Long-term cultures of murine fetal liver retain very early B lymphoid phenotype.

Long-term cultures of murine fetal liver have been successfully established using a modification of our in vitro bone marrow culture system (14, 15). Fetal liver cells from midgestation BALB/c embryos were plated onto BAB-14 bone marrow stromal cell-adherent layers. After a 3-5 wk period, cell growth began to increase and these cells were expanded in number on fresh feeder layers. The cultured fetal liver cells were lymphoid in morphology, 5-20% cytoplasmic Ig-positive, but less than 1% surface Ig-positive. Southern blot analysis of the cultured fetal liver cells, as well as cultured bone marrow-derived B cells, demonstrated a population with germline Ig heavy chain loci, possibly representing very early B cell precursors. Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV) clonal transformants of such cultured fetal liver cells had a phenotypic distribution similar to that seen with fresh fetal liver transformants but distinct from those obtained with the transformation of either cultured or fresh bone marrow. All A-MuLV transformants isolated had rearrangements at the mu heavy chain locus of both chromosomes, irrespective of Ig production. In addition, most mu heavy chain producers had at least one rearranged kappa gene locus. These long-term fetal liver cultures provide large numbers of cells for studying events early in the B lymphocyte lineage. The cultured fetal liver cells retained phenotypic traits similar to fresh fetal liver B cells and distinctive from bone marrow cells cultured under similar conditions

The public rhetoric of privatization : the value system of the water and wastewater industry

Politicians involved in the water and wastewater industry invoke core American values in their rhetoric to persuade their audience to support or decry privatization. By weaving these values into their rhetoric, politicians provide moral and social justification for their audiences to support them, whether in election or privatization. This thesis places these rhetoricians in their historical context It analyzes the legacy of environmentalism, from the 17th and l8th century religious preachers to the 19th and 20th century Greenspeak writers to the 21st century leaders of America\u27s largest cities. It provides a detailed discussion of the American value system as defined by 1960s rhetorical analysts, grouping these values into common iconic clusters. These clusters are then closely evaluated, first on their theoretical basis in environmental literature, and then in their practical application in the privatization arena. Finally, it reaches conclusions about the American value system in privatization and proposes directions for future research

Anthropocentrism, the other face of patriarchy: an investigation into patriarchal attitudes and perceptions of non-human nature

Attitudes about gender and ethnicity are a critical dimension for understanding how human behaviors impact the climate. Plumwood (1997) argued that conceptually humans relate to the environment is ideologically connected to the way dominant and oppressed groups interact. Past research has found that exposure to nature decreased negative body image and other mental health issues that are connected to oppressive ideologies (Gidlow et al., 2016; Goldenberg & Soule, 2015; Holloway et al., 2014). The current study explicitly tested the link between patriarchal attitudes and connectedness to nature among a student group. It was found that higher levels of patriarchal attitudes predicted lower levels of connection to nature. Additionally, environmental and financial factors were found to have a moderating affect. Although this study found support for the relationship between patriarchal attitudes and connection to nature, more work needs to be done in diverse populations in order to control for systematic differences that may also be important. This study was able to account for a portion of variance in attitudes but it is clear that many other variables need to be examined

Now we are six: lessons from New Zealand’s KiwiSaver

New Zealand’s KiwiSaver was introduced on 1 July 2007. New Zealand’s success with the ‘soft compulsion’ of automatic enrolment has been and is continuing to be an influence in the design of opt-out schemes in the UK and Ireland. While there have been numerous changes to KiwiSaver as outlined in this paper, six years on, the retirement saving scheme appears well accepted by the public and membership has exceeded most expectations. New Zealand’s experience suggests that auto-enrolment and large incentives to entice people to remain opted-in may ensure initial take-up is high. It also suggests the incentives may be reduced significantly ex post with little impact on membership. Core tax-funded KiwiSaver subsidies have been both substantially reduced and not indexed while membership has continued to grow strongly. Whether this auto-enrolment scheme, featuring generous provisions for withdrawals and contributions holidays, is sufficient to ensure that those who should be saving for their retirement are saving, and saving enough, is open to debate. If KiwiSaver is made compulsory, as some powerful lobbies propose, there are large complexities to resolve, including the future role of the universal state pension, New Zealand Superannuation. Lessons from KiwiSaver on what to avoid in the design of a national retirement saving scheme may include: opening it to children; offering housing subsidies; allowing too many providers and privileging some of these as ‘default providers’; ignoring the issue of decumulation; and obscure objectives. Advantages over previous work-based retirement saving schemes include the portability of KiwiSaver accounts facilitated by the IRD’s role as a clearing house. New Zealand has also limited regressivity in the design of its very modest tax incentives, but at a cost: many save just the minimum required to maximise the subsidies. The Working Paper surveys the first six years of KiwiSaver’s evolution to July 2013. In that time, the fundamental questions around its purpose and design have not been resolved. Is its purpose to enhance access to suitable wealth accumulation vehicles for those who have missed out on traditional work-based schemes? Or is it to reduce the pressures on the economy of an ageing population; or to solve the national saving problem? Will KiwiSavers in fact have more to spend during their retirement, or will they simply reduce other savings to compensate? In the long term, what are the implications for New Zealand’s overall pensions framework, and in particular the very successful universal state pension? As 2014 is an election year, political parties are positioning themselves on KiwiSaver policy. In the meantime there is strong international interest in New Zealand’s retirement saving scheme, with its unique features such as auto-enrolment. The Retirement Policy and Research Centre is pleased to publish KiwiSaver: Now we are six. It updates earlier working papers, including Working Paper 2010 KiwiSaver: lessons for Ireland. TheviewsinthisWorkingPaper’scommentaryarethoseoftheauthors

