Social Capital and International Migration from Latin America

PubMed Central

Massey, Douglas S.; Aysa-Lastra, María

2011-01-01

We combine data from the Latin American Migration Project and the Mexican Migration Project to estimate models predicting the likelihood of taking of first and later trips to the United States from five nations: Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Peru. The models test specific hypotheses about the effects of social capital on international migration and how these effects vary with respect to contextual factors. Our findings confirm the ubiquity of migrant networks and the universality of social capital effects throughout Latin America. They also reveal how the sizes of these effects are not uniform across settings. Social capital operates more powerfully on first as opposed to later trips and interacts with the cost of migration. In addition, effects are somewhat different when considering individual social capital (measuring strong ties) and community social capital (measuring weak ties). On first trips, the effect of strong ties in promoting migration increases with distance whereas the effect of weak ties decreases with distance. On later trips, the direction of effects for both individual and community social capital is negative for long distances but positive for short distances. PMID:21915379

A network approach for researching partnerships in health.

PubMed

Lewis, Jenny M

2005-10-07

The last decade has witnessed a significant move towards new modes of governing that are based on coordination and collaboration. In particular, local level partnerships have been widely introduced around the world. There are few comprehensive approaches for researching the effects of these partnerships. The aim of this paper is to outline a network approach that combines structure and agency based explanations to research partnerships in health. Network research based on two Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs) in Victoria is used to demonstrate the utility of this approach. The paper examines multiple types of ties between people (structure), and the use and value of relationships to partners (agency), using interviews with the people involved in two PCPs--one in metropolitan Melbourne and one in a rural area. Network maps of ties based on work, strategic information and policy advice, show that there are many strong connections in both PCPs. Not surprisingly, PCP staff are central and highly connected. Of more interest are the ties that are dependent on these dedicated partnership staff, as they reveal which actors become weakly linked or disconnected without them. Network measures indicate that work ties are the most dispersed and strategic information ties are the most concentrated around fewer people. Divisions of general practice are weakly linked, while local government officials and Department of Human Services (DHS) regional staff appear to play important bridging roles. Finally, the relationships between partners have changed and improved, and most of those interviewed value their new or improved links with partners. Improving service coordination and health promotion planning requires engaging people and building strong relationships. Mapping ties is a useful means for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of partnerships, and network analysis indicates concentration and dispersion, the importance of particular individuals, and the points at which they will fragment. A narrative approach adds an assessment of whether the partnerships are being used and valued. The approach outlined here, which examines structure and agency as separate but related explanations, has much to offer in examining partnerships.

Perceived Stress in Online Prostate Cancer Community Participants: Examining Relationships with Stigmatization, Social Support Network Preference, and Social Support Seeking.

PubMed

Rising, Camella J; Bol, Nadine; Burke-Garcia, Amelia; Rains, Stephen; Wright, Kevin B

2017-06-01

Men with prostate cancer often need social support to help them cope with illness-related physiological and psychosocial challenges. Whether those needs are met depends on receiving support optimally matched to their needs. This study examined relationships between perceived stress, prostate cancer-related stigma, weak-tie support preference, and online community use for social support in a survey of online prostate cancer community participants (n = 149). Findings revealed a positive relationship between stigma and perceived stress. This relationship, however, was moderated by weak-tie support preference and online community use for social support. Specifically, stigma was positively related to perceived stress when weak-tie support was preferred. Analyses also showed a positive relationship between stigma and perceived stress in those who used their online community for advice or emotional support. Health communication scholars should work collaboratively with diagnosed men, clinicians, and online community administrators to develop online interventions that optimally match social support needs.

Family Ties and Health Cross-Nationally: The Contextualizing Role of Familistic Culture and Public Pension Spending in Europe

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objectives. Although previous research theorizes that cross-national variation in the relationship between family ties and health is due to nation-level differences in culture and policy/economics, no study has examined this theorization empirically. Method. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), this study uses multilevel modeling to analyze individual-, nation-, and cross-level effects for 30,291 older adults in 14 nations. Results. Family ties to spouses/partners and parents are associated with better health, but ties to coresident children are associated with poorer health in certain contexts. Familistic culture and public pension spending have a weak but statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between intergenerational family ties and health. Discussion. This article underscores the complexity of family and highlights the need for continued theorization and measurement at the nation level to promote older adults’ health in diverse contexts. PMID:24043356

Family ties and health cross-nationally: the contextualizing role of familistic culture and public pension spending in Europe.

PubMed

Mair, Christine A

2013-11-01

Although previous research theorizes that cross-national variation in the relationship between family ties and health is due to nation-level differences in culture and policy/economics, no study has examined this theorization empirically. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), this study uses multilevel modeling to analyze individual-, nation-, and cross-level effects for 30,291 older adults in 14 nations. Family ties to spouses/partners and parents are associated with better health, but ties to coresident children are associated with poorer health in certain contexts. Familistic culture and public pension spending have a weak but statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between intergenerational family ties and health. This article underscores the complexity of family and highlights the need for continued theorization and measurement at the nation level to promote older adults' health in diverse contexts.

Error assessment of local tie vectors in space geodesy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkenberg, Jana; Heinkelmann, Robert; Schuh, Harald

2014-05-01

For the computation of the ITRF, the data of the geometric space-geodetic techniques on co-location sites are combined. The combination increases the redundancy and offers the possibility to utilize the strengths of each technique while mitigating their weaknesses. To enable the combination of co-located techniques each technique needs to have a well-defined geometric reference point. The linking of the geometric reference points enables the combination of the technique-specific coordinate to a multi-technique site coordinate. The vectors between these reference points are called "local ties". The realization of local ties is usually reached by local surveys of the distances and or angles between the reference points. Identified temporal variations of the reference points are considered in the local tie determination only indirectly by assuming a mean position. Finally, the local ties measured in the local surveying network are to be transformed into the ITRF, the global geocentric equatorial coordinate system of the space-geodetic techniques. The current IERS procedure for the combination of the space-geodetic techniques includes the local tie vectors with an error floor of three millimeters plus a distance dependent component. This error floor, however, significantly underestimates the real accuracy of local tie determination. To fullfill the GGOS goals of 1 mm position and 0.1 mm/yr velocity accuracy, an accuracy of the local tie will be mandatory at the sub-mm level, which is currently not achievable. To assess the local tie effects on ITRF computations, investigations of the error sources will be done to realistically assess and consider them. Hence, a reasonable estimate of all the included errors of the various local ties is needed. An appropriate estimate could also improve the separation of local tie error and technique-specific error contributions to uncertainties and thus access the accuracy of space-geodetic techniques. Our investigations concern the simulation of the error contribution of each component of the local tie definition and determination. A closer look into the models of reference point definition, of accessibility, of measurement, and of transformation is necessary to properly model the error of the local tie. The effect of temporal variations on the local ties will be studied as well. The transformation of the local survey into the ITRF can be assumed to be the largest error contributor, in particular the orientation of the local surveying network to the ITRF.

The Effects of Gendered Social Capital on U.S. Migration: A Comparison of Four Latin American Countries.

PubMed

Côté, Rochelle R; Jensen, Jessica Eva; Roth, Louise Marie; Way, Sandra M

2015-06-01

This article contributes to understandings of gendered social capital by analyzing the effects of gendered ties on the migration of men and women from four Latin American countries (Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic) to the United States. The research theorizes the importance of strong and weak ties to men and women in each sending country as a product of the gender equity gap in economic participation (low/high) and incidence of female-led families (low/high). The findings reveal that ties to men increase the odds of migration from countries where gender equity and incidence of female-led families are low, while ties to women are more important for migration from countries where gender equity and female-led families are high. Previous research on migration and social capital details the importance of network ties for providing resources and the role of gender in mediating social capital quality and access to network support. Results reveal that not only are different kinds of ties important to female and male migration, but migrants from different countries look to different sources of social capital for assistance.

Impact of weak social ties and networks on poor sleep quality: A case study of Iranian employees.

PubMed

Masoudnia, Ebrahim

2015-12-01

The poor sleep quality is one of the major risk factors of somatic, psychiatric and social disorders and conditions as well as the major predictors of quality of employees' performance. The previous studies in Iran had neglected the impacts of social factors including social networks and ties on adults sleep quality. Thus, the aim of the current research was to determine the relationship between social networks and adult employees' sleep quality. This study was conducted with a correlational and descriptive design. Data were collected from 360 participants (183 males and 177 females) who were employed in Yazd public organizations in June and July of 2014. These samples were selected based on random sampling method. In addition, the measuring tools were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Social Relations Inventory (SRI). Based on the results, the prevalence rate of sleep disorder among Iranian adult employees was 63.1% (total PSQI>5). And, after controlling for socio-demographic variables, there was significant difference between individuals with strong and poor social network and ties in terms of overall sleep quality (p<.01), subjective sleep quality (p<.01), habitual sleep efficiency (p<.05), and daytime dysfunction (p<.01). The results also revealed that the employees with strong social network and ties had better overall sleep quality, had the most habitual sleep efficiency, and less daytime dysfunction than employees with poor social network and ties. It can be implied that the weak social network and ties serve as a risk factor for sleep disorders or poor sleep quality for adult employees. Therefore, the social and behavioral interventions seem essential to improve the adult's quality sleep. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A network approach for researching partnerships in health

PubMed Central

Lewis, Jenny M

2005-01-01

Background The last decade has witnessed a significant move towards new modes of governing that are based on coordination and collaboration. In particular, local level partnerships have been widely introduced around the world. There are few comprehensive approaches for researching the effects of these partnerships. The aim of this paper is to outline a network approach that combines structure and agency based explanations to research partnerships in health. Network research based on two Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs) in Victoria is used to demonstrate the utility of this approach. The paper examines multiple types of ties between people (structure), and the use and value of relationships to partners (agency), using interviews with the people involved in two PCPs – one in metropolitan Melbourne and one in a rural area. Results Network maps of ties based on work, strategic information and policy advice, show that there are many strong connections in both PCPs. Not surprisingly, PCP staff are central and highly connected. Of more interest are the ties that are dependent on these dedicated partnership staff, as they reveal which actors become weakly linked or disconnected without them. Network measures indicate that work ties are the most dispersed and strategic information ties are the most concentrated around fewer people. Divisions of general practice are weakly linked, while local government officials and Department of Human Services (DHS) regional staff appear to play important bridging roles. Finally, the relationships between partners have changed and improved, and most of those interviewed value their new or improved links with partners. Conclusion Improving service coordination and health promotion planning requires engaging people and building strong relationships. Mapping ties is a useful means for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of partnerships, and network analysis indicates concentration and dispersion, the importance of particular individuals, and the points at which they will fragment. A narrative approach adds an assessment of whether the partnerships are being used and valued. The approach outlined here, which examines structure and agency as separate but related explanations, has much to offer in examining partnerships. PMID:16209718

Assessment of the possible contribution of space ties on-board GNSS satellites to the terrestrial reference frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruni, Sara; Rebischung, Paul; Zerbini, Susanna; Altamimi, Zuheir; Errico, Maddalena; Santi, Efisio

2018-04-01

The realization of the international terrestrial reference frame (ITRF) is currently based on the data provided by four space geodetic techniques. The accuracy of the different technique-dependent materializations of the frame physical parameters (origin and scale) varies according to the nature of the relevant observables and to the impact of technique-specific errors. A reliable computation of the ITRF requires combining the different inputs, so that the strengths of each technique can compensate for the weaknesses of the others. This combination, however, can only be performed providing some additional information which allows tying together the independent technique networks. At present, the links used for that purpose are topometric surveys (local/terrestrial ties) available at ITRF sites hosting instruments of different techniques. In principle, a possible alternative could be offered by spacecrafts accommodating the positioning payloads of multiple geodetic techniques realizing their co-location in orbit (space ties). In this paper, the GNSS-SLR space ties on-board GPS and GLONASS satellites are thoroughly examined in the framework of global reference frame computations. The investigation focuses on the quality of the realized physical frame parameters. According to the achieved results, the space ties on-board GNSS satellites cannot, at present, substitute terrestrial ties in the computation of the ITRF. The study is completed by a series of synthetic simulations investigating the impact that substantial improvements in the volume and quality of SLR observations to GNSS satellites would have on the precision of the GNSS frame parameters.

Macrocognition in Teams and Analysis of Information Flow During the Haiti Disaster Relief

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

supplies, clean water and electricity. TIE TIE TIE Local soccer field is now a safe landing ground for helicopters. TIE TIE TIE Five flights have...TIE TIE OR’s adequate medical supplies, clean water and electricity (generator) TIE TIE TIE Local soccer field is landing pad. TIE TIE TIE 5... soccer /helo pad, TIE TIE TIE Have own ambulances for transport. TIE TIE TIE 62 Contact: "NAME" (Ground Coordinator) Haiti cell "PHONE", "E

Social Features of Online Networks: The Strength of Intermediary Ties in Online Social Media

PubMed Central

Grabowicz, Przemyslaw A.; Ramasco, José J.; Moro, Esteban; Pujol, Josep M.; Eguiluz, Victor M.

2012-01-01

An increasing fraction of today's social interactions occur using online social media as communication channels. Recent worldwide events, such as social movements in Spain or revolts in the Middle East, highlight their capacity to boost people's coordination. Online networks display in general a rich internal structure where users can choose among different types and intensity of interactions. Despite this, there are still open questions regarding the social value of online interactions. For example, the existence of users with millions of online friends sheds doubts on the relevance of these relations. In this work, we focus on Twitter, one of the most popular online social networks, and find that the network formed by the basic type of connections is organized in groups. The activity of the users conforms to the landscape determined by such groups. Furthermore, Twitter's distinction between different types of interactions allows us to establish a parallelism between online and offline social networks: personal interactions are more likely to occur on internal links to the groups (the weakness of strong ties); events transmitting new information go preferentially through links connecting different groups (the strength of weak ties) or even more through links connecting to users belonging to several groups that act as brokers (the strength of intermediary ties). PMID:22247773

From calls to communities: a model for time-varying social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurent, Guillaume; Saramäki, Jari; Karsai, Márton

2015-11-01

Social interactions vary in time and appear to be driven by intrinsic mechanisms that shape the emergent structure of social networks. Large-scale empirical observations of social interaction structure have become possible only recently, and modelling their dynamics is an actual challenge. Here we propose a temporal network model which builds on the framework of activity-driven time-varying networks with memory. The model integrates key mechanisms that drive the formation of social ties - social reinforcement, focal closure and cyclic closure, which have been shown to give rise to community structure and small-world connectedness in social networks. We compare the proposed model with a real-world time-varying network of mobile phone communication, and show that they share several characteristics from heterogeneous degrees and weights to rich community structure. Further, the strong and weak ties that emerge from the model follow similar weight-topology correlations as real-world social networks, including the role of weak ties.

For Whom Money Matters Less: Social Connectedness as a Resilience Resource in the UK.

PubMed

Richards, Lindsay

The current literature shows that both absolute and relative income are important for happiness, but there is little work emphasising how the strength of the relationship is dependent on personal and social factors. I hypothesise that social connectedness influences the money-happiness relationship because the effect of money is in part felt through the acquisition of social status, whereas status (and associated psychological benefits such as self-worth) can alternatively be gained through social connectedness. In particular, it is theorised that 'weak ties' when co-existing with good quality informal ties have a separable and additional benefit to subjective well-being, and that it is the socially isolated who have the most to gain from doing well financially. Social connectedness is conceptualised as a 'resilience resource' which has a buffering effect on subjective well-being. Data from the British Household Panel Survey are used, first to establish a measurement schema of connectedness using latent class analysis, and secondly in a multilevel model of life satisfaction with observations from seven consecutive years nested within individuals. The results show that connectedness makes a larger difference to satisfaction in times of financial stress, and that the satisfaction of the socially isolated can 'catch up' to some degree with those with larger networks when things are going well financially. The findings also confirm that those for whom money makes the smallest contribution to happiness are those with both strong and weak ties. Weak ties have an additional benefit compared to having strong ties alone. In summary, connectedness has the power to narrow the well-being gap that exists between times of financial struggle and times of relative comfort. It suggests that the psychological benefits of social integration have the capacity to displace money as a source of status and self-worth, and similarly that the importance of money may be exaggerated where these psychological gains are not available through other domains of life.

The North Texas aerospace manufacturing and aviation industries: An explanatory case study of school-to-work collaborative networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Cynthia Ann

The purpose of this study is to explore how educators, business partners and facilitators developed ties or networks to initiate a school-to-work collaboration to prepare students for jobs and careers in the aerospace manufacturing and aviation industries. There is growing concern about preparing a future workforce supply in these industries in North Texas. Workforce projections call for 8000 additional jobs between 2010 and 2020 (North Central Texas Council of Governments, 2013). Collaboration is recognized as a valuable asset to connect disjointed segments within the K-16 trajectory. This study explores the contradiction between the stated need for collaborative strategies and the inability of stakeholders attempting to collaborate across organizational and institutional boundaries to sustain these connections. Through the lens of networking theory, the roles of facilitators and the operation of networks and ties between and among partners are investigated. Ten participants in a high school curriculum development project were interviewed, representing a business, community college, and K-12 education. Data analysis revealed findings associated with three major themes: facilitation, project activity and relationships. Nine individuals were identified as facilitators, and facilitators were perceived as helping the project move forward. Project activity benefited from the structured curriculum development process. Although relationships characterized by strong ties helped start the project, weak ties predominated among project participants. Implications for theory include the need for more knowledge about facilitator roles and group dynamics. Further research about the functioning of weak and strong ties and facilitator skill sets relating to collaborative leadership would be valuable. Implications for practice include capturing lessons learned to apply to other industries, and overtly acknowledging the existence and importance of facilitators.

Gauge Bosons--The Ties That Bind.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Christopher T.

1982-01-01

Discusses four basic forces/interactions in nature (strong force, weak force, electromagnetic force and gravity), associated with elementary particles. Focuses on "gauge bosons" (for example, photons), thought to account for strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces. (Author/JN)

Social position, social ties and adult's oral health: 13 year cohort study.

PubMed

Vettore, Mario Vianna; Faerstein, Eduardo; Baker, Sarah Ruth

2016-01-01

This study explored different pathways by which social position and social ties influence adult's oral health over a 13-year period. A cohort investigation (Pro-Saúde Study) was conducted of non-faculty civil servants at a university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (N=1613). Baseline data collected in 1999 included age, social position, social ties, and access to dental care. Psychological factors and smoking were assessed in 2001, whereas tooth loss and self-rated oral health (SROH) were collected in 2012. A hypothesised model exploring different direct and indirect pathways was developed and tested using structural equation modelling. The model was a good fit to the data and accounted for 40% and 27% of the variance in tooth loss and SROH, respectively. A greater social position was linked to more social ties (β=0.31), health insurance (β=0.48), low psychological distress (β=0.07), less smoking (β=-0.21), more regular dental visiting (β=0.30), less tooth loss (β=-0.44) and better SROH (β=-0.25) over time. Social position (β=0.0005) and social ties (β=-0.0015) were linked indirectly with psychological distress, smoking and tooth loss. Social position was linked indirectly with social ties, psychological distress and SROH (β=-0.0071). Poor social position and weak social ties were important predictors for tooth loss and poor SROH in adults over the 13-year period. Direct and indirect pathways via psychological factors and smoking on the aforementioned relationships were identified, suggesting different areas of intervention to promote adults' oral health. Adult's oral health is influenced by social conditions through direct and indirect pathways, including via psychological factors and smoking. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The strength-of-weak-ties perspective on creativity: a comprehensive examination and extension.

PubMed

Baer, Markus

2010-05-01

Disentangling the effects of weak ties on creativity, the present study separated, both theoretically and empirically, the effects of the size and strength of actors' idea networks and examined their joint impact while simultaneously considering the separate, moderating role of network diversity. I hypothesized that idea networks of optimal size and weak strength were more likely to boost creativity when they afforded actors access to a wide range of different social circles. In addition, I examined whether the joint effects of network size, strength, and diversity on creativity were further qualified by the openness to experience personality dimension. As expected, results indicated that actors were most creative when they maintained idea networks of optimal size, weak strength, and high diversity and when they scored high on the openness dimension. The implications of these results are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Acculturation Versus Cultural Retention: The Interactive Impact of Acculturation and Co-ethnic Ties on Substance Use Among Chinese Students in the United States.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaozhao Yousef; Yang, Fenggang

2018-06-01

Acculturation is often found to increase substance use among immigrants in the U.S., but such effect may depend on how immigrants are attached to their co-ethnic community. Meanwhile, the high socioeconomic status of some new immigrant groups also challenges the classical assumption that ties to co-ethnic community are associated with deviance. With a sample (n = 960) collected from a population of Chinese students in a large public university in the U.S., we tested how do the interplays between acculturation and co-ethnic ties affect substance use. This study establishes that: (1) different dimensions of acculturation have opposite effects on substance use; (2) acculturative stress does not explain the association between acculturation and substance use; (3) acculturation increases the likelihood of substance use only when one has weak attachment to their co-ethnic community. The findings are consistent for three dependent variables: smoking, drinking, and drunkenness, and for the different constructs of acculturation and co-ethnic ties. Ties to co-ethnic community may provide important social support for immigrants, while acculturation may alleviate the insular subculture that promotes at-risk behaviors. We encourage policy makers to consider the cooperative nature of acculturation and cultural retention for the improvement of health among this growing population.

A small world of weak ties provides optimal global integration of self-similar modules in functional brain networks

PubMed Central

Gallos, Lazaros K.; Makse, Hernán A.; Sigman, Mariano

2012-01-01

The human brain is organized in functional modules. Such an organization presents a basic conundrum: Modules ought to be sufficiently independent to guarantee functional specialization and sufficiently connected to bind multiple processors for efficient information transfer. It is commonly accepted that small-world architecture of short paths and large local clustering may solve this problem. However, there is intrinsic tension between shortcuts generating small worlds and the persistence of modularity, a global property unrelated to local clustering. Here, we present a possible solution to this puzzle. We first show that a modified percolation theory can define a set of hierarchically organized modules made of strong links in functional brain networks. These modules are “large-world” self-similar structures and, therefore, are far from being small-world. However, incorporating weaker ties to the network converts it into a small world preserving an underlying backbone of well-defined modules. Remarkably, weak ties are precisely organized as predicted by theory maximizing information transfer with minimal wiring cost. This trade-off architecture is reminiscent of the “strength of weak ties” crucial concept of social networks. Such a design suggests a natural solution to the paradox of efficient information flow in the highly modular structure of the brain. PMID:22308319

Discovering protein complexes in protein interaction networks via exploring the weak ties effect

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Studying protein complexes is very important in biological processes since it helps reveal the structure-functionality relationships in biological networks and much attention has been paid to accurately predict protein complexes from the increasing amount of protein-protein interaction (PPI) data. Most of the available algorithms are based on the assumption that dense subgraphs correspond to complexes, failing to take into account the inherence organization within protein complex and the roles of edges. Thus, there is a critical need to investigate the possibility of discovering protein complexes using the topological information hidden in edges. Results To provide an investigation of the roles of edges in PPI networks, we show that the edges connecting less similar vertices in topology are more significant in maintaining the global connectivity, indicating the weak ties phenomenon in PPI networks. We further demonstrate that there is a negative relation between the weak tie strength and the topological similarity. By using the bridges, a reliable virtual network is constructed, in which each maximal clique corresponds to the core of a complex. By this notion, the detection of the protein complexes is transformed into a classic all-clique problem. A novel core-attachment based method is developed, which detects the cores and attachments, respectively. A comprehensive comparison among the existing algorithms and our algorithm has been made by comparing the predicted complexes against benchmark complexes. Conclusions We proved that the weak tie effect exists in the PPI network and demonstrated that the density is insufficient to characterize the topological structure of protein complexes. Furthermore, the experimental results on the yeast PPI network show that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms. The analysis of detected modules by the present algorithm suggests that most of these modules have well biological significance in context of complexes, suggesting that the roles of edges are critical in discovering protein complexes. PMID:23046740

Driving magnetic turbulence using flux ropes in a moderate guide field linear system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brookhart, Matthew I.; Stemo, Aaron; Waleffe, Roger; Forest, Cary B.

2017-12-01

We present a series of experiments on novel, line-tied plasma geometries as a study of the generation of chaos and turbulence in line-tied systems. Plasma production and the injection scale for magnetic energy is provided by spatially discrete plasma guns that inject both plasma and current. The guns represent a technique for controlling the injection scale of magnetic energy. A two-dimensional (2-D) array of magnetic probes provides spatially resolved time histories of the magnetic fluctuations at a single cross-section of the experimental cylinder, allowing simultaneous spatial measurements of chaotic and turbulent behaviour. The first experiment shows chaotic fluctuations and self-organization in a hollow-current line-tied screw pinch. These dynamics is modulated primarily by the applied magnetic field and weakly by the plasma current and safety factor. The second experiment analyses the interactions of multiple line-tied flux ropes. The flux ropes all exhibit chaotic behaviour, and under certain conditions develop an inverse cascade to larger scales and a turbulent inertial range with magnetic energy ( ) related to perpendicular wave number ( \\bot $ ) as \\bot -2.5\\pm 0.5$ .

Estimating Deterioration in the Concrete Tie-Ballast Interface Based on Vertical Tie Deflection Profile: A Numerical Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-12

In ballasted concrete tie track, the tie-ballast interface can : deteriorate resulting in concrete tie bottom abrasion, ballast : pulverization and/or voids in tie-ballast interfaces. Tie-ballast : voids toward tie ends can lead to unfavorable center...

Weather Effects on Mobile Social Interactions: A Case Study of Mobile Phone Users in Lisbon, Portugal

PubMed Central

Phithakkitnukoon, Santi; Leong, Tuck W.; Smoreda, Zbigniew; Olivier, Patrick

2012-01-01

The effect of weather on social interactions has been explored through the analysis of a large mobile phone use dataset. Time spent on phone calls, numbers of connected social ties, and tie strength were used as proxies for social interactions; while weather conditions were characterized in terms of temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, and wind speed. Our results are based on the analysis of a full calendar year of data for 22,696 mobile phone users (53.2 million call logs) in Lisbon, Portugal. The results suggest that different weather parameters have correlations to the level and character of social interactions. We found that although weather did not show much influence upon people's average call duration, the likelihood of longer calls was found to increase during periods of colder weather. During periods of weather that were generally considered to be uncomfortable (i.e., very cold/warm, very low/high air pressure, and windy), people were found to be more likely to communicate with fewer social ties. Despite this tendency, we found that people are more likely to maintain their connections with those they have strong ties with much more than those of weak ties. This study sheds new light on the influence of weather conditions on social relationships and how mobile phone data can be used to investigate the influence of environmental factors on social dynamics. PMID:23071523

Disseminating educational innovations in health care practice: training versus social networks.

PubMed

Jippes, Erik; Achterkamp, Marjolein C; Brand, Paul L P; Kiewiet, Derk Jan; Pols, Jan; van Engelen, Jo M L

2010-05-01

Improvements and innovation in health service organization and delivery have become more and more important due to the gap between knowledge and practice, rising costs, medical errors, and the organization of health care systems. Since training and education is widely used to convey and distribute innovative initiatives, we examined the effect that following an intensive Teach-the-Teacher training had on the dissemination of a new structured competency-based feedback technique of assessing clinical competencies among medical specialists in the Netherlands. We compared this with the effect of the structure of the social network of medical specialists, specifically the network tie strength (strong ties versus weak ties). We measured dissemination of the feedback technique by using a questionnaire filled in by Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics residents (n=63). Data on network tie strength was gathered with a structured questionnaire given to medical specialists (n=81). Social network analysis was used to compose the required network coefficients. We found a strong effect for network tie strength and no effect for the Teach-the-Teacher training course on the dissemination of the new structured feedback technique. This paper shows the potential that social networks have for disseminating innovations in health service delivery and organization. Further research is needed into the role and structure of social networks on the diffusion of innovations between departments and the various types of innovations involved. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weather effects on mobile social interactions: a case study of mobile phone users in Lisbon, Portugal.

PubMed

Phithakkitnukoon, Santi; Leong, Tuck W; Smoreda, Zbigniew; Olivier, Patrick

2012-01-01

The effect of weather on social interactions has been explored through the analysis of a large mobile phone use dataset. Time spent on phone calls, numbers of connected social ties, and tie strength were used as proxies for social interactions; while weather conditions were characterized in terms of temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, and wind speed. Our results are based on the analysis of a full calendar year of data for 22,696 mobile phone users (53.2 million call logs) in Lisbon, Portugal. The results suggest that different weather parameters have correlations to the level and character of social interactions. We found that although weather did not show much influence upon people's average call duration, the likelihood of longer calls was found to increase during periods of colder weather. During periods of weather that were generally considered to be uncomfortable (i.e., very cold/warm, very low/high air pressure, and windy), people were found to be more likely to communicate with fewer social ties. Despite this tendency, we found that people are more likely to maintain their connections with those they have strong ties with much more than those of weak ties. This study sheds new light on the influence of weather conditions on social relationships and how mobile phone data can be used to investigate the influence of environmental factors on social dynamics.

Changing Views on Intergenerational Ties

PubMed Central

Fingerman, Karen L.; Sechrist, Jori; Birditt, Kira

2015-01-01

Ties to parents or grown children may be the most important social relationships in an adult’s life. Research examining intergenerational relationships has focused on three broader topics: (a) the strength of emotional bonds, (b) exchanges of social support, and (c) the effects of the relationship on individual well-being. This review considers some of the major theoretical developments in the field including solidarity and intergenerational ambivalence theory as well as the newly developed multidimensional model of support. We also consider weaknesses in the research and theories to date and provide suggestions for future research. PMID:23037718

Communication networks of men facing a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

PubMed

Brown, Dot; Oetzel, John; Henderson, Alison

2016-11-01

This study seeks to identify the factors that shape the communication networks of men who face a potential diagnosis of prostate cancer, and how these factors relate to their disclosure about their changing health status. Men facing a potential diagnosis of prostate cancer are in a challenging situation; the support benefits of disclosing their changing health status to others in their communication networks is set against a backdrop of the potential stigma and uncertainty of the diagnosis. All men on a prostate biopsy waiting list were eligible for inclusion in an exploratory and interpretive study. Semi-structured interviews with 40 men explored their network structures and disclosure of health information. Thematic analysis highlighted the factors which contributed to their network structures and their disclosure about their health status. Four network factors shaped men's perspectives about disclosing their health status: (1) tie strength, comprising both strong and weak ties; (2) knowledgeable others, with a focus on medical professionals in the family; (3) homophily, which included other individuals with a similar medical condition; and (4) geographical proximity, with a preference for face-to-face communication. Communication networks influence men's disclosure of their health status and in particular weak ties with medical knowledge have an important role. Men who use the potential for support in their networks may experience improved psychosocial outcomes. Using these four network factors-tie strength, knowledgeable others, homophily or geographical proximity-to forecast men's willingness to disclose helps identify men who lack potential support and so are at risk of poor psychosocial health. Those with few strong ties or knowledgeable others in their networks may be in the at-risk cohort. The support provided in communication networks complements formal medical care from nurses and other health professionals, and encouraging patients to use their communication networks improves the psychosocial health of the men themselves, their partners and their families. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Temporal and Spatial Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Zebrafish Tie1 mRNA by Long Noncoding RNA During Brain Vascular Assembly.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Tamjid A; Koceja, Chris; Eisa-Beygi, Shahram; Kleinstiver, Benjamin P; Kumar, Suresh N; Lin, Chien-Wei; Li, Keguo; Prabhudesai, Shubhangi; Joung, J Keith; Ramchandran, Ramani

2018-05-03

Tie1 (tyrosine kinase containing immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology 1), an endothelial and hematopoietic cell-specific receptor tyrosine kinase, is an important regulator of angiogenesis and critical for maintaining vascular integrity. The post-transcriptional regulation of tie1 mRNA expression is not understood, but it might partly explain Tie1's differential expression pattern in endothelium. Following up on our previous work that identified natural antisense transcripts from the tie1 locus- tie1 antisense ( tie1AS ), which regulates tie1 mRNA levels in zebrafish-we attempted to identify the mechanism of this regulation. Through in vitro and in vivo ribonucleoprotein binding studies, we demonstrated that tie1AS long noncoding RNA interacts with an RNA binding protein-embryonic lethal and abnormal vision Drosophila-like 1 (Elavl1)-that regulates tie1 mRNA levels. When we disrupted the interaction between tie1AS and Elavl1 by using constitutively active antisense morpholino oligonucleotides or photoactivatable morpholino oligonucleotides, tie1 mRNA levels increased between 26 and 31 hours post-fertilization, particularly in the head. This increase correlated with dilation of primordial midbrain channels, smaller eyes, and reduced ventricular space. We also observed these phenotypes when we used CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-mediated CRISPRi (CRISPR-mediated interference) to knock down tie1AS . Treatment of the morpholino oligonucleotide-injected embryos with a small molecule that decreased tie1 mRNA levels rescued all 3 abnormal phenotypes. We identified a novel mode of temporal and spatial post-transcriptional regulation of tie1 mRNA. It involves long noncoding RNA, tie1AS, and Elavl1 (an interactor of tie1AS ). © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Disturbed balance between serum levels of receptor tyrosine kinases Tie-1, Tie-2 and angiopoietins in systemic sclerosis.

PubMed

Gerlicz, Zofia; Dziankowska-Bartkowiak, Bozena; Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk, Elzbieta; Sysa-Jedrzejowska, Anna

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the characteristic factors for vascular development and maintenance levels as well as correlation between Tie-1 receptors, Tie-2 receptors and the corresponding ligands--angiopoietins--in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. Serum levels of Tie-1, Tie-2, Ang-1 and Ang-2 were measured in 25 SSc patients and healthy controls. There was a statistically significant difference in serum Tie-1 (p = 0.009) and Ang-2 (p = 0.001) levels in SSc patients compared with healthy controls. Significant correlations between Tie-1 and Tie-2 (ρ = 0.70, p = 0.0001) and between Tie-1 and Ang-2 (ρ = -0.92, p = 0.002) were found in the SSc group. Serum levels of Tie-2 were positively associated with esophagus changes (U = 2.03, p = 0.041) and Ang-1 was negatively correlated with duration of Raynaud's phenomenon (ρ = -0.75, p = 0.00008). The increase in serum concentration of Tie-1 and Ang-2 in patients with SSc may confirm a molecular imbalance between receptor tyrosine kinases Tie and their ligands. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PWR integral tie plate and locking mechanism

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

Flora, B.S.; Osborne, J.L.

1980-08-26

A locking mechanism for securing an upper tie plate to the tie rods of a nuclear fuel bundle is described. The mechanism includes an upper tie plate assembly and locking sleeves fixed to the ends of the tie rods. The tie plate is part of the upper tie plate assembly and is secured to the fuel bundle by securing the entire upper tie plate assembly to the locking sleeves fixed to the tie rods. The assembly includes, in addition to the tie plate, locking nuts for engaging the locking sleeves, retaining sleeves to operably connect the locking nuts to themore » assembly, a spring biased reaction plate to restrain the locking nuts in the locked position and a means to facilitate the removal of the entire assembly as a unit from the fuel bundle.« less

Expression and significance of Tie-1 and Tie-2 receptors, and angiopoietins-1, 2 and 4 in colorectal adenocarcinoma: Immunohistochemical analysis and correlation with clinicopathological factors

PubMed Central

Nakayama, Toshiyuki; Hatachi, Go; Wen, Chun-Yang; Yoshizaki, Ayumi; Yamazumi, Kazuyuki; Niino, Daisuke; Sekine, Ichiro

2005-01-01

AIM: There is strong evidence that tyrosine kinases are involved in the regulation of tumor progression, cellular growth and differentiation. Recently, many kinds of tyrosine kinase receptors have been reported, among them Tie-1 and Tie-2 receptors constitute a major class. Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 is known as a ligand of Tie-2 tyrosine kinase receptor. The objective of this study was to establish a comprehensive Tie-1 and Tie-2 and Ang-1, 2 and 4 expression profile in human colorectal adenocarcinomas. METHODS: We examined 96 cases of surgically resected human colorectal adenocarcinoma by immunohistochemistry and investigated the statistical correlation between the expressions of Ties and Angs and clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: Among the 96 cases of adenocarcinoma, 87 (90.6%), 92 (95.8%), 83 (86.5%), 89 (92.7%), and 76 cases (79.2%) showed positive staining in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells for the Tie-1 and Tie-2 and Ang-1, 2 and 4 proteins, respectively. Histologically, the expressions of Ties and Angs were variable. The expressions of Ties and Angs were correlated with several clinicopathological factors, but did not correlate with the presence of lymph node metastasis. Ties and Angs were highly expressed in human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the Tie-Ang receptor-ligand complex is one of the factors involved in the cellular differentiation and progression of human colorectal adenocarcinoma. PMID:15742397

The weakness of family ties and their perpetuating effects on gender violence: a qualitative study in Mexico.

PubMed

Agoff, Carolina; Herrera, Cristina; Castro, Roberto

2007-11-01

Research into intimate partner violence has shown that social isolation constitutes a risk factor, and the presence of social networks can be an important source of social support. This research note presents some results of an empirical study carried out in Mexico into women's social relations, especially their family relations, and their role in the promotion of traditional gender norms. Findings indicate that some of the main conditions that are associated with the production of violence against women are either generated or reinforced within the realm of what can be regarded as women's "strong ties."

Circulating Angiopoietin-2 and Its Soluble Receptor Tie-2 Concentrations Are Related to Renal Function in Two Population-Based Cohorts

PubMed Central

Hennings, Anna; Hannemann, Anke; Rettig, Rainer; Dörr, Marcus; Nauck, Matthias; Völzke, Henry; Lerch, Markus M.; Lieb, Wolfgang; Friedrich, Nele

2016-01-01

Background An intact angiopoietin/Tie-2 ligand receptor system is indispensable for life. High circulating angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) concentrations are strongly associated with kidney disease involving the progressive loss of glomerular filtration. The aim of our study was to investigate the associations between renal function and serum Ang-2 or serum Tie-2 concentrations in the general population. Methods Data of 3081 and 4088 subjects from two population-based studies, the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-1) and SHIP-Trend, were used. Renal function was assessed by serum creatinine, cystatin C concentration, creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR(crea)], cystatin C-based eGFR [eGFR(cys)] and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR). Analyses of variance and linear regression models were calculated. Results In both cohorts, strong positive associations between serum cystatin C concentrations and serum Ang-2 or Tie-2 concentrations as well as inverse associations between eGFR(cys) and serum Ang-2 or Tie-2 concentrations were found. These relations were also present in a subpopulation without hypertension or diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, we detected weak U-shaped associations between serum creatinine concentrations or eGFR(crea) and serum Ang-2 concentrations. With respect to uACR a strong positive association with serum Ang-2 concentrations was revealed. Conclusion Serum Ang-2 concentrations are strongly associated with sensitive parameters of renal impairment like serum cystatin C, uACR and eGFR(cys). These findings persisted even after exclusion of subjects with hypertension or diabetes mellitus type 2, conditions that predispose to chronic renal disease and are associated with increased Ang-2 concentrations. Interestingly, we did not detect the same strong relations between serum creatinine and eGFR(crea) with serum Ang-2 concentration. Additionally, significant association of serum Tie-2 concentrations with cystatin C and eGFR(cys) were detected. PMID:27893762

Circulating Angiopoietin-2 and Its Soluble Receptor Tie-2 Concentrations Are Related to Renal Function in Two Population-Based Cohorts.

PubMed

Hennings, Anna; Hannemann, Anke; Rettig, Rainer; Dörr, Marcus; Nauck, Matthias; Völzke, Henry; Lerch, Markus M; Lieb, Wolfgang; Friedrich, Nele

2016-01-01

An intact angiopoietin/Tie-2 ligand receptor system is indispensable for life. High circulating angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) concentrations are strongly associated with kidney disease involving the progressive loss of glomerular filtration. The aim of our study was to investigate the associations between renal function and serum Ang-2 or serum Tie-2 concentrations in the general population. Data of 3081 and 4088 subjects from two population-based studies, the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-1) and SHIP-Trend, were used. Renal function was assessed by serum creatinine, cystatin C concentration, creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR(crea)], cystatin C-based eGFR [eGFR(cys)] and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR). Analyses of variance and linear regression models were calculated. In both cohorts, strong positive associations between serum cystatin C concentrations and serum Ang-2 or Tie-2 concentrations as well as inverse associations between eGFR(cys) and serum Ang-2 or Tie-2 concentrations were found. These relations were also present in a subpopulation without hypertension or diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, we detected weak U-shaped associations between serum creatinine concentrations or eGFR(crea) and serum Ang-2 concentrations. With respect to uACR a strong positive association with serum Ang-2 concentrations was revealed. Serum Ang-2 concentrations are strongly associated with sensitive parameters of renal impairment like serum cystatin C, uACR and eGFR(cys). These findings persisted even after exclusion of subjects with hypertension or diabetes mellitus type 2, conditions that predispose to chronic renal disease and are associated with increased Ang-2 concentrations. Interestingly, we did not detect the same strong relations between serum creatinine and eGFR(crea) with serum Ang-2 concentration. Additionally, significant association of serum Tie-2 concentrations with cystatin C and eGFR(cys) were detected.

Neighbourhood social ties: how much do residential, physical and virtual mobility matter?

PubMed

Knies, Gundi

2013-09-01

Following up on the prediction by classical sociological theorists that neighbours will become irrelevant as societies become more mobile, this research examines the strength of people's social ties with neighbours and the associations thereof with residential, physical and virtual mobility using longitudinal data for Germany. Unlike previous studies, the research considers the three forms of mobility simultaneously and contrasts its effects on social ties with neighbours to those with family. The results show that residential and physical mobility are negatively associated with social ties to neighbours and positively with ties to family. Virtual mobility does not weaken social ties with neighbours but ties with family. The positive association between mobility and social ties with family may not be strong enough to ascertain that people maintain as close social ties to others in the future as it does not outweigh the negative association with visiting neighbours. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2013.

Stepfamily Formation: Implications for Adolescent Ties to Mothers, Nonresident Fathers, and Stepfathers

PubMed Central

King, Valarie

2009-01-01

This study examines how the entrance of a stepfather influences adolescent ties to mothers and nonresident fathers, and how prior ties to each biological parent influences the development of stepfather-stepchild ties. Data come from 1753 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health who lived with a single mother in Wave 1 that remained single, cohabited, or married by Wave 2, approximately one year later. Stepfamily formation had little consequence for adolescent-nonresident father ties. Adolescent-mother closeness, however, declined when cohabiting, but not married, stepfathers entered the household. Close ties to married stepfathers were more likely to develop when adolescents were closer to their mothers before stepfather entry. Prior ties to nonresident fathers were unrelated to stepfather-stepchild ties. PMID:20161429

[Construction of recombinant lentiviral vector of Tie2-RNAi and its influence on malignant melanoma cells in vitro].

PubMed

Shan, Xiu-ying; Liu, Zhao-liang; Wang, Biao; Guo, Guo-xiang; Wang, Mei-shui; Zhuang, Fu-lian; Cai, Chuan-shu; Zhang, Ming-feng; Zhang, Yan-ding

2011-07-01

To construct lentivector carrying Tie2-Small interfering RNA (SiRNA), so as to study its influence on malignant melanoma cells. Recombinant plasmid pSilencer 1.0-U6-Tie2-siRNA and plasmid pNL-EGFP were digested with XbaI, ligated a target lentiviral transfer plasmid of pNL-EGFP-U6-Tie2-I or pNL-EGFP-U6-Tie2-II, and then the electrophoresis clones was sequenced. Plasmids of pNL-EGFP-U6-Tie2-I and pNL-EGFP-U6-Tie2-II were constructed and combined with pVSVG and pHelper, respectively, to constitute lentiviral vector system of three plasmids. The Lentiviral vector system was transfected into 293T cell to produce pNL-EGFP-U6-Tie2- I and pNL-EGFP-U6-Tie2-II lentivirus. Then the supernatant was collected to determine the titer. Malignant melanoma cells were infected by both lentiviruses and identified by Realtime RT-PCR to assess inhibitory efficiency. The recombinant lentiviral vectors of Tie2-RNAi were constructed successfully which were analyzed with restriction enzyme digestion and identified by sequencing. And the titer of lentiviral vector was 8.8 x 10(3)/ml, which was determined by 293T cell. The results of Realtime RT-PCR demonstrated that the lentiviral vectors of Tie2-RNAi could infect malignant melanoma cells and inhibit the expression of Tie2 genes in malignant melanoma cells (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the expression level (P>0.05) between the two lentiviral vectors of Tie2-RNAi. Lentivector carrying Tie2-SiRNA can be constructed successfully and inhibit the expression of Tie2 gene in vitro significantly. The study will supply the theory basis for the further research on the inhibition of tumor growth in vivo.

The flow dependency of Tie2 expression in endotoxemia.

PubMed

Kurniati, Neng F; Jongman, Rianne M; vom Hagen, Franziska; Spokes, Katherine C; Moser, Jill; Regan, Erzsébet Ravasz; Krenning, Guido; Moonen, Jan-Renier A J; Harmsen, Martin C; Struys, Michel M R F; Hammes, Hans-Peter; Zijlstra, Jan G; Aird, William C; Heeringa, Peter; Molema, Grietje; van Meurs, Matijs

2013-07-01

Tie2 is predominantly expressed by endothelial cells and is involved in vascular integrity control during sepsis. Changes in Tie2 expression during sepsis development may contribute to microvascular dysfunction. Understanding the kinetics and molecular basis of these changes may assist in the development of therapeutic intervention to counteract microvascular dysfunction. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in Tie2 expression upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Studies were performed in LPS and pro-inflammatory cytokine challenged mice as well as in mice subjected to hemorrhagic shock, primary endothelial cells were used for in vitro experiments in static and flow conditions. Eight hours after LPS challenge, Tie2 mRNA loss was observed in all major organs, while loss of Tie2 protein was predominantly observed in lungs and kidneys, in the capillaries. A similar loss could be induced by secondary cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β. Ang2 protein administration did not affect Tie2 protein expression nor was Tie2 protein rescued in LPS-challenged Ang2-deficient mice, excluding a major role for Ang2 in Tie2 down regulation. In vitro, endothelial loss of Tie2 was observed upon lowering of shear stress, not upon LPS and TNF-α stimulation, suggesting that inflammation related haemodynamic changes play a major role in loss of Tie2 in vivo, as also hemorrhagic shock induced Tie2 mRNA loss. In vitro, this loss was partially counteracted by pre-incubation with a pharmacologically NF-кB inhibitor (BAY11-7082), an effect further substantiated in vivo by pre-treatment of mice with the NF-кB inhibitor prior to the inflammatory challenge. Microvascular bed specific loss of Tie2 mRNA and protein in vivo upon LPS, TNFα, IL-1β challenge, as well as in response to hemorrhagic shock, is likely an indirect effect caused by a change in endothelial shear stress. This loss of Tie2 mRNA, but not Tie2 protein, induced by TNFα exposure was shown to be controlled by NF-кB signaling. Drugs aiming at restoring vascular integrity in sepsis could focus on preventing the Tie2 loss.

The Selective Tie2 Inhibitor Rebastinib Blocks Recruitment and Function of Tie2Hi Macrophages in Breast Cancer and Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

PubMed

Harney, Allison S; Karagiannis, George S; Pignatelli, Jeanine; Smith, Bryan D; Kadioglu, Ece; Wise, Scott C; Hood, Molly M; Kaufman, Michael D; Leary, Cynthia B; Lu, Wei-Ping; Al-Ani, Gada; Chen, Xiaoming; Entenberg, David; Oktay, Maja H; Wang, Yarong; Chun, Lawrence; De Palma, Michele; Jones, Joan G; Flynn, Daniel L; Condeelis, John S

2017-11-01

Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells promote tumor progression by mediating angiogenesis, tumor cell intravasation, and metastasis, which can offset the effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and antiangiogenic therapy. Here, we show that the kinase switch control inhibitor rebastinib inhibits Tie2, a tyrosine kinase receptor expressed on endothelial cells and protumoral Tie2-expressing macrophages in mouse models of metastatic cancer. Rebastinib reduces tumor growth and metastasis in an orthotopic mouse model of metastatic mammary carcinoma through reduction of Tie2 + myeloid cell infiltration, antiangiogenic effects, and blockade of tumor cell intravasation mediated by perivascular Tie2 Hi /Vegf-A Hi macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of metastasis (TMEM). The antitumor effects of rebastinib enhance the efficacy of microtubule inhibiting chemotherapeutic agents, either eribulin or paclitaxel, by reducing tumor volume, metastasis, and improving overall survival. Rebastinib inhibition of angiopoietin/Tie2 signaling impairs multiple pathways in tumor progression mediated by protumoral Tie2 + macrophages, including TMEM-dependent dissemination and angiopoietin/Tie2-dependent angiogenesis. Rebastinib is a promising therapy for achieving Tie2 inhibition in cancer patients. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(11); 2486-501. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

A 10-Year Follow-Up Study of Social Ties and Functional Health among the Old: The AGES Project

PubMed Central

Murata, Chiyoe; Saito, Tami; Tsuji, Taishi; Saito, Masashige

2017-01-01

In Asian nations, family ties are considered important. However, it is not clear what happens among older people with no such ties. To investigate the association, we used longitudinal data from the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES) project. Functionally independent older people at baseline (N = 14,088) in 10 municipalities were followed from 2003 to 2013. Social ties were assessed by asking about their social support exchange with family, relatives, friends, or neighbors. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to investigate the association between social ties and the onset of functional disability adjusting for age, health status, and living arrangement. We found that social ties with co-residing family members, and those with friends or neighbors, independently protected functional health with hazard ratios of 0.81 and 0.85 among men. Among women, ties with friend or neighbors had a stronger effect on health compared to their male counterparts with a hazard ratio of 0.89. The fact that social ties with friends or neighbors are associated with a lower risk of functional decline, independent of family support, serves to underscore the importance of promoting social ties, especially among those lacking family ties. PMID:28671627

Temperature Profile in Fuel and Tie-Tubes for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Systems

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

Vishal Patel

A finite element method to calculate temperature profiles in heterogeneous geometries of tie-tube moderated LEU nuclear thermal propulsion systems and HEU designs with tie-tubes is developed and implemented in MATLAB. This new method is compared to previous methods to demonstrate shortcomings in those methods. Typical methods to analyze peak fuel centerline temperature in hexagonal geometries rely on spatial homogenization to derive an analytical expression. These methods are not applicable to cores with tie-tube elements because conduction to tie-tubes cannot be accurately modeled with the homogenized models. The fuel centerline temperature directly impacts safety and performance so it must be predictedmore » carefully. The temperature profile in tie-tubes is also important when high temperatures are expected in the fuel because conduction to the tie-tubes may cause melting in tie-tubes, which may set maximum allowable performance. Estimations of maximum tie-tube temperature can be found from equivalent tube methods, however this method tends to be approximate and overly conservative. A finite element model of heat conduction on a unit cell can model spatial dependence and non-linear conductivity for fuel and tie-tube systems allowing for higher design fidelity of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion.« less

An epidemic model of rumor diffusion in online social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Jun-Jun; Liu, Yun; Shen, Bo; Yuan, Wei-Guo

2013-01-01

So far, in some standard rumor spreading models, the transition probability from ignorants to spreaders is always treated as a constant. However, from a practical perspective, the case that individual whether or not be infected by the neighbor spreader greatly depends on the trustiness of ties between them. In order to solve this problem, we introduce a stochastic epidemic model of the rumor diffusion, in which the infectious probability is defined as a function of the strength of ties. Moreover, we investigate numerically the behavior of the model on a real scale-free social site with the exponent γ = 2.2. We verify that the strength of ties plays a critical role in the rumor diffusion process. Specially, selecting weak ties preferentially cannot make rumor spread faster and wider, but the efficiency of diffusion will be greatly affected after removing them. Another significant finding is that the maximum number of spreaders max( S) is very sensitive to the immune probability μ and the decay probability v. We show that a smaller μ or v leads to a larger spreading of the rumor, and their relationships can be described as the function ln(max( S)) = Av + B, in which the intercept B and the slope A can be fitted perfectly as power-law functions of μ. Our findings may offer some useful insights, helping guide the application in practice and reduce the damage brought by the rumor.

Evaluation of longitudinal joint tie bar system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

"An adequate longitudinal joint tie bar system is essential in the overall performance of concrete pavement. Excessive : longitudinal joint openings are believed to be caused by either inadequate tie bar size or spacing or improper tie bar : installa...

23 CFR 635.111 - Tied bids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... MAINTENANCE Contract Procedures § 635.111 Tied bids. (a) The STD may tie or permit the tying of Federal-aid...-financed highway projects may be combined in one contract if the conditions of the projects are so similar...

Survey of Quantification and Distance Functions Used for Internet-based Weak-link Sociological Phenomena

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-16

linkages, as well as the social strong and weak ties, social cohesion , position and distance. See Appendix II. 8) The co-PI was willing to write it out...Dawn Robinson, A Summary of Sociological Concepts Related to Social Network and Its Techniques for Quantifying Social Cohesion , Social Position, Social Distance, a manuscript, 2013. 3

Drum tie-down apparatus

DOEpatents

Morse, H.E.

A drum tie-down apparatus for securing drum-like containers in an upright position to a floor or platform of a transportation vehicle having spaced apart cargo tie-down points. The apparatus comprises a pair of cylindrical, hollow tube segments horizontally oriented and engageable with a drum lid adjacent opposite rim edges, flexible strap segments for connecting upper and lower central portions of the tube segments together across the drum lid and a pair of elongated flexible tie-down segments, one extending horizontally through each of the tube segments, the ends thereof being attached to said spaced apart tie-down points such that end portions of the pair of tie-down segments extend downwardly and radially outwardly from the tube segments to the tie-down points.

Drum tie-down apparatus

DOEpatents

Morse, Harvey E.

1984-01-01

A drum tie-down apparatus for securing drum-like containers in an upright position to a floor or platform of a transportation vehicle having spaced apart cargo tie-down points. The apparatus comprises a pair of cylindrical, hollow tube segments horizontally oriented and engageable with a drum lid adjacent opposite rim edges, flexible strap segments for connecting upper and lower central portions of the tube segments together across the drum lid and a pair of elongated flexible tie-down segments, one extending horizontally through each of the tube segments, the ends thereof being attached to said spaced apart tie-down points such that end portions of the pair of tie-down segments extend downwardly and radially outwardly from the tube segments to the tie-down points.

How university students with reading difficulties are supported in achieving their goals.

