The Effect of Continuity on Team Performance in the NFL

The purpose of this study is to determine if player and coaching continuity is significant in predicting team performance in the NFL. First, the relationship will be explored between team performance and team continuity, as a whole. Then, the players and coaching staff will be stratified into different positional categories, and the relationship between the continuity within each of those categories and team performance will be examined. The different player position groups will be broken down into quarterbacks, running backs, receiving corps, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, and the secondary. The coaching staff will be categorized as head coaches, offensive coordinators, defensive coordinators, and special teams coordinators. This research can help NFL franchises make more informed decisions relating to the hiring and firing of coaches, as well as the acquisition and departure of player personnel

Studien zur religiösen Malerei Jean Jouvenets

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit den religiösen Gemälden des französischen Barockmalers Jean Jouvenet. Der gebürtige Normanne übte seine Tätigkeit in Paris während der kulturellen Blütezeit Ludwigs XIV aus und gilt als einer der bedeutendsten Maler religiöser Themen seiner Zeit. Es war dies jene Periode, in der sich ein akademisches System unter der Leitung Charles Le Bruns zu manifestieren begann und künstlerisch – stilistische Normen für einen staatlichen Kunstbetrieb geprägt wurden. Die Wertschätzung der italienischen Malerei wird gleichermaßen in den königlichen Sammlungen und den akademischen Lehrmethoden offenbar. Insbesondere die Bologneser Schule, galt als erstrebenswertes, wenn nicht zu übertreffendes Ideal. Institutionen wie die Académie de France à Rome waren nur eine Methode, die italienischen Vorbilder zu adaptieren, um mit Hilfe dieser Grundlagen einen einheitlichen französischen Stil zu begründen. Jouvenets Gemälde sind von unterschiedlichen Merkmalen europäischer Schulen durchdrungen, weshalb es sich diese Studie zur Aufgabe gemacht hat, sein religiöses Werk einer genauen Stilanalyse auf italienische, flämische und französische Einflüsse zu unterziehen und die Eigenheiten dieses Künstlers hinsichtlich seiner Bild- und Handlungsgestaltung herauszuarbeiten

Date palm spider mite monitoring system

The spider mite (Oligonychus afrasiaticus McGregor) is an important injurious Pest of date palm. This research was carried out to decision making system in integrated pest of date palm in Abadan, Khoramshhar, Shadegan, Ahwaz, Mahshar and Behbehan regions of Khuzestan province by climatic and geoststistical models from 2008 to 2012. Samples were taken randomly from 10 trees located in one date palm orchards of any villages then the percent injury of date palm pest evaluated. Results showed that the spider mite damages reached to the peak values in July. Forecasting model of damage factors including have been significant at level 1 percent. Variography of distribution on different sites were studied based on Spherical, Exponential, Linear, Linear to sill and Gaussian models and their Kringing maps were driven. The model nuggets for spider mite for Abadan & Khoramshhar, Shadegan, Ahwaz, Mahshar and Behbehan regions were 11.6, 21.2, 11.8, 11.4 and 12.4 kilometers respectively. These results show that errors of the pest damage estimation were low at the distances less than within sampling space. Effective ranges of variograms were 12.4, 12.7, 8.2, 6.5 and 7.2 respectively which indicated the population distribution in region. Sills of models were 0.91, 0.74, 0.67, 0.75 and 0.96 respectively that at the distances more than these thresholds, correlations between the data of damages are at the lowest level and could be monitored. Combining both intelligent model based on meteorological and dispersion index pests on geostatistic has provided possible practical operation of the system of decision making in the form of a computer program

Development of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Introduce Drug-Receptor Concepts

Course-based research experiences (CUREs) are currently of high interest due to their potential for engaging undergraduate students in authentic research and maintaining their interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. As part of a campuswide initiative called STEMCats, which is a living learning program offered to freshman STEM majors at the University of Kentucky funded by a grant from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, we have developed a CURE for freshmen interested in pursuing health care careers. Our course, entitled “Drug–Drug Interactions in Breast Cancer,” utilized a semester-long, in-class authentic research project and instructor-led discussions to engage students in a full spectrum of research activities, ranging from developing hypotheses and experimental design to generating original data, collaboratively interpreting results and presenting a poster at a campus-wide symposium. Student’s feedback indicated a positive impact on scientific understanding and skills, enhanced teamwork and communication skills, as well as high student engagement, motivation, and STEM belonging. STEM belonging is defined as the extent to which a student may view the STEM fields as places where they belong. The results obtained from this pilot study, while preliminary, will be useful for guiding design revisions and generating appropriate objective evaluations of future pharmacological-based CUREs

