Seed potato physiological age progressively advances with time (chronological age), but is also influenced by temperature during storage. In this work, different combinations of constant temperatures (2, 8 and 20°C) were applied to "Bondi" and "Fraser" seed potatoes at different times during the storage period. By the end of storage, potatoes differed in the temperature sum they had been exposed to or the timing and duration of warmer periods. The range of accumulated temperature was 180 to 3,600 °Cd. Any sprouts produced during storage were removed before being planted at 20°C at one month intervals from 4-10 months after storage. In most cases delaying planting (chronologically older seed) resulted in earlier emergence and an increase in the number of stems emerged. Increased storage temperature from 2-8°C (thermally older seed) had no effect. Prolonged storage of seed potatoes at 20°C gave a significant reduction in the fraction of plants that emerged and produced a decline in the number, growth and stage of development of the stems emerged, but only when the seed potato had accumulated over 3,060 °Cd for both cultivars. It seems that using expensive cool storage in winter in Canterbury, with cool winter ambient temperatures, is unnecessary for crop establishment and by inference subsequent crop production.


ABSTRACT In the present study, the effect of low-intensity microwave radiation on rat eyes and the protective effect of some vitamins against the damage induced by microwave was investigated. 32Wistar-albino female rats were divided into four groups (1 Control, 3 Experimental) (n=8). The rats of first experimental group were exposed to 9450 MHz microwave (2.65 mW/cm2) for one hour a day during 21 days. In addition to exposure with MW as first experimental group, Vitamin E and Vitamin C (150 mg/kg/day) were injected intraperitoneally to second and third experimental groups respectively during last seven days of exposure. The eyes of rats were examined daily after MW and sham exposure by an ophthalmologist biomicroscopically. After completed 21 days exposure period, the rats were sacrificed under ketalar anesthesia. The rat eyes were enucleated for histopathological examination and Malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. Sero hemoragic dark brown secretion was observed in rats' conjunctiva of fist and second experimental groups after biomicroscopic examination. However, no damage was detected in the third group. Vacuolization, pleomorphism between cells and increasing of cell layers in lens fibers of all experimental groups were observed histopathologically. In the cornea of experimental groups, cellular loss, shape and size differences among cells and lack of polarity were noticed. Slight edema, congestion, desquamation in epithelial cells, separation between layers in some areas and alteration in pigment cells of retina were also determined in experimental group rats. The MDA (Malondialdehyde) levels of all experimental groups increased significantly compared to control group (P<0.05). However, no significant differences among experimental groups were observed at MDA levels (P>0.05). The temperature differences of all experimental groups were found to be significant compared to control group (P<0.05). Finally, it was determined that low-intensity long-term microwave exposure caused histopathologic alternations and lipid peroxidations on rat eyes.


Abstract In recent studies we have established that 1 α , 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D 3 [1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ] rapidly stimulates dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel-mediated Ca 2+ influx in chick cardiac muscle by a non-genomic action which is accompanied by PKA-dependent phosphorylation of a 45 kDa microsomal membrane protein. To investigate the signal transduction pathway activated by 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 in heart, we have compared the effects of the secosteroid hormone with those of the β -adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (IPT) by employing cultured chick embryonic cardiac cells (myocytes) and thin-slice preparations of differentiated adult heart muscle. The increases in 45 Ca 2+ uptake and intracellular calcium ([Ca 2+ ] i ), cyclic AMP accumulation and changes in microsomal protein phosphorylation evoked by 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 could be reproduced by IPT. When combined treatments with the sterol and the β -adrenergic agonist were performed, no additive stimulation of these parameters was observed, suggesting that a common signal transduction pathway mediates the effects of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 and IPT. The participation of a guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein) in the 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 -induced changes in heart was investigated. AlF 4 − , an activator of G proteins, and cholera and pertussis toxins, like 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 increased 45 Ca 2+ uptake by myocytes. AlF 4 − did not further stimulate the effects of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 thereby showing that a G protein is involved in the hormone action. Moreover, 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 potentiated pertussis toxin but was unable to modify choleric toxin-dependent myocyte Ca 2+ influx. Altogether, these results provide evidence indicating that the non-genomic action of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 on cardiac muscle calcium influx involves modulation of the β -adrenergic-sensitive adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/PKA pathway coupled to a Gs protein.


Purpose: Different adjuvants have been used to improve the quality and increase the duration of local anesthetics during various nerve block techniques. The current study was aimed to evaluate the effect of adding dexamethasone to bupivacaine on the quality and duration of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block. Methods: Sixty adult patients undergoing elective open abdominal hysterectomy were randomly allocated to receive TAP block using 20 mL of bupivacaine hydrochloride 0.25% + 2 mL saline 0.9% (control group, n=30) or 20 mL of bupivacaine hydrochloride 0.25% + 2 mL dexamethasone "8 mg" (dexamethasone group, n=30). The primary outcome was postoperative pain, as evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) for pain scoring at 1, 2, 4, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively, whereas the secondary outcomes were time to first analgesia (TFA), morphine consumption and the occurrence of nausea, vomiting or somnolence. Results: The pain VAS score was significantly lower at the postoperative 2 h (4.9 vs. 28.1, P=0.01), 4 h (12.2 vs. 31.1, P=0.01) and 12 h (15.7 vs. 25.4, P=0.02). Furthermore, TFA was significantly longer in the dexamethasone group (459.8 vs. 325.4 min, P=0.002), with lesser morphine requirements in the postoperative 48 h (4.9 vs. 21.2 mg, P=0.003) and lower incidence of nausea and vomiting (6 vs. 14, P=0.03). No complications attributed to the block were recorded. Conclusion: Addition of dexamethasone to bupivacaine in TAP block prolonged the duration of the block and decreased the incidence of nausea and vomiting.


This demo encapsulates the possible manifestation of Middle Eastern indigenous dance, Al Ardha, in the form of a serious gaming environment. The presentation also illustrates the interconnection and possible transformation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) content, such as traditional dances, into a digital kinesthetic learning system. The system is called Mimicry Understanding and Safeguarding Environment (MUSE). It is designed to help museum visitors learn traditional or indigenous dances withthe help of motion-sensing technologies. MUSE is a multidisciplinary research project and is expected to analyze the intricacies of various indigenous dances, particularly the Arabic sword dance. MUSE interface is expected to facilitate museum visitors' awareness, learning, and practice of the Al Ardha dance of the Middle Eastern region. Through its easy-to-learn and user-friendly interface, MUSE can facilitate and foster playfulness and user engagement to enhance the experience of museum visitors.


Civil dissent comes in many forms, from peaceful protest to open violation of official rules. But strict obedience to official rules may also serve as a dissenting act. Professors Jessica Bulman-Pozen and David E. Pozen examine obedience as dissent in their article, Uncivil Obedience. The term "uncivil obedience" is meant to capture what Bulman-Pozen and Pozen consider the paradox expressed by "insolence toward law" through conformity to law. This inversely mirrors the paradox expressed by a civil disobedient's fidelity to law through violation of law. Conceptually, 'uncivil obedience' is best understood as a form of civil disobedience. An uncivil obedient's departure from societal expectations or norms serves the same purpose as a civil disobedient's departure from an official rule: both expose the gap between law and societal expectations or norms and draw attention to what is just, right, or good to close the gap. Analyzing what Bulman-Pozen and Pozen term "uncivil obedience" as an act of civil disobedience also avoids theoretical problems when confronted with general jurisprudence questions pertaining to the concept of law, and avoids practical problems, namely, sleight-of-hand political maneuvering.


This Article examines the relationship between expressive freedom and freedom of conscience in the formative years of the modern First Amendment. It focuses on efforts by the American Union Against Militarism and National Civil Liberties Bureau — the organizational precursors to the ACLU — to secure exemptions from military service for conscientious objectors whose opposition to American involvement in the First World War stemmed from socialist or radical labor convictions rather than religious scruples. Although such men asserted secular, ethical objections to war, advocates strained to expand the First Amendment's free exercise clause to encompass them. Concurrently, they sought to import a generalized theory of freedom of conscience into constitutional constructions of freedom of speech and press, within and outside the courts. The conception of liberty of conscience that they advanced, which they linked to an "Anglo- Saxon tradition" of individual rights, clashed with Progressive understandings of democratic citizenship and failed to gain broad-based traction.Civil liberties advocates consequently reframed their defense of political objectors in terms that emphasized democratic dissent rather than individual autonomy. Sympathetic academics and a few judges embraced this Progressive theory of free speech, which celebrated discursive openness as a prerequisite for democratic legitimacy and justified, rather than cabined, the exercise of state power. Even in the interwar period, however, the proponents of this vision remained deeply ambivalent about the courts and generally hostile to individual rights. Although some accepted a limited role for judicial enforcement of the First Amendment's speech clause, most declined to endorse a court-centered and constitutional right to exemption from generally applicable laws.


Species distribution models (SDMs) aim at predicting the potential distribution of a species using statistical or machine learning approaches by combining geo-referenced taxon occurrence data and layers of environmental parameters. During the last two decades, the methodology became a standard approach in biogeography as well as conservation and climate change science, though with a strong bias towards terrestrial organisms. Marine organisms are clearly underrepresented and there is little experience with the applicability of SDMs for planktonic organisms. This study evaluates the performance of species distribution modeling methods for marine pelagic diatoms. Occurrence data are mainly harvested from the GBIF network and other public resources. Environmental parameters include sea surface temperature, pH value, salinity, radiation, sea ice coverage and nutrient concentrations. The main modeling method used is maximum entropy. First results of this study will be presented to give an overview to the current availability of data records, a selection of environmental parameters and model evaluation by the example of a few key diatom taxa of the Southern Ocean.
In summary, the resulting potential distribution maps of the models agree well with species distributions expected based on background knowledge. Especially abiotic variables, like sea surface temperature and nutrients (nitrate, phosphate and silicate) are excellent explanatory variables. Our experiments clearly show that SDM methods are suitable to model the geographic distribution of pelagic diatoms. In a next step, we will project niche models on expected future environmental conditions for different IPCC scenarios to explore potential biogeographic shifts in response to climate change.


