Washington, Feb 10 (ANI): A team of scientists has developed a new, more efficient low-cost microring resonator for high-speed telecommunications systems.
The resonator was developed by Professor Roberto Morandotti's INRS team, in collaboration with Canadian, American, and Australian researchers.
This technological advance capitalizes on the benefits of optical fibers to transmit large quantities of data at ultra-fast speeds.
The microring resonator investigated by Professor Morandotti's team at INRS's Energy, Materials, and Telecommunications Center in Varennes, Quebec, and by his colleagues, offers several advantages.
Made from a special glass with exceptional optical properties, this key signal transmission component can be incorporated into the microchips used extensively in telecommunications systems.
Furthermore, it is fabricated using the same methods as those employed by silicon chip manufacturers, thereby reducing optical component costs and making the technology more affordable.
The new resonator has the additional advantage of using a single low-power laser source to obtain multiple wavelengths, unlike existing devices that require very high optical power, or different devices.
Furthermore, Professor Morandotti and his team have been successful in generating a new multiple-wavelength laser source at a threshold optical power level as low as ~54mW, setting a new world record for glass devices in the process.
This technological breakthrough is crucial because it comes as electronic devices are reaching their data transmission capacity limit, whereas optical fibers offer much greater capacity and etter transmission quality. (ANI)


November 4 Obeying God
The high priest ordered Peter and the apostles to stop teaching about Jesus, but they ignored the order. When questioned about their actions, Peter replied, “We must obey God rather than men” (v. 29). What motivated them to follow the Lord with such conviction?
God’s Sovereignty. Peter and the other disciples recognized that God had carried out His divine plan of redemption in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Convinced that salvation was found in Christ alone, they had the courage to speak boldly about their faith. They didn’t alter their words, even in front of a powerful authority. Instead, they gave allegiance to God and obeyed Him. Thankfulness. Their obedience was also motivated by gratitude. After betraying the Lord, Peter had wept over his failure (Mark 14:72). Think of the disciple’s joy to realize that Christ had forgiven him for his mistakes and restored him to a right relationship with God (Mark 16:7; John 21:15-17). With his past behind him, Peter became a leader of the Jerusalem church, with a passion to obey fueled by a thankful heart.
God is in charge of our lives. He has rescued us from the bondage of sin, forgiven us, and brought us into His family. Grateful obedience should be our response too.
Each day we have a choice. We can acknowledge God’s sovereignty and trust Him, or we can turn away and follow our own plan. Cultivating a thankful spirit will motivate us to stay the course and obey the Lord. Like Peter, let’s commit to following our heavenly Father wherever He leads.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org. Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2016 All Rights Reserved.


[Correspondence] Climate change and health
The Lancet Commission on Health and Climate1 strongly urged the health sector to tackle climate change, especially from a mitigation perspective, which is a step forward from the traditional focus on health sector adaptation. We laud the authors’ portrayal of climate change not just as the “biggest global health threat”,2 but also the “greatest global health opportunity”, terms that resound with both a sense of urgency and optimism, qualities that are the hallmark of global health.


Contents
For an entry-level wireless solution, don't consider anything less than 802.11g. Most "g" devices are so inexpensive that there's no reason to consider the 802.11b devices left on the shelves.
802.11g products operate in the same 2.4-GHz spectrum as "b" products and provide real-world data rates of up to 21 Mbps. When used in a mixed mode to support 802.11b products, however, a "g" router will show significantly decreased throughput. You'll get better performance if everything on your network is 802.11g.
Going "g" has another advantage: security. 802.11b offers only WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security, a protocol with well-documented cryptographic weaknesses. (In fact, hackers have developed tools for cracking static WEP keys.) A "g" router will have WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), which overcomes the weaknesses of WEP via TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) for encryption, and may have support for the IEEE security standard 802.1x for authentication and key distribution. WPA supports two modes: personal and enterprise. Personal mode (also called preshared key mode) is for small offices and homes without authentication infrastructures. If you're conducting your online banking wirelessly, configure your WPA security. Don't settle for WEP.
For those who use wireless networks to get online via a broadband connection but who aren't moving large files, standard 802.11g is more than sufficient, and it's cheap. Still, we'd rather have the extra speed of our "Faster" routers, even if they cost a little more.


Genomic and Health Data Security and Privacy
Advances in genomic research and the transition to electronic medical records have greatly expanded health care, but the portability of those records has created a slew of privacy questions and challenges. The study of genomic and health data security and privacy aims to develop the methods and protocols for the protection or limited sharing of sensitive personal information while also addressing the ethical questions inherent in personal medical data.
Since 2008, XiaoFeng Wang has been actively working on health informatics security, particularly privacy issues in human genome study (HGS), a timely and critical area, as indicated by the recent report from Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. Since 2014, the team has been working with the NIH to organize genomic privacy competitions, with the purpose to bridge the gap between the biomedical, genomic community with the mainstream privacy research. Our competitions have been reported by GenomeWeb and webcasted to the NIH NHGRI.Raquel Hill’s research area is data protection; including designing, developing, and evaluating mechanisms for securing access and preserving privacy of sensitive data. High-dimensional datasets often include some combination of demographic, medical, and other personal information, which presents opportunities to characterize participants in unique ways. Sharing this data with third parties makes identifying information more widely available which limits the effectiveness of current data security and privacy mechanisms.


UMBC offers a variety of master’s degree and certificate options. Our cybersecurity graduate programs leverage a student’s experience toward a range of opportunities within the cybersecurity profession. UMBC's cybersecurity programs are designed to prepare computer science, information systems, and other experienced professionals to fill management and leadership roles in cybersecurity and cyber operations.
Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical domain of global competition that reaches across the social, economic, political and military realms of influence.
The infusion of the Internet and its related networked technologies into nearly every aspect of society, business, and government presents a target of opportunity for adversaries. As a result, nations and international organizations are developing new operational doctrines, advanced cyberwarfare capabilities, cybersecurity enhancements and the necessary domain-focused human capital needed to achieve or maintain their interests in cyberspace.
UMBC provides technical and managerial training education to respond to Maryland’s and the nation’s needs for qualified cybersecurity professionals.


