cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glomerular thrombosis in pregnancy: Role of the L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway

Glomerular thrombosis in pregnancy: Role of the L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway. E. coli endotoxin (LPS) and certain cytokines induce synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine, but also promote endothelial injury and intravascular coagulation. NO has vasodilator and antithrombogenic properties. We investigated the relationship between the L-arginine-NO pathway and the susceptibility to LPS-induced glomerular thrombosis in pregnancy. Pregnant rats were given either 0.15 or 0.75 mg/kg/body wt of LPS intraperitoneally. In rats given 0.15 mg/kg/body wt of LPS urinary NO 2 − /NO 3 − (end products of NO) increased 200% (P 2 − /NO 3 − did not increase. Oral administration of L-arginine but not D-arginine increased urinary NO 2 − /NO 3 − by 250% and averted glomerular thrombosis in these rats (P 2 − /NO 3 − concomitantly increased over 200% (P
The biologist and the World Wide Web: an overview of the search engines technology, current status and future perspectives.

Introduction In 1990, very few people were able to predict the impact of the Internet (see [El] for general information about the Internet) and the World Wide Web (WWW or Web) on molecular biology research and in particular on the genome projects which were in their infancies. After only six years, thousands of Web sites pertaining to biology have been created worldwide. Accessed thousands of times per day, these Web resources are now a part of a scientist’s daily ‘routine’. They provide vital information, allow users to exchange views and ideas, and help biologists in the analyses of their data. By ‘cross-referencing’ (‘linking’ for short) to others sites, the webmasters (title frequently used to describe persons performing the many duties involved in creating and maintaining a Web resource) have created a valuable network of tools considered indispensable for modern research.
miR-21: an androgen receptor-regulated microRNA that promotes hormone-dependent and hormone-independent prostate cancer growth.

Androgen Receptor (AR) mediated oncogenic pathways have not been fully elucidated. In this study we utilized high throughput microarray analysis on two AR-positive Prostate Cancer (CaP) cell lines to identify 16 AR-responsive microRNAs (miRNAs). We focused on miR-21 because of its previously reported oncogenic activity in other cancers. We demonstrate androgen-induced AR binding to the defined miR-21 promoter, miPPR-21, suggesting direct transcriptional regulation. Moreover, inhibition of miR-21 diminished androgen-induced CaP cell proliferation, providing new evidence that microRNAs can contribute to androgen-driven cell growth. Elevated expression of miR-21 enhanced CaP tumor growth in vivo and, surprisingly, was sufficient for androgen-dependent tumors to overcome castration-mediated growth arrest. Thus, elevated miR-21 expression alone is sufficient to impart castration resistance. Moreover, quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed elevated miR-21 expression in CaP when compared to adjacent normal tissue. These results suggest that miR-21 may contribute to CaP pathogenesis.
Nitric-Oxide - an Autocrine Regulator of Human Granulosa-Luteal Cell Steroidogenesis

We investigated the presence of nitric oxide (NO) synthase in ovarian follicular cells obtained from women undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures. Endothelial NO synthase messenger RNA was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction amplification of reverse transcribed RNA. NO synthase was localized to granulosa-luteal cells by immunocytochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody. Ovarian follicular cell NO synthase enzyme activity was confirmed by measuring the conversion of L-arginine to citrulline. To investigate the effect of NO on granulosa-luteal cell steroidogenesis, NO synthase inhibitors and NO donors were added to cell cultures. NG-Monomethyl-L-arginine and N-nitro-arginase methyl ester, selective inhibitors of NO synthase, significantly increased estradiol secretion by granulosa-luteal cells. S-Nitroso-L-acetyl penicillamine (S-NAP) and S-nitroso glutathione, NO donors, caused a dose-dependent decrease in both estradiol and progesterone secretion. The decrease by S-NAP was reversed by hemoglobin, which binds free NO. Although S-NAP increased the concentration of cGMP in granulosa-luteal cells, cGMP analogs had no effect on steroidogenesis in cell cultures. S-NAP and native NO in solution decreased cellular and microsomal aromatase activities. We conclude that NO synthase is present in human granulosa-luteal cells and that NO inhibits estradiol secretion independent of cGMP by directly inhibiting aromatase.
Characteristic temperature dependence of resistivity in PPY(PF/sub 6/) near the metal-insulator transition

Abstract We present a systematic method to characterize transport properties of doped conducting polymers near the metal-insulator ( M-I ) transition in terms of the resistivity ratio ρ ≡ ρ(1.4K)/gr(300K). Heavily doped polypyrrole-hexafluorophosphate, PPy(PF 6 ), undergoes a M-I transition at ρ r ∼ 10. For ρ r ϱ r > 10, the system is an insulator with ρ→ ∞ as T → 0. In the critical regime, ρ(T) shows a power law dependence, ρ(T) ∞ T-β, with 0.3 M-I transition. In the insulating regime, the sign of the temperature coefficient of resistivity changes at ρ r = 2. In the insulating regime, the crossover from Mott to Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping (VRH) is observed. The correlation length (L c ) inferred from the extrapolated (0) in the metallic regime and from analysis of the VRH in the insulating regime increases as ρ r approaches M-I transition from either side.
Push-Push Dielectric Resonator Oscillator