Union Territory of Ladakh is phytogeographically Trans-Himalayan region located in the northernmost part of India and known for unique biological, cultural diversity and rich traditional knowledge. The report presents first ethnobotanical survey on the traditional usage of a gymnosperm plant commonly known as 'Himalayan Pencil Cedar' or 'Turkistan Juniper' (Juniperus polycarpos C. Koch, syn. J. excelsa subsp. polycarpos (C. Koch) Takht). Many ethnobotanical trips were made to collect ethnobotanical information in the year 2015-16 in different villages where habitats of J. polycarpos were present. The survey revealed that J. polycarpos is deeply rooted in the cultural, religious practices of the locals and considered as one of the most sacred trees among the Buddhist. The study showed that J. polycarpos has been used as raw material for aromatic incenses preparation, timber in construction of Buddhist monasteries, medicinal plant by local healers, fuel wood and fodder, making of household articles and for decoration of Lha-thos in Ladakh region. The plant is classified under least concern (LC) category by IUCN but reported as declining in its natural habitat. The paper gives an account that such an extensive use is the key causal factor for its decline and therefore conservation required.


Why do governments pass freedom of information laws? The symbolic power and force surrounding FOI makes it appealing as an electoral promise but hard to disengage from once in power. However, behind closed doors compromises and manoeuvres ensure that bold policies are seriously weakened before they reach the statute book.

This book examines how Tony Blair's government proposed a radical FOI law only to back down in fear of what it would do. But FOI survived, in part due to the government's reluctance to be seen to reject a law that spoke of 'freedom', 'information' and 'rights'. After comparing the British experience with the difficult development of FOI in Australia, India and the United States - and the rather different cases of Ireland and New Zealand - the book concludes by looking at how the disruptive, dynamic and democratic effects of FOI laws continue to cause controversy once in operation.


We study absorption of ultra high energy neutrinos by the cosmic neutrino background, with full inclusion of the effect of the thermal distribution of the background on the resonant annihilation channel. For a hierarchical neutrino mass spectrum (with at least one neutrino with mass below ∼ 10−2 eV), thermal effects are important for ultra high energy neutrino sources at z≳16. The neutrino transmission probability shows no more than two separate suppression dips since the two lightest mass eigenstates contribute as a single species when thermal effects are included. Results are applied to a number of models of ultra high energy neutrino emission. Suppression effects are strong for sources that extend beyond z ∼ 10, which can be realized for certain top down scenarios, such as superheavy dark matter decays, cosmic strings and cosmic necklaces. For these, a broad suppression valley should affect the neutrino spectrum at least in the energy interval 1012−1013 GeV — which therefore is disfavored for ultra high energy neutrino searches — with only a mild dependence on the neutrino mass spectrum and hierarchy. The observation of absorption effects would indicate a population of sources beyond z ∼ 10, and favor top-down mechanisms; it would also be an interesting probe of the physics of the relic neutrino background in the unexplored redshift interval z ∼ 10–100.


Alcock (1993, 12) has opined that the written sources for the early medieval period provide the impression that warfare was the major social activity of the various peoples of northern Britain, both between themselves and with their Anglo-Saxon or Celtic neighbours. Dumville (1989, 219) and Richter (1999,90-1) have similarly noted that Anglo-Celtic hostility remains a continuing theme in the sources for the early Anglo-Saxon
north. Such a bellicose state of affairs might be anticipated for a period during which the political and ethnic landscape was being regularly redefined (Evans 1997, 27). However, there does exist evidence of more amicable interaction and political contact: of Northumbrians finding refuge within Celtic kingdoms, ofintermarriage, and of alliance. This should not be unexpected. Anglo-Saxon and Celtic societies, as exemplars of early medieval 'Barbarian' cultures, shared similar features of social organisation (Cessford 1999, 160; Charles-Edwards 1997, 171-210; Cramp 1995,2; Wormald 1986, 151-83), and hostile relations between peoples does not necessarily mean cultural or linguistic ignorance (Dumville 1981, 114; Miller 1978, 61). Overlordship and the collection oftribute would have required some level ofmutual intelligibility, and the taking ofhostages between Anglo-Saxon and Celtic kingdoms would have necessitated bi-or even multi-lingualism, albeit largely restricted to members of the aristocracy. Intermarriage, one of the most common mechanisms proposed for integration between peoples (Banham 1994,152; Wallace-HadrillI985, 26; Yorke 1990,138-9), may also have occurred. Cramp (1995, 2) argues that intermarriage between Celtic and Northumbrian nobility might have acted as a means of cementing alliances and peace. Strategic marriages might have been used to back up military conquest and to facilitate the imposition ofoverlordship by the Northumbrian kings (Yorke 1990, 85).


Deep learning has gained much popularity in the past years due to GPU advancements, cloud computing improvements, and its supremacy, considering the accuracy results when trained on massive datasets. As with machine learning, deep learning models may experience low performance when handled with imbalanced datasets. In this paper, we focus on the trajectory classification problem, and we examine deep learning techniques for coping with imbalanced class data. We extend a deep learning model, called DeepeST (Deep Learning for Sub-Trajectory classification), to predict the class or label for sub-trajectories from imbalanced datasets. DeepeST is the first deep learning model for trajectory classification that provides approaches for coping with imbalanced dataset problems from the authors' knowledge. In this paper, we perform the experiments with three real datasets from LBSN (Location-Based Social Network) trajectories to identify who is the user of a sub-trajectory (similar to the Trajectory-User Linking problem). We show that DeepeST outperforms other deep learning approaches from state-of-the-art concerning the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score.


In near surface electrical exploration, it is often necessary to estimate the Cole-Cole model parameters according to the measured multi-frequency complex resistivity spectrum of ore and rock samples in advance. Parameter estimation is a nonlinear optimization problem, and the common method is least square fitting. The disadvantage of this method is that it relies on initial value and the result is unstable when data is confronted with noise interference. To further improve the accuracy of parameter estimation, this paper applied artificial neural network (ANN) method to the Cole-Cole model estimation. Firstly, a large number of forward models are generated as samples to train the neural network and when the data fitting error is lower than the error threshold, the training ends. The trained neural network is directly used to efficiently estimate the parameters of vast amounts of new data. The efficiency of the artificial neural network is analyzed by using simulated and measured spectral induced polarization data. The results show that artificial neural network method has a faster computing speed and higher accuracy in Cole-Cole model parameter estimation.


Sjögren's syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disorder that affects the exocrine glands and characterized by the development of lympho-plasma cell infiltrate, which causes progressive loss of glandular function. Primary form involves the exocrine glands, with or without systemic involvement; and also, a secondary form, which is associated with other autoimmune diseases e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, inflammatory vascular and connective tissue diseases etc. Overt or latent Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA) caused by tubule-interstitial nephropathy is a common extra-glandular manifestation of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (PSS). PSS is most frequently diagnosed in female (female: male ratio of 9:1) and mostly diagnosed based on the results of salivary and/or lachrymal gland biopsies, examination of oral cavity and eyes and autoantibody assays. Here we present a case of 38 years old female patient with hypokalemic quadriparesis secondary to PSS.


Synopsis The Green Beds are distinctive chlorite- and epidote-rich metasedimentary rocks, which collectively represent a series of important lithostratigraphical marker units in the Southern Highland Group of the dominantly late Precambrian Dalradian Supergroup of Scotland. In a recent re-evaluation of the nature and origin of the Green Beds, integrated mapping, sedimentological, petrological and geochemical studies have been carried out. The Green Beds form relatively thin but laterally extensive units within thick sequences of siliciclastic metasedimentary rocks, and were deposited from high-density turbidity currents and debris flows in a deep-sea slope apron or ramp setting. They comprise a physical mixture of basic and siliciclastic material, representing periodic influxes of basic igneous detritus into the 'background' siliciclastic sedimentary system. The mineralogy of the Green Beds is largely the result of metamorphism, although rare relict detrital minerals from both granitic and basic sources are preserved. Geochemical studies show that the Green Beds and other Southern Highland Group metasedimentary rocks have a similar trace element signature, indicating a common siliciclastic source area. Two suites of Dalradian lavas, the Tayvallich and Loch Avich pillowlavas, were also analysed. Although it is unlikely that these particular volcanic units were the source of the Green Bed basic material, it is believed that the mafic component of the Green Beds was derived from episodes of near-contemporaneous volcanic activity.


A scaled model of a two-span masonry arch bridge has been built in order to investigate the effect of the central pile settlement due to riverbank erosion. The bridge model has been equipped with different Non Destructive Testing (NDT) instruments and subjected to incremental settlement of the pier. The evolution of the pier scour has been investigated experimentally by means of a hydraulic model and reproduced accordingly. The numerical interpretation of damage, carried out by finite element analyses, has been compared with the results of the Acoustic Emissions (AE) monitoring. Several ultrasonic emissions have been detected and main damage source areas have been localized.


