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Kinds of Cut Terms modified by Cut Selected AbstractsTHE WORLD HEROIN MARKET: CAN SUPPLY BE CUT?ADDICTION, Issue 7 2010SANDEEP CHAWLA No abstract is available for this article. [source] Historical biogeography of some river basins in central Mexico evidenced by their goodeine freshwater fishes: a preliminary hypothesis using secondary Brooks parsimony analysisJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 8 2006Omar Domínguez-Domínguez Abstract Aims, Our aim was to uncover and describe patterns of historical biogeography of the main river basins in central Mexico, based on a secondary Brooks parsimony analysis (BPA) of goodeine fishes, and to understand the processes that determine them with respect to the molecular clock of the goodeines and the geological events that have taken place in the region since the Miocene. Location, The region covered in this study includes central Mexico, mostly the so-called Mesa Central of Mexico, an area argued to be a transitional zone comprising several major river drainages from their headwaters at high elevations along the Transmexican Volcanic Belt to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Methods, Based on a previous phylogenetic hypothesis regarding the Goodeidae, we built a data matrix using additive binary coding. First, we conducted a primary BPA to provide general explanations of the historical biogeography of Central Mexico. As ambiguity was found, a secondary BPA was conducted, and some areas were duplicated in order to explain the reticulated history of the area. Area cladograms were obtained by running a parsimony analysis. Instances of vicariance and non-vicariance processes were described with reference to the cladogram obtained from secondary BPA. Results, The study area was divided into 18 discrete regions. Primary BPA produced nine equally parsimonious cladograms with 129 steps, and a consistency index (CI) of 0.574. A strict consensus cladogram shows low resolution among some areas, but other area relationships are consistent. For secondary BPA, five of the 18 regions were duplicated (LEA, COT, AYU, CUT, PAN); one was triplicated (BAL); and one was quadruplicated (AME), suggesting that the pattern of distribution of species in these areas reflects multiple independent events. These areas correspond with the regions exhibiting the highest levels of diversification and the most complex geological history, and those for which river piracy events or basin connections have been proposed. The secondary BPA produced a single most parsimonious cladogram with 118 steps, and a CI of 0.858. This cladogram shows that none of the duplicated areas are nested together, reinforcing the idea of a reticulated history of the areas and not a single vicariant event. Main conclusions, Although our results are preliminary and we cannot establish this as a general pattern, as the BPA is based on a single-taxon cladogram, resolution obtained in the secondary BPA provides some insights regarding the historical biogeography of this group of fishes in river basins of central Mexico. Secondary BPA indicates that the historical biogeography of central Mexico, as shown by their goodeine freshwater fishes, is complex and is a result of a series of vicariant and non-vicariant events such as post-dispersal speciation and post-speciation dispersal. [source] INACTIVATION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS EXPOSED TO DENSE-PHASE CARBON DIOXIDE IN A BATCH SYSTEMJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2009HUACHUN HUANG ABSTRACT The inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to dense-phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) was investigated, and the kinetics of come-up time (CUT) in pressurization was monitored with come-down time (CDT) and temperature fluctuation in depressurization. CUT was about 2.5, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.0 min; CDT was 3.4, 3.7, 4.5 and 4.5 min; lowest temperature of samples in depressurization was 4, ,1, ,15 and ,22C, corresponding to 10, 20, 30 and 40 MPa at 37C. The inactivation behavior of S. aureus was closely related to the variables of process pressure, holding-pressure time (HPT), process temperature and process cycling. The log reduction of S. aureus at 40 MPa for 30-min HPT was significantly greater (P < 0.05), but the inactivation effect at 10, 20 and 30 MPa was similar. The log reduction of S. aureus at 30 and 40 MPa for 60-min HPT was similar and significantly greater (P < 0.05), while the inactivation effect at 10 and 20 MPa was similar. The inactivation of S. aureus against HPT conformed to a fast,slow biphase kinetics; the two stages were well fitted to a first-order model with higher regression coefficients R2 = 1.000 and 0.9238; their respective D values (decimal reduction time) were 16.52 and 70.42 min. As the process temperature increased, the log reduction of S. aureus increased significantly (P < 0.05); the inactivation kinetics of S. aureus versus process temperature was characterized with a fast inactivation rate from 32 to 45C and a slow inactivation rate from 45 to 55C. As compared to one-process cycling for a total of 60-min HPT, four-process cycling resulted in a significant reduction of S. aureus, and its maximal reduction was near to 5 log cycles, indicating that more process cycling caused more inactivation of S. aureus under identical pressure and temperature with equal HPT. However, the maximal reduction was 0.09 and 0.12 log cycles for two- and four-process cyclings with 0-min HPT, indicating that pressurization and depressurization had a lesser effect on the inactivation of S. aureus, while HPT was significant in DPCD to inactivate S. aureus. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Dense-phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) is a novel technology to achieve cold pasteurization and/or sterilization of liquid and solid materials, and is likely to replace or partially substitute currently and widely applied thermal processes. This study showed that DPCD effectively inactivated Staphylococcus aureus inoculated in 7.5% sodium chloride broth, and the inactivation behavior of S. aureus was closely related to the pressure, holding-pressure time, temperature and process cycling. Based on this observation, the technology of DPCD can be applied in the pasteurization of foods such as milk and various fruit juices, especially thermal-sensitive materials. [source] Experience with remifentanil,sevoflurane balanced anesthesia for abdominal surgery in neonates and children less than 2 yearsPEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 6 2008FABRICE MICHEL MD Summary Background:, Few data report remifentanil use in the neonatal population. We described here our experience with remifentanil,sevoflurane balanced anesthesia in neonates and children less than 2 years who underwent general anesthesia for abdominal surgery. Methods:, We retrospectively studied the pattern of remifentanil infusion associated with sevoflurane inhalation in preterm neonates (PTN; n = 18) (born before 37 weeks of gestation and <45 weeks of postmenstrual age), full-term neonates (FTN; n = 21) (born after 37 weeks of gestation and less than 29 days old) and older children up to 2 years (CUT; n = 24). We recorded heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean remifentanil dose and sevoflurane concentration before incision and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 105 min after incision. Results:, We observed that remifentanil doses used during surgery were lower in PTN than in both FTN and CUT and lower in FTN than in CUT. This was because of a progressive decrease in remifentanil dose during anesthesia in PTN and FTN. Conversely, remifentanil doses increased in CUT during anesthesia. Sevoflurane concentrations were higher in CUT group than in PTN and FTN groups. MAP and HR did not vary in the three groups during anesthesia. Conclusions:, Remifentanil,sevoflurane anesthesia can be used for general anesthesia in neonates. We observed that anesthetists used lower doses of remifantanil and lower concentrations of sevoflurane in neonates compared with the older children. [source] HAVE EMPLOYEES IN GERMANY RECEIVED FULL WAGE COMPENSATION AFTER A CUT IN STANDARD HOURS?,THE MANCHESTER SCHOOL, Issue 3 2006THORSTEN SCHANK The effect of standard hours on the hourly wage rate is important in assessing whether work-sharing is likely to be a successful policy. Furthermore, it determines whether unions have achieved their goal of keeping the monthly income of employees constant after a cut in standard hours (income compensation) or whether employees experience reductions in monthly income (income sharing). However, the standard hours elasticity of the hourly wage rate has rarely been estimated. This study reports evidence for Germany, 1995,99, using the IAB Establishment Panel. The results imply income compensation for plants with a bargaining agreement, but income sharing for plants without a bargaining agreement. No evidence is found for the Calmfors and Driffill hypothesis that postulates that wage demands are more moderate if unions operate at the firm level than if bargaining takes place at the industry level. [source] Brief screening questionnaires to identify problem drinking during pregnancy: a systematic reviewADDICTION, Issue 4 2010Ethel Burns ABSTRACT Aims Although prenatal screening for problem drinking during pregnancy has been recommended, guidance on screening instruments is lacking. We investigated the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of brief alcohol screening questionnaires to identify problem drinking in pregnant women. Methods Electronic databases from their inception to June 2008 were searched, as well as reference lists of eligible papers and related review papers. We sought cohort or cross-sectional studies that compared one or more brief alcohol screening questionnaire(s) with reference criteria obtained using structured interviews to detect ,at-risk' drinking, alcohol abuse or dependency in pregnant women receiving prenatal care. Results Five studies (6724 participants) were included. In total, seven instruments were evaluated: TWEAK (Tolerance, Worried, Eye-opener, Amnesia, Kut down), T-ACE [Take (number of drinks), Annoyed, Cut down, Eye-opener], CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilt, Eye-opener], NET (Normal drinker, Eye-opener, Tolerance), AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test), AUDIT-C (AUDIT-consumption) and SMAST (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test). Study quality was generally good, but lack of blinding was a common weakness. For risk drinking sensitivity was highest for T-ACE (69-88%), TWEAK (71,91%) and AUDIT-C (95%), with high specificity (71,89%, 73,83% and 85%, respectively). CAGE and SMAST performed poorly. Sensitivity of AUDIT-C at score ,3 was high for past year alcohol dependence (100%) or alcohol use disorder (96%) with moderate specificity (71% each). For life-time alcohol dependency the AUDIT at score ,8 performed poorly. Conclusion T-ACE, TWEAK and AUDIT-C show promise for screening for risk drinking, and AUDIT-C may also be useful for identifying alcohol dependency or abuse. However, their performance as stand-alone tools is uncertain, and further evaluation of questionnaires for prenatal alcohol use is warranted. [source] How Did the 2003 Dividend Tax Cut Affect Stock Prices?FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2008Gene Amromin We test the hypothesis that the 2003 dividend tax cut boosted US stock prices and thereby lowered the cost of equity capital. Using an event-study methodology, we attempt to identify an aggregate stock market effect by comparing the behavior of US common stock prices with that of foreign equities and the equities of real estate investment trusts (REITs). We also examine the relative cross-sectional response of prices of high- and low-dividend-paying stocks. We do not find any imprint of the dividend tax cut news on the value of the aggregate US stock market. On the other hand, high-dividend stocks outperformed low-dividend stocks by a few percentage points over the event windows, suggesting that the tax cut may have induced asset reallocation within equity portfolios. Finally, the positive abnormal return on nondividend paying US stocks in 2003 does not appear to be tied to tax cut news. [source] Taxonomy, evolutionary History and Distribution of the middle to late Famennian Wocklumeriina (Ammonoidea, Clymeniida)FOSSIL RECORD-MITTEILUNGEN AUS DEM MUSEUM FUER NATURKUNDE, Issue 1 2000R. Thomas Becker Abstract Old collections, new records, and data from global literature are used for