A novel coupling method is employed in the design of a push-push broadband dielectric resonator oscillator for K- and Ka-band operation. The oscillators realized with this technique exhibit excellent spectral purity, power output, and suppression of spurious outputs.
Pharmacodynamic evaluation of tigecycline against Acinetobacter baumannii in a murine pneumonia model

Objectives: Tigecycline is an extended-spectrum antibiotic with activity against Acinetobacter spp. (ACB), an increasingly common cause of nosocomial pneumonia. Although this compound is under investigation for this indication, supportive pharmacodynamic data are not yet available at this infection site. The objective of this study was to characterize the exposure–response relationship of tigecycline with ACB in an established murine pneumonia model. Methods: The pharmacokinetic profile of tigecycline was evaluated in infected neutropenic mice. Tigecycline 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg, in single or two to six divided subcutaneous doses, were tested against all ACB isolates. Efficacy, defined as the log10 change in bacterial cfu/mL, was assessed after a 24 h course of therapy. Tigecycline exposures in serum were corrected for dosespecific protein binding. The relationship between the area under the free concentration–time curve to MIC (fAUC/MIC) and change in bacterial density was determined using the sigmoid Emax model. Results: Tigecycline displayed linear pharmacokinetics with a mean half-life of 11.3+1.4 h. Efficacy correlated well with fAUC/MIC (R 2 50.96). The mean 80%, 50% effective and stasis exposures (fAUC/MIC) were 17, 8 and 6, respectively. Maximal efficacy for the five Acinetobacter baumannii studied was 3.4 log kill. Conclusions: Tigecycline efficacy in this murine ACB pneumonia model was well predicted by fAUC/MIC. Requisite tigecycline exposures for efficacy appear to be higher for ACB pneumonia than for other pathogens reported of non-respiratory infections.
Theoretical Basis of Hemodynamic MR Imaging Techniques to Measure Cerebral Blood Volume, Cerebral Blood Flow, and Permeability

SUMMARY: Cerebrovascular hemodynamic assessment adds new information to standard anatomic MR imaging and improves patient care. This article reviews the theoretic underpinnings of several potentially quantitative MR imaging–based methods that shed light on the hemodynamic status of the brain, including cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and contrast agent permeability. Techniques addressed include dynamic susceptibility contrast (which most simply and accurately estimates CBV), arterial spin labeling (a powerful method to measure CBF), and contrast-enhanced methods to derive permeability parameters such as the transport constant Ktrans.
Obsessive-compulsive neurosis: A cognitive-behavioral formulation and approach to treatment

Drawing upon the literature from cognitive and behavioral formulations as wall as psychoanalytic theory, a cognitive behavioral model for conceptualizing and treating obsessive-compulsive neurosis is presented. The proposed model is contrasted with traditional psychoanalytic and behavioral conceptualizations. A variety of cognitive and behavioral treatment techniques are described that attempt to help clients modify their unrealistic cognitive appraisals of threat, test the validity of their fears, and realize resources more effective than symptoms for coping with uncertainty and anxiety.
Agglutination of Mouse Erythrocytes by Eperythrozoon coccoides

Abstract Erythrocytes from blood of mice infected with Eperythrozoon coccoides for 3 or 4 days agglutinated spontaneously. Washed E. coccoides particles agglutinated washed erythrocytes of uninfected mice. E. coccoides-mediated agglutination of normal mouse erythrocytes would be an excellent system for studies of bacterial adhesion.
Hormonal and dietary modulation of mammary carcinogenesis in mouse mammary tumor virus-c-erbB-2 transgenic mice

