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Selected AbstractsAnomalous SZ contribution to three-year WMAP dataMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2007R. M. Bielby ABSTRACT We first show that the new Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) 3-yr data confirm the detection by Myers et al. of an extended SZ signal centred on 606 Abell (ACO) clusters with richness class, R, 2. Our results also show SZ decrements around APM and 2MASS groups at increased significance than previously detected. We then follow the approach of Lieu, Mittaz & Zhang and compare the stacked WMAP results for the decrement in 31 clusters with ROSAT X-ray profiles where Lieu et al. found on average less SZ decrement in the WMAP 1-yr data than predicted. We confirm that in the 3-yr data these same clusters again show less SZ decrement than the X-ray data predict. We then analysed the WMAP results for the 38 X-ray clusters with OVRO/BIMA measured SZ decrements as presented by Bonamente et al.. We again find that the average decrement is measured to be significantly less (5.5,) than predicted by the Chandra X-ray data. Thus while we confirm the original detection of an extended SZ effect by Myers et al., these X-ray comparisons may now suggest that the central SZ amplitudes detected by WMAP may actually be lower than expected. One possible explanation is that there is contamination of the WMAP SZ signal by radio sources in the clusters but we argue that this appears implausible. We then consider the possibility that the SZ decrement has been lensed away by foreground galaxy groups. Such a model predicts that the SZ decrement should depend on cluster redshift. A reduction in the SZ decrement with redshift is suggested from the ACO cluster sample and also from comparing the samples of Lieu et al. and Bonamente et al.. However, the mass power spectrum would require a far higher amplitude than currently expected if lensing was to explain the SZ deficit in high-redshift clusters. [source] Growth and Parasite Defence in Plants; the Balance between Resource Sequestration and Retention: In Lieu of a Guest EditorialPLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002R. Matyssek Abstract: A hypothesis on regulation of the balance between growth and parasite defence in plants is formulated, namely that plants regulate their resource allocation in a way where stress tolerance and resistance inherently lead to constraints on growth and competitiveness. Seven reviews and the subsequent article in this issue of Plant Biology contributing to this problem are briefly introduced in context. [source] Reform in Lieu of Change: Tastes Great, Less FillingPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 1 2006Jonathan Koppell In this response to Light, Koppell argues that the increasing frequency of reform may reflect Congress's inability to make significant changes to the substance of entrenched government programs. Moreover, he observes that the more profound evolution in government has been the movement toward market-based provision of services, which has created demand for new competencies in the public sector. [source] Flashblood: blood sharing among female injecting drug users in TanzaniaADDICTION, Issue 6 2010Sheryl A. McCurdy ABSTRACT Aims This study examined the association between the blood-sharing practice of ,flashblood' use and demographic factors, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and variables associated with risky sex and drug behaviors among female injecting drug users. Flashblood is a syringe-full of blood passed from someone who has just injected heroin to someone else who injects it in lieu of heroin. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants One hundred and sixty-nine female injecting drug users (IDUs) were recruited using purposive sampling for hard-to-reach populations. Measurements The association between flashblood use, demographic and personal characteristics and risky sex and drug use variables was analyzed by t -test and ,2 test. The association between flashblood use and residential neighborhood was mapped. Findings Flashblood users were more likely to: be married (P = 0.05), have lived in the current housing situation for a shorter time (P < 0.000), have been forced as a child to have sex by a family member (P = 0.007), inject heroin more in the last 30 days (P = 0.005), smoke marijuana at an earlier age (P = 0.04), use contaminated rinse-water (P < 0.03), pool money for drugs (P < 0.03) and share drugs (P = 0.000). Non-flashblood users were more likely to live with their parents (P = 0.003). Neighborhood flashblood use was highest near downtown and in the next two adjoining suburbs and lowest in the most distant suburbs. Conclusions These data indicate that more vulnerable women who are heavy users and living in shorter-term housing are injecting flashblood. The practice of flashblood appears to be spreading from the inner city to the suburbs. [source] Can High School Achievement Tests Serve to Select College Students?EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT: ISSUES AND PRACTICE, Issue 2 2010Adriana D. Cimetta Postsecondary schools have traditionally relied on admissions tests such as the SATand ACT to select students. With high school achievement assessments in place in many states, it is important to ascertain whether scores from those exams can either supplement or supplant conventional admissions tests. In this study we examined whether the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) high school tests could serve as a useful predictor of college performance. Stepwise regression analyses with a predetermined order of variable entry revealed that AIMS generally did not account for additional performance variation when added to high school grade-point average (HSGPA) and SAT. However, in a cohort of students that took the test for graduation purposes, AIMS did account for about the same proportion of variance as SAT when added to a model that included HSGPA. The predictive value of both SAT and AIMS was generally the same for Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian American students. The ramifications of universities using high school achievement exams as predictors of college success, in addition to or in lieu of traditional measures, are discussed. [source] Introduction to the Special Issue on Nebraska's Alternative Approach to Statewide AssessmentEDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT: ISSUES AND PRACTICE, Issue 2 2004Deborah L. Bandalos Nebraska's Standards-based, Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS) is unique in its focus on locally developed, classroom-based assessments in lieu of a state test. The purpose of this special issue is to introduce the STARS model and discuss the problems inherent in such a system. Other