HTLV-1 in rural Guinea-Bissau: prevalence, incidence and a continued association with HIV between 1990 and 2007

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HTLV-1 is endemic in Guinea-Bissau, and the highest prevalence in the adult population (5.2%) was observed in a rural area, Caió, in 1990. HIV-1 and HIV-2 are both prevalent in this area as well. Cross-sectional associations have been reported for HTLV-1 with HIV infection, but the trends in prevalence of HTLV-1 and HIV associations are largely unknown, especially in Sub Saharan Africa. In the current study, data from three cross-sectional community surveys performed in 1990, 1997 and 2007, were used to assess changes in HTLV-1 prevalence, incidence and its associations with HIV-1 and HIV-2 and potential risk factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HTLV-1 prevalence was 5.2% in 1990, 5.9% in 1997 and 4.6% in 2007. Prevalence was higher among women than men in all 3 surveys and increased with age. The Odds Ratio (OR) of being infected with HTLV-1 was significantly higher for HIV positive subjects in all surveys after adjustment for potential confounding factors. The risk of HTLV-1 infection was higher in subjects with an HTLV-1 positive mother versus an uninfected mother (OR 4.6, CI 2.6-8.0). The HTLV-1 incidence was stable between 1990-1997 (Incidence Rate (IR) 1.8/1,000 pyo) and 1997-2007 (IR 1.6/1,000 pyo) (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) 0.9, CI 0.4-1.7). The incidence of HTLV-1 among HIV-positive individuals was higher compared to HIV negative individuals (IRR 2.5, CI 1.0-6.2), while the HIV incidence did not differ by HTLV-1 status (IRR 1.2, CI 0.5-2.7).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To our knowledge, this is the largest community based study that has reported on HTLV-1 prevalence and associations with HIV. HTLV-1 is endemic in this rural community in West Africa with a stable incidence and a high prevalence. The prevalence increases with age and is higher in women than men. HTLV-1 infection is associated with HIV infection, and longitudinal data indicate HIV infection may be a risk factor for acquiring HTLV-1, but not vice versa. Mother to child transmission is likely to contribute to the epidemic.</p

Knocking down gene function with an RNA aptamer expressed as part of an intron

We developed a powerful expression system to produce aptamers and other types of functional RNA in yeast to examine their effects. Utilizing the intron homing process, the aptamer-coding sequences were integrated into hundreds of rRNA genes, and the aptamers were transcribed at high levels by RNA polymerase I without any additional promoter being introduced into the cell. We used this system to express an aptamer against the heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), a conserved transcription factor responsible for mobilizing specific genomic expression programs in response to stressful conditions such as elevated temperature. We observed a temperature sensitive growth retardation phenotype and specific decrease of heat shock gene expression. As HSF1 enables and promotes malignant growth and metastasis in mammals, and this aptamer binds yeast HSF1 and its mammalian ortholog with equal affinity, the results presented here attest to the potential of this aptamer as a specific and effective inhibitor of HSF1 activity

Cellular heat shock factor 1 positively regulates human immunodeficiency virus-1 gene expression and replication by two distinct pathways

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection leads to changes in cellular gene expression, which in turn tend to modulate viral gene expression and replication. Cellular heat shock proteins (HSPs) are induced upon heat shock, UV irradiation and microbial or viral infections. We have reported earlier Nef-dependent induction of HSP40 leading to increased HIV-1 gene expression; however, the mechanism of induction remained to be elucidated. As expression of HSPs is regulated by heat shock factors (HSFs), we have now studied the role of HSF1 not only in Nef-dependent HSP40 induction but also in HIV-1 gene expression. Our results show that HSF1 is also induced during HIV-1 infection and it positively regulates HIV-1 gene expression by two distinct pathways. First, along with Nef it activates HSP40 promoter which in turn leads to increased HIV-1 gene expression. Second, HSF1 directly interacts with newly identified HSF1 binding sequence on HIV-1 LTR promoter and induces viral gene expression and replication. Thus, the present work not only identifies a molecular basis for HSF1-mediated enhancement of viral replication but also provides another example of how HIV-1 uses host cell machinery for its successful replication in the host