An Estimated New-Keynesian Model with Unemployment as Excess Supply of Labor

Wage stickiness is incorporated to a New-Keynesian model with variable capital to drive endogenous unemployment uctuations de ned as the log di¤erence between aggregate labor supply and aggregate labor demand. We estimated such model using Bayesian econometric techniques and quarterly U.S. data. The second-moment statistics of the unemployment rate in the model give a good t to those observed in U.S. data. Our results also show that wage-push shocks, demand shifts and monetary policy shocks are the three major determinants of unemployment fl uctuations. Compared to an estimated New-Keynesian model without unemployment (Smets and Wouters, 2007): wage stickiness is higher, labor supply elasticity is lower, the slope of the New-Keynesian Phillips curve is flatter, and the importance of technology innovations on output variability increases.

Ecological condition of coastal ocean and estuarine waters of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight: 2000-2004

In March-April 2004, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and State of Florida (FL) conducted a study to assess the status of ecological condition and stressor impacts throughout the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) portion of the U.S. continental shelf and to provide this information as a baseline for evaluating future changes due to natural or human-induced disturbances. The boundaries of the study region extended from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to West Palm Beach, Florida and from navigable depths along the shoreline seaward to the shelf break (~100m). The study incorporated standard methods and indicators applied in previous national coastal monitoring programs — Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) and National Coastal Assessment (NCA) — including multiple measures of water quality, sediment quality, and biological condition. Synoptic sampling of the various indicators provided an integrative weight-of-evidence approach to assessing condition at each station and a basis for examining potential associations between presence of stressors and biological responses. A probabilistic sampling design, which included 50 stations distributed randomly throughout the region, was used to provide a basis for estimating the spatial extent of condition relative to the various measured indicators and corresponding assessment endpoints (where available). Conditions of these offshore waters are compared to those of southeastern estuaries, based on data from similar EMAP/NCA surveys conducted in 2000-2004 by EPA, NOAA, and partnering southeastern states (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia) (NCA database for estuaries, EPA Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze FL). Data from a total of 747 estuarine stations are included in this database. As for the offshore sites, the estuarine samples were collected using standard methods and indicators applied in previous coastal EMAP/NCA surveys including the probabilistic sampling design and multiple indicators of water quality, sediment quality, and biological condition (benthos and fish). The majority of the SAB had high levels of DO in near-bottom water (> 5 mg L-1) indicative of "good" water quality. DO levels in bottom waters exceeded this upper threshold at all sites throughout the coastal-ocean survey area and in 76% of estuarine waters. Twenty-one percent of estuarine bottom waters had moderate levels of DO between 2 and 5 mg L-1 and 3% had DO levels below 2 mg L-1. The majority of sites with DO in the low range considered to be hypoxic (< 2 mg L-1) occurred in North Carolina estuaries. There also was a notable concentration of stations with moderate DO levels (2 – 5 mg L-1) in Georgia and South Carolina estuaries. Approximately 58% of the estuarine area had moderate levels of chlorophyll a (5-10 μg L-1) and about 8% of the area had higher levels, in excess of 10 μg L-1, indicative of eutrophication. The elevated chlorophyll a levels appeared to be widespread throughout the estuaries of the region. In contrast, offshore waters throughout the region had relatively low levels of chlorophyll a with 100% of the offshore survey area having values < 5 μg L-1.

Dynamics of learner affective development in early FLL

Affective learner factors were first considered as a cause of success in language learning. This was followed by a change in approach and recently authors (e.g., Edelenbos, Johnstone, & Kubanek, 2006) have considered them an important outcome, especially in early foreign language learning (FLL). Current research into affective learner factors in early FLL tries to catch the developmental aspects too, and studies are emerging that take a contextual view as well. This paper describes a study on affective characteristics of young FL learners that combines the developmental and contextual perspectives. Using the case study methodology the author analyses the affective profiles of three young learners of English as a foreign language who were followed for 4 years. The analyses are done taking into account their immediate language learning environment, home support, out-of-school exposure to English and language achievement. The findings suggest that affective learner factors contribute to the dynamic complexity of early FLL.