PubMed

Stack-Cutler, Holly L; Parrila, Rauno K; Jokisaari, Markku; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-01-01

We examine (a) what social ties university students with a history of reading difficulty (RD) report assisting them to achieve their goals, (b) outlets available for developing social ties, (c) resources mobilized within these relationships, and (d) the impact of social ties' status on academic achievement. Participants were 107 university students with RD who were currently completing or had recently completed a university degree. Results showed that university students with RD named friends, parents, and significant others (e.g., boy/girlfriend, spouse) as social ties most often. Personal social ties were developed through social media networking sites and within close relationships, and institutional social ties through academic centers and university general services, among others. Resources mobilized among personal and institutional social ties included emotional and social support, advice and planning, writing and studying help, and goal setting. Institutional social ties also afforded job search assistance, accommodations, skill development, financial support, and mental health services. Finally, the status of employed, but not student, social ties explained academic achievement. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Signaling Network Map of Endothelial TEK Tyrosine Kinase

PubMed Central

Sandhya, Varot K.; Singh, Priyata; Parthasarathy, Deepak; Kumar, Awinav; Gattu, Rudrappa; Mathur, Premendu Prakash; Mac Gabhann, F.; Pandey, Akhilesh

2014-01-01

TEK tyrosine kinase is primarily expressed on endothelial cells and is most commonly referred to as TIE2. TIE2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase modulated by its ligands, angiopoietins, to regulate the development and remodeling of vascular system. It is also one of the critical pathways associated with tumor angiogenesis and familial venous malformations. Apart from the vascular system, TIE2 signaling is also associated with postnatal hematopoiesis. Despite the involvement of TIE2-angiopoietin system in several diseases, the downstream molecular events of TIE2-angiopoietin signaling are not reported in any pathway repository. Therefore, carrying out a detailed review of published literature, we have documented molecular signaling events mediated by TIE2 in response to angiopoietins and developed a network map of TIE2 signaling. The pathway information is freely available to the scientific community through NetPath, a manually curated resource of signaling pathways. We hope that this pathway resource will provide an in-depth view of TIE2-angiopoietin signaling and will lead to identification of potential therapeutic targets for TIE2-angiopoietin associated disorders. PMID:25371820

Prevention of derailments due to concrete tie rail seat deterioration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-03-13

Concrete tie rail seat abrasion/deterioration (RSA) has : been an issue since the inception of concrete ties. As a : result of recent derailments involving abraded concrete : ties on curved track, the Federal Railroad Administration : set up a task f...

Breaking up Isn't Hard to Do: Exploring the Dissolution of Teachers' and School Leaders' Work-Related Ties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spillane, James P.; Shirrell, Matthew

2017-01-01

Purpose: School leaders are central to the development of work-related ties among school staff. Although prior work has examined the predictors of the presence of work-related ties, little is known about the breakup or dissolution of ties among school staff. This study examines the extent of tie dissolution among school staff, as well as both the…

Computational and Experimental Assessment of Jets in Cross Flow (Evaluation Numerique et Experimentale des Jets dans des Courants Transversaux)

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

sont caracterises par la striosconic continue tic la la partie tie la couche tie melange situde sous le jet figure 3 ainsi que par la tomoscopie tie... caracterisent les ondzs). Ces ondes un disque; de Mach. Sur la figuire 4, on observe la semblent proveriir tie la r6gion tie l’jccteur, juste trace du

The ties that bind: Ingroup ties are linked with diminished inflammatory immune responses and fewer mental health symptoms through less rumination.

PubMed

Ysseldyk, Renate; McQuaid, Robyn J; McInnis, Opal A; Anisman, Hymie; Matheson, Kimberly

2018-01-01

The present research explored whether components of social identity, namely ingroup ties, affect, and centrality, were differentially linked to mental health and inflammatory immune responses, and whether rumination mediated those relations. Study 1 (N = 138) indicated that stronger ingroup ties were associated with fewer mental health (depressive and post-traumatic stress) symptoms; those relations were mediated by the tendency for individuals with strong ties to rely less on ruminative coping to deal with a stressful life event. Study 2 (N = 54) demonstrated that ingroup ties were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, dispositional rumination, as well as stress-linked inflammatory elements at the physiological level. Consistent associations for centrality and ingroup affect were absent, suggesting that ingroup ties may have unique health benefits.

The design and application of a Transportable Inference Engine (TIE1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclean, David R.

1986-01-01

A Transportable Inference Engine (TIE1) system has been developed by the author as part of the Interactive Experimenter Planning System (IEPS) task which is involved with developing expert systems in support of the Spacecraft Control Programs Branch at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Unlike traditional inference engines, TIE1 is written in the C programming language. In the TIE1 system, knowledge is represented by a hierarchical network of objects which have rule frames. The TIE1 search algorithm uses a set of strategies, including backward chaining, to obtain the values of goals. The application of TIE1 to a spacecraft scheduling problem is described. This application involves the development of a strategies interpreter which uses TIE1 to do constraint checking.

Selective Inhibition of the Human tie-1 Promoter with Triplex-Forming Oligonucleotides Targeted to Ets Binding Sites

PubMed Central

Hewett, Peter W; Daft, Emma L; Laughton, Charles A; Ahmad, Shakil; Ahmed, Asif; Murray, J Clifford

2006-01-01

The Tie receptors (Tie-1 and Tie-2/Tek) are essential for angiogenesis and vascular remodeling/integrity. Tie receptors are up-regulated in tumor-associated endothelium, and their inhibition disrupts angiogenesis and can prevent tumor growth as a consequence. To investigate the potential of anti-gene approaches to inhibit tie gene expression for anti-angiogenic therapy, we have examined triple-helical (triplex) DNA formation at 2 tandem Ets transcription factor binding motifs (designated E-1 and E-2) in the human tie-1 promoter. Various tie-1 promoter deletion/mutation luciferase reporter constructs were generated and transfected into endothelial cells to examine the relative activities of E-1 and E-2. The binding of antiparallel and parallel (control) purine motif oligonucleotides (21–22 bp) targeted to E-1 and E-2 was assessed by plasmid DNA fragment binding and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides were incubated with tie-1 reporter constructs and transfected into endothelial cells to determine their activity. The Ets binding motifs in the E-1 sequence were essential for human tie-1 promoter activity in endothelial cells, whereas the deletion of E-2 had no effect. Antiparallel purine motif oligonucleotides targeted at E-1 or E-2 selectively formed strong triplex DNA (Kd ~10−7 M) at 37 °C. Transfection of tie-1 reporter constructs with triplex DNA at E-1, but not E-2, specifically inhibited tie-1 promoter activity by up to 75% compared with control oligonucleotides in endothelial cells. As similar multiple Ets binding sites are important for the regulation of several endothelial-restricted genes, this approach may have broad therapeutic potential for cancer and other pathologies involving endothelial proliferation/dysfunction. PMID:16838069

Selective inhibition of the human tie-1 promoter with triplex-forming oligonucleotides targeted to Ets binding sites.

PubMed

Hewett, Peter W; Daft, Emma L; Laughton, Charles A; Ahmad, Shakil; Ahmed, Asif; Murray, J Clifford

2006-01-01

The Tie receptors (Tie-1 and Tie-2/Tek) are essential for angiogenesis and vascular remodeling/integrity. Tie receptors are up-regulated in tumor-associated endothelium, and their inhibition disrupts angiogenesis and can prevent tumor growth as a consequence. To investigate the potential of anti-gene approaches to inhibit tie gene expression for anti-angiogenic therapy, we have examined triple-helical (triplex) DNA formation at 2 tandem Ets transcription factor binding motifs (designated E-1 and E-2) in the human tie-1 promoter. Various tie-1 promoter deletion/mutation luciferase reporter constructs were generated and transfected into endothelial cells to examine the relative activities of E-1 and E-2. The binding of antiparallel and parallel (control) purine motif oligonucleotides (21-22 bp) targeted to E-1 and E-2 was assessed by plasmid DNA fragment binding and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides were incubated with tie-1 reporter constructs and transfected into endothelial cells to determine their activity. The Ets binding motifs in the E-1 sequence were essential for human tie-1 promoter activity in endothelial cells, whereas the deletion of E-2 had no effect. Antiparallel purine motif oligonucleotides targeted at E-1 or E-2 selectively formed strong triplex DNA (K(d) approximately 10(-7) M) at 37 degrees C. Transfection of tie-1 reporter constructs with triplex DNA at E-1, but not E-2, specifically inhibited tie-1 promoter activity by up to 75% compared with control oligonucleotides in endothelial cells. As similar multiple Ets binding sites are important for the regulation of several endothelial-restricted genes, this approach may have broad therapeutic potential for cancer and other pathologies involving endothelial proliferation/dysfunction.

Multicentre randomised double bind crossover trial on contamination of conventional ties and bow ties in routine obstetric and gynaecological practice.

PubMed Central

Biljan, M M; Hart, C A; Sunderland, D; Manasse, P R; Kingsland, C R

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To assess level of contamination of neckwear worn by gynaecologists and obstetricians during routine working week. DESIGN--Multicentre randomised double blind crossover trial. Participants wore the same conventional ties for three days in one week and bow ties for the same period in second week. SETTING--Two teaching and three district general hospitals in the midlands, Wales, and north England. SUBJECTS--15 registrars and senior registrars. INTERVENTIONS--A swab soaked in sterile saline was taken from specific area on ties at end of first and third working days and sent in transport medium for culture on chocolatised blood and MacConkey agar for 48 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Level of bacteriological growth assessed semiquantitatively (0 for no contamination; for heavy contamination) after swabs had been cultured. At end of study the participants completed a questionnaire to assess their attitude toward wearing different types of necktie. RESULTS--12 doctors (80%) completed the study. Although bow ties were significantly less contaminated at end of first working day (z = -2.354, p = 0.019), this difference was not maintained; there was no difference in level of contamination on third day. Level of contamination did not increase between first and third day of wearing the same garment. One of the 10 doctors who returned the questionnaire found the bow tie very uncomfortable. All participants would consider wearing a bow tie if it proved to be less contaminated than a conventional tie. CONCLUSIONS--Although a significant difference in contamination was established between conventional and bow ties on first day of study, this difference was not confirmed on third day and there is unlikely to be any real association between tie type and bacterial contamination. Because of its negative image and difficulty to tie, the bow tie will probably remain a minority fashion. Images p1583-a PMID:8292945

Determining the transfer length in prestressed concrete railroad ties produced in the United States.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-01

This paper presents results from transfer length measurements on prestressed concrete railroad ties. Results are shown from : the four main producers of concrete ties in the United States. Six prestressed concrete tie plants were visited by the : res...

Angiopoietin receptor Tie2 is required for vein specification and maintenance via regulating COUP-TFII.

PubMed

Chu, Man; Li, Taotao; Shen, Bin; Cao, Xudong; Zhong, Haoyu; Zhang, Luqing; Zhou, Fei; Ma, Wenjuan; Jiang, Haijuan; Xie, Pancheng; Liu, Zhengzheng; Dong, Ningzheng; Xu, Ying; Zhao, Yun; Xu, Guoqiang; Lu, Peirong; Luo, Jincai; Wu, Qingyu; Alitalo, Kari; Koh, Gou Young; Adams, Ralf H; He, Yulong

2016-12-22

Mechanisms underlying the vein development remain largely unknown. Tie2 signaling mediates endothelial cell (EC) survival and vascular maturation and its activating mutations are linked to venous malformations. Here we show that vein formation are disrupted in mouse skin and mesentery when Tie2 signals are diminished by targeted deletion of Tek either ubiquitously or specifically in embryonic ECs. Postnatal Tie2 attenuation resulted in the degeneration of newly formed veins followed by the formation of haemangioma-like vascular tufts in retina and venous tortuosity. Mechanistically, Tie2 insufficiency compromised venous EC identity, as indicated by a significant decrease of COUP-TFII protein level, a key regulator in venogenesis. Consistently, angiopoietin-1 stimulation increased COUP-TFII in cultured ECs, while Tie2 knockdown or blockade of Tie2 downstream PI3K/Akt pathway reduced COUP-TFII which could be reverted by the proteasome inhibition. Together, our results imply that Tie2 is essential for venous specification and maintenance via Akt mediated stabilization of COUP-TFII.

The ties that bind: Ingroup ties are linked with diminished inflammatory immune responses and fewer mental health symptoms through less rumination

PubMed Central

McQuaid, Robyn J.; McInnis, Opal A.; Anisman, Hymie; Matheson, Kimberly

2018-01-01

The present research explored whether components of social identity, namely ingroup ties, affect, and centrality, were differentially linked to mental health and inflammatory immune responses, and whether rumination mediated those relations. Study 1 (N = 138) indicated that stronger ingroup ties were associated with fewer mental health (depressive and post-traumatic stress) symptoms; those relations were mediated by the tendency for individuals with strong ties to rely less on ruminative coping to deal with a stressful life event. Study 2 (N = 54) demonstrated that ingroup ties were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, dispositional rumination, as well as stress-linked inflammatory elements at the physiological level. Consistent associations for centrality and ingroup affect were absent, suggesting that ingroup ties may have unique health benefits. PMID:29684053

Two-phase pressure drop reduction BWR assembly design

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

Dix, G.E.; Crowther, R.L.; Colby, M.J.

1991-05-21

This patent describes an improved fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor. It comprises: a fuel channel; a lower tie plate; an upper tie plate; the lower tie plate and the upper tie plate defining a two-dimensional matrix; at least one water rod the fuel rods being partial length rods.

Dyadic Interactions in Service Encounter: Bayesian SEM Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagan, Adam; Kowalska-Musiał, Magdalena

Dyadic interactions are an important aspects in service encounters. They may be observed in B2B distribution channels, professional services, buying centers, family decision making or WOM communications. The networks consist of dyadic bonds that form dense but weak ties among the actors.

21 CFR 876.5820 - Hemodialysis system and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... chair without a scale, the dialyzer holder set, dialysis tie gun and ties, and hemodialysis start/stop..., dialyzer holder set, and dialysis tie gun and ties. The devices subject to this paragraph (b)(2) are exempt from the premarket notification procedures in subpart E of part 807 of this chapter subject to the...

77 FR 21620 - Notice of the Buy America Waiver Request for Vossloh 101-LV Concrete Ties

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-10

... the Buy America Waiver Request for Vossloh 101-LV Concrete Ties AGENCY: Federal Railroad... concrete ties, which contain certain components not manufactured in the United States. In furtherance of... concrete ties. FRA has received this request from the four States for the following projects: (a) The...

78 FR 75545 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-12

... Rail Tie Wire From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair... (``Department'') preliminarily determines that prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire (``PC tie wire'') from... steel wire; stress relieved or low relaxation; indented or otherwise deformed; meeting at a minimum the...

Angiopoietin receptor Tie2 is required for vein specification and maintenance via regulating COUP-TFII

PubMed Central

Chu, Man; Li, Taotao; Shen, Bin; Cao, Xudong; Zhong, Haoyu; Zhang, Luqing; Zhou, Fei; Ma, Wenjuan; Jiang, Haijuan; Xie, Pancheng; Liu, Zhengzheng; Dong, Ningzheng; Xu, Ying; Zhao, Yun; Xu, Guoqiang; Lu, Peirong; Luo, Jincai; Wu, Qingyu; Alitalo, Kari; Koh, Gou Young; Adams, Ralf H; He, Yulong

2016-01-01

Mechanisms underlying the vein development remain largely unknown. Tie2 signaling mediates endothelial cell (EC) survival and vascular maturation and its activating mutations are linked to venous malformations. Here we show that vein formation are disrupted in mouse skin and mesentery when Tie2 signals are diminished by targeted deletion of Tek either ubiquitously or specifically in embryonic ECs. Postnatal Tie2 attenuation resulted in the degeneration of newly formed veins followed by the formation of haemangioma-like vascular tufts in retina and venous tortuosity. Mechanistically, Tie2 insufficiency compromised venous EC identity, as indicated by a significant decrease of COUP-TFII protein level, a key regulator in venogenesis. Consistently, angiopoietin-1 stimulation increased COUP-TFII in cultured ECs, while Tie2 knockdown or blockade of Tie2 downstream PI3K/Akt pathway reduced COUP-TFII which could be reverted by the proteasome inhibition. Together, our results imply that Tie2 is essential for venous specification and maintenance via Akt mediated stabilization of COUP-TFII. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21032.001 PMID:28005008

Ambivalent versus Problematic Social Ties: Implications for Psychological Health, Functional Health, and Interpersonal Coping

PubMed Central

Rook, Karen S.; Luong, Gloria; Sorkin, Dara H.; Newsom, Jason T.; Krause, Neal

2013-01-01

Older adults often seek to manage their social networks to foster positive interactions, but they nonetheless sometimes experience negative interactions that detract from their health and well-being. Negative interactions may occur with ambivalent social partners (i.e., partners involved in both positive and negative exchanges) or exclusively problematic social partners (i.e., partners involved negative exchanges only), but conflicting views exist in the literature regarding which type of social partner is likely to be more detrimental to older adults’ physical and emotional health. This study examined the implications of the two kinds of network members for physical and psychological health and interpersonal coping responses in a representative sample of 916 older adults. Within this elderly sample, older age was associated with fewer ambivalent kin ties and fewer exclusively problematic kin ties. Analyses revealed that ambivalent social ties were more strongly related to functional health limitations than were exclusively problematic social ties, whereas problematic ties were more consistently related to psychological health than were ambivalent ties. Furthermore, negative exchanges that occurred with exclusively problematic social ties, as compared to those that occurred with ambivalent social ties, were associated with more avoidant and fewer conciliatory coping responses, stronger and longer-lasting negative emotions, and lower perceived coping effectiveness. A comprehensive understanding of the significance of social network ties in older adults’ lives may benefit not only from attention to sources of social support but also from efforts to distinguish between different sources of conflict and disappointment. PMID:22775360

Tie-fibre structure and organization in the knee menisci

PubMed Central

Andrews, Stephen H J; Rattner, Jerome B; Abusara, Ziad; Adesida, Adetola; Shrive, Nigel G; Ronsky, Janet L

2014-01-01

The collagenous structure of the knee menisci is integral to the mechanical integrity of the tissue and the knee joint. The tie-fibre structure of the tissue has largely been neglected, despite previous studies demonstrating its correlation with radial stiffness. This study has evaluated the structure of the tie-fibres of bovine menisci using 2D and 3D microscopy techniques. Standard collagen and proteoglycan (PG) staining and 2D light microscopy techniques were conducted. For the first time, the collagenous structure of the menisci was evaluated using 3D, second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. This technique facilitated the imaging of collagen structure in thick sections (50–100 μm). Imaging identified that tie-fibres of the menisci arborize from the outer margin of the meniscus toward the inner tip. This arborization is associated with the structural arrangement of the circumferential fibres. SHG microscopy has definitively demonstrated the 3D organization of tie-fibres in both sheets and bundles. The hierarchy of the structure is related to the organization of circumferential fascicles. Large tie-fibre sheets bifurcate into smaller sheets to surround circumferential fascicles of decreasing size. The tie-fibres emanate from the lamellar layer that appears to surround the entire meniscus. At the tibial and femoral surfaces these tie-fibre sheets branch perpendicularly into the meniscal body. The relationship between tie-fibres and blood vessels in the menisci was also observed in this study. Tie-fibre sheets surround the blood vessels and an associated PG-rich region. This subunit of the menisci has not previously been described. The size of tie-fibre sheets surrounding the vessels appeared to be associated with the size of blood vessel. These structural findings have implications in understanding the mechanics of the menisci. Further, refinement of the complex structure of the tie-fibres is important in understanding the consequences of injury and disease in the menisci. The framework of meniscus architecture also defines benchmarks for the development of tissue-engineered replacements in the future. PMID:24617800

Who Can You Turn to? Tie Activation within Core Business Discussion Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renzulli, Linda A.; Aldrich, Howard

2005-01-01

We examine the connection between personal network characteristics and the activation of ties for access to resources during routine times. We focus on factors affecting business owners' use of their core network ties to obtain legal, loan, financial and expert advice. Owners rely more on core business ties when their core networks contain a high…

78 FR 75544 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-12

... Rail Tie Wire From Mexico: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Postponement...'') preliminarily determines that prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire (``PC tie wire'') from Mexico is being... covered by this investigation is high carbon steel wire; stress relieved or low relaxation; indented or...

78 FR 57619 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, Thailand, and the People's Republic of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-19

...] Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China... prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire from Mexico, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China. See Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, the People's Republic of China, and Thailand: Initiation...

Utilizing combinatorial engineering to develop Tie2 targeting antagonistic angiopoetin-2 ligands as candidates for anti-angiogenesis therapy.

PubMed

Shlamkovich, Tomer; Aharon, Lidan; Barton, William A; Papo, Niv

2017-05-16

In many human cancers, the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Tie2 plays important roles in mediating proliferation, survival, migration and angiogenesis. Thus, molecules that could potently inhibit activation of the Tie2 receptor would have a significant impact on cancer therapy. Nevertheless, attempts to develop Tie2-targeted inhibitors have met with little success, and there is currently no FDA-approved therapeutic selectively targeting Tie2. We used a combinatorial protein engineering approach to develop a new generation of angiopoietin (Ang)2-derived Tie2 antagonists as potential cancer therapeutics and as tools to study angiogenesis. The construct for designing a yeast surface display (YSD) library of potential antagonists was an Ang2 binding domain (Ang2-BD) that retains Tie2 binding ability but prevents ligand multimerization and receptor dimerization and activation. This mutant library was then screened by quantitative high-throughput flow cytometric sorting to identify Ang2-BD variants with increased expression, stability and affinity to Tie2. The selected variants were recombinantly expressed and showed high affinity to soluble and cellular Tie2 and strongly inhibited both Tie2 phosphorylation and endothelial capillary tube formation and cell invasion compared to the parental Ang2-BD. The significance of the study lies in the insight it provides into the sequence-structure-function relationships and mechanism of action of the antagonistic Ang mutants. The approach of using a natural protein ligand as a molecular scaffold for engineering high-affinity agents can be applied to other ligands to create functional protein antagonists against additional biomedical targets.

A longitudinal examination of the bidirectional association between sleep problems and social ties at university: the mediating role of emotion regulation.

PubMed

Tavernier, Royette; Willoughby, Teena

2015-02-01

Despite the growing body of research linking sleep problems and social ties, research investigating the direction of effects between these two constructs is lacking. Furthermore, there remains a dearth of research examining the mechanisms that may explain the association between sleep problems and social ties within a longitudinal design. The present 3-year longitudinal study addressed two research questions: (1) Is there a bidirectional association between sleep problems and social ties at university? and (2) Does emotion regulation mediate the association between sleep problems and social ties at university? Participants (N = 942, 71.5% female; M = 19.01 years at Time 1, SD = 0.90) were university students who completed annual assessments of sleep problems, social ties, and emotion regulation, for three consecutive years. Results of path analysis indicated that the bidirectional association between sleep problems and social ties was statistically significant (controlling for demographics, sleep-wake inconsistency, sleep duration, and alcohol). Analyses of indirect effects indicated that emotion regulation mediated this link, such that better sleep quality (i.e., less sleep problems) led to more effective emotion regulation, which, subsequently, led to more positive social ties. In addition, more positive social ties led to more effective emotion regulation, which, in turn, led to less sleep problems. The findings highlight the critical role that emotional regulation plays in the link between sleep problems and social ties, and emphasize the need for students as well as university administration to pay close attention to both the sleep and social environment of university students.

Recovery from radiation-induced bone marrow damage by HSP25 through Tie2 signaling.

PubMed

Lee, Hae-June; Kwon, Hee-Chung; Chung, Hee-Yong; Lee, Yoon-Jin; Lee, Yun-Sil

2012-09-01

Whole-body radiation therapy can cause severe injury to the hematopoietic system, and therefore it is necessary to identify a novel strategy for overcoming this injury. Mice were irradiated with 4.5 Gy after heat shock protein 25 (HSP25) gene transfer using an adenoviral vector. Then, peripheral blood cell counts, histopathological analysis, and Western blotting on bone marrow (BM) cells were performed. The interaction of HSP25 with Tie2 was investigated with mouse OP9 and human BM-derived mesenchymal stem cells to determine the mechanism of HSP25 in the hematopoietic system. HSP25 transfer increased BM regeneration and reduced apoptosis following whole-body exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). The decrease in Tie2 protein expression that followed irradiation of the BM was blocked by HSP25 transfer, and Tie2-positive cells were more abundant among the BM cells of HSP25-transferred mice, even after IR exposure. Following systemic RNA interference of Tie2 before IR, HSP25-mediated radioprotective effects were partially blocked in both mice and cell line systems. Stability of Tie2 was increased by HSP25, a response mediated by the interaction of HSP25 with Tie2. IR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Tie2 was augmented by HSP25 overexpression; downstream events in the Tie2 signaling pathway, including phosphorylation of AKT and EKR1/2, were also activated. HSP25 protects against radiation-induced BM damage by interacting with and stabilizing Tie2. This may be a novel strategy for HSP25-mediated radioprotection in BM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolution of Bow-Tie Architectures in Biology

PubMed Central

Friedlander, Tamar; Mayo, Avraham E.; Tlusty, Tsvi; Alon, Uri

2015-01-01

Bow-tie or hourglass structure is a common architectural feature found in many biological systems. A bow-tie in a multi-layered structure occurs when intermediate layers have much fewer components than the input and output layers. Examples include metabolism where a handful of building blocks mediate between multiple input nutrients and multiple output biomass components, and signaling networks where information from numerous receptor types passes through a small set of signaling pathways to regulate multiple output genes. Little is known, however, about how bow-tie architectures evolve. Here, we address the evolution of bow-tie architectures using simulations of multi-layered systems evolving to fulfill a given input-output goal. We find that bow-ties spontaneously evolve when the information in the evolutionary goal can be compressed. Mathematically speaking, bow-ties evolve when the rank of the input-output matrix describing the evolutionary goal is deficient. The maximal compression possible (the rank of the goal) determines the size of the narrowest part of the network—that is the bow-tie. A further requirement is that a process is active to reduce the number of links in the network, such as product-rule mutations, otherwise a non-bow-tie solution is found in the evolutionary simulations. This offers a mechanism to understand a common architectural principle of biological systems, and a way to quantitate the effective rank of the goals under which they evolved. PMID:25798588

The evolution of prompt reaction to adverse ties.

PubMed

Van Segbroeck, Sven; Santos, Francisco C; Nowé, Ann; Pacheco, Jorge M; Lenaerts, Tom

2008-10-17

In recent years it has been found that the combination of evolutionary game theory with population structures modelled in terms of dynamical graphs, in which individuals are allowed to sever unwanted social ties while keeping the good ones, provides a viable solution to the conundrum of cooperation. It is well known that in reality individuals respond differently to disadvantageous interactions. Yet, the evolutionary mechanism determining the individuals' willingness to sever unfavourable ties remains unclear. We introduce a novel way of thinking about the joint evolution of cooperation and social contacts. The struggle for survival between cooperators and defectors leads to an arms race for swiftness in adjusting social ties, based purely on a self-regarding, individual judgement. Since defectors are never able to establish social ties under mutual agreement, they break adverse ties more rapidly than cooperators, who tend to evolve stable and long-term relations. Ironically, defectors' constant search for partners to exploit leads to heterogeneous networks that improve the survivability of cooperators, compared to the traditional homogenous population assumption. When communities face the prisoner's dilemma, swift reaction to adverse ties evolves when competition is fierce between cooperators and defectors, providing an evolutionary basis for the necessity of individuals to adjust their social ties. Our results show how our innate resilience to change relates to mutual agreement between cooperators and how "loyalty" or persistent social ties bring along an evolutionary disadvantage, both from an individual and group perspective.

Tie2 signaling cooperates with TNF to promote the pro-inflammatory activation of human macrophages independently of macrophage functional phenotype.

PubMed

García, Samuel; Krausz, Sarah; Ambarus, Carmen A; Fernández, Beatriz Malvar; Hartkamp, Linda M; van Es, Inge E; Hamann, Jörg; Baeten, Dominique L; Tak, Paul P; Reedquist, Kris A

2014-01-01

Angiopoietin (Ang) -1 and -2 and their receptor Tie2 play critical roles in regulating angiogenic processes during development, homeostasis, tumorigenesis, inflammation and tissue repair. Tie2 signaling is best characterized in endothelial cells, but a subset of human and murine circulating monocytes/macrophages essential to solid tumor formation express Tie2 and display immunosuppressive properties consistent with M2 macrophage polarization. However, we have recently shown that Tie2 is strongly activated in pro-inflammatory macrophages present in rheumatoid arthritis patient synovial tissue. Here we examined the relationship between Tie2 expression and function during human macrophage polarization. Tie2 expression was observed under all polarization conditions, but was highest in IFN-γ and IL-10 -differentiated macrophages. While TNF enhanced expression of a common restricted set of genes involved in angiogenesis and inflammation in GM-CSF, IFN-γ and IL-10 -differentiated macrophages, expression of multiple chemokines and cytokines, including CXCL3, CXCL5, CXCL8, IL6, and IL12B was further augmented in the presence of Ang-1 and Ang-2, via Tie2 activation of JAK/STAT signaling. Conditioned medium from macrophages stimulated with Ang-1 or Ang-2 in combination with TNF, sustained monocyte recruitment. Our findings suggest a general role for Tie2 in cooperatively promoting the inflammatory activation of macrophages, independently of polarization conditions.

Neural dynamics of social tie formation in economic decision-making.

PubMed

Bault, Nadège; Pelloux, Benjamin; Fahrenfort, Johannes J; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; van Winden, Frans

2015-06-01

The disposition for prosocial conduct, which contributes to cooperation as arising during social interaction, requires cortical network dynamics responsive to the development of social ties, or care about the interests of specific interaction partners. Here, we formulate a dynamic computational model that accurately predicted how tie formation, driven by the interaction history, influences decisions to contribute in a public good game. We used model-driven functional MRI to test the hypothesis that brain regions key to social interactions keep track of dynamics in tie strength. Activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex tracked the individual's public good contributions. Activation in the bilateral posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), and temporo-parietal junction was modulated parametrically by the dynamically developing social tie-as estimated by our model-supporting a role of these regions in social tie formation. Activity in these two regions further reflected inter-individual differences in tie persistence and sensitivity to behavior of the interaction partner. Functional connectivity between pSTS and mPFC activations indicated that the representation of social ties is integrated in the decision process. These data reveal the brain mechanisms underlying the integration of interaction dynamics into a social tie representation which in turn influenced the individual's prosocial decisions. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stepfamily Formation: Implications for Adolescent Ties to Mothers, Nonresident Fathers, and Stepfathers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Valarie

2009-01-01

This study examines how the entrance of a stepfather influences adolescent ties to mothers and nonresident fathers and how prior ties to each biological parent influence the development of stepfather-stepchild ties. Data come from 1,753 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health who lived with a single mother in Wave 1 who…

Coexpression of Ang1 and Tie2 in Odontoblasts of Mouse Developing and Mature Teeth—A New Insight into Dentinogenesis

PubMed Central

Nakajima, Kazunori; Shibata, Yasuaki; Hishikawa, Yoshitaka; Suematsu, Takashi; Mori, Masako; Fukuhara, Shigetomo; Koji, Takehiko; Sawase, Takashi; Ikeda, Tohru

2014-01-01

Angiopoietin-1 regulates vascular angiogenesis and stabilization, and is reported to promote bone formation by facilitating angiogenesis. To estimate the role of Ang1 in odontogenesis, we explored the distribution of Ang1 and the receptor, Tie2 in the mouse developing and mature first molar of the mandible. At embryonic day 18, when differentiation of odontoblasts begins, immunosignals for Ang1 were intensely detected in the basement membrane and the distal side, which faced the basement membrane of odontoblasts. In situ hybridization revealed that Ang1 was expressed in odontoblasts and ameloblasts facing the basement membrane. Tie2 was localized in the distal side of odontoblasts. After birth, Ang1 was detected in the predentin, whereas both Ang1 and Tie2 were colocalized in odontoblasts and odontoblast processes. These distributions were retained up to 8 weeks. In contrast to odontoblasts, ameloblasts, cementoblasts and osteoblasts expressed Ang1 but did not express Tie2. Colocalization of Ang1 and Tie2 in odontoblasts and selective expression of Tie2 in odontoblasts among cells responsible for calcified tissue formation suggested the involvement of autocrine signals of Ang1-Tie2 in dentinogenesis. PMID:24761046

Social capital and core network ties: a validation study of individual-level social capital measures and their association with extra- and intra-neighborhood ties, and self-rated health.

PubMed

Moore, Spencer; Bockenholt, Ulf; Daniel, Mark; Frohlich, Katherine; Kestens, Yan; Richard, Lucie

2011-03-01

Research on social capital and health has assumed that measures of trust, participation, and perceived cohesion capture aspects of people's neighborhood social connections. This study uses data on the personal networks of 2707 Montreal adults in 300 different neighborhoods to examine the association of socio-demographic and social capital variables with the likelihood of having core ties, core neighborhood ties, and high self-rated health (SRH). Persons with higher household income were more likely to have core ties, but less likely to have core neighborhood ties. Persons with greater diversity in extra-neighborhood network capital were more likely to have core ties, and persons with greater diversity in intra-neighborhood network capital were more likely to have core neighborhood ties. Generalized trust, perceived neighborhood cohesion, and extra-neighborhood network diversity were shown associated with high SRH. Conventional measures of social capital may not capture network mechanisms. Findings suggest a critical appraisal of the mechanisms linking social capital and health, and the further delineation of network and psychosocial mechanisms in understanding these links. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social support and social interaction ties on internet addiction: integrating online and offline contexts.

PubMed

Wang, Edward Shih-Tse; Wang, Michael Chih-Hung

2013-11-01

This study explores the relationship between social support and social interaction ties on Internet addiction by integrating both online and offline social encounters. A total of 1,642 members of online social communities participated in this research, for which structural equation modeling was used for analysis. The findings show that social support is positively associated with social interaction ties in both online and offline contexts. In addition, online social support and online social interaction ties are positively associated with Internet addiction, whereas offline social support and social interaction ties on Internet addiction are negatively associated. This finding has important implications not only for understanding the cause of Internet addiction but also for understanding the diminishing Internet addiction due to social support and social interaction ties.

49 CFR 195.308 - Testing of tie-ins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Pressure Testing § 195.308 Testing of tie-ins. Pipe associated with tie-ins must be pressure...

49 CFR 195.308 - Testing of tie-ins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Pressure Testing § 195.308 Testing of tie-ins. Pipe associated with tie-ins must be pressure...

49 CFR 195.308 - Testing of tie-ins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Pressure Testing § 195.308 Testing of tie-ins. Pipe associated with tie-ins must be pressure...

49 CFR 195.308 - Testing of tie-ins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Pressure Testing § 195.308 Testing of tie-ins. Pipe associated with tie-ins must be pressure...

49 CFR 195.308 - Testing of tie-ins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Pressure Testing § 195.308 Testing of tie-ins. Pipe associated with tie-ins must be pressure...

27 CFR 6.72 - “Tie-in” sales.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false âTie-inâ sales. 6.72 Section 6.72 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS âTIED-HOUSEâ Unlawful Inducements Quota Sales § 6.72 “Tie-in” sales. The act by an industry member of requiring that a...

The Arabidopsis RING-Type E3 Ligase TEAR1 Controls Leaf Development by Targeting the TIE1 Transcriptional Repressor for Degradation[OPEN

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jinzhe; Wei, Baoye; Yuan, Rongrong; Yu, Hao

2017-01-01

The developmental plasticity of leaf size and shape is important for leaf function and plant survival. However, the mechanisms by which plants form diverse leaves in response to environmental conditions are not well understood. Here, we identified TIE1-ASSOCIATED RING-TYPE E3 LIGASE1 (TEAR1) and found that it regulates leaf development by promoting the degradation of TCP INTERACTOR-CONTAINING EAR MOTIF PROTEIN1 (TIE1), an important repressor of CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factors, which are key for leaf development. TEAR1 contains a typical C3H2C3-type RING domain and has E3 ligase activity. We show that TEAR1 interacts with the TCP repressor TIE1, which is ubiquitinated in vivo and degraded by the 26S proteasome system. We demonstrate that TEAR1 is colocalized with TIE1 in nuclei and negatively regulates TIE1 protein levels. Overexpression of TEAR1 rescued leaf defects caused by TIE1 overexpression, whereas disruption of TEAR1 resulted in leaf phenotypes resembling those caused by TIE1 overexpression or TCP dysfunction. Deficiency in TEAR partially rescued the leaf defects of TCP4 overexpression line and enhanced the wavy leaf phenotypes of jaw-5D. We propose that TEAR1 positively regulates CIN-like TCP activity to promote leaf development by mediating the degradation of the TCP repressor TIE1. PMID:28100709

The evolution of prompt reaction to adverse ties

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background In recent years it has been found that the combination of evolutionary game theory with population structures modelled in terms of dynamical graphs, in which individuals are allowed to sever unwanted social ties while keeping the good ones, provides a viable solution to the conundrum of cooperation. It is well known that in reality individuals respond differently to disadvantageous interactions. Yet, the evolutionary mechanism determining the individuals' willingness to sever unfavourable ties remains unclear. Results We introduce a novel way of thinking about the joint evolution of cooperation and social contacts. The struggle for survival between cooperators and defectors leads to an arms race for swiftness in adjusting social ties, based purely on a self-regarding, individual judgement. Since defectors are never able to establish social ties under mutual agreement, they break adverse ties more rapidly than cooperators, who tend to evolve stable and long-term relations. Ironically, defectors' constant search for partners to exploit leads to heterogeneous networks that improve the survivability of cooperators, compared to the traditional homogenous population assumption. Conclusion When communities face the prisoner's dilemma, swift reaction to adverse ties evolves when competition is fierce between cooperators and defectors, providing an evolutionary basis for the necessity of individuals to adjust their social ties. Our results show how our innate resilience to change relates to mutual agreement between cooperators and how "loyalty" or persistent social ties bring along an evolutionary disadvantage, both from an individual and group perspective. PMID:18928551

Neighborhoods and Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: The Direct and Interactive Effects of Social Ties and Collective Efficacy.

PubMed

Wright, Emily M; Skubak Tillyer, Marie

2017-06-01

This study examines the impact of several indicators of neighborhood social ties (e.g., residents' interactions with each other; residents' ability to recognize outsiders) on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women as well as whether neighborhood collective efficacy's impact on IPV is contingent upon such ties. This study used data from 4,151 women (46% Latina, 33% African American, 17% Caucasian, on average 32 years old) in 80 neighborhoods from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. We estimated a series of random effects hierarchical Bernoulli models to assess the main and interactive effects of neighborhood social ties and collective efficacy on minor and severe forms of IPV against women. Results indicate that certain neighborhood social ties are associated with higher rates of minor forms of IPV against women (but not severe forms of IPV), and collective efficacy does not appear to influence IPV against women, regardless of the level of individual or neighborhood social ties. Unlike street crime, collective efficacy does not significantly reduce IPV against women, even in neighborhoods with strong social ties that may facilitate awareness of the violence. In fact, perpetrators of minor IPV may enjoy some protective benefit in communities with social ties that make neighbors hesitant to intervene in what some might perceive as "private matters."

Role of intratumoral infiltrating macrophages after transarterial immunoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Kenjo, Akira; Sato, Tetsu; Marubashi, Shigeru; Saito, Takuro; Tsuchiya, Takao; Kimura, Takashi; Sato, Naoya; Takahashi, Atsushi; Ohira, Hiromasa; Gotoh, Mitsukazu

2016-05-01

Preoperative transarterial immunoembolization (TIE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is effective for preventing recurrence. We aimed to investigate the intratumoral and peritumoral M1 macrophage-induced immune response following TIE treatment. We compared 13 patients treated with TIE between 2003 and 2009 (TIE group) and 13 patients treated with surgery alone during the same period of time at our institute (control group) using an immunohistological study with CD68 and CD163 antibodies. No significant differences in clinicopathological characteristics, except for surgical time, were observed between the two groups. The 3-year recurrence-free survival outcome of the TIE group was quite different from that of the control group (100% vs. 38.5%, P = 0.034). In the histological investigation, lytic necrosis and coagulation necrosis of the main tumor along with the presence of multinuclear giant cells were observed in 10 of the 13 patients in the TIE group. The immunohistological study showed that not only the numbers of intratumoral CD68(+) cells, but also the numbers of intratumoral and peritumoral CD8(+) cells were significantly increased in the TIE group. The suppression of tumor recurrence induced by preoperative TIE might be induced by intratumoral M1 macrophages that are activated by OK-432 and fibrinogen. © 2016 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

Impact of Cross-Tie Properties on the Modal Behavior of Cable Networks on Cable-Stayed Bridges

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Javaid; Ghrib, Faouzi

2015-01-01

Dynamic behaviour of cable networks is highly dependent on the installation location, stiffness, and damping of cross-ties. Thus, these are the important design parameters for a cable network. While the effects of the former two on the network response have been investigated to some extent in the past, the impact of cross-tie damping has rarely been addressed. To comprehend our knowledge of mechanics associated with cable networks, in the current study, an analytical model of a cable network will be proposed by taking into account both cross-tie stiffness and damping. In addition, the damping property of main cables in the network will also be considered in the formulation. This would allow exploring not only the effectiveness of a cross-tie design on enhancing the in-plane stiffness of a constituted cable network, but also its energy dissipation capacity. The proposed analytical model will be applied to networks with different configurations. The influence of cross-tie stiffness and damping on the modal response of various types of networks will be investigated by using the corresponding undamped rigid cross-tie network as a reference base. Results will provide valuable information on the selection of cross-tie properties to achieve more effective cable vibration control. PMID:26167539

Impact of Cross-Tie Properties on the Modal Behavior of Cable Networks on Cable-Stayed Bridges.

PubMed

Ahmad, Javaid; Cheng, Shaohong; Ghrib, Faouzi

2015-01-01

Dynamic behaviour of cable networks is highly dependent on the installation location, stiffness, and damping of cross-ties. Thus, these are the important design parameters for a cable network. While the effects of the former two on the network response have been investigated to some extent in the past, the impact of cross-tie damping has rarely been addressed. To comprehend our knowledge of mechanics associated with cable networks, in the current study, an analytical model of a cable network will be proposed by taking into account both cross-tie stiffness and damping. In addition, the damping property of main cables in the network will also be considered in the formulation. This would allow exploring not only the effectiveness of a cross-tie design on enhancing the in-plane stiffness of a constituted cable network, but also its energy dissipation capacity. The proposed analytical model will be applied to networks with different configurations. The influence of cross-tie stiffness and damping on the modal response of various types of networks will be investigated by using the corresponding undamped rigid cross-tie network as a reference base. Results will provide valuable information on the selection of cross-tie properties to achieve more effective cable vibration control.

The TIE1 Transcriptional Repressor Links TCP Transcription Factors with TOPLESS/TOPLESS-RELATED Corepressors and Modulates Leaf Development in Arabidopsis[W

PubMed Central

Tao, Qing; Guo, Dongshu; Wei, Baoye; Zhang, Fan; Pang, Changxu; Jiang, Hao; Zhang, Jinzhe; Wei, Tong; Gu, Hongya; Qu, Li-Jia; Qin, Genji

2013-01-01

Leaf size and shape are mainly determined by coordinated cell division and differentiation in lamina. The CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factors are key regulators of leaf development. However, the mechanisms that control TCP activities during leaf development are largely unknown. We identified the TCP Interactor containing EAR motif protein1 (TIE1), a novel transcriptional repressor, as a major modulator of TCP activities during leaf development. Overexpression of TIE1 leads to hyponastic and serrated leaves, whereas disruption of TIE1 causes epinastic leaves. TIE1 is expressed in young leaves and encodes a transcriptional repressor containing a C-terminal EAR motif, which mediates interactions with the TOPLESS (TPL)/TOPLESS-RELATED (TPR) corepressors. In addition, TIE1 physically interacts with CIN-like TCPs. We propose that TIE1 regulates leaf size and morphology by inhibiting the activities of TCPs through recruiting the TPL/TPR corepressors to form a tertiary complex at early stages of leaf development. PMID:23444332

Cross-border ties as a source of risk and resilience: Do cross-border ties moderate the relationship between migration-related stress and psychological distress among Latino migrants in the United States?

PubMed Central

Torres, Jacqueline M.; Alcántara, Carmela; Rudolph, Kara E.; Viruell-Fuentes, Edna A.

2017-01-01

Few studies have examined the associations between health and the cross-border ties that migrants maintain with their family members in communities of origin. We draw on theory related to social ties, ethnic identity, and mental health to examine cross-border ties as potential moderators of the association between migration-related stress and psychological distress among Latino migrants. Using data from the National Latino and Asian American Survey, we find that remittance sending is associated with significantly lower levels of psychological distress for Cuban migrants, and difficulty visiting home is associated with significantly greater psychological distress for Puerto Rican migrants. There were significant associations between migration-related stressors and psychological distress, although these associations fell to non-significance after accounting for multiple testing. We found little evidence that cross-border ties either buffer or exacerbate the association between migration-related stressors and psychological distress. We consider the findings within the current political and historical context of cross-border ties and separation. PMID:27803264

[Medical equipment companies and their ties with technology development centers in Mexico].

PubMed

Hernández, B; Arredondo, A; Cruz, C; Sánchez, E; Damián, T

1993-10-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of the companies that produce, distribute, and service medical equipment in Mexico and the factors related to whether or not they had established ties with research and technology development centers. The data analyzed came from a survey of such companies carried out in Mexico City and environs in 1989. The information was updated in 1991. Multivariate analyses were carried out in order to identify the characteristics of companies that had established ties or wished to do so and the areas of interest of those companies. Of 208 companies surveyed, only 23% had ties with research centers. The companies that had such ties or were interested in establishing them tended to invest in research and to have made plans for expansion. The establishment of ties appeared to be a two-way process, with positive consequences for the companies involved, the research centers, and the health sector. It was concluded that it would be advantageous to design programs to promote ties with companies having the characteristics mentioned.

Cross-border Ties as Sources of Risk and Resilience: Do Cross-border Ties Moderate the Relationship between Migration-related Stress and Psychological Distress for Latino Migrants in the United States?

PubMed

Torres, Jacqueline M; Alcántara, Carmela; Rudolph, Kara E; Viruell-Fuentes, Edna A

2016-12-01

Few studies have examined the associations between health and the cross-border ties that migrants maintain with their family members in communities of origin. We draw on theory related to social ties, ethnic identity, and mental health to examine cross-border ties as potential moderators of the association between migration-related stress and psychological distress among Latino migrants. Using data from the National Latino and Asian American Survey, we find that remittance sending is associated with significantly lower levels of psychological distress for Cuban migrants, and difficulty visiting home is associated with significantly greater psychological distress for Puerto Rican migrants. There were significant associations between migration-related stressors and psychological distress, although these associations fell to nonsignificance after accounting for multiple testing. We found little evidence that cross-border ties either buffer or exacerbate the association between migration-related stressors and psychological distress. We consider the findings within the current political and historical context of cross-border ties and separation. © American Sociological Association 2016.

Performance evaluation of concrete railroad ties on the northeast corridor.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-01

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. conducted an investigation into the factors that caused widespread failure in prestressed concrete : railroad ties on the Northeast Corridor. The problem was apparent in ties manufactured and installed circa 19941998....

The Missing Link: the Role of Floodplain Tie Channels in Connecting Off River Water Bodies to Lowland Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowland, J. C.; Dietrich, W. E.; Day, G.

2005-05-01

Along lowland river systems across the globe the exchange of water, sediment, carbon, nutrients and biota between main stem rivers and off-river water bodies (ORWB) is facilitated by the presence of stable secondary channels referred to here as tie channels. Sixty five percent of the ORWB along the middle Fly River in Papua New Guinea connect to the river through such channels. A similar percentage of the 37 ORWB located between Baton Rouge and Memphis on the lower Mississippi River at one time were linked to the river by tie or batture (as they are locally known) channels. Levee construction and other alterations aimed at flood control or navigation on the Mississippi have left only a handful of lakes connected to the river, of these, most are heavily altered by dredging or other modifications. Tie channels were also once common along major tributaries to the Mississippi, such as the Red River. In the much less disturbed Alaskan environment, tie channels are still common, especially along Birch Creek and the Koyukuk and Black rivers. Our studies on the Mississippi River, in Alaska and in Papua New Guinea indicate that tie channels possess a common channel form that is stable and self-maintaining for hundreds to possibly a thousand years. Tie channels exhibit narrow width to depth ratios (~ 5.5) and consistently scale in cross-sectional dimensions to the size of the lake into which they flow. Variations in river and lake stage drive flow bi-directionally through tie channels. A local high or sill in the bed of tie channels controls the degree and duration of connection between the river and ORWB, with many lakes becoming isolated during periods of low stage. The life-span of a tie channel depends on the rate of sediment loading to the ORWB. Our research indicates that this rate directly corresponds to the sediment loading in the main stem river. Along the Fly River, for example, a 5 to 7 fold increase in the river sediment load has resulted increases of 6 to 17 times in tie channel progradation rates. In a few instances Fly River tie channels have become filled with sediment following the increase in sediment loading. The precise role of tie channels in the ecology of lowland river systems has yet to be quantified, but given their critical role in connecting rivers with floodplain habitats it is likely they provide an important source of refuge, breeding habitat, and biomass production for many aquatic organisms. As restoration efforts increasingly focus on the improving or reestablishing connectivity between lowland rivers and their floodplains, consideration should be given as to whether tie channels are an important missing component of such systems.

Credit Squeeze Exposes Weaknesses in Investments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blumenstyk, Goldie; Field, Kelly

2008-01-01

This article reports that the credit crisis tying global financing systems into knots has left hundreds of colleges scrambling for cash to pay their bills and to cover the spiking interest on their debts. While it is still unclear to what extent the federal government's new $700-billion bailout package will help unwind the credit tangle, the…

Social Network Perspectives Reveal Strength of Academic Developers as Weak Ties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Kelly E.; Crampton, Andrea; Hill, Matthew; Johnson, Elizabeth D.; Sharma, Manjula D.; Varsavsky, Cristina

2015-01-01

Social network perspectives acknowledge the influence of disciplinary cultures on academics' teaching beliefs and practices with implications for academic developers. The contribution of academic developers in 18 scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) projects situated in the sciences are explored by drawing on data from a two-year national…

Whose Evidence Is It Anyway?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorard, Stephen

2008-01-01

When governments and pressure groups attend only to research that suits their political purposes, it makes a mockery of the idea of evidence-informed policy and practice. In this article, the author cites examples of research that picked up weak and misleading evidence for political purposes. The author argues that researchers are tied in to the…

Teaching to the Tails: Teacher Performance Pay and the Distribution of Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loyalka, Prashant; Sylvia, Sean; Liu, Chengfang; Chu, James; Rozelle, Scott

2015-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that teachers in developing countries often have weak or misaligned incentives for improving student outcomes. In response, policymakers and researchers have proposed performance pay as a way to improve student outcomes by tying concrete measures like achievement scores to teacher pay. While evidence from randomized…

Associations Between Long-Term Gang Membership and Informal Social Control Processes, Drug Use, and Delinquent Behavior Among Mexican American Youth

PubMed Central

Cepeda, Alice; Saint Onge, Jarron M.; Nowotny, Kathryn M.; Valdez, Avelardo

2018-01-01

Research has found that among juveniles weak ties to informal social control entities such as parents, school, and conventional peers increase the probability of the initiation and continuation of deviant behaviors such as drug use and crime. Given the weak ties of formal social control mechanisms in highly disadvantaged communities, informal social control mechanisms are often an important deterrent that reduce or moderate engagement in deviant behaviors among serious and persistent offenders. This analysis examines the association between long-term gang membership and adolescent informal social control processes, drug use, and delinquency. This research is based on data from a study of 160 Mexican American male gang members between the ages of 16 and 20. Findings suggest that among gang members in this context, commonly studied informal control mechanisms such as the family and schools do not function to deter long-term gang membership that is associated with serious criminal and violent behavior and drug use. The implications for future research on desistance or continuation of antisocial behavior across the life course are discussed. PMID:25979430

Cryogenic support system

DOEpatents

Nicol, Thomas H.; Niemann, Ralph C.; Gonczy, John D.

1988-01-01

A support system is disclosed for restraining large masses at very low or cryogenic temperatures. The support system employs a tie bar that is pivotally connected at opposite ends to an anchoring support member and a sliding support member. The tie bar extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cold mass assembly, and comprises a rod that lengthens when cooled and a pair of end attachments that contract when cooled. The rod and end attachments are sized so that when the tie bar is cooled to cryogenic temperature, the net change in tie bar length is approximately zero. Longitudinal force directed against the cold mass assembly is distributed by the tie bar between the anchoring support member and the sliding support member.

Influence of emergency physician's tying technique on knot security.

PubMed

Batra, E K; Franz, D A; Towler, M A; Rodeheaver, G T; Thacker, J G; Zimmer, C A; Edlich, R F

1992-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of emergency physician's tying technique on knot security using 2-0 and 4-0 monofilament and multifilament nylon sutures. Using an Instron Tensile Tester and a portable tensiometer, knot security was achieved with these sutures using four-throw square knots (1 = 1 = 1 = 1). After didactic and psychomotor skill training, medical students were taught to construct the four-throw square knot using either a two-hand tie or an instrument tie. Using the portable tensiometer, their knot tying techniques were judged to be superior to those used by emergency physicians. The emergency physician's faulty technique can easily be corrected by didactic information and psychomotor skill training.

Concept Based Tie-breaking and Maximal Marginal Relevance Retrieval in Microblog Retrieval

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

the same score, another singal will be used to rank these documents to break the ties , but the relative orders of other documents against these...documents remain the same. The tie- breaking step above is repeatedly applied to further break ties until all candidate signals are applied and the ranking...searched it on the Yahoo! search engine, which returned some query sug- gestions for the query. The original queries as well as their query suggestions

ANG-1 TIE-2 and BMPR Signalling Defects Are Not Seen in the Nitrofen Model of Pulmonary Hypertension and Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

PubMed Central

Corbett, Harriet Jane; Connell, Marilyn Gwen; Fernig, David Garth

2012-01-01

Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a lethal disease that is associated with characteristic histological abnormalities of the lung vasculature and defects of angiopoetin-1 (ANG-1), TIE-2 and bone morphogenetic protein receptor (BMPR)-related signalling. We hypothesized that if these signalling defects cause PH generically, they will be readily identifiable perinatally in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), where the typical pulmonary vascular changes are present before birth and are accompanied by PH after birth. Methods CDH (predominantly left-sided, LCDH) was created in Sprague-Dawley rat pups by e9.5 maternal nitrofen administration. Left lungs from normal and LCDH pups were compared at fetal and postnatal time points for ANG-1, TIE-2, phosphorylated-TIE-2, phosphorylated-SMAD1/5/8 and phosphorylated-ERK1/2 by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting of lung protein extracts and by immunohistochemistry on lung sections. Results In normal lung, pulmonary ANG-1 protein levels fall between fetal and postnatal life, while TIE-2 levels increase. Over the corresponding time period, LCDH lung retained normal expression of ANG-1, TIE-2, phosphorylated-TIE-2 and, downstream of BMPR, phosphorylated-SMAD1/5/8 and phosphorylated-p44/42. Conclusion In PH and CDH defects of ANG-1/TIE-2/BMPR-related signalling are not essential for the lethal vasculopathy. PMID:22539968

Impaired angiopoietin/Tie2 signaling compromises Schlemm’s canal integrity and induces glaucoma

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaeryung; Park, Dae-Young; Park, Do Young; Kim, Dongkyu; Lee, Choong-kun; Song, Sukhyun; Chung, Tae-Young; Lim, Dong Hui; Hong, Young-Kwon; Augustin, Hellmut G.

