A review on the last two decades of development of vision for ground vehicles is given. The line of development for road vehicles based on digital microprocessors dates back to the early 1980s. The European EUREKA-project "Prometheus" brought about a boost in efforts in this field with demonstrations in public traffic in 1994 (Autoroute A1 near Paris). Progress has been and will be governed in the near future by the increase in microprocessor performance by about one order of magnitude every 4–5 years. All basic perception and action tasks for driving have been demonstrated to be performable autonomously. First products are being introduced into the market right now. On the research frontier, a first highly integrated dynamic vision system has become operational recently and is discussed as reference for future developments (Expectation-based, Multi-focal, Saccadic (EMS) Vision). Initially, assistance systems will dominate for accumulating experience while the human operator carries all responsibility. In the long run, phases of fully autonomous driving may become affordable after clarification of the legal implications. The driver will have a choice to make use of these capabilities; manual driving is likely to remain an option for enjoying own skills. However, the autonomous system may intervene in order to prevent clearly dangerous situations.


Efforts to widen participation into higher education (HE) are having an impact with increasing numbers of diverse students accessing HE. Outreach is a key strategy within widening participation (WP), yet there has been little peer reviewed, published evidence regarding how outreach
 is identified, situated and understood. This paper addresses this gap, presenting a systematic review of published research examining how the impact of WP outreach is identified and understood in UK research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist
 was used to frame the review and empirical studies focusing upon outreach (2005 – 15) were included. Papers excluded were focused on international, part-time students or those not focused upon WP outreach. Twenty-six papers were identified for inclusion and these were analysed thematically.
 The analysis identified themes of person-centred impact, raising aspirations, and social capital, addressing 'how and why' questions rather than the 'what works' question judged by the impact of outreach on student numbers. Doing so can enable improvements in the design of outreach activities
 addressing individual experiences alongside structural barriers. Ultimately, this analysis suggests there is insufficient systematic evidence regarding the impact of outreach on the underlying structural factors shaping access to higher education.


The equatorial electrojet (EEJ) is a strong ionospheric current along the magnetic equator driven by the day side eastward electric field. Current strength is affected by two‐stream and gradient‐drift instabilities which pose a serious obstacle to quantitative electrodynamic modeling of the equatorial ionosphere. Using highly accurate radar and magnetic field measurements taken over the past decade, we deduce empirical relations between the observed EEJ and the driving eastward electric field. These indicate that the current strength is largely unaffected by instabilities for eastward fields in the range of −0.4 mV/m to 0.07 mV/m. This is followed by a band of moderate current reduction from 0.07 mV/m to 1 mV/m, consistent with predictions for the gradient drift instability. At even stronger eastward fields, a further current reduction is observed, as expected for the two‐stream instability. These non‐linear empirical relations can be used to correct ionospheric electric field strengths inferred from space and ground‐based magnetic field measurements.


Abstract. The success in the miniaturization of the electronic device constituents depends mostly on the photolithographic techniques. Recently, to achieve patterning at the sub-10-nm node, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography has been introduced into high volume production. Continued scaling of EUV via increased numerical aperture to achieve nodes at 3-nm and below requires the development of fundamentally new patterning materials and new characterization methods. Current EUV-resist film thicknesses are in the 20- to 40-nm range, and further thickness reduction is required for the next generation. Therefore, interfaces become exceedingly important, and the properties of the resist film would be dominated by top and bottom interfacial effects. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with standing-wave excitation (SW-XPS), a fairly new method in the EUV lithography field, previously had been largely applied in multilayers and superlattices for characterizing the composition and electronic structure of buried layers and interfaces as a function of depth. We applied the SW-XPS method to organic/inorganic photoresists to provide depth-selective information on their structural and chemical conditions of as a function of temperature, EUV exposure, different underlayers, and other fundamental parameters. As a first attempt, we perform an SW-XPS feasibility study on self-assembled monolayer (SAM) films after exposure to an electron beam. By SW-XPS, we determined that the interface between the Al2O3 underlayer and the SAMs is smooth, with a mean roughness of about 0.2 nm. Moreover, we determined that the SAM chains are, on average, tilted by ∼30  deg off the sample normal. The SW-XPS results also suggest that the SAM is not a perfectly aligned and uniform monolayer, with some areas having thickness higher than a single monolayer. We demonstrated that SW-XPS can provide useful information on ultrathin materials with high potential for being used as a characterization method of organic/inorganic photoresists.


Early scholarship on the Web suggested that, in an online world, physical markers of marginalization would be invisible and race would become obsolete. Instead, recent research indicates that the Web is a white space that grants easier access and greater power to white users than users of color. In fact, studies indicate that both overt and color-blind racism are circulated online. Still, optimistic scholars maintain hope that the Web can provide a space for meaningful discourse around race and, hence, promote the deconstruction of racism. In this study, we analyze 2,000 comments posted to YouTube forums to examine patterns of overt racism, color-blind racism, and dissent against racism. Logistic regression reveals that comments posted by users identifying as persons of color have greater odds of eliciting overt racist responses than comments posted by users not specifying a racial identity. In addition, users exhibit greater odds of dissenting against overt than color-blind racism—with qualitative themes suggesting some users mistake color-blind racism for dissent. Thus, we argue that both overt and color-blind racism play roles in maintaining white spaces online, with the former maintaining racial boundaries and the latter convoluting conversations about race and impeding the dismantling of racism.


Abstract Background Stroke is one of the major causes of maternal death. This study aimed to analyze the maternal and fetal outcomes of stroke occurred during pregnancy and puerperium. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients admitted to our perinatology center between 1982 and 2012 with a diagnosis of acute cerebral stroke during pregnancy or within 6 weeks postpartum. Results Thirty-four patients were registered and all the patients had never been diagnosed as stroke nor detected cerebrovascular abnormalities before the current pregnancies. They were divided into 8 ischemic strokes (ISs) and 26 intracranial hemorrhage group. In the hemorrhage group, there was a spontaneous abortion and two patients chose artificial abortions to avoid rehemorrhage, and there were another three intrauterine fetal deaths (IUFDs) in the acute stage of maternal stroke. More patients in hemorrhage group delivered in preterm than in IS group for the treatment of stroke, 10/23 (43%) versus 0/8 (0%), p < .05. More patients in hemorrhage group had low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (3–8) than in IS group at the onset of the stroke, 12/26 (46%) versus 0/8 (0%), p < .05. There were three maternal deaths and 6/23 (26%) were neurologically dependent in hemorrhage group in the chronic stage, whereas 87% were independent in IS group, p < .05. Conclusions Hemorrhagic stroke was more common etiology of stroke related to pregnancy than IS in this study. Intensive and multidisciplinary care was needed especially in hemorrhagic stroke related to pregnancy as in the hemorrhagic stroke the fetal survival rate was lower, and maternal conscious levels at the onset of the stroke and neurological outcomes in the chronic stage were worse than IS.


Abstract In this short essay, the Alexander von Humboldt scholar Kurt-R. Biermann (1919-2002) shed some light on the relationship between the famous conservative Austrian statesman Prince Metternich and the liberal Prussian scientist Alexander von Humboldt. It is one of the old legends that Humboldt and Metternich had studied together in Gottingen. They first met 1807 in Paris and corresponded in the most polite manner basically on one common field of interest, namely the promotion of the sciences.


The UK Government has set targets for its services to be available online by 2005. It is hoped that electronic public services will improve quality and efficiency of delivery, enhance public access to essential services, and achieve cost economies. While attention initially focussed on the Internet as the key platform for online public service delivery, digital television may eventually become the platform of choice. Television's wider penetration and familiarity gives it an edge over the Internet. A number of pilot projects and initiatives have been instigated by Government to explore the potential of digital television (DTV). This paper presents a review of early evidence to emerge about DTV services and public opinion from DTV pilots. While DTV can provide wider access than the Internet in terms of demographic reach, its limited interactivity and the relearning that viewers will need to undergo may limit its initial applications and adoption. Significant problems remain with the usability of basic DTV services, resulting in certain sectors of society being excluded. This exclusion is more pronounced when considering the most complex applications of DTV, such as interactive services. Widespread acceptance of the digital switchover will require a shift in mindset of the television audience as a different paradigm of television use comes to the fore.


The impacts of climate change are already being observed in a variety of sectors and there is greater clarity that these changes are being caused by human activities, mainly through release of greenhouse gases. In 2005 the UK Government hosted the Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change conference to take an in-depth look at the scientific issues associated with climate change. This volume presents the most recent findings from the leading international scientists that attended the conference. The topics addressed include critical thresholds and key vulnerabilities of the climate system, impacts on human and natural systems, socioeconomic costs and benefits of emissions pathways, and technological options for meeting different stabilisation levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The volume provides invaluable information for researchers in environmental science, climatology, and atmospheric chemistry, policy-makers in governments and environmental organizations, and scientists and engineers in industry.


According to the principle of induction heating, the skin depth of shrink-fit chuck is determined and the mathematical model of induction heating is constructed. Then a finite element model of induction heating for shrink-fit chuck based on FEM software is set up and the electromagnetic field, temperature field and structure field are obtained. In the end, the paper discusses the influence of the position, current frequency and current density of the coil on the deflection of the clamping bore. Research work provides a theory reference for the design of shrink-fit tool holder and shrink-fit machine.


