The ecology of ticks and epidemiology of tick-borne viral diseases.

PubMed

Estrada-Peña, Agustín; de la Fuente, José

2014-08-01

A number of tick-borne diseases of humans have increased in incidence and geographic range over the past few decades, and there is concern that they will pose an even greater threat to public health in future. Although global warming is often cited as the underlying mechanism favoring the spread of tick-borne diseases, climate is just one of many factors that determine which tick species are found in a given geographic region, their population density, the likelihood that they will be infected with microbes pathogenic for humans and the frequency of tick-human contact. This article provides basic information needed for microbiologists to understand the many factors that affect the geographic range and population density of ticks and the risk of human exposure to infected ticks. It first briefly summarizes the life cycle and basic ecology of ticks and how ticks and vertebrate hosts interact, then reviews current understanding of the role of climate, sociodemographic factors, agricultural development and changes in human behavior that affect the incidence of tick-borne diseases. These concepts are then illustrated in specific discussions of tick-borne encephalitis and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Injury during U.S. Army basic combat training: a systematic review of risk factor studies.

PubMed

Bulzacchelli, Maria T; Sulsky, Sandra I; Rodriguez-Monguio, Rosa; Karlsson, Lee H; Hill, Maj Owen T

2014-12-01

Approximately one quarter of men and half of women in U.S. Army basic combat training experience an injury. Preventing basic combat training-related injuries would reduce associated human and economic costs and discharges from the Army. Identification of risk factors for such injuries is a crucial step toward their prevention. Although some research has begun to address this need, prior studies of risk factors for training-related injury have not been reviewed systematically. This study systematically reviews the literature on risk factors for injury during U.S. Army basic combat training. Original studies of risk factors for injury during U.S. Army basic combat training published since 1990 in peer-reviewed journals were identified using PubMed and manual searches of reference lists. This search was last performed in May 2013. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Methodologic quality and potential for bias were assessed. The findings of 11 studies deemed to be of high or medium quality were synthesized to determine the level of evidence supporting the association between each risk factor studied and risk of injury during basic combat training. Quality assessment and evidence synthesis were performed from June to September 2013. There is strong or moderate evidence supporting association of older age, history of smoking, and self-rated low physical activity level prior to basic combat training with increased risk of training-related injury among male trainees. There is limited, mixed, or insufficient evidence to identify risk factors for injury among female trainees. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Effects of Human Factors in Engineering and Design for Teaching Mathematics: A Comparison Study of Online and Face-to-Face at a Technical College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mativo, John M.; Hill, Roger B.; Godfrey, Paul W.

2013-01-01

The focus of this study was to examine four characteristics for successful and unsuccessful students enrolled in basic mathematics courses at a technical college. The characteristics, considered to be in part effects of human factors in engineering and design, examined the preferred learning styles, computer information systems competency,…

Human Factors in Virtual Reality Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, Mary K.; Proffitt, Dennis R.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

This half-day tutorial will provide an overview of basic perceptual functioning as it relates to the design of virtual environment systems. The tutorial consists of three parts. First, basic issues in visual perception will be presented, including discussions of the visual sensations of brightness and color, and the visual perception of depth relationships in three-dimensional space (with a special emphasis on motion -specified depth). The second section will discuss the importance of conducting human-factors user studies and evaluations. Examples and suggestions on how best to get help with user studies will be provided. Finally, we will discuss how, by drawing on their complementary competencies, perceptual psychologists and computer engineers can work as a team to develop optimal VR systems, technologies, and techniques.

The basic leucine zipper domain of c-Jun functions in transcriptional activation through interaction with the N terminus of human TATA-binding protein-associated factor-1 (human TAF(II)250).

PubMed

Lively, Tricia N; Nguyen, Tuan N; Galasinski, Shelly K; Goodrich, James A

2004-06-18

We previously reported that c-Jun binds directly to the N-terminal 163 amino acids of Homo sapiens TATA-binding protein-associated factor-1 (hsTAF1), causing a derepression of transcription factor IID (TFIID)-driven transcription (Lively, T. N., Ferguson, H. A., Galasinski, S. K., Seto, A. G., and Goodrich, J. A. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 25582-25588). This region of hsTAF1 binds TATA-binding protein to repress TFIID DNA binding and transcription. Here we show that the basic leucine zipper domain of c-Jun, which allows for DNA binding and homodimerization, is necessary and sufficient for interaction with hsTAF1. Interestingly, the isolated basic leucine zipper domain of c-Jun was able to derepress TFIID-directed basal transcription in vitro. Moreover, when the N-terminal region of hsTAF1 was added to in vitro transcription reactions and overexpressed in cells, it blocked c-Jun activation. c-Fos, another basic leucine zipper protein, did not interact with hsTAF1, but c-Fos/c-Jun heterodimers did bind the N terminus of hsTAF1. Our studies show that, in addition to dimerization and DNA binding, the well characterized basic leucine zipper domain of c-Jun functions in transcriptional activation by binding to the N terminus of hsTAF1 to derepress transcription.

Does the Russian Economy Need Human Capital? Ten Doubts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimpelson, V. E.

2016-01-01

It is generally accepted that human capital is an important factor in economic growth, but its impact on growth depends on the demand for education and skills on the labor market. Demand for human capital is largely determined by the institutional environment that governs the basic conditions for economic activity. The author expresses ten doubts…

Human Factors in Library Administration. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnhard, Neil

Intended for the beginning or inexperienced supervisor, this continuing education course syllabus presents basic information on the development of human relations skills, particularly in the areas of leadership, communication, conflict, and motivation. Role playing situations set in various types of medical libraries are also outlined to provide…

FACTORS AFFECTING DISINFECTION AND STABILIZATION OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

EPA Science Inventory

Effective disinfection and stabilization of sewage sludge prior to land application is essential to not only protect human health, but also to convince the public of its benefits and safety. A basic understanding of the key factors involved in producing a stable biosolid product ...

Human basic fibroblast growth factor fused with Kringle4 peptide binds to a fibrin scaffold and enhances angiogenesis.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenxue; Han, Qianqian; Lin, Hang; Sun, Wenjie; Gao, Yuan; Zhao, Yannan; Wang, Bin; Wang, Xia; Chen, Bing; Xiao, Zhifeng; Dai, Jianwu

2009-05-01

Appropriate three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds and signal molecules could accelerate tissue regeneration and wound repair. In this work, we targeted human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a potent angiogenic factor, to a fibrin scaffold to improve therapeutic angiogenesis. We fused bFGF to the Kringle4 domain (K4), a fibrin-binding peptide from human plasminogen, to endow bFGF with specific fibrin-binding ability. The recombinant K4bFGF bound specifically to the fibrin scaffold so that K4bFGF was delivered in a site-specific manner, and the fibrin scaffold provided 3D support for cell migration and proliferation. Subcutaneous implantation of the fibrin scaffolds bound with K4bFGF but not with bFGF induced neovascularization. Immunohistochemical analysis showed significantly more proliferation cells in the fibrin scaffolds incorporated with K4bFGF than in those with bFGF. Moreover, the regenerative tissues were integrated well with the fibrin scaffolds, suggesting its good biocompatibility. In summary, targeted delivery of K4bFGF could potentially improve therapeutic angiogenesis.

Agricultural Safety. FMO: Fundamentals of Machine Operation. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John Deere Co., Moline, IL.

This manual is intended to provide students with basic information on the safe operation of farm machinery. The following topics are covered in the individual chapters: safe farm machinery operation (the importance of safety, the role of communication in safety, and types of farm accidents); human factors (human limitations and capabilities;…

Microendophenotypes of psychiatric disorders: phenotypes of psychiatric disorders at the level of molecular dynamics, synapses, neurons, and neural circuits.

PubMed

Kida, S; Kato, T

2015-01-01

Psychiatric disorders are caused not only by genetic factors but also by complicated factors such as environmental ones. Moreover, environmental factors are rarely quantitated as biological and biochemical indicators, making it extremely difficult to understand the pathological conditions of psychiatric disorders as well as their underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Additionally, we have actually no other option but to perform biological studies on postmortem human brains that display features of psychiatric disorders, thereby resulting in a lack of experimental materials to characterize the basic biology of these disorders. From these backgrounds, animal, tissue, or cell models that can be used in basic research are indispensable to understand biologically the pathogenic mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss the importance of microendophenotypes of psychiatric disorders, i.e., phenotypes at the level of molecular dynamics, neurons, synapses, and neural circuits, as targets of basic research on these disorders.

Basic Religious Beliefs and Personality Traits

PubMed Central

Rajaei, Ali Reza; Sarvarazemy, Ahmad

2012-01-01

Objective Spiritual beliefs can help people find meaning of life, and can also influence their feelings, behaviors and mental health. The present research studied the relationship between basic religious beliefs (Human, Existence and God) and five personality factors: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness. Method One hundred seventy eight students of Islamic Azad University in Torbat-jam were randomly selected and completed the basic religious beliefs and NEO Questionnaires. Results Data showed that basic religious beliefs have a significant negative correlation with neuroticism (r=-0.29),and a significant positive relationship with extraversion(r=0.28),openness(r=0.14),agreeableness (r=0.29),and conscientiousness (r=0.48). Also, the results of the regression analysis showed that basic religious beliefs can anticipate neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness, but they cannot anticipate the openness factor significantly. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate that basic religious beliefs have a positive relationship with good characteristics that help people resolve the challenges of their lives and identity crisis. Thus, the results of this study support the idea of Religious Cognitive–Emotional Theory that religiosity is correlated with positive personality traits. PMID:22952550

Make it Fit, evaluating strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of meeting human needs in 2050

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, J.; Polasky, S.; Hawthorne, P.

2014-12-01

Sustainable development requires providing for human well-being by meeting basic demands for food, energy and consumer goods and services, all while maintaining an environment capable of sustaining the provisioning of those demands for future generations. Failure to meet the basic needs of human well-being is not an ethically viable option and strategies for doubling agricultural production and providing energy and goods for a growing population exist. However, the question is, at what cost to environmental quality? We developed an integrated modeling approach to test strategies for meeting multiple objectives within the limits of the earth system. We use scenarios to explore a range of assumptions on socio-economic factors like population growth, per capita income and technological change; food systems factors like food waste, production intensification and expansion, and meat demand; and technological developments in energy efficiency and wastewater treatment. We use these scenario to test the conditions in which we can fit the simultaneous goals of sustainable development.

Atelocollagen sponge and recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor combination therapy for resistant wounds with deep cavities.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Asako; Hakamada, Arata; Isoda, Ken-ichi; Mizutani, Hitoshi

2005-05-01

Recent advances in bioengineering have introduced materials that enhance wound healing. Even with such new tools, some deep ulcers surrounded by avascular tissues, including bone, tendon, and fascia, are resistant to various therapies and easily form deep cavities with loss of subcutaneous tissue. Atelocollagen sponges have been used as an artificial dermis to cover full-thickness skin defects. Topical recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor has been introduced as a growth factor to induce fibroblast proliferation in skin ulcers. We applied these materials in combination in two patients with deep resistant wounds: one with a cavity reaching the mediastinum through a divided sternum and one with deep necrotic wounds caused by electric burns. These wounds did not respond to the topical basic fibroblast growth factor alone. In contrast, the combination therapy closed the wounds rapidly without further surgical treatment. This combination therapy is a potent treatment for resistant wounds with deep cavities.

Space operations and the human factor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brody, Adam R.

1993-10-01

Although space flight does not put the public at high risk, billions of dollars in hardware are destroyed and the space program halted when an accident occurs. Researchers are therefore applying human-factors techniques similar to those used in the aircraft industry, albeit at a greatly reduced level, to the spacecraft environment. The intent is to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failure. To increase safety and efficiency, space human factors researchers have simulated spacecraft docking and extravehicular activity rescue. Engineers have also studied EVA suit mobility and aids. Other basic human-factors issues that have been applied to the space environment include antropometry, biomechanics, and ergonomics. Workstation design, workload, and task analysis currently receive much attention, as do habitability and other aspects of confined environments. Much work also focuses on individual payloads, as each presents its own complexities.

Conditioned media from a renal cell carcinoma cell line demonstrates the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor.

PubMed

Mydlo, J H; Zajac, J; Macchia, R J

1993-09-01

In a previous report, we demonstrated the isolation and purification of a heparin binding growth factor from human renal carcinoma, and suggested that this growth factor may play a role in the neovascularity and growth of the tumor. In this report, we demonstrate that the growth of the renal cell carcinoma cell line RC29 is stimulated by the addition of exogenous fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha). Also, media conditioned by this cell line was able to stimulate growth of the A431 vulvar tumor cell line, known for its high concentration of EGF receptors, 3T3 fibroblasts, human umbilical vein (HUV) cells and RC29 cells. Using heparin-sepharose chromatography and then SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), we were able to demonstrate several proteins in the conditioned media of the RC29 cell line. Using Western blot analysis, we detected that at least one of the proteins expressed in this conditioned media was FGF and that it belongs to the basic, not acidic, family of fibroblast growth factors. These findings suggest that renal tumors may express growth factors that may play a direct role in maintaining their unrestricted proliferation.

Heparin-binding growth factor isolated from human prostatic extracts.

PubMed

Mydlo, J H; Bulbul, M A; Richon, V M; Heston, W D; Fair, W R

1988-01-01

Prostatic tissue extracts from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic carcinoma were fractionated using heparin-Sepharose chromatography. The mitogenic activity of eluted fractions on quiescent subconfluent Swiss Albino 3T3 fibroblasts was tested employing a tritiated-thymidine-incorporation assay. Two peaks of activity were consistently noted--one in the void volume and a second fraction which eluted with 1.3-1.6 M NaCl and contained the majority of the mitogenic activity. Both non-heparin- and heparin-binding fractions increased tritiated incorporation into a mouse osteoblast cell line (MC3T3), while only the heparin-binding fractions stimulated a human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (HUV). No increased uptake of thymidine was seen using a human prostatic carcinoma cell line (PC-3). Sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE) of lyophilized active fractions showed a persistent band at 17,500 daltons. The purified protein demonstrated angiogenic properties using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Western blot analysis using antibodies specific to basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or acidic FGF (aFGF) demonstrated that the former, but not the latter, bound to prostatic growth factor (PrGF), and inhibited its mitogenic activity as well. It appears that PrGF shares homology with basic fibroblast growth factors.

An Alternative Method for Long-Term Culture of Chicken Embryonic Stem Cell In Vitro.

PubMed

Zhang, Li; Wu, Yenan; Li, Xiang; Wei, Shao; Xing, Yiming; Lian, Zhengxing; Han, Hongbing

2018-01-01

Chicken embryonic stem cells (cESCs) obtained from stage X embryos provide a novel model for the study of avian embryonic development. A new way to maintain cESCs for a long period in vitro still remains unexplored. We found that the cESCs showed stem cell-like properties in vitro for a long term with the support of DF-1 feeder and basic culture medium supplemented with human basic fibroblast growth factor (hbFGF), mouse stem cell factor (mSCF), and human leukemia inhibitory factor (hLIF). During the long culture period, the cESCs showed typical ES cell morphology and expressed primitive stem cell markers with a relatively stable proliferation rate and high telomerase activity. These cells also exhibited the capability to differentiate into cardiac myocytes, smooth muscle cells, neural cells, osteoblast, and adipocyte in vitro . Chimera chickens were produced by cESCs cultured for 25 passages with this new culture system. The experiments showed that DF-1 was the optimal feeder and hbFGF was an important factor for maintaining the pluripotency of cESCs in vitro .

The use of bone marrow stromal cells (bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells) for alveolar bone tissue engineering: basic science to clinical translation.

PubMed

Kagami, Hideaki; Agata, Hideki; Inoue, Minoru; Asahina, Izumi; Tojo, Arinobu; Yamashita, Naohide; Imai, Kohzoh

2014-06-01

Bone tissue engineering is a promising field of regenerative medicine in which cultured cells, scaffolds, and osteogenic inductive signals are used to regenerate bone. Human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are the most commonly used cell source for bone tissue engineering. Although it is known that cell culture and induction protocols significantly affect the in vivo bone forming ability of BMSCs, the responsible factors of clinical outcome are poorly understood. The results from recent studies using human BMSCs have shown that factors such as passage number and length of osteogenic induction significantly affect ectopic bone formation, although such differences hardly affected the alkaline phosphatase activity or gene expression of osteogenic markers. Application of basic fibroblast growth factor helped to maintain the in vivo osteogenic ability of BMSCs. Importantly, responsiveness of those factors should be tested under clinical circumstances to improve the bone tissue engineering further. In this review, clinical application of bone tissue engineering was reviewed with putative underlying mechanisms.

Human Factors Engineering Aspects of Modifications in Control Room Modernization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hugo, Jacques; Clefton, Gordon; Joe, Jeffrey

This report describes the basic aspects of control room modernization projects in the U.S. nuclear industry and the need for supplementary guidance on the integration of human factors considerations into the licensing and regulatory aspects of digital upgrades. The report pays specific attention to the integration of principles described in NUREG-0711 (Human Factors Engineering Program Review Model) and how supplementary guidance can help to raise general awareness in the industry regarding the complexities of control room modernization projects created by many interdependent regulations, standards and guidelines. The report also describes how human factors engineering principles and methods provided by variousmore » resources and international standards can help in navigating through the process of licensing digital upgrades. In particular, the integration of human factors engineering guidance and requirements into the process of licensing digital upgrades can help reduce uncertainty related to development of technical bases for digital upgrades that will avoid the introduction of new failure modes.« less

Space human factors publications: 1980-1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickson, Katherine J.

1991-01-01

A 10 year cummulative bibliography of publications resulting from research supported by the NASA Space Human Factors Program of the Life Science Division is provided. The goal of this program is to understand the basic mechanisms underlying behavioral adaptation to space and to develop and validate system design requirements, protocols, and countermeasures to ensure the psychological well-being, safety, and productivity of crewmembers. Subjects encompassed by this bibliography include selection and training, group dynamics, psychophysiological interactions, habitability issues, human-machine interactions, psychological support measures, and anthropometric data. Principal Investigators whose research tasks resulted in publication are identified by asterisk.

Image quality metrics for volumetric laser displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Rodney D.; Donohoo, Daniel

1991-08-01

This paper addresses the extensions to the image quality metrics and related human factors research that are needed to establish the baseline standards for emerging volume display technologies. The existing and recently developed technologies for multiplanar volume displays are reviewed with an emphasis on basic human visual issues. Human factors image quality metrics and guidelines are needed to firmly establish this technology in the marketplace. The human visual requirements and the display design tradeoffs for these prototype laser-based volume displays are addressed and several critical image quality issues identified for further research. The American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of Visual Display Terminal Workstations (ANSIHFS-100) and other international standards (ISO, DIN) can serve as a starting point, but this research base must be extended to provide new image quality metrics for this new technology for volume displays.

Basic fibroblast growth factor accelerates matrix degradation via a neuro-endocrine pathway in human adult articular chondrocytes.

PubMed

Im, Hee-Jeong; Li, Xin; Muddasani, Prasuna; Kim, Gun-Hee; Davis, Francesca; Rangan, Jayanthi; Forsyth, Christopher B; Ellman, Michael; Thonar, Eugene J M A

2008-05-01

Pain-related neuropeptides released from synovial fibroblasts, such as substance P, have been implicated in joint destruction. Substance P-induced inflammatory processes are mediated via signaling through a G-protein-coupled receptor, that is, neurokinin-1 tachykinin receptor (NK(1)-R). We determined the pathophysiological link between substance P and its receptor in human adult articular cartilage homeostasis. We further examined if catabolic growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) or IL-1beta accelerate matrix degradation via a neural pathway upregulation of substance P and NK(1)-R. We show here that substance P stimulates the production of cartilage-degrading enzymes, such as matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), and suppresses proteoglycan deposition in human adult articular chondrocytes via NK(1)-R. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that substance P negates proteoglycan stimulation promoted by bone morphogenetic protein-7, suggesting the dual role of substance P as both a pro-catabolic and anti-anabolic mediator of cartilage homeostasis. We report that bFGF-mediated stimulation of substance P and its receptor NK(1)-R is, in part, through an IL-1beta-dependent pathway. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Accelerates Matrix Degradation Via a Neuro-Endocrine Pathway in Human Adult Articular Chondrocytes

PubMed Central

IM, HEE-JEONG; LI, XIN; MUDDASANI, PRASUNA; KIM, GUN-HEE; DAVIS, FRANCESCA; RANGAN, JAYANTHI; FORSYTH, CHRISTOPHER B.; ELLMAN, MICHAEL; THONAR, EUGENE JMA

2010-01-01

Pain-related neuropeptides released from synovial fibroblasts, such as substance P, have been implicated in joint destruction. Substance P-induced inflammatory processes are mediated via signaling through a G-protein-coupled receptor, that is, neurokinin-1 tachykinin receptor (NK1-R). We determined the pathophysiological link between substance P and its receptor in human adult articular cartilage homeostasis. We further examined if catabolic growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) or IL-1β accelerate matrix degradation via a neural pathway upregulation of substance P and NK1-R. We show here that substance P stimulates the production of cartilage-degrading enzymes, such as matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), and suppresses proteoglycan deposition in human adult articular chondrocytes via NK1-R. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that substance P negates proteoglycan stimulation promoted by bone morphogenetic protein-7, suggesting the dual role of substance P as both a pro-catabolic and anti-anabolic mediator of cartilage homeostasis. We report that bFGF-mediated stimulation of substance P and its receptor NK1-R is, in part, through an IL-1β-dependent pathway. PMID:17960584

Human Visual Performance and Flat Panel Display Image Quality

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-07-01

the research required to relate human operator performance to the geome- tric properties of these designs has characteristically lag- - 68 - tte ...see: A summary of basic principles. In Committee on Undersea Warfare, National Research Council, A Summary Report on Human Factors in Undersea ...Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense OUSDRE (E&LS) The Pentagon, Room 3D129 Washington, D. C. 20301 Director, Undersea Technology Code 220

Activity of human kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) on substrates containing sequences of basic amino acids. Is it a processing protease?

PubMed

Silva, Roberta N; Oliveira, Lilian C G; Parise, Carolina B; Oliveira, Juliana R; Severino, Beatrice; Corvino, Angela; di Vaio, Paola; Temussi, Piero A; Caliendo, Giuseppe; Santagada, Vincenzo; Juliano, Luiz; Juliano, Maria A

2017-05-01

Human kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is highly expressed in the central nervous system and with elevated level in demyelinating disease. KLK6 has a very restricted specificity for arginine (R) and hydrolyses myelin basic protein, protein activator receptors and human ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits. Here we report a previously unreported activity of KLK6 on peptides containing clusters of basic amino acids, as in synthetic fluorogenic peptidyl-Arg-7-amino-4-carbamoylmethylcoumarin (peptidyl-ACC) peptides and FRET peptides in the format of Abz-peptidyl-Q-EDDnp (where Abz=ortho-aminobenzoic acid and Q-EDDnp=glutaminyl-N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) ethylenediamine), in which pairs or sequences of basic amino acids (R or K) were introduced. Surprisingly, KLK6 hydrolyzed the fluorogenic peptides Bz-A-R ↓ R-ACC and Z-R ↓ R-MCA between the two R groups, resulting in non-fluorescent products. FRET peptides containing furin processing sequences of human MMP-14, nerve growth factor (NGF), Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) were cleaved by KLK6 at the same position expected by furin. Finally, KLK6 cleaved FRET peptides derived from human proenkephalin after the KR, the more frequent basic residues flanking enkephalins in human proenkephalin sequence. This result suggests the ability of KLK6 to release enkephalin from proenkephalin precursors and resembles furin a canonical processing proteolytic enzyme. Molecular models of peptides were built into the KLK6 structure and the marked preference of the cut between the two R of the examined peptides was related to the extended conformation of the substrates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of a Single Dose of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor: Clinical Observation for 1 Year.

PubMed

Suzuki, Hirotaka; Makiyama, Kiyoshi; Hirai, Ryoji; Matsuzaki, Hiroumi; Furusaka, Toru; Oshima, Takeshi

2016-11-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes wound healing by accelerating healthy granulation and epithelialization. However, the duration of the effects of a single intracordal injection of basic fibroblast growth factor has not been established, and administration intervals and timing have yet to be standardized. Here, we administered a single injection to patients with insufficient glottic closure and conducted follow-up examinations with high-speed digital imaging to determine the duration of the treatment response. Case series. For treatment, 20 µg/mL recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor was injected into two vocal cords. The following examinations were performed before the procedure and at 3-month intervals for 12 months starting at 1 month postinjection: Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain (GRBAS) scale assessment, maximum phonation time, acoustic analysis, high-speed digital imaging, glottal wave analysis, and kymographic analysis. Postinjection, the GRBAS scale score decreased, and the maximum phonation time was prolonged. In addition, the mean minimum glottal area and mean minimum glottal distance decreased. These changes were significant at 12 months postinjection compared with preinjection. However, there were no significant changes in the vibrations of the vocal cord margins. The intracordal injection of basic fibroblast growth factor improved insufficient glottic closure without reducing the vibrations of the vocal cord margins. This effect remained evident at 12 months postinjection. A single injection can be expected to yield a sufficient and persistent long-term effect. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiparametric in situ mRNA hybridization analysis to predict disease recurrence in patients with colon carcinoma.

PubMed Central

Kitadai, Y.; Ellis, L. M.; Tucker, S. L.; Greene, G. F.; Bucana, C. D.; Cleary, K. R.; Takahashi, Y.; Tahara, E.; Fidler, I. J.

1996-01-01

We examined the expression level of several genes that regulate different steps of metastasis in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival specimens of primary human colon carcinomas from patients with at least 5 years of follow-up. The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, basic fibroblast growth factor, type IV collagenase, E-cadherin, and multidrug resistance (mdr-1) was examined by a colorimetric in situ mRNA hybridization technique concentrating on reactivity at the periphery of the neoplasms. The in situ hybridization technique revealed inter- and intratumor heterogeneity for expression of the metastasis-related genes. The expression of basic fibroblast growth factor, collagenase type IV, epidermal growth factor receptor, and mdr-1 mRNA was higher in Dukes's stage D than in Dukes' stage B tumors. Among the 22 Dukes' stage B neoplasms, 5 specimens exhibited a high expression level of epidermal growth factor receptor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and collagenase type IV. Clinical outcome data (5-year follow-up) revealed that all 5 patients with Dukes' stage B tumors developed distant metastasis (recurrent disease), whereas the other 17 patients with Dukes' stage B tumors expressing low levels of the metastasis-related genes were disease-free. Multivariate analysis identified high levels of expression of collagenase type IV and low levels of expression of E-cadherin as independent factors significantly associated with metastasis or recurrent disease. More specifically, metastatic or recurrent disease was associated with a high ratio (> 1.35) of expression of collagenase type IV to E-cadherin (specificity of 95%). Collectively, the data show that multiparametric in situ hybridization analysis for several metastasis-related genes may predict the metastatic potential, and hence the clinical outcome, of individual lymph-node-negative human colon cancers. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:8909244

Architects of the Future--Managing Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conner, Daryl; Hughes, K. Scott

1988-01-01

Some of the basic principles involved in successfully managing organizational change in higher education are described. Change factors include: human resources demands, cost containment pressure, global competitive economic society, increasing technological innovation, and increasing capital investment requirements. (MLW)

Human neuroblastoma growth inhibitory factor (h-NGIF), derived from human astrocytoma conditioned medium, has neurotrophic properties.

PubMed

Eksioglu, Y Z; Iida, J; Asai, K; Ueki, T; Nakanishi, K; Isobe, I; Yamagata, K; Kato, T

1994-05-02

Investigations on the general characteristics of human astrocytoma cell line NAC-1 revealed neuroblastoma growth inhibitory activity in conditioned medium. Neuroblastoma growth inhibitory factor (NGIF) was partially purified by Econo Q, Econo CM, and Superose 12 column chromatography. The protein is weakly basic with an estimated M(r) of 120,000, possibly having an M(r) 60,000 dimeric structure. NGIF inhibits the growth of human neuroblastoma cell lines but has no effect on morphology nor does it produce any change in the growth of human glioblastoma cell lines. Interestingly, NGIF appears to promote survival and neurite outgrowth of embryonal rat cortical neurons. These neurotrophic properties suggest a role for NGIF in the development of the nervous system.

NASA's Man-Systems Integration Standards: A Human Factors Engineering Standard for Everyone in the Nineties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booher, Cletis R.; Goldsberry, Betty S.

1994-01-01

During the second half of the 1980s, a document was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to aid in the application of good human factors engineering and human interface practices to the design and development of hardware and systems for use in all United States manned space flight programs. This comprehensive document, known as NASA-STD-3000, the Man-Systems Integration Standards (MSIS), attempts to address, from a human factors engineering/human interface standpoint, all of the various types of equipment with which manned space flight crew members must deal. Basically, all of the human interface situations addressed in the MSIS are present in terrestrially based systems also. The premise of this paper is that, starting with this already created standard, comprehensive documents addressing human factors engineering and human interface concerns could be developed to aid in the design of almost any type of equipment or system which humans interface with in any terrestrial environment. Utilizing the systems and processes currently in place in the MSIS Development Facility at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, any number of MSIS volumes addressing the human factors / human interface needs of any terrestrially based (or, for that matter, airborne) system could be created.

Evaluation of the Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy Involved in the Healing of Sports-Related Soft Tissue Injuries

PubMed Central

Middleton, Kellie K.; Barro, Victor; Muller, Bart; Terada, Satosha; Fu, Freddie H.

2012-01-01

Abstract Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common cause of severe long-term pain and physical disability, and affect hundreds of millions of people around the world. One of the most popular methods used to biologically enhance healing in the fields of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine includes the use of autologous blood products, namely, platelet rich plasma (PRP). PRP is an autologous concentration of human platelets to supra-physiologic levels. At baseline levels, platelets function as a natural reservoir for growth factors including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I). PRP is commonly used in orthopaedic practice to augment healing in sports-related injuries of skeletal muscle, tendons, and ligaments. Despite its pervasive use, the clinical efficacy of PrP therapy and varying mechanisms of action have yet to be established. Basic science research has revealed that PRP exerts is effects through many downstream events secondary to release of growth factors and other bioactive factors from its alpha granules. These effects may vary depending on the location of injury and the concentration of important growth factors involved in various soft tissue healing responses. This review focuses on the effects of PrP and its associated bioactive factors as elucidated in basic science research. Current findings in PRP basic science research, which have shed light on its proposed mechanisms of action, have opened doors for future areas of PrP research. PMID:23576936

Feeder & basic fibroblast growth factor-free culture of human embryonic stem cells: Role of conditioned medium from immortalized human feeders.

PubMed

Teotia, Pooja; Sharma, Shilpa; Airan, Balram; Mohanty, Sujata

2016-12-01

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines are commonly maintained on inactivated feeder cells, in the medium supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). However, limited availability of feeder cells in culture, and the high cost of growth factors limit their use in scalable expansion of hESC cultures for clinical application. Here, we describe an efficient and cost-effective feeder and bFGF-free culture of hESCs using conditioned medium (CM) from immortalized feeder cells. KIND-1 hESC cell line was cultured in CM, collected from primary mouse embryonic fibroblast, human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) and immortalized HFF (I-HFF). Pluripotency of KIND-1 hESC cell line was confirmed by expression of genes, proteins and cell surface markers. In culture, these cells retained normal morphology, expressed all cell surface markers, could differentiate to embryoid bodies upon culture in vitro. Furthermore, I-HFF feeder cells without supplementation of bFGF released ample amount of endogenous bFGF to maintain stemness of hESC cells. The study results described the use of CM from immortalized feeder cells as a consistent source and an efficient, inexpensive feeder-free culture system for the maintenance of hESCs. Moreover, it was possible to maintain hESCs without exogenous supplementation of bFGF. Thus, the study could be extended to scalable expansion of hESC cultures for therapeutic purposes.

A study of a steering system algorithm for pleasure boats based on stability analysis of a human-machine system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Fujio; Toyama, Shigehiro; Ishiduki, Souta; Seta, Hiroaki

2016-09-01

Maritime accidents of small ships continue to increase in number. One of the major factors is poor manoeuvrability of the Manual Hydraulic Steering Mechanism (MHSM) in common use. The manoeuvrability can be improved by using the Electronic Control Steering Mechanism (ECSM). This paper conducts stability analyses of a pleasure boat controlled by human models in view of path following on a target course, in order to establish design guidelines for the ECSM. First, to analyse the stability region, the research derives the linear approximated model in a planar global coordinate system. Then, several human models are assumed to develop closed-loop human-machine controlled systems. These human models include basic proportional, derivative, integral and time-delay actions. The stability analysis simulations for those human-machine systems are carried out. The results show that the stability region tends to spread as a ship's velocity increases in the case of the basic proportional human model. The derivative action and time-delay action of human models are effective in spreading the stability region in their respective ranges of frontal gazing points.

Effect of COX-2 (PGE2) and IL-6 on Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-02

to stimulate both bone targeting and bone reaction (4). Several factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (4), osteocalcin, bone sialoprotein (8...Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1990;87:75–9. 8. Huang WC, Xie Z, Konaka H, Sodek J, Zhau HE, Chung LWK. Human osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein medi- ating

Introduction to the Special Section on Epigenetics.

PubMed

Lester, Barry M; Conradt, Elisabeth; Marsit, Carmen

2016-01-01

Epigenetics provides the opportunity to revolutionize our understanding of the role of genetics and the environment in explaining human behavior, although the use of epigenetics to study human behavior is just beginning. In this introduction, the authors present the basics of epigenetics in a way that is designed to make this exciting field accessible to a wide readership. The authors describe the history of human behavioral epigenetic research in the context of other disciplines and graphically illustrate the burgeoning of research in the application of epigenetic methods and principles to the study of human behavior. The role of epigenetics in normal embryonic development and the influence of biological and environmental factors altering behavior through epigenetic mechanisms and developmental programming are discussed. Some basic approaches to the study of epigenetics are reviewed. The authors conclude with a discussion of challenges and opportunities, including intervention, as the field of human behavioral epigenetics continue to grow. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor are potential angiogenic and metastatic factors in human breast cancer.

PubMed

Anan, K; Morisaki, T; Katano, M; Ikubo, A; Kitsuki, H; Uchiyama, A; Kuroki, S; Tanaka, M; Torisu, M

1996-03-01

Angiogenesis is a prerequisite for tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor angiogenesis may be mediated by several angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-alpha, and basic fibroblast growth factor. Differential mRNA expressions of VEGF, PDGF (A chain), transforming growth factor-alpha and basic fibroblast growth factor in 32 primary invasive breast tumors were examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. We analyzed relationships between mRNA expressions of these angiogenic factors and the degree of angiogenesis, tumor size, and metastasis. Quantification of angiogenesis was achieved by the immunohistochemical staining of endothelial cells with antibody to CD31. VEGF and PDGF-A mRNAs were expressed more frequently in breast tumors than in nontumor breast tissues, whereas no difference was found in expression frequency of either transforming growth factor-alpha or basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA. Vascular counts in tumors correlated with each expression frequency of VEGF and PDGF-A mRNA. PDGF-A mRNA was expressed more frequently in tumors with lymph node metastasis than in those without metastasis. Expression of VEGF and PDGF mRNAs detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in breast tumors correlates with tumor-related characteristics of angiogenesis and metastatic potential. Analysis of these mRNAs by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction may be useful for assessing the biologic behavior of a breast tumor before surgical treatment.

Software Re-Engineering of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System - (Maintenance Extension) Using Object Oriented Methods in a Microsoft Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

replication) -- all from Visual Basic and VBA . In fact, we found that the SQL Server engine actually had a plethora of options, most formidable of...2002, the new SQL Server 2000 database engine, and Microsoft Visual Basic.NET. This thesis describes our use of the Spiral Development Model to...versions of Microsoft products? Specifically, the pending release of Microsoft Office 2002, the new SQL Server 2000 database engine, and Microsoft

Basic collision warning and driver information systems : human factors research needs : summary report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-09-01

For the past 20 years, federal-aid highway programs have been directed primarily toward the construction, reconstruction, and improvement of highways on the federal-aid interstate, primary, secondary,and urban systems. As the result of legislation co...

[The ways in which variations in space and atmospheric factors act upon the biosphere and humans].

PubMed

Chernogor, L F

2010-01-01

The system analysis is validated to be an efficient means for studying the channels through which variations in space and tropospheric weather affect the biosphere (humans). The basics of the system analysis paradigm are presented. The causes of variations in space and tropospheric weather are determined, and the interrelations between them are demonstrated. The ways in which these variations affect the biosphere (humans) are discussed. Aperiodic and quasi-periodic disturbances in the physical fields that influence the biosphere (humans) are intercompared.

Seroprevalence of and risk factors for leptospirosis in the City of Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil.

PubMed

Silva, Luciete Almeida; Lima, Kátia Maria da Silva; Fernandes, Ormezinda Celeste Cristo; Balassiano, Ilana Teruszkin; Avelar, Kátia Eliane Santos; Jesus, Michele Silva de

2016-01-01

Leptospirosis is caused by a bacterium of the genus Leptospira. This study aimed at investigating the seroprevalence of and risk factors for leptospirosis in humans in Manaus, State of Amazonas. Interviews were performed, and 1,000 blood serum samples were examined using a microscopic agglutination test. Forty-three cases were positive; there were 10 serotypes, with coagglutination in 8 cases. The most frequently occurring serotypes were Icterohaemorrhagiae (20.7%), Cynopteri (20.7%), Australis (18.8%), and Copenhageni (16.9%), and the Midwest (54.7%) and South (23.8%) had the most cases; these areas lack basic sanitation. Disease occurrence might be reduced through improved basic infrastructural conditions.

Egg and Egg-Derived Foods: Effects on Human Health and Use as Functional Foods

PubMed Central

Miranda, Jose M.; Anton, Xaquin; Redondo-Valbuena, Celia; Roca-Saavedra, Paula; Rodriguez, Jose A.; Lamas, Alexandre; Franco, Carlos M.; Cepeda, Alberto

2015-01-01

Eggs are sources of protein, fats and micronutrients that play an important role in basic nutrition. However, eggs are traditionally associated with adverse factors in human health, mainly due to their cholesterol content. Nowadays, however, it is known that the response of cholesterol in human serum levels to dietary cholesterol consumption depends on several factors, such as ethnicity, genetic makeup, hormonal factors and the nutritional status of the consumer. Additionally, in recent decades, there has been an increasing demand for functional foods, which is expected to continue to increase in the future, owing to their capacity to decrease the risks of some diseases and socio-demographic factors such as the increase in life expectancy. This work offers a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of egg consumption and the potential market of functional eggs, and it explores the possibilities of the development of functional eggs by technological methods. PMID:25608941

Making the Leap: the Translation of Innovative Surgical Devices From the Laboratory to the Operating Room.

PubMed

Marcus, Hani J; Payne, Christopher J; Hughes-Hallett, Archie; Gras, Gauthier; Leibrandt, Konrad; Nandi, Dipankar; Yang, Guang-Zhong

2016-06-01

To determine the rate and extent of translation of innovative surgical devices from the laboratory to first-in-human studies, and to evaluate the factors influencing such translation. Innovative surgical devices have preceded many of the major advances in surgical practice. However, the process by which devices arising from academia find their way to translation remains poorly understood. All biomedical engineering journals, and the 5 basic science journals with the highest impact factor, were searched between January 1993 and January 2000 using the Boolean search term "surgery OR surgeon OR surgical". Articles were included if they described the development of a new device and a surgical application was described. A recursive search of all citations to the article was performed using the Web of Science (Thompson-Reuters, New York, NY) to identify any associated first-in-human studies published by January 2015. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for the time to first-in-human studies. Factors influencing translation were evaluated using log-rank and Cox proportional hazards models. A total of 8297 articles were screened, and 205 publications describing unique devices were identified. The probability of a first-in-human at 10 years was 9.8%. Clinical involvement was a significant predictor of a first-in-human study (P = 0.02); devices developed with early clinical collaboration were over 6 times more likely to be translated than those without [RR 6.5 (95% confidence interval 0.9-48)]. These findings support initiatives to increase clinical translation through improved interactions between basic, translational, and clinical researchers.

Utilization of Microgravity Bioreactor for Differentiation and Growth of Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Chu-Huang; Pellis, Neal R.

1997-01-01

The goal was to delineate mechanisms of genetic responses to angiogenic stimulation of human coronary arterial and dermal microvascular endothelial cells during exposure to microgravity. The NASA-designed rotating-wall vessel was used to create a three-dimensional culture environment with low shear-stress and microgravity simulating that in space. The primary specific aim was to determine whether simulated microgravity enhances endothelial cell growth and whether the growth enhancement is associated by augmented expression of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (BFGF) and c-fos, an immediate early gene and component of the transcription factor AP-1.

Basic fibroblastic growth factor affects the osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells in a treatment-dependent manner.

PubMed

Qian, J; Jiayuan, W; Wenkai, J; Peina, W; Ansheng, Z; Shukai, S; Shafei, Z; Jun, L; Longxing, N

2015-07-01

To determine how basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF) affected the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in vitro and in vivo. Basic fibroblastic growth factor stimulation of DPSCs was divided into a pre-treatment period and an osteogenic differentiation period. Alizarin red quantification experiments and alkaline phosphatase activity quantification assay were performed to examine the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs after different bFGF stimulation. Quantification reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the osteogenic gene expression of DPSCs after different bFGF stimulation. In addition, DPSCs that received the 1 and 2 weeks bFGF pre-treatments as in the in vitro experiments were mineralized for 1 week and seeded into hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) pills and subcutaneously transplanted into naked mice for 2 or 3 months. The transplants were removed, sliced and stained using Modified Ponceau Trichrome Stain to observe the formation of mineralized tissue. Basic fibroblastic growth factor stimulation in the osteogenic differentiation period decreased the in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of DPSCs. One week pre-treatment with bFGF increased the in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of DPSCs, whereas 2 weeks pre-treatment with bFGF decreased the in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of DPSCs. The pre-treatment period was vital for the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs in vitro. The in vivo results were similar to the in vitro results. Basic fibroblastic growth factor affected the osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs in a treatment-dependent manner both in vitro and in vivo. © 2014 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Purification, partial characterization, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction of a novel cardiotoxin-like basic protein from Naja naja atra (South Anhui) venom

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rong, Hui; Li, Yan; Lou, Xiao-hua

2007-02-01

A novel cardiotoxin-like basic protein from Naja naja atra was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to 2.35 Å resolution. A novel cardiotoxin-like basic protein was isolated from the venom of the Chinese cobra (Naja naja atra) from the south of Anhui in China. The protein inhibits the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor in human lung cancer cell line H1299 and induces the haemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes under low-lecithin conditions. After a two-step chromatographic purification, the resultant 7 kDa protein was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at room temperature. A complete data setmore » was collected to 2.35 Å resolution using an in-house X-ray diffraction system. The crystal belongs to space group P4{sub 1}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 43.2, c = 147.9 Å. There are two molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit.« less

Handbook for Conducting School Climate Improvement Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Eugene; And Others

This book discusses practical ways to improve a school's climate by increasing both productivity and satisfaction concurrently. Chapter 1, "Defining School Climate," identifies the overarching goals of school climate improvement, the basic human needs that school climate must address, the factors that make up a school's climate and…

Nursing Job Satisfaction: Three Basic Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, F. S.; Black, Ruby Lindsey

The theoretical relationships between employee job satisfaction and employee behavior, and the factors that influence job satisfaction among nurses are considered, along with the type of research that should be conducted on this topic. Although major contributions to the theory of human needs have been made by Maslow and by Herzberg, the…

Research Review: Maternal Prenatal Distress and Poor Nutrition--Mutually Influencing Risk Factors Affecting Infant Neurocognitive Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monk, Catherine; Georgieff, Michael K.; Osterholm, Erin A.

2013-01-01

Background: Accumulating data from animal and human studies indicate that the prenatal environment plays a significant role in shaping children's neurocognitive development. Clinical, epidemiologic, and basic science research suggests that two experiences relatively common in pregnancy--an unhealthy maternal diet and psychosocial…

Demography and Environment Earth: Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrea, Lester C.; And Others

This document is one in a series of instructional materials on population education developed for the Baltimore public schools. The unit, designed for elementary grades 5 and 6, focuses on demography and human factors and consequences. The first part of the resource unit presents basic information, methodology, and understandings of demography and…

Creating a Healthy Camp Community: A Nurse's Role.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lishner, Kris Miller; Bruya, Margaret Auld

This book provides an organized, systematic overview of the basic aspects of health program management, nursing practice, and human relations issues in camp nursing. A foremost assumption is that health care in most camps needs improvement. Good health is dependent upon interventions involving social, environmental, and lifestyle factors that…

Scientific bases of human-machine communication by voice.

PubMed Central

Schafer, R W

1995-01-01

The scientific bases for human-machine communication by voice are in the fields of psychology, linguistics, acoustics, signal processing, computer science, and integrated circuit technology. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the basic scientific and technological issues in human-machine communication by voice and to point out areas of future research opportunity. The discussion is organized around the following major issues in implementing human-machine voice communication systems: (i) hardware/software implementation of the system, (ii) speech synthesis for voice output, (iii) speech recognition and understanding for voice input, and (iv) usability factors related to how humans interact with machines. PMID:7479802

The importance of basic factors in innovation processes and their effects on innovation capability of Malaysian-owned manufacturing companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suradi, Nur Riza Mohd; Omar, Aminuddin; Shahabuddin, Faridatulazna Ahmad

2015-02-01

Innovation is the core ingredient in the competitiveness of today's businesses. Any company that cannot innovate will be losing its competitiveness. While the study on innovation at conceptual level is widely available, there is still lack of deep understanding of how innovation factors impact each stage of the processes of innovation that happen in Malaysian companies. This process-factor approach and understanding may help the government focuses its assistance on relevant factors at relevant process according to the size of the company. This study examines how companies are affected by fundamental factors needed in innovation. Based on results of MYTIC Study 2012 on the level of Technological Innovation Capability (TIC) of Malaysian companies using the RDCB framework, the significance of each innovation factor in each innovation process is determined. This study shows that human resource factor gives more impact than other factors in most processes. Also, financial and human resource factors are likely dictated by the size of the company.

Basic and clinical aspects of malignant melanoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nathanson, L.

1987-01-01

This book contains the following 10 chapters: The role of oncogenes in the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma; Laminin and fibronectin modulate the metastatic activity of melanoma cells; Structure, function and biosynthesis of ganglioside antigens associated with human tumors derived from the neuroectoderm; Epidemiology of ocular melanoma; Malignant melanoma: Prognostic factors; Endocrine influences on the natural history of human malignant melanoma; Psychosocial factors associated with prognostic indicators, progression, psychophysiology, and tumor-host response in cutaneous malignant melanoma; Central nervous system metastases in malignant melanoma; Interferon trials in the management of malignant melanoma and other neoplasms: an overview; and The treatment of malignantmore » melanoma by fast neutrons.« less

Basic Research in Human Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

19. The cmmittee reviewed the reports in process and provided management guidance and oversight in 1986 for the activities of one working group, one...gmennennt agenciee, and ouzples managing a houehold. Viewin any distrbute dmcision =king systm in this broader otext helps to clarify its special...exztime inby knowlede and search procsses into a single An important humn factors isse in the din of expert systems is how to find out what the expert knws

Numerical Ordering Ability Mediates the Relation between Number-Sense and Arithmetic Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Ian M.; Beilock, Sian L.

2011-01-01

What predicts human mathematical competence? While detailed models of number representation in the brain have been developed, it remains to be seen exactly how basic number representations link to higher math abilities. We propose that representation of ordinal associations between numerical symbols is one important factor that underpins this…

Portable Life Support System: PLSS 101

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Gretchen A.

2011-01-01

This presentation reviewed basic interfaces and considerations necessary for prototype suit hardware integration from an advanced spacesuit engineer perspective during the early design and test phases. The discussion included such topics such as the human interface, suit pass-throughs, keep-out zones, hardware form factors, subjective feedback from suit tests, and electricity in the suit.

Basic Research in Human Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

settings as military organizations, voluntary organizations, multinational corporations, 15 diplamatic corps, governmnt agencies, and couples managing a...developrent, the analysis suggests both problem and possible solutions. It also derives some general conclusions regarding the design and management ...organize and manage information spontaneasly in order to develop techniques which will help them do so more effectively. Attitudes toards and

General Semantics in the Labor Room.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Jo

This paper provides a review of some basic general semantic principles and then applies them to the area of prenatal classes and labor room practices. It first presents an overview of the principle that language is not a neutral factor in human perceptions but an active, reactive force. Next, it looks at the relationship between language and…

The Teacher's Voice: Vocal Training in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bele, Irene Velsvik

2008-01-01

The voice is a basic tool in human communication and an important factor in a positive self-understanding and identity, both for the teacher's sense of profession and for the pupils' ability to express themselves orally; two perspectives of great importance in the Norwegian National Curriculum. Voice disorders are common among teachers world-wide…

TAF1, From a General Transcription Factor to Modulator of Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

TN, Ferguson HA, Galasinski SK, Seto AG, Goodrich JA 2001 c-Jun binds the N terminus of human TAF(II)250 to derepress RNA polymerase II... Galasinski SK, Goodrich JA 2004 The basic leucine zipper domain of c-Jun functions in transcriptional activation through interaction with the N

Inadequate Self-Discipline as a Causal Factor in Human Error Accidents

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

reasons for the effectiveness of the stimuli or incentives used are unknown. Moreover, Gebers and Peck (1987) conclude on the basis of a random sample...Research. 13, 141-156. 234 Gebers , M. A., & Peck, R. C. (1987). Basic California traffic conviction and accident record facts. (Report No. CAL-DMV- RSS

Beyond Brain Growth: Other Factors Affecting Cognitive Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefanich, Greg; Aldridge, Mary Nan

The intellectual model of Jean Piaget asserts that individuals pass through a series of various intellectual stages as they mature. Human development is categorized into four basic stages: (1) sensory motor stage, which lasts from birth to about eighteen months; (2) preoperational stage, lasting from eighteen months to about seven years; (3)…

Gestalt factors modulate basic spatial vision.

PubMed

Sayim, B; Westheimer, G; Herzog, M H

2010-05-01

Human perception of a stimulus varies depending on the context in which the stimulus is presented. Such contextual modulation has often been explained by two basic neural mechanisms: lateral inhibition and spatial pooling. In the present study, we presented observers with a vernier stimulus flanked by single lines; observers' ability to discriminate the offset direction of the vernier stimulus deteriorated in accordance with both explanations. However, when the flanking lines were part of a geometric shape (i.e., a good Gestalt), this deterioration strongly diminished. These findings cannot be explained by lateral inhibition or spatial pooling. It seems that Gestalt factors play an important role in contextual modulation. We propose that contextual modulation can be used as a quantitative measure to investigate the rules governing the grouping of elements into meaningful wholes.

Effective Work Procedure design Using Discomfort and Effort Factor in Brick stacking operation-A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rout, Biswaranjan; Dash, R. R.; Dhupal, D.

2018-02-01

In this work a typical planning of movement of limbs and torso of the worker to be well design to reduce fatigue and energy of the worker. A simulation model is generated to suit the procedure and comply with the constraints in the workspace. It requires verifying the capability of human postures and movements in different working conditions for the evaluation of effectiveness of the new design. In this article a simple human performance measure is introduce that enable the mathematical model for evaluation of a cost function. The basic scheme is to evaluate the performance in the form of several cost factors using AI techniques. Here two main cost factors taken in to consideration are discomfort factor and effort factor in limb movements. Discomfort factor measures the level of discomfort from the most neutral position of a given limb to the position of the corresponding limb after movement and effort factor is a measure of the displacement of the corresponding limbs from the original position. The basic aim is to optimize the movement of the limbs with the above mentioned cost functions. The effectiveness of the procedure is tested with an example of working procedure of workers used for stacking of fly ash bricks in a local fly ash bricks manufacturing unit. The objective is to find out the optimised movement of the limbs to reduce discomfort level and effort required of workers. The effectiveness of the procedure in this case study illustrated with the obtained results.

Space station proximity operations windows: Human factors design guidelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haines, Richard F.

1987-01-01

Proximity operations refers to all activities outside the Space Station which take place within a 1-km radius. Since there will be a large number of different operations involving manned and unmanned vehicles, single- and multiperson crews, automated and manually controlled flight, a wide variety of cargo, and construction/repair activities, accurate and continuous human monitoring of these operations from a specially designed control station on Space Station will be required. Total situational awareness will be required. This paper presents numerous human factors design guidelines and related background information for control windows which will support proximity operations. Separate sections deal with natural and artificial illumination geometry; all basic rendezvous vector approaches; window field-of-view requirements; window size; shape and placement criteria; window optical characteristics as they relate to human perception; maintenance and protection issues; and a comprehensive review of windows installed on U.S. and U.S.S.R. manned vehicles.

[Some aspects of animal-to-human approximation of low frequency electromagnetic field exposure conditions].

PubMed

Vasin, A L

2003-01-01

Appropriateness of representation of a biological object surface as an equipotential surface has been proved for conditions of a quasistatic exposure to EMF of frequencies lower than 1 MHz. The conditions, at which a self capacitance of a biological object is its basic electrical parameter, have been considered. A factor of animal-to-human approximation of low-frequency EMF exposure conditions was estimated on the basis of equal dose loading in biological objects of different geometric sizes.

Color reproduction system based on color appearance model and gamut mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Fang-Hsuan; Yang, Chih-Yuan

2000-06-01

By the progress of computer, computer peripherals such as color monitor and printer are often used to generate color image. However, cross media color reproduction by human perception is usually different. Basically, the influence factors are device calibration and characterization, viewing condition, device gamut and human psychology. In this thesis, a color reproduction system based on color appearance model and gamut mapping is proposed. It consists of four parts; device characterization, color management technique, color appearance model and gamut mapping.

Foul WX Underground: The Dynamics of Resistance and the Analog Logic of Communication during a Digital Blackout

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-21

32 Sigmund Freud , Civilization and Its Discontents (New York: W.W. Norton, 1962) and Abraham Maslow, ―Theory of Human...Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations. New York: Basic Books, 1996. Freud , Sigmund . Civilization and Its Discontents. New York: W.W...better than a one-to-one scale map? Return to the factor of change over time and even a stable model of human behavior, whether from Freud or Maslow

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Tools to Support the Human Factors Design Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Null, Cynthia H.; Jackson, Mariea D.; Perry, Trey; Quick, Jason C.; Stokes, Jack W.

2014-01-01

The scope of this assessment was to develop a library of basic 1-Gravity (G) human posture and motion elements used to construct complex virtual simulations of ground processing and maintenance tasks for spaceflight vehicles, including launch vehicles, crewed spacecraft, robotic spacecraft, satellites, and other payloads. The report herein describes the task, its purpose, performance, findings, NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) recommendations, and conclusions in the definition and assemblage of the postures and motions database (PMD).

Contributions of basic immunology to human health.

PubMed

Albright, J F; Oppenheim, J J

1991-03-01

The sixth symposium in the series "Contemporary Topics in Immunology" was held in New Orleans on June 3, 1990, at the joint meeting of The American Association of Immunologists and the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The symposium was sponsored jointly by The American Association of Immunologists, the Clinical Immunology Society, and and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and was titled "The Contributions of Basic Immunology to Human Health." Five speakers, whose research has clear relevance to the treatment and prevention of major human diseases, discussed topics of great current interest: hematopoietic stem cells, cell adhesion and lymphocyte homing; the complexities of autoimmunity and approaches to diverting or depressing autoaggressive immunity; structure and functions of the interferons and the construction of designer and chimeric interferons; the varied functions of transforming growth factors and molecular events that regulate the synthesis of TGF beta; and the roles of cytokines in the expression of human immunodeficiency virus and the prospects for controlling HIV infections by regulating selected cytokines. This symposium will be remembered for the exceptional clarity with which each speaker illustrated how fundamental knowledge in immunology fuels advances in the treatment and prevention of those human disorders that involve the immune system.

Requirement of Vascular Integrin α_vβ_3 for Angiogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, Peter C.; Clark, Richard A. F.; Cheresh, David A.

1994-04-01

Angiogenesis depends on the adhesive interactions of vascular cells. The adhesion receptor integrin α_vβ_3 was identified as a marker of angiogenic vascular tissue. Integrin α_vβ_3 was expressed on blood vessels in human wound granulation tissue but not in normal skin, and it showed a fourfold increase in expression during angiogenesis on the chick chorioallantoic membrane. In the latter assay, a monoclonal antibody to α_vβ_3 blocked angiogenesis induced by basic fibroblast growth factor, tumor necrosis factor-α, and human melanoma fragments but had no effect on preexisting vessels. These findings suggest that α_vβ_3 may be a useful therapeutic target for diseases characterized by neovascularization.

Molecular diversity of the faecal microbiota of Toy Poodles in Japan.

PubMed

Omatsu, Tsutomu; Omura, Miki; Katayama, Yukie; Kimura, Toru; Okumura, Maho; Okumura, Atsushi; Murata, Yoshiteru; Mizutani, Tetsuya

2018-05-18

The intestinal microbiota was revealed with the recent advances in molecular techniques, such as high-throughput sequencing analysis. As a result, the microbial changes are thought to influence the health of humans and animals and such changes are affected by several factors including diet, genetics, age, sex, and diseases. Similar studies are being conducted in dogs, and the knowledge of intestinal microbiota in dogs is expanding. Nonetheless, basic information on intestinal microbiota in dogs is less than that of humans. Our aim was to study toy poodles (n=21), a popular companion dog, in terms of basic characteristics of the faecal microbiota by 16S rRNA gene barcoding analysis. In the faecal microbiota, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria were the dominant phyla (over 93.4% of faecal microbiota) regardless of the attributes of the dogs. In family level, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacteroidaceae, and Lachnospiraceae were most prevalent. In case of a dog with protein-losing enteropathy, the diversity of faecal microbiota was different between before and after treatment. This study provides basic information for studying on faecal microbiota in toy poodles.

Humans Are Still the Critical Factor in Aviation Security.

PubMed

Krüger, Jenny Kathinka; Suchan, Boris

2015-10-01

In Germany, the German Federal Police assess the performance of aviation security screeners on a regular basis. These so-called "reality tests" are unannounced examinations which aim to investigate whether airport screeners can detect forbidden items in hand luggage or attached to the body. Recent alarming results of such inspections showed clearly that the overall detection rate is in need of improvement. To achieve this, it is important to identify specific factors that influence general screening performance. This especially includes basic cognitive functions like visual screening, alertness, and divided attention, which have come more and more into focus in current fundamental research projects. This brief commentary points out critical factors, contributes background conditions in aviation security screening, and shows possible approaches for enhancement and optimization. Finally, the human aspect is discussed as not only being the weakest factor in security screening, but also one of major importance.

Discovery of the porcine NGN3 gene and testing its endocrine function in the pig

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Neurogenin 3 (NGN3) is a member of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor family. NGN3 is both necessary and sufficient to drive endocrine differentiation in the developing pancreas in mouse and humans. Until now, the sequence for NGN3 eluded discovery despite completion of the pig genome a...

