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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in many areas of life due to mitigation measures, delays in medical care, or the disease itself. When it concerns issues as complex and universal as COVID-19, the public should also have a say in how to deal with managing its impact.In a widely distributed online questionnaire, members of the Austrian public were invited to contribute experiences, ideas and opinions on the level of risk they were willing to accept regarding COVID-19. The huge variety of responses were categorised by social scientists into groups used in a workshop to draw up recommendations for responding to future challenges to the healthcare system from an interdisciplinary point of view.The results of the survey indicated that while members of the public are primarily afraid of illnesses caused by COVID-19, they also fear the psychological burden and effects at the societal level.Our study has shown that there is a significant public desire to have a say in issues which directly impact citizens.La pandémie de COVID-19 a eu un impact sur chacun d’entre nous dans de nombreux domaines de la vie en raison des mesures d’atténuation, des retards dans les soins médicaux ou de la maladie elle-même. Lorsqu’il s’agit de questions aussi complexes et universelles que la COVID-19, le public devrait également avoir son mot à dire sur la façon de gérer son impact.Dans un questionnaire en ligne largement diffusé, les membres du public autrichien ont été invités à faire part de leurs expériences, idées et opinions sur le niveau de risque qu’ils étaient prêts à accepter concernant le COVID-19. La grande variété des réponses a été classée par des spécialistes en sciences sociales dans des groupes utilisés lors d’un atelier pour élaborer des recommandations visant à répondre aux futurs défis du système de santé d’un point de vue interdisciplinaire.Les résultats de l’enquête ont indiqué que si les membres du public craignent avant tout les maladies causées par le COVID-19, ils craignent également le fardeau psychologique et les effets au niveau de la société.Notre étude a montré qu’il existe un désir significatif du public d’avoir son mot à dire sur les questions qui ont un impact direct sur les citoyens.

The discovery of siliceous speleothems in an outcrop of the Cerro Colorado Breccia (Sierras Australes, Buenos Aires province, Argentina) is reported in this work. The studies included morphological analysis by binocular loupe, mineralogy through X-ray diffraction and microbiological content by optical microscopy. The identified microforms were coralloid, popcorn and concentric stalactites-stalagmites (some with whiskers of gypsum), conical and cylindrical stalactites-stalagmites, microgours and flowstones. The predominant genesis was mainly associated with evaporation of water and capillarity, to a lesser extent to drip from fractures and laminar flows. The opal-A was identified through X-ray as well as the presence of quartz, plagioclase, hematite and muscovite. The significant amount of microorganisms (fungi, algae, diatoms, sporomorphs, charcoal and phytoliths) in the speleothems allowed to highlight the importance of biological phase in the development and evolution of these microforms. The reduced thickness, porous texture and pollen associations no older than the Last Maximum Glacial allowed us to infer that the studied speleothems are relatively recent.

The limited quantity of raw materials leads to application-optimised materials, such as open-cell hybrid foams. A nanocrystalline nickel coating significantly enhances the crash absorber properties of aluminum and PU foams with only a small increase in weight. The coating is applied by an electrodeposition process. Due to mass transport limitations during the process, an inhomogeneous coating thickness is created resulting in inhomogeneous material properties. To avoid different coating thicknesses at different points of the foam, the electrodeposition process in the foam is modelled and simulated. The results of the simulation are compared with experimental data and the influence of different parameters on the coating homogeneity is investigated by means of simulation.

The present contribution involves deposits of continental Neogene age that outcrop in the Bahia Blanca region. The studies that were carried out in order to contribute to the paleoenvironmental and chronostratigraphical knowledge involve sedimentological, paleomagnetic and magnetic susceptibility analyses. One of the outcrops studied (Cueva de Los Leones) is mainly composed of facies of fine to thick sandstones, largely pedogenized and with important amounts of calcrete, whereas the other (Loma Sarmiento) has a predominance of loess-like silt facies, reddish brown in colour, an abundance of rhizoconcretions and evidence of pedogenic processes. Both outcrops culminate in an important layer of calcrete of regional scope, with particular morphologies at each of the sites. The paleomagnetic analysis leads to the conclusion that the sedimentation of the deposits underlying the calcareous crust at the two sites was not synchronous. Reverse polarity was recorded in the Cueva de Los Leones in contrast to Loma Sarmiento, where normal polarity is predominant. The paleomagnetic samples of calcareous crust on the top presented anomalous polarity directions in both sections, with very high values of magnetic intensity. The reverse directions in the Cueva de Los Leones can be assigned to the Gilbert Cron (6.0–3.6 Ma), without discarding younger ages in the Pliocene. In contrast, Loma Sarmiento seems to be older (Late Miocene). The susceptibility records also indicated differences between the two sites that would be linked to pedogenic development; they were higher in Loma Sarmiento and judging by the F% factor, in Cueva de los Leones the superparamagnetic particles contribution is higher. Petrographic, X-Ray difractometry, paleontological and soil micromorphology analyses, in some places at the studied sites, also contributed to the paleoenvironmental/paleoclimatic reconstruction carried out.

Healthcare systems should be transparent and easy to use and considered a joint venture between the various stakeholders with the goal of improving the diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcomes to control nations’ rising costs of healthcare. The stakeholders are many including an educational component, practitioners, payers, government and industry providing the treatment and medications. All of these variables and more contribute to cost escalation. Within this complex framework is the nations’ abiliy to provide some level of basic care for public health assurance of its populace possibly through the concept of ‘person-centricity’. The Practitioners Engaged in Applied Learning & Research (PEARL) Network was conceived through government funding and has evolved into a not-for-profit private enterprise. The PEARL Network is a hybrid network incorporating the benefits of an academic practice based research network into a practice based translational network with the principles of conducting pharmaceutical l...

