cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contrasting effects of two hormone replacement therapies on the cardiovascular and mammary gland outcomes in surgically postmenopausal monkeys.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two hormone replacement therapies on the intermediate end points of coronary heart disease and mammary gland hyperplasia in postmenopausal monkeys. Study Design: Surgically postmenopausal cynomolgus monkeys were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 months while receiving no treatment (control, n=19), conjugated equine estrogens plus continuous medroxyprogesterone acetate (n = 19), or ethinyl estradiol plus norethindrone acetate (n = 21) at doses that were scaled from those doses taken by women. Results: Quantitative coronary angiography revealed that the arteries of the control group and the conjugated equine estrogens plus continuous medroxyprogesterone acetate-treated animals constricted in response to acetylcholine (–5.4% ± 1.4% and –6.2% ± 1.5%, respectively), whereas those arteries in the animals in the ethinyl estradiol plus norethindrone acetate group did not ( P =.002). The incidence of dobutamine-induced ST-segment depression in the ethinyl estradiol plus norethindrone acetate group (10.5%) was significantly less than in the control group (68.8%, P =.001) or the conjugated equine estrogens plus continuous medroxyprogesterone acetate group (50%, P =.01). Conjugated equine estrogens plus continuous medroxyprogesterone acetate, but not ethinyl estradiol plus norethindrone acetate, induced diffuse epithelial tissue proliferation in the mammary glands ( P =.0006). Conclusion: Ethinyl estradiol plus norethindrone acetate protected against atherosclerosis-induced endothelium-mediated vasoconstriction of coronary arteries and heart rate-induced myocardial ischemia and did not induce epithelial tissue proliferation (tissue density) in the mammary gland. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1132-40.)
What Can Technical Writers Learn from Good Conversation

Le role du discours oral selon la theorie «social constructionist theory» est expose. Puis les differences et les similitudes entre discours oral et ecrit sont discutees. Enfin des conseils sont donnes pour la redaction technique avec un exemple d'application des principes de la conversation a la redaction d'instructions
RANTES (CCL5) production during primary respiratory syncytial virus infection exacerbates airway disease

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory pathogen that causes significant morbidity in infants and young children. The importance of chemokines during RSV infection for respiratory symptoms has not been fully elucidated. The current study examined the effect of RANTES (CCL5) on airway pathophysiology after RSV infection. BALB/c mice produce RANTES (CCL5) after RSV infection that correlates with the changes in pathophysiology. Animals treated with anti-RANTES (CCL5) antibody demonstrated significant decreases in airway hyperreactivity (AHR). Delayed treatment with anti-RANTES (CCL5) at day 5 of infection also significantly reduced development of AHR on day 9 of infection, suggesting that RANTES (CCL5) may be a target in established disease. Determination of Th1/Th2-associated cytokine patterns indicated that anti-RANTES (CCL5) treatment increased IL-12 production, thus altering the lung environment. The assessment of RANTES (CCL5) production in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that it was regulated by IL-13, a cytokine that is related to RSV-induced AHR in this mouse model. These data show that RANTES (CCL5) is an important mediator of the pathophysiological responses seen in RSV infection.
An Explicit Minimum-Time Solution for the Simple Harmonic Oscillator

It is well known that the minimum time control of a simple harmonic oscillator subjected to a bounded control input is a bang-bang control where the input cannot remain constant for more than half of the period of the oscillator. The necessary switching times for implementing such bang-bang control are usually determined by geometric means in the state-space, thus making it difficult to obtain the switchings and the final time for an arbitrary initial condition. An explicit solution for the switching times and the final time for a motion starting from an arbitrary initial state subjected to an arbitrary but constant input bound is developed for the simple harmonic oscillator. The explicit solution matches exactly the graphical solution (Athans and Falb, 1966).
Integrative Simulation Environment for Conceptual Structural Analysis