2017-01-01

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is often caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), which arises due to increased resistance to aqueous humor outflow (AHO). Aqueous humor flows through Schlemm’s canal (SC), a lymphatic-like vessel encircling the cornea, and via intercellular spaces of ciliary muscle cells. However, the mechanisms underlying increased AHO resistance are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that signaling between angiopoietin (Angpt) and the Angpt receptor Tie2, which is critical for SC formation, is also indispensable for maintaining SC integrity during adulthood. Deletion of Angpt1/Angpt2 or Tie2 in adult mice severely impaired SC integrity and transcytosis, leading to elevated IOP, retinal neuron damage, and impairment of retinal ganglion cell function, all hallmarks of POAG in humans. We found that SC integrity is maintained by interconnected and coordinated functions of Angpt-Tie2 signaling, AHO, and Prox1 activity. These functions diminish in the SC during aging, leading to impaired integrity and transcytosis. Intriguingly, Tie2 reactivation using a Tie2 agonistic antibody rescued the POAG phenotype in Angpt1/Angpt2-deficient mice and rejuvenated the SC in aged mice. These results indicate that the Angpt-Tie2 system is essential for SC integrity. The impairment of this system underlies POAG-associated pathogenesis, supporting the possibility that Tie2 agonists could be a therapeutic option for glaucoma. PMID:28920924

Financial ties of principal investigators and randomized controlled trial outcomes: cross sectional study.

PubMed

Ahn, Rosa; Woodbridge, Alexandra; Abraham, Ann; Saba, Susan; Korenstein, Deborah; Madden, Erin; Boscardin, W John; Keyhani, Salomeh

2017-01-17

 To examine the association between the presence of individual principal investigators' financial ties to the manufacturer of the study drug and the trial's outcomes after accounting for source of research funding.  Cross sectional study of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).  Studies published in "core clinical" journals, as identified by Medline, between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013.  Random sample of RCTs focused on drug efficacy.  Association between financial ties of principal investigators and study outcome.  A total of 190 papers describing 195 studies met inclusion criteria. Financial ties between principal investigators and the pharmaceutical industry were present in 132 (67.7%) studies. Of 397 principal investigators, 231 (58%) had financial ties and 166 (42%) did not. Of all principal investigators, 156 (39%) reported advisor/consultancy payments, 81 (20%) reported speakers' fees, 81 (20%) reported unspecified financial ties, 52 (13%) reported honorariums, 52 (13%) reported employee relationships, 52 (13%) reported travel fees, 41 (10%) reported stock ownership, and 20 (5%) reported having a patent related to the study drug. The prevalence of financial ties of principal investigators was 76% (103/136) among positive studies and 49% (29/59) among negative studies. In unadjusted analyses, the presence of a financial tie was associated with a positive study outcome (odds ratio 3.23, 95% confidence interval 1.7 to 6.1). In the primary multivariate analysis, a financial tie was significantly associated with positive RCT outcome after adjustment for the study funding source (odds ratio 3.57 (1.7 to 7.7). The secondary analysis controlled for additional RCT characteristics such as study phase, sample size, country of first authors, specialty, trial registration, study design, type of analysis, comparator, and outcome measure. These characteristics did not appreciably affect the relation between financial ties and study outcomes (odds ratio 3.37, 1.4 to 7.9).  Financial ties of principal investigators were independently associated with positive clinical trial results. These findings may be suggestive of bias in the evidence base. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Financial ties of principal investigators and randomized controlled trial outcomes: cross sectional study

PubMed Central

Ahn, Rosa; Woodbridge, Alexandra; Abraham, Ann; Saba, Susan; Korenstein, Deborah; Madden, Erin; Boscardin, W John

2017-01-01

Objective To examine the association between the presence of individual principal investigators’ financial ties to the manufacturer of the study drug and the trial’s outcomes after accounting for source of research funding. Design Cross sectional study of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Setting Studies published in “core clinical” journals, as identified by Medline, between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013. Participants Random sample of RCTs focused on drug efficacy. Main outcome measure Association between financial ties of principal investigators and study outcome. Results A total of 190 papers describing 195 studies met inclusion criteria. Financial ties between principal investigators and the pharmaceutical industry were present in 132 (67.7%) studies. Of 397 principal investigators, 231 (58%) had financial ties and 166 (42%) did not. Of all principal investigators, 156 (39%) reported advisor/consultancy payments, 81 (20%) reported speakers’ fees, 81 (20%) reported unspecified financial ties, 52 (13%) reported honorariums, 52 (13%) reported employee relationships, 52 (13%) reported travel fees, 41 (10%) reported stock ownership, and 20 (5%) reported having a patent related to the study drug. The prevalence of financial ties of principal investigators was 76% (103/136) among positive studies and 49% (29/59) among negative studies. In unadjusted analyses, the presence of a financial tie was associated with a positive study outcome (odds ratio 3.23, 95% confidence interval 1.7 to 6.1). In the primary multivariate analysis, a financial tie was significantly associated with positive RCT outcome after adjustment for the study funding source (odds ratio 3.57 (1.7 to 7.7). The secondary analysis controlled for additional RCT characteristics such as study phase, sample size, country of first authors, specialty, trial registration, study design, type of analysis, comparator, and outcome measure. These characteristics did not appreciably affect the relation between financial ties and study outcomes (odds ratio 3.37, 1.4 to 7.9). Conclusions Financial ties of principal investigators were independently associated with positive clinical trial results. These findings may be suggestive of bias in the evidence base. PMID:28096109

Consume, Modify, Share (CMS): The Interplay between Individual Decisions and Structural Network Properties in the Diffusion of Information

PubMed Central

Koren, Hila; Kaminer, Ido

2016-01-01

Widely used information diffusion models such as Independent Cascade Model, Susceptible Infected Recovered (SIR) and others fail to acknowledge that information is constantly subject to modification. Some aspects of information diffusion are best explained by network structural characteristics while in some cases strong influence comes from individual decisions. We introduce reinvention, the ability to modify information, as an individual level decision that affects the diffusion process as a whole. Based on a combination of constructs from the Diffusion of Innovations and the Critical Mass Theories, the present study advances the CMS (consume, modify, share) model which accounts for the interplay between network structure and human behavior and interactions. The model's building blocks include processes leading up to and following the formation of a critical mass of information adopters and disseminators. We examine the formation of an inflection point, information reach, sustainability of the diffusion process and collective value creation. The CMS model is tested on two directed networks and one undirected network, assuming weak or strong ties and applying constant and relative modification schemes. While all three networks are designed for disseminating new knowledge they differ in structural properties. Our findings suggest that modification enhances the diffusion of information in networks that support undirected connections and carries the biggest effect when information is shared via weak ties. Rogers' diffusion model and traditional information contagion models are fine tuned. Our results show that modifications not only contribute to a sustainable diffusion process, but also aid information in reaching remote areas of the network. The results point to the importance of cultivating weak ties, allowing reciprocal interaction among nodes and supporting the modification of information in promoting diffusion processes. These results have theoretical and practical implications for designing networks aimed at accelerating the creation and diffusion of information. PMID:27798636

Consume, Modify, Share (CMS): The Interplay between Individual Decisions and Structural Network Properties in the Diffusion of Information.

PubMed

Koren, Hila; Kaminer, Ido; Raban, Daphne Ruth

2016-01-01

Widely used information diffusion models such as Independent Cascade Model, Susceptible Infected Recovered (SIR) and others fail to acknowledge that information is constantly subject to modification. Some aspects of information diffusion are best explained by network structural characteristics while in some cases strong influence comes from individual decisions. We introduce reinvention, the ability to modify information, as an individual level decision that affects the diffusion process as a whole. Based on a combination of constructs from the Diffusion of Innovations and the Critical Mass Theories, the present study advances the CMS (consume, modify, share) model which accounts for the interplay between network structure and human behavior and interactions. The model's building blocks include processes leading up to and following the formation of a critical mass of information adopters and disseminators. We examine the formation of an inflection point, information reach, sustainability of the diffusion process and collective value creation. The CMS model is tested on two directed networks and one undirected network, assuming weak or strong ties and applying constant and relative modification schemes. While all three networks are designed for disseminating new knowledge they differ in structural properties. Our findings suggest that modification enhances the diffusion of information in networks that support undirected connections and carries the biggest effect when information is shared via weak ties. Rogers' diffusion model and traditional information contagion models are fine tuned. Our results show that modifications not only contribute to a sustainable diffusion process, but also aid information in reaching remote areas of the network. The results point to the importance of cultivating weak ties, allowing reciprocal interaction among nodes and supporting the modification of information in promoting diffusion processes. These results have theoretical and practical implications for designing networks aimed at accelerating the creation and diffusion of information.

Freeze-thaw performance testing of whole concrete railroad ties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

Freezing and thawing durability tests of prestressed concrete ties are normally performed according to ASTM C666 specifications. Small specimens are cut from the shoulders of concrete ties and tested through 300 cycles of freezing and thawing. Saw-cu...

Economics of Concrete and Wood Tie Track Structures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-08-01

This report presents results from an evaluation of the economic benefits of concrete- versus wood-tie track. The analysis includes the life-cycle capital, maintenance, and renewal costs for concrete- and wood-tie track for four specific test cases an...

Global TIE: Developing a Virtual Network of Robotic Observatories for K-12 Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, L. A.; Clark, G.

2001-11-01

Astronomy in grades K-12 is traditionally taught (if at all) using textbooks and a few simple hands-on activities. In addition, most students, by High School graduation, will never have even looked through the eyepiece of a telescope. The possibility now exists to establish a network of research grade telescopes, no longer useful to the professional astronomical community, that can be made accessible to schools all across the country through existing IT technologies and applications. These telescopes could provide unparalleled research and educational opportunities for a broad spectrum of K-12 and college students and turns underutilized observatory facilities into valuable, state-of-the-art teaching centers. The NASA-sponsored Telescopes In Education (TIE, http://tie.jpl.nasa.gov) project has been wildly successful in engaging the K-12 education community in real-time, hands-on, interactive astronomy activities. Hundreds of schools in the US, Australia, Canada, England, and Japan have participated in the TIE program, remotely controlling the 24-inch telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory from their classrooms. In recent years, several (approximately 20 to date) other telescopes have been, or are in the process of being, outfitted for remote use as TIE affiliates. Global TIE integrates these telescopes seamlessly into one virtual observatory and provides the services required to operate this facility, including a scheduling service, tools for data manipulation, an online proposal review environment, an online "Virtual TIE Student Ap J" for publication of results, and access to related educational materials provided by the TIE community. Global TIE provides unparalleled research and educational opportunities for a broad spectrum of K-12 and college students and turns essentially unused observatory facilities into valuable, state-of-the-art teaching centers. This presentation describes the Global TIE Observatory data and organizational systems and details the technology, partnerships, operational capabilities, science applications, and learning opportunities that this powerful virtual observatory network will provide.

Selection based on the size of the black tie of the great tit may be reversed in urban habitats.

PubMed

Senar, Juan Carlos; Conroy, Michael J; Quesada, Javier; Mateos-Gonzalez, Fernando

2014-07-01

A standard approach to model how selection shapes phenotypic traits is the analysis of capture-recapture data relating trait variation to survival. Divergent selection, however, has never been analyzed by the capture-recapture approach. Most reported examples of differences between urban and nonurban animals reflect behavioral plasticity rather than divergent selection. The aim of this paper was to use a capture-recapture approach to test the hypothesis that divergent selection can also drive local adaptation in urban habitats. We focused on the size of the black breast stripe (i.e., tie width) of the great tit (Parus major), a sexual ornament used in mate choice. Urban great tits display smaller tie sizes than forest birds. Because tie size is mostly genetically determined, it could potentially respond to selection. We analyzed capture/recapture data of male great tits in Barcelona city (N = 171) and in a nearby (7 km) forest (N = 324) from 1992 to 2008 using MARK. When modelling recapture rate, we found it to be strongly influenced by tie width, so that both for urban and forest habitats, birds with smaller ties were more trap-shy and more cautious than their larger tied counterparts. When modelling survival, we found that survival prospects in forest great tits increased the larger their tie width (i.e., directional positive selection), but the reverse was found for urban birds, with individuals displaying smaller ties showing higher survival (i.e., directional negative selection). As melanin-based tie size seems to be related to personality, and both are heritable, results may be explained by cautious personalities being favored in urban environments. More importantly, our results show that divergent selection can be an important mechanism in local adaptation to urban habitats and that capture-recapture is a powerful tool to test it.

Resonant tunneling of 1-dimensional electrons across an array of 3-dimensionally confined potential wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allee, D. R.; Chou, S. Y.; Harris, J. S.; Pease, R. F. W.

A lateral resonant tunneling field effect transistor has been fabricated with a gate electrode in the form of a railway such that the two rails form a lateral double barrier potential at the GaAs/AlGaAs interface. The ties confine the electrons in the third dimension forming an array of potential boxes or three dimensionally confined potential wells. The width of the ties and rails is 50nm; the spacings between the ties and between the two rails are 230nm and 150nm respectively. The ties are 750nm long and extend beyond the the two rails forming one dimensional wires on either side. Conductance oscillations are observed in the drain current at 4.2K as the gate voltage is scanned. Comparison with devices with a solid gate, and with a monorail gate with ties fabricated on the same wafer suggest that these conductance oscillations are electron resonant tunneling from one dimensional wires through the quasi-bound states of the three dimensionally confined potential wells. Comparison with a device with a two rail gate without ties (previously published) indicates that additional confinement due to the ties enhances the strength of the conductance oscillations.

Linkage of genomic biomarkers to whole organism endpoints in a Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE).

EPA Science Inventory

Aquatic organisms are exposed to many toxic chemicals and interpreting the cause and effect relationships between occurrence and impairment is difficult. Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) provides a systematic approach for identifying responsible toxicants. TIE relies on ...

Measurement Program for Evaluation of Concrete Ties and Fastenings in Transit Track

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-03-01

This report outlines a measurement program to obtain data on the performance of standard tie designs and associated fastening systems under field service conditions. In addition, the program identifies limited data to be obtained from a wood tie trac...

Performance and Characterization of Shear Ties for Use in Insulated Precast Concrete Sandwich Wall Panels

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

stainless 14 steel, galvanized carbon steel, carbon- fiber -reinforced polymer (CFRP), glass- fiber -reinforced polymer 15 (GFRP), and basalt - fiber ...CFRP Grid, (E) Universal Building Products GFRP Teplo Tie, and (F) Universal Building Products 6 Basalt FRP RockBar. Traditional steel connections...1.6 E Universal Building Products TeploTie GFRP Tie 10 mm dia. x 150 mm F RockBar Basalt FRP Bar 7 in. x 5/16 in. G TSA Manufacturing C-Clip

Characterization and Fate of Gun and Rocket Propellant Residues on Testing and Training Ranges

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

propellant sticks, is tied in three places with polyester and cotton thread ties. The bundle is then wrapped in lead foil (a de-coppering agent...sticks and the tying of the bundle in five places, again using polyester and cotton thread ties. The combustible case is manufactured mainly from...and brought back to DRDC to be weighed and extracted to measure the remaining 2,4-DNT. Most of what was collected was the remains of the cotton

Empirical Evaluation of a Model of Team Collaboration Using Selected Transcripts from September 11, 2001

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

close coordination between the FAA and NORAD is required in order to maintain safety of the U.S. airspace. In order to interpret how the FAA and...386 Sergeant Bianchi: Hi, Sergeant Lucas calling from Lotus . MISC MISC MISC 387 Sergeant Bianchi: Yeah. MISC MISC MISC 388 Sergeant Lucas...TIE These guys have been sitting here and messing with this stuff. TIE US TIE You need some kind of food . TIE MISC MISC Sir

Raman spectra of adsorbed layers on space shuttle and AOTV thermal protection system surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willey, Ronald J.

1987-01-01

Surfaces of interest to space vehicle heat shield design were struck by a 2 W argon ion laser line while subjected to supersonic arc jet flow conditions. Emission spectra were taken at 90 deg to the angle of laser incidence on the test object. Results showed possible weak Raman shifts which could not be directly tied to any particular parameter such as surface temperature or gas composition. The investigation must be considered exploratory in terms of findings. Many undesirable effects were found and corrected as the project progressed. For instance, initial spectra settings led to ghosts which were eliminated by closing the intermediate of filter slit of the Spex from 8 to 3 mm. Further, under certain conditions, plasma lines from the laser were observed. Several materials were also investigated at room temperature for Raman shifts. Results showed Raman shifts for RCC and TEOS coated materials. The HRSI materials showed only weak Raman shifts, however, substantial efforts were made in studying these materials. Baseline materials showed the technique to be sound. The original goal was to find a Raman shift for the High-temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (HRSI) Reaction Cured borosilicate Glass (RCG) coated material and tie the amplitude of this peak to Arc jet conditions. Weak Raman shifts may be present, however, time limitations prevented confirmation.

Cross-border Ties and Arab American Mental Health

PubMed Central

Samari, Goleen

2016-01-01

Due to increasing discrimination and marginalization, Arab Americans are at a greater risk for mental health disorders. Social networks that include ties to the country of origin could help promote mental well-being in the face of discrimination. The role of countries of origin in immigrant mental health receives little attention compared to adjustment in destination contexts. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the relationship between nativity, cross-border ties, and psychological distress and happiness for Arab Americans living in the greater Detroit Metropolitan Area (N=896). I expect that first generation Arab Americans will have more psychological distress compared to one and half, second, and third generations, and Arab Americans with more cross-border ties will have less psychological distress and more happiness. Data come from the 2003 Detroit Arab American Study, which includes measures of nativity, cross-border ties – attitudes, social ties, media consumption, and community organizations, and the Kessler-10 scale of psychological distress and self-reported happiness. Ordered logistic regression analyses suggest that psychological distress and happiness do not vary much by nativity alone. However, cross-border ties have both adverse and protective effects on psychological distress and happiness. For all generations of Arab Americans, cross-border attitudes and social ties are associated with greater odds of psychological distress and for first generation Arab Americans, media consumption is associated with greater odds of unhappiness. In contrast, for all generations, involvement in cross-border community organizations is associated with less psychological distress and for the third generation, positive cross-border attitudes are associated with higher odds of happiness. These findings show the complex relationship between cross-border ties and psychological distress and happiness for different generations of Arab Americans. PMID:26999416

Cross-border ties and Arab American mental health.

PubMed

Samari, Goleen

2016-04-01

Due to increasing discrimination and marginalization, Arab Americans are at a greater risk for mental health disorders. Social networks that include ties to the country of origin could help promote mental well-being in the face of discrimination. The role of countries of origin in immigrant mental health receives little attention compared to adjustment in destination contexts. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the relationship between nativity, cross-border ties, and psychological distress and happiness for Arab Americans living in the greater Detroit Metropolitan Area (N = 896). I expect that first generation Arab Americans will have more psychological distress compared to one and half, second, and third generations, and Arab Americans with more cross-border ties will have less psychological distress and more happiness. Data come from the 2003 Detroit Arab American Study, which includes measures of nativity, cross-border ties--attitudes, social ties, media consumption, and community organizations, and the Kessler-10 scale of psychological distress and self-reported happiness. Ordered logistic regression analyses suggest that psychological distress and happiness do not vary much by nativity alone. However, cross-border ties have both adverse and protective effects on psychological distress and happiness. For all generations of Arab Americans, cross-border attitudes and social ties are associated with greater odds of psychological distress and for first generation Arab Americans, media consumption is associated with greater odds of unhappiness. In contrast, for all generations, involvement in cross-border community organizations is associated with less psychological distress and for the third generation, positive cross-border attitudes are associated with higher odds of happiness. These findings show the complex relationship between cross-border ties and psychological distress and happiness for different generations of Arab Americans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cryogenic support system

DOEpatents

Nicol, T.H.; Niemann, R.C.; Gonczy, J.D.

1988-11-01

A support system is disclosed for restraining large masses at very low or cryogenic temperatures. The support system employs a tie bar that is pivotally connected at opposite ends to an anchoring support member and a sliding support member. The tie bar extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cold mass assembly, and comprises a rod that lengthens when cooled and a pair of end attachments that contract when cooled. The rod and end attachments are sized so that when the tie bar is cooled to cryogenic temperature, the net change in tie bar length is approximately zero. Longitudinal force directed against the cold mass assembly is distributed by the tie bar between the anchoring support member and the sliding support member. 7 figs.

How Social Ties Influence Consumer: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials.

PubMed

Luan, Jing; Yao, Zhong; Bai, Yan

2017-01-01

A considerable amount of marketing research has reported that consumers are more saliently influenced by friends (strong social ties) than by acquaintances and strangers (weak social ties). To shed light on the neural and psychological processes underlying such phenomenon, in this study we designed an amended S1-S2 paradigm (product-[reviewer-review]) that is based on realistic consumer purchase experiences. After incoming all given information (product, reviewer, review), participants were required to state their purchase intentions. The neurocognitive and emotional processes related to friend and stranger stimuli were delineated to suggest how social ties influence consumers during their shopping processes. Larger P2 (fronto-central scalp areas) and P3 (central and posterior-parietal scalp areas) components under stranger condition were elicited successfully. These findings demonstrate that the cognitive and emotional processing of friend and stranger stimuli occurs at stages of neural activity, and can be indicated by the P2 and P3 components. Electrophysiological data also support the hypothesis that different neural and emotional processing magnitude and strength underlie friend and stranger effect in the context of consumer purchase. During this process, the perception of stimuli evoked P2, subsequently emotional processing and attention modulation were activated and indicated by P2 and P3. The friend dominated phenomenon can be interpreted as the result of distinctive neurocognitive and emotional processing magnitude, which suggests that psychological and emotional factors can guide consumer decision making. This study consolidates that event related potential (ERP) methodology is likely to be a more sensitive method for investigating consumer behaviors. From the perspectives of management and marketing, our findings show that the P2 and P3 components can be employed as an indicator to probe the influential factors of consumer purchase intentions.

How Social Ties Influence Consumer: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials

PubMed Central

Yao, Zhong

2017-01-01

A considerable amount of marketing research has reported that consumers are more saliently influenced by friends (strong social ties) than by acquaintances and strangers (weak social ties). To shed light on the neural and psychological processes underlying such phenomenon, in this study we designed an amended S1-S2 paradigm (product-[reviewer-review]) that is based on realistic consumer purchase experiences. After incoming all given information (product, reviewer, review), participants were required to state their purchase intentions. The neurocognitive and emotional processes related to friend and stranger stimuli were delineated to suggest how social ties influence consumers during their shopping processes. Larger P2 (fronto-central scalp areas) and P3 (central and posterior-parietal scalp areas) components under stranger condition were elicited successfully. These findings demonstrate that the cognitive and emotional processing of friend and stranger stimuli occurs at stages of neural activity, and can be indicated by the P2 and P3 components. Electrophysiological data also support the hypothesis that different neural and emotional processing magnitude and strength underlie friend and stranger effect in the context of consumer purchase. During this process, the perception of stimuli evoked P2, subsequently emotional processing and attention modulation were activated and indicated by P2 and P3. The friend dominated phenomenon can be interpreted as the result of distinctive neurocognitive and emotional processing magnitude, which suggests that psychological and emotional factors can guide consumer decision making. This study consolidates that event related potential (ERP) methodology is likely to be a more sensitive method for investigating consumer behaviors. From the perspectives of management and marketing, our findings show that the P2 and P3 components can be employed as an indicator to probe the influential factors of consumer purchase intentions. PMID:28081196

Effect of Wheel/Rail Loads on Concrete Tie Stresses and Rail Rollover.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-21

As a result of vertical and lateral wheel/rail forces, high contact stresses can develop at the interface between the rail base and tie. Under certain conditions, these stresses can exceed the strength of the concrete tie and result in deterioration ...

IVF, same-sex couples and the value of biological ties.

PubMed

Di Nucci, Ezio

2016-12-01

Ought parents, in general, to value being biologically tied to their children? Is it important, in particular, that both parents be biologically tied to their children? I will address these fundamental questions by looking at a fairly new practice within IVF treatments, so-called IVF-with-ROPA (Reception of Oocytes from Partner), which allows lesbian couples to 'share motherhood', with one partner providing the eggs while the other becomes pregnant. I believe that IVF-with-ROPA is, just like other IVF treatments, morally permissible, but here I argue that the increased biological ties which IVF-with-ROPA allows for do not have any particular value beside the satisfaction of a legitimate wish, because there is no intrinsic value in a biological tie between parents and children; further, I argue that equality within parental projects cannot be achieved by redistributing biological ties. 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/.

Angiopoietin–Tie signalling in the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems

PubMed Central

Eklund, Lauri; Kangas, Jaakko; Saharinen, Pipsa

2016-01-01

Endothelial cells that form the inner layer of blood and lymphatic vessels are important regulators of vascular functions and centrally involved in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. In addition to the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor pathway, the angiopoietin (Ang)–Tie system is a second endothelial cell specific ligand–receptor signalling system necessary for embryonic cardiovascular and lymphatic development. The Ang–Tie system also regulates postnatal angiogenesis, vessel remodelling, vascular permeability and inflammation to maintain vascular homoeostasis in adult physiology. This system is implicated in numerous diseases where the vasculature has an important contribution, such as cancer, sepsis, diabetes, atherosclerosis and ocular diseases. Furthermore, mutations in the TIE2 signalling pathway cause defects in vascular morphogenesis, resulting in venous malformations and primary congenital glaucoma. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding of the Ang–Tie signalling system, including cross-talk with the vascular endothelial protein tyrosine phosphatase (VE-PTP) and the integrin cell adhesion receptors, focusing on the Ang–Tie system in vascular development and pathogenesis of vascular diseases. PMID:27941161

The relationship between perceived discrimination and high-risk social ties among illicit drug users in New York City, 2006-2009.

PubMed

Crawford, Natalie D; Ford, Chandra; Galea, Sandro; Latkin, Carl; Jones, Kandice C; Fuller, Crystal M

2013-01-01

Discrimination can influence risk of disease by promoting unhealthy behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol use). Whether it influences the formation of high-risk social ties that facilitate HIV transmission is unclear. Using cross-sectional data from a cohort of illicit drug users, this study examined the association between discrimination based on race, drug use and prior incarceration and risky sex and drug ties. Negative binomial regression models were performed. Participants who reported discrimination based on race and drug use had significantly more sex and drug-using ties. But, after accounting for both racial and drug use discrimination, only racial discrimination was associated with increased sex, drug-using, and injecting ties. Drug users who experience discrimination and subsequently develop more sex and drug-using ties, increase their risk of contracting HIV. Future longitudinal studies illuminating the pathways linking discrimination and social network development may guide intervention development and identify drug-using subpopulations at high risk for disease transmission.

Longitudinal analysis of large social networks: Estimating the effect of health traits on changes in friendship ties

PubMed Central

O'Malley, A James; Christakis, Nicholas A

2011-01-01

We develop novel mixed effects models to examine the role of health traits on the status of peoples' close friendship nominations in the Framingham Heart Study. The health traits considered are both mutable (body mass index (BMI), smoking, blood pressure, body proportion, muscularity, and depression) and, for comparison, basically immutable (height, birth order, personality type, only child, and handedness); and the traits have varying degrees of observability. We test the hypotheses that existing ties (i.e. close friendship nominations) are more likely to dissolve between people with dissimilar (mutable and observable) health traits whereas new ties are more likely to form between those with similar (mutable and observable) traits while controlling for persons' age, gender, geographic separation, and education. The mixed effects models contain random effects for both the nominator (ego) and nominated (alter) persons in a tie to account for the fact that people were involved in multiple relationships and contributed observations at multiple exams. Results for BMI support the hypotheses that people of similar BMI are less likely to dissolve existing ties and more likely to form ties, while smoker to non-smoker ties were the least likely to dissolve and smoker to smoker ties were the most likely to form. We also validated previously known findings regarding homophily on age and gender, and found evidence that homophily also depends upon geographic separation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:21287589

Longitudinal analysis of large social networks: estimating the effect of health traits on changes in friendship ties.

PubMed

O'Malley, A James; Christakis, Nicholas A

2011-04-30

We develop novel mixed effects models to examine the role of health traits on the status of peoples' close friendship nominations in the Framingham Heart Study. The health traits considered are both mutable (body mass index (BMI), smoking, blood pressure, body proportion, muscularity, and depression) and, for comparison, basically immutable (height, birth order, personality type, only child, and handedness); and the traits have varying degrees of observability. We test the hypotheses that existing ties (i.e. close friendship nominations) are more likely to dissolve between people with dissimilar (mutable and observable) health traits whereas new ties are more likely to form between those with similar (mutable and observable) traits while controlling for persons' age, gender, geographic separation, and education. The mixed effects models contain random effects for both the nominator (ego) and nominated (alter) persons in a tie to account for the fact that people were involved in multiple relationships and contributed observations at multiple exams. Results for BMI support the hypotheses that people of similar BMI are less likely to dissolve existing ties and more likely to form ties, while smoker to non-smoker ties were the least likely to dissolve and smoker to smoker ties were the most likely to form. We also validated previously known findings regarding homophily on age and gender, and found evidence that homophily also depends upon geographic separation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cross-border ties, nativity, and inflammatory markers in a population-based prospective study of Latino adults.

PubMed

Torres, Jacqueline M; Epel, Elissa S; To, Tu My; Lee, Anne; Aiello, Allison E; Haan, Mary N

2018-05-16

Even after migration, immigrants and their descendants may continue to have ties to family and friends who remain in places of origin. Recent research suggests that these cross-border social ties have implications for health, although this scholarship has been limited to self-reported outcomes. Using data from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA), we estimate associations between cross-border social ties and inflammatory biomarkers among Latino adults (n = 1786). We find that immigrants who maintained any cross-border connection to family and friends in Latin America had significantly lower levels of baseline interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) compared to their US-born counterparts with no cross-border ties. These results held for values of CRP at five-year follow-up for men only. In contrast, US-born women with cross-border ties to family and friends in Latin America had both significantly higher levels of CRP and significantly lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) at five-year follow-up relative to their US-born counterparts with no cross-border ties. We find descriptively that men who have cross-border ties are also less likely to be socially isolated within local contexts. Considering place-of-origin social connections may contribute critical nuance to studies of immigrant health, including disparities in inflammatory markers that may serve as indicators of underlying chronic disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Do Communities Act? Unique Events and Purposeful Strategies in the Formation of an Industrial Base in Rivertown. [Revised].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ralph B.

Effective rural education depends on active community involvement. This ethnographic case study examines three models of community organization as an explanation of how community action occurs. The three models are: (1) individuals interacting in formal and informal groups; (2) networks of "weak ties" effective for diffusing information and…

Track component property tests : property tests volume 1 : rail, tie, and fasteners.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-08-01

This report describes the test procedures and the results of tests on the physical properties of rail, tie and fastener. The properties obtained are the bending rigidity of the tie, bending rigidity of the rail in both the vertical and lateral planes...

Chord Panel Post, Vertical X Bracing & Horizontal Tie Joint ...

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

Chord Panel Post, Vertical X Bracing & Horizontal Tie Joint Detail; Chord Joining Block & Spacer Block Detail; Cross Bracing Joint Detail; Chord Panel Post Diagonal & Horizontal Tie Joint Detail - Jackson Covered Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 775N (Changed from Spanning Sugar Creek), Bloomingdale, Parke County, IN

Employees and Creativity: Social Ties and Access to Heterogeneous Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chiung-En; Liu, Chih-Hsing Sam

2015-01-01

This study dealt with employee social ties, knowledge heterogeneity contacts, and the generation of creativity. Although prior studies demonstrated a relationship between network position and creativity, inadequate attention has been paid to network ties and heterogeneity knowledge contacts. This study considered the social interaction processes…

Together Achieving More: Primary Care Team Communication and Alcohol-Related Health Care Utilization and Costs

PubMed Central

Mundt, Marlon P.; Zakletskaia, Larissa I.; Shoham, David A.; Tuan, Wen-Jan; Carayon, Pascale

2015-01-01

Background Identifying and engaging excessive alcohol users in primary care may be an effective way to improve patient health outcomes, reduce alcohol-related acute care events, and lower costs. Little is known about what structures of primary care team communication are associated with alcohol-related patient outcomes. Methods Using a sociometric survey of primary care clinic communication, this study evaluated the relation between team communication networks and alcohol-related utilization of care and costs. Between May 2013 and December 2013, a total of 155 healthcare employees at 6 primary care clinics participated in a survey on team communication. Three-level hierarchical modeling evaluated the link between connectedness within the care team and the number of alcohol-related emergency department visits, hospital days, and associated medical care costs in the past 12 months for each team’s primary care patient panel. Results Teams (n=31) whose RNs displayed more strong (at least daily) face-to-face ties and strong (at least daily) electronic communication ties had 10% fewer alcohol-related hospital days (RR=0.90; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.97). Furthermore, in an average team size of 19, each additional team member with strong interaction ties across the whole team was associated with $1030 (95% CI: −$1819, −$241) lower alcohol-related patient health care costs per 1000 team patients in the past 12 months. Conversely, teams whose primary care practitioner had more strong face-to-face communication ties and more weak (weekly or several times a week) electronic communication ties had 12% more alcohol-related hospital days (RR=1.12; 95: CI: 1.03, 1.23) and $1428 (95% CI: $378, $2478) higher alcohol-related healthcare costs per 1000 patients in the past 12 months. The analyses controlled for patient age, gender, insurance, and co-morbidity diagnoses. Conclusions Excessive alcohol-using patients may fair better if cared for by teams whose face-to-face and electronic communication networks include more team members and whose communication to the PCP has been streamlined to fewer team members. PMID:26350957

Together Achieving More: Primary Care Team Communication and Alcohol-Related Healthcare Utilization and Costs.

PubMed

Mundt, Marlon P; Zakletskaia, Larissa I; Shoham, David A; Tuan, Wen-Jan; Carayon, Pascale

2015-10-01

Identifying and engaging excessive alcohol users in primary care may be an effective way to improve patient health outcomes, reduce alcohol-related acute care events, and lower costs. Little is known about what structures of primary care team communication are associated with alcohol-related patient outcomes. Using a sociometric survey of primary care clinic communication, this study evaluated the relation between team communication networks and alcohol-related utilization of care and costs. Between May 2013 and December 2013, a total of 155 healthcare employees at 6 primary care clinics participated in a survey on team communication. Three-level hierarchical modeling evaluated the link between connectedness within the care team and the number of alcohol-related emergency department visits, hospital days, and associated medical care costs in the past 12 months for each team's primary care patient panel. Teams (n = 31) whose registered nurses displayed more strong (at least daily) face-to-face ties and strong (at least daily) electronic communication ties had 10% fewer alcohol-related hospital days (rate ratio [RR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84, 0.97). Furthermore, in an average team size of 19, each additional team member with strong interaction ties across the whole team was associated with $1,030 (95% CI: -$1,819, -$241) lower alcohol-related patient healthcare costs per 1,000 team patients in the past 12 months. Conversely, teams whose primary care practitioner (PCP) had more strong face-to-face communication ties and more weak (weekly or several times a week) electronic communication ties had 12% more alcohol-related hospital days (RR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.23) and $1,428 (95% CI: $378, $2,478) higher alcohol-related healthcare costs per 1,000 patients in the past 12 months. The analyses controlled for patient age, gender, insurance, and comorbidity diagnoses. Excessive alcohol-using patients may fair better if cared for by teams whose face-to-face and electronic communication networks include more team members and whose communication to the PCP has been streamlined to fewer team members. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

46 CFR 112.05-3 - Main-emergency bus-tie.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS General § 112.05-3 Main-emergency bus-tie. Each bus-tie between a main switchboard... other source of electric power, except for interlock systems for momentary transfer of loads; and (c) If...

46 CFR 112.05-3 - Main-emergency bus-tie.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS General § 112.05-3 Main-emergency bus-tie. Each bus-tie between a main switchboard... other source of electric power, except for interlock systems for momentary transfer of loads; and (c) If...

46 CFR 112.05-3 - Main-emergency bus-tie.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS General § 112.05-3 Main-emergency bus-tie. Each bus-tie between a main switchboard... other source of electric power, except for interlock systems for momentary transfer of loads; and (c) If...

46 CFR 112.05-3 - Main-emergency bus-tie.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS General § 112.05-3 Main-emergency bus-tie. Each bus-tie between a main switchboard... other source of electric power, except for interlock systems for momentary transfer of loads; and (c) If...

What’s Causing Toxicity in Sediments? Results of Twenty Years of Toxicity Identification and Evaluations (TIEs)

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIEs) methods have been used for twenty years to identify the causes of toxicity in sediments around the world. We summarized and categorized results of more than 80 peer-reviewed TIE studies into non-ionic organic, cationic, ammo...

A Proposed Performance-Based System for Teacher Interactive Electronic Continuous Professional Development (TIE-CPD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Yusop, Farrah Dina; Idris, Aizal Yusrina; Al-Sinaiyah, Yanbu; Halili, Siti Hajar

2016-01-01

The paper introduces Teacher Interactive Electronic Continuous Professional Development (TIE-CPD), an online interactive training system. The framework and methodology of TIE-CPD are designed with functionalities comparable with existing e-training systems. The system design and development literature offers several methodology and framework…

Diverless tie-in tool gets first test on deepwater line

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

Knott, D.

1997-03-24

A diverless, deepwater tie-in and repair tool has been developed and successfully tested on the Norwegian Sea`s Haltenpipe project. Den Norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil) and Hydratight Ltd., Wolverhampton, U.K., have disclosed details of the technique and installation. Statoil funded development by Hydra-tight of its Morgrip mechanical connector as a diverless pipeline tie-in and repair system for use in water too deep for existing technologies. The paper discusses welding restrictions underwater, metal-to-metal sealing, the Haltenpipe tie-in, and further development plans.

Measurement of Compression Factor and Error Sensitivity Factor of Five Selected Two-Dimensional Facsimile Coding Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-01

et do $a mise en oeuvre done tie r~glon-pilote. La g~n~ralisation ultdrieure do lapplication realis~t dane cette region-pilote depend des reaultats...informiation*, une v~sritable " Banque tie donn(’es", ropartle stir des nioyens detraitoment nationaux et roglonaux, et qui devra rester alinientoe, mime A jour...tiouveaux 4 inettre en place pour aborder la roalisation du aysttme informatif. L’obligation tie fait e appel il des ordinateut’s tie troisi~me gcon

ParTIES: a toolbox for Paramecium interspersed DNA elimination studies.

PubMed

Denby Wilkes, Cyril; Arnaiz, Olivier; Sperling, Linda

2016-02-15

Developmental DNA elimination occurs in a wide variety of multicellular organisms, but ciliates are the only single-celled eukaryotes in which this phenomenon has been reported. Despite considerable interest in ciliates as models for DNA elimination, no standard methods for identification and characterization of the eliminated sequences are currently available. We present the Paramecium Toolbox for Interspersed DNA Elimination Studies (ParTIES), designed for Paramecium species, that (i) identifies eliminated sequences, (ii) measures their presence in a sequencing sample and (iii) detects rare elimination polymorphisms. ParTIES is multi-threaded Perl software available at https://github.com/oarnaiz/ParTIES. ParTIES is distributed under the GNU General Public Licence v3. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Multipronged regulatory functions of a novel endonuclease (TieA) from Helicobacter pylori

PubMed Central

Devi, Savita; Ansari, Suhail A.; Tenguria, Shivendra; Kumar, Naveen; Ahmed, Niyaz

2016-01-01

Helicobacter pylori portrays a classical paradigm of persistent bacterial infections. A well balanced homeostasis of bacterial effector functions and host responses is purported to be the key in achieving long term colonization in specific hosts. H. pylori nucleases have been shown to assist in natural transformation, but their role in virulence and colonization remains elusive. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the involvement of these nucleases in the pathogenesis of H. pylori. Here, we report the multifaceted role of a TNFR-1 interacting endonuclease A (TieA) from H. pylori. tieA expression is differentially regulated in response to environmental stress and post adherence to gastric epithelial cells. Studies with isogenic knockouts of tieA revealed it to be a secretory protein which translocates into the host gastric epithelial cells independent of a type IV secretion system, gets phosphorylated by DNA-PK kinase and auto-phosphorylates as serine kinase. Furthermore, TieA binds to and cleaves DNA in a non-specific manner and promotes Fas mediated apoptosis in AGS cells. Additionally, TieA induced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion via activation of transcription factor AP-1 and signaled through MAP kinase pathway. Collectively, TieA with its multipronged and moonlighting functions could facilitate H. pylori in maintaining a balance of bacterial adaptation, and elimination by the host responses. PMID:27550181

Expanding Disease Definitions in Guidelines and Expert Panel Ties to Industry: A Cross-sectional Study of Common Conditions in the United States

PubMed Central

Moynihan, Raymond N.; Cooke, Georga P. E.; Doust, Jenny A.; Bero, Lisa; Hill, Suzanne; Glasziou, Paul P.

2013-01-01

Background Financial ties between health professionals and industry may unduly influence professional judgments and some researchers have suggested that widening disease definitions may be one driver of over-diagnosis, bringing potentially unnecessary labeling and harm. We aimed to identify guidelines in which disease definitions were changed, to assess whether any proposed changes would increase the numbers of individuals considered to have the disease, whether potential harms of expanding disease definitions were investigated, and the extent of members' industry ties. Methods and Findings We undertook a cross-sectional study of the most recent publication between 2000 and 2013 from national and international guideline panels making decisions about definitions or diagnostic criteria for common conditions in the United States. We assessed whether proposed changes widened or narrowed disease definitions, rationales offered, mention of potential harms of those changes, and the nature and extent of disclosed ties between members and pharmaceutical or device companies. Of 16 publications on 14 common conditions, ten proposed changes widening and one narrowing definitions. For five, impact was unclear. Widening fell into three categories: creating “pre-disease”; lowering diagnostic thresholds; and proposing earlier or different diagnostic methods. Rationales included standardising diagnostic criteria and new evidence about risks for people previously considered to not have the disease. No publication included rigorous assessment of potential harms of proposed changes. Among 14 panels with disclosures, the average proportion of members with industry ties was 75%. Twelve were chaired by people with ties. For members with ties, the median number of companies to which they had ties was seven. Companies with ties to the highest proportions of members were active in the relevant therapeutic area. Limitations arise from reliance on only disclosed ties, and exclusion of conditions too broad to enable analysis of single panel publications. Conclusions For the common conditions studied, a majority of panels proposed changes to disease definitions that increased the number of individuals considered to have the disease, none reported rigorous assessment of potential harms of that widening, and most had a majority of members disclosing financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:23966841

The absent bow tie sign in bucket-handle tears of the menisci in the knee.

PubMed

Helms, C A; Laorr, A; Cannon, W D

1998-01-01

Bucket-handle tears of the menisci are one of the most frequently missed diagnoses in MR examinations of the knee. This article describes the "absent bow tie sign," which can be used to identify bucket-handle tears on routine MR examinations of the knee. The arthroscopic surgical reports (n = 350) from a single orthopedic surgeon's practice during a 24-month period were examined for patients who had a diagnosis of bucket-handle tear and who underwent MR imaging before surgery (n = 32). The MR examinations were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of a bow tie sign. The bow tie sign was considered normal when two sagittal images showed the body segment (a bow tie appearance). The bow tie sign was considered abnormal, consistent with a bucket-handle tear, when only one or no body segment was seen (the absent bow tie sign). Coronal images were evaluated for a truncated meniscus. Also, each MR examination was scrutinized for a displaced fragment and a double posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sign. Thirty-three bucket-handle tears were found at arthroscopy in 32 patients. One patient had tears of the medial and lateral menisci. The absent bow tie sign was seen in 32 of the 33 cases (sensitivity, 97%) and correlated with the medial or lateral meniscus that was reported torn at arthroscopy. The single false-negative result occurred in a patient with a nondisplaced bucket-handle tear. The findings in 31 contralateral normal menisci were all negative for an absent bow tie sign (specificity, 100%). A displaced fragment was found in 30 (94%) of 32 cases. The coronal images showed a truncated meniscus in 21 (64%) of 33 cases. A double PCL sign was seen in 10 (30%) of 33 cases. The absent bow tie sign is an easily applied finding that can be used with good sensitivity to diagnose bucket-handle tears of the menisci on MR imaging. This sign has a higher accuracy rate than other findings common with bucket-handle tears, such as displaced fragments, a truncated appearance of the meniscus on coronal images, and the double PCL sign.

Financial ties and concordance between results and conclusions in meta-analyses: retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Yank, Veronica; Rennie, Drummond; Bero, Lisa A

2007-12-08

To determine whether financial ties to one drug company are associated with favourable results or conclusions in meta-analyses on antihypertensive drugs. Retrospective cohort study. Meta-analyses published up to December 2004 that were not duplicates and evaluated the effects of antihypertensive drugs compared with any comparator on clinical end points in adults. Financial ties were categorised as one drug company compared with all others. The main outcomes were the results and conclusions of meta-analyses, with both outcomes separately categorised as being favourable or not favourable towards the study drug. We also collected data on characteristics of meta-analyses that the literature suggested might be associated with favourable results or conclusions. 124 meta-analyses were included in the study, 49 (40%) of which had financial ties to one drug company. On univariate logistic regression analyses, meta-analyses of better methodological quality were more likely to have favourable results (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 1.27). Although financial ties to one drug company were not associated with favourable results, such ties constituted the only characteristic significantly associated with favourable conclusions (4.09, 1.30 to 12.83). When controlling for other characteristics of meta-analyses in multiple logistic regression analyses, meta-analyses that had financial ties to one drug company remained more likely to report favourable conclusions (5.11, 1.54 to 16.92). Meta-analyses on antihypertensive drugs and with financial ties to one drug company are not associated with favourable results but are associated with favourable conclusions.

Software With Strong Ties to Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

TieFlow is a simple but powerful business process improvement solution. It can automate and simplify any generic or industry-specific work process, helping organizations to transform work inefficiencies and internal operations involving people, paper, and procedures into a streamlined, well-organized, electronicbased process. TieFlow increases business productivity by improving process cycle times. The software can expedite generic processes in the areas of product design and development, purchase orders, expense reports, benefits enrollment, budgeting, hiring, and sales. It can also shore up vertical market processes such as claims processing, loan application and processing, health care administration, contract management, and advertising agency traffic. The processes can be easily and rapidly captured in a graphical manner and enforced together with rules pertaining to assignments that need to be performed. Aside from boosting productivity, TieFlow also reduces organizational costs and errors. TieFlow was developed with Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) assistance from Johnson. The SBIR support entitles all Federal Government agencies to utilize the TieFlow software technology free of charge. Tietronix emphasizes that TieFlow is an outstanding workflow resource that could produce dramatic productivity and cost improvements for all agencies, just as it has done and continues to do for NASA. The Space Agency is currently using the software throughout several mission-critical offices, including the Mission Operations Directorate and the Flight Director s Office, for worldwide participation of authorized users in NASA processes. At the Flight Director s Office, TieFlow allows personnel to electronically submit and review changes to the flight rules carried out during missions.

Clinical evaluation of the endothelial tie-2 crossmatch in ABO compatible and ABO incompatible renal transplants.

PubMed

Kafetzi, Maria L; Boletis, John N; Melexopoulou, Christine A; Tsakris, Athanassios; Iniotaki, Aliki G; Doxiadis, Ilias I N

2013-11-01

The necessity of detection of other than the classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and MHC class I-related chain A (MICA) directed antibodies prior to organ transplantation has already been repeatedly reported. A commercial flow cytometric endothelial crossmatch (CM) using isolated peripheral blood tie-2 positive cells provides a tool to detect non-MHC antibodies in addition to antibodies directed to MHC class I and II. The vast majority of circulating tie-2 positive cells expresses HLA-DR but not the A, B blood group antigens. Tie-2 cells are circulating surrogate endothelial cells. In this retrospective study we evaluated the endothelial CM in 51 renal transplantations, 30 with ABO compatible grafts and 21 with ABO incompatible grafts. Fifteen of the ABO compatible recipients (group A) developed unexplained rejection episodes (RE) while the remaining 15 had no RE (group B). Five cases of group A and none of group B had a positive tie-2 CM before transplantation (p=0.042). A positive tie-2 CM was also correlated with graft failure in ABO compatible transplants (p=0.02). No significant correlation was found between a positive pre-transplant tie-2 CM and RE in the ABO incompatible group. This study strongly suggest that a positive tie-2 CM may predict post-transplantation complications in ABO compatible grafts while negative reactions are not predictive. The test is not significantly correlated with RE in ABO incompatible grafts possibly due to applied desensitization. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Conundrum of Functional Brain Networks: Small-World Efficiency or Fractal Modularity

PubMed Central

Gallos, Lazaros K.; Sigman, Mariano; Makse, Hernán A.

2012-01-01

The human brain has been studied at multiple scales, from neurons, circuits, areas with well-defined anatomical and functional boundaries, to large-scale functional networks which mediate coherent cognition. In a recent work, we addressed the problem of the hierarchical organization in the brain through network analysis. Our analysis identified functional brain modules of fractal structure that were inter-connected in a small-world topology. Here, we provide more details on the use of network science tools to elaborate on this behavior. We indicate the importance of using percolation theory to highlight the modular character of the functional brain network. These modules present a fractal, self-similar topology, identified through fractal network methods. When we lower the threshold of correlations to include weaker ties, the network as a whole assumes a small-world character. These weak ties are organized precisely as predicted by theory maximizing information transfer with minimal wiring costs. PMID:22586406

Network Ecology and Adolescent Social Structure

PubMed Central

McFarland, Daniel A.; Moody, James; Diehl, David; Smith, Jeffrey A.; Thomas, Reuben J.

2014-01-01

Adolescent societies—whether arising from weak, short-term classroom friendships or from close, long-term friendships—exhibit various levels of network clustering, segregation, and hierarchy. Some are rank-ordered caste systems and others are flat, cliquish worlds. Explaining the source of such structural variation remains a challenge, however, because global network features are generally treated as the agglomeration of micro-level tie-formation mechanisms, namely balance, homophily, and dominance. How do the same micro-mechanisms generate significant variation in global network structures? To answer this question we propose and test a network ecological theory that specifies the ways features of organizational environments moderate the expression of tie-formation processes, thereby generating variability in global network structures across settings. We develop this argument using longitudinal friendship data on schools (Add Health study) and classrooms (Classroom Engagement study), and by extending exponential random graph models to the study of multiple societies over time. PMID:25535409

Network Ecology and Adolescent Social Structure.

PubMed

McFarland, Daniel A; Moody, James; Diehl, David; Smith, Jeffrey A; Thomas, Reuben J

2014-12-01

Adolescent societies-whether arising from weak, short-term classroom friendships or from close, long-term friendships-exhibit various levels of network clustering, segregation, and hierarchy. Some are rank-ordered caste systems and others are flat, cliquish worlds. Explaining the source of such structural variation remains a challenge, however, because global network features are generally treated as the agglomeration of micro-level tie-formation mechanisms, namely balance, homophily, and dominance. How do the same micro-mechanisms generate significant variation in global network structures? To answer this question we propose and test a network ecological theory that specifies the ways features of organizational environments moderate the expression of tie-formation processes, thereby generating variability in global network structures across settings. We develop this argument using longitudinal friendship data on schools (Add Health study) and classrooms (Classroom Engagement study), and by extending exponential random graph models to the study of multiple societies over time.

Method and apparatus for constructing an underground barrier wall structure

DOEpatents

Dwyer, Brian P.; Stewart, Willis E.; Dwyer, Stephen F.

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus for constructing a underground barrier wall structure using a jet grout injector subassembly comprising a pair of primary nozzles and a plurality of secondary nozzles, the secondary nozzles having a smaller diameter than the primary nozzles, for injecting grout in directions other than the primary direction, which creates a barrier wall panel having a substantially uniform wall thickess. This invention addresses the problem of the weak "bow-tie" shape that is formed during conventional jet injection when using only a pair of primary nozzles. The improvement is accomplished by using at least four secondary nozzles, of smaller diameter, located on both sides of the primary nozzles. These additional secondary nozzles spray grout or permeable reactive materials in other directions optimized to fill in the thin regions of the bow-tie shape. The result is a panel with increased strength and substantially uniform wall thickness.

49 CFR 1242.15 - Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged... culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged...

49 CFR 1242.15 - Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged... culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged...

49 CFR 1242.15 - Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged... culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged...

49 CFR 1242.15 - Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged... culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged...

Experimental Effects of Program Management Approach on Teachers' Professional Ties and Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, David M.; Kim, James S.

2018-01-01

Theory and empirical work suggest that teachers' social capital influences school improvement efforts. Social ties are prerequisite for social capital, yet little causal evidence exists on how malleable factors, such as instructional management approaches, affect teachers' ties. In this cluster-randomized trial, we apply a decision-making…

Dissemination Package for Transition into Electronics (TIE) Project, October 1979-June 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evergreen Valley Coll., San Jose, CA.

This dissemination package consists of a variety of advertising materials, forms, questionnaires, tests, and handouts developed as a part of the Transition into Electronics (TIE) Project. (The TIE Project was a project that developed, implemented, and evaluated a model designed to encourage persons to pursue education and training leading to…

How University Students with Reading Difficulties Are Supported in Achieving Their Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stack-Cutler, Holly L.; Parrila, Rauno K.; Jokisaari, Markku; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-01-01

We examine (a) what social ties university students with a history of reading difficulty (RD) report assisting them to achieve their goals, (b) outlets available for developing social ties, (c) resources mobilized within these relationships, and (d) the impact of social ties' status on academic achievement. Participants were 107 university…

More Stable Ties or Better Structure? An Examination of the Impact of Co-author Network on Team Knowledge Creation

PubMed Central

Li, Mingze; Zhuang, Xiaoli; Liu, Wenxing; Zhang, Pengcheng

2017-01-01

This study aims to explore the influence of co-author network on team knowledge creation. Integrating the two traditional perspectives of network relationship and network structure, we examine the direct and interactive effects of tie stability and structural holes on team knowledge creation. Tracking scientific articles published by 111 scholars in the research field of human resource management from the top 8 American universities, we analyze scholars’ scientific co-author networks. The result indicates that tie stability changes the teams’ information processing modes and, when graphed, results in an inverted U-shape relationship between tie stability and team knowledge creation. Moreover, structural holes in co-author network are proved to be harmful to team knowledge sharing and diffusion, thereby impeding team knowledge creation. Also, tie stability and structural hole interactively influence team knowledge creation. When the number of structural hole is low in the co-author network, the graphical representation of the relationship between tie stability and team knowledge creation tends to be a more distinct U-shape. PMID:28993744

More Stable Ties or Better Structure? An Examination of the Impact of Co-author Network on Team Knowledge Creation.

PubMed

Li, Mingze; Zhuang, Xiaoli; Liu, Wenxing; Zhang, Pengcheng

2017-01-01

This study aims to explore the influence of co-author network on team knowledge creation. Integrating the two traditional perspectives of network relationship and network structure, we examine the direct and interactive effects of tie stability and structural holes on team knowledge creation. Tracking scientific articles published by 111 scholars in the research field of human resource management from the top 8 American universities, we analyze scholars' scientific co-author networks. The result indicates that tie stability changes the teams' information processing modes and, when graphed, results in an inverted U-shape relationship between tie stability and team knowledge creation. Moreover, structural holes in co-author network are proved to be harmful to team knowledge sharing and diffusion, thereby impeding team knowledge creation. Also, tie stability and structural hole interactively influence team knowledge creation. When the number of structural hole is low in the co-author network, the graphical representation of the relationship between tie stability and team knowledge creation tends to be a more distinct U-shape.

Vibration Testing of Electrical Cables to Quantify Loads at Tie-Down Locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutson, Joseph D.

