BV as a dual space.

Let C be a field of subsets of a set I. It is well known that the space FA of all the finitely additive games of bounded variation on C is the norm dual of the space of all simple functions on C. In this paper we prove that the space BV of all the games of bounded variation on C is the norm dual of the space of all simple games on C. This result is equivalent to the compactness of the unit ball in BV with respect to the vague topology.Set functions; duality; compactness; coalitional games

Development of improved-durability plasma sprayed ceramic coatings for gas turbine engines

As part of a NASA program to reduce fuel consumption of current commercial aircraft engines, methods were investigated for improving the durability of plasma sprayed ceramic coatings for use on vane platforms in the JT9D turbofan engine. Increased durability concepts under evaluation include use of improved strain tolerant microstructures and control of the substrate temperature during coating application. Initial burner rig tests conducted at temperatures of 1010 C (1850 F) indicate that improvements in cyclic life greater than 20:1 over previous ceramic coating systems were achieved. Three plasma sprayed coating systems applied to first stage vane platforms in the high pressure turbine were subjected to a 100-cycle JT9D engine endurance test with only minor damage occurring to the coatings

Gay Affirmative Practice: Clinical Social Workers’ Perspectives

This study assessed clinical social workers’ beliefs and behaviors about working with gay and lesbian clients using the Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (GAPS) (Crisp, 2006). The survey, completed by 18 clinical social workers in Minnesota, consisted of the GAP Scale, demographic questions, and an open-ended question. The scores from this survey were slightly higher than those from previous studies (a higher score representing more affirmative practice with gay and lesbian clients). Respondents who had specific training related to working with gay and lesbian clients had lower GAPS scores than those who had no specific training. This study reinforced previous research which suggested that social workers are practicing affirmatively with gay and lesbian clients. Although respondents had high GAP scale scores, the answers to the open-ended questions suggested that the respondents are not considering sexuality as a component in the assessment of clients

Gay Affirmative Practice: Clinical Social Workers’ Perspectives

This study assessed clinical social workers’ beliefs and behaviors about working with gay and lesbian clients using the Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (GAPS) (Crisp, 2006). The survey, completed by 18 clinical social workers in Minnesota, consisted of the GAP Scale, demographic questions, and an open-ended question. The scores from this survey were slightly higher than those from previous studies (a higher score representing more affirmative practice with gay and lesbian clients). Respondents who had specific training related to working with gay and lesbian clients had lower GAPS scores than those who had no specific training. This study reinforced previous research which suggested that social workers are practicing affirmatively with gay and lesbian clients. Although respondents had high GAP scale scores, the answers to the open-ended questions suggested that the respondents are not considering sexuality as a component in the assessment of clients

The Novel Therapeutic Effect of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-γ Inhibitor AS605240 in Autoimmune Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains a major health problem worldwide, with a steadily rising incidence yet no cure. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase-γ (PI3Kγ), a member of a family of lipid kinases expressed primarily in leukocytes, has been the subject of substantial research for its role in inflammatory diseases. However, the role of PI3Kγ inhibition in suppressing autoimmune T1D remains to be explored. We tested the role of the PI3Kγ inhibitor AS605240 in preventing and reversing diabetes in NOD mice and assessed the mechanisms by which this inhibition abrogates T1D. Our data indicate that the PI3Kγ pathway is highly activated in T1D. In NOD mice, we found upregulated expression of phosphorylated Akt (PAkt) in splenocytes. Notably, T regulatory cells (Tregs) showed significantly lower expression of PAkt compared with effector T cells. Inhibition of the PI3Kγ pathway by AS605240 efficiently suppressed effector T cells and induced Treg expansion through the cAMP response element-binding pathway. AS605240 effectively prevented and reversed autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice and suppressed T-cell activation and the production of inflammatory cytokines by autoreactive T cells in vitro and in vivo. These studies demonstrate the key role of the PI3Kγ pathway in determining the balance of Tregs and autoreactive cells regulating autoimmune diabetes

