Successive Induction in Larval Zebrafish

Activating one reflex often facilitates another, antagonistic one. Since Charles Sherrington first identified successive induction more than 100 years ago, it has been demonstrated in a wide range of species, from aphids to grasshoppers to dogs and humans. We show a particularly orderly example in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae and identify the simple dynamic process that seems to underlie it

An Analysis of Homicides in Oakland 2002, 2003 and 2004

The number of homicides committed in Oakland decreased substantially between 2003 and 2004. The decline has been attributed, in part, to the Oakland Police Department's Violence Reduction Plan launched in October 2003, greater collaboration between local and state law enforcement agencies, and increased community involvement in violence prevention activities.This report summarizes changes in specific characteristics of homicides over the past three years, such as victim and suspect demographic characteristics, locations of the crimes, the parole/probation status of victims and suspects, and the time of day and month that the homicides were committed. In addition to presenting annual data for 2002, 2003, and 2004, the tables and figures in this report show how characteristics of the homicides changed from year to year and over the three-year period

Assimilation and emerging health disparities among new generations of U.S. children

This article shows that the prevalence of four common child health conditions increases across generations (from first-generation immigrant children to second-generation U.S.-born children of immigrants to third-and-higher-generation children) within each of four major U.S. racial/ethnic groups. In the third-plus generation, black and Hispanic children have higher rates of nearly all conditions. Health care, socioeconomic status, parents’ health, social support, and neighborhood conditions influence child health and help explain third-and-higher-generation racial/ethnic disparities. However, these factors do not explain the generational pattern. The generational pattern may reflect cohort changes, selective ethnic attrition, unhealthy assimilation, or changing responses to survey questions among immigrant groups.assimilation, child health, disparities, immigration, race/ethnicity

Modélisation du transport de soluté en milieux poreux par la méthode d’éléments finis mixtes hybrides – développement d’un limiteur de flux

Une méthode d’éléments finis mixte hybride est appliquée pour l’approximation de l’écoulement associé au transport en milieu poreux non saturé. Le développement de ce modèle s’effectue dans le cadre du projet européen ARWET, lequel a pour objectif l’étude de nouvelles potentialités de dissipation des pesticides dans les zones humides. La formulation du modèle bidimensionnel est fondée sur les propriétés de l’espace de Raviart-Thomas. L’écueil numérique que posent les problèmes à convection dominante est surmonté par l’introduction d’un limiteur de flux alors qu’un limiteur de pente est généralement utilisé dans la littérature. Le limiteur suggéré est inconditionnellement stable et permet de conserver la précision des résultats à nombre de Peclet élevé.A mixed hybrid finite element method was applied to obtain a numerical approximation of the flow and associated transport equations in unsaturated media. The model was developed under the framework of the European Life Environment project ARTWET, which aims to study new treatment potentials for the mitigation of non-point source pesticide pollution in a constructed wetland. The model formulation used is based on Raviart-Thomas space properties, considering a two-dimensional domain divided into triangular elements. In order to control for the difficulties when convection is the dominant process, a flux limiting tool was introduced, although a slope limiter is generally used in the literature. The suggested flux limiting tool makes it possible to preserve precision and unconditional stability at low and very high Peclet numbers

Proyecto de desarrollo de un nuevo producto modular para el fortalecimiento de las líneas de negocio de la empresa Modumadera S.A. en la ciudad de Quito sector Guajaló.

La mayor parte de empresas ecuatorianas nacen del núcleo familiar y MODUMADERA no ha sido la excepción. Hace 25 años se inició, junto a mi padre, este sueño que ha traído entre todas las dificultades una gran realización personal y profesional. Ahora bien, estamos en una nueva época donde el futuro no puede ser visto de la misma manera. Los empresarios nos vemos obligados a cambiar constantemente. Por lo que se ha vuelto indispensable el encontrar nuevos y mejores rendimientos a las inversiones realizadas. Para esto se planteó este proyecto de desarrollo de un nuevo producto modular para el fortalecimiento de las líneas de negocio de la empresa MODUMADERA S.A. en la ciudad de Quito. Para está investigación se utilizaron métodos estadísticos que respondieron a satisfacción las inquietudes planteadas. El ahorro de espacio, tal como se pensó, ahora se ha vuelto transcendental a la hora de escoger una vivienda. Empatando esto con el presupuesto y las tendencias nos abrió todas las posibilidades para obtener mejor rentabilidad y más satisfacciones al brindar al cliente más de lo que necesita.Most Ecuadorian companies are born from the family nucleus and MODUMADERA has not been the exception. 25 years ago this dream began, together with my father, which has brought great personal and professional fulfillment among all the difficulties. Now, we are in a new era where the future cannot be seen in the same way. Entrepreneurs are forced to constantly change. This is why it has become essential to find new and better returns on the investments made. For this, this project to develop a new modular product was proposed to strengthen the business lines of the company MODUMADERA S.A. in the city of Quito. Statistical methods were used for this investigation, which satisfactorily responded to the concerns raised. Saving space, as it was thought, has now become transcendental when choosing a home. Matching this with the budget and trends, it opened up all the possibilities for us to obtain better profitability and more satisfaction by providing the customer with more than what they need

