“CLOCK IN THE ROCK” – IN-SITU C-14 ROCK SURFACE EXPOSURE DATING APPLICATIONS

Cosmic rays interact not only with the atmosphere, but also with material at the surface of the Earth. Thus C-14 can be produced directly in a rock surface by the effect of cosmic-ray neutron effects. The goal of the research is to develop the capability of the Hertelendi Laboratory for Environmental Sciences (HEKAL) in the field of cosmogenic radionuclides produced in situ by the action of cosmic radiation. Our aim is to construct a small line for the extraction of cosmogenic C-14 from quartz, making a system compatible with the online capabilities of the new MICADAS accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) at HEKAL in Debrecen. We have tested the chemical blank level, cross contamination effect and reproducibility of MICADAS gas ion source application in in-situ rock surface exposure dating

Cognitive abilities, personality and interests : their interrelations and impact on occupation

Cognitive ability, personality and interests are three distinct topics of investigation for psychology. In the past two decades, however, there have been growing appeals for research and theories that address the overlap among these domains (Ackerman & Heggestad, 1997; Armstrong, Day, McVay, & Rounds, 2008). One example of such a theory is PPIK theory (intelligence-as-process, personality, interests, and intelligence-as-knowledge) by Ackerman (1996). Integrative theories have the potential of not only increasing our theoretical understanding of the development of these individual differences, but of and improving vocational guidance through better prediction of future occupation (Armstrong, Su, & Rounds, 2011; Johnson & Bouchard, 2009). The research of this thesis was centered on examining the links among cognitive ability, personality and interests. The data came from Project TALENT (PT), a nationally-representative sample of approximately 400,000 American high school students from 1960 (Flanagan et al., 1962). A secondary topic was whether an integrated view could improve the prediction of attained occupation. This was tested with occupational data from follow-up PT surveys, conducted 11 years after high school. The first study addressed the structure of the PT intelligence tests. Three popular models of intelligence were compared through factor analysis: the Extended Fluid-Crystallized (Gf-Gc), Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) and Verbal- Perceptual-Image Rotation (VPR) models. The VPR model provided the best fit to the data. The second study was an investigation of linear and nonlinear intelligence-personality associations in Project TALENT. The ten PT personality scales were related to the Big Five personality factors through content examination, consistent with previous research (Reeve, Meyer, & Bonaccio, 2006). Through literature review of studies on intelligence and the Big Five, 17 hypotheses were made about linear associations and quadratic associations of personality traits with general intelligence (g). The majority of the hypotheses were supported in all four grade samples: 53% in male samples, and 58% in female samples. The most notable finding, contrary to previous research, was that quadratic associations explained substantive variance above and beyond linear effects for Sociability, Maturity, Vigor and Leadership in males, and Sociability, Maturity and Tidiness in females. The third study examined associations between cognitive ability and interests, and their capacity to predict occupational type. Specifically, Ackerman’s PPIK theory suggests that there are two “trait complexes” that are combinations of cognitive abilities and interests (termed science/math and intellectual/cultural). Trait complexes were derived from PT data separately by latent class analysis and factor analysis. It was hypothesized that they should have validity equal to or greater than individual intelligence and interests scores in predicting attained occupation. Instead, trait complexes derived through latent class analysis predicted substantially less variance in occupation than individual scales. The factor-analytic trait complexes performed more like the scales, but one trait complex (which involved g centrally) was inconsistent with PPIK theory. Overall, the trait complexes of PPIK theory were not supported. The results of the three studies are discussed in the context of existing integrative theories, and suggestions for future research are provided

Choral Showcase

Center for the Performing Arts Sunday Afternoon September 19, 2004 3:00p.m

A Comprehensive Audit of Professional Development for K-12 School Leaders in the Commonwealth of Virginia