Lecture homepage: http://enos.itcollege.ee/~valdo/turve/
Safeguards
Safeguards can be divided into 3 classes:
Preventive safeguards - Prevent security incidents from happening. The main line of defense. - Minimize vulnerabilities and risk probabilities - Prevent attacks - Decrease the ripple effects of a security incident to other IT assets Identifying safeguards - Tell us that a security incident has occurred so we can take suitable action. Reconstructive safeguards - We need to restore the environment before the security incident occurred. For example, if the firewall was disabled, it needs to be re-enabled ASAP. The more important the object, the more attention should be given to reconstructive safeguards. Methods: - Backup - Renovation - Replacement Identifying safeguards
Goals:
Avoiding the incident Identify the incident - Operative Identification: If the incident happens, we immediately want to be notified and take immediate action. Example: fire alarm. - Post Identification: If operative identification is not possible, we want the get the information as soon as possible. Log files and passive alerts (e-mails by crontab). - Evidence Based Identification: Security elements added to IT assets to check integrity/confidentiality. Examples: Signatures on paper documents, checksums on files * Proving the incident happened (later) Classification of Safeguards by IT Assets Physical assets Information / data Software Ability to reproduce a product/service People Intangible aspects Components of organizational safeguards Activities that someone must do Activities that are prohibited for certain persons Sanctions for doing something prohibited Sanctions for not doing something that must be done


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Possible causes of a hiatal hernia include injury, being born with a large hiatus, and pressure on the muscles surrounding the hiatus, according to Mayo Clinic. This pressure can result from repetitive vomiting, lifting heavy items or coughing. Pregnancy and obesity also cause pressure in this area, reports WebMD. Smoking increases a person's risk of developing a hiatal hernia, states Healthline.
Many hiatal hernias have no known cause, explains Healthline. They occur when the muscle tissue that surrounds the hiatus becomes weak, allowing the stomach to protrude through the diaphragm. Age-related changes in the diaphragm make individuals 50 and older more likely to develop hiatal hernias than younger people, states Mayo Clinic. Certain abdominal exercises and wearing tight belts may make the condition worse. Individuals who strain during bowel movements frequently also increase pressure in the area and should try to avoid this straining.
A hiatal hernia is also more likely to develop in individuals who have ascites, which is an unnatural collection of fluid in the abdomen, reports MedicineNet. Physicians recommend that patients who have hiatal hernias maintain a healthy weight and refrain from lifting heavy items without assistance, states Healthline. Patients should also avoid straining their abdominal muscles in general.Learn more about Conditions & Diseases


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Recap TEKsystems’ annual IT forecast for 2017. Highlights of the infographic include IT spending, in-demand skills and impacts on organizations.
TEKsystems surveyed IT leaders who revealed that ineffective workforce planning impacts major areas of organizations highlighted in this useful infographic.
TEKsystems’ infographic illustrates the importance of effective job descriptions in building the best teams for your organization.
TEKsystems’ infographic shows differing opinions on the value of IT and technical certifications and how infrequently they’re verified.
The games in Rio de Janeiro have raised concerns about the challenges corporate networks may face in regards to network security and bandwidth due to livestreaming the games.
TEKsystems latest IT reality check infographic highlights the shifting status of trends, expectations and challenges of 2016.


Abstract
Unavoidable disruptions induce the necessity of delay management in timetable-driven passenger rail traffic. Minimizing the negative consequences of delays becomes one of the most relevant challenges for the economic success, as it directly affects the timeliness of passengers, which is a core indicator of customer satisfaction. In this article, we evaluate and compare various delay management strategies in a passenger railway network. A simulator has been implemented to generate delays and perform operations control decisions to resolve connection conflicts induced through passenger connections involving delayed trains. We compare dispatching strategies based on mathematical optimization with simple rule-based strategies. Simulation runs with a timetable from the long-distance passenger traffic of German Railways show that, due to the online nature of this decision problem, a simple waiting time rule strategy can outperform a strategy where the operations are reoptimized online after each disruption. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2011


Launching a Hedge Fund: 10 Keys to Success
The ability to sustain a new launch beyond the first year is a challenging feat, and the barriers to entry in the hedge fund space are higher than ever. Competition for investments is high, investor transparency is critical, and operational excellence is non-negotiable. If you aren't building your investment firm to succeed beyond the confines of the trading floor then your success will be short-lived, if achieved at all.
With this cultural shift in mind, we've crafted our latest whitepaper:
Launching a Hedge Fund: 10 Keys to Success. These critical considerations are ideal for new managers to address as they enter the startup phase. Our advice centers on: Marketing Operations IT Budgeting Risk Management Service Provider Selection and more.
And be sure to watch our newest video below!


EMDR for Teen Addiction Recovery
Inspirations for Youth and Families offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which is a form of psychotherapy that uses many therapeutic techniques. It teaches clients how to address extreme trauma or stress. EMDR takes participants through eight phases that allows them to see disturbing or distressing memories in a positive way.
What does this mean for recovering teens?
For teens in recovery, EMDR therapy helps to end their addictive and destructive behavior. EMDR therapy removes the need for these teens in addiction recovery to regress to drugs or alcohol. An addiction often stems from painful or traumatic memories that those experiencing trauma wish to escape from. By teaching teens how to properly and effectively confront their trauma, they will no longer have the need to use addictive drugs or alcohol.
The eight phases of EMDR: History and Treatment planning Preparations Assessments Desensitization Installation Body Scan Closure Revaluation
These phases are carefully executed to treat and monitor patients undergoing major trauma. These combined techniques have been researched by an array of therapist to ensure the success of this treatment. Depending on the severity of the patient’s diagnosis each phase of the treatment can take one to four sessions.


Gaze strategies for coping with glare under intense contra light viewing conditions – A pilot study Date2011-09-30 Author
Lorentz, Nicholas
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Abstract
Purpose: This is a pilot study to investigate gaze strategies for coping with glare when performing a simple visual task under intense contra light viewing conditions. Method: Twenty-four normally sighted participants were recruited for this study. They consisted of a young subgroup (n=12), aged 21-29 (mean = 25.3 ± 2.5), and an older subgroup (n=12), aged 51-71 (mean = 57.3 ± 6.1). Visual acuity (VA) and Brightness Acuity testing (BAT) were used to assess central vision. Participants were required to locate and approach (from 15m) a small platform that was contra lit by a powerful light source. Upon arrival at the platform, participants were required to insert a small ball into a similarly sized receptacle. An ASL Mobile Eye (Bedford, MA) eye tracker was used to monitor gaze position throughout until the task was completed. Scene and pupil videos were recorded for each participant and analyzed frame by frame to locate the participant’s eye movements. Results: Two participants (one from each subgroup) adopted aversion gaze strategies wherein they avoided looking at the contra lit task for more than 50% of the task completion time. For the remainder of the experimental trial, these two participants were either looking toward the glare source or blinking. The other twenty-two participants opted to endure the contra light condition by gazing directly into the glare for the majority of the task completion time. An individual t-test between the younger iv subgroup’s BA scores vs. the older subgroup’s BA scores was statistically significant (p<0.05). Significantly poorer BAT scores were found in the older subgroup, however, individual participant’s BAT scores did not necessarily predict the ability to cope with a contra lit glare source. Although, statistically significant differences were not found between the two subgroups when examining their VA and length of time to complete the course, a trend was found, as the older subgroup consistently had poorer VA scores and took longer to complete the course. Further research must be completed with a larger sample size to fully understand the glare aversion strategies one must elicit when dealing with a contra lit glare source within the built environment, and to confirm the three glare strategies proposed by this pilot study.
Cite this work
Nicholas Lorentz (2011). Gaze strategies for coping with glare under intense contra light viewing conditions – A pilot study. UWSpace. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/6331
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Mexico, a rich country in terms of amphibian diversity, hosts about 375 described species. Population declines have been documented for several species where it is evident that their habitat is being destroyed or modified. However, other species which inhabit pristine areas are declining as well. It has been suggested that the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (B.d.) may be one of the causes of the enigmatic declines in Mexico. We surveyed a total of 45 localities, in 12 states across Mexico, examining a total of 360 specimens representing 14 genera and 30 species. We also examined 91 specimens of Ambystoma mexicanum from a captive population in Mexico City as well as one Pachymedusa dacnicolor obtained in a pet shop. We used a two-tiered technique to detect the pathogen. For wild-caught specimens, we utilized light microscopy to identify presence of B.d. sporangia in amphibian skin. Then, to verify the infection, we used a quantitative real-time PCR assay on collected skin sections which is specific for B.d. For captive animals, we used a nonlethal version of the real-time PCR technique. We found evidence of B.d. infection in 111 animals comprising 14 species in 13 localities. A large percentage (84%) of Ambystoma mexicanum from the colony were infected with B.d. The two most highly infected individuals were the endangered Ambystoma mexicanum, from a captive colony, and Pachymedusa dacnicolor, purchased at a pet shop.


