Two large-scale yeast two-hybrid screens were undertaken to identify protein-protein interactions between full-length open reading frames predicted from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome sequence. In one approach, we constructed a protein array of about 6,000 yeast transformants, with each transformant expressing one of the open reading frames as a fusion to an activation domain. This array was screened by a simple and automated procedure for 192 yeast proteins, with positive responses identified by their positions in the array. In a second approach, we pooled cells expressing one of about 6,000 activation domain fusions to generate a library. We used a high-throughput screening procedure to screen nearly all of the 6,000 predicted yeast proteins, expressed as Gal4 DNA-binding domain fusion proteins, against the library, and characterized positives by sequence analysis. These approaches resulted in the detection of 957 putative interactions involving 1,004 S. cerevisiae proteins. These data reveal interactions that place functionally unclassified proteins in a biological context, interactions between proteins involved in the same biological function, and interactions that link biological functions together into larger cellular processes. The results of these screens are shown here.


Relief in Sight for Seasonal Allergy Sufferers
Unpredictable and abnormal weather conditions can catch allergy sufferers off guard. Due to an unusually wet winter and spring in many parts of the country, we could see greater pollen counts from trees and grass in the late spring and early summer.
“Allergy sufferers could be in for a rough spring and summer,” says Pamela A. Georgeson, DO, a board-certified osteopathic allergist and immunologist at the Kenwood Allergy and Asthma Center in Chesterfield Township, Mich. “Anyone with seasonal allergies, especially those whose allergies are triggered by pollen, should start preparing now.”
Dr. Georgeson is available to discuss tips for preparing for allergy season, such as showering at night and washing linens frequently. To schedule an interview, contact pr@osteopathic.org.


Arlington, VA (PRWEB) March 3, 2011
The budget passed by the U.S. House of Representatives drastically cuts funds for a program vital to the survival of tens of thousands of older, low-income job seekers. The budget reduces funding for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) from $825 million down to $300 million - a drop of nearly 64 percent.
"If these budget cuts become law they will have catastrophic implications for individuals who will be forced to leave the SCSEP program, their lifeline to self-sustainability," said Billy Wooten, executive director of program operations for Experience Works."The vast majority of those that enter the program face daily struggles - rationing food, choosing whether to pay rent or buy medications, or having to borrow money for gas to drive to job interviews. Many SCSEP participants are 70, 80 and 90 years old and are already on the brink of becoming homeless."
Experience Works, a nonprofit organization that operates the SCSEP in 30 states and Puerto Rico, conducted a survey of SCSEP participants that underscores the forthcoming crisis if they are forced out of the program. According to the survey:
"These older Americans want to continue working," said Wooten. "This is a crisis for vulnerable, low-income seniors who face many challenges in becoming reemployed. The alternative is for them to turn to dwindling public assistance for basic needs, without the benefit of advancing their own skills, earning a paycheck and contributing to their communities through work."
Formerly known as Green Thumb, Experience Works is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of low-income older people through employment, community service, and training.
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Individual SALT Services Income taxes imposed on individuals, trusts and estates are one of the top sources of revenue for state and local jurisdictions. The complexities of business ownership, investment and the mobility of the workforce can cause traps. Similar to the common scenario of professional athletes who travel from state to state, company executives working in multiple states should also file a return for the period of time spent in those jurisdictions. Failure to report income in all applicable states can be embarrassing not only to the executive, but also to the company. However, with these complexities, significant opportunities for planning also exist.
Our experienced state and local tax (SALT) professionals provide proactive planning, compliance, consulting and audit defense services for individuals, trusts and estates with complex tax situations.
Specific areas in which our SALT specialists provide services include:
Residency Issues State residency rules can be quite complex and vary from state to state. Our experts can assist in determining a taxpayer’s state of residency and defend clients who have been challenged to support their residency status.
Income Sourcing Determining how much salary, business or investment income should be sourced to a particular state is complicated and inconsistent among the state jurisdictions. Our SALT professionals regularly identify the issues and provide the methodology to determine the appropriate amount of income/loss to be reported to a jurisdiction.
Audit Defense WTAS professionals can manage, assist and/or represent clients to rigorously defend and reduce any potential assessment.
Refund Opportunities Individuals may be allowed certain deductions or credits unique to the state or local jurisdiction, which are often missed. Our SALT team has expertise in identifying these opportunities for our clients.
Compliance The patchwork of state filings for individuals who derive income from multiple jurisdictions can be challenging. Our SALT professionals have a proven, efficient and results-oriented process to manage complex multi-jurisdiction filings for individuals.
Planning Individuals who maintain varied investments and business activities may structure their activities to achieve tax efficiencies. WTAS can assist individuals in meeting their planning goals.


As a species we’ve become increasingly proficient at acquiring and storing data. This elevated access and recall allows for the creation of companies both on and offline that appear to be omniscient. This power can be interpreted as “creepy” or even “magic”.
Three factors that appear to strongly influence the creepy level are:
How the data was obtained How the data will be used Comprehension of what access and recall to the data might enable A case in point Waze, a community-based traffic and navigation application uses social driving data sourced from its users to help avoid traffic and report road issues along your drive. Is this creepy? I argue it depends on how much you know about the system. If I told you there was an app that always knew where you were, you might think that was creepy. If I told you there was an app like Google Maps that made it so you never get stuck in traffic again, you might think that was magical. If you knew how the app performed this bit of magic, you might not be phased at all.
At my previous company, Hunch, we used hundreds of billions of preferences (likes, tweets, reviews, demographic data, etc.) collected from across the internet and woven into a Taste Graph to predict user behavior. When explaining how the system works I observed people would go through similar phases – creeped out, then nonplussed, and finally in acceptance. It is important to note that during the explanation only the person’s perception changed; our data collection methods and uses remained constant. Given this fact, I believe comprehension and ultimately end-user knowledge determines what gives them the creeps.


Radical contingency in sharing behavior and its consequences
Abstract The data of Henrich et al., when combined with other research, suggest that sharing behavior probably varies systematically across cultures, situations, and individuals. Economic policies founded on recognition of this “radical contingency” would, I argue, nurture economic pluralism rather than attempting to bring the world under one system.


by Sanjay G. Reddy T H E
P O O R
Historically, especially in Latin America,
more effort has gone into assessing the extent of “income poverty”—
whether individuals possess sufficient income to live a minimally
adequate life—than into determining the extent of non-income depri-
vations such as access to water and sanitation, adequate educational
opportunities and basic health care. Thanks to the rising influence of
the “human development” perspective that emphasizes non-income
achievements, greater attention has been given in recent years to such
factors as health status, education, quality of shelter, and access to
clean water. However, whether or not people have adequate resourc-
es to achieve basic requirements continues to be a crucial factor in
determining whether a person is poor. It is hard to imagine a practical


Climate-change denial is spreading like a contagion across the land, with fewer Americans believing the world is warming than the number who did just a few years ago—all while the scientific consensus has solidified in the opposite direction. What on earth is happening here? George Monbiot speculates in Conservation magazine about the psychological factors at work behind climate change denial, specifically the finding that people over 65 are more likely to be skeptics about climate change:
In 1973, cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker proposed that the fear of death drives us to protect ourselves with “vital lies” or “the armor of character.” We defend ourselves from the ultimate terror by engaging in “immortality projects”—projects and beliefs that boost our self-esteem and grant us meaning that extends beyond death. Over 300 studies conducted in 15 countries appear to confirm Becker’s thesis. When people are confronted with things that remind them of death, they respond by shoring up their worldview, rejecting people and ideas that threaten it, and working to boost their self-esteem.


Steps to a Healthier Cleveland Steps to a Healthier Cleveland was a city-wide program designed to engage all Clevelanders to live longer, better and healthier lives. The program encouraged physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco-free choices. These efforts were intended to reduce the burden of diabetes, overweight/obesity, and asthma in all of the Cleveland’s diverse neighborhoods.
The City of Cleveland Department of Public Health identified and grouped fourteen leading community development corporations with neighborhoods that would benefit the most from the Steps to a Healthier Cleveland initiative. BBC was selected to deliver neighborhood-driven interventions to the Kinsman neighborhood. These interventions encouraged and taught residents how to make neighborhood improvements such as bike lanes, walking trails, community gardens, safe routes to school, and markets for fresh produce.
In the Fall 2007, BBC distributed new and exciting neighborhood maps that displays the positive assets in the Kinsman neighborhood such as Bridgeport Place at East 72nd and Kinsman Road, Marion Motley Playfield, located on Carson Avenue, and Zelma Watson-George Recreation Center at MLK Boulevard. They also include maps of four one- to two-mile Kinsman neighborhood walking routes with specific points of interest in and around the community.
Additionally, BBC has worked with the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health and Safe Routes to School Coalition to develop safe routes for children who attend Anton Grdina K-8 school. These routes will feature restriped crosswalks, new crossing lights, and additional crossing guards within a one-mile radius of Anton Grdina.
In 2008, residents were given the opportunity to start and manage a community vegetable garden through the Ohio State Extension Summer Sprout program. Those who participated in the gardening will be able to select which fruit and vegetables they would like to grow and eat.


