration of
Lyapunov stability, hypothesized  feedback mechanisms and inverse dynamics in more comprehensive neural processing models. Neural networks involved in saccades, gazes and dynamics of  specific  injuries, diseases and defects can be included in this formulation. The development allows a better understanding of the vision system as well as the neural and physiological elements  involved in perception and physical and mental skills. It is also relevant to the design of artificial eyes.


Ambient Intelligence (AmI) refers to digital environments aware of and reactive to the presence of people. AmI solutions or applications allow the delivery of services to customers wearing or carrying mobile devices via wired and wireless networks. Successfully deploying these applications, however, depends upon the degree of customer acceptance and utilization. This article concerns recent AmI implementations of mobile communication and radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices in hospitality settings, such as hotels and restaurants. The capabilities, merits, limitations, and challenges of these devices are examined primarily from a user's perspective. Strategies for creating usable mobile AmI applications for hospitality customers are discussed.


Acid mine drainage (AMD) has impacted more than 3200 km (2000 miles) of streams in West Virginia. Constructed wetlands have been used for passive AMD treatment since the early 1980s, and plant growth studies in constructed wetlands are scarce. Two populations of woolgrass [Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth], a bulrush species common in naturally present AMD wetlands, were investigated to determine population level differences in aboveground and belowground growth response to AMD. Differences at the level of population were found in aboveground parameters. One population had significantly greater aboveground growth than the other population during portions of the growing season when growing in AMD, suggesting greater ability to grow in AMD wetlands. Differences at the level of population were also found for root growth; however, the root growth response to AMD was not different between populations. Treatment with AMD slightly increased aboveground growth but reduced belowground growth. This suggests a potential for differential allocation to different growth components under AMD treatment. These results suggest there is a potential for selecting genotypes of woolgrass for increased performance in the presence of AMD.


Broaching is a commonly used machining operation in manufacturing of variety of internal or external complex features. High quality surfaces can be generated with high productivity if proper conditions are used. The main disadvantage of broaching is that it is not possible to change any of the cutting parameters but the cutting speed during production. That is because all machining parameters, except cutting speed, are built into broaching tools which makes tool design the most important aspect of broaching. In this thesis, a procedure for the optimization of broaching tools is presented. First, the mechanics of the broaching process and general properties of the broach tools are explained. Important design parameters and the effects of them on the broaching process are demonstrated. Most broaching tools have several tool segments with different profiles. One of the critical factors in the design of these tools is the assignment of segment profiles which determine the relative amounts of material removal rate in each section. Several alternatives are tried for optimization of section geometries and their effects are demonstrated by simulations. The objective function of the optimization problem and the constraints due to machine, tool and part limitations are presented. A heuristic optimization algorithm is developed, and demonstrated by examples. It is also shown that by using the algorithm developed the production time can be reduced due to shortened tool length. The simulation program developed is also explained and demonstrated.


International human rights instruments and jurisprudence radiate an understanding of international law as also serving to protect fundamental rights and the interests of the individual. The idea that human rights provide a credible framework for constructing common norms among nations and across cultures is both powerful and attractive. If the protection of being human serves as the common denominator in human rights discussion, and if human rights are deeply inclusive, despite being culturally and historically diverse, then a failure to deliberate on the legal status and protection of the unborn may be seen as a failure to extend respect where it is due. Such deliberation is required, irrespective of the fact that jurisprudential debate on the unborn and on abortion is complex and controversial. The protection of human life, well-being, and dignity are essential aims of the United Nations Charter and the international system created to implement it. Although there have been collective efforts resulting in substantial development in international human rights law, the international community has not approached the legal status and protection of the unborn as a matter of urgency – this, while much has been accomplished regarding women, children, animals and cloning. This article therefore argues for the development of a deliberative framework so as to further the recognition (not necessarily in an absolute sense) of the unborn in international law, bearing in mind that opposition to abortion does not of itself constitute an attack on a woman's right to respect for privacy in her life. The article also sets out what such deliberation on the legal status and protection of the unborn entails, against the background of a procedurally-rational approach.


In order to simulate the seepage field with drain pipes, the air element method is used in this paper. In this method, the pipe elements are regarded as a kind of material with high permeability coefficient and an equivalent hydraulic conductivity is assigned to them. Thus these pipe elements can be included in the conventional seepage calculation as other common elements. Moreover, the difficulty of giving water head boundary to the inner surface of pipes directly is avoided. According to the seepage calculation of the channel with large number of drain pipes in Huangyou part of the middle line in South-to-North water transfer project, the results show that, with drainage-piping, the pore water pressure in channel foundation is reduced significantly.


North Africa is the largest dust source on Earth. Mediterranean cyclones occasionally transport Saharan dust to Turkey in late winter and early spring, leading to mud rain events in some regions. Two mud rain events which occurred in Istanbul on 11 February 2010 and 8 March 2010 were simulated using the WRF‐ARW mesoscale model. Met Office analysis charts, backward trajectories, ground based observations, and satellite images from EUMETSAT Meteosat Second Generation were examined to explain the underlying mechanisms.


Replacing planar circuits with vertically integrated ones allows to increment circuit functionalities on a given silicon area, while avoiding some of the problems associated with aggressively scaled technology nodes. This is particularly true for applications likely to subject circuits to high doses of ionizing radiation (such of X-ray detectors to be used in synchrotron rings and Free Electron Lasers), since the degradation mechanisms of some of the innovative materials to be used in most recent nodes have not been fully characterized yet. In this paper, an evolution is presented for the readout ASIC of a pixelated X-ray detector to be used for such applications. The readout circuit is distributed in a stack of two vertically interconnected tiers, thus doubling the circuitry resident in each pixel without increasing the pixel pitch (and thus compromising spatial resolution of the detector). A first prototype has been designed and manufactured, using a commercial 130 nm CMOS technology. Design issues are discussed, along with preliminary characterization results.


An amazing journey through the thriving worlds of fantasy and gaming What could one man find if he embarked on a journey through fantasy world after fantasy world? In an enthralling blend of travelogue, pop culture analysis, and memoir, forty-year-old former D&D addict Ethan Gilsdorf crisscrosses America, the world, and other worlds-from Boston to New Zealand, and Planet Earth to the realm of Aggramar. "For anyone who has ever spent time within imaginary realms, the book will speak volumes. For those who have not, it will educate and enlighten." -Wired.com "Gandalf's got nothing on Ethan Gilsdorf, except for maybe the monster white beard. In his new book, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, Gilsdorf ...offers an epic quest for reality within a realm of magic." -Boston Globe "Imagine this: Lord of the Rings meets Jack Kerouac's On the Road." -National Public Radio's "Around and About" "What does it mean to be a geek? ...Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks tackles that question with strength and dexterity...part personal odyssey, part medieval mid-life crisis, and part wide-ranging survey of all things freaky and geeky ...playful ...funny and poignant...It's a fun ride and it poses a question that goes to the very heart of fantasy, namely: What does the urge to become someone else tell us about ourselves? " -Huffington Post


A device to evaluate the distribution of the ventilation in diapers by using a tracer gas method (steady state method) was developed to investigate the effect of the design- and material-factor of diapers on heat and water vapor transfer by ventilation. This device can also evaluate the quantitative local microclimate ventilation rate during rest or walking between the interior of the diaper and the ambient atmosphere. Using forced ventilation, it was shown that the devices' measurement captured the actual ventilation in the diapers. For the overall ventilation values it was found that the air permeability of the diaper fabric affected the ventilation but did not dominate it. It means the ventilation was affected not only by the air permeability but also by the construction and design of clothing. Leg movement caused about 20% increase of ventilation compared to the static condition. The ventilation of the pants design diapers were less affected by the movement. For the local ventilation values, the ventilation of the front upper site contributed heavily to the overall ventilation. The repeatability of the microclimate ventilation values measured by the steady state method obtained in our present study was better than that of the transient method reported in our earlier paper. It was demonstrated that the device allowed the evaluation of diaper design for the purpose of improving the microclimate in the diaper.


