A geobiological investigation of the Mazon Creek concretions of northeastern Illinois, mechanisms of formation and diagenesis

Siderite concretions from the mid-Pennsylvanian Francis Creek Shale of the Mazon Creek area, in northeastern Illinois, contain exceptionally preserved soft-tissue fossils. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry and micro-x-ray diffraction on polychaete worm, jellyfish and holothurian samples highlighted detrital clay and quartz grains in siderite cement. The worm and jellyfish are pyritised and surrounded by pyrite halos, whereas the holothurian is preserved as a weathered impression. Specimens possessed either microbial textures or framboidal pyrite, in carbon-enriched zones. The carbon-enriched zones contained organic compounds, indicating that extensive degradation associated with high temperature diagenesis did not occur in this region. Laboratory diagenesis experiments using sulphate- and iron-reducing bacteria revealed the challenges of soft-tissue preservation; bacteria rapidly degrade buried labile organics. Concretion and model analysis suggest rapid burial and early diagenetic mineralisation is essential for the preservation of soft tissues, including microbial remains

Job Insecurity and Youth Emancipation: A Theoretical Approach

In this paper, we propose a theoretical model to study the effect of income insecurity of parents and offspring on the child's residential choice. Parents are partially altruistic toward their children and will provide financial help to an independent child when her income is low relative to the parents'. We show that first-order stochastic dominance (FOSD) shifts in the distribution of the child's future income (or her parents') will have ambiguous effects on the child's residential choice. The analysis identifies altruism as the source of ambiguity in the results. If parents are selfish or the joint income distribution of parents and child places no mass on the region where transfers are provided, a FOSD shift in the distribution of the child's (parents') future income will reduce (raise) the child's current income threshold for independenceAltruism; Emancipation; Job security; Option value

Job Insecurity and Children's Emancipation

The age at which children leave the parental home differs considerably across countries. We present a theoretical model predicting that higher job security of parents and lower job security of children may delay emancipation. We then provide aggregate evidence which supports this hypothesis for 12 European countries. We also give microeconometric evidence for Italy, the single country for which we have access to household-specific information on job security and coresidence. It is a very interesting case to study since, in the late 1990s, approximately 75 per cent of young Italians aged 18 to 35 were living at home and they had only a 4 per cent probability of emancipation in the subsequent 3 years. We show that this probability would have increased by 4 to 10 percentage points if their fathers had gone from having a fully secure job to becoming unemployed for sure.emancipation, job security, option value

The impact of the interaction with beauty bloggers on follwers' purchase behavior

The rise of bloggers has been witnessed by the world during the last years. From fashion bloggers occupying the front row seats at haute couture défilés, to beauty bloggers partnering with the most prestigious cosmetics brands. The increasing relevance of these recently born celebrities in the markets they represent, and the every time more evident interest from brands, evidences bloggers’ work impact on what the players on the other side of the blogosphere benefit from: sales. In this sense, this study aims to identify possible consequences of the relation followers-blogger on beauty bloggers’ followers purchase behavior. Using an inductive reasoning and a methodology combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, the objective is to formulate possible theories from data observation. For the observation, data was collected through an online questionnaire with a sample of 67 beauty bloggers’ non followers and 80 beauty bloggers’ followers, and 5 in-depth interviews to cosmetics lovers and beauty bloggers’ followers. In both cases, respondents were only women. Results were analyzed with frequencies and means, to compare and find patterns. Beauty bloggers’ influence on followers’ purchase behavior is not questionable, though difficult to measure. They showed to be a pushed source of information that every cosmetics consumer has in consideration. The relationship with bloggers has shown to influence followers’ purchase intentions more than final decisions. Regarding purchase habits, the clearer pattern is the introduction of new brands and new products. The latter has shown bloggers marketing capacity to create needs. Finally, all the interaction follower-blogger increases followers’ interest on beauty products and thus the amount of products purchased per year boost, as does the total expenditure.Durante os últimos anos o mundo tem testemunhado o rápido crescimento em popularidade dos bloggers. Este crescimento verifica-se em factos que vão desde bloggers de moda a ocupar as primeiras filas nos desfiles de alta-costura, até parcerias entre bloggers de beleza e as mais prestigiosas marcas de cosméticos. A crescente importância dos bloggers nos mercados que representam, e o cada vez mais evidente interesse das marcas nestas novas celebridades, confirma o impacto que o trabalho por estas desenvolvido tem no objetivo final dos outros envolvidos na blogosfera: as vendas das marcas. É neste sentido que este estudo pretende identificar possíveis consequências da relação entre bloggers de beleza e as suas seguidoras no comportamento de compra das últimas. Partindo de uma análise indutiva e uma metodologia que combina métodos quantitativos e qualitativos, o propósito é formular teorias baseadas na observação dos resultados. Os dados foram recolhidos através de um questionário online e entrevistas. A amostra do primeiro inclui 80 seguidoras de blogues de beleza e 67 não seguidoras. As entrevistadas são 5 seguidoras de blogues de beleza. Todas as inquiridas são consumidoras de cosméticos. Para a análise dos resultados foram utilizadas frequências e médias, comparando e procurando padrões de resposta. A influência das bloggers de beleza no comportamento de compra das seguidoras é inquestionável, no entanto, difícil de calcular. As bloggers de beleza mostram ser fontes de informação pushed que todas as consumidoras têm em conta. A interação com bloggers mostrou influenciar mais as intenções de compra do que a decisão de compra final das seguidoras. Em termos de hábitos de compra, o padrão mais consistente foi a introdução de novas marcas e novos produtos. Este último prova a capacidade de marketing que as bloggers têm para criar necessidades nas leitoras. Finalmente, todo o tipo de interação seguidoras-bloggers aumenta o interesse das primeiras em produtos de beleza e, consequentemente, a quantidade de produtos adquiridos por ano assim como o gasto total também se elevam