[Preparation trauma in stomatology].

PubMed

Novák, L; Půza, V; Cervinka, M; Kolárová, J

1997-01-01

In this paper authors deal with the causes of preparation trauma in stomatology. They have studied effects of high temperature on human cells cultured in vitro. Based both on literature data and on their own experience they summarize basic principles of preparation which prevent preparation trauma. They summarize how to eliminate as much as possible factors that damage hard dental tissues and pulp.

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Free of Vector and Transgene Sequences

PubMed Central

Yu, Junying; Hu, Kejin; Smuga-Otto, Kim; Tian, Shulan; Stewart, Ron; Slukvin, Igor I.; Thomson, James A.

2009-01-01

Reprogramming differentiated human cells to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has applications in basic biology, drug development, and transplantation. Human iPS cell derivation previously required vectors that integrate into the genome, which can create mutations and limit the utility of the cells in both research and clinical applications. Here we describe the derivation of human iPS cells using non-integrating episomal vectors. After removal of the episome, iPS cells completely free of vector and transgene sequences are derived that are similar to human embryonic stem (ES) cells in proliferative and developmental potential. These results demonstrate that reprogramming human somatic cells does not require genomic integration or the continued presence of exogenous reprogramming factors, and removes one obstacle to the clinical application of human iPS cells. PMID:19325077

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma expression in human vascular smooth muscle cells: inhibition of growth, migration, and c-fos expression by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma activator troglitazone.

PubMed

Benson, S; Wu, J; Padmanabhan, S; Kurtz, T W; Pershadsingh, H A

2000-01-01

This study was conducted to determine whether cultured human coronary artery and aorta vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells express the nuclear transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma); whether the thiazolidinedione troglitazone, a ligand for PPARgamma, would inhibit c-fos expression by these cells; and whether troglitazone would inhibit proliferation and migration induced in these cells by mitogenic growth factors. Using immunoblotting and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques, we show that both human aorta and coronary artery VSM cell lines expressed PPARgamma protein and mRNA for both PPARgamma isoforms, PPARgamma1 and PPARgamma2. Immunocytochemical staining localized the PPARgamma protein primarily within the nucleus. Troglitazone inhibited basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor-BB induced DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner and downregulated the growth-factor-induced expression of c-fos. Troglitazone also inhibited the migration of coronary artery VSM cells along a platelet-derived growth factor-BB concentration gradient. These findings demonstrate for the first time the expression and nuclear localization of PPARgamma in human coronary artery and aorta VSM cells. The data also suggest that the downregulation of c-fos expression, growth-factor-induced proliferation, and migration by VSM may, in part, be mediated by activation of the PPARgamma receptor.

Research in image management and access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vondran, Raymond F.; Barron, Billy J.

1993-01-01

Presently, the problem of over-all library system design has been compounded by the accretion of both function and structure to a basic framework of requirements. While more device power has led to increased functionality, opportunities for reducing system complexity at the user interface level have not always been pursued with equal zeal. The purpose of this book is therefore to set forth and examine these opportunities, within the general framework of human factors research in man-machine interfaces. Human factors may be viewed as a series of trade-off decisions among four polarized objectives: machine resources and user specifications; functionality and user requirements. In the past, a limiting factor was the availability of systems. However, in the last two years, over one hundred libraries supported by many different software configurations have been added to the Internet. This document includes a statistical analysis of human responses to five Internet library systems by key features, development of the ideal online catalog system, and ideal online catalog systems for libraries and information centers.

SARSCEST (human factors)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, H. Mcilvaine

1988-01-01

People interact with the processes and products of contemporary technology. Individuals are affected by these in various ways and individuals shape them. Such interactions come under the label 'human factors'. To expand the understanding of those to whom the term is relatively unfamiliar, its domain includes both an applied science and applications of knowledge. It means both research and development, with implications of research both for basic science and for development. It encompasses not only design and testing but also training and personnel requirements, even though some unwisely try to split these apart both by name and institutionally. The territory includes more than performance at work, though concentration on that aspect, epitomized in the derivation of the term ergonomics, has overshadowed human factors interest in interactions between technology and the home, health, safety, consumers, children and later life, the handicapped, sports and recreation education, and travel. Two aspects of technology considered most significant for work performance, systems and automation, and several approaches to these, are discussed.

Regulation by basic fibroblast growth factor of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis in cultured vascular endothelial cells.

PubMed

Kaji, T; Hiraga, S; Ohkawara, S; Inada, M; Yamamoto, C; Kozuka, H; Koizumi, F

1995-05-01

The alteration of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells after exposure to basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was investigated. It was found that the incorporation of [3H]glucosamine into GAGs was markedly increased by bFGF in both the cell layer and the conditioned medium; however, that of [35S]sulfate was not changed by the growth factor. These results indicated that bFGF enhanced the sugar-chain formation but did not affect their sulfation in endothelial GAG production. Similar changes were observed in either bovine aortic smooth-muscle cells and human fibroblastic IMR-90 cells to greater and lesser degrees, respectively. Characterization of GAGs in the endothelial cell layer and the conditioned medium revealed that bFGF enhanced both heparan sulfate and the other GAGs to a similar degree. The present data suggest that bFGF may be involved in the regulation of the blood coagulation system via altering GAGs of the vascular tissue when the endothelium was damaged.

Ternary mixed-mode silica sorbent of solid-phase extraction for determination of basic, neutral and acidic drugs in human serum.

PubMed

Jin, Shupei; Qiao, Yinghua; Xing, Jun

2018-06-01

In this study, a ternary mixed-mode silica sorbent (TMSS) with octamethylene, carboxyl, and amino groups was prepared via Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction and a subsequent reduction of azide to primary amine. While used in solid-phase extraction (SPE), the retention behavior of TMSS towards a total of nine kinds of basic, neutral, and acidic drugs was investigated in detail. The results revealed that hydrophobic, ion-exchange interaction, and electrostatic repulsion between TMSS and the analytes were closely related to the retention behavior of TMSS. Besides, the log K ow value of the analyte was also a factor influencing the retention behavior of analytes on TMSS. The nine analytes could be retained by TMSS simultaneously and then, were eluted into two fractions according to the acid-base property of the analytes for further determinations. The acidic and neutral analytes were in one fraction, and the basic ones in the other fraction. When used to treat the human serum spiked with the nine drugs, TMSS offered higher recoveries than BakerBond CBA and comparable recoveries to Oasis WCX. It should be noted TMSS had better purifying capability for human serum than Oasis WCX. Under the optimized SPE conditions, a method of SPE hyphenated to high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) for determination of the basic, neutral, and acidic drugs spiked in human serum was established. For the nine drugs, the linear ranges were all between 5.0 and 1000 μg L -1 with correlation coefficients (R 2 ) above 0.9990, and the limits of detection (LODs) were in the range of 0.8-2.3 μg L -1 . The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 5.3 and 8.8%, respectively. Graphical abstract Treating drugs in human serum by SPE with ternary mixed-mode silica sorbent.

A delay differential equation model for dengue transmission with regular visits to a mosquito breeding site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaacob, Y.; Yeak, S. H.; Lim, R. S.; Soewono, E.

2015-03-01

Dengue disease has been known as one of widely transmitted vector-borne diseases which potentially affects millions of people throughout the world especially in tropical and sub-tropical countries. One of the main factors contributing in the complication of the transmission process is the mobility of people in which people may get infection in the places far from their home. Here we construct a delay differential equation model for dengue transmission in a closed population where regular visits of people to a mosquito breeding site out of their residency such as traditional market take place daily. Basic reproductive ratio of the system is obtained and depends on the ratio between the outgoing rates of susceptible human and infective human. It is shown that the increase of mobility with different variation of mobility rates may contribute to different level of basic reproductive ratio as well as different level of outbreaks.

Description and Application of a Mathematical Method for the Analysis of Harmony

PubMed Central

Zuo, Qiting; Jin, Runfang; Ma, Junxia

2015-01-01

Harmony issues are widespread in human society and nature. To analyze these issues, harmony theory has been proposed as the main theoretical approach for the study of interpersonal relationships and relationships between humans and nature. Therefore, it is of great importance to study harmony theory. After briefly introducing the basic concepts of harmony theory, this paper expounds the five elements that are essential for the quantitative description of harmony issues in water resources management: harmony participant, harmony objective, harmony regulation, harmony factor, and harmony action. A basic mathematical equation for the harmony degree, that is, a quantitative expression of harmony issues, is introduced in the paper: HD = ai − bj, where a is the uniform degree, b is the difference degree, i is the harmony coefficient, and j is the disharmony coefficient. This paper also discusses harmony assessment and harmony regulation and introduces some application examples. PMID:26167535

Characterization of a heparin-binding growth factor from adenocarcinoma of the kidney.

PubMed

Mydlo, J H; Heston, W D; Fair, W R

1988-12-01

A polypeptide isolated from tissue extracts of renal adenocarcinoma was mitogenic for BALB/c 3T3 cells and human umbilical vein (HUV) cells in culture. It also demonstrated angiogenic ability using the chorioallantoic membrane bioassay. Using heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography the purified protein eluted with a NaCl concentration between 1.4 and 1.8 M and demonstrated a molecular weight of approximately 17,000 daltons based on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Half maximal stimulation of tritiated thymidine incorporation into BALB/c 3T3 cells was achieved by 1.6 ng./ml. of the heparin binding material. Western blot analysis using antibodies specific to basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) only or acidic FGF (aFGF) only demonstrated that the purified protein binds to the former and not the latter. The characteristics of this material, in effect the elution profile off heparin-Sepharose, the molecular weight, angiogenic activity and the results of western blot analysis, suggest that this growth factor is similar to the family of basic fibroblast growth factors.

Humans in Biogeophysical Models: Colonial Period Human-Environment Interactions in the Northeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parolari, A.; Greco, F.; Green, M.; Lally, M.; Hermans, C.

2008-12-01

Earth system models increasingly require representation of human activities and the important role they play in the environment. At the most fundamental level, human decisions are driven by the need to acquire basic resources - nutrients, energy, water, and space - each derived from the biogeophysical setting. Modern theories in Ecological Economics place these basic resources at the base of a consumption hierarchy (from subsistence to luxury resources) on which societies and economies are built. Human decisions at all levels of this hierarchy are driven by dynamic environmental, social, and economic factors. Therefore, models merging socio-economic and biogeophysical dynamics are required to predict the evolving relationship between humans and the hydrologic cycle. To provide an example, our study focuses on changes to the hydrologic cycle during the United States colonial period (1600 to 1800). Both direct, intentional, human water use (e.g. water supply, irrigation, or hydropower) and indirect, unintentional effects resulting from the use of other resources (e.g. deforestation or beaver trapping) are considered. We argue that water was not the limiting resource to either the Native or Colonist population growth. However, food and tobacco production and harvesting of beaver pelts led to indirect interventions and consequent changes in the hydrologic cycle. The analysis presented here suggests the importance of incorporating human decision- making dynamics with existing geophysical models to fully understand trajectories of human-environment interactions. Predictive tools of this type are critical to characterizing the long-term signature of humans on the landscape and hydrologic cycle.

Human HST1 (HSTF1) gene maps to chromosome band 11q13 and coamplifies with the INT2 gene in human cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoshida, Michihiro C.; Wada, Makio; Satoh, Hitoshi

1988-07-01

The human HST1 gene, previously designated the hst gene, and now assigned the name HSTF1 for heparin-binding secretory transforming factor in human gene nomenclature, was originally identified as a transforming gene in DNAs from human stomach cancers by transfection assay with mouse NIH 3T3 cells. The amino acid sequence of the product deduced from DNA sequences of the HST1 cDNA and genomic clones had approximately 40% homology to human basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors and mouse Int-2-encoded protein. The authors have mapped the human HST1 gene to chromosome 11 at band q13.3 by Southern blot hybridization analysis of amore » panel of human and mouse somatic cell hybrids and in situ hybridization with an HST1 cDNA probe. The HST1 gene was found to be amplified in DNAs obtained from a stomach cancer and a vulvar carcinoma cell line, A431. In all of these samples of DNA, the INT2 gene, previously mapped to human chromosome 11q13, was also amplified to the same degree as the HST1 gene.« less

Identification and Characterization of Key Human Performance Issues and Research in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Paul U.; Sheridan, Tom; Poage, james L.; Martin, Lynne Hazel; Jobe, Kimberly K.

2010-01-01

This report identifies key human-performance-related issues associated with Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) research in the NASA NextGen-Airspace Project. Four Research Focus Areas (RFAs) in the NextGen-Airspace Project - namely Separation Assurance (SA), Airspace Super Density Operations (ASDO), Traffic Flow Management (TFM), and Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) - were examined closely. In the course of the research, it was determined that the identified human performance issues needed to be analyzed in the context of NextGen operations rather than through basic human factors research. The main gaps in human factors research in NextGen were found in the need for accurate identification of key human-systems related issues within the context of specific NextGen concepts and better design of the operational requirements for those concepts. By focusing on human-system related issues for individual concepts, key human performance issues for the four RFAs were identified and described in this report. In addition, mixed equipage airspace with components of two RFAs were characterized to illustrate potential human performance issues that arise from the integration of multiple concepts.

TAF1, From a General Transcription Factor to Modulator of Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

kinase CK2. Mol Cell Biochem 316:99-106 21. Lively TN, Ferguson HA, Galasinski SK, Seto AG, Goodrich JA 2001 c-Jun binds the N terminus of human TAF(II...Nguyen TN, Galasinski SK, Goodrich JA 2004 The basic leucine zipper domain of c-Jun functions in transcriptional activation through interaction with

Architecture of the human regulatory network derived from ENCODE data.

PubMed

Gerstein, Mark B; Kundaje, Anshul; Hariharan, Manoj; Landt, Stephen G; Yan, Koon-Kiu; Cheng, Chao; Mu, Xinmeng Jasmine; Khurana, Ekta; Rozowsky, Joel; Alexander, Roger; Min, Renqiang; Alves, Pedro; Abyzov, Alexej; Addleman, Nick; Bhardwaj, Nitin; Boyle, Alan P; Cayting, Philip; Charos, Alexandra; Chen, David Z; Cheng, Yong; Clarke, Declan; Eastman, Catharine; Euskirchen, Ghia; Frietze, Seth; Fu, Yao; Gertz, Jason; Grubert, Fabian; Harmanci, Arif; Jain, Preti; Kasowski, Maya; Lacroute, Phil; Leng, Jing Jane; Lian, Jin; Monahan, Hannah; O'Geen, Henriette; Ouyang, Zhengqing; Partridge, E Christopher; Patacsil, Dorrelyn; Pauli, Florencia; Raha, Debasish; Ramirez, Lucia; Reddy, Timothy E; Reed, Brian; Shi, Minyi; Slifer, Teri; Wang, Jing; Wu, Linfeng; Yang, Xinqiong; Yip, Kevin Y; Zilberman-Schapira, Gili; Batzoglou, Serafim; Sidow, Arend; Farnham, Peggy J; Myers, Richard M; Weissman, Sherman M; Snyder, Michael

2012-09-06

Transcription factors bind in a combinatorial fashion to specify the on-and-off states of genes; the ensemble of these binding events forms a regulatory network, constituting the wiring diagram for a cell. To examine the principles of the human transcriptional regulatory network, we determined the genomic binding information of 119 transcription-related factors in over 450 distinct experiments. We found the combinatorial, co-association of transcription factors to be highly context specific: distinct combinations of factors bind at specific genomic locations. In particular, there are significant differences in the binding proximal and distal to genes. We organized all the transcription factor binding into a hierarchy and integrated it with other genomic information (for example, microRNA regulation), forming a dense meta-network. Factors at different levels have different properties; for instance, top-level transcription factors more strongly influence expression and middle-level ones co-regulate targets to mitigate information-flow bottlenecks. Moreover, these co-regulations give rise to many enriched network motifs (for example, noise-buffering feed-forward loops). Finally, more connected network components are under stronger selection and exhibit a greater degree of allele-specific activity (that is, differential binding to the two parental alleles). The regulatory information obtained in this study will be crucial for interpreting personal genome sequences and understanding basic principles of human biology and disease.

[Strategic approaches to risk management to reduce human vulnerability due to water factor changes].

PubMed

Rakhmanin, Iu A; Doronina, O D

2010-01-01

The current globalization tendencies give rise to serious human health risks associated with the problems in providing the safety of water resources, with their intense microbiological contamination due to sewage disposal, with the loss of capacity of water ecosystems for self-repair. To guarantee access to safe drinking water and basic sanitary services is considered to be one of the most priority tasks of the international community, which are embodied in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development approved by the United Nations Organization.

Human factors technology for America's space program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montemerlo, M. D.

1982-01-01

NASA is initiating a space human factors research and technology development program in October 1982. The impetus for this program stems from: the frequent and economical access to space provided by the Shuttle, the advances in control and display hardware/software made possible through the recent explosion in microelectronics technology, heightened interest in a space station, heightened interest by the military in space operations, and the fact that the technology for long duration stay times for man in space has received relatively little attention since the Apollo and Skylab missions. The rationale for and issues in the five thrusts of the new program are described. The main thrusts are: basic methodology, crew station design, ground control/operations, teleoperations and extra vehicular activity.

7 CFR 1463.105 - Base quota levels for eligible quota holders.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the BQL adjustment factor 1.071295. (Note: The factor adjusts the 2004 basic quota to the 2002 basic... farm. (Note: In the case of undivided tract ownership, BQL must be distributed among the tract quota... basic quota, multiplied by the BQL adjustment factor 1.23457. (Note: The factor adjusts the 2004 basic...

7 CFR 1463.105 - Base quota levels for eligible quota holders.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the BQL adjustment factor 1.071295. (Note: The factor adjusts the 2004 basic quota to the 2002 basic... farm. (Note: In the case of undivided tract ownership, BQL must be distributed among the tract quota... basic quota, multiplied by the BQL adjustment factor 1.23457. (Note: The factor adjusts the 2004 basic...

Exposure to transforming growth factor-β1 after basic fibroblast growth factor promotes the fibroblastic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem/progenitor cell lines.

PubMed

Kono, Kiyomi; Maeda, Hidefumi; Fujii, Shinsuke; Tomokiyo, Atsushi; Yamamoto, Naohide; Wada, Naohisa; Monnouchi, Satoshi; Teramatsu, Yoko; Hamano, Sayuri; Koori, Katsuaki; Akamine, Akifumi

2013-05-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a cytokine that promotes the regeneration of the periodontium, the specialized tissues supporting the teeth. bFGF, does not, however, induce the synthesis of smooth muscle actin alpha 2 (ACTA2), type I collagen (COL1), or COL3, which are principal molecules in periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue, a component of the periodontium. We have suggested the feasibility of using transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) to induce fibroblastic differentiation of PDL stem/progenitor cells (PDLSCs). Here, we investigated the effect of the subsequent application of TGFβ1 after bFGF (bFGF/TGFβ1) on the differentiation of PDLSCs into fibroblastic cells. We first confirmed the expression of bFGF and TGFβ1 in rat PDL tissue and primary human PDL cells. Receptors for both bFGF and TGFβ1 were expressed in the human PDLSC lines 1-11 and 1-17. Exposure to bFGF for 2 days promoted vascular endothelial growth factor gene and protein expression in both cell lines and down-regulated the expression of ACTA2, COL1, and COL3 mRNA in both cell lines and the gene fibrillin 1 (FBN1) in cell line 1-11 alone. Furthermore, bFGF stimulated cell proliferation of these cell lines and significantly increased the number of cells in phase G2/M in the cell lines. Exposure to TGFβ1 for 2 days induced gene expression of ACTA2 and COL1 in both cell lines and FBN1 in cell line 1-11 alone. BFGF/TGFβ1 treatment significantly up-regulated ACTA2, COL1, and FBN1 expression as compared with the group treated with bFGF alone or the untreated control. This method might thus be useful for accelerating the generation and regeneration of functional periodontium.

Defined Medium Conditions for the Induction and Expansion of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium.

PubMed

Lidgerwood, Grace E; Lim, Shiang Y; Crombie, Duncan E; Ali, Ray; Gill, Katherine P; Hernández, Damián; Kie, Josh; Conquest, Alison; Waugh, Hayley S; Wong, Raymond C B; Liang, Helena H; Hewitt, Alex W; Davidson, Kathryn C; Pébay, Alice

2016-04-01

We demonstrate that a combination of Noggin, Dickkopf-1, Insulin Growth Factor 1 and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor, promotes the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. We describe an efficient one-step approach that allows the generation of RPE cells from both human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells within 40-60 days without the need for manual excision, floating aggregates or imbedded cysts. Compared to methods that rely on spontaneous differentiation, our protocol results in faster differentiation into RPE cells. This pro-retinal culture medium promotes the growth of functional RPE cells that exhibit key characteristics of the RPE including pigmentation, polygonal morphology, expression of mature RPE markers, electrophysiological membrane potential and the ability to phagocytose photoreceptor outer segments. This protocol can be adapted for feeder, feeder-free and serum-free conditions. This method thereby provides a rapid and simplified production of RPE cells for downstream applications such as disease modelling and drug screening.

Baseline experiments in teleoperator control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hankins, W. W., III; Mixon, R. W.

1986-01-01

Studies have been conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to establish baseline human teleoperator interface data and to assess the influence of some of the interface parameters on human performance in teleoperation. As baseline data, the results will be used to assess future interface improvements resulting from this research in basic teleoperator human factors. In addition, the data have been used to validate LaRC's basic teleoperator hardware setup and to compare initial teleoperator study results. Four subjects controlled a modified industrial manipulator to perform a simple task involving both high and low precision. Two different schemes for controlling the manipulator were studied along with both direct and indirect viewing of the task. Performance of the task was measured as the length of time required to complete the task along with the number of errors made in the process. Analyses of variance were computed to determine the significance of the influences of each of the independent variables. Comparisons were also made between the LaRC data and data taken earlier by Grumman Aerospace Corp. at their facilities.

Oxytocin and potential benefits for obesity treatment.

PubMed

Olszewski, Pawel K; Klockars, Anica; Levine, Allen S

2017-10-01

Laboratory animal experiments have consistently shown that oxytocin causes early termination of food intake, thereby promoting a decrease in body weight in a long term. Recent studies have also assessed some of oxytocin's effects on appetite and energy balance in humans. The present study examines the findings of the key basic research and of the few clinical studies published thus far in the context of potential benefits and challenges stemming from the use of oxytocin in obese patients. Basic research indicates the involvement of oxytocin in satiety, processing, in reducing a drive to eat for pleasure and because of psychosocial factors. Although the results of clinical studies are very scarce, they suggest that oxytocin administered intranasally in humans decreases energy-induced and reward-induced eating, supports cognitive control of food choices, and improves glucose homeostasis, and its effectiveness may be BMI dependent. Despite the wealth of basic research showing broad anorexigenic effects of oxytocin, clinical studies on oxytocin's therapeutic potential in obesity, are still in their infancy. Future implementation of oxytocin-based pharmacological strategies in controlling energy balance will likely depend on our ability to integrate diverse behavioral and metabolic effects of oxytocin in obesity treatment regimens.

[The physiological classification of human thermal states under high environmental temperatures].

PubMed

Bobrov, A F; Kuznets, E I

1995-01-01

The paper deals with the physiological classification of human thermal states in a hot environment. A review of the basic systems of classifications of thermal states is given, their main drawbacks are discussed. On the basis of human functional state research in a broad range of environmental temperatures the system of evaluation and classification of human thermal states is proposed. New integral one-dimensional multi-parametric criteria for evaluation are used. For the development of these criteria methods of factor, cluster and canonical correlation analyses are applied. Stochastic nomograms capable of identification of human thermal state for different intensity of influence are given. In this case evaluation of intensity is estimated according to one-dimensional criteria taking into account environmental temperature, physical load and time of man's staying in overheating conditions.

The neurophysiology of sexual arousal.

PubMed

Schober, Justine M; Pfaff, Donald

2007-09-01

Our understanding of the process and initiation of sexual arousal is being enhanced by both animal and human studies, inclusive of basic science principles and research on clinical outcomes. Sexual arousal is dependent on neural (sensory and cognitive) factors, hormonal factors, genetic factors and, in the human case, the complex influences of culture and context. Sexual arousal activates the cognitive and physiologic processes that can eventually lead to sexual behavior. Sexual arousal comprises a particular subset of central nervous system arousal functions which depend on primitive, fundamental arousal mechanisms that cause generalized brain activity, but are manifest in a sociosexual context. The neurophysiology of sexual arousal is seen as a bidirectional system universal to all vertebrates. The following review includes known neural and genomic mechanisms of a hormone-dependent circuit for simple sex behavior. New information about hormone effects on causal steps related to sex hormones' nuclear receptor isoforms expressed by hypothalamic neurons continues to enrich our understanding of this neurophysiology.

Platelets release CXCL4L1, a nonallelic variant of the chemokine platelet factor-4/CXCL4 and potent inhibitor of angiogenesis.

PubMed

Struyf, Sofie; Burdick, Marie D; Proost, Paul; Van Damme, Jo; Strieter, Robert M

2004-10-29

Platelet factor-4 (PF-4)/CXCL4 was the first chemokine described to inhibit neovascularization. Here, the product of the nonallelic variant gene of CXCL4, PF-4var1/PF-4alt, designated CXCL4L1, was isolated for the first time from thrombin-stimulated human platelets and purified to homogeneity. Although secreted CXCL4 and CXCL4L1 differ in only three amino acids, CXCL4L1 was more potent in inhibiting chemotaxis of human microvascular endothelial cells toward interleukin-8 (IL-8)/CXCL8 or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). In vivo, CXCL4L1 was also more effective than CXCL4 in inhibiting bFGF-induced angiogenesis in rat corneas. Thus, activated platelets release CXCL4L1, a potent regulator of endothelial cell biology, which affects angiogenesis and vascular diseases.

[Human factors and crisis resource management: improving patient safety].

PubMed

Rall, M; Oberfrank, S

2013-10-01

A continuing high number of patients suffer harm from medical treatment. In 60-70% of the cases the sources of harm can be attributed to the field of human factors (HFs) and teamwork; nevertheless, those topics are still neither part of medical education nor of basic and advanced training even though it has been known for many years and it has meanwhile also been demonstrated for surgical specialties that training in human factors and teamwork considerably reduces surgical mortality.Besides the medical field, the concept of crisis resource management (CRM) has already proven its worth in many other industries by improving teamwork and reducing errors in the domain of human factors. One of the best ways to learn about CRM and HFs is realistic simulation team training with well-trained instructors in CRM and HF. The educational concept of the HOTT (hand over team training) courses for trauma room training offered by the DGU integrates these elements based on the current state of science. It is time to establish such training for all medical teams in emergency medicine and operative care. Accompanying safety measures, such as the development of a positive culture of safety in every department and the use of effective critical incident reporting systems (CIRs) should be pursued.

Conserved Role of bFGF and a Divergent Role of LIF for Pluripotency Maintenance and Survival in Canine Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Luo, Jiesi; Cibelli, Jose B

2016-09-19

Dogs have been widely used as a preclinical model for human disease. With the successful generation of canine induced pluripotent stem cells (ciPSCs), the biomedical community has a unique opportunity to study therapeutic interventions using autologous stem cells that can benefit dogs and humans. Unlike mice and human pluripotent cells, which are leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)- and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-dependent, respectively, dog iPSCs require both growth factors simultaneously. In an effort to elucidate the role of each factor in the control of ciPSC self-renewal, we performed a series of experiments aiming at understanding the signaling pathways activated by them. We found that bFGF regulates pluripotency by indirectly activating the SMAD2/3 pathway in the presence of feeder cells, exclusively targeting NANOG expression, and inhibiting spontaneous differentiation toward ectoderm and mesoderm. LIF activates the JAK-STAT3 pathway but does not function in the typical manner described in mouse naïve embryonic stem cells. These results show that a unique mechanism for maintenance of pluripotency is present in ciPSC. These findings should be taken into account when establishing stem cell differentiation protocols and may provide more insight into pluripotency regulation in species other than mice and humans.

Anthropometry: Basic Studies ad Applications. Volume 1. 1964-1975

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

Human factors engineering. Cadavers, Moments of inertia, Mass, Aerospace medicine, Tables(Data), Responses IDENTIFIERS: DOT/5A, NTlSDOTHTS PB-241...muscles; head/neck response to low-level acceleration, voluntary isometric muscle force in the lateral direction; and three-dimensional range of motion...Prices: PC$7.50/MFS2.25 \\ 77 22 Whole Body Response Research Program Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor. Dept* of Biomechanics.*General Motors

Roles of Community Education in the Management and Sustainability of Universal Basic Education in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyebamiji, M. A.; Animasahun, M. Olaitan

2012-01-01

Education is seen as the bedrock of a nation's development and for any sustainable programme to take place, human factor, especially the community where the programme is taking place has to be considered. The inputs of the school are from the community and the products of the school service or engineer the community. It is in this context that,…

Our personal space.

PubMed

Suthers, M

2000-10-01

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) as a model of human behaviour is presented. Its basic tenets and the factors that give rise to the physiological and emotional response to an external event are described. A number of psychotherapeutic interventions are also described, along with the influence of NLP on sporting and academic success. Finally, an exploration of these ideas for the purpose of contributing to personal well-being is given.

Color Reproduction System Based on Color Appearance Model and Gamut Mapping

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-07-01

and Gamut Mapping DISTRIBUTION: Approved for public release, distribution unlimited This paper is part of the following report: TITLE: Input/Output...report: ADP011333 thru ADP011362 UNCLASSIFIED Color reproduction system based on color appearance model and gamut mapping Fang-Hsuan Cheng, Chih-Yuan...perception is usually different. Basically, the influence factors are device calibration and characterization, viewing condition, device gamut and human

Epigenetics: relevance and implications for public health.

PubMed

Rozek, Laura S; Dolinoy, Dana C; Sartor, Maureen A; Omenn, Gilbert S

2014-01-01

Improved understanding of the multilayer regulation of the human genome has led to a greater appreciation of environmental, nutritional, and epigenetic risk factors for human disease. Chromatin remodeling, histone tail modifications, and DNA methylation are dynamic epigenetic changes responsive to external stimuli. Careful interpretation can provide insights for actionable public health through collaboration between population and basic scientists and through integration of multiple data sources. We review key findings in environmental epigenetics both in human population studies and in animal models, and discuss the implications of these results for risk assessment and public health protection. To ultimately succeed in identifying epigenetic mechanisms leading to complex phenotypes and disease, researchers must integrate the various animal models, human clinical approaches, and human population approaches while paying attention to life-stage sensitivity, to generate effective prescriptions for human health evaluation and disease prevention.

Reflections on human error - Matters of life and death

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiener, Earl L.

1989-01-01

The last two decades have witnessed a rapid growth in the introduction of automatic devices into aircraft cockpits, and eleswhere in human-machine systems. This was motivated in part by the assumption that when human functioning is replaced by machine functioning, human error is eliminated. Experience to date shows that this is far from true, and that automation does not replace humans, but changes their role in the system, as well as the types and severity of the errors they make. This altered role may lead to fewer, but more critical errors. Intervention strategies to prevent these errors, or ameliorate their consequences include basic human factors engineering of the interface, enhanced warning and alerting systems, and more intelligent interfaces that understand the strategic intent of the crew and can detect and trap inconsistent or erroneous input before it affects the system.

Human factors for the Moon: the gap in anthropometric data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lia Schlacht, Irene; Foing, Bernard H.; Rittweger, Joern; Masali, Melchiorre; Stevenin, Hervé

2016-07-01

Since the space era began, we learned first to survive and then to live in space. In the state of the art, we know how important human factors research and development is to guarantee maximum safety and performance for human missions. With the extension of the duration of space missions, we also need to learn how habitability and comfort factors are closely related to safety and performance. Humanities disciplines such as design, architecture, anthropometry, and anthropology are now involved in mission design from the start. Actual plans for building a simulated Moon village in order to simulate and test Moon missions are now being carried out using a holistic approach, involving multidisciplinary experts cooperating concurrently with regard to the interactions among humans, technology, and the environment. However, in order to implement such plans, we need basic anthropometrical data, which is still missing. In other words: to optimize performance, we need to create doors and ceilings with dimensions that support a natural human movement in the reduced gravity environment of the Moon, but we are lacking detailed anthropometrical data on human movement on the Moon. In the Apollo missions more than 50 years ago, no anthropometrical studies were carried in hypogravity out as far as we know. The necessity to collect data is very consistent with state-of-the-art research. We still have little knowledge of how people will interact with the Moon environment. Specifically, it is not known exactly which posture, which kind of walking and running motions astronauts will use both inside and outside a Moon station. Considering recent plans for a Moon mission where humans will spend extensive time in reduced gravity conditions, the need for anthropometric, biomechanics and kinematics field data is a priority in order to be able to design the right architecture, infrastructure, and interfaces. Objective of this paper: Bring knowledge on the relevance of anthropometrical and human factors contribution Present the ongoing research on this field Share innovative methodologies in order to acquire feedback from other specialist. This research is aimed at reconsidering the methodologies from the viewpoint of anthropometry and human system interaction in a different kind of gravity and carry out new investigations that may help to prepare for the next Moon mission, but which can also be used for advanced applications on Earth. Experimental setups and methodologies for achieving anthropometrical data will be described. In particular, combined studies involving bed rest, treadmills, parabolic flight, neutral buoyancy, and weight suspension with cables will be presented. From a spin-off perspective, this research is also extremely promising in terms of basic research aimed at better understanding human physiological mechanisms ruling equilibrium, deambulation, and related topics, which are also useful for applications on Earth.

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

26 CFR 1.41-5A - Basic research for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1987.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... was for basic research performed in the United States). (2) Research in the social sciences or humanities. Basic research does not include research in the social sciences or humanities, within the meaning...

Basic research needed for stimulating the development of behavioral technologies

PubMed Central

Mace, F. Charles

1994-01-01

The costs of disconnection between the basic and applied sectors of behavior analysis are reviewed, and some solutions to these problems are proposed. Central to these solutions are collaborations between basic and applied behavioral scientists in programmatic research that addresses the behavioral basis and solution of human behavior problems. This kind of collaboration parallels the deliberate interactions between basic and applied researchers that have proven to be so profitable in other scientific fields, such as medicine. Basic research questions of particular relevance to the development of behavioral technologies are posed in the following areas: response allocation, resistance to change, countercontrol, formation and differentiation/discrimination of stimulus and response classes, analysis of low-rate behavior, and rule-governed behavior. Three interrelated strategies to build connections between the basic and applied analysis of behavior are identified: (a) the development of nonhuman animal models of human behavior problems using operations that parallel plausible human circumstances, (b) replication of the modeled relations with human subjects in the operant laboratory, and (c) tests of the generality of the model with actual human problems in natural settings. PMID:16812734

Medical University admission test: a confirmatory factor analysis of the results.

PubMed

Luschin-Ebengreuth, Marion; Dimai, Hans P; Ithaler, Daniel; Neges, Heide M; Reibnegger, Gilbert

2016-05-01

The Graz Admission Test has been applied since the academic year 2006/2007. The validity of the Test was demonstrated by a significant improvement of study success and a significant reduction of dropout rate. The purpose of this study was a detailed analysis of the internal correlation structure of the various components of the Graz Admission Test. In particular, the question investigated was whether or not the various test parts constitute a suitable construct which might be designated as "Basic Knowledge in Natural Science." This study is an observational investigation, analyzing the results of the Graz Admission Test for the study of human medicine and dentistry. A total of 4741 applicants were included in the analysis. Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) as well as techniques from structural equation modeling, specifically confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), were employed to detect potential underlying latent variables governing the behavior of the measured variables. PCFA showed good clustering of the science test parts, including also text comprehension. A putative latent variable "Basic Knowledge in Natural Science," investigated by CFA, was indeed shown to govern the response behavior of the applicants in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics as well as text comprehension. The analysis of the correlation structure of the various test parts confirmed that the science test parts together with text comprehension constitute a satisfactory instrument for measuring a latent construct variable "Basic Knowledge in Natural Science." The present results suggest the fundamental importance of basic science knowledge for results obtained in the framework of the admission process for medical universities.

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 - Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception No. Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 Commerce and... Supplement No. 2 to Part 740—Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception (a) Health Equipment for the Handicapped Hospital Supplies and Equipment Laboratory...

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 - Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception No. Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 Commerce and... Supplement No. 2 to Part 740—Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception (a) Health Equipment for the Handicapped Hospital Supplies and Equipment Laboratory...

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 - Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception No. Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 Commerce and... Supplement No. 2 to Part 740—Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception (a) Health Equipment for the Handicapped Hospital Supplies and Equipment Laboratory...

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 - Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception No. Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 Commerce and... Supplement No. 2 to Part 740—Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception (a) Health Equipment for the Handicapped Hospital Supplies and Equipment Laboratory...

15 CFR Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 - Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception No. Supplement No. 2 to Part 740 Commerce and... Supplement No. 2 to Part 740—Items That May Be Donated To Meet Basic Human Needs Under the Humanitarian License Exception (a) Health Equipment for the Handicapped Hospital Supplies and Equipment Laboratory...

Application of the FTA and ETA Method for Gas Hazard Identification for the Performance of Safety Systems in the Industrial Department

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ignac-Nowicka, Jolanta

2018-03-01

The paper analyzes the conditions of safe use of industrial gas systems and factors influencing gas hazards. Typical gas installation and its basic features have been characterized. The results of gas threat analysis in an industrial enterprise using FTA error tree method and ETA event tree method are presented. Compares selected methods of identifying hazards gas industry with respect to the scope of their use. The paper presents an analysis of two exemplary hazards: an industrial gas catastrophe (FTA) and an explosive gas explosion (ETA). In both cases, technical risks and human errors (human factor) were taken into account. The cause-effect relationships of hazards and their causes are presented in the form of diagrams in the drawings.

The Application of the Human Engineering Modeling and Performance Laboratory for Space Vehicle Ground Processing Tasks at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodbury, Sarah K.

2008-01-01

The introduction of United Space Alliance's Human Engineering Modeling and Performance Laboratory began in early 2007 in an attempt to address the problematic workspace design issues that the Space Shuttle has imposed on technicians performing maintenance and inspection operations. The Space Shuttle was not expected to require the extensive maintenance it undergoes between flights. As a result, extensive, costly resources have been expended on workarounds and modifications to accommodate ground processing personnel. Consideration of basic human factors principles for design of maintenance is essential during the design phase of future space vehicles, facilities, and equipment. Simulation will be needed to test and validate designs before implementation.

The T-Cell Oncogene Tal2 Is a Target of PU.1 and Upregulated during Osteoclastogenesis

PubMed Central

Courtial, Nadine; Mücke, Christian; Herkt, Stefanie; Kolodziej, Stephan; Hussong, Helge; Lausen, Jörn

2013-01-01

Transcription factors play a crucial role in regulating differentiation processes during human life and are important in disease. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors Tal1 and Lyl1 play a major role in the regulation of gene expression in the hematopoietic system and are involved in human leukemia. Tal2, which belongs to the same family of transcription factors as Tal1 and Lyl1, is also involved in human leukaemia. However, little is known regarding the expression and regulation of Tal2 in hematopoietic cells. Here we show that Tal2 is expressed in hematopoietic cells of the myeloid lineage. Interestingly, we found that usage of the Tal2 promoter is different in human and mouse cells. Two promoters, hP1 and hP2 drive Tal2 expression in human erythroleukemia K562 cells, however in mouse RAW cells only the mP1 promoter is used. Furthermore, we found that Tal2 expression is upregulated during oesteoclastogenesis. We show that Tal2 is a direct target gene of the myeloid transcription factor PU.1, which is a key transcription factor for osteoclast gene expression. Strikingly, PU.1 binding to the P1 promoter is conserved between mouse and human, but PU.1 binding to P2 was only detected in human K562 cells. Additionally, we provide evidence that Tal2 influences the expression of the osteoclastic differentiation gene TRACP. These findings provide novel insight into the expression control of Tal2 in hematopoietic cells and reveal a function of Tal2 as a regulator of gene expression during osteoclast differentiation. PMID:24086757

Laban movement analysis to classify emotions from motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewan, Swati; Agarwal, Shubham; Singh, Navjyoti

2018-04-01

In this paper, we present the study of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to understand basic human emotions from nonverbal human behaviors. While there are a lot of studies on understanding behavioral patterns based on natural language processing and speech processing applications, understanding emotions or behavior from non-verbal human motion is still a very challenging and unexplored field. LMA provides a rich overview of the scope of movement possibilities. These basic elements can be used for generating movement or for describing movement. They provide an inroad to understanding movement and for developing movement efficiency and expressiveness. Each human being combines these movement factors in his/her own unique way and organizes them to create phrases and relationships which reveal personal, artistic, or cultural style. In this work, we build a motion descriptor based on a deep understanding of Laban theory. The proposed descriptor builds up on previous works and encodes experiential features by using temporal windows. We present a more conceptually elaborate formulation of Laban theory and test it in a relatively new domain of behavioral research with applications in human-machine interaction. The recognition of affective human communication may be used to provide developers with a rich source of information for creating systems that are capable of interacting well with humans. We test our algorithm on UCLIC dataset which consists of body motions of 13 non-professional actors portraying angry, fear, happy and sad emotions. We achieve an accuracy of 87.30% on this dataset.

Basics for sensorimotor information processing: some implications for learning

PubMed Central

Vidal, Franck; Meckler, Cédric; Hasbroucq, Thierry

2015-01-01

In sensorimotor activities, learning requires efficient information processing, whether in car driving, sport activities or human–machine interactions. Several factors may affect the efficiency of such processing: they may be extrinsic (i.e., task-related) or intrinsic (i.e., subjects-related). The effects of these factors are intimately related to the structure of human information processing. In the present article we will focus on some of them, which are poorly taken into account, even when minimizing errors or their consequences is an essential issue at stake. Among the extrinsic factors, we will discuss, first, the effects of the quantity and quality of information, secondly, the effects of instruction and thirdly motor program learning. Among the intrinsic factors, we will discuss first the influence of prior information, secondly how individual strategies affect performance and, thirdly, we will stress the fact that although the human brain is not structured to function errorless (which is not new) humans are able to detect their errors very quickly and (in most of the cases), fast enough to correct them before they result in an overt failure. Extrinsic and intrinsic factors are important to take into account for learning because (1) they strongly affect performance, either in terms of speed or accuracy, which facilitates or impairs learning, (2) the effect of certain extrinsic factors may be strongly modified by learning and (3) certain intrinsic factors might be exploited for learning strategies. PMID:25762944

Genome-wide identification and analysis of the chicken basic helix-loop-helix factors.

PubMed

Liu, Wu-Yi; Zhao, Chun-Jiang

2010-01-01

Members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors play important roles in a wide range of developmental processes. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide survey using the chicken (Gallus gallus) genomic database, and identified 104 bHLH sequences belonging to 42 gene families in an effort to characterize the chicken bHLH transcription factor family. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that chicken has 50, 21, 15, 4, 8, and 3 bHLH members in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively, while three members belonging to none of these groups were classified as ''orphans". A comparison between chicken and human bHLH repertoires suggested that both organisms have a number of lineage-specific bHLH members in the proteomes. Chromosome distribution patterns and phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that the bHLH members should have arisen through gene duplication at an early date. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment statistics showed 51 top GO annotations of biological processes counted in the frequency. The present study deepens our understanding of the chicken bHLH transcription factor family and provides much useful information for further studies using chicken as a model system.

Differences in prostate and adipose tissue basic fibroblast growth factor: analysis of preliminary results.

PubMed

Mydlo, J H; Kral, J G; Macchia, R J

1997-09-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) is mitogenic to human prostate epithelial and stromal cells, and it is reported to be elevated in the serum and urine of patients with various cancers, including prostate cancer. Obesity, with increased body fat, is a risk factor for prostate cancer through unknown mechanisms. Because adipose tissue is a source of FGF-2, we determined the quantity and quality of activity of FGF-2 in omental adipose tissue and compared it with normal and cancerous prostate tissues. Using heparin-Sepharose chromatography, we extracted proteins from human omental adipose tissue, adenocarcinoma of the prostate, and benign prostatic hypertrophic (BPH) tissues. Each of the mitogenic proteins eluted with NaCl concentrations between 1.4 M and 1.8 M, similar to control FGF-2. Using FGF-2 antisera (which inhibited the mitogenic activity of the proteins), we performed Western blot analysis to confirm their homology to FGF-2. We also assessed recovery, mitogenicity, and angiogenicity of each of the proteins using thymidine incorporation into human umbilical vein endothelial cells and the chorioallantoic membrane assay. There was greater recovery of FGF-2 from omental adipose tissue compared with cancerous or BPH homogenates (40 micrograms [2.0 micrograms/g] versus 25 micrograms [1.25 micrograms/g] and 20 micrograms [1.0 microgram/g], respectively). Moreover. FGF-2 from adipose tissue had greater mitogenic activity (96.2% versus 74.8% and 54%; P < 0.05) and a greater angiogenic activity (5.1 vessels versus 2.9 and 1.8 vessels; P < 0.05) on the chorioallantoic assay. We suggest that human omental adipose tissue FGF-2 may demonstrate greater mitogenic and angiogenic activity than either BPH or prostate cancer tissue FGF-2. It is not known whether FGF-2 from adipose tissue qualitatively or quantitatively may underlie the relationship between obesity and prostate cancer.

Computational modeling of the bHLH domain of the transcription factor TWIST1 and R118C, S144R and K145E mutants

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Human TWIST1 is a highly conserved member of the regulatory basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors. TWIST1 forms homo- or heterodimers with E-box proteins, such as E2A (isoforms E12 and E47), MYOD and HAND2. Haploinsufficiency germ-line mutations of the twist1 gene in humans are the main cause of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (SCS), which is characterized by limb abnormalities and premature fusion of cranial sutures. Because of the importance of TWIST1 in the regulation of embryonic development and its relationship with SCS, along with the lack of an experimentally solved 3D structure, we performed comparative modeling for the TWIST1 bHLH region arranged into wild-type homodimers and heterodimers with E47. In addition, three mutations that promote DNA binding failure (R118C, S144R and K145E) were studied on the TWIST1 monomer. We also explored the behavior of the mutant forms in aqueous solution using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, focusing on the structural changes of the wild-type versus mutant dimers. Results The solvent-accessible surface area of the homodimers was smaller on wild-type dimers, which indicates that the cleft between the monomers remained more open on the mutant homodimers. RMSD and RMSF analyses indicated that mutated dimers presented values that were higher than those for the wild-type dimers. For a more careful investigation, the monomer was subdivided into four regions: basic, helix I, loop and helix II. The basic domain presented a higher flexibility in all of the parameters that were analyzed, and the mutant dimer basic domains presented values that were higher than the wild-type dimers. The essential dynamic analysis also indicated a higher collective motion for the basic domain. Conclusions Our results suggest the mutations studied turned the dimers into more unstable structures with a wider cleft, which may be a reason for the loss of DNA binding capacity observed for in vitro circumstances. PMID:22839202

Biological properties of dehydrated human amnion/chorion composite graft: implications for chronic wound healing

PubMed Central

Koob, Thomas J; Rennert, Robert; Zabek, Nicole; Massee, Michelle; Lim, Jeremy J; Temenoff, Johnna S; Li, William W; Gurtner, Geoffrey

2013-01-01

Human amnion/chorion tissue derived from the placenta is rich in cytokines and growth factors known to promote wound healing; however, preservation of the biological activities of therapeutic allografts during processing remains a challenge. In this study, PURION® (MiMedx, Marietta, GA) processed dehydrated human amnion/chorion tissue allografts (dHACM, EpiFix®, MiMedx) were evaluated for the presence of growth factors, interleukins (ILs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed on samples of dHACM and showed quantifiable levels of the following growth factors: platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), PDGF-BB, transforming growth factor α (TGFα), TGFβ1, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), placental growth factor (PLGF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). The ELISA assays also confirmed the presence of IL-4, 6, 8 and 10, and TIMP 1, 2 and 4. Moreover, the relative elution of growth factors into saline from the allograft ranged from 4% to 62%, indicating that there are bound and unbound fractions of these compounds within the allograft. dHACM retained biological activities that cause human dermal fibroblast proliferation and migration of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. An in vivo mouse model showed that dHACM when tested in a skin flap model caused mesenchymal progenitor cell recruitment to the site of implantation. The results from both the in vitro and in vivo experiments clearly established that dHACM contains one or more soluble factors capable of stimulating MSC migration and recruitment. In summary, PURION® processed dHACM retains its biological activities related to wound healing, including the potential to positively affect four distinct and pivotal physiological processes intimately involved in wound healing: cell proliferation, inflammation, metalloproteinase activity and recruitment of progenitor cells. This suggests a paracrine mechanism of action for dHACM when used for wound healing applications. PMID:23902526

Retroviral restriction and dependency factors in primates and carnivores

PubMed Central

Fadel, Hind J.; Poeschla, Eric M.

2014-01-01

Recent studies have extended the rapidly developing retroviral restriction factor field to cells of carnivore species. Carnivoran genomes, and the domestic cat genome in particular, are revealing intriguing properties vis-à;-vis the primate and feline lentiviruses, not only with respect to their repertoires of virus-blocking restriction factors but also replication-enabling dependency factors. Therapeutic application of restriction factors is envisioned for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease and the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) model has promise for testing important hypotheses at the basic and translational level. Feline cell-tropic HIV-1 clones have also been generated by a strategy of restriction factor evasion. We review progress in this area in the context of what is known about retroviral restriction factors such as TRIM5alpha, TRIMCyp, APOBEC3 proteins and BST-2/Tetherin. PMID:21715018

Are we alone? Lessons from the evolution of life on earth.

PubMed

Via, S

2001-12-01

The understanding of life on Earth that we have obtained from the science of evolutionary biology offers clues to the qustion of what life might be like if found elsewhere. After presenting the basics of the evolutionary process, I discuss the factors that determine the outcome of evolution, the role of key innovations and extinction in evolution, and whether the evolution of human life is inevitable.

Human Emotional State and its Relevance for Military VR Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-07-01

buckwalt@usc.edu Abstract Combat environments by their nature can produce a dramatic range of emotional responses in military personnel. When...paper will present the rationale and status of two ongoing VR research programs at the ICT that address sharply contrasting ends of the emotional ...spectrum relevant to the military: 1. The Sensory Environments Evaluation (SEE) Project is examining basic factors that underlie emotion as it occurs

Violence against women

PubMed Central

Krantz, G.; Garcia-Moreno, C.

2005-01-01

Violence against women is now well recognised as a public health problem and human rights violation of worldwide significance. It is an important risk factor for women's ill health, with far reaching consequences for both their physical and mental health. This glossary aims to describe various forms of interpersonal violence that are directed towards women and girls. Terms and basic concepts used in research and policy on this public health problem will be explained. PMID:16166351

Development of task network models of human performance in microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diaz, Manuel F.; Adam, Susan

1992-01-01

This paper discusses the utility of task-network modeling for quantifying human performance variability in microgravity. The data are gathered for: (1) improving current methodologies for assessing human performance and workload in the operational space environment; (2) developing tools for assessing alternative system designs; and (3) developing an integrated set of methodologies for the evaluation of performance degradation during extended duration spaceflight. The evaluation entailed an analysis of the Remote Manipulator System payload-grapple task performed on many shuttle missions. Task-network modeling can be used as a tool for assessing and enhancing human performance in man-machine systems, particularly for modeling long-duration manned spaceflight. Task-network modeling can be directed toward improving system efficiency by increasing the understanding of basic capabilities of the human component in the system and the factors that influence these capabilities.

Exposure of the human body to professional and domestic induction cooktops compared to the basic restrictions.

PubMed

Christ, Andreas; Guldimann, René; Bühlmann, Barbara; Zefferer, Marcel; Bakker, Jurriaan F; van Rhoon, Gerard C; Kuster, Niels

2012-12-01

We investigated whether domestic and professional induction cooktops comply with the basic restrictions defined by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Based on magnetic field measurements, a generic numerical model of an induction cooktop was derived in order to model user exposure. The current density induced in the user was simulated for various models and distances. We also determined the exposure of the fetus and of young children. While most measured cooktops comply with the public exposure limits at the distance specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission (standard IEC 62233), the majority exceeds them at closer distances, some of them even the occupational limits. The maximum current density in the tissue of the user significantly exceeds the basic restrictions for the general public, reaching the occupational level. The exposure of the brains of young children reaches the order of magnitude of the limits for the general public. For a generic worst-case cooktop compliant with the measurement standards, the current density exceeds the 1998 ICNIRP basic restrictions by up to 24 dB or a factor of 16. The brain tissue of young children can be overexposed by 6 dB or a factor of 2. The exposure of the tissue of the central nervous system of the fetus can exceed the limits for the general public if the mother is exposed at occupational levels. This demonstrates that the methodology for testing induction cooktops according to IEC 62233 contradicts the basic restrictions. This evaluation will be extended considering Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human spermatogonial stem cells display limited proliferation in vitro under mouse spermatogonial stem cell culture conditions.

PubMed

Medrano, Jose V; Rombaut, Charlotte; Simon, Carlos; Pellicer, Antonio; Goossens, Ellen

2016-11-01

To study the ability of human spermatogonial stem cells (hSSCs) to proliferate in vitro under mouse spermatogonial stem cell (mSSC) culture conditions. Experimental basic science study. Reproductive biology laboratory. Cryopreserved testicular tissue with normal spermatogenesis obtained from three donors subjected to orchiectomy due to a prostate cancer treatment. Testicular cells used to create in vitro cell cultures corresponding to the following groups: [1] unsorted human testicular cells, [2] differentially plated human testicular cells, and [3] cells enriched with major histocompatibility complex class 1 (HLA - )/epithelial cell surface antigen (EPCAM + ) in coculture with inactivated testicular feeders from the same patient. Analyses and characterization including immunocytochemistry and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for somatic and germ cell markers, testosterone and inhibin B quantification, and TUNEL assay. Putative hSSCs appeared in singlets, doublets, or small groups of up to four cells in vitro only when testicular cells were cultured in StemPro-34 medium supplemented with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting with HLA - /EPCAM + resulted in an enrichment of 27% VASA + /UTF1 + hSSCs, compared to 13% in unsorted controls. Coculture of sorted cells with inactivated testicular feeders gave rise to an average density of 112 hSSCs/cm 2 after 2 weeks in vitro compared with unsorted cells (61 hSSCs/cm 2 ) and differentially plated cells (49 hSSCS/cm 2 ). However, putative hSSCs rarely stained positive for the proliferation marker Ki67, and their presence was reduced to the point of almost disappearing after 4 weeks in vitro. We found that hSSCs show limited proliferation in vitro under mSSC culture conditions. Coculture of HLA - /EPCAM + sorted cells with testicular feeders improved the germ cell/somatic cell ratio. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Companion Animal Death.

PubMed

Reisbig, Allison M J; Hafen, McArthur; Siqueira Drake, Adryanna A; Girard, Destiny; Breunig, Zachary B

2017-06-01

Human-animal relationships are increasingly incorporated into families as a normal part of family life. Despite this, relationships with animals are often viewed as inferior to human relationships. This becomes problematic during times of loss and grief when members of a grieving companion animal owner's support system do not understand the salience of the relationship with the animal. Veterinary and other helping professionals need basic information about the experience of companion animal loss in order to help support and normalize the experiences of grieving companion animal owners. The present study qualitatively describes human-animal relationships and the subsequent loss and coping experienced by owners of beloved companion animals. Comparison with human and other types of loss and factors unique to companion animal loss are discussed, and practical applications for veterinary and other helping professionals are provided.

M/sub r/ 25,000 heparin-binding protein from guinea pig brain is a high molecular weight form of basic fibroblast growth factor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moscatelli, D.; Joseph-Silverstein, J.; Manejias, R.

1987-08-01

A M/sub r/ 25,000 form of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been isolated from guinea pig grain along with the typical M/sub r/ 18,000 form. Both forms were purified to homogeneity by a combination of heparin-affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography on an FPLC Mono S column. The M/sub r/ 25,000 form, like the M/sub r/ 18,000 form was not eluted from the heparin-affinity column with 0.95 M NaCl, but was eluted with 2 M NaCl. The M/sub r/ 25,000 guinea pig protein stimulated plasminogen activator production by cultured bovine capillary endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner at concentration ofmore » 0.1-10 ngml, the same range that was effective for guinea pig and human M/sub r/ 18,000 bFGFs. The binding of human /sup 125/I-labeled bFGF to baby hamster kidney cells is inhibited equally by the M/sub r/ 25,000 guinea pig protein and the M/sub r/ 18,000 guinea pig and human bFGFs. Polyclonal antibodies raised against human bFGF recognize both the M/sub r/ 25,000 and 18,000 guinea pig proteins in an immunoblot analysis. In a radioimmunoassay, both the M/sub r/ 25,000 and M/sub r/ 18,000 guinea pig proteins compete equally well with iodinated human bFGF for binding to the anti-human bFGF antibodies. When treated with low concentrations of trypsin, the M/sub r/ 25,000 guinea pig bFGF was converted to a M/sub r/ 18,000 protein. These results show that the two molecules are closely related and suggest that the M/sub r/ 25,000 protein shares substantial homology with the M/sub r/ 18,000 bFGF« less

Increased reprogramming of human fetal hepatocytes compared with adult hepatocytes in feeder-free conditions.

PubMed

Hansel, Marc C; Gramignoli, Roberto; Blake, William; Davila, Julio; Skvorak, Kristen; Dorko, Kenneth; Tahan, Veysel; Lee, Brian R; Tafaleng, Edgar; Guzman-Lepe, Jorge; Soto-Gutierrez, Alejandro; Fox, Ira J; Strom, Stephen C

2014-01-01

Hepatocyte transplantation has been used to treat liver disease. The availability of cells for these procedures is quite limited. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) may be a useful source of hepatocytes for basic research and transplantation if efficient and effective differentiation protocols were developed and problems with tumorigenicity could be overcome. Recent evidence suggests that the cell of origin may affect hiPSC differentiation. Thus, hiPSCs generated from hepatocytes may differentiate back to hepatocytes more efficiently than hiPSCs from other cell types. We examined the efficiency of reprogramming adult and fetal human hepatocytes. The present studies report the generation of 40 hiPSC lines from primary human hepatocytes under feeder-free conditions. Of these, 37 hiPSC lines were generated from fetal hepatocytes, 2 hiPSC lines from normal hepatocytes, and 1 hiPSC line from hepatocytes of a patient with Crigler-Najjar syndrome, type 1. All lines were confirmed reprogrammed and expressed markers of pluripotency by gene expression, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and teratoma formation. Fetal hepatocytes were reprogrammed at a frequency over 50-fold higher than adult hepatocytes. Adult hepatocytes were only reprogrammed with six factors, while fetal hepatocytes could be reprogrammed with three (OCT4, SOX2, NANOG) or four factors (OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, LIN28 or OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, C-MYC). The increased reprogramming efficiency of fetal cells was not due to increased transduction efficiency or vector toxicity. These studies confirm that hiPSCs can be generated from adult and fetal hepatocytes including those with genetic diseases. Fetal hepatocytes reprogram much more efficiently than adult hepatocytes, although both could serve as useful sources of hiPSC-derived hepatocytes for basic research or transplantation.