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According to Sacred Medical Order Church of Hope, a "bilious attack" or "biliousness" is related to various unpleasant symptoms due to bile secretion or digestion disturbance. Causes of a bilious attack include liver congestion, unstable diet, constipation, migraine, reduced bile secretions and acidosis.
Sacred Medical Order Church of Hope states that bile production in the liver is important, as it forms 1 to 2 pints daily. In a healthy body, bile flows more rapidly after a person eats or consumes a lot of water. In a person suffering from biliousness or a bilious attack, the bile produced is not enough to digest all the fats eaten. Diet Health Club recommends medication, blood purification and dietary changes are often needed to prevent further bilious attacks.Learn more about Gastrointestinal Issues


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The life cycle of a centipede has three stages: egg, nymph and adult. Centipedes molt multiple times during the nymph stage and gain new sets of legs with each molt. The growth process takes two to three years, and centipedes live for up to six years.
Centipedes reproduce year-round in areas with warm climates, but in temperate regions they only reproduce during the warmer months. They hibernate underground throughout the winter, and they do not reproduce during this time. When not hibernating, centipedes require a warm, dark and moist environment.
Outdoor centipedes live in dark, damp habitats such as under stones and inside fallen logs. House centipedes live in damp basements, closets and bathrooms. All varieties of centipede remain hidden during daylight hours and emerge to feed at night. The most effective way to control a household centipede population is to take away their food sources and damp habitats.
Centipedes feed on insects, including household pests. They do not damage furniture or plants, and house centipedes are often beneficial for pest control. While they are venemous, their venom is not sufficient to harm a human. The largest species of centipedes are capable of biting humans; however, the effects of the bite are minor and include only swelling, pain, discoloration or numbness at the site of the wound.Learn more about Bugs


Agitation or Aggression?
Recently we had an elderly man on caseload with a diagnosis of advanced dementia. It was obvious he was in the later stages of the process. He couldn't follow commands. His swallow was diminished. He was disoriented times three and demonstrated poor motor planning with any voluntary movement. However, he could still move and verbalize spontaneously.
Unless disturbed, he laid quietly in bed. The problem arose when we tried to get him out of bed. He didn't want to be disturbed. As soon as we started to move him, he told us no and began cursing. This was followed by swinging.
Anyone who works with the elderly knows there are two kinds of swings. Some are ineffectual. These may be taps. There may be a little force. Patients with brain injury frequently flail in bed during the restless state. The intent isn't to strike someone so much as to move. These people might be described as agitated. Restlessness while in bed is certainly agitated.
Then there is the man I described above. He wasn't agitated. He was aiming for us. He didn't want to be moved and was resisting it. On a few occasions, his wife was present when we attempted to get him out of bed. She told us to ignore him. He didn't mean it. Mean it or not, he was trying very hard to hit someone.
Patients have the right to refuse therapy. That statement is made with the assumption the patient understands what he is refusing. In cases of dementia and confusion, we often have to rely on family members to give consent for treatment. This man was clearly refusing despite his wife's statement to the contrary. He knew he didn't want to get out of bed.
After a couple of days of struggling, I discharged him from therapy. Someone was going to get injured if things continued. One of our PRN PTAs knew him from previous interactions. She said this was normal behavior for him and they got him up anyway. He was just agitated. Obviously I don't agree with that. Despite the benefits of being out of bed, there is the real risk of injury to either himself or a caregiver. This went beyond any level of agitation. He was aggressively trying to strike someone.
He has since discharged to a SNF. I don't know if it's the one he came from or a different one. For his sake, I hope a different one that recognizes the difference between agitation and aggression.


Alexander Zahar(Griffith Univ. - Law) has posted International Court and Private Citizen (New Criminal Law Review, forthcoming). Here's the abstract: The protection of individuals, often necessary against their own states, may sometimes also be necessary against international organizations. This is a particularly delicate matter where the international organization is meant to represent international law. Drawing on the experience of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the author argues that the operations of the International Criminal Court will inevitably have a direct and significant impact on the treatment of individuals in countries that are not able or willing to stand up for their citizens' rights and interests under state laws or international law. The interface of the ICC with the ordinary state national is generally not regulated by the ICC's statute and rules (just as it is not by the ICTY's) and, in the absence of regular and effective state protections, constitutes a lawless frontier at which the court is all-powerful and the individual is at its mercy. The strong state/weak state divide (with the corresponding strong individual/weak individual effect) offers the ICC opportunities for evidence-gathering, but also risks damage to the Court's moral standing. The author concludes that the ICC needs, at the very least, a policy that foresees such situations and aims to maintain a balance of rights and interests in the relationship of international court and private citizen.


In Key Equipment Finance v. South Shore Imaging, Inc. ___ N.Y.S.2d ___, 2010 WL 190205 (2d Dept. 2010), the New York State Appellate Division, Second Department explained that under a guaranty provision, officers can be held personally liable for the contractual obligations of a corporation. In this case, Key Equipment Finance leased a copier to South Shore Imaging, Inc. After South Shore failed to pay the lease, Key Equipment Finance sought to enforce a guaranty provision of the lease agreement. The provision provided that the guarantors unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee the payment and performance of all obligations of South Shore. The guarantors further agreed that all liability was joint and several. The original guaranty contained the corporate titles of the defendants, but the final guaranty portion of the lease did not state the corporate titles. The Fourth Department reversed a summary judgment order dismissing the complaint and determined that the plaintiff’s made a prima facie case.
The court explained that generally officers or agents are not personally liable on corporate contracts as long as the officers do not purport to bind themselves individually. However, when a guaranty constitutes a deliberately stated, unambiguous, and separate expression personally obligating an individual, that individual may be held liable under a contract.
The individual defendants contested that they did not intend to be held personally liable on the contract. However, the court indicated that the change between the first and second guaranty are contrary to this assertion. The first guaranty was unacceptable to the plaintiffs because it included the defendants’ corporate capacities. So, the document was re executed, demonstrating that the defendants understood that they were personally liable.
This case is a good example of how a court looks at a guaranty agreement signed by corporate officers. While it is generally the corporation, not the individual officers who are liable under a corporate contract, a guaranty would be worthless if it was not enforced against the individual officers who sign such an agreement. In this case, it would mean that if South Shore defaulted, South Shore would be liable under the contract. Such a result would, as the court states, be completely illogical.
However, the Second Department did not universally declare that corporate officers are always individually liable. Citing Florence Corp. v. Penguin Constr. Corp., 227 A.D.2d 442, 443, 642 N.Y.S.2d 697), the court explained “if a plaintiff attempts to trap an unwary corporate officer into making an unintended assertion of personal liability by inserting an obscure clause in the midst of a lengthy and complex contract,” an officer is not personally liable. While that did not happen in this case, it is important to remember the exception to the general rule holding individual corporate officers liable under a guaranty.
Matthew J. Kibler, Esq.


