The Hottest Employee Benefit Of 2020: Employers Offer to Repay Employees’ Student Loan Debt

The Student Loans Crisis has spread like wildfire reaching a whopping $1.56 trillion worth of debt. What started off as the Federal government’s initiative to encourage Americans to invest in their future through obtaining secondary education, has turned into a systemic crisis that burns just as hot as global warming. Lobbyists are currently petitioning Congress to enact meaningful legislation to extinguish the flames of the growing student loan debt. Most notably, the private sector is proposing congressional reform to amend the tax code to enable employers to offer employees student loan repayment assistance tax-free. This article delves into this proposal while evaluating its level of difficulty, equity, and scope of impact within the larger context of what is currently available to student loan debtors. If Congress is forthcoming, employers may offer the most optimal and realistic solution for the millions of student loan borrowers and the nation’s economy. The explosive flames of the student loan crisis may finally be extinguished

The challenge of education in diverse environment : a review of literature on how we understand diversity in education?

The purpose of this paper is to answer the question how the concept of diversity can be understood in educational context. As it is argued, basing on the literature review, the diversity notion proves to be very contextual and impossible to close in the frames of only one definition. An educationally adequate understanding of diversity and its complexity by school leaders and all others involved in educational processes is a key element when we think of properly using the diversity potential in supporting developmental processes in schools. On one hand, it requires but, on the other hand, enables flexibility in the organization of those processes. This kind of flexibility and openness changes the educational perspective and highlights the new role of education, which is the promotion of the joy of learning and the connection of this process to the individual experiences of all. That is why understanding diversity seems to be one of the key elements important for educational leadership

Factors of Full-Scale Drinking Water Treatment that Contribute to Risk of Opportunistic Infectious Disease

Each year, 16,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria occur in the USA. Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections are primarily transmitted by water. This work helps to explain why mycobacteria are present in the finished water produced by drinking water treatment plants, and identifies treatment plant design and operational considerations to minimize the risk of waterborne mycobacterial infection. It was found that viable microbial cell concentrations decreased significantly in the first ozone contact chamber of multi-chamber ozone contactors in a full-scale drinking water treatment plant. However, cell concentrations rose in subsequent chambers across the contactors. This increase resulted from detachment from biofilms on contactor surfaces and from biomass in sediments within a hydraulic dead zone. The biofilms downstream of the dead zone contained a significantly higher relative abundance of mycobacteria than biofilms in earlier chambers. Viable mycobacteria populations were detected in ozone contactor effluents and in biologically-active carbon (BAC) filters downstream. These findings present an argument for improved hydraulic efficiency in multi-chamber contactors, e.g., through decreasing chamber width, and underscore the importance of filter maintenance practices that avoid reinforcing the presence of mycobacteria. During BAC filter backwashing with water containing monochloramine, monochloramine concentrations at the top of filter beds were measured to be similar to concentrations previously shown to be sub-lethal for the mycobacterial species Mycobacterium avium. M. avium dislodged during filter backwashing upregulated mammalian cell entry gene mce1C substantially. M. avium’s response to disinfectant exposure during backwashing raises the possibility of an adaptive response that increases its resistance to disinfection. Its upregulation of mammalian cell entry genes has implications for its role as an intracellular pathogen, and is consistent with laboratory scale findings that sub-lethal monochloramine exposure induces mycobacterial virulence factors. Where possible, utilities should limit the use of backwash water with disinfectant to reduce selecting for disinfectant-resistant bacteria. Mycobacteria can resist residual disinfectant in distribution systems and, therefore, distribution systems represent a transmission route of mycobacteria in treated waters to consumers. Despite higher concentrations of mycobacteria reported in water disinfected with chloramine compared to chlorine, the type of disinfectant used to provide a residual disinfectant during distribution of water was not a significant predictor of infection in a case control study of patients at the University of Michigan’s academic medical center Michigan Medicine. However, the use of drinking water primarily sourced from a surface water body compared to a groundwater source was found to be significantly associated with infection. This result suggests that monitoring mycobacteria in source waters used for drinking water production may be a proactive strategy that can be implemented by drinking water treatment plants. The results presented in this dissertation suggest that specific drinking water treatment plant design and operational considerations minimize risk of waterborne infectious disease. This work should assist water system managers to improve the microbial quality of drinking water to promote health for everyone, including individuals sensitive to opportunistic bacterial infections.PHDEnvironmental EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138669/1/kotlarz_1.pd

Cywilnoprawne konsekwencje wpływu postanowień umowy kredytowej na zdolność kredytową