Safety assessment for hair-spray resins: risk assessment based on rodent inhalation studies.

PubMed

Carthew, Philip; Griffiths, Heather; Keech, Stephen; Hartop, Peter

2002-04-01

The methods involved in the safety assessment of resins used in hair-spray products have received little peer review, or debate in the published literature, despite their widespread use, in both hairdressing salons and the home. The safety assessment for these resins currently involves determining the type of lung pathology that can be caused in animal inhalation exposure studies, and establishing the no-observable-effect level (NOEL) for these pathologies. The likely human consumer exposure is determined by techniques that model the simulated exposure under "in use" conditions. From these values it is then possible to derive the likely safety factors for human exposure. An important part of this process would be to recognize the intrinsic differences between rodents and humans in terms of the respiratory doses that each species experiences during inhalation exposures, for the purpose of the safety assessment. Interspecies scaling factors become necessary when comparing the exposure doses experienced by rats, compared to humans, because of basic differences between species in lung clearance rates and the alveolar area in the lungs. The rodent inhalation data and modeled human exposure to Resin 6965, a resin polymer that is based on vinyl acetate, has been used to calculate the safety factor for human consumer exposure to this resin, under a range of "in use" exposure conditions. The use of this safety assessment process clearly demonstrates that Resin 6965 is acceptable for human consumer exposure under the conditions considered in this risk assessment.

Fifty Years of THERP and Human Reliability Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronald L. Boring

2012-06-01

In 1962 at a Human Factors Society symposium, Alan Swain presented a paper introducing a Technique for Human Error Rate Prediction (THERP). This was followed in 1963 by a Sandia Laboratories monograph outlining basic human error quantification using THERP and, in 1964, by a special journal edition of Human Factors on quantification of human performance. Throughout the 1960s, Swain and his colleagues focused on collecting human performance data for the Sandia Human Error Rate Bank (SHERB), primarily in connection with supporting the reliability of nuclear weapons assembly in the US. In 1969, Swain met with Jens Rasmussen of Risø Nationalmore » Laboratory and discussed the applicability of THERP to nuclear power applications. By 1975, in WASH-1400, Swain had articulated the use of THERP for nuclear power applications, and the approach was finalized in the watershed publication of the NUREG/CR-1278 in 1983. THERP is now 50 years old, and remains the most well known and most widely used HRA method. In this paper, the author discusses the history of THERP, based on published reports and personal communication and interviews with Swain. The author also outlines the significance of THERP. The foundations of human reliability analysis are found in THERP: human failure events, task analysis, performance shaping factors, human error probabilities, dependence, event trees, recovery, and pre- and post-initiating events were all introduced in THERP. While THERP is not without its detractors, and it is showing signs of its age in the face of newer technological applications, the longevity of THERP is a testament of its tremendous significance. THERP started the field of human reliability analysis. This paper concludes with a discussion of THERP in the context of newer methods, which can be seen as extensions of or departures from Swain’s pioneering work.« less

Crossing the barrier between the laboratory working model and the practicable production model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curby, William A.

1992-12-01

Transforming apparatus that has developed into a successfully working laboratory system into a system that is ready, or nearly ready for production, distribution and general use is not always accomplished in a cost effective or timely fashion. Several design elements must be considered interactively during the planning, construction, use and servicing of the final production form of the system. The basic design elements are: Operating Specifications, Reliability Factors, Safety Factors, Precision Limits, Accuracy Limits, Uniformity Factors, Cost Limits and Calibration Requirements. Secondary elements including: Human Engineering, Documentation, Training, Maintenance, Proprietary Rights, Protection, Marketing, Replacement of Parts, and Packing and Shipping must also be considered during the transition.

Farmer Decision-Making for Climate Adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubell, M.; Niles, M.; Salerno, J.

2015-12-01

This talk will provide an overview of several studies of how farmers make decisions about climate change adaptation and mitigation. A particular focus will be the "limiting factors hypothesis", which argues that farmers will respond to the climate variables that usually have the largest impact on their crop productivity. For example, the most limiting factor in California is usually water so how climate change affects water will be the largest drive of climate adaptation decisions. This basic idea is drawn from the broader theory of "psychological distance", which argue that human decisions are more attuned to ideas that are psychologically closer in space, time, or other factors. Empirical examples come from California, New Zealand, and Africa.

National plan to enhance aviation safety through human factors improvements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foushee, Clay

1990-01-01

The purpose of this section of the plan is to establish a development and implementation strategy plan for improving safety and efficiency in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. These improvements will be achieved through the proper applications of human factors considerations to the present and future systems. The program will have four basic goals: (1) prepare for the future system through proper hiring and training; (2) develop a controller work station team concept (managing human errors); (3) understand and address the human factors implications of negative system results; and (4) define the proper division of responsibilities and interactions between the human and the machine in ATC systems. This plan addresses six program elements which together address the overall purpose. The six program elements are: (1) determine principles of human-centered automation that will enhance aviation safety and the efficiency of the air traffic controller; (2) provide new and/or enhanced methods and techniques to measure, assess, and improve human performance in the ATC environment; (3) determine system needs and methods for information transfer between and within controller teams and between controller teams and the cockpit; (4) determine how new controller work station technology can optimally be applied and integrated to enhance safety and efficiency; (5) assess training needs and develop improved techniques and strategies for selection, training, and evaluation of controllers; and (6) develop standards, methods, and procedures for the certification and validation of human engineering in the design, testing, and implementation of any hardware or software system element which affects information flow to or from the human.

Back to Basic Values: Education for Justice and Peace in the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starkey, Hugh

1992-01-01

Contends that public education has basic, secular texts that include basic human rights common to all the world's peoples. Identifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 as the first of these documents. Argues that schools in all nations should emphasize equality of rights and equality of dignity. (CFR)

Why are sex and gender important to basic physiology and translational and individualized medicine?

PubMed

Miller, Virginia M

2014-03-01

Sex refers to biological differences between men and women. Although sex is a fundamental aspect of human physiology that splits the population in two approximately equal halves, this essential biological variable is rarely considered in the design of basic physiological studies, in translating findings from basic science to clinical research, or in developing personalized medical strategies. Contrary to sex, gender refers to social and cultural factors related to being a man or a woman in a particular historical and cultural context. Unfortunately, gender is often used incorrectly by scientists and clinical investigators as synonymous with sex. This article clarifies the definition of sex and gender and reviews evidence showing how sex and gender interact with each other to influence etiology, presentation of disease, and treatment outcomes. In addition, strategies to improve the inclusion of female and male human beings in preclinical and clinical studies will be presented, and the importance of embedding concepts of sex and gender into postgraduate and medical curricula will be discussed. Also, provided is a list of resources for educators. In the history of medical concepts, physiologists have provided pivotal contributions to understanding health and disease processes. In the future, physiologists should provide the evidence for advancing personalized medicine and for reducing sex and gender disparities in health care.

Animal models of intellectual disability: towards a translational approach

PubMed Central

Scorza, Carla A; Cavalheiro, Esper A.

2011-01-01

Intellectual disability is a prevalent form of cognitive impairment, affecting 2–3% of the general population. It is a daunting societal problem characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills. Intellectual disability is a clinically important disorder for which the etiology and pathogenesis are still poorly understood. Moreover, although tremendous progress has been made, pharmacological intervention is still currently non-existent and therapeutic strategies remain limited. Studies in humans have a very limited capacity to explain basic mechanisms of this condition. In this sense, animal models have been invaluable in intellectual disability investigation. Certainly, a great deal of the knowledge that has improved our understanding of several pathologies has derived from appropriate animal models. Moreover, to improve human health, scientific discoveries must be translated into practical applications. Translational research specifically aims at taking basic scientific discoveries and best practices to benefit the lives of people in our communities. In this context, the challenge that basic science research needs to meet is to make use of a comparative approach to benefit the most from what each animal model can tell us. Intellectual disability results from many different genetic and environmental insults. Taken together, the present review will describe several animal models of potential intellectual disability risk factors. PMID:21779723

Why are sex and gender important to basic physiology and translational and individualized medicine?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Sex refers to biological differences between men and women. Although sex is a fundamental aspect of human physiology that splits the population in two approximately equal halves, this essential biological variable is rarely considered in the design of basic physiological studies, in translating findings from basic science to clinical research, or in developing personalized medical strategies. Contrary to sex, gender refers to social and cultural factors related to being a man or a woman in a particular historical and cultural context. Unfortunately, gender is often used incorrectly by scientists and clinical investigators as synonymous with sex. This article clarifies the definition of sex and gender and reviews evidence showing how sex and gender interact with each other to influence etiology, presentation of disease, and treatment outcomes. In addition, strategies to improve the inclusion of female and male human beings in preclinical and clinical studies will be presented, and the importance of embedding concepts of sex and gender into postgraduate and medical curricula will be discussed. Also, provided is a list of resources for educators. In the history of medical concepts, physiologists have provided pivotal contributions to understanding health and disease processes. In the future, physiologists should provide the evidence for advancing personalized medicine and for reducing sex and gender disparities in health care. PMID:24414073

Maternity care and Human Rights: what do women think?

PubMed

Solnes Miltenburg, Andrea; Lambermon, Fleur; Hamelink, Cees; Meguid, Tarek

2016-07-02

A human rights approach to maternal health is considered as a useful framework in international efforts to reduce maternal mortality. Although fundamental human rights principles are incorporated into legal and medical frameworks, human rights have to be translated into measurable actions and outcomes. So far, their substantive applications remain unclear. The aim of this study is to explore women's perspectives and experiences of maternal health services through a human rights perspective in Magu District, Tanzania. This study is a qualitative exploration of perspectives and experiences of women regarding maternity services in government health facilities. The point of departure is a Human Rights perspective. A total of 36 semi-structured interviews were held with 17 women, between the age of 31 and 63, supplemented with one focus group discussion of a selection of the interviewed women, in three rural villages and the town centre in Magu District. Data analysis was performed using a coding scheme based on four human rights principles: dignity, autonomy, equality and safety. Women's experiences of maternal health services reflect several sub-standard care factors relating to violations of multiple human rights principles. Women were aware that substandard care was present and described a range of ways how the services could be delivered that would venerate human rights principles. Prominent themes included: 'being treated well and equal', 'being respected' and 'being given the appropriate information and medical treatment'. Women in this rural Tanzanian setting are aware that their experiences of maternity care reflect violations of their basic rights and are able to voice what basic human rights principles mean to them as well as their desired applications in maternal health service provision.

hCG-dependent regulation of angiogenic factors in human granulosa lutein cells.

PubMed

Phan, B; Rakenius, A; Pietrowski, D; Bettendorf, H; Keck, C; Herr, D

2006-07-01

As prerequisite for development and maintenance of many diseases angiogenesis is of particular interest in medicine. Pathologic angiogenesis takes place in chronic arthritis, collagen diseases, arteriosclerosis, retinopathy associated with diabetes, and particularly in cancers. However, angiogenesis as a physiological process regularly occurs in the ovary. After ovulation the corpus luteum is formed by rapid vascularization of initially avascular granulosa lutein cell tissue. This process is regulated by gonadotropic hormones. In order to gain further insights in the regulatory mechanisms of angiogenesis in the ovary, we investigated these mechanisms in cell culture of human granulosa lutein cells. In particular, we determined the expression and production of several angiogenic factors including tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), Leptin, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), meningioma-associated complimentary DNA (Mac25), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and Midkine. In addition, we showed that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has distinct effects on their expression and production. hCG enhances the expression and production of TIMP-1, whereas it downregulates the expression of CTGF and Mac25. Furthermore it decreases the expression of Leptin. Our results provide evidence that hCG determines growth and development of the corpus luteum by mediating angiogenic pathways in human granulosa lutein cells. Hence we describe a further approach to understand the regulation of angiogenesis in the ovary.

Human-System Integration Scorecard Update to VB.Net

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Blaze D.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this project was to create Human-System Integration (HSI) scorecard software, which could be utilized to validate that human factors have been considered early in hardware/system specifications and design. The HSI scorecard is partially based upon the revised Human Rating Requirements (HRR) intended for NASA's Constellation program. This software scorecard will allow for quick appraisal of HSI factors, by using visual aids to highlight low and rapidly changing scores. This project consisted of creating a user-friendly Visual Basic program that could be easily distributed and updated, to and by fellow colleagues. Updating the Microsoft Word version of the HSI scorecard to a computer application will allow for the addition of useful features, improved easy of use, and decreased completion time for user. One significant addition is the ability to create Microsoft Excel graphs automatically from scorecard data, to allow for clear presentation of problematic areas. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rational and benefits of creating the HSI scorecard software, the problems and goals of project, and future work that could be done.

A classification on human factor accident/incident of China civil aviation in recent twelve years.

PubMed

Luo, Xiao-li

2004-10-01

To study human factor accident/incident occurred during 1990-2001 using new classification standard. The human factor accident/incident classification standard is developed on the basis of Reason's Model, combining with CAAC's traditional classifying method, and applied to the classified statistical analysis for 361 flying incidents and 35 flight accidents of China civil aviation, which is induced by human factors and occurred from 1990 to 2001. 1) the incident percentage of taxi and cruise is higher than that of takeoff, climb and descent. 2) The dominating type of flight incidents is diverging of runway, overrunning, near-miss, tail/wingtip/engine strike and ground obstacle impacting. 3) The top three accidents are out of control caused by crew, mountain collision and over runway. 4) Crew's basic operating skill is lower than what we imagined, the mostly representation is poor correcting ability when flight error happened. 5) Crew errors can be represented by incorrect control, regulation and procedure violation, disorientation and diverging percentage of correct flight level. The poor CRM skill is the dominant factor impacting China civil aviation safety, this result has a coincidence with previous study, but there is much difference and distinct characteristic in top incident phase, the type of crew error and behavior performance compared with that of advanced countries. We should strengthen CRM training for all of pilots aiming at the Chinese pilot behavior characteristic in order to improve the safety level of China civil aviation.

Dancers' Perceived and Actual Knowledge of Anatomy.

PubMed

Kotler, Dana H; Lynch, Meaghan; Cushman, Daniel; Hu, Jason; Garner, Jocelyn

2017-06-15

Dancers are highly susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries and frequently require interaction with medical professionals. While many dancers have a finely tuned awareness of their bodies, their knowledge of the fundamentals of human anatomy is not uniform. There is a paucity of literature on the benefits of human anatomy education in dancers, though it seems intuitive that there should be a relationship. The purpose of this study was to assess dancers' perceived and actual knowledge of basic musculoskeletal anatomy and its relationship to function. Adult dancers at the undergraduate, pre-professional, and professional levels were surveyed through an anonymous online questionnaire. Questions included demographic information, dance techniques studied, anatomy training, and injury history. Subjects rated their perceived knowledge of anatomy and were tested with 15 multiple-choice questions on basic musculoskeletal anatomy. Four hundred seventy-five surveys were completed. Ordinal regression showed a correlation of perceived to actual knowledge of anatomy (p < 0.001). Factors that correlated with increases in both perceived and actual knowledge of anatomy included having taken an anatomy course of any type (p < 0.001) and increased age (p ≤ 0.001). Years of dance training and professional dancer status both significantly correlated with increased knowledge of anatomy (p < 0.001) but not perceived knowledge. Chi-square analysis showed that dancers with training in either modern or jazz dance had a significantly higher perceived, but not actual, knowledge when compared to those without training in those styles of dance (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). In conclusion, dancers generally scored well on questions pertaining to basic musculoskeletal anatomy, and their perception correlated with their actual knowledge of anatomy. Factors that contribute to dancers' knowledge of anatomy include age, years of experience, professional dancer status, and anatomy training.

Approaches to improve angiogenesis in tissue-engineered skin.

PubMed

Sahota, Parbinder S; Burn, J Lance; Brown, Nicola J; MacNeil, Sheila

2004-01-01

A problem with tissue-engineered skin is clinical failure due to delays in vascularization. The aim of this study was to explore a number of simple strategies to improve angiogenesis/vascularization using a tissue-engineered model of skin to which small vessel human dermal microvascular endothelial cells were added. For the majority of these studies, a modified Guirguis chamber was used, which allowed the investigation of several variables within the same experiment using the same human dermis; cell type, angiogenic growth factors, the influence of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, mechanical penetration of the human dermis, the site of endothelial cell addition, and the influence of hypoxia were all examined. A qualitative scoring system was used to assess the impact of these factors on the penetration of endothelial cells throughout the dermis. Similar results were achieved using freshly isolated small vessel human dermal microvascular endothelial cells or an endothelial cell line and a minimum cell seeding density was identified. Cell penetration was not influenced by the addition of angiogenic growth factors (vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor); similarly, including epidermal keratinocytes or dermal fibroblasts did not encourage endothelial cell entry, and neither did mechanical introduction of holes throughout the dermis. Two factors were identified that significantly enhanced endothelial cell penetration into the dermis: hypoxia and the site of endothelial cell addition. Endothelial cells added from the papillary surface entered into the dermis much more effectively than when cells were added to the reticular surface of the dermis. We conclude that this model is valuable in improving our understanding of how to enhance vascularization of tissue-engineered grafts.

Human Health and Performance Considerations for Exploration of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kundrot, Craig; Steinberg, Susan; Charles, John

2010-01-01

This presentation will describe the human health and performance issues that are anticipated for the human exploration of near-Earth asteroids (NEA). Humans are considered a system in the design of any such deep-space exploration mission, and exploration of NEA presents unique challenges for the human system. Key factors that define the mission are those that are strongly affected by distance and duration. The most critical of these is deep-space radiation exposure without even the temporary shielding of a nearby large planetary body. The current space radiation permissible exposure limits (PEL) restrict mission duration to 3-10 months depending on age and gender of crewmembers and stage of the solar cycle. Factors that affect mission architecture include medical capability; countermeasures for bone, muscle, and cardiovascular atrophy during continuous weightlessness; restricted food supplies; and limited habitable volume. The design of a habitat that can maintain the physical and psychological health of the crew and support mission operations with limited intervention from Earth will require an integrated research and development effort by NASA s Human Research Program, engineering, and human factors groups. Limited abort and return options for an NEA mission are anticipated to have important effects on crew psychology as well as influence medical supplies and training requirements of the crew. Other important factors are those related to isolation, confinement, communication delays, autonomous operations, task design, small crew size, and even the unchanging view outside the windows for most of the mission. Geological properties of the NEA will influence design of sample handling and containment, and extravehicular activity capabilities including suit ports and tools. A robotic precursor mission that collects basic information on NEA surface properties would reduce uncertainty about these aspects of the mission as well as aid in design of mission architecture and exploration tasks.

Preventing disasters: public health vulnerability reduction as a sustainable adaptation to climate change.

PubMed

Keim, Mark E

2011-06-01

Global warming could increase the number and severity of extreme weather events. These events are often known to result in public health disasters, but we can lessen the effects of these disasters. By addressing the factors that cause changes in climate, we can mitigate the effects of climate change. By addressing the factors that make society vulnerable to the effects of climate, we can adapt to climate change. To adapt to climate change, a comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction has been proposed. By reducing human vulnerability to disasters, we can lessen--and at times even prevent--their impact. Human vulnerability is a complex phenomenon that comprises social, economic, health, and cultural factors. Because public health is uniquely placed at the community level, it has the opportunity to lessen human vulnerability to climate-related disasters. At the national and international level, a supportive policy environment can enable local adaptation to disaster events. The purpose of this article is to introduce the basic concept of disaster risk reduction so that it can be applied to preventing and mitigating the negative effects of climate change and to examine the role of community-focused public health as a means for lessening human vulnerability and, as a result, the overall risk of climate-related disasters.

Small-Molecule-Directed Hepatocyte-Like Cell Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Mathapati, Santosh; Siller, Richard; Impellizzeri, Agata A R; Lycke, Max; Vegheim, Karianne; Almaas, Runar; Sullivan, Gareth J

2016-08-17

Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) generated in vitro from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide an invaluable resource for basic research, regenerative medicine, drug screening, toxicology, and modeling of liver disease and development. This unit describes a small-molecule-driven protocol for in vitro differentiation of hPSCs into HLCs without the use of growth factors. hPSCs are coaxed through a developmentally relevant route via the primitive streak to definitive endoderm (DE) using the small molecule CHIR99021 (a Wnt agonist), replacing the conventional growth factors Wnt3A and activin A. The small-molecule-derived DE is then differentiated to hepatoblast-like cells in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide. The resulting hepatoblasts are then differentiated to HLCs with N-hexanoic-Tyr, Ile-6 aminohexanoic amide (Dihexa, a hepatocyte growth factor agonist) and dexamethasone. The protocol provides an efficient and reproducible procedure for differentiation of hPSCs into HLCs utilizing small molecules. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes the development of human ovarian early follicles during growth in vitro.

PubMed

Wang, Tian-ren; Yan, Li-ying; Yan, Jie; Lu, Cui-ling; Xia, Xi; Yin, Tai-lang; Zhu, Xiao-hui; Gao, Jiang-man; Ding, Ting; Hu, Wei-hong; Guo, Hong-yan; Li, Rong; Qiao, Jie

2014-03-01

What is the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the growth of individual early human follicles in a three-dimensional (3D) culture system in vitro? The addition of 200 ng bFGF/ml improves human early follicle growth, survival and viability during growth in vitro. It has been demonstrated that bFGF enhances primordial follicle development in human ovarian tissue culture. However, the growth and survival of individual early follicles in encapsulated 3D culture have not been reported. The maturation in vitro of human ovarian follicles was investigated. Ovarian tissue (n= 11) was obtained from 11 women during laparoscopic surgery for gynecological disease, after obtaining written informed consent. One hundred and fifty-four early follicles were isolated by enzymic digestion and mechanical disruption. They were individually encapsulated into alginate (1% w/v) and randomly assigned to be cultured with 0, 100, 200 or 300 ng bFGF/ml for 8 days. Individual follicles were cultured in minimum essential medium α (αMEM) supplemented with bFGF. Follicle survival and growth were assessed by microscopy. Follicle viability was evaluated under confocal laser scanning microscope following Calcein-AM and Ethidium homodimer-I (Ca-AM/EthD-I) staining. After 8 days in culture, all 154 follicles had increased in size. The diameter and survival rate of the follicles and the percentage with good viability were significantly higher in the group cultured with 200 ng bFGF/ml than in the group without bFGF (P < 0.05). The percentage of follicles in the pre-antral stage was significantly higher in the 200 ng bFGF/ml group than in the group without bFGF (P < 0.05), while the percentages of primordial and primary follicles were significantly lower (P < 0.05). The study focuses on the effect of bFGF on the development of individual human early follicles in 3D culture in vitro and has limited ability to reveal the specific effect of bFGF at each different stage. The findings highlight the need to improve the acquisition and isolation of human ovarian follicles. The in vitro 3D culture of human follicles with appropriate dosage of bFGF offers an effective method to investigate their development. Moreover, it allows early follicles to be cultured to an advanced stage and therefore has the potential to become an important source of mature oocytes for assisted reproductive technology; particularly as an option for fertility preservation in women, including patients with cancer. This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2011|CB944504, 2011CB944503) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81200470, 81000275, 31230047, 8110197). There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Learn About Stem Cells

MedlinePlus

... Handbook Stem Cell Glossary Search Toggle Nav Stem Cell Basics Stem cells are the foundation from which ... Home > Learn About Stem Cells > Stem Cell Basics Cells in the human body The human body comprises ...

[Early Greek medicine and Plato's cosmology].

PubMed

Rhee, Kee-Bag

2004-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to show the influence of Early greek medicine on Plato's Cosmology. Alcmaeon holds that health depends on proportion (equality; isonomia) or proportioned mixture of opposing factors. This notion dominated nearly all greek medicine, and also influenced Plato's cosmology greatly. Generally each greek doctors believed that man consisted of opposing factors, though these are designated differently. Alcmaeon takes powers - hot and dry, cold and hot, vitter, sweet and the rest as those factors. On the other hand, Philistion of Locri adopts the four element theory of Empedocles. He conceives that human body as a mixture of the four elements, and health consists in proportion of these opposing four element, basically as Alcmaeon. This notion is accepted by Plato. Only Plato differs from Philistion in that he doesn't consider the four elements as the ultimate factors. In Timaeus Plato explain that the Demiourgos constructed the four elements through introducing 'proportion' into the primitive materials (the oppositives) by means of shapes and numbers. And Plato thinks that the cosmic body and soul was constructed basically in the same way as the four elements. This is true of the human body and soul. Also Plato explicates diseases from standpoint of proportion or symmetry. Moreover according to Philebus, the good states (i.e. 'health', 'music', 'season' etc) in the cosmos arises out of the right mixture of the limit and the unlimited. In the other word this mixture is proportioned mixture of the oppositives by aid of ratios. In short Plato believes that both the cosmos itself and the good states s proportioned mixture of the oppositives. Thus Plato' cosmology is fundamentally based upon Alcmaeon's or Philistion's concept of Health.

Proven and novel strategies for efficient editing of the human genome.

PubMed

Mussolino, Claudio; Mlambo, Tafadzwa; Cathomen, Toni

2015-10-01

Targeted gene editing with designer nucleases has become increasingly popular. The most commonly used designer nuclease platforms are engineered meganucleases, zinc-finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9 system. These powerful tools have greatly facilitated the generation of plant and animal models for basic research, and harbor an enormous potential for applications in biotechnology and gene therapy. This review recapitulates proven concepts of targeted genome engineering in primary human cells and elaborates on novel concepts that became possible with the dawn of RNA-guided nucleases and RNA-guided transcription factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioural science at work for Canada: National Research Council laboratories.

PubMed

Veitch, Jennifer A

2007-03-01

The National Research Council is Canada's principal research and development agency. Its 20 institutes are structured to address interdisciplinary problems for industrial sectors, and to provide the necessary scientific infrastructure, such as the national science library. Behavioural scientists are active in five institutes: Biological Sciences, Biodiagnostics, Aerospace, Information Technology, and Construction. Research topics include basic cellular neuroscience, brain function, human factors in the cockpit, human-computer interaction, emergency evacuation, and indoor environment effects on occupants. Working in collaboration with NRC colleagues and with researchers from universities and industry, NRC behavioural scientists develop knowledge, designs, and applications that put technology to work for people, designed with people in mind.

Terrrestrialization of isolated habitats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolodziejczyk, Agata; Harasymczuk, Matt; Foing, Bernard

2017-04-01

One of the most prominent issue for habitability of the solar system and beyond is to adjust a habitat for human life. Since the human life adapted to terrestrial environment during millions of years of evolution, terrestrialization of the base should be a natural trend strictly applied in habitat design. We discuss basic concerns about introducing biomimetic backup safety solutions such modularity, circularity, autonomy and plasticity into life support systems. Particularly we describe critical life processes such briefing, drinking, eating, homeostatic regulation, activity and sleep, in relation to symbiosis and competition with other species living together. Finally, we analyze ecological tolerance and transformation factors, which seem to be crucial in future habitability projects.

The Secondary Structure of Human Hageman Factor (Factor XII) and its Alteration by Activating Agents

PubMed Central

McMillin, Carl R.; Saito, Hidehiko; Ratnoff, Oscar D.; Walton, Alan G.

1974-01-01

Hageman factor (factor XII) is activated by exposure to surfaces such as glass or by solutions of certain compounds, notably ellagic acid. Changes in the structure of Hageman factor accompanying activation have been examined in this study by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The spectrum of unactivated Hageman factor in aqueous solutions suggests that its conformation is mainly aperiodic. Various perturbants altered the conformation of Hageman factor in differing ways, demonstrating the sensitivity of Hageman factor to its environment. After activation of Hageman factor with solutions of ellagic acid, a negative trough appeared in the region of the circular dichroism spectrum commonly assigned to tyrosine residues, along with other minor changes in the peptide spectral region. Some of these changes are similar to changes that occurred upon partial neutralization of the basic residues at alkali pH. Activation of Hageman factor by adsorption to quartz surfaces (in an aqueous environment) also produced changes similar to those in the ellagic acid-activated Hageman factor, including the negative ellipticity in the tyrosine region. These observations suggest that the activation process may be related to a change in status of some of the basic amino acid residues, coupled with a specific change in the environment of some tyrosine residues. The importance of these changes during the activation process remains to be determined. The sensitivity of Hageman factor to its environment is consistent with the view that the initiation of clotting by exposure of plasma to appropriate agents is brought about by alterations in the conformation of Hageman factor that occur in the apparent absence of Fletcher factor or other recognized clotting factors. Images PMID:4373492

Nerve Growth Factor: Early Studies And Recent Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Rocco, Maria Luisa; Soligo, Marzia; Manni, Luigi; Aloe, Luigi

2018-04-11

Since its discovery, nerve growth factor (NGF) has long occupied a critical role in developmental and adult neurobiology for its many important regulatory functions on the survival, growth and differentiation of nerve cells in the peripheral and central nervous system. NGF is the first discovered member of a family of neurotrophic factors, collectively indicated as neurotrophins, (which include brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin 4/5). NGF was discovered for its action on the survival and differentiation of selected populations of peripheral neurons. Since then, an enormous number of basic and human studies were undertaken to explore the role of purified NGF to prevent the death of NGF-receptive cells. These studies revealed that NGF possesses important therapeutic properties, after topical administration, on human cutaneous pressure ulcer, corneal ulcers, glaucoma, retinal maculopathy, Retinitis Pigmentosa and in pediatric optic gliomas and brain traumas. The aim of this review is to present our previous, recent and ongoing clinical studies on the therapeutic properties of NGF. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Which Factors Determine Metal Accumulation in Agricultural Soils in the Severely Human-Coupled Ecosystem?

PubMed

Xu, Li; Cao, Shanshan; Wang, Jihua; Lu, Anxiang

2016-05-17

Agricultural soil is typically an important component of urban ecosystems, contributing directly or indirectly to the general quality of human life. To understand which factors influence metal accumulation in agricultural soils in urban ecosystems is becoming increasingly important. Land use, soil type and urbanization indicators all account for considerable differences in metal accumulation in agricultural soils, and the interactions between these factors on metal concentrations were also examined. Results showed that Zn, Cu, and Cd concentrations varied significantly among different land use types. Concentrations of all metals, except for Cd, were higher in calcareous cinnamon soil than in fluvo-aquic soil. Expansion distance and road density were adopted as urbanization indicators, and distance from the urban center was significantly negatively correlated with concentrations of Hg, and negatively correlated with concentrations of Zn, and road density was positively correlated with Cd concentrations. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that Hg concentration was significantly influenced by the four-way interaction among all factors. The results in this study provide basic data to support the management of agricultural soils and to help policy makers to plan ahead in Beijing.

Engineering Large Animal Species to Model Human Diseases.

PubMed

Rogers, Christopher S

2016-07-01

Animal models are an important resource for studying human diseases. Genetically engineered mice are the most commonly used species and have made significant contributions to our understanding of basic biology, disease mechanisms, and drug development. However, they often fail to recreate important aspects of human diseases and thus can have limited utility as translational research tools. Developing disease models in species more similar to humans may provide a better setting in which to study disease pathogenesis and test new treatments. This unit provides an overview of the history of genetically engineered large animals and the techniques that have made their development possible. Factors to consider when planning a large animal model, including choice of species, type of modification and methodology, characterization, production methods, and regulatory compliance, are also covered. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Marriage Counseling Using Differing Personality Types as a Resource.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emanuel, Joseph; Bernhardt, Greg

Carl Jung's theory of type states that much seemingly chance variation in human behavior results, not from chance, but from basic differences in human functioning. This theory is divided into two major components: fundamental human attitudes (extroversion, introversion) and basic mental processes (sensation, intuition, thinking, feeling).…

Recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulates periodontal regeneration in class II furcation defects created in beagle dogs.

PubMed

Murakami, S; Takayama, S; Kitamura, M; Shimabukuro, Y; Yanagi, K; Ikezawa, K; Saho, T; Nozaki, T; Okada, H

2003-02-01

Several growth factors (or cytokines) have been recently investigated for their use as potential therapeutics for periodontal tissue regeneration. The objective of this study was to evaluate periodontal tissue regeneration, including new bone and cementum formation, following topical application of recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, FGF-2) to furcation class II defects. Twelve furcation class II bone defects were surgically created in six beagle dogs, then recombinant bFGF (30 micro g/site) + gelatinous carrier was topically applied to the bony defects. Six weeks after application, periodontal regeneration was analyzed. In all sites where bFGF was applied, periodontal ligament formation with new cementum deposits and new bone formation was observed histomorphometrically, in amounts greater than in the control sites. Basic FGF-applied sites exhibited significant regeneration as represented by the new bone formation rate (NBR) (83.6 +/- 14.3%), new trabecular bone formation rate (NTBR) (44.1 +/- 9.5%), and new cementum formation rate (NCR) (97.0 +/- 7.5%). In contrast, in the carrier-only sites, the NBR, NTBR, and NCR were 35.4 +/- 8.9%, 16.6 +/- 6.2%, and 37.2 +/- 15.1%, respectively. Moreover, no instances of epithelial down growth, ankylosis, or root resorption were observed in the bFGF-applied sites examined. The present results indicate that topical application of bFGF can enhance considerable periodontal regeneration in artificially created furcation class II bone defects of beagle dogs.

The mediating role of social environmental factors in the associations between attachment styles and basic needs satisfaction.

PubMed

Felton, Luke; Jowett, Sophia

2013-01-01

The present study aimed to explore the mediating role of social factors on the associations between attachment styles and basic psychological needs satisfaction within two relational contexts. Athletes (N = 215) completed a multi-section questionnaire pertaining to attachment styles, basic needs satisfied within the coaching and the parental relational context, and such social factors as social support, interpersonal conflict, autonomy and controlling behaviours. Bootstrap mediation analysis revealed that the association between avoidant attachment style and basic needs satisfaction with the coach was mediated by social support and autonomy-related behaviours from the coach. The association between avoidant attachment style and basic needs satisfaction with the parent on the other hand was mediated by all social factors investigated. Finally, the association between anxious attachment style and basic needs satisfaction from the parent was mediated by conflict and controlling behaviours. Overall, the findings of the current study suggest that social factors play an important role in explaining the associations between attachment styles and basic needs satisfaction within two central relational contexts athletes operate in, and thus should be targeted in future interventions.

Human Factors in Training - Space Flight Resource Management Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryne, Vicky; Connell, Erin; Barshi, Immanuel; Arsintescu, L.

2009-01-01

Accidents and incidents show that high workload-induced stress and poor teamwork skills lead to performance decrements and errors. Research on teamwork shows that effective teams are able to adapt to stressful situations, and to reduce workload by using successful strategies for communication and decision making, and through dynamic redistribution of tasks among team members. Furthermore, superior teams are able to recognize signs and symptoms of workload-induced stress early, and to adapt their coordination and communication strategies to the high workload, or stress conditions. Mission Control Center (MCC) teams often face demanding situations in which they must operate as an effective team to solve problems with crew and vehicle during onorbit operations. To be successful as a team, flight controllers (FCers) must learn effective teamwork strategies. Such strategies are the focus of Space Flight Resource Management (SFRM) training. SFRM training in MOD has been structured to include some classroom presentations of basic concepts and case studies, with the assumption that skill development happens in mission simulation. Integrated mission simulations do provide excellent opportunities for FCers to practice teamwork, but also require extensive technical knowledge of vehicle systems, mission operations, and crew actions. Such technical knowledge requires lengthy training. When SFRM training is relegated to integrated simulations, FCers can only practice SFRM after they have already mastered the technical knowledge necessary for these simulations. Given the centrality of teamwork to the success of MCC, holding SFRM training till late in the flow is inefficient. But to be able to train SFRM earlier in the flow, the training cannot rely on extensive mission-specific technical knowledge. Hence, the need for a generic SFRM training framework that would allow FCers to develop basic teamwork skills which are mission relevant, but without the required mission knowledge. Work on SFRM training has been conducted in collaboration with the Expedition Vehicle Division at the Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) and with United Space Alliance (USA) which provides training to Flight Controllers. The space flight resource management training work is part of the Human Factors in Training Directed Research Project (DRP) of the Space Human Factors Engineering (SHFE) Project under the Space Human Factors and Habitability (SHFH) Element of the Human Research Program (HRP). Human factors researchers at the Ames Research Center have been investigating team work and distributed decision making processes to develop a generic SFRM training framework for flight controllers. The work proposed for FY10 continues to build on this strong collaboration with MOD and the USA Training Group as well as previous research in relevant domains such as aviation. In FY10, the work focuses on documenting and analyzing problem solving strategies and decision making processes used in MCC by experienced FCers.

Basic Values, Career Orientations, and Career Anchors: Empirical Investigation of Relationships

PubMed Central

Abessolo, Marc; Rossier, Jérôme; Hirschi, Andreas

2017-01-01

In today's dynamic and uncertain career context, values play an important role for career choice and lifelong career self-management. Values are desirable goals that are sought by individuals to satisfy their needs and are important for understanding career orientations in terms of protean and boundaryless career orientations and career anchors. However, how career orientations or career anchors fit into a well-established and supported model and into the structure of basic human values remains an important and under-investigated question. The aim of this study was to use Schwartz's model of structural values to empirically explore the relationships and structural correspondences among basic values, career orientations, and career anchors. A heterogeneous sample of 238 employees from French-speaking Switzerland (Mage = 35.60, SD = 13.03) completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ5X), the Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitudes Scales (PCAS, BCAS), and the Career Orientation Inventory (COI) via an anonymous and confidential survey questionnaire. The results showed that it was possible to meaningfully position both career orientations and career anchors in Schwartz's values structure. The protean and boundaryless career orientations were positively related to Schwartz's basic values that emphasized openness to change and career anchors meaningfully followed the motivational continuum of these basic values. Overall, the overlap among the basic values, career orientations, and career anchors appeared relatively important, suggesting that these basic values, orientations, and anchors should be considered simultaneously to understand and address the factors and processes underlying individuals' career choices and paths. PMID:28955275

Basic Values, Career Orientations, and Career Anchors: Empirical Investigation of Relationships.

PubMed

Abessolo, Marc; Rossier, Jérôme; Hirschi, Andreas

2017-01-01

In today's dynamic and uncertain career context, values play an important role for career choice and lifelong career self-management. Values are desirable goals that are sought by individuals to satisfy their needs and are important for understanding career orientations in terms of protean and boundaryless career orientations and career anchors. However, how career orientations or career anchors fit into a well-established and supported model and into the structure of basic human values remains an important and under-investigated question. The aim of this study was to use Schwartz's model of structural values to empirically explore the relationships and structural correspondences among basic values, career orientations, and career anchors. A heterogeneous sample of 238 employees from French-speaking Switzerland (Mage = 35.60, SD = 13.03) completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ5X), the Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitudes Scales (PCAS, BCAS), and the Career Orientation Inventory (COI) via an anonymous and confidential survey questionnaire. The results showed that it was possible to meaningfully position both career orientations and career anchors in Schwartz's values structure. The protean and boundaryless career orientations were positively related to Schwartz's basic values that emphasized openness to change and career anchors meaningfully followed the motivational continuum of these basic values. Overall, the overlap among the basic values, career orientations, and career anchors appeared relatively important, suggesting that these basic values, orientations, and anchors should be considered simultaneously to understand and address the factors and processes underlying individuals' career choices and paths.

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Influences Epidermal Homeostasis of Living Skin Equivalents through Affecting Fibroblast Phenotypes and Functions.

PubMed

Yang, Lujun; Zhang, Dangui; Wu, Hongjuan; Xie, Sitian; Zhang, Mingjun; Zhang, Bingna; Tang, Shijie

2018-05-30

To elucidate the possible mechanisms of how basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) influences epidermal homeostasis in a living skin equivalent (LSE) model. Several wound healing-related growth factors were analyzed at protein and mRNA levels for dermal fibroblasts of induced alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-positive or α-SMA-negative phenotypes. During culturing an LSE model by seeding normal human keratinocytes on a fibroblast-populated type I collagen gel, bFGF or neutralizing antibody for keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) was added to investigate its effects on fibroblast phenotypes and, subsequently, epidermal homeostasis by histology and immunohistochemistry. The α-SMA-positive phenotype of fibroblasts induced by transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) markedly suppressed the expression of KGF and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and slightly upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and TGF-β1 at mRNA and protein levels, compared with α-SMA-negative fibroblasts treated with bFGF. α-SMA expression of fibroblasts at the epidermal-mesenchymal junction of the LSEs was suppressed by the addition of bFGF, and a better-differentiated epidermis was presented. The abrogation of KGF from fibroblasts by the addition of the KGF neutralizing antibody disenabled the LSE culturing system to develop an epidermis. bFGF, through affecting the phenotypes and functions of fibroblasts, especially KGF expression, influenced epidermal homeostasis in an LSE model. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Genomic organization of human fetal specific P-450IIIA7 (cytochrome P-450HFLa)-related gene(s) and interaction of transcriptional regulatory factor with its DNA element in the 5' flanking region.

PubMed

Itoh, S; Yanagimoto, T; Tagawa, S; Hashimoto, H; Kitamura, R; Nakajima, Y; Okochi, T; Fujimoto, S; Uchino, J; Kamataki, T

1992-03-24

P-450IIIA7 is a form of cytochrome P-450 which was isolated from human fetal livers and termed P-450HFLa. This form has been clarified to be expressed during fetal life specifically (Komori, M., Nishio, K., Kitada, M., Shiramatsu, K., Muroya, K., Soma, M., Nagashima, K. and Kamataki, T. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 4430-4433). In the present study, we isolated five independent clones which probably corresponded to the human P-450IIIA7 gene. These clones were completely sequenced, all exons, exon-intron junctions and the 5' flanking region from the cap site to-869. Although the sequences in the coding region were completely identical to P-450IIIA7, it is possible that genomic fragments sequenced in this study encode portions of other P-450IIIA7-related genes since we could not obtain a complete overlapping set of genomic clones. Within its 5' flanking sequence, the putative binding sites of several transcriptional regulatory factors existed. Among them, it was shown that a basic transcription element binding factor (BTEB) actually interacted with the 5' flanking region of this gene.

[Basic theory and research method of urban forest ecology].

PubMed

He, Xingyuan; Jin, Yingshan; Zhu, Wenquan; Xu, Wenduo; Chen, Wei

2002-12-01

With the development of world economy and the increment of urban population, the urban environment problem hinders the urban sustainable development. Now, more and more people realized the importance of urban forests in improving the quality of urban ecology. Therefore, a new subject, urban forest ecology, and correlative new concept frame in the field formed. The theoretic foundation of urban forest ecology derived from the mutual combination of theory relating to forest ecology, landscape ecology, landscape architecture ecology and anthrop-ecology. People survey the development of city from the view of ecosystem, and regard the environment, a colony of human, animals and plants, as main factors of the system. The paper introduces systematically the urban forest ecology as follows: 1) the basic concept of urban forest ecology; 2) the meaning of urban forest ecology; 3) the basic principle and theoretic base of urban forest ecology; 4) the research method of urban forest ecology; 5) the developmental expectation of urban forest ecology.

On high b diffusion imaging in the human brain: ruminations and experimental insights.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert V; Haker, Steven J; Maier, Stephan E

2009-10-01

Interest in the manner in which brain tissue signal decays with b factor in diffusion imaging schemes has grown in recent years following the observation that the decay curves depart from purely monoexponential decay behavior. Regardless of the model or fitting function proposed for characterizing sufficiently sampled decay curves (vide infra), the departure from monoexponentiality spells increased tissue characterization potential. The degree to which this potential can be harnessed to improve specificity, sensitivity and spatial localization of diseases in brain, and other tissues, largely remains to be explored. Furthermore, the degree to which currently popular diffusion tensor imaging methods, including visually impressive white matter fiber "tractography" results, have almost completely ignored the nonmonoexponential nature of the basic signal decay with b factor is worthy of communal introspection. Here we limit our attention to a review of the basic experimental features associated with brain water signal diffusion decay curves as measured over extended b-factor ranges, the simple few parameter fitting functions that have been proposed to characterize these decays and the more involved models, e.g.,"ruminations," which have been proposed to account for the nonmonoexponentiality to date.

On high b diffusion imaging in the human brain: ruminations and experimental insights✩

PubMed Central

Mulkern, Robert V.; Haker, Steven J.; Maier, Stephan E.

2010-01-01

Interest in the manner in which brain tissue signal decays with b factor in diffusion imaging schemes has grown in recent years following the observation that the decay curves depart from purely monoexponential decay behavior. Regardless of the model or fitting function proposed for characterizing sufficiently sampled decay curves (vide infra), the departure from monoexponentiality spells increased tissue characterization potential. The degree to which this potential can be harnessed to improve specificity, sensitivity and spatial localization of diseases in brain, and other tissues, largely remains to be explored. Furthermore, the degree to which currently popular diffusion tensor imaging methods, including visually impressive white matter fiber “tractography” results, have almost completely ignored the nonmonoexponential nature of the basic signal decay with b factor is worthy of communal introspection. Here we limit our attention to a review of the basic experimental features associated with brain water signal diffusion decay curves as measured over extended b-factor ranges, the simple few parameter fitting functions that have been proposed to characterize these decays and the more involved models, e.g.,“ruminations,” which have been proposed to account for the nonmonoexponentiality to date. PMID:19520535

Genetic modification of human B-cell development: B-cell development is inhibited by the dominant negative helix loop helix factor Id3.

PubMed

Jaleco, A C; Stegmann, A P; Heemskerk, M H; Couwenberg, F; Bakker, A Q; Weijer, K; Spits, H

1999-10-15

Transgenic and gene targeted mice have contributed greatly to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying B-cell development. We describe here a model system that allows us to apply molecular genetic techniques to the analysis of human B-cell development. We constructed a retroviral vector with a multiple cloning site connected to a gene encoding green fluorescent protein by an internal ribosomal entry site. Human CD34(+)CD38(-) fetal liver cells, cultured overnight in a combination of stem cell factor and interleukin-7 (IL-7), could be transduced with 30% efficiency. We ligated the gene encoding the dominant negative helix loop helix (HLH) factor Id3 that inhibits many enhancing basic HLH transcription factors into this vector. CD34(+)CD38(-) FL cells were transduced with Id3-IRES-GFP and cultured with the murine stromal cell line S17. In addition, we cultured the transduced cells in a reaggregate culture system with an SV-transformed human fibroblast cell line (SV19). It was observed that overexpression of Id3 inhibited development of B cells in both culture systems. B-cell development was arrested at a stage before expression of the IL-7Ralpha. The development of CD34(+)CD38(-) cells into CD14(+) myeloid cells in the S17 system was not inhibited by overexpression of Id3. Moreover, Id3(+) cells, although inhibited in their B-cell development, were still able to develop into natural killer (NK) cells when cultured in a combination of Flt-3L, IL-7, and IL-15. These findings confirm the essential role of bHLH factors in B-cell development and demonstrate the feasibility of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer as a tool to genetically modify human B-cell development.

Use of Traffic Displays for General Aviation Approach Spacing: A Human Factors Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

engine rated pilots participated. Eight flew approaches in a twin-engine Piper Aztec originating in Sanford, ME, and eight flew approaches in the same...flew approaches in a twin-engine Piper Aztec originating in Sanford, ME, and eight flew approaches in the same aircraft originating in Atlantic City... Aztec . The plane was equipped with a horizontal Situation Indicator (hSI). The Garmin International MX-20™ multifunction traffic display or “Basic

The Electronic Sandtable: An Application of VE-Technology as Tactical Situation Display

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-11-01

plastic stereoscopic intelligibility of a complex tactical situation. The visualization of three-dimensional data. It has been situation scenario is not...generated artificial reality was mentioned first in science ergonomics and human factors is essential for the fiction literature at the middle of the...basically two different types of TSD’s VRML-Browsers and Videogames work like this. used by the strike forces. VE-systems are on their way of becoming

Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis suppresses tumour growth in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. Jin; Li, Bing; Winer, Jane; Armanini, Mark; Gillett, Nancy; Phillips, Heidi S.; Ferrara, Napoleone

1993-04-01

THE development of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) is required for many physiological processes including embryogenesis, wound healing and corpus luteum formation1,2. Blood vessel neoformation is also important in the pathogenesis of many disorders1-5, particularly rapid growth and metastasis of solid tumours3-5. There are several potential mediators of tumour angiogenesis, including basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors, tumour necrosis factor-α and transforming factors-α and -β 1,2. But it is unclear whether any of these agents actually mediates angiogenesis and tumour growth in vivo. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen and an angiogenesis inducer released by a variety of tumour cells and expressed in human tumours in situ. To test whether VEGF may be a tumour angiogenesis factor in vivo, we injected human rhabdomyosar-coma, glioblastoma multiforme or leiomyosarcoma cell lines into nude mice. We report here that treatment with a monoclonal antibody specific for VEGF inhibited the growth of the tumours, but had no effect on the growth rate of the tumour cells In vitro. The density of vessels was decreased in the antibody-treated tumours. These findings demonstrate that inhibition of the action of an angiogenic factor spontaneously produced by tumour cells may suppress tumour growth in vivo.

[Pathogenetic and Prognostic Role of Growth Factors in the Development of Chronic Heart Failure].

PubMed

Teplyakov, A T; Berezikova, E N; Shilov, S N; Efremova, A V; Pustovetova, M G; Popova, A A; Grakova, E V; Torim, Y Y; Safronov, I D; Andriyanova, A V

2017-10-01

To study the role of growth factors ((vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet derived growth factor AB (PDGF-AB) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-basic)) in the development and progression of chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients with ishcemic heart disease (IHD). We included in this study 94 patients with CHF. The control group comprised 32 persons. Blood serum levels of growth factors were determined at baseline and after 12 months of observation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. VEGF, PDGF-AB and FGF-basic play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of heart failure in patients with IHD, determining the increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events in this pathology. Serum activity of growth factors characterizes the severity and course of CHF: with disease progression levels of VEGF and FGF-basic decrease and PDGF-AB concentration increases. Initial low level of VEGF expression regardless of the sex of the patient's sex, significantly low level of FGF-basic and significantly high PDGF-AB in men characterizes unfavorable course of CHF. A correlation has been established between blood serum levels of VEGF, PDGF-AB and FGF-basic and severity and course of CHF.

Is there an agrarian imperative?

PubMed

Cole, Henry P

2010-04-01

This paper examines the assertion that a genetically programmed instinct referred to as the agrarian imperative underlies a territorial drive that compels farmers and their biological heirs to hang on to their land at all costs while working hard, taking risks, enduring pain, and hardship. Research from multiple fields refutes the assumption. Basic physiologic instincts are not primary drivers of animal or human behavior. Their expression is greatly modified by the physical and social environments in which animals mature and learn. The human cerebral cortex with forethought and reflection greatly modifies basic instinctual drives. As a result, human behavior is to a large degree self-reflective and self-determined within the limits of the opportunities and resources available to individuals. The primary factors involved in continued successful farm operations across generations are not genetic, but rather farmers' access to economic, cultural, and social capital resources. These forms of capital and their distribution explain the evolution of human societies from preagricultural hunter-gather tribes to agrarian family kinship groups to complex nation states. Current highly mechanized, large-scale agricultural production focused on a few genetic strains of plants and animals provides abundant food at low cost, but is vulnerable to man-made and natural pandemics of human, animal, and plant pathogens as well as to disasters that can destroy the infrastructure required to support the system. A critical agrarian imperative is to ensure in perpetuity a pool of small farm operators capable of using simple farming technology for raising multiple cultivars and species of plants and animals.

Opioid system and human emotions.

PubMed

Nummenmaa, Lauri; Tuominen, Lauri

2017-04-10

Emotions are states of vigilant readiness that guide human and animal behaviour during survival-salient situations. Categorical models of emotions posit neurally and physiologically distinct basic human emotions (anger, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness and surprise) that govern different survival functions. Opioid receptors are expressed abundantly in the mammalian emotion circuit, and the opioid system modulates a variety of functions related to arousal and motivation. Yet, its specific contribution to different basic emotions has remained poorly understood. Here, we review how the endogenous opioid system and particularly the μ receptor contribute to emotional processing in humans. Activation of the endogenous opioid system is consistently associated with both pleasant and unpleasant emotions. In general, exogenous opioid agonists facilitate approach-oriented emotions (anger, pleasure) and inhibit avoidance-oriented emotions (fear, sadness). Opioids also modulate social bonding and affiliative behaviour, and prolonged opioid abuse may render both social bonding and emotion recognition circuits dysfunctional. However, there is no clear evidence that the opioid system is able to affect the emotions associated with surprise and disgust. Taken together, the opioid systems contribute to a wide array of positive and negative emotions through their general ability to modulate the approach versus avoidance motivation associated with specific emotions. Because of the protective effects of opioid system-mediated prosociality and positive mood, the opioid system may constitute an important factor contributing to psychological and psychosomatic resilience. © 2017 The British Pharmacological Society.

Some factors affecting the fecundity of Biomphalaria pfeifferi (Krauss) in glass aquaria*

PubMed Central

Frank, G. H.

1963-01-01

Little being known of the effect of artificial conditions on Biomphalaria snails maintained in laboratory aquaria, experiments were conducted to determine some of the basic requirements of these snails, expressed in terms of the influence of various factors on their growth, fecundity and mortality. Among the factors studied were diet, artificial aeration, the chemical and physical properties of the water, and the presence of human urine in the water. The results obtained suggest that a diet of dehydrated lettuce and lucerne, no artificial aeration, a CaCO3 concentration of approximately 18 p.p.m., a sodium/calcium ratio of 1, and mild “pollution” give optimum fecundity and growth and low mortality with Biomphalaria pfeifferi (Krauss). PMID:14099678

Tissue mechanics and fibrosis.

PubMed

Wells, Rebecca G

2013-07-01

Mechanical forces are essential to the development and progression of fibrosis, and are likely to be as important as soluble factors. These forces regulate the phenotype and proliferation of myofibroblasts and other cells in damaged tissues, the activation of growth factors, the structure and mechanics of the matrix, and, potentially, tissue patterning. Better understanding of the variety and magnitude of forces, the characteristics of those forces in biological tissues, and their impact on fibrosis in multiple tissues is needed and may lead to identification of important new therapeutic targets. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Fibrosis: Translation of basic research to human disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Practical Integration-Free Episomal Methods for Generating Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Kime, Cody; Rand, Tim A; Ivey, Kathryn N; Srivastava, Deepak; Yamanaka, Shinya; Tomoda, Kiichiro

2015-10-06

The advent of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology has revolutionized biomedicine and basic research by yielding cells with embryonic stem (ES) cell-like properties. The use of iPS-derived cells for cell-based therapies and modeling of human disease holds great potential. While the initial description of iPS cells involved overexpression of four transcription factors via viral vectors that integrated within genomic DNA, advances in recent years by our group and others have led to safer and higher quality iPS cells with greater efficiency. Here, we describe commonly practiced methods for non-integrating induced pluripotent stem cell generation using nucleofection of episomal reprogramming plasmids. These methods are adapted from recent studies that demonstrate increased hiPS cell reprogramming efficacy with the application of three powerful episomal hiPS cell reprogramming factor vectors and the inclusion of an accessory vector expressing EBNA1. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

A system-level approach to automation research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, F. W.; Orlando, N. E.

1984-01-01

Automation is the application of self-regulating mechanical and electronic devices to processes that can be accomplished with the human organs of perception, decision, and actuation. The successful application of automation to a system process should reduce man/system interaction and the perceived complexity of the system, or should increase affordability, productivity, quality control, and safety. The expense, time constraints, and risk factors associated with extravehicular activities have led the Automation Technology Branch (ATB), as part of the NASA Automation Research and Technology Program, to investigate the use of robots and teleoperators as automation aids in the context of space operations. The ATB program addresses three major areas: (1) basic research in autonomous operations, (2) human factors research on man-machine interfaces with remote systems, and (3) the integration and analysis of automated systems. This paper reviews the current ATB research in the area of robotics and teleoperators.

An evolving perspective about the origins of childhood undernutrition and nutritional interventions that includes the gut microbiome

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Tahmeed; Auble, David; Berkley, James A; Black, Robert; Ahern, Philip P; Hossain, Muttaquina; Hsieh, Andrea; Ireen, Santhia; Arabi, Mandana; Gordon, Jeffrey I

2014-01-01

The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science and the World Health Organization (WHO) have worked together to formulate a research agenda for nutrition science. Undernutrition of children has profound effects on health, development, and achievement of full human capacity. Undernutrition is not simply caused by a lack of food, but results from a complex interplay of intra- and intergenerational factors. Representative preclinical models and comprehensive well-controlled longitudinal clinical studies are needed to further understand the contributions and the interrelationships among these factors and to develop interventions that are effective and durable. This paper summarizes work on mechanisms underlying the varied manifestations of childhood undernutrition and discusses current gaps in knowledge and challenges to our understanding of undernutrition and infection/immunity throughout the human life cycle, focusing on early childhood growth. It proposes a series of basic and clinical studies to address this global health challenge. PMID:25118072

Monitoring population and environmental parameters of invasive mosquito species in Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

To enable a better understanding of the overwhelming alterations in the invasive mosquito species (IMS), methodical insight into the population and environmental factors that govern the IMS and pathogen adaptations are essential. There are numerous ways of estimating mosquito populations, and usually these describe developmental and life-history parameters. The key population parameters that should be considered during the surveillance of invasive mosquito species are: (1) population size and dynamics during the season, (2) longevity, (3) biting behaviour, and (4) dispersal capacity. Knowledge of these parameters coupled with vector competence may help to determine the vectorial capacity of IMS and basic disease reproduction number (R0) to support mosquito borne disease (MBD) risk assessment. Similarly, environmental factors include availability and type of larval breeding containers, climate change, environmental change, human population density, increased human travel and goods transport, changes in living, agricultural and farming habits (e.g. land use), and reduction of resources in the life cycle of mosquitoes by interventions (e.g. source reduction of aquatic habitats). Human population distributions, urbanisation, and human population movement are the key behavioural factors in most IMS-transmitted diseases. Anthropogenic issues are related to the global spread of MBD such as the introduction, reintroduction, circulation of IMS and increased exposure to humans from infected mosquito bites. This review addresses the population and environmental factors underlying the growing changes in IMS populations in Europe and confers the parameters selected by criteria of their applicability. In addition, overview of the commonly used and newly developed tools for their monitoring is provided. PMID:24739334

The Importance of HRA in Human Space Flight: Understanding the Risks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamlin, Teri

2010-01-01

Human performance is critical to crew safety during space missions. Humans interact with hardware and software during ground processing, normal flight, and in response to events. Human interactions with hardware and software can cause Loss of Crew and/or Vehicle (LOCV) through improper actions, or may prevent LOCV through recovery and control actions. Humans have the ability to deal with complex situations and system interactions beyond the capability of machines. Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) is a method used to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the occurrence of human failures that affect availability and reliability of complex systems. Modeling human actions with their corresponding failure probabilities in a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) provides a more complete picture of system risks and risk contributions. A high-quality HRA can provide valuable information on potential areas for improvement, including training, procedures, human interfaces design, and the need for automation. Modeling human error has always been a challenge in part because performance data is not always readily available. For spaceflight, the challenge is amplified not only because of the small number of participants and limited amount of performance data available, but also due to the lack of definition of the unique factors influencing human performance in space. These factors, called performance shaping factors in HRA terminology, are used in HRA techniques to modify basic human error probabilities in order to capture the context of an analyzed task. Many of the human error modeling techniques were developed within the context of nuclear power plants and therefore the methodologies do not address spaceflight factors such as the effects of microgravity and longer duration missions. This presentation will describe the types of human error risks which have shown up as risk drivers in the Shuttle PRA which may be applicable to commercial space flight. As with other large PRAs of complex machines, human error in the Shuttle PRA proved to be an important contributor (12 percent) to LOCV. An existing HRA technique was adapted for use in the Shuttle PRA, but additional guidance and improvements are needed to make the HRA task in space-related PRAs easier and more accurate. Therefore, this presentation will also outline plans for expanding current HRA methodology to more explicitly cover spaceflight performance shaping factors.

