The Film Philadelphia As A Case Study Of Ethical Dilemmas In The Workplace

In this paper we present the film Philadelphia as an exemplary text for teaching business ethics.  For this purpose, we show students three scenes from the film and guide them as they engage in ethical reasoning. Through the exercise, students should: understand the nature of ethical dilemmas; understand a model for ethical decision-making and apply it to shed light on selected situations presented in the film; and lastly, understand ethical dimensions of discrimination. After engaging with the exercise, students should also develop a clear understanding of the difficulty of reaching ethical decisions in their professional careers. In addition, the exercise serves as an opportunity to discuss issues of HIV and AIDS in contemporary organizations

Ontogeny of bradykinin B2 receptors in the rat kidney: Implications for segmental nephron maturation

Ontogeny of bradykinin B2 receptors in the rat kidney: Implications for segmental nephron maturation. Kinins modulate renal function, yet their role in the developing kidney is largely unknown. To explore the developmental role of the kallikrein-kinin system, we examined the postnatal ontogeny and intrarenal localization of B2 receptors in the rat. Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR documented the expression of B2 receptor mRNA in the kidney and extrarenal tissues of fetal, neonatal and adult animals. The abundance of B2 receptor mRNA is 10- to 30-fold higher in neonatal than adult tissues in the following order: kidney > heart > aorta > lung > brain. Receptor autoradiography revealed a gradual shift in the localization of bradykinin binding sites from the outer cortex in the newborn to the outer medulla in weanling and maturing rats. The almost complete displacement of [125I]tyr0-bradykinin by HOE-140 indicates that the majority of kinin receptors in the developing kidney belong to the B2 type. Immunolocalization studies using antipeptide antibodies directed against various portions of the receptor revealed that B2 receptors are first expressed on the luminal aspect of the upper limb of S-shaped bodies and differentiating cortical collecting ducts. In marked contrast, the metanephric mesenchyme, pretubular aggregates and glomeruli display weak or no B2 receptor immunoreactivity. Following completion of nephrogenesis, B2 receptor expression shifts to both luminal and basolateral aspects of connecting tubules and collecting ducts. The results demonstrate that bradykinin B2 receptor gene expression is activated in the developing kidney and cardiovascular system. The spatially restricted expression of B2 receptors in the differentiating epithelium of the distal nephron, the site of kinin formation, supports the hypothesis that kinins are paracrine modulators of segmental nephron maturation

Effect of pre-rigor ultrapressurization on bovine intramuscular connective tissue

Samples of pre-rigor sternomandibularis muscle from ten steers were pressurized at 15,000 psi for two min at 35°C to investigate the effects of pressurization and incubation time on the thermal stability of collagen. Immediately after pressurization, pH of the treated samples (pH 5.71) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the control samples (pH 6.85). The amount of labile collagen from the pressurized samples was 14.16% of the total collagen and was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the control samples (10.24%). Pressurization apparently accelerated the glycolytic enzymes causing a rapid drop in pH and reduced the strength of collagen fibers to allow for an increase in the thermolabile fraction. Pressurized samples showed a significantly greater (P < 0.05) release of enzymes (β-galactosidase, catheptic collagenase, cathepsin C and elastase) from lysosomes than the control samples. The pH of the pressurized homogenates was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the control samples. The combined effect of the lysosomal enzymes, β-galactosidase and β-glucuronidase, on the ability of collagenase to solubilize collagen of pressurized muscle and intramuscular connective tissue isolated from pressurized samples was determined. It was found that the incubation of pressurized samples with lysosomal enzymes significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the thermal stability of collagen. The results provide strong evidence that lysosomal enzymes reduce the strength of muscle collagen and that pressurization does alter the configurational structure of connective tissue making it more susceptible to enzymatic attack

Collagen microarchitecture mechanically controls myofibroblast differentiation.

Altered microarchitecture of collagen type I is a hallmark of wound healing and cancer that is commonly attributed to myofibroblasts. However, it remains unknown which effect collagen microarchitecture has on myofibroblast differentiation. Here, we combined experimental and computational approaches to investigate the hypothesis that the microarchitecture of fibrillar collagen networks mechanically regulates myofibroblast differentiation of adipose stromal cells (ASCs) independent of bulk stiffness. Collagen gels with controlled fiber thickness and pore size were microfabricated by adjusting the gelation temperature while keeping their concentration constant. Rheological characterization and simulation data indicated that networks with thicker fibers and larger pores exhibited increased strain-stiffening relative to networks with thinner fibers and smaller pores. Accordingly, ASCs cultured in scaffolds with thicker fibers were more contractile, expressed myofibroblast markers, and deposited more extended fibronectin fibers. Consistent with elevated myofibroblast differentiation, ASCs in scaffolds with thicker fibers exhibited a more proangiogenic phenotype that promoted endothelial sprouting in a contractility-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that changes of collagen microarchitecture regulate myofibroblast differentiation and fibrosis independent of collagen quantity and bulk stiffness by locally modulating cellular mechanosignaling. These findings have implications for regenerative medicine and anticancer treatments

