Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Other Elements (other + element)
Selected Abstracts9 A Communication Tool for Emergency Medicine Residents to Improve Patient Care and Professional DevelopmentACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2008Jacqueline Mahal For every patient in the ED, a web of communication is created. A resident is at the center of this web , connecting team members in and outside the ED. Careful communication, a required ACGME competency, helps the team provide safe, high-quality care and master their respective specialties. We designed a three module curriculum that supports ACGME core competencies by providing training in professional communication and a framework with which to organize patient data. In the first module, residents are introduced to the concept that there is more to communication than content alone. Other elements include context, audience and forum. Together, these components comprise relevant communication. The second module introduces the Disposition, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, Safety (D-SBARS) Framework, an ED modification of The Joint Commission's communication tool. This framework will enable the resident to focus on communicating the relevant data for a particular audience in an appropriate manner. In the last module, residents participate in a case-based role-play. After presentation of a complicated patient, residents are each assigned a communication task. They communicate with attendings, ED staff and consultants. Each role is played by senior residents. Finally, participants deliver presentations to the on-coming team on "rounds" under time constraints, declining from two minutes to 30 seconds. Residents experience how the D-SBARS tool helps them communicate critical clinical and safety. [source] Quality awards as a public sector benchmarking concept in OECD member countries: some guidelines for quality award organizersPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2001Elke Löffler In many OECD member countries, quality awards have become an important benchmarking instrument for public and especially private sector organizations. Quality awards pursue two main goals: one is to introduce elements of competition in areas of the public and the private sectors that lack of market competition; the other is to encourage organizational learning. The problem is that in a public sector context these aims seem to be mutually exclusive. The aim of the article is to show quality award organizers how to realize the full potential of quality awards by making the appropriate choices in the design of a public sector quality award. The conclusion is that the stage of public sector quality management and the degree of ,publicness' of the public sector in a given country will influence the competition-inducing and learning effect of a national quality award in an adverse way. Nevertheless, the negative effects on one or the other element of quality awards can be counterbalanced by the appropriate choice of the scope of the quality award, the area to be evaluated, the evaluation criteria as well as the benchmarking concept. Last but not least, quality award organizers should keep in mind that quality awards are not a benchmarking instrument for all seasons. Copyright © John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Skeletal elements in the vertebrate eye and adnexa: Morphological and developmental perspectivesDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 5 2006Tamara A. Franz-Odendaal Abstract Although poorly appreciated, the vertebrate eye and adnexa are relatively common sites for skeletogenesis. In many taxa, the skeleton contributes to internal reinforcement in addition to the external housing of the eye (e.g., the circumorbital bones and eyelids). Eyeball elements such as scleral cartilage and scleral ossicles are present within a broad diversity of vertebrates, albeit not therian mammals, and have been used as important models for the study of condensations and epithelial,mesenchymal interactions. In contrast, other elements invested within the eye or its close surroundings remain largely unexplored. The onset and mode of development of these skeletal elements are often variable (early versus late; involving chondrogenesis, osteogenesis, or both), and most (if not all) of these elements appear to share a common neural crest origin. This review discusses the development and distribution of the skeletal elements within and associated with the developing eye and comments on homology of the elements where these are questionable. Developmental Dynamics 235:1244,1255, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Global factors shaping the future of food aid: the implications for WFPDISASTERS, Issue 2007Daniel Maxwell Food aid is a key component of a humanitarian response but its use in other programming contexts is subject to numerous criticisms. Even in humanitarian emergencies food aid is often late, unreliable and out of proportion to other elements of the response. Three major factors will shape the future of food aid. First, mechanisms of food aid governance are being reviewed and may undergo major changes,particularly the Food Aid Convention now that hopes have diminished for an Agreement on Agriculture at the World