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Automotive manufacturers and suppliers are aware that mastering JIT is not enough to achieve competitive advantage, therefore some companies are testing a new approach to production, Modular Consortia. With this concept, the module supplier is responsible for module assembly directly on the automotive manufacturer's assembly line. The evolution from JIT to Modular Consortia is discussed, based on supply chain management research, and a manufacturer-supplier relationship is described.

The 'Made in Swizerland' study of Swiss manufacturing practice and performance undertaken in 1995 was based on the assumption that the adoption of best practice leads to high performance. Issues addressed were organisation and culture, quality, logistics, concurrent engineering, manufacturing systems and lean production. There were a number of findings which could prove useful for manufacturers across Europe seeking to boost their competitiveness. These included the fact that many manufacturers need to adopt a more realistic view of their position in relation to their competitors and to other industries.

Some companies have had to alter their manufacturing strategies to address the changes which have come with the single European market. Rationalisation of plant location, integration of operations, sales and marketing, elimination of excess capacity and the adoption of 'rigid flexibility'. The details of the implications and lessons to be learnt from the pan-European changes are included.

This descriptive study sought to establish an oral health baseline of need for enrollees at a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and identify opportunities for nursing interventions. The Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) was applied to a random sample of 120 enrollees, 64 of whom met inclusion criteria, agreed to participate to assess their oral health status, and were included in the analysis. The mean OHAT score was 4.4 (SD = 2.6; range 0–12). Higher scores indicate poorer oral health. The oral conditions found needing the most attention were gums, saliva, natural teeth, dentures, and oral cleanliness. Oral cleanliness scored the worst on the OHAT, highlighting opportunities for nursing interventions and the necessity for oral hygiene routines. This study also identifies the need for nurses to address enrollees' oral health and relay information back to the PACE interdisciplinary team (IDT) to initiate referrals to the dentist as needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secreted proteins in the bone marrow microenvironment play critical roles in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Through an ex vivo functional screen of 94 cytokines, we identified that the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) elicited profound expansion of myeloid progenitors in ∼67% of AML patients while suppressing the growth of normal progenitors. Levels of IL-1β and IL-1 receptors were increased in AML patients, and silencing of the IL-1 receptor led to significant suppression of clonogenicity and in vivo disease progression. IL-1 promoted AML cell growth by enhancing p38MAPK phosphorylation and promoting secretion of various other growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Treatment with p38MAPK inhibitors reversed these effects and recovered normal CD34+ cells from IL-1-mediated growth suppression. These results highlight the importance of ex vivo functional screening to identify common and actionable extrinsic pathways in genetically heterogeneous malignancies and provide impetus for clinical development of IL-1/IL1R1/p38MAPK pathway-targeted therapies in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present efficient metal oxide-free and annealing-free planar perovskite solar cells with the regular cell structure using vacuum-deposited fullerenes C 60 and C 70 as the electron-selective layers and vacuum-processed perovskites as the light absorbers. The devices with an ultrathin C 60 layer (5.5 nm) yielded an average power conversion efficiency of 14.3% and a maximum efficiency of 15.7%. The best-performing cell produced a steady-state efficiency of 14.6%. The high performance is attributed to the efficient blocking of holes and extraction of electrons by C 60 due to a favorable energy level alignment between the C 60 and the fluorine-doped tin oxide electrodes. With the realization of efficient cells, the annealing-free vacuum deposition of perovskite absorbers and C 60 or C 70 electron-selective layers and intermediate layers demonstrates its power for fabricating all-perovskite tandem solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) provides notable physiological benefits and is generally well-tolerated across modalities and populations. This study investigated how exercise autonomy support impacts psychological responses to exercise. Twenty-nine participants completed three HIIT trials: Conventional-HIIT with 60-sec work segments, Varied-HIIT