taxonomic revisions and for a new reconstruction of the evolutionary history of the triangularly coiled clymenids, the Wocklumeriaceae, and their ancestors. Epiwocklumeria applanata is first reported from the topmost Wocklum Limestone at Hasselbachtal and Drewer, and this supports the distinction of an applanata Subzone just prior to the global Hangenberg Event which wiped out the whole group. The Wocklumeriaceae and Glatziellidae record of the famous Oberrödinghausen Railway Cut and of other Rhenish sections is revised. The Maïder of Southern Morocco has yielded first Parawocklumeria patens, paprothae, Wocklumeria sphaeroides plana, Kielcensia ingeniens n. sp., and Synwocklumeria mapesi n. sp. Parawocklumeria distributa Czarnocki forms the type-species of Tardewocklumeria n. gen. Lecto- and neotypes for several taxa are designated. The variability and paedomorphic patterns of Wo. sphaeroides are discussed. The Wocklumeriaceae represent the terminal Famennian (Upper Devonian VI-C/D) radiation of a long-ranging lineage which evolved in parallel to other clymenid groups. They are characterized by sutural features and by longidomic and very slowly expanding whorls. The polyphyletic traditional Gonioclymeniina are divided into the suborder Wocklumeriina (with Wocklumeriaceae, Glatziellaceae n.superfam. and Biloclymeniaceae) and into the Gonioclymeniaceae of the Clymeniina. Gyroclymenia Czarnocki is regarded as a junior synonym of Pleuroclymenia Schindewolf which, however, does not include the ,Pleuro.' americana and eurylobica groups. Pleuroclymenia represents the ancestral form of the Wocklumeriina and also the phylogenetical link with Platyclymenia (Varioclymenia) of the Clymeniaceae. The Gonioclymeniaceae had their roots in advanced Platyclymeniidae. Alte Aufsammlungen, Neunachweise und globale Literaturdaten werden für taxonomische Revisionen und für eine neue Rekonstruktion der Evolution der Dreiecksclymenien (Wocklumeriaceae) und ihrer Vorfahren benutzt. Epiwocklumeria applanata wird zum ersten Mal im Hasselbachtal und bei Drewer nachgewiesen, und diese Funde bestätigen die Abtrennung einer applanata -Subzone im unmittelbar Liegenden des Hangenberg-Event, welcher zum Aussterben der gesamten Gruppe führte. Die Verbreitung von Wocklumeriaceae und Glatziellidae im klassischen Profil des Bahneinschnittes bei Oberrödinghausen und an anderen Fundorten im Rheinischen Schiefergebirge wird revidiert. Der Maïder in Süd-Marokko lieferte erstmalig Parawocklumeria patens, paprothae, Wocklumeria sphaeroides plana, Kielcensia ingeniens n. sp. und Synwocklumeria mapesi n. sp. Parawocklumeria distributa Czarnocki bildet die Typus-Art von Tardewocklumeria n.gen. Weiterhin werden die Variabilität und paedomorphe Erscheinungen bei Wo. sphaeroides diskutiert. Die Wocklumeriaceae repräsentieren im höchsten Famennium (UD VI-C/D) die Radiationsphase einer langlebigen phylogenetischen Linie, die sich parallel zu anderen Clymenien entwickelte. Sie ist durch Suturmerkmale und lange Wohnkammern bei niedrigmündigen Gehäusen charakterisiert. Die als polyphyletisch erkannten Gonioclymeniina werden in die Wocklumeriina (mit Wocklumeriaceae, Glatziellaceae n.superfam. und Biloclymeniaceae) und in die Gonioclymeniaceae der Clymeniina geteilt. Gyroclymenia Czarnocki ist ein jüngeres Synonym von Pleuroclymenia Schindewolf, umfasst jedoch nicht die ,Pleuro.' americana -und ,Pleuro.' eurylobica -Artgruppen. Die Gattung ist die ursprünglichste Form der Wocklumeriina und stellt gleichzeitig das Bindeglied zu Platyclymenia (Varioclymenia) der Clymeniaceae dar. Die Gonioclymeniaceae wurzeln in fortgeschrittenen Platyclymeniidae. [source] Niger: 2010 Budget CutAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 4 2010Article first published online: 4 JUN 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] CAMEROON: Growth Forecast CutAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 3 2009Article first published online: 1 MAY 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Evaluation of Lipid Oxidation and Oxidative Products as Affected by Pork Meat Cut, Packaging Method, and Storage Time during Frozen Storage (,10 °C)JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007S.Y. Park ABSTRACT:, Lipid oxidation and oxidative volatiles as affected by pork meat cut and packaging method during frozen storage at ,10 °C were evaluated. Pork belly cut had higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and pH values than did the loin, whereas the loin had higher free fatty acid (FFA) values than that of the belly cut. Peroxide values increased with increased storage time, but were not affected by pork meat cut and packaging method. Volatiles with carbon numbers less than 10 in the belly cut were higher than those in the loin cut, whereas those with carbon numbers greater than 10 in the loin cut were higher than those in belly cut. Most volatiles were decreased with increased storage time, except for propane. Both 4-pentenal and 4-methyl-2-hexanone in the belly cut showed a positive correlation with FFA, whereas 2,4-dimethyl-1-heptene and 9-octadecenal in the loin cut were positively correlated with TBARS and FFA, respectively, even though the values were not high enough to predict the degree of lipid oxidation. [source] Hepatomegaly in transgenic mice expressing the homeobox gene Cux-1MOLECULAR CARCINOGENESIS, Issue 1 2005Gregory B. Vanden Heuvel Abstract Cux-1 is a member of a family of homeobox genes structurally related to Drosophila Cut. Mammalian Cut proteins function as transcriptional repressors of genes specifying terminal differentiation in multiple cell lineages. In addition, mammalian Cut proteins serve as cell-cycle-dependent transcriptional factors in proliferating cells, where they function to repress expression of the cyclin kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. Previously we showed that transgenic mice expressing Cux-1 under control of the CMV immediate early gene promoter develop multiorgan hyperplasia. Here we show that mice constitutively expressing Cux-1 exhibit hepatomegaly correlating with an increase in cell proliferation. In addition, the increase in Cux-1 expression in transgenic livers was associated with a decrease in p21, but not p27, expression. Within transgenic livers, Cux-1 was ectopically expressed in a population of small cells, but not in mature hepatocytes, and many of these small cells expressed markers of proliferation. Transgenic livers showed an increase in ,-smooth muscle actin, indicating activation of hepatic stellate cells, and an increase in cells expressing chromogranin-A, a marker for hepatocyte precursor cells. Morphological analysis of transgenic livers revealed inflammation, hepatocyte swelling, mixed cell foci, and biliary cell hyperplasia. These results suggest that increased expression of Cux-1 may play a role in the activation of hepatic stem cells, possibly through the repression of the cyclin kinase inhibitor p21. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Vegetation Control Treatments to Favor Naturally Regenerated Betula alleghaniensis Saplings Following Seed-Tree Cut: Sapling Monitoring Two Years after TreatmentRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Daniel Bouffard Abstract Control of competing vegetation is recommended to ensure successful Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) regeneration within juvenile stands that do not sustain high enough sapling densities of this species. Four contrasting vegetation control treatments were tested to determine their effect on the growth and vigor of eight-year-old B. alleghaniensis saplings regenerating after final cutting of a shelterwood seed cut. Vegetation control treatments were TC (total circular removal), PC (circular removal of codominant competing vegetation), TS (total semicircular removal on 180° section), and NC (no vegetation control). Two years after treatment application, diameter growth significantly improved in response to vegetation control treatments, whereas sapling height growth did not. This pattern of biomass allocation was directly related to sapling etiolation, which increased with decreasing severity of vegetation removal. As a result, application of vegetation control, especially TC and PC treatments, was valuable in reducing signs of stress in saplings. However, increasing the severity of vegetation removal also made saplings more conspicuous to herbivores, which increased browsing, especially in the TC and PC treatments. Browsing was sufficient in some plots of the TC and PC treatments to overcome the vigor and diameter growth enhancements observed when browsing was negligible. In contrast to the TC and PC treatments, the TS treatment kept browsing very low while largely removing competition. The results suggest that B. alleghaniensis saplings established after final cutting of a shelterwood seed cut do take advantage of vegetation control treatments, but the decision to apply these treatments must include consideration of local herbivore population densities. [source] Executive Financial Incentives and Payout Policy: Firm Responses to the 2003 Dividend Tax CutTHE JOURNAL OF FINANCE, Issue 4 2007JEFFREY R. BROWN ABSTRACT We test whether executive stock ownership affects firm payouts using the 2003 dividend tax cut to identify an exogenous change in the after-tax value of dividends. We find that executives with higher ownership were more likely to increase dividends after the tax cut in 2003, whereas no relation is found in periods when the dividend tax rate was higher. Relative to previous years, firms that initiated dividends in 2003 were more likely to reduce repurchases. The stock price reaction to the tax cut suggests that the substitution of dividends for repurchases may have been anticipated, consistent with agency conflicts. [source] Cut and paste volcanoASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 3 2010Article first published online: 24 MAY 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] A Multiresolution Model for Soft Objects Supporting Interactive Cuts and LacerationsCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 3 2000Fabio Ganovelli Performing a really interactive and physically-based simulation of complex soft objects is still an open problem in computer animation/simulation. Given the application domain of virtual surgery training, a complete model should be quite realistic, interactive and should enable the user to modify the topology of the objects. Recent papers propose the adoption of multiresolution techniques to optimize time performance by representing at high resolution only the object parts considered more important or critical. The speed up obtainable at simulation time are counterbalanced by the need of a preprocessing phase strongly dependent on the topology of the object, with the drawback that performing dynamic topology modification becomes a prohibitive issue. In this paper we present an approach that couples multiresolution and topological modifications, based on the adoption of a particle systems approach to the physical simulation. Our approach is based on a tetrahedral decomposition of the space, chosen both for its suitability to support a particle system and for the ready availability of many techniques recently proposed for the simplification and multiresolution management of 3D simplicial decompositions. The multiresolution simulation system is designed to ensure the required speedup and to support dynamic changes of the topology, e.g. due to cuts or lacerations of the represented tissue. [source] A Liquid Adhesive Bandage for the Treatment of Minor Cuts and AbrasionsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 3 2002William H. Eaglstein MD Background. Octyl-2-cyanoacrylate is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for the closure of incisions and lacerations. In animal studies, a more flexible formulation of octyl-2-cyanoacrylate suitable for cuts and abrasions produced faster healing of partial thickness wounds than traditional bandages. Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a more flexible octyl-2-cyanoacrylate liquid adhesive bandage for the treatment of minor cuts and abrasions. Methods. One hundred sixty-two volunteers with recent minor cuts or abrasions were recruited and randomized to treatment with either liquid adhesive bandage (LAB) or a control device (Band-Aid brand adhesive bandage, sheer, 2.5 cm). The primary efficacy criterion was complete healing at day 12. Secondary efficacy criteria were the ability of patients to properly apply LAB, and the ability of LAB to stop bleeding, to reduce pain, and to remain on the wound. Results. At day 12 there was no statistical difference between the number of completely healed wounds in the LAB and the bandage-treated patients (P = .493). The ability of patients, as rated by investigators, to effectively apply the LAB device and the bandage was not significantly different (P = .165). Only the LAB provided significant hemostasis (P = .0001) and pain relief (P = .002). conclusion. In this randomized, controlled trial, the LAB was as effective as the control at promoting healing as measured by complete healing at day 12. The LAB was easy to use and gave rapid control of bleeding and pain, forming a film that stayed on wounds well. [source] The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act as a Federal Health Care Safety Net ProgramACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2001W. Wesley Fields MD Abstract Despite the greatest economic expansion in history during the 1990s, the number of uninsured U.S. residents surpassed 44 million in 1998. Although this number declined for the first time in recent years in 1999, to 42.6 million, the current economic slow-down threatens once again to increase the ranks of the uninsured. Many uninsured patients use hospital emergency departments as a vital portal of entry into an access-improverished health care system. In 1986, Congress mandated access to emergency care when it passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). The EMTALA statute has prevented the unethical denial of emergency care based on inability to pay; however, the financial implications of EMTALA have not yet been adequately appreciated or addressed by Congress or the American public. Cuts in payments from public and private payers, as well as increasing demands from a larger uninsured population, have placed unprecedented financial strains on safety net providers. This paper reviews the financial implications of EMTALA, illustrating how the statute has evolved into a federal health care safety net program. Future actions are proposed, including the pressing need for greater public safety net funding and additional actions to preserve health care access for vulnerable populations. [source] Framing U.S. Redistributive Policies: Tough Love for Poor Women and Tax Cuts for SeniorsANALYSES OF SOCIAL ISSUES & PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 1 2009Wendy M. Limbert In recent years, income inequality in the U.S. has risen to historically high levels. Redistributive policies that differentially benefit lower- versus upper-income households play a significant role in the widening economic gap. A discourse analysis of 284 articles from five major U.S. newspapers was conducted to examine dominant media framing of the Bush administration's welfare reauthorization proposal and the 2003 dividend tax cuts. Guided by critical theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001;,Wing, 1997), we found that dominant issue frames favored reduced support for progressive welfare policies and increased support for tax cuts. Implications for pursuing an economic justice agenda are discussed. [source] Concurrent and Discriminant Validity of DSM-IV Symptoms of Impaired Control Over Alcohol Consumption in AdolescentsALCOHOLISM, Issue 4 2002Tammy Chung Background: Little research has examined impaired control over alcohol consumption in adolescents. This study examined the concurrent and discriminant validity of two DSM-IV dependence criteria that reflect impaired control over drinking: "using more or longer than intended" (Larger/Longer) and "persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to quit or cut down" (Quit/Cut Down). Methods: Adolescent drinkers, ages 13,19 (N= 173), were recruited from addictions treatment (76%) and community sources (24%). A modified SCID that included assessment of alcohol craving and questionnaires measuring dependence severity, attempts to limit drinking, and impulsivity were administered. Results: Larger/Longer had higher prevalence and an earlier onset than Quit/Cut Down, suggesting that the symptoms respectively represent milder and more severe manifestations of impaired control over drinking. Both symptoms were associated with drinking frequency, dependence severity, episodes of passing out, and an independent measure of unsuccessful attempts to limit drinking. Alcohol craving was associated with both Larger/Longer and Quit/Cut Down. Impulsivity was correlated with Larger/Longer but not Quit/Cut Down. Conclusions: Larger/Longer and Quit/Cut Down demonstrated adequate concurrent validity. The two symptoms were distinguished by severity and differential relations with impulsivity, suggesting that Larger/Longer and Quit/Cut Down reflect different types of impaired control over alcohol consumption. Results suggest the need for improved description and scaling of the impaired control construct in adolescents. [source] FlattGen: Teaching tool for surface flatteningCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 2 2006Simon Kolmani Abstract In many cases in the industry, we can face a problem, where an object has to be manufactured out of thin plane material. This is especially the case in the car, airplane, shipbuilding, textile, and shoe making industry. In order to manufacture such an object, a pattern has to be generated first. It has to be cut out from plane material and then bend to the final shape. The same problem can be found also in computer graphics, where flat patterns are used to decrease distortions in texture mapping. Therefore, it is important for designers and computer engineers to master the flat pattern generation. In literature, a great number of methods for pattern generation can be found and it is important to know their advantages and weaknesses. In this article, the application FlattGen is presented where the most important flattening methods can be seen and compared to each other. In this way, students can experiment and prepare themselves better for the future work. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 14: 106,119, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.20060 [source] One Hundred Fifty Years of Change in Forest Bird Breeding Habitat: Estimates of Species DistributionsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2005LISA A. SCHULTE aptitud del hábitat; ecología aviar; ecología de paisaje; planificación de conservación Abstract:,Evaluating bird population trends requires baseline data. In North America the earliest population data available are those from the late 1960s. Forest conditions in the northern Great Lake states (U.S.A.), however, have undergone succession since the region was originally cut over around the turn of the twentieth century, and it is expected that bird populations have undergone concomitant change. We propose pre-Euro-American settlement as an alternative baseline for assessing changes in bird populations. We evaluated the amount, quality, and distribution of breeding bird habitat during the mid-1800s and early 1990s for three forest birds: the Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus), Blackburnian Warbler (D. fusca), and Black-throated Green Warbler (D. virens). We constructed models of bird and habitat relationships based on literature review and regional data sets of bird abundance and applied these models to widely available vegetation data. Original public-land survey records represented historical habitat conditions, and a combination of forest inventory and national land-cover data represented current conditions. We assessed model robustness by comparing current habitat distribution to actual breeding bird locations from the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas. The model showed little change in the overall amount of Pine Warbler habitat, whereas both the Blackburnian Warber and the Black-throated Green Warbler have experienced substantial habitat losses. For the species we examined, habitat quality has degraded since presettlement and the spatial distribution of habitat shifted among ecoregions, with range expansion accompanying forest incursion into previously open habitats or the replacement of native forests with pine plantations. Sources of habitat loss and degradation include loss of conifers and loss of large trees. Using widely available data sources in a habitat suitability model framework, our method provides a long-term analysis of change in bird habitat and a presettlement baseline for assessing current conservation priority. Resumen:,La evaluación de tendencias de las poblaciones de aves requiere de datos de referencia. En Norte América, los primeros datos disponibles de poblaciones son del final de la década de 1960. Sin embargo, las condiciones de los bosques en los estados de los Grandes Lagos (E.U.A.) han experimentado sucesión desde que la región fue talada en los inicios del siglo veinte, y se espera que las poblaciones de aves hayan experimentado cambios concomitantes. Proponemos que se considere al período previo a la colonización euro americana como referencia alternativa para evaluar los cambios en las poblaciones de aves. Evaluamos la cantidad, calidad y distribución del hábitat para reproducción de tres especies de aves de bosque (Dendroica pinus, D. fusca y D. virens) a mediados del siglo XIX e inicios del XX. Construimos modelos de las relaciones entre las aves y el hábitat con base en la literatura y conjuntos de datos de abundancia de aves y los aplicamos a los datos de vegetación ampliamente disponibles. Los registros topográficos de tierras públicas originales representaron las condiciones históricas del hábitat, y una combinación de datos del inventario forestal y de cobertura de suelo representaron las condiciones actuales. Evaluamos la robustez del modelo mediante la comparación de la distribución de hábitat actual con sitios de reproducción de aves registrados en el Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas. El modelo mostró poco cambio en la cantidad total de hábitat de Dendroica pinus, mientras que tanto D. fusca como D. virens han experimentado pérdidas sustanciales de hábitat. Para las especies examinadas, la calidad del hábitat se ha degradado desde antes de la colonización y la distribución espacial del hábitat cambió entre ecoregiones, con la expansión del rango acompañando la incursión de bosques en hábitats anteriormente abiertos o el reemplazo de bosques nativos con plantaciones de pinos. Las fuentes de pérdida y degradación de hábitats incluyen la pérdida de coníferas y de árboles grandes. Mediante la utilización de fuentes de datos ampliamente disponibles en un modelo de aptitud de hábitat, nuestro método proporciona un análisis a largo plazo de los cambios en el hábitat de aves y una referencia precolonización para evaluar prioridades de conservación actuales. [source] Redesigning Corporate Governance Structures and Systems for the Twenty First CenturyCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2001Robert A.G. Monks How a corporation is governed has become in recent years an increasingly important element in how it is valued by the market place. McKinsey & Company in June 2000 published the results of an Investor Opinion Survey of attitudes about the corporate governance of portfolio companies. The survey gathered responses about investment intentions from over 200 institutions who together manage approximately $3.25 trillion in assets. Ranging from 17 per cent in the US and Britain to over 27 per cent in Venezuela, investors placed a specific premium on what was called "Board Governance". To put this into perspective, consider how greatly sales would have to increase, expenses be cut and margins improved to achieve a comparable impact on value. "For purposes of the survey, a well governed company is defined as having a majority of outside directors on the board with no management ties; holding formal evaluations of directors; and being responsive to investor requests for information on governance issues. In addition, directors hold significant stockholdings in the company, and a large proportion of directors' pay is in the form of stock options." This correlation of governance with market value by one of the most respected consulting companies in the world creates the foundations of a new language for management accountability. McKinsey has great credibility as a value-adding advisor to corporate managements. Governance is not a cause or a theology for McKinsey; it is an important element in the value of an enterprise. By getting the opinion of what we call Global Investors with portfolios of holdings on every continent, McKinsey has importantly impacted the cost of capital for all corporations henceforth. Admittedly, McKinsey's criteria of "board governance" are blunt. "Every organization attempting to accomplish something has to ask and answer the following question," writes Harvard