Objective. To characterize disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in the United States and to determine patient factors associated with medication use. Methods. We analyzed cross-sectional baseline enrollment data from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry from May 2010 through May 2011 for children with JIA. Current and prior medication use was included. We used parsimonious backward stepwise logistic regression models to calculate OR to estimate associations between clinical patient factors and medication use. Results. We identified 2748 children with JIA with a median disease duration of 3.9 years from 51 US clinical sites. Overall, 2023 (74%) had ever received a nonbiologic DMARD and 1246 (45%) had ever received a biologic DMARD. Among children without systemic arthritis, methotrexate use was most strongly associated with uveitis (OR 5.2, 95% CI 3.6–7.6), anticitrullinated protein antibodies (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.7–12), and extended oligoarthritis (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.5–6.6). Among children without systemic arthritis, biologic DMARD use was most strongly associated with rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive polyarthritis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.9–6.6), psoriatic arthritis (PsA; OR 3.0, 95% CI 2.0–4.4), and uveitis (OR 2.8, 95% CI 2.1–3.7). Among children with systemic arthritis, 160 (65%) ever received a biologic DMARD; tumor necrosis factor inhibitor use was associated with polyarthritis (OR 2.5, 95% CI 3.8–16), while interleukin 1 inhibitor use was not. Conclusion. About three-quarters of all children with JIA in the CARRA Registry received nonbiologic DMARD. Nearly one-half received biologic DMARD, and their use was strongly associated with RF-positive polyarthritis, PsA, uveitis, and systemic arthritis.


The Compact LInear Collider (CLIC), currently under study at CERN, aims at the development of a Multi-TeV e+ e- collider. The micro-precision CLIC RF-structures will have an accelerating gradient of 100 MV/m and will be mounted and aligned on specially developed supporting girders. The girder fabrication constraints are dictated by stringent physics requirements. The micrometric pre-alignment over several kilometers of girders, allow for the CLIC structures to fulfill their acceleration and collision functionality. Study of such girders and their sophisticated alignment method, is a challenging case involving dedicated mechanical design as well as prototype production and experimental testing.


This work investigates the relationship between the creep-fatigue life and ultrasonic test of creep-fatigue damage. Under the creep-fatigue interaction, the main cause of life reduction is the initiation and growth of microvoid with increasing hold time. The number/size of microvoid/cavity, the fraction of cavity area varied with the hold time. Therefore, the life evaluation using the microvoid with the variation of hold time is very informative for safety of components in power plants. In this study, using the heat resisting alloy, P122 steel for USC (ultra super critical) power plant, the creep-fatigue tests with various hold times and their ultrasonic inspection were carried out for the purpose of evaluation for creep-fatigue life. The results obtained by Rayleigh surface wave of backscattered ultrasound were compared and analyzed with the experimental parameters. The good agreement between the experimental life and the predicted life was obtained.


Original technique of combined analysis of temperature and salinity measurements and altimetry observations in the Black Sea is proposed. The technique essence consists in constructing (on the chosen horizons) the diagrams of empirical relationships between the integer sea level bins and the corresponding monthly average salinity and temperature values taken from the area bounded by the 500 m isobath. Such a technique permits to mark out contribution of adiabatic processes to deformation of temperature and salinity profiles. At that salinity and temperature profiles corresponding to a zero sea level bin represent an unperturbed state. The constructed in such a way (at a zero sea level) monthly average profiles of undisturbed seawater temperature and salinity are analyzed. Diagrams of seasonal and monthly average salinity profiles in 0 – 300 m layer indicates the seawater desalination in the upper 0 – 50 m layer by the end of the 1993 – 2002 period. Interannual variability of monthly average temperature profiles shows decrease of cold intermediate layer thickness. Analysis of T , S -curves of different sea level bins reveals the fact that the profiles of temperature and salinity measured at the stations, regardless of their spatial position and time of execution, converge in 100 – 1200 m layer. This layer corresponds to intermediate water mass of the Black Sea. The given fact indicates predominant role of adiabatic processes on the selected depths.


Background Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an important cause of secondary hypertension. Nocturnal hypertension is particularly prevalent in OSA and is a strong predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Studies in patients with essential hypertension have suggested that nocturnal administration of antihypertensives improves nocturnal blood pressure (BP) without elevating daytime BP. We evaluated the efficacy of this technique in patients with OSA with stage I/II hypertension, both before and after the addition of CPAP. Methods In this double-blind randomised placebo-controlled crossover trial, patients with moderate-to-severe OSA and hypertension received 6 weeks each of evening or morning perindopril with opposing time-matched placebo. CPAP therapy was subsequently added for 8 weeks in addition to either morning or evening perindopril. The primary outcome was sleep systolic BP (SBP) using 24-hour BP monitoring, analysed using linear mixed models. Results Between March 2011 and January 2015, 85 patients were randomised, 79 completed both dosing times, 78 completed the CPAP phase. Sleep SBP reduced significantly from baseline with both evening (−6.9 mm Hg) and morning (−8.0 mm Hg) dosing, but there was no difference between dosing times (difference: 1.1 mm Hg, 95% CI −0.3 to 2.5). However, wake SBP reduced more with morning (−9.8 mm Hg) than evening (−8.0 mm Hg) dosing (difference: 1.8 mm Hg, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.5). Addition of CPAP to either evening or morning dosing further reduced sleep SBP, but by a similar amount (evening: −3.2 mm Hg, 95% CI −5.1 to −1.3; morning: −3.3 mm Hg, 95% CI −5.2 to 1.5). Conclusions Our findings support combining OSA treatment with morning administration of antihypertensives. Unlike in essential hypertension, our results do not support evening administration of antihypertensives, at least with perindopril. Further research is required before this strategy can be widely adopted into hypertension guidelines and clinical practice. Trial registration number ACTRN12611000216910, Results.


The objective of this research was to describe the organization, connectivity and microstructure of the corpus callosum of the spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi). Non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-tensor imaging were obtained from three subjects using a 3T Philips scanner. We hypothesized that the arrangement of fibers in spider monkeys would be similar to that observed in other non-human primates. A repeated measure (n = 3) of fractional anisotropy values was obtained of each subject and for each callosal subdivision. Measurements of the diffusion properties of corpus callosum fibers exhibited a similar pattern to those reported in the literature for humans and chimpanzees. No statistical difference was reached when comparing this parameter between the different CC regions (p = 0.066). The highest fractional anisotropy values corresponded to regions projecting from the corpus callosum to the posterior cortical association areas, premotor and supplementary motor cortices. The lowest fractional anisotropy corresponded to projections to motor and sensory cortical areas. Analyses indicated that approximately 57% of the fibers projects to the frontal cortex and 43% to the post-central cortex. While this study had a small sample size, the results provided important information concerning the organization of the corpus callosum in spider monkeys.


The Drovers' Paths are remnants of important land access roads from Rio Grande do Sul to Sao Paulo at the time of Colonial Brazil. They were built and used between the 18th and 20th centuries, particularly in the region of Coxilha Rica. The main objective of this research is to develop a method for decision-making applied to the territorial landscape management in the Coxilha Rica. The method consisted of generating criteria to map the visibility spot reached from the main selected points; define the human visual acuity, realize bibliographic research, use cartographic and historical documents, inter-views, as well as field surveys that enabled the identification, characterization and mapping of historical farms and drovers' paths. After data processing, the information was entered into the cartographic database; the data were cross-checked and analysis was made of the visibility of the surrounding farms and stone-walled corridors. Quality assessments showed that, with the visibility polygons, and through the use of cartographic tools, we could cross-check between different levels of information and analyze landscape intervention alternatives in order to minimize environmental impacts. When applying the method in the Coxilha Rica it was possible mapping the visibility polygon, taking human visual acuity into consideration, based on historical farms and stone-walled corridors; and making spatial analyses to explore alternatives to intervention (installation of power transmission systems) in order to preserve the scenic environment of the region. In the end, the decision was by does not construct the system.


Creativity is strongly influenced by the way individuals are organized. One of the most difficult and important challenges when managing innovation is to identify the individuals within an organization who must work closely with each other to maximize the generation of creative ideas. This paper aims to inform managers of new product development (NPD)organizations about forming creative teams. To do so, we extend the notion of team familiarity (i.e., the extent to which team members have worked together before becoming members of a team) by considering the quality of past interactions. We define creative team familiarity as the degree to which team members have triggered the generation of creative ideas in one another during task-related interactions prior to joining the team. This paper argues that a high level of creative team familiarity (rather than simply a high level of team familiarity) is positively associated with a team's capability to produce innovative outcomes. We test this hypothesis in a unique empirical setting involving participants in an international executive MBA program. We also illustrate the implications of our findings by identifying members in a real NPD organization who would form a creative task force with maximum level of creative team familiarity.


We determine the phase velocity and k vector for parallel and oblique broadband extremely low frequency, ELF, waves on nightside auroral magnetic field lines at altitudes around 4.6 RE. We use internal burst mode data from the EFW electric field and wave instrument onboard the Cluster spacecraft to retrieve phase differences between the four probes of the instrument. The retrieved characteristic phase velocity is of the order of the ion acoustic speed and larger than the thermal velocity of the protons. The typical wavelength obtained from interferometry is around the proton gyro radius and always larger than the Debye length. We find that in regions with essentially no suprathermal electrons above a few tens of eV the observed broadband waves above the proton gyro frequency are consistent with upgoing ion acoustic and oblique ion acoustic waves.


The Orphan Drug Act was enacted in 1983 to stimulate drug development for rare diseases. How well this law has accomplished that goal is an important public health question. This study examined the characteristics of the 209 orphan drugs approved as new molecular entities in the period 1983-2014. As a whole, these drugs were highly innovative and provided substantial gains in reducing unmet medical needs for rare diseases: Over 50 percent of the drugs were first in class, and 78 percent received a priority review. Drugs approved as either therapeutic or supportive therapies for rare cancers represented the highest proportion of these drugs (35 percent). Additionally, in 2010-14 large companies became a strong presence in developing orphan new molecular entities for oncology indications. Overall, new orphan drugs appeared to be highly innovative and provided important advances in care for patients with rare diseases.