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A person-centric clinical trial is inclusive of both the investigator and the person and as such represents point-of-use data generated at the practice level and encompasses both health and disease. Raising the clinical encounter to a research encounter and providing an infrastructure to support a level of quality assurance creates a synergy for efficiency for healthcare delivery. The interface of translational studies and clinical research poses an opportunity, whereby person-centricity can support transparency, facilitate informed consent, improve safety, enhance recruitment and compliance, improve dissemination of results, implement change and help close the translational gap. The model represents robust clinical data from persons of record allowing for improved interpretation of drug/device side-effects and for regulatory reviewers to expedite the approval process.

The palynological study carried out in seven archaeological sites from Sierras of Córdoba Late Prehispanic Period (ca. 1500–360 yr BP) is presented in this article. The fossil pollen was used to assess the late prehispanic subsistence and mobility patterns based on their impact on local vegetation. Analogues obtained from modern vegetation and human-induced cultivation settings were used as a guideline for interpreting the ancient pollinic spectra. Results showed that anthropogenic pollen dominated by chenopod-amaranth plants occurred during a period of increased moisture and significant cultural change, where on-site farming and increasing occupation redundancy were identified. Thus, human disturbance and cultivation are thought to be the probable cause for elevated Chenopodiaceae–Amaranthaceae percentage in fossil assemblages. Consequently, the late prehispanic societies were likely modifying vegetation more extensively than had been previously assumed and the composition of ‘pristine’ landscape was not only altered by climate change or after the Europeans’ arrival. The ancient clearing of the forest for farming, housing, and/or other activities played a dynamic role in land cover conformation. So, the archaeological study of mixed foraging and cultivation economies needs to encompass human–plant–landscape interaction, leaving behind the concept of small-scale societies as passive foragers exploiting the ecosystem. Fil: Medina, Matias Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Arqueología; Argentina Fil: Grill, Silvia Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Geológico del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología. Instituto Geológico del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina Fil: Fernandez, Ana L.. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina Fil: Lopez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Arqueología; Argentina

In the course of this investigation, thermal spraying with different fuel and shroud gas combinations was investigated in terms of its effect on the in-flight particle properties (temperature, velocity) and on the final coating properties (coating thickness, porosity, oxygen content and corrosion behaviour). Independent on the shroud gas, the particle in-flight temperature and velocity were highest when using ethylene as fuel gas and lowest when using propane. Methylene resulted in intermediate properties. The change in the shroud gas from air to nitrogen generally resulted in lower in-flight particle temperatures and also lower velocity. The coating properties in terms of porosity and oxygen content directly correlated to the particle in-flight properties. With decreasing velocity and increasing temperature, the porosity and the oxygen content increased, respectively. The corrosion behaviour of the nickel coatings was studied in 0.5 M sulfuric acid media by means of potentiodynamic polarization curves. Good corrosion properties were observed when methylene and air served as fuel gas and shroud gas, respectively.

In 2005, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research /National Institutes of Health funded the largest initiative to date to affect change in the delivery of oral care. This commentary provides the background for the first study related to periodontics in a Practice Based Research Network (PBRN). It was conducted in the Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research & Learning (PEARL) Network. The PEARL Network is headquartered at New York University College of Dentistry. The basic tenet of the PBRN initiative is to engage clinicians to participate in clinical studies, where they will be more likely to accept the results and to incorporate the findings into their practices. This process may reduce the translational gap that exists between new findings and the time it takes for them to be incorporated into clinical practice. The cornerstone of the PBRN studies is to conduct comparative effectiveness research studies to disseminate findings to the profession and improve care. This is particularly important because the majority of dentists practice independently. Having practitioners generate clinical data allows them to contribute in the process of knowledge development and incorporate the results in their practice to assist in closing the translational gap. With the advent of electronic health systems on the horizon, dentistry may be brought into the mainstream health care paradigm and the PBRN concept can serve as the skeletal framework for advancing the profession provided there is consensus on the terminology used.