Trade Organisation. The second significant factor is donor agency trends. Overall levels of food aid have dropped fairly steadily in recent decades and there are several discernible trends in resource allocation, procurement and the use of food aid. The third factor is an emerging body of best practice that will define acceptable standards of food aid programming in the future. [source] The influence of parent material on topsoil geochemistry in eastern EnglandEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2003B. G. Rawlins Abstract The topsoil of around 10 000 km2 in eastern England has recently been sampled intensely at 4609 sites to characterize its geochemistry. The parent materials, which include both solid geology and Quaternary sediments, range in age from Permian to Holocene. The distributions of the concentrations of major and trace elements have been characterized geostatistically, and the role of parent material on their spatial structure (anisotropy) and their spatial relationships (coregionalization) have been investigated. Analysis of variance with the sites grouped by major parent material type showed that this classi,cation accounted for 14 to 48 per cent of the variance for the various elements. Global variograms of 13 elements (Al, As, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Ti, and U) have been computed and modelled. Eleven of the variograms seem to comprise two structures, both of which we modelled with spherical functions, one of short range, 3·5 to 9 km, and the other with a range of 15 to 23 km. The models included a nugget variance, which varied from 27 per cent (for As, Fe, and Mg) to 63 per cent (for P) of the total. The long-range structures are related to the separations of the major parent materials. The variograms of several elements showed appreciable anisotropy, most notably that of Mg. Anisotropy is evident at short ranges of less than 5 km. This accords with the geological structure of the beds which dip from west to east so that their outcrops are elongated from north to south. A linear model of coregionalization ,tted to the data emphasized several important geochemical associations, which we interpret. Elements commonly associated with clay minerals (Mg, Al) and the clay size fraction (Ti) are dominated by the long-range structure of the coregionalization, whilst several trace elements (As, Cr, Ni and U) are spatially correlated with Fe over short distances, through adsorption of the former on the surfaces of Fe oxyhydroxides. The topsoil around large urban areas is enriched in lead, but it is not clear whether anthropogenic sources are responsible for this metal's anomalous spatial relationships with other elements. Crown copyright © 2003. Reproduced with the permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Of,ce. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Abundance and diversity of heterotrophic bacterial cells assimilating phosphate in the subtropical North Atlantic OceanENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 10 2010Krista Longnecker Summary Microorganisms play key roles in the cycles of carbon and nutrients in the ocean, and identifying the extent to which specific taxa contribute to these cycles will establish their ecological function. We examined the use of 33P-phosphate to identify heterotrophic bacteria actively involved in the cycling of phosphate, an essential inorganic nutrient. Seawater from the sub-tropical North Atlantic Ocean was incubated with 33P-phosphate and analysed by microautoradiography to determine the proportion and diversity of the bacterial community-assimilating phosphate. Complementary incubations using 3H-leucine and 3H-thymidine were also conducted. We found that a higher proportion of total heterotrophic bacterial cells in surface water samples assimilated phosphate compared with leucine or thymidine. Bacteria from all of the phylogenetic groups we identified by CARD-FISH were able to assimilate phosphate, although the abundances of cells within each group did not scale directly with the number found to assimilate phosphate. Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Cytophaga -like cells assimilated phosphate compared with leucine or thymidine. Our results suggest that a greater proportion of bacterial cells in surface waters are actively participating in the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus, and possibly other elements, than is currently estimated through the use of 3H-leucine or 3H-thymidine. [source] Role of chemokine ligand 2 in the protective response to early murine pulmonary tuberculosisIMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Andre Kipnis Summary Chemokines play an important role in the development of immunity to tuberculosis. Chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2, JE, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) is thought to be primarily responsible for recruiting monocytes, dendritic cells, natural killer cells and activated T cells, all of which play critical roles in the effective control of tuberculosis infection in mice. We show here that in mice in which the CCL2 gene was disrupted, low-dose aerosol infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis resulted in fewer macrophages entering the lungs, but only a minor and