Here an inertial sensor-based monitoring system for measuring and analyzing upper limb movements is presented. The final goal is the integration of this motion-tracking device within a portable rehabilitation system for brain injury patients. A set of four inertial sensors mounted on a special garment worn by the patient provides the quaternions representing the patient upper limb's orientation in space. A kinematic model is built to estimate 3D upper limb motion for accurate therapeutic evaluation. The human upper limb is represented as a kinematic chain of rigid bodies with three joints and six degrees of freedom. Validation of the system has been performed by co-registration of movements with a commercial optoelectronic tracking system. Successful results are shown that exhibit a high correlation among signals provided by both devices and obtained at the Institut Guttmann Neurorehabilitation Hospital.


This dissertation, entitled "Design and Analysis of Flywheel Energy Storage
System's Structure" is to fulfill the requirement of Final Year Project II. The objectives
of this project are to study and understand the principle of operation of the Flywheel
Energy Storage System (FESS), to design new structure of horizontal FESS, to simulate
the structural mechanics of the FESS, and to analyse static and dynamic loads on the
FESS structure. FESS is a system which is targeted to be implemented and utilized as
potential alternative energy in Malaysia, as the issue of oil and gas scarcity and price
high is one of the major problems nowadays. The need for a clean and reliable energy
from FESS is essential to reduce the green house gas emissions. FESS aims to supply
uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to any system that is driven by electrical motor. The
design approach of the system's structure includes the flywheel design calculations and
shaft design calculations. Detailed design is created and shaft loading analyses are
executed using the Autodesk Inventor Professional Software. The results obtained from
calculations are compared with the results generated by Autodesk Inventor Professional
Software and ANSYS 11.0 Software. To further verify the analyses, simulations of the
static and dynamic analyses are conducted using the ANSYS 11.0 Software. The final
design specifications for FESS show that the most suitable material for a flywheel disc
is stainless steel, with an outer diameter of 0.20 m and a shaft with 0.4 m length and
0.05 m diameter which produce 4392 rpm in its operation. The amount of kinetic energy
that can be stored for a given power of 37285 W is 3.98 kJ. As one of the essential
component in the FESS, the shaft design is observed to be safe to function, as it
produces a negligible value of deflection and does not break during rotation. Further
analysis of the electromagnetic flux induced by the system is recommended, besides
generating several configurations of FESS which can give the highest efficiency to the
system.


Introduction High Resolution post contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging has been used to evaluate vessel walls in atherosclerotic disease as well as vasculitides in order to characterise wall thickness and enhancement. High resolution magnetic resonance imaging may also be useful in characterising aneurysms by identifying regions of all thickening which may have implications for microsurgical repair, such as in giant aneurysms where wall thickening at the neck may impede exclusion of the aneurysm sac from the circulation. Increased visiblity of the cavernous sinus and dura may also help better localise paraclinoid aneurysms. Methods High resolution Magnetic imaging was performed in 18 patients harbouring intracranial aneurysms and results were reviewed and observations correlated. Patterns of enhancement in normal vessels were also assessed by experienced neuroradiologists in order to form a baseline for image interpretation. Results Of 18 HRMR exams of aneurysms, 5 were paraclinoid, 2 were thrombosed large aneurysms, 3 were fusiform aneurysms, 7 were intradural aneurysms (MCA 2, PCOM 1, ACOM 4) and one dolichoectatic vessel. In the paraclinoid aneurysms, relationship to the cavernous sinus and dura helped localise the aneurysm as intra or extradural. Conclusion In vivo imaging of aneurysm walls may help in treatment planning by both localisation and identification of wall characteristics that may hinder surgery or stable coiling. Further research is necessary. Abstract E-043 Figure 1 Disclosures K. Walsh: None. M. Bain: None. F. Hui: 3; C; Microvention, Penumbra.


For the present thesis 22 samples of seven African medicinal plants, the extracts of which had previously proved to possess an in vitro activity against T. b. rhodesiense and/or P. falciparum and 13 samples of six randomly selected plant species based on availability were collected in Tanzania. Of these 35 samples, 140 crude extracts were produced with four solvents of different polarity, and the extracts were tested for in vitro antitrypanosomal and antiplasmodial activity and for cytotoxicity. In addition the extracts were tested for the affinity to the GABAA receptor performed by radioligand binding experiments. Based on the considerable antitrypanosomal and antiplasmodial activity and the affinity to the GABAA receptor, two extracts were selected for bioassay-guided fractionation : the petroleum ether extract of the stembark of Commiphora fulvotomentosa Engl. because of its promising IC50 value of 2.1 mg/ml against T. b. rhodesiense and the high selectivity index of 21.4, and the petroleum ether extract of the rootbark of Cussonia zimmermannii Harms because of its IC50 value of 4.8 mg/ml against T. b. rhodesiense, its IC50 value of 3.3 mg/ml against P. falciparum, and the potent modulatory effect at the GABAA receptor of 151 %. After three fractionation steps the fractions of the petroleum ether extract of the stembark of Commiphora fulvotomentosa Engl. did not show any inhibitory activity against T. b. rhodesiense and were therefore not investigated further. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the petroleum ether extract of the rootbark of Cussonia zimmermannii Harms lead to the isolation of four polyacetylenes. By the application of MS, HR-MS, UV/VIS and IR methods and NMR experiments (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DEPT135, 1H-1H COSY, HMQC and HMBC) the structures of the four novel diynes were established : 8-Hydroxyheptadeca-4,6-diyn-3-yl acetate (MS-1 (25)), 8-Hydroxyheptadeca-1-ene-4,6-diyn-3-yl acetate (MS-2 (26)), 16-Acetoxy-11- hydroxyoctadeca-17-ene-12,14-diynyl acetate (MS-4 (27)), and 11,16-Diacetoxyoctadeca- 17-ene-12,14-diynyl acetate (MS-5 (28)). Additionally, stigmasterol (42) was isolated and identified by comparison of its spectroscopic data with those of an authentic sample. For the determination of the absolute configuration of MS-4 (27) at C(11) the Mosher method was used. The negative d values for the neighbouring protons suggested the S-configuration. But this result could not be confirmed by the 13C-NMR data since both positive and negative d values were obtained for the neighbouring carbons. Due to the fact, that the results for the protons and the carbons were not consistent the S-configuration for C(11) of MS-4 (27) could not be assigned with certainty. The isolated compounds MS-1 (25), MS-2 (26), and MS-4 (27) were tested for in vitro inhibitory activity against additional parasites like T. cruzi and L. donovani (axenic and in infected macrophages). 42 was not tested because it was a well known phytosterol which is ubiquitous in plants. Neither was MS-5 (28) tested, since the isolated amount was not sufficient. It was found that MS-1 (25) showed in all antiparasitic in vitro assays no higher inhibitory activity than the crude extract. MS-2 (26) showed promising activities in the T. cruzi and L. donovani (axenic and in infected macrophages) assay with IC50 values of 0.2, 0.039, and 0.098 mg/ml, respectively. The respective IC50 values of the standard drugs were 0.62, 0.18, and 0.29. The cytotoxicity was relatively high; therefore the selectivity with SI values of 18.0 and 36.7, respectively (T. cruzi, L. donovani in inf. mac.), was in a moderate range. MS-4 (27) showed also interesting activities in the T. cruzi and L. donovani (axenic) assays with IC50 values of 0.15 and 0.054 mg/ml. The SI value of 145.3 (T. cruzi) was high. Compared with the standard drugs the activities of MS-2 (26) and MS-4 (27) against T. b. rhodesiense and P. falciparum were in a moderate range. MS-1 (25), MS-2 (26), and MS-4 (27) were also tested in the GABAA receptor binding assay. Here MS-4 (27) showed the highest relative specific binding of 158 % at a concentration of 20 mg/ml, followed by MS-2 (26) with 152 % and MS-1 (25) with 138 %. In order to investigate whether the modulatory effect at the GABAA receptor leads to a chanel opening, the isolated compounds were investigated electrophysiologically. It was found that MS-1 (25), MS-2 (26), and MS-4 (27) act as potent positive allosteric modulators at GABAA receptors with a half maximal stimulation at a concentration of 0.6-3.5 mM and a maximal stimulation of 110-450 %. The compounds also showed unique subunit selectivity profiles, the stimulation was independend from the presence of the g subunit and resistant to the benzodiazepine antagonist Ro15-1788. These in vitro data suggested that MS-1 (25), MS-2 (26), and MS-4 (27) may be used to treat diseases of the central nervous system, specifically they may be used to treat states of anxiety, as sedatives/hypnotics, as muscle relaxants and as anticonvulsives (e.g. in epilepsy), and in the treatment of drug addiction. Therefore it was decided to patent the compounds for these indications [174]. All data are on the in vitro level. For a pharmaceutical application in vivo data are needed. Therefore MS-1 (25), MS-2 (26), and MS-4 (27) need to be synthesized in order to get more material for subsequent in vivo experiments.


