Using A Prenuptial Agreement to Protect the Small Business

A divorce or death in the small business owner  family  can threaten loss of assets and/or control of the business. A prenuptial agreement can be used to control the distribution of assets upon divorce and/or death in order to preserve the assets of the business and retain ownership and control of the business. Small business consultants are in a unique position to discuss this matter with their clients and suggest a policy regarding prenuptial agreements.  General requirements of prenuptial agreements and possibilities for  use in the small business are discussed

Product assurance policies and procedures for flight dynamics software development

The product assurance policies and procedures necessary to support flight dynamics software development projects for Goddard Space Flight Center are presented. The quality assurance and configuration management methods and tools for each phase of the software development life cycles are described, from requirements analysis through acceptance testing; maintenance and operation are not addressed

Stumbling Down the Courthouse Steps: Mediators\u27 Perceptions of the Stumbling Blocks to Successful Mandated Mediation in Child Custody and Visitation

Although many concerns and criticisms about the efficacy of family law mediation have been made by attorneys, judges, and psychologists, we seldom hear from the mediators themselves about how the process works. In this study, we examine the mediators\u27 perceptions of the stumbling blocks to success in mandatory child custody mediation and make some recommendations about how the process might be improved

Post-transcriptional regulation of satellite cell quiescence by TTP-mediated mRNA decay.

Skeletal muscle satellite cells in their niche are quiescent and upon muscle injury, exit quiescence, proliferate to repair muscle tissue, and self-renew to replenish the satellite cell population. To understand the mechanisms involved in maintaining satellite cell quiescence, we identified gene transcripts that were differentially expressed during satellite cell activation following muscle injury. Transcripts encoding RNA binding proteins were among the most significantly changed and included the mRNA decay factor Tristetraprolin. Tristetraprolin promotes the decay of MyoD mRNA, which encodes a transcriptional regulator of myogenic commitment, via binding to the MyoD mRNA 3' untranslated region. Upon satellite cell activation, p38α/β MAPK phosphorylates MAPKAP2 and inactivates Tristetraprolin, stabilizing MyoD mRNA. Satellite cell specific knockdown of Tristetraprolin precociously activates satellite cells in vivo, enabling MyoD accumulation, differentiation and cell fusion into myofibers. Regulation of mRNAs by Tristetraprolin appears to function as one of several critical post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling satellite cell homeostasis

Comparison of energy consumption analysis between thixoforging process and die manufacturing from an environmental point of view

Accepté pour un posterthe purpose of this work is the focuses on the analysis of manufacturing process from an environmental aspect. One of the environmental aspects in the manufacturing process is the energy consumption and one of the significant issues is the improvement of energy efficiency of production process. This paper presents the life cycle analysis of the thixoforging and the die manufacturing process. This study analyzes the main variables such as material, temperature and technology on these two. The first step in system analysis is to identify the boundaries of the system to be examined. In the case of machining, the overall system includes activities such as tool preparation, material production, material removal, and cleaning, among others. Most of the environmental impact from the material removal process stems from energy use. In estimating the energy requirements for material removal, specific cutting energies are often used. While cutting, energies for machining can depend on many factors, including material properties of the work piece, presence of cutting fluids, sharpness of cutting tools, and processing variables, ranges of approximate cutting energies in machining are available. Tooling plays a major role in the machining process, but the direct environmental impact of tooling is limited. Due to their relatively long life, the environmental cost of toolings and tooling maintenance is often amortized over numerous products, thereby making the environmental impact relatively insignificant on a per part basis. However, the effect of tool materials on allowable cutting speeds, and thus on material removal rate, should not be overlooked. Selection of appropriate tools can allow for increased material removal rates, thereby reducing the total machining energy required. The removal material has a major influence on the energy consumption during the machining operation in order to the die manufacturing and, also on the selection of tools. In order to completing the life cycle analysis, depending on the system boundaries, the amount of iron oxides depends on the mass of the material for the thixoforging and machining of the die. This comes from the industrial practice of machining and the emission of the CO2 can be analyzed during the thixoforging and machining of die. However, Energy consumption is depending on the scenario and selective parameter in the process which have the important rules

Interventions to Promote More Effective Balance-Recovery Reactions in Industrial Settings: New Perspectives on Footwear and Handrails

“Change-in-support” balance-recovery reactions that involve rapid stepping or reaching movements play a critical role in preventing falls. Recent geriatrics studies have led to new interventions to improve ability to execute these reactions effectively. Some of these interventions have the potential to reduce fall risk for younger persons working in industrial settings. In this paper, we review research pertaining to two such interventions: 1) balance-enhancing footwear insoles designed to improve stepping reactions, and 2) proximity-triggered handrail cueing systems designed to improve reach-to-grasp reactions. The insole has a raised ridge around the perimeter that is intended to improve balance control by providing increased stimulation of sensory receptors on the footsole in situations where loss of balance may be imminent. The cueing system uses flashing lights and/or verbal prompts to attract attention to the handrail and ensure that the brain registers its location, thereby facilitating more rapid and accurate grasping of the rail if and when sudden loss of balance occurs. Results to date support the efficacy of both interventions in geriatric populations. There is also some evidence that these interventions may improve balance control in younger persons; however, further research is needed to confirm their efficacy in preventing falls in industrial settings

