Barriers and enabling factors for work-site physical activity programs: a qualitative examination.

PubMed

Fletcher, Gena M; Behrens, Timothyh K; Domina, Lorie

2008-05-01

Work sites offer a productive setting for physical activity (PA) promoting interventions. Still, PA participation remains low. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the reasoning behind commonly reported barriers and enabling factors to participation in PA programs in a work-site setting. Employees from a large city government were recruited to participate in focus groups, stratified by white- and blue-collar occupations. Responses from open-ended questions about factors influencing participation in PA programs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Resulting data were analyzed with open and axial coding. The sample consisted of 60 employees composing 9 focus groups. Although time was the most common barrier between both groups, white-collars workers responded that scheduling and work conflicts were the most common barrier concerning time. Blue-collar workers indicated shift work as their most common barrier. In addition, health was a significant enabling factor for both occupational categories. White-collar workers were much more concerned with appearances and were more highly motivated by weight loss and the hopefulness of quick results than were blue-collar workers. These findings are important in the understanding of PA as it relates to the reasoning behind participation in work-site programs in regard to occupational status.

Is Political Activism on Social Media an initiator of Psychological Stress?

PubMed

Hisam, Aliya; Safoor, Iqra; Khurshid, Nawal; Aslam, Aakash; Zaid, Farhan; Muzaffar, Ayesha

2017-01-01

To find out the association of psychological stress with political activism on social networking sites (SNS) in adults. To find association of psychological stress and political activism with age, gender and occupational status. A descriptive cross-sectional study of 8 months (Aug 2014 to March 2015) was conducted on young adults between age group of 20-40 years of different universities of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Closed ended standardized questionnaires (i.e. Cohen Perceived Stress-10) were distributed via non-probability convenient sampling among a total sample size of 237. Sample size was calculated using WHO sample size calculator and data was analyzed in STATA version 12. The mean age of participants was 21.06±1.425 years. Out of the 237 participants, 150 (63.3%) were males and 87 (36.7%) females. Regarding their occupation, 13 (51.9%) were military cadets, 8 (3.4%) were consultant, 47 (19.8%) medical officer, 3 (1.3%) PG students and 56 (23.6%) MBBS students. Significant association of occupation was established with both political activism and psychological stress (p=0.4 and p=0.002 respectively). Among 237 individuals, 91 (38.4%) were stressed out and 146 (61.6%) were not. Among whole sample, political activists on SNS were found to be 23 (9.7%). Out of these 23 individuals who were politically active, 15 (65.2%) were stressed out and 8 (34.7%) were not. A significant association between stress and political activism was established (p=0.005). Political activism via social networking sites is playing significant role on adult person's mental health in terms of stress among different occupation.

Combining Site Occupancy, Breeding Population Sizes and Reproductive Success to Calculate Time-Averaged Reproductive Output of Different Habitat Types: An Application to Tricolored Blackbirds

PubMed Central

Holyoak, Marcel; Meese, Robert J.; Graves, Emily E.

2014-01-01

In metapopulations in which habitat patches vary in quality and occupancy it can be complicated to calculate the net time-averaged contribution to reproduction of particular populations. Surprisingly, few indices have been proposed for this purpose. We combined occupancy, abundance, frequency of occurrence, and reproductive success to determine the net value of different sites through time and applied this method to a bird of conservation concern. The Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) has experienced large population declines, is the most colonial songbird in North America, is largely confined to California, and breeds itinerantly in multiple habitat types. It has had chronically low reproductive success in recent years. Although young produced per nest have previously been compared across habitats, no study has simultaneously considered site occupancy and reproductive success. Combining occupancy, abundance, frequency of occurrence, reproductive success and nest failure rate we found that that large colonies in grain fields fail frequently because of nest destruction due to harvest prior to fledging. Consequently, net time-averaged reproductive output is low compared to colonies in non-native Himalayan blackberry or thistles, and native stinging nettles. Cattail marshes have intermediate reproductive output, but their reproductive output might be improved by active management. Harvest of grain-field colonies necessitates either promoting delay of harvest or creating alternative, more secure nesting habitats. Stinging nettle and marsh colonies offer the main potential sources for restoration or native habitat creation. From 2005–2011 breeding site occupancy declined 3x faster than new breeding colonies were formed, indicating a rapid decline in occupancy. Total abundance showed a similar decline. Causes of variation in the value for reproduction of nesting substrates and factors behind continuing population declines merit urgent investigation. The method we employ should be useful in other metapopulation studies for calculating time-averaged reproductive output for different sites. PMID:24817307

Radiofrequency Exposure Amongst Employees of Mobile Network Operators and Broadcasters

PubMed Central

Litchfield, Ian; van Tongeren, Martie; Sorahan, Tom

2017-01-01

Abstract Little is known about personal exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields amongst employees in the telecommunications industry responsible for installing and maintaining transmitters. IARC classified RF exposure as a possible carcinogen, although evidence from occupational studies was judged to be inadequate. Hence, there is a need for improved evidence of any potentially adverse health effects amongst the workforce occupationally exposed to RF radiation. In this study, results are presented from an exposure survey using data from personal monitors used by employees in the broadcasting and telecommunication industries of the UK. These data were supplemented by spot measurements using broadband survey metres and information on daily work activities provided by employee questionnaires. The sets of real-time personal data were categorised by four types of site determined by the highest powered antenna present (high, medium or low power and ground-level sites). For measurements gathered at each type of site, the root mean square and a series of box plots were produced. Results from the daily activities diaries suggested that riggers working for radio and television broadcasters were exposed to much longer periods as compared to colleagues working for mobile operators. Combining the results from the measurements and daily activity diaries clearly demonstrate that exposures were highest for riggers working for broadcasting sites. This study demonstrates that it is feasible to carry out exposure surveys within these populations that will provide reliable estimates of exposure that can be used for epidemiological studies of occupational groups exposed to RF fields. PMID:27738083

Occupational exposure to crystalline silica at Alberta work sites.

PubMed

Radnoff, Diane; Todor, Maria S; Beach, Jeremy

2014-01-01

Although crystalline silica has been recognized as a health hazard for many years, it is still encountered in many work environments. Numerous studies have revealed an association between exposure to respirable crystalline silica and the development of silicosis and other lung diseases including lung cancer. Alberta Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour conducted a project to evaluate exposure to crystalline silica at a total of 40 work sites across 13 industries. Total airborne respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica concentrations were quite variable, but there was a potential to exceed the Alberta Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) of 0.025 mg/m(3) for respirable crystalline silica at many of the work sites evaluated. The industries with the highest potentials for overexposure occurred in sand and mineral processing (GM 0.090 mg/m(3)), followed by new commercial building construction (GM 0.055 mg/m(3)), aggregate mining and crushing (GM 0.048 mg/m(3)), abrasive blasting (GM 0.027 mg/m(3)), and demolition (GM 0.027 mg/m(3)). For worker occupations, geometric mean exposure ranged from 0.105 mg/m(3) (brick layer/mason/concrete cutting) to 0.008 mg/m(3) (dispatcher/shipping, administration). Potential for GM exposure exceeding the OEL was identified in a number of occupations where it was not expected, such as electricians, carpenters and painters. These exposures were generally related to the specific task the worker was doing, or arose from incidental exposure from other activities at the work site. The results indicate that where there is a potential for activities producing airborne respirable crystalline silica, it is critical that the employer include all worker occupations at the work site in their hazard assessment. There appears to be a relationship between airborne total respirable dust concentration and total respirable dust concentrations, but further study is require to fully characterize this relationship. If this relationship holds true, it may provide a useful hazard assessment tool for employers by which the potential for exposure to airborne respirable silica at the work site can be more easily estimated.

Relationships between bat occupancy and habitat and landscape structure along a savanna, woodland, forest gradient in the Missouri Ozarks

Treesearch

Clarissa A. Starbuck; Sybill K. Amelon; Frank R. III Thompson

2015-01-01

Many land-management agencies are restoring savannas and woodlands using prescribed fire and forest thinning, and information is needed on how wildlife species respond to these management activities. Our objectives were to evaluate support for relationships of bat site occupancy with vegetation structure and management and landscape composition and structure across a...

Influences of Availability on Parameter Estimates from Site Occupancy Models with Application to Submersed Aquatic Vegetation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, Brian R.; Holland, Mark D.; Yi, Feng; Starcevich, Leigh Ann Harrod

2013-01-01

Site occupancy models are commonly used by ecologists to estimate the probabilities of species site occupancy and of species detection. This study addresses the influence on site occupancy and detection estimates of variation in species availability among surveys within sites. Such variation in availability may result from temporary emigration, nonavailability of the species for detection, and sampling sites spatially when species presence is not uniform within sites. We demonstrate, using Monte Carlo simulations and aquatic vegetation data, that variation in availability and heterogeneity in the probability of availability may yield biases in the expected values of the site occupancy and detection estimates that have traditionally been associated with low-detection probabilities and heterogeneity in those probabilities. These findings confirm that the effects of availability may be important for ecologists and managers, and that where such effects are expected, modification of sampling designs and/or analytical methods should be considered. Failure to limit the effects of availability may preclude reliable estimation of the probability of site occupancy.

Nucleosome occupancy as a novel chromatin parameter for replication origin functions

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Jairo; Lee, Laura; Lynch, Bryony; Tsukiyama, Toshio

2017-01-01

Eukaryotic DNA replication initiates from multiple discrete sites in the genome, termed origins of replication (origins). Prior to S phase, multiple origins are poised to initiate replication by recruitment of the pre-replicative complex (pre-RC). For proper replication to occur, origin activation must be tightly regulated. At the population level, each origin has a distinct firing time and frequency of activation within S phase. Many studies have shown that chromatin can strongly influence initiation of DNA replication. However, the chromatin parameters that affect properties of origins have not been thoroughly established. We found that nucleosome occupancy in G1 varies greatly around origins across the S. cerevisiae genome, and nucleosome occupancy around origins significantly correlates with the activation time and efficiency of origins, as well as pre-RC formation. We further demonstrate that nucleosome occupancy around origins in G1 is established during transition from G2/M to G1 in a pre-RC-dependent manner. Importantly, the diminished cell-cycle changes in nucleosome occupancy around origins in the orc1-161 mutant are associated with an abnormal global origin usage profile, suggesting that proper establishment of nucleosome occupancy around origins is a critical step for regulation of global origin activities. Our work thus establishes nucleosome occupancy as a novel and key chromatin parameter for proper origin regulation. PMID:27895110

Occupational health in the Negev: A model for regional planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blanc, P.D.

In the Negev region of Israel, I tested a model approach to occupational health planning. This model included components assessing exposures, measuring adverse health outcomes, and evaluating health services. I analyzed employment survey data, compiled an exposure data base, and carried out site visits covering 10,707 employees (over 50% of the regional industrial work force). Site visits identified exposure hazards of inorganic and organic dusts, heavy metals, chemicals, pesticides, and noise. I identified elevated relative regional injury rates by Standard Morbidity Ratios (SMRs) in a variety of industries, including sixfold increases for mining and non-metallic minerals manufacture (SMR 6.8, 99%more » CI 6.1-7.7). Review of biological monitoring data suggested deficiencies in pesticide and heavy metals surveillance. A survey of primary care clinics estimated 13,707 cases of occupational injury and illness untreated by existing occupational medical services. Based on these findings, I formulated regional occupational health planning goals, including targeting high-risk industries for increased preventive activities. This regional approach, combining multiple measures of occupational health status, can serve as a model for assessing local public health planning needs.« less

Recommended survey designs for occupancy modelling using motion-activated cameras: insights from empirical wildlife data

PubMed Central

Lewis, Jesse S.; Gerber, Brian D.

2014-01-01

Motion-activated cameras are a versatile tool that wildlife biologists can use for sampling wild animal populations to estimate species occurrence. Occupancy modelling provides a flexible framework for the analysis of these data; explicitly recognizing that given a species occupies an area the probability of detecting it is often less than one. Despite the number of studies using camera data in an occupancy framework, there is only limited guidance from the scientific literature about survey design trade-offs when using motion-activated cameras. A fuller understanding of these trade-offs will allow researchers to maximise available resources and determine whether the objectives of a monitoring program or research study are achievable. We use an empirical dataset collected from 40 cameras deployed across 160 km2 of the Western Slope of Colorado, USA to explore how survey effort (number of cameras deployed and the length of sampling period) affects the accuracy and precision (i.e., error) of the occupancy estimate for ten mammal and three virtual species. We do this using a simulation approach where species occupancy and detection parameters were informed by empirical data from motion-activated cameras. A total of 54 survey designs were considered by varying combinations of sites (10–120 cameras) and occasions (20–120 survey days). Our findings demonstrate that increasing total sampling effort generally decreases error associated with the occupancy estimate, but changing the number of sites or sampling duration can have very different results, depending on whether a species is spatially common or rare (occupancy = ψ) and easy or hard to detect when available (detection probability = p). For rare species with a low probability of detection (i.e., raccoon and spotted skunk) the required survey effort includes maximizing the number of sites and the number of survey days, often to a level that may be logistically unrealistic for many studies. For common species with low detection (i.e., bobcat and coyote) the most efficient sampling approach was to increase the number of occasions (survey days). However, for common species that are moderately detectable (i.e., cottontail rabbit and mule deer), occupancy could reliably be estimated with comparatively low numbers of cameras over a short sampling period. We provide general guidelines for reliably estimating occupancy across a range of terrestrial species (rare to common: ψ = 0.175–0.970, and low to moderate detectability: p = 0.003–0.200) using motion-activated cameras. Wildlife researchers/managers with limited knowledge of the relative abundance and likelihood of detection of a particular species can apply these guidelines regardless of location. We emphasize the importance of prior biological knowledge, defined objectives and detailed planning (e.g., simulating different study-design scenarios) for designing effective monitoring programs and research studies. PMID:25210658

Thermal desorption of hydrogen from Mg2Ni hydrogen storage materials.

PubMed

Hur, Tae Hong; Han, Jeong Seb; Kim, Jin Ho; Kim, Byung Kwan

2011-07-01

In order to investigate the influence of HCS on the hydrogen occupation site of Mg2Ni alloy, the thermal desorption technique has been applied to Mg2Ni hydride made by hydriding combustion synthesis (HCS). Mg2Ni was made under low temperature in a short time by the HCS compared to conventional melting process. At various initial hydride wt% from 0.91 to 3.52, the sample was heated to 623 K at a rate of 1.0 K/min. The starting temperature of the evolution of hydrogen goes higher as the initial hydride wt% increases. Only one peak is shown in the case of the small initial hydride wt%. But two peaks appeared with increasing initial hydride wt%. The activation energies obtained by the first and second peaks are 113.0 and 99.5 kJ/mol respectively. The two site occupation model by Darriet et al. was proved. The influence of HCS on the hydrogen occupation site of Mg2Ni alloy is nonexistent.

Radiofrequency Exposure Amongst Employees of Mobile Network Operators and Broadcasters.

PubMed

Litchfield, Ian; van Tongeren, Martie; Sorahan, Tom

2017-06-15

Little is known about personal exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields amongst employees in the telecommunications industry responsible for installing and maintaining transmitters. IARC classified RF exposure as a possible carcinogen, although evidence from occupational studies was judged to be inadequate. Hence, there is a need for improved evidence of any potentially adverse health effects amongst the workforce occupationally exposed to RF radiation. In this study, results are presented from an exposure survey using data from personal monitors used by employees in the broadcasting and telecommunication industries of the UK. These data were supplemented by spot measurements using broadband survey metres and information on daily work activities provided by employee questionnaires. The sets of real-time personal data were categorised by four types of site determined by the highest powered antenna present (high, medium or low power and ground-level sites). For measurements gathered at each type of site, the root mean square and a series of box plots were produced. Results from the daily activities diaries suggested that riggers working for radio and television broadcasters were exposed to much longer periods as compared to colleagues working for mobile operators. Combining the results from the measurements and daily activity diaries clearly demonstrate that exposures were highest for riggers working for broadcasting sites. This study demonstrates that it is feasible to carry out exposure surveys within these populations that will provide reliable estimates of exposure that can be used for epidemiological studies of occupational groups exposed to RF fields. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

22 CFR 1104.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) Archaeological resource means any material remains of human life or activities which are at least 100 years of... providing scientific or humanistic understandings of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related... means physical evidence of human habitation, occupation, use, or activity, including the site, location...

18 CFR 1312.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) Archaeological resource means any material remains of human life or activities which are at least 100 years of... providing scientific or humanistic understandings of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related... means physical evidence of human habitation, occupation, use, or activity, including the site, location...

22 CFR 1104.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) Archaeological resource means any material remains of human life or activities which are at least 100 years of... providing scientific or humanistic understandings of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related... means physical evidence of human habitation, occupation, use, or activity, including the site, location...

36 CFR 296.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Archaeological resource means any material remains of human life or activities which are at least 100 years of... providing scientific or humanistic understandings of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related... means physical evidence of human habitation, occupation, use, or activity, including the site, location...

T-state inhibitors of E. coli aspartate transcarbamoylase that prevent the allosteric transition.

PubMed

Heng, Sabrina; Stieglitz, Kimberly A; Eldo, Joby; Xia, Jiarong; Cardia, James P; Kantrowitz, Evan R

2006-08-22

Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) catalyzes the committed step in pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis, the reaction between carbamoyl phosphate (CP) and l-aspartate to form N-carbamoyl-l-aspartate and inorganic phosphate. The enzyme exhibits homotropic cooperativity and is allosterically regulated. Upon binding l-aspartate in the presence of a saturating concentration of CP, the enzyme is converted from the low-activity low-affinity T state to the high-activity high-affinity R state. The potent inhibitor N-phosphonacetyl-l-aspartate (PALA), which combines the binding features of Asp and CP into one molecule, has been shown to induce the allosteric transition to the R state. In the presence of only CP, the enzyme is the T structure with the active site primed for the binding of aspartate. In a structure of the enzyme-CP complex (T(CP)), two CP molecules were observed in the active site approximately 7A apart, one with high occupancy and one with low occupancy. The high occupancy site corresponds to the position for CP observed in the structure of the enzyme with CP and the aspartate analogue succinate bound. The position of the second CP is in a unique site and does not overlap with the aspartate binding site. As a means to generate a new class of inhibitors for ATCase, the domain-open T state of the enzyme was targeted. We designed, synthesized, and characterized three inhibitors that were composed of two phosphonacetamide groups linked together. These two phosphonacetamide groups mimic the positions of the two CP molecules in the T(CP) structure. X-ray crystal structures of ATCase-inhibitor complexes revealed that each of these inhibitors bind to the T state of the enzyme and occupy the active site area. As opposed to the binding of Asp in the presence of CP or PALA, these inhibitors are unable to initiate the global T to R conformational change. Although the best of these T-state inhibitors only has a K(i) value in the micromolar range, the structural information with respect to their mode of binding provides important information for the design of second generation inhibitors that will have even higher affinity for the active site of the T state of the enzyme.

Local density approximation in site-occupation embedding theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senjean, Bruno; Tsuchiizu, Masahisa; Robert, Vincent; Fromager, Emmanuel

2017-01-01

Site-occupation embedding theory (SOET) is a density functional theory (DFT)-based method which aims at modelling strongly correlated electrons. It is in principle exact and applicable to model and quantum chemical Hamiltonians. The theory is presented here for the Hubbard Hamiltonian. In contrast to conventional DFT approaches, the site (or orbital) occupations are deduced in SOET from a partially interacting system consisting of one (or more) impurity site(s) and non-interacting bath sites. The correlation energy of the bath is then treated implicitly by means of a site-occupation functional. In this work, we propose a simple impurity-occupation functional approximation based on the two-level (2L) Hubbard model which is referred to as two-level impurity local density approximation (2L-ILDA). Results obtained on a prototypical uniform eight-site Hubbard ring are promising. The extension of the method to larger systems and more sophisticated model Hamiltonians is currently in progress.

Identification of Interactions between Abscisic Acid and Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase

PubMed Central

Galka, Marek M.; Rajagopalan, Nandhakishore; Buhrow, Leann M.; Nelson, Ken M.; Switala, Jacek; Cutler, Adrian J.; Palmer, David R. J.; Loewen, Peter C.; Abrams, Suzanne R.; Loewen, Michele C.

2015-01-01

Abscisic acid ((+)-ABA) is a phytohormone involved in the modulation of developmental processes and stress responses in plants. A chemical proteomics approach using an ABA mimetic probe was combined with in vitro assays, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), x-ray crystallography and in silico modelling to identify putative (+)-ABA binding-proteins in crude extracts of Arabidopsis thaliana. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) was identified as a putative ABA-binding protein. Radiolabelled-binding assays yielded a Kd of 47 nM for (+)-ABA binding to spinach Rubisco, which was validated by ITC, and found to be similar to reported and experimentally derived values for the native ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) substrate. Functionally, (+)-ABA caused only weak inhibition of Rubisco catalytic activity (Ki of 2.1 mM), but more potent inhibition of Rubisco activation (Ki of ~ 130 μM). Comparative structural analysis of Rubisco in the presence of (+)-ABA with RuBP in the active site revealed only a putative low occupancy (+)-ABA binding site on the surface of the large subunit at a location distal from the active site. However, subtle distortions in electron density in the binding pocket and in silico docking support the possibility of a higher affinity (+)-ABA binding site in the RuBP binding pocket. Overall we conclude that (+)-ABA interacts with Rubisco. While the low occupancy (+)-ABA binding site and weak non-competitive inhibition of catalysis may not be relevant, the high affinity site may allow ABA to act as a negative effector of Rubisco activation. PMID:26197050

Identification of Interactions between Abscisic Acid and Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase.

PubMed

Galka, Marek M; Rajagopalan, Nandhakishore; Buhrow, Leann M; Nelson, Ken M; Switala, Jacek; Cutler, Adrian J; Palmer, David R J; Loewen, Peter C; Abrams, Suzanne R; Loewen, Michele C

2015-01-01

Abscisic acid ((+)-ABA) is a phytohormone involved in the modulation of developmental processes and stress responses in plants. A chemical proteomics approach using an ABA mimetic probe was combined with in vitro assays, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), x-ray crystallography and in silico modelling to identify putative (+)-ABA binding-proteins in crude extracts of Arabidopsis thaliana. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) was identified as a putative ABA-binding protein. Radiolabelled-binding assays yielded a Kd of 47 nM for (+)-ABA binding to spinach Rubisco, which was validated by ITC, and found to be similar to reported and experimentally derived values for the native ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) substrate. Functionally, (+)-ABA caused only weak inhibition of Rubisco catalytic activity (Ki of 2.1 mM), but more potent inhibition of Rubisco activation (Ki of ~ 130 μM). Comparative structural analysis of Rubisco in the presence of (+)-ABA with RuBP in the active site revealed only a putative low occupancy (+)-ABA binding site on the surface of the large subunit at a location distal from the active site. However, subtle distortions in electron density in the binding pocket and in silico docking support the possibility of a higher affinity (+)-ABA binding site in the RuBP binding pocket. Overall we conclude that (+)-ABA interacts with Rubisco. While the low occupancy (+)-ABA binding site and weak non-competitive inhibition of catalysis may not be relevant, the high affinity site may allow ABA to act as a negative effector of Rubisco activation.

Homo floresiensis and the late Pleistocene environments of eastern Indonesia: defining the nature of the relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westaway, K. E.; Morwood, M. J.; Sutikna, T.; Moore, M. W.; Rokus, A. D.; van den Bergh, G. D.; Roberts, R. G.; Saptomo, E. W.

2009-12-01

Evidence from Liang Bua, a limestone cave on the island of Flores in East Indonesia, provides a unique opportunity to explore the long term relationship between hominins and their environment. Occupation deposits at the site span ˜95 ka and contain abundant stone artefacts, well preserved faunal remains and evidence for an endemic species of hominin: Homo floresiensis. Work at the site included detailed geomorphological and environmental analysis, which has enabled comparisons to be drawn between changes in the occupational intensity in the cave, using stone tool and faunal counts, and changes in the environmental conditions, using the characteristics of the sedimentary layers in the cave and speleothem records. These comparisons demonstrate that H. floresiensis endured rapidly fluctuating environmental conditions over the last ˜100 ka, which influenced the geomorphological processes in the cave and their occupational conditions. The intensity of occupation in the cave changed significantly between 95 and 17 ka, with peaks in occupation occurring at 100-95, 74-61 and 18-17 ka. These correlate with episodes of channel formation and erosion in the cave, which in turn correspond with high rainfall, thick soils and high bio-productivity outside. In contrast, periods of low occupational intensity correlate with reduced channel activity and pooling associated with drier periods from 94 to 75 and 36 to 19 ka. This apparent link between intensity of hominin use of the cave and the general conditions outside relates to the expansion and contraction of the rainforest and the ability of H. floresiensis to adapt to habitat changes. This interpretation implies that these diminutive hominins were able to survive abrupt and prolonged environmental changes by changing their favoured occupation sites. These data provide the basis for a model of human-environment interactions on the island of Flores. With the addition of extra data from other sites on Flores, this model will provide a greater understanding of H. floresiensis as a unique human species.

Report on the emergency response to the event on May 14, 1997, at the plutonuim reclamation facility, Hanford Site, Richland,Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shoop, D.S.

1997-08-20

On the evening of May 14,1997, a chemical explosion Occurred at the Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) in the 200 West Area(200-W) of the Hanford Site. The event warranted the declaration of an Alert emergency, activation of the Hanford Emergency Response Organization (BRO), and notification of offsite agencies. As a result of the emergency declaration, a subsequent evaluation was conducted to assess: 9 the performance of the emergency response organization o the occupational health response related to emergency activities o event notifications to offsite and environmental agencies. Additionally, the evaluation was designed to: 9 document the chronology of emergency and occupationalmore » health responses and environmental notifications connected with the explosion at the facility 0 assess the adequacy of the Hanford Site emergency preparedness activities; response readiness; and emergency management actions, occupational health, and environmental actions 0 provide an analysis of the causes of the deficiencies and weaknesses in the preparedness and response system that have been identified in the evaluation of the response a assign organizational responsibility to correct deficiencies and weaknesses a improve future performance 0 adjust elements of emergency implementing procedures and emergency preparedness activities.« less

The resilience of postglacial hunter-gatherers to abrupt climate change.

PubMed

Blockley, Simon; Candy, Ian; Matthews, Ian; Langdon, Pete; Langdon, Cath; Palmer, Adrian; Lincoln, Paul; Abrook, Ashley; Taylor, Barry; Conneller, Chantal; Bayliss, Alex; MacLeod, Alison; Deeprose, Laura; Darvill, Chris; Kearney, Rebecca; Beavan, Nancy; Staff, Richard; Bamforth, Michael; Taylor, Maisie; Milner, Nicky

2018-05-01

Understanding the resilience of early societies to climate change is an essential part of exploring the environmental sensitivity of human populations. There is significant interest in the role of abrupt climate events as a driver of early Holocene human activity, but there are very few well-dated records directly compared with local climate archives. Here, we present evidence from the internationally important Mesolithic site of Star Carr showing occupation during the early Holocene, which is directly compared with a high-resolution palaeoclimate record from neighbouring lake beds. We show that-once established-there was intensive human activity at the site for several hundred years when the community was subject to multiple, severe, abrupt climate events that impacted air temperatures, the landscape and the ecosystem of the region. However, these results show that occupation and activity at the site persisted regardless of the environmental stresses experienced by this society. The Star Carr population displayed a high level of resilience to climate change, suggesting that postglacial populations were not necessarily held hostage to the flickering switch of climate change. Instead, we show that local, intrinsic changes in the wetland environment were more significant in determining human activity than the large-scale abrupt early Holocene climate events.

Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacKenzie, D.I.; Nichols, J.D.; Lachman, G.B.; Droege, S.; Royle, J. Andrew; Langtimm, C.A.

2002-01-01

Nondetection of a species at a site does not imply that the species is absent unless the probability of detection is 1. We propose a model and likelihood-based method for estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are 0.3). We estimated site occupancy rates for two anuran species at 32 wetland sites in Maryland, USA, from data collected during 2000 as part of an amphibian monitoring program, Frogwatch USA. Site occupancy rates were estimated as 0.49 for American toads (Bufo americanus), a 44% increase over the proportion of sites at which they were actually observed, and as 0.85 for spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer), slightly above the observed proportion of 0.83.

A Gibbs sampler for Bayesian analysis of site-occupancy data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorazio, Robert M.; Rodriguez, Daniel Taylor

2012-01-01

1. A Bayesian analysis of site-occupancy data containing covariates of species occurrence and species detection probabilities is usually completed using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods in conjunction with software programs that can implement those methods for any statistical model, not just site-occupancy models. Although these software programs are quite flexible, considerable experience is often required to specify a model and to initialize the Markov chain so that summaries of the posterior distribution can be estimated efficiently and accurately. 2. As an alternative to these programs, we develop a Gibbs sampler for Bayesian analysis of site-occupancy data that include covariates of species occurrence and species detection probabilities. This Gibbs sampler is based on a class of site-occupancy models in which probabilities of species occurrence and detection are specified as probit-regression functions of site- and survey-specific covariate measurements. 3. To illustrate the Gibbs sampler, we analyse site-occupancy data of the blue hawker, Aeshna cyanea (Odonata, Aeshnidae), a common dragonfly species in Switzerland. Our analysis includes a comparison of results based on Bayesian and classical (non-Bayesian) methods of inference. We also provide code (based on the R software program) for conducting Bayesian and classical analyses of site-occupancy data.

10 CFR 712.34 - Site Occupational Medical Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the nominee's relevant training, experience, and licensure, and include a curriculum vitae and a copy... his or her designee through the Manager, a written report summarizing HRP medical activity during the...

Establishing the value of occupational health nurses' contributions to worker health and safety: a pilot test of a user-friendly estimation tool.

PubMed

Graeve, Catherine; McGovern, Patricia; Nachreiner, Nancy M; Ayers, Lynn

2014-01-01

Occupational health nurses use their knowledge and skills to improve the health and safety of the working population; however, companies increasingly face budget constraints and may eliminate health and safety programs. Occupational health nurses must be prepared to document their services and outcomes, and use quantitative tools to demonstrate their value to employers. The aim of this project was to create and pilot test a quantitative tool for occupational health nurses to track their activities and potential cost savings for on-site occupational health nursing services. Tool developments included a pilot test in which semi-structured interviews with occupational health and safety leaders were conducted to identify currents issues and products used for estimating the value of occupational health nursing services. The outcome was the creation of a tool that estimates the economic value of occupational health nursing services. The feasibility and potential value of this tool is described.

Coccidioidomycosis among cast and crew members at an outdoor television filming event--California, 2012.

PubMed

Wilken, Jason A; Marquez, Patricia; Terashita, Dawn; McNary, Jennifer; Windham, Gayle; Materna, Barbara

2014-04-18

In March 2013, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) identified two Doctor's First Reports of Occupational Injury or Illness (DFRs) regarding Los Angeles County residents who had worked at the same jobsite in January 2012 and had been evaluated for possible work-associated coccidioidomycosis (valley fever). Occupational exposure to Coccidioides, the causative fungi, typically is associated with soil-disrupting activities. The physicians noted that both workers were cast or crew members filming a television series episode, and the site of possible exposure was an outdoor set in Ventura County, California. On the basis of their job titles, neither would have been expected to have been engaged in soil-disrupting activities. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) conducted an outbreak investigation by using CDPH-provided occupational surveillance records, traditional infectious disease surveillance, and social media searches. This report describes the results of that investigation, which identified a total of five laboratory-confirmed and five probable cases linked to this filming event. The employer and site manager were interviewed. The site manager stated that they would no longer allow soil-disruptive work at the site and would incorporate information about the potential risk for Coccidioides exposure onsite into work contracts. Public health professionals, clinicians, and the television and film industry should be aware that employees working outdoors in areas where Coccidioides is endemic (e.g., central and southern California), even those not engaged in soil-disruptive work, might be at risk for coccidioidomycosis.

Common occupational classification system - revision 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stahlman, E.J.; Lewis, R.E.

1996-05-01

Workforce planning has become an increasing concern within the DOE community as the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ER/WM or EM) seeks to consolidate and refocus its activities and the Office of Defense Programs (DP) closes production sites. Attempts to manage the growth and skills mix of the EM workforce while retaining the critical skills of the DP workforce have been difficult due to the lack of a consistent set of occupational titles and definitions across the complex. Two reasons for this difficulty may be cited. First, classification systems commonly used in industry often fail to cover inmore » sufficient depth the unique demands of DOE`s nuclear energy and research community. Second, the government practice of contracting the operation of government facilities to the private sector has introduced numerous contractor-specific classification schemes to the DOE complex. As a result, sites/contractors report their workforce needs using unique classification systems. It becomes difficult, therefore, to roll these data up to the national level necessary to support strategic planning and analysis. The Common Occupational Classification System (COCS) is designed to overcome these workforce planning barriers. The COCS is based on earlier workforce planning activities and the input of technical, workforce planning, and human resource managers from across the DOE complex. It provides a set of mutually-exclusive occupation titles and definitions that cover the broad range of activities present in the DOE complex. The COCS is not a required record-keeping or data management guide. Neither is it intended to replace contractor/DOE-specific classification systems. Instead, the system provides a consistent, high- level, functional structure of occupations to which contractors can crosswalk (map) their job titles.« less

10 CFR 712.34 - Site Occupational Medical Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Site Occupational Medical Director. 712.34 Section 712.34 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Medical Standards § 712.34 Site Occupational Medical Director. (a) The SOMD must nominate a physician to serve as the Designated Physician and a...

10 CFR 712.34 - Site Occupational Medical Director.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Site Occupational Medical Director. 712.34 Section 712.34 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HUMAN RELIABILITY PROGRAM Medical Standards § 712.34 Site Occupational Medical Director. (a) The SOMD must nominate a physician to serve as the Designated Physician and a...

Early and middle holocene hunter-gatherer occupations in western Amazonia: the hidden shell middens.

PubMed

Lombardo, Umberto; Szabo, Katherine; Capriles, José M; May, Jan-Hendrik; Amelung, Wulf; Hutterer, Rainer; Lehndorff, Eva; Plotzki, Anna; Veit, Heinz

2013-01-01

We report on previously unknown early archaeological sites in the Bolivian lowlands, demonstrating for the first time early and middle Holocene human presence in western Amazonia. Multidisciplinary research in forest islands situated in seasonally-inundated savannahs has revealed stratified shell middens produced by human foragers as early as 10,000 years ago, making them the oldest archaeological sites in the region. The absence of stone resources and partial burial by recent alluvial sediments has meant that these kinds of deposits have, until now, remained unidentified. We conducted core sampling, archaeological excavations and an interdisciplinary study of the stratigraphy and recovered materials from three shell midden mounds. Based on multiple lines of evidence, including radiocarbon dating, sedimentary proxies (elements, steroids and black carbon), micromorphology and faunal analysis, we demonstrate the anthropogenic origin and antiquity of these sites. In a tropical and geomorphologically active landscape often considered challenging both for early human occupation and for the preservation of hunter-gatherer sites, the newly discovered shell middens provide evidence for early to middle Holocene occupation and illustrate the potential for identifying and interpreting early open-air archaeological sites in western Amazonia. The existence of early hunter-gatherer sites in the Bolivian lowlands sheds new light on the region's past and offers a new context within which the late Holocene "Earthmovers" of the Llanos de Moxos could have emerged.

Distinct roles of beta1 metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS), adjacent to MIDAS (ADMIDAS), and ligand-associated metal-binding site (LIMBS) cation-binding sites in ligand recognition by integrin alpha2beta1.

PubMed

Valdramidou, Dimitra; Humphries, Martin J; Mould, A Paul

2008-11-21

Integrin-ligand interactions are regulated in a complex manner by divalent cations, and previous studies have identified ligand-competent, stimulatory, and inhibitory cation-binding sites. In collagen-binding integrins, such as alpha2beta1, ligand recognition takes place exclusively at the alpha subunit I domain. However, activation of the alphaI domain depends on its interaction with a structurally similar domain in the beta subunit known as the I-like or betaI domain. The top face of the betaI domain contains three cation-binding sites: the metal-ion dependent adhesion site (MIDAS), the ADMIDAS (adjacent to MIDAS), and LIMBS (ligand-associated metal-binding site). The role of these sites in controlling ligand binding to the alphaI domain has yet to be elucidated. Mutation of the MIDAS or LIMBS completely blocked collagen binding to alpha2beta1; in contrast mutation of the ADMIDAS reduced ligand recognition but this effect could be overcome by the activating monoclonal antibody TS2/16. Hence, the MIDAS and LIMBS appear to be essential for the interaction between alphaI and betaI, whereas occupancy of the ADMIDAS has an allosteric effect on the conformation of betaI. An activating mutation in the alpha2 I domain partially restored ligand binding to the MIDAS and LIMBS mutants. Analysis of the effects of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and Mn(2+) on ligand binding to these mutants showed that the MIDAS is a ligand-competent site through which Mn(2+) stimulates ligand binding, whereas the LIMBS is a stimulatory Ca(2+)-binding site, occupancy of which increases the affinity of Mg(2+) for the MIDAS.

Spatial patterns in occupancy and reproduction of Golden Eagles during drought: Prospects for conservation in changing environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiens, David; Kolar, Patrick; Hunt, W. Grainger; Hunt, Teresa; Fuller, Mark R.; Bell, Douglas A.

2018-01-01

We used a broad-scale sampling design to investigate spatial patterns in occupancy and breeding success of territorial pairs of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Diablo Range, California, USA, during a period of exceptional drought (2014–2016). We surveyed 138 randomly selected sample sites over 4 occasions each year and identified 199 pairs of eagles, 100 of which were detected in focal sample sites. We then used dynamic multistate modeling to identify relationships between site occupancy and reproduction of Golden Eagles relative to spatial variability in landscape composition and drought conditions. We observed little variability among years in site occupancy (3-yr mean = 0.74), but the estimated annual probability of successful reproduction was relatively low during the study period and declined from 0.39 (± 0.08 SE) to 0.18 (± 0.07 SE). Probabilities of site occupancy and reproduction were substantially greater at sample sites that were occupied by successful breeders in the previous year, indicating the presence of sites that were consistently used by successfully reproducing eagles. We found strong evidence for nonrandom spatial distribution in both occupancy and reproduction: Sites with the greatest potential for occupancy were characterized by rugged terrain conditions with intermediate amounts of grassland interspersed with patches of oak woodland and coniferous forest, whereas successful reproduction was most strongly associated with the amount of precipitation that a site received during the nesting period. Our findings highlight the contribution of consistently occupied and productive breeding sites to overall productivity of the local breeding population, and show that both occupancy and reproduction at these sites were maintained even during a period of exceptional drought. Our approach to quantifying and mapping site quality should be especially useful for the spatial prioritization of compensation measures intended to help offset the impacts of increasing human land use and development on Golden Eagles and their habitats.

Modeling of site occupancy dynamics for northern spotted owls, with emphasis on the effects of barred owls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Gail S.; Anthony, Robert G.; Forsman, Eric D.; Ackers, Steven H.; Loschl, Peter J.; Reid, Janice A.; Dugger, Katie M.; Glenn, Elizabeth M.; Ripple, William J.

2005-01-01

Northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) have been studied intensively since their listing as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990. Studies of spotted owl site occupancy have used various binary response measures, but most of these studies have made the assumption that detectability is perfect, or at least high and not variable. Further, previous studies did not consider temporal variation in site occupancy. We used relatively new methods for open population modeling of site occupancy that incorporated imperfect and variable detectability of spotted owls and allowed modeling of temporal variation in site occupancy, extinction, and colonization probabilities. We also examined the effects of barred owl (S. varia) presence on these parameters. We used spotted owl survey data from 1990 to 2002 for 3 study areas in Oregon, USA, and we used program MARK to develop and analyze site occupancy models. We found per visit detection probabilities averaged <0.70 and were highly variable among study years and study areas. Site occupancy probabilities for owl pairs declined greatly on 1 study area and slightly on the other 2 areas. For all owls, including singles and pairs, site occupancy was mostly stable through time. Barred owl presence had a negative effect on spotted owl detection probabilities, and it had either a positive effect on local-extinction probabilities or a negative effect on colonization probabilities. We conclude that further analyses of spotted owls must account for imperfect and variable detectability and barred owl presence to properly interpret results. Further, because barred owl presence is increasing within the range of northern spotted owls, we expect to see further declines in the proportion of sites occupied by spotted owls.

Occupational injuries in Bahrain.

PubMed

al-Arrayed, A; Hamza, A

1995-10-01

A study was conducted to show the problem of occupational injuries in Bahrain and try to highlight some solutions that may help to prevent or reduce workplace hazards. The data for occupational injuries between 1988 to 1991 from the social insurance records were reviewed and analysed. The data were summarized, grouped and tabulated according to age, sex, nationality, work place, type of injuries, cause and site of injury. Data were analysed statistically, frequencies were computed and results represented graphically. The study shows that there was a decline in the number of injuries in 1990 and 1991 due to a slow-down of economic activities in general in the Arabian Gulf region during the Gulf War. It also shows that Asian workers are at a high risk of occupational injuries.

CHD1 regulates cell fate determination by activation of differentiation-induced genes

PubMed Central

Baumgart, Simon J.; Najafova, Zeynab; Hossan, Tareq; Xie, Wanhua; Nagarajan, Sankari; Kari, Vijayalakshmi; Ditzel, Nicholas; Kassem, Moustapha

2017-01-01

Abstract The coordinated temporal and spatial activation of gene expression is essential for proper stem cell differentiation. The Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding protein 1 (CHD1) is a chromatin remodeler closely associated with transcription and nucleosome turnover downstream of the transcriptional start site (TSS). In this study, we show that CHD1 is required for the induction of osteoblast-specific gene expression, extracellular-matrix mineralization and ectopic bone formation in vivo. Genome-wide occupancy analyses revealed increased CHD1 occupancy around the TSS of differentiation-activated genes. Furthermore, we observed that CHD1-dependent genes are mainly induced during osteoblast differentiation and are characterized by higher levels of CHD1 occupancy around the TSS. Interestingly, CHD1 depletion resulted in increased pausing of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) and decreased H2A.Z occupancy close to the TSS, but not at enhancer regions. These findings reveal a novel role for CHD1 during osteoblast differentiation and provide further insights into the intricacies of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms controlling cell fate determination. PMID:28475736

CHD1 regulates cell fate determination by activation of differentiation-induced genes.

PubMed

Baumgart, Simon J; Najafova, Zeynab; Hossan, Tareq; Xie, Wanhua; Nagarajan, Sankari; Kari, Vijayalakshmi; Ditzel, Nicholas; Kassem, Moustapha; Johnsen, Steven A

2017-07-27

The coordinated temporal and spatial activation of gene expression is essential for proper stem cell differentiation. The Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding protein 1 (CHD1) is a chromatin remodeler closely associated with transcription and nucleosome turnover downstream of the transcriptional start site (TSS). In this study, we show that CHD1 is required for the induction of osteoblast-specific gene expression, extracellular-matrix mineralization and ectopic bone formation in vivo. Genome-wide occupancy analyses revealed increased CHD1 occupancy around the TSS of differentiation-activated genes. Furthermore, we observed that CHD1-dependent genes are mainly induced during osteoblast differentiation and are characterized by higher levels of CHD1 occupancy around the TSS. Interestingly, CHD1 depletion resulted in increased pausing of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) and decreased H2A.Z occupancy close to the TSS, but not at enhancer regions. These findings reveal a novel role for CHD1 during osteoblast differentiation and provide further insights into the intricacies of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms controlling cell fate determination. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Underreporting of fatal occupational injuries in Catalonia (Spain).

PubMed

Benavides, Fernando G; Pérez, Gloria; Martínez, Jordi; Martínez, José Miguel; Gispert, Rosa; Benach, Joan

2004-03-01

Thoroughness in a given health information system is one of its most important quality indicators. In Spain, in approximately 30% of serious occupational injuries, there is no information on the final outcome. To assess underreporting of fatal occupational injuries in Catalonia. All serious occupational injuries (excluding commuting injuries) reported in Catalonia (Spain) between 1994 and 1998 (n = 7330) were linked with data from the Catalonian Mortality Register, 117 deaths being identified during the year following the injury date. In order to assess whether death could or could not have been related to the prior occupational injury, two experts examined these cases independently. The experts concluded (kappa = 0.98) that 69 (59%) of these deaths were probably related to occupational injuries; the vast majority (n = 65) occurred within 3 months of the injury. This represents an accumulated risk of dying of approximately 1% for the total of serious injuries, not varying with economic activity or job category. However, this risk varied depending on the form of accident, and the site and nature of the injury. Occupational injury cases, especially serious ones, should be followed up over at least 3 months. These results suggest the importance of carrying out active case-finding and of incorporating the death certificate as one of the documents to be systematically reviewed in order to complete the statistics.

SSA AND VA DISABILITY PROGRAMS: Re-Examination of Disability Criteria Needed to Help Ensure Program Integrity

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-08-01

Insurance DOT Dictionary of Occupational Titles O*NET Occupational Information Network SGA substantial gainful activity SSA Social Security Administration...Examining Disability Criteria broader social changes that focus on building and supporting the work capacities of people with disabilities. To this...available at no charge on the GAO Web site at http://www.gao.gov. If you have any Page 35 GAO-02-597 Re-Examining Disability Criteria questions about

Quantitative determination of occupation sites of trace Co substituted for multiple Fe sites in M-type hexagonal ferrite using statistical beam-rocking TEM-EDXS analysis.

PubMed

Ohtsuka, Masahiro; Muto, Shunsuke; Tatsumi, Kazuyoshi; Kobayashi, Yoshinori; Kawata, Tsunehiro

2016-04-01

The occupation sites and the occupancies of trace dopants in La/Co co-doped Sr-M-type ferrite, SrFe12O19, were quantitatively and precisely determined by beam-rocking energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) on the basis of electron-channeling effects. Because the Co atoms, in particular, should be partially substituted for the five crystallographically inequivalent sites, which could be key parameters in improving the magneto-crystalline anisotropy, it is difficult yet intriguing to discover their occupation sites and occupancies without using the methods of large-scale facilities, such as neutron diffraction and synchrotron radiation. In the present study, we tackled this problem by applying an extended statistical atom location by channeling enhanced microanalysis method, using conventional transmission electron microscopy, EDXS and dynamical electron elastic/inelastic scattering theories. The results show that the key occupation sites of Co were the 2a, 4f1 and 12k sites. The quantified occupancies of Co were consistent with those of the previous study, which involved a combination of neutron diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, as well as energetics considerations based on by first-principles calculations. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Absolute Quantitation of Glycosylation Site Occupancy Using Isotopically Labeled Standards and LC-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhikai; Go, Eden P.; Desaire, Heather

2014-06-01

N-linked glycans are required to maintain appropriate biological functions on proteins. Underglycosylation leads to many diseases in plants and animals; therefore, characterizing the extent of glycosylation on proteins is an important step in understanding, diagnosing, and treating diseases. To determine the glycosylation site occupancy, protein N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) is typically used to detach the glycan from the protein, during which the formerly glycosylated asparagine undergoes deamidation to become an aspartic acid. By comparing the abundance of the resulting peptide containing aspartic acid against the one containing non-glycosylated asparagine, the glycosylation site occupancy can be evaluated. However, this approach can give inaccurate results when spontaneous chemical deamidation of the non-glycosylated asparagine occurs. To overcome this limitation, we developed a new method to measure the glycosylation site occupancy that does not rely on converting glycosylated peptides to their deglycosylated forms. Specifically, the overall protein concentration and the non-glycosylated portion of the protein are quantified simultaneously by using heavy isotope-labeled internal standards coupled with LC-MS analysis, and the extent of site occupancy is accurately determined. The efficacy of the method was demonstrated by quantifying the occupancy of a glycosylation site on bovine fetuin. The developed method is the first work that measures the glycosylation site occupancy without using PNGase F, and it can be done in parallel with glycopeptide analysis because the glycan remains intact throughout the workflow.

Untangling the relationships among regional occupancy, species traits, and niche characteristics in stream invertebrates

PubMed Central

Heino, Jani; Grönroos, Mira

2014-01-01

The regional occupancy and local abundance of species are affected by various species traits, but their relative effects are poorly understood. We studied the relationships between species traits and occupancy (i.e., proportion of sites occupied) or abundance (i.e., mean local abundance at occupied sites) of stream invertebrates using small-grained data (i.e., local stream sites) across a large spatial extent (i.e., three drainage basins). We found a significant, yet rather weak, linear relationship between occupancy and abundance. However, occupancy was strongly related to niche position (NP), but it showed a weaker relationship with niche breadth (NB). Abundance was at best weakly related to these explanatory niche-based variables. Biological traits, including feeding modes, habit traits, dispersal modes and body size classes, were generally less important in accounting for variation in occupancy and abundance. Our findings showed that the regional occupancy of stream invertebrate species is mostly related to niche characteristics, in particular, NP. However, the effects of NB on occupancy were affected by the measure itself. We conclude that niche characteristics determine the regional occupancy of species at relatively large spatial extents, suggesting that species distributions are determined by environmental variation among sites. PMID:24963387

Dynamic motif occupancy (DynaMO) analysis identifies transcription factors and their binding sites driving dynamic biological processes

PubMed Central

Kuang, Zheng; Ji, Zhicheng

2018-01-01

Abstract Biological processes are usually associated with genome-wide remodeling of transcription driven by transcription factors (TFs). Identifying key TFs and their spatiotemporal binding patterns are indispensable to understanding how dynamic processes are programmed. However, most methods are designed to predict TF binding sites only. We present a computational method, dynamic motif occupancy analysis (DynaMO), to infer important TFs and their spatiotemporal binding activities in dynamic biological processes using chromatin profiling data from multiple biological conditions such as time-course histone modification ChIP-seq data. In the first step, DynaMO predicts TF binding sites with a random forests approach. Next and uniquely, DynaMO infers dynamic TF binding activities at predicted binding sites using their local chromatin profiles from multiple biological conditions. Another landmark of DynaMO is to identify key TFs in a dynamic process using a clustering and enrichment analysis of dynamic TF binding patterns. Application of DynaMO to the yeast ultradian cycle, mouse circadian clock and human neural differentiation exhibits its accuracy and versatility. We anticipate DynaMO will be generally useful for elucidating transcriptional programs in dynamic processes. PMID:29325176

Assessment of occupational exposure to BTEX compounds at a bus diesel-refueling bay: A case study in Johannesburg, South Africa.

PubMed

Moolla, Raeesa; Curtis, Christopher J; Knight, Jasper

2015-12-15

Of increasing concern is pollution by volatile organic compounds, with particular reference to five aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and two isomeric xylenes; BTEX). These pollutants are classified as hazardous air pollutants. Due to the potential health risks associated with these pollutants, BTEX concentrations were monitored at a bus diesel-refueling bay, in Johannesburg, South Africa, using gas chromatography, coupled with a photo-ionization detector. Results indicate that o-xylene (29-50%) and benzene (13-33%) were found to be the most abundant species of total BTEX at the site. Benzene was within South African occupational limits, but above international occupational exposure limits. On the other hand, occupational concentrations of toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylenes were within national and international occupational limits throughout the monitoring period, based on 8-hour workday weighted averages. Ethyl-benzene and p-xylene concentrations, during winter, correspond to activity at the site, and thus idling of buses during refueling may elevate results. Overall, occupational air quality at the refueling bay is a matter of health concern, especially with regards to benzene exposure, and future reduction strategies are crucial. Discrepancies between national and international limit values merit further investigation to determine whether South African guidelines for benzene are sufficiently precautionary. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Osteoarthritis, labour division, and occupational specialization of the Late Shang China - insights from Yinxu (ca. 1250 - 1046 B.C.).

PubMed

Zhang, Hua; Merrett, Deborah C; Jing, Zhichun; Tang, Jigen; He, Yuling; Yue, Hongbin; Yue, Zhanwei; Yang, Dongya Y

2017-01-01

This research investigates the prevalence of human osteoarthritis at Yinxu, the last capital of the Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1250-1046 B.C.), to gain insights about lifeways of early urban populations in ancient China. A total of 167 skeletal remains from two sites (Xiaomintun and Xin'anzhuang) were analyzed to examine osteoarthritis at eight appendicular joints and through three spinal osseous indicators. High osteoarthritis frequencies were found in the remains with males showing significantly higher osteoarthritis on the upper body (compared to that of the females). This distinctive pattern becomes more obvious for males from Xiaomintun. Furthermore, Xiaomintun people showed significantly higher osteoarthritis in both sexes than those from Xin'anzhuang. Higher upper body osteoarthritis is speculated to be caused by repetitive lifting and carrying heavy-weight objects, disproportionately adding more stress and thus more osseous changes to the upper than the lower body. Such lifting-carrying could be derived from intensified physical activities in general and specialized occupations in particular. Higher osteoarthritis in males may reveal a gendered division of labour, with higher osteoarthritis in Xiaomintun strongly indicating an occupational difference between the two sites. The latter speculation can be supported by the recovery of substantially more bronze-casting artifacts in Xiaomintun. It is also intriguing that relatively higher osteoarthritis was noticed in Xiaomintun females, which seems to suggest that those women might have also participated in bronze-casting activities as a "family business." Such a family-involved occupation, if it existed, may have contributed to establishment of occupation-oriented neighborhoods as proposed by many Shang archaeologists.

Introduction to Vocations. High Tech Focus. Final Report 1984-85.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wayne Township Schools, NJ.

This report contains the materials that were developed during a project to make middle-grade students more aware of high tech careers through the following activities: (1) teacher and student visitations of community sites to explore high tech careers in 15 occupational clusters; (2) exploratory activities to facilitate linkages and articulation…

Time and space in the middle paleolithic: Spatial structure and occupation dynamics of seven open-air sites.

PubMed

Clark, Amy E

2016-05-06

The spatial structure of archeological sites can help reconstruct the settlement dynamics of hunter-gatherers by providing information on the number and length of occupations. This study seeks to access this information through a comparison of seven sites. These sites are open-air and were all excavated over large spatial areas, up to 2,000 m(2) , and are therefore ideal for spatial analysis, which was done using two complementary methods, lithic refitting and density zones. Both methods were assessed statistically using confidence intervals. The statistically significant results from each site were then compiled to evaluate trends that occur across the seven sites. These results were used to assess the "spatial consistency" of each assemblage and, through that, the number and duration of occupations. This study demonstrates that spatial analysis can be a powerful tool in research on occupation dynamics and can help disentangle the many occupations that often make up an archeological assemblage. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Estimating occupancy in large landscapes: evaluation of amphibian monitoring in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gould, William R.; Patla, Debra A.; Daley, Rob; Corn, Paul Stephen; Hossack, Blake R.; Bennetts, Robert E.; Peterson, Charles R.

2012-01-01

Monitoring of natural resources is crucial to ecosystem conservation, and yet it can pose many challenges. Annual surveys for amphibian breeding occupancy were conducted in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks over a 4-year period (2006–2009) at two scales: catchments (portions of watersheds) and individual wetland sites. Catchments were selected in a stratified random sample with habitat quality and ease of access serving as strata. All known wetland sites with suitable habitat were surveyed within selected catchments. Changes in breeding occurrence of tiger salamanders, boreal chorus frogs, and Columbia-spotted frogs were assessed using multi-season occupancy estimation. Numerous a priori models were considered within an information theoretic framework including those with catchment and site-level covariates. Habitat quality was the most important predictor of occupancy. Boreal chorus frogs demonstrated the greatest increase in breeding occupancy at the catchment level. Larger changes for all 3 species were detected at the finer site-level scale. Connectivity of sites explained occupancy rates more than other covariates, and may improve understanding of the dynamic processes occurring among wetlands within this ecosystem. Our results suggest monitoring occupancy at two spatial scales within large study areas is feasible and informative.

Late Holocene and recent rainforest cultural landscapes of North Queensland, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberger, L. M.; Moss, P. T.; Haberle, S.; Cosgrove, R.; Ferrier

2011-12-01

The tropical rainforests of North Queensland, Australia, have been environments of significant human activity for several thousand years. Palaeoecological research has highlighted the long-term effects of Quaternary climate change on these environments at a broad spatial scale, including the expansion of tropical rainforest across the region following the termination of the Last Glacial Maximum. However, identifying the effects of a hunter-gatherer Aboriginal population has been more difficult. Palaeoecological suggestions of Pleistocene Aboriginal burning, based on pollen and charcoal records, have relied on coincident timing with a general narrative of colonisation rather than direct links with archaeological evidence. Current research is explicitly examining the environmental consequences of human activity in North Queensland rainforests by producing local palaeoecological data directly linked to sites and periods of human occupation. Pollen, macrocharcoal and phytolith records have been produced from sites of human activity within the rainforest. Late Holocene Aboriginal occupation of the rainforest is demonstrated to have had significant cultural links to patches of open vegetation that existed within the rainforest. While these patches are likely to have originated as edaphically controlled remnants of Pleistocene vegetation, their expansion and maintenance in the late Holocene is associated with increasing intensity of Aboriginal occupation of the rainforest. Late Holocene Aboriginal rainforest occupation is also contrasted with the historical European colonisation of the rainforest in the late 19th century, which resulted in the most significant environmental changes in the region since the early Holocene. Historical and ethnographic records provide important cultural context for understanding the transition between Aboriginal and European cultural landscapes of the rainforest.

Helix A Stabilization Precedes Amino-terminal Lobe Activation upon Calcium Binding to Calmodulin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Baowei; Lowry, David; Mayer, M. Uljana

2008-08-09

The structural coupling between opposing domains of CaM was investigated using the conformationally sensitive biarsenical probe 4,5-bis(1,3,2-dithioarsolan-2-yl)-resorufin (ReAsH), which upon binding to an engineered tetracysteine binding motif near the end of helix A (Thr-5 to Phe-19) becomes highly fluorescent. Changes in conformation and dynamics are reflective of the native CaM structure, as there is no change in the 1H- 15N HSQC NMR spectrum in comparison to wild-type CaM. We find evidence of a conformational intermediate associated with CaM activation, where calcium occupancy of sites in the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal lobes of CaM differentially affect the fluorescence intensity of bound ReAsH.more » Insight into the structure of the conformational intermediate is possible from a consideration of calcium-dependent changes in rates of ReAsH binding and helix A mobility, which respectively distinguish secondary structural changes associated with helix A stabilization from the tertiary structural reorganization of the amino-terminal lobe of CaM necessary for high-affinity binding to target proteins. Helix A stabilization is associated with calcium occupancy of sites in the carboxyl-terminal lobe (Kd = 0.36 ± 0.04 μM), which results in a reduction in the rate of ReAsH binding from 4900 M -1 sec -1 to 370 M -1 sec -1. In comparison, tertiary structural changes involving helix A and other structural elements in the amino-terminal lobe requires calcium-occupancy of amino-terminal sites (Kd = 18 ± 3 μM). Observed secondary and tertiary structural changes involving helix A in response to the sequential calcium occupancy of carboxyl- and amino-terminal lobe calcium binding sites suggest an important involvement of helix A in mediating the structural coupling between the opposing domains of CaM. These results are discussed in terms of a model in which carboxyl-terminal lobe calcium activation induces secondary structural changes within the interdomain linker that release helix A, thereby facilitating the formation of calcium binding sites in the amino-terminal lobe and linked tertiary structural rearrangements to form a high-affinity binding cleft that can associate with target proteins.« less

Late persistence of the Acheulian in southern Britain in an MIS 8 interstadial: evidence from Harnham, Wiltshire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bates, M. R.; Wenban-Smith, F. F.; Bello, S. M.; Bridgland, D. R.; Buck, L. T.; Collins, M. J.; Keen, D. H.; Leary, J.; Parfitt, S. A.; Penkman, K.; Rhodes, E.; Ryssaert, C.; Whittaker, J. E.

2014-10-01

This paper presents evidence of the discovery of a new Middle Pleistocene site in central southern England, with undisturbed evidence of hominin occupation well-dated to an interstadial towards the end of Marine Isotope Stage 8, c. 250,000 BP. The site consists of a preserved remnant of a river terrace and its alluvial floodplain overlain by chalk-rich bankside deposits, all abutting a Chalk bedrock riverbank. It preserves an area of occupation with activity focused on the riverbank, complemented by occasional activity on a palaeo-landsurface developed on the surface of the alluvial floodplain. Lithic technology at the site consists almost entirely of handaxe manufacture, allowing attribution to an Acheulian industrial tradition. Mammalian and other palaeo-environmental remains are present and associated with the occupation horizons, including large mammal bones showing signs of hominin interference. Dating was based on OSL determinations on the sediments and amino acid racemisation of molluscan remains, supported by biostratigraphic indications. Besides being a rare instance of an undisturbed Palaeolithic palaeo-landscape covering several hectares, the site contributes to wider Quaternary research concerns over the ability of Middle Pleistocene hominins to tolerate colder climatic episodes in higher latitudes, and over settlement history and changing lithic industrial traditions of northwest Europe in relation to climate change and British peninsularity. It is suggested that the Harnham evidence may represent an insular population that had persisted in southern Britain since MIS 10/9, which became locally extinct during the glacial maximum 8.2 marking the end of MIS 8.

DISTINCT ROLES OF β1 MIDAS, ADMIDAS AND LIMBS CATION-BINDING SITES IN LIGAND RECOGNITION BY INTEGRIN α2β1*

PubMed Central

Valdramidou, Dimitra; Humphries, Martin J.; Mould, A. Paul

2012-01-01

Integrin-ligand interactions are regulated in a complex manner by divalent cations, and previous studies have identified ligand-competent, stimulatory, and inhibitory cation-binding sites. In collagen-binding integrins, such as α2β1, ligand recognition takes place exclusively at the α subunit I domain. However, activation of the αI domain depends on its interaction with a structurally similar domain in the β subunit known as the I-like or βI domain. The top face of the βI domain contains three cation-binding sites: the metal-ion dependent adhesion site (MIDAS), the ADMIDAS (adjacent to MIDAS) and LIMBS (ligand-associated metal binding site). The role of these sites in controlling ligand binding to the αI domain has yet to be elucidated. Mutation of the MIDAS or LIMBS completely blocked collagen binding to α2β1; in contrast mutation of the ADMIDAS reduced ligand recognition but this effect could be overcome by the activating mAb TS2/16. Hence, the MIDAS and LIMBS appear to be essential for the interaction between αI and βI whereas occupancy of the ADMIDAS has an allosteric effect on the conformation of βI. An activating mutation in the α2 I domain partially restored ligand binding to the MIDAS and LIMBS mutants. Analysis of the effects of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+ on ligand binding to these mutants showed that the MIDAS is a ligand-competent site through which Mn2+ stimulates ligand binding, whereas the LIMBS is a stimulatory Ca2+-binding site, occupancy of which increases the affinity of Mg2+ for the MIDAS. PMID:18820259

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

The Office of Analysis within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2013 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies formore » protection of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. Over the past five-year period, the occupational radiation exposure information has been analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2012 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protectionmore » of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. Over the past 5-year period, the occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site.« less

Workers' medication as occupational risk at construction site with formworks.

PubMed

López-Arquillos, Antonio; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; López-Arquillos, Concepción

2017-01-01

Accidents in the construction sector are a cause for concern. The influence of many different factors in construction accidents have been studied (age, company size, length of service, deviation, drugs or alcohol consumption, etc.) but the influence of medicinal substances in specific construction activities has not been evaluated until now. The aim of the research presented here is to identify the effect of different medicinal substances on the occupational risk levels of construction activities with formworks. An expert panel was selected in order to quantify the individual risk of each medication for each individual construction activity. Results showed that narcotics, antipsychotics, and hypnotics had the highest risk values, and the use of cranes and cutting materials were considered the most dangerous activities for a medicated worker. Data obtained in this research can help reduce the negative effects of the substances studied on the occupational safety of construction workers. A better knowledge of the risk levels according to the current capabilities of workers under the effects of medication is a powerful tool in planning safer construction activities.

Exposures and Health Outcomes in Relation to Bioaerosol Emissions From Composting Facilities: A Systematic Review of Occupational and Community Studies

PubMed Central

Pearson, Clare; Littlewood, Emma; Douglas, Philippa; Robertson, Sarah; Gant, Timothy W.; Hansell, Anna L.

2015-01-01

The number of composting sites in Europe is rapidly increasing, due to efforts to reduce the fraction of waste destined for landfill, but evidence on possible health impacts is limited. This article systematically reviews studies related to bioaerosol exposures within and near composting facilities and associated health effects in both community and occupational health settings. Six electronic databases and bibliographies from January 1960 to July 2014 were searched for studies reporting on health outcomes and/or bioaerosol emissions related to composting sites. Risk of bias was assessed using a customized score. Five hundred and thirty-six papers were identified and reviewed, and 66 articles met the inclusion criteria (48 exposure studies, 9 health studies, 9 health and exposure studies). Exposure information was limited, with most measurements taken in occupational settings and for limited time periods. Bioaerosol concentrations were highest on-site during agitation activities (turning, shredding, and screening). Six studies detected concentrations of either Aspergillus fumigatus or total bacteria above the English Environment Agency’s recommended threshold levels beyond 250 m from the site. Occupational studies of compost workers suggested elevated risks of respiratory illnesses with higher bioaerosol exposures. Elevated airway irritation was reported in residents near composting sites, but this may have been affected by reporting bias. The evidence base on health effects of bioaerosol emissions from composting facilities is still limited, although there is sufficient evidence to support a precautionary approach for regulatory purposes. While data to date are suggestive of possible respiratory effects, further study is needed to confirm this and to explore other health outcomes. PMID:25825807

[Occupational hygiene at solar-energy electric power plants].

PubMed

Lipkina, L I; Kolesnikova, A V; Tsirkova, N L

1991-01-01

The labour conditions of the personnel engaged in servicing an experimental solar electric power station in warm seasons of the year were characterized by the unfavourable environmental factors peculiar of working out-doors (heliostat sites) and in the station's shops (solar radiation, heating microclimate, noise). Combinations and activity of those factors were professionally determined. Established was the role of the labour conditions and respective occupational peculiarities in the individual response formation to work overload. A set of health-related preventive measures was also proposed.

Determination of an Environmental Background Level of Sr-90 in Urine for the Hanford Bioassay Program Determination of an Environmental Background Level of Sr-90 in Urine for the Hanford Bioassay Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Antonio, Cheryl L.; Rivard, James W.

2009-11-01

During the decommissioning and maintenance of some of the facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State, workers have potential for a 90Sr intake. However, because of worldwide radioactive fallout, 90Sr is present in our environment, and can be detectable in routine urine bioassay samples. It is important for the Hanford Site bioassay program to discern an occupational intake from a non-occupational environmental one. A detailed study of the background 90Sr in the urine of unexposed Hanford workers was performed. A survey of the Hanford Site bioassay database found 128 Hanford workers who were hired betweenmore » 1997 and 2002 and who had a very low potential for an occupational exposure prior to the baseline strontium urinalysis. Each urinalysis sample represented excretion during an approximate 24-hr period. The arithmetic mean value for the 128 pre-exposure baselines was 3.6 ± 5.1 mBq d-1. The 90Sr activities in urine varied from -12 to 20 mBq. The 99th percentile result was 16.4 mBqd-1, which was interpreted to mean that 1% of Hanford workers not occupationally exposed to strontium might exceed 16.4 mBq d-1.« less

DOE 2011 occupational radiation exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2012-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2011 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protectionmore » of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. The occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site over the past five years.« less

Links between DNA methylation and nucleosome occupancy in the human genome.

PubMed

Collings, Clayton K; Anderson, John N

2017-01-01

DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that is enriched in heterochromatin but depleted at active promoters and enhancers. However, the debate on whether or not DNA methylation is a reliable indicator of high nucleosome occupancy has not been settled. For example, the methylation levels of DNA flanking CTCF sites are higher in linker DNA than in nucleosomal DNA, while other studies have shown that the nucleosome core is the preferred site of methylation. In this study, we make progress toward understanding these conflicting phenomena by implementing a bioinformatics approach that combines MNase-seq and NOMe-seq data and by comprehensively profiling DNA methylation and nucleosome occupancy throughout the human genome. The results demonstrated that increasing methylated CpG density is correlated with nucleosome occupancy in the total genome and within nearly all subgenomic regions. Features with elevated methylated CpG density such as exons, SINE-Alu sequences, H3K36-trimethylated peaks, and methylated CpG islands are among the highest nucleosome occupied elements in the genome, while some of the lowest occupancies are displayed by unmethylated CpG islands and unmethylated transcription factor binding sites. Additionally, outside of CpG islands, the density of CpGs within nucleosomes was shown to be important for the nucleosomal location of DNA methylation with low CpG frequencies favoring linker methylation and high CpG frequencies favoring core particle methylation. Prominent exceptions to the correlations between methylated CpG density and nucleosome occupancy include CpG islands marked by H3K27me3 and CpG-poor heterochromatin marked by H3K9me3, and these modifications, along with DNA methylation, distinguish the major silencing mechanisms of the human epigenome. Thus, the relationship between DNA methylation and nucleosome occupancy is influenced by the density of methylated CpG dinucleotides and by other epigenomic components in chromatin.

Musculoskeletal pain in four occupational populations in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Warnakulasuriya, S S P; Peiris-John, R J; Coggon, D; Ntani, G; Sathiakumar, N; Wickremasinghe, A R

2012-06-01

Factors influencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders might differ in developing and developed countries. To assess the prevalence and determinants of musculoskeletal pain in four occupational populations in Sri Lanka. As part of the international Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability study, samples of postal workers, sewing machinists, nurses and computer operators were interviewed about pain at each of six anatomical sites in the past month, and about possible physical and psychosocial risk factors. Associations with prevalent pain were assessed by binomial regression. Analysis was based on 852 participants (86% response rate). Overall, the lower back was the most common site of pain, with 1-month prevalence ranging from 12% in computer operators to 30% in nurses. Postal workers had the highest prevalence of shoulder pain (23%), but pain in the wrist/hand was relatively uncommon in all four occupational groups (prevalence rates ranged from 8% to 9%). Low mood and tendency to somatize were consistently associated with pain at all six sites. After adjustment for psychosocial risk factors, there was a higher rate of low back pain in nurses and postal workers than in computer operators, a higher rate of shoulder pain in postal workers than in the other occupational populations, and a relatively low rate of knee pain in computer operators. Rates of regional pain, especially at the wrist/hand, were lower than have been reported in Western countries. As elsewhere, pain was strongly associated with low mood and somatizing tendency. Differences in patterns of pain by occupation may reflect differences in physical activities.

Interpreting Intra-site Spatial Patterns in Seasonal Contexts: an Ethnoarchaeological Case Study from the Western Alps.

PubMed

Carrer, Francesco

2017-01-01

This paper deals with the ethnoarchaeological analysis of the spatial pattern of artefacts and ecofacts within two traditional pastoral huts (a dwelling and a seasonal dairy) in the uplands of Val Maudagna (Cuneo province, Italian western Alps). The composition of the ethnoarchaeological assemblages of the two huts was studied and compared; point pattern analysis was applied to identify spatial processes mirrored in the interactions between objects; Moran's I correlogram and empirical variogram were used to investigate the effects of trampling on the displacement of objects on the floor. The results were compared with information provided by the herder who still used the huts. The quantitative and ethnographical data enabled inferences to be made that can help in the interpretation of archaeological seasonal sites. The function of a seasonal site can be recognized, as can the impact of delayed curation on the composition of the assemblage and the importance of the intensity of occupation compared with the frequency of occupation. The spatial organization of activities is reflected in the spatial patterns of objects, with clearer identification of activity areas in intensively occupied sites, and there is evidence for the behaviour behind the spatial segregation of activities. Trampling is a crucial post-depositional factor in the displacement of artefacts and ecofacts, especially in non-intensively exploited sites. From a methodological point of view, this research is another example that highlights the importance of integrating quantitative methods (especially spatial analysis and geostatistical methods) and ethnoarchaeological data in order to improve the interpretation of archaeological sites and assemblages.

The 1996 High Schools That Work Assessment: Good News and Bad News for Health Occupations Programs. Research Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottoms, Gene; Presson, Alice

The academic achievement of students in health occupations programs at High Schools That Work (HSTW) sites in 1996 was compared to academic performance levels at HSTW sites in 1994. Health occupations students at HSTW sites improved their average reading scores from 269 in 1993 to 278 in 1996. During the study period, the gap widened between HSTW…

Relationship between women's occupational work and bone health: a study from India.

PubMed

Shatrugna, Veena; Kulkarni, Bharati; Kumar, P Ajay; Balakrishna, N; Rani, K Usha; Reddy, G Chennakrishna; Rao, G V Narasimha

2008-06-01

Physical activity is known to influence the bone mass of an individual. Few studies have examined the effect of occupational activities on bone health. The present study investigated the relationship between occupational activities and the bone parameters measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 158 women from a low-income group in India. Women involved in three occupations with different bone-loading patterns (beedi (cigarette) makers, sweepers and construction workers) were included in the study. Anthropometric parameters, parity and percentage of menopausal women did not differ significantly between the three groups and dietary intake of Ca was low in all the groups. Bone mineral density (BMD) values of the overall group at all the sites were much lower than those reported from developed countries, possibly due to different body sizes in these regions. Femoral neck and hip BMD were not different in the three groups in spite of marked differences in activity patterns. However, bone area in the femoral neck was higher in the beedi makers compared with sweepers probably due to the squatting position adopted by beedi makers. Lumbar spine BMD was significantly lower among the sweepers when compared with the beedi makers and the groups performing walking and weight-bearing activities (sweepers and construction workers) had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis in the lumbar spine. However, weight-bearing effects of the upper body due to a squatting position were associated with better lumbar spine BMD in the beedi makers. The present study thus indicates that undernutrition might affect the relationship between occupational activities and bone parameters.

Site occupation of indium and jump frequencies of cadmium in FeGa 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newhouse, Randal; Collins, Gary S.; Zacate, Matthew O.

2016-12-01

Perturbed angular correlation (PAC) measurements using the In-111 probe were carried out on FeGa3 as part of a broader investigation of indium site occupation and cadmium diffusion in intermetallic compounds. One PAC signal was observed with hyperfine parameters ω 1= 513.8(1) Mrad/s and η= 0.939(2) at room temperature. By comparison with quadrupole frequencies observed in PAC measurements on isostructural RuIn3, it was determined that indium occupies only the 8j site in the FeGa3 structure, denoted Ga(2) below because two out of the three Ga sites have this point symmetry. PAC spectra at elevated temperature exhibited damping characteristic of electric field gradients (EFGs) that fluctuate as Cd probes jump among Ga(2) sites within the lifetime of the excited PAC level. A stochastic model for the EFG fluctuations based on four conceivable, single-step jump-pathways connecting one Ga(2) site to neighboring Ga(2) sites was developed and used to fit PAC spectra. The four pathways lead to two observable EFG reorientation rates, and these reorientation rates were found to be strongly dependent on EFG orientation. Calculations using density functional theory were used to reduce the number of unknowns in the model with respect to EFG orientation. This made it possible to determine with reasonable precision the total jump rate of Cd among Ga(2) sites that correspond to a change in mirror plane orientation of site-symmetry. This total jump rate was found to be thermally activated with an activation enthalpy of 1.8 ±0.1 eV.