AbstractThis paper introduces the integrative simulation environment (ISE) methodology and a proof-of-concept implementation, designed as modular and extensible approach for interactive structural simulation. The ISE methodology allows users to sketch, model, simulate, visualize, and augment data based on an immediate-mode paradigm where sketches are automatically turned into models, which are immediately passed to a simulation engine to be analyzed in order to have the results passed back to a visualizer, operating within the same display context that the initial sketch and model were created in. In other words, data can be acquired, defined, delivered, transformed, computed, visualized, and augmented throughout the entire integrative simulation process in a real-time loop, providing the user with an intuitive and interactive modeling interface. ISE as such provides a mechanism to conceptually study cause and effect relationships of design decisions, while allowing for real-time, context specific, digita...
The thermodynamics and competitive kinetics of metastable τ phase development in MnAl-base alloys

Abstract The solidification of a metastable ferromagnetic τ phase in undercooled MnAlC alloys is examined in terms of the relative thermodynamic phase stability and competitive kinetics. The heat of transformation ΔH t τ → ϵ of the metastable τ phase to the equilibrium h.c.p. ϵ phase and the heat of fusion ΔH f ϵ → l of the h.c.p. ϵ phase in a Mn 0.55 Al 0.433 C 0.017 alloy were measured to determine the Gibbs free energy differences between the metastable and stable phases as a function of temperature. The results indicate that a minimum amount of undercooling of ΔT = 87 K is required to form the metastable ferromagnetic τ phase over the equilibrium phases in a Mn 0.55 Al 0.433 C 0.017 alloy. The thermodynamic evaluation was applied further to develop a complete temperature-time-transformation (TTT) diagram of the Mn 0.55 Al 0.433 C 0.017 alloy based on a solid-state transformation kinetics analysis of the ϵ → τ reaction during isothermal treatments. This analysis reveals the critical cooling rate of the order of 20 K s −1 to bypass the metastable τ phase nucleation during solid state transformation in agreement with empirical observations. The combined thermodynamic and competitive kinetics analysis provide a unified guide for the processing of near equiatomic MnAl alloys.
The Disenchanted Island: Puerto Rico and the United States in the Twentieth Century

Puerto Rico - Prostrate and Paralyzed San Juan and Washington, Ponce and Boston Puerto Rico - The Permanent Possession King Monty - Revolution and Reaction Prisoners of War Absolutely Clear Stink Bombs and Heart Attacks Continued Colonialism Epilogue.
A p-version finite-element approach for atomic hartree-fock calculations

Abstract The Hartree-Fock equations for atoms are solved with the p-version of the finite element method. This formulation permits the use of a hierarchic computational approach where the solution at a certain level is used to start the calculation at the next level. Results are presented for the rare gas elements (closed-shell systems) from He( Z =2) to Rn( Z =86) showing excellent agreement with accurate numerical calculations.
Institutionalizing household waste collection: The urban environmental management project in Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract The efficient disposal of municipal solid waste is critical in maintaining the quality of urban life. Household waste removal is one of the key factors in ensuring the health and safety of the population, but is often neglected in rapidly growing cities of the Third World. This paper presents a case study of the Urban Environmental Management Project in the Cote d'Ivoire in which groups of young entrepreneurs were trained to collect household solid waste in small cities of 20,000–50,000 inhabitants located outside the capital region. The project was a joint collaboration of the US Peace Corps and the Ministries of Interior and Health in the Cote d'Ivoire. It was conceived as a local response to an increasing municipal service burden caused by the national economic crisis of the 1990s and the government's efforts to reduce the size of the national budget by decentralizing services to cities. While community based solid waste strategies have been successful in large cities in other countries, this project demonstrates the potential for innovative arrangements at lower levels of the urban hierarchy. The paper also emphasizes the importance of formalizing public-private institutional arrangements in order to ensure their long term sustainability.
Field monoterpene emission of Mediterranean oak (Quercus ilex) in the central Iberian Peninsula measured by enclosure and micrometeorological techniques: Observation of drought stress effect