CREB-1 and AP-1 transcription factors JunD and Fra-2 regulate bone sialoprotein gene expression in human breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Detry, C; Lamour, V; Castronovo, V; Bellahcène, A

2008-02-01

Bone sialoprotein (BSP) expression is detected in a variety of human osteotropic cancers. High expression of BSP in breast and prostate primary carcinomas is associated with progression and bone metastases development. In this study, we examined the transcriptional regulation of BSP gene expression in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells compared with Saos-2 human osteoblast-like cells. BSP human promoter deletion analyses delineated a -56/-84 region, which comprises a cAMP response element (CRE) that was sufficient for maximal promoter activity in breast cancer cell lines. We found that the basic fibroblast growth factor response element (FRE) also located in the proximal promoter was a crucial regulator of human BSP promoter activity in Saos-2 but not in breast cancer cells. Promoter activity experiments in combination with DNA mobility shift assays demonstrated that BSP promoter activity is under the control of the CRE element, through CREB-1, JunD and Fra-2 binding, in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and in Saos-2 cells. Forskolin, a protein kinase A pathway activator, failed to enhance BSP transcriptional activity suggesting that CRE site behaves as a constitutive rather than an inducible element in these cell lines. Over-expression of JunD and Fra-2 increased BSP promoter activity and upregulated endogenous BSP protein expression in MCF-7 and Saos-2 cells while siRNA-mediated inhibition of both factors expression significantly reduced BSP protein level in MDA-MB-231. Collectively, these data provide with new transcriptional mechanisms, implicating CREB and AP-1 factors, that control BSP gene expression in breast cancer cells.

Biological properties of dehydrated human amnion/chorion composite graft: implications for chronic wound healing.

PubMed

Koob, Thomas J; Rennert, Robert; Zabek, Nicole; Massee, Michelle; Lim, Jeremy J; Temenoff, Johnna S; Li, William W; Gurtner, Geoffrey

2013-10-01

Human amnion/chorion tissue derived from the placenta is rich in cytokines and growth factors known to promote wound healing; however, preservation of the biological activities of therapeutic allografts during processing remains a challenge. In this study, PURION® (MiMedx, Marietta, GA) processed dehydrated human amnion/chorion tissue allografts (dHACM, EpiFix®, MiMedx) were evaluated for the presence of growth factors, interleukins (ILs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed on samples of dHACM and showed quantifiable levels of the following growth factors: platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), PDGF-BB, transforming growth factor α (TGFα), TGFβ1, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), placental growth factor (PLGF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). The ELISA assays also confirmed the presence of IL-4, 6, 8 and 10, and TIMP 1, 2 and 4. Moreover, the relative elution of growth factors into saline from the allograft ranged from 4% to 62%, indicating that there are bound and unbound fractions of these compounds within the allograft. dHACM retained biological activities that cause human dermal fibroblast proliferation and migration of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. An in vivo mouse model showed that dHACM when tested in a skin flap model caused mesenchymal progenitor cell recruitment to the site of implantation. The results from both the in vitro and in vivo experiments clearly established that dHACM contains one or more soluble factors capable of stimulating MSC migration and recruitment. In summary, PURION® processed dHACM retains its biological activities related to wound healing, including the potential to positively affect four distinct and pivotal physiological processes intimately involved in wound healing: cell proliferation, inflammation, metalloproteinase activity and recruitment of progenitor cells. This suggests a paracrine mechanism of action for dHACM when used for wound healing applications. ©2013 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.

Applying Spatial Audio to Human Interfaces: 25 Years of NASA Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.; Wenzel, Elizabeth M.; Godfrey, Martine; Miller, Joel D.; Anderson, Mark R.

2010-01-01

From the perspective of human factors engineering, the inclusion of spatial audio within a human-machine interface is advantageous from several perspectives. Demonstrated benefits include the ability to monitor multiple streams of speech and non-speech warning tones using a cocktail party advantage, and for aurally-guided visual search. Other potential benefits include the spatial coordination and interaction of multimodal events, and evaluation of new communication technologies and alerting systems using virtual simulation. Many of these technologies were developed at NASA Ames Research Center, beginning in 1985. This paper reviews examples and describes the advantages of spatial sound in NASA-related technologies, including space operations, aeronautics, and search and rescue. The work has involved hardware and software development as well as basic and applied research.

Human Empathy, Personality and Experience Affect the Emotion Ratings of Dog and Human Facial Expressions.

PubMed

Kujala, Miiamaaria V; Somppi, Sanni; Jokela, Markus; Vainio, Outi; Parkkonen, Lauri

2017-01-01

Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people's perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness) from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects' personality (the Big Five Inventory), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs' emotional facial expressions.

Human Empathy, Personality and Experience Affect the Emotion Ratings of Dog and Human Facial Expressions

PubMed Central

Kujala, Miiamaaria V.; Somppi, Sanni; Jokela, Markus; Vainio, Outi; Parkkonen, Lauri

2017-01-01

Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people’s perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness) from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects’ personality (the Big Five Inventory), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs’ emotional facial expressions. PMID:28114335

Comparison of fibrin clots derived from peripheral blood and bone marrow.

PubMed

Shoji, Takeshi; Nakasa, Tomoyuki; Yoshizuka, Masaaki; Yamasaki, Takuma; Yasunaga, Yuji; Adachi, Nobuo; Ochi, Mitsuo

2017-03-01

Autologous fibrin clots derived from peripheral blood (pb-fibrin clot) and bone marrow (bm-fibrin clot) are thought to be effective for tissue regeneration. However, there is no report detailing the amount of growth factors in pb-/bm-fibrin clot. In this study we evaluated the amount of growth factors in human pb-/bm-fibrin clot, and prove the validity of fibrin clot for clinical use. Human pb-/bm-fibrin clots were obtained during surgery. In the first experiment, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for detecting the amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), fibroblast growth factor basic (bFGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), platelet derived-growth factors-AB (PDGF-AB), and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). In the second experiment, the efficacy of fibrin clot on the osteogenic differentiation and fibroblast proliferation was evaluated. Pb-/bm-fibrin clots were incubated in human osteoblast derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) or human skin fibroblast. Alizarin red staining and real-time PCR (COL1A1, RUNX2) were performed for the detection of osteogenic potential. Cell-growth assay (WST-8) and real-time PCR (COL1A1) were also performed for the detection of the potential of fibroblast proliferation. ELISA analysis revealed that the amount of VEGF, HGF, bFGF, IGF-1, and SDF-1 of bm-fibrin clot group is higher than that of pb-fibrin clot group with statistical differences. Besides, we confirmed that bm-fibrin clot has much potential for the osteogenic differentiation and fibroblast proliferation. The positive outcomes confirm the efficacy of pb-/bm-fibrin clot, and bm-fibrin clot was proved to have much potential for tissue regeneration compared with pb-fibrin clot. The current study showed the potential of a strategy for regenerative medicine using bm-fibrin clot.

A divergent Pumilio repeat protein family for pre-rRNA processing and mRNA localization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qiu, Chen; McCann, Kathleen L.; Wine, Robert N.

Pumilio/feminization of XX and XO animals (fem)-3 mRNA-binding factor (PUF) proteins bind sequence specifically to mRNA targets using a single-stranded RNA-binding domain comprising eight Pumilio (PUM) repeats. PUM repeats have now been identified in proteins that function in pre-rRNA processing, including human Puf-A and yeast Puf6. This is a role not previously ascribed to PUF proteins. In this paper we present crystal structures of human Puf-A that reveal a class of nucleic acid-binding proteins with 11 PUM repeats arranged in an “L”-like shape. In contrast to classical PUF proteins, Puf-A forms sequence-independent interactions with DNA or RNA, mediated by conservedmore » basic residues. We demonstrate that equivalent basic residues in yeast Puf6 are important for RNA binding, pre-rRNA processing, and mRNA localization. Finally, PUM repeats can be assembled into alternative folds that bind to structured nucleic acids in addition to forming canonical eight-repeat crescent-shaped RNA-binding domains found in classical PUF proteins.« less

A divergent Pumilio repeat protein family for pre-rRNA processing and mRNA localization

DOE PAGES

Qiu, Chen; McCann, Kathleen L.; Wine, Robert N.; ...

2014-12-15

Pumilio/feminization of XX and XO animals (fem)-3 mRNA-binding factor (PUF) proteins bind sequence specifically to mRNA targets using a single-stranded RNA-binding domain comprising eight Pumilio (PUM) repeats. PUM repeats have now been identified in proteins that function in pre-rRNA processing, including human Puf-A and yeast Puf6. This is a role not previously ascribed to PUF proteins. In this paper we present crystal structures of human Puf-A that reveal a class of nucleic acid-binding proteins with 11 PUM repeats arranged in an “L”-like shape. In contrast to classical PUF proteins, Puf-A forms sequence-independent interactions with DNA or RNA, mediated by conservedmore » basic residues. We demonstrate that equivalent basic residues in yeast Puf6 are important for RNA binding, pre-rRNA processing, and mRNA localization. Finally, PUM repeats can be assembled into alternative folds that bind to structured nucleic acids in addition to forming canonical eight-repeat crescent-shaped RNA-binding domains found in classical PUF proteins.« less

What's Working: Program Factors Influencing California Community College Basic Skills Mathematics Students' Advancement to Transfer Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiero, Diane M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine which basic skills program factors were exhibited by successful basic skills programs that helped students advance to transfer-level mathematics. This study specifically examined California community college basic skills programs that assist students who place in mathematics courses 2 levels…

A highly versatile adaptor protein for the tethering of growth factors to gelatin-based biomaterials.

PubMed

Addi, Cyril; Murschel, Frédéric; Liberelle, Benoît; Riahi, Nesrine; De Crescenzo, Gregory

2017-03-01

In the field of tissue engineering, the tethering of growth factors to tissue scaffolds in an oriented manner can enhance their activity and increase their half-life. We chose to investigate the capture of the basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) and the Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) on a gelatin layer, as a model for the functionalization of collagen-based biomaterials. Our strategy relies on the use of two high affinity interactions, that is, the one between two distinct coil peptides as well as the one occurring between a collagen-binding domain (CBD) and gelatin. We expressed a chimeric protein to be used as an adaptor that comprises one of the coil peptides and a CBD derived from the human fibronectin. We proved that it has the ability to bind simultaneously to a gelatin substrate and to form a heterodimeric coiled-coil domain with recombinant growth factors being tagged with the complementary coil peptide. The tethering of the growth factors was characterized by ELISA and surface plasmon resonance-based biosensing. The bioactivity of the immobilized bFGF and EGF was evaluated by a human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation assay and a vascular smooth muscle cell survival assay. We found that the tethering of EGF preserved its mitogenic and anti-apoptotic activity. In the case of bFGF, when captured via our adaptor protein, changes in its natural mode of interaction with gelatin were observed. In an effort to functionalize collagen/gelatin-based biomaterials with growth factors, we have designed an adaptor protein corresponding to a collagen-binding domain fused to a coil peptide. In our strategy, this adaptor protein captures growth factors being tagged with the partner coil peptide in a specific, stable and oriented manner. We have found that the tethering of the Epidermal Growth Factor preserved its mitogenic and anti-apoptotic activity. In the case of the basic Fibroblast Growth Factor, the captured growth factor remained bioactive although its tethering via this adaptor protein modified its natural mode of interaction with gelatin. Altogether this strategy is easily adaptable to the simultaneous tethering of various growth factors. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Basic Science Research and the Protection of Human Research Participants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiseman, Elisa

2001-03-01

Technological advances in basic biological research have been instrumental in recent biomedical discoveries, such as in the understanding and treatment of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart disease. However, many of these advances also raise several new ethical challenges. For example, genetic research may pose no physical risk beyond that of obtaining the initial blood sample, yet it can pose significant psychological and economic risks to research participants, such as stigmatization, discrimination in insurance and employment, invasion of privacy, or breach of confidentiality. These harms may occur even when investigators do not directly interact with the person whose DNA they are studying. Moreover, this type of basic research also raises broader questions, such as what is the definition of a human subject, and what kinds of expertise do Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) need to review the increasingly diverse types of research made possible by these advances in technology. The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC), a presidentially appointed federal advisory committee, has addressed these and other ethical, scientific and policy issues that arise in basic science research involving human participants. Two of its six reports, in particular, have proposed recommendations in this regard. "Research Involving Human Biological Materials: Ethical and Policy Guidance" addresses the basic research use of human tissues, cells and DNA and the protection of human participants in this type of research. In "Ethical and Policy Issues in the Oversight of Human Research" NBAC proposes a definition of research involving human participants that would apply to all scientific disciplines, including physical, biological, and social sciences, as well as the humanities and related professions, such as business and law. Both of these reports make it clear that the protection of research participants is key to conducting ethically sound research. By ensuring that all participants in research are protected and by educating everyone involved in research with human participants, including the public, investigators, IRB members, institutions, and federal agencies, NBAC’s goal is to develop guidelines by which important basic research can proceed while making sure that the rights and welfare of human research participants are not compromised.

From basic needs to basic rights.

PubMed

Facio, A

1995-06-01

After arriving at an understanding that basic rights refer to all human needs, it is clear that a recognition of the basic needs of female humans must precede the realization of their rights. The old Women in Development (WID) framework only understood women's needs from an androcentric perspective which was limited to practical interests. Instead, women's primary need is to be free from their subordination to men. Such an understanding places all of women's immediate needs in a new light. A human rights approach to development would see women not as beneficiaries but as people entitled to enjoy the benefits of development. Discussion of what equality before the law should mean to women began at the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi where the issue of violence against women was first linked to development. While debate continues about the distinction between civil and political rights and economic, social, and cultural rights, the realities of women's lives do not permit such a distinction. The concept of the universality of human rights did not become codified until the UN proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The declaration has been criticized by feminists because the view of human rights it embodies has been too strongly influenced by a liberal Western philosophy which stresses individual rights and because it is ambiguous on the distinction between human rights and the rights of a citizen. The protection of rights afforded by the Declaration, however, should not be viewed as a final achievement but as an ongoing struggle. International conferences have led to an analysis of the human-rights approach to sustainable development which concludes that women continue to face the routine denial of their rights. Each human right must be redefined from the perspective of women's needs, which must also be redefined. Women must forego challenging the concept of the universality of human rights in order to overcome the argument of cultural and religious diversity which erodes women's rights. Women can, however, challenge the traditional patriarchal understanding of human rights, drawing on the energy contained in the "basic needs to basic rights" approach.

Examination of personality characteristics in a Turkish sample: development of Basic Personality Traits Inventory.

PubMed

Gençöz, Tülin; Öcül, Öznur

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to test the cross-cultural validity of the five-factor nature of personality. For this aim, an indigenous, psychometrically strong instrument measuring the basic personality dimensions within Turkish culture and language was developed through three consecutive studies. The first study aimed to reveal the adjectives that have been most frequently used to define people in the Turkish culture. In the second study, factor analysis of these personality characteristics revealed big five personality factors, along with the sixth factor, which had been called as the Negative Valence factor. The adjectives that most strongly represented and differentiated each factor constituted 45-item "Basic Personality Traits Inventory". Finally, in the third study, psychometric characteristics of the Basic Personality Traits Inventory were examined. Factor structure and psychometric properties of this instrument confirmed that five-factor nature of personality may not hold true in every culture.

Local Responses to Global Problems: A Key to Meeting Basic Human Needs. Worldwatch Paper 17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stokes, Bruce

The booklet maintains that the key to meeting basic human needs is the participation of individuals and communities in local problem solving. Some of the most important achievements in providing food, upgrading housing, improving human health, and tapping new energy sources, comes through local self-help projects. Proponents of local efforts at…

How Does Air Pollution Threaten Basic Human Rights? The Case Study of Bulgaria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmedova, Aylin Hasanova

2016-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to analyze the relationship between air pollution and human rights. It investigates whether air pollution threatens basic human rights such as the right to health, life, and the environment. Air pollution represents a major threat both to health and to the environment. Despite the adoption of numerous…

Preliminary results comparing the recovery of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) in adipose tissue and benign and malignant renal tissue.

PubMed

Mydlo, J H; Kral, J G; Macchia, R J

1998-06-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) is mitogenic to numerous epithelial, mesodermal and endothelial cells, and thus may play a role in the neovascularity and progression of several tumors. Furthermore, FGF-2 is reported to be elevated in the serum and urine of patients with various cancers, including renal cancer. Obesity, with increased body fat, is a risk factor for renal cancer through unknown mechanisms. Since adipose tissue is a source of FGF-2, we determined the quantity and quality of activity of FGF-2 in omental adipose tissue and compared it to normal and cancerous renal tissue. Using heparin-Sepharose chromatography we extracted proteins from human omental adipose tissue, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and benign renal tissue (BRT). Using FGF-2 antisera we performed western blot analysis to confirm their homology to FGF-2. We also assessed recovery, mitogenicity and angiogenicity of each of the proteins using thymidine incorporation into human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Each of the three purified mitogenic proteins eluted with NaCl concentrations between 1.4 M. and 1.8 M., similar to control FGF-2. There was greater recovery of FGF-2 from omental adipose tissue compared with renal cell carcinoma or benign renal tissue (42 microg. vs. 24 microg. and 18 microg., respectively; ANOVA p <0.05). Moreover, FGF-2 from adipose tissue had greater mitogenic activity (96.% versus 68% and 38%; p <0.05) and greater angiogenic activity (5.5 vessels versus 2.7 and 1.6 vessels; p <0.05) on the CAM assay. We suggest that human omental adipose tissue FGF-2 may demonstrate greater mitogenic and angiogenic activity than either benign or cancerous renal tissue FGF-2. It is not known if FGF-2 from adipose tissue may play a role in the relationship between obesity and renal cancer.

The care dependency scale for measuring basic human needs: an international comparison.

PubMed

Dijkstra, Ate; Yönt, Gülendam Hakverdioğlu; Korhan, Esra Akin; Muszalik, Marta; Kędziora-Kornatowska, Kornelia; Suzuki, Mizue

2012-10-01

To report a study conducted to compare the utility of the care dependency scale across four countries. The care dependency scale provides a framework for assessing the needs of institutionalized patients for nursing care. Henderson's components of nursing care have been used to specify the variable aspects of the concept of care dependency and to develop the care dependency scale items. The study used a cross-cultural survey design. Patients were recruited from four different countries: Japan, The Netherlands, Poland and Turkey. In each of the participating countries, basic human needs were assessed by nurses using a translated version of the original Dutch care dependency scale. Psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity of the care dependency scale have been assessed using Cronbach's alpha, Guttman's lambda-2, inter-item correlation and principal components analysis. Data were collected in 2008 and 2009. High internal consistency values were demonstrated. Principal component analysis confirmed the one-factor model reported in earlier studies. Outcomes confirm Henderson's idea that human needs are fundamental appearing in every patient-nurse relationship, independent of the patient's age, the type of care setting and/or cultural background. The psychometric characteristics of the care dependency scale make this instrument very useful for comparative research across countries. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Multiple hypotheses testing of fish incidence patterns in an urbanized ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chizinski, C.J.; Higgins, C.L.; Shavlik, C.E.; Pope, K.L.

2006-01-01

Ecological and evolutionary theories have focused traditionally on natural processes with little attempt to incorporate anthropogenic influences despite the fact that humans are such an integral part of virtually all ecosystems. A series of alternate models that incorporated anthropogenic factors and traditional ecological mechanisms of invasion to account for fish incidence patterns in urban lakes was tested. The models were based on fish biology, human intervention, and habitat characteristics. However, the only models to account for empirical patterns were those that included fish invasiveness, which incorporated species-specific information about overall tolerance and fecundity. This suggests that species-specific characteristics are more important in general distributional patterns than human-mediated dispersal. Better information of illegal stocking activities is needed to improve human-mediated models, and more insight into basic life history of ubiquitous species is needed to truly understand underlying mechanisms of biotic homogenization. ?? Springer 2005.

Distinct sets of locomotor modules control the speed and modes of human locomotion

PubMed Central

Yokoyama, Hikaru; Ogawa, Tetsuya; Kawashima, Noritaka; Shinya, Masahiro; Nakazawa, Kimitaka

2016-01-01

Although recent vertebrate studies have revealed that different spinal networks are recruited in locomotor mode- and speed-dependent manners, it is unknown whether humans share similar neural mechanisms. Here, we tested whether speed- and mode-dependence in the recruitment of human locomotor networks exists or not by statistically extracting locomotor networks. From electromyographic activity during walking and running over a wide speed range, locomotor modules generating basic patterns of muscle activities were extracted using non-negative matrix factorization. The results showed that the number of modules changed depending on the modes and speeds. Different combinations of modules were extracted during walking and running, and at different speeds even during the same locomotor mode. These results strongly suggest that, in humans, different spinal locomotor networks are recruited while walking and running, and even in the same locomotor mode different networks are probably recruited at different speeds. PMID:27805015

Pathogen-free, plasma-poor platelet lysate and expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Iudicone, Paola; Fioravanti, Daniela; Bonanno, Giuseppina; Miceli, Michelina; Lavorino, Claudio; Totta, Pierangela; Frati, Luigi; Nuti, Marianna; Pierelli, Luca

2014-01-27

Supplements to support clinical-grade cultures of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are required to promote growth and expansion of these cells. Platelet lysate (PL) is a human blood component which may replace animal serum in MSC cultures being rich in various growth factors. Here, we describe a plasma poor pathogen-free platelet lysate obtained by pooling 12 platelet (PLT) units, to produce a standardized and safe supplement for clinical-grade expansion of MSC. PL lots were obtained by combining 2 6-unit PLT pools in additive solution (AS) following a transfusional-based procedure including pathogen inactivation (PI) by Intercept technology and 3 cycles of freezing/thawing, followed by membrane removal. Three PI-PL and 3 control PL lots were produced to compare their ability to sustain bone marrow derived MSC selection and expansion. Moreover, two further PL, subjected to PI or not, were also produced starting from the same initial PLT pools to evaluate the impact of PI on growth factor concentration and capacity to sustain cell growth. Additional PI-PL lots were used for comparison with fetal bovine serum (FBS) on MSC expansion. Immunoregulatory properties of PI-PL-generated MSC were documented in vitro by mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) mitogen induced proliferation. PI-PL and PL control lots had similar concentrations of 4 well-described growth factors endowed with MSC stimulating ability. Initial growth and MSC expansion by PI-PL and PL controls were comparable either using different MSC populations or in head to head experiments. Moreover, PI-PL and PL control sustained similar MSC growth of frozen/thawed MSC. Multilineage differentiation of PI-derived and PI-PL-derived MSC were maintained in any MSC cultures as well as their immunoregulatory properties. Finally, no direct impact of PI on growth factor concentration and MSC growth support was observed, whereas the capacity of FBS to sustain MSC expansion in basic medium was irrelevant as compared to PL and PI-PL. The replacement of animal additives with human supplements is a basic issue in MSC ex vivo production. PI-PL represents a standardized, plasma-poor, human preparation which appears as a safe and good candidate to stimulate MSC growth in clinical-scale cultures.

Pathogen-free, plasma-poor platelet lysate and expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Supplements to support clinical-grade cultures of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are required to promote growth and expansion of these cells. Platelet lysate (PL) is a human blood component which may replace animal serum in MSC cultures being rich in various growth factors. Here, we describe a plasma poor pathogen-free platelet lysate obtained by pooling 12 platelet (PLT) units, to produce a standardized and safe supplement for clinical-grade expansion of MSC. Methods PL lots were obtained by combining 2 6-unit PLT pools in additive solution (AS) following a transfusional-based procedure including pathogen inactivation (PI) by Intercept technology and 3 cycles of freezing/thawing, followed by membrane removal. Three PI-PL and 3 control PL lots were produced to compare their ability to sustain bone marrow derived MSC selection and expansion. Moreover, two further PL, subjected to PI or not, were also produced starting from the same initial PLT pools to evaluate the impact of PI on growth factor concentration and capacity to sustain cell growth. Additional PI-PL lots were used for comparison with fetal bovine serum (FBS) on MSC expansion. Immunoregulatory properties of PI-PL-generated MSC were documented in vitro by mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) mitogen induced proliferation. Results PI-PL and PL control lots had similar concentrations of 4 well-described growth factors endowed with MSC stimulating ability. Initial growth and MSC expansion by PI-PL and PL controls were comparable either using different MSC populations or in head to head experiments. Moreover, PI-PL and PL control sustained similar MSC growth of frozen/thawed MSC. Multilineage differentiation of PI-derived and PI-PL-derived MSC were maintained in any MSC cultures as well as their immunoregulatory properties. Finally, no direct impact of PI on growth factor concentration and MSC growth support was observed, whereas the capacity of FBS to sustain MSC expansion in basic medium was irrelevant as compared to PL and PI-PL. Conclusion The replacement of animal additives with human supplements is a basic issue in MSC ex vivo production. PI-PL represents a standardized, plasma-poor, human preparation which appears as a safe and good candidate to stimulate MSC growth in clinical-scale cultures. PMID:24467837

Enhanced expression of FNDC5 in human embryonic stem cell-derived neural cells along with relevant embryonic neural tissues.

PubMed

Ghahrizjani, Fatemeh Ahmadi; Ghaedi, Kamran; Salamian, Ahmad; Tanhaei, Somayeh; Nejati, Alireza Shoaraye; Salehi, Hossein; Nabiuni, Mohammad; Baharvand, Hossein; Nasr-Esfahani, Mohammad Hossein

2015-02-25

Availability of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has enhanced the capability of basic and clinical research in the context of human neural differentiation. Derivation of neural progenitor (NP) cells from hESCs facilitates the process of human embryonic development through the generation of neuronal subtypes. We have recently indicated that fibronectin type III domain containing 5 protein (FNDC5) expression is required for appropriate neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Bioinformatics analyses have shown the presence of three isoforms for human FNDC5 mRNA. To differentiate which isoform of FNDC5 is involved in the process of human neural differentiation, we have used hESCs as an in vitro model for neural differentiation by retinoic acid (RA) induction. The hESC line, Royan H5, was differentiated into a neural lineage in defined adherent culture treated by RA and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). We collected all cell types that included hESCs, rosette structures, and neural cells in an attempt to assess the expression of FNDC5 isoforms. There was a contiguous increase in all three FNDC5 isoforms during the neural differentiation process. Furthermore, the highest level of expression of the isoforms was significantly observed in neural cells compared to hESCs and the rosette structures known as neural precursor cells (NPCs). High expression levels of FNDC5 in human fetal brain and spinal cord tissues have suggested the involvement of this gene in neural tube development. Additional research is necessary to determine the major function of FDNC5 in this process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faulk, W.P.; Coulam, C.B.; McIntyre, J.A.

The objective of this paper is to consider several catagories of biomarkers of human pregnancy. The design of the report is to discuss useful and promising markers and techniques. Research gaps, needs, and priorities are also defined. Useful markers are mixed lymphocyte culture reactions, measures of lymphocytotoxic antibodies, histocompatibility (HLA) typing, and immunohematological evaluations. Promising markers are measures of major basic protein and early pregnancy factor, as well as determinations of trophoblast-lymphocyte cross-reactive (TLX) antigens. Promising techniques are flourescence-activated cell-sorter analysis of maternal blood for fetal and extraembryonic tissues and immunotherapy with TLX and other antigens to prevent spontaneous abortion.more » It is concluded that immunology has much to offer the development of biomarkers of human pregnancy.« less

The study on LUCC and its human drive factors in Quanzhou City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, JianShun; Zhong, KaiWen; Zhang, JinQian; Chen, SongLin

2008-10-01

Based on the 1988 and 2000 remote sensing data and the "3S" technology, we not only attempt to analyze the dynamic change form the structure of quantity and spatial change of Land Use in Quanzhou City, but also use the representatively correlation method to explain the interrelation between this change of Land Use and the social economic factors, by the CANCORR program of SPSS. Furthermore, according to the viewpoint of Humanism, we try to find out the function of the social power factors, the social culture factors which conclude natural view, axiology, dietetically custom, habitation fashion and consumed tropism .etc and the developing industries of local color on the Land Use change. From this research, the result show: 1) the structure of quantity of Land Use change remarkably from county to county, the most reducing quantity of paddy field, dry land and garden plot are separately the county of DeHua, HuiAn and NanAn. And the most driver factor is the developing industries of local color; 2) the type change of Land Use caused by the production value of extractive industry, light industry and the third industry, basic contracture investment, output of tea and fruit, convenient extent of road and income of per farmer and so on in Quanzhou City between 1988 and 2000. In a word, the dynamic change of Land Use impact by more factors we have mentioned, and it's extend is more and more multistage, especially in Quanzhou City. As we study, the dynamic change of Land Use is enslaved to human factors in Quanzhou City.

Classification and reduction of pilot error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, W. H.; Logan, A. L.; Boley, G. D.

1989-01-01

Human error is a primary or contributing factor in about two-thirds of commercial aviation accidents worldwide. With the ultimate goal of reducing pilot error accidents, this contract effort is aimed at understanding the factors underlying error events and reducing the probability of certain types of errors by modifying underlying factors such as flight deck design and procedures. A review of the literature relevant to error classification was conducted. Classification includes categorizing types of errors, the information processing mechanisms and factors underlying them, and identifying factor-mechanism-error relationships. The classification scheme developed by Jens Rasmussen was adopted because it provided a comprehensive yet basic error classification shell or structure that could easily accommodate addition of details on domain-specific factors. For these purposes, factors specific to the aviation environment were incorporated. Hypotheses concerning the relationship of a small number of underlying factors, information processing mechanisms, and error types types identified in the classification scheme were formulated. ASRS data were reviewed and a simulation experiment was performed to evaluate and quantify the hypotheses.

Generation of human cortical neurons from a new immortal fetal neural stem cell line.

PubMed

Cacci, E; Villa, A; Parmar, M; Cavallaro, M; Mandahl, N; Lindvall, O; Martinez-Serrano, A; Kokaia, Z

2007-02-01

Isolation and expansion of neural stem cells (NSCs) of human origin are crucial for successful development of cell therapy approaches in neurodegenerative diseases. Different epigenetic and genetic immortalization strategies have been established for long-term maintenance and expansion of these cells in vitro. Here we report the generation of a new, clonal NSC (hc-NSC) line, derived from human fetal cortical tissue, based on v-myc immortalization. Using immunocytochemistry, we show that these cells retain the characteristics of NSCs after more than 50 passages. Under proliferation conditions, when supplemented with epidermal and basic fibroblast growth factors, the hc-NSCs expressed neural stem/progenitor cell markers like nestin, vimentin and Sox2. When growth factors were withdrawn, proliferation and expression of v-myc and telomerase were dramatically reduced, and the hc-NSCs differentiated into glia and neurons (mostly glutamatergic and GABAergic, as well as tyrosine hydroxylase-positive, presumably dopaminergic neurons). RT-PCR analysis showed that the hc-NSCs retained expression of Pax6, Emx2 and Neurogenin2, which are genes associated with regionalization and cell commitment in cortical precursors during brain development. Our data indicate that this hc-NSC line could be useful for exploring the potential of human NSCs to replace dead or damaged cortical cells in animal models of acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Taking advantage of its clonality and homogeneity, this cell line will also be a valuable experimental tool to study the regulatory role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in human NSC biology.

Paradoxical Regulation of Human FGF21 by Both Fasting and Feeding Signals: Is FGF21 a Nutritional Adaptation Factor?

PubMed Central

Uebanso, Takashi; Taketani, Yutaka; Yamamoto, Hironori; Amo, Kikuko; Ominami, Hirokazu; Arai, Hidekazu; Takei, Yuichiro; Masuda, Masashi; Tanimura, Ayako; Harada, Nagakatsu; Yamanaka-Okumura, Hisami; Takeda, Eiji

2011-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has recently emerged as a metabolic hormone involved in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in mouse, but the regulatory mechanisms and actions of FGF21 in humans remain unclear. Here we have investigated the regulatory mechanisms of the human FGF21 gene at the transcriptional level. A deletion study of the human FGF21 promoter (−1672 to +230 bp) revealed two fasting signals, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and glucagon signals, that independently induced human FGF21 gene transcription in mouse primary hepatocytes. In addition, two feeding signals, glucose and xylitol, also dose-dependently induced human FGF21 gene transcription and mRNA expression in both human HepG2 cells and mouse primary hepatocytes. FGF21 protein expression and secretion were also induced by high glucose stimulation. The human FGF21 promoter (−1672 to +230 bp) was found to have a carbohydrate-responsive element at −380 to −366 bp, which is distinct from the PPAR response element (PPRE). Knock-down of the carbohydrate response element binding protein by RNAi diminished glucose-induced human FGF21 transcription. Moreover, we found that a region from −555 to −443 bp of the human FGF21 promoter region exerts an important role in the activation of basic transcription. In conclusion, human FGF21 gene expression is paradoxically and independently regulated by both fasting and feeding signals. These regulatory mechanisms suggest that human FGF21 is increased with nutritional crisis, including starvation and overfeeding. PMID:21829679

Captain upgrade CRM training: A new focus for enhanced flight operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taggart, William R.

1993-01-01

Crew Resource Management (CRM) research has resulted in numerous payoffs of applied applications in flight training and standardization of air carrier flight operations. This paper describes one example of how basic research into human factors and crew performance was used to create a specific training intervention for upgrading new captains for a major United States air carrier. The basis for the training is examined along with some of the specific training methods used, and several unexpeced results.

Behavioral Health Program Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveton, Lauren B.

2006-01-01

The project goal is to develop behavioral health prevention and maintenance system for continued crew health, safety, and performance for exploration missions. The basic scope includes a) Operationally-relevant research related to clinical cognitive and behavioral health of crewmembers; b) Ground-based studies using analog environments (Antarctic, NEEMO, simulations, and other testbeds; c) ISS studies (ISSMP) focusing on operational issues related to behavioral health outcomes and standards; d) Technology development activities for monitoring and diagnostic tools; and e) Cross-disciplinary research (e.g., human factors and habitability research, skeletal muscle, radiation).

On DSS Implementation in the Dynamic Model of the Digital Oil field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korovin, Iakov S.; Khisamutdinov, Maksim V.; Kalyaev, Anatoly I.

2018-02-01

Decision support systems (DSS), especially based on the artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are been widely applied in different domains nowadays. In the paper we depict an approach of implementing DSS in to Digital Oil Field (DOF) dynamic model structure in order to reduce the human factor influence, considering the automation of all production processes to be the DOF model clue element. As the basic tool of data handling we propose the hybrid application on artificial neural networks and evolutional algorithms.

Angiogenic properties of dehydrated human amnion/chorion allografts: therapeutic potential for soft tissue repair and regeneration

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Chronic wounds are associated with a number of deficiencies in critical wound healing processes, including growth factor signaling and neovascularization. Human-derived placental tissues are rich in regenerative cytokines and have been shown in randomized clinical trials to be effective for healing chronic wounds. In this study, PURION® Processed (MiMedx Group, Marietta, GA) dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane tissue allografts (dHACM, EpiFix®, MiMedx) were evaluated for properties to support wound angiogenesis. Methods Angiogenic growth factors were identified in dHACM tissues using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and the effects of dHACM extract on human microvascular endothelial cell (HMVEC) proliferation and production of angiogenic growth factors was determined in vitro. Chemotactic migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) toward pieces of dHACM tissue was determined using a standard in vitro transwell assay. Neovascularization of dHACM in vivo was determined utilizing a murine subcutaneous implant model. Results Quantifiable levels of the angiogenic cytokines angiogenin, angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2), epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), placental growth factor (PlGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured in dHACM. Soluble cues promoted HMVEC proliferation in vitro and increased endogenous production of over 30 angiogenic factors by HMVECs, including granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), angiogenin, transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3), and HB-EGF. 6.0 mm disks of dHACM tissue were also found to recruit migration of HUVECs in vitro. Moreover, subcutaneous dHACM implants displayed a steady increase in microvessels over a period of 4 weeks, indicative of a dynamic intra-implant neovascular process. Conclusions Taken together, these results demonstrate that dHACM grafts: 1) contain angiogenic growth factors retaining biological activity; 2) promote amplification of angiogenic cues by inducing endothelial cell proliferation and migration and by upregulating production of endogenous angiogenic growth factors by endothelial cells; and 3) support the formation of blood vessels in vivo. dHACM grafts are a promising wound care therapy with the potential to promote revascularization and tissue healing within poorly vascularized, non-healing wounds. PMID:24817999

Angiogenic properties of dehydrated human amnion/chorion allografts: therapeutic potential for soft tissue repair and regeneration.

PubMed

Koob, Thomas J; Lim, Jeremy J; Massee, Michelle; Zabek, Nicole; Rennert, Robert; Gurtner, Geoffrey; Li, William W

2014-01-01

Chronic wounds are associated with a number of deficiencies in critical wound healing processes, including growth factor signaling and neovascularization. Human-derived placental tissues are rich in regenerative cytokines and have been shown in randomized clinical trials to be effective for healing chronic wounds. In this study, PURION® Processed (MiMedx Group, Marietta, GA) dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane tissue allografts (dHACM, EpiFix®, MiMedx) were evaluated for properties to support wound angiogenesis. Angiogenic growth factors were identified in dHACM tissues using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and the effects of dHACM extract on human microvascular endothelial cell (HMVEC) proliferation and production of angiogenic growth factors was determined in vitro. Chemotactic migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) toward pieces of dHACM tissue was determined using a standard in vitro transwell assay. Neovascularization of dHACM in vivo was determined utilizing a murine subcutaneous implant model. Quantifiable levels of the angiogenic cytokines angiogenin, angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2), epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), placental growth factor (PlGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured in dHACM. Soluble cues promoted HMVEC proliferation in vitro and increased endogenous production of over 30 angiogenic factors by HMVECs, including granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), angiogenin, transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3), and HB-EGF. 6.0 mm disks of dHACM tissue were also found to recruit migration of HUVECs in vitro. Moreover, subcutaneous dHACM implants displayed a steady increase in microvessels over a period of 4 weeks, indicative of a dynamic intra-implant neovascular process. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THAT DHACM GRAFTS: 1) contain angiogenic growth factors retaining biological activity; 2) promote amplification of angiogenic cues by inducing endothelial cell proliferation and migration and by upregulating production of endogenous angiogenic growth factors by endothelial cells; and 3) support the formation of blood vessels in vivo. dHACM grafts are a promising wound care therapy with the potential to promote revascularization and tissue healing within poorly vascularized, non-healing wounds.

Effects of human dynamics on epidemic spreading in Côte d'Ivoire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ruiqi; Wang, Wenxu; Di, Zengru

2017-02-01

Understanding and predicting outbreaks of contagious diseases are crucial to the development of society and public health, especially for underdeveloped countries. However, challenging problems are encountered because of complex epidemic spreading dynamics influenced by spatial structure and human dynamics (including both human mobility and human interaction intensity). We propose a systematical model to depict nationwide epidemic spreading in Côte d'Ivoire, which integrates multiple factors, such as human mobility, human interaction intensity, and demographic features. We provide insights to aid in modeling and predicting the epidemic spreading process by data-driven simulation and theoretical analysis, which is otherwise beyond the scope of local evaluation and geometrical views. We show that the requirement that the average local basic reproductive number to be greater than unity is not necessary for outbreaks of epidemics. The observed spreading phenomenon can be roughly explained as a heterogeneous diffusion-reaction process by redefining mobility distance according to the human mobility volume between nodes, which is beyond the geometrical viewpoint. However, the heterogeneity of human dynamics still poses challenges to precise prediction.

The Definition of Basic Skills in Manufacturing Industries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Charles M.

1996-01-01

Survey responses from 186 of 250 trainers/human resource managers and a Delphi panel of 21 rated companies' basic skills training provisions and the importance of basic skills. Although most stated their companies provide basic skills training, results show most are reluctant to hire, train, or retain workers with low basic skills. (SK)

Lessons from the Salk Polio Vaccine: Methods for and Risks of Rapid Translation

PubMed Central

Juskewitch, B.A., Justin E.; Tapia, B.A., Carmen J.; Windebank, Anthony J.

2010-01-01

Abstract The Salk inactivated poliovirus vaccine is one of the most rapid examples of bench‐to‐bedside translation in medicine. In the span of 6 years, the key basic lab discoveries facilitating the development of the vaccine were made, optimization and safety testing was completed in both animals and human volunteers, the largest clinical trial in history of 1.8 million children was conducted, and the results were released to an eagerly awaiting public. Such examples of rapid translation cannot only offer clues to what factors can successfully drive and accelerate the translational process but also what mistakes can occur (and thus should be avoided) during such a swift process. In this commentary, we explore the translational path of the Salk polio vaccine from the key basic science discoveries to the 1954 Field Trials and delve into the scientific and sociopolitical factors that aided in its rapid development. Moreover, we look at the Cutter and Wyeth incidents after the vaccine’s approval and the errors that led to them. Clin Trans Sci 2010; Volume 3: 182–185 PMID:20718820

Literature Study on Community Participation in Community Based Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurbaiti, Siti Robiah; Bambang, Azis Nur

2018-02-01

Clean water and proper sanitation are basic human needs, existing procurement in the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 7 of 2004 on Water Resources and Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 16 of 2005 on Development of Water Supply System, which the state guarantees the right of everyone water for basic daily minimum needs to meet the needs of a healthy, productive, and clean life. Norms every society has the right to get clean air to meet basic daily needs. One of the points in the goal of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the environment sector is the guarantee of the community to achieve universal access to clean water and sanitation. The SDG High Level Panel held in 2012 calls on countries around the world to do so in 2030. Fulfillment of clean air and sanitation in Indonesia is conducted through two sectoral approaches, the first through agencies, or related agencies and the second through a Society. In accordance with its community-based principles, the role itself is a key factor in the success of the program. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to find out the forms of community participation and the factors that influence participation in community-based water supply and sanitation programs in the field of literature studies of previous research such as research journals, theses, theses, dissertations and related books This literature study topic.

An IDEA for Short Term Outbreak Projection: Nearcasting Using the Basic Reproduction Number

PubMed Central

Fisman, David N.; Hauck, Tanya S.; Tuite, Ashleigh R.; Greer, Amy L.

2013-01-01

Background Communicable disease outbreaks of novel or existing pathogens threaten human health around the globe. It would be desirable to rapidly characterize such outbreaks and develop accurate projections of their duration and cumulative size even when limited preliminary data are available. Here we develop a mathematical model to aid public health authorities in tracking the expansion and contraction of outbreaks with explicit representation of factors (other than population immunity) that may slow epidemic growth. Methodology The Incidence Decay and Exponential Adjustment (IDEA) model is a parsimonious function that uses the basic reproduction number R0, along with a discounting factor to project the growth of outbreaks using only basic epidemiological information (e.g., daily incidence counts). Principal Findings Compared to simulated data, IDEA provides highly accurate estimates of total size and duration for a given outbreak when R0 is low or moderate, and also identifies turning points or new waves. When tested with an outbreak of pandemic influenza A (H1N1), the model generates estimated incidence at the i+1th serial interval using data from the ith serial interval within an average of 20% of actual incidence. Conclusions and Significance This model for communicable disease outbreaks provides rapid assessments of outbreak growth and public health interventions. Further evaluation in the context of real-world outbreaks will establish the utility of IDEA as a tool for front-line epidemiologists. PMID:24391797

An IDEA for short term outbreak projection: nearcasting using the basic reproduction number.

PubMed

Fisman, David N; Hauck, Tanya S; Tuite, Ashleigh R; Greer, Amy L

2013-01-01

Communicable disease outbreaks of novel or existing pathogens threaten human health around the globe. It would be desirable to rapidly characterize such outbreaks and develop accurate projections of their duration and cumulative size even when limited preliminary data are available. Here we develop a mathematical model to aid public health authorities in tracking the expansion and contraction of outbreaks with explicit representation of factors (other than population immunity) that may slow epidemic growth. The Incidence Decay and Exponential Adjustment (IDEA) model is a parsimonious function that uses the basic reproduction number R0, along with a discounting factor to project the growth of outbreaks using only basic epidemiological information (e.g., daily incidence counts). Compared to simulated data, IDEA provides highly accurate estimates of total size and duration for a given outbreak when R0 is low or moderate, and also identifies turning points or new waves. When tested with an outbreak of pandemic influenza A (H1N1), the model generates estimated incidence at the i+1(th) serial interval using data from the i(th) serial interval within an average of 20% of actual incidence. This model for communicable disease outbreaks provides rapid assessments of outbreak growth and public health interventions. Further evaluation in the context of real-world outbreaks will establish the utility of IDEA as a tool for front-line epidemiologists.

Recurrent Mutations in the Basic Domain of TWIST2 Cause Ablepharon Macrostomia and Barber-Say Syndromes.

PubMed

Marchegiani, Shannon; Davis, Taylor; Tessadori, Federico; van Haaften, Gijs; Brancati, Francesco; Hoischen, Alexander; Huang, Haigen; Valkanas, Elise; Pusey, Barbara; Schanze, Denny; Venselaar, Hanka; Vulto-van Silfhout, Anneke T; Wolfe, Lynne A; Tifft, Cynthia J; Zerfas, Patricia M; Zambruno, Giovanna; Kariminejad, Ariana; Sabbagh-Kermani, Farahnaz; Lee, Janice; Tsokos, Maria G; Lee, Chyi-Chia R; Ferraz, Victor; da Silva, Eduarda Morgana; Stevens, Cathy A; Roche, Nathalie; Bartsch, Oliver; Farndon, Peter; Bermejo-Sanchez, Eva; Brooks, Brian P; Maduro, Valerie; Dallapiccola, Bruno; Ramos, Feliciano J; Chung, Hon-Yin Brian; Le Caignec, Cédric; Martins, Fabiana; Jacyk, Witold K; Mazzanti, Laura; Brunner, Han G; Bakkers, Jeroen; Lin, Shuo; Malicdan, May Christine V; Boerkoel, Cornelius F; Gahl, William A; de Vries, Bert B A; van Haelst, Mieke M; Zenker, Martin; Markello, Thomas C

2015-07-02

Ablepharon macrostomia syndrome (AMS) and Barber-Say syndrome (BSS) are rare congenital ectodermal dysplasias characterized by similar clinical features. To establish the genetic basis of AMS and BSS, we performed extensive clinical phenotyping, whole exome and candidate gene sequencing, and functional validations. We identified a recurrent de novo mutation in TWIST2 in seven independent AMS-affected families, as well as another recurrent de novo mutation affecting the same amino acid in ten independent BSS-affected families. Moreover, a genotype-phenotype correlation was observed, because the two syndromes differed based solely upon the nature of the substituting amino acid: a lysine at TWIST2 residue 75 resulted in AMS, whereas a glutamine or alanine yielded BSS. TWIST2 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that regulates the development of mesenchymal tissues. All identified mutations fell in the basic domain of TWIST2 and altered the DNA-binding pattern of Flag-TWIST2 in HeLa cells. Comparison of wild-type and mutant TWIST2 expressed in zebrafish identified abnormal developmental phenotypes and widespread transcriptome changes. Our results suggest that autosomal-dominant TWIST2 mutations cause AMS or BSS by inducing protean effects on the transcription factor's DNA binding. Copyright © 2015 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Which Factors Determine Metal Accumulation in Agricultural Soils in the Severely Human-Coupled Ecosystem?

PubMed Central

Xu, Li; Cao, Shanshan; Wang, Jihua; Lu, Anxiang

2016-01-01

Agricultural soil is typically an important component of urban ecosystems, contributing directly or indirectly to the general quality of human life. To understand which factors influence metal accumulation in agricultural soils in urban ecosystems is becoming increasingly important. Land use, soil type and urbanization indicators all account for considerable differences in metal accumulation in agricultural soils, and the interactions between these factors on metal concentrations were also examined. Results showed that Zn, Cu, and Cd concentrations varied significantly among different land use types. Concentrations of all metals, except for Cd, were higher in calcareous cinnamon soil than in fluvo-aquic soil. Expansion distance and road density were adopted as urbanization indicators, and distance from the urban center was significantly negatively correlated with concentrations of Hg, and negatively correlated with concentrations of Zn, and road density was positively correlated with Cd concentrations. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that Hg concentration was significantly influenced by the four-way interaction among all factors. The results in this study provide basic data to support the management of agricultural soils and to help policy makers to plan ahead in Beijing. PMID:27196922

[In vitro generation of insulin-producing cells from the neonatal rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells].

PubMed

Li, Xiaohu; Huang, Haiyan; Liu, Xirong; Xia, Hongxia; Li, Mincai

2015-03-01

To observe the differentiation of the neonatal rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into insulin-producing cells and detect the expressions of insulin, pancreatic duodenal homebox-1 (PDX-1) and nestin. MSCs were isolated from the neonatal rats and cultured in the modified medium composed of 10 μg/L human epidermal growth factor (EGF), 10 μg/L basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), 10 μg/L hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), 10 μg/L human B cell regulin, 20 mmol/L nicotinamide and 20 g/L B27. After the induction, the mRNA expressions of insulin, PDX-1 and nestin were examined by reverse transcription-PCR, and the insulin, PDX-1 and nestin protein levels were detected by immunocytochemistry. The insulin and PDX-1 mRNA expressions increased and the nestin mRNA expression decreased in the differentiation of the neonatal rat MSCs into insulin-producing cells. The nestin, PDX-1 and insulin proteins were co-expressed in insulin-producing cells. MSCs can be induced to differentiate into insulin-producing cells.

The development and implementation of cockpit resource management in UAL recurrent training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shroyer, David H.

1987-01-01

Line Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) for United Airlines started in 1976. At that time it was basically no more than a line-simulated training function conducted in a full-mission simulator with no attention or stress on its human factor content. Very soon after the implementation of the LOFT program concerns were voiced about certain crew behavioral situations they were observing in the flight crew's execution of cockpit duties. These duties involved emergency procedures as well as irregular and normal procedures and situations. It was evident that new information was surfacing concerning crew interaction, or its lack thereof, in the cockpit and its effect on satisfactory performance. These observations naturally raised the question of how this information translated into the safety of aircraft operations. A training system had to be repetitive, the crew interactive, and the training had to be conducted under the crew concept. The foundation had to have two other factors: (1) it was necessary to have adequate human factor content, and (2) an advanced state-of-the-art simulator and appropriate electronic devices were required. These concepts are further discussed.

[The 40th anniversary of RAMS institute of human morphology].

PubMed

Kakturskiĭ, L V; Shakhlamov, V A

2002-01-01

Institute of Human Morphology of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences was established in 1961 and united efforts of morphologists of various profile--pathologists, cytologists, embryologists. The role of outstanding Russian morphologists and the first Institute heads is shown. Basic achievements in four research fields are characterized: in geographic pathology; structural basis of immune homeostasis in health and pathology; pathologic anatomy and pathogenesis of basic human diseases; human morpho- and embriogenesis in health and disease.

Genomic organization and chromosomal localization of the gene TCF15 encoding the early mesodermal basic helix-loop-helix factor bHLH-EC2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hidai, H.; Quertermous, E.E.; Quertermous, T.

1995-12-10

bHLH-EC2 is a recently characterized member of a growing family of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. This family includes bHLH factors such as twist, which appear to be primarily involved in early mesodermal differentiation, and bHLH factors such as TAL-1, which have been characterized through their association with chromosomal breakpoints associated with T-cell leukemias. To provide for studies aimed at understanding the genetic regulation of bHLH-EC2, we have characterized the organization of this gene and conducted preliminary studies of the transcriptional activity of the upstream promoter region. The mouse bHLH-EC2 gene was found to consist of two exons separated by amore » 5-kb intron, an organization pattern similar to the mouse twist gene. The transcription initiation site was identified by RNase protection assay and primer extension analysis. Linked promoter-reporter gene transfection experiments in cultured cells indicated that while the identified upstream sequence can function to promote transcription, it does not function in a cell-specific fashion. To investigate the possible association of bHLH-EC2 with hematological malignancy, the chromosomal location of this gene in the human was mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization and assigned to chromosome band 20p13. 16 refs., 3 figs.« less

Biological properties of human skeletal myoblasts genetically modified to simultaneously overexpress the pro-angiogenic factors vascular endothelial growth factor-A and fibroblast growth factor-4.

PubMed

Zimna, A; Janeczek, A; Rozwadowska, N; Fraczek, M; Kucharzewska, P; Rucinski, M; Mietkiewski, T; Kurpisz, M

2014-04-01

Myocardial infarction results in cardiomyocyte loss and may eventually lead to cardiac failure. Skeletal myoblast transplantation into the scar area may compensate for this observed cell loss by strengthening the weakened myocardium and inducing myogenesis. Moreover, skeletal myoblasts may serve as potential transgene carriers for the myocardium (i.e., delivering pro-angiogenic factors, which may potentially improve blood perfusion in infarcted heart). We examined the influence of the simultaneous overexpression of two potent pro-angiogenic factors, fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), on human primary myoblast proliferation, cell cycle, resistance to hypoxic stress conditions and myogenic gene expression, as well as the induction of pro-angiogenic activities. We used a bicistronic plasmid vector encoding two factors introduced via an efficient myoblast electroporation method. The levels of overexpressed proteins were assessed, and their functionality at capillary formation was evaluated. This combined approach led to a high level of non-viral transient overexpression of both pro-angiogenic proteins, which proved to be potent regulators of blood vessel development assayed in capillary formation tests. We demonstrated in in vitro conditions that the transfection of human skeletal myoblasts with both FGF-4 and VEGF did not affect their basic biological properties such as the cell cycle, proliferation or expression of myogenic lineage-specific genes, and the modified cells adapted to oxidative stress conditions. Overall, the results obtained suggest that the applied combined approach with the use of two pro-angiogenic genes overexpressed in skeletal muscle stem cells may be an interesting alternative for the effective therapy of myocardial infarction in animal models and/or prospective clinical trials.

Transmission of Influenza A Viruses

PubMed Central

Neumann, Gabriele; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro

2015-01-01

Influenza A viruses cause respiratory infections that range from asymptomatic to deadly in humans. Widespread outbreaks (pandemics) are attributable to ‘novel’ viruses that possess a viral hemagglutinin (HA) gene to which humans lack immunity. After a pandemic, these novel viruses form stable virus lineages in humans and circulate until they are replaced by other novel viruses. The factors and mechanisms that facilitate virus transmission among hosts and the establishment of novel lineages are not completely understood, but the HA and basic polymerase 2 (PB2) proteins are thought to play essential roles in these processes by enabling avian influenza viruses to infect mammals and replicate efficiently in their new host. Here, we summarize our current knowledge of the contributions of HA, PB2, and other viral components to virus transmission and the formation of new virus lineages. PMID:25812763

Effects of leukemia inhibitory factor and basic fibroblast growth factor on free radicals and endogenous stem cell proliferation in a mouse model of cerebral infarction.

PubMed

Huang, Weihui; Li, Yadan; Lin, Yufeng; Ye, Xue; Zang, Dawei

2012-07-05

The present study established a mouse model of cerebral infarction by middle cerebral artery occlusion, and monitored the effect of 25 μg/kg leukemia inhibitory factor and (or) basic fibroblast growth factor administration 2 hours after model establishment. Results showed that following administration, the number of endogenous neural stem cells in the infarct area significantly increased, malondialdehyde content in brain tissue homogenates significantly decreased, nitric oxide content, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity significantly elevated, and mouse motor function significantly improved as confirmed by the rotarod and bar grab tests. In particular, the effect of leukemia inhibitory factor in combination with basic fibroblast growth factor was the most significant. Results indicate that leukemia inhibitory factor and basic fibroblast growth factor can improve the microenvironment after cerebral infarction by altering free radical levels, improving the quantity of endogenous neural stem cells, and promoting neurological function of mice with cerebral infarction.

Norovirus

PubMed Central

Robilotti, Elizabeth; Deresinski, Stan

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Norovirus, an RNA virus of the family Caliciviridae, is a human enteric pathogen that causes substantial morbidity across both health care and community settings. Several factors enhance the transmissibility of norovirus, including the small inoculum required to produce infection (<100 viral particles), prolonged viral shedding, and its ability to survive in the environment. In this review, we describe the basic virology and immunology of noroviruses, the clinical disease resulting from infection and its diagnosis and management, as well as host and pathogen factors that complicate vaccine development. Additionally, we discuss overall epidemiology, infection control strategies, and global reporting efforts aimed at controlling this worldwide cause of acute gastroenteritis. Prompt implementation of infection control measures remains the mainstay of norovirus outbreak management. PMID:25567225

The effect of tetrathiomolybdate on cytokine expression, angiogenesis, and tumor growth in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

PubMed

Teknos, Theodoros N; Islam, Mozaffarul; Arenberg, Douglas A; Pan, Quintin; Carskadon, Shannon L; Abarbanell, Aaron M; Marcus, Benjamin; Paul, Supriti; Vandenberg, Curtis D; Carron, Michael; Nor, Jacques E; Merajver, Sofia D

2005-03-01

To assess the effect of tetrathiomolybdate on cytokine expression, angiogenesis, and tumor growth rate in human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Three human SCC cell lines were used in this study for both in vitro and in vivo investigations. Conditioned media from untreated and tetrathiomolybdate-treated cell lines were compared with regard to cytokine levels, endothelial cell chemotaxis, endothelial cell tubule formation, and migration and the ability to induce angiogenesis in a rat aortic ring array. In vivo UM-SCC-38 was seeded onto tissue-engineered scaffolds and surgically implanted into the flanks of immunodeficient mice. Tumor growth rates and the level of angiogenesis were compared after 2 weeks of therapy. A tertiary care facility. In this study, we demonstrate that tetrathiomolybdate significantly decreases the secretion of interleukin 6 and basic fibroblast growth factor by head and neck SCC (HNSCC) cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrate that tetrathiomolybdate significantly decreases the secretion of interleukin 6 and basic fibroblast growth factor by HNSCC cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, tetrathiomolybdate treatment of HNSCC cell lines results in significantly decreased endothelial cell chemotaxis, tubule formation, and neovascularization in a rat aortic ring assay. This in vitro evidence of decreased angiogenesis by tetrathiomolybdate is confirmed in vivo by using a severe combined immunodeficiency disorder mouse model in which tetrathiomolybdate therapy is shown to prevent human blood vessel formation. Finally, human HNSCC implanted into immunodeficient mice grow to a much larger size in untreated mice compared with those treated with 0.7 mL/kg per day of oral tetrathiomolybdate. These findings illustrate the ability of tetrathiomolybdate to down-regulate proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines in HNSCC. These observations are potentially exciting from a clinical perspective because a global decrease in these cytokines may decrease tumor aggressiveness and reverse the resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy seen in this tumor type.

