This work is two fold. In the first part of this paper we regard classical Plebanski’s action as a BF action supplemented by constraints (defined in the spirit of Barrett and Crane). We study the definition of a spin foam model for Riemannian general relativity using a systematic implementation of these constraints as restrictions on the paths in the state-sum of BF theory. The spin foam model ...

This retrospective survey identifies potential risk factors for developmental limb abnormalities in whooping crane (Grus americana) chicks reared at the International Crane Foundation between 1990 and 2006. We summarized a series of biologicallyrelevant preand post-hatch variables from this population using in-house aviculture and veterinary records, and then compared them between chicks with a...

Today, tower cranes are in widespread use on construction sites all around the world. An important issue that arises when operating these cranes is the oscillatory behavior that occurs during payload transportation, which can have severe effects on safety as well as accuracy of payload delivery. Due to the nonlinear nature of the rotating crane motion, controlling these oscillations is a comple...

Since the writing of A. C. Pigou (1932), taxes have been emphasized as a means of control of activities that generate harm, especially in the domain of pollution, yet their use is in fact limited (Robert N. Stavins 2003). In contrast, liability has great importance in reducing harm. Much of the vast terrain of accidents—from oil spills, to crane mishaps, to car collisions—is subject to liabilit...

This paper purports to provide answers to the following questions with regard to multi-crane building construction sites: (1) Do such construction sites differ from smaller sites only in magnitude, or are there unique characteristics that stem from the size of the site and the multitude of cranes? (2) Is equipment planning for such projects similar to that of projects serviced by a small number...

In a previous study, we have shown that a newly identified chromosomal protein, RMSA-1 (Regulator of Mitotic Spindle Assembly-1), identified and cloned using a human autoimmune, serum, is essential for mitotic spindle assembly; we proposed that RMSA-1 was a previously unknown physiological substrate for cdc 2 kinase. In the present study, we show that this protein is present in crane fly and is...

OBJECTIVES Prolonged sitting with a flexed back and neck is recognized as being associated with an increased risk of neck and back pain disorders among overhead crane operators. The aim of this study was to compare back and head postures over a full shift of work between operators who experience back and neck pain, and healthy operators. METHODS In a first phase, the prevalence of musculoskel...

The goal of this work is two-fold. In the first part of this paper we regard classical Plebanski’s action as a BF action supplemented by constraints (defined in the spirit of Barrett and Crane). We introduce a spin foam model for Riemannian general relativity by systematically implementing these constraints as restrictions on paths in the statesum of the BF theory. The spin foam model obtained ...

A crane herpesvirus (CrHV) grown in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells was tested for hemagglutination (HA) with erythrocytes from a variety of species at 4 degrees C, room temperature and 37 degrees C. HA was observed at all temperatures with erythrocytes from mouse, ddY and BALB/c strains, but not with those from cattle, sheep and chicken. Mice, ddY strain, showed an individual variation i...

Due to the dramatic increase in the world’s container traffic, the efficient management of operations in seaport container terminals has become a crucial issue. In this work, we focus on the integrated planning of the following problems faced at container terminals: berth allocation, quay crane assignment (number), and quay crane assignment (specific). First, we formulate a new binary integer l...