Other Contributors:Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.
Advisor:Randolph Kirchain.
Department:Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.
Publisher:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date Issued:2009
Abstract:
Large-scale, complex engineering systems, as for automotive manufacturing, often require significant capital investment and resources for systems configuration. Furthermore, these systems operate in environments that are constantly changing due to shifts in macroeconomic, market demand and regulations, which can significantly influence systems' performance. It is often very difficult or prohibitively expensive to change these engineering systems once they are in place. Thus, a critical question is how to design engineering systems so they can perform well under uncertainty. Conventional engineering practice often focuses on the expected value of future uncertainties, thus leaving the value of flexible designs unexplored. This research develops a new framework to design and plan large-scale and complex manufacturing systems for uncertainty. It couples a screening model to identify promising candidate solutions with an evaluation model to more extensively quantify the performance of identified solutions. The screening model adaptively explores a large decision space that is otherwise computationally intractable for conventional optimization approach. It integrates strategic and operational flexibility in a system to allow systematic consideration of multiple sources of flexibility with uncertainty. It provides a means to search the space for system's improvement by integrating the adaptive one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) method with a Response Surface method and simulation-based linear optimization. The identified solution is then examined with Value at Risk and Gain chart and a statistics table.(cont.) Two cases are studied in this thesis. The first case is a simple hypothetical case with two products and two plants. It considers product to plant allocation, plant capacity, and overtime operation decisions that affect manufacturing flexibility. It demonstrates the value of considering demand uncertainty and overtime operational flexibility in making manufacturing planning decisions and the interactions between multiple sources of flexibility. The second case explores these manufacturing planning decisions for Body-In-White assembly systems in the automotive industry by applying the developed screening model. It shows that the screening model leads to system design with about 40% improvement in expected net present value, reduced downside risks and increased upside gains as compared to a traditional optimization approach.
Description:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 191-197).


Max Rivlin-Nadler writes:You walk into an elevator and push the button for your desired floor. The button lights up. The elevator stops at the next floor and another person enters. He or she pushes the same button that’s already lit up.According to Dario Maestripieri’s new book, “Games Primates Play,” that elevator ride represents a game of dominance — similar to those exhibited by other primates. The University of Chicago professor argues that our social relationships have analogs in nature, especially within groups of primates. While we may not go up and grab our supervisor’s genitals as a sign of respect, we engage in similar acts that help us figure out where we fit in groups.
By exploring our social lives through the lens of an evolutionary biologist, Maestripieri breaks down the most routine of social interactions into deeply embedded behaviors from our genetic forebears. Just like humans, other primates grapple with questions of dominance, reciprocation, nepotism and fidelity. He demonstrates how his own life, the lives of celebrities, and corporate success strategies all derive from a single, primal need to find our place in a group.
Salon spoke with Maestripieri about the primal instincts we exhibit in our emails, whether altruism exists, how nepotism is natural, and why it matters to study our everyday nature. [Continue reading...]
Gorillas made me do it Previous post: Music: Salif Keita — Moussolou


In a meeting on 12 October with the Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Matata Ponyo Mapon, UNAIDS Executive Director praised DRC’s leadership for organizing the 14th Summit of La Francophonie, which will be held in Kinshasa from 13-14 October. Mr Sidibé congratulated the Prime Minister for supporting an increase in the national budget for the HIV response and encouraged his government to step up country-wide efforts to prevent new HIV infections among children. Prime Minister Mapon pledged, together with the Ministry of Health, to create a favorable national environment to eliminate new HIV infections among children. According to government figures, nearly 1 million people are living with HIV in the DRC. Despite progress in the national HIV response, only 12% of people eligible for antiretroviral therapy are receiving it. Coverage of services that prevent new HIV infections among children is especially weak, at about 5%.


After the funeral, you'll face a number of personal and practical challenges. We're here for you, so you won't have to face them alone.
No one can predict how they'll react to the death of a loved one. Loneliness. Grief. Despair. Even anger or relief. There is no "right" way to feel.There is no "normal" length of time to recover. This is a time to explore and share your feelings with friends, family and objective professionals like us.
Practical considerations just won't wait. You'll need to qualify for and collect benefits and insurance. Track down documents, records and accounts. Settle the estate. Transfer titles. Find a lawn service, a housekeeper, a Realtor… but you don't have to go it alone.
Call on us. We can help. We'll put you in touch with established, trusted, local tradespersons, professionals and organizations that can lighten your load.


Citroën Xsara Picasso in a field ©PSA Peugeot Citroën
Produced from grain or sugar beet crops in the case of ethanol and ethyl tertiobutyl ether (ETBE), or from oil-bearing plants such as rapeseed and soybeans in the case of oil methyl esters, biofuels are essentially renewable energy sources that could substitute fossil energy. In addition to their substantial contribution to mitigating the greenhouse effect, these fuels offer environmentally friendly performance, notably by reducing particulate emissions.
PSA Peugeot Citroën strongly encourages substituting 30% rapeseed methyl ester for diesel fuel. The Group's diesel fleet already runs on RME. To increase gasoline octane ratings without lead derivatives or aromatic hydrocarbons, the Group recommends using 8 to 12% ETBE derived from bioethanol.
PSA Peugeot Citroën has made biofuels one of its main avenues of research.


Inhibition of substrate synthesis: a pharmacological approach for glycosphingolipid storage disease therapy The neuronopathic lysosomal storage diseases are not currently amenable to therapy due to the difficulties of delivering functional enzyme/protein to the brain. Over two decades ago, an alternative strategy was suggested by Radin based on small-molecule enzyme inhibitors for treating a subset of these disorders, the glycosphingolipidoses. Recently, the efficacy of this approach has been demonstrated in animal disease models and in the clinic. This chapter discusses these studies. It begins with a brief background on glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and GSL storage diseases, as it provides insights into the potentials and the limitations of drug-based strategies for treating this family of predominantly neurodegenerative disorders.
Oxford Scholarship Online requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books within the service. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter.
If you think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian.


[show abstract] [hide abstract]ABSTRACT: To evaluate the differences of wavefront aberrations under cycloplegic, scotopic and photopic conditions.A total of 174 eyes of 105 patients were measured using the wavefront sensor (WaveScan® 3.62) under different pupil conditions: cycloplegic 8.58 ± 0.54 mm (6.4 mm - 9.5 mm), scotopic 7.53 ± 0.69 mm (5.7 mm - 9.1 mm) and photopic 6.08 ± 1.14 mm (4.1 mm - 8.8 mm). The pupil diameter, standard Zernike coefficients, root mean square of higher-order aberrations and dominant aberrations were compared between cycloplegic and scotopic conditions, and between scotopic and photopic conditions.The pupil diameter was 7.53 ± 0.69 mm under the scotopic condition, which reached the requirement of about 6.5 mm optical zone design in the wavefront-guided surgery and prevented measurement error due to the pupil centroid shift caused by mydriatics. Pharmacological pupil dilation induced increase of standard Zernike coefficients Z(3)(-3), Z(4)(0) and Z(5)(-5). The higher-order aberrations, third-order aberration, fourth-order aberration, fifth-order aberration, sixth-order aberration, and spherical aberration increased statistically significantly, compared to the scotopic condition (P<0.010). When the scotopic condition shifted to the photopic condition, the standard Zernike coefficients Z(4)(0), Z(4)(2), Z(6)(-4), Z(6)(-2), Z(6)(2) decreased and all the higher-order aberrations decreased statistically significantly (P<0.010), demonstrating that accommodative miosis can significantly improve vision under the photopic condition. Under the three conditions, the vertical coma aberration appears the most frequently within the dominant aberrations without significant effect by pupil size variance, and the proportion of spherical aberrations decreased with the decrease of the pupil size.The wavefront aberrations are significantly different under cycloplegic, scotopic and photopic conditions. Using the wavefront sensor (VISX WaveScan) to measure scotopic wavefront aberrations is feasible for the wavefront-guided refractive surgery. Arquivos brasileiros de oftalmologia 04/2012; 75(2):116-21.


This publication reviews one strategy that addresses both a broader and a narrower dimension of urban poverty. The Human Rights Cities Program is not directed toward securing legal title as a means of protecting the urban poor from market eviction and gentrification or to catalyze investment in low-income housing. It is rather a broader strategy of empowering inhabitants of communities to find collectively the ways and means of ensuring respect for their human rights, including the right to adequate housing, component elements of which are security of tenure, access to basic urban services, transport and mobility, financial services and credit, women’s empowerment, urban citizenship, income and livelihoods. It is thus a broader strategy than securing legal tenure.


K. Diesfeld and others
Disability and Society, vol. 23, 2008, p. 431-443
New Zealand is reforming its legal services system, including services for disabled people. In 2005 the Legal Services Agency commissioned research on provision for disabled people, focused on Auckland. This article is based on the literature review of the unmet legal concerns of disabled people carried out as part of this project. It suggests that the social model of disability offers a suitable philosophical framework for developing services and concludes with a description of a service proposal based on international models.
R. Hayashi and M. Okuhira
Disability and Society, vol. 23, 2008, p. 417-429
Independent living movements are emerging in Asian countries, supported by independent living centres in Japan. These centres offer training to disabled people from other Asian countries which comprises study of the concept of independent living and the history of the disability rights movement, and development of skills aimed at empowering them to establish an independent living movement in their home countries. This study conducted in Japan used in-depth interviews and a focus group to obtain information about the programme, the experiences of the trainees and Japanese hosts and the budding independent living movement in Asia.