Microhabitats in trees : veteranisation in urban and near-urban environments

Det finns i dagsläget en brist på gamla träd som är rika på mikrohabitat vilka inhyser många rödlistade arter. Utöver detta finns även ett stort åldersglapp mellan dagens unga och gamla träd vilket innebär att det kommer saknas ersättare för de viktiga mikrohabitaten när de gamla träden dör. Detta innebär att många arter kommer sakna förutsättningar för att leva. Det finns dessutom ett globalt mål som säger att den biologiska mångfalden inte får minska. För att uppnå detta mål behövs åtgärder som kan tillföra de mikrohabitat som det är brist på. En av dessa åtgärder kan vara veteranisering. Veteranisering innebär att artificiellt skapa mikrohabitat som finns i gamla träd genom att skada träden, detta med avsikt att fylla tidigare nämnda åldersglapp. I denna uppsats undersöks vilka utmaningar och möjligheter det skulle innebära att introducera veteranisering i stadsmiljö och stadsnära miljöer. Detta utfördes genom intervjuer. Informanterna består av forskare inom veteranisering, personer som utför veteranisering samt verksamma inom naturskötsel. Alla Informanterna såg både utmaningar och möjligheter med veteranisering nära städer och inne i städer. Möjligheterna ses som otaliga och berörde främst de fördelar det innebär för biodiversiteten. Många av utmaningarna gäller säkerhet men de största riskerna ansågs vara pedagogiska. Att allmänheten inte förstår varför träd skadas kan skapa oro och missförstånd. Därutöver var kunskapsbristen inom ämnet något som återkom gång på gång. Inom forskningen saknas framför allt uppföljning av veteranisering, vilket innebär att det saknas en kunskapsbas. Detta uppenbaras när det kommer till utförare och andra inom branschen då veteranisering ofta utförs felaktigt och av fel anledningar. Detta kan begränsas med både mer forskning och kunskapsspridning. Vi och merparten av informanterna anser att veteranisering kan användas i stadsmiljö och stadsnära miljöer men att det inte är där det fyller störst funktion. Det skulle behöva användas mer i skogsbruket där det finns möjlighet att restaurera skogar och åter fylla dem med mikrohabitat och biodiversitet. I arbetet konstateras att det finns kunskapsbrist inom ämnet då veteranisering är relativt nytt. Med detta arbete vill vi därför öppna upp ögonen för veteranisering framför allt för fler studenter som sedan kan sprida sina kunskaper vidare till bland annat vänner och yrkesverksamma. Vi vill även inspirera till vidare arbeten inom ämnet veteranisering.There is currently a lack of old-growth trees that are rich in microhabitats which house many red-listed species. In addition, there is a significant age gap between today's young and old trees, which means there will be a need for replacements for the important microhabitats when the old trees die. This means that many species will lack the conditions to live. There is also a global goal that states that biodiversity must not decrease. To achieve this goal, measures are needed to supply the microhabitats that are lacking. One of these measures may be veteranisation. Veteranisation means artificially creating microhabitats found in old trees by damaging the trees to fill the previously mentioned gaps. This essay examines what challenges and opportunities it would entail introducing veteranisation in urban and near-urban environments. This was carried out by conducting interviews. The informants consisted of researchers in veteranisation, people who carry out veteranisation and those active in nature conservation. The informants saw challenges and opportunities with veteranisation near cities and within cities. The possibilities are seen as countless and mainly concerned with the benefits it entails for biodiversity. Many challenges concern safety, but the most significant risks were considered pedagogic. The fact that the public does not understand why trees are damaged can cause concerns and misunderstandings. In addition, the lack of knowledge in the subject was something that came up again and again. Within research, there is a lack of follow-up on veteranisation, which means there is a lack of a knowledge base. This is evident when it comes to contractors and others in the industry as veteranisation is often done incorrectly and for the wrong reasons. This can be reduced through more research and disseminating knowledge. Most of the informants and we believe that veteranisation can be used in urban and near-urban environments, but that is not where it fulfills the most significant function. It would need to be used more in forestry where there is an opportunity to restore and refill forests again with microhabitats and biodiversity. The work states that there is a lack of knowledge within the subject as veteranisation is relatively new. With this work, we therefore want to open the eyes of veteranisation to more students who can then spread their knowledge to friends and professionals, among others. We also want to inspire further work on the subject of veteranisation