Occupancy modeling reveals territory-level effects of nest boxes on the presence, colonization, and persistence of a declining raptor in a fruit-growing region.

PubMed

Shave, Megan E; Lindell, Catherine A

2017-01-01

Nest boxes for predators in agricultural regions are an easily implemented tool to improve local habitat quality with potential benefits for both conservation and agriculture. The potential for nest boxes to increase raptor populations in agricultural regions is of particular interest given their positions as top predators. This study examined the effects of cherry orchard nest boxes on the local breeding population of a declining species, the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), in a fruit-growing region of Michigan. During the 2013-2016 study, we added a total of 23 new nest boxes in addition to 24 intact boxes installed previously; kestrels used up to 100% of our new boxes each season. We conducted temporally-replicated surveys along four roadside transects divided into 1.6 km × 500 m sites. We developed a multi-season occupancy model under a Bayesian framework and found that nest boxes had strong positive effects on first-year site occupancy, site colonization, and site persistence probabilities. The estimated number of occupied sites increased between 2013 and 2016, which correlated with the increase in number of sites with boxes. Kestrel detections decreased with survey date but were not affected by time of day or activity at the boxes themselves. These results indicate that nest boxes determined the presence of kestrels at our study sites and support the conclusion that the local kestrel population is likely limited by nest site availability. Furthermore, our results are highly relevant to the farmers on whose properties the boxes were installed, for we can conclude that installing a nest box in an orchard resulted in a high probability of kestrels occupying that orchard or the areas adjacent to it.

Osteoarthritis, labour division, and occupational specialization of the Late Shang China - insights from Yinxu (ca. 1250 - 1046 B.C.)

PubMed Central

Merrett, Deborah C.; Jing, Zhichun; Tang, Jigen; He, Yuling; Yue, Hongbin; Yue, Zhanwei; Yang, Dongya Y.

2017-01-01

This research investigates the prevalence of human osteoarthritis at Yinxu, the last capital of the Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1250–1046 B.C.), to gain insights about lifeways of early urban populations in ancient China. A total of 167 skeletal remains from two sites (Xiaomintun and Xin’anzhuang) were analyzed to examine osteoarthritis at eight appendicular joints and through three spinal osseous indicators. High osteoarthritis frequencies were found in the remains with males showing significantly higher osteoarthritis on the upper body (compared to that of the females). This distinctive pattern becomes more obvious for males from Xiaomintun. Furthermore, Xiaomintun people showed significantly higher osteoarthritis in both sexes than those from Xin’anzhuang. Higher upper body osteoarthritis is speculated to be caused by repetitive lifting and carrying heavy-weight objects, disproportionately adding more stress and thus more osseous changes to the upper than the lower body. Such lifting-carrying could be derived from intensified physical activities in general and specialized occupations in particular. Higher osteoarthritis in males may reveal a gendered division of labour, with higher osteoarthritis in Xiaomintun strongly indicating an occupational difference between the two sites. The latter speculation can be supported by the recovery of substantially more bronze-casting artifacts in Xiaomintun. It is also intriguing that relatively higher osteoarthritis was noticed in Xiaomintun females, which seems to suggest that those women might have also participated in bronze-casting activities as a “family business.” Such a family-involved occupation, if it existed, may have contributed to establishment of occupation-oriented neighborhoods as proposed by many Shang archaeologists. PMID:28464007

Modeling Dengue Vector Dynamics under Imperfect Detection: Three Years of Site-Occupancy by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Urban Amazonia

PubMed Central

Padilla-Torres, Samael D.; Ferraz, Gonçalo; Luz, Sergio L. B.; Zamora-Perea, Elvira; Abad-Franch, Fernando

2013-01-01

Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the vectors of dengue, the most important arboviral disease of humans. To date, Aedes ecology studies have assumed that the vectors are truly absent from sites where they are not detected; since no perfect detection method exists, this assumption is questionable. Imperfect detection may bias estimates of key vector surveillance/control parameters, including site-occupancy (infestation) rates and control intervention effects. We used a modeling approach that explicitly accounts for imperfect detection and a 38-month, 55-site detection/non-detection dataset to quantify the effects of municipality/state control interventions on Aedes site-occupancy dynamics, considering meteorological and dwelling-level covariates. Ae. aegypti site-occupancy estimates (mean 0.91; range 0.79–0.97) were much higher than reported by routine surveillance based on ‘rapid larval surveys’ (0.03; 0.02–0.11) and moderately higher than directly ascertained with oviposition traps (0.68; 0.50–0.91). Regular control campaigns based on breeding-site elimination had no measurable effects on the probabilities of dwelling infestation by dengue vectors. Site-occupancy fluctuated seasonally, mainly due to the negative effects of high maximum (Ae. aegypti) and minimum (Ae. albopictus) summer temperatures (June-September). Rainfall and dwelling-level covariates were poor predictors of occupancy. The marked contrast between our estimates of adult vector presence and the results from ‘rapid larval surveys’ suggests, together with the lack of effect of local control campaigns on infestation, that many Aedes breeding sites were overlooked by vector control agents in our study setting. Better sampling strategies are urgently needed, particularly for the reliable assessment of infestation rates in the context of control program management. The approach we present here, combining oviposition traps and site-occupancy models, could greatly contribute to that crucial aim. PMID:23472194

Association among Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Job Stress, and Job Attitude of Occupational Therapists.

PubMed

Park, Jin-Hyuck; Park, Ji-Hyuk

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the associations among work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), job stress, and job attitude of occupational therapists in South Korea. Self-reporting questionnaires were distributed to 150 occupational therapists. Of the 128 occupational therapists who responded, 110 (85.9%) reported WMSDs affecting at least one body site. The most affected WMSDs site was the low back (26.8%), and the most reported number of body site affected by WMSDs was one (53.9%). As a result, there were significant differences in job stress and job attitude depending on the age, work experience, working hour, presence or absence of WMSDs, and number of site of pain. Factors influencing job attitude included job stress, the presence or absence of WMSDs and duration of pain. The results showed that the occurrence of WMSDs in occupational therapists was associated with increased job stress and negative job attitude.

Dynamic motif occupancy (DynaMO) analysis identifies transcription factors and their binding sites driving dynamic biological processes.

PubMed

Kuang, Zheng; Ji, Zhicheng; Boeke, Jef D; Ji, Hongkai

2018-01-09

Biological processes are usually associated with genome-wide remodeling of transcription driven by transcription factors (TFs). Identifying key TFs and their spatiotemporal binding patterns are indispensable to understanding how dynamic processes are programmed. However, most methods are designed to predict TF binding sites only. We present a computational method, dynamic motif occupancy analysis (DynaMO), to infer important TFs and their spatiotemporal binding activities in dynamic biological processes using chromatin profiling data from multiple biological conditions such as time-course histone modification ChIP-seq data. In the first step, DynaMO predicts TF binding sites with a random forests approach. Next and uniquely, DynaMO infers dynamic TF binding activities at predicted binding sites using their local chromatin profiles from multiple biological conditions. Another landmark of DynaMO is to identify key TFs in a dynamic process using a clustering and enrichment analysis of dynamic TF binding patterns. Application of DynaMO to the yeast ultradian cycle, mouse circadian clock and human neural differentiation exhibits its accuracy and versatility. We anticipate DynaMO will be generally useful for elucidating transcriptional programs in dynamic processes. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

A Multi-Site Pilot Test Study to Measure Safety Climate in the University Work Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez, Janet M.

2011-01-01

Next to leisure, sport, and household activities, the most common activity resulting in medically consulted injuries and poisonings in the United States is work, with an estimated 4 million workplace related episodes reported in 2008 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). To address the risks inherent to various occupations, risk…

Evidence That the [beta] Subunit of Chlamydia trachomatis Ribonucleotide Reductase Is Active with the Manganese Ion of Its Manganese(IV)/Iron(III) Cofactor in Site 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dassama, Laura M.K.; Boal, Amie K.; Krebs, Carsten

2014-10-02

The reaction of a class I ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) begins when a cofactor in the {beta} subunit oxidizes a cysteine residue {approx}35 {angstrom} away in the {alpha} subunit, generating a thiyl radical. In the class Ic enzyme from Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), the cysteine oxidant is the Mn{sup IV} ion of a Mn{sup IV}/Fe{sup III} cluster, which assembles in a reaction between O{sub 2} and the Mn{sup II}/Fe{sup II} complex of {beta}. The heterodinuclear nature of the cofactor raises the question of which site, 1 or 2, contains the Mn{sup IV} ion. Because site 1 is closer to the conserved locationmore » of the cysteine-oxidizing tyrosyl radical of class Ia and Ib RNRs, we suggested that the Mn{sup IV} ion most likely resides in this site (i.e., {sup 1}Mn{sup IV}/{sup 2}Fe{sup III}), but a subsequent computational study favored its occupation of site 2 ({sup 1}Fe{sup III}/{sup 2}Mn{sup IV}). In this work, we have sought to resolve the location of the Mn{sup IV} ion in Ct RNR-{beta} by correlating X-ray crystallographic anomalous scattering intensities with catalytic activity for samples of the protein reconstituted in vitro by two different procedures. In samples containing primarily Mn{sup IV}/Fe{sup III} clusters, Mn preferentially occupies site 1, but some anomalous scattering from site 2 is observed, implying that both {sup 1}Mn{sup II}/{sup 2}Fe{sup II} and {sup 1}Fe{sup II}/{sup 2}Mn{sup II} complexes are competent to react with O{sub 2} to produce the corresponding oxidized states. However, with diminished Mn{sup II} loading in the reconstitution, there is no evidence for Mn occupancy of site 2, and the greater activity of these 'low-Mn' samples on a per-Mn basis implies that the {sup 1}Mn{sup IV}/{sup 2}Fe{sup III}-{beta} is at least the more active of the two oxidized forms and may be the only active form.« less

ESTIMATING PROPORTION OF AREA OCCUPIED UNDER COMPLEX SURVEY DESIGNS

EPA Science Inventory

Estimating proportion of sites occupied, or proportion of area occupied (PAO) is a common problem in environmental studies. Typically, field surveys do not ensure that occupancy of a site is made with perfect detection. Maximum likelihood estimation of site occupancy rates when...

Differential Sox10 Genomic Occupancy in Myelinating Glia

PubMed Central

Lopez-Anido, Camila; Sun, Guannan; Koenning, Matthias; Srinivasan, Rajini; Hung, Holly A.; Emery, Ben; Keles, Sunduz; Svaren, John

2015-01-01

Myelin is formed by specialized myelinating glia: oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, respectively. While there are distinct developmental aspects and regulatory pathways in these two cell types, myelination in both systems requires the transcriptional activator Sox10. Sox10 interacts with cell type-specific transcription factors at some loci to induce myelin gene expression, but it is largely unknown how Sox10 transcriptional networks globally compare between oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. We used in vivo ChIP-Seq analysis of spinal cord and peripheral nerve (sciatic nerve) to identify unique and shared Sox10 binding sites and assess their correlation with active enhancers and transcriptional profiles in oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. Sox10 binding sites overlap with active enhancers and critical cell type-specific regulators of myelination, such as Olig2 and Myrf in oligodendrocytes, and Egr2/Krox20 in Schwann cells. Sox10 sites also associate with genes critical for myelination in both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells, and are found within super-enhancers previously defined in brain. In Schwann cells, Sox10 sites contain binding motifs of putative partners in the Sp/Klf, Tead, and nuclear receptor protein families. Specifically, siRNA analysis of nuclear receptors Nr2f1 and Nr2f2 revealed downregulation of myelin genes Mbp and Ndrg1 in primary Schwann cells. Our analysis highlights different mechanisms that establish cell type-specific genomic occupancy of Sox10, which reflects the unique characteristics of oligodendrocyte and Schwann cell differentiation. PMID:25974668

Factors influencing occupancy of nest cavities in recently burned forests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saab, V.A.; Dudley, J.; Thompson, W.L.

2004-01-01

Recently burned forests in western North America provide nesting habitat for many species of cavity-nesting birds. However, little is understood about the time frame and the variables affecting occupancy of postfire habitats by these birds. We studied factors influencing the occupancy and reuse of nest cavities from 1-7 years after fire in two burned sites of western Idaho during 1994-1999. Tree cavities were used for nesting by 12 species of cavity nesters that were classified by the original occupant (strong excavator, weak excavator, or nonexcavator) of 385 nest cavities. We used logistic regression to model cavity occupancy by strong excavators (n = 575 trials) and weak excavators (n = 206 trials). Year after fire had the greatest influence on occupancy of nest cavities for both groups, while site of the burn was secondarily important in predicting occupancy by strong excavators and less important for weak excavators. Predicted probability of cavity occupancy was highest during the early years (1-4) after fire, declined over time (5-7 years after fire), and varied by site, with a faster decline in the smaller burned site with a greater mosaic of unburned forest. Closer proximity and greater interspersion of unburned forest (15% unburned) may have allowed a quicker recolonization by nest predators into the smaller burn compared to the larger burn with few patches of unburned forest (4% unburned). In combination with time and space effects, the predicted probability of cavity occupancy was positively affected by tree and nest heights for strong and weak excavators, respectively.

Dynamic N -occupancy models: estimating demographic rates and local abundance from detection-nondetection data

Treesearch

Sam Rossman; Charles B. Yackulic; Sarah P. Saunders; Janice Reid; Ray Davis; Elise F. Zipkin

2016-01-01

Occupancy modeling is a widely used analytical technique for assessing species distributions and range dynamics. However, occupancy analyses frequently ignore variation in abundance of occupied sites, even though site abundances affect many of the parameters being estimated (e.g., extinction, colonization, detection probability). We introduce a new model (“dynamic

Epigenetics mediate environment : gene effects on occupational sensitization.

PubMed

Pacheco, Karin A

2012-04-01

Epigenetics is the study of stable modifications of fixed genomes that direct which genes are expressed and which are silenced. Epigenetic changes are modulated by environmental exposures, making epigenetics the interface between genes and environment. This has particular relevance in understanding the effect of occupational exposures on the expression of allergic disease. The goal of this review is to describe how epigenetic changes affect transcription potential, and to examine more closely the effect of specific environmental and occupational exposures on epigenetic variations that alter allergy gene transcripts and the inflammatory milieu. Gene transcription is activated when specific CpG sites are demethylated and histones are acetylated, and, conversely, silenced when sites are methylated and histones deacetylated. The development of Th1 and Th2 phenotypes, and expression of Treg cells, are now known to be modulated by epigenetic mechanisms. Workplace exposures such as tobacco smoke, particulates, diesel exhaust, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, ozone, and endotoxin, among others, suppress Treg development, and enhance expression of inflammatory cytokines and allergic phenotypes by epigenetic means. Epigenetic manipulation to open and close transcription sites provides flexibility of gene expression in response to changing environmental cues. It may also be the window whereby allergic disease in the workplace can be reduced by targeted environmental interventions.

Rates and determinants of uptake and use of an internet physical activity and weight management program in office and manufacturing work sites in England: Cohort Study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Internet-based physical activity (PA) and weight management programs have the potential to improve employees' health in large occupational health settings. To be successful, the program must engage a wide range of employees, especially those at risk of weight gain or ill health. The aim of the study...

Physical activity and cancer risk: dose-response and cancer, all sites and site-specific.

PubMed

Thune, I; Furberg, A S

2001-06-01

The association between physical activity and overall and site-specific cancer risk is elaborated in relation to whether any observed dose-response association between physical activity and cancer can be interpreted in terms of how much physical activity (type, intensity, duration, frequency) is needed to influence site- and gender-specific cancer risk. Observational studies were reviewed that have examined the independent effect of the volume of occupational physical activity (OPA) and/or leisure time physical activity (LPA) on overall and site-specific cancer risk. The evidence of cohort and case-control studies suggests that both leisure time and occupational physical activity protect against overall cancer risk, with a graded dose-response association suggested in both sexes. Confounding effects such as diet, body weight, and parity are often included as a covariate in the analyses, with little influence on the observed associations. A crude graded inverse dose-response association was observed between physical activity and colon cancer in 48 studies including 40,674 colon/colorectal cancer cases for both sexes. A dose-response effect of physical activity on colon cancer risk was especially observed, when participation in activities of at least moderate activity (>4.5 MET) and demonstrated by activities expressed as MET-hours per week. An observed inverse association with a dose-response relationship between physical activity and breast cancer was also identified in the majority of the 41 studies including 108,031 breast cancer cases. The dose-response relationship was in particular observed in case-control studies and supported by observations in cohort studies when participation in activities of at least moderate activity (>4.5 MET) and demonstrated by activities expressed by MET-hours per week. This association between physical activity and breast cancer risk is possibly dependent on age at exposure, age at diagnosis, menopausal status and other effect modifiers, e.g., body mass index. Furthermore, data concerning carcinoma of other cancers (prostate, lung, endometrium, ovary, and testicular cancers) are required. A protective effect of physical activity on site-specific cancer risk with a dose-response association between physical activity and colon and pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer supported by identified biological mechanisms has been observed. The optimal permutation of type, intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity across the lifespan is unclear, but it is gender, age, and site specific and supports moderate activity (>4.5 MET) more than light activities (<4.5 MET). The complicated nature of the physical activity variable, combined with lack of knowledge regarding possible biological mechanisms operating between physical activity and cancer, warrants further studies including controlled clinical randomized trials.

Structural hierarchy as a key to complex phase selection in Al-Sm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Z.; Zhang, F.; Sun, Y.; Nguyen, M. C.; Zhou, S. H.; Zhou, L.; Meng, F.; Ott, R. T.; Park, E.; Besser, M. F.; Kramer, M. J.; Ding, Z. J.; Mendelev, M. I.; Wang, C. Z.; Napolitano, R. E.; Ho, K. M.

2017-10-01

Investigating the unknown structure of the complex cubic phase, previously observed to crystallize from melt-spun amorphous Al-10 at.% Sm alloy, we determine the structure in full site-occupancy detail, highlighting several critical structural features that govern the far-from-equilibrium phase selection pathway. Using an efficient genetic algorithm combining molecular dynamics, density functional theory, and x-ray diffraction, the structure is clearly identified as body-centered cubic I m 3 ¯m (No. 229) with ˜140 atoms per cubic unit cell and a lattice parameter of 1.4 nm. The complex structure is further refined to elucidate the detailed site occupancy, revealing full Sm occupancy on 6b sites and split Sm/Al occupancy on 16f sites. Based on the refined site occupancy associated with the experimentally observed phase, we term this phase ɛ -A l60S m11 (bcc), corresponding to the limiting situation when all 16f sites are occupied by Sm. However, it should be recognized that the range of solubility enabled by split occupancy at Sm sites is an important feature in phase selection under experimental conditions, permitting an avenue for transition with little or no chemical partitioning. Our analysis shows that the ɛ -A l60S m11 (bcc) exhibits a "3-6-6-1" first-shell packing around Sm centers on 16f sites, the same dominant motif exhibited by the undercooled liquid. The coincident motif supports the notion that liquid/glass ordering at high undercooling may give rise to topological invariants between the noncrystalline and crystalline states that provide kinetic pathways to metastable phases that are not accessible during near-equilibrium processing.

Structural hierarchy as a key to complex phase selection in Al-Sm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ye, Z.; Zhang, F.; Sun, Y.

Investigating the unknown structure of the complex cubic phase, previously observed to crystallize from melt-spun amorphous Al–10 at.% Sm alloy, we determine the structure in full site-occupancy detail, highlighting several critical structural features that govern the far-from-equilibrium phase selection pathway. Using an efficient genetic algorithm combining molecular dynamics, density functional theory, and x-ray diffraction, the structure is clearly identified as body-centered cubic Im¯3m (No. 229) with ~140 atoms per cubic unit cell and a lattice parameter of 1.4 nm. The complex structure is further refined to elucidate the detailed site occupancy, revealing full Sm occupancy on 6b sites and splitmore » Sm/Al occupancy on 16f sites. Based on the refined site occupancy associated with the experimentally observed phase, we term this phase ε–Al 60Sm 11(bcc), corresponding to the limiting situation when all 16f sites are occupied by Sm. However, it should be recognized that the range of solubility enabled by split occupancy at Sm sites is an important feature in phase selection under experimental conditions, permitting an avenue for transition with little or no chemical partitioning. Our analysis shows that the ε–Al 60Sm 11(bcc) exhibits a “3-6-6-1” first-shell packing around Sm centers on 16f sites, the same dominant motif exhibited by the undercooled liquid. Here, the coincident motif supports the notion that liquid/glass ordering at high undercooling may give rise to topological invariants between the noncrystalline and crystalline states that provide kinetic pathways to metastable phases that are not accessible during near-equilibrium processing.« less

Structural hierarchy as a key to complex phase selection in Al-Sm

DOE PAGES

Ye, Z.; Zhang, F.; Sun, Y.; ...

2017-10-12

Investigating the unknown structure of the complex cubic phase, previously observed to crystallize from melt-spun amorphous Al–10 at.% Sm alloy, we determine the structure in full site-occupancy detail, highlighting several critical structural features that govern the far-from-equilibrium phase selection pathway. Using an efficient genetic algorithm combining molecular dynamics, density functional theory, and x-ray diffraction, the structure is clearly identified as body-centered cubic Im¯3m (No. 229) with ~140 atoms per cubic unit cell and a lattice parameter of 1.4 nm. The complex structure is further refined to elucidate the detailed site occupancy, revealing full Sm occupancy on 6b sites and splitmore » Sm/Al occupancy on 16f sites. Based on the refined site occupancy associated with the experimentally observed phase, we term this phase ε–Al 60Sm 11(bcc), corresponding to the limiting situation when all 16f sites are occupied by Sm. However, it should be recognized that the range of solubility enabled by split occupancy at Sm sites is an important feature in phase selection under experimental conditions, permitting an avenue for transition with little or no chemical partitioning. Our analysis shows that the ε–Al 60Sm 11(bcc) exhibits a “3-6-6-1” first-shell packing around Sm centers on 16f sites, the same dominant motif exhibited by the undercooled liquid. Here, the coincident motif supports the notion that liquid/glass ordering at high undercooling may give rise to topological invariants between the noncrystalline and crystalline states that provide kinetic pathways to metastable phases that are not accessible during near-equilibrium processing.« less

Occupancy models to study wildlife

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bailey, Larissa; Adams, Michael John

2005-01-01

Many wildlife studies seek to understand changes or differences in the proportion of sites occupied by a species of interest. These studies are hampered by imperfect detection of these species, which can result in some sites appearing to be unoccupied that are actually occupied. Occupancy models solve this problem and produce unbiased estimates of occupancy and related parameters. Required data (detection/non-detection information) are relatively simple and inexpensive to collect. Software is available free of charge to aid investigators in occupancy estimation.

18 CFR 725.3 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... result in the long- or short-term adverse impacts associated with: (a) The occupancy or modification of... apply to Level A and B regional or river basin planning activities carried out by regional planning sponsors including consideration of inclusion of site specific projects in Level A or B regional or river...

18 CFR 725.3 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... result in the long- or short-term adverse impacts associated with: (a) The occupancy or modification of... apply to Level A and B regional or river basin planning activities carried out by regional planning sponsors including consideration of inclusion of site specific projects in Level A or B regional or river...

18 CFR 725.3 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... result in the long- or short-term adverse impacts associated with: (a) The occupancy or modification of... apply to Level A and B regional or river basin planning activities carried out by regional planning sponsors including consideration of inclusion of site specific projects in Level A or B regional or river...

New dating evidence of the early presence of hominins in Southern Europe.

PubMed

Michel, Véronique; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Woodhead, Jon; Hu, Hsun-Ming; Wu, Chung-Che; Moullé, Pierre-Élie; Khatib, Samir; Cauche, Dominique; Moncel, Marie-Hélène; Valensi, Patricia; Chou, Yu-Min; Gallet, Sylvain; Echassoux, Anna; Orange, François; de Lumley, Henry

2017-08-30

The first "Out of Africa" migrations represent a seminal event in the history of humankind. At the gates of Europe, the first appearance of Hominins is recorded in Georgia, 1.8 million years ago (Ma); however, the picture of migration across the continent remains incomplete. Vallonnet Cave (France) is a Lower Paleolithic prehistoric site with traces of hominin activities including lithic remains and cut-marks on mammal bones. Here, we apply the uranium-lead (U-Pb) methods to two flowstones to date the intervening archaeological levels. The U-Pb data, coupled with paleomagnetic constraints, provide an age range from 1.2 to 1.1 Ma. The results conclusively demonstrate that Vallonnet Cave is one of the oldest European prehistoric sites in France with early hominin occupations associated with an Epivillafranchian fauna. Combined with data from other archaeological sites, the new precise chronology suggests a widespread occupation the Northern Mediterranean to Southwestern Europe at ~1.2 Ma.

Comparison of clinicopathological characteristics between patients with occupational and non-occupational intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

PubMed

Hamano, Genya; Kubo, Shoji; Takemura, Shigekazu; Tanaka, Shogo; Shinkawa, Hiroji; Kinoshita, Masahiko; Ito, Tokuji; Yamamoto, Takatsugu; Wakasa, Kenichi; Shibata, Toshihiko

2016-07-01

An outbreak of cholangiocarcinoma has been reported among workers of an offset color proof-printing department at a printing company in Japan. In this study, we compared the clinicopathological findings of this type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (occupational ICC) and non-occupational ICC. The clinical records of 51 patients with perihilar-type ICC who underwent liver resection, including five patients with occupational ICC were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological features were compared. In the occupational group, the patients were significantly younger (P < 0.01), while serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and the proportions of patients with regional dilatation of the bile ducts without tumor-induced obstruction were significantly higher (P = 0.041 and P < 0.01, respectively); the indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min was significantly lower (P = 0.020). On pathological examinations, precancerous or early cancerous lesions, such as biliary intraepithelial neoplasia and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct, were observed at various sites of the bile ducts in all occupational ICC patients; such lesions were observed in only six patients in the control group (P < 0.01). The clinicopathological findings including age, liver function test results, diagnostic imaging findings, and pathological findings differed between the occupational and control groups. © 2016 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

A tale of two sites: On defining the carrier concentration in garnet-based ionic conductors for advanced Li batteries

DOE PAGES

Thompson, Travis; Sharafi, Asma; Johannes, Michelle D.; ...

2015-03-21

Solid electrolytes based on the garnet crystal structure have recently been identified as a promising material to enable advance Li battery cell chemistries because of the unprecedented combination of high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability against metallic Li. To better understand the mechanisms that give rise to high conductivity, the goal of this work is to correlate Li site occupancy with Li-ion transport. Toward this goal, the Li site occupancy is studied in cubic garnet as a function of Li concentration over the compositions range: Li 7-xLa 3Zr 2-xTa xO 12 (x = 0.5, 0.75, and 1.5). The distribution ofmore » Li between the two interstitial sites (24d and 96h) is determined using neutron and synchrotron diffraction. The bulk conductivity is measured on >97% relative density polycrystalline specimens to correlate Li-ion transport as a function of Li site occupancy. It is determined that the conductivity changes nonlinearly with the occupancy of the octahedral (96h) Li site. It is shown that the effective carrier concentration is dependent on the Li site occupancy and suggests that this is a consequence of significant carrier-carrier coulombic interactions. Moreover, the observation of maximum conductivity near Li = 6.5 mol is explained.« less

Sampling design trade-offs in occupancy studies with imperfect detection: examples and software

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bailey, L.L.; Hines, J.E.; Nichols, J.D.

2007-01-01

Researchers have used occupancy, or probability of occupancy, as a response or state variable in a variety of studies (e.g., habitat modeling), and occupancy is increasingly favored by numerous state, federal, and international agencies engaged in monitoring programs. Recent advances in estimation methods have emphasized that reliable inferences can be made from these types of studies if detection and occupancy probabilities are simultaneously estimated. The need for temporal replication at sampled sites to estimate detection probability creates a trade-off between spatial replication (number of sample sites distributed within the area of interest/inference) and temporal replication (number of repeated surveys at each site). Here, we discuss a suite of questions commonly encountered during the design phase of occupancy studies, and we describe software (program GENPRES) developed to allow investigators to easily explore design trade-offs focused on particularities of their study system and sampling limitations. We illustrate the utility of program GENPRES using an amphibian example from Greater Yellowstone National Park, USA.

NV/YMP radiological control manual, Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gile, A.L.

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) and the adjacent Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) are located in Nye County, Nevada. The NTS has been the primary location for testing nuclear explosives in the continental US since 1951. Current activities include operating low-level radioactive and mixed waste disposal facilities for US defense-generated waste, assembly/disassembly of special experiments, surface cleanup and site characterization of contaminated land areas, and non-nuclear test operations such as controlled spills of hazardous materials at the hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Spill Center (HSC). Currently, the major potential for occupational radiation exposure is associated with the burial of low-level nuclear waste andmore » the handling of radioactive sources. Planned future remediation of contaminated land areas may also result in radiological exposures. The NV/YMP Radiological Control Manual, Revision 2, represents DOE-accepted guidelines and best practices for implementing Nevada Test Site and Yucca Mountain Project Radiation Protection Programs in accordance with the requirements of Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection. These programs provide protection for approximately 3,000 employees and visitors annually and include coverage for the on-site activities for both personnel and the environment. The personnel protection effort includes a DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program accredited dosimetry and personnel bioassay programs including in-vivo counting, routine workplace air sampling, personnel monitoring, and programmatic and job-specific As Low as Reasonably Achievable considerations.« less

OSHA standard for medical surveillance of hazardous waste workers.

PubMed

Melius, J M

1990-01-01

The increasing amount of work involving hazardous waste sites and the heavy involvement of the federal and state governments in this work have led to the gradual development of guidelines and standards providing for occupational safety and health programs for these sites. On March 6, 1989, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration published its final rule governing occupational safety and health matters at hazardous waste sites and emergency operations. This rule is currently scheduled to take effect on March 6, 1990. This chapter will briefly describe this regulation, particularly its medical surveillance requirements.

Middle Palaeolithic and Neolithic Occupations around Mundafan Palaeolake, Saudi Arabia: Implications for Climate Change and Human Dispersals

PubMed Central

Crassard, Rémy; Petraglia, Michael D.; Drake, Nick A.; Breeze, Paul; Gratuze, Bernard; Alsharekh, Abdullah; Arbach, Mounir; Groucutt, Huw S.; Khalidi, Lamya; Michelsen, Nils; Robin, Christian J.; Schiettecatte, Jérémie

2013-01-01

The Arabian Peninsula is a key region for understanding climate change and human occupation history in a marginal environment. The Mundafan palaeolake is situated in southern Saudi Arabia, in the Rub’ al-Khali (the ‘Empty Quarter’), the world’s largest sand desert. Here we report the first discoveries of Middle Palaeolithic and Neolithic archaeological sites in association with the palaeolake. We associate the human occupations with new geochronological data, and suggest the archaeological sites date to the wet periods of Marine Isotope Stage 5 and the Early Holocene. The archaeological sites indicate that humans repeatedly penetrated the ameliorated environments of the Rub’ al-Khali. The sites probably represent short-term occupations, with the Neolithic sites focused on hunting, as indicated by points and weaponry. Middle Palaeolithic assemblages at Mundafan support a lacustrine adaptive focus in Arabia. Provenancing of obsidian artifacts indicates that Neolithic groups at Mundafan had a wide wandering range, with transport of artifacts from distant sources. PMID:23894519

Middle palaeolithic and neolithic occupations around Mundafan Palaeolake, Saudi Arabia: implications for climate change and human dispersals.

PubMed

Crassard, Rémy; Petraglia, Michael D; Drake, Nick A; Breeze, Paul; Gratuze, Bernard; Alsharekh, Abdullah; Arbach, Mounir; Groucutt, Huw S; Khalidi, Lamya; Michelsen, Nils; Robin, Christian J; Schiettecatte, Jérémie

2013-01-01

The Arabian Peninsula is a key region for understanding climate change and human occupation history in a marginal environment. The Mundafan palaeolake is situated in southern Saudi Arabia, in the Rub' al-Khali (the 'Empty Quarter'), the world's largest sand desert. Here we report the first discoveries of Middle Palaeolithic and Neolithic archaeological sites in association with the palaeolake. We associate the human occupations with new geochronological data, and suggest the archaeological sites date to the wet periods of Marine Isotope Stage 5 and the Early Holocene. The archaeological sites indicate that humans repeatedly penetrated the ameliorated environments of the Rub' al-Khali. The sites probably represent short-term occupations, with the Neolithic sites focused on hunting, as indicated by points and weaponry. Middle Palaeolithic assemblages at Mundafan support a lacustrine adaptive focus in Arabia. Provenancing of obsidian artifacts indicates that Neolithic groups at Mundafan had a wide wandering range, with transport of artifacts from distant sources.

Hmo1 directs pre-initiation complex assembly to an appropriate site on its target gene promoters by masking a nucleosome-free region

PubMed Central

Kasahara, Koji; Ohyama, Yoshifumi; Kokubo, Tetsuro

2011-01-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hmo1 binds to the promoters of ∼70% of ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) at high occupancy, but is observed at lower occupancy on the remaining RPG promoters. In Δhmo1 cells, the transcription start site (TSS) of the Hmo1-enriched RPS5 promoter shifted upstream, while the TSS of the Hmo1-limited RPL10 promoter did not shift. Analyses of chimeric RPS5/RPL10 promoters revealed a region between the RPS5 upstream activating sequence (UAS) and core promoter, termed the intervening region (IVR), responsible for strong Hmo1 binding and an upstream TSS shift in Δhmo1 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses showed that the RPS5-IVR resides within a nucleosome-free region and that pre-initiation complex (PIC) assembly occurs at a site between the IVR and a nucleosome overlapping the TSS (+1 nucleosome). The PIC assembly site was shifted upstream in Δhmo1 cells on this promoter, indicating that Hmo1 normally masks the RPS5-IVR to prevent PIC assembly at inappropriate site(s). This novel mechanism ensures accurate transcriptional initiation by delineating the 5′- and 3′-boundaries of the PIC assembly zone. PMID:21288884

Site occupancy, composition and magnetic structure dependencies of martensitic transformation in Mn2Ni1 + x Sn1-x.

PubMed

Kundu, Ashis; Ghosh, Subhradip

2017-11-29

A delicate balance between various factors such as site occupancy, composition and magnetic ordering seems to affect the stability of the martensitic phase in [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]. Using first-principles DFT calculations, we explore the impacts of each one of these factors on the martensitic stability of this system. Our results on total energies, magnetic moments and electronic structures upon changes in the composition, the magnetic configurations and the site occupancies show that the occupancies at the 4d sites in the inverse Heusler crystal structure play the most crucial role. The presence of Mn at the 4d sites originally occupied by Sn and its interaction with the Mn atoms at other sites decide the stability of the martensitic phases. This explains the discrepancy between the experiments and earlier DFT calculations regarding phase stability in [Formula: see text]NiSn. Our results qualitatively explain the trends observed experimentally with regard to martensitic phase stability and the magnetisations in Ni-excess, Sn-deficient [Formula: see text]NiSn system.

43 CFR 21.6 - Cabin site occupancy where a recreation or conservation area has been leased to, or turned over...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cabin site occupancy where a recreation or conservation area has been leased to, or turned over to, another Federal or non-Federal public agency for administration. 21.6 Section 21.6 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior OCCUPANCY OF...

Occupancy by key transcription factors is a more accurate predictor of enhancer activity than histone modifications or chromatin accessibility

DOE PAGES

Dogan, Nergiz; Wu, Weisheng; Morrissey, Christapher S.; ...

2015-04-23

Regulated gene expression controls organismal development, and variation in regulatory patterns has been implicated in complex traits. Thus accurate prediction of enhancers is important for further understanding of these processes. Genome-wide measurement of epigenetic features, such as histone modifications and occupancy by transcription factors, is improving enhancer predictions, but the contribution of these features to prediction accuracy is not known. Given the importance of the hematopoietic transcription factor TAL1 for erythroid gene activation, we predicted candidate enhancers based on genomic occupancy by TAL1 and measured their activity. Contributions of multiple features to enhancer prediction were evaluated based on the resultsmore » of these and other studies. Results: TAL1-bound DNA segments were active enhancers at a high rate both in transient transfections of cultured cells (39 of 79, or 56%) and transgenic mice (43 of 66, or 65%). The level of binding signal for TAL1 or GATA1 did not help distinguish TAL1-bound DNA segments as active versus inactive enhancers, nor did the density of regulation-related histone modifications. A meta-analysis of results from this and other studies (273 tested predicted enhancers) showed that the presence of TAL1, GATA1, EP300, SMAD1, H3K4 methylation, H3K27ac, and CAGE tags at DNase hypersensitive sites gave the most accurate predictors of enhancer activity, with a success rate over 80% and a median threefold increase in activity. Chromatin accessibility assays and the histone modifications H3K4me1 and H3K27ac were sensitive for finding enhancers, but they have high false positive rates unless transcription factor occupancy is also included. Conclusions: Occupancy by key transcription factors such as TAL1, GATA1, SMAD1, and EP300, along with evidence of transcription, improves the accuracy of enhancer predictions based on epigenetic features.« less

Colonization and extinction in dynamic habitats: an occupancy approach for a Great Plains stream fish assemblage.

PubMed

Falke, Jeffrey A; Bailey, Larissa L; Fausch, Kurt D; Bestgen, Kevin R

2012-04-01

Despite the importance of habitat in determining species distribution and persistence, habitat dynamics are rarely modeled in studies of metapopulations. We used an integrated habitat-occupancy model to simultaneously quantify habitat change, site fidelity, and local colonization and extinction rates for larvae of a suite of Great Plains stream fishes in the Arikaree River, eastern Colorado, USA, across three years. Sites were located along a gradient of flow intermittency and groundwater connectivity. Hydrology varied across years: the first and third being relatively wet and the second dry. Despite hydrologic variation, our results indicated that site suitability was random from one year to the next. Occupancy probabilities were also independent of previous habitat and occupancy state for most species, indicating little site fidelity. Climate and groundwater connectivity were important drivers of local extinction and colonization, but the importance of groundwater differed between periods. Across species, site extinction probabilities were highest during the transition from wet to dry conditions (range: 0.52-0.98), and the effect of groundwater was apparent with higher extinction probabilities for sites not fed by groundwater. Colonization probabilities during this period were relatively low for both previously dry sites (range: 0.02-0.38) and previously wet sites (range: 0.02-0.43). In contrast, no sites dried or remained dry during the transition from dry to wet conditions, yielding lower but still substantial extinction probabilities (range: 0.16-0.63) and higher colonization probabilities (range: 0.06-0.86), with little difference among sites with and without groundwater. This approach of jointly modeling both habitat change and species occupancy will likely be useful to incorporate effects of dynamic habitat on metapopulation processes and to better inform appropriate conservation actions.

Occupational Therapy for Patients With Acute Lung Injury: Factors Associated With Time to First Intervention in the Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

Dinglas, Victor D.; Colantuoni, Elizabeth; Ciesla, Nancy; Mendez-Tellez, Pedro A.; Shanholtz, Carl

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE. Very early occupational therapy intervention in the intensive care unit (ICU) improves patients’ physical recovery. We evaluated the association of patient, ICU, and hospital factors with time to first occupational therapy intervention in ICU patients with acute lung injury (ALI). METHOD. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 514 consecutive patients with ALI from 11 ICUs in three hospitals in Baltimore, MD. RESULTS. Only 30% of patients ever received occupational therapy during their ICU stay. Worse organ failure, continuous hemodialysis, and uninterrupted continuous infusion of sedation were independently associated with delayed occupational therapy initiation, and hospital study site and admission to a trauma ICU were independently associated with earlier occupational therapy. CONCLUSION. Severity of illness and ICU practices for sedation administration were associated with delayed occupational therapy. Both hospital study site and type of ICU were independently associated with timing of occupational therapy, indicating modifiable environmental factors for promoting early occupational therapy in the ICU. PMID:23597694

Lullingstone Roman Villa. A Teacher's Handbook. [Revised].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Iain

Lullingstone, in Kent, England, is a Roman villa which was in use for almost the whole period of the Roman occupation of Britain during the fourth century A.D. Throughout this teacher's handbook, emphasis is placed on the archaeological evidence for conclusions about the use of the site, and there are suggested activities to help students…

Hippocampus Is Place of Interaction between Unconscious and Conscious Memories

PubMed Central

Züst, Marc Alain; Colella, Patrizio; Reber, Thomas Peter; Vuilleumier, Patrik; Hauf, Martinus; Ruch, Simon; Henke, Katharina

2015-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that humans can form and later retrieve new semantic relations unconsciously by way of hippocampus—the key structure also recruited for conscious relational (episodic) memory. If the hippocampus subserves both conscious and unconscious relational encoding/retrieval, one would expect the hippocampus to be place of unconscious-conscious interactions during memory retrieval. We tested this hypothesis in an fMRI experiment probing the interaction between the unconscious and conscious retrieval of face-associated information. For the establishment of unconscious relational memories, we presented subliminal (masked) combinations of unfamiliar faces and written occupations (“actor” or “politician”). At test, we presented the former subliminal faces, but now supraliminally, as cues for the reactivation of the unconsciously associated occupations. We hypothesized that unconscious reactivation of the associated occupation—actor or politician—would facilitate or inhibit the subsequent conscious retrieval of a celebrity’s occupation, which was also actor or politician. Depending on whether the reactivated unconscious occupation was congruent or incongruent to the celebrity’s occupation, we expected either quicker or delayed conscious retrieval process. Conscious retrieval was quicker in the congruent relative to a neutral baseline condition but not delayed in the incongruent condition. fMRI data collected during subliminal face-occupation encoding confirmed previous evidence that the hippocampus was interacting with neocortical storage sites of semantic knowledge to support relational encoding. fMRI data collected at test revealed that the facilitated conscious retrieval was paralleled by deactivations in the hippocampus and neocortical storage sites of semantic knowledge. We assume that the unconscious reactivation has pre-activated overlapping relational representations in the hippocampus reducing the neural effort for conscious retrieval. This finding supports the notion of synergistic interactions between conscious and unconscious relational memories in a common, cohesive hippocampal-neocortical memory space. PMID:25826338

Quantitation of Met tyrosine phosphorylation using MRM-MS.

PubMed

Meng, Zhaojing; Srivastava, Apurva K; Zhou, Ming; Veenstra, Timothy

2013-01-01

Phosphorylation has long been accepted as a key cellular regulator of cell signaling pathways. The recent development of multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) provides a useful tool for measuring the absolute quantity of phosphorylation occupancy at pivotal sites within signaling proteins, even when the phosphorylation sites are in close proximity. Here, we described a targeted quantitation approach to measure the absolute phosphorylation occupancy at Y1234 and Y1235 of Met. The approach is utilized to obtain absolute occupancy of the two phosphorylation sites in the full-length recombinant Met. It is further applied to quantitate the phosphorylation state of these two sites in SNU-5 cells treated with a Met inhibitor.

2003 Nevada Test Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2007-05-23

Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Program report for 2003 for the Nevada Test Site. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

Occupancy estimation and the closure assumption

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rota, Christopher T.; Fletcher, Robert J.; Dorazio, Robert M.; Betts, Matthew G.

2009-01-01

1. Recent advances in occupancy estimation that adjust for imperfect detection have provided substantial improvements over traditional approaches and are receiving considerable use in applied ecology. To estimate and adjust for detectability, occupancy modelling requires multiple surveys at a site and requires the assumption of 'closure' between surveys, i.e. no changes in occupancy between surveys. Violations of this assumption could bias parameter estimates; however, little work has assessed model sensitivity to violations of this assumption or how commonly such violations occur in nature. 2. We apply a modelling procedure that can test for closure to two avian point-count data sets in Montana and New Hampshire, USA, that exemplify time-scales at which closure is often assumed. These data sets illustrate different sampling designs that allow testing for closure but are currently rarely employed in field investigations. Using a simulation study, we then evaluate the sensitivity of parameter estimates to changes in site occupancy and evaluate a power analysis developed for sampling designs that is aimed at limiting the likelihood of closure. 3. Application of our approach to point-count data indicates that habitats may frequently be open to changes in site occupancy at time-scales typical of many occupancy investigations, with 71% and 100% of species investigated in Montana and New Hampshire respectively, showing violation of closure across time periods of 3 weeks and 8 days respectively. 4. Simulations suggest that models assuming closure are sensitive to changes in occupancy. Power analyses further suggest that the modelling procedure we apply can effectively test for closure. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our demonstration that sites may be open to changes in site occupancy over time-scales typical of many occupancy investigations, combined with the sensitivity of models to violations of the closure assumption, highlights the importance of properly addressing the closure assumption in both sampling designs and analysis. Furthermore, inappropriately applying closed models could have negative consequences when monitoring rare or declining species for conservation and management decisions, because violations of closure typically lead to overestimates of the probability of occurrence.

Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy Treatment Activities during Inpatient Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Beaulieu, Cynthia L.; Dijkers, Marcel P.; Barrett, Ryan S.; Horn, Susan D.; Giuffrida, Clare G.; Timpson, Misti L.; Carroll, Deborah M.; Smout, Randy J.; Hammond, Flora M.

2015-01-01

Objective To describe use of Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Therapy (ST) treatment activities throughout the acute rehabilitation stay of patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Design Multi-site prospective observational cohort study. Setting 9 U.S. and 1 Canadian inpatient rehabilitation settings. Participants 2130 patients admitted for initial acute rehabilitation following TBI. Patients were categorized based on admission FIM cognitive scores, resulting in 5 fairly homogenous groups. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Percentage of patients engaged in specific activities and mean time patients engaged in the activities, per 10-hour block of time for OT, PT, and ST combined. Results Therapy activities in OT, PT, and ST across all 5 cognitive groups had a primary focus on basic activities. While advanced activities occurred in each discipline and within each cognitive group, these advanced activities occurred with fewer patients and usually only toward the end of the rehabilitation stay. Conclusions The pattern of activities engaged in was both similar to and different from patterns seen in previous PBE studies with different rehabilitation diagnostic groups. PMID:26212399

Burrow Occupancy Patterns of the Western Burrowing Owl in Southern Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul D. Greger and Derek B. Hall

Understanding long-term patterns of burrow occupancy for the Western Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) is necessary for the conservation of this species, especially in arid, desert ecosystems where burrow occupancy data are lacking. Monthly burrow monitoring was conducted over a 4-year period (1997–2001) in southern Nevada to determine burrow occupancy patterns of Burrowing Owls and to evaluate the effects of burrow type and desert region on burrow occupancy. Burrow occupancy occurred year-round and was most consistent in the Transition region and tended to be lowest in the Mojave Desert region. Peak burrow occupancy occurred during March through May, followed bymore » a gradual decline in occupancy through the summer and fall until January and February, when occupancy was lowest. Occupancy was significantly higher at sites with both culvert and pipe burrows than at sites with earthen burrows in disturbed habitat or earthen burrows in natural habitat. Breeding-season occupancy was not significantly higher in wetter, cooler portions (e.g., Great Basin desert region) of the study area. Results suggest that occupancy is influenced by habitat features—such as suitable burrows in open areas with low vegetation—and climatic regime.« less

Cations in Octahedral Sites: A Descriptor for Oxygen Electrocatalysis on Transition-Metal Spinels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wei, Chao; Feng, Zhenxing; Scherer, Günther G.

2017-04-10

Exploring efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts for the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) is critical for developing renewable energy technologies such as fuel cells, metal–air batteries, and water electrolyzers. A rational design of a catalyst can be guided by identifying descriptors that determine its activity. Here, a descriptor study on the ORR/OER of spinel oxides is presented. With a series of MnCo2O4, the Mn in octahedral sites is identified as an active site. This finding is then applied to successfully explain the ORR/OER activities of other transition-metal spinels, including MnxCo3-xO4 (x = 2, 2.5, 3), LixMn2O4 (x = 0.7,more » 1), XCo2O4 (X = Co, Ni, Zn), and XFe2O4 (X = Mn, Co, Ni). A general principle is concluded that the eg occupancy of the active cation in the octahedral site is the activity descriptor for the ORR/OER of spinels, consolidating the role of electron orbital filling in metal oxide catalysis.« less

Identification of Occupational Cancer Risks in British Columbia, Canada: A Population-Based Case—Control Study of 1,155 Cases of Colon Cancer

PubMed Central

Fang, Raymond; Le, Nhu; Band, Pierre

2011-01-01

Objective Cancer has been recognized to have environmental origin, but occupational cancer risk studies have not been fully documented. The objective of this paper was to identify occupations and industries with elevated colon cancer risk based on lifetime occupational histories collected from 15,463 incident cancer cases. Method A group matched case-control design was used. All cases were diagnosed with histologically proven colon cancers, with cancer controls being all other cancer sites, excluding rectum, lung and unknown primary, diagnosed at the same period of time from the British Columbia Cancer Registry. Data analyses were done on all 597 Canadian standard occupation titles and 1,104 standard industry titles using conditional logistic regression for matched data sets and the likelihood ratio test. Results Excess colon cancer risks was observed in a number of occupations and industries, particularly those with low physical activity and those involving exposure to asbestos, wood dusts, engine exhaust and diesel engine emissions, and ammonia. Discussion The results of our study are in line with those from the literature and further suggest that exposure to wood dusts and to ammonia may carry an increased occupational risk of colon cancer. PMID:22073015

Influences of social network sites on the occupational performance of adolescents in a secondary school in Cape Town, South Africa: a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Mthembu, Thuli G; Beets, Charmaine; Davids, Gafeedha; Malyon, Kelly; Pekeur, Marchelle; Rabinowitz, Avital

2014-06-01

The habit of using social networking sites among adolescents has grown exponentially; there is little accompanying research to understand the influences on adolescents' occupational performance with this technology. The majority of adolescents are engaging in social network as part of their daily routines. Occupational performance is the act of doing and accomplishing a selected occupation that results from the dynamic transaction among the person, the environment and the occupation components. This study aimed to explore the influences of social networking on occupational performance of adolescents in a high school in Western Cape Province, South Africa. A phenomenological approach was used. Adolescents aged 13-17 years in a high school were purposively recruited for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four participants (two adolescents and two teachers) and two focus groups were undertaken with adolescents, analysed using thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged: 'It's a good way to keep in touch', 'It's part of me and it's not a bad thing', 'There is a time and place for it' and 'There's an urgency to be on the phone'. This study highlighted that social networking sites play a major role in the social life of adolescents, though it can result in occupational imbalance on their occupational performance. Furthermore, this study contributes to the knowledge of occupational therapists who work with adolescents in communities and health promoting school settings. Thus, collaboration between teachers, parents and occupational therapists can help to develop adolescents' time management and learning skills. © 2013 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Patterns of Snow Leopard Site Use in an Increasingly Human-Dominated Landscape

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Human population growth and concomitant increases in demand for natural resources pose threats to many wildlife populations. The landscapes used by the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and their prey is increasingly subject to major changes in land use. We aimed to assess the influence of 1) key human activities, as indicated by the presence of mining and livestock herding, and 2) the presence of a key prey species, the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), on probability of snow leopard site use across the landscape. In Gansu Province, China, we conducted sign surveys in 49 grid cells, each of 16 km2 in size, within a larger area of 3392 km2. We analysed the data using likelihood-based habitat occupancy models that explicitly account for imperfect detection and spatial auto-correlation between survey transect segments. The model-averaged estimate of snow leopard occupancy was high [0.75 (SE 0.10)], but only marginally higher than the naïve estimate (0.67). Snow leopard segment-level probability of detection, given occupancy on a 500 m spatial replicate, was also high [0.68 (SE 0.08)]. Prey presence was the main determinant of snow leopard site use, while human disturbances, in the form of mining and herding, had low predictive power. These findings suggest that snow leopards continue to use areas very close to such disturbances, as long as there is sufficient prey. Improved knowledge about the effect of human activity on large carnivores, which require large areas and intact prey populations, is urgently needed for conservation planning at the local and global levels. We highlight a number of methodological considerations that should guide the design of such research. PMID:27171203

Patterns of Snow Leopard Site Use in an Increasingly Human-Dominated Landscape.

PubMed

Alexander, Justine Shanti; Gopalaswamy, Arjun M; Shi, Kun; Hughes, Joelene; Riordan, Philip

2016-01-01

Human population growth and concomitant increases in demand for natural resources pose threats to many wildlife populations. The landscapes used by the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and their prey is increasingly subject to major changes in land use. We aimed to assess the influence of 1) key human activities, as indicated by the presence of mining and livestock herding, and 2) the presence of a key prey species, the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), on probability of snow leopard site use across the landscape. In Gansu Province, China, we conducted sign surveys in 49 grid cells, each of 16 km2 in size, within a larger area of 3392 km2. We analysed the data using likelihood-based habitat occupancy models that explicitly account for imperfect detection and spatial auto-correlation between survey transect segments. The model-averaged estimate of snow leopard occupancy was high [0.75 (SE 0.10)], but only marginally higher than the naïve estimate (0.67). Snow leopard segment-level probability of detection, given occupancy on a 500 m spatial replicate, was also high [0.68 (SE 0.08)]. Prey presence was the main determinant of snow leopard site use, while human disturbances, in the form of mining and herding, had low predictive power. These findings suggest that snow leopards continue to use areas very close to such disturbances, as long as there is sufficient prey. Improved knowledge about the effect of human activity on large carnivores, which require large areas and intact prey populations, is urgently needed for conservation planning at the local and global levels. We highlight a number of methodological considerations that should guide the design of such research.

VU0477573: Partial Negative Allosteric Modulator of the Subtype 5 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor with In Vivo Efficacy.

PubMed

Nickols, Hilary Highfield; Yuh, Joannes P; Gregory, Karen J; Morrison, Ryan D; Bates, Brittney S; Stauffer, Shaun R; Emmitte, Kyle A; Bubser, Michael; Peng, Weimin; Nedelcovych, Michael T; Thompson, Analisa; Lv, Xiaohui; Xiang, Zixiu; Daniels, J Scott; Niswender, Colleen M; Lindsley, Craig W; Jones, Carrie K; Conn, P Jeffrey

2016-01-01

Negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) have potential applications in the treatment of fragile X syndrome, levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, addiction, and anxiety; however, clinical and preclinical studies raise concerns that complete blockade of mGlu5 and inverse agonist activity of current mGlu5 NAMs contribute to adverse effects that limit the therapeutic use of these compounds. We report the discovery and characterization of a novel mGlu5 NAM, N,N-diethyl-5-((3-fluorophenyl)ethynyl)picolinamide (VU0477573) that binds to the same allosteric site as the prototypical mGlu5 NAM MPEP but displays weak negative cooperativity. Because of this weak cooperativity, VU0477573 acts as a "partial NAM" so that full occupancy of the MPEP site does not completely inhibit maximal effects of mGlu5 agonists on intracellular calcium mobilization, inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation, or inhibition of synaptic transmission at the hippocampal Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapse. Unlike previous mGlu5 NAMs, VU0477573 displays no inverse agonist activity assessed using measures of effects on basal [(3)H]inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation. VU0477573 acts as a full NAM when measuring effects on mGlu5-mediated extracellular signal-related kinases 1/2 phosphorylation, which may indicate functional bias. VU0477573 exhibits an excellent pharmacokinetic profile and good brain penetration in rodents and provides dose-dependent full mGlu5 occupancy in the central nervous system (CNS) with systemic administration. Interestingly, VU0477573 shows robust efficacy, comparable to the mGlu5 NAM MTEP, in models of anxiolytic activity at doses that provide full CNS occupancy of mGlu5 and demonstrate an excellent CNS occupancy-efficacy relationship. VU0477573 provides an exciting new tool to investigate the efficacy of partial NAMs in animal models. Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

VU0477573: Partial Negative Allosteric Modulator of the Subtype 5 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor with In Vivo Efficacy

PubMed Central

Yuh, Joannes P.; Gregory, Karen J.; Morrison, Ryan D.; Bates, Brittney S.; Stauffer, Shaun R.; Emmitte, Kyle A.; Bubser, Michael; Peng, Weimin; Nedelcovych, Michael T.; Thompson, Analisa; Lv, Xiaohui; Xiang, Zixiu; Daniels, J. Scott; Niswender, Colleen M.; Lindsley, Craig W.; Jones, Carrie K.; Conn, P. Jeffrey

2016-01-01

Negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) have potential applications in the treatment of fragile X syndrome, levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, addiction, and anxiety; however, clinical and preclinical studies raise concerns that complete blockade of mGlu5 and inverse agonist activity of current mGlu5 NAMs contribute to adverse effects that limit the therapeutic use of these compounds. We report the discovery and characterization of a novel mGlu5 NAM, N,N-diethyl-5-((3-fluorophenyl)ethynyl)picolinamide (VU0477573) that binds to the same allosteric site as the prototypical mGlu5 NAM MPEP but displays weak negative cooperativity. Because of this weak cooperativity, VU0477573 acts as a “partial NAM” so that full occupancy of the MPEP site does not completely inhibit maximal effects of mGlu5 agonists on intracellular calcium mobilization, inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation, or inhibition of synaptic transmission at the hippocampal Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapse. Unlike previous mGlu5 NAMs, VU0477573 displays no inverse agonist activity assessed using measures of effects on basal [3H]inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation. VU0477573 acts as a full NAM when measuring effects on mGlu5-mediated extracellular signal-related kinases 1/2 phosphorylation, which may indicate functional bias. VU0477573 exhibits an excellent pharmacokinetic profile and good brain penetration in rodents and provides dose-dependent full mGlu5 occupancy in the central nervous system (CNS) with systemic administration. Interestingly, VU0477573 shows robust efficacy, comparable to the mGlu5 NAM MTEP, in models of anxiolytic activity at doses that provide full CNS occupancy of mGlu5 and demonstrate an excellent CNS occupancy-efficacy relationship. VU0477573 provides an exciting new tool to investigate the efficacy of partial NAMs in animal models. PMID:26503377

Modeling anuran detection and site occupancy on North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP) routes in Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weir, L.A.; Royle, J. Andrew; Nanjappa, P.; Jung, R.E.

2005-01-01

One of the most fundamental problems in monitoring animal populations is that of imperfect detection. Although imperfect detection can be modeled, studies examining patterns in occurrence often ignore detection and thus fail to properly partition variation in detection from that of occurrence. In this study, we used anuran calling survey data collected on North American Amphibian Monitoring Program routes in eastern Maryland to investigate factors that influence detection probability and site occupancy for 10 anuran species. In 2002, 17 calling survey routes in eastern Maryland were surveyed to collect environmental and species data nine or more times. To analyze these data, we developed models incorporating detection probability and site occupancy. The results suggest that, for more than half of the 10 species, detection probabilities vary most with season (i.e., day-of-year), air temperature, time, and moon illumination, whereas site occupancy may vary by the amount of palustrine forested wetland habitat. Our results suggest anuran calling surveys should document air temperature, time of night, moon illumination, observer skill, and habitat change over time, as these factors can be important to model-adjusted estimates of site occupancy. Our study represents the first formal modeling effort aimed at developing an analytic assessment framework for NAAMP calling survey data.

Evidence for the lack of spare high-affinity insulin receptors in skeletal muscle.

PubMed Central

Camps, M; Gumà, A; Viñals, F; Testar, X; Palacín, M; Zorzano, A

1992-01-01

In this study, the relationship between the concentration of extracellular insulin, insulin binding and insulin action was evaluated in skeletal muscle. Initially we investigated the dose-response relationship of insulin action using three different experimental models that are responsive to insulin, i.e. the isolated perfused rat hindquarter, incubated strips of soleus muscle, and insulin receptors partially affinity-purified from skeletal muscle. We selected as insulin-sensitive parameters glucose uptake in the perfused hindquarter, lactate production in the incubated muscle preparation, and tyrosine receptor kinase activity in the purified receptor preparation. Our results showed that the dose-response curves obtained in the perfused hindquarter and in the incubated muscle were superimposable. In contrast, the dose-response curve for insulin-stimulated receptor tyrosine kinase activity in partially purified receptors was displaced to the left compared with the curves obtained in the perfused hindquarter and in the incubated muscle. The differences between the dose-response curve for receptor tyrosine kinase and those for glucose uptake and lactate production were not explained by a substantial insulin concentration gradient between medium and interstitial space. Thus the medium/interstitial insulin concentration ratio, when assayed in the incubated intact muscle at 5 degrees C, was close to 1. We also compared the dose-response curve of insulin-stimulated receptor tyrosine kinase with the pattern of insulin-binding-site occupancy. The curve of insulin-stimulated receptor kinase activity fitted closely with the occupancy of high-affinity binding sites. In summary, assuming that the estimation of the medium/interstitial insulin concentration ratio obtained at 5 degrees C reflects the actual ratio under more physiological conditions, our results suggest that maximal insulin action is obtained in skeletal muscle at insulin concentrations which do allow full occupancy of high-affinity binding sites. Therefore our data provide evidence for a lack of spare high-affinity insulin receptors in skeletal muscle. PMID:1323279

Evidence for the lack of spare high-affinity insulin receptors in skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Camps, M; Gumà, A; Viñals, F; Testar, X; Palacín, M; Zorzano, A

1992-08-01

In this study, the relationship between the concentration of extracellular insulin, insulin binding and insulin action was evaluated in skeletal muscle. Initially we investigated the dose-response relationship of insulin action using three different experimental models that are responsive to insulin, i.e. the isolated perfused rat hindquarter, incubated strips of soleus muscle, and insulin receptors partially affinity-purified from skeletal muscle. We selected as insulin-sensitive parameters glucose uptake in the perfused hindquarter, lactate production in the incubated muscle preparation, and tyrosine receptor kinase activity in the purified receptor preparation. Our results showed that the dose-response curves obtained in the perfused hindquarter and in the incubated muscle were superimposable. In contrast, the dose-response curve for insulin-stimulated receptor tyrosine kinase activity in partially purified receptors was displaced to the left compared with the curves obtained in the perfused hindquarter and in the incubated muscle. The differences between the dose-response curve for receptor tyrosine kinase and those for glucose uptake and lactate production were not explained by a substantial insulin concentration gradient between medium and interstitial space. Thus the medium/interstitial insulin concentration ratio, when assayed in the incubated intact muscle at 5 degrees C, was close to 1. We also compared the dose-response curve of insulin-stimulated receptor tyrosine kinase with the pattern of insulin-binding-site occupancy. The curve of insulin-stimulated receptor kinase activity fitted closely with the occupancy of high-affinity binding sites. In summary, assuming that the estimation of the medium/interstitial insulin concentration ratio obtained at 5 degrees C reflects the actual ratio under more physiological conditions, our results suggest that maximal insulin action is obtained in skeletal muscle at insulin concentrations which do allow full occupancy of high-affinity binding sites. Therefore our data provide evidence for a lack of spare high-affinity insulin receptors in skeletal muscle.

Fluorescent biological aerosol particles: Concentrations, emissions, and exposures in a northern California residence.

PubMed

Tian, Y; Liu, Y; Misztal, P K; Xiong, J; Arata, C M; Goldstein, A H; Nazaroff, W W

2018-04-06

Residences represent an important site for bioaerosol exposure. We studied bioaerosol concentrations, emissions, and exposures in a single-family residence in northern California with 2 occupants using real-time instrumentation during 2 monitoring campaigns (8 weeks during August-October 2016 and 5 weeks during January-March 2017). Time- and size-resolved fluorescent biological aerosol particles (FBAP) and total airborne particles were measured in real time in the kitchen using an ultraviolet aerodynamic particle sizer (UVAPS). Time-resolved occupancy status, household activity data, air-change rates, and spatial distribution of size-resolved particles were also determined throughout the house. Occupant activities strongly influenced indoor FBAP levels. Indoor FBAP concentrations were an order of magnitude higher when the house was occupied than when the house was vacant. Applying an integral material-balance approach, geometric mean of total FBAP emissions from human activities observed to perturb indoor levels were in the range of 10-50 million particles per event. During the summer and winter campaigns, occupants spent an average of 10 and 8.5 hours per day, respectively, awake and at home. During these hours, the geometric mean daily-averaged FBAP exposure concentration (1-10 μm diameter) was similar for each subject at 40 particles/L for summer and 29 particles/L for winter. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Introducing disability studies to occupational therapy students.

PubMed

Block, Pamela; Ricafrente-Biazon, Melissa; Russo, Ann; Chu, Ke Yun; Sud, Suman; Koerner, Lori; Vittoria, Karen; Landgrover, Alyssa; Olowu, Tosin

2005-01-01

This article is a work of collaborative ethnography about teaching and learning disability studies within the context of an occupational therapy graduate program. In spring 2004,14 occupational therapy students were introduced to disability studies by their cultural anthropologist (nonoccupational therapist) course instructor. During the one-credit course, they were expected to complete readings, watch films, attend guest lectures, and make a site visit. The occupational therapy students were required to write a journal to record personal reactions and new insights gained from these experiences. This article focuses on a thematic analysis of the students' journaled responses to the film "Dance Me to My Song," and a site visit to a local Independent Living Center. Students were expected to analyze these experiences from both disability studies and occupational therapy perspectives. The article addresses philosophical and practical differences between occupational therapy and disability studies and identifies opportunities for collaboration between occupational therapists and independent living specialists.

Active Site Metal Occupancy and Cyclic Di-GMP Phosphodiesterase Activity of Thermotoga maritima HD-GYP.

PubMed

Miner, Kyle D; Kurtz, Donald M

2016-02-16

HD-GYPs make up a subclass of the metal-dependent HD phosphohydrolase superfamily and catalyze conversion of cyclic di(3',5')-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) to 5'-phosphoguanylyl-(3'→5')-guanosine (pGpG) and GMP. Until now, the only reported crystal structure of an HD-GYP that also exhibits c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activity contains a His/carboxylate ligated triiron active site. However, other structural and phylogenetic correlations indicate that some HD-GYPs contain dimetal active sites. Here we provide evidence that an HD-GYP c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase, TM0186, from Thermotoga maritima can accommodate both di- and trimetal active sites. We show that an as-isolated iron-containing TM0186 has an oxo/carboxylato-bridged diferric site, and that the reduced (diferrous) form is necessary and sufficient to catalyze conversion of c-di-GMP to pGpG, but that conversion of pGpG to GMP requires more than two metals per active site. Similar c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activities were obtained with divalent iron or manganese. On the basis of activity correlations with several putative metal ligand residue variants and molecular dynamics simulations, we propose that TM0186 can accommodate both di- and trimetal active sites. Our results also suggest that a Glu residue conserved in a subset of HD-GYPs is required for formation of the trimetal site and can also serve as a labile ligand to the dimetal site. Given the anaerobic growth requirement of T. maritima, we suggest that this HD-GYP can function in vivo with either divalent iron or manganese occupying di- and trimetal sites.

Bronchial asthma and COPD due to irritants in the workplace - an evidence-based approach

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Respiratory irritants represent a major cause of occupational obstructive airway diseases. We provide an overview of the evidence related to irritative agents causing occupational asthma or occupational COPD. Methods We searched MEDLINE via PubMed. Reference lists of relevant reviews were also screened. The SIGN grading system was used to rate the quality of each study. The modified RCGP three-star system was used to grade the body of evidence for each irritant agent regarding its causative role in either occupational asthma or occupational COPD. Results A total of 474 relevant papers were identified, covering 188 individual agents, professions or work-sites. The focus of most of the studies and the predominant diagnosis was occupational asthma, whereas occupational COPD arose only incidentally. The highest level assigned using the SIGN grading was 2+ (well-conducted systematic review, cohort or case–control study with a low risk of confounding or bias). According to the modified RCGP three-star grading, the strongest evidence of association with an individual agent, profession or work-site (“**”) was found for 17 agents or work-sites, including benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylicacid-1,2-anhydride, chlorine, platinum salt, isocyanates, cement dust, grain dust, animal farming, environmental tobacco smoke, welding fumes or construction work. Phthalic anhydride, glutaraldehyde, sulphur dioxide, cotton dust, cleaning agents, potrooms, farming (various), foundries were found to be moderately associated with occupational asthma or occupational COPD (“*[+]”). Conclusion This study let us assume that irritant-induced occupational asthma and especially occupational COPD are considerably underreported. Defining the evidence of the many additional occupational irritants for causing airway disorders will be the subject of continued studies with implications for diagnostics and preventive measures. PMID:23013890

An Archaeological Survey of the Snake River from 2 Miles East of Warren, Minnesota to the Red River of the North. August-November 1975.

DTIC Science & Technology

human activity , were discovered and two previously known sites were relocated and subjected to further examination. The area surveyed was occupied by...randomly placed (washed in by flood or moved through agricultural plowing); (2) sparse evidence of human activity and (3) good evidence of long term or intensive human occupation as to be definately worthy of excavation. (Author)

Phosphopeptide occupancy and photoaffinity cross-linking of the v-Src SH2 domain attenuates tyrosine kinase activity.

PubMed

Garcia, P; Shoelson, S E; Drew, J S; Miller, W T

1994-12-02

Phosphorylation of c-Src at carboxyl-terminal Tyr-527 suppresses tyrosine kinase activity and transforming potential, presumably by facilitating the intramolecular interaction of the C terminus of Src with its SH2 domain. In addition, it has been shown previously that occupancy of the c-Src SH2 domain with a phosphopeptide stimulates c-Src kinase catalytic activity. We have performed analogous studies with v-Src, the transforming protein from Rous sarcoma virus, which has extensive homology with c-Src. v-Src lacks an autoregulatory phosphorylation site, and its kinase domain is constitutively active. Phosphopeptides corresponding to the sequences surrounding c-Src Tyr-527 and a Tyr-Glu-Glu-Ile motif from the hamster polyoma virus middle T antigen inhibit tyrosine kinase activity of baculovirus-expressed v-Src 2- and 4-fold, respectively. To determine the mechanism of this regulation, the Tyr-527 phosphopeptide was substituted with the photoactive amino acid p-benzoylphenylalanine at the adjacent positions (N- and C-terminal) to phosphotyrosine. These peptides photoinactivate the v-Src tyrosine kinase 5-fold in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the peptides cross-link an isolated Src SH2 domain with similar rates and specificity. These data indicate that occupancy of the v-Src SH2 domain induces a conformational change that is transmitted to the kinase domain and attenuates tyrosine kinase activity.

Physicochemical characteristics and occupational exposure to coarse, fine and ultrafine particles during building refurbishment activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azarmi, Farhad; Kumar, Prashant; Mulheron, Mike; Colaux, Julien L.; Jeynes, Chris; Adhami, Siavash; Watts, John F.

2015-08-01

Understanding of the emissions of coarse (PM10 ≤10 μm), fine (PM2.5 ≤2.5 μm) and ultrafine particles (UFP <100 nm) from refurbishment activities and their dispersion into the nearby environment is of primary importance for developing efficient risk assessment and management strategies in the construction and demolition industry. This study investigates the release, occupational exposure and physicochemical properties of particulate matter, including UFPs, from over 20 different refurbishment activities occurring at an operational building site. Particles were measured in the 5-10,000-nm-size range using a fast response differential mobility spectrometer and a GRIMM particle spectrometer for 55 h over 8 days. The UFPs were found to account for >90 % of the total particle number concentrations and <10 % of the total mass concentrations released during the recorded activities. The highest UFP concentrations were 4860, 740, 650 and 500 times above the background value during wall-chasing, drilling, cementing and general demolition activities, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ion beam analysis were used to identify physicochemical characteristics of particles and attribute them to probable sources considering the size and the nature of the particles. The results confirm that refurbishment activities produce significant levels (both number and mass) of airborne particles, indicating a need to develop appropriate regulations for the control of occupational exposure of operatives undertaking building refurbishment.

Dating human occupation and adaptation in the southern European last glacial refuge: The chronostratigraphy of Grotta del Romito (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blockley, Simon; Pellegrini, Maura; Colonese, Andre C.; Lo Vetro, Domenico; Albert, Paul G.; Brauer, Achim; Di Giuseppe, Zelia; Evans, Adrian; Harding, Poppy; Lee-Thorp, Julia; Lincoln, Paul; Martini, Fabio; Pollard, Mark; Smith, Victoria; Donahue, Randolph

2018-03-01

Grotta del Romito has been the subject of numerous archaeological, chronological and palaeoenvironmental investigations for more than a decade. During the Upper Palaeolithic period the site contains evidence of human occupation through the Gravettian and Epigravettian periods, multiple human burials, changes in the pattern of human occupation, and faunal, isotopic and sedimentological evidence for local environmental change. In spite of this rich record, the chronological control is insufficient to resolve shifts in subsistence and mobility patterns at sufficiently high resolution to match the abrupt climate fluctuations at this time. To resolve this we present new radiocarbon and tephrostratigraphic dates in combination with existing radiocarbon dates, and develop a Bayesian age model framework for the site. This improved chronology reveals that local environmental conditions reflect abrupt and long-term changes in climate, and that these also directly influence changing patterns of human occupation of the site. In particular, we show that the environmental record for the site, based on small mammal habitat preferences, is chronologically in phase with the main changes in climate and environment seen in key regional archives from Italy and Greenland. We also calculate the timing of the transitions between different cultural phases and their spans. We also show that the intensification in occupation of the site is chronologically coincident with a rapid rise in Mesic Woody taxa seen in key regional pollen records and is associated with the Late Epigravettian occupation of the site. This change in the record of Grotta del Romito is also closely associated stratigraphically with a new tephra (the ROM-D30 tephra), which may act as a critical marker in environmental records of the region.

An adaptive-management framework for optimal control of hiking near golden eagle nests in Denali National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Julien; Fackler, Paul L.; Nichols, James D.; Runge, Michael C.; McIntyre, Carol L.; Lubow, Bruce L.; McCluskie, Maggie C.; Schmutz, Joel A.

2011-01-01

Unintended effects of recreational activities in protected areas are of growing concern. We used an adaptive-management framework to develop guidelines for optimally managing hiking activities to maintain desired levels of territory occupancy and reproductive success of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Denali National Park (Alaska, U.S.A.). The management decision was to restrict human access (hikers) to particular nesting territories to reduce disturbance. The management objective was to minimize restrictions on hikers while maintaining reproductive performance of eagles above some specified level. We based our decision analysis on predictive models of site occupancy of eagles developed using a combination of expert opinion and data collected from 93 eagle territories over 20 years. The best predictive model showed that restricting human access to eagle territories had little effect on occupancy dynamics. However, when considering important sources of uncertainty in the models, including environmental stochasticity, imperfect detection of hares on which eagles prey, and model uncertainty, restricting access of territories to hikers improved eagle reproduction substantially. An adaptive management framework such as ours may help reduce uncertainty of the effects of hiking activities on Golden Eagles

Genomic maps of lincRNA occupancy reveal principles of RNA-chromatin interactions

PubMed Central

Chu, Ci; Qu, Kun; Zhong, Franklin; Artandi, Steven E.; Chang, Howard Y.