Accumulation of Maillard reaction products in skin collagen in diabetes and aging

To investigate the contribution of glycation and oxidation reactions to the modification of insoluble collagen in aging and diabetes, Maillard reaction products were measured in skin collagen from 39 type 1 diabetic patients and 52 nondiabetic control subjects. Compounds studied included fructoselysine (FL), the initial glycation product, and the glycoxidation products, N epsilon-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) and pentosidine, formed during later Maillard reactions. Collagen-linked fluorescence was also studied. In nondiabetic subjects, glycation of collagen (FL content) increased only 33% between 20 and 85 yr of age. In contrast, CML, pentosidine and fluorescence increased five-fold, correlating strongly with age. In diabetic patients, collagen FL was increased threefold compared with nondiabetic subjects, correlating strongly with glycated hemoglobin but not with age. Collagen CML, pentosidine and fluorescence were increased up to twofold in diabetic compared with control patients: this could be explained by the increase in glycation alone, without invoking increased oxidative stress. There were strong correlations among CML, pentosidine and fluorescence in both groups, providing evidence for age-dependent chemical modification of collagen via the Maillard reaction, and acceleration of this process in diabetes. These results support the description of diabetes as a disease characterized by accelerated chemical aging of long-lived tissue proteins.

Effect of diabetes and aging on carboxymethyllysine levels in human urine

Carboxymethyllysine (CML) has been identified as a modified amino acid that accumulates with age in human lens proteins and collagen. CML may be formed by oxidation of fructoselysine (FL), the Amadori adduct formed on nonenzymatic glycosylation of lysine residues in protein, or by reaction of ascorbate with protein under autoxidizing conditions. We proposed that measurements of tissue and urinary CML may be useful as indices of oxidative stress or damage to proteins in vivo. To determine the extent to which oxidation of nonenzymatically glycosylated proteins contributes to urinary CML, we measured the urinary concentrations of FL and CML in diabetic (n = 26) and control (n = 28) patients. The urinary concentration of FL correlated strongly with HbA1 measurements and was significantly higher in diabetic compared with control samples (9.2 +/- 6.5 and 4.0 +/- 2.8 micrograms/mg creatinine, respectively; P less than 0.0001). There was also a strong correlation between the concentrations of CML and FL in both diabetic and control urine (r = 0.67, P less than 0.0001) but only a weakly significant increase in the CML concentration in diabetic compared with control urine (1.2 +/- 0.5 and 1.0 +/- 0.3 micrograms/mg creatinine, respectively; P = 0.05). The molar ratio of CML to FL was significantly lower in diabetic compared with control patients (0.25 +/- 0.12 and 0.43 +/- 0.16, respectively; P less than 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Study the function of the newly discovered TrkB receptor fragment (TrkB-ICD) formed by calpain cleavage

Tese de mestrado, Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 2016

Deciphering the mechanisms underlying the loss of BDNF neuroprotection in an Alzheimer’s disease model

Tese de mestrado, Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 2016

Functional Expression of Chemoreceptors with the Help of a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor

Odorant receptors and other chemoreceptors are usually poorly expressed in the plasma membrane of heterologous cells. A key point of regulation in G protein-mediated signaling is the interconversion between the active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states of the G alpha subunit, which regulatory proteins, such as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), can control. GEFs stimulate formation of the GTP-bound state of G alpha and therefore are considered to work as positive regulators of G protein-coupled receptor signaling. Ric-8B, a GEF that is specifically expressed in olfactory sensory neurons, promotes functional expression of odorant receptors in HEK293T cells because it amplifies the initially low receptor signaling through G alpha olf. This same strategy could be used to functionally express other types of chemoreceptors.

Open-Flap Versus Flapless Esthetic Crown Lengthening: 12-Month Clinical Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Excessive gingival display (EGD) has a negative impact on a pleasant smile. Minimally invasive therapeutic modalities have become the standard treatment in many dentistry fields. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of open-flap (OF) and minimally invasive flapless (FL) esthetic crown lengthening (ECL) for the treatment of EGD.Methods: A split-mouth randomized controlled trial was conducted in 28 patients presenting with EGD. Contralateral quadrants received ECL using OF or FL techniques. Clinical parameters were evaluated at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery. The local levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline and 3 months. Patients' perceptions regarding morbidity and esthetic appearance were also evaluated. Periodontal tissue dimensions were obtained by computed tomography at baseline and correlated with the changes in the gingival margin (GM).Results: Patients reported low morbidity and high satisfaction with esthetic appearance for both procedures (P > 0.05). RANKL and OPG concentrations were increased in the OF group at 3 months (P < 0.05). Probing depths were reduced for both groups at all time points, compared with baseline (P < 0.05). There were no differences between groups for GM reduction at any time point (P > 0.05).Conclusions: FL and OF surgeries produced stable and similar clinical results up to 12 months. FL ECL may be a predictable alternative approach for the treatment of EGD.