Introduction Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and a level 1 carcinogen by IARC. It acts synergistically with cigarette smoke to cause lung cancer. The limit of 300 Bq/m3 is envisaged, both for working environments and for living environments, from the new European Directive on the Protection of Ionising Radiant ('Basic Safety Standards' – Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, published in OJ L −13 of 17/1/2014), which will be transposed by Member States of the European Union by the deadline of 06 February 2018. Method we studied the association between different building, occupational and geologic characteristics and high levels of radon concentrations (above the 75% percentile). Also the lung cancer death rates for the exposure to Radon was assessed by means of the REID method (Nezahat Hunter, 2015) related to different smoking habits groups. The data collection was carried out using Apulia observed radon data collected by regional environmental protection agency (Arpa), in the provinces of Bari and Lecce and other sources. Results The preliminary data showed an increase of risk to observe Radom mean values above the 75th percentile (100 Bq·m-3) associated to years of building above 1972 (OR=2.28 to OR=4.70), elevated number of rooms (OR=2.16), Non cement walls (OR=2.6). The risk rate due to residential radon will be calculated and differentiated for Continuing smokers, Ex-smokers and Never smokers. The calculations of specific lung cancer rates will be based on the REID method. Discussion Radon exposure is the second cause of lung cancer. Many lung cancer cases could be prevented in Apulia by reducing indoor radon and smoking habits. The regional and provincial health authorities would be benefited by improved testing for radon and subsequent home remediation rates. Safety structural building procedures could be useful for lung cancer prevention.


Self-medication is widely practiced everywhere in the world. The drug for self medication has proven efficacy and safety for short-term use in minor illnesses but there is the potential for misuse and abuse of them.
A cross sectional survey was conducted by visiting 800 houses of Anand district of Gujarat. The details regarding self medication were inquired which include the medical conditions for which they used, availability of Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs), previously prescribed medicines taken as self medication, sources, reference & reasons for self medication. The Knowledge of the study participants regarding Self medication was inquired by revealing the history of illness in past six months. Ethics Committee approval was taken prior to the study.
A total of 501 without prescription medicine formulations were found in 245 (30.63%) houses, more in the urban area (38.25%) than the rural (23%). The common conditions for self medication were body ache, arthritis and fever (36.53%). The commonest source was pharmacy stores whereas family, friends or relatives were commonest sources of information for self medication. The Self decision was taken for 32.93% of medicines. Total 43 medicines prescribed earlier were used as self medication for other family member including 12 preparations for pediatric use. Only 126 participants had 222 illness episodes in past six month. Of them 18 study respondents self medicated. Half of the respondents were having the knowledge regarding medicine.
There is a need of emphasizing on proper awareness and education related to self-medication.

Keywords: Self-medication, Medicines without prescription, Rural, Urban.


A closed loop control system incorporating fuzzy logic has been developed for a class of maintenances of temperature of a heating chamber. A unique fuzzy logic controller (FLC) structure with an efficient realization and a small rule base that can be easily implemented in existing industrial controllers was proposed. The performance of this system has been measured in various environmental conditions such as compensating for thermo mass changes in the system, dealing with unknown and variable delays, operating at different temperature setpoints without retuning, etc. It is achieved by implementing, in FLC, a classical control strategy and an adaptation mechanism to compensate for the dynamic changes in the system. This paper deals with the detail issue for the improvement of microprocessor based design and implementations of the heating chamber temperature maintenances on practical demand and finally focuses the performance of this system to other environmental conditions in various systems.


Truth is a central concept in the struggle for justice for Syrians. Many justice actors have turned to the tools and rhetoric of transitional justice to further the quest for justice and truth. Yet, while doing so has allowed them to generate some international attention for victims, the transitional justice paradigm has several pitfalls. For one, the dominant understanding of truth and truth-seeking embraced in formal mechanisms tends to be narrowly defined as forensic truth. We argue on the basis of interviews with Syrian justice actors and artists that informal, including artistic, practices can entail a thicker understanding of truth. They have the potential to disrupt several shortcomings of forensic understanding of truth and formal practices. They can 'presence' experiences of harm, accommodate multivocal truths, and enable epistemic resistance. Therefore, we consider how transitional justice as a field of scholarship and practice could better engage with truth-seeking in inconclusive contexts where formal truth mechanisms may be unavailable.


Recent studies have shown that a multibeam reflector antenna could be illuminated by a multifeed electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure, in order to achieve a high gain multispot coverage with the simple "one feed by beam" concept and only one aperture. This letter deals with the design of a metallic EBG antenna in the Ka band, feeding a side-fed offset cassegrain antenna (SFOCA) for a European multispot coverage. This reflector presents a high focal-length-to-diameter ratio limiting the defocusing effects for multibeam applications. It, therefore, requires focal feeds with a high directivity and a good radiation pattern quality. The well-known drawbacks of an EBG antenna are the narrow radiation bandwidth for high directivities and also the high sidelobes level reducing the reflector antenna efficiency. Consequently, the work presented in this letter consisted in improving the EBG antenna performances by using a more efficient feed. The replacement of the usual microstrip patch by a horn allowed to double the radiation bandwidth while decreasing the sidelobes level (-15 dB) of a 24-dB EBG antenna. A metallic prototype excited by a single horn has been manufactured at 30 GHz, and the measurements agree with the simulation. This device with one feed allows good SFOCA performances, similar to those obtained with a conventional focal feed like a Potter horn.


The iron and steel industry is one of the most carbon emitting and energy consuming sectors in Europe. At the same time this sector is of high economic importance for the European Union. Therefore, while public environmental and energy policies target this sector, there is political concern that it suffers too much from these policy measures. Various actors fear a policy-induced decline in steel production, and possibly an international reallocation of production plants. This study analyzes the role that input prices and public policies may play in attaining an environmentally more sustainable steel production and how this - in turn - affect total steel output. As we find out for examples of major European steel producing countries, a kind of rebound effect of energy-efficiency improvements in steel production on total steel output may arise.


Chronic exposure to benzodiazepines can result in an "uncoupling" of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and benzodiazepine receptors (BzR) both in primary neuronal cell cultures and in vivo. The effect of chronic exposure to BzR ligands was examined in an engineered cell line (WSS-1) stably expressing "type I" GABAA receptors. Chronic exposure to flurazepam produced a concentration- (EC50, approximately 1.1 microM after a 48-hr exposure) and time-dependent (t1/2, approximately 3 hr at 100 microM) reduction in the efficacy (Emax) of GABA to enhance [3H]flunitrazepam binding to BzR, a characteristic of uncoupling in native GABAA receptor isoforms. Uncoupling of GABAA receptors and BzR without concomitant changes in BzR density was also produced by chronic exposure to other, structurally diverse, BzR ligands, including Ro 15-1788 and methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate, but was not manifested after exposure to the 5-hydroxytryptamine reuptake blocker fluoxetine. Chronic (12-48-hr) exposure to flurazepam did not remarkably alter levels of alpha 1 and gamma 2 mRNAs, which constitute GABAA receptors in this cell line. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that uncoupling of GABAA receptors and BzR in this engineered cell line can proceed without the elaboration of additional novel subunits and could involve either post-translational modification of GABAA receptor proteins or changes in subunit stoichiometry.


During the worldwide pandemic many businesses started or significantly increased their online presence on major e-commerce platforms either as vendors or as sellers. These small and medium businesses need to understand what level of advertising support they need, if any, and how it can impact their performance objectives. This paper investigates how advertising influences the timing of online customer reviews after a product introduction at a major retailer with both physical stores and online e-commerce presence open to both business sellers and vendors of various sizes. The faster time to reach customer reviews is a proxy of customer product acceptance and should inform online businesses on their advertising needs when they introduce their products on e-commerce platforms. This paper demonstrates that without advertising support the time needed to reach ten customer reviews increases by 46%.


Rosetta (dir. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, France/Belgium, 1999) teases the viewer into a spiritual mind game. At first viewing, the film appears to be about a young woman's quest for a job. On very close analysis, though, Rosetta turns out to be encrypted with the holy spirit, creeping underneath the window of the trailer in which Rosetta lives with her alcoholic mother. The question is how much the critical posthumanist viewer feels at ease with that evangelical subtext. This essay argues that however self-reflexive Rosetta may show itself in its flirtation with Christian tropes, the film ultimately affirms the patriarchal binaries its secular Passion story otherwise challenges.