Exogenous and dietary estrogens have been associated with modification of breast cancer risk. Mammary cancer model systems can be used to explore interactions between specific transgenes, and hormonal and dietary factors. Transgenic mice bearing the rat wild-type erbB-2 gene were used to study the effects of short-term hormonal exposure [17beta-estradiol (E2) or tamoxifen] or a soy meal diet on mammary carcinogenesis. In mice fed a casein diet, mammary tumors developed at an earlier age after short-term E2 exposure during the early reproductive period. The median mammary tumor latency was shortest (29 weeks) for the high-dose estrogen as compared with the lowest dose of E2 treated or placebo control mice (33 and 37 weeks, respectively). The timing of short-term E2 exposure was also important, with the most significant changes observed in mice exposed to E2 between 8 and 18 weeks of age. E2 exposure was associated with the subsequent development of more aggressive tumors as determined by histologic grade, multifocal tumor development, stromal invasion, and pulmonary metastasis. In contrast, short-term tamoxifen-exposed mice generally failed to develop mammary tumors by 60 weeks of age. Mice fed a soy meal diet developed mammary tumors at a later age than casein-fed animals treated with E2 or placebo, whereas no differences were observed by diet for the tamoxifen-treated mice. Mammary tumor prevention was >80% in tamoxifen-treated mice on either diet. Novel histologic tumor types were identified, suggesting greater phenotypic diversity than described previously. Benign mammary gland morphogenesis was also significantly altered by short-term hormonal exposure or dietary factors, consistent with the modification of mammary tumor risk in specific treatment groups. Estrogenic modulation of the mammary tumor phenotype in wild-type erbB-2 transgenic mice was observed. Histologic tumor types and clinical aggressivity not reported previously in this transgenic model were noted, suggesting greater biologic heterogeneity than reported previously. In addition, dietary phytoestrogens modified mammary development and tumor latency, suggesting a need for greater stringency in dietary assignment for transgenic mouse models of mammary neoplasia.
The Influences of Diet and Exercise on Mental Health Through Hormesis

It is likely that the capacity of the brain to remain healthy during aging depends upon its ability to adapt and nurture in response to environmental challenges. In these terms, main principles involved in hormesis can be also applied to understand relationships at a higher level of complexity such as those existing between the CNS and the environment. This review emphasizes the ability of diet, exercise, and other lifestyle adaptations to modulate brain function. Exercise and diet are discussed in relationship to their aptitude to impact systems that sustain synaptic plasticity and mental health, and are therefore important for combating the effects of aging. Mechanisms that interface energy metabolism and synaptic plasticity are discussed, as these are the frameworks for the actions of cellular stress on cognitive function. In particular, neurotrophins are emerging as main factors in the equation that may connect lifestyle factors and mental health.
Male mating behaviour and patterns of sperm precedence in Arctic ground squirrels

Ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus) display considerable interspecific variation in male reproductive behaviour. Although male Arctic ground squirrels, S. parryii plesius, are territorial during the mating period, males in several other species ofSpermophilusare not. To begin exploring the reasons for this behavioural diVerence, patterns of mating behaviour and sperm precedence were characterized for a free-living population of S. parryii plesius. Twenty females that were monitored continuously throughout behavioural oestrus consorted and presumably copulated with a mean of 1.9&0.8 males during a single period of sexual receptivity. A combination of electrophoretic and DNA fingerprinting analyses revealed that more than 90% of pups in litters (N=11) reared by females that consorted with two or more males were sired by a female's first mate. The percentage of young sired by each of a female's consorts did not vary with either consortship duration or the interval between consortships by diVerent males. Instead, the only consistent correlate of paternity was consortship order. Both pre-consortship calling and post-consortship defence of females were significantly associated with first consortships, suggesting that males were able to distinguish unmated females from females that had already copulated. Because the probability of siring young should influence which females are preferred as mates and how males compete for access to those females, comparative studies of sperm precedence patterns may yield insights into the evolution of interspecific variation in male mating behaviour. ? 1997 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Impaired neutrophil chemotaxis in patients with juvenile and rapidly progessing periodontitis

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotactic studies were performed in young patients with juvenile periodontitis/periodontosis and adult patients with aggressive periodontitis. In the juvenile periodontitis/periodontosis group, 86% showed modest leukotactic defects, the majority of which were due to intrinsic abnormality of cells. In the older patients with rapidly progressing periodontitis 48% had detectable leukotactic defects; the majority of which were serum associated. The results indicate that some forms of periodontitis are associated with impaired polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis and suggest that a failure of a major host protective mechanism to dental plaque may increase susceptibility to periodontal disease.
Parenting for Cognitive Development from 1950 to 2000 The Institutionalization of Mass Education and the Social Construction of Parenting in the United States

Over the second half of the twentieth century, changes occurred in parent reports of their engagement in cognitive activities with their young children in the United States. This article argues that the growing trend of parenting for cognitive development in young children in the latter half of the twentieth century is associated with the institutionalization of mass schooling and the legitimization of cognitive development as a central feature of early childhood. The results show that all parents increasingly spent more time engaging in activities related to cognitive development so that by 1991, it was normative behavior. In addition, the results show that mothers’ education became an increasingly better predictor of parenting for cognitive development over the second half of the twentieth century but in the last decade of the twentieth century, the association with mothers’ education remained constant or diminished slightly as all families increasingly engaged in cognitive development activities.
SCAN: a structural clustering algorithm for networks

