Spectral shape of the UV ionizing background and OVI absorbers at z ~ 1.5 towards HS0747+4259

We report on high resolution spectra of the bright QSO HS0747+4259 (zem = 1.90, V = 15.8) observed to search for intermediate redshift OVI absorption systems. The spectra were obtained by means of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) at the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) at the W. M. Keck telescope. We identify 16 OVI systems in the range 1.07 <= z <= 1.87. Among them, six systems with zabs = 1.46-1.8 exhibit a sufficient number of lines of different ionic transitions to estimate the shape of the ionizing radiation field in the range 1 Ryd < E < 10 Ryd. All recovered UV ionizing spectra are characterized by the enhanced intensity at E > 3 Ryd compared to the model spectrum of Haardt and Madau (1996). This is in line with the observational evidence of a deficiency of strong Ly-alpha absorbers with N(HI) > 10^{15} cm^{-2}, at z < 2. The UV background shows significant local variations: the spectral shape estimated at z = 1.59 differs from that obtained at z = 1.81 and 1.73. A possible cause of these variations is the presence of a QSO/AGN at z ~= 1.54-1.59 close to the line of sight. No features favoring the input of stellar radiation to the ionizing background are detected, limiting the escape fraction of the galactic UV photons to f_esc < 0.05.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables; accepted for publication in A&

The impact of a chief planning officer on the administrative environment for planning

Institution-wide planning, to be effective, must have the support of key administrators. Presidents, vice-presidents, deans, and directors must feel that sufficient consensus can be reached on explicit goals to make comprehensive planning possible and worthwhile. While much has been written about the importance of CEO leadership in gaining broad support for planning, little has been said about the role of the chief planning officer in this regard. This paper, based on a national survey of administrators' views of planning, studies the relationship between having a chief planning officer and administrators' perceptions of campus planning. Its intended audience includes all those interested in institutional planning.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43608/1/11162_2004_Article_BF00991968.pd

Recovering the Divide: A Review of Strategy and Tactics in Business and Management

With origins in military history, strategy and tactics is a frequently used conceptual couplet in the business and management literature. This paper reviews how strategy and tactics are portrayed, identifying a dominant &lsquo;pragmatic&rsquo; account of strategy as an expression of formal, planned ends achieved through the subordinate means of tactics. Pragmatic distinctions give rise to a range of well-known problems, in particular in strategy implementation stages. We suggest that some of these problems may be avoided when the strategy&ndash;tactics relationship is conceived differently. We elaborate two alternative distinctions: a sociological framing of tactics as mechanisms of resistance to formal, controlling strategies; and a processual perspective, which sidesteps fixed distinctions between tactics and strategy, giving rise to more fluid interrelations between both modes. Based on a review of the business and management literature, we identify key examples of each trope and conclude by drawing insights for each account on the basis of these wider discussions

Integrated genomic characterization of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

We performed integrated genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiling of 150 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) specimens, including samples with characteristic low neoplastic cellularity. Deep whole-exome sequencing revealed recurrent somatic mutations in KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, SMAD4, RNF43, ARID1A, TGFβR2, GNAS, RREB1, and PBRM1. KRAS wild-type tumors harbored alterations in other oncogenic drivers, including GNAS, BRAF, CTNNB1, and additional RAS pathway genes. A subset of tumors harbored multiple KRAS mutations, with some showing evidence of biallelic mutations. Protein profiling identified a favorable prognosis subset with low epithelial-mesenchymal transition and high MTOR pathway scores. Associations of non-coding RNAs with tumor-specific mRNA subtypes were also identified. Our integrated multi-platform analysis reveals a complex molecular landscape of PDAC and provides a roadmap for precision medicine

