Transgenerational effects of the holocaust: Externalization of aggression in second generation of holocaust survivors.

Examined the psychological characteristics of the children of holocaust survivors. 38 males and females in their late 20's were interviewed; the parents of 19 Ss were holocaust survivors, and the parents of the other 19 Ss were in Israel during World War II and did not suffer directly. It was hypothesized that reactions of the children of the holocaust survivors would include guilt rather than external aggression and a tendency not to externalize aggressive impulses in reaction to frustrating events. The Ss' reactions to a projective test were analyzed, and the responses provide support for the major hypothesis. Results show that sons and daughters of holocaust survivors were less likely to externalize aggression than were those in a control group. This finding is supported by the content analysis of the structured interview conducted with the Ss in both groups. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incisional hernia after laparoscopic nephrectomy with intact specimen removal: caveat emptor

The choline-containing phosphoglycolipid, MfGL-II, is the major polar lipid of Mycoplasma fermentans PG18. Anti-MfGL-II antisera raised in rabbits using the purified MfGL-II as an immunogen were employed in immunogold electron microscopic and immunofluorescence studies showing that MfGL-II is uniformly distributed and exposed on the cell surface of M. fermentans cells. The specificity of the antibodies was determined by immunostaining of lipid extracts separated by thin layer chromatography. The antibodies recognize lipids specific to M. fermentans but did not cross-react with lipid extracts of M. penetrans, M. capricolum, M. gallisepticum or Acholeplasma laidlawii. As phosphocholine almost completely abolished antibody interaction with MfGL-II in an ELISA assay it is suggested that the anti-MfGL-II repertoire is composed primarily of anti-phosphocholine antibodies. The anti-MfGL-II antisera inhibit the attachment of M. fermentans to Molt-3 lymphocytes suggesting that MfGL-II plays a major role in M. fermentans-host cell interaction.     

A decision model for the analysis of ergonomic investments

Costs associated with worker injuries can be high and some suggest investments in ergonomic solutions can lower those costs. However, many employers are still unsure if investing in various ergonomic solutions will generate benefits such as increased production and/or reduce workmen's compensation expenses. Estimating current losses and predicting possible gains provide most of the information needed to decide upon ergonomic investment. This paper presents a model employers can use to predict cost savings from ergonomic investments given certain input factors, including current losses, cost of implementation, and success of implementation.     

Intergroup helping as status relations: Effects of status stability, identification, and type of help on receptivity to high-status group's help.

Integrating research on social identity processes and helping relations, the authors proposed that low-status group members who are high identifiers will be unwilling to receive help from the high-status group when status relations are perceived as unstable and help is dependency-oriented. The first experiment, a minimal group experiment, found negative reactions to help from a high-status outgroup when status relations were unstable. The 2nd and 3rd experiments, which used real groups of Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews, replicated this finding and showed that high identifiers were less receptive to help from the high-status outgroup than low identifiers. The 4th experiment, a help-seeking experiment with real groups of competing high schools, found that the least amount of help was sought from a high-status group by high identifiers when status relations were perceived as unstable and help was dependency-oriented. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevention of T cell anergy by signaling through the gamma c chain of the IL-2 receptor

When stimulated through their antigen receptor without requisite costimulation, T cells enter a state of antigen-specific unresponsiveness termed anergy. In this study, signaling through the common gamma chain of the interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, and IL-7 receptors in the presence of antigen was found to be sufficient to prevent the induction of anergy. After culture with IL-2, IL-4, or IL-7, Jak3 kinase was tyrosine-phosphorylated, which correlated with the prevention of anergy. Therefore, a signal through the common gamma chain may regulate the decision of T cells to either clonally expand or enter a state of anergy.     

Diagnosis and carrier detection of Tay-Sachs disease: direct determination of hexosaminidase A using 4-methylumbelliferyl derivatives of beta-N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfate and beta-N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate

4-Methylumbelliferyl-6-sulfo-2-acetamido-2-deoxy derivatives of beta-D glucopyranoside and beta-D-galactopyranoside were prepared by direct sulfation of the commonly used unsulfated derivatives. Both sulfated substrates were highly specific for hexosaminidase A, and in fractionated serum, cells, and tissue preparations, less than 2.5% of these activities were associated with hexosaminidase B and the intermediate isozyme fractions. Serum and leukocytes from patients with infantile Tay-Sachs disease, including a patient with thermolabile hexosaminidase B, had less than 2% of noncarrier activities. Carrier values were clearly separated from those of noncarriers, and no problems were encountered in utilizing sera from pregnant women. The % hexosaminidase A values as derived from the ratio between the activities toward the sulfated and unsulfated substrates in the same specimen were comparable to those obtained by the heat-inactivation method (except for subjects with thermolabile hexosaminidase B) and may be helpful in genotype determination in borderline cases.     

Predictive Image Coding with Pseudo-Laplacian Edge Detector

Several edge-adaptive dual-mode predictive coding systems are proposed for coding monochrome video signals. These algorithms use the pseudo-Laplacian edge detector to switch between the textural coding and the edge coding. The one-dimensional Song DM coder and the two-dimensional weighted average prediction DM coder were used for the textural coding. The edge coding was done with either a normal two-dimensional Song DM coder, Graham's DPCM schemes, or a DPCM coder developed by the authors. Nine different combinations of textural and edge coding techniques were developed and simulated. The bit rates of the various schemes were compared, and the range varied between 2.28-3.46 bits/pixel without further compression of the edge information bits or the correction bits. Subjective tests were carried out on images reconstructed according to these schemes. The results show that most of the pictures obtained with the techniques in this paper are superior to the pictures coded by the Song mode normal two-dimensional DM coder alone.