Synthesis of new n-ethyl dehydroamino acid derivatives : n-ethyl β,β-dibromo, n-ethyl β-bromo β-substituted, n-ethyl β,β-disubstituted n-protected dehydroamino acid methyl esters

Recently we reported the use of a sequence of alkylation and dehydration methodologies to obtain from the methyl esters of N-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)-β-hydroxyamino acids, new non-proteinogenic amino acids, namely, N-ethyl-α,β-dehydroamino acids. Thus, it was possible to obtain for the first time, non-natural amino acids which incorporate both the N-ethyl and α,β-dehydro moieties. Herein, we report the application of this N-alkylation procedure to several methyl esters of β,β-dibromo and β-bromo, β-substituted dehydroamino acids protected with standard amine protecting groups such as tert-butyloxycarbonyl, benzyloxycarbonyl and 4-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl as well as acyl and sulfonyl groups. The procedure allows the synthesis of the methyl esters of N-protected, N-ethyl, β,β-dibromo and N-ethyl, β-bromo, β-substituted dehydroamino acids in fair to high yields. Some of these N-ethylated dehydroamino acid derivatives were used as substrates in cross coupling reactions to give N-ethyl, β,β-disubstituted dehydroalanine derivatives.The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) are thanked for financial support to the Chemistry Centre of University of Minho. The Bruker Avance II+ 400 NMR spectrometer is part of the National NMR Network and was purchased in the framework of the National Program for Scientific Re-equipment, REDE/1517/RMN/2005, with funds from POCI 2010, FEDER and FCT

The integration of light and plastid signals

Proper chloroplast biogenesis and function are essential for agriculture and life on earth because photosynthesis drives plant growth, development, and reproduction. Photosynthesis-related gene expression was previously reported to be induced by light signaling and repressed by plastid signaling. Although light signaling and plastid signaling were previously thought to independently regulate the expression of these genes, data indicating that the regulation of photosynthesis-related gene expression by light and plastid signals depends on common promoter elements led me to hypothesize that light signaling and plastid signaling might be interactive processes and that these interactions might be significant. I first tested this hypothesis by screening a group of Arabidopsis mutants with defects in plastid signaling for light signaling phenotypes. Based on results from these experiments, I conclude that the blue light receptor cryptochrome1 (cry1) contributes to both the light and the plastid signaling that regulates the expression of genes encoding the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (Lhcb) of photosystem II. I provide evidence that plastid signaling broadly "rewires" light signaling and that in the case of the cry1 signaling that regulates Lhcb expression, this "rewiring" is largely caused by the conversion of long hypocotyl 5 (HY5) from a positive regulator to a negative regulator of Lhcb expression. HY5 is a bZIP-type transcription factor that acts downstream of cry1 and other photoreceptors. I found that cry1-dependent plastid signals are genetically distinct from GENOMES UNCOUPLED 1 (GUN1)-dependent plastid signals and that the interactions between light and plastid signals appear critical for proper chloroplast biogenesis. Addtionally, I found that plastid signals can broadly affect light-regulated development of Arabidopsis seedlings. Results from these developmental assays are consistent with cry1 and GUN1 helping integrate chloroplast function with light regulated development. Based on these findings, I hypothesized that the interactions between light and plastid signaling promote chloroplast biogenesis by optimizing the expression of chloroplast-related genes for particular light environments and that plastid signaling broadly regulates light signaling by affecting possibly numerous signaling factors that act downstream of photoreceptors. We tested these ideas with time-resolved- expression profiling. Results from the expression profiling are consistent with interactions between light and plastid signaling optimizing not only chloroplast biogenesis but also coordinating plant growth and development with chloroplast function. Results from the reverse genetic analyses of Arabidopsis mutants yielded mutant alleles that cause abnormal chloroplast biogenesis. These alleles have defects in eighteen genes that encode transcription factors, signaling factors, and proteins of no known function. These findings provide evidence that light and plastid signaling are interactive processes that not only promote chloroplast biogenesis and function but also affect diverse processes related to plant growth and development.Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2010Includes bibliographical references (pages 324-345