Phenolic composition and health-promoting effects of Sa/vla and Thymus decoctions

[ES] Varias plantas son muy buscadas por sus usos tradicionales. La creciente demanda de productos naturales, con posibles usos y aplicaciones en la industria, debido a sus propiedades beneficiosas, requiere estudios de validación científica. Las plantas del género Salvia y Thymus pertiencen à la familia Lamiaceae y son ricas aceites esenciales y/o compuestos fenólicos y se utilizan para distintos fines en la culinaria o en la medicina tradicional. Algunas de estas especies de Salvia y Thymus se han estudiado previamente con respecto a la composición y propiedades de sus aceites esenciales. En los últimos años, ha aumentado el interés por estudiar otros metabolitos secundarios, particularmente los compuestos fenólicos de varias especies de géneros Salvia y Thymus e sus propiedades bioactivas. Sin embargo, las propiedades químicas y biológicas de los extractos polares de algunas plantas de salvia e tomillo permanecen poco exploradas. En base a este conocimiento y al hecho de que no hay datos suficientes sobre algunas especies menos conocidas de salvia y tomillo, este estudio ha tido como objetivo proporcionar una investigación exhaustiva de la composición química y los efectos biológicos de extractos acuosos de varias especies de Salvia y Thymus, con posibles aplicaciones en la industria alimentaria, farmacéutica y cosmética. En este contexto, la presente Tesis Doctoral pretende dilucidar la composición fenólica y las propiedades beneficiosas de ocho Salvia (S. officinalis, S. elegans, S. officinalis 'Icterina', S. apiana, S. farinacea var. Victoria blue, decocciones de S. africana, S. greggii y S. mexicana) y de seis decocciones de tomilho (T. herba barona, T. pseudolanuginosus, T. caespititius, T. zygis, T. fragrantissimus y T. pulegioides). Los resultados destacaron que las decocciones de Salvia y Thymus son buenas fuentes de compuestos fenólicos, principalmente ácidos fenólicos y flavonoides, cuya abundancia puede estar asociada a su bioactividad y consequente beneficios a la salud. Los datos mostraron las propiedades antioxidantes, antibacterianas, antiinflamatorias y los efectos citotóxicos contra células tumorales e no tumorales de los extractos, la actividad enzimática metabólica de tres Salvias y la composición nutricional de tres tomillos. Los datos encontrados en esto estudio enfatizan la utilidad potencial de especies de Salvia y Thymus para el desarrollo de nuevos agentes, con aplicación en las industrias farmacéutica y/o alimentaria

Formulation and evaluation of a novel mucoadhesive drug delivery system to treat intestinal candidiasis in immunocompromised patients

The limited solubility, and therefore bioavailability, of the antimycotic drug, itraconazole, used for the treatment of intestinal Candidiasis in immunocompromised individuals, has been well documented. Therapeutic regimen in these patients may include daily administration of multiple doses of various drugs. Hence, improving the residence time of therapeutic agents, would ensure a high continuous concentration in the body and help decrease the dosing frequency. In our current study, we have investigated a novel method of drug delivery, developed by utilizing the concept of mucoadhesiveness, for the sustained release of the drug, itraconazole. Mucoadhesive beads were prepared using two natural polymers, isabghula husk and alginate. The minimum inhibitory concentration of itraconazole for Candida was found to be 1.5milligram per millilitre. Accordingly, beads were prepared by ionic gelation method using calcium chloride as a crosslinking agent. Marked improvement in solubility of the drug was noted after entrapment. Prepared beads were subjected to various evaluations including particle size, swelling behaviour and mucoadhesivity. At pH 7.4, good mucoadhesive property was exhibited up to 7 hours. Maximum swelling of beads was observed at 4hours in phosphate buffer after which the beads showed slight erosion. Fresh cock intestinal mucosa was used to assess the sustained release of itraconazole from the drug loaded beads and the reduction in candidal cells adhering to the mucosa was verified by the viable count technique. The results of our present study indicate that mucoadhesive intestinal retentive isabghula- alginate beads could represent a promising vehicle for drug delivery and help improve therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance in the future

The impact of technological era in human resource management

This work project is a literature review, which covers current studies (theoretical and empirical) on electronic Human Resource Management, human resources analytics and telework, and discusses some implications of the adoption of technology in human resource management processes. The Work Project presents and discusses different and contradictory perspectives between empirical and theoretical studies, demonstrating that the results obtained to the moment are not consistent. We conclude that the adoption of technology in human resources management is not yet mature enough in order to understand the real impact