Two fossil sections (Late Quaternary), and a group of modern samples analyzed through pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs, enabled the reconstruction of the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions of the lower basin of the Quequen Salado River (Buenos Aires Province). The study was complemented with analysis of sedimentology, malacofauna, ostracods, diatoms, and mammal and archaeological remains. For the Late Pleistocene, the scarce presence of microfossils, associated with eolian palaeoenvironments, allowed inferring arid/extremely arid climate conditions. In the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary, evidence of a pedogenetic event suggests a brief lapse of climatic stability. Pollen indicates the development of a halophyte steppe, which remained in the area until the Middle Holocene. During the Early Holocene (8,173 cal. yr B.P.) the sedimentology, malacofauna and microfossils evidenced a sea level rise. This event ended with the establishment of a brackish lacustrine body towards the Middle Holocene. After that, a pulse characterized by high humidity levels, indicate the replacement of the halophyte steppe by a gramineous steppe. Following that pulse during the 6,799 cal. yr BP‑ 5,603 cal. yr BP lapse, the microfossils showed considerable variability, thus reflecting an alternation between relatively more humid and dry pulses. Evidence indicates that during the Late Holocene (~ 1,000 yr. BP) modern ecosystems began to settle in the lower basin of the Quequen Salado River. Two global climate changes, the Medieval Climate Optimum (823 cal. yr B.P.‑ 690 cal. yr B.P.) and the Little Ice Age (389 cal. yr B.P.) were inferred through pollen and faunistic remains at QS 1 Archaeological Site. KEY WORDS. Palaeoenvironmental-palaeoclimatic changes. Late Quaternary. Quequen Salado River. Argentina. Resumen. ANALISIS MULTI-PROXY DE SEDIMENTOS DEL CUATERNARIO TARDIO EN LA CUENCA INFERIOR DEL RIO QUEQUEN SALADO (PROVINCIA DE BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA). UNA ACTUALIZACION. El analisis de microfosiles polinicos y no polinicos de dos secciones fosiles de edad Cuaternario tardio y de un conjunto de muestras actuales, permitio evaluar las fluctuaciones paleoambientales y paleoclimaticas en la cuenca inferior del rio Quequen Salado (provincia de Buenos Aires). El aporte de la sedimentologia, malacofauna, ostracodos, diatomeas, restos de mamiferos y arqueologicos, complemento el estudio efectuado. Para el Pleistoceno Tardio los escasos microfosiles hallados, asociados a paleoambientes eolicos permitieron inferir condiciones climaticas aridas / extremadamente aridas. En el limite Pleistoceno/Holoceno, evidencias pedogeneticas se asociaron a un breve episodio de estabilidad climatica, el polen reflejo el desarrollo de comunidades halofitas las cuales permanecieron en el area hasta el Holoceno Medio. Durante el Holoceno Temprano (8,173 cal. anos AP), el ascenso del nivel marino manifestado a traves de la sedimentologia, malacofauna y microfosiles, culmino con la instalacion de un cuerpo lagunar salobre hacia el Holoceno Medio. Con posterioridad, un pulso mas humedo inferido a partir del reemplazo de la estepa halofita por graminosa, fue seguido de un lapso (6,799 cal. anos AP−5,603 cal. anos AP) con alternancia de periodos humedos y secos evidenciados a partir de una importante variabilidad en las asociaciones polinicas, los NPPs, ostracodos y diatomeas. Para el Holoceno Tardio se habrian establecido en el area los ecosistemas actuales, registrandose, en el Sitio Arqueologico QS1, dos cambios climaticos globales: Optimo climatico Medieval (823 cal. anos AP−690 cal. anos AP) y La Pequena Edad de Hielo (389 cal. anos AP). PALABRAS CLAVE . Cambios paleoambientales-paleoclimaticos. Cuaternario Tardio. Rio Quequen Salado. Argentina.

Dental treatment is often categorized as a moderately or severely painful experience; however, no clinical data reported by the patient and dentist currently exists to support this degree of pain. This has contributed possibly to the overprescribing of analgesics, in particular the opioid class of medications. The primary objective of the study was to document the dentists' postprocedural prescriptions and recommendations for analgesic medications and their effectiveness for a 5-day period. Medications prescribed or recommended in the patient-reported outcomes included: opioid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics. Met hods : This study used both dentist and patient responses to evaluate the use of opioid, NSAID, and OTC recommended or prescribed analgesics following one of seven classes of dental procedures encompassing over 22 specific coded procedures thought to elicit pain. The patient-centered study included a 5-day postprocedural patient follow-up assessment of the medication's effectiveness in relieving pain.Baseline questionnaires were completed by 2765 (99.9%) of 2767 eligible patients, and 2381 (86%) patients responded to the Day 5 follow-up questionnaires.The data suggest NSAIDs, both OTC and prescribed dosages, may be a sufficient analgesic to treat most postoperative dental pain. Clinical judgment as to the use of an opioid should include the physiological principles related to the pharmacology of pain and inflammation and may include a central effect. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02929602.

The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II) and the Caries Classification System (CCS) are caries stage description systems proposed for adoption into clinical practice. This pilot study investigated clinicians' training in and use of these systems for detection of early caries and recommendations for individual tooth treatment. Patient participants (N = 8) with a range of noncavitated lesions (CCS ranks 2 and 4 and ICDAS II ranks 2-4) identified by a team of calibrated examiners were recruited from the New York University College of Dentistry clinic. Eighteen dentists-8 from the Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning (PEARL) Network and 10 recruited from the Academy of General Dentistry-were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 5 dentists used only visual-tactile (VT) examination, 7 were trained in the ICDAS II, and 6 were trained in the CCS. Lesion stage for each tooth was determined by the ICDAS II and CCS groups, and recommended treatment was decided by all groups. Teeth were assessed both with and without radiographs. Caries was detected in 92.7% (95% CI, 88%-96%) of the teeth by dentists with CCS training, 88.8% (95% CI, 84%-92%) of the teeth by those with ICDAS II training, and 62.3% (95% CI, 55%-69%) of teeth by the VT group. Web-based training was acceptable to all dentists in the CCS group (6 of 6) but fewer of the dentists in the ICDAS II group (5 of 7). The modified CCS translated clinically to more accurate caries detection, particularly compared to detection by untrained dentists (VT group). Moreover, the CCS was more accepted than was the ICDAS II, but dentists in both groups were open to the application of these systems. Agreement on caries staging requires additional training prior to a larger validation study.

Background Members of the practice-based research network Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning (PEARL) Network investigated the dentin caries activity in early occlusal lesions and its relationship to patient age, preoperative tooth sensitivity and radiographic appearance, as well as its influence on preparation depth and volume. Methods PEARL Network practitioner-investigators (P-Is) (n = 45), general dentists who were trained but whose methods were not calibrated, conducted a study regarding postoperative hypersensitivity in resin-based composite restorations. The P-Is enrolled as study participants 613 patients with occlusal carious lesions that, in the P-Is' clinical judgment, required restoration. The P-Is used baseline radiographs to assess the depth and extent of the lesions. Data for 671 restorations included baseline sensitivity; ranking of dentin caries activity on the opening of the enamel; radiographic visibility (n = 652); and measurements of preparation depth, width and length. Results P-Is found rapidly progressing dentin caries in 38.5 percent (258 of 671) of lesions and slowly progressing (and potentially inactive dentin) caries in the remainder of the lesions. Rapidly progressing caries was not related to the participant's age or participant-reported preoperative hypersensitivity but was related to the lesion depth as seen radiographically ( P P P Conclusion Rapidly progressing dentin caries, while present in only 38.5 percent of lesions, was related to the lesion's radiographic appearance but not to the participant's age or the study tooth's pre-operative sensitivity. Clinical Implications On the basis of the low level of rapidly progressing dentin caries in this study population and the fact that slowly progressing caries can be inactive or remineralizing, the authors advise sealing versus operative treatment of early or shallow occlusal lesions.