Source: FDA's Alerts and Notices for Medical Devices, August 13, 2009
FDA has released a public health notification to alert healthcare practitioners to the possibility of falsely elevated blood glucose results when using GDH-PQQ glucose test strips on patients who are receiving therapeutic products containing certain non-glucose sugars. These sugars can falsely elevate glucose results, which may mask significant hypoglycemia or prompt excessive insulin administration, leading to serious injury or death. The notification provides background information on this problem, a summary of fatality reports FDA has received, and recommendations to reduce the risk. This problem can occur wherever these products are used including in-patient and out-patient healthcare facilities, and at home.
Additionally, an Advice for Patients on this subject can be found on the FDA Consumer website.


A Western Astronomer, his Journey East, and a Remarkable Encounter Between Western Science and Tibetan Buddhism In Humble before the Void, Impey, a noted astronomer, educator, and author gives us a thoroughly absorbing and engaging account of his journey to Northern India to teach in the first-ever Science for Monks leadership program. The program was initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to introduce science into the Tibetan Buddhist monastic tradition.
In a vivid and compelling narrative, Impey introduces us to a group of exiled Tibetan monks whose charm, tenacity and unbridled enthusiasm for learning is infectious. Impey marvels not only at their enthusiasm, but at their tireless diligence that allows the monks to painstakingly build intricate sand mandalasthat can be swept away in an instant. He observes them as they meticulously count galaxies and notes how their enthusiasm and diligence stands in contrast to many American students who are frequently turned off by sciences inability to deliver easy, immediate payoffs. Because the Buddhist monks have had a limited science education, Impey must devise creative pedagogy. His new students immediately take to his inspired teaching methods, whether its the use of balloons to demonstrate the Hubble expansion or donning an Einstein mask to explain the theory of relativity.
Humble before the Void also recounts Impeys experiences outside the classroom, from the monks eagerness to engage in pick-up basketball games and stream episodes of hip American sitcoms to the effects on his relationship with the teenage son who makes the trip with him. Moments of profound serenity and beauty in the Himalayas are contrasted with the sorrow of learning that other monks have set themselves on fire to protest the Chinese oppression in Tibet.
At the end of the three week program, both the monks and Impey have gained a valuable education. While the monks have a greater understanding and appreciation of science, Impey has acquired greater self- knowledge and a deeper understanding of the nature of learning and teaching in the East and West. This understanding leads to a renewed enthusiasm for making his topic come alive for others.
Humble Before the Void: A Western Astronomer, his Journey East, and a Remarkable Encounter Between Western Science and Tibetan Buddhism, Chris Impey, Templeton Press, Hardcover, 256 Pages, 2014, $27.95


February 23, 2016
Free Colorectal Cancer Home Test Kits Available
March is “Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month”
The Regional Cancer Partnership of Illinois will distribute free colorectal cancer home test kits on several dates and locations during March to raise awareness about colorectal cancer.
Though the kits are not a specific test for colon cancer, they can detect the presence of blood, which can be an indicator of several different medical conditions. The screening kit does not substitute for a colonoscopy, the best method to detect colorectal cancer. Regularly scheduled colonoscopies can prevent cancer from developing if precancerous polyps are detected and removed before they become cancerous. Regular screenings can also find cancer in its earliest stages when it can be treated.
A short consent form is required to pick up the home screening kit. After completing the kit at home, individuals will mail it back in a provided pre-addressed envelope. Individuals will receive a letter notifying them of their results. Testing and processing is done in collaboration with the Sangamon County Department of Public Health.
The home screening is recommended for: individuals age 50 and older, people who have a history of colorectal polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, a diet that is high in processed food and/or red meat, or those who smoke, are obese or have heavy alcohol use. For more information, please call Celeste Wiley, RN, Memorial Medical Center’s Cancer Center, 217-757-7684.
Locations, dates and times are:
Senior Center, 701 W. Mason St., Springfield, 10 a.m. - noon on Wednesday, March 16. Koke Mill Medical Center, 3132 Old Jacksonville Rd., Springfield, west end lobby, 9 - 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 22. Sangamon County Public Health Department, 2833 S. Grand Avenue West, Springfield, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22; 9 - 11 a.m. and 2 - 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29; 10 a.m. - noon; and 2 - 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30. Simmons Cancer Institute, 315 W. Carpenter Street, Springfield, 3 - 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, and 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 24. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Main Lobby, 200 Stahlhut Drive, Lincoln, 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22 and 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23.
Of cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Survival rates for colon and rectum cancer are nearly 90 percent when the cancer is diagnosed before it has extended beyond the intestinal wall, according to “Illinois Facts and Figures” published by the American Cancer Society.
Members of the Regional Cancer Partnership of Central Illinois include: American Cancer Society, Central Counties Health Centers, Illinois Emergency Management Agency - Radon Division, Illinois Department of Public Health, Logan County Health Department, Mia Ware Foundation in Jacksonville, Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville, Regional Cancer Center Memorial Medical Center, Sangamon County Department of Public Health, Sangamon County Medical Society, Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU, Springfield Urban League, St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, St. John’s Hospital Cancer Institute, Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.
Media Contacts
Cindy Davidsmeyer,
SCI, 217-545-3837
Celeste Wiley,
MMC, 217-757-7684