This thesis follows an investigation into the effects of radiation damage on the e2v CCD201-20; the detector baselined for use in the WFIRST coronagraph imaging and spectroscopy camera systems (hereafter, WFIRST CGI). The CCD201 is an EM-CCD, a variant of traditional CCD technology that is well suited for operation in light starved conditions. Despite successful implementation on many ground-based instruments, the technology has yet to be used within a space environment and therefore has low technological maturity compared to the standard CCD counterpart. Improvement of the technological maturity rested upon in-depth investigations into the effect of radiation damage on the CCD201, which in turn could be used to estimate the End Of Life (EOL) performance of the instrument and de-risk the utilisation of EM-CCDs for the mission. An in-depth radiation campaign was completed whereby multiple CCD201s were irradiated to multiple fluence levels at both room temperature and the nominal operating temperature of the mission (165 K). Performance was measured prior to and following each irradiation, including measurements of low-signal Charge Transfer Inefficiency (CTI), dark current and Clock Induced Charge (CIC). Significant performance differences were noted between the room temperature and cryogenic irradiation case, indicating that cryogenic irradiations are instrumental to accurate EOL performance estimates. CTI was identified as the key limitation to CGI science performance, and so attention then turned to amelioration strategies focused on improving performance in the presence of radiation damage, including trap pumping and narrow-channel modelling. The results presented in this thesis have helped lead to the adoption of the CCD201-20 for the WFIRST mission, have provided key insight into the differences between room temperature and cryogenic irradiations, have advanced the "trap pumping" technique for use on EM-CCDs and presented the properties on the dominant traps that impact CTI for radiation damaged CCDs. The findings are not only useful for the WFIRST CGI, but for any future space mission that will utilise EM-CCD technology in an environment where radiation has the potential to degrade science performance.


Civilians who have fled violent conflict and settled in neighboring countries are integral to processes of civil war termination. Contingent on their attitudes, they can either back peaceful settlements or support warring groups and continued fighting. Attitudes toward peaceful settlement are expected to be especially obdurate for civilians who have been exposed to violence. In a survey of 1,120 Syrian refugees in Turkey conducted in 2016, we use experiments to examine attitudes towards two critical phases of conflict termination - a ceasefire and a peace agreement. We test the malleability of refugees' attitudes to see if subtle changes in how these processes are framed or who endorses them can render a ceasefire proposal more or less favorable, or produce attitudes that are more or less open to compromise with the incumbent regime of Assad. Our results show, first, that refugees are far more likely to agree to a ceasefire proposed by a civilian as opposed to one proposed by armed actors from either the Syrian government or the opposition. Second, we find that merely describing the refugee community's wartime experience as suffering rather than sacrifice increases willingness to compromise with the Syrian government to bring about peace. This effect remains strong among those experiencing greater violence. Together, these results show that even among a highly pro-opposition population that has experienced severe violence, attitudes toward willingness to settle and make peace are remarkably malleable, depending on factors such as who proposes a deal and how wartime losses are characterized.


Abstract 4029 PTC has been found to diminish experimental GVHD and is under investigation in clinical studies (Luznik Blood 2010). An important question is whether PTC affects dividing cells equivalently irrespective of whether they are driven by antigen, i.e. allo or lymphopenic conditions. Cyclophosphamide (cyc) is a DNA alkylating agent which causes death of dividing cells via double strand breaks. We reasoned that if alloantigen drives more rapid proliferation vs. cytokine driven proliferation, a threshold level of DNA damage may enable greater survival by donor non-antigen specific cells expanding under lymphopenic conditions. The difference in the rates of proliferation and the effect on donor cell survival after PTC were investigated in both syngeneic and MiHA mismatched transplants. To establish a basal rate of homeostatic proliferation by donor B6 T cells (H2b, CD45.2+), a syngeneic myeloablative transplant was performed with CFSE labeled donor CD4+ and CD8+ T cells using congenic B6 (H2b, CD45.1+) recipients. Based on the clinical dosing schedule, PTC was administered on days 3 and 4 at the lowest concentration found to ameliorate GVHD following MiHA allo-HCT in previous experiments. At 5 days post-syngeneic transplant we observed the greatest amount of proliferation via CFSE dilution in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), followed by peripheral LN and the spleen. Notably, we did not observe a significant diminution in the numbers of total cells recovered from lymphoid tissues in PTC recipients and or in the percentage of cells in later cell generations as ascertained by CFSE. Interestingly, the dividing cells in the MLN displayed a more activated phenotype (CD44/CD62L expression) compared with donor cells in the other lymphoid compartments consistent with more rapid expansion. The same protocol was performed in the B6 (H2b, Ly9.2+)->BALB.B (H2b, Ly9.1+) MiHA disparate strain combination. In this MiHA disparate transplant, we observed more rapid expansion kinetics in the MLN vs. other tissues and detected a greater cell recovery vs. the group that received PTC. Cell recovery in groups that received PTC, as well as number of CFSE divisions, was comparable to that of the syngeneic model of homeostatic proliferation. This result leads us to the conclusion that at this lowest effective concentration of cyc, cells undergoing homeostatic proliferation are comparatively spared. In order to further test this hypothesis and rule out the possibility that homeostatic proliferation could be affected by an ongoing allogeneic response, we included CFSE labeled OT.1 transgenic CD8+ T cells as a donor population which undergoes homeostatic, i.e. non-host antigen reactive proliferation with polyclonal B6 donor T cells (B6, Thy1.1+) transplanted into MiHA disparate recipients. At 5 days post-transplant, polyclonal donor B6 T cells in later divisions (>4) were substantially diminished after PTC. However, the percentage of OT.1 T cells in later generations was not affected by PTC. Taken together, these results suggest that cells undergoing homeostatic proliferation do so at a rate which permits the repair of damage induced by 33mg/kg PTC on two successive days. To extend these findings, we asked whether cells undergoing lymphopenic expansion in a syngeneic system were in fact susceptible to PTC induced death. A single PTC dose of 66mg/kg resulted in a decrease in later (>2) CFSE generations of both OT-I and polyclonal CD8+ T cells undergoing lymphopenic expansion in the mesenteric LN. We further employed CFSE labeled cells from Foxp3 FIR knock-in mice in these transplant models and followed the persistence of Tregs after syngeneic and allogeneic transplants. Results demonstrated that Tregs are required for successful PTC abrogation of GVHD in agreement with others (Luznik ASH 2010). Donor Tregs demonstrated more rapid proliferation in allogeneic transplants and were more susceptible to PTC deletion than CD4+FoxP3−cells. We therefore hypothesize that relatively few slowly proliferating non host allo-antigen specific Tregs are sufficient following PTC deletion of most anti-host alloreactive donor T cells to inhibit GVHD in myeloablative transplants and speculate that low numbers of Tregs transplanted after the administration of PTC should further improve clinical outcomes. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


It has been well documented that a large portion of the cost of any software lies in the time spent by developers in understanding a program's source code before any changes can be undertaken. One of the main contributors to software comprehension, by subsequent developers or by the authors themselves, has to do with the quality of the lexicon, (i.e., the identifiers and comments) that is used by developers to embed domain concepts and to communicate with their teammates. In fact, previous research shows that there is a positive correlation between the quality of identifiers and the quality of a software project. Results suggest that poor quality lexicon impairs program comprehension and consequently increases the effort that developers must spend to maintain the software. However, we do not yet know or have any empirical evidence, of the relationship between the quality of the lexicon and the cognitive load that developers experience when trying to understand a piece of software. Given the associated costs, there is a critical need to empirically characterize the impact of the quality of the lexicon on developers' ability to comprehend a program. In this study, we explore the effect of poor source code lexicon and readability on developers' cognitive load as measured by a cutting-edge and minimally invasive functional brain imaging technique called functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). Additionally, while developers perform software comprehension tasks, we map cognitive load data to source code identifiers using an eye tracking device. Our results show that the presence of linguistic antipatterns in source code significantly increases the developers' cognitive load.


Recent numerical simulations and observations of sunspots show a significant amount of opposite polarity magnetic fields within the sunspot penumbra. Most of the opposite polarity fields are associated with convective downflows. We present an analysis of 3D MHD simulations through forward modeling of synthetic Stokes profiles of the Fe i 6301.5 Å and Fe i 6302.5 Å lines. The synthetic Stokes profiles are spatially and spectrally degraded considering typical instrument properties. Line bisector shifts of the Fe i 6301.5 Å line are used to determine line-of-sight velocities. Far wing magnetograms are constructed from the Stokes V profiles of the Fe i 6302.5 Å line. While we find an overall good agreement between observations and simulations, the fraction of opposite polarity magnetic fields, the downflow filling factor, and the opposite polarity-downflow association are strongly affected by spatial smearing and presence of strong gradients in the line-of-sight magnetic fields and velocity. A significant fraction of opposite polarity magnetic fields and downflows is hidden in the observations due to typical instrumental noise. Comparing simulations that differ by more than a factor of two in grid spacing, we find that these quantities are robust within the simulations.


