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A mathematical model of the continuous casting process for steel has been developed. This coupled model predicts metal flow, slag infiltration, shell solidification and heat flux. The model predicts values for the thicknesses of the solid and liquid slag films and the solidified shell, powder consumption and heat fluxes, all of which are in excellent agreement with plant data. The model has been used to study the mechanisms involved in (i) slag entrapment, (ii) the effect of mould oscillation on powder consumption, heat flux and shell solidification, (iii) oscillation mark (OM) formation and (iv) high and low frequency fluctuations.

Introduction: Biomarkers indicative of sperm mobility in broiler breeders would provide the ability to screen for fertility potential, with a positive correlation established between sperm mobility and fertilization potential. This study characterized the lipidome of seminal plasma (SP), sperm cell (SC), and whole semen (WS) isolated from broiler breeder roosters with different sperm mobility phenotypes across key timepoints of the semen production cycle. Methods: WS samples were collected from five high mobility roosters and five low mobility roosters during early, mid, and late semen production, with SP separated from SC by centrifugation. Using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) profiling, a total of 3241 lipid species were identified in rooster semen across ten lipid classes. Metaboanalyst 6.0 was used to analyze the relative ion intensity for each lipid species due to sperm mobility phenotype through a t-test and due to timepoint through a one-way ANOVA, with lipid ontology enrichment analysis performed using LION. Metaboanalyst 6.0 was also used to perform biomarker analysis for the sperm mobility phenotype in WS samples. Results: Lipid class total abundance differed with sample type, sperm mobility phenotype, and timepoint. A total of 31, 99, and 112 lipid species were found to be different between low and high mobility males across timepoints in the SP, SC, and WS samples, respectively. Lipid ontology enrichment analysis revealed stark contrasts in lipid-based functions key to sperm survival, storage, and productivity between low and high sperm mobility phenotypes. Through biomarker analysis, 8 lipid species were identified as excellent sperm mobility biomarkers that could be detected in early and mid-semen production. Discussion: Timepoint based changes in lipid species were unique to each sperm mobility phenotype, with low sperm mobility roosters exhibiting a larger number of lipid species changes over the semen production cycle in the SP and SC when compared to high sperm mobility roosters. This is the first study to characterize poultry semen lipidome using MRM profiling. The lipid species identified between low and high sperm mobility roosters could be utilized in the poultry industry as potential biomarkers of fertility potential, with the ability to screen for the economical trait of fertility potential early in semen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10-24 in the USA. In response to the high rate of youth suicide, teen suicide has gained national attention and, as a result, state governments have created legislation regarding youth suicide prevention in schools. States hold the power to instruct their schools in how to address suicide prevention, but little research has explored the relationship between state laws about school-based suicide prevention and schools' actual practice of suicide prevention or about the effectiveness of different types of laws. The current study examined this relationship by surveying a nationally representative sample of high school principals. It assesses their knowledge of and compliance with state laws about suicide prevention, adherence to best practices for school-based suicide prevention, and variables that predict their schools' suicide prevention program comprehensiveness. Results indicated that only about 25% of principals (N = 656) accurately identified their states' laws about school-based suicide prevention, and 66.1% reported that their schools' suicide prevention programs are in complete compliance with their states' laws. Principals in states with the most stringent laws reported having the most comprehensive suicide prevention programs. Having funding, perceived support, student socioeconomic status, and having a student in their current school die by suicide were all significantly related to suicide prevention program comprehensiveness. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Clinicians and training programs strive to implement evidence-based practices and manualized treatments with fidelity. However, the constraints of a local setting may limit the extent to which this is possible. In the current study, an adapted model of an evidence-based social-emotional learning small group curriculum, the Incredible Years Children's Small Group Training Series (Webster-Stratton, 2004), was implemented and evaluated in an elementary school setting. Results of the study demonstrated statistically significant decreases in problem behaviors and intensity of problem behaviors, as rated by teachers. Teachers also reported improvement in classroom behavior, emotion regulation, problem-solving, and friendship skills, as well as a high overall level of satisfaction with the intervention itself. Discussion of the results includes a review of the strengths and limitations associated with outcome research in a naturalistic setting, suggestions to consider when adapting evidence-based programs, and recommendations for future research.

