Soluble metals of residual oil fly ash alter pulmonary host defense in rats

Incidences of high levels of air pollution have been correlated with increased morbidity and mortality in susceptible populations. Inhalation of the combustion-derived pollutant, residual oil fly ash (ROFA), has been shown to impair lung defense mechanisms in laboratory animals and susceptible populations. The hypothesis of these studies was that the soluble metals in ROFA would increase susceptibility to pulmonary infection in rats, and that the primary metal responsible for the increase is soluble Ni. To investigate the hypothesis, three specific aims were established: (1) determine if soluble metals in ROFA cause a decrease in bacterial clearance from the lungs of rats, (2) determine the potential mechanisms by which the soluble metals suppress the innate and adaptive pulmonary immune response to infection, and (3) establish what metal or metal combination would account for the alterations in pulmonary host defense.;To investigate this, an in vivo infectivity model was employed where adult rats were intratracheally instilled with ROFA (R-Total), soluble (R-Soluble) or insoluble ROFA (R-Insoluble), or the major individual soluble metals or metal combinations in ROFA on day 0. Control groups included the vehicle control (phosphate-buffered saline) and the soluble ROFA sample after metals had been extracted from the solution by chelation (R-Chelex). On day 3, rats were intratracheally inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes as the model pathogen. Pulmonary clearance, morbidity, cellular profiles and phenotypes, lung injury parameters, and cytokine and oxidant production were monitored on day 3 prior to infection, and for 1 week after infection (days 6, 8, and 10).;The first study revealed that the primary metal constituents of ROFA were iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), aluminum (Al), and zinc (Zn). The soluble fraction of ROFA contained Fe, Ni, Al, and Zn, but very little V. R-Soluble was found to significantly decrease bacterial clearance from the lungs of rats to a similar degree as R-Total, whereas R-Insoluble did not alter clearance of bacteria when compared to control. In addition, removal of the metals from R-Soluble abolished the increase in susceptibility to infection. In study 2, the R-Soluble sample was shown to induce a lung injury and inflammation prior to and post-infection which was comparable to, if not more severe than, R-Total. Post-infection, R-Soluble was found to increase neutrophil, macrophage, and lymphocyte influx into the lungs, and to increase NO and IL-6 production, indicating an exacerbated acute phase response and excess inflammation in this group. In addition, macrophage function appeared to be inhibited, as indicated by the increased bacterial burdens at all time points in the R-Soluble group, and T cell activity was also suppressed, demonstrated as reduced interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-4. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Insights into understanding malaria parasite biology : characterization of the Plasmodium protein, MAL13P1.319

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on May 30, 2012).The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Dissertation advisor: Dr. Brenda BeerntsenVita.Ph. D. University of Missouri-Columbia 2011."December 2011"Malaria is responsible for approximately 250 million human infections and about a million deaths annually and is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium, with P. falciparum the most pathogenic form of human malaria. In an effort to discover molecules that aid in parasite invasion, P. falciparum MAL13P1.319 (PfMAL13P1.319) was identified by a search of the Plasmodium genome database and demonstrates significant similarity with orthologs in other Plasmodium spp. and no orthologs in humans. The PfMAL13P1.319 transcript was present during the erythrocytic stages, oocyst sporozoites, and salivary gland sporozoites and protein was detected only during the late erythrocytic stages. Additional mosquito parasite stages not previously observed or reported, such as zygotes, hemolymph sporozoites, and oocyst sporozoites, also were analyzed however displayed no detection of PfMAL13P1.319. The functional role of PfMAL13P1.319 has yet to be determined, although multiple failed attempts at disrupting the gene would suggest that the PfMAL131.319 protein may have an important function for intraerythrocytic parasites. A comparative study of the P. bergheiortholog of MAL13P1.319 (PbMAL13P1.319) discovered a 2.0-kb gene predicted to encode a surface or secreted antigen and has transcript expression during the erythrocytic stages. Overall, this dissertation describes the characteristics of MAL13P1.319 in parasite biology.Includes bibliographical reference

We Are Here Because We Belong Here - The Grassroots Student Movement for an Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Colorado at Boulder

In the spring of 1994, SCAEP (Student Coalition for the Advancement of Ethnic Plurality), along with UMAS (United Mexican American Students) y MEChA (Movimento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) worked together to form what they called “The Alliance.” This coalition of passionate and dedicated young people led the way to the creation of the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder (UCB). This thesis examines this grassroots student movement for racial justice and equity by using oral history interviews and archival research to explain how and why coalitions bridging differences were formed and maintained. It pays specific attention to how race, ethnicity, class, culture, gender and sexuality informed and impacted the student movement. This thesis finds that the student movement for Ethnic Studies at UCB was part of a long-lasting struggle for racial justice and equity that escalated when three Latino faculty confronted discrimination in their department. UMAS y MEChA mobilized to protect them and simultaneously, SCAEP organized to fight for an Ethnic Studies Department. The Alliance between UMAS y MECha and SCAEP organized rallies, marches, sit-ins, and a six-day hunger strike. I argue that the political moment of the early 1990s, institutionalized support structures on campus for students of color, mentorship of staff and faculty, and an ever-present legacy of radical student activism were key to the movement’s success. My study reveals both the challenges faced by social movements that attempt to create coalitions across racial and ethnic divides, and the power generated when those alliances are successfully built. By studying the case of CU Boulder, this thesis contributes to understandings of coalitional social movements, coalition building in the early 1990s, and the institutionalization of Ethnic Studies as a discipline