The recently excavated Paso Otero 4 site is located within the Paso Otero archaeological locality (Necochea District, Pampean Region). The site is characterized by the presence of a great variety of archaeological materials and a rich and complex stratigraphic record which allows use of an interdisciplinary approach. The objective of this paper is to present the results of the geoarchaeological, palynological, phytolith, and diatom analyses in order to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions for the final Late Pleistocene through Holocene. These lines of research allow inference of paleoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic conditions on both local and regional scales. At the site, the Rio Salado Member (Unit 2), where the archaeological deposit is buried, underwent sudden and fluctuating changes in water availability conditions, although the setting was basically characterized by calm depositional processes within and along the margins of interconnected lagoons. Paleoclimatic reconstructions indicate the existence of abrupt climatic changes throughout the sequence. Early Holocene human occupations took place under regionally temperate-warm climates while the end of the Middle Holocene witnessed cold and arid or cold temperate climates. In general terms, paleoenvironmental conditions inferred for Paso Otero 4 are in accordance with regional reconstructions proposed for the Pampas.

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) provide a novel venue in which providers can increase their knowledge base and improve delivery of care through participation in clinical studies. This article describes some aspects of our experience with a National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research-supported PBRN and discusses the role it can play in dental education. PBRNs create a structured pathway for providers to advance their professional development by participating in the process of collecting data through clinical research. This process allows practitioners to contribute to the goals of evidence-based dentistry by helping to provide a foundation of evidence on which to base clinical decisions as opposed to relying on anecdotal evidence. PBRNs strengthen the professional knowledge base by applying the principles of good clinical practice, creating a resource for future dental faculty, training practitioners on best practices, and increasing the responsibility, accountability, and scope of care. PBRNs can be the future pivotal instruments of change in dental education, the use of electronic health record systems, diagnostic codes, and the role of comparative effectiveness research, which can create an unprecedented opportunity for the dental profession to advance and be integrated into the health care system.

The author, a teacher educator, explains that because of a lack of training in language studies, many teachers do not view language as linguists do. She identifies three misconceptions (and the implications they have for English language learners) that still persist in education: Standard English is the best and most correct form of English, English dialects are improper and randomly created forms of the language, and dialects interfere with learning “proper” English and should not be used in the classroom. Such myths about language allow linguistic discrimination to continue in schools. The author debunks these myths and provides suggestions for teachers in terms of how to work with dominant and nondominant English varieties in their classrooms.

Zusammenfassung. Der Verfasser beschreibt eine Methodik, durch die, unter Kompression des Oberarms, die Geschwindigkeit, mit welcher der Druck dabei in den Venen des Unterarms steigt, registriert wird. Die Druckregistrierung erfolgt durch Punktion einer Vene in der Ellenbeuge, wobei die Punktionsnadel durch eine Luftleitung in direkter Verbindung mit einem Phlebomanometer steht. Die Kompression des Oberarms betrug durchweg 60 mm Hg, und es wurde stets die Zeit fur die Drucksteigerung von 10 cm auf 40 cm H2O registriert. Teils durch physiologische Versuche, teils durch Zusammenstellungen des klinischen Materials kommt Verf. zu der Ansicht, dass die Geschwindigkeit, mit der diese Drucksteigerung stattfindet, im wesentlichen ein relatives Mass fur die Stromungsgeschwindigkeit in den Venen des Unterarms ist, wenngleich naturlich auch die wechselnde Rigiditat der Gefasse des Unterarms die Zeitvariationen beeinflussen kann. Durch Doppelproben wird die Exaktheit der Methodik dargetan. Die Zeit fur die Drucksteigerung wird durch Arbeit der Muskulatur desselben Armes erheblich verkurzt, wahrend Arbeit mit dem andern Arm oder mit den unteren Extremitaten die Zeiten wenig beeinflusst. Eintauchen des Armes in warmes oder kaltes Wasser wirkt gleichfalls regelmassig auf die Zeit fur die Drucksteigerung ein. Durch Anbringung von Stauung an den ubrigen Extremitaten wird die Zeit fur die Drucksteigerung im punktierten Arm merklich verlangert. Eine deutliche Relation zwischen der Zeit fur die Drucksteigerung und der Pulsfrequenz wird nachgewiesen. Bei Hemiplegie ist die Drucksteigerung auf der paretischen Seite verlangsamt. Bei Anamien findet man eine wesentlich raschere Drucksteigerung als bei einem sog. Normalmaterial. Die Schnelligkeit, mit der die Drucksteigerung erfolgt, steht in Relation zum Grade der Anamie, was Verf. mit der verminderten Blutmasse in Verbindung bringt. Bei Morbus-Basedow-Fallen, Fieberpatienten und Hypertonien findet man gleichfalls eine raschere Drucksteigerung, die in bestimmter Relation zu der erhohten Pulsfrequenz steht. Die Myocarditis- und Herzfehlerpatienten zeigen im Verhaltnis zur Pulsfrequenz veriangsamte Drucksteigerung. Bei Fallen von Morbus Addisoni und Thrombangitis obliterans wurde eine bedeutende Verlangsamung der Drucksteigerung beobachtet.

