Means for accommodating large overstrain in lead wires

An electrical wire is reported along whose length loops are formed at intervals and retained in a plastic capsule that allows unfolding of the loop when tension is exerted on the opposite ends of the wire. The capsule is formed by encompassing each loop with a sleeve of heat shrinkable synthetic plastic material which overlaps the loop and heat shrinking the overlapping portions. Thus, a length of electrical wire is formed which stores extra lengths of wire in the quantity needed to match the expected stretching of materials or elements such as ropes, cords and the like of high elongation to which the electrical wire may be attached

The Wild Turkey in South Dakota

This bulletin provides an extensive look at the wild turkey in South Dakota

Do Pine Trees in Aspen Stands Increase Bird Diversity

In the Black Hills of South Dakota, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is being replaced by conifers through fire suppression and successional processes. Al- though the Black Hills National forest is removing conifers (primarily ponderosa pine [Pinus ponderosa])toincreasetheaspencommunitiesinsomemixedstands,ForestPlan guidelines allow four conifers per hectare to remain to increase diversity in the remaining aspen stand. We compared bird species richness in pure ponderosa pine, mixed stands dominated by ponderosa pine with quaking aspen, mixed stands dominated by aspen with ponderosa pine, and pure aspen stands. Stands dominated by ponderosa pine had lower (

Multi-scale Habitat Use of Male Ruffed Grouse in the Black Hills National Forest

Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) are native upland game birds and a management indicator species (MIS) for aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the Black Hills National Forest (Black Hills). Our objective was to assess resource selection of male ruffed grouse to identify the most appropriate scale to manage for aspen and ruffed grouse in the Black Hills. During spring 2007 and 2008, we conducted drumming surveys throughout the central and northern Black Hills to locate used and unused sites from which we compared habitat characteristics at increasing spatial scales. Aspen with \u3e70% overstory canopy cover (OCC) was important to the occurrence of ruffed grouse across all spatial scales, but was most influential within 1600 m of drumming sites. Probability of a site being used was maximized when 20% of the 1600-m scale (~804 ha) had aspen with \u3e70% OCC. Ruffed grouse also selected for areas with many small, regular shaped patches of aspen over those with few large patches. At the smallest scale evaluated of 200 m (~12.5 ha), ruffed grouse selected drumming logs in close proximity to high stem densities of aspen with a minimal presence of roads. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) had a negative influence on site selection at the 400-m (~50 ha), 1600-m (~804 ha), and 4800-m (~7200 ha) scales. Management for ruffed grouse in the Black Hills as the MIS for aspen should focus on increasing the extent of aspen with a goal of at least 20% occurrence on the landscape. Management efforts also should incorporate multiple age and size classes of aspen with an emphasis on enhancing early successional habitat to provide valuable cover through increased stem densities

Older female children experience poorer quality of life when levels of perceived racial bias are high

Background: Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience significant health problems that result in unpredictable pain episodes and frequent healthcare utilization. Disparities in clinical care and emergency room visits in which medical providers mistrust the severity of reported pain symptoms may contribute to health-related stigma. In addition to stigma related to seeking care for acute pain, racism is a source of stigma with associated systemic inequities for this majority Black population. There is currently limited research into the effects of health-related stigma and racial bias on the underserved SCD population; however, the small body of research has found barriers to healthcare utilization, greater pain burden, and increased emotional distress. There is little known about the influence of health-related stigma and racial bias on quality of life (QOL) of children with SCD. The present study assessed these relationships, and additionally, we sought to understand whether there were differences in this relationship with regards to demographic factors (e.g., age, gender). / Methods: Data was collected from African-American children with SCD aged 8 - 16 years (57% male, 63% HbSS) who received care at a medical center in the United States. Sixty-three percent of children were receiving chronic transfusion therapy or pheresis and 37% were receiving hydroxyurea therapy. Children completed the Childhood Stigma Scale (adapted for SCD), the Child Perceptions of Racism in Children and Youth scale (PRaCY), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory for SCD (PedsQL). Caregivers provided demographic information. / Results: We first assessed whether age, gender, and health-related stigma predicted QOL and demonstrated a significant overall model, F(7, 22) = 4.59, p = .003, r = .46. Health-related stigma (p = .007) predicted QOL, but neither age or gender were significant predictors. The next model assessed whether age, gender, and racial bias predicted QOL and demonstrated a significant overall model, F(7, 22) = 4.59, p < .001, r = .52. Specifically, age (p = .03), but neither gender or racial bias were significant predictors. Of interest, there was a significant interaction between age, gender, and racial bias (p = .02), which indicated that males generally had higher QOL that did not differ as a function of racial bias or age. Similarly, females who reported low levels of racial bias had higher QOL that did not differ as a function of age. In contrast, females who reported high levels of racial bias had QOL that differed as a function of age. Specifically, older female children who reported high levels of perceived racial bias had poorer QOL (see Figure 1)

The Role of Dissonance and Schema: An Exploration of Florida Public Perception after the DWH Oil Spill

