Possibilities of Glutamate-Mediated Synaptic Like Activity In Somatosensory Mechanoreceptors Such As Pacinian Corpuscles?

Pacinian Corpuscles (PCs) are somatosensory mechanoreceptors, composed of a central neurite, surrounded by layers of lamellae that make up the inner core, which are specialized glial cells, and fibroblast derived outer-core lamellae of the surrounding capsule. Several components specific to a chemical synapse (Vglut1, Vamp1, SNAP-23) were localized to both the neurite and the inner-core cells in feline mesenteric PCs using immunocytochemistry. However, it has long been postulated that the first synapse of the PC occurs at the dorsal column nuclei, or spinal cord, and that no classical synapse is present in the distal ending of the capsulated receptor. While the historical interpretation of the function of glia has been that they provide support to the nervous system, recent evidence has shown that there is signaling occurring between glia and nerve cells. Thus, we believe that this glutamate-mediated synapse-like activity may play a modulatory role in the mechanotransductive process. To obtain a secondary confirmation of this finding, RT-PCR testing is planned. Consensus sequences were developed based on the homologous mRNA for humans, rats, and mice and used to develop primers for PCR and RT-PCR on the feline PCs. Initial results confirm the functionality of the primers when using a DNA template. The primers are currently being optimized to determine ideal conditions that would increase the PCR yields before performing the RT-PCR. The functionality of the primers suggests that the reactivity of the antibodies used in the ICC is accurate and not cross-reactivity due to the use of a consensus sequence for primer development and not the feline genome

A survey of the leave-of-absence policies of the state of Virginia, it\u27s local school divisions, and other states

When a teacher accepts a position, he agrees to be with his puils each day that school is in session. Yet at times, it is justifiable that a teacher be absent from his regular teaching duties. Hence, it is important that a provision for teacher leaves-of-absence be included in the personnel policies of every school system. It is legitimate to ask whether the leaves-of-absence provisions provided by the State of Virginia and its counties and cities are adequate. This thesis is intended to compare the policies of the State and its counties and cities with the policies of the other forty-nine states. From this comparison, it will be indicated whether the State of Virginia is providing a comparable leave-of absence policy, or at least is making progress toward a satisfactory policy in this vital area

Integrated Thermal Energy Storage

Integrated Thermal Energy Storage (ITES) is a novel concept in improving cooling performance of air-conditioning systems at peak-load conditions. In contrast to conventional chilled-water or ice storage, it uses stored chilled water to subcool condenser refrigerant liquid instead of supplying cooling directly to a cooling load. For typical R-134a and R-410A systems, subcooling increases capacity by approximately .5 to .7%/°F (~.9 to 1.3 %/K) without increasing compressor input power. Even larger performance improvements are possible with transcritical carbon dioxide systems. The subcooler is preferably a high-effectiveness, counterflow heat exchanger with approximately equal temperature change on both the water and refrigerant sides. This configuration allows warm water to return to the tank at a temperature that approaches the entering refrigerant liquid temperature. For air-cooled systems the water temperature change can be 60 to 80°F (33 to 44 K) or even greater. The large temperature change greatly reduces the required tank size compared to conventional chilled-water storage, which is typically limited to a temperature change of about 10 to 20°F (5 to 11 K). The high temperatures of warm water in the tank combined with lower nighttime air temperatures reduce energy required to cool the tank and improve overall system efficiency in addition to providing a large reduction in peak electric demand. Laboratory demonstration with a nominal 30-ton (105 kW) air-cooled scroll chiller confirmed large performance improvements during subcooler operation. At an ambient temperature of 115°F (46°C), the measured cooling capacity increased almost 50% with a slight reduction in compressor input power

Facing Ethics in Criminal Justice Through a Christian Worldview

The purpose of this thesis is to express the need for young men and women in law enforcement to endure ethical dilemmas through a Christian worldview. Ethical dilemmas and moral struggles in the criminal justice field are described in detail throughout the thesis. In the decision-making process during an ethical dilemma, an officer with a Christian worldview should make better decisions with the added guidance from the Holy Spirit. This thesis delves into the different aspects of ethics including reasons why some police officers make immoral decisions. The ethical issues in criminal justice have been a problem in law enforcement for years and this study identifies the importance of maintaining the honor of the police badge