with a mix of 30, 60, 90, & 120-sec segments, and Autonomous-HIIT with self-selected 30, 60, 90, & 120-sec segments. Affective valence, enjoyment, and intention were measured. Affective valence during exercise was not different between trials (p > 0.05) but enjoyment during exercise was higher for Autonomous-HIIT (p < 0.05). Enjoyment and intention measured post-exercise were greater for Autonomous-HIIT than Varied-HIIT (p < 0.05). Autonomous HIIT produced more desirable responses than varied and traditional HIIT sessions. These data suggest that HIIT sessions utilizing self-selected interval durations can produce more positive responses, which provides the basis for recommending autonomy within HIIT exercise. - Autonomous HIIT exercise was less effortful than conventional HIIT exercise. - Affective responses were positive for all HIIT exercise sessions. - Autonomous HIIT exercise was more pleasurable than varied HIIT exercise. - Provision of autonomy during HIIT exercise is advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article describes how Dr Ernest Goodpasture''s 1919 study of influenza became the basis for his name being attached to pulmonary-renal syndromes by Stanton and Tange in 1958. Dr Goodpasture was an unwilling participant in this naming, and in retrospect, the patient he described who served as the prototypic case probably had a vasculitic syndrome. Finally, Dr Goodpasture''s major contributions to virology are summarized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Incisional hernias form after surgery through incision sites and can enlarge over time. Relations between body image (BI) and health locus of control (HLC) were investigated in male patients undergoing evaluation for incisional hernia repair (n =32) and non-hernia controls (n =34). Analyses revealed that patients with incisional hernias reported significantly less satisfaction with general appearance and appearance of the mid-torso than non-hernia controls. Although HLC beliefs did not vary by group, post hoc analyses revealed several significant relations between BI factors and HLC beliefs. Results suggest that poor BI is a significant area of concern among patients with incisional hernias. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Composite lymphoma (CL) is composed of 2 or more morphologically and immunophenotypically distinct lymphomas in a single anatomical site. Here we report a unique CL of the upper respiratory tract in an elderly male patient. Morphologically, the lymphoma was composed of 2 distinct and well-demarcated areas consisting of monotonous small to medium-sized lymphocytes and sheets of mature-appearing plasma cells. Immunophenotyping by both flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry revealed that the small to medium-sized lymphocytes were composed of 2 distinct subpopulations sharing a CD5+/CD19+/CD20+/CD22+/CD23−/FMC-7(+)/cyclin D1(+) immunophenotype but with different immunoglobulin (Ig) light and heavy chain expression, consistent with 2 immunophenotypically distinct mantle cell lymphomas (MCLs); the plasma cells were composed of CD38(bright +)/CD138+/IgG κ-restricted plasma cells, consistent with a plasmacytoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed the t(11;14) translocation present in the lymphocyte region but absent in the plasma cell area. Ig heavy chain gene rearrangement studies on manually dissected populations showed 2 distinct patterns for the MCL and plasmacytoma. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a 3-way CL consisting of 2 immunophenotypically distinct MCLs and a plasmacytoma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To determine if sensory curiosity (SC) could be identified as a meaningful psychological construct, a pool of SC items was administered to 552 undergraduate students (402 women, 150 men), along with measures of perceptual and epistemic curiosity. Participants also responded to the trait anxiety, anger, and curiosity scales of the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), and subscales of the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS). Factor analyses of the SC items identified one strong factor, from which 10 items were selected to form a SC scale. Positive correlations of the SC scale with the other curiosity scales that were stronger than the correlations of the SSS subscales with these measures, provided evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the SC scale. Divergent validity was evidenced by essentially zero correlations of the SC scale with the STPI anxiety, anger and depression measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading infectious cause of respiratory failure and wheezing in infants and young children. Prematurity is the greatest risk factor for severe RSV-induced disease, and recent studies suggest that premature children have lower levels of the type I IFNs (α/β), for which signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 1 is a critical intracellular signaling