2013-01-01

The standard method for defining static equivalent structural load factors for components is based on Mile s equation. Unless test data is available, 5% critical damping is assumed for all components when calculating loads. Application of this method to electrical cable tie-down hardware often results in high loads, which often exceed the capability of typical tie-down options such as cable ties and P-clamps. Random vibration testing of electrical cables was used to better understand the factors that influence component loads: natural frequency, damping, and mass participation. An initial round of vibration testing successfully identified variables of interest, checked out the test fixture and instrumentation, and provided justification for removing some conservatism in the standard method. Additional testing is planned that will include a larger range of cable sizes for the most significant contributors to load as variables to further refine loads at cable tie-down points. Completed testing has provided justification to reduce loads at cable tie-downs by 45% with additional refinement based on measured cable natural frequencies.

Toward a Dynamic Conceptualization of Social Ties and Context: Implications for Understanding Immigrant and Latino Health

PubMed Central

Schulz, Amy J.

2009-01-01

Researchers have posited that social ties and social support may contribute to better-than-expected health outcomes among Mexican immigrants vis-à-vis their US-born counterparts. However, in our review of studies examining social ties and health by immigration-related variables among this group, we found little support for this hypothesis. To better understand the social factors that contribute to the health of Mexicans in the United States, we conducted a qualitative analysis of social relationships and social context among first- and second-generation Mexican women. Our results highlight the interplay between immigration processes and social ties, draw attention to the importance of identity support and transnational social relationships, and suggest ways to reconceptualize the relationship between social contexts, social ties, and immigrant and Latino health. PMID:19833986

Fiber Optic Tamper Indicating Enclosure (TIE); A Case Study in Authentication

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

Anheier, Norman C.; Benz, Jacob M.; Tanner, Jennifer E.

2015-07-15

A robust fiber optic-based tamper-indicating enclosure (TIE) has been developed by PNNL through funding by the National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Nuclear Verification over the past few years. The objective of this work is to allow monitors to have confidence in both the authenticity and integrity of the TIE and the monitoring equipment inside, throughout the time it may be located at a host facility. Incorporating authentication features into the design were the focus of fiscal year 2014 development efforts. Throughout the development process, modifications have been made to the physical TIE design based on lessons learned via exercisesmore » and expert elicitation. The end result is a robust and passive TIE which can be utilized to protect monitoring party equipment left in a host facility.« less

Creative benefits from well-connected leaders: leader social network ties as facilitators of employee radical creativity.

PubMed

Venkataramani, Vijaya; Richter, Andreas W; Clarke, Ronald

2014-09-01

Employee radical creativity critically depends on substantive informational resources from others across the wider organization. We propose that the social network ties of employees' immediate leaders assume a central role in garnering these resources, thereby fostering their employees' radical creativity both independent of and interactively with employees' own network ties. Drawing on data from 214 employees working in 30 teams of a public technology and environmental services organization, we find that team leaders' betweenness centrality in the idea network within their teams as well as among their peer leaders provides creative benefits beyond employees' own internal and external ties. Further, employees' and leaders' ties within and external to the team interactively predict employee radical creativity. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Ties that bind: multiple relationships between clinical researchers and the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Henry, David; Doran, Evan; Kerridge, Ian; Hill, Suzanne; McNeill, Paul M; Day, Richard

2005-11-28

It is believed that pharmaceutical industry sponsorship of clinical research leads to the development of multiple ties between clinicians and the pharmaceutical industry. To quantify this relationship we conducted a survey of medical specialists listed in the Medical Directory of Australia in 2002 and 2003. A questionnaire was mailed that elicited information about all aspects of research relationships between clinicians and pharmaceutical companies. The odds of reporting multiple additional ties (financial and professional) with pharmaceutical companies by clinicians who had an active research relationship were compared with those who did not. All clinicians who returned a completed questionnaire about their research activities were included in the study. A questionnaire was mailed to 2120 medical specialists; 823 (39%) responded. Of these, 338 (41%) reported involvement in industry-sponsored research in the previous year. They were more likely than others to have been offered industry-sponsored items or activities valued at more than 500 AU dollars (>382 US dollars; odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-4.7) and support for attending international conferences (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 3.9-7.4). The strongest associations were seen for acting as a paid consultant to industry (OR, 9.0; 95% CI, 3.9-20.4) and for membership on advisory boards (OR, 6.9; 95% CI, 5.1-9.6). There was a strong relationship between research collaboration and accumulation of industry ties. For 1 additional tie the OR was 2.2 (95% CI, 1.2-3.8) and rose to 6.3 (95% CI, 3.5-11.1) with 3 ties and 41.8 (95% CI, 14.5-143.4) with 6 or more ties. Medical specialists who have research relationships with the pharmaceutical industry are much more likely to have multiple additional ties than those who do not have research relationships. Institutional review should discourage clinical researchers from developing multiple ties.

The centrality of social ties to climate migration and mental health.

PubMed

Torres, Jacqueline M; Casey, Joan A

2017-07-06

Climate change-related hazards and disasters, known to adversely impact physical and mental health outcomes, are also expected to result in human migration above current levels. Environmentally-motivated migration and displacement may lead to the disruption of existing social ties, with potentially adverse consequences for mobile populations as well as their family members who remain in places of origin. We propose that the disruption of social ties is a key mechanism by which climate-related migration may negatively impact mental health, in particular. Existing social ties may provide social and material resources that buffer mental health stressors related to both prolonged and acute climate events. Preparation for such events may also strengthen these same ties and protect mental health. Communities may leverage social ties, first to mitigate climate change, and second, to adapt and rebuild post-disaster in communities of origin. Additionally, social ties can inform migration decisions and destinations. For example, scholars have found that the drought-motivated adaptive migration of West African Fulbe herders only occurred because of the long-term development of social networks between migrants and non-migrants through trade and seasonal grazing. On the other hand, social ties do not always benefit mental health. Some migrants, including those from poor regions or communities with no formal safety net, may face considerable burden to provide financial and emotional resources to family members who remain in countries of origin. In destination communities, migrants often face significant social marginalization. Therefore, policies and programs that aim to maintain ongoing social ties among migrants and their family and community members may be critically important in efforts to enhance population resilience and adaptation to climate change and to improve mental health outcomes. Several online platforms, like Refugee Start Force, serve to integrate refugees by connecting migrants directly to people and services in destination communities. These efforts may increasingly draw upon novel technologies to support and maintain social networks in the context of population mobility due to climatic and other factors.

A Multirelational Social Network Analysis of an Online Health Community for Smoking Cessation.

PubMed

Zhao, Kang; Wang, Xi; Cha, Sarah; Cohn, Amy M; Papandonatos, George D; Amato, Michael S; Pearson, Jennifer L; Graham, Amanda L

2016-08-25

Online health communities (OHCs) provide a convenient and commonly used way for people to connect around shared health experiences, exchange information, and receive social support. Users often interact with peers via multiple communication methods, forming a multirelational social network. Use of OHCs is common among smokers, but to date, there have been no studies on users' online interactions via different means of online communications and how such interactions are related to smoking cessation. Such information can be retrieved in multirelational social networks and could be useful in the design and management of OHCs. To examine the social network structure of an OHC for smoking cessation using a multirelational approach, and to explore links between subnetwork position (ie, centrality) and smoking abstinence. We used NetworkX to construct 4 subnetworks based on users' interactions via blogs, group discussions, message boards, and private messages. We illustrated topological properties of each subnetwork, including its degree distribution, density, and connectedness, and compared similarities among these subnetworks by correlating node centrality and measuring edge overlap. We also investigated coevolution dynamics of this multirelational network by analyzing tie formation sequences across subnetworks. In a subset of users who participated in a randomized, smoking cessation treatment trial, we conducted user profiling based on users' centralities in the 4 subnetworks and identified user groups using clustering techniques. We further examined 30-day smoking abstinence at 3 months postenrollment in relation to users' centralities in the 4 subnetworks. The 4 subnetworks have different topological characteristics, with message board having the most nodes (36,536) and group discussion having the highest network density (4.35×10(-3)). Blog and message board subnetworks had the most similar structures with an in-degree correlation of .45, out-degree correlation of .55, and Jaccard coefficient of .23 for edge overlap. A new tie in the group discussion subnetwork had the lowest probability of triggering subsequent ties among the same two users in other subnetworks: 6.33% (54,142/855,893) for 2-tie sequences and 2.13% (18,207/855,893) for 3-tie sequences. Users' centralities varied across the 4 subnetworks. Among a subset of users enrolled in a randomized trial, those with higher centralities across subnetworks generally had higher abstinence rates, although high centrality in the group discussion subnetwork was not associated with higher abstinence rates. A multirelational approach revealed insights that could not be obtained by analyzing the aggregated network alone, such as the ineffectiveness of group discussions in triggering social ties of other types, the advantage of blogs, message boards, and private messages in leading to subsequent social ties of other types, and the weak connection between one's centrality in the group discussion subnetwork and smoking abstinence. These insights have implications for the design and management of online social networks for smoking cessation.

A Multirelational Social Network Analysis of an Online Health Community for Smoking Cessation

PubMed Central

Wang, Xi; Cha, Sarah; Cohn, Amy M; Papandonatos, George D; Amato, Michael S; Pearson, Jennifer L; Graham, Amanda L

2016-01-01

Background Online health communities (OHCs) provide a convenient and commonly used way for people to connect around shared health experiences, exchange information, and receive social support. Users often interact with peers via multiple communication methods, forming a multirelational social network. Use of OHCs is common among smokers, but to date, there have been no studies on users’ online interactions via different means of online communications and how such interactions are related to smoking cessation. Such information can be retrieved in multirelational social networks and could be useful in the design and management of OHCs. Objective To examine the social network structure of an OHC for smoking cessation using a multirelational approach, and to explore links between subnetwork position (ie, centrality) and smoking abstinence. Methods We used NetworkX to construct 4 subnetworks based on users’ interactions via blogs, group discussions, message boards, and private messages. We illustrated topological properties of each subnetwork, including its degree distribution, density, and connectedness, and compared similarities among these subnetworks by correlating node centrality and measuring edge overlap. We also investigated coevolution dynamics of this multirelational network by analyzing tie formation sequences across subnetworks. In a subset of users who participated in a randomized, smoking cessation treatment trial, we conducted user profiling based on users’ centralities in the 4 subnetworks and identified user groups using clustering techniques. We further examined 30-day smoking abstinence at 3 months postenrollment in relation to users’ centralities in the 4 subnetworks. Results The 4 subnetworks have different topological characteristics, with message board having the most nodes (36,536) and group discussion having the highest network density (4.35×10−3). Blog and message board subnetworks had the most similar structures with an in-degree correlation of .45, out-degree correlation of .55, and Jaccard coefficient of .23 for edge overlap. A new tie in the group discussion subnetwork had the lowest probability of triggering subsequent ties among the same two users in other subnetworks: 6.33% (54,142/855,893) for 2-tie sequences and 2.13% (18,207/855,893) for 3-tie sequences. Users’ centralities varied across the 4 subnetworks. Among a subset of users enrolled in a randomized trial, those with higher centralities across subnetworks generally had higher abstinence rates, although high centrality in the group discussion subnetwork was not associated with higher abstinence rates. Conclusions A multirelational approach revealed insights that could not be obtained by analyzing the aggregated network alone, such as the ineffectiveness of group discussions in triggering social ties of other types, the advantage of blogs, message boards, and private messages in leading to subsequent social ties of other types, and the weak connection between one’s centrality in the group discussion subnetwork and smoking abstinence. These insights have implications for the design and management of online social networks for smoking cessation. PMID:27562640

N Channel JFET Based Digital Logic Gate Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasowski, Michael J (Inventor)

2013-01-01

An apparatus is provided that includes a first field effect transistor with a source tied to zero volts and a drain tied to voltage drain drain (Vdd) through a first resistor. The apparatus also includes a first node configured to tie a second resistor to a third resistor and connect to an input of a gate of the first field effect transistor in order for the first field effect transistor to receive a signal. The apparatus also includes a second field effect transistor configured as a unity gain buffer having a drain tied to Vdd and an uncommitted source.

Root strength changes after logging in southeast Alaska

Treesearch

R. R. Ziemer; D. N. Swanston

1977-01-01

Abstract - A crucial factor in the stability of steep forested slopes is the role of plant roots in maintaining the shear strength of soil mantles. Roots add strength to the soil by vertically anchoring through the soil mass into failures in the bedrock and by laterally tying the slope together across zones of weakness or instability. Once the covering vegetation is...

Two-phase pressure drop reduction BWR assembly design

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

Dix, G.E.; Crowther, R.L.; Colby, M.J.

1992-05-12

This patent describes a boiling water reactor having discrete bundles of fuel rods confined within channel enclosed fuel assemblies, an improvement to a fuel bundle assembly for placement in the reactor. It comprises a fuel channel having vertically extending walls forming a continuous channel around a fuel assembly volume, the channel being open at the bottom end for engagement to a lower tie plate and open at the upper end for engagement to an upper tie plate; rods for placement within the chamber, each the rod containing fissile material for producing nuclear reaction when in the presence of sufficient moderatedmore » neutron flux; a lower tie plate for supporting the bundle of rods within the channel, the lower tie plate for supporting the bundle of rods within the channel, the lower tie plate joining the bottom of the channel to close the bottom end of the channel, the lower tie plate providing defined apertures for the inflow of water in the channel between the rods for the generating of steam during the nuclear reaction; the plurality of fuel rods extending from the lower tie plate wherein a single phase region of the water in the bundle is defined to an upward portion of the bundle wherein a two phase region of the water and steam in the bundle is defined during nuclear steam generating reaction in the fuel bundle.« less

Estimation of Model's Marginal likelihood Using Adaptive Sparse Grid Surrogates in Bayesian Model Averaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, X.

2015-12-01

A large number of model executions are required to obtain alternative conceptual models' predictions and their posterior probabilities in Bayesian model averaging (BMA). The posterior model probability is estimated through models' marginal likelihood and prior probability. The heavy computation burden hinders the implementation of BMA prediction, especially for the elaborated marginal likelihood estimator. For overcoming the computation burden of BMA, an adaptive sparse grid (SG) stochastic collocation method is used to build surrogates for alternative conceptual models through the numerical experiment of a synthetical groundwater model. BMA predictions depend on model posterior weights (or marginal likelihoods), and this study also evaluated four marginal likelihood estimators, including arithmetic mean estimator (AME), harmonic mean estimator (HME), stabilized harmonic mean estimator (SHME), and thermodynamic integration estimator (TIE). The results demonstrate that TIE is accurate in estimating conceptual models' marginal likelihoods. The BMA-TIE has better predictive performance than other BMA predictions. TIE has high stability for estimating conceptual model's marginal likelihood. The repeated estimated conceptual model's marginal likelihoods by TIE have significant less variability than that estimated by other estimators. In addition, the SG surrogates are efficient to facilitate BMA predictions, especially for BMA-TIE. The number of model executions needed for building surrogates is 4.13%, 6.89%, 3.44%, and 0.43% of the required model executions of BMA-AME, BMA-HME, BMA-SHME, and BMA-TIE, respectively.

Multipronged regulatory functions of a novel endonuclease (TieA) from Helicobacter pylori.

PubMed

Devi, Savita; Ansari, Suhail A; Tenguria, Shivendra; Kumar, Naveen; Ahmed, Niyaz

2016-11-02

Helicobacter pylori portrays a classical paradigm of persistent bacterial infections. A well balanced homeostasis of bacterial effector functions and host responses is purported to be the key in achieving long term colonization in specific hosts. H. pylori nucleases have been shown to assist in natural transformation, but their role in virulence and colonization remains elusive. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the involvement of these nucleases in the pathogenesis of H. pylori Here, we report the multifaceted role of a TNFR-1 interacting endonuclease A (TieA) from H. pylori. tieA expression is differentially regulated in response to environmental stress and post adherence to gastric epithelial cells. Studies with isogenic knockouts of tieA revealed it to be a secretory protein which translocates into the host gastric epithelial cells independent of a type IV secretion system, gets phosphorylated by DNA-PK kinase and auto-phosphorylates as serine kinase. Furthermore, TieA binds to and cleaves DNA in a non-specific manner and promotes Fas mediated apoptosis in AGS cells. Additionally, TieA induced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion via activation of transcription factor AP-1 and signaled through MAP kinase pathway. Collectively, TieA with its multipronged and moonlighting functions could facilitate H. pylori in maintaining a balance of bacterial adaptation, and elimination by the host responses. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Social Identity, Social Ties and Social Capital: A Study in Gaming Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Hao

2012-01-01

This work will focus on how different social relationships, namely shared identity and personal tie, will impact cooperative behavior, a form of social capital. I designed and conducted an economic game study to show that shared identity and personal ties work differently on cooperation among people and resource flow in social groups. Many factors…

Effects of a Group Intervention on the Career Network Ties of Finnish Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jokisaari, Markku; Vuori, Jukka

2011-01-01

The authors evaluated how a group-based career intervention affected career network ties among Finnish adolescents as they made educational choices and prepared for their transition to secondary education. They examined the career-related network ties of 868 students during their last year in comprehensive school (junior high school) in a…

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon migration from creosote-treated railway ties into ballast and adjacent wetlands

Treesearch

Kenneth M. Brooks

2004-01-01

Occasionally, creosote-treated railroad ties need to be replaced, sometimes in sensitive environments such as wetlands. To help determine if this is detrimental to the surrounding environment, more information is needed on the extent and pattern of creosote, or more specifically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), migration from railroad ties and what effects this...

78 FR 25303 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From China, Mexico, and Thailand

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-30

... Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From China, Mexico, and Thailand Institution of antidumping duty..., by reason of imports from prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire from China, Mexico, and Thailand... filed on April 23, 2013, by Davis Wire Corp. of Kent, WA and Insteel Wire Product Co. of Mount Airy, NC...

78 FR 37236 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From China, Mexico, and Thailand

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From China, Mexico, and Thailand Determinations On the basis of the record \\1... imports from China, Mexico, and Thailand of prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire, provided for in... petition was filed with the Commission and Commerce by Davis Wire Corp. of Kent, WA and Insteel Wire...

78 FR 75547 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Thailand: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Not...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-12

... Rail Tie Wire From Thailand: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Not Less Than Fair Value and...'') preliminarily determines that prestressed concrete steel rail tire wire (``PC tie wire'') from Thailand is not... Investigation The product covered by this investigation is high carbon steel wire; stress relieved or low...

78 FR 29325 - Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, the People's Republic of China, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

...] Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire From Mexico, the People's Republic of China, and Thailand: Initiation... (Mexico), Brian Smith (the People's Republic of China (the ``PRC'')), or Kate Johnson (Thailand) at (202... Prestressed Concrete Steel Rail Tie Wire from the People's Republic of China, Mexico, and Thailand...

75 FR 34941 - Review of the Commission's Program Access Rules and Examination of Programming Tying Arrangements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-21

... Commission's Program Access Rules and Examination of Programming Tying Arrangements AGENCY: Federal... Program Access Rules and Examination of Programming Tying Arrangements, MB Docket No. 07-198, FCC 10-17... information collection is contained in Sections 4(i), 303(r), and 628 of the Communications Act of 1934, as...

PREECLAMPSIA AND SMALL FOR GESTATIONAL AGE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED CONCENTRATIONS OF A FACTOR INVOLVED IN ANGIOGENESIS: SOLUBLE TIE-2

PubMed Central

Gotsch, Francesca; Romero, Roberto; Kusanovic, Juan Pedro; Chaiworapongsa, Tinnakorn; Dombrowski, Michael; Erez, Offer; Than, Nandor Gabor; Mazaki-Tovi, Shali; Mittal, Pooja; Espinoza, Jimmy; Hassan, Sonia S

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE An anti-angiogenic state has been described in patients with preeclampsia, small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses and fetal death, and changes in the concentration of circulating angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors can precede the clinical recognition of preeclampsia and small for gestational age by several weeks. Gene deletion studies demonstrate that a selective group of endothelial growth factors are required for vascular development, including members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, as well as Angiopoietin-1 and Angiopoietin-2, both ligands for the tyrosine kinase endothelial cell receptor Tie-2. These angiogenic factors have been proposed to promote angiogenesis in a coordinated and complementary fashion. Soluble Tie-2 (sTie-2) is the soluble form of the Tie-2 receptor which is detectable in biological fluids. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with preeclampsia and mothers who deliver a small for gestational age neonate have changes in the plasma concentrations of sTie-2. STUDY DESIGN This cross-sectional study included patients in the following groups: 1) non-pregnant women (n=40); 2) women with normal pregnancies (n=135); 3) patients with preeclampsia (n=112); and 4) patients who delivered a small for gestational age (SGA) neonate (n=53). Maternal plasma concentrations of sTie-2 were measured by a sensitive immunoassay. Parametric statistics were used for analysis. RESULTS 1) The median maternal plasma concentration of sTie-2 was lower in normal pregnant women than in non-pregnant women [median 16.0 ng/ml (range 5.0–71.6) vs. median 20.7 ng/ml (range 10.8–52.4), respectively; p=0.01)]; 2) Plasma sTie-2 concentrations in normal pregnancy changed significantly as a function of gestational age; 3) Patients with preeclampsia and those who delivered SGA neonates had a lower median maternal plasma concentration of sTie-2 than those with a normal pregnancy [Preeclampsia: median 14.9 ng/ml (range 4.9–67.3); SGA: median 10.9 ng/ml (range 5.1–29.1); Normal pregnancy: median 16.0 ng/ml (range 5.0–71.6); p=0.048 and p<0.001, respectively]; 4) Patients with SGA neonates had a lower median plasma concentration of sTie-2 than that of those with preeclampsia [median 10.9 ng/ml (range 5.1–29.1) vs. median 14.9 ng/ml (range 4.9–67.3), respectively; p<0.001)]; and 5) Patients with early-onset preeclampsia (≤34 weeks) had lower concentrations of sTie-2 than women with late-onset preeclampsia (>34 weeks) [median of delta values: −0.13 ng/ml (range −0.47–0.58) vs. median of delta values: −0.09 ng/ml (range: −0.60–0.58), respectively; p=0.043]. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the maternal plasma sTie-2 concentration between women with severe and mild preeclampsia (p=0.6). CONCLUSION Patients with preeclampsia and those with SGA fetuses have lower median plasma concentrations of soluble Tie-2 than women with normal pregnancies. PMID:18570117

Tie2 Expressing Monocytes in the Spleen of Patients with Primary Myelofibrosis

PubMed Central

Campanelli, Rita; Fois, Gabriela; Catarsi, Paolo; Poletto, Valentina; Villani, Laura; Erba, Benedetta Gaia; Maddaluno, Luigi; Jemos, Basilio; Salmoiraghi, Silvia; Guglielmelli, Paola; Abbonante, Vittorio; Di Buduo, Christian Andrea; Balduini, Alessandra; Iurlo, Alessandra; Barosi, Giovanni; Rosti, Vittorio; Massa, Margherita

2016-01-01

Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a Philadelphia-negative (Ph−) myeloproliferative disorder, showing abnormal CD34+ progenitor cell trafficking, splenomegaly, marrow fibrosis leading to extensive extramedullary haematopoiesis, and abnormal neoangiogenesis in either the bone marrow or the spleen. Monocytes expressing the angiopoietin-2 receptor (Tie2) have been shown to support abnormal angiogenic processes in solid tumors through a paracrine action that takes place in proximity to the vessels. In this study we investigated the frequency of Tie2 expressing monocytes in the spleen tissue samples of patients with PMF, and healthy subjects (CTRLs), and evaluated their possible role in favouring spleen angiogenesis. We show by confocal microscopy that in the spleen tissue of patients with PMF, but not of CTRLs, the most of the CD14+ cells are Tie2+ and are close to vessels; by flow cytometry, we found that Tie2 expressing monocytes were Tie2+CD14lowCD16brightCDL62−CCR2− (TEMs) and their frequency was higher (p = 0.008) in spleen tissue-derived mononuclear cells (MNCs) of patients with PMF than in spleen tissue-derived MNCs from CTRLs undergoing splenectomy for abdominal trauma. By in vitro angiogenesis assay we evidenced that conditioned medium of immunomagnetically selected spleen tissue derived CD14+ cells of patients with PMF induced a denser tube like net than that of CTRLs; in addition, CD14+Tie2+ cells sorted from spleen tissue derived single cell suspension of patients with PMF show a higher expression of genes involved in angiogenesis than that found in CTRLs. Our results document the enrichment of Tie2+ monocytes expressing angiogenic genes in the spleen of patients with PMF, suggesting a role for these cells in starting/maintaining the pathological angiogenesis in this organ. PMID:27281335

Combined Gene Therapy Using AdsVEGFR2 and AdsTie2 With Chemotherapy Reduces the Growth of Human Ovarian Cancer and Formation of Ascites in Mice.

PubMed

Tuppurainen, Laura; Sallinen, Hanna; Karvonen, Anni; Valkonen, Elina; Laakso, Hanne; Liimatainen, Timo; Hytönen, Elisa; Hämäläinen, Kirsi; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Anttila, Maarit; Ylä-Herttuala, Seppo

2017-06-01

Ovarian cancer is highly dependent on tumor microvessels and angiogenesis regulated by vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGFRs) and angiopoietins (Ang) and their Tie receptors. We studied the efficacy of adenoviral (Ad) gene therapy with soluble VEGFR2 and Tie2 combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin for the treatment of ovarian cancer. An intraperitoneal human ovarian cancer xenograft model in nude mice (n = 44) was used in this study. Gene therapy was given intravenously when the presence of sizable tumors was confirmed in magnetic resonance imaging. The study groups were as follows: AdCMV as a control (group I), AdCMV with chemotherapy (group II), AdsVEGFR2 and AdsTie2 (group III), and AdsVEGFR2 and AdsTie2 with chemotherapy (group IV). Antitumor effectiveness was assessed by overall tumor growth, ascites, immunohistochemistry, microvessel density, and sequential magnetic resonance imaging analyses. AdsVEGFR2 and AdsTie2 gene therapy (group III) significantly reduced tumor weights as compared with group II (P = 0.007). Accumulation of ascites was significantly reduced when the mice were treated with AdsVEGFR2 and AdsTie2 gene therapy or with combined gene therapy and chemotherapy as compared with controls (P = 0.029 and P = 0.010, respectively). Vascular endothelial growth factor and Ang2 levels in ascites fluid were elevated after the gene therapy. Combined inhibition of VEGF/VEGFR2 and Ang/Tie2 pathways provided efficient therapy for ovarian cancer in mice. In addition, antiangiogenic gene therapy has potential as a treatment for the accumulation of ascites.

Typical intellectual engagement and cognition in the ninth decade of life: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1921.

PubMed

von Stumm, Sophie; Deary, Ian J

2012-09-01

Investment traits--the tendency to seek out and engage in cognitive activity--might affect intellectual growth across the life span, specifically the development from fluid to crystallized intelligence. Here we explore how childhood IQ at age 11 years, IQ at age 79, and the investment trait Typical Intellectual Engagement (TIE) at age 81 affect the mean level and change in verbal fluency scores, used as an indicator of crystallized intelligence, across the ages 79, 83, and 87 in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 (maximum N = 569; Deary, Whiteman, Starr, Whalley, & Fox, 2004). A first latent growth model showed significant variance in the mean level of verbal fluency and significant decline in verbal fluency from age 79 to age 87. The rate of change was invariant across study participants in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921. A second model found that IQ at age 11 significantly predicted IQ at age 79 (β = .66; p < .001), which in turn predicted verbal fluency and TIE in the ninth decade of life with standardized path parameters of .46 and .15 (p < .001), respectively. TIE had a significant association with verbal fluency (β = .14, p = .002); together, IQ at age 11 and 79 and TIE accounted for 25.5% of the variance in verbal fluency. A final model identified the TIE subfactor of intellectual curiosity as a significant mediator of the effect of IQ on verbal fluency; the TIE subfactors abstract thinking, reading, and problem solving showed no significant associations. In summary, TIE--in particular, intellectual curiosity--significantly mediated the effects of IQ on crystallized intelligence in old age. Because there was no significant between-subjects variance in verbal fluency trajectories in the current study, neither TIE nor IQ were associated with individual differences in cognitive decline.

Reporting Science and Conflicts of Interest in the Lay Press

PubMed Central

Cook, Daniel M.; Boyd, Elizabeth A.; Grossmann, Claudia; Bero, Lisa A.

2007-01-01

Background Forthright reporting of financial ties and conflicts of interest of researchers is associated with public trust in and esteem for the scientific enterprise. Methods/Principal Findings We searched Lexis/Nexis Academic News for the top news stories in science published in 2004 and 2005. We conducted a content analysis of 1152 newspaper stories. Funders of the research were identified in 38% of stories, financial ties of the researchers were reported in 11% of stories, and 5% reported financial ties of sources quoted. Of 73 stories not reporting on financial ties, 27% had financial ties publicly disclosed in scholarly journals. Conclusions/Significance Because science journalists often did not report conflict of interest information, adherence to gold-standard recommendations for science journalism was low. Journalists work under many different constraints, but nonetheless news reports of scientific research were incomplete, potentially eroding public trust in science. PMID:18060060

Quality versus quantity of social ties in experimental cooperative networks.

PubMed

Shirado, Hirokazu; Fu, Feng; Fowler, James H; Christakis, Nicholas A

2013-01-01

Recent studies suggest that allowing individuals to choose their partners can help to maintain cooperation in human social networks; this behaviour can supplement behavioural reciprocity, whereby humans are influenced to cooperate by peer pressure. However, it is unknown how the rate of forming and breaking social ties affects our capacity to cooperate. Here we use a series of online experiments involving 1,529 unique participants embedded in 90 experimental networks, to show that there is a 'Goldilocks' effect of network dynamism on cooperation. When the rate of change in social ties is too low, subjects choose to have many ties, even if they attach to defectors. When the rate is too high, cooperators cannot detach from defectors as much as defectors re-attach and, hence, subjects resort to behavioural reciprocity and switch their behaviour to defection. Optimal levels of cooperation are achieved at intermediate levels of change in social ties.

Tie2 and Eph Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Activation and Signaling

PubMed Central

Barton, William A.; Dalton, Annamarie C.; Seegar, Tom C.M.; Himanen, Juha P.

2014-01-01

The Eph and Tie cell surface receptors mediate a variety of signaling events during development and in the adult organism. As other receptor tyrosine kinases, they are activated on binding of extracellular ligands and their catalytic activity is tightly regulated on multiple levels. The Eph and Tie receptors display some unique characteristics, including the requirement of ligand-induced receptor clustering for efficient signaling. Interestingly, both Ephs and Ties can mediate different, even opposite, biological effects depending on the specific ligand eliciting the response and on the cellular context. Here we discuss the structural features of these receptors, their interactions with various ligands, as well as functional implications for downstream signaling initiation. The Eph/ephrin structures are already well reviewed and we only provide a brief overview on the initial binding events. We go into more detail discussing the Tie-angiopoietin structures and recognition. PMID:24478383

Mapping Engagement in Twitter-Based Support Networks for Adult Smoking Cessation

PubMed Central

Pechmann, Cornelia; Wang, Cheng; Pan, Li; Delucchi, Kevin; Prochaska, Judith J.

2016-01-01

We examined engagement in novel quit-smoking private social support networks on Twitter, January 2012 to April 2014. We mapped communication patterns within 8 networks of adult smokers (n = 160) with network ties defined by participants’ tweets over 3 time intervals, and examined tie reciprocity, tie strength, in-degree centrality (popularity), 3-person triangles, 4-person cliques, network density, and abstinence status. On average, more than 50% of ties were reciprocated in most networks and most ties were between abstainers and nonabstainers. Tweets formed into more aggregated patterns especially early in the study. Across networks, 35.00% (7 days after the quit date), 49.38% (30 days), and 46.88% (60 days) abstained from smoking. We demonstrated that abstainers and nonabstainers engaged with one another in dyads and small groups. This study preliminarily suggests potential for Twitter as a platform for adult smoking-cessation interventions. PMID:27310342

Self-renewal of a purified Tie2+ hematopoietic stem cell population relies on mitochondrial clearance.

PubMed

Ito, Kyoko; Turcotte, Raphaël; Cui, Jinhua; Zimmerman, Samuel E; Pinho, Sandra; Mizoguchi, Toshihide; Arai, Fumio; Runnels, Judith M; Alt, Clemens; Teruya-Feldstein, Julie; Mar, Jessica C; Singh, Rajat; Suda, Toshio; Lin, Charles P; Frenette, Paul S; Ito, Keisuke

2016-12-02

A single hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) is capable of reconstituting hematopoiesis and maintaining homeostasis by balancing self-renewal and cell differentiation. The mechanisms of HSC division balance, however, are not yet defined. Here we demonstrate, by characterizing at the single-cell level a purified and minimally heterogeneous murine Tie2 + HSC population, that these top hierarchical HSCs preferentially undergo symmetric divisions. The induction of mitophagy, a quality control process in mitochondria, plays an essential role in self-renewing expansion of Tie2 + HSCs. Activation of the PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor)-fatty acid oxidation pathway promotes expansion of Tie2 + HSCs through enhanced Parkin recruitment in mitochondria. These metabolic pathways are conserved in human TIE2 + HSCs. Our data thus identify mitophagy as a key mechanism of HSC expansion and suggest potential methods of cell-fate manipulation through metabolic pathways. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Self-renewal of a purified Tie2+ hematopoietic stem cell population relies on mitochondrial clearance

PubMed Central

Ito, Kyoko; Turcotte, Raphaël; Cui, Jinhua; Zimmerman, Samuel E.; Pinho, Sandra; Mizoguchi, Toshihide; Arai, Fumio; Runnels, Judith M.; Alt, Clemens; Teruya-Feldstein, Julie; Mar, Jessica C.; Singh, Rajat; Suda, Toshio; Lin, Charles P.; Frenette, Paul S.; Ito, Keisuke

2016-01-01

A single hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) is capable of reconstituting hematopoiesis and maintaining homeostasis by balancing self-renewal and cell differentiation. The mechanisms of HSC division balance, however, are not yet defined. Here we demonstrate, by characterizing at the single-cell level a purified and minimally heterogeneous murine Tie2+ HSC population, that these top hierarchical HSCs preferentially undergo symmetric divisions. The induction of mitophagy, a quality control process in mitochondria, plays an essential role in self-renewing expansion of Tie2+ HSCs. Activation of the PPAR (peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor)–fatty acid oxidation pathway promotes expansion of Tie2+ HSCs through enhanced Parkin recruitment in mitochondria. These metabolic pathways are conserved in human TIE2+ HSCs. Our data thus identify mitophagy as a key mechanism of HSC expansion and suggest potential methods of cell-fate manipulation through metabolic pathways. PMID:27738012

Quality versus quantity of social ties in experimental cooperative networks

PubMed Central

Shirado, Hirokazu; Fu, Feng; Fowler, James H.; Christakis, Nicholas A.

2013-01-01

Recent studies suggest that allowing individuals to choose their partners can help to maintain cooperation in human social networks; this behaviour can supplement behavioural reciprocity, whereby humans are influenced to cooperate by peer pressure. However, it is unknown how the rate of forming and breaking social ties affects our capacity to cooperate. Here we use a series of online experiments involving 1,529 unique participants embedded in 90 experimental networks, to show that there is a ‘Goldilocks’ effect of network dynamism on cooperation. When the rate of change in social ties is too low, subjects choose to have many ties, even if they attach to defectors. When the rate is too high, cooperators cannot detach from defectors as much as defectors re-attach and, hence, subjects resort to behavioural reciprocity and switch their behaviour to defection. Optimal levels of cooperation are achieved at intermediate levels of change in social ties. PMID:24226079

Mapping Engagement in Twitter-Based Support Networks for Adult Smoking Cessation.

PubMed

Lakon, Cynthia M; Pechmann, Cornelia; Wang, Cheng; Pan, Li; Delucchi, Kevin; Prochaska, Judith J

2016-08-01

We examined engagement in novel quit-smoking private social support networks on Twitter, January 2012 to April 2014. We mapped communication patterns within 8 networks of adult smokers (n = 160) with network ties defined by participants' tweets over 3 time intervals, and examined tie reciprocity, tie strength, in-degree centrality (popularity), 3-person triangles, 4-person cliques, network density, and abstinence status. On average, more than 50% of ties were reciprocated in most networks and most ties were between abstainers and nonabstainers. Tweets formed into more aggregated patterns especially early in the study. Across networks, 35.00% (7 days after the quit date), 49.38% (30 days), and 46.88% (60 days) abstained from smoking. We demonstrated that abstainers and nonabstainers engaged with one another in dyads and small groups. This study preliminarily suggests potential for Twitter as a platform for adult smoking-cessation interventions.

African Doppler Surveys (ADOS).

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

UP TO 31 MARCH 1983 MAILING DATE: 11 APRIL 1983 SURVEY STATUS DATA STATUSDOPPLER STATION L1 OR1ATION - ______(hte 1,(Whether data dis- GEOD . TIES...SURVEY STATUS DTA STATUS DOPPLER STATION INFORMATION (Whet~her data dia- GEOD . TIES patched to...data dis- GEOD . TIES patched to COUNThY STATION NAME APPROXIMAT OPPLER designated CODE AND ADOS NO. SZION ()outh Comp. Center) COORDINATES fin- Yes

Structural Assimilation Revisited: Mexican-Origin Nativity and Cross-Ethnic Primary Ties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Susan K.

2006-01-01

Classical assimilation theory postulates that over time, members of immigrant groups will develop more primary ties with native members of the host society. However, lack of data has led most research to rely on the study of either spatial mobility or other secondary variables as proxies of primary ties. Using data from the Multi-City Study of…

Colombia: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-09

President Uribe enjoys high levels of popular support, which has not been significantly affected by the scandal concerning government ties to the...been highly controversial. In 2007 there were reports that a new generation of paramilitaries was forming. The nature of ties , if any, between the...of life for the hostages. Parapolitical Scandal. A scandal involving alleged paramilitary ties to politicians, including current members of the

High tie versus low tie of the inferior mesenteric artery in colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yang, Yafan; Wang, Guiying; He, Jingli; Zhang, Jianfeng; Xi, Jinchuan; Wang, Feifei

2018-04-01

Colorectal cancer surgery includes "high tie" and "low tie"of the inferior mesenteric artery(IMA). However, different ligation level is closely related to the blood supply of anastomosis, which may increase the leakage rate, and it is unclear which technique confers a lower anastomotic leakage rate(AL) and survival advantage. To compare the effectiveness and impact of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) high ligation versus IMA low ligation on anastomotic leakage, lymph nodes yield rates and 5-year survival. A list of these studies, published in English from 1990 to 2017, was obtained independently by two reviewers from databases such as PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect and Web of Science. Anastomotic leakage rate, the yield of lymph nodes and 5-year survival were compared using Review Manager 5.3. There was no significant difference in anastomotic leakage, number of lymph nodes retrieved and 5-year survival rate for both techniques. Neither the high tie nor the low tie strategy has an evidence in terms of anastomotic leakage rate, harvested lymph nodes, and the 5-year survival rate. Further RCT is needed. Copyright © 2018 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Second Iteration of Photogrammetric Pipeline to Enhance the Accuracy of Image Pose Estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, T. G.; Pierrot-Deseilligny, M.; Muller, J.-M.; Thom, C.

2017-05-01

In classical photogrammetric processing pipeline, the automatic tie point extraction plays a key role in the quality of achieved results. The image tie points are crucial to pose estimation and have a significant influence on the precision of calculated orientation parameters. Therefore, both relative and absolute orientations of the 3D model can be affected. By improving the precision of image tie point measurement, one can enhance the quality of image orientation. The quality of image tie points is under the influence of several factors such as the multiplicity, the measurement precision and the distribution in 2D images as well as in 3D scenes. In complex acquisition scenarios such as indoor applications and oblique aerial images, tie point extraction is limited while only image information can be exploited. Hence, we propose here a method which improves the precision of pose estimation in complex scenarios by adding a second iteration to the classical processing pipeline. The result of a first iteration is used as a priori information to guide the extraction of new tie points with better quality. Evaluated with multiple case studies, the proposed method shows its validity and its high potiential for precision improvement.

Community Detection in Signed Networks: the Role of Negative ties in Different Scales

PubMed Central

Esmailian, Pouya; Jalili, Mahdi

2015-01-01

Extracting community structure of complex network systems has many applications from engineering to biology and social sciences. There exist many algorithms to discover community structure of networks. However, it has been significantly under-explored for networks with positive and negative links as compared to unsigned ones. Trying to fill this gap, we measured the quality of partitions by introducing a Map Equation for signed networks. It is based on the assumption that negative relations weaken positive flow from a node towards a community, and thus, external (internal) negative ties increase the probability of staying inside (escaping from) a community. We further extended the Constant Potts Model, providing a map spectrum for signed networks. Accordingly, a partition is selected through balancing between abridgment and expatiation of a signed network. Most importantly, multi-scale spectrum of signed networks revealed how informative are negative ties in different scales, and quantified the topological placement of negative ties between dense positive ones. Moreover, an inconsistency was found in the signed Modularity: as the number of negative ties increases, the density of positive ties is neglected more. These results shed lights on the community structure of signed networks. PMID:26395815

Bow-tie diagrams for risk management in anaesthesia.

PubMed

Culwick, M D; Merry, A F; Clarke, D M; Taraporewalla, K J; Gibbs, N M

2016-11-01

Bow-tie analysis is a risk analysis and management tool that has been readily adopted into routine practice in many high reliability industries such as engineering, aviation and emergency services. However, it has received little exposure so far in healthcare. Nevertheless, its simplicity, versatility, and pictorial display may have benefits for the analysis of a range of healthcare risks, including complex and multiple risks and their interactions. Bow-tie diagrams are a combination of a fault tree and an event tree, which when combined take the shape of a bow tie. Central to bow-tie methodology is the concept of an undesired or 'Top Event', which occurs if a hazard progresses past all prevention controls. Top Events may also occasionally occur idiosyncratically. Irrespective of the cause of a Top Event, mitigation and recovery controls may influence the outcome. Hence the relationship of hazard to outcome can be viewed in one diagram along with possible causal sequences or accident trajectories. Potential uses for bow-tie diagrams in anaesthesia risk management include improved understanding of anaesthesia hazards and risks, pre-emptive identification of absent or inadequate hazard controls, investigation of clinical incidents, teaching anaesthesia risk management, and demonstrating risk management strategies to third parties when required.

DoD Workshop on Southeast Regional Planning and Sustainability

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

development (Berke, 2007). Weak plans and ordinances in these locations mean limited knowledge about existing human and natural resource systems...research on sustainable community design, and disseminate that knowledge through innovative teaching and outreach. Rather than serving as outside...technical work is being done to address these issues, much institutional change will be needed to tie this knowledge to advance regional plans and

Internet Freedom and Political Space

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

information across a wide range of different commu- nities. Thus, weak ties can deliver information in communities that are not interlinked with each... information .77 Such a top-down communication left little opportu- nity for grassroots input into the movement’s goals and its development of...Republic of Egypt, Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies, The Future of Internet Economy in Egypt: A Statistical Profile, May 2011

Random Measurement Error Does Not Bias the Treatment Effect Estimate in the Regression-Discontinuity Design. II. When an Interaction Effect Is Present.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trochim, William M. K.; And Others

1991-01-01

The regression-discontinuity design involving a treatment interaction effect (TIE), pretest-posttest functional form specification, and choice of point-of-estimation of the TIE are examined. Formulas for controlling the magnitude of TIE in simulations can be used for simulating the randomized experimental case where estimation is not at the…

Reducing Electromagnetic Interference in a Grid Tied Single Phase Power Inverter

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IN A GRID TIED SINGLE PHASE POWER INVERTER by Jason Hassan Valiani September 2016 Thesis Advisor: Giovanna Oriti...3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE REDUCING ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IN A GRID TIED SINGLE PHASE POWER...explored. The primary goal is to understand the effects each modulation strategy has on the conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) and then

COMP-angiopoietin 1 increases proliferation, differentiation, and migration of stem-like cells through Tie-2-mediated activation of p38 MAPK and PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathways

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

Kook, Sung-Ho; Lim, Shin-Saeng; Cho, Eui-Sic

2014-12-12

Highlights: • COMP-Ang1 induces Tie-2 activation in BMMSCs, but not in primary osteoblasts. • Tie-2 knockdown inhibits COMP-Ang1-stimulated proliferation and osteoblastogenesis. • Tie-2 knockdown prevents COMP-Ang1-induced activation of PI3K/Akt and p38 MAPK. • COMP-Ang1 induces migration of cells via activation of PI3K/Akt and CXCR4 pathways. • COMP-Ang1 stimulates in vivo migration of PDLSCs into a calvarial defect site of rats. - Abstract: Recombinant COMP-Ang1, a chimera of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) and a short coiled-coil domain of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), is under consideration as a therapeutic agent capable of inducing the homing of cells with increased angiogenesis. However, the potentialsmore » of COMP-Ang1 to stimulate migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the associated mechanisms are not completely understood. We examined the potential of COMP-Ang1 on bone marrow (BM)-MSCs, human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), and calvarial osteoblasts. COMP-Ang1 augmented Tie-2 induction at protein and mRNA levels and increased proliferation and expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix, and CXCR4 in BMMSCs, but not in osteoblasts. The COMP-Ang1-mediated increases were inhibited by Tie-2 knockdown and by treating inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), LY294002, or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), SB203580. Phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and Akt was prevented by siRNA-mediated silencing of Tie-2. COMP-Ang1 also induced in vitro migration of BMMSCs and PDLSCs. The induced migration was suppressed by Tie-2 knockdown and by CXCR4-specific peptide antagonist or LY294002, but not by SB203580. Furthermore, COMP-Ang1 stimulated the migration of PDLSCs into calvarial defect site of rats. Collectively, our results demonstrate that COMP-Ang1-stimulated proliferation, differentiation, and migration of progenitor cells may involve the Tie-2-mediated activation of p38 MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways.« less

Approximated transport-of-intensity equation for coded-aperture x-ray phase-contrast imaging.

PubMed

Das, Mini; Liang, Zhihua

2014-09-15

Transport-of-intensity equations (TIEs) allow better understanding of image formation and assist in simplifying the "phase problem" associated with phase-sensitive x-ray measurements. In this Letter, we present for the first time to our knowledge a simplified form of TIE that models x-ray differential phase-contrast (DPC) imaging with coded-aperture (CA) geometry. The validity of our approximation is demonstrated through comparison with an exact TIE in numerical simulations. The relative contributions of absorption, phase, and differential phase to the acquired phase-sensitive intensity images are made readily apparent with the approximate TIE, which may prove useful for solving the inverse phase-retrieval problem associated with these CA geometry based DPC.

Inferring tie strength from online directed behavior.

PubMed

Jones, Jason J; Settle, Jaime E; Bond, Robert M; Fariss, Christopher J; Marlow, Cameron; Fowler, James H

2013-01-01

Some social connections are stronger than others. People have not only friends, but also best friends. Social scientists have long recognized this characteristic of social connections and researchers frequently use the term tie strength to refer to this concept. We used online interaction data (specifically, Facebook interactions) to successfully identify real-world strong ties. Ground truth was established by asking users themselves to name their closest friends in real life. We found the frequency of online interaction was diagnostic of strong ties, and interaction frequency was much more useful diagnostically than were attributes of the user or the user's friends. More private communications (messages) were not necessarily more informative than public communications (comments, wall posts, and other interactions).

Scientific collaboration and team science: a social network analysis of the centers for population health and health disparities.

PubMed

Okamoto, Janet

2015-03-01

The past decade has seen dramatic shifts in the way that scientific research is conducted as networks, consortia, and large research centers are funded as transdisciplinary, team-based enterprises to tackle complex scientific questions. Key investigators (N = 167) involved in ten health disparities research centers completed a baseline social network and collaboration readiness survey. Collaborative ties existed primarily between investigators from the same center, with just 7 % of ties occurring across different centers. Grants and work groups were the most common types of ties between investigators, with shared presentations the most common tie across different centers. Transdisciplinary research orientation was associated with network position and reciprocity. Center directors/leaders were significantly more likely to form ties with investigators in other roles, such as statisticians and trainees. Understanding research collaboration networks can help to more effectively design and manage future team-based research, as well as pinpoint potential issues and continuous evaluation of existing efforts.

The Strength of the Strongest Ties in Collaborative Problem Solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Montjoye, Yves-Alexandre; Stopczynski, Arkadiusz; Shmueli, Erez; Pentland, Alex; Lehmann, Sune

2014-06-01

Complex problem solving in science, engineering, and business has become a highly collaborative endeavor. Teams of scientists or engineers collaborate on projects using their social networks to gather new ideas and feedback. Here we bridge the literature on team performance and information networks by studying teams' problem solving abilities as a function of both their within-team networks and their members' extended networks. We show that, while an assigned team's performance is strongly correlated with its networks of expressive and instrumental ties, only the strongest ties in both networks have an effect on performance. Both networks of strong ties explain more of the variance than other factors, such as measured or self-evaluated technical competencies, or the personalities of the team members. In fact, the inclusion of the network of strong ties renders these factors non-significant in the statistical analysis. Our results have consequences for the organization of teams of scientists, engineers, and other knowledge workers tackling today's most complex problems.

The strength of the strongest ties in collaborative problem solving.

PubMed

de Montjoye, Yves-Alexandre; Stopczynski, Arkadiusz; Shmueli, Erez; Pentland, Alex; Lehmann, Sune

2014-06-20

Complex problem solving in science, engineering, and business has become a highly collaborative endeavor. Teams of scientists or engineers collaborate on projects using their social networks to gather new ideas and feedback. Here we bridge the literature on team performance and information networks by studying teams' problem solving abilities as a function of both their within-team networks and their members' extended networks. We show that, while an assigned team's performance is strongly correlated with its networks of expressive and instrumental ties, only the strongest ties in both networks have an effect on performance. Both networks of strong ties explain more of the variance than other factors, such as measured or self-evaluated technical competencies, or the personalities of the team members. In fact, the inclusion of the network of strong ties renders these factors non-significant in the statistical analysis. Our results have consequences for the organization of teams of scientists, engineers, and other knowledge workers tackling today's most complex problems.

Discovering causal pathways linking genomic events to transcriptional states using Tied Diffusion Through Interacting Events (TieDIE).

PubMed

Paull, Evan O; Carlin, Daniel E; Niepel, Mario; Sorger, Peter K; Haussler, David; Stuart, Joshua M

2013-11-01

Identifying the cellular wiring that connects genomic perturbations to transcriptional changes in cancer is essential to gain a mechanistic understanding of disease initiation, progression and ultimately to predict drug response. We have developed a method called Tied Diffusion Through Interacting Events (TieDIE) that uses a network diffusion approach to connect genomic perturbations to gene expression changes characteristic of cancer subtypes. The method computes a subnetwork of protein-protein interactions, predicted transcription factor-to-target connections and curated interactions from literature that connects genomic and transcriptomic perturbations. Application of TieDIE to The Cancer Genome Atlas and a breast cancer cell line dataset identified key signaling pathways, with examples impinging on MYC activity. Interlinking genes are predicted to correspond to essential components of cancer signaling and may provide a mechanistic explanation of tumor character and suggest subtype-specific drug targets. Software is available from the Stuart lab's wiki: https://sysbiowiki.soe.ucsc.edu/tiedie. jstuart@ucsc.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization for strut-and-tie modelling of three-dimensional structural concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shobeiri, Vahid; Ahmadi-Nedushan, Behrouz

2017-12-01

This article presents a method for the automatic generation of optimal strut-and-tie models in reinforced concrete structures using a bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization method. The methodology presented is developed for compliance minimization relying on the Abaqus finite element software package. The proposed approach deals with the generation of truss-like designs in a three-dimensional environment, addressing the design of corbels and joints as well as bridge piers and pile caps. Several three-dimensional examples are provided to show the capabilities of the proposed framework in finding optimal strut-and-tie models in reinforced concrete structures and verifying its efficiency to cope with torsional actions. Several issues relating to the use of the topology optimization for strut-and-tie modelling of structural concrete, such as chequerboard patterns, mesh-dependency and multiple load cases, are studied. In the last example, a design procedure for detailing and dimensioning of the strut-and-tie models is given according to the American Concrete Institute (ACI) 318-08 provisions.

Airborne electromagnetic data levelling using principal component analysis based on flight line difference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiong; Peng, Cong; Lu, Yiming; Wang, Hao; Zhu, Kaiguang

2018-04-01

A novel technique is developed to level airborne geophysical data using principal component analysis based on flight line difference. In the paper, flight line difference is introduced to enhance the features of levelling error for airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data and improve the correlation between pseudo tie lines. Thus we conduct levelling to the flight line difference data instead of to the original AEM data directly. Pseudo tie lines are selected distributively cross profile direction, avoiding the anomalous regions. Since the levelling errors of selective pseudo tie lines show high correlations, principal component analysis is applied to extract the local levelling errors by low-order principal components reconstruction. Furthermore, we can obtain the levelling errors of original AEM data through inverse difference after spatial interpolation. This levelling method does not need to fly tie lines and design the levelling fitting function. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by the levelling results of survey data, comparing with the results from tie-line levelling and flight-line correlation levelling.

Stall dimensions and the prevalence of lameness, injury, and cleanliness on 317 tie-stall dairy farms in Ontario

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Abstract The study objectives were to provide a province-wide description of stall dimensions and the aspects of cattle welfare linked to stall design in the tie-stall industry. Data on stall design; stall dimensions; and the prevalence of lameness, injury, and hind limb and udder cleanliness in lactating dairy cattle were collected from a sample of 317 tie-stall farms across Ontario. The majority of the study farms (90%) had stalls with dimensions (length, width, tie-chain length, and tie rail height) that were less than the current recommendations. This may explain, in part, the prevalence of lameness measured as the prevalence of back arch (3.2%) and severe hind claw rotation (23%), hock lesions (44%), neck lesions (3.8%), broken tails (3%), dirty hind limbs (23%), and dirty udders (4.6%). Veterinarians and producers may use this information to compare farms with the industry averages and target areas in need of improvement. PMID:16454382

Early Family Ties and Marital Stability Over 16 Years: The Context of Race and Gender

PubMed Central

Orbuch, Terri L.; Bauermeister, José A.; Brown, Edna; McKinley, Brandyn-Dior

2016-01-01

Spouses’ emotional ties to family early in marriage are linked to marital outcomes, but little is known about how these ties affect marital stability and whether these effects vary by race and gender. The present study examines the links between emotional ties to family of origin and in-laws in the first year of marriage and marital stability over the first 16 years of marriage. Data were collected as part of a longitudinal study following Black American (n=199) and White American (n=174) married couples. Analyses revealed that perceptions of closeness to in-laws early in marriage were associated with odds of divorce over time, but the results varied by race and gender. Findings are discussed in terms of couples’ ties to family early in marriage and the role that in-law bonds play for marital stability. We also offer insights for practitioners who provide premarital and marital education and counseling services to couples. PMID:27594724

Typical intellectual engagement and cognition in old age.