To develop a High-T/sub c/ superconducting (HTS) magnet that is applicable to the high voltage electric device applications, it is necessary to consider several important factors such as large critical current, reliable electric insulation system, stable cryogenic status, expected economic benefits, and so on. This paper deals with the skills to design and manufacture the high voltage HTS DC magnet accepting large pulse input current. The multi-stacked HTS solenoid winding was suggested for the HTS magnet having large critical current. To protect the HTS winding, when quenched, the copper layer was suggested as a buffer sharing the large pulse current. The thin grooves on the GFRP bobbins not only guide the HTS winding but also play the role of electrical insulation for the high voltage application. With regard to the thermal stability of the magnet, sub-cooled liquid nitrogen cooling system was used for the cooling system of the HTS DC magnet. To reduce the resistance of the normal conducting parts in the HTS magnet, several HTS tapes were additionally attached on these parts. Based on this study, the HTS DC magnet for the 2.3 MVA class high-T/sub c/ superconducting fault current limiter (HTSFCL) was successfully manufactured and tested. The HTS DC magnet developed by this study endured 2.53 MJ (18.66 MW/sub max/) without any evidence of quench.


An analytical method has been developed that gives a simple and practical means of extracting small-signal equivalent circuit parameters (ECP's) of GaAs FET's with negligibly small bond-pad capacitances. Only the S-parameter measurement of the pinched-off cold field-effect transistor (FET) is enough to determine the extrinsic FET ECP's. The intrinsic FET ECP's of a medium-power Ku-band GaAs FET chip with a total gate width of 800 Irm have been analytically extracted for two types of eight-element intrinsic FET models; Model 1 (Curtice model) and Model 2 that differ in the control voltage (li:) definition. Model 2 with 17, defined across the gate-source capacitance is found more appropriate judging from the smaller frequency dependence of the ECP's and a better agreement between the calculated and measured S-parameters over 2-20 GHz.


Sperm mature and acquire the capacity for fertilization during their transit through the epididymis, however little is known of the molecular events that comprise sperm maturation. Recent advances in transgenic mouse technology hold promise for illumination of this process. Most of the existing infertile, transgenic mouse lines seem to have defects in epithelial structure or sperm transport rather than direct defects in the maturation of sperm. Temporally and spatially restricted targeted disruptions of epididymal specific genes should provide great insight into the epididymal contribution to sperm mattwation. ( Asian J Androl 2000; 2 : 33 - 38 )


The purpose of this paper is to estimate wage effects of occupational pensions, exploiting the introduction of mandatory occupational pensions in Norway as a source of exogenous variation in pension coverage. Various difference-in-differences models are estimated on a large sample of Norwegian private sector firms. The results indicate that on average, less than half the costs of a minimum requirement occupational pension was shifted from firms to workers in terms of lower wages, and that there are important heterogeneities with respect to the influence of local unions and central negotiations on the wage setting in different industries. JEL codes: H22, J32, J38, J50.


Micronaire is an important fiber quality parameter in the cotton and textile industry. Micronaire is a function of maturity (the degree of the fiber secondary wall development) and fineness (linear density). In prior research, bench-top near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy demonstrated the ability to measure micronaire, maturity, and fineness in and out of the laboratory. Small, portable handheld NIR instruments have been introduced and a program was established to measure micronaire in and outside the laboratory on seed cotton fiber and cotton lint, and consequently to measure maturity and fineness in the fiber. Adding new data to the original commercial lint-only samples, including data from different environments (laboratory and greenhouse) and fiber type conditions (laboratory ginned lint and seed cotton) made the calibration more robust, increasing the accuracy of the two NIR instruments (MicroNIR 2200 and Luminar5030) used in this experiment. Each instrument has its individual strengths. It is advisable to use the instrument that best fits the laboratory research objectives.


In calcium-transporting epithelia, calcium can move transcellularly (when it passes inwards, from mucosa to serosa) and paracellularly (when it moves in both an inward and outward direction). An epithelium is considered to be 'tight' when the transcellular route dominates and leaky when there is additional significant paracellular transport. The branchial epithelium of the gills of freshwater fish is a good model for tight epithelia, whereas the gills of seawater fish and the intestine present a model for leaky epithelia. Generally, the regulation of transcellular inward calcium transport determines whether net absorption occurs and the regulation of paracellular calcium transport is pivotal to secretion in calcium-transporting epithelia. In its simplest form, transcellular transport requires movement of Ca2+ across the apical membrane, through the cytosol and across the basolateral membrane. At the same time, cellular calcium homeostasis must be maintained and, to this end, calcium is buffered in the cytosol by calcium-binding proteins and sequestered in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Movement of calcium from the exterior of the cell to the cytosol is passive, down an electrochemical gradient, and appears to be regulated through channel or carrier proteins. The apical membrane contains a hormone-regulated carrier mechanism for Ca2+ entry. Movement from the cytosol to the exterior requires energy-consuming extrusion mechanisms, involving Ca2+-ATPase and/or Na+/Ca2+ exchange. The roles of such mechanisms in calcium transport phenomena in fish gills and intestine will be addressed.


The Goodwill Model of the Competitive Market
Allowing for Trust and Creating Jobs

Consumers often cannot judge the quality of goods and services at the time of the purchase decision. The goodwill model explains how the market participants deal with this problem. It makes a distinction between markets for search goods, experience goods and credence goods. In markets for experience goods the goodwill mechanism can ensure completely by itself that suppliers behave with integrity. The goodwill mechanism causes irreversible costs of the market entrance in the form of goodwill investments for new suppliers. These irreversible costs of the market entrance lead to the fact that established suppliers can permanently achieve prize and volume premiums if they behave with integrity. Established suppliers, therefore, abstain from a hidden reduction of the quality of their products. The strength of the goodwill mechanism lies in the fact that it adapts itself in markets for experience goods to changed circumstances of the market by changes in the communications behavior of the market participants and thereby it stabilizes the market development and optimizes the market result. Markets for credence goods, however, are, in spite of the social institution Goodwill, characterized by market failure. The root causes for this result are selected sporadic bad quality deliveries which cannot be recognized by the consumers as those. Suitable regulations to stabilize markets for credence goods artificially generate irreversible costs of the market entrance for new suppliers. These created irreversible costs enable the established suppliers of credence goods to permanently earn positive economic profits by behaving with integrity. Numerous regulations which exist today in functioning markets for credence goods establish such irreversible costs of the market entrance. The abolition of such regulations can lead to market failure. An example having a lasting effect even today is the transformation which occurred between 1980 and 1999 of the US banking system which developed from a system of separated commercial and investment banks to a system of fully integrated banks.


Surfing data mining techniques for representing data sources have specifically attracted much attention among researchers. Given the curse of dimensionality in representing text using the traditional Bag-of-words models, lower-dimensional representation of text has been an important line of research due to its impact on many prediction, and recommendation tasks.

This thesis studies two main different viewpoints in text representation using content and citation information and then, different existing approaches along with their advantages, limitations and drawbacks are reviewed. A novel hybrid distributed technique for text representation is proposed where the textual content of documents is projected into a vector representation using an artificial neural network .

To test the performance of the new proposed technique, the well known link-prediction problem is selected to serve as a benchmark. A comparison is performed with other common techniques by predicting the existence of citation links between tuple of papers in a large citation graph.


Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) is a cutaneous manifestation of invasive infection usually caused by pseudomonas, but can be caused by many bacteria, fungal and viral infections. We present the first reported case of EG caused by invasive Escherichia coli in a neonate. A neonate presented with evidence of sepsis and a rapidly evolving 3×3.5 cm2 well-circumscribed haemorrhagic and necrotic ulcer on the left groin. There was evidence of decreased perfusion of the lower limb owing to pressure effect of the ulcer. The child responded well to anticoagulation and antibiotic therapy. It is crucial to clinically suspect EG and promptly start empiric antibiotic therapy covering pseudomonas to decrease the morbidity and mortality. However, other viruses, fungus and bacteria including E coli should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of EG in a neonate.


Oligodendrocytes (OLGs) produce and maintain myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). In the demyelinating autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, OLGs are damaged and those remaining fail to fully remyelinate CNS lesions. Therefore, current therapies directed to restrain the inflammation process with approaches that protect and reconstitute oligodendrocyte density would be essential to pave the way of myelin repair. A critical signal for oligodendrocytes is insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), which promotes their development and ultimately myelin formation. PTEN inhibits the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling, a convergence downstream pathway for growth factors such as IGF‐1. In this report, we temporarily inhibited PTEN activity by treating rat and human oligodendrocyte progenitors (OLPs) cultured alone or with dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRGNs) with bisperoxovanadium (phen). Our findings show that phen potentiates IGF‐1 actions by increasing proliferation of OLPs in a concentration‐dependent manner, and caused a sustained and time‐dependent activation of the main pathways: PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and MEK/ERK. At low concentrations, IGF‐1 and phen stimulated the differentiation of rat and human OLPs. Concordantly, the PTEN inhibitor together with IGF‐1 robustly augmented myelin basic protein accumulation in rat newborn and human fetal OLGs co‐cultured with DRGNs in a longer timeframe by promoting the elaboration of organized myelinated fibers as evidenced by confocal microscopy. Thus, our results suggest that a transient suppression of a potential barrier for myelination in combination with other therapeutic approaches including growth factors may be promising to improve the functional recovery of CNS injuries. GLIA 2013;62:64–77


The incidence and symptomatology of the bacteria! spot on pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) and the identification of the pathogenic race of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) (Doidge) Dye involved in the disease complex were studied in commercial and experimental plantations on the south coast of Puerto Rico. Evaluations were made in Juana Diaz, Salinas and Santa Isabel. In commercial plantations cultivar Key Largo showed greater susceptibility than bell pepper. In the experimental plantations, pepper introductions varied in their reaction to Xcv from resistant to susceptible. Xcv isolated from pepper leaves and fruit tissue produced the following symptoms: necrotic lesions with chlorotic halos, raised hyperplastic pustule lesions (open and broken), raised canker-like lesions with chlorotic margins, raised canker lesions with necrotic borders and progressive water soaking. Bacterial strains collected from disease foci in commercial pepper fields were inoculated on the differential lines derived from the susceptible Early Cal Wonder (ECW). On the basis of reactions in the differentials ECW-10R, ECW-20R, and ECW-30R carrying the Bs 1 , Bs 2 and Bs 3  resistance genes, respectively, ail the Xcv pepper strains found on the southern coast of Puerto Rico belong to race 2. The absence of other pathogenic races indicates that Xcv race 2 produces diverse symptomatology in peppers in Puerto Rico.