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Korff, T., Romer, L. M., Mayhew, I., & Martin, J. C. (2007, June). Effect of Pedaling Technique on Mechanical Effectiveness and Efficiency in Cyclists. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(6), 991-995.
Quoted Abstract The article aims to determine the effects of various pedaling techniques on mechanical and gross efficiency during constant cycling. The study was participated by eight male cyclists whose four pedaling techniques were observed. The cyclists employed the preferred pedaling method, pedaling in circles, pull emphasized during upstroke, and push emphasized during downstroke. Researchers found that mechanical effectiveness is larger, while gross efficiency is lower when the cyclists pull on the pedal during the upstroke method. Moreover, no significant differences were noted in mechanical and gross efficiency during pushing and circling conditions.
Notes
Evenness of torque distribution greater during pulling compared to pushing and preferred
During pulling, index of force effectiveness was significantly greater than other conditions. Yet, gross efficiency (power output in relation to oxygen consumption) was significantly less than other conditions. Could this be generalized to highlight the importance of pulling during short bursts of power needs in races? Track cycling, sprinting, attacking, steep hill climbing? The authors allude to this in their conclusion.
During preferred pedaling, circling, and pushing a significant amount of negative torque occurred during the upstroke.
The authors speculate that in steady state cycling, the extensor muscles may be more efficient power producers.
"Interestingly, the preferred pedaling condition did not differ significantly from the pushing or circling condition in terms of mechanical effectiveness or gross efficiency. It is, perhaps, unsurprising that the preferred pedaling technique was metabolically the most efficient (although not significantly different from the circling and pushing conditions), because the participants are likely to have adopted an efficient pedaling style as a result of training and physiology adaptations. More importantly, however, the type of instruction did not influence gross efficiency unless participants were instructed to actively pull up on the pedal. We can speculate that during steady-state cycling, the pedaling technique may not be a major determinant of cycling performance, because a wide range of pedaling techniques results in similar levels of gross efficiency" (p. 994).
PowerCranks are intended to reduce negative torque during the upstroke. Within the context of the data from this study, would developing strength & efficiency in the flexor muscles overcome the inefficiency reported in this study (thus taking advantage of the better torque of the pull up style)? A study just like this should be done with subjects who ride PowerCranks regularly during training.
The authors indicate a limitation of the study is that it does not rule out the possibility a rider may learn a more efficient pedaling style if they are given enough time to adapt to it in training. Longitudinal studies are needed to explore this.
My conclusions from this study is that cyclists should intentionally improve their flexor muscles during training, in order to get the maximum torque benefits of a pull-up pedaling technique. This can be done through overload of the flexor muscles (hamstrings, soleus, hip fexors) through strength training, one leg pedaling, PowerCranks, steep hills works, sprinting, etc. Normal riding should emphasize the efficiency of the downstroke, activating mostly the extensors (quadriceps, calf). Concentration on developing flexors should be done before a race phase of training, and these should be maintained during the race phase with targeted workouts once per week assuming that racing itself will also provide overload on flexors.
This paper also mentioned the effects of gravity.
see reference list for other good articles to read
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Weeds impact soybean yields by competing for limited resources, primarily light, water, and nutrients. The demand for these resources early in the growing season is small enough that weeds and soybeans can coexist without yield loss. However, as plants increase in size, competition for resources begins and yields are impacted. The critical period is the point of time when soybean yields begin to be affected by weeds. Controlling weeds before the critical period is reached is essential to protect yields and maximize profits.
The majority of Iowa soybean producers utilize total postemergence systems to control weeds. These systems are facilitated by glyphosate's ability to control large weeds, therefore providing flexibility in application timing. Fields may be weed-free at harvest yet suffer significant yield losses because weeds that emerged with the crop were allowed to grow until after the critical period was reached. Once the critical period is reached, soybean yield may be reduced 1 percent for every day that weed control is delayed. Thus, controlling weeds before the critical period is critical to maximize profitability.
Unfortunately, there is no simple rule to determine the critical period for early-season competition.
Research at the University of Nebraska found that the critical period was at the V1 soybean stage in 30" row spacing, but reducing row spacing to 15" delayed the critical period until the V2 stage of growth. However, in Iowa State University research, the critical period was not reached until after the V6 stage in five out of six studies. Several factors determine the critical period, including weed species, weed density, time of weed emergence in relation to the soybean, environmental conditions, and production practices. The complex interactions among these factors make it impossible to accurately predict when weeds will begin to impact yields.
So what is the best approach to dealing with the uncertainty of the critical period? A good way of estimating the risk of early-season competition is determining the density of weeds present shortly after the soybeans emerge. If densities are greater than 3 to 5 weeds/ft2 when soybeans are at the VE stage, there is a good likelihood that the critical period will occur relatively early in the season, and weeds should be controlled before the soybeans reach the V2 or V3 stage. At lower densities, applications probably can be delayed to the V4 or V5 stage with little risk of yield loss.
Total postemergence programs in fields with high weed pressures carry a relatively high risk of early-season yield losses due to the narrow application window created by the critical period occurring early in the season. Unfavorable weather (wet fields, windy conditions, conflicts with other field operations, etc.) may prevent herbicides from being applied before the critical period. Application of preemergence herbicides in fields expected to have high weed densities can reduce the risk of early-season competition by reducing the number of weeds and delaying their emergence in relation to the crop. Full rates of preemergence herbicides are not required since the objective is not to provide full-season control but rather delay the timing of the critical period. A properly selected preemergence herbicide should allow the postemergence herbicide application to be delayed until the crop canopy has developed sufficiently so that weeds emerging after the application are not a concern.
In summary, a weed management program should be designed not only to minimize weeds present at harvest but also to eliminate yield losses caused by weeds. Under many conditions, weeds can begin to impact soybean yields very early in the growing season. Delaying application of postemergence herbicides beyond the critical period can result in significant yield losses even though the field may be clean at harvest. The risk of early-season competition can be managed through timely application of postemergence herbicides and the use of preemergence herbicides.
This article originally appeared on page 76 of the IC-498 (3) -- March 26, 2007 issue.


We welcome you to JobBank USA and hope your job hunting experienceis a pleasant one. We hope you find our resources useful.
Aerospace engineers create extraordinary machines, fromairplanes that weigh over a half a million pounds to spacecraft thattravel over 17,000 miles an hour. They design, develop, and testaircraft, spacecraft, and missiles and supervise the manufacture ofthese products. Aerospace engineers who work with aircraft are called aeronautical engineers, and those working specifically with spacecraft are astronautical engineers.
Aerospace engineers develop new technologies for use in aviation,defense systems, and space exploration, often specializing in areassuch as structural design, guidance, navigation and control,instrumentation and communication, or production methods. They oftenuse computer-aided design (CAD) software, robotics, and lasers andadvanced electronic optics. They also may specialize in a particulartype of aerospace product, such as commercial transports, militaryfighter jets, helicopters, spacecraft, or missiles and rockets.Aerospace engineers may be experts in aerodynamics, thermodynamics,celestial mechanics, propulsion, acoustics, or guidance and controlsystems.
Aerospace engineers typically are employed in theaerospace product and parts industry, although their skills arebecoming increasingly valuable in other fields. For example, in themotor vehicles manufacturing industry, aerospace engineers designvehicles that have lower air resistance and, thus, increased fuelefficiency.


Assistance to the Poor in a Federal System
This paper explores the roles of different levels of government in assisting the poor. Using a model with utility interdependence, the paper presents some theoretical results on how levels of poor relief vary with the extent of mobility of the poor under both centralized and decentralized systems of support. After surveying the relevant empirical work and the experience under the English Poor Laws, the paper argues for a basic role for central government in this function.
Published: Brown, Charles and Wallace Oates. "Assistance to the Poor in a Federal System," Journal of Public Economics, Vol. 32, No. 3, April 1987, pp. 307-330.