[1] An experimental characterization of biogenic emission from Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia in a forest near Madrid, Spain, was carried out in the early autumn of the years 2000–2003. A dynamic branch enclosure technique was implemented to determine the monoterpene emission rates of this evergreen oak species during the 2000 and 2001 campaigns. Major compounds emitted during both measurement periods were limonene, α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, and myrcene. In the 2000 field campaign the light- and temperature-dependent model of Guenther et al. [1993] did not fit the data due to drastic reductions of emission rates (and leaf gas exchange related parameters) observed at high air temperature and low air humidity (high water vapor pressure deficit). This plant physiological activity depletion and the subsequent emission reduction were attributed to severe water soil deficit conditions, as precipitation was very scarce during the growing season. In contrast, during the 2001 field campaign, neither emission nor physiological activity showed strong decreases in hot days. A good fit of experimental data to Guenther model was achieved in this field campaign (r2 = 0.90), and linear regression gave a standard emission factor (ES) of 14.0 μg gdw−1 h−1 (gdw is grams dry weight). Soil moisture was presumably higher than during the 2000 campaign due to recent rain events. With the purpose of documenting the drought stress effect at canopy level, monoterpene oak fluxes were measured by the modified Bowen ratio micrometeorological technique throughout the 2001 field campaign and in the late summer of 2002 and 2003. The measured emission by both techniques showed a reasonably good correlation, although micrometeorological fluxes were, in general, lower than upscaled branch emission rates. According to Guenther's parameterization, standard emission fluxes (FS) of 0.30 μg m−2 s−1 (r2 = 0.61) and 0.28 μg m−2 s−1 (r2 = 0.67) were derived for the 2001 and 2002 field campaigns, respectively. However, measured fluxes in September 2003 at high ambient temperature were much lower than those of the previous years. Moreover, from the CLCT range in which emission in this field campaign could be fitted to a linear behavior, the FS value obtained was 50% lower than the 2001 and 2002 values. Water xylem potential measurements indicated the existence of drought conditions during the 2003 campaign and unstressed water conditions during the 2002 campaign.
Strontium Incorporation into Dental Enamel

Rats were raised on diets either rich or poor in strontium. Powder x-ray diffraction patterns suggest that isomorphous substitution of strontium for calcium occurs in the apatite of tooth enamel, and that strontium may form Sr 6 H 3 (PO 4 ) • 2H 2 O, a compound hitherto unreported in biologic systems.
Resource-based caching for Web servers

The WWW employs a hierarchical data dissemination architecture in which hyper-media objects stored at a remote server are served to clients across the Internet, and cached on disks at intermediate proxy servers. One of the objectives of web caching algorithms is to maximize the data transferred from the proxy servers or cache hierarchies. Current web caching algorithms are designed only for text and image data. Recent studies predict that within the next five years more than half the objects stored at web servers will contain continuous media data. To support these trends, the next generation proxy cache algorithms will need to handle multiple data types, each with different cache resource usage, for a cache limited by both bandwidth and space. In this paper, we present a resource-based caching (RBC) algorithm that manages the heterogeneous requirements of multiple data types. The RBC algorithm (1) characterizes each object by its resource requirement and a caching gain, (2) dynamically selects the granularity of the entity to be cached that minimally uses the limited cache resource (i.e., bandwidth or space), and (3) if required, replaces the cached entities based on their cache resource usage and caching gain. We have performed extensive simulations to evaluate our caching algorithm and present simulation results that show that RBC outperforms other known caching algorithms.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Returns to investments in small ruminant research in Indonesia: The Small Ruminant Collaborative Research Support Program (SR-CRSP) in West Java

Abstract Small ruminant research carried out by the SR-CRSP on management, nutrition and reproduction was developed and evaluated through an Outreach Pilot Program in West Java, Indonesia. On-farm testing indicated that introduction of different management practices could increase birth rate and survivability of Javanese Thin Tail sheep. This article presents results from an assessment of research investments that measures the potential returns from this technological package, with various adoption and spillover effects, weighs the benefits against the research and training costs of the SR-CRSP, and looks at distribution of benefits among consumers and producers of sheep in Indonesia. The rate of return in the most conservative scenario was 19%, with potential short-run benefits exceeding the costs incurred by breeding and nutrition research, and training of 23 masters and doctoral students in 10 years. Market conditions favor producers in the distribution of benefits.
Percutaneous epicardial defibrillation coil implantation: a viable technique to manage refractory defibrillation threshold.