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) are key regulators of chromatin state, yet the nature and sites of RNA-chromatin interaction are mostly unknown. Here we introduce Chromatin Isolation by RNA Purification (ChIRP), where tiling oligonucleotides retrieve specific lincRNAs with bound protein and DNA sequences, which are enumerated by deep sequencing. ChIRP-seq of three lincRNAs reveal that RNA occupancy sites in the genome are focal, sequence-specific, and numerous. Drosophila roX2 RNA occupies male X-linked gene bodies with increasing tendency toward the 3’ end, peaking at CES sites. Human telomerase RNA TERC occupies telomeres and Wnt pathway genes. HOTAIR lincRNA preferentially occupies a GA-rich DNA motif to nucleate broad domains of Polycomb occupancy and histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation. HOTAIR occupancy occurs independently of EZH2, suggesting the order of RNA guidance of Polycomb occupancy. ChIRP-seq is generally applicable to illuminate the intersection of RNA and chromatin with newfound precision genome-wide. PMID:21963238

American pika in a low-elevation lava landscape: expanding the known distribution of a temperature-sensitive species.

PubMed

Shinderman, Matt

2015-09-01

In 2010, the American pika (Ochotona princeps fenisex) was denied federal protection based on limited evidence of persistence in low-elevation environments. Studies in nonalpine areas have been limited to relatively few environments, and it is unclear whether patterns observed elsewhere (e.g., Bodie, CA) represent other nonalpine habitats. This study was designed to establish pika presence in a new location, determine distribution within the surveyed area, and evaluate influences of elevation, vegetation, lava complexity, and distance to habitat edge on pika site occupancy. In 2011 and 2012, we conducted surveys for American pika on four distinct subalpine lava flows of Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon, USA. Field surveys were conducted at predetermined locations within lava flows via silent observation and active searching for pika sign. Site habitat characteristics were included as predictors of occupancy in multinomial regression models. Above and belowground temperatures were recorded at a subsample of pika detection sites. Pika were detected in 26% (2011) and 19% (2012) of survey plots. Seventy-four pika were detected outside survey plot boundaries. Lava complexity was the strongest predictor of pika occurrence, where pika were up to seven times more likely to occur in the most complicated lava formations. Pika were two times more likely to occur with increasing elevation, although they were found at all elevations in the study area. This study expands the known distribution of the species and provides additional evidence for persistence in nonalpine habitats. Results partially support the predictive occupancy model developed for pika at Craters of the Moon National Monument, another lava environment. Characteristics of the lava environment clearly influence pika site occupancy, but habitat variables reported as important in other studies were inconclusive here. Further work is needed to gain a better understanding of the species' current distribution and ability to persist under future climate conditions.

American pika in a low-elevation lava landscape: expanding the known distribution of a temperature-sensitive species

PubMed Central

Shinderman, Matt

2015-01-01

In 2010, the American pika (Ochotona princeps fenisex) was denied federal protection based on limited evidence of persistence in low-elevation environments. Studies in nonalpine areas have been limited to relatively few environments, and it is unclear whether patterns observed elsewhere (e.g., Bodie, CA) represent other nonalpine habitats. This study was designed to establish pika presence in a new location, determine distribution within the surveyed area, and evaluate influences of elevation, vegetation, lava complexity, and distance to habitat edge on pika site occupancy. In 2011 and 2012, we conducted surveys for American pika on four distinct subalpine lava flows of Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon, USA. Field surveys were conducted at predetermined locations within lava flows via silent observation and active searching for pika sign. Site habitat characteristics were included as predictors of occupancy in multinomial regression models. Above and belowground temperatures were recorded at a subsample of pika detection sites. Pika were detected in 26% (2011) and 19% (2012) of survey plots. Seventy-four pika were detected outside survey plot boundaries. Lava complexity was the strongest predictor of pika occurrence, where pika were up to seven times more likely to occur in the most complicated lava formations. Pika were two times more likely to occur with increasing elevation, although they were found at all elevations in the study area. This study expands the known distribution of the species and provides additional evidence for persistence in nonalpine habitats. Results partially support the predictive occupancy model developed for pika at Craters of the Moon National Monument, another lava environment. Characteristics of the lava environment clearly influence pika site occupancy, but habitat variables reported as important in other studies were inconclusive here. Further work is needed to gain a better understanding of the species’ current distribution and ability to persist under future climate conditions. PMID:26380695

Generalized site occupancy models allowing for false positive and false negative errors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew; Link, W.A.

2006-01-01

Site occupancy models have been developed that allow for imperfect species detection or ?false negative? observations. Such models have become widely adopted in surveys of many taxa. The most fundamental assumption underlying these models is that ?false positive? errors are not possible. That is, one cannot detect a species where it does not occur. However, such errors are possible in many sampling situations for a number of reasons, and even low false positive error rates can induce extreme bias in estimates of site occupancy when they are not accounted for. In this paper, we develop a model for site occupancy that allows for both false negative and false positive error rates. This model can be represented as a two-component finite mixture model and can be easily fitted using freely available software. We provide an analysis of avian survey data using the proposed model and present results of a brief simulation study evaluating the performance of the maximum-likelihood estimator and the naive estimator in the presence of false positive errors.

Site-occupany of bats in relation to forested corridors

Treesearch

Chris D Hein; Steven B Castleberry; Karl V. Miller

2009-01-01

Although use of corridors by some wildlife species has been extensively examined, use by bats is poorly understood. From 1 June to 31 August (2004~200S), we used Anabat II detectors to examine bat activity and species occupancy relative to forested corridors on an intensively managed forest landscape in southern South Carolina, USA. We...

Estimating Occupancy of Gopher Tortoise (Gorpherus polyphemus) Burrows in Coastal Scrub and Slash Pine Flatwoods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breininger, David R.; Schmalzer, Paul A.; Hinkle, C. Ross

1991-01-01

One hundred twelve plots were established in coastal scrub and slash pine flatwoods habitats on the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to evaluate relationships between the number of burrows and gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) density. All burrows were located within these plots and were classified according to tortoise activity. Depending on season, bucket trapping, a stick method, a gopher tortoise pulling device, and a camera system were used to estimate tortoise occupancy. Correction factors (% of burrows occupied) were calculated by season and habitat type. Our data suggest that less than 20% of the active and inactive burrows combined were occupied during seasons when gopher tortoises were active. Correction factors were higher in poorly-drained areas and lower in well-drained areas during the winter, when gopher tortoise activity was low. Correction factors differed from studies elsewhere, indicating that population estimates require correction factors specific to the site and season to accurately estimate population size.

75 FR 26791 - General Motors Company, Formerly Known as General Motors Corporation, Mansfield Metal Center...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

..., Formerly Known as General Motors Corporation, Mansfield Metal Center, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Advantis Occupational Health, Aerotek, American Food and Vending, Comprehensive Logistics Company Inc... Corporation, Mansfield Metal Center, including on-site leased workers from Advantis Occupational Health...

Landscapes, depositional environments and human occupation at Middle Paleolithic open-air sites in the southern Levant, with new insights from Nesher Ramla, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaidner, Yossi; Frumkin, Amos; Friesem, David; Tsatskin, Alexander; Shahack-Gross, Ruth

2016-04-01

Middle Paleolithic human occupation in the Levant (250-50 ka ago) has been recorded in roofed (cave and rockshelter) and open-air sites. Research at these different types of sites yielded different perspectives on the Middle Paleolithic human behavior and evolution. Until recently, open-air Middle Paleolithic sites in the Levant were found in three major sedimentary environments: fluvial, lake-margin and spring. Here we describe a unique depositional environment and formation processes at the recently discovered open-air site of Nesher Ramla (Israel) and discuss their contribution to understanding site formation processes in open-air sites in the Levant. The site is 8-m-thick Middle Paleolithic sequence (OSL dated to 170-80 ka) that is located in a karst sinkhole formed by gravitational deformation and sagging into underground voids. The sedimentary sequence was shaped by gravitational collapse, cyclic colluviation of soil and gravel into the depression, waterlogging, in situ pedogenesis and human occupation. Original bedding and combustion features are well-preserved in the Lower archaeological sequence, a rare occurrence in comparison to other open-air archaeological sites. This phenomenon coincides with episodes of fast sedimentation/burial, which also allowed better preservation of microscopic remains such as ash. The Upper archaeological sequence does not exhibit bedding or preservation of ash, despite presence of heat-affected lithic artifacts, which makes it similar to other open-air sites in the Levant. We suggest that rate of burial is the major factor that caused the difference between the Upper and Lower sequences. The differences in the burial rate may be connected to environmental and vegetation changes at the end of MIS 6. We also identified an interplay between sediment in-wash and density of human activity remains, i.e. during episodes of low natural sediment input the density of artifacts is higher relative to episodes with high rate of sediment in-wash. The detailed analysis of natural and anthropogenic processes at Nesher Ramla suggests a much wider spectrum of processes than previously reported for southern Levantine Paleolithic sites. Nesher Ramla shares certain depositional and post-depositional characteristics with both cave and open-air sites and provides a better insight into processes which control both types of sites.

Epigenetic regulation of TTF-I-mediated promoter–terminator interactions of rRNA genes

PubMed Central

Németh, Attila; Guibert, Sylvain; Tiwari, Vijay Kumar; Ohlsson, Rolf; Längst, Gernot

2008-01-01

Ribosomal RNA synthesis is the eukaryotic cell's main transcriptional activity, but little is known about the chromatin domain organization and epigenetics of actively transcribed rRNA genes. Here, we show epigenetic and spatial organization of mouse rRNA genes at the molecular level. TTF-I-binding sites subdivide the rRNA transcription unit into functional chromatin domains and sharply delimit transcription factor occupancy. H2A.Z-containing nucleosomes occupy the spacer promoter next to a newly characterized TTF-I-binding site. The spacer and the promoter proximal TTF-I-binding sites demarcate the enhancer. DNA from both the enhancer and the coding region is hypomethylated in actively transcribed repeats. 3C analysis revealed an interaction between promoter and terminator regions, which brings the beginning and end of active rRNA genes into close contact. Reporter assays show that TTF-I mediates this interaction, thereby linking topology and epigenetic regulation of the rRNA genes. PMID:18354495

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Podonsky, Glenn S.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2012 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protectionmore » of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. Over the past 5-year period, the occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site. As an indicator of the overall amount of radiation dose received during the conduct of operations at DOE, the report includes information on collective total effective dose (TED). The TED is comprised of the effective dose (ED) from external sources, which includes neutron and photon radiation, and the internal committed effective dose (CED), which results from the intake of radioactive material into the body. The collective ED from photon exposure decreased by 23% between 2011 and 2012, while the neutron dose increased by 5%. The internal dose components of the collective TED decreased by 7%. Over the past 5-year period, 99.99% of the individuals receiving measurable TED have received doses below the 2 roentgen equivalent in man (rems) (20 millisievert [mSv]) TED administrative control level (ACL), which is well below the DOE regulatory limit of 5 rems (50 mSv) TED annually. The occupational radiation exposure records show that in 2012, DOE facilities continued to comply with DOE dose limits and ACLs and worked to minimize exposure to individuals. The DOE collective TED decreased 17.1% from 2011 to 2012. The collective TED decreased at three of the five sites with the largest collective TED. u Idaho Site – Collective dose reductions were achieved as a result of continuing improvements at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) through the planning of drum movements that reduced the number of times a container is handled; placement of waste containers that created highradiation areas in a centralized location; and increased worker awareness of high-dose rate areas. In addition, Idaho had the largest decrease in the total number of workers with measurable TED (1,143 fewer workers). u Hanford Site (Hanford) – An overall reduction of decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) and Transuranic (TRU) retrieval activities resulted in collective dose reductions. u Savannah River Site (SRS) – Reductions were achieved through ALARA initiatives employed site wide. The Solid Waste Management Facility used extended specialty tools, cameras and lead shield walls to facilitate removal of drums. These tools and techniques reduce exposure time through improved efficiency, increase distance from the source of radiation by remote monitoring, shield the workers to lower the dose rate, and reduce the potential for contamination and release of material through repacking of waste. Overall, from 2011 to 2012, there was a 19% decrease in the number of workers with measurable dose. Furthermore, due to a slight decrease in both the DOE workforce (7%) and monitored workers (10%), the ratio of workers with measurable doses to monitored workers decreased to 13%. Another primary indicator of the level of radiation exposure covered in this report is the average measurable dose, which normalizes the collective dose over the population of workers who actually received a measurable dose. The average measurable TED increased by 3% from 2011 to 2012. Additional analyses show that the dose distribution in 2012 was similar to the distribution in 2011. In 2012, 13% of the monitored workers received a measurable TED and the average measurable TED, 0.069 rem, was less than 2% of the DOE limit. From 2011 to 2012, the collective TED and the number of individuals with measurable TED decreased 17.1% and 19%, respectively. These decreases were mainly due to an overall reduction of D&D activities at the PFP and TRU retrieval activities at Hanford; a 78% decrease in the number of targeted waste drums that were processed at the Idaho Site’s Accelerated Retrieval Project (ARP) from 5,566 drums in 2011 to a total of 1,211 drums processed in 2012; and ALARA initiatives employed site wide at SRS. In addition, the decreases were the result of decreased American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) activities and continuing D&D, particularly at the DOE sites that comprise the majority of DOE collective dose. Over the past 5 years, the size of the monitored workforce has remained at a fairly stable level (within 12%), while the collective dose has varied up to 37%. No reported doses exceeded the DOE occupational limit of 5 rems TED in 2012 and no reported doses exceeded the DOE ACL of 2 rems TED.« less

Comparing estimates of population change from occupancy and mark-recapture models for a territorial species

Treesearch

Mary M. Conner; John J. Keane; Claire V. Gallagher; Thomas E. Munton; Paula A. Shaklee

2016-01-01

Monitoring studies often use marked animals to estimate population abundance at small spatial scales. However, at smaller scales, occupancy sampling, which uses detection/nondetection data, may be useful where sites are approximately territories, and occupancy dynamics should be strongly correlated with population dynamics. Occupancy monitoring has advantages...

Holocene geoarchaeology of the Sixteen Mile Beach barrier dunes in the Western Cape, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Compton, John S.; Franceschini, Giuliana

2005-01-01

Holocene evolution and human occupation of the Sixteen Mile Beach barrier dunes on the southwest coast of South Africa between Yzerfontein and Saldanha Bay are inferred from the radiocarbon ages of calcareous dune sand, limpet shell ( Patella spp.) manuports and gull-dropped white mussel shells ( Donax serra). A series of coast-parallel dunes have prograded seaward in response to an overall marine regression since the mid-Holocene with dated shell from relict foredunes indicating periods of shoreline progradation that correspond to drops in sea level at around 5900, 4500 and 2400 calibrated years before the present (cal yr B.P.). However, the active foredune, extensively covered by a layer of gull-dropped shell, has migrated 500 m inland by the recycling of eroded dune sand in response to an approximate 1 m sea level rise over the last 700 yr. Manuported limpet shells from relict blowouts on landward vegetated dunes indicate human occupation of coastal dune sites at 6200 and 6000 cal yr B.P. and help to fill the mid-Holocene gap in the regional archaeological record. Coastal midden shells associated with small hearth sites exposed in blowouts on the active foredune are contemporaneous (1600-500 cal yr B.P.) with large midden sites on the western margin of Langebaan Lagoon and suggest an increase in marine resource utilisation associated with the arrival of pastoralism in the Western Cape.

Determination of solute site occupancies within γ' precipitates in nickel-base superalloys via orientation-specific atom probe tomography

DOE PAGES

Meher, Subhashish; Rojhirunsakool, Tanaporn; Nandwana, Peeyush; ...

2015-04-28

In this study, the analytical limitations in atom probe tomography such as resolving a desired set of atomic planes, for solving complex materials science problems, have been overcome by employing a well-developed unique and reproducible crystallographic technique, involving synergetic coupling of orientation microscopy with atom probe tomography. The crystallographic information in atom probe reconstructions has been utilized to determine the solute site occupancies in Ni-Al-Cr based superalloys accurately. The structural information in atom probe reveals that both Al and Cr occupy the same sub-lattice within the L1 2-ordered g precipitates to form Ni 3(Al,Cr) precipitates in a Ni-14Al-7Cr(at.%) alloy. Interestingly,more » the addition of Co, which is a solid solution strengthener, to a Ni-14Al-7Cr alloy results in the partial reversal of Al site occupancy within g precipitates to form (Ni,Al) 3(Al,Cr,Co) precipitates. This unique evidence of reversal of Al site occupancy, resulting from the introduction of other solutes within the ordered structures, gives insights into the relative energetics of different sub-lattice sites when occupied by different solutes.« less

Permanent human occupation of the central Tibetan Plateau in the early Holocene.

PubMed

Meyer, M C; Aldenderfer, M S; Wang, Z; Hoffmann, D L; Dahl, J A; Degering, D; Haas, W R; Schlütz, F

2017-01-06

Current models of the peopling of the higher-elevation zones of the Tibetan Plateau postulate that permanent occupation could only have been facilitated by an agricultural lifeway at ~3.6 thousand calibrated carbon-14 years before present. Here we report a reanalysis of the chronology of the Chusang site, located on the central Tibetan Plateau at an elevation of ~4270 meters above sea level. The minimum age of the site is fixed at ~7.4 thousand years (thorium-230/uranium dating), with a maximum age between ~8.20 and 12.67 thousand calibrated carbon-14 years before present (carbon-14 assays). Travel cost modeling and archaeological data suggest that the site was part of an annual, permanent, preagricultural occupation of the central plateau. These findings challenge current models of the occupation of the Tibetan Plateau. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Determination of crystalline silica in respirable dust upon occupational exposure for Egyptian workers

PubMed Central

MOHAMED, Sabrein H.; EL-ANSARY, Aida L.; EL-AZIZ, Eman M. Abd

2017-01-01

Crystalline free silica is considered as a lung carcinogen and the occupational exposure to its dust is a health hazard to workers employed in industries that involve ores of mineral dust. In Egypt, thousands of people work under conditions of silica dust exposure exceeding the occupational exposure limit, as a result the monitoring of this occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust is required by government legislation. The assessment of the later is a multi-phase process, depend on workplace measurements, quantitative analyses of samples, and comparison of results with the permissible limits. This study aims to investigate occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust at 22 factories in Egypt with different industrial activities like stone cutting, glass making, ceramic, and sand blasting. Dust samples were collected from work sites at the breathing zone using a personal sampling pump and a size-selective cyclone and analyzed using FTIR. The sampling period was 60–120 min. The results show that the exposure at each of the industrial sectors is very much higher than the current national and international limits, and that lead to a great risk of lung cancer and mortality to workers. PMID:29199263

[The contribution of surveillance systems of occupational diseases and mesothelioma in environmental health studies].

PubMed

Marinaccio, A; Binazzi, A; Di Marzio, D; Massari, S; Scarselli, A; Iavicoli, S

2011-01-01

National surveillance systems of occupational diseases may contribute to evaluate the work-related component of diseases investigated in SENTIERI Project. For a description of SENTIERI, refer to the 2010 Supplement of Epidemiology & Prevention devoted to SENTIERI Project. The National Workers Compensation Authority (INAIL) archives all occupational diseases claims (more than 230 000 in the period 2000-2007) and is in charge of their compensation. The Italian National Mesothelioma Register (ReNaM) and the Sinonasal Cancer Register (ReNaTuNS) record high occupational etiological fraction neoplasms (i.e. mesothelioma and sinonasal cancers). The former has identified more than 10 000 mesothelioma cases until now, and covers almost the whole country; the latter is active only in three Italian regions, Piemonte, Lombardia and Toscana. The monitoring of cancer sites at lower occupational etiological fraction is based on a record-linkage procedure between population-based cancer registries and employment history data, available at the Italian National Institute for Social Security (INPS). Finally, the informative system Mal.Prof collects and classifies all the diseases possibly related to the work environment reported by the Prevention Services of the Local Health Units.

Assessing hypotheses about nesting site occupancy dynamics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bled, Florent; Royle, J. Andrew; Cam, Emmanuelle

2011-01-01

Hypotheses about habitat selection developed in the evolutionary ecology framework assume that individuals, under some conditions, select breeding habitat based on expected fitness in different habitat. The relationship between habitat quality and fitness may be reflected by breeding success of individuals, which may in turn be used to assess habitat quality. Habitat quality may also be assessed via local density: if high-quality sites are preferentially used, high density may reflect high-quality habitat. Here we assessed whether site occupancy dynamics vary with site surrogates for habitat quality. We modeled nest site use probability in a seabird subcolony (the Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla) over a 20-year period. We estimated site persistence (an occupied site remains occupied from time t to t + 1) and colonization through two subprocesses: first colonization (site creation at the timescale of the study) and recolonization (a site is colonized again after being deserted). Our model explicitly incorporated site-specific and neighboring breeding success and conspecific density in the neighborhood. Our results provided evidence that reproductively "successful'' sites have a higher persistence probability than "unsuccessful'' ones. Analyses of site fidelity in marked birds and of survival probability showed that high site persistence predominantly reflects site fidelity, not immediate colonization by new owners after emigration or death of previous owners. There is a negative quadratic relationship between local density and persistence probability. First colonization probability decreases with density, whereas recolonization probability is constant. This highlights the importance of distinguishing initial colonization and recolonization to understand site occupancy. All dynamics varied positively with neighboring breeding success. We found evidence of a positive interaction between site-specific and neighboring breeding success. We addressed local population dynamics using a site occupancy approach integrating hypotheses developed in behavioral ecology to account for individual decisions. This allows development of models of population and metapopulation dynamics that explicitly incorporate ecological and evolutionary processes.

Estimating site occupancy and detection probabilities for cooper's and sharp-shinned hawks in the Southern Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Jennifer E. Carlson; Douglas D. Piirto; John J. Keane; Samantha J. Gill

2015-01-01

Long-term monitoring programs that can detect a population change over time can be useful for managers interested in assessing population trends in response to forest management activities for a particular species. Such long-term monitoring programs have been designed for the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), but not for the more elusive Sharp...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Program report for 2003 for the Savannah River Site. DOE is commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The report monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Program report for the Hanford site. The IISP monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers. The prpogram is part of DOE's commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers and includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers.

US Forest Service experimental forests and ranges: an untapped resource for social science

Treesearch

Susan Charnley; Lee K. Cerveny

2011-01-01

For a century, US Forest Service experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) have been a resource for scientists conducting long-term research relating to forestry and range management social science research has been limited, despite the history of occupation and current use of these sites for activities ranging from resource extraction and recreation to public education....

Ion transport in the microporous titanosilicate ETS-10.

PubMed

Wei, Ta-Chen; Hillhouse, Hugh W

2006-07-20

Impedance spectroscopy was used to investigate ion transport in the microporous crystalline framework titanosilicate ETS-10 in the frequency range from 1 Hz to 10 MHz. These data were compared to measured data from the microporous aluminosilicate zeolite X. Na-ETS-10 was found to have a lower activation energy for ion conduction than that of NaX, 58.5 kJ/mol compared to 66.8 kJ/mol. However, the dc conductivity and ion hopping rate for Na-ETS-10 were also lower than NaX. This was found to be due to the smaller entropy contribution in Na-ETS-10 because of its high cation site occupancy. This was verified by ion exchanging Na(+) with Cu(2+) in both microporous frameworks. This exchange decreases the cation site occupancy and reduces correlation effects. The exchanged Cu-ETS-10 was found to have both lower activation energy and higher ionic conductivity than CuX. Zeolite X has the highest ion conductivity among the zeolites, and thus the data shown here indicate that ETS-10 has more facile transport of higher valence cations which may be important for ion-exchange, environmental remediation of radionucleotides, and nanofabrication.

Multispecies benefits of wetland conservation for marsh birds, frogs, and species at risk.

PubMed

Tozer, Douglas C; Steele, Owen; Gloutney, Mark

2018-04-15

Wetlands conserved using water level manipulation, cattle exclusion, naturalization of uplands, and other techniques under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan ("conservation project wetlands") are important for ducks, geese, and swans ("waterfowl"). However, the assumption that conservation actions for waterfowl also benefit other wildlife is rarely quantified. We modeled detection and occupancy of species at sites within 42 conservation project wetlands compared to sites within 52 similar nearby unmanaged wetlands throughout southern Ontario, Canada, and small portions of the adjacent U.S., using citizen science data collected by Bird Studies Canada's Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, including 2 waterfowl and 13 non-waterfowl marsh-breeding bird species (n = 413 sites) and 7 marsh-breeding frog species (n = 191 sites). Occupancy was significantly greater at conservation project sites compared to unmanaged sites in 7 of 15 (47%) bird species and 3 of 7 (43%) frog species, with occupancy being higher by a difference of 0.12-0.38 across species. Notably, occupancy of priority conservation concern or at-risk Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), Sora (Porzana carolina), and Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata) was significantly higher at conservation project sites compared to unmanaged sites. The results demonstrate the utility of citizen science to inform wetland conservation, and suggest that actions under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan are effective for conserving non-waterfowl species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons via involuntary ingestion of soil from contaminated soils in Lagos, Nigeria.

PubMed

Adetunde, Oluwatoyin T; Mills, Graham A; Olayinka, Kehinde O; Alo, Babajide I

2014-01-01

Soils from 12 sites in Lagos area, Nigeria impacted by anthropogenic activities were extracted by ultrasonication and analysed for the concentration of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The concentration of the sum of PAHs ranged from 0.2 to 254 μg/g at these sites. The sum benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent dose (BaPeq) at the sites ranged from 0.0 (K, forest soil) to 16.7 μg/g (C, the lubricating oil depot soil). Mean daily intake (MDI) for the composite soils samples when compared that of food revealed that some of the individual PAH in samples from sites A (Dump site), C (Depot and loading point for used for black oil), F (Dump site), G(petroleum depot), H (Roadside) and L (Car park) exceeded the recommended the recommended MDI threshold for food, indicating some risk associated with activities on these sites based on this ingestion estimate exceeded value. 8.2 × 10(-6), 7.1 × 10(-7), 1.2 × 10(-4), 4.9 × 10(-7), 7.3 × 10(-7), 1.4 × 10(-5), 7.9 × 10(-5), 4.6 × 10(-6), 3.4 × 10(-7), 2.4 × 10(-7), 2.2 × 10(-7) and 1.1 × 10(-4) estimated theoretical cancer risk (ER) for an adult with a body weight of 70 kg working on sites were composite soil samples A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L respectively were sampled. The ER from occupational exposure to surface soil based on oral ingestion were all higher than the target risk of 1 × 10(-6) for normal exposure but were all within the 1 × 10(-4) for extreme exposure for most of the sites except for site C and L. The differences in concentration and risk were related to the different activities (e.g., handling of petroleum products, open burning, bush burning) undertaken at these locations. However, it should be noted here that the resultant risk could be overestimated, since these calculations were based on an exhaustive extraction technique which may be different from uptake by the human guts (bioavailability study).

Annual report for Brookhaven National Laboratory 1994 epidemiologic surveillance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-01-01

Epidemiologic surveillance at DOE facilities consists of regular and systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on absences due to illness and injury in the work force. Its purpose is to provide an early warning system for health problems occurring among employees at participating sites. Data are collected by coordinators at each site and submitted to the Epidemiologic Surveillance Data Center, located at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, where quality control procedures and analyses are carried out. Rates of absences and rates of diagnoses associated with absences are analyzed by occupation and other relevant variables. They maymore » be compared with the disease experience of different groups within the DOE work force and with populations that do not work for DOE to identify disease patterns or clusters that may be associated with work activities. In this annual report, the 1994 morbidity data for BNL are summarized. These analyses focus on absences of 5 or more consecutive workdays occurring among workers aged 16-80 years. They are arranged in five sets of tables that present: (1) the distribution of the labor force by occupational category and salary status; (2) the absences per person, diagnoses per absence, and diagnosis rates for the whole work force; (3) diagnosis rates by type of disease or injury; (4) diagnosis rates by occupational category; and (5) relative risks for specific types of disease or injury by occupational category.« less

Modeling marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) habitat using LiDAR-derived canopy data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hagar, Joan C.; Eskelson, Bianca N.I.; Haggerty, Patricia K.; Nelson, S. Kim; Vesely, David G.

2014-01-01

LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is an emerging remote-sensing tool that can provide fine-scale data describing vertical complexity of vegetation relevant to species that are responsive to forest structure. We used LiDAR data to estimate occupancy probability for the federally threatened marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in the Oregon Coast Range of the United States. Our goal was to address the need identified in the Recovery Plan for a more accurate estimate of the availability of nesting habitat by developing occupancy maps based on refined measures of nest-strand structure. We used murrelet occupancy data collected by the Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District, and canopy metrics calculated from discrete return airborne LiDAR data, to fit a logistic regression model predicting the probability of occupancy. Our final model for stand-level occupancy included distance to coast, and 5 LiDAR-derived variables describing canopy structure. With an area under the curve value (AUC) of 0.74, this model had acceptable discrimination and fair agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.24), especially considering that all sites in our sample were regarded by managers as potential habitat. The LiDAR model provided better discrimination between occupied and unoccupied sites than did a model using variables derived from Gradient Nearest Neighbor maps that were previously reported as important predictors of murrelet occupancy (AUC = 0.64, κ = 0.12). We also evaluated LiDAR metrics at 11 known murrelet nest sites. Two LiDAR-derived variables accurately discriminated nest sites from random sites (average AUC = 0.91). LiDAR provided a means of quantifying 3-dimensional canopy structure with variables that are ecologically relevant to murrelet nesting habitat, and have not been as accurately quantified by other mensuration methods.

Site occupancy trend of Co in Ni{sub 2}MnIn: Ab initio approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pal, Soumyadipta, E-mail: soumyadipta.pal@gmail.com; Mahadevan, Priya; Biswas, C.

2015-06-24

The trend of site occupation of Co at Ni sites of Ni{sub 2}MnIn system is studied in austenitic phase having L2{sub 1} structure by ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The Co atoms prefer to be at Ni sites rather than Mn site and are ferromagetically coupled with Ni and Mn. The ground state has tetragonal structure for Ni{sub 1.5}Co{sub 0.5}MnIn and Ni{sub 1.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnIn. The Co tends to form cluster.

Occupancy and abundance of wintering birds in a dynamic agricultural landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Mark W.; Pearlstine, Elise V.; Dorazio, Robert M.; Mazzotti, Frank J.

2011-01-01

Assessing wildlife management action requires monitoring populations, and abundance often is the parameter monitored. Recent methodological advances have enabled estimation of mean abundance within a habitat using presence–absence or count data obtained via repeated visits to a sample of sites. These methods assume populations are closed and intuitively assume habitats within sites change little during a field season. However, many habitats are highly variable over short periods. We developed a variation of existing occupancy and abundance models that allows for extreme spatio-temporal differences in habitat, and resulting changes in wildlife abundance, among sites and among visits to a site within a field season. We conducted our study in sugarcane habitat within the Everglades Agricultural Area southeast of Lake Okeechobee in south Florida. We counted wintering birds, primarily passerines, within 245 sites usually 5 times at each site during December 2006–March 2007. We estimated occupancy and mean abundance of birds in 6 vegetation states during the sugarcane harvest and allowed these parameters to vary temporally or spatially within a vegetation state. Occupancy and mean abundance of the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) was affected by structure of sugarcane and uncultivated edge vegetation (occupancy=1.00 [95%CĪ=0.96–1.00] and mean abundance=7.9 [95%CĪ=3.2–19.5] in tall sugarcane with tall edge vegetation versus 0.20 [95%CĪ=0.04–0.71] and 0.22 [95%CĪ=0.04–1.2], respectively, in short sugarcane with short edge vegetation in one half of the study area). Occupancy and mean abundance of palm warblers (Dendroica palmarum) were constant (occupancy=1.00, 95%CĪ=0.69–1.00; mean abundance=18, 95%CĪ=1–270). Our model may enable wildlife managers to assess rigorously effects of future edge habitat management on avian distribution and abundance within agricultural landscapes during winter or the breeding season. The model may also help wildlife managers make similar management decisions involving other dynamic habitats such as wetlands, prairies, and even forested areas if forest management or fires occur during the field season.

Occupancy and abundance of wintering birds in a dynamic agricultural landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, M.W.; Pearlstine, E.V.; Dorazio, R.M.; Mazzotti, F.J.

2011-01-01

Assessing wildlife management action requires monitoring populations, and abundance often is the parameter monitored. Recent methodological advances have enabled estimation of mean abundance within a habitat using presence-absence or count data obtained via repeated visits to a sample of sites. These methods assume populations are closed and intuitively assume habitats within sites change little during a field season. However, many habitats are highly variable over short periods. We developed a variation of existing occupancy and abundance models that allows for extreme spatio-temporal differences in habitat, and resulting changes in wildlife abundance, among sites and among visits to a site within a field season. We conducted our study in sugarcane habitat within the Everglades Agricultural Area southeast of Lake Okeechobee in south Florida. We counted wintering birds, primarily passerines, within 245 sites usually 5 times at each site during December 2006-March 2007. We estimated occupancy and mean abundance of birds in 6 vegetation states during the sugarcane harvest and allowed these parameters to vary temporally or spatially within a vegetation state. Occupancy and mean abundance of the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) was affected by structure of sugarcane and uncultivated edge vegetation (occupancy = 1.00 [95%C?? = 0.96-1.00] and mean abundance = 7.9 [95%C?? = 3.2-19.5] in tall sugarcane with tall edge vegetation versus 0.20 [95%C?? = 0.04-0.71] and 0.22 [95%C?? = 0.04-1.2], respectively, in short sugarcane with short edge vegetation in one half of the study area). Occupancy and mean abundance of palm warblers (Dendroica palmarum) were constant (occupancy = 1.00, 95%C?? = 0.69-1.00; mean abundance = 18, 95%C?? = 1-270). Our model may enable wildlife managers to assess rigorously effects of future edge habitat management on avian distribution and abundance within agricultural landscapes during winter or the breeding season. The model may also help wildlife managers make similar management decisions involving other dynamic habitats such as wetlands, prairies, and even forested areas if forest management or fires occur during the field season. ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Nevada National Security Site Radiological Control Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radiological Control Managers’ Council

2012-03-26

This document supersedes DOE/NV/25946--801, 'Nevada Test Site Radiological Control Manual,' Revision 1 issued in February 2010. Brief Description of Revision: A complete revision to reflect a recent change in name for the NTS; changes in name for some tenant organizations; and to update references to current DOE policies, orders, and guidance documents. Article 237.2 was deleted. Appendix 3B was updated. Article 411.2 was modified. Article 422 was re-written to reflect the wording of DOE O 458.1. Article 431.6.d was modified. The glossary was updated. This manual contains the radiological control requirements to be used for all radiological activities conducted bymore » programs under the purview of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO). Compliance with these requirements will ensure compliance with Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 835, 'Occupational Radiation Protection.' Programs covered by this manual are located at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS); Nellis Air Force Base and North Las Vegas, Nevada; Santa Barbara and Livermore, California; and Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In addition, fieldwork by NNSA/NSO at other locations is covered by this manual. Current activities at NNSS include operating low-level radioactive and mixed waste disposal facilities for United States defense-generated waste, assembly and execution of subcritical experiments, assembly/disassembly of special experiments, the storage and use of special nuclear materials, performing criticality experiments, emergency responder training, surface cleanup and site characterization of contaminated land areas, environmental activity by the University system, and nonnuclear test operations, such as controlled spills of hazardous materials at the Hazardous Materials Spill Center. Currently, the major potential for occupational radiation exposure is associated with the burial of low-level radioactive waste and the handling of radioactive sources. Remediation of contaminated land areas may also result in radiological exposures.« less

Terminal Pleistocene—Early Holocene occupation in northeast Asia and the Zhokhov assemblage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitul'ko, Vladimir

2001-01-01

A knowledge of the history of ancient human occupation in the eastern Siberian Arctic differs distinctly from that of areas south of the Arctic Circle, where numerous sites are located (Fig. 1). A study of the latter provided a basis for a framework of cultural development, which was later applied to the archaeological materials of the arctic regions of eastern Siberia. Accordingly, the ideas on the chronology and the cultural interpretation of the northern sites are based essentially on the southern materials. The number of sites representing different stages of the Polar Stone Age is extremely small compared to that of the southern regions. If there are some dozens of Neolithic sites in the continental regions of the East Siberian Arctic, the early sites are significantly rare. Thus, there are very few sites presumed to be of the Dyuktai or Sumnagin culture, and the connection of these sites with the Late Paleolithic (or the Mesolithic) culture is rather questionable. The Late Pleistocene stage of human occupation of northeast Asia is considered to be related to a spreading and development of the Paleolithic Dyuktai culture.

Inhibition of Xenobiotic-Degrading Hydrolases by Organophosphinates

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

TMB-4 doubled the rates of recovery. Concentrations of Lcarboxyl- CIprocaine in blood of mice were increased three-fold for 27 m I" exposure to 0-4...enzyme was found to have recovered 45.7% of its activity 24 h 35 after exposure to 4.87 x 10- 4 M EPP (Table 10). Neither rabbit liver carboxylesterase...case of a competitive mechanism of inhibition. It is possible that IPP and DPP were competitive inhibitors acting by occupation of the active site of

Spatial patterns of breeding success of grizzly bears derived from hierarchical multistate models.

PubMed

Fisher, Jason T; Wheatley, Matthew; Mackenzie, Darryl

2014-10-01

Conservation programs often manage populations indirectly through the landscapes in which they live. Empirically, linking reproductive success with landscape structure and anthropogenic change is a first step in understanding and managing the spatial mechanisms that affect reproduction, but this link is not sufficiently informed by data. Hierarchical multistate occupancy models can forge these links by estimating spatial patterns of reproductive success across landscapes. To illustrate, we surveyed the occurrence of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Canadian Rocky Mountains Alberta, Canada. We deployed camera traps for 6 weeks at 54 surveys sites in different types of land cover. We used hierarchical multistate occupancy models to estimate probability of detection, grizzly bear occupancy, and probability of reproductive success at each site. Grizzly bear occupancy varied among cover types and was greater in herbaceous alpine ecotones than in low-elevation wetlands or mid-elevation conifer forests. The conditional probability of reproductive success given grizzly bear occupancy was 30% (SE = 0.14). Grizzly bears with cubs had a higher probability of detection than grizzly bears without cubs, but sites were correctly classified as being occupied by breeding females 49% of the time based on raw data and thus would have been underestimated by half. Repeated surveys and multistate modeling reduced the probability of misclassifying sites occupied by breeders as unoccupied to <2%. The probability of breeding grizzly bear occupancy varied across the landscape. Those patches with highest probabilities of breeding occupancy-herbaceous alpine ecotones-were small and highly dispersed and are projected to shrink as treelines advance due to climate warming. Understanding spatial correlates in breeding distribution is a key requirement for species conservation in the face of climate change and can help identify priorities for landscape management and protection. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Estimating site occupancy and detection probability parameters for meso- and large mammals in a coastal eosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connell, Allan F.; Talancy, Neil W.; Bailey, Larissa L.; Sauer, John R.; Cook, Robert; Gilbert, Andrew T.

2006-01-01

Large-scale, multispecies monitoring programs are widely used to assess changes in wildlife populations but they often assume constant detectability when documenting species occurrence. This assumption is rarely met in practice because animal populations vary across time and space. As a result, detectability of a species can be influenced by a number of physical, biological, or anthropogenic factors (e.g., weather, seasonality, topography, biological rhythms, sampling methods). To evaluate some of these influences, we estimated site occupancy rates using species-specific detection probabilities for meso- and large terrestrial mammal species on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. We used model selection to assess the influence of different sampling methods and major environmental factors on our ability to detect individual species. Remote cameras detected the most species (9), followed by cubby boxes (7) and hair traps (4) over a 13-month period. Estimated site occupancy rates were similar among sampling methods for most species when detection probabilities exceeded 0.15, but we question estimates obtained from methods with detection probabilities between 0.05 and 0.15, and we consider methods with lower probabilities unacceptable for occupancy estimation and inference. Estimated detection probabilities can be used to accommodate variation in sampling methods, which allows for comparison of monitoring programs using different protocols. Vegetation and seasonality produced species-specific differences in detectability and occupancy, but differences were not consistent within or among species, which suggests that our results should be considered in the context of local habitat features and life history traits for the target species. We believe that site occupancy is a useful state variable and suggest that monitoring programs for mammals using occupancy data consider detectability prior to making inferences about species distributions or population change.

Patterns of multisite pain and associations with risk factors

PubMed Central

Coggon, David; Ntani, Georgia; Palmer, Keith T.; Felli, Vanda E.; Harari, Raul; Barrero, Lope H.; Felknor, Sarah A.; Gimeno, David; Cattrell, Anna; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Bonzini, Matteo; Solidaki, Eleni; Merisalu, Eda; Habib, Rima R.; Sadeghian, Farideh; Masood Kadir, M.; Warnakulasuriya, Sudath S.P.; Matsudaira, Ko; Nyantumbu, Busisiwe; Sim, Malcolm R.; Harcombe, Helen; Cox, Ken; Marziale, Maria H.; Sarquis, Leila M.; Harari, Florencia; Freire, Rocio; Harari, Natalia; Monroy, Magda V.; Quintana, Leonardo A.; Rojas, Marianela; Salazar Vega, Eduardo J.; Harris, E. Clare; Serra, Consol; Martinez, J. Miguel; Delclos, George; Benavides, Fernando G.; Carugno, Michele; Ferrario, Marco M.; Pesatori, Angela C.; Chatzi, Leda; Bitsios, Panos; Kogevinas, Manolis; Oha, Kristel; Sirk, Tuuli; Sadeghian, Ali; Peiris-John, Roshini J.; Sathiakumar, Nalini; Wickremasinghe, A. Rajitha; Yoshimura, Noriko; Kelsall, Helen L.; Hoe, Victor C.W; Urquhart, Donna M.; Derrett, Sarah; McBride, David; Herbison, Peter; Gray, Andrew

2013-01-01

To explore definitions for multisite pain, and compare associations with risk factors for different patterns of musculoskeletal pain, we analysed cross-sectional data from the Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability (CUPID) study. The study sample comprised 12,410 adults aged 20–59 years from 47 occupational groups in 18 countries. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect information about pain in the past month at each of 10 anatomical sites, and about potential risk factors. Associations with pain outcomes were assessed by Poisson regression, and characterised by prevalence rate ratios (PRRs). Extensive pain, affecting 6–10 anatomical sites, was reported much more frequently than would be expected if the occurrence of pain at each site were independent (674 participants vs 41.9 expected). In comparison with pain involving only 1–3 sites, it showed much stronger associations (relative to no pain) with risk factors such as female sex (PRR 1.6 vs 1.1), older age (PRR 2.6 vs 1.1), somatising tendency (PRR 4.6 vs 1.3), and exposure to multiple physically stressing occupational activities (PRR 5.0 vs 1.4). After adjustment for number of sites with pain, these risk factors showed no additional association with a distribution of pain that was widespread according to the frequently used American College of Rheumatology criteria. Our analysis supports the classification of pain at multiple anatomical sites simply by the number of sites affected, and suggests that extensive pain differs importantly in its associations with risk factors from pain that is limited to only a small number of anatomical sites. PMID:23727463

What, Why, How - Creative Activities in Occupational Therapy Practice in Sweden.

PubMed

Müllersdorf, Maria; Ivarsson, Ann-Britt

2016-12-01

Creative activities have historically been used in occupational therapy, and although their usage has declined in recent decades, they are still used in Swedish practice. The aim of this study was to better understand how occupational therapists use creative activities in practice. A web-based survey was sent to 520 occupational therapists, of which 304 (58.5%) responded. The main reason identified for using creative activities was to strengthen the client's occupational performance, well-being and self-esteem. The expected outcomes of applying creative activities were to support the client in self-expression and experiencing joy and desire. More than half of the occupational therapist respondents did not use creative activities to the extent they desired. Creative activities in occupational therapy are still used as a vital treatment to strengthen the clients' occupational performance abilities. The survey has looked at only a professional perspective on effectiveness of applying creative activities in occupational therapy. More research is needed to evaluate how occupational therapists internationally apply creative activities. There is also a need to gain information from the client's perspective on the therapeutic value of creative activities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jay, Raphael M.; Norell, Jesper; Eckert, Sebastian

Soft X-ray spectroscopies are ideal probes of the local valence electronic structure of photocatalytically active metal sites. Here, we apply the selectivity of time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the iron L-edge to the transient charge distribution of an optically excited charge-transfer state in aqueous ferricyanide. Through comparison to steady-state spectra and quantum chemical calculations, the coupled effects of valence-shell closing and ligand-hole creation are experimentally and theoretically disentangled and described in terms of orbital occupancy, metal–ligand covalency, and ligand field splitting, thereby extending established steady-state concepts to the excited-state domain. π-Back-donation is found to be mainly determined by themore » metal site occupation, whereas the ligand hole instead influences σ-donation. Here, our results demonstrate how ultrafast resonant inelastic X-ray scattering can help characterize local charge distributions around catalytic metal centers in short-lived charge-transfer excited states, as a step toward future rationalization and tailoring of photocatalytic capabilities of transition-metal complexes.« less

Phosphopeptidomics Reveals Differential Phosphorylation States and Novel SxE Phosphosite Motifs of Neuropeptides in Dense Core Secretory Vesicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lietz, Christopher B.; Toneff, Thomas; Mosier, Charles; Podvin, Sonia; O'Donoghue, Anthony J.; Hook, Vivian

2018-05-01

Neuropeptides are vital for cell-cell communication and function in the regulation of the nervous and endocrine systems. They are generated by post-translational modification (PTM) steps resulting in small active peptides generated from prohormone precursors. Phosphorylation is a significant PTM for the bioactivity of neuropeptides. From the known diversity of distinct neuropeptide functions, it is hypothesized that the extent of phosphorylation varies among different neuropeptides. To assess this hypothesis, neuropeptide-containing dense core secretory vesicles from bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were subjected to global phosphopeptidomics analyses by liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Phosphopeptides were identified directly by LC-MS/MS and indirectly by phosphatase treatment followed by LC-MS/MS. The data identified numerous phosphorylated peptides derived from neuropeptide precursors such as chromogranins, secretogranins, proenkephalin and pro-NPY. Phosphosite occupancies were observed at high and low levels among identified peptides and many of the high occupancy phosphopeptides represent prohormone-derived peptides with currently unknown bioactivities. Peptide sequence analyses demonstrated SxE as the most prevalent phosphorylation site motif, corresponding to phosphorylation sites of the Fam20C protein kinase known to be present in the secretory pathway. The range of high to low phosphosite occupancies for neuropeptides demonstrates cellular regulation of neuropeptide phosphorylation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Phosphopeptidomics Reveals Differential Phosphorylation States and Novel SxE Phosphosite Motifs of Neuropeptides in Dense Core Secretory Vesicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lietz, Christopher B.; Toneff, Thomas; Mosier, Charles; Podvin, Sonia; O'Donoghue, Anthony J.; Hook, Vivian

2018-03-01

Neuropeptides are vital for cell-cell communication and function in the regulation of the nervous and endocrine systems. They are generated by post-translational modification (PTM) steps resulting in small active peptides generated from prohormone precursors. Phosphorylation is a significant PTM for the bioactivity of neuropeptides. From the known diversity of distinct neuropeptide functions, it is hypothesized that the extent of phosphorylation varies among different neuropeptides. To assess this hypothesis, neuropeptide-containing dense core secretory vesicles from bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were subjected to global phosphopeptidomics analyses by liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Phosphopeptides were identified directly by LC-MS/MS and indirectly by phosphatase treatment followed by LC-MS/MS. The data identified numerous phosphorylated peptides derived from neuropeptide precursors such as chromogranins, secretogranins, proenkephalin and pro-NPY. Phosphosite occupancies were observed at high and low levels among identified peptides and many of the high occupancy phosphopeptides represent prohormone-derived peptides with currently unknown bioactivities. Peptide sequence analyses demonstrated SxE as the most prevalent phosphorylation site motif, corresponding to phosphorylation sites of the Fam20C protein kinase known to be present in the secretory pathway. The range of high to low phosphosite occupancies for neuropeptides demonstrates cellular regulation of neuropeptide phosphorylation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

High Fractional Occupancy of a Tandem Maf Recognition Element and Its Role in Long-Range β-Globin Gene Regulation

PubMed Central

Stees, Jared R.; Hossain, Mir A.; Sunose, Tomoki; Kudo, Yasushi; Pardo, Carolina E.; Nabilsi, Nancy H.; Darst, Russell P.; Poudyal, Rosha; Igarashi, Kazuhiko; Kladde, Michael P.

2015-01-01

Enhancers and promoters assemble protein complexes that ultimately regulate the recruitment and activity of RNA polymerases. Previous work has shown that at least some enhancers form stable protein complexes, leading to the formation of enhanceosomes. We analyzed protein-DNA interactions in the murine β-globin gene locus using the methyltransferase accessibility protocol for individual templates (MAPit). The data show that a tandem Maf recognition element (MARE) in locus control region (LCR) hypersensitive site 2 (HS2) reveals a remarkably high degree of occupancy during differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia cells. Most of the other transcription factor binding sites in LCR HS2 or in the adult β-globin gene promoter regions exhibit low fractional occupancy, suggesting highly dynamic protein-DNA interactions. Targeting of an artificial zinc finger DNA-binding domain (ZF-DBD) to the HS2 tandem MARE caused a reduction in the association of MARE-binding proteins and transcription complexes at LCR HS2 and the adult βmajor-globin gene promoter but did not affect expression of the βminor-globin gene. The data demonstrate that a stable MARE-associated footprint in LCR HS2 is important for the recruitment of transcription complexes to the adult βmajor-globin gene promoter during erythroid cell differentiation. PMID:26503787

Site Occupation of Eu2+ in Ba2- xSr xSiO4 ( x = 0-1.9) and Origin of Improved Luminescence Thermal Stability in the Intermediate Composition.

PubMed

Lin, Litian; Ning, Lixin; Zhou, Rongfu; Jiang, Chunyan; Peng, Mingying; Huang, Yucheng; Chen, Jun; Huang, Yan; Tao, Ye; Liang, Hongbin

2018-06-18

Knowledge of site occupation of activators in phosphors is of essential importance for understanding and tailoring their luminescence properties by modifying the host composition. Relative site preference of Eu 2+ for the two distinct types of alkaline earth (AE) sites in Ba 1.9995- x Sr x Eu 0.0005 SiO 4 ( x = 0-1.9) is investigated based on photoluminescence measurements at low temperature. We found that Eu 2+ prefers to be at the 9-coordinated AE2 site at x = 0, 0.5, and 1.0, while at x = 1.5 and 1.9, it also occupies the 10-coordinated AE1 site with comparable preference, which is verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, by combining low-temperature measurements of the heat capacity, the host band gap, and the Eu 2+ 4f 7 ground level position, the improved thermal stability of Eu 2+ luminescence in the intermediate composition ( x = 1.0) is interpreted as due to an enlarged energy gap between the emitting 5d level and the bottom of the host conduction band (CB), which results in a decreased nonradiative probability of thermal ionization of the 5d electron into the host CB. Radioluminescence properties of the samples under X-ray excitation are finally evaluated, suggesting a great potential scintillator application of the compound in the intermediate composition.

Site occupancy, composition and magnetic structure dependencies of martensitic transformation in Mn₂Ni_1+xSn_1-x.

PubMed

Kundu, Ashis; Ghosh, Subhradip

2017-11-14

A delicate balance between various factors such as site occupancy, composition and magnetic ordering seems to affect the stability of the martensitic phase in Mn₂Ni_1+xSn_1-x. Using first-principles DFT calculations, we explore the impacts of each one of these factors on the martensitic stability of this system. Our results on total energies, magnetic moments and electronic structures upon changes in the composition, the magnetic configurations and the site occupancies show that the occupancies at the 4d sites in the Inverse Heusler crystal structure play the most crucial role. The presence of Mn at the 4d sites originally occupied by Sn and its interaction with the Mn atoms at other sites decide the stability of the martensitic phases. This explains the discrepancy between the experiments and earlier DFT calculations regarding phase stability in Mn₂NiSn. Our results qualitatively explain the trends observed experimentally with regard to martensitic phase stability and the magnetisations in Ni-excess, Sn-deficient Mn₂NiSn system. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Effects of patch quality and network structure on patch occupancy dynamics of a yellow-bellied marmot metapopulation.

PubMed

Ozgul, Arpat; Armitage, Kenneth B; Blumstein, Daniel T; Vanvuren, Dirk H; Oli, Madan K

2006-01-01

1. The presence/absence of a species at a particular site is the simplest form of data that can be collected during ecological field studies. We used 13 years (1990-2002) of survey data to parameterize a stochastic patch occupancy model for a metapopulation of the yellow-bellied marmot in Colorado, and investigated the significance of particular patches and the influence of site quality, network characteristics and regional stochasticity on the metapopulation persistence. 2. Persistence of the yellow-bellied marmot metapopulation was strongly dependent on the high quality colony sites, and persistence probability was highly sensitive to small changes in the quality of these sites. 3. A relatively small number of colony sites was ultimately responsible for the regional persistence. However, lower quality satellite sites also made a significant contribution to long-term metapopulation persistence, especially when regional stochasticity was high. 4. The northern network of the marmot metapopulation was more stable compared to the southern network, and the persistence of the southern network depended heavily on the northern network. 5. Although complex models of metapopulation dynamics may provide a more accurate description of metapopulation dynamics, such models are data-intensive. Our study, one of the very few applications of stochastic patch occupancy models to a mammalian species, suggests that stochastic patch occupancy models can provide important insights into metapopulation dynamics using data that are easy to collect.

Site safety plan for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory CERCLA investigations at site 300. Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kilmer, J.

Various Department of Energy Orders incorporate by reference, health and safety regulations promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). One of the OSHA regulations, 29 CFR 1910.120, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, requires that site safety plans are written for activities such as those covered by work plans for Site 300 environmental investigations. Based upon available data, this Site Safety Plan (Plan) for environmental restoration has been prepared specifically for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300, located approximately 15 miles east of Livermore, California. As additional facts, monitoring data, or analytical data on hazards are provided,more » this Plan may need to be modified. It is the responsibility of the Environmental Restoration Program and Division (ERD) Site Safety Officer (SSO), with the assistance of Hazards Control, to evaluate data which may impact health and safety during these activities and to modify the Plan as appropriate. This Plan is not `cast-in-concrete.` The SSO shall have the authority, with the concurrence of Hazards Control, to institute any change to maintain health and safety protection for workers at Site 300.« less

An investigation and analysis of safety issues in Polish small construction plants.

PubMed

Dąbrowski, Andrzej

2015-01-01

The construction industry is a booming sector of the Polish economy; however, it is stigmatised by a lower classification due to high occupational risks and an unsatisfactory state of occupational safety. Safety on construction sites is compromised by small construction firms which dominate the market and have high accident rates. This article presents the results of studies (using a checklist) conducted in small Polish construction companies in terms of selected aspects of safety, such as co-operation with the general contractor, occupational health and safety documents, occupational risk assessment, organization of work, protective gear and general work equipment. The mentioned studies and analyses provided the grounds to establish the main directions of preventive measures decreasing occupational risk in small construction companies, e.g., an increase in engagement of investors and general contractors, improvement of occupational health and safety (OSH) documents, an increase in efficiency of construction site managers, better stability of employment and removal of opposing objectives between economic strategy and work safety.

An investigation and analysis of safety issues in Polish small construction plants

PubMed Central

Dąbrowski, Andrzej

2015-01-01

The construction industry is a booming sector of the Polish economy; however, it is stigmatised by a lower classification due to high occupational risks and an unsatisfactory state of occupational safety. Safety on construction sites is compromised by small construction firms which dominate the market and have high accident rates. This article presents the results of studies (using a checklist) conducted in small Polish construction companies in terms of selected aspects of safety, such as co-operation with the general contractor, occupational health and safety documents, occupational risk assessment, organization of work, protective gear and general work equipment. The mentioned studies and analyses provided the grounds to establish the main directions of preventive measures decreasing occupational risk in small construction companies, e.g., an increase in engagement of investors and general contractors, improvement of occupational health and safety (OSH) documents, an increase in efficiency of construction site managers, better stability of employment and removal of opposing objectives between economic strategy and work safety. PMID:26694002

Exploring the Active Site of the Tungsten, Iron-Sulfur Enzyme Acetylene Hydratase▿ †

PubMed Central

tenBrink, Felix; Schink, Bernhard; Kroneck, Peter M. H.

2011-01-01

The soluble tungsten, iron-sulfur enzyme acetylene hydratase (AH) from mesophilic Pelobacter acetylenicus is a member of the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) reductase family. It stands out from its class as it catalyzes a nonredox reaction, the addition of H2O to acetylene (H—C☰C—H) to form acetaldehyde (CH3CHO). Caught in its active W(IV) state, the high-resolution three-dimensional structure of AH offers an excellent starting point to tackle its unique chemistry and to identify catalytic amino acid residues within the active site cavity: Asp13 close to W(IV) coordinated to two molybdopterin-guanosine-dinucleotide ligands, Lys48 which couples the [4Fe-4S] cluster to the W site, and Ile142 as part of a hydrophobic ring at the end of the substrate access channel designed to accommodate the substrate acetylene. A protocol was developed to express AH in Escherichia coli and to produce active-site variants which were characterized with regard to activity and occupancy of the tungsten and iron-sulfur centers. By this means, fusion of the N-terminal chaperone binding site of the E. coli nitrate reductase NarG to the AH gene improved the yield and activity of AH and its variants significantly. Results from site-directed mutagenesis of three key residues, Asp13, Lys48, and Ile142, document their important role in catalysis of this unusual tungsten enzyme. PMID:21193613

Relaxing the closure assumption in single-season occupancy models: staggered arrival and departure times

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendall, William L.; Hines, James E.; Nichols, James D.; Grant, Evan H. Campbell

2013-01-01

Occupancy statistical models that account for imperfect detection have proved very useful in several areas of ecology, including species distribution and spatial dynamics, disease ecology, and ecological responses to climate change. These models are based on the collection of multiple samples at each of a number of sites within a given season, during which it is assumed the species is either absent or present and available for detection while each sample is taken. However, for some species, individuals are only present or available for detection seasonally. We present a statistical model that relaxes the closure assumption within a season by permitting staggered entry and exit times for the species of interest at each site. Based on simulation, our open model eliminates bias in occupancy estimators and in some cases increases precision. The power to detect the violation of closure is high if detection probability is reasonably high. In addition to providing more robust estimation of occupancy, this model permits comparison of phenology across sites, species, or years, by modeling variation in arrival or departure probabilities. In a comparison of four species of amphibians in Maryland we found that two toad species arrived at breeding sites later in the season than a salamander and frog species, and departed from sites earlier.

Exploring species and site contributions to beta diversity in stream insect assemblages.

PubMed

Heino, Jani; Grönroos, Mira

2017-01-01

It was recently suggested that beta diversity can be partitioned into contributions of single sites to overall beta diversity (LCBD) or into contributions of individual species to overall beta diversity (SCBD). We explored the relationships of LCBD and SCBD to site and species characteristics, respectively, in stream insect assemblages. We found that LCBD was mostly explained by variation in species richness, with a negative relationship being detected. SCBD was strongly related to various species characteristics, such as occupancy, abundance, niche position and niche breadth, but was only weakly related to biological traits of species. In particular, occupancy and its quadratic terms showed a very strong unimodal relationship with SCBD, suggesting that intermediate species in terms of site occupancy contribute most to beta diversity. Our findings of unravelling the contributions of sites or species to overall beta diversity are of high importance to community ecology, conservation and bioassessment using stream insect assemblages, and may bear some overall generalities to be found in other organism groups.

Constitutive turnover of histone H2A.Z at yeast promoters requires the preinitiation complex

PubMed Central

Tramantano, Michael; Sun, Lu; Au, Christy; Labuz, Daniel; Liu, Zhimin; Chou, Mindy; Shen, Chen; Luk, Ed

2016-01-01

The assembly of the preinitiation complex (PIC) occurs upstream of the +1 nucleosome which, in yeast, obstructs the transcription start site and is frequently assembled with the histone variant H2A.Z. To understand the contribution of the transcription machinery in the disassembly of the +1 H2A.Z nucleosome, conditional mutants were used to block PIC assembly. A quantitative ChIP-seq approach, which allows detection of global occupancy change, was employed to measure H2A.Z occupancy. Blocking PIC assembly resulted in promoter-specific H2A.Z accumulation, indicating that the PIC is required to evict H2A.Z. By contrast, H2A.Z eviction was unaffected upon depletion of INO80, a remodeler previously reported to displace nucleosomal H2A.Z. Robust PIC-dependent H2A.Z eviction was observed at active and infrequently transcribed genes, indicating that constitutive H2A.Z turnover is a general phenomenon. Finally, sites with strong H2A.Z turnover precisely mark transcript starts, providing a new metric for identifying cryptic and alternative sites of initiation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14243.001 PMID:27438412

2010 Savannah River Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2011-09-12

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of illness and injury surveillance activities that provide an early warning system to detect health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2007 Hanford Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety, and Security

2009-07-16

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of illness and injury surveillance activities that provide an early warning system to detect health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2008 Savannah River Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2009-09-29

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2006 Hanford Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2008-05-14

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of illness and injury surveillance activities that provide an early warning system to detect health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2009 Hanford Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2010-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2008 Nevada Test Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2009-10-05

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2007 Nevada Test Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2009-06-30

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2007 Savannah River Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2009-05-05

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

VIEW OF BUILDING 122 WHICH HOUSES THE ONSITE MEDICAL FACILITIES ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF BUILDING 122 WHICH HOUSES THE ON-SITE MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE ROCKY FLATS PLANT AND THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND INTERNAL DOSIMETRY ORGANIZATIONS. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, DIAGNOSIS, DECONTAMINATION, FIRST AID, X-RAY, MINOR SURGICAL TREATMENT, AND AMBULATORY ACTIVITIES ARE CARRIED OUT IN THIS BUILDING. (1/98) - Rocky Flats Plant, Emergency Medical Services Facility, Southwest corner of Central & Third Avenues, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Program report for 2004 for the Hanford site. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The IISP monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

Benzodiazepine site pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic quantification in man: direct measurement of drug occupancy and effects on the human brain in vivo.

PubMed

Malizia, A L; Gunn, R N; Wilson, S J; Waters, S H; Bloomfield, P M; Cunningham, V J; Nutt, D J

1996-01-01

To date, the study of the relationship between drug occupancy and action in the brain has had to rely on the use of either animal models or of indirect kinetic measures in man, e.g. serum concentrations of unbound drug (as a measure of "free" drug in brain). We describe the first set of experiments which directly measure agonist-induced changes in both pharmacodynamic effects and pharmacokinetic parameters simultaneously and which demonstrate the feasibility of these studies in man. Five healthy volunteers each had two PET scans using [11C]flumazenil (a radiolabelled benzodiazepine site antagonist) as part of a study investigating kinetic models and the relationship between occupancy and effect of benzodiazepine site ligands. In both studies the [11C]flumazenil was displaced from the brain by infusion of midazolam administered i.v. 30 min into the scan. In one study a higher dose of midazolam was administered than in the other (range 12.5-50 micrograms/kg). Time-activity curves of the concentration of radioligand were derived in 17 different brain regions using a stereotactic automatic method of region selection. We demonstrated that there are significant differences in an index of occupancy, induced by the two different doses of midazolam, both across brain regions and within subjects. There was a significant correlation between measured occupancy index change and pharmacodynamic effects as measured by the peak change in beta 1 spectral power on EEG. There was no significant correlation between dose administered and EEG changes; plasma concentrations of midazolam were correlated with the occupancy index and with the EEG measures. In addition, we have demonstrated that a non-regional total index of brain occupancy can be obtained by analysing the non-tomographic data obtained with the PET scanner (total radioactivity counts head curve) and that this index shows significant correlations both with the dose administered and with the pharmacodynamic measure. This last finding validates the use of other non-tomographic counting techniques (Malizia et al., 1995a) where an index of displacement can be obtained after the administration of less than 1% of the dose of radiation needed for a PET study. These studies are likely to be useful in human psychopharmacology, in particular in the assessment of tolerance and of putative changes in benzodiazepine sensitivity in anxiety disorders. The same principles can be applied to other ligand studies and will be useful to validate current PK/PD models.

Dynamic occupancy models for explicit colonization processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Broms, Kristin M.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Johnson, Devin S.; Altwegg, Res; Conquest, Loveday

2016-01-01

The dynamic, multi-season occupancy model framework has become a popular tool for modeling open populations with occupancies that change over time through local colonizations and extinctions. However, few versions of the model relate these probabilities to the occupancies of neighboring sites or patches. We present a modeling framework that incorporates this information and is capable of describing a wide variety of spatiotemporal colonization and extinction processes. A key feature of the model is that it is based on a simple set of small-scale rules describing how the process evolves. The result is a dynamic process that can account for complicated large-scale features. In our model, a site is more likely to be colonized if more of its neighbors were previously occupied and if it provides more appealing environmental characteristics than its neighboring sites. Additionally, a site without occupied neighbors may also become colonized through the inclusion of a long-distance dispersal process. Although similar model specifications have been developed for epidemiological applications, ours formally accounts for detectability using the well-known occupancy modeling framework. After demonstrating the viability and potential of this new form of dynamic occupancy model in a simulation study, we use it to obtain inference for the ongoing Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) invasion in South Africa. Our results suggest that the Common Myna continues to enlarge its distribution and its spread via short distance movement, rather than long-distance dispersal. Overall, this new modeling framework provides a powerful tool for managers examining the drivers of colonization including short- vs. long-distance dispersal, habitat quality, and distance from source populations.

Estimation of occupancy, breeding success, and predicted abundance of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Diablo Range, California, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiens, J. David; Kolar, Patrick S.; Fuller, Mark R.; Hunt, W. Grainger; Hunt, Teresa

2015-01-01

We used a multistate occupancy sampling design to estimate occupancy, breeding success, and abundance of territorial pairs of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Diablo Range, California, in 2014. This method uses the spatial pattern of detections and non-detections over repeated visits to survey sites to estimate probabilities of occupancy and successful reproduction while accounting for imperfect detection of golden eagles and their young during surveys. The estimated probability of detecting territorial pairs of golden eagles and their young was less than 1 and varied with time of the breeding season, as did the probability of correctly classifying a pair’s breeding status. Imperfect detection and breeding classification led to a sizeable difference between the uncorrected, naïve estimate of the proportion of occupied sites where successful reproduction was observed (0.20) and the model-based estimate (0.30). The analysis further indicated a relatively high overall probability of landscape occupancy by pairs of golden eagles (0.67, standard error = 0.06), but that areas with the greatest occupancy and reproductive potential were patchily distributed. We documented a total of 138 territorial pairs of golden eagles during surveys completed in the 2014 breeding season, which represented about one-half of the 280 pairs we estimated to occur in the broader 5,169-square kilometer region sampled. The study results emphasize the importance of accounting for imperfect detection and spatial heterogeneity in studies of site occupancy, breeding success, and abundance of golden eagles.

Are changes in occupational physical activity level compensated by changes in exercise behavior?

PubMed

Nooijen, Carla F J; Del Pozo-Cruz, Borja; Nyberg, Gisela; Sanders, Taren; Galanti, Maria R; Forsell, Yvonne

2018-01-27

Physically active occupations with high-energy expenditure may lead to lower motivation to exercise during leisure time, while the reverse can be hypothesized for sedentary occupations. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of changing occupational activity level on exercise behavior. Data on occupational physical activity and leisure time exercise were taken from a population-based cohort, with surveys completed in 2010 and 2014. Using data on those employed in both years, two trajectories were analyzed: (i) participants who changed from sedentary to active occupations and (ii) participants who changed from active to sedentary occupations. Exercise was reported in hours per week and changes from 2010 to 2014 were categorized as decreased, increased or stable. Associations were expressed as ORs and 95% CIs adjusting for age, gender and education. Data were available for 12 969 participants (57% women, aged 45 ± 9 years, 57% highly educated). Relative to participants whose occupational activity was stable, participants who changed to active occupations (n = 549) were more likely to decrease exercise (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02-1.47) and those who changed to sedentary occupations (n = 373) more likely to increase exercise levels (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.97-1.52). People changing from sedentary to active occupations compensate by exercising less, and those changing from physically active to sedentary occupations seem to compensate by exercising more in their leisure time. When developing and evaluating interventions to reduce occupational sedentary behavior or to promote exercise, mutual influences on physical activity of different contexts should be considered. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Stoichiometry for activation of neuronal α7 nicotinic receptors

PubMed Central

Andersen, Natalia; Corradi, Jeremías; Sine, Steven M.; Bouzat, Cecilia

2013-01-01

Neuronal α7 nicotinic receptors elicit rapid cation influx in response to acetylcholine (ACh) or its hydrolysis product choline. They contribute to cognition, synaptic plasticity, and neuroprotection and have been implicated in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. α7, however, often localizes distal to sites of nerve-released ACh and binds ACh with low affinity, and thus elicits its biological response with low agonist occupancy. To assess the function of α7 when ACh occupies fewer than five of its identical binding sites, we measured the open-channel lifetime of individual receptors in which four of the five ACh binding sites were disabled. To improve the time resolution of the inherently brief α7 channel openings, background mutations or a potentiator was used to increase open duration. We find that, in receptors with only one intact binding site, the open-channel lifetime is indistinguishable from receptors with five intact binding sites, counter to expectations from prototypical neurotransmitter-gated ion channels where the open-channel lifetime increases with the number of binding sites occupied by agonist. Replacing the membrane-embedded domain of α7 by that of the related 5-HT3A receptor increases the number of sites that need to be occupied to achieve the maximal open-channel lifetime, thus revealing a unique interdependence between the detector and actuator domains of these receptors. The distinctive ability of a single occupancy to elicit a full biological response adapts α7 to volume transmission, a prevalent mechanism of ACh-mediated signaling in the nervous system and nonneuronal cells. PMID:24297903

Site occupancy of interstitial deuterium atoms in face-centred cubic iron

PubMed Central

Machida, Akihiko; Saitoh, Hiroyuki; Sugimoto, Hidehiko; Hattori, Takanori; Sano-Furukawa, Asami; Endo, Naruki; Katayama, Yoshinori; Iizuka, Riko; Sato, Toyoto; Matsuo, Motoaki; Orimo, Shin-ichi; Aoki, Katsutoshi

2014-01-01

Hydrogen composition and occupation state provide basic information for understanding various properties of the metal–hydrogen system, ranging from microscopic properties such as hydrogen diffusion to macroscopic properties such as phase stability. Here the deuterization process of face-centred cubic Fe to form solid-solution face-centred cubic FeDx is investigated using in situ neutron diffraction at high temperature and pressure. In a completely deuterized specimen at 988 K and 6.3 GPa, deuterium atoms occupy octahedral and tetrahedral interstitial sites with an occupancy of 0.532(9) and 0.056(5), respectively, giving a deuterium composition x of 0.64(1). During deuterization, the metal lattice expands approximately linearly with deuterium composition at a rate of 2.21 Å3 per deuterium atom. The minor occupation of the tetrahedral site is thermally driven by the intersite movement of deuterium atoms along the ‹111› direction in the face-centred cubic metal lattice. PMID:25256789

An expanded allosteric network in PTP1B by multitemperature crystallography, fragment screening, and covalent tethering.

PubMed

Keedy, Daniel A; Hill, Zachary B; Biel, Justin T; Kang, Emily; Rettenmaier, T Justin; Brandao-Neto, Jose; Pearce, Nicholas M; von Delft, Frank; Wells, James A; Fraser, James S

2018-06-07

Allostery is an inherent feature of proteins, but it remains challenging to reveal the mechanisms by which allosteric signals propagate. A clearer understanding of this intrinsic circuitry would afford new opportunities to modulate protein function. Here we have identified allosteric sites in protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) by combining multiple-temperature X-ray crystallography experiments and structure determination from hundreds of individual small-molecule fragment soaks. New modeling approaches reveal 'hidden' low-occupancy conformational states for protein and ligands. Our results converge on allosteric sites that are conformationally coupled to the active-site WPD loop and are hotspots for fragment binding. Targeting one of these sites with covalently tethered molecules or mutations allosterically inhibits enzyme activity. Overall, this work demonstrates how the ensemble nature of macromolecular structure, revealed here by multitemperature crystallography, can elucidate allosteric mechanisms and open new doors for long-range control of protein function. © 2018, Keedy et al.

Factors influencing subjective perceptions of everyday occupations: comparing day centre attendees with non-attendees.

PubMed

Argentzell, Elisabeth; Leufstadius, Christel; Eklund, Mona

2012-01-01

Subjective perceptions of everyday occupations are important for the well-being of people with psychiatric disabilities (PD) and are likely to vary with factors such as attending a day centre or not, activity level, self-mastery, sociodemographic and clinical factors. To explore differences in subjective perceptions of occupation and activity level between day centre attendees and non-attendees, and to investigate factors of importance for the subjective perceptions of occupations. The study groups comprised 175 participants: 93 day centre attendees and 82 non-attendees. Data were collected with instruments concerning; subjective perceptions of everyday occupations, activity level, self-mastery, and sociodemographic and clinical factors. Day centre attendees perceived higher levels of occupational value and activity level, while the groups perceived a similar level of satisfaction with daily occupations. For the total sample, self-mastery influenced both valued and satisfying everyday occupations while only value was affected by activity level. Satisfaction with daily occupation increased with age and both value and satisfaction increased with lower levels of psychiatric symptoms. Day centres provide perceptions of occupational value and stimulate activity. Non-differences between the groups regarding satisfaction with everyday occupations implied, however, that day centres might not cover all relevant occupational needs.

Chorion gene activation and repression is dependent on BmC/EBP expression and binding to cognate cis-elements.

PubMed

Papantonis, Argyris; Sourmeli, Sissy; Lecanidou, Rena

2008-05-09

From the different cis-elements clustered on silkmoth chorion gene promoters, C/EBP binding sites predominate. Their sequence composition and dispersal vary amongst promoters of diverse developmental specificity. Occupancy of these sites by BmC/EBP was examined through Southwestern and ChIP assays modified to suit ovarian follicular cells. For the genes studied, binding of BmC/EBP coincided with the respective stages of transcriptional activation. However, the factor was reloaded on promoter sequences long after individual gene repression. Furthermore, suppression of BmC/EBP transcription in developing follicles resulted in de-regulation of chorion gene expression. A biphasic function of BmC/EBP, according to which it may act as both an activator and a repressor during silkmoth choriogenesis, is considered under the light of the presented data.

Occupations of active airmen.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1969-07-01

Summary data with respect to occupational prevalence in the active airman population is presented according to major occupation groups utilized by the Bureau of the Census. Occupational characteristics of the active airman population are compared to ...

Site-occupancy distribution modeling to correct population-trend estimates derived from opportunistic observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kery, M.; Royle, J. Andrew; Schmid, Hans; Schaub, M.; Volet, B.; Hafliger, G.; Zbinden, N.