Premature birth is a stressful event to mothers whose infants may be admitted to the
neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for several weeks or months. Most mothers of
premature infants will experience stress, anxiety, low NICU-related maternal ability and
quality of life. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Structured Nursing
Intervention (SNI), an educational program that specifically developed based on mother
needs which was identified prior an actual study to reduce maternal stress, anxiety and
improving maternal ability and mother's quality of life. Method: A cross-sectional and
quasi experimental study was conducted in a large tertiary public level III hospital
NICU in East Coast Malaysia. This study consisted of three phases: First phase (n=180),
a survey used to identify mothers' psychological problems in related to their premature
infants admitted to NICU. Second phase was the SNI development phase and last phase
was run on 216 mothers to evaluate the effectiveness of SNI on maternal stress, anxiety,
maternal ability and QoL. The questionnaires used were Parental Stressor Scale:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS: NICU), State-trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI),
Maternal Ability Checklist (MA) and World Health Organization Quality of Life
(WHOQOL-BREF). The quantitative results were analyzed using Statistical Package of
Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the
demographic data and items of questionnaire. The inferential method included two ways
repeated measure analysis of variance (RMANOVA) followed by Bonferroni test for
mean comparison between control and experimental groups at two phases (pre and post
intervention tests). Results: More than 50% of mother (n= 180) scored high level of
stress and anxiety 153 (85%), low NICU-related maternal ability (M=2.85, SD=068)
and moderate level of overall QoL (M=3.67, SD=0.80). Two items scored highest in
affecting maternal stress are 'being separated from the baby' (M=3.66, SD=1.29) and
'not feeding the infant' (M=3.66, SD=1.31). There was no significant relationship
iii
between maternal and infant characteristic except between birth weight and trait anxiety
which showed weak relationship and moderate relationship with state anxiety. A
negative and significant relationship between maternal ability and maternal stress in all
correlation coefficients were less than 0.3 which indicated a weak relationship. The
relationship between maternal stress and quality of life ranged between -0.184 to -0.295
which were weak while the relationship between total stress and psychology domain
was moderate (r=0.301, p<0.001). In the intervention phase, the results of data analysis
confirmed significant percentage of reduction in PSS: NICU among mothers under
intervention was 12.9% in intervention group and in control group (4.7%) while for
maternal ability there was a 39.2% improvement in the intervention group compared to
18.4% in the control group. Conclusion: The use of a SNI, designed and delivered
factual information on caring of a premature infant in a Malaysian NICU, followed by
provision of planned therapeutic nurse mother interaction, can effectively reduce level
of maternal stress and anxiety, as well as improved maternal ability and hence, maternal
QoL.


LoRa and the LoRaWAN specification is a technology for Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) designed to allow connectivity for connected objects, such as remote sensors. Several previous works revealed various weaknesses regarding the security of LoRaWAN v1.0 (the official 1st draft) and these led to improvements included in LoRaWAN v1.1, released on Oct 11, 2017. In this work, we provide the first look into the security of LoRaWAN v1.1. We present an overview of the protocol and, importantly, present several threats to this new version of the protocol. Besides, we propose our own ramification strategies for the mentioned threats, to be used in developing next version of LoRaWAN. The threats presented were not previously discussed, they are possible even within the security assumptions of the specification and are relevant for practitioners implementing LoRa-based applications as well researchers and the future evolution of the LoRaWAN specification.


A T tube is an upper airway device well described in the literature which is used to maintain tracheal lumen patency. Although tube occlusion is a known complication, it can be minimized by certain precautions. Otherwise, total occlusion can result in dramatic clinical deterioration or death. Herein, we describe a new clinical entity, 'tricho-tracheobezoar', using a new term defining a hairball in the trachea, which illustrates many of the potential pitfalls in the management of T tubes.


1. Increasing agriculture intensification has led to dramatically improved crop yields; however, this shift in agricultural practice has been accompanied by increasing threats from new and emerging plant pathogens. While the pathogens associated with crop species are often well studied, especially within North America and Europe, less is known about pathogen pressures on crops elsewhere, and our ability to predict the emergence of novel pathogens is limited. Here, we model phylogenetic constraints on the distribution of pathogens of millet – one of the most important crops in Africa. 2.Weconductedaliteraturereviewtocompileadatabaseofcommonmilletpathogens and the non-millet host crops associated with each. We then characterized the phylogenetic host range for each pathogen using measures of mean pairwise distance (MPD) and mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) separating crop hosts. 3. We detected robust phylogenetic clustering for both metrics of phylogenetic dispersion (MPD and MNTD). Evidence for phylogenetic clustering tended to be stronger (more negative standard effect sizes) and more variable for MPD than for MNTD. 4. Although patterns for individual pathogens were variable, we did not find significant differences in phylogenetic dispersion of hosts among pathogen types (bacteria, viruses and fungi). However, in several cases, we observed evidence of phylogenetic clusteringinevolutionarilydistanthostclades,apossiblesignalofoccasionallargephy-logenetic host jumps. We show that pathogens cluster on closely related hosts, thus likely closely related millets also share similar pathogen communities. On average, the prob-ability of a pathogen host shift may, therefore, be by the phylogenetic relatedness between host species. However, host shifts between distantly related hosts are not infrequent. This finding has relevance not only for the design of agronomic systems to reduce disease spillover but also for biological control agents risk analysis, quaran-tine regulations in international trade and our understanding of the distribution and abundance of plants in natural systems.


This thesis, which is divided into two parts, describes the use of non-ambient crystallisation techniques, in particular high-pressure, to explore on one hand inclusion complex formation of cyclodextrins with drug molecules (part 1), and on the other hand the solid-state behaviour of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (part 2). Much of this thesis is devoted to establishing detailed crystallisation protocols for the compounds studied and to reporting full structural analysis of the resulting crystals, which have been investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using both laboratory and synchrotron sources.
This work shows that the application of pressure has different effects on cyclodextrin-based inclusion complexes. When water is used as pressure transmitting medium, cyclodextrins undergo dissolution as function of increasing pressure, regardless of the inclusion state. Upon further pressurisation three events have been observed to take place: no crystallisation, crystallisation of host and guest molecules as separate entities or crystallisation of inclusion complexes. It has not been possible to rationalise the observed behaviour or predict which of the three events is most likely to occur for a given system. During the course of this work, novel inclusion complexes for α- and β- cyclodextrin have been obtained at both ambient- and high-pressure conditions; full structural characterisation has enabled to identify two novel packing motifs.
As demonstrated for imidazolium-based ionic liquids, high-pressure is a powerful external factor for triggering crystal formation and phase transitions in this class of compounds. The solid-state behaviour of ionic liquids at high pressure has been correlated with the one at low temperature, proving that a thorough understanding and exploration of the crystallisation diagrams necessitates the use of both non-ambient techniques. The studies performed in this thesis demonstrate the importance of characterising crystalline phases by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Thanks to the availability of accurate structural data it has been possible to unravel the elusive polymorphism of the most widely studied imidazolium-based ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, which had been the subject of much debate and speculation in the literature. For 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, structural data have enabled to distinguish between three distinct packing types of this ionic liquid in its hydrated forms, and to pin point subtle but important structural differences between the different crystalline phases.


One of the most persistent mysteries in the history of humankind is the collapse of ancient societies. It is puzzling that societies that achieved such high levels of development disappeared so suddenly. It has been argued that overexploitation of environmental resources played a role in the collapse of such societies. In this paper, we propose an explanation why overexploitation seems more common in ancient societies that built larger structures. This explanation is based on the well-studied sunk-cost effect in human decision making: decisions are often based on past investments rather than expected future returns. This leads to an unwillingness to abandon something (e. g., a settlement) if a great deal has been invested in it, even if future prospects are dim. Empirical study suggests that there are indications of sunk-cost effects in the histories of several ancient societies. A stylized model is used to illustrate under which conditions societal collapse may be expected. Finally, we discuss the consequences of these insights for current societies.


The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC Fourth Assessment report has highlighted the role of tropical forests in mitigating climate change. Deforestation, especially in tropical countries, contributes about 20 percent to total global greenhouse gas emissions. Development projects geared to reduce the rate of deforestation and forest degradation, and to establish forest plantations will help reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and significantly contribute to mitigating climate change. Three cases of forestry carbon projects underway in the Philippines are presented to illustrate the constraints facing project developers in undertaking these climate change mitigation efforts. Among the key lessons identified are: the difficulty in establishing land eligibility, the need for partners or buyers from industrialized countries to shoulder the transaction costs, and the crucial role of the local communities, including indigenous peoples, in the development effort.


Changes of the fat-storing cells (FSC) in the liver have been studied after oil solution of vitamin A have been injected to intact rats, when Kupffer's cells have been blocked with colloid silver and stimulated with prodigiosan. During these experiments (on the 4th, 7th, 14th days) the amount of FSC does not change, and their size increases. The blockade of Kupffer's cells does not influence the dynamics of the FSC changes, and their stimulation contributes to lipid accumulation in their cytoplasm and to earlier revealing of these elements (on the 2d day of the experiment). In parallel with increasing size of FSC, fatty infiltration of hepatocytes disappears and reticular fibers accumulate in the perisinusoid space. Participation of FSC in lipid metabolism and in synthesis of the III type collagen is proved, as well as existence of intercellular interactions of these elements with endotheliocytes, Kupffer's cells and hepatocytes.


A B ST R A C T Ba § ion blocks K § conductance at concentrations in the nanom-olar range. This blockage is time and voltage dependent. From the time dependence it is possible to determine the forward and reverse rate constants for what appears to be an essentially first-order process of Ba ++ interaction. The voltage dependence of the rate constants and the dissociation constants place the site of interaction near the middle of the membrane field. Comparison of the efficacy of Ba § block at various internal K § concentrations suggests that Ba § is probably a simple competitive inhibitor of K + interaction with the K + conductance. The character of Ba ++ block in high external K + solutions suggests that Ba + § ion may be "knocked-off" the site by inward movement of external K § Examination of the effects of other divalent cations suggests that the channel may have a closed state with a divalent cation inside the channel. The relative blockage at different temperatures implies a strong interaction between Ba + § and the K § conductance.