A Novel Endogenous Indole Protects Rodent Mitochondria and Extends Rotifer Lifespan

Aging is a multi-factorial process, however, it is generally accepted that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are significant contributors. Mitochondria are important players in the aging process because they produce most of the cellular ROS. Despite the strength of the free-radical hypothesis, the use of free radical scavengers to delay aging has generated mixed results in vertebrate models, and clinical evidence of efficacy is lacking. This is in part due to the production of pro-oxidant metabolites by many antioxidants while scavenging ROS, which counteract their potentially beneficial effects. As such, a more effective approach is to enhance mitochondrial metabolism by reducing electron leakage with attendant reduction of ROS generation. Here, we report on the actions of a novel endogenous indole derivative, indolepropionamide (IPAM), which is similar in structure to melatonin. Our results suggest that IPAM binds to the rate-limiting component of oxidative phosphorylation in complex I of the respiratory chain and acts as a stabilizer of energy metabolism, thereby reducing ROS production. IPAM reversed the age-dependent decline of mitochondrial energetic capacity and increased rotifer lifespan, and it may, in fact, constitute a novel endogenous anti-aging substance of physiological importance

Increased isoprostane and prostaglandin are prominent in neurons in Alzheimer disease

BACKGROUND: Inflammation and oxidative stress are both involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease and have been shown to be reciprocally linked. One group of molecules that have been directly associated with inflammation and the production of free radicals are the prostaglandin 13,14-dihydro 15-keto PGF(2α )and the isoprostane 8-iso-PGF(2α). RESULTS: To further delineate the role of inflammatory and oxidative parameters in Alzheimer disease, in this study we evaluated the amount and localization of 13,14-dihydro 15-keto PGF(2α )and 8-iso-PGF(2α )in hippocampal post mortem tissue samples from age-matched Alzheimer disease and control patients. Our results demonstrate increased levels of 13,14-dihydro 15-keto PGF(2α )and 8-iso-PGF(2α )in the hippocampal pyramidal neurons of Alzheimer disease patients when compared to control patients. CONCLUSION: These data not only support the shared mechanistic involvement of free radical damage and inflammation in Alzheimer disease, but also indicate that multiple pathogenic "hits" are likely necessary for both the development and propagation of Alzheimer disease

Semiotic technology as material resonance of postcolonial aesthetics in digital children’s picture book apps

Children’s literatures presently are produced widely through media production either as remediation of printed stories or originally produced in digital form. The current most sought after digitized communicative practice of the media is the digital children’s picture book app due to its multimediality and interactivity. This quality of the picture book app paves the path for an aesthetic and cultural transformative exchange. However, these digital children’s picture book apps have been found to contain diversity and multicultural gaps. Furthermore, the noncognitive/ affective quality of these interactive digital book apps that is evoked through senses like touch, hearing and sight needs further investigation. Hence, through a qualitative approach, the digital children’s picture book app version of the Malaysian animated series Upin and Ipin: Storybook: The Rain and The Sea Part 1 was selected as case study for this paper. Selection criteria consisted of three aspects; narration being in English and contained Semiotic Technology i.e. digitized meaning-making modes, the contents reflect characters, symbols and narratives that portray Malaysian culture, history and identity. The research reveals a postcolonial aesthetic that extensively operates based on the ideologies of the dominant class or culture through the representations of ethnic nationalism. This shows a builtin intrinsic value according to the context of the dominant culture that can be found in the aesthetic engagement in the transcultural space of this picture book app. This article contributes to scholarship cross-cultural engagement in the affective space of postcolonial digital picture books

LRRK2 in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

BACKGROUND: Mutations in LRRK2 encoding leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 are thus far the most frequent genetic cause associated with autosomal dominant and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). To examine whether LRRK2 is directly associated with neuropathology of PD and other related disorders, we analyzed LRRK2 in brains of patients affected by PD and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) using highly specific antibodies to LRRK2. RESULTS: We demonstrated that anti-LRRK2 antibodies strongly labelled brainstem and cortical Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmarks of PD and DLB, respectively. In addition, anti-LRRK2 also labelled brain vasculature, axons, and neuronal cell bodies. Interestingly, the immunocytochemical profile of LRRK2 varied with different antibodies depending upon specific antigenic sites along the LRRK2 protein. All anti-LRRK2 antibodies tested that were raised against various regions of LRRK2, were found to be immunoreactive to recombinant LRRK2 on Western blots. However, only the antibodies raised against the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of LRRK2, but not the regions containing folded protein domains, were positive in immunolabeling of Lewy bodies, suggesting a differential exposure of specific antigenic sites of LRRK2 on tissue sections. CONCLUSION: We conclude that LRRK2 is a component of Lewy bodies in both PD and DLB, and therefore plays an important role in the Lewy body formation and disease pathogenesis. Information on the cellular localization of LRRK2 under normal and pathological conditions will deepen our understanding of its functions and molecular pathways relevant to the progression of PD and related disorders