Existing home sales fell slightly more than expected to an annualized pace of 4.91 million units in August, a 2.2% decrease in the month, following July's upwardly revised sales figure of 5.02 million. Even with a bigger loss than expected, the range in the past 11 months has been relatively narrow, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
Economists were expecting the July data to fall to 4.94 million.
Total housing inventories fell to a 10.4-month supply in August, down from the downwardly revised 10.9-month overhang recorded in July.
Since August 2007, the pace of existing home sales has declined by 10.7%.
Single-family unit sales - which account for four-fifths of all sales - fell 1.4% to a pace of 4.35 million, down from a rate of 4.41 million in the previous month.
The national median existing home price fell to $203,100 in August, down from the July figure of $210,300 and marking a 9.5% year-over-year decline.
Existing home sales, which include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings. This differs from the U.S. Census Bureau's series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the acceptance of a deposit.
By Patrick McGee and edited by Sarah Sussman ©CEP News Ltd. 2008


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Northwestern Institute on Complexity (NICO), Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
We have used 19.9 million papers over 5 decades and 2.1 million patents to demonstrate that teams increasingly dominate solo authors in the production of knowledge. Research is increasingly done in teams across nearly all fields. Teams typically produce more frequently cited research than individuals do, and this advantage has been increasing over time. Teams now also produce the exceptionally high-impact research, even where that distinction was once the domain of solo authors. These results are detailed for sciences and engineering, social sciences, arts and humanities, and patents, suggesting that the process of knowledge creation has fundamentally changed.
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Tobacco Smoke Enhances the Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy Edgar A. James, M.D. University of Alabama Birmingham NIEHS Grant R01ES014948
Using a diabetic mouse model, researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham report that exposure to tobacco smoke worsens the progression of diabetic nephropathy likely mediated by increased expression of profibrotic cytokines.
Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in the U.S. It is characterized by proteinuria, and irreversible changes, such as sclerosis, in the structure and function of the glomeruli, the filtering structures in the kidney. These changes effectively reduce the kidney's ability to filter waste and toxins from the blood by reducing the glomerular filtration surface. Cigarette smoking is now recognized as a risk factor in the progression of chronic kidney disease. In the current study, the mice were exposed to tobacco smoke for 8 weeks at roughly the same levels as those found in active smokers. Tobacco smoke exposure caused significant increases in mesangial expansion accompanied by increases in expression of transforming growth factor B and fibronectin, as compared to the control group mice that breathed regular air. These studies demonstrate that smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke may further the progression of diabetic nephropathy. The researchers conclude, based on this and previous research, that nicotine may be mediating these effects. The results suggest that additional targeted smoking cessation efforts may be very beneficial for persons with diabetes. Citation: Obert DM, Hua P, Pilkerton ME, Feng W, Jaimes EA. Environmental tobacco smoke furthers progression of diabetic nephropathy. Am J Med Sci. 2011 Feb;341(2):126-30.▲ Up: Glutathione Variant Linked to Lung Function Growth (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/sep/2011/glutathione/index.cfm)
▼ Down: Arsenic Exposure may Increase Mortality from Tuberculosis (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/sep/2011/arsenic-tb/index.cfm)


BOB EVANS FARMS's gross profit margin for the third quarter of its fiscal year 2012 is essentially unchanged when compared to the same period a year ago. Even though sales increased, the net income has decreased. BOB EVANS FARMS has very weak liquidity. Currently, the Quick Ratio is 0.26 which clearly shows a lack of ability to cover short-term cash needs. The company's liquidity decreased from the same period a year ago, despite already having very weak liquidity to begin with. This would indicate deteriorating cash flow.
During the same period, stockholders' equity ("net worth") has remained virtually unchanged only decreasing by 3.41% from the same quarter last year. The key liquidity measurements indicate that the company is in a position in which financial difficulties could develop in the near future.
Income Statement Q3 FY12 Q3 FY11 Net Sales ($mil) 434.44 428.34 EBITDA ($mil) 46.97 50.57 EBIT ($mil) 28.13 30.26 Net Income ($mil) 5.53 20.26
Balance Sheet Q3 FY12 Q3 FY11 Cash & Equiv. ($mil) 4.43 47.94 Total Assets ($mil) 1137.06 1073.3 Total Debt ($mil) 189.84 135.72 Equity ($mil) 635.82 658.27
Profitability Q3 FY12 Q3 FY11 Gross Profit Margin 20.78 20.36 EBITDA Margin 10.81 11.8 Operating Margin 6.47 7.06 Sales Turnover 1.47 1.55 Return on Assets 4.65 6.44 Return on Equity 8.32 10.5
Debt Q3 FY12 Q3 FY11 Current Ratio 0.84 0.58 Debt/Capital 0.23 0.17 Interest Expense 1.25 1.88 Interest Coverage 22.48 16.1
Share Data Q3 FY12 Q3 FY11 Shares outstanding (mil) 27.88 29.07 Div / share 0.28 0.25 EPS 0.2 0.69 Book value / share 22.81 22.64 Institutional Own % n/a n/a Avg Daily Volume 178011.0 207807.0
BUY. The current P/E ratio indicates a discount compared to an average of 29.81 for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry and a premium compared to the S&P 500 average of 19.08. To use another comparison, its price-to-book ratio of 1.98 indicates a discount versus the S&P 500 average of 2.44 and a significant discount versus the industry average of 7.92. The price-to-sales ratio is well below both the S&P 500 average and the industry average, indicating a discount. Upon assessment of these and other key valuation criteria, BOB EVANS FARMS proves to trade at a discount to investment alternatives within the industry.
Price/Earnings
Price/Cash Flow
BOBE 24.43 Peers 29.81 BOBE 9.25 Peers 13.90
Discount. A lower P/E ratio than its peers can signify a less expensive stock or lower growth expectations.
BOBE is trading at a discount to its peers.
Discount. The P/CF ratio, a stock’s price divided by the company's cash flow from operations, is useful for comparing companies with different capital requirements or financing structures.
BOBE is trading at a significant discount to its peers.
Price/ProjectedEarnings
Price toEarnings/Growth
BOBE 17.05 Peers 22.31 BOBE NM Peers 1.62
Discount. A lower price-to-projected earnings ratio than its peers can signify a less expensive stock or lower future growth expectations.
BOBE is trading at a discount to its peers.
Neutral. The PEG ratio is the stock’s P/E divided by the consensus estimate of long-term earnings growth. Faster growth can justify higher price multiples.
BOBE's negative PEG ratio makes this valuation measure meaningless.
Price/Book
Earnings Growth
BOBE 1.98 Peers 7.92 BOBE -19.57 Peers 62.38
Discount. A lower price-to-book ratio makes a stock more attractive to investors seeking stocks with lower market values per dollar of equity on the balance sheet.
BOBE is trading at a significant discount to its peers.
Lower. Elevated earnings growth rates can lead to capital appreciation and justify higher price-to-earnings ratios.
However, BOBE is expected to significantly trail its peers on the basis of its earnings growth rate.
Price/Sales
Sales Growth
BOBE 0.76 Peers 2.82 BOBE 0.41 Peers 7.25
Discount. In the absence of P/E and P/B multiples, the price-to-sales ratio can display the value investors are placing on each dollar of sales.
BOBE is trading at a significant discount to its industry on this measurement.
Lower. A sales growth rate that trails the industry implies that a company is losing market share.
BOBE significantly trails its peers on the basis of sales growth
Latest Stock Upgrades/Downgrades Brokerage Partners


We have determined that a mechanics’ lien is a powerful tool even when confronted with a bankruptcy petition. This puts a mechanics’ lien holder in an enviable position when attempting to recover a debt. However, a bankrupt debtor can avoid certain types of liens in a process known as “lien-stripping” even though they are “secured” by the debtor’s property. This would be an unfortunate outcome for a creditor who thought he would be paid on his secure debt.
Liens normally survive bankruptcy unaffected by the debtor’s discharge. However, some liens are avoidable if the debtor takes specific affirmative action. So, what liens can be avoided, and should a mechanics’ lien holder be worried?
Certain liens are avoidable if they attach to assets a debtor is entitled to claim as exempt, and to the extent that the lien impairs the value of the exemption. A lien impairs the value of the exemption if their is not enough equity in the liened asset to cover the non-avoidable liens, the exemption, and the avoidable lien.
Luckily, though, a mechanics’ lien holder does not have to go into the calculation of whether the lien impairs the value of an exemption. The final requirement for a lien to be avoidable is that the lien must be either a judicial lien, or a non-possessory non-purchase money security interest. Mechanics’ liens are statutory liens , and as such are unavoidable in a bankruptcy proceeding and will survive the bankruptcy unaffected.
So: Mechanics’ Liens can be perfected during the automatic stay, the time requirement for enforcement can be tolled during the automatic stay when the bankrupt debtor is the property owner, the lien may be enforced during the bankruptcy proceeding if the bankrupt party is not the property owner, and the lien is unavoidable. Mechanics liens are an invaluable tool in collecting debt even if the waters are clouded by bankruptcy.