Network clustering (or graph partitioning) is an important task for the discovery of underlying structures in networks. Many algorithms find clusters by maximizing the number of intra-cluster edges. While such algorithms find useful and interesting structures, they tend to fail to identify and isolate two kinds of vertices that play special roles - vertices that bridge clusters (hubs) and vertices that are marginally connected to clusters (outliers). Identifying hubs is useful for applications such as viral marketing and epidemiology since hubs are responsible for spreading ideas or disease. In contrast, outliers have little or no influence, and may be isolated as noise in the data. In this paper, we proposed a novel algorithm called SCAN (Structural Clustering Algorithm for Networks), which detects clusters, hubs and outliers in networks. It clusters vertices based on a structural similarity measure. The algorithm is fast and efficient, visiting each vertex only once. An empirical evaluation of the method using both synthetic and real datasets demonstrates superior performance over other methods such as the modularity-based algorithms.
Effect of afterload alterations on the functional border zone measured with two-dimensional echocardiography during acute coronary occlusion

In the setting of acute myocardial infarction, pharmacologic intervention resulting in afterload changes are common but the effect of these changes on regional left ventricular function, and specifically the functional border zone, has not been fully investigated. Accordingly, we studied the effects of afterload manipulation on circumferential flow-function relationships and the functional border zone in 16 open-chest, anesthetized dogs. During left circumflex coronary artery occlusion, eight animals were infused with phenylephrine to increase afterload; eight others received nitroprusslde for afterload reduction. Following coronary artery occlusion, subendocardial blood flow and wall thickening decreased in the ischemic zone (p < 0.001). The circumferential extent of hypoperfusion did not differ when coronary artery occlusion alone was compared to occlusion in combination with phenylephrine or nitroprusside, but in both groups the circumferential extent of the wall thickening abnormality was consistently greater than the extent of hypoperfuslon. When blood pressure was decreased by 33%, the extent of the functional border zone did not change relative to that during coronary artery occlusion (22 -t 11 degrees vs 36 + 16 degrees, p = ns). Similarly, when blood pressure was increased by 47%, the extent of the functional border zone did not change (32 + 10 degrees vs 37 ? 10 degrees). Therefore circumferential flow-function relations and the spatial extent of the functional border zone are not altered by changing afterload during acute left circumflex coronary artery occlusion in this model. (AM HEART J 1966;116:942.)
Nutritional and Growth Control of Ribosomal Protein mRNA and rRNA in Neurospora crassa

The effects of changing growth rates on the levels of 40S pre-rRNA and two r-protein mRNAs were examined to gain insight into the coordinate transcriptional regulation of ribosomal genes in the ascomycete fungus Neurospora crassa. Growth rates were varied either by altering carbon nutritional conditions, or by subjecting the isolates to inositol-limiting conditions. During carbon up- or down-shifts, r-protein mRNA levels were stoichiometrically coordinated. Changes in 40S pre-rRNA levels paralleled those of the r-protein mRNAs but in a non-stoichiometric manner. Comparison of crp-2 mRNA levels with those of a crp-2::qa-2 fusion gene indicated no major effect from changes in crp-2 mRNA stability. Crp-2 promoter mutagenesis experiments revealed that two elements of the crp-2 promoter, -95 to -83 bp (Dde box) and -74 to -66 bp (CG repeat) important for transcription under constant growth conditions, are also critical for transcriptional regulation by a carbon source. Ribosomal protein mRNA and rRNA levels were unaffected by changes in growth rates when the cultures were grown under inositol-limiting conditions, suggesting that, under these conditions, transcription of the ribosomal genes in N.crassa was regulated independently of growth rate.
Laurentian palaeostress trajectories and ephemeral fracture permeability, Cambrian Eriboll Formation sandstones west of the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland

Abstract: Cambrian Eriboll Formation sandstones of the Ardvreck Group that crop out west of the Moine Thrust Zone contain joints and quartz-filled or quartz-lined fractures that resemble cemented joints. Of the fractures containing quartz, five sets strike north, NW to WNW, NE, west and north; according to crosscutting relations this is a progression from the oldest to the youngest set. Sets include opening-mode microfractures, partly visible in transmitted light as fluid-inclusion planes and sharply defined as microveins using SEM-based cathodoluminescence (CL). Dating the oldest north-striking set, using inferred quartz accumulation rates, fluid inclusions and burial history, suggests that these fractures mark a Palaeozoic east–west least horizontal stress trajectory in Laurentia. The youngest two sets of porous fractures are associated with faults that cut and postdate the Moine Thrust Zone. Data indicate that at depth in basins, pervasive fracture systems arising from discrete loading events are ephemeral owing to fracture porosity destruction by cementation.
Using Wireless Networks for Enhanced Monitoring of Patients

Patient monitoring is a major part of many healthcare services. It can reduce the number of un-necessary hospitalizations, while increasing the access to healthcare to those who really need these services. Wireless and mobile technologies are finding a role in patient monitoring in several different environments: homes, hospitals, and nursing homes. However, due to several limitations including unpredictable and spotty coverage of users by wireless networks, the quality and reliability of patient monitoring have not been highly satisfactory. In this paper, we present a patient monitoring solution using ad hoc wireless networks, which can be formed dynamically among mobile and wearable devices. This allows transmission of vital signs under normal and emergency situations. To make patient monitoring by ad hoc wireless networks a reality, we present a wireless architecture, discuss routing of emergency messages, and bring together many related technical and non-technical issues. The proposed patient monitoring solution is also designed to be reliable and implementable in the near-term.
A combined machine-learning and graph-based framework for the segmentation of retinal surfaces in SD-OCT volumes