Abstract There is a paucity of data on violence against women and girls (VAWG) during times of conflict in general and even less information specifically on violence against adolescent girls. Based on secondary analysis of a larger study on VAWG in South Sudan, this article highlights the specific experience of conflict-affected adolescent girls resident in the Juba Protection of Civilian sites. Quantitative data from a cross-sectional household survey shows that the prevalence of non-partner sexual violence (NPSV) (26.5%) and intimate partner violence (IPV) (43.1% of partnered respondents) was high among a cohort of girls who were of adolescent age during the 2013 crisis. Direct exposure to armed conflict increased the odds of respondents experiencing NPSV (AOR: 7.21; 95%CI: 3.94–13.17) and IPV (AOR: 2.37; 95%CI: 1.07–5.29). Quantitative and qualitative data also showed that patriarchal practices, compounded by poverty and unequal power relationships within the home, remain some of the primary drivers of VAWG even in conflict-affected settings. Prevention activities need to consider these wider underlying drivers of VAWG during times of armed conflict, as they remain key factors affecting violence against adolescent girls.


It is theorized that toxic agents are transported from the hyperpermeable gut of burn victims through the lymph, to the systemic circulation, causing global injury. We believe that immune cells respond to leakage of "toxic lymph" following trauma causing the attraction of these cells to the perilymphatic space. To test this, we utilized a model of burn on rats to examine changes in a single immune cell population associated with mesenteric lymphatic dysfunction. We examined the ability of serum from these animals to increase permeability in lymphatic endothelial monolayers and disrupt cellular junctions. We also treated burn animals with doxycycline, an inhibitor of microvascular permeability, and observed the effects on immune cell populations, morphometry, and lymphatic endothelial permeability. Burn injury increased the number of MHCII+ immune cells along the vessel (>50%). The size and shape of these cells also changed significantly following burn injury. Serum from burn animals increased lymphatic endothelial permeability (∼1.5-fold) and induced breaks in VE-cadherin staining. Doxycycline treatment blocked the accumulation of immune cells along the vessel, whereas serum from doxycycline-treated animals failed to increase lymphatic endothelial permeability. The size of cells along the vessel in doxycycline-treated burn animals was not affected, suggesting that the cells already present on the lymphatic vessels still respond to substances in the lymph. These findings suggest that factors produced during burn can induce lymphatic endothelial barrier disruption and lymph produced during traumatic injury can influence the attraction and morphology of immune cell populations along the vessel.


Two-component flavoprotein monooxygenases consist of a reductase and an oxygenase enzyme. The proof of functionality of the latter without its counterpart as well as the mechanism of flavin transfer remains unanswered beyond doubt. To tackle this question, we utilized a reductase-free reaction system applying purified 2,5-diketocamphane-monooxygenase I (2,5-DKCMO), a FMN-dependent type II Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase, and synthetic nicotinamide analogues (NCBs) as dihydropyridine derivatives for FMN reduction. This system demonstrated the stand-alone quality of the oxygenase, as well as the mechanism of FMNH2 transport by free diffusion. The efficiency of this reductase-free system strongly relies on the balance of FMN reduction and enzymatic (re)oxidation, since reduced FMN in solution causes undesired side reactions, such as hydrogen peroxide formation. Design of experiments allowed us to (i) investigate the effect of various reaction parameters, underlining the importance to balance the FMN/FMNH2 cycle, (ii) optimize the reaction system for the enzymatic Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of rac-bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one, rac-camphor, and rac-norcamphor. Finally, this study not only demonstrates the reductase-independence of 2,5-DKCMO, but also revisits the terminology of two-component flavoprotein monooxygenases for this specific case.


Existing research on immersive analytics to support the sensemaking process focuses on single-session sensemaking tasks. However, in the wild, sensemaking can take days or months to complete. In order to understand the full benefits of immersive analytic systems, we need to understand how immersive analytic systems provide flexibility for the dynamic nature of the sensemaking process. In our work, we build upon an existing immersive analytic system – Immersive Space to Think, to evaluate how immersive analytic systems can support longitudinal sensemaking tasks. We conducted a user study with eight participants with three separate analysis sessions each. We found significant differences between analysis strategies between sessions one, two, and three, which suggest that immersive space to think can benefit analysts during multiple stages in the sensemaking process.


The growing interest in the nutritional status of dialyzed patients arises from the fact that it plays an important role in the evolution, morbidity and mortality of renal patients. In the current study the effects have been assessed of a dietary intervention lasting 6 months, based on a food exchange list, on the nutritional status of a group of 49 hemodialysis patients as well as the different effects between men and women. The initial and final evaluation of the nutritional status was performed by estimating energy and nutrient intake with a 24 hour recall, determination of body composition by anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance and infrared interactance and biochemical measurements related to the nutritional status of the patients undergoing hemodialysis. At the end of the study, a significant increase was seen in the energy and macronutrient intake, which was more prominent in females. The body composition analysis showed a favourable evolution as compared to other studies; which was better in women who maintained the muscle mass stable and increased fat mass. The biochemical profile showed an increase of the C3 complement, while other markers such as amino acid profile and IGF I remained unchanged at the end of the study, being both similar in males and females. The dietary intervention was found to be useful in the prevention of the progression of malnutrition in these patients, apparently with a more beneficial effect on females.


We focus on the problem of multi-party data sharing in high dimensional data settings where the number of measured features (or the dimension) p is frequently much larger than the number of subjects (or the sample size) n, the so-called p >> n scenario that has been the focus of much recent statistical research. Here, we consider data sharing for two interconnected problems in high dimensional data analysis, namely the feature selection and classification. We characterize the notions of ``cautious", ``regular", and ``generous" data sharing in terms of their privacy-preserving implications for the parties and their share of data, with focus on the ``feature privacy" rather than the ``sample privacy", though the violation of the former may lead to the latter. We evaluate the data sharing methods using {\it phase diagram} from the statistical literature on multiplicity and Higher Criticism thresholding. In the two-dimensional phase space calibrated by the signal sparsity and signal strength, a phase diagram is a partition of the phase space and contains three distinguished regions, where we have no (feature)-privacy violation, relatively rare privacy violations, and an overwhelming amount of privacy violation.


While TCP (transmission control protocol) is an efficient transport protocol in the wired Internet, it performs poorly when used in wireless environments. This is because TCP couples the error and flow control by using packet loss to infer the network congestion and thus the random loss in wireless Internet can inevitably mislead TCP dropping its flow-control window unnecessarily, even if the network is not congested at all. To overcome this problem, we propose the second-order rate-based flow control and the decoupled window-based error-control schemes for high-throughput transport protocols over the wireless networks. The second-order rate control minimizes congestive losses by using the explicit congestion notification (ECN)-bit feedback to adapt the rate-gain parameter to the variations of the round-trip time (RTT) and cross-traffic flows. The error-control scheme detects and selectively retransmits the lost packets caused by either congestion or random-noise/handoffs on wireless links, which is decoupled from the flow control such that the rate control is independent of the random loss of wireless links. Using the fluid analysis, we establish the rate-control model, and derive expressions for throughput, losses, and link-transmission efficiency. Through extensive simulations, the proposed transport protocol is shown to possess the TCP-compatibility in bandwidth while coexisting with TCP-Reno traffics in the wired Internet. Our simulations also verify the analysis, and demonstrate the significant superiority of our scheme to TCP in terms of increasing the average throughput over wireless links and the robustness to the variation of wireless random-loss probability while minimizing the losses and retransmissions.


Recently, an empirical debris flow model called Flow-R has been added to the broad range of existing debris flow modelling software. While Flow-R's applicability on regional scale has been confirmed in several studies, it's potential in local debris flow modelling has not yet been evaluated. In this study, Flow-R's potential in debris flow modelling on local scale is tested via an application in four debris flow torrents in Switzerland. Obtained results are validated by comparison to documented debris flow events as well as model results from the commonly used hydraulic debris flow model RAMMS. Results show that due to the nonhydraulic model conception, the potential of Flow-R in individual debris flow modelling is limited. Plausible debris flow patterns are only achieved on torrents showing a low to moderate channelization, i.e. incision on the fan. Computed process velocities are unreliable due to the inability of the model to account for debris flow mass. Moreover, modelled debris flow magnitudes are biased by the compulsory non-volumetric definition of magnitudes.


SUMMARY We explored age-dependent patterns in haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titre to seasonal [1956 A(H1N1), 1977 A(H1N1), 2007 A(H1N1)] and pandemic [A(H1N1)pdm09] influenza strains using serological data collected from an adult French influenza cohort. Subjects were recruited by their general practitioners from 2008 to 2009 and followed until 2010. We explored age-related differences between strain-specific HI titres using 1053 serological samples collected over the study period from 398 unvaccinated subjects. HI titres against the tested seasonal and pandemic strains were determined using the HI technique. Geometric mean titres (GMTs) were estimated using regression models for interval-censored data. Generalized additive mixed models were fit to log-transformed HI estimates to study the relationship between HI titre and age (age at inclusion and/or age at initial strain circulation). GMT against one strain was consistently highest in the birth cohort exposed to that strain during childhood, with peak titres observed in subjects aged 7–8 years at the time of initial strain circulation. Our results complete previous findings on influenza A(H3N2) strains and identify a strain-dependent relationship between HI titre and age at initial strain circulation.