Received December 8, 2009; revision accepted February 9, 2010. A 70-year-old African American female with known history of nonischemic cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction, 15%) was referred for BiVentricular implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (BiV-ICD) implantation for primary prevention. Because of a previous left mastectomy for breast cancer and occlusion of the left subclavian axillary venous system, a right-sided prepectoral implant was chosen for this patient. The procedure included a right-sided prepectoral BiV-ICD implantation, implantation of a right atrial appendage active fixation lead, a single-coil active fixation right ventricular lead, and a left ventricular coronary sinus lead. During the routine testing of the ICD, the defibrillation threshold (DFT) was >35 J, requiring external cardioversion. A second DFT testing performed thereafter with a polarity modification was also >35 J. The patient was subsequently treated with sotalol 80 mg bid for 1 week and the DFT was repeated but was still refractory (>35 J). Hence, alternate options were entertained. Although a left-sided subcutaneous coil array was considered, it was abandoned because the coil extension had to cross the midline of the chest. However, a percutaneous epicardial defibrillation coil implantation was considered (Figure 1A). Figure 1. A, Anteroposterior chest radiograph showing the BiV-ICD generator in the right prepectoral region with the defibrillation coil (halo) in the pericardial space. B, Subxyphoid approach (arrow) to access the pericardial space. Note …
Regional adenosine attenuates postischemic spinal cord injury

Abstract Purpose: Operations on the thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta are associated with postoperative paraplegia rates as high as 20% to 30%. Attempts to reduce this complication have focused on decreasing the energy needs of the spinal cord with protective agents such as hypothermia and barbiturates or on increasing blood flow with various shunts. This study explores the hypothesis that perfusion of the spinal cord with hypothermic solutions or with adenosine will prevent or ameliorate paraplegia. Methods: New Zealand white rabbits underwent 40 minutes of infrarenal aortic isolation. The infrarenal aorta is the primary source of spinal cord blood supply in the New Zealand white rabbit. Control rabbits sustained aortic occlusion without any protective measures. The remaining animals were randomized into three groups that underwent aortic cross-clamping with various protective adjuncts. Group I received regional aortic hypothermia perfusion, group II received systemic adenosine, and group III received regional aortic perfusion with high-dose adenosine. Results: Neurologic function was graded according to the Tarlov scale (0 = no movement, 1=slight movement, 2=sits with assistance, 3=sits alone, 4=weak hop, 5=normal hop). After 96 hours animals were euthanized, and spinal cords were harvested for histologic examination. The nonparaplegic animals in group I had a mean Tarlov score of 1.5, whereas those in group III had a mean score of 3.4. Histologic studies on spinal cord tissue revealed no significant differences between the study groups. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that administration of regional adenosine attenuates ischemic injury associated with aortic occlusion in this experimental model. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:153-60.)
Intrinsic Losses in Silicon-On-Insulator Microring Bends

We demonstrate a new method to estimate intrinsic losses in silicon-on-insulator microring bends, which is based on the traveling wave theory and the accurate measurement of microring’s resonance response.
Treatment of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

More than a century ago, Jonathan Hutchingson, a surgeon-dermatologist, identified the first case of sarcoidosis at King’s College, London. The disease is now known as a commonplace multi-system disorder characterised by the formation of noncaseating granulomata. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis is established by recognising clinicoradiological findings and providing histological evidence of noncaseating granuloma. Serum angiotensin converting enzyme levels are high in about two-thirds of the patients and hypercalcaemia is a feature in 1 of every 10 patients with sarcoidosis. Immunological abnormalities include depression of cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity, hyperactive B cells and the presence of circulating immune complexes. The course and prognosis of the disease usually correlate with the mode of onset. An acute onset with erythema nodosum indicates a good prognosis and spontaneous resolution, whereas an insidious onset may be followed by relentless, progressive fibrosis. Mortality and morbidity are caused by pulmonary fibrosis, cardiac arrhythmias, renal failure, neurological involvement and blindness. Corticosteroids and choloroquine relieve symptoms and suppress inflammation and granuloma formation.
Intermittent Heart Block Related to Treatment of Hypertension in a Patient with Acute Myocardial Infarction

A patient with an acute diaphragmatic myocardial infarction and persistent hypertension developed varying degrees of A-V block including complete heart block as his blood pressure was lowered. Block could be abolished by allowing the blood pressure to rise. His bundle electrograms during heart block demonstrated the conduction defect to be proximal to the His bundle in the A-V node. The patient was managed with a stand-by demand pacemaker that allowed safe normalization of his blood pressure.
Teacher Preferences for Mastery-Oriented Students