Susan Hasty, Publisher
Table of Contents . . . April 24th, 2006
Gastroenterology - Helicobacter pylori infection prevents nocturnal gastric acid breakthrough
Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Inhibition of CHI3L1 activity may be a novel therapeutic approach for IBD
Colorectal Adenocarcinoma - Colorectal adenocarcinoma linked to G274A isoform of hnRNP K protein mRNA
Colorectal Adenocarcinoma - Colorectal adenocarcinoma survival and prognostic factors identified
Colorectal Cancer - Attitudes toward colorectal cancer screening in Hong Kong reviewed
Colorectal Cancer - Changing trends in the management of colorectal cancers reviewed
Colorectal Cancer - Colon cancer DNA microarray study reveals novel markers of chemotherapy response
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal cancer angiogenesis predicts patient outcomes
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal cancer prognosis linked to indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal cancer risk linked to serum C-reactive protein levels
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal cancer should be treated according to age and comorbidities
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal cancer tissues analyzed for distinct gene expression patterns
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal cell-induced apoptosis involves c-Abl-independent p73 stabilization
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal liver metastases prognosis improved by repeated surgery
Colorectal Cancer - Colorectal liver metastases treated by surgical resection
Colorectal Cancer - Data advance knowledge in colorectal cancer research
Colorectal Liver Metastases - Colorectal liver metastases effectively treated by hepatic wedge resection
Colorectal Liver Metastases - Surgery for four or more colorectal liver metastases justified
Diabetes Monitoring - FDA approval of continuous glucose sensor accelerates development of artificial pancreas
Diabetes Pathogenesis - Diminished PKC isoenzymes levels influence lead to disturbed insulin secretion in GK rat
Diabetes Pathogenesis - Findings advance knowledge in diabetes pathogenesis research
Diabetes Pathogenesis - New data illuminates research in diabetes pathogenesis
Diabetes Therapy - Researchers detail new studies and findings in the area of diabetes therapy
Diabetes Therapy - Researchers' work adds to diabetes therapy body of knowledge
Diabetic Nephropathy - Diabetic nephropathy diagnosis allows identification of patients with high cardiorenal risk
Diagnostics - Recent findings in diagnostics provide new insights
Diagnostics - Studies describe new findings in diagnostics research
Diet & Nutrition - Reports add new data to diet & nutrition research
Drug Development - Amgen, Abgenix complete BLA for U.S. FDA approval of panitumumab
Drug Development - Axcan submits U.S. FDA amendment to its new drug application for Helizide
Drug Development - Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopts multiple opinions
Esophageal Cancer - Esophageal carcinoma poor prognosis linked to activated NF-kappa B
Esophageal Cancer - Siewert type II adenocarcinomas distinguished from type III
Gallbladder Cancer - Gallbladder cancer could be treated by extended cholecystectomy
Gastric Cancer - Gastric cancer staging improved with peritoneal lavage cytology
Gastric Cancer - Gastric cancer treatment standards in the 21st century reviewed
Gastrointestinal Carcinomas - Gastrointestinal carcinoma prognosis linked to plasminogen activator activity
Genetics & Genomics - Melanocortin-4 receptor gene was not related to complications after gastric banding
Head & Neck Cancer - Findings describe new data in head & neck cancer research
Helicobacter Vaccine - CTA1-DD adjuvant enhances immunity against Helicobacter pylori infection
Hepatitis B Virus - HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B lamivudine monotherapy outcome predicted
Hepatitis B Virus - Recent findings in hepatitis B virus provide new insights
Hepatitis C Virus - Findings advance knowledge in hepatitis C virus research
Hepatitis C Virus - HCV NS3-4A Ser protease is inhibited by orally bioavailable compound
Hepatitis C Virus - Hepatitis C virus genotype 3 is associated with histopathologic liver disease
Hepatitis C Virus - Hepatitis C virus liver fibrosis predicted in patients coinfected with HIV
Hepatitis C Virus - Researchers describe findings in hepatitis C virus studies
Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Antihuman CD48 antibody treatment may represent a novel therapy for IBD patients
Kidney Disease - In end-stage renal disease, mitral E/Ea ratio predicts mortality
Liver Transplantation - Despite medical advances, children wait longer to receive a liver transplant than a decade ago
Liver Transplantation - Study predicts successful outcomes in living-donor liver transplants
Mergers & Acquisitions - Calypte invests in Chinese joint venture
Mergers & Acquisitions - NutraCea signs binding letter of intent with StoneBridge Pharma LLC
Myelodysplastic Syndromes - Pharmion Corporation submits Vidaza new drug application supplement for IV administration
Pancreatic Cancer - Pancreatic cancer cell invasion declines upon Notch-1 inhibition
Pancreatic Cancer - Pancreatic cancer diagnosis via RT-PCR for alpha4GnT shows promise
Pancreatic Cancer - Recent studies add new data to pancreatic cancer research
Rectal Cancer - Findings describe new data in rectal cancer research
Rectal Cancer - Rectal cancer staged by transrectal ultrasound
Rectal Cancer - Selected rectal cancer patients treated by transanal excision
Rotavirus Vaccine - Rectally delivered vaccine protects mice against rotavirus infection
Rotavirus Vaccines - New findings in rotavirus vaccines described
Stem Cell Transplantation - Cultured BMCs differentiated into liver cell lineage are cell transplantation source
Surgical Technology - Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is essential for diagnosis of GI diseases
Surgical Technology - Gastric greater curvature invagination significantly decreases weight in rats
Surgical Technology - Noncolorectal cancer treated by hepatic metastasectomy in selected patients
Surgical Technology - Tissucol may prevent leaks and internal hernias in morbidly obese undergoing LRYGBP
Tissue Engineering - Cell-cell competition replaces functional organ tissue under nonselective conditions
Transplant Medicine - Pancreatic islets develop lymphatic vessels after transplantation
Type 1 Diabetes - Diabetes trial to launch at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
NewsRx also is available at LexisNexis, Gale, ProQuest, Factiva, Dialog, Thomson Reuters, NewsEdge, and Dow Jones.


I didn't grow up eating Brussels sprouts, and due to the vegetable's notorious reputation, I didn't think I was missing out on much. When I had my first bite of the vegetable a few years ago, I found that it wasn't bitter; rather, it was rich, sweet, and tender. I've been a devotee of the nutritious Brussels sprout ever since.
While Brussels sprouts are often available yearround, they're in their prime now: Peak season is from September to February. To find out what to look for, read more.
Choose firm, round, and heavy sprouts with leaves held tightly together. Smaller heads have the sweetest taste. Avoid overcooking Brussels sprouts at any cost; they'll taste bitter. Aim to select heads of similar size, so they'll cook evenly. Some preparation tips:
Halve sprouts and sauté them in a pan with olive oil and chopped bacon until brown crust develops. Then simmer until tender in chicken stock. Shred sprouts by hand or in a food processor, sauté until crisp and tender, and drizzle with lemon juice before serving. Boil whole Brussels sprouts until tender (do not overcook). Plunge in cold water bath, then toss with butter, salt, and pepper. Toss whole with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake until crisp on the outside and cooked on the inside. Slice and eat raw with olive oil, lemon juice, toasted almond slivers, and pecorino. What tips do you have for preparing Brussels sprouts? Do you have a favorite method of cooking them?


Daniel Kahnemann continues his exploration into utility theory and the decisions under risk. In this paper, Kahnemann summarizes his research that highlights the differences between empirical decision making and the choices individuals are expected to make based on conventional rational agent models. Tevy Chawwa, Igor Hernandez, Nan Li, and Laura Paul provided the notes summarizing Maps of Bounded Rationality and presented them paper to the Econ 206 class.


Given the rapid and ongoing integration of the global economy, the International Monetary Fund needs to renew its role, governance structure, and functions if it is to maintain its relevance as the institution charged with promoting global financial stability. Lecavalier and Santor examine the areas of possible reform, including quota, voice, and representation; internal governance; surveillance; lending instruments; finances; and the Fund's role in low-income countries. They also review current Bank of Canada research that supports these reform efforts, including an integrated framework for IMF surveillance recently developed at the Bank.
Topics: International topics


L1CAM ELISA kit (EIA5074) Utilized in Study of Preterm
Researchers at Washington University of St. Louis recently utilized DRG International’s L1CAM Elisa Kit in their study of
Neurological outcomes of preterm infants with post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus are among the worst in newborn medicine. There remains no consensus regarding the diagnosis or treatment of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, and the pathological pathways leading to the adverse neurological sequelae are poorly understood. In the current study, we developed an innovative approach to simultaneously identify potential diagnostic markers of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus and investigate novel pathways of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus-related neurological disability.
The researchers plan to continue studying this topic, utilizing DRG’s Elisa Kits. This first study found that the late preterm period is a critical interval for neurodevelopment, and the relationship of the observed CSF protein increases to long-term developmental disability remains unclear at present. We look forward to their continued findings.


Bioinformatics The worldwide market for bioinformatics is expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2006, driven by bioinformatic technologies that decrease the time and money required for drug discovery and development. Emerging bioinformatic applications could reduce the cost of drug discovery by 33% and also accelerate the process by 2 years, according to a new Front Line Strategic Market Report entitled Bioinformatics, A Strategic Market Analysis.
Consisting of the content, analysis software, and IT infrastructure provider segments, bioinformatics will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%, with the largest growth in the analysis software segment. Large volume data mining and the need for analysis and visualization tools to support complex analysis, such as relationship modeling, will drive the $202 million analysis software segment to grow to $634 million in 2006.
One of the biggest questions facing users of bioinformatics is whether to purchase content or technologies from commercial vendors, or to develop tools in-house to meet the company's specific needs. Front Line estimates that pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will continue to allocate 60% of their total bioinformatics spending to commercial vendors, totaling $1.1 billion in 2006.
Currently, companies allocate the largest share of their bioinformatics budgets to content, spending $225 million in 2001, and doubling to $445 million in 2006 as the availability of comprehensive and annotated data sets increases. Leading content suppliers include Celera, which provides genome data for DNA sequencing, and Incyte, which provides gene expression data.
While genomics currently represents the largest application segment for bioinformatics spending, the most significant growth opportunities are presented in proteomics and pharmacogenomics, which will account for $469 million and $351 million in 2006, respectively. Specifically, proteomics will grow at a 39% CAGR through 2006, given that it is the most direct way of identifying and studying drug targets. In addition, pharmacogenomics will grow at a 38% CAGR, enabling the development of therapeutics tailored to patients' genetic profiles. Tempering the growth will be a lack of standard data formats, the lack of common protocols, and interoperable technologies. This will present a significant barrier for end-users when it comes time to integrate data from various sources.
Nonetheless, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will continue to seek tools to aid them in identifying relationships across biological data types. As bioinformatics is more widely applied to discovery and development, end-users will adopt solutions that streamline the access, tracking, interpretation and sharing of data from disparate sources and data types, with minimal impact on resources.
Source: DSstar


Freedom v. Meijer Great Lakes Ltd. The plaintiff appealed the trial court's action.The plaintiff was a cashier who had filed a workers compensation claim. While the claim was pending, she was questioned about a number of unusual transactions traced to her register. She was interviewed by a loss prevention officer. At the conclusion of the investigation, she was terminated on the same day that two other employees who had also filed workers compensation claims were terminated. She filed suit, and her case was tried before a jury. At the conclusion of plaintiff's case, the trial court granted a direct verdict to defendants on this issue.
The court of appeals stated the only evidence presented was that she was fired while her workers compensation claim was pending and that two other workers who had filed claims were terminated on the same day. There was no evidence linking the her claim to her termination. The loss prevention officer had no knowledge of the workers compensation claim. The store manager who may have had knowledge of the claim played no significant role in the decision to investigate and to terminate the employee.
With respect to the other workers who were terminated, the plaintiff failed to present any circumstances concerning the two terminations, other than that there were claims pending. As a result, plaintiff failed to produce any evidence which might have given rise to an inference of discrimination.
The court of appeals noted that there was substantial evidence to indicate that the termination was justified. In addition to the fact that the investigating representative had no knowledge of the claim, the court noted that plaintiff was the only employee who had 19 questionable transactions in one week while other cashiers who had questionable transactions were spread out over 5 weeks to 3 months. As a result, the other cashiers were not similarly situated. In light of the absence of direct or cumulative evidence showing a retaliatory motivation on the part of the company, the jury would have been left to
speculate whether plaintiff was fired for mishandling the cash register or out a desire to punish her for filing her claim.The court's decision re-affirmed that the mere fact a claim was pending when a termination took place will not be sufficient to establish a retaliatory discharge claim. The fact that the company's representative did not have knowledge of the claim was a key factor. At the end of the day, the plaintiff must present proof, not speculation, to get to the jury.