BEALE, E. A., and SIVESIND, D. (2004) Parents dying of cancer and their children. Palliative & Supportive Care, vol.2, no.4, p403-408. (The authors reviewed their experience with 28 consecutive children referred for assessment and intervention. These were the children of patients with terminal cancer referred to the Palliative Care and Symptom Control Service. In all cases the dying parent was a biological parent. Eleven parameters were assessed in each of 29 children and their incidence was calculated. The children and their parents were seen in a semistructured interview, together as well as separately. The parameters were: seeking reassurance (82), becoming a caretaker (79), inability to separate from parent (79), anger about feeling abandoned (68), despair (57), guilt (54), discipline problems, aggressive behavior (46), denial (39), blame of others (21), and fear for the child's own health (18). The results suggest that children with dying parents manifest significant distress as well as a greater understanding of their parent's illness than is usually suspected. Timely intervention by a child psychiatrist or other mental health professional with proven competence in working with children can help children to better cope with the death and dying of their parent and ameliorate the process of bereavement following the parent's death. Because of the small sample, the authors cannot generalize about all of the findings and suggest that further research is required to characterise the level of distress in the children and the long-term impact in their overall adjustment to life).


Abstract. The western Mediterranean atmosphere is impacted by a variety of aerosol
sources, producing a complex and variable mixture of natural and
anthropogenic particles, with different chemical and physical properties.
Satellite sensors provide a useful global coverage of aerosol parameters but
through indirect measurements that require careful validation. Here we
present the results of a long-term regional scale analysis of the full
dataset (March 2005 and October 2013) of POLDER-3/PARASOL ocean operational
retrievals of the total, fine, and coarse aerosol optical depth (AOD,
AODF, and AODC), Ångström exponent (AE), and
the spherical or non-spherical partition of coarse-mode AOD
(AODCS and AODCNS), respectively. The evaluation is
performed using data from 17 coastal and insular ground-based AERONET sites
on one side, and airborne vertical profiles of aerosol extinction and number
size distribution obtained by the SAFIRE ATR-42 aircraft operated in the area
during summer 2012 and 2013 on the other side. This study provides the first
regional evaluation of uncertainties of the POLDER-3 products, and highlights
their quality. The POLDER-3 Ångström exponent, representing AOD
spectral dependence in link with the aerosol particle size distribution, is
biased towards small values. This bias, however, does not prevent using AE
for classifying the regional aerosol laden air masses. AODF
corresponds to particles smaller than 0.6–0.8 µm in diameter and
appears suitable to monitor the aerosol submicron fraction from space. We
also provide an original validation of POLDER-3 AODC and its
spherical or non-spherical partition, which shows agreement within 25 %
with AERONET shape retrievals when the aerosol coarse fraction
dominates.


Introduction: The incidence of anal cancer is influenced by individual factors and socially determined conditions of vulnerability. In Brazil, it has increased in recent decades. A probable explanation for the growing incidence is the low coverage of screening and prevention programs. Objective: The aim of this study was to reflect on risk factors, the need for early diagnosis, and care of people with anal cancer and to associate social vulnerability in the understanding of illness and care in the Unified Health System (SUS). Methods: This is a systematic literature review with consultations carried out in open electronic databases: SciELO, Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, and CAPES Publications Portal. The descriptors used were "anal cancer," "anal cytology," "anal cancer precursor lesions," "primary prevention," "integrality in health," and "public health policies." Results: Ensuring access to services is a common guideline in the literature. Based on the recovered references, two axes of analysis were built: in the first, ideas to reflect on care with collective health approaches were systematized, mainly on the etiology, biological risk factors, and conditions of vulnerability for cancer development to which the subjects are exposed. In the second, ideas to propose care technologies are put forward, with evidence from similar protocols and policies, especially the "Cervical Cancer Control Program," which deals with a pathology with cytohistological and etiological similarities, risk factors, diagnostic techniques, and skilled health professionals. Conclusion: The reviewed sources point to the possibility of incorporating, as a SUS policy, large-scale actions of prevention, screening, and early diagnosis, to qualify and expand the initiatives of promotion and care. The professional cytotechnologist can be a decisive factor in the implementation of the care policy, expanding assistance to the population and qualifying the services.


This paper develops and applies a novel estimation procedure for quantile regressions with time-varying coefficients based on a fully parametric, multifactor specification. The algorithm recursively filters the multifactor dynamic coefficients with a Kalman filter and parameters are estimated by maximum likelihood. The likelihood function is built on the Skewed-Laplace assumption. In order to eliminate the non-differentiability of the likelihood function, it is reformulated into a non-linear optimisation problem with constraints. A relaxed problem is obtained by moving the constraints into the objective, which is then solved numerically with the Augmented Lagrangian Method. In the context of an application to electricity prices, the results show the importance of modelling the time-varying features and the explicit multi-factor representation of the latent coefficients is consistent with an intuitive understanding of the complex price formation processes involving fundamentals, policy instruments and participant conduct.


This paper presents a multidisciplinary analysis tool STSOPT for the simultaneous trajectory and system optimization of reusable launch vehicles. This software package has been developed at the Space Systems Institute, University of Stuttgart over 20 years. The tool has been revised fundamentally, updated and improved both from the algorithmic and software point of view while maintaining the principal methodology, model assumptions and the system dynamics for the flight simulation. The flexibility and performance increase achieved is demonstrated by using this software package to perform system analyses of the partly-reusable launch vehicle Hopper -the central concept of the German technology program ASTRA (Selected Systems and Technologies for Future Space Transportation Applications). Hopper consists of a reusable, unmanned, and winged main stage and an expendable upper stage. The main stage is powered by three cryogenic Vulcan 3 engines -a future version of the Ariane 5 main engine. The upper stage is powered by a cryogenic Vinci engine.


The unique nature of the Starunia palaeontological site, where near-perfectly preserved large mammals were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, and incomplete knowledge on the development of palaeoenvironment in the Velyky Lukavets River valley in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene were the reasons for undertaking new comprehensive palaeobotanical and malacological studies. Starunia is also one of the sites bearing Pleistocene fossil flora, rare in this part of Europe. The results of plant macrofossil analysis show that in the Weichselian Middle Pleniglacial the landscape was dominated by steppe and tundra plant communities, being represented mostly by various grass and sedge species. Areas of higher humidity were covered with shrub tundra with Betula nana. The temperature requirements of taxa which are cool climate indicators show that the minimum July temperature amounted to at least 10°C. The record of Late Weichselian malacofauna confirms the dominance of an open landscape, mostly with steppe and steppe-tundra communities, as well as the presence of a dry, continental climate. At the beginning of the Holocene, an improvement of climatic and humidity conditions led to a fast local expansion of plant communities of the low and transition peat bog type, in the surroundings of shallow, periodically drying-up water pools. From the Middle Pleniglacial up to the present day, the area has been characterized by the presence of species tolerating an increased amount of salt in the environment. Their presence should be associated with natural brine effluences derived from Miocene strata in the bedrock.


Cr‐catalyzed ethene trimerization is an industrially important process to produce 1‐hexene. Despite its industrial relevance, the changing oxidation state and the structural rearrangements of the metal center during the catalytic cycle remain unclear. In this study, we have investigated the active species in a [(R‐SN(H)S−R)CrCl3] (R=C10H21) catalyzed ethene trimerization system using a combination of spectroscopic techniques (XAS, EPR and UV/VIS) and DFT calculations. Reaction of the octahedral CrIII complex with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) in absence of ethene gives rise to the formation of a square‐planar CrII complex. In the presence of ethene (1 bar), no coordination was observed, which we attribute to the endergonic nature of the coordination of the first ethene molecule. Employing an alkyne as a model for ethene coordination leads to the formation of a dinuclear cationic CrIII alkyne complex. DFT calculations show that a structurally related dinuclear cationic CrIII ethene complex could form under catalytic conditions. Comparing a mechanism proceeding via mononuclear cationic CrII/CrIV intermediates to that proceeding via dinuclear cationic CrII/CrIII intermediates demonstrates that only the mechanism involving mononuclear cationic CrII/CrIV intermediates can correctly explain the observed product selectivity.


Although pesticides are widely used in agriculture, they and in particular the relative residues in foodstuffs, water and atmosphere, may cause remarkable sanitary problems due to the harmful effects (carcinogenic and mutagenic effects) on the human health. In fact, their spread in waters and atmosphere can produce undesired effects on various organisms and/or water contamination.This paper shows an analytical approach based on XAD-2 adsorbent and GC analysis for evaluating the pesticide trend in atmosphere: in particular, the pesticides investigated are omethoate, dicrotofos, disulfoton, dimethoate, parathion methyl, formothion, paraoxon ethyl, malaoxon, parathion ethyl, iodofenfos and triazofos. For the analytical methodology a linearity response was obtained (r^2 = 0.9988) in GC-NPD whereas the limits of detection range between 2 and 5 pg/μL in GC-NPD with a Relative Standard Deviation below 9.5. Finally, this approach has been successfully applied to real samples: the results show that dimethoate concentration decreases with increasing distance from the sampling site but it is still persistent in atmosphere after few days from the pesticide spraying.


Glioblastoma is one of the most difficult tumor types to treat with conventional therapy options like tumor debulking, chemo and radiotherapy. Immunotherapeutic agents like oncolytic viruses, immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cells have revolutionized cancer therapy, but their success in glioblastoma remains limited and further optimization of immunotherapies is needed. Several oncolytic viruses have demonstrated ability to infect tumors and trigger anti-tumor immune responses in malignant glioma patients. Leading the pack, oncolytic herpesvirus, first in its class, awaits an approval for treating malignant glioma from MHLW, the federal authority of Japan. Nevertheless, some major hurdles like the blood brain barrier, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and tumor heterogeneity can engender suboptimal efficacy in malignant glioma. In this review, we discuss the current status of malignant glioma therapies with a focus on oncolytic viruses in clinical trials. Furthermore, we discuss the obstacles faced by oncolytic viruses in malignant glioma patients and strategies that are being used to overcome these limitations to 1) optimize delivery of oncolytic viruses beyond the blood brain barrier; 2) trigger inflammatory immune responses in and around tumors; and 3) use of multimodal therapies in combination to tackle tumor heterogeneity, with an end goal of optimizing the therapeutic outcome of oncolytic virotherapy.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has multifactorial etiopathogenesis, and intestinal microbiota is co-responsible in this process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intestinal microbiota in NASH patients with different metabolic profiles.