The trypsin inhibitor activity of processed foods can be determined by measuring the loss of activity of added trypsin under standard conditions. Observed values are not usually independent of the degree of inhibition, and averaging over a range of inhibition levels or extrapolation to zero inhibition may not produce a more reliable value. A somewhat modified method is described which has been tested in two laboratories and used for large numbers of different samples on a routine basis; its application and limitations are discussed.


Studies to determine the physiological effects and functions of progesterone started in the twentieth century. Progesterone is a steroid-structured hormone with 21 carbon atoms orig-inating from cholesterol. The corpus luteum, formed after ovulation in ruminants, secretes progesterone, which plays a role in the continuity of the pregnancy. Progestagens can be used for estrus synchronization in cows and heifers. Similarly, they are used for estrus synchronization during the breeding season or outside the breeding season by taking advan-tage of the negative feedback effect of progesterone in small ruminants. It is applied for the treatment of embryonic deaths due to luteal insufficiency in cows with high milk yield. In anovulatory anestrus, exogenous progesterone applications can be very useful. Progesterone treatment contributes to the resolution of the anestrus by rearranging hypothalamic functions in cattle with follicular cysts. The oxidative stress index in the luteal phase, when progesterone is high in ruminants, is higher than in the follicular phase. In the critical period of pregnancy, a high index of oxidative stress-induced progesterone causes embryonic death. Factors that cause stress in high milk-yielding cows can affect the amount of progesterone synthesis by inhibiting luteal cell function due to excessive free radical production.


Open source software (OSS) has drawn increasing attention from both practitioners and researchers in recent years. However, few empirical studies have investigated the interaction process of OSS teams during OSS development. This dissertation has two primary objectives. First, the research studies the social structure of OSS teams. Second, the research investigates the factors impacting the social structure of OSS project teams (e.g., group size, group composition and group task) as well as the effects of social structure on OSS performance. Based on the theory of social structure, social network, and group-related theories, the dissertation discusses a general research framework and a planned two-phase study to achieve the research goals. The first phase of the research is to understand the social structure of OSS projects, especially the interaction pattern during the development process. Research hypotheses are proposed at the end of this stage. The second phase aims to test the hypotheses on the causes and effects of social structure on OSS development. Social network analysis, which focuses on investigating the relationships between a set of actors, will be employed as the primary research methodology for this study. Data will be collected from websites such as SourceForge that host OSS projects. By understanding the relationships between group characteristics, social network, and OSS performance, this research contributes to the enhancement of knowledge on OSS development from the social network perspective.


We propose a path diversity reception technique that uses steering vector arrays and Viterbi algorithm-based sequence estimation techniques to cope with severe intersymbol interference (ISI). The proposed scheme suppresses some delayed paths with spatial and temporal processing based on the single constraint sample matrix inversion algorithm to reduce excess ISI for sequence estimation. The path diversity branches are weighted in proportion to the quality of the array output signals and then combined via the branch-metric-combining (BMC) Viterbi algorithm to estimate the most likely transmitted sequence. Maximum likelihood sequence estimation, limited-state sequence estimation, and decision-feedback sequence estimation are examined for their suitability as estimation techniques. Consequently, the proposed scheme is sufficient for managing various kinds of channel models. Thus, the proposed scheme is suitable for high-speed time-division multiple access (TDMA) mobile radio systems, because, in this kind of transmission, fading can be presumed to be nearly quasi-static during the burst, and the delayed paths are spread over several symbols.


This paper is concerned with an investigation of the deformation behaviour of an Al-Cu alloy during tensile testing in the semi-solid state. It was carried out by fast in-situ X-Ray microtomography at ESRF, Grenoble. Deformation was performed at constant velocity, which was chosen to be small enough so as not to affect the acquisition of the images. It is observed that deformation is accompanied, initially, by some liquid flow from the adjacent regions towards the deformed zone. Then pores form in the liquid films and grow until they occupy a significant part of the cross section of the specimen. Quantification of this phenomenon was carried out thus leading to a better understanding of pore formation in semi-solid mixtures.


This article examines whether professional traders recognize transaction costs when making trade decisions. In both single and multi-period settings, professional traders are far more reluctant to realize a gross loss than an actual loss (net of transaction costs). The tendency to ignore transaction costs may lead to higher levels of overconfidence (or trading activity) because traders are more susceptible to misinterpreting negative performance outcomes than positive ones. Traders who experience higher and more frequent gross trading profits trade more actively, but they also end up losing the most money on a net basis.


Aims: To determine whether allelic variants of the cystatin C gene CST3 are genetically associated with exudative age related macular degeneration (ARMD). Cystatin C is a cysteine protease inhibitor that regulates the activity of cathepsin S, a protease with central regulatory functions in retinal pigment epithelial cells. Methods: CST3 of 167 patients with exudative ARMD was genotyped by using polymerase chain reaction of genomic DNA and restriction enzyme digestion with KspI and compared with those of 517 control subjects. Patients and controls were white. Results: There was a significant difference in genotype counts between patients and controls (χ2 = 7.158, df = 2; Fisher's exact test: p = 0.037). There was no significant difference in allele frequencies between patients and controls and between controls from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and United States. The significant difference in genotype counts between patients and controls could be explained completely by an excess of the homozygous CST3 genotype B/B in patients with exudative ARMD (6.6%) over controls (2.3%), suggesting an odds ratio for ARMD in association with CST3 B/B of 2.97 (95% CI: 1.28–6.86). The results also suggest a stronger association of B/B with ARMD in males than in females. However, in both males and females there was a similar and significant effect of CST3 B/B on disease free survival assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The mean disease free survival time in pooled males and females with genotypes A/A or A/B was 85 years (SE 1; 95% CI: 83–86) and 76 years (SE 2; 95% CI: 72–79) respectively in B/B homozygotes (log rank p = 0.0006). Conclusion: Genotyping data, the absence of a significant difference in allele frequencies between patients and controls, and survival analyses suggest an increased susceptibility for ARMD in CST3 B/B homozygotes. Therefore, CST3 B may be a recessive risk allele, significantly contributing to disease risk in up to 6.6% of German ARMD patients. Functional correlates of the allelic CST3 variants A and B remain to be investigated.


During the 1980s there has been increasing interest in rare-earth doped, single mode fibres for devices and sensors, of which the most exciting results have been achieved with erbium doped fibre amplifiers (EDFA). Great progress has been made since the first EDFA was reported by Mears in 1987. A gain of 26dB was achieved whereas 46.5dB has now been demonstrated. High speed, direct detection in fibre based transmission systems has allowed bit rates and transmission distances to be markedly increased. For example, use of twelve 1.48µm laser diode pumped EDFAs as power amplifiers has allowed transmission of 1.2 Gbit/s over more than 900km of fibre. The power penalty arising from dispersion and the presence of the EDFAs was only 0.6dB at 10 BER, with no observed error floor due to accumulated noise. A number of similar systems have also been demonstrated with alternative pump sources and device configurations. Thus the compatibility of EDFAs with long-haul communications systems has clearly been demonstrated. However, simultaneous improvement in manufacture and design of doped fibres has been essential. Here, the techniques for manufacture of such fibres are described and design criteria for optimal performance outlined. First, however, the advantages of EDFAs are summarised


This research deals with the development of forms and structures in Electronic Dance Music from a producer-composer's approach. The thesis is first concerned with several theoretical notions involved in the study of rhythms and structure, such as embodiment, trance states, groove, repetition and variation, metrical processes, tension and release, entrainment and spontaneity. The research questions are answered through a practice-based research approach, with the theoretical ideas discussed informing the practical side of the study. The research also explores the works and practice of electronic producer Nicolas Jaar in the form of a case study. The author investigates several structuring principles common to Electronic Dance Music as well as different production methods through a portfolio of seven original compositions with an accompanying commentary. The study explains what the aim of an effective structure in Electronic Dance Music is and how the author has used several processes and methods to achieve a spontaneous approach to producing.


We have reanalyzed the pattern of paleomagnetically detected rotations in the central Andes (the central Andean rotation pattern) in order to investigate the temporal and spatial distributions of rotations. The dominant pattern of rotation is well known with counterclockwise rotations in the northern Andes (clockwise in the southern Andes) linked to Neogene orogenesis and shortening. However, much of the rotation in the forearc of northern Chile (23–30°S) is distinctly anomalous because of markedly high rotations that appear to predate rotations observed elsewhere in the central Andes. We argue that the data define a domain located in the forearc of northern Chile marked by major (>25°) clockwise crustal rotations related to late Paleocene–early Eocene highly oblique convergence. This rather diffuse and cryptic deformation style accommodated strong shortening perpendicular to the Andean margin by vertical axis rotations rather than by conventional fold-thrust belts or transpressional fault systems.