Solar Panels Plus provides complete Balance of System (BOS) – or solar thermal components – to give you the most streamlined, integrated solar thermal system possible.
We provide a full assortment of solar components, such as expansion tanks, pre-insulated line sets, valves, fittings, and much more. Many of these components are critical to solar hot water and solar heating systems.
In the solar packages we offer, these components are pre-selected and sized to fit the system to give installers a single, complete package that makes installation easy, fast, and simple saving both time and money.
The SPP Heat Dissipaters protect solar thermal systems from overheating, stagnation, and excessive temperatures. These are a perfect application for closed loop glycol solar thermal applications. These units work in all environments and weather conditions, and work using outside air convection and internal flow.
The dissipaters are designed to withstand and dissipate high temperatures, removing up to 12,000 BTU/hr. per unit. This allows for worry free operation and protection of your solar thermal system, even in the hottest environments.
No power or ancillary components are required for the operation of these units. As long as the units have an appropriate flow rate, no fans, electrical power, or other items are required for effective heat dissipation.
Automatic air vents are used in the closed loop circuits of solar thermal systems. These allow air contained in your water/glycol mixture to be released automatically during the filling process. It works though a valve operated by a float that comes in contact with the fluid in the loop of the system.
These auto air vents in particular have been designed to work at high temperatures with a glycol medium (water/glycol mixture), which is typical in most solar thermal systems.
Auto air vents are available in standard performance for most solar thermal systems, and high performance for when large quantities of air under high pressure needs to be vented from the solar loop. High performance auto air vents are also often used in hydronic heating systems during the filling and start-up phase.
Air separators serve the purpose of removing dissolved gases in a solar thermal system's primary closed loop. The presence of dissolved oxygen in a solar loop can cause rapid, localized corrosion in the solar collectors and in the heat exchangers. Carbon dioxide will dissolve in water, resulting in low pH levels and the production of corrosive carbonic acid. Low pH levels in a solar loop can also cause severe acidic attack throughout the solar thermal system.
Dissolved gases and and low pH levels in a solar loop
can be controlled by the addition of chemicals, however it is much less expensive and more thermally efficient to remove these gases mechanically, with an air separator.
This series of air separators is designed to work with high temperature glycol mediums, which is typical of solar thermal systems. They are designed to continuously eliminate air without any trouble with noise, corrosion, local overheating or mechanical damage. These air separators are high capacity, and automatically remove both air and micro bubbles.
Solar expansion tanks are a critical element in every solar thermal system. These expansion tanks are designed with a special heat-resistant diaphragm that can withstand temperatures up to 210°F.
These expansion tanks ensure that the system pressure does not exceed or drop below the limits established in the system design. The diaphragm in the expansion tank divides the space inside the tank occupied by the pre-charged gas and the solar fluid. As the solar fluid expands due to heat, the diaphragm stretches into the gas chamber.
These expansion tanks allow for your solar heating system to operate at optimal pressure without activating the safety relief valve. Each expansion tank must be sized to accommodate the solar loop.
Expansion tanks are a critical component in the steam-back solar system design, allowing for the high pressures associated with this application to be mitigated, resulting in a long lasting and high performing solar thermal system.
Solar Panels Plus supplies pre-insulated, stainless steel piping for solar thermal systems. These lines include both flow and return flexible pipes to connect the solar collectors to the storage tank in a quick, simple, and professional manner.
This solution contains two flexible stainless steel pipes inside EPDM closed cell insulation, along with an integrated sensor cable for monitoring solar collector temperature with a solar controller.
These stainless steel lines are designed to withstand high temperatures associated with solar thermal systems, and provide excellent heat retention and insulation, optimizing the performance of the solar thermal system.
This piping solution saves time and significantly reduces the cost of installation by enabling fast connection of the solar collectors to the solar tank. They ensure a leak-free installation, and allow pipes to be installed without the use of a torch. These pipes can be joined and cut easily without the use of special or proprietary tools.
These line sets are available in 50' coils, or in custom lengths. For pricing, please contact us.
The inline balancing flow meter is a quick, easy, and effective way to monitor and control the flow rates through solar and hydronic heating systems. Using a flow meter allows you to achieve optimal balance of the system, ensuring peak energy distribution which results in more efficient operation as well as higher performance.
These flow meters are constructed from brass materials, with a high-performance sight glass and baffle float for long lasting durability. They are designed to work with both water and a glycol medium under high temperatures, making them an ideal fit for solar applications.
Valves can be installed in a horizontal, vertical, or inclined position. For pricing and availability, please contact us.
The electronic diverting valve is a diverting valve used in solar thermal heating systems for various applications. The electronic actuator is operated either by a thermal switch, or by the solar controls.
These units allows for custom, versatile applications and advanced multi-zone solar thermal systems.
These valves are also used for controlling heat dissipation loops, protecting solar thermal systems against overheating.
UL Listed, and constructed with high qualify brass, stainless steel, and EPDM materials, these units are a perfect application for both water and glycol system applications.
The SPP thermostatic diverting valve uses the principal of expanding paraffin wax compounds to operate the diverting valve using only the heat generated from the solar thermal system.
As the system loop heats up, the self-contained element activates a stainless steel sleeve, thus directing flow towards the heat dissipation loop (or towards another application).
These valves are made from industrial grade materials here in America, from gray iron castings ensuring long life and exceptional durability. No power is required for these valves to operate, and they are exterior rated, allowing for a fast, simple installation.


A Cry and a Demand: Tactical Urbanism and the Right to the City Author
Alisdairi, Lana K.
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
In many cities around the world a growing interest in small-scale urban design interventions is reshaping urban spaces. These actions (often called tactical urbanism) include: guerrilla and community gardening; `creative space' movements to fill abandoned buildings for a range of purposes; housing and retail cooperatives; pop-up shops; social economies and bartering systems; occupying public spaces with alternative uses, skateboarding; and more. This thesis offers insights on emerging activist roles that designers and urbanists are assuming in an effort to achieve more direct control over urban space. This thesis considers these myriad practices through the context of French philosopher Henri Lefebvre's `right to the city.' It asks the question: is there a shared politics of the city that serves as a sort of theoretical checklist for these practices? I argue that many of the efforts championed by tactical urbanism can be viewed as liminal additions of rights to the current, liberal-democratic city. However, many critical aspects of the movement give it the potential to move beyond a less radical interpretation of right to the city. This claim is illustrated through an analysis of general tactical urbanism goals and various do-it-yourself interventions taking place in Tacoma, WA.
Collections Urban planning [149]


Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) Definition - What does Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) mean?
A thermal barrier coating (TBC) is a highly advanced system applied to surfaces, like metals, especially in aviation engine and gas turbine parts that operate at extremely high temperatures. It performs well in managing exhaust heat.
Corrosionpedia explains Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC)
TBCs contain four main layers:
Metallic bond coat Metal substrate Ceramic top coat Oxide grown thermally
Typically, the ceramic top coat is composed of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), which is known for its low conductivity and stability under nominal temperatures for operation. Alternatives to YSZ have been created, but ceramic top coats with YSZ are relatively tougher and can deliver better performance.
Thermal barrier coatings can be used in various industrial and automotive settings. For instance, TBCs can be used to lessen heat loss from the exhaust system of automobile engines which may include:
Turbochargers Tailpipes Downpipes Exhaust manifolds Other components
Such coatings can serve as insulators, especially in components that are often exposed to prolonged heating. This type of coating can accommodate higher temperatures during operation and at the same time, limit thermal exposure of other structures. It can prolong the life of parts and other structures by decreasing thermal fatigue and oxidation.
Though this type of coating can be applied straight to metal parts, advanced technology allows TBC application on composite materials. Due to this, TBC coating is often used in high-performance vehicles like Formula 1. Apart from providing thermal protection, it can be used in preventing degradation due to friction.
The role of TBC is to prevent melting, promoting high gas temperature inlets, which leads to more efficient energy conversion. While this is the case, the surface must be prepared thoroughly before coating with TBC to achieve the best results.


