RePEc and S-WoPEc: Internet access to electronic preprints in Economics

The first electronic Economics preprint appeared in 1993. Since then the growth has been dramatic as the use of the World Wide Web has exploded. RePEc has been instrumental in facilitating access to Economics preprints and in bringing order to the chaos that the WWW frequently represents. In a related effort S-WoPEc provides user friendly tools for adding data to the RePEc system. While this is significant in itself it has also been instrumental in fulfilling S-WoPEc's second goal--to provide increased exposure to Swedish Economics research

Artemether-Lumefantrine Treatment Failure despite adequate lumefantrine day 7 Concentration in a Traveller with Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria after Returning from Tanzania.

Artemether-lumefantrine is currently first-line therapy of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in many countries. This report describes a treatment failure despite adequate drug concentrations in a traveller returning from sub-Saharan Africa. Genotyping confirmed recrudescence and suggested reduced sensitivity. Potential sub-optimal effect of artemether-lumefantrine highlights the need to follow non-immune individuals the weeks after treatment

Livelihood resilience in a changing world - 6 global policy recommendations for a more sustainable future

2015 is a time for opportunity. The coming years will witness the development of three inter-related international policy frameworks around sustainable development, climate change and disasters. An international policy window for climate change and development is opening up in 2015, with the coincidence of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP 21 meeting to create a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, the 3rd World Disaster Risk Reduction Conference on the Post-Hyogo Framework for Action, and the agreement of a new set of Sustainable Development Goals with associated financing mechanisms. This Policy Paper makes a case to international policy makers, national government representatives, UN agencies and other development actors for an integrative approach across these three inter-related international processes centred on strengthening the lives and livelihoods of all people across the world. We present recommendations that underpin an approach to tackling climate change impacts that highlights the critical importance in a rapidly changing world of livelihood resilience for all; and emphasizing the need for livelihood protection especially for the world’s most vulnerable

Small bowel enteroclysis with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in patients with failed and uncertain passage of a patency capsule

Abstract Background Video capsule enteroscopy (VCE) has revolutionized small bowel imaging, enabling visual examination of the mucosa of the entire small bowel, while MR enteroclysis (MRE) and CT enteroclysis (CTE) have largely replaced conventional barium enteroclysis. A new indication for MRE and CTE is the clinical suspicion of small bowel strictures, as indicated by delayed or non-delivery of a test capsule given before a VCE examination, to exclude stenosis. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical value of subsequent MRE and CTE in patients in whom a test capsule did not present itself in due time. Methods Seventy-five consecutive patients were identified with a delayed or unnoticed delivery of the test capsule. Seventy patients consented to participate and underwent MRE (44) or CTE (26). The medical records and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed and symptoms, laboratory results and imaging findings recorded. Results Lesions compatible with Crohns disease were shown by MRE in 5 patients, by CTE in one and by VCE in four, one of whom had lesions on MRE. In patients without alarm symptoms and findings (weight loss, haematochezia, anaemia, nocturnal diarrheoa, ileus, fistula, abscess and abnormal blood tests) imaging studies did not unveil any such lesion. VCE's were performed in only 20 patients, mainly younger than 50 years of age, although no stenotic lesion was shown by MRE and CTE. In the remaining 50 patients no VCE or other endoscopic intervention was performed indicating that the referring physician was content with the diagnostic information from MRE or CTE. Conclusion The diagnostic value of MRE and CTE is sufficient for clinical management of most patients with suspected small bowel disease, and thus VCE may be omitted or at least postponed for later usage.</p

User Evaluation of the SYNFACE Talking Head Telephone

Abstract. The talking-head telephone, Synface, is a lip-reading support for people with hearing-impairment. It has been tested by 49 users with varying degrees of hearing-impaired in UK and Sweden in lab and home environments. Synface was found to give support to the users, especially in perceiving numbers and addresses and an enjoyable way to communicate. A majority deemed Synface to be a useful product.

Characterization and classification of Turkish wines based on elemental composition

Commercial wines from 13 native and nonnative varieties in Turkey were analyzed for their elemental composition. Wines from four vintages (2006-2009) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma with atomic emission spectrometry and mass spectroscopy (ICP-AES and ICP-MS) followed by multivariate statistics to study vintage, varietal, and regional differences. According to the partial least squares-discriminant analysis, wines from western regions could be discriminated with their higher Pb content. The red wines of two native grapes, Boǧazkere and Öküzgözü, were separated from the remaining varieties based on their high Ca and low B and Cu levels. Öküzgözü wines were different from Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Similarly, native Emir wines showed differences from Muscat wines. The effective variables for discrimination analysis were natural minerals (Sr, Li, Al, Ba, and B) and minerals originating from agricultural activities, processing, or pollution (Ca, Cu, Mg, Co, Pb, and Ni). Characteristics of Turkish wines from native and nonnative grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay were defined in terms of their mineral content for the first time.Scientific Research Project of Izmir Institute of Technology (IYTE-BAP-18-2008

The Influence of Canalization on the Robustness of Boolean Networks

Time- and state-discrete dynamical systems are frequently used to model molecular networks. This paper provides a collection of mathematical and computational tools for the study of robustness in Boolean network models. The focus is on networks governed by $k$-canalizing functions, a recently introduced class of Boolean functions that contains the well-studied class of nested canalizing functions. The activities and sensitivity of a function quantify the impact of input changes on the function output. This paper generalizes the latter concept to $c$-sensitivity and provides formulas for the activities and $c$-sensitivity of general $k$-canalizing functions as well as canalizing functions with more precisely defined structure. A popular measure for the robustness of a network, the Derrida value, can be expressed as a weighted sum of the $c$-sensitivities of the governing canalizing functions, and can also be calculated for a stochastic extension of Boolean networks. These findings provide a computationally efficient way to obtain Derrida values of Boolean networks, deterministic or stochastic, that does not involve simulation.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, 3 table

A Genome Assembly-Integrated Dog 1 Mb BAC Microarray: A Cytogenetic Resource for Canine Cancer Studies and Comparative Genomic Analysis

Molecular cytogenetic studies have been instrumental in defining the nature of numerical and structural chromosome changes in human cancers, but their significance remains to be fully understood. The emergence of high quality genome assemblies for several model organisms provides exciting opportunities to develop novel genome-integrated molecular cytogenetic resources that now permit a comparative approach to evaluating the relevance of tumor-associated chromosome aberrations, both within and between species. We have used the dog genome sequence assembly to identify a framework panel of 2,097 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones, selected at intervals of approximately one megabase. Each clone has been evaluated by multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to confirm its unique cytogenetic location in concordance with its reported position in the genome assembly, providing new information on the organization of the dog genome. This panel of BAC clones also represents a powerful cytogenetic resource with numerous potential applications. We have used the clone set to develop a genome-wide microarray for comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis, and demonstrate its application in detection of tumor-associated DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) including single copy deletions and amplifications, regional aneuploidy and whole chromosome aneuploidy. We also show how individual clones selected from the BAC panel can be used as FISH probes in direct evaluation of tumor karyotypes, to verify and explore CNAs detected using aCGH analysis. This cytogenetically validated, genome integrated BAC clone panel has enormous potential for aiding gene discovery through a comparative approach to molecular oncology.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog