1. Azuma, Junichi: 21 articles (01/2015 - 12/2002) 2. Schaffer, Stephen W: 19 articles (09/2015 - 05/2002) 3. Oja, Simo S: 17 articles (01/2015 - 02/2002) 4. Saransaari, Pirjo: 17 articles (01/2015 - 02/2002) 5. Ito, Takashi: 16 articles (09/2015 - 04/2004) 6. Sil, Parames C: 16 articles (05/2013 - 12/2007) 7. Chang, Kyung Ja: 15 articles (01/2015 - 01/2003) 8. Manna, Prasenjit: 13 articles (05/2013 - 12/2007) 9. Murakami, Shigeru: 10 articles (07/2015 - 07/2002) 10. Das, Joydeep: 10 articles (05/2013 - 10/2008)
1. Ischemia
05/01/2011 - "It was confirmed again that taurine (50 mg/kg) administered intravenously 1 h after ischemia markedly improved neurological function and decreased infarct volume at 22 h after reperfusion. "
09/01/2012 - "Treatment with taurine 4 h or 8 h after ischemia significantly improved the neurologic function, and decreased the infarct volumes 24 h after ischemia. "
03/12/2010 - "Taurine has been documented to have protective effects on neuronal cells against ischemia in vivo and in vitro. "
01/01/2010 - "Protective effects of taurine against endotoxin-induced acute liver injury after hepatic ischemia reperfusion."
01/01/2015 - "Although taurine supplementation upregulates TauT expression, elevates the intracellular taurine content and ameliorates the ischemic injury of cardiomyocytes (CMs), little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of taurine governing TauT expression under ischemia. "
2. Body Weight (Weight, Body)
01/01/1992 - "Body weight at birth and brain weight at weaning were significantly greater in the very high taurine group than in the normal taurine group, although the greatest growth rate was achieved by the normal taurine group. "
01/01/2015 - "It was found that taurine lessened body-weight loss and improved neurological functions at 7 days after CHI. "
01/01/2014 - "Group II showed a significant (P < 0.05) change in the mean scotopic b-wave amplitude when compared to that of Group I, whereas the diabetic rabbits treated with taurine (Group III and IV) were analogous to Group I. Histologically, the amount of Bipolar and Müller cells showed no difference (P > 0.05) between all groups and when compared with those of Group I. Our study provides solid evidences that taurine possesses an antidiabetic activity, reduced loss of body weight, and less electrophysiological changes of the diabetic retina. "
01/01/1998 - "The daily taurine intake of representative Chinese men (18-45 years old, 60 kg body weight, light physical activity) was also studied in 1990 as a part of the Total Diet Study. "
01/01/1996 - "iii. This study showed that the taurine concentration in human milk and the taurine intake of infants were different during lactation between nonvegetarians and lacto-ovovegetarians, and that the intake per kg body weight decreased during lactation. "
3. Hyperglycemia
12/01/2004 - "These observations suggest that taurine administration may be useful in hyperglycemia because of its hypoglycemic and protective effects."
07/01/2004 - "These metabolic changes might be ascribed, in part, to the alteration of circulating blood profiles, where the improved hyperglycemia and/or the blood accumulation of taurine itself would play roles."
01/01/2015 - "Long-term taurine supplementation leads to enhanced hepatic steatosis, renal dysfunction and hyperglycemia in mice fed on a high-fat diet."
01/01/2013 - "Taurine may not alleviate hyperglycemia-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress in human adipocytes."
01/01/2013 - "Treatment with taurine (1% w/v for three weeks) post-hyperglycemia, however, could restore all the alteration caused by ALX. "
4. Fibrosis (Cirrhosis)
07/01/2006 - "Taurine treatment improved the degree of oxidative stress and fibrosis in rat CP. "
03/01/2010 - "This study presents novel findings of taurine's role in protecting from TGF-beta1-associated development of lung fibrosis after thoracic radiation."
07/01/2006 - "The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of taurine on oxidative capacity and fibrosis in experimental chronic rat pancreatic fibrosis. "
06/01/2004 - "The aim of this study was to examine taurine concentration in various tissues of a liver damaged with fibrosis (LD) in a rat model before and after exercise. "
01/01/2012 - "Taurine treatment inhibited pancreatic fibrosis and apoptosis of acinar cells induced by DBTC. "
5. Obesity
01/01/2013 - "Further, the efficacy of taurine supplementation in the setting of maternal obesity is not known. "
01/01/2010 - "This study characterizes taurine's potential anti-obesity function in C. "
01/01/2010 - "Recent studies indicated that taurine may serve as an anti-obesity agent at the cellular level. "
09/01/2015 - "The effectiveness of taurine administration against obesity and its related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, has been well documented. "
08/15/2015 - "Taurine (Tau) regulates lipid metabolism, representing a possible nutraceutical agent against obesity and its comorbidities. "
1. Glycine (Aminoacetic Acid) 2. Streptozocin (Streptozotocin) 3. Insulin (Novolin) 4. Calcium 5. Niacin (Nicotinic Acid) 6. Glucose (Dextrose) 7. Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor) 8. Glutamic Acid (Glutamate) 9. Cholesterol 10. Bile Acids and Salts (Bile Acids)
1. Oral Administration 2. Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy) 3. Liver Transplantation 4. Lung Transplantation 5. Intravenous Injections


Preparing for Delivery
While it takes nine months to grow a full-term baby, labor and delivery occurs in a matter of days or even hours. However, it’s the process of labor and delivery that tends to occupy the minds of expectant parents the most, with questions and concerns around the signs and length of labor, and how to manage pain.
Arrive at your due date fully prepared by learning about your delivery options, signs and symptoms of labor, how to monitor your contractions and the different stages of labor.


December 4, 2013 Robertson publishes in American Indian Culture and Research Journal
Dwanna L. Robertson, assistant professor of American Ethnic Studies, recently published "A Necessary Evil: Framing an American Indian Legal Identity" in the American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 37, no. 4, pages 115-139.
The article documents the emergence and application of what Robertson conceptualizes as “American Indian Legal Identity,” or AILI, which emerged within the racialization of American Indians through federal policy and gained institutional status with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Racialized meanings of "Indianness" gained further institutional legitimacy when tribes reified the federally defined criteria, creating a blood tie ethnicity. Thus, federal Indian policy produced a racialized collective Indian identity, which subsequently resulted in the internalized racialization of individual native identity. Ultimately, however, legal standing does not require an ethnic or racial identity. AILI functions to exclude Indian people from the scope of federal legislation. Robertson analyzes semi-structured, in-depth interviews of 30 Native participants, who all ethnically identify as indigenous but only half of whom possess a legal identity. Robertson finds most participants continue to rationalize legal identity and justify it as a necessary evil because identification procedures maintain tribal sovereignty. Even natives without legal standing justify the system which excludes them.


Manufacturers of sports nutrition products for those involved in serious training have long recognised the benefit of using whey protein for exercise recovery. However, new research commissioned by Volac, among consumers engaged in moderate exercise, suggests there is now a real opportunity to take exercise recovery more mainstream.
This paper examines the role of whey protein in recovery from exercise; the market potential for beverage manufacturers indicated by the research and how the challenges of using whey protein in the ready to drink format have been overcome with Volactive Hydrapro.


This volume provides an in-depth consideration of destructive communication in organizations -- including workplace bullying, racism, stress, and harassment. It brings together communication scholars from theoretical and applied perspectives to assess current understandings, explore ways to integrate theory and practice, identify areas for change, and outline a research agenda for the coming decade.


So, natural remedies. Those things that some weird-smelling hippy makes my mashing a few leaves up in a bowl. While their effectiveness can be debated, there are a few that actually work. Has anyone here had any unconventional cures? The kind of stuff that you're not going to find on a pharmacy shelf? Because I'd really like to know. No, seriously, I'll take any advice I can get if people can back it up. I'll start us off with something I've been doing for the past two years. Honey for hayfever, that is. One teaspoon of locally-produced honey a day for a year, and your body gets used to the pollen. It doesn't cure it, and it must be continued every day to be effective each year. However, it does suppress the worst of it, in my experience. But it has to be local honey. Not any of that mass-produced, squeezed-from-a-bottle stuff. Local honey, made by bees in your area, or as close to it as possible.


Abstract
The Dok adaptor proteins play key regulatory roles in receptor and non-receptor kinase-initiated signaling pathways. Dok-1, the prototype member of this family, negatively regulates cell proliferation elicited by numerous growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). However, how Dok-1 exerts its negative effect on mitogenesis has remained elusive. Using Dok-1 knockout cells and Dok-1 mutants deficient in binding to specific Dok-1-interacting proteins, we show that Dok-1 interferes with PDGF-stimulated c-myc induction and Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation by tethering different signaling components to the cell membrane. Specifically, Dok-1 attenuates PDGF-elicited c-myc induction by recruiting Csk to active Src kinases, whereupon their activities and consequent c-myc induction are diminished. On the other hand, Dok-1 negatively regulates PDGF-induced MAPK activation by acting on Ras-GAP and at least one other Dok-1-interacting protein. Importantly, we demonstrate that Dok-1's actions on both of these signaling pathways contribute to its inhibitory effect on mitogenesis. Our data suggest a mechanistic basis for the inhibitory effect of Dok-1 on growth factor-induced mitogenesis and its role as a tumor suppressor.


Abstract
We examined whether older individuals with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) experience differences in heart rate variability (HRV) during a 3-hour exposure to high heat stress compared to young adults. Young (YOUNG; n=22; 23±3 years) and older individuals with (T2D; n=11; 59±9 years) and without (OLDER; n=25; 63±5 years) T2D were exposed to heat stress (44°C, 30% relative humidity) for 3-hours. Fifty-five HRV measures were assessed for 15 minutes at baseline, and at minutes 82.5-97.5 (MID) and 165-180 (END) during heat stress. When compared to YOUNG, a similar number of HRV indices were significantly different (p<0.05) in OLDER (Baseline: 35; MID: 29; END: 32) and T2D (Baseline: 31; MID: 30; END: 27). In contrast, the number of HRV indices significantly different (p<0.05) between OLDER and T2D were far fewer (baseline: 13, MID: 1, END: 3). Within-group analyses demonstrated a greater change in the YOUNG group's HRV during heat stress, compared to OLDER and T2D; the number of significantly different (p<0.05) HRV indices between baseline and END were 42, 29, and 20, for YOUNG, OLDER, and T2D, respectively. Analysis of specific HRV domains suggest that YOUNG experienced greater sympathetic activity during heat stress compared to OLDER and T2D. In conclusion, compared to young, older individuals with and without type 2 diabetes demonstrate low HRV at baseline, and less change in HRV (including an attenuated sympathetic response) during 3-hour high heat stress, potentially contributing to impaired thermoregulatory function.
HRV hyperthermia sympathetic nervous system autonomic response heat stress Copyright © 2016, American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology


Medium duty trucks have numerous, practical uses. These vehicles are used in transportation, carrying goods across the country. Because of their more compact size, many people prefer such trucks over heavy duty trucks. Although they are smaller, medium duty trucks can carry large cargo. Ambulances and delivery trucks are also considered medium duty vehicles. However, the cost of such vehicles is relatively expensive. Because of their specialized features, these trucks are costly when purchased new. However, opting to purchase salvage vehicles greatly reduces the price.
Purchasing trucks with salvage titles requires diligence, patience, and know-how. Sometimes, even the low cost of these salvage vehicles does not justify a purchase. For instance, the engine should be in good working order. In addition, the cost of repairing the salvage medium duty truck should not outweigh the cost of a new vehicle.
For instance, if the truck has serious internal damage, then the vehicle is probably not worth purchasing. However, you can find salvage medium duty trucks with key safety features that are still in near new condition. In many cases, salvage vehicles do not have such safety features. These features depend on how any needed repairs are conducted.
Many safety features such as seat-belts and air bags are neglected during the repair. Without safety features, a medium duty truck, or any other salvage vehicle, cannot be legally driven. To start, you can have a qualified mechanic conduct a proper diagnosis of the safety features. In this way, you will ensure that the airbag system and other critical safety features are working properly.
In the event of an accident, seat-belt fit and functionality are paramount. This safety feature is meant to lock the belt in the right position if the truck has a collision. If seatbelts were not properly fitted during the repairs, then the vehicle is not safe to use. To ensure proper functioning of safety and other features, you should purchase a salvage vehicle and make any necessary evaluations and subsequent repairs. For medium duty trucks, you should also estimate the cost of any needed repairs.
For these vehicles, the break system is critical. Before any vehicle is road-ready, the break system should perform flawlessly. Many buyers who purchase salvage medium duty trucks also purchase brake accessories such as the caliper. For added safety, it is important to replace the calipers of your truck with modern brake pads. In salvage yards and on online auction sites, you can easily find quality brake calipers and pads. At Autobidmaster.com, for example, you can find disc brakes for the front wheels easily. Note that the site specializes in facilitating entire salvage vehicle purchases and does not sell these parts alone.
Purchasing a salvage vehicle is an investment. However, via Autobidmaster, such purchases are advantageous. For one, the broker facilitates your purchase and ensures that vehicles, like medium duty trucks, are shipped to your desired destination within a short time. This saves mechanics time and effort, and ensures that their garage has a steady supply of needed replacement parts in stock.
Invest in a medium duty truck for your business today! Just click the blog header and see how Autobidmaster.com can help!


Although contained, the Butte Fire in California still threatens the lives of individuals returning to their homes--or what is left of their homes. While the threat might not pose as immediate of a threat to individuals as the flames of a fire, the debris left behind could contain toxic substances that can affect their health in the years to come.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection stated that hazards still in the area "may include
asbestos, heavy metals, by-products of plastic combustion, and various other chemicals." If inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers can cause serious respiratory conditions and fatal cancers.
Asbestos is assumed to be
present in homes built before 1990. Construction materials such as drywall, piping insulation, vinyl floor tiles, and more have all been known to contain the substance in the past. A house fire can release asbestos fibers into the air for firefighters to inhale or ingest. If disturbed within debris from a fire, clean up crews and families are also at risk for exposure.
If you are a Butte Fire victim returning to your property after the tragedy, do not hesitate to work with a professional to test for asbestos and/or help you properly remove it. Asbestos can lead to serious illnesses, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and
mesothelioma.
Source: Newsweek


Handle a range of compaction jobs including commercial parking lots, highway shoulders and secondary roadway maintenance with BOMAG’s BW138AC-5 roller, which features a traditional vibratory steel drum in the front and four smooth pneumatic tires at the rear for enhanced tractive effort.
The 4.5-ton, 54-inch-wide roller has a Tier 4 interim four-cylinder Kubota diesel engine. The 35.4-inch-diameter drum ensures minimal rolling resistance, and the smooth tires ensure the liquid asphalt is even throughout the lift, delivering a finer top finish on the material.
The tires also ensure improved performance during loading and unloading, and during hilly applications. The suspended operator’s platform is vibration-isolated and has an adjustable laterally sliding seat. Multifunction dual travel levers and a Smart Drive steering wheel enhance operator efficiency.
The unit’s pressure water sprinkler system includes a 76-gallon water tank that delivers extended operation between refills. Additional features include filtered spray nozzles, an interval sprinkler timer, solid windscreens and flexible spring-actuated scrapers.
The roller also has a 13-gallon tank that holds emulsion liquids for wetting the rear tires. Available options include the BOMAG Economizer system that enables continuous control of the compaction process.
The instrument panel display shows compaction levels via an increasing number of illuminated LEDs that alert the operator when maximum compaction is achieved, as well as notifying the operator when weak spots in the material are detected. The system also alerts to over-compaction conditions, helping to prevent fracturing of the aggregate.


The 130/30 market has been growing by leaps and bounds, but that growth could very well slow, given recent performance. In this year's rough first quarter, 130/30 funds lost a median 10.46%, according to eVestment Alliance. That's slightly worse than the S&P 500's decline of 9.9% and significantly worse than their stated goal, which is to outperform their benchmark by 200 to 500 basis points.
The quarter's performance is in sharp contrast to 2007, when 130/30s outperformed the S&P on a gross basis, gaining a median 6.98% versus the S&P's rise of 3.56%. That suggests these funds may


On June 1, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors announced that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) will now use the National SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) Test with Uniform State Content, making it the 52
nd state agency to adopt the test. Under the new process, Illinois licensees who pass the SAFE MLO Test with Uniform State Content no longer need to take an additional, state-specific test. IDFPR Secretary Bryan Schneider commented on the streamlined test process saying, “[b]y providing a more effective regulatory experience, we foster the creation of a regulatory environment conducive to strong economic growth and opportunity.”


Some employers hire diesel mechanics with informal training, while others prefer individuals with formal certification. Many diesel mechanic certification programs are offered by vocational schools and community colleges.Continue Reading
Generally, formal programs can take anywhere from six months to two years to complete, with students receiving certification upon successful completion of all required coursework. Many schools are accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, or NATEF. While not required, some employers are more interested in hiring job seekers who have graduated from a NATEF-accredited program. Informal training involves getting work from a local garage and learning on the job from trained professionals. This approach is advantageous, as the individual receives practical training in an actual work environment. However, it is difficult to find such opportunities.Learn more about Career Aspirations


The following article has just been published online: Perception of a cetacean mass stranding in Italy: the emergence of compassion Giovanni Bearzi, Nino Pierantonio, Silvia Bonizzoni, Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Massimo Demma. 2010. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.1135 ABSTRACT 1. The view that whales are malicious monsters has been pervasive throughout history. Conversely, the idea that these animals experience suffering has emerged only recently. One way of investigating perceptual, as well as behavioural, shifts is assessing general public reactions to mortality events involving wild, rare and charismatic animals. 2. Here, the responses of 118 individuals to questions regarding the mass stranding of seven sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) along the Adriatic Sea coast of Italy in December 2009 are reported through interviews taken at the stranding site and in the direct proximity of the dead animals. 3. When asked why the whales were stranded, 44.1% of the respondents suggested anthropogenic causes and 21.2% non-anthropogenic. The remaining 34.7% mentioned a generic ‘disorientation’ or stated they did not know. When asked how they felt about the whales, 68.6% expressed feelings of compassion or care towards the animals. Clearly non-compassionate attitudes accounted for only 4.1% of the sample. Finally, 21.2% expressed feelings that were ambiguous in terms of being suggestive of compassionate or non-compassionate attitudes, including 11.9% amazement, 4.2% deprecation and 5.1% powerlessness. 4. These results are in stark contrast with information obtained from accounts of similar events that have occurred in historical times, up until the first half of the 20th century. For centuries, responses to cetacean live strandings—typically including killing and harming of the animals—were either utilitarian or characterized by feelings including fear and a desire to ‘subjugate the beast’, with no apparent concern for their suffering and death. 5. It is concluded that attitudes towards whales—today strikingly revolving around sadness, compassion and a sense of loss—have changed dramatically over time, with a steep turnaround in the 1970/1980s. Full appreciation of the ongoing evolution in public perception can channel marine conservation efforts and assist in the design of response strategies to marine mammal strandings. --- A pdf copy can be obtained from the journal's web site: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.1135/abstract or from the first author: giovanni.bearzi(at)gmail.com --- Photo by Silvia Bonizzoni: A sperm whale dying on the beach of Foce Varano, Italy


Worship and the Presence of God, Part Four Bob Kauflin Director of Worship Development, PDI Ministries 2003 9 May
COMMENTS
If you're like me, then sometimes, right in the middle of congregational worship, you realize suddenly, "Hey, God is here!" It may be a wave of peace, an irrepressible joy rising up from the depths of your soul, or even the sweet sting of the Holy Spirit's conviction. Whatever form it takes, our words suddenly become richer, our hearts fuller, and our focus clearer.
Such moments are so powerful that we can subtly slip into the danger of pursuing experiences with God instead of pursuing God Himself. We begin to measure the success of meetings by how moved people seem, how freely the tears flow, or some other physical phenomenon. But experiences of God's presence are never the goal of our worship; God's glory is.
While God's presence can be sensed, it is wrong to think that feelings are the primary means God has given us to recognize His presence. It's a sad truth that sincere, worshiping Christians have said they "felt God's nearness" in the midst of committing adultery, spreading gossip, or lying to a boss. They imply that God was there to bless their actions, even though the Bible unequivocally calls those actions sin. In actuality, our sins separate us from fellowship with God (Is 59:2), and prohibit us from experiencing the joy of His presence (Ps 51:11-12). If God is in some sense near us when we sin, He is there to bring conviction and godly sorrow, not comfort and assurance.
How do we become aware of God's presence, then, if not through our feelings? Do we just trust that God is everywhere, plod on indifferently, and have no expectation of His active presence in our lives or our corporate worship? Certainly not.
God has given us a means of experiencing His ongoing presence in our lives. That means is faith in His Word and in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Donald Whitney writes,
"All access to the presence of God, with His universal presence excepted, is through Jesus Christ...We could never discern the presence of God rightly and in truth if He did not first reveal Himself to us. He has revealed Himself generally to us through creation (Ro 1:20), but much more specifically through the Word. His self-revealing Word has come to us in two living ways: the incarnate Word (Jesus) and the written Word (the Bible). And it is through His Word that our experience with God, including our perception of His presence, is mediated" (
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, p.59).
In other words, our understanding of God's nearness is based on the promises and truths of Scripture. We know God is present with us because His Word tells us so, and His Son's sacrifice on our behalf has made it possible. Non-Christians might have a mystical sense that God is near when they narrowly escape death in an accident. Christians, on the other hand, know that a sovereign, holy, loving God who cares for them is with them each moment, carefully directing their lives, working all things out for their good and for His glory. They know this is true whether they feel anything or not!
So, we trust that God is always with us and we expect that at various times, in different locations and ways, He will make His presence known to us.
Those times are obviously beyond our control. But there is often more evidence of the presence of God around us than we appreciate, and increasing sensitivity to God's activity is a sign of Christian maturity. Next time we'll look at ways we can cultivate that greater awareness.


(One of the 20th century’s Christian classics, in my view. Rowland).
—————————————————————————- —-
Matthew Berke
—————————————————————————- —-
Copyright (c) 2000 First Things 101 (March 2000): 41-42.
From the 1930s through the 1950s, Reinhold Niebuhr achieved a singular stature among twentieth-century American theologians. The son of a German immigrant pastor, Niebuhr (1892-1971) was not a popular evangelist but rather a philosopher of public life, bringing the insights of biblical truth to bear on the great issues of politics and social ethics. He spoke to and within the Church, but also to a broader educated public. Yet at the beginning of the twenty-first century, Niebuhr seems, at least to his disciples, a classic instance of the prophet who is without honor in his own country. This is not alto gether surprising, for despite his stress on the possibilities for improving the temporal world, and, beyond that, his ultimate affirmation of hope and redemption, Niebuhr expressed a profoundly tragic sense of history that runs against the grain of American optimism.
An outspoken progressive and reformer from the start, Niebuhr was nonetheless always unhappy with the sentimentality and pacifism that pervaded the social program of liberal Christianity-especially mainline Protestantism-which (to oversimplify somewhat) sought to correct political injustices mainly through appeals to reason and conscience. In Moral Man and Immoral Society, Niebuhr broke decisively with this “social gospel” outlook, insisting that power is the principal ingredient in arbitrating the competing claims of nations, races, and social classes. According to Niebuhr, conflict and tension are permanent features of history. While social improvement is possible, the justice of this world is born in strife and is always provisional, fragmentary, and insecure.
Niebuhr’s pessimistic account was based not merely on observation of the world as it is, but also on a theology which emphasized that sin is endemic to the human condition in history. Man, as a creature whose existence paradoxically combines spirit and matter, can sense his own “finitude and fragility” in the universe; annihilation and meaninglessness threaten all of his hopes, achievements, and affections. Thus man is tempted to prideful assertions of his will that provide an illusion of control and meaning. While he can ease his anxiety and pretension through faith in God rather than self, that faith is always imperfect (imperfect faith being, for Niebuhr, the essence of “original sin”). Reason can sharpen ethical sensitivity and practice, but, ironically, it can also sharpen the capacity to rationalize selfishness and the will to power-and, doubly ironic, sometimes both at the same time.
The tendency to rationalize, Niebuhr argued, is especially pronounced in man ‘s “collective life.” While individuals in their personal dealings often transcend self-interest (hence “moral man”), nations dealing with other nations, or social classes with other social classes, have little or no capacity for self-transcendence (“immoral society”). Nations and classes have limited understanding of the people they harm by their unjust self-assertion; they lack appreciation for the often complicated laws and institutions through which such injustice is perpetuated; and they are more inclined to embrace rationalizations of self-interest than prophetic denunciations. These facts, for Niebuhr, explain why dominant groups rarely yield their privileges except when put under pressure by some countervailing social force.


Upper Tail Test of Population Mean with Known Variance
The null hypothesis of the upper tail test of the population mean can be expressed as follows:
where μ
0 is a hypothesized upper bound of the true population mean μ.
Suppose the food label on a cookie bag states that there is at most 2 grams of saturated fat in a single cookie. In a sample of 35 cookies, it is found that the mean amount of saturated fat per cookie is 2.1 grams. Assume that the population standard deviation is 0.25 grams. At .05 significance level, can we reject the claim on food label?
The null hypothesis is that μ ≤ 2. We begin with computing the test statistic.
> mu0 = 2 # hypothesized value
> sigma = 0.25 # population standard deviation
> n = 35 # sample size
> z = (xbar−mu0)/(sigma/sqrt(n))
> z # test statistic
[1] 2.3664
We then compute the critical value at .05 significance level.
The test statistic 2.3664 is greater than the critical value of 1.6449. Hence, at .05 significance level, we reject the claim that there is at most 2 grams of saturated fat in a cookie.
Instead of using the critical value, we apply the pnorm function to compute the upper tail p-value of the test statistic. As it turns out to be less than the .05 significance level, we reject the null hypothesis that μ ≤ 2.


SSA selects representative payees for individuals who are not able to manage or direct the management of their finances because of their youth or mental and/or physical impairment. According to SSA, foster care agencies have traditionally been among its most dependable payees. State foster care agencies may not always know whether the child is receiving SSA payments. States can use SSA’s State Verification and Exchange System (SVES) to determine whether the child is receiving Social Security payments.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) supervises the foster care program throughout the State. However, county agencies administer the program.
We performed a computerized comparison of foster care data with SSA’s beneficiary records to identify children served by representative payees who were not the county agency or foster care parents.


Nitric Oxide as a signaling factor to upregulate the death-specific protein in a marine diatom, skeletonema costatum, during blockage of electron flow in photosynthesis
To determine the physiological functions of a novel death-specific protein gene, Skeletonema costatum DSP-1 (ScDSP-1) in a marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum, the mRNA abundance of ScDSP-1 was measured in cultures subjected to light manipulation and treatments with various chemicals. When cells were transferred to a dim light intensity of 15 µmol m–2 s–1, ScDSP-1 mRNA levels showed a transient increase of 1 to 17.2 µmol (mol 18S rRNA)–1 in 60 h. Furthermore, treatments with the photoinhibitors 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone (DBMIB) resulted in high ScDSP-1 mRNA levels, which reached 943 and 72 µmol (mol 18S rRNA)–1, respectively. Treatment with the nitric oxide (NO) donor diethylamine nitric oxide also induced ScDSP-1 expression, and this inducible expression was inhibited by the NO scavenger hemoglobin. Additionally, the expression of ScDSP-1 mRNA elicited by DCMU and DBMIB was efficiently reduced when cultures were pretreated with the cell-penetrating NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide. In contrast, treatment with another photoinhibitor, paraquat, had no effect on ScDSP-1 expression. Our results indicated that NO is the crucial secondary messenger which signals the expression of ScDSP-1 when electron flow between photosystem II and photosystem I is blocked in S. costatum cells. In addition, the discovery of a similar gene, ScDSP-2, is briefly described.


Investigation of murine cytomegalovirus modulation of TLR/IL-1β signalling pathways Date2012-06-30 Author
Pechenick Jowers, Tali
Jowers, Tali Pechenick
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
Cytomegaloviruses (CMV), the prototypical β-herpesviruses, have co-evolved with their hosts and thus acquired multiple strategies for modulation of the immune response. Viral engagement of pattern recognition receptors (PRR), such as toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytosolic nucleic acids sensors, initiates the host immune response through activation of elaborate signalling programs. The ensuing inflammatory response is further sustained and amplified through cytokines, such as IL-1β, activating signalling pathways greatly overlapping those utilized by TLRs. The central hypothesis of this thesis is that a viral counter-measure by murine CMV (MCMV) involves specific targeting of TLR- and IL-1β-induced signalling along the MyD88 to NF-κB pathway. To test this hypothesis MCMV inhibition of IL-1β signalling was initially investigated in a fibroblast cell line. It was demonstrated that in MCMV infected cells IL-1β-induced IκBα degradation is largely inhibited. Comparison of productive and non-productive infection showed this modulation requires de-novo viral gene expression beyond the immediate early region. Further investigations utilising a ORF M45 deletion mutant identified viral gene M45 as necessary for mediating the observed modulation of IL-1β- induced IκBα degradation. To further test the hypothesis, studies were extended to include TLR stimulation in the context of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) infection. It was found that TLR7/9-induced NF-κB activation is inhibited in MCMV infected BMDM. Overall, data presented in this study demonstrate a previously unrecognised MCMV inhibition of IL-1β- and TLR7/9-induced NF-κB activation, and indicate a role for viral gene M45 in mediating this effect.


More than half of all Americans claim they are "Christian". However --- ask them what it means, and they will say, "I believe in Jesus!"
It that what it takes to be a Christian? James says, "You believe in one God, you do well; but even demons believe and shudder".
So --- you there, reading this --- is it possible to THINK oneself a "Christian", but be wrong? Consider:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
Here are some who cast out demons, prophesied, and did mighty works. But JESUS DIDN'T KNOW THEM! How is that possible? Prophesy?
"Why, I sang in the choir! I counseled people! I was a DEACON!!! Jesus, how could you not know me???"
Exactly how could that be? Read further:
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.
'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' " Revelation3:14-22.
How can one be poor, or blind, or wretched, or miserable, or naked and NOT KNOW it? But there it is, fully possible. These are those who thought themselves saved. They have their "golden ticket", and do not need to worry.
...but should they have? Yes!
What separates you, or me, from them? How do we know which we are?
What is salvation? That is the question. To believe in Jesus --- yes, that is the beginning; but there's so much more. Is it works that we do? Yes --- if you hold to one of the world's religions, but not in Christianity! Then what is the difference between "saved-belief", and "unsaved belief"?
James labors to say in chapter 2, saved belief is the kind of belief which produces good works. We still have not come to an understanding of what it is yet, have we?
In John3, Jesus said "you must be born again". So it salvation "born-again AND belief"? Yes, and no. It all depends on what "born-again", means.
Perhaps Paul can help us. The idea of "Born-Again", is explained beautifully in Romans6; before we can be born spiritually, we have to DIE. Paul uses five words interchangeably, "crucified/buried/immersed/died/UNITED" --- both in Jesus' death (our old selves must truly die to sin), and united in Jesus' resurrection (we are now new creations). Born-again, is in-Christ, and Christ in you. What does that mean?
"I have been CRUCIFIED with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the One who loved me and delivered Himself up for me." Gal2:20
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away (is passing away!), behold all has become new (new things have come!)."
The problem with Romans chapter 6, is that chapter 7 follows; the old self may be DEAD, but it is not GONE --- and we find ourselves with a war inside, the old sinful self battling with the new spiritual self! It is in despair that Paul cries, "Oh wretched man that I am, who will FREE me from this war within my members?"
...and the solution to that war, is in chapter 8. What weak flesh could not do, God did, sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh.
Focus on verses 12-14 --- if we walk after the lusts of the flesh, WE MUST DIE; but if by the Spirit we put to death the flesh, we will live. So then it's our decision to walk, but it's the Spirit's POWER.
I like what James says in chapter 4:
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
This then is the secret to Christianity; we do not fight to become "good enough for God", but we surrender to Him that HE becomes our goodness in and through us. It is the kind of faith that receives the Spirit and receives Jesus, indwelling our hearts and souls --- so that our deeds are HIM working THROUGH us.
Part-n-parcel of that, is COMMUNION --- do you commune with Him? Do you have conversations with your Best Friend? Can you hear His conversation back? Does your soul long for His presence?
Do you talk to Him? Is He the first thing on your mind when you arise, and the last thing before you sleep? Or is He just the "last thing on your mind"?
What are your priorities? Does He indwell you, does your soul know righteousness? Is every moment you breathe, a prayer to Him?
Is He real to you? Or are you one of those who will gleefully run up to meet Jesus when He returns, only to be crestfallen when He frowns and says, "I don't know you"?
Scary thought, isn't it? But it doesn't have to be scary; there is no fear in love, perfect love casts out fear, and he who fears is not perfected in love. 1Jn4!
He's already demonstrated His infinite love for you; as He hung there, dying on the Cross, YOUR NAME WAS ON HIS LIPS! He's already paid the price, done the work; all He asks is that you accept His love --- and accept it completely, that it becomes a heart-changing soul-washing eternity-triumph! Let HIM be your song and your joy. Let HIM be your salvation and your love.
The greatest commandment is "you shall LOVE GOD with all that you are." (Matt22:37)
Do you?


State officials are holding a Seward Highway Safety Summit today in Anchorage. The summit is the next step in gathering a group of stakeholders to advocate for a safer highway from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula.
The summit is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Z.J. Loussac Public Library’s assembly chambers. All who travel the Seward Highway are invited.
In April 2012, Girdwood 2020, the primary facilitator of the Seward/Kenai Peninsula Transportation Corridor Safety Initiative, and Sen. Mark Begich sponsored an initial summit in Soldotna.
Since then, the Kenai City Council passed a resolution supporting safety improvements to the Sterling and Seward highways.
Also, a Kenai Peninsula Borough resolution was introduced and unanimously passed with the help of Kenai Mayor Pat Porter, according to Girdwood 2020.
The resolutions recognize the highways as among the most critical and heavily traveled roadways in the state, and attribute geography, weather and current roadway configurations to their danger.
The previous timeline for forming a group of stakeholders was the end of May.
And although the initial stakeholders who attended the April summit echoed support for improving the highways, some attendees voiced concern about the effectiveness of the plan.
Patrick Kemp, deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Highways & Public Facilities, said Gov. Sean Parnell was uncertain whether this new initiative would align with the DOT’s own projects.
The DOT is currently focusing on a project to develop a clear vision for the highway segment from Anchorage to Seward. Their Seward Highway Corridor Study doesn’t include other highways on the Peninsula.
Jerzy Shedlock can be reached at jerzy.shedlock@peninsulaclarion.com.


The World Bank calls it the Bangladesh Paradox. The Bangladesh economy has steadily accelerated in recent years, with growth reaching 7 percent in 2006. The country scores particularly well on socio-economic indicators. Global banks and multilateral institutions present a highly optimistic outlook: Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch have identified Bangladesh as a key investment opportunity. This impressive growth occurs in a climate of political restructuring. A caretaker government is implementing reforms toward privatizing many state-owned enterprises. The Dhaka Stock Exchange Index is at a 10-year high, up 66 percent this year, making it Asia's top performer after China. And the stock market is expected to double in size in 2008.- Asia Society Discover why market-oriented reforms, strong socio-economic indicators and highly favorable demographics are poised to render Bangladesh one of the world's most exciting investment opportunities


In a perfect world, the weather would cooperate and you’d get all the crops planted early. But if weather delays or prevents planting and you have Federal Crop Insurance, it’s essential to contact your insurance agent immediately.
You can find the details in a new publication from the University of Minnesota Extension Service titled “Federal Crop Insurance: Delayed and Prevented Planting Provisions.” It was written by regional Extension educator Gary Hachfeld and Kim Lee of Crop Insurance Services, Mankato.
Delayed planting on the insured acres must be due to a weather event, not personal choice. And under the “prevented planting” provision, the weather conditions that kept a producer from planting must be general and widespread to the area, Hachfeld says.
The new publication includes changes for the 2004 crop year, coverage definitions and examples. You can find it on the University’s Center for Farm Financial Management Web site at
http://www.cffm.umn.edu.


Flexibility exercises are an essential part of any rounded workout. Flexibility is described as the ability to move your joints and muscles through their full range of motion. Certain forms of exercise, such as running, tighten the muscles and the joints. Remaining static as many of us do can hinder the flexibility of the joints. Sitting at a desk all day, for instance, can cause stiffness and tension associated with reduced flexibility. There are many exercises aimed at promoting the flexibility of the joints and muscles in the body:
Dynamic Stretching Dynamic stretching (similar to ballistic stretching, where the bouncing is used to achieve the desired position) uses momentum, speed and active muscular effort to accomplish a stretch. It involves using controlled motion to gradually reach the limits of your range of motion. Examples of dynamic stretching include: Lunges Leg Swings (and abductions) Hip circles/twists Squats Shoulder circles Yoga Bikram Yoga Power Yoga Ashtanga Yoga


Of a Tolerable Upper Limit for Ephedrine,” published in December
12 December, 2014 at 10:37 am in Health & Beauty, Immigration
University, Hong Kong, which has a database on herbal medicine, as well as the Taiwan Poison Control Center, but did not receive any data from either.
On January 31, 2002, Forskolin Belly Buster we spoke to Dr. Phillip Waddington, Director of the Natural Health Products Directorate for Health Canada. He agreed to send us 60 adverse event reports regarding ephedrine/ephedrine products. However, at the time of this report, we had not received anything.
In January 2002, we created an announcement regarding our project’s need for any unpublished studies on the use of ephedrine/ephedrine for weight loss or exercise enhancement. The announcement was submitted to both the journal Phytomedicine and the Herbal gram newsletter. The intent was to reach individuals who might know of small studies being done on 16 ephedrine or ephedrine of which the TEP were not aware. We receive no responses to this announcement. In March 2002, we obtained a recent monograph on ephedrine, written by Dennis McKenna, from the Institute for Natural Products Research, a nonprofit research and education foundation.


Curriculum specialists and preK-12 educators engage in a five-year review cycle of major curriculum areas, an initiative that was launched as part of the Holliston Public Schools Strategic Plan.
Preparation – Prior to the formal review phase, the curriculum specialists plan for the review by recruiting committee members from across the district; they also conduct a review of necessary professional development that will be required to complete the curriculum review. Review members begin to collect relevant literature from the professional field regarding effective teaching practices within that content area. Review – Over the a school year, a district-wide team of educators engages in a thorough review of the curriculum of their content area using relevant content standards, assessment results, and review of the literature. Summer curriculum projects are often planned for the review. Summer curriculum may focus on the development of the district's program level Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions and the collection of literature to form the foundation for documenting effective curriculum and practices in the content area. Educators evaluate curriculum and instruction against relevant content area standards. Recommendations for further curriculum development, professional development, and resources are proposed. The Review Committee develops a report and presents findings and recommendations to the School Committee. Implementation – Building-based teams implement recommendations from the curriculum review, as prioritized during the review phase. District curriculum specialists continue to collaborate to ensure alignment. Teams of teachers meet periodically to foster vertical communication during implementation. Mid-Cycle Update – Curriculum specialists report on progress made towards the review’s recommendations.


Gladstone scientists identify biological mechanism that plays key role in early-onset dementia
09.10.2012
Findings explain how protein deficiency contributes to neurodegenerative disease
Using animal models, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered how a protein deficiency may be linked to frontotemporal dementia (FTD)—a form of early-onset dementia that is similar to Alzheimer's disease. These results lay the foundation for therapies that one day may benefit those who suffer from this and related diseases that wreak havoc on the brain.
As its name implies, FTD is a fatal disease that destroys cells, or neurons, that comprise the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain—as opposed to Alzheimer's which mainly affects brain's memory centers in the hippocampus. Early symptoms of FTD include personality changes, such as increased erratic or compulsive behavior. Patients later experience difficulties speaking and reading, and often suffer from long-term memory loss. FTD is usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 65, with death occurring within 2 to 10 years after diagnosis. No drug exists to slow, halt or reverse the progression of FTD.
A new study led by Gladstone Senior Investigator Robert V. Farese, Jr., MD, offers new hope in the fight against this and other related conditions. In the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, available today online, Dr. Farese and his team show how a protein called progranulin prevents a class of cells called microglia from becoming "hyperactive." Without adequate progranulin to keep microglia in check, this hyperactivity becomes toxic, causing abnormally prolonged inflammation that destroys neurons over time—and leads to debilitating symptoms.
"We have known that a lack of progranulin is linked to neurodegenerative conditions such as FTD, but the exact mechanism behind that link remained unclear," said Dr. Farese, who is also a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), with which Gladstone is affiliated. "Understanding the inflammatory process in the brain is critical if we are to develop better treatments not only for FTD, but for other forms of brain injury such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS)—which are likely also linked to abnormal microglial activity."
Microglia—which are a type of immune cells that reside in the CNS—normally secrete progranulin. Early studies on traumatic CNS injury found that progranulin accumulates at the injury site alongside microglia, suggesting that both play a role in injury response. So, Dr. Farese and his team designed a series of experiments to decipher the nature of the relationship between progranulin and microglia. First, the team generated genetically modified mice that lack progranulin. They then monitored how the brains of these mice responded to toxins, comparing this reaction to a control group.
"As expected, the toxin destroys neurons in both sets of mice—but the progranulin-deficient mice lost twice as many neurons as the control group," said Lauren Herl Martens, a Gladstone and UCSF graduate student and the study's lead author. "This showed us that progranulin is crucial for neuron survival. We then wanted to see whether a lack of progranulin itself would injure these cells—even in the absence of toxins."
In a petri dish, the researchers artificially prevented microglia from secreting progranulin and monitored how these modified microglia interacted with neurons. They observed that a significantly greater number of neurons died in the presence of the progranulin-deficient microglia when compared to unmodified microglia. Other experiments revealed the process' underlying mechanism. Microglia are the CNS's first line of defense. When the microglia sense toxins or injury, they trigger protective inflammation—which can become toxic to neurons if left unchecked. Dr. Farese's team discovered that progranulin works by tempering the microglia's response, thereby minimizing inflammation. Without progranulin, the microglia are unrestricted—and induce prolonged and excessive inflammation that leads to neuron damage—and can contribute to the vast array of symptoms that afflict sufferers FTD and other fatal forms of brain disease.
"However, we found that boosting progranulin levels in microglia reduced inflammation—keeping neurons alive and healthy in cell culture," explained Dr. Farese. "Our next step is to determine if this method could also work in live animals. We believe this to be a therapeutic strategy that could, for example, halt the progression of FTD. More broadly, our findings about progranulin and inflammation could have therapeutic implications for devastating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and MS."
Other scientists who participated in this research at Gladstone include Sami Barmada, PhD, Ping Zhou, MD, Li Gan, PhD and Steve Finkbeiner, MD, PhD. Funding came from a variety of sources, including the Consortium for Frontotemporal Dementia Research, the ALS Association and the National Institutes of Health.
About the Gladstone Institutes
Gladstone is an independent and nonprofit biomedical-research organization dedicated to accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and innovation to prevent, treat and cure cardiovascular, viral and neurological diseases. Gladstone is affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco.
Anne Holden | EurekAlert!
Further information: http://www.gladstone.ucsf.edu


A new study has revealed that individuals age 49 and older with cataract and those age 49 to 74 years with age-related macular degeneration appear to have higher mortality rates over an 11-year period than those without such visual impairments.
Advertisement
Several studies have shown associations between visual problems and the risk of death in older individuals.
Advertisement"The mechanisms for higher mortality associated with visual impairment remain unclear. It could be attributed to age-related ocular conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) or cataract, which can be markers of biological aging. Alternatively, visual impairment and its related ocular conditions could share a similar pathogenesis with other conditions associated with increased mortality," the authors wrote.
Sudha Cugati, M.S., of the University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues assessed 3,654 individuals age 49 and older who were part of the Blue Mountains Eye Study, an ongoing examination of visual disorders in the Blue Mountains area west of Sydney. When the participants enrolled in the study, between 1992 and 1994, they were assessed for overall visual impairment and its two main causes: cataract, a disease in which the eye's lens is covered by a film that reduces sight, and ARMD, which occurs when the macula, the area at the back of the retina that produces the sharpest vision, deteriorates over time.
"After adjusting for factors that predict mortality, neither visual impairment nor ARMD was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in all ages. mAmong persons younger than 75 years, however, ARMD predicted higher all-cause mortality." Among participants of all ages, having cataract also was associated with a higher risk of death from any cause," they added.
It remains unclear whether there is a direct or indirect link between visual impairment and death or if another factor not measured in this study affected the results, the authors note.
"The implications of these findings also remain uncertain: whether such an association indicates that visual impairment, age-related eye disease or both are markers of aging and frailty or whether these ocular conditions accelerate aging, thus leading to relatively earlier death in older persons," they conclude.
"If a direct or indirect causal effect from visual impairment on earlier death is confirmed, regular assessment of vision in older persons may lead to early detection, facilitating treatments that could reduce the impact of visual impairment," they added.
The report is published in the July issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Source: ANI
JAY/M
Advertisement


Payroll Accounts
Your employer paid your salary out of its payroll account, which it set up with the bank. When it issued your check, it debited the account; the funds were subtracted from the balance. Even though you never cashed the check, that money was made unavailable for other payments. In effect, the money is missing until the check is cashed and remains an unpaid liability.
Void Checks
When a company orders checks for its payroll account, it specifies a "Void" date, which is usually on the face of the check. If the check states "Void after 90 days," for example, then you may not be able to cash or deposit the check (some banks will overlook the void date). By the Uniform Commercial Code, which guides banks in their operations, checks more than six months old are considered "stale-dated" and can be rejected.
Reissuance
Each business sets a policy, in cooperation with its bank, of how to handle "stale-dated" checks. Many companies will simply reissue a check if not more than a year, or in some cases two years, have passed since the original date of the check. Ask your employer about the reissuance policy.
Voids and Stop Payments
You have a check reissued by returning it to your employer and requesting it void the old check and issue a new one. This process returns the funds to the account, allowing the company to write a new check and balance the account. If you lost the check, the employer may incur a bank fee to carry out a stop payment, which may be deducted from the new check.
Unclaimed Property
Each state has laws concerning unclaimed property, including payroll and other checks. After a period of time has lapsed, and the check goes uncashed, then it is legally unclaimed. In New Jersey, for example, the period of time for unclaimed property is three years. At the end of this period, the issuing company is supposed to turn the funds over to the state. The state holds these funds as unclaimed until you, or your heirs or designated agent, files a claim. You or your representative must complete a claim form, which is usually available on the state's official web site, and provide identification. The state agency will process the claim and, if the claim is approved, render the unclaimed funds to you.


Visit www.usda.gov/drought for the latest information regarding USDA’s Drought Disaster response and assistance.
During the last week, the heat that has been affecting much of the nation’s heartland all summer has shifted into the western United States. As a result, wildfires have flourished in parts of the West, particularly in Idaho and northern California. By August 20, the area burned by year-to-date U.S. wildfires reached 6.9 million acres, well above the 10-year average of 5.3 million acres.
Meanwhile, serious agricultural drought effects persist east of the Rockies, despite cooler weather and recent showers. During the week ending August 19, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that 51% of the U.S. corn and 37% of the soybeans were rated in very poor to poor condition. And, for the second consecutive week, corn rated very poor to poor remained two percentage points shy of the August 1988 record of 53%. Due to a record-setting pace of corn denting and maturity (60% and 17%, respectively, by August 19), any future improvements in the overall U.S. corn condition will be unlikely.
U.S. soybeans rated very poor to poor peaked at 39% two weeks ago, surpassing the July 1988 standard of 37%. Since then, that number has improved two percentage points. During the last week, improvements in soybean conditions were most substantial in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and South Dakota; yet, roughly one-third to one-half of the soybeans remain in very poor to poor condition in those four states.
Meanwhile, rangeland and pastures rated very poor to poor remained at a record-high of 59% (on August 19) for the third consecutive week. Nevertheless pastures rated very poor to poor fell (improved) by at least five percentage points during the week ending August 19 in several states, including Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Weather Update and Outlook: Cool air that has been blanketing the Plains and Midwest in recent days will gradually erode. In fact, hot weather has already overspread Montana, and near- to above-normal temperatures, with high temperatures occasionally topping 90°F, can be expected across the Plains and Midwest during the mid- to late-week period. The next opportunity for fairly widespread showers and thunderstorms across the Plains and Midwest will begin around August 23, when a series of weak cold fronts will begin to cross the region. Meanwhile in the Northwest, cooler air will arrive toward week’s end, but mostly dry conditions will persist.


USDA NRCS “Conservation Stewardship Program” Program offers incentives for farmers to undertake conservation activities.
Are you interested in addressing resource concerns on your farm? If so, you may be eligible for technical and financial assistance to conserve soil, water and air resources through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that offers farmers and land owners incentives for improving conservation practices on their land. One main incentive of interest to growers is financial assistance. According to the USDA NRCS, the higher the level of conservation, the higher the payment. Applicants must sign a 5-year agreement with the USDA. Covered activities include but are not limited to: enhancing wildlife habitat, prescriptive grazing management, cover cropping and no-till agriculture.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has developed a comprehensive informational alert. It offers a useful chart of eligible conservation activities sorted by their score, which can help farmers develop a successful application.
Applications are due January 17, 2014. For specific information on the USDA NRCS CSP, please visit the USDA NRCS website. Once you are familiar with the CSP, your best bet is to contact your local USDA Service Center NRCS representative to set up appointment at your local Service Center. You may also contact your local Michigan State University Extension office for assistance as well.


FEBRUARY 5, 2015 — The U.S. Department of Transportation's 2016 budget request includes $70 million for ferry and ferry terminal construction in the Federal Highway Administration request, up modestly from the $67 million actually funded in 2015. Another $30 million for ferry boat construction also looks to be buried as a line item in the Federal Transit Authority's request for Urbanized Area Formula Grants.
The DOT's largest maritime funding request is, though, the $406.8 million sought for the U.S. Maritime Administration.
A new item on the MarAd wish list: $5 million of the $34.6 million requested for support of State Maritime Academy (SMA) training ships is for planning and design of a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) to support training at State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College.
The average age of all training ships is 37 years old and the ships will require extensive renovations to remain seaworthy. The initial focus is on replacement of the 53-year-old TS Empire State operated by SUNY Maritime, which will reach the end of its service life in 2019.
Once constructed and operational, the new NSMV ship will be readily available for deployment to support requirements for national security, as well as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) emergency and humanitarian missions.
The NSMV request is part of an overall Operations and Training (O&T) request of $184.6 million ($36.6 million above FY 2015) that includes $96.0 million for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), $34.6 million for the SMAs, and $54.1 million for MARAD Operations and Programs.
For the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY, the request is $96.0 million ($16.9 million above FY 2015). Of this, $71.3 million is requested for Academy Operations,( $7.2 million above FY 2015 and includes an increase of $3.5 million for necessary upgrades to the Academy's simulator program and such things as funding to support Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) initiatives to continue sexual assault prevention.
The FY 2016 Budget requests $24.7 million for priority USMMA capital improvement projects (CIP) and necessary facilities maintenance, repairs and equipment (FMRE) requirements. CIP priorities include Gibbs and Melville Hall Architecture and Engineering Designs, Gibbs Hall renovation, and Fulton Hall Architecture and Engineering Design.
OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS
For FY 2016, a total of $54.1 million is requested for MARAD Operations and Programs, an increase of $3.7 million above the FY 2015.
The request includes $50.1 million for Headquarters Operations program support requirements and $4 million for energy and environmental technology initiatives supporting the Maritime Environment and Technology Assistance Program, designed to enhance maritime sustainability and affordability.
The FY 2016 program will build upon ongoing FY 2015 initiatives, focusing on areas such as reducing air pollution from vessel and port operations, invasive species control through ballast water and underwater hull husbandry, improved and diversified marine propulsion systems and increased energy efficiency at sea.
SHIP DISPOSAL
For FY 2016, $8 million is requested for the Ship Disposal program, a $4.0 million increase over FY 2015. This request includes $5 million to support continuing obsolete vessel disposal actions with priority emphasis on disposing of the worst condition non-retention National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) vessels in MARAD's three reserve fleet sites. This budget request reflects the current projection that the Ship Disposal account will not have a carryover of funding from previous appropriations. This request also includes $3.0 million to maintain the Nuclear Ship SAVANNAH in protective storage.
MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM
The FY 2016 Budget requests $186 million for the Maritime Security Program (MSP) to ensure the maintenance of a commercial fleet capable of supporting a U.S. presence in foreign commerce, while also ensuring the military's ability to obtain assured access to these commercial vessels, intermodal facilities and mariners. The $186 million authorized level will fund $3.1 million for each of the 60 ships enrolled in the program.
Food Aid Reform: $25 million is also included within the MSP account for a new initiative aimed at mitigating the impact on mariner jobs and certain vessels resulting from proposed program reform to P.L. 480 Title II food aid. This new initiative will provide direct support to vessel operators to preserve mariner employment on U.S. flag vessels and identify other measures to encourage retention of U.S. mariners and vessels, separate from the Maritime Security Program. MARITIME GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM (TITLE XI)
The FY 2016 Budget requests $3.1 million to support salaries and expenses related to Title XI loan portfolio administration.
MARAD currently has $42.8 million in available loan subsidy funds sufficient to support approximately $428 million in Title XI loan guarantees. MARAD anticipates approving three additional loan guarantee applications with the remaining available subsidy during FY 2015. One application is already approved and anticipated to require approximately $550,000 of subsidy. Additionally, two pending Title XI applications are under review to build two vessels, and reconstruct two other vessels to allow them to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG). SMALL SHIPYARD GRANTS
There is no request for funding for grants to small shipyards. However, the request for MARAD Headquarters operations includes $210,000 "to conduct an objective and rigorous net impact evaluation in FY 2016 of the Assistance to Small Shipyards grants program."


Are you looking for a bike lane on the Information Superhighway? I ran across these words a while back on the Internet, and my response was a desperate "yes!"
Not that I've always felt that way. When I first heard the words, "Information Superhighway" in the early 1980s, I felt a thrill. I'd always been a glutton for information.
Like everyone else, I devoured radio and television. I embraced movies, audio books, CDs, billboards, catalogs, newsletters, and ultimately, computers and the Internet all miraculous innovations that sprouted new generations of themselves faster than I could acquire and pay for them.
Till one day, I'd had it. Like one piece of fudge too many, it all started to make me sick. Talking heads on TV blathering political drivel, talk radio in the beauty shop, junk mail stuffing my wastebasket, phone pitches at dinnertime, stacks of unread magazines on my coffee table, unread books bought on impulse crowding the shelves the ecstasy of information had become an agony.
I was living life in sound bites. My attention span and patience were zilch. I had no time to think, and when I did, my mind was foggy. Meaningful conversations with real people were getting rarer and seemed to take too much effort. I felt manipulated and angry. And I cringed at the money it took to support this addiction.
Could I tame the beast without killing it?
I knew I had to set some priorities, starting with the media. The issue was complicated by the fact that information and entertainment have become practically synonymous. I confessed that, heretical as it sounds, I don't need to be entertained 24-7.
So TV, mostly an entertainment medium, including its so-called news, and the most expensive of the media, had to go. Repetitive, dumbed-down programming filling a surfeit of channels was increasingly boring and insulting. I could live without it, I decided. True, I've missed the rare good shows. And I do feel sort of left out that I'm not watching "Survivor" with the rest of the country. But I survived without living Elian's ordeal along with him via TV. Maybe I'll even be able to cast an educated vote for the next U.S. president without the tube's denizens telling me what to think.
I don't feel deprived. I rent movies, or get them from the library now and then. I read local and regional newspapers and indulge in a magazine off the newsstand occasionally. (I let my subscriptions expire.) I surf the Internet for information I really need or want, which I consider fun. I use my computer more like an appliance than a Game Boy. I still read books, but not just because they're on the best seller list. I don't automatically turn on the radio in the car anymore. I'm selective there, too.
I'm calling the shots now. I choose to listen, read or view when, where and what I please. But I'm not leaving a vacuum as I toss out the garbage. I feel saner and I can hear my own thoughts more clearly now. There's less advertising to resist, which means less impulsive buying. I'm more connected to nature's sights and sounds. I'm less compulsive about seeking expert advice, and trusting my own instincts more. I spend more time with real people, including family.
I am no longer overconnected to a mechanistic world that creates unrealistic expectations and makes impossible demands on my time and energy.
I think I found that bike lane.