A bathtub conspiracy is a conspiracy between, two subsidiaries, parts, or any other division of the same enterprise or firm. It is a conspiracy between related companies. Under a bathtub conspiracy, a parent corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary were considered two separate parties capable of conspiring. [Elysian Federal Sav. Bank v. First Interregional Equity Corp., 713 F. Supp. 737, 758 (D.N.J. 1989)]. Ordinarily, there cannot be a conspiracy between a corporation and its subsidiary. However, where there are mergers, if the alleged conspiracy took place before the merger and the merger did not stop the conspiracy, it cannot be said to be an intra-enterprise conspiracy. An Intra-Enterprise conspiracy is also called bathtub conspiracy.
The following is an example of a case law referring to bathtub conspiracy:
There is generally no difficulty in determining whether the requisite plurality of persons is present in a given situation. However, in Sherman Act § 1, 15 U.S.C.S. § 1, cases involving closely affiliated corporations, the courts have had difficulty ascertaining who are separate parties capable of contracting or conspiring with each other. Such agreements are often termed "bathtub" conspiracies. It is generally accepted that a corporation and its unincorporated branches or divisions are not separate entities, capable of conspiring to commit a § 1 violation. It is likewise generally accepted that a corporate office is not capable of conspiring with his corporation. It has also been widely held that, under normal circumstances, a parent and its incorporated subsidiary cannot conspire in violation of § 1 where they are not in actual competition in the market. [Aaron E. Levine & Co. v. Calkraft Paper Co., 429 F. Supp. 1039 (D. Mich. 1976)].


A relevant cost is a cost that only relates to a specific management decision, and which will change in the future as the result of that decision.
The relevant cost concept is extremely useful for eliminating extraneous information from a particular decision-making process. Also, by eliminating irrelevant costs from a decision, management is prevented from focusing on information that might otherwise affect its decision.
For example, the Archaic Book Company (ABC) is considering purchasing a printing press for its medieval book division. If ABC buys the press, it will eliminate 10 scribes who have been copying the books by hand. The wages of these scribes are relevant costs, since they will be eliminated in the future if management buys the printing press. However, the cost of corporate overhead is not a relevant cost, since it will not change as a result of this decision.


Surface tension of water
The materials required for this science fair project:
- 2 beakers
- 400ml distilled water
- A measurement cylinder
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- A cup of rice grains
- 2 pieces of aluminum foil measuring 1cm x 1cm each
- A refrigerator
- A hot plate
- A thermometer
- A hot plate
1. For this science fair project, the independent variable is the salinity of the water and its temperature – 15°C, 25°C, 35°C, 45°C and 55°C. The dependent variable is the weight exerted on the aluminum foil before it sinks. This is determined by gradually adding grains of rice on the surface of the aluminum foil. The constants (control variables) are the size of the aluminum foil, the size of the grains of rice and the room temperature.
2. The 2 beakers are labeled “pure water” and “salt water”. The beakers are each filled with 200ml of distilled water. In the beaker labeled “salt water” 2 tablespoons of salt are added and mixed into the water. The 2 beakers are placed in the refrigerator until the contents in the 2 cups reach 15°C. The beakers are taken out of the refrigerator and the required temperature confirmed using a thermometer.
3. The 1cm x 1cm piece of aluminum foil is made to float on the surface of the water in the beaker labeled “pure water”. The grains of rice are placed one at a time on the aluminum foil until the aluminum foil sinks into the water. The number of rice grains placed on the foil is recorded and the results shown in the table below.
4. Procedure 3 is repeated with the beaker labeled “salt water” and the results recorded in the table below.
5. The 2 beakers are brought to a room temperature of 25°C and Procedure 3 is repeated on these 2 beakers. The results recorded in the table below.
6. The 2 beakers are then placed on a hot plate and heated to temperatures 35°C, 45°C and 55°C. Procedures 3 and 4 are repeated at each required temperature level and the results recorded in the table below.
None


Anxiety and ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, often are co-existing conditions. ADHD is a psychological condition. The main symptoms are: inattention, distractibility, impulsiveness and hyperactivity.
While ADHD was once considered a childhood disorder, it is now known that ADHD continues through adulthood and many adults still struggle with symptoms. ADHD impacts many aspects of life, not just school. When ADHD symptoms carry over through adulthood, work and career is...


A Mentor Is:
At Kinship of the Park Rapids Area we match volunteer adult partners with a child who shares common interests. They are encouraged to spend time together each week doing activities they both enjoy. Some mentors meet with their youth at the same time each week, while others prefer a more flexible schedule. Being a reliable friend the child can count on is a cornerstone of mentoring.
Mentors can be individuals, couples or families. We offer mentor screening, training and ongoing support throughout the partnership. Volunteering only a few hours a month can change a young person’s life.
Studies have shown that most children and youth will experience at least some of the following benefits if they are engaged in a long-term, positive mentoring relationship:
The benefits of mentoring go both ways. Mentors report that their mentoring experience improves their lives in meaningful ways.
A "


The results of the first nine months for the U.S. property and casualty market were recently released indicating a U.S. property and casualty market with near-record capacity, a large drop in CAT losses compared to the prior year, and a combined ratio of 102.2, down from 110.5 the prior year. While investment gains were still lacking, overall, the figures indicated that the industry’s balance sheet is strong. However, Superstorm Sandy’s effect is not included in these results.
This report shares insights from Lockton experts about the happenings in the market including pain points, overall trends, and Superstorm Sandy’s effect. Special sections on the construction industry and California are included.


BACKGROUND: The inbred mouse strain BTBR T+ tf/J (BTBR) exhibits behavioral deficits that mimic the core deficits of autism. Neuroanatomically, the BTBR strain is also characterized by a complete absence of the corpus callosum. The goal of this study was to identify novel molecular and cellular changes in the BTBR mouse, focusing on neuronal, synaptic, glial and plasticity markers in the limbic system as a model for identifying putative molecular and cellular substrates associated with autistic behaviors.
METHODS: Forebrains of 8 to 10-week-old male BTBR and age-matched C57Bl/6J control mice were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using free-floating and paraffin embedded sections. Twenty antibodies directed against antigens specific to neurons, synapses and glia were used. Nissl, Timm and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) stains were performed to assess cytoarchitecture, mossy fibers and cholinergic fiber density, respectively. In the hippocampus, quantitative stereological estimates for the mitotic marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) were performed to determine hippocampal progenitor proliferation, survival and differentiation, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA was quantified by in situ hybridization. Quantitative image analysis was performed for NG2, doublecortin (DCX), NeuroD, GAD67 and Poly-Sialic Acid Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (PSA-NCAM).
RESULTS: In midline structures including the region of the absent corpus callosum of BTBR mice, the myelin markers 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and myelin basic protein (MBP) were reduced, and the oligodendrocyte precursor NG2 was increased. MBP and CNPase were expressed in small ectopic white matter bundles within the cingulate cortex. Microglia and astrocytes showed no evidence of gliosis, yet orientations of glial fibers were altered in specific white-matter areas. In the hippocampus, evidence of reduced neurogenesis included significant reductions in the number of doublecortin, PSA-NCAM and NeuroD immunoreactive cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, and a marked reduction in the number of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) positive progenitors. Furthermore, a significant and profound reduction in BDNF mRNA was seen in the BTBR dentate gyrus. No significant differences were seen in the expression of AchE, mossy fiber synapses or immunoreactivities of microtubule-associated protein MAP2, parvalbumin and glutamate decarboxylase GAD65 or GAD67 isoforms.
CONCLUSIONS: We documented modest and selective alterations in glia, neurons and synapses in BTBR forebrain, along with reduced neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus. Of all markers examined, the most distinctive changes were seen in the neurodevelopmental proteins NG2, PSA-NCAM, NeuroD and DCX. Our results are consistent with aberrant development of the nervous system in BTBR mice, and may reveal novel substrates to link callosal abnormalities and autistic behaviors. The changes that we observed in the BTBR mice suggest potential novel therapeutic strategies for intervention in autism spectrum disorders.


"Methyl Bromide and Alternatives: Past, Present, and Future" to be held May 11-13.
Manhattan, Kan. — The Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., is hosting the third and final workshop titled, "Methyl Bromide and Alternatives: Past, Present, and Future" on May 11-13, at the International Grains Program and Conference Center.
The state-of-the-art Hal Ross Flour Mill, adjacent to the conference center, will be fumigated with methyl bromide during this workshop. The workshop is limited to 50 participants and the registration cost is $150 per person. This workshop is part of a larger effort by Kansas State University, Purdue University, USDA-ARS Center for Grain and Animal Health Research (CGAHR) and industry stakeholders to improve the structural fumigation process and advance the adoption of methyl bromide alternatives. This workshop is part of a research and technology transfer project supported by a grant from USDA to compare cost-effectiveness of three structural treatments: methyl bromide, sulfuryl fluoride, and heat treatment.
This is the first notice to hold the date. Additional workshop details will be available by visiting www.oznet.ksu.edu/grsc_subi.
Two previous workshops on methyl bromides alternatives were held in May and August of 2009 and information presented at these workshops is available at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/grsc_subi/Conference/confrence.htm.
For further information, please contact Michelle Hartzer (mkaczmar@k-state.edu) or Bh. Subramanyam (sbhadrir@k-state.edu) at Kansas State University.