Optical coherence tomography is routinely used clinically for the detection and management of ocular diseases as well as in research where the studies may involve animals. This routine use requires that the developed automated segmentation methods not only be accurate and reliable, but also be adaptable to meet new requirements. We have previously proposed the use of a graph-theoretic approach for the automated 3-D segmentation of multiple retinal surfaces in volumetric human SD-OCT scans. The method ensures the global optimality of the set of surfaces with respect to a cost function. Cost functions have thus far been typically designed by hand by domain experts. This difficult and time-consuming task significantly impacts the adaptability of these methods to new models. Here, we describe a framework for the automated machine-learning based design of the cost function utilized by this graph-theoretic method. The impact of the learned components on the final segmentation accuracy are statistically assessed in order to tailor the method to specific applications. This adaptability is demonstrated by utilizing the method to segment seven, ten and five retinal surfaces from SD-OCT scans obtained from humans, mice and canines, respectively. The overall unsigned border position errors observed when using the recommended configuration of the graph-theoretic method was 6.45 ± 1.87 μm, 3.35 ± 0.62 μm and 9.75 ± 3.18 μm for the human, mouse and canine set of images, respectively.
Health-related quality of life in pediatric minor injury: reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory in the emergency department

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility, reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL) in the first 2 weeks after pediatric emergency department care of minor injury. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Pediatric hospital emergency department. PARTICIPANTS: Children and adolescents with minor injury (n = 334). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Child- and parent-reported clinical outcomes and PedsQL scale scores. RESULTS: The PedsQL had good to excellent internal consistency reliability (α range, 0.73-0.93). For each day that the clinical symptoms persisted, there were consistent decreases in mean health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores (validity testing). There were significantly greater negative changes in mean HRQOL scores for fractures vs soft-tissue injuries and for lower vs upper extremity injuries. Clinical outcomes categorized as poor had large negative changes in HRQOL not seen in good outcome groups. Distribution-based indicators of change supported good responsiveness (effect sizes for the physical summary score, 0.01-2.44; group differences at follow-up exceeded estimates of the minimal importance difference). CONCLUSIONS: The PedsQL is feasible, reliable, and demonstrates good construct and discriminant validity and responsiveness in measuring short-term outcome after minor injury care in the pediatric emergency department. Assessing short-term outcome from the patient perspective with HRQOL measures may greatly enhance our ability to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency department care. Language: en
Do Melanoidins Induced by Topical 9% Dihydroxyacetone Sunless Tanning Spray Inhibit Vitamin D Production? A Pilot Study†

We report here preliminary pilot study data of the effect of sunless tanning spray with 9% [Correction added after online publication (August 24th, 2009): The concentration of Dihydroxyacetone used in the study was 9% and not 3% as previously stated] dihydroxyacetone (DHA) on 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] serum levels in subjects exposed to controlled amounts of UV-B radiation during April/May in Omaha, NE, 41°N latitude. We found that DHA-induced melanoidins in skin act as a topical sunscreen attenuating the formation of 25(OH)D.
Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Infection with Mycobacterium abscessus: A Rare Cause of Ventriculitis.

Background Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing atypical mycobacterium implicated in chronic lung disease, otitis media, surgical site infections, and disseminated cutaneous diseases. It is typically seen in patients with some degree of immunosuppression. Only 1 previous case has been reported in the setting of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infection. We report a case of M abscessus as the causative organism in a VP shunt infection in an immunocompetent adult. Case Description A 67-year-old woman required VP shunt placement after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage complicated by hydrocephalus. Her course was complicated by repeat hospitalization for 2 shunt infections, the second of which did not respond to standard antibiotic therapy. Cultures repeatedly grew M abscessus . The patient continued to decline and eventually died after transfer to the palliative care service. Conclusions Nontuberculous mycobacteria are rare, atypical organisms in the setting of VP shunt infection. Patients with ventriculitis secondary to atypical mycobacteria may exhibit drug-resistant cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis in the face of standard antibiotic regimens.
Mechanical characterization of bucky gel morphing nanocomposite for actuating/sensing applications