PubMed

Dellenbach, Myriam; Zimprich, Daniel

2008-03-01

Typical Intellectual Engagement (TIE) comprises the preference to engage in cognitively demanding activities and has been proposed as a potential explanatory variable of individual differences in cognitive abilities. Little is known, however, about the factorial structure of TIE, its relations to socio-demographic variables, and its influence on intellectual functioning in old age. In the present study, data of 364 adults (65-81 years) from the Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging (ZULU) were used to investigate the factorial structure of TIE and to examine the hypothesis that TIE is associated more strongly with crystallized intelligence than with fluid intelligence in old age. A measurement model of a second order factor based on a structure of four correlated first order factors (Reading, Problem Solving, Abstract Thinking, and Intellectual Curiosity) evinced an excellent fit. After controlling for age, sex, and formal education, TIE was more strongly associated with crystallized intelligence than with fluid intelligence, comparable to results in younger persons. More detailed analyses showed that this association is mostly defined via Reading and Intellectual Curiosity.

Evaluation of Shear Tie Connectors for Use in Insulated Concrete Sandwich Panels

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

stainless steel, galvanized carbon steel, carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), and basalt fiber reinforced polymer...Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Delta Tie produced by Dayton Superior; • (B) THERMOMASS® composite GFRP pins; • (C) THERMOMASS® non-composite...GFRP pins; • (D) Altus Group CFRP Grid; • (E) Universal Building products GFRP Teplo Tie; and • (F) Universal Building products Basalt FRP

Dowel-Laminated Crossties -- Performance in Service, Technology of Fabrication, and Future Promise

Treesearch

J.P. Howe; P. Koch

1976-01-01

It is generally agreed that railroads of the United States must substantially increase their rate of tie renewals, if roadbeds are to be maintained in acceptable condition. To accommodate faster trains and heavier loads, future mainline ties may average larger than the 7- by 9-inch size now in common use; fewer 6- by 8-inch ties will be utilized. A logical source of...

Dowel-laminated crossties: performance in service, technology of fabrication, and future promise

Treesearch

John P. Howe; Peter Koch

1975-01-01

It is generally agreed that railroads of the United States must be substantially increase their rate of tie renewals, if roadbeds are to be maintained in acceptable condition. To accomodate faster trains and heavier loads, future mainline ties may average larger than the 7- by 9-inch size now in common use; fewer 6-by 8-inch ties will be utilized. A logical source of...

U.S.-French Commercial Ties

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-19

Z39-18 U.S.- French Commercial Ties Summary U.S. commercial ties with France are extensive, mutually profitable, and growing. With over $1.2 billion...relationship. The scale of sales of U.S.-owned companies operating in France and French -owned companies operating in the United States outweighs trade...with investments valued at $65.9 billion was the number one foreign investor in France . During that same year, French companies had direct

Possible role of IL-6 and TIE2 gene polymorphisms in predicting the initial high transport status in patients with peritoneal dialysis: an observational study.

PubMed

Ding, Li; Shao, Xinghua; Cao, Liou; Fang, Wei; Yan, Hao; Huang, Jiaying; Gu, Aiping; Yu, Zanzhe; Qi, Chaojun; Chang, Xinbei; Ni, Zhaohui

2016-10-26

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of interleukin (IL)-6 and TIE2 gene polymorphisms on baseline peritoneal transport property. An observational study. Renji Hospital in Shanghai, China. This study included 220 patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD). Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the results of an initial peritoneal equilibration test performed within 3 months of starting PD therapy: group 1 consisted of low/low average transporters (n=123), and group 2 consisted of high/high average transporters (n=97). We genotyped TIE2 and IL-6 polymorphisms and analysed their effects on baseline transport status. The genotype AT in IL-6 Rs13306435 and the genotype CC in TIE2 Rs639225 were both negatively associated with a higher initial peritoneal transport status (IL-6 Rs13306435: OR=0.408, 95% CI 0.227 to 0.736; TIE2 Rs639225: OR=0.188, 95% CI 0.044 to 0.806). IL-6 and TIE2 polymorphisms are associated with baseline peritoneal transport property. 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/.

Social Ties and Cognitive Recovery after Stroke: Does Social Integration Promote Cognitive Resilience?

PubMed Central

Glymour, M. Maria; Weuve, Jennifer; Fay, Martha E.; Glass, Thomas; Berkman, Lisa F.

2008-01-01

Background/Aims Little is known about the possible effects of social resources on stroke survivors’ level and change in cognitive outcomes. Understanding this association may help us identify strategies to improve stroke recovery and help elucidate the etiology of dementia. Methods We examined the relationship of social ties and social support to cognitive function and cognitive change 6 months after stroke. Participants in the Families in Recovery from Stroke Trial (FIRST) (n = 272) were interviewed approximately 17 days (baseline) and 6 months (follow-up) after stroke. Cognition was assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a summary battery of 7 neuropsychological tests. Median-based regression was used to model cognitive outcomes by level of baseline intimate, personal and organizational social ties and received emotional and instrumental support. Results Baseline social ties and emotional sup- port independently predicted 6-month Cognitive Summary Scores. Emotional support also predicted greater improvements in Cognitive Summary Scores from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. No other social exposures predicted improvements in the MMSE or the Cognitive Summary. Conclusions Our results suggest that emotional support may promote cognitive resilience while social ties provide cognitive reserve that protects against impaired cognition after stroke. Social ties did not predict cognitive recovery however, so reverse causation cannot be ruled out. PMID:18535395

Social networking technology, social network composition, and reductions in substance use among homeless adolescents.

PubMed

Rice, Eric; Milburn, Norweeta G; Monro, William

2011-03-01

Peer-based prevention programs for homeless youth are complicated by the potential for reinforcing high-risk behaviors among participants. The goal of this study is to understand how homeless youth could be linked to positive peers in prevention programming by understanding where in social and physical space positive peers for homeless youth are located, how these ties are associated with substance use, and the role of social networking technologies (e.g., internet and cell phones) in this process. Personal social network data were collected from 136 homeless adolescents in Los Angeles, CA. Respondents reported on composition of their social networks with respect to: home-based peers and parents (accessed via social networking technology; e.g., the internet, cell phone, texting), homeless peers and agency staff (accessed face-to-face) and whether or not network members were substance-using or non-substance-using. Associations between respondent's lifetime cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine use and recent (previous 30 days) alcohol and marijuana use were assessed by the number of non-substance-using versus substance-using ties in multivariate linear regression models. 43% of adolescents reported a non-substance-using home-based tie. More of these ties were associated with less recent alcohol use. 62% of adolescents reported a substance-using homeless tie. More of these ties were associated with more recent marijuana use as well as more lifetime heroin and methamphetamine use. For homeless youth, who are physically disconnected from positive peers, social networking technologies can be used to facilitate the sorts of positive social ties that effective peer-based prevention programs require.

Angiopoietin-2 and soluble Tie-2 receptor plasma levels in children with obstructive sleep apnea and obesity.

PubMed

Gozal, David; Khalyfa, Abdelnaby; Qiao, Zhuanghong; Smith, Dale L; Philby, Mona F; Koren, Dorit; Kheirandish-Gozal, Leila

2017-06-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent condition, especially in children with obesity, and is associated with increased risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS). Angiopoietins have been identified as potential biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and MetS. In adults, angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and its soluble receptor (sTie-2) are associated with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity and could be increased in children with OSA and obesity, particularly those with evidence of cardiometabolic alterations. One hundred twenty-six children (7.4 ± 2.0 years) were consecutively recruited and underwent overnight polysomnography, as well as endothelial function and BMI z score assessments and a fasting blood draw the morning after the sleep study. In addition to lipid profile, glucose and insulin levels, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), Ang-2 and sTie-2 concentrations were determined. Children with obesity and OSA had significantly elevated plasma Ang-2 and sTie-2 levels compared to corresponding controls with and without obesity. Furthermore, endothelial function (Tmax) and HOMA-IR were linearly and independently associated with Ang-2 and sTie-2 levels. In a small subset of children (n = 14), treatment of OSA by adenotonsillectomy resulted in reductions of Ang-2 and sTie-2 (P < 0.01). Ang-2 and sTie-2 plasma levels are increased in pediatric OSA and obesity, particularly when endothelial dysfunction or insulin resistance is detectable, and appear to decrease upon OSA treatment. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Tubal ligation - discharge

MedlinePlus

... discharge; Tube tying - discharge; Tying the tubes - discharge; Contraception - tubal ... chap 23. Jensen JT, Mishell DR. Family planning: contraception, sterilization, and pregnancy termination. In: Lentz GM, Lobo ...

Nitric oxide donor up-regulation of SDF1/CXCR4 and Ang1/Tie2 promotes neuroblast cell migration after stroke.

PubMed

Cui, Xu; Chen, Jieli; Zacharek, Alex; Roberts, Cynthia; Yang, Yuping; Chopp, Michael

2009-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that a nitric oxide donor, DETA-NONOate, up-regulates stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1) and angiopoietin 1 (Ang1) in the ischemic brain and their respective receptors chemokine CXC motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) and Tie2 in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and thereby promote SVZ neuroblast cell migration after stroke. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), and 24 hr later DETA-NONOate (0.4 mg/kg) or phosphate-buffered solution was intravenously administered. Mice were sacrificed at 14 days for histological assessment or sacrificed at 3 days for analysis by real-time polymerase chain reaction and migration after MCAo. To elucidate whether SDF1/CXCR4 and Ang1/Tie2 pathways mediate DETA-NONOate-induced SVZ migration after stroke, SDF1alpha, Ang1 peptide, a specific antagonist of CXCR4 (AMD3100), and a neutralizing antibody of Tie2 (anti-Tie2) were used in vitro. DETA-NONOate significantly increased the percentage area of doublecortin (DCX, a marker of migrating neuroblasts)-immunoreactive cells in the SVZ and ischemic boundary zone. DETA-NONOate significantly increased the expression of SDF1 and Ang1 in the ischemic border and up-regulated CXCR4 and Tie2 in the SVZ compared with MCAo control. DCX-positive cell migration from SVZ explants was significantly increased in the DETA-NONOate treatment group compared with MCAo-alone animals. In vitro, SDF1alpha and Ang1 significantly increased SVZ explants cell migration. In addition, inhibition of CXCR4 or Tie2 significantly attenuated DETA-NONOate-induced SVZ cell migration. Our data indicate that treatment of stroke with a nitric oxide donor up-regulates SDF1/CXCR4 and Ang1/Tie2 pathways and thereby likely increases SVZ neuroblast cell migration. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Nitric Oxide Donor Upregulation of SDF1/CXCR4 and Ang1/Tie2 Promotes Neuroblast Cell Migration After Stroke

PubMed Central

Cui, Xu; Chen, Jieli; Zacharek, Alex; Roberts, Cynthia; Yang, Yuping; Chopp, Michael

2008-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that a nitric oxide donor, DETA-NONOate upregulates Stromal cell-Derived Factor-1 (SDF1) and Angiopoietin 1 (Ang1) in the ischemic brain and their, respective, receptors chemokine CXC motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) and Tie2 in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and thereby promote SVZ neuroblast cell migration after stroke. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and 24 hours later DETA-NONOate (0.4 mg/kg) or phosphate buffered solution were intravenously administered. Mice were sacrificed at 14 days for histological assessment or sacrificed at 3 days for analysis real-time polymerase chain reaction and migration after MCAo. To elucidate whether SDF1/CXCR4 and Ang1/Tie2 pathways mediate DETA-NONOate induced SVZ migration after stroke, SDF1α, Ang1 peptide and a specific antagonist of CXCR4 (AMD3100) and a neutralizing antibody of Tie2 (anti-Tie2) were used in vitro. DETA-NONOate significantly increased the percent area of doublecortin (a marker of migrating neuroblasts) immunoreactive-cells in the SVZ and ischemic boundary zone. DETA-NONOate significantly increased the expression of SDF1 and Ang1 in the ischemic border and upregulated CXCR4 and Tie2 in the SVZ compared with MCAo control. DCX-positive cell migration from SVZ explants was significantly increased in the DETA-NONOate treatment group compared with MCAo alone animals. In vitro, SDF1α and Ang1 significantly increased SVZ explants cell migration. In addition, inhibition of CXCR4 or Tie2 significantly attenuated DETA-NONOate induced SVZ cell migration. Our data indicated that treatment of stroke with a nitric oxide donor upregulates SDF1/CXCR4 and Ang1/Tie2 pathways and thereby likely increases SVZ neuroblast cell migration. PMID:18711749

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

Yang, K; Li, X; Liu, B

Purpose: To accurately measure CT bow-tie profiles from various manufacturers and to provide non-proprietary information for CT system modeling. Methods: A GOS-based linear detector (0.8 mm per pixel and 51.2 cm in length) with a fast data sampling speed (0.24 ms/sample) was used to measure the relative profiles of bow-tie filters from a collection of eight CT scanners by three different vendors, GE (LS Xtra, LS VCT, Discovery HD750), Siemens (Sensation 64, Edge, Flash, Force), and Philips (iBrilliance 256). The linear detector was first calibrated for its energy response within typical CT beam quality ranges and compared with an ionmore » chamber and analytical modeling (SPECTRA and TASMIP). A geometrical calibration process was developed to determine key parameters including the distance from the focal spot to the linear detector, the angular increment of the gantry at each data sampling, the location of the central x-ray on the linear detector, and the angular response of the detector pixel. Measurements were performed under axial-scan modes for most representative bow-tie filters and kV selections from each scanner. Bow-tie profiles were determined by re-binning the measured rotational data with an angular accuracy of 0.1 degree using the calibrated geometrical parameters. Results: The linear detector demonstrated an energy response as a solid state detector, which is close to the CT imaging detector. The geometrical calibration was proven to be sufficiently accurate (< 1mm in error for distances >550 mm) and the bow-tie profiles measured from rotational mode matched closely to those from the gantry-stationary mode. Accurate profiles were determined for a total of 21 bow-tie filters and 83 filter/kV combinations from the abovementioned scanner models. Conclusion: A new improved approach of CT bow-tie measurement was proposed and accurate bow-tie profiles were provided for a broad list of CT scanner models.« less

Angiopoietin-2 levels are associated with retinopathy and predict mortality in Malawian children with cerebral malaria: a retrospective case-control study

PubMed Central

Conroy, Andrea L.; Glover, Simon J.; Hawkes, Michael; Erdman, Laura K.; Seydel, Karl B.; Taylor, Terrie E.; Molyneux, Malcolm E.; Kain, Kevin C.

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate the relationship between the angiopoietin-Tie-2 system, retinopathy and mortality in children with cerebral malaria (CM). Design Case-control study of retinopathy positive versus retinopathy negative children with clinically defined CM. Setting Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Subjects 155 children presenting with severe malaria and meeting a strict definition of clinical cerebral malaria (Blantyre Coma Score ≤2, Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia, no other identifiable cause for coma) were included in the study. Measurements Clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded at admission and fundoscopic exams were performed. Admission levels of angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2 and a soluble version of their cognate receptor (sTie-2) were measured by ELISA. Main results We show that angiopoietin-1 levels are decreased and angiopoietin-2 and sTie-2 levels are increased in children with CM who had retinopathy compared to those who did not. Angiopoietin-2 and sTie-2 were independent predictors of retinopathy (adjusted Odds ratio (95% CI): angiopoietin-2, 4.3 (1.3-14.6), p=0.019; sTie-2, 9.7 (2.1-45.8), p=0.004). Angiopoietin-2 and sTie-2 were positively correlated with the number of hemorrhages, the severity of retinal whitening and the extent of capillary whitening observed on fundoscopic exam (p<0.05 following adjustment for multiple comparisons). Angiopoietin-2 and sTie-2 levels were elevated in children with CM who subsequently died and Angiopoetin-2 was an independent predictor of death (adjusted Odds ratio: 3.9 (1.2-12.7), p=0.024). When combined with clinical parameters, Angiopoetin-2 improved prediction of mortality using logistic regression models and classification trees. Conclusions These results provide insights into mechanisms of endothelial activation in CM and indicate that the angiopoietin-Tie-2 axis is associated with retinopathy and mortality in pediatric CM. PMID:22343839

Application of Text Information Extraction System for Real-Time Cancer Case Identification in an Integrated Healthcare Organization.

PubMed

Xie, Fagen; Lee, Janet; Munoz-Plaza, Corrine E; Hahn, Erin E; Chen, Wansu

2017-01-01

Surgical pathology reports (SPR) contain rich clinical diagnosis information. The text information extraction system (TIES) is an end-to-end application leveraging natural language processing technologies and focused on the processing of pathology and/or radiology reports. We deployed the TIES system and integrated SPRs into the TIES system on a daily basis at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. The breast cancer cases diagnosed in December 2013 from the Cancer Registry (CANREG) were used to validate the performance of the TIES system. The National Cancer Institute Metathesaurus (NCIM) concept terms and codes to describe breast cancer were identified through the Unified Medical Language System Terminology Service (UTS) application. The identified NCIM codes were used to search for the coded SPRs in the back-end datastore directly. The identified cases were then compared with the breast cancer patients pulled from CANREG. A total of 437 breast cancer concept terms and 14 combinations of "breast"and "cancer" terms were identified from the UTS application. A total of 249 breast cancer cases diagnosed in December 2013 was pulled from CANREG. Out of these 249 cases, 241 were successfully identified by the TIES system from a total of 457 reports. The TIES system also identified an additional 277 cases that were not part of the validation sample. Out of the 277 cases, 11% were determined as highly likely to be cases after manual examinations, and 86% were in CANREG but were diagnosed in months other than December of 2013. The study demonstrated that the TIES system can effectively identify potential breast cancer cases in our care setting. Identified potential cases can be easily confirmed by reviewing the corresponding annotated reports through the front-end visualization interface. The TIES system is a great tool for identifying potential various cancer cases in a timely manner and on a regular basis in support of clinical research studies.

Investigation of Bending Test Procedures for Engineered Polymer Composite Railroad Ties

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Test Procedures for Engineered Polymer Composite Railroad Ties Claire G. Ball CTL Group 5400 Old Orchard Road Skokie, IL 60077 Final report...track. Per- formance criteria have been developed and published in Chapter 30 of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance -of-Way Association’s...these ties were developed and published in Chap- ter 30 of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance -of-Way As- sociation (AREMA) Manual for

Hardwood Press-Lam Crossties: Processing and Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

replacements (24) Earlier reports by the American Railway EngineeringA Association ( AREA ) indicated more failures due to splitting and decay (62 pct...to emphasize a M 4 %441 higher percen’age of structural failures An AREA specification (3) on f concrete ties represents the first performance...specification for any type of tie. The AREA specification for timber c r crosstles addresses only species, *t .- requirements (2) A tie size of 7 inches

Defining Command, Leadership, and Management Success Factors Within Stability Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

concepts are identified, and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats ( SWOT ) analysis is conducted. The enti- ties of the EU, NATO, and the...ICRC all receive a simi- lar treatment identifying their mandates and methods and having SWOT applied. The NATO discussions are continued in the...essence describes the prevention-interven- tion-stabilization curve in the current environment. The essential concepts from a stability operation con - text

Inferring Tie Strength from Online Directed Behavior

PubMed Central

Jones, Jason J.; Settle, Jaime E.; Bond, Robert M.; Fariss, Christopher J.; Marlow, Cameron; Fowler, James H.

2013-01-01

Some social connections are stronger than others. People have not only friends, but also best friends. Social scientists have long recognized this characteristic of social connections and researchers frequently use the term tie strength to refer to this concept. We used online interaction data (specifically, Facebook interactions) to successfully identify real-world strong ties. Ground truth was established by asking users themselves to name their closest friends in real life. We found the frequency of online interaction was diagnostic of strong ties, and interaction frequency was much more useful diagnostically than were attributes of the user or the user’s friends. More private communications (messages) were not necessarily more informative than public communications (comments, wall posts, and other interactions). PMID:23300964

Predictors of Change in Self-Reported Social Networks among Homeless Young People

PubMed Central

Falci, Christina D.; Whitbeck, Les B.; Hoyt, Dan R.; Rose, Trina

2011-01-01

This research investigates changes in social network size and composition of 351 homeless adolescents over three years. Findings show that network size decreases over time. Homeless youth with a conduct disorder begin street life with small networks that remain small over time. Caregiver abuse is associated with smaller emotional networks due to fewer home ties, especially to parents, and a more rapid loss of emotional home ties over time. Homeless youth with major depression start out with small networks, but are more likely to maintain network ties. Youth with substance abuse problems are more likely to maintain instrumental home ties. Finally, homeless adolescents tend to reconnect with their parents for instrumental aid and form romantic relationship that provide emotional support. PMID:22121332

Tying Knots in DNA with Holographic Optical Tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miles, Mervyn; Foster, David; Seddon, Annela; Phillips, David; Carberry, David; Padgett, Miles; Dennis, Mark

It has been demonstrated that holographic optical tweezers can be used to tie a trefoil knot in double-stranded DNA. We have developed an advanced holographic optical tweezers system with several types of intuitive control interfaces. It has been used in a range of research projects including the characterization and assembly of structures. Here the process of tying increasingly complex knots with holographic tweezers will be described. The DNA is of the order of 50 μ m in length and is fluorescently labeled, in order that it can be visualized in the optical microscope of the tweezers system. With a knot was tied, the effect of increasing the persistence length of the DNA by partial methylation of the DNA molecule was investigated. Leverhulme Trust.

The association between network social capital and self-rated health: pouring old wine in new bottles?

PubMed

Verhaeghe, Pieter-Paul; Pattyn, Elise; Bracke, Piet; Verhaeghe, Mieke; Van De Putte, Bart

2012-03-01

This study examines whether there is an association between network social capital and self-rated health after controlling for social support. Moreover, we distinguish between network social capital that emerges from strong ties and weak ties. We used a cross-sectional representative sample of 815 adults from the Belgian population. Social capital is measured with the position generator and perceived social support with the MOS Social Support-scale. Results suggest that network social capital is associated with self-rated health after adjustment for social support. Because different social classes have access to different sets of resources, resources of friends and family from the intermediate and higher service classes are beneficial for self-rated health, whereas resources of friends and family from the working class appear to be rather detrimental for self-rated health. From a health-promoting perspective, these findings indicate that policy makers should deal with the root causes of socioeconomic disadvantages in society. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimal social-networking strategy is a function of socioeconomic conditions.

PubMed

Oishi, Shigehiro; Kesebir, Selin

2012-12-01

In the two studies reported here, we examined the relation among residential mobility, economic conditions, and optimal social-networking strategy. In study 1, a computer simulation showed that regardless of economic conditions, having a broad social network with weak friendship ties is advantageous when friends are likely to move away. By contrast, having a small social network with deep friendship ties is advantageous when the economy is unstable but friends are not likely to move away. In study 2, we examined the validity of the computer simulation using a sample of American adults. Results were consistent with the simulation: American adults living in a zip code where people are residentially stable but economically challenged were happier if they had a narrow but deep social network, whereas in other socioeconomic conditions, people were generally happier if they had a broad but shallow networking strategy. Together, our studies demonstrate that the optimal social-networking strategy varies as a function of socioeconomic conditions.

Latent Class Models in action: bridging social capital & Internet usage.

PubMed

Neves, Barbara Barbosa; Fonseca, Jaime R S

2015-03-01

This paper explores how Latent Class Models (LCM) can be applied in social research, when the basic assumptions of regression models cannot be validated. We examine the usefulness of this method with data collected from a study on the relationship between bridging social capital and the Internet. Social capital is defined here as the resources that are potentially available in one's social ties. Bridging is a dimension of social capital, usually related to weak ties (acquaintances), and a source of instrumental resources such as information. The study surveyed a stratified random sample of 417 inhabitants of Lisbon, Portugal. We used LCM to create the variable bridging social capital, but also to estimate the relationship between bridging social capital and Internet usage when we encountered convergence problems with the logistic regression analysis. We conclude by showing a positive relationship between bridging and Internet usage, and by discussing the potential of LCM for social science research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure and evolution of online social relationships: Heterogeneity in unrestricted discussions.

PubMed

Goh, K-I; Eom, Y-H; Jeong, H; Kahng, B; Kim, D

2006-06-01

With the advancement in the information age, people are using electronic media more frequently for communications, and social relationships are also increasingly resorting to online channels. While extensive studies on traditional social networks have been carried out, little has been done on online social networks. Here we analyze the structure and evolution of online social relationships by examining the temporal records of a bulletin board system (BBS) in a university. The BBS dataset comprises of 1908 boards, in which a total of 7446 students participate. An edge is assigned to each dialogue between two students, and it is defined as the appearance of the name of a student in the from- and to-field in each message. This yields a weighted network between the communicating students with an unambiguous group association of individuals. In contrast to a typical community network, where intracommunities (intercommunities) are strongly (weakly) tied, the BBS network contains hub members who participate in many boards simultaneously but are strongly tied, that is, they have a large degree and betweenness centrality and provide communication channels between communities. On the other hand, intracommunities are rather homogeneously and weakly connected. Such a structure, which has never been empirically characterized in the past, might provide a new perspective on the social opinion formation in this digital era.

Analysis of ILRS Site Ties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husson, V. S.; Long, J. L.; Pearlman, M.

2001-12-01

By the end of 2000, 94% of ILRS stations had completed station and site information forms (i.e. site logs). These forms contain six types of information. These six categories include site identifiers, contact information, approximate coordinates, system configuration history, system ranging capabilities, and local survey ties. The ILRS Central Bureau, in conjunction with the ILRS Networks and Engineering Working Group, has developed procedures to quality control site log contents. Part of this verification entails data integrity checks of local site ties and is the primary focus of this paper. Local survey ties are critical to the combination of space geodetic network coordinate solutions (i.e. GPS, SLR, VLBI, DORIS) of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Approximately 90% of active SLR sites are collocated with at least one other space geodetic technique. The process used to verify these SLR ties, at collocated sites, is identical to the approach used in ITRF2000. Local vectors (X, Y, Z) from each ILRS site log are differenced from its corresponding ITRF2000 position vectors (i.e. no transformations). These X, Y, and Z deltas are converted into North, East, and Up. Any deltas, in any component, larger than 5 millimeter is flagged for investigation. In the absence of ITRF2000 SLR positions, CSR positions were used. To further enhance this comparison and to fill gaps in information, local ties contained in site logs from the other space geodetic services (i.e. IGS, IVS, IDS) were used in addition to ITRF2000 ties. Case studies of two collocated sites (McDonald/Ft. Davis and Hartebeeshtoek) will be explored in-depth. Recommendations on how local site surveys should be conducted and how this information should be managed will also be presented.

Relationships between authorship contributions and authors' industry financial ties among oncology clinical trials.

PubMed

Rose, Susannah L; Krzyzanowska, Monika K; Joffe, Steven

2010-03-10

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that authors who play key scientific roles in oncology clinical trials, and who therefore have increased influence over the design, analysis, interpretation or reporting of trials, are more likely than those who do not play such roles to have financial ties to industry. METHODS Data were abstracted from all trials (n = 235) of drugs or biologic agents published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007. Article-level data included sponsorship, age group (adult v pediatric), phase, single versus multicenter, country (United States v other), and number of authors. Author-level data (n = 2,927) included financial ties (eg, employment, consulting) and performance of key scientific roles (ie, conception/design, analysis/interpretation, or manuscript writing). Associations between performance of key roles and financial ties, adjusting for article-level covariates, were examined using generalized linear mixed models. Results One thousand eight hundred eighty-one authors (64%) reported performing at least one key role, and 842 authors (29%) reported at least one financial tie. Authors who reported performing a key role were more likely than other authors to report financial ties to industry (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.3; 99% CI, 3.0 to 6.0; P < .0001). The association was stronger among trials with, compared with those without, industry funding (OR, 5.0 [99% CI, 3.4 to 7.5] v OR, 2.5 [99% CI, 1.3 to 4.8]), but was present regardless of sponsorship. CONCLUSION Authors who perform key roles in the conception and design, analysis, and interpretation, or reporting of oncology clinical trials are more likely than authors who do not perform such roles to have financial ties to industry.

Stability and failure analysis of steering tie-rod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, GongFeng; Zhang, YiLiang; Xu, XueDong; Ding, DaWei

2008-11-01

A new car in operation of only 8,000 km, because of malfunction, resulting in lost control and rammed into the edge of the road, and then the basic vehicle scrapped. According to the investigation of the site, it was found that the tie-rod of the car had been broken. For the subjective analysis of the accident and identifying the true causes of rupture of the tierod, a series of studies, from the angle of theory to experiment on the bended broken tie-rod, were conducted. The mechanical model was established; the stability of the defective tie-rod was simulated based on ANSYS software. Meanwhile, the process of the accident was simulated considering the effect of destabilization of different vehicle speed and direction of the impact. Simultaneously, macro graphic test, chemical composition analysis, microstructure analysis and SEM analysis of the fracture were implemented. The results showed that: 1) the toughness of the tie-rod is at a normal level, but there is some previous flaws. One quarter of the fracture surface has been cracked before the accident. However, there is no relationship between the flaw and this incident. The direct cause is the dynamic instability leading to the large deformation of impact loading. 2) The declining safety factor of the tie-rod greatly due to the previous flaws; the result of numerical simulation shows that previous flaw is the vital factor of structure instability, on the basis of the comparison of critical loads of the accident tie-rod and normal. The critical load can decrease by 51.3% when the initial defect increases 19.54% on the cross-sectional area, which meets the Theory of Koiter.

Relationships Between Authorship Contributions and Authors' Industry Financial Ties Among Oncology Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Rose, Susannah L.; Krzyzanowska, Monika K.; Joffe, Steven

2010-01-01

Purpose To test the hypothesis that authors who play key scientific roles in oncology clinical trials, and who therefore have increased influence over the design, analysis, interpretation or reporting of trials, are more likely than those who do not play such roles to have financial ties to industry. Methods Data were abstracted from all trials (n = 235) of drugs or biologic agents published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007. Article-level data included sponsorship, age group (adult v pediatric), phase, single versus multicenter, country (United States v other), and number of authors. Author-level data (n = 2,927) included financial ties (eg, employment, consulting) and performance of key scientific roles (ie, conception/design, analysis/interpretation, or manuscript writing). Associations between performance of key roles and financial ties, adjusting for article-level covariates, were examined using generalized linear mixed models. Results One thousand eight hundred eighty-one authors (64%) reported performing at least one key role, and 842 authors (29%) reported at least one financial tie. Authors who reported performing a key role were more likely than other authors to report financial ties to industry (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.3; 99% CI, 3.0 to 6.0; P < .0001). The association was stronger among trials with, compared with those without, industry funding (OR, 5.0 [99% CI, 3.4 to 7.5] v OR, 2.5 [99% CI, 1.3 to 4.8]), but was present regardless of sponsorship. Conclusion Authors who perform key roles in the conception and design, analysis, and interpretation, or reporting of oncology clinical trials are more likely than authors who do not perform such roles to have financial ties to industry. PMID:20065190

A network model of communication in an interprofessional team of healthcare professionals: A cross-sectional study of a burn unit.

PubMed

Shoham, David A; Harris, Jenine K; Mundt, Marlon; McGaghie, William

2016-09-01

Healthcare teams consist of individuals communicating with one another during patient care delivery. Coordination of multiple specialties is critical for patients with complex health conditions, and requires interprofessional and intraprofessional communication. We examined a communication network of 71 health professionals in four professional roles: physician, nurse, health management, and support personnel (dietitian, pharmacist, or social worker), or other health professionals (including physical, respiratory, and occupational therapists, and medical students) working in a burn unit. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected by surveying members of a healthcare team. Ties were defined by asking team members whom they discussed patient care matters with on the shift. We built an exponential random graph model to determine: (1) does professional role influence the likelihood of a tie; (2) are ties more likely between team members from different professions compared to between team members from the same profession; and (3) which professions are more likely to form interprofessional ties. Health management and support personnel ties were 94% interprofessional while ties among nurses were 60% interprofessional. Nurses and other health professionals were significantly less likely than physicians to form ties. Nurses were 1.64 times more likely to communicate with nurses than non-nurses (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01-2.66); there was no significant role homophily for physicians, other health professionals, or health management and support personnel. Understanding communication networks in healthcare teams is an early step in understanding how teams work together to provide care; future work should evaluate the types and quality of interactions between members of interprofessional healthcare teams.

Dental occlusion ties: A rapid, safe, and non‐invasive maxillo‐mandibular fixation technology

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objectives For decades, Erich arch bars have been a standard in establishing maxillo‐mandibular fixation (MMF). While reliable, the approach risks sharps injury, consumes operating room time, and inflicts gingival trauma. Newer technologies including screw‐based techniques and “hybrid” techniques have improved MMF by reducing sharps injuries and operating room time, but risk injury to tooth roots, nerves, and gingiva. This study aims to establish the application, strengths, and limitations of dental occlusion ties as a novel alternative in maxillo‐mandibular fixation. Study Design Prospective, non‐blinded, human feasibility clinical trial. Materials and Methods An iterative prototyping process was used to invent dental occlusion ties (brand name: Minne Ties). Development included 3D printing, cadaver prototype testing, human apical embrasure measurement, and ultimately non‐significant risk human clinical trial testing. In the IRB‐approved feasibility clinical trial, the devices were applied to mandible and maxilla fracture candidates with fractures amenable to intra‐operative MMF with open reduction with internal fixation. The ties were removed prior to extubation. Pre‐teens, comminuted fracture patients, and patients requiring post‐operative MMF were excluded. Results Manufactured, sterile prototypes secured MMF successfully in management of unilateral and bilateral mandible and maxilla fractures. All patients reported correction of pre‐operative malocclusion. Application times were typically 12–15 minutes for a single surgeon to achieve MMF. Patients incurred negligible gingival trauma from the technology as the ties require no tissue penetration for application. Conclusions Dental occlusion ties offer a non‐invasive solution featuring operating room efficiency, minimized sharps risk, and less bony and soft tissue trauma than current commercialized solutions. Level of Evidence Therapeutic, IV PMID:28894837

Effects of Nano-Hydroxyapatite/Polyetheretherketone-Coated, Sandblasted, Large-Grit, and Acid-Etched Implants on Inflammatory Cytokines and Osseointegration in a Peri-Implantitis Model in Beagle Dogs.

PubMed

Yang, Hua-Wei; Tang, Xiao-Shan; Tian, Zhuo-Wei; Wang, Yang; Yang, Wen-Yi; Hu, Jing-Zhou

2017-09-25

BACKGROUND This study explored the effects of nano-hydroxyapatite/polyetheretherketone (n-HA/PEEK)- coated sandblasted, large-grit, and acid-etched (SLA) implants on inflammatory cytokines and osseointegration in peri-implantitis model beagle dogs. MATERIAL AND METHODS Peri-implantitis models were established. Eight beagle dogs were randomly and evenly assigned into SLA tied, SLA + n-HA/PEEK tied, SLA untied, or SLA + n-HA/PEEK untied groups. A special periodontal probe was used to detect the plaque index (PLI), probing depth (PD), and modified Sulcus Bleeding Index (mSBI). Gingival crevicular fluid was collected and an ELISA kit was utilized to detect IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17 levels. The colony-forming units were counted and the maximum shear strength of implants was tested using the axial pullout test. HE staining was used to detect the inflammation of peri-implant bone tissues. Osseointegration was observed through toluidine blue staining. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) was obtained through histological observation and the mineral apposition rate (MAR) was calculated after immune fluorescent double staining. RESULTS The SLA tied group demonstrated higher levels of PLI, PD, mSBI, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17 and a higher degree of inflammation than the SLA + n-HA/PEEK tied group. The tied groups also displayed similar results over the untied groups at the same time point. The maximum shear strength, BIC, and MAR in the SLA tied group were significantly lower than in the SLA + n-HA/PEEK tied group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that SLA + n-HA/PEEK implants can promote osseointegration and relieve the inflammation response of peri-implantitis in beagle dogs.

A new technique to characterize CT scanner bow-tie filter attenuation and applications in human cadaver dosimetry simulations

PubMed Central

Li, Xinhua; Shi, Jim Q.; Zhang, Da; Singh, Sarabjeet; Padole, Atul; Otrakji, Alexi; Kalra, Mannudeep K.; Xu, X. George; Liu, Bob

2015-01-01

Purpose: To present a noninvasive technique for directly measuring the CT bow-tie filter attenuation with a linear array x-ray detector. Methods: A scintillator based x-ray detector of 384 pixels, 307 mm active length, and fast data acquisition (model X-Scan 0.8c4-307, Detection Technology, FI-91100 Ii, Finland) was used to simultaneously detect radiation levels across a scan field-of-view. The sampling time was as short as 0.24 ms. To measure the body bow-tie attenuation on a GE Lightspeed Pro 16 CT scanner, the x-ray tube was parked at the 12 o’clock position, and the detector was centered in the scan field at the isocenter height. Two radiation exposures were made with and without the bow-tie in the beam path. Each readout signal was corrected for the detector background offset and signal-level related nonlinear gain, and the ratio of the two exposures gave the bow-tie attenuation. The results were used in the geant4 based simulations of the point doses measured using six thimble chambers placed in a human cadaver with abdomen/pelvis CT scans at 100 or 120 kV, helical pitch at 1.375, constant or variable tube current, and distinct x-ray tube starting angles. Results: Absolute attenuation was measured with the body bow-tie scanned at 80–140 kV. For 24 doses measured in six organs of the cadaver, the median or maximum difference between the simulation results and the measurements on the CT scanner was 8.9% or 25.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The described method allows fast and accurate bow-tie filter characterization. PMID:26520720

Software For Tie-Point Registration Of SAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rignot, Eric; Dubois, Pascale; Okonek, Sharon; Van Zyl, Jacob; Burnette, Fred; Borgeaud, Maurice

1995-01-01

SAR-REG software package registers synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) image data to common reference frame based on manual tie-pointing. Image data can be in binary, integer, floating-point, or AIRSAR compressed format. For example, with map of soil characteristics, vegetation map, digital elevation map, or SPOT multispectral image, as long as user can generate binary image to be used by tie-pointing routine and data are available in one of the previously mentioned formats. Written in FORTRAN 77.

The social ties that bind: social anxiety and academic achievement across the university years.

PubMed

Brook, Christina A; Willoughby, Teena

2015-05-01

Given that engagement and integration in university/college are considered key to successful academic achievement, the identifying features of social anxiety, including fear of negative evaluation and distress and avoidance of new or all social situations, may be particularly disadvantageous in the social and evaluative contexts that are integral to university/college life. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the direct effects of social anxiety on academic achievement, as well as investigate an indirect mechanism through which social anxiety might impact on academic achievement, namely, the formation of new social ties in university. The participants were 942 (71.7 % female; M = 19 years at Time 1) students enrolled in a mid-sized university in Southern Ontario, Canada. Students completed annual assessments of social anxiety, social ties, and academic achievement for three consecutive years. The results from an autoregressive cross-lag path analysis indicated that social anxiety had a significant and negative direct relationship with academic achievement. Moreover, the negative indirect effect of social anxiety on academic achievement through social ties was significant, as was the opposing direction of effects (i.e., the indirect effect of academic achievement on social anxiety through social ties). These findings highlight the critical role that social ties appear to play in successful academic outcomes and in alleviating the effects of social anxiety during university/college.

The weight of networks: the role of social ties and ethnic media in mitigating obesity and hypertension among Latinas.

PubMed

Walter, Nathan; Robbins, Chris; Murphy, Sheila T; Ball-Rokeach, Sandra J

2017-09-01

Latinos have a disproportionately high risk for obesity and hypertension. The current study analyzes survey data from Latin American women to detect differences in rates of obesity and hypertension based on their number of health-related social ties. Additionally, it proposes individuals' health-related media preference (ethnic/ mainstream) as a potential moderator. The dataset includes 364 Latinas (21-50 years old) from the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, who responded to a series of sociodemographic, physiological, health-related, and media-related questions. Controlling for various sociodemographic and health variables, each additional health-related tie in a Latina's social network significantly decreased her likelihood of being obese OR = .79, p = .041, 95% CI [.66, .95], but did not affect hypertension. Further, the analysis revealed a significant interaction between media preference and health-related social ties, such that exposure to ethnic media tended to compensate for the absence of social ties for the likelihood of obesity OR = .75, p = .041, 95% CI [.52, .97], as well as hypertension OR = .79, p = .045, 95% CI [.55, .98]. In concurrence with the literature, increases in health-related ties reduced the likelihood of obesity in this population. Moreover, ethnic media preference may play an important role in mitigating the likelihood of obesity and hypertension among Latinas.

Tubal ligation

MedlinePlus

... tying; Tying the tubes; Hysteroscopic tubal occlusion procedure; Contraception - tubal ligation; Family planning - tubal ligation ... Tubal ligation is considered a permanent form of birth control. It is NOT recommended as a short-term ...

Quiet eye training improves surgical knot tying more than traditional technical training: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Causer, Joe; Harvey, Adrian; Snelgrove, Ryan; Arsenault, Gina; Vickers, Joan N

2014-08-01

We examined the effectiveness of technical training (TT) and quiet eye training (QE) on the performance of one-handed square knot tying in surgical residents. Twenty surgical residents were randomly assigned to the 2 groups and completed pretest, training, retention, and transfer tests. Participants wore a mobile eye tracker that simultaneously recorded their gaze and hand movements. Dependent variables were knot tying performance (%), QE duration (%), number of fixations, total movement time (s), and hand movement phase time (s). The QE training group had significantly higher performance scores, a longer QE duration, fewer fixations, faster total knot tying times, and faster movement phase times compared with the TT group. The QE group maintained performance in the transfer test, whereas the TT group significantly decreased performance from retention to transfer. QE training significantly improved learning, retention, and transfer of surgical knot tying compared with a traditional technical approach. Both performance effectiveness (performance outcome) and movement efficiency (hand movement times) were improved using QE modeling, instruction, and feedback. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Evolution of Email Networks: Statistical Regularities, Predictability and Stability of Social Behaviors.

PubMed

Godoy-Lorite, Antonia; Guimerà, Roger; Sales-Pardo, Marta

2016-01-01

In social networks, individuals constantly drop ties and replace them by new ones in a highly unpredictable fashion. This highly dynamical nature of social ties has important implications for processes such as the spread of information or of epidemics. Several studies have demonstrated the influence of a number of factors on the intricate microscopic process of tie replacement, but the macroscopic long-term effects of such changes remain largely unexplored. Here we investigate whether, despite the inherent randomness at the microscopic level, there are macroscopic statistical regularities in the long-term evolution of social networks. In particular, we analyze the email network of a large organization with over 1,000 individuals throughout four consecutive years. We find that, although the evolution of individual ties is highly unpredictable, the macro-evolution of social communication networks follows well-defined statistical patterns, characterized by exponentially decaying log-variations of the weight of social ties and of individuals' social strength. At the same time, we find that individuals have social signatures and communication strategies that are remarkably stable over the scale of several years.

TIE METHODS FOR TOXICITY EVALUATION OF FRESHWATER SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Three toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods, AVS spiking, zero-valent metal and cation exchange resin, have been used with metal contaminated and enriched sediments to remove the toxicity...

Relief of Residual Stress in Streamline Tie Rods by Heat Treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pollard, R E; Reinhart, Fred M

1941-01-01

About two-thirds of the residual stress in cold-worked SAE 1050 steel tie rods was relieved by heating 30 minutes at 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold-worked austenitic stainless-steel tie rods could be heated at temperatures up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit without lowering the important physical properties. The corrosion resistance, in laboratory corrosion test, of straight 18:8 and titanium-treated 18:8 materials appeared to be impaired after heating at temperatures above 800 degrees or 900 degrees fahrenheit. Columbium-treated and molybdenum-treated 18:8 steel exhibited improved stability over a wide range of temperatures. Tie rods of either material could be heated 30 minutes with safety at any temperature up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature most of the residual stress would be relieved.

Consequences of Arizona's immigration policy on social capital among Mexican mothers with unauthorized immigration status

PubMed Central

Valdez, Carmen R.; Padilla, Brian; Valentine, Jessa Lewis

2013-01-01

This study explores the consequences of increasingly restrictive immigration policies on social capital among Mexican mothers with unauthorized immigrant status in Arizona. Three focus groups conducted in Arizona explore how mothers’ experiences with immigration policies have affected their neighborhood, community, and family ties. Focus group content and interactions revealed that perceived racial profiling was common among mothers and led to fear of family separation. Several described direct experiences with detention and deportation. Although detention and deportation strengthened social ties between mothers and other unauthorized immigrants, these experiences were detrimental to social ties between mothers and members of the mainstream society, including their children's teachers. Finally, immigration policies were perceived to affect parent-child ties negatively, as mothers reported family stress, financial hardship, and decreased parental availability. PMID:24371370

TIE: an ability test of emotional intelligence.

PubMed

Śmieja, Magdalena; Orzechowski, Jarosław; Stolarski, Maciej S

2014-01-01

The Test of Emotional Intelligence (TIE) is a new ability scale based on a theoretical model that defines emotional intelligence as a set of skills responsible for the processing of emotion-relevant information. Participants are provided with descriptions of emotional problems, and asked to indicate which emotion is most probable in a given situation, or to suggest the most appropriate action. Scoring is based on the judgments of experts: professional psychotherapists, trainers, and HR specialists. The validation study showed that the TIE is a reliable and valid test, suitable for both scientific research and individual assessment. Its internal consistency measures were as high as .88. In line with theoretical model of emotional intelligence, the results of the TIE shared about 10% of common variance with a general intelligence test, and were independent of major personality dimensions.

[Simulated used of the "grasping tie" as in esophago-jejunostomy after total gastrectomy].

PubMed

Picardi, Nicola

2003-01-01

Simulated test of effectiveness of the original tool grasping tie--technically already illustrated in a former paper listed in bibliography--for fixing a spongy rubber tube simulating an oesophagus on a circular stapler head axis, by tightening over it a nylon ribbon slip-knot (the tie). After connecting the head to the stapler anvil through an other spongy rubber tube simulating a jejunal loop, and the firing of the stapler, it is demonstrated the correct circular anastomosis achievable.

Continuity and Change in Grandchildren’s Closeness to Grandparents: Consequences of Changing Intergenerational Ties

PubMed Central

Monserud, Maria A.

2010-01-01

Drawing on data from Waves 2 and 3 of the National Survey of Families and Households, this study examines whether grandchildren’s (N = 496) previous patterns of closeness to grandparents is associated with their current closeness to grandparents and whether changes in parents’ intergenerational ties make a difference in the development of grandchildren’s closeness to grandparents when grandchildren experience young adulthood. The findings suggest that there is a possibility for both continuity and change in grandchildren’s bond to grandparents. Grandchildren’s closeness to grandparents was associated not only with their earlier patterns of closeness to grandparents and with parents’ concurrent relations with the grandchild and grandparent generations, but also with changes in parents’ intergenerational ties over time. Also, the grandchild gender moderated linkages between certain intergenerational ties in the family. PMID:21344061

Astrophysics of Reference Frame Tie Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Kenneth J.; Boboltz, David; Fey, Alan Lee; Gaume, Ralph A.; Zacharias, Norbert

2004-01-01

The Astrophysics of Reference Frame Tie Objects Key Science program will investigate the underlying physics of SIM grid objects. Extragalactic objects in the SIM grid will be used to tie the SIM reference frame to the quasi-inertial reference frame defined by extragalactic objects and to remove any residual frame rotation with respect to the extragalactic frame. The current realization of the extragalactic frame is the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). The ICRF is defined by the radio positions of 212 extragalactic objects and is the IAU sanctioned fundamental astronomical reference frame. This key project will advance our knowledge of the physics of the objects which will make up the SIM grid, such as quasars and chromospherically active stars, and relates directly to the stability of the SIM reference frame. The following questions concerning the physics of reference frame tie objects will be investigated.

Terahertz-wave near-field imaging with subwavelength resolution using surface-wave-assisted bow-tie aperture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishihara, Kunihiko; Ohashi, Keishi; Ikari, Tomofumi; Minamide, Hiroaki; Yokoyama, Hiroyuki; Shikata, Jun-ichi; Ito, Hiromasa

2006-11-01

We demonstrate the terahertz-wave near-field imaging with subwavelength resolution using a bow-tie shaped aperture surrounded by concentric periodic structures in a metal film. A subwavelength aperture with concentric periodic grooves, which are known as a bull's eye structure, shows extremely large enhanced transmission beyond the diffraction limit caused by the resonant excitation of surface waves. Additionally, a bow-tie aperture exhibits extraordinary field enhancement at the sharp tips of the metal, which enhances the transmission and the subwavelength spatial resolution. We introduced a bow-tie aperture to the bull's eye structure and achieved high spatial resolution (˜λ/17) in the near-field region. The terahertz-wave near-field image of the subwavelength metal pattern (pattern width=20μm) was obtained for the wavelength of 207μm.

A reflection TIE system for 3D inspection of wafer structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yizhen; Qu, Weijuan; Yan, Lei; Wang, Zhaomin; Zhao, Hongying

2017-10-01

A reflection TIE system consisting of a reflecting microscope and a 4f relay system is presented in this paper, with which the transport of intensity equation (TIE) is applied to reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) profile of opaque micro objects like wafer structures for 3D inspection. As the shape of an object can affect the phases of waves, the 3D information of the object can be easily acquired with the multiple phases at different refocusing planes. By electronically controlled refocusing, multi-focal images can be captured and used in solving TIE to obtain the phase and depth of the object. In order to validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed system, the phase and depth values of several samples are calculated, and the experimental results is presented to demonstrate the performance of the system.

TIE: An Ability Test of Emotional Intelligence

PubMed Central

Śmieja, Magdalena; Orzechowski, Jarosław; Stolarski, Maciej S.

2014-01-01

The Test of Emotional Intelligence (TIE) is a new ability scale based on a theoretical model that defines emotional intelligence as a set of skills responsible for the processing of emotion-relevant information. Participants are provided with descriptions of emotional problems, and asked to indicate which emotion is most probable in a given situation, or to suggest the most appropriate action. Scoring is based on the judgments of experts: professional psychotherapists, trainers, and HR specialists. The validation study showed that the TIE is a reliable and valid test, suitable for both scientific research and individual assessment. Its internal consistency measures were as high as .88. In line with theoretical model of emotional intelligence, the results of the TIE shared about 10% of common variance with a general intelligence test, and were independent of major personality dimensions. PMID:25072656

A Dramatic Increase in Tongue Tie-Related Articles: A 67 Years Systematic Review.

PubMed

Bin-Nun, Alona; Kasirer, Yair M; Mimouni, Francis B

2017-09-01

Tongue tie or ankyloglossia articles are recorded in the Medline since 1949. To study trends in yearly number of tongue tie or ankyloglossia publications. Medline search engine was used to determine the yearly number of published consensus statements from 1949 to 2016. Keywords of tongue tie OR ankyloglossia OR frenotomy OR frenulotomy were used for the search. Articles were classified as case reports (or series), reviews, editorials (or opinions), cohort studies, clinical trials (nonrandomized), randomized controlled trials (RCT), and systematic reviews (SR). Linear or polynomial regression was used to determine trends. We also systematically summarized all RCTs published to date. The total number of yearly published articles increased in a cubic fashion (r 2  = 82.6%, p < 0.0001) over time (0-7 per year from 1949 to 1989, and up to 27-44 in the last 5 years). In terms of strength of evidence hierarchy, most articles belonged to low hierarchy categories (case reports 37.9%, reviews 15.4%, and editorials/opinions 13.4%), with only 8 RCTs and 10 SRs (all of them published during the last 10 years of the study period). The yearly number of tongue tie or ankyloglossia-related articles has increased dramatically in past few years. Most articles bring little evidence, but the past few years have witnessed publication of few RCTs and SRs. If this trend continues, much more solid evidence should accumulate about diagnosis and management of tongue tie, as it relates to breastfeeding and other outcomes.

A neutron diffraction and imaging study of ancient iron tie rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Martino, D.; Bellanova, M.; Perelli Cippo, E.; Felicetti, R.; Scherillo, A.; Kelleher, J.; Kis, Z.; Gorini, G.

2018-05-01

Milan Cathedral is one of the biggest and widest churches ever built among the other coeval architectures. It had a very long and complex construction history, which started in 1386 and lasted more than four centuries. The dominant style is the European gothic but the lombard tradition has strongly influenced the composition. Gothic cathedrals were diffusely built in Europe during the Middle Age, and each region developed its own local interpretation. However, a common feature of the style was the presence of slender pillars and of many elements able to reduce the horizontal thrusts of the vaults, such as spires, buttresesses, flying buttresesses and tie rods. In Milan Cathedral, tie rods have a fundamental role due to the specific characteristics of the structural system and its complex history. In 2012, a broken tie rod was found and it was substituted with a new one. Therefore, a multidisciplinary research on these elements started, aiming at a deeper material characterization and an in-situ identification of local defects. Among non-destructive techniques, several neutron analyses were performed on different samples. We will report on neutron diffraction measurements and neutron resonant capture analysis on part of the original broken tie rod. Moreover, neutron imaging was recorded on other iron tie rods (from an external spire). Results will be useful for an independent assessment and validation of models and of new on-site monitoring techniques, since no other conventional non-destructive technique will allow the same characterization.

Transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair: a systematic review on the biomechanical importance of tying the medial row.

PubMed

Mall, Nathan A; Lee, Andrew S; Chahal, Jaskarndip; Van Thiel, Geoffrey S; Romeo, Anthony A; Verma, Nikhil N; Cole, Brian J

2013-02-01

Double-row and transosseous-equivalent repair techniques have shown greater strength and improved healing than single-row techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tying of the medial-row sutures provides added stability during biomechanical testing of a transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair. We performed a systematic review of studies directly comparing biomechanical differences. Five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the 5 studies, 4 showed improved biomechanical properties with tying the medial-row anchors before bringing the sutures laterally to the lateral-row anchors, whereas the remaining study showed no difference in contact pressure, mean failure load, or gap formation with a standard suture bridge with knots tied at the medial row compared with knotless repairs. The results of this systematic review and quantitative synthesis indicate that the biomechanical factors ultimate load, stiffness, gap formation, and contact area are significantly improved when medial knots are tied as part of a transosseous-equivalent suture bridge construct compared with knotless constructs. Further studies comparing the clinical healing rates and functional outcomes between medial knotted and knotless repair techniques are needed. This review indicates that biomechanical factors are improved when the medial row of a transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff is tied compared with a knotless repair. However, this has not been definitively proven to translate to improved healing rates clinically. Copyright © 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-tie walls and magnetic singularities on the surface of permalloy films (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Y.; Kueny, A.; Koymen, A. R.

1997-04-01

An understanding of the surface magnetic microstructure of thin polycrystalline permalloy films is important for the development of improved magnetoresistive sensors. Scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA) was used to image the surface magnetic domain structure of permalloy films in ultrahigh vacuum. The SEMPA system uses a compact Mott electron spin polarimeter with a Th foil (operating at 25 keV) that has been attached to the back of a hemispherical energy analyzer. Two orthogonal in-plane components of the electron spin polarization were measured to obtain magnetic domain images with excellent contrast. 350 Å Ni83Fe17 films, deposited by Honeywell-Micro Switch using dc magnetron sputtering, were studied. The samples were demagnetized along the easy axis by an ac magnetic field with decreasing amplitude. Using SEMPA, zigzag domain walls separating two large approximately head-on domains were observed. Cross-tie walls were observed with a periodic vortex structure along the straight edges of the zigzag domain walls. The cross-tie walls occur at the points where the magnetization is reversed by 180° across the straight edges of the wall. At high magnification, the elliptical and hyperbolic singularities at the cross-tie walls were clearly observed. In addition, the Néel part and the Bloch part of the cross-tie were distinguished This is a detailed study of cross-tie walls on sputter deposited thin permalloy films using SEMPA and our results are in good agreement with theoretical calculations.