Synopsis
The report provides market analysis, information and insights into Malaysia's cards and payments market, including:
Current and forecast values for each segment of Malaysia's cards and payments market including debit cards, credit cards, prepaid cards and charge cards Comprehensive analysis of the industry's market attractiveness and future growth areas Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing Malaysia's cards and payments market Detailed analysis of the marketing strategies adopted for selling prepaid cards used by various bankers and other institutions in the market Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and their buying preferences for cards Competitive landscape of Malaysia's cards and payments market Summary
While cash remains the dominant method of payment in Malaysia, there have been concerted efforts from issuers, the government and regulatory bodies to support card usage.
The nation's credit card category has expanded rapidly. A large part of this growth has been driven by government initiatives, such as a reduction of income requirements for prospective cardholders and minimum monthly repayments. All of this has made payment cards far more accessible, resulting in significant growth for the industry. In 2012, the transaction value of debit and credit cards recorded respective growth rates of 10.0% and 9.1% over figures from 2011. The industry value registered a CAGR of 10.88% during the review period (2008-2012) growing from MYR304.4 billion (US$91.7 billion) in 2008 to MYR460.1 billion (US$149.5 billion) in 2012.
Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Malaysia's cards and payments market It provides current values for Malaysia's cards and payments market for 2011 and forecast figures for 2016 It details the different macroeconomic, infrastructural, consumer and business drivers affecting Malaysia's cards and payments industry It outlines the current regulatory framework in the industry It details the marketing strategies used by various bankers and other institutions It profiles the major banks in Malaysia's cards and payments market Reasons To Buy Make strategic business decisions using historic and forecast market data related to Malaysia's cards and payments market and each market within it Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities within Malaysia's cards and payments market Assess the competitive dynamics in Malaysia's cards and payments market Gain insights into the marketing strategies used for selling various types of cards in Malaysia Gain insights into key regulations governing Malaysia's cards and payments market Key Highlights The Malaysian cards and payments industry grew at a CAGR of 9.94% in volume terms during the review period and is forecast to post a projected CAGR of 7.62% over the forecast period. The growth in the volume of closed-loop and open-loop prepaid cards is expected to drive industry growth. Prepaid cards dominated the industry with more than 93 million prepaid cards in circulation in 2012 compare to only 7.9 million credit cards and 39.6 million debit cards. Contactless and mobile payments are being rolled out extensively across Malaysia. In April 2009, the world's first commercial near-field-communication (NFC) payment service for mobile phones was launched by Visa in conjunction with handset maker Nokia and payments facilitator Maybank. In March 2011, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) introduced new regulation pertaining to the eligibility requirements of credit cards. These rules limited the issuing of credit cards to those who have an annual income of MYR24,000 (US$7,625) or more. During the review period, the central bank mandated the use of chip-based automated teller machine (ATM) cards and EMV standards for credit cards.


A special outsourcing report in
ComputerWorld includes an article on evaluating the financial status of your service provider, something we've brought up before in these entries. One technique for judging the solidity of your provider that we've advised is tuning into earnings reports, which are frequently available with a phone call.
But “Outsourcing's fiscal red flags” also offers this excellent advice: Get your CFO involved in evaluating the numbers, since you may not be conversant with the accounting-speak used. If you're dealing with a publicly-traded company, the numbers are easier to obtain. If it's a privately-held organization, then have your CFO talk with the SP's CFO to get at the metrics that can tell a reliable story.
The article offers four metrics provided by consulting firm RampRate to target in a financial evaluation:
Liquidity.How well can the provider meet its short-term obligations? Capital structure and solvency,specifically debt to equity. Statement of cash flows.Look beyond EBITDA. Overall size and profitability,revenue and customers, as well as gross margin.
The story's worth reading because you'll get specific guidance for each area.


A series of lavendamycin analogues with two, three or four substituents at the C-6, C-7 N, C-2', C-3' and C-11' positions were synthesized via short and efficient methods and evaluated as potential NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1)-directed antitumor agents. The compounds were prepared through Pictet-Spengler condensation of the desired 2-formylquinoline-5,8-diones with the required tryptophans followed by further needed transformations. Metabolism and toxicity studies demonstrated that the best substrates for NQO1 were also the most selectively toxic to NQO1-rich tumor cells compared to NQO1-deficient tumor cells.
Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


It is established that late-twentieth and twenty-first century ocean warming has forced dissociation of gas hydrates with concomitant seabed methane release. However, recent dating of methane expulsion sites suggests that gas release has been ongoing over many millennia. Here we synthesize observations of ∼1,900 fluid escape features--pockmarks and active… (More)


Resident senior citizen not liable to pay advance tax if he doesnt have any biz income
September, 24th 2013
Iown a house from which I earn rental income. I paid R8,000 in February 2013 towards the total property tax payable of R15,000, and the remaining R7,000 was paid in July 2013. Can I claim deduction for the entire property tax, i.e., R15,000 while computing the income from house property for FY13. — Kunal Parikh
Deduction in respect of property tax is permissible subject to the condition that it has actually been paid during the financial year. Property tax due but not paid during FY13 is not allowed as deduction. Thus, you will be eligible for deduction of R8,000 only. However, property tax paid in July 2013 (R7,000) can be claimed as deduction for computing income from house property for FY14 even if it relates to the previous year. My query is regarding computation of long-term capital gain on sale of a residential house. I do not wish to claim indexation benefit and, instead, want to pay tax at 10%. Can I do so? — Nilesh Agarwal
The benefit of a lower rate of tax at 10% (without indexation) under Section 112 is restricted only to listed securities, units or zero-coupon bonds. Thus, you will be required to compute long-term capital gain after taking indexation benefit and pay tax at 20% on the resultant capital gains. I e-filed my I-T returns for FY12 on July 31, 2012, without using digital signature. I could not send a copy to CPC, Bangalore, on time. Can I do it now? — Prabhakar Shah
Yes, you can send ITR-V (duly verified and signed) to CPC, Bangalore, till October 31, 2013, as the time limit for filing ITR-V has been extended by the I-T department. Note that without acknowledgment of ITR-V from CPC, it would not be possible for the I-T department to process your return or issue any refunds as these would be treated as not having been filed with it. A New Jersey-based friend gifted me a laptop worth $2000 (R1,25,000) on my birthday. Will this be taxable in my hands?


Behind every sip of beer you drink, there are millions of years of evolution at work. Research into 70 million years of primate evolution indicates that our ancestors evolved a markedly enhanced ability to metabolize or break down ethanol 10 million years ago. Who knew they had happy hours back then?


Although e-learning has potential to enhance and support teaching and learning in HE, a significant number of students entering postcompulsory education have disabilities that may impact on their ability to engage with educational multimedia. In this section, we highlight, via a case study, some of the barriers to learning that multimedia may impose on students with disabilities.


By Mario Leal
Everyone knows that spring is the main planting season. Once the first frost ends, the majority of vegetables are planted in your garden for harvest later on in the growing season. However, there are some vegetables that cannot tolerate frost, but manage to do well in hot summer temperatures. These vegetables can be planted mid-summer and will be ready for harvest in the fall along with many of your other crops. Consider saving some room in your garden for these vegetables.


1. Financial institutions are subject to regulations to ensure that they do not take excessive risk and can safely facilitate the flow of funds through financial markets. Nevertheless, during the credit crisis, individuals were concerned about using financial institutions to facilitate their financial transactions. Why do you think the existing regulations were ineffective at ensuring a safe financial system?
2. Should tax payers be asked to bailout out financial institutions that make decisions which do not pan out and place the institution in a position of insolvency? Why or why not? 3. Does a large fiscal budget deficit result in higher interest rates? Support the position you take. 4. Do you think that computer technology will cause financial intermediaries to become extinct? Why or why not?


The Social Security Administration (SSA) requires that non-governmental representative payees who apply to collect a fee to serve five or more individuals obtain sufficient bond or insurance coverage and maintain appropriate State licensing. The amount of the bond must be sufficient to compensate the organization or SSA for any loss of SSA client benefits and conserved funds.
Additionally, SSA performs a financial credit risk review before authorizing a non-governmental organization to serve as a fee-for-service (FFS) payee to assess potential business risks involved in the organization’s current or future performance as a representative payee.
Once SSA allows an organization to collect fees, the Agency performs periodic reviews of the organization, including educational visits, annual re-certifications, and triennial reviews.
The objective of this report was to assess the Agency’s procedures to ensure non-governmental, FFS representative payees (1) maintained sufficient bond or insurance coverage and (2) underwent a financial credit risk review. We also assessed the training and support provided to regional and field office employees responsible for this oversight.