2010-01-01

Species' assessments must frequently be derived from opportunistic observations made by volunteers (i.e., citizen scientists). Interpretation of the resulting data to estimate population trends is plagued with problems, including teasing apart genuine population trends from variations in observation effort. We devised a way to correct for annual variation in effort when estimating trends in occupancy (species distribution) from faunal or floral databases of opportunistic observations. First, for all surveyed sites, detection histories (i.e., strings of detection-nondetection records) are generated. Within-season replicate surveys provide information on the detectability of an occupied site. Detectability directly represents observation effort; hence, estimating detectablity means correcting for observation effort. Second, site-occupancy models are applied directly to the detection-history data set (i.e., without aggregation by site and year) to estimate detectability and species distribution (occupancy, i.e., the true proportion of sites where a species occurs). Site-occupancy models also provide unbiased estimators of components of distributional change (i.e., colonization and extinction rates). We illustrate our method with data from a large citizen-science project in Switzerland in which field ornithologists record opportunistic observations. We analyzed data collected on four species: the widespread Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis. ) and Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus. ) and the scarce Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis. ) and Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria. ). Our method requires that all observed species are recorded. Detectability was <1 and varied over the years. Simulations suggested some robustness, but we advocate recording complete species lists (checklists), rather than recording individual records of single species. The representation of observation effort with its effect on detectability provides a solution to the problem of differences in effort encountered when extracting trend information from haphazard observations. We expect our method is widely applicable for global biodiversity monitoring and modeling of species distributions. ?? 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Development and field validation of a regional, management-scale habitat model: A koala Phascolarctos cinereus case study.

PubMed

Law, Bradley; Caccamo, Gabriele; Roe, Paul; Truskinger, Anthony; Brassil, Traecey; Gonsalves, Leroy; McConville, Anna; Stanton, Matthew

2017-09-01

Species distribution models have great potential to efficiently guide management for threatened species, especially for those that are rare or cryptic. We used MaxEnt to develop a regional-scale model for the koala Phascolarctos cinereus at a resolution (250 m) that could be used to guide management. To ensure the model was fit for purpose, we placed emphasis on validating the model using independently-collected field data. We reduced substantial spatial clustering of records in coastal urban areas using a 2-km spatial filter and by modeling separately two subregions separated by the 500-m elevational contour. A bias file was prepared that accounted for variable survey effort. Frequency of wildfire, soil type, floristics and elevation had the highest relative contribution to the model, while a number of other variables made minor contributions. The model was effective in discriminating different habitat suitability classes when compared with koala records not used in modeling. We validated the MaxEnt model at 65 ground-truth sites using independent data on koala occupancy (acoustic sampling) and habitat quality (browse tree availability). Koala bellows ( n  = 276) were analyzed in an occupancy modeling framework, while site habitat quality was indexed based on browse trees. Field validation demonstrated a linear increase in koala occupancy with higher modeled habitat suitability at ground-truth sites. Similarly, a site habitat quality index at ground-truth sites was correlated positively with modeled habitat suitability. The MaxEnt model provided a better fit to estimated koala occupancy than the site-based habitat quality index, probably because many variables were considered simultaneously by the model rather than just browse species. The positive relationship of the model with both site occupancy and habitat quality indicates that the model is fit for application at relevant management scales. Field-validated models of similar resolution would assist in guiding management of conservation-dependent species.

Stone tools and foraging in northern Madagascar challenge Holocene extinction models.

PubMed

Dewar, Robert E; Radimilahy, Chantal; Wright, Henry T; Jacobs, Zenobia; Kelly, Gwendolyn O; Berna, Francesco

2013-07-30

Past research on Madagascar indicates that village communities were established about AD 500 by people of both Indonesian and East African heritage. Evidence of earlier visits is scattered and contentious. Recent archaeological excavations in northern Madagascar provide evidence of occupational sites with microlithic stone technologies related to foraging for forest and coastal resources. A forager occupation of one site dates to earlier than 2000 B.C., doubling the length of Madagascar's known occupational history, and thus the time during which people exploited Madagascar's environments. We detail stratigraphy, chronology, and artifacts from two rock shelters. Ambohiposa near Iharana (Vohémar) on the northeast coast, yielded a stratified assemblage with small flakes, microblades, and retouched crescentic and trapezoidal tools, probably projectile elements, made on cherts and obsidian, some brought more that 200 km. (14)C dates are contemporary with the earliest villages. No food remains are preserved. Lakaton'i Anja near Antsiranana in the north yielded several stratified assemblages. The latest assemblage is well dated to A.D. 1050-1350, by (14)C and optically stimulated luminescence dating and pottery imported from the Near East and China. Below is a series of stratified assemblages similar to Ambohiposa. (14)C and optically stimulated luminescence dates indicate occupation from at least 2000 B.C. Faunal remains indicate a foraging pattern. Our evidence shows that foragers with a microlithic technology were active in Madagascar long before the arrival of farmers and herders and before many Late Holocene faunal extinctions. The differing effects of historically distinct economies must be identified and understood to reconstruct Holocene histories of human environmental impact.

The Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor PCI-32765 blocks B-cell activation and is efficacious in models of autoimmune disease and B-cell malignancy

PubMed Central

Honigberg, Lee A.; Smith, Ashley M.; Sirisawad, Mint; Verner, Erik; Loury, David; Chang, Betty; Li, Shyr; Pan, Zhengying; Thamm, Douglas H.; Miller, Richard A.; Buggy, Joseph J.

2010-01-01

Activation of the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling pathway contributes to the initiation and maintenance of B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases. The Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) is specifically required for BCR signaling as demonstrated by human and mouse mutations that disrupt Btk function and prevent B-cell maturation at steps that require a functional BCR pathway. Herein we describe a selective and irreversible Btk inhibitor, PCI-32765, that is currently under clinical development in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We have used this inhibitor to investigate the biologic effects of Btk inhibition on mature B-cell function and the progression of B cell-associated diseases in vivo. PCI-32765 blocked BCR signaling in human peripheral B cells at concentrations that did not affect T cell receptor signaling. In mice with collagen-induced arthritis, orally administered PCI-32765 reduced the level of circulating autoantibodies and completely suppressed disease. PCI-32765 also inhibited autoantibody production and the development of kidney disease in the MRL-Fas(lpr) lupus model. Occupancy of the Btk active site by PCI-32765 was monitored in vitro and in vivo using a fluorescent affinity probe for Btk. Active site occupancy of Btk was tightly correlated with the blockade of BCR signaling and in vivo efficacy. Finally, PCI-32765 induced objective clinical responses in dogs with spontaneous B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These findings support Btk inhibition as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of human diseases associated with activation of the BCR pathway. PMID:20615965

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Subtype- and Cell-Type-Specific Activation of Genomic Target Genes upon Adenoviral Transgene Delivery

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Ronni; Grøntved, Lars; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G.; Mandrup, Susanne

2006-01-01

Investigations of the molecular events involved in activation of genomic target genes by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been hampered by the inability to establish a clean on/off state of the receptor in living cells. Here we show that the combination of adenoviral delivery and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is ideal for dissecting these mechanisms. Adenoviral delivery of PPARs leads to a rapid and synchronous expression of the PPAR subtypes, establishment of transcriptional active complexes at genomic loci, and immediate activation of even silent target genes. We demonstrate that PPARγ2 possesses considerable ligand-dependent as well as independent transactivation potential and that agonists increase the occupancy of PPARγ2/retinoid X receptor at PPAR response elements. Intriguingly, by direct comparison of the PPARs (α, γ, and β/δ), we show that the subtypes have very different abilities to gain access to target sites and that in general the genomic occupancy correlates with the ability to activate the corresponding target gene. In addition, the specificity and potency of activation by PPAR subtypes are highly dependent on the cell type. Thus, PPAR subtype-specific activation of genomic target genes involves an intricate interplay between the properties of the subtype- and cell-type-specific settings at the individual target loci. PMID:16847324

Use of multispecies occupancy models to evaluate the response of bird communities to forest degradation associated with logging.

PubMed

Carrillo-Rubio, Eduardo; Kéry, Marc; Morreale, Stephen J; Sullivan, Patrick J; Gardner, Beth; Cooch, Evan G; Lassoie, James P

2014-08-01

Forest degradation is arguably the greatest threat to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and rural livelihoods. Therefore, increasing understanding of how organisms respond to degradation is essential for management and conservation planning. We were motivated by the need for rapid and practical analytical tools to assess the influence of management and degradation on biodiversity and system state in areas subject to rapid environmental change. We compared bird community composition and size in managed (ejido, i.e., communally owned lands) and unmanaged (national park) forests in the Sierra Tarahumara region, Mexico, using multispecies occupancy models and data from a 2-year breeding bird survey. Unmanaged sites had on average higher species occupancy and richness than managed sites. Most species were present in low numbers as indicated by lower values of detection and occupancy associated with logging-induced degradation. Less than 10% of species had occupancy probabilities >0.5, and degradation had no positive effects on occupancy. The estimated metacommunity size of 125 exceeded previous estimates for the region, and sites with mature trees and uneven-aged forest stand characteristics contained the highest species richness. Higher estimation uncertainty and decreases in richness and occupancy for all species, including habitat generalists, were associated with degraded young, even-aged stands. Our findings show that multispecies occupancy methods provide tractable measures of biodiversity and system state and valuable decision support for landholders and managers. These techniques can be used to rapidly address gaps in biodiversity information, threats to biodiversity, and vulnerabilities of species of interest on a landscape level, even in degraded or fast-changing environments. Moreover, such tools may be particularly relevant in the assessment of species richness and distribution in a wide array of habitats. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Wetland occupancy of pond-breeding amphibians in Yosemite National Park, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fellers, Gary M.; Kleeman, Patrick M.; Miller, David A.W.

2015-01-01

We estimated wetland occupancy and population trends for three species of pond-breeding anurans in Yosemite National Park from 2007-2011. We used a double survey technique in which two observers independently surveyed each site on the same day. Double surveys allowed us to calculate detectability for the three most common anurans within the park: Rana sierrae, Anaxyrus canorus, and Pseudacris regilla. Annual estimates of detectability were generally high; mean detectability ranged from 73.7% + 0.6 (SE) for any life history stage of A. canorus to 86.7% + 0.7 for sites with P. regilla reproduction (eggs or larvae present). Detectability was most variable for Anaxyrus canorus, which ranged from 45.9% to 99.7%. The probability of occupancy for R. sierrae was highest in larger, low-elevation wetlands that lacked fish. Anaxyrus canorus were more common in shallow high-elevation ponds; their occurrence was minimally impacted by the presence of fish. Finally, occurrence of P. regilla was largely unrelated to wetland size and elevation, but like R. sierrae, they were less likely to occupy sites with fi sh. Occupancy showed no trend over the five years of our study for R. sierrae or A. canorus when considering either sites with any life stage or only sites with reproduction. However, P. regilla showed a modest downward trend for sites with any life stage and sites with reproduction. Our results for R. sierrae run counter to expectations given recent concern about the decline of this species, while our findings for P. regilla raise concerns for this widespread and generally common species.

High-temperature site preference and atomic short-range ordering characteristics of ternary alloying elements in γ'-Ni3Al intermetallics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriş, Rasim; Mekhrabov, Amdulla O.; Akdeniz, M. Vedat

2017-10-01

Remarkable high-temperature mechanical properties of nickel-based superalloys are correlated with the arrangement of ternary alloying elements in L12-type-ordered γ‧-Ni3Al intermetallics. In the current study, therefore, high-temperature site occupancy preference and energetic-structural characteristics of atomic short-range ordering (SRO) of ternary alloying X elements (X = Mo, W, Ta, Hf, Re, Ru, Pt or Co) in Ni75Al21.875X3.125 alloy systems have been studied by combining the statistico-thermodynamical theory of ordering and electronic theory of alloys in the pseudopotential approximation. Temperature dependence of site occupancy tendencies of alloying X element atoms has been predicted by calculating partial ordering energies and SRO parameters of Ni-Al, Ni-X and Al-X atomic pairs. It is shown that, all ternary alloying element atoms (except Pt) tend to occupy Al, whereas Pt atoms prefer to substitute for Ni sub-lattice sites of Ni3Al intermetallics. However, in contrast to other X elements, sub-lattice site occupancy characteristics of Re atoms appear to be both temperature- and composition-dependent. Theoretical calculations reveal that site occupancy preference of Re atoms switches from Al to both Ni and Al sites at critical temperatures, Tc, for Re > 2.35 at%. Distribution of Re atoms at both Ni and Al sub-lattice sites above Tc may lead to localised supersaturation of the parent Ni3Al phase and makes possible the formation of topologically close-packed (TCP) phases. The results of the current theoretical and simulation study are consistent with other theoretical and experimental investigations published in the literature.

2010 Nevada National Security Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2011-07-28

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of illness and injury surveillance activities that provide an early warning system to detect health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2006 Savannah River Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2008-08-20

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of illness and injury surveillance activities that provide an early warning system to detect health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

2006 Nevada Test Site Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Health, Office of Health and Safety, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

2008-04-24

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of illness and injury surveillance activities that provide an early warning system to detect health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, Office of Illness and Injury Prevention Programs

Annual Illness and Injury Surveillance Program for 2004 for the Hanford site. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. The Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, and disabilities and deaths among current workers.

Predictors of breeding site occupancy by amphibians in montane landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groff, Luke A.; Loftin, Cynthia S.; Calhoun, Aram J.K.

2017-01-01

Ecological relationships and processes vary across species’ geographic distributions, life stages and spatial, and temporal scales. Montane landscapes are characterized by low wetland densities, rugged topographies, and cold climates. Consequently, aquatic-dependent and low-vagility ectothermic species (e.g., pool-breeding amphibians) may exhibit unique ecological associations in montane landscapes. We evaluated the relative importance of breeding- and landscape-scale features associated with spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) wetland occupancy in Maine's Upper Montane-Alpine Zone ecoregion, and we determined whether models performed better when the inclusive landscape-scale covariates were estimated with topography-weighted or circular buffers. We surveyed 135 potential breeding sites during May 2013–June 2014 and evaluated environmental relationships with multi-season implicit dynamics occupancy models. Breeding site occupancy by both species was influenced solely by breeding-scale habitat features. Spotted salamander occupancy probabilities increased with previous or current beaver (Castor canadensis) presence, and models generally were better supported when the inclusive landscape-scale covariates were estimated with topography-weighted rather than circular buffers. Wood frog occupancy probabilities increased with site area and percent shallows, but neither buffer type was better supported than the other. Model rank order and support varied between buffer types, but model inferences did not. Our results suggest pool-breeding amphibian conservation in montane Maine include measures to maintain beaver populations and large wetlands with proportionally large areas of shallows ≤1-m deep. Inconsistencies between our study and previous studies substantiate the value of region-specific research for augmenting species’ conservation management plans and suggest the application of out-of-region inferences may promote ineffective conservation. 

Accounting for Incomplete Species Detection in Fish Community Monitoring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McManamay, Ryan A; Orth, Dr. Donald J; Jager, Yetta

2013-01-01

Riverine fish assemblages are heterogeneous and very difficult to characterize with a one-size-fits-all approach to sampling. Furthermore, detecting changes in fish assemblages over time requires accounting for variation in sampling designs. We present a modeling approach that permits heterogeneous sampling by accounting for site and sampling covariates (including method) in a model-based framework for estimation (versus a sampling-based framework). We snorkeled during three surveys and electrofished during a single survey in suite of delineated habitats stratified by reach types. We developed single-species occupancy models to determine covariates influencing patch occupancy and species detection probabilities whereas community occupancy models estimated speciesmore » richness in light of incomplete detections. For most species, information-theoretic criteria showed higher support for models that included patch size and reach as covariates of occupancy. In addition, models including patch size and sampling method as covariates of detection probabilities also had higher support. Detection probability estimates for snorkeling surveys were higher for larger non-benthic species whereas electrofishing was more effective at detecting smaller benthic species. The number of sites and sampling occasions required to accurately estimate occupancy varied among fish species. For rare benthic species, our results suggested that higher number of occasions, and especially the addition of electrofishing, may be required to improve detection probabilities and obtain accurate occupancy estimates. Community models suggested that richness was 41% higher than the number of species actually observed and the addition of an electrofishing survey increased estimated richness by 13%. These results can be useful to future fish assemblage monitoring efforts by informing sampling designs, such as site selection (e.g. stratifying based on patch size) and determining effort required (e.g. number of sites versus occasions).« less

WHEDA study: Effectiveness of occupational therapy at home for older people with dementia and their caregivers - the design of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial evaluating a Dutch programme in seven German centres

PubMed Central

Voigt-Radloff, Sebastian; Graff, Maud; Leonhart, Rainer; Schornstein, Katrin; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra; Olde-Rikkert, Marcel; Huell, Michael

2009-01-01

Background A recent Dutch mono-centre randomised controlled trial has shown that occupational therapy improves daily functioning in dementia. The aim of this present study is to compare the effects of the Dutch community occupational therapy programme with a community occupational therapy consultation on daily functioning in older people with mild or moderate dementia and their primary caregivers in a German multi-centre context. Methods/Design A multi-centre single blind randomised controlled trial design is being used in seven health care centres (neurological, psychiatric and for older people) in urban regions. Patients are 1:1 randomised to treatment or control group. Assessors are blind to group assignment and perform measurements on both groups at baseline, directly after intervention at 6 weeks and at 16, 26 and 52 weeks follow-up. A sample of 140 community dwelling older people (aged >65 years) with mild or moderate dementia and their primary caregivers is planned. The experimental intervention consists of an evidence-based community occupational therapy programme including 10 sessions occupational therapy at home. The control intervention consists of one community occupational therapy consultation based on information material of the Alzheimer Society. Providers of both interventions are occupational therapists experienced in treatment of cognitively impaired older people and trained in both programmes. 'Community' indicates that occupational therapy intervention occurs in the person's own home. The primary outcome is patients' daily functioning assessed with the performance scale of the Interview for Deterioration in Daily Living Activities in Dementia and video tapes of daily activities rated by external raters blind to group assignment using the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform System of Task Analysis. Secondary outcomes are patients' and caregivers' quality of life, mood and satisfaction with treatment; the caregiver's sense of competence, caregiver's diary (medication, resource utilisation, time of informal care); and the incidence of long-term institutionalisation. Process evaluation is performed by questionnaires and focus group discussion. Discussion The transfer from the Dutch mono-centre design to the pragmatic multi-site trial in a German context implicates several changes in design issues including differences in recruitment time, training of interventionists and active control group treatment. The study is registered under DRKS00000053 at the German register of clinical trials, which is connected to the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. PMID:19799779

Occupancy rates of primary burrowing crayfish in natural and disturbed large river bottomlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loughman, Zachary J.; Welsh, Stuart A.; Simon, Thomas P.

2012-01-01

Among crayfish, primary burrowing species are the least understood ecologically. Many primary burrowing crayfish inhabit floodplains where forested landscapes have been fragmented by agricultural, industrial, or residential uses. In this study, site occupancy rates (ψ) were modeled for two primary burrowing crayfish, Fallicambarus fodiens (Cottle, 1863) and Cambarus thomai Jezerinac, 1993, from Ohio and Kanawha river floodplains in West Virginia, U.S.A. Fallicambarus fodiens is one of West Virginia’s rarest crayfish, while C. thomai is prevalent in most wetlands along both river floodplains. Occupancy rate modeling incorporated four environmental covariates (forest age, soil type, tree frequency, and land use). Based on presence/absence data, forests with tree ages >100 years (ΔQAICc = 0) and sites with loam soils (ΔQAICc = 1.80) were most likely to harbor F. fodiens populations. For C. thomai, several models were supported owing to model selection uncertainty, but those with the land use covariate had more total model weight (total w i = 0 . 54 ) than all other covariate models. Cambarus thomai rarely occupied industrial/agricultural sites, but were often present in forested and residential sites. Although the influence of covariates on site occupancy differed between species, both taxa readily utilized mature forested habitats when available. Conservation actions for F. fodiens and C. thomai should focus on preserving forested tracts along large river floodplains

Nuclear IGF-1R interacts with regulatory regions of chromatin to promote RNA polymerase II recruitment and gene expression associated with advanced tumor stage.

PubMed

Aleksic, Tamara; Gray, Nicki E; Wu, Xiaoning; Rieunier, Guillaume; Osher, Eliot; Mills, Jack; Verrill, Clare; Bryant, Richard J; Han, Cheng; Hutchinson, Kathryn; Lambert, Adam; Kumar, Rajeev; Hamdy, Freddie C; Weyer-Czernilofsky, Ulrike; Sanderson, Michael; Bogenrieder, Thomas; Taylor, Stephen; Macaulay, Valentine M

2018-05-07

Internalization of ligand-activated type 1 IGF receptor (IGF-1R) is followed by recycling to the plasma membrane, degradation or nuclear translocation. Nuclear IGF-1R reportedly associates with clinical response to IGF-1R inhibitory drugs, yet its role in the nucleus is poorly characterized. Here we investigated the significance of nuclear IGF-1R in clinical cancers and cell line models. In prostate cancers, IGF-1R was predominantly membrane-localized in benign glands, while malignant epithelium contained prominent internalized (nuclear/cytoplasmic) IGF-1R, and nuclear IGF-1R associated significantly with advanced tumor stage. Using ChIP-seq to assess global chromatin occupancy, we identified IGF-1R binding sites at or near transcription start sites of genes including JUN and FAM21, most sites coinciding with occupancy by RNA polymerase II (RNAPol2) and histone marks of active enhancers/promoters. IGF-1R was inducibly recruited to chromatin, directly binding DNA and interacting with RNAPol2 to upregulate expression of JUN and FAM21, shown to mediate tumor cell survival and IGF-induced migration. IGF-1 also enriched RNAPol2 on promoters containing IGF-1R binding sites. These functions were inhibited by IGF-1/2 neutralizing antibody xentuzumab (BI 836845), or by blocking receptor internalization. We detected nuclear IGF-1R on JUN and FAM21 promoters in fresh prostate cancers that contained abundant nuclear IGF-1R, with evidence of correlation between nuclear IGF-1R content and JUN expression in malignant prostatic epithelium. Taken together, these data reveal previously unrecognized molecular mechanisms through which IGFs promote tumorigenesis, with implications for therapeutic evaluation of anti-IGF drugs. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

ISSOE Student Guidance and Development of Personalized Occupational Education Programs. Findings and Recommendations, Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beuke, Vernon; Frank, Robert

The Instructional Support System for Occupational Education (ISSOE) project focused on (1) review of individualized education systems, (2) selection of appropriate occupational clusters, and (3) development and field testing of a system and materials. Exemplary and innovative approaches to individualized education were reviewed by site visits and…

Spatial occupancy models applied to atlas data show Southern Ground Hornbills strongly depend on protected areas.

PubMed

Broms, Kristin M; Johnson, Devin S; Altwegg, Res; Conquest, Loveday L

2014-03-01

Determining the range of a species and exploring species--habitat associations are central questions in ecology and can be answered by analyzing presence--absence data. Often, both the sampling of sites and the desired area of inference involve neighboring sites; thus, positive spatial autocorrelation between these sites is expected. Using survey data for the Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) from the Southern African Bird Atlas Project, we compared advantages and disadvantages of three increasingly complex models for species occupancy: an occupancy model that accounted for nondetection but assumed all sites were independent, and two spatial occupancy models that accounted for both nondetection and spatial autocorrelation. We modeled the spatial autocorrelation with an intrinsic conditional autoregressive (ICAR) model and with a restricted spatial regression (RSR) model. Both spatial models can readily be applied to any other gridded, presence--absence data set using a newly introduced R package. The RSR model provided the best inference and was able to capture small-scale variation that the other models did not. It showed that ground hornbills are strongly dependent on protected areas in the north of their South African range, but less so further south. The ICAR models did not capture any spatial autocorrelation in the data, and they took an order, of magnitude longer than the RSR models to run. Thus, the RSR occupancy model appears to be an attractive choice for modeling occurrences at large spatial domains, while accounting for imperfect detection and spatial autocorrelation.

Identification of kinship and occupant status in Mongolian noble burials of the Yuan Dynasty through a multidisciplinary approach

PubMed Central

Cui, Yinqiu; Song, Li; Wei, Dong; Pang, Yuhong; Wang, Ning; Ning, Chao; Li, Chunmei; Feng, Binxiao; Tang, Wentao; Li, Hongjie; Ren, Yashan; Zhang, Chunchang; Huang, Yanyi; Hu, Yaowu; Zhou, Hui

2015-01-01

The Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271–1368) was the first dynasty in Chinese history where a minority ethnic group (Mongols) ruled. Few cemeteries containing Mongolian nobles have been found owing to their tradition of keeping burial grounds secret and their lack of historical records. Archaeological excavations at the Shuzhuanglou site in the Hebei province of China led to the discovery of 13 skeletons in six separate tombs. The style of the artefacts and burials indicate the cemetery occupants were Mongol nobles. However, the origin, relationships and status of the chief occupant (M1m) are unclear. To shed light on the identity of the principal occupant and resolve the kin relationships between individuals, a multidisciplinary approach was adopted, combining archaeological information, stable isotope data and molecular genetic data. Analysis of autosomal, mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA show that some of the occupants were related. The available evidence strongly suggests that the principal occupant may have been the Mongol noble Korguz. Our study demonstrates the power of a multidisciplinary approach in elucidating information about the inhabitants of ancient historical sites. PMID:25487330

Pre-Columbian floristic legacies in modern homegardens of Central Amazonia.

PubMed

Lins, Juliana; Lima, Helena P; Baccaro, Fabricio B; Kinupp, Valdely F; Shepard, Glenn H; Clement, Charles R

2015-01-01

Historical ecologists have demonstrated legacy effects in apparently wild landscapes in Europe, North America, Mesoamerica, Amazonia, Africa and Oceania. People live and farm in archaeological sites today in many parts of the world, but nobody has looked for the legacies of past human occupations in the most dynamic areas in these sites: homegardens. Here we show that the useful flora of modern homegardens is partially a legacy of pre-Columbian occupations in Central Amazonia: the more complex the archaeological context, the more variable the floristic composition of useful native plants in homegardens cultivated there today. Species diversity was 10% higher in homegardens situated in multi-occupational archaeological contexts compared with homegardens situated in single-occupational ones. Species heterogeneity (β-diversity) among archaeological contexts was similar for the whole set of species, but markedly different when only native Amazonian species were included, suggesting the influence of pre-conquest indigenous occupations on current homegarden species composition. Our findings show that the legacy of pre-Columbian occupations is visible in the most dynamic of all agroecosystems, adding another dimension to the human footprint in the Amazonian landscape.

Professional Reward in the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Role.

PubMed

Stutz-Tanenbaum, Patricia; Greene, David; Hanson, Debra J; Koski, Jeanette

The purpose of this national survey was to explore perceptions of professional reward among occupational therapist (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) academic fieldwork coordinators (AFWCs). Agreement was found in ranking the value of six role factors: (1) fieldwork data management, (2) fieldwork site management, (3) fieldwork teaching and consultation, (4) departmental and institutional compliance, (5) scholarship and accreditation, and (6) laying groundwork for students in fieldwork. Both levels of AFWC indicated teaching and consultation had the highest value and data management the least. OT AFWCs placed significantly higher value on publishing articles and lower value on educating fieldwork educators about role delineation than OTA AFWCs. Five themes emerged regarding professional reward: (1) intrinsic reward, (2) collaboration, (3) development of the profession, (4) feeling appreciated, and (5) student success. AFWCs value activities involving personal interaction, promoting professional development, and facilitating student success. Results have implications for AFWC collaboration, workload distribution, and scholarship. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Site occupancy models with heterogeneous detection probabilities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2006-01-01

Models for estimating the probability of occurrence of a species in the presence of imperfect detection are important in many ecological disciplines. In these ?site occupancy? models, the possibility of heterogeneity in detection probabilities among sites must be considered because variation in abundance (and other factors) among sampled sites induces variation in detection probability (p). In this article, I develop occurrence probability models that allow for heterogeneous detection probabilities by considering several common classes of mixture distributions for p. For any mixing distribution, the likelihood has the general form of a zero-inflated binomial mixture for which inference based upon integrated likelihood is straightforward. A recent paper by Link (2003, Biometrics 59, 1123?1130) demonstrates that in closed population models used for estimating population size, different classes of mixture distributions are indistinguishable from data, yet can produce very different inferences about population size. I demonstrate that this problem can also arise in models for estimating site occupancy in the presence of heterogeneous detection probabilities. The implications of this are discussed in the context of an application to avian survey data and the development of animal monitoring programs.

Habitat-Specific Occupancy and a Metapopulation Model of Triatoma sordida (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a Secondary Vector of Chagas Disease, in Northeastern Argentina.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Planes, Lucía I; Gaspe, M Sol; Enriquez, Gustavo F; Gürtler, Ricardo E

2018-02-28

Triatoma sordida Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a secondary vector of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), occasionally colonizes human sleeping quarters in Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil, whereas only sylvatic and peridomestic populations are found in Argentina. We carried out a cross-sectional survey of house infestation in a well-defined rural area of northeastern Argentina to identify the key habitats of T. sordida; describe its spatial distribution in an apparently undisturbed setting under no recent insecticide treatment and use metapopulation theory to investigate these spatially structured populations. Timed-manual searches in 2,177 georeferenced sites from 368 houses yielded T. sordida in 78 sites (house infestation prevalence, 19.9%). Most triatomines occurred in chicken nests, chicken coops, and trees where chickens roosted (prime habitats). Goat or sheep corrals and pig corrals had a lower fraction of occupied sites (occupancies) and abundance. Both occupancy and catch increased with increasing refuge availability according to multimodel inference with model averaging. The majority of suitable habitats were unoccupied despite their proximity to occupied sites. The site-specific occurrence of T. sordida and Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) was positively and homogeneously associated over ecotopes, showing no evidence of interspecific interference. An incidence function metapopulation model (including intersite distances and vector carrying capacity) predicted a fivefold greater occupancy relative to the observed pattern, suggesting the latter represented a transient state. T. sordida failed to colonize human sleeping quarters, thrived in peridomestic habitats occupied by chickens, and had a limited occupancy likely related to a poor colonizing ability and the relative instability of its prime habitats.

Dynamic occupancy modelling reveals a hierarchy of competition among fishers, grey foxes and ringtails.

PubMed

Green, David S; Matthews, Sean M; Swiers, Robert C; Callas, Richard L; Scott Yaeger, J; Farber, Stuart L; Schwartz, Michael K; Powell, Roger A

2018-05-01

Determining how species coexist is critical for understanding functional diversity, niche partitioning and interspecific interactions. Identifying the direct and indirect interactions among sympatric carnivores that enable their coexistence is particularly important to elucidate because they are integral for maintaining ecosystem function. We studied the effects of removing nine fishers (Pekania pennanti) on their population dynamics and used this perturbation to elucidate the interspecific interactions among fishers, grey foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and ringtails (Bassariscus astutus). Grey foxes (family: Canidae) are likely to compete with fishers due to their similar body sizes and dietary overlap, and ringtails (family: Procyonidae), like fishers, are semi-arboreal species of conservation concern. We used spatial capture-recapture to investigate fisher population numbers and dynamic occupancy models that incorporated interspecific interactions to investigate the effects members of these species had on the colonization and persistence of each other's site occupancy. The fisher population showed no change in density for up to 3 years following the removals of fishers for translocations. In contrast, fisher site occupancy decreased in the years immediately following the translocations. During this same time period, site occupancy by grey foxes increased and remained elevated through the end of the study. We found a complicated hierarchy among fishers, foxes and ringtails. Fishers affected grey fox site persistence negatively but had a positive effect on their colonization. Foxes had a positive effect on ringtail site colonization. Thus, fishers were the dominant small carnivore where present and negatively affected foxes directly and ringtails indirectly. Coexistence among the small carnivores we studied appears to reflect dynamic spatial partitioning. Conservation and management efforts should investigate how intraguild interactions may influence the recolonization of carnivores to previously occupied landscapes. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

Heterogeneous occupancy and density estimates of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in waters of North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chestnut, Tara E.; Anderson, Chauncey; Popa, Radu; Blaustein, Andrew R.; Voytek, Mary; Olson, Deanna H.; Kirshtein, Julie

2014-01-01

Biodiversity losses are occurring worldwide due to a combination of stressors. For example, by one estimate, 40% of amphibian species are vulnerable to extinction, and disease is one threat to amphibian populations. The emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the aquatic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a contributor to amphibian declines worldwide. Bd research has focused on the dynamics of the pathogen in its amphibian hosts, with little emphasis on investigating the dynamics of free-living Bd. Therefore, we investigated patterns of Bd occupancy and density in amphibian habitats using occupancy models, powerful tools for estimating site occupancy and detection probability. Occupancy models have been used to investigate diseases where the focus was on pathogen occurrence in the host. We applied occupancy models to investigate free-living Bd in North American surface waters to determine Bd seasonality, relationships between Bd site occupancy and habitat attributes, and probability of detection from water samples as a function of the number of samples, sample volume, and water quality. We also report on the temporal patterns of Bd density from a 4-year case study of a Bd-positive wetland. We provide evidence that Bd occurs in the environment year-round. Bd exhibited temporal and spatial heterogeneity in density, but did not exhibit seasonality in occupancy. Bd was detected in all months, typically at less than 100 zoospores L−1. The highest density observed was ∼3 million zoospores L−1. We detected Bd in 47% of sites sampled, but estimated that Bd occupied 61% of sites, highlighting the importance of accounting for imperfect detection. When Bd was present, there was a 95% chance of detecting it with four samples of 600 ml of water or five samples of 60 mL. Our findings provide important baseline information to advance the study of Bd disease ecology, and advance our understanding of amphibian exposure to free-living Bd in aquatic habitats over time.

Determination of Gamma-Prime Site Occupancies in Nickel Superalloys Using Atom Probe Tomography and X-Ray Diffraction (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

unlimited that Ni and Al occupy different sites of the γ’ lattice and also in agreement with Equations ( 4 ) - ( 6 ). At E1 = 5989 eV, the structure factor...3. DATES COVERED (From - To) August 2012 Technical Paper 1 July 2012 – 1 August 2012 4 . TITLE AND SUBTITLE DETERMINATION OF γ’SITE OCCUPANCIES...PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 62102F 6 . AUTHOR(S) J. Tiley, O. Senkov, and G. Viswanathan (AFRL/RXCM) S. Nag and R. Banerjee (University of North Texas

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of embedded simulation in occupational therapy clinical practice education: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Imms, Christine; Chu, Eli Mang Yee; Guinea, Stephen; Sheppard, Loretta; Froude, Elspeth; Carter, Rob; Darzins, Susan; Ashby, Samantha; Gilbert-Hunt, Susan; Gribble, Nigel; Nicola-Richmond, Kelli; Penman, Merrolee; Gospodarevskaya, Elena; Mathieu, Erin; Symmons, Mark

2017-07-21

Clinical placements are a critical component of the training for health professionals such as occupational therapists. However, with growing student enrolments in professional education courses and workload pressures on practitioners, it is increasingly difficult to find sufficient, suitable placements that satisfy program accreditation requirements. The professional accrediting body for occupational therapy in Australia allows up to 200 of the mandatory 1000 clinical placement hours to be completed via simulation activities, but evidence of effectiveness and efficiency for student learning outcomes is lacking. Increasingly placement providers charge a fee to host students, leading educators to consider whether providing an internal program might be a feasible alternative for a portion of placement hours. Economic analysis of the incremental costs and benefits of providing a traditional versus simulated placement is required to inform decision-making. This study is a pragmatic, non-inferiority, single-blind, multicentre, two-group randomised controlled trial (RCT) with an embedded economic analysis. The RCT will compare a block of 40 hours of simulated placement (intervention) with a 40-hour block of traditional placement (comparator), with a focus on student learning outcomes and delivery costs. Six universities will instigate the educational intervention within their respective occupational therapy courses, randomly assigning their cohort of students (1:1 allocation) to the simulated or traditional clinical placements. The primary outcome is achievement of professional behaviours (e.g. communication, clinical reasoning) as assessed by a post-placement written examination. Secondary outcomes include proportions passing the placement assessed using the Student Practice Evaluation Form-Revised, changes in student confidence pre-/post-placement, student and educator evaluation of the placement experience and cost-effectiveness of simulated versus traditional clinical placements. Comprehensive cost data will be collected for both the simulated and traditional placement programs at each site for economic evaluation. Use of simulation in health-related fields like occupational therapy is common, but these activities usually relate to brief opportunities for isolated skill development. The simulated clinical placement evaluated in this trial is less common because it encapsulates a 5-day block of integrated activities, designed and delivered in a manner intended to emulate best-practice placement experiences. The planned study is rare due to inclusion of an economic analysis that aims to provide valuable information about the relationship between costs and outcomes across participating sites. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12616001339448 . Registered 26 September 2016.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oliver, S. A.; Harris, V. G.; Hamdeh, H. H.

The cation site occupancy of a mechanically activated nanocrystalline zinc ferrite powder was determined as (Zn{sub 0.55}{sup 2+}Fe{sub 0.18}{sup 3+}){sub tet}[Zr{sub 0.45}{sup 2+}Fe{sub 1.82}{sup 3+}]{sub oct}O{sub 4} through analysis of extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements, showing a large redistribution of cations between sites compared to normal zinc ferrite samples. The overpopulation of cations in the octahedral sites was attributed to the ascendance in importance of the ionic radii over the crystal energy and bonding coordination in determining which interstitial sites are occupied in this structurally disordered powder. Slight changes are observed in the local atomic environment about the zincmore » cations, but not the iron cations, with respect to the spinel structure. The presence of Fe{sup 3+} on both sites is consistent with the measured room temperature magnetic properties. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.« less

Development of cost estimation tools for total occupational safety and health activities and occupational health services: cost estimation from a corporate perspective.

PubMed

Nagata, Tomohisa; Mori, Koji; Aratake, Yutaka; Ide, Hiroshi; Ishida, Hiromi; Nobori, Junichiro; Kojima, Reiko; Odagami, Kiminori; Kato, Anna; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Matsuda, Shinya

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to develop standardized cost estimation tools that provide information to employers about occupational safety and health (OSH) activities for effective and efficient decision making in Japanese companies. We interviewed OSH staff members including full-time professional occupational physicians to list all OSH activities. Using activity-based costing, cost data were obtained from retrospective analyses of occupational safety and health costs over a 1-year period in three manufacturing workplaces and were obtained from retrospective analyses of occupational health services costs in four manufacturing workplaces. We verified the tools additionally in four workplaces including service businesses. We created the OSH and occupational health standardized cost estimation tools. OSH costs consisted of personnel costs, expenses, outsourcing costs and investments for 15 OSH activities. The tools provided accurate, relevant information on OSH activities and occupational health services. The standardized information obtained from our OSH and occupational health cost estimation tools can be used to manage OSH costs, make comparisons of OSH costs between companies and organizations and help occupational health physicians and employers to determine the best course of action.

Occupational Physical Activity Habits of UK Office Workers: Cross-Sectional Data from the Active Buildings Study.

PubMed

Smith, Lee; Sawyer, Alexia; Gardner, Benjamin; Seppala, Katri; Ucci, Marcella; Marmot, Alexi; Lally, Pippa; Fisher, Abi

2018-06-09

Habitual behaviours are learned responses that are triggered automatically by associated environmental cues. The unvarying nature of most workplace settings makes workplace physical activity a prime candidate for a habitual behaviour, yet the role of habit strength in occupational physical activity has not been investigated. Aims of the present study were to: (i) document occupational physical activity habit strength; and (ii) investigate associations between occupational activity habit strength and occupational physical activity levels. A sample of UK office-based workers ( n = 116; 53% female, median age 40 years, SD 10.52) was fitted with activPAL accelerometers worn for 24 h on five consecutive days, providing an objective measure of occupational step counts, stepping time, sitting time, standing time and sit-to-stand transitions. A self-report index measured the automaticity of two occupational physical activities (“being active” (e.g., walking to printers and coffee machines) and “stair climbing”). Adjusted linear regression models investigated the association between occupational activity habit strength and objectively-measured occupational step counts, stepping time, sitting time, standing time and sit-to-stand transitions. Eighty-one per cent of the sample reported habits for “being active”, and 62% reported habits for “stair climbing”. In adjusted models, reported habit strength for “being active” were positively associated with average occupational sit-to-stand transitions per hour (B = 0.340, 95% CI: 0.053 to 0.627, p = 0.021). “Stair climbing” habit strength was unexpectedly negatively associated with average hourly stepping time (B = −0.01, 95% CI: −0.01 to −0.00, p = 0.006) and average hourly occupational step count (B = −38.34, 95% CI: −72.81 to −3.88, p = 0.030), which may reflect that people with stronger stair-climbing habits compensate by walking fewer steps overall. Results suggest that stair-climbing and office-based occupational activity can be habitual. Interventions might fruitfully promote habitual workplace activity, although, in light of potential compensation effects, such interventions should perhaps focus on promoting moderate-intensity activity.

Hierarchical Bayes estimation of species richness and occupancy in spatially replicated surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kery, M.; Royle, J. Andrew

2008-01-01

1. Species richness is the most widely used biodiversity metric, but cannot be observed directly as, typically, some species are overlooked. Imperfect detectability must therefore be accounted for to obtain unbiased species-richness estimates. When richness is assessed at multiple sites, two approaches can be used to estimate species richness: either estimating for each site separately, or pooling all samples. The first approach produces imprecise estimates, while the second loses site-specific information. 2. In contrast, a hierarchical Bayes (HB) multispecies site-occupancy model benefits from the combination of information across sites without losing site-specific information and also yields occupancy estimates for each species. The heart of the model is an estimate of the incompletely observed presence-absence matrix, a centrepiece of biogeography and monitoring studies. We illustrate the model using Swiss breeding bird survey data, and compare its estimates with the widely used jackknife species-richness estimator and raw species counts. 3. Two independent observers each conducted three surveys in 26 1-km(2) quadrats, and detected 27-56 (total 103) species. The average estimated proportion of species detected after three surveys was 0.87 under the HB model. Jackknife estimates were less precise (less repeatable between observers) than raw counts, but HB estimates were as repeatable as raw counts. The combination of information in the HB model thus resulted in species-richness estimates presumably at least as unbiased as previous approaches that correct for detectability, but without costs in precision relative to uncorrected, biased species counts. 4. Total species richness in the entire region sampled was estimated at 113.1 (CI 106-123); species detectability ranged from 0.08 to 0.99, illustrating very heterogeneous species detectability; and species occupancy was 0.06-0.96. Even after six surveys, absolute bias in observed occupancy was estimated at up to 0.40. 5. Synthesis and applications. The HB model for species-richness estimation combines information across sites and enjoys more precise, and presumably less biased, estimates than previous approaches. It also yields estimates of several measures of community size and composition. Covariates for occupancy and detectability can be included. We believe it has considerable potential for monitoring programmes as well as in biogeography and community ecology.

Occupational sunlight exposure and melanoma in the U.S. Navy.

PubMed

Garland, F C; White, M R; Garland, C F; Shaw, E; Gorham, E D

1990-01-01

Melanoma is the second most common cancer, after testicular cancer, in males in the U.S. Navy. A wide range of occupations with varying exposures to sunlight and other possible etiologic agents are present in the Navy. Person-years at risk and cases of malignant melanoma were ascertained using computerized service history and inpatient hospitalization files maintained at the Naval Health Research Center. A total of 176 confirmed cases of melanoma were identified in active-duty white male enlisted Navy personnel during 1974-1984. Risk of melanoma was determined for individual occupations and for occupations grouped by review of job descriptions into three categories of sunlight exposure: (1) indoor, (2) outdoor, or (3) indoor and outdoor. Compared with the U.S. civilian population, personnel in indoor occupations had a higher age-adjusted incidence rate of melanoma, i.e., 10.6 per 100,000 (p = .06). Persons who worked in occupations that required spending time both indoors and outdoors had the lowest rate, i.e., 7.0 per 100,000 (p = .06). Incidence rates of melanoma were higher on the trunk than on the more commonly sunlight-exposed head and arms. Two single occupations were found to have elevated rates of melanoma: (1) aircrew survival equipmentman, SIR = 6.8 (p less than .05); and (2) engineman, SIR = 2.8 (p less than .05). However, there were no cases of melanoma or no excess risk in occupations with similar job descriptions. Findings on the anatomical site of melanoma from this study suggest a protective role for brief, regular exposure to sunlight and fit with recent laboratory studies that have shown vitamin D to suppress growth of malignant melanoma cells in tissue culture. A mechanism is proposed in which vitamin D inhibits previously initiated melanomas from becoming clinically apparent.

Chemical exposure in occupational settings and related health risks: a neglected area of research in Pakistan.

PubMed

Kamal, Atif; Malik, Riffat Naseem; Fatima, Noreen; Rashid, Audil

2012-07-01

In Pakistan a huge number of workers is routinely exposed to various types of chemical contaminants but there is a dearth of information as to the impact of these agents, due to a lack of a routine surveillance system and proper reporting. Prolonged and sometimes acute occupational exposures to varied organic chemicals may result in numerous health related problems. Studies from all over the world have shown adverse health outcomes of chemicals that are commonly used in various occupations. Such chemical exposures are not just confined to the workplace, but the residents surrounding industrial sites also face significant health risks due to indirect chemical exposure. Occupational exposure is a multidimensional risk factor that varies from one occupation to another, and is associated with health decline in workers. Common determinants of workplace hazards include improper, or lack of use of self-protective equipment, active and passive exposure to cigarette smoke as well as the socio-demographic and economic background of workers. There may be more than one cause of occupational stress and psychophysical disturbance among workers such as workload, lower salaries, and lack of social and medical facilities; indeed, their general health is poor. Therefore, in Pakistan, it is particularly important to focus on these issues and set rules and regulations to create occupational hazard awareness among workers, which will promote health safety at work places. If priorities are given to the correct use of self-protective equipment, adopting proper hygiene at the workplace and to avoid smoking, occupational exposures and consequent health risks may be minimized significantly. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A site of communication among enterprises for supporting occupational health and safety management system.

PubMed

Velonakis, E; Mantas, J; Mavrikakis, I

2006-01-01

The occupational health and safety management constitutes a field of increasing interest. Institutions in cooperation with enterprises make synchronized efforts to initiate quality management systems to this field. Computer networks can offer such services via TCP/IP which is a reliable protocol for workflow management between enterprises and institutions. A design of such network is based on several factors in order to achieve defined criteria and connectivity with other networks. The network will be consisted of certain nodes responsible to inform executive persons on Occupational Health and Safety. A web database has been planned for inserting and searching documents, for answering and processing questionnaires. The submission of files to a server and the answers to questionnaires through the web help the experts to make corrections and improvements on their activities. Based on the requirements of enterprises we have constructed a web file server. We submit files in purpose users could retrieve the files which need. The access is limited to authorized users and digital watermarks authenticate and protect digital objects. The Health and Safety Management System follows ISO 18001. The implementation of it, through the web site is an aim. The all application is developed and implemented on a pilot basis for the health services sector. It is all ready installed within a hospital, supporting health and safety management among different departments of the hospital and allowing communication through WEB with other hospitals.

Protective determinants of sickness absence among employees with multisite pain-a 7-year follow-up.

PubMed

Haukka, Eija; Ojajärvi, Anneli; Kaila-Kangas, Leena; Leino-Arjas, Päivi

2017-02-01

We identified factors protective of all-cause sickness absence (SA) among subjects with multisite musculoskeletal pain (MSP). The nationally representative source sample comprised 3420 actively working Finns aged 30 to 55 in year 2000 and alive at follow-up. Pain in 18 body locations was combined into four sites (neck, low back, upper limbs, and lower limbs). The baseline prevalence of MSP (pain in ≥ 2 sites) was 32%. Baseline data on sociodemographic factors, work ability, work, health, and lifestyle were gathered by questionnaire, interview, and clinical examination and linked with national registers on all-cause SA (periods lasting ≥10 workdays) for 2002 to 2008. Based on trajectory analysis, 74% of those with MSP had a low and 26% a high probability of SA. In logistic regression analysis, younger age, male sex, and professional occupational group were inversely associated with SA. Allowing for these, good physician-assessed work ability, physically light work, possibility to adjust workday length, encouraging workplace atmosphere, no problems with working community or mental stress, normal weight, and no sleep disorders were predictive of lower SA rates (odds ratios between 0.47 and 0.70). In a final stepwise model adjusted for age, sex, and occupational group, no exposure to lifting (odds ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.39-0.85) and to repetitive hand movements (0.57, 0.39-0.83), possibility to adjust workday length (0.73, 0.53-0.99), and normal weight (0.59, 0.40-0.87) were inversely associated with SA. In conclusion, several modifiable factors related to work and lifestyle were found as predictive of lower rates of longer SA among occupationally active subjects with MSP.

Assessment of the Target Engagement and D-Serine Biomarker Profiles of the D-Amino Acid Oxidase Inhibitors Sodium Benzoate and PGM030756.

PubMed

Howley, Eimear; Bestwick, Michael; Fradley, Rosa; Harrison, Helen; Leveridge, Mathew; Okada, Kengo; Fieldhouse, Charlotte; Farnaby, Will; Canning, Hannah; Sykes, Andy P; Merchant, Kevin; Hazel, Katherine; Kerr, Catrina; Kinsella, Natasha; Walsh, Louise; Livermore, David G; Hoffman, Isaac; Ellery, Jonathan; Mitchell, Phillip; Patel, Toshal; Carlton, Mark; Barnes, Matt; Miller, David J

2017-11-01

Irregular N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function is one of the main hypotheses employed to facilitate understanding of the underlying disease state of schizophrenia. Although direct agonism of the NMDAR has not yielded promising therapeutics, advances have been made by modulating the NMDAR co-agonist site which is activated by glycine and D-serine. One approach to activate the co-agonist site is to increase synaptic D-serine levels through inhibition of D-amino acid oxidase (DAO), the major catabolic clearance pathway for this and other D-amino acids. A number of DAO inhibitors have been developed but most have not entered clinical trials. One exception to this is sodium benzoate which has demonstrated efficacy in small trials of schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Herein we provide data on the effect of sodium benzoate and an optimised Takeda compound, PGM030756 on ex vivo DAO enzyme occupancy and cerebellar D-serine levels in mice. Both compounds achieve high levels of enzyme occupancy; although lower doses of PGM030756 (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg) were required to achieve this compared to sodium benzoate (300, 1000 mg/kg). Cerebellar D-serine levels were increased by both agents with a delay of approximately 6 h after dosing before the peak effect was achieved. Our data and methods may be useful in understanding the effects of sodium benzoate that have been seen in clinical trials of schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease and to support the potential clinical assessment of other DAO inhibitors, such as PGM030756, which demonstrate good enzyme occupancy and D-serine increases following administration of low oral doses.

Genetic variability in ABCB1, occupational pesticide exposure, and Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Narayan, Shilpa; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Paul, Kimberly C; Liew, Zeyan; Cockburn, Myles; Bronstein, Jeff M; Ritz, Beate

2015-11-01

Studies suggested that variants in the ABCB1 gene encoding P-glycoprotein, a xenobiotic transporter, may increase susceptibility to pesticide exposures linked to Parkinson's Disease (PD) risk. To investigate the joint impact of two ABCB1 polymorphisms and pesticide exposures on PD risk. In a population-based case control study, we genotyped ABCB1 gene variants at rs1045642 (c.3435C/T) and rs2032582 (c.2677G/T/A) and assessed occupational exposures to organochlorine (OC) and organophosphorus (OP) pesticides based on self-reported occupational use and record-based ambient workplace exposures for 282 PD cases and 514 controls of European ancestry. We identified active ingredients in self-reported occupational use pesticides from a California database and estimated ambient workplace exposures between 1974 and 1999 employing a geographic information system together with records for state pesticide and land use. With unconditional logistic regression, we estimated marginal and joint contributions for occupational pesticide exposures and ABCB1 variants in PD. For occupationally exposed carriers of homozygous ABCB1 variant genotypes, we estimated odds ratios of 1.89 [95% confidence interval (CI): (0.87, 4.07)] to 3.71 [95% CI: (1.96, 7.02)], with the highest odds ratios estimated for occupationally exposed carriers of homozygous ABCB1 variant genotypes at both SNPs; but we found no multiplicative scale interactions. This study lends support to a previous report that commonly used pesticides, specifically OCs and OPs, and variant ABCB1 genotypes at two polymorphic sites jointly increase risk of PD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expansion of access tunnels and active-site cavities influence activity of haloalkane dehalogenases in organic cosolvents.

PubMed

Stepankova, Veronika; Khabiri, Morteza; Brezovsky, Jan; Pavelka, Antonin; Sykora, Jan; Amaro, Mariana; Minofar, Babak; Prokop, Zbynek; Hof, Martin; Ettrich, Rudiger; Chaloupkova, Radka; Damborsky, Jiri

2013-05-10

The use of enzymes for biocatalysis can be significantly enhanced by using organic cosolvents in the reaction mixtures. Selection of the cosolvent type and concentration range for an enzymatic reaction is challenging and requires extensive empirical testing. An understanding of protein-solvent interaction could provide a theoretical framework for rationalising the selection process. Here, the behaviour of three model enzymes (haloalkane dehalogenases) was investigated in the presence of three representative organic cosolvents (acetone, formamide, and isopropanol). Steady-state kinetics assays, molecular dynamics simulations, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy were used to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of enzyme-solvent interactions. Cosolvent molecules entered the enzymes' access tunnels and active sites, enlarged their volumes with no change in overall protein structure, but surprisingly did not act as competitive inhibitors. At low concentrations, the cosolvents either enhanced catalysis by lowering K(0.5) and increasing k(cat), or caused enzyme inactivation by promoting substrate inhibition and decreasing k(cat). The induced activation and inhibition of the enzymes correlated with expansion of the active-site pockets and their occupancy by cosolvent molecules. The study demonstrates that quantitative analysis of the proportions of the access tunnels and active-sites occupied by organic solvent molecules provides the valuable information for rational selection of appropriate protein-solvent pair and effective cosolvent concentration. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Occupational physical activity assessment for chronic disease prevention and management: A review of methods for both occupational health practitioners and researchers.

PubMed

Scott, Kenneth A; Browning, Raymond C

2016-01-01

Occupational physical activity (OPA) is an occupational exposure that impacts worker health. OPA is amenable to measurement and modification through the hierarchy of controls. Occupational exposure scientists have roles in addressing inadequate physical activity, as well as excessive or harmful physical activity. Occupational health researchers can contribute to the development of novel OPA exposure assessment techniques and to epidemiologic studies examining the health impacts of physical activity at work. Occupational health practitioners stand to benefit from understanding the strengths and limitations of physical activity measurement approaches, such as accelerometers in smartphones, which are already ubiquitous in many workplaces and in some worksite health programs. This comprehensive review of the literature provides an overview of physical activity monitoring for occupational exposure scientists. This article summarizes data on the public health implications of physical activity at work, highlighting complex relationships with common chronic diseases. This article includes descriptions of several techniques that have been used to measure physical activity at work and elsewhere, focusing in detail on pedometers, accelerometers, and Global Positioning System technology. Additional subjective and objective measurement strategies are described as well.

Determination of an environmental background level of 90Sr in urine for the Hanford bioassay program.

PubMed

Antonio, C L; Rivard, J W

2009-11-01

During the decommissioning and maintenance of some of the facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State, workers have potential for a Sr intake. However, because of worldwide radioactive fallout, Sr is present in our environment and can be detectable in routine urine bioassay samples. It is important for the Hanford Site bioassay program to discriminate an occupational intake from a non-occupational environmental one. A detailed study of the background Sr in the urine of unexposed Hanford workers was performed. A survey of the Hanford Site bioassay database found 128 Hanford workers who were hired between 1997 and 2002 and who had a very low potential for an occupational exposure prior to the baseline strontium urinalysis. Each urinalysis sample represented excretion during an approximate 24-h period. The arithmetic mean value for the 128 pre-exposure baselines was 3.6 +/- 5.1 mBq d. The 99 percentile result was 17 mBq d, which was interpreted to mean that 1% of Hanford workers not occupationally exposed to strontium might exceed 17 mBq d.

Exploring recruitment strategies to hire occupational therapists.

PubMed

Mulholland, Susan; Derdall, Michele

2005-02-01

Recruitment issues in occupational therapy have been a long-standing concern for the profession. This descriptive study explored the strategies currently being used by employers to recruit occupational therapists for employment purposes. An 18-item survey was mailed to 251 sites where occupational therapists work in Alberta and Saskatchewan. There was a 64% response rate and data from 130 surveys were analyzed. The results indicate that employers continue to rely on a wide variety of strategies for advertising and recruiting, the most prevalent being word of mouth, postings at universities, and providing student fieldwork placements. In turn, the most effective recruitment strategies were listed as word of mouth, advertising in the general media, and providing student fieldwork placements. Various examples of financial incentives offered by employers were also listed. Many participants identified recent changes in recruitment strategies such as making a move towards web site job postings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. The results suggest strategies for employers to target for recruiting occupational therapists and illustrate to both employers and students the importance of fieldwork in recruitment and hiring.

Do residents in a northern program have better quality lives than their counterparts in a city?

PubMed Central

Johnsen, J. H.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether McMaster University's family medicine residents training in the Family Medicine North (FMN) program have better quality lives than those based in Hamilton, Ont (urban). DESIGN: Residents at both sites were simultaneously given the Quality of Life Questionnaire, a standardized measurement tool. They were asked to complete the questionnaire anonymously and to provide demographic data. SETTING: Family practice residencies in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: McMaster University's family medicine residents. Of 66 residents living in Hamilton, 36 completed the questionnaire; five respondents were ineligible. Of 25 residents living in Thunder Bay, Ont, 24 completed the questionnaire; none were ineligible. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total quality-of-life score. Score was divided into five major domains, each with several subdomains: general well-being (material, physical, and personal growth), interpersonal relations (marital, parent-child, extended family, and extramarital), organizational activity (altruistic and political behaviour), occupational activity (job characteristics, occupational relations, and job satisfiers), and leisure and recreational activity (creative/esthetic behaviour, sports activity, vacation behaviour). RESULTS: The FMN residents scored significantly higher than the Hamilton-based residents on overall quality of life (124.7 vs 112.5, P < .05) and tended to score higher in the five major domains. The trend reached statistical significance in general well-being and occupational activity; it was also apparent in various subdomains, with statistically significant differences in material well-being, marital relations, job characteristics, job satisfiers, and vacation behaviour. CONCLUSION: Family Medicine North residents enjoy better quality of life than their urban counterparts based on responses to a standardized questionnaire. PMID:11398733

Assessing the proposed pre-last glacial maximum human occupation of North America at Coats-Hines-Litchy, Tennessee, and other sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tune, Jesse W.; Waters, Michael R.; Schmalle, Kayla A.; DeSantis, Larisa R. G.; Kamenov, George D.

2018-04-01

Genomic studies indicate that the first Pleistocene foragers who entered North America diverged from ancestral populations in Beringia sometime after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM); however, several archaeological sites in North America have been proposed to predate the LGM. We present the results of our excavation and analysis of one such site, Coats-Hines-Litchy, Tennessee, which show that this site is a paleontological locality containing a geofact assemblage that pre-dates the LGM. Other sites in North America that purportedly predate the LGM occur in geomorphic contexts that are also conducive to the formation of geofact assemblages. As such, we propose that the reported artifacts from these sites were created by natural processes. No sites in North America currently provide credible evidence of a pre-LGM occupation.

Assessment of airborne bacteria in selected occupational environments in Quezon City, Philippines.

PubMed

Rendon, Rhoshela Vi C; Garcia, Bea Clarise B; Vital, Pierangeli G

2017-05-04

Exposure to bioaerosols has been associated with health deterioration among workers in several occupational environments. This highlights the need to study the microbiological quality of air of workplaces as no such study has been conducted yet in the Philippines. To detect and characterize the culturable mesophilic airborne bacteria in selected occupational environments we used passive sedimentation technique. It was observed that the number of colony-forming units was highest in junk shop, followed by the light railway transit station and last the office. By contrast, the bacterial composition was similar in all sites: Gram-positive cocci > Gram-positive bacilli > Gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus spp. were also detected in all sites. These findings suggest that the presence of airborne bacteria may be a potential health hazard in urban occupational environments in the Philippines.

Developing probabilistic models to predict amphibian site occupancy in a patchy landscape

Treesearch

R. A. Knapp; K.R. Matthews; H. K. Preisler; R. Jellison

2003-01-01

Abstract. Human-caused fragmentation of habitats is threatening an increasing number of animal and plant species, making an understanding of the factors influencing patch occupancy ever more important. The overall goal of the current study was to develop probabilistic models of patch occupancy for the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). This once-common species...

Occupational Competency Profile for Health Occupations Education Program: Teacher Self-Assessment. Information Series: Report No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Norma J.

This assessment instrument is intended to assist teachers in evaluating the relevance of the competencies included in the health occupations education curriculum they are teaching and in assessing their own continuing education needs. The profile lists the competencies required of persons working at the following sites: hospital departments…

Allosteric modulation of ATP-gated P2X receptor channels

PubMed Central

Coddou, Claudio; Stojilkovic, Stanko S.; Huidobro-Toro, J. Pablo

2013-01-01

Seven mammalian purinergic receptor subunits, denoted P2X1 to P2X7, and several spliced forms of these subunits have been cloned. When heterologously expressed, these cDNAs encode ATP-gated non-selective cation channels organized as trimers. All activated receptors produce cell depolarization and promote Ca2+ influx through their pores and indirectly by activating voltage-gated calcium channels. However, the biophysical and pharmacological properties of these receptors differ considerably, and the majority of these subunits are also capable of forming heterotrimers with other members of the P2X receptor family, which confers further different properties. These channels have three ATP binding domains, presumably located between neighboring subunits, and occupancy of at least two binding sites is needed for their activation. In addition to the orthosteric binding sites for ATP, these receptors have additional allosteric sites that modulate the agonist action at receptors, including sites for trace metals, protons, neurosteroids, reactive oxygen species and phosphoinositides. The allosteric regulation of P2X receptors is frequently receptor-specific and could be a useful tool to identify P2X members in native tissues and their roles in signaling. The focus of this review is on common and receptor-specific allosteric modulation of P2X receptors and the molecular base accounting for allosteric binding sites. PMID:21639805

A dynamic interplay of nucleosome and Msn2 binding regulates kinetics of gene activation and repression following stress

PubMed Central

Elfving, Nils; Chereji, Răzvan V.; Bharatula, Vasudha; Björklund, Stefan; Morozov, Alexandre V.; Broach, James R.

2014-01-01

The transcription factor Msn2 mediates a significant proportion of the environmental stress response, in which a common cohort of genes changes expression in a stereotypic fashion upon exposure to any of a wide variety of stresses. We have applied genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation and nucleosome profiling to determine where Msn2 binds under stressful conditions and how that binding affects, and is affected by, nucleosome positioning. We concurrently determined the effect of Msn2 activity on gene expression following stress and demonstrated that Msn2 stimulates both activation and repression. We found that some genes responded to both intermittent and continuous Msn2 nuclear occupancy while others responded only to continuous occupancy. Finally, these studies document a dynamic interplay between nucleosomes and Msn2 such that nucleosomes can restrict access of Msn2 to its canonical binding sites while Msn2 can promote reposition, expulsion and recruitment of nucleosomes to alter gene expression. This interplay may allow the cell to discriminate between different types of stress signaling. PMID:24598258

Disentangling Transient Charge Density and Metal–Ligand Covalency in Photoexcited Ferricyanide with Femtosecond Resonant Inelastic Soft X-ray Scattering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jay, Raphael M.; Norell, Jesper; Eckert, Sebastian

Soft X-ray spectroscopies are ideal probes of the local valence electronic structure of photocatalytically active metal sites. Here, we apply the selectivity of time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the iron L-edge to the transient charge distribution of an optically excited charge-transfer state in aqueous ferricyanide. Through comparison to steady-state spectra and quantum chemical calculations, the coupled effects of valence-shell closing and ligand-hole creation are experimentally and theoretically disentangled and described in terms of orbital occupancy, metal–ligand covalency, and ligand field splitting, thereby extending established steady-state concepts to the excited-state domain. π-Back-donation is found to be mainly determined by themore » metal site occupation, whereas the ligand hole instead influences σ-donation. Here, our results demonstrate how ultrafast resonant inelastic X-ray scattering can help characterize local charge distributions around catalytic metal centers in short-lived charge-transfer excited states, as a step toward future rationalization and tailoring of photocatalytic capabilities of transition-metal complexes.« less

Disentangling Transient Charge Density and Metal–Ligand Covalency in Photoexcited Ferricyanide with Femtosecond Resonant Inelastic Soft X-ray Scattering

DOE PAGES

Jay, Raphael M.; Norell, Jesper; Eckert, Sebastian; ...

2018-06-11

Soft X-ray spectroscopies are ideal probes of the local valence electronic structure of photocatalytically active metal sites. Here, we apply the selectivity of time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the iron L-edge to the transient charge distribution of an optically excited charge-transfer state in aqueous ferricyanide. Through comparison to steady-state spectra and quantum chemical calculations, the coupled effects of valence-shell closing and ligand-hole creation are experimentally and theoretically disentangled and described in terms of orbital occupancy, metal–ligand covalency, and ligand field splitting, thereby extending established steady-state concepts to the excited-state domain. π-Back-donation is found to be mainly determined by themore » metal site occupation, whereas the ligand hole instead influences σ-donation. Here, our results demonstrate how ultrafast resonant inelastic X-ray scattering can help characterize local charge distributions around catalytic metal centers in short-lived charge-transfer excited states, as a step toward future rationalization and tailoring of photocatalytic capabilities of transition-metal complexes.« less

Evidence for independent motional processes on the two interstitial sublattices of a layer-structured metal hydride: Hydrogen spin-lattice relaxation and motional narrowing in zirconium monohalide hemihydrides, ZrXH0.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, T. Y.; Schoenberger, R. J.; Torgeson, D. R.; Barnes, R. G.

1983-01-01

We report the results of a proton-magnetic-resonance investigation of hydrogen location and motion in the hemihydrides ZrXH0.5 of the metallic layer-structured monohalides ZrX of zirconium (X=Br,Cl). Wide-line and pulsed NMR methods were employed to measure the temperature dependence of the linewidth and second moment and of the spin-lattice relaxation time in the laboratory and rotating frames. The results indicate that hydrogen forms an ordered structure on the tetrahedral (T) interstitial sublattice within the Zr metal bilayers, with some (small) random occupancy of octahedral (O) sites. Two stages of motional narrowing observed in the wide-line measurements and double minima found in the relaxation times are consistent with the occurrence of essentially independent hydrogen motional processes on the T and O interstitial sublattices. Hydrogen site occupancy probabilities, jump frequencies, activation energies for hydrogen diffusion, and conduction-electron contributions to the proton spin-lattice relaxation rate are deduced from the measurements.

Occupational exposure to styrene in the fibreglass reinforced plastic industry: comparison between two different manufacturing processes.

PubMed

Tranfo, Giovanna; Gherardi, Monica; Paci, E; Gatto, Mariapia; Gordiani, A; Caporossi, Lidia; Capanna, Silvia; Sisto, Renata; Papaleo, B; Fiumalbi, Carla; Garofani, Patrizia

2012-01-01

Styrene is used in manufacturing fiberglass reinforced plastics: and occupational exposure was related to neurotoxicology and genotoxicity. The sum of the metabolites mandelic and phenylglyoxylic acids is the ACGIH biomarker for occupational exposure with a BEI of 400 mg/g of creatinine in end shift urine corresponding to a airborne styrene concentration of 85 mg/m3. There are two main molding processes, open and closed, the last more effective at controlling worker's styrene exposure. To compare the open molding process to the compression of fiber reinforced resin foils, a kind of closed molding, monitoring the styrene exposure of workers in two production sites (A and B). Environmental Monitoring was carried out by Radiello samplers and Biological Monitoring by means of the determination of MA and PGA with HPLC/MS/MS in 10 workers at Site A and 14 at Site B. The median values for styrene exposure resulted 31.1 mg/m3 for Site A and 24.4 mg/m for Site B, while the medians for the sum of the two metabolites in the end shift urine were 86.7 e 33.8 mg/g creatinine respectively. There is a significant linear correlation between personal styrene exposure and the excretion of styrene metabolites (R = 0.74). As expected the exposure markers of the workers of the two production sites resulted higher in the open process. The analytical results of both environmental and biological monitoring were all below the occupational exposure limits, confirming the efficacy of the protective devices.

Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Ibrutinib (PCI-32765) Has Significant Activity in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Malignancies

PubMed Central

Buggy, Joseph J.; Sharman, Jeff P.; Smith, Sonali M.; Boyd, Thomas E.; Grant, Barbara; Kolibaba, Kathryn S.; Furman, Richard R.; Rodriguez, Sara; Chang, Betty Y.; Sukbuntherng, Juthamas; Izumi, Raquel; Hamdy, Ahmed; Hedrick, Eric; Fowler, Nathan H.

2013-01-01

Purpose Survival and progression of mature B-cell malignancies depend on signals from the B-cell antigen receptor, and Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a critical signaling kinase in this pathway. We evaluated ibrutinib (PCI-32765), a small-molecule irreversible inhibitor of BTK, in patients with B-cell malignancies. Patients and Methods Patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia received escalating oral doses of ibrutinib. Two schedules were evaluated: one, 28 days on, 7 days off; and two, once-daily continuous dosing. Occupancy of BTK by ibrutinib in peripheral blood was monitored using a fluorescent affinity probe. Dose escalation proceeded until either the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) was achieved or, in the absence of MTD, until three dose levels above full BTK occupancy by ibrutinib. Response was evaluated every two cycles. Results Fifty-six patients with a variety of B-cell malignancies were treated over seven cohorts. Most adverse events were grade 1 and 2 in severity and self-limited. Dose-limiting events were not observed, even with prolonged dosing. Full occupancy of the BTK active site occurred at 2.5 mg/kg per day, and dose escalation continued to 12.5 mg/kg per day without reaching MTD. Pharmacokinetic data indicated rapid absorption and elimination, yet BTK occupancy was maintained for at least 24 hours, consistent with the irreversible mechanism. Objective response rate in 50 evaluable patients was 60%, including complete response of 16%. Median progression-free survival in all patients was 13.6 months. Conclusion Ibrutinib, a novel BTK-targeting inhibitor, is well tolerated, with substantial activity across B-cell histologies. PMID:23045577

Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib (PCI-32765) has significant activity in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies.

PubMed

Advani, Ranjana H; Buggy, Joseph J; Sharman, Jeff P; Smith, Sonali M; Boyd, Thomas E; Grant, Barbara; Kolibaba, Kathryn S; Furman, Richard R; Rodriguez, Sara; Chang, Betty Y; Sukbuntherng, Juthamas; Izumi, Raquel; Hamdy, Ahmed; Hedrick, Eric; Fowler, Nathan H

2013-01-01

Survival and progression of mature B-cell malignancies depend on signals from the B-cell antigen receptor, and Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a critical signaling kinase in this pathway. We evaluated ibrutinib (PCI-32765), a small-molecule irreversible inhibitor of BTK, in patients with B-cell malignancies. Patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia received escalating oral doses of ibrutinib. Two schedules were evaluated: one, 28 days on, 7 days off; and two, once-daily continuous dosing. Occupancy of BTK by ibrutinib in peripheral blood was monitored using a fluorescent affinity probe. Dose escalation proceeded until either the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) was achieved or, in the absence of MTD, until three dose levels above full BTK occupancy by ibrutinib. Response was evaluated every two cycles. Fifty-six patients with a variety of B-cell malignancies were treated over seven cohorts. Most adverse events were grade 1 and 2 in severity and self-limited. Dose-limiting events were not observed, even with prolonged dosing. Full occupancy of the BTK active site occurred at 2.5 mg/kg per day, and dose escalation continued to 12.5 mg/kg per day without reaching MTD. Pharmacokinetic data indicated rapid absorption and elimination, yet BTK occupancy was maintained for at least 24 hours, consistent with the irreversible mechanism. Objective response rate in 50 evaluable patients was 60%, including complete response of 16%. Median progression-free survival in all patients was 13.6 months. Ibrutinib, a novel BTK-targeting inhibitor, is well tolerated, with substantial activity across B-cell histologies.

Site identity and importance in cosubstituted bixbyite In 2O 3

DOE PAGES

Rickert, Karl; Harris, Jeremy; Sedefoglu, Nazmi; ...

2017-02-09

The bixbyite structure of In 2O 3 has two nonequivalent, 6-coordinate cation sites and, when Sn is doped into In 2O 3, the Sn prefers the “b-site” and produces a highly conductive material. When divalent/tetravalent cation pairs are cosubstituted into In 2O 3, however, the conductivity increases to a lesser extent and the site occupancy is less understood. We examine the site occupancy in the Mg xIn 2–2xSn xO 3 and Zn xIn 2–2xSn xO 3 systems with high resolution X-ray and neutron diffraction and density functional theory computations, respectively. In these sample cases and those that are previously reportedmore » in the M xIn 2–2xSn xO 3 (M = Cu, Ni, or Zn) systems, the solubility limit is greater than 25%, ensuring that the b-site cannot be the exclusively preferred site as it is in Sn:In 2O 3. Prior to this saturation point, we report that the M 2+ cation always has at least a partial occupancy on the d-site and the Sn 4+ cation has at least a partial occupancy on the b-site. The energies of formation for these configurations are highly favored, and prefer that the divalent and tetravalent substitutes are adjacent in the crystal lattice, which suggests short range ordering. Diffuse reflectance and 4-point probe measurements of Mg xIn 2–xSn xO 3 demonstrate that it can maintain an optical band gap >2.8 eV while surpassing 1000 S/cm in conductivity. Furthermore, understanding how multiple constituents occupy the two nonequivalent cation sites can provide information on how to optimize cosubstituted systems to increase Sn solubility while maintaining its dopant nature, achieving maximum conductivity.« less

Site identity and importance in cosubstituted bixbyite In 2O 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rickert, Karl; Harris, Jeremy; Sedefoglu, Nazmi

The bixbyite structure of In 2O 3 has two nonequivalent, 6-coordinate cation sites and, when Sn is doped into In 2O 3, the Sn prefers the “b-site” and produces a highly conductive material. When divalent/tetravalent cation pairs are cosubstituted into In 2O 3, however, the conductivity increases to a lesser extent and the site occupancy is less understood. We examine the site occupancy in the Mg xIn 2–2xSn xO 3 and Zn xIn 2–2xSn xO 3 systems with high resolution X-ray and neutron diffraction and density functional theory computations, respectively. In these sample cases and those that are previously reportedmore » in the M xIn 2–2xSn xO 3 (M = Cu, Ni, or Zn) systems, the solubility limit is greater than 25%, ensuring that the b-site cannot be the exclusively preferred site as it is in Sn:In 2O 3. Prior to this saturation point, we report that the M 2+ cation always has at least a partial occupancy on the d-site and the Sn 4+ cation has at least a partial occupancy on the b-site. The energies of formation for these configurations are highly favored, and prefer that the divalent and tetravalent substitutes are adjacent in the crystal lattice, which suggests short range ordering. Diffuse reflectance and 4-point probe measurements of Mg xIn 2–xSn xO 3 demonstrate that it can maintain an optical band gap >2.8 eV while surpassing 1000 S/cm in conductivity. Furthermore, understanding how multiple constituents occupy the two nonequivalent cation sites can provide information on how to optimize cosubstituted systems to increase Sn solubility while maintaining its dopant nature, achieving maximum conductivity.« less

Role of individual phosphorylation sites in inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in rat heart mitochondria

PubMed Central

Sale, Graham J.; Randle, Philip J.

