Self-actualization and Communication Contexts: Developments Toward a Theory of Communication

This study addresses the relationship between a person\u27s time spent in communication contexts {as defined by Costaris 11982), Costaris and Surlin (1982), Makuch (1984) and this researcher, and measured by the Personal Time Survey, PTS) and a person\u27s level of self-actualization (as defined by Abraham H. Maslow and measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory, POI, Shostrum, 1966, 1974)

A Statistical Method for Generating Cross-Mission Consistent Normalized Water-Leaving Radiances

Accurate merging of primary radiometric ocean color products like the normalized water-leaving radiance, requires combining data from various space missions which may be affected by different uncertainties as resulting from absolute calibration and minimization of the atmospheric effects. A statistical correction scheme based on a multi-linear regression algorithm is here used to remove systematic differences between in situ and remote sensing measurements. The application of the correction scheme to SeaWiFS and MODIS primary radiometric products has shown an increased convergence between remote sensing and in situ measurements, with the largest effects at 412 and 443 nm. Specifically, the scatter and bias of MODIS derived with respect to in situ Lwn at 412 nm has shown values of 12% and 2% for corrected with respect to values of 29% and -20% for uncorrected data, respectively. Similarly, the scatter and bias for SeaWiFS derived Lwn at 412 nm has shown values of 11% and 2% for corrected with respect to 27% and -11% for uncorrected data. Results at 667 nm for MODIS, and at 670 nm for SeaWiFS, although displaying a reduction in the scatter of data, have shown a significant residual bias of about 8% with respect to in situ values. Differently, the correction scheme does not improve Lwn values at the other center-wavelengths were the agreement between remote sensing and in situ data is already comparable to the intrinsic uncertainty of the in situ data. Finally, the study has shown the need of restricting the application of the correction scheme to data with spectral features represented within the reference dataset used for defining the correction parameters.JRC.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Vascular endothelial growth factor enhances in vitro proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), isolated from dental tissues, are largely studied for future application in regenerative dentistry. In this study, we used MSC obtained from human dental pulp (DPSC) of normal impacted third molars that, when cultured in lineage-specific inducing media, differentiate into osteoblasts and adipocytes (evaluated by Alizarin Red S and Red Oil O stainings, respectively), thus showing a multipotency. We confirmed that DPSC, grown under undifferentiating conditions, are negative for hematopoietic (CD45, CD31, CD34, CD144) and positive for mesenchymal (CD29, CD90, CD105, CD166, CD146, STRO-1) markers, that underwent down-regulation when cells were grown in osteogenic medium for 3 weeks. In this condition, they also exhibit an increase in the expression of osteogenic markers (RUNX-2, alkaline phosphatase) and extracellular calcium deposition, whereas the expression of receptors (VEGFR-1 and -2) for vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and related VEGF binding proteins was similar to that found in undifferentiated DPSC. Exposure of DPSC growing under undifferentiating or osteogenic conditions to VEGF-A165 peptide (10-40 ng/ml) for 8 days dose- and time-dependently increased the number of proliferating cells without inducing differentiation towards endothelial lineage, as evaluated by the lack of expression of specific markers (CD31, CD34, CD144). Additionally, exposure of DPSC cultured in osteogenic medium to VEGF-A165 for a similar period enhanced cell differentiation towards osteoblasts as evaluated after 14 and 21 days by Alizarin Red S staining and alkaline phosphatase activity quantification. These findings may have clinical implications possibly facilitating tissue repair and remodeling