Cuatro sitios arqueológicos correspondientes al Periodo prehispánico tardío de las sierras de Córdoba (ca. 1000-300 AP): Los Algarrobos 1, Puesto La Esquina 1 (Pampa de Olaen), C.Pun.39 y Las Chacras 2 (valle de Punilla), fueron estudiados en base a su contenido palinológico. Los sitios Los Algarrobos 1 y Puesto La Esquina 1 registraron, como consecuencia de sesgos tafonómicos, insuficiente contenido polínico. En cambio, las asociaciones polínicas de C.Pun.39 y Las Chacras 2 permitieron inferir paleo-comunidades vegetales dominadas por Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae y Brassicaceae (C.Pun. 39) y por el primer taxón (Las Chacras 2). Las dos familias vegetales tienen baja representación en la lluvia polínica actual. Se postula la posibilidad de que las significativas proporciones de Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae podrían estar sugiriendo la presencia de cultivos prehispánicos de Chenopodium quinoa y Amaranthus caudatus en los alrededores de los sitios. Otras evidencias de macro y microrrestos ligadas a cultivos sustentan dicha hipótesis. Las importantes proporciones tanto de Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae como de Brassicaceae registradas en C.Pun.39 son también analizadas como indicativas de sucesivos abandonos y reocupaciones de los sitios, coherentes con un patrón de alta movilidad residencial entre los grupos prehispánicos tardíos. Ambientes perturbados por actividad antrópica habrían contribuido al desarrollo de tales plantas.Four archaeological sites dating from the Late Prehispanic Period of the Sierras de Córdoba (ca. 1000-300 BP) are studied by means of palynological analysis. These sites are Los Algarrobos 1, Puesto La Esquina 1 (Pampa de Olaen), C.Pun.39 and Las Chacras 2 (Punilla valley). Los Algarrobos 1 and Puesto La Esquina 1 sites present scarce pollinic grains as a consequence of taphonomic bias. However, from the pollinic spectrum from C.Pun.39 and Las Chacras 2 sites it was possible to infer vegetational paleo-communities dominated by Chenopodiaceae- Amaranthaceae and Brassicaceae (at C.Pun.39 site) and by the former taxon (at Las Chacras 2 site). There is poor presence of both vegetable families in current pollinic samples. It is thought that the high proportions of Chenopodiaceae- Amaranthaseae might suggest the presence of pre-Hispanic Chenopodium quinoa and Amaranthus caudatus crops in the areas surrounding the sites. Further evidence, such as domestic plant remains and agricultural tools, supports this hypothesis. Nevertheless, the high proportions of Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae and Brassicaceae found in C.Pun.39 would also indicate successive abandonment and reoccupation processes at the residential camps, probably seasonally. Environments affected by anthropic activity might have contributed to the growth of these plants.

The landscape evolution of the southwestern part of Buenos Aires Province (southern Pampa) is a good example for the understanding of continental deposits in arid–semiarid regions. In Buenos Aires Province, the last 9–3 Ma record is described as sequences composed of alternating loess and palaeosol units indicating climatic fluctuations between arid and cold (loess deposition), and warm and humid intervals (palaeosol development). The present drainage system flows across the Early Pliocene–Middle Pleistocene stratigraphic units. The stratigraphy and evolutionary history are analyzed using sequence-stratigraphic criteria; the interpretation of the climatic evolution of the area is based on pollen and mammal (mainly rodents) records. The Late Pleistocene sediments reflect arid to semiarid conditions. The Late Pleistocene/Holocene transition is characterized by development of palaeosols. The Early Holocene pollen records reflect the development of a vegetation community characteristic of coastal dunes. Sea level was still lower than today. Temperature and humidity reached its maximum during the mid-Holocene when the high diversity and abundance of marine dinocysts and acritarchs indicate a transgression. This event is associated with the gramineous steppe in the continent reflecting more temperate or local humid conditions, and with Brazilian mammal fauna. This relative rise of sea level lead to flooding the riverbeds producing deposition of gray muddy facies. Approximately at 3000 years BP the marine influence ended in the area. After 2610 years BP psammophytic herbaceous steppe development, as well as mammals, suggests arid to semiarid conditions. An interval of higher humidity is inferred at approximately 2000 years BP based on the development of gramineous steppe communities. A relative rise of temperature may be inferred by the southward expansion of the Brazilian mammal fauna.

The combination of palynofacial and sedimentological analyses constitutes a valuable method for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions, especially when fossil pollen information is scarce or absent. This methodology elucidates a late Pleistocene/Holocene sequence at the Paso Otero 5 archaeological site in the middle basin of the Quequen Grande River, Necochea district, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Although the main factor responsible for the destruction of pollen grains is pH, biochemical and chemical oxidation and mechanical damage contribute to the deterioration as well. The site sequence indicates that extremely arid climatic conditions without vegetation cover prevailed during the late Pleistocene (∼12,000 14C yr BP), after which the climate changed to semiarid conditions associated with a disturbed environment due to strong eolian activity (Palynofacies 1 and 2; pre-10,400 14C yr BP). During the Pleistocene/Holocene transition (Palynofacies 3 and 4; ∼10,400–9400 14C yr BP), loamy facies associated with paleosoils reflected stable conditions and temporary ponds (spring deposits). Similar conditions occurred near the end of early Holocene (Palynofacies 5–9; ∼9400–6600 14C yr BP), whereas sandy and silty facies are associated with the flood margins of streams or rivers in the middle and late Holocene (Palynofacies 10–14; 6600–2500 14C yr BP). The top of the sequence (Palynofacies 15 and 16) consists of alluvium sediments and reflects locally humid conditions and modern vegetation with anthropic influence. One of the earliest Pampean sites with evidence of humans (10,450–10,200 14C yr BP), Paso Otero 5, provides a variety of megafauna bone specimens associated with ``fish-tail” projectile points, a lithic artifact diagnostic of early human occupations in South America. The site contains a complete stratigraphic record from the late Pleistocene to the present. The evidence presented herein supports the hypothesis that human colonization, at least in some areas of the southern cone, took place within severe, fluctuating climatic conditions.

