Are funeral homes nickel and diming the consumer to death?

Funeral prices vary greatly across the United States. Even in the same community prices can vary by hundreds or thousands of dollars for the same services. Based on existing data and from surveying funeral homes in all fifty states, we are trying to determine if the public is getting nickel and dimed to death by unnecessary or over -inflated prices

A simultaneous preference reporting methodology applied to the Nebraska agricultural community

Prepared for the United States Dept. of Energy under Contract no. EX-76-A-01-2295, Task order 37.One of a series of publications which are part of the institutional analysis research conducted under the Department of Energy's Photovoltaic (PV) Program, this paper describes the Simultaneous Preference Reporting Methodology and reports the results of collecting data in conjunction with an agricultural field test of PV in rlead, Nebraska. The authors find that in the Nebraska Agricultural Community, PV is an undifferentiated innovation. They also conclude that the Simultaneous Preference Reporting Methodology is a promising diagnostic and predictive tool regarding the acceptance of institutional innovation

Phylogenetic placement and generic re-circumscriptions of the multilocular genera Arenifera, Octopoma and Schlechteranthus (Aizoaceae: Ruschieae): Evidence from anatomical, morphological and plastid DNA data

"Ruschieae is the largest tribe in the highly speciose subfamily Ruschioideae (Aizoaceae). A generic-level phylogeny for the tribe was recently produced, providing new insights into relationships between the taxa. Octopoma and Arenifera are woody shrubs with multilocular capsules and are distributed across the Succulent Karoo. Octopoma was shown to be polyphyletic in the tribal phylogeny, but comprehensive sampling is required to confirm its polyphyly. Arenifera has not previously been sampled and therefore its phylogenetic placement in the tribe is uncertain. In this study, phylogenetic sampling for nine plastid regions (atpB-rbcL, matK, psbJ-petA, rpl16, rps16, trnD-trnT, trnL-F, trnQUUG-rps16, trnS-trnG) was expanded to include all species of Octopoma and Arenifera, to assess phylogenetic placement and relationships of these genera. Three phylogenetic analyses were carried out, maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Leaf anatomical sections were studied to further inform generic circumscriptions. The phylogenies showed Octopoma to be polyphyletic, with the type, O. octojuge, and the related O. nanum, resolved as sister to Zeuktophyllum and Smicrostigma, while the other species were placed in the Conophytum-clade. Arenifera was also shown to be polyphyletic, with the type, A. pillansii, placed in the xeromorphic-clade, and the remainder of the species recovered among the Octopoma species in the Conophytum-clade (forming the Octopoma subglobosum-Arenifera spinescens subclade). Generic affinities of the O. subglobosum-A. spinescens subclade were assessed in relation to the sister taxon Schlechteranthus. The leaf anatomy was found to be informative within the study group. Bladder cells were observed in Arenifera pillansii, a hypodermis in Little Karoo Octopoma (O. octojuge, O. nanum, O. quadrisepalum) and epidermal cells forming blunt papillae in Schlechteranthus and the O. subglobosum-A. spinescens subclade. Upon assessment of the anatomical, morphological and phylogenetic data, Schlechteranthus is here expanded to include the species in the O. subglobosum-A. spinescens subclade. Eight new combinations are made in Schlechteranthus. As a result, Arenifera is again monotypic and the circumscription of Octopoma is refined to include three species restricted to the Little Karoo. Two subgenera within Schlechteranthus s.l. (subg. Schlechteranthus, subg. Microphyllus) are erected to accommodate differences in leaf size, capsule size, closing body size and locule number."Web of Scienc

Growth of Defect-Free 3C-SiC on 4H- and 6H-SiC Mesas Using Step-Free Surface Heteroepitaxy

A new growth process, herein named step-free surface heteroepitaxy, has achieved 3CSiC films completely free of double positioning boundaries and stacking faults on 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC substrate mesas. The process is based upon the initial 2-dimensional nucleation and lateral expansion of a single island of 3C-SiC on a 4H- or 6H-SiC mesa surface that is completely free of bilayer surface steps. Our experimental results indicate that substrate-epilayer in-plane lattice mismatch (delta a/a = 0.0854% for 3C/4H) is at least partially relieved parallel to the interface in the initial bilayers of the heterofilm, producing an at least partially relaxed 3C-SiC film without dislocations that undesirably thread through the thickness of the epilayer. This result should enable realization of improved 3C-SiC devices

Phase I dose-escalation trial of the oral AKT inhibitor uprosertib in combination with the oral MEK1/MEK2 inhibitor trametinib in patients with solid tumors.

