Evaluated Experimental Isobaric Analogue States from T=1/2T = 1/2 to T=3T = 3 and associated IMME coefficients

Isobaric multiplets can be used to provide reliable mass predictions through the Isobaric Multiplet Mass Equation (IMME). Isobaric analogue states (IAS) for isospin multiplets from $T=1/2$ to $T=3$ have been studied within the 2012 Atomic Mass Evaluation (Ame2012). Each IAS established from published experimental reaction data has been expressed in the form of a primary reaction $Q$-value, and if necessary, has been recalibrated. The evaluated IAS masses are provided here along with the associated IMME coefficients. Quadratic and higher order forms of the IMME have been considered, and global trends have been extracted. Particular nuclides, requiring experimental investigation, have been identified and discussed. This dataset is the most precise and extensive set of evaluated IAS to date.Comment: 44 pages, 7 figures, 11 tables. Accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics

Characterisation of ERK distribution and activity in rat pheochromocytoma cells : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Molecular Biology at Massey University

Nerve growth factor (NGF) binds to the NGF receptor, TrkA, at the tips of nerve cell axons, sending a signal that prevents programmed cell death and causes survival, growth, and differentiation of the nerve cell. Both NGF and TrkA have been demonstrated to be retrogradely transported from axon tips to nerve cell bodies, however the mechanism of this transport, and its function, is strongly debated. Using a recently developed cell fractionation protocol in conjunction with in vitro reactions using an ATP regenerating system, our lab has isolated small vesicles containing NGF bound to activated TrkA. These vesicles may provide a vehicle for retrograde transport of the NGF signal and initiation of signal transduction in the cell body. ERK1 is a serine/threonine kinase that is activated by NGF-activated TrkA. Prolonged ERK1 activity is characteristic of cells stimulated by NGF. The purpose of the experiments in this thesis was to characterise the intracellular distribution and activity of ERK1 before and after NGF stimulation, in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, which are a good model for nerve cells. We have found that ERK1 activity is redistributed between cell compartments after NGF stimulation of PC12 cells. ERK1 activity increased in sedimentable fractions that emerged from mechanically permeabilised cells after NGF treatment and in vitro reactions with ATP. Importantly, the results from glycerol velocity gradient experiments showed that ERK1 was not associated with membranes. Instead ERK1 was found in a rapidly sedimenting particle whose sedimentation was not affected by detergent solubilisation. These results suggest that ERK1 is recruited into a protein complex, after activation, which may be an important step in signal transduction. Formation of this complex is likely to be downstream of signalling vesicles containing NGF bound TrkA

Sexual and gender minorities educational content within obstetric anesthesia fellowship programs: a survey.

PurposeImproved patient-provider relationships can positively influence patient outcomes. Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) represent a wide variety of marginalized populations. There is an absence of studies examining the inclusion of SGM-related health education within postgraduate training in anesthesia. This study's objective was to perform an environmental scan of the educational content of North American obstetric anesthesia fellowship programs.MethodsAn online survey was developed based on a review of the existing literature assessing the presence of SGM content within other healthcare-provider curricula. The survey instrument was distributed electronically to 50 program directors of North American obstetric anesthesia fellowship programs. Survey responses were summarized using descriptive statistics.ResultsSurvey responses were received from 30 of the 50 program directors (60%). Of these, 54% (14/26) felt their curriculum adequately prepares fellows to care for SGM patients, yet only 19% (5/26) of participants stated that SGM content was part of their curriculum and 31% (8/26) would like to see more incorporated in the future. Perceived lack of need was chosen as the biggest barrier to curricular inclusion of SGM education (46%; 12/26), followed by lack of available/interested faculty (19%; 5/26) and time (19%; 5/26).ConclusionsOur results suggest that, although curriculum leaders appreciate that SGM patients are encountered within the practice of obstetric anesthesia, most fellowship programs do not explicitly include SGM curricular content. Nevertheless, there appears to be interest in developing SGM curricular content for obstetric anesthesia fellowship training. Future steps should include perspectives of trainees and patients to inform curricular content

Developing bulletin board visualizations

Prevalent text-based representations within online communities and bulletin boards often make it difficult to contextualise the activity and interactions that are taking place. Visualisation techniques have been successfully applied in a range of domains to augment and enhance existing communication technologies such as bulletin boards. This paper presents a new approach to visualising bulletin board activity: BulB. The use of BulB visualisations enables users to gain an overall picture of bulletin board activity and develop an understanding of the overall interaction context

The syllogistic reasoning: a qualified defence

Conferencia inaugural de la IVa edición del Curso de Especialista Universitario en Argumentación Jurídica, Universidad de Alicante, 21 de mayo de 2007.Este trabajo defiende el papel central del silogismo como estructura del razonamiento jurídico, sin negar la relevancia del razonamiento informal, probabilístico o retórico. En la justificación hay que invocar los enunciados jurídicos universales relevantes (premisas mayores), y los hechos particulares relevantes a la luz de ellos (premisas menores) como ejemplificaciones de esos universales, siendo la pretensión o decisión la conclusión del silogismo. Por supuesto que pueden surgir problemas: de interpretación de la ley, de prueba de los hechos, de calificación de estos como casos particulares del supuesto de la norma (o de su valoración cuando esta incluye estándares valorativos), o de relevancia de la norma (si aplicamos jurisprudencia). Todo ello requiere dar razones a favor de una determinada lectura del silogismo, razones que van más allá de la lógica formal y acaban siendo las decisivas. Pero «el silogismo es lo que proporciona el marco dentro del cual esos otros argumentos cobran sentido como argumentos jurídicos».This paper defends the central role of syllogism as the structure of legal reasoning, without denying the important part played by informal, probabilistic or rhetorical reasoning. To justify, one needs to cite universal legal sentences (major premises), and the particular facts which are relevant to them (minor premises), the claim or decision being the conclusion of the syllogism. To be sure, problems may arise: problems of interpretation of the statute; of proof of the facts; of classification of facts as instances of the universals deployed in the statute (as well as problems of evaluation of facts when the statute contains a value-expression); or problems of relevancy of the norm (when applying precedents). All that requires giving reasons for reading the syllogism in a certain way, a reasoning that falls beyond formal logic and ends up to be decisive. But syllogism «is what provide the framework in which the other arguments make sense as legal arguments»