Snow depth measurements have been taken since 1986 at 106 snow poles distributed in the Spanish Pyrenees. Here, we compared the capacity of several local, geostatistical and global interpolator methods for mapping the spatial distribution of averaged snowpack (1986–2000) and the snowpack distribution in two single years with different climatic conditions. The error estimators indicate that the terrain complexity of the area makes it difficult to apply local and geostatistical methods satisfactorily. Regression‐tree models provide an accurate description of the data set used (the calibration phase), but they show a relatively low predictive capability for the study case (the validation phase). Using linear regression and generalized additive models (GAMs), we achieved more robust estimations than by means of a regression‐tree model. The GAMs give the most accurate prediction because they consider the non‐linear relationships between snowpack and the external characteristics (physical features) of the sampling points. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


In the wake of COVID-19, online physical education (OLPE) has become essential to the sustainability of school physical education programs. The purpose of this article is to consider factors that may be influential in efforts to deliver OLPE to students. The comprehensive school physical activity program model is used to frame a multicomponent conceptualization of OLPE and its goals and outcomes. Central to this framing is the intersectionality of school physical education, the family, and the community. This article provides a platform for physical education teacher educators and researchers to advance OLPE in its support of both the educational and public health benefits of high-quality physical education programs.


We report the isolation from two human neuroblastoma cell lines of an Arg-Gly-Asp-dependent integrin complex capable of binding to vitronectin, fibronectin, and type I collagen. The two neuroblastoma cell lines, SK-N-SH and IMR-32, exhibit specific attachment to fibronectin and type I collagen. SK-N-SH cells exhibit a much stronger attachment to vitronectin than the IMR-32 cells, which attach poorly to this substrate. Affinity chromatography of octylglucoside extracts of 125I surface-labeled cells on GRGDSPK-Sepharose columns resulted in the specific binding and elution with GRGDSP of three radiolabeled polypeptides with relative molecular masses of 135, 115, and 90 kD when analyzed by SDS-PAGE under nonreducing conditions. In the SK-N-SH cells the 135- and 90-kD polypeptides were more abundant whereas in the IMR- 32 cells the 135- and 115-kD polypeptides were more highly expressed. Liposomes prepared from fractions containing all three polypeptides bound to vitronectin, fibronectin, and type I collagen, whereas liposomes prepared from the 135- and 115-kD polypeptides bound only to fibronectin and type I collagen. Polyclonal antibodies against the alpha/beta complexes of both the vitronectin receptor and the fibronectin receptor immunoprecipitated all three polypeptides. A monoclonal antibody against beta 1 immunoprecipitated only the 135- and the 115-kD polypeptides, whereas a monoclonal antibody against beta 3 subunit immunoprecipitated the 135- and 90-kD polypeptides. Although, the 115-kD polypeptide could be recognized by an anti-beta 1 antibody, a comparison of peptide maps generated by V8 protease digestion of the 115-kD polypeptide and beta 1 subunit immunoprecipitated from GRGDSPK- Sepharose flow-through material indicated that these two polypeptides are distinct. Depletion of the 90-kD polypeptide with an anti-beta 3 monoclonal antibody did not effect the ability of the 115- and 135-kD polypeptides to bind to GRGDSPK-Sepharose. These data indicate that the SK-N-SH and IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells express a novel "beta 1-like" integrin subunit that can associate with alpha v and can bind to RGD. We propose to name this beta 1-like subunit beta n. The data reported here thus demonstrate that in these two cell lines alpha v associates with two beta subunits, beta n and beta 3, forming two heterodimers. The alpha v beta n complex mediates binding to fibronectin and type I collagen, whereas the alpha v beta 3 complex mediates binding to vitronectin.


This paper reports the results of experimentally removing ammonia from synthetically prepared ammonia solution using a micro scale mixing loop air stripper. Effects of various operational parameters (such as: pH, air flow rate, wastewater flow rate and initial ammonia concentration) were evaluated. By increasing the pH from 10 to 12.25 the amount of KLa increased from 0.26 to 0.73 hr-1. A considerable enhancement, about 150%, can be found for KLa by changing the air flow rate from 280 to 700 mL/min under fixed condition. The wastewater flow rate can also the value of KLa from 0.22 to 0.59 hr-1. The values of KLa increased only about 20% by changing the initial concentration of ammonia in the range between 50 and 500 mg/L. The results showed that improving in air stripping using microchannel was successfully carried out with enhancing overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa) and providing higher mass transfer capabilities compared with other types of strippers, even for lower amounts of used air. The enhancement of mass transfer is happened by efficient mixing induced by the employed microchannel. It has been demonstrated that wastewater flow rate and air flow rate have significant effects on KLa. The optimal stripping conditions and mathematical modeling for ammonia removal and the relation between the parameters were determined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Central Composite Design (CCD) method. The results demonstrate the advantages the proposed system over convention stripper types.


For organizations to be competitive, they have to provide and delineate strategies to maintain high levels of profitability and efficiency to cope with changes in markets. Increasingly, organizations have continued to base their operational services on Information Technology (IT), that need to be managed, controlled and monitored constantly through processes and activities that together define the IT governance in the organization. The Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT) is a framework which was designed to encompass all IT related processes and activities in an organization. Therefore, the COBIT framework provides a means through which the IT governance maturity level in an organization can be assessed. Using the COBIT framework, this study presents a case study of an assessment of IT governance maturity at the Kenya Methodist University (KEMU). The results of this assessment showed that KEMU"s IT governance maturity level is 1.8 out of maximum possible score of 5. This study recommends that in order for the institution to get an IT governance maturity level of 5, the university will need to perform each activity in an optimized manner as described in the COBIT maturity model, use all the suggested metrics, all documents, and have the same role assignment as the one suggested by COBIT.


Background Reliable diagnostics are key to identifying influenza infections. Our objectives were to describe detection of influenza among severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, to compare test results from the FTD-33 kit for influenza detection to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) human influenza virus detection and characterization panel, and to assess seasonality of influenza in Burkina Faso. Methods: Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens from SARI cases (hospitalized patients with fever, cough, and onset in the previous 10 days) were tested using the FTD-33 kit and the CDC rRT-PCR influenza assays. We assessed sensitivity and specificity of the FTD-33 kit for detecting Influenza A, Influenza B, and the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 strain using the CDC human influenza rRT-PCR panel as the gold standard. Results: From December 2016 to February 2019, 1706 SARI cases were identified, 1,511 specimens were tested, and 211 were positive for influenza A (14.0%) and 100 for influenza B (6.6%) by either assay. Higher influenza circulation occurred between November and April with varying peaks of influenza A and B. Sensitivity of the FTD-33 assay was 91.9% for influenza A, 95.7% for influenza B, and 93.8% for A(H1N1)pdm09 subtype. Specificity was over 99% for all three tests. Conclusions: Our study indicates that Burkina Faso has one peak of influenza each year which is similar to the Northern Hemisphere and differs from other countries in West Africa. We found high concordance of influenza results between the two assays indicating FTD-33 can be used to reliably detect influenza among SARI cases.


How to deal with the violent offender has provoked emotive debate in Australia, as it has elsewhere. This publication reviews the basic issues which must be considered by authorities on behalf of society in response to an act of violence. It is apparent that some violent offenders can be rehabilitated and should not be imprisoned, but others are a very real risk to society and need to remain in prison for some time.


The issue of Islam and human rights has become important issue in Indonesia at least since the last two decades. Indonesian Muslims have developed two different approaches to human rights: in complete agreement with the declaration of universal human rights; and in resistance to that declaration and developing understanding that Islam encompasses human rights values. The article argues for its part that human rights are not absolutely universal, because they are based chiefly on Western values, structures, ethics and morality. For that, it is reasonable to question their universality. The present article focuses on how Indonesian Muslim intellectuals conceive of human rights and Islamic values as they perceive the two. Specifically, it focuses on four principal issues in human rights discourse: freedom of opinion, religious freedoms, rights of women, and criminal law. The authors reveal in the conclusion that although some Indonesian Muslim intellectuals admit that universal human rights are truly universal, they still see differences in certain cases, due to differences in socio-cultural background. They have tried to affect a synthesis between the universality and particularity of both Islamic and universal human rights in order to make both fit within the Indonesian context.