Renewable Energy Portfolio Compliance
The Energy Independence Act, known as Initiative 937, was approved by voters in 2006. It requires state electric utilities serving 25,000 or more customers to obtain at least 15 percent of their electricity from new renewable resources by 2020 and undertake all cost-effective energy conservation.
For energy conservation, I-937 requires each covered utility to identify its achievable, cost-effective conservation potential over a 10-year period, starting in 2010-2011. Utilities must update those assessments at least every two years.
Seattle City Light is meeting or exceeding each of these requirements.
For 2010-2011, City Light's energy conservation target was 172,397 megawatt-hours. City Light achieved 267,813 megawatt-hours of energy savings, exceeding the target by 55 percent.
On the new renewable energy front, City Light has contracts in place to meet I-937's escalating requirements through 2019, measured in terms of renewable energy credits. One credit is created for every megawatt-hour of new, renewable energy produced. In 2020, City Light's target rises to 1,609,000 renewable energy credits. City Light has 836,000 renewable energy credits in place for 2020 and has eight years before that deadline to acquire the rest.
For more details, you can read a copy of City Light's compliance report, which was submitted to the Washington Department of Commerce.
2012 I-937 Compliance Report


The market for cider/perry in the Netherlands is growing largely thanks to high profile advertising campaigns from large manufacturers. Cider/perry is praised by Dutch consumers due to the fresh taste and lower abv content formulas, meeting the rising demand for drinks with healthier appeal. Cider/perry is benefiting from the higher interest in non-alcoholic beer, as manufacturers are promoting alternatives to traditional alcoholic drinks.
Euromonitor International's Cider/Perry in Netherlands report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data (2007-2011), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they legislative, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2016 illustrate how the market is set to change.
Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.
Why buy this report? * Get a detailed picture of the Cider/Perry market;
* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
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Click for Report details:Cider/Perry in the Netherlands - Market Research Report


Following is a draft of the abstract I am working on for a poster I will propose to present at the 2013 Human Biology Association meeting in Knoxville, TN (yay, I can drive there!). Feedback is welcome.
The psychophysiology of fireside relaxation. CD Lynn. Department of Anthropology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.The importance of fire in human evolutionary history is widely acknowledged but the extent of that role is not fully explored. Fires involve flickering light, crackling sounds, warmth, and a distinctive smell. For early humans, fire may have extended the day, provided heat, helped with hunting, warded off predators and insects, illuminated dark places, and facilitated cooking. Recent scholars have proposed that campfires also provided a social nexus and relaxation effect that could have enhanced prosocial behavior (e.g., McClenon 2006; Wilson 2012; Wrangham 2009). According to this hypothesis, calmer, more socially tolerant people would have been advantaged via the necessity of fireside interactions relative to individuals less susceptible to fireside relaxation. In this study, I test the presupposition that the properties of a campfire are universally relaxing. Using a randomized crossover design, blood pressure, skin conductance, and EEG data were collected from 134 adults from Tuscaloosa, AL with respect to viewing a muted digital fire, a digital fire with sound, and a blank computer screen for 5 minutes each. Student’s t statistic was used for within-subject comparisons of the degree of change in blood pressure from pre- to post-test among conditions. ANOVA was used to test between-subject influences on skin conductance and alpha/theta brain wave ratios. Preliminary results indicate that simultaneously watching and listening to a fire influences the greatest relaxation response while the control condition influences the least. These findings have significant contemporary applications, as understanding the psychophysiological influences of fire may “shed light” on our species’ captivation with television and other similarly multi-sensory phenomena.


When the church bell is rung for a funeral, said poet John Donne, don't ask who it's tolling for. Instead recognize how human mortality is shared by all. The bell tolls for thee.
Some of us who have been the loss of job or career ordeal might have thought that the bell was tolling for us today. Recently discharged from his job at Accent Signage Systems, Andrew Engeldinger returned to his former place of employment. He killed the owner, three others, and himself.
The tragic reality in capitalist America is that we are our jobs. The dirty little secret had been that when we don't have one our thinking narrows into a binary pattern: Suicide or murder. That's not so secret any more.
Suppose someone, anyone had reached out to Engeldinger. It could have been a simple phrase such as "The hell with them." Yet, the human tendency, particularly in this era of fear of losing how we make our living, is to distance ourselves. Maybe we should heed the sentiment that the bell tolls for us. If we reach out to help we will be more willing to look for it and get it when our own career implosion happens.


Initially, the building principal is certain to assume a strong leadership role in launching the RTI initiative. As with all school improvement initiatives, principal leadership and support are necessary for success.
When launching an RTI initiative, schools typically form a small, school-based team to support the principal in planning and providing leadership for the RTI initiative. In this Action Tool we refer to this team as the RTI Leadership Planning Team, although it has been called by other names (e.g., RTI School Improvement Team, RTI Team, etc.). The challenge is to select team members who not only represent various school constituencies, but also possess skills and knowledge relevant to RTI.


When is the best time to replace a broken clematis trellis? The amount of pruning you'll need to do depends on how entwined your clematis and trellis have become. Ideally, you can untangle the clematis while it's dormant, then replace the trellis and tie the vine onto the new support. But untangling a twining vine can be frustrating and time-consuming. If it's too much of a headache, prune your plant as severely as necessary to remove it from the support. Do so while the plant is dormant. Severe pruning may remove next year's flowers if the clematis is a spring bloomer. But it should send out new shoots from the base that will bloom nicely the following year. If the trellis has broken during the growing season, consider propping up the trellis with supplemental stakes or supports to get through the year until the proper pruning time.
Community Answers 0


Artikel Chestpain in primary care: a systematic research programme to support guideline development Suche in Medline nach Autoren Veröffentlicht: 10. Juli 2012
Gliederung Background: Chest pain is a frequent complaint in primary care practice. In a minority of only 10–15% of cases it is caused by coronary heart disease (CHD). However, general practitioners (GPs) must diagnose these patients accurately and refer if needed. The guideline has as its objective to support GPs’ decision making in this area. The emphasis is on history taking and physical examination.Methods: We designed a research programme to inform guideline development. This included a qualitative study to explore actual reasoning of GPs regarding chest pain and the identification of serious illness; three cross-sectional studies of patients with chest pain in primary care (overall n=2500 patients); a conventional systematic review and one based on individual patient data; a practice test with qualitative and quantitative methods.Results: Our research programme in cooperation with national and international partners improved the evidence base of recommendations considerably. A simple decision tool, the Marburg Heart Score, was developed and validated in two independent samples. Several traditional items of the history were shown not to discriminate between CHD and less serious aetiologies.Conclusion: Clinical diagnosis is topic of considerable complexity for guideline developers. Often the evidence base is poor. A focused research programme can inform guideline development. However, this requires sufficient resources including time.


I was smug for a while, but I kept reading and researching. Eventually I learned just how much I hadn't yet learned and the smug went away. The one thing I 'know' (and even this might be wrong) is that no one actuallyknowsanything about nutrition or how any of this works. It's all theory and guess work and trial and error. I think I've found what works for me, but I'm still tinkering and tweaking. Okay. Maybe I'm still a little smug.


Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole. Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 20 20ditions for the reasons described in the previous section. Lost RevenueIncreased air pollutant emissions also occur when a parkingcustomer is forced to circulate within a parking facility while Constrained parking generally results in lost airport rev-searching for an available space. enue. For example, a missed revenue opportunity occurs for When airline passengers shift from parking to pickup and every parking customer that chooses to (1) shift from the pub-drop-off by private automobile, taxicab, or single-party lim- lic parking supply in favor of other modes, (2) downgrade to aousine, the increased vehicle trips resulting from this mode remote facility at which a lower rate is charged, or (3) move toshift generate more vehicle emissions on the airport and a privately operated off-airport parking facility.within the region than would be the case if these airline pas-sengers parked for the duration of their trips. However, if the Potential Diversion to Other Airportsvehicle used in the drop-off and pickup mode generates lowervehicle emissions as the result of cleaner fuel technology than Data from the stated preference survey conducted as part ofthe vehicle that would have been parked, then the net change this research project indicate that constrained parking is not ain emissions generated should be considered. primary reason for airline passengers choosing one airport For shifts from airline passengers parking for the duration over another in an airport system. The primary reasons airlineof their trips to HOV modes, the vehicle emissions generated passengers choose one airport over another in a competingshould decrease. In this case, the effect of constrained park- airport system are the availability of direct flights to a desireding may have a positive effect on vehicle emissions. destination, the price of airline tickets, and flight travel time.Increased Costs Airport Employee Retention Constrained parking conditions often require increased Airport employees are vital to the operation of an airport.management on the part of the airport operator (or its park- One of the challenges airport employers face in recruiting anding operator) to direct parking customers from a temporarily retaining employees is the availability of viable commute alter-closed facility to an open facility or to actively assist customers natives to the private automobile that accommodate workin finding an available space within a constrained facility. This schedules. This is particularly true for part-time and temporaryincreased management results in increased labor costs. When workers. Therefore, commute options to the airport must betemporary overflow facilities are opened to accommodate convenient compared to commute options to other employ-excess parking demand, additional labor and operational costs ment centers, such as a downtown area that is well served bywill be incurred, including busing costs associated with opera- public transportation. If the employee parking supply is con-tion of remote overflow lots and the costs associated with rev- strained and the alternatives to driving do not accommodateenue collection, if applicable. Transportation will be required work schedules or represent a significant time penalty com-between the terminal area and the overflow facility until the pared to driving, airport employers will have a difficult timedriver of the last parked automobile returns from his or her trip. recruiting and retaining employees.


Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), a leading U.S. warehouse club operator, recently posted salesdata for the four-week period ended May 27, 2012. However, salesfell short of analysts' expectations as unfavorable foreigncurrencies fluctuation remained a drag. Moreover, sales for themonth were also adversely affected by deflation in gasolineprices.
The company will sustain its sales momentum as it moves furtherinto 2012. After a 4% increase in April, Costco'scomparable-store sales for the month of May climbed by a similarpercentage, reflecting comparable sales growth of 5% at its U.S.locations and 3% at its international divisions. In the prior-yearperiod, the company delivered comparable-store sales growth of13%.
For the 39-week period ended May 27, 2012, the companyregistered comparable-store sales growth of 7%, with U.S. andinternational sales also rising by an equivalent percentage.
Excluding the effects of gasoline prices and foreign currenciesfluctuation, Costco's comparable-store sales for May climbed 6%,with U.S. and international comparable sales increasing 5% and 8%,respectively. For the 39-week period, the company registeredcomparable-store sales growth of 7%, with U.S. sales rising 6% andinternational sales climbing 9%.
Total net sales for May jumped 7% to $7.67 billion from $7.14billion in the same month last year. For the 39-week period, salesincreased 10% to $71.28 billion from $64.75 billion in the sameperiod last year.
Costco continues to be a dominant retail wholesaler based on thebreadth and quality of merchandises it offers. The company'sstrategy to sell products at heavily discounted prices has helpedit to sustain growth amidst beleaguered economic conditions, ascash-strapped customers continue to reckon Costco as a viableoption for low-cost necessities. Having delivered consistentcomparable-store sales growth, Costco is well positioned in thewarehouse club industry.
Consumers seeking discounts started flocking to warehouse clubs,leading to improved sales of discretionary items. Consequently,Costco witnessed high single-digit growth in the top line duringthe third quarter of 2012, which subsequently led to an increase inthe bottom line.
Costco's third quarter earnings of 88 cents a share beat theZacks Consensus Estimate by a penny, and increased 20.5% from 73cents earned in the prior-year period. Total revenue, whichincludes net sales and membership fee, climbed 8.2% to $22,324million from the prior-year quarter, and handily surpassed theZacks Consensus Estimate of $22,072 million. However, Costco faces stiff competition fromTarget Corporation (TGT) and Sam's Club, a division ofWal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), which follows a similar business model that pushes through highvolumes of merchandise at low prices in membership-only warehouseclubs. Thus, aggressive pricing to gain market share and drivetraffic amid stiff competition may depress sales and margins.
Costco currently operates 602 warehouses, which include 435 inthe United Statesand Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 inthe United Kingdom, 13 in Japan, 8 in Taiwan, 7 in Korea and 3 inAustralia. The company plans to open 6 more new warehouses duringthe remainder of fiscal2012.
Going by the pulse of the economy, we believe thatbudget-constrained consumers will remain watchful on their spendingand look for discounts. Consequently, we could see more competitivepricing, compelling products and innovative ways to attractshoppers.
Given the pros and cons, we maintain our long-term Neutralrecommendation on the stock. However, Costco holds a Zacks #3 Rankthat translates into a short-term Hold rating.
COSTCO WHOLE CP (COST): Free Stock AnalysisReport To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks InvestmentResearch


Institution
f@herth.net
Source
Eur Respir J 2002 Oct; 20(4) :972-4.Abstract
Transbronchial biopsy (TBBX) for peripheral lung lesions is usually performed with the help of fluoroscopy, but the yield varies widely. This feasibility study aimed to assess the ability of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) to provide imaging guidance for TBBX. In a prospective study, 50 consecutive patients referred for TBBX for peripheral lesions underwent fluoroscopy-guided and EBUS-guided TBBX in random order. Diagnostic yields were compared for both modalities and feasibility was assessed for EBUS. Diagnostic material was obtained in 80% of patients with EBUS and 76% of patients with fluoroscopy. There was a nonsignificant trend for EBUS to be better than fluoroscopy for lesions <3 cm in diameter. Four lesions could not be visualised with EBUS. There were no significant complications associated with the use of EBUS. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy is feasible. It appears to be at least equivalent to fluoroscopy without the accompanying radiation exposure. Further large-scale studies are indicated to assess the possible role of endobronchial ultrasound as a potential imaging method of choice for the biopsy of peripheral lung lesions.
Mesh
AdultAgedAged, 80 and overBiopsy, NeedleBronchoscopesCross-Over StudiesDiagnosis, DifferentialEndosonographyFeasibility StudiesFemaleFluoroscopyHumansLung NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesSensitivity and SpecificitySolitary Pulmonary NoduleLanguage
eng
Pub Type(s)
Clinical Trial Comparative Study Journal Article Randomized Controlled Trial
PubMed ID
12412691


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Ben Shneiderman's book dramatically raises computer users' expectations of what they should get from technology. He opens their eyes to new possibilities and invites them to think freshly about future technology. He challenges developers to build products that better support human needs and that are usable at any bandwidth. Shneiderman proposes Leonardo da Vinci as an inspirational muse for the "new computing." He wonders how Leonardo would use a laptop and what applications he would create.Shneiderman shifts the focus from what computers can do to what users can do. A key transformation is to what he calls "universal usability," enabling participation by young and old, novice and expert, able and disabled. This transformation would empower those yearning for literacy or coping with their limitations. Shneiderman proposes new computing applications in education, medicine, business, and government. He envisions a World Wide Med that delivers secure patient histories in local languages at any emergency room and thriving million-person communities for e-commerce and e-government. Raising larger questions about human relationships and society, he explores the computer's potential to support creativity, consensus-seeking, and conflict resolution. Each chapter ends with a Skeptic's Corner that challenges assumptions about trust, privacy, and digital divides.


This article presents the challenges that an engineer might encounter when designing or scaling up bioprocesses and offers practical solutions, including those cited in literature.
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Research Projects Project at a Glance
Title: Economic impacts of alternatives to open-field burning of agricultural residues. Principal Investigator / Author(s): Moss, Steven J Contractor: Foster Associates Contract Number: A132-121 Topic Areas: Agriculture, ImpactsAbstract: This report relied upon field interviews, existing analytical data, and the development of a computable general equilibrium model to investigate the economic implications of policies limiting the ability of almond, rice, walnut, and wheat growers to burn their crop residues. Through this investigation it was determined that, in the face of a straw residue burning phase-down, the majority of rice and wheat growers would soil-incorporate their straw with minimal economic disruption. However, if such a practice results in significant yield reductions, noticeable individual and regional economic impacts would be engendered. Almond and walnut growers cannot soil-incorporate their residues without significant changes to production practices. Given the limited economically feasible methods of disposing of residues off-site, a prohibition on almond and walnut residue burning could create substantial economic and technical difficulties for these growers.
For questions regarding research reports, contact: Heather Choi at (916) 322-3893
Stay involved, sign up with ARB's Research Email Listserver


The summaries are free for public
use. The Chronic Liver Disease
Foundation will continue to add and
archive summaries of articles deemed
relevant to CLDF by the Board of
Trustees and its Advisors.
Abstract Details
A simple method to measure antibody affinity against the hepatitis B surface antigen using a routine quantitative system
Liu H, Han Y, Wang B. J Virol Methods. 2011 Feb 21. [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to establish a simple method to measure antibody affinity to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) by using a routine quantitative system to explore the significance of anti-HBs affinity. Serum samples of hepatitis B patients who had been discharged from the hospital were collected at the time of re-examination. The 60 patients with resolved HBV infection were divided into two groups based on the serological markers measured in the samples: an anti-HBs group (anti-HBs-only positive) and an anti-HBs positive with anti-HBc group. The serum samples were diluted prior to the measurement of total anti-HBs by using a commercial assay with the AxSYM device. The total anti-HBs (mIU/mL) of all dilutions were measured, and the positive data (>10mIU/mL) were transformed into logarithmic values (lgU). The relative affinity of anti-HBs was calculated and derived from the mass action formula. The absolute value of (lgU(1) - lgU(2)) positively correlated with the antibody affinity. The results indicated that affinity of anti-HBs in the samples obtained from the anti-HBs-alone positive group was statistically higher than that of the other group (P<0.05), though no significant difference was noted in regard to the total antibody activity (P>0.05). This simple approach to measurement of anti-HBs antibody affinity may serve as a new tool in clinical laboratories and contribute to the management of patients with hepatitis B.


If you download this publication you may also be interested in these:Towards mutually beneficial partnership in outgrower schemes Lessons learned from Indonesia FAORome, ItalyOutgrower scheme initiatives in Indonesia have occured particularly in response to rapid changes in the sociopolitical situation in Indonesia. This situation has influenced forestry platnation industries to practice more socially oriented management in daily operations, and also in the same time as a way to secure company wood supplies. Despite the emerging private initiatives on outgrower schemes, companies do not generally have clear idea on the mechanisms that would work best in the field and to what extent participatory approaches could be used in ensuring a full commitment from landowner/tree grower partners whithout jeopardizing the companies' economic pronciple of cost efficiency. This study intends to provide comprehensive understanding to the private timber plantation companies, or to those implementing outgrower schemes, or to those who wish to initiate feasible outgrower schemes by considering the expectations from small-scale tree grower partners.
Topic: forest plantations, partnerships, social impact, economic impact, conferencesGeographic: IndonesiaBook Source: Nawir, A.A., Anyonge, C.H., Race, D., Vermeulen, S.(eds.). Towards equitable partnerships between corporate and smallholder partners: relating partnerships to social, economic and environmental indicatorsPages: 117-144Publisher: FAO, Rome, ItalyPublication Year: 2003Language: EnglishRelated publications


Moving through your day, try considering your contributions as offerings -- particularly the little things that are easy to overlook, such as the laundry, courteous driving, or saying thanks. When you relate to everyday actions as offerings, you feel an intimacy with the world.
A five-word question changed how I will see the world forever. Do I have food? It wasn't a question about eating. It wasn't about the credit card bill. It was a question about me. It was a question I needed to hear. That question transformed an experiment into a life lesson.