1982-01-01

1. A method is described using trypsin/formic acid cleavage for unambiguously measuring occupancies of phosphorylation sites in rat heart pyruvate dehydrogenase [32P]phosphate complexes. 2. In mitochondria oxidizing 2-oxoglutarate+l-malate relative initial rates of phosphorylation were site 1>site 2>site 3. 3. Dephosphorylation and reactivation of fully phosphorylated complex was initiated in mitochondria by inhibiting the kinase reaction. Using dichloroacetate relative rates of dephosphorylation were site 2>(1=3). Using sodium dithionite or sodium pyruvate or uncouplers+sodium arsenite or steady state turnover (31P replacing 32P in inactive complex) relative rates were site 2>site 1>site 3. With dithionite reactivation was faster than site 3 dephosphorylation, i.e. site 3 is apparently not inactivating. 4. The steady state proportion of inactive complex was varied (92–48%) in mitochondria oxidizing 2-oxoglutarate/l-malate by increasing extramitochondrial Ca2+ (0–2.6μm). This action of Ca2+ induced dephosphorylation (site 3>site 2>site 1). These experiments enable prediction of site occupancies in vivo for given steady state proportions of inactive complexes. 5. The proportion of inactive complex was related linearly to occupancy of site 1. 6. Sodium dithionite (10mm) and Ca2+ (0.5μm) together resulted in faster dephosphorylations of each site than either agent alone; relative rates were site 2>(1=3). 7. Dephosphorylation and possibly phosphorylation of sites 1 and 2 was not purely sequential as shown by detection of complexes phosphorylated in site 2 but not in site 1. Estimates of the contribution of site 2 phosphorylation to inactivation ranged from 0.7 to 6.4%. 8. It is concluded that the primary function of site 1 phosphorylation is inactivation, phosphorylation of site 2 is not primarily concerned with inactivation and that phosphorylation of site 3 is non-inactivating. PMID:7103952

Stone tools and foraging in northern Madagascar challenge Holocene extinction models

PubMed Central

Dewar, Robert E.; Radimilahy, Chantal; Wright, Henry T.; Jacobs, Zenobia; Kelly, Gwendolyn O.; Berna, Francesco

2013-01-01

Past research on Madagascar indicates that village communities were established about AD 500 by people of both Indonesian and East African heritage. Evidence of earlier visits is scattered and contentious. Recent archaeological excavations in northern Madagascar provide evidence of occupational sites with microlithic stone technologies related to foraging for forest and coastal resources. A forager occupation of one site dates to earlier than 2000 B.C., doubling the length of Madagascar’s known occupational history, and thus the time during which people exploited Madagascar’s environments. We detail stratigraphy, chronology, and artifacts from two rock shelters. Ambohiposa near Iharana (Vohémar) on the northeast coast, yielded a stratified assemblage with small flakes, microblades, and retouched crescentic and trapezoidal tools, probably projectile elements, made on cherts and obsidian, some brought more that 200 km. 14C dates are contemporary with the earliest villages. No food remains are preserved. Lakaton’i Anja near Antsiranana in the north yielded several stratified assemblages. The latest assemblage is well dated to A.D. 1050–1350, by 14C and optically stimulated luminescence dating and pottery imported from the Near East and China. Below is a series of stratified assemblages similar to Ambohiposa. 14C and optically stimulated luminescence dates indicate occupation from at least 2000 B.C. Faunal remains indicate a foraging pattern. Our evidence shows that foragers with a microlithic technology were active in Madagascar long before the arrival of farmers and herders and before many Late Holocene faunal extinctions. The differing effects of historically distinct economies must be identified and understood to reconstruct Holocene histories of human environmental impact. PMID:23858456

Occupational health and safety in the Moroccan construction sites: preliminary diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarik, Bakeli; Adil, Hafidi Alaoui

2018-05-01

Managing occupational health and safety on Moroccan construction sector represents the first step for projects' success. In fact, by avoiding accidents, all the related direct and indirect costs and delays can be prevented. That leads to an important question always asked by any project manager: what are the factors responsible for accidents? How can they be avoided? Through this research, the aim is to go through these questions, to contribute in occupational health and safety principles understanding, to identify construction accidentology and risk management opportunities and to approach the case of Moroccan construction sites by an accurate diagnosis. The approach is to make researchers, managers, stakeholders and deciders aware about the criticality of construction sites health and safety situation. And, to do the first step for a scientific research project in relation with health and safety in the Moroccan construction sector. For this, the paper will study the related state of art namely about construction sites accidents causation, and will focus on Reason's `Swiss cheese' model and its utilization for Moroccan construction sites health and safety diagnosis. The research will end with an estimation of an accidents fatality rate in the Moroccan construction sector and a benchmarking with the international rates. Finally, conclusions will be presented about the necessity of Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) implementation, which shall cover all risk levels, and insure, at the same time, that the necessary defenses against accidents are on place.

Relationships of occupational and non-occupational physical activity to abdominal obesity.

PubMed

Steeves, J A; Bassett, D R; Thompson, D L; Fitzhugh, E C

2012-01-01

Physically active occupations may protect against the risk of abdominal obesity. This study assessed the interaction between non-occupational physical activity (NOA) (leisure-time, transport and domestic activity) and occupational activity (OA) in relation to abdominal obesity. A total of 3539 adults over the age of 20, with no work limitations, employed in one of the 17 occupations classified as low OA (LOA) or high OA (HOA) were identified in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Waist circumference (WC) was used to categorize individuals into either non-obese or abdominally obese (WC>88 cm in women and >102 cm in men) categories. NOA was divided into three categories based upon physical activity guidelines: (1) no NOA; (2) insufficient NOA; and (3) sufficient NOA. Logistic regression was used to examine possible associations between NOA, OA and abdominal obesity. In those who are sedentary outside of work, a high-activity occupation reduces the odds risk ratio of being categorized with abdominal obesity to 0.37 in comparison with those who work in low-activity occupations. For people working in low-activity occupations, there was a clear association with activity outside of work and the odds risk ratio of being categorized with abdominal obesity. In these adults, a reduced odds ratio was found only among those who met the physical activity guidelines through NOA (odds ratio=0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.40-0.75). HOA is associated with a reduced risk of abdominal obesity. Thus, it is important to include OA in studies seeking to understand the association between physical activity and abdominal adiposity.

Occupational and Environmental Health Risks Associated with Informal Sector Activities-Selected Case Studies from West Africa.

PubMed

Basu, Niladri; Ayelo, Paul Ahoumènou; Djogbénou, Luc S; Kedoté, Marius; Lawin, Herve; Tohon, Honesty; Oloruntoba, Elizabeth O; Adebisi, Nurudeen A; Cazabon, Danielle; Fobil, Julius; Robins, Thomas; Fayomi, Benjamin

2016-08-01

Most in the Economic Community of West African States region are employed in the informal sector. While the informal sector plays a significant role in the region's economy, policymakers and the scientific community have long neglected it. To better understand informal-sector work conditions, the goal here is to bring together researchers to exchange findings and catalyze dialogue. The article showcases research studies on several economic systems, namely agriculture, resource extraction, transportation, and trade/commerce. Site-specific cases are provided concerning occupational health risks within artisanal and small-scale gold mining, aggregate mining, gasoline trade, farming and pesticide applications, and electronic waste recycling. These cases emphasize the vastness of the informal sector and that the majority of work activities across the region remain poorly documented, and thus no data or knowledge is available to help improve conditions and formulate policies and programs to promote and ensure decent work conditions. © The Author(s) 2016.

[Musculoskeletal pain in Central American workers: results of the First Survey on Working Conditions and Health in Central America].

PubMed

Rojas, Marianela; Gimeno, David; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Benavides, Fernando G

2015-08-01

Examine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in the six Spanish-speaking countries of Central America using a single standardized instrument, the First Survey on Working Conditions and Health in Central America in workers from all manual and non-manual labor sectors, using social security coverage as an indicator of formal versus informal employment. The workers (n = 12 024) were surveyed in their homes. The age-adjusted prevalence of MSP during the previous month was calculated for pain in the back (upper, or cervical; middle, or thoracic; and lower, or lumbar) and arm joints (shoulder, elbow, and wrist). Prevalence was estimated by sex, occupation (manual or non-manual), economic sector (agriculture, industry, or services), and social security coverage. Poisson regression models were used to calculate the prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals, with stratification by country and anatomical site. By sites, the age-adjusted prevalence of cervical-dorsal MSP was the highest, especially in El Salvador (47.8%) and Nicaragua (45.9%), and lumbar MSP was less prevalent, especially in Panama (12.8%) and Guatemala (14.8%). After additional adjustments, the prevalence of MSP was higher in women and manual workers for all the sites and in all the countries. There were no differences in MSP in terms of social security coverage or sector of economic activity. The high prevalence of MSP in Central America, regardless of sector of activity or social security coverage, indicates that the prevention of MSP should be a priority in occupational health programs in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women and manual workers.

Short-term occupancy and abundance dynamics of the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) across its core range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, Michael J.; Pearl, Christopher A.; Mccreary, Brome; Galvan, Stephanie

2014-01-01

The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) occupies only a fraction of its original range and is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. We surveyed 93 sites in a rotating frame design (2010–13) in the Klamath and Deschutes Basins, Oregon, which encompass most of the species’ core extant range. Oregon spotted frogs are declining in abundance and probability of site occupancy. We did not find an association between the probability that Oregon spotted frogs disappear from a site (local extinction) and any of the variables hypothesized to affect Oregon spotted frog occupancy. This 4-year study provides baseline data, but the 4-year period was too short to draw firm conclusions. Further study is essential to understand how habitat changes and management practices relate to the status and trends of this species.

Epidemiologic surveillance. Annual report for Savannah River Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-09-01

Epidemiologic surveillance at US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities consists of regular and systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on absences due to illness and injury in the work force. Its purpose is to provide an early warning system for health problems occurring among employees at participating sites. In this annual report, the 1994 morbidity data for the Savannah River Site (SRS) are summarized. These analyses focus on absences of 5 or more consecutive workdays occurring among workers aged 16-75 years. They are arranged in five sets of tables that present: (1) the distribution of the labor force bymore » occupational category and salary status; (2) the absences per person, diagnoses per absences, and diagnosis rates for the whole work force; (3) diagnosis rates by type of disease or injury; (4) diagnosis rates by occupational category; and (5) relative risks for specific types of disease or injury by occupational category.« less

The health paradox of occupational and leisure-time physical activity.

PubMed

Holtermann, A; Hansen, J V; Burr, H; Søgaard, K; Sjøgaard, G

2012-03-01

Occupational and leisure-time physical activity are considered to provide similar health benefits. The authors tested this hypothesis. A representative sample of Danish employees (n=7144, 52% females) reported levels of occupational and leisure-time physical activity in 2005. Long-term sickness absence (LTSA) spells of ≥3 consecutive weeks were retrieved from a social-transfer payment register from 2005 to 2007. 341 men and 620 females experienced a spell of LTSA during the period. Cox analyses adjusted for age, gender, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, chronic disease, social support from immediate superior, emotional demands, social class and occupational or leisure-time physical activity showed a decreased risk for LTSA among workers with moderate (HR 0.85, CI 0.72 to 1.01) and high (HR 0.77, CI 0.62 to 0.95) leisure-time physical activity in reference to those with low leisure-time physical activity. In contrast, an increased risk for LTSA was shown among workers with moderate (HR 1.59, CI 1.35 to 1.88) and high (HR 1.84, CI 1.55 to 2.18) occupational physical activity referencing those with low occupational physical activity. The hypothesis was rejected. In a dose-response manner, occupational physical activity increased the risk for LTSA, while leisure-time physical activity decreased the risk for LTSA. The findings indicate opposing effects of occupational and leisure-time physical activity on global health.

Modeling Airborne Beryllium Concentrations From Open Air Dynamic Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, N. M.

2003-12-01

A heightened awareness of airborne beryllium contamination from industrial activities was reestablished during the late 1980's and early 1990's when it became recognized that Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD) had not been eradicated, and that the Occupational Health and Safety Administration standards for occupational air exposure to beryllium may not be sufficiently protective. This was in response to the observed CBD increase in multiple industrial settings where beryllium was manufactured and/or machined, thus producing beryllium particulates which are then available for redistribution by airborne transport. Sampling and modeling design activities were expanded at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico to evaluate potential airborne beryllium exposure to workers who might be exposed during dynamic testing activities associated with nuclear weapons Stockpile Stewardship. Herein is presented the results of multiple types of collected air measurements that were designed to characterize the production and dispersion of beryllium used in components whose performance is evaluated during high explosive detonation at open air firing sites. Data from fallout, high volume air, medium volume air, adhesive film, particle size impactor, and fine-particulate counting techniques will be presented, integrated, and applied in dispersion modeling to assess potential onsite and offsite personal exposures resulting from dynamic testing activities involving beryllium.

[Investigation of health literacy and enterprise provided health service utilization among migrants in construction site].

PubMed

Jiang, Ying; Zeng, Qingqi; Ji, Ying; Wang, Yanling; Zheng, Yunting; Chang, Chun

2015-01-01

To investigate health literacy and enterprise provided health service utilization among migrants in construction sites and explore the influencing factors of enterprise provided health service utilization. All 652 migrants in 10 construction sites in Xi'an and Tongchuan were selected using stratified cluster sampling method, and health literacy level, occupational health awareness and enterprise provided health service utilization of migrants were investigated in 2013 April to June.Score and pass rate was used to describe status of health literacy and occupational health awareness of migrants. Chi-square was used to analyze the difference of occupational health awareness and enterprise provided health service utilization between migrants of different levels of health literacy. And logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of enterprise provided health service utilization. Average score of health literacy among migrants in construction site was (3.75 ± 2.17) (9 score totally). Migrants who knew enterprise should provide health training, physical examination, safety training, occupational protection and pay health insurance for workers accounted for 28.2% (174/616), 43.5% (268/616), 52.8% (325/616), 54.9% (338/616) and 37.7% (230/616) respectively, and the percentage of migrants who thought there were noise and dust in their working environment were 46.4% (201/627) and 44.8% (281/627) respectively.61.1% (373/610) received none of health training, occupational training, physical examination and first-aid kit, and only 0.8% (5/610) had utilized all of the above health service in workplace. And logistic regression showed that migrants whose health literacy score was higher than 5 had 1.819 times probability to utilize enterprise provided health service (OR = 1.82, 95%CI:1.13-2.92) , and migrants who were educated for more than 13 years had 3.812 times probability to utilize enterprise provided health service than those who were educated for less than 6 years (OR = 3.81, 95%CI:1.75-8.31) .However, occupational health awareness had no significant influence to the utility of enterprise provided health service utilization in logistic regression (χ(2) = 3.50, P = 0.061). Occupational health awareness and enterprise provided health service utilization were both low among migrants in construction site, level of health literacy and school years were the main factors that influence enterprise provided health service utilization.

Occupational energy expenditure and leisure-time physical activity.

PubMed

Kaleta, Dorota; Jegier, Anna

2005-01-01

In the majority of countries around the world, a decrease in the leisure-time physical activity is observed. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between occupational energy expenditure and leisure-time physical activity. Moreover, the correlation between other factors and leisure-time physical activity was assessed. The study was performed in a randomly selected group of full-time employees (272 men and 236 women) living in the city of Lódź. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals as well as to control the effects of occupational workload and leisure-time physical activity limitations. Physical activity was determined by the Seven Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR). Leisure-time physical activity was strongly associated with energy expenditure on occupational physical activity in men and women. Among men who expended 4000 kcal/week or more on occupational physical activity, the risk of inactivity at leisure was 1.5 times higher than in men whose weekly energy expenditure on occupational activity did not exceed 4000 kcal (adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.06-2.34). Among women who expended 3500 kcal/week or more on occupational physical activity, the risk of not taking up leisure-time physical activity was also higher as compared to those whose weekly energy expenditure on occupational activity was lower than 3500 kcal (adjusted OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.09-3.40). Prophylactic schedules associated with the improvement of leisure-time physical activity should be addressed to all adults, particularly to blue-collar workers. Future programs aimed at increasing physical activity in adults should consider work-related factors.

How Inhomogeneous Site Percolation Works on Bethe Lattices: Theory and Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Jingli; Zhang, Liying; Siegmund, Stefan

2016-03-01

Inhomogeneous percolation, for its closer relationship with real-life, can be more useful and reasonable than homogeneous percolation to illustrate the critical phenomena and dynamical behaviour of complex networks. However, due to its intricacy, the theoretical framework of inhomogeneous percolation is far from being complete and many challenging problems are still open. In this paper, we first investigate inhomogeneous site percolation on Bethe Lattices with two occupation probabilities, and then extend the result to percolation with m occupation probabilities. The critical behaviour of this inhomogeneous percolation is shown clearly by formulating the percolation probability with given occupation probability p, the critical occupation probability , and the average cluster size where p is subject to . Moreover, using the above theory, we discuss in detail the diffusion behaviour of an infectious disease (SARS) and present specific disease-control strategies in consideration of groups with different infection probabilities.

Recombinant Human Factor IX Produced from Transgenic Porcine Milk

PubMed Central

Lee, Meng-Hwan; Lin, Yin-Shen; Tu, Ching-Fu; Yen, Chon-Ho

2014-01-01

Production of biopharmaceuticals from transgenic animal milk is a cost-effective method for highly complex proteins that cannot be efficiently produced using conventional systems such as microorganisms or animal cells. Yields of recombinant human factor IX (rhFIX) produced from transgenic porcine milk under the control of the bovine α-lactalbumin promoter reached 0.25 mg/mL. The rhFIX protein was purified from transgenic porcine milk using a three-column purification scheme after a precipitation step to remove casein. The purified protein had high specific activity and a low ratio of the active form (FIXa). The purified rhFIX had 11.9 γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues/mol protein, which approached full occupancy of the 12 potential sites in the Gla domain. The rhFIX was shown to have a higher isoelectric point and lower sialic acid content than plasma-derived FIX (pdFIX). The rhFIX had the same N-glycosylation sites and phosphorylation sites as pdFIX, but had a higher specific activity. These results suggest that rhFIX produced from porcine milk is physiologically active and they support the use of transgenic animals as bioreactors for industrial scale production in milk. PMID:24955355

Grizzly Bear Noninvasive Genetic Tagging Surveys: Estimating the Magnitude of Missed Detections.

PubMed

Fisher, Jason T; Heim, Nicole; Code, Sandra; Paczkowski, John

2016-01-01

Sound wildlife conservation decisions require sound information, and scientists increasingly rely on remotely collected data over large spatial scales, such as noninvasive genetic tagging (NGT). Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), for example, are difficult to study at population scales except with noninvasive data, and NGT via hair trapping informs management over much of grizzly bears' range. Considerable statistical effort has gone into estimating sources of heterogeneity, but detection error-arising when a visiting bear fails to leave a hair sample-has not been independently estimated. We used camera traps to survey grizzly bear occurrence at fixed hair traps and multi-method hierarchical occupancy models to estimate the probability that a visiting bear actually leaves a hair sample with viable DNA. We surveyed grizzly bears via hair trapping and camera trapping for 8 monthly surveys at 50 (2012) and 76 (2013) sites in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. We used multi-method occupancy models to estimate site occupancy, probability of detection, and conditional occupancy at a hair trap. We tested the prediction that detection error in NGT studies could be induced by temporal variability within season, leading to underestimation of occupancy. NGT via hair trapping consistently underestimated grizzly bear occupancy at a site when compared to camera trapping. At best occupancy was underestimated by 50%; at worst, by 95%. Probability of false absence was reduced through successive surveys, but this mainly accounts for error imparted by movement among repeated surveys, not necessarily missed detections by extant bears. The implications of missed detections and biased occupancy estimates for density estimation-which form the crux of management plans-require consideration. We suggest hair-trap NGT studies should estimate and correct detection error using independent survey methods such as cameras, to ensure the reliability of the data upon which species management and conservation actions are based.

Grizzly Bear Noninvasive Genetic Tagging Surveys: Estimating the Magnitude of Missed Detections

PubMed Central

Fisher, Jason T.; Heim, Nicole; Code, Sandra; Paczkowski, John

2016-01-01

Sound wildlife conservation decisions require sound information, and scientists increasingly rely on remotely collected data over large spatial scales, such as noninvasive genetic tagging (NGT). Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), for example, are difficult to study at population scales except with noninvasive data, and NGT via hair trapping informs management over much of grizzly bears’ range. Considerable statistical effort has gone into estimating sources of heterogeneity, but detection error–arising when a visiting bear fails to leave a hair sample–has not been independently estimated. We used camera traps to survey grizzly bear occurrence at fixed hair traps and multi-method hierarchical occupancy models to estimate the probability that a visiting bear actually leaves a hair sample with viable DNA. We surveyed grizzly bears via hair trapping and camera trapping for 8 monthly surveys at 50 (2012) and 76 (2013) sites in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. We used multi-method occupancy models to estimate site occupancy, probability of detection, and conditional occupancy at a hair trap. We tested the prediction that detection error in NGT studies could be induced by temporal variability within season, leading to underestimation of occupancy. NGT via hair trapping consistently underestimated grizzly bear occupancy at a site when compared to camera trapping. At best occupancy was underestimated by 50%; at worst, by 95%. Probability of false absence was reduced through successive surveys, but this mainly accounts for error imparted by movement among repeated surveys, not necessarily missed detections by extant bears. The implications of missed detections and biased occupancy estimates for density estimation–which form the crux of management plans–require consideration. We suggest hair-trap NGT studies should estimate and correct detection error using independent survey methods such as cameras, to ensure the reliability of the data upon which species management and conservation actions are based. PMID:27603134

High precision and high yield fabrication of dense nanoparticle arrays onto DNA origami at statistically independent binding sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takabayashi, Sadao; Klein, William P.; Onodera, Craig; Rapp, Blake; Flores-Estrada, Juan; Lindau, Elias; Snowball, Lejmarc; Sam, Joseph T.; Padilla, Jennifer E.; Lee, Jeunghoon; Knowlton, William B.; Graugnard, Elton; Yurke, Bernard; Kuang, Wan; Hughes, William L.

2014-10-01

High precision, high yield, and high density self-assembly of nanoparticles into arrays is essential for nanophotonics. Spatial deviations as small as a few nanometers can alter the properties of near-field coupled optical nanostructures. Several studies have reported assemblies of few nanoparticle structures with controlled spacing using DNA nanostructures with variable yield. Here, we report multi-tether design strategies and attachment yields for homo- and hetero-nanoparticle arrays templated by DNA origami nanotubes. Nanoparticle attachment yield via DNA hybridization is comparable with streptavidin-biotin binding. Independent of the number of binding sites, >97% site-occupation was achieved with four tethers and 99.2% site-occupation is theoretically possible with five tethers. The interparticle distance was within 2 nm of all design specifications and the nanoparticle spatial deviations decreased with interparticle spacing. Modified geometric, binomial, and trinomial distributions indicate that site-bridging, steric hindrance, and electrostatic repulsion were not dominant barriers to self-assembly and both tethers and binding sites were statistically independent at high particle densities.High precision, high yield, and high density self-assembly of nanoparticles into arrays is essential for nanophotonics. Spatial deviations as small as a few nanometers can alter the properties of near-field coupled optical nanostructures. Several studies have reported assemblies of few nanoparticle structures with controlled spacing using DNA nanostructures with variable yield. Here, we report multi-tether design strategies and attachment yields for homo- and hetero-nanoparticle arrays templated by DNA origami nanotubes. Nanoparticle attachment yield via DNA hybridization is comparable with streptavidin-biotin binding. Independent of the number of binding sites, >97% site-occupation was achieved with four tethers and 99.2% site-occupation is theoretically possible with five tethers. The interparticle distance was within 2 nm of all design specifications and the nanoparticle spatial deviations decreased with interparticle spacing. Modified geometric, binomial, and trinomial distributions indicate that site-bridging, steric hindrance, and electrostatic repulsion were not dominant barriers to self-assembly and both tethers and binding sites were statistically independent at high particle densities. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr03069a

Exercise, Occupational Activity, and Risk of Sleep Apnea: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

da Silva, Roberto P.; Martinez, Denis; Pedroso, Martina M.; Righi, Camila G.; Martins, Emerson F.; Silva, Leticia M.T.; Lenz, Maria do Carmo S.; Fiori, Cintia Z.

2017-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate whether structured exercise and occupational activity are associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. Methods: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was answered by 5,453 individuals who underwent full-night polysomnography. Participants were classified as exercisers or non-exercisers and also as occupationally active or non-active. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), minimum oxygen saturation (SaO2min), and time with saturation below 90% (TB90%) during polysomnography were used as indicators of OSA severity. Results: The sample included mostly men (59%), non-exercisers (56%), and occupationally non-active individuals (75%). Mean age (± standard deviation) was 44 ± 14 years, and mean body mass index was 29.9 ± 7.3 kg/m2. Non-exercisers had higher AHI (median 14, 25–75% interquartile range 4–34) than exercisers (8 [2–24]), lower SaO2min (83 ± 9 vs. 86 ± 8%), and longer TB90% (2 [0–18] vs. 0 [0–7] minutes), with p < 0.001 for all comparisons. AHI was higher in active (16 [6–34]) vs. non-active occupations (10 [3–27]; p < 0.001). Multinomial logistic regression with control for age, sex, overweight, obesity, and occupational activity showed that structured exercise was significantly associated with a 23% lower odds ratio for moderate OSA and 34% lower odds ratio for severe OSA. Active occupation was not associated with OSA. Conclusions: Structured physical exercise is associated with lower odds for OSA, independently of confounders. Occupational activity does not seem to replace the effects of regular exercise. Compensatory behaviors may be involved in these diverging outcomes. Our results warrant further research about the effect of occupational activity on OSA severity. Citation: da Silva RP, Martinez D, Pedroso MM, Righi CG, Martins EF, Silva LM, Lenz MD, Fiori CZ. Exercise, occupational activity, and risk of sleep apnea: a cross-sectional study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(2):197–204. PMID:27784412

Predicting species distributions from checklist data using site-occupancy models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kery, M.; Gardner, B.; Monnerat, C.

2010-01-01

Aim: (1) To increase awareness of the challenges induced by imperfect detection, which is a fundamental issue in species distribution modelling; (2) to emphasize the value of replicate observations for species distribution modelling; and (3) to show how 'cheap' checklist data in faunal/floral databases may be used for the rigorous modelling of distributions by site-occupancy models. Location: Switzerland. Methods: We used checklist data collected by volunteers during 1999 and 2000 to analyse the distribution of the blue hawker, Aeshna cyanea (Odonata, Aeshnidae), a common dragonfly in Switzerland. We used data from repeated visits to 1-ha pixels to derive 'detection histories' and apply site-occupancy models to estimate the 'true' species distribution, i.e. corrected for imperfect detection. We modelled blue hawker distribution as a function of elevation and year and its detection probability of elevation, year and season. Results: The best model contained cubic polynomial elevation effects for distribution and quadratic effects of elevation and season for detectability. We compared the site-occupancy model with a conventional distribution model based on a generalized linear model, which assumes perfect detectability (p = 1). The conventional distribution map looked very different from the distribution map obtained using site-occupancy models that accounted for the imperfect detection. The conventional model underestimated the species distribution by 60%, and the slope parameters of the occurrence-elevation relationship were also underestimated when assuming p = 1. Elevation was not only an important predictor of blue hawker occurrence, but also of the detection probability, with a bell-shaped relationship. Furthermore, detectability increased over the season. The average detection probability was estimated at only 0.19 per survey. Main conclusions: Conventional species distribution models do not model species distributions per se but rather the apparent distribution, i.e. an unknown proportion of species distributions. That unknown proportion is equivalent to detectability. Imperfect detection in conventional species distribution models yields underestimates of the extent of distributions and covariate effects that are biased towards zero. In addition, patterns in detectability will erroneously be ascribed to species distributions. In contrast, site-occupancy models applied to replicated detection/non-detection data offer a powerful framework for making inferences about species distributions corrected for imperfect detection. The use of 'cheap' checklist data greatly enhances the scope of applications of this useful class of models. ?? 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Early maritime economy and El Nino events at Quebrada Tacahuay, Peru

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keefer, D.K.; DeFrance, Susan D.; Moseley, M.E.; Richardson, J. B.; Satterlee, D.R.; Day-Lewis, A.

1998-01-01

The archaeological site of Quebrada Tacahuay, Peru, dates to 12,700 to 12,500 calibrated years before the present (10,770 to 10,530 carbon-14 years before the present). It contains some of the oldest evidence of maritime- based economic activity in the New World. Recovered materials include a hearth, lithic cutting tools and flakes, and abundant processed marine fauna, primarily seabirds and fish. Sediments below and above the occupation layer were probably generated by El Nino events, indicating that El Nino was active during the Pleistocene as well as during the early and middle Holocene.

Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposures During Asphalt Pavement Milling at Eleven Highway Construction Sites

PubMed Central

Hammond, Duane R.; Shulman, Stanley A.; Echt, Alan S.

2016-01-01

Asphalt pavement milling machines use a rotating cutter drum to remove the deteriorated road surface for recycling. The removal of the road surface has the potential to release respirable crystalline silica, to which workers can be exposed. This paper describes an evaluation of respirable crystalline silica exposures to the operator and ground worker from two different half-lane and larger asphalt pavement milling machines that had ventilation dust controls and water-sprays designed and installed by the manufacturers. Manufacturer A completed milling for eleven days at four highway construction sites in Wisconsin, while Manufacturer B completed milling for ten days at seven highway construction sites in Indiana. To evaluate the dust controls, full-shift personal breathing zone air samples were collected from an operator and ground worker during the course of normal employee work activities of asphalt pavement milling at eleven different sites. Forty-two personal breathing zone air samples were collected over 21 days (sampling on an operator and ground worker each day). All samples were below 50 µg/m3 for respirable crystalline silica, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommended exposure limit. The geometric mean personal breathing zone air sample was 6.2 µg/m3 for the operator and 6.1 µg/m3 for the ground worker for the Manufacturer A milling machine. The geometric mean personal breathing zone air sample was 4.2 µg/m3 for the operator and 9.0 µg/m3 for the ground worker for the Manufacturer B milling machine. In addition, upper 95% confidence limits for the mean exposure for each occupation were well below 50 µg/m3 for both studies. The silica content in the bulk asphalt material being milled ranged from 7% to 23% silica for roads milled by Manufacturer A and from 5% to 12% silica for roads milled by Manufacturer B. The results indicate that engineering controls consisting of ventilation controls in combination with water-sprays are capable of controlling occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica generated by asphalt pavement milling machines on highway construction sites. PMID:26913983

Respirable crystalline silica exposures during asphalt pavement milling at eleven highway construction sites.

PubMed

Hammond, Duane R; Shulman, Stanley A; Echt, Alan S

2016-07-01

Asphalt pavement milling machines use a rotating cutter drum to remove the deteriorated road surface for recycling. The removal of the road surface has the potential to release respirable crystalline silica, to which workers can be exposed. This article describes an evaluation of respirable crystalline silica exposures to the operator and ground worker from two different half-lane and larger asphalt pavement milling machines that had ventilation dust controls and water-sprays designed and installed by the manufacturers. Manufacturer A completed milling for 11 days at 4 highway construction sites in Wisconsin, and Manufacturer B completed milling for 10 days at 7 highway construction sites in Indiana. To evaluate the dust controls, full-shift personal breathing zone air samples were collected from an operator and ground worker during the course of normal employee work activities of asphalt pavement milling at 11 different sites. Forty-two personal breathing zone air samples were collected over 21 days (sampling on an operator and ground worker each day). All samples were below 50 µg/m(3) for respirable crystalline silica, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommended exposure limit. The geometric mean personal breathing zone air sample was 6.2 µg/m(3) for the operator and 6.1 µg/m(3) for the ground worker for the Manufacturer A milling machine. The geometric mean personal breathing zone air sample was 4.2 µg/m(3) for the operator and 9.0 µg/m(3) for the ground worker for the Manufacturer B milling machine. In addition, upper 95% confidence limits for the mean exposure for each occupation were well below 50 µg/m(3) for both studies. The silica content in the bulk asphalt material being milled ranged from 7-23% silica for roads milled by Manufacturer A and from 5-12% silica for roads milled by Manufacturer B. The results indicate that engineering controls consisting of ventilation controls in combination with water-sprays are capable of controlling occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica generated by asphalt pavement milling machines on highway construction sites.

Monovalent Cation Activation of the Radical SAM Enzyme Pyruvate Formate-Lyase Activating Enzyme.

PubMed

Shisler, Krista A; Hutcheson, Rachel U; Horitani, Masaki; Duschene, Kaitlin S; Crain, Adam V; Byer, Amanda S; Shepard, Eric M; Rasmussen, Ashley; Yang, Jian; Broderick, William E; Vey, Jessica L; Drennan, Catherine L; Hoffman, Brian M; Broderick, Joan B

2017-08-30

Pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzyme (PFL-AE) is a radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzyme that installs a catalytically essential glycyl radical on pyruvate formate-lyase. We show that PFL-AE binds a catalytically essential monovalent cation at its active site, yet another parallel with B 12 enzymes, and we characterize this cation site by a combination of structural, biochemical, and spectroscopic approaches. Refinement of the PFL-AE crystal structure reveals Na + as the most likely ion present in the solved structures, and pulsed electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) demonstrates that the same cation site is occupied by 23 Na in the solution state of the as-isolated enzyme. A SAM carboxylate-oxygen is an M + ligand, and EPR and circular dichroism spectroscopies reveal that both the site occupancy and the identity of the cation perturb the electronic properties of the SAM-chelated iron-sulfur cluster. ENDOR studies of the PFL-AE/[ 13 C-methyl]-SAM complex show that the target sulfonium positioning varies with the cation, while the observation of an isotropic hyperfine coupling to the cation by ENDOR measurements establishes its intimate, SAM-mediated interaction with the cluster. This monovalent cation site controls enzyme activity: (i) PFL-AE in the absence of any simple monovalent cations has little-no activity; and (ii) among monocations, going down Group 1 of the periodic table from Li + to Cs + , PFL-AE activity sharply maximizes at K + , with NH 4 + closely matching the efficacy of K + . PFL-AE is thus a type I M + -activated enzyme whose M + controls reactivity by interactions with the cosubstrate, SAM, which is bound to the catalytic iron-sulfur cluster.

Site occupancy and magnetic properties of Al-substituted M-type strontium hexaferrite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dixit, Vivek; Nandadasa, Chandani N.; Kim, Seong-Gon, E-mail: kimsg@ccs.msstate.edu

2015-06-28

We use first-principles total-energy calculations based on density functional theory to study the site occupancy and magnetic properties of Al-substituted M-type strontium hexaferrite SrFe{sub 12−x}Al{sub x}O{sub 19} with x = 0.5 and x = 1.0. We find that the non-magnetic Al{sup 3+} ions preferentially replace Fe{sup 3+} ions at two of the majority spin sites, 2a and 12k, eliminating their positive contribution to the total magnetization causing the saturation magnetization M{sub s} to be reduced as Al concentration x is increased. Our formation probability analysis further provides the explanation for increased magnetic anisotropy field when the fraction of Al is increased. Although Al{sup 3+}more » ions preferentially occupy the 2a sites at a low temperature, the occupation probability of the 12k site increases with the rise of the temperature. At a typical annealing temperature (>700 °C) Al{sup 3+} ions are much more likely to occupy the 12k site than the 2a site. Although this causes the magnetocrystalline anisotropy K{sub 1} to be reduced slightly, the reduction in M{sub s} is much more significant. Their combined effect causes the anisotropy field H{sub a} to increase as the fraction of Al is increased, consistent with recent experimental measurements.« less

[Evaluating work intensity in major and auxiliary occupations of by-product coke industry].

PubMed

Smagulov, N K; Alpysbayeva, Zh T

2015-01-01

The article covers evaluation of work strain in major and auxiliary occupations of by-product coke industry. The study results conclude that occupational activity of by-product coke industry workers, under exposure to occupational hazards, affects the workers' performance. Major occupations workers demonstrate higher level of functional strain of CNS, poor concentration of attention and lower ability to switch over, decreased general performance, vs. the auxiliary occupations workers who demonstrated increased cardiovascular and neuro-muscular strain due to occupational activity.

On the evolution of diet and landscape during the Upper Paleolithic through Mesolithic at Franchthi Cave (Peloponnese, Greece).

PubMed

Stiner, Mary C; Munro, Natalie D

2011-05-01

Franchthi Cave in southern Greece preserves one of the most remarkable records of socioeconomic change of the Late Pleistocene through early Holocene. Located on the southern end of the Argolid Peninsula, the area around the site was greatly affected by climate variation and marine transgression. This study examines the complex interplay of site formation processes (material deposition rates), climate-driven landscape change, and human hunting systems during the Upper Paleolithic through Mesolithic at Franchthi Cave based on the H1B faunal series. Building on earlier work, we establish the full spectrum of the meat diet using taphonomic evidence, and we analyze these data for trends in socioeconomic reorganization. Foraging patterns during the Aurignacian and "Gravettoid" occupations at Franchthi were terrestrial and already rather diversified in comparison to Middle Paleolithic diets in southern Greece. Hunting shifted abruptly to a mixed marine-terrestrial pattern during the Final Paleolithic, and fishing activities intensified though the Mesolithic. The zooarchaeological data indicate two consecutive trends of increasing dietary breadth, the first within an exclusively terrestrial context, and the second as marine habitats came into use through the end of the Mesolithic. The intensity of the human occupations at this site increased in tandem with intensified use of animal and plants. Comparison to the inland site of Klissoura Cave 1 indicates that the trend toward broader diets was regional as well as local. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early modern human lithic technology from Jerimalai, East Timor.

PubMed

Marwick, Ben; Clarkson, Chris; O'Connor, Sue; Collins, Sophie

2016-12-01

Jerimalai is a rock shelter in East Timor with cultural remains dated to 42,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest known sites of modern human activity in island Southeast Asia. It has special global significance for its record of early pelagic fishing and ancient shell fish hooks. It is also of regional significance for its early occupation and comparatively large assemblage of Pleistocene stone artefacts. Three major findings arise from our study of the stone artefacts. First, there is little change in lithic technology over the 42,000 year sequence, with the most noticeable change being the addition of new artefact types and raw materials in the mid-Holocene. Second, the assemblage is dominated by small chert cores and implements rather than pebble tools and choppers, a pattern we argue pattern, we argue, that is common in island SE Asian sites as opposed to mainland SE Asian sites. Third, the Jerimalai assemblage bears a striking resemblance to the assemblage from Liang Bua, argued by the Liang Bua excavation team to be associated with Homo floresiensis. We argue that the near proximity of these two islands along the Indonesian island chain (c.100 km apart), the long antiquity of modern human occupation in the region (as documented at Jerimalai), and the strong resemblance of distinctive flake stone technologies seen at both sites, raises the intriguing possibility that both the Liang Bua and Jerimalai assemblages were created by modern humans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assisting people with disabilities in actively performing designated occupational activities with battery-free wireless mice to control environmental stimulation.

PubMed

Shih, Ching-Hsiang

2013-05-01

The latest researches use software technology (OLDP, object location detection programs) to turn a commercial high-technology product, i.e. a battery-free wireless mouse, into a high performance/precise object location detector to detect whether or not an object has been placed in the designated location. The preferred environmental stimulation is also incorporated to assist those patients in need of occupational activities in performing simple occupational activities to acquire their preferred environmental stimulation. The result of the experiment shows that both participants have been able to control their preferred environmental stimulation by actively performing occupational activities. This study is going to extend the aforementioned researches by using battery-free wireless mice to assist patients in performing more complicated occupational activities. The ABAB design has been adopted for experiments, and the result shows that during intervention phrases, the occupational activities of both participants are significantly improved. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Charge-regulation phase transition on surface lattices of titratable sites adjacent to electrolyte solutions: An analog of the Ising antiferromagnet in a magnetic field

PubMed Central

Shore, Joel D.; Thurston, George M.

2018-01-01

We report a charge-patterning phase transition on two-dimensional square lattices of titratable sites, here regarded as protonation sites, placed in a low-dielectric medium just below the planar interface between this medium and a salt solution. We calculate the work-of-charging matrix of the lattice with use of a linear Debye-Hückel model, as input to a grand-canonical partition function for the distribution of occupancy patterns. For a large range of parameter values, this model exhibits an approximate inverse cubic power-law decrease of the voltage produced by an individual charge, as a function of its in-lattice separation from neighboring titratable sites. Thus, the charge coupling voltage biases the local probabilities of proton binding as a function of the occupancy of sites for many neighbors beyond the nearest ones. We find that even in the presence of these longer-range interactions, the site couplings give rise to a phase transition in which the site occupancies exhibit an alternating, checkerboard pattern that is an analog of antiferromagnetic ordering. The overall strength W of this canonical charge coupling voltage, per unit charge, is a function of the Debye length, the charge depth, the Bjerrum length, and the dielectric coefficients of the medium and the solvent. The alternating occupancy transition occurs above a curve of thermodynamic critical points in the (pH-pK,W) plane, the curve representing a charge-regulation analog of variation of the Néel temperature of an Ising antiferromagnet as a function of an applied, uniform magnetic field. The analog of a uniform magnetic field in the antiferromagnet problem is a combination of pH-pK and W, and 1/W is the analog of the temperature in the antiferromagnet problem. We use Monte Carlo simulations to study the occupancy patterns of the titratable sites, including interactions out to the 37th nearest-neighbor category (a distance of 74 lattice constants), first validating simulations through comparison with exact and approximate results for the nearest-neighbor case. We then use the simulations to map the charge-patterning phase boundary in the (pH-pK,W) plane. The physical parameters that determine W provide a framework for identifying and designing real surfaces that could exhibit charge-patterning phase transitions. PMID:26764648

Charge-regulation phase transition on surface lattices of titratable sites adjacent to electrolyte solutions: An analog of the Ising antiferromagnet in a magnetic field.

PubMed

Shore, Joel D; Thurston, George M

2015-12-01

We report a charge-patterning phase transition on two-dimensional square lattices of titratable sites, here regarded as protonation sites, placed in a low-dielectric medium just below the planar interface between this medium and a salt solution. We calculate the work-of-charging matrix of the lattice with use of a linear Debye-Hückel model, as input to a grand-canonical partition function for the distribution of occupancy patterns. For a large range of parameter values, this model exhibits an approximate inverse cubic power-law decrease of the voltage produced by an individual charge, as a function of its in-lattice separation from neighboring titratable sites. Thus, the charge coupling voltage biases the local probabilities of proton binding as a function of the occupancy of sites for many neighbors beyond the nearest ones. We find that even in the presence of these longer-range interactions, the site couplings give rise to a phase transition in which the site occupancies exhibit an alternating, checkerboard pattern that is an analog of antiferromagnetic ordering. The overall strength W of this canonical charge coupling voltage, per unit charge, is a function of the Debye length, the charge depth, the Bjerrum length, and the dielectric coefficients of the medium and the solvent. The alternating occupancy transition occurs above a curve of thermodynamic critical points in the (pH-pK,W) plane, the curve representing a charge-regulation analog of variation of the Néel temperature of an Ising antiferromagnet as a function of an applied, uniform magnetic field. The analog of a uniform magnetic field in the antiferromagnet problem is a combination of pH-pK and W, and 1/W is the analog of the temperature in the antiferromagnet problem. We use Monte Carlo simulations to study the occupancy patterns of the titratable sites, including interactions out to the 37th nearest-neighbor category (a distance of √74 lattice constants), first validating simulations through comparison with exact and approximate results for the nearest-neighbor case. We then use the simulations to map the charge-patterning phase boundary in the (pH-pK,W) plane. The physical parameters that determine W provide a framework for identifying and designing real surfaces that could exhibit charge-patterning phase transitions.

Charge-regulation phase transition on surface lattices of titratable sites adjacent to electrolyte solutions: An analog of the Ising antiferromagnet in a magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shore, Joel D.; Thurston, George M.

2015-12-01

We report a charge-patterning phase transition on two-dimensional square lattices of titratable sites, here regarded as protonation sites, placed in a low-dielectric medium just below the planar interface between this medium and a salt solution. We calculate the work-of-charging matrix of the lattice with use of a linear Debye-Hückel model, as input to a grand-canonical partition function for the distribution of occupancy patterns. For a large range of parameter values, this model exhibits an approximate inverse cubic power-law decrease of the voltage produced by an individual charge, as a function of its in-lattice separation from neighboring titratable sites. Thus, the charge coupling voltage biases the local probabilities of proton binding as a function of the occupancy of sites for many neighbors beyond the nearest ones. We find that even in the presence of these longer-range interactions, the site couplings give rise to a phase transition in which the site occupancies exhibit an alternating, checkerboard pattern that is an analog of antiferromagnetic ordering. The overall strength W of this canonical charge coupling voltage, per unit charge, is a function of the Debye length, the charge depth, the Bjerrum length, and the dielectric coefficients of the medium and the solvent. The alternating occupancy transition occurs above a curve of thermodynamic critical points in the (p H-p K ,W ) plane, the curve representing a charge-regulation analog of variation of the Néel temperature of an Ising antiferromagnet as a function of an applied, uniform magnetic field. The analog of a uniform magnetic field in the antiferromagnet problem is a combination of p H-p K and W , and 1 /W is the analog of the temperature in the antiferromagnet problem. We use Monte Carlo simulations to study the occupancy patterns of the titratable sites, including interactions out to the 37th nearest-neighbor category (a distance of √{74 } lattice constants), first validating simulations through comparison with exact and approximate results for the nearest-neighbor case. We then use the simulations to map the charge-patterning phase boundary in the (p H-p K ,W ) plane. The physical parameters that determine W provide a framework for identifying and designing real surfaces that could exhibit charge-patterning phase transitions.

California adults with elevated blood lead levels, 1987 through 1990.

PubMed Central

Maizlish, N; Rudolph, L

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVES. Follow-up of California blood lead registry reports, 95% of which are of occupationally exposed adults, can guide interventions at specific high-risk work sites and measure the impact of targeted, industry-specific interventions. METHODS. A protocol was implemented to follow up the most severe case reports (> or = 2.90 mumol/L) and establish a statistical database for descriptive analysis. RESULTS. From 1987 through 1990, the California Department of Health Services received 17,951 reports for 4069 civilian, noninstitutionalized adults employed by at least 328 companies. Of 232 incident case subjects with severe lead toxicity (> or = 2.90 mumol/L), 182 were successfully traced and interviewed. Index case subjects were mostly male (95%) and disproportionately Hispanic (46%); 35% lived with children aged 7 or younger, and 10% had been hospitalized. Ninety-four percent involved overexposures at work sites that lacked medical removal (50%), ventilation (36%), appropriate respirators (62%), training (64%), clothing changes (45%), or showering (60%). CONCLUSIONS. Well-known risk factors for occupational lead poisoning clustered at the work sites of index case subjects. Despite standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, lead overexposure in California adults remains a significant public and occupational health concern. PMID:8438980

Occupancy modeling and estimation of the holiday darter species complex within the Etowah River system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Gregory B.; Freeman, Mary C.; Hagler, Megan M.; Freeman, Byron J.

2012-01-01

Documenting the status of rare fishes is a crucial step in effectively managing populations and implementing regulatory mechanisms of protection. In recent years, site occupancy has become an increasingly popular metric for assessing populations, but species distribution models that do not account for imperfect detection can underestimate the proportion of sites occupied and the strength of the relationship with a hypothesized covariate. However, valid detection requires temporal or spatial replication, which is often not feasible due to logistical or budget constraints. In this study, we used a method that allowed for spatial replication during a single visit to evaluate the current status of the holiday darter species complex, Etheostoma sp. cf. E. brevirostrum, within the Etowah River system. Moreover, the modeling approach used in this study facilitated comparisons of factors influencing stream occupancy as well as species detection within sites. The results suggest that there is less habitat available for the Etowah holiday darter form (Etheostoma sp. cf. E. brevirostrum B) than for the Amicalola holiday darter form (Etheostoma sp. cf. E. brevirostrum A). Additionally, occupancy models suggest that even small decreases in forest cover within these headwater systems adversely affect holiday darter populations.

Estimating site occupancy and abundance using indirect detection indices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, T.R.; Royle, J. Andrew

2005-01-01

Knowledge of factors influencing animal distribution and abundance is essential in many areas of ecological research, management, and policy-making. Because common methods for modeling and estimating abundance (e.g., capture-recapture, distance sampling) are sometimes not practical for large areas or elusive species, indices are sometimes used as surrogate measures of abundance. We present an extension of the Royle and Nichols (2003) generalization of the MacKenzie et al. (2002) site-occupancy model that incorporates length of the sampling interval into the, model for detection probability. As a result, we obtain a modeling framework that shows how useful information can be extracted from a class of index methods we call indirect detection indices (IDIs). Examples of IDIs include scent station, tracking tube, snow track, tracking plate, and hair snare surveys. Our model is maximum likelihood, and it can be used to estimate site occupancy and model factors influencing patterns of occupancy and abundance in space. Under certain circumstances, it can also be used to estimate abundance. We evaluated model properties using Monte Carlo simulations and illustrate the method with tracking tube and scent station data. We believe this model will be a useful tool for determining factors that influence animal distribution and abundance.

Site-occupation embedding theory using Bethe ansatz local density approximations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senjean, Bruno; Nakatani, Naoki; Tsuchiizu, Masahisa; Fromager, Emmanuel

2018-06-01

Site-occupation embedding theory (SOET) is an alternative formulation of density functional theory (DFT) for model Hamiltonians where the fully interacting Hubbard problem is mapped, in principle exactly, onto an impurity-interacting (rather than a noninteracting) one. It provides a rigorous framework for combining wave-function (or Green function)-based methods with DFT. In this work, exact expressions for the per-site energy and double occupation of the uniform Hubbard model are derived in the context of SOET. As readily seen from these derivations, the so-called bath contribution to the per-site correlation energy is, in addition to the latter, the key density functional quantity to model in SOET. Various approximations based on Bethe ansatz and perturbative solutions to the Hubbard and single-impurity Anderson models are constructed and tested on a one-dimensional ring. The self-consistent calculation of the embedded impurity wave function has been performed with the density-matrix renormalization group method. It has been shown that promising results are obtained in specific regimes of correlation and density. Possible further developments have been proposed in order to provide reliable embedding functionals and potentials.

Real-time monitoring of the structure of ultrathin Fe3O4 films during growth on Nb-doped SrTiO3(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuschel, O.; Spiess, W.; Schemme, T.; Rubio-Zuazo, J.; Kuepper, K.; Wollschläger, J.

2017-07-01

In this work, thin magnetite films were deposited on SrTiO3 via reactive molecular beam epitaxy at different substrate temperatures. The growth process was monitored in-situ during deposition by means of x-ray diffraction. While the magnetite film grown at 400 °C shows a fully relaxed vertical lattice constant already in the early growth stages, the film deposited at 270 °C exhibits a strong vertical compressive strain and relaxes towards the bulk value with increasing film thickness. Furthermore, a lateral tensile strain was observed under these growth conditions although the inverse behavior is expected due to the lattice mismatch of -7.5%. Additionally, the occupancy of the A and B sublattices of magnetite with tetrahedral and octahedral sites was investigated showing a lower occupancy of the A sites compared to an ideal inverse spinel structure. The occupation of A sites decreases for a higher growth temperature. Thus, we assume a relocation of the iron ions from tetrahedral sites to octahedral vacancies forming a deficient rock salt lattice.

Respiratory health effects of opencast coalmining: a cross sectional study of current workers.

PubMed Central

Love, R G; Miller, B G; Groat, S K; Hagen, S; Cowie, H A; Johnston, P P; Hutchison, P A; Soutar, C A

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify whether there is evidence of pneumoconiosis and other respiratory health effects associated with exposure to respirable mixed dust and quartz in United Kingdom opencast coalmines. METHODS: A cross sectional study of current workers (1224 men, 25 women) was carried out at nine large and medium sized opencast sites in England, Scotland, and Wales. To characterise a range of occupational groups within the industry, full shift measurements of personal exposures to respirable dust and quartz were taken. Up to three surveys were carried out at each site, covering all four seasons. For the purposes of comparisons with health indices these groups were further condensed into five broad combined occupational groups. Full sized chest radiographs, respiratory symptoms, occupational history questionnaires, and simple spirometry were used to characterise the respiratory health of the workforce. Logistic or multiple regression techniques were used to examine relations between indices of exposure and respiratory health. RESULTS: None of the group geometric mean dust concentrations, based on 626 valid dust samples, exceeded 1 mg.m-3, and 99% of all quartz concentrations were below 0.4 mg.m-3, the current maximum exposure limit. The highest quartz concentrations were experienced by the rock drilling team and drivers of bulldozers (used to move earth and stone from layers of coal). There were clear differences in mean respirable dust and quartz concentrations between occupational groups. These were consistent across the different sites, but depended in part on the day of measurement. The variations between sites were not much greater than between days, suggesting that differences between sites were at least partly explained by differences in conditions at the time of the measurements. The prevalence of radiographic small opacities profusion category > or = 1/0, based on the median of three readings, was 4.4%. Five men had category 2 pneumoconiosis and two men (including one of these five) had progressive massive fibrosis category A. From regression analyses, the relative risk of attaining a profusion of category > or = 0/1 was estimated to be doubled for every 10 years worked in the dustiest, preproduction opencast jobs, after allowing for age, smoking, and site effects. Risk was not associated with time worked in any other occupation within the industry, nor with previous employment in underground mining or other dusty jobs. Symptoms of chronic bronchitis were present in 13% of the men. Frequency of chronic bronchitis was influenced by years worked in dusty jobs outside opencast mining, but not by time spent in occupations within the industry. Asthmatic symptoms were reported by 5% of the workforce, close to the mean frequency found in adult men. No positive associations were found between asthma and occupational exposures. Lung function on average was close to predicted value and showed no relation to time worked in opencast occupations. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of (mostly mild) chest radiographic abnormalities is associated with working in the dustier, preproduction jobs in the industry. Although some of these mild abnormalities may be non-occupational (due to aging or smoking), the association with exposure indicates a small risk of pneumoconiosis in these men, and the need to monitor and control exposures, particularly in the high risk occupations. PMID:9245948

Factors influencing occupancy of nest cavities in recently burned forests

Treesearch

Victoria A. Saab; Jonathan Dudley; William L. Thompson

2004-01-01

Recently burned forests in western North America provide nesting habitat for many species of cavity-nesting birds. However, little is understood about the time frame and the variables affecting occupancy of postfire habitats by these birds. We studied factors influencing the occupancy and reuse of nest cavities from 1–7 years after fire in two burned sites of western...

LDB1-mediated enhancer looping can be established independent of mediator and cohesin.

PubMed

Krivega, Ivan; Dean, Ann

2017-08-21

Mechanistic studies in erythroid cells indicate that LDB1, as part of a GATA1/TAL1/LMO2 complex, brings erythroid-expressed genes into proximity with enhancers for transcription activation. The role of co-activators in establishing this long-range interaction is poorly understood. Here we tested the contributions of the RNA Pol II pre-initiation complex (PIC), mediator and cohesin to establishment of locus control region (LCR)/β-globin proximity. CRISPR/Cas9 editing of the β-globin promoter to eliminate the RNA Pol II PIC by deleting the TATA-box resulted in loss of transcription, but enhancer-promoter interaction was unaffected. Additional deletion of the promoter GATA1 site eliminated LDB1 complex and mediator occupancy and resulted in loss of LCR/β-globin proximity. To separate the roles of LDB1 and mediator in LCR looping, we expressed a looping-competent but transcription-activation deficient form of LDB1 in LDB1 knock down cells: LCR/β-globin proximity was restored without mediator core occupancy. Further, Cas9-directed tethering of mutant LDB1 to the β-globin promoter forced LCR loop formation in the absence of mediator or cohesin occupancy. Moreover, ENCODE data and our chromatin immunoprecipitation results indicate that cohesin is almost completely absent from validated and predicted LDB1-regulated erythroid enhancer-gene pairs. Thus, lineage specific factors largely mediate enhancer-promoter looping in erythroid cells independent of mediator and cohesin. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2017.

Passion in the performing arts: clarifying active occupational participation.

PubMed

Mullen, Rachel; Davis, Jane A; Polatajko, Helene J

2012-01-01

Active participation in daily occupations is a vital part of everyday life, social participation and healthy life long human development; however, enablers of active participation are not well understood. Passion, a strong tendency towards an activity that a person finds meaningful and spends a lot of time doing, is a potential enabler. Accordingly, it is important to understand how an individual's passion for a specific occupation plays out across the occupational life course. To explore the experience of passion across the life course of older adults involved in the performing arts. Seven older adults involved in, or retired from, the performing arts, who consider themselves passionate about their occupation. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to explore, through interviews with older adults, passion for performing arts across the life course. Emerging themes supported development of an initial theoretical framework explicating active participation and passion. It centers on passion as an enabler of occupational participation through different modes, and suggests barriers to that enablement process. Findings suggest that passion has an important role in continued active participation in an occupation; however, barriers, such as social and financial, can derail the pursuit of a passionate occupation.

Peak-bone-mass development in young adults: effects of study program related levels of occupational and leisure time physical activity and exercise. A prospective 5-year study.

PubMed

Kemmler, W; Bebenek, M; von Stengel, S; Bauer, J

2015-02-01

Young adulthood is characterized by profound life-style changes. This study suggests that reduction of sport or exercise, induced by alteration of the occupational situation, negatively impacts generation/maintenance of peak bone mass. In order to compensate occupational-related reductions of physical activity, workplace exercise programs will be helpful. Only few studies have determined the effect of physical activity or physical exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) in the period of late skeletal maturation, i.e. around peak bone mass. The aim of this article was to determine the long-term effect of different levels of physical activity and exercise directly and indirectly derived by occupation during young adulthood. Sixty-one male and female dental students (DES) and 53 male and female sport students (SPS) 21±2 years old were accompanied over the course (4.8±0.5 years) of their study program. BMD at the lumbar spine (LS), hip, and whole body (WB) were determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Parameters of physical activity increased non-significantly in both groups with no relevant differences between the groups. Indices of exercise, however, increased significantly in the SPS group while a significant decrease was assessed for the DES group. Independent of gender, BMD of the SPS increased significantly (p≤0.007) at all skeletal sites (LS, 2.4±3.9%; hip, 1.6±3.5%; WB, 1.8±2.8%) while BMD of the DES remained unchanged at LS (-0.6±4.4%, p=0.432) and WB (0.5±1.9%, p=0.092) but decreased significantly at the hip (-1.9±4.3%, p=0.010). BMD-changes at LS, hip, and WB differ significantly between SPS and DES (p≤0.017). Results remained unchanged after adjusting for baseline BMD-values that differed (p=0.030 to p=0.082) in favor of the SPS group. Changes of exercise levels directly or indirectly caused by occupational factors during young adulthood significantly affected generation and/or maintenance of peak bone mass. Compensatory exercise is thus highly relevant for bone health of young adults.

Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers

PubMed Central

Burns, Katrina N.; Sun, Kan; Fobil, Julius N.; Neitzel, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing occupational and environmental health issue around the globe. E-waste recycling is a green industry of emerging importance, especially in low-and middle-income countries where much of this recycling work is performed, and where many people’s livelihoods depend on this work. The occupational health hazards of e-waste recycling have not been adequately explored. We performed a cross-sectional study of noise exposures, heart rate, and perceived stress among e-waste recycling workers at a large e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We interviewed 57 workers and continuously monitored their individual noise exposures and heart rates for up to 24 h. More than 40% of workers had noise exposures that exceeded recommended occupational (85 dBA) and community (70 dBA) noise exposure limits, and self-reported hearing difficulties were common. Workers also had moderate to high levels of perceived stress as measured via Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, and reported a variety of symptoms that could indicate cardiovascular disease. Noise exposures were moderately and significantly correlated with heart rate (Spearman’s ρ 0.46, p < 0.001). A mixed effects linear regression model indicated that a 1 dB increase in noise exposure was associated with a 0.17 increase in heart rate (p-value = 0.01) even after controlling for work activities, age, smoking, perceived stress, and unfavorable physical working conditions. These findings suggest that occupational and non-occupational noise exposure is associated with elevations in average heart rate, which may in turn predict potential cardiovascular damage. PMID:26797626

Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers.

PubMed

Burns, Katrina N; Sun, Kan; Fobil, Julius N; Neitzel, Richard L

2016-01-19

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing occupational and environmental health issue around the globe. E-waste recycling is a green industry of emerging importance, especially in low-and middle-income countries where much of this recycling work is performed, and where many people's livelihoods depend on this work. The occupational health hazards of e-waste recycling have not been adequately explored. We performed a cross-sectional study of noise exposures, heart rate, and perceived stress among e-waste recycling workers at a large e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We interviewed 57 workers and continuously monitored their individual noise exposures and heart rates for up to 24 h. More than 40% of workers had noise exposures that exceeded recommended occupational (85 dBA) and community (70 dBA) noise exposure limits, and self-reported hearing difficulties were common. Workers also had moderate to high levels of perceived stress as measured via Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, and reported a variety of symptoms that could indicate cardiovascular disease. Noise exposures were moderately and significantly correlated with heart rate (Spearman's ρ 0.46, p < 0.001). A mixed effects linear regression model indicated that a 1 dB increase in noise exposure was associated with a 0.17 increase in heart rate (p-value = 0.01) even after controlling for work activities, age, smoking, perceived stress, and unfavorable physical working conditions. These findings suggest that occupational and non-occupational noise exposure is associated with elevations in average heart rate, which may in turn predict potential cardiovascular damage.

Are ranger patrols effective in reducing poaching-related threats within protected areas?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, Jennnifer F.; Mulindahabi, Felix; Masozera, Michel K.; Nichols, James; Hines, James; Turikunkiko, Ezechiel; Oli, Madan K.

2018-01-01

Poaching is one of the greatest threats to wildlife conservation world-wide. However, the spatial and temporal patterns of poaching activities within protected areas, and the effectiveness of ranger patrols and ranger posts in mitigating these threats, are relatively unknown.We used 10 years (2006–2015) of ranger-based monitoring data and dynamic multi-season occupancy models to quantify poaching-related threats, to examine factors influencing the spatio-temporal dynamics of these threats and to test the efficiency of management actions to combat poaching in Nyungwe National Park (NNP), Rwanda.The probability of occurrence of poaching-related threats was highest at lower elevations (1,801–2,200 m), especially in areas that were close to roads and tourist trails; conversely, occurrence probability was lowest at high elevation sites (2,601–3,000 m), and near the park boundary and ranger posts. The number of ranger patrols substantially increased the probability that poaching-related threats disappear at a site if threats were originally present (i.e. probability of extinction of threats). Without ranger visits, the annual probability of extinction of poaching-related threats was an estimated 7%; this probability would increase to 20% and 57% with 20 and 50 ranger visits per year, respectively.Our results suggest that poaching-related threats can be effectively reduced in NNP by adding ranger posts in areas where they do not currently exist, and by increasing the number of patrols to sites where the probability of poaching activities is high.Synthesis and applications. Our application of dynamic occupancy models to predict the probability of presence of poaching-related threats is novel, and explicitly considers imperfect detection of illegal activities. Based on the modelled relationships, we identify areas that are most vulnerable to poaching, and offer insights regarding how ranger patrols can be optimally deployed to reduce poaching-related threats and other illegal activites, while taking into account potential sampling biases. We show that poaching can be effectively reduced by increasing ranger patrols to areas under high risk of poaching activities, and by adding ranger patrols near these sites. These findings are broadly applicable to national parks and protected areas experiencing a high degree of poaching and other illegal activities.

Water-related occupations and diet in two Roman coastal communities (Italy, first to third century AD): correlation between stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values and auricular exostosis prevalence.

PubMed

Crowe, Fiona; Sperduti, Alessandra; O'Connell, Tamsin C; Craig, Oliver E; Kirsanow, Karola; Germoni, Paola; Macchiarelli, Roberto; Garnsey, Peter; Bondioli, Luca

2010-07-01

The reconstruction of dietary patterns in the two Roman imperial age coastal communities of Portus and Velia (I-III AD) by means of stable isotope analysis of bone remains has exposed a certain degree of heterogeneity between and within the two samples. Results do not correlate with any discernible mortuary practices at either site, which might have pointed to differential social status. The present study tests the hypothesis of a possible connection between dietary habits and occupational activities in the two communities. Among skeletal markers of occupation, external auricular exostosis (EAE) has proved to be very informative. Clinical and retrospective epidemiological surveys have revealed a strong positive correlation between EAE development and habitual exposure to cold water. In this study, we show that there is a high rate of occurrence of EAE among adult males in both skeletal samples (21.1% in Portus and 35.3% in Velia). Further, there is a statistically significant higher prevalence of EAE among those individuals at Velia with very high nitrogen isotopic values. This points to fishing (coastal, low-water fishing) as the sea-related occupation most responsible for the onset of the ear pathology. For Portus, where the consumption of foods from sea and river seems to be more widespread through the population, and where the scenario of seaport and fluvial activities was much more complex than in Velia, a close correlation between EAE and fish consumption by fishermen is less easy to establish. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A chronological framework connecting the early Upper Palaeolithic across the Central Asian piedmont.

PubMed

Fitzsimmons, Kathryn E; Iovita, Radu; Sprafke, Tobias; Glantz, Michelle; Talamo, Sahra; Horton, Katharine; Beeton, Tyler; Alipova, Saya; Bekseitov, Galymzhan; Ospanov, Yerbolat; Deom, Jean-Marc; Sala, Renato; Taimagambetov, Zhaken

2017-12-01

Central Asia has delivered significant paleoanthropological discoveries in the past few years. New genetic data indicate that at least two archaic human species met and interbred with anatomically modern humans as they arrived into northern Central Asia. However, data are limited: known archaeological sites with lithic assemblages generally lack human fossils, and consequently identifying the archaeological signatures of different human groups, and the timing of their occupation, remains elusive. Reliable chronologic data from sites in the region, crucial to our understanding of the timing and duration of interactions between different human species, are rare. Here we present chronologies for two open air Middle to Upper Palaeolithic (UP) sequences from the Tien Shan piedmont in southeast Kazakhstan, Maibulak and Valikhanova, which bridge southern and northern Central Asia. The chronologies, based on both quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and polymineral post-infrared infrared luminescence (pIR-IRSL) protocols, demonstrate that technological developments at the two sites differ substantially over the ∼47-19 ka time span. Some of the innovations typically associated with the earliest UP in the Altai or other parts of northeast Asia are also present in the Tien Shan piedmont. We caution against making assumptions about the directionality of spread of these technologies until a larger, better defined database of transitional sites in the region is available. Connections between the timing of occupation of regions, living area setting and paleoenvironmental conditions, while providing hypotheses worth exploring, remain inconclusive. We cautiously suggest a trend towards increasing occupation of open air sites across the Central Asian piedmont after ∼40 ka, corresponding to more humid climatic conditions which nevertheless included pulses of dust deposition. Human occupation persisted into the Last Glacial Maximum, despite cooler, and possibly drier, conditions. Our results thus provide additional data to substantiate arguments for occupation of Central Asia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Occupational Health and Safety Management System on Work-Related Accident Rate and Differences of Occupational Health and Safety Management System Awareness between Managers in South Korea's Construction Industry

PubMed Central

Yoon, Seok J.; Lin, Hsing K.; Chen, Gang; Yi, Shinjea; Choi, Jeawook; Rui, Zhenhua

2013-01-01

Background The study was conducted to investigate the current status of the occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) in the construction industry and the effect of OHSMS on accident rates. Differences of awareness levels on safety issues among site general managers and occupational health and safety (OHS) managers are identified through surveys. Methods The accident rates for the OHSMS-certified construction companies from 2006 to 2011, when the construction OHSMS became widely available, were analyzed to understand the effect of OHSMS on the work-related injury rates in the construction industry. The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency 18001 is the certification to these companies performing OHSMS in South Korea. The questionnaire was created to analyze the differences of OHSMS awareness between site general managers and OHS managers of construction companies. Results The implementation of OHSMS among the top 100 construction companies in South Korea shows that the accident rate decreased by 67% and the fatal accident rate decreased by 10.3% during the period from 2006 to 2011. The survey in this study shows different OHSMS awareness levels between site general managers and OHS managers. The differences were motivation for developing OHSMS, external support needed for implementing OHSMS, problems and effectiveness of implementing OHSMS. Conclusion Both work-related accident and fatal accident rates were found to be significantly reduced by implementing OHSMS in this study. The differences of OHSMS awareness between site general managers and OHS managers were identified through a survey. The effect of these differences on safety and other benefits warrants further research with proper data collection. PMID:24422176

Influence of fine-scale habitat structure on nest-site occupancy, laying date and clutch size in Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amininasab, Seyed Mehdi; Vedder, Oscar; Schut, Elske; de Jong, Berber; Magrath, Michael J. L.; Korsten, Peter; Komdeur, Jan

2016-01-01

Most birds have specific habitat requirements for breeding. The vegetation structure surrounding nest-sites is an important component of habitat quality, and can have large effects on avian breeding performance. We studied 13 years of Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus population data to determine whether characteristics of vegetation structure predict site occupancy, laying date and number of eggs laid. Measurements of vegetation structure included the density of English Oak Quercus robur, European Beech Fagus sylvatica, and other deciduous, coniferous and non-coniferous evergreen trees, within a 20-m radius of nest-boxes used for breeding. Trees were further sub-divided into specific classes of trunk circumferences to determine the densities for different maturity levels. Based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we reduced the total number of 17 measured vegetation variables to 7 main categories, which we used for further analyses. We found that the occupancy rate of sites and the number of eggs laid correlated positively with the proportion of deciduous trees and negatively with the density of coniferous trees. Laying of the first egg was advanced with a greater proportion of deciduous trees. Among deciduous trees, the English Oak appeared to be most important, as a higher density of more mature English Oak trees was associated with more frequent nest-box occupancy, a larger number of eggs laid, and an earlier laying start. Furthermore, laying started earlier and more eggs were laid in nest-boxes with higher occupancy rates. Together, these findings highlight the role of deciduous trees, particularly more mature English Oak, as important predictors of high-quality preferred habitat. These results aid in defining habitat quality and will facilitate future studies on the importance of environmental quality for breeding performance.

Effect of Occupational Health and Safety Management System on Work-Related Accident Rate and Differences of Occupational Health and Safety Management System Awareness between Managers in South Korea's Construction Industry.

PubMed

Yoon, Seok J; Lin, Hsing K; Chen, Gang; Yi, Shinjea; Choi, Jeawook; Rui, Zhenhua

2013-12-01

The study was conducted to investigate the current status of the occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) in the construction industry and the effect of OHSMS on accident rates. Differences of awareness levels on safety issues among site general managers and occupational health and safety (OHS) managers are identified through surveys. The accident rates for the OHSMS-certified construction companies from 2006 to 2011, when the construction OHSMS became widely available, were analyzed to understand the effect of OHSMS on the work-related injury rates in the construction industry. The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency 18001 is the certification to these companies performing OHSMS in South Korea. The questionnaire was created to analyze the differences of OHSMS awareness between site general managers and OHS managers of construction companies. The implementation of OHSMS among the top 100 construction companies in South Korea shows that the accident rate decreased by 67% and the fatal accident rate decreased by 10.3% during the period from 2006 to 2011. The survey in this study shows different OHSMS awareness levels between site general managers and OHS managers. The differences were motivation for developing OHSMS, external support needed for implementing OHSMS, problems and effectiveness of implementing OHSMS. Both work-related accident and fatal accident rates were found to be significantly reduced by implementing OHSMS in this study. The differences of OHSMS awareness between site general managers and OHS managers were identified through a survey. The effect of these differences on safety and other benefits warrants further research with proper data collection.

Predicting carnivore occurrence with noninvasive surveys and occupancy modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, Robert A.; Donovan, Therese M.; MacKay, Paula; Zielinski, William J.; Buzas, Jeffrey S.

2011-01-01

Terrestrial carnivores typically have large home ranges and exist at low population densities, thus presenting challenges to wildlife researchers. We employed multiple, noninvasive survey methods—scat detection dogs, remote cameras, and hair snares—to collect detection–nondetection data for elusive American black bears (Ursus americanus), fishers (Martes pennanti), and bobcats (Lynx rufus) throughout the rugged Vermont landscape. We analyzed these data using occupancy modeling that explicitly incorporated detectability as well as habitat and landscape variables. For black bears, percentage of forested land within 5 km of survey sites was an important positive predictor of occupancy, and percentage of human developed land within 5 km was a negative predictor. Although the relationship was less clear for bobcats, occupancy appeared positively related to the percentage of both mixed forest and forested wetland habitat within 1 km of survey sites. The relationship between specific covariates and fisher occupancy was unclear, with no specific habitat or landscape variables directly related to occupancy. For all species, we used model averaging to predict occurrence across the study area. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses of our black bear and fisher models suggested that occupancy modeling efforts with data from noninvasive surveys could be useful for carnivore conservation and management, as they provide insights into habitat use at the regional and landscape scale without requiring capture or direct observation of study species.

Quantification of Lysine Acetylation and Succinylation Stoichiometry in Proteins Using Mass Spectrometric Data-Independent Acquisitions (SWATH)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Jesse G.; D'Souza, Alexandria K.; Sorensen, Dylan J.; Rardin, Matthew J.; Wolfe, Alan J.; Gibson, Bradford W.; Schilling, Birgit

2016-11-01

Post-translational modification of lysine residues by NƐ-acylation is an important regulator of protein function. Many large-scale protein acylation studies have assessed relative changes of lysine acylation sites after antibody enrichment using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Although relative acylation fold-changes are important, this does not reveal site occupancy, or stoichiometry, of individual modification sites, which is critical to understand functional consequences. Recently, methods for determining lysine acetylation stoichiometry have been proposed based on ratiometric analysis of endogenous levels to those introduced after quantitative per-acetylation of proteins using stable isotope-labeled acetic anhydride. However, in our hands, we find that these methods can overestimate acetylation stoichiometries because of signal interferences when endogenous levels of acylation are very low, which is especially problematic when using MS1 scans for quantification. In this study, we sought to improve the accuracy of determining acylation stoichiometry using data-independent acquisition (DIA). Specifically, we use SWATH acquisition to comprehensively collect both precursor and fragment ion intensity data. The use of fragment ions for stoichiometry quantification not only reduces interferences but also allows for determination of site-level stoichiometry from peptides with multiple lysine residues. We also demonstrate the novel extension of this method to measurements of succinylation stoichiometry using deuterium-labeled succinic anhydride. Proof of principle SWATH acquisition studies were first performed using bovine serum albumin for both acetylation and succinylation occupancy measurements, followed by the analysis of more complex samples of E. coli cell lysates. Although overall site occupancy was low (<1%), some proteins contained lysines with relatively high acetylation occupancy.