transient increase in bacterial load in the lungs; these mice were still able to establish a state of chronic disease. Such animals showed similar numbers of activated T cells as wild-type mice, as determined by their expression of the CD44hi CD62lo phenotype, but a transient reduction in cells secreting interferon-,. These data indicate that the primary deficiency in mice unable to produce CCL2 is a transient failure to focus antigen-specific T lymphocytes into the infected lung, whereas other elements of the acquired host response are compensated for by different ligands interacting with the chemokine receptor CCR2. [source] Ritz finite elements for curvilinear particlesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2006Paul R. Heyliger Abstract A general finite element is presented for the representation of fields in curvilinear particles in two and three dimensions. The formulation of this element shares many similarities with usual finite element approximations, but differs in that nodal points are defined in part by contact points with other particles. Power series in the geometric coordinates are used as the starting basis functions, but are recast in terms of the field variables within the particle interior and the points of contact with other elements. There is no discretization error and the elements of the finite element matrices can all be evaluated in closed form. This approach is applicable to shapes in two and three dimensions, including discs, ellipses, spheres, spheroids, and potatoes. Examples are included for two-dimensional applications of steady-state heat transfer and elastostatics. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] GaN Nanofibers based on Electrospinning: Facile Synthesis, Controlled Assembly, Precise Doping, and Application as High Performance UV Photodetector,ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 2 2009Hui Wu Nitride nanofibers have been synthesized based on a simple electrospinning technique for the first time. No catalysts or templates are needed in this new synthetic method. Highly oriented GaN nanofiber arrays, as well as a high-performance UV photodetector based on single GaN nanofiber assembled FET devices, can be facilely fabricated using this technique. Precise doping of other elements into the GaN nanofibers is easy by this solution-based synthetic method. [source] Effect of Ce, Sb, and Sn on Solarization and Crystallization of an X-Ray-Irradiated Photosensitive GlassINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Mohamad Hassan Imanieh The effect of Ce, Sb, and Sn photosensitive elements, individually and in combination with each other, on solarization and crystallization of an X-ray irradiated and a nonirradiated lithium silicate-based glass were investigated. According to the results, considering the crystallization behavior of the nonirradiated glasses, they were divided into Ce-bearing and Ce-free groups, in which the former group showed a clearer solarization tendency that manifested as an appearance of an absorbance peak at 318 nm in the spectrophotometry experiment. However, the results showed that in the irradiated glasses, the presence of Sb was more important in terms of improvement in crystallization view. Antimony decreased the differential thermal analysis (DTA) crystallization peak temperature from 655°C to 594°C and, in combination with the two other elements, changed the surface crystallization mechanism to a bulk one. The reactions that seemed to be responsible for the above-mentioned observations were discussed by spectrophotometry, DTA, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopic methods. [source] Quantitative trace element imaging using PIXE and the nuclear microprobeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMAGING SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2000C. G. Ryan Abstract The X-ray spectra of pure elements, excited using MeV energy beam of protons from the nuclear microprobe, have known spectra signatures. This makes X-ray spectra for more complex mixtures amenable to decomposition into contributions from the component elements. By devising this procedure as a matrix operation that transforms directly from spectrum vector to elemental concentration vector, the decomposition can be performed very efficiently enabling the real-time projection of the component element signals. In the case of a raster-scanned beam, with data that contain position information for each X-ray event, this approach enables the real-time projection of component element spatial distribution images. This paper describes the matrix transform approach called dynamic analysis (DA), which enables on-line real-time imaging of major and trace elements using proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The method also provides off-line iterative yield corrections to these images to compensate for changing sample composition across an image area. The resulting images are quantitative in two respects: (1) they resolve the pure element components and strongly reject interferences from other elements and (2) they can be directly interrogated for sample composition at each pixel, over areas, or along lines across the image area, with accuracy comparable to microanalytical point analysis methods. The paper describes the DA method, presents tests, and discusses its application to quantitative major and trace element imaging in geology. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol 11, 219,230, 2000 [source] On the Phosphorus Limitation Paradigm for LakesINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 4-5 2008Robert W. Sterner stern007@umn.edu Abstract Lakes are often said to be primarily phosphorus limited, but this paradigm has been described in numerous ways and there is considerable evidence that algae in lakes are often limited by other elements too. Crucial whole-ecosystem experiments that support the paradigm of the primacy of P limitation are few in number and have been limited to naturally oligotrophic lakes. A large amount of observational and experimental data seems to contradict the phosphorus limitation paradigm and instead indicates that most lakes are co-limited by N and P as well as, perhaps, by Fe and other resources. The biogeochemical theory behind the phosphorus limitation paradigm is that mechanisms can supplement cycles of C and N (and, discussed here, perhaps Fe) so that ultimately it is P that limits production and biomass. However, no mechanism has been proposed for ecosystems to overshoot this endpoint, meaning one might logically expect to see frequent occurrence of co-limitation by P, N and other resources over short, but still ecologically meaningful time scales that influence, for example, biodiversity patterns in lakes. One point of view has been that small-scale experimentation is simply misleading. However, an alternative is that even if P is ultimately limiting over multi-annual time scales, over shorter but still meaningful time scales, co-limitation of multiple nutrients is expected, and indeed is very common. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Agency and Human RightsJOURNAL OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY, Issue 1 2010S. MATTHEW LIAO abstract What grounds human rights? How do we determine that something is a human right? James Griffin has persuasively argued that the notion of agency should determine the content of human rights. However, Griffin's agency account faces the question of why agency should be the sole ground for human rights. For example, can Griffin's notion of agency by itself adequately explain such human rights as that against torture? Or, has Griffin offered a plausible explanation as to why one should not broaden the ground for human rights to include other elements of a good life such as freedom from great pain, understanding, deep personal relations, and so on? These concerns have been raised regarding Griffin's agency account, but in his new book, On Human Rights, Griffin has offered new arguments in support of his view that agency is the sole ground for human rights. In this paper, I examine these new arguments, and I argue that Griffin's arguments are ultimately unsuccessful. [source] The Theory-Practice Gap in Capital Budgeting: Evidence from the United KingdomJOURNAL OF BUSINESS FINANCE & ACCOUNTING, Issue 5-6 2000Glen C. Arnold We report the results of a survey of capital budgeting techniques used by United Kingdom firms. Where possible, the evidence is combined with data collected over a 22 year period to provide a basis for the discussion of causes of trends. We observe that there has been a substantial narrowing of the theory-practice gap in the use of project appraisal methods. The gap has also narrowed in other areas: the analysis of risk, inflation adjustment, capital budget preparation, WACC calculation and post-auditing. However, there are other elements of capital budgeting theory, e.g. probability and beta analysis which have been adopted by very few practising managers. We also discuss non-economic projects, capital rationing and hurdle rates. [source] The formal Darwinism project: a mid-term reportJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2007A. GRAFEN Abstract For 8 years I have been pursuing in print an ambitious and at times highly technical programme of work, the ,Formal Darwinism Project', whose essence is to underpin and formalize the fitness optimization ideas used by behavioural ecologists, using a new kind of argument linking the mathematics of motion and the mathematics of optimization. The value of the project is to give stronger support to current practices, and at the same time sharpening theoretical ideas and suggesting principled resolutions of some untidy areas, for example, how to define fitness. The aim is also to unify existing free-standing theoretical structures, such as inclusive fitness theory, Evolutionary Stable Strategy (ESS) theory and bet-hedging theory. The 40-year-old misunderstanding over the meaning of fitness optimization between mathematicians and biologists is explained. Most of the elements required for a general theory have now been implemented, but not together in the same framework, and ,general time' remains to be developed and integrated with the other elements to produce a final unified theory of neo-Darwinian natural selection. [source] On Thanksgiving and Collective Memory: Constructing the American TraditionJOURNAL OF HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Amy Adamczyk Relying on the approach by Maurice Halbwachs who argued that collective memory is based on