Preoperative Skin Conditioning: Extracellular Matrix Clearance and Skin Bed Preparation, A New Paradigm.

This paper introduces the concept of "skin bed preparation" prior to surgical procedures. Following the theory of chronic wound bed preparation and adapting the skin model to one of chronic wound changes related to extrinsic and intrinsic factors, a topical formulation aimed at recycling the extracellular matrix (ECM) from accumulated waste products is evaluated and discussed. The clearance of these products and stimulation of new replacements has the potential to change the regenerative milieu of the skin so that when procedures are carried out, cellular signaling and cross-talk at the dermal level are improved and healing is optimized. By introducing a combination of peptides and other synergistic active agents, a sequence of clearance, regeneration, and remodeling is initiated. This is confirmed and validated by a series of biopsies and clinical studies that demonstrate changes in the ECM as early as 2 to 3 weeks after application. Clinical studies related to resurfacing procedures show accelerated healing and improved symptomatic relief compared with standard of care by preconditioning the skin 2 weeks prior to the procedure. A similar approach is suggested as a potential advantage for invasive surgical procedures based on similar scientific principles elucidated on in the text

Patterns of Singularity: The Motivations of Independent Jewish Funders in Times of Economic Distress

This study explores the motivations of independent Jewish funders, focusing on their support for "independent, innovative initiatives" in Jewish life. Both benefactors and beneficiaries ask: how can other Jewish philanthropists be persuaded to join in supporting new independent and innovative endeavors in Jewish life -- and how can we do so in the midst of an economic downturn

The Continuity of Discontinuity: How Young Jews Are Connecting, Creating, and Organizing Their Own Jewish Lives

Based on case studies of four self-initiated ventures in Jewish self-organizing, explores their organizing principles, the limitations of and challenges for conventional institutions, and implications for engaging the new generation

Beyond Distancing: Young Adult American Jews and Their Alienation from Israel

This research reports on a mounting body of evidence that has pointed to a growing distancing from Israel of American Jews, most pronounced among younger Jews, and explores critical questions behind their presumably diminished attachment to Israel

Human factors in space station architecture 2. EVA access facility: A comparative analysis of 4 concepts for on-orbit space suit servicing

Four concepts for on-orbit spacesuit donning, doffing, servicing, check-out, egress and ingress are presented. These are: the Space Transportation System (STS) Type (shuttle system enlarged), the Transit Airlock (Shuttle Airlock with suit servicing removed from the pump-down chamber), the Suitport (a rear-entry suit mates to a port in the airlock wall), and the Crewlock (a small, individual, conformal airlock). Each of these four concepts is compared through a series of seven steps representing a typical Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) mission: (1) Predonning suit preparation; (2) Portable Life Support System (PLSS) preparation; (3) Suit Donning and Final Check; (4) Egress/Ingress; (5) Mid-EVA rest period; (6) Post-EVA Securing; (7) Non-Routine Maintenance. The different characteristics of each concept are articulated through this step-by-step approach. Recommendations concerning an approach for further evaluations of airlock geometry, anthropometrics, ergonomics, and functional efficiency are made. The key recommendation is that before any particular airlock can be designed, the full range of spacesuit servicing functions must be considered, including timelines that are most supportive of EVA human productivity

Connected to Give: Key Findings

This is the first in a series of reports based upon the wealth of data from National Study of American Jewish Giving. The key findings represent the top level of information gleaned from the studies, but there is much more to be explored. In addition to findings that relate giving to demography and identity, there are additional data about specific populations, particular areas of interest, and individual modes of giving

Jewish Community Study of New York: 2011 Special Report on Poverty

The sheer scale of needs associated with being poor or near poor dwarfs the resources of even the largest Jewish community in the United States. One is tempted to believe that the scale of need is so vast that the Jewish community should abandon this field to others.Yet since the earliest days of Jewish communal life in New York, the organized Jewish community has accepted its responsibilities to care for those in need. Even since the New Deal, when the federal government took on the primary role of providing a societal safety net, the Jewish community has been active in providing philanthropic support and services for poor and near-poor Jews.The numbers of poor and near-poor Jewish households, the enormous increase in the number of these households over the past 20 years, and the diverse groups affected by poverty create an imperative for an extraordinary response -- from government, the voluntary sector, the philanthropic sector, and all segments of society. These findings suggest that the organized Jewish community needs to take a hard look at current planning, advocacy, service delivery, and resource investment