The zinc isotopic composition of siliceous marine sponges: investigating nature's sediment traps

The Zinc (Zn) content and isotopic composition of marine biogenic opal has the potential to yield information about the nutrient availability, utilisation and export of particulate organic matter from surface to deep waters. Here, we report the first measurements of the Zn isotopic composition of deep-sea marine sponge skeletal elements – spicules - collected in the Southern Ocean. Our results highlight different Zn uptake and isotopic fractionation behaviour between the two major siliceous sponge clades (hexactinellids and demosponges), which is most likely linked to sponge feeding strategy. Hexactinellid spicule Zn isotopic compositions are not fractionated with respect to seawater, most likely due to Zn transport via the open internal structure of the sponges. In contrast, demosponge spicules exhibit a wide range of Zn isotopic compositions that are related to the opal Zn concentration, most likely reflecting variable Zn isotope compositions in the organic matter particles on which they feed, and internal fractionation processes

Immunoreactivity for a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase is selectively increased in macaque striate cortex after monocular deprivation

Immunocytochemical methods were used to localize type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in the macaque primary visual cortex. Neurons that stain for the kinase include both pyramidal and nonpyramidal cells and they appear to form a subset of cortical neurons. They are densely packed in layers II and IVB, somewhat more sparse in layers III, IVCß, and VI, and nearly absent in layer V. In normal animals the distribution of kinase-positive cells within each layer is relatively uniform. However, in animals in which one eye is removed 7-14 days before sacrifice or sutured shut for 9 or 11 weeks, the cells in layer IVCß are divided into alternating lightly and darkly stained bands. Comparison of immunocytochemically stained sections with adjacent sections stained for the mitochondrial enzyme, cytochrome oxidase, reveals that the kinase staining increases in ocular dominance columns originally driven by the removed or closed eye. These findings suggest that either the concentration of type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase or its accessibility to the antibody probe increases dramatically and selectively in neurons of macaque primary visual cortex that have been deprived of their normal visual input. This may indicate that changing levels of activity in cortical neurons can alter their regulatory machinery

Pengaruh Keselamatan Dan Kesehatan Kerja Terhadap Kinerja Karyawan (Survei Pada Karyawan PT. Pindad (Persero) Malang)

This study aims to analyze and describe the variables of employee safety, employee health variables, and variables in employee performance at PT. PINDAD (Persero) DIVISI MUNISI Malang, and to analyze and explain the influence and effects of simultaneous partial, employee safety, employee health variables, and variables in employee performance at PT. PINDAD (Persero) DIVISI MUNISI Malang. This type of research is survey research that have the quality of explanation (explanatory research). Analysis of the data in this study using multiple linear regression analysis were processed using the SPSS 13.0 for windows.Sig. hypothesis testing results are known. F ≤ sig. α (0.05 ≤ 0.000) showed significant effect of the variable simultaneous employee safety (X1) and employee health (X2) on the performance of the employee (Y). it can also be known sig. t ≤ sig. α (0.05 ≤ 0.000) showed significant effect of the variable partial employee safety (X1) and employee health (X2) on the employee performance (Y). Adjusted R Square value of 0.501 indicates that the variable safety employee (X1), and health employee (X2), contributing to employee performance variable (Y) by 50.1%

Generalized Log-Normal Chain-Ladder

We propose an asymptotic theory for distribution forecasting from the log normal chain-ladder model. The theory overcomes the difficulty of convoluting log normal variables and takes estimation error into account. The results differ from that of the over-dispersed Poisson model and from the chain-ladder based bootstrap. We embed the log normal chain-ladder model in a class of infinitely divisible distributions called the generalized log normal chain-ladder model. The asymptotic theory uses small $\sigma$ asymptotics where the dimension of the reserving triangle is kept fixed while the standard deviation is assumed to decrease. The resulting asymptotic forecast distributions follow t distributions. The theory is supported by simulations and an empirical application