The authors discuss Late Pleistocene–Holocene depositional environments in one of the Fuegian Andes valleys on the basis of palynological, geomorphological, and sedimentological analyses from two sites located near the Beagle Channel. The results obtained at these localities reinforce and refine the Late Pleistocene–Holocene climatic pattern previously recorded there. A colder period, associated with the Younger Dryas stadial event, is suggested by low Nothofagus pollen frequency, and communities of grass, low scrub, and shrub heath expanded into the low/middle slopes (10,310 14 C yr BP). By ca. 9500 14 C yr BP, warmer and drier conditions occurred, as evidenced by the development of open-grown vegetation in the valley floors (pollen zone O-3), followed by the expansion of open Nothofagus woodland (pollen zone O-2) in the middle Holocene. The milder climate subsequently changed, as indicated by the spreading of the closed forest and mire (pollen zone O-1), to more humid and cooler conditions during the last ca. 5000 yr BP.

Variation in periodontal terminology can affect the diagnosis and treatment plan as assessed by practicing general dentists in the Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning (PEARL) Network. General dentists participating in the PEARL Network are highly screened, credentialed, and qualified and may not be representative of the general population of dentists.Ten randomized case presentations ranging from periodontal health to gingivitis, to mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis were randomly presented to respondents. Descriptive comparisons were made between these diagnosis groups in terms of the treatment recommendations following diagnosis.PEARL practitioners assessing periodontal clinical scenarios were found to either over- or under-diagnose the case presentations, which affected treatment planning, while the remaining responses concurred with respect to the diagnosis. The predominant diagnosis was compared with that assigned by two practicing periodontists. There was variation in treatment based on the diagnosis for gingivitis and the lesser forms of periodontitis.Data suggests that a lack of clarity of periodontal terminology affects both diagnosis and treatment planning, and terminology may be improved by having diagnosis codes, which could be used to assess treatment outcomes.This article provides data to support best practice for the use of diagnosis coding and integration of dentistry with medicine using ICD-10 terminology.

Data from clinical studies generated by Practice Based Research Networks should be generalizable to the profession. For nationally representative data a broad recruitment of practitioners may pose added risks to IRB's. Infrastructure must assure data integrity while minimizing risk to assure that the clinical results are generalizable. The PEARL Network is an interdisciplinary dental/medical PBRN conducting a broad range of clinical studies. The infrastructure is designed to support the principles of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and create a data audit trail to ensure data integrity for generalizability. As the PBRN concept becomes of greater interest, membership may expand beyond the local community, and the issue of geography versus risk management becomes of concern to the IRB. The PEARL Network describes how it resolves many of the issues related to recruiting on a National basis while maintaining study compliance to ensure patient safety and minimize risk to the IRB.

We have developed a model for the calculation of the induced current due to an electron beam with an extended generation profile. The analytical expression of the electron beam induced current (EBIC) is obtained by solving the steady-state continuity equation using the Green function method. In the case of a sulphur doped (Ga 0.7 Al 0.3 As:N + /Ga 0.7 Al 0.3 As:P) sample prepared by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) method, the experimental current profile, measured by SEM enabled us to calculate the diffusion length of the minority carriers ( L p = 1 μ m in the N region and L n = 1.80 μ m in the P region of the ternary sample). Far from the depletion layer, the experimental current profile measured provided us the optical self absorption coefficient of this sample: a p = 1.483 μ m −1 in the N region and a n = 0.167 μ m −1 in the P region. According to our EBIC model, the width of the depletion layer of this sample is about 0.8 μ m, while at elaboration of the sample, 10 years ago, the width of the depletion layer deduced from the characteristic curve I(V) was about 300−400 A. This widening of the depletion layer is due to the ageing of the diode.

We have developed a model of calculation of the induced current due to an electron beam. The expression for the electron beam induced current (EBIC) with an extended generation profile is obtained via the resolution of a steady state continuity equation by the Green function method, satisfying appropriated boundary conditions to the physical model. The generation profile takes into account the lateral diffusion, the effect of defects, dislocations and recombination surfaces besides the number of absorbed electrons and that of diffuse electrons as a function of the depth. In the case of a Schottky diode Au/GaAs obtained by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) method, the theoretical induced current profile is compared to the experimental one and to theoretical profiles whose analytical expressions are given by van Roosbroeck and Bresse. The minority carriers diffusion length L n = 2 µ m and the optical self-absorption coefficient a = 0.034 µ m −1 can be deduced from the experimental current profile, measured by scanning electron microscopy. The theoretical curve, obtained from the proposed model is in a good agreement with the experimental one for surface recombination velocity 10 6 cm s −1 except for distances far from the depletion layer ( x 0 > 2.3 µ m) where the photocurrent produced by the multiple process of the reabsorbed recombination radiation is preponderant. Our results are in agreement with those obtained by other experimental techniques on the same samples.