You list the most exciting games, defined as those that most often have unexpected outcomes, as soccer followed by baseball, hockey, basketball and American football (7 January, p 13). With the exception of the final two, these are the sports with the lowest scores at the end of the game.
Could it simply be that in lower-scoring games there is a greater chance of a statistical outlier (or, in sport-speak, an underdog), coming out ahead? When the typical expected score is 2-3 it takes only one point to get a tie. In a high-scoring game there is more opportunity for the score to correct itself.
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Landforms Iowa is often considered to be one of the flattest states in the Midwest. But Iowa has a distinct collection of landforms. Unique shapes and features change from one part of the state to another.
Iowa’s landforms reflect a unique history of geologic events. These geologic events have shaped the land also influence the distribution of native plant and animal communities in Iowa.


Publication: Vibrant Life Author: Schiffmann, Ruth Date published: November 1, 2011 You're sitting in the passenger seat of your family's SUV, watching trees rush past in a blur. Your head spins, your stomach lurches, and a warm, clammy feeling comes over you. No, you're not in love. You're experiencing motion sickness.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day are among the busiest travel periods of the year. If you're headed over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house, consider these strategies to stop travel sickness in its tracks.
Eat light, but do eat. Everyone knows not to eat a big meal before riding a roller coaster. For people prone to motion sickness, the same holds true for any form of transportation. What many travelers may not realize, however, is that an empty stomach is just as bad as one that's too full. Make sure you've had a little something to eat before taking a ride on a plane, train, car, or boat.
Choose the best seat. In a car, driving is best, because your movements (as you steer) match with what you're seeing. If you can't take the wheel, the next-best option is the front passenger's seat, where you can see the road ahead and anticipate upcoming bumps and turns.
Don't look out the side windows. The faster the movement outside appears, the worse you'll feel.
Sit stili! Lean back on the headrest and focus on the horizon or a distant stationary object to bring things back into balance.
Breathe. Take slow, deep breaths to reduce anxiety and alleviate symptoms. And keep the fresh air coming! In the car, crack a window. On a plane, rum up the fresh air feed overhead.
Don't read. Looking down at something motionless while your body detects motion only makes things worse.
Have some sugar and spice. Ginger and peppermint both have stomach-calming effects. Either can be taken as tablets before a trip. Or suck on peppermints or ginger lozenges during the ride.
Try acupressure wristbands. These wristbands won't make you a traveling fashionista, but they could help eliminate nausea. Built-in buttons apply pressure to a specific location on the wrist. For best results, apply additional pressure to the buttons every so often. Wristbands are reusable and can be -worn without side effects.
Explore medication options. For severe travel sickness, you can give over-the-counter meds a try, or talk to your doctor about prescription options. (Be warned, though: these can cause drowsiness and may have side effects.)
Author affiliation:
Ruth Schiffmann writes from Falmouth, Massachusetts.


Agent-based models (ABMs) are powerful in describing structured epidemiological processes involving human behavior and local interaction. The joint behavior of the agents can be very complex and tracking the behavior requires a disciplined approach. At the same time, equationbased models (EBMs) can be more tractable and allow for at least partial analytical insight. However, inadequate representation of the detailed population structure can lead to spurious results, especially when the epidemic process is beginning and individual variation is critical. In this paper, we demonstrate an approach that combines the two modeling paradigms and introduces a hybrid model that starts as agent-based and switches to equation-based after the number of infected individuals is large enough to support a population-averaged approach. This hybrid model can dramatically save computational times and, more fundamentally, allows for the mathematical analysis of emerging structures generated by the ABM.


Link: http://www.futureal.net/
Futureal is a company that I came across many years ago. They "use quantitative and qualitative research, logic and creativity to hep (sic) their clients build strategy for an uncertain future."
In a recent article (http://bit.ly/QDdrDq), the founder of Futureal Tamar Kasriel was listed as one of the worlds most influential futurists. When asked about what makes her company different from their competitors, Tamar had this to say.
"I think the way we approach questions is quite unique. The answers to questions about the future won't come just from one place - we can't just rely on, say, primary research. If we use it at all, we need to combine it with what we can glean from academia, what's going on within the industry, find parallels in other sectors, and create a workable model for putting it all together. We're also finding that despite all the hype, social media is largely an untapped resource in terms of understanding shifts in consumer attitudes, and we find ourselves increasingly drawn to create our own innovative social media analytics." This article focuses on multiple aspects of research that we touched on this semester. Concepts of qualitative and quantitative, but also the idea about what questions we are asking, and the strategy behind them. This is one of the first examples where I have clearly seen a direct relationship between class and the real world.


Even though modern retrieval systems typically use a multitude of features to rank documents, the backbone for search ranking is usually the standard tf.idf retrieval models.
We address a limitation of the fundamental retrieval models, the modeling of the vocabulary mismatch between query terms and relevant documents. Vocabulary mismatch happens when query terms fail to appear in the documents that are relevant to the query, causing suboptimal retrieval. Mismatch is a well-known and long standing problem in retrieval. However, it is not well understood how often query terms mismatch relevant documents, neither how mismatch affects retrieval performance. We formally define term mismatch. We show that mismatch is a very common problem in search, that it allows us to understand the common failures of the current retrieval models and the behaviors of many of the retrieval techniques, and that a large potential gain is possible by simply making the retrieval models mismatch-aware. We also demonstrate several initial successes in addressing term mismatch in retrieval using novel mismatch prediction methods and theoretically motivated retrieval techniques, which could lead to even larger gains in retrieval.


From: Joseph Schilz (meingolem@gmail.com ) Date: Mon Dec 19 2005 - 20:48:38 MST
I hope I'm not waxing too philosophical on my first response here.
It seems to me that a lot of this play about free will is a matter of semantics.
You can think of free will in a couple of different ways. To me, the words free will represent the concept of unbounded potential for the ego. It's not merely the notion that you make decisions, it's the concept that decisions are even possible, or that a human decision is a more significant event than playing a game of Plinko(think Price is Right). I think that this is generally what is meant by free will, and I believe that it is the most significant interpretation.
Of course, few here would argue that such a notion should be upheld. Unless you believe in weird physics, and furthermore that those weird physics are /you/, it's absurd to argue that the ego--not the faculties in the brain that produce it, but the ego itself, if you catch my connotations--performs any decisions. Resolving to accept this completely, however, is tantamount to insanity, not to mention a bit ironic.
So, in order to preserve this comforting illusion of control, an alternative definition of free will has been offered. This is the notion that though our actions are ultimately out of our control, that thing which we call ourselves is capable of a much finer presence and thought due to its introspective nature.
Just as it is absurd to support the first notion of free will, it's just as absurd to argue against the second.
In the context of this list, my questions become: How might we create an intelligence endowed with the second property, while we, avoid a clouded pursuit of the first.
------------------------------- http://www.josephaeron.com "Which thing happens, that I bit of the barman of the dog?"
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sat May 25 2013 - 04:00:59 MDT


First Amendment Architecture Abstract The right to free speech is meaningless without some place to exercise it. But constitutional scholarship generally overlooks the role of judicial doctrines in ensuring the availability of spaces for speech. Indeed, when scholarship addresses doctrines that are explicitly concerned with speech spaces such as public forums and media or Internet forums, it generally marginalizes these doctrines as “exceptions” to standard First Amendment analysis. By overlooking or marginalizing these decisions, scholarship has failed to explicate the logic underlying important doctrinal areas and what these areas reveal about the First Amendment’s normative underpinnings.
This Article adopts a different interpretive approach. It identifies and interprets the Court’s role in ensuring, requiring, or permitting government to make spaces available for speech. Across a range of physical and virtual spaces, the Article identifies five persistent judicial principles evident in precedent and practice that require or permit government to ensure spaces to further particular, substantive speech-goals.
Further, rather than quarantining these speech-principles as exceptions to the standard analysis, this Article explores the significance of these principles for “core” speech doctrine and theory. The resulting analysis poses fundamental challenges to conventional wisdom about the First Amendment and the normative principles generally believed evident in doctrine. Consequently, the Article provides timely guidance for legislators and judges, particularly for shaping access to the technology-enabled virtual spaces increasingly central to Americans’ discourse.
Suggested Citation Marvin Ammori. 2011. "First Amendment Architecture" ExpressO Available at: http://works.bepress.com/marvin_ammori/1


My husband and I both have ADHD, but we manifest it differently. I’m disorganized in the typical ADHD way. He manages his ADHD by staying hyper-organized. He refuses to learn more about ADHD and the reasons for my disorganization.
by Melissa Orlov
It sounds like he is trying to shame you into doing better. Perhaps your husband believes you’re using ADHD as an excuse for your disorganization.
First, help him understand that his anger and criticism damage your self-esteem and your marriage. Ask him to be loving and supportive, not critical.
Since he thrives on staying organized, work with him on specific strategies for creating a less cluttered home, while gently reminding him of your many contributions to the household.
Develop a system that takes advantage of your combined strengths — he keeps the house organized, you work with the children on homework and their recreational activities. A balanced approach should solve the problem.