contemporary interests and concerns, this article shows how Thanksgiving has changed over time in accordance with the ideas of the day. Aspects of the analysis support Barry Schwartz's theory that commemoration reflects the historical past. Similar to the pilgrims' celebration, many people commemorate Thanksgiving by, for example, feasting and praying. But in contrast to Schwartz's thought, this paper also shows that there are other elements of traditions that have minimal connection with the original event. Forms of commemoration like the Macy's Day Parade challenge the idea that commemoration and celebration contain some connection to the initial occasion. In general, the findings lend support to historical research and theories that implement social constructionist approaches. [source] Teamwork in primary care mental health: a policy analysisJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2008BSc (Hons), Dip HE (Mental Health Nursing), ELOISE NOLAN MSc Aim, This paper reports a policy analysis conducted to examine the potential impact of recent mental health policy on team working in Primary Care Mental Health in England. Method, An analysis of relevant policy documents was conducted. From an original selection of 49 documents, 15, which had significant implications for Primary Care Mental Health Teams, were analysed thematically. Findings, There were no clear guidelines or objectives for Primary Care Mental Health Teams evident from the policy analysis. Collaborative working was advocated, yet other elements in the policies were likely to prevent this occurring. There was a lack of clarity concerning the role and function of new professions within Primary Care Mental Health Teams, adding further uncertainty to an already confused situation. Conclusion, This uncertainty has the potential to reinforce professional barriers and increase the current difficulties with team working. Implications to nursing managers, An analysis of recent policy contributes to our understanding of the context of care. The lack of clarity in current health policy presents a significant challenge for those managing primary care mental health teams. Team working is likely to improve if targets, processes and responsibilities are made clearer. [source] UNCOUPLING OF SILICON COMPARED WITH CARBON AND NITROGEN METABOLISMS AND THE ROLE OF THE CELL CYCLE IN CONTINUOUS CULTURES OF THALASSIOSIRA PSEUDONANA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) UNDER LIGHT, NITROGEN, AND PHOSPHORUS CONTROL1JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Pascal Claquin The elemental composition and the cell cycle stages of the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle and Heimdal were studied in continuous cultures over a range of different light- (E), nitrogen- (N), and phosphorus- (P) limited growth rates. In all growth conditions investigated, the decrease in the growth rate was linked with a higher relative contribution of the G2+M phase. The other phases of the cell cycle, G1 and S, showed different patterns, depending on the type of limitation. All experiments showed a highly significant increase in the amount of biogenic silica per cell and per cell surface with decreasing growth rates. At low growth rates, the G2+M elongation allowed an increase of the silicification of the cells. This pattern could be explained by the major uptake of silicon during the G2+M phase and by the independence of this process on the requirements of the other elements. This was illustrated by the elemental ratios Si/C and Si/N that increased from 2- to 6-fold, depending of the type of limitation, whereas the C/N ratio decreased by 10% (E limitation) or increased by 50% (P limitation). The variations of the ratios clearly demonstrate the uncoupling of the Si metabolism compared with the C and N metabolisms. This uncoupling enabled us to explain that in any of the growth condition investigated, the silicification of the cells increased at low growth rates, whereas carbon and nitrogen cellular content are differently regulated, depending of the growth conditions. [source] Extension of a tuned log spiral of revolution fluorescence XAFS detector, designed for optimal detection of a particular element Z, to XAFS of elements other than ZJOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 2 2001D. M. Pease Recently, it has been demonstrated that an x-ray detector in the form of a log spiral of revolution, covered with highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, is an excellent device for obtaining the fluorescence XAFS of an element of interest in the presence of competing fluorescence from other elements. In the present work we investigate the capabilities of a log spiral of revolution (LSR) detector, with a geometry optimized for one element (in this case Cr), if used for XAFS of other elements. [source] The use of topography-based parameters for the assessment and prediction of surface wearLUBRICATION SCIENCE, Issue 1 2000I. Sherrington Abstract This paper examines the use of surface parameters as ,tools' for assessing and predicting surface wear. It begins by briefly reviewing other work published on wear assessment based on entirely topography-based parameters, and concludes that other elements of surface condition are needed, in addition to topography, to