Leptonic Flavor and CP Violation

We discuss how neutrino oscillation experiments can probe new sources of leptonic flavor and CP violation.Comment: 8 pages, latex, no figures. Invited talk given at KAON 2001, Pisa, Italy, June 12 - 17, 200

Use of LANDSAT 8 images for depth and water quality assessment of el Guájaro Reservoir, Colombia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability of using Landsat 8 spectral images to estimate water quality parameters and depth in El Guájaro Reservoir. On February and March 2015, two samplings were carried out in the reservoir, coinciding with the Landsat 8 images. Turbidity, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, pH and depth were evaluated. Through multiple regression analysis between measured water quality parameters and the reflectance of the pixels corresponding to the sampling stations, statistical models with determination coefficients between 0.6249 and 0.9300 were generated. Results indicate that from a small number of measured parameters we can generate reliable models to estimate the spatial variation of turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH and depth, as well the temporal variation of electrical conductivity, so models generated from Landsat 8 can be used as a tool to facilitate the environmental, economic and social management of the reservoir

Carbon-fiber tips for scanning probe microscopes and molecular electronics experiments

We fabricate and characterize carbon-fiber tips for their use in combined scanning tunneling and force microscopy based on piezoelectric quartz tuning fork force sensors. An electrochemical fabrication procedure to etch the tips is used to yield reproducible sub-100-nm apex. We also study electron transport through single-molecule junctions formed by a single octanethiol molecule bonded by the thiol anchoring group to a gold electrode and linked to a carbon tip by the methyl group. We observe the presence of conductance plateaus during the stretching of the molecular bridge, which is the signature of the formation of a molecular junction.Comment: Conference Proceeding (Trends in NanoTechnology 2011, Tenerife SPAIN); Nanoscale Research Letters, (2012) 7:25

Comportamiento de Escherichia coli a bajas temperaturas en condiciones isotermales y no-isotermales

Comportamiento de Escherichia coli a bajas temperaturas en condiciones isotermales y no-isotermales. Se analizó el comportamiento de Escherichia coli a temperaturas subóptimas de crecimiento empleando cepas aisladas de queso de cabra tipo Crottin. Se realizaron tres grupos de experimentos en caldo de cultivo: A (5 ºC), B (7 ºC) y C (9 ºC). Para cada grupo se realizó un tratamiento de referencia en condiciones isotermales y cuatro tratamientos con diferentes períodos de abuso de temperatura a 25 ºC. El comportamiento se determinó por mediciones de DO. En condiciones isotermales se analizó con el modelo de Gompertz y dos modelos del programa DMfit. Se determinó la fase de latencia, la velocidad específica de crecimiento y la densidad máxima. No se observaron diferencias entre los tres modelos. En los tratamientos no-isotérmicos a 5 ºC y 7 ºC la población se incrementó en forma proporcional al tiempo de abuso a 25 ºC; a 9 ºC no hubo diferencias en el comportamiento para distintos períodos a temperatura elevada. Las diferencias podrían deberse al estado fisiológico de las células cuando se produce el incremento de la temperatura. Estos resultados enfatizan la necesidad de brindar mejor educación a la población sobre prácticas correctas de manipulación de los alimentos y evitar en consecuencia posibles riesgos para la salud.We analyzed the behavior of Escherichia coli at suboptimal growth temperature with strains isolated from Crottin goat¿s cheese. Three groups of experiments were carried out in broth culture at different incubation temperatures: A (5 º C), B (7 º C) and C (9 º C). A reference treatment in isothermal conditions was conducted for each group and four treatment with different periods at high temperature (25 ° C). The behavior was traced with OD measures. Isothermal treatments were analized by Gompertz model and two models of DMFit program. Lag time, specific growth rate and the maximum microbial density were determined. Parameters showed no clear overall preferences among the three models. At non-isothermal treatments the population increased proporcionally to period at 25 ºC for A and B groups. There was no difference among the different periods at high temperature for C group. The physiological cell state would be the cause of the differences in the number of generations observed among the groups. These findings underline the need for greater consumer education regarding safety food handling practices, in order to avoid potential health risks.Fil: Tamagnini, Lucia Maria. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Guzmán, María Carolina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina. Instituto de Investigación y Ciencia de Puerto del Rosario, Departamento de Biotecnología; EspañaFil: Rojo Lapalma, Felix Ramon. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomia y Física. Sección Física. Grupo de Teoria de la Materia Condensada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: de Sousa, Gladys B.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Ruben Dario. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Budde, Carlos Esteban. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Three-Neutrino Mixing after the First Results from K2K and KamLAND

We analyze the impact of the data on long baseline \nu_\mu disappearance from the K2K experiment and reactor \bar\nu_e disappearance from the KamLAND experiment on the determination of the leptonic three-generation mixing parameters. Performing an up-to-date global analysis of solar, atmospheric, reactor and long baseline neutrino data in the context of three-neutrino oscillations, we determine the presently allowed ranges of masses and mixing and we consistently derive the allowed magnitude of the elements of the leptonic mixing matrix. We also quantify the maximum allowed contribution of \Delta m^2_{21} oscillations to CP-odd and CP-even observables at future long baseline experiments.Comment: Some typos correcte