In enger Verzahnung von Technik und Medizin erfasst und analysiert die Audi Accident Research Unit (AARU) Verkehrsunfaelle, an denen Audi-Fahrzeuge beteiligt sind. Abhaengig von der jeweiligen Unfallkonstellation besteht ein differierendes Verletzungsrisiko fuer Pkw-Insassen. Fuer die Einschaetzung einer Unfallschwere und dem daraus resultierenden Verletzungsrisiko ist es unzureichend, sich ausschliesslich an der Verformung des Unfallfahrzeuges zu orientieren. Moderne Systeme der passiven Sicherheit mindern die physikalischen Belastungen auf Pkw-Insassen. Bei richtigem Umgang beeintraechtigen diese Systeme, wie beispielsweise der Airbag, die Rettung von Unfallopfern nicht. (A) Titel in Englisch: The "entrapped" trauma of vehicle occupants as seen by the accident expert. "Audi" traffic accident research project AARU.

We have developed a model for the calculation of the induced current due to an electron beam with an extended generation profile. Added to the absorbed and diffuse electrons in the depth distribution, the generation profile takes into account the lateral diffusion. The analytical expression of the electron beam induced current (EBIC) is obtained by solving the continuity equation in permanent regime by the Green function method. The induced current profile, obtained in the case of a ternary component (Ga 0.7 Al 0.3 As:N + /Ga 0.7 Al 0.3 As:P) sulfur doped and prepared by organometallic compounds phase vapor epitaxy method, is compared to the theoretical profiles whose analytical expressions are given by Van Roosbroeck and Bresse. The experimental current profile, measured by S.E.M provided us to calculate the diffusion length of the minority carriers: L p = 1 µ m in the N region and L n = 1.80 µ m in the P region of the ternaire component. The theoretical curve obtained from the proposed model is in good agreement with the experimental one for a surface recombination velocity of 10 6 cm s −1 . Our results are found to be consistent compared to those obtained by other experimental techniques using the same samples.

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the PEARL Network's satisfaction with training/support and assess the relationship between practice research coordinators (PRCs) involvement and study participation.At the PEARL Network 2011 Annual Meeting, an evaluation form was completed by practitioner-investigators and PRCs who attended the annual meeting. Results from the paper evaluation form were entered into an Excel database, and analyzed using the statistical analysis software SPSS. The bivariate correlation test, Pearson Correlation, was conducted, and results were considered significant if p0.05.During a program evaluation among 84 network respondents, a positive correlation (p=0.004) was found between the number of PRCs and the number of studies in which a site participates. In addition, there was a positive correlation between satisfaction with the training, support and involvement of PRCs in organizing study activities (p=0.008). There was also positive correlation between satisfaction with training/support and the number of PRCs utilized by the office (p=0.039).Practice research coordinators are key members of the research team, and they are important to conducting clinical studies in everyday practice.

The randomized case presentation (RCP) study is designed to assess the degree of diagnostic accuracy for described periodontal cases. This is to lay the basis for practitioner calibration in the Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research and Learning (PEARL) Network for future clinical studies.The RCP consisted of 10 case scenarios ranging from periodontal health to gingivitis and mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis. Respondents were asked to diagnose the described cases. Survey diagnoses were compared to two existing classifications of periodontal disease status. The RCP was administered via a proprietary electronic data capture system maintained by the PEARL Data Coordinating Center. Standard analytic techniques, including frequency counts and cross-tabulations, were used for categorical data with mean and standard deviation and median values reported for continuous data elements.Demonstrable variations in periodontal assessment for health, gingivitis, and mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis were found among the 130 PEARL general practitioners who participated in the RCP survey. The highest agreement for diagnosis among dentists was for severe periodontitis (88%) and the lowest for gingivitis (55%). The highest percentage of variation was found in cases with health and gingivitis.There was variation among PEARL practitioners in periodontal diagnosis that may affect treatment outcomes. Our findings add clinical support to recent publications suggesting a need for standardization of terminology in periodontitis diagnosis.

In this paper we present results obtained from more than two years continuous very low frequency (VLF) measurements between a network of VLF transmitters and receivers. The focus is on VLF amplitude and phase variations in the Earth lithosphere-ionosphere cavity with the scientific objective to characterise long term trends possibly related to planetary waves and climatological factors. After considering the nominal diurnal and seasonal behaviour of the individual paths in the VLF waveguide, we distinguish between natural and artifical disturbances on different temporal and spatial scales. We conclude that it is too early to speak of a clear trend, but VLF investigations together with complementary measurements can be a useful tool in long term environmental and climatological studies on medium spatial scales.

Rare earth silicate aerogels (1 − x )SiO 2 - x Ln 2 O 3 , with Ln = Dy or Er, have been prepared by the sol-gel process, starting from Dy or Er nitrates and TMOS. After an isothermal treatment of the aerogels, transparent glasses resulted when starting from aerogels with an Ln 2 O 3 mole fraction x x )SiO 2 - x Dy 2 O 3 and (1 − x )SiO 2 - x Er 2 O 3 glasses after the isothermal treatment. The (1 − x )SiO 2 - x Dy 2 O 3 sample shows a residual porosity of about 10%.