These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel on the east bank of the Jordan, in the wilderness, in the Aravah, opposite Suf, between Paran and Tofel, Lavan, Chatzerot and De Zahav. (Sefer Devarim 1:1) 1. Sefer Devarim and its content
This passage introduces Sefer Devarim. The sefer is composed of three basic elements. The first element consists of rebukes over the past failings of the nation coupled to warnings to not return to these behaviors. The second element is composed of a review of many of the commandments described earlier in the Torah. In some instances the review of a particular commandment includes additional detail not previously revealed. Sometimes the review does not provide additional detail and merely restates the mitzvah. The third element consists of the communication of mitzvot that were not previously revealed to the nation.
Nachmanides notes that the second element – composed of a review of previously communicated commandments – does not include those commandments that are assigned exclusively to the kohanim. This omission can be understood in the context of the overall objective of the sefer. Moshe’s rebukes and warnings are intended to prepare the people for entering and settling the Land of Israel. The success of their conquest of the land and their achievement of lasting settlement will directly depend upon their observance of the Torah. As the Torah explained earlier and as Moshe will reiterate in Sefer Devarim, providence will determine the fate of the nation. In turn, providence will be guided by Bnai Yisrael’s obedience or abandonment of the Torah. Observance of the mitzvot will secure the nation’s wellbeing in the land and neglect of the mitzvot will lead to suffering and exile. In this context Moshe reviews the commandments. This review is intended to compliment the rebukes and warnings. Moshe combines an explanation of the urgency of obedience to the Torah with a review of its commandments.
Nachmanides explains that the kohanim did not require a review of their commandments. They were fully committed to their observance. Although they too received his address, Moshe did not feel he needed to focus of the kohanim. They could be expected to be scrupulous in the observance of the commandments given specifically to them without a further review.
Nachmanides raises another issue. Why were some mitzvot not previously revealed? Why did Moshe wait until the final moments of his life to communicate to the nation mitzvot he had received thirty-eight years earlier at Sinai? Nachmanides replies that the commandments that were only now revealed had little or no application in the wilderness. Some would only apply in the Land of Israel. Now that the nation was poised to enter the land, the appropriate time had arrived for the communication of these commandments. Other commandments first communicated at this point apply outside of the Land of Israel but are observed very infrequently.[1]
Why did Moshe delay revealing those commandments that occur infrequently? Moshe could have communicated these commandments earlier with an explanation of the circumstances in and conditions under which each is observed. Moshe was apparently awaiting a practical context in which to teach these commandments. During the thirty-eight years in the wilderness the circumstances in which these commandments apply did not arise. Now, Moshe knew that his end was rapidly approaching. The ideal setting for the teaching of these commandments would not arise. He could wait not longer. Now, he revealed these commandments.
2. Moshe’s review of previously communicated commandments
As Nachmanides observes, some commandments are repeated in Sefer Devarim without any additional detail. Moshe reviews the commandment as it has already been taught to the people. He may select words and employ phrasing in his review that was not used in the first iteration. However, in substance, nothing new is added to the commandment. Nachmanides explains that this review was required in order to impress upon the nation the importance of the observance of the commandments. Through repletion Moshe communicated urgency and import.
However, it seems that according to Nachmanides, there is a practical outcome from the repetition of a commandment. Understanding this outcome requires a brief introduction. The Torah commandments can be divided into two broad categories – positive commandments and negative commandments. In general, the positive commandments instruct us to perform an activity, profess a conviction, or engage in a behavior. We are commended to eat matzah on Pesach. We are required to accept that Hashem is a unity. We must give various forms of charity. These are all positive commandments. Negative commandments are prohibitions. The negative commandments also relate to convictions, actions, and behaviors.
In general, the courts are not empowered to enforce through punishments the observance of positive commandments. However, the active violation of a negative commandment, generally, is punished by the courts. The most common consequence for such a violation is lashes. A lengthy discussion is required to explain the means of administering lashes. This discussion is not necessary for this introduction.
3. Repeated admonitions and their judicial impact
Maimonides explains that a person receives only a single set of lashes for the violation of a single commandment. Regardless ofthe number of times the commandment is reviewed and the number of admonitions in the Torah regarding the commandment’s observation, the violation of a single commandment will evoke a single set of lashes. Maimonides explains that repeated admonitions are intended to stress the importance of the commandment’s observance and encourage scrupulous attention to its requirements. However, these repeated admonitions do not have to produce a practical judicial outcome. [2]
Nachmanides seems to dispute this conclusion. Apparently, he maintains that for those mitzvot punished by lashes, the number of sets of lashes administered by the court varies. For the violation of some of these commandments a single set of lashes is administered. For others, multiple sets are administered. The number of sets is determined by the number of times the Torah admonishes us to not violate the commandment. One set of lashes is administered for each admonition.[3]
Maimonides’ position is more easily understood. Lashes are administered for violation of the commandment. Regardless of the number of times the Torah admonishes us to observe a commandment, a single violation should result in administration of a single set of lashes. Nachmandies’ position is more difficult to grasp. Why does the number of sets of lashes correspond to the number of admonitions in the Torah?
4. The Torah, its mitzvot and lashes
It seems that Maimonides and Nachmanides disagree over the factor that engenders the lashes punishment. Maimonides maintains that lashes are administered for violation of a commandment. Therefore, regardless of the number of admonitions in the Torah to refrain from a behavior, a single commandment’s violation produces a single set of lashes as its punishment. Nachmanides argues that lashes are not administered for violation of the commandment but for violation of the “word” of the Torah. For each disobedience to the Torah’s word lashes are administered. When the Torah repeats its instruction to refrain from an action, it has one of two purposes. Either the intention is to reveal some new aspect of the mitzvah or the Torah is delivering an additional admonition regarding a previously stated commandment. If the Torah is expressing an additional admonition and we perform the prohibited action, we have ignored each of these separate admonitions. The sets of lashes will correspond with the number of admonitions – the number of violations of the words of the Torah.[4]
1. Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Devarim, Introduction.
2. Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Sefer HaMitzvot,Principle 9.
3. Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Critique on Maimonides’ Sefer HaMitzvot,Principle 9.
4. Perhaps there is a deeper message in this dispute. What is the relationship between the Torah and its commandments? It seems that according to Maimonides the 613 commandments derived from the Torah. This means that through interpreting the Written Torah by means of the Oral Tradition the mitzvot are identified and described. The Torah teaches us the mitzvot and we are required to be obedient to them. Because we are required to be obedient and loyal to the mitzvot that are derived from the Torah, lashes are only administered in proportion to the number of mitzvot violated. The number of times that the mitzvah is repeated in the Torah is not relevant.
Nachmanides seems to reject this characterization of the relationship between the Torah and its mitzvot. The Oral Tradition reveals the meaning of the Written Torah. We are obligated to be obedient to the Torah – the Written Law as interpreted by the Oral Tradition. This obedience to the Torah is expressed through obeying its commandments. These commandments do not emerge as an entity derived from the Torah; they are the “action points” of the Torah that we must undertake. Lashes are not administered for violation of an abstraction derived from the Torah. Lashes are administered for violating the word of the Torah itself. It follows that the number of sets of lashes must conform to the number of admonitions ignored.