La actitud hacia el castellano en San Antonio, Texas (the attitude towards spanish in San Antonio, Texas)

The dominant language in the United States is English but there are different minority languages spoken such as Spanish. Today, Spanish can be found in every state and territory of the United States. In Texas, the city of San Antonio is in intense contact with Spanish, partly because of the long history between Texas and Mexico and the constant influx of Hispanic immigrants. This thesis studies the attitude toward Spanish in San Antonio, investigating the uses of Spanish and English and the social factors (age, generation, education, gender, etc.) that affect the use of Spanish. Through a questionnaire designed to determine attitude and given to 150 participants, the attitude in San Antonio is in conflict due to the intense contact between the two languages and the social pressure from the dominant language on the minority community. En los Estados Unidos la lengua más dominante es el inglés pero se encuentran diferentes idiomas minioritarios como el castellano. Hoy en día se encuentran hablantes de castellano en todos los estados y territorios de la Unión Americana. En Texas, la ciudad de San Antonio está en contacto intenso con el castellano debido a la larga historia del estado con México y la constante inmigración de hispanos. Esta tesis investiga la actitud hacia el castellano en San Antonio, estudiando los usos del castellano y el inglés y los factores sociales (la edad, la generación, la educación, el género, etc.) que afectan el uso del castellano. A través de un cuestionario diseñado para averiguar la actitud y dado a 150 participantes, la actitud en San Antonio está conflictiva debido al contacto intenso entre los dos idiomas y la presión de la sociedad dominante a la comunidad lingüísticamente minoritaria

ELASTIC FLEXURAL-TORSIONAL BUCKLING ANALYSIS USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD AND OBJECT-ORIENTED TECHNOLOGY WITH C/C++

Flexural-torsional buckling is an important limit state that must be considered in structural steel design. Flexural-torsional buckling occurs when a structural member experiences significant out-of-plane bending and twisting. This type of failure occurs suddenly in members with a much greater in-plane bending stiffness than torsional or lateral bending stiffness. Flexural-torsional buckling loads may be predicted using energy methods. This thesis considers the total potential energy equation for the flexural-torsional buckling of a beam-column element. The energy equation is formulated by summing the strain energy and the potential energy of the external loads. Setting the second variation of the total potential energy equation equal to zero provides the equilibrium position where the member transitions from a stable state to an unstable state. The finite element method is applied in conjunction with the energy method to analyze the flexural-torsional buckling problem. To apply the finite element method, the displacement functions are assumed to be cubic polynomials, and the shape functions are used to derive the element stiffness and element geometric stiffness matrices. The element stiffness and geometric stiffness matrices are assembled to obtain the global stiffness matrices of the structure. The final finite element equation obtained is in the form of an eigenvalue problem. The flexural-torsional buckling loads of the structure are determined by solving for the eigenvalue of the equation. The finite element method is compatible with software development so that computer technology may be utilized to aid in the analysis process. One of the most preferred types of software development is the object-oriented approach. Object-oriented technology is a technique of organizing the software around real world objects. An existing finite element software package which calculates the elastic flexural-torsional buckling loads of a plane frame was obtained from previous research. This program is refactored into an object-oriented design to improve the structure of the software and increase its flexibility. Several examples are presented to compare the results of the software package to existing solutions. These examples show that the program provides acceptable results when analyzing a beam-column or plane frame structure subjected to concentrated moments and concentrated, axial, and distributed loads

Water Integration for Squamscott Exeter (WISE): Preliminary Integrated Plan, Final Technical Report

