The major players in adaptive immunity

How do we remain healthy, for the most parts, in the midst of an environment teeming with opportunistic and infectious microbes, potential carcinogens and allergens? The fact is that our immune system, by and large, does a fine job in protecting us. It is therefore important to understand the organization of the immune network, which is broadly categorized into two groups: innate and adaptive. Cells involved in innate immunity are the first to come into contact with invading microbes, similar to the border security force, and respond rapidly but in a non-specific manner. On the other hand, the cells involved in adaptive immunity are slower to respond but act in a very specific manner. Though the primary response is slow, the secondary response is much faster and demonstrates memory. This article will focus on some important features and key players involved in the adaptive immune response. The first part deals with the humoral immune response mediated mainly by immunoglobulins produced by the B cells. The second part deals with T cells, the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)-encoded molecules, and Recombination Activating Genes (RAG) responsible for generating diverse B-cell receptors (BCR) and T-cell receptors (TCR). With the advent of newer and smarter infectious agents, it is important to understand the working of the immune network as more research in this area may facilitate the development of better protective strategies.     

US news magazine images of black‐Asian American relationships, 1980–1992

During the past 20 years, primarily Latinos and Asians have immigranted to these shores and settled in urban areas. Media sources assert that this influx created particularly problematic relations between blacks and Asian Americans. Using Frame theory and textual analysis, we explored the images newsmagazines produced of this relationship. We found that one frame predominated: the nature of group relations had to do with each group's “essential”; qualities. Within this frame there also appeared four media packages: 1) the nature of the urban space, 2) the role of culture in the quality of relationships, 3) the essential qualities of urban residents and 4) the preeminence of class over race. Analysis of black‐Asian American relationships, while not strictly hegemonic, rarely deviated from accepted critiques. The nature of the coverage constrained understanding to personal shortcomings, while poverty and racial strife were rarely associated with historical and structural factors.     

A test strip for the estimation of urea in serum

We have developed a biostrip for determination of urea in serum. The test strip is based on enzymatic assay where urease has been immobilized on the chromatographic paper along with chromogen, phenol red. The chromogen is easily soluble in water and does not require other components for the color change. Serum urea reacts with urease and water to liberate ammonia and carbon dioxide. The liberated ammonia changes the pH of the reaction medium, which is monitored by the chromogen phenol red. A single step working reagent strip has been developed and the reaction is completed within 50 seconds at room temperature. With this test strip urea concentration is measured in serum as low as 0.15 g/L. The speed and convenience of determining urea in serum by this strip instantly makes it well suited for individuals, physicians and emergency centres.     

Student Perceptions of Social Loafing in Undergraduate Business Classroom Teams

There is a rich body of research devoted to the causes and remedies of social loafing in workplace teams. However, the social loafing phenomenon remains underinvestigated from the perspective of students in undergraduate business classroom teams. In particular, how they define and respond to loafing remains unknown. This article reports findings from a two-stage study that shows social loafing as a more complex construct than current conceptions suggest. Moreover, students avoid confronting loafers and prefer to have instructors administer postpriori justice based on their self-report of individual contributions. Based on the findings and recent writings, the article speculates on the causes of these student responses to social loafing in classroom teams.     

What Students Think and Do in Classroom Teams When Peer Evaluations Are Highly Consequential: A Two‐Stage Study

The article presents findings from a two‐stage study that examined student perceptions of peer evaluations (PEs) conducted in undergraduate business classroom teams. In stage 1, we used qualitative research to identify constructs focal in students’ PE‐related cognitive schemas and developed grounded measurement scales and hypotheses about their relationships. Then, we implemented PEs in 17 sections of undergraduate business courses taught over seven semesters. The PEs were highly consequential; i.e., they entirely determined the grade each student received on her/his team project. At the end of each semester, we surveyed student perceptions and behaviors using measurement scales we developed after stage 1 of the study. We find that the knowledge of impending PEs leads students to exercise a great deal of care in terms of what they say and do while working with others. The higher levels of care trigger both impression management behaviors and perceptions that others are contributing more. The perceptions that others are contributing more seem instrumental in shaping students’ decision to contribute more themselves. Implications for instructors and future research are discussed.     