Scaling Agile to the enterprise can be challenging once you start looking at the Program and Portfolio level. How do you design an effective coordination system that encourages collaboration, communication, transparency and is flexible, easy to implement and rapidly evolvable? We will explore key aspects of creating a simple but effective agile-ready coordination system for managing such initiatives, based upon the authors' observations and experiences across widely differing companies.
Many otherwise astute agilists have struggled when faced with the challenge of scaling methods like Scrum to large, multiteam projects and programs. Luckily, this shared hardship has resulted in some creative solutions to the problems such efforts can pose. We will explore key aspects of creating a simple but effective agile-ready coordination system for managing such initiatives, based upon the authors’ observations and experiences across widely differing companies.
Guiding Principles The goals of an agile-appropriate portfolio coordination system might be stated as follows: Build trust and engagement through transparency by making priorities, dependencies, and capacity visible and discussing them regularly. Facilitate informed strategic guidance via clear communication to key stakeholders about current and potential delivery challenges. Bridge silos and functional organizations with regular, coordinated collaborative touch points. Provide rapid, targeted portfolio management with minimal time or capital investment. We will explore how these objectives might be achieved in a process with minimal overhead and setup time.
The Scrum of Scrums Is Not Enough Much of the early agile literature spoke from the perspective of a single team. Scrum, the most popular agile framework today, espoused a simple mechanism called the Scrum of Scrums for coordination between multiple teams. However, this mechanism is rather loosely defined and often is inadequate for complex dependency management across multiple releases and a portfolio of projects. Originally, the Scrum of Scrums was described as a daily meeting between ScrumMasters across teams, which followed a similar structure to the daily scrum but focused on progress, plans, and blockers at the team rather than individual level. One key problem with this system was that it implicitly relied on ScrumMasters to know the details of every issue. Also, the fact that external stakeholders are often needed for negotiation, communication, or blocker removal can make their absence a progress-killing issue.
Many teams have moved beyond the Scrum of Scrums or modified it in ways that they find better suited to the complexities of their situations.
The Ubiquitous Visual Management System Large, visible “information radiators” have been a common theme in agile implementations, and they figure perhaps even more prominently in the lean manufacturing implementations that inspired many agile values and practices. For example, Japanese companies such as Toyota long shunned complex material resource planning systems in favor of simple paper charts, bins sized to fit just so many parts, and other similarly low-tech tools. The persistent presence, ease of creation and change, and ability of such systems to facilitate group interactivity was hard to beat.
In today’s agile teams, one continues to encounter physical Scrum taskboards being used alongside full-fledged software suites, proof of the efficacy and persistent appeal of physicality.
Creating a Portfolio Management System and Team Let us tell a story by way of example: Nine teams are working together on the delivery of several major projects on an enterprise business intelligence platform. The teams are mostly focused on delivery of independent feature groups, but there are two exceptions. One team helps to create and manage shared data services and enterprise service bus integration; this team’s backlog is populated by the other teams. Another team is a vendor that is implementing its software to provide some visualization pathways for mobile and tablet devices. It’s operating on a slightly modified waterfall development lifecycle. The rapid pace, continuous integration, and high information flow across a set of agile teams require an equally nimble coordinating structure. The teams also want to engage frequently with high-level stakeholders, so meetings have to be short and focused, which will be a welcome change in any case. The system as a whole will consist
Attachment Size 3604399.pdf 1.16 MB


L. Hemingway
Bristol: Policy Press, 2011
This book provides a comprehensive investigation of housing issues for disabled people from a social model perspective. Documenting historical and current trends, it looks at policy, barriers to housing options and meanings of 'home'. Such a review is crucial to understanding the varying housing needs and desires of disabled people, particularly in the current economic climate.


Federal Real Property: National Strategy and Better Data Needed to Improve Management of Excess and Underutilized Property - GAO Report Date: June 20, 2012 Report No.: GAO-12-645 Pages: 90 Download PDF Now Summary: The Federal Real Property Council (FRPC) has not followed sound data collection practices in designing and maintaining the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) database, raising concern that the database is not a useful tool for describing the nature, use, and extent of excess and underutilized federal real property. For example, FRPC has not ensured that key data elementsincluding buildings' utilization, condition, annual operating costs, mission dependency, and valueare defined and reported consistently and accurately. GAO identified inconsistencies and inaccuracies at 23 of the 26 locations visited related to these data elements (see the fig. for an example). As a result, FRPC cannot ensure that FRPP data are sufficiently reliable to support sound management and decision making about excess and underutilized property.
The federal government has undertaken efforts to achieve cost savings associated with better management of excess and underutilized properties. However, some of these efforts have been discontinued and potential savings for others are unclear. For example, in response to requirements set forth in a June 2010 presidential memorandum for agencies to achieve $3 billion in savings by the end of fiscal year 2012, the General Services Administration (GSA) reported approximately $118 million in lease cost savings resulting from four new construction projects. However, GSA has yet to occupy any of these buildings and the agencys cost savings analysis projected these savings would occur over a 30-year periodfar beyond the time frame of the memorandum. The five federal agencies that GAO reviewed have taken some actions to dispose of and better manage excess and underutilized property, including using these properties to meet space needs by consolidating offices and reducing employee work space to use space more efficiently. However, they still face long-standing challenges to managing these properties, including the high cost of property disposal, legal requirements prior to disposal, stakeholder resistance, and remote property locations. A comprehensive, long-term national strategy would support better management of excess and underutilized property by, among other things, defining the scope of the problem; clearly addressing achievement goals; addressing costs, resources, and investments needed; and clearly outlining roles and coordination mechanisms across agencies.
Why GAO Did This StudyThe federal government has made some progress addressing previously identified issues with managing federal real property. This includes establishing FRPCchaired by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)which created the FRPP database managed by GSA. GAO was asked to determine the extent to which (1) the FRPP database accurately describes the nature, use, and extent of excess and underutilized federal real property, and (2) progress is being made toward more effective management of these properties. GAO analyzed the data collection process and agency data, visited 26 sites containing excess and underutilized buildings from five civilian federal real property holding agencies with significant portfolios, and interviewed officials from these five agencies and OMB staff about how they collect FRPP data and manage excess and underutilized properties.
What GAO RecommendsGAO recommends that, in consultation with FRPC, GSA develop a plan to improve the FRPP and that OMB develop a national strategy for managing federal excess and underutilized real property. GSA agreed with GAOs recommendation and agreed with the reports findings, in part. OMB agreed that real property challenges remain but raised concerns about how GAO characterized its findings on FRPP accuracy and other statements. GAO believes its findings are properly presented. The details of agencies comments and GAOs response are addressed more fully within the report.
For more information, contact David Wise at (202) 512-5731 or at wised@gao.gov.


40 Percent of Deaths Linked to Environment Hmmm... Maybe it's not so bad to drink Dr. Pepper after all. A recent Cornell University study has found that nearly half of deaths worldwide are caused or exacerbated by environmental pollution, including water pollution.
David Pimentel, the Cornell professor of ecology and evolutionary biology who conducted the research, links 62 million deaths each year to organic or chemical pollutants, placing these factors alongside long-known killers such as heart disease.
Increasing rates of Malaria, E. coli, Salmonella, AIDS, and Tuberculosis all are linked to environmental degradation, according to Pimentel. "In the United States alone, 76,000 people are in the hospital each year, with 5,000 deaths, just due to pollution of air, food, or water," he said. "Cancers are increasing in the U.S., and AIDS is on the rise."


Emotional baggage. It's a term we hear often and a burden that many of us deal with daily. Finding freedom from emotional burdens often involves a frustrating struggle between our hearts and minds-thinking one way but feeling another. In Keys to Emotional Freedom , Counselor Robin Martens explains that releasing emotional burdens has to become a habitone in which we learn to accept not only in our heads but also in our hearts. Finding freedom from emotional and relational burdens begins and ends with trusting God to do the healing, allowing Him to unlock the doors of our hearts and minds. Keys to Emotional Freedom offers specific advice, encouraging examples, relevant Scripture, and practical steps for you to begin the habit of leaving emotional baggage at the foot of the cross, allowing you to rest in the joy and peace of emotional freedom.


Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Regulation Number(s):
Regulation 57 - General
Bill or Act: Bees Act Summary of Decision:
The proposal has been approved. The amendments to Regulation 57 under the Bees Act will take effect July 1, 2013. The amendments will apply to all Ontario beekeepers.
Two diseases that were proposed in the posting will not be added to the regulation: Paenibacillus larvae and Mellisococcus pluton. The previous scientific names of these diseases (Bacillus larvae and Bacillus pluton/alvei respectively) and the common names of these diseases, American Foulbrood and European Foulbrood respectively, are currently listed in the Bees Act, and the proposal was intended to update the scientific name to reflect the names currently used for these two diseases. However, these changes would require amendments to the Bees Act itself, which was not considered in the present proposal.
Three additional diseases and two additional pests have been added to the proposal. The diseases are: Nosema sp resistant to antibiotics; Tropilaelaps sp resistant to miticides; and, Euvarroa sp resistant to miticides. The strains of these diseases that are resistant need to be added because they represent a unique threat to bee health because there are no treatment options available for them. The additional pests are Vespa vellutina and Large Hive Beetle. Vespa vellutina is capable of killing entire colonies of honey bees, and can seriously affect humans and animals with its venom. Large Hive Beetle may enter a nest and feed on the honey bee brood and food stores. These diseases and pests have been proposed as a result of stakeholder feedback during the posting and additional consultation with industry and academic experts.
Further Information:
Link to Environmental Registry
Bees Act
Regulation 57 under the Bees Act
Proposal Number: 12-AFRA015 Posting Date: December 13, 2012 Summary of Proposal:
OMAFRA is asking for feedback on its proposal to amend Regulation 57 - General under the Bees Act to designate additional diseases and pests. Inspectors have authority to inspect and take action to control diseases and pests listed in the Act and Regulation 57.
It is proposed that the following diseases should be added to Regulation 57:
- Nosema sp
- Varroa sp (varroa mite)
- Varroa sp resistant to miticides
- Paenibacillus larvae
- Paenibacillus larvae resistant to antibiotics
- Mellisoccus pluton
- Mellisoccus pluton resistant to antibiotics
- Tropilaelaps sp (Tropilaelaps mite)
- Eurvarroa sp (Eurvarroa mite)
It is proposed that the following pests should be added to Regulation 57:
- Apis mellifera capensis (Cape honey bee)
- Apis mellifera scutellata species hybrid (African honey bee hybrid)
- Apis cerana species complex (Asian honey bee)
- Apis florea species complex (Dwarf honey bee)
- Apis dorsata species complex (Giant honey bee)
- Vespa mandarinia (Giant Asian Hornet)
This proposal is intended to enhance Ontario's ability to detect and respond to additional diseases and pests that could impact Ontario's apiary sector and pollination services. Early detection and response is beneficial to the entire industry by promoting bee health and reducing economic impact of diseases and pests.
Inspectors will be able to inspect for more diseases and pests. Their response powers, including treatment, disinfection or destruction, would extend to these additional diseases and pests.
The proposal will harmonize Ontario's regulatory requirements with certain other jurisdictions. The harmonization is intended to improve access to other markets by providing beekeepers with inspection reports that demonstrate their colonies have been inspected for these additional diseases and pests designated in regulation.
Lastly, the proposal is intended to reflect scientific information that has been developed since the diseases and pests were designated.
Contact Address:
Julie Jamieson
Policy Advisor
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Policy Division
1 Stone Road West
Floor 2 SW
Guelph Ontario
N1G 4Y2
Phone: (519) 826-3753
Fax: (519) 826-3492
Effective Date: July 1, 2013 Decision: Approved
|