METHODS
Patients with biopsy-proven NASH were evaluated. Subjects were divided into two groups according to their metabolic profile, with or without metabolic syndrome (MS). Their characteristics in relation to liver disease and intestinal microbiota were analyzed. To evaluate the microbiota, breath tests to investigate small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and fecal microbiota analysis by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed.

RESULTS
There was a high prevalence of SIBO in both groups, with no significant difference between them. Breathing tests were positive in 43.8% of patients with MS and 50% of those without MS. There was a significant difference regarding the quantification of Verrucomicrobiales, less abundant in patients with NASH without MS. Its lower concentration also correlated with higher serum ferritin levels and higher hepatocyte ballooning. This order of bacteria, through its representative in human microbiota, Akkermansia muciniphila, is associated with mucosal protection and metabolic processes with liver aggression.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested that lower Verrucomicrobiales concentration is associated with higher inflammatory activity in patients with NASH without MS, where the disease etiopathogenesis does not have its classic metabolic substrate.


INTRODUCTION
This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and susceptibility profile to oxacillin-resistant Coagulase-negative Staphylococci strains isolated from blood cultures in a teaching hospital, located in Santa Maria, RS. In addition, different methodologies for phenotypic characterization of mecA-mediated oxacillin resistance were compared with genotypic reference testing.

METHODS
After identification (MicroScan - Siemens), the isolates were tested for antimicrobial sensitivity using disk diffusion and automation (MicroScan - Siemens). The presence of mecA gene was identified by the polymerase chain reaction molecular technique.

RESULTS
The most common species was Staphylococcus epidermidis (n=40, 67%). The mecA gene was detected in 54 (90%) strains, while analysis of the sensitivity profiles revealed a high rate of resistance to multiple classes of antimicrobial drugs. However, all isolates were uniformly sensitive to vancomycin and tigecycline. The cefoxitin disk was the phenotypic method that best correlated with the gold standard.

CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of the clinical significance of CoNS isolated from hemocultures and the precise detection of oxacillin resistance represent decisive factors for the correct choice of antibiotic therapy. Although vancomycin constitutes the normal treatment in most Brazilian hospitals, reduction in its use is recommended.


Contributions collected in this report provide a representative overview of the scientific outcome of INE research activities in 2012. The structure of the report follows widely the organization of the institute according to research topics: Basic research towards understanding geochemical reactions of radionuclides on a molecular scale and applied studies on radionuclide retention in multi-barrier system under real repository conditions.


The task of crowd counting is to automatically estimate the pedestrian number in crowd images. To cope with the scale and perspective changes that commonly exist in crowd images, state-of-the-art approaches employ multi-column CNN architectures to regress density maps of crowd images. Multiple columns have different receptive fields corresponding to pedestrians (heads) of different scales. We instead propose a scale-adaptive CNN (SaCNN) architecture with a backbone of fixed small receptive fields. We extract feature maps from multiple layers and adapt them to have the same output size; we combine them to produce the final density map. The number of people is computed by integrating the density map. We also introduce a relative count loss along with the density map loss to improve the network generalization on crowd scenes with few pedestrians, where most representative approaches perform poorly on. We conduct extensive experiments on the ShanghaiTech, UCF CC 50 and WorldExpo'10 datasets as well as a new dataset SmartCity that we collect for crowd scenes with few people. The results demonstrate significant improvements of SaCNN over the state-of-the-art.


Amsonia orientalis Decne. (Apocynaceae), is a rare and threatened plant species which is located only in a constricted area in northeast of Greece and northwest of Turkey in the world. Although phylogenetic analysis depending on nucleotide sequences of genes from different sources (nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplast) became a major tool for classification of plant species, there is still a big lack of information about A. orientalis in the international molecular data bases such as NCBI. In the current study, we phylogenetically analyzed three commonly used molecular markers (18S rDNA, 18S-28S rDNA-ITS region and trnL-F intergenic spacer) from A. orientalis samples collected from Turkey to determine the genetic diversity and also to question the systematic position of A. orientalis. As a result, A. orientalis samples clearly showed close relation with Alyxieae tribe rather than Vinceae. And this result brings the necessity to reconsider the morphological characters that have used to delimit the tribes of Rauvolfioideae.


When an over-the-cell routing layer is available for a VLSI standard cell layout, efficient utilization of routing space over the cells can significantly reduce layout area. Three physical models are presented to utilize the area over the cells for routing in standard cell designs. Also presented are efficient algorithms to choose and to route a planar subset of nets over the cells so that the resulting channel density is reduced as much as possible. For each of the physical models, it is shown how to arrange inter-cell routing, over-the-cell routing and power/ground buses to achieve valid routing solutions. Each algorithm exploits the particular arrangement in the corresponding physical model and produces provably good results in polynomial time. The saving in routing area achieved by these algorithms is up to 21 %.<<ETX>>


ABSTRACT The possibility of recovering rare earth elements from solutions containing their chloridometalate anions [LnClx](x−3)− via the process: LnClx(x−3)− + (x − 3)Lorg + (x–3)H+ ⇌ [(LH)x−3LnClx]org has been tested using 2-(1,3-bis(hexylamino)-1,3-dioxopropan-2-yl)-4,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (PMA), tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP), and tri-n-octylamine (TOA), which are known to be strong extractants for transition metal chloridometalates. While DFT calculations indicate that the formation of the neutral assembly [(PMAH)3LaCl6] in the gas phase is favorable, no uptake of La(III) from 6 M HCl by toluene solutions of PMA (or of TBP or TOA) was observed in solvent extraction experiments. Successful uptake of the [PtCl6]2− dianion by PMA and the failure to extract the [IrCl6]3− trianion under the same conditions indicate that the higher hydration energy of the latter makes transfer to the toluene solution less favorable and that this militates against extraction of La(III) chlorido complexes carrying charges of −3 or larger in which all the inner-sphere water molecules have been replaced. Computational results confirm literature observations that, in contrast to transition metal trications, formation of REE metalate anions such as [LnClx](x−3)− is not very favorable, particularly so for chloride, compared with nitrato or sulfato systems. Also, they indicate that the formation of outer-sphere assemblies such as {[La(H2O)9]·xCl} in which water ligands are retained in the inner sphere, H-bonded to anions, is more stable than inner-sphere complexes containing an equivalent number of anions. The high level of hydration of such species disfavors their transfer into nonpolar water-immiscible solvents. It is unlikely that recovery of [LnClx](x−3)− from acidic solutions can be achieved efficiently using currently available anion exchange extractants operating in a "pH-swing" process. Receptors giving very high binding energies to chloridolanthanates will be needed to offset the high dehydration energies required.


The forty-nine traditional Osage narratives presented here, collected in Oklahoma between 1910 and 1923 for the Bureau of American Ethnology, have never before been assembled in one book. What makes these stories especially important is that they were collected in their original language, Osage, by a scholar who was a native speaker of a mutually intelligible language, Omaha, and who was also highly educated and articulate in English. As contextualized in Garrick Bailey's introduction, these stories offer insights into Osage culture and society that are not available elsewhere. Bailey divides the stories into sacred teachings, folk stories, and animal stories. To the Osage, the sacred included not only religious but also what we would consider social and political institutions. Unlike the sacred teachings, which were known only to priests, folk tales were public property. Sacred teachings were always educational, whereas folk stories served a variety of purposes. Some were entertaining, some humorous, some frightening, but all were also designed to instill the proper social norms and values of the Osage. The animal stories, intended for children, also illustrate Osage values, as well as conveying information about the animals themselves.


The present study investigated a potential role for glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors in the detrimental effects of single cocaine (COC) administration on both the number of polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA‐NCAM)‐positive neurons and the induction of long‐term potentiation (LTP) in the rat dentate gyrus (DG). The effects of COC (15 mg/kg i.p.) on the number of PSA‐NCAM‐positive neurons and the induction of LTP observed 2 days after COC administration were abolished either by depleting circulating corticosterone after administration of metyrapone (100 mg/kg s.c. given 3 h before COC) or by pharmacologically blocking GRs using mifepristone (RU 38486, 10 mg/kg s.c. given 1 h before COC). Administration of the MR blocker spironolactone (50 mg/kg s.c. given 1 h before COC) did not alter the effects of COC on the number of PSA‐NCAM‐positive neurons or LTP induction. Results have also shown that COC does not change the rate of cell proliferation, as measured by the presence of Ki‐67 and the incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (100 mg/kg i.p. given 2 h after COC) into the newly born cells in the DG 2 days after COC administration. Finally, we observed that GRs colocalized with some, but not all, PSA‐NCAM‐positive neurons, whereas MRs showed no colocalization with neurons positive for PSA‐NCAM in the DG. These data indicate that a single dose of COC may arrest hippocampal susceptibility to plastic changes and lead to functional impairments through the alteration of hippocampal structure and the formation of memory traces.