Customer selection within competitive consumable commodity markets : an investigation of the video cassette, DVD, high definition video markets

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27-28).Proper product design plays in important role in the success within a marketplace. In order for a product to succeed within a competitive consumable commodity market, the product must focus on specific attributes. This paper examines three historical case studies - the video cassette, the DVD, and the high definition markets. Through these three examples, trends amongst product features, consumer knowledge, brand, and the quality of technology were explored. To further examine what influences consumers' decision within a consumable commodity market a survey was designed to evaluate consumer choice. The survey consisted of a fictitious product that shares many of the same traits as a consumable commodity device. Correlation amongst the data was examined to help discern what might drive such markets. While numerous factors were observed within this study, the most significant results were observed regarding consumer knowledge and technology's role. Consumers tended to pick the products which they felt were most useful. Such a choice often did not correspond to the technologically superior product. As such, within a competitive consumable commodity market, it is important to design a product to focus on features that the consumers believe to be the most valuable.by Alexander F. St. Claire.S.B

Motivation and negative discretionary effort among casino slot floor-persons

This study conducted an analysis of the working environment of casino slot floor-persons in four Las Vegas casinos. The floor-persons were asked to rank a selection of ten variables that may be important to their motivation and satisfaction at work. Their immediate supervisors were also surveyed to see whether they could correctly predict the job attributes the floor-persons considered most important. A review of general motivational theories, and operational specifics for the position of slot floor-person are presented; The results of the survey were compared with the results of similar studies on casino table games dealers, hospitality employees, and general industry employees. Slot floor-persons were shown to have the same motivational and satisfaction needs as table games dealers, but different ones from hospitality and general industry workers. Suggestions are presented on how the working environment for casino slot floor-persons may be improved

The synthesis of aminophosphonic acid derivatives & related compounds

1-Aminoalkanephosphonic acids and their derivatives, have long been claimed to be compounds with a wide variety of application. Numerous examples exist where they have been described as: complex-forming agents with sequestrating properties, extractants, wetting agents, pharmaceutical preparations, ion exchangers, herbicides, compounds with plant growth regulatory activity; inhibitors of aminopeptidases; as structural units in peptide analogues, functioning as antibacterial agents, which inhibit bacterial cell wall biosynthesis; as structural units in peptidic phosphonylating agents that irreversibly inhibit a wide variety of serine proteases; as structural units in butyloxycarbonyl protected phosphonate esters that complex with alpha-lytic proteases; and as structural units in peptidyl phosphonate diphenyl 9 10 esters which powerfully inhibit the enzyme thrombin.

Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology utilization program Quarterly progress report, 1 Jul. - 30 Sep. 1968

Southwest Research Institute activites in NASA technology utilization program for biomedical use, 1 Jul. - 30 Sep. 196

Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology utilization program Cumulative quarterly report, 1 Apr. - 30 Jun. 1968

Biomedical applications of NASA science and technolog

La raison d’être de l’engagement professionnel chez des enseignantes du primaire selon une perspective existentielle

Cet article fait état des résultats d’une recherche sur le processus de développement et de maintien de l’engagement professionnel chez des enseignantes du primaire. La recherche s’est appuyée sur le postulat que toute personne a besoin de donner un sens à sa vie et que ce sens peut se trouver par l’engagement dans un travail signifiant, en l’occurrence l’enseignement. L’analyse des données recueillies lors des entretiens réalisés auprès de douze enseignantes a rendu possible l’établissement d’une théorie ancrée. Ce texte portera sur les motivations existentielles des enseignantes qui ont participé à cette recherche à s’engager dans la profession, soit la construction du soi, le dévouement à l’autre et la contribution sociale.This article presents results of a research on primary teachers’ process of development and maintenance of their professional commitment. This research is based on the theory that each person needs to give meaning to his life, that meaning can be found through a commitment to significant work, in this case, teaching. An analysis of data collected in interviews with twelve teachers allowed the authors to establish a foundation for their theory. This text describes the participant teachers’ existential motivations regarding commitment to the teaching profession, including the construction of one’s self-image, the devotion to others, and the social contribution.Este artículo presenta algunos resultados de una investigación sobre el proceso de desarrollo y de sostenimiento del compromiso profesional de maestros de la primaria. La investigación se fundamentó en el postulado que toda persona necesita dar sentido a su vida y que este sentido puede encontrarse en el compromiso en un trabajo significante, en este caso, la docencia. El análisis de los datos recolectados durante las conversaciones realizadas con doce maestros ha hecho posible el planteamiento de una teoría precisa. Este texto se refiere a las motivaciones existenciales para involucrarse en la profesión de las maestras que participaron a esta investigación, es decir en la construcción del sí, la dedicación al otro y la contribución social