Susan Hasty, Publisher
Table of Contents . . . April 9th, 2006
Adverse Drug Reaction - U.S. FDA web site warns of risk of cardiovascular adverse reactions from methylphenidate
Angiology - Findings in angiology provide new insights
Angiology - New data illuminates research in angiology
Angiology - Recent findings illuminate research in angiology
Anorexia & Heart Abnormalities - Girls with anorexia nervosa show structural and functional cardiac abnormalities
Atherosclerosis - Intraluminal aortic manipulation dislodges embolic material
Atherosclerosis - New findings in atherosclerosis described
Atherosclerosis - Researchers' findings advance atherosclerosis research
Biomedical Engineering - Magnetic navigation system for PCI in complex coronary lesions may become useful adjunct
Breast Cancer - Potential use of COX inhibitors in breast cancer evaluated
Cardiac Surgery - Women's high heart-surgery death rate may be due to infection
Cardiology - Findings describe new data in cardiology research
Cardiology - New findings in the area of cardiology described
Cardiology - New findings in the area of cardiology detailed
Cardiology - New research in the area of cardiology detailed
Cardiology - Recent findings in cardiology provide new insights
Cardiology - Reports add new data to cardiology research
Cardiology - Research in cardiology provides new insights
Cardiology - Studies describe new findings in cardiology research
Cardiovascular Disease - Aldosterone excess has a negative impact on glucose metabolism
Cardiovascular Disease - Cardiovascular mortality correlates with obesity in younger men more than in older men
Cardiovascular Disease - Don't become another statistic: Protect your heart by getting a cholesterol test
Cardiovascular Disease - Recent findings in cardiovascular disease provide new insights
Cardiovascular Disease - Researchers provide details of new studies and findings in the area of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular Procedures - Enhanced external counterpulsation reported to reduce angina
Cardiovascular Research - Adenosine- and hypoxia-induced dilation of coronary arteries does not involve KATP channel
Cardiovascular Research - Atrial fibrillation from pulmonary veins may be linked to hyperactive autonomic ganglia
Cardiovascular Research - Extravascular pressure modulates rat coronary artery responses to vasodilator stimuli
Cardiovascular Research - Hemorrhagic shock survival improved with delta opioid pretreatment in rat model
Cardiovascular Research - Higher optimism levels associated with lower risk of cardiovascular death
Cardiovascular Research - Lipid embolization after cardiac surgery is a phenomenon not restricted to brain
Cardiovascular Research - Reduced coronary vascular reactivity is linked to lower functional capacity in women
Cardiovascular Research - TGen survey releases survey data on cardiovascular health of Avondale, Arizona, residents
Cardiovascular Risk Factors - Type 1 diabetes should have early cardiovascular disease risk detection and prevention
Chagas Disease - Night blindness is a new clinical symptom of Chagas disease
Clinical Trials - Acusphere completes enrollment in first of two phase III AI-700 trials
Colorectal Cancer - Venous thromboembolic events linked to breast and colorectal carcinoma diagnoses
Complementary & Alternative Medicine - Patients on statins may benefit from additional LDL-cholesterol lowering with plant sterols
Coronary Artery Bypass - Studies add new findings to coronary artery bypass body of knowledge
Coronary Artery Disease - Diagnosing coronary disease in women may require different clinical approach than in men
Coronary Artery Disease - Oxidation and glycation enhanced LDL effects on PAI-1 production in ECs
Diabetes & Heart Disease - Diabetes epidemic could erase reductions in deaths, hospitalizations due to heart disease
Diabetes & Stroke - Diabetes and stroke risk management should include multifactorial intervention
Diabetes Complications - ACE inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor antagonist attenuates diabetic neuropathy
Diabetes Complications - Cardiac lipoprotein lipase influence on diabetic heart disease is reviewed
Diabetes Complications - Heart rate variation raises cardiovascular complication risk in diabetics with nephropathy
Diabetes Complications - Heterogeneity of neointimal distribution after bare metal stenting increased complications
Diabetes Complications - Nicorandil before reperfusion on AMI patients with stress hyperglycemia improves outcome
Diabetes Complications - Triacylglycerol turnover kinetics indicate compartmented lipid storage
Diabetes Epidemiology - GST gene variant is linked to elevated inflammation markers and lipid peroxidation in DM
Diabetes Pathogenesis - Fibrinolytic activity is not adversely affected by type 1 diabetes
Diagnostics - Ergonovine test can diagnose vasospastic angina
Diet & Nutrition - Flaxseed is promising for dietary manipulation of hyperlipidemia
Diet & Nutrition - LifeGuard Health introduces Omega-Cardio nationwide
Diet & Nutrition - McNeil Nutritionals suggests small steps towards better nutrition and health
Disease Associations - Researchers' findings advance disease associations research
Drug Development - Ambrisentan ARIES-2 data to be presented at Thoracic Society meeting
Drug Development - Cubicin receives positive outcome from U.S. FDA committee, reports Cubist
Drug Development - Vascular disorders may profit from sphingosine-1-phosphate therapy
Echocardiography - New research in the area of echocardiography detailed
Echocardiography - Recent findings in echocardiography described
Electrocardiography - Recent findings in electrocardiography provide new insights
Environmental Health - Admissions for congestive heart failure are linked to increased particulate air pollution
Environmental Health - Researchers report details of new studies and findings in the area of environmental health
Estrogen & Heart Disease - Study of early estrogen's effect on heart disease similar to WHI findings
Genetics & Genomics - APM1 gene influences adiponectin plasma levels
Genetics & Genomics - New findings in the area of genetics & genomics detailed
Genetics & Genomics - Researchers' data advance genetics & genomics research
Genetics & Genomics - Researchers' findings advance genetics & genomics research
Head & Neck Cancer - Head and neck cancer treated by amifostine therapy combined with radiotherapy
Head & Neck Cancer - U.S. FDA approves ERBITUX (Cetuximab) for treatment of head and neck cancer
Health Psychology - Vascular reactivity to perceived racism was explored in Black women
Heart Disease - Researchers fight heart disease with pacing pigs
Heart Disease & Diabetes - hs-CRP was an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease deaths in type 2 diabetics
Heart Transplantation - TransMedics announces initiation trial for system to support beating heart transplant
Hypertension - Findings in hypertension provide new insights
Hypertension - Recent findings illuminate research in hypertension
Hypertension - Recent findings in hypertension described
Hypertension - Research in hypertension provides new insights
Information Technology - SunTech Medical launches interpretive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring software
Kidney Disease - Studies advance knowledge in kidney disease research
Medical Devices - Abiomed shows circulatory support devices at cardiology meeting
Medical Devices - Biosensors' Axxion DES shows positive results in European study
Medical Devices - Large tube section is the key to successful coronary thrombus aspiration
Medical Devices - Merit Medical introduces stiffened dilator mini access kit, S-MAK
Medical Devices - Recent findings in medical devices provide new insights
Mergers & Acquisitions - Cardium acquires InnerCool Therapies, a provider of therapeutic hypothermia systems
Mergers & Acquisitions - Covalent enters into combination agreement with Remedium Oy
Mergers & Acquisitions - Royal Philips Electronics to acquire Witt Biomedical Corporation
Metabolic Syndrome - Metabolic syndrome frequency appears to increase throughout menopausal transition
Myocardial Infarction - In postinfarction left ventricular modeling, angiotensin II 1 and 2 receptors are intertwined
Myocardial Infarction - Post-infarction inflammatory response, early LV remodeling are adversely affected by aging
Myocardial Infarction - Researchers reveal secrets of success in the rapid treatment of heart attacks
Myocardial Ischemia - Myocardial ischemia improved after treatment with proangiogenic gene therapy
Obesity Complications - Higher BMI is related to right ventricular dysfunction severity in obese and overweight
Obesity Diagnostics - Visceral fat measurement is assessed for ability to predict cardiovascular disease risk
Obesity Epidemic - Poll finds obesity epidemic continues to worsen in the United States
Obesity Pathogenesis - Metabolic syndrome raises CO production to promote hypertension and endothelial dysfunction
Personnel - Charles Mathews joins Lpath board of directors
Pharmaceutical Research - Fenofibrate plus candesartan improves endothelial function and reduces inflammatory markers
Renal Disease - Inflammation in renal disease is focus of review
Stem Cell Research - Embryonic stem-like cells from canine blastocytes isolated and characterized
Stem Cell Research - LifeStem notes significant progress in using stem cells to treat heart disease
Surgical Technology - For coronary bifurcation lesions, side-access stent proves successful
Surgical Technology - New research in the area of surgical technology detailed
Surgical Technology - Primary aortic co-arctation stenting shows excellent clinical, angiographic outcomes
Surgical Technology - Recent findings in surgical technology provide new insights
Telemedicine - Wireless ECG data recorder integrated into shirt
Thyroid Function - Low serum thyrotropin is associated with high plasma fibrinogen
Tissue Engineering - Man-made heart tissue improves cardiac performance
Transitional Cell Cancer - Transitional cell cancer treated by cisplatin, gemcitabine, and weekly docetaxel
Transplant Medicine - Sheet-shaped myoblast graft implantation improved cardiac performance
NewsRx also is available at LexisNexis, Gale, ProQuest, Factiva, Dialog, Thomson Reuters, NewsEdge, and Dow Jones.


