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Pollution makes some leisure activities not only possible but pleasurable, an analysis known as "polluted leisure." In this paper, I extend this analysis with case examples of leisure participants adept use of polluted spaces. This adept use suggests that some leisure participants are "enskiled" at polluted leisure, possessing an embodied ecological familiarity with polluted spaces similar to a sailor who has a real knack for getting their sea legs. I present a case example of skateboarders building formal and informal skateparks on remediated Superfund sites and brownfields to further encourage this notion of polluted leisure enskilment. I then develop this notion of polluted leisure enskilment using Guattari's "ecosophy," a way of being most suitable for our Anthropocene age, claiming that skateboarding's esthetic enmeshed in polluted space offers a lived ecosophy. I conclude with potential extensions of this research in leisure studies, spatial justice, and skate studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sounds produced by skateboards, or skatesounds, are a common basis of complaint among the urban public and yet a source of inspiration and joy for skateboarding participants. These opposing responses to skatesound have escaped scholarly attention due to skateboarding's visuocentric culture, yet this disagreement is significant in planning for city-built skateparks, registering public complaints of skateboarders in city spaces, and adding hostile architecture like skate stoppers, which often pivot on this polarity of reactions to skatesounds. We present a spectrum of theoretical responses of skatesound to dispel these reactions, including subjectivism, semiotics, soundscapes, and texturology. We argue that for some people skatesounds may be merely subjective with either a positive or negative valence. For others, skatesound is associated with pro-social or anti-social behaviors. For some, skatesound is both associative and provides wayfinding information about a city. Lastly, we introduce a novel theory of texturology: that skateboarders possess a unique sensory knowledge of the surface materials and textures of the city through skatesound, a knowledge specific to skateboarding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented to essays that examine what poetics might teach about the politics of fact, and vice versa.

Skateboarding poses a unique case study for considering the place of sport in human activity. The bulk of skateboarding scholarship argues that skateboarding is largely a subversion of rule governance, a view difficult to square with common and popular rule-governed skateboarding competitions, now including the Olympics. We attempt to resolve this tension by arguing for a kind of pluralism: skateboarding’s engagement in rule-governed competition is distinctly subversive, yielding the claim that skateboarding is both sport and subversion. This pluralism is examined in an “ecological” framework of emergent activities defined by push-pull interactive relationships between skateboarders and their environment that change the meaning of their spaces—whether domestic, urban, or competitive—to spaces that are both wild and spontaneous. We conclude with reflections on how skateboarding provides understanding of sport in the space of ecological meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) type A (ac only) ground-fault detection circuit and its limitations in accurately detecting electrical ground-fault currents in today's modern electrical installations. Discussed are the effects of waveform modifying power sources and the effect of the dc component on the efficacy of type A safety devices. Limitations of the UL1053 standard for ground-fault sensing and relaying equipment are discussed. The paper will lead to recommending and applying IEC type B (ac/dc) detection technology for solving these shortcomings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper explores a symbolic environmental schema of skateboarding through the concept of 'grey spaces'. We provide evidence of how skateboarding demonstrates a greyness – political and environmental ambiguities, contradictions, liminality, nuances and paradoxes – to outdoor urban leisure in the Anthropocene. We build on a chromatic turn in leisure studies which attends to blue and green spaces; however, we shift focus from the therapeutic discussion of nature that tends to underscore that turn to a contested realm of urban grey spaces. A concept of 'greyness' is adopted to connote not simply the urban but also the ambivalence of polluted leisure and the ambiguous position of skateboarding working as pollutant, and a form of alternative sustainability, while acting with complicity in neoliberal processes that contribute to escalating consumption and the proliferation of concrete spaces of play. In framing skateboarding in both the material and symbolic space of greyness, we seek to stimulate discussion about the greyness of leisure in the Anthropocene beyond skateboarding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of agronomic practices that maximize the use of natural resources to improve soil health and crop productivity is critical