Professional Development in the Field of Education Jeanne L. Hager Moore The process of continual growth and development in the teaching profession represents a common value among education professionals. Federal and state laws maintain that teachers must continue to study. These mandates, pronounced at federal, state, and local levels to create high academic standards for students, must be met through quality instruction. Both the profession and the public expect that teachers have the willingness and the ability to engage in continuous learning that will impact instruction. The process by which educators keep their knowledge base current typically is referred to as professional development. Professional development is an ongoing process of continuous improvement, not an isolated event or series of events. The culture of the school must support continuous inquiry and reflection on the protecting and nurturing of research-based approaches to ensure that all students will achieve. If the goal of high academic standards and achievement for all students is to be realized, effective continuous professional development must be maintained as a systemic process. Although professional development influences the organizational context in which it takes place, it also impacts the individual learner. Effective models of professional development must consider current knowledge of adult learning. Adults need to know that their efforts will result in the opportunity to achieve competency and that the process will respect their intellectual potential and capacity. Educators must have the opportunity to self-regulate their learning opportunities enabling participants to engage in mindful, intentional, and thoughtful behaviors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate facilitators and barriers to educators' participation in professional development and to assist in developing quality learning opportunities for educators. This report (1) summarizes the perspectives that teachers place on professional development; (2) discusses the possible facilitators and barriers, based on teachers' perceptions, to educators acquiring the skills and engaging in the activities that characterize quality professional development, and (3) identifies a general approach to addressing the delivery of quality professional development. According to the survey analysis used for this study, the data clearly reports that high percentages of teachers view themselves as continuous learners. Collaboration and collegiality are themes that the pilot study identified as strong, quality characteristics of professional development. Teachers' responses to the survey indicate that learning in groups is a facilitator to learning, along with attending conferences, strong information seeking skills, enjoyment and change of pace, easy access to learning opportunities, encouragement from family members and other teachers, and application to classroom and student achievement. The most highly named barriers are time, financial obligations, family responsibilities, and professional choice in programming. The study offers recommendations for learners and providers of professional development opportunities. Educators have a responsibility to encourage and nurture their own love of learning, and educational organizations have the responsibility to create conditions and provide tools and procedures for helping teachers experience learning situations. There is also a call for additional research on the topic of participation in professional development.


Aguas de Portugal (AdP) group was responsible, during 2014, for the treatment of 547 million cubic meters of wastewater, operating more than 1,000 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Portugal. Electrical energy (EE) consumption was evaluated in 219 gigawatt hours, representing the largest part of OPEX in these plants. Improving energy efficiency is an ongoing challenge for AdP, being a major challenge for such huge number of facilities as well as for the large number of different technologies applied. However, this scenario has allowed, during the last five years, a systematic analysis and benchmarking of the operational information, and has outputted an important management tool regarding EE consumption, based on real data from more than 800 WWTP. This tool is used to leverage consumptions and identify efficiency opportunities, and represents an operational asset, not only for future EE consumptions prediction, but also as a driver for energy efficiency plans and to the design of new WWTPs.


In this article, I suggest a new reading of Israeli immigration policy as it existed during its first decade, by highlighting the fundamental role that disability played in its formation. Despite the popular image of Israel as a state of refuge for all Jews, its history reveals that immigration of Jews to Israel was regulated through screening policies and rules. Economic and practical considerations were mixed with ideological biases in favor of productive immigrants that fit the goals of Zionism, and against the sick, the old, and the disabled who were assumed to be inherently unproductive and dependent. Disability was not only a reason to exclude some groups from the Zionist project, but also a justification for screening others — a metaphor through which other social groups were rendered useless and inferior. In Israel, it was used to restrict Mizrahi immigrants who arrived from Arab and Muslim countries, in particular, immigrants from Morocco. Through the case of Israeli immigration policy, the article highlights a hidden part of Israel's history and also explores the ways in which social groups are demeaned and ostracized through images of disability, and how these images have operated as badges of inferiority.


ABSTRACTMotile Aeromonas Septicaemia (MAS) is one of bacterial A. hydrophila disease frequently infecting freshwater fish include catfish (Pangasius sp.). Controling the disease of bacterial use chemical antibiotic will cause environment pollution. The aim of this research was to determine utilization of natural material that contain antibacterial such Leucas lavandulaefolia powder as antibacterial to treat of A. hydrophila infection for catfish. The implementation of research was from September until October 2014 at the Laboratorium Budidaya Perairan, Faculty of Agriculture, Sriwijaya University and Laboratorium UPT Klinik Kesehatan Sriwijaya University. Research method was using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treat and three replications. The catfish was infected by A. hydrophila with clinical feature were (inflamed and hemorrhage) that give addition Leucas lavandulaefolia powder on commercial feed as many as 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%. The result showed that addition 10 % of Leucas lavandulaefolia powder on commercial feed was the best to treat of A. hydrophila infection for catfish were significant (P<0,05). In vitro test result showed that Leucas lavandulaefolia powder  at a concentration 10% as an antibacterial potential of A.hydrophila with inhibitor zone diameter 0.5 cm, at in vivo test the catfish that gives addition Leucas lavandulaefolia powder on commercial pellet as many as 10% capable hematocrit increase, reducing leucocyte completely, produce recovery percentage 84.44%, the survival rate 76.67%, highest absolute growth of catfish 3.03 g and higest absolute length of catfish 0.89 cm. Keywords : A. hydrophila, catfish, Leucas lavandulaefolia powder


The effect of homeopathic medicine on biological and physical system is directly related to its potency [1]. However, from physico-chemical point of view it is difficult to explain this effect at such high dilution, as then the existence of even trace amount of particle is questionable.
It has been reported that during the process of potentization, a large amount of mechanical energy gets transferred to the medium due to succussion [2]. This energy in all probability reduces the size of the drug aggregates. The drug then penetrates easily through the membrane barrier, and thereby gives rise to enhanced activity of the medicine.
 It has been experimentally proved by us and supported by others that indeed a reduction of size of the aggregates takes place with increase in potency [3]. Using five different homeopathic medicines, their sizes at three different potencies have been estimated and a general mathematical expression relating the size of the particle (Y) and the corresponding potency (X) has been derived as follows
Y = a X -n


The primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of catfish imports and tariffs on the U.S. catfish industry, with particular focus on the U.S. International Trade Commission ruling on Vietnam in 2003. Given the importance of Vietnam to the U.S. catfish market, it was assumed that catfish import prices would increase by 35 percent if the maximum tariff was imposed on catfish from Vietnam. With the tariff, domestic catfish prices at the wholesale level would increase by $0.06 per lb, and farm prices by $0.03 per lb. Processor sales would increase by 1.66 percent. Total welfare at the wholesale level would increase from $69.2 million to $71.7 million, an increase of about 3.63 percent, and processor and farm revenue would increase by 4.4 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively. These results represent the greatest possible benefit and suggest modest gains for the U.S. catfish industry.


Australian funnel-web spiders are relatively large primitive hunting spiders. Male Atrax robustus spiders have been responsible for a number of human deaths. Venom was collected from the species Hadronyche infensa (Hickman) [female], H. formidabilis [male and female], H. versuta [female], and A. robustus (Cambridge) [male] and was fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography. This resulted in the isolation and purification of a homologous series of 7 insecticidal peptides of relatively low molecular mass (approximately 4kDa). The amino acid sequences of these toxins consisted of 36 or 37 amino acids and were named atracotoxins. For the major bioassay of these toxins, we used the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), due to the great damage it causes to crops worldwide. These toxins, when injected subcutaneously into fifth or sixth instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera,were lethal or caused an apparently irreversible writhing. The toxin from H. versuta venom showed no significant toxicity when subcutaneously injected into newborn mice. One of the toxins was found to have a free acid carboxyl terminus. These toxins have great potential as lead compounds for insecticide design or for incorporation in recombinant baculovirus insecticides.


