A measure of attributes and benefits of the co-leadership model: is co-leadership the right fit for a complex world?

The purpose of this research is to verify key attributes, benefits, and deficiencies of the co-leadership model. Does co-leadership encourage more thoughtful decisions, provide checks and balances, and better support in a complex environment? Explanatory sequential mixed method research was employed to determine qualitative and quantitative measurable impacts. A sample group of 14 co-leaders, formally and informally paired, from the profit and not-for-profit sector were surveyed. The survey consisted primarily of Likert-type Scale queries to test assumed attributes and benefits and open-ended questions used to identify unanticipated attributes, benefits, and deficiencies. In depth interviews were conducted with three individuals who have served under the co-leadership model to determine key factors that lead to successful implementation. Results were verified using inter-rater reliability and shared with participants in hopes that more organizations will recognize and endorse co-leadership as a legitimate model that better supports sustained leadership in an increasingly complex world

Response of soybeans to acid soils and to aluminum and manganese on nutrient solution

Three greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to study the effects of soil pH, A1 and Mn on the growth of Forrest and Lee 68 varieties of soybeans (Glycine max L.). The effect of A1 and Mn in soils and in nutrient solution on nutrient concentrations in soybeans was also studied. The first study consisted of altering the pH values of three Tennessee soils (Huntington-Bewleyville silt loam, Jefferson loam, Leadvale loam) with additions of HCl or 3/4 Ca(OH)2*1/4 MgO. Different amounts of acid or lime were added to change the pH of each soil to that of the other two soils. Levels of exchangeable A1 and various extractable fractions of Mn in the soil were measured and correlated with the con-centrations of Al, Mn, K, Ca, Mg, P, Mo and Bin the leaves of the soybeans. In the second study soybeans were grown in one-fifth strength Hoagland\u27s Number Two nutrient solution in perlite. The nutrient solu-tions received added levels of 0.0, 4.0 and 8.0 ppm Al as Al2(SO4)3 *18 H2O and 0.5, 2.5 and 5.0 ppm Mn as MnCl2. Concentrations of Al, Mn, K, Ca, Mg and P in the leaves were measured and correlated with the added levels of Al and Mn. The third study was conducted as the second but with 4.0, 12.0 and 20.0 ppm Al and 0.5, 1.5 and 3.0 ppm Mn in nutrient solution. Exchangeable Al and Mn in the soil decreased with increasing pH in each soil. The H2O soluble and exchangeable fractions of soil Mn gave the highest correlation coefficients with the Mn concentration in the plant. At higher pH values soybean growth was greater on the Jefferson and Huntington-Bewleyville soils. At lower pH values these soils contained high levels of exchangeable Mn, which resulted in Mn toxicity. The effect of A1 in the soils was apparently masked by an acid-induced increase in P solubility in the soil. Manganese toxicity symptoms were associated with pH values of less than 4.7 and Mn leaf concentrations of greater than approximately 300 ppm. The concentrations of K, Ca and Mo in the plants grown on soils were variable. The Mg concentration in the plant generally increased with increasing pH while the B concen-tration tended to decrease with increasing pH. Perlite was a poor growth medium for the study of A1 in nutrient solutions due to an apparent ability to sorb and/or release A1 in solu-tions. A decrease in top weights of soybeans was the best indication of A1 toxicity in the nutrient solution studies. Percent Ca, Mg and P in the plant decreased as the A1 added to nutrient solution increased. Potassium concentrations varied directly with the A1 levels in the first study while they were variable in the second study. Forrest variety was more susceptible to Mn toxicity than Lee 68 variety. Manganese toxicity symptoms were associated with a Mn leaf concentration of greater than 125 ppm. Increasing Mn in nutrient solu-tion tended to decrease the percent Ca in the plant while percent K and Mg were unaffected. The effect of Mn on the percent P in the plant differed between varieties