Bonding durability of dental sealants to deciduous and permanent teeth

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Phenotypic and functional analysis of human fetal liver hematopoietic stem cells in culture

Steady-state hematopoiesis and hematopoietic transplantation rely on the unique potential of stem cells to undergo both self-renewal and multilineage differentiation. Fetal liver (FL) represents a promising alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but limited by the total cell number obtained in a typical harvest. We reported that human FL nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) repopulating cells (SRCs) could be expanded under simple stroma-free culture conditions. Here, we sought to further characterize FL HSC/SRCs phenotypically and functionally before and following culture. Unexpanded or cultured FL cell suspensions were separated into various subpopulations. These were tested for long-term culture potential and for in vivo repopulating function following transplantation into NOD/SCID mice. We found that upon culture of human FL cells, a tight association between classical stem cell phenotypes, such as CD34(+) /CD38(-) and/or side population, and NOD/SCID repopulating function was lost, as observed with other sources. Although SRC activity before and following culture consistently correlated with the presence of a CD34(+) cell population, we provide evidence that, contrary to umbilical cord blood and adult sources, stem cells present in both CD34(+) and CD34(-) FL populations can sustain long-term hematopoietic cultures. Furthermore, upon additional culture, CD34-depleted cell suspensions, devoid of SRCs, regenerated a population of CD34(+) cells possessing SRC function. Our studies suggest that compared to neonatal and adult sources, the phenotypical characteristics of putative human FL HSCs may be less strictly defined, and reinforce the accumulated evidence that human FL represents a unique, valuable alternative and highly proliferative source of HSCs for clinical applications.

Surveillance of bovine tuberculosis and risk estimation of a future reservoir formation in wildlife in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis or M. caprae has recently (re-) emerged in livestock and wildlife in all countries bordering Switzerland (CH) and the Principality of Liechtenstein (FL). Comprehensive data for Swiss and Liechtenstein wildlife are not available so far, although two native species, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus), act as bTB reservoirs elsewhere in continental Europe. Our aims were (1) to assess the occurrence of bTB in these wild ungulates in CH/FL and to reinforce scanning surveillance in all wild mammals; (2) to evaluate the risk of a future bTB reservoir formation in wild boar and red deer in CH/FL. Tissue samples collected from 2009 to 2011 from 434 hunted red deer and wild boar and from eight diseased ungulates with tuberculosis-like lesions were tested by direct real-time PCR and culture to detect mycobacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Identification of suspicious colonies was attempted by real-time PCR, genotyping and spoligotyping. Information on risk factors for bTB maintenance within wildlife populations was retrieved from the literature and the situation regarding identified factors was assessed for our study areas. Mycobacteria of the MTBC were detected in six out of 165 wild boar (3.6%; 95% CI: 1.4-7.8) but none of the 269 red deer (0%; 0-1.4). M. microti was identified in two MTBC-positive wild boar, while species identification remained unsuccessful in four cases. Main risk factors for bTB maintenance worldwide, including different causes of aggregation often resulting from intensive wildlife management, are largely absent in CH and FL. In conclusion, M. bovis and M. caprae were not detected but we report for the first time MTBC mycobacteria in Swiss wild boar. Present conditions seem unfavorable for a reservoir emergence, nevertheless increasing population numbers of wild ungulates and offal consumption may represent a risk.

The martyrdom and miracles of Saint George of Cappadocia.

Mode of access: Internet.

Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket

2 11/64 in.x 1 27/32 in.; gilded silver with niello and a glass cabochon set over a tinted foil

Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket

2 11/64 in.x 1 27/32 in.; gilded silver with niello and a glass cabochon set over a tinted foil