The aim of this study was to generate a substantive grounded theory to explain a variety of young
people's experiences of football within and external to FA Charter Standard Clubs and Schools. A
modified grounded theory methodology (Strauss and Corbin, 1998; Charmaz, 2000) was selected
following an ethical commitment to 'listen to young people's voices'. This methodology was
underpinned by critical realist ontological assumptions (Sayer, 2000) and reformulated according to
Popperian epistemology (Popper, 1972; 1981). Ten mini-ethnographies were conducted in football
clubs and schools in England over a period of 12 months. Data were generated through focussed
group interviews with young people (aged 8-18), and participant observation captured in field notes.
Over three increasingly deductive iterations (or 'vintages') of data collection and analysis, a
substantive theory of socialisation processes in youth football was created. This abstract theory
hypothesised that young people's experiences may be conceptualised as partially individualised
responses to external influences, expressed as desires and concerns that may act reciprocally on the
social context. More specific hypotheses (or models) were formulated and 'mapped over' the
abstract theory.
The relationship between stress, enjoyment and learning in youth football is explored in the first of
these models, focussing specifically on the role of significant adults. Coach behaviour and its impact
on the youth football environment is the subject of the second model, which describes an 'ideal
type' football programme. Female experiences are the subject of the third section of the discussion
which focuses on 'first contact' with football (particularly male domination in mixed football) and
subsequent socialisation experiences. Here it is conjectured that the development of friendships and
identity specific to football may increase the propensity to participate. The final model
conceptualises socialisation processes for young players from black and minority ethnic
communities. The problems of 'culture barriers' and institutional racism are explored before
considering the role youth football might play in the wider 'integration debate'.
Finally, some recommendations for policy change and for future research are offered. Here it is
suggested that policy changes are monitored and evaluated with critical sociological studies
focussing on young people's experiences of coaching and parenting and hegemonic power relations
in female and multicultural football respectively.


Thick film technology has been widely used in the past for modern performance packaging solutions, but has been unable to complete with thin film technology for high performance requirements. The problems of poor geometrical resolution, together with high dielectric constant and loss have all contributed to the very limited adoption of thick film for advanced packaging. This paper describes an advanced ceramic based technology using thick film conductors and dielectric. Excellent geometrical properties result from a combination of novel materials and processing, giving line widths better than 25 micron and via geometries better than 50 micron. A novel dielectric material provides a dielectric constant of less than 4, with a loss factor better than 1.10/sup -4/. This technology allows the fabrication of high density circuits and packages, offering many packaging solutions, including MCM, microwave, sensors and displays, all on one substrate. The paper discusses the technology, its processing and performance. It concludes by presenting examples of typical applications.


Microorganisms located within rat cecal contents degraded or catabolized [2-14C]pteridines and [2-14C]purines under anaerobic conditions, resulting in the release of 14CO2. A saturating concentration of guanosine did not affect the rate of release of CO2 from biopterin, and, likewise, the presence of a saturating level of biopterin did not significantly alter the release of CO2 from guanosine, indicating that the catabolism of these two compounds was by different systems. Part of the catabolic organisms for guanosine were segregated in a culture dilution experiment. These catabolic activities were detected in feces of humans and various other mammals. The results are compared with previously published data on the degradation of pteridines and purines.


Andersen's 1912 monograph on megachiropterans remains the definitive work on the systematics of this group. Andersen argued that the Macroglossinae, containing the eonycterine and notopterine sections, are a monophyletic sister-group to other fruitbats (i.e. Andersen's Rousettus, Cynopterus and Epomophorus sections). Two recent molecular studies (DNA hybridisation and restriction mapping of ribosomal cistrons), as well as an analysis of female reproductive characters, challenge the monophyly of the Macroglossinae and several of Andersen's other conclusions such as the phylogenetic position of Nyctimene. We performed a cladistic analysis on 36 morphological characters, including 33 that were gleaned from Andersen, to determine whether phylogenetic hypotheses based on modem phylogenetic methods are in agreement with Andersen's original conclusions and to compare morphological and molecular phylogenetic hypotheses. Minimum-length trees based on parsimony are largely consistent with Andersen and support (1) a monophyletic Macroglossinae, within which the eonycterine section is paraphyletic with respect to a monophyletic notopterine section, (2) a monophyletic Cynopterus section, excepting the exclusion of Myonycteris, (3) a monophyletic Epomophorus section, excepting the exclusion of Plerotes, and (4) a paraphyletic Rousettus section, with several of the Rousettus-like forms branching off near the base of the tree. Bootstrapping analyses on a reduced data-set that included taxa shared in common with the DNA hybridisation study did not provide strong support (greater than or equal to 95%) for any clades but did provide moderate support (greater than or equal to 70) for several clades, including a monophyletic Macroglossinae. These findings are in marked contrast to the DNA hybridisation phylogeny. A high index of between-data-set incongruence is further evidence for the clash between DNA hybridisation and morphology. A phylogenetic framework was constructed on the basis of morphological data and DNA hybridisation data using a criterion of moderate support and shows little resolution, whereas employing a criterion of strong support produced a framework resolving several additional nodes. One implication of this framework is that characteristic macroglossine features such as a long tongue with a thick carpet of filiform papillae have evolved independently on several occasions (or evolved once and were lost several times). Rates of character evolution for the morphological characters employed in our analysis were calculated using divergence times estimated from DNA hybridisation data. Rates have apparently been fastest in the interior branches, and slower along the external branches, which suggests an early adaptive radiation in the history of fruitbats.


Introduction and objectives: the objective of this work was to know the lifestyles of adolescent of the South of Spain related to nutrition and physical activity and the risk and protection factors associated. Methods: a cross-sectional correlational study was carried out with 204 adolescents enrolled at high schools. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis using regression models were performed (=0.05). Results: 63.7% had breakfast every day during the week (i.e. from Monday to Friday). They consumed more than six times a week: milk or dairy (56.3%), cereals (44.1%), fruits (40.7%), vegetables (28.5%), and soft-drinks (24.5%). They did physical activity, at least 60 minutes, an average of 4.34 days a week, the body mass index stood at normal weight (19.85). By means of linear multivariate models we tested the influences of age, gender, and socio-economic status on body max index, fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity frequency of adolescents. Conclusions: knowing the inequalities in nutrition and physical activity area of adolescents, as well as the risk factors or health determinants can help to stablish specific different strategies and public health policies, targeted to these determinants of health, which can be developed at normative level and by means of interventions of nutritional health and physical activity promotion.


Traveling waves have been studied to characterize the complex spatiotemporal dynamics of the brain. Several studies have suggested that the propagation direction of alpha traveling waves can be task-dependent. For example, a recent EEG study from our group found that forward waves (i.e. occipital to frontal, FW waves) were observed during visual processing, whereas backward waves (i.e. frontal to occipital, BW waves) mostly occurred in the absence of sensory input. These EEG recordings, however, were obtained from different experimental sessions and different groups of subjects. To further examine how the waves' direction changes between task conditions, 13 participants were tested on a target detection task while EEG signals were recorded simultaneously. We alternated visual stimulation (5 s display of visual luminance sequences) and resting state (5 s of black screen) within each single trial, allowing us to monitor the moment-to-moment progression of traveling waves. As expected, the direction of alpha waves was closely linked with task conditions. First, FW waves from occipital to frontal regions, absent during rest, emerged as a result of visual processing, while BW waves in the opposite direction dominated in the absence of visual inputs, and were reduced (but not eliminated) by external visual inputs. Second, during visual stimulation (but not rest), both waves coexisted on average, but were negatively correlated. In summary, we conclude that the functional role of alpha traveling waves is closely related with their propagating direction, with stimulus-evoked FW waves supporting visual processing and spontaneous BW waves involved more in top-down control.


We propose a novel approach to the well-known view update problem for the case of tree-structured data: a domain-specific programming language in which all expressions denote bi-directional transformations on trees. In one direction, these transformations---dubbed lenses---map a "concrete" tree into a simplified "abstract view"; in the other, they map a modified abstract view, together with the original concrete tree, to a correspondingly modified concrete tree. Our design emphasizes both robustness and ease of use, guaranteeing strong well-behavedness and totality properties for well-typed lenses.We identify a natural space of well-behaved bi-directional transformations over arbitrary structures, study definedness and continuity in this setting, and state a precise connection with the classical theory of "update translation under a constant complement" from databases. We then instantiate this semantic framework in the form of a collection of lens combinators that can be assembled to describe transformations on trees. These combinators include familiar constructs from functional programming (composition, mapping, projection, conditionals, recursion) together with some novel primitives for manipulating trees (splitting, pruning, copying, merging, etc.). We illustrate the expressiveness of these combinators by developing a number of bi-directional list-processing transformations as derived forms.


