A Balancing Act: Division III Student-Athletes Time Demands and Life Roles

A majority of the research on student-athletes occurs at the Division I level, acid less is known about Division III student-athletes. The scant research addressing the experiences of Division III students-athletes focused on academics, campus involvement, development, and athletic identity (Griffith & Johnson, 2002; Heuser & Gray, 2009; Richards & Aries, 1993; Schroeder, 2000; Umbach, Palmer, Kuh, & Hannah, 2006). What remains unknown is how they manage life roles as Division III student-athletes.;This case study sought to address the time demands and life roles (e.g. athletics, family, friendship, religion, academic, and romantic interests) of student-athletes. Two private, Division Ill institutions in the Midwest were selected. A total of 21 student-athletes from both men and women\u27s basketball teams were interviewed. The findings suggest student-athletes are strained by time demands, yet have developed strategies to better manage their time. Family serves as a foundation and the most important life role for a majority of student-athletes. Teammates, coaches, and athletic involvement offer additional support as student-athletes transition through college. The life roles of religion and romantic relationships, however, were not seen as important for student-athletes. This research concluded that Division III student-athletes juggle multiple roles but their priorities change over time. of note, participant\u27s integrated roles over time and particular transition phases existed for students. Moreover, instead of border keepers vying to reinforce borders between roles, this study concluded that border bridgers existed instead that sought to aid students in blurring boundaries between their various roles. Male athletes were less able to describe how they managed time, whereas female athletes readily identified organizational strategies and stronger team bonds

ErbB2, EphrinB1, Src Kinase and PTPN13 Signaling Complex Regulates MAP Kinase Signaling in Human Cancers

In non-cancerous cells, phosphorylated proteins exist transiently, becoming de-phosphorylated by specific phosphatases that terminate propagation of signaling pathways. In cancers, compromised phosphatase activity and/or expression occur and contribute to tumor phenotype. The non-receptor phosphatase, PTPN13, has recently been dubbed a putative tumor suppressor. It decreased expression in breast cancer correlates with decreased overall survival. Here we show that PTPN13 regulates a new signaling complex in breast cancer consisting of ErbB2, Src, and EphrinB1. To our knowledge, this signaling complex has not been previously described. Co-immunoprecipitation and localization studies demonstrate that EphrinB1, a PTPN13 substrate, interacts with ErbB2. In addition, the oncogenic V660E ErbB2 mutation enhances this interaction, while Src kinase mediates EphrinB1 phosphorylation and subsequent MAP Kinase signaling. Decreased PTPN13 function further enhances signaling. The association of oncogene kinases (ErbB2, Src), a signaling transmembrane ligand (EphrinB1) and a phosphatase tumor suppressor (PTPN13) suggest that EphrinB1 may be a relevant therapeutic target in breast cancers harboring ErbB2-activating mutations and decreased PTPN13 expression

Mechanisms of NK Cell-Macrophage Bacillus anthracis Crosstalk: A Balance between Stimulation by Spores and Differential Disruption by Toxins

NK cells are important immune effectors for preventing microbial invasion and dissemination, through natural cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. Bacillus anthracis spores can efficiently drive IFN-γ production by NK cells. The present study provides insights into the mechanisms of cytokine and cellular signaling that underlie the process of NK-cell activation by B. anthracis and the bacterial strategies to subvert and evade this response. Infection with non-toxigenic encapsulated B. anthracis induced recruitment of NK cells and macrophages into the mouse draining lymph node. Production of edema (ET) or lethal (LT) toxin during infection impaired this cellular recruitment. NK cell depletion led to accelerated systemic bacterial dissemination. IFN-γ production by NK cells in response to B. anthracis spores was: i) contact-dependent through RAE-1-NKG2D interaction with macrophages; ii) IL-12, IL-18, and IL-15-dependent, where IL-12 played a key role and regulated both NK cell and macrophage activation; and iii) required IL-18 for only an initial short time window. B. anthracis toxins subverted both NK cell essential functions. ET and LT disrupted IFN-γ production through different mechanisms. LT acted both on macrophages and NK cells, whereas ET mainly affected macrophages and did not alter NK cell capacity of IFN-γ secretion. In contrast, ET and LT inhibited the natural cytotoxicity function of NK cells, both in vitro and in vivo. The subverting action of ET thus led to dissociation in NK cell function and blocked natural cytotoxicity without affecting IFN-γ secretion. The high efficiency of this process stresses the impact that this toxin may exert in anthrax pathogenesis, and highlights a potential usefulness for controlling excessive cytotoxic responses in immunopathological diseases. Our findings therefore exemplify the delicate balance between bacterial stimulation and evasion strategies. This highlights the potential implication of the crosstalk between host innate defences and B. anthracis in initial anthrax control mechanisms

Performance Characteristics of the TRUGENE HIV-1 Genotyping Kit and the Opengene DNA Sequencing System