How To Monitor Security for Multi-Site Businesses
Multi-site businesses work to operate as one cohesive unit, rather than separate entities. They are challenged to manage multiple properties, oversee employees amongst each location and maintain a consistent standard of safety across sites.
Both the corporate headquarters and local sites require insights into security data. Local sites need up-to-date security information to respond to issues in real time, while corporate must maintain high-level management across all operations.
Multi-site businesses present a diverse and demanding range of security needs.
Risks Facing Multi-Site Businesses
Whether your business has two offices or sites across the country, learn how to protect against common multi-site risks highlighted below.
Multiple locations present more risks.With each new site, a business increases its chances of theft, vandalism, crime and other safety issues. Access control is one multi-site security standard that can be implemented across offices. Keyless entry systems, including swipe readers and access cards, record authorized entry across sites. IP video surveillance is another. It allows organizations to monitor multiple facilities by streaming video online. The ability to access video feeds and alerts for all locations is essential for your organization to identify locations of risk and implement solutions in real-time. Most importantly, these services enable business owners to maintain central monitoring of all sites. The likelihood of crime differs across locations.While one site may be located in a quiet suburb, another may be in the heart of a bustling urban city. Determine the likelihood of crime near each site’s location based on local crime statistics to assess the level of security required for each site. Not all sites are the same.A building’s unique layout and structure will influence its security needs. While one site may be nestled in a corporate office complex, another may be a warehouse in an open industrial region. A security package should be tailored to each site based on a building’s square footage, layout and number of access points available, such as doors and windows.
Implementing a multi-site security program that monitors and stores information for all sites in one location, but is packaged to fit each individual site’s needs, will help business owners uphold a consistent standard across locations. For businesses with multiple sites, protecting against these risks will keep security-at-large on track.
Do you manage a multi-site business? How do you keep each location and its employees safe? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Image Source: Unsplash via Pixabay


The 2011 Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunami killed more than 15,000 people. Wasurenai, which could be translated “we shall never forget,” is an interactive, animated map depicting the locations of 1,326 victims of that tsunami.
Dots on the map, blue for males and red for females, indicate victims’ locations in the final 30 minutes before the tsunami hit; clicking on a dot reveals the victim’s name, age, and where he or she was heading.
In addition to commemorating individuals lost in this tragedy, the archive is a valuable resource for those seeking to minimize loss of life in the case of future tsunamis. As is apparent from the map, many of those who perished did not move after the earthquake; others fled toward high ground or gathered at designated evacuation centers but still did not escape the tsunami.
The archive was developed by Hidenori Watanave’s team at Tokyo Metropolitan University, in collaboration with the Iwate Nippo newspaper. They gathered the data by interviewing relatives and friends of the victims and gathering eyewitness accounts.
Demo videos of the archive can be seen here:


Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Drug-eluting Versus Bare-metal Coronary Stents Among Patients Registered in the Multi-Payer Claims Database Date2015 Author
Bermudez, Jessica
Advisor
Carter-Pokras, Olivia
DRUM DOI
doi:10.13016/M20914
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
There is conflicting evidence as to whether bare-metal stents (BMS) or drug-eluting stents (DES) are more effective at preventing restenosis. The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and effectiveness of BMS versus DES in the coronary artery using unconventional and potentially more efficient post-market surveillance methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 217,654 Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance beneficiaries ages 41 years and older who were treated with coronary stenting between January 2007 and December 2010. Incidence of coronary health outcomes was measured for 2-3.5 years after stent implantation using claims data and assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models stratified by gender and race. At baseline, DES recipients were younger, had higher rates of ischemia and high cholesterol, and had lower rates of prior myocardial infarction and hypertension compared to BMS recipients. Compared to BMS, DES use was associated with a significant reduction of myocardial infarction (Hazard Ratio (HR): 0.811; CI: [0.774, 0.84]), coronary artery bypass graft (HR 0.627; CI: [0.590, 0.666]), and repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (HR 0.910; CI: [0.888, 0.933]) at a median follow-up of 659 days. Use of DES was associated with superior CHD outcomes compared to BMS regardless of gender. Increased event-free probability for DES compared to BMS was seen among whites and Asians for AMI, among whites only for CABG, and across all races for repeat stenting.


Urban Latina/o Undergraduate Students’ Negotiations of Identities and Participation in an Emerging Scholars Calculus I Workshop Abstract
In this article, the author presents a qualitative multiple case study that explored how two urban Latina/o undergraduate students’ emerging mathematical and racial identity constructions influenced their participation in a culturally diverse, Emerging Scholars Program, Calculus I workshop at a predominately White urban university. Drawing on critical race theory and Latina/o critical theory, cross-case analysis illustrates that participants’ emerging mathematical and racial identities—co-constructed with their other salient identities—contributed to positively shifting their participation by: (a) changing their perceptions of their and peers’ mathematics abilities, (b) allowing them to challenge racialized mathematical experiences, and (c) strengthening their comfort levels in the workshop environment. The Latina/o participants’ counter-stories support that the sociopolitical nature of identity development and participation in mathematical learning contexts should be embraced because it provides additional knowledge regarding how and why Latina/o students attain mathematical success.
Keywords
collaborative learning, identity, Latina/o students, mathematics education, race


Successful placental development has long-term implications for adult health, is necessary for embryo survival and proper fetal growth, and is dependent on vascularization. During pregnancy, placental blood vessels elongate, dilate, and extend new sprouts to facilitate maximal transfer of nutrients from maternal to placental vasculatures for hematotrophic support of the developing embryo/fetus. The long-term research goal is to identify and determine the physiological pathways that promote vessel growth within the placenta. Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) reside in the bone marrow, migrate, and incorporate into growing blood vessels to form new endothelial cells. A firm relationship has been established between EPCs and pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular risk, ischemia, atherosclerosis, and pregnancy. EPC numbers decrease in preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, and maternal insulin therapy increases EPC numbers during diabetic pregnancy. We have isolated and characterized EPCs from the peripheral blood of newborn pigs. These EPCs express integrins, and use these transmembrane receptors to adhere and migrate in vitro on osteopontin (OPN) an extracellular matrix molecule with prominent expression in the placenta of both humans and pigs. When EPCs are cultured alone as a monolayer on the surface of 3D collagen matrices supplemented with angiogenic factors, they fail to invade the matrix. However, if cultured with adult human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), which invade the matrix and form vascular structures, the EPCs incorporate into these vascular structures. This is similar to their behavior in vivo. Importantly, OPN dose-dependently increases the number of EPCs that incorporate into these vascular structures. The central hypothesis is that OPN recruits EPCs to sites of neovascularization within the placenta. Once there, EPCs communicate directly with adult endothelial cells via junctional adhesion molecules (i.e., gap, tight and adherens junctions) to incorporate into growing vessels. The two objectives are: (1) Determine the intercellular signals that allow EPCs to incorporate into established vasculature;and (2) Determine whether EPCs incorporate into placental vascular networks pigs. Completion of these objectives will aid the rational design and development of novel intravenous EPC-based therapies to normalize placental vasculature, and lessen effects of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and other gestational diseases.
Failed pregnancies elicit significant social and economic burdens;therefore, a complete understanding of these events is warranted. This proposal will significantly advance our understanding of how populations of cells found in the blood contribute to new blood vessel growth, which is a required step in pregnancy. Such knowledge will ultimately aid to decrease the socio-economic burdens associated with aberrations or deficiencies in the process.