The obligation to carry out a creditworthiness assessment set out in Article 70 § 1 of the Banking Law is usually considered a norm of public law significance which does not affect the private law sphere of a credit agreement. However, this view is based on an idealized assumption that loan agreements are neutral towards the borrower’s risk, which does not correspond to the conditions of the contemporary economy. Practical experience shows that creditworthiness, and consequently also creditworthiness assessment, may also  depend on the structure of an adhesive loan agreement. In such cases, the erroneous message about the existence of creditworthiness becomes a form of pre-contractual information, which implies not only the public law liability of the bank, but also judicial interference in the sphere of relations between the parties of the agreement. Change in the interpretation of Article 70 § 1 of the Banking Law, which allows its informative function and private law sanctions for violating its disposition, is justified by developments in European Law and has already been initiated in the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal.Obowiązek przeprowadzenia oceny zdolności kredytowej ustanowiony w art. 70 ust. 1 ustawy Prawo bankowe jest zwykle uważany za normę o znaczeniu publicznoprawnym, bez wpływu na sferę prywatnoprawną umowy kredytowej. Niemniej jednak pogląd ten jest oparty na wyidealizowanym założeniu o neutralności umów kredytowych wobec ryzyka kredytobiorcy, co nie odpowiada warunkom współczesnego obrotu. Praktyczne doświadczenia dowodzą bowiem, że zdolność kredytowa, a w konsekwencji również wynik jej oceny, mogą zależeć także od konstrukcji umowy kredytowej. W takich przypadkach błędny komunikat o zdolności kredytobiorcy do spłaty zobowiązania nabiera waloru informacji przedkontraktowej, co uzasadnia nie tylko publicznoprawną odpowiedzialność banku, ale i sądową ingerencję w sferę relacji pomiędzy stronami umowy. Zmiana wykładni art. 70 ust. 1 pr.bank., dopuszczająca informacyjną funkcję przepisu oraz prywatnoprawne sankcje za naruszenie jego dyspozycji, uzasadniona jest także zmianami w prawie europejskim i została już zapoczątkowana w orzecznictwie Sądu Najwyższego i Sądów Apelacyjnych

Improving planning and organizing educational processes on the external evaluation example in institutions of improving teachers in Poland

The aim of the research was provision of infirmation in planning and oranizing educational process in teacher traning centers in Poland. The study contain results from 36 institutions. The results of the research show that educational processes in teachers traning intytutions are planned based on procedures and have to involve more teachers to the process

Synthetic curved DNA sequences can act as transcriptional activators in Escherichia coli.

Can a transcriptional activator known to bend DNA be functionally replaced by a sequence-directed bend in Escherichia coli? To investigate this question, a partially truncated promoter was used, deleted of its -35 region and of its CRP binding site, leaving only two Pribnow boxes as functional elements. Synthetic and naturally occurring curved DNA sequences introduced upstream from these elements could restore transcription at either one of the two natural starts. Some of these hybrid promoters turned out to be more efficient than the CRP activated wild-type gal promoter in vivo. Control experiments performed with very similar sequences devoid of any curvature produced weak promoters only. Minimal changes in the location of the centre of curvature or perturbation in the amount of curvature strongly affected the level of expression. No significant stimulation of transcription could be detected in vitro. Furthermore, both gal P1 and P2 starts could be activated in vivo but also in vitro via a properly positioned CRP binding site. This partial analogy suggests that bending induced by the cAMP-CRP complex upon binding to its site may be biologically relevant to the mechanism of transcriptional activation

Human Hsp40 proteins, DNAJA1 and DNAJA2, as potential targets of the immune response triggered by bacterial DnaJ in rheumatoid arthritis

Hsp40 proteins of bacterial and human origin are suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been shown that sera of RA patients contain increased levels of antibodies directed to bacterial and human Hsp40s. The aim of this work was to explore immunological similarities between the bacterial (DnaJ) and human (DNAJA1 and DNAJA2) Hsp40 proteins in relation to their possible involvement in the RA. Using polyclonal antibodies directed against a full-length DnaJ or its domains, against DNAJA1 and DNAJA2, as well as monoclonal anti-DnaJ antibodies, we found immunological similarities between the bacterial and human Hsp40s. Both ELISA and Western blotting showed that these similarities were not restricted to the conserved J domains but were also present in the C-terminal variable regions. We also found a positive correlation between the levels of the anti-DnaJ and anti-DNAJA1 antibodies in the sera of RA patients. This finding supports the molecular mimicry hypothesis that human Hsp40 could be the targets of antibodies originally directed against bacterial DnaJ in RA. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12192-013-0407-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Cardiovascular gene therapy: an application of HIF-1α gene