A Genome-Wide Identification of Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs in Pediculus humanus corporis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae)

PubMed Central

Wang, Xu-Hua; Wang, Yong; Zhang, De-Bao; Liu, A-Ke; Yao, Qin; Chen, Ke-Ping

2014-01-01

Abstract Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins comprise a large superfamily of transcription factors, which are involved in the regulation of various developmental processes. bHLH family members are widely distributed in various eukaryotes including yeast, fruit fly, zebrafish, mouse, and human. In this study, we identified 55 bHLH motifs encoded in genome sequence of the human body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae). Phylogenetic analyses of the identified P. humanus corporis bHLH (PhcbHLH) motifs revealed that there are 23, 11, 9, 1, 10, and 1 member(s) in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively. Examination to GenBank annotations of the 55 PhcbHLH members indicated that 29 PhcbHLH proteins were annotated in consistence with our analytical result, 8 were annotated different with our analytical result, 12 were merely annotated as hypothetical protein, and the rest 6 were not deposited in GenBank. A comparison on insect bHLH gene composition revealed that human body louse possibly has more hairy and E(spl) genes than other insect species. Because hairy and E(spl) genes have been found to negatively regulate the differentiation of insect preneural cells, it is suggested that the existence of additional hairy and E(spl) genes in human body louse is probably the consequence of its long period adaptation to the relatively dark and stable environment. These data provide good references for further studies on regulatory functions of bHLH proteins in the growth and development of human body louse. PMID:25434030

Cytotoxic effects of basic FGF and heparin binding EGF conjugated with cytotoxin saporin on vascular cell cultures.

PubMed

Chen, C; Li, J; Micko, C J; Pierce, G F; Cunningham, M R; Lumsden, A B

1998-02-15

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is an integral component of intimal lesion formation. In this study we compared the mitogenic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HBEGF) and the cytotoxic effects of bFGF and HBEGF conjugated with plant cytotoxin saporin (SAP) on vascular cell cultures. Human vascular SMCs and endothelial cells were cultured and FGF receptor-1 (FGFR-1) and EGF receptor (EGFR) expression were detected by immunohistochemical staining. Cells were grown in 24-well plates. Variable amounts of testing drugs (bFGF, HBEGF, SAP, bFGF-SAP, or HBEGF-SAP) were added to quadruplicate wells after 24 h. Cells without drugs were used as control. The total number of cells was counted at 72 h using a hemocytometer. The cultured human vascular SMCs and endothelial cells expressed both FGFR-1 and EGFR with predominant perinuclear localization. bFGF and HBEGF demonstrated equally potent mitogenic effects on SMC proliferation. SAP alone showed a limited cytotoxic effect on both SMCs and endothelial cells. bFGF had a more potent effect on endothelial cell proliferation than HBEGF. bFGF-SAP was equally cytotoxic for both SMCs and endothelial cells, while HBEGF-SAP had a more selectively cytotoxic effect on SMCs than on endothelial cells. These data suggest that the mitogenic effects of bFGF and HBEGF and the cytotoxic effects of bFGF-SAP and HBEGF-SAP may both be mediated by their corresponding growth factor receptors. Because of its selective cytotoxic effect on SMCs, HBEGF-SAP may become a more attractive agent for controlling intimal lesion formation.

Reliability analysis of a wastewater treatment plant using fault tree analysis and Monte Carlo simulation.

PubMed

Taheriyoun, Masoud; Moradinejad, Saber

2015-01-01

The reliability of a wastewater treatment plant is a critical issue when the effluent is reused or discharged to water resources. Main factors affecting the performance of the wastewater treatment plant are the variation of the influent, inherent variability in the treatment processes, deficiencies in design, mechanical equipment, and operational failures. Thus, meeting the established reuse/discharge criteria requires assessment of plant reliability. Among many techniques developed in system reliability analysis, fault tree analysis (FTA) is one of the popular and efficient methods. FTA is a top down, deductive failure analysis in which an undesired state of a system is analyzed. In this study, the problem of reliability was studied on Tehran West Town wastewater treatment plant. This plant is a conventional activated sludge process, and the effluent is reused in landscape irrigation. The fault tree diagram was established with the violation of allowable effluent BOD as the top event in the diagram, and the deficiencies of the system were identified based on the developed model. Some basic events are operator's mistake, physical damage, and design problems. The analytical method is minimal cut sets (based on numerical probability) and Monte Carlo simulation. Basic event probabilities were calculated according to available data and experts' opinions. The results showed that human factors, especially human error had a great effect on top event occurrence. The mechanical, climate, and sewer system factors were in subsequent tier. Literature shows applying FTA has been seldom used in the past wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) risk analysis studies. Thus, the developed FTA model in this study considerably improves the insight into causal failure analysis of a WWTP. It provides an efficient tool for WWTP operators and decision makers to achieve the standard limits in wastewater reuse and discharge to the environment.

Human DAZL, DAZ and BOULE genes modulate primordial germ cell and haploid gamete formation

PubMed Central

Kee, Kehkooi; Angeles, Vanessa T; Flores, Martha; Nguyen, Ha Nam; Pera, Renee A Reijo

2009-01-01

The leading cause of infertility in men and women is quantitative and qualitative defects in human germ cell (oocyte and sperm) development. Yet, it has not been possible to examine the unique developmental genetics of human germ cell formation and differentiation due to inaccessibility of germ cells during fetal development. Although several studies have shown that germ cells can be differentiated from mouse and human embryonic stem cells, human germ cells differentiated in these studies generally did not develop beyond the earliest stages1-8. Here we used a germ cell reporter to quantitate and isolate primordial germ cells derived from both male and female hESCs. Then, by silencing and overexpressing genes that encode germ cell-specific cytoplasmic RNA-binding proteins (not transcription factors), we modulated human germ cell formation and developmental progression. We observed that human DAZL (Deleted in AZoospermia-Like) functions in primordial germ cell formation, whereas closely-related genes, DAZ and BOULE, promote later stages of meiosis and development of haploid gametes. These results are significant to the generation of gametes for future basic science and potential clinical applications. PMID:19865085

The Basic Leucine Zipper Transcription Factor ABSCISIC ACID RESPONSE ELEMENT-BINDING FACTOR2 Is an Important Transcriptional Regulator of Abscisic Acid-Dependent Grape Berry Ripening Processes1[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Nicolas, Philippe; Lecourieux, David; Kappel, Christian; Cluzet, Stéphanie; Cramer, Grant; Delrot, Serge; Lecourieux, Fatma

2014-01-01

In grape (Vitis vinifera), abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates during fruit ripening and is thought to play a pivotal role in this process, but the molecular basis of this control is poorly understood. This work characterizes ABSCISIC ACID RESPONSE ELEMENT-BINDING FACTOR2 (VvABF2), a grape basic leucine zipper transcription factor belonging to a phylogenetic subgroup previously shown to be involved in ABA and abiotic stress signaling in other plant species. VvABF2 transcripts mainly accumulated in the berry, from the onset of ripening to the harvesting stage, and were up-regulated by ABA. Microarray analysis of transgenic grape cells overexpressing VvABF2 showed that this transcription factor up-regulates and/or modifies existing networks related to ABA responses. In addition, grape cells overexpressing VvABF2 exhibited enhanced responses to ABA treatment compared with control cells. Among the VvABF2-mediated responses highlighted in this study, the synthesis of phenolic compounds and cell wall softening were the most strongly affected. VvABF2 overexpression strongly increased the accumulation of stilbenes that play a role in plant defense and human health (resveratrol and piceid). In addition, the firmness of fruits from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants overexpressing VvABF2 was strongly reduced. These data indicate that VvABF2 is an important transcriptional regulator of ABA-dependent grape berry ripening. PMID:24276949

[Should medical schools train students in human rights? An exploratory study among medical students in 46 countries].

PubMed

Kabengele Mpinga, E; Meier, S; Zesiger, V; Chastonay, P

2006-06-07

The interest of medical students from 46 countries for human rights issues and training was investigated in a cross sectional study. Training in human rights is demanded by 85,4% of respondents. Nearly 55% consider that such training should be compulsory. Nearly 85% of students consider as specific tasks of a medical practitioner "to prevent actively professional practices that violate basic human rights in the health systems" or "to develop and promote attitudes respectful of human rights in care". Our study suggests that human rights training could be integrated into basic medical curriculum.

HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor downregulates cyclin D1 expression via interactions with NF-κB.

PubMed

Ma, Yunyun; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Dong; Qian, Lili; Song, Xianmei; Wang, Xueyin; Yang, Chaokuan; Zhao, Guoqiang

2017-03-01

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is an oncogenic retrovirus. It can cause adult T cell leukemia (ATL) and other diseases. The HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper (bZIP) factor (HBZ), which is encoded by the minus-strand of the provirus, is expressed in all cases of ATL and involved in T cell proliferation. However, the exact mechanism underlying its growth-promoting activity is poorly understood. Herein, we demonstrated that HBZ suppressed cyclin D1 expression by inhibiting the nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway. Among the potential mechanisms of cyclin D1 inhibition mediated by HBZ, we found that HBZ suppressed cyclin D1 promoter activity. Luciferase assay analysis revealed that HBZ repressed cyclin D1 promoter activity by suppressing NF-κB‑driven transcription mediated by the p65 subunit. Using an immunoprecipitation assay, we found that HBZ could bind to p65, but not p50. Finally, we showed that HBZ selectively interacted with p65 via its AD+bZIP domains. By suppressing cyclin D1 expression, HBZ can alter cell cycle progression of HTLV-1-infected cells, which may be critical for oncogenesis.

Inflammation at the Molecular Interface of Atherogenesis

PubMed Central

Lamon, Brian D.; Hajjar, David P.

2008-01-01

Despite the multifactorial nature of atherosclerosis, substantial evidence has established inflammation as an often surreptitious, yet critical and unifying driving force which promotes disease progression. To this end, research has defined molecular networks initiated by cytokines, growth factors and other pro-inflammatory molecules which promote hallmarks of atherosclerosis such as endothelial dysfunction, macrophage infiltration, LDL oxidation, cell proliferation and thrombosis. Although commonly associated with risk factors such as dyslipidemia, diabetes and hypertension, the global etiology of atherosclerosis may be alternatively attributed to underlying anthropological pressures. The agricultural, industrial and technological revolutions produced alterations in dietary, social and economic factors which have collectively exaggerated the exposure of the human genome to environmental stimuli. Furthermore, advances in sanitation, nutrition, and medicine have increased the lifespan of humans, effectively prolonging blood vessel exposure to these factors. As a result, the vasculature has become conditioned to respond to injury with what is arguably an overzealous immunological response; thus setting the stage for the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerotic plaque development in Western populations. Evidence suggests that each of these alterations can be linked to specific mediators in the inflammatory process. Integration of these factors with an inflammation-based hypothesis of atherosclerosis has yet to be extrapolated to observations in the realms of basic and clinical sciences and is the focus of this review. PMID:18948435

Influence of human behavior on cholera dynamics

PubMed Central

Wang, Xueying; Gao, Daozhou; Wang, Jin

2015-01-01

This paper is devoted to studying the impact of human behavior on cholera infection. We start with a cholera ordinary differential equation (ODE) model that incorporates human behavior via modeling disease prevalence dependent contact rates for direct and indirect transmissions and infectious host shedding. Local and global dynamics of the model are analyzed with respect to the basic reproduction number. We then extend the ODE model to a reaction-convection-diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) model that accounts for the movement of both human hosts and bacteria. Particularly, we investigate the cholera spreading speed by analyzing the traveling wave solutions of the PDE model, and disease threshold dynamics by numerically evaluating the basic reproduction number of the PDE model. Our results show that human behavior can reduce (a) the endemic and epidemic levels, (b) cholera spreading speeds and (c) the risk of infection (characterized by the basic reproduction number). PMID:26119824

A nanoparticulate injectable hydrogel as a tissue engineering scaffold for multiple growth factor delivery for bone regeneration.

PubMed

Dyondi, Deepti; Webster, Thomas J; Banerjee, Rinti

2013-01-01

Gellan xanthan gels have been shown to be excellent carriers for growth factors and as matrices for several tissue engineering applications. Gellan xanthan gels along with chitosan nanoparticles of 297 ± 61 nm diameter, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) were employed in a dual growth factor delivery system to promote the differentiation of human fetal osteoblasts. An injectable system with ionic and temperature gelation was optimized and characterized. The nanoparticle loaded gels showed significantly improved cell proliferation and differentiation due to the sustained release of growth factors. A differentiation marker study was conducted, analyzed, and compared to understand the effect of single vs dual growth factors and free vs encapsulated growth factors. Dual growth factor loaded gels showed a higher alkaline phosphatase and calcium deposition compared to single growth factor loaded gels. The results suggest that encapsulation and stabilization of growth factors within nanoparticles and gels are promising for bone regeneration. Gellan xanthan gels also showed antibacterial effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, the common pathogens in implant failure.

Derivation and characterization of Chinese human embryonic stem cell line with high potential to differentiate into pancreatic and hepatic cells.

PubMed

Shi, Cheng; Shen, Huan; Jiang, Wei; Song, Zhi-Hua; Wang, Cheng-Yan; Wei, Li-Hui

2011-04-01

Human embryonic stem cells have prospective uses in regenerative medicine and drug screening. Every human embryonic stem cell line has its own genetic background, which determines its specific ability for differentiation as well as susceptibility to drugs. It is necessary to compile many human embryonic stem cell lines with various backgrounds for future clinical use, especially in China due to its large population. This study contributes to isolating new Chinese human embryonic stem cell lines with clarified directly differentiation ability. Donated embryos that exceeded clinical use in our in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) center were collected to establish human embryonic stem cells lines with informed consent. The classic growth factors of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and recombinant human leukaemia inhibitory factor (hLIF) for culturing embryonic stem cells were used to capture the stem cells from the plated embryos. Mechanical and enzymetic methods were used to propagate the newly established human embryonic stem cells line. The new cell line was checked for pluripotent characteristics with detecting the expression of stemness genes and observing spontaneous differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. Finally similar step-wise protocols from definitive endoderm to target specific cells were used to check the cell line's ability to directly differentiate into pancreatic and hepatic cells. We generated a new Chinese human embryonic stem cells line, CH1. This cell line showed the same characteristics as other reported Chinese human embryonic stem cells lines: normal morphology, karyotype and pluripotency in vitro and in vivo. The CH1 cells could be directly differentiated towards pancreatic and hepatic cells with equal efficiency compared to the H1 cell line. This newly established Chinese cell line, CH1, which is pluripotent and has high potential to differentiate into pancreatic and hepatic cells, will provide a useful tool for embryo development research, along with clinical treatments for diabetes and some hepatic diseases.

Confirmation of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES) With a Sample of People who do Healthy Exercise

PubMed Central

Moreno-Murcia, Juan A; Martínez-Galindo, Celestina; Moreno-Pérez, Víctor; Marcos, Pablo J.; Borges, Fernanda

2012-01-01

This study aimed to cross-validate the psychometric properties of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES) by Vlachopoulos and Michailidou, 2006 in a Spanish context. Two studies were conducted. Confirmatory factor analysis results confirmed the hypothesized three-factor solution In addition, we documented evidence of reliability, analysed as internal consistency and temporal stability. Future studies should analyse the scale's validity and reliability with different populations and check their experimental effect. Key pointsThe Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES) is valid and reliable for measuring basic psychological needs in healthy physical exercise in the Spanish context.The factor structure of three correlated factors has shown minimal invariance across gender. PMID:24149130

Study on the quality of FRP fishing vessel based on improved Fishbone Chart

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, J. H.; Yu, Y. F.; Du, Q. F.; Jiang, D. W.

2018-01-01

The construction quality of FRP fishing vessels influences their production, use and industry development. In order to explore the factors that affect the construction quality of FRP fishing vessels, key factors affecting the construction quality of FRP fishing vessels are determined based on the quality problems of FRP fishing vessels constructed. The improved Fishbone Chart is used to analyze the eight factors of “human, machine, material, process, environment, inspection, design and information”. Taking the factors that affect the construction quality of FRP fishing vessels as the central target, the eight influencing factors were condensed into five aspects and a composite Fishbone Chart is drawn. The Fishbone Chart is used as the basic model, the influencing factors are sorted, screened and discriminated, and the system model convenient for construction site management and control is established. Finally, the causes of poor construction of FRP fishing vessels are analyzed and discussed, and relevant suggestions are put forward.

Quantitative analysis of the effect of climate change and human activities on runoff in the Liujiang River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LI, X.

2017-12-01

Abstract: As human basic and strategic natural resources, Water resources have received an unprecedented challenge under the impacts of global climate change. Analyzing the variation characteristics of runoff and the effect of climate change and human activities on runoff could provide the basis for the reasonable utilization and management of water resources. Taking the Liujiang River Basin as the research object, the discharge data of hydrological station and meteorological data at 24 meteorological stations in the Guangxi Province as the basis, the variation characteristics of runoff and precipitation in the Liujiang River Basin was analyzed, and the quantitatively effect of climate change and human activities on runoff was proposed. The results showed that runoff and precipitation in the Liujiang River Basin had an increasing trend from 1964 to 2006. Using the method of accumulative anomaly and the orderly cluster method, the runoff series was divided into base period and change period. BP - ANN model and sensitivity coefficient method were used for quantifying the influences of climate change and human activities on runoff. We found that the most important factor which caused an increase trend of discharges in the Liujiang River Basin was precipitation. Human activities were also important factors which influenced the intra-annual distribution of runoff. Precipitation had a more sensitive influence to runoff variation than potential evaporation in the Liujiang River Basin. Key words: Liujiang River Basin, climate change, human activities, BP-ANN, sensitivity coefficient method

Properties of dehydrated human amnion/chorion composite grafts: Implications for wound repair and soft tissue regeneration.

PubMed

Koob, Thomas J; Lim, Jeremy J; Massee, Michelle; Zabek, Nicole; Denozière, Guilhem

2014-08-01

PURION(®) processed dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (dHACM; MiMedx Group, Marietta, GA) tissue products were analyzed for the effectiveness of the PURION(®) process in retaining the native composition of the amniotic membrane and preserving bioactivity in the resulting products. dHACM was analyzed for extracellular matrix (ECM) composition through histological staining and for growth factor content via multiplex ELISA arrays. Bioactivity was assessed by evaluating endogenous growth factor production by human dermal fibroblasts in response to dHACM and for thermal stability by mechanical tests and in vitro cell proliferation assays. Histology of dHACM demonstrated preservation of the native amnion and chorion layers with intact, nonviable cells, collagen, proteoglycan, and elastic fibers distributed in the individual layers. An array of 36 cytokines known to regulate processes involved in inflammation and wound healing were identified in dHACM. When treated with dHACM extracts, bioactivity was demonstrated through an upregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and placental growth factor biosynthesis, three growth factors involved in wound healing, by dermal fibroblasts in vitro. After conditioning at temperatures ranging from -78.7 to +73.5°C, dHACM retained its tensile strength and ability to promote proliferation of dermal fibroblasts in vitro. Elution experiments demonstrated a soluble fraction of growth factors that eluted from the tissue and another fraction sequestered within the matrix. The PURION(®) process retains the native composition of ECM and signaling molecules and preserves bioactivity. The array of cytokines preserved in dHACM are in part responsible for its therapeutic efficacy in treating chronic wounds by orchestrating a "symphony of signals" to promote healing. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quantification of various growth factors in different demineralized bone matrix preparations.

PubMed

Wildemann, B; Kadow-Romacker, A; Haas, N P; Schmidmaier, G

2007-05-01

Besides autografts, allografts, and synthetic materials, demineralized bone matrix (DBM) is used for bone defect filling and treatment of non-unions. Different DBM formulations are introduced in clinic since years. However, little is known about the presents and quantities of growth factors in DBM. Aim of the present study was the quantification of eight growth factors important for bone healing in three different "off the shelf" DBM formulations, which are already in human use: DBX putty, Grafton DBM putty, and AlloMatrix putty. All three DBM formulations are produced from human donor tissue but they differ in the substitutes added. From each of the three products 10 different lots were analyzed. Protein was extracted from the samples with Guanidine HCL/EDTA method and human ELISA kits were used for growth factor quantification. Differences between the three different products were seen in total protein contend and the absolute growth factor values but also a large variability between the different lots was found. The order of the growth factors, however, is almost comparable between the materials. In the three investigated materials FGF basic and BMP-4 were not detectable in any analyzed sample. BMP-2 revealed the highest concentration extractable from the samples with approximately 3.6 microg/g tissue without a significant difference between the three DBM formulations. In DBX putty significantly more TGF-beta1 and FGFa were measurable compared to the two other DBMs. IGF-I revealed the significantly highest value in the AlloMatrix and PDGF in Grafton. No differences were accessed for VEGF. Due to the differences in the growth factor concentration between the individual samples, independently from the product formulation, further analyzes are required to optimize the clinical outcome of the used demineralized bone matrix. Copyright 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Platelet-rich plasma stimulated by pulse electric fields: Platelet activation, procoagulant markers, growth factor release and cell proliferation.

PubMed

Frelinger, A L; Torres, A S; Caiafa, A; Morton, C A; Berny-Lang, M A; Gerrits, A J; Carmichael, S L; Neculaes, V B; Michelson, A D

2016-01-01

Therapeutic use of activated platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been explored for wound healing, hemostasis and antimicrobial wound applications. Pulse electric field (PEF) stimulation may provide more consistent platelet activation and avoid complications associated with the addition of bovine thrombin, the current state of the art ex vivo activator of therapeutic PRP. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of PEF, bovine thrombin and thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) to activate human PRP, release growth factors and induce cell proliferation in vitro. Human PRP was prepared in the Harvest SmartPreP2 System and treated with vehicle, PEF, bovine thrombin, TRAP or Triton X-100. Platelet activation and procoagulant markers and microparticle generation were measured by flow cytometry. Released growth factors were measured by ELISA. The releasates were tested for their ability to stimulate proliferation of human epithelial cells in culture. PEF produced more platelet-derived microparticles, P-selectin-positive particles and procoagulant annexin V-positive particles than bovine thrombin or TRAP. These differences were associated with higher levels of released epidermal growth factor after PEF than after bovine thrombin or TRAP but similar levels of platelet-derived, vascular-endothelial, and basic fibroblast growth factors, and platelet factor 4. Supernatant from PEF-treated platelets significantly increased cell proliferation compared to plasma. In conclusion, PEF treatment of fresh PRP results in generation of microparticles, exposure of prothrombotic platelet surfaces, differential release of growth factors compared to bovine thrombin and TRAP and significant cell proliferation. These results, together with PEF's inherent advantages, suggest that PEF may be a superior alternative to bovine thrombin activation of PRP for therapeutic applications.

A survey of basic reproductive ratios in vector-borne disease transmission modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soewono, E.; Aldila, D.

2015-03-01

Vector-borne diseases are commonly known in tropical and subtropical countries. These diseases have contributed to more than 10% of world infectious disease cases. Among the vectors responsible for transmitting the diseases are mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, flies, bugs and worms. Several of the diseases are known to contribute to the increasing threat to human health such as malaria, dengue, filariasis, chikungunya, west nile fever, yellow fever, encephalistis, and anthrax. It is necessary to understand the real process of infection, factors which contribute to the complication of the transmission in order to come up with a good and sound mathematical model. Although it is not easy to simulate the real transmission process of the infection, we could say that almost all models have been developed from the already long known Host-Vector model. It constitutes the main transmission processes i.e. birth, death, infection and recovery. From this simple model, the basic concepts of Disease Free and Endemic Equilibria and Basic Reproductive Ratio can be well explained and understood. Theoretical, modeling, control and treatment aspects of disease transmission problems have then been developed for various related diseases. General construction as well as specific forms of basic reproductive ratios for vector-borne diseases are discusses here.

Transcriptional regulation of PCFT by KLF4, HNF4α, CDX2 and C/EBPα: Implication in its site-specific expression in the small intestine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Furumiya, Mai; Department of Biopharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, 2-1723 Omori, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya 463-8521; Inoue, Katsuhisa

2013-02-08

Highlights: ► We examined transcription factors that may regulate PCFT expression in the intestine. ► PCFT promoter activity is basically induced by KLF4. ► KLF4-induced PCFT promoter activity is enhanced by HNF4α synergistically. ► CDX2 and C/EBPα suppress PCFT promoter activity induced by KLF4 and HNF4α. -- Abstract: Proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), which is responsible for the intestinal uptake of folates and analogs, is expressed only in the proximal region in the small intestine. The present study was to examine its transcriptional regulation, which may be involved in such a unique expression profile and potentially in its alteration, using dual-luciferasemore » reporter assays in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. The luciferase activity derived from the reporter construct containing the 5′-flanking sequence of −1695/+96 of the human PCFT gene was enhanced most extensively by the introduction of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4). The KLF4-induced luciferase activity was further enhanced by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) synergistically. To the contrary, caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) extensively suppressed the luciferase activity induced by KLF4 alone and also that induced by KLF4 and HNF4α. Western blot analysis using the rat small intestine indicated uniform expression of KLF4 along the intestinal tract, proximal-oriented expression of HNF4α, distal-oriented expression of CDX2 and C/EBPα. These results suggest that the activity of PCFT promoter is basically induced by KLF4 and the gradiented expression profile of PCFT may be at least in part accounted for by those of HNF4α, CDX2 and C/EBPα.« less

On the use of the systems approach to certify advanced aviation technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wise, Mark A.; Wise, John A.

1994-01-01

The field of human factors is as varied and diverse as the human subject itself. But one of its most important applications is the facilitation of safety and efficiency in a particular working environment through the implementation of paradigms known about humans and their working relationship with machines and systems. During the period since World War II (which is often viewed as the birth of Human Factors) no area has been the subject of more human factors research than aviation. And in no time during that epoch is the influence of human factors more important, nor more imperative than it is today. As technology driven designs have been finding their way into the national airspace system (NAS), there has been growing concern within the aviation industry itself, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the general public for a means by which to certify complex systems and the advanced aviation technologies that will be responsible for transporting, directing, and maintaining our airborne travel. While it is widely agreed human factors certification is desirable, the philosophy that will underlie the approach is debatable. There are, in general, two different approaches to certification: (1) the top-down or systems approach; and, (2) the bottom-up or monadical approach. The top-down approach is characterized by the underlying assumption that certification can be best achieved by looking at the system as a whole, understanding its objectives and operating environment, then examining the constituent parts. In an aircraft cockpit, this would be accomplished by first examining what the aircraft is supposed to be (e.g., fighter, general aviation, passenger), identifying its operating environment (IFR, VMC, combat, etc.) and looking at the entire working system which includes the hardware, software, liveware and their interactions; then, evaluative measures can be applied to the subsystems (e.g., individual instruments, CRT displays, controls). The bottom-up approach is founded on the philosophy that the whole can be best served by first examining it constituent elements. This approach would perform the above certification completely antithetically, by looking at the individual parts and certifying good human factors applications to those parts under the basic assumption that the whole is equal to the sum of its parts.

Lower risk of progression from prediabetes to diabetes with health checkup with lifestyle education: Japan Ningen Dock study.

PubMed

Okada, R; Tsushita, K; Wakai, K; Ishizaka, Y; Kato, K; Wada, T; Watanabe, K

2017-08-01

To investigate whether the progression from prediabetes to diabetes is lower among those who undertake Ningen Dock (comprehensive health checkups with lifestyle education and doctor's consultation) than those who undertake basic mandatory occupational health checkups. Subjects aged 30-69 years with complete annual data from 2008 to 2012 for either Ningen Dock or basic health checkups were enrolled. Subjects with prediabetes (fasting plasma glucose 100-125 mg/dl or HbA1c 5.7-6.4%) at baseline were selected (14,928 in the comprehensive group and 10,433 in the basic group). The incidence of diabetes (fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl, HbA1c ≥ 6.5% or taking glucose-lowering drugs) and the reduction of risk factors were compared. After 4 years, 3226 cases of diabetes occurred among 25,361 subjects with prediabetes. The incidence of diabetes was lower in the comprehensive group than the basic group (2.9 vs. 3.8 cases/100 person-years, hazard ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.68-0.81 after adjustment). Moreover, more overweight subjects controlled their body mass index (16.2% vs. 13.2%) and more began a daily exercise habit (11.8% vs. 8.5%) in the comprehensive group than in the basic group. The incidence of diabetes was lower in subjects who could control their weight or start daily exercise at year 1 in the comprehensive group. Progression from prediabetes to diabetes was significantly lower in subjects undertaking a comprehensive health checkup with lifestyle education. Lifestyle education at health checkup for people with prediabetes might prevent progression to diabetes by reducing modifiable risk factors. Copyright © 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Induced pluripotent stem cells from goat fibroblasts.

PubMed

Song, Hui; Li, Hui; Huang, Mingrui; Xu, Dan; Gu, Chenghao; Wang, Ziyu; Dong, Fulu; Wang, Feng

2013-12-01

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are a powerful model for genetic engineering, studying developmental biology, and modeling disease. To date, ESCs have been established from the mouse (Evans and Kaufman, 1981, Nature 292:154-156), non-human primates (Thomson et al., , Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 92:7844-7848), humans (Thomson et al., 1998, Science 282:1145-1147), and rats (Buehr et al., , Cell 135:1287-1298); however, the derivation of ESCs from domesticated ungulates such as goats, sheep, cattle, and pigs have not been successful. Alternatively, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated by reprogramming somatic cells with several combinations of genes encoding transcription factors (OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, cMYC, LIN28, and NANOG). To date, iPSCs have been isolated from various species, but only limited information is available regarding goat iPSCs (Ren et al., 2011, Cell Res 21:849-853). The objectives of this study were to generate goat iPSCs from fetal goat primary ear fibroblasts using lentiviral transduction of four human transcription factors: OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and cMYC. The goat iPSCs were successfully generated by co-culture with mitomycin C-treated mouse embryonic fibroblasts using medium supplemented with knockout serum replacement and human basic fibroblast growth factor. The goat iPSCs colonies are flat, compact, and closely resemble human iPSCs. They have a normal karyotype; stain positive for alkaline phosphatase, OCT4, and NANOG; express endogenous pluripotency genes (OCT4, SOX2, cMYC, and NANOG); and can spontaneously differentiate into three germ layers in vitro and in vivo. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Generation of human cortical neurons from a new immortal fetal neural stem cell line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cacci, E.; Villa, A.; Parmar, M.

2007-02-01

Isolation and expansion of neural stem cells (NSCs) of human origin are crucial for successful development of cell therapy approaches in neurodegenerative diseases. Different epigenetic and genetic immortalization strategies have been established for long-term maintenance and expansion of these cells in vitro. Here we report the generation of a new, clonal NSC (hc-NSC) line, derived from human fetal cortical tissue, based on v-myc immortalization. Using immunocytochemistry, we show that these cells retain the characteristics of NSCs after more than 50 passages. Under proliferation conditions, when supplemented with epidermal and basic fibroblast growth factors, the hc-NSCs expressed neural stem/progenitor cell markersmore » like nestin, vimentin and Sox2. When growth factors were withdrawn, proliferation and expression of v-myc and telomerase were dramatically reduced, and the hc-NSCs differentiated into glia and neurons (mostly glutamatergic and GABAergic, as well as tyrosine hydroxylase-positive, presumably dopaminergic neurons). RT-PCR analysis showed that the hc-NSCs retained expression of Pax6, Emx2 and Neurogenin2, which are genes associated with regionalization and cell commitment in cortical precursors during brain development. Our data indicate that this hc-NSC line could be useful for exploring the potential of human NSCs to replace dead or damaged cortical cells in animal models of acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Taking advantage of its clonality and homogeneity, this cell line will also be a valuable experimental tool to study the regulatory role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in human NSC biology.« less

An evolving perspective about the origins of childhood undernutrition and nutritional interventions that includes the gut microbiome.

PubMed

Ahmed, Tahmeed; Auble, David; Berkley, James A; Black, Robert; Ahern, Philip P; Hossain, Muttaquina; Hsieh, Andrea; Ireen, Santhia; Arabi, Mandana; Gordon, Jeffrey I

2014-12-01

The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science and the World Health Organization (WHO) have worked together to formulate a research agenda for nutrition science. Undernutrition of children has profound effects on health, development, and achievement of full human capacity. Undernutrition is not simply caused by a lack of food, but results from a complex interplay of intra- and intergenerational factors. Representative preclinical models and comprehensive well-controlled longitudinal clinical studies are needed to further understand the contributions and the interrelationships among these factors and to develop interventions that are effective and durable. This paper summarizes work on mechanisms underlying the varied manifestations of childhood undernutrition and discusses current gaps in knowledge and challenges to our understanding of undernutrition and infection/immunity throughout the human life cycle, focusing on early childhood growth. It proposes a series of basic and clinical studies to address this global health challenge. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

Mouse Models for Investigating the Developmental Bases of Human Birth Defects

PubMed Central

MOON, ANNE M.

2006-01-01

Clinicians and basic scientists share an interest in discovering how genetic or environmental factors interact to perturb normal development and cause birth defects and human disease. Given the complexity of such interactions, it is not surprising that 4% of human infants are born with a congenital malformation, and cardiovascular defects occur in nearly 1%. Our research is based on the fundamental hypothesis that an understanding of normal and abnormal development will permit us to generate effective strategies for both prevention and treatment of human birth defects. Animal models are invaluable in these efforts because they allow one to interrogate the genetic, molecular and cellular events that distinguish normal from abnormal development. Several features of the mouse make it a particularly powerful experimental model: it is a mammalian system with similar embryology, anatomy and physiology to humans; genes, proteins and regulatory programs are largely conserved between human and mouse; and finally, gene targeting in murine embryonic stem cells has made the mouse genome amenable to sophisticated genetic manipulation currently unavailable in any other model organism. PMID:16641221

Precocious quantitative cognition in monkeys.

PubMed

Ferrigno, Stephen; Hughes, Kelly D; Cantlon, Jessica F

2016-02-01

Basic quantitative abilities are thought to have an innate basis in humans partly because the ability to discriminate quantities emerges early in child development. If humans and nonhuman primates share this developmentally primitive foundation of quantitative reasoning, then this ability should be present early in development across species and should emerge earlier in monkeys than in humans because monkeys mature faster than humans. We report that monkeys spontaneously make accurate quantity choices by 1 year of age in a task that human children begin to perform only at 2.5 to 3 years of age. Additionally, we report that the quantitative sensitivity of infant monkeys is equal to that of the adult animals in their group and that rates of learning do not differ between infant and adult animals. This novel evidence of precocious quantitative reasoning in infant monkeys suggests that human quantitative reasoning shares its early developing foundation with other primates. The data further suggest that early developing components of primate quantitative reasoning are constrained by maturational factors related to genetic development as opposed to learning experience alone.

Can fear extinction be enhanced? A review of pharmacological and behavioral findings

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, Paul J.; Seemann, Jocelyn R.; Maren, Stephen

2014-01-01

There is considerable interest, from both a basic and clinical standpoint, in gaining a greater understanding of how pharmaceutical or behavioral manipulations alter fear extinction in animals. Not only does fear extinction in rodents model exposure therapy in humans, where the latter is a cornerstone of behavioral intervention for anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and specific phobias, but also understanding more about extinction provides basic information into learning and memory processes and their underlying circuitry. In this paper, we briefly review three principal approaches that have been used to modulate extinction processes in animals and humans: a purely pharmacological approach, the more widespread approach of combining pharmacology with behavior, and a purely behavioral approach. The pharmacological studies comprise modulation by: brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), d-cycloserine, serotonergic and noradrenergic drugs, neuropeptides, endocannabinoids, glucocorticoids, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, and others. These studies strongly suggest that extinction can be modulated by drugs, behavioral interventions, or their combination, although not always in a lasting manner. We suggest that pharmacotherapeutic manipulations provide considerable promise for promoting effective and lasting fear reduction in individuals with anxiety disorders. PMID:24374101

The next 15 years: taking plant-made vaccines beyond proof of concept.

PubMed

Kirk, Dwayne D; Webb, Steven R

2005-06-01

Significant potential advantages are associated with the production of vaccines in transgenic plants; however, no commercial product has emerged. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for plant-made vaccine technology is provided. The use of this technology for human vaccines will require significant investment and developmental efforts that cannot be supported entirely by the academic sector and is not currently supported financially by industry. A focus on downstream aspects to define potential products, conduct of additional basic clinical testing, and the incorporation of multidisciplinary strategic planning would accelerate the potential for commercialization in this field. Estimates of production cost per dose and volume of production are highly variable for a model vaccine produced in transgenic tomato, and can be influenced by the optimization of many factors. Commercialization of plant-made vaccine technology is likely to be led by the agricultural biotechnology sector rather than the pharmaceutical sector due to the disruptive nature of the technology and the complex intellectual property landscape. The next major milestones will be conduct of a phase II human clinical trial and demonstration of protection in humans. The achievement of these milestones would be accelerated by further basic investigation into mucosal immunity, the codevelopment of oral adjuvants, and the integration of quality control standards and good manufacturing practices for the production of preclinical and clinical batch materials.

Uterine Wound Healing: A Complex Process Mediated by Proteins and Peptides.

PubMed

Lofrumento, Dario D; Di Nardo, Maria A; De Falco, Marianna; Di Lieto, Andrea

2017-01-01

Wound healing is the process by which a complex cascade of biochemical events is responsible of the repair the damage. In vivo, studies in humans and mice suggest that healing and post-healing heterogeneous behavior of the surgically wounded myometrium is both phenotype and genotype dependent. Uterine wound healing process involves many cells: endothelial cells, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, lymphocytes, fibroblasts, myometrial cells as well a stem cell population found in the myometrium, myoSP (side population of myometrial cells). Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) isoforms, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-β) are involved in the wound healing mechanisms. The increased TGF- β1/β3 ratio reduces scarring and fibrosis. The CTGF altered expression may be a factor involved in the abnormal scars formation of low uterine segment after cesarean section and of the formation of uterine dehiscence. The lack of bFGF is involved in the reduction of collagen deposition in the wound site and thicker scabs. The altered expression of TNF-β, VEGF, and PDGF in human myometrial smooth muscle cells in case of uterine dehiscence, it is implicated in the uterine healing process. The over-and under-expressions of growth factors genes involved in uterine scarring process could represent patient's specific features, increasing the risk of cesarean scar complications. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

A Human Dissection Training Program at Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talarico, Ernest F., Jr.

2010-01-01

As human cadavers are widely used in basic sciences, medical education, and other training and research venues, there is a real need for experts trained in anatomy and dissection. This article describes a program that gives individuals interested in clinical and basic sciences practical experience working with cadavers. Participants are selected…

Basic Human Needs: A Development Planning Approach. AID Discussion Paper No. 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosswell, Michael

The monograph explores basic needs of all human beings and considers various patterns of growth and development toward meeting these needs on a sustainable basis. The purpose of the study is to improve knowledge of analytical studies, research results, and financial assistance policies among personnel of the Agency for International Development…

Genital Measures: Comments on Their Role in Understanding Human Sexuality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geer, James H.

1976-01-01

This paper discusses the use of genital measures in the study of both applied and basic work in human sexuality. Some of the advantages of psychophysiological measures are considered along with cautions concerning unwarranted assumptions. Some of the advances that are possible in both applied and basic work are examined. (Author)

Basic Human Needs; A Framework for Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHale, John; McHale, Magda Cordell

The report presents quantitative assessments of basic human needs in the areas of food, health, education, shelter, and clothing and considers how these needs may be met in ways harmonious with environmental and developmental objectives. The target group consists of those who are below or just below poverty line. The book is presented in six…

Understanding the Effects of Mental Health on Reproductive Health Service Use: A Mixed Methods Approach

PubMed Central

Bell, Sue Anne; Lori, Jody; Redman, Richard; Seng, Julia

2016-01-01

Appropriate and woman-led health care for displaced women is essential to respecting basic human rights. In this paper, we describe the results of an analysis of the association between mental health and reproductive health service use from a sample of Congolese refugee women residing in short and long term camps in Rwanda, with a post-hoc qualitative potion added to expand upon the data-based results. Our findings suggest that structural factors including health policy initiatives affect or even inhibit individual care choices. PMID:26086238

Lymphocyte sensitization to nervous tissues and muscle in patients with the Guillain-Barré syndrome

PubMed Central

Caspary, E. A.; Currie, S.; Walton, J. N.; Field, E. J.

1971-01-01

By means of an electrophoretic method lymphocytes from patients with the Guillain-Barré syndrome (`acute idiopathic polyneuritis') have been shown to be sensitized to both encephalitogenic factor (EF) and a similar basic protein prepared from human sciatic nerve (SNBP). Sensitization was more marked in the acute stage of the disorder during which there also appeared to be a degree of sensitization to muscle. The results are consistent with the view that lymphocytic infiltration of peripheral nerves in the condition is of pathogenetic significance. PMID:5106345

Interface Anywhere: Development of a Voice and Gesture System for Spaceflight Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Shelby; Haddock, Maxwell; Overland, David

2013-01-01

The Interface Anywhere Project was funded through Innovation Charge Account (ICA) at NASA JSC in the Fall of 2012. The project was collaboration between human factors and engineering to explore the possibility of designing an interface to control basic habitat operations through gesture and voice control; (a) Current interfaces require the users to be physically near an input device in order to interact with the system; and (b) By using voice and gesture commands, the user is able to interact with the system anywhere they want within the work environment.

Influence of socioeconomic factors on basic competencies of children in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Mohsin, M; Nath, S R; Chowdhury, A M

1996-01-01

The effects of selected socioeconomic factors on basic competencies of children in Bangladesh were studied using primary data on 2520 children from all over the country. The residence of the child, years of schooling, parental education and economic status of the household were found to be important determinants of basic competencies of children.

Regenerative dentistry: translating advancements in basic science research to the dental practice.

PubMed

Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Murray, Peter

2010-01-01

Scientific advances in the creation of restorative biomaterials, in vitro cell culture technology, tissue engineering, molecular biology and the human genome project provide the basis for the introduction of new technologies into dentistry. This review provides an assessment of how tissue engineering, stem cell, genetic transfer, biomaterial and growth factor therapies can be integrated into clinical dental therapies to restore and regenerate oral tissues. In parallel to the creation of a new field in general medicine called "regenerative medicine," we call this field "regenerative dentistry." While the problems of introducing regenerative therapies are substantial, the potential benefits to patients and the profession are equally ground-breaking. In this review, we outline a few areas of interest for the future of oral and dental medicine in which advancements in basic science have already been adapted to fit the goals of 21st century dentistry.

The Emerging Field of Human Social Genomics

PubMed Central

Slavich, George M.; Cole, Steven W.

2013-01-01

Although we generally experience our bodies as being biologically stable across time and situations, an emerging field of research is demonstrating that external social conditions, especially our subjective perceptions of those conditions, can influence our most basic internal biological processes—namely, the expression of our genes. This research on human social genomics has begun to identify the types of genes that are subject to social-environmental regulation, the neural and molecular mechanisms that mediate the effects of social processes on gene expression, and the genetic polymorphisms that moderate individual differences in genomic sensitivity to social context. The molecular models resulting from this research provide new opportunities for understanding how social and genetic factors interact to shape complex behavioral phenotypes and susceptibility to disease. This research also sheds new light on the evolution of the human genome and challenges the fundamental belief that our molecular makeup is relatively stable and impermeable to social-environmental influence. PMID:23853742

The relevance of human stem cell-derived organoid models for epithelial translational medicine

PubMed Central

Hynds, Robert E.; Giangreco, Adam

2014-01-01

Epithelial organ remodeling is a major contributing factor to worldwide death and disease, costing healthcare systems billions of dollars every year. Despite this, most fundamental epithelial organ research fails to produce new therapies and mortality rates for epithelial organ diseases remain unacceptably high. In large part, this failure in translating basic epithelial research into clinical therapy is due to a lack of relevance in existing preclinical models. To correct this, new models are required that improve preclinical target identification, pharmacological lead validation, and compound optimization. In this review, we discuss the relevance of human stem cell-derived, three-dimensional organoid models for addressing each of these challenges. We highlight the advantages of stem cell-derived organoid models over existing culture systems, discuss recent advances in epithelial tissue-specific organoids, and present a paradigm for using organoid models in human translational medicine. PMID:23203919

Space medicine research: Needs for the 21st century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepper, L. J.

1992-01-01

Space medicine research in the 21st century will continue to focus on the four major areas including: (1) expansion of the current incomplete knowledge base of clinical and subclinical physiological changes due to microgravity; (2) development of countermeasures to extend the capabilities of the human performance envelope in extended duration flights; (3) development of novel methods for delivering all aspects of a comprehensive health care system in extreme remote conditions: and (4) further research and application of systems for biological materials processing. New space transportation vehicles will place unique physiologic and human factors demands on the human system, while providing better access to platforms for materials processing. Success in meeting the demands in each of the noted research areas will require an extensive, interactive team approach. Personnel from the medical research,operational, developmental, and basic science communities will be essential to success.

Use of human engineering standards in design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. G.; Armstrong, R.

1977-01-01

Results are presented for a research study intended to assess the impact of present human engineering standards on product design. The approach consisted of three basic steps: a comparison of two display panels to determine if, in fact, products designed to the same standards are truly standardized; a review of two existing standards to determine how well their information can be used to solve design problems; and a survey of human factors specialists to assess their opinions about standards. It is shown that standards have less than the desired influence on product design. This is evidenced by a lack of standardization between hardware designed under common standards, by deficiencies within the standards that detract from their usefulness and encourage users to ignore them, and by the respondents of the survey who consider standards less valuable than other reference sources for design implementation. Recommendations aimed at enhancing the use of standards are set forth.

Preliminary study on the time-related changes of the infrared thermal images of the human body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ziru; Zhang, Xusheng; Lin, Gang; Chen, Zhigang

2009-08-01

It is of great importance to study the manifestations and the influencing factors of the time-related changes of infrared thermal images (ITI) of human body since the variable body surface temperature distribution seriously affected the application of ITI in medicine. In this paper, manifestations of time-related changes of the ITI of human body from three double-blind randomized trials and their correlation with meteorological factors (e.g. temperature, pressure, humidity, cold front passage and tropical cyclone landing) were studied. The trials were placebo or drug controlled studying the influences of Chinese medicine health food (including Shengsheng capsule with immunity adjustment function, Shengan capsule with sleep improvement function and Shengyi capsule with the function of helping to decrease serum lipid) on the ITI of human body. In the first thirty-six days of the trials images were scanned every six days and image data in the seven observation time spots (including the 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 day of the trial) were used for the time-related study. For every subject the scanned time was fixed in the day within two hours. The ITI features which could reflect the functions of the health foods were studied. The indexes of the features were relative magnitude (temperature difference between the viewing area and the reference area). Results showed that the variation tendencies of the trial group and control group were basically the same in placebo controlled trials and some of the long-term effects of Chinese medicine health food could be reflected significantly in certain time spots in the first thirty-six days. Time-related changes of the ITI of human body were closely related with meteorological factors but there were other influencing factors still need to be studied. As the ITI of human body could reflect the influences of Chinese medicine health foods and are closely related with meteorology, there are bright prospects for the application of ITI in health monitor.

Activity Catalog Tool (ACT) user manual, version 2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Segal, Leon D.; Andre, Anthony D.

1994-01-01

This report comprises the user manual for version 2.0 of the Activity Catalog Tool (ACT) software program, developed by Leon D. Segal and Anthony D. Andre in cooperation with NASA Ames Aerospace Human Factors Research Division, FLR branch. ACT is a software tool for recording and analyzing sequences of activity over time that runs on the Macintosh platform. It was designed as an aid for professionals who are interested in observing and understanding human behavior in field settings, or from video or audio recordings of the same. Specifically, the program is aimed at two primary areas of interest: human-machine interactions and interactions between humans. The program provides a means by which an observer can record an observed sequence of events, logging such parameters as frequency and duration of particular events. The program goes further by providing the user with a quantified description of the observed sequence, through application of a basic set of statistical routines, and enables merging and appending of several files and more extensive analysis of the resultant data.

[Biopsychosocial understanding of human sexuality. Prerequisite for diagnostics and treatment in sexual medicine].

PubMed

Beier, K M

2006-08-01

Sexual medicine is a subdiscipline of clinical medicine that deals with human sexuality and disorders. Sexuality eludes a unilateral definition. As a biologically, psychologically, and socially determined experience dimension of the human being, its individual form depends on biological factors and developments in the person's life. Moreover, sexuality exhibits different dimensions--lust, reproduction, and relationship--that are indeed closely interrelated. For this reason, directing therapy at only one of these dimensions is not adequate. All human beings are programmed toward fulfillment of elementary biopsychosocial needs such as acceptance, closeness, warmth, and security. If these basic needs are shortchanged in terms of fulfillment, all sorts of restrictions in the quality of life ensue, even to the point of resultant disorders of sexual function. Treatment then approaches the roots when it does not center on the sexual dysfunction but rather on the underlying frustrated relationship of the partners. Syndyastic sexual therapy is an important treatment method in sexual medicine.

Reciprocal modulation of internal and external factors determines individual movements.

PubMed

Martin, Jodie; van Moorter, Bram; Revilla, Eloy; Blanchard, Pierrick; Dray, Stéphane; Quenette, Pierre-Yves; Allainé, Dominique; Swenson, Jon E

2013-03-01

Movement is fundamental to individual and population dynamics, as it allows individuals to meet their basic requirements. Although movement patterns reflect interactions between internal and external factors, only few studies have examined the effects of these factors on movement simultaneously, and they generally focused on particular biological contexts (e.g. dispersal, foraging). However, the relative importance of these factors in driving individual routine movements might reflect a species' potential flexibility to cope with landscape changes and therefore buffer their potential impact on fitness. We used data from GPS collars on Scandinavian brown bears to investigate the relative role of these factors, as well as an additional factor (period of the year) on routine movements at two spatial scales (hourly and daily relocations). As expected, internal factors played a major role in driving movement, compared to external factors at both scales, but its relative importance was greater at a finer scale. In particular, the interaction between reproductive status and period of the year was one of the most influential variables, females being constrained by the movement capacity of their cubs in the first periods of the year. The effect of human disturbance on movement was also greater for females with cubs than for lone females. This study showed how reciprocal modulation of internal and external factors is shaping space use of brown bears. We stress that these factors should be studied simultaneously to avoid the risk of obtaining context-dependent inferences. Moreover, the study of their relative contribution is also highly relevant in the context of multiple-use landscapes, as human activities generally affect the landscape more than they affect the internal states of an individual. Species or individuals with important internal constraints should be less responsive to changes in their environment as they have less freedom from internal constraints and should thus be more sensitive to human alteration of the landscape, as shown for females with cubs in this study. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

Fundamentals of neurogastroenterology: basic science.

PubMed

Grundy, David; Al-Chaer, Elie D; Aziz, Qasim; Collins, Stephen M; Ke, Meiyun; Taché, Yvette; Wood, Jackie D

2006-04-01

The focus of neurogastroenterology in Rome II was the enteric nervous system (ENS). To avoid duplication with Rome II, only advances in ENS neurobiology after Rome II are reviewed together with stronger emphasis on interactions of the brain, spinal cord, and the gut in terms of relevance for abdominal pain and disordered gastrointestinal function. A committee with expertise in selective aspects of neurogastroenterology was invited to evaluate the literature and provide a consensus overview of the Fundamentals of Neurogastroenterology textbook as they relate to functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). This review is an abbreviated version of a fuller account that appears in the forthcoming book, Rome III. This report reviews current basic science understanding of visceral sensation and its modulation by inflammation and stress and advances in the neurophysiology of the ENS. Many of the concepts are derived from animal studies in which the physiologic mechanisms underlying visceral sensitivity and neural control of motility, secretion, and blood flow are examined. Impact of inflammation and stress in experimental models relative to FGIDs is reviewed as is human brain imaging, which provides a means for translating basic science to understanding FGID symptoms. Investigative evidence and emerging concepts implicate dysfunction in the nervous system as a significant factor underlying patient symptoms in FGIDs. Continued focus on neurogastroenterologic factors that underlie the development of symptoms will lead to mechanistic understanding that is expected to directly benefit the large contingent of patients and care-givers who deal with FGIDs.

Crew awareness as key to optimizing habitability standards onboard naval platforms: A 'back-to-basics' approach.

PubMed

Neelakantan, Anand; Ilankumaran, Mookkiah; Ray, Sougat

2017-10-01

A healthy habitable environment onboard warships is vital to operational fleet efficiency and fit sea-warrier force. Unique man-machine-armament interface issues and consequent constraints on habitability necessitate a multi-disciplinary approach toward optimizing habitability standards. Study of the basic 'human factor', including crew awareness on what determines shipboard habitability, and its association with habitation specifications is an essential step in such an approach. The aim of this study was to assess crew awareness on shipboard habitability and the association between awareness and maintenance of optimal habitability as per specifications. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 552 naval personnel onboard warships in Mumbai. Data on crew awareness on habitability was collected using a standardized questionnaire, and correlated with basic habitability requirement specifications. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel, Epi-info, and SPSS version 17. Awareness level on basic habitability aspects was very good in 65.3% of crew. Area-specific awareness was maximum with respect to living area (95.3%). Knowledge levels on waste management were among the lowest (65.2%) in the category of aspect-wise awareness. Statistically significant association was found between awareness levels and habitability standards (OR = 7.27). The new benchmarks set in the form of high crew awareness levels on basic shipboard habitability specifications and its significant association with standards needs to be sustained. It entails re-iteration of healthy habitation essentials into training; and holds the key to a fit fighting force.

Optimization of the first dimension for separation by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of basic proteins from human brain tissue.

PubMed

Pennington, Kyla; McGregor, Emma; Beasley, Clare L; Everall, Ian; Cotter, David; Dunn, Michael J

2004-01-01

A major cause of poor resolution in the alkaline pH range of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gels is unsatisfactory separation of basic proteins in the first dimension. We have compared methods for the separation of basic proteins in the isoelectric focusing dimension of human brain proteins. The combined use of anodic cup-loading and the hydroxyethyldisulphide containing solution (DeStreak) produced better resolution in both analytical and micropreparative protein loaded 2-DE gels than the other methods investigated.

Systematic optimization of human pluripotent stem cells media using Design of Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinho, Paulo A.; Chailangkarn, Thanathom; Muotri, Alysson R.

2015-05-01

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) are used to study the early stages of human development in vitro and, increasingly due to somatic cell reprogramming, cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease. Cell culture medium is a critical factor for hPSC to maintain pluripotency and self-renewal. Numerous defined culture media have been empirically developed but never systematically optimized for culturing hPSC. We applied design of experiments (DOE), a powerful statistical tool, to improve the medium formulation for hPSC. Using pluripotency and cell growth as read-outs, we determined the optimal concentration of both basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and neuregulin-1 beta 1 (NRG1β1). The resulting formulation, named iDEAL, improved the maintenance and passage of hPSC in both normal and stressful conditions, and affected trimethylated histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) epigenetic status after genetic reprogramming. It also enhances efficient hPSC plating as single cells. Altogether, iDEAL potentially allows scalable and controllable hPSC culture routine in translational research. Our DOE strategy could also be applied to hPSC differentiation protocols, which often require numerous and complex cell culture media.

A genome-wide identification of basic helix-loop-helix motifs in Pediculus humanus corporis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae).

PubMed

Wang, Xu-Hua; Wang, Yong; Zhang, De-Bao; Liu, A-Ke; Yao, Qin; Chen, Ke-Ping

2014-01-01

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins comprise a large superfamily of transcription factors, which are involved in the regulation of various developmental processes. bHLH family members are widely distributed in various eukaryotes including yeast, fruit fly, zebrafish, mouse, and human. In this study, we identified 55 bHLH motifs encoded in genome sequence of the human body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae). Phylogenetic analyses of the identified P. humanus corporis bHLH (PhcbHLH) motifs revealed that there are 23, 11, 9, 1, 10, and 1 member(s) in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively. Examination to GenBank annotations of the 55 PhcbHLH members indicated that 29 PhcbHLH proteins were annotated in consistence with our analytical result, 8 were annotated different with our analytical result, 12 were merely annotated as hypothetical protein, and the rest 6 were not deposited in GenBank. A comparison on insect bHLH gene composition revealed that human body louse possibly has more hairy and E(spl) genes than other insect species. Because hairy and E(spl) genes have been found to negatively regulate the differentiation of insect preneural cells, it is suggested that the existence of additional hairy and E(spl) genes in human body louse is probably the consequence of its long period adaptation to the relatively dark and stable environment. These data provide good references for further studies on regulatory functions of bHLH proteins in the growth and development of human body louse. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Body Basics Library

MedlinePlus

... Body Basics articles explain just how each body system, part, and process works. Use this medical library to find out about basic human anatomy, how ... Teeth Skin, Hair, and Nails Spleen and Lymphatic System ... Visit the Nemours Web site. Note: All information on TeensHealth® is for ...

Health, vital goals, and central human capabilities.

PubMed

Venkatapuram, Sridhar

2013-06-01

I argue for a conception of health as a person's ability to achieve or exercise a cluster of basic human activities. These basic activities are in turn specified through free-standing ethical reasoning about what constitutes a minimal conception of a human life with equal human dignity in the modern world. I arrive at this conception of health by closely following and modifying Lennart Nordenfelt's theory of health which presents health as the ability to achieve vital goals. Despite its strengths I transform Nordenfelt's argument in order to overcome three significant drawbacks. Nordenfelt makes vital goals relative to each community or context and significantly reflective of personal preferences. By doing so, Nordenfelt's conception of health faces problems with both socially relative concepts of health and subjectively defined wellbeing. Moreover, Nordenfelt does not ever explicitly specify a set of vital goals. The theory of health advanced here replaces Nordenfelt's (seemingly) empty set of preferences and society-relative vital goals with a human species-wide conception of basic vital goals, or 'central human capabilities and functionings'. These central human capabilities come out of the capabilities approach (CA) now familiar in political philosophy and economics, and particularly reflect the work of Martha Nussbaum. As a result, the health of an individual should be understood as the ability to achieve a basic cluster of beings and doings-or having the overarching capability, a meta-capability, to achieve a set of central or vital inter-related capabilities and functionings. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

HEALTH, VITAL GOALS, AND CENTRAL HUMAN CAPABILITIES

PubMed Central

Venkatapuram, Sridhar

2013-01-01

I argue for a conception of health as a person's ability to achieve or exercise a cluster of basic human activities. These basic activities are in turn specified through free-standing ethical reasoning about what constitutes a minimal conception of a human life with equal human dignity in the modern world. I arrive at this conception of health by closely following and modifying Lennart Nordenfelt's theory of health which presents health as the ability to achieve vital goals. Despite its strengths I transform Nordenfelt's argument in order to overcome three significant drawbacks. Nordenfelt makes vital goals relative to each community or context and significantly reflective of personal preferences. By doing so, Nordenfelt's conception of health faces problems with both socially relative concepts of health and subjectively defined wellbeing. Moreover, Nordenfelt does not ever explicitly specify a set of vital goals. The theory of health advanced here replaces Nordenfelt's (seemingly) empty set of preferences and society-relative vital goals with a human species-wide conception of basic vital goals, or ‘central human capabilities and functionings’. These central human capabilities come out of the capabilities approach (CA) now familiar in political philosophy and economics, and particularly reflect the work of Martha Nussbaum. As a result, the health of an individual should be understood as the ability to achieve a basic cluster of beings and doings—or having the overarching capability, a meta-capability, to achieve a set of central or vital inter-related capabilities and functionings. PMID:22420910

Function of the growth-regulated transcription initiation factor TIF-IA in initiation complex formation at the murine ribosomal gene promoter.