Effects of fire on spotted owl site occupancy in a late-successional forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, Susan L.; van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; Miles, A. Keith; Kelt, Douglas A.

2011-01-01

The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a late-successional forest dependent species that is sensitive to forest management practices throughout its range. An increase in the frequency and spatial extent of standreplacing fires in western North America has prompted concern for the persistence of spotted owls and other sensitive late-successional forest associated species. However, there is sparse information on the effects of fire on spotted owls to guide conservation policies. In 2004-2005, we surveyed for California spotted owls during the breeding season at 32 random sites (16 burned, 16 unburned) throughout late-successional montane forest in Yosemite National Park, California. Our burned areas burned at all severities, but predominately involved low to moderate fire severity. Based on an information theoretic approach, spotted owl detection and occupancy rates were similar between burned and unburned sites. Nest and roost site occupancy was best explained by a model that combined total tree basal area (positive effect) with cover by coarse woody debris (negative effect). The density estimates of California spotted owl pairs were similar in burned and unburned forests, and the overall mean density estimate for Yosemite was higher than previously reported for montane forests. Our results indicate that low to moderate severity fires, historically common within montane forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, maintain habitat characteristics essential for spotted owl site occupancy. These results suggest that managed fires that emulate the historic fire regime of these forests may maintain spotted owl habitat and protect this species from the effects of future catastrophic fires.

Reconstruction of settlement phases at Intermediate Bronze Age structures in the Negev Highlands (Israel) using luminescence dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junge, Andrea; Lomax, Johanna; Shahack-Gross, Ruth; Dunseth, Zachary C.; Finkelstein, Israel; Fuchs, Markus

2016-04-01

OSL dating is usually applied to sediments in paleoenvironmental sciences. However, there is only limited experience with determining the age of archaeological stone structures by OSL using dust deposits associated with these structures. The age of trapped dust deposits may be used to date the onset of settlement (sediment below structures), settlement activity (occupation layer), or the time after settlement (sediment between collapsed walls and roofs). In this study, OSL dating is applied for establishing a chronology of settlement structures situated in the Negev Highlands, Israel. Two archaeological sites are investigated to identify the occupation history, by dating the aeolian dust trapped within the remains of ancient buildings. OSL dating techniques are applied using coarse grain quartz and a standard SAR protocol. First results indicate that the luminescence properties of the trapped sediments are suitable for OSL dating. Therefore, it was possible to date the onset of sedimentation in a later phase of the human occupation or shortly after the settlement was abandoned, which is supported by archaeological evidence gained from pottery finds and the architecture of the buildings.

[A comprehensive evaluation of intervention effects on workplace health promotion in a pharmaceutical company].

PubMed

Li, Shuang; Li, Tao; Li, Jian-guo; Chen, Li; Ren, Jun; Li, Chao-lin

2012-02-01

To evaluate the comprehensive workplace health promotion intervention effect in a pharmaceutical company. The evaluation was conducted by using questionnaires, access to information, on-site surveys, satisfaction surveys and interviews. After the intervention, the awareness rate of the staff on "Occupational Disease Prevention Law", occupational disease prevention measures, the definition of hypertension, HIV transmission and high blood pressure, coronary heart disease preventive measures, have been raised from 72.4%, 13.8%, 67.5%, 45.8%, 51.7% to 97.8%, 19.9%, 82.3%, 94.7%, 53.1% respectively. The lifestyle of the staff has been improved, the improvement rate of smoking, drinking, having breakfast 4 times a week and above are 98.5%, 70.2% and 30.6% separately. Out of the 47 evaluation indicators, 41 meet the requirements, 5 basically meet the requirements. After implementing workplace health promotion activities, the level of occupational safety and health management of the pharmaceutical company has been enhanced, the physical and mental health of the staff have been promoted. The WHP comprehensive interventions are feasible and effective.

Carnivore use of avocado orchards across an agricultural-wildland gradient

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nogeire, Theresa M.; Davis, Frank W.; Duggan, Jennifer M.; Crooks, Kevin R.; Boydston, Erin E.

2013-01-01

Wide-ranging species cannot persist in reserves alone. Consequently, there is growing interest in the conservation value of agricultural lands that separate or buffer natural areas. The value of agricultural lands for wildlife habitat and connectivity varies as a function of the crop type and landscape context, and quantifying these differences will improve our ability to manage these lands more effectively for animals. In southern California, many species are present in avocado orchards, including mammalian carnivores. We examined occupancy of avocado orchards by mammalian carnivores across agricultural-wildland gradients in southern California with motion-activated cameras. More carnivore species were detected with cameras in orchards than in wildland sites, and for bobcats and gray foxes, orchards were associated with higher occupancy rates. Our results demonstrate that agricultural lands have potential to contribute to conservation by providing habitat or facilitating landscape connectivity.

On-site Consultation Hearings, Occupational Safety and Health Act. Hearings before the Subcommittee on Manpower, Compensation, and Health and Safety of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Ninety-fourth Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

The hearings consider a bill, H.R. 8618, to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) which would provide on-site consultative services to employers desiring to comply with OSHA standards. H.R. 8616 was introduced to strengthen OSHA by providing an additional program that would encourage employers to voluntarily comply with…

Lack of consensus among competency ratings of the same occupation: noise or substance?

PubMed

Lievens, Filip; Sanchez, Juan I; Bartram, Dave; Brown, Anna

2010-05-01

Although rating differences among incumbents of the same occupation have traditionally been viewed as error variance in the work analysis domain, such differences might often capture substantive discrepancies in how incumbents approach their work. This study draws from job crafting, creativity, and role theories to uncover situational factors (i.e., occupational activities, context, and complexity) related to differences among competency ratings of the same occupation. The sample consisted of 192 incumbents from 64 occupations. Results showed that 25% of the variance associated with differences in competency ratings of the same occupation was related to the complexity, the context, and primarily the nature of the occupation's work activities. Consensus was highest for occupations involving equipment-related activities and direct contact with the public. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

[The System and Human Resources for Occupational Health in Thailand - For Japanese Enterprises to Manage Proper Occupational Health Activities at Overseas Workplaces].

PubMed

Fukai, Nanae; Hiraoka, Ko; Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Thanachokswang, Chatchai; Arphorn, Sara; Uehara, Msamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

We collected information necessary for conducting occupational health activities in Thailand with regard to occupational safety and health management systems (OSHMS). Based on an information collection check sheet developed in our previous research, we conducted a literature research and visited four local business bases, one ISO certification body and two higher educational institutions. The legal framework concerning occupational health in Thailand consists of the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act of 2011 and 13 ordinances from the Ministry of Labor under that act. The original OSHMS standards for Thailand have been published, and the number of companies, especially large ones, introducing systems conforming to these standards has increased in recent years. For occupational health specialists, there are training programs for specialized occupational health physicians, professional safety officers and occupational nurses. Professional safety officers also play a central role in occupational health in the workplace. In Thailand, it is necessary to ensure compliance with related acts and regulations, and to conduct voluntary activities that satisfy workplace conditions as based on the OSHMS standards. Additionally, to improve occupational health performance, it is essential to use high-quality external services and/or occupational health professionals. Headquarters of Japanese companies have considered taking countermeasures such as recommending active use of professional safety officers, as well as issuing global standards.

Biochemical characterization of P-type copper ATPases

PubMed Central

Inesi, Giuseppe; Pilankatta, Rajendra; Tadini-Buoninsegni, Francesco

2014-01-01

Copper ATPases, in analogy with other members of the P-ATPase superfamily, contain a catalytic headpiece including an aspartate residue reacting with ATP to form a phosphoenzyme intermediate, and transmembrane helices containing cation-binding sites [TMBS (transmembrane metal-binding sites)] for catalytic activation and cation translocation. Following phosphoenzyme formation by utilization of ATP, bound copper undergoes displacement from the TMBS to the lumenal membrane surface, with no H+ exchange. Although PII-type ATPases sustain active transport of alkali/alkali-earth ions (i.e. Na+, Ca2+) against electrochemical gradients across defined membranes, PIB-type ATPases transfer transition metal ions (i.e. Cu+) from delivery to acceptor proteins and, prominently in mammalian cells, undergo trafficking from/to various membrane compartments. A specific component of copper ATPases is the NMBD (N-terminal metal-binding domain), containing up to six copper-binding sites in mammalian (ATP7A and ATP7B) enzymes. Copper occupancy of NMBD sites and interaction with the ATPase headpiece are required for catalytic activation. Furthermore, in the presence of copper, the NMBD allows interaction with protein kinase D, yielding phosphorylation of serine residues, ATP7B trafficking and protection from proteasome degradation. A specific feature of ATP7A is glycosylation and stabilization on plasma membranes. Cisplatin, a platinum-containing anti-cancer drug, binds to copper sites of ATP7A and ATP7B, and undergoes vectorial displacement in analogy with copper. PMID:25242165

Phytoliths as an indicator of early modern humans plant gathering strategies, fire fuel and site occupation intensity during the Middle Stone Age at Pinnacle Point 5-6 (south coast, South Africa)

PubMed Central

Marean, Curtis W.; Fisher, Erich C.; Karkanas, Panagiotis; Albert, Rosa M.

2018-01-01

The study of plant remains in archaeological sites, along with a better understanding of the use of plants by prehistoric populations, can help us shed light on changes in survival strategies of hunter-gatherers and consequent impacts on modern human cognition, social organization, and technology. The archaeological locality of Pinnacle Point (Mossel Bay, South Africa) includes a series of coastal caves, rock-shelters, and open-air sites with human occupations spanning the Acheulian through Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA). These sites have provided some of the earliest evidence for complex human behaviour and technology during the MSA. We used phytoliths—amorphous silica particles that are deposited in cells of plants—as a proxy for the reconstruction of past human plant foraging strategies on the south coast of South Africa during the Middle and Late Pleistocene, emphasizing the use and control of fire as well as other possible plant uses. We analysed sediment samples from the different occupation periods at the rock shelter Pinnacle Point 5–6 North (PP5-6N). We also present an overview of the taphonomic processes affecting phytolith preservation in this site that will be critical to conduct a more reliable interpretation of the original plant use in the rock shelter. Our study reports the first evidence of the intentional gathering and introduction into living areas of plants from the Restionaceae family by MSA hunter-gatherers inhabiting the south coast of South Africa. We suggest that humans inhabiting Pinnacle Point during short-term occupation events during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 built fast fires using mainly grasses with some wood from trees and/or shrubs for specific purposes, perhaps for shellfish cooking. With the onset of MIS 4 we observed a change in the plant gathering strategies towards the intentional and intensive exploitation of dry wood to improve, we hypothesise, combustion for heating silcrete. This human behaviour is associated with changes in stone tool technology, site occupation intensity and climate change. PMID:29864147

Phytoliths as an indicator of early modern humans plant gathering strategies, fire fuel and site occupation intensity during the Middle Stone Age at Pinnacle Point 5-6 (south coast, South Africa).

PubMed

Esteban, Irene; Marean, Curtis W; Fisher, Erich C; Karkanas, Panagiotis; Cabanes, Dan; Albert, Rosa M

2018-01-01

The study of plant remains in archaeological sites, along with a better understanding of the use of plants by prehistoric populations, can help us shed light on changes in survival strategies of hunter-gatherers and consequent impacts on modern human cognition, social organization, and technology. The archaeological locality of Pinnacle Point (Mossel Bay, South Africa) includes a series of coastal caves, rock-shelters, and open-air sites with human occupations spanning the Acheulian through Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA). These sites have provided some of the earliest evidence for complex human behaviour and technology during the MSA. We used phytoliths-amorphous silica particles that are deposited in cells of plants-as a proxy for the reconstruction of past human plant foraging strategies on the south coast of South Africa during the Middle and Late Pleistocene, emphasizing the use and control of fire as well as other possible plant uses. We analysed sediment samples from the different occupation periods at the rock shelter Pinnacle Point 5-6 North (PP5-6N). We also present an overview of the taphonomic processes affecting phytolith preservation in this site that will be critical to conduct a more reliable interpretation of the original plant use in the rock shelter. Our study reports the first evidence of the intentional gathering and introduction into living areas of plants from the Restionaceae family by MSA hunter-gatherers inhabiting the south coast of South Africa. We suggest that humans inhabiting Pinnacle Point during short-term occupation events during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 built fast fires using mainly grasses with some wood from trees and/or shrubs for specific purposes, perhaps for shellfish cooking. With the onset of MIS 4 we observed a change in the plant gathering strategies towards the intentional and intensive exploitation of dry wood to improve, we hypothesise, combustion for heating silcrete. This human behaviour is associated with changes in stone tool technology, site occupation intensity and climate change.

[Current status of occupational health activities and the way that occupational health services should be offered to small- and medium-scale enterprises].

PubMed

Kayashima, Kotaro

2013-10-01

Activating occupational safety and health activities among Small- and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) is a major issue because more than 80% of Japanese workers belong to these enterprises, in which the number of workers are less than 300 people. However, as the size of the enterprise decreases, the occurrence of problems of safety and health management systems and safety and health activities increases. Reasons for this include both the limitations of investments shortages of human resources. Occupational health services in SMEs has been provided by the cooperation of the following institutions: public associations (such as Regional Occupational Health Centers, Occupational Health Promotion Centers, Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA)), occupational health agencies which provide checkup services, health insurance associations, and regional medical services. In contrast to the low coverage of occupational health services among SMEs in Japan, there are some countries in Europe in which this coverage is almost 100%. This is because of the development of occupational health services outside the company. To show the benefits of the safety and health activities to managers of SMEs, and to motivate them to take advantage of the services, it is important to consider measurements. Also, establishing systems that provide those services, improving the quality of specialists such as occupational physicians, and educating human resources, are all necessary.

Influence of 6s{sup 2} lone pair electrons of Bi{sup 3+} on its preferential site occupancy in fluorapatite, NaCa{sub 3}Bi(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F – An insight from Eu{sup 3+} luminescent probe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lakshminarasimhan, N., E-mail: nlnsimha@gmail.com; Varadaraju, U.V.

2014-12-15

Graphical abstract: Eu{sup 3+} structural probe – difference in Eu{sup 3+} PL emission in (a) NaCa{sub 3}Bi{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F and (b) NaCa{sub 3}La{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F suggests Bi{sup 3+} with preferential site occupancy at M(II) site directing Eu{sup 3+} to M(I) site. - Highlights: • Eu{sup 3+} luminescent probe used for establishing the role of 6s{sup 2} lone pair electrons of Bi{sup 3+} in fluorapatite. • Difference in Eu{sup 3+} PL emission spectral features in NaCa{sub 3}Bi{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F and NaCa{sub 3}La{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F. • Preferential site occupancy of Bi{sup 3+} in M(II)more » site directs Eu{sup 3+} to M(I) site in NaCa{sub 3}Bi{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F. - Abstract: Eu{sup 3+} luminescence was used as a structural probe in understanding the preferential site occupancy of lone pair cation, Bi{sup 3+}, in fluorapatite by comparing the photoluminescence (PL) emission spectral features with that of in analogous La{sup 3+} based fluorapatite. The fluorapatites, NaCa{sub 3}Bi{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F and NaCa{sub 3}La{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F, were synthesized by conventional high temperature solid state reaction method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FT-IR spectroscopy. The Eu{sup 3+} PL results revealed a difference in the emission spectral features in NaCa{sub 3}Bi{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F and NaCa{sub 3}La{sub 0.95}Eu{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F. This difference in Eu{sup 3+} PL emission can be attributed to the difference in its site occupancy in the studied fluorapatites.« less

National occupant protection use survey : controlled intersection detailed study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-02-01

In late 1994, NHTSA conducted the first National Occupant Protection Use Survey : (NOPUS). Shoulder belt use was observed at a random sample of sites across the : country for drivers and right-front passengers of cars and light trucks. In one : porti...

Stabilization of Glucocerebrosidase by Active Site Occupancy

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) is a lysosomal β-glucosidase that degrades glucosylceramide. Its deficiency results in Gaucher disease (GD). We examined the effects of active site occupancy of GBA on its structural stability. For this, we made use of cyclophellitol-derived activity-based probes (ABPs) that bind irreversibly to the catalytic nucleophile (E340), and for comparison, we used the potent reversible inhibitor isofagomine. We demonstrate that cyclophellitol ABPs improve the stability of GBA in vitro, as revealed by thermodynamic measurements (Tm increase by 21 °C), and introduce resistance to tryptic digestion. The stabilizing effect of cell-permeable cyclophellitol ABPs is also observed in intact cultured cells containing wild-type GBA, N370S GBA (labile in lysosomes), and L444P GBA (exhibits impaired ER folding): all show marked increases in lysosomal forms of GBA molecules upon exposure to ABPs. The same stabilization effect is observed for endogenous GBA in the liver of wild-type mice injected with cyclophellitol ABPs. Stabilization effects similar to those observed with ABPs were also noted at high concentrations of the reversible inhibitor isofagomine. In conclusion, we provide evidence that the increase in cellular levels of GBA by ABPs and by the reversible inhibitor is in part caused by their ability to stabilize GBA folding, which increases the resistance of GBA against breakdown by lysosomal proteases. These effects are more pronounced in the case of the amphiphilic ABPs, presumably due to their high lipophilic potential, which may promote further structural compactness of GBA through hydrophobic interactions. Our study provides further rationale for the design of chaperones for GBA to ameliorate Gaucher disease. PMID:28485919

Using individual-condition measures to predict the long-term importance of habitat extent for population persistence.

PubMed

Cosgrove, Anita J; McWhorter, Todd J; Maron, Martine

2017-10-01

Habitat loss and fragmentation are causing widespread population declines, but identifying how and when to intervene remains challenging. Predicting where extirpations are likely to occur and implementing management actions before losses result may be more cost-effective than trying to reestablish lost populations. Early indicators of pressure on populations could be used to make such predictions. Previous work conducted in 2009 and 2010 identified that the presence of Eastern Yellow Robins (Eopsaltria australis) in 42 sites in a fragmented region of eastern Australia was unrelated to woodland extent within 500 m of a site, but the robins' heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratios (an indicator of chronic stress) were elevated at sites with low levels of surrounding woodland. We resurveyed these 42 sites in 2013 and 2014 for robin presence to determine whether the H:L ratios obtained in 2009 and 2010 predicted the locations of extirpations and whether the previous pattern in H:L ratios was an early sign that woodland extent would become an important predictor of occupancy. We also surveyed for robins at 43 additional sites to determine whether current occupancy could be better predicted by landscape context at a larger scale, relevant to dispersal movements. At the original 42 sites, H:L ratios and extirpations were not related, although only 4 extirpations were observed. Woodland extent within 500 m had become a strong predictor of occupancy. Taken together, these results provide mixed evidence as to whether patterns of individual condition can reveal habitat relationships that become evident as local shifts in occupancy occur but that are not revealed by a single snapshot of species distribution. Across all 85 sites, woodland extent at scales relevant to dispersal (5 km) was not related to occurrence. We recommend that conservation actions focus on regenerating areas of habitat large enough to support robin territories rather than increasing connectivity within the landscape. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Contributions of non-occupational activities to total noise exposure of construction workers.

PubMed

Neitzel, Richard; Seixas, Noah; Goldman, Bryan; Daniell, William

2004-07-01

This paper describes how exposures received during routine and episodic non-occupational activities contribute to total noise exposure in a group of occupationally exposed workers. Two-hundred and sixty-six construction apprentices enrolled in a longitudinal hearing loss study and completed questionnaires at 1 yr of follow-up to determine their episodic activities (e.g. concert attendance, power tool use, firearms exposure). Noise exposure levels for these episodic exposures were determined from the published literature. Routine activities were assessed using activity cards filled out over 530 subject-days, along with noise dosimetry measurements made over 124 subject-days of measurement. Equivalent Leq exposure levels were then calculated for specific activities. These activity-specific Leq values were combined into estimated individual annual Leq exposure levels for the 6760 nominal annual non-occupational hours in a year (LAeq6760h), which were then transformed into equivalent levels for a 2000 h exposure period (LA2000hn) for comparison with occupational noise exposure risk criteria. The mean non-occupational LAeq6760h exposure values for the cohort ranged from 56 to 87 dBA (equivalent LA2000hn 62-93 dBA). At the mid range of the routine and episodic activity exposure level distribution, the mean LAeq6760h was 73 dBA (LA2000hn 78 dBA). Nineteen percent of the LA2000hn non-occupational exposures exceeded 85 dBA, the generally recommended occupational limit for a 2000 h workyear, at the mid-range of exposure levels. Due to a lack of available data, firearms use could not be incorporated into the total noise exposure estimates. However, firearms users reported more exposure to other noisy non-occupational activities and had statistically significantly higher estimated exposure levels even without including their firearms exposure than did non-shooters. When compared with the high levels of occupational noise found in construction, non-occupational noise exposures generally present little additional exposure for most workers. However, they may contribute significantly to overall exposure in the subset of workers who frequently participate in selected noisy activities.

Dynamic Changes in Nucleosome Occupancy Are Not Predictive of Gene Expression Dynamics but Are Linked to Transcription and Chromatin Regulators

PubMed Central

Huebert, Dana J.; Kuan, Pei-Fen; Keleş, Sündüz

2012-01-01

The response to stressful stimuli requires rapid, precise, and dynamic gene expression changes that must be coordinated across the genome. To gain insight into the temporal ordering of genome reorganization, we investigated dynamic relationships between changing nucleosome occupancy, transcription factor binding, and gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast responding to oxidative stress. We applied deep sequencing to nucleosomal DNA at six time points before and after hydrogen peroxide treatment and revealed many distinct dynamic patterns of nucleosome gain and loss. The timing of nucleosome repositioning was not predictive of the dynamics of downstream gene expression change but instead was linked to nucleosome position relative to transcription start sites and specific cis-regulatory elements. We measured genome-wide binding of the stress-activated transcription factor Msn2p over time and found that Msn2p binds different loci with different dynamics. Nucleosome eviction from Msn2p binding sites was common across the genome; however, we show that, contrary to expectation, nucleosome loss occurred after Msn2p binding and in fact required Msn2p. This negates the prevailing model that nucleosomes obscuring Msn2p sites regulate DNA access and must be lost before Msn2p can bind DNA. Together, these results highlight the complexities of stress-dependent chromatin changes and their effects on gene expression. PMID:22354995

Isotopic evidence for Last Glacial climatic impacts on Neanderthal gazelle hunting territories at Amud Cave, Israel.

PubMed

Hartman, Gideon; Hovers, Erella; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Richards, Michael

2015-07-01

The Middle Paleolithic site of Amud Cave, Israel, was occupied by Neanderthals at two different time periods, evidenced by two chronologically and stratigraphically distinct depositional sub-units (B4 and B2/B1) during MIS 4 and MIS 3, respectively. The composition of both hunted large fauna and naturally-deposited micromammalian taxa is stable at the site over time, despite a ∼ 10 ky gap between the two occupation phases. However, while gazelle is the most ubiquitous hunted species throughout the occupation, isotopic analysis showed that there is a marked change in Neanderthal hunting ranges between the early (B4) and late (B2/B1) phases. Hunting ranges were reconstructed by comparing oxygen, carbon, and strontium isotopes from gazelle tooth enamel with modern isotope data from the Amud Cave region. This region is characterized by extensive topographic, lithological, and pedological heterogeneity. During the early occupation phase negative oxygen isotope values, low radiogenic (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios, and low Sr concentrations reveal restricted gazelle hunting in the high elevations west of Amud Cave. In the late occupation phase, hunting ranges became more diverse, but concentrate at low elevations closer to the site. Climatic proxies indicate that conditions were drier in the early occupation phase, which may have pushed gazelle populations into higher, more productive foraging areas. This study showed that Neanderthals adjusted their hunting territories considerably in relation to varying environmental conditions over the course of occupation in Amud Cave. It highlights the utility of multiple isotope analysis in enhancing the resolution of behavioral interpretations based on faunal remains and in reconstructing past hunting behaviors of Paleolithic hominins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human Disturbance and Stage-Specific Habitat Requirements Influence Snowy Plover Site Occupancy during the Breeding Season

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

120:65–76. Doherty, P. J., and J. A. Heath. 2011. Factors affecting piping plover hatching success on Long Island, New York. J. Wildlife Manage. 75:109...reproductive success and sur- vival. In coastal areas with recreational activity, human disturbance may limit use of otherwise suitable habitat. Snowy...consequences for avian repro- ductive success and survival (Matessi and Bogliani 1999; Doligez et al. 2002; Sergio et al. 2009). Birds should use

A Qualitative Study to Explore Ways to Observe Results of Engaging Activities in Clients with Dementia.

PubMed

Ogawa, Masahiro; Nishida, Seiji; Shirai, Haruna

2017-01-01

Many occupational therapists face the challenge of helping clients with dementia to select and perform meaningful occupations, which may be difficult due to cognitive impairment. Understanding tacit knowledge of well-experienced occupational therapists could positively affect occupational therapy practice for clients with dementia. To explore the observations of experienced occupational therapists when evaluating the effects of activities in clients with dementia. Ten occupational therapists with over 10 years of clinical experience participated in this qualitative study. In-depth interviews were conducted to ask the question, "What do you observe in clients with dementia when you assess the effectiveness of activities among these clients?" Findings . From 47 cases, we found five major themes and 18 subthemes. Main themes were "engaging activity," "emotional expression during activity," "verbal expression during activity," "social interaction through activity," and "something obtained as outcome of activity." Relevance to Clinical Practice . The 18 subthemes could be used as viewpoints to observe engagements of activity in clients with dementia. Future studies could examine which viewpoints were utilized for each type of activity and/or severity of dementia as this was not investigated in the current study.

Occupational exposure to dioxins by thermal oxygen cutting, welding, and soldering of metals.

PubMed

Menzel, H M; Bolm-Audorff, U; Turcer, E; Bienfait, H G; Albracht, G; Walter, D; Emmel, C; Knecht, U; Päpke, O

1998-04-01

This paper focuses on one aspect of occupational dioxin exposure that is novel and unexpected. Exposures in excess of the German threshold limit value of 50 pg international toxicity equivalent (I-TEQ)/m3 are very frequent, unpredictable, and sometimes very high--up to 6612 pg I-TEQ/m3--during thermal oxygen cutting at scrap metal and demolition sites. The same procedure involving virgin steel in steel trade and mass production of steel objects gave no such evidence, even though no final conclusions can be drawn because of the low number of samples analyzed. Low dioxin exposures during inert gas electric arc welding confirm previous literature findings, whereas soldering and thermal oxygen cutting in the presence of polyvinyl chloride give rise to concern. The consequences of occupational dioxin exposure were studied by analysis of the dioxin-blood concentration, the body burden, of men performing thermal oxygen cutting at scrap metal reclamation and demolition sites, in steel trade and producing plants as well as for industrial welders and white-collar workers. The results concerning body burdens are in excellent agreement with the dioxin exposure as characterized by dioxin air concentration in the workplace. The significant positive correlation between duration and frequency of performing thermal oxygen cutting at metal reclamation and demolition sites expressed in job-years and dioxin body burden speaks for the occupational origin of the observed overload after long times. The results reported here lead to consequences for occupational health, which are discussed and require immediate attention.

Monitoring Least Bitterns (Ixobrychis exilis) in Vermont: Detection probability and occupancy modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cherukuri, Aswini; Strong, Allan; Donovan, Therese M.

2018-01-01

Ixobrychus exillis (Least Bittern) is listed as a species of high concern in the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan and is a US Fish and Wildlife Service migratory bird species of conservation concern in the Northeast. Little is known about the population of Least Bitterns in the Northeast because of their low population density, tendency to nest in dense wetland vegetation, and secretive behavior. Urban and agricultural development is expected to encroach on and degrade suitable wetland habitat; however, we cannot predict the effects on Least Bittern populations without more accurate information on their abundance and distribution. We conducted surveys of wetlands in Vermont to assess the efficacy of a monitoring protocol and to establish baseline Least Bittern abundance and distribution data at a sample of 29 wetland sites. Surveys yielded detections of 31 individuals at 15 of 29 sites across 3 biophysical regions and at 5 sites where occupancy had not been previously reported. Probability of occupancy was positively related to wetland size and number of patches, though the relationships were not strong enough to conclude if these were true determinants of occupancy. Call—response broadcast surveys yielded 30 detections, while passive surveys yielded 13. Call—response broadcasts (P = 0.897) increased the rate of detection by 55% compared to passive surveys (P = 0.577). Our results suggest that call—response broadcast surveys are an effective means of assessing Least Bittern occupancy and may reduce bias in long-term monitoring programs.

Manipulation of polar order in the "empty" tetragonal tungsten bronzes: Ba4-xSrxDy0.67□1.33Nb10O30, x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, Jonathan; Morrison, Finlay D.

2016-08-01

A series of "empty" tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) ferroelectrics, Ba4-xSrxDy0.67□1.33Nb10O30 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3; □ = vacancy), is reported. With increasing x the unit cell contracts in both the ab plane and c-axis; x ≤ 1 compounds are normal ferroelectrics (FE) with decreasing TC as x increases, while x ≥ 2 are relaxor ferroelectrics (RFE) with associated frequency dependent permittivity peaks and with similar Tm and Tf (Vogel-Fulcher freezing temperatures) values. This observation is rationalised by differing cation occupancies: for x ≤ 1, Sr2+ principally occupies the A2-site (co-occupied by Ba2+ with the A1-site occupied by Dy3+ and vacancies); for x ≥ 2 significant Sr A1-site occupation leads to the observed RFE characteristics. This FE to RFE crossover is consistent with a previously proposed TTB crystal chemical framework where both a decrease in average A-site size and concurrent increase in A1-site tolerance factor (tA1) favour destabilization of long range polar order and relaxor behaviour. The effect of increasing tA1 as a result of Sr occupancy at the A1 site is dominant in the compounds reported here.

Role of maternal occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors on adverse birth outcomes.

PubMed

Lee, Laura J; Symanski, Elaine; Lupo, Philip J; Tinker, Sarah C; Razzaghi, Hilda; Chan, Wenyaw; Hoyt, Adrienne T; Canfield, Mark A

2017-03-01

We examined the association of an array of estimated maternal occupational physical activities and psychosocial stressors during pregnancy with odds for preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA). Data for infants born without major birth defects delivered from 1997 to 2009 whose mothers reported working at least 1 month during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. We linked occupational codes to the US Department of Labor's Occupational Information Network, which provides estimates of exposure for multiple domains of physical activity and psychosocial stressors by occupational categories. We conducted factor analysis using principal components extraction with 17 occupational activities and calculated factor scores. ORs for PTB and SGA across quartiles of factor scores in each trimester were computed using logistic regression. Factor analysis grouped occupational domains into 4 groups based on factor loadings. These groups were 'occupational physical activity', 'interpersonal stressor', 'automated work' and 'job responsibility'. High levels of 'occupational physical activity' were significantly associated with SGA (adjusted OR (AOR) for highest quartile compared with lowest quartile of factor score: 1.36; 95% CIs 1.02 to 1.82; p for trend=0.001) and were also positively associated with PTB (AOR: 1.24; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.64; p for trend=0.01). No clear results were observed across domains of psychosocial stressors. Our findings expand understanding of associations between occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors and PTB and SGA and suggest that additional research is needed to further examine these relationships. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Relationships between impact on employment, working conditions, socio-occupational categories and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after the industrial disaster in Toulouse, France.

PubMed

Diene, Eloi; Agrinier, Nelly; Albessard, Artus; Cassadou, Sylvie; Schwoebel, Valerie; Lang, Thierry

2012-08-01

The aims of this paper were (1) to analyze the prevalence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (S-PTSD) in a population of workers 1 year after an industrial disaster; and (2) to assess the role of factors of vulnerability such as the occupational impact of a disaster and economic conditions. A cross-sectional survey assessing the relationships between socio-occupational category, impact on employment and S-PTSD was conducted by the self-administered impact of event scale-revised. The prevalence of S-PTSD in workers in the peripheral zone (<3 km around the explosion site) was 12% in men and 18% in women. Factors significantly associated with S-PTSD in men were non-managerial socio-occupational category: employees (ORa = 4.3; [2.3; 7.8]), factory workers/laborers (ORa = 3.7; [1.8; 7.6]), intermediate professions (ORa = 3.3; [1.9; 5.9]), and artisans (ORa = 3; [1.3; 7.7]); and layoff (ORa = 2.6; [1.5; 4.5]) or unusable workplace after the explosion (ORa = 1.8; [1.1; 2.8]). In women, factors significantly associated with S-PTSD were the socio-occupational categories of employees and factory workers (ORa = 2.2; [1.4; 3.5]), artisans (ORa = 2.7; [1.3; 5.7]) and intermediate professions, (ORa = 1.5; [1; 2.3]) and reporting of an occupational accident (ORa = 1.5; [1.1; 2.2]). Impact on the workplace and socioeconomic conditions were associated with S-PTSD. The epidemiological approach in disaster situations needs to be improved, particularly in the social and occupational dimension when economically active populations are involved. Vulnerable subgroups, defined by occupational impact and low socioeconomic category, should be taken into account.

Quantification of differences between occupancy and total monitoring periods for better assessment of exposure to particles in indoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wierzbicka, A.; Bohgard, M.; Pagels, J. H.; Dahl, A.; Löndahl, J.; Hussein, T.; Swietlicki, E.; Gudmundsson, A.

2015-04-01

For the assessment of personal exposure, information about the concentration of pollutants when people are in given indoor environments (occupancy time) are of prime importance. However this kind of data frequently is not reported. The aim of this study was to assess differences in particle characteristics between occupancy time and the total monitoring period, with the latter being the most frequently used averaging time in the published data. Seven indoor environments were selected in Sweden and Finland: an apartment, two houses, two schools, a supermarket, and a restaurant. They were assessed for particle number and mass concentrations and number size distributions. The measurements using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer and two photometers were conducted for seven consecutive days during winter in each location. Particle concentrations in residences and schools were, as expected, the highest during occupancy time. In the apartment average and median PM2.5 mass concentrations during the occupancy time were 29% and 17% higher, respectively compared to total monitoring period. In both schools, the average and medium values of the PM2.5 mass concentrations were on average higher during teaching hours compared to the total monitoring period by 16% and 32%, respectively. When it comes to particle number concentrations (PNC), in the apartment during occupancy, the average and median values were 33% and 58% higher, respectively than during the total monitoring period. In both houses and schools the average and median PNC were similar for the occupancy and total monitoring periods. General conclusions on the basis of measurements in the limited number of indoor environments cannot be drawn. However the results confirm a strong dependence on type and frequency of indoor activities that generate particles and site specificity. The results also indicate that the exclusion of data series during non-occupancy periods can improve the estimates of particle concentrations and characteristics suitable for exposure assessment, which is crucial for estimating health effects in epidemiological and toxicological studies.

Water in the Active Site of Ketosteroid Isomerase

PubMed Central

Hanoian, Philip; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon

2011-01-01

Classical molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to investigate the structural and dynamical properties of water in the active site of ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) to provide insight into the role of these water molecules in the enzyme-catalyzed reaction. This reaction is thought to proceed via a dienolate intermediate that is stabilized by hydrogen bonding with residues Tyr16 and Asp103. A comparative study was performed for the wild-type (WT) KSI and the Y16F, Y16S, and Y16F/Y32F/Y57F (FFF) mutants. These systems were studied with three different bound ligands: equilenin, which is an intermediate analog, and the intermediate states of two steroid substrates. Several distinct water occupation sites were identified in the active site of KSI for the WT and mutant systems. Three additional sites were identified in the Y16S mutant that were not occupied in WT KSI or the other mutants studied. The number of water molecules directly hydrogen bonded to the ligand oxygen was approximately two waters in the Y16S mutant, one water in the Y16F and FFF mutants, and intermittent hydrogen bonding of one water molecule in WT KSI. The molecular dynamics trajectories of the Y16F and FFF mutants reproduced the small conformational changes of residue 16 observed in the crystal structures of these two mutants. Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical calculations of 1H NMR chemical shifts of the protons in the active site hydrogen-bonding network suggest that the presence of water in the active site does not prevent the formation of short hydrogen bonds with far-downfield chemical shifts. The molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the active site water molecules exchange much more frequently for WT KSI and the FFF mutant than for the Y16F and Y16S mutants. This difference is most likely due to the hydrogen-bonding interaction between Tyr57 and an active site water molecule that is persistent in the Y16F and Y16S mutants but absent in the FFF mutant and significantly less probable in WT KSI. PMID:21710970

Water in the active site of ketosteroid isomerase.

PubMed

Hanoian, Philip; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon

2011-08-09

Classical molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to investigate the structural and dynamical properties of water in the active site of ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) to provide insight into the role of these water molecules in the enzyme-catalyzed reaction. This reaction is thought to proceed via a dienolate intermediate that is stabilized by hydrogen bonding with residues Tyr16 and Asp103. A comparative study was performed for the wild-type (WT) KSI and the Y16F, Y16S, and Y16F/Y32F/Y57F (FFF) mutants. These systems were studied with three different bound ligands: equilenin, which is an intermediate analog, and the intermediate states of two steroid substrates. Several distinct water occupation sites were identified in the active site of KSI for the WT and mutant systems. Three additional sites were identified in the Y16S mutant that were not occupied in WT KSI or the other mutants studied. The number of water molecules directly hydrogen bonded to the ligand oxygen was approximately two in the Y16S mutant and one in the Y16F and FFF mutants, with intermittent hydrogen bonding of one water molecule in WT KSI. The molecular dynamics trajectories of the Y16F and FFF mutants reproduced the small conformational changes of residue 16 observed in the crystal structures of these two mutants. Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical calculations of (1)H NMR chemical shifts of the protons in the active site hydrogen-bonding network suggest that the presence of water in the active site does not prevent the formation of short hydrogen bonds with far-downfield chemical shifts. The molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the active site water molecules exchange much more frequently for WT KSI and the FFF mutant than for the Y16F and Y16S mutants. This difference is most likely due to the hydrogen-bonding interaction between Tyr57 and an active site water molecule that is persistent in the Y16F and Y16S mutants but absent in the FFF mutant and significantly less probable in WT KSI. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Wobble pairs of the HDV ribozyme play specific roles in stabilization of active site dynamics.

PubMed

Sripathi, Kamali N; Banáš, Pavel; Réblová, Kamila; Šponer, Jiří; Otyepka, Michal; Walter, Nils G

2015-02-28

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the only known human pathogen whose genome contains a catalytic RNA motif (ribozyme). The overall architecture of the HDV ribozyme is that of a double-nested pseudoknot, with two GU pairs flanking the active site. Although extensive studies have shown that mutation of either wobble results in decreased catalytic activity, little work has focused on linking these mutations to specific structural effects on catalytic fitness. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations based on an activated structure to probe the active site dynamics as a result of wobble pair mutations. In both wild-type and mutant ribozymes, the in-line fitness of the active site (as a measure of catalytic proficiency) strongly depends on the presence of a C75(N3H3+)N1(O5') hydrogen bond, which positions C75 as the general acid for the reaction. Our mutational analyses show that each GU wobble supports catalytically fit conformations in distinct ways; the reverse G25U20 wobble promotes high in-line fitness, high occupancy of the C75(N3H3+)G1(O5') general-acid hydrogen bond and stabilization of the G1U37 wobble, while the G1U37 wobble acts more locally by stabilizing high in-line fitness and the C75(N3H3+)G1(O5') hydrogen bond. We also find that stable type I A-minor and P1.1 hydrogen bonding above and below the active site, respectively, prevent local structural disorder from spreading and disrupting global conformation. Taken together, our results define specific, often redundant architectural roles for several structural motifs of the HDV ribozyme active site, expanding the known roles of these motifs within all HDV-like ribozymes and other structured RNAs.

Wobble Pairs of the HDV Ribozyme Play Specific Roles in Stabilization of Active Site Dynamics

PubMed Central

Sripathi, Kamali N.; Banáš, Pavel; Reblova, Kamila; Šponer, Jiři; Otyepka, Michal

2015-01-01

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the only known human pathogen whose genome contains a catalytic RNA motif (ribozyme). The overall architecture of the HDV ribozyme is that of a double-nested pseudoknot, with two GU pairs flanking the active site. Although extensive studies have shown that mutation of either wobble results in decreased catalytic activity, little work has focused on linking these mutations to specific structural effects on catalytic fitness. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations based on an activated structure to probe the active site dynamics as a result of wobble pair mutations. In both wild-type and mutant ribozymes, the in-line fitness of the active site (as a measure of catalytic proficiency) strongly depends on the presence of a C75(N3H3+)N1(O5′) hydrogen bond, which positions C75 as the general acid for the reaction. Our mutational analyses show that each GU wobble supports catalytically fit conformations in distinct ways; the reverse G25U20 wobble promotes high in-line fitness, high occupancy of the C75(N3H3+)G1(O5′) general-acid hydrogen bond and stabilization of the G1U37 wobble, while the G1U37 wobble acts more locally by stabilizing high in-line fitness and the C75(N3H3+)G1(O5′) hydrogen bond. We also find that stable type I A-minor and P1.1 hydrogen bonding above and below the active site, respectively, prevent local structural disorder from spreading and disrupting global conformation. Taken together, our results define specific, often redundant architectural roles for several structural motifs of the HDV ribozyme active site, expanding the known roles of these motifs within all HDV-like ribozymes and other structured RNAs. PMID:25631765

A rapid assessment method to estimate the distribution of juvenile Chinook Salmon in tributary habitats using eDNA and occupancy estimation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matter, A.; Falke, Jeffrey A.; López, J. Andres; Savereide, James W.

2018-01-01

Identification and protection of water bodies used by anadromous species are critical in light of increasing threats to fish populations, yet often challenging given budgetary and logistical limitations. Noninvasive, rapid‐assessment, sampling techniques may reduce costs and effort while increasing species detection efficiencies. We used an intrinsic potential (IP) habitat model to identify high‐quality rearing habitats for Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and select sites to sample throughout the Chena River basin, Alaska, for juvenile occupancy using an environmental DNA (eDNA) approach. Water samples were collected from 75 tributary sites in 2014 and 2015. The presence of Chinook Salmon DNA in water samples was assessed using a species‐specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. The IP model predicted over 900 stream kilometers in the basin to support high‐quality (IP ≥ 0.75) rearing habitat. Occupancy estimation based on eDNA samples indicated that 80% and 56% of previously unsampled sites classified as high or low IP (IP < 0.75), respectively, were occupied. The probability of detection (p) of Chinook Salmon DNA from three replicate water samples was high (p = 0.76) but varied with drainage area (km2). A power analysis indicated high power to detect proportional changes in occupancy based on parameter values estimated from eDNA occupancy models, although power curves were not symmetrical around zero, indicating greater power to detect positive than negative proportional changes in occupancy. Overall, the combination of IP habitat modeling and occupancy estimation provided a useful, rapid‐assessment method to predict and subsequently quantify the distribution of juvenile salmon in previously unsampled tributary habitats. Additionally, these methods are flexible and can be modified for application to other species and in other locations, which may contribute towards improved population monitoring and management.

Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing.

PubMed

Esswein, Eric J; Breitenstein, Michael; Snawder, John; Kiefer, Max; Sieber, W Karl

2013-01-01

This report describes a previously uncharacterized occupational health hazard: work crew exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing involves high pressure injection of large volumes of water and sand, and smaller quantities of well treatment chemicals, into a gas or oil well to fracture shale or other rock formations, allowing more efficient recovery of hydrocarbons from a petroleum-bearing reservoir. Crystalline silica ("frac sand") is commonly used as a proppant to hold open cracks and fissures created by hydraulic pressure. Each stage of the process requires hundreds of thousands of pounds of quartz-containing sand; millions of pounds may be needed for all zones of a well. Mechanical handling of frac sand creates respirable crystalline silica dust, a potential exposure hazard for workers. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health collected 111 personal breathing zone samples at 11 sites in five states to evaluate worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing. At each of the 11 sites, full-shift samples exceeded occupational health criteria (e.g., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration calculated permissible exposure limit, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit, or the ACGIH threshold limit value), in some cases, by 10 or more times the occupational health criteria. Based on these evaluations, an occupational health hazard was determined to exist for workplace exposures to crystalline silica. Seven points of dust generation were identified, including sand handling machinery and dust generated from the work site itself. Recommendations to control exposures include product substitution (when feasible), engineering controls or modifications to sand handling machinery, administrative controls, and use of personal protective equipment. To our knowledge, this represents the first systematic study of work crew exposures to crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing. Companies that conduct hydraulic fracturing using silica sand should evaluate their operations to determine the potential for worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica and implement controls as necessary to protect workers.

Control of occupational asthma and allergy in the detergent industry.

PubMed

Sarlo, Katherine

2003-05-01

To provide an overview of how a comprehensive preclinical, clinical, and industrial hygiene program has been successfully used to control allergy and asthma to enzymes used in the detergent industry. The author performed a PubMed and ToxLine search of English-language articles with the keywords enzymes, occupational allergy, occupational asthma, detergent, and detergent industry from January 1, 1995, to January 1, 2002. Scientific meeting abstracts, books, and industry association papers on allergy and asthma in the detergent industry were also reviewed. In addition, the practical experience of one major detergent company was included in the review. All published work on this topic was reviewed, and the work that discussed the key highlights of control of occupational allergy and asthma to enzymes used in the detergent industry was selected for this review. The detergent industry has developed guidelines for the safety assessment of enzymes, control of exposure to enzymes, and medical surveillance of enzyme-exposed workers. Because of these guidelines, occupational allergy and asthma to enzymes used in the detergent industry have become uncommon events. Cases of disease have been documented in some manufacturing sites that have had poor adherence to the guidelines. Those manufacturing sites that have adhered to the guidelines have had few cases of allergy and asthma to enzymes among exposed workers. A review of medical data from these sites has shown that workers who have developed IgE antibody to enzymes can continue to work with enzymes and remain symptom free. Occupational allergy and asthma to enzymes used in the detergent industry have been successfully controlled via the use of preclinical, clinical, and industrial hygiene safety programs designed to minimize sensitization to enzymes and development of disease. The basic principles of these programs can be applied to other industries where occupational allergy and asthma to proteins are common.

An Epidemiological Study of Hyperhidrosis Patients Visiting the Ajou University Hospital Hyperhidrosis Center in Korea

PubMed Central

Park, Eun Jung; Han, Kyung Ream; Choi, Ho; Kim, Do Wan

2010-01-01

Hyperhidrosis is a disorder of perspiration in excess of the body's physiologic need and significantly impacts one's occupational, physical, emotional, and social life. The purpose of our study was to investigate the characteristics of primary hyperhidrosis in 255 patients at Ajou University Hospital Hyperhidrosis Center from March 2006, to February 2008. Information collected from the medical records was: sex, sites of hyperhidrosis, age at visit, age of onset, aggravating factors, hyperhidrosis disease severity scale (HDSS) rank, family history, occupation, and past treatment. A total of 255 patient records were reviewed; 57.6% were male. Patients with a family history (34.1%) showed a lower age of onset (13.21±5.80 yr vs. 16.04±9.83 yr in those without family history); 16.5% had previous treatment, most commonly oriental medicine. Palmar and plantar sites were the most commonly affected, and 87.9% of patients felt their sweating was intolerable and always interfered with their daily activities. Our study provides some original information on the Korean primary hyperhidrosis population. Patients who have a family history show signs of disease in early age than those without family history. PMID:20436716

Tracking Hole Transport in DNA Hairpins Using a Phenylethynylguanine Nucleobase.

PubMed

Brown, Kristen E; Singh, Arunoday P N; Wu, Yi-Lin; Mishra, Ashutosh Kumar; Zhou, Jiawang; Lewis, Frederick D; Young, Ryan M; Wasielewski, Michael R

2017-08-30

The hole transport dynamics of DNA hairpins possessing a stilbene electron acceptor and donor along with a modified guanine (G) nucleobase, specifically 8-(4'-phenylethynyl)deoxyguanosine, or EG, have been investigated. The nearly indistinguishable oxidation potentials of EG and G and unique spectroscopic characteristics of EG +• make it well-suited for directly observing transient hole occupation during charge transport between a stilbene electron donor and acceptor. In contrast to the cation radical G +• , EG +• possesses a strong absorption near 460 nm and has a distinct Raman-active ethynyl stretch. Both spectroscopic characteristics are easily distinguished from those of the stilbene donor/acceptor radical ion chromophores. Employing EG, we observe its role as a shallow hole trap, or as an intermediate hole transport site when a deeper trap state is present. Using a combination of ultrafast absorption and stimulated Raman spectroscopies, the hole-transport dynamics are observed to be similar in systems having EG vs G bases, with small perturbations to the charge transport rates and yields. These results show EG can be deployed at specified locations throughout the sequence to report on hole occupancy, thereby enabling detailed monitoring of the hole transport dynamics with base-site specificity.

Westinghouse Hanford Company health and safety performance report. Fourth quarter calendar year 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lansing, K.A.

1995-03-01

Detailed information pertaining to As Low As Reasonably Achievable/Contamination Control Improvement Project (ALARA/CCIP) activities are outlined. Improved commitment to the WHC ALARA/CCIP Program was experienced throughout FY 1994. During CY 1994, 17 of 19 sitewide ALARA performance goals were completed on or ahead of schedule. Estimated total exposure by facility for CY 1994 is listed in tables by organization code for each dosimeter frequency. Facilities/areas continue to utilize the capabilities of the RPR tracking system in conjunction with the present site management action-tracking system to manage deficiencies, trend performance, and develop improved preventive efforts. Detailed information pertaining to occupational injuries/illnessesmore » are provided. The Industrial Safety and Hygiene programs are described which have generated several key initiatives that are believed responsible for improved safety performance. A breakdown of CY 1994 occupational injuries/illnesses by type, affected body group, cause, job type, age/gender, and facility is provided. The contributing experience of each WHC division/department in attaining this significant improvement is described along with tables charting specific trends. The Radiological Control Program is on schedule to meet all RL Site Management System milestones and program commitments.« less

Structure of the prolyl-tRNA synthetase from the eukaryotic pathogen Giardia lamblia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larson, Eric T.; Kim, Jessica E.; Napuli, Alberto J.

2012-09-01

The structure of Giardia prolyl-tRNA synthetase cocrystallized with proline and ATP shows evidence for half-of-the-sites activity, leading to a corresponding mixture of reaction substrates and product (prolyl-AMP) in the two active sites of the dimer. The genome of the human intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia contains only a single aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase gene for each amino acid. The Giardia prolyl-tRNA synthetase gene product was originally misidentified as a dual-specificity Pro/Cys enzyme, in part owing to its unexpectedly high off-target activation of cysteine, but is now believed to be a normal representative of the class of archaeal/eukaryotic prolyl-tRNA synthetases. The 2.2 Å resolutionmore » crystal structure of the G. lamblia enzyme presented here is thus the first structure determination of a prolyl-tRNA synthetase from a eukaryote. The relative occupancies of substrate (proline) and product (prolyl-AMP) in the active site are consistent with half-of-the-sites reactivity, as is the observed biphasic thermal denaturation curve for the protein in the presence of proline and MgATP. However, no corresponding induced asymmetry is evident in the structure of the protein. No thermal stabilization is observed in the presence of cysteine and ATP. The implied low affinity for the off-target activation product cysteinyl-AMP suggests that translational fidelity in Giardia is aided by the rapid release of misactivated cysteine.« less

The OSHA standard setting process: role of the occupational health nurse.

PubMed

Klinger, C S; Jones, M L

1994-08-01

1. Occupational health nurses are the health professionals most often involved with the worker who suffers as a result of ineffective or non-existent safety and health standards. 2. Occupational health nurses are familiar with health and safety standards, but may not understand or participate in the rulemaking process used to develop them. 3. Knowing the eight basic steps of rulemaking and actively participating in the process empowers occupational health nurses to influence national policy decisions affecting the safety and health of millions of workers. 4. By actively participating in rulemaking activities, occupational health nurses also improve the quality of occupational health nursing practice and enhance the image of the nursing profession.

Seasonal trends in eDNA detection and occupancy of bigheaded carps

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erickson, Richard A.; Merkes, Christopher; Jackson, Craig; Goforth, Reuben; Amberg, Jon J.

2017-01-01

Bigheaded carps, which include silver and bighead carp, are threatening to invade the Great Lakes. These species vary seasonally in distribution and abundance due to environmental conditions such as precipitation and temperature. Monitoring this seasonal movement is important for management to control the population size and spread of the species. We examined if environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches could detect seasonal changes of these species. To do this, we developed a novel genetic marker that was able to both detect and differentiate bighead and silver carp DNA. We used the marker, combined with a novel occupancy model, to study the occurrence of bigheaded carps at 3 sites on the Wabash River over the course of a year. We studied the Wabash River because of concerns that carps may be able to use the system to invade the Great Lakes via a now closed (ca. 2017) connection at Eagle Marsh between the Wabash River's watershed and the Great Lakes' watershed. We found seasonal trends in the probability of detection and occupancy that varied across sites. These findings demonstrate that eDNA methods can detect seasonal changes in bigheaded carps densities and suggest that the amount of eDNA present changes seasonally. The site that was farthest upstream and had the lowest carp densities exhibited the strongest seasonal trends for both detection probabilities and sample occupancy probabilities. Furthermore, other observations suggest that carps seasonally leave this site, and we were able to detect this with our eDNA approach.

California Dept. of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) Update of the Schools Naturally Occurring Asbestos Guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinowski, M.

2012-12-01

Prior to acquisition and/or construction of prospective school sites, the California Education Code mandates that school districts complete environmental assessments and cleanups for prospective new or expanding school sites in order to qualify for state funding. If prospective school sites are determined to have environmental contamination from hazardous materials, including naturally occurring hazardous materials such as naturally occurring asbestos (NOA), where there may be unacceptable potential health risks, the school sites must be properly mitigated prior to occupancy for protection of human health and the environment. NOA is of special concern for schools, because children who are exposed to asbestos may be at increased risk of developing asbestos-related diseases over time. In order to protect human health, the Department of Toxic Substances Control's (DTSC) goals at school sites are to: 1) identify the presence of NOA in school site soils using exposure-reducing soil thresholds; 2) manage potential NOA exposures using mitigation measures to reduce generation of airborne asbestos fibers from soils on school sites; and 3) ensure long-term monitoring and protection of mitigation measures via Operations & Maintenance activities. DTSC is currently in the process of revising its Interim Guidance Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) at School Sites - September 2004. The revisions include: 1) updating the guidance to consider incremental sampling for use at NOA sites in consultation with DTSC's project manager and technical staff, and 2) documenting a tiered approach to addressing high and low activity areas on a school.

The effect of occupational therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Martinsen, Unni; Bentzen, Hege; Holter, Morag Kelly; Nilsen, Tove; Skullerud, Hallvard; Mowinckel, Petter; Kjeken, Ingvild

2017-03-01

Aim The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of individualized occupational therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Additionally, the authors wanted to explore the occupational problems experienced in daily life by individuals with COPD. Methods A total of 52 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (occupational therapy) or control group (treatment as usual). The primary outcome was assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and participants were assessed at baseline and after four and 12 months. Results There were no treatment effects on occupational performance or satisfaction with performance, as measured by the COPM. However, we found a significant effect in favour of the intervention group at exertion when performing an individually chosen activity, and in the activity dimension of St George's Respiratory Questionnaire. A total of 595 occupational problems were reported, most frequently within mobility, active recreation, and household management. Conclusions The results show that, compared with the usual care, individualized occupational therapy did not improve occupational performance or satisfaction with performance. Small but significant changes in activity performance in favour of the intervention group were found in some of the secondary outcomes.

Mapping Sites of O-Glycosylation and Fringe Elongation on Drosophila Notch*

PubMed Central

Harvey, Beth M.; Rana, Nadia A.; Moss, Hillary; Leonardi, Jessica; Jafar-Nejad, Hamed; Haltiwanger, Robert S.

2016-01-01

Glycosylation of the Notch receptor is essential for its activity and serves as an important modulator of signaling. Three major forms of O-glycosylation are predicted to occur at consensus sites within the epidermal growth factor-like repeats in the extracellular domain of the receptor: O-fucosylation, O-glucosylation, and O-GlcNAcylation. We have performed comprehensive mass spectral analyses of these three types of O-glycosylation on Drosophila Notch produced in S2 cells and identified peptides containing all 22 predicted O-fucose sites, all 18 predicted O-glucose sites, and all 18 putative O-GlcNAc sites. Using semiquantitative mass spectral methods, we have evaluated the occupancy and relative amounts of glycans at each site. The majority of the O-fucose sites were modified to high stoichiometries. Upon expression of the β3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase Fringe with Notch, we observed varying degrees of elongation beyond O-fucose monosaccharide, indicating that Fringe preferentially modifies certain sites more than others. Rumi modified O-glucose sites to high stoichiometries, although elongation of the O-glucose was site-specific. Although the current putative consensus sequence for O-GlcNAcylation predicts 18 O-GlcNAc sites on Notch, we only observed apparent O-GlcNAc modification at five sites. In addition, we performed mass spectral analysis on endogenous Notch purified from Drosophila embryos and found that the glycosylation states were similar to those found on Notch from S2 cells. These data provide foundational information for future studies investigating the mechanisms of how O-glycosylation regulates Notch activity. PMID:27268051

Relationships of self-reported physical activity domains with accelerometry recordings in French adults.

PubMed

Jacobi, David; Charles, Marie-Aline; Tafflet, Muriel; Lommez, Agnès; Borys, Jean-Michel; Oppert, Jean-Michel

2009-01-01

The objective was to examine the relationships of self-reported physical activity (PA) by domain (leisure, occupational, other) with PA and sedentary time as measured objectively by accelerometry. Subjects were adults with low habitual PA levels from a community in northern France. Among subjects in the lowest tertile of a PA score from a screening questionnaire, 160 (37% males, age: 41.0 +/- 10.8 years, BMI: 25.1 +/- 4.1 kg/m(2), mean +/- SD) completed a detailed instrument (Modifiable Activity Questionnaire), and wore an accelerometer (Actigraph) for seven consecutive days. Relationships between questionnaire domains (occupational, leisure, and "non-occupational non-leisure") and accelerometry measures (total activity and sedentary time) were assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients. In this population, the highest contributor to total reported PA (h/week) was occupational PA. Time spent in non-occupational non-leisure PA ranked second in women and third in men. The most frequent non-occupational non-leisure PA were shopping and household chores. In women, non-occupational non-leisure PA contributed more than occupational or leisure-time PA to total PA energy expenditure (median: 18.0, 9.1, and 4.9 MET-h/week, respectively). Total PA by accelerometry (count/day) was correlated to leisure-time PA in women (r = 0.22, P < 0.05) and to occupational (r = 0.43, P < 0.01) and total reported PA (r = 0.39, P < 0.01) in men (all in MET-h/week). There was an inverse relationship between accelerometry sedentary time (h/day) and non-occupational non-leisure PA (MET-h/week, r = -0.30, P < 0.001). These findings indicate the importance of assessing non-occupational non-leisure PA for a better understanding of how individuals partition their time between active or sedentary occupations.

[Concept analysis of a participatory approach to occupational safety and health].

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Etsuko

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze a participatory approach to occupational safety and health, and to examine the possibility of applying the concept to the practice and research of occupational safety and health. According to Rodger's method, descriptive data concerning antecedents, attributes and consequences were qualitatively analyzed. A total of 39 articles were selected for analysis. Attributes with a participatory approach were: "active involvement of both workers and employers", "focusing on action-oriented low-cost and multiple area improvements based on good practices", "the process of emphasis on consensus building", and "utilization of a local network". Antecedents of the participatory approach were classified as: "existing risks at the workplace", "difficulty of occupational safety and health activities", "characteristics of the workplace and workers", and "needs for the workplace". The derived consequences were: "promoting occupational safety and health activities", "emphasis of self-management", "creation of safety and healthy workplace", and "contributing to promotion of quality of life and productivity". A participatory approach in occupational safety and health is defined as, the process of emphasis on consensus building to promote occupational safety and health activities with emphasis on self-management, which focuses on action-oriented low-cost and multiple area improvements based on good practices with active involvement of both workers and employers through utilization of local networks. We recommend that the role of the occupational health professional be clarified and an evaluation framework be established for the participatory approach to promote occupational safety and health activities by involving both workers and employers.

Occupational therapy for patients with problems in personal activities of daily living after stroke: systematic review of randomised trials

PubMed Central

Drummond, Avril; Leonardi-Bee, Jo; Gladman, J R F; Donkervoort, Mireille; Edmans, Judi; Gilbertson, Louise; Jongbloed, Lyn; Logan, Pip; Sackley, Catherine; Walker, Marion; Langhorne, Peter

2007-01-01

Objective To determine whether occupational therapy focused specifically on personal activities of daily living improves recovery for patients after stroke. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources The Cochrane stroke group trials register, the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycLIT, AMED, Wilson Social Sciences Abstracts, Science Citation Index, Social Science Citation, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, Dissertations Abstracts register, Occupational Therapy Research Index, scanning reference lists, personal communication with authors, and hand searching. Review methods Trials were included if they evaluated the effect of occupational therapy focused on practice of personal activities of daily living or where performance in such activities was the target of the occupational therapy intervention in a stroke population. Original data were sought from trialists. Two reviewers independently reviewed each trial for methodological quality. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Results Nine randomised controlled trials including 1258 participants met the inclusion criteria. Occupational therapy delivered to patients after stroke and targeted towards personal activities of daily living increased performance scores (standardised mean difference 0.18, 95% confidence interval 0.04 to 0.32, P=0.01) and reduced the risk of poor outcome (death, deterioration or dependency in personal activities of daily living) (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.51 to 0.87, P=0.003). For every 100 people who received occupational therapy focused on personal activities of daily living, 11 (95% confidence interval 7 to 30) would be spared a poor outcome. Conclusions Occupational therapy focused on improving personal activities of daily living after stroke can improve performance and reduce the risk of deterioration in these abilities. Focused occupational therapy should be available to everyone who has had a stroke. PMID:17901469

Performance of species occurrence estimators when basic assumptions are not met: a test using field data where true occupancy status is known

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David A. W.; Bailey, Larissa L.; Grant, Evan H. Campbell; McClintock, Brett T.; Weir, Linda A.; Simons, Theodore R.

2015-01-01

Our results demonstrate that even small probabilities of misidentification and among-site detection heterogeneity can have severe effects on estimator reliability if ignored. We challenge researchers to place greater attention on both heterogeneity and false positives when designing and analysing occupancy studies. We provide 9 specific recommendations for the design, implementation and analysis of occupancy studies to better meet this challenge.

Investigation of the working behavior of part-time occupational physicians using practical recording sheets.

PubMed

Ikegami, Kazunori; Nozawa, Hiroki; Michii, Satoshi; Sugano, Ryosuke; Ando, Hajime; Hasegawa, Masayuki; Kitamura, Hiroko; Ogami, Akira

2016-12-03

We investigated the working behavior of part-time occupational physicians using practical recording sheets to clarify issues of occupational physicians' activities according to industrial groups or size of business. We collected 561 recording sheets in 96 industries from 11 part-time occupational physicians as collaborators, who volunteered to be a part of this research. We collected a variety of information from the practical recording sheets, including the industry in which each occupational physician was employed, the annual number of times of work attendance, occupational physician-conducted workplace patrol, and employee health management. We investigated their annual practices regarding work environment management, work management, health management, and general occupational health management. In addition, we analyzed the differences between the secondary and tertiary industry groups and between the group of offices employing 100 people or fewer (≤100 group) and 101 people and above (≥101 group) in each industry group. The median work attendance by all occupational physicians was four times a year; the tertiary industry group had a significantly lower rate of work attendance than the secondary industry group. The occupational physicians' participation in risk assessment, mental health measures or overwork prevention, and the formulation of the occupational health management system and the annual plan were significantly lower in the tertiary industry group than in the secondary industry group. We observed that for the annual number of times of work attendance, occupational physician-conducted workplace patrol was significantly lower in the ≤100 group than in the ≥101 group in each industry group. These findings show that occupational physicians' activities have not been conducted enough in tertiary industries and small-sized offices employing ≤100 people. It would be necessary to evaluate how to provide occupational health service or appropriate occupational physicians' activities for small-sized offices or tertiary industries. Thereafter, it would likely be beneficial to construct a system to support the activities of part-time occupational physicians as well as the activity of occupational health at workplaces.

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of potent and selective 2-(3-alkoxy-1-azetidinyl) quinolines as novel PDE10A inhibitors with improved solubility.

PubMed

Rzasa, Robert M; Frohn, Michael J; Andrews, Kristin L; Chmait, Samer; Chen, Ning; Clarine, Jeffrey G; Davis, Carl; Eastwood, Heather A; Horne, Daniel B; Hu, Essa; Jones, Adrie D; Kaller, Matthew R; Kunz, Roxanne K; Miller, Silke; Monenschein, Holger; Nguyen, Thomas; Pickrell, Alexander J; Porter, Amy; Reichelt, Andreas; Zhao, Xiaoning; Treanor, James J S; Allen, Jennifer R

2014-12-01

We report the discovery of a novel series of 2-(3-alkoxy-1-azetidinyl) quinolines as potent and selective PDE10A inhibitors. Structure-activity studies improved the solubility (pH 7.4) and maintained high PDE10A activity compared to initial lead compound 3, with select compounds demonstrating good oral bioavailability. X-ray crystallographic studies revealed two distinct binding modes to the catalytic site of the PDE10A enzyme. An ex vivo receptor occupancy assay in rats demonstrated that this series of compounds covered the target within the striatum.

Professional activity, information demands, training and updating needs of occupational medicine physicians in Italy: National survey.

PubMed

Persechino, Benedetta; Fontana, Luca; Buresti, Giuliana; Rondinone, Bruna Maria; Laurano, Patrizia; Imbriani, Marcello; Iavicoli, Sergio

2016-01-01

Occupational medicine is a discipline continually evolving in response to technological advances, changes in workplaces and production processes, emergence of new occupational risks and diseases and modifications in regulatory framework for occupational health and safety. Therefore, the recurrent revaluation of professional activity, information demands and education and training needs of occupational physicians is essential in order to identify methodologies and tools that may contribute to improvement of their professional knowledge and competency. In this regard, we conducted the first large-scale national survey of Italian occupational medicine physicians to define their demographic and professional activity and to assess their information demands, training and updating needs. A random sample of occupational physicians, listed in the national register of the Italian Ministry of Health, was selected to complete a voluntary survey. Subjects recruited in this study were asked to complete 3 different sections (personal and professional information, training and updating needs, professional activity and practice characteristics) of a questionnaire for a total of 35 questions. Most of participants were specialized in occupational medicine, worked for a large number of companies and carried out health surveillance on a total number of workers that exceeds 1500. Occupational physicians would like to have a higher training offer towards practical aspects of health surveillance, risks assessment, manual handling of loads, chemical substances and upper limb biomechanical overload. Interestingly, statistically significant differences were observed subdividing the sample into different groups according to the legal requirements to perform the professional activity of occupational physicians in Italy or according to particular aspects of their professional activity. This study has provided interesting findings that may help to guide future discussion on alternative and additional instruments and/or methodologies that may be adopted to implement the quality and effectiveness of occupational medicine practice. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(5):837-858. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Examining the relationship between brominated flame retardants (BFR) exposure and changes of thyroid hormone levels around e-waste dismantling sites.

PubMed

Wang, Hongmei; Zhang, Yuan; Liu, Qian; Wang, Feifei; Nie, Jing; Qian, Yan

2010-09-01

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) released from e-waste related activities may affect the health of local people. Assessing the impact of e-waste exposure during recycling and dismantling activities on local people's thyroid hormone levels is an area of ongoing research. During November and December 2008, the process of e-waste recycling and dismantling was investigated, and 236 occupation-exposed people and 89 non-occupation-exposed people approximate to the e-waste recycling sites were surveyed; their thyroid hormone levels (THs), thyrotropins (TSH) and BFRs levels in serum were assayed. Multiple regression models were constructed to analyze the changes of serum THs and TSH in the people living in the exposure area (exposure group) and the people in the control group. Covariates known to be or likely to be associated with THs, TSH and BFRs levels were analyzed. Lower level of Triiodothyronine (T(3)) in both occupation-exposed and non-occupation-exposed group were observed (p<0.01), when compared with the control group, and the same trend was obtained for free triiodothyronine (fT(3)) and free thyroxine (fT4) (p<0.01). However, no significant difference in thyroxine (T(4)) was found between the two groups. The level of TSH in the e-waste recycling occupational-exposed group ranged from 0.00 to 5.00microIU/ml with a mean of 1.26microIU/ml, whereas the level of TSH in the control group was from 0.03 to 5.54microIU/ml with a mean of 1.57microIU/ml. This study revealed that people having worked on e-waste recycling and dismantling had significantly lower TSH compared with the control group (p<0.01). Moreover, the level of BDE-205 is positively associated with the level of T4, as confirmed by the linear regression model (unstandardized regression coefficient, beta=0.25, rho=0.001) and a weaker positive relation was also found between the levels of BDE-126 and T4. Meanwhile, a weak negative relation was found between the levels of PBB 103 and T3, and between the levels of fT3 and fT4. These results suggest that exposure to BFRs released from primitive e-waste handling may contribute to the changes of THs and TSH levels. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Spatially-correlated Site Occupancy in the Nonstoichiometric Meta-stable ε -Al 60Sm 11 Phase during Devitrification of Al-10.2 at.% Sm Glasses

DOE PAGES

Yang, Lin; Zhang, Feng; Meng, Fan -Qiang; ...

2018-05-12

A metastable ε-Al 60Sm 11 phase appears during the initial devitrification of as-quenched Al-10.2 at.% Sm glasses. The ε phase is nonstoichiometric in nature since Al occupation is observed on the 16 f Sm lattice sites. Scanning transmission electron microscopic images reveal profound spatial correlation of Sm content on these sites, which cannot be explained by the “average crystal” description from Rietveld analysis of diffraction data. Thermodynamically favorable configurations, established by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations based on a cluster-expansion model, also give qualitatively different correlation functions from experimental observations. On the other hand, molecular dynamics simulations of the growth ofmore » ε-Al 60Sm 11 in undercooled liquid show that when the diffusion range of Sm is limited to ~4 Å, the correlation function of the as-grown crystal structure agrees well with that of the scanning transmission electronic microscopy (STEM) images. Furthermore, our results show that kinetic effects, especially the limited diffusivity of Sm atoms plays the fundamental role in determining the nonstoichiometric site occupancies of the ε-Al 60Sm 11 phase during the crystallization process.« less

Spatially-correlated Site Occupancy in the Nonstoichiometric Meta-stable ε -Al 60Sm 11 Phase during Devitrification of Al-10.2 at.% Sm Glasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Lin; Zhang, Feng; Meng, Fan -Qiang

A metastable ε-Al 60Sm 11 phase appears during the initial devitrification of as-quenched Al-10.2 at.% Sm glasses. The ε phase is nonstoichiometric in nature since Al occupation is observed on the 16 f Sm lattice sites. Scanning transmission electron microscopic images reveal profound spatial correlation of Sm content on these sites, which cannot be explained by the “average crystal” description from Rietveld analysis of diffraction data. Thermodynamically favorable configurations, established by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations based on a cluster-expansion model, also give qualitatively different correlation functions from experimental observations. On the other hand, molecular dynamics simulations of the growth ofmore » ε-Al 60Sm 11 in undercooled liquid show that when the diffusion range of Sm is limited to ~4 Å, the correlation function of the as-grown crystal structure agrees well with that of the scanning transmission electronic microscopy (STEM) images. Furthermore, our results show that kinetic effects, especially the limited diffusivity of Sm atoms plays the fundamental role in determining the nonstoichiometric site occupancies of the ε-Al 60Sm 11 phase during the crystallization process.« less

Occupational hazards control of hazardous substances in clean room of semiconductor manufacturing plant using CFD analysis.

PubMed

Li, Jianfeng; Zhou, Ya-Fei

2015-02-01

The manufacturing processes in chip industries are complex, and many kinds of raw materials and solvents of different nature are used, most of which are highly toxic and dangerous. During the machine preventive maintenance period, these toxic and harmful substances will escape from the sealed reaction chamber to the clean workshop environment and endanger the health of the workers on-site, resulting in occupational diseases. From the perspective of prevention, the spread and prediction of hydrochloric acid (HCl) that escaped from the metal-etching chamber during maintenance were studied in this article. The computational fluid dynamics technology was used for a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the indoor air velocity field and the HCl concentration field, and the simulation results were then compared with the on-site monitoring data to verify the correctness and feasibility. The occupational hazards and control measures were analyzed based on the numerical simulation, and the optimal control measure was obtained. In this article, using the method of ambient air to analyze the occupational exposure can provide a new idea to the field of occupational health research in the integrated circuit industry and had theoretical and practical significance. © The Author(s) 2012.

Quantification of Lysine Acetylation and Succinylation Stoichiometry in Proteins Using Mass Spectrometric Data-Independent Acquisitions (SWATH)

DOE PAGES

Meyer, Jesse G.; D’Souza, Alexandria K.; Sorensen, Dylan J.; ...

2016-09-02

Post-translational modification of lysine residues by N ε-acylation is an important regulator of protein function. Many large-scale protein acylation studies have assessed relative changes of lysine acylation sites after antibody enrichment using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Although relative acylation fold-changes are important, this does not reveal site occupancy, or stoichiometry, of individual modification sites, which is critical to understand functional consequences. Recently, methods for determining lysine acetylation stoichiometry have been proposed based on ratiometric analysis of endogenous levels to those introduced after quantitative per-acetylation of proteins using stable isotope-labeled acetic anhydride. However, in our hands, we find that these methods canmore » overestimate acetylation stoichiometries because of signal interferences when endogenous levels of acylation are very low, which is especially problematic when using MS1 scans for quantification. In this study, we sought to improve the accuracy of determining acylation stoichiometry using data-independent acquisition (DIA). Specifically, we use SWATH acquisition to comprehensively collect both precursor and fragment ion intensity data. The use of fragment ions for stoichiometry quantification not only reduces interferences but also allows for determination of site-level stoichiometry from peptides with multiple lysine residues. We also demonstrate the novel extension of this method to measurements of succinylation stoichiometry using deuterium-labeled succinic anhydride. Proof of principle SWATH acquisition studies were first performed using bovine serum albumin for both acetylation and succinylation occupancy measurements, followed by the analysis of more complex samples of E. coli cell lysates. Although overall site occupancy was low (<1%), some proteins contained lysines with relatively high acetylation occupancy.« less

Floquet Engineering of Correlated Tunneling in the Bose-Hubbard Model with Ultracold Atoms.