articles in this issue address issues of quality control and comparability of assessments, the development of teacher assessment literacy, and teachers' reactions to the implementation of STARS. [source] CMP wastewater management using the concepts of design for environmentENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 1 2002Gordon C. C. YangArticle first published online: 20 APR 200 Application of design for environment (DfE) concepts to management of wastewater from chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes are presented in this paper. Today, DfE is a prevailing concept and is widely adopted by advanced nations in lieu of the traditional "command and control" approach to control waste and toxic emissions. Designing environmentally-benign processes and products is a new and challenging frontier for engineering professionals, including those in the semiconductor industry. An insatiable need for water and subsequent wastewater treatment has imposed a chilling effect on semiconductor industry growth. It was estimated that semiconductor producers consumed more than 5.523 × 108 m3 of water in 2000. Of this amount, CMP processes accounted for 40% of the total. The CMP tool market and CMP slurry market are estimated to have 36% and 29% annual growth rates, respectively between 2000 and 2005. Inevitably, a tremendous amount of waste slurry and post-CMP rinse water will be generated and have to be managed properly. CMP wastewater is characterized by its high content of suspended solids having sub-micron particle sizes, high turbidity, and high conductivity. Traditional wastewater treatment technologies, such as chemical coagulation/precipitation, do not work well for CMP wastewater, because it would generate a large volume of sludge, which might cause disposal problems in many countries, such as Taiwan. Therefore, utilizing pollution prevention principles in the design of CMP tools, development of new CMP slurries, and improved plant operations are necessary to minimize environmental damage. Reclamation of process water is also a common requirement in the semiconductor industry. To this end, several alternatives for source reduction of CMP wastewater and water reclamation are presented in this paper. [source] CAP Reform in the Dairy Sector: Remove Export Subsidies and Retain Milk QuotaEUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2004Zohra Bouamra-Mechemache Summary CAP Reform in the Dairy Sector: Remove Export Subsidies and Retain Milk Quota The reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy of June 2003 introduced major policy changes, In the dairy sector the aim is to decrease price distortions between the EU and world dairy markets through successive reductions in milk intervention prices. However, the milk quota system is still in place and successive increases in milk quotas are planned. The question is whether these dairy reforms are going in the right direction given the three main characteristics of the EU dairy sector. First the price inelasticity of both milk supply (due to quota) and domestic demand means that price distortion mainly affects the distribution of economic surplus between consumers and producers but does not generate significant net losses in economic welfare. Second, the ,large country' position of the EU on the world market means that the EU should remove all export subsidies, which will reduce EU exports and increase world prices. Third, the projected increase in EU aggregate demand for milk favours a reduction in all subsidies. The CAP is going in the right direction in the dairy sector. But to reduce price distortions all subsidies should be removed as soon as possible and the milk production quota should be retained. La réforme de la PAC laitiére: supprimer les subventions aux exportations et conserver les quotas La réforme de la PAC en juin 2003 est un changement majeur. En ce qui concerne le secteur laitier, l'idée consiste à diminuer les distorsions entre les prix européens et ceux du marché mondial par une série de réductions progressives du prix d'intervention. En même temps, le système des quotas reste en place et des accroissements progressifs sont envisageés pour les droits à produire. La question. est alors de savoir si une telle politique est bien orientée, compte tenu des trois caractéristiques principales du secteur laitier européen. En premier lieu, la faible élasticité-prix aussi bien de l'offre (à cause des quotas) que de la demande, implique que les distorsions, si elies affectent la répartition des bénéfices entre producteurs et consommateurs, ne génèrent pas de très grandes pertes sociales au niveau du bien-être global. Ensuite, l'importance de l'Union européenne sur les marchés mondiaux implique que l'UE doive réduire ses subventions à l'exportation, ce qui diminuera le volume des exportations et en fera remonter le prix, Enfin, l'accroissement prévisible de la demande globale européenne en produits laitiers devrait conduire G une réduction des subventions de toute sorte. La PAC est done sur la bonne voie en matière laitière. Mais pour réduire les distorsions, il faut le plus vite possible supprimer les subventions et conserver les quotas laitiers. Reform der GAP im Milchsektor: Abschaffung der Exportsubventionen und Beibehaltung der Milchquoten Die Reform der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik vom Juni 2003 führt zu erheblichen Politikänderungen. Im Milchsektor ist das Ziel, die Preisverzerrungen zwischen der EU und den Weltmärkten für Milchprodukte durch eine sukzessive Reduzierung der Milchinterventionspreise zu verringern. Das Milchquotensystem bleibt jedoch weiter bestehen und sukzessive Erhöhungen der Milchquoten sind geplant. Es ergibt sich die Frage, ob die Reform bei den vorhandenen drei Charakteristika im EU Milchsektor in die richtige Richtung geht. Erstens bedeuten das gegebene preisunelastische Angebot von Milch (wegen der Quotierung) und die Nachfrage im Inland, dass die Preisverzerrung sich vomehmlich auf die Verteilung der ökonomischen Rente zwischen Konsumenten und Produzenten auswirkt, nicht aber zu bedeutenden Wohlfahrtsverlusten führt. Zweitens fuhrt die Abschaffung aller Exporterstattungen für Milch und Milchprodukte dazu, dass die EU Exporte sinken und damit wegen der EU als relative großes Land die Weltmarktpreise für Milch steigen werden. Drittens begünstigt die vorausgesagte Zunahme in der aggregierten Milchnachfrage in der EU eine Reduzierung aller Subventionen. Die GAP entwickelt sich im Milchsektor in die richtige Richtung. Es sollten aber alle Subventionen so schnell wie möglich abgebaut und die Milchquote sollte aufrechterhalten werden, um Preisverzerrungen zu reduzieren. [source] Tissue Oxygenation Does Not Predict Central Venous Oxygenation in Emergency Department Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic ShockACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 4 2010Anthony M. Napoli MD Abstract Objectives:, This study sought to determine whether tissue oxygenation (StO2) could be used as a surrogate for central venous oxygenation (ScVO2) in early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). Methods:, The study enrolled a prospective convenience sample of patients aged ,18 years with sepsis and systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg after 2 L of normal saline or lactate >4 mmol, who received a continuous central venous oximetry catheter. StO2 and ScVO2 were measured at 15-minute intervals. Data were analyzed using a random coefficients model, correlations, and Bland-Altman plots. Results:, There were 284 measurements in 40 patients. While a statistically significant relationship existed between StO2 and ScVO2 (F(1,37) = 10.23, p = 0.002), StO2 appears to systematically overestimate at lower ScVO2 and underestimate at higher ScVO2. This was reflected in the fixed effect slope of 0.