Bupa International has published two new health
guides for expatriates in Hong Kong and Singapore. The guides include
information on vaccinations, medical insurance and emergency healthcare.
Expatriates already living in Hong Kong or
Singapore and those who are planning to move to either country can access the
health guides via the Bupa International website.
The Hong Kong health guide discusses vaccinations
and the various infectious diseases that expatriates in Hong Kong may be
susceptible to. For those wondering whether to take anti-malarial medicines
prior to their move, the health guide explains that this is unnecessary, as the
mosquito-transmitted disease is not found in Hong Kong.
However, though malaria is not found in
Singapore, the Singapore health guide suggests that expatriates take measures
to prevent mosquito bites, as dengue fever and chikungunya have both been
reported on the island.
The two health guides also provide information on international health
insurance options that expatriates in Singapore and Hong Kong can benefit from
and give an overview of the healthcare systems in both city-states, such as the
availability of specialist care, the number of hospitals and the nature of
primary care.
International health insurance news: 13 December 2011


Goodness Fact Sheet provides that caffeine is a stimulant that works directly on the brain. It can be transmitted through breast milk and pregnant women are advised to restrict their caffeine intake. It has analgesic properties but also has side effects such as anxiety, nervousness …palpitations. It also increases the heart rate and can provoke emotional reactions. It stimulates the gastric juic...


By Robert Taylor Few opportunities exist to invest in and enhance benefit programs. The past decade has seen significant benefit cost inflation driven by drug costs and newer expensive drug therapies. Although the historical double digit health inflation trend appears to have slowed slightly in the past two years, there remains little appetite to [...]


Terminology
So, which terms do I use? Terminology, particularly as it relates to Indigenous peoples, can be tricky to navigate. A term that might be acceptable to some might be offensive to others. Because of this, many people do not feel confident using certain terms when referring to Aboriginal peoples. Fear of using the "wrong" word should never stifle important dialogue and discussions that need to be had.
By taking a moment to consider the history of certain terms, it is very possible to learn and be comfortable with which words to use in which contexts. We have compiled this guide to help inform your decisions on terminology.
Terms in this section:
First Nations | Inuit | Metis | Indian | Inuit | Indigenous | Native | Peoples (plural) To capitalize or not to capitalize?
Why does terminology matter? The history of relationships between the Canadian state and Aboriginal peoples is complex, and has oftentimes been paternalistic and damaging. As a result, terminology can represent something more than just a word. It can represent certain colonial histories and power dynamics. Terminology can be critical for Indigenous populations, as the term for a group may not have been selected by the population themselves but instead imposed on them by colonizers. With this in mind, one might understand how a term can be a loaded word, used as a powerful method to divide peoples, misrepresent them, and control their identity—what we can see today in Canada with "status" and "non-status Indians," the legally defined categories of people under the Indian Act.
On the other hand, terms can empower populations when the people have the power to self-identify. It is important to recognize the potential these words may hold— but it is also important and very possible to understand these terms well enough to feel confident in using them and creating dialogue. We have included several of these general terms below, although many Aboriginal people may prefer to identify themselves by their specific cultural group. As you will see, the most respectful approach is often to use the most specific term for a population when possible.
The term "Aboriginal" refers to the first inhabitants of Canada, and includes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. This term came into popular usage in Canadian contexts after 1982, when Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution defined the term as such. Aboriginal is also a common term for the Indigenous peoples of Australia. When used in Canada, however, it is generally understood to refer to Aboriginal peoples in a Canadian context. This term is not commonly used in the United States.
“First Nation” is a term used to describe Aboriginal peoples of Canada who are ethnically neither Métis nor Inuit. This term came into common usage in the 1970s and ‘80s and generally replaced the term “Indian,” although unlike “Indian,” the term “First Nation” does not have a legal definition. While “First Nations” refers to the ethnicity of First Nations peoples, the singular “First Nation” can refer to a band, a reserve-based community, or a larger tribal grouping and the status Indians who live in them. For example, the Stó:lō Nation (which consists of several bands), or the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (formerly the Burrard Band).
This term refers to specific groups of people generally living in the far north who are not considered "Indians" under Canadian law.
The term Métis refers to a collective of cultures and ethnic identities that resulted from unions between Aboriginal and European people in what is now Canada.
This term has general and specific uses, and the differences between them are often contentious. It is sometimes used as a general term to refer to people of mixed ancestry, whereas in a legal context, "Métis" refers to descendants of specific historic communities. For more on Métis identity, please see our section on Métis identity.
The term "Indian" refers to the legal identity of a First Nations person who is registered under the Indian Act . The term "Indian" should be used only when referring to a First Nations person with status under the Indian Act , and only within its legal context. Aside from this specific legal context, the term "Indian" in Canada is considered outdated and may be considered offensive due to its complex and often idiosyncratic colonial use in governing identity through this legislation and a myriad of other distinctions (i.e., "treaty" and "non-treaty," etc.). In the United States, however, the term "American Indian" and "Native Indian" are both in current and common usage.
You may also hear some First Nations people refer to themselves as "Indians." While there are many reasons for an individual to self-identify as such, this may be a deliberate act on their part to position and present themselves as someone who is defined by federal legislation.
"Indian Band" is also a legal term under the Indian Act to denote a grouping of status Indians. (For more information on this, see our section on bands.)
Indigenous is a term used to encompass a variety of Aboriginal groups. It is most frequently used in an international, transnational, or global context. This term came into wide usage during the 1970s when Aboriginal groups organized transnationally and pushed for greater presence in the United Nations (UN). In the UN, "Indigenous" is used to refer broadly to peoples of long settlement and connection to specific lands who have been adversely affected by incursions by industrial economies, displacement, and settlement of their traditional territories by others. For more on how this term was developed, please see our section on global actions.
"Native" is a general term that refers to a person or thing that has originated from a particular place. The term "native" does not denote a specific Aboriginal ethnicity (such as First Nation, Métis, or Inuit). In the United States, the term "Native American" is in common usage to describe Aboriginal peoples. In Canada, the term "Aboriginal" or "Indigenous" is generally preferred to "Native." Some may feel that "native" has a negative connotation and is outdated. This term can also be problematic in certain contexts, as some non-Aboriginal peoples born in a settler state may argue that they, too, are "native."
Is it okay to say "native"?
While "native" is generally not considered offensive, it may still hold negative connotations for some. Because it is a very general, overarching term, it does not account for any distinctiveness between various Aboriginal groups. If you are referencing a specific group, it is generally considered more respectful to use another term that more specifically denotes which peoples you are referring to.
However, "native" is still commonly used. Many people find it to be a convenient term that encompasses a wide range of populations. When wanting to use a general term in the Canadian context, one might prefer the use of the term "Aboriginal."
The plural “peoples” recognizes that more than one distinct group comprises the Aboriginal population of Canada. For example, “Aboriginal people” (singular) might mean each Aboriginal individual, whereas “Aboriginal peoples” (plural) indicates a number of separate Aboriginal populations.
There is no official consensus on when to capitalize certain terms. Some people consider capitalization a sign of respect to the people you are referring to. Therefore, it may not be necessary to capitalize when using the term as an adjective and not in direct reference to a population. (For example, consider, “She is a native to the area” to “She is Native American” or even, “She is Native.”)
Perhaps the term with the most definite capitalization “rule” is “Indian,” as it is a legal entity enforced by the Canadian government.
Ultimately, style guides have not created strict guidelines. As a result, you may find variation depending on your resources. Oftentimes, authors will explain their decision in a preface or a footnote.
pdf printable version


Identification of calprotectin, a calcium binding leukocyte protein, in human dental calculus matrix. Calprotectin is a calcium binding protein produced by leukocytes, macrophages and epithelial cells, and its levels in several tissues increase during infections and in many inflamed areas, suggesting that it may be an indicator of inflammatory activity. Osteopontin is a prominent phosphorylated glycoprotein in bone matrix, having calcium binding capacity. Recently, it has been reported that calprotectin and osteopontin are present in urinary stones (pathological mineralized masses in the body), and that these proteins may be involved in their formation. Dental calculus formed by mineralization of dental plaque is an inflammatory factor which may contribute to periodontal disease. It contains many organic components involved in mineralization. We recently found osteopontin molecules in human dental calculus and suggested that the components of its matrix may be similar to those of urinary stones. In this study, we investigated the presence of calprotectin in human dental calculus by immunohistochemical and immunoblotting analyses using a specific antibody for calprotectin. After fixation and demineralization of dental calculi adhered to tooth roots, sections embedded in paraffin were immunoreacted with the antibody for calprotectin and positive immunostaining for calprotectin was observed. Dental calculus proteins were then extracted with EDTA and separated by electrophoresis on 15% polyacrylamide gels. By immunoblotting analysis, 3 or 4 bands were observed at 11, 14.5, 22-25, 28 or 36.5 kDa and these patterns corresponded to those of calprotectin subunits. When non-immune rabbit serum was used instead of calprotectin-specific antibody as a negative control, no immunoreactivity was observed. These findings indicate that calprotectin is associated not only with antibacterial action but also with calcium binding capacity during dental calculus formation.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1997.tb00545.x
Version: za2963e q8za1 q8zb4 q8zc1 q8zda q8zeb q8zf2 q8zg6


(From PRWEB) -- According to Right Management, 84% of employees saythey plan to look for new jobs in 2011 - up from 60% in 2009. Now,only 5% say they definitely intend to remain in their currentposition. For companies to keep employees from searching elsewhereand to execute on their growth and innovation plans, employers mustfocus on improving employee engagement, a central factor in theperformance and success of organizations.
"Employee engagement is sinking to record lows. For corporations toflourish in this challenging economic climate, it is critical thatthey maintain focus on employee engagement to sustain a thrivingworkforce," said Zack Lemelle, Managing Partner, CorporateEngagement Services, of the Institute for Professional Excellencein Coaching (iPEC). "The key for driving employee engagement isdirectly connected to leadership engagement. Leaders must beprepared, and supported, to fully engage in all aspects of theirposition - not only in driving the typical bottom line results, butalso in building powerful, dynamic teams and a supportiveorganizational culture. Only through a dedicated engagementstrategy for leaders and employees can corporations avoid theconsequence of high-employee turnover that can result in losingtalented workers and the costly training of new staff."
Read more.