Why the Kaine vs. Pence Vice Presidential Debate Matters

Tim Kaine and Mike Pence both have been described as boring. Many Americans still don’t know who they are, and they share their parties’ tickets with two of the most controversial and unpopular presidential candidates in modern political history. So, it’s a safe bet that their first and only debate on Tuesday night will not draw the record-setting ratings of last week’s first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump – or even come close. With the possible exception of 2008, when Joe Biden and Sarah Palin were vice presidential candidates, running mates simply are not the focal point of presidential elections. Their effect on vote choice is minimal. Research in our recently published book, “The VP Advantage: How Running Mates Influence Home State Voting in Presidential Elections,” shows that running mates generally do not influence voting in their home state, let alone at the national level. Even in the short term, Gallup polling data suggest that vice presidential debates rarely change voters’ opinions. So, why take these candidates seriously

Should Community College Students Earn an Associate Degree Before Transferring to a Four-Year Institution?

Community colleges are the postsecondary entry point for thousands of students each year in the United States. Over 80 percent of these students indicate a desire to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher (Horn & Skomsvold, 2011). However, according to studies by the National Student Clearinghouse, only about 15 percent of all students who start at two-year public colleges earn a bachelor’s degree within six years (Shapiro et al., 2012). Although the expected pathway for community college students seeking a bachelor’s degree includes earning an associate degree, little is known about the impact of earning an associate degree on bachelor’s degree completion. This paper thus seeks to answer the following question: Are community college students who earn an associate degree before transferring to a four-year college more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree? Using data on students in one state who entered community college and then transferred, we find large, positive apparent impacts of earning the transfer-oriented (e.g., Associate in Arts) associate degree on the probability of earning a bachelor’s degree within four, five, and six years. However, we do not find any apparent impact associated with earning one of the workforce-oriented (e.g., Associate in Applied Science) degrees that are awarded by programs typically designed for direct labor market entry. This is an important distinction, as all associate degrees are not equal in their potential impacts on future baccalaureate completion

Will the Vice Presidential Candidates Matter this Year? Maybe, But Not the Way You Think

Veepstakes speculation is rampant as we approach the national conventions for both major political parties. Media reports have detailed the wide array of options available to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as they decide who will be their number twos for this campaign, and perhaps for four or eight years to come. Who will Trump and Clinton pick? That depends on each candidate’s goals – both for the remainder of the presidential campaign and after Nov. 8. Political observers widely agree that the most important characteristic to look for in a running mate is the ability to serve as president in the event of unforeseen circumstances, like a president’s death, incapacitation, resignation or impeachment. However, when campaign staff and trusted political advisers vet potential running mates, they are certain to also weigh political considerations. That is, whether a given running mate will help or hurt the presidential ticket, with voters in general or with a key voting group. Particularly if the campaign is at a competitive disadvantage, its strategists may look to the running mate as a potential “game changer.” The electoral advantage most commonly associated with vice presidential candidates is geographic. In other words, they are expected to deliver their home state or region in the Electoral College. But do they actually deliver? Usually not. In our book, “The VP Advantage: How Running Mates Influence Home State Voting in Presidential Elections,” we employed a multi-method approach to empirically test the purported home state advantage. We used both state-level election returns since 1884 and individual-level survey data since 1952 in our analysis. Ultimately, we found no evidence of a general vice presidential home state advantage, on average. Based upon the data, it is unlikely that Hillary Clinton’s or Donald Trump’s running mate will deliver a crucial battleground state, like Ohio or Virginia. Instead, the presidential candidates would be wise to select a respected running mate who can effectively serve as vice president

The Vice Presidential Home State Advantage Reconsidered: Analyzing the Interactive Effect of Home State Population and Political Experience, 1884-2008

Previous research has found that presidential tickets perform particularly well in a vice presidential candidate\u27s home state when that state is relatively low in population. In this article, we argue that selecting a vice presidential candidate from a small state is not sufficient to produce a large vice presidential home state advantage; rather, state population should matter only insofar as the vice presidential candidate has extensive experience within that state\u27s political system. Analysis of presidential election returns from 1884 through 2008 demonstrates the statistically significant interactive effect of home state population and political experience on the size of the vice presidential home state advantage. The models presented in the article perform much better than models that do not account for this interactive effect