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.266 to 0.720) and intercept of 34 (95% CI = 14.681 to 50.830), which were significantly different from 1 and 0, respectively. The initial point correlation (r = 0.5) was fair, but there was poor overall agreement (bias = 4.3, limits of agreement = ,20.8 to 29.4). Conclusions:, Correlation between StO2 and ScVO2 was fair. The two measures trend in the same direction, but clinical use of StO2 in lieu of ScVO2 is unsubstantiated due to large and systematic biases. However, these biases may reflect real physiologic states. Further research may investigate if these measures could be used in concert as prognostic indicators. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:349,352 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] An architectural perspective on signaling by the pre-, ,, and ,, T cell receptorsIMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2003Sandra M. Hayes Summary: The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) is a multimeric complex composed of an antigen-binding clonotypic heterodimer and a signal transducing complex consisting of the CD3 dimers (CD3,, and CD3,,) and a TCR-, homodimer. In all jawed vertebrates there are two T cell lineages, ,, and ,,, distinguished by the clonotypic subunits contained within their TCRs (TCR-, and -, or TCR-, and -,, respectively). A third receptor complex, the preTCR, is only expressed on immature T cells. The preTCR, which contains the invariant pre-T, (pT,) chain in lieu of TCR-,, plays a critical role in the early development of ,, lineage cells. The subunit composition of the signal transducing complexes of the pre-, ,,- and ,,TCRs was previously thought to be identical. However, recent data demonstrate that there are significant differences in the signal transducing complexes of these three TCRs. For example, ,,TCRs contain both CD3,, and CD3,, dimers, whereas ,,TCRs contain only CD3,, dimers. Moreover, preTCR function appears to be unaffected in the absence of CD3,, suggesting that CD3,, dimers are dispensable for pre-TCR assembly. In this review, we summarize current data relating to the subunit composition of the pre-, ,,- and ,,TCRs and discuss how these structural differences may impact receptor signaling and ,,/,, lineage determination. [source] Oral budesonide for the therapy of post-liver transplant de novo inflammatory bowel disease: A case series and systematic review of the literatureINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 12 2008A. Sidney Barritt IV MD Abstract Background: The therapy for posttransplant IBD is clinically challenging. Patients receiving liver transplants are immunosuppressed to prevent rejection, but via an unknown mechanism develop de novo IBD in spite of receiving some of the same medications used for therapy in traditional IBD. In the published literature most of the patients who developed de novo IBD were treated with traditional corticosteroids. Exposure to systemic corticosteroids increases risks of infection, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis among other complications. Budesonide, a luminally active steroid with low systemic absorption, is an established therapeutic agent for IBD that should receive special considerations as first-line therapy in this patient population. Methods: We describe 3 cases of de novo IBD after liver transplantation. None of these patients had a history of IBD prior to their transplant. All 3 were treated with oral budesonide in lieu of systemic corticosteroids. Additionally, a Medline MeSH search was performed using the terms "inflammatory bowel disease" and "liver transplant" as part of a systematic review of the literature. Results: All 3 cases of de novo post transplant IBD went into clinical remission with oral budesonide. The Medline search ultimately revealed 19 case reports, case series or retrospective reviews on de novo post liver transplant IBD. Most reports focused on the diagnosis and risk factors and did not have an emphasis on therapy. Conclusions: Given the track record for budesonide in traditional IBD, and its documented efficacy and systemic steroid-sparing benefit, in our opinion this drug should be considered first-line therapy for de novo posttransplant IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008) [source] Language study in higher education and the development of criticality1INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, Issue 2 2005Christopher Brumfit criticalité; éducation supérieure; langues étrangères This article explores the development of criticality in Modern Languages graduates in the UK. It is based on a larger research project investigating the development of criticality in (initially) two academic disciplines through the detailed analysis of a large corpus of qualitative data. This includes student interviews, teacher interviews, classroom observation, written and oral work produced by students, documentation produced for courses, and policy statements from national and institutional sources. This article focuses on the relationship between the Modern Languages curriculum, particularly language teaching and learning, and the development of criticality. Drawing upon evidence from the qualitative data, it outlines the ways in which the courses can be seen to contribute to the development of wider social competences. Finally it discusses the distinctiveness of the contribution to criticality development provided by the cross-cultural and cross-linguistic experience of Modern Languages undergraduates. Cet article explore le développement de la ,criticalité' chez les étudiants en langues étrangères à l'université en Grande-Bretagne. Il se base sur l'analyse détaillée d'un corpus important de données qualitatives, recueilli dans le contexte d'un projet de recherche sur le développement de la ,criticalité' dans deux disciplines différentes. Ce corpus comprend des entretiens avec des étudiants, leurs professeurs, ainsi que des observations de cours, le travail écrit et oral produit par les étudiants, la documentation accompagnant les cours, et les communiqués provenant de sources institutionnelles et nationales. Cet article examine en détail la relation entre le programme d'études de langues, et tout particulièrement l'apprentissage et l'enseignement de la langue elle-même, et le développement de la ,criticalité'. Il expose la façon dont les cours contribuent au développement de compétences sociales plus larges, à partir d'une analyse qualitative des données. En dernier lieu, il examine les caractéristiques spécifiques de la contribution au développement de la ,criticalité' fournies par les experiences plurilinguies et multiculturelles des étudiants en langues. [source] Gentrification ,Research' and the Academic Nobility: A Different Class?