Sediment toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) studies at marine sites suspected of ordnance contamination

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, R.S.; Nipper, M.; Biedenbach, J.M.; Hooten, R.L.; Miller, K.; Saepoff, S.

2001-01-01

A sediment quality assessment survey and subsequent toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) study was conducted at several sites in Puget Sound, Washington. The sites were previously suspected of contamination with ordnance compounds. The initial survey employed sea urchin porewater toxicity tests to locate the most toxic stations. Sediments from the most toxic stations were selected for comprehensive chemical analyses. Based on the combined information from the toxicity and chemical data, three adjacent stations in Ostrich Bay were selected for the TIE study. The results of the phase I TIE suggested that organics and metals were primarily responsible for the observed toxicity in the sea urchin fertilization test. In addition to these contaminants, ammonia was also contributing to the toxicity for the sea urchin embryological development test. The phase II TIE study isolated the majority of the toxicity in the fraction containing nonpolar organics with high log Kow, but chemical analyses failed to identify a compound present at a concentration high enough to be responsible for the observed toxicity. The data suggest that some organic or organometallic contaminant(s) that were not included in the comprehensive suite of chemical analyses caused the observed toxicological responses.

A better way to teach knot tying: a randomized controlled trial comparing the kinesthetic and traditional methods.

PubMed

Huang, Emily; Chern, Hueylan; O'Sullivan, Patricia; Cook, Brian; McDonald, Erik; Palmer, Barnard; Liu, Terrence; Kim, Edward

2014-10-01

Knot tying is a fundamental and crucial surgical skill. We developed a kinesthetic pedagogical approach that increases precision and economy of motion by explicitly teaching suture-handling maneuvers and studied its effects on novice performance. Seventy-four first-year medical students were randomized to learn knot tying via either the traditional or the novel "kinesthetic" method. After 1 week of independent practice, students were videotaped performing 4 tying tasks. Three raters scored deidentified videos using a validated visual analog scale. The groups were compared using analysis of covariance with practice knots as a covariate and visual analog scale score (range, 0 to 100) as the dependent variable. Partial eta-square was calculated to indicate effect size. Overall rater reliability was .92. The kinesthetic group scored significantly higher than the traditional group for individual tasks and overall, controlling for practice (all P < .004). The kinesthetic overall mean was 64.15 (standard deviation = 16.72) vs traditional 46.31 (standard deviation = 16.20; P < .001; effect size = .28). For novices, emphasizing kinesthetic suture handling substantively improved performance on knot tying. We believe this effect can be extrapolated to more complex surgical skills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An approximation method for improving dynamic network model fitting.

PubMed

Carnegie, Nicole Bohme; Krivitsky, Pavel N; Hunter, David R; Goodreau, Steven M

There has been a great deal of interest recently in the modeling and simulation of dynamic networks, i.e., networks that change over time. One promising model is the separable temporal exponential-family random graph model (ERGM) of Krivitsky and Handcock, which treats the formation and dissolution of ties in parallel at each time step as independent ERGMs. However, the computational cost of fitting these models can be substantial, particularly for large, sparse networks. Fitting cross-sectional models for observations of a network at a single point in time, while still a non-negligible computational burden, is much easier. This paper examines model fitting when the available data consist of independent measures of cross-sectional network structure and the duration of relationships under the assumption of stationarity. We introduce a simple approximation to the dynamic parameters for sparse networks with relationships of moderate or long duration and show that the approximation method works best in precisely those cases where parameter estimation is most likely to fail-networks with very little change at each time step. We consider a variety of cases: Bernoulli formation and dissolution of ties, independent-tie formation and Bernoulli dissolution, independent-tie formation and dissolution, and dependent-tie formation models.

Fuzzy Bayesian Network-Bow-Tie Analysis of Gas Leakage during Biomass Gasification

PubMed Central

Yan, Fang; Xu, Kaili; Yao, Xiwen; Li, Yang

2016-01-01

Biomass gasification technology has been rapidly developed recently. But fire and poisoning accidents caused by gas leakage restrict the development and promotion of biomass gasification. Therefore, probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) is necessary for biomass gasification system. Subsequently, Bayesian network-bow-tie (BN-bow-tie) analysis was proposed by mapping bow-tie analysis into Bayesian network (BN). Causes of gas leakage and the accidents triggered by gas leakage can be obtained by bow-tie analysis, and BN was used to confirm the critical nodes of accidents by introducing corresponding three importance measures. Meanwhile, certain occurrence probability of failure was needed in PSA. In view of the insufficient failure data of biomass gasification, the occurrence probability of failure which cannot be obtained from standard reliability data sources was confirmed by fuzzy methods based on expert judgment. An improved approach considered expert weighting to aggregate fuzzy numbers included triangular and trapezoidal numbers was proposed, and the occurrence probability of failure was obtained. Finally, safety measures were indicated based on the obtained critical nodes. The theoretical occurrence probabilities in one year of gas leakage and the accidents caused by it were reduced to 1/10.3 of the original values by these safety measures. PMID:27463975

Investigation into the effects of stainless steel ligature ties on the mechanical characteristics of conventional and self-ligated brackets subjected to torque.

PubMed

Al Fakir, Hussam; Carey, Jason P; Melenka, Garrett W; Nobes, David S; Heo, Giseon; Major, Paul W

2014-09-01

Torque is applied to orthodontic brackets in order to alter the buccal-lingual angulation of a tooth. One factor that can affect torque is the ligation mode used to retain the archwire in the bracket slot. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of stainless steel ligation on torque expression and bracket deformation. This study utilized 60 upper right central incisor Damon Q brackets and 60 Ormco Orthos Twin brackets. The brackets used in this study were subdivided into four groups: (1) Damon Q ligated with SS ligature; (2) Damon Q with the sliding bracket door; (3) Orthos Twin bracket ligated with SS wire; and (4) Orthos Twin ligated with elastic ties. All brackets were tested using an orthodontic torque simulating device that applied archwire rotation from 0° to 45°. All brackets ligated with stainless steel ties exhibited greater torque expression and less deformation than brackets without stainless steel ties. As well, Damon Q brackets exhibit less bracket deformation than Orthos Twin brackets. Stainless steel ties can reduce the amount of plastic deformation for both types of brackets used in this study. © 2014 British Orthodontic Society.

Vasculotide reduces endothelial permeability and tumor cell extravasation in the absence of binding to or agonistic activation of Tie2

PubMed Central

Wu, Florence TH; Lee, Christina R; Bogdanovic, Elena; Prodeus, Aaron; Gariépy, Jean; Kerbel, Robert S

2015-01-01

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) activation of Tie2 receptors on endothelial cells (ECs) reduces adhesion by tumor cells (TCs) and limits junctional permeability to TC diapedesis. We hypothesized that systemic therapy with Vasculotide (VT)—a purported Ang1 mimetic, Tie2 agonist—can reduce the extravasation of potentially metastatic circulating TCs by similarly stabilizing the host vasculature. In vitro, VT and Ang1 treatments impeded endothelial hypermeability and the transendothelial migration of MDA-MB-231•LM2-4 (breast), HT29 (colon), or SN12 (renal) cancer cells to varying degrees. In mice, VT treatment inhibited the transit of TCs through the pulmonary endothelium, but not the hepatic or lymphatic endothelium. In the in vivo LM2-4 model, VT monotherapy had no effect on primary tumors, but significantly delayed distant metastatic dissemination to the lungs. In the post-surgical adjuvant treatment setting, VT therapeutically complemented sunitinib therapy, an anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor which limited the local growth of residual disease. Unexpectedly, detailed investigations into the putative mechanism of action of VT revealed no evidence of Tie2 agonism or Tie2 binding; alternative mechanisms have yet to be determined. PMID:25851538

In-plane modal frequencies and mode shapes of two stay cables interconnected by uniformly distributed cross-ties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Haiquan; He, Xuhui; Zou, Yunfeng; Wang, Hanfeng

2018-03-01

Stay cables are important load-bearing structural elements of cable-stayed bridges. Suppressing the large vibrations of the stay cables under the external excitations is of worldwide concern for the bridge engineers and researchers. Over the past decade, the use of crosstie has become one of the most practical and effective methods. Extensive research has led to a better understanding of the mechanics of cable networks, and the effects of different parameters, such as length ratio, mass-tension ratio, and segment ratio on the effectiveness of the crosstie have been investigated. In this study, uniformly distributed elastic crossties serve to replace the traditional single, or several cross-ties, aiming to delay "mode localization." A numerical method is developed by replacing the uniformly distributed, discrete elastic cross-tie model with an equivalent, continuously distributed, elastic cross-tie model in order to calculate the modal frequencies and mode shapes of the cable-crosstie system. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by comparing the elicited results with those obtained using the previous method. The uniformly distributed elastic cross-ties are shown to significantly delay "mode localization."

Analysis and computation of a least-squares method for consistent mesh tying

DOE PAGES

Day, David; Bochev, Pavel

2007-07-10

We report in the finite element method, a standard approach to mesh tying is to apply Lagrange multipliers. If the interface is curved, however, discretization generally leads to adjoining surfaces that do not coincide spatially. Straightforward Lagrange multiplier methods lead to discrete formulations failing a first-order patch test [T.A. Laursen, M.W. Heinstein, Consistent mesh-tying methods for topologically distinct discretized surfaces in non-linear solid mechanics, Internat. J. Numer. Methods Eng. 57 (2003) 1197–1242]. This paper presents a theoretical and computational study of a least-squares method for mesh tying [P. Bochev, D.M. Day, A least-squares method for consistent mesh tying, Internat. J.more » Numer. Anal. Modeling 4 (2007) 342–352], applied to the partial differential equation -∇ 2φ+αφ=f. We prove optimal convergence rates for domains represented as overlapping subdomains and show that the least-squares method passes a patch test of the order of the finite element space by construction. To apply the method to subdomain configurations with gaps and overlaps we use interface perturbations to eliminate the gaps. Finally, theoretical error estimates are illustrated by numerical experiments.« less

Force feedback vessel ligation simulator in knot-tying proficiency training.

PubMed

Hsu, Justin L; Korndorffer, James R; Brown, Kimberly M

2016-02-01

Tying gentle secure knots is an important skill. We have developed a force feedback simulator that measures force exerted during knot tying. This pilot study examines the benefits of this simulator in a deliberate practice curriculum. The simulator consists of silastic tubing with a force sensor. Knot quality was assessed using digital caliper measurement. Participants performed 10 vessel ligations as a pretest, then were shown force readings and tied knots until reaching proficiency targets. Average peak forces precurriculum and postcurriculum were compared using Student t test. Participants exerted significantly less force after completing the curriculum (.61 N ± .22 vs 1.42 N ± .53, P < .001), and had fewer air knots (10% vs 27%). The curriculum was completed in an average of 19.4 ± 6.27 minutes and required an average of 11.7 ± 4.03 knots to reach proficiency. This study demonstrates the feasibility of real-time feedback in learning to tie delicate knots. The curriculum can be completed in a reasonable amount of time, and may also work as a warm-up exercise before a surgical case. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Federated Network for Translational Cancer Research Using Clinical Data and Biospecimens

PubMed Central

Becich, Michael J.; Bollag, Roni J.; Chavan, Girish; Corrigan, Julia; Dhir, Rajiv; Feldman, Michael D.; Gaudioso, Carmelo; Legowski, Elizabeth; Maihle, Nita J.; Mitchell, Kevin; Murphy, Monica; Sakthivel, Mayur; Tseytlin, Eugene; Weaver, JoEllen

2015-01-01

Advances in cancer research and personalized medicine will require significant new bridging infrastructures, including more robust biorepositories that link human tissue to clinical phenotypes and outcomes. In order to meet that challenge, four cancer centers formed the TIES Cancer Research Network, a federated network that facilitates data and biospecimen sharing among member institutions. Member sites can access pathology data that is de-identified and processed with the TIES natural language processing system, which creates a repository of rich phenotype data linked to clinical biospecimens. TIES incorporates multiple security and privacy best practices that, combined with legal agreements, network policies and procedures, enable regulatory compliance. The TIES Cancer Research Network now provides integrated access to investigators at all member institutions, where multiple investigator-driven pilot projects are underway. Examples of federated search across the network illustrate the potential impact on translational research, particularly for studies involving rare cancers, rare phenotypes, and specific biologic behaviors. The network satisfies several key desiderata including local control of data and credentialing, inclusion of rich phenotype information, and applicability to diverse research objectives. The TIES Cancer Research Network presents a model for a national data and biospecimen network. PMID:26670560

High-speed passenger rail tie-ballast interaction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

This Research Results Report presents : evidence of poor tie support and increased : applied loads that were used to determine the : root cause of transient and permanent vertical : displacements at two Amtrak bridge transitions. : These result...

TOXICITY IDENTIFICATION EVALUATION (TIE) RESULTS FOR METAL CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Identification of contaminants in sediment is necessary for sound management decisions on sediment disposal, remediation, determination of ecological risk, and source identification. We have been developing sediment toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) techniques that allow ...

Registration of Laser Scanning Point Clouds and Aerial Images Using either Artificial or Natural Tie Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rönnholm, P.; Haggrén, H.

2012-07-01

Integration of laser scanning data and photographs is an excellent combination regarding both redundancy and complementary. Applications of integration vary from sensor and data calibration to advanced classification and scene understanding. In this research, only airborne laser scanning and aerial images are considered. Currently, the initial registration is solved using direct orientation sensors GPS and inertial measurements. However, the accuracy is not usually sufficient for reliable integration of data sets, and thus the initial registration needs to be improved. A registration of data from different sources requires searching and measuring of accurate tie features. Usually, points, lines or planes are preferred as tie features. Therefore, the majority of resent methods rely highly on artificial objects, such as buildings, targets or road paintings. However, in many areas no such objects are available. For example in forestry areas, it would be advantageous to be able to improve registration between laser data and images without making additional ground measurements. Therefore, there is a need to solve registration using only natural features, such as vegetation and ground surfaces. Using vegetation as tie features is challenging, because the shape and even location of vegetation can change because of wind, for example. The aim of this article was to compare registration accuracies derived by using either artificial or natural tie features. The test area included urban objects as well as trees and other vegetation. In this area, two registrations were performed, firstly, using mainly built objects and, secondly, using only vegetation and ground surface. The registrations were solved applying the interactive orientation method. As a result, using artificial tie features leaded to a successful registration in all directions of the coordinate system axes. In the case of using natural tie features, however, the detection of correct heights was difficult causing also some tilt errors. The planimetric registration was accurate.

Angiopoietin-2 levels are associated with retinopathy and predict mortality in Malawian children with cerebral malaria: a retrospective case-control study*.

PubMed

Conroy, Andrea L; Glover, Simon J; Hawkes, Michael; Erdman, Laura K; Seydel, Karl B; Taylor, Terrie E; Molyneux, Malcolm E; Kain, Kevin C

2012-03-01

To investigate the relationship among the angiopoietin-Tie-2 system, retinopathy, and mortality in children with cerebral malaria. A case-control study of retinopathy-positive vs. retinopathy-negative children with clinically defined cerebral malaria. Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. One hundred fifty-five children presenting with severe malaria and meeting a strict definition of clinical cerebral malaria (Blantyre Coma Score ≤ 2, Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia, no other identifiable cause for coma) were included in the study. None. Clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded at admission and funduscopic examinations were performed. Admission levels of angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2, and a soluble version of their cognate receptor were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We show that angiopoietin-1 levels are decreased and angiopoietin-2 and soluble Tie-2 levels are increased in children with cerebral malaria who had retinopathy compared with those who did not. Angiopoietin-2 and soluble Tie-2 were independent predictors of retinopathy (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI], angiopoietin-2, 4.3 [1.3-14.6], p = .019; soluble Tie-2, 9.7 [2.1-45.8], p = .004). Angiopoietin-2 and soluble Tie-2 were positively correlated with the number of hemorrhages, the severity or retinal whitening, and the extent of capillary whitening observed on funduscopic examination (p < .05 after adjustment for multiple comparisons). Angiopoietin-2 and soluble Tie-2 levels were elevated in children with cerebral malaria who subsequently died and angiopoetin-2 was an independent predictor of death (adjusted odds ratio: 3.9 [1.2-12.7], p = .024). When combined with clinical parameters, angiopoetin-2 improved prediction of mortality using logistic regression models and classification trees. These results provide insights into mechanisms of endothelial activation in cerebral malaria and indicate that the angiopoietin-Tie-2 axis is associated with retinopathy and mortality in pediatric cerebral malaria.

Local effects of redundant terrestrial and GPS-based tie vectors in ITRF-like combinations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbondanza, Claudio; Altamimi, Zuheir; Sarti, Pierguido; Negusini, Monia; Vittuari, Luca

2009-11-01

Tie vectors (TVs) between co-located space geodetic instruments are essential for combining terrestrial reference frames (TRFs) realised using different techniques. They provide relative positioning between instrumental reference points (RPs) which are part of a global geodetic network such as the international terrestrial reference frame (ITRF). This paper gathers the set of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI)-global positioning system (GPS) local ties performed at the observatory of Medicina (Northern Italy) during the years 2001-2006 and discusses some important aspects related to the usage of co-location ties in the combinations of TRFs. Two measurement approaches of local survey are considered here: a GPS-based approach and a classical approach based on terrestrial observations (i.e. angles, distances and height differences). The behaviour of terrestrial local ties, which routinely join combinations of space geodetic solutions, is compared to that of GPS-based local ties. In particular, we have performed and analysed different combinations of satellite laser ranging (SLR), VLBI and GPS long term solutions in order to (i) evaluate the local effects of the insertion of the series of TVs computed at Medicina, (ii) investigate the consistency of GPS-based TVs with respect to space geodetic solutions, (iii) discuss the effects of an imprecise alignment of TVs from a local to a global reference frame. Results of ITRF-like combinations show that terrestrial TVs originate the smallest residuals in all the three components. In most cases, GPS-based TVs fit space geodetic solutions very well, especially in the horizontal components (N, E). On the contrary, the estimation of the VLBI RP Up component through GPS technique appears to be awkward, since the corresponding post fit residuals are considerably larger. Besides, combination tests including multi-temporal TVs display local effects of residual redistribution, when compared to those solutions where Medicina TVs are added one at a time. Finally, the combination of TRFs turns out to be sensitive to the orientation of the local tie into the global frame.

Automatic Tie Pointer for In-Situ Pointing Correction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deen, Robert G/

2011-01-01

The MARSAUTOTIE program generates tie points for use with the Mars pointing correction software "In-Situ Pointing Correction and Rover Microlocalization," (NPO-46696) Soft ware Tech Briefs, Vol. 34, No. 9 (September 2010), page 18, in a completely automated manner, with no operator intervention. It takes the place of MARSTIE, although MARSTIE can be used to interactively edit the tie points afterwards. These tie points are used to create a mosaic whose seams (boundaries of input images) have been geometrically corrected to reduce or eliminate errors and mis-registrations. The methods used to find appropriate tie points for use in creating a mosaic are unique, having been designed to work in concert with the "MARSNAV" program to be most effective in reducing or eliminating geometric seams in a mosaic. The program takes the input images and finds overlaps according to the nominal pointing. It then finds the most interesting areas using a scene activity metric. Points with higher scene activity are more likely to correlate successfully in the next step. It then uses correlation techniques to find matching points in the overlapped image. Finally, it performs a series of steps to reduce the number of tie points to a manageable level. These steps incorporate a number of heuristics that have been devised using experience gathered by tie pointing mosaics manually during MER operations. The software makes use of the PIG library as described in "Planetary Image Geometry Library" (NPO-46658), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 34, No. 12 (December 2010), page 30, so it is multi-mission, applicable without change to any in-situ mission supported by PIG. The MARSAUTOTIE algorithm is automated, so it requires no user intervention. Although at the time of this reporting it has not been done, this program should be suitable for integration into a fully automated mosaic production pipeline.

Problems of Anti-Bacteriological Defense: According to Data from Foreign Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1961-10-01

tuberculosis . The illness usually starts ;’rad- lually with general malaise, weakness, emaciation. The duration of the disease ranges from 2 - 3 months...proper- ties the nocardia stands very close to the actinomycetes and the agent of tuberculosis , its relatively high degree of resistance Ls totb assumed...diagnosis was es- tablished only in the terminal stage or even at autoDsy. The clinical signs of the illness are very similar to! tuberculosis . The

Analyzing Ukraine’s Prospects for NATO Membership

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

the Ukrainian language as ‘ bourgeoisie nationalism.’”61 Even though Kravchuk had ties to the former Soviet regime, he sought to strengthen Ukraine’s...Ukraine’s qualifications for a MAP are weak, and in part because they are concerned about damaging relations with Russia.”187 Germany and France in...Allies seem to indicate that this situation has not changed. In April 2008, Francois Fillon, the Prime Minister of France , stated that “ France will

Fighting Dark Networks: Using Social Network Analysis to Implement the Special Operations Targeting Process for Direct and Indirect Approaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Wouter De Nooy, Andrej Mrvar and Vladimir Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005), 5...Granovetter, “The Strength of Weak Ties,” 1350–1368. 151 de Nooy, Mrvar , and Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, 151. 152...Spacetime Wrinkles Exhibit (1995). de Nooy, Wouter, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj . Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek. Cambridge

Mine safety assessment using gray relational analysis and bow tie model

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Mine safety assessment is a precondition for ensuring orderly and safety in production. The main purpose of this study was to prevent mine accidents more effectively by proposing a composite risk analysis model. First, the weights of the assessment indicators were determined by the revised integrated weight method, in which the objective weights were determined by a variation coefficient method and the subjective weights determined by the Delphi method. A new formula was then adopted to calculate the integrated weights based on the subjective and objective weights. Second, after the assessment indicator weights were determined, gray relational analysis was used to evaluate the safety of mine enterprises. Mine enterprise safety was ranked according to the gray relational degree, and weak links of mine safety practices identified based on gray relational analysis. Third, to validate the revised integrated weight method adopted in the process of gray relational analysis, the fuzzy evaluation method was used to the safety assessment of mine enterprises. Fourth, for first time, bow tie model was adopted to identify the causes and consequences of weak links and allow corresponding safety measures to be taken to guarantee the mine’s safe production. A case study of mine safety assessment was presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed composite risk analysis model, which can be applied to other related industries for safety evaluation. PMID:29561875

Cracking and impact performance characteristics of plastic composite ties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

As followup to a workshop on Engineered Composite Ties sponsored by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association and the Federal Railroad Administration, the Transportation Technology Center, Inc., in Pueblo, CO, conducted a se...

Preliminary Specifications for Standard Concrete Ties and Fastenings for Transit Track

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-01-01

These revised specifications cover requirements for component materials, manufacturing procedures, and handling of mono-block and two-block concrete (prestressed) cross ties, pads, and insulators for rapid transit use. It also includes requirements f...

Views of the Apollo 11 Twentieth Anniversary Black Tie reception

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

View from the Apollo 11 Twentieth Anniversary Black Tie reception at the downtown Houston Hyatt Regency Hotel. Scene show NASA/JSC Director Aaron Cohen talking with NASA Administrator Richard H. Truly and his wife, Cody.

Iron Framing Axonometric, Stringer, IBeam, Channel, Composite TieBeam, and Small ...

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

Iron Framing Axonometric, Stringer, I-Beam, Channel, Composite Tie-Beam, and Small and Large Phoenix Columns - Washington Monument, High ground West of Fifteenth Street, Northwest, between Independence & Constitution Avenues, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Nitric oxide regulates Angiopoietin1/Tie2 expression after stroke

PubMed Central

Zacharek, Alex; Chen, Jieli; Zhang, Chunling; Cui, Xu; Roberts, Cynthia; Jiang, Hao; Teng, Hua; Chopp, Michael

2009-01-01

We tested whether the nitric oxide donor, (Z)-1-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl) aminio] diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DETA-NONOate), increases expression of Angiopoietin (Ang1)/Tie2, which may play a role in regulating angiogenesis and vascular integrity after stroke in rats. Wistar rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion and treated with or without DETA-NONOate. Stroke rats treated with DETA-NONOate show significantly increased Ang1, Tie2 and Occludin expression in the ischemic border compared with control stroke animals (p < 0.05). Consistent with in vivo data, DETA-NONOate promotes capillary tube formation in cultured brain endothelial cells. Neutralizing Ang1 antibody attenuates DETA-NONOate-induced capillary tube formation. The data suggest that the Ang1/Tie2 axis promotes DETA-NONOate-induced angiogenesis and stabilizes of angiogenic vessels after stroke. PMID:16762501

Comparative Numerical Analysis of Different Strengthening Systems of Historical Brick Arches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielińska, M.

2017-05-01

The article presents a comparative numerical analysis of various ways to strengthen historical brick arches. Five ways of strengthening brick arches with steel tie-rods have been proposed. Two of these involve the use of braces wrapped around pillars supporting the arch connected with a tie-rod; the other two ways involve the use of the tie-rods with welded metal sheets of different sizes; the latter involves the use of a tie-rod glued with the use of an epoxy adhesive. The collected data were compared with the reference model of the arch left without any interference. The results make it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods by comparing displacements in the vertical and horizontal direction and stresses. The article indicates the direction of proper planning and design of the arch strengthening in brick structures in historical buildings.

Limited communication capacity unveils strategies for human interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miritello, Giovanna; Lara, Rubén; Cebrian, Manuel; Moro, Esteban

2013-06-01

Connectivity is the key process that characterizes the structural and functional properties of social networks. However, the bursty activity of dyadic interactions may hinder the discrimination of inactive ties from large interevent times in active ones. We develop a principled method to detect tie de-activation and apply it to a large longitudinal, cross-sectional communication dataset (~19 months, ~20 million people). Contrary to the perception of ever-growing connectivity, we observe that individuals exhibit a finite communication capacity, which limits the number of ties they can maintain active in time. On average men display higher capacity than women, and this capacity decreases for both genders over their lifespan. Separating communication capacity from activity reveals a diverse range of tie activation strategies, from stable to exploratory. This allows us to draw novel relationships between individual strategies for human interaction and the evolution of social networks at global scale.

Risk Factors for Social Isolation in Older Korean Americans.

PubMed

Jang, Yuri; Park, Nan Sook; Chiriboga, David A; Yoon, Hyunwoo; Ko, Jisook; Lee, Juyoung; Kim, Miyong T

2016-02-01

Given the importance of social ties and connectedness in the lives of older ethnic immigrants, the present study examined the prevalence of social isolation and its risk factors in older Korean Americans. Using survey data from 1,301 participants (Mage = 70.5, SD = 7.24), risk groups for marginal social ties with family and friends were identified and predictors of each type of social isolation explored. Male gender and poorer rating of health were identified as common risk factors for marginal ties to both family and friends. Findings also present specific risk factors for each type of social isolation. For example, an increased risk of having marginal ties with friends was observed among individuals with perceived financial strain, greater functional impairment, and a shorter stay in the United States. The common and specific risk factors should be incorporated in programs to reduce social isolation in older immigrant populations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Limited communication capacity unveils strategies for human interaction

PubMed Central

Miritello, Giovanna; Lara, Rubén; Cebrian, Manuel; Moro, Esteban

2013-01-01

Connectivity is the key process that characterizes the structural and functional properties of social networks. However, the bursty activity of dyadic interactions may hinder the discrimination of inactive ties from large interevent times in active ones. We develop a principled method to detect tie de-activation and apply it to a large longitudinal, cross-sectional communication dataset (≈19 months, ≈20 million people). Contrary to the perception of ever-growing connectivity, we observe that individuals exhibit a finite communication capacity, which limits the number of ties they can maintain active in time. On average men display higher capacity than women, and this capacity decreases for both genders over their lifespan. Separating communication capacity from activity reveals a diverse range of tie activation strategies, from stable to exploratory. This allows us to draw novel relationships between individual strategies for human interaction and the evolution of social networks at global scale. PMID:23739519

Urbanism, Neighborhood Context, and Social Networks.

PubMed

Cornwell, Erin York; Behler, Rachel L

2015-09-01

Theories of urbanism suggest that the urban context erodes individuals' strong social ties with friends and family. Recent research has narrowed focus to the neighborhood context, emphasizing how localized structural disadvantage affects community-level cohesion and social capital. In this paper, we argue that neighborhood context also shapes social ties with friends and family- particularly for community-dwelling seniors. We hypothesize that neighborhood disadvantage, residential instability, and disorder restrict residents' abilities to cultivate close relationships with neighbors and non-neighbor friends and family. Using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), we find that older adults who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods have smaller social networks. Neighborhood disadvantage is also associated with less close network ties and less frequent interaction - but only among men. Furthermore, residents of disordered neighborhoods have smaller networks and weaker ties. We urge scholars to pay greater attention to how neighborhood context contributes to disparities in network-based access to resources.

Urbanism, Neighborhood Context, and Social Networks

PubMed Central

Cornwell, Erin York; Behler, Rachel L.

2017-01-01

Theories of urbanism suggest that the urban context erodes individuals’ strong social ties with friends and family. Recent research has narrowed focus to the neighborhood context, emphasizing how localized structural disadvantage affects community-level cohesion and social capital. In this paper, we argue that neighborhood context also shapes social ties with friends and family– particularly for community-dwelling seniors. We hypothesize that neighborhood disadvantage, residential instability, and disorder restrict residents’ abilities to cultivate close relationships with neighbors and non-neighbor friends and family. Using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), we find that older adults who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods have smaller social networks. Neighborhood disadvantage is also associated with less close network ties and less frequent interaction – but only among men. Furthermore, residents of disordered neighborhoods have smaller networks and weaker ties. We urge scholars to pay greater attention to how neighborhood context contributes to disparities in network-based access to resources. PMID:28819338

A Net of Friends: Investigating Friendship by Integrating Attachment Theory and Social Network Analysis.

PubMed

Gillath, Omri; Karantzas, Gery C; Selcuk, Emre

2017-11-01

The current article focuses on attachment style-an individual difference widely studied in the field of close relationships-and its application to the study of social networks. Specifically, we investigated whether attachment style predicts perception and management of social networks. In Study 1, we examined the associations of attachment style with perceptions of network tie strength and multiplexity. In Studies 2a and 2b, we investigated the association between attachment style and network management skills (initiating, maintaining, and dissolving ties) and whether network management skills mediated the associations of attachment style with network tie strength and multiplexity. In Study 3, experimentally enhancing attachment security made people more likely to initiate and less likely to dissolve social ties (for the latter, especially among those high on avoidance or anxiety). As for maintenance, security priming also increased maintenance; however, mainly among people high on attachment anxiety or low on attachment avoidance.

Exploring the Academic Benefits of Friendship Ties for Latino Boys and Girls*

PubMed

Riegle-Crumb, Catherine; Callahan, Rebecca M

2009-09-01

OBJECTIVES: We examine how the racial/ethnic and generational status composition of Latino students' friendship groups is related to their academic achievement and whether there are differential effects by gender. METHODS: We use multivariate regression analyses to examine the effects of friends' characteristics on Latino students' end of high school grades, utilizing data from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study (AHAA), and its parent survey, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). RESULTS: For Latina girls, there are positive effects of having more friendship ties to third-plus-generation Latino peers in contrast to dominant culture peers; yet Latino boys benefit academically from ties to all co-ethnic peers. Having friends with higher parental education promotes achievement of both genders. CONCLUSION: Our results counter notions of a pervasive negative peer influence of minority youth and suggest that co-ethnic ties are an important source of social capital for Latino students' achievement.

Enserch Garden Banks 388 field development template tie-back of existing subsea satellite wells

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

Hellums, J.W.; Granhaug, O.

1995-12-31

The Flowline Jumper System (FJS) will be used by Enserch Exploration, Inc. to tie in three existing wells to the 24 well production template installed in Garden Banks Block 388. The FJS allows these existing satellite wells to be connected to the production template via standard wellbays, eliminating the need for dedicated receiver structures, or tie-in porches. Wellbays used for satellite well tie-ins are available for use as template wells following the removal of the jumper. This paper describes the considerations that led to the selection and influenced the design of the FJS. The advantages of vertical jumper systems aremore » fully discussed with respect to the GB-388 Project. A description of the major components and how they interface with the template is included to provide a better understanding of the FJS. Also included is an outline of the System Integration Testing (SIT) of the FJS.« less

A community of strangers: the dis-embedding of social ties.

PubMed

Parigi, Paolo; State, Bogdan; Dakhlallah, Diana; Corten, Rense; Cook, Karen

2013-01-01

In this paper we explore two contrasting perspectives on individuals' participation in associations. On the one hand, some have considered participation the byproduct of pre-existing friendship ties--the more friends one already has in the association, the more likely he or she is to participate. On the other hand, some have considered participation to be driven by the association's capacity to form new identities--the more new friends one meets in the association, the more likely he or she is to participate. We use detailed temporal data from an online association to adjudicate between these two mechanisms and explore their interplay. Our results show a significant impact of new friendship ties on participation, compared to a negligible impact of pre-existing friends, defined here as ties to other members formed outside of the organization's context. We relate this finding to the sociological literature on participation and we explore its implications in the discussion.

Influence of social ties to environmentalists on public climate change perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tindall, D. B.; Piggot, Georgia

2015-06-01

An emerging body of research proposes that climate change concern is shaped by one's social ties and cultural milieu. This work aligns with findings in the well-established field of social network analysis, whereby individuals are understood as being embedded in social networks, and network position can be used to predict attitudes. Here we examine whether having ties to environmental movement organization members is correlated with climate change attitudes amongst the general public. We use data from a nationwide survey of the Canadian public to demonstrate that having social ties to environmental organization members increases the likelihood that an individual member of the public has a plan to deal with climate change. These findings reinforce the value of focusing on social context when examining climate change attitudes, and highlight the role that environmental organization members play in mobilizing climate change responses.

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND SLEEP QUALITY

PubMed Central

Kent, Robert G.; Uchino, Bert N.; Cribbet, Matthew R.; Bowen, Kimberly; Smith, Timothy W.

2015-01-01

Background The quality of social relationships and social support appears to be associated with physical health outcomes and sleep quality. Almost all previous research in this area focuses on positive aspects of relationships. Purpose The present study thus intended to examine the links between supportive, aversive, ambivalent, and indifferent network ties and sleep quality. Methods Relationship data, PSQI-assessed sleep quality, and depression were examined in 175 middle-aged and older adults. Results Consistent with hypotheses, supportive ties were positively related to sleep quality, while aversive ties predicted worse sleep quality; associations that were primarily seen for close relationships. Ambivalent and indifferent ties were not significant predictors of sleep quality. Importantly, depression was found to mediate the link between relationship quality and sleep quality. Conclusions These data suggest the more specific types of social relationships that may be linked to poor sleep quality, and that depression appears to underlie these associations. PMID:25976874

"It's making contacts": notions of social capital and implications for widening access to medical education.

PubMed

Nicholson, S; Cleland, J A

2017-05-01

In the UK widening access (WA) activities and policies aim to increase the representation from lower socio-economic groups into Higher Education. Whilst linked to a political rhetoric of inclusive education such initiatives have however failed to significantly increase the number of such students entering medicine. This is compounded by a discourse that portrays WA applicants and students as lacking the essential skills or attributes to be successful in medical education. Much of the research in this area to date has been weak and it is critical to better understand how WA applicants and students negotiate medical admissions and education to inform change. To address this gap we amalgamated a larger dataset from three qualitative studies of student experiences of WA to medicine (48 participants in total). Inductively analysing the findings using social capital as a theoretical lens we created and clustered codes into categories, informed by the concepts of "weak ties" and "bridging and linking capital", terms used by previous workers in this field, to better understand student journeys in medical education. Successful applicants from lower socio-economic groups recognise and mobilise weak ties to create linking capital. However once in medical school these students seem less aware of the need for, or how to create, capital effectively. We argue WA activities should support increasing the social capital of under-represented applicants and students, and future selection policy needs to take into account the varying social capital of students, so as to not overtly disadvantage some social groups.

Using egocentric analysis to investigate professional networks and productivity of graduate students and faculty in life sciences in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan.

PubMed

Hara, Noriko; Chen, Hui; Ynalvez, Marcus Antonius

2017-01-01

Prior studies showed that scientists' professional networks contribute to research productivity, but little work has examined what factors predict the formation of professional networks. This study sought to 1) examine what factors predict the formation of international ties between faculty and graduate students and 2) identify how these international ties would affect publication productivity in three East Asian countries. Face-to-face surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of faculty and doctoral students in life sciences at 10 research institutions in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. Our final sample consisted of 290 respondents (84 faculty and 206 doctoral students) and 1,435 network members. We used egocentric social network analysis to examine the structure of international ties and how they relate to research productivity. Our findings suggest that overseas graduate training can be a key factor in graduate students' development of international ties in these countries. Those with a higher proportion of international ties in their professional networks were likely to have published more papers and written more manuscripts. For faculty, international ties did not affect the number of manuscripts written or of papers published, but did correlate with an increase in publishing in top journals. The networks we examined were identified by asking study participants with whom they discuss their research. Because the relationships may not appear in explicit co-authorship networks, these networks were not officially recorded elsewhere. This study sheds light on the relationships of these invisible support networks to researcher productivity.

A comparison of tape-tying versus a tube-holding device for securing endotracheal tubes in adults.

PubMed

Murdoch, E; Holdgate, A

2007-10-01

During the transfer of intubated patients, endotracheal tube security is paramount. This study aims to compare two methods of securing an endotracheal tube in adults: tying with a cloth tape versus the Thomas Endotracheal Tube Holder (Laerdal). A manikin-based study was performed using paramedics and critical care doctors (consultants and senior trainees) as participants. Each participant was asked to secure an endotracheal tube that had been placed within the trachea of a manikin a total of six times, the first three times using tied cloth tape and the last three times using a Thomas Endotracheal Tube Holder. Following each 'fixation' and after the participant had left the room, the security of the tube was tested by applying a fixed force laterally and to the right by dropping a 1.25 kg weight a distance of 50 cm. The amount of movement of the tube with respect to the teeth was measured and recorded in millimetres. Two-hundred-and-seventy tube fixations (135 tied vs. 135 tube holder) were performed by 45 participants. The degree of tube movement was significantly higher when the tube was secured with a tie compared with when the tube holder was used (median movement 22 mm vs. 4 mm, P < 0.0001). We have demonstrated that the tube holder device minimised tube movement in a manikin model when compared with conventional tape tying. The use of this device when transporting intubated patients may reduce the risk of tube displacement though further clinical studies are warranted.

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

Li, Xinhua; Shi, Jim Q.; Zhang, Da

Purpose: To present a noninvasive technique for directly measuring the CT bow-tie filter attenuation with a linear array x-ray detector. Methods: A scintillator based x-ray detector of 384 pixels, 307 mm active length, and fast data acquisition (model X-Scan 0.8c4-307, Detection Technology, FI-91100 Ii, Finland) was used to simultaneously detect radiation levels across a scan field-of-view. The sampling time was as short as 0.24 ms. To measure the body bow-tie attenuation on a GE Lightspeed Pro 16 CT scanner, the x-ray tube was parked at the 12 o’clock position, and the detector was centered in the scan field at themore » isocenter height. Two radiation exposures were made with and without the bow-tie in the beam path. Each readout signal was corrected for the detector background offset and signal-level related nonlinear gain, and the ratio of the two exposures gave the bow-tie attenuation. The results were used in the GEANT4 based simulations of the point doses measured using six thimble chambers placed in a human cadaver with abdomen/pelvis CT scans at 100 or 120 kV, helical pitch at 1.375, constant or variable tube current, and distinct x-ray tube starting angles. Results: Absolute attenuation was measured with the body bow-tie scanned at 80–140 kV. For 24 doses measured in six organs of the cadaver, the median or maximum difference between the simulation results and the measurements on the CT scanner was 8.9% or 25.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The described method allows fast and accurate bow-tie filter characterization.« less

Hazard ratio estimation and inference in clinical trials with many tied event times.

PubMed

Mehrotra, Devan V; Zhang, Yiwei

2018-06-13

The medical literature contains numerous examples of randomized clinical trials with time-to-event endpoints in which large numbers of events accrued over relatively short follow-up periods, resulting in many tied event times. A generally common feature across such examples was that the logrank test was used for hypothesis testing and the Cox proportional hazards model was used for hazard ratio estimation. We caution that this common practice is particularly risky in the setting of many tied event times for two reasons. First, the estimator of the hazard ratio can be severely biased if the Breslow tie-handling approximation for the Cox model (the default in SAS and Stata software) is used. Second, the 95% confidence interval for the hazard ratio can include one even when the corresponding logrank test p-value is less than 0.05. To help establish a better practice, with applicability for both superiority and noninferiority trials, we use theory and simulations to contrast Wald and score tests based on well-known tie-handling approximations for the Cox model. Our recommendation is to report the Wald test p-value and corresponding confidence interval based on the Efron approximation. The recommended test is essentially as powerful as the logrank test, the accompanying point and interval estimates of the hazard ratio have excellent statistical properties even in settings with many tied event times, inferential alignment between the p-value and confidence interval is guaranteed, and implementation is straightforward using commonly used software. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using egocentric analysis to investigate professional networks and productivity of graduate students and faculty in life sciences in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan

PubMed Central

Chen, Hui; Ynalvez, Marcus Antonius

2017-01-01

Prior studies showed that scientists’ professional networks contribute to research productivity, but little work has examined what factors predict the formation of professional networks. This study sought to 1) examine what factors predict the formation of international ties between faculty and graduate students and 2) identify how these international ties would affect publication productivity in three East Asian countries. Face-to-face surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of faculty and doctoral students in life sciences at 10 research institutions in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. Our final sample consisted of 290 respondents (84 faculty and 206 doctoral students) and 1,435 network members. We used egocentric social network analysis to examine the structure of international ties and how they relate to research productivity. Our findings suggest that overseas graduate training can be a key factor in graduate students’ development of international ties in these countries. Those with a higher proportion of international ties in their professional networks were likely to have published more papers and written more manuscripts. For faculty, international ties did not affect the number of manuscripts written or of papers published, but did correlate with an increase in publishing in top journals. The networks we examined were identified by asking study participants with whom they discuss their research. Because the relationships may not appear in explicit co-authorship networks, these networks were not officially recorded elsewhere. This study sheds light on the relationships of these invisible support networks to researcher productivity. PMID:29045500

Automatic Registration of Terrestrial Laser Scanner Point Clouds Using Natural Planar Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theiler, P. W.; Schindler, K.

2012-07-01

Terrestrial laser scanners have become a standard piece of surveying equipment, used in diverse fields like geomatics, manufacturing and medicine. However, the processing of today's large point clouds is time-consuming, cumbersome and not automated enough. A basic step of post-processing is the registration of scans from different viewpoints. At present this is still done using artificial targets or tie points, mostly by manual clicking. The aim of this registration step is a coarse alignment, which can then be improved with the existing algorithm for fine registration. The focus of this paper is to provide such a coarse registration in a fully automatic fashion, and without placing any target objects in the scene. The basic idea is to use virtual tie points generated by intersecting planar surfaces in the scene. Such planes are detected in the data with RANSAC and optimally fitted using least squares estimation. Due to the huge amount of recorded points, planes can be determined very accurately, resulting in well-defined tie points. Given two sets of potential tie points recovered in two different scans, registration is performed by searching for the assignment which preserves the geometric configuration of the largest possible subset of all tie points. Since exhaustive search over all possible assignments is intractable even for moderate numbers of points, the search is guided by matching individual pairs of tie points with the help of a novel descriptor based on the properties of a point's parent planes. Experiments show that the proposed method is able to successfully coarse register TLS point clouds without the need for artificial targets.

Do serum angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2, and their receptor Tie-2 and 4G/5G variant of PAI-1 gene have a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia?

PubMed

Kamal, Manal; El-Khayat, Waleed

2011-10-01

To evaluate whether serum angiogenesis markers such as angiopoietins (Ang-1, Ang-2) and their receptor (Tie-2) are altered in women with preeclampsia. We also performed genotyping to determine if the 4G/5G genotypes of -675 PAI-1 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Sixty-eight pregnant women with preeclampsia were compared to 35 normotensive pregnant women and 24 normotensive nonpregnant women in a cross-sectional study. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, levels of serum Ang-1 and Ang-2, and Tie-2 were measured. A single base pair insertion/deletion 4G/5G polymorphism of the PAI-1 gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Serum levels of Ang-1 and Tie-2 were significantly different among the study groups (P = 0.001 and P = 0.025, respectively) being lower in the preeclamptic group. Positive significant correlation was found between Ang-2 and Tie-2, (r = 0.26, P = 0.024). The frequency of the genotypes (4G/5G, 4G/4G, and 5G/5G) differed among the groups (P = 0.001). Also, the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressures differed significantly according to the PAI-1 genotype being higher in those bearing the 4G allele; P = 0.04 and P = 0.023, respectively. Sera Ang-1 and Ang-2, and Tie-2 as well as variants of 4G/5G of PAI-1 polymorphism have positive implications in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Determinants of HIV Phylogenetic Clustering in Chicago Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men From the uConnect Cohort.

PubMed

Morgan, Ethan; Nyaku, Amesika N; DʼAquila, Richard T; Schneider, John A

2017-07-01

Phylogenetic analysis determines similarities among HIV genetic sequences from persons infected with HIV, identifying clusters of transmission. We determined characteristics associated with both membership in an HIV transmission cluster and the number of clustered sequences among a cohort of young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) in Chicago. Pairwise genetic distances of HIV-1 pol sequences were collected during 2013-2016. Potential transmission ties were identified among HIV-infected persons whose sequences were ≤1.5% genetically distant. Putative transmission pairs were defined as ≥1 tie to another sequence. We then determined demographic and risk attributes associated with both membership in an HIV transmission cluster and the number of ties to the sequences from other persons in the cluster. Of 86 available sequences, 31 (36.0%) were tied to ≥1 other sequence. Through multivariable analyses, we determined that those who reported symptoms of depression and those who had a higher number of confidants in their network had significantly decreased odds of membership in transmission clusters. We found that those who had unstable housing and who reported heavy marijuana use had significantly more ties to other individuals within transmission clusters, whereas those identifying as bisexual, those participating in group sex, and those with higher numbers of sexual partners had significantly fewer ties. This study demonstrates the potential for combining phylogenetic and individual and network attributes to target HIV control efforts to persons with potentially higher transmission risk, as well as suggesting some unappreciated specific predictors of transmission risk among YBMSM in Chicago for future study.

Evaluation of phase II toxicity identification evaluation methods for freshwater whole sediment and interstitial water.

PubMed

Phillips, Bryn M; Anderson, Brian S; Hunt, John W; Clark, Sara L; Voorhees, Jennifer P; Tjeerdema, Ron S; Casteline, Jane; Stewart, Margaret

2009-02-01

Phase I whole sediment toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods have been developed to characterize the cause of toxicity as organic chemicals, metals, or ammonia. In Phase II identification treatments, resins added to whole sediment to reduce toxicity caused by metals and organics can be separated and eluted much like solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns are eluted for interstitial water. In this study, formulated reference sediments spiked with toxic concentrations of copper, fluoranthene, and nonylphenol were subjected to whole sediment and interstitial water TIE treatments to evaluate Phase I and II TIE procedures for identifying the cause of toxicity to Hyalella azteca. Phase I TIE treatments consisted of adding adsorbent resins to whole sediment, and using SPE columns to remove spiked chemicals from interstitial water. Phase II treatments consisted of eluting resins and SPE columns and the preparation and testing of eluates for toxicity and chemistry. Whole sediment resins and SPE columns significantly reduced toxicity, and the eluates from all treatments contained toxic concentrations of the spiked chemical except for interstitial water fluoranthene. Toxic unit analysis based on median lethal concentrations (LC50s) allowed for the comparison of chemical concentrations among treatments, and demonstrated that the bioavailability of some chemicals was reduced in some samples and treatments. The concentration of fluoranthene in the resin eluate closely approximated the original interstitial water concentration, but the resin eluate concentrations of copper and nonylphenol were much higher than the original interstitial water concentrations. Phase II whole sediment TIE treatments provided complementary lines of evidence to the interstitial water TIE results.

Social Relationships and Health: Is Feeling Positive, Negative, or Both (Ambivalent) about your Social Ties Related to Telomeres?

PubMed Central

Uchino, Bert N.; Cawthon, Richard M.; Smith, Timothy W.; Light, Kathleen C.; McKenzie, Justin; Carlisle, McKenzie; Gunn, Heather; Birmingham, Wendy; Bowen, Kimberly

2012-01-01

Objective The quality of one’s personal relationships has been linked to morbidity and mortality across different diseases. As a result, it is important to examine more integrative mechanisms that might link relationships across diverse physical health outcomes. In this study, we examine associations between relationships and telomeres which predict general disease risk. These questions are pursued in the context of a more comprehensive model of relationships that highlights the importance of jointly considering positive and negative aspects of social ties. Method 136 individuals from a community sample (ages 48 to 77) completed the social relationships index which allows a determination of relationships that differ in their positive and negative substrates (i.e., ambivalent, supportive, aversive, indifferent). Telomere length was determined from peripheral blood mononuclear cells via quantitative PCR. Results Participants who had a higher number of ambivalent ties in their social networks evidenced shorter telomeres. These results were independent of other relationships types (e.g., supportive), as well as standard control variables (e.g., age, health behaviors, medication use). Gender moderated the links between ambivalent ties and telomere length with these associations seen primarily in women. Follow-up analyses revealed that the links between ambivalent ties and telomeres were primarily due to friendships, parents, and social acquaintances. Conclusions Consistent with epidemiological findings, these data highlight a novel and integrative biological mechanism by which social ties may impact health across diseases, and further suggests the importance of incorporating both positivity and negativity in the study of specific relationships and physical health. PMID:22229928

Home Health Care and Discharged Hospice Care Patients: United States, 2000 and 2007

MedlinePlus

... The area may include surrounding counties if strong economic ties exist between the counties, based on commuting ... may include surrounding counties if there are strong economic ties between the counties, based on commuting patterns. ...

DO TIE LABORATORY BASED METHODS REALLY REFLECT FIELD CONDITIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) methods have been developed for both interstitial waters and whole sediments. These relatively simple laboratory methods are designed to identify specific toxicants or classes of toxicants in sediments; however, the question ...

Construction loads experienced by plastic composite ties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

Damage to plastic composite ties during handling and track installation has been reported by a number of railroads. Results from : a survey conducted to identify specific handling issues were used to develop field and laboratory tests to measure the ...

Do Social Ties Affect Our Health? Exploring the Biology of Relationships

MedlinePlus

... Do Social Ties Affect Our Health? Exploring the Biology of Relationships En español Send us your comments ... neighbors, or others, social connections can influence our biology and well-being. Wide-ranging research suggests that ...

Tie Points Extraction for SAR Images Based on Differential Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, X.; Jin, G.; Xu, Q.; Zhang, H.

2018-04-01

Automatically extracting tie points (TPs) on large-size synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is still challenging because the efficiency and correct ratio of the image matching need to be improved. This paper proposes an automatic TPs extraction method based on differential constraints for large-size SAR images obtained from approximately parallel tracks, between which the relative geometric distortions are small in azimuth direction and large in range direction. Image pyramids are built firstly, and then corresponding layers of pyramids are matched from the top to the bottom. In the process, the similarity is measured by the normalized cross correlation (NCC) algorithm, which is calculated from a rectangular window with the long side parallel to the azimuth direction. False matches are removed by the differential constrained random sample consensus (DC-RANSAC) algorithm, which appends strong constraints in azimuth direction and weak constraints in range direction. Matching points in the lower pyramid images are predicted with the local bilinear transformation model in range direction. Experiments performed on ENVISAT ASAR and Chinese airborne SAR images validated the efficiency, correct ratio and accuracy of the proposed method.

Grandparents' resources and grandchildren's schooling: Does grandparental involvement moderate the grandparent effect?

PubMed

Bol, Thijs; Kalmijn, Matthijs

2016-01-01

Recent studies have argued that grandparents have a direct effect on grandchildren's achievements, net of parental resources. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. One explanation is that grandchildren can benefit from the cultural resources that grandparents transmit to their grandchildren. If this is the case, one would expect strong effects in families where grandparents are highly involved in the lives of their grandchildren and weak or no effects in other families. Using new nationally representative survey data on three generations in the Netherlands, we examine if and how grandchildren's educational attainment is affected by three grandparental resources: education, occupational status, and cultural resources. We explore how these effects vary by the strength of the tie between grandparent and grandchild. We find no evidence for a main direct grandparental effect, nor do we find interactions with the strength of the tie between grandparent and grandchild. These null-findings are discussed in light of the mixed body of evidence that has been accumulated in the literature and contemporary theorizing on grandparenting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local Groups Online: Political Learning and Participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavanaugh, Andrea; Zin, Thanthan; Schmitz, Joseph; Rosson, Mary Beth; Kim, B. Joon; Carroll, John M.

Voluntary associations serve crucial roles in local communities and within our larger democratic society. They aggregate shared interests, collective will, and cultivate civic competencies that nurture democratic participation. People active in multiple local groups frequently act as opinion leaders and create “weak” social ties across groups. In Blacksburg and surrounding Montgomery County, Virginia, the Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV) community computer network has helped to foster nearly universal Internet penetration. Set in this dense Internet context, the present study investigated whether and how personal affiliation with local groups enhanced political participation in this high information and communication technology environment. This paper presents findings from longitudinal survey data which indicate that as individuals’ uses of information technology within local formal groups increase over time, so do their levels and types of involvement in the group. Furthermore, these increases most often appear among people who serve as opinion leaders and maintain weak social ties in their communities. Individuals’ changes in community participation, interests and activities, and Internet use suggest ways in which group members act upon political motivations and interests across various group types.

Geographies of an Online Social Network.

PubMed

Lengyel, Balázs; Varga, Attila; Ságvári, Bence; Jakobi, Ákos; Kertész, János

2015-01-01

How is online social media activity structured in the geographical space? Recent studies have shown that in spite of earlier visions about the "death of distance", physical proximity is still a major factor in social tie formation and maintenance in virtual social networks. Yet, it is unclear, what are the characteristics of the distance dependence in online social networks. In order to explore this issue the complete network of the former major Hungarian online social network is analyzed. We find that the distance dependence is weaker for the online social network ties than what was found earlier for phone communication networks. For a further analysis we introduced a coarser granularity: We identified the settlements with the nodes of a network and assigned two kinds of weights to the links between them. When the weights are proportional to the number of contacts we observed weakly formed, but spatially based modules resemble to the borders of macro-regions, the highest level of regional administration in the country. If the weights are defined relative to an uncorrelated null model, the next level of administrative regions, counties are reflected.

Geographies of an Online Social Network

PubMed Central

Lengyel, Balázs; Varga, Attila; Ságvári, Bence; Jakobi, Ákos; Kertész, János

2015-01-01

How is online social media activity structured in the geographical space? Recent studies have shown that in spite of earlier visions about the “death of distance”, physical proximity is still a major factor in social tie formation and maintenance in virtual social networks. Yet, it is unclear, what are the characteristics of the distance dependence in online social networks. In order to explore this issue the complete network of the former major Hungarian online social network is analyzed. We find that the distance dependence is weaker for the online social network ties than what was found earlier for phone communication networks. For a further analysis we introduced a coarser granularity: We identified the settlements with the nodes of a network and assigned two kinds of weights to the links between them. When the weights are proportional to the number of contacts we observed weakly formed, but spatially based modules resemble to the borders of macro-regions, the highest level of regional administration in the country. If the weights are defined relative to an uncorrelated null model, the next level of administrative regions, counties are reflected. PMID:26359668

The association between social capital measures and self-reported health among Muslim majority nations.