PurposeThis study aimed to determine the safety, tolerability, and recommended phase II doses of trametinib plus uprosertib (GSK2141795) in patients with solid tumors likely to be sensitive to MEK and/or AKT inhibition.MethodsThis was a phase I, open-label, dose-escalation, and dose-expansion study in patients with triple-negative breast cancer or BRAF-wild type advanced melanoma. The primary outcome of the expansion study was investigator-assessed response. Among 126 enrolled patients, 63 received continuous oral daily dosing of trametinib and uprosertib, 29 received various alternative dosing schedules, and 34 were enrolled into expansion cohorts. Doses tested in the expansion cohort were trametinib 1.5 mg once daily (QD) + uprosertib 50 mg QD.ResultsAdverse events (AEs) were consistent with those reported in monotherapy studies but occurred at lower doses and with greater severity. Diarrhea was the most common dose-limiting toxicity; diarrhea and rash were particularly difficult to tolerate. Overall, 59% and 6% of patients reported AEs with a maximum severity of grade 3 and 4, respectively. Poor tolerability prevented adequate delivery of uprosertib with trametinib at a concentration predicted to have clinical activity. The study was terminated early based on futility in the continuous-dosing expansion cohorts and a lack of pharmacological or therapeutic advantage with intermittent dosing. The objective response rate was < 5% (1 complete response, 5 partial responses).ConclusionsContinuous and intermittent dosing of trametinib in combination with uprosertib was not tolerated, and minimal clinical activity was observed in all schedules tested

The impact of manganese substitution on the structure and properties of tetrahedrite

The crystal structure of the tetrahedrites Cu12-xMnxSb4S13 (x = 0, 1) has been studied by powder neutron diffraction between room temperature and 773 K. At all temperatures investigated, manganese exclusively occupies tetrahedral sites, while the trigonal-planar sites contain only copper. In situ diffraction data confirm the stability of the tetrahedrite phase up to 773 K, with no evidence of copper mobility at elevated temperatures. Analysis of atomic displacement parameters indicate that there are low-energy vibrations associated with the trigonal-planar and the tetrahedral copper cations. The Einstein temperatures for the copper cations range between 79 and 91 K. Manganese substitution increases the electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient, while the thermal conductivity is reduced. This results in a modest improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit for Cu12MnSb4S13, which reaches ZT=0.56 at 573 K

Change in multidimensional problems and quality of life over three months after HIV diagnosis: a multicentre longitudinal study in Kenya and Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on patient-reported outcomes of newly diagnosed HIV patients is scarce, and largely cross-sectional. This prospective cohort study describes the prevalence of, and changes in, patient-reported outcomes in the three months after HIV diagnosis, in 11 HIV outpatient centres in Kenya and Uganda. METHODS: Adults were recruited within 14 days of result, completing self-report measures four times at monthly intervals. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression (quality of life continuous outcomes) and ordinal logistic regression (symptoms and concerns categorical outcomes) modelled change over time, with repeated observations grouped within individuals adjusted for demographic/clinical characteristics, and multiple imputation for missing data. RESULTS: 438 adults were enrolled and 234 (53·4%) initiated ART. Improvement was found for MOS-HIV physical health (from 46·3 [95% CI 45·1-47·3], to 53·7 [95% CI 52.8-54·6], p < 0.001), and mental health (from 46·4 [95% CI 45·5-47·3] to 54·5 [95% CI 53·7-55·4], p < 0.001). POS subscale 'interpersonal problems' improved but remained burdensome (OR = 0·91, 95% CI = 0·87-0·94, p < 0.001; 22·7% reported severe problems at final time point). The scores for the existential POS subscale (OR = 0·95, 95% CI = 0.90-1·00, p = 0.056) and physical/psychological problems POS subscale (OR = 0·97, 95% CI = 0.92-1·02, p = 0.259) did not improve. Participants who initiated ART had worsening physical/psychological (OR = 0·64, 95% CI = 0·41-0·99, p = 0·045) and interpersonal problems (OR = 0·64, 95% CI = 0·42-0·96, p = 0·033). CONCLUSION: Although some self-reported outcomes improve over time, burden of interpersonal problems remains substantial and existential concerns do not improve

