Immunobiology of the excretory-secretory antigens of Toxocara canis

Imperial Users onl

Pharmacogenetics of Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson\u27s Disease

Memory deficits are recognized in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The nature of these memory deficits is unclear because few studies have both isolated memory encoding and retrieval processes while testing patients on and off their dopamine replacement medication. Previous work suggests encoding depends upon regions innervated by the ventral tegmental area, which is relatively spared in PD, while retrieval depends upon dorsal striatum, which is dopamine deficient even early in PD. We investigated the impact of a dopamine transporter (DAT1), a dopamine reuptake protein, polymorphism (a 40-base-pair variable repeat affecting expression) on encoding and retrieval in healthy, elderly controls as well as in patients on and off medication. We only found encoding deficits in PD patients who carry a DAT1 polymorphism when on, relative to off, medication, suggesting interactive effects of medication and genotype. We found improvements in memory retrieval in patients who were on, relative to off, medication, but this effect may be independent of DAT1 genotype. This work demonstrates the need for further investigation of interactive effects of medication and genetic profile in PD

Effects of In-Class Formative Assessments and Student Contracts on Homework Completion and Summative Assessments

This study was designed to see the effects of formal formative in-class assessments and student contracts on homework completion and summative assessments. The study took place in a small rural high school in Northeast Minnesota and the participants consisted of three sections of intermediate algebra classes of students from eighth grade through twelfth grade. All three sections used the formative assessments, while one of the sections used student contracts in addition. Data collection included three different surveys taken at different times throughout the study, teacher observations of the study, and results of homework completion and summative assessments. The results of the study showed that a high percentage of the students liked the formative assessments and felt that they were helpful in their homework completion and summative assessments. The student contracts also had a positive effect on homework completion with 100% homework completion in the section that used the student contracts. Both the formative assessments and student contracts will continue to be implemented to keep improving homework completion and summative assessments

Books

PRIMARY PREVENTION OF MENTAL, NEUROLOGICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DISORDERS*WHO Pp. ix +113. SwFr.35/US$31.50. WHO. 1998. ISBN. 92-4154516X

Free-space holographic optical interconnects in dichromated gelatin

Abstract unavailable please refer to PDF

On-site installation flexibility for disruption management in modular off-site construction systems

Modular off-site construction is one of the methods adopted by the construction industry in a recent drive to modernise its operations and increase its productivity. Operations that were traditionally performed on-site are instead completed at an off-site factory, with finished modules then being transported on-site for installation. Operating across two locations in this way can provide numerous gains in speed, quality, and costs. However, it does mean that construction companies must now understand and manage a new and wider range of potential disruptions to their operations. This thesis is concerned with addressing disruptions that delay the delivery of modules to site. To identify operational disruptions and their corresponding disruption management strategies, an exploratory study was performed consisting of five case studies and an industrial workshop. An over-reliance on storing modules as a means of coping with disruptions was uncovered. Construction sites typically follow a fixed module installation sequence because of on-site installation constraints. As such, when delivery of a module is delayed, subsequent modules in the sequence must be stored until the delayed module arrives for installation. As the industry expands towards manufacturing larger projects at higher production rates, storage may become a less viable disruption management strategy given the lack of storage space, particularly in urban areas. To overcome these challenges, a novel disruption management strategy is proposed and evaluated: on-site installation flexibility. There are four types: vertical assignment flexibility, lateral assignment flexibility, vertical sequence flexibility, and lateral sequence flexibility. Each type relaxes one of the on-site installation constraints, thereby allowing completed modules to continue to be installed in the event of a module being disrupted. Several conclusions were drawn from studying on-site installation flexibility as a disruption management strategy. Implementation roadmaps developed during a workshop using an Impact Matrix Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification analysis and Interpretive Structural Modelling revealed that implementing on-site installation flexibility requires coordination and many changes across a range of organisational functions. A Discrete Event Simulation model developed and applied to a case study showed that on-site installation flexibility can reduce installation delay and storage requirements. Furthermore, combining more than one type of on-site installation flexibility can significantly improve system performance. However, greater co-ordination effort would be required to control module installation operations. Finally, a Simulation-Based Optimisation model was formulated and applied to a second case study and showed that investing in a combination of on-site installation flexibilities in conjunction with other disruption management options can achieve cost savings. Hence, on-site installation flexibility was demonstrated to be a promising disruption management strategy for modular off-site construction systems

The Federalist offers important lessons in how to cope with the current gridlock in American government

The recent government shutdown and political gridlock that has gripped Washington DC has led to many calls for Republicans and Democrats to move beyond politics. David Brian Robertson looks back to The Federalist, which he argues offer us lessons in how to break that gridlock. He writes that The Federalist shows us that we need to embrace politics because it is the force that drives government through negotiation and compromise

Achieving Universal Coverage Through Comprehensive Health Reform: The Vermont Experience

Provides an overview of Vermont's comprehensive health reform and the interim results of a two-year evaluation of its impact on the affordability of coverage and access to services, as well as its sustainability. Discusses lessons learned

Pilgrims\u27 Progressivism

Reviewing: Stephen Skowronek, Stephen M. Engel & Bruce Ackerman eds., The Progressives’ Century: Political Reform, Constitutional Government, and the Moden American State (Yale University Press 2016)

Regulation of Erk1/2 activation by osteopontin in PC3 human prostate cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Osteopontin (OPN) has been shown to play many roles in the progression of cancer. We have recently demonstrated the activation of Akt by OPN. Integrin-linked kinase and PI3-kinase are integral proteins in OPN/AKT pathway in PC3 cells. To investigate the role of the extracellular receptors in OPN signaling, we have examined the spatio-temporal regulation of CD44 and integrin αvβ3 receptor in OPN-induced Akt activation in PC3 cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, our studies demonstrate that OPN can activate Akt either through the α_Vβ₃integrin or the CD44 cell surface receptor. Members of the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) family have been shown to be up-regulated in a variety of human cancers and have been implicated in the metastatic behavior. Our studies have demonstrated an increase in the phosphorylation of c-Raf at Ser259 and Ser338 in PC3 cells over-expressing OPN. This increase matches up with the Erk1/2 phosphorylation at Thr202/204 and activation. However, the inhibition of Akt activity augments the phosphorylation state of ERK1/2 to two to three fold with a concomitant reduction in the phosphorylation state of c-Raf at Ser259.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Regulation c-Raf phosphorylation at Ser259 has a role in the anti-apoptotic pathways mediated by Akt or Raf/MEK/ERK proteins. OPN may have dual effects in the activation of Erk1/2. We propose this based on the observations that while OPN activates c-Raf and Erk1/2; it also acts to inhibit c-Raf and Erk1/2 activation through Akt pathway. Our observations suggest that the activation of c-Raf-ERK cascade may promote cell cycle arrest in prostate cancer cells and OPN signaling has a role in the anti-apoptotic mechanism.</p