Site investigation for the effects of vegetation on ground stability

The procedure for geotechnical site investigation is well established but little attention is currently given to investigating the potential of vegetation to assist with ground stability. This paper describes how routine investigation procedures may be adapted to consider the effects of the vegetation. It is recommended that the major part of the vegetation investigation is carried out, at relatively low cost, during the preliminary (desk) study phase of the investigation when there is maximum flexibility to take account of findings in the proposed design and construction. The techniques available for investigation of the effects of vegetation are reviewed and references provided for further consideration. As for general geotechnical investigation work, it is important that a balance of effort is maintained in the vegetation investigation between (a) site characterisation (defining and identifying the existing and proposed vegetation to suit the site and ground conditions), (b) testing (in-situ and laboratory testing of the vegetation and root systems to provide design parameters) and (c) modelling (to analyse the vegetation effects)

Vaccination Trends and Family-Level Characteristics Associated With Incomplete or Delayed Childhood Immunizations: The Healthy Start Study

Purpose: Assess family-level factors associated with childhood immunization schedule adherence. Design: Prospective cohort; Setting; The Healthy Start study enrolled 1,410 pregnant women in Denver, Colorado 2009-2014 Subjects: Children with available vaccination data in medical records (0-6 years old) Measures: Vaccine schedule completion and compliance Analysis: Logistic regression comparing family-level factors that differ based on vaccine schedule adherence Results: Most immunizations required in Colorado for school entry were below national completion goals with 61.8% of participants (n = 532/861) completing the full vaccination series. Most participants received the first dose of individual vaccines on time (73.5% - 90.7%), but fewer received all doses on time (21.0% - 39.5%). Factors associated with not completing the vaccination series (OR [95% CI]) included: in-utero exposure to cigarette smoke (1.97 [1.41, 2.75]), single parent household (1.70 [1.21, 2.38]), children identified as non-White (Hispanic 1.40 [1.01, 1.94]; Black 1.88 [1.24, 2.85]; Other 2.17 [1.34, 3.49]), mothers not working outside the home (1.98 [1.46, 2.67]), and household income <$70,000 per year (<$40,000 1.93 [1.35, 2.75]; $40,000-$70,000 1.64 [1.09, 2.46]). Conversely, families with more educated mothers (0.47 [0.29, 0.76]) and older parents (0.97 [0.94, 0.99]) were significantly more likely to complete the series. Conclusions: These findings may help identify groups at risk of immunization schedule non-adherence and may be used to target education/advocacy campaigns to reduce hesitancy and increase access in these populations

Just a guy in pajamas? Framing the blogs in mainstream US newspaper coverage (1999—2005)

When new technologies are introduced to the public, their widespread adoption is dependent, in part, on news coverage (Rogers, 1995).Yet, as weblogs began to play major role in the public spheres of politics and journalism, journalists faced a paradox: how to cover a social phenomenon that was too large to ignore and posed a significant threat to their profession. This article examines how blogs were framed by US newspapers as the public became more aware of the blogging world. A content analysis of blog-related stories in major US newspapers from 1999 to 2005 was conducted. Findings suggest that newspaper coverage framed blogs as more beneficial to individuals and small cohorts than to larger social entities such as politics, business and journalism. Moreover, only in the realm of journalism were blogs framed as more of a threat than a benefit, and rarely were blogs considered an actual form of journalism.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide natural products: Overview and recommendations for a universal nomenclature

Covering: 1988 to 2012 This review presents recommended nomenclature for the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), a rapidly growing class of natural products. The current knowledge regarding the biosynthesis of the >20 distinct compound classes is also reviewed, and commonalities are discussed

Vascular Remodeling in Health and Disease

The term vascular remodeling is commonly used to define the structural changes in blood vessel geometry that occur in response to long-term physiologic alterations in blood flow or in response to vessel wall injury brought about by trauma or underlying cardiovascular diseases.1, 2, 3, 4 The process of remodeling, which begins as an adaptive response to long-term hemodynamic alterations such as elevated shear stress or increased intravascular pressure, may eventually become maladaptive, leading to impaired vascular function. The vascular endothelium, owing to its location lining the lumen of blood vessels, plays a pivotal role in regulation of all aspects of vascular function and homeostasis.5 Thus, not surprisingly, endothelial dysfunction has been recognized as the harbinger of all major cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes.6, 7, 8 The endothelium elaborates a variety of substances that influence vascular tone and protect the vessel wall against inflammatory cell adhesion, thrombus formation, and vascular cell proliferation.8, 9, 10 Among the primary biologic mediators emanating from the endothelium is nitric oxide (NO) and the arachidonic acid metabolite prostacyclin [prostaglandin I2 (PGI2)], which exert powerful vasodilatory, antiadhesive, and antiproliferative effects in the vessel wall

Selaginella delicatissima

Pteridophyte

Selaginella lineolata

Pteridophyte

Selaginella lepidophylla

Pteridophyte