Abstract The relationship between college students' goal orientations and teachers' subjective ratings of students was examined. Mastery (concern with improving competence) and performance (concern with proving competence to others) goals were distinguished according to Dweck and Leggett's (1988) theory. The authors predicted that the teachers would give more favorable ratings to high-mastery students than to low-mastery students on 12 separate dimensions, including likelihood of being a successful teacher. The relationship among goals, critical thinking skills, and final course grades was also examined. The results showed a strong relationship between mastery goals and teacher ratings, but no relationship among goals, grades, and an objective measure of critical thinking. Implications for future research are discussed.
On the role of the process zone in dynamic fracture

The evolution of the fracture process zone and its influence on dynamic crack propagation are investigated using a simple constitutive assumption to model the material in the fracture process zone. The mode III problem of anti-plane shear is examined using a finite difference scheme to obtain the full field solution. Unlike the classical approach of determining the steady state solutions for imposed constant speed of crack propagation, here the fracture criterion is imposed along with the formulation of the boundary-initial value problem and the coupled equations are solved numerically to determine the generation and growth of the fracture process zone as well as the crack tip. The results of the simulation indicate that the constitutive behavior of the process zone material (or equivalently the evolution of the process zone itself) plays a key role in determining the dynamics of fast fracture.
Inhalation lung scanning evaluation--radioaerosol versus radioxenon techniques.

The routine study of regional ventilation of the lungs has been hampered by the lack of safe, simple and accurate methods. Radioisotope techniques have made possible the development of such methods. Two varieties of radioactive scanning have been used: radiolabelled particulate material, and radioactive inert gases. We have performed scans using both inhaled technetium-99m albuminate particles and xenon 133 gas. Normal subjects and patients with pulmonary disease were studied. Particle inhalation in normal controls revealed adequate peripheral filling, although upper airway and gastrointestinal deposition occurred. In patients with pulmonary disease, however, underventilated zones of lung appeared totally unventilated with particle scans, while those with 133 Xe gas reflected ventilation disturbances more accurately. Further, a dynamic visualization of ventilation could be obtained using 133 Xe, while scans with 99m Tc albuminate indicated the cumulative result of several minutes of positive pressure breathing. It is concluded that both methods can offer important information, but each has its own limitations and advantages which should be recognized. Valuable insights into respiratory physiology and pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases can be obtained from these new techniques.
Risk, social protection and trust amidst cuts in welfare spending

In this article, I explore the connections between budgetary cuts to social protection (the fraying of the safety net), the resulting enhancement of risks to which a substantial segment of the world population is exposed, the process of commodification of protective resources, and the concomitant erosion of public trust. Casting light on the notion of trust, the concept of legitimacy focuses on the link between risk and social protection. In this vein, in this article I test five related hypotheses and draw on country-level data to account for variations among European nations’ climates of social trust. The key findings of my analysis are that transparency and institutional governmental performance in the protection of the citizenry boost legitimacy. In turn, legitimacy results in compliance with societal rules. Furthermore, such compliance enhances social trust. However, the commodification of social protection can stifle the climate of social trust even where transparency and institutional performance p...
Unemployment and suicide over nine regions in England and Wales

Unemployment and suicide were negatively associated over the nine major regions of England and Wales in 1990. Language: en
Gemcitabine-induced radiation recall