Since the demonstration of the bucky gel actuator (BGA) in 2005, a great deal of effort has been exerted to develop novel applications for this electro-active morphing nanocomposite. This three-layered bimorph nanocomposite can be easily fabricated, operated in air and driven with a few volts. The BGA with improved mechanical strength is an excellent candidate for application in macro- to micro-scale smart structures with actuating and sensing capabilities. However, developing new applications requires identifying and understanding the effective design parameters and mechanical properties, respectively. There has been limited published studies on the mechanical properties of BGA. In this study, the effect of three parameters—layer thickness, carbon nanotube type and weight fraction of components—on the mechanical properties was investigated. Samples were characterized via nano-indentation and DMA. The BGA composed of 22 wt% single-walled carbon nanotubes and 45 wt% ionic liquid exhibited the highest hardness, adhesion, viscosity, and elastic and storage moduli. This study revealed the important role of the carbon nanotube type on BGA adhesion. Samples made with multi-walled carbon nanotubes had the lowest adhesion, which is a required factor in applications such as microfluidics. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)
Sustained Activation of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Pathways by Hepatitis B Virus X Protein Mediates Apoptosis via Induction of Fas/FasL and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Receptor 1/TNF-α Expression

Activation of the cellular stress pathways (c-Jun N-terminal kinase [JNK] and p38 mitogen-activated protein [MAP] kinase) is linked to apoptosis. However, whether both pathways are required for apoptosis remains unresolved. Hepatitis B virus X protein (pX) activates p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways and, in response to weak apoptotic signals, sensitizes hepatocytes to apoptosis. Employing hepatocyte cell lines expressing pX, which was regulated by tetracycline, we investigated the mechanism of apoptosis by p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathway activation. Inhibition of the p38 MAP kinase pathway rescues by 80% the initiation of pX-mediated apoptosis, whereas subsequent apoptotic events involve both pathways. pX-mediated activation of p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways is sustained, inducing the transcription of the death receptor family genes encoding Fas/FasL and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1)/TNF-α and the p53-regulated Bax and Noxa genes. The pX-dependent expression of Fas/FasL and TNFR1/TNF-α mediates caspase 8 activation, resulting in Bid cleavage. In turn, activated Bid, acting with pX-induced Bax and Noxa, mediates the mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, resulting in the activation of caspase 9 and apoptosis. Combined antibody neutralization of FasL and TNF-α reduces by 70% the initiation of pX-mediated apoptosis. These results support the importance of the pX-dependent activation of both the p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways in pX-mediated apoptosis and suggest that this mechanism of apoptosis occurs in vivo in response to weak apoptotic signals.
Influencing public policy through information sharing

The data collected in electronic databases by government agencies, universities, and private organizations could be of use to a public increasingly interested in participating in public policy formation. However, because most users lack skill in communicating with computers and because institutions resist the dissemination of databases, this information is not widely accessible to the public in forms it can use. The authors propose establishing a public access 'data hub' to process requests for database access, download a copy of the requested data from the original source database (databases would not reside at the hub), and display the data in the form requested. The 'bridge' between user and data would be an interface to process the request for data and then shape and interpret the data for the user. A single interface would allow users access to information that resides on many different computers without their having to learn to 'talk' to each different system. Helping to design and implement this interface would be the task of the professional communicator. >
Bereaved Parents’ Strategies and Reactions When Supporting Their Surviving Children

Bereaved parent–child communication and support can significantly affect surviving children's well-being and family functioning, yet offering support may be difficult for bereaved parents amidst their own distress. This study investigates parents’ strategies and reactions when supporting their surviving children following a child's death. The results from 11 in-depth interviews outline bereaved parents’ support strategies (e.g., direct conversation, concealment, sharing space and time, enabling outside communication, commemoration) and positive and negative reactions. This study focused on support from the provider perspective, so implications for parental support and grief processes are discussed. Practical considerations for supporting surviving children are explored.
Clinical, Statistical, and Broken-Leg Predictions

Accurate prediction of behavior is a critical task for the psychologist, particularly for the practitioner. Outstanding among those who have successfully wrestled with this complicated task is Paul Meehl. Yet, small has been the influence of his work on the everyday practice of prediction. The object of this paper is to review Meehl's work in this area and, using behavior analysis, to seek an understanding of practitioners' continued opposition to his findings. More than 50 years after Paul Meehl's (1954) publication of, as he later called it, "my disturbing little book" (Meehl, 1986), relatively few clinicians in the field have accepted his findings. Instead, they have continued to construct and repeat reasons for avoidance of his assertions. It is, therefore, wholly appropriate that we consider the reasons given for denying his, and over the years, many other investigators' assertions that statistical or mechanical devices are superior (or at the very least, are more accurate, cheaper, take less time, and require less expert knowledge) to clinical ways of predicting the behavior of individuals. Let us begin by first reviewing what Meehl's assertions are, including where he believes there is a place for clinical judgment. Basically, Meehl, who was both a clinician and a statistician, both a psychoanalyst and an experimental psychologist, tried to make the point that although there are areas of functioning in which clinicians do best, there are other areas best left to what Meehl called clerks who tallied data and allowed equations, however simple, to combine those tallies of data in a mechanical way. Meehl's argument is based on the assumption that there are universal behavioral laws. He speaks of Skinner's approach, which respects the uniqueness of each laboratory rat while demonstrating the universal laws of operant conditioning. Meehl also cites the concept of response class to allow us to speak about the probability of behavior. Thus, if one describes a person as aggressive, one means that he or she emits responses all of which are members of the response class of aggressive responses, e.g., pounds on the table, kicks a chair, curses, hits another person, kicks a dog. The clinician then makes use of his or her estimate (consciously or unconsciously) of the frequency with which the person in question emits aggressive responses. When measures of these frequencies of
Individualized Clinical Coaching in the TLE TeachLivE Lab: Enhancing Fidelity of Implementation of System of Least Prompts among Novice Teachers of Students with Autism.