La danza guna, como fortalecimiento de la identidad cultural del pueblo Guna

El proyecto se propone investigar: LA DANZA GUNA, COMO FORTALECIMIENTO DE LA IDENTIDAD CULTURAL DEL PUEBLO GUNA. Además, quiere dejar como patrimonio la función que tiene la danza dentro de la cultura guna. En defensa de este patrimonio, el proyecto de trabajo de investigación será una herramienta trascendental para la maestría en danza, en especial para la danza panameña y será una contribución de la Facultad de Bellas Artes, de la Universidad de Panamá. Sabemos que las culturas originadas representan toda la cosmovisión de una cultura milenaria y la danza siempre ha representado ser un símbolo de identidad y de defensa. Este proyecto será una experiencia de recopilación de datos que obtendremos de los ancianos y de las ancianas de las distintas poblaciones habitadas en la Comarca y en la misma ciudad de Panamá, donde habitan algunos grupos gunas danzantes. Será todo un reto personal y, por supuesto, para la danza occidental será muy útil, valioso y enriquecedor. La danza guna no solo tiene una función social, también ha sido y es un arma trascendental en la defensa de la cultura guna. Igualmente se debe evitar la percepción que se tiene de que la danza es efímera. Con este proyecto pretendemos brindar a las nuevas generaciones gimas y no gunas otro enfoque sobre las danzas tradicionales, y de esta forma mantendremos el respeto y valoraremos el significado que tiene la danza en la cultura guna

Yankee Doodle

[Verse 1]A Yankee Boy is trim and tall,And never over fat sir,At dance, or frolic, hop and ball, As nimble as a rat sir. [Refrain]Yankee doodle guard your coat,Yankee doodle dandyFear not then nor threat not boastYankee doodle dandy. [Verse 2]He\u27s always out on training day,Commencement or election;At truck and trade he knows the way,Of thriving to perfection. [Refrain] [Verse 3]His door is always open found,His cider of the best, sir,His board with pumpkin pye is crown\u27d,And welcome every guest, sir. [Refrain] [Verse 4]Though rough and little is his farm,That little is how own, sir,His hand is strong, his hear is warm,\u27Tis truth and honor\u27s throne, sir. [Refrain] [Verse 5]His country is his pride and boast,He\u27ll ever prove true blue, sir,When call\u27d upon to give his toast,\u27Tis Yankee doodle, doo, sir. [Refrain

A Robust Age Model for the Cryogenian Pocatello Formation of Southeastern Idaho (Northwestern USA) from Tandem in situ and Isotope Dilution U-Pb Dating of Volcanic Tuffs and Epiclastic Detrital Zircons

Tandem in situ and isotope dilution U-Pb analysis of zircons from pyroclastic volcanic rocks and both glacial and non-glacial sedimentary strata of the Pocatello Formation (Idaho, northwestern USA) provides new age constraints on Cryogenian glaciation in the North American Cordillera. Two dacitic tuffs sampled within glacigenic strata of the lower diamictite interval of the Scout Mountain Member yield high-precision chemical abrasion isotope dilution U-Pb zircon eruption and depositional ages of 696.43 ± 0.21 and 695.17 ± 0.20 Ma. When supplemented by a new high-precision detrital zircon maximum depositional age of ≤ 670 Ma for shoreface and offshore sandstones unconformably overlying the lower diamictite, these data are consistent with correlation of the lower diamictite to the early Cryogenian (ca. 717–660 Ma) Sturtian glaciation. These 670–675 Ma zircons persist in beds above the upper diamictite and cap dolostone units, up to and including a purported “reworked fallout tuff,” which we instead conclude provides only a maximum depositional age of ≤ 673 Ma from epiclastic volcanic detritus. Rare detrital zircons as young as 658 Ma provide a maximum depositional age for the upper diamictite and overlying cap dolostone units. This new geochronological framework supports litho- and chemostratigraphic correlations of the lower and upper diamictite intervals of the Scout Mountain Member of the Pocatello Formation with the Sturtian (716–660 Ma) and Marinoan (≤ 650–635 Ma) low-latitude glaciations, respectively. The Pocatello Formation thus contains a more complete record of Cryogenian glaciations than previously postulated

T Cell Development and T Cell Responses in Mice with Mutations Affecting Tyrosines 292 or 315 of the Zap-70 Protein Tyrosine Kinase