The agricultural and natural resources industries are no stranger to crises, particularly, large-scale crises such as the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010. Crises have an impact on how consumers view a product, and ultimately, can impact their decisions to buy or not buy products from an industry that has experienced a crisis. This qualitative study sought to evaluate consumer perceptions of Gulf seafood after the DWH oil spill, and explored the influence of schema and cognitive dissonance on consumers’ intent to consume or purchase Gulf seafood after the DWH oil spill. Focus group discussion with seafood consumers revealed participants had a pre-existing schema associated with local seafood, seafood origin, health benefits of seafood, and the safety of seafood. Dissonance was observed when participants balanced their pre-existing schemas with knowledge of the DWH oil spill as the participants discussed buying seafood, not buying seafood, and buying seafood with fear. From the findings of this study, researchers and communicators may have a better understanding of the decision-making process associated with buying a product after a crisis. Recommendations were made for agricultural communicators to develop personal messages and stories to help consumers overcome any remaining fear or dissonance associated with Gulf seafood

Performing heritage: the use of live 'actors' in heritage presentations

This paper investigates the phenomenon of 'living history' presentations of heritage, using live 'actors' to portray historical characters. Its aim is to discuss these presentations in the context of what may be understood as 'heritage', and of the nature of 'performance'. Four case studies of heritage sites, each important as a tourist attraction, have been selected for detailed study, together with a number of other examples of heritage performance. It is clear from the empirical work that different performance strategies are employed within the heritage industry and by individual 'actors'. Most of the performers take part as a leisure activity, and many do not consider themselves to be 'performing' at all. The greatest concern of participants lies in the degree of authenticity of the performance. Through 'living history', the 'actors' are drawn into an experience of heritage which has real meaning for them, and which may contribute both to a sense of identity and to an enhanced understanding of society, past and present. The popularity of such presentations with visitors also indicates that similar benefits are perceived by the 'audience'

Comparative effects of verapamil and nitroprusside on left ventricular function in patients with hypertension

AbstractThe effects of verapamil were compared with those of nitroprusside at matched mean arterial pressures and heart rates in 10 symptomatic hypertensive patients during cardiac catheterization. Simultaneous radionuclide angiography and micromanometer pressure measurements were obtained to assess left ventricular pressure-volume relations. Compared with control conditions, verapamil increased left ventricular end-diastolic volume index from 57 ± 16 to 70 ± 28 ml/m2 (p = 0.05) without a significant increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (from 10 ± 4 to 13 ± 6 mm Hg). Despite a downward and rightward shift in the end-systolic pressure-volume relation indicating negative inotropic effects, ejection fraction did not decrease significantly (from 52 ± 9% to 46 ± 9%); cardiac index and stroke volume index remained unchanged. The change in stroke volume index with verapamil was directly related to the magnitude of change in end-diastolic volume index (r = 0.82, p < 0.005), suggesting that the increase in enddiastolic volume did not arise purely from negative inotropic effects. Systemic vascular resistance index decreased from 42 ± 8 to 34 ± 7 mm Hg-min-m2/liter (p < 0.05).In contrast, nitroprusside decreased left ventricular end-diastolic volume index from 57 ± 16 to 41 ± 10 ml/m2 (p < 0.05), cardiac index from 3.2 ± 0.7 to 2.8 ± 0.6 liters/min per m2 (p < 0.05) and stroke volume index from 28 ± 6 to 24 ± 5 ml/m2 (p < 0.01), with no change in systemic vascular resistance index (40 ± 10 mm Hg·min·m2). The end-systolic pressure-volume relation shifted downward and leftward in all patients, stemming from altered left ventricular loading.Thus, in equihypotensive doses, verapamil and nitroprusside have markedly different effects on left ventricular function. The peripheral vasodilation and apparent improvement in left ventricular filling during verapamil balanced the negative inotropic effects, resulting in maintenance of stroke volume and cardiac index. The primary hypotensive effect of verapamil was a decrease in systemic vascular resistance, whereas that of nitroprusside was a decrease in cardiac index stemming from reduced left ventricular preload

Room temperature vacuum-deposition of CsPbI2Br perovskite films from multiple-sources and mixed halide precursors

Fully inorganic cesium lead halide perovskites, such as CsPbI2Br, show enhanced thermal stability compared to hybrid ones and are being widely investigated as wide bandgap absorbers for tandem applications. Despite their simple stoichiometry, the preparation of highly crystalline and stable cesium lead halide thin films is not trivial. In general, high-efficiency solar cells based on solution-processed CsPbI2Br thin films are prepared by hightemperature annealing or the use of chemical additives. In this work, we use solvent-free synthesis to investigate the formation of CsPbI2Br in bulk or in thin films via mechanochemical synthesis and multiple-source vacuum deposition, respectively. We demonstrate the importance of fostering halide alloying in the vacuum processing of inorganic lead halide perovskites, which can be attained either by using mixed halide precursors or by increasing the number of precursors (and hence deposition sources). These strategies lead to highly oriented perovskite films even at room temperature, with improved optoelectronic properties. We obtained promising power conversion efficiencies of 8.3% for solar cells employing asdeposited perovskites (without any annealing) and 10.0% for devices based on CsPbI2Br annealed at low temperatures (150 °C). This study allowed us to highlight the most promising processes and strategies to further optimize the material deposition as well as the solar cell architecture