Publication of the study guide is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Project title: "Preparation and implementation of the joint degree international master programme in 'Sociolinguistics and Multilingualism'" (project No. VP1-2.2-SMM-07-K-02-091)


Using modern brain imaging techniques, new discoveries are being made concerning the spontaneous activity of the brain when it is devoid of attention-demanding tasks. Spatially separated patches of neuronal assemblies have been found to show synchronized oscillatory activity behavior and are said to be functionally connected. One of the most robust of these is the default mode network, which is associated with intrinsic processes like mind wandering and self-projection. Furthermore, activity in this network is anticorrelated with activity in a network that is linked to attention to external stimuli. The integrity of both networks is disturbed in altered states of consciousness, like sleep, general anesthesia and hypnosis. In coma and related disorders of consciousness, encompassing the vegetative state (unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) and minimally conscious state, default mode network integrity correlates with the level of remaining consciousness, offering the possibility of using this information for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Functional brain imaging is currently being validated as a valuable addition to the standardized behavioral assessments that are already in use.


Existing methods have extensively addressed the issue of detecting abnormal events in a smart home environment through wearable sensors in the past years. However, the limitations of wearable sensors include the limited battery power as well as the use and adoption challenges of wearable activities on a daily basis. The use of nonwearable and non-intrusive sensors is necessary for providing better user experiences and achieving a sustainable and reliable detection model. However, it is still very challenging to analyze such non-wearable sensor data with a high level of accuracy. In this paper, we present a continuous deep learning model which receives a set of consecutive images for classifying posture types using a Microsoft Kinect as our nonwearable sensor. We adopt a deep learning technique called the recurrent neural network (RNN) using the long short-term memory (LSTM) architecture to construct our detection model by identifying human postures in fall detection. Furthermore, we investigate the inputs for our model by extracting the features from the pre-processed high-resolution RGB images, including body shape, depth and optical flow. As a result, the body shape with genuine motion and depth information are considered. Finally, we present the experimental results to demonstrate the performance and novelty of our approach.


1. Assistant Professor, Department of Gender and Development Studies, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan 2. Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan 3. Lecturer, Department of Gender and Development Studies, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan PAPER INFO ABSTRACT Received: January 23, 2021 Accepted: March 01, 2021 Online: March 15, 2021 Water resources are exhausting around the world owing to abundant issues like massive population, and the unconcerned behaviour of people. The majority of people have an inadequate supply of water in Pakistan. Against the backdrop of such a situation, this study examines how demographic determinants impact the attitude of people to conserve water at slum households in Lahore. Precisely, the study attempts to elucidate how the difference in marital status, occupation, family size, residential type impacts the attitude of people towards water conservation. A sample of 200 respondents was selected through a convenient sampling technique for data collection from a field survey. A significant difference was found between income, marital status, size of houses, and attitude, while no difference was enlisted between attitude, occupation, and size of the family. There should be a proper water policy by the government with a major emphasis on conservation and sustainability. All people should take significant steps to save water in day-to-day water practices like hand washing, soap application by turning off the water taps. Public awareness programs on how to save water should be planned.


This study aims to examine the neural correlates of cognitive shifting during the Dimensional Change Card Sort Task (DCCS) task with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Altogether 49 children completed the DCCS tasks, and 25 children (Mage = 68.66, SD = 5.3) passing all items were classified into the Switch group. Twenty children (Mage = 62.05, SD = 8.13) committing more than one perseverative errors were grouped into the Perseverate group. The Switch group had Brodmann Area (BA) 9 and 10 activated in the pre-switch period and BA 6, 9, 10, 40, and 44 in the post-switch period. In contrast, the Perseverate group had BA 9 and 10 activated in the pre-switch period and BA 8, 9, 10 in the post-switch period. The general linear model results afford strong support to the "V-shape curve" hypothesis by identifying a significant decrease–increase cycle in BA 9 and 44, the neural correlations of cognitive shifting.


Genome sequencing is rapidly being adopted in reference labs and hospitals for bacterial outbreak investigation and diagnostics where time is critical. Seven gene multi-locus sequence typing is a standard tool for broadly classifying samples into sequence types, allowing, in many cases, to rule a sample in or out of an outbreak, or allowing for general characteristics about a bacterial strain to be inferred. Long read sequencing technologies, such as from PacBio or Oxford Nanopore, can produce read data within minutes of an experiment starting, unlike short read sequencing technologies which require many hours/days. However, the error rates of raw uncorrected long read data are very high. We present Krocus which can predict a sequence type directly from uncorrected long reads, and which was designed to consume read data as it is produced, providing results in minutes. It is the only tool which can do this from uncorrected long reads. We tested Krocus on over 600 samples sequenced with using long read sequencing technologies from PacBio and Oxford Nanopore. It provides sequence types on average within 90 seconds, with a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 97%, directly from uncorrected raw sequence reads. The software is written in Python and is available under the open source license GNU GPL version 3.


The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 complex and autophosphorylated Ser(1981)-ATM are involved in recognizing and repairing DNA damage, such as double-strand breaks (DSB). However, the role of these factors in response to stalled replication forks is not clear. Nucleoside analogues are agents that are incorporated into DNA during replication, which cause stalling of replication forks. The molecular mechanisms that sense these events may signal for DNA repair and contribute to survival but are poorly understood. Cellular responses to both DSBs and stalled replication forks are marked by H2AX phosphorylation on Ser(139) (gamma-H2AX), which forms nuclear foci at sites of DNA damage. Here, concentrations of the nucleoside analogues 1-beta-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine (cytarabine; ara-C), gemcitabine, and troxacitabine, which inhibited DNA synthesis by 90% within 2 hours, were determined for each agent. Using gamma-H2AX as a marker for changes in chromatin structure, we show that Mre11, Rad50, Nbs1, and phosphorylated ATM respond to nucleoside analogue-induced stalled replication forks by forming nuclear foci that colocalize with gamma-H2AX within 2 hours. Because neither DSBs nor single-strand breaks were detectable after nucleoside analogue exposure, we conclude that this molecular response is not due to the presence of DNA breaks. Deficiencies in ATM, Mre11, or Rad50 led to a 2- to 5-fold increase in clonogenic sensitization to gemcitabine, whereas Nbs1 and H2AX deficiency did not affect reproductive growth. Taken together, these results suggest that ATM, Mre11, and Rad50 are required for survival after replication fork stalling, whereas Nbs1 and H2AX are inconsequential.


AbstractConcerns remain regarding the heterogeneity in overlapping human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviors among sex workers (SWs) in Pakistan; specifically, the degree to which SWs interact with people who inject drugs (PWID) through sex and/or needle sharing.Following an in-depth mapping performed in 2011 to determine the size and distribution of key populations at highest risk of HIV acquisition in Pakistan, a cross-sectional biological and behavioral survey was conducted among PWID, female (FSWs), male (MSWs), and hijra/transgender (HSWs) sex workers, and data from 8 major cities were used for analyses. Logistic regression was used to identify factors, including city of residence and mode of SW-client solicitation, contributing to the overlapping risks of drug injection and sexual interaction with PWID.The study comprised 8483 SWs (34.5% FSWs, 32.4% HSWs, and 33.1% MSWs). Among SWs who had sex with PWID, HSWs were 2.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19–5.74) and 1.99 (95% CI, 0.94–4.22) times more likely to inject drugs than MSWs and FSWs, respectively. There was up to a 3-fold difference in drug injecting probability, dependent on where and/or how the SW solicited clients. Compared with SWs in Larkana, the highest likelihood of drug injection use was among SWs in Multan (OR = 4.52; 95% CI: 3.27–6.26), followed by those in Lahore, Quetta, and Faisalabad.Heterogeneity exists in the overlapping patterns of HIV risk behaviors of SWs. The risk of drug injection among SWs also varies by city. Some means of sexual client solicitation may be along the pathway to overlapping HIV risk vulnerability due to increased likelihood of drug injection among SWs. There is a need to closely to monitor the mixing patterns between SWs and PWID and underlying structural factors, such as means of sexual client solicitation, that mediate HIV risk, and implement prevention programs customized to local subepidemics.