for long-term sustainability of agricultural technologies. In Ontario, Canada, the most conventional maize production practice follows a 3-year rotation with soybeans and ploughing of the land before planting and after harvesting. This technology yields 8-10 t ha of maize. We became aware of a long-term no-till strip row farming system developed by an Ontario grower where maize yields are double that of the average for the province. This study set out to identify what factors contribute to such a massive yield increase and the basis for this superior method of maize production. In a 2-year field study, we compared a variety of biotic and abiotic factors associated with yields at this highly productive site with those of two average yielding sites. The no-till strip row farming system grew maize and soybeans in alternate strips rotated yearly and had higher plant populations, better root architecture, higher plant biomass, and 75 % greater (18.35 t ha) grain yield compared to a nearby farm that used conventional production practices. About 21 % of the yield increase resulted from early planting, greater number of seeds planted, and healthier ears/seeds. The remaining 54 % increase was linked to larger ears, which we tentatively attribute to beneficial effects conferred by the microorganisms that develop in this unique agro-ecosystem. The average net return at the no-till site was estimated to be CDN (Canadian) $2000 ha, which was 400 % higher than the net returns of the conventional sites. The study concludes that no-till management where soil remains undisturbed when combined with yearly rotations of an appropriate legume crop, growing crops exactly on the same cropping rows every year, and optimization of plant density creates a sustainable technology for maximizing maize yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectrin from erythrocytes and two other tissues (brain and intestine) were isolated from two distant species, pig and chicken; some structural and functional properties were compared. A quantitative antibody inhibition assay was used to determine that antibodies to mammalian red cull spectrin cross-react very poorly, if at all, with their non- erythroid (brain) counterpart and similarly antibodies to pig brain spectrin (fodrin) cross-react very weakly with erythroid spectrin. By contrast, antibodies which were directed against the 240000-Mr subunit of avian fodrin were completely inhibited with avian spectrin and vice versa. To analyze the structural relatedness of these molecules further we compared the chymotryptic iodinated peptide maps generated from each individual subunit. Consistent with the antibody results, we find little ( < 10%) homology between peptides derived from mammalian fodrin and spectrin, but complete homology (100 %) of the peptides derived from the 240000-Mr, subunits of chicken fodrin, spectrin and another related molecule from intestine, TW260/240. Whereas the peptide maps of fodrin (brain spectrin) revealed striking similarity between divergent species, suggesting a high degree of structural conservation, the peptide maps of erythrocyte spectrin was highly variable between species, indicating that it has diverged considerably in mammalian evolution. In addition we have compared a functional activity of mammalian spectrins, the ability to bind calmodulin, using two different assays. Both results show that, whereas fodrin-calmodulin interaction can be readily demonstrated, the binding to mammalian erythroid spectrin is negligible. This suggests that the high-affinity calmodulin site present on fodrin has been lost from spectrin in mammalian evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our article addresses the ‘middle-blind’ status of the man from Bethsaida whom, according to Mk 8.22-26, Jesus heals in two phases. Drawing on observations from modern philosophical psychology and from ancient Greek and Jewish perspectives on vision, we argue that the two healing touches of Jesus are distinct in kind: the first restores the optical function of the eye, and the second enables cognitive synthesis of form. This reading better conforms to the narrative theme of ‘seeing but not perceiving’ than traditional interpretations, and it provides the theological impetus for what has otherwise been considered a discomfiting account of Jesus’ inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims and objectives Walking speed is an important performance variable, but information on the minimal clinically important difference ( MCID) for the measure has not been consolidated. In this review, we aimed to summarize information on the MCID for change in comfortable gait speed measurements for patients with pathology. Methods Relevant literature was identified by searches of four databases ( Pub Med, Web of Knowledge, CINAHL and Scopus), hand searches and consultation with an expert. Inclusion required that articles reported a MCID for comfortable gait speed measurements. Articles were excluded if the MCID was not determined using receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve analysis. Articles were abstracted for information on participants, interventions, gait speed documentation and the determination of MCID. Quality was assessed