Expression of proliferation-dependent antigens during cellular ageing of normal and progeroid human fibroblasts

Normal human fibroblasts display a limited lifespan in culture, which is due to a steadily decreasing fraction of cells that are able to proliferate. Using antibodies that react with antigens present in proliferating cells only, in an indirect immunofluorescence assay, we have estimated the fraction of proliferating cells in cultures of normal human fibroblasts. Furthermore, we have estimated the rate of decline in the fraction of proliferating cells during the process of cellular ageing by application of the assay to normal human fibroblasts throughout their lifespan in culture. Werner’s Syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease in which individuals display symptoms of ageing prematurely. Werner’s Syndrome fibroblasts display a reduced lifespan in culture compared with normal human fibroblasts. Like normal human fibroblasts, the growth of Werner’s Syndrome fibroblasts is characterised by a decreasing fraction of cells reacting with the proliferationassociated antibodies throughout their lifespan in culture. However, the rate of loss of proliferating cells in Werner’s Syndrome fibroblasts during the process of cellular ageing is accelerated 5- to 6-fold compared with the rate determined for normal human fibroblasts

Evolution of physical therapy at the Medical College of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University

The Physical Therapy Department at Virginia Commonwealth University was founded in 1931 as part of the College of William and Mary’s Richmond division, becoming Virginia’s first program in the field of physical therapy. Through archived files, yearbooks and interviews with faculty and alumni, this book describes important events of the department’s first 80 years and highlights the faculty members and alumni who influenced the local and national development of the profession.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/vcu_books/1006/thumbnail.jp