Abstract Purpose: To study and report 6 patients with radiation recall in unique sites, secondary to gemcitabine chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: The clinical presentations and outcomes of 6 patients with radiation recall secondary to gemcitabine chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed over the course of a 1-year period. Results: Radiation recall reactions were seen in the central nervous system, skin, gastrointestinal tract, and in the lymphatic and musculoskeletal systems. The time between initiation of radiation and recall of the radiation phenomenon ranged from 3 weeks to 8 months from the time gemcitabine was initiated. The usual dosage of gemcitabine in these cases was 1000 mg/m 2 given on a weekly basis. No radiation therapy was given concomitantly with gemcitabine. Treatment of the recall reaction consisted of discontinuing gemcitabine and initiating steroid therapy, supportive therapy, and/or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Minimal improvement was seen in 3 out of 6 patients, and resolution of the radiation recall was seen in 3 out of 6 patients. A comprehensive review of the literature revealed that radiation recall with gemcitabine has been related to skin reactions only; no previous cases of radiation recall occurring in the central nervous system have been reported with any chemotherapy agent. Conclusion: Radiation recall from gemcitabine chemotherapy is rare, but can potentially arise in any site that has been previously irradiated. Treating physicians must be aware of this potential toxicity from gemcitabine and radiation and discontinue the gemcitabine if radiation recall is observed.
Mediation, Resistance, and Resolve: Critical Pedagogy and Multicultural Education in a Cross-Cultural Context.

This reflective article describes an international teacher education workshop in a Central American country. The process of designing a workshop based on critical pedagogy and multicultural education in an international setting is explained. An examination of the attitudes, actions, and assumptions of the Ministry of Education officials from the Central American country, the teachers attending the workshop, and the presenters of the workshops reveals the complex ways that oppression operates in a given society. Reflections from the presenters reveal the challenges and possibilities associated with international, multicultural teacher education.
Computer aided fixture design: Using information intensive function models in the development of automated fixture design systems

In this paper, the development of an Information Intensive Function Model (IIFM) of fixture design activities is discussed. This function model was developed using the IDEF-0 (Integrated Definition) methodology and was built primarily after interacting with expert fixture designers. In addition, knowledge from fixture design, tool design, and metalcutting handbooks and from journal papers was used to lend a holistic flavor to the developed IDEF-0 model. An IDEF-0 modeling software tool, AIO Win®, was used to build this model at various levels of decomposition. This paper also discusses the importance of IIFMs in the current and future design of Computer Aided Fixture Design (CAFD) systems.
Genetic Diversity in Leukemia-Prone Feral House Mice Infected with Murine Leukemia Virus

The Lake Casitas (LC) mouse population located in southwestern Ventura County in California is unusual insofar as 85% of these mice are persistently viremic with congenitally transmitted murine leukemia virus (MuLV). The virus has been identified as the etiological agent responsible for lymphoma and neuromotor paralysis in large numbers of the mice. The majority of other wild mouse populations are generally free of infectious MuLV despite the presence of endogenous cellular DNA sequences homologous to infectious virus isolated from wild mice. Electrophoretic variation in 46 gene-enzyme systems was surveyed using mice from Lake Casitas and from a virus-negative population located in Bouquet Canyon (BC) approximately 40 miles from Lake Casitas. The LC and BC populations are genetically very similar to each other and to feral mouse populations previously studied in California and Europe. In the LC populations 24% of the loci are polymorphic compared to 17% in the BC population. The average heterozygosities for the LC and BC populations are 0.094 and 0.073, respectively. The large amount of genic variation in LC fails to support the concept of the derivation of the colony from a small number of founders. Tests for linkage disequilibrium and/or selective association of viremia and polymorphism at 15 loci located on nine mouse chromosomes did not reveal any nonrandom assortments. The viremic LC population, then, appears indistinguishable within the limits of experimental resolution from the virus-negative BC population in its population genetic structure.
Cellular origin of the dermal-epidermal basement membrane

The basement membrane underlying epithelium of skin is generally believed to be of epithelial origin, but a mesenchymal contribution to the basement membrane has not been directly examined. The purpose of this study was to directly evaluate both epithelial and mesenchymal contributions to the basement membrane. Fetal bovine keratinocytes cultured on the surface of collagen gels in the absence of fibroblasts did not produce an ultrastructurally recognizable basement membrane; however, when these cells were cultured in the presence of dermal fibroblasts a basement membrane at the keratinocyte-fibroblast interface was produced after 1 week which was very similar in biochemical composition and ultrastructural appearance to dermal-epidermal basement membrane in human skin. When dual species cultures of bovine keratinocytes and human fibroblasts were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescent microscopy (IF)1 with human specific antibodies against basement membrane components, dermal fibroblasts were shown to synthesize and deposit type IV collagen, type VII collagen, and laminin in a linear manner into the basement membrane zone. Fetal bovine keratinocytes cultured in the presence or absence of fibroblasts synthesized and deposited type IV collagen, type VII collagen, laminin, K-laminin, kalinin, and basement membrane associated heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) into the underlying basement membrane zone. In organ culture, a subpopulation of fibroblasts initially migrating from human foreskin explants was found to stain strongly for types VII and IV collagen and laminin by IF whereas after subculture all cells showed a uniform low staining. Based on these observations we propose that differentiated fibroblasts exist adjacent to epithelial tissues in vivo which produce basement membrane components and assist in basement membrane assembly.
Denervation effects on DNA replication and mitosis during the initiation of limb regeneration in adult newts.