This paper examines the sociolinguistic situation in Tonga and discusses its relevance to language maintenance in Polynesia. The environment surrounding Tongan is not visibly ominous: it is an official language of an independent state and is spoken by a sizable population in a predominantly monolingual community. Tongan represents an instance of language shift as a result of globalization, wherein a speech community voluntarily gives up its indigenous language(s) for another, more socioeconomically beneficial language, in this case, English. The paper proposes that language endangerment should be understood in terms of a unit larger than the nation-state. This is particularly relevant in the Polynesian context, in which international borders are obscured by transnational migrants. The paper also discusses some positive roles the diasporic communities may potentially play in language maintenance.


You are right. Average CO lifetime is about 40 days in troposphere. The purpose of SOFTIO is to give an indication of the origins of the CO anomalies, i.e. the CO recently emitted by anthropogenic or fire sources. Considering back trajectories for more than 20 days would cause several problems: (i) an increase in computing time, (ii) an increase in uncertainties on trajectories and (iii) a more difficult estimation of the CO quantity because its potential reactivity during its transport is not taken into account (uncertainty limited by using shorter durations). Taking 20 days as the duration for the back trajectories, we already see masses of air coming from the other side of the globe. Moreover test has been realized during SOFT-IO development and back-trajectories longer than 20 days have a little influence in the CO calculations (either intensity or origin) with increased dispersion over time


Mutations in the mitochondrial genome are the cause of many debilitating neuromuscular disorders. Currently, there is no cure or treatment for these diseases, and symptom management is the only relief doctors can provide. Although supplements and vitamins are commonly used in treatment, they provide little benefit to the patient and are only palliative. This is why gene therapy is a promising research topic to potentially treat and, in theory, even cure diseases caused by mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Mammalian cells contain approximately a thousand copies of mtDNA, which can lead to a phenomenon called heteroplasmy, where both wild‐type and mutant mtDNA molecules co‐exist within the cell. Disease only manifests once the per cent of mutant mtDNA reaches a high threshold (usually >80%), which causes mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced ATP production. This is a useful feature to take advantage of for gene therapy applications, as not every mutant copy of mtDNA needs to be eliminated, but only enough to shift the heteroplasmic ratio below the disease threshold. Several DNA‐editing enzymes have been used to shift heteroplasmy in cell culture and mice. This review provides an overview of these enzymes and discusses roadblocks of applying these to gene therapy in humans.


The thesis consists of four chapters concerning different topics of Law and Economics.  The first chapter deals with economic issues in competition law. In order to distinguish predatory pricing from competition on the merits, the courts in the United States and in the European Union have established cost-based tests that also include an assessment of the market structure. The tests miss a causal connection between conduct and foreclosure. In contrast, Australia and New Zealand make use of a counterfactual analysis that establishes causality. However, the causal connection there relates to the market power and the conduct, and does not answer whether the conduct has only been done because of the foreclosure effects. A counterfactual test could be useful in predation cases if it establishes a causal link between the profitability of the conduct and the foreclosure effect.  The second chapter explores the effect of excluding tort law for workplace accidents. In countries with workers' compensation schemes, employees receive compensation for injuries at work regardless of fault, while private law liability of employers is either limited or fully excluded. The degree of liability matters for workplace safety, and different legal arrangements influence incentives of employers and employees to take care. An empirical analysis of several jurisdictions reveals a consistent pattern. The combination of arrangements that increase private law liability and mitigate moral hazard seems to be important for safety at work. No-fault workers' compensation with the benefit of effective compensation comes with a cost: more injuries of those, which it seeks to protect.  The third chapter assesses the effect of no-fault automobile insurances on safety incentives. In order to examine how no-fault motor vehicle insurance affects accident rates, insurance regimes in various countries are compared. A random effects model on fatality data of 29 countries reveals that some motor vehicle insurance systems increase moral hazard. The incentive to take care seems not to be negatively affected by no-fault rules, but by moral hazard due to limited experience rating. Restrictions on experience rating lower the level of care taken by motorists. A combination of no-fault insurance and flat-rate premiums, as found in New Zealand or the Northern Territory in Australia, has a detrimental effect on the safety of roads.  The fourth chapter primarily builds on the finding of the second chapter that the exclusion of tort law for workplace injuries results in higher accident rates. In this respect, the question arises whether health and safety regulation can counteract the detrimental effect by providing deterrence from criminal sanctions. This is particularly relevant for New Zealand where a tendency of the law towards a reliance on regulation and criminal law can be observed. In practice, however, criminal law cannot fully replace common law in establishing incentives to take care, and is not as effective as private law actions.


The axon guidance cue receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) plays a critical role in the organization of mesocorticolimbic pathways in rodents. To investigate whether this occurs in humans, we measured (1) anatomical connectivity between the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA) and forebrain targets, (2) striatal and cortical volumes, and (3) putatively associated traits and behaviors. To assess translatability, morphometric data were also collected in Dcc-haploinsufficient mice. The human volunteers were 20 DCC+/− mutation carriers, 16 DCC+/+ relatives, and 20 DCC+/+ unrelated healthy volunteers (UHVs; 28 females). The mice were 11 Dcc+/− and 16 wild-type C57BL/6J animals assessed during adolescence and adulthood. Compared with both control groups, the human DCC+/− carriers exhibited the following: (1) reduced anatomical connectivity from the SN/VTA to the ventral striatum [DCC+/+: p = 0.0005, r(effect size) = 0.60; UHV: p = 0.0029, r = 0.48] and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (DCC+/+: p = 0.0031, r = 0.53; UHV: p = 0.034, r = 0.35); (2) lower novelty-seeking scores (DCC+/+: p = 0.034, d = 0.82; UHV: p = 0.019, d = 0.84); and (3) reduced striatal volume (DCC+/+: p = 0.0009, d = 1.37; UHV: p = 0.0054, d = 0.93). Striatal volumetric reductions were also present in Dcc+/− mice, and these were seen during adolescence (p = 0.0058, d = 1.09) and adulthood (p = 0.003, d = 1.26). Together these findings provide the first evidence in humans that an axon guidance gene is involved in the formation of mesocorticolimbic circuitry and related behavioral traits, providing mechanisms through which DCC mutations might affect susceptibility to diverse neuropsychiatric disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Opportunities to study the effects of axon guidance molecules on human brain development have been rare. Here, the identification of a large four-generational family that carries a mutation to the axon guidance molecule receptor gene, DCC, enabled us to demonstrate effects on mesocorticolimbic anatomical connectivity, striatal volumes, and personality traits. Reductions in striatal volumes were replicated in DCC-haploinsufficient mice. Together, these processes might influence mesocorticolimbic function and susceptibility to diverse neuropsychiatric disorders.


Male rats were maintained on rat chow supplemented with 5% evening primrose oil for 2 weeks. Mesenteric perfusions were then performed, half with and half without albumin. Albumin was found to increase the yield of fatty acids and reduce eicosanoid levels. Perfusions without albumin decreased fatty acid release, increased eicosanoid levels, and showed a decrease in protein concentration over time. The value of albumin as a "trap" for fatty acids during perfusion experiments depends upon what parameter is to be measured.


Ultra deep submicron (UDSM) technology and system-on-chip (SoC) have resulted in a considerable portion of power dissipated on buses, in which the major sources of the power dissipation are (1) the transition activities on the signal lines and (2) the coupling capacitances of the lines. However, there has been no easy way of optimizing (1) and (2) simultaneously at an early stage of the synthesis process. In this paper, we propose a new (onchip) bus synthesis algorithm to minimize the total sum of (1) and (2) in the microarchitecture synthesis. Specifically, unlike the previous approaches in which (1) and (2) are minimized sequentially without any interaction between them, or only one of them is minimized, we, given a scheduled dataflow graph to be synthesized, minimize (1) and (2) simultaneously by formulating and solving the two important issues in an integrated fashion: binding data transfers to buses and determining a (physical) order of signal lines in each bus, both of which are the most critical factors that affect the results of (1) and (2). Experimental results on a number of benchmark problems show that the proposed integrated low-power bus synthesis algorithm reduces power consumption by 24.8%, 40.3% and 18.1% on average over those in (J. Chang et al, Proc. of DAC, 1995) (for minimizing (1) only), (Y. Shin et al, Proc. of DAC, 2001) (for (2) only) and (both references) (for (1) and then (2)), respectively.


Author(s): McConnel, Coline Elizabeth | Advisor(s): Harrington, Charlene; Cohen, Craig R. | Abstract: The primary purpose of this dissertation was to explain why HIV prevalence among young Kenyan women declined from 30% in 1997 to 16% in 2006. This was the period in which antiretroviral treatment (ART) and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) became available in Kisumu, Kenya; therefore, the primary research hypothesis was that these services decreased HIV transmission among 2006 women. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were performed. Service data and government reports were used to describe ART and VCT roll-out in Kisumu, and literature on globalization and state power were utilized as theoretical approaches. In 1997, 427 young women aged 15 to 24 in Kisumu, Kenya answered demographic and sexual history questions and were tested for HIV. In 2006, parallel data from 463 women were collected. These data were used in multivariate regression models created using Bronfenbrenner's Social Ecological model to examine changes in relationships between ethnicity, education, sexual behaviors, VCT access and HIV status over time.Comparing 1997 and 2006 women, there were few overall differences in sexual behaviors. The primary finding was that in 2006, significantly more women had a secondary education (41%) than in 1997 (16%), which was associated with less sexual experience and decreased HIV risk. This was especially true among women with a secondary education who had never been married. The clearest services impact finding was that 2006 women who had ever been tested for HIV were significantly less likely than other women to be HIV-positive despite the fact that these women were more likely to have had two or more partners and to ever have been married. Future research should examine whether education policies in Kenya contributed to more 2006 women having a secondary education and how education and HIV testing protects young women from becoming HIV-positive.