Currently gene therapy is mostly focused on cancer treatment trials, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Nowadays gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases is recognised thanks to successful clinical trials that have used mainly genes encoding proangiogenic citokines,eg vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), hepatic growth factor (HGF). Progress in gene therapy of cardiovascular diseases needs not only basic studies for “new” genes, but also needs good prepeared clinical trials. Hipoxia inducible factor (HIF-1) is a physiological regulator of processes related to angiogenesis with a potential therapeutic meaning. A protein encoded by HIF-1a activates groups of genes responsible for preservation of oxygen homeostasis, activation of angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, regulation of glucose metabolism. There are known preliminary studies describing that gene HIF-1a is used in therapy of cardiovascular diseases. Animal trials and first clinic tests point out that administration of gene preparation HIF-1a efficiently induces neovascularization in ischemic tissues . Further research will indicate if gene HIF will be useful in treating cardiovascular diseases and if yes then in what period of time we will get such a result.Obecnie terapiaę genową chorób naczyniowo-sercowych ocenia się głównie dzięki pomyślnym próbom klinicznym opierającym się na wykorzystaniu głównie cytokin proangiogennych, przede wszystkim naczyniowośródbłonkowego czynnika wzrostu (VEGF), fibroblastycznego czynnika wzrostu (FGF) czy hepatocytarnego czynnika wzrostu (HGF). Dalszy postęp wymaga kontynuowania prac podstawowych nad poszukiwaniem „nowych” genów, na przykładprowadzenia dobrze przygotowanych (randomizowanych) badań klinicznych. Czynnik transkrypcyjny indukowany przez hipoksję (HIF-1α) jest fizjologicznym regulatorem procesów związanych z angiogenezą o potencjanym znaczeniu terapeutycznym. Białko kodowane przez HIF-1α aktywuje grupy genów decydujących o utrzymaniu homeostazy tlenu, aktywacji angiogenezy, erytropoezy czy regulujacych procesami metabolizmu glukozy. Znane są wstępne wyniki prac eksperymentalnych wykorzystania genu HIF-1α w terapii chorób naczyniowo-sercowych. Wyniki badań przeprowadzonych na zwierzętach pierwszych prób klinicznych wskazują, iż podawany w postaci preparatu genowego HIF-1α efektywnie indukuje w niedokrwionych tkankach proces neowaskularyzacji. Dalsze badania wskażą, czy i w jakim czasie preparat genu HIF-1α będzie użyteczny dla terapii chorób naczyniowo-sercowych

Ultrastructural response of arcuate nucleus neurons to fasting in aged rats

The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) is involved in the control of energy homeostasis. Leptin - an adipocyte derived hormone - is known to act on the hypothalamic nuclei and thus to control body weight by food intake reduction. Oxidative stress is believed to be implicated in leptin signalling. However, its relevance for leptin-induced signal transduction within ARH remains unclear. The goal of the study was to investigate the effect of fasting on morphological alterations of the neuronal endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi network as well as on the expression of leptin receptors in the arcuate nucleus of aged rats. Male Wistar rats, aged 24 months, were fasted for 96 hours. The control animals were fed ad libitum. Membranous whorls in the ARH neurons were visualized using the electron microscopy technique. Leptin receptors in the membranes of ARH neurons were determined immunohistochemically (IHC), and soluble leptin receptors in the plasma as well as plasma isoprostanes were quantified immunochemically (ELISA). An intense formation of membranous whorls was observed, directly associated with the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, as well as lamellar bodies. Interestingly, the whorls were often localized near a well-developed Golgi complex. Moreover, some Golgi complexes displayed an early stage of whorl formation. Groups of residual lipofuscin granules were found in the immediate proximity of the whorls. An increased immunoreactivity with neuronal leptin receptors suggests that hypersensitive neurons may still effectively respond to the fasting serum levels of leptin, mediating ultrastructural transformation of ARH neurons during short-term fasting. Having observed a significant accumulation of lipofuscin granules and a marked increase of total 8-isoprostane serum level in the fasting rats, we hypothesize that signal transduction within the neurons of ARH is dependent on oxidative stress phenomena

Programowalna platforma mobilna do nauki programowania

 Athe article shows possibilities of appication of low-cost technologies to construction programmable wheeledmobile platforms for multipurpose use, including learning. The prototype moves thanks to use of two DC motors.Onboard copmputer is based on Arduino Uno.W artykule przedstawiono możliwości wykorzystania niskobudżetowych technologii do budowy programowalnych kołowych platform mobilnych, między innymi do zastosowań edukacyjnych. Prototyp opracowanej platformy porusza się z wykorzystaniem dwóch silników DC, komputer pokładowy to moduł Arduino Un