One of the main problems when developing an eye detection and tracking system is to build a robust eye classifier that can detect the true eye patterns in complex scenes. This classi fication task is very challenging as the eye can appear in different locations with varying orientations and scales. Furthermore, the eye pattern varies intrinsically between ethnic groups, and with age and gender of a person. To cope better with these variations, we propose to use a bio-inspired convolutional neural network, based on the mechanism of shunting inhibition, for the detection of eye patterns in unconstrained environments. A learning algorithm is developed for the proposed neural network. Experimental results show that such network has the builtin invariant knowledge and the discriminatory power to classify input regions into eye and non-eye patterns. A classification rate of 99% is achieved by a three layer network with input size of 32 x 32 pixels. Disciplines Physical Sciences and Mathematics Publication Details F. Tivive & A. Bouzerdoum, "An eye feature detector based on convolutional neural network," in The Eight International Symposium on Signal Processing and Its Applications, 2005, pp. 90-93. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers/2860 AN EYE FEATURE DETECTOR BASED ON CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK Fok Hing Chi Tivive and Abdesselam Bouzerdoum, Senior Member, IEEE School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, AUSTRALIA. E-mail s:email@example.com@elec.uow.edu.au


Learning a function f(X) that predicts Y from X is the archetypal Machine Learning (ML) problem. Typically, both sets of attributes (i.e., X,Y) have to be known before a model can be trained. When this is not the case, or when functions f(X) that predict Y from X are needed for varying X and Y, this may introduce significant overhead (separate learning runs for each function). In this paper, we explore the possibility of omitting the specification of X and Y at training time altogether, by learning a multi-directional, or versatile model, which will allow prediction of any Y from any X. Specifically, we introduce a decision tree-based paradigm that generalizes the well-known Random Forests approach to allow for multi-directionality. The result of these efforts is a novel method called MERCS: Multi-directional Ensembles of Regression and Classification treeS. Experiments show the viability of the approach.


This work had as purpose analyze as the familiar ones of mental sick people represent the insane person, the insanity and the psychiatric hospitals. The research was carried through in a particular psychiatric institution and a public institution (CAPS), both situated in the city of Joao Pessoa (PB), participating 30 family members of each institution. The Free Test of Association of words was used, with the following stimulations: mental, wild sick person and psychiatric hospital. The results had been analyzed through the Tri-deux-mots program. The data had shown that the terms "mental sick" and "insane person" still are associated with the negative representations, being considered as different of the too much illnesses, predominating a vision of fear and reject. The insanity meets associated to a negative and strange dimension, who threat and loose the balance. In function of this, the exclusion of the insane person, materialized for its internment in a psychiatric hospital, is the result of a "diffuse social perception", diluted for the diverse institutions that associate madness to the negative side of the reason.


An avidly pursued new dimension in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research is the acquisition of physiological and biochemical information non-invasively using the nuclear spins of the water molecules in the human body. In this trial, a recent and unique accomplishment was the introduction of the ability to map human brain function non-invasively. Today, functional images with subcentimetre resolution of the entire human brain can be generated in single subjects and in data acquisition times of several minutes using 1.5 tesla (T) MRI scanners that are often used in hospitals for clinical purposes. However, there have been accomplishments beyond this type of imaging using significantly higher magnetic fields such as 4 T. Efforts for developing high magnetic field human brain imaging and functional mapping using MRI (fMRI) were undertaken at about the same time. It has been demonstrated that high magnetic fields result in improved contrast and, more importantly, in elevated sensitivity to capillary level changes coupled to neuronal activity in the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast mechanism used in fMRI. These advantages have been used to generate, for example, high resolution functional maps of ocular dominance columns, retinotopy within the small lateral geniculate nucleus, true single-trial fMRI and early negative signal changes in the temporal evolution of the BOLD signal. So far these have not been duplicated or have been observed as significantly weaker effects at much lower field strengths. Some of these high-field advantages and accomplishments are reviewed in this paper.


SUMMARYWe analysed 80 samples of honey produced in Portugal during 1995. By means of their floral origin we characterized 63 unifloral honeys, with the following honey types standing out: Lavandula, which were mostly from the centre-south of the country; Echium, produced in the Beira Alta, Alentejo and Algarve regions; and Eucalyptus, characteristic of the Douro region. We also identified 3 unifloral heather honeys (Erica sp.) and one of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa). The pollen content was variable, with the lowest values corresponding to the Lavandula honeys and the highest to the multifloral honeys. We identified a very low level of honeydew content in all of the honeys, indicating the nectariferous origin of the samples. Some pollen indicators enable Portuguese unifloral honeys to be separated from those produced in Spain.


Energy crisis is one of the crucial problems faced by all the countries in the world due to depletion in natural resources used for energy generation and the huge investment for generating energy from alternate resources. This article suggested some of the major areas of energy conservation practices so that there may be a chance to see the state of Andhra Pradesh as "NO POWERCUT" state in India. A viable and immediate solution in this juncture is the energy conservation as cited by the slogan "Energy conserved is Energy Generated". Optimum use of electrical energy, not only results in cash savings, but also improves the economy of the country substantially. Hence there is an urgent need for energy management and control, which ultimately concludes with the practice of energy conservation. Energy as we all know is a crucial input in the process of economic, social and industrial development. Energy consumption is increasing at a very fast rate. With growing demand for energy ithas become essential to minimize energy leakages. This article suggest some of the methods to make the gap between power generation and demand is equal to Zero.


The amygdala (Am) is a relatively voluminous gray substance, located in the depth of the ventromedial temporal lobe. The Am has diverse afferent and efferent connections throughout the neuraxis, and is involved in the modulation of neuroendocrine functions, visceral effector mechanisms, and in complex patterns of behavior: learning and memory, aggression and defense, pain modulation, reproduction, food intake, etc. A recently revealed important function of the Am is that it acts as the brain 'lighthouse' which constantly monitors the environment for stimuli which signal a threat to the organism. The data from patients with extensive lesions of the striate cortex indicate that unseen fearful and fear-conditioned faces elicit increased Am responses. Thus, also extrageniculostriate pathways are involved. A multisynaptic pathway from the retina to the Am via the superior colliculus and several thalamic nuclei was recently suggested. We here present data based on retrograde neuronal labeling that the parabigeminal nucleus emits a substantial bilateral projection to the Am. This small cholinergic nucleus (Ch8 group) in the midbrain tegmentum is a subcortical relay visual center that is reciprocally connected with the superior colliculus. We suggest the existence of a second extrageniculostriate multisynaptic connection to Am: retina – superior colliculus – parabigeminal nucleus – Am. This pathway might be very effective since all tracts listed above are bilateral. The function of the Am by the rapid response to the sources of threat before conscious detection is significantly altered by various neuropsychiatric diseases. Biomedical Reviews 2008; 19: 1-16.


An economic system of voluntary exchange is the economic system best suited for human beings created in the image of God. Voluntary exchange allows human beings to more fully develop their ability to think, choose, and engage in peaceful relationships. This paper is a discussion of the theology of the image of God. The substantialist view, the relational view, and the royal view are discussed in relation to the economics of voluntary exchange as opposed to involuntary exchange.


Building resilience in the Non-formal Educational Sector Non-formal education refers to organized educational activities (Unesco, 2022) which are experiential in nature and foster developmental skills and knowledge (dothegap, 2018), but they do not have an elaborate curriculum, syllabus, accreditation, and the certification similar to that associated with formal learning (Khasnabis et al, 2010). Educational disruption is a phenomenon that may resonate with many, but it is always eschewed from non-formal education. In Kenya, non-formal education comprises of individuals from poor street families or those living in informal settlements. These are individuals who never got a chance to undergo formal schooling. To alleviate the situation, in 2002, the Kenyan government instituted Free Education for All (FEA), but a decade later, the problem still lingers. Street families are still thriving in the slums and other informal settlements in urban centers. They become fertile grounds for those who wish to prey on the marginalized such as organized crime syndicates, drug peddlers, child prostitutes, human traffickers, and all manner of forms of human dehumanization gangs. The government of Kenya instituted TVET (technical and vocational education and training) in 2013 (Wakiaga, 2022) to equip these individuals with markatable skills. Resilience in the non-formal educational sector is far reaching. It begins with identifying populations these poor populations, and then followed by an intertwined duality of rehabilitation and counseling. Street families never got any formal education, and they shun formal society and all its trimmings; furthermore, they believe that formal education is outside their reach. A way to remedy this is to offer them non-formal education through an apprentice system where they can learn and develop a skill or a craft which they can develop into an enterprise. Such skills may include masonry, carpentry, welding, painting, brick laying, stone dressing, cookery, car washing, and general cleaning, to mention, but a few. These skills are sellable since they are in demand in both formal and informal sectors of business in society. Since non-formal training is expensive, an apprentice system can ensure an income as they train. // This paper highlights the plight of these individuals and source by showing that through non-formal education and resilience; they can be rehabilitated and transformed to become productive members of society. Non-formal education is indeed an education like any other. Its consideration, and inclusion in the national educational budgets, streamlining it by having its curriculum developed, and trainers identified then trained, is vital.


In the contemporary United States, racism is commonly thought to be located in the hearts and minds of a particular negatively valorized social figure: the "racist." Racist discourse is often implicit and indexical, and interracial interactions may be overdetermined by mutual "racial paranoia" (Jackson 2008) about interlocutors' true thoughts. In this paper I argue that the reality television genre has a unique engagement with tropes of authenticity and intentionality that exploits this dynamic of suspicion. I take as an example a conflict that occurred on an episode of Survivor around comments made by a White southern man to an African American woman. In the scenes analyzed, racial paranoia is itself mobilized as a narrative hook. Participants prod each other to reveal the indexical meaning that they suspect is underlying each other's utterances, showing a perceived incongruence between language and intention. Casting, production, and editorial practices contribute to the dramatization of racism as interpersonal conflict. I show that interventions like sound mixing, the use of testimonial interviews, and the editorial placement of reaction shots reinscribe broader cultural oppositions between "authentic" mental states and "false" performed identities.