assess and characterise the contact if topography-based parameters are to be employed to predict wear. This paper discusses why areal measurements of bearing area and plasticity index are suitable candidates as a basis for assessing and predicting surface wear, and outlines the potential value of using these parameters in conjunction with a wear equation. The validity of this suggestion is illustrated by some preliminary data from a series of pin-on-disc wear experiments involving areal assessments of the bearing area and plasticity index of the rough tip of a brass pin. Predictions of the first stage of a wear simulation are compared to experimental data, and the paper concludes by presenting some general conclusions and suggestions about how the work could be developed. [source] RF excitation using time interleaved acquisition of modes (TIAMO) to address B1 inhomogeneity in high-field MRIMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010Stephan Orzada Abstract As the field strength and, therefore, the operational frequency in MRI is increased, the wavelength approaches the size of the human head/body, resulting in wave effects, which cause signal decreases and dropouts. Several multichannel approaches have been proposed to try to tackle these problems, including RF shimming, where each element in an array is driven by its own amplifier and modulated with a certain (constant) amplitude and phase relative to the other elements, and Transmit SENSE, where spatially tailored RF pulses are used. In this article, a relatively inexpensive and easy to use imaging scheme for 7 Tesla imaging is proposed to mitigate signal voids due to B field inhomogeneity. Two time-interleaved images are acquired using a different excitation mode for each. By forming virtual receive elements, both images are reconstructed together using GRAPPA to achieve a more homogeneous image, with only small SNR and SAR penalty in head and body imaging at 7 Tesla. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Geochemical characterization of moldavites from a new locality, the Cheb Basin, Czech RepublicMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 3 2008anda Detailed comparison of the Cheb Basin moldavites with moldavites from other substrewn fields in both major and trace element composition shows that the Cheb Basin is a separate substrewn field. The geochemical data obtained are discussed with respect to the source materials and processes leading to formation of moldavites. The data show that three groups of Cheb Basin moldavites exist. Ten samples of group 1 are characterized by the lowest content of Al, Fe, Na, and other elements representing phyllosilicate minerals, and by high Ca + Mg contents related probably to carbonates. They resemble the "poisonous green" moldavites, a subgroup of the Southern Bohemian moldavites. Seven samples of group 2 and 6 samples of group 3 are similar to typical moldavites of the Southern Bohemian substrewn field. These two groups differ from each other mainly in Al contents; with higher contents of Al and the elements associated with phyllosilicate minerals (namely Ba and Sr), group 3 also resembles the Moravian moldavites. Significant positive correlations between K, Ca, Mg, and Mn found in group 2 of the Cheb Basin moldavites and the enrichment in these elements observed generally in all moldavites, as well as other facts, e.g., high K/Na and K/Rb ratios and the reduced conditions during formation of moldavites, have been attributed to possible contribution to the moldavite source materials of the ash produced by burning of vegetation and soil organic matter present at the pre-impact area. [source] Elemental abundance survey of the Galactic thick discMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2006Bacham E. Reddy ABSTRACT We have performed an abundance analysis for F- and G- dwarfs of the Galactic thick-disc component. A sample of 176 nearby (d, 150 pc) thick-disc candidate stars was chosen from the Hipparcos catalogue and subjected to a high-resolution spectroscopic analysis. Using accurate radial velocities combined with the Hipparcos astrometry, kinematics (U, V and W) and Galactic orbital parameters were computed. We estimate the probability for a star to belong to the thin disc, the thick disc or the halo. With a probability P, 70 per cent taken as certain membership, we assigned 95 stars to the thick disc, 13 to the thin disc, and 20 to the halo. The remaining 48 stars in the sample cannot be assigned with reasonable certainty to one of the three components. Abundances of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Ba, Ce, Nd and Eu have been obtained. The abundances for the thick-disc stars are compared with those for the thin-disc members from Reddy et al. The ratios of ,-elements (O, Mg, Si, Ca and Ti) to iron for thick-disc stars show a clear enhancement compared to thin-disc members in the range ,0.3 < [Fe/H] < ,1.2. There are also other elements , Al, Sc, V, Co, and possibly Zn , which show enhanced ratios to iron in the thick disc relative to the thin disc. The abundances of Na, Cr, Mn, Ni and Cu (relative to Fe) are very similar for thin- and thick-disc stars. The dispersion in abundance ratios [X/Fe] at given [Fe/H] for thick-disc stars is consistent with the expected scatter due to