PubMed

Meinert, F; Mark, M J; Lauber, K; Daley, A J; Nägerl, H-C

2016-05-20

We report on the experimental implementation of tunable occupation-dependent tunneling in a Bose-Hubbard system of ultracold atoms via time-periodic modulation of the on-site interaction energy. The tunneling rate is inferred from a time-resolved measurement of the lattice site occupation after a quantum quench. We demonstrate coherent control of the tunneling dynamics in the correlated many-body system, including full suppression of tunneling as predicted within the framework of Floquet theory. We find that the tunneling rate explicitly depends on the atom number difference in neighboring lattice sites. Our results may open up ways to realize artificial gauge fields that feature density dependence with ultracold atoms.

Climate at the edge of human dispersal in the European Middle Pleistocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horne, David

2014-05-01

Pleistocene palaeoclimatic reconstructions based on fossils from sites containing archaeological evidence of human occupation can answer key questions about the climatic context of early human dispersal in Europe. Biological proxies including foraminifera, ostracods, diatoms, chironomid larvae, molluscs and pollen are widely used to estimate palaeoclimatic parameters, typically palaeotemperatures, using indicator species, Mutual Climatic Range (MCR), Modern Analogue Technique (MAT) and transfer function approaches. Any single proxy method will yield plausible results, but there is a need for multi-proxy testing; matching or overlapping results inspire confidence, whereas if independent proxies yield results that do not match or even overlap, one or more must be wrong. The Multi-Proxy Consensus (MPC) approach not only compares two or more proxy results in order to check for agreement, but also offers potential for more refined results to be obtained from the range of mutual agreement between two or more overlapping palaeotemperature ranges. Studies of MIS9 (late Middle Pleistocene) deposits in the Thames-Medway river system in SE England (some of which contain stone implements representing human occupation) have yielded palaeotemperature estimates based on ostracods, beetles, fish, herpetiles, pollen and plant macrofossils. The MPC approach demonstrates the consistency of the results and defines a more continental climate than today (mean July air temperatures similar or 1 degree warmer, mean January air temperatures at least 2 degrees colder). Two River Thames MIS11 sites (Ebbsfleet and Swanscombe) have yielded MPC results indicating summers up to 1.5 degrees warmer and winters at least 5 degrees colder than today. British early Middle Pleistocene sites record the earliest human presence in Europe North of the Alps. At Boxgrove (MIS13), well-known for its rich record of human activity (stone tools and butchered bones), combined ostracod and herpetile MCR results indicate summers within 3 degrees (above or below) of present day values, but winters at least 2 degrees colder, consistent with the mutual consensus of beetle and ostracod MCR results from another MIS13 human occupation site, Waverley Wood. Comparable MPC results have been obtained from older sites including Sugworth (MIS15?), Norton Subcourse and West Runton (both MIS17-15?); although none of these has yielded evidence of human presence they are potentially informative about the climatic context of Pakefield (MIS19 or 17), one of the earliest British sites with such evidence, where palaeoclimate reconstruction (warmer summers, winters similar to or colder than today) is based solely on the beetles. Likewise only the beetle MCR method has thus far been applied to the oldest known human occupation site in Britain, Happisburgh (MIS25 or 21), where similar summers and colder winters are again indicated; as yet no opportunity has arisen to check this result against another proxy. Human colonization of these sites by dispersal from more southerly populations had to contend with colder/longer winters, requiring greater dependence on meat for food because plant resources were only available in warmer months. Adaptive strategies likely involved using shelters and animal hides to keep warm, and eventually also fire (at least by MIS11), rather than seasonal migrations or physiological adaptations.

76 FR 58515 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

... regulations governing the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation program (42 CFR 85.3-1). In general, if employees are... occupational health hazards. In most on-site evaluations employees are interviewed to help further define...: requesters, employers, employee representatives; the Department of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health...

Value of Gerontology for Occupational Social Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safford, Florence

1988-01-01

As aging affects society increasingly, occupational social workers can benefit from gerontological research and practice in developing programs to help older employees counteract ageism, prepare for retirement, cope with health challenges, and reduce stress in family relations. The workplace is a convenient site for preventive and therapeutic…

Occupational Component. 36-Level Courses. Teacher Resource Manual. Integrated Occupational Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Curriculum Branch.

This 36-level occupational component of Integrated Occupational Program (IOP) consists of 8 occupational clusters composed of 20 occupational courses. Each course contains learning activities so that students in Alberta (Canada) may develop occupational concepts, skills, and attitudes. This teacher's manual consists of the following sections:…

Functions and Positions of Corporate Occupational Health Managers in Company-Wide Occupational Health Management.

PubMed

Mori, Koji; Nagata, Tomohisa; Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Hino, Yoshiyuki; Nagata, Masako

2013-08-21

Objectives: It has become necessary for Japanese corporations to manage occupational health (OH) programs consistently throughout their organizations. Corporations need to clarify their health policies, develop standardized programs, assign OH staff, and ensure that they communicate with each other. To realize such conditions, many occupational physicians (OPs), who have the skills to lead corporation-wide OH activities, are now being assigned to head offices of corporations and referred to as corporate OH managers. However, there has been no research to date in Japan on their actual situation and function. We conducted an interview study of corporate OH managers to clarify their functions and positions in corporations. Subjects and Methods: We conducted semi-structural interviews with 14 corporate OH managers in large corporations employing more than 5,000 workers and multiple OPs. Interview scripts were coded to identify their functions as corporate OH managers and the context of their positions within corporate-wide OH management systems. Results: Five contexts were suggested. 1) Corporate OH managers played central roles in developing corporate health policies, standards and plans. 2) Head office department managers who supervised the sites distributed the policies and standards, and corporate OH managers instructed site OPs and OH staff. 3) In some corporations, corporate OH managers participated in the evaluation process of OH programs as part of occupational safety and health management systems or business audits. 4) Corporate OH managers led communications among OPs and OH staff by facilitating corporate OH meetings, and provided technical training. 5) Corporate OH managers in positions that enabled them to report directly or indirectly to decision makers (i.e., directors in charge) on human resource issues. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that companies that promote consistent company-wide OH programs also utilized the professional knowledge of OH managers as well as their decision-making skills and direction processes. They also suggest that these companies play significant roles in securing qualified OH professionals and reaching a common understanding of corporate OH systems. It is necessary to study cases of corporate OH managers to clarify their essential competences and to develop appropriate training programs.

Resolving Heart Regeneration by Replacement Histone Profiling.

PubMed

Goldman, Joseph Aaron; Kuzu, Guray; Lee, Nutishia; Karasik, Jaclyn; Gemberling, Matthew; Foglia, Matthew J; Karra, Ravi; Dickson, Amy L; Sun, Fei; Tolstorukov, Michael Y; Poss, Kenneth D

2017-02-27

Chromatin regulation is a principal mechanism governing animal development, yet it is unclear to what extent structural changes in chromatin underlie tissue regeneration. Non-mammalian vertebrates such as zebrafish activate cardiomyocyte (CM) division after tissue damage to regenerate lost heart muscle. Here, we generated transgenic zebrafish expressing a biotinylatable H3.3 histone variant in CMs and derived cell-type-specific profiles of histone replacement. We identified an emerging program of putative enhancers that revise H3.3 occupancy during regeneration, overlaid upon a genome-wide reduction of H3.3 from promoters. In transgenic reporter lines, H3.3-enriched elements directed gene expression in subpopulations of CMs. Other elements increased H3.3 enrichment and displayed enhancer activity in settings of injury- and/or Neuregulin1-elicited CM proliferation. Dozens of consensus sequence motifs containing predicted transcription factor binding sites were enriched in genomic regions with regeneration-responsive H3.3 occupancy. Thus, cell-type-specific regulatory programs of tissue regeneration can be revealed by genome-wide H3.3 profiling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide chromatin footprinting reveals changes in replication origin architecture induced by pre-RC assembly

PubMed Central

MacAlpine, Heather K.; Lubelsky, Yoav; Hartemink, Alexander J.

2015-01-01

Start sites of DNA replication are marked by the origin recognition complex (ORC), which coordinates Mcm2–7 helicase loading to form the prereplicative complex (pre-RC). Although pre-RC assembly is well characterized in vitro, the process is poorly understood within the local chromatin environment surrounding replication origins. To reveal how the chromatin architecture modulates origin selection and activation, we “footprinted” nucleosomes, transcription factors, and replication proteins at multiple points during the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle. Our nucleotide-resolution protein occupancy profiles resolved a precise ORC-dependent footprint at 269 origins in G2. A separate class of inefficient origins exhibited protein occupancy only in G1, suggesting that stable ORC chromatin association in G2 is a determinant of origin efficiency. G1 nucleosome remodeling concomitant with pre-RC assembly expanded the origin nucleosome-free region and enhanced activation efficiency. Finally, the local chromatin environment restricts the loading of the Mcm2–7 double hexamer either upstream of or downstream from the ARS consensus sequence (ACS). PMID:25593310

Assessing occupational mercury exposures and behaviours of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Burkina Faso using passive mercury vapour badges.

PubMed

Black, Paleah; Richard, Myrianne; Rossin, Ricardo; Telmer, Kevin

2017-01-01

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a crucial economic activity in Burkina Faso, however it is associated with significant mercury exposure and health concerns. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of mercury (Hg) vapour exposures and occupational behaviours at a representative site using Hg vapour monitor badges and questionnaires. To our knowledge this is the first time that personal exposure to Hg vapour during ASGM activities has been reported. The study population were ASGM workers who completed a questionnaire (n=100) or participated with an occupational exposure assessment using commercially available passive Hg vapour samplers (n=44). Occupational exposure to Hg was high during open-air burn events with a time weighted average (TWA) exposure of 7026±6857µg/m 3 for burners, and 1412±2870µg/m 3 for bystanders. Most (82%) of the people present at the burn exceeded the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 100µg/m 3 , and 11% exceeded the level considered to be Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) of 10,000µg/m 3 . Even control workers who were not present at the burn exceeded the PEL (24%), likely due to legacy Hg contamination producing latent Hg releases to the atmosphere. Similarly, 86% of the miners at the burn and 59% of control workers had an 8-h TWA that exceeded the Recommended Exposures Limit (REL). Several occupational behaviours that may contribute to Hg exposures were documented. This study corroborates previous studies suggesting that Hg exposure during amalgam burning is very high, and demonstrates the plausibility of using passive vapour monitoring badges rather than costly and logistically difficult biomonitoring methods. Mercury reduction and elimination interventions are strongly needed to reduce Hg exposure in ASGM communities, particularly as countries come into compliance with the Minamata Convention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does urbanization influence the spatial ecology of Gila monsters in the Sonoran Desert?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kwiatkowski, M.A.; Schuett, G.W.; Repp, R.A.; Nowak, E.M.; Sullivan, B.K.

2008-01-01

To assess whether urbanization influences the spatial ecology of a rare and protected venomous reptilian predator, the Gila monster Heloderma suspectum, we compared home range (HR) size and movement parameters at three sites varying in degree of urbanization in the Sonoran Desert. We predicted that the urban population of H. suspectum would exhibit smaller HRs, avoid human structures and show less movement. Multivariate analysis indicated that males generally exhibited larger HRs and had higher movement rates and activity levels than females at all three sites. Contrary to our predictions, however, HR size and movement parameters did not vary across the sites in relation to the level of urbanization. At the urban site, individuals often crossed narrow roads and regularly used artificial structures as refuges for extended periods. Furthermore, the population sex ratio at the urban site was female-biased, consistent with the expectation that occupation of larger HRs and higher movement rates results in higher mortality for males in urbanized areas. Gila monsters did not appear to alter certain aspects of their spatial ecology in response to low levels of human activity but additional work will be required to assess population viability and possible effects in the long term and with higher levels of urbanization.

Structural conceptualization of learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities.

PubMed

Aoyama, Wakako; Tatsumi, Asami

2017-01-31

In this study, concepts were constructed that express learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities with the aim of clarifying those characteristics. This was based on the idea that elucidation of the characteristics of learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs used in occupational health nursing activities would be meaningful in providing high-quality occupational health services that respond to the needs of society. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 people who fulfilled the three conditions of having completed a master's degree programs, working as an occupational health nurse after completion of the program, and not continuing on to a doctoral program. The nursing conceptualization method of Naomi Funashima was used. From the obtained data, 512 code items expressing learning experiences in master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities were identified. These items included five core categories (concepts), 34 categories, and 69 subcategories. The five concepts constructed were "Pursuit of expertise and self-evaluation," "Mutual understanding of various people that leads to human resources utilization," "Theoretical and academic learning that influences changes in activities," "Research learning that lead to activities based on scientific evidence," and "Learning that leads to high-quality activities making use of expertise." It was found that various learning experiences in the master's program to pursue the specialty of occupational health nurses in order to recognize their roles as well as the experiences to take the initiative in learning had been integrated in their activities after completion of the course and had contributed to their high-quality occupational health nursing activities. It was suggested that the learning experiences in the master's program, which had been revealed in this study, were the experiences necessary for providing high-quality occupational health nursing activities to satisfy the social needs.

Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duncan, Joanne P.; Burk, Kenneth W.; Chamness, Mickie A.

2007-09-27

This document describes the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site environment. It is intended to provide a consistent description of the Hanford Site for the many environmental documents being prepared by DOE contractors concerning the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). No statements regarding significance or environmental consequences are provided. This year’s report is the eighteen revision of the original document published in 1988 and is (until replaced by the nineteenth revision) the only version that is relevant for use in the preparation of Hanford NEPA, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)more » documents. Two chapters are included in this document (Chapters 4 and 6), numbered to correspond to chapters typically presented in environmental impact statements (EISs) and other Hanford Site NEPA or CERCLA documentation. Chapter 4.0 (Affected Environment) describes Hanford Site climate and meteorology; air quality; geology; hydrology; ecology; cultural, archaeological, and historical resources; socioeconomics; noise; and occupational health and safety. Sources for extensive tabular data related to these topics are provided in the chapter. When possible, subjects are divided into a general description of the characteristics of the Hanford Site, followed by site-specific information, where available, for the 100, 200, 300 and other areas. This division allows the reader to go directly to those sections of particular interest. When specific information on each of these separate areas is not complete or available, the general Hanford Site description should be used. Chapter 6.0 (Statutory and Regulatory Requirements) describes federal and state laws and regulations, DOE directives and permits, and presidential executive orders that are applicable to NEPA documents prepared for Hanford Site activities. Information in Chapter 6 can be adapted and supplemented with specific information covering statutory and regulatory requirements for use in an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. When preparing environmental assessments and EISs, authors should consult Recommendations for the Preparation of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements published by the DOE Office of NEPA Oversight (DOE 2004). Additional direction and guidance on the preparation of DOE NEPA documents can be found at http://tis.eh.doe.gov/nepa/guidance.html. Individuals seeking baseline data on the Hanford Site and its past activities may also use the information contained in this document to evaluate projected activities and their impacts. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff prepared individual sections of this document, with input from other Hanford Site contractors with the best available information through May 2007. More detailed data are available from reference sources cited or from the authors. For this 2007 revision, the following sections of the document were reviewed by the authors and updated with the best available information through May 2005: Climate and Meteorology Air Quality Geology – Seismicity section only Hydrology – Flow charts for the Columbia and Yakima rivers only Ecology – Threatened and Endangered Species subsection only Socioeconomics Occupational Safety All of Chapter 6.« less

Epidemiology of malignant mesothelioma in Italy: surveillance systems, territorial clusters and occupations involved

PubMed Central

Binazzi, Alessandra; Bonafede, Michela; Di Marzio, Davide; Scarselli, Alberto

2018-01-01

Background As a legacy of the large asbestos consumption until the definitive ban in 1992, Italy is currently suffering a severe epidemic of asbestos related diseases. The aim of this paper is to describe the surveillance system for mesothelioma incidence and to provide evidences regarding the occurrence of the disease in Italy and the circumstances of asbestos exposure. Methods Italian National Register of Malignant Mesotheliomas (ReNaM) is a permanent surveillance system of mesothelioma incidence, with Regional Operating Centres (CORs) active in each Italian region, identifying incident malignant mesothelioma (MM) cases from health care structures. Occupational history, lifestyle habits and residential history are obtained using a standardised questionnaire, administered by a trained interviewer, to the subject or to the next of kin. Descriptive epidemiological figures, occupations involved in exposures and territorial maps of MM cases have been produced. Results At December 2016, ReNaM has collected 27,356 MM cases for the incidence period between 1993 and 2015. The modalities of exposure to asbestos have been investigated for 21,387 (78%) and an occupational exposure has been defined for around 70% of interviewed cases (14,818). Non-occupational exposure is still relevant with 4.9% and 4.4% of cases for which respectively a familial exposure (due to the cohabitation with an occupational exposed subject) and an environmental exposure (due to the residence near a contaminated site) has been detected. Discussion The epidemiological surveillance of MM incident cases, by the means of a national register for estimating the occurrence of the disease and identifying the circumstances of asbestos exposure, is a relevant tool for preventing asbestos exposure, for supporting the effectiveness of insurance system and for estimating reliable epidemiological figures. PMID:29507789

Does physical or psychosocial workload modify the effect of musculoskeletal pain on sickness absence? A prospective study among the Finnish population.

PubMed

Neupane, Subas; Pensola, Tiina; Haukka, Eija; Ojajärvi, Anneli; Leino-Arjas, Päivi

2016-07-01

Previously, among food industry workers, multisite pain predicted sickness absence (SA) only in those with low biomechanical workload. Here we studied among a wide range of occupations whether the relationship of pain with SA was modified by the level of physical or psychosocial workload. A nationally representative sample (Health 2000 Survey) comprised 3420 occupationally active Finns aged 30-55 years. Baseline data on musculoskeletal pain during the preceding month, strenuous work history, current physical workload, job demands, job control, support at work, lifestyle, and chronic diseases were obtained in 2000/2001 by questionnaire, interview, and clinical examination. Musculoskeletal pain in 18 body locations was combined into four sites (neck, upper limbs, low back, and lower limbs) and classified as no pain, single-site pain, and multisite pain (2-4 sites). The data were linked with information from national registers on annual SA periods lasting ≥10 workdays for 2002-2008. Negative binomial regression analysis was used. At baseline, one-third of the study sample reported single-site and one-third multisite pain. Allowing for gender and age, the employees with multisite pain in strata with high physical workload and high job demands tended to have the highest risk of SA, but no statistically significant interactive effects between work factors and pain were observed. Further adjustment for health-related lifestyle and chronic diseases decreased the risk estimates in all strata. We did not find evidence for significant modification by physical or psychosocial workload of the relationship between musculoskeletal pain and SA periods lasting ≥10 workdays.

Fracture trauma in a medieval British farming village.

PubMed

Judd, M A; Roberts, C A

1999-06-01

Farming is among the three most hazardous occupations in modern society and perhaps also held a similar position during the medieval period. The goal of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in frequencies and patterns of longbone fracture trauma observed between rural and urban activity bases that distinguish farming as a particularly dangerous occupation during the medieval period. The longbones of 170 individuals excavated from Raunds, a rural medieval British site (10th-12th centuries AD) were examined for fractures and compared to data collected from four contemporary British medieval sites, one rural and three urban. The fracture frequency for the Raunds individuals (19.4%) was significantly different from the urban sites (4.7-5.5%). Female fractures were characterized by injury to the forearm, while the males were predisposed to diverse fracture locations. Clinical research provided a source of documented farm-related trauma from North America and Europe where the crops and animals raised, the manual chores performed, and the equipment used in traditional or small-scale farms have changed little in form or function since the medieval period. Nonmechanized causes of injury contribute to approximately 40% of all modern farm-related injuries and are attributed to falls from lofts and ladders, animal assaults and bites, and falls from moving vehicles. These hazardous situations were also present in the medieval period and may explain some of the fracture trauma from the rural sites. A high fracture frequency for both medieval males and females is significantly associated with farming subsistence when compared to craft-orientated urban dwellers.

The Identification and Comparison of the Tasks for the Occupational Role of Industrial Production Technologist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nee, John G.

This paper describes a project designed to: (1) develop a model for determining occupational activity components to be used in any vocational-technical program, (2) produce a list of occupational activity components (tasks) for the occupational roles identified, (3) determine scores, ranks and percentages for each component from each occupational…

Implementation of occupational health service improvements through application of total quality management processes.

PubMed

Thomas, Elizabeth Anne

2011-06-01

The occupational health services department for a manufacturing division of a high-technology firm was redesigned from an outsourced model, in which most services were provided by an outside clinic vendor, to an in-house service model, in which services were provided by an on-site nurse practitioner. The redesign and implementation, accomplished by a cross-functional team using Total Quality Management processes, resulted in a comprehensive occupational health services department that realized significant cost reduction, increased compliance with regulatory and company requirements, and improved employee satisfaction. Implications of this project for occupational health nurses are discussed.

Physical activity and occupational risk of colon cancer in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Chow, W H; Dosemeci, M; Zheng, W; Vetter, R; McLaughlin, J K; Gao, Y T; Blot, W J

1993-02-01

Using occupational data for over 2000 colon cancer cases diagnosed between 1980 and 1984 in Shanghai, and employment information from the 1982 census for the Shanghai population, standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were computed for occupational groups classified by job types and physical activity levels. Men employed in occupations with low physical activity levels had modest but significantly elevated risks of colon cancer. SIR for jobs with low activity based on sitting time was 121 (95% confidence interval, Cl: 108-135) and based on energy expenditure was 126 (95% Cl: 115-138). Corresponding SIR for women were 99 (95% Cl: 83-118) and 113 (95% Cl: 100-127). The data were also used to screen for specific occupations with elevated SIR to generate leads to occupational colon cancer. Increased incidence was observed for professional and other white collar workers, and male chemical processors and female textile workers. The findings add to the emerging evidence that workplace activity may influence the risk of this common cancer.

Disabling musculoskeletal pain in working populations: Is it the job, the person, or the culture?

PubMed Central

Coggon, David; Ntani, Georgia; Palmer, Keith T.; Felli, Vanda E.; Harari, Raul; Barrero, Lope H.; Felknor, Sarah A.; Gimeno, David; Cattrell, Anna; Serra, Consol; Bonzini, Matteo; Solidaki, Eleni; Merisalu, Eda; Habib, Rima R.; Sadeghian, Farideh; Masood Kadir, M.; Warnakulasuriya, Sudath S.P.; Matsudaira, Ko; Nyantumbu, Busisiwe; Sim, Malcolm R.; Harcombe, Helen; Cox, Ken; Marziale, Maria H.; Sarquis, Leila M.; Harari, Florencia; Freire, Rocio; Harari, Natalia; Monroy, Magda V.; Quintana, Leonardo A.; Rojas, Marianela; Salazar Vega, Eduardo J.; Harris, E. Clare; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Martinez, J. Miguel; Delclos, George; Benavides, Fernando G.; Carugno, Michele; Ferrario, Marco M.; Pesatori, Angela C.; Chatzi, Leda; Bitsios, Panos; Kogevinas, Manolis; Oha, Kristel; Sirk, Tuuli; Sadeghian, Ali; Peiris-John, Roshini J.; Sathiakumar, Nalini; Wickremasinghe, A. Rajitha; Yoshimura, Noriko; Kelsall, Helen L.; Hoe, Victor C.W.; Urquhart, Donna M.; Derrett, Sarah; McBride, David; Herbison, Peter; Gray, Andrew

2013-01-01

To compare the prevalence of disabling low back pain (DLBP) and disabling wrist/hand pain (DWHP) among groups of workers carrying out similar physical activities in different cultural environments, and to explore explanations for observed differences, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 countries. Standardised questionnaires were used to ascertain pain that interfered with everyday activities and exposure to possible risk factors in 12,426 participants from 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers). Associations with risk factors were assessed by Poisson regression. The 1-month prevalence of DLBP in nurses varied from 9.6% to 42.6%, and that of DWHP in office workers from 2.2% to 31.6%. Rates of disabling pain at the 2 anatomical sites covaried (r = 0.76), but DLBP tended to be relatively more common in nurses and DWHP in office workers. Established risk factors such as occupational physical activities, psychosocial aspects of work, and tendency to somatise were confirmed, and associations were found also with adverse health beliefs and group awareness of people outside work with musculoskeletal pain. However, after allowance for these risk factors, an up-to 8-fold difference in prevalence remained. Systems of compensation for work-related illness and financial support for health-related incapacity for work appeared to have little influence on the occurrence of symptoms. Our findings indicate large international variation in the prevalence of disabling forearm and back pain among occupational groups carrying out similar tasks, which is only partially explained by the personal and socioeconomic risk factors that were analysed. PMID:23688828

Promoting Occupational Health Nursing Training

PubMed Central

Ward, Julie A.; Beaton, Randal D.; Bruck, Annie M.; de Castro, A. B.

2012-01-01

In 2009, occupational health nursing faculty and professionals at the University of Washington developed an innovative continuing nursing education offering, the OHN Institute. The OHN Institute was designed to meet the following objectives: (1) extend basic occupational health nursing training to non-occupational health nurses in Federal Region X, (2) target new occupational health nurses or those who possessed little or no advanced education in occupational health nursing, and (3) offer a hybrid continuing nursing education program consisting of on-site and distance learning modalities. Evaluation findings suggested that the various continuing nursing education modalities and formats (e.g., asynchronous vs. synchronous, online modules vs. live modules) were essentially comparable in terms of effectiveness. Perhaps most importantly, the OHN Institute evaluation demonstrated that quality continuing nursing education outcomes for occupational health nurses depended largely on knowledgeable and engaging faculty and a compelling vision of desired outcomes, including the application of learned content to professional practice. PMID:21877672

Topologically Associating Domains: An invariant framework or a dynamic scaffold?

PubMed

Cubeñas-Potts, Caelin; Corces, Victor G

2015-01-01

Metazoan genomes are organized into regions of topologically associating domains (TADs). TADs are demarcated by border elements, which are enriched for active genes and high occupancy architectural protein binding sites. We recently demonstrated that 3D chromatin architecture is dynamic in response to heat shock, a physiological stress that downregulates transcription and causes a global redistribution of architectural proteins. We utilized a quantitative measure of border strength after heat shock, transcriptional inhibition, and architectural protein knockdown to demonstrate that changes in both transcription and architectural protein occupancy contribute to heat shock-induced TAD dynamics. Notably, architectural proteins appear to play a more important role in altering 3D chromatin architecture. Here, we discuss the implications of our findings on previous studies evaluating the dynamics of TAD structure during cellular differentiation. We propose that the subset of variable TADs observed after differentiation are representative of cell-type specific gene expression and are biologically significant.

Organizational factors related to occupational accidents in construction.

PubMed

Filho, J M Jackson; Fonseca, E D; Lima, F P A; Duarte, F J C M

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of organizational factors on occupational accident causation. A field study was undertaken and focused on the phase of concreting the floors of a residential block in a building project in Brazil. The methodological approach was based on the analysis of carpenters' work practices and of the workers' accounts of minor falls. Observations were noted on work practices over this stage. Furthermore, interviews were conducted with the workers hired by the subcontractors and with professionals working for the main contractor. The results show that falls were related to the introduction of new building technology and its use by the workforce. The production planning and organization of activities by the subcontracted firms also led to temporary demands that were additional determining factors for falls on site. The work analysis reveals the need to consider organizational factors in prevention practices.

Classification of occupational activity categories using accelerometry: NHANES 2003-2004.

PubMed

Steeves, Jeremy A; Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Murphy, Rachel A; King, George A; Fitzhugh, Eugene C; Harris, Tamara B

2015-06-30

An individual's occupational activity (OA) may contribute significantly to daily physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB). However, there is little consensus about which occupational categories involve high OA or low OA, and the majority of categories are unclassifiable with current methods. The purpose of this study was to present population estimates of accelerometer-derived PA and SB variables for adults (n = 1112, 20-60 years) working the 40 occupational categories collected during the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). ActiGraph accelerometer-derived total activity counts/day (TAC), activity counts/minute, and proportion of wear time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA], lifestyle, and light PA organized by occupational category were ranked in ascending order and SB was ranked in descending order. Summing the ranks of the six accelerometer-derived variables generated a summary score for each occupational category, which was re-ranked in ascending order. Higher rankings indicated higher levels of OA, lower rankings indicated lower levels of OA. Tertiles of the summary score were used to establish three mutually exclusive accelerometer-determined OA groupings: high OA, intermediate OA, and low OA. According to their summary score, 'farm and nursery workers' were classified as high OA and 'secretaries, stenographers, and typists' were classified as low OA. Consistent with previous research, some low OA occupational categories (e.g., 'engineers, architects, and scientists', 'technicians and related support occupations', 'management related occupations', 'executives, administrators, and managers', 'protective services', and 'writers, artists, entertainers, and athletes') associated with higher education and income had relatively greater amounts of MVPA compared to other low OA occupational categories, likely due to the greater percentage of men in those occupations and/or the influence of higher levels of leisure time PA. Men had more TAC, activity counts/minute and time in MVPA, but similar proportions of SB compared to women in all three OA groupings. Objectively measured PA allowed for a more precise estimate of the amount of PA and SB associated with different occupations and facilitated systematic classification of the 40 different occupational categories into three distinct OA groupings. This information provides new opportunities to explore the relationship between OA and health outcomes.

Obesity Prevalence by Occupation in Washington State, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

PubMed Central

Lu, Dayu; Fan, Z. Joyce

2014-01-01

Introduction Data that estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for worker obesity by occupation are generally unavailable and could inform the prioritization of workplace wellness programs. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of obesity by occupation, examine the association of occupational physical activity and a range of health behaviors with obesity, and identify occupations in which workers are at high risk of obesity in Washington State. Methods We conducted descriptive and multivariable analyses among 37,626 employed Washington State respondents using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in odd numbered years, from 2003 through 2009. We estimated prevalence and prevalence ratios (PRs) by occupational groups adjusting for demographics, occupational physical activity level, smoking, fruit and vegetable consumption, and leisure-time physical activity (LPTA). Results Overall obesity prevalence was 24.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.0–25.1). Workers in protective services were 2.46 (95% CI, 1.72–3.50) times as likely to be obese as workers in health diagnosing occupations. Compared with their counterparts, workers who consumed adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables and had adequate LTPA were significantly less likely to be obese (PR = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.86–0.97 and PR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.60–0.67, respectively). Workers with physically demanding occupational physical activity had a lower PR of obesity (PR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.78–0.88) than those with nonphysically demanding occupational physical activity. Conclusion Obesity prevalence and health risk behaviors vary substantially by occupation. Employers, policy makers, and health promotion practitioners can use our results to target and prioritize workplace obesity prevention and health behavior promotion programs. PMID:24406093

Inflammatory Effects of Woodsmoke Exposure among Wildland Firefighters Working at Prescribed Burns at the Savannah River Site, SC

EPA Science Inventory

Objectives: Wildland firefighters in the United States are occupationally exposed to high levels of woodsmoke. Results from experimental studies show that exposure to woodsmoke induces inflammation. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate the effect of occupational woodsm...

Materials Handling and Structures 01.0302 for Agribusiness, Natural Resources, and Environmental Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finstad, Dennis; And Others

The document presents unit plans which offer lists of experiences and competencies to be learned in the area of materials handling and structuring for agribusiness, natural resources, and environmental occupations. The units include: (1) farmstead planning and reorganization; (2) site preparation (contour, terraces, waterways; land measurements…

Strategies for Learners with Special Needs in Health Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Missouri LINC.

This Vocational Instructional Management System (VIMS) module illustrates instructional and cognitive strategies that can be used to teach special needs students vocational competencies in three areas of health occupations: (1) identification of pulse sites; (2) taking a radial pulse; and (3) converting ounces to cubic centimeters (cc). Three…

Landscape- and local-scale habitat influences on occupancy and detection probability of stream-dwelling crayfish: Implications for conservation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magoulick, Daniel D.; DiStefano, Robert J.; Imhoff, Emily M.; Nolen, Matthew S.; Wagner, Brian K.

2017-01-01

Crayfish are ecologically important in freshwater systems worldwide and are imperiled in North America and globally. We sought to examine landscape- to local-scale environmental variables related to occupancy and detection probability of a suite of stream-dwelling crayfish species. We used a quantitative kickseine method to sample crayfish presence at 102 perennial stream sites with eight surveys per site. We modeled occupancy (psi) and detection probability (P) and local- and landscape-scale environmental covariates. We developed a set of a priori candidate models for each species and ranked models using (Q)AICc. Detection probabilities and occupancy estimates differed among crayfish species with Orconectes eupunctus, O. marchandi, and Cambarus hubbsi being relatively rare (psi < 0.20) with moderate (0.46–0.60) to high (0.81) detection probability and O. punctimanus and O. ozarkae being relatively common (psi > 0.60) with high detection probability (0.81). Detection probability was often related to local habitat variables current velocity, depth, or substrate size. Important environmental variables for crayfish occupancy were species dependent but were mainly landscape variables such as stream order, geology, slope, topography, and land use. Landscape variables strongly influenced crayfish occupancy and should be considered in future studies and conservation plans.

Facets of Occupational Burnout Among U.S. Air Force Active Duty and National Guard/Reserve MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper Operators

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

Although occupational burnout is not a categorical psychiatric diagnosis , it stands to reason that such a condition leads to performance...AFRL-SA-WP-TR-2011-0003 FACETS OF OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT AMONG U.S. AIR FORCE ACTIVE DUTY AND NATIONAL GUARD/RESERVE MQ-1 PREDATOR AND...Occupational Burnout Among U.S. Air Force Active Duty and National Guard/Reserve MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper Operators 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

Nevada National Security Site Radiation Protection Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2013-04-30

Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 835, “Occupational Radiation Protection,” establishes radiation protection standards, limits, and program requirements for protecting individuals from ionizing radiation resulting from the conduct of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) activities. 10 CFR 835.101(a) mandates that DOE activities be conducted in compliance with a documented Radiation Protection Program (RPP) as approved by DOE. This document promulgates the RPP for the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), related (on-site or off-site) U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) operations, and environmental restoration off-site projects. This RPP section consists of general statementsmore » that are applicable to the NNSS as a whole. The RPP also includes a series of appendices which provide supporting detail for the associated NNSS Tennant Organizations (TOs). Appendix H, “Compliance Demonstration Table,” contains a cross-walk for the implementation of 10 CFR 835 requirements. This RPP does not contain any exemptions from the established 10 CFR 835 requirements. The RSPC and TOs are fully compliant with 10 CFR 835 and no additional funding is required in order to meet RPP commitments. No new programs or activities are needed to meet 10 CFR 835 requirements and there are no anticipated impacts to programs or activities that are not included in the RPP. There are no known constraints to implementing the RPP. No guides or technical standards are adopted in this RPP as a means to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 835.« less

Role of maternal occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors on adverse birth outcomes

PubMed Central

Lee, Laura J; Symanski, Elaine; Lupo, Philip J; Tinker, Sarah C; Razzaghi, Hilda; Chan, Wenyaw; Hoyt, Adrienne T; Canfield, Mark A

2016-01-01

Objectives We examined the association of an array of estimated maternal occupational physical activities and psychosocial stressors during pregnancy with odds for preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA). Methods Data for infants born without major birth defects delivered from 1997 to 2009 whose mothers reported working at least 1 month during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. We linked occupational codes to the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network, which provides estimates of exposure for multiple domains of physical activity and psychosocial stressors by occupational categories. We conducted factor analysis using principal components extraction with 17 occupational activities and calculated factor scores. ORs for PTB and SGA across quartiles of factor scores in each trimester were computed using logistic regression. Results Factor analysis grouped occupational domains into 4 groups based on factor loadings. These groups were ‘occupational physical activity’, ‘interpersonal stressor’, ‘automated work’ and ‘job responsibility’. High levels of ‘occupational physical activity’ were significantly associated with SGA (adjusted OR (AOR) for highest quartile compared with lowest quartile of factor score: 1.36; 95% CIs 1.02 to 1.82; p for trend=0.001) and were also positively associated with PTB (AOR: 1.24; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.64; p for trend=0.01). No clear results were observed across domains of psychosocial stressors. Conclusions Our findings expand understanding of associations between occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors and PTB and SGA and suggest that additional research is needed to further examine these relationships. PMID:27919059

[The System and Human Resources for Occupational Health in Republic Of Indonesia for Japanese Enterprises to Manage Proper Occupational Health Activities at Overseas Workplaces].

PubMed

Hiraoka, Ko; Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Adi, Nuri Purwito; Soemarko, Dewi Sumaryani; Uehara, Masamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

2017-11-30

To consider the appropriate occupational health system for Japanese enterprises in Indonesia with information on the regulations and development of the specialists. In this study, we used the information-gathering checklist developed by Kajiki et al. Along with literature and internet surveys, we surveyed local corporations owned and operated by Indonesians, central government agencies in charge of medical and health issues, a Japanese independent administrative agency supporting subsidiaries of overseas Japanese enterprises, and an educational institution formulating specialized occupational physician training curricula. In Indonesia, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Health administer occupational health matters. The act No. 1 on safety serves as the fundamental regulation. We confirmed at least 40 respective regulations in pertinent areas, such as the placement of medical and health professionals, health examinations, occupational disease, and occupational health service agencies. There are some regulations that indicate only an outline of activities but not details. Occupational physicians and safety officers are the two professional roles responsible for occupational health activities. A new medical insurance system was started in 2014, and a workers' compensation system was also established in 2017 in Indonesia according to the National Social Security System Act. Although safety and health laws and regulations exist in Indonesia, their details are unclear and the quality of expert human resources needed varies. To conduct high-quality occupational health activities from the standpoint of Japanese companies' headquarters, the active promotion of employing highly specialized professionals and cooperation with educational institutions is recommended.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis cAMP Receptor Protein (Rv3676) Differs from the Escherichia coli Paradigm in Its cAMP Binding and DNA Binding Properties and Transcription Activation Properties*

PubMed Central

Stapleton, Melanie; Haq, Ihtshamul; Hunt, Debbie M.; Arnvig, Kristine B.; Artymiuk, Peter J.; Buxton, Roger S.; Green, Jeffrey

2010-01-01

The pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces a burst of cAMP upon infection of macrophages. Bacterial cyclic AMP receptor proteins (CRP) are transcription factors that respond to cAMP by binding at target promoters when cAMP concentrations increase. Rv3676 (CRPMt) is a CRP family protein that regulates expression of genes (rpfA and whiB1) that are potentially involved in M. tuberculosis persistence and/or emergence from the dormant state. Here, the CRPMt homodimer is shown to bind two molecules of cAMP (one per protomer) at noninteracting sites. Furthermore, cAMP binding by CRPMt was relatively weak, entropy driven, and resulted in a relatively small enhancement in DNA binding. Tandem CRPMt-binding sites (CRP1 at −58.5 and CRP2 at −37.5) were identified at the whiB1 promoter (PwhiB1). In vitro transcription reactions showed that CRP1 is an activating site and that CRP2, which was only occupied in the presence of cAMP or at high CRPMt concentrations in the absence of cAMP, is a repressing site. Binding of CRPMt to CRP1 was not essential for open complex formation but was required for transcription activation. Thus, these data suggest that binding of CRPMt to the PwhiB1 CRP1 site activates transcription at a step after open complex formation. In contrast, high cAMP concentrations allowed occupation of both CRP1 and CRP2 sites, resulting in inhibition of open complex formation. Thus, M. tuberculosis CRP has evolved several distinct characteristics, compared with the Escherichia coli CRP paradigm, to allow it to regulate gene expression against a background of high concentrations of cAMP. PMID:20028978

Characteristics and Outcomes of an Innovative Train-in-Place Residency Program.

PubMed

Green-McKenzie, Judith; Emmett, Edward A

2017-10-01

Physicians who make a midcareer specialty change may find their options for formal training are limited. Here, we describe a train-in-place program, with measureable outcomes, created to train midcareer physicians who desire formal training in occupational medicine. We evaluated educational outcomes from a novel residency program for midcareer physicians seeking formal training and board certification in occupational medicine. Physicians train in place at selected clinical training sites where they practice, and participate in 18 visits to the primary training site over a 2-year period. Program components include competency-based training structured around rotations, mentored projects, and periodic auditing visits to train-in-site locations by program faculty. Main outcome measures are achievement of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Occupational Medicine Milestones, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine competencies, performance on the American College of Preventive Medicine examinations, diversity in selection, placement of graduates, and the number of graduates who remain in the field. Since inception of this program in 1997, there have been 109 graduates who comprise 7.2% of new American Board of Preventive Medicine diplomates over the past decade. Graduates scored competitively on the certifying examination, achieved all milestones, expressed satisfaction with training, and are geographically dispersed, representing every US region. Most practice outside the 25 largest standard metropolitan statistical areas. More than 95% have remained in the field. Training in place is an effective approach to provide midcareer physicians seeking comprehensive skills and board certification in occupational medicine formal training, and may be adaptable to other specialties.

Occupational exposure to dioxins by thermal oxygen cutting, welding, and soldering of metals.

PubMed Central

Menzel, H M; Bolm-Audorff, U; Turcer, E; Bienfait, H G; Albracht, G; Walter, D; Emmel, C; Knecht, U; Päpke, O

1998-01-01

This paper focuses on one aspect of occupational dioxin exposure that is novel and unexpected. Exposures in excess of the German threshold limit value of 50 pg international toxicity equivalent (I-TEQ)/m3 are very frequent, unpredictable, and sometimes very high--up to 6612 pg I-TEQ/m3--during thermal oxygen cutting at scrap metal and demolition sites. The same procedure involving virgin steel in steel trade and mass production of steel objects gave no such evidence, even though no final conclusions can be drawn because of the low number of samples analyzed. Low dioxin exposures during inert gas electric arc welding confirm previous literature findings, whereas soldering and thermal oxygen cutting in the presence of polyvinyl chloride give rise to concern. The consequences of occupational dioxin exposure were studied by analysis of the dioxin-blood concentration, the body burden, of men performing thermal oxygen cutting at scrap metal reclamation and demolition sites, in steel trade and producing plants as well as for industrial welders and white-collar workers. The results concerning body burdens are in excellent agreement with the dioxin exposure as characterized by dioxin air concentration in the workplace. The significant positive correlation between duration and frequency of performing thermal oxygen cutting at metal reclamation and demolition sites expressed in job-years and dioxin body burden speaks for the occupational origin of the observed overload after long times. The results reported here lead to consequences for occupational health, which are discussed and require immediate attention. Images Figure 1 PMID:9599722

Une surstructure de α-Ge, type diamant, induite par un dopage d’anti­moine

PubMed Central

Herrero, Adrian Gómez; Hammoudi, Lamia; Kars, Mohammed; Roisnel, Thierry; Otero-Diáz, L. Carlos

2017-01-01

Single crystals of anti­mony-doped germanium, Ge1–xSbx+0.01 (x ≃ 0.0625), were grown by chemical transport reaction. The alloy crystallizes as a superstructure of diamond-type α-Ge. All atoms in the asymmetric unit lie on special positions and are characterized by strong covalent bonds. The anti­mony atoms substitute for one germanium atom at full occupancy at Wyckoff position 4a (site symmetry -43m), and are also at an adjacent tetra­hedral inter­stitial site with partially occupation (16%) at position 4c (or 4d) (site symmetry -43m). The structural model does not show close Sb⋯Sb contacts, and suggests that the inter­stitial anti­mony atoms move between the two adjacent tetra­hedral sites. PMID:28529769

A cautionary note on substituting spatial subunits for repeated temporal sampling in studies of site occupancy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendall, William L.; White, Gary C.

2009-01-01

1. Assessing the probability that a given site is occupied by a species of interest is important to resource managers, as well as metapopulation or landscape ecologists. Managers require accurate estimates of the state of the system, in order to make informed decisions. Models that yield estimates of occupancy, while accounting for imperfect detection, have proven useful by removing a potentially important source of bias. To account for detection probability, multiple independent searches per site for the species are required, under the assumption that the species is available for detection during each search of an occupied site. 2. We demonstrate that when multiple samples per site are defined by searching different locations within a site, absence of the species from a subset of these spatial subunits induces estimation bias when locations are exhaustively assessed or sampled without replacement. 3. We further demonstrate that this bias can be removed by choosing sampling locations with replacement, or if the species is highly mobile over a short period of time. 4. Resampling an existing data set does not mitigate bias due to exhaustive assessment of locations or sampling without replacement. 5. Synthesis and applications. Selecting sampling locations for presence/absence surveys with replacement is practical in most cases. Such an adjustment to field methods will prevent one source of bias, and therefore produce more robust statistical inferences about species occupancy. This will in turn permit managers to make resource decisions based on better knowledge of the state of the system.

Practical issues in discriminating between environmental and occupational sources in a uranium urinalysis bioassay program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Long, M.P.; Carbaugh, E.H.; Fairrow, N.L.

1994-11-01

Workers at two Department of Energy facilities, the Pantex Plant in Texas and the Hanford Site in Washington, are potentially exposed to class Y depleted or natural uranium. Since trace amounts of uranium are naturally present in urine excretion, site bioassay programs must be able to discern occupational exposure from naturally occurring uranium exposure. In 1985 Hanford established a 0.2-{mu}g/d environmental screening level for elemental uranium in urine; the protocol was based on log-normal probability analysis of unexposed workers. A second study of background uranium levels commenced in 1990, and experiences in the field indicated that there seemed to bemore » an excessive number of urine samples with uranium above the screening level and that the environmental screening level should be reviewed. Due to unforeseen problems, that second study was terminated before the complete data could be obtained. Natural uranium in rock (by weight, 99.27% {sup 288}U, 0.72% {sup 235}U, and 0.006% {sup 234}U) has approximately equal activity concentrations of {sup 238}U and {sup 234}U. Earlier studies, summarized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 51 FR 32068, have indicated that {sup 234}U (via {sup 234}Th) has a greater environmental mobility than {sup 238}U and may well have a higher concentration in ground water. By assuming that the {sup 238}U-to {sup 234}U ratio in the urine of nonoccupationally exposed persons should reflect the ratio of environmental levels, significant occupational exposure to depleted uranium would shift that ratio in favor of {sup 238}U, allowing use of the ratio as a co-indicator of occupational exposure in addition to the isotope-specific screening levels. This approach has been adopted by Pantex. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory is studying the feasibility of applying this method to the natural and recycled uranium mixtures encountered at Hanford. The Hanford data included in this report represent work-in-progress.« less

Occupational and leisure time physical activity: risk of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction in the Copenhagen City Heart Study. A prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Marott, Jacob Louis; Gyntelberg, Finn; Søgaard, Karen; Suadicani, Poul; Mortensen, Ole S; Prescott, Eva; Schnohr, Peter

2012-01-01

Objectives Men with low physical fitness and high occupational physical activity are recently shown to have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. The association between occupational physical activity with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality may also depend on leisure time physical activity. Design A prospective cohort study. Setting The Copenhagen City Heart Study. Participants 7819 men and women aged 25–66 years without a history of cardiovascular disease who attended an initial examination in the Copenhagen City Heart Study in 1976–1978. Outcome measures Myocardial infarction and all-cause mortality. Occupational physical activity was defined by combining information from baseline (1976–1978) with reassessment in 1981–1983. Conventional risk factors were controlled for in Cox analyses. Results During the follow-up from 1976 to 1978 until 2010, 2888 subjects died of all-cause mortality and 787 had a first event of myocardial infarction. Overall, occupational physical activity predicted all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction in men but not in women (test for interaction p=0.02). High occupational physical activity was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality among men with low (HR 1.56; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.18) and moderate (HR 1.31; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.63) leisure time physical activity but not among men with high leisure time physical activity (HR 1.00; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.26) (test for interaction p=0.04). Similar but weaker tendencies were found for myocardial infarction. Among women, occupational physical activity was not associated with subsequent all-cause mortality or myocardial infarction. Conclusions The findings suggest that high occupational physical activity imposes harmful effects particularly among men with low levels of leisure time physical activity. PMID:22331387

Occupational Therapy and Older Drivers: Research, Education, and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stav, Wendy B.

2008-01-01

Occupational therapists facilitate independence and support participation in occupations that are personally meaningful to clients to enhance well-being and quality of life. Among the occupations addressed by occupational therapists is the instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) of driving. Occupational therapists are particularly concerned…

A research-based strategy for managing housing adaptations: study protocol for a quasi-experimental trial.

PubMed

Ekstam, Lisa; Carlsson, Gunilla; Chiatti, Carlos; Nilsson, Maria H; Malmgren Fänge, Agneta

2014-11-29

The primary aim of this paper is to describe the design of a project evaluating the effects of using a research-based strategy for managing housing adaptations (HAs). The evaluation targets clients' perspectives in terms of activity, participation, usability, fear of falling, fall incidence, use of mobility devices, and health-related quality of life, and determines the societal effects of HAs in terms of costs. Additional aims of the project are to explore and describe this strategy in relation to experiences and expectations (a) among clients and cohabitants and (b) occupational therapists in ordinary practice. This study is a quasi-experimental trial applying a multiphase design, combining quantitative and qualitative data. At the experimental sites, the occupational therapists (OTs) apply the intervention, i.e. a standardized research-based strategy for HA case management. At the control site, the occupational therapists are following their regular routine in relation to HA. Three municipalities in south Sweden will be included based on their population, their geographical dispersion, and their similar organizational structures for HA administration. Identical data on outcomes is being collected at all the sites at the same four time points: before the HA and then 3, 6, and 12 months after the HA. The data-collection methods are semi-structured qualitative interviews, observations, clinical assessments, and certificates related to each client's HA. The intervention in this study has been developed and tested through many years of research and in collaboration with practitioners. This process includes methodological development and testing research aimed at identifying the most important outcomes and research targeting current HA case-management procedures in Swedish municipalities. When the study is completed, the results will be used for further optimization of the practice strategy for HA, in close collaboration with the data-collecting OTs. No: NCT01960582.

Hydroclimatic signal and LBK cultural activity in the Upper and Lower Rhine, inferred from abandoned channel fill deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, J. F.; Salvador, P. G.; Erkens, G.; Toonen, W. H. J.; Purdue, L.; Barra, A.; Houben, P.

2012-04-01

The Linear Band Ceramic (LBK) culture represents a major event in the spread of agriculture in Europe. Occupation particularly occurred in river valleys, with largest densities found along the rivers Danube, Elbe and Rhine. The interaction between the emergence of this culture and the dominant climatic and hydrological conditions is not yet fully established. As part of the ANR OBRESOC project, in which LBK activity is investigated in a transect from France (Marne river) to the catchment of the Danube river (Tisza), we studied palaeo-environmental changes in the Rhine valley between 7600-6600 cal. yrs. BP. Focus is on the Upper Rhine Graben and the Lower Rhine valley near the Rhine Delta apex, which is thought to be a peripheral region of LBK-activity. In these regions, a total of five cores from abandoned channels were analysed to reconstruct palaeo-environmental dynamics in vegetation and fluvial activity during the period of LBK development. Abandoned channel fills are excellent sites to perform detailed studies of palaeo-environmental dynamics, as they (i) form proximal locations to occupation sites of the LBK culture, (ii) act as efficient traps of sediments in which different environmental proxies are well preserved, (iii) contain well-datable material for the construction of detailed age-depth models, and (iv) provide a long proxy record, potentially over more than a millennium at a single site. On all cores, high resolution analysis of channel fill deposits (grain size and geophysical properties) and biotic proxies (micro-charcoal fluxes and pollen assemblages) were preformed to reconstruct palaeo-environmental signals, such as changes in fluvial activity, forest fires, and vegetation evolution, which may be related to agricultural activity, and climatic and hydrogeomorphic changes in the region. In this contribution we compare the results of the high-resolution core analyses (1,5 to 5m sequences for the studied timeframe) derived from the more densely populated Upper Rhine Graben with those from the more peripheral Lower Rhine valley to decipher anthropogenic impacts from natural environmental circumstances. Moreover, we try to discriminate the local to the regional signals recorded in the fluvial archives, by comparing the proxy data with the pedo-sedimentary context. The ultimate goal is to model socio-environmental interactions during the LBK culture progression to Western Europe with MMA.

KSC-2014-2615

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A crawler-transporter rolls toward Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Operations are underway to move Mobile Launcher Platform-2, or MLP-2, from the pad to a nearby park site in Launch Complex 39. The historic launch pad was the site from which numerous Apollo and space shuttle missions began and is beginning a new mission as a commercial launch site. NASA signed a property agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, of Hawthorne, California, on April 14 for use and occupancy of the seaside complex along Florida's central east coast. It will serve as a platform for SpaceX to support their commercial launch activities. For more information on Launch Pad 39A, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/167416main_LC39-08.pdf. For learn more about the crawler-transporter, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/167402main_crawlertransporters07.pdf. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-2622

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A crawler-transporter carries Mobile Launcher Platform-2, or MLP-2, away from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MLP is being moved to a nearby park site in Launch Complex 39. The historic launch pad was the site from which numerous Apollo and space shuttle missions began and is beginning a new mission as a commercial launch site. NASA signed a property agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, of Hawthorne, California, on April 14 for use and occupancy of the seaside complex along Florida's central east coast. It will serve as a platform for SpaceX to support their commercial launch activities. For more information on Launch Pad 39A, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/167416main_LC39-08.pdf. For learn more about the crawler-transporter, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/167402main_crawlertransporters07.pdf. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Annual report for Hanford Site: Epidemiologic surveillance - 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-01-01

Epidemiologic surveillance at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities consists of regular and systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on absences due to illness and injury in the work force. Its purpose is to provide an early warning system for health problems occurring among employees at participating sites. Data are collected by coordinators at each site and submitted to the Epidemiologic Surveillance Data Center, located at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, where quality control procedures and analyses are carried out. Rates of absences and rates of diagnoses associated with absences are analyzed by occupational and othermore » relevant variables. They may be compared with the disease experience of different groups within the DOE work force and with populations that do not work for DOE to identify disease patterns or clusters that may be associated with work activities.This report provides the final summary for the Hanford Reservation.« less

The association between long work hours and leisure-time physical activity and obesity.

PubMed

Cook, Miranda A; Gazmararian, Julie

2018-06-01

Obesity affects approximately one-third of all U.S. adults, presenting a large economic and public health burden. Long work hours may be contributing to the rising obesity problem by reducing time for physical activity, particularly for individuals working in sedentary occupations. This study sought to investigate the association between long work hours, leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), and obesity across levels of occupational activity in order to identify potentially vulnerable groups. Cross sectional analysis was performed in 2017 using data from the 2015 Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and prevalence ratios were estimated across work hour and occupational activity groups. Ability to meet guidelines for LTPA did not differ significantly across work hour categories overall. Those working in low activity occupations were more likely to meet aerobic guidelines for LTPA compared to those in intermediate and high activity occupations (χ 2 : 19.3; P -value: <0.01). Results of interaction assessment demonstrate that the effects of work hours on obesity risk and meeting aerobic guidelines are significantly different across OA categories, indicating OA to be an effect modifier of the relationship between long work hours and obesity (χ 2 : 13.33; P -value: <0.001; χ 2 : 4.42; P -value: <0.05). Employees in intermediate activity occupations working long hours were found to be at the greatest risk for obesity. Further research is required to better understand the mechanisms impacting the relationship between long work hours, domains of physical activity, and obesity risk as well as to identify effective intervention and prevention programs for employees in intermediate activity occupations.

Charge-patterning phase transition on a surface lattice of titratable sites adjacent to an electrolyte solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shore, Joel; Thurston, George

We discuss a model for a charge-patterning phase transition on a two-dimensional square lattice of titratable sites, here regarded as protonation sites, placed on a square lattice in a dielectric medium just below the planar interface between this medium and an aqueous salt solution. Within Debye-Huckel theory, the analytical form of the electrostatic repulsion between protonated sites exhibits an approximate inverse cubic power-law decrease beyond short distances. The problem can thus be mapped onto the two-dimensional antiferromagnetic Ising model with this longer-range interaction, which we study with Monte Carlo simulations. As we increase pH, the occupation probability of a site decreases from 1 at low pH to 0 at high pH. For sufficiently-strong interaction strengths, a phase transition occurs as the occupation probability of 1/2 is approached: the charges arrange themselves into a checkerboard pattern. This ordered phase persists over a range of pH until a transition occurs back to a disordered state. This state is the analogue of the Neel state in the antiferromagnetic Ising spin model. More complicated ordered phases are expected for sufficiently strong interactions (with occupation probabilities of 1/4 and 3/4) and if the lattice is triangular rather than square. This work was supported by NIH EY018249 (GMT).

Cation disorder in Ga1212.

PubMed

Greenwood, K B; Ko, D; Vander Griend, D A; Sarjeant, G M; Milgram, J W; Garrity, E S; DeLoach, D I; Poeppelmeier, K R; Salvador, P A; Mason, T O

2000-07-24

Substitution of calcium for strontium in LnSr2-xCaxCu2GaO7 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Gd, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb) materials at ambient pressure and 975 degrees C results in complete substitution of calcium for strontium in the lanthanum and praseodymium systems and partial substitution in the other lanthanide systems. The calcium saturation level depends on the size of the Ln cation, and in all cases, a decrease in the lattice parameters with calcium concentration was observed until a common, lower bound, average A-cation size is reached. Site occupancies from X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments for LnSr2-xCaxCu2GaO7 (x = 0 and x = 2) confirm that the A-cations distribute between the two blocking-layer sites and the active-layer site based on size. A quantitative link between cation distribution and relative site-specific cation enthalpy for calcium, strontium, and lanthanum within the gallate structure is derived. The cation distribution in other similar materials can potentially be modeled.

Structure and thermal expansion of Ca9Gd(VO4)7: A combined powder-diffraction and dilatometric study of a Czochralski-grown crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paszkowicz, Wojciech; Shekhovtsov, Alexei; Kosmyna, Miron; Loiko, Pavel; Vilejshikova, Elena; Minikayev, Roman; Romanowski, Przemysław; Wierzchowski, Wojciech; Wieteska, Krzysztof; Paulmann, Carsten; Bryleva, Ekaterina; Belikov, Konstantin; Fitch, Andrew

2017-11-01

Materials of the Ca9RE(VO4)7 (CRVO) formula (RE = rare earth) and whitlockite-related structures are considered for applications in optoelectronics, e.g., in white-light emitting diodes and lasers. In the CRVO structure, the RE atoms are known to share the site occupation with Ca atoms at two or three among four Ca sites, with partial occupancy values depending on the choice of the RE atom. In this work, the structure and quality of a Czochralski-grown crystal of this family, Ca9Gd(VO4)7 (CGVO), are studied using X-ray diffraction methods. The room-temperature structure is refined using the powder diffraction data collected at a high-resolution synchrotron beamline ID22 (ESRF, Grenoble); for comparison purposes, a laboratory diffraction pattern was collected and analyzed, as well. The site occupancies are discussed on the basis of comparison with literature data of isostructural synthetic crystals of the CRVO series. The results confirm the previously reported site-occupation scheme and indicate a tendency of the CGVO compound to adopt a Gd-deficient composition. Moreover, the thermal expansion coefficient is determined for CGVO as a function of temperature in the 302-1023 K range using laboratory diffraction data. Additionally, for CGVO and six other single crystals of the same family, thermal expansion is studied in the 298-473 K range, using the dilatometric data. The magnitude and anisotropy of thermal expansion, being of importance for laser applications, are discussed for these materials.

Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization Report, Revision 17

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neitzel, Duane A.; Bunn, Amoret L.; Cannon, Sandra D.

2005-09-30

This document describes the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site environment. It is updated each year and is intended to provide a consistent description of the Hanford Site environment for the many environmental documents being prepared by DOE contractors concerning the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). No statements about significance or environmental consequences are provided. This year’s report is the seventeenth revision of the original document published in 1988 and is (until replaced by the eighteenth revision) the only version that is relevant for use in the preparation of Hanford NEPA, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and Comprehensive Environmentalmore » Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) documents. The two chapters included in this document (Chapters 4 and 6) are numbered to correspond to the chapters where such information is typically presented in environmental impact statements (EISs) and other Hanford Site NEPA or CERCLA documentation. Chapter 4.0 (Affected Environment) describes Hanford Site climate and meteorology; air quality; geology; hydrology; ecology; cultural, archaeological, and historical resources; socioeconomics; noise; and occupational health and safety. Sources for extensive tabular data related to these topics are provided in the chapter. Most subjects are divided into a general description of the characteristics of the Hanford Site, followed by site-specific information, where available, of the 100, 200, 300, and other areas. This division allows the reader to go directly to those sections of particular interest. When specific information on each of these separate areas is not complete or available, the general Hanford Site description should be used. Chapter 6.0 (Statutory and Regulatory Requirements) describes federal and state laws and regulations, DOE directives and permits, and presidential executive orders that are applicable to the NEPA documents prepared for Hanford Site activities. Information in Chapter 6 of this document can be adapted and supplemented with specific information for a chapter covering statutory and regulatory requirements in an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. When preparing environmental assessments and EISs, authors should also be cognizant of the document titled Recommendations for the Preparation of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements published by the DOE Office of NEPA Oversight (DOE 2004). Additional guidance on preparing DOE NEPA documents can be found at http://tis.eh.doe.gov/nepa/guidance.html. Any interested individual seeking baseline data on the Hanford Site and its past activities may also use the information contained in this document to evaluate projected activities and their impacts. For this 2005 revision, the following sections of the document were reviewed by the authors and updated with the best available information through May 2005: Climate and Meteorology Air Quality Geology – Seismicity section only Hydrology – Flow charts for the Columbia and Yakima rivers only Ecology – Threatened and Endangered Species subsection only Socioeconomics Occupational Safety All of Chapter 6.« less

Listing Occupational Carcinogens

PubMed Central

Siemiatycki, Jack; Richardson, Lesley; Straif, Kurt; Latreille, Benoit; Lakhani, Ramzan; Campbell, Sally; Rousseau, Marie-Claude; Boffetta, Paolo

2004-01-01

The occupational environment has been a most fruitful one for investigating the etiology of human cancer. Many recognized human carcinogens are occupational carcinogens. There is a large volume of epidemiologic and experimental data concerning cancer risks in different work environments. It is important to synthesize this information for both scientific and public health purposes. Various organizations and individuals have published lists of occupational carcinogens. However, such lists have been limited by unclear criteria for which recognized carcinogens should be considered occupational carcinogens, and by inconsistent and incomplete information on the occupations and industries in which the carcinogenic substances may be found and on their target sites of cancer. Based largely on the evaluations published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and augmented with additional information, the present article represents an attempt to summarize, in tabular form, current knowledge on occupational carcinogens, the occupations and industries in which they are found, and their target organs. We have considered 28 agents as definite occupational carcinogens, 27 agents as probable occupational carcinogens, and 113 agents as possible occupational carcinogens. These tables should be useful for regulatory or preventive purposes and for scientific purposes in research priority setting and in understanding carcinogenesis. PMID:15531427

41 CFR 102-74.250 - What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization based upon the best available information... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization? 102-74...

41 CFR 102-74.250 - What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization based upon the best available information... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization? 102-74...

41 CFR 102-74.250 - What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization based upon the best available information... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization? 102-74...

41 CFR 102-74.250 - What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization based upon the best available information... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization? 102-74...

41 CFR 102-74.250 - What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization based upon the best available information... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What information must the Designated Official use to make a decision to activate the Occupant Emergency Organization? 102-74...

Occupational Activities of Nonacademic and Academic Pedagogues Working in the Field of Childhood Education--An Investigation of Differences and Predictor Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smidt, Wilfried

2016-01-01

Nonacademic and academic pedagogues working in childhood education are involved in multiple occupational activities. Theoretical frameworks focussing on career development and processes of professionalisation may provide hints about differences in the occupational activities of nonacademic and academic pedagogues as well as with regard to how…

[Analysis of tools, methods and results of toxicological screening for detection of drug abuse in Italian professional drivers].

PubMed

Rosso, G L

2013-01-01

Three years after a protocol agreement between the State and the Regions came into force in 2008 (drug testing at the workplace Law) a large number of studies have been conducted to analyse and test the efficacy of on-site screening tests for detection of drug consumption (opiates, cocaine, cannabinoids, amphetamine and methamphetamine, MDMA and methadone), which are frequently used by the occupational health physician, and also to present data resulting from workplace drug testing obtained during health surveillance programmes. The aim of the present study was to verify whether the features of sensitivity and specificity of the most common on-site testing ensure correct application of the provisions of current Italian legislation and also to analyse published studies showing the frequency of positive drug testing. A review of Italian and international literature was carried out aimed at identifying studies relating to: (1) performance of on-site screening tests frequently used by the occupational health physician, (2) prevalence of drug use/abuse among Italian public and commercial transport drivers. A comparison between the studies was then carried out. Several rapid on-site screening tests are commercially available (Italian law does not provide standards for the technical specifications of the tests), the sensitivity and specificity of which varies depending on the model and the substance tested. The sensitivity of these tools is poor when used for the detection of low concentrations of drugs and/or their metabolites in urine (close to the cut-off). Studies are lacking that compare on-site tests performed by the occupational health physician and confirmative tests in specialized laboratories (with particular regard to false positives found by the occupational health physician). The major studies in terms of methods and/or size reported a positive rate (confirmed at the first level) between 1.6% and 1.9%. The drugs most frequently used/abused were cannabis and cocaine. The performance of on-site screening tests (to detect psychotropic substances on urine matrix) and the methodology required by Italian law show that the aims of Italian workplace drug testing legislation have not been achieved The low positive rate observed in Italian studies could be due to an error in the first phase of screening performed by the occupational health physician.

Inferring ecological relationships from occupancy patterns for California Black Rails in the Sierra Nevada foothills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richmond, Orien Manu Wright

The secretive California Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus ) has a disjunct and poorly understood distribution. After a new population was discovered in Yuba County in 1994, we conducted call playback surveys from 1994--2006 in the Sierra foothills and Sacramento Valley region to determine the distribution and residency of Black Rails, estimate densities, and obtain estimates of site occupancy and detection probability. We found Black Rails at 164 small, widely scattered marshes distributed along the lower western slopes of the Sierra Nevada foothills, from just northeast of Chico (Butte County) to Rocklin (Placer County). Marshes were surrounded by a matrix of unsuitable habitat, creating a patchy or metapopulation structure. We observed Black Rails nesting and present evidence that they are year-round residents. Assuming perfect detectability we estimated a lower-bound mean Black Rail density of 1.78 rails ha-1, and assuming a detection probability of 0.5 we estimated a mean density of 3.55 rails ha-1. We test if the presence of the larger Virginia Rail (Laterallus limicola) affects probabilities of detection or occupancy of the smaller California Black Rail in small freshwater marshes that range in size from 0.013-13.99 ha. We hypothesized that Black Rail occupancy should be lower in small marshes when Virginia Rails are present than when they are absent, because resources are presumably more limited and interference competition should increase. We found that Black Rail detection probability was unaffected by the detection of Virginia Rails, while, surprisingly, Black and Virginia Rail occupancy were positively associated even in small marshes. The average probability of Black Rail occupancy was higher when Virginia Rails were present (0.74 +/- 0.053) than when they were absent (0.36 +/- 0.069), and for both species occupancy increased with marsh size. We assessed the impact of winter (November-May) cattle grazing on occupancy of California Black Rails inhabiting a network of freshwater marshes in the northern Sierra Nevada foothills of California. As marsh birds are difficult to detect, we collected repeated presence/absence data via call playback surveys and used the "random changes in occupancy" parameterization of a multi-season occupancy model to examine relationships between occupancy and covariates, while accounting for detection probability. Wetland vegetation cover was significantly lower at winter-grazed sites than at ungrazed sites during the grazing season in 2007 but not in 2008. Winter grazing had little effect on Black Rail occupancy at irrigated marshes. However, at non-irrigated marshes fed by natural springs and streams, winter-grazed sites had lower occupancy than ungrazed sites, especially at larger marsh sizes (>0.5 ha). Black Rail occupancy was positively associated with marsh area, irrigation as a water source and summer cover, and negatively associated with isolation. We evaluate the performance of nine topographic features (aspect, downslope flow distance to streams, elevation, horizontal distance to sinks, horizontal distance to streams, plan curvature, profile curvature, slope and topographic wetness index) on freshwater wetland classification accuracy in the Sierra foothills of California. To evaluate object-based classification accuracy we test both within-image and between-image predictions using six different classification schemes (naive Bayes, the C4.5 decision tree classifier, k-nearest neighbors, boosted logistic regression, random forest, and a support vector machine classifier) in the classification software package Weka 3.6.2. Adding topographic features had mostly positive effects on classification accuracy for within-image tests, but mostly negative effects on accuracy for between-image tests. The topographic wetness index was the most beneficial topographic feature in both the within-image and between-image tests for distinguishing wetland objects from other "green" objects (irrigated pasture and woodland) and shadows. Our results suggest that there is a benefit to using a more complex index of topography than simple measures such as elevation for the goal of mapping small palustrine emergent wetlands, but this benefit, for the most part, has poor transferability when applied between image sections. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Positive and cost-effectiveness effect of spa therapy on the resumption of occupational and non-occupational activities in women in breast cancer remission: a French multicentre randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Mourgues, Charline; Gerbaud, Laurent; Leger, Stéphanie; Auclair, Candy; Peyrol, Fleur; Blanquet, Marie; Kwiatkowski, Fabrice; Leger-Enreille, Anne; Bignon, Yves-Jean

2014-10-01

The main aim was to assess the effects of a spa treatment on the resumption of occupational and non-occupational activities and the abilities of women in breast cancer remission. A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was also performed. A multicentre randomised controlled trial was carried out between 2008 and 2010 in the University Hospital of Auvergne and two private hospitals in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Eligible patients were women in complete breast cancer remission without contraindication for physical activities or cognitive disorders and a body mass index between 18.5 and 40 kg/m(2). The intervention group underwent spa treatment combined with consultation with dietician whereas the control underwent consultations with the dietician only. Of the 181 patients randomised, 92 and 89 were included in the intervention and the control groups, respectively. The CEA involved 90 patients, 42 from the intervention group and 48 from the control group. The main results showed a higher rate of resumption of occupational activities in the intervention group (p = 0.0025) and a positive effect of the intervention on the women's ability to perform occupational activities 12 months after the beginning of the study (p = 0.0014), and on their ability to perform family activities (p = 0.033). The stay in a thermal centre was cost-effective at 12 months. Spa treatment is a cost-effective strategy to improve resumption of occupational and non-occupational activities and the abilities of women in breast cancer remission. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity: a follow-up study.

PubMed

Seiluri, Tina; Lahti, Jouni; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero; Lallukka, Tea

2011-03-01

Physical activity is known to have health benefits across population groups. However, less is known about changes over time in socioeconomic differences in leisure-time physical activity and the reasons for the changes. We hypothesised that class differences in leisure-time physical activity would widen over time due to declining physical activity among the lower occupational classes. We examined whether occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity change over time in a cohort of Finnish middle-aged women and men. We also examined whether a set of selected covariates could account for the observed changes. The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study cohort mail surveys; the respondents were 40-60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki at baseline in 2000-2002 (n = 8960, response rate 67%). Follow-up questionnaires were sent to the baseline respondents in 2007 (n = 7332, response rate 83%). The outcome measure was leisure-time physical activity, including commuting, converted to metabolic equivalent tasks (MET). Socioeconomic position was measured by occupational class (professionals, semi-professionals, routine non-manual employees and manual workers). The covariates included baseline age, marital status, limiting long-lasting illness, common mental disorders, job strain, physical and mental health functioning, smoking, body mass index, and employment status at follow-up. Firstly the analyses focused on changes over time in age adjusted prevalence of leisure-time physical activity. Secondly, logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for covariates of changes in occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity. At baseline there were no occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity. Over the follow-up leisure-time physical activity increased among those in the higher classes and decreased among manual workers, suggesting the emergence of occupational class differences at follow-up. Women in routine non-manual and manual classes and men in the manual class tended to be more often physically inactive in their leisure-time (<14 MET hours/week) and to be less often active (>30 MET hours/week) than those in the top two classes. Adjustment for the covariates did not substantially affect the observed occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity at follow-up. Occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity emerged over the follow-up period among both women and men. Leisure-time physical activity needs to be promoted among ageing employees, especially among manual workers.

Model for screened, charge-regulated electrostatics of an eye lens protein: Bovine gammaB-crystallin

PubMed Central

Wahle, Christopher W.; Martini, K. Michael; Hollenbeck, Dawn M.; Langner, Andreas; Ross, David S.; Hamilton, John F.; Thurston, George M.

2018-01-01

We model screened, site-specific charge regulation of the eye lens protein bovine gammaB-crystallin (γ B) and study the probability distributions of its proton occupancy patterns. Using a simplified dielectric model, we solve the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation to calculate a 54 × 54 work-of-charging matrix, each entry being the modeled voltage at a given titratable site, due to an elementary charge at another site. The matrix quantifies interactions within patches of sites, including γB charge pairs. We model intrinsic pK values that would occur hypothetically in the absence of other charges, with use of experimental data on the dependence of pK values on aqueous solution conditions, the dielectric model, and literature values. We use Monte Carlo simulations to calculate a model grand-canonical partition function that incorporates both the work-of-charging and the intrinsic pK values for isolated γB molecules and we calculate the probabilities of leading proton occupancy configurations, for 4 < pH < 8 and Debye screening lengths from 6 to 20 Å. We select the interior dielectric value to model γB titration data. At pH 7.1 and Debye length 6.0 Å, on a given γB molecule the predicted top occupancy pattern is present nearly 20% of the time, and 90% of the time one or another of the first 100 patterns will be present. Many of these occupancy patterns differ in net charge sign as well as in surface voltage profile. We illustrate how charge pattern probabilities deviate from the multinomial distribution that would result from use of effective pK values alone and estimate the extents to which γB charge pattern distributions broaden at lower pH and narrow as ionic strength is lowered. These results suggest that for accurate modeling of orientation-dependent γB-γB interactions, consideration of numerous pairs of proton occupancy patterns will be needed. PMID:29346981

Model for screened, charge-regulated electrostatics of an eye lens protein: Bovine gammaB-crystallin.

PubMed

Wahle, Christopher W; Martini, K Michael; Hollenbeck, Dawn M; Langner, Andreas; Ross, David S; Hamilton, John F; Thurston, George M

2017-09-01

We model screened, site-specific charge regulation of the eye lens protein bovine gammaB-crystallin (γB) and study the probability distributions of its proton occupancy patterns. Using a simplified dielectric model, we solve the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation to calculate a 54×54 work-of-charging matrix, each entry being the modeled voltage at a given titratable site, due to an elementary charge at another site. The matrix quantifies interactions within patches of sites, including γB charge pairs. We model intrinsic pK values that would occur hypothetically in the absence of other charges, with use of experimental data on the dependence of pK values on aqueous solution conditions, the dielectric model, and literature values. We use Monte Carlo simulations to calculate a model grand-canonical partition function that incorporates both the work-of-charging and the intrinsic pK values for isolated γB molecules and we calculate the probabilities of leading proton occupancy configurations, for 4

Model for screened, charge-regulated electrostatics of an eye lens protein: Bovine gammaB-crystallin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahle, Christopher W.; Martini, K. Michael; Hollenbeck, Dawn M.; Langner, Andreas; Ross, David S.; Hamilton, John F.; Thurston, George M.