Since cell proliferation is indispensable for the growth and development of the breast, and estrogens are considered to play a major role in promoting cell proliferation, while progesterone influences its differentiation, the present work was designed with the purpose of verifying the relationship between cells containing steroid hormone receptors and proliferating cells in the normal human breast. Twelve breast samples were analyzed for their content of lobules type 1 (Lob1), Lob2, Lob3, and Lob4, and the number of cells containing estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha), progesterone receptor (PgR), or expressing Ki67 antibody was determined by double immunocytochemical technique with specific antibodies. The highest percentage of ER-alpha, PgR, and Ki67 positive cells was found in Lob1, with a progressive reduction in the more differentiated Lob2 and Lob3. ER-alpha and PgR positive cells were found exclusively in the breast epithelium and were negative for Ki67, while cells positive for Ki67 did not express receptors. These findings were compared with the distribution of ER-alpha and PgR in the autoradiographs of mammary gland of young virgin rats inoculated with 3H-thymidine for determination of the DNA labeling index (DNA-LI). Both the DNA-LI and the percentage of ER-alpha and PgR positive cells were maximal in the epithelium of terminal end buds, and these values were reduced in alveolar buds and lobules. ER-alpha and PgR positive cells did not proliferate, and those cells that had incorporated 3H-thymidine were negative for both receptors. Our results led us to conclude that the content of ER-alpha and PgR in the normal mammary tissue varies with the degree of lobular development, in parallel with cell proliferation. However, the expression of receptors occurs in cells other than the proliferating cells, indicating that they represent at least two separate cell populations. These findings open new avenues towards the understanding of the mechanisms through which estrogens and progesterone affect the proliferative activity of breast epithelial cells, and their role in the initiation of the cascade of events that leads a normal cell to cancer.

Nous avons devoloppe un modele de calcul du courant induit par un faisceau d'electrons avec un profil de generation elargi. Le profil de generation tient compte, en plus du nombre d'electrons absorbes et du nombre d'electrons diffuses en fonction de la profondeur, de la diffusion laterale (en prenant en consideration la diffusion angulaire), de l'effet des defauts, des dislocations et de la recombinaison a la surface. L'expression analytique du courant induit E.B.I.C est determinee par resolution de l'equation de continuite en regime permanent par la methode des fonctions de Green. Le profil de courant induit obtenu dans le cas d'une diode Schottky Au/InP dope p et fabrique par implantation suivit d'un recuit, est compare au profil de courant theorique dont l'expression analytique est explicitee par Van Roosbroeck et Bresse. Le profil de courant experimental, mesure par un microscope electronique a balayages nous a permis de calculer la longueur de diffusion des porteurs minoritaires L n = 1 μm. La courbe theorique, tracee a partir du modele propose, est en bon accord avec la courbe experimental pour une vitesse de recombinaison a la surface de 10 4 cm s -1 . Ces resultats sont conformes avec ceux obtenus par d'autres techniques experimentales sur les memes echantillons.

Immunocytochemical and morphometric analyses were combined to demonstrate the presence of neuron subpopulations in the rat vestibular ganglion. Monoclonal antibodies reacting with neurofilament proteins (NF), calbindin-D 28K (CaBP) and calretinin (CaR) were used. Three subpopulations were identified: (1) CaBP- and CaR-positive neurons were the largest neurons (16%) and they were also highly NF-immunoreactive; (2) exclusively NF-positive neurons; (3) unlabelled neurons, representing about two-thirds of the population.

When we examine the gap between the promises of technology in education and the reality, what we find is a lot of wishful thinking" (Kearsley, 1998). The connections between distance education (DE) and adult education in this country are clear: the majority of distance learners in the U.S. are adults. Many adult educators have already felt the push to get on the DE bandwagon. Graduate students in the field know that they will increase their chances -- of finding employment if they can include the words "distance education" somewhere on their vitas. With government and private agencies eager to sponsor distance learning initiatives, getting involved in DE seems hard to resist. But, perhaps we should hesitate i for a moment and ask ourselves what all the fuss is about. Access for All Proponents of DE are quick to point out that one of the greatest, if not the greatest, advantage of learning at a distance is that larger numbers of people will have access to education and training. Access can be limited not only by geographical factors, but also by the physical limitations of learners, inconvenient scheduling, or lack of relevant information or experts. Now, with new technologies such as videoconferencing and computer-based networks, adult learners can study on their own at home or work with greater ease than ever. It is no surprise that distance learning, perhaps because of its strong association with technology, is being touted by some as a panacea for many of the challenges facing education today. However, as most adult educators know, if something seems too good to be true it probably is. Access for Whom There is clearly nothing wrong with increasing access to adult education, but who are we providing access to? A short list of characteristics of the typical American distance learner (Moore & Kearsley, 1996) looks like this: * Most are adults aged 25-50. * Distance learners take courses for many reasons, particularly to learn new subjects and skills or update old ones. They may enroll to fulfill a personal goal or for work-related reasons. * Most participate in a DE course voluntarily. * Most are not strangers to formal education. * The more experience the learner has with formal education, the better his/her chances are of completing a distance learning course. * Distance learners tend to be more field independent and self-directed than traditional learners. * Most take learning seriously, are highly motivated, committed, and task-oriented students who want to use the knowledge they have gained. Additionally, what we know about the typical adult learner is that he/she is well-educated, white, and middle-class. Also, as with traditional learning settings, the most successful distance students are those who most educators would term "good students." By combining all of these factors, we find that DE is providing increased access, quite often, to the same people who have always had relatively good access to educational opportunities. In other words, we are increasing access, but not necessarily broadening it. Providing education to those who need it, regardless of their socioeconomic status, is of great importance. However, if educators focus too narrowly on the technology issues in DE, they can inadvertently widen the gap between the educational "haves" and "have nots." Most studies done on why adults do not participate in learning activities focus on the typical adult learner (Merriam & Caffarella, 1991). Even for these adults, with relatively high levels of education and stable work situations, there are still barriers to overcome. Making time to attend courses and study, being able to afford tuition, finding information about a course--all of these can keep even a highly motivated learner from continuing his/her education. Furthermore, research has shown that in the case of DE, adult learners tend to need a great deal of guidance and support to complete a course (Kearsley, 1998). …