In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures:[1]
Fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones. They are sometimes called "articular ligaments"[2] , "fibrous ligaments", or "true ligaments". A fold of peritoneum or other membrane The remnants of a tubular structure from the fetal period of life The first meaning is most commonly what is meant by the term "ligament". After briefly discussing the other two types of ligaments, the remainder of this article will focus upon the first type.
Peritoneal ligaments Certain folds of peritoneum are referred to as ligaments .
Examples include:
The hepatoduodenal ligament surrounds the hepatic portal vein and other vessels as they travel from the duodenum to the liver. The broad ligament of the uterus is also a fold of peritoneum. The suspensory ligament of the ovary Fetal remnant ligaments Certain tubular structures from the fetal period are referred to as ligaments after they close up and turn into cord-like structures:
Articular ligaments In its most common use, a ligament is a short band of tough fibrous dense regular connective tissue composed mainly of long, stringy collagen fibres. Ligaments connect bones to other bones to form a joint. (They do not connect muscles to bones; that is the function of tendons.) Some ligaments limit the mobility of articulations, or prevent certain movements altogether.
Capsular ligaments are part of the articular capsule that surrounds synovial joints. They act as mechanical reinforcements. Extra-capsular ligaments join bones together and provide joint stability.
Ligaments are only elastic; when under tension, they gradually lengthen. (Unlike tendons which are inelastic). This is one reason why dislocated joints must be set as quickly as possible: if the ligaments lengthen too much, then the joint will be weakened, becoming prone to future dislocations. Athletes, gymnasts, dancers, and martial artists perform stretching exercises to lengthen their ligaments, making their joints more supple. The term double-jointed refers to people who have more elastic ligaments, allowing their joints to stretch and contort further. The medical term for describing such double-jointed persons is hyperlaxity and double-jointed is a synonym of hyperlax .
The study of ligaments is known as desmology.
The consequence of a broken ligament can be instability of the joint. Not all broken ligaments need surgery, but if surgery is needed to stabilise the joint, the broken ligament can be joined. Scar tissue may prevent this. If it is not possible to fix the broken ligament, other procedures such as the Brunelli Procedure can correct the instability. Instability of a joint can over time lead to wear of the cartilage and eventually to osteoarthritis.
Examples Knee Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) Medial collateral ligament (MCL) Cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) - quadruped equivalent of ACL Caudal cruciate ligament (CaCL) - quadruped equivalent of PCL Head and neck Pelvis Anterior sacroiliac ligament Posterior sacroiliac ligament Sacrotuberous ligament Sacrospinous ligament Inferior pubic ligament Superior pubic ligament Suspensory ligament of the penis Thorax Suspensory ligament of the breast Wrist References ^ ligament at eMedicine Dictionary ^ l_09/12488504 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary Joints and ligaments of Head and Neck Atlanto-axial anterior atlantoaxial ligament - posterior atlantoaxial ligament - cruciform ligament of atlas (transverse ligament of the atlas) Atlanto-occipital anterior atlantoöccipital membrane - posterior atlantoöccipital membrane - tectorial membrane - alar ligament - ligament of apex dentis Temporomandibular capsule - temporomandibular ligament - sphenomandibular ligament - stylomandibular ligament - articular disk
Joints and ligaments of upper limbs Shoulder sternoclavicular: anterior sternoclavicular - posterior sternoclavicular - interclavicular - costoclavicular acromioclavicular: acromioclavicular - coracoclavicular (trapezoid, conoid) - coracoacromial - superior transverse scapular - inferior transverse of scapula
glenohumeral: coracohumeral - glenohumeral (superior, middle, and inferior) - transverse humeral - glenoid labrumElbow proximal radioulnar, humeroradial, humeroulnar: ulnar collateral - radial collateral - annular - oblique cordForearm distal radioulnar: volar radioulnar - dorsal radioulnar wrist/radiocarpal: palmar radiocarpal - dorsal radiocarpal - ulnar collateral - radial collateralHand intercarpal, midcarpal: pisohamate ligament - pisometacarpal ligament carpometacarpal: dorsal carpometacarpal - palmar carpometacarpalintermetacarpal: deep transverse metacarpal - superficial transverse metacarpal
metacarpophalangeal , interphalangeal
Joints and ligaments of torso Vertebral column articulations of vertebral bodies: anterior longitudinal ligament - posterior longitudinal ligament - intervertebral disc (annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus)articulations of vertebral arches : ligamenta flava - supraspinous ligament (nuchal ligament) - interspinal ligament - intertransverse ligament
zygapophysial joint Costovertebral articulation of head of rib: radiate ligament - interarticular ligamentcostotransverse Sternocostal interarticular sternocostal ligament - radiate sternocostal ligaments - costoxiphoid ligaments interchondral , costochondral Pelvis articulation of the vertebral column with the pelvis: iliolumbar ligament sacroiliac: anterior sacroiliac ligament - posterior sacroiliac ligament - interosseous sacroiliac ligament ligaments connecting the sacrum and ischium : sacrotuberous ligament - sacrospinous ligament sacrococcygeal symphysis: anterior sacrococcygeal ligament - posterior sacrococcygeal ligament
pubic symphysis: superior pubic ligament - inferior pubic ligament
Joints and ligaments of lower limbs Coxal/hip iliofemoral - pubofemoral - ischiofemoral - head of femur - transverse acetabular Knee-joint patellar - popliteal (oblique, arcuate) - collateral (medial/tibial, lateral/fibular) - cruciate (anterior, posterior) - menisci (medial, lateral) Tibiofibular Superior tibiofibular: anterior of the head of the fibula - posterior of the head of the fibulaInferior tibiofibular: anterior of the lateral malleolus - posterior of the lateral malleolusTalocrural/ankle deltoid - external lateral of the ankle-joint (anterior talofibular, posterior talofibular, calcaneofibular) Foot - intertarsal Subtalar/talocalcaneal: anterior talocalcaneal - posterior talocalcaneal - lateral talocalcaneal - medial talocalcaneal - interosseous talocalcaneal Talocalcaneonavicular: dorsal talonavicular Calcaneocuboid: dorsal calcaneocuboid - bifurcated - long plantar - plantar calcaneocuboid
Transverse tarsal: plantar calcaneonavicular/springFoot - other Cuneonavicular, Cuboideonavicular, Intercuneiform and cuneocuboid, Tarsometatarsal/Lisfranc, Intermetatarsal, Metatarsophalangeal, Interphalangeal Arches of the foot (Longitudinal, Transverse) Plantar cuneonavicular ligaments
Peritoneal ligaments , mesenteries, and folds From ventral mesentery Lesser omentum: Hepatoduodenal ligament - Hepatogastric ligament Liver: Coronary ligament (Left triangular ligament, Right triangular ligament, Hepatorenal ligament) - Falciform ligament (Round ligament of liver and Ligamentum venosum in it, but not of it) From dorsal mesentery Greater omentum: Gastrophrenic ligament - Gastrocolic ligament - Gastrosplenic ligament Mesentery: Transverse mesocolon - Sigmoid mesocolon - Mesoappendix - Root of the mesentery Splenorenal ligament - Phrenicocolic ligament Uterus/ovaries Broad ligament of the uterus (Mesovarium, Mesosalpinx, Mesometrium) - Ovarian ligament - Suspensory ligament of the ovary Folds Umbilical folds (Supravesical fossa, Medial inguinal fossa, Lateral inguinal fossa) - Ileocecal fold - Rectouterine folds Recesses Rectouterine pouch - Vesicouterine excavation - Rectovesical excavation - Pararectal fossa - Paravesical fossa Peritoneal cavity Greater sac - Lesser sac - Foramen of Winslow
Fetal vascular remnant ligaments Heart Ligamentum arteriosum Liver Round ligament of liver - Ligamentum venosum Umbilical Medial umbilical ligament (see also Median umbilical ligament and Lateral umbilical ligament)


Industry News Sponsored by
InterMed Discovery has partnered with the University of Saarland to develop a eco-friendly source of omega-3. The university harbors the knowlege of microbial omega-3 fatty acid production strains.
The concentrations and ratios of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are directly related to the utility of omega-3 in different therapeutic settings. At present, omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those with high levels of EPA, are derived from fish.
According to InterMed, dwindling fish populations and rising demand for omega-3 has instigated a search for more sustainable alternatives. The company also noted that the omega-3 concentration can exhibit significant batch variation. This is also a problem with potential alternative sources such as algae, which generate mainly DHA while the yields for EPA are very low or even none at all.
The microbial strains that IMD has acquired are sustainable sources that generate reliably high yields of omega-3 fatty acids, which significantly out-perform current sources. This source also offers a more favourable ratio between the fatty acids DHA and EPA. This is expected to lead to the development of enhanced omega-3 formulations allowing for outstanding and new product applications for the pharmaceutical, food and dietary supplement industries. As omega-3 is a popular ingredient in skin care and hair care products, perhaps the personal care industry will follow suit in searching for alternative sources for the ingredient.
IMD will lead the collaborative R&D project with the team at the University of Saarland. Financial terms were not disclosed.