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008CHRIS ALLEN Abstract This essay is a response to Tom Slater's article ,The eviction of critical perspectives from gentrification research'. My essay addresses two issues. First, I consider the issue of why gentrification research appears to be losing its critical edge. I argue that social position infects understanding and, inevitably therefore, academic knowledge production. Thus the social proximity of the academic nobility to gentrifiers (and social distance between the academic nobility and the displaced) has epistemological consequences, notably, the lack of critical perspectives in gentrification research. Second, Slater's paper appears to be an appeal for more ,critical' research from the academic nobility. Perhaps we should go even further. We should actually question the epistemic authority of the academic nobility, which claims its legitimacy to speak about gentrification on the grounds that it undertakes ,research' into the phenomenon. There are strong and sound epistemological reasons for also listening to the marginalized voices of people that have ,first hand' (albeit not ,research') experience of the negative effects of gentrification. Résumé Ce texte est une réponse à l'article de Tom Slater sur ,l'éviction' des perspectives critiques des études sur la ,gentrification'. Il aborde deux points. En premier lieu, il traite des raisons pour lesquelles ces études semblent perdre leur acuité critique. La position sociale entache la compréhension et, donc inévitablement, la production de savoir académique. Ainsi, la proximité sociale entre la noblesse académique et les nouveaux propriétaires aisés (et la distance sociale entre la noblesse académique et les déplacés) a des conséquences au plan épistémologique, notamment l'absence de points de vue critiques dans la recherche sur la ,gentrification'. En second lieu, le texte de Slater apparaît comme un appel à des études plus critiques de la part de la noblesse académique. Peut-être faudrait-il aller plus loin, jusqu'à une réelle remise en cause de l'autoritéépistémique de la noblesse académique, laquelle revendique sa légitimité pour parler de la ,gentrification' en arguant qu'elle mène des ,recherches' sur un phénomène. Il existe des raisons épistémologiques solides et sensées pour écouter les voix marginalisées des gens qui ont une expérience de ,l'intérieur' (pas de ,recherche') sur les effets néfastes de la ,gentrification'. [source] Reflections on Place and Place-making in the Cities of ChinaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2007JOHN FRIEDMANN Abstract This article is about the small spaces of the city we call ,places'. Places are shaped by being lived in; they are spaces of encounter where the little histories of the city are played out. They are, of course, also shaped by the state through planning, supervision, ordinances, and so forth. The patterns and rhythms of life in the small spaces of the city are therefore not simply a straightforward projection of civil life. Places are also sites of resistance, contestation, and actions that are often thought to be illegal by the (local) state. After introducing the concept of place, the remainder of this article is a reflection on places and place-making (but also place-breaking) in urban China. Because the patterns and rhythms of urban life have continuity, however, my approach to their study was historical. The story told here is roughly divided into four major periods: Imperial China, Republican China, the People's Republic under Mao Zedong, and the reform period from about 1980 onward. I then return to the concepts of place and place-making with which I began, summarizing my findings and suggesting some topics for further research. Résumé Cet article traite des petits espaces de la ville qu'on appelle des ,lieux'. Les lieux sont modelés par la vie qui s'y déroule; ce sont des espaces de rencontre où se jouent les petites histoires d'une ville. Bien sûr, ils sont aussi façonnés par l'Etat, à travers l'aménagement, le contrôle, les règlements, etc. Les modèles et rythmes de vie dans les petits espaces urbains ne sont donc pas une projection pure de la vie civique. Ce sont aussi des scènes de résistance, de contestation et d'actions souvent jugées illégales par les autorités (locales). Après le concept de lieu, l'article présente une réflexion sur les lieux et leur fabrication (ainsi que leur fracture) dans la Chine urbaine. Les modèles et rythmes de la vie urbaine présentant une continuité, l'approche appliquée à leur étude est historique. Le récit rapporté se décompose en quatre grandes périodes: la Chine impériale, la Chine républicaine, la République populaire de Mao Zedong et l'ère réformatrice depuis 1980 environ. L'article revient ensuite sur les concepts de lieux et de fabrication de lieux en résumant les résultats obtenus et en suggérant quelques thèmes de recherche à approfondir. [source] Local Capitalisms, Local Citizenship and Translocality: Rescaling from Below in the Pearl River Delta Region, ChinaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2007ALAN SMART Abstract Chinese economic reforms have profoundly changed the scale at which things get done. Much of the existing literature on scale has concentrated on the politics of rescaling from above. Less has been written about rescaling initiatives from below, the focus of this study. It distinguishes three important localisms. Local capitalisms treats capitalism as subordinate to local social and political processes that provide crucial conditions of existence. Local citizenship sees processes of entitlement and exclusion as accomplished locally rather than through national frameworks. Translocality describes the ways in which claims are made on the loyalties of those possessing capital but residing elsewhere and the promotion of the