using a hybrid 9-item (0-18 point) instrument. Results Seven articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The populations studied included stroke ( n = 3), hip fracture ( n = 2), multiple sclerosis ( n = 1) and mixed ( n = 1). Using 13 different anchors the studies reported MCIDs of 0.08-0.26 m s−1. All but three of these MCIDs were between 0.10 and 0.20 m s−1. All MCIDs for which the area under the ROC curve exceeded 0.70 were between 0.10 and 0.17 m s−1. Conclusions Changes in gait speed of 0.10 to 0.20 m s−1 may be important across multiple patient groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molyneux's question, whether the newly sighted might immediately recognize tactilely familiar shapes by sight alone, has produced an array of answers over three centuries of debate and discussion. I propose the first pluralist response: many different answers, both yes and no, are individually sufficient as an answer to the question as a whole. I argue that this is possible if we take the question to be cluster concept of sub-problems. This response opposes traditional answers that isolate specific perceptual features as uniquely applicable to Molyneux's question and grant viability to only one reply. Answering Molyneux's question as a cluster concept may also serve as a methodology for resolving other philosophical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The tumor necrosis factor superfamily (TNFSF) and the TNF receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) have an ancient evolutionary origin that can be traced back to single copy genes within Arthropods. In humans, 18 TNFSF and 29 TNFRSF genes have been identified. Evolutionary models account for the increase in gene number primarily through multiple whole genome duplication events as well as by lineage and/or species-specific tandem duplication and translocation. The identification and functional analyses of teleost ligands and receptors provide insight into the critical transition between invertebrates and higher vertebrates. Bioinformatic analyses of fish genomes and EST datasets identify 14 distinct ligand groups, some of which are novel to teleosts, while to date, only limited numbers of receptors have been characterized in fish. The most studied ligand is TNF of which teleost species possess between 1 and 3 copies as well as a receptor similar to TNFR1. Functional studies using zebrafish indicate a conserved role of this ligand–receptor system in the regulation of cell survival and resistance to infectious disease. The increasing interest and use of TNFSF and TNFRSF modulators in human and animal medicine underscores the need to understand the evolutionary origins as well as conserved and novel functions of these biologically important molecules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

How does the mind attribute external causes to internal sensory experiences? Adam Smith addresses this question in his little known essay 'Of the External Senses.' I closely examine Smith's various formulations of this problem and then argue for an interpretation of his solution: that inborn perceptual mechanisms automatically generate external attributions of internal experiences. I conclude by speculating that these mechanisms are best understood to operate by simulating tactile environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fluorescent microspheres (FMS) were injected intraperitoneally into channel catfish fry at 2days post hatch (dph), 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8weeks post hatch (wph). The FMS were observed in the vasculature almost immediately after injection in all age groups except 2dph. Fluorescent microspheres were observed within mononuclear phagocytes in the vasculature after 0.16dph in all age groups. Fluorescent microspheres were first phagocytized in the coelomic cavity immediately after injection, while the majority of coelomic FMS were phagocytized between 0.16 and 1dph for all ages. Enzyme cytochemical staining indicated that both polymorphonuclear (neutrophilic granulocytes) and mononuclear phagocytes had phagocytized FMS in the coelomic cavity and organs, with a predominance of FMS found in mononuclear phagocytic cells in all age groups across all sample periods. The predominant organs associated with the observed cellular responses were the posterior kidney, spleen, and anterior kidney. Splenic organization and melanomacrophage development and activity were more pronounced as the fish aged from 2wph on. Particulate clearance rates were faster in the 2dph and 1wph fish than the older ages of fish. These results suggest that to facilitate particulate retention, channel catfish should be vaccinated at 4wph or older. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Particulate antigen uptake by the mucosa of developing channel catfish was determined by immersing larvae and fry [2-day post-hatch (dph), 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 8-week post-hatch (wph)] to two forms of fluorescent microspheres (FMS): blue FMS were carboxylated, and green FMS were coated via conjugation with a crude extract of Edwardsiella ictaluri outer membrane protein (OMP). Phagocytosis, destination, and clearance appeared similar for the two types of FMS used. In the older age classes, primary uptake was observed in epithelial cells of the torso, fins, nares and to a lesser extent the gills. Fluorescent microspheres were less frequently observed within mononuclear phagocytes in the epidermis, dermis and underlying connective tissue of the tissue mentioned above. Limited FMS trafficking was observed from 4- to 24-h post-immersion (hpi). Significantly higher numbers of FMS (blue and green)/mm3 of tissue were observed in the posterior kidney of the 4- and 8-wph age classes and in the anterior kidney and spleen of the 8-wph age class when compared to younger age classes (p <0.05). Significantly higher FMS (blue and green)/mm3 of tissue were observed in the posterior kidney of 4- and 8-wph fish when compared to all other organs (p <0.05). The present study indicates that FMS uptake increases with age in channel catfish. The younger age classes may possess an increased ability to exclude particulate antigen, or lack the specific mechanisms that needed to take up particulates in the form of FMS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chemokines play important roles in controlling leukocyte trafficking under normal and inflammatory conditions. Sixteen CXC chemokines have been identified in the human and mouse genomes, while considerably fewer teleost fish CXC chemokines have been reported. Here, we describe a novel clade of trout ( Onchorynchus mykiss) CXC chemokines, designated Onmy CXCd, and we identify a novel gene, CXCd1, and a putative duplicate, CXCd2. The trout CXCd proteins contain 112 amino acids and the CXCd1 gene is comprised of four exons and three introns. Constitutive CXCd mRNA expression was detected in skin, gill, visceral fat, and posterior kidney tissues, while low transcript levels were present in the anterior kidney and spleen. Spleen CXCd transcript abundance increased 1 day after bath vaccination (fourfold) and subsided to basal levels by 7 days postvaccination. Challenge with viable Yersinia ruckeri induced expression of trout CXCd RNA up to ninefold in the spleen. The number of viable Y. ruckeri were significantly correlated with CXCd gene transcript abundance ( P=0.0051, Spearman correlation 0.497, n=30 fish), and fish with the highest bacterial loads had the highest CXCd expression. In contrast, pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1-β2 mRNA levels were elevated in fish infected with low numbers of Y. ruckeri, while diminishing in heavily infected fish. CXCd mRNA expression was not increased in rainbow trout infected with infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, suggesting that up-regulation may be pathogen-specific. Taken together, these results indicate that CXCd transcript elevation follows the pro-inflammatory cytokine response to Y. ruckeri and may be a relevant immunological marker of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the literary works of Margaret Fuller, which reflects translation as the central feature of her theory of multilingual American literature. Influence of translation on multilingualism; Discussion on how linguistic and cultural subjectivities refract on another in the complex scenes of American literature; Identification of translation as a method for defining cultural identity; Arguments raised on the effectiveness of Fuller's translations; Account for a set of romantic translation theories that informs the epistemology of American multilingualism and enables its practices.

The purpose of this study was to garner expert opinion from health care (HC) (n = 68) and non-HC (n = 15) managers on the issues likely to impact the work of entry level physical therapists and qualities for employment success. Students enrolled in a professional phase physical therapy (PT) course conducted 83 manager interviews. The authors arrived at consensus regarding manager opinions on important HC issues and qualities for employment success with a modified Delphi technique. The Chi-square test was used to determine if HC issues and employment qualities differed among the managers' professions and settings. PT managers (n = 50) found ancillary staff use to be a more important HC issue than did other HC managers (n = 18), 68.0% versus 27.8%, respectively (p = 0.009). Otherwise, PT managers were similar to other HC managers in their opinions on the pertinent HC issues. HC managers reported business skills to be not as essential for career success as non-HC managers did (n = 15), 22.1% versus 66.7%, respectively (p = 0.001). Managers in outpatient settings indicated a strong work ethic to be of greater importance than did managers in other HC settings (p = 0.052). These findings support the use of innovative instructional strategies that offer students multiple perspectives on the realities of HC to optimize employment success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews the computer software Goniometry: An Interactive Tutorial.

Presents an abstract of the article `The Extended Role of a Physiotherapist in an Out-patient Orthopaedic Clinic,' by J. Hockin and G. Bannister that appeared in the `Physiotherapy' periodical. Assessment of effectiveness of the physical therapist; Measurement of outcome on conclusion of treatment.