Business School professor Michael C. Jensen in the introduction to his recent working paper: "What are we trying to accomplish? Or, put even more simply: When all is said and done, how do we measure better versus worse? Even more simply: How do we keep score... . I say long-term market value to recognize that it is possible for markets not to know the full implications of a firm's policies until they begin to show up.... Value creation does not mean succumbing to the vagaries of the movements in a firm's values from day to day. The market is inevitably ignorant of many of our actions and opportunities, at least in the short run...". Surprisingly little attention is paid to what we all intuitively know, that talented people are not entirely motivated by financial compensation. Directors therefore must pay special attention to creating an appropriate environment for stimulating optimum management performance. [source] The end of the MFA and apparel exports: has good CSR allowed Cambodia to hold steady against China in a quota free environment?CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2006Stephen Frost Abstract In the lead up the end of the Multi-Fiber Arrangement (MFA), commentators routinely argued that Chinese apparel exports would surge in a quota-free environment. It was also expected that Southeast Asian apparel exporting nations would suffer declines, leading to job and economic losses. Of particular concern was Cambodia, a country that relies almost exclusively on apparel exports for foreign earnings. By mid-2005, as trade data started to filter in, the doomsday scenario for countries like Cambodia seemed less clear cut. Although China's apparel exports had indeed soured, a surprising outcome was that exports to the US from Cambodia (and several other neighbours such as Indonesia and Vietnam) had also increased. This article focuses specifically on Cambodia (which of all the Southeast Asian countries surveyed has shown the greatest growth in apparel exports) and examines some of the CSR initiatives that help explain why gloomy prognostications have not yet become true. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Changes in patterns of excessive alcohol consumption in 25 years of high security hospital admissions from England and WalesCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2003Celia McMahon Background It is now generally acknowledged that alcohol abuse increases the risk of violence among people with major mental disorder. Studies in the 1980s and earlier, however, tended to report an inverse relationship between their alcohol use and violence. Aims A study was undertaken to test a hypothesis that among people with major mental disorder considered to pose a serious risk to others the likelihood of excessive alcohol consumption in a period leading up to a violent or dangerous act has increased over time. Methods Analysis was made of annual high security hospital admission cohort case register data of 1 January 1975 to 31 December 1999; alcohol use data were taken from interview and records, and problem drinking defined as consumption of alcohol in excess of 21 units per week during the 12 months prior to the index offence or act. Results There was a linear increase in the proportion of patients in five-year admission cohorts who had engaged in excessive alcohol consumption during the year prior to their index offence or act. The increase was steeper among women than men, but cut across all diagnosis and offending groups. It was strongly associated with increasing tendency to abuse illicit drugs. Conclusions The greater proportion of patients affected by excessive alcohol consumption occurred in spite of a reduction over the same period in admission of people in the diagnostic groups most likely to be implicated in substance misuse (personality disorder). This increased trend may simply reflect similar trends in the general population, but may also be associated with a lack of services or current consensus on appropriate treatment for patients whose mental illness is complicated by excessive alcohol use. Regardless, the trend suggests a growing need for ,dual diagnosis' services within and outside high security hospital. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Platelet activating factor (PAF) increases plasma protein extravasation and induces lowering of interstitial fluid pressure (Pif) in rat skinACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2005V. V. Iversen Abstract Aim:, To investigate the ability of the microdialysis technique to measure capillary selectivity of different sized plasma proteins induced by local administration of platelet activating factor (PAF). Methods:, We used hollow plasmapheresis fibres with 3 cm membrane (cut off 3000 kDa) placed on the back of anaesthetized rats. Results:, Platelet activating factor (50 ,g mL,1) administered locally via the fibre, increased extravasation of radiolabelled 125I-HSA from plasma to the microdialysis fibre by approximately 900% compared both to baseline and the control fibre within 70 min (n = 6, P < 0.05). The extravasation in the control fibre did not change over time. HPLC measurement of plasma proteins in the microdialysis perfusate also demonstrated decreased capillary selectivity for proteins in the diameter range of 73 Å, 56 Å and 39 Å after local administration of PAF (n = 6, P < 0.05). PAF also significantly lowered interstitial fluid (Pif) pressure after subcutaneous administration (50 ,g mL,1). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) after intravenous injection of PAF (0.4 ,g kg,1) fell instantly by about 50 mmHg, and stabilized at 50 mmHg after 15 min (n = 6). MAP was unaltered when PAF was given through the microdialysis fibre (n = 4). Both total tissue water (TTW) and extravasation of albumin, measured as the plasma-to-tissue clearance (E-alb) showed a significant increase after PAF (n = 7, P < 0.05). Conclusions:, The present study demonstrates that PAF induces plasma protein extravasation and decrease capillary selectivity of different sized plasma proteins. It also increases transcapillary fluid flux, and lowers Pif, indicating a role for PAF in the interstitium for generation of transcapillary transport of water and large molecules followed by formation of oedema. [source] The role of intramuscular lipid in insulin resistanceACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 4 2003B. D. Hegarty Abstract There is interest in how altered lipid metabolism could contribute to muscle insulin resistance. Many animal and human states of insulin resistance have increased muscle triglyceride content, and there are now plausible mechanistic links between muscle lipid accumulation and insulin resistance, which go beyond the classic glucose,fatty acid cycle. We postulate that muscle cytosolic accumulation of the metabolically active long-chain fatty acyl CoAs (LCACoA) is involved, leading to insulin resistance and impaired insulin signalling or impaired enzyme activity (e.g. glycogen synthase or hexokinase) either directly or via chronic translocation/activation of mediators such as a protein kinase C (particularly PKC , and ,). Ceramides and diacylglycerols (DAGs) have also been implicated in forms of lipid-induced muscle insulin resistance. Dietary lipid-induced muscle insulin resistance in rodents is relatively easily reversed by manipulations that lessen cytosolic lipid accumulation (e.g. diet change, exercise or fasting). PPAR agonists (both , and ,) also lower muscle LCACoA and enhance insulin sensitivity. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by AICAR leads to muscle enhancement (especially glycolytic muscle) of insulin sensitivity, but involvement of altered lipid metabolism is less clear cut. In rodents there are similarities in the pattern of muscle lipid accumulation/PKC translocation/altered insulin signalling/insulin resistance inducible by 3,5-h acute free fatty acid elevation, 1,4 days intravenous glucose infusion or several weeks of high-fat feeding. Recent studies extend findings and show relevance to humans. Muscle cytosolic lipids may accumulate either by increased fatty acid flux into muscle, or by reduced fatty acid oxidation. In some circumstances muscle insulin resistance may be an adaptation to optimize use of fatty acids when they are the predominant available energy fuel. The interactions described here are fundamental to optimizing therapy of insulin resistance based on alterations in muscle lipid metabolism. [source] Bonding of fractured permanent central incisor crown following radiographic localization of the tooth fragment in the lower lip: a case reportDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Gabriela Ferrari Da Silva Schwengber The trauma also resulted in a cut on his mentum. Radiographic examination revealed the fractured tooth fragment embedded in the lower lip. The fractured tooth, with incomplete root formation, was treated endodontically and received a temporary restoration. After 15 days, the temporary restoration was removed and the fractured tooth fragment was etched with 37% phosphoric acid. A bonding system was then applied to the etched-fractured tooth surface without polymerization. The same bonding procedure was carried out on the tooth fragment. A layer of flowable resin composite was applied to the fragment, which was positioned on the remaining tooth. The resin composite was then polymerized, finished, and polished. [source] Multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of an oblique crown,root fractureDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Anna-Louise Bate After removal of the fractured cusp, a provisional restorative build-up in this area was carried out, in order to carry out an endodontic treatment in a sterile environment. A glass fibre post and core were then constructed and over a 90-day period the tooth was extruded orthodontically by 4 mm. The periodontal fibres associated with this tooth were cut with a tiny surgical blade to help to prevent reintrusion of the tooth and achieve fine contouring of the gingival margins. The new tooth position was maintained with a retainer for a further 60 days and after a period with a provisional acrylic crown, a porcelain bonded crown was fitted. This case report demonstrates that such a multidisciplinary treatment approach to an oblique subgingival fracture is a reliable and predictable manner in which to save a tooth that would have otherwise been difficult, if not impossible, to restore with a resultant good long-term prognosis. [source] Efficacy of laser Doppler flowmetry for the diagnosis of revascularization of reimplanted immature dog teethDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Kallaya Yanpiset Abstract , This study was performed to assess if laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is an improved method for the detection of revascularization of replanted teeth. Teeth were extracted and reimplanted under different experimental conditions. LDF readings were taken before extraction and weekly for 3 months. In control teeth, LDF baseline readings were taken and then repeated after the apical blood vessels were cut surgically. At the end of 3 months it was determined radiographically and histologically whether revascularization had occurred, i.e. vitality had returned. Results: LDF readings correctly predicted the pulp status (vital vs. non-vital) in 83.7% of the readings. 73.9% (17 of 23) were correct for the vital teeth and 95% (19 of 20) were correct for the non-vital teeth. Fisher's exact test (2-tail) indicated that there was no significant association between the efficacy of LDF and tooth type (P=0.166), although P2 was the least accurate tooth tested. Wilcoxon's matched-pair signed rank test demonstrated that in the revascularized (vital) teeth, the flux value between the baseline and week 2 dropped significantly (P=0.0001), increased significantly from week 2 to week 4 (P=0.0001) and then decreased steadily until week 12. However, at week 12 the flux was still significantly higher than at week 2 (P=0.010). In the teeth that failed to revascularize, the flux value dropped significantly by weeks 1 and 2 (P=0.004 and P=0.0001, respectively). Flux values did not increase from week 2. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis confirmed a pulse of dominant frequency of 2 Hz in the teeth that returned to vitality and the lack thereof in those that stayed non-vital. One tooth in which the flux value evaluation indicated a non-vital tooth but the radiographic/histologic findings showed vital (false negative) possessed a pulse of dominant frequency and proved by this method to have successfully revascularized. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||