PubMed

Schnapp, A; Schnapp, G; Erny, B; Grummt, I

1993-11-01

Alterations in the rate of cell proliferation are accompanied by changes in the transcription of rRNA genes. In mammals, this growth-dependent regulation of transcription of genes coding for rRNA (rDNA) is due to reduction of the amount or activity of an essential transcription factor, called TIF-IA. Extracts prepared from quiescent cells lack this factor activity and, therefore, are transcriptionally inactive. We have purified TIF-IA from exponentially growing cells and have shown that it is a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 75 kDa which exists as a monomer in solution. Using a reconstituted transcription system consisting of purified transcription factors, we demonstrate that TIF-IA is a bona fide transcription initiation factor which interacts with RNA polymerase I. Preinitiation complexes can be assembled in the absence of TIF-IA, but formation of the first phosphodiester bonds of nascent rRNA is precluded. After initiation, TIF-IA is liberated from the initiation complex and facilitates transcription from templates bearing preinitiation complexes which lack TIF-IA. Despite the pronounced species specificity of class I gene transcription, this growth-dependent factor has been identified not only in mouse but also in human cells. Murine TIF-IA complements extracts from both growth-inhibited mouse and human cells. The analogous human activity appears to be similar or identical to that of TIF-IA. Therefore, despite the fact that the RNA polymerase transcription system has evolved sufficiently rapidly that an rDNA promoter from one species will not function in another species, the basic mechanisms that adapt ribosome synthesis to cell proliferation have been conserved.

The Basic Science Curriculum in the 21st Century: What Needs to Be Changed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garant, Philias R.

1986-01-01

The basic science curriculum in dental education could be improved by adopting a curriculum containing only two integrated required science courses about (1) the structure and function of the human body and (2) disease and reaction to disease in the human body. Elective graduate-level predoctoral courses would allow specialization. (MSE)

The Benefits of FFA Membership as Part of Agricultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Chelsea; Stephens, Carrie A.; Stripling, Christopher; Cross, Tim; Sanok, Danielle E.; Brawner, Shelby

2016-01-01

The study sought to identify the benefits of FFA membership based on the fulfillment of three basic human needs: love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization. The study focused on the fulfillment of FFA members' basic human needs as defined by Abraham Maslow. The three needs on which this study focused are: love and belonging,…

How Does Sam Feel?: Children's Labelling and Drawing of Basic Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brechet, Claire; Baldy, Rene; Picard, Delphine

2009-01-01

This study compares the ability of children aged from 6 to 11 to freely produce emotional labels based on detailed scenarios (labelling task), and their ability to depict basic emotions in their human figure drawing (subsequent drawing task). This comparison assesses the relevance of the use of a human figure drawing task in order to test…

Communication failure: basic components, contributing factors, and the call for structure.

PubMed

Dayton, Elizabeth; Henriksen, Kerm

2007-01-01

Communication is a taken-for-granted human activity that is recognized as important once it has failed. Communication failures are a major contributor to adverse events in health care. The components and processes of communication converge in an intricate manner, creating opportunities for misunderstanding along the way. When a patient's safety is at risk, providers should speak up (that is, initiate a message) to draw attention to the situation before harm is caused. They should also clearly explain (encode) and understand (decode) each other's diagnosis and recommendations to ensure well coordinated delivery of care. Beyond basic dyadic communication exchanges, an intricate web of individual, group, and organizational factors--more specifically, cognitive workload, implicit assumptions, authority gradients, diffusion of responsibility, and transitions of care--complicate communication. More structured and explicitly designed forms of communication have been recommended to reduce ambiguity, enhance clarity, and send an unequivocal signal, when needed, that a different action is required. Read-backs, Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation, critical assertions, briefings, and debriefings are seeing increasing use in health care. CODA: Although structured forms of communication have good potential to enhance clarity, they are not fail-safe. Providers need to be sensitive to unexpected consequences regarding their use.

Malassezia species and seborrheic dermatitis.

PubMed

Zisova, Lilia G

2009-01-01

Malassezia spp. are medically important dimorphic, lipophilic yeasts that form part of the normal cutaneous microflora of human. Seborrheic dermatitis is a multifactor disease that needs endogenous and exogenous predisposing factors for its development. Presence of these factors leads to reproduction of the saprophytic opportunistic pathogen Malassezia spp. and development of a disease. The inflammatory reaction against the yeast Malassezia is considered basic in the etiology of the seborrheic dermatitis. The pathogenesis and exact mechanisms via which these yeasts cause inflammation are still not fully elucidated. They are rather complex and subject of controversy in literature. Most probably Malassezia spp. cause seborrheic dermatitis by involving and combining both nonummune and immune mechanisms (nonspecific and specific). Which of these mechanisms will dominate in any single case depends on the number and virulence of the yeasts as well as on the microorganism reactivity. In the recent years a great interest have been aroused by the epidemiological investigations. Depending on the geographical place of the countries different Malassezia species in seborrheic dermatitis dominate in the different countries. In view of the etiology and pathogenesis of the seborrheic dermatitis comprehensive antifungal preparations have been recently introduced and are nowadays the basic therapeutic resource in the treatment of this disease.

Expression of a functional recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor from transgenic rice seeds.

PubMed

An, Na; Ou, Jiquan; Jiang, Daiming; Zhang, Liping; Liu, Jingru; Fu, Kai; Dai, Ying; Yang, Daichang

2013-02-07

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) is an important member of the FGF gene family. It is widely used in clinical applications for scald and wound healing in order to stimulate cell proliferation. Further it is applied for inhibiting stem cell differentiation in cultures. Due to a shortage of plasma and low expression levels of recombinant rbFGF in conventional gene expression systems, we explored the production of recombinant rbFGF in rice grains (Oryza sativa bFGF, OsrbFGF). An expression level of up to 185.66 mg/kg in brown rice was obtained. A simple purification protocol was established with final recovery of 4.49% and resulting in a yield of OsrbFGF reaching up to 8.33 mg/kg OsrbFGF. The functional assay of OsrbFGF indicated that the stimulating cell proliferation activity on NIH/3T3 was the same as with commercialized rbFGF. Wound healing in vivo of OsrbFGF is equivalent to commercialized rbFGF. Our results indicate that rice endosperm is capable of expressing small molecular mass proteins, such as bFGF. This again demonstrates that rice endosperm is a promising system to express various biopharmaceutical proteins.

The ergonomics of learning: educational design and learning performance.

PubMed

Smith, T J

2007-10-01

The application of ergonomics/human factors (E/HF) principles and practices, and the implementation of ergonomics programmes, have achieved proven success in improving performance, productivity, competitiveness, and safety and health in most occupational sectors. However, the benefits that the application of E/HF science might bring to promoting student learning have yet to be widely recognized. This paper deals with the fundamental purpose of education - student learning - and with the question of how the ergonomic design of the learning environment influences learning performance. The underlying premise, embodied in the quote below, is that student learning performance to a substantial degree is context specific - influenced and specialized in relation to specific design factors in the learning environment. The basic scientific question confronting learning ergonomics is which design characteristics in the learning environment have the greatest influence on variability in learning performance. Practically, the basic challenge is to apply this scientific understanding to ergonomic interventions directed at design improvements of learning environments to benefit learning. This paper expands upon these themes by addressing the origins and scope of learning ergonomics, differing perspectives on the nature of learning, evidence for context specificity in learning and conclusions and research implications regarding an ergonomics perspective on learning.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for cutaneous radiation syndrome.

PubMed

Akita, Sadanori; Akino, Kozo; Hirano, Akiyoshi; Ohtsuru, Akira; Yamashita, Shunichi

2010-06-01

Systemic and local radiation injuries caused by nuclear power reactor accidents, therapeutic irradiation, or nuclear terrorism should be prevented or properly treated in order to improve wound management and save lives. Currently, regenerative surgical modalities should be attempted with temporal artificial dermis impregnated and sprayed with a local angiogenic factor such as basic fibroblast growth factor, and secondary reconstruction can be a candidate for demarcation and saving the donor morbidity. Human mesenchymal stem cells and adipose-derived stem cells, together with angiogenic and mitogenic factor of basic fibroblast growth factor and an artificial dermis, were applied over the excised irradiated skin defect and were tested for differentiation and local stimulation effects in the radiation-exposed wounds. The perforator flap and artificial dermal template with growth factor were successful for reconstruction in patients who were suffering from complex underlying disease. Patients were uneventfully treated with minimal morbidities. In the experiments, the hMSCs are strongly proliferative even after 20 Gy irradiation in vitro. In vivo, 4 Gy rat whole body irradiation demonstrated that sustained marrow stromal (mesenchymal stem) cells survived in the bone marrow. Immediate artificial dermis application impregnated with cells and the cytokine over the 20 Gy irradiated skin and soft tissues demonstrated the significantly improved fat angiogenesis, architected dermal reconstitution, and less inflammatory epidermal recovery. Detailed understanding of underlying diseases and rational reconstructive procedures brings about good outcomes for difficult irradiated wound healing. Adipose-derived stem cells are also implicated in the limited local injuries for short cell harvesting and processing time in the same subject.

Modeling the Dynamic Transmission of Dengue Fever: Investigating Disease Persistence

PubMed Central

Medeiros, Líliam César de Castro; Castilho, César Augusto Rodrigues; Braga, Cynthia; de Souza, Wayner Vieira; Regis, Leda; Monteiro, Antonio Miguel Vieira

2011-01-01

Background Dengue is a disease of great complexity, due to interactions between humans, mosquitoes and various virus serotypes as well as efficient vector survival strategies. Thus, understanding the factors influencing the persistence of the disease has been a challenge for scientists and policy makers. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of various factors related to humans and vectors in the maintenance of viral transmission during extended periods. Methodology/Principal Findings We developed a stochastic cellular automata model to simulate the spread of dengue fever in a dense community. Each cell can correspond to a built area, and human and mosquito populations are individually monitored during the simulations. Human mobility and renewal, as well as vector infestation, are taken into consideration. To investigate the factors influencing the maintenance of viral circulation, two sets of simulations were performed: (1st) varying human renewal rates and human population sizes and (2nd) varying the house index (fraction of infested buildings) and vector per human ratio. We found that viral transmission is inhibited with the combination of small human populations with low renewal rates. It is also shown that maintenance of viral circulation for extended periods is possible at low values of house index. Based on the results of the model and on a study conducted in the city of Recife, Brazil, which associates vector infestation with Aedes aegytpi egg counts, we question the current methodology used in calculating the house index, based on larval survey. Conclusions/Significance This study contributed to a better understanding of the dynamics of dengue subsistence. Using basic concepts of metapopulations, we concluded that low infestation rates in a few neighborhoods ensure the persistence of dengue in large cities and suggested that better strategies should be implemented to obtain measures of house index values, in order to improve the dengue monitoring and control system. PMID:21264356

Individual neurophysiological profile in external effects investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schastlivtseva, Daria; Tatiana Kotrovskaya, D..

Cortex biopotentials are the significant elements in human psychophysiological individuality. Considered that cortical biopotentials are diverse and individually stable, therefore there is the existence of certain dependence between the basic properties of higher nervous activity and cerebral bioelectric activity. The main purpose of the study was to reveal the individual neurophysiological profile and CNS initial functional state manifestation in human electroencephalogram (EEG) under effect of inert gases (argon, xenon, helium), hypoxia, pressure changes (0.02 and 0.2 MPa). We obtained 5-minute eyes closed background EEG on 19 scalp positions using Ag/AgCl electrodes mounted in an electrode cap. All EEG signals were re-referenced to average earlobes; Fast Furies Transformation analysis was used to calculate the relative power spectrum of delta-, theta-, alpha- and beta frequency band in artifact-free EEG. The study involved 26 healthy men who provided written informed consent, aged 20 to 35 years. Data obtained depend as individual EEG type and initial central nervous functional state as intensity, duration and mix of factors. Pronounced alpha rhythm in the raw EEG correlated with their adaptive capacity under studied factor exposure. Representation change and zonal distribution perversion of EEG alpha rhythm were accompanied by emotional instability, increased anxiety and difficulty adapting subjects. High power factor or combination factor with psychological and emotional or physical exertion minimizes individual EEG pattern.

On the subjectivity of personality theory.

PubMed

Atwood, G E; Tomkins, S S

1976-04-01

Every theorist of personality views the human condition from the unique perspective of his own individuality. As a consequence, personality theories are strongly influenced by personal and subjective factors. These influences are partially responsible for the present day lack of consensus in psychology as to basic conceptual frameworks for the study of man. The science of human personality can achieve a greater degree of consensus and generality only if it begins to turn back on itself and question its own psychological foundations. The role of subjective and personal factors in this field can be studied and made more explicit by means of a psychobiographical method which interprets the major ideas of personality theories in the light of the formative experiences in the respective theorists' lives. This method is briefly illustrated by an examination of the influence of personal experiences on theoretical concepts in the work of Carl Jung, Carl Rogers, Wilhelm Reich, and Gordon Allport. The subjective factors disclosed by psychobiographical analysis can bee seen to interact with influences stemming from the intellectual and historical context within which the theorist work. The psychobiographical study of personality theory is only one part of a larger discipline, the psychology of knowledge, which would study the role of subjective and personal factors in the structure of man's knowledge in general.

Developmental variation in ecogeographic body proportions.

PubMed

Cowgill, Libby W; Eleazer, Courtney D; Auerbach, Benjamin M; Temple, Daniel H; Okazaki, Kenji

2012-08-01

While ecogeographic variation in adult human body proportions has been extensively explored, relatively less attention has been paid to the effect of Bergmann's and Allen's rules on human body shape during growth. The relationship between climate and immature body form is particularly important, as immature mortality is high, mechanisms of thermoregulation differ between young and mature humans, and immature body proportions fluctuate due to basic parameters of growth. This study explores changes in immature ecogeographic body proportions via analyses of anthropometric data from children included in Eveleth and Tanner's (1976) Worldwide Variation in Human Growth, as well as limb proportion measurements in eight different skeletal samples. Moderate to strong correlations exist between climatic data and immature stature, weight, BMI, and bi-iliac breadth; these relationships are as strong, if not stronger, in immature individuals as they are in adults. Correlations between climate and trunk height relative to stature are weak or nonexistent. Altitude also has significant effects on immature body form, with children from higher altitudes displaying smaller statures and lower body weights. Brachial and crural indices remain constant over the course of growth and display consistent, moderate correlations with latitude across ontogeny that are just as high as those detected in adults. The results of this study suggest that while some features of immature body form, such as bi-iliac breadth and intralimb indices, are strongly dictated by ecogeographic principles, other characteristics of immature body proportions are influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as nutrition and basic constraints of growth. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Parthenogenic Blastocysts Derived from Cumulus-Free In Vitro Matured Human Oocytes

PubMed Central

McElroy, Sohyun L.; Byrne, James A.; Chavez, Shawn L.; Behr, Barry; Hsueh, Aaron J.; Westphal, Lynn M.; Reijo Pera, Renee A.

2010-01-01

Background Approximately 20% of oocytes are classified as immature and discarded following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures. These oocytes are obtained from gonadotropin-stimulated patients, and are routinely removed from the cumulus cells which normally would mature the oocytes. Given the ready access to these human oocytes, they represent a potential resource for both clinical and basic science application. However culture conditions for the maturation of cumulus-free oocytes have not been optimized. We aimed to improve maturation conditions for cumulus-free oocytes via culture with ovarian paracrine/autocrine factors identified by single cell analysis. Methodology/Principal Finding Immature human oocytes were matured in vitro via supplementation with ovarian paracrine/autocrine factors that were selected based on expression of ligands in the cumulus cells and their corresponding receptors in oocytes. Matured oocytes were artificially activated to assess developmental competence. Gene expression profiles of parthenotes were compared to IVF/ICSI embryos at morula and blastocyst stages. Following incubation in medium supplemented with ovarian factors (BDNF, IGF-I, estradiol, GDNF, FGF2 and leptin), a greater percentage of oocytes demonstrated nuclear maturation and subsequently, underwent parthenogenesis relative to control. Similarly, cytoplasmic maturation was also improved as indicated by development to blastocyst stage. Parthenogenic blastocysts exhibited mRNA expression profiles similar to those of blastocysts obtained after IVF/ICSI with the exception for MKLP2 and PEG1. Conclusions/Significance Human cumulus-free oocytes from hormone-stimulated cycles are capable of developing to blastocysts when cultured with ovarian factor supplementation. Our improved IVM culture conditions may be used for obtaining mature oocytes for clinical purposes and/or for derivation of embryonic stem cells following parthenogenesis or nuclear transfer. PMID:20539753

Human factors requirements for telerobotic command and control: The European Space Agency experimental programme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Robert J.

1991-01-01

Space Telerobotics research, performed under contract to the European Space Agency (ESA), concerning the execution of human factors experiments, and ultimately leading to the development of a telerobotics test bed, has been carried out since 1985 by a British Consortium consisting of British Aerospace, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and, more recently, the UK National Advanced Robotics Research Centre. The principal aim of the first study of the series was to derive preliminary requirements for a teleoperation servicing system, with reference to two mission model scenarios. The first scenario introduced the problem of communications time delays, and their likely effect on the ground-based operator in control of a manipulator system on board an unmanned servicing vehicle in Low Earth Orbit. In the second scenario, the operator was located on the NASA Orbiter aft flight deck, supervising the control of a prototype manipulator in the 'servicing' of an experimental payload in the cargo bay area. Human factors analyses centered on defining the requirements for the teleoperator workstation, such as identifying basic ergonomic requirements for workstation and panel layouts, defining teleoperation strategies, developing alphanumeric and graphic screen formats for the supervision or direct control of the manipulator, and the potential applications of expert system technology. The second study for ESA involved an experimental appraisal of some of the important issues highlighted in the first study, for which relevant human factors data did not exist. Of central importance during the second study was the issue of communications time delays and their effect on the manual control of a teleoperated manipulator from a ground-based command and control station.

Human Health Impacts of and Public Health Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebi, K. L.

2007-12-01

Weather and climate are among the factors that determine the geographic range and incidence of several major causes of ill health, including undernutrition, diarrheal diseases and other conditions due to unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation, and malaria. The Human Health chapter in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that climate change has begun to negatively affect human health, and that projected climate change will increase the risks of climate-sensitive health outcomes, particularly in lower-income populations, predominantly within tropical/subtropical countries. Those at greatest risk include the urban poor, older adults, children, traditional societies, subsistence farmers, and coastal populations, particularly in low income countries. The cause-and-effect chain from climate change to changing patterns of health determinants and outcomes is complex and includes socioeconomic, institutional, and other factors. The severity of future impacts will be determined by changes in climate as well as by concurrent changes in nonclimatic factors and by the adaptation measures implemented to reduce negative impacts. Public health has a long history of effectively intervening to reduce risks to the health of individuals and communities. Lessons learned from more than 150 years of research and intervention can provide insights to guide the design and implementation of effective and efficient interventions to reduce the current and projected impacts of climate variability and change.

Effects of human and mosquito migrations on the dynamical behavior of the spread of malaria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beay, Lazarus Kalvein; Kasbawati, Toaha, Syamsuddin

2017-03-01

Malaria is one of infectious diseases which become the main public health problem especially in Indonesia. Mathematically, the spread of malaria can be modeled to predict the outbreak of the disease. This research studies about mathematical model of the spread of malaria which takes into consideration the migration of human and mosquito populations. By determining basic reproduction number of the model, we analyze effects of migration parameter with respect to the reduction of malaria outbreak. Sensitivity analysis of basic reproduction number shows that mosquito migration has greater effect in reducing the outbreak of malaria compared with human migration. Basic reproduction number of the model is monotonically decreasing as mosquito migration increasing. We then confirm the analytic result by doing numerical simulation. The results show that migrations in human and mosquito populations have big influences in eliminating and eradicating the disease from the system.

42 CFR 438.802 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic requirements. 438.802 Section 438.802 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Conditions for Federal Financial Participation § 438.802 Basic...

42 CFR 438.802 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Basic requirements. 438.802 Section 438.802 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Conditions for Federal Financial Participation § 438.802 Basic...

42 CFR 438.802 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Basic requirements. 438.802 Section 438.802 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Conditions for Federal Financial Participation § 438.802 Basic...

42 CFR 438.802 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Basic requirements. 438.802 Section 438.802 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Conditions for Federal Financial Participation § 438.802 Basic...

42 CFR 438.802 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic requirements. 438.802 Section 438.802 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Conditions for Federal Financial Participation § 438.802 Basic...

42 CFR 489.10 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic requirements. 489.10 Section 489.10 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION PROVIDER AGREEMENTS AND SUPPLIER APPROVAL General Provisions § 489.10 Basic...

42 CFR 489.10 - Basic requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic requirements. 489.10 Section 489.10 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION PROVIDER AGREEMENTS AND SUPPLIER APPROVAL General Provisions § 489.10 Basic...

42 CFR 417.472 - Basic contract requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic contract requirements. 417.472 Section 417.472 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... PREPAYMENT PLANS Medicare Contract Requirements § 417.472 Basic contract requirements. (a) Submittal of...

Comparison of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) growth rate in culture media supplemented with or without basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).

PubMed

Abdian, Narges; Ghasemi-Dehkordi, Payam; Hashemzadeh-Chaleshtori, Morteza; Ganji-Arjenaki, Mahbobe; Doosti, Abbas; Amiri, Beheshteh

2015-12-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) is a member of the FGF family secreted by different kinds of cells like HDFs and it is an important nutritional factor for cell growth and differentiation. The HDFs release bFGF in culture media at very low. The present study aims to investigate the HDFs growth rate in culture media supplemented either with or without bFGF. In brief, HDFs were isolated from human foreskin sample and were cultured in vitro in media containing bFGF and lack of this factor. The cells growth rate was calculated by trypan blue. The karyotyping was performed using G-banding to investigate the chromosomal abnormality of HDFs in both groups. Total RNA of each groups were extracted and cDNA samples were synthesized then, real-time Q-PCR was used to measure the expression level of p27kip1 and cyclin D1 genes normalized to internal control gene (GAPDH). The karyotype analysis showed that HDFs cultured in media or without bFGF had normal karyotype (46 chromosomes, XY) and chromosomal abnormalities were not observed. The cell growth rates in both groups were normal with proliferated exponentially but the slope of growth curve in HDFs cultured in media containing bFGF was increased. Karyotyp test showed that bFGF does not affect on cytogenetic stability of cells. The survey of p27kip1 and cyclin D1 genes by real-time Q-PCR showed that the expression level of these genes were up-regulated when adding bFGF in culture media (p < 0.05). The findings of the present study demonstrate that appropriate supplementation of culture media with growth factor like bFGF could enhance the proliferation and differentiation capacity of cells and improve cells growth rate. Similarly, fibroblast growth factors did not induce any chromosomal abnormality in cells. Furthermore, in HDFs cultured in bFGF supplemented media, the p27kip1 and cyclin D1 genes were up-regulated and suggesting an important role for bFGF in cell-cycle regulation and progression and fibroblast division stimulation. It also suggests that the effects of bFGF on different cell types with/or without production of bFGF or other regulation factors be investigated in future.

Prediction of biodiversity hotspots in the Anthropocene: The case of veteran oaks.

PubMed

Skarpaas, Olav; Blumentrath, Stefan; Evju, Marianne; Sverdrup-Thygeson, Anne

2017-10-01

Over the past centuries, humans have transformed large parts of the biosphere, and there is a growing need to understand and predict the distribution of biodiversity hotspots influenced by the presence of humans. Our basic hypothesis is that human influence in the Anthropocene is ubiquitous, and we predict that biodiversity hot spot modeling can be improved by addressing three challenges raised by the increasing ecological influence of humans: (i) anthropogenically modified responses to individual ecological factors, (ii) fundamentally different processes and predictors in landscape types shaped by different land use histories and (iii) a multitude and complexity of natural and anthropogenic processes that may require many predictors and even multiple models in different landscape types. We modeled the occurrence of veteran oaks in Norway, and found, in accordance with our basic hypothesis and predictions, that humans influence the distribution of veteran oaks throughout its range, but in different ways in forests and open landscapes. In forests, geographical and topographic variables related to the oak niche are still important, but the occurrence of veteran oaks is shifted toward steeper slopes, where logging is difficult. In open landscapes, land cover variables are more important, and veteran oaks are more common toward the north than expected from the fundamental oak niche. In both landscape types, multiple predictor variables representing ecological and human-influenced processes were needed to build a good model, and several models performed almost equally well. Models accounting for the different anthropogenic influences on landscape structure and processes consistently performed better than models based exclusively on natural biogeographical and ecological predictors. Thus, our results for veteran oaks clearly illustrate the challenges to distribution modeling raised by the ubiquitous influence of humans, even in a moderately populated region, but also show that predictions can be improved by explicitly addressing these anthropogenic complexities.

[Differences of bi-directional regulative effects between acu-moxibustion and Chinese materia medica interventions].

PubMed

Cao, Xin; Yu, Zhi; Xu, Bin

2012-10-01

Bi-directional regulation is referred to a balancing effect of both acu-moxibustion and Chinese materia medica interventions when the human body is experiencing a hyperactivity or hypoactivity due to abnormal intrinsic or external factors. In the present paper, the authors analyze their identical and different characteristics from: 1) definition; 2) characters of regulative effects of acu-moxibustion therapy: A) differentiation of meridian and zangfu-organs being the basis of treatment, B) four factors (acupoint-location, body's functional state, acupoint-formula and needle-manipulation techniques) dependant, C) entirety regulation, and D) centrotaxis modulation; 3) characters of Chinese materia medica intervention: including a) correspondence between the drug property and the syndrome being the basis of the regulative effect, b) multi-factors [components (antagonist and agonist), combination, dosages and processing quality of Chinese materia medica, and functional state of the human body] dependant, c) entirety regulation, and d) both centrotaxis and deviation adjustment. In one word, the bi-directional regulation effect is one of the basic characteristics of both acu-moxibustion and Chinese materia medica in clinical practice, but their basis and modes for inducing effects are different.

Phosphate toxicity: new insights into an old problem

PubMed Central

RAZZAQUE, M. Shawkat

2011-01-01

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient required for critical biological reactions that maintain the normal homoeostatic control of the cell. This element is an important component of different cellular structures, including nucleic acids and cell membranes. Adequate phosphorus balance is vital for maintaining basic cellular functions, ranging from energy metabolism to cell signalling. In addition, many intracellular pathways utilize phosphate ions for important cellular reactions; therefore, homoeostatic control of phosphate is one of the most delicate biological regulations. Impaired phosphorus balance can affect the functionality of almost every human system, including musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, ultimately leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality of the affected patients. Human and experimental studies have found that delicate balance among circulating factors, like vitamin D, PTH (parathyroid hormone) and FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor 23), are essential for regulation of physiological phosphate balance. Dysregulation of these factors, either alone or in combination, can induce phosphorus imbalance. Recent studies have shown that suppression of the FGF23–klotho system can lead to hyperphosphataemia with extensive tissue damage caused by phosphate toxicity. The cause and consequences of phosphate toxicity will be briefly summarized in the present review. PMID:20958267

Phosphate toxicity: new insights into an old problem.

PubMed

Razzaque, M Shawkat

2011-02-01

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient required for critical biological reactions that maintain the normal homoeostatic control of the cell. This element is an important component of different cellular structures, including nucleic acids and cell membranes. Adequate phosphorus balance is vital for maintaining basic cellular functions, ranging from energy metabolism to cell signalling. In addition, many intracellular pathways utilize phosphate ions for important cellular reactions; therefore, homoeostatic control of phosphate is one of the most delicate biological regulations. Impaired phosphorus balance can affect the functionality of almost every human system, including musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, ultimately leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality of the affected patients. Human and experimental studies have found that delicate balance among circulating factors, like vitamin D, PTH (parathyroid hormone) and FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor 23), are essential for regulation of physiological phosphate balance. Dysregulation of these factors, either alone or in combination, can induce phosphorus imbalance. Recent studies have shown that suppression of the FGF23-klotho system can lead to hyperphosphataemia with extensive tissue damage caused by phosphate toxicity. The cause and consequences of phosphate toxicity will be briefly summarized in the present review.

Cardiomyogenic differentiation of human sternal bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells using a combination of basic fibroblast growth factor and hydrocortisone.

PubMed

Hafez, Pezhman; Jose, Shinsmon; Chowdhury, Shiplu R; Ng, Min Hwei; Ruszymah, B H I; Abdul Rahman Mohd, Ramzisham

2016-01-01

The alarming rate of increase in myocardial infarction and marginal success in efforts to regenerate the damaged myocardium through conventional treatments creates an exceptional avenue for cell-based therapy. Adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be differentiated into cardiomyocytes, by treatment with 5-azacytidine, thus, have been anticipated as a therapeutic tool for myocardial infarction treatment. In this study, we investigated the ability of basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF) and hydrocortisone as a combined treatment to stimulate the differentiation of MSCs into cardiomyocytes. MSCs were isolated from sternal marrow of patients undergoing heart surgery (CABG). The isolated cells were initially monitored for the growth pattern, followed by characterization using ISCT recommendations. Cells were then differentiated using a combination of bFGF and hydrocortisone and evaluated for the expression of characteristic cardiac markers such as CTnI, CTnC, and Cnx43 at protein level using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry, and CTnC and CTnT at mRNA level. The expression levels and pattern of the cardiac markers upon analysis with ICC and qRT-PCR were similar to that of 5-azacytidine induced cells and cultured primary human cardiomyocytes. However, flow cytometric evaluation revealed that induction with bFGF and hydrocortisone drives MSC differentiation to cardiomyocytes with a marginally higher efficiency. These results indicate that combination treatment of bFGF and hydrocortisone can be used as an alternative induction method for cardiomyogenic differentiation of MSCs for future clinical applications. © 2015 International Federation for Cell Biology.

Mutations in the Polybasic Juxtamembrane Sequence of Both Plasma Membrane- and Endoplasmic Reticulum-localized Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors Confer Ligand-independent Cell Transformation*

PubMed Central

Bryant, Kirsten L.; Antonyak, Marc A.; Cerione, Richard A.; Baird, Barbara; Holowka, David

2013-01-01

Deregulation of ErbB receptor-tyrosine kinases is a hallmark of many human cancers. Conserved in the ErbB family is a cluster of basic amino acid residues in the cytoplasmic juxtamembrane region. We found that charge-silencing mutagenesis within this juxtamembrane region of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) results in the generation of a mutant receptor (EGFR Mut R1-6) that spontaneously transforms NIH 3T3 cells in a ligand-independent manner. A similar mutant with one additional basic residue, EGFR Mut R1-5, fails to exhibit ligand-independent transformation. The capacity of EGFR Mut R1-6 to mediate this transformation is maintained when this mutant is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum via a single point mutation, L393H, which we describe. We show that EGFR Mut R1-6 with or without L393H exhibits enhanced basal tyrosine phosphorylation when ectopically expressed, and the ligand-independent transforming activity of EGFR Mut R1-6 is sensitive to inhibition of EGFR kinase activity and is particularly dependent on PI3K and mTOR activity. Similar to EGFR Mut R1-6/L393H in NIH 3T3 cells, EGFR variant type III, a highly oncogenic mutant form of EGFR linked to human brain cancers, confers transforming activity while it is wholly endoplasmic reticulum-retained in U87 cells. Our findings highlight the importance of the polybasic juxtamembrane sequence in regulating the oncogenic potential of EGFR signaling. PMID:24142702

[Effect of concomitant use of dental drug on the properties of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor formulation for periodontal disease].

PubMed

Sato, Yasuhiko; Oba, Takuma; Danjo, Kazumi

2013-01-01

We have discussed the essential property for periodontal disease medication using protein, such as recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (rhbFGF). In our previous study, the criteria of thickener for the medication, viscosity, flowability etc., were set. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical effect of concomitant use of general dental drug or device on thickener properties for the clinical use of viscous rhbFGF formulation. Viscous formulation was prepared with six cellulose derivatives, two types hydroxy propyl cellulose (HPC), three types hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HEC) and methyl cellulose (MC). Antibiotic ointment, local anesthetic, bone graft substitute, agent for gargle and mouthwashes, were chosen as general dental drug and device. These drugs and device were mixed with the viscous formulations and the change of viscosity and flowability, the remaining ratio of rhbFGF were evaluated. When the various thickener solutions were mixed with the liquid drugs, viscosity and flowability did not changed much. However, in the case of MC solution, viscous property declined greatly when MC solution was mixed with cationic surfactant for gargle. The flowabilities of thickener solutions were declined with insoluble bone graft. The stabilities of rhbFGF in thickener solutions were no problem for 24 hours even in the case of mixing with dental drug or device. Our findings suggested that the viscous rhbFGF formulations prepared in this research were not substantially affected by the concomitant use of dental drug or device, especially the formulation with HPC or HEC was useful.

The history of science as the progress of the human spirit: The historiography of astronomy in the eighteenth century.

PubMed

Špelda, Daniel

2017-06-01

In the eighteenth century, the historiography of astronomy was part of a wider discussion concerning the history of the human spirit. The concept of the human spirit was very popular among Enlightenment authors because it gave the history of human knowledge continuity, unity and meaning. Using this concept, scientists and historians of science such as Montucla, Lalande, Bailly and Laplace could present the history of astronomy in terms of a progress towards contemporary science that was slow and could be interrupted at times, but was still constant, regular, and necessary. In my paper I intend to explain how the originally philosophical concept of the human spirit was transferred to the history of astronomy. I also introduce the basic principles to which the development of the spirit is subject in astronomy, according to historians of astronomy. The third part of the paper describes how historians of astronomy took into account the effect of social and natural factors on the history of astronomy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uncovering stable and occasional human mobility patterns: A case study of the Beijing subway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yong, Nuo; Ni, Shunjiang; Shen, Shifei; Chen, Peng; Ji, Xuewei

2018-02-01

There have generally been two kinds of approaches to the empirical study of human mobility. At the group level, some valuable information might be submerged in statistical noise, while due to the diversity of individual purpose and preference, there is still no general statistical regularity of human mobility at the individual level. In this paper, we considered group-level human mobility as the combination of several basic patterns and analyzed the collective mobility by category. Utilizing matrix factorization and correlation analysis, we extracted some of the stable/occasional components from the collective human mobility in the Beijing subway and found that the departure and arrival mobility patterns have different characteristics, both in time and space, under various conditions. We classified individual records into different patterns and analyzed the most likely trip distance by category. The proposed method can decompose stable/occasional mobility patterns from the collective mobility and identify passengers belonging to different patterns, helping us to better understand the origin of different mobility patterns and provide guidance for emergency management of large crowds.

Taking the social origins of human nature seriously: toward a more imperialist social psychology.

PubMed

Brewer, Marilynn B

2004-01-01

To recognize that human beings are adapted for social living is fundamental to the science of human psychology. I argue that the development of broad social psychological theory would benefit from taking this basic premise more seriously. We need to pay more attention to the implications for personality and social psychology of recognizing that all of the building blocks of human psychology--cognition, emotion, motivation--have been shaped by the demands of social interdependence. In this article I illustrate the generative potential of this basic premise for development of more expansive social theory.

Potential role of fibroblast growth factor in enhancement of fracture healing.

PubMed

Radomsky, M L; Thompson, A Y; Spiro, R C; Poser, J W

1998-10-01

Fibroblast growth factors are present in significant amounts in bone and several studies have suggested that they may be involved in normal fracture healing. It is well established that fibroblast growth factors have mitogenic and angiogenic activity on mesoderm and neuroectoderm derived cells. Of particular interest as a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, basic fibroblast growth factor stimulates mitogenesis, chemotaxis, differentiation, and angiogenesis. It also plays an important role in the development of vascular, nervous, and skeletal systems, promotes the maintenance and survival of certain tissues, and stimulates wound healing and tissue repair. Animal studies have shown that the direct injection of fibroblast growth factor into fresh fractures stimulates callus formation, which provides mechanical stability to the fracture, accelerates healing, and restores competence. The matrix used to present the fibroblast growth factor at the fracture site plays a critical role in the effectiveness of the treatment. The evaluation of injectable basic fibroblast growth factor in a sodium hyaluronate gel for its effectiveness in stimulating fracture healing is described. When applied directly into a freshly created fracture in the rabbit fibula, a single injection of the basic fibroblast growth factor and hyaluronan results in the stimulation of callus formation, increased bone formation, and earlier restoration of mechanical strength at the fracture site. The hyaluronan gel serves as a reservoir that sequesters the basic fibroblast growth factor at the injection site for the length of time necessary to create an environment conducive to fracture healing. It is concluded that basic fibroblast growth factor and sodium hyaluronate act synergistically to accelerate fracture healing and that the combination is suitable for clinical evaluation as a therapy in fracture treatment.

42 CFR 408.80 - Basic rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic rules. 408.80 Section 408.80 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEDICARE PROGRAM PREMIUMS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL INSURANCE Direct Remittance: Group Payment § 408.80 Basic rules. (a...

Statistical investigation of simulated intestinal fluid composition on the equilibrium solubility of biopharmaceutics classification system class II drugs.

PubMed

Khadra, Ibrahim; Zhou, Zhou; Dunn, Claire; Wilson, Clive G; Halbert, Gavin

2015-01-25

A drug's solubility and dissolution behaviour within the gastrointestinal tract is a key property for successful administration by the oral route and one of the key factors in the biopharmaceutics classification system. This property can be determined by investigating drug solubility in human intestinal fluid (HIF) but this is difficult to obtain and highly variable, which has led to the development of multiple simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) recipes. Using a statistical design of experiment (DoE) technique this paper has investigated the effects and interactions on equilibrium drug solubility of seven typical SIF components (sodium taurocholate, lecithin, sodium phosphate, sodium chloride, pH, pancreatin and sodium oleate) within concentration ranges relevant to human intestinal fluid values. A range of poorly soluble drugs with acidic (naproxen, indomethacin, phenytoin, and piroxicam), basic (aprepitant, carvedilol, zafirlukast, tadalafil) or neutral (fenofibrate, griseofulvin, felodipine and probucol) properties have been investigated. The equilibrium solubility results determined are comparable with literature studies of the drugs in either HIF or SIF indicating that the DoE is operating in the correct space. With the exception of pancreatin, all of the factors individually had a statistically significant influence on equilibrium solubility with variations in magnitude of effect between the acidic and basic or neutral compounds and drug specific interactions were evident. Interestingly for the neutral compounds pH was the factor with the second largest solubility effect. Around one third of all the possible factor combinations showed a significant influence on equilibrium solubility with variations in interaction significance and magnitude of effect between the acidic and basic or neutral compounds. The least number of significant media component interactions were noted for the acidic compounds with three and the greatest for the neutral compounds at seven, with again drug specific effects evident. This indicates that a drug's equilibrium solubility in SIF is influenced depending upon drug type by between eight to fourteen individual or combinations of media components with some of these drug specific. This illustrates the complex nature of these fluids and provides for individual drugs a visualisation of the possible solubility envelope within the gastrointestinal tract, which may be of importance for modelling in vivo behaviour. In addition the results indicate that the design of experiment approach can be employed to provide greater detail of drug solubility behaviour, possible drug specific interactions and influence of variations in gastrointestinal media components due to disease. The approach is also feasible and amenable to adaptation for high throughput screening of drug candidates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beyond Black and White.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comer, James P.

Black and white conflict is a by-product of a more basic problem: the failure of this society to develop a social system that enables all people to meet their basic human needs at a reasonable level. Until this is done, we will not be able to move beyond black and white. The underlying problem is related to a sudden acceleration of human history…

Global justice, capabilities approach and commercial surrogacy in India.

PubMed

Saravanan, Sheela

2015-08-01

Inequalities, ineffective governance, unclear surrogacy regulations and unethical practices make India an ideal environment for global injustice in the process of commercial surrogacy. This article aims to apply the 'capabilities approach' to find possibilities of global justice through human fellowship in the context of commercial surrogacy. I draw primarily on my research findings supplemented by other relevant empirical research and documentary films on surrogacy. The paper reveals inequalities and inadequate basic entitlements among surrogate mothers as a consequence of which they are engaged in unjust contracts. Their limited entitlements also limit their opportunities to engage in enriching goals. It is the role of the state to provide all its citizens with basic entitlements and protect their basic human rights. Individuals in India evading their basic duty also contribute to the existing inequalities. Individual responsibilities of the medical practitioners and the intended parents are in question here as they are more inclined towards self-interest rather than commitment towards human fellowship. At the global level, the injustice in transnational commercial surrogacy practices in developing countries calls for an international declaration of women and child rights in third party reproduction with a normative vision of mutual fellowship and human dignity.

Expanding Public/Private Partnerships For Improving Basic Education through School Sponsorship in the Dominican Republic. Final Report. Basic Education and Policy Support Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Patricia; Kane, Michael

The Basic Education and Policy Support Activity (BEPS), a new five-year initiative sponsored by United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Center for Human Capacity Development, is designed to improve the quality, effectiveness, and access to formal and nonformal basic education. BEPS operates through both core funds and buy-ins…

Morphological and motor characteristics of Croatian first league female football players.

PubMed

Jelaska, Petra Mandić; Katić, Ratko; Jelaska, Igor

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the structure of morphological and motor characteristics of Croatian first league female football players and their impact on the estimated quality of the players. According to the goal of the research, a sample consisted of 70 Croatian first league female football players. Participants were measured in 18 tests for assessing morphological characteristics, a set of 12 basic motor abilities tests and a set of 7 tests for assessing football-specific motor abilities. Exploratory factor analysis strategy was applied separately to all measured tests: morphological, basic motor abilities and football specific motor abilities. Factor analysis of morphological tests has shown existence of 3 significant latent dimensions that explain 64% of the total variability. Factors are defined as transverse dimensionality of the skeleton and voluminosity (35%), subcutaneous fat tissue (16%) and longitudinal dimensionality of the skeleton (13%). In the area of basic motor abilities, four factors were extracted. The first factor is responsible for the integration of agility and explosive power of legs, i.e. a factor of movement regulation (agility/lower body explosiveness) (23%), the second one defines muscle tone regulation (15%), the third one defines the frequency of leg movements (12%), while the fourth one is recognized as responsible for the manifestation of basic strength, particularly of basic core strength (19%). Two factors were isolated in the space of football-specific motor abilities: football-specific efficiency (53%) and situational football coordination (27%). Furthermore, by use of factor analysis on extracted latent dimensions (morphological, basic and football specific motor abilities) two higher order factors (explaining 87% of common variability) were extracted. They were named morphological-motor factor (54%) and football-specific motor abilities factor (33%). It is assumed that two extracted higher-order factors fully describe morphological and motor status of first league female football players. Furthermore, the linear regression results in latent space showed that the identified factors are very good predictors of female football players quality (delta = 0.959). In doing so, both specific motor abilities factors and the first factor of basic motor abilities as a factor of general motor efficiency have the greatest impact on player quality, and these factors have been identified as most important predictors of player quality in Croatian women's first league and elite female football players in general. Obtained results provide deep insight into the structure of relations between the morphological, motor and specific motor variables and also indicate the importance of such definition of specific motor abilities. Consequently, results explicitly indicate the necessity of early, continuous, and systematic development of football-specific motor abilities in female football players of high competitive level but also, adjusted, to the younger age categories.

45 CFR 17.2 - Basic policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Basic policy. 17.2 Section 17.2 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION RELEASE OF ADVERSE INFORMATION TO NEWS MEDIA § 17.2 Basic policy. All adverse information release to news media shall be factual in content and...

45 CFR 17.2 - Basic policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basic policy. 17.2 Section 17.2 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION RELEASE OF ADVERSE INFORMATION TO NEWS MEDIA § 17.2 Basic policy. All adverse information release to news media shall be factual in content and...

45 CFR 17.2 - Basic policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Basic policy. 17.2 Section 17.2 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION RELEASE OF ADVERSE INFORMATION TO NEWS MEDIA § 17.2 Basic policy. All adverse information release to news media shall be factual in content and...

45 CFR 17.2 - Basic policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Basic policy. 17.2 Section 17.2 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION RELEASE OF ADVERSE INFORMATION TO NEWS MEDIA § 17.2 Basic policy. All adverse information release to news media shall be factual in content and...

45 CFR 17.2 - Basic policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Basic policy. 17.2 Section 17.2 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION RELEASE OF ADVERSE INFORMATION TO NEWS MEDIA § 17.2 Basic policy. All adverse information release to news media shall be factual in content and...

42 CFR 417.800 - Payment to HCPPs: Definitions and basic rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Payment to HCPPs: Definitions and basic rules. 417... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS, COMPETITIVE MEDICAL PLANS... and basic rules. (a) Definitions. As used in this subpart, unless the context indicates otherwise...

Organizational commitment and job satisfaction among nurses in Serbia: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Veličković, Vladica M; Višnjić, Aleksandar; Jović, Slađana; Radulović, Olivera; Šargić, Čedomir; Mihajlović, Jovan; Mladenović, Jelena

2014-01-01

One of the basic prerequisites of efficient organizational management in health institutions is certainly monitoring and measuring satisfaction of employees and their commitment to the health institution in which they work. The aim of this article was to identify and test factors that may have a predictive effect on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. We conducted a cross-sectional study that included 1,337 nurses from Serbia. Data were analyzed by using exploratory factor analysis, multivariate regressions, and descriptive statistics. The study identified three major factors of organizational commitment: affective commitment, disloyalty, and continuance commitment. The most important predictors of these factors were positive professional identification, extrinsic job satisfaction, and intrinsic job satisfaction (p < .0001). Predictors significantly affecting both job satisfaction and organizational commitment were identified as well; the most important of which was positive professional identification (p < .0001). This study identified the main factors affecting job satisfaction and organizational commitment of nurses, which formed a good basis for the creation of organizational management policy and human resource management policy in health institutions in Serbia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of human platelet lysate versus fetal bovine serum for culture of mesenchymal stromal cells.

PubMed

Hemeda, Hatim; Giebel, Bernd; Wagner, Wolfgang

2014-02-01

Culture media for therapeutic cell preparations-such as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs)-usually comprise serum additives. Traditionally, fetal bovine serum is supplemented in basic research and in most clinical trials. Within the past years, many laboratories adapted their culture conditions to human platelet lysate (hPL), which further stimulates proliferation and expansion of MSCs. Particularly with regard to clinical application, human alternatives for fetal bovine serum are clearly to be preferred. hPL is generated from human platelet units by disruption of the platelet membrane, which is commonly performed by repeated freeze and thaw cycles. Such culture supplements are notoriously ill-defined, and many parameters contribute to batch-to-batch variation in hPL such as different amounts of plasma, a broad range of growth factors and donor-specific effects. The plasma components of hPL necessitate addition of anticoagulants such as heparins to prevent gelatinization of hPL medium, and their concentration must be standardized. Labels for description of hPL-such as "xenogen-free," "animal-free" and "serum free"-are not used consistently in the literature and may be misleading if not critically assessed. Further analysis of the precise composition of relevant growth factors, attachment factors, microRNAs and exosomes will pave the way for optimized and defined culture conditions. The use of hPL has several advantages and disadvantages: they must be taken into account because the choice of cell culture additive has major impact on cell preparations. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human rights and bioethics.

PubMed

Barilan, Y M; Brusa, M

2008-05-01

In the first part of this article we survey the concept of human rights from a philosophical perspective and especially in relation to the "right to healthcare". It is argued that regardless of meta-ethical debates on the nature of rights, the ethos and language of moral deliberation associated with human rights is indispensable to any ethics that places the victim and the sufferer in its centre. In the second part we discuss the rise of the "right to privacy", particularly in the USA, as an attempt to make the element of personal free will dominate over the element of basic human interest within the structure of rights and when different rights seem to conflict. We conclude by discussing the relationship of human rights with moral values beyond the realm of rights, mainly human dignity, free will, human rationality and response to basic human needs.

Biomotor structures in elite female handball players according to performance.

PubMed

Cavala, Marijana; Rogulj, Nenad; Srhoj, Vatromir; Srhoj, Ljerka; Katić, Ratko

2008-03-01

In order to identify biomotor structures in elite female handball players, factor structures of morphological characteristics and basic motor abilities, and of variables evaluating situation motor abilities of elite female handball players (n = 53) were determined first, followed by determination of differences and relations of the morphological, motor and specific motor space according to handball performance. Factor analysis of 16 morphological measures produced three morphological factors, i.e. factor of absolute voluminosity, i.e. mesoendomorphy, factor of longitudinal skeleton dimensionality, and factor of transverse hand dimensionality. Factor analysis of 15 motor variables yielded five basic motor dimensions, i.e. factor of agility, factor of throwing explosive strength, factor of running explosive strength (sprint), factor of jumping explosive strength and factor of movement frequency rate. Factor analysis of 5 situation motor variables produced two dimensions: factor of specific agility with explosiveness and factor of specific precision with ball manipulation. Analysis of variance yielded greatest differences relative to handball performance in the factor of specific agility and throwing strength, and the factor of basic motoricity that integrates the ability of coordination (agility) with upper extremity throwing explosiveness and lower extremity sprint (30-m sprint) and jumping (standing triple jump). Considering morphological factors, the factor of voluminosity, i.e. mesoendomorphy, which is defined by muscle mass rather than adipose tissue, was found to contribute significantly to the players'performance. Results of regression analysis indicated the handball performance to be predominantly determined by the general specific motor factor based on specific agility and explosiveness, and by the morphological factor based on body mass and volume, i.e. muscle mass. Concerning basic motor abilities, the factor of movement frequency rate, which is associated with the ability of ball manipulation, was observed to predict significantly the handball players' performance.

Quantitative assessment of the impacts of climate change and human activities on runoff change in a typical karst watershed, SW China.

PubMed

Wu, Luhua; Wang, Shijie; Bai, Xiaoyong; Luo, Weijun; Tian, Yichao; Zeng, Cheng; Luo, Guangjie; He, Shiyan

2017-12-01

The Yinjiang River watershed is a typical karst watershed in Southwest China. The present study explored runoff change and its responses to different driving factors in the Yinjiang River watershed over the period of 1984 to 2015. The methods of cumulative anomaly, continuous wavelet analysis, Mann-Kendall rank correlation trend test, and Hurst exponent were applied to analyze the impacts of climate change and human activities on runoff change. The contributions of climate change and human activities to runoff change were quantitatively assessed using the comparative method of the slope changing ratio of cumulative quantity (SCRCQ). The following results were obtained: (1) From 1984 to 2015, runoff and precipitation exhibited no-significant increasing trend, whereas evaporation exhibited significant decreasing trend. (2) In the future, runoff, precipitation, and evaporation will exhibit weak anti-persistent feature with different persistent times. This feature indicated that in their persistent times, runoff and precipitation will continuously decline, whereas evaporation will continuously increase. (3) Runoff and precipitation were well-synchronized with abrupt change features and stage characteristics, and exhibited consistent multi-timescale characteristics that were different from that of evaporation. (4) The contribution of precipitation to runoff change was 50%-60% and was considered high and stable. The contribution of evaporation to runoff change was 10%-90% and was variable with a positive or negative effects. The contribution of human activities to runoff change was 20%-60% and exerted a low positive or negative effect. (5) Climatic factors highly contributed to runoff change. By contrast, the contribution of human activities to runoff change was low. The contribution of climatic factors to runoff change was highly variable because of differences among base periods. In conclusion, this paper provides a basic theoretical understanding of the main factors that contribute to runoff change in a karst watershed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

I want what you've got: Cross platform portabiity and human-robot interaction assessment.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Julie L. Marble, Ph.D.*.; Douglas A. Few; David J. Bruemmer

2005-08-01

Human-robot interaction is a subtle, yet critical aspect of design that must be assessed during the development of both the human-robot interface and robot behaviors if the human-robot team is to effectively meet the complexities of the task environment. Testing not only ensures that the system can successfully achieve the tasks for which it was designed, but more importantly, usability testing allows the designers to understand how humans and robots can, will, and should work together to optimize workload distribution. A lack of human-centered robot interface design, the rigidity of sensor configuration, and the platform-specific nature of research robot developmentmore » environments are a few factors preventing robotic solutions from reaching functional utility in real word environments. Often the difficult engineering challenge of implementing adroit reactive behavior, reliable communication, trustworthy autonomy that combines with system transparency and usable interfaces is overlooked in favor of other research aims. The result is that many robotic systems never reach a level of functional utility necessary even to evaluate the efficacy of the basic system, much less result in a system that can be used in a critical, real-world environment. Further, because control architectures and interfaces are often platform specific, it is difficult or even impossible to make usability comparisons between them. This paper discusses the challenges inherent to the conduct of human factors testing of variable autonomy control architectures and across platforms within a complex, real-world environment. It discusses the need to compare behaviors, architectures, and interfaces within a structured environment that contains challenging real-world tasks, and the implications for system acceptance and trust of autonomous robotic systems for how humans and robots interact in true interactive teams.« less

Specification of jaw identity by the Hand2 transcription factor

PubMed Central

Funato, Noriko; Kokubo, Hiroki; Nakamura, Masataka; Yanagisawa, Hiromi; Saga, Yumiko

2016-01-01

Acquisition of the lower jaw (mandible) was evolutionarily important for jawed vertebrates. In humans, syndromic craniofacial malformations often accompany jaw anomalies. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Hand2, which is conserved among jawed vertebrates, is expressed in the neural crest in the mandibular process but not in the maxillary process of the first branchial arch. Here, we provide evidence that Hand2 is sufficient for upper jaw (maxilla)-to-mandible transformation by regulating the expression of homeobox transcription factors in mice. Altered Hand2 expression in the neural crest transformed the maxillae into mandibles with duplicated Meckel’s cartilage, which resulted in an absence of the secondary palate. In Hand2-overexpressing mutants, non-Hox homeobox transcription factors were dysregulated. These results suggest that Hand2 regulates mandibular development through downstream genes of Hand2 and is therefore a major determinant of jaw identity. Hand2 may have influenced the evolutionary acquisition of the mandible and secondary palate. PMID:27329940

A stem cell medium containing neural stimulating factor induces a pancreatic cancer stem-like cell-enriched population

PubMed Central

WATANABE, YUSAKU; YOSHIMURA, KIYOSHI; YOSHIKAWA, KOICHI; TSUNEDOMI, RYOICHI; SHINDO, YOSHITARO; MATSUKUMA, SOU; MAEDA, NORIKO; KANEKIYO, SHINSUKE; SUZUKI, NOBUAKI; KURAMASU, ATSUO; SONODA, KOUHEI; TAMADA, KOJI; KOBAYASHI, SEI; SAYA, HIDEYUKI; HAZAMA, SHOICHI; OKA, MASAAKI

2014-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been studied for their self-renewal capacity and pluripotency, as well as their resistance to anticancer therapy and their ability to metastasize to distant organs. CSCs are difficult to study because their population is quite low in tumor specimens. To overcome this problem, we established a culture method to induce a pancreatic cancer stem-like cell (P-CSLC)-enriched population from human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines established at our department were cultured in CSC-inducing media containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), neural cell survivor factor-1 (NSF-1), and N-acetylcysteine. Sphere cells were obtained and then transferred to a laminin-coated dish and cultured for approximately two months. The surface markers, gene expression, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, cell cycle, and tumorigenicity of these induced cells were examined for their stem cell-like characteristics. The population of these induced cells expanded within a few months. The ratio of CD24high, CD44high, epithelial specific antigen (ESA) high, and CD44variant (CD44v) high cells in the induced cells was greatly enriched. The induced cells stayed in the G0/G1 phase and demonstrated mesenchymal and stemness properties. The induced cells had high tumorigenic potential. Thus, we established a culture method to induce a P-CSLCenriched population from human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The CSLC population was enriched approximately 100-fold with this method. Our culture method may contribute to the precise analysis of CSCs and thus support the establishment of CSC-targeting therapy. PMID:25118635

[The present state and progress of researches on gait recognition].

PubMed

Xue, Zhaojun; Jin, Jingna; Ming, Dong; Wan, Baikun

2008-10-01

Recognition by gait is a new field for the biometric recognition technology. Its aim is to recognize people and detect physiological, pathological and mental characters by their walk style. The use of gait as a biometric for human identification is promising. The technique of gait recognition, as an attractive research area of biomedical information detection, attracts more and more attention. In this paper is introduced a survey of the basic theory, existing gait recognition methods and potential prospects. The latest progress and key factors of research difficulties are analyzed, and future researches are envisaged.

Feasibility of assessing health state by detecting redox state of human body based on Chinese medicine constitution.

PubMed

Li, Ling-Ru; Wang, Qi; Wang, Ji; Wang, Qian-Fei; Yang, Ling-Ling; Zheng, Lu-Yu; Zhang, Yan

2016-08-01

This article discussed the feasibility of assessing health state by detecting redox state of human body. Firstly, the balance of redox state is the basis of homeostasis, and the balance ability of redox can reflflect health state of human body. Secondly, the redox state of human body is a sensitive index of multiple risk factors of health such as age, external environment and psychological factors. It participates in the occurrence and development of multiple diseases involving metabolic diseases and nervous system diseases, and can serve as a cut-in point for treatment of these diseases. Detecting the redox state of high risk people is signifificantly important for early detection and treatment of disease. The blood plasma and urine could be selected to detect, which is convenient. It is pointed that the indexes not only involve oxidation product and antioxidant enzyme but also redox couple. Chinese medicine constitution reflflects the state of body itself and the ability of adapting to external environment, which is consistent with the connotation of health. It is found that there are nine basic types of constitution in Chinese population, which provides a theoretical basis of health preservation, preventive treatment of disease and personalized treatment. With the combination of redox state detection and the Chinese medicine constitution theory, the heath state can be systemically assessed by conducting large-scale epidemiological survey with classifified detection on redox state of human body.

Discovery of Human Zinc Deficiency: Its Impact on Human Health and Disease123

PubMed Central

Prasad, Ananda S.