A Results-Based Financing (RBF) program has been implemented in Afghanistan since September 2010 to improve the quality of health care and increase the utilization of maternal and child health services. This PhD study examines the impact of RBF on patient satisfaction and on determinants of patient satisfaction at health facility level in Afghanistan. Determinants of patient satisfaction in the study refer to health provider performance, availability of medicines, vaccines, equipment, and physical appearance of health facilities.  I used data collected from a panel of health facilities over a three-year period. The data consist of nearly 3000 patient observations and exit interviews. I included 112 health facilities in my study. These health facilities were part of the 428 health facilities which had been randomly assigned to treatment and control groups prior to the start of RBF in 2010. Financial incentives were distributed among health providers in the treatment facilities through four administration mechanisms: salary-based, task-based, equal-amount, and mixed-method. Follow-up surveys were conducted in 2011 and 2012 in the same 112 facilities, but for new cross-sections of patients and health providers. I analysed a range of patient satisfaction and patient satisfaction determinants measures using a regression-adjusted difference-in-differences estimation model.  The results from this study show that after a period of two years, there was an increase of only 8 percentage points in the proportion of patients who were very satisfied with services as a whole. However, the effect was not statistically significant. Similarly, specific aspects of patient satisfaction were not significantly affected by the intervention. Likewise, RBF did not have any significant effect on health provider performance, on availability of medicines, vaccines, and equipment, and on physical appearance of health facilities over a two-year period. I also found no difference in RBF treatment effects by the different incentive administration mechanisms.  My study provides evidence which suggests that paying monetary incentives alone may not have the impetus to improve health provider performance to the satisfaction of patients in a post conflict country. In such settings, RBF initiatives need to include both financial and non-financial incentives for health providers in order to achieve the intended objectives of quality of care and patient satisfaction. My study provides pragmatic recommendations aimed at holistic approaches to improving quality and delivery of healthcare in a post conflict setting.


AbstractThe article sets out to stir up the debate on reconciliation project in the post colonial Africa. As we strategise on ways and means of delivering the promise of reconstruction, there is need to pay more attention on the reconciliation for individual and society. In other words, does reconciliation mean blanket forgiveness or reparation? How can we ensure that those who looted Africa account for their misdeeds without further complicating the situation? The article is set on the premise that even though there are many paradigms in African theology of the twenty-first century, minor paradigms (refer to reconciliation, liberation, inculturation, market-theology and charismatic among others) and the dominant paradigm (refer to reconstruction) are both critical in the holistic rebuilding of the post colonial Africa. This said; it is imperative to critically assess reconciliation as an important paradigm - as it runs concurrently with other paradigms in Africa today. In particular, are the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commissions taking place in various countries of the tropical Africa, since Tutu's South African sample of 1995, rooted in African cultural and religious heritage, and hence authentic? How can Africa go about her reconciliative phase?


My investigations into the symbolism of African religion, published in several monographs and papers, allow me to draw the following tentative conclusions: (1) Symbols, which may be described as the molecules of ritual, have great semantic richness and depth and possess a specific structure. (2) Symbols have three major dimensions of significance— (a) the exegetic, (b) the operational, and (c) the positional. (3) The exegetic dimension consists of the w hole corpus of explanations of a particular symbol's meaning offered by indigenous informants— the informants must of course be classified according to their social characteristics (age, sex, status, religious role, degree of esoteric knowledge, etc.). (4) In The operational dimension a symbol's meaning is equated with its use— here we observe what the ritual participants do with it and not only what they say about it. Here, too, we consider not only the symbol but also the structure and composition of the group which handles it or performs mimetic acts with direct reference to it. We further note the affective qualities of these acts, whether they are aggressive, sad, joyful, penitent, derisive, and so forth, in terms of the culture's interpretations of these expressive acts. We also inquire why certain persons and groups are absent on given ritual occasions, and whether this absence represents deliberate exclusion. (5) In the positional dimension we see the meaning of a symbol as deriving from its relationship to other symbols in a specific cluster or gestalt of symbols whose elements acquire much of their significance from their position in its structure ; (6) In the exegetic dimension the meaning of a symbol is built up by analogy and association on three semantic foundations, which we may call its (a) nominal, (b) substantial, and (c) artifactual semantic bases. (7) The nominal basis consists in the name assigned to the symbol in ritual contexts, in non-ritual contexts, or in both sets of contexts. (8) The substantial basis, in the case of objects used as symbols, consists in their culturally selected natural and material properties. (9) The artifactual basis is represented by the symbolic object after it has been worked upon, fashioned or treated by purposive human activity; in short, when it becomes a cultural artifact.


: Reference hematologic and plasma chemistry values were determined from 103 blood samples collected from 53 clinically healthy brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis). Female snakes had significantly higher mean plasma values for total solids, total protein, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), uric acid, and blood monocyte percentage than did males, whereas males had significantly higher mean plasma fibrinogen values. The variances for hematocrit, monocyte percentage, azurophil percentage, plasma total solids, plasma total protein, albumin, Ca, and P also differed significantly between sexes. The higher mean values and greater variances for plasma total protein, plasma total solids, Ca, and P in the female snakes were probably associated with yolk synthesis and accumulation.


With the aid of a theoretically-based analysis of four historical and four current change processes - or transition case studies - in agriculture, we have made a study of how farmers and their associated actors move towards a sustainable agriculture. The change processes always appear to need the same 'conditions' in order to be successful and also appear always to encounter the same types of obstacles. It may be concluded from this that better advance anticipation of obstacles' hanging above the heads' of people involved in change needs to be possible, so that the envisaged change processes can proceed more easily. It remains a fact, however, that every change process also encounters unmanageable, unpredictable obstacles.


More than ever, administrators need "great" materiel managers to produce board room-worthy results. What are those? Administrators are less interested in the details of what we do and more interested in what have we done for them--today. This means performance output with less time and support for the why and how we get the job done. Are we delivering on the desired outcomes? In many instances we have become victims of the details of the profession, forgetting that the details, while important to sustain a process, are not in themselves the process or the solution needed for our troubled industry.


Comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and hypertension is common, with both diseases and their treatment being able to cause liver function abnormalities, which can lead to liver failure. This study aims to access the effect of drugs used in the management of these diseases on liver function. A cross-sectional study will be conducted, followed by a case-control design. Ethical clearance will be obtained from the Faculty of Health Sciences Institutional Review Board and administrative authorization from the various hospital directorates. The sampling procedure adopted will be consecutive and shall include all consenting patients aged 21 years and above, treated for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or both. Pregnant women, patients with liver disease, viral hepatitis, as well as those on known hepatotoxic drugs will be excluded. Clinical, lifestyle, anthropometric data as well as venous blood samples will be collected and analyzed for liver enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and gamma glutamyl transferase) total or conjugated bilirubin, hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C virus antibodies. Student T-test will be used to compare means and chi-square to test for proportion. Associated factors will also be determined using odds ratios. A p-value of <0.05 will be considered significant. The prevalence of liver function abnormalities shall be determined. Determinants of liver function abnormalities shall also be identified.


The planar coordination of cellular polarization is an important, yet not well-understood aspect of animal development. In a screen for genes regulating planar cell polarization in Drosophila, we identified Rab23, encoding a putative vesicular trafficking protein. Mutations in the Drosophila Rab23 ortholog result in abnormal trichome orientation and the formation of multiple hairs on the wing, leg, and abdomen. We show that Rab23 is required for hexagonal packing of the wing cells. We found that Rab23 is able to associate with the proximally accumulated Prickle protein, although Rab23 itself does not seem to display a polarized subcellular distribution in wing cells, and it appears to play a relatively subtle role in cortical polarization of the polarity proteins. The absence of Rab23 leads to increased actin accumulation in the subapical region of the pupal wing cells that fail to restrict prehair initiation to a single site. Rab23 acts as a dominant enhancer of the weak multiple hair phenotype exhibited by the core polarity mutations, whereas the Rab23 homozygous mutant phenotype is sensitive to the gene dose of the planar polarity effector genes. Together, our data suggest that Rab23 contributes to the mechanism that inhibits hair formation at positions outside of the distal vertex by activating the planar polarity effector system.


ABSTRACT Recent changes within the higher education system have affected the balance of academic labour. This article is based on interviews with 25 women lecturers in Education Faculties at Swedish Universities. It specifically addresses the shifting balance in terms of the increased separation between teaching and research in relation to gender, and the relationship between career advancement and gender this promotes. Distinctions concerning gender and academic labour and an enhancement of these power structures are identified, as well as how these affect possibilities of academic advancement. In conclusion, this study illustrates how women academics understand and navigate their academic career in relation to gendered attributes of academic work such as competitiveness, caretaking and responsibility are discussed.