molecule. Objective: We hypothesized that RSV infection in STAT1 knockout (STAT1 KO) mice would result in both increased airway resistance and airway hyperresponsiveness. Methods: Wild-type (WT) and STAT1 KO mice on a BALB/c background were either RSV or mock infected. Phenotypic response to infection was assessed by means of plethysmography, immunohistochemistry, and lung cytokine measurement. Results: We found that STAT1 KO mice infected with RSV (STAT1 KO-RSV) had greater baseline lung resistance (P =.05) and airway responsiveness (P < .001) than mock-infected STAT1 KO (STAT1 KO-MOCK), RSV-infected wild type (WT-RSV), and mock-infected wild type (WT-MOCK) mice. In addition, the STAT1 KO-RSV mice showed induction of mucus production and expression of gob-5 and Muc5ac, conditions not present in any of the other 3 groups. IL-17, a cytokine that regulates Muc5ac expression, was expressed in the lungs of the STAT1 KO-RSV mice, whereas lung levels of IL-17 were undetectable in the remaining groups. Expression of the IL-23–specific p19 subunit was also increased in the STAT1 KO-RSV mice but not in the WT-RSV mice. Conclusion: These results show that STAT1 has an important regulatory role in RSV-induced alteration of airway function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Histoplasmosis was proven to be a fungal infection 70 years ago by Dr William DeMonbreun, at the time an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at Vanderbilt Medical School. The significance of his work is analyzed in relationship to the evolution of knowledge about this important fungal infection. His discovery was also central to establishing the legitimacy of the recently reorganized medical school. Vanderbilt Medical School in 1925 was an experiment in building an educational institution essentially from scratch—the outcome of the experiment could be judged in the near term only by research productivity and Dr DeMonbreun''s work was one of the 5 major discoveries made at Vanderbilt in the first decade of its existence. Further, his work is the bedrock on which Christie and Peterson later showed that histoplasmosis was endemic in the Ohio River Valley. Their studies plus a host of case reports and reviews up to recent times have contributed significantly to the academic standing of Vanderbilt. Heretofore unpublished illustrations and details about the prototypic cases are included for historical purposes. New light is also shed on the chain of circumstances that led to Vanderbilt''s role in the evolution of knowledge about histoplasmosis. Finally, information is provided about Dr DeMonbreun''s career after his discovery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The functional significance of mono-, di-, and trimethylation of lysine residues within histone proteins is under investigation. Evidence from several model organisms suggests that different methylated states of H3 Lys9 (H3K9) are generated by specific histone methyltransferases (MTases) to mark distinct types of silent chromatin. Sequence alignment of all histone lysine MTases with known product specificity suggested that a key residue in the active site determines how many methyl groups they add. We examined this possibility both in vitro and in vivo and found that a Phe at the position equivalent to Phe281 of Neurospora crassa DIM-5 or Phe1205 of human G9a allows the enzyme to perform di and tri-methylation, whereas a Tyr at this position is restrictive, inhibiting tri-methylation and thus yielding a mono- or di-MTase. Phe to Tyr mutants of both DIM-5 and G9a restrict product specificity in vitro and in vivo without compromising overall catalysis. These mutants were employed to probe the biological significance of mono-, di-, and tri-methylation of H3K9 in both mouse embryonic stem cells and N. crassa. G9a F1205Y, when expressed in G9a (-/-) embryonic stem cells, rescued only H3K9 mono-methylation, but not di-methylation, to wild-type levels yet silenced Mage-a gene expression. When expressed in dim-5 strains, DIM-5 F281Y generated significant levels of mono- and di-H3K9 methylation (which are not observed in wild type Neurospora) as well as tri-methyl H3K9. The altered DIM-5 rescued the growth defect characteristic of dim-5 N. crassa but did not fully rescue the gross DNA hypomethylation of dim-5 strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceptual curiosity, as defined by Berlyne (1954), involves interest in and giving attention to novel perceptual stimulation, and motivates visual and sensory-inspection. A 33-item questionnaire constructed to assess individual differences in perceptual curiosity was administered to 320 undergraduate students (202 females; 118 males). The participants also responded to the trait scales of the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), and to selected subscales of the Sensation Seeking (SSS) and Novelty Experiencing (NES) scales. Principal axis factor analyses of the perceptual curiosity (PC) items identified a strong PC factor. With oblique rotation, diversive and specific PC components were found, from which subscales were constructed. Moderate positive correlations of the PC scale and subscales were found with the NES and STPI measures of curiosity and the SSS and NES sensation seeking scales, suggesting that perceptual curiosity involves seeking both knowledge and sensory experience. Divergent validity of the PC scale was demonstrated by minimal relationships with the STPI trait anger scale, and essentially zero correlations with the STPI trait anxiety and depression scales. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related genes, MICA and MICB, are located centromeric to human leukocyte antigen B (HLA-B) on chromosome 6. In response to stress stimuli, MIC is expressed on epithelial, endothelial and fibroblast cells, but not lymphocytes and has been demonstrated to ligate the natural killer (NK) cell receptor, NKG2D. Nucleotide sequences of MICA and MICB are highly polymorphic and several methods have been established to identify these polymorphisms, including sequence-based typing and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probing. In this study we have developed a high-resolution polymerase chain reaction–sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) phototyping scheme that detects all WHO-recognized MICA alleles and all 12 MICB alleles. Our method will also recognize a MICA deletion haplotype and distinguish between MICA alleles with different binding affinities for NKG2D, encoded by a non-synonymous nucleotide substitution in codon 129. Furthermore, our scheme targets almost 90% of the dimorphic codon positions in exons 2, 3, and 4, which result in non-synonymous amino acid changes. This method can be used to determine MIC allele frequencies within different populations, as well as investigate MIC associations in cohorts of patients with autoimmune and infectious diseases and explore the impact of MIC on the survival of solid organ and stem cell transplants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bifacial solar cells have the potential to increase the energy yield per unit area over traditional monofacial devices without significant added cost, driving $/kWh costs lower and accelerating the adoption of solar photovoltaics. However, the performance of bifacial thin film solar cells significantly lags that achieved by crystalline silicon cells. Here we incorporate wide bandgap Cu x AlO y as a back buffer layer for CdTe devices and achieve a backside illuminated device with high current density and high fill factor. Moreover, these values remain nearly constant even as the absorber layer thickness changes, indicating that a fully-depleted device is not required for efficient charge collection. We show that this response is indicative of a back surface field, albeit with a persistent high back surface recombination velocity. By managing electron reflection, we achieved a backside illumination conversion efficiency of 7.1% and bifaciality of 0.55 for a 3.3 µm CdTe device and 8.0% and 0.62 for a 2 µm device. Future improvements can be made by identifying and incorporating a passivation material that reduces the back surface recombination velocity. [Display omitted] • Wide-gap Cu x AlO y use as a CdTe back buffer yields backside-illuminated device with high current density and high fill factor. • Cu x AlO y buffer layer increases the photogenerated carrier lifetime for both glass side and film side illumination. • SCAPS model suggests that Cu x AlO y buffer layer creates a long-sought electron reflector at CdTe back contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deficient processing explains the repetition decrement effect and spacing effect. • Spacing affects the repetition decrement effect: poor memory of repeated items. • Repeated experience increases familiarity; familiarity impairs attention and memory. • Familiarity decreases with intervening study, allowing better memory of repetitions. • Computer model of this theory successfully predicts many memory effects. This article focuses on a novel recognition memory effect reported recently: better recognition at test for a word seen once than for a word seen twice at study (Rosner, López-Benítez, D'Angelo, Thomson, & Milliken, 2018; Collins, Rosner, & Milliken, 2018). Collins et al. (2018) suggested that the repetition decrement effect results from temporary, familiarity-mediated shifts in exogenous attention that bias attention toward unfamiliar, not-repeated words and away from familiar, repeated words. The current study presents a formal model of this theory, MINERVA-DE, where DE stands for discrepancy encoding. Discrepancy encoding assumes the encoding of stimuli is inversely proportional to its familiarity in primary memory. We show that the model predicts the entire range of reported repetition decrement effects and holds promise for modeling the deficient processing theory of the spacing effect in recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]