2013-01-01

The essentiality of zinc in humans was established in 1963. During the past 50 y, tremendous advances in both clinical and basic sciences of zinc metabolism in humans have been observed. The major factor contributing to zinc deficiency is high phytate-containing cereal protein intake in the developing world, and nearly 2 billion subjects may be zinc deficient. Conditioned deficiency of zinc has been observed in patients with malabsorption syndrome, liver disease, chronic renal disease, sickle cell disease, and other chronic illnesses. Major clinical problems resulting from zinc deficiency in humans include growth retardation; cell-mediated immune dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. In the Middle East, zinc-deficient dwarfs did not live beyond the age of 25 y, and they died because of intercurrent infections. In 1963, we knew of only 3 enzymes that required zinc for their activities, but now we know of >300 enzymes and >1000 transcription factors that are known to require zinc for their activities. Zinc is a second messenger of immune cells, and intracellular free zinc in these cells participate in signaling events. Zinc has been very successfully used as a therapeutic modality for the management of acute diarrhea in children, Wilson’s disease, the common cold and for the prevention of blindness in patients with age-related dry type of macular degeneration and is very effective in decreasing the incidence of infection in the elderly. Zinc not only modulates cell-mediated immunity but is also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. PMID:23493534

Brain development, environment and sex: what can we learn from studying graviperception, gravitransduction and the gravireaction of the developing CNS to altered gravity?

PubMed

Sajdel-Sulkowska, Elizabeth M

2008-01-01

As man embarks on space exploration and contemplates space habitation, there is a critical need for basic understanding of the impact of the environmental factors of space, and in particular gravity, on human survival, health, reproduction and development. This review summarizes our present knowledge on the effect of altered gravity on the developing CNS with respect to the response of the developing CNS to altered gravity (gravireaction), the physiological changes associated with altered gravity that could contribute to this effect (gravitransduction), and the possible mechanisms involved in the detection of altered gravity (graviperception). Some of these findings transcend gravitational research and are relevant to our understanding of the impact of environmental factors on CNS development on Earth.

Column Subset Selection, Matrix Factorization, and Eigenvalue Optimization

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

Pietsch and Grothendieck, which are regarded as basic instruments in modern functional analysis [Pis86]. • The methods for computing these... Pietsch factorization and the maxcut semi- definite program [GW95]. 1.2. Overview. We focus on the algorithmic version of the Kashin–Tzafriri theorem...will see that the desired subset is exposed by factoring the random submatrix. This factorization, which was invented by Pietsch , is regarded as a basic

Improved neovascularization and wound repair by targeting human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) to fibrin.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenxue; Han, Qianqian; Lin, Hang; Gao, Yuan; Sun, Wenjie; Zhao, Yannan; Wang, Bin; Chen, Bing; Xiao, Zhifeng; Dai, Jianwu

2008-10-01

Targeted therapy is a new generation of therapeutics, where two critical factors are involved. One is the particular molecular target, and the other is the specific target-binding drug. In this work, the fibrin, a main component of plasma clot at wound sites, was used as the target for human bFGF, aiming to improve therapeutic neovascularization and wound repair. To endow bFGF with fibrin-targeting ability, a fibrin-binding peptide Kringle1 (K1), derived from human plasminogen, was fused to human bFGF. The recombinant K1bFGF showed high fibrin and plasma-clot-binding ability. When applied to the wound sites with plasma clots, K1bFGF induced robust neovascularization and improved wound healing. To extend the application of K1bFGF to other cases where no plasma clots exist, we developed a fibrin-scaffold/K1bFGF system. This system could induce localized neovascularization by delivery of K1bFGF in a sustained and site-targeting manner, and provide a microenvironment promoting cell growth and tissue regeneration. In summary, we successfully used the pathologic environment fibrin clot as the target for bFGF, and based on which bFGF was designed into a targeting agent by introduction of a fibrin-binding peptide. This provides a potential approach to improve therapeutic neovascularization and wound repair.

Assessments of levels, potential ecological risk, and human health risk of heavy metals in the soils from a typical county in Shanxi Province, China.

PubMed

Pan, Libo; Ma, Jin; Hu, Yu; Su, Benying; Fang, Guangling; Wang, Yue; Wang, Zhanshan; Wang, Lei; Xiang, Bao

2016-10-01

A total of 128 surface soil samples were collected, and eight heavy metals, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, and Hg, were analyzed for their concentrations, potential ecological risks, and human health risks. The mean concentrations of these eight metals were lower than the soil environmental quality standards in China, while they were slightly higher than the background values in Shanxi Province. The enrichment factor, coefficient variation, and potential ecological risk index were used to assess the pollution and eco-risk level of heavy metals, among which, Cd and Hg showed higher pollution levels and potential risks than the others in the studied area. Moreover, multivariate geostatistical analysis suggested that Hg originated mainly from point sources such as industrial emissions, while agricultural activity is the predominant factor for Cd. The human health risk assessment indicated that non-carcinogenic values were below the threshold values. The total carcinogenic risks due to As, Cr, and Ni were within the acceptable range for adults, while for children, they were higher than the threshold value (1.0E-04), indicating that children are facing higher threat to heavy metals in soils. These results provide basic information on heavy metal pollution control and human health risk assessment management in the study regions.

Human Cpr (Cell Cycle Progression Restoration) Genes Impart a Far(-) Phenotype on Yeast Cells

PubMed Central

Edwards, M. C.; Liegeois, N.; Horecka, J.; DePinho, R. A.; Sprague-Jr., G. F.; Tyers, M.; Elledge, S. J.

1997-01-01

Regulated cell cycle progression depends on the proper integration of growth control pathways with the basic cell cycle machinery. While many of the central molecules such as cyclins, CDKs, and CKIs are known, and many of the kinases and phosphatases that modify the CDKs have been identified, little is known about the additional layers of regulation that impinge upon these molecules. To identify new regulators of cell proliferation, we have selected for human and yeast cDNAs that when overexpressed were capable of specifically overcoming G(1) arrest signals from the cell cycle branch of the mating pheromone pathway, while still maintaining the integrity of the transcriptional induction branch. We have identified 13 human CPR (cell cycle progression restoration) genes and 11 yeast OPY (overproduction-induced pheromone-resistant yeast) genes that specifically block the G(1) arrest by mating pheromone. The CPR genes represent a variety of biochemical functions including a new cyclin, a tumor suppressor binding protein, chaperones, transcription factors, translation factors, RNA-binding proteins, as well as novel proteins. Several CPR genes require individual CLNs to promote pheromone resistance and those that require CLN3 increase the basal levels of Cln3 protein. Moreover, several of the yeast OPY genes have overlapping functions with the human CPR genes, indicating a possible conservation of roles. PMID:9383053

The Role of Cellular Proliferation in Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

PubMed

Marquez, Maribel P; Alencastro, Frances; Madrigal, Alma; Jimenez, Jossue Loya; Blanco, Giselle; Gureghian, Alex; Keagy, Laura; Lee, Cecilia; Liu, Robert; Tan, Lun; Deignan, Kristen; Armstrong, Brian; Zhao, Yuanxiang

2017-11-01

Mitotic clonal expansion has been suggested as a prerequisite for adipogenesis in murine preadipocytes, but the precise role of cell proliferation during human adipogenesis is unclear. Using adipose tissue-derived human mesenchymal stem cells as an in vitro cell model for adipogenic study, a group of cell cycle regulators, including Cdk1 and CCND1, were found to be downregulated as early as 24 h after adipogenic initiation and consistently, cell proliferation activity was restricted to the first 48 h of adipogenic induction. Cell proliferation was either further inhibited using siRNAs targeting cell cycle genes or enhanced by supplementing exogenous growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), at specific time intervals during adipogenesis. Expression knockdown of Cdk1 at the initiation of adipogenic induction resulted in significantly increased adipocytes, even though total number of cells was significantly reduced compared to siControl-treated cells. bFGF stimulated proliferation throughout adipogenic differentiation, but exerted differential effect on adipogenic outcome at different phases, promoting adipogenesis during mitotic phase (first 48 h), but significantly inhibiting adipogenesis during adipogenic commitment phase (days 3-6). Our results demonstrate that cellular proliferation is counteractive to adipogenic commitment in human adipogenesis. However, cellular proliferation stimulation can be beneficial for adipogenesis during the mitotic phase by increasing the population of cells capable of committing to adipocytes before adipogenic commitment.

Firewalking: A Lesson in Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, John R.

1989-01-01

Emphasizes firewalking as a good illustration of basic concepts in thermodynamics. Describes the basic principles of firewalking and other factors including the cooling of the surface embers, moisture of the feet, thick skin on the feet, tolerance for pain, and other uncontrolled factors. (YP)

Radiosensitization of Human Vascular Endothelial Cells Through Hsp90 Inhibition With 17-N-Allilamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kabakov, Alexander E.; Makarova, Yulia M.; Malyutina, Yana V.

Purpose: In addition to invasive tumor cells, endothelial cells (ECs) of the tumor vasculature are an important target for anticancer radiotherapy. The purpose of the present work is to investigate how 17-N-allilamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG), known as an anticancer drug inhibiting heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), modifies radiation responses of human vascular ECs. Methods and Materials: The ECs cultured from human umbilical veins were exposed to {gamma}-irradiation, whereas some EC samples were pretreated with growth factors and/or 17AAG. Postirradiation cell death/survival and morphogenesis were assessed by means of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling or annexin V staining and clonogenicmore » and tube-formation assays. The 17AAG-affected expression and phosphorylation of radioresistance-related proteins were probed by means of immunoblotting. Dominant negative or constitutively activated Akt was transiently expressed in ECs to manipulate Akt activity. Results: It was found that nanomolar concentrations of 17AAG sensitize ECs to relatively low doses (2-6 Gy) of {gamma}-irradiation and abolish the radioprotective effects of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. The drug-induced radiosensitization of ECs seems to be caused by prevention of Hsp90-dependent phosphorylation (activation) of Akt that results in blocking the radioprotective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Conclusions: Clinically achievable concentrations of 17AAG can decrease the radioresistance intrinsic to vascular ECs and minimize the radioprotection conferred upon them by tumor-derived growth factors. These findings characterize 17AAG as a promising radiosensitizer for the tumor vasculature.« less

Heterogeneous histomorphology, yet homogeneous vascular smooth muscle cell dedifferentiation, characterize human aneurysm disease.

PubMed

Busch, Albert; Hartmann, Elena; Grimm, Caroline; Ergün, Süleyman; Kickuth, Ralph; Otto, Christoph; Kellersmann, Richard; Lorenz, Udo

2017-11-01

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a frequent, potentially life-threatening, disease that can only be treated by surgical means such as open surgery or endovascular repair. No alternative treatment is currently available, and despite expanding knowledge about the pathomechanism, clinical trials on medical aneurysm abrogation have led to inconclusive results. The heterogeneity of human AAA based on histologic examination is thereby generally neglected. In this study we aimed to further elucidate the role of these differences in aneurysm disease. Tissue samples from AAA and popliteal artery aneurysm patients were examined by histomorphologic analysis, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and polymerase chain reaction. The results were correlated with clinical data such as aneurysm diameter and laboratory results. The morphology of human AAA vessel wall probes varies tremendously based on the grade of inflammation. This correlates with increasing intima/media thickness and upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor cascade but not with any clinical parameter or the aneurysm diameter. The phenotypic switch of vascular smooth muscle cells occurred regardless of the inflammatory state and expressional changes of the transcription factors Kruppel-like factor-4 and transforming growth factor-β lead to differential protein localization in aneurysmal compared with control arteries. These changes were in similar manner also observed in samples from popliteal artery aneurysms, which, however, showed a more homogenous phenotype. Heterogeneity of AAA vessel walls based on inflammatory morphology does not correlate with AAA diameter yet harbors specific implications for basic research and possible aneurysm detection. Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic models modeling resistance training: an update for basic scientists interested in study skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

PubMed

Cholewa, Jason; Guimarães-Ferreira, Lucas; da Silva Teixeira, Tamiris; Naimo, Marshall Alan; Zhi, Xia; de Sá, Rafaele Bis Dal Ponte; Lodetti, Alice; Cardozo, Mayara Quadros; Zanchi, Nelo Eidy

2014-09-01

Human muscle hypertrophy brought about by voluntary exercise in laboratorial conditions is the most common way to study resistance exercise training, especially because of its reliability, stimulus control and easy application to resistance training exercise sessions at fitness centers. However, because of the complexity of blood factors and organs involved, invasive data is difficult to obtain in human exercise training studies due to the integration of several organs, including adipose tissue, liver, brain and skeletal muscle. In contrast, studying skeletal muscle remodeling in animal models are easier to perform as the organs can be easily obtained after euthanasia; however, not all models of resistance training in animals displays a robust capacity to hypertrophy the desired muscle. Moreover, some models of resistance training rely on voluntary effort, which complicates the results observed when animal models are employed since voluntary capacity is something theoretically impossible to measure in rodents. With this information in mind, we will review the modalities used to simulate resistance training in animals in order to present to investigators the benefits and risks of different animal models capable to provoke skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Our second objective is to help investigators analyze and select the experimental resistance training model that best promotes the research question and desired endpoints. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human Rights and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: How Does a Large Funder of Basic Health Services Meet the Challenge of Rights-Based Programs?

PubMed

Jürgens, Ralf; Csete, Joanne; Lim, Hyeyoung; Timberlake, Susan; Smith, Matthew

2017-12-01

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created to greatly expand access to basic services to address the three diseases in its name. From its beginnings, its governance embodied some human rights principles: civil society is represented on its board, and the country coordination mechanisms that oversee funding requests to the Global Fund include representatives of people affected by the diseases. The Global Fund's core strategies recognize that the health services it supports would not be effective or cost-effective without efforts to reduce human rights-related barriers to access and utilization of health services, particularly those faced by socially marginalized and criminalized persons. Basic human rights elements were written into Global Fund grant agreements, and various technical support measures encouraged the inclusion in funding requests of programs to reduce human rights-related barriers. A five-year initiative to provide intensive technical and financial support for the scaling up of programs to reduce these barriers in 20 countries is ongoing.

A Computational Model of Human Table Tennis for Robot Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mülling, Katharina; Peters, Jan

Table tennis is a difficult motor skill which requires all basic components of a general motor skill learning system. In order to get a step closer to such a generic approach to the automatic acquisition and refinement of table tennis, we study table tennis from a human motor control point of view. We make use of the basic models of discrete human movement phases, virtual hitting points, and the operational timing hypothesis. Using these components, we create a computational model which is aimed at reproducing human-like behavior. We verify the functionality of this model in a physically realistic simulation of a Barrett WAM.

Being more realistic about chemical carcinogenesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilkinson, C.F.

1987-09-01

Public awareness and fear of cancer in the US intensified during the late 1960s as a result of widely publicized associations between human cancer and a number of environmental factors associated with modern technology. In particular, attention was focused on the possible carcinogenic risks associated with the many products and by-products of the chemical industry, and there was enormous public pressure for prompt legislative action to regulate human exposure to potential carcinogens. As a result, legislation directed toward the protection of human health and the environment has increased dramatically during the past two decades. Approximately 30 such laws have beenmore » enacted, and although they differ in their objectives and regulatory authority, most are designed to control the carcinogenic and other health risks of chemicals introduced into commerce, released into the environment, or encountered in the workplace. Despite substantial progress in the past few years, basic understanding of carcinogenic mechanisms and the major factors causing human cancer still leaves much to be desired. There remains considerable uncertainty in current procedures for identifying and regulating potential human carcinogens. Unfortunately, the development of an acceptable policy for the regulation of chemical carcinogens constitutes a particularly troublesome problem, because it seeks to match argument based on uncertain science against the deep-seated human fear of cancer. It is not surprising that the question of how to regulate cancer risks in the US has become a highly divisive issue in which the limited amount of good science that is available either is not used to maximum advantage or rapidly becomes lost in a tangle of emotions and subjective value judgments.« less

Habitability as a Tier One Criterion in Exploration Mission and Vehicle Design. Part 1; Habitability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Constance M.; McCurdy, Matthew Riegel

1999-01-01

Habitability and human factors are necessary criteria to include in the iterative process of Tier I mission design. Bringing these criteria in at the first, conceptual stage of design for exploration and other human-rated missions can greatly reduce mission development costs, raise the level of efficiency and viability, and improve the chances of success. In offering a rationale for this argument, the authors give an example of how the habitability expert can contribute to early mission and vehicle architecture by defining the formal implications of a habitable vehicle, assessing the viability of units already proposed for exploration missions on the basis of these criteria, and finally, by offering an optimal set of solutions for an example mission. In this, the first of three papers, we summarize the basic factors associated with habitability, delineate their formal implications for crew accommodations in a long-duration environment, and show examples of how these principles have been applied in two projects at NASA's Johnson Space Center: the BIO-Plex test facility, and TransHab.

p27 Nuclear localization and growth arrest caused by perlecan knockdown in human endothelial cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakai, Katsuya; Oka, Kiyomasa; Matsumoto, Kunio

2010-02-12

Perlecan, a secreted heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is a major component of the vascular basement membrane and participates in angiogenesis. Here, we used small interference RNA-mediated knockdown of perlecan expression to investigate the regulatory function of perlecan in the growth of human vascular endothelial cells. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced ERK phosphorylation and cyclin D1 expression were unchanged by perlecan deficiency in endothelial cells; however, perlecan deficiency inhibited the Rb protein phosphorylation and DNA synthesis induced by bFGF. By contrast to cytoplasmic localization of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 in control endothelial cells, p27 was localized in the nucleus and itsmore » expression increased in perlecan-deficient cells, which suggests that p27 mediates inhibition of Rb phosphorylation. In addition to the well-characterized function of perlecan as a co-receptor for heparin-binding growth factors such as bFGF, our results suggest that perlecan plays an indispensible role in endothelial cell proliferation and acts through a mechanism that involves subcellular localization of p27.« less

Preventing healthcare-associated infections through human factors engineering.

PubMed

Jacob, Jesse T; Herwaldt, Loreen A; Durso, Francis T

2018-05-24

Human factors engineering (HFE) approaches are increasingly being used in healthcare, but have been applied in relatively limited ways to infection prevention and control (IPC). Previous studies have focused on using selected HFE tools, but newer literature supports a system-based HFE approach to IPC. Cross-contamination and the existence of workarounds suggest that healthcare workers need better support to reduce and simplify steps in delivering care. Simplifying workflow can lead to better understanding of why a process fails and allow for improvements to reduce errors and increase efficiency. Hand hygiene can be improved using visual cues and nudges based on room layout. Using personal protective equipment appropriately appears simple, but exists in a complex interaction with workload, behavior, emotion, and environmental variables including product placement. HFE can help prevent the pathogen transmission through improving environmental cleaning and appropriate use of medical devices. Emerging evidence suggests that HFE can be applied in IPC to reduce healthcare-associated infections. HFE and IPC collaboration can help improve many of the basic best practices including use of hand hygiene and personal protective equipment by healthcare workers during patient care.

Tailoring a Human Reliability Analysis to Your Industry Needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeMott, D. L.

2016-01-01

Companies at risk of accidents caused by human error that result in catastrophic consequences include: airline industry mishaps, medical malpractice, medication mistakes, aerospace failures, major oil spills, transportation mishaps, power production failures and manufacturing facility incidents. Human Reliability Assessment (HRA) is used to analyze the inherent risk of human behavior or actions introducing errors into the operation of a system or process. These assessments can be used to identify where errors are most likely to arise and the potential risks involved if they do occur. Using the basic concepts of HRA, an evolving group of methodologies are used to meet various industry needs. Determining which methodology or combination of techniques will provide a quality human reliability assessment is a key element to developing effective strategies for understanding and dealing with risks caused by human errors. There are a number of concerns and difficulties in "tailoring" a Human Reliability Assessment (HRA) for different industries. Although a variety of HRA methodologies are available to analyze human error events, determining the most appropriate tools to provide the most useful results can depend on industry specific cultures and requirements. Methodology selection may be based on a variety of factors that include: 1) how people act and react in different industries, 2) expectations based on industry standards, 3) factors that influence how the human errors could occur such as tasks, tools, environment, workplace, support, training and procedure, 4) type and availability of data, 5) how the industry views risk & reliability, and 6) types of emergencies, contingencies and routine tasks. Other considerations for methodology selection should be based on what information is needed from the assessment. If the principal concern is determination of the primary risk factors contributing to the potential human error, a more detailed analysis method may be employed versus a requirement to provide a numerical value as part of a probabilistic risk assessment. Industries involved with humans operating large equipment or transport systems (ex. railroads or airlines) would have more need to address the man machine interface than medical workers administering medications. Human error occurs in every industry; in most cases the consequences are relatively benign and occasionally beneficial. In cases where the results can have disastrous consequences, the use of Human Reliability techniques to identify and classify the risk of human errors allows a company more opportunities to mitigate or eliminate these types of risks and prevent costly tragedies.

Orienting asymmetries and physiological reactivity in dogs' response to human emotional faces.

PubMed

Siniscalchi, Marcello; d'Ingeo, Serenella; Quaranta, Angelo

2018-06-19

Recent scientific literature shows that emotional cues conveyed by human vocalizations and odours are processed in an asymmetrical way by the canine brain. In the present study, during feeding behaviour, dogs were suddenly presented with 2-D stimuli depicting human faces expressing the Ekman's six basic emotion (e.g. anger, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, and neutral), simultaneously into the left and right visual hemifields. A bias to turn the head towards the left (right hemisphere) rather than the right side was observed with human faces expressing anger, fear, and happiness emotions, but an opposite bias (left hemisphere) was observed with human faces expressing surprise. Furthermore, dogs displayed higher behavioural and cardiac activity to picture of human faces expressing clear arousal emotional state. Overall, results demonstrated that dogs are sensitive to emotional cues conveyed by human faces, supporting the existence of an asymmetrical emotional modulation of the canine brain to process basic human emotions.

An Antarctic research outpost as a model for planetary exploration.

PubMed

Andersen, D T; McKay, C P; Wharton, R A; Rummel, J D

1990-01-01

During the next 50 years, human civilization may well begin expanding into the solar system. This colonization of extraterrestrial bodies will most likely begin with the establishment of small research outposts on the Moon and/or Mars. In all probability these facilities, designed primarily for conducting exploration and basic science, will have international participation in their crews, logistical support and funding. High fidelity Earth-based simulations of planetary exploration could help prepare for these expensive and complex operations. Antarctica provides one possible venue for such a simulation. The hostile and remote dry valleys of southern Victoria Land offer a valid analog to the Martian environment but are sufficiently accessible to allow routine logistical support and to assure the relative safety of their inhabitants. An Antarctic research outpost designed as a planetary exploration simulation facility would have great potential as a testbed and training site for the operation of future Mars bases and represents a near-term, relatively low-cost alternative to other precursor activities. Antarctica already enjoys an international dimension, an aspect that is more than symbolically appropriate to an international endeavor of unprecedented scientific and social significance--planetary exploration by humans. Potential uses of such a facility include: 1) studying human factors in an isolated environment (including long-term interactions among an international crew); 2) testing emerging technologies (e.g., advanced life support facilities such as a partial bioregenerative life support system, advanced analytical and sample acquisition instrumentation and equipment, etc.); and 3) conducting basic scientific research similar to the research that will be conducted on Mars, while contributing to the planning for human exploration. (Research of this type is already ongoing in Antarctica).

The Basics of/and Individualizing Adolescent Literature for 150 Kids, More or Less.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Beverly

This paper asserts that what is really basic in education lies first in recognizing what it means to be human, to accept the challenges and pains and joys of being alive, and to attempt not only to preserve but to raise the level of that humanity a notch or so for the next generation. It is suggested that adolescent literature can be a vehicle for…

Seasonal variation in human reproduction: environmental factors.

PubMed

Bronson, F H

1995-06-01

Almost all human populations exhibit seasonal variation in births, owing mostly to seasonal variation in the frequency of conception. This review focuses on the degree to which environmental factors like nutrition, temperature and photoperiod contribute to these seasonal patterns by acting directly on the reproductive axis. The reproductive strategy of humans is basically that of the apes: Humans have the capacity to reproduce continuously, albeit slowly, unless inhibited by environmental influences. Two, and perhaps three, environmental factors probably act routinely as seasonal inhibitors in some human populations. First, it seems likely that ovulation is regulated seasonally in populations experiencing seasonal variation in food availability. More specifically, it seems likely that inadequate food intake or the increased energy expenditure required to obtain food, or both, can delay menarche, suppress the frequency of ovulation in the nonlactating adult, and prolong lactational amenorrhea in these populations on a seasonal basis. This action is most easily seen in tropical subsistence societies where food availability often varies greatly owing to seasonal variation in rainfall; hence births in these populations often correlate with rainfall. Second, it seems likely that seasonally high temperatures suppress spermatogenesis enough to influence the incidence of fertilization in hotter latitudes, but possibly only in males wearing clothing that diminishes scrotal cooling. Since most of our knowledge about this phenomenon comes from temperate latitudes, the sensitivity of spermatogenesis in both human and nonhuman primates to heat in the tropics needs further study. It is quite possible that high temperatures suppress ovulation and early embryo survival seasonally in some of these same populations. Since we know less than desired about the effect of heat stress on ovulation and early pregnancy in nonhuman mammals, and nothing at all about it in humans or any of the other primates, this is an important area for future research. Third, correlational data suggest that there may be some degree of regulation of reproduction by photoperiod in humans at middle to higher latitudes. Populations at these latitudes often show a peak in presumed conceptions associated with the vernal equinox. On the other hand, evidence gathered by neuroendocrinologists tends to argue against reproductive photoresponsiveness in humans.

Mental models: a basic concept for human factors design in infection prevention.

PubMed

Sax, H; Clack, L

2015-04-01

Much of the effort devoted to promoting better hand hygiene is based on the belief that poor hand hygiene reflects poor motivation. We argue, however, that automatic unconscious behaviour driven by 'mental models' is an important contributor to what actually happens. Mental models are concepts of reality--imaginary, often blurred, and sometimes unstable. Human beings use them to reduce mental load and free up capacity in the conscious mind to focus on deliberate activities. They are pragmatic solutions to the complexity of life. Knowledge of such mental processes helps healthcare designers and clinicians overcome barriers to behavioural change. This article reviews the concept of mental models and considers how it can be used to improve hand hygiene and patient safety. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in mechanisms of asthma, allergy, and immunology in 2011.

PubMed

Boyce, Joshua A; Bochner, Bruce; Finkelman, Fred D; Rothenberg, Marc E

2012-02-01

2011 was marked by rapid progress in the identification of basic mechanisms of allergic disease and the translation of these mechanisms into human cell systems. Studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology this year provided new insights into the molecular determinants of allergenicity, as well as the environmental, cellular, and genetic factors involved in sensitization to allergens. Several articles focused on mechanisms of allergen immunotherapy and the development of novel strategies to achieve tolerance to allergens. Additional studies identified substantial contributions from T(H)17-type cells and cytokines to human disease pathogenesis. Finally, new therapeutic applications of anti-IgE were identified. The highlights of these studies and their potential clinical implications are summarized in this review. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling in development and human diseases

PubMed Central

Wang, Richard N.; Green, Jordan; Wang, Zhongliang; Deng, Youlin; Qiao, Min; Peabody, Michael; Zhang, Qian; Ye, Jixing; Yan, Zhengjian; Denduluri, Sahitya; Idowu, Olumuyiwa; Li, Melissa; Shen, Christine; Hu, Alan; Haydon, Rex C.; Kang, Richard; Mok, James; Lee, Michael J.; Luu, Hue L.; Shi, Lewis L.

2014-01-01

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) are a group of signaling molecules that belongs to the Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of proteins. Initially discovered for their ability to induce bone formation, BMPs are now known to play crucial roles in all organ systems. BMPs are important in embryogenesis and development, and also in maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. Mouse knockout models of various components of the BMP signaling pathway result in embryonic lethality or marked defects, highlighting the essential functions of BMPs. In this review, we first outline the basic aspects of BMP signaling and then focus on genetically manipulated mouse knockout models that have helped elucidate the role of BMPs in development. A significant portion of this review is devoted to the prominent human pathologies associated with dysregulated BMP signaling. PMID:25401122

Strengthening research capacity through the medical education partnership initiative: the Mozambique experience

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Since Mozambique’s independence, the major emphasis of its higher educational institutions has been on didactic education. Because of fiscal and human resource constraints, basic and applied research activities have been relatively modest in scope, and priorities have often been set primarily by external collaborators. These factors have compromised the scope and the relevance of locally conducted research and have limited the impact of Mozambique’s universities as major catalysts for national development. Case description We developed a multi-institutional partnership to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the research environment at Mozambique’s major public universities to identify factors that have served as barriers to the development of a robust research enterprise. Based on this analysis, we developed a multifaceted plan to reduce the impact of these barriers and to enhance research capacity within Mozambique. Interventions On the basis of our needs assessment, we have implemented a number of major initiatives within participating institutions to facilitate basic and applied research activities. These have included specialized training programmes, a reorganization of the research administration infrastructure, the development of multiple collaborative research projects that have emphasized local research priorities and a substantial investment in bioinformatics. We have established a research support centre that provides grant development and management services to Mozambique’s public universities and have developed an independent Institutional Review Board for the review of research involving human research subjects. Multiple research projects involving both communicable and non-communicable diseases have been developed and substantial external research support has been obtained to undertake these projects. A sizable investment in biomedical informatics has enhanced both connectivity and access to digital reference material. Active engagement with relevant entities within the Government of Mozambique has aligned institutional development with national priorities. Conclusions Although multiple challenges remain, over the past 3 years significant progress has been made towards establishing conditions within which a broad range of basic, translational and clinical and public health research can be undertaken. Ongoing development of this research enterprise will enhance capacity to address critical locally relevant research questions and will leverage resources to accelerate the development of Mozambique’s national universities. PMID:24304706

Sexually Antagonistic Selection in Human Male Homosexuality

PubMed Central

Camperio Ciani, Andrea; Cermelli, Paolo; Zanzotto, Giovanni

2008-01-01

Several lines of evidence indicate the existence of genetic factors influencing male homosexuality and bisexuality. In spite of its relatively low frequency, the stable permanence in all human populations of this apparently detrimental trait constitutes a puzzling ‘Darwinian paradox’. Furthermore, several studies have pointed out relevant asymmetries in the distribution of both male homosexuality and of female fecundity in the parental lines of homosexual vs. heterosexual males. A number of hypotheses have attempted to give an evolutionary explanation for the long-standing persistence of this trait, and for its asymmetric distribution in family lines; however a satisfactory understanding of the population genetics of male homosexuality is lacking at present. We perform a systematic mathematical analysis of the propagation and equilibrium of the putative genetic factors for male homosexuality in the population, based on the selection equation for one or two diallelic loci and Bayesian statistics for pedigree investigation. We show that only the two-locus genetic model with at least one locus on the X chromosome, and in which gene expression is sexually antagonistic (increasing female fitness but decreasing male fitness), accounts for all known empirical data. Our results help clarify the basic evolutionary dynamics of male homosexuality, establishing this as a clearly ascertained sexually antagonistic human trait. PMID:18560521

Introduction to thematic minireview series: Development of human therapeutics based on induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology.

PubMed

Rao, Mahendra; Gottesfeld, Joel M

2014-02-21

With the advent of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology, it is now possible to derive patient-specific cell lines that are of great potential in both basic research and the development of new therapeutics for human diseases. Not only do hiPSCs offer unprecedented opportunities to study cellular differentiation and model human diseases, but the differentiated cell types obtained from iPSCs may become therapeutics themselves. These cells can also be used in the screening of therapeutics and in toxicology assays for potential liabilities of therapeutic agents. The remarkable achievement of transcription factor reprogramming to generate iPSCs was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Shinya Yamanaka in 2012, just 6 years after the first publication of reprogramming methods to generate hiPSCs (Takahashi, K., Tanabe, K., Ohnuki, M., Narita, M., Ichisaka, T., Tomoda, K., and Yamanaka, S. (2007) Cell 131, 861-872). This minireview series highlights both the promises and challenges of using iPSC technology for disease modeling, drug screening, and the development of stem cell therapeutics.

The history behind successful uterine transplantation in humans

PubMed Central

Castellón, Luis Arturo Ruvalcaba; Amador, Martha Isolina García; González, Roberto Enrique Díaz; Eduardo, Montoya Sarmiento Jorge; Díaz-García, César; Kvarnström, Niclas; Bränström, Mats

2017-01-01

This paper aimed to describe the basic aspects of uterine transplant (UTx) research in humans, including preliminary experiences in rodents and domestic species. Studies in rats, domestic species, and non-human primates validated and optimized the UTx procedure in terms of its surgical aspects, immunosuppression, rejection diagnosis, peculiarities of pregnancy in immunosuppressed patients, and patients with special uterine conditions. In animal species, the first live birth from UTx was achieved in a syngeneic mouse model in 2003. Twenty-five UTx procedures have been performed in humans. The first two cases were unsuccessful, but established the need for rigorous research to improve success rates. As a result of a controlled clinical study under a strictly designed research protocol, nine subsequent UTx procedures have resulted in six healthy live births, the first of them in 2014. Further failed UTx procedures have been performed in China, Czech Republic, Brazil, Germany, and the United States, most of which using living donors. Albeit still an experimental procedure in, UTx is the first potential alternative for the treatment of absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI). PMID:28609280

Scaling Pharmacodynamics from In Vitro and Preclinical Animal Studies to Humans

PubMed Central

Mager, Donald E.; Woo, Sukyung; Jusko, William J.

2013-01-01

Summary An important feature of mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models is the identification of drug- and system-specific factors that determine the intensity and time-course of pharmacological effects. This provides an opportunity to integrate information obtained from in vitro bioassays and preclinical pharmacological studies in animals to anticipate the clinical and adverse responses to drugs in humans. The fact that contemporary PK/PD modeling continues to evolve and seeks to emulate systems level properties should provide enhanced capabilities to scale-up pharmacodynamic data. Critical steps in drug discovery and development, such as lead compound and first in human dose selection, may become more efficient with the implementation and further refinement of translational PK/PD modeling. In this review, we highlight fundamental principles in pharmacodynamics and the basic expectations for in vitro bioassays and traditional allometric scaling in PK/PD modeling. Discussion of PK/PD modeling efforts for recombinant human erythropoietin is also included as a case study showing the potential for advanced systems analysis to facilitate extrapolations and improve understanding of inter-species differences in drug responses. PMID:19252333

National Institutes of Health funding for behavioral interventions to prevent chronic diseases.

PubMed

Calitz, Chris; Pollack, Keshia M; Millard, Chris; Yach, Derek

2015-04-01

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause the majority of premature deaths, disability, and healthcare expenditures in the U.S. Six largely modifiable risk behaviors and factors (tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and poor mental health) account for more than 50% of premature mortality and considerably more morbidity and disability. The IOM proposed that population burden of disease and preventability should be major determinants of the amount of research funding provided by the U.S. NIH. Data on NIH prevention funding between fiscal years 2010 and 2012 for human behavioral interventions that target the modifiable risk factors of NCDs were analyzed during 2013-2014. The NIH prevention portfolio comprises approximately 37% human behavioral studies and 63% basic biomedical, genetic, and animal studies. Approximately 65% of studies were secondary prevention versus 23% for primary prevention, and 71% of studies intervened at the individual and family levels. Diet and exercise were the most-studied risk factors (41%), and few studies conducted economic analyses (12%). NIH spends an estimated $2.2-$2.6 billion annually (7%-9% of the total of $30 billion) on human behavioral interventions to prevent NCDs. Although NIH prevention funding broadly aligns with the current burden of disease, overall funding remains low compared to funding for treatment, which suggests funding misalignment with the preventability of chronic diseases. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated Medical Curriculum: Advantages and Disadvantages

PubMed Central

Quintero, Gustavo A.; Vergel, John; Arredondo, Martha; Ariza, María-Cristina; Gómez, Paula; Pinzon-Barrios, Ana-Maria

2016-01-01

Most curricula for medical education have been integrated horizontally and vertically–-vertically between basic and clinical sciences. The Flexnerian curriculum has disappeared to permit integration between basic sciences and clinical sciences, which are taught throughout the curriculum. We have proposed a different form of integration where the horizontal axis represents the defined learning outcomes and the vertical axis represents the teaching of the sciences throughout the courses. We believe that a mere integration of basic and clinical sciences is not enough because it is necessary to emphasize the importance of humanism as well as health population sciences in medicine. It is necessary to integrate basic and clinical sciences, humanism, and health population in the vertical axis, not only in the early years but also throughout the curriculum, presupposing the use of active teaching methods based on problems or cases in small groups. PMID:29349303

Chemopreventive properties of 3,3′-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies

PubMed Central

Ho, Emily; Strom, Meghan B.

2016-01-01

Diet is a modifiable factor associated with the risk of several cancers, with convincing evidence showing a link between diet and breast cancer. The role of bioactive compounds of food origin, including those found in cruciferous vegetables, is an active area of research in cancer chemoprevention. This review focuses on 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), the major bioactive indole in crucifers. Research of the cancer-preventive activity of DIM has yielded basic mechanistic, animal, and human trial data. Further, this body of evidence is largely supported by observational studies. Bioactive DIM has demonstrated chemopreventive activity in all stages of breast cancer carcinogenesis. This review describes current evidence related to the metabolism and mechanisms of DIM involved in the prevention of breast cancer. Importantly, this review also focuses on current evidence from human observational and intervention trials that have contributed to a greater understanding of exposure estimates that will inform recommendations for DIM intake. PMID:27261275

The Public Health Service guidelines. Governing research involving human subjects: An analysis of the policy-making process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frankel, M. S.

1972-01-01

The policy making process which led to development of the Public Health Service Guidelines governing research involving human subjects is outlined. Part 1 examines the evolution of PHS Guidelines, tracing (1) evolution of thought and legal interpretation regarding research using human subjects; (2) initial involvement of the Federal government; (3) development of the government's research program; (4) the social-political environment in which formal government policy was developed; and (5) various policy statements issued by the government. Part 2 analyzes the process by which PHS Guidelines were developed and examines the values and other underlying factors which contributed to their development. It was concluded that the evolution of the Guidelines is best understood within the context of a mixed-scanning strategy. In such a strategy, policy makers make fundamental decisions regarding the basic direction of policy and subsequent decisions are made incrementally and within the contexts set by the original fundamental decisions.

Splicing predictions reliably classify different types of alternative splicing

PubMed Central

Busch, Anke; Hertel, Klemens J.

2015-01-01

Alternative splicing is a key player in the creation of complex mammalian transcriptomes and its misregulation is associated with many human diseases. Multiple mRNA isoforms are generated from most human genes, a process mediated by the interplay of various RNA signature elements and trans-acting factors that guide spliceosomal assembly and intron removal. Here, we introduce a splicing predictor that evaluates hundreds of RNA features simultaneously to successfully differentiate between exons that are constitutively spliced, exons that undergo alternative 5′ or 3′ splice-site selection, and alternative cassette-type exons. Surprisingly, the splicing predictor did not feature strong discriminatory contributions from binding sites for known splicing regulators. Rather, the ability of an exon to be involved in one or multiple types of alternative splicing is dictated by its immediate sequence context, mainly driven by the identity of the exon's splice sites, the conservation around them, and its exon/intron architecture. Thus, the splicing behavior of human exons can be reliably predicted based on basic RNA sequence elements. PMID:25805853

Ecology and distribution of Bulinus truncatus in the Middle East

PubMed Central

Watson, J. M.

1958-01-01

The author gives a comprehensive account of the present status of knowledge regarding the ecology and distribution of Bulinus truncatus, the intermediate host of Schistosoma haematobium in the Middle East and North Africa. He discusses in detail the types of habitat favoured by this snail, its life-cycle and seasonal variations in its populations, the effect of ecological factors on its distribution and occurrence, and the relationship between its control and its bionomics, stressing the many aspects of these subjects that require further investigation and suggesting lines for future research. In addition, the author outlines briefly the effect of some human activities (for example, extension of irrigation and agriculture), in their relationship to the snail host, on the incidence of bilharziasis haematobia in the Middle East and Africa. He concludes the paper with a summary of the three basic needs in respect of bilharziasis control: ecological research; prevention of pollution of waters with human excrement; and avoidance of human contact with infective water. PMID:13573115

Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus: A Model of NF-κB-Associated Tumorigenesis

PubMed Central

Qu, Zhaoxia; Xiao, Gutian

2011-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), whereas the highly related HTLV-2 is not associated with ATL or other cancers. In addition to ATL leukemogenesis, studies of the HTLV viruses also provide an exceptional model for understanding basic pathogenic mechanisms of virus-host interactions and human oncogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the viral regulatory protein Tax and host inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB are largely responsible for the different pathogenic potentials of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of HTLV-1 oncogenic pathogenesis with a focus on the interplay between the Tax oncoprotein and NF-κB pro-oncogenic signaling. We also outline some of the most intriguing and outstanding questions in the fields of HTLV and NF-κB. Answers to those questions will greatly advance our understanding of ATL leukemogenesis and other NF-κB-associated tumorigenesis and will help us design personalized cancer therapies. PMID:21743832

Transcription factors in pancreatic development. Animal models.

PubMed

Martin, Merce; Hauer, Viviane; Messmer, Mélanie; Orvain, Christophe; Gradwohl, Gérard

2007-01-01

Through the analysis of genetically modified mice a hierarchy of transcription factors regulating pancreas specification, endocrine destiny as well as endocrine subtype specification and differentiation has been established. In addition to conventional approaches such as transgenic technologies and gene targeting, recombinase fate mapping in mice has been key in establishing the lineage relationship between progenitor cells and their progeny in understanding pancreas formation. Moreover, the design of specific mouse models to conditionally express transcription factors in different populations of progenitor cells has revealed to what extent transcription factors required for islet cell development are also sufficient to induce endocrine differentiation and the importance of the competence of progenitor cells to respond to the genetic program implemented by these factors. Taking advantage of this basic science knowledge acquired in rodents, immature insulin-producing cells have recently been differentiated in vitro from human embryonic stem cells. Taken together these major advances emphasize the need to gain further in-depth knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling beta-cell differentiation in mice to generate functional beta-cells in the future that could be used for cell therapy in diabetes.

[Vulnerations of Human Dignity At The End of Life].

PubMed

Germán Zurriaráin, Roberto

2017-01-01

Death is constitutive of human nature and therefore it must happen naturally. But there are mainly two ways that falsify it: euthanasia and therapeutic obstinacy. Two wrong choices that do not accept the human reality of death (the first, anticipates death and the second, delays it). From the philosophical and ethical point of view, both options are rejected, because they are against human dignity at the end of life. Aside from these, this article also rejects the different names which are given to refer to euthanasia, that also go against human nature at the end of life. On the other hand, do not confuse euthanasia with sedation. Both have a common goal to prevent the patient from feeling pain and suffering. To achieve this goal, both options administer ″drugs″ to the patient. But in the administration of drugs in euthanasia involves ending patient's life. The administration of drugs in sedation aims for the patient's death to occur naturally. Finally, we briefly discuss the basic care necessary in these situations. The absence of basic care cannot become a covert euthanasia. The patient must die from his/her illness, never from a lack of care. All human actions (euthanasia, sedation, therapeutic obstinacy and basic care) should be an expression and manifestation of what human dignity demands. Such dignity is expressed in the actions performed by human beings.

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor Gene Family Phylogenetics and Nomenclature

PubMed Central

Skinner, Michael K.; Rawls, Alan; Wilson-Rawls, Jeanne; Roalson, Eric H.

2010-01-01

A phylogenetic analysis of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene superfamily was performed using seven different species (human, mouse, rat, worm, fly, yeast, and plant Arabidopsis) and involving over 600 bHLH genes [1]. All bHLH genes were identified in the genomes of the various species, including expressed sequence tags, and the entire coding sequence was used in the analysis. Nearly 15% of the gene family has been updated or added since the original publication. A super-tree involving six clades and all structural relationships was established and is now presented for four of the species. The wealth of functional data available for members of the bHLH gene superfamily provides us with the opportunity to use this exhaustive phylogenetic tree to predict potential functions of uncharacterized members of the family. This phylogenetic and genomic analysis of the bHLH gene family has revealed unique elements of the evolution and functional relationships of the different genes in the bHLH gene family. PMID:20219281

A Malaria Transmission Model with Temperature-Dependent Incubation Period.

PubMed

Wang, Xiunan; Zhao, Xiao-Qiang

2017-05-01

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and is transmitted among humans by female Anopheles mosquitoes. Climate factors have significant impact on both mosquito life cycle and parasite development. To consider the temperature sensitivity of the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) of malaria parasites, we formulate a delay differential equations model with a periodic time delay. We derive the basic reproduction ratio [Formula: see text] and establish a threshold type result on the global dynamics in terms of [Formula: see text], that is, the unique disease-free periodic solution is globally asymptotically stable if [Formula: see text]; and the model system admits a unique positive periodic solution which is globally asymptotically stable if [Formula: see text]. Numerically, we parameterize the model with data from Maputo Province, Mozambique, and simulate the long-term behavior of solutions. The simulation result is consistent with the obtained analytic result. In addition, we find that using the time-averaged EIP may underestimate the basic reproduction ratio.

From the basics to application of cell therapy, a steppingstone to the conquest of neurodegeneration: a meeting report.

PubMed

Park, Dong-Hyuk; Eve, David J; Borlongan, Cesario V; Klasko, Stephen K; Cruz, L Eduardo; Sanberg, Paul R

2009-02-01

The annual meeting of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair (ASNTR) showcases the latest research trends in neurodegenerative disease and the related medical regenerative science. The 2008 ASNTR meeting covered a variety of different topics ranging from basic research to exploration of currently unknown pathogenesis and mechanisms for specific neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, or stroke. This included studies to characterize stem cells, such as neural stem cells, embryonic stem cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and human umbilical cord blood cells, for transplantation and the conditions necessary to maximize the efficacy of endogenous and exogenous stem cells, such as isolation, purification, differentiation, and migration. Moreover, a number of studies looked at methods for more advanced application of transplantation of cells or specific factors, through tissue engineering or manipulation beyond simple injection. Finally, well-known or previously un-known dietary supplementation or pharmacological materials that can affect the nervous system positively or negatively, were also important topics.

Basic fibroblast growth factor protects against influenza A virus-induced acute lung injury by recruiting neutrophils.

PubMed

Wang, Keyu; Lai, Chengcai; Li, Tieling; Wang, Cheng; Wang, Wei; Ni, Bing; Bai, Changqing; Zhang, Shaogeng; Han, Lina; Gu, Hongjing; Zhao, Zhongpeng; Duan, Yueqiang; Yang, Xiaolan; Xing, Li; Zhao, Lingna; Zhou, Shanshan; Xia, Min; Jiang, Chengyu; Wang, Xiliang; Yang, Penghui

2017-11-07

Influenza virus (IAV) infection is a major cause of severe respiratory illness that affects almost every country in the world. IAV infections result in respiratory illness and even acute lung injury and death, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for IAV pathogenesis have not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, the basic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) level was markedly increased in H1N1 virus-infected humans and mice. FGF2, which is predominately derived from epithelial cells, recruits and activates neutrophils via the FGFR2-PI3K-AKT-NFκB signaling pathway. FGF2 depletion or knockout exacerbated influenza-associated disease by impairing neutrophil recruitment and activation. More importantly, administration of the recombinant FGF2 protein significantly alleviated the severity of IAV-induced lung injury and promoted the survival of IAV-infected mice. Based on the results from experiments in which neutrophils were depleted and adoptively transferred, FGF2 protected mice against IAV infection by recruiting neutrophils. Thus, FGF2 plays a critical role in preventing IAV-induced lung injury, and FGF2 is a promising potential therapeutic target during IAV infection. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, IBCB, SIBS, CAS. All rights reserved.

Basic Concepts in Molecular Biology Related to Genetics and Epigenetics.

PubMed

Corella, Dolores; Ordovas, Jose M

2017-09-01

The observation that "one size does not fit all" for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, among other diseases, has driven the concept of precision medicine. The goal of precision medicine is to provide the best-targeted interventions tailored to an individual's genome. The human genome is composed of billions of sequence arrangements containing a code that controls how genes are expressed. This code depends on other nonstatic regulators that surround the DNA and constitute the epigenome. Moreover, environmental factors also play an important role in this complex regulation. This review provides a general perspective on the basic concepts of molecular biology related to genetics and epigenetics and a glossary of key terms. Several examples are given of polymorphisms and genetic risk scores related to cardiovascular risk. Likewise, an overview is presented of the main epigenetic regulators, including DNA methylation, methylcytosine-phosphate-guanine-binding proteins, histone modifications, other histone regulations, micro-RNA effects, and additional emerging regulators. One of the greatest challenges is to understand how environmental factors (diet, physical activity, smoking, etc.) could alter the epigenome, resulting in healthy or unhealthy cardiovascular phenotypes. We discuss some gene-environment interactions and provide a methodological overview. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Health care units and human resources management trends.

PubMed

André, Adriana Maria; Ciampone, Maria Helena Trench; Santelle, Odete

2013-02-01

To identify factors producing new trends in basic health care unit management and changes in management models. This was a prospective study with ten health care unit managers and ten specialists in the field of Health in São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2010. The Delphi methodology was adopted. There were four stages of data collection, three quantitative and the fourth qualitative. The first three rounds dealt with changing trends in management models, manager profiles and required competencies, and the Mann-Whitney test was used in the analysis. The fourth round took the form of a panel of those involved, using thematic analysis. The main factors which are driving change in basic health care units were identified, as were changes in management models. There was consensus that this process is influenced by the difficulties in managing teams and by politics. The managers were found to be up-to-date with trends in the wider context, with the arrival of social health organizations, but they are not yet anticipating these within the institutions. Not only the content, but the professional development aspect of training courses in this area should be reviewed. Selection and recruitment, training and assessment of these professionals should be guided by these competencies aligned to the health service mission, vision, values and management models.

Designing Oversight for Nanomedicine Research in Human Subjects: Systematic Analysis of Exceptional Oversight for Emerging Technologies

PubMed Central

Wolf, Susan M.; Jones, Cortney

2012-01-01

The basic procedures and rules for oversight of U.S. human subjects research have been in place since 1981. Certain types of human subjects research, however, have provoked creation of additional mechanisms and rules beyond the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Common Rule and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) equivalent. Now another emerging domain of human subjects research—nanomedicine—is prompting calls for extra oversight. However, in 30 years of overseeing research on human beings, we have yet to specify what makes a domain of scientific research warrant extra oversight. This failure to systematically evaluate the need for extra measures, the type of extra measures appropriate for different challenges, and the usefulness of those measures hampers efforts to respond appropriately to emerging science such as nanomedicine. This article evaluates the history of extra oversight, extracting lessons for oversight of nanomedicine research in human beings. We argue that a confluence of factors supports the need for extra oversight, including heightened uncertainty regarding risks, fast-evolving science yielding complex and increasingly active materials, likelihood of research on vulnerable participants including cancer patients, and potential risks to others beyond the research participant. We suggest the essential elements of the extra oversight needed. PMID:23226969

The role of domestication and experience in 'looking back' towards humans in an unsolvable task.

PubMed

Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Rao, Akshay; Virányi, Zsófia; Range, Friederike

2017-04-19

A key element thought to have changed during domestication is dogs' propensity to communicate with humans, particularly their inclination to gaze at them. A classic test to measure this is the 'unsolvable task', where after repeated successes in obtaining a reward by object-manipulation, the animal is confronted with an unsolvable version of the task. 'Looking back' at humans has been considered an expression of dogs seeking help. While it occurs more in dogs than in socialized wolves, the level of exposure to human communication also appears to play a role. We tested similarly raised adult wolves and mixed breed dogs, pet dogs and free-ranging dogs. Unlike previous studies, as well as species and levels of socialization, we included 'persistence' in trying to solve the task as a potential explanatory factor. Wolves were more persistent than all dog groups. Regardless of socialization or species, less persistent animals looked back sooner and longer. Free-ranging dogs, despite little exposure to dog-human communication, behaved similarly to other dogs. Together, results suggest that basic wolf-dog differences in motivation and exploration may override differences in human-directed behaviour when animals are equally socialized, and that once the human is considered a social partner, looking behaviour occurs easily.

Designing oversight for nanomedicine research in human subjects: systematic analysis of exceptional oversight for emerging technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Susan M.; Jones, Cortney M.

2011-04-01

The basic procedures and rules for oversight of U.S. human subjects research have been in place since 1981. Certain types of human subjects research, however, have provoked creation of additional mechanisms and rules beyond the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Common Rule and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) equivalent. Now another emerging domain of human subjects research—nanomedicine—is prompting calls for extra oversight. However, in 30 years of overseeing research on human beings, we have yet to specify what makes a domain of scientific research warrant extra oversight. This failure to systematically evaluate the need for extra measures, the type of extra measures appropriate for different challenges, and the usefulness of those measures hampers efforts to respond appropriately to emerging science such as nanomedicine. This article evaluates the history of extra oversight, extracting lessons for oversight of nanomedicine research in human beings. We argue that a confluence of factors supports the need for extra oversight, including heightened uncertainty regarding risks, fast-evolving science yielding complex and increasingly active materials, likelihood of research on vulnerable participants including cancer patients, and potential risks to others beyond the research participant. We suggest the essential elements of the extra oversight needed.

The role of domestication and experience in ‘looking back’ towards humans in an unsolvable task

PubMed Central

Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Rao, Akshay; Virányi, Zsófia; Range, Friederike

2017-01-01

A key element thought to have changed during domestication is dogs’ propensity to communicate with humans, particularly their inclination to gaze at them. A classic test to measure this is the ‘unsolvable task’, where after repeated successes in obtaining a reward by object-manipulation, the animal is confronted with an unsolvable version of the task. ‘Looking back’ at humans has been considered an expression of dogs seeking help. While it occurs more in dogs than in socialized wolves, the level of exposure to human communication also appears to play a role. We tested similarly raised adult wolves and mixed breed dogs, pet dogs and free-ranging dogs. Unlike previous studies, as well as species and levels of socialization, we included ‘persistence’ in trying to solve the task as a potential explanatory factor. Wolves were more persistent than all dog groups. Regardless of socialization or species, less persistent animals looked back sooner and longer. Free-ranging dogs, despite little exposure to dog-human communication, behaved similarly to other dogs. Together, results suggest that basic wolf-dog differences in motivation and exploration may override differences in human-directed behaviour when animals are equally socialized, and that once the human is considered a social partner, looking behaviour occurs easily. PMID:28422169

Understanding Human Error in Naval Aviation Mishaps.

PubMed

Miranda, Andrew T

2018-04-01

To better understand the external factors that influence the performance and decisions of aviators involved in Naval aviation mishaps. Mishaps in complex activities, ranging from aviation to nuclear power operations, are often the result of interactions between multiple components within an organization. The Naval aviation mishap database contains relevant information, both in quantitative statistics and qualitative reports, that permits analysis of such interactions to identify how the working atmosphere influences aviator performance and judgment. Results from 95 severe Naval aviation mishaps that occurred from 2011 through 2016 were analyzed using Bayes' theorem probability formula. Then a content analysis was performed on a subset of relevant mishap reports. Out of the 14 latent factors analyzed, the Bayes' application identified 6 that impacted specific aspects of aviator behavior during mishaps. Technological environment, misperceptions, and mental awareness impacted basic aviation skills. The remaining 3 factors were used to inform a content analysis of the contextual information within mishap reports. Teamwork failures were the result of plan continuation aggravated by diffused responsibility. Resource limitations and risk management deficiencies impacted judgments made by squadron commanders. The application of Bayes' theorem to historical mishap data revealed the role of latent factors within Naval aviation mishaps. Teamwork failures were seen to be considerably damaging to both aviator skill and judgment. Both the methods and findings have direct application for organizations interested in understanding the relationships between external factors and human error. It presents real-world evidence to promote effective safety decisions.

Protective role of vitamin E preconditioning of human dermal fibroblasts against thermal stress in vitro.

PubMed

Butt, Hira; Mehmood, Azra; Ali, Muhammad; Tasneem, Saba; Anjum, Muhammad Sohail; Tarar, Moazzam N; Khan, Shaheen N; Riazuddin, Sheikh

2017-09-01

Oxidative microenvironment of burnt skin restricts the outcome of cell based therapies of thermal skin injuries. The aim of this study was to precondition human dermal fibroblasts with an antioxidant such as vitamin E to improve their survival and therapeutic abilities in heat induced oxidative in vitro environment. Fibroblasts were treated with 100μM vitamin E for 24h at 37°C followed by heat shock for 10min at 51°C in fresh serum free medium. Preconditioning with vitamin E reduced cell injury as demonstrated by decreased expression of annexin-V, cytochrome p450 (CYP450) mediated oxidative reactions, senescence and release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) accomplished by down-regulated expression of pro-apoptotic BAX gene. Vitamin E preconditioned cells exhibited remarkable improvement in cell viability, release of paracrine factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), stromal derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1α) and also showed significantly up-regulated levels of PCNA, VEGF, BCL-XL, FGF7, FGF23, FLNβ and Col7α genes presumably through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt pathway. The results suggest that pretreatment of fibroblasts with vitamin E prior to transplantation in burnt skin speeds up the wound healing process by improving the antioxidant scavenging responses in oxidative environment of transplanted burn wounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a Fully Human Anti-PDGFRβ Antibody That Suppresses Growth of Human Tumor Xenografts and Enhances Antitumor Activity of an Anti-VEGFR2 Antibody

PubMed Central

Shen, Juqun; Vil, Marie Danielle; Prewett, Marie; Damoci, Chris; Zhang, Haifan; Li, Huiling; Jimenez, Xenia; Deevi, Dhanvanthri S; Iacolina, Michelle; Kayas, Anthony; Bassi, Rajiv; Persaud, Kris; Rohoza-Asandi, Anna; Balderes, Paul; Loizos, Nick; Ludwig, Dale L; Tonra, James; Witte, Larry; Zhu, Zhenping

2009-01-01

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) is upregulated in most of solid tumors. It is expressed by pericytes/smooth muscle cells, fibroblast, macrophage, and certain tumor cells. Several PDGF receptor-related antagonists are being developed as potential antitumor agents and have demonstrated promising antitumor activity in both preclinical and clinical settings. Here, we produced a fully human neutralizing antibody, IMC-2C5, directed against PDGFRβ from an antibody phage display library. IMC-2C5 binds to both human and mouse PDGFRβ and blocks PDGF-B from binding to the receptor. IMC-2C5 also blocks ligand-stimulated activation of PDGFRβ and downstream signaling molecules in tumor cells. In animal studies, IMC-2C5 significantly delayed the growth of OVCAR-8 and NCI-H460 human tumor xenografts in nude mice but failed to show antitumor activities in OVCAR-5 and Caki-1 xenografts. Our results indicate that the antitumor efficacy of IMC-2C5 is primarily due to its effects on tumor stroma, rather than on tumor cells directly. Combination of IMC-2C5 and DC101, an anti-mouse vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody, resulted in significantly enhanced antitumor activity in BxPC-3, NCI-H460, and HCT-116 xenografts, compared with DC101 alone, and the trend of additive effects to DC101 treatment in several other tumor models. ELISA analysis of NCI-H460 tumor homogenates showed that IMC-2C5 attenuated protein level of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor elevated by DC101 treatment. Finally, IMC-2C5 showed a trend of additive effects when combined with DC101/chemotherapy in MIA-PaCa-2 and NCI-H460 models. Taken together, these results lend great support to the use of PDGFRβ antagonists in combination with other antiangiogenic agents in the treatment of a broad range of human cancers. PMID:19484148

45 CFR 46.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... involving human subjects. 46.119 Section 46.119 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects § 46.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects. In the event...