place through image-building and physical/social infrastructural enhancements. These three distinct localisms overlap and interact in a variety of ways to shape a new social and spatial order in post-reform China. A detailed study of the practices of localism in the Dongguan city-region reveals the ways in which the emergence of capitalism has been dependent on pre-existing social connections and based on villages and townships. The entitlements of citizenship are polarized between the local hukou population and the migrant workers irrespective of the national definition of social safety net and regardless of the physical presence of the individuals. Résumé En Chine, les réformes économiques ont profondément modifié l'échelon auquel les choses se font. Les publications traitant de cet aspect se consacrent en général aux politiques de redimensionnement venues des instances supérieures, et abordent plus rarement les initiatives venues d'en bas, objets de cette étude. Cette dernière distingue trois localismes importants: les capitalismes locaux, le capitalisme apparaissant subordonné aux processus sociaux et politiques locaux qui déterminent les conditions d'existence; la citoyenneté locale pour qui les processus d'habilitation et d'exclusion s'effectuent au plan local et non en fonction de cadres nationaux; la translocalité qui décrit comment est sollicitée la loyauté de ceux qui possèdent le capital mais résident ailleurs, et comment des projets de création d'image et d'infrastructure matérielle ou sociale dynamisent la promotion du lieu. Ces trois localismes se chevauchent et interagissent diversement, façonnant un nouvel ordre social et spatial dans la Chine de l'après-réforme. Une étude détaillée du localisme pratiqué dans la ville de Dongguan fait apparaître les modalités d'un capitalisme émergent, dépendant des liens sociaux existants et basé sur des villages ou municipalités. L'accès à la citoyenneté définit un clivage entre la population locale ayant son hukou et les travailleurs migrants, indépendamment de la notion nationale de filet de protection sociale ou de la présence physique des individus. [source] Local Hybridity among Absorbing InstitutionsINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 1 2007Rachel Sharaby ABSTRACT This paper discusses the encounter between the hegemony (the national absorbing institutions) and the "other" (the Yemenite immigrants) in the cooperative agricultural village of Ravid in Palestine before the founding of the State of Israel. The research indicates the ambivalence of the cultural field in which the absorbing and the absorbed meet, and the influence of this encounter on the absorbing themselves, in a local territory. The study demonstrates that the absorbing tried to "enculturate" the Yemenites and to force their cooperative agricultural village principles on them. However, the Yemenites, who wanted to maintain their traditional customs, resisted, and the institutions gradually compromised in Ravid. Thus, they deviated from their ideology. The Ravid community can, therefore, be viewed as a hybrid territory, in which a process of negotiation occurred, and where fluid cultural borders existed between the absorbing and the absorbed. Cet article traite de la rencontre entre les détenteurs de l'hégémonie (les institutionsd'assimilation nationales) et les«autres» (les immigrants yéménites) dans le village agricole coopératif de Ravid en Palestine avant la fondation de l'État d'Israël. Il montrel'ambivalence du champ culturel dans lequel assimilateurs et assimilés se rencontrent, ainsi que l'influence de cette rencontre sur les assimilateurs eux-mêmes, sur leur propreterritoire. Cette étude démontre que les assimilateurs ont essayé d'imposer leur culture ainsi que les principes du village agricole coopératif aux Yéménites. Toutefois, les Yéménites, qui tenaientà conserver leurs coutumes traditionnelles, ont résistéet petit à petit, les institutions de Ravid ont acceptéun compromis. Elles se sont ainsi écartées de leur idéologie. La communautéde Ravid peut donc être considérée comme un territoire hybride, sur lequel un processus de négociation a eu lieu, et oò il existait des frontiéres culturelles fluides entre assimilateurs et assimilés. Este estudio trata del encuentro entre la hegemonía (las entidades nacionales de absorción) y "los otros" (los inmigrantes yemenitas), en una cooperativa agrícola del poblado palestino de Ravid, con anterioridad a la institución del Estado de Israel. Esta labor de investigación pone de manifiesto la ambivalencia del ámbito cultural en que confluyen huéspedes y anfritiones, así como la incidencia de este encuentro sobre las entidades locales. El estudio evidencia que las entidades de acogida tratan de "culturizar" a los yemenitas y obligarles a adoptar los principios de la cooperativa agrícola rural. No obstante, los yemenitas quieren mantener sus costumbres y tradiciones y oponen resistencia, por lo que las entidades de Ravid llegan, con el tiempo, a un acuerdo. Así pues, se desvían de la propia ideología. Por consiguiente, se puede considerar a la comunidad de Ravid como un territorio híbrido, en que ha lugar un proceso de negociación y la fluidez en las fronteras culturales de anfitriones y huéspedes. [source] Repair of segmental defects in rabbit humeri with titanium fiber mesh cylinders containing recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and a synthetic polymerJOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 2 2002Narumichi Murakami Abstract To develop a new technology that enhances the regeneration potential of bone and the repair of large intercalated defects in long bone, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2; 20 ,g or 40 ,g) was mixed in a polymer gel (poly-lactic acid-polyethyleneglycol block copolymer; PLA-PEG; 200 mg) and incorporated into titanium fiber-mesh cylinders. Three 5-mm cylinders were placed end-to-end to fill a 15-mm defect created in the humeri of adult rabbits and were stabilized by an intramedullary rod. In controls, the titanium fiber-mesh cylinders were combined with PLA-PEG in the absence of BMP. Six weeks after implantation, new bone had formed on the surface of the implant and had bridged the defect. All of the defects (5/5) treated by cylinders containing 120 ,g (40 ,g × 3) of BMP were repaired completely. New bone formation was also found inside the pores of the cylinders. The defect was not repaired in the control animals. These results demonstrate that these new composite implants fabricated by combining rhBMP, synthetic degradable polymers and compatible biomaterials enhance the regeneration potential of bone. Thus, it is possible that large skeletal defects can be repaired using this prosthesis in lieu of autogenous bone graft. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 62: 169,174, 2002 [source] Therapeutic Strategies for Xenograft RejectionJOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 5 2001Ph.D., Shu S. Lin M.D. ABSTRACT The increasing demand for transplantable organs over the past several decades has stimulated the idea of using animal organs in lieu of cadaveric organs in clinical transplantation. Pigs are now considered to be the most suitable source of organs for transplantation because of their abundant availability, their appropriate size, their relatively short gestation period, and the recent development in the technology to genetically manipulate them. In the past few years, some of the seemingly complex immunologic responses in pig-to-primate transplantation have been elucidated. This progress has allowed us to focus our efforts on devising specific therapeutic strategies to overcome or prevent some of the responses that contribute to rejection of the xenograft. In this article, we review the various approaches that might allow clinical xenotransplantation to come to fruition. [source] New technologies for chemical geneticsJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue S37 2001Leslie A. Walling Abstract Chemical genetics, in which small molecules are used in lieu of mutations to study biological processes, requires large and diverse chemical libraries to specifically perturb different biological pathways. Here we describe a suite of technologies that enable chemical libraries prepared by split-pool solid phase synthesis to be screened in a diverse range of chemical genetic assays. Compounds are synthesized on 500 micron high-capacity polystyrene beads, and arrayed into individual wells of 384-well plates using a hand-held bead arrayer. Compounds are cleaved from synthesis beads using a chemically-resistant ceramic dispensing system, producing individual stock solutions of single compounds. Nanoliter volumes of these solutions are then transferred into assay plates using an array of stainless steel pins mounted on a robotic arm. We have designed reusable 1536- and 6144-well assay plates made of silicone rubber that can be cast in the laboratory and filled by hand. This integrated technology platform enables hundreds of biological assays to be performed from the product of a single synthesis bead, enabling the results of different chemical genetic experiments to be directly compared. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppl. 37: 7,12, 2001. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Growth features of Acacia tortilis and Acacia xanthophloea seedlings and their response to cyclic soil drought stressAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2001D. O. Otieno Abstract Seedlings of Acacia tortilis (Forsk) Hyne and Acacia xanthophloea Benth. were raised under controlled glasshouse conditions. Control plants were watered daily while other treatments involved withholding water for 2, 4 and 6 days with 1-day rehydration to container capacity. Compared to A. tortilis, A. xanthophloea seedlings showed higher leaf area, relative growth rates and total dry weight production under adequate water supply conditions. However, with increased water stress, A. xanthophloea seedlings could not alter their pattern of carbon allocation, retaining their root : shoot (r : s) ratio of about 0.5. By comparison, A. tortilis seedlings shifted carbon allocation to the roots, leading to a r : s ratio of 1.5 in water-stressed seedlings, compared to 0.5 in the control plants. The ability of A. tortilis to reallocate carbon to the roots away from the shoots and to actually increase root growth compared to A. xanthophloea was a dehydration postponement strategy that may be important in species survival during drought. Résumé On a fait pousser des plants d'Acacia tortilis (Forsk) et d'Acacia xanthophloea Benth en serre, dans des conditions bien contrôlées. Les plants de contrôle étaient arrosés chaque jour, alors que les autres traitements consistaient à ne pas arroser pendant 2, 4 et 6 jours puis d'arroser un jour à la limite de capacité du container. Comparés àA.tortilis, les plants d'A.xanthophloea avaient une surface foliaire supérieure, un meilleur taux de croissance relative et une plus forte production totale de poids sec lorsque les conditions d'apport d'eau étaient correctes. Cependant, lorsque les conditions d'hydratation devenaient plus stressantes, les plants d'A.xanthophloea ne pouvaient pas modifier le schéma de leur répartition de carbone, conservant un rapport racines : pousses (r : p) d'environ 0,5. Par comparaison, les pousses d'A.tortilis pouvaient déplacer la répartition de carbone en faveur des racines, aboutissant à un rapport r : p de 1,5 chez les plants soumis à un stress hydrique, comparé au 0,5 relevé chez les plants de contrôle. La capacité qu'a A.tortilis de rediriger le carbone vers les racines au lieu des pousses et d'augmenter ainsi la croissance des racines, par comparaison avec ce qui se passe chez A. xanthophloea, est une stratégie destinée à retarder la déshydratation qui peut être importante pour la survie des espèces en période de sécheresse. [source] DETERMINATION OF VARIABLE DIFFUSION OF SODIUM DURING DEBITTERING OF GREEN OLIVESJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2004MARIELA BEATRIZ MALDONADO ABSTRACT Time-variable average effective diffusion coefficients of sodium in the skin and flesh were determined using Macroscopic Mass Balances from experimental data obtained during debittering of green olives, variety Arauco at temperatures of 15, 20 and 25C and lye concentrations of 1.50, 2.25 and 3.00% of NaOH. The effective diffusion coefficient of sodium increased with treatment time at both surfaces of the skin, while it varied very little within the flesh, and in many cases, remained almost constant during the debittering process. In general, the diffusion coefficients determined in the present study were within an order of magnitude of 10,10 m2/s for the flesh during most of the treatment time, while for the skin, they were of the order of 10,12 m2/s for the initial treatment times. Macroscopic mass balances are a simple mathematical method that can be used in lieu of more common numerical techniques, to evaluate variable diffusion coefficients providing accuracy and greater detail of the whole phenomena. [source] Sensitivity of superficial cultures in lower extremity wounds,JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2010Chayan Chakraborti MD Abstract BACKGROUND: Superficial wound cultures are routinely used to guide therapy, despite a lack of clear supporting evidence. PURPOSE: To conduct a systematic review of the correlation between superficial wound cultures and the etiology of skin and soft tissue infections. DATA SOURCES: Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus. STUDY SELECTION: Articles published between January 1960 and August 2009 involving superficial wound cultures and deeper comparison cultures. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently searched for abstracted information pertaining to the microbiology of lower extremity wounds sufficient to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of superficial wound cultures versus comparison cultures. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis model. RESULTS: Of 9032 unique citations, 8 studies met all inclusion criteria. Inter-rater reliability was substantial (Kappa = 0.78). Pooled test sensitivity for superficial wound swabs was 49% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37-61%], and specificity was 62% (95% CI, 51-74%). The pooled positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) were 1.1 (95% CI, 0.71-1.5) and 0.67 (95% CI, 0.52-0.82). The median number of isolates for surface cultures (2.7, interquartile range [IQR] 1.8-3.2) was not significantly different than that for comparison cultures, (2.2, IQR 1.7-2.9) (P = 0.75). CONCLUSION: Few studies show a strong relationship between superficial wound swabs and deep tissue cultures, and the current data demonstrate poor overall sensitivity and specificity. The positive and negative LRs were found to provide minimal utility in influencing pretest probabilities. Results of this analysis show that wound cultures should not be used in lieu of local antibiograms to guide initial antibiotic therapies. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010;5:415,420. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine. [source] CFD simulations of hydrodynamic/thermal coupling phenomena in a bubble column with internalsAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 9 2010Cédric Laborde-Boutet Abstract CFD simulations have been carried out in a full three-dimensional, unsteady, Eulerian framework to simulate hydrodynamic/thermal coupling in a bubble column with internals. A first part of the study, dedicated to the hydrodynamic/thermal coupling in liquid single-phase flows, showed that assuming constant wall temperature on the internals constitutes a reasonable approximation in lieu of comprehensive simulations encompassing shell flow and coolant flow together. A second part dealing with the hydrodynamics of gas,liquid flows in a bubble column with internals showed that a RNG k,, turbulence model formulation accounting for gas-induced turbulence was a relevant choice. The last part used these conclusions to build a hydrodynamic/thermal coupling model of a gas,liquid flow in a bubble column with internals. With a per-phase RNG k,, turbulence model and assuming constant wall temperature, it was possible to simulate heat transfer phenomena consistent with experimentally measured heat transfer coefficients. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source] Canadian Manager Perceptions of the US Exchange Listings: Recent EvidenceJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT & ACCOUNTING, Issue 3 2002Carol Olson Houston This study reports recent evidence of Canadian manager perceptions of the benefits and costs of listing in US markets, their attitudes toward listing in the US market, and their opinions regarding the importance of using alternative reporting and disclosure requirements, such as Canadian GAAP or international standards, in lieu of US GAAP for US listings. Manager perceptions of firms listing in the US ("listers") are compared to those of firms that have not listed in the US ("nonlisters") as well as to listers' perceptions collected prior to the implementation of the Multijurisdictional Disclosure System (MJDS). Our results do not unambiguously support expectations that implementation of the MJDS would result in cost savings for Canadian listers. We find strong similarities in the perceived benefits of listing as previously reported, but in a significantly higher proportion of our post,MJDS sample. Responses from listers and nonlisters reflect differences between the two populations. Listers appeared concerned with US GAAP reconciliations and disclosure requirements while non,listers are more concerned with the overall difficulty of listing, the costs of listing, and US litigation. Most strongly, however, nonlisters perceive it as unnecessary to list in the US market. Contrary to expectations, we find that US accounting disclosure and reporting requirements are not perceived to be barriers to US market entry for Canadian firms, but instead appear to be post,entry irritants. Finally, we also find evidence that perceptions of nonlisters differ between those firms that list on the Vancouver Stock Exchange and those that list on the Toronto Stock exchange. This suggests that future studies may require finer partitions than on a national basis. [source] Microcoil Embolization for Treatment of a Right Coronary Arteriovenous FistulaJOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 4 2003MUBIN I. SYED M.D. A patient initially presented with anginal symptoms and a positive stress thallium test. An arteriovenous malformation in the right coronary artery causing a suspected coronary "steal syndrome" was subsequently discovered. This was treated with a microcoil embolization technique in lieu of the traditional surgical approach and this technique is described in detail. The patient had successful clinical, nuclear, and angiographic outcomes. (J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:347,350) [source] Stimulatory Effect of Procaine on the Growth of Several Microalgae and CyanobacteriaJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2000TAKAHIRO SUZUKI Procaine has been used to stimulate plant growth and it has been noted that it also promotes growth of microorganisms. The effect of procaine hydrochloride concentration on the growth rates of several species of microalgae and cyanobacteria was studied under both photoautotropic and heterotrophic growth conditions. Procaine hydrochloride was added to cultures at concentrations over the range 0.01,1000 mg L,1. A stimulating effect of procaine hydrochloride on photoautotrophic growth was observed for the cyanobacteria Anabaena cylindrica and Anabaena variabilis, and for the salt-tolerant green algae Dunaliella primolecta and Dunaliella parva. During active growth in batch culture an increase in growth rate (compared with control culture without procaine hydrochloride) of about 25% was observed at 0.1 mg L,1 of procaine hydrochloride for A. cylindrica. However, procaine hydrochloride was toxic at concentrations of > 10 mg L,1. Simultaneous administration of hydrolysis products of procaine, p -amino-benzoic acid and diethyl aminoethanol, in lieu of procaine hydrochloride, was as effective as procaine in stimulating growth of A. cylindrica. Heterotrophic growth of Chlorella ellipsoidea and Prototheca zopfii was not stimulated by procaine