The Neoproterozoic carbonate and siliciclasic successions of the São Francisco Craton were deposited in epicontinental basins that covered the cratonic area, and in passive-margin basins, which were later intensely deformed creating fold belts. The epicontinental basins include three mega-sequences: glaciogenic, carbonate platform and molasse, which likely correlate with the Vaza Barris/Miaba groups on the northeastern border of the São Francisco Craton (Sergipano Fold Belt). At least two transgressive-regressive sea-level cycles occurred during the evolution of the carbonate mega-sequence, which lies unconformably above iron-cemented glacio-marine diamictites of probable Sturtian age. Carbon, oxygen, strontium and sulfur isotope trends from analyses of well-preserved samples, together with lithostratigraphic observations provide reasonable correlations of these successions, but the precise ages of the sedimentation is still a matter of debate. They were probably deposited during extensional events related to the fragmentation of the Rodinia supercontinent, starting around 950 Ma and extending until approximately 600 Ma. These events occurred diachronously with the closure of the Pan-African-Brasiliano rift. The same cyclicity has been observed on the craton as well as in the fold belt, suggesting that the sedimentation spread continuously across the craton margins. In all studied successions there is at least one horizon of glacial diamictite. The glaciogenic mega sequence is comprised of siliciclastic rocks at the base, including conglomerate, metagraywacke, diamictite, pelite and quartzite. These lithofacies are dominantly glaciogenic, glacio-marine, glacio-continental or locally eolian in origin. Striated pavements, dropstones and other evidence of glacial origin for most of these lithofacies have been described previously for the Jequitaí and Bebedouro formations (Bambui and Una Groups). These successions unconformably overly the Paleoproterozoic/Archean basement complex or the Mesoproterozoic Espinhaço Supergroup. In the Sergipano Fold Belt, the Palestina Formation is believed to be a glaciogenic sequence. It is formed by diamictite, phyllite and lenses of iron-cemented quartzite unconformably overlying the Simão Dias Group. Diamictite clasts are heterogeneous in size, shape, and composition, including gneiss, granite, quartz, quartzite, phyllite, and metacarbonate, which are supported by a quartz-sericite matrix. In a lower stratigraphic position, the Juetê and Ribeirópolis equivalent formations overly crystalline basement (gneisses) and are composed of diamictite and arkosic sandstone, and are believed to correlate with the Jequitaí and Bebedouro formations in the cratonic area. In all the studied successions negative δC anomalies have been observed in the carbonates above the diamictites, providing likely similarities to Neoproterozoic counterparts worldwide.


CREATING POSSIBILITIES: A QUARTER-CENTURY RETROSPECTIVE ON "SEEDING STRATEGIES" FOR INDONESIA'S EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENTKrafft, L.J., Temple University, USAFrom the mid-1970's through the early 1990's the author was involved in delivery and assessment of a succession of educational development efforts throughout Indonesia. These efforts are described as they evolved in a dynamic political and multicultural milieu. While domestic involvement and control prevailed each of these efforts included significant international technical assistance and funding. The various endeavors provided direct exposure of Indonesians to models and practices across Asia, Western Europe and North America. These efforts emerged under conditions that were targeted to meet immediate demand while most people involved had high awareness of extreme uncertainty. The presentation describes how a process of "seeding" for the co-evolution of collective and individual understanding or "mind" in preparation for alternative but unknown futures functioned as "the elephant-in-the-room" of these development efforts. Chaos and uncertainty were resisted resolutely through a centralizing government, educational system and language. As participants assessed national and local needs through global and local lenses they engaged in complex-adaptive processes of learning and practice. While constructing centralizing curricula, practices and institutions, participants internalized context-based cross-cultural emergent design approaches. Recognizing realities of current systems participants realized and prepared psychologically for of a range of alternative trajectories. Although there was no single master plan for the series of development interventions, patterns emerged. While describing interventions and products the presentation emphasizes the nature of major shifts in mind and practice that may occur more than what tangibles did occur.


By Deirdre Anne Carter
Master’s Thesis, Florida State University, 2009
Abstract: In the mid-thirteenth century, the English monk, author, and artist Matthew Paris produced a rich collection of illustrated manuscripts. Although he is best known for his historical chronicles, Matthew also wrote and illustrated several saints’ lives, including those of Saint Alban, Edward the Confessor, and Thomas Becket. The existing copies of these works reveal that Matthew frequently infused his saints’ lives with additional historical material, blurring the lines between history and hagiography.
This thesis focuses on the Life of Edward the Confessor (Cambridge, University Library, MS Ee.3.59) and explores the way in which Matthew visually represents the lengthy historical sequences that he has added to the more traditional account of the saint. I argue that these additions have a significant impact on the narrative and that they suggest that Matthew had an unusual understanding of how history and hagiography relate to one another. I begin with an exploration of the differing approaches that Matthew took in the illustration of his saints’ lives as opposed to his chronicles and demonstrate that Matthew decorated both types of manuscripts with innovative images that were tailored to suit their accompanying texts. I then investigate the nature of Matthew’s alterations to his Life of Edward the Confessor and argue that these historical additions provide a contextual frame for the hagiographic narrative by placing Edward’s saintly life within the broader context of English history.
Furthermore, I suggest that Matthew carefully designed the illustrations of this historical material in order to present his intended reader, Queen Eleanor of Provence, with a very special manuscript that suited her age, lineage, and status as an influential woman. I argue that Matthew’s historical additions created a narrative that was not only spiritually affective, but also entertaining, educational, and representative of contemporary changes in the notion of both history and sainthood.


BACKGROUND: DNA methylation aberration and microRNA (miRNA) deregulation have been observed in many types of cancers. A systematic study of methylome and transcriptome in bladder urothelial carcinoma has never been reported.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The DNA methylation was profiled by modified methylation-specific digital karyotyping (MMSDK) and the expression of mRNAs and miRNAs was analyzed by digital gene expression (DGE) sequencing in tumors and matched normal adjacent tissues obtained from 9 bladder urothelial carcinoma patients. We found that a set of significantly enriched pathways disrupted in bladder urothelial carcinoma primarily related to "neurogenesis" and "cell differentiation" by integrated analysis of -omics data. Furthermore, we identified an intriguing collection of cancer-related genes that were deregulated at the levels of DNA methylation and mRNA expression, and we validated several of these genes (HIC1, SLIT2, RASAL1, and KRT17) by Bisulfite Sequencing PCR and Reverse Transcription qPCR in a panel of 33 bladder cancer samples.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We characterized the profiles between methylome and transcriptome in bladder urothelial carcinoma, identified a set of significantly enriched key pathways, and screened four aberrantly methylated and expressed genes. Conclusively, our findings shed light on a new avenue for basic bladder cancer research.


Improving Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Storage Conditions During Transport European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published a concept paper on storage conditions during transport (EMA/INS/GMP/638479/2010). The goal is to create new Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and GMP guidance and may lead to the need to revise the guideline on declaration of storage conditions (CPMP/QWP/609/96/Rev2).
Over the past few years, significant changes continued to occur in the globalisation of manufacture with a consequent increase in the complexity and vulnerability in the supply chain, leading to a lack of clear guidance on the regulatory expectations for ensuring that medicinal products and APIs are not damaged or compromised during transportation.
Without key consideration for these guidelines, risk of freezing during transport increases and the effects on the products can lead to quality compromise and ultimately loss of profits.
IQPC’s Cold Chain South Africa 2011 will provide practical knowledge on key operations within cold chain logistics and supply chain. Held in together original and generic Pharmaceutical manufacturers, Biotechnology firms as well as Government and Regulators to share best-practise in cold chain management.
This is your opportunity to exchange best-practices and practical solutions that can be implemented to improve service delivery and future planning.
Attendees will benefit from four days of industry-leading presentations and exclusive workshops. Industry experts who will be sharing their knowledge include: Chain Management, DairyBelle, Exelsius – Cold Chain Management Consultancy, Fisher Clinical Services, Naratech Pharma Consultancy, Pharmaceutical Industry Association of Group, Parenteral Drug Association, RTT Group, SA Refrigerated Distribution Association, sanofi Pasteur, Strategnos, South African National Blood Services, SSI Schaefer Systems International DWC LLC, University of KwaZulu Natal, World Courier
For more information, visit http://www.coldchainafrica.co.za
About IQPC Middle East:
For over thirty years, IQPC has helped the world’s leading corporations solve their business challenges through the sharing of practical industry solutions and global best practice. In the process, the company has built a formidable reputation for quality and value. The world’s most progressive companies have benefited from IQPC’s unrivalled global reach, which has connected international expertise with regional and local leaders.
For more information, please contact Eileen Espelita Marketing Manager IQPC Middle East +971-4-364-2975 SOURCE IQPC Middle East
Source: newswire


Between peering into binoculars and keeping meticulous checklists, for some outside the activity, bird watching may seem perplexing. Why do people enjoy it, and what does the practice reveal about human-animal relationships? Or, consider aquariums, with their carefully choreographed performances and animal-touching activities. What ideas about animals and conservation are encouraged through such institutions, and what insights might be drawn from academic critique?
Join us as we explore these, and other questions, with Traci Warkentin and Gavan Watson, doctoral students in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University. Including themes of ethics, representation, and phenomenology, Warkentin and Watson’s respective research is both challenging and engaged. Watson, a naturalist, works at the intersection of animal studies, environmental education and natural history, while Warkentin’s scholarship draws together environmental ethics, education, and animal geographies from a feminist and interdisciplinary approach.
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Practice or Retreat?
During intensive meditation retreats, we practice. We practice sitting without perusing the television or internet. We practice eating without wasting the smallest morsel. We practice walking without music or a cell phone blaring in our ear. We practice a simplified daily routine, happily dedicating ourselves to the most mundane tasks, instead of ignoring them.
When the retreat is over, do we apply this practice to our lives? Or do we jump right back into the fray, doing the very things we just spent two days (or weeks) trying not to do? While these things aren’t all inherently bad (especially in moderation), if we spend the next fifty weeks looking forward to escaping them at the next retreat, perhaps we’ve missed the point.
Are we practicing for life, or retreating from it?