Posted by: Stephen Wildstrom on October 19, 2007 It seems a bit ironic that the team from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, a place not known for its sunny blue skies, won the U.S. Energy Dept.’s annual solar decathalon. This year’s competition had 20 university teams from the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Germany, and Spain building ultra-energy-efficient houses on the mall. And it appears that coming from a country where, as the poet Heinrich Heine put it, “summer is a green winter” was no disadvantage.
Congratulations to the men and women of Darmstadt. The University of Maryland placed second and Santa Clara University, in genuinely sunny Silicon Valley, came in third.


As human beings, we're all the same. As individuals, we're different. And different is good, because differences provide us with perspective, and perspective adds depth and breadth to our lives and our work.
That's the definition of diversity. It's everything about us that's the same and everything about us that's different. And at Mount Carmel, we value perspective and appreciate the roles diversity and inclusion play in fulfilling our mission and providing excellent relationship-centered care.
That's why we are dedicated to building an inclusive culture that ensures a diverse and welcoming environment for patients, associates, physicians and suppliers.
Because at Mount Carmel, diversity is all of us, not some of us.


The Incidence of a Firm-Varying Payroll Tax: The Case of Unemployment Insurance In this paper we theoretically and empirically examine the common, but previously unexamined, case of a firm-varying tax which is used to finance a fringe benefit. While we use data from the experience-rated unemployment insurance (UI) system, it is important to realize that differential treatment of firms (such as special considerations for small business) under mandated benefits laws leads to costs which vary across firms and are analogous to experience-rated taxes. We present a theoretical model which highlights the importance of considering this variation in taxes or costs both within and across markets. We examine annual changes in either firm average earnings and employment or individual worker earnings at the same firm. This method removes unmeasured firm and worker characteristics, and thus avoids the omitted variable bias that has plagued past work on incidence and compensating differentials. Our results suggest that most of the market level tax is borne by the worker. However, this does not imply that there are no employment effects of the tax. Rather, we find that individual firms can only pass on a small share of the within market differences in the tax they face, leading to substantial employment reallocation across firms.
Published: Journal of Public Economics as "The effects of firm-specifictaxes and government mandates with an application to the u.s. unemploymentinsurance program", Vol. 65 (August 1997): 119-145.


Your Opinion: Guidelines suggest replacing meat Thursday, February 10, 2011
Dear Editor:
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines released this week by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services are continuing a 30-year trend of recommending replacement of animal products and other fatty foods in our diet with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/). The recommendations reflect widespread concern with the epidemic of obesity and other precursors of killer diseases, particularly among our children.
In a National Public Radio interview, distinguished Harvard University Professor of Public Health Walter Willett complained about the Guidelines’ lack of transparency in failing to call for an outright reduction in meat consumption. He should know.
In 1977, drawing on two years of hearings by the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs chaired by Sen. George McGovern, Willett authored the original “Dietary Goals for the United States.” When the meat industry learned that the report’s key recommendation was to reduce meat consumption, it forced McGovern to destroy all copies of the report and to replace “meat” with “saturated fat.” It then abolished the committee, voted McGovern out of office, and taught government bureaucrats never to challenge meat consumption again.
To this day, “saturated fats” remains a code word for meat, dairy, and eggs.


Herzog agreed that increased reporting will be a key to improving the culture of safety, but he recognized the dangers as well. "We have a genuine professional liability crisis," he said. "On the other hand, there is a demand for increased accountability by the public. If the information we provide is misused, it becomes a lawyers' feast. Our task is to figure out how do we balance those needs and ultimately do it right."


(Cenchrus pauciflorus)
Sandbur – also referred to as Cenchrus spinifex and Coastal Sandbur – is an annual grassy weed. Preferring dry sandy and sandy loam soils, Cenchrus pauciflorus can often be found growing in old fields, sandy flood plains, waste areas and poorly maintained lawns. Sandbur can be found in most parts of the southern half of the United States.
Identifying Sandbur -
Sandbur can be identified as a yellow-green annual grassy weed with a tendency to spread and creep. Its typically grows vertically, but occasionally can form mats. It has a broad collar, sometimes with sparse hairs on the edges and its sheaths are loose and flattened, also with sparse hairs on the edges. Sandbur also has flat blades that are sometimes folded and taper to a point. The upper blades often enclose burs.
Sandbur forms seedheads first appearing around July. Each seedhead is a spike with anywhere from 6 to 20 burs. These spiny burs can be painful to the touch.
Sandbur Control -
Sandbur is an invasive and sometimes noxious weed that can cause injury to domestic and grazing animals, as well as people. This weed is difficult to manage in landscaped areas and typically requires herbicides for removal in lawns and other turfgrass areas.


The Effect of Tibial Varum on the Gait Cycle Fig. B Fig. A The anterior tibialis tendon in (A) eccentrically contracts to decelerate the forefoot during the contact phase of gait.
However, in (B) the anterior tibialis is under excess tractional forces due to excess compensatory pronation, which is required to gain ground contact. This mechanism commonly results in the condition called: anterior tibialis tendonitis (anterior shin splints) and may have a bearing on the development of anterior compartment syndrome.
A. During the gait cycle we notice a lateral inverted heel strike position adopted by the foot as it strikes the ground. This is commonly represented by the natural shoe wear on the outside heel portion of your footwear.The heel strike phase of gait is commonly represented by:
Supination at the subtalar joint Inversion of the calcaneus External tibial rotation Abduction & dorsiflexion of the talus over the calcaneus B. As the tibia internally rotates and adducts the talus over the calcaneus, it causes pronation at the subtalar joint to occur. This increases the transverse distance (T.D.) with internal tibial rotation and causes the calcaneus to evert which allows the talus to plantarflex and decrease vertical distance (V.D.) from the ground. Thus, absorbing shock by lowering the arch and elongating the foot. However, excess pronation causes an extreme increase in transverse (T.D.) rotation and excess unlocking and lowering of the arch structures. Therefore, increasing osseous instability and tractional forces on the soft tissue structures, commonly resulting in injury.


Your rights to return Christmas presents
31 December 2012
Retailers are under no legal obligation to exchange or refund a gift unless:
it was faulty when bought
it is not as described
it is not fit for purpose.
REMEMBER: If you receive a gift which does not fit you properly or you simply do not like it, you have no automatic right to return it. However, most retailers go beyond their legal duty and will therefore provide you with some form of remedy.
If you receive a gift which is faulty, you will be within your rights to take it back and ask for a full refund, as long as you do so within a "reasonable time".
Most retailers offer a 28-day returns policy, but for gifts bought months previously, there is less chance a shop will take it back. If it does, it will probably require proof of purchase such as a gift receipt or, in some circumstances, a credit card or bank statement showing when and where the item was bought.
If you take an unwanted gift back to a store, it is legally allowed to issue you with a credit note, but if the product is faulty or not fit for purpose, it must offer a refund.
GIFTS PURCHASED ONLINE
If you are buying online, you have additional protection alongside anything the retailer offers. Under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, you have seven working days from the date the item was delivered to cancel the order and return the item, even if it is just because you did not like it.
This doesn't apply to all goods – CDs, DVDs and software (where the seal is broken), perishable items and personalised goods are not included.


In a recent article in ict*World, Russell Steyn wrote about the “love triangle in ITIL – configuration management, change management, and release management.” Interesting that this image arises as within the MOF training curriculum, there is a graphic similar to the following one which depicts a triangle between these three service management functions.
To flow through this triangle…
Viewed another way, the following graphic depicts the release management process overlapping the change and configuration management processes.
To summarize, it is impossible to focus on one of these SMFs without a focus on the others. This is also true of the MOF process model in general. While quadrants can be examined for gaps and needs for maturity, a holistic approach should always be taken when examining these processes within your organization.


Victim Services Overview | | | | |
Victim Services is an operational section of the Delta Police Department which specializes in supporting victims of crime and trauma. The program operates on the philosophy that the immediacy and nature of assistance that a victim receives following an incident can have a significant impact on their resulting wellness. It is the goal of the program, its staff and volunteers to provide timely, relevant and supportive assistance.
Referrals to Victim Services are typically made by the investigating officer. Additionally, individuals can self-refer to the program. Victim Services staff and volunteers assist victims by providing information, support and referral.
Specifically, Victim Services provide information on the police investigation, the criminal justice system, matters as they proceed through the court system, and the psychological, physical, behavioural and cognitive effects of crime and trauma. Emotional support is provided to individuals as they adjust to the impact that an incident has had and as they proceed through the criminal justice system. Finally, acknowledging the variety and quality of services within our community, we refer victims to agencies which provide specialized services to meet their needs.
We can assist in many situations including:
assaults break and enters child, adult and historical sexual assault domestic violence family problems fraud homicide motor vehicle collisions robberies sudden death suicide theft threats and harassment Specific services provided:
Court orientation – trained staff and volunteers meet with witnesses prior to their court appearance to provide information on the criminal justice system and the experience of testifying in court. Court accompaniment – Victim Support Workers may accompany victims to court during their testimony and through significant stages in the court case (criminal only). Assistance with forms including: Victim Impact Statements Crime Victim Assistance Applications Delta Police Victim Services brochure (2.16 MB)