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In Figure 3A, "no-MetS" month 36 should show n=2. In Figure 3B, "All patients" month 24 should show n=16, and "All patients" month 36 should show n=16. Please see the corrected Figure 3 here: http://plosone.org/corrections/pone.0060117.g003.cn.tif

We consider singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion equations with singularly perturbed Neumann boundary conditions. We establish the existence of a time-periodic solution $u(x,t,ve)$ with boundary layers and derive conditions for their asymptotic stability The boundary layer part of $u(x,t,ve)$ is of order one, which distinguishes our case from the case of regularly perturbed Neumann boundary conditions, where the boundary layer is of order $ve$. Another peculiarity of our problem is that - in contrast to the case of Dirichlet boundary conditions - it may have several asymptotically stable time-periodic solutions, where these solutions differ only in the desribtion of the boundary layers. Our approach is based on the construction of sufficiently precise lower and upper solutions

The adhesion of a blend of liquid-crystalline polymer (LCP) with polypropylene (PP) to the surface of glass fibres has been investigated in the whole range of blend composition. It was found that the composition dependence of the adhesion strength is characterized by a sharp increase when the amount of LCP in the blend exceeds a definite limit corresponding to phase inversion. The results are explained by the formation near the interface of two adhesion layers: the first is composed of pure LCP and has a higher surface tension, whereas the second layer represents the blend of varying composition. At small amounts of LCP adhesion failure proceeds in the interphase between the LCP and the blend. After phase inversion, where the adhesion strongly increases, adhesion failure proceeds near the interface between the LCP and the glass.

Results of the analysis of dynamic body burdens of Pu in adult inhabitants of Chelyabinsk-65 (not occupationally exposed) and different areas of the Gomel region are presented for 1990–1991. The data are based on radiochemical analyses of Pu in human organs and tissues. Comparison with the published data on global Pu [4,5] and our data for human autopsies (Ufa, Russia) revealed that estimates of Pubody burdens in Chelyabinsk-65 residents were up to 30 times higher than global levels and depended on the period of residence in town. The Pu body contents of Gomel citizens 4–5 years after the Chernobyl accident are on average 3–4 times higher than the global levels. Activity of Pu-238 in various organs constitutes 4.7–26.0% (on the average 13.5 ± 5.0%) of the total alpha-activity of Pu-238 and Pu-239, 240. The expected number of cancers induced by incorporated plutonium is approximately the same for the two population groups despite their different sizes and does not differ from the global level by more than one order of magnitude.

We study the initial value problem of a singularly perturbed first order ordinary differential equation in case that the degenerate equation has a double root. We construct the formal asymptotic expansion of the solution such that the boundary layer functions decay exponentially. This requires a modification of the standard procedure. The asymptotic solution will be used to construct lower and upper solutions guaranteeing the existence of a unique solution and justifying its asymptotic expansion.

International audience; Understanding societal conceptions of death presents a unique challenge to prehistorians because they cannot witness first-hand the funerary practices that interest them. Rather, they are limited to studying the physical traces left behind by such practices. However, we wish to move beyond description towards interpretation, because what interests us is not simply the individual practices (or even sets of practices), but the system that unifies them and imbues them with meaning. To unravel these systems, it is important to bear in mind that not all of the acts documented in the material record were obligatory. While there is the “devoir-faire” (what must be done), there also exists the “pouvoir-faire” (what can be done). The archaeologist must carefully categorize these practices: identify their frequency (from what is never done to what is always done), as well as make correlations among the essential elements of the burial. The obvious difficulty emerges when it is time to connect the archaeological interpretation to the reality of the original funerary practices. We explore three approaches that are drawn from our individual research. The definition of the norm within a given region leads us to question more closely the criteria by which groups are defined. Next, we explore the range of variability that can be reasonably expected within a single group. Finally,we examine the degree to which norms either remain stable or change through time, as well as the interactions between funerary practices and other aspects of the society.; "Pour aborder le discours des hommes sur la mort, le préhistorien est réduit à traquer des gestes réalisés autour des morts qu’il découvre: afin d’éviter toute surinterprétation, nous les appelons pratiques, les « pratiques funéraires ». Or, ce que nous souhaitons, c’est passer de la description à l’interprétation. Car ce qui a un sens, une logique, ce n’est pas un geste ou une collection de gestes, mais un système. Cependant, pour décoder un tel système, il faut d’abord être conscient que les gestes ne relèvent pas tous de l’obligation: à côté du « devoir-faire », la norme, il existe un « pouvoirfaire », ce qui est laissé à l’appréciation des exécutants. Sur le plan archéologique, il faut patiemment ordonner les pratiques: identifier leur récurrence, de jamais à toujours, ainsi que les corrélations entre les éléments constitutifs de la tombe. La difficulté consiste évidemment à passer de la dimension archéologique à la dimension funéraire initiale. À partir d’exemples tirés de nos recherches individuelles, nous avons exploré trois directions. La définition de la norme dans un espace géographique nous a conduits à nous interroger sur les critères qui définissent nos ensembles. Au sein d’un ensemble défini, nous avons questionné la valeur que l’on doit accorder aux variations. Enfin, sur le plan diachronique, nous nous sommes penchés sur la permanence de la norme ou son changement, et donc sur les interactions entre la norme funéraire et les autres pans des activités sociales." (source éditeur)