LKB1 and SAD kinases define a pathway required for the polarization of cortical neurons

The polarization of axon and dendrites underlies the ability of neurons to integrate and transmit information in the brain. We show here that the serine/threonine kinase LKB1, previously implicated in the establishment of epithelial polarity and control of cell growth, is required for axon specification during neuronal polarization in the mammalian cerebral cortex. LKB1 polarizing activity requires its association with the pseudokinase Stradalpha and phosphorylation by kinases such as PKA and p90RSK, which transduce neurite outgrowth-promoting cues. Once activated, LKB1 phosphorylates and thereby activates SAD-A and SAD-B kinases, which are also required for neuronal polarization in the cerebral cortex. SAD kinases, in turn, phosphorylate effectors such as microtubule-associated proteins that implement polarization. Thus, we provide evidence in vivo and in vitro for a multikinase pathway that links extracellular signals to the intracellular machinery required for axon specification

Placenta-specific Slc38a2/SNAT2 knockdown causes fetal growth restriction in mice

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a complication of pregnancy that reduces birth weight, markedly increases infant mortality and morbidity and is associated with later-life cardiometabolic disease. No specific treatment is available for FGR. Placentas of human FGR infants have low abundance of sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (Slc38a2/SNAT2), which supplies the fetus with amino acids required for growth. We determined the mechanistic role of placental Slc38a2/SNAT2 deficiency in the development of restricted fetal growth, hypothesizing that placenta-specific Slc38a2 knockdown causes FGR in mice. Using lentiviral transduction of blastocysts with a small hairpin RNA (shRNA), we achieved 59% knockdown of placental Slc38a2, without altering fetal Slc38a2 expression. Placenta-specific Slc38a2 knockdown reduced near-term fetal and placental weight, fetal viability, trophoblast plasma membrane (TPM) SNAT2 protein abundance, and both absolute and weight-specific placental uptake of the amino acid transport System A tracer, 14C-methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB). We also measured human placental SLC38A2 gene expression in a well-defined term clinical cohort and found that SLC38A2 expression was decreased in late-onset, but not early-onset FGR, compared with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) control placentas. The results demonstrate that low placental Slc38a2/SNAT2 causes FGR and could be a target for clinical therapies for late-onset FGR

Knowledge practices in design: The role of visual representations as 'epistemic objects'

We use a detailed study of the knowledge work around visual representations to draw attention to the multidimensional nature of `objects'. Objects are variously described in the literatures as relatively stable or in flux; as abstract or concrete; and as used within or across practices. We clarify these dimensions, drawing on and extending the literature on boundary objects, and connecting it with work on epistemic and technical objects. In particular, we highlight the epistemic role of objects, using our observations of knowledge work on an architectural design project to show how, in this setting, visual representations are characterized by a `lack' or incompleteness that precipitates unfolding. The conceptual design of a building involves a wide range of technical, social and aesthetic forms of knowledge that need to be developed and aligned. We explore how visual representations are used, and how these are meaningful to different stakeholders, eliciting their distinct contributions. As the project evolves and the drawings change, new issues and needs for knowledge work arise. These objects have an `unfolding ontology' and are constantly in flux, rather than fully formed. We discuss the implications for wider understandings of objects in organizations and for how knowledge work is achieved in practice