Students’ Perspective into the Apathy and Social Disconnectedness They Feel in Undergraduate Business Classrooms

Apathy and social disconnectedness among undergraduate business students remain poorly understood and under‐researched—despite evidence that they produce an adverse impact on learning‐related outcomes. Qualitative research was initially conducted among a sample of undergraduate business students to identify the antecedents and learning‐related consequences of apathy and social disconnectedness, develop grounded definitions, hypotheses, and scales. This was followed by a survey that aimed to test a conceptual model that emerged from qualitative data. The study finds evidence to suggest that high levels of anxiety among students antecedes social disconnectedness and powerlessness, which trigger apathy or the lack of caring about being a student or attending college. These psychosocial problems are severe enough, the study finds, to adversely impact the quality of students’ learning experiences. Implications for new thinking and research are discussed, and implications for improving instruction are derived from the findings.     

Communication and marginal sites: the Chipko movement and the dominant paradigm of development communication

This article uses the Chipko movement in northeastern India to propose an additional way to think alternatively about communication and development. The Chipko movement took place in the 1970s. Movement members demanded better local resource management by the state and for a greater voice in the determining the use of the local forests. Acknowledging that alternatives to the dominant paradigm of communication and development already exist (the participatory communication models and the participatory action research models), this essay shows even these alternatives did not address certain problems associated with the dominant paradigm. After a brief review of the dominant paradigm and the alternatives this article examines certain dimensions of the Chipko movement, such as the role of movement leaders, resource management, and strategies of communication, and argues that a Chipko-based ‘regions in protest’ model should take a place among the various models posed as alternatives to the dominant paradigm.     

New scheme of communication: an exploratory study of interactivity and multimedia use in Chinese j-blogs and the implications

Major cultural values in Chinese and Indian TV commercials were identified in this content analysis. Commercials in both countries were found emphasizing modernity over tradition as a dominant value. Chinese commercials used more traditional values while Indian commercials reflected a more Western value orientation. Foreign brands used modernity more frequently than domestic brands. Foreign brands of Eastern origin used modernity even more often than those of Western origin. Product category emerged as the most important variable affecting cultural values in both countries' commercials. While contributing to international advertising research, this study provides implications for international advertising practice.     

A Study of Carotid Atherosclerosis in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease shares many features of metabolic syndrome and its presence could signify a substantial cardiovascular risk above and beyond that conferred by individual risk factors. This study is an attempt to investigate the association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with carotid intima-media thickness and plaque as surrogate measures of increased cardiovascular risk. The study was conducted on 645 non diabetic, non alcoholic subjects in the age range of 20–60 years. Metabolic syndrome was assessed by using ATP III and ADA (2005) criteria. Anthropometric factors—waist circumference and blood pressure were measured. Fasting serum samples were analyzed for glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and its fractions, insulin, alanine and aspartate transaminases, gamma glutamyl transferase and free fatty acids. Insulin resistance and secretion were calculated by homeostasis model and insulin sensitivity by QUICKI index. Liver ultrasonographic scanning was used for assessing fatty liver. Carotid atherosclerosis was assessed by B-mode ultrasonography of common carotid artery and internal carotid artery. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was 15.6 % in non alcoholic population and 68.5 % of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease had metabolic syndrome, which was associated with hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, insulin insensitivity along with elevated levels of waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride, FFA and decreased HDL cholesterol. NAFLD patients had markedly greater carotid intima media thickness than non NAFLD subjects with MCIMT of 591.6 ± 108 and 489.5 ± 132.4 μm (P < 0.001) and plaque prevalence of 19.2 and 2.2 %, respectively, thus the carotid intima media thickness is associated with NAFLD.     

The major players in adaptive immunity

Our immune system, by and large, does a fine job in protecting us from opportunistic and infectious microbes, potential carcinogens and allergens. It is therefore crucial to understand the organization of the immune network. This article focuses on some important features and key players involved in adaptive immune response. The first part of the article dealt with the humoral immune response mediated mainly by immunoglobulins produced by the B cells. The second part deals with T cells, the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)-encoded molecules, and Recombination Activating Genes (RAG) responsible for generating diverse B-cell receptors (BCR) and T-cell receptors (TCR). With the advent of newer and smarter infectious agents, it is important to understand the working of the immune network as more research in this area may facilitate the development of better protective strategies.