We are swimming upstream against a great torrent of disorganization, which tends to reduce everything to the heat-death of equilibrium and sameness described in the second law of thermodynamics. What Maxwell, Boltzmann, and Gibbs meant by this heat-death in physics has a counterpart in the ethics of Kierkegaard, who pointed out that we live in a chaotic moral universe. In this, our main obligation is to establish arbitrary enclaves of order and system. These enclaves will not remain there indefinitely by any momentum of their own after we have once established them. Like the Red Queen, we cannot stay where we are without running as fast as we can. Nothing describes my attitude to, at least, my work, better than this quotation...


Start Small If networking is challenging to you, start small. Set a goal to attend a networking event or other networking opportunity once or twice a month, and then increase it as you feel more comfortable. For many, networking one-on-one seems easier, so consider inviting a business associate to lunch as a way to get started. Remember, regardless of how you network, it is important to be yourself.
Be Strategic and Then Evaluate After attending a range of professional networking events, evaluate your experiences to determine which ones interested you and provided the most value. These are the ones you want to revisit.
Leverage the Internet The Internet offers many opportunities to make professional connections through websites, like LinkedIn. You can also participate online through professional or industry forums and blogs.
Prepare before an Event Your networking success at professional events will increase if you’ve prepared in advance. For example, research the speakers and topics that will be addressed. Investigate current trends or issues that might be of interest to those attending the event. This preparation may help you generate a few open-ended questions to spark conversation with attendees.
Reciprocate Assistance When networking, there should never be an expectation that everyone is there to assist you or vice versa. However, when someone is able to provide professional assistance, it is nice to reciprocate when possible.


Many of us are aware that cranberries are effective in maintaining urinary tract health. Unfortunately most cranberry products come with a large dose of refined sugar. Cranberry Forte is an enriched cranberry supplement that provides the benefits of cranberry juice without the refined sugars. The unique formula in Cranberry Forte starts with antioxidant rich cranberries which form the foundation for maintaining urinary tract health. The synergistic herbs buchu, uva-ursi, horsetail, and echinecea along with beta-carotene and mannitol are then added to create one of the most unique and effective urinary tract supporting supplements available today. At OVitaminPro we are confident in recommending Cranberry Forte as an alternative to Cranberry Juice for maintaining urinary tract health.
Cranberry Forte contains per serving: Vitamin A (as beta-carotene) 20,000 IU, Cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon) Extract 25:1 500 mg, Buchu leaf (Agathosma betulina) Extract 4:1 200 mg, Echinacea angustifolia root Extract 4% echinacosides 200 mg, Horsetail aerial parts (Equisetum arvense) Extract 7% silica 200 mg, Mannose 200 mg, Uva-Ursi leaf (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Extract 20% arbutin 200 mg. Other Ingredients: gelatin capsule (gelatin and water), microcrystalline cellulose, and silicon dioxide. Does not contain: artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, corn, dairy products, gluten, preservatives, salt, soy, sugar, wheat, yeast.


The recent focus on the use of steroids and human growth hormones by major league baseball players has once again put the spotlight on the role of Internet pharmacies in distributing these substances.
The report by former US Sen George Mitchell, released in December following his investigation into the illegal use of performance-enhancing substances in baseball, underscores the threat posed by sales of these substances over the Internet.
The Mitchell report highlights 2 methods for illegal distribution: one, whereby the Internet is used "instead of gym locker rooms or street corners as a semi-anonymous marketplace for drug transactions." The other method, the report notes, "involves rejuvenation centers that troll the Internet for customers, corrupt physicians who write prescriptions for patients they have not seen, and compounding pharmacies that fill these dubious prescriptions and deliver performance-enhancing substances to end users by mail."
Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan H. Selig has expressed support for bills pending in Congress to combat the problem, including anticrime legislation sponsored by Sen Joseph Biden (D, DE), that incorporates the online pharmacy safeguards included in a bill sponsored by Sen Dianne Feinstein (D, CA) and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in September (S 980).


Physical Layer TrellisWare’s core technologies enable new regimes of radio operation and yield products with industry leading performance – measured in terms of range, throughput, reliability, cost, power consumption, etc. Two broad categories of improvement are robustness and efficiency .
Robustness TrellisWare links remain reliable under an extremely wide range of operating conditions including
Extreme, fast channel variations due to user mobility and harsh multipath environments Distortions due to transmit/receive chain nonlinearities, channelization filters, and non-ideal components (e.g., oscillators) Interference caused multiple access and adversarial jamming Not only is this robustness a key component of working when nothing else does, but it also often allows for substantial reductions in cost and transceiver power consumption. Advanced signal processing allows us to employ lower-power, lower-cost components in our designs.
Efficiency TrellisWare links not only provide connectivity in severe channel conditions, but also operate with maximal throughputs in these environments. This is achieved via
Receiver sensitivity near the Shannon limit Lower overhead for channel identification and synchronization allowing for higher effective data rates Flexible and adaptive coding and modulation enable TrellisWare links to approach the maximal theoretical throughput offered by current – not just worst case or average – channel conditions


This excerpt taken from the WEN 10-K filed Mar 1, 2007.
The quick service restaurant industry is often affected by changes in consumer tastes, national, regional and local economic conditions, discretionary spending priorities, demographic trends, traffic patterns and the type, number and location of competing restaurants. ARGs success depends to a significant extent on discretionary consumer spending, which is influenced by general economic conditions and the availability of discretionary income. Accordingly, ARG may experience declines in sales during economic downturns. Any material decline in the amount of discretionary spending or a decline in family food-away-from-home spending could hurt ARGs revenues, results of operations, business and financial condition.
In addition, if company-owned and franchised restaurants are unable to adapt to changes in consumer preferences and trends, ARG and Arbys franchisees may lose customers and the resulting revenues from company-owned restaurants and the royalties that ARG receives from its franchisees may decline.


Average annual precipitation is a vital piece of climatic data - one that is recorded through a variety of methods. Precipitation (which is most commonly rainfall but also includes snow, hail, sleet, and other forms of water falling to the ground) is measured in units over a given time period. In the United States, precipitation is commonly represented in inches per 24-hour period. This means that if one inch of rain fell in a 24-hour period and water wasn't absorbed by the ground nor did it flow downhill, after the storm there would be a layer of one inch of water covering the ground.
The low-tech method of measuring rainfall is to use a container with a flat bottom and straight sides (such as a cylinder coffee can). While a coffee can will help you determine whether a storm dropped one or two inches of rain, it's difficult to measure small amounts of precipitation.
Weather observers use more sophisticated instruments, known as rain gauges and tipping buckets to more precisely measure precipitation. Rain gauges have wide openings at the top for rainfall. The rain falls and is funneled into a narrow tube, one-tenth the diameter of the top of the gauge. Since the tube is thinner than the top of the funnel, the units of measurement are further apart than they would be on a ruler and precise measuring to the one-hundredth (1/100 or .01) of an inch is possible. When less than .01 inch of rain falls, that amount is known as a "trace" of rain.
A tipping bucket electronically records precipitation on a rotating drum or electronically. It has a funnel, like a simple rain gauge, but the funnel leads to two tiny "buckets." The two buckets are balanced (somewhat like a sea-saw) and each holds .01 inch of water. When one bucket fills, it tips down and is emptied while the other bucket fills with rain water. Each tip of the buckets causes the device to record an increase of .01 inch of rain.
Snowfall is measured in two ways. The first is a simple measurement of the snow on the ground with a stick marked with units of measurement (like a yardstick). The second measurement determines the equivalent amount of water in a unit of snow. To obtain this ratio, the snow must be collected and melted into water. Generally, 10 inches of snow produces one inch of water. However, it can take up to 30 inches of loose, fluffy snow though as little as 2-4 inches of wet, compact snow can produce an inch of water.
Wind, buildings, trees, topography, and other factors can modify the amount of precipitation that falls so rainfall and snowfall tend to be measured away from obstructions. A thirty-year average of annual precipitation is used to determine the average annual precipitation for a specific place.


Thomas Renné Professor of Clinical Chemistry and Coagulation Research at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery since 2008.
Coagulation factor F XII is normally present in mammals, and it has previously been believed that it is not significant in coagulation. Thomas Renné's group has shown that mice that lack F XII have a lower tendency to form blood clots, without this increasing the risk of haemorrhage. Thus, F XII is now considered to pay a critical role in thrombosis, but not in haemostasis.
The coagulation factor is also involved in conditions such as inflammation and the development of oedema. Mutations in the gene that codes for F XII are associated with oestrogen, and with a particular type of oedema that women experience.