Abstract Histological and cellular events during the first 2 weeks after amputation of adult newt forelimbs were compared under conditions of innervation and denervation in order to ascertain the first nerve-dependent step in the regeneration process. Formation of a wound epithelium, histolysis, and dedifferentiation occurred, despite the absence of nerves, in a manner similar to that of the regenerating limbs. Autoradiography showed that cells in the denervated limb-stumps incorporate [3H]thymidine into DNA beginning on day 4 and that during the first week after amputation these limb stumps resembled the contralateral controls in overall labeling indices, in the distribution of the labeled nuclei, and intensity of labeling. Microspectrophotometric determinations of nuclear DNA contents in the dedifferentiated cells of denervated and innervated limbs revealed that in both cases replication of the entire chromosomal complement occurred. Cell division, which first began 6 days after amputation, and early blastema formation were observed only in the innervated limb stumps. A likely explanation of these results, consistent with the preponderance of the literature on regeneration, is that limb stumps can initiate the regeneration process in the absence of nerves but that the cells are blocked in the G2 phase of the first cell cycle and consequently do not proliferate to form a blastema.
Some generalized theorems onp-hyponormal operators

A bounded linear operatorT is calledp-Hyponormal if (T *T)p≥(TT *)p, 0<p≤1. In Aluthge [1], we studied the properties of p-hyponormal operators using the operator $$\tilde T = |T|^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} U|T|^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} $$ . In this work we consider a more general operator $$T_ \in = |T|^ \in U|T|^{1 - \in } , 0< \in \leqslant 1/2$$ , and generalize some properties of p-hyponormal operators obtained in [1].
Looking the Tiger in the Eye: Overcoming Fear-Based Teacher Identities

There has been a growing interest in and research on the construction of teachers' professional identity and parameters of practice among researchers worldwide. This piece examines the nature of teachers' perceptions about their professionalism and practice. It also explores teacher isolation stemming from assumptions related to classroom control and community politics, resulting in fear and relational distance. The exposition contributes to discussions in the field of teacher education and professional development that might change the individualistic and isolated environments in schools and among teaching professionals. It encourages re-thinking of teacher authority and relationships to build school cultures that enable powerful student learning and strengthen teachers' professional identities.
Cloning of the cyclomaltodextrinase gene fromBacillus subtilis high-temperature growth transformant H-17

The cyclomaltodextrinase gene fromBacillus subtilis high-temperature growth transformant H-17 was cloned on separatePstI,BamHI, andEcoRI fragments into the plasmid vector pUC18, but was expressed in an inactive form in the host,Escherichia coli DH5α. High level constitutive expression of the gene product was also detrimental to theE. coli host, which led to structural instability of the recombinant plasmid. The cyclomaltodextrinase gene was cloned on a 3-kbEcoRI fragment into the plasmid vector pPL708, and the fragment was structurally maintained in the hostB. subtilis YB886. The cloned gene product was synthesized in an enzymatically active form in theB. subtilis host; however, expression was at a low level. Subcloning of the 3-kbEcoRI fragment into pUC18 and transformation intoE. coli XL1-Blue (F′lacIq) indicated that the cyclomaltodextrinase gene was cloned with its own promoter, since expression of the gene occurred in the absence of IPTG. Subcloning of the cyclomaltodextrinase gene downstream from theBacillus temperate phage SPO2 promoter of pPL708 may increase expression of this gene.
The challenge of practice development unit accreditation within an elective orthopaedic ward