We consider a singularly perturbed parabolic differential equation in case that the degenerate equation has two intersecting roots. In a previous paper we presented conditions under which there exists an asymptotically stable periodic solution satisfying no-flux boundary conditions. In this note we characterize a set of initial functions belonging to the global region of attraction of that periodic solution.

We consider the periodic parabolic differential equation $ep^2 Big( fracpartial^2 upartial x^2 -fracpartial upartial t Big)=f(u,x,t,ep)$ under the assumption that $ve$ is a small positive parameter and that the degenerate equation $f(u,x,t,0) =0$ has two intersecting solutions. We derive conditions such that there exists an asymptotically stable solution $u_p(x,t,ep)$ which is $T$-periodic in $t$, satisfies no-flux boundary conditions and tends to the stable composed root of the degenerate equation as $eprightarrow 0$.

Exact analytic solutions of the equations of the hydrodynamic boundary layer are obtained for pseudoplastic fluids with exponents n=1/5, 1/4, 1/2, 3/5, 5/7 flowing longitudinally over a flat plate.

Diphtheria is under control in industrialized countries. However, single cases and outbreaks still occur and the disease is not completely understood. Forty-three individuals suspected of having diphtheria who were referred to the Infectious Disease Hospital of Arkhangelsk from December 1994 to March 1995 were included in this study. Fifteen patients were diagnosed as having diphtheria and received equine hyperimmune antidiphtheria toxin antiserum, and 28 were diagnosed as carriers, 12 with nondiphtherial tonsillitis or pharyngitis and 16 without symptoms. Serum samples were obtained on admission and during the course of the disease or during follow-up of carrier status. Samples were analyzed for antibodies against diphtheria toxin with both an in vitro neutralization test (NT) and a human-specific enzyme immunoassay. All of the cases but one were confirmed by a positive culture. Twelve patients had pharyngeal diphtheria, and three had combined laryngeal and pharyngeal disease. Half of the patients had life-threatening disease, and one died. On admission, the median antibody titers measured with the NT were 0.085 IU/ml for the patients, 5.12 IU/ml for the symptomatic carriers, and 10.24 IU/ml for the healthy carriers. All of the diphtheria patients but one and nine of the carriers (six symptomatic and three healthy) had increased antibody levels during the first 7 to 10 days after admission. No obvious correlation was revealed between the antibody level or its kinetics and the course of the disease. Antibody levels on admission of >1 IU/ml were associated with a low risk of diphtheria.

In the post-Cold War era, two major trends illustrate the evolution of the international security environment: the spread of democracies and the emergence of asymmetric threats. The former focuses on freedom, the latter on security. New democracies must pay close attention to fundamental values and norms that stand at their core, such as respect for human rights and civil liberties, rule of law, and civilian and democratic control. At the same time, they need effective and efficient intelligence to fight the new threats. Regulating intelligence activities is one of the greatest challenges of a democratic regime because there is a fundamental clash between the democratic culture, based on individual freedom, openness, transparency, accountability, and the secrecy and security-oriented intelligence culture. A fundamental question is raised: How to democratize intelligence and maintain its efficiency and effectiveness at the same time? The conundrum of intelligence reforms requires a trade-off between the need for good intelligence and the respect and promotion of democratic values. This thesis analyses the impact of democratization on intelligence in four major areas: mandate, structure, control, and professionalization. It studies the major academic debates on the matter and then applies the theoretical framework to the Romanian case. http://archive.org/details/theintelligencep109452902 Outstanding Thesis Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

National audience

Lung cancer mortality among 4,279 workers at the Mayak nuclear complex who were exposed to chronic irradiation both externally and internally from incorporation of plutonium was analyzed in terms of a linear relative risk model. It is estimated that excess lung cancer risk is about 1.9 Sy{sup {minus}1}, with an average latent period of 24 y. 2 refs., 2 tabs.