measurement errors, suggesting a lack of ,cosmic' scatter. A few stars classified as members of the thick disc by our kinematic criteria show thin-disc abundances. These stars, which appear older than most thin-disc stars, are also, on average, younger than the thick-disc population. They may have originated early in the thin-disc history, and been subsequently scattered to hotter orbits by collisions. The thick disc may not include stars with [Fe/H] > ,0.3. The observed compositions of the thin and thick discs seem to be consistent with the models of galaxy formation by hierarchical clustering in a Lambda cold dark matter (,CDM) universe. [source] An examination of nervios among Mexican seasonal farm workersNURSING INQUIRY, Issue 3 2007Margaret England An examination of nervios among Mexican seasonal farm workers The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study was to examine a process model of the nervios experience of 30 Mexican seasonal farm workers. Focused interviews were conducted in Spanish to determine the workers' perspectives on their experiences of nervios while residing in rural, southwest Ontario. Data for analysis originated from variables created to represent key themes that had emerged from open coding of the interviews. Simultaneous entry, multiple regression analyses revealed that provocation, control salience, and cognitive sensory motor distress directly explained 67.2% of the variation in worker expressions of negative affectivity. The combination fear, feeling trapped, and giving in mediated the relationship of provocation, control salience and cognitive sensory motor distress to expressions of negative affectivity (R2 = 88.1%). Control salience and its dampening effect on other elements of the nervios experience, however, appeared to be key to whether subjects experienced negative reactions to being provoked or distressed. This evidence points to nervios being a powerful, holistic idiom of distress with at least six variables contributing to its affective negativity. This information is important to our understanding of how nervios unfolds and for accurate specification of a nervios model for clinical practice and research. It also sets the stage for improved therapeutic alliances with nervios sufferers, and social action to reduce factors that provoke nervios. [source] Incorporating employee resourcing requirements into deployment decision makingPROJECT MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Andrew R. J. Dainty Abstract Employee resourcing is the process of matching human resource capabilities to the strategic and operational needs of the organization. This is exceptionally problematic in project-based organizations due to the competing priorities of the project, the individual employee, and the wider succession needs of the organization. This article presents the findings of research examining the human resource management practices that form the key components of the resourcing process. These included, inter alia, human resource planning, recruitment and selection, team deployment, performance management, and human resource administration. Current practices were examined in seven leading construction firms, all of which faced dynamic resourcing priorities. Within an inductive methodology, semistructured interviews were carried out with senior executives, human resource management (HRM) specialists, senior operational managers, and project-based staff. Based on a synthesis of the promising practices extracted from the case-study organizations, an innovative approach to project resourcing was developed that aims to balance organizational, project, and individual employee requirements. Team deployment resides at the center of resourcing process for the project-based organization as it determines the success of the project, which in turn determines the competitiveness of the organization. Long-term planning and employee involvement enable team deployment to integrate with other elements of HRM effectively and thus help to balance the organizational strategic priorities, project requirements, and individual employee needs and preferences. [source] Serum trace element levels in COPD patient: The relation between trace element supplementation and period of mechanical ventilation in a randomized controlled trialRESPIROLOGY, Issue 8 2009May EL-ATTAR ABSTRACT Background and objective: Many trace elements play important roles in activating or inhibiting enzymatic reactions, by competing with other elements and metalloproteins for binding sites, by affecting the permeability of cell membranes and by other mechanisms. They play important roles in the oxidant/antioxidant balance. As such, trace elements are thought to be involved directly or indirectly in the pathogenesis of several diseases. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect trace elements (Se, Mn and Zn) intravenously administered on the period the COPD patients spend on mechanical ventilation. Methods: In a randomized double-blinded controlled trial a set of 120 subjects (40 normal volunteers and 80 COPD) were recruited. Serum concentration levels of Se, Mn and Zn were determined for all enrolled subjects with Inductively Coupled Plasma spectroscopy. COPD patients received intravenous supplementation of the above trace elements and the period the patients spent on mechanical ventilation was determined. Results: There was a significant reduction (P = 0.013) in the period the patients with COPD spent on the mechanical ventilation when received intravenous supplementation (9.4 ± 7.3 days) compared with the COPD patients who received placebo (17.8 ± 7.6 days). Conclusions: Trace element (Se, Mn and Zn) status is altered in critically ill patients with COPD. The supplementation achieved a reduction in the period those patients spent on the mechanical ventilation. A larger multi-centre trial is required to confirm this preventive effect and to explore its applicability to other critical care conditions. [source] THE STRUCTURE OF SCEPTICAL ARGUMENTSTHE PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY, Issue 218 2005Duncan Pritchard It is nowadays taken for granted that the core radical sceptical arguments all pivot upon the principle that the epistemic operator in question is ,closed' under known entailments. Accordingly, the standard anti-sceptical project now involves either denying closure or retaining closure by amending how one understands other elements of the sceptical argument. However, there are epistemic principles available to the sceptic which are logically weaker than closure but achieve the same result. Accordingly the contemporary debate fails to engage with the sceptical problem in its strongest form. [source] Designs of Deception: Concepts of Consciousness, Spirituality and Survival in Capoeira Angola in Salvador, BrazilANTHROPOLOGY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, Issue 1 2001Margaret WillsonArticle first published online: 8 JAN 200 This paper addresses various questions concerning "consciousness" and related folk concepts through an examination of fundamental principles of capoeira angola. These include, for instance, ideas such as ginga, the sensing of the mind/body through specific movements; or energia, a type of psychic force believed to be engendered through engagement within a group or with an opponent; or mentalidade, the kind of "head" one develops in capoeira angola, referring in part to what we conceptualize as a "state of consciousness," and in this case a highly alert and perceptive state with other elements of psychic ties and influences. This mentalidade includes "street smarts" and a highly developed knowledge about the various ways deception can be used to "get what one needs" in life, in other words, these are tools for survival in a specific kind of environment. Such a discussion must include "race," and class in Brazil. Racial and class discrimination in Brazilian society is seldom expressed explicitly; indeed a rhetoric of "racial democracy" has been popularized in direct contradiction to the reality of a racial oppression that includes class. In this paper, I integrate related issues of "states of consciousness" that have developed in capoeira angola to the conditions of racial and class inequality, power and history that have been its nurturance. In the conclusions, I speculate that notions of consciousness are in the process of change as capoeira angola is being regimented, taken out of context and taught increasingly among middle-class Brazilians and in such places as the United States. [source] Review: Biological methylation of less-studied elementsAPPLIED ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2002John S. Thayer Abstract Biological methylation is an enzymatic process in which a methyl group is transferred from one atom to another. For elements having atomic number greater than 11, biological methylation has been most extensively studied for three elements: arsenic, mercury and sulfur. However, many other elements also undergo biological methylation but have received less attention. Recent work on these less-studied elements and new applications of biological methylation to environmental remediation, along with a description of these reactions in terms of bonding models, is the focus of this review. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A conserved domain in type III secretion links the cytoplasmic domain of InvA to elements of the basal bodyACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 6 2010Mirjana Lilic Protein type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are organic nanosyringes that achieve an energy-dependent translocation of bacterial proteins through the two membranes of Gram-negative organisms. Examples include the pathogenic systems of animals, plants and symbiotic bacteria that inject factors into eukaryotic cells, and the flagellar export system that secretes flagellin. T3SSs possess a core of several membrane-associated proteins that are conserved across all known bacterial species that use this system. The Salmonella protein InvA is one of the most highly conserved proteins of this core of critical T3SS components. The crystal structure of a C-terminal domain of InvA reveals an unexpected homology to domains that have been repeatedly found as building blocks of other elements of the T3SS apparatus. This suggests the surprising hypothesis that evolution has produced a significant component of the apparatus structure through a series of gene-duplication and gene-rearrangement events. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||