Abstract This article describes the background and the process of an elective orthopaedic ward being accredited as an orthopaedic Practice Development Unit. It explains the strategies used to gain the accreditation, the problems encountered and the achievements of the multi-disciplinary team. The article demonstrates that accreditation is the start of future developments.
Explosive instabilities in electron-hole drops under microwave radiation

Abstract We consider the Kroemer experiments on explosive instabilities in EHD in Ge in the light of an extension of the Altukhov theory to encompass general values of ωτ and of the ratio of drop radius to rf penetration depth. We suggest that the drops were heated above their critical temperature, but by a monotonic path.
Gifted preschoolers within the classroom

This paper analyzes the importance of preschool gifted programs. It is emphasized that gifted programs for preschoolers must include well trained and well paid professionals. Activities useful for stimulating the growth and development of preschool gifted children are presented.
Hypoxic cell radiosensitizers: Expectations and progress in drug development

Abstract When misonidRzOle (MISO) was introduced into clinical trials there were great expectations that the cure rate of many tumors would be dramatically increased. The lack of efficacy of MISO discouraged further studies with hypoxic cell sensitizers. In recent years superior sensitizers SR 2508 and RO-03-8799 have been introduced into the clinic. SR 2508 is less neurotoxic than MISO, allowing more than three times the total amount of drug to be administered. Furthermore, based on the analysis of a patient's plasma pharmacokinetic profile, neurotoxicity may be largely avoidable. RO-03-8799 is superior in that it produces a higher sensitizer enhancement ratio than MISO for the same administered dose. Unlike with MISO and SR 2508, the dose of RO-03-8799 that can be administered is limited by acute toxicity with no cumulative toxicity having yet been encountered. The lack of overlapping toxicities of RO-03-8799 and SR 2508 may permit their simultaneous use with radiation thereby further increasing the utility of this class of compounds. Study design has improved and the expected clinical benefit from sensitizers has been clarified. Sensitizers, like particle radiation therapy and hyperthermia will, if successful, effect the rate of local tumor control, but cannot improve the cure rate of patients with preexisting metastatic disease. Taking into account the need to optimize reoxygenation, the various reasons for tumor radioresistance other than hypoxia, and the lower oxygen and sensitizer enhancement ratios at 200 cGy per fraction, it is likely that sensitizers will provide some clinical benefit for patients with selected tumor types. Future trials with sensitizers may not only provide clinical benefit but may help answer the question as to the role of hypoxia in clinical radiotherapy.
A measurement of the spin correlation parameter CNN (θ) in n-p scattering at 181 MeV

Abstract The spin correlation parameter C NN has been measured for n-p elastic scattering at 181 MeV. A comparison with predictions from various phase shift sets and potential models reveals sizeable deviations from the for the data Paris potential and Saclay phase shifts. For the Paris potential the deviations are directly related to an overprediction of the 3 D 2 phase shift parameter.
Abstract 5568: Ginkgo biloba extract kaempferol induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells through downregulation of β-Catenin signaling

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Kaempferol (Kae) is one of the most important constituents in ginkgo biloba extract which has been well known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Kae is also reported to suppress the growth of cancer cells but the mechanism of cell death induction is not fully understood. In the present study, we performed in vitro studies, for the first time to examine whether Kae induces apoptotic cell death in human prostate cancer cells and if β-Catenin signaling pathway is involved in the Kae-induced apoptosis. Kae treatment was found to decrease viability of human prostate cancer PC-3 (androgen independent, p53 null) and LNCaP (androgen responsive, wild-type p53) cells at pharmacologically achievable concentrations (10-40 µmol/L at 24 h). The anti-cancer activity by Kae was caused by apoptosis induction, which was determined by increased cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragmentation, caspase 3 activities and sub-G0/G1 cell phase in PC-3 and LNCaP cells treated with Kae compared with controls. Interestingly, a normal human prostate epithelial cell line (PrEC) is significantly more resistant to growth inhibition and apoptosis induction by Kae. Exposure of PC-3 and LNCaP cells to Kae resulted in significant inhibition of β-Catenin protein levels by Elisa assay, down-regulation of protein expression of β-Catenin as well as its down stream targets C-myc, Cyclin D1 and survivin