The Effects Of Self-Directed Teams In An Automotive Manufacturing Environment

ABSTRACT THE EFFECTS OF SELF DIRECTED TEAMS IN AN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT by DAVID W. SHALL December 2010 Advisor: James L. Moseley, EdD, LPC, CHES, CPT Major: Instructional Technology Degree: Doctor of Philosophy This study compares self-directed work structures to more traditional supervised work structures in order to determine if the expenditures and efforts required to implement self-directed work teams are warranted. Multiple internal performance metrics are examined in comparing plant work structures in various degrees of implementation between traditional work structures and self-directed work teams. The researcher collected data from multiple organizations within Ford Motor Company and four participating North American Ford production plants. Two Ford assembly plants and two Ford engine manufacturing plants were researched. Performance data from the 2004 production year were examined in each facility. Both assembly plants built the same Ford F-150 pick-up truck and both engine manufacturing plants produced the same V-6 engine in 2004. Data were collected to answer several questions including: 1) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect injury frequency; 2) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect injury severity; 3) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect unexcused absenteeism; 4) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect productivity; 5) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect cost performance; 6) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect external quality and customer satisfaction; 7) Does the presence of effectively rated self-directed work teams affect internal engine manufacturing quality; 8) Are Safety LTR, Safety SV, AWOL, Productivity, and Cost statistically significant predictors of customer satisfaction and, 9) Are Safety LTR, Safety SV, AWOL, Productivity, and Cost statistically significant predictors of work team effectiveness. By comparing the performance metrics and customer satisfaction data between like plants with separate and different work structures, the researcher isolated the impact that work structures have on safety, cost, productivity, quality and employee morale. The hypothesis in this research suggests that significant performance differences exist between effectively rated self-directed work teams and more traditionally supervised work groups in automotive assembly and engine manufacturing plants. Furthermore the hypothesis suggests that dependent performance variables predict customer satisfaction and work team efficiency. Several statistical procedures were used to answer the nine research questions which ranged from basic to theoretically experimental procedures. First, causal comparisons were drawn between plants with effectively rated self-directed work teams and plants with more traditionally supervised work structures to explore the relationship that the dependent performance metrics have with the independent work structures. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to simultaneously test correlation between two independent predictor variables and several dependent variables. Second, a Hybrid Structural Equation Model (SEM) was utilized to further test and predict relationships between dependent and independent variables, but also within the dependent performance metrics. The technique allowed confirmatory and exploratory modeling to reveal the magnitude of performance variable interrelationships and predict their potential impact on customer satisfaction and work group efficiency. Statistical techniques increasingly dissected data with the goal of answering each research question with error-free statistical results. Many inferences can be made from the analysis of descriptive statistics in this research, most of which indicate favorable performance results in plants with effective self-directed work teams over plants with more traditional work forces. The basic assumptions are challenged statistically with multivariate test of covariance, univariate tests, pair-wise comparisons, test of moderation, Z-tests and a hybrid structural equation model. Pair-wise comparisons reveal five significant results in truck assembly plants. Effectively rated self-directed teams in Norfolk significantly outperformed their more traditionally supervised rivals in Kansas City in lost time case rate, severity rate and controllable employee absence. Furthermore, all of the effects are positive in nature and justify the effort required to implement self directed teams. Oppositely, in engine manufacturing plants, the more traditional workforce in Cleveland outperformed effectively rated self directed teams in Lima in terms of cost and customer satisfaction. Both findings were statistically significant and demonstrate adverse effects since improvements in work team effectiveness resulted in higher costs and lower customer satisfaction. Tests of moderation and subsequent Z tests for truck assembly plants support four significant findings. In Kansas City work team effectiveness had explanatory power for lost time case rate and severity rate although the predictive nature of work team effectiveness on lost time case rate and severity rate are adverse since both rates increased. Z tests reveal significant differences in the regression lines for employee absenteeism and customer satisfaction. Results for absenteeism show mixed predictions where the traditional workforce in Kansas City experience favorable reductions in absence while self-directed work teams in Norfolk experience increased absence as work team effectiveness improved. The Z test for customer satisfaction reveal promise for self-directed work teams in both truck assembly plants since quality defects decrease as work team effectiveness improves. Tests of moderation and subsequent Z tests for engine manufacturing plants support four significant findings. In Cleveland work team effectiveness demonstrates explanatory power for severity rate, cost and engine manufacturing quality. Work team effectiveness demonstrates positive predictive power over severity rate and engine manufacturing quality since injury severity and quality defects decrease as work team effectiveness improves. Conversely, cost predictably increases as work team effectiveness improves. Z tests revealed significant differences in the regression lines for employee absenteeism and engine manufacturing quality. Absenteeism results display mixed predictions where the traditional workforce in Cleveland anticipate an unfavorable increase in absence while self-directed work teams in Lima anticipate absence reductions as work team effectiveness improves. The Z test for engine manufacturing quality flaunted positive predictions for self-directed work teams in both engine manufacturing plants. As work team efficiency improves, engine quality defects are minimized. The two final research questions asked if the dependent performance variables in the study were statistically significant predictors of customer satisfaction and work team effectiveness. Beta Coefficients from the Hybrid Structural Equation Model estimated that three variables influenced performance including safety lost time case rate, safety severity rate and productivity. The multivariable interaction of these dependent variables resulted in a statistical prediction that positive internal performance affects customer satisfaction but not work team effectiveness ratings. This work adds relevant research findings to the body of literature in human performance improvement and instructional technology. Individuals contemplating an intervention involving teams or a work structure change are well served using this dissertation as a resource. To the extent possible the research follows Ford Motor Company\u27s path along the human performance technology (HPT) model (Van Tiem, Moseley, Dessinger, 2004) that is endorsed by the International Society for Performance Improvement

A Monte Carlo study of methanol clusters (CH3OH)N, N=5-256

The thermodynamic and structural properties of methanol clusters (CH3OH) N , N=5–15, 20, 30, 60, 128, 256 and the bulk liquid have been investigated using Monte Carlo simulation. Calculated properties as a function of size include electrostatic and dispersive contributions to the configurational energy, configurational heat capacities,fractal dimension, density profiles, order parameters characterizing dipole and bond vector orientation, and the Lindemann index. The clusterheat capacities as a function of N possess an interior maximum near N=128 and converge to the bulk value from above. Monocyclic, semiplanar structures are found to persist at liquidlike temperatures up to about N=12, followed by bi‐ and polycyclic structures for N=13–20, with the larger clusters gradually becoming more spherical. The average density of the larger clusters is fairly well represented by the bulk value. For clusters with 30 or more molecules, there is a net tendency for the molecular dipoles to lie flat on the cluster surface. The observed trends in heat capacities, density profiles, and dipole alignments parallel to the cluster surface are likely to be general features of clusters of polar molecules

Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Ce-Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient CO Oxidation and Low-Temperature CO2 Capture

In this article, we report the lowest-temperature CO oxidation catalyst supported on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). We have developed a facile, general, and effective approach based on microwave irradiation for the incorporation of Pd nanoparticle catalyst within Ce-MOF. The resulting Pd/Ce-MOF material is a unique catalyst that is capable of CO oxidation at modest temperatures and also of efficient uptake of the product CO2 gas at low temperatures. The observed catalytic activity of this material toward CO oxidation is significantly higher than those of other reported metal nanoparticles supported on MOFs. The high activity of the Pd/Ce-MOF catalyst is due to the presence of Ce(III) and Ce(IV) ions within the metal–organic framework support. The Pd nanoparticles supported on the Ce-MOF store oxygen in the form of a thin palladium oxide layer at the particle–support interface, in addition to the oxygen stored on the Ce(III)/Ce(IV) centers. Oxygen from these reservoirs can be released during CO oxidation at 373 K. At lower temperatures (273 K), the Pd/Ce-MOF has a significant CO2 uptake of 3.5 mmol/g

Vapor phase nucleation on neutral and charged nanoparticles: Condensation of supersaturated trifluoroethanol on Mg nanoparticles

A new technique is described to study the condensation of supersaturated vapors on nanoparticles under well-defined conditions of vapor supersaturation, temperature, and carrier gas pressure. The method is applied to the condensation of supersaturated trifluoroethanol (TFE) vapor on Mg nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can be activated to act as condensation nuclei at supersaturations significantly lower than those required for homogeneous nucleation. The number of activated nanoparticles increases with increasing the vapor supersaturation. The small difference observed in the number of droplets formed on positively and negatively charged nanoparticles is attributed to the difference in the mobilities of these nanoparticles. Therefore, no significant charge preference is observed for the condensation of TFE vapor on the Mg nanoparticles

Direct observation of metal nanoparticles as heterogeneous nuclei for the condensation of supersaturated organic vapors: Nucleation of size-selected aluminum nanoparticles in acetonitrile and n-hexane vapors

This work reports the direct observation and separation of size-selected aluminum nanoparticlesacting as heterogeneous nuclei for the condensation of supersaturated vapors of both polar and nonpolar molecules. In the experiment, we study the condensation of supersaturated acetonitrile and n-hexane vapors on charged and neutral Al nanoparticles by activation of the metalnanoparticles to act as heterogeneous nuclei for the condensation of the organic vapor.Aluminum seed nanoparticles with diameters of 1 and 2 nm are capable of acting as heterogeneous nuclei for the condensation of supersaturated acetonitrile and hexane vapors. The comparison between the Kelvin and Fletcher diameters indicates that for theheterogeneous nucleation of both acetonitrile and hexane vapors, particles are activated at significantly smaller sizes than predicted by the Kelvin equation. The activation of the Alnanoparticles occurs at nearly 40% and 65% of the onset of homogeneous nucleation of acetonitrile and hexane supersaturated vapors, respectively. The lower activation of the chargedAl nanoparticles in acetonitrile vapor is due to the charge-dipole interaction which results in rapid condensation of the highly polar acetonitrile molecules on the charged Al nanoparticles.The charge-dipole interaction decreases with increasing the size of the Al nanoparticles and therefore at low supersaturations, most of the heterogeneous nucleation events are occurring on neutral nanoparticles. No sign effect has been observed for the condensation of the organic vapors on the positively and negatively charged Al nanoparticles. The present approach of generating metal nanoparticles by pulsed laser vaporization within a supersaturated organic vapor allows for efficient separation between nucleation and growth of the metal nanoparticlesand, consequently controls the average particle size, particle density, and particle size distribution within the liquid droplets of the condensing vapor. Strong correlation is found between the seed nanoparticle\u27s size and the degree of the supersaturation of the condensing vapor. This result and the agreement among the calculated Kelvin diameters and the size of the nucleating Al nanoparticles determined by transmission electron microscopy provide strong proof for the development of a new approach for the separation and characterization of heterogeneous nuclei formed in organic vapors. These processes can take place in the atmosphere by a combination of several organic species including polar compounds which could be very efficient in activating charged nanoparticles and cluster ions of atmospheric relevance