Direct fibrogenic effects of dispersed single walled carbon nanotubes on human lung fibroblasts.
Authors
Wang-L; Castranova-V; Rojanasakul-Y; Lu-Y; Scabilloni-JF; Mercer-RR
Source
Toxicologist 2008 Mar; 102(1):307
Abstract
Nanomaterials, including single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), are being developed for a variety of commercial products. However, toxicity of these new materials has not yet been identified due to limited information regarding the relationship between their unique physicochemical properties and potential toxicity. We reported recently that dispersed SWCNT (DSWCNT) exposure in mice caused a rapid and progressive interstitial lung fibrosis without a persistent inflammation. From these studies, it was hypothesized that DSWCNT, due to their exceptionally small size, can quickly penetrate the alveolar epithelial wall, enter the underlying tissue, and induce a "direct" fibrotic effect by interacting with cells at the site of particle accumulation to induce collagen deposition. The present study investigated the effects of in vitro DSWCNT exposure of human lung fibroblasts on proliferation and collagen production using cell multiplication (MTT), and Western blot techniques. DSWCNT were prepared using methods described previously in our laboratory. The results demonstrated that: 1) pulmonary exposure to DSWCNT (10 ug/mouse) did not cause significant lung injury; however, DSWCNT did penetrate into the interstitial lung tissue as analyzed by electron microscopy; 2) DSWCNT stimulated fibroblast cell growth in vitro at doses of 0.3-1 ug/ml; 3) DSWCNT also induced collagen production and collagenase (MMP9) activation in the treated fibroblasts. We also observed that the dispersion status or size of the SWCNT is a critical factor in determining fibrogenicity. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of SWCNT-induced lung fibrosis and may aid in developing models for risk assessment of these nanoparticles.
Keywords
Cell-biology; Biological-factors; Biological-monitoring; Biological-effects; Respiratory-hypersensitivity; Respiratory-irritants; Respiratory-system-disorders; Pulmonary-disorders; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Pulmonary-system; Laboratory-animals; Breathing; Inhalation-studies; Physical-chemistry; Lung-cells; Humans; Cellular-function; Cellular-respiration; Cell-metabolism; Cell-function; Cell-biology; Fibrogenicity; Fibrous-bodies; Fibrogenesis; Particulates; Particulate-dust; Nanotechnology
Priority Area
Manufacturing
Source Name
The Toxicologist. Society of Toxicology 47th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, March 16-20, 2008, Seattle, Washington


Polyether antibiotics, such as Monensin, Narasin, and Salinomycin, in raw material, premix, liquid supplements, and final feeds, are best quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a post-column reactor. The polyether antibiotics react, post-column, with Vanillin in the presence of Sulfuric acid, and the resulting products can be detected at 520 nm. However, this corrosive reagent can adversely degrade most instruments. Pickering’s special Post- Column Systems, comprised of non-metallic parts and washing pump head, offers resistance to sulfuric acid. Special operating instructions will also be included with this instrument. Contact Pickering Laboratories for more information about the Inert Vector PCX Post-Column System for polyether antibiotics.


A new practical framework and methodology for creating new models capable of predicting long-term and large-scale geomorphological evolution has been developed.
Detail
The outputs of the study enable clear and consistent understanding of the geomorphology to support the management of complex coastal environments. This is supported by an evaluation of selected practical modelling and analysis techniques for the prediction of mid to long-term coastal geomorphological evolution including management interventions. The resulting reports include a comprehensive description of how the results of geomorphological studies can be incorporated through the process of Expert Geomorphological Assessment (EGA) to improve the confidence in the decision making process.


Social Collateral - Women and Microfinance in Paraguay's Smuggling Economy
(E-bog, ePub)
Beskrivelse: Microcredit is part of a global trend of financial inclusion that brings banking services, especially small loans, to the world's poor. In this book, Caroline Schuster explores Paraguayan solidarity lending as a window into the tensions between social development and global finance.Social Collateraltracks collective debt across the commercial society and smuggling economies at the Paraguayan border by examining group loans made to women by nonprofit development programs. These highly regulated loans are secured through mutual support and peer pressuresocial collateralrather than through physical collateral. This story of social collateral necessarily includes an interwoven account about the feminization of solidarity lending. At its core is an economy of genderfrom pink-collar financial work, to men's committees, to women smugglers. At stake are interdependencies that bind borrowers and lenders, financial technologies, and Paraguayan development in ways that structure both global inequality and global opportunity.
kr. 309,95 Kundernes boganmeldelser af Social Collateral Social Collateral


Anaemia is a common morbidity in the NICU and often requires transfusion of packed red blood cells. Haematocrit equilibration following red cell transfusion occurs over time ultimately resulting in a stable packed cell volume (PCV). Knowledge of this equilibration process is pertinent in the accurate timing of posttransfusion (PT) PCV. We conducted a… (More)


Abstract
The reservoir potential of the Upper Palaeozoic carbonates in the Barents Sea area is primarily controlled by early diagenetic processes. Upper Bashkirian to Asselian shallow platform carbonates deposited in warm, arid to semi-arid climates were dominated by aragonitic organisms and mineralogically unstable aragonite and high-Mg calcite cements and mud. A reservoir model for these carbonates involves extensive dolomitization and dissolution of metastable carbonate during repeated subaerial exposure. The reservoir model is confirmed by drilling and is accordingly regarded as low risk. Artinskian and Upper Permian shallow water carbonates deposited in a cold temperate climate were dominated by calcitic organisms and silica sponges, and associated with calcite cements and mud and chert. A reservoir model for these carbonates involves either preservation of primary porosity in carbonate build-ups or extensive dissolution of build-up marine cement during prolonged subaerial exposure. This model is not confirmed by drilling and is regarded as high risk.
GeoRef, Copyright 2004, American Geological Institute.


There has been a consistent interest in ethical issues arising in the context of HIV research. Ongoing international and multi-site studies and the continuing search for an HIV vaccine continue to prompt examination of how this research is conducted, how participants are engaged in the studies, and the obligations of the researchers to individual participants and their communities during the course of and following the conclusion of the research. Each chapter is authored primarily by one of the editors (secondarily by the other) and is accompanied by one to two case studies. Each case study has been authored by an HIV/AIDS researcher with experience in the subject matter of the chapter. The case studies will focus on an actual ethical dilemma encountered by the researcher, with suggestions on how it can be resolved. Each chapter addresses relevant issues and emphasizes particular ethical principles.


Note:Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases. ISBN: 9780765630254 | 0765630257 Cover: Hardcover Copyright: 7/15/2011
This is the first book that provides a comprehensive examination of social equity in American public administration. The breadth of coverage--theory, context, history, implications in policy studies, applications to practice, and an action agenda--cannot be found anywhere else. The introduction examines the values that support social equity (fairness, equality, justice) in relationship to each other. Unlike other books, Justice for All contrasts equality with the value of freedom and related norms such as individulalism and competition. It is the tension between these competing value clusters that shapes the debate about social equity in the United States. Subsequent chapters advance this theme, for example, contrasting the choice between combatting inequality and promoting development in urban regions, and between affirmative action and advancing diversity. Later chapters highlight the book's key contribution--the application of social equity principles in practice--with chapters on health, criminal justice, education, and planning. Additional chapters examine the ways that social equity can be advanced through leadership and policy/social entrepreneurship, assessment of agency management, and managing human resources. The book concludes with an agenda that affirms a more active and comprehensive definition of social equity for the field and elaborates how that definition can be converted into actions supported by the measurement of access, proceduraal fairness, quality, and results.


A recent report from the Center for American Progress, titled "Mid- and Late- Career Teachers Struggle with Paltry Incomes," highlights another element in the discussion about teacher pay: even experienced teachers get screwed.
Among the somewhat depressing findings:
In their first 15 years of work, elementary school teachers in the U.S see 10% less salary growth than the average elementary school teacher in the rest of the developed world.americanprogress.org Mid-career teachers responsible for families of four or more in multiple states (including Arizona and North Dakota) qualify for federal aid such as the School Breakfast and Lunch Program. In 11 states, more than 20% of teachers need a second job to make ends meet. In Maine, that number is as high as 25%. The report notes that in these states, "the average base salary for a teacher with 10 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree is merely $39,673 — less than a carpenter’s national average salary."
It's worth noting that teachers have summers and weekends off, receive pensions and benefits, and can supplement their incomes through other work.
There are also some notable urban districts like Washington DC and Baltimore that are paying their most effective teachers six figures.
Still, society prioritizes through salaries, and this report suggests we rethink what teachers make. Otherwise a recent headline from The Onion — "High School Student, Teacher Applying For Same Summer Waitressing Job" — feels a lot less funny.


For Immediate Release D.C. Court Hearing to Decide Endangered Species Act Status for Polar Bear
WASHINGTON - A federal court hearing on
challenges to the Endangered Species Act listing for the polar bear. The Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council argue the polar bear should be listed as “endangered” rather than merely “threatened,” while the state of Alaska and other parties argue the bear is not imperiled and should not be protected at all. At the time of listing, the Bush administration issued a special rule exempting greenhouse gases from regulation under the Endangered Species Act. Such a rule can only be issued for a species listed as threatened, not endangered. : When
Wednesday,
October 20 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: U.S. District Court – District of Columbia Main Building
333 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20001-2858
Courtroom 20, Sixth Floor
Before Judge Emmet G.
Sullivan
At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive.


Sherry A. Glied, Stephanie Ma
S. Glied and S. Ma,
How Will the Affordable Care Act Affect the Use of Health Care Services? The Commonwealth Fund, February 2015.
In January 2014, the Affordable Care Act extended access to health insurance coverage to an estimated 30 million previously uninsured people. This issue brief provides state-level estimates of the increased demand for physician and hospital services that is expected to result from expanded access and assesses the sufficiency of the existing supply of providers to accommodate the anticipated increase in demand. We project that primary care providers will see, on average, 1.34 additional office visits per week, accounting for a 3.8 percent increase in visits nationally. Hospital outpatient departments will see, on average, 1.2 to 11.0 additional visits per week, or an average increase of about 2.6 percent nationally. Increases of the magnitude likely to be generated by the Affordable Care Act will have modest effects on the demand for health services, and the existing supply of providers should be sufficient to accommodate this increased demand.


Securing gainful employment for students with an arrest or criminal conviction is filled with unique challenges. This course introduces many of the challenges your students have (and will face), not only from the student’s perspective, but also from the employer’s. Upon completion of the course, you will be in a position to counter potential stereotypes and ‘negligent hiring’ fears. Topics of study include reviewing effective interview practices and the importance of honesty, how attitude lays the foundation for success or failure, the value of developing a letter of explanation, as well as reviewing techniques to mend a problematic past. Empowering Students with an Arrest or Conviction