This contribution discusses a major report on the Geriatric Patient in General Hospitals in the Netherlands. Now for the first time the central advisory bodies in health and hospital care acknowledge the 'geriatric patient' in his own. The report describes the consequences for organization and training. In the comments the following points are made: inadequacy of the Dutch health-system with respect to the geriatric patient; necessity of speeding up training of geriatricians; in accordance to developing geriatrics as a discipline a change in the position of the nursing-home doctor and the necessary evaluation of implementation of geriatric departments in general hospitals.


The nucleic acids of bacteriophages are characterized by a surprising multiformity. RNA and DNA may occur, the latter in single- or double-stranded form, circular or linear, with or without breaks or single-strand ends. Terminal redundancy may exist and the populations of linear phages may be uniform or randomly permuted. A double-stranded circular DNA does not occur in extracellular bacteriophage, but is often if not always formed after infection of the bacterial host. Phage DNA may be glucosylated or methylated to a certain extent, and the glucose and methyl residues may influence the stability of the DNA inside the host.


Introduction: Amniocentesis is one of the most widely used diagnostic interventions but despite its many advantages, it has side effects such as fetal loss. The importance of fetal loss after amniocentesis in twin pregnancies is very important and some researchers believe that in twin pregnancies, the risk of fetal loss after amniocentesis is higher than singleton. Therefore, the present study examined the rate of fetal loss after amniocentesis in twin pregnancies compared to singleton pregnancies. Methods: This prospective descriptive-analytical study was performed on 712 mothers with singleton (628 cases) and twin (84 cases) pregnancies who referred to the obstetrics and gynecology clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz with Amniocentesis due to several reason during 2016-2020. A questionnaire containing information such as age, gestational age, number of pregnancies, childbirth and abortion, the cause of the diagnostic test, quarterly screening and NT ultrasound, and the result of amniocentesis were completed for patients. Patients were followed up during the first week, two weeks, and 60 days after amniocentesis, and finally data were analyzed by SPSS version24. Results: The mean age of the patients was 31.96 ± 6.33 years and the mean gestational age at amniocentesis for all patients was 15.37 ± 0.7. The mean NT in patients in the two groups did not differ significantly (1.60±0.44 vs 1.54±4.64, p=0.56). the prevalence of preterm in twin mothers was 13.1% and, in the singleton was 1.75% (p = 0.01). The occurrence of fetal loss was 2.4% in the twin group and 2.07% in the singleton group which was not statistically significant (p = 0.56). in the twin group, one (50%) fetal loss occurred in the first week and another one (50%) occurred between 15 and 60 days. But in the singleton group, 7 cases (63.6%) in the first week, 1 case (9%) in 15 to 60 days, and 3 cases (27.3) after more than 60 days lost the fetus. Previous pregnancy records in twins showed that the mean Gravid (p = 0.01), Parity (p = 0.01) and Living child (p = 0.02) in preterm twins' patients were statistically significantly lower than in the term patients. Conclusion: Our findings show that fetal loss following amniocentesis in twin pregnancies does not increase significantly compared to singleton pregnancies. However, our findings require repeated study in bigger sample size and as multi-centered as possible then It can be generalized to wider communities.


This paper presents a new algorithm, based on a two-part Gibbs sampler with FFBS method, to recover the joint distribution of missing observations in a mixed-frequency dataset. The new algorithm relaxes most of the constraints usually presented in the literature, namely: (i) it does not require at least one time series to be observed every period; (ii) it provides an easy way to add linear restrictions based on the state space representation of the VAR; (iii) it does not require regularly-spaced time series at lower frequencies; and (iv) it avoids degeneration problems arising when states, or linear combination of states, are actually observed. In addition, the algorithm is well suited for embedding high-frequency real-time information for improving nowcasts and forecasts of lower frequency time series. We evaluate the properties of the algorithm using simulated data. Moreover, as empirical applications, we simulate monthly Brazilian GDP, comparing our results to the Brazilian IBC-BR, and recover what would historical PNAD-C unemployment rates look like prior to 2012


The applicability of the Taguchi DOE (design of experiment) methodology for optimization of medium composition for maximum antimicrobial protein (AMP) production by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MBL27 has been demonstrated in the present study.  The influence of individual factors and the relationships between the factors and their levels were established. Three factors viz, glucose, triammonium citrate and K2HPO4, each at three levels were selected and an orthogonal array (OA) layout of L27 containing 27 well-defined experiments were performed. Two response variables (bacterial growth and inhibitory activity of the AMP) were measured. Maximum AMP production was achieved at a concentration of 1.0% glucose, 0.25% triammonium citrate and 0.2% K2HPO4. The experiments conducted provided basic information to improve the efficiency of AMP production and supported the analysis of main effect of each constituent in the medium. This study is therefore another example of the application of the Taguchi methodology for improvement of biological processes.

 Key words: Antimicrobial protein, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, optimization, response surface methodology (RSM), Taguchi design.


The author observes that in recent decades, the arts and humanities have been dominated by forms known as "modernism" and "postmodemism," which have repudiated traditional artistic and literary forms. However, he nol signs of an artistic renaissance, and in particular examines the evidence presented in one journal, The American Arts Quarterly. Key Words: The arts, humanities, American Arts Quarterly, aesthetics, beauty, artistic renaissance, modernism, blackling, James F. Cooper, Froderiick Tuner, purposes of art. Since the 1920s, the arts and humanities have been dominated, within the various levels of the "arts establishment" in Europe, the United States and elsewhere, by "modernism" and "postmodernism," which have repudiated traditional artistic and literary forms. Outside the establishment, and despite its various gatekeepers, much excellent work has been done by artists who are oblivious to the demands of the cognoscenti. Recently, however, even the establishment itself as an intellectual bastion has come to be challenged in all fields by a "new renaissance." An example of this renaissance is the American Arts Quarterly, published for the past 16 years by the Newington-Cropsey Foundation. This article will include an examination of that journal's philosophy, the meaning of this intellectual revolution, and several of the wider social and cultural issues suggested by the "culture war's" conflict over aesthetics. It is impossible to understand the nineteenth and twentieth centuries without grasping the central role played by the "alienation of the intellectual" against the predominant "bourgeois" culture. Contempt for the mainstream society in the West has set the stage for much that has occurred in virtually all aspects of the intellectual, political, ideological and cultural history of the past two centuries. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss these many ramifications, even though they are relevant to the artistic and cultural issues we will discuss. What is most directly to the point is that during the eighty years since the end of the First World War the official artistic and literary "establishment" throughout Western civilization has been committed to a repudiation of the elements of aesthetics and literature that have charcterized the West since the Greeks. For eighty-plus years, the "cognoscenti" in those fields have been committed first to "modernism" and then to "postmodernism." A source of frustration for the alienated intellectual elite, not just in matters of culture but of politics and ideology as well, has been that the gigantic mainstream society, though in many ways headless since it has lacked the leadership and inspiration that an appropriate artistic and literary subculture ideally must give a free society, has gone on about the business of life. Outside the domains controlled by the cognoscenti, millions of people have continued to paint to carve, to write, to compose, utterly oblivious to the fact that the art establishment looks upon their work with disdain. This doesn't mean that in many ways those millions aren't affected by the establishment's worldview; but the influence is less than is often imagined: life goes on. Taking just Western (United States) Art as an example, such as one finds it in the journal Art of the West, many fine painters in Santa Fe, Tucson, Jackson Hole, Albuquerque, Wichita, and the like, have throughout the twentieth century produced excellent work. Wilson Hurley, for one, stands among the great masters of all time, with his magnificent skyscapes. But most such work has gone unremarked within the domain of what we might call "intellectualized art." Representational painting, melodious music, humanistic sculpture - all have gone on, even though they aren't the works that win the awards and governmental commissions or receive the scribblers' acclaim. Our emphasis here will be on art at the "higher," more selfconsciously intellectual, levels, although always with the caveat that the great corpus of human artistic endeavor deserves much more credit than this emphasis will give it. …


This article challenges the unconditional faith seemingly placed on juries by the judiciary. Despite the prohibition on investigation into jury deliberations, a number of important cases have come to light which invite questions on the extent to which we can be sure that juries follow judicial directions. This article explores the recent case law in which juries may have relied upon extraneous material or other external influences and, finally, briefly compares such impropriety with the use of jurors with specialised knowledge.


It is a well established fact that the consumption of alcohol before driving a motor vehicle increases the accident risk. However, the importance of rather low blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) for accident risk is still under discussion. Norwegian studies find that drivers involved in fatal, alcohol-related accidents have on the average rather high BACs, above 0.1%. Some claim that "impairment occurs in most areas at the lowest BAC that can be reliably chemically determined". The question is thus: what effect will a reduction of the legal BAC limit from 0.05% to 0.02% have?


This paper is concerned with quadratic stabilization problem of linear parameter varying LPV systems, where arbitrary time-varying dependent parameters are belonging to a polytope. It provides improved linear matrix inequalityLMIbased conditions to compute a gainscheduling state-feedback gain that makes closed-loop system quadratically stable. The proposed conditions, based on the philosophy of Pólya's theorem, are written as a sequence of progressively less and less conservative LMI. More importantly, by adding an additional decision variable, at each step, these new conditions provide less conservative or at least the same results than previous methods in the literature.