Laser capture microdissection: Big data from small samples

Any tissue is made up of a heterogeneous mix of spatially distributed cell types. In response to any (patho) physiological cue, responses of each cell type in any given tissue may be unique and cannot be homogenized across cell-types and spatial co-ordinates. For example, in response to myocardial infarction, on one hand myocytes and fibroblasts of the heart tissue respond differently. On the other hand, myocytes in the infarct core respond differently compared to those in the peri-infarct zone. Therefore, isolation of pure targeted cells is an important and essential step for the molecular analysis of cells involved in the progression of disease. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is powerful to obtain a pure targeted cell subgroup, or even a single cell, quickly and precisely under the microscope, successfully tackling the problem of tissue heterogeneity in molecular analysis. This review presents an overview of LCM technology, the principles, advantages and limitations and its down-stream applications in the fields of proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics. With powerful technologies and appropriate applications, this technique provides unprecedented insights into cell biology from cells grown in their natural tissue habitat as opposed to those cultured in artificial petri dish conditions

Structural characterisation of Middle Jurassic, high-volatile bituminous Walloon Subgroup coals and correlation with the coal seam gas content

The structure of a suite of high-volatile, bituminous Surat Basin, Queensland coals has been investigated by a combination of analytical probes. These included elemental analyses, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, together with a study of their liquefaction products in both tetralin and solvent free-tin catalysed hydrogenations. Samples were gathered across a 300 m depth interval intersected by the sampling well. Most techniques revealed clear but subtle differences in structure as a function of depth. The oils produced by solvent free-tin catalysed hydrogenation, however, showed very distinct dependence with depth and the waxy content, as indicated by 1H-NMR, could be correlated with the coal seam gas content

Gaps in Emergency General Surgery Coverage in the United States

Introduction: Despite three million adults in the United States (US) being admitted annually for emergency general surgery (EGS) conditions, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, we lack an understanding of the barriers to round-the-clock EGS care. Our objective was to measure gaps in round-the-clock EGS care. Methods: From August 2015 to December 2015, we surveyed all US-based, adult acute care general hospitals that have an emergency room and \u3e /=1 operating room and provide EGS care, utilizing paper and electronic methods. Surgeons or chief medical officers were queried regarding EGS practices. Results: Of 2,811 hospitals, 1,634 (58.1%) responded; 279 (17.1%) were unable to always provide round-the-clock EGS care. Rural location, smaller bed size, and non-teaching status were associated with lack of round-the-clock care. Inconsistent surgeon coverage was the primary reason for lacking round-the-clock EGS care (n=162; 58.1%). However, lack of a tiered system for booking emergency cases, no anesthesia availability overnight, and no stipend for EGS call were also associated with the inability to provide round-the-clock EGS care. Discussion: We found significant gaps in access to EGS care, often attributable to workforce deficiencies

Kula and Kahawai : Geoarchaeological and Historical Investigations in Middle Maunawili Valley, Kailua, Koʻolau Poko, Oʻahu

1 volume (various pagings) : illustrations, maps (some folded) ; 28 cmFrom October, 1986, through April, 1988, at the request of the Royal Hawaiian Country Club, Inc., the Applied Research Group, Bishop Museum, conducted inventory survey, data recovery, and interpretive excavations (at preserved sites) in a 202.35-ha property (TMK 4-2-06:1. -07:1, -08:1, -09:1) scheduled for golf course development in Maunawili Valley, O'ahu. Additional field visits took place in late 1988 and May, 1989. This report finalizes and supersedes information presented earlier in three research designs, six preliminary reports, and one draft preservation plan (see References Cited). Twenty-nine sites, containing more than 607 surface features/feature clusters, were described, mapped, and investigated. These include a walled heiau; human bones; house sites; field shelters; work areas, some with grinding stones; extensive pre-Contact agricultural complexes of rainfed, irrigated, and intermediate types, one with a petroglyph boulder; a post-Contact charcoal kiln; E. H. Boyd's and W. G. hwin's estates; Irwin's coffee mill; a historic road network; ranching walls and enclosures; and sugar plantation-related features including 'Ainoni Spring and Ditch. Laboratory analyses completed in order to interpret site age, function, and significance include radiocarbon and post-Contact artifact dating, midden analysis, pollen and wood charcoal identifications, and description and interpretation of 3,664 artifacts of pre-Contact types and 1,166 post-Contact artifacts. Radiocarbon-dating evidence and historical research indicate that the valley has been occupied over a long perios, since c.A.D. 1000. Uses of the area have varied, as indicated by the list above, but have apparently always emphasized the production of taro and other crops