Compressed sensing with near-field THz radiation

We demonstrate a form of near-field terahertz (THz) imaging that is compatible with compressed sensing algorithms. By spatially photomodulating THz pulses using a set of shaped binary optical patterns and employing a 6-μm-thick silicon wafer, we are able to reconstruct THz images of an object placed on the exit interface of the wafer. A single-element detector is used to measure the electric field amplitude of transmitted THz radiation for each projected pattern, with the ultra-thin wafer allowing us to access the THz evanescent near fields to achieve a spatial resolution of ∼9  μm∼9  μm

A Review and Assessment of Enterprise Resource Planning for Make-To-Order Companies

Many vendors of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems claim that their products are widely applicable - configurable to meet the needs of any business, whatever the product or service offering. However, producers of high-variety and bespoke products, such as Make-To-Order (MTO) companies, present particular challenges to implementation; it remains unclear whether ERP systems can cater for their needs.. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of ERP systems and an assessment of the applicability of ERP to the MTO sector. While several comprehensive reviews of the ERP literature have previously been presented, these either do not focus on the MTO sector, or seek to assess the applicability of ERP systems, or give sufficient attention to recent developments in the fast moving ERP industry. In assessing applicability, this paper considers factors such as the planning and control stages of relevance to MTO companies, the typical size and supply chain positioning of MTO companies, and market-related features. The assessment concludes that there is a significant gap between the requirements of MTO companies and the functionality of ERP systems. One such gap is between the customer enquiry management and design & engineering processes of MTO companies and those supported by ERP systems. Eight key areas in need of further research are described. These include: providing effective decision support tools for customer enquiry management activities in the MTO sector, linking ERP systems with production planning and control concepts of relevance to MTO companies, and conducting an in-depth empirical study into existing applications of ERP systems in MTO companies and their impact on performance

Building a comprehensive mentoring academy for schools of health.

Formal mentoring programs are increasingly recognized as critical for faculty career development. We describe a mentoring academy (MA) developed for faculty across tracks (i.e., researchers, clinicians, educators) within a "school of health" encompassing schools of medicine and nursing. The program is anchored dually in a clinical and translational science center and a school of health. The structure includes the involvement of departmental and center mentoring directors to achieve widespread uptake and oversight. A fundamental resource provided by the MA includes providing workshops to enhance mentoring skills. Initiatives for junior faculty emphasize establishing and maintaining strong mentoring relationships and implementing individual development plans (IDPs) for career planning. We present self-report data on competency improvement from mentor workshops and data on resources and barriers identified by junior faculty (n = 222) in their IDPs. Mentors reported statistically significantly improved mentoring competency after workshop participation. Junior faculty most frequently identified mentors (61%) and collaborators (23%) as resources for goal attainment. Top barriers included insufficient time and time-management issues (57%), funding limitations (18%), work-life balance issues (18%), including inadequate time for self-care and career development activities. Our MA can serve as a model and roadmap for providing resources to faculty across traditional tracks within medical schools

Analisis Perbandingan Akurasi Model Prediksi Pasang Surut: Studi Kasus Di Selat Larantuka, Flores Timur, Nusa Tenggara Timur

Sebagai negara maritim, informasi hidro-oseanografi sangatlah penting dalam mendukung segala aktivitas kelautan dan perikanan di Indonesia. Salah satu data dan informasi yang sangat penting adalah parameter pasang surut. Ketersediaan data pasang surut hasil pengukuran di lapangan yang baik sangat minim jika dibandingkan dengan luas wilayah lautan Indonesia. Model numerik pasang surut menjadi salah satu solusi untuk memberi gambaran Perubahan elevasi muka air suatu perairan. Saat ini telah banyak modul prediksi pasang surut yang mampu memberikan informasi fluktuasi muka air laut suatu perairan dengan tingkat keakurasian dan error yang berbeda. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membandingkan tingkat keakurasian model pasut dari NAOTIDE, LePROVOST, TMDTPXO 7.1 dan MIKE21. Pasang surut perairan Selat Larantuka, Nusa Tenggara Timur digunakan sebagai lokasi percontohan untuk uji akurasi model tipe perairan selat di Indonesia. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa untuk tipe perairan selat, model prediksi pasang surut NaoTide memberikan keakuratan lebih baik dengan persentase error sebesar 1,79 % dibandingkan dengan model pasut lainnya