2017-09-01

We model screened, site-specific charge regulation of the eye lens protein bovine gammaB-crystallin (γ B ) and study the probability distributions of its proton occupancy patterns. Using a simplified dielectric model, we solve the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation to calculate a 54 ×54 work-of-charging matrix, each entry being the modeled voltage at a given titratable site, due to an elementary charge at another site. The matrix quantifies interactions within patches of sites, including γ B charge pairs. We model intrinsic p K values that would occur hypothetically in the absence of other charges, with use of experimental data on the dependence of p K values on aqueous solution conditions, the dielectric model, and literature values. We use Monte Carlo simulations to calculate a model grand-canonical partition function that incorporates both the work-of-charging and the intrinsic p K values for isolated γ B molecules and we calculate the probabilities of leading proton occupancy configurations, for 4

Domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviour in relation to colon and rectal cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mahmood, Shahid; MacInnis, Robert J; English, Dallas R; Karahalios, Amalia; Lynch, Brigid M

2017-12-01

Physical activity is associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer, but most epidemiological studies have focused on occupational and recreational physical activity. The evidence for other domains of activity, and for sedentary behaviour, is limited. Medline, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception to December 2015 for studies examining domain-specific physical activity or sedentary behaviour and the risk of colon and/or rectal cancer. We extracted maximally adjusted relative risks (RRs) except when RRs not adjusted for body mass index, were also presented. We used random-effects meta-analysis to compute pooled RRs comparing the highest versus the lowest level of exposure. We used meta-regression to assess sources of heterogeneity in estimates. We identified 17 cohort and 21 case-control studies, of which 17 had occupational data, 23 had recreational data, three each had data on transport and household physical activity domains, and 6 studies had data on occupational sedentary behaviour. The pooled relative risks (RRs) for colon cancer were 0.74 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67, 0.82) for occupational activity, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.89) for recreational activity, 0.66 (95% CI: 0.45, 0.98) for transport-related physical activity, 0.85 (95% CI: 0.71, 1.02) for household physical activity, and 1.44 (95% CI: 1.28, 1.62) for occupational sedentary behaviour. For rectal cancer, the pooled RRs were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.98) for occupational activity, 0.87 (95% CI: 0.75, 1.01) for recreational activity, 0.88 (95% CI: 0.70, 1.12) for transport-related physical activity, 1.01 (95% CI: 0.80, 1.27) for household physical activity, and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.28) for occupational sedentary behaviour. In addition to increasing occupational and recreational physical activity, promoting physical activity during transport and reducing sedentary behaviour in the workplace may also be useful colorectal cancer prevention strategies. © The Author 2017; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Estrogen receptor β (ERβ1) transactivation is differentially modulated by the transcriptional coregulator Tip60 in a cis-acting element-dependent manner.

PubMed

Lee, Ming-Tsung; Leung, Yuet-Kin; Chung, Irving; Tarapore, Pheruza; Ho, Shuk-Mei

2013-08-30

Estrogen receptor (ER) β1 and ERα have overlapping and distinct functions despite their common use of estradiol as the physiological ligand. These attributes are explained in part by their differential utilization of coregulators and ligands. Although Tip60 has been shown to interact with both receptors, its regulatory role in ERβ1 transactivation has not been defined. In this study, we found that Tip60 enhances transactivation of ERβ1 at the AP-1 site but suppresses its transcriptional activity at the estrogen-response element (ERE) site in an estradiol-independent manner. However, different estrogenic compounds can modify the Tip60 action. The corepressor activity of Tip60 at the ERE site is abolished by diarylpropionitrile, genistein, equol, and bisphenol A, whereas its coactivation at the AP-1 site is augmented by fulvestrant (ICI 182,780). GRIP1 is an important tethering mediator for ERs at the AP-1 site. We found that coexpression of GRIP1 synergizes the action of Tip60. Although Tip60 is a known acetyltransferase, it is unable to acetylate ERβ1, and its coregulatory functions are independent of its acetylation activity. In addition, we showed the co-occupancy of ERβ1 and Tip60 at ERE and AP-1 sites of ERβ1 target genes. Tip60 differentially regulates the endogenous expression of the target genes by modulating the binding of ERβ1 to the cis-regulatory regions. Thus, we have identified Tip60 as the first dual-function coregulator of ERβ1.

Estrogen Receptor β (ERβ1) Transactivation Is Differentially Modulated by the Transcriptional Coregulator Tip60 in a cis-Acting Element-dependent Manner*

PubMed Central

Lee, Ming-Tsung; Leung, Yuet-Kin; Chung, Irving; Tarapore, Pheruza; Ho, Shuk-Mei

2013-01-01

Estrogen receptor (ER) β1 and ERα have overlapping and distinct functions despite their common use of estradiol as the physiological ligand. These attributes are explained in part by their differential utilization of coregulators and ligands. Although Tip60 has been shown to interact with both receptors, its regulatory role in ERβ1 transactivation has not been defined. In this study, we found that Tip60 enhances transactivation of ERβ1 at the AP-1 site but suppresses its transcriptional activity at the estrogen-response element (ERE) site in an estradiol-independent manner. However, different estrogenic compounds can modify the Tip60 action. The corepressor activity of Tip60 at the ERE site is abolished by diarylpropionitrile, genistein, equol, and bisphenol A, whereas its coactivation at the AP-1 site is augmented by fulvestrant (ICI 182,780). GRIP1 is an important tethering mediator for ERs at the AP-1 site. We found that coexpression of GRIP1 synergizes the action of Tip60. Although Tip60 is a known acetyltransferase, it is unable to acetylate ERβ1, and its coregulatory functions are independent of its acetylation activity. In addition, we showed the co-occupancy of ERβ1 and Tip60 at ERE and AP-1 sites of ERβ1 target genes. Tip60 differentially regulates the endogenous expression of the target genes by modulating the binding of ERβ1 to the cis-regulatory regions. Thus, we have identified Tip60 as the first dual-function coregulator of ERβ1. PMID:23857583

Perceived office environments and occupational physical activity in office-based workers.

PubMed

Sawyer, A; Smith, L; Ucci, M; Jones, R; Marmot, A; Fisher, A

2017-06-01

Individuals in office-based occupations have low levels of physical activity but there is little research into the socio-ecological correlates of workplace activity. To identify factors contributing to office-based workers' perceptions of the office environment and explore cross-sectional relationships between these factors and occupational physical activity. Participants in the Active Buildings study reported perceptions of their office environment using the Movement at Work Survey. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted on survey items. A sub-sample wore the ActivPAL3TM accelerometer for ≥3 workdays to measure occupational step count, standing, sitting and sit-to-stand transitions. Linear regression analyses assessed relationships between environmental perceptions and activity. There were 433 participants, with accelerometer data available for 115 participants across 11 organ izations. The PCA revealed four factors: (i) perceived distance to office destinations, (ii) perceived office aesthetics and comfort, (iii) perceived office social environment and (iv) perceived management discouragement of unscheduled breaks. Younger participants perceived office destinations as being closer to their desk. Younger and female participants perceived more positive office social environments; there were no other socio-demographic differences. Within the sub-sample with accelerometer data, perceived discouragement of breaks by management was related to occupational step count/hour (B = -64.5; 95% CI -109.7 to -19.2). No other environmental perceptions were related to activity or sitting. Perceived managerial discouragement of breaks could be related to meaningful decreases in occupational step count. Future research should aim to elucidate the role of the workplace socio-cultural environment in occupational walking, with a focus on the role of management. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy vs No Therapy in Mild to Moderate Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Clarke, Carl E; Patel, Smitaa; Ives, Natalie; Rick, Caroline E; Dowling, Francis; Woolley, Rebecca; Wheatley, Keith; Walker, Marion F; Sackley, Catherine M

2016-03-01

It is unclear whether physiotherapy and occupational therapy are clinically effective and cost-effective in Parkinson disease (PD). To perform a large pragmatic randomized clinical trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of individualized physiotherapy and occupational therapy in PD. The PD REHAB Trial was a multicenter, open-label, parallel group, controlled efficacy trial. A total of 762 patients with mild to moderate PD were recruited from 38 sites across the United Kingdom. Recruitment took place between October 2009 and June 2012, with 15 months of follow-up. Participants with limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) were randomized to physiotherapy and occupational therapy or no therapy. The primary outcome was the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) Scale score at 3 months after randomization. Secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life (assessed by Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 and EuroQol-5D); adverse events; and caregiver quality of life. Outcomes were assessed before trial entry and then 3, 9, and 15 months after randomization. Of the 762 patients included in the study (mean [SD] age, 70 [9.1] years), 381 received physiotherapy and occupational therapy and 381 received no therapy. At 3 months, there was no difference between groups in NEADL total score (difference, 0.5 points; 95% CI, -0.7 to 1.7; P = .41) or Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 summary index (0.007 points; 95% CI, -1.5 to 1.5; P = .99). The EuroQol-5D quotient was of borderline significance in favor of therapy (-0.03; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.002; P = .04). The median therapist contact time was 4 visits of 58 minutes over 8 weeks. Repeated-measures analysis showed no difference in NEADL total score, but Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 summary index (diverging 1.6 points per annum; 95% CI, 0.47 to 2.62; P = .005) and EuroQol-5D score (0.02; 95% CI, 0.00007 to 0.03; P = .04) showed small differences in favor of therapy. There was no difference in adverse events. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy were not associated with immediate or medium-term clinically meaningful improvements in ADL or quality of life in mild to moderate PD. This evidence does not support the use of low-dose, patient-centered, goal-directed physiotherapy and occupational therapy in patients in the early stages of PD. Future research should explore the development and testing of more structured and intensive physical and occupational therapy programs in patients with all stages of PD. isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN17452402.

Occupancy and abundance of the endangered yellowcheek darter in Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magoulick, Daniel D.; Lynch, Dustin T.

2015-01-01

The Yellowcheek Darter (Etheostoma moorei) is a rare fish endemic to the Little Red River watershed in the Boston Mountains of northern Arkansas. Remaining populations of this species are geographically isolated and declining, and the species was listed in 2011 as federally endangered. Populations have declined, in part, due to intense seasonal stream drying and inundation of lower reaches by a reservoir. We used a kick seine sampling approach to examine distribution and abundance of Yellowcheek Darter populations in the Middle Fork and South Fork Little Red River. We used presence data to estimate occupancy rates and detection probability and examined relationships between Yellowcheek Darter density and environmental variables. The species was found at five Middle Fork and South Fork sites where it had previously been present in 2003–2004. Occupancy rates were >0.6 but with wide 95% CI, and where the darters occurred, densities were typical of other Ozark darters but highly variable. Detection probability and density were positively related to current velocity. Given that stream drying has become more extreme over the past 30 years and anthropogenic threats have increased, regular monitoring and active management may be required to reduce extinction risk of Yellowcheek Darter populations.

Organization and roles of nucleosomes at mouse meiotic recombination hotspots

PubMed Central

Getun, Irina V.; Wu, Zhen K.; Bois, Philippe R.J.

2012-01-01

Meiotic double strand breaks (DSBs) occur at discrete regions in the genome coined hotspots. Precisely what directs site selection of these DSBs is hotly debated and in particular it is unclear which chromatin features, and regulatory factors are necessary for a genomic region to initiate and resolve DSBs as a crossover (CO) event. In human and mouse, one layer of hotspot selection control is a recognition sequence element present at these sites that is bound by the Prdm9 zinc-finger protein. Furthermore, an overall open chromatin structure is thought to be required to allow access of the recombination machinery, and this is often dictated by the packaging of DNA around nucleosomes. We recently defined the nucleosome occupancy maps of four mouse recombination hotspots throughout meiosis. These analyses revealed no obvious dynamic changes in nucleosome occupancy, suggesting an intrinsic nature of recombinogenic sites, yet they also revealed that nucleosomes define zones of exclusion for CO resolution. Here, we discuss new evidence implicating nucleosome occupancy in recombinogenic repair and its potential roles in controlling chromatin structure at mouse meiotic hotspots. PMID:22572955

Structure and stability of solid Xe(H 2) n

DOE PAGES

Somayazulu, Maddury; Dera, Przemyslaw; Smith, Jesse; ...

2015-03-10

Mixtures of xenon and molecular hydrogen form a series of hexagonal, van der Waals compounds at high pressures and at 300 K. Synchrotron, x-ray, single crystal diffraction studies reveal that below 7.5 GPa, Xe(H 2) 8 crystallizes in a P3¯m1 structure that displays pressure-induced occupancy changes of two pairs of xenon atoms located on the 2c and 2d sites (while the third pair on yet another 2c site remains fully occupied). The occupancy becomes 1 at the P3¯m1 to R3 transition and all the xenon atoms occupy the 3d sites in the high-pressure structure. These pressure-induced changes in occupancy coincidemore » with volume changes that maintain the average Xe:H 2 stoichiometry fixed at 1:8. Furthermore, the synchrotron x-ray diffraction and Raman measurements show that this unique hydrogen-bearing compound that can be synthesized at 4.2 GPa and 300 K, quenched at low temperatures to atmospheric pressure, and retained up to 90 K on subsequent warming.« less

[Occupational satisfaction and quality of life in women aged 45-60 years in the Silesia voivodeship].

PubMed

Kowalska, Małgorzata; Marcinkowska, Urszula; Jośko, Jadwiga

2010-01-01

Quality of life is an important issue of public health. It becomes essential in the population of active workers, especially women who besides their occupational activity have to perform other important roles, such as care of their children or older parents. The presented study is an attempt to answer the question on whether occupational activity, especially job satisfaction, provides better quality of live in the population of women aged 45-60 years. The obtained results confirm that a better quality of live, measured by the status of physical and mental health, is characteristic of occupationally active women with a higher level of education, who also experience job satisfaction. Care of children or older parents has no impact on the decline of quality of life. The improvement of qualifications and occupational activity can contribute to a better quality of live in the population of women.

Subject-chosen activities in occupational therapy for the improvement of psychiatric symptoms of inpatients with chronic schizophrenia: a controlled trial.

PubMed

Hoshii, Junko; Yotsumoto, Kayano; Tatsumi, Eri; Tanaka, Chito; Mori, Takashi; Hashimoto, Takeshi

2013-07-01

To compare the therapeutic effects of subject-chosen and therapist-chosen activities in occupational therapy for inpatients with chronic schizophrenia. Prospective comparative study. A psychiatric hospital in Japan. Fifty-nine patients with chronic schizophrenia who had been hospitalized for many years. The subjects received six-months occupational therapy, participating in either activities of their choice (subject-chosen activity group, n = 30) or activities chosen by occupational therapists based on treatment recommendations and patient consent (therapist-chosen activity group, n = 29). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale were used to evaluate psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial function, respectively. After six-months occupational therapy, suspiciousness and hostility scores of the positive scale and preoccupation scores of the general psychopathology scale significantly improved in the subject-chosen activity group compared with the therapist-chosen activity group, with 2(2) (median (interquartile range)) and 3(1.25), 2(1) and 2.5(1), and 2(1) and 3(1), respectively. There were no significant differences in psychosocial functions between the two groups. In within-group comparisons before and after occupational therapy, suspiciousness scores of the positive scale, preoccupation scores of the general psychopathology scale, and psychosocial function significantly improved only in the subject-chosen activity group, with 3(1) to 2(2), 3(1) to 2(1), and 40(9) to 40(16) respectively, but not in the therapist-chosen activity group. The results suggested that the subject-chosen activities in occupational therapy could improve the psychiatric symptoms, suspiciousness, and preoccupation of the inpatients with chronic schizophrenia.

Worksite element as causes of occupational accidents and illnesses in Malaysian residential construction industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafiidz, J. Mohd; Arifin, K.; Aiyub, K.; Razman, M. R.; Samsurijan, M. S.; Syakir, M. I.

2017-09-01

Construction industry is an important sector that contributes to the development of economy and socioeconomy in Malaysia. It is a vital component in achieving the developed country status. However, fatalities in the Malaysian construction industry are a critical problem. Number of fatalities in this industry is the highest compared to other industries registered in Malaysia under the investigation of Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). Worksite element (worksite conditions, poor site management, construction tasks, and equipment & materials) was identified as one category of causes of occupational accidents and illnesses in Malaysian construction industry. The main objective of this study is to understand the perception of local construction personnel in terms of worksite element as causes of occupational accidents and illnesses in Malaysian residential construction industry. 13 housing projects that were registered with Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government and being permitted to perform construction work in 2012 were selected in Pulau Pinang to be studied using questionnaire survey. Worksite condition and poor site management was perceived as the most significant with the mean values of 3.68 and 3.61 respectively.

Smoking cessation at the workplace. Results of a randomised controlled intervention study

PubMed Central

Lang, T; Nicaud, V; Slama, K; Hirsch, A; Imbernon, E; Goldberg, M; Calvel, L; Desobry, P; Favre-Trosson, J; Lhopital, C; Mathevon, P; Miara, D; Miliani, A; Panthier, F; Pons, G; Roitg, C; Thoores, M; the, w

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To compare the effects of a worksite intervention by the occupational physician offering simple advice of smoking cessation with a more active strategy of advice including a "quit date" and extra support.
POPULATION—Employees of an electrical and gas company seen at the annual visit by their occupational physicians.
CRITERIA END POINTS—Smoking point prevalence defined as the percentage of smokers who were non-smokers at one year. Secondary criteria were the percentage of smokers who stopped smoking for more than six months and the difference in prevalence of smoking in both groups.
METHODS—Randomised controlled trial. The unit of randomisation was the work site physician and a random sample of the employees of whom he or she was in charge. The length of the follow up was one year. Each of 30 work site physicians included in the study 100 to 150 employees.
RESULTS—Among 504 subjects classified as smokers at baseline receiving simple advice (group A) and 591 the more active programme (group B), 68 (13.5%) in group A and 109 (18.4%) were non-smokers one year later (p=0.03; p=0.01 taking the occupational physician as the statistical unit and using a non-parametric test). Twenty three subjects (4.6%) in group A and 36 (6.1%) in group B (p=0.26) declared abstinence of six months or more. Among non-smokers at baseline, 3.4% in both groups were smokers after one year follow up. The prevalence of smokers did not differ significantly at baseline (32.9% and 32.4%, p=0.75). After the intervention the prevalence of smoking was 30.8% in group A and 28.7% in group B (p=0.19). An increase of the mean symptoms score for depression in those who quit was observed during this period.
CONCLUSIONS—A simple cessation intervention strategy during a mandatory annual examination, targeting a population of smokers independently of their motivation to stop smoking or their health status, showed a 36% relative increase of the proportion of smokers who quit smoking as compared with what can be achieved through simple advice.


Keywords: tobacco smoking; smoking cessation; randomised controlled trial; work site PMID:10814655

The Impact of Environment and Occupation on the Health and Safety of Active Duty Air Force Members - Database Development and De-Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

et al. Work , obesity , and occupational safety and health . Am J Public Health . 2007; 97(3):428-436. 7. Grunberg L, Moore S, Anderson-Connolly R...AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2015-0005 The Impact of Environment and Occupation on the Health and Safety of Active Duty Air Force Members – Database...TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Impact of Environment and Occupation on the Health and Safety of Active Duty Air Force Members – Database Development and De

Noise-induced hearing loss in small-scale metal industry in Nepal.

PubMed

Whittaker, J D; Robinson, T; Acharya, A; Singh, D; Smith, M

2014-10-01

There has been no previous research to demonstrate the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in industry in Nepal. Limited research on occupational noise-induced hearing loss has been conducted within small-scale industry worldwide, despite it being a substantial and growing cause of deafness in the developing world. The study involved a cross-sectional audiometric assessment, with questionnaire-based examinations of noise and occupational history, and workplace noise level assessment. A total of 115 metal workers and 123 hotel workers (control subjects) were recruited. Noise-induced hearing loss prevalence was 30.4 per cent in metal workers and 4.1 per cent in hotel workers, with a significant odds ratio of 10.3. Except for age and time in occupation, none of the demographic factors were significant in predicting outcomes in regression analyses. When adjusted for this finding, and previous noise-exposed occupations, the odds ratio was 13.8. Workplace noise was significantly different between the groups, ranging from 65.3 to 84.7 dBA in metal worker sites, and from 51.4 to 68.6 dBA in the control sites. Metal workers appear to have a greater risk of noise-induced hearing loss than controls. Additional research on occupational noise-induced hearing loss in Nepal and small-scale industry globally is needed.

Data linkage between the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to assess workplace physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and emotional stressors during pregnancy.

PubMed

Lee, Laura J; Symanski, Elaine; Lupo, Philip J; Tinker, Sarah C; Razzaghi, Hilda; Pompeii, Lisa A; Hoyt, Adrienne T; Canfield, Mark A; Chan, Wenyaw

2016-02-01

Knowledge of the prevalence of work-related physical activities, sedentary behaviors, and emotional stressors among pregnant women is limited, and the extent to which these exposures vary by maternal characteristics remains unclear. Data on mothers of 6,817 infants without major birth defects, with estimated delivery during 1997 through 2009 who worked during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Information on multiple domains of occupational exposures was gathered by linking mother's primary job to the Occupational Information Network Version 9.0. The most frequent estimated physical activity associated with jobs during pregnancy was standing. Of 6,337 mothers, 31.0% reported jobs associated with standing for ≥75% of their time. There was significant variability in estimated occupational exposures by maternal age, race/ethnicity, and educational level. Our findings augment existing literature on occupational physical activities, sedentary behaviors, emotional stressors, and occupational health disparities during pregnancy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Herpetological monitoring and assessment on the Trinity River, Trinity County, California—Final report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snover, Melissa L.; Adams, Michael J.

2016-06-14

The primary goal of the Trinity River Restoration Program is to rehabilitate the fisheries on the dam-controlled Trinity River. However, maintaining and enhancing other wildlife populations through the restoration initiative is also a key objective. Foothill yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) and western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) have been identified as important herpetological species on which to focus monitoring efforts due to their status as California state-listed species of concern and potential listing on the U.S. Endangered Species List. We developed and implemented a monitoring strategy for these species specific to the Trinity River with the objectives of establishing baseline values for probabilities of site occupancy, colonization, and local extinction; identifying site characteristics that correlate with the probability of extinction; and estimating overall trends in abundance. Our 3-year study suggests that foothill yellow-legged frogs declined in the probability of site occupancy. Conversely, our results suggest that western pond turtles increased in both abundance and the probability of site occupancy. The short length of our study period makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions, but these results provide much-needed baseline data. Further monitoring and directed studies are required to assess how habitat changes and management decisions relate to the status and trend of these species over the long term.

Effect of microwaves on the synthesis, structural and dielectric properties of Ca-modified BaTiO3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salhi, Abdelaziz; Sayouri, Salah-eddine; Jaber, Boujemaa; Omari, L.-Haj

2018-05-01

A pre-heat treatment with a domestic microwave, (MW), performed on gel-dry of sol gel processed Ca-modified BaTiO3, with the chemical formulation Ba1- x Ca x TiO3 such as x = 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30%, has been shown to lower the calcination temperature of these samples and to strongly influence their physicochemical properties. Indeed, X-ray diffraction and Raman characterizations of the samples revealed a gradual change from tetragonal to pseudo cubic phase with increasing x and a predominance of the occupation of the Ti-site for the composition x < 10 and that of the Ba-site for x ≥ 10. Dielectric measurements have shown that the temperature, T m, of the ferro-to-paraelectric transition is sensitive to the above-mentioned behavior, with a diffuse character of this transition; T m first decreases for the concentrations in x such as x < = 10 (predominance of occupation of Ti sites) before it increases for the compositions with x > 10 (predominance of occupation of Ba-sites). The thermal behavior of the permittivity has been approached by the modified Uchino's law, allowing the calculation of the dielectric parameters (diffuseness and relaxation parameters).

Association between satisfaction and participation in everyday occupations after stroke.

PubMed

Bergström, Aileen; Guidetti, Susanne; Tham, Kerstin; Eriksson, Gunilla

2017-09-01

Within occupational therapy, it is assumed that individuals are satisfied when participating in everyday occupations that they want to do. However, there is little empirical evidence to show this. The aim of this study is to explore and describe the relation between satisfaction and participation in everyday occupations in a Swedish cohort, 5 years post stroke. Sixty-nine persons responded to the Occupational Gaps Questionnaire (OGQ). The questionnaire measures subjective restrictions in participation, i.e. the discrepancy between doing and wanting to do 30 different occupations in everyday life, and satisfaction per activity. Results were analysed with McNemar/chi-square. Seventy percent of the persons perceived participation restrictions. Individuals that did not perceive restrictions in their participation had a significantly higher level of satisfaction (p = .002) compared to those that had restrictions. Participants that performed activities that they wanted to do report between 79 and 100% satisfaction per activity. In this cohort, there was a significant association between satisfaction and participating in everyday occupations one wants to do, showing that satisfaction is an important aspect of participation and substantiates a basic assumption within occupational therapy. The complexity of measuring satisfaction and participation in everyday occupations is discussed.

Satisfaction with daily occupations amongst asylum seekers in Denmark.

PubMed

Morville, Anne-Le; Erlandsson, Lena-Karin; Danneskiold-Samsøe, Bente; Amris, Kirstine; Eklund, Mona

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to describe asylum seekers' satisfaction with daily occupations and activity level while in a Danish asylum centre, and whether this changed over time. Another aim was to describe whether exposure to torture, self-rated health measures, and ADL ability were related to their satisfaction with daily occupations and activity level. A total of 43 asylum seekers at baseline and 17 at follow-up were included. The questionnaires Satisfaction with Daily Occupations, Major Depression Inventory, WHO-5 Wellbeing, Pain Detect, a questionnaire covering torture, and basic social information were used as well as Assessment of Motor and Process Skills. The results showed a low level of satisfaction with daily occupations at both baseline and follow-up. There was no statistically significant change in satisfaction or activity level between baseline and the follow-up. Associations between AMPS process skills--education, worst pain and activity level--were present at baseline, as was a relationship between AMPS process skills and satisfaction. At follow-up, associations between WHO-5 and satisfaction and activity level and between MDI scores and activity level were found. Asylum seekers experience a low level of satisfaction with daily occupations, both at arrival and after 10 months in an asylum centre. There is a need for further research and development of occupation-focused rehabilitation methods for the asylum seeker population.

Genome-wide mapping and analysis of active promoters in mouse embryonic stem cells and adult organs

PubMed Central

Barrera, Leah O.; Li, Zirong; Smith, Andrew D.; Arden, Karen C.; Cavenee, Webster K.; Zhang, Michael Q.; Green, Roland D.; Ren, Bing

2008-01-01

By integrating genome-wide maps of RNA polymerase II (Polr2a) binding with gene expression data and H3ac and H3K4me3 profiles, we characterized promoters with enriched activity in mouse embryonic stem cells (mES) as well as adult brain, heart, kidney, and liver. We identified ∼24,000 promoters across these samples, including 16,976 annotated mRNA 5′ ends and 5153 additional sites validating cap-analysis of gene expression (CAGE) 5′ end data. We showed that promoters with CpG islands are typically non-tissue specific, with the majority associated with Polr2a and the active chromatin modifications in nearly all the tissues examined. By contrast, the promoters without CpG islands are generally associated with Polr2a and the active chromatin marks in a tissue-dependent way. We defined 4396 tissue-specific promoters by adapting a quantitative index of tissue-specificity based on Polr2a occupancy. While there is a general correspondence between Polr2a occupancy and active chromatin modifications at the tissue-specific promoters, a subset of them appear to be persistently marked by active chromatin modifications in the absence of detectable Polr2a binding, highlighting the complexity of the functional relationship between chromatin modification and gene expression. Our results provide a resource for exploring promoter Polr2a binding and epigenetic states across pluripotent and differentiated cell types in mammals. PMID:18042645

[Integral methodologic approach to occupational health maintenance for oil industry workers in North-West Siberia (exemplified by JSC "Novosibirsknephtegaz" model)].

PubMed

Logvinenko, I I; Voevoda, M I; Samadova, D T; Kulinich, V N; Kopylova, O S

2011-01-01

The authors analyzed work conditions and health of workers in oil-extracting industry of Novosibirsk region. Findings are that work safety system based on workplace certification concerning work conditions and on occupational safety activities certification is the most important component in primary prevention of occupational hazardous effects on life and health of workers during the occupational activities.

Urinary metabolites of phosphate flame retardants in workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration.

PubMed

Yan, Xiao; Zheng, Xiaobo; Wang, Meihuan; Zheng, Jing; Xu, Rongfa; Zhuang, Xi; Lin, Ying; Ren, Mingzhong

2018-06-01

Urinary metabolites of phosphate flame retardants (PFRs) were determined in workers from an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site and an incineration plant, in order to assess the PFR exposure risks of workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration. Bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) were the most frequently detected chemicals (82-93%). The median concentrations of BCEP, BDCIPP, and DPHP were 1.77, 0.23, and 0.70 ng/mL, and 1.44, 0.22, and 0.11 ng/mL in samples from the e-waste site and the incineration plant, respectively. Dibutyl phosphate (DBP) was detected in all samples from the incineration plant, with a median level of 0.30 ng/mL. The concentrations of BDCIPP (r = -0.31, p < 0.05) were significantly correlated with the occupational exposure time rather than age in workers from the e-waste site. Negative and significant correlations were also observed between the concentrations of BCEP (r = -0.42, p < 0.05), BDCIPP (r = -0.37, p < 0.05), and DPHP (r = -0.37, p < 0.05) and occupational exposure time rather than age in workers from the incineration plant. No gender differences were observed in levels of PFR metabolites in urine samples (p > 0.05). Concentrations of BDCIPP in female were significantly correlated with occupational exposure time (r = -0.507, p < 0.01). Concentrations of PFR metabolites in male were not significantly correlated with age or occupational exposure time (p > 0.05). Overall, the workers with occupational exposure to PFRs had different profiles of urinary PFR metabolites. The age, occupational exposure time, and gender seemed not to be main factors mediating the exposure to PFRs for workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivational factors for choosing the degree course in nursing: a focus group study with nursing students.

PubMed

Ferri, Paola; Laffi, Patrizia; Rovesti, Sergio; Artioli, Giovanna; Di Lorenzo, Rosaria; Magnani, Daniela

2016-05-26

Maintaining the number of new students entering nursing programs and remaining in the nursing occupation largely depends on the ability to recruit and retain young people. The motivational factors that induce young people to choose nursing as a career were investigated through a qualitative research approach. Different focus groups were organised involving 32 students at the end of the first year of Nursing. Then the factors affecting their choice of course and the reasons for satisfaction and frustration connected with the course of study were analyzed. The main motivational factors for choosing Nursing that emerged include the following: having done voluntary work in the care area, attraction to the occupation since childhood/adolescence, failure of other plans, possibility to find work, personal acquaintance of nurses. The reasons for satisfaction with the course include: tutor support, workshop activities, placement experience. The reasons for frustration among the students included the complexity and extent of the study plan, elements that often they had not envisaged or had underestimated upon enrolment. Providing more information on the course of study, the working conditions and characteristics of the nursing occupation, could help young people to make an informed and aware decision, in order to reduce any disappointment and students dropping out of nursing education and attrition in the future. Improving the organisation of the course of study, supporting students' motivation through counselling activities and choosing suitable placement sites, could prevent drop outs.

Epstein-Barr virus exploits intrinsic B-lymphocyte transcription programs to achieve immortal cell growth.

PubMed

Zhao, Bo; Zou, James; Wang, Hongfang; Johannsen, Eric; Peng, Chih-wen; Quackenbush, John; Mar, Jessica C; Morton, Cynthia Casson; Freedman, Matthew L; Blacklow, Stephen C; Aster, Jon C; Bernstein, Bradley E; Kieff, Elliott

2011-09-06

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) regulation of transcription through the cell transcription factor RBPJ is essential for resting B-lymphocyte (RBL) conversion to immortal lymphoblast cell lines (LCLs). ChIP-seq of EBNA2 and RBPJ sites in LCL DNA found EBNA2 at 5,151 and RBPJ at 10,529 sites. EBNA2 sites were enriched for RBPJ (78%), early B-cell factor (EBF, 39%), RUNX (43%), ETS (39%), NFκB (22%), and PU.1 (22%) motifs. These motif associations were confirmed by LCL RBPJ ChIP-seq finding 72% RBPJ occupancy and Encyclopedia Of DNA Elements LCL ChIP-seq finding EBF, NFκB RELA, and PU.1 at 54%, 31%, and 17% of EBNA2 sites. EBNA2 and RBPJ were predominantly at intergene and intron sites and only 14% at promoter sites. K-means clustering of EBNA2 site transcription factors identified RELA-ETS, EBF-RUNX, EBF, ETS, RBPJ, and repressive RUNX clusters, which ranked from highest to lowest in H3K4me1 signals and nucleosome depletion, indicative of active chromatin. Surprisingly, although quantitatively less, the same genome sites in RBLs exhibited similar high-level H3K4me1 signals and nucleosome depletion. The EBV genome also had an LMP1 promoter EBF site, which proved critical for EBNA2 activation. LCL HiC data mapped intergenic EBNA2 sites to EBNA2 up-regulated genes. FISH and chromatin conformation capture linked EBNA2/RBPJ enhancers 428 kb 5' of MYC to MYC. These data indicate that EBNA2 evolved to target RBL H3K4me1 modified, nucleosome-depleted, nonpromoter sites to drive B-lymphocyte proliferation in primary human infection. The primed RBL program likely supports antigen-induced proliferation.

Perceived Occupational Stress is associated with Decreased Cortical Activity of the Prefrontal Cortex: A Multichannel Near-infrared Spectroscopy Study.

PubMed

Chou, Po-Han; Lin, Wei-Hao; Hung, Chao-An; Chang, Chiung-Chih; Li, Wan-Rung; Lan, Tsuo-Hung; Huang, Min-Wei

2016-12-13

Despite an increasing number of reports on the associations between chronic occupational stress and structural and functional changes of the brain, the underlying neural correlates of perceived occupational stress is still not clear. Perceived stress reflects the extents to which situations are appraised as stressful at a given point in one's life. Using near-infrared spectroscopy, we investigated the associations between perceived occupational stress and cortical activity over the bilateral frontotemporal regions during a verbal fluency test. Sixty-eight participants (17 men, 51 women), 20-62 years of age were recruited. Perceived occupational stress was measured using the Chinese version of Job Content Questionnaire, and the Chinese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. We found statistically significant negative associations between occupational burnout and brain cortical activity over the fronto-polar and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during the VFT (r = -0.343 to -0.464). In conclusion, our research demonstrated a possible neural basis of perceived occupational stress that are distributed across the prefrontal cortex.

Solar hydrogen by thermochemical water splitting cycles: design, modeling, and demonstration of a novel receiver/reactor for the high temperature decomposition of zno using concentrated sunlight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiser, Zachary David Epping

Documenting the presence of rare bat species can be difficult. The current summer survey protocol for the federally endangered Indiana bat ( Myotis sodalis) requires passive acoustic sampling with directional microphones (e.g., Anabats), but there are still questions about best practices for choosing survey sites and appropriate detector models. Indiana bats are capable of foraging in an array of cover types, including structurally-complex, interior forests. Further, data acquisition among different commercially available bat detectors is likely highly variable, due to the use of proprietary microphones with different frequency responses, sensitivities, and directionality. We paired omnidirectional Wildlife Acoustic SM2BAT+ (SM2) and directional Titley Scientific Anabat SD2 (Anabat) detectors at 71 random points near Indianapolis, Indiana from May-August 2012-2013 to compare data acquisition by phonic group (low, mid, Myotis) and to determine what factors affect probability of detection and site occupancy for Indiana bats when sampling with acoustics near an active maternity colony (0.20--8.39 km away). Weatherproofing for Anabat microphones was 45° angle PVC tubes and for SM2 microphones was their foam shielding; microphones were paired at 2 m and 5 m heights. Habitat and landscape covariates were measured in the field or via ArcGIS. We adjusted file parameters to make SM2 and Anabat data comparable. Files were identified using Bat Call ID software, with visual inspection of Indiana bat calls. The effects of detector type, phonic group, height, and their interactions on mean files recorded per site were assessed using generalized estimating equations and LSD pairwise comparisons. We reduced probability of detection (p) and site occupancy (ψ) model covariates with Pearson's correlation and PCA. We used Presence 6.1 software and Akaike's Information Criteria to assess models for p and ψ. Anabats and SM2s did not perform equally. Anabats recorded more low and midrange files, but fewer Myotis files per site than SM2s. When comparing the same model of detectors, deployment height did not impact data acquisition. Weatherproofing may limit the ability of Anabats to record Myotis, but Anabat microphones may have greater detection ranges for low and midrange bats. Indiana bat detections were low for both detector types, representing only 4.4% of identifiable bat files recorded by SM2s. We detected Indiana bats at 43.7% of sampled sites and on 31.4% of detector-nights; detectability increased as "forest closure" and mean nightly temperature increased, likely due to reduced clutter and increased bat activity, respectively. Proximity to colony trees and specific cover types generally did not affect occupancy, suggesting that Indiana bats use a variety of cover types in this landscape. Omnidirectional SMX-US microphones may be more appropriate for Indiana bat surveys than directional Anabat microphones. However, we conclude that 2 nights of passive acoustic sampling per site may be insufficient for reliably detecting this species when it is present. In turn, the use of acoustic monitoring as a means to document presence or probable absence should be reassessed.

Equine-Assisted Experiential Learning in Occupational Therapy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Lynne; Wilson, Jacqueline; Greenberg, Stacey

2017-01-01

Equine-assisted occupational therapy (EAOT) employs horse and human cooperation in activities that facilitate social, emotional, and cognitive development. The potential benefits of equine-assisted activities for students may influence the development of these types of skills in professional occupational therapy practice. This study explored the…

Role of the Occupational Physician in Corporate Management of Health Risks: An Important Aspect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

PubMed

Sugita, Minoru; Miyakawa, Michiko

2016-01-01

There are various risks involved in corporate activities conducted both within and outside the corporation. Among these, health risks are very important and should be managed effectively as an integral part of corporate social responsibility (CSR). A corporation is responsible for health impairments caused by its activities and suffers great moral and economic loss when they occur. It is essential that corporate management takes proper preventive measures against such risks. Occupational physicians possess substantial knowledge of health risks in corporations. In this study, we examine the role of occupational physicians in the management of corporate health risks. Information was obtained from articles in print and on the Internet. Health risks due to corporate activities involve not only the employees of the corporation but also individuals outside the corporation. Each corporation should effectively use available resources to manage health risks. Occupational physicians are one such valuable resource. However, many corporations do not actively involve occupational physicians in health risk management. According to a current Japanese law, health risks for employees in corporations are managed by occupational physicians, but in general, health risks outside corporations are not. The 1984 Bhopal Disaster in India is an example in which physicians of the corporation were only minimally, if at all, involved in assessing and treating impaired health outside the corporation. The role of occupational physicians should be expanded to include management of health risks outside the corporation. This places a greater burden on the physicians and they must make the effort to train in many academic fields in order to better understand the entire context of health risks due to corporate activities. Some occupational physicians may be hesitant to take on such added responsibilities. Some corporations may not recognize the overall health risks due to its activities and do not understand the merit of occupational physicians working with the management to decrease health risks. However, an occupational physician is an important member of the corporation, so he/she must be involved in the management of health risks not only within the corporation itself, but also outside the corporation from the viewpoint of CSR. Effective management of health risks due to corporate activities should be widely discussed among occupational physicians, business entrepreneurs and managers of the division in charge of corporate health risk management as well as stakeholders. The authors propose expanding the role of occupational physicians to actively manage health risks not only inside but also outside the corporations.

Psychosocial stress and multi-site musculoskeletal pain: a cross-sectional survey of patient care workers.

PubMed

Sembajwe, Grace; Tveito, Torill Helene; Hopcia, Karen; Kenwood, Christopher; O'Day, Elizabeth Tucker; Stoddard, Anne M; Dennerlein, Jack T; Hashimoto, Dean; Sorensen, Glorian

2013-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among patient care workers. In a survey of 1,572 workers from two hospitals, occupational psychosocial factors and health outcomes of workers with single and multi-site pain were evaluated using items from the Job Content Questionnaire that was designed to measure psychological demands, decision latitude, and social support. An adapted Nordic Questionnaire provided data on the musculoskeletal pain outcome. Covariates included body mass index, age, gender, and occupation. The analyses revealed statistically significant associations between psychosocial demands and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among patient care associates, nurses, and administrative personnel, both men and women. Supervisor support played a significant role for nurses and women. These results remained statistically significant after adjusting for covariates. These results highlight the associations between workplace psychosocial strain and multi-site musculoskeletal pain, setting the stage for future longitudinal explorations. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Scale-dependent factors affecting North American river otter distribution in the midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jeffress, Mackenzie R.; Paukert, C.P.; Whittier, Joanna B.; Sandercock, B.K.; Gipson, P.S.

2011-01-01

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is recovering from near extirpation throughout much of its range. Although reintroductions, trapping regulations and habitat improvements have led to the reestablishment of river otters in the Midwest, little is known about how their distribution is influenced by local- and landscape-scale habitat. We conducted river otter sign surveys from Jan. to Apr. in 2008 and 2009 in eastern Kansas to assess how local- and landscape-scale habitat factors affect river otter occupancy. We surveyed three to nine 400-m stretches of stream and reservoir shorelines for 110 sites and measured local-scale variables (e.g., stream order, land cover types) within a 100 m buffer of the survey site and landscape-scale variables (e.g., road density, land cover types) for Hydrological Unit Code 14 watersheds. We then used occupancy models that account for the probability of detection to estimate occupancy as a function of these covariates using Program PRESENCE. The best-fitting model indicated river otter occupancy increased with the proportion of woodland cover and decreased with the proportion of cropland and grassland cover at the local scale. Occupancy also increased with decreased shoreline diversity, waterbody density and stream density at the landscape scale. Occupancy was not affected by land cover or human disturbance at the landscape scale. Understanding the factors and scale important to river otter occurrence will be useful in identifying areas for management and continued restoration. ?? 2011, American Midland Naturalist.

Outcomes of Occupational Self-Efficacy in Older Workers

PubMed Central

Paggi, Michelle E.; Jopp, Daniela S.

2016-01-01

Because of the increasing number of older workers, it is important to develop models of work-related constructs for this population. The present article developed a model surrounding occupational self-efficacy, testing its relation to other factors (e.g., intrinsic job motivation), predictors (e.g., self-perceptions of aging), and outcomes (e.g., job satisfaction). Employed adults of ages 50 and older (n= 313) were recruited via organizations and social media sites. Study participants (M= 59.7, SD= 6.1, range = 50–78) volunteered to fill out an Internet survey. Occupational self-efficacy predicted job satisfaction, and intrinsic job motivation fully mediated this relationship. More negative self-perceptions of aging predicted poorer occupational self-efficacy. Occupational self-efficacy also predicted life satisfaction. Expected retirement age and job performance were unrelated to occupational self-efficacy. These findings may inform workplace interventions that seek to maintain or increase older worker job and life satisfaction. PMID:26394821

Activation of both acfA and acfD transcription by Vibrio cholerae ToxT requires binding to two centrally located DNA sites in an inverted repeat conformation.

PubMed

Withey, Jeffrey H; DiRita, Victor J

2005-05-01

The Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae is the infectious agent responsible for the disease Asiatic cholera. The genes required for V. cholerae virulence, such as those encoding the cholera toxin (CT) and toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP), are controlled by a cascade of transcriptional activators. Ultimately, the direct transcriptional activator of the majority of V. cholerae virulence genes is the AraC/XylS family member ToxT protein, the expression of which is activated by the ToxR and TcpP proteins. Previous studies have identified the DNA sites to which ToxT binds upstream of the ctx operon, encoding CT, and the tcpA operon, encoding, among other products, the major subunit of the TCP. These known ToxT binding sites are seemingly dissimilar in sequence other than being A/T rich. Further results suggested that ctx and tcpA each has a pair of ToxT binding sites arranged in a direct repeat orientation upstream of the core promoter elements. In this work, using both transcriptional lacZ fusions and in vitro copper-phenanthroline footprinting experiments, we have identified the ToxT binding sites between the divergently transcribed acfA and acfD genes, which encode components of the accessory colonization factor required for efficient intestinal colonization by V. cholerae. Our results indicate that ToxT binds to a pair of DNA sites between acfA and acfD in an inverted repeat orientation. Moreover, a mutational analysis of the ToxT binding sites indicates that both binding sites are required by ToxT for transcriptional activation of both acfA and acfD. Using copper-phenanthroline footprinting to assess the occupancy of ToxT on DNA having mutations in one of these binding sites, we found that protection by ToxT of the unaltered binding site was not affected, whereas protection by ToxT of the mutant binding site was significantly reduced in the region of the mutations. The results of further footprinting experiments using DNA templates having +5 bp and +10 bp insertions between the two ToxT binding sites indicate that both binding sites are occupied by ToxT regardless of their positions relative to each other. Based on these results, we propose that ToxT binds independently to two DNA sites between acfA and acfD to activate transcription of both genes.

Calcium binding to calmodulin mutants monitored by domain-specific intrinsic phenylalanine and tyrosine fluorescence.

PubMed Central

VanScyoc, Wendy S; Sorensen, Brenda R; Rusinova, Elena; Laws, William R; Ross, J B Alexander; Shea, Madeline A

2002-01-01

Cooperative calcium binding to the two homologous domains of calmodulin (CaM) induces conformational changes that regulate its association with and activation of numerous cellular target proteins. Calcium binding to the pair of high-affinity sites (III and IV in the C-domain) can be monitored by observing calcium-dependent changes in intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence intensity (lambda(ex)/lambda(em) of 277/320 nm). However, calcium binding to the low-affinity sites (I and II in the N-domain) is more difficult to measure with optical spectroscopy because that domain of CaM does not contain tryptophan or tyrosine. We recently demonstrated that calcium-dependent changes in intrinsic phenylalanine fluorescence (lambda(ex)/lambda(em) of 250/280 nm) of an N-domain fragment of CaM reflect occupancy of sites I and II (VanScyoc, W. S., and M. A. Shea, 2001, Protein Sci. 10:1758-1768). Using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods, we now show that these excitation and emission wavelength pairs for phenylalanine and tyrosine fluorescence can be used to monitor equilibrium calcium titrations of the individual domains in full-length CaM. Calcium-dependent changes in phenylalanine fluorescence specifically indicate ion occupancy of sites I and II in the N-domain because phenylalanine residues in the C-domain are nonemissive. Tyrosine emission from the C-domain does not interfere with phenylalanine fluorescence signals from the N-domain. This is the first demonstration that intrinsic fluorescence may be used to monitor calcium binding to each domain of CaM. In this way, we also evaluated how mutations of two residues (Arg74 and Arg90) located between sites II and III can alter the calcium-binding properties of each of the domains. The mutation R74A caused an increase in the calcium affinity of sites I and II in the N-domain. The mutation R90A caused an increase in calcium affinity of sites III and IV in the C-domain whereas R90G caused an increase in calcium affinity of sites in both domains. This approach holds promise for exploring the linked energetics of calcium binding and target recognition. PMID:12414709

Residential proximity to industrial sites in the area of Taranto (Southern Italy). A case-control cancer incidence study.

PubMed

Marinaccio, Alessandro; Belli, Stefano; Binazzi, Alessandra; Scarselli, Alberto; Massari, Stefania; Bruni, Antonella; Conversano, Michele; Crosignani, Paolo; Minerba, Aldo; Zona, Amerigo; Comba, Pietro

2011-01-01

The association between cancer incidence and the residence near polluting facilities in an industrial area nearby Taranto has been investigated. Age, sex and occupational exposure were controlled as confounding variables in a case-control study (658 cases, 2092 controls). High risks were evidenced close to the steel mill (OR: 3.54), coke plant (OR: 4.80), mineral deposit (OR: 3.33) and shipbuilding (OR: 4.29) for pleural neoplasm, and to the steel mill (OR: 1.65) and shipbuilding (OR: 1.79) for lung cancer. After adjustment for occupational exposure, increasing trends of risk were observed both for lung and bladder cancers. Cancer risks were evidenced near industrial sites and the introduction of "occupational exposure" as a confounder modified significantly the risks with respect to distance from the source of pollution, particularly for pleural, lung and bladder cancers.

Stream permanence influences crayfish occupancy and abundance in the Ozark Highlands, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yarra, Allyson N.; Magoulick, Daniel D.

2018-01-01

Crayfish use of intermittent streams is especially important to understand in the face of global climate change. We examined the influence of stream permanence and local habitat on crayfish occupancy and species densities in the Ozark Highlands, USA. We sampled in June and July 2014 and 2015. We used a quantitative kick–seine method to sample crayfish presence and abundance at 20 stream sites with 32 surveys/site in the Upper White River drainage, and we measured associated local environmental variables each year. We modeled site occupancy and detection probabilities with the software PRESENCE, and we used multiple linear regressions to identify relationships between crayfish species densities and environmental variables. Occupancy of all crayfish species was related to stream permanence. Faxonius meeki was found exclusively in intermittent streams, whereas Faxonius neglectus and Faxonius luteushad higher occupancy and detection probability in permanent than in intermittent streams, and Faxonius williamsi was associated with intermittent streams. Estimates of detection probability ranged from 0.56 to 1, which is high relative to values found by other investigators. With the exception of F. williamsi, species densities were largely related to stream permanence rather than local habitat. Species densities did not differ by year, but total crayfish densities were significantly lower in 2015 than 2014. Increased precipitation and discharge in 2015 probably led to the lower crayfish densities observed during this year. Our study demonstrates that crayfish distribution and abundance is strongly influenced by stream permanence. Some species, including those of conservation concern (i.e., F. williamsi, F. meeki), appear dependent on intermittent streams, and conservation efforts should include consideration of intermittent streams as an important component of freshwater biodiversity.

Understanding the Chronology and Occupation Dynamics of Oversized Pit Houses in the Southern Brazilian Highlands.

PubMed

Gregorio de Souza, Jonas; Robinson, Mark; Corteletti, Rafael; Cárdenas, Macarena Lucia; Wolf, Sidnei; Iriarte, José; Mayle, Francis; DeBlasis, Paulo

2016-01-01

A long held view about the occupation of southern proto-Jê pit house villages of the southern Brazilian highlands is that these sites represent cycles of long-term abandonment and reoccupation. However, this assumption is based on an insufficient number of radiocarbon dates for individual pit houses. To address this problem, we conducted a programme of comprehensive AMS radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling at the deeply stratified oversized pit House 1, Baggio I site (Cal. A.D. 1395-1650), Campo Belo do Sul, Santa Catarina state, Brazil. The stratigraphy of House 1 revealed an unparalleled sequence of twelve well preserved floors evidencing a major change in occupation dynamics including five completely burnt collapsed roofs. The results of the radiocarbon dating allowed us to understand for the first time the occupation dynamics of an oversized pit house in the southern Brazilian highlands. The Bayesian model demonstrates that House 1 was occupied for over two centuries with no evidence of major periods of abandonment, calling into question previous models of long-term abandonment. In addition, the House 1 sequence allowed us to tie transformations in ceramic style and lithic technology to an absolute chronology. Finally, we can provide new evidence that the emergence of oversized domestic structures is a relatively recent phenomenon among the southern proto-Jê. As monumental pit houses start to be built, small pit houses continue to be inhabited, evidencing emerging disparities in domestic architecture after AD 1000. Our research shows the importance of programmes of intensive dating of individual structures to understand occupation dynamics and site permanence, and challenges long held assumptions that the southern Brazilian highlands were home to marginal cultures in the context of lowland South America.

Understanding the Chronology and Occupation Dynamics of Oversized Pit Houses in the Southern Brazilian Highlands

PubMed Central

Gregorio de Souza, Jonas; Robinson, Mark; Corteletti, Rafael; Cárdenas, Macarena Lucia; Wolf, Sidnei; Iriarte, José; Mayle, Francis; DeBlasis, Paulo

2016-01-01

A long held view about the occupation of southern proto-Jê pit house villages of the southern Brazilian highlands is that these sites represent cycles of long-term abandonment and reoccupation. However, this assumption is based on an insufficient number of radiocarbon dates for individual pit houses. To address this problem, we conducted a programme of comprehensive AMS radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling at the deeply stratified oversized pit House 1, Baggio I site (Cal. A.D. 1395–1650), Campo Belo do Sul, Santa Catarina state, Brazil. The stratigraphy of House 1 revealed an unparalleled sequence of twelve well preserved floors evidencing a major change in occupation dynamics including five completely burnt collapsed roofs. The results of the radiocarbon dating allowed us to understand for the first time the occupation dynamics of an oversized pit house in the southern Brazilian highlands. The Bayesian model demonstrates that House 1 was occupied for over two centuries with no evidence of major periods of abandonment, calling into question previous models of long-term abandonment. In addition, the House 1 sequence allowed us to tie transformations in ceramic style and lithic technology to an absolute chronology. Finally, we can provide new evidence that the emergence of oversized domestic structures is a relatively recent phenomenon among the southern proto-Jê. As monumental pit houses start to be built, small pit houses continue to be inhabited, evidencing emerging disparities in domestic architecture after AD 1000. Our research shows the importance of programmes of intensive dating of individual structures to understand occupation dynamics and site permanence, and challenges long held assumptions that the southern Brazilian highlands were home to marginal cultures in the context of lowland South America. PMID:27384341

[Organization of occupational therapeutic service, dynamics and structure of occupational morbidity in Krasnoyarsk area].

PubMed

Tereshchenko, Iu A; Zakharinskaia, O N

2010-01-01

The authors present organizational and functional structure of occupational therapeutic service in Krasnoyarsk area, major functional divisions of the territorial occupational therapeutic center and their activities. The article covers analysis of changes in levels and structure of occupational morbidity, defines main ways to optimize occupational therapeutic service for the territorial workers.

Promoting occupational health nursing training: an educational outreach with a blended model of distance and traditional learning approaches.

PubMed

Ward, Julie A; Beaton, Randal D; Bruck, Annie M; de Castro, A B

2011-09-01

In 2009, occupational health nursing faculty and professionals at the University of Washington developed an innovative continuing nursing education offering, the OHN Institute. The OHN Institute was designed to meet the following objectives: (1) extend basic occupational health nursing training to non-occupational health nurses in Federal Region X, (2) target new occupational health nurses or those who possessed little or no advanced education in occupational health nursing, and (3) offer a hybrid continuing nursing education program consisting of on-site and distance learning modalities. Evaluation findings suggested that the various continuing nursing education modalities and formats (e.g., asynchronous vs. synchronous, online modules vs. live modules) were essentially comparable in terms of effectiveness. Perhaps most importantly, the OHN Institute evaluation demonstrated that quality continuing nursing education outcomes for occupational health nurses depended largely on knowledgeable and engaging faculty and a compelling vision of desired outcomes, including the application of learned content to professional practice. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Markov-state model for CO2 binding with carbonic anhydrase under confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Gong; Xu, Weina; Lu, Diannan; Wu, Jianzhong; Liu, Zheng

2018-01-01

Enzyme immobilization with a nanostructure material can enhance its stability and facilitate reusability. However, the apparent activity is often compromised due to additional diffusion barriers and complex interactions with the substrates and solvent molecules. The present study elucidates the effects of the surface hydrophobicity of nano-confinement on CO2 diffusion to the active site of human carbonic anhydrase II (CA), an enzyme that is able to catalyze CO2 hydration at extremely high turnover rates. Using the Markov-state model in combination with coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that a hydrophobic cage increases CO2 local density but hinders its diffusion towards the active site of CA under confinement. By contrast, a hydrophilic cage hinders CO2 adsorption but promotes its binding with CA. An optimal surface hydrophobicity can be identified to maximize both the CO2 occupation probability and the diffusion rate. The simulation results offer insight into understanding enzyme performance under nano-confinement and help us to advance broader applications of CA for CO2 absorption and recovery.

Coastline shifts and probable ship landing site submerged off ancient Locri-Epizefiri, southern Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tennent, J.M.; Stanley, J.-D.; Hart, P.E.; Bernasconi, M.P.

2009-01-01

A geophysical survey provides new information on marine features located seaward of Locri-Epizefiri (Locri), an ancient Greek settlement on the Ionian coastal margin in southern Italy. The study supplements previous work by archaeologists who long searched for the site's harbor and recently identified what was once a marine basin that is now on land next to the city walls of Locri. Profiles obtained offshore, between the present coast and outer shelf, made with a high-resolution, seismic subbottom-profiling system, record spatial and temporal variations of buried Holocene deposits. Two of these submerged features are part of a probable now-submerged ship landing facility. The offshore features can be linked to coastline displacements that occurred off Locri: a sea-to-land shift before Greek settlement, followed by a shoreline reversal from the archaeological site back to sea, and more recently, a return landward. The seaward directed coastal shift that occurred after Locri's occupation by Greeks was likely caused by land uplift near the coastal margin and tectonic seaward shift of the coast, as documented along this geologically active sector of the Calabrian Arc. The seismic survey records an angular, hook-shaped, low rise that extends from the present shore and is now buried on the inner shelf. The rise, enclosing a core lens of poorly stratified to transparent acoustic layers, bounds a broad, low-elevation zone positioned immediately seaward of the shoreline. Close proximity of the raised feature to the low-elevation area suggests it may have been a fabricated structure that functioned as a wave-break for a ship-landing site. The study indicates that the basin extended offshore as a function of the coastline's seaward migration during and/or after Greek occupation of Locri.

Engineering assessment of low-level liquid waste disposal caisson locations at the 618-11 Burial Grounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillips, S.J.; Fischer, D.D.; Crawford, R.C.

1982-06-01

Rockwell Hanford Operations is currently involved in an extensive effort to perform interim ground surface stabilization activities at retired low-level waste burial grounds located at the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. The principal objective of these activities is to promote increased occupational and radiological safety at burial grounds. Interim stabilization activities include: (1) load testing (traversing burial ground surfaces with heavy equipment to promote incipient collapse of void spaces within the disposal structure and overburden), (2) barrier placement (placement of a {ge} 0.6 m soil barrier over existing overburden), and (3) revegetation (establishment of shallow rooted vegetation on the barrier tomore » mitigate deep rooted plant growth and to reduce erosion). Low-level waste disposal caissons were used in 300 Area Burial Grounds as internment structures for containerized liquid wastes. These caissons, by virtue of their contents, design and methods of closure, require long-term performance evaluation. As an initial activity to evaluate long-term performance, the accurate location of these structures is required. This topical report summarizes engineering activities used to locate caissons in the subsurface environment at the Burial Ground. Activities were conducted to locate caissons during surface stabilization activities. The surface locations were marked, photographed, and recorded on an as built engineering drawing. The recorded location of these caissons will augment long-term observations of confinement structure and engineered surface barrier performance. In addition, accurate caisson location will minimize occupational risk during monitoring and observation activities periodically conducted at the burial ground.« less

Occupational Therapy Assistants Program. Demonstration Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Board of Health, Madison.

Between November 1964 and June 1967, 85 women and five men completed a 4-month course held in several Wisconsin locations to prepare them as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants to (1) plan and direct a general activity or supportive program of occupational therapy, (2) train individual patients in independent performance of activities of…

Design of evidence-based gardens and garden therapy for neurodisability in Scandinavia: data from 14 sites.

PubMed

Spring, Josephine Anne

2016-04-01

A total of 14 Scandinavian therapy gardens were visited and data collected on plantings, therapeutic activities and assessment of effectiveness in Spring 2014. Data were gathered by a questionnaire and by interviewing staff in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The data collection structured proforma used the post-occupation assessment method. Gardening promoted physical movement, presented cognitive challenges and provided opportunities for social participation. Half the gardens were enclosed with sensory plants and 85% were adapted for wheelchairs. A total of 57% of gardens visited had simple designs with flowers, shrubs, lawns and trees. A social center was important especially for dementia clients. Planted pots were used in 79% of gardens. The effectiveness of therapy gardens was assessed at 71% of sites.

Engineering Single-Atom Cobalt Catalysts toward Improved Electrocatalysis.

PubMed

Wan, Gang; Yu, Pengfei; Chen, Hangrong; Wen, Jianguo; Sun, Cheng-Jun; Zhou, Hua; Zhang, Nian; Li, Qianru; Zhao, Wanpeng; Xie, Bing; Li, Tao; Shi, Jianlin

2018-04-01

The development of cost-effective catalysts to replace noble metal is attracting increasing interests in many fields of catalysis and energy, and intensive efforts are focused on the integration of transition-metal sites in carbon as noble-metal-free candidates. Recently, the discovery of single-atom dispersed catalyst (SAC) provides a new frontier in heterogeneous catalysis. However, the electrocatalytic application of SAC is still subject to several theoretical and experimental limitations. Further advances depend on a better design of SAC through optimizing its interaction with adsorbates during catalysis. Here, distinctive from previous studies, favorable 3d electronic occupation and enhanced metal-adsorbates interactions in single-atom centers via the construction of nonplanar coordination is achieved, which is confirmed by advanced X-ray spectroscopic and electrochemical studies. The as-designed atomically dispersed cobalt sites within nonplanar coordination show significantly improved catalytic activity and selectivity toward the oxygen reduction reaction, approaching the benchmark Pt-based catalysts. More importantly, the illustration of the active sites in SAC indicates metal-natured catalytic sites and a media-dependent catalytic pathway. Achieving structural and electronic engineering on SAC that promotes its catalytic performances provides a paradigm to bridge the gap between single-atom catalysts design and electrocatalytic applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Disabling musculoskeletal pain in working populations: is it the job, the person, or the culture?

PubMed

Coggon, David; Ntani, Georgia; Palmer, Keith T; Felli, Vanda E; Harari, Raul; Barrero, Lope H; Felknor, Sarah A; Gimeno, David; Cattrell, Anna; Serra, Consol; Bonzini, Matteo; Solidaki, Eleni; Merisalu, Eda; Habib, Rima R; Sadeghian, Farideh; Masood Kadir, M; Warnakulasuriya, Sudath S P; Matsudaira, Ko; Nyantumbu, Busisiwe; Sim, Malcolm R; Harcombe, Helen; Cox, Ken; Marziale, Maria H; Sarquis, Leila M; Harari, Florencia; Freire, Rocio; Harari, Natalia; Monroy, Magda V; Quintana, Leonardo A; Rojas, Marianela; Salazar Vega, Eduardo J; Harris, E Clare; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Martinez, J Miguel; Delclos, George; Benavides, Fernando G; Carugno, Michele; Ferrario, Marco M; Pesatori, Angela C; Chatzi, Leda; Bitsios, Panos; Kogevinas, Manolis; Oha, Kristel; Sirk, Tuuli; Sadeghian, Ali; Peiris-John, Roshini J; Sathiakumar, Nalini; Wickremasinghe, A Rajitha; Yoshimura, Noriko; Kelsall, Helen L; Hoe, Victor C W; Urquhart, Donna M; Derrett, Sarah; McBride, David; Herbison, Peter; Gray, Andrew

2013-06-01

To compare the prevalence of disabling low back pain (DLBP) and disabling wrist/hand pain (DWHP) among groups of workers carrying out similar physical activities in different cultural environments, and to explore explanations for observed differences, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 countries. Standardised questionnaires were used to ascertain pain that interfered with everyday activities and exposure to possible risk factors in 12,426 participants from 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers). Associations with risk factors were assessed by Poisson regression. The 1-month prevalence of DLBP in nurses varied from 9.6% to 42.6%, and that of DWHP in office workers from 2.2% to 31.6%. Rates of disabling pain at the 2 anatomical sites covaried (r = 0.76), but DLBP tended to be relatively more common in nurses and DWHP in office workers. Established risk factors such as occupational physical activities, psychosocial aspects of work, and tendency to somatise were confirmed, and associations were found also with adverse health beliefs and group awareness of people outside work with musculoskeletal pain. However, after allowance for these risk factors, an up-to 8-fold difference in prevalence remained. Systems of compensation for work-related illness and financial support for health-related incapacity for work appeared to have little influence on the occurrence of symptoms. Our findings indicate large international variation in the prevalence of disabling forearm and back pain among occupational groups carrying out similar tasks, which is only partially explained by the personal and socioeconomic risk factors that were analysed. Copyright © 2013 International Association for the Study of Pain. All rights reserved.

MgATP-concentration dependence of protection of yeast vacuolar V-ATPase from inactivation by 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole supports a bi-site catalytic mechanism of ATP hydrolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Milgrom, Elena M.; Milgrom, Yakov M., E-mail: milgromy@upstate.edu

2012-06-29

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MgATP protects V-ATPase from inactivation by 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer V-ATPase activity saturation with MgATP is not sufficient for complete protection. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The results support a bi-site catalytic mechanism for V-ATPase. -- Abstract: Catalytic site occupancy of the yeast vacuolar V-ATPase during ATP hydrolysis in the presence of an ATP-regenerating system was probed using sensitivity of the enzyme to inhibition by 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl). The results show that, regardless of the presence or absence of the proton-motive force across the vacuolar membrane, saturation of V-ATPase activity at increasing MgATP concentrations is accompanied by only partial protection of the enzyme from inhibitionmore » by NBD-Cl. Both in the presence and absence of an uncoupler, complete protection of V-ATPase from inhibition by NBD-Cl requires MgATP concentrations that are significantly higher than those expected from the K{sub m} values for MgATP. The results are inconsistent with a tri-site model and support a bi-site model for a mechanism of ATP hydrolysis by V-ATPase.« less

Postservice Occupational and Educational Plans of First-Tour Military Personnel Nearing Separation from the Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoehn, Arthur J.

The study surveyed the postservice educational and occupational plans of 3,946 first-tour enlisted personnel nearing separation from military service. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered at military sites during September-December 1971. Analyses were made to characterize the postservice plans of the respondents and to identify…

Towards an Accurate and Precise Chronology for the Colonization of Australia: The Example of Riwi, Kimberley, Western Australia.

PubMed

Wood, Rachel; Jacobs, Zenobia; Vannieuwenhuyse, Dorcas; Balme, Jane; O'Connor, Sue; Whitau, Rose

An extensive series of 44 radiocarbon (14C) and 37 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages have been obtained from the site of Riwi, south central Kimberley (NW Australia). As one of the earliest known Pleistocene sites in Australia, with archaeologically sterile sediment beneath deposits containing occupation, the chronology of the site is important in renewed debates surrounding the colonization of Sahul. Charcoal is preserved throughout the sequence and within multiple discrete hearth features. Prior to 14C dating, charcoal has been pretreated with both acid-base-acid (ABA) and acid base oxidation-stepped combustion (ABOx-SC) methods at multiple laboratories. Ages are consistent between laboratories and also between the two pretreatment methods, suggesting that contamination is easily removed from charcoal at Riwi and the Pleistocene ages are likely to be accurate. Whilst some charcoal samples recovered from outside hearth features are identified as outliers within a Bayesian model, all ages on charcoal within hearth features are consistent with stratigraphy. OSL dating has been undertaken using single quartz grains from the sandy matrix. The majority of samples show De distributions that are well-bleached but that also include evidence for mixing as a result of post-depositional bioturbation of the sediment. The results of the two techniques are compared and evaluated within a Bayesian model. Consistency between the two methods is good, and we demonstrate human occupation at this site from 46.4-44.6 cal kBP (95.4% probability range). Importantly, the lowest archaeological horizon at Riwi is underlain by sterile sediments which have been dated by OSL making it possible to demonstrate the absence of human occupation for between 0.9-5.2 ka (68.2% probability range) prior to occupation.

Towards an Accurate and Precise Chronology for the Colonization of Australia: The Example of Riwi, Kimberley, Western Australia

PubMed Central

Balme, Jane; O’Connor, Sue; Whitau, Rose

2016-01-01

An extensive series of 44 radiocarbon (14C) and 37 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages have been obtained from the site of Riwi, south central Kimberley (NW Australia). As one of the earliest known Pleistocene sites in Australia, with archaeologically sterile sediment beneath deposits containing occupation, the chronology of the site is important in renewed debates surrounding the colonization of Sahul. Charcoal is preserved throughout the sequence and within multiple discrete hearth features. Prior to 14C dating, charcoal has been pretreated with both acid-base-acid (ABA) and acid base oxidation-stepped combustion (ABOx-SC) methods at multiple laboratories. Ages are consistent between laboratories and also between the two pretreatment methods, suggesting that contamination is easily removed from charcoal at Riwi and the Pleistocene ages are likely to be accurate. Whilst some charcoal samples recovered from outside hearth features are identified as outliers within a Bayesian model, all ages on charcoal within hearth features are consistent with stratigraphy. OSL dating has been undertaken using single quartz grains from the sandy matrix. The majority of samples show De distributions that are well-bleached but that also include evidence for mixing as a result of post-depositional bioturbation of the sediment. The results of the two techniques are compared and evaluated within a Bayesian model. Consistency between the two methods is good, and we demonstrate human occupation at this site from 46.4–44.6 cal kBP (95.4% probability range). Importantly, the lowest archaeological horizon at Riwi is underlain by sterile sediments which have been dated by OSL making it possible to demonstrate the absence of human occupation for between 0.9–5.2 ka (68.2% probability range) prior to occupation. PMID:27655174

The archaeology, chronology and stratigraphy of Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II): A site in northern Australia with early occupation.

PubMed

Clarkson, Chris; Smith, Mike; Marwick, Ben; Fullagar, Richard; Wallis, Lynley A; Faulkner, Patrick; Manne, Tiina; Hayes, Elspeth; Roberts, Richard G; Jacobs, Zenobia; Carah, Xavier; Lowe, Kelsey M; Matthews, Jacqueline; Florin, S Anna

2015-06-01

Published ages of >50 ka for occupation at Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II) in Australia's north have kept the site prominent in discussions about the colonisation of Sahul. The site also contains one of the largest stone artefact assemblages in Sahul for this early period. However, the stone artefacts and other important archaeological components of the site have never been described in detail, leading to persistent doubts about its stratigraphic integrity. We report on our analysis of the stone artefacts and faunal and other materials recovered during the 1989 excavations, as well as the stratigraphy and depositional history recorded by the original excavators. We demonstrate that the technology and raw materials of the early assemblage are distinctive from those in the overlying layers. Silcrete and quartzite artefacts are common in the early assemblage, which also includes edge-ground axe fragments and ground haematite. The lower flaked stone assemblage is distinctive, comprising a mix of long convergent flakes, some radial flakes with faceted platforms, and many small thin silcrete flakes that we interpret as thinning flakes. Residue and use-wear analysis indicate occasional grinding of haematite and woodworking, as well as frequent abrading of platform edges on thinning flakes. We conclude that previous claims of extensive displacement of artefacts and post-depositional disturbance may have been overstated. The stone artefacts and stratigraphic details support previous claims for human occupation 50-60 ka and show that human occupation during this time differed from later periods. We discuss the implications of these new data for understanding the first human colonisation of Sahul. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Report on occupational safety and health to the Secretary of Labor for CY 1980

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Summary and evaluation of NASA occupational safety and health activities focus on: policy; personnel; funding. Training activities, inspection, record-keeping, and interagency activities are included.

Report on occupational safety and health to the Secretary of Labor for CY 1980

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-10-01

Summary and evaluation of NASA occupational safety and health activities focus on: policy; personnel; funding. Training activities, inspection, record-keeping, and interagency activities are included.

Low physical activity as a predictor for total and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged men and women in Finland.

PubMed

Barengo, Noël C; Hu, Gang; Lakka, Timo A; Pekkarinen, Heikki; Nissinen, Aulikki; Tuomilehto, Jaakko

2004-12-01

To investigate separately for men and women whether moderate or high leisure time physical activity, occupational physical activity, and commuting activity are associated with a reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality, independent of CVD risk factors and other forms of physical activity. Prospective follow-up of 15,853 men and 16,824 women aged 30-59 years living in eastern and south-western Finland (median follow-up time 20 years). CVD and all-cause mortality were lower (9-21%) in men and women (2-17%) who were moderately or highly physically active during leisure time. Moderate and high levels of occupational physical activity decreased CVD and all-cause mortality by 21-27% in both sexes. Women spending daily 15 min or more in walking or cycling to and from work had a reduced CVD and all-cause mortality before adjustment for occupational and leisure time physical activity. Commuting activity was not associated with CVD or all-cause mortality in men. Moderate and high levels of leisure time and occupational physical activity are associated with a reduced CVD and all-cause mortality among both sexes. Promoting already moderate levels of leisure time and occupational physical activity are essential to prevent premature CVD and all-cause mortality.

Leisure-time physical activity in relation to occupational physical activity among women.

PubMed

Ekenga, Christine C; Parks, Christine G; Wilson, Lauren E; Sandler, Dale P

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to examine the association between occupational physical activity and leisure-time physical activity among US women in the Sister Study. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 26,334 women who had been employed in their current job for at least 1 year at baseline (2004-2009). Occupational physical activity was self-reported and leisure-time physical activity was estimated in metabolic equivalent hours per week. Log multinomial regression was used to evaluate associations between occupational (sitting, standing, manually active) and leisure-time (insufficient, moderate, high) activity. Models were adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, education, income, geographic region, and body mass index. Only 54% of women met or exceeded minimum recommended levels of leisure-time physical activity (moderate 32% and high 22%). Women who reported sitting (prevalence ratio (PR)=0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-0.92) or standing (PR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.94) most of the time at work were less likely to meet the requirements for high leisure-time physical activity than manually active workers. Associations were strongest among women living in the Northeast and the South. In this nationwide study, low occupational activity was associated with lower leisure-time physical activity. Women who are not active in the workplace may benefit from strategies to promote leisure-time physical activity. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Leisure-time physical activity in relation to occupational physical activity among women

PubMed Central

Ekenga, Christine C.; Parks, Christine G.; Wilson, Lauren E.; Sandler, Dale P.

2017-01-01

Objective To examine the association between occupational physical activity and leisure-time physical activity among US women in the Sister Study. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 26,334 women who had been employed in their current job for at least 1 year at baseline (2004–2009). Occupational physical activity was self-reported and leisure-time physical activity was estimated in metabolic equivalent hours per week. Log multinomial regression was used to evaluate associations between occupational (sitting, standing, manually active) and leisure-time (insufficient, moderate, high) activity. Models were adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, education, income, geographic region, and body mass index. Results Only 54% of women met or exceeded minimum recommended levels of leisure-time physical activity (moderate 32% and high 22%). Women who reported sitting (PR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.74–0.92) or standing (PR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75–0.94) most of the time at work were less likely to meet the requirements for high leisure-time physical activity than manually active workers. Associations were strongest among women living in the Northeast and the South. Conclusion In this nationwide study, low occupational activity was associated with lower leisure-time physical activity. Women who are not active in the workplace may benefit from strategies to promote leisure-time physical activity. PMID:25773471

Occupational Orientation: Applied Biological and Agricultural Occupations. Experimental Curriculum Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Office of Education, Springfield.

These experimental curriculum materials, from one of five clusters developed for the occupational orientation program in Illinois, include a series of learning activity packages (LAPs) designed to acquaint the student with the wide range of occupational choices available in the applied biological and agricultural occupations. The 30 LAPs, each…