PubMed

Kim, Harris Hyun-soo

2014-10-01

Much evidence suggests that social capital (e.g. networks, trust, organizational memberships) has a significant effect on self-reported health. Previous research, however, has focused primarily on Western countries. The current research seeks to remedy this problem by investigating the association between multiple social capital indicators and subjective health in a novel empirical setting. The data come from the Comparative Values Survey of Islamic Countries (1999-2006) which consists of probabilistic samples from Muslim majority nations. Three-way multilevel analysis is used to examine the social determinants of health. Statistical results from hierarchical linear modeling shows that frequent contact with strong and intermediate ties (i.e. family members and friends, respectively) is significant, while interaction with weak ties (coworkers) has no association. General trust and trust in the central government are also significantly related to subjective health, as is trust in religious authority, albeit in an inverse way. This study calls for a more contingent view of the relationship between social capital and self-reported health. Future research needs to take this into consideration in hypothesizing and testing the potential health benefits of social capital.

Competition between Homophily and Information Entropy Maximization in Social Networks

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jichang; Liang, Xiao; Xu, Ke

2015-01-01

In social networks, it is conventionally thought that two individuals with more overlapped friends tend to establish a new friendship, which could be stated as homophily breeding new connections. While the recent hypothesis of maximum information entropy is presented as the possible origin of effective navigation in small-world networks. We find there exists a competition between information entropy maximization and homophily in local structure through both theoretical and experimental analysis. This competition suggests that a newly built relationship between two individuals with more common friends would lead to less information entropy gain for them. We demonstrate that in the evolution of the social network, both of the two assumptions coexist. The rule of maximum information entropy produces weak ties in the network, while the law of homophily makes the network highly clustered locally and the individuals would obtain strong and trust ties. A toy model is also presented to demonstrate the competition and evaluate the roles of different rules in the evolution of real networks. Our findings could shed light on the social network modeling from a new perspective. PMID:26334994

Regulation of iNOS function and cellular redox state by macrophage Gch1 reveals specific requirements for tetrahydrobiopterin in NRF2 activation

PubMed Central

McNeill, Eileen; Crabtree, Mark J.; Sahgal, Natasha; Patel, Jyoti; Chuaiphichai, Surawee; Iqbal, Asif J.; Hale, Ashley B.; Greaves, David R.; Channon, Keith M.

2015-01-01

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a key enzyme in the macrophage inflammatory response, which is the source of nitric oxide (NO) that is potently induced in response to proinflammatory stimuli. However, the specific role of NO production, as distinct from iNOS induction, in macrophage inflammatory responses remains unproven. We have generated a novel mouse model with conditional deletion of Gch1, encoding GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH), an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) that is a required cofactor for iNOS NO production. Mice with a floxed Gch1 allele (Gch1fl/fl) were crossed with Tie2cre transgenic mice, causing Gch1 deletion in leukocytes (Gch1fl/flTie2cre). Macrophages from Gch1fl/flTie2cre mice lacked GTPCH protein and de novo biopterin biosynthesis. When activated with LPS and IFNγ, macrophages from Gch1fl/flTie2cre mice induced iNOS protein in a manner indistinguishable from wild-type controls, but produced no detectable NO, as judged by L-citrulline production, EPR spin trapping of NO, and by nitrite accumulation. Incubation of Gch1fl/flTie2cre macrophages with dihydroethidium revealed significantly increased production of superoxide in the presence of iNOS expression, and an iNOS-independent, BH4-dependent increase in other ROS species. Normal BH4 levels, nitric oxide production, and cellular redox state were restored by sepiapterin, a precursor of BH4 production by the salvage pathway, demonstrating that the effects of BH4 deficiency were reversible. Gch1fl/flTie2cre macrophages showed only minor alterations in cytokine production and normal cell migration, and minimal changes in basal gene expression. However, gene expression analysis after iNOS induction identified 78 genes that were altered between wild-type and Gch1fl/flTie2cre macrophages. Pathway analysis identified decreased NRF2 activation, with reduced induction of archetypal NRF2 genes (gclm, prdx1, gsta3, nqo1, and catalase) in BH4-deficient Gch1fl/flTie2cre macrophages. These findings identify BH4-dependent iNOS regulation and NO generation as specific requirements for NRF2-dependent responses in macrophage inflammatory activation. PMID:25451639

Endothelial expression of human cytochrome P450 epoxygenase CYP2C8 increases susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated mouse heart

PubMed Central

Edin, Matthew L.; Wang, ZhongJing; Bradbury, J. Alyce; Graves, Joan P.; Lih, Fred B.; DeGraff, Laura M.; Foley, Julie F.; Torphy, Robert; Ronnekleiv, Oline K.; Tomer, Kenneth B.; Lee, Craig R.; Zeldin, Darryl C.

2011-01-01

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) epoxygenases CYP2C8 and CYP2J2 generate epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) from arachidonic acid. Mice with expression of CYP2J2 in cardiomyocytes (αMHC-CYP2J2 Tr) or treated with synthetic EETs have increased functional recovery after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R); however, no studies have examined the role of cardiomyocyte- vs. endothelial-derived EETs or compared the effects of different CYP epoxygenase isoforms in the ischemic heart. We generated transgenic mice with increased endothelial EET biosynthesis (Tie2-CYP2C8 Tr and Tie2-CYP2J2 Tr) or EET hydrolysis (Tie2-sEH Tr). Compared to wild-type (WT), αMHC-CYP2J2 Tr hearts showed increased recovery of left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and decreased infarct size after I/R. In contrast, LVDP recovery and infarct size were unchanged in Tie2-CYP2J2 Tr and Tie2-sEH Tr hearts. Surprisingly, compared to WT, Tie2-CYP2C8 Tr hearts had significantly reduced LVDP recovery (from 21 to 14%) and increased infarct size after I/R (from 51 to 61%). Tie2-CYP2C8 Tr hearts also exhibited increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (DiHOME) formation, and coronary resistance after I/R. ROS scavengers and CYP2C8 inhibition reversed the detrimental effects of CYP2C8 expression in Tie2-CYP2C8 Tr hearts. Treatment of WT hearts with 250 nM 9,10-DiHOME decreased LVDP recovery compared to vehicle (16 vs. 31%, respectively) and increased coronary resistance after I/R. These data demonstrate that increased ROS generation and enhanced DiHOME synthesis by endothelial CYP2C8 impair functional recovery and mask the beneficial effects of increased EET production following I/R.—Edin, M. L., Wang, Z. J., Bradbury, J. A., Graves, J. P., Lih, F. B., DeGraff, L. M., Foley, J. F., Torphy, R., Ronnekleiv, O. K., Tomer, K. B., Lee, C. R., Zeldin, D. C. Endothelial expression of human cytochrome P450 epoxygenase CYP2C8 increases susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated mouse heart. PMID:21697548

DO TIE LABORATORY BASED ASSESSMENT METHODS REALLY PREDICT FIELD EFFECTS?

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) methods have been developed for both porewaters and whole sediments. These relatively simple laboratory methods are designed to identify specific toxicants or classes of toxicants in sediments; however, the question of whethe...

Improved concrete railway crosstie design and performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-11-01

The approach for the proposed concrete tie research under the NEXTRANS Center funding was to : characterize the abrasion demand on the concrete-tie rail seat, as well as the abrasion resistance of : different rail seat materials and designs (e.g. con...

17. FLOOR l; DETAIL OF FRAMING; CANT POST HAS A ...

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

17. FLOOR l; DETAIL OF FRAMING; CANT POST HAS A SHOULDER FOR TIE BEAM WHICH SUPPORTS STONE BEAMS; BELOW TIE BEAM IS HINGE FOR THE BRAYER - Hook Windmill, North Main Street at Pantigo Road, East Hampton, Suffolk County, NY

USE OF MERCENARIA MERCENARIA IN MULTIPLE SPECIES TESTING

EPA Science Inventory

The Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) approach was first developed for determining the causes of toxicity in effluents discharged into the aquatic environment. Soon, TIEs were being used for assessing the causes of toxicity in sediment interstitial waters. Now, both fres...

Children's Books in Review: Books on Strengthening Family Ties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winfield, Evelyn T.

1991-01-01

Reviews children's books that emphasize the strengthening of family ties. Characters in the books realize the importance and influence of family relationships as they struggle with sibling rivalry, self-discovery, peer relationships, a search for heritage, adoption, and death. (SM)

Welded tie plate feasibility study for ITER central solenoid structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, R.; McRae, D.; Dalder, E.; Litherland, S.; Goddard, R.; Han, K.; Trosen, M.; Kuhlmann, D. D.

2014-01-01

The result of a Nitronic 50 (N50) weld-screening program conducted in support of CS-Tie Plate Structure Design and Development is reported here. The goal of this program is to evaluate four different weld practices and to select the best weld practice for thick section welding of the N50 tie plate structure. The structure design specifies both the weld and base metals have the same minimum mechanical properties requirements. The criteria for selecting the best weld practice are based on the combination of the 295 K tensile properties and the 4 K-tensile, fatigue, and fracture-toughness properties.

Artifacts in magnetic spirals retrieved by transport of intensity equation (TIE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, J.; Yao, Y.; Shen, X.; Wang, Y. G.; Yu, R. C.

2018-05-01

The artifacts in the magnetic structures reconstructed from Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) images with TIE method have been analyzed in detail. The processing for the simulated images of Bloch and Neel spirals indicated that the improper parameters in TIE may overestimate the high frequency information and induce some false features in the retrieved images. The specimen tilting will further complicate the analysis of the images because the LTEM image contrast is not the result of the magnetization distribution within the specimen but the integral projection pattern of the magnetic induction filling the entire space including the specimen.

The influence of neighborhood characteristics on the relationship between discrimination and increased drug-using social ties among illicit drug users.

PubMed

Crawford, Natalie D; Borrell, Luisa N; Galea, Sandro; Ford, Chandra; Latkin, Carl; Fuller, Crystal M

2013-04-01

Social discrimination may isolate drug users into higher risk relationships, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhood environments where drug trade occurs. We used negative binomial regression accounting for clustering of individuals within their recruitment neighborhood to investigate the relationship between high-risk drug ties with various forms of social discrimination, neighborhood minority composition, poverty and education. Results show that experiencing discrimination due to drug use is significantly associated with more drug ties in neighborhoods with fewer blacks. Future social network and discrimination research should assess the role of neighborhood social cohesion.

An MHD variational principle that admits reconnection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rilee, M. L.; Sudan, R. N.; Pfirsch, D.

1997-01-01

The variational approach of Pfirsch and Sudan's averaged magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to the stability of a line-tied current layer is summarized. The effect of line-tying on current sheets that might arise in line-tied magnetic flux tubes by estimating the growth rates of a resistive instability using a variational method. The results show that this method provides a potentially new technique to gauge the stability of nearly ideal magnetohydrodynamic systems. The primary implication for the stability of solar coronal structures is that tearing modes are probably constant at work removing magnetic shear from the solar corona.

The effect of neighborhood disadvantage, social ties, and genetic variation on the antisocial behavior of African American women: A multilevel analysis

PubMed Central

LEI, MAN-KIT; SIMONS, RONALD L.; EDMOND, MARY BOND; SIMONS, LESLIE GORDON; CUTRONA, CAROLYN E.

2015-01-01

Social disorganization theory posits that individuals who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to engage in antisocial behavior than are those who live in advantaged neighborhoods and that neighborhood disadvantage asserts this effect through its disruptive impact on social ties. Past research on this framework has been limited in two respects. First, most studies have concentrated on adolescent males. In contrast, the present study focused on a sample of adult African American females. Second, past research has largely ignored individual-level factors that might explain why people who grow up in disadvantaged neighborhoods often do not engage in antisocial behavior. We investigated the extent to which genetic variation contributes to heterogeneity of response to neighborhood conditions. We found that the impact of neighborhood disadvantage on antisocial behavior was mediated by neighborhood social ties. Further, the analysis indicated that the effects of neighborhood disadvantage and social ties on antisocial behavior were moderated by genetic polymorphisms. Examination of these moderating effects provided support for the differential susceptibility model of Gene×Environment. The effect of Gene×Neighborhood Disadvantage on antisocial behavior was mediated by the effect of Gene×Neighborhood Social Ties, providing support for an expanded view of social disorganization theory. PMID:24713449

A Designed Angiopoietin-1 Variant, Dimeric CMP-Ang1 Activates Tie2 and Stimulates Angiogenesis and Vascular Stabilization in N-glycan Dependent Manner

PubMed Central

Oh, Nuri; Kim, Kangsan; Jin Kim, Soo; Park, Intae; Lee, Jung-Eun; Suk Seo, Young; Joo An, Hyun; Min Kim, Ho; Young Koh, Gou

2015-01-01

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1), a potential growth factor for therapeutic angiogenesis and vascular stabilization, is known to specifically cluster and activate Tie2 in high oligomeric forms, which is a unique and essential process in this ligand-receptor interaction. However, highly oligomeric native Ang1 and Ang1 variants are difficult to produce, purify, and store in a stable and active form. To overcome these limitations, we developed a simple and active dimeric CMP-Ang1 by replacing the N-terminal of native Ang1 with the coiled-coil domain of cartilage matrix protein (CMP) bearing mutations in its cysteine residues. This dimeric CMP-Ang1 effectively increased the migration, survival, and tube formation of endothelial cells via Tie2 activation. Furthermore, dimeric CMP-Ang1 induced angiogenesis and suppressed vascular leakage in vivo. Despite its dimeric structure, the potencies of such Tie2-activation-induced effects were comparable to those of a previously engineered protein, COMP-Ang1. We also revealed that these effects of dimeric CMP-Ang1 were affected by specified N-glycosylation in its fibrinogen-like domain. Taken together, our results indicate that dimeric CMP-Ang1 is capable of activating Tie2 and stimulating angiogenesis in N-glycan dependent manner. PMID:26478188

Vasculotide reduces endothelial permeability and tumor cell extravasation in the absence of binding to or agonistic activation of Tie2.

PubMed

Wu, Florence T H; Lee, Christina R; Bogdanovic, Elena; Prodeus, Aaron; Gariépy, Jean; Kerbel, Robert S

2015-06-01

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) activation of Tie2 receptors on endothelial cells (ECs) reduces adhesion by tumor cells (TCs) and limits junctional permeability to TC diapedesis. We hypothesized that systemic therapy with Vasculotide (VT)-a purported Ang1 mimetic, Tie2 agonist-can reduce the extravasation of potentially metastatic circulating TCs by similarly stabilizing the host vasculature. In vitro, VT and Ang1 treatments impeded endothelial hypermeability and the transendothelial migration of MDA-MB-231∙LM2-4 (breast), HT29 (colon), or SN12 (renal) cancer cells to varying degrees. In mice, VT treatment inhibited the transit of TCs through the pulmonary endothelium, but not the hepatic or lymphatic endothelium. In the in vivo LM2-4 model, VT monotherapy had no effect on primary tumors, but significantly delayed distant metastatic dissemination to the lungs. In the post-surgical adjuvant treatment setting, VT therapeutically complemented sunitinib therapy, an anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor which limited the local growth of residual disease. Unexpectedly, detailed investigations into the putative mechanism of action of VT revealed no evidence of Tie2 agonism or Tie2 binding; alternative mechanisms have yet to be determined. © 2015 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

The effect of neighborhood disadvantage, social ties, and genetic variation on the antisocial behavior of African American women: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Lei, Man-Kit; Simons, Ronald L; Edmond, Mary Bond; Simons, Leslie Gordon; Cutrona, Carolyn E

2014-11-01

Social disorganization theory posits that individuals who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to engage in antisocial behavior than are those who live in advantaged neighborhoods and that neighborhood disadvantage asserts this effect through its disruptive impact on social ties. Past research on this framework has been limited in two respects. First, most studies have concentrated on adolescent males. In contrast, the present study focused on a sample of adult African American females. Second, past research has largely ignored individual-level factors that might explain why people who grow up in disadvantaged neighborhoods often do not engage in antisocial behavior. We investigated the extent to which genetic variation contributes to heterogeneity of response to neighborhood conditions. We found that the impact of neighborhood disadvantage on antisocial behavior was mediated by neighborhood social ties. Further, the analysis indicated that the effects of neighborhood disadvantage and social ties on antisocial behavior were moderated by genetic polymorphisms. Examination of these moderating effects provided support for the differential susceptibility model of Gene × Environment. The effect of Gene × Neighborhood Disadvantage on antisocial behavior was mediated by the effect of Gene × Neighborhood Social Ties, providing support for an expanded view of social disorganization theory.

In-law Relationships Before and After Marriage

PubMed Central

Fingerman, Karen L.; Gilligan, Megan; VanderDrift, Laura; Pitzer, Lindsay

2013-01-01

Relationships with in-laws play an important role in individuals’ lives, but we do not know how these ties are formed. We considered two pathways through which early relationships with mothers-in-laws may affect subsequent in-law relationship qualities: a) dimensions of the early relationship and, b) beliefs and expectations of the future relationship. Sixty men and women engaged to be married and their mothers (N = 240) completed interviews prior to, and 6 to 8 months following the wedding. Measures at Time 1 assessed three dimensions of the in-law relationship: a) behavioral (contact by phone, in person), b) emotional (positive and negative relationship qualities), and c) cognitive (knowledge about the other person). Participants also described positive and negative expectations of their future tie. Multilevel models revealed that dimensions of the tie prior to the marriage were associated with post-wedding in-law relationship qualities. When the parties had individual contact with one another and positive feelings before the wedding, ties were stronger following the wedding. Data from open-ended descriptions of negative expectations obtained before the wedding predicted negative relationship qualities after the wedding. Husbands, wives, and mothers-in-law showed similar patterns with regard to relationship qualities. Discussion focuses on the role of early emotional qualities of the in-law tie for subsequent in-law relationships. PMID:23794954

To participate or not in the physician quality reporting initiative (PQRI); that is the question.

PubMed

Elliott, Brett

2007-05-01

The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 authorized the establishment of a physician quality reporting system which would tie a reimbursement incentive to compliance with benchmarks that are considered proxies of quality patient care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) has called this the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). A brief historical background about how this program evolved, how one participates in this initiative, and the strengths and weaknesses of current and new benchmarks is presented.

Relationships: The Critical Ties That Bind Professionals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roper, Larry

2002-01-01

This article proposes that the success of student affairs professionals is more closely tied to their ability to construct and manage essential relationships during their careers than any other activity. The author discusses essential principles and skills in developing and managing professional relationships. (GCP)

Laboratory Evaluation of Concrete Ties and Fastenings for Transit Use

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-03-01

This report was prepared as part of an ongoing research effort by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) to develop standard concrete ties for rapid transit use. The overall objective of this contract was to fabricate and evaluate, by la...

Text Information Extraction System (TIES) | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Cancer.gov

TIES is a service based software system for acquiring, deidentifying, and processing clinical text reports using natural language processing, and also for querying, sharing and using this data to foster tissue and image based research, within and between institutions.

Finite Element Modeling of Prestressed Concrete Crossties with Ballast and Subgrade Support.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-05-26

With the first major installation in North American : railroads during the 1960s, concrete ties were believed to last : longer than timber ties and have the potential for reduced life : cycle costs. However, their characteristic response to initia...

Finite element bond models for seven-wire prestressing strands in concrete crossties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-23

Seven-wire strands are commonly used in pretensioned : concrete ties, but its bonding mechanism with concrete needs : further examination to provide a better understanding of some : concrete tie failure modes. As a key component in the finite : eleme...

CHARACTERIZATION AND ISOLATION OF ORGANIC TOXICANTS IN WHOLE SEDIMENT TOXICITY INDENTIFICATION EVALUATIONS (TIES)

EPA Science Inventory

Development of whole sediment toxicity identification and evaluation (TIEs) methods has been under way for approximately four years. These methods are necessary to define cause and effect relationships in toxic sediments during ecological risk assessments, remediation and disposa...

USE OF ZEOLITE FOR REMOVING AMMONIA AND AMMONIA-CAUSED TOXCITY IN MARINE TOXICITY IDENTIFCATION EVALUATIONS (TIES)

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia occurs in marine waters including effluents, receiving waters, and sediment interstitial waters. At sufficiently high concentrations, ammonia can be toxic to aquatic species. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods provide researchers with tools for identifyi...

13. Photocopy of engineering drawing (original drawing located in WWP ...

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

13. Photocopy of engineering drawing (original drawing located in WWP Building, Transmission Department, Spokane, Washington). DIMENSIONS AND DETAILS OF STEEL TOWERS, LITTLE FALLS TIE LINE. - Little Falls Tie Line Towers, Near Little Dam Falls on Spokane River, Wellpinit, Stevens County, WA

Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia)

MedlinePlus

... Toddlers and Older Children Speech – While the tongue is remarkably able to compensate and many children have no speech impediments due to tongue-tie, others may. Around the age of three, speech problems, especially articulation of the sounds - l, r, t, d, n, th, sh, and z ...

Validation of Different Combination of Three Reversing Half-Hitches Alternating Posts (RHAPs) Effects on Arthroscopic Knot Integrity.

PubMed

Chong, Alexander Cm; Prohaska, Daniel J; Bye, Brian P

2017-05-01

With arthroscopic techniques being used, the importance of knot tying has been examined. Previous literature has examined the use of reversing half-hitches on alternating posts (RHAPs) on knot security. Separately, there has been research regarding different suture materials commonly used in the operating room. The specific aim of this study was to validate the effect of different stacked half-hitch configuration and different braided suture materials on arthroscopic knot integrity. Three different suture materials tied with five different RHAPs in arthroscopic knots were compared. A single load-to-failure test was performed and the mean ultimate clinical failure load was obtained. Significant knot holding strength improvement was found when one half-hitch was reversed as compared to baseline knot. When two of the half-hitches were reversed, there was a greater improvement with all knots having a mean ultimate clinical failure load greater than 150 newtons (N). Comparison of the suture materials demonstrated a higher mean ultimate clinical failure load when Force Fiber ® was used and at least one half-hitch was reversed. Knots tied with either Force Fiber ® or Orthocord ® showed 0% chance of knot slippage while knots tied with FiberWire ® or braided fishing line had about 10 and 30% knot slippage chances, respectively. A significant effect was observed in regards to both stacked half-hitch configuration and suture materials used on knot loop and knot security. Caution should be used with tying three RHAPs in arthroscopic surgery, particularly with a standard knot pusher and arthroscopic cannulas. The findings of this study indicated the importance of three RHAPs in performing arthroscopic knot tying and provided evidence regarding discrepancies of maximum clinical failure loads observed between orthopaedic surgeons, thereby leading to better surgical outcomes in the future.

Two-Year Impact of the Alternative Quality Contract on Pediatric Health Care Quality and Spending

PubMed Central

Song, Zirui; Chernew, Michael E.; Landon, Bruce E.; McNeil, Barbara J.; Safran, Dana G.; Schuster, Mark A.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the 2-year effect of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ global budget arrangement, the Alternative Quality Contract (AQC), on pediatric quality and spending for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and non-CSHCN. METHODS: Using a difference-in-differences approach, we compared quality and spending trends for 126 975 unique 0- to 21-year-olds receiving care from AQC groups with 415 331 propensity-matched patients receiving care from non-AQC groups; 23% of enrollees were CSHCN. We compared quality and spending pre (2006–2008) and post (2009–2010) AQC implementation, adjusting analyses for age, gender, health risk score, and secular trends. Pediatric outcome measures included 4 preventive and 2 acute care measures tied to pay-for-performance (P4P), 3 asthma and 2 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder quality measures not tied to P4P, and average total annual medical spending. RESULTS: During the first 2 years of the AQC, pediatric care quality tied to P4P increased by +1.8% for CSHCN (P < .001) and +1.2% for non-CSHCN (P < .001) for AQC versus non-AQC groups; quality measures not tied to P4P showed no significant changes. Average total annual medical spending was ∼5 times greater for CSHCN than non-CSHCN; there was no significant impact of the AQC on spending trends for children. CONCLUSIONS: During the first 2 years of the contract, the AQC had a small but significant positive effect on pediatric preventive care quality tied to P4P; this effect was greater for CSHCN than non-CSHCN. However, it did not significantly influence (positively or negatively) CSHCN measures not tied to P4P or affect per capita spending for either group. PMID:24366988

Endothelial fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling is required for vascular remodeling following cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury

PubMed Central

Castro, Angela M.; Lupu, Traian S.; Weinheimer, Carla; Smith, Craig; Kovacs, Attila

2016-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is cardioprotective in various models of myocardial infarction. FGF receptors (FGFRs) are expressed in multiple cell types in the adult heart, but the cell type-specific FGFR signaling that mediates different cardioprotective endpoints is not known. To determine the requirement for FGFR signaling in endothelium in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, we conditionally inactivated the Fgfr1 and Fgfr2 genes in endothelial cells with Tie2-Cre (Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1f/f, Fgfr2f/f DCKO mice). Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1f/f, Fgfr2f/f DCKO mice had normal baseline cardiac morphometry, function, and vessel density. When subjected to closed-chest, regional cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1f/f, Fgfr2f/f DCKO mice showed a significantly increased hypokinetic area at 7 days, but not 1 day, after reperfusion. Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1f/f, Fgfr2f/f DCKO mice also showed significantly worsened cardiac function compared with controls at 7 days but not 1 day after reperfusion. Pathophysiological analysis showed significantly decreased vessel density, increased endothelial cell apoptosis, and worsened tissue hypoxia in the peri-infarct area at 7 days following reperfusion. Notably, Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1f/f, Fgfr2f/f DCKO mice showed no impairment in the cardiac hypertrophic response. These data demonstrate an essential role for FGFR1 and FGFR2 in endothelial cells for cardiac functional recovery and vascular remodeling following in vivo cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, without affecting the cardiac hypertrophic response. This study suggests the potential for therapeutic benefit from activation of endothelial FGFR pathways following ischemic injury to the heart. PMID:26747503

Determining stressor presence in streams receiving urban and agricultural runoff: development of a benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation method.

PubMed

Custer, Kevin W; Burton, G Allen; Coelho, Ricardo S; Smith, Preston R

2006-09-01

Determining toxicity in streams during storm-water runoff can be highly problematic because of the fluctuating exposures of a multitude of stressors and the difficulty of linking these dynamic exposures with biological effects. An underlying problem with assessing storm-water quality is determining if toxicity exists and then which contaminant is causing the toxicity. The goal of this research is to provide an alternative to standard toxicity testing methods by incorporating an in situ toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) approach. A benthic in situ TIE bioassay (BiTIE) was developed for separating key chemical classes of stressors in streams during both low- and high-flow events to help discern between point and nonpoint sources of pollution. This BiTIE method allows for chemical class fractionation through the use of resins, and these resins are relatively specific for removing nonpolar organics (Dowex Optipore), ammonia (zeolite), and polywool (control). Three indigenous aquatic insects, a mayfly (Isonychia spp.), a caddisfly (Hydropsyche spp.), and a water beetle (Psephenus herricki), were placed in BiTIE chambers that were filled with natural substrates. Acute 96-h exposures were conducted at Honey Creek, New Carlisle, Ohio, USA (reference site), and Little Beavercreek, Beavercreek, Ohio, USA (impaired site). At both sites, significant (p < 0.025) stressor responses were observed using multiple species with polywool or no resin (control) treatments exhibiting < 80% survival and resin treatments with >80% survival. The BiTIE method showed stressor-response relationships in both runoff and base flow events during 96-h exposures. The method appears useful for discerning stressors with indigenous species in situ.

The Effect on Performance Time and Quality of the Knots after Mono or Bimanual Training of Laparoscopic Intracorporeal Knot Tying according to the Gladiator Rule Technique.

PubMed

Asencio, Fernanda de Almeida; Ribeiro, Helizabet Abdala Salomão Ayroza; Romeo, Armando; Wattiez, Arnauld; Ribeiro, Paulo Augusto Galvão Ayroza

2018-05-18

 To assess whether the monomanual or bimanual training of laparoscopic suture following the same technique may interfere with the knots' performance time and/or quality.  A prospective observational study involving 41 resident students of gynecology/obstetrics and general surgery who attended a laparoscopic suture training for 2 days. The participants were divided into two groups. Group A performed the training using exclusively their dominant hand, and group B performed the training using both hands to tie the intracorporeal knot. All participants followed the same technique, called Romeo Gladiator Rule. At the end of the course, the participants were asked to perform three exercises to assess the time it took them to tie the knots, as well as the quality of the knots.  A comparative analysis of the groups showed that there was no statistically significant difference ( p  = 0.334) between them regarding the length of time to tie one knot. However, when the time to tie 10 consecutive knots was compared, group A was faster than group B ( p  = 0.020). A comparison of the knot loosening average, in millimeters, revealed that the knots made by group B loosened less than those made by group A, but there was no statistically significant difference regarding the number of knots that became untied.  This study demonstrated that the knots from group B showed better quality than those from group A, with lower loosening measures and more strength necessary to untie the knots. The study also demonstrated that group A was faster than B when the time to tie ten consecutive knots was compared. Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Endothelial fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling is required for vascular remodeling following cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury.

PubMed

House, Stacey L; Castro, Angela M; Lupu, Traian S; Weinheimer, Carla; Smith, Craig; Kovacs, Attila; Ornitz, David M

2016-03-01

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is cardioprotective in various models of myocardial infarction. FGF receptors (FGFRs) are expressed in multiple cell types in the adult heart, but the cell type-specific FGFR signaling that mediates different cardioprotective endpoints is not known. To determine the requirement for FGFR signaling in endothelium in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, we conditionally inactivated the Fgfr1 and Fgfr2 genes in endothelial cells with Tie2-Cre (Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1(f/f), Fgfr2(f/f) DCKO mice). Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1(f/f), Fgfr2(f/f) DCKO mice had normal baseline cardiac morphometry, function, and vessel density. When subjected to closed-chest, regional cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1(f/f), Fgfr2(f/f) DCKO mice showed a significantly increased hypokinetic area at 7 days, but not 1 day, after reperfusion. Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1(f/f), Fgfr2(f/f) DCKO mice also showed significantly worsened cardiac function compared with controls at 7 days but not 1 day after reperfusion. Pathophysiological analysis showed significantly decreased vessel density, increased endothelial cell apoptosis, and worsened tissue hypoxia in the peri-infarct area at 7 days following reperfusion. Notably, Tie2-Cre, Fgfr1(f/f), Fgfr2(f/f) DCKO mice showed no impairment in the cardiac hypertrophic response. These data demonstrate an essential role for FGFR1 and FGFR2 in endothelial cells for cardiac functional recovery and vascular remodeling following in vivo cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, without affecting the cardiac hypertrophic response. This study suggests the potential for therapeutic benefit from activation of endothelial FGFR pathways following ischemic injury to the heart. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Two-year impact of the alternative quality contract on pediatric health care quality and spending.

PubMed

Chien, Alyna T; Song, Zirui; Chernew, Michael E; Landon, Bruce E; McNeil, Barbara J; Safran, Dana G; Schuster, Mark A

2014-01-01

To examine the 2-year effect of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' global budget arrangement, the Alternative Quality Contract (AQC), on pediatric quality and spending for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and non-CSHCN. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we compared quality and spending trends for 126,975 unique 0- to 21-year-olds receiving care from AQC groups with 415,331 propensity-matched patients receiving care from non-AQC groups; 23% of enrollees were CSHCN. We compared quality and spending pre (2006-2008) and post (2009-2010) AQC implementation, adjusting analyses for age, gender, health risk score, and secular trends. Pediatric outcome measures included 4 preventive and 2 acute care measures tied to pay-for-performance (P4P), 3 asthma and 2 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder quality measures not tied to P4P, and average total annual medical spending. During the first 2 years of the AQC, pediatric care quality tied to P4P increased by +1.8% for CSHCN (P < .001) and +1.2% for non-CSHCN (P < .001) for AQC versus non-AQC groups; quality measures not tied to P4P showed no significant changes. Average total annual medical spending was ~5 times greater for CSHCN than non-CSHCN; there was no significant impact of the AQC on spending trends for children. During the first 2 years of the contract, the AQC had a small but significant positive effect on pediatric preventive care quality tied to P4P; this effect was greater for CSHCN than non-CSHCN. However, it did not significantly influence (positively or negatively) CSHCN measures not tied to P4P or affect per capita spending for either group.

EU-U.S. Economic Ties: Framework, Scope, and Magnitude

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-17

role in the strong economic ties between them. Yet, the two sides differ in some significant policy areas, for example, the EU’s Common Agricultural ... Policy , conflicting competition policies, and the U.S. extraterritorial application of economic sanctions against Cuba and other countries. These

EU-U.S. Economic Ties: Framework, Scope, and Magnitude

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-17

in the strong economic ties between them. Yet, the two sides differ in some significant policy areas, for example, the EU’s Common Agricultural ... Policy , conflicting competition policies, and the U.S. extraterritorial application of economic sanctions against Cuba and other countries. These policy

4. Photocopy of photograph, JANE MOSELEY (VESSEL 53) TIED UP ...

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

4. Photocopy of photograph, JANE MOSELEY (VESSEL 53) TIED UP AT DOCK IN UNKNOWN LOCATION. Date and photographer unknown. (Original in Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia, negative #625) - Shooters Island, Ships Graveyard, Vessel No. 53, Newark Bay, Staten Island (subdivision), Richmond County, NY

People Interview: Black-tie science gets modern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2009-03-01

INTERVIEW Black-tie science gets modern Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE is director of the Royal Institution and professor of pharmacology at Oxford where she heads a multidisciplinary group studying neurodegenerative disorders. David Smith speaks to her about specialities, keeping busy and how science is changing.

Inspection of the advanced engineered lumber railroad ties at the New Meadows Bridge.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

In 2003, Engineered Materials of Maine (EMM, Bangor, Maine) fabricated forty-eight : (48) 8-inch wide, 10-inch deep, 12-foot long Advanced Engineered Lumber (AEL) mixed : hardwood glue-laminated (glulam) railroad bridge ties. Over a two day period in...

Status homophily, sexual identity, and lesbian social ties.

PubMed

Logan, Laura S

2013-01-01

The literature on friendship and social networks finds that individuals form social ties with people who are like them--a much studied concept called homophily. However, few studies have explicitly examined sexual identity as a point of homophily. Scholars from multiple disciplines have long argued that sexuality influences the organization of our social worlds, yet most studies of friendship and social networks under-examine or overlook the influence of sexual identity. This study addresses that gap by looking at status homophily among lesbian social ties to examine the influence of sexual identity, as well as gender, race, class, and family, on their personal networks. Using survey data from 544 U.S. lesbian respondents, the findings make visible some of the factors and forces that shape social ties for lesbians. The results point to the importance of sexuality as an organizing element of social life, and suggest that studies that examine social networks or friendships more often make sexual identity, gender, and intersecting social locations a central focus.

HED-TIE: A wafer-scale approach for fabricating hybrid electronic devices with trench isolated electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Sreetama; Bülz, Daniel; Solonenko, Dmytro; Reuter, Danny; Deibel, Carsten; Hiller, Karla; Zahn, Dietrich R. T.; Salvan, Georgeta

2017-05-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid electronic devices (HEDs) offer opportunities for functionalities that are not easily obtainable with either organic or inorganic materials individually. In the strive for down-scaling the channel length in planar geometry HEDs, the best results were achieved with electron beam lithography or nanoimprint lithography. Their application on the wafer level is, however, cost intensive and time consuming. Here, we propose trench isolated electrode (TIE) technology as a fast, cost effective, wafer-level approach for the fabrication of planar HEDs with electrode gaps in the range of 100 nm. We demonstrate that the formation of the organic channel can be realized by deposition from solution as well as by the thermal evaporation of organic molecules. To underline one key feature of planar HED-TIEs, namely full accessibility of the active area of the devices by external stimuli such as light, 6,13-bis (triisopropylsilylethynyl) (TIPS)-pentacene/Au HED-TIEs are successfully tested for possible application as hybrid photodetectors in the visible spectral range.

Finite element analyses of continuous filament ties for masonry applications : final report for the Arquin Corporation.

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

Quinones, Armando, Sr.; Bibeau, Tiffany A.; Ho, Clifford Kuofei

2008-08-01

Finite-element analyses were performed to simulate the response of a hypothetical vertical masonry wall subject to different lateral loads with and without continuous horizontal filament ties laid between rows of concrete blocks. A static loading analysis and cost comparison were also performed to evaluate optimal materials and designs for the spacers affixed to the filaments. Results showed that polypropylene, ABS, and polyethylene (high density) were suitable materials for the spacers based on performance and cost, and the short T-spacer design was optimal based on its performance and functionality. Simulations of vertical walls subject to static loads representing 100 mph windsmore » (0.2 psi) and a seismic event (0.66 psi) showed that the simulated walls performed similarly and adequately when subject to these loads with and without the ties. Additional simulations and tests are required to assess the performance of actual walls with and without the ties under greater loads and more realistic conditions (e.g., cracks, non-linear response).« less

Burstiness and tie activation strategies in time-varying social networks.

PubMed

Ubaldi, Enrico; Vezzani, Alessandro; Karsai, Márton; Perra, Nicola; Burioni, Raffaella

2017-04-13

The recent developments in the field of social networks shifted the focus from static to dynamical representations, calling for new methods for their analysis and modelling. Observations in real social systems identified two main mechanisms that play a primary role in networks' evolution and influence ongoing spreading processes: the strategies individuals adopt when selecting between new or old social ties, and the bursty nature of the social activity setting the pace of these choices. We introduce a time-varying network model accounting both for ties selection and burstiness and we analytically study its phase diagram. The interplay of the two effects is non trivial and, interestingly, the effects of burstiness might be suppressed in regimes where individuals exhibit a strong preference towards previously activated ties. The results are tested against numerical simulations and compared with two empirical datasets with very good agreement. Consequently, the framework provides a principled method to classify the temporal features of real networks, and thus yields new insights to elucidate the effects of social dynamics on spreading processes.

High-speed transport-of-intensity phase microscopy with an electrically tunable lens.

PubMed

Zuo, Chao; Chen, Qian; Qu, Weijuan; Asundi, Anand

2013-10-07

We present a high-speed transport-of-intensity equation (TIE) quantitative phase microscopy technique, named TL-TIE, by combining an electrically tunable lens with a conventional transmission microscope. This permits the specimen at different focus position to be imaged in rapid succession, with constant magnification and no physically moving parts. The simplified image stack collection significantly reduces the acquisition time, allows for the diffraction-limited through-focus intensity stack collection at 15 frames per second, making dynamic TIE phase imaging possible. The technique is demonstrated by profiling of microlens array using optimal frequency selection scheme, and time-lapse imaging of live breast cancer cells by inversion the defocused phase optical transfer function to correct the phase blurring in traditional TIE. Experimental results illustrate its outstanding capability of the technique for quantitative phase imaging, through a simple, non-interferometric, high-speed, high-resolution, and unwrapping-free approach with prosperous applications in micro-optics, life sciences and bio-photonics.

The Technology Information Environment with Industry{trademark} system description

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

Detry, R.; Machin, G.

The Technology Information Environment with Industry (TIE-In{trademark}) provides users with controlled access to distributed laboratory resources that are packaged in intelligent user interfaces. These interfaces help users access resources without requiring the user to have technical or computer expertise. TIE-In utilizes existing, proven technologies such as the Kerberos authentication system, X-Windows, and UNIX sockets. A Front End System (FES) authenticates users and allows them to register for resources and subsequently access them. The FES also stores status and accounting information, and provides an automated method for the resource owners to recover costs from users. The resources available through TIE-In aremore » typically laboratory-developed applications that are used to help design, analyze, and test components in the nation`s nuclear stockpile. Many of these applications can also be used by US companies for non-weapons-related work. TIE-In allows these industry partners to obtain laboratory-developed technical solutions without requiring them to duplicate the technical resources (people, hardware, and software) at Sandia.« less

A Community of Strangers: The Dis-Embedding of Social Ties

PubMed Central

Parigi, Paolo; State, Bogdan; Dakhlallah, Diana; Corten, Rense; Cook, Karen

2013-01-01

In this paper we explore two contrasting perspectives on individuals' participation in associations. On the one hand, some have considered participation the byproduct of pre-existing friendship ties — the more friends one already has in the association, the more likely he or she is to participate. On the other hand, some have considered participation to be driven by the association's capacity to form new identities — the more new friends one meets in the association, the more likely he or she is to participate. We use detailed temporal data from an online association to adjudicate between these two mechanisms and explore their interplay. Our results show a significant impact of new friendship ties on participation, compared to a negligible impact of pre-existing friends, defined here as ties to other members formed outside of the organization's context. We relate this finding to the sociological literature on participation and we explore its implications in the discussion. PMID:23861761

Relationship Between Ties With Adult Children and Life Satisfaction Among the Middle-Aged, the Young-Old, and the Oldest-Old Korean Adults.

PubMed

Chai, Hye Won; Jun, Hey Jung

2017-12-01

One of the important determinants of well-being among aging parents is their relationship with adult children. Using the two waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this study examined how different types of ties with adult children affect the life satisfaction of the Korean middle-aged, the young-old, and the oldest-old adults. Multigroup analysis was used to see if the effects of ties with adult children differ by the three age-groups. The results showed that frequency of contact had positive effect on life satisfaction for all of the age-groups. However, coresidence with children had a negative effect for the middle-aged, but a positive effect for the oldest-old. Finally, exchanges of support with adult children had significant effects only for the young-old. These results show that the importance of different types of ties with children change according to aging parents' life stages.

The importance of the boundary condition in the transport of intensity equation based phase measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jialin; Chen, Qian; Li, Jiaji; Zuo, Chao

2017-02-01

The transport of intensity equation (TIE) is a powerful tool for direct quantitative phase retrieval in microscopy imaging. However, there may be some problems when dealing with the boundary condition of the TIE. The previous work introduces a hard-edged aperture to the camera port of the traditional bright field microscope to generate the boundary signal for the TIE solver. Under this Neumann boundary condition, we can obtain the quantitative phase without any assumption or prior knowledge about the test object and the setup. In this paper, we will demonstrate the effectiveness of this method based on some experiments in practice. The micro lens array will be used for the comparison of two TIE solvers results based on introducing the aperture or not and this accurate quantitative phase imaging technique allows measuring cell dry mass which is used in biology to follow cell cycle, to investigate cell metabolism, or to address effects of drugs.

Improvement and Application of the Softened Strut-and-Tie Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Guoxi; Wang, Debin; Diao, Yuhong; Shang, Huaishuai; Tang, Xiaocheng; Sun, Hai

2017-11-01

Previous experimental researches indicate that reinforced concrete beam-column joints play an important role in the mechanical properties of moment resisting frame structures, so as to require proper design. The aims of this paper are to predict the joint carrying capacity and cracks development theoretically. Thus, a rational model needs to be developed. Based on the former considerations, the softened strut-and-tie model is selected to be introduced and analyzed. Four adjustments including modifications of the depth of the diagonal strut, the inclination angle of diagonal compression strut, the smeared stress of mild steel bars embedded in concrete, as well as the softening coefficient are made. After that, the carrying capacity of beam-column joint and cracks development are predicted using the improved softened strut-and-tie model. Based on the test results, it is not difficult to find that the improved softened strut-and-tie model can be used to predict the joint carrying capacity and cracks development with sufficient accuracy.

caTIES: a grid based system for coding and retrieval of surgical pathology reports and tissue specimens in support of translational research.

PubMed

Crowley, Rebecca S; Castine, Melissa; Mitchell, Kevin; Chavan, Girish; McSherry, Tara; Feldman, Michael

2010-01-01

The authors report on the development of the Cancer Tissue Information Extraction System (caTIES)--an application that supports collaborative tissue banking and text mining by leveraging existing natural language processing methods and algorithms, grid communication and security frameworks, and query visualization methods. The system fills an important need for text-derived clinical data in translational research such as tissue-banking and clinical trials. The design of caTIES addresses three critical issues for informatics support of translational research: (1) federation of research data sources derived from clinical systems; (2) expressive graphical interfaces for concept-based text mining; and (3) regulatory and security model for supporting multi-center collaborative research. Implementation of the system at several Cancer Centers across the country is creating a potential network of caTIES repositories that could provide millions of de-identified clinical reports to users. The system provides an end-to-end application of medical natural language processing to support multi-institutional translational research programs.

Burstiness and tie activation strategies in time-varying social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubaldi, Enrico; Vezzani, Alessandro; Karsai, Márton; Perra, Nicola; Burioni, Raffaella

2017-04-01

The recent developments in the field of social networks shifted the focus from static to dynamical representations, calling for new methods for their analysis and modelling. Observations in real social systems identified two main mechanisms that play a primary role in networks’ evolution and influence ongoing spreading processes: the strategies individuals adopt when selecting between new or old social ties, and the bursty nature of the social activity setting the pace of these choices. We introduce a time-varying network model accounting both for ties selection and burstiness and we analytically study its phase diagram. The interplay of the two effects is non trivial and, interestingly, the effects of burstiness might be suppressed in regimes where individuals exhibit a strong preference towards previously activated ties. The results are tested against numerical simulations and compared with two empirical datasets with very good agreement. Consequently, the framework provides a principled method to classify the temporal features of real networks, and thus yields new insights to elucidate the effects of social dynamics on spreading processes.

Family Ties and Young Fathers’ Engagement in Cape Town, South Africa

PubMed Central

Clark, Shelley; Cotton, Cassandra; Marteleto, Leticia J.

2015-01-01

Young South African fathers are often engaged in their children’s lives even if they do not live together. Using longitudinal data on children (n = 1,209) from the Cape Town area, the authors show that although only 26% of young fathers live with their children, 66% of nonresidential fathers maintain regular contact, and 61% provide financial support. The father–child relationship, however, is embedded in broader family ties. The type of father–mother relationship is strongly associated with whether fathers coreside with their children, but not with fathers’ contact with nonresidential children. Close mother and maternal grandmother bonds reduce the likelihood that fathers live with their children, whereas close ties between fathers and paternal grandmothers increase the chance that fathers visit nonresidential children. Family ties do not affect fathers’ financial contributions, which are driven by men’s current economic situation. These findings illustrate that father–child relationships are best understood in the context of interacting family systems. PMID:25774066

Plasma markers of angiogenesis in pregnancy induced hypertension.

PubMed

Nadar, Sunil K; Karalis, Ioannis; Al Yemeni, Eman; Blann, Andrew D; Lip, Gregory Y H

2005-11-01

This study tests the hypothesis that abnormalities in plasma indices of angiogenesis, such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and angiopoietins (Ang-1, Ang-2), as well as their soluble receptors Flt-1 (sFlt-1) and Tie 2 (sTie-2) respectively, are present in women with in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). We also measured platelet levels of VEGF and Ang-1 (pVEGF and pAng-1 respectively). We studied 69 consecutive women with PIH (34 without proteinuria, and 35 with proteinuria, i.e. preeclampsia) who were compared to 64 consecutive women with normotensive pregnancies and 30 normotensive non-pregnant women, in a cross-sectional study. Using ELISA, we measured levels of plasma VEGF, Ang-1 & 2, Tie-2 and sFlt-1, and also the levels of angiogenic markers within the platelet [platelet VEGF (pVEGF) and platelet Ang-1 (pAng1)] by lysing a fixed number of platelets with 0.5% tween. Results show that levels of plasma VEGF, Ang-1, Ang2, sFlt-1 and Tie-2 were significantly different between the study groups. Post hoc analyses revealed plasma Ang-1 was highest in the preeclampsia group (p<0.001), whilst Ang-2 was highest in the normotensive pregnant group (p-=0.018). Plasma Tie-2 was highest in the PIH group. VEGF levels were significantly different between the preeclampsia group and the PIH group (p<0.05). Platelet VEGF levels were higher in the non-pregnant group than in the pregnant group, but there were no significant differences in the platelet levels of Ang-1 between the different groups. Ang-2, sFlt-1 and Tie-2 were undetectable in the platelet lysate in any of the patient groups or controls. Blood pressure was a major determinant of the different angiogenic factors studied. Abnormal indices of angiogenesis are evident in PIH and preeclampsia, with higher levels of sFlt-1 and lower levels of VEGF; in PIH, increased levels of Ang-1 and Tie-2, but reduced Ang-2, are evident compared to normal pregnancy. These abnormalities may have implications for the pathogenesis of PIH and preeclampsia.

Work-family life courses and markers of stress and inflammation in mid-life: evidence from the National Child Development Study

PubMed Central

Lacey, Rebecca E; Sacker, Amanda; Kumari, Meena; Worts, Diana; McDonough, Peggy; Booker, Cara; McMunn, Anne

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: This study investigated associations between work-family life courses and biomarkers of inflammation and stress in mid-life among British men and women. Gender differences in these associations were also explored. Methods: A novel statistical method—multi-channel sequence analysis—defined work-family life courses between the ages of 16 and 42 years, combining annual information on work, partnership and parenthood. Associations between work-family life courses and inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor] and cortisol at age 44/45 years were tested using multivariate linear regression using multiply-imputed data on almost 6500 participants from the National Child Development Study 1958 British birth cohort. Results: Compared with those who combined strong ties to paid work with later transitions to stable family lives (‘Work, later family’ group), ‘Teen parents’ had higher CRP [40.6% higher, 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.6, 87.0] and fibrinogen (7.8% higher, 95% CI: 2.3, 13.5) levels, and homemakers (‘No paid work, early family’) had raised fibrinogen levels (4.7% higher, 95% CI: 0.7, 9.0), independent of childhood health and socioeconomic position, adult socioeconomic position, health behaviours and body mass index (BMI). Those who combined later transitions to stable family ties with a career break for childrearing had higher post-waking cortisol than the ‘Work, later family’ group; however, no associations were seen for other work-family types, therefore suggesting a null finding with cortisol. No statistically significant gender interactions in associations between work-family types and inflammatory or cortisol outcomes were found. Conclusions: Work-family life courses characterised by early parenthood or weak work ties were associated with a raised risk profile in relation to chronic inflammation. PMID:26467761

Modeling the effect of social networks on adoption of multifunctional agriculture.

PubMed

Manson, Steven M; Jordan, Nicholas R; Nelson, Kristen C; Brummel, Rachel F

2016-01-01

Rotational grazing (RG) has attracted much attention as a cornerstone of multifunctional agriculture (MFA) in animal systems, potentially capable of producing a range of goods and services of value to diverse stakeholders in agricultural landscapes and rural communities, as well as broader societal benefits. Despite these benefits, global adoption of MFA has been uneven, with some places seeing active participation, while others have seen limited growth. Recent conceptual models of MFA emphasize the potential for bottom-up processes and linkages among social and environmental systems to promote multifunctionality. Social networks are critical to these explanations but how and why these networks matter is unclear. We investigated fifty-three farms in three states in the United States (New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania) and developed a stylized model of social networks and systemic change in the dairy farming system. We found that social networks are important to RG adoption but their impact is contingent on social and spatial factors. Effects of networks on farmer decision making differ according to whether they comprise weak-tie relationships, which bridge across disparate people and organizations, or strong-tie relationships, which are shared by groups in which members are well known to one another. RG adoption is also dependent on features of the social landscape including the number of dairy households, the probability of neighboring farmers sharing strong ties, and the role of space in how networks are formed. The model replicates features of real-world adoption of RG practices in the Eastern US and illustrates pathways toward greater multifunctionality in the dairy landscape. Such models are likely to be of heuristic value in network-focused strategies for agricultural development.

Modeling the effect of social networks on adoption of multifunctional agriculture

PubMed Central

Manson, Steven M.; Jordan, Nicholas R.; Nelson, Kristen C.; Brummel, Rachel F.

2014-01-01

Rotational grazing (RG) has attracted much attention as a cornerstone of multifunctional agriculture (MFA) in animal systems, potentially capable of producing a range of goods and services of value to diverse stakeholders in agricultural landscapes and rural communities, as well as broader societal benefits. Despite these benefits, global adoption of MFA has been uneven, with some places seeing active participation, while others have seen limited growth. Recent conceptual models of MFA emphasize the potential for bottom-up processes and linkages among social and environmental systems to promote multifunctionality. Social networks are critical to these explanations but how and why these networks matter is unclear. We investigated fifty-three farms in three states in the United States (New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania) and developed a stylized model of social networks and systemic change in the dairy farming system. We found that social networks are important to RG adoption but their impact is contingent on social and spatial factors. Effects of networks on farmer decision making differ according to whether they comprise weak-tie relationships, which bridge across disparate people and organizations, or strong-tie relationships, which are shared by groups in which members are well known to one another. RG adoption is also dependent on features of the social landscape including the number of dairy households, the probability of neighboring farmers sharing strong ties, and the role of space in how networks are formed. The model replicates features of real-world adoption of RG practices in the Eastern US and illustrates pathways toward greater multifunctionality in the dairy landscape. Such models are likely to be of heuristic value in network-focused strategies for agricultural development. PMID:26744579

Role Markers of Adulthood and Young Adults’ Ties to Grandparents

PubMed Central

Monserud, Maria A.

2010-01-01

This study investigates the implications of residential independence, enrollment in postsecondary education, employment, marital status, and parenthood for contact with, and closeness to, grandparents. Data come from 1,507 young adults interviewed in Wave 3 of the National Survey of Families and Households. Findings suggest that adult roles can be either negatively or positively associated with grandparent-grandchild ties, depending on specific configurations among such factors as the adult role in question, a particular dimension of intergenerational solidarity, lineage, and grandchild’s and grandparent’s gender. Young adults’ ties to parents can mediate the adverse consequences of residential independence for contact with grandparents. PMID:20725597

Understanding interactions in virtual HIV communities: a social network analysis approach.

PubMed

Shi, Jingyuan; Wang, Xiaohui; Peng, Tai-Quan; Chen, Liang

2017-02-01

This study investigated the driving mechanism of building interaction ties among the people living with HIV/AIDS in one of the largest virtual HIV communities in China using social network analysis. Specifically, we explained the probability of forming interaction ties with homophily and popularity characteristics. The exponential random graph modeling results showed that members in this community tend to form homophilous ties in terms of shared location and interests. Moreover, we found a tendency away from popularity effect. This suggests that in this community, resources and information were not disproportionally received by a few of members, which could be beneficial to the overall community.

Tree-Ties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gresczyk, Rick

Created to help students understand how plants were used for food, for medicine, and for arts and crafts among the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Indians, the game Tree-Ties combines earth and social sciences within a specific culture. The game requires mutual respect, understanding, and agreement to succeed. Sounding like the word "treaties", the…

Evolving Role of Passive Samplers in Whole Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluations

EPA Science Inventory

In Phase I of whole sediment TIEs, causes of toxicity to freshwater and marine organisms are characterized into broad toxicant classes including ammonia, metals and organic chemicals. In Phase II of the TIE, the specific toxicants causing observed toxicity are identified. For a...