Presents an abstract of the article `A Randomised Controlled Study of the Outcome of Hydrotherapy for Subjects With Low Back or Back and Leg Pain,' by B. Mcllveen and V.J. Robertson, adapted from the periodical `Physiotherapy,' which investigated the effectiveness of group hydrotherapy for patients with chronic low back pain and back and leg pain.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a portable belt-stabilized hand-held dynamometry (HHD) set-up for measuring knee extension force and to compare the magnitude and reliability of forces obtained with the set-up to those obtained without belt-stabilization. Measures for single-limb knee extension force were obtained via HHD from 16 young participants by 2 testers of substantially different strength. Measurements were obtained during 2 sessions 1 week apart. Testing was performed with participants in a bariatric chair - with and without HHD belt-stabilization. Data from the first session were used to compare the magnitude of knee extension forces. Data from both sessions were used to examine reliability via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots. Forces measured with belt-stabilization were significantly (p< 0.001) higher than those measured without belt-stabilization. The differences were greater for male participants (p=0.006) and the female tester (p=0.001). Intertester reliability was poor for measurements obtained without belt-stabilization (ICC=0.17) but good for measurements obtained with belt-stabilization (ICC =0.84). Differences between testers increased with the magnitude of force measured when no belt-stabilization was provided but not when belt-stabilization was used. Test-retest reliability was good when belt-stabilization was employed (ICC=0.87 and 0.92). When belt-stabilization was not used, the test-retest reliability was acceptable for the male tester (ICC=0.77) but not the female tester (ICC =0.50). In conclusion, the set-up examined is affordable, portable and easy to assemble. It allows for rapid testing of knee extension strength. With HHD belt-stabilization, the set-up can be recommended for clinicians and researchers requiring objective measures of knee extension strength in diverse settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The responsiveness of measurements obtained by hand-held dynamometry (HHD) is largely unexplored. OBJECTIVE: A secondary analysis of data from a clinical cohort of patients (N=55) admitted for inpatient rehabilitation following acute stroke was completed to determine the responsiveness of measures of lower extremity muscle strength. METHOD: The isometric strength of hip flexion, knee extension, and ankle dorsiflexion was measured bilaterally in 55 patients using HHD. Independence in bed-to-chair transfers, level ground gait, and stair negotiation was determined using an ordinal mobility scale. All measures were obtained at admission and discharge.RESULTS: Over the course of rehabilitation muscle strength increased significantly (p&les; 0.002) in all 3 lower limb muscle actions of both the weaker and stronger sides. Effect sizes (0.19-0.43) and standardized response means (0.45-0.79) were mostly small to moderate but tended to be greater on the weaker side than the stronger side. The minimum detectable change (95%) values ranged from 33.2 to 87.5 N and were higher on the stronger than on the weaker side. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for identifying minimal clinically important differences revealed cut-points between -12.9 and 52.9 Newtons for strength increases differentiating patients who did and did not demonstrate improved mobility. CONCLUSION: HHD is capable of detecting changes in lower limb strength after stroke but the responsiveness, as indicated by effect size, standardized response mean, minimum detectable change and minimal clinically importance is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One group of 10 male albino rats was given partial reinforcement while the other 10 rats received continuous reinforcement in a straight alley. Subjects then experienced five consecutive stages of Extinction 1, Continuous Reinforcement 1, Extinction 2, Continuous Reinforcement 2, and finally, Extinction 3. Analysis showed the partial reinforcement effect in extinction was sustained over two stages of extinction and two stages of continuous reinforcement, since subjects receiving partial reinforcement ran faster than rats given continuous reinforcement throughout all three of the extinction periods. The results seem to support those of Amsel's (1967) and Capaldi's (1967) theoretical formulations of the partial reinforcement effect in extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A quantitative LAMP method for identification of EEDV has been developed. • Analytical sensitivity of the qLAMP is as low as 78 pg extracted DNA from tissue. • The method is highly specific for EEDV. • The EEDV qLAMP method was evaluated against the qPCR method. Abstract Epizootic Epitheliotropic Disease Virus (EEDV; Salmonid Herpesvirus-3) causes a serious disease hatchery-reared lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), threatening restoration efforts of this species in North America. The current inability to replicate EEDV in vitro necessitates the search for a reproducible, sensitive, and specific assay that allows for its detection and quantitation in a time- and cost-effective manner. Herein, we describe a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay that was developed for the quantitative detection of EEDV in infected fish tissues. The newly developed LAMP reaction was optimized in the presence of calcein, and the best results were produced using 2 mM MgCl 2 , 1.8 mM dNTPs and at an incubation temperature of 67.1 °C. This method was highly specific to EEDV, as it showed no cross-reactivity with several fish viruses, including Salmonid Herpesvirus-1, -2, -4, and -5, Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus, Spring Viremia of Carp Virus, Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus, Golden Shiner Reovirus, Fathead Minnow Nidovirus, and Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus. The analytical sensitivity of the EEDV-LAMP method was estimated to be as low as 16 copies of plasmid per reaction. When infected fish tissue was used, a positive reaction could be obtained when an infected gill tissue sample that contained 430 viral copies/μg was diluted up to five orders of magnitude. The sensitivity and specificity of the newly developed LAMP assay compared to the SYBR Green qPCR assay were 84.3% and 93.3%, respectively. The quantitative LAMP for EEDV had a correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.980), and did not differ significantly from the SYBR Green quantitative PCR assay (p > 0.05). Given its cost- and time-effectiveness, this quantitative LAMP assay is suitable for screening lake trout populations and for the initial diagnosis of clinical cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]