Changing Lifeways along the Guadalupe Basin in South Texas: The Results of National Register Testing of a Stratified Multicomponent Prehistoric Site, 41DW277, DeWitt County, Texas

AmaTerra Environmental (formerly Ecological Communications Corporation [EComm]) conducted archeological National Register eligibility testing at Site 41DW277 in December 2009. The site is located in the proposed right-of-way (ROW) for a new bridge along US 183 over the Guadalupe River, DeWitt County, Texas. Site 41DW277 was documented in 2009 by James Abbott and Allen Bettis of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and at the time of survey it was thought to be potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or as a State Archeological Landmark (SAL). Due to expected impacts resulting from the proposed bridge construction, testing was recommended to determine NRHP/SAL eligibility. TxDOT hired AmaTerra to complete the work under Texas Antiquities Permit 5460. Testing consisted of excavation of five gradall trenches and 32 test units. AmaTerra found that the site consists of three stratified prehistoric components extending from 1–2 meters in depth and ranging from 2,800 years to 5,200 years BP in age. Three features were documented and artifacts recovered included lithic debris and tools, mussel shell, snail shell, a small amount of bone, and some modern household debris (from the top levels of the units). Burned rock was observed and documented but not collected. An interim report was submitted in January 2010 recommending that the upper components of the site are not eligible for NRHP/SAL listing but that lowest and oldest component is eligible. However, the report also recommended that no further work was needed since the lowest component was not within the area of potential effect (APE) for the bridge replacement. The Texas Historical Commission concurred with this recommendation in February 2010. This report documents the results of the testing and analysis for Site 41DW277. Records and artifacts generated during this project will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University

Effects of Exercise on Oxidative Stress in Rats Induced by Ozone

Oxidative stress (OS) induced by acute exercise is reduced by chronic exercise. Ozone (O3) exposure produces OS. The aim of this study was to determine if aerobic exercise (AE) reduced OS produced by O3. A pilot experiment was performed with male Wistar rats submitted to AE (trained to swim 90 min/day). Adaptation to exercise was demonstrated three weeks after training by means of changes in reduced nitrates (NOx) in plasma. Therefore, two-week training was chosen for the following experiments. Six of twelve trained rats were exposed to O3 (0.5 ppm, 4 h/day, one hour before exercise). Two groups of sedentary animals (n = 6 each) were used as controls, one of which was exposed to O3. At the end of the experiments NOx, 8-isoprostane (8-IP), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and carbonyls (CBs) were measured in plasma. CBs did not change in any group. O3-induced OS was manifested by reduced NOx and SOD activity, as well as increased 8-IP and MDA. Exercise significantly blocked O3 effects although SOD was also decreased by exercise (a greater drop occurring in the O3 group). It is concluded that AE protects against OS produced by O3 and the effect is independent of SOD

Autoantibodies to Type VII Collagen Recognize Epitopes in a Fibronectin-Like Region of the Noncollagenous (NC1) Domain

Autoantibodies to type VII collagen are characteristic of the blistering diseases epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Blisters in those diseases are due to defective adhesion of the lamina densa subregion of the epithelial basement membrane to the underlying dermis. Previous studies indicating that type VII collagen contributes to lamina densa-dermal adhesion by cross-linking lamina densa and dermal matrix proteins suggests that autoantibodies may contribute to blisters by interfering with type VII collagen function. That hypothesis is supported by previous studies showing autoantibodies from a small number of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita patients recognize proteolytic fragments containing the 145-kD noncollagenous domain of type VII collagen. In this study, we examined reactivity of autoantibodies from a large number of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and bullous SLE patients with fusion proteins representing most of the noncollagenous domain of type VII collagen and that those regions are homologous to type III repeats of fibronectin. These results suggest autoantibodies binding to fibronectin homology regions within the 145-kD noncollagenous domain may interfere with the adhesion function of type VII collagen and contribute to lamina densa-dermal dysadhesion in epidermolysis bullous acquisita and bullous SLE