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Effect of Presponse® on the gain and healthof long-hauled, newly arrived calves
Brazle, F.K.
Five hundred mixed-breed steer and bullcalves (246 lbs) were divided into two treatmentgroups, with one group receiving a newPasteurella haemolytica vaccine (Presponse®)at arrival.There was no difference between groups interms of gain, mortality, or morbidity duringthe 32-day receiving study. The Presponsegroup required fewer (P<.09) medication daysper animal purchased, resulting in $1.68 lessdrug cost per head than the control group.
Conference:Cattlemen's Day, 1992, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, March 6, 1992 Starting Page:78, Ending Page:79 Publisher:Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service


Abstract
Gene–environment interactions in the periconceptional period play an increasing role in the pathogenesis of birth defects, including cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P). The P-glycoprotein, encoded by the
ABCB1 gene, is suggested to protect the developing embryo from medication and other xenobiotic exposures. Furthermore, maternal medication use during early pregnancy is a significant risk factor for CL/P offspring. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the association between the maternal and child's functional ABCB1 3435C > T polymorphism, periconceptional medication exposure, and the risk of a child with CL/P. A case–control study was performed among 175 mothers and 98 of their children with CL/P and 83 control mothers and their 65 children. Information on medication and folic acid use was collected. Mothers carrying the 3435TT genotype and using medication showed a 6.2-fold (95% CI = 1.6–24.2) increased risk of having a child with CL/P compared to mothers carrying the 3435CC genotype and not using medication. Periconceptional folic acid use reduced this risk by approximately 30% (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 0.9–18.0). Mothers carrying the 3435TT genotype, using medication and not taking folic acid showed the highest risk estimate (OR = 19.2, 95% CI = 1.0–369.2). These data suggest that mothers who carry the ABCB1 3435C > T polymorphism are at significantly increased risk for having offspring with CL/P, especially mothers using medication in the periconceptional period. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.


The announcement about All Aboard Florida has led to quite some confusion among rail fans and others watching the industry, mainly resolving around the question of why. After all, passenger rail operations, even when profitable, do not have a terribly high profit margin, and it's unlikely that it would earn back the one billion dollars that they've stated they plan to invest in it. Given that businesses do not tend to be altruistic, what gives?
A clue lies in the initial press release itself. While it would run on Florida East Coast Railway track, the announcement was made by their holding company Florida East Coast Industries which describes itself as a major real-estate owner and developer in the state of Florida. Looking into their holdings, we find one very prominent eight acre parcel in downtown Miami that is especially interesting. This used to actually be the location of the FEC Miami station and skirting the northern edge of the property there remains a single tracked FEC line. It also currently possesses an entitlement for up to 2.5 million square feet of mixed use development. While this area is certainly valuable enough as is, both due to its inherent location as well as its proximity to Metrorail and Metromover stations, the addition of easily accessible intercity rail connections to the rest of the state greatly boosts that value, especially if developed with an eye towards the tourist trade. Of course, the increase in value to this location does not mean that it will come anywhere near completely recouping the investment costs of All Aboard Florida. Additionally, I was unable to identify additional properties in cities to be served by All Aboard Florida whose value would be similarly enhanced. However, I believe that using passenger rail service to enhance real estate values and incomes, the original purpose of the Florida East Coast Railway in fact, is a significant contributory reason for the All Aboard Florida announcement.


Space
Reynard Corporation has developed space optics for satellite imaging, confidential military and aerospace needs, and general R&D programs.
High Reliability:
Optical filters and coatings used in space applications pose a unique set of reliability requirements. Typically, materials must exhibit low-outgassing characteristic as defined by NASA Reference Publication 1124; Total Mass Loss (TML) <1.0% and Collected Volatile and Condensable Materials (CVCM) <0.10%. For transmission coatings used in the presence of ionizing radiation at cryogenic temperatures, purity of input materials is of utmost importance to prevent performance degradation. For reflective coatings used in potentially high-fluence ionizing radiation environment, additional considerations are made to select only those materials capable of minimal interaction.
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD):
Reynard Corporation predominantly employs physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods in our thin-film manufacturing process, and only processes materials capable of meeting the NASA outgassing requirement. For example, silicone materials are strictly prohibited from entering specific vacuum chambers due to their high volatility and contamination risks. By adhering to such strict requirements, we’re able to ensure our customers’ critical space application items are never at risk of spurious contamination.


A new study released Tuesday finds Indiana among the ten worst states for black children, highlighting the disparity in opportunity between African-American youth and their peers.
The policy report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, titled "Race for Results," measures 12 factors in an effort to chart child progression nationwide. Those include everything from reading proficiency to graduation rates to the number of children living near or below the federal poverty level.
Using those factors, the foundation created a score in an attempt to compare the progress of children from different races and ethnic backgrounds across the U.S.
The report does not mince words when it comes to the prospects for black youth, saying the findings for African-American children constitute a “national crisis.”
Indiana ranks as the 8th-worst state in the nation for African-American children. Meanwhile, the state ranked 12th-best for white children, highlighting the racial disparity previous research revealed in everything from income to graduation rates.
Indiana’s neighbors – Michigan and Ohio – were also among the worst states for black youth. The report highlights the Midwest and the Mississippi Delta as regions with a particularly troublesome outlook for African-Americans.
The foundation does recommend steps to alleviate the disparity, including better data collection and the wider implementation of programs with proven track records and community input.


Not yet tested in other applications.Optimal dilutions/concentrations should be determined by the end user.
靶标
相关性Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was discovered in 2001, and has been identified worldwide. hMPV is a common respiratory pathogen, particularly in infants and young children. The virus is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract infections and may be a trigger for asthma. At least two major genotypes of hMPV circulate during community outbreaks.
别名
hMPV antibody
metapneumovirus antibody
Anti-Metapneumovirus antibody [5E5] (ab43818)参考文献
ab43818has not yet been referenced specifically in any publications.


Date: Location: Speaker:
Abstract: Measurements of the shear viscosity in suspensions of swimming Bacillus subtilis in free standing liquid films have revealed that the viscosity can decrease by up to a factor of seven compared to the viscosity of the same liquid without bacteria or with non-motile bacteria. The reduction in viscosity is observed in two complimentary experiments: one studying the decay of a large vortex induced by a moving probe and another measuring the viscous torque on a rotating magnetic particle immersed in the film. The viscosity depends on the concentration and swimming speed of the bacteria. The viscosity reduction is attributed to the effect of self-propulsion of swimming bacteria.
Host: Sumita Pennathur