hydrochloride over the concentration range studied (0.1,10 mg L,1). The combined effects of procaine hydrochloride concentration and four other environmental factors (temperature, light intensity, CO2 concentration in the flushing gas and NaCl concentration) on growth rate of D. primolecta was modelled using both a neural network approach and a response surface method. These results indicate that procaine hydrochloride exerts different effects on the growth of microalgal and cyanobacterial cells as functions of dosage, species and culture conditions. [source] Stepmother as electron: Positioning the stepmother in a family dinner conversationJOURNAL OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS, Issue 3 2001Mirjana N. Dedai This article proposes a discourse analysis of a family dinner conversation in which the participants are a father, a stepmother and a teenage daughter. Such analysis has social relevance insofar as roles within the stepfamily have not been either socially reshuffled or academically defined. The age-old myth about the wicked stepmother has provided the symbolic and discursive placement of stepmothers in contemporary American society in lieu of societal efforts to realistically define such a role. Thus, each case must define itself. My research examines a stepfamily's discourse about food as a window through which to view discursive strategies of inclusion and exclusion. I find that, in a situation where the child is a female teenager, a stepmother's identity is defined by positioning actively undertaken through the stepdaughter's discourse. Integrating a new parent into an existing unit is made far more difficult if the stepmother is seen as an outsider, who may be admitted to membership of the household, but not necessarily to the family. [source] Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia With Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Systematic ReviewJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 9 2004Amanda Lewis MS Purpose To (a) critically appraise available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the efficacy of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids as secondary agents for prevention of hypertriglyceridemia and (b) make recommendations for clinical practice. Data Sources Two independent reviewers examined all RCTs from 1994 to 2003 identified in several databases, extracted data from each study, and used the previously tested Boyack and Lookinland Methodological Quality Index (MQI) to determine study quality. Conclusions Ten studies reported long-chain omega-3 fatty acids to be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The average decrease in triglycerides was 29%, total cholesterol 11.6%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) 30.2%, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 32.5%. One study found LDLs to increase by 25%. The average increase in highdensity lipoprotein was 10%. The overall average MQI score was 36% (range = 26% to 54%). Many of the RCTs had serious shortcomings, including short duration, lack of a power analysis, no intention-to-treat analysis, no report of blind assessment of outcome, and lack of dietary control as a confounding variable. Implications for Practice Overall study methodology was weak. Although the evidence supporting use of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in the secondary prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is reasonably strong, until there are larger RCTs of better methodological quality, it is not recommended that practitioners treat hypertriglyceridemia with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in lieu of lipid-lowering medications. [source] Equity in Toxic Tort Litigation: Unjust Enrichment and the Poor,LAW & POLICY, Issue 2 2004ALLAN KANNER This paper proposes to explore the current and prospective role of equitable theories and remedies in toxic tort litigation. The argument is for an unjust enrichment remedy in certain property pollution cases. The idea is to remove the monetary incentive for polluting economically depressed areas. Two specific areas of investigation come immediately to mind. First, courts have already embraced equitable remedies to address pollution damages. Under Ayers and its progeny, many states have allowed the equitable remedy medical monitoring. What is important to understand is how legal relief for increased risk claims would have been inadequate and also the propriety of finding an equitable approach. Second, moving from personal injury to real property damage claims, we see a similar opportunity for use of equitable relief under an unjust enrichment theory. Currently, there is much debate about the propriety of restoration damages as opposed to fair market value (FMV) damages for the landowners whose property is damaged by the pollution of another. Each approach has various strengths and weaknesses. A better approach might be to use unjust enrichment on a law and economics basis as a remedy to force polluters to internalize the cost of pollution. For instance, take a polluter who pollutes the neighboring environs in lieu of paying one million dollars in disposal and storage costs. Assume the neighboring properties are only worth three hundred thousand dollars on a FMV approach. Assume further that restoration costs are ten million dollars, but that the relevant government agency would accept a natural attenuation clean-up approach. How should the remedy be set, and should one consider allowing a de facto pollution easement? [source] When Changing from Merit Pay to Variable/Bonus Pay: What Do Employees Want?PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2004Jeremy B. Fox ABSTRACT This study examines potential responses to a change in an employee reward system from permanent merit pay increases to one-time bonus payments. Removing long term risks associated with escalating pay is an increasingly common compensation strategy. Often overlooked, however, are employee perceptions of reward fairness under such conditions of change. Receiving lump sum payments in lieu of permanent merit pay increase may de-motivate employees. There has been little or no research conducted on this topic. In this study, using samples of practicing HR managers and university students, an equity questionnaire gathered data on the perceived equivalence between a permanent merit pay increase and what might be demanded by employees as a single payment in its replacement. An analysis of the data collected indicate an approximate 1:2 ratio is needed, such that a proposed lump-sum payment of $2400 would be perceived as a fair replacement for a permanent merit pay allocation of $1200 per year. Our research indicates that this 1:2 ratio holds for both high and low job satisfaction levels. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||