Objective: To investigate trends in incidence and histological distribution of oesophageal carcinoma in Kingston and St Andrew (KSA), Jamaica, over the 30-year period 1978-2007. Methods: All oesophageal carcinomas registered in residents of KSA during the study period were extracted from the Jamaica Cancer Registry, and the following were collected for each case: gender, age, basis of diagnosis, year of diagnosis, histological subtype and subsite. The data were used to calculate age-specific incidence rates and age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs). The results were compared to those from other countries. Results: Oesophageal carcinoma was more common among males than females, and both genders showed decreasing incidence over the 30-year period. The highest ASRs (males, 4.0 per 100 000; females 2.6 per 100 000 per year) were recorded in the 1978-1982 reporting period and the lowest (males, 1.7 per 100 000 per year; females 0.6 per 100 000 per year) in the 2003-07 period. The leading histological subtype among both genders was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and this subtype showed a decrease in incidence in both genders over the period of review. Adenocarcinomas, the second commonest histological subtype, showed a decrease in ASR over time in females and a rise in males. Conclusion: Incidence rates of oesophageal carcinomas overall have decreased in KSA, Jamaica, and this trend is mirrored by the SCC subtype. However, while adenocarcinoma ASR is decreasing in females, it is increasing in males. These data support the need for investigation into the risk factors for oesophageal adenocarcinoma in Jamaica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gulf of Maine hosts the southernmost remaining population of North American Atlantic salmon. Despite extensive hatchery supplementation since the late 1800s, and more recent riverine habitat restoration efforts and fishing restrictions, US-origin Atlantic salmon populations continue to decline and have remained at low abundance over recent decades. Climate change has been identified as a critical threat to the future of US Atlantic salmon. In this study, we synthesized available information on how habitats used by Atlantic salmon across all their life stages will be affected by climate change as well as the suitability of future conditions for salmon's persistence in the region. Maintaining sufficient cool water refugia during increasing summer temperatures in riverine habitats is required for sustaining salmon in the future. Changes in groundwater quantity and temperature, which will depend on future precipitation and temperature, will be critical factors for river temperatures, as will land use and land cover. While Atlantic salmon's freshwater life stages are heavily documented, the marine phase is relatively less studied. Climate models predict basin-scale changes over the next century, but impacts to salmon are difficult to predict. Furthermore, disparate drivers and differential rates of change between freshwater and marine habitats could present an obstacle to the transition between phases in the future. We have a general understanding of migration patterns and prey preferences but lack a clear picture of how salmon respond to habitat and ecosystem-level changes associated with climate change progression. More research to understand freshwater habitat changes and salmon's marine spatiotemporal distribution responses will enhance capacities to evaluate future risks and predict impacts of climate change to US-origin Atlantic salmon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The available evidence from randomised controlled trials suggests that vitamin B12 supplementation does not improve neurologic function in older people with marginal but not deficient Vitamin B12 status. This secondary analysis used data from the Older People and Enhanced Neurological function (OPEN) randomised controlled trial to assess whether baseline vitamin B12 status or change in vitamin B12 status over 12 months altered the effectiveness of dietary vitamin B12 supplementation on neurologic function in asymptomatic older people with depleted vitamin B12 status at study entry. Subjects/Methods: Vitamin B12 status was measured as serum concentrations of vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin, homocysteine and via a composite indicator (cB12). Neurological function outcomes included eleven electrophysiological measures of sensory and motor components of peripheral and central nerve function. Linear regression analyses were restricted to participants randomised into the intervention arm of the OPEN trial (n=91). Results: Analyses revealed an inconsistent pattern of moderate associations between some measures of baseline vitamin B12 status and some neurological responses to supplementation. The directions of effect varied and heterogeneity in effect across outcomes could not be explained according to type of neurological outcome. There was no evidence of differences in the neurological response to vitamin B12 supplementation according to change from baseline over 12 months in any indicator of B12 status. Conclusions: This secondary analysis of high-quality data from the OPEN trial provides no evidence that baseline (or change from baseline) vitamin B12 status modifies the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on peripheral or central nerve conduction among older people with marginal vitamin B12 status. There is currently insufficient evidence of efficacy for neurological function to support population-wide recommendations for vitamin B12 supplementation in healthy asymptomatic older people with marginal vitamin B12 status., Author(s): L M Miles [sup.1] , E Allen [sup.1] , R Clarke [sup.2] , K Mills [sup.3] , R Uauy [sup.1] , A D Dangour [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department [...]