One of the challenges facing educators who teach students with autism spectrum disorders is implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity. One EBP used to help such learners in acquiri...
The Challenges of Applying Massively Parallel Sequencing to Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis.

This Commentary highlights the article by Lefterova et al that describes newborn screening of cystic fibrosis using massively parallel sequencing.
Afterschool Youth Program Design and Structural Quality: Implications for Quality Improvement

This study examined quality and afterschool program designs with a focus on conditions of persistent low quality. Using an action science case study method, data from a quality-improvement project were examined to explore circumstances and reasons for low quality. Four identified program designs varied by emphasis on academics, school alignment, physical space, resources, and grouping strategies, as well as by the operationalization of youth choice. These program design features were found to be dynamically interrelated and key elements of structural quality yet were not found to be targets of state, funder, or agency quality improvement interventions guided by the current broad theory of change for quality initiatives. Structural quality, conceptualized as dynamic and interdependent, may be a prerequisite condition for self-directed quality improvement or a focus of targeted quality interventions.
Inka Sacrifice and the Mummy of Salinas Grandes

In the last 25 years, materials from some human sacrifices that the Inkas carried out on high mountains (e.g., Aconcagua and Llullaillaco) have been thoroughly analyzed and adequately interpreted. Remains from immolations that took place in other contexts, however, which tend to be poorly preserved and incompletely studied, are not as well understood. In this article, I begin to remedy this imbalance in our knowledge by discussing the sacrifice from Salinas Grandes, which is a salt flat situated in northwestern Argentina. I describe the body of the victim—who was very likely a qhapaq hucha, a specially chosen child—and his clothing, accouterments, and hairstyle. I offer hypotheses on where he came from and on the reasons behind his ritual dispatch. I demonstrate how the different items that were buried with him all contributed to the meaning of his immolation. I also show how the lords of Cuzco may have employed the sacrifice to tie the region where the salt flat is located to the empire.
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF DORMANT AND GERMINATING CONIDIA OF ASPERGILLUS OCHRACEUS

Ultrastructural changes during germination of Aspergillus ochraceus conidia were studied. The following ontogenetic stages were observed: 1) dormant state; 2) hydration and expansion; 3) aggregatio...
Drosophila CLAMP is an essential protein with sex-specific roles in males and females

Dosage compensation is a fundamental mechanism in many species that corrects for the inherent imbalance in X-chromosome copy number between XY males and XX females. In Drosophila melanogaster, transcriptional output from the single male X-chromosome is equalized to that of XX females by recruitment of the Male Specific Lethal (MSL) complex to specific sequences along the length of the X-chromosome. The initial recruitment of MSL complex to the X-chromosome is dependent on a recently discovered zinc finger protein called Chromatin-Linked Adapter for MSL Proteins (CLAMP). However, further studies on the in vivo function of CLAMP remained difficult because the location of the gene in pericentric heterochromatin made it challenging to create null mutations or deficiencies. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system, we generated the first null mutant in the clamp gene that eliminates expression of CLAMP protein. We show that CLAMP is necessary for both male and female viability. While females die at the third instar larval stage, males die earlier, likely due to the essential role of CLAMP in male dosage compensation. Moreover, we demonstrate that CLAMP promotes dosage compensation in males and represses key male-specific transcripts involved in sex-determination in females. Our results reveal that CLAMP is an essential protein with dual roles in males and females, which together assure that dosage compensation is a sex-specific process.
Retrospective look at change in brain natriuretic peptide values in ambulatory patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: There is significant interest in the role of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) guided therapy for outpatient congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. The objective of this study was to see if the percentage change in BNP levels can predict CHF hospitalisations or death. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of CHF patients who had BNP levels drawn on two clinic visits. Patients were divided into two groups, those with a 70% or greater increase in the BNP values and those in whom the BNP value either decreased or did not increase by 70%. Primary outcome measured was the need for hospitalisation for CHF or death within 6 months of the second clinic visit. Results: One hundred and fourteen (114) paired BNP measurements were included in the analysis. Of these, 26 had >70% increase in BNP while 88 did not. Hospitalisations for CHF or death at 6 months were significantly higher in the former group than the latter ( p =0.04). On multivariate regression analysis significant change in BNP remained a predictor of adverse outcomes. Conclusions: In stable outpatients with CHF, >70% increase in BNP is an independent risk factor for CHF hospitalisations or death at 6 months. Keywords: Congestive heart failure, B-type natriuretic peptide, outpatient, hospitalisation
Malacoplakia. An electron-microscopic study: demonstration of bacilliform organisms in malacoplakic macrophages.