Background: Biliary microlithiasis is a collection of cholesterol and calcium bilirubinate crystals and is known to
cause biliary colic, acute pancreatitis and acute cholecystitis. In some of these patients biliary microlithiasis has
been found.
Objectives: To estimate the incidence of biliary microlithiasis in patients with upper abdominal pain and negative
imaging tests.
Methods: A prospective analysis of bile was studied in 50 patients. A positive result was the identification of cholesterol
crystals or calcium bilirubinate clumps.
Results: In the 50 patients studied, 7 patients were found to have microlithiasis in bile.
Conclusion: Microscopic examination of bile for biliary microlithiasis is a simple and safe technique and must be
done in patients with upper abdominal pain who have normal blood tests, negative imaging tests and normal upper
gastrointestinal endoscopy. Biliary microlithiasis is the probable cause of upper abdominal pain in some of these
patients.


The High Court recently provided what appear to be the first judicial comments on remote consultations. These resonate with these two papers. 2 The case concerned whether Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) applications for assessment and treatment required facetoface interview and examination. The court concluded that the MHA requires physical attendance of the practitioner on the patient. Although this decision is applicable only to clinical practice in England and Wales, the allure of virtual consultation will be felt throughout a world enduring a pandemic. While the case was primarily concerned with mental illness, the management of which is highly prescribed in ways unfamiliar to doctors looking after the physical health of children, it nonetheless touched on the limitations of remote consultations applicable to us all. The notion of being unable to discern nonverbal cues such as the smell associated with poor hygiene, or to assess proprioception, or to notice tremor or the scars of selfharm was brought out in the judgement. More farreaching concerns such as establishing the identity of the ostensible child patient, and the presence and influence of an adult in the same room of whom the doctor is oblivious, were not touched on, nor the idea that without notice the consultation may be recorded by the adult presenting the child. Whether or not the patient is, unbeknownst to the doctor, abroad may have considerable bearing on whether it is permissible to prescribe and on whether medical indemnity will be valid. Any negative influence on the consultation that the clinician would usually be alerted to and in control of in a clinic room may potentially become an uncontrolled variable in these circumstances. There is no doubt that in the correct context, great and multifarious benefits can be derived from remote consultations, and the General Medical Council (GMC) has provided supportive guidelines. These are timely, with persuasive argument emerging identifying child patients as ideal recipients of digital healthcare given their status as 'digital natives'. But this guidance does not address all of the concerns that the lack of physical examination poses for paediatricians. In addition, bearing in mind that the GMC advice on recording images was predicated on the physical attendance of the patient, one wonders whether the recording of virtual consultations is adequately served by this advice fully to account for the absence of the doctor in the room. Taken together with the judgement in Devon, the GMC's advice indicates how a reasonable standard of care for outpatient consultation, virtual or actual, might now be construed. Considering a separate but allied entity, while the video element of remote consultations can make a powerful contribution to the success of the clinical encounter, parents often independently provide, at their own behest, images of their children for clinical purposes, another aspect of 'virtual' practice. These have for many years assisted us in the outpatients when assessing a child, particularly if the parents have taken a series of pictures documenting the evolution of a lump or rash or asymmetry. If of good quality, this contemporaneous visual record may reveal the history of an illness or anomaly in a fashion unmatchable by an oral report. Images can therefore be immensely helpful, not least in confirming a diagnosis which would otherwise necessitate a journey to the clinic, at which ironically the clinical problem may become temporarily invisible, such as an inguinal hernia. Clinicians may wish to give advice to parents on image management, but this advice should be cautious. Bear in mind that until the clinician is involved, the parents are simply taking photographs of their child. One would not expect that the GMC guidance on making recordings of patients has any bearing on the parent who initiates the image. Considerations that a doctor would have to give to consent and confidentiality (and the notion of 'covert' recording) are not engaged. But if (and only if) the image is copied into the medical records, the usual legal duties will immediately thenceforth commence, although the constraints on doctors surrounding the creation of the image are inapplicable to the parent photographer. If a clinician (or author) was to presume to advise the parent on image management, they would need to conform both to the law and their regulator's requirements. If doctors do wish to advise the parent on the management of parentinitiated images, it is strongly recommended they do so with the help of an academic or regulated lawyer specialising in communications law. Nevertheless, should doctors aspire to instigate domiciliary imagetaking, this would be clinically interesting, providing potential enhancement to conventional clinical assessment. If so, then they would need methodically to follow a trail, from the recommendation of correct camera angle/ lighting/definition of the area of interest, then leading to data protection in the device, anonymisation, data transfer and many another details, not least to ensure that the justification for the image creation is clearly articulated and that the many aspects of the GMC advice on recording are followed scrupulously. Furthermore, they need to ensure that in some way all reasonable steps have been taken to establish the identity of (1) the 'patient' being recorded, (2) the holder of parental responsibility and (3) any other persons in the room. Since this would be a clinical activity performed at clinical behest, there would be a standard of care to be upheld in the advice being given to the parents. Once again, a practitioner in communications law could collaborate with aspiring clinical initiators of domiciliary images to resolve what 'reasonable practice' would demand of the doctor in these circumstances. If this is to be done at all it must be done properly. A doctor who in good faith encourages a parent to take 'clinical' images of their child, without pondering the risks of being found to be acting below the reasonable standard of care in so doing, might regret that adventure.


Ireland in the immediate post-war period offers, to the student of Cold War politics and intrigues, some unusual insights into the nature of political surveillance in general and to the surveillance of the press in particular, according to documents recently released by the US State department and made available in the US National Archives in Washington. Politically, the situation was becoming more volatile. Fianna Fail, which had been in power continuously since 1932 and had won its most recent election in 1944, was coming under increasingly vocal criticism from two key groups of erstwhile supporters: urban workers, who had been chafing under wages stand-still orders for much of the war and who were disappointed that the end of the conflict had not produced much in the way of material benefits; and republicans, many of whom had been interned during the war, and some of whom felt in any case that a sense of drive and purpose was missing from Fianna Fail's approach to the national question.


Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Auto-PEEP in VC A/C when ventilating normal, ARDS and COPD lung models on the Servo-i, Drager V500, PB 980 and Avea. Methods: This study was completed using an IngMar Medical ASL 5000 electronic lung simulator (ASL 5000) setup to simulate normal, ARDS and COPD conditions. Normal lung: Cst 54 mL/cm H2O, inspiratory resistance (Rin) 13 cm H2O/L/s, expiratory resistance (Rout) 12 cm H2O/L/s; ARDS: Cst 39 mL/cm H2O, Rin 12 cm H2O/L/s, Rout 14 cm H2O/L/s; COPD: Cst 59 mL/cm H2O, Rin 22 cm H2O/L/s, Rout 18 cm H2OL/s. VC A/C parameters were set using 70 kg PBW and a tidal volume of 6 mL/kg. Respiratory rates of 15, 20 and 25 breaths/min with a tidal volume of 420 mL were chosen to achieve a minute ventilation of 90 mL/min/kg, 120 mL/min/kg, and 150 mL/min/kg. PEEP was set at 5 cm H2O throughout the study. Peak flow and I-time were adjusted to maintain an I:E ratio of 1:3 for normal and ARDS conditions. An I:E ratio of 1:4 was used for COPD conditions. A decelerating flow waveform was used, when available. The same circuit was used for each ventilator. The y-piece of the ventilator circuit was attached to the ASL 5000 using a 7023 Hans Rudolph 22 mm adapter. With each change in minute ventilation, the conditions were stabilized for one minute before data collection. Data were collected on each ventilator for each minute ventilation and lung condition for two minutes. Results: As respiratory rate increased, an increase mean pressure, Auto-PEEP and total PEEP were observed in each ventilator. Conclusions: A reduction in expiratory time causes an increase in mean pressure, Auto-PEEP, and total PEEP in all conditions with all ventilators. The Servo-i showed the lowest amount of Auto-PEEP with the Avea yielding the highest amount of Auto-PEEP in all patient conditions. Due to the possible physiological consequences of Auto-PEEP in critically ill patients, further research is needed to evaluate the presence of Auto-PEEP in the clinical setting with mechanically ventilated patients.


Solutions to the climate and energy crises will likely involve large scale renewable energy technology deployment and of renewable energy technologies in building energy systems and transportation systems. But they will also require changes in lifestyle, behavior, and social organization. Solar heating and bicycle use are well-developed technologies that exemplify social-technological hybrids. Davis, California, has established a national reputation as a bike-friendly city and has been an international leader in supporting energy efficient housing developments. Support, however, has waxed and waned over the years. Davis provides an ideal case study to explore the conditions necessary to develop a sustained community commitment to passive solar design and human powered transport at a scale large enough to make a difference. This analysis points to the importance of local politics, municipal identity tied to an energy or environmental vision, and the organization of social capital to influence broad-based technological choice. Key words: solar heating, bicycle lanes, social capital, behavior, environmental politics.


This chapter critically evaluates standard economics' treatment of positive and normative, drawing on Putnam's (2002) fact-value entanglement argument. It argues that economics is an inherently value-laden discipline but may still be an 'objective' one. The means of achieving this is to carry out a programme of value disentanglement that evaluates research approaches according to whether their different value structures are consistent. The method employed assumes that economics and social science disciplines are built around anchor values or normative ideals and additional sets of values concerning what most people in those disciplines see as most valuable and good about human society and characteristic of human nature from the perspective of their disciplines. Since the rise of neoclassicism, in economics the anchor value has been what I term an 'individual realisation' ideal. This normative ideal is coupled with values that interpret what individual well-being involves, based on additional values regarding what individuals are. The chapter evaluates the value structures of mainstream economics preferences/utility and the capability conceptions of individuals. The chapter concludes with discussion of different forms of interdisciplinarity and advances a general framework for ethics and economics in an 'objective' economics.