The TRUGENE HIV-1 Genotyping Kit and OpenGene DNA Sequencing System are designed to sequence the protease (PR)- and reverse transcriptase (RT)-coding regions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) pol. Studies were undertaken to determine the accuracy of this assay system in detecting resistance-associated mutations and to determine the effects of RNA extraction methods, anticoagulants, specimen handling, and potentially interfering substances. Samples were plasma obtained from HIV-infected subjects or seronegative plasma to which viruses derived from wild-type and mutant infectious molecular clones (IMC) of HIV-1 were added. Extraction methods tested included standard and UltraSensitive AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR, QIAGEN viral RNA extraction mini kit, and QIAGEN Ultra HIV extraction kit, and NASBA manual HIV-1 quantitative NucliSens. Sequence data from test sites were compared to a “gold standard” reference sequence to determine the percent agreement. Comparisons between test and reference sequences at the nucleotide level showed 97.5 to 100% agreement. Similar results were obtained regardless of extraction method, regardless of use of EDTA or acid citrate dextrose as anticoagulant, and despite the presence of triglycerides, bilirubin, hemoglobin, antiretroviral drugs, HIV-2, hepatitis C virus (HCV), HBV, cytomegalovirus, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), or HTLV-2. Samples with HIV-1 RNA titers of ≥1,000 copies/ml gave consistent results. The TRUGENE HIV-1 Genotyping Kit and OpenGene DNA Sequencing System consistently generate highly accurate sequence data when tested with IMC-derived HIV and patient samples

Case Notes

Administrative Law - Justiciable Controversy - Rights to Injunctive Relief from Communistic Listing by Attorney General (Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee v. McGrath, U .S. 1951) Insurance - Exclusionary Clause - Construction of Term Possession (McDowell Motor Co. v. N. Y. Underwriters Ins. Co., N.C. 1951) Municipal Corporations - Liability for Negligence - Injury to Prisoner on Street Project (City of Atlanta v. Hurley, Ga. 1951) Partnerships - Joint Adventures - Intent Necessary to Constitute Joint Adventure (Lilly v. Munsey, W .Va. 1951) Practice and Procedure - Declaratory Judgments - Supreme Court Jurisdiction in Cases Not Involving Title to Land or Equitable Relief (Bond v. Ray, Ga. 1951 ) Torts - Legislative Immunity - Investigating Committees (Tenney v. Brandhove, U.S. 1951) Trade Regulation - Price Fixing - Non-Signer Provision in State Fair Trade Act (Schwegmann Brothers v. Calvert Distillers Corp., U.S. 1951) Wills - Adoption - Revocation of Previously Made Will By Adoption of Child (Thornton v. Anderson, Ga. 1951) Wills - Construction - Income Tax Liability on Bequests (In re Nevil\u27s Estate, Pa. 1951) Wills - Disposition of Property by Life Tenant Under Power of Appointment (Blanks v. Jiggetts, Va. 1951

Asymmetric responses of primary productivity to precipitation extremes: A synthesis of grassland precipitation manipulation experiments

Climatic changes are altering Earth's hydrological cycle, resulting in altered precipitation amounts, increased interannual variability of precipitation, and more frequent extreme precipitation events. These trends will likely continue into the future, having substantial impacts on net primary productivity (NPP) and associated ecosystem services such as food production and carbon sequestration. Frequently, experimental manipulations of precipitation have linked altered precipitation regimes to changes in NPP. Yet, findings have been diverse and substantial uncertainty still surrounds generalities describing patterns of ecosystem sensitivity to altered precipitation. Additionally, we do not know whether previously observed correlations between NPP and precipitation remain accurate when precipitation changes become extreme. We synthesized results from 83 case studies of experimental precipitation manipulations in grasslands worldwide. We used meta-analytical techniques to search for generalities and asymmetries of aboveground NPP (ANPP) and belowground NPP (BNPP) responses to both the direction and magnitude of precipitation change. Sensitivity (i.e., productivity response standardized by the amount of precipitation change) of BNPP was similar under precipitation additions and reductions, but ANPP was more sensitive to precipitation additions than reductions; this was especially evident in drier ecosystems. Additionally, overall relationships between the magnitude of productivity responses and the magnitude of precipitation change were saturating in form. The saturating form of this relationship was likely driven by ANPP responses to very extreme precipitation increases, although there were limited studies imposing extreme precipitation change, and there was considerable variation among experiments. This highlights the importance of incorporating gradients of manipulations, ranging from extreme drought to extreme precipitation increases into future climate change experiments. Additionally, policy and land management decisions related to global change scenarios should consider how ANPP and BNPP responses may differ, and that ecosystem responses to extreme events might not be predicted from relationships found under moderate environmental changes.Fil: Wilcox, Kevin R.. University of Oklahoma; Estados UnidosFil: Shi, Zheng. University of Oklahoma; Estados UnidosFil: Gherardi, Laureano. Arizona State University; Estados UnidosFil: Lemoine, Nathan P.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: Koerner, Sally E.. University of South Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Hoover, David L.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; ArgentinaFil: Bork, Edward. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Byrne, Kerry M.. Humboldt State University; Estados UnidosFil: Cahill Jr., James. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Collins, Scott L.. University of New Mexico; Estados UnidosFil: Evans, Sarah. Michigan State University; Estados UnidosFil: Gilgen, Anna K.. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich; SuizaFil: Holub, Petr. Czech Academy of Sciences; República ChecaFil: Jiang, Lifen. University of Oklahoma; Estados UnidosFil: Knapp, Alan K.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: LeCain, Daniel. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; ArgentinaFil: Liang, Junyi. University of Oklahoma; Estados UnidosFil: García Palacios, Pablo. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos; EspañaFil: Peñuelas, Josep. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Centre de Recerca Ecológica I Aplicacions Forestals; España. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Pockman, William T.. University of New Mexico; Estados UnidosFil: Smith, Melinda D.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: Sun, Shanghua. Northwest A & F University; ChinaFil: White, Shannon R.. Government of Alberta; CanadáFil: Yahdjian, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. ; ArgentinaFil: Zhu, Kai. Rice University; Estados Unidos. University of Texas; Estados UnidosFil: Luo, Yiqi. University of Oklahoma; Estados Unido