A case of malacoplakia of the bladder and intestinal tract is reported in which bacilliform organisms are demonstrated within the malacoplakic macrophages by light and electron microscopy. On electron microscopy, two types of cytoplasmic inclusions are found, those corresponding to the periodic acid Schiff-positive granules which are phagolysosomes, and the Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Bacteria, probably coliforms, in various stages of degradation, are found within phagocytic vacuoles and phagolysosomes, sometimes in close apposition to phospholipid membranes. The Michaelis-Gutmann bodies develop within the phagolysosomes. It is postulated that the following sequence of events occurs in the pathogenesis of Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Bacteria are phagocytosed by the malacoplakic macrophages, incorporated into phagolysosomes, and killed, but are incompletely digested. They persist as dense amorphous aggregates and phospholipid membranes which later become encrusted with calcium phosphate crystals to form the laminated Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Why the macrophages respond in this unusual fashion to a common infectious organism is not clear. It may be due to an immunological abnormality affecting intracellular digestion. Other factors, such as infection with an unusual strain of coliform or intrinsically abnormal macrophages, are discussed. The world literature of intestinal malacoplakia is reviewed and the aggressive nature of intestinal involvement is stressed.
The World According to Innocent Realism: The One and the Many, the Real and the Imaginary, the Natural and the Social

In this lecture Prof. Haack articulates her signature metaphysical theory, Innocent Realism. The world of Innocent Realism is rich and varied, but also integrated: it is a pluralistic universe of natural stuff, things, phenomena, kinds, and laws overlaid, in “our” part of the world, by our thoughts, dreams, etc., by our social institutions, rules, and laws, and by a vast array of human artifacts, physical, intellectual, and imaginative.
The Impact of Religious Commitment on Women’s Sexual Self-Esteem

Religious commitment is associated with decreased sexual activity, poor sexual satisfaction, and sexual guilt, particularly among women. The purpose of this paper was to investigate how religious commitment is related to sexual self-esteem among women. Participants included 196 female undergraduate students, 87 % of whom identified as Christian. Participants completed the Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory for Women (SSEI-W), Religious Commitment Inventory-10, Revised Religious Fundamentalism Scale, Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale, and a measure of their perception of God’s view of sex. Results suggested that women with high religious commitment held more conservative sexual attitudes. Significant relationships between religious commitment and two subscales (moral judgment and attractiveness) of the SSEI-W revealed that women with high religious commitment were less likely to perceive sex as congruent with their moral values and simultaneously reported significantly greater confidence in their sexual attractiveness. A significant relationship between religious commitment and overall sexual self-esteem was found for women whose religion of origin was Catholicism, such that those with higher religious commitment reported lower sexual self-esteem. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that high religious commitment and perception that God viewed sex negatively independently predicted lower sexual self-esteem, as related to moral judgment. Implications of the findings are provided.
Iterative Role of Notch Signaling in Spinal Motor Neuron Diversification

Summary The motor neuron progenitor domain in the ventral spinal cord gives rise to multiple subtypes of motor neurons and glial cells. Here, we examine whether progenitors found in this domain are multipotent and which signals contribute to their cell-type-specific differentiation. Using an in vitro neural differentiation model, we demonstrate that motor neuron progenitor differentiation is iteratively controlled by Notch signaling. First, Notch controls the timing of motor neuron genesis by repressing Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) and maintaining Olig2-positive progenitors in a proliferative state. Second, in an Ngn2-independent manner, Notch contributes to the specification of median versus hypaxial motor column identity and lateral versus medial divisional identity of limb-innervating motor neurons. Thus, motor neuron progenitors are multipotent, and their diversification is controlled by Notch signaling that iteratively increases cellular diversity arising from a single neural progenitor domain.
Focal ST-Segment Elevation in a Young Man

Aman in his 20s presented to the emergency department with 1 day of chest pressure. He reported no medical history. Four days prior to presentation he had experienced subjective fevers, rhinorrhea, a dry cough, and sinus congestion. The day prior to presentation he had experienced 3 hours of substernal pressure that resolved spontaneously. In the early morning of the day of presentation, he was awakened from sleep by constant chest pressure radiating to the right jaw, diaphoresis, and 1 episode of vomiting. Vital signs obtained in the Emergency Department were within normal limits. Cardiac examination revealed a regular rate and rhythm, normal point of maximum impulse without lifts, and no murmurs, rubs, or gallops in supine, sitting, or standing positions. The remainder of the physical examination was within normal limits. The initial electrocardiogram (ECG) is shown in the Figure. The initial serum troponin I level was 6.18 ng/mL (to convert to micrograms per liter, multiply by 1.0). Question:What is themostappropriatenext step in treatment?