After stimulation of the T cell receptor (TCR), the tyrosine residues 292 and 315 in interdomain B of the protein tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 become phosphorylated and plausibly function as docking sites for Cbl and Vav1, respectively. The two latter proteins have been suggested to serve as substrates for ZAP-70 and to fine-tune its function. To address the role of these residues in T cell development and in the function of primary T cells, we have generated mice that express ZAP-70 molecules with Tyr to Phe substitution at position 292 (Y292F) or 315 (Y315F). When analyzed in a sensitized TCR transgenic background, the ZAP-70 Y315F mutation reduced the rate of positive selection and delayed the occurrence of negative selection. Furthermore, this mutation unexpectedly affected the constitutive levels of the CD3-ζ p21 phosphoisoform. Conversely, the ZAP-70 Y292F mutation upregulated proximal events in TCR signaling and allowed more T cells to produce interleukin 2 and interferon γ in response to a given dose of antigen. The observation that ZAP-70 Y292F T cells have a slower rate of ligand-induced TCR downmodulation suggests that Y292 is likely involved in regulating the duration activated TCR reside at the cell surface. Furthermore, we showed that Y292 and Y315 are dispensable for the TCR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl and Vav1, respectively. Therefore, other molecules present in the TCR signaling cassette act as additional adaptors for Cbl and Vav1. The present in vivo analyses extend previous data based on transformed T cell lines and suggest that residue Y292 plays a role in attenuation of TCR signaling, whereas residue Y315 enhances ZAP-70 function

CROMOBLASTOMICOSE: Apresentação clínica, evolução terapêutica e associação com achados histopatológicos no Maranhão / CHROMOBLASTOMYCOSIS: Clinical presentation, therapeutic Evolution

Introdução: A Cromoblastomicose é uma doença crônica e de evolução lenta que acomete o tecido celular cutâneo e subcutâneo, tendo como principal agente etiológico, Fonsecaea pedrosoi. Podendo apresentar aspecto polimórfico, de evolução lenta, atingindo principalmente os membros inferiores de trabalhadores rurais. Objetivo: Analisar os achados histopatológicos correlacionando com tipo lesional, gravidade e terapias realizadas em pacientes portadores de agentes da CBM. Metodologia: É um estudo descritivo, analítico, longitudinal dos casos confirmados, com amostra de conveniência, realizado no Centro de Referência Infecciosa e Parasitária da Universidade Federal do Maranhão entre fevereiro/2017 a agosto/2018. Os testes de pesquisa direta, a cultura do fungo e microcultivo foram utilizados para confirmar o diagnóstico e o histopatológico para realizar as correlações e análises deste estudo. O tratamento foi realizado com itraconazol, para os pacientes com doença leve (200mg/dia), e em doença moderada e grave, itraconazol (400mg/dia). Em pacientes com lesões infiltrativas, associou-se imiquimode, tópico, 3 vezes por semana e nos pacientes com baixa resposta terapêutica e os que puderam comparecer no ambulatório a cada 15 dias, associou-se nitrogênio líquido. Resultados: A investigação clínica e epidemiológica dos 52 casos apresentou variação de idade entre 50 a 60 anos (n=21;40%); predominância: do sexo masculino (n=48; 92%), de trabalhadores rurais, de gravidade moderada (n=25;48%), de lesão em placa (n=38;73,08%), de granulomas supurativos (n=20;38,46%) e oriundos em sua maioria da Baixada Maranhense. Nas associações de achados histopatológicos e lesões, houve maiores percentuais para polimorfonuclear, linfócitos e hiperplasia pseudoepiteliomatosa, apontando para uma tentativa de eliminação do fungo (p<0,0001). Na correlação entre os achados histopatológicos e o tratamento, a proliferação vascular apresentou em menor quantidade nos locais das lesões, podendo prejudicar assim a concentração do antifúngico utilizado no tratamento. A carga fúngica apresentou redução nos tratamentos com itraconazol e itraconazol associado com nitrogênio líquido. Discussão: O itraconazol é um medicamento utilizado nas terapias de CBM que pode alcançar curas e melhoras dos quadros clínicos da maioria dos pacientes, principalmente nos que apresentam gravidade leve a moderada, após longos períodos de tratamento. Já em pacientes com lesões graves nota-se uma resposta diferenciada, isto talvez, ocasionada pela diminuição das concentrações teciduais de itraconazol. Os fatores que podem estar envolvidos nestas reduções das concentrações teciduais são as fibroses teciduais, edemas e coinfecções bacterianas, muito encontradas nos tecidos subcutâneos. É nesse momento que outras estratégias terapêuticas podem ser utilizadas como as associações com o nitrogênio líquido local ou o imiquimode. Conclusão: A cromoblastomicose tem comportamento endêmico no estado do Maranhão. O itraconazol em monoterapia apresentou os melhores resultados em termos de cura e redução de intensidade da carga fúngica do que em associação com nitrogênio líquido. O nitrogênio líquido apesar de apresentar reduções na intensidade da carga fúngica, tem que ser avaliado seu custo benefício. E a associação de itraconazol com imiquimode não apresentaram boa evolução, sendo evidenciada com aumento da intensidade da carga fúngica