The intent of this paper is to provide a mixed-methods audit of professional development provided to K-12 school leadership in Virginia\u27s diverse landscape to include identification of providers, funding, effectiveness, and expectations. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, geographical, political, and socio-economical differences across 132 school divisions cause variability in leaders\u27 experiences with professional development. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a review of current literature, an online survey, virtual interviews, and virtual focus group discussions. This data collection results in a comprehensive audit of professional development provided to school leaders in Virginia\u27s diverse landscape. The study defines effective professional development for school leaders and considers commonalities and disparities of school leaders\u27 experience with professional development, including divisions\u27 commitment to funding, leaders’ access to providers, and leaders’ exposure to traditional and emerging content topics in order to provide recommendations to Virginia Commonwealth University\u27s School of Education as an external provider of professional development for school leaders

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Adoption and evaluation of a sample pre-treatment protocol for radiocarbon dating of cremated bones at HEKAL

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Reversible lysine fatty acylation of an anchoring protein mediates adipocyte adrenergic signaling.

N-myristoylation on glycine is an irreversible modification that has long been recognized to govern protein localization and function. In contrast, the biological roles of lysine myristoylation remain ill-defined. We demonstrate that the cytoplasmic scaffolding protein, gravin-α/A kinase–anchoring protein 12, is myristoylated on two lysine residues embedded in its carboxyl-terminal protein kinase A (PKA) binding domain. Histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) docks to an adjacent region of gravin-α and demyristoylates these sites. In brown and white adipocytes, lysine myristoylation of gravin-α is required for signaling via β(2)- and β(3)-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs), which are G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Lysine myristoylation of gravin-α drives β-ARs to lipid raft membrane microdomains, which results in PKA activation and downstream signaling that culminates in protective thermogenic gene expression. These findings define reversible lysine myristoylation as a mechanism for controlling GPCR signaling and highlight the potential of inhibiting HDAC11 to manipulate adipocyte phenotypes for therapeutic purposes

Establishment of a microwell-array-based miniaturized thymic organoid model suitable for high-throughput applications

T cell development depends critically on the thymic stroma-in particular, the diverse array of functionally distinct thymic epithelial cell (TEC) types. However, a robust in vitro thymus model mimicking the native thymus and compatible with medium-/high-throughput analyses is currently lacking. Here, we demonstrate a high-density microwell-array-based miniaturized thymus organoid (mTO) model that supports T cell commitment and development, possesses key organizational characteristics of the native thymus, and is compatible with live imaging and medium-/high-throughput applications. We establish the minimum cellular input required for a functional mTO and show that mTO TEC phenotype and complexity closely mirror those of the native thymus. Finally, we use an mTO to probe the role of fetal thymic mesenchyme, revealing a requirement beyond maintenance of Foxn1 in differentiation/maintenance of mature TEC sub-populations. Collectively, mTOs present an invitro model of the native thymus adaptable to medium-/high-throughput applications and validated for exploration of thymus and thymus organoid biology.</p

Adoption and evaluation of a sample pretreatment protocol for radiocarbon dating of cremated bones at HEKAL

A comparative study was undertaken to adopt and evaluate a radiocarbon (14C) preparation procedure for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of cremated bones at our laboratory, including different types of archaeological samples (cremated bone, bone, charcoal, charred grain). All 14C analyses were performed using the EnvironMICADAS AMS instrument at the Hertelendi Laboratory of Environmental Studies (HEKAL) and the ancillary analyses were also performed at the Institute for Nuclear Research (ATOMKI). After the physical and chemical cleaning of cremated bones, CO2 was extracted by acid hydrolysis followed by sealed-tube graphitization and 14C measurement. The supplementary δ13C measurements were also performed on CO2 gas while FTIR was measured on the powder fraction. Based on the FTIR and 14C analyses, our chemical pretreatment protocol was successful in removing contamination from the samples. Good reproducibility was obtained for the 0.2–0.3 mm fraction of blind-tested cremated samples and a maximum age difference of only 150 yr was found for the remaining case studies. This confirms the reliability of our procedure for 14C dating of cremated bones. However, in one case study, the age difference of 300 yr between two cremated fragments originating from the same urn shows that other processes affecting the cremated samples in the post-burial environment can substantially influence the 14C age, so caution must be exercised