40 CFR 26.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... intention of involving human subjects. 26.119 Section 26.119 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic EPA Policy for Protection of Subjects in Human... human subjects. In the event research is undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects...

45 CFR 46.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... involving human subjects. 46.119 Section 46.119 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects § 46.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects. In the event...

40 CFR 26.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... intention of involving human subjects. 26.119 Section 26.119 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic EPA Policy for Protection of Subjects in Human... human subjects. In the event research is undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects...

40 CFR 26.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... intention of involving human subjects. 26.119 Section 26.119 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic EPA Policy for Protection of Subjects in Human... human subjects. In the event research is undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects...

45 CFR 46.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... involving human subjects. 46.119 Section 46.119 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects § 46.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects. In the event...

45 CFR 46.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... involving human subjects. 46.119 Section 46.119 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects § 46.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects. In the event...

40 CFR 26.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... intention of involving human subjects. 26.119 Section 26.119 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic EPA Policy for Protection of Subjects in Human... human subjects. In the event research is undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects...

Redundancy in the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Alice E.

1981-01-01

A factor analysis was performed for two levels of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). Results showed that there was essentially one common factor with little evidence that the user would gain much nonredundant information from the 15 scores yielded by the ITBS. (Author/GK)

A Primer of Human Development for Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Richard L.

1985-01-01

Presents the basic principles and dichotomies underlying human development theories and describe three contemporary approaches to human development: behaviorism, maturationism, and structuralism. Illustrates how different theories are applied to counseling practice. (MCF)

Regenerating the human heart: direct reprogramming strategies and their current limitations.

PubMed

Ghiroldi, Andrea; Piccoli, Marco; Ciconte, Giuseppe; Pappone, Carlo; Anastasia, Luigi

2017-10-27

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the Western world. Unfortunately, current therapies are often only palliative, consequently essentially making heart transplantation necessary for many patients. However, several novel therapeutic approaches in the past two decades have yielded quite encouraging results. The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells, through the forced expression of stem cell-specific transcription factors, has inspired the most promising strategies for heart regeneration by direct reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into functional cardiomyocytes. Initial attempts at this reprogramming were conducted using a similar approach to the one used with transcription factors, but during years, novel strategies have been tested, e.g., miRNAs, recombinant proteins and chemical molecules. Although preliminary results on animal models are promising, the low reprogramming efficiency, as well as the incomplete maturation of the cardiomyocytes, still represents important obstacles. This review covers direct transdifferentiation strategies that have been proposed and developed and illustrates the pros and cons of each approach. Indeed, as described in the manuscript, there are still many unanswered questions and drawbacks that require a better understanding of the basic signaling pathways and transcription factor networks before functional cells, suitable for cardiac regeneration and safe for the patients, can be generated and used for human therapies.

Efficient delivery to human lung fibroblasts (WI-38) of pirfenidone incorporated into liposomes modified with truncated basic fibroblast growth factor and its inhibitory effect on collagen synthesis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

PubMed

Togami, Kohei; Miyao, Aki; Miyakoshi, Kei; Kanehira, Yukimune; Tada, Hitoshi; Chono, Sumio

2015-01-01

In the present in vitro study, we assessed the delivery of pirfenidone incorporated into liposomes modified with truncated basic fibroblast growth factor (tbFGF) to lung fibroblasts and investigated the anti-fibrotic effect of the drug. The tbFGF peptide, KRTGQYKLC, was used to modify the surface of liposomes (tbFGF-liposomes). We used the thin-layer evaporation method, followed by sonication, to prepare tbFGF-liposomes containing pirfenidone. The cellular accumulation of tbFGF-liposomes was 1.7-fold greater than that of non-modified liposomes in WI-38 cells used as a model of lung fibroblasts. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that tbFGF-liposomes were widely localized in WI-38 cells. The inhibitory effects of pirfenidone incorporated into tbFGF-liposomes on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced collagen synthesis in WI-38 cells were evaluated by measuring the level of intracellular hydroxyproline, a major component of the protein collagen. Pirfenidone incorporated into tbFGF-liposomes at concentrations of 10, 30, and 100 µM significantly decreased the TGF-β1-induced hydroxyproline content in WI-38 cells. The anti-fibrotic effect of pirfenidone incorporated into tbFGF-liposomes was enhanced compared with that of pirfenidone solution. These results indicate that tbFGF-liposomes are a useful drug delivery system of anti-fibrotic drugs to lung fibroblasts for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

ROLE OF CONTROLLABILITY FOR LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Successful implementation of sustainability ideas in ecosystem management requires a basic understanding of the often nonlinear and nonintuitive relationships among different dimensions of sustainability, particularly the system-wide implications of human actions. This basic unde...

Multi-agent modeling and simulation of farmland use change in the farming-pastoral zone: A case study of Qianjingou Town in Inner Mongolia, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, H.

2015-12-01

Farmland is the most basic material conditions for guaranteeing rural livelihoods and national food security, and exploring management strategies that take both of the sustainable rural livelihoods and sustainable farmland use into account has vital significance of theory and practice. Farmland is a complex and self-adaptive system that couples human and natural systems together, and natural factors and social factors that are related to its changing process need to be considered when modeling farmland changing process. This paper takes Qianjingou Town in Inner Mongolia farming-pastoral zone as study area. From the perspective of the relationship between households' livelihoods and farmland use, this study builds the process mechanism of farmland use change based on questionnaires data, and constructs multi-agent simulation model of farmland use change with the help of Eclipse and Repast toolbox. Through simulating the relationship between natural factors (with geographical location) and households' behaviors, this paper systematically simulates households' renting and abandoning farmland behaviors, and truly describes dynamic interactions between households' livelihoods and factors related to farmland use change. These factors include natural factors (net primary productivity, road accessibility, slope and relief amplitude) and social factors (households' family structures, economic development and government policies). In the end, this study scientifically predicts farmland use change trend in the future 30 years. The simulation results show that, the number of abandoned and sublet farmland plots has a gradually increasing trend, the number of non-farm households and pure-outwork households has a remarkable increasing trend, and the number of part-farm households and pure-farm households shows a decreasing trend. Households' livelihoods sustainability in the study area is confronted with increasing pressure, and households' nonfarm employment has an increasing trend, while regional appropriate-scale agricultural management can be maintained. The research results establish the theory foundation and basic method for developing sustainable farmland use managements that can both meet households' willing and guarantee grain and ecology security.

Spontaneous ultraweak photon emission from biological systems and the endogenous light field.

PubMed

Schwabl, Herbert; Klima, Herbert

2005-04-01

Still one of the most astonishing biological electromagnetic phenomena is the ultraweak photon emission (UPE) from living systems. Organisms and tissues spontaneously emit measurable intensities of light, i.e. photons in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum (380-780 nm), in the range from 1 to 1,000 photons x s-1 x cm-2, depending on their condition and vitality. It is important not to confuse UPE from living systems with other biogenic light emitting processes such as bioluminescence or chemiluminescence. This article examines with basic considerations from physics on the quantum nature of photons the empirical phenomenon of UPE. This leads to the description of the non-thermal origin of this radiation. This is in good correspondence with the modern understanding of life phenomena as dissipative processes far from thermodynamic equilibrium. UPE also supports the understanding of life sustaining processes as basically driven by electromagnetic fields. The basic features of UPE, like intensity and spectral distribution, are known in principle for many experimental situations. The UPE of human leukocytes contributes to an endogenous light field of about 1011 photons x s-1 which can be influenced by certain factors. Further research is needed to reveal the statistical properties of UPE and in consequence to answer questions about the underlying mechanics of the biological system. In principle, statistical properties of UPE allow to reconstruct phase-space dynamics of the light emitting structures. Many open questions remain until a proper understanding of the electromagnetic interaction of the human organism can be achieved: which structures act as receptors and emitters for electromagnetic radiation? How is electromagnetic information received and processed within cells?

Injection Molding Parameters Calculations by Using Visual Basic (VB) Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tony, B. Jain A. R.; Karthikeyen, S.; Alex, B. Jeslin A. R.; Hasan, Z. Jahid Ali

2018-03-01

Now a day’s manufacturing industry plays a vital role in production sectors. To fabricate a component lot of design calculation has to be done. There is a chance of human errors occurs during design calculations. The aim of this project is to create a special module using visual basic (VB) programming to calculate injection molding parameters to avoid human errors. To create an injection mold for a spur gear component the following parameters have to be calculated such as Cooling Capacity, Cooling Channel Diameter, and Cooling Channel Length, Runner Length and Runner Diameter, Gate Diameter and Gate Pressure. To calculate the above injection molding parameters a separate module has been created using Visual Basic (VB) Programming to reduce the human errors. The outcome of the module dimensions is the injection molding components such as mold cavity and core design, ejector plate design.

Maintenance of CO2 level in a BLSS by controlling solid waste treatment unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Yingying; Li, Leyuan; Liu, Hong; Fu, Yuming; Xie, Beizhen; Hu, Dawei; Liu, Dianlei; Dong, Chen; Liu, Guanghui

A bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) is an artificial closed ecosystem for providing basic human life support for long-duration, far-distance space explorations such as lunar bases. In such a system, the circulation of gases is one of the main factor for realizing a higher closure degree. O2 produced by higher plants goes to humans, as well as microorganisms for the treatment of inedible plant biomass and human wastes; CO2 produced by the crew and microorganisms is provided for plant growth. During this process, an excessively high CO2 level will depress plant growth and may be harmful to human health; and if the CO2 level is too low, plant growth will also be affected. Thus, keeping the balance between CO2 and O2 levels is a crucial problem. In this study, a high-efficiency, controllable solid waste treatment unit is constructed, which adopts microbial fermentation of the mixture of inedible biomass and human wastes. CO2 production during the fermentation process is controlled by adjusting fermentation temperature, aeration rate, moisture, etc., so as to meet the CO2 requirement of plants

Human and Animal Dirofilariasis: the Emergence of a Zoonotic Mosaic

PubMed Central

Siles-Lucas, Mar; Morchón, Rodrigo; González-Miguel, Javier; Mellado, Isabel; Carretón, Elena; Montoya-Alonso, Jose Alberto

2012-01-01

Summary: Dirofilariasis represents a zoonotic mosaic, which includes two main filarial species (Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens) that have adapted to canine, feline, and human hosts with distinct biological and clinical implications. At the same time, both D. immitis and D. repens are themselves hosts to symbiotic bacteria of the genus Wolbachia, the study of which has resulted in a profound shift in the understanding of filarial biology, the mechanisms of the pathologies that they produce in their hosts, and issues related to dirofilariasis treatment. Moreover, because dirofilariasis is a vector-borne transmitted disease, their distribution and infection rates have undergone significant modifications influenced by global climate change. Despite advances in our knowledge of D. immitis and D. repens and the pathologies that they inflict on different hosts, there are still many unknown aspects of dirofilariasis. This review is focused on human and animal dirofilariasis, including the basic morphology, biology, protein composition, and metabolism of Dirofilaria species; the climate and human behavioral factors that influence distribution dynamics; the disease pathology; the host-parasite relationship; the mechanisms involved in parasite survival; the immune response and pathogenesis; and the clinical management of human and animal infections. PMID:22763636

Prevalence and genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in China.

PubMed

Wang, Sha-Sha; Wang, Rong-Jun; Fan, Xian-Cheng; Liu, Ting-Li; Zhang, Long-Xian; Zhao, Guang-Hui

2018-07-01

Enterocytozoon bieneusi has been considered as the most frequently diagnosed microsporidian species in humans and various animal species, accounting for more than 90% of the cases of human microsporidiosis. Spores of this pathogen excreted from both symptomatic and asymptomatic hosts into environment also would be an important source of waterborne outbreak of microsporidiosis. Due to limited effective drugs available but with too much side effects to mammals (eg. toxic), accurate characterization of E. bieneusi in both humans and animals is essential to implement effective control strategies to this pathogen. In China, E. bieneusi infection was presented in humans and some animals with high prevalence. Analysis of genetic variations of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences found 361 genotypes in China, and some novel genotypes were identified in some specific hosts. Additionally, associations between infections and some risk factors were also observed. In the present article, we reviewed the current status of prevalence, genotypes, multilocus genotypes (MLGs) in humans, various animals and waters in China. These findings will provide basic information for developing effective control strategies against E. bieneusi infection in China as well as other countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 26.1116 - General requirements for informed consent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for Pesticides... informed consent. No investigator may involve a human being as a subject in research covered by this...

40 CFR 26.1116 - General requirements for informed consent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for Pesticides... informed consent. No investigator may involve a human being as a subject in research covered by this...

40 CFR 26.1116 - General requirements for informed consent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for Pesticides... informed consent. No investigator may involve a human being as a subject in research covered by this...

40 CFR 26.1116 - General requirements for informed consent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for Pesticides... informed consent. No investigator may involve a human being as a subject in research covered by this...

40 CFR 26.1116 - General requirements for informed consent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for Pesticides... informed consent. No investigator may involve a human being as a subject in research covered by this...

Optimality of the basic colour categories for classification

PubMed Central

Griffin, Lewis D

2005-01-01

Categorization of colour has been widely studied as a window into human language and cognition, and quite separately has been used pragmatically in image-database retrieval systems. This suggests the hypothesis that the best category system for pragmatic purposes coincides with human categories (i.e. the basic colours). We have tested this hypothesis by assessing the performance of different category systems in a machine-vision task. The task was the identification of the odd-one-out from triples of images obtained using a web-based image-search service. In each triple, two of the images had been retrieved using the same search term, the other a different term. The terms were simple concrete nouns. The results were as follows: (i) the odd-one-out task can be performed better than chance using colour alone; (ii) basic colour categorization performs better than random systems of categories; (iii) a category system that performs better than the basic colours could not be found; and (iv) it is not just the general layout of the basic colours that is important, but also the detail. We conclude that (i) the results support the plausibility of an explanation for the basic colours as a result of a pressure-to-optimality and (ii) the basic colours are good categories for machine vision image-retrieval systems. PMID:16849219

Dispositional Factors Affecting Motivation during Learning in Adult Basic and Secondary Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellard, Daryl F.; Krieshok, Thomas; Fall, Emily; Woods, Kari

2013-01-01

Research indicates that about a quarter of adult students separate from formal adult basic and secondary education (ABE/ASE) programs before completing one educational level. This retrospective study explores individual dispositional factors that affect motivation during learning, particularly students' goals, goal-directed thinking and action…

Misleading and reliable markers to differentiate between primate testis-derived multipotent stromal cells and spermatogonia in culture

PubMed Central

Eildermann, K.; Gromoll, J.; Behr, R.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND Several studies have reported the generation of spermatogonia-derived pluripotent stem cells from human testes. The initial aim of the present study was the derivation of equivalent stem cells from an established and experimentally accessible non-human primate model, the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus). However, an essential prerequisite in the absence of transgenic reporters in primates and man is the availability of validated endogenous markers for the identification of specific cell types in vitro. METHODS AND RESULTS We cultured marmoset testicular cells in a similar way to that described for human testis-derived pluripotent cells and set out to characterize these cultures under different conditions and in differentiation assays applying established marker panels. Importantly, the cells emerged as testicular multipotent stromal cells (TMSCs) instead of (pluripotent) germ cell-derived cells. TMSCs expressed many markers such as GFR-α, GPR125, THY-1 (CD90), ITGA6, SSEA4 and TRA-1-81, which were considered as spermatogonia specific and were previously used for the enrichment or characterization of spermatogonia. Proliferation of TMSCs was highly dependent on basic fibroblast growth factor, a growth factor routinely present in germ cell culture media. As reliable markers for the distinction between spermatogonia and TMSCs, we established VASA, in combination with the spermatogonia-expressed factors, MAGEA4, PLZF and SALL4. CONCLUSIONS Marmoset monkey TMSCs and spermatogonia exhibit an overlap of markers, which may cause erroneous interpretations of experiments with testis-derived stem cells in vitro. We provide a marker panel for the unequivocal identification of spermatogonia providing a better basis for future studies on primate, including human, testis-derived stem cells. PMID:22442249

High Molecular Weight FGF2 Isoforms Demonstrate Canonical Receptor-Mediated Activity and Support Human Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal

PubMed Central

Kole, Denis; Grella, Alexandra; Dolivo, David; Shumaker, Lucia; Hermans, William; Dominko, Tanja

2017-01-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) is a highly pleiotropic member of a large family of growth factors with a broad range of activities, including mitogenesis and angiogenesis (Ornitz, et al. 1996, Zhang, et al. 2006), and it is known to be essential for maintenance of balance between survival, proliferation, and self-renewal in human pluripotent stem cells (Eiselleova, et al. 2009, Zoumaro-Djayoon, et al. 2011). A single FGF2 transcript can be translated into five FGF2 protein isoforms, an 18kDa low molecular weight (LMW) isoform and four larger high molecular weight (HMW) isoforms (Arese, et al. 1999, Arnaud, et al. 1999). As they are not generally secreted, high molecular weight (HMW) FGF2 isoforms have predominantly been investigated intracellularly; only a very limited number of studies have investigated their activity as extracellular factors. Here we report over-expression, isolation, and biological activity of all recombinant human FGF2 isoforms. We show that HMW FGF2 isoforms can support self-renewal of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in vitro. Exogenous supplementation with HMW FGF2 isoforms also activates the canonical FGFR/MAPK pathway and induces mitogenic activity in a manner similar to that of the 18kDa FGF2 isoform. Though all HMW isoforms, when supplemented exogenously, are able to recapitulate LMW FGF2 activity to some degree, it appears that certain isoforms tend to do so more poorly, demonstrating a lesser functional response by several measures. A better understanding of isoform-specific FGF2 effects will lead to a better understanding of developmental and pathological FGF2 signaling. PMID:28433654

High molecular weight FGF2 isoforms demonstrate canonical receptor-mediated activity and support human embryonic stem cell self-renewal.

PubMed

Kole, Denis; Grella, Alexandra; Dolivo, David; Shumaker, Lucia; Hermans, William; Dominko, Tanja

2017-05-01

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) is a highly pleiotropic member of a large family of growth factors with a broad range of activities, including mitogenesis and angiogenesis (Ornitz et al., 1996; Zhang et al., 2006), and it is known to be essential for maintenance of balance between survival, proliferation, and self-renewal in human pluripotent stem cells (Eiselleova et al., 2009; Zoumaro-Djayoon et al., 2011). A single FGF2 transcript can be translated into five FGF2 protein isoforms, an 18kDa low molecular weight (LMW) isoform and four larger high molecular weight (HMW) isoforms (Arese et al., 1999; Arnaud et al., 1999). As they are not generally secreted, high molecular weight (HMW) FGF2 isoforms have predominantly been investigated intracellularly; only a very limited number of studies have investigated their activity as extracellular factors. Here we report over-expression, isolation, and biological activity of all recombinant human FGF2 isoforms. We show that HMW FGF2 isoforms can support self-renewal of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in vitro. Exogenous supplementation with HMW FGF2 isoforms also activates the canonical FGFR/MAPK pathway and induces mitogenic activity in a manner similar to that of the 18kDa FGF2 isoform. Though all HMW isoforms, when supplemented exogenously, are able to recapitulate LMW FGF2 activity to some degree, it appears that certain isoforms tend to do so more poorly, demonstrating a lesser functional response by several measures. A better understanding of isoform-specific FGF2 effects will lead to a better understanding of developmental and pathological FGF2 signaling. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gene structure of CYP3A4, an adult-specific form of cytochrome P450 in human livers, and its transcriptional control.

PubMed

Hashimoto, H; Toide, K; Kitamura, R; Fujita, M; Tagawa, S; Itoh, S; Kamataki, T

1993-12-01

CYP3 A4 is the adult-specific form of cytochrome P450 in human livers [Komori, M., Nishio, K., Kitada, M., Shiramatsu, K., Muroya, K., Soma, M., Nagashima, K. & Kamataki, T. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 4430-4433]. The sequences of three genomic clones for CYP3A4 were analyzed for all exons, exon-intron junctions and the 5'-flanking region from the major transcription site to nucleotide position -1105, and compared with those of the CYP3A7 gene, a fetal-specific form of cytochrome P450 in humans. The results showed that the identity of 5'-flanking sequences between CYP3A4 and CYP3A7 genes was 91%, and that each 5'-flanking region had characteristic sequences termed as NFSE (P450NF-specific element) and HFLaSE (P450HFLa specific element), respectively. A basic transcription element (BTE) also lay in the 5'-flanking region of the CYP3A4 gene as seen in many CYP genes [Yanagida, A., Sogawa, K., Yasumoto, K. & Fujii-Kuriyama, Y. (1990) Mol. Cell. Biol. 10, 1470-1475]. The BTE binding factor (BTEB) was present in both adult and fetal human livers. To examine the transcriptional activity of the CYP3A4 gene, DNA fragments in the 5'-flanking region of the gene were inserted in front of the simian virus 40 promoter and the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase structural gene, and the constructs were transfected in HepG2 cells. The analysis of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity indicated that (a) specific element(s) which could bind with a factor(s) in livers was present in the 5'-flanking region of the CYP3A4 gene to show the transcriptional activity.

Genetics of human body size and shape: pleiotropic and independent genetic determinants of adiposity.

PubMed

Livshits, G; Yakovenko, K; Ginsburg, E; Kobyliansky, E

1998-01-01

The present study utilized pedigree data from three ethnically different populations of Kirghizstan, Turkmenia and Chuvasha. Principal component analysis was performed on a matrix of genetic correlations between 22 measures of adiposity, including skinfolds, circumferences and indices. Findings are summarized as follows: (1) All three genetic matrices were not positive definite and the first four factors retained even after exclusion RG > or = 1.0, explained from 88% to 97% of the total additive genetic variation in the 22 trials studied. This clearly emphasizes the massive involvement of pleiotropic gene effects in the variability of adiposity traits. (2) Despite the quite natural differences in pairwise correlations between the adiposity traits in the three ethnically different samples under study, factor analysis revealed a common basic pattern of covariability for the adiposity traits. In each of the three samples, four genetic factors were retained, namely, the amount of subcutaneous fat, the total body obesity, the pattern of distribution of subcutaneous fat and the central adiposity distribution. (3) Genetic correlations between the retained four factors were virtually non-existent, suggesting that several independent genetic sources may be governing the variation of adiposity traits. (4) Variance decomposition analysis on the obtained genetic factors leaves no doubt regarding the substantial familial and (most probably genetic) effects on variation of each factor in each studied population. The similarity of results in the three different samples indicates that the findings may be deemed valid and reliable descriptions of the genetic variation and covariation pattern of adiposity traits in the human species.

Impact analysis of government investment on water projects in the arid Gansu Province of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhan; Deng, Xiangzheng; Li, Xiubin; Zhou, Qing; Yan, Haiming

In this paper, we introduced three-nested Constant Elasticity of Substitution (CES) production function into a static Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Model. Through four levels of factor productivity, we constructed three nested production function of land use productivity in the conceptual modeling frameworks. The first level of factor productivity is generated by the basic value-added land. On the second level, factor productivity in each sector is generated by human activities that presents human intervention to the first level of factor productivity. On the third level of factor productivity, water allocation reshapes the non-linear structure of transaction among first and second levels. From the perspective of resource utilization, we examined the economic efficiency of water allocation. The scenario-based empirical analysis results show that the three-nested CES production function within CGE model is well-behaved to present the economy system of the case study area. Firstly, water scarcity harmed economic production. Government investment on water projects in Gansu thereby had impacts on economic outcomes. Secondly, huge governmental financing on water projects bring depreciation of present value of social welfare. Moreover, water use for environment adaptation pressures on water supply. The theoretical water price can be sharply increased due to the increasing costs of factor inputs. Thirdly, water use efficiency can be improved by water projects, typically can be benefited from the expansion of water-saving irrigation areas even in those expanding dry area in Gansu. Therefore, increasing governmental financing on water projects can depreciate present value of social welfare but benefit economic efficiency for future generation.

Affordable passive solar homes - low-cost, compact designs. [Glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowther, R.L.

1984-01-01

The designs and plans of this book present total, integrative, energy design. They carefully integrate site, architecture, and interior for various population segments that meet a frugal budget. The book is divided into two sections. The first part gives data concerning design, construction, site, climatic factors, materials, interiors, financing, and other home ownership factors that enhance affordability. Basic information on the design assumptions and considerations incorporate into the homes is presented, along with passive solar systems descriptions. The second part presents designs and plans with a brief review of considerations that serve defined human living needs, as well single-family, attached,more » or multiple residential configurations. The plans are based on a dimensional grid using 4-foot and 2-foot (1.2 meter and .61 meter) increments compatible with economic standard lumber and materials sizes.« less

Research progress on combat trauma treatment in cold regions.

PubMed

Wang, Hui-Shan; Han, Jin-Song

2014-01-01

Cold regions are a special combat environment in which low temperatures have a great impact on human metabolism and other vital functions, including the nervous, motion, cardiovascular, circulatory, respiratory, and urinary systems; consequently, low temperatures often aggravate existing trauma, leading to high mortality rates if rapid and appropriate treatment is not provided. Hypothermia is an independent risk factor of fatality following combat trauma; therefore, proactive preventative measures are needed to reduce the rate of mortality. After summarizing the basic research on battlefield environments and progress in the prevention and treatment of trauma, this article concludes that current treatment and prevention measures for combat trauma in cold regions are inadequate. Future molecular biology studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms and relevant cell factors underlying bodily injury caused by cold environment, a research goal will also allow further exploration of corresponding treatments.

[Medical Humanities--the Historical Significance and Mission in Medical Education].

PubMed

Fujino, Akihiro

2015-12-01

In this paper we consider the significance and mission of medical humanities in medical education from the following six viewpoints: (1) misunderstanding of the medical humanities; (2) its historical development; (3) the criteria for the ideal physician; (4) the contents of current Medical Humanities education; (5) the basic philosophy; and (6) its relation to medical professionalism. Medical humanities consists of the three academic components of bioethics, clinical ethics and medical anthropology, and it is a philosophy and an art which penetrate to the fundamental essence of medicine. The purpose of medical humanities is to develop one's own humanity and spirituality through medical practice and contemplation by empathizing with patients' illness narratives through spiritual self-awakening and by understanding the mutual healing powers of human relations by way of the realization of primordial life. The basic philosophy is "the coincidence of contraries". The ultimate mission of medical humanities is to cultivate physicians to educate themselves and have a life-long philosophy of devotion to understanding, through experience, the coincidence of contraries.

Craft-Art as a Basis for Human Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karppinen, Seija

2008-01-01

This article based on my doctoral thesis examines the Basic Arts Education system in Finland, focusing on Basic Crafts Education and its description through action concepts. The main task of the study was to create a concept model. In the first part of the study a concept map was created from the practice of Basic Crafts Education. The aim of the…

Controllability of complex networks for sustainable system dynamics

EPA Science Inventory

Successful implementation of sustainability ideas in ecosystem management requires a basic understanding of the often non-linear and non-intuitive relationships among different dimensions of sustainability, particularly the system-wide implications of human actions. This basic un...

Demand, Energy, and Power Factor

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

POWER FACTOR DEFINITION I Basically , power factor (pf) is a measure of how effectively the plant uses the electricity it purchases from the utility. It...not be made available by the plant. U 24 This video is relatively short, less than fifteen-minutes, and covers the basics on demand, block extenders...designing, implementing, and evaluation of the resultant project. 1 2. Thumann, Albeit. Plant Engineer and Managers Guide to Energv Conservation, 5th ed

Enabling nutrient security and sustainability through systems research.

PubMed

Kaput, Jim; Kussmann, Martin; Mendoza, Yery; Le Coutre, Ronit; Cooper, Karen; Roulin, Anne

2015-05-01

Human and companion animal health depends upon nutritional quality of foods. Seed varieties, seasonal and local growing conditions, transportation, food processing, and storage, and local food customs can influence the nutrient content of food. A new and intensive area of investigation is emerging that recognizes many factors in these agri-food systems that influence the maintenance of nutrient quality which is fundamental to ensure nutrient security for world populations. Modeling how these systems function requires data from different sectors including agricultural, environmental, social, and economic, but also must incorporate basic nutrition and other biomedical sciences. Improving the agri-food system through advances in pre- and post-harvest processing methods, biofortification, or fortifying processed foods will aid in targeting nutrition for populations and individuals. The challenge to maintain and improve nutrient quality is magnified by the need to produce food locally and globally in a sustainable and consumer-acceptable manner for current and future populations. An unmet requirement for assessing how to improve nutrient quality, however, is the basic knowledge of how to define health. That is, health cannot be maintained or improved by altering nutrient quality without an adequate definition of what health means for individuals and populations. Defining and measuring health therefore becomes a critical objective for basic nutritional and other biomedical sciences.

Basic and clinical immunology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chinen, Javier; Shearer, William T.

2003-01-01

Progress in immunology continues to grow exponentially every year. New applications of this knowledge are being developed for a broad range of clinical conditions. Conversely, the study of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies is helping to elucidate the intricate mechanisms of the immune system. We have selected a few of the most significant contributions to the fields of basic and clinical immunology published between October 2001 and October 2002. Our choice of topics in basic immunology included the description of T-bet as a determinant factor for T(H)1 differentiation, the role of the activation-induced cytosine deaminase gene in B-cell development, the characterization of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells, and the use of dynamic imaging to study MHC class II transport and T-cell and dendritic cell membrane interactions. Articles related to clinical immunology that were selected for review include the description of immunodeficiency caused by caspase 8 deficiency; a case series report on X-linked agammaglobulinemia; the mechanism of action, efficacy, and complications of intravenous immunoglobulin; mechanisms of autoimmunity diseases; and advances in HIV pathogenesis and vaccine development. We also reviewed two articles that explore the possible alterations of the immune system caused by spaceflights, a new field with increasing importance as human space expeditions become a reality in the 21st century.

40 CFR 26.1125 - Prior submission of proposed human research for EPA review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Prior submission of proposed human... proposed human research for EPA review. Any person or institution who intends to conduct or sponsor human...

40 CFR 26.1125 - Prior submission of proposed human research for EPA review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Prior submission of proposed human... proposed human research for EPA review. Any person or institution who intends to conduct or sponsor human...

40 CFR 26.1125 - Prior submission of proposed human research for EPA review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Prior submission of proposed human... proposed human research for EPA review. Any person or institution who intends to conduct or sponsor human...

40 CFR 26.1125 - Prior submission of proposed human research for EPA review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Prior submission of proposed human... proposed human research for EPA review. Any person or institution who intends to conduct or sponsor human...

34 CFR 97.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... human subjects. 97.119 Section 97.119 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Basic ED Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects) § 97.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human...

34 CFR 97.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... human subjects. 97.119 Section 97.119 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Basic ED Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects) § 97.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human...

34 CFR 97.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... human subjects. 97.119 Section 97.119 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Basic ED Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects) § 97.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human...

34 CFR 97.119 - Research undertaken without the intention of involving human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... human subjects. 97.119 Section 97.119 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Basic ED Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects) § 97.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human...

The moral foundation of the clinical duties of care: needs, duties and human rights.

PubMed

Doyal, L

2001-10-01

It has become fashionable to question attempts to derive internationally agreed duties of clinical care from more general theories of human rights. For example, some argue that such attempts risk moral abstraction through their neglect for the importance of culture and community in shaping moral consciousness and thus often unhelpful in the resolution of concrete moral dilemmas within medicine. Others denounce the importance of general moral principles altogether in bioethics and attempt to articulate what are claimed to be more practical approaches to resolving moral conflict. This paper challenges such arguments. It does so through arguing that: i) all humans everywhere have the same basic human needs; ii) the satisfaction of these needs varies with culture; iii) the imputation of moral duties on others entails respect for their right to basic need satisfaction, including the right to choose between presumptions about the duties and rights of patients which follow from these more general principles and v) problems of moral indeterminancy that arise from putting these principles into practice can be resolved through associated procedural policies of rational negotiation and compromise. The moral importance and practicality of respect for individual human rights within the practice of medicine is thus defended. Indeed, the paper concludes by arguing that without belief in human rights linked to a theory of basic human needs, communitarian theories of morality are incoherent.

Fasting Induces Nuclear Factor E2-Related Factor 2 and ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters via Protein Kinase A and Sirtuin-1 in Mouse and Human

PubMed Central

Kulkarni, Supriya R.; Donepudi, Ajay C.; Xu, Jialin; Wei, Wei; Cheng, Qiuqiong C.; Driscoll, Maureen V.; Johnson, Delinda A.; Johnson, Jeffrey A.; Li, Xiaoling

2014-01-01

Abstract Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine whether 3′-5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) and Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) dependent mechanisms modulate ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) transport protein expression. ABC transport proteins (ABCC2–4) are essential for chemical elimination from hepatocytes and biliary excretion. Nuclear factor-E2 related-factor 2 (NRF2) is a transcription factor that mediates ABCC induction in response to chemical inducers and liver injury. However, a role for NRF2 in the regulation of transporter expression in nonchemical models of liver perturbation is largely undescribed. Results: Here we show that fasting increased NRF2 target gene expression through NRF2- and SIRT1–dependent mechanisms. In intact mouse liver, fasting induces NRF2 target gene expression by at least 1.5 to 5-fold. In mouse and human hepatocytes, treatment with 8-Bromoadenosine-cAMP, a cAMP analogue, increased NRF2 target gene expression and antioxidant response element activity, which was decreased by the PKA inhibitor, H-89. Moreover, fasting induced NRF2 target gene expression was decreased in liver and hepatocytes of SIRT1 liver-specific null mice and NRF2-null mice. Lastly, NRF2 and SIRT1 were recruited to MAREs and Antioxidant Response Elements (AREs) in the human ABCC2 promoter. Innovation: Oxidative stress mediated NRF2 activation is well described, yet the influence of basic metabolic processes on NRF2 activation is just emerging. Conclusion: The current data point toward a novel role of nutrient status in regulation of NRF2 activity and the antioxidant response, and indicates that cAMP/PKA and SIRT1 are upstream regulators for fasting-induced activation of the NRF2-ARE pathway. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 15–30. PMID:23725046

Current concept in neural regeneration research: NSCs isolation, characterization and transplantation in various neurodegenerative diseases and stroke: A review

PubMed Central

Vishwakarma, Sandeep K.; Bardia, Avinash; Tiwari, Santosh K.; Paspala, Syed A.B.; Khan, Aleem A.

2013-01-01

Since last few years, an impressive amount of data has been generated regarding the basic in vitro and in vivo biology of neural stem cells (NSCs) and there is much far hope for the success in cell replacement therapies for several human neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. The discovery of adult neurogenesis (the endogenous production of new neurons) in the mammalian brain more than 40 years ago has resulted in a wealth of knowledge about stem cells biology in neuroscience research. Various studies have done in search of a suitable source for NSCs which could be used in animal models to understand the basic and transplantation biology before treating to human. The difficulties in isolating pure population of NSCs limit the study of neural stem behavior and factors that regulate them. Several studies on human fetal brain and spinal cord derived NSCs in animal models have shown some interesting results for cell replacement therapies in many neurodegenerative diseases and stroke models. Also the methods and conditions used for in vitro culture of these cells provide an important base for their applicability and specificity in a definite target of the disease. Various important developments and modifications have been made in stem cells research which is needed to be more specified and enrolment in clinical studies using advanced approaches. This review explains about the current perspectives and suitable sources for NSCs isolation, characterization, in vitro proliferation and their use in cell replacement therapies for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases and strokes. PMID:25685495

Left ventricular mass, blood pressure, and lowered cognitive performance in the Framingham offspring.

PubMed

Elias, Merrill F; Sullivan, Lisa M; Elias, Penelope K; D'Agostino, Ralph B; Wolf, Philip A; Seshadri, Sudha; Au, Rhoda; Benjamin, Emelia J; Vasan, Ramachandran S

2007-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether echocardiographic left ventricular mass is related to cognitive performance beyond casual blood pressure adjusting for the influence of other vascular risk factors. We used multivariable regression analyses to relate left ventricular mass assessed at a routine examination (1995-1998) to measures of cognitive ability obtained routinely (1998-2001) in 1673 Framingham Offspring Study participants (56% women; mean age: 57 years) free from stroke, transient ischemic attack, and dementia. We adjusted for the following covariates hierarchically: (1) age, education, sex, body weight, height, interval between left ventricular mass measurement and neuropsychological testing (basic model); (2) basic model+blood pressure+treatment for hypertension; and (3) basic model+blood pressure+treatment for hypertension+vascular risk factors and prevalent cardiovascular disease. For the basic model, left ventricular mass was inversely associated with abstract reasoning (similarities), visual-spatial memory and organization, and verbal memory. For the basic model+blood pressure+treatment for hypertension, left ventricular mass was inversely associated with similarities and visual-spatial memory and organization. For the basic+blood pressure+treatment for hypertension+risk factors+cardiovascular disease model, no significant associations were observed. Echocardiographic left ventricular mass is associated with cognitive performance beyond casual and time-averaged systolic blood pressure, but this association is attenuated and rendered nonsignificant with additional adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease, thus suggesting that these variables play an important role in mediating the association between left ventricular mass and cognition.

Platelet antiheparin activity. The isolation and characterisation of platelet factor 4 released from thrombin-aggregated washed human platelets and its dissociation into subunits and the isolation of membrane-bound antiheparin activity.

PubMed

Moore, S; Pepper, D S; Cash, J D

1975-02-27

Platelet factor 4 was isolated by gel filtration from the soluble release products of thrombin-aggregated washed human platelets as a proteoglycan-platelet factor 4 complex of molecular weight 358 000, Stokes radius (r-s) of 14.0 nm, sedimentation coefficient (s) of 7.1 S and frictional ratio (f/f-o) of 3.04. The complex was dissociated at high ionic strength (I equals 0.75) and the proteoglycan separated from platelet factor 4 by gel filtration. Platelet factor 4 had a molecular weight of 27 100, r-s of 2.52 nm, s of 2.4 S and f/f-o of 1.26, was insoluble under physiological conditions but readily soluble at pH 3. Under these conditions platelet factor 4 dissociated into four subunits with a molecular weight of 6900, r-s of 1.92 nm, s of 0.8 S, and f/f-o of 1.52. Qualitative N-terminal amino acid analysis showed the presence of glutamic acid or glutamine as the major end group. Platelet factor 4 was compared with protamine sulphate, which has similar biological properties, by electrophoresis at pH 2.2, in which both migrated as single bands but with differing mobility, and by amino acid analysis which showed a more normal distribution of residues than occurred in protamine sulphate. Of the basic amino acids platelet factor 4 (molecular weight 27 100) contained 5.97% arginine, 3.18% histidine, and 12.31% lysine compared to protamine sulphate with 64.2% arginine, 0.6% lysine and no histidine. A partial specific volume (v) of 0.747 was calculated for platelet factor 4 from its amino acid analysis. A membrane fraction with antiheparin activity, an isopycnic density of 1.090-1.110 and r-s of 15-35 nm, was also isolated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation from the ultrasonicated insoluble platelet residue remaining after thrombin-induced aggregation of washed human platelets. Trypsin treatment of the membrane fraction neither solubilised nor destroyed the activity.

The role of the microbiome for human health: from basic science to clinical applications.

PubMed

Mohajeri, M Hasan; Brummer, Robert J M; Rastall, Robert A; Weersma, Rinse K; Harmsen, Hermie J M; Faas, Marijke; Eggersdorfer, Manfred

2018-05-10

The 2017 annual symposium organized by the University Medical Center Groningen in The Netherlands focused on the role of the gut microbiome in human health and disease. Experts from academia and industry examined interactions of prebiotics, probiotics, or vitamins with the gut microbiome in health and disease, the development of the microbiome in early-life and the role of the microbiome on the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiota changes dramatically during pregnancy and intrinsic factors (such as stress), in addition to extrinsic factors (such as diet, and drugs) influence the composition and activity of the gut microbiome throughout life. Microbial metabolites, e.g. short-chain fatty acids affect gut-brain signaling and the immune response. The gut microbiota has a regulatory role on anxiety, mood, cognition and pain which is exerted via the gut-brain axis. Ingestion of prebiotics or probiotics has been used to treat a range of conditions including constipation, allergic reactions and infections in infancy, and IBS. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) highly effective for treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infections. The gut microbiome affects virtually all aspects of human health, but the degree of scientific evidence, the models and technologies and the understanding of mechanisms of action vary considerably from one benefit area to the other. For a clinical practice to be broadly accepted, the mode of action, the therapeutic window, and potential side effects need to thoroughly be investigated. This calls for further coordinated state-of-the art research to better understand and document the human gut microbiome's effects on human health.

Unhealthy Behaviours: An International Comparison

PubMed Central

Ferretti, Fabrizio

2015-01-01

In the current global economy, chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading cause of death and a major health concern for both developed and developing countries. Among other factors, the worldwide spread of NCDs is driven by the globalisation of unhealthy habits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a simple statistic to measure, at the national level, the average population’s exposure to the main NCDs modifiable risk factors. The approach and methodology followed by the United Nations Development Programme to compute the Human Development Index (HDI) is applied to four basic indicators of NCD-related preventable risk factors (alcohol consumption, excess caloric intake, non-balanced diet and tobacco use) in 112 countries worldwide in 2012–14. We obtain a summary composite index, which we call the Unhealthy Behaviour Index (UBI), which ranks countries by the average level of the unhealthy habits (drinking, eating and smoking) of their populations. We find that Belarus and Russian federation are the two countries with the unhealthiest NCD-related lifestyle. With the exception of Canada, the first twenty populations more exposed to the main NCDs preventable risk factors all live in European countries, and mainly in countries of Eastern Europe. Overall, the UBI tends to increase along with the level of human development. In medium, high and very high HDI countries, however, the same level of human development may be associated with very different kinds of NCD-related lifestyles. Finally, economic growth may push populations toward either more unhealthy or healthy habits, depending on the countries’ level of development; the elasticity of unhealthy habits with respect to income per capita is positive (but less than one: on average 0.6) until $30,000, decreases as income rises, and becomes negative (around -0.3) in very high income countries. PMID:26512717

Unhealthy Behaviours: An International Comparison.

PubMed

Ferretti, Fabrizio

2015-01-01

In the current global economy, chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading cause of death and a major health concern for both developed and developing countries. Among other factors, the worldwide spread of NCDs is driven by the globalisation of unhealthy habits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a simple statistic to measure, at the national level, the average population's exposure to the main NCDs modifiable risk factors. The approach and methodology followed by the United Nations Development Programme to compute the Human Development Index (HDI) is applied to four basic indicators of NCD-related preventable risk factors (alcohol consumption, excess caloric intake, non-balanced diet and tobacco use) in 112 countries worldwide in 2012-14. We obtain a summary composite index, which we call the Unhealthy Behaviour Index (UBI), which ranks countries by the average level of the unhealthy habits (drinking, eating and smoking) of their populations. We find that Belarus and Russian federation are the two countries with the unhealthiest NCD-related lifestyle. With the exception of Canada, the first twenty populations more exposed to the main NCDs preventable risk factors all live in European countries, and mainly in countries of Eastern Europe. Overall, the UBI tends to increase along with the level of human development. In medium, high and very high HDI countries, however, the same level of human development may be associated with very different kinds of NCD-related lifestyles. Finally, economic growth may push populations toward either more unhealthy or healthy habits, depending on the countries' level of development; the elasticity of unhealthy habits with respect to income per capita is positive (but less than one: on average 0.6) until $30,000, decreases as income rises, and becomes negative (around -0.3) in very high income countries.

The Cardiovascular Physiology of Sports and Exercise.

PubMed

Opondo, Mildred A; Sarma, Satyam; Levine, Benjamin D

2015-07-01

Athletes represent the extremes of human performance. Many of their remarkable abilities stem from a cardiovascular system that has adapted to meet the metabolic needs of exercising muscle. A large and compliant heart is a hallmark feature of athletes who engage in highly aerobic events. Despite high fitness levels, athletes may present with symptoms that limit performance. Understanding and dissecting these limitations requires a strong background in sports science and the factors that determine sports capabilities. This article reviews the basic principles of exercise physiology, cardiovascular adaptations unique to the "athlete's heart," and the utility of exercise testing in athletes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health as a basic human need: would this be enough?

PubMed

de Campos, Thana Cristina

2012-01-01

Although the value of health is universally agreed upon, its definition is not. Both the WHO and the UN define health in terms of well-being. They advocate a globally shared responsibility that all of us - states, international organizations, pharmaceutical corporations, civil society, and individuals - bear for the health (that is, the well-being) of the world's population. In this paper I argue that this current well-being conception of health is troublesome. Its problem resides precisely in the fact that the well-being conception of health, as an all-encompassing label, does not properly distinguish between the different realities of health and the different demands of justice, which arise in each case. In addressing responsibilities related to the right to health, we need to work with a more differentiated vocabulary, which can account for these different realities. A crucial distinction to bear in mind, for the purposes of moral deliberation and the crafting of political and legal institutions, is the difference between basic and non-basic health needs. This distinction is crucial because we have presumably more stringent obligations and rights in relation to human needs that are basic, as they justify stronger moral claims, than those grounded on non-basic human needs. It is important to keep this moral distinction in mind because many of the world's problems regarding the right to health relate to basic health needs. By conflating these needs with less essential ones, we risk confusing different types of moral claims and weakening the overall case for establishing duties regarding the right to health. There is, therefore, a practical need to reevaluate the current normative conception of health so that it distinguishes, within the broad scope of well-being, between what is basic and what is not. My aim here is to shed light onto this distinction and to show the need for this differentiation. I do so, first, by providing, on the basis of David Miller's concept of basic needs, an account of basic health needs and, secondly, by mounting a defense of the basic needs approach to the right to health, arguing against James Griffin who opposes the basic needs approach. © 2012 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Inhibition of Avian Influenza A Virus Replication in Human Cells by Host Restriction Factor TUFM Is Correlated with Autophagy.

PubMed

Kuo, Shu-Ming; Chen, Chi-Jene; Chang, Shih-Cheng; Liu, Tzu-Jou; Chen, Yi-Hsiang; Huang, Sheng-Yu; Shih, Shin-Ru

2017-06-13

Avian influenza A viruses generally do not replicate efficiently in human cells, but substitution of glutamic acid (Glu, E) for lysine (Lys, K) at residue 627 of avian influenza virus polymerase basic protein 2 (PB2) can serve to overcome host restriction and facilitate human infectivity. Although PB2 residue 627 is regarded as a species-specific signature of influenza A viruses, host restriction factors associated with PB2 627 E have yet to be fully investigated. We conducted immunoprecipitation, followed by differential proteomic analysis, to identify proteins associating with PB2 627 K (human signature) and PB2 627 E (avian signature) of influenza A/WSN/1933(H1N1) virus, and the results indicated that Tu elongation factor, mitochondrial (TUFM), had a higher binding affinity for PB2 627 E than PB2 627 K in transfected human cells. Stronger binding of TUFM to avian-signature PB2 590 G/ 591 Q and PB2 627 E in the 2009 swine-origin pandemic H1N1 and 2013 avian-origin H7N9 influenza A viruses was similarly observed. Viruses carrying avian-signature PB2 627 E demonstrated increased replication in TUFM-deficient cells, but viral replication decreased in cells overexpressing TUFM. Interestingly, the presence of TUFM specifically inhibited the replication of PB2 627 E viruses, but not PB2 627 K viruses. In addition, enhanced levels of interaction between TUFM and PB2 627 E were noted in the mitochondrial fraction of infected cells. Furthermore, TUFM-dependent autophagy was reduced in TUFM-deficient cells infected with PB2 627 E virus; however, autophagy remained consistent in PB2 627 K virus-infected cells. The results suggest that TUFM acts as a host restriction factor that impedes avian-signature influenza A virus replication in human cells in a manner that correlates with autophagy. IMPORTANCE An understanding of the mechanisms that influenza A viruses utilize to shift host tropism and the identification of host restriction factors that can limit infection are both critical to the prevention and control of emerging viruses that cross species barriers to target new hosts. Using a proteomic approach, we revealed a novel role for TUFM as a host restriction factor that exerts an inhibitory effect on avian-signature PB2 627 E influenza virus propagation in human cells. We further found that increased TUFM-dependent autophagy correlates with the inhibitory effect on avian-signature influenza virus replication and may serve as a key intrinsic mechanism to restrict avian influenza virus infection in humans. These findings provide new insight regarding the TUFM mitochondrial protein and may have important implications for the development of novel antiviral strategies. Copyright © 2017 Kuo et al.

A structural equation modeling analysis of students' understanding in basic mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktavia, Rini; Arif, Salmawaty; Ferdhiana, Ridha; Yuni, Syarifah Meurah; Ihsan, Mahyus

2017-11-01

This research, in general, aims to identify incoming students' understanding and misconceptions of several basic concepts in mathematics. The participants of this study are the 2015 incoming students of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science of Syiah Kuala University, Indonesia. Using an instrument that were developed based on some anecdotal and empirical evidences on students' misconceptions, a survey involving 325 participants was administered and several quantitative and qualitative analysis of the survey data were conducted. In this article, we discuss the confirmatory factor analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) on factors that determine the new students' overall understanding of basic mathematics. The results showed that students' understanding on algebra, arithmetic, and geometry were significant predictors for their overall understanding of basic mathematics. This result supported that arithmetic and algebra are not the only predictors of students' understanding of basic mathematics.

Basic Communication Course Annual. Volume 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hugenberg, Lawrence W., Ed.

This volume of an annual collection presents nine essays relating to instruction in the basic communication course. The essays are: "Three Metaphors for the Competencies Acquired in the Public Speaking Class" (Michael Osborn); "Perceptions of Basic Communication Texts: Factors in Student Learning and Textbook Adoption…

Developing a Basic Scale for Workers' Psychological Burden from the Perspective of Occupational Safety and Health.

PubMed

Kim, Kyung Woo; Lim, Ho Chan; Park, Jae Hee; Park, Sang Gyu; Park, Ye Jin; Cho, Hm Hak

2018-06-01

Organizations are pursing complex and diverse aims to generate higher profits. Many workers experience high work intensity such as workload and work pressure in this organizational environment. Especially, psychological burden is a commonly used term in workplace of Republic of Korea. This study focused on defining the psychological burden from the perspective of occupational safety and health and tried to develop a scale for psychological burden. The 48 preliminary questionnaire items for psychological burden were prepared by a focus group interview with 16 workers through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II and Mindful Awareness Attention Scale. The preliminary items were surveyed with 572 workers, and exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation analysis were conducted for a new scale. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were extracted: organizational activity, human error, safety and health workload, work attitude, and negative self-management. These factors had significant correlations and reliability, and the stability of the model for validity was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. The developed scale for psychological burden can measure workers' psychological burden in relation to safety and health. Despite some limitations, this study has applicability in the workplace, given the relatively small-sized questionnaire.

Ocular input for human melatonin regulation: relevance to breast cancer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glickman, Gena; Levin, Robert; Brainard, George C.

2002-01-01

The impact of breast cancer on women across the world has been extensive and severe. As prevalence of breast cancer is greatest in industrialized regions, exposure to light at night has been proposed as a potential risk factor. This theory is supported by the epidemiological observations of decreased breast cancer in blind women and increased breast cancer in women who do shift-work. In addition, human, animal and in vitro studies which have investigated the melatonin-cancer dynamic indicate an apparent relationship between light, melatonin and cancer, albeit complex. Recent developments in understanding melatonin regulation by light in humans are examined, with particular attention to factors that contribute to the sensitivity of the light-induced melatonin suppression response. Specifically, the role of spectral characteristics of light is addressed, and recent relevant action spectrum studies in humans and other mammalian species are discussed. Across five action spectra for circadian and other non-visual responses, a peak sensitivity between 446-484 nm was identified. Under highly controlled exposure circumstances, less than 1 lux of monochromatic light elicited a significant suppression of nocturnal melatonin. In view of the possible link between light exposure, melatonin suppression and cancer risk, it is important to continue to identify the basic related ocular physiology. Visual performance, rather than circadian function, has been the primary focus of architectural lighting systems. It is now necessary to reevaluate lighting strategies, with consideration of circadian influences, in an effort to maximize physiological homeostasis and health.

Ocular input for human melatonin regulation: relevance to breast cancer.

PubMed

Glickman, Gena; Levin, Robert; Brainard, George C

2002-07-01

The impact of breast cancer on women across the world has been extensive and severe. As prevalence of breast cancer is greatest in industrialized regions, exposure to light at night has been proposed as a potential risk factor. This theory is supported by the epidemiological observations of decreased breast cancer in blind women and increased breast cancer in women who do shift-work. In addition, human, animal and in vitro studies which have investigated the melatonin-cancer dynamic indicate an apparent relationship between light, melatonin and cancer, albeit complex. Recent developments in understanding melatonin regulation by light in humans are examined, with particular attention to factors that contribute to the sensitivity of the light-induced melatonin suppression response. Specifically, the role of spectral characteristics of light is addressed, and recent relevant action spectrum studies in humans and other mammalian species are discussed. Across five action spectra for circadian and other non-visual responses, a peak sensitivity between 446-484 nm was identified. Under highly controlled exposure circumstances, less than 1 lux of monochromatic light elicited a significant suppression of nocturnal melatonin. In view of the possible link between light exposure, melatonin suppression and cancer risk, it is important to continue to identify the basic related ocular physiology. Visual performance, rather than circadian function, has been the primary focus of architectural lighting systems. It is now necessary to reevaluate lighting strategies, with consideration of circadian influences, in an effort to maximize physiological homeostasis and health.

Fighting ambient air pollution and its impact on health: from human rights to the right to a clean environment.

PubMed

Guillerm, N; Cesari, G

2015-08-01

Clean air is one of the basic requirements of human health and well-being. However, almost nine out of 10 individuals living in urban areas are affected by air pollution. Populations living in Africa, South-East Asia, and in low- and middle-income countries across all regions are the most exposed. Exposure to outdoor air pollution ranks as the ninth leading risk factor for mortality, killing 3.2 million people each year, especially young children, the elderly, persons with lung or cardiovascular disease, those who work or exercise outdoors and low-income populations. In October 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans, calling air pollution 'a major environmental health problem'. Human rights and environmental norms are powerful tools to combat air pollution and its impact on health. The dependence of human rights on environmental quality has been recognised in international texts and by human rights treaty bodies. The growing awareness of the environment has already yielded considerable legislative and regulatory output. However, the implementation of standards remains a pervasive problem. In the fight against violations of norms, citizens have a crucial role to play. We discuss the relevance of a yet to be proclaimed standalone right to a healthy environment.

Natural and human-induced variability in the composition of fish assemblages in the Northwestern Cuban shelf.

PubMed

González-Sansón, Gaspar; Aguilar, Consuelo; Hernández, Ivet; Cabrera, Yureidy; Suarez-Montes, Noelis; Bretos, Fernando; Guggenheim, David

2009-09-01

The main goal of the study was to obtain field data to build a baseline of fish assemblage composition that can be used comparatively for future analyses of the impact of human actions in the region. A basic network of 68 sampling stations was defined for the entire region (4,050 km2). Fish assemblage species and size composition was estimated using visual census methods at three different spatial scales: a) entire region, b) inside the main reef area and c) along a human impact coastal gradient. Multivariate numerical analyses revealed habitat type as the main factor inducing spatial variability of fish community composition, while the level of human impact appears to play the main role in fish assemblage composition changes along the coast. A trend of decreasing fish size toward the east supports the theory of more severe human impact due to overfishing and higher urban pollution in that direction. This is the first detailed study along the northwest coast of Cuba that focuses on fish community structure and the natural and human-induced variations at different spatial scales for the entire NW shelf. This research also provides input for a more comprehensive understanding of coastal marine fish communities' status in the Gulf of Mexico basin.

Body Basics

MedlinePlus

... learn more about how the body works, what basic human anatomy is, and what happens when parts of ... consult your doctor. © 1995- The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.

Is Sustainability Achievable? Exploring the Limits of Sustainability with Model Systems

EPA Science Inventory

Successful implementation of sustainability ideas in ecosystem management requires a basic understanding of the often nonlinear and non-intuitive relationships amongst different dimensions of sustainability, particularly the systemwide implications of human actions. This basic un...

Theoretical implications of the neurotic paradox as a problem in behavior theory: An experimental resolution

PubMed Central

Stampfl, Thomas G.

1987-01-01

Why do human phobias last for months or years when such behavior should undergo extinction? This failure of extinction or persistence of self-defeating behavior of human disorders was labeled by Mowrer as the neurotic paradox. The paradox is cited by an ever-increasing number of critics who challenge any laboratory-based learning model of human psychopathology. Laboratory research, of course, omits essential requirements in the analysis of behavior, and the principles derived from such analyses must be combined in order to explain complex human behavaior. Validation for a behavioral model can thus be achieved if (a) basic principles inferred from observation of humans treated with a laboratory-derived extinction procedure (e.g., implosive therapy) are combined with (b) principles examined in laboratory research that are combined to generate unique predictions that correspond to known features of human phobic behavior. The latter evidence is briefly reviewed in research demonstrating sustained responding over one thousand consecutive active avoidance responses with complete avoidance of the “phobic” CS for an initial single shock trial. Differential reinforcement for responses to early sequential stimuli depends on minimal work requirement, and reinforcement by timeout from avoidance. This combination of factors effectively precludes extinction to main conditioned aversive stimuli for nonhumans, as it does for human phobias. Support for a laboratory model of human phobia is thereby attained. PMID:22477974

The Human-Computer Interface and Information Literacy: Some Basics and Beyond.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Gary M.

1999-01-01

Discusses human/computer interaction research, human/computer interface, and their relationships to information literacy. Highlights include communication models; cognitive perspectives; task analysis; theory of action; problem solving; instructional design considerations; and a suggestion that human/information interface may be a more appropriate…

Trust: the sublime duty in health care leadership.

PubMed

Piper, Llewellyn E

2010-01-01

Trust is the essence of human social existence. From the moment of birth, trust is the basic component in any human relationship and interaction. Trust is the Holy Grail for human confidence in others. From human survival to organizational survival, trust is the primordial bond. No organization is more dependent on trust than health care. This article views trust as the most basic fundamental quality for leadership. Trust is a sublime duty of a leader and the leadership of an organization. Leadership sets the culture of trust. Trust is the one quality that is essential for guiding an organization toward serving others. This article addresses trust from many perspectives. Trust is viewed from our subordinates, our peers, our superiors, and the public we serve. This article postulates how trust in an organization is the sublime duty of leadership that unites all human understanding and without it destroys all human relationships.

Radiation Basics

MedlinePlus

... EPA’s mission in radiation protection is to protect human health and the environment from the ionizing radiation that comes from human use of radioactive elements. Other agencies regulate the ...