Exploring relationship between human mobility and social ties: Physical distance is not dead

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Bo; Liao, Binbing; Yuan, Ning; Wang, Wenjun

2015-06-01

Partly due to the difficulty of the access to a worldwide dataset that simultaneously captures the location history and social networks, our understanding of the relationship between human mobility and the social ties has been limited. However, this topic is essential for a deeper study from human dynamics and social networks aspects. In this paper, we examine the location history data and social networks data of 712 email users and 399 offline events users from a map-editing based social network website. Based on these data, we expand all our experiment both from individual aspect and community aspect. We find that the physical distance is still the most influential factor to social ties among the nine representative human mobility features extracted from our GPS trajectory dataset, although Internet revolution has made long-distance communication dramatically faster, easier and cheaper than ever before, and in turn, partly expand the physical scope of social networks. Furthermore, we find that to a certain extent, the proximity of South-North direction is more influential than East-West direction to social ties. To the our best of our knowledge, this difference between South-North and East-West is the first time to be raised and quantitatively supported by a large dataset. We believe our findings on the interplay of human mobility and social ties offer a new perspective to this field of study.

Does Visual Impairment Affect Social Ties in Late Life? Findings of a Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study in Germany.

PubMed

Hajek, A; Brettschneider, C; Lühmann, D; Eisele, M; Mamone, S; Wiese, B; Weyerer, S; Werle, J; Pentzek, M; Fuchs, A; Stein, J; Luck, T; Bickel, H; Weeg, D; Heser, K; Jessen, F; Maier, W; Scherer, M; Riedel-Heller, S G; König, H-H

2017-01-01

To investigate how visual impairment affects social ties in late life longitudinally. Population-based prospective cohort study. Individuals in old age were recruited via general practitioners' offices (at six study centers) in Germany. They were interviewed every 18 months. Individuals aged 75 years and above at baseline. Follow-up wave 2 (36 months after baseline, n=2,443) and wave 4 (72 months after baseline, n=1,618) were used for the analyses presented here. Social ties were assessed using the 14-item form of the questionnaire for social support (F-SozU K-14). Visual impairment was self-rated on a three level Likert scale (no impairment, mild visual impairment, or severe/profound visual impairment). Adjusting for sociodemographic factors, hearing impairment and comorbidity, fixed effects regressions revealed that the onset of mild visual impairment decreased the social support score, in particular the emotional support score. Additionally, the onset of mild hearing impairment decreased the social support score in men. Moreover, increasing age decreased the social support score in the total sample and in both sexes. Loss of spouse and increasing comorbidity did not affect the social support score. Our results highlight the importance of visual impairment for social ties in late life. Consequently, appropriate strategies in order to delay visual impairment might help to maintain social ties in old age.

Making Sense of Studies That Claim Benefits of Frenotomy in the Absence of Classic Tongue-Tie.

PubMed

Douglas, Pamela

2017-08-01

By performing an in-depth analysis of one high profile example, this article aims to help breastfeeding support professionals understand the methodological flaws that characterize recent studies claiming to show the efficacy of frenotomy for the diagnoses of posterior tongue-tie and upper lip-tie. The example study does not address definitional confusion or control for the effects of the passage of time. It does not consider the effects of caring attention, validation, and lactation consultant support. It also does not consider the extensive research over the past three decades that has established that reflux in the first 6 months of life is benign, even though increased reflux frequency may correlate with unsettled infant behavior. The study authors relied on the hypothesis that reflux is caused by excessive air swallowing in infants with poor latch due to posterior tongue-tie and upper lip-tie, which lacks credible physiological mechanisms or supporting evidence. The authors' claim that conducting a randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of frenotomy would be unethical contradicts the basic principles of good science. This article argues that our breastfeeding women and their babies deserve the most rigorous scientific methods available, and acknowledgment of the biases inherent in less rigorous research, if we are to make appropriate decisions concerning intervention with frenotomy and to prevent unnecessary oral surgery.

Through The Decades - Changes in Social, Economic, Legal and Planning Determinants of Residential Development across Decades - Evidence from Suburban Areas in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Źróbek-Różańska, Alina; Zysk, Elżbieta; Źróbek, Ryszard

2017-10-01

Poland has experienced many political, legal, social and economic transformations. For the last twelve decades, this country was under foreign partition, in the war, under the influence of socialist system with centrally planned economy and finally regained autonomy and rapidly introduced market economy. Each epoch had its own characteristic, that can be recognized also in the residential buildings development. Therefore, the authors focused on the social, economic, legal and planning conditionings that shaped the development of the residential buildings with the most characteristic periods: pre-II world war, 50-ties, 60-ties, 70-ties, 80-ties, 90-ties and XXI century. Some of them are visible in the still existing residential buildings, especially in the suburban villages. The most recent process that can be observed in the study area is urban sprawl. Since the beginning of the XXI century, urban population in Poland has been gradually declining, while suburban villages transform into ‘urban-like’ districts. The aim of the study was to arrange and present in the decade-by-decade manner, the social, economic, legal and planning conditionings that were valid in particular periods. It was realized by correlating information on the contemporary social trends, economic conditions, legal framework and planning regulations. Presentation was enriched by the examples of the buildings developed in the accordance with the contemporary restrictions.

The effects of maternal alcohol use disorders on childhood relationships and mental health.

PubMed

Wolfe, Joseph D

2016-10-01

Despite millions of children living in the turmoil of their parents' active alcoholism or the aftermath of past abuse, research to date has not (1) provided a comprehensive examination of the effects of maternal alcohol use disorders (AUDs) on children's social ties outside of their relationships with parents, or (2) considered whether the number and quality of childhood social ties alter the effects of maternal AUDs on children's mental health. Using data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth 1979 Children and Young Adults, analysis examined the influence of maternal AUDs on the number and quality of children's ties with siblings, extended family and family friends, peers, and neighborhood members. The analysis also considered how children's social ties influenced the association between maternal AUDs and children's internalizing and externalizing problems. Children of alcoholic mothers had similarly sized networks but more distant relationships with siblings and friends, negative interactions with classmates, and isolating neighborhoods. Controlling for these aspects of children's social ties substantially reduced mental health disparities between children of alcoholic mothers and other children. Findings support the view that maternal alcohol use disorders have the potential to damage children's mental health while also setting into motion long-term relationship problems. Future research should examine the networks of children who experience parental AUDs to further clarify the social processes that link parental AUDs to children's mental health.

Older Veteran Digital Disparities: Examining the Potential for Solutions Within Social Networks

PubMed Central

Hogan, Timothy P; Richardson, Lorilei M; Cioffari-Bailiff, Lisa; Harvey, Kimberly; Houston, Thomas K

2016-01-01

Background Older adults typically have less access to the Internet than other age groups, and older Veterans may use the Internet even less due to economic and geographic reasons. Objective To explore solutions to this problem, our study examined older Veterans’ reported ability to access technology through their close social ties. Methods Data were collected via mail survey from a sample of Veterans aged 65 years and older (N=266). Results Nearly half (44.0%, 117/266) of the sample reported having no Internet access. Yet, among those without current access, older Veterans reported having a median of 5 (IQR 7) close social ties with home Internet access. These older Veterans also reported that they would feel comfortable asking a median of 2 (IQR 4) social ties for help to access the Internet, and that a median of 2 (IQR 4) social ties would directly access the Internet for the older Veteran to help with health management. Conclusions Findings suggest that even older Veterans without current Internet access have at least two social ties with home Internet who could be called upon for technology support. Thus, older Veterans may be willing to call upon these “surrogate seekers” for technology assistance and support in health management. This has implications for the digital divide, technology design, and health care policy. PMID:27881361

TIES for Dummies 3rd Edition (Technology Identification, Evaluation, and Selection) Basic how to's to implement the TIES method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirby, Michelle R.

2002-01-01

The TIES method is a forecasting environment whereby the decision-maker has the ability to easily assess and trade-off the impact of various technologies without sophisticated and time-consuming mathematical formulations. TIES provides a methodical approach where technically feasible alternatives can be identified with accuracy and speed to reduce design cycle time, and subsequently, life cycle costs, and was achieved through the use of various probabilistic methods, such as Response Surface Methodology and Monte Carlo Simulations. Furthermore, structured and systematic techniques are utilized from other fields to identify possible concepts and evaluation criteria by which comparisons can be made. This objective is achieved by employing the use of Morphological Matrices and Multi-Attribute Decision Making techniques. Through the execution of each step, a family of design alternatives for a given set of customer requirements can be identified and assessed subjectively or objectively. This methodology allows for more information (knowledge) to be brought into the earlier phases of the design process and will have direct implications on the affordability of the system. The increased knowledge allows for optimum allocation of company resources and quantitative justification for program decisions. Finally, the TIES method provided novel results and quantitative justification to facilitate decision making in the early stages of design so as to produce affordable and quality products.

Axial-spin technique of endoscopic intracorporeal knot tying: comparison with the conventional technique and objective assessment of knot security, learning curves, and performance efficiency across training levels.

PubMed

Gopaldas, Raja R; Rohatgi, Chand

2009-04-01

A major limitation of conventional laparoscopic surgery is the placement of an intracorporeal (IC) knot, which requires a significant amount of training and practice. An easier technique of IC knot tying using 90-degree grasper is compared with the conventional technique (CLT). The new axial-spin technique (AST) uses the spin of the instrument shaft to tie IC knots. Fourteen participants stratified into 3 training levels were instructed to tie 50 reef IC knots using each technique on trainers in 3 sessions. The final 5 knots tied using each technique were deemed to be representative of maximal performance efficiency (PE) and randomly subject to tensile strength measurements using a tensiometer at 50 mm/s distraction. Mean knot execution time (mKET) measured in seconds (s), normalized KE time (nET=group mean/mKET), knot holding capacity, relative knot security (RKS), and PE (PE=RKS/nET) of the knots tied were computed and analyzed using paired t and analysis of variance. Variables included knot-tying session, technique and the training level. On completion of the study, junior residents (JR) averaged 51.72 seconds more, senior residents (SR) averaged 26.22 seconds more and attendings (ATT) averaged 19.17 seconds less to tie using CLT compared with the AST (F=40.52, P=0.0001). Across all levels, the CLT technique was taking 83.26 seconds on average to execute an IC knot compared with 59.08 seconds with AST method (t=2.784, P=0.015). Learning curves revealed that JR significantly improved mean KE times with the AST technique (first session vs. final session: 473.8 s vs. 55.9 s) compared with CLT (672.5 s vs. 107.6 s) across the sessions as compared with those in advanced levels of training. The RKS of knots executed by AST was significantly stronger (AST: 13.1 vs. 5.44 N, t=4.9, P=0.0001). The PE of knots executed using the CLT increased geometrically across training levels (JR: 1.35% SR: 5.58% ATT: 11.22%) whereas those of AST showed a linear trend (17.09%; 17.11%, and 13.95%). The AST follows a linear pattern of learning across training levels compared with the steep exponential learning of the CLT. Inexperienced JRs were surprisingly 1.5 times more efficient with AST and 8 times less efficient with CLT compared with ATT using the CLT to execute the same knot. The AST is significantly easier to learn for JRs and could serve as a platform before acquiring more advanced knot-tying skills. Overall, with the AST, execution times are significantly shorter whereas the RKS and PE are significantly higher. JRs achieve a level of proficiency comparable with the senior level residents and ATT after participating in a reasonable training session consisting of at least 25 knots.

Preventing Cauliflower Ear with a Modified Tie-Through Technique.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimeff, Robert J.; Hough, David O.

1989-01-01

Describes a quick, simple tie-through suture technique (in which a collodion packing is secured to the auricle with two buttons) for preventing cauliflower ear following external ear trauma in wrestlers and boxers. The technique ensures constant compression; multiple treatments for fluid reaccumulation are rarely necessary. (SM)

TOXICITY REDUCTION AND TOXICITY IDENTIFICATION EVALUATIONS (TIE) FOR EFFLUENTS, AMBIENT WATERS AND OTHER AQUEOUS MEDIA

EPA Science Inventory

This publication is the result of a workshop and it is intended for publication through the SETAC Special Publication Series based on the proceedings from the SETAC sponsored workshop that was titles "Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) Forum: What Works, What Doesn't, ...

50 CFR 86.20 - What activities are eligible for funding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... or privately owned boating infrastructure tie-up facilities. To be eligible you must: (1) Build these... nontrailerable recreational vessels; (3) Build these tie-up facilities in water deep enough for nontrailerable... fluctuation); (4) Provide security, safety, and service for these boats; and, (5) Install a pumpout station...

50 CFR 86.20 - What activities are eligible for funding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... or privately owned boating infrastructure tie-up facilities. To be eligible you must: (1) Build these... nontrailerable recreational vessels; (3) Build these tie-up facilities in water deep enough for nontrailerable... fluctuation); (4) Provide security, safety, and service for these boats; and, (5) Install a pumpout station...

50 CFR 86.20 - What activities are eligible for funding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... publicly or privately owned boating infrastructure tie-up facilities. To be eligible you must: (1) Build... transient nontrailerable recreational vessels; (3) Build these tie-up facilities in water deep enough for... of lowest fluctuation); (4) Provide security, safety, and service for these boats; and, (5) Install a...

Technology Network Ties: Network Services and Technology Programs for New York State's Educational System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Planning, Testing, and Technological Services.

The New York State Technology Network Ties (TNT) systems is a statewide telecommunications network which consists of computers, telephone lines, and telecommunications hardware and software. This network links school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), libraries, other educational institutions, and the State Education…

Trestle #1, detail of spacer and bolt assembly with tie ...

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

Trestle #1, detail of spacer and bolt assembly with tie and guard timber, southwest end of deck. View to east-northeast - Promontory Route Railroad Trestles, S.P. Trestle 779.91, One mile southwest of junction of State Highway 83 and Blue Creek, Corinne, Box Elder County, UT

Connecting Achievement Motivation to Performance in General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrell, Brent; Phillips, Michael M.; Barbera, Jack

2016-01-01

Student success in chemistry is inherently tied to motivational and other affective processes. We investigated three distinct constructs tied to motivation: self-efficacy, interest, and effort beliefs. These variables were measured twice over the course of a semester in three sections of a first-semester general chemistry course (n = 170). We…

Matrilineal Family Ties and Marital Dissolution in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takyi, Baffour K.; Gyimah, Stephen Obeng

2007-01-01

Although previous work has attributed the instability of African marriages to the diffusion of Western norms and values in the region, fewer attempts have been made to empirically assess how Africa's internal institutional structures, such as extended kinship ties, impact marital outcomes. Guided by rational choice and exchange theories, we argue…

78 FR 25664 - Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-02

... lead to loss of transmission of THSA torque loads from the ballscrew to the tie-bar and consequent THSA... rupture, may lead to loss of transmission of THSA torque loads from the ballscrew to the tie-bar and... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2013...

Incorporating Covariates into Stochastic Blockmodels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweet, Tracy M.

2015-01-01

Social networks in education commonly involve some form of grouping, such as friendship cliques or teacher departments, and blockmodels are a type of statistical social network model that accommodate these grouping or blocks by assuming different within-group tie probabilities than between-group tie probabilities. We describe a class of models,…

Evaluation of the Polyethylene Reverse Sampler as a Dosing System in Marine Phase II Whole Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluations (TIEs)

EPA Science Inventory

Contaminated marine sediments can cause acute and chronic impairments to benthic organisms. Nonionic organic contaminants (NOCs) are often a primary cause of impairment. Toxicity Identification Evaluations (TIEs) are used to identify chemicals causing toxicity in sediments. Ph...

Teaching Tongue-Tied Students: Ankyloglossia in the Instrumental Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dovel, Jason

2010-01-01

Ankyloglossia is a significant medical condition that has not been adequately addressed in music education literature. While practically every instructor will have students who struggle with ankyloglossia, many teachers are entirely unaware of this condition's various symptoms and treatments. Ankyloglossia, more commonly known as tongue-tie, is a…

Capturing Bioavailable Organic Contaminants for Phase II Whole Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluations

EPA Science Inventory

In Phase I of whole sediment TIEs, causes of toxicity to freshwater and marine organisms are characterized into broad toxicant classes including ammonia, metals and organic chemicals. In the whole sediment Phase I TIEs performed so far, organic chemicals have been shown to be t...

78 FR 65166 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... the upper deck tension ties of the fuselage are subject to widespread fatigue damage. We are issuing this AD to prevent widespread fatigue damage of certain fuselage upper deck tension ties, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane. DATES: This AD is effective December 5, 2013. The...

Indigeneity and Homeland: Land, History, Ceremony, and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerma, Michael

2012-01-01

What is the relationship between Indigenous peoples and violent reactions to contemporary states? This research explores differing, culturally informed notions of attachment to land or place territory. Mechanistic ties and organic ties to land are linked to a key distinction between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples. Utilizing the…

Remediation System Evaluation, GCL Tie and Treating Superfund Site, Sidney, New York

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The GCL Tie and Treating Superfund Site is located along the outskirts of Sidney in Delaware County, New York. The site is a former wood treating facility that was operated between the early 1950s and 1988 when the property was abandoned by the owners.

WHAT’S CAUSING TOXICITY IN SEDIMENTS? RESULTS OF 20 YEARS OF TOXICITY IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment toxicity identification and evaluation (TIE) methods have been used for 20 yr to identify the causes of toxicity in sediments around the world. In the present study, the authors summarize and categorize results of 36 peer-reviewed TIE studies (67 sediments) into nonioni...

An agent-based model for emotion contagion and competition in online social media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Rui; Xu, Ke; Zhao, Jichang

2018-04-01

Recent studies suggest that human emotions diffuse in not only real-world communities but also online social media. However, a comprehensive model that considers up-to-date findings and multiple online social media mechanisms is still missing. To bridge this vital gap, an agent-based model, which concurrently considers emotion influence and tie strength preferences, is presented to simulate the emotion contagion and competition. Our model well reproduces patterns observed in the empirical data, like anger's preference on weak ties, anger-dominated users' high vitalities and angry tweets' short retweet intervals, and anger's competitiveness in negative events. The comparison with a previously presented baseline model further demonstrates its effectiveness in modeling online emotion contagion. It is also surprisingly revealed by our model that as the ratio of anger approaches joy with a gap less than 12%, anger will eventually dominate the online social media and arrives the collective outrage in the cyber space. The critical gap disclosed here can be indeed warning signals at early stages for outrage control. Our model would shed lights on the study of multiple issues regarding emotion contagion and competition in terms of computer simulations.

Analysis Influence of Managerial Competence, Technical Competence, and Strategic Competence on Firm Performance in Electrical Engineering Company in Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijaya, E. R.; Irianto, D.

2018-03-01

The industry sectors that have an important role in the era of globalization is the electro engineering sector. The era of globalization led to intense competition. One of the negative effects of the intense competition is declining profits. Drop in profits caused many firms reduces their employees without seeking the root cause of declining profits in detail. Whereas, employee is the important resources to maintain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage can be measured by the performance of which is owned by the firm. The firm's performance can be formed of competencies that is unique, rare, irreplaceable, and difficult to imitate within the firm, one of them is the competence of the individual. According to a competency-based approach and the resource- based approach, individual competence that affect the performance of the firm is managerial competence, technical competence, and strategic competence. Questionnaire is built based on the dimensions of the firm's performance, managerial competence, technical competence, and strategic competence, are processed using partial least squares application. The results indicate that managerial competence negatively impact firm’s performance with weak ties. The technical competence and strategic competence positively affect firm’s performance with moderate ties.

From Gut Knowing: Every Silver Cloud Has a Black Lining. Actor Reflections on "Ties That Bind."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elmes, Michael

2003-01-01

Makes sense of the performance of Steve Taylor's play, "Ties That Bind," from the perspective of the actors, 14 faculty members, and doctoral students from various universities in the United States by using the interpretive lens of Erving Goffman's Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. (SG)

50 CFR 86.20 - What activities are eligible for funding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... these tie-up facilities on navigable waters, available to the public. You must design new construction and renovations to last at least 20 years; (2) Design these tie-up facilities for temporary use for...) Carrying out site surveys and engaging in site planning; (v) Preparing cost estimates; and (vi) Preparing...

Automated designation of tie-points for image-to-image coregistration.

Treesearch

R.E. Kennedy; W.B. Cohen

2003-01-01

Image-to-image registration requires identification of common points in both images (image tie-points: ITPs). Here we describe software implementing an automated, area-based technique for identifying ITPs. The ITP software was designed to follow two strategies: ( I ) capitalize on human knowledge and pattern recognition strengths, and (2) favour robustness in many...

Is It Genocide? The Military Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

effective des-ructlon ol another group -0 occur tie msrrumenrs of state >oner have -0 ze ml, olvec Three oi tie mos- ob\\lous euanqles oI^ genocrce...mos--> from -IS Tutsl social groupmg but mcludmg some moderate Hutus -- Lxere slaughterec I0 -4s tne s;;s:emanc k:..Ims vegan . >laJor Gen Dallaxe. hex

The Expense Tied to Secondary Course Failure: The Case of Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faubert, Brenton

2016-01-01

This article describes a study that examined the volume of secondary course failure and its direct budget impact on Ontario's K-12 public education system. The study employed a straightforward, descriptive accounting method to estimate the annual expenditure tied to secondary course failure, taking into account some factors known to be…

A Technology Integration Education (TIE) Model: Millennial Preservice Teachers' Motivations about Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Denise D.; Piper, Randy T.

2014-01-01

Nobel laureates Schultz (1971) and Becker (1964, 1993) reinvigorated the analysis of education investments. Human capital investments that improve cognitive skills for elementary and secondary students have important economic implications. An interdisciplinary, 12-construct technology integration education (TIE) model was developed. The sample…

Social Networks in the Classroom: Personality Factors as Antecedents of Student Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seevers, Matthew T.; Johnson, Bryan R.; Darnold, Todd C.

2015-01-01

This study examines personality factors as antecedents of student social capital. We hypothesize relationships between two constructs taken from the five-factor model of personality (agreeableness and extraversion) and two variables that reflect a student's social capital (quantity of ties and strength of ties) in an academic setting. Analysis of…

50 CFR 86.12 - Definitions of terms used in part 86.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... These activities include building new tie-up facilities or replacing or expanding existing tie-up... mean motorized boats 26 feet or more in length manufactured for and operated primarily for pleasure... specific plan or design. Proposal means a description of one or more projects for which a State requests...

50 CFR 86.12 - Definitions of terms used in part 86.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

.... These activities include building new tie-up facilities or replacing or expanding existing tie-up... mean motorized boats 26 feet or more in length manufactured for and operated primarily for pleasure... specific plan or design. Proposal means a description of one or more projects for which a State requests...

50 CFR 86.12 - Definitions of terms used in part 86.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.... These activities include building new tie-up facilities or replacing or expanding existing tie-up... mean motorized boats 26 feet or more in length manufactured for and operated primarily for pleasure... specific plan or design. Proposal means a description of one or more projects for which a State requests...

50 CFR 86.12 - Definitions of terms used in part 86.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... property. These activities include building new tie-up facilities or replacing or expanding existing tie-up... mean motorized boats 26 feet or more in length manufactured for and operated primarily for pleasure... specific plan or design. Proposal means a description of one or more projects for which a State requests...

50 CFR 86.12 - Definitions of terms used in part 86.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... property. These activities include building new tie-up facilities or replacing or expanding existing tie-up... mean motorized boats 26 feet or more in length manufactured for and operated primarily for pleasure... specific plan or design. Proposal means a description of one or more projects for which a State requests...

Faculty Guide to: TIE (Televised Interactive Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Jeffrey

Intended to assist faculty of the Eastern Iowa Community College in using the District Microwave Telecommunications System, this handbook includes the following: (1) a statement of the philosophy and intent of the system; (2) its long term goals; (3) general information on the televised interactive education (TIE) system; (4) keys to being an…

30 CFR 77.704-10 - Tying into energized high-voltage surface circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS, SURFACE COAL MINES AND SURFACE WORK.... If the work of forming an additional circuit by tying into an energized high-voltage surface line is performed from the ground, any person performing such work must wear and employ all of the protective...

30 CFR 75.705-10 - Tying into energized high-voltage surface circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....705-10 Tying into energized high-voltage surface circuits. If the work of forming an additional... performing such work must wear and employ all of the protective equipment and clothing required under the... designed for such purpose and must be adequately insulated and be maintained to protect such person from...

Which Peers Matter: How Social Ties Affect Peer-Group Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poldin, Oleg; Valeeva, Diliara; Yudkevich, Maria

2016-01-01

We study how the achievements of university students are influenced by the characteristics and achievements of peers in individuals' social networks. Defining peer group in terms of friendship and study partner ties enables us to apply a network regression model and thereby disentangle the influence of peers' performance from that of peers'…

Typical Intellectual Engagement as a Byproduct of Openness, Learning Approaches, and Self-Assessed Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arteche, Adriane; Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas; Ackerman, Phillip; Furnham, Adrian

2009-01-01

Students (n = 328) from US and UK universities completed four self-report measures related to intellectual competence: typical intellectual engagement (TIE), openness to experience, self-assessed intelligence (SAI), and learning approaches. Confirmatory data reduction was used to examine the structure of TIE and supported five major factors:…

Round timbers and ties

Treesearch

Ronald W. Wolfe

1999-01-01

Round timbers and ties represent some of the most efficient uses of our forest resources. They require a minimum of processing between harvesting the tree and marketing the structural commodity. Poles and piles are debarked or peeled, seasoned, and often treated with preservative prior to use as structural members. Construction logs are usually shaped to facilitate...

Using Mathematics and Engineering to Solve Problems in Secondary Level Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Charles; Reynolds, Birdy; Schunn, Christian; Schuchardt, Anita

2016-01-01

There are strong classroom ties between mathematics and the sciences of physics and chemistry, but those ties seem weaker between mathematics and biology. Practicing biologists realize both that there are interesting mathematics problems in biology, and that viewing classroom biology in the context of another discipline could support students'…

Linking School Goals and Learning Standards to Teacher Evaluation and Compensation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathis, William J.

It is possible to tie teacher compensation to professional growth, without reference to standardized test scores. Tying pay to students' achievement scores does not account for the different levels of students, and teacher testing does not separate good teachers from bad. In Rutland Northeast, Vermont, each school has its own locally elected…

8 CFR 1240.58 - Extreme hardship.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ties to the country to which the alien would be returned; (12) Contributions to and ties to a community..., mental health or other supportive services for victims of domestic violence that are unavailable or not... violence or have taken steps to leave an abusive household; and (6) The abuser's ability to travel to the...

Assessment of design tools and criteria for urban rail track structures : volume 1. at-grade tie-ballast track.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-04-30

The report presents the results of a critical review of the technical factors which govern the design and performance of at-grade tie-ballast track for urban rail systems. The assessment of current design practice is based on a review of the literatu...

The Attributional Responses of Young Female Athletes after Winning, Tying, and Losing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scanlan, Tara K.; Passer, Michael W.

1980-01-01

This study examined the attributions of female athletes for their personal and their team's performance after winning, tying, and losing a competitive soccer game. Players' attributions were made to the internal factors of ability and effort and to the external factors of opponent difficulty and luck. (Authors/CJ)

77 FR 37793 - Airworthiness Directives; the Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-25

... proposed to require installing new structural members in and new tie rod(s) and attach fittings on the left.... ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain the Boeing... forward load. This AD requires installing new structural members, tie rod(s), and attach fittings on the...

78 FR 73457 - Airworthiness Directives; the Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-06

... frequency eddy current inspections for cracking of the tension tie at BS 760 or 780, as applicable, and do... ties, including doing an open-hole high frequency eddy current inspection for cracks, as applicable...) and paragraph (i) of this AD, but not as AMOCs for the high frequency eddy current inspections...

Phase Tomography Reconstructed by 3D TIE in Hard X-ray Microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Gung-Chian; Chen, Fu-Rong; Pyun, Ahram; Je, Jung Ho; Hwu, Yeukuang; Liang, Keng S.

2007-01-01

X-ray phase tomography and phase imaging are promising ways of investigation on low Z material. A polymer blend of PE/PS sample was used to test the 3D phase retrieval method in the parallel beam illuminated microscope. Because the polymer sample is thick, the phase retardation is quite mixed and the image can not be distinguished when the 2D transport intensity equation (TIE) is applied. In this study, we have provided a different approach for solving the phase in three dimensions for thick sample. Our method involves integration of 3D TIE/Fourier slice theorem for solving thick phase sample. In our experiment, eight sets of de-focal series image data sets were recorded covering the angular range of 0 to 180 degree. Only three set of image cubes were used in 3D TIE equation for solving the phase tomography. The phase contrast of the polymer blend in 3D is obviously enhanced, and the two different groups of polymer blend can be distinguished in the phase tomography.

Risk analysis of urban gas pipeline network based on improved bow-tie model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, M. J.; You, Q. J.; Yue, Z.

2017-11-01

Gas pipeline network is a major hazard source in urban areas. In the event of an accident, there could be grave consequences. In order to understand more clearly the causes and consequences of gas pipeline network accidents, and to develop prevention and mitigation measures, the author puts forward the application of improved bow-tie model to analyze risks of urban gas pipeline network. The improved bow-tie model analyzes accident causes from four aspects: human, materials, environment and management; it also analyzes the consequences from four aspects: casualty, property loss, environment and society. Then it quantifies the causes and consequences. Risk identification, risk analysis, risk assessment, risk control, and risk management will be clearly shown in the model figures. Then it can suggest prevention and mitigation measures accordingly to help reduce accident rate of gas pipeline network. The results show that the whole process of an accident can be visually investigated using the bow-tie model. It can also provide reasons for and predict consequences of an unfortunate event. It is of great significance in order to analyze leakage failure of gas pipeline network.

A modelling approach to assessing the timescale uncertainties in proxy series with chronological errors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Divine, D. V.; Godtliebsen, F.; Rue, H.

2012-01-01

The paper proposes an approach to assessment of timescale errors in proxy-based series with chronological uncertainties. The method relies on approximation of the physical process(es) forming a proxy archive by a random Gamma process. Parameters of the process are partly data-driven and partly determined from prior assumptions. For a particular case of a linear accumulation model and absolutely dated tie points an analytical solution is found suggesting the Beta-distributed probability density on age estimates along the length of a proxy archive. In a general situation of uncertainties in the ages of the tie points the proposed method employs MCMC simulations of age-depth profiles yielding empirical confidence intervals on the constructed piecewise linear best guess timescale. It is suggested that the approach can be further extended to a more general case of a time-varying expected accumulation between the tie points. The approach is illustrated by using two ice and two lake/marine sediment cores representing the typical examples of paleoproxy archives with age models based on tie points of mixed origin.

Performance test of a grid-tied PV system to power a split air conditioner system in Surabaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarigan, E.

2017-11-01

Air conditioner for cooling air is one of the major needs for those who live in hot climate area such as Indonesia. This work presents the performance test of a grid-tied PV system to power air conditioner under a hot tropical climate in Surabaya, Indonesia. A 800 WP grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system was used, and its performance was tested to power a 0.5 pk of split air conditioner system. It was found that about 3.5 kWh daily energy was consumed by the tested air conditioner system, and about 80% it could be supplied from the PV system. While the other 20% was supplied by the grid during periods of low solar irradiation, 440 Wh of energy was fed into the grid during operation out of office hours. By using the grid-tied PV system, the energy production by PV system did not need to match the consumption of the air conditioner. However, a larger capacity of PV system would mean that a higher percentage of the load would be covered by PV system.

Interleukin 6 regulates psoriasiform inflammation–associated thrombosis

PubMed Central

Wang, Yunmei; Golden, Jackelyn B.; Fritz, Yi; Zhang, Xiufen; Diaconu, Doina; Camhi, Maya I.; Gao, Huiyun; Dawes, Sean M.; Xing, Xianying; Ganesh, Santhi K.; Gudjonsson, Johann E.; Simon, Daniel I.; McCormick, Thomas S.; Ward, Nicole L.

2016-01-01

Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of heart attack and stroke and have elevated MRP8/14 levels that predict heart attack. The KC-Tie2 psoriasiform mouse model exhibits elevated MRP8/14 and is prothrombotic. Mrp14–/– mice, in contrast, are protected from thrombosis, but, surprisingly, KC-Tie2xMrp14–/– mice remain prothrombotic. Treating KC-Tie2xMrp14–/– mice with anti–IL-23p19 antibodies reversed the skin inflammation, improved thrombosis, and decreased IL-6. In comparison, IL-6 deletion from KC-Tie2 animals improved thrombosis despite sustained skin inflammation, suggesting that thrombosis improvements following IL-23 inhibition occur secondary to IL-6 decreases. Psoriasis patient skin has elevated IL-6 and IL-6 receptor is present in human coronary atheroma, supporting a link between skin and distant vessel disease in patient tissue. Together, these results identify a critical role for skin-derived IL-6 linking skin inflammation with thrombosis, and shows that in the absence of IL-6 the connection between skin inflammation and thrombosis comorbidities is severed. PMID:27942589

Social networks, migration, and HIV testing among Latinos in a new immigrant destination: Insights from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Barrington, Clare; Gandhi, Anisha; Gill, Adrienne; Villa Torres, Laura; Brietzke, Maria Priscila; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa

2017-12-03

Latinos in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV and are more likely than non-Latinos to present with a late diagnosis, which delays engagement in HIV care and treatment. Social networks may provide normative influence and social support for HIV testing, but a contextualised understanding of networks is needed in order to maximise these social resources. We conducted qualitative interviews with foreign-born Latino men and transgender women (n = 17) in a new immigrant destination to explore their social networks. Most participants described having smaller social networks after migrating. Networks included both local and transnational ties, but most participants had few close ties. Contextual factors including stigma and geographic dispersion limited the re-construction of networks with close ties after migration. HIV testing was not a common topic of discussion with social network ties. Efforts to improve early uptake of HIV testing among Latino immigrants may benefit from engaging with social networks, but such efforts need to address how the context in which networks operate enables access to testing.

The Tie retraction syndrome.

PubMed

Geerling, Gerd; Neppert, Birte; Hemmant, Bridget

2012-12-01

Tissue retraction is implicated in the pathogenesis of various ophthalmic disorders. Here we describe the clinical characteristics, epidemiology and pathophysiology of a form of retraction syndrome which - to the best of our knowledge - has not been reported in the ophthalmic literature so far. We have termed this condition - consisting of a slowly progressive pseudovertical shortening of tie length due to a horizontal extension of girth length - the "Tie retraction syndrome" (TRS). Other pathognomonic features include an increased tie tip to belt buckle distance and a prolapse of the subumbilical fat pad (SUFP). The syndrome has a clear male to female preponderance and shows an increasing incidence with age and income before tax. Based on a newly proposed grading scheme we discuss and illustrate the diagnosis as well as the medical and surgical management options of this abundant, but often undiagnosed condition. The authors have no explanation for the apparent lack of awareness for this widely preponderant syndrome and its severe cosmetically disfiguring potential. We thus would like to invite all fellow colleagues with expertise in the field to comment or present their views.

GBFEL-TIE (Ground-Based Free Electron Laser Technology Experiment) sample survey on White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico: The NASA, Stallion, and Orogrande Alternatives. Final report

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

Seaman, T.J.; Doleman, W.H.

1988-09-30

Three locations on White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, are under consideration as alternatives for the proposed Ground-Based Free-Electron Laser Technology Integration Experiment (GBFEL-TIE). The study conducted jointly by Prewitt and Associates, Inc., and the Office of Contract Archeology, was designed to provide input into the GBFEL-TIE Draft Environmental Impact Statement concerning the potential impact of the proposed project on cultural resources in each of the alternatives. The input consists of a series of predictions based on data gathered from two sources: (1) a cultural resource sample survey (15%) of two alternatives conducted as part of this study, and (2)more » from a previous survey of the third alternative. A predictive model was devleoped and applied using these data that estimated the potential impact of the GBFEL-TIE facility on the cultural resources within each alternative. The predictions indicate that the NASA alternatives, by far, the least favorable location for the facility followed by the Orogrande and Stallion Alternatives.« less

Improvement of the Accuracy of InSAR Image Co-Registration Based On Tie Points - A Review.

PubMed

Zou, Weibao; Li, Yan; Li, Zhilin; Ding, Xiaoli

2009-01-01

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a new measurement technology, making use of the phase information contained in the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. InSAR has been recognized as a potential tool for the generation of digital elevation models (DEMs) and the measurement of ground surface deformations. However, many critical factors affect the quality of InSAR data and limit its applications. One of the factors is InSAR data processing, which consists of image co-registration, interferogram generation, phase unwrapping and geocoding. The co-registration of InSAR images is the first step and dramatically influences the accuracy of InSAR products. In this paper, the principle and processing procedures of InSAR techniques are reviewed. One of important factors, tie points, to be considered in the improvement of the accuracy of InSAR image co-registration are emphatically reviewed, such as interval of tie points, extraction of feature points, window size for tie point matching and the measurement for the quality of an interferogram.

Improvement of the Accuracy of InSAR Image Co-Registration Based On Tie Points – A Review

PubMed Central

Zou, Weibao; Li, Yan; Li, Zhilin; Ding, Xiaoli

2009-01-01

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a new measurement technology, making use of the phase information contained in the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. InSAR has been recognized as a potential tool for the generation of digital elevation models (DEMs) and the measurement of ground surface deformations. However, many critical factors affect the quality of InSAR data and limit its applications. One of the factors is InSAR data processing, which consists of image co-registration, interferogram generation, phase unwrapping and geocoding. The co-registration of InSAR images is the first step and dramatically influences the accuracy of InSAR products. In this paper, the principle and processing procedures of InSAR techniques are reviewed. One of important factors, tie points, to be considered in the improvement of the accuracy of InSAR image co-registration are emphatically reviewed, such as interval of tie points, extraction of feature points, window size for tie point matching and the measurement for the quality of an interferogram. PMID:22399966

Differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells from local precursors during embryonic and adult arteriogenesis requires Notch signaling

PubMed Central

Chang, Linda; Noseda, Michela; Higginson, Michelle; Ly, Michelle; Patenaude, Alexandre; Fuller, Megan; Kyle, Alastair H.; Minchinton, Andrew I.; Puri, Mira C.; Dumont, Daniel J.; Karsan, Aly

2012-01-01

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) have been suggested to arise from various developmental sources during embryogenesis, depending on the vascular bed. However, evidence also points to a common subpopulation of vascular progenitor cells predisposed to VSMC fate in the embryo. In the present study, we use binary transgenic reporter mice to identify a Tie1+CD31dimvascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin−CD45− precursor that gives rise to VSMC in vivo in all vascular beds examined. This precursor does not represent a mature endothelial cell, because a VE-cadherin promoter-driven reporter shows no expression in VSMC during murine development. Blockade of Notch signaling in the Tie1+ precursor cell, but not the VE-cadherin+ endothelial cell, decreases VSMC investment of developing arteries, leading to localized hemorrhage in the embryo at the time of vascular maturation. However, Notch signaling is not required in the Tie1+ precursor after establishment of a stable artery. Thus, Notch activity is required in the differentiation of a Tie1+ local precursor to VSMC in a spatiotemporal fashion across all vascular beds. PMID:22509029

The Local Structure of Globalization. The Network Dynamics of Foreign Direct Investments in the International Electricity Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koskinen, Johan; Lomi, Alessandro

2013-05-01

We study the evolution of the network of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the international electricity industry during the period 1994-2003. We assume that the ties in the network of investment relations between countries are created and deleted in continuous time, according to a conditional Gibbs distribution. This assumption allows us to take simultaneously into account the aggregate predictions of the well-established gravity model of international trade as well as local dependencies between network ties connecting the countries in our sample. According to the modified version of the gravity model that we specify, the probability of observing an investment tie between two countries depends on the mass of the economies involved, their physical distance, and the tendency of the network to self-organize into local configurations of network ties. While the limiting distribution of the data generating process is an exponential random graph model, we do not assume the system to be in equilibrium. We find evidence of the effects of the standard gravity model of international trade on evolution of the global FDI network. However, we also provide evidence of significant dyadic and extra-dyadic dependencies between investment ties that are typically ignored in available research. We show that local dependencies between national electricity industries are sufficient for explaining global properties of the network of foreign direct investments. We also show, however, that network dependencies vary significantly over time giving rise to a time-heterogeneous localized process of network evolution.

Neural Correlates of Dynamically Evolving Interpersonal Ties Predict Prosocial Behavior

PubMed Central

Fahrenfort, Johannes J.; van Winden, Frans; Pelloux, Benjamin; Stallen, Mirre; Ridderinkhof, K. Richard

2011-01-01

There is a growing interest for the determinants of human choice behavior in social settings. Upon initial contact, investment choices in social settings can be inherently risky, as the degree to which the other person will reciprocate is unknown. Nevertheless, people have been shown to exhibit prosocial behavior even in one-shot laboratory settings where all interaction has been taken away. A logical step has been to link such behavior to trait empathy-related neurobiological networks. However, as a social interaction unfolds, the degree of uncertainty with respect to the expected payoff of choice behavior may change as a function of the interaction. Here we attempt to capture this factor. We show that the interpersonal tie one develops with another person during interaction – rather than trait empathy – motivates investment in a public good that is shared with an anonymous interaction partner. We examined how individual differences in trait empathy and interpersonal ties modulate neural responses to imposed monetary sharing. After, but not before interaction in a public good game, sharing prompted activation of neural systems associated with reward (striatum), empathy (anterior insular cortex and anterior cingulate cortex) as well as altruism, and social significance [posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS)]. Although these activations could be linked to both empathy and interpersonal ties, only tie-related pSTS activation predicted prosocial behavior during subsequent interaction, suggesting a neural substrate for keeping track of social relevance. PMID:22403524

Transnational ties and the health of sub-Saharan African migrants: The moderating role of gender and family separation.

PubMed

Afulani, Patience A; Torres, Jacqueline M; Sudhinaraset, May; Asunka, Joseph

2016-11-01

Recent scholarship has focused on the role that cross-border social and economic ties play in shaping health outcomes for migrant populations. Nevertheless, the extant empirical work on this topic has paid little attention to the health impacts of cross-border separation from close family members. In this paper we examine the association between cross-border ties-and cross-border separation-with the health of sub-Saharan African (SSA) migrant adults living in metropolitan France using data from the nationally representative "Trajectoire et Origines" survey (n = 1980 SSA migrants). In logistic regression analyses we find that remitting money and having a child abroad are each associated with poor health among women, but not men. The effect of remittances on health is also modified by the location of one's children: remittance sending is associated with poor health only for SSA-migrants separated from their children. These findings underscore the importance of examining both cross-border connection and cross-border separation in studies of immigrant health, and also underscore the heterogeneous relationships between cross-border ties and health for men and women. This is the first study to our knowledge that examines the relationship between cross-border ties and health for migrants in Europe, with a focus on SSA-migrants in France. These findings have important implications for the health of the growing immigrant and refugee populations in Europe and around the globe. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How People Interact in Evolving Online Affiliation Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallos, Lazaros K.; Rybski, Diego; Liljeros, Fredrik; Havlin, Shlomo; Makse, Hernán A.

2012-07-01

The study of human interactions is of central importance for understanding the behavior of individuals, groups, and societies. Here, we observe the formation and evolution of networks by monitoring the addition of all new links, and we analyze quantitatively the tendencies used to create ties in these evolving online affiliation networks. We show that an accurate estimation of these probabilistic tendencies can be achieved only by following the time evolution of the network. Inferences about the reason for the existence of links using statistical analysis of network snapshots must therefore be made with great caution. Here, we start by characterizing every single link when the tie was established in the network. This information allows us to describe the probabilistic tendencies of tie formation and extract meaningful sociological conclusions. We also find significant differences in behavioral traits in the social tendencies among individuals according to their degree of activity, gender, age, popularity, and other attributes. For instance, in the particular data sets analyzed here, we find that women reciprocate connections 3 times as much as men and that this difference increases with age. Men tend to connect with the most popular people more often than women do, across all ages. On the other hand, triangular tie tendencies are similar, independent of gender, and show an increase with age. These results require further validation in other social settings. Our findings can be useful to build models of realistic social network structures and to discover the underlying laws that govern establishment of ties in evolving social networks.

Remote Observational Techniques in Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thieman, J.; Mayo, L.

2002-09-01

The ability to observe celestial objects remotely is making a major impact into classroom access to astronomical instrumentation previously impossible to encorporate into curriculum. Two programs, Radio Jove and Telescopes In Education have made important contributions in this field. Radio JOVE is an interactive, hands-on, educational activity for learning the scientific method through the medium of radio observations of Jupiter, the Sun, and the galactic radio background. Students build radio receivers from relatively inexpensive non-profit kits (about \\$125 plus shipping) and use them to record data, analyze the data, and share the results with others. Alternatively, for no cost, the students can record and analyze data from remote radio receivers connected to the web. The projects are useful adjuncts to activities in optical observing since students should recognize that we learn about the universe through more than just the optical spectrum. The projects are mini-electronics courses and also teach about charged particles and magnetic fields. The Radio JOVE web site (http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov) should be consulted for further information. The NASA-sponsored Telescopes In Education (TIE) network (http://tie.jpl.nasa.gov) has been wildly successful in engaging the K-12 education community in real-time, hands-on, interactive astronomy activities. Hundreds of schools in the US, Australia, Canada, England, and Japan have participated in the TIE program, remotely controlling the 24-inch telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory from their classrooms. In recent years, several (approximately 20 to date) other telescopes have been, or are in the process of being, outfitted for remote use as TIE affiliates. These telescopesare integrated seamlessly into one virtual observatory providing the services required to operate this facility, including a scheduling service, tools for data manipulation, an online proposal review environment, an online "Virtual TIE Student Ap J" for publication of results, and access to related educational materials provided by the TIE community.

A remarkably easy knot-tying technique for single-incision laparoscopic surgery with the SILS port for gynecologic diseases.

PubMed

Endo, Toshiaki; Nagasawa, Kunihiko; Umemura, Kota; Baba, Tsuyoshi; Henmi, Hirofumi; Saito, Tsuyoshi

2011-01-01

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has been quickly accepted, especially for women, because the cosmetic benefits may be greater than with ordinary laparoscopic surgery. In gynecologic disease, SILS is appropriate for diagnostic laparoscopy, oophorectomy, and salpingectomy, among other conditions. In addition, the knot-tying process for intracorporeal suturing during SILS is a major rate-limiting step and a key determinant of the popularity of SILS. Although a roticulator instrument is useful for creating the needed operative angle, knot tying is still believed to be difficult. We have devised a remarkably simple knot-tying technique that can be applied during SILS with a SILS Port with a Roticulator and a straight-type needle driver. We determined that, after transfixing the needle, the long tail of the thread should be grasped at around 90 degrees relative to the long axis of tip of the Roticulator, which is articulated at 80 degrees. This automatically forms an ideal C-loop because of gravitation. The needle attached to the long tail should face the distal side from the tip of Roticulator (from the surgeon's perspective). The apex of the C-loop is then toward the proximal side from the tip of the Roticulator (from the perspective of the surgeon). This thread position is important during the knot-tying process. The upper arm of the C-loop should then be entwined by applying a series of axial spinning movements to the rod of the needle driver. At this time, the jaws of the needle driver should be kept open so the thread does not slip off of the rod. The benefit of this technique is that it does not require any special skills; any surgeon able to perform intracorporeal suturing should also be able to easily tie knots during SILS. Copyright © 2011 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Tie over ring" sutureless compression based gastrointestinal anastomotic method: experimental rat model.

PubMed

Hiradfar, Mehran; Shojaeian, Reza; Zabolinejad, Nona; Gharavifard, Mohammad; Sabzevari, Alireza; Joodi, Marjan; Yal, Nazila; Saeedi Sharifabad, Parisa; Hajian, Sara; Nazarzadeh, Reza; Lotfinejad, Nasim

2014-03-01

Giving the ever-rising trend of pediatric minimally invasive surgery besides early neonatal surgical interventions, intestinal anastomosis turns out to be a time consuming stage due to several anatomical as well as technical difficulties. A perfect bowel anastomosis method should be easy, rapid, safe and reliable in creation of bowel continuity with minimal tissue damage. In this light, sutureless anastomotic methods have been introduced, using compression based anastomosis with biofragmentable rings or powerful magnets. Accordingly, this experimental animal model study has evaluated the result of an easy, rapid intestinal sutureless anastomotic technique via simple tying over an intraluminal ring, in comparison with conventional handsewn bowel anastomosis. Thirty Wistar-Albino male rats were enrolled and small bowel was transected via a midline laparotomy. A grooved plastic ring was inserted into the ileal lumen and both intestinal cutting ends were fixed over the ring with a simple tie in the first group. On the other hand, enteroenterostomy was performed by the conventional method of handsewn anastomosis in the second group. After 14 days, rats were sacrificed to evaluate for intraperitoneal adhesion and abscess formation in addition to other evidences of anastomotic leakage. Furthermore, the anastomotic site integrity, tensile strength and healing stage were assessed microscopically. The mean operative time and intraoperative bleeding in the tie over ring group were significantly less than those in the handsewn anastomosis group. Anastomotic stricture was more common in the conventional anastomosis group while the anastomotic tensile strength was significantly higher in the tie over ring group. Histopathological healing parameters and final healing score were almost similar in both groups but mean inflammatory cell infiltration in handsewn anastomosis was significantly higher. "Tie over ring" is a simple method of anastomosis that is feasible, fast, safe and functionally effective for bowel reconstruction in animal models that could be reconsidered in human bowel anastomosis. © 2014.

Development and Testing of a Prototype Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichenberg, Dennis J.

2009-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has developed and tested a prototype 2 kW DC grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) power system at the Center. The PV system has generated in excess of 6700 kWh since operation commenced in July 2006. The PV system is providing power to the GRC grid for use by all. Operation of the prototype PV system has been completely trouble free. A grid-tied PV power system is connected directly to the utility distribution grid. Facility power can be obtained from the utility system as normal. The PV system is synchronized with the utility system to provide power for the facility, and excess power is provided to the utility. The project transfers space technology to terrestrial use via nontraditional partners. GRC personnel glean valuable experience with PV power systems that are directly applicable to various space power systems, and provide valuable space program test data. PV power systems help to reduce harmful emissions and reduce the Nation s dependence on fossil fuels. Power generated by the PV system reduces the GRC utility demand, and the surplus power aids the community. Present global energy concerns reinforce the need for the development of alternative energy systems. Modern PV panels are readily available, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Modern electronics has been the enabling technology behind grid-tied power systems, making them safe, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Based upon the success of the prototype PV system, additional PV power system expansion at GRC is under consideration. The prototype grid-tied PV power system was successfully designed and developed which served to validate the basic principles described, and the theoretical work that was performed. The report concludes that grid-tied photovoltaic power systems are reliable, maintenance free, long life power systems, and are of significant value to NASA and the community.

Conflicts of interests in the area of healthcare products and technology. Current state of affairs and recommendations.

PubMed

Demarez, Jean-Paul; Funck-Brentano, Christian; Molimard, Mathieu

2012-01-01

The handling of conflicts of interest in the area of healthcare products and technology has become a major issue for all of those involved in healthcare. Round Table N°4 at the Giens Workshops 2011 has put forward concrete proposals to clarify and optimise the handling of conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest cannot be defined by the individuals consulted or applying for funds since each institution, whether public or private, that puts out a call for projects or that requests advice, analyses or expert testimony in the healthcare field has different degrees of what it defines as a conflict of interest, depending on the context of the proposal or specific request that it puts out. In contrast, each individual has ties of personal interest that can and must be openly disclosed. The ties are much more diverse than what is commonly found in the conflict of interest statements of large institutions operating in the healthcare field and are not limited to financial and operational ties between companies and individuals. In addition, the statements are difficult to manage because of their sheer number. The Round Table recommends that each individual should openly disclose all of his or her ties of personal interest in a Single Statement of Ties of personal Interest (SSTI). The SSTI would be updated regularly and accessible on line. Each institution could then determine whether or not the reported ties represent a conflict in the context of the mission proposed. Each institution could publish in advance the conditions that would give rise to a conflict and, in this way, an individual could refrain from applying for the mission. Other practical approaches to handling conflicts of interest were put forward. © 2012 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

Children in Residential Group Care with No Family Ties: Facing Existential Aloneness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dvir, Orly; Weiner, Anita; Kupermintz, Hagai

2012-01-01

The issue of children living in residential group care in Israel completely without family ties is studied in order to explore the feelings of staff and uncover possible characteristics of these children. Data were collected through focus groups, questionnaires, and life stories of children who left group care at 18 years of age. Results reveal…

The Tie That Binds: Leadership and Liberal Arts Institutions' Civic Engagement Commitment in Rural Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Hunter Phillips

2014-01-01

Community boundary spanners create ties that bind the campus and its surrounding region for reciprocal relationships. Using community boundary spanning literature as a conceptual framework, this study went beyond existing research on public and 4-year comprehensive universities to examine how university leadership at rural, private liberal arts…

The Ties That Bind: Linkages among Secondary Schools, Two-Year Colleges, and Baccalaureate Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorence, James J.

This document discusses the roles of secondary schools, two-year colleges, and the upper level university in the University of Wisconsin System. Because of close ties with the host communities, Wisconsin's two-year institutions are uniquely situated to function as community resources. The paper discusses the advantages of a collaborative…

78 FR 70214 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-25

... cracks at the shear tie end fastener locations of the fuselage frames, and repair of cracks if necessary... fastener locations of the fuselage frames, and repair of cracks if necessary. The NPRM also proposed to... the frame shear ties, as stated in the NPRM (78 FR 33012, June 3, 2013). We agree with the request and...

The significance of urban trees and forests: toward a deeper understanding of values

Treesearch

John F. Dwyer; Herbert W. Schroeder; Paul H. Gobster

1991-01-01

Many city dwellers hold very strong personal ties to urban trees and forests, with some attachments approaching a spiritual involvement. Ties between people and trees are associated with traditions, symbolism, and the need to "get involved" at the local level to sustain or enhance the environment for present and future generations. Urban forestry programs...

Tongue-Tied: The Lives of Multilingual Children in Public Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santa Ana, Otto

2004-01-01

Tongue-Tied is an anthology that gives voice to millions of people who, on a daily basis, are denied the opportunity to speak in their own language. First-person accounts by Amy Tan, Sherman Alexie, Bell Hooks, Richard Rodriguez, Maxine Hong Kingston, and many other authors open windows into the lives of linguistic minority students and their…

Stress wave techniques for determining quality of dimensional lumber from switch ties

Treesearch

K. C. Schad; D. E. Kretschmann; K. A. McDonald; R. J. Ross; D. W. Green

1995-01-01

Researchers at the Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, have been studying nondestructive techniques for evaluating the strength of wood. This report describes the results of a pilot study on using these techniques to determine the quality of large dimensional lumber cut from switch ties. First, pulse echo and dynamic (transverse vibration) techniques were...

Cohorts, "Siblings," and Mentors: Organizational Structures and the Creation of Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Amanda Barrett

2017-01-01

How can an organization help participants increase their social capital? Using data from an ethnographic study of Launch, an organization that prepares low-income students of color to attend elite boarding schools, I analyze how the organization's structures not only generate social ties among students but also stratify those ties horizontally and…

EFL Doctoral Students' Conceptions of Authorial Stance in Academic Knowledge Claims and the Tie to Epistemic Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Peichin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2014-01-01

Taking an effective authorial stance in research argumentation has been designated as both vitally important and challenging. The study investigated English as a foreign language (EFL) doctoral students' conceptions of authorial stance, the role of domains in affecting their conceptions, and the ties of the conceptions to the participants'…