This document introduces the goals, background and primary elements of an Integrated Plan for the Lower Exeter and Squamscott River in the Great Bay estuary in southern New Hampshire. This Plan will support management of point (wastewater treatment plant) and nonpoint sources in the communities of Exeter, Stratham and Newfields. The Plan also identifies and quantifies the advantages of the use of green infrastructure as a critical tool for nitrogen management and describes how collaboration between those communities could form the basis for an integrated plan. The Plan will help communities meet new wastewater and proposed stormwater permit requirements. Critical next steps are need before this Plan will fulfill the 2018 Nitrogen Control Plan requirements for Exeter and proposed draft MS4 requirements for both Stratham and Exeter. These next steps include conducting a financial capability assessment, development of an implementation schedule and development of a detailed implementation plan. The collaborative process used to develop this Plan was designed to provide decision makers at the local, state and federal levels with the knowledge they need to trust the Plan’s findings and recommendations, and to enable discussions between stakeholders to continue the collaborative process. This Plan includes the following information to guide local response to new federal permit requirements for treating and discharging stormwater and wastewater: Sources of annual pollutant load quantified by type and community; Assessment and evaluation of different treatment control strategies for each type of pollutant load; Assessment and evaluation of nutrient control strategies designed to reduce specific types of pollutants; Evaluation of a range of point source controls at the wastewater treatment facility based on regulatory requirements; Costs associated with a range of potential control strategies to achieve reduction of nitrogen and other pollutants of concern; and A preliminary implementation schedule with milestones for target load reductions using specific practices for specific land uses at points in time; Recommendations on how to implement a tracking and accounting program to document implementation; Design tools such as BMP performance curves for crediting the use of structural practices to support nitrogen accounting requirements; and Next Steps for how to complete this Plan

Communicating with Patients and Their Families About Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Comfort and Educational Needs of Nurses

Introduction: Effectively discussing palliative care with patients and families requires knowledge and skill. The purpose of this study was to determine perceived needs of inpatient nurses for communicating with patients and families about palliative and end-of-life (EoL) care. Method: A non-experimental design was used. In total, 60 inpatient nurses from one hospital in Idaho completed the End of Life Professional Caregiver Survey (EPCS), which examines three domains: patient and family-centered communication, cultural and ethical values, and effective care delivery. Results: The number of years’ experience nurses had (F(9,131.57)=2.22, p=0.0246; Wilk\u27s ^=0.709) and the unit they worked on (F(6,110)=2.49, p=0.0269; Wilk\u27s ^=0.775) had a significant effect on their comfort discussing EoL and palliative care with patients and their families. For all three domains, years of nursing experience was positively associated with comfort in communicating about EoL care. Oncology nurses were most comfortable with regard to patient and family-centered communication. Discussion: The success and sustainability of this service is dependent on education for health-care providers. Studies are needed to determine the most effective ways to meet this educational challenge

A Comparative Examination of Police Interrogation of Criminal Suspects in Australia, Canada, England and Wales, New Zealand, and the United States

The interrogation process is central to the investigation and resolution of criminal matters throughout the world. It is fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of comparative criminal procedure to study and appreciate the different approaches to the interrogation process in different nations. This Article developed through a series of conversations between six international criminal justice professionals— practicing attorneys, scholars, and judges—regarding the interrogation practices and rules in their respective countries. Providing a comparative look at this important area, this Article examines the applicable practices and procedures in the common law nations of Australia, Canada, England and Wales, New Zealand, and the United States

Perceived Stress Levels May Impact Upper Extremity Function Among Women Treated for Breast Cancer

Purpose/Hypothesis: Women treated for breast cancer report ongoing upper extremity disability with functional limitations; however, objective measures do not appear to explain the extent of perceived dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived stress level, fear of physical activity, self-reported upper extremity function, and objective measures of upper extremity function including range of motion (ROM), strength, and muscular endurance, among women treated for breast cancer. Number of Subjects: 25 Materials/Methods: Women diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in the past 12-60 months were evaluated using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Fear of Physical Activity/Exercise Scale - Breast Cancer (FPAX-B), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast Cancer (FACT-B). Bilateral arm flexion, external rotation, and internal rotation ROM and strength were measured with a digital inclinometer and a hand held dynamometer fixed to a stationary device. Bilateral arm muscle endurance was measured using the Upper Limb Lift Test. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables and relationships between the PSS, FPAX-B, FACT-B and the DASH and objective measures were analyzed with Pearson’s r. Results: The mean age of participants was 52 (range 31-68), with a mean BMI of 28.07 (SD= 6.6). The mean ROM of shoulder flexion was ≥147°, ER ≥85°, and IR ≥70°. The PSS, FPAX-B, and FACT-B were significantly correlated (p=0.000) with the DASH (r= -.739; r= -.717 and r= .779 respectively). No significant correlation was found between any of the self-reported measures and the objective ROM, strength, or muscular endurance measures. Conclusions: The experience of stress and fear of physical activity appear to result in lower levels of self-reported upper extremity function despite adequate motion, strength, and muscular endurance. Perceived stress and other cognitive constructs may explain the apparent difference between objective and perceived measures of function currently observed in this population. Further exploration into the cognitive and psychological effect of a breast cancer diagnosis and the associated impact on self-perceived function is warranted. Clinical Relevance: Investigating the impact of stress and fear of physical activity on self-perceived upper extremity function in women treated for breast cancer may help clinicians identify and address barriers to recovery for this population

Perceived Stress Levels May Impact Upper Extremity Function Among Women Treated for Breast Cancer. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine

Women treated for breast cancer report ongoing disability in their involved upper extremity, however, often objective measures do not appear to explain the level of perceived dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived stress level, fear of physical activity and self-reported upper extremity function among women treated for breast cancer