200 WORDS [MAX: 200 WORDS]) Consumers are exposed to a range of provocative moral transgressions online, as when consuming viral videos on social media or morally charged advertisements. Given limits on time and attention, consumers increasingly make moral evaluations in a few seconds or less, leading social media companies to employ interventions that slow them down. These companies are operating under the assumption that snap judgments are inaccurate, but this is in fact unknown. Here we ask whether snap moral judgments online are in fact inaccurate, and how they affect sharing on social media. Using naturalistic "news posts" (headlines paired with real-world photographs of harmful interactions), we find that social media users reliably distinguish accurate from inaccurate moral transgressions presented within the blink of an eye (100 ms) and are more likely to share the accurate content. Follow-up studies with controlled stimuli uncover that this is because consumers are capable of 'moral thin-slicing': at breakneck speeds, they independently extract both event roles (who acted on whom) and harm level (harmful or unharmful) in order to find the moral transgressor. In sum, despite the rapid rate at which users consume moral content online, their snap moral judgments are accurate, carrying consequences for consumers and companies alike.


This subject guide profiles legal information resources that are available via the Alma Jordan Library (AJL), Campus Libraries, The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus (STA).


BACKGROUND: The development of newer diagnostic technologies has reduced the need for invasive electroencephalographic (EEG) studies in identifying the epileptogenic zone, especially in adult patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate ictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in the evaluation and treatment of patients with MTLE-HS. METHODS: MTLE patients were randomly assigned to those with (SPECT, n = 124) and without ictal SPECT (non-SPECT, n = 116) in an intent-to-treat protocol. Primary end points were the proportion of patients with invasive EEG studies, and those offered surgery. Secondary end points were the length of hospital stay and the proportion of patients with secondarily generalized seizures (SGS) during video-EEG, postsurgical seizure outcome, and hospital cost. RESULTS: The proportion of patients offered surgery was similar in the SPECT (85%) and non-SPECT groups (81%), as well as the proportion that had invasive EEG studies (27% vs 23%). The mean duration of hospital stay was 1 day longer for the SPECT group (P < 0.001). SGS occurred in 51% of the SPECT and 26% of the non-SPECT group (P < 0.001). The cost of the presurgical evaluation was 35% higher for the SPECT compared with the non-SPECT group (P < 0.001). The proportion of patients seizure-free after surgery was similar in the SPECT (59%) compared with non-SPECT group (54%). CONCLUSION: Ictal-SPECT did not add localizing value beyond what was provided by EEG-video telemetry and structural MRI that altered the surgical decision and outcome for MTLE-HS patients. Ictal-SPECT increased hospital stay was associated with increased costs and a higher chance of SGS during video-EEG monitoring. These findings support the notion that a protocol including ictal SPECT is equivalent to one without SPECT in the presurgical evaluation of adult patients with MTLE-HS.


About twelve years ago the Woodwardian Museum acquired from Mr. W. Farren a series of some 25 associated and successive caudal vertebræ, found at one of the deeper phosphatite washings on Coldham Common, Barnwell. At the same date, the Rev. W. Stokes Shaw, M.A., Caius College, obtained from a similar working at Barton, a locality a few miles westward, another associated series of 15 smaller vertebræ showing identical characters, and of such size as to exactly join on to the first series and complete the tail. These latter vertebræ, not improbably part of the same individual, being presented to the Museum, I arranged both sets in a continuous series. Very few appear to be missing in any part of the sequence, though the extremity of the tail is probably not preserved, and there are no means of estimating how many vertebræ may have intervened between the last of the sacral region and the earliest caudal which is preserved. The tail probably included 50 vertebræ, and may have reached a length of 15 feet, which would have amounted to one half the length of the animal if the proportions of modem crocodiles obtained. A few isolated vertebræ have also been collected; but no distinctive portions of the skeleton have come under my notice. The affinities of the animal are at present somewhat obscure; for the only available data from which a determination could be made are the following facts:- The articulation of the earlier vertebræ is procœlous; this character gradually changes


Raffle, P. A. B. (1974).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,31, 152-158. Disability rates of bus drivers. The proposal that ordinary driving licences should be valid up to the age of 70 has stimulated much discussion on the place of medical surveillance in the prevention of road crashes. London Transport bus drivers are medically examined on entry to the service, after absence from work attributed to sickness or accident for more than 21 days (and in certain other circumstances), and at age 50 and routinely thereafter. Average annual rates of deaths in the service and recommendations for retiral on medical grounds and for transfers to alternative work for these drivers are presented. These disability rates are low even at the older ages. Most of those drivers who recommended for work other than bus driving were considered to be fit to drive a car. Between ages 50 and 64, 85% of the recommendations for discontinuance of bus driving resulted from post-sickness medical examinations and only 15% from routine age examinations. It is concluded that the available evidence supports the legislative proposals for ordinary driving licensing. However, licence holders will need considerable help from their doctors in discharging their legal obligation to notify their licensing authority of medical conditions likely to affect their ability to drive safely.


Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign are building a robot modeled on the lowly cockroach. If they're successful, their creation, called Biobot, will learn to scramble over treacherous terrain, crawl into crevices, and adapt to the loss of one or more of its legs-just like its juice-and-carapace cousin lurking under your sink. Such mechanical creatures could prove invaluable for such diverse tasks as conducting mining surveys in rugged mountains, working with hazardous nuclear materials, or even exploring distant planets. Currently, they have an 8 inch high, 22 inch long aluminum prototype, 31 inches long with legs extended called Protobot that can stand on its own and resist perturbation. The team also has computer simulations for modeling the behavior of both the biological and mechanical creatures. In coming months, before they scale their design to the full size 4 foot long Biobot, they hope to have the robot walking and then walking adaptively. >


Deforestation has been a topic of debate in climate change discussions due to its effect on CO2 emissions. The Amazon Forest, the biggest tropical forest in the world, is located along the north of Brazil. There, expansion of soy and corn production has pushed the production of livestock and other crops toward the Amazon forest, which involves a tradeoff between the area in forests versus these activities. We estimated the tradeoff between agriculture and forest for the 771 municipalities of the Amazon region by finding the production possibility frontier, using Data Envelopment Analysis. This tradeoff was estimated based on directional output distance functions. We found that, on average, 58% of observable total revenue from livestock, grains and timber production would be foregone to decrease deforestation in 2006 by 93%. We also estimated determinants of efficiency differences across states, which suggested that environmental efficiency was enhanced in municipalities with higher development indexes.


INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in the Western Pacific Region. More than 20% of the global burden of TB is found in the Region. In 2007 the latest year for which data is available there were an estimated 1.9 million incident cases (109 per 100000 population). Four countries (Cambodia China the Philippines and Vietnam) account for 93% of the total estimated incident cases in the Region. Every year an estimated 300 thousand persons die due to TB. The Region is host to an estimated 135000 multi-drug resistant TB cases most of which can be found in China. TB PREVALENCE AND TB MORTALITY: The Regional Stop TB strategy aims to halve the prevalence and mortality rates of 2000 by 2010. Based on current estimates the TB prevalence declined with 24% between 2000 and 2007 while TB mortality declined with 19% in the same period. Given the current annual decrease in TB prevalence and mortality it is unlikely that the Region will achieve the 50% reduction by 2010. CASE FINDING: Approximately 1.4 million new TB cases were notified in the Region in 2007 of which close to 0.7 million smear-positive cases. Cases from China accounted for 70% of the total notified smear-positive cases. The Regional case detection rate was sustained at 78%. Case detection rates in China the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic Mongolia the Philippines and Vietnam exceeded the 70% target. TREATMENT OUTCOMES: A total of 92% of the 0.7 million new pulmonary smear-positive cases registered for treatment in 2006 were successfully treated. The treatment success rates exceed the 85% target in all countries with a high burden of TB except Papua New Guinea where it was reported at 73%. MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT TB: In 2007 the proportion of MDR-TB in new TB cases was estimated to be 4%. A total of 135411 MDR-TB cases was estimated to have occurred in 2007. Based on the overall case management data 10231 new patients and 1596 re-treatment patients were reported with available drug susceptibility testing (DST) results in the Region. Of these 1% (89/10231) and 29% (468/1596) had MDR-TB respectively. Capacity to detect and treat MDR-TB cases is still very limited in most countries in the Region. Eighteen countries and areas in the Region have conducted drug resistance surveillance (DRS) since 2000 according to the Global Project on Anti-tuberculosis Drug Resistance Surveillance. Among new TB cases the prevalence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) ranged from 0% in Cambodia to 11.1% in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. MDR-TB prevalence among re-treatment cases ranged from 3.1% in Cambodia to 27.5% in Mongolia. In the five countries with a high burden of TB with available data from surveys (Cambodia China Mongolia the Philippines and Vietnam) MDR-TB prevalence in new cases and re-treatment cases ranged from 0% in Cambodia to 4.9% in China and from 3.1% in Cambodia to 27.5% in Mongolia respectively. Notably there were alarming rates of MDR-TB in several provinces in China among both new and retreatment cases. Increasing numbers of MDR-TB cases are reported from Papua New Guinea. TB-HIV CO-INFECTION: The overall estimated prevalence of HIV in new TB cases in 2007 was 2.7%. With 8.0% in 2008 compared to 11.8% in 2003 Cambodia shows a declining prevalence of HIV in new TB cases. There was a significant increase in the use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in the Region. However detailed and complete data as well as strong collaboration in HIV and TB management are needed to be able to closely monitor the use of ART and its impact on TB-HIV co-infection in the Region. CONCLUSION: In spite of the substantial progress made in most countries with a high burden of TB substantial challenges remain in the Region. The rate of decline in TB prevalence and mortality is too low to reach the 50% reduction goal in 2010. It will be necessary to further increase TB case detection and address the emerging spread of drug-resistant TB. The slow response in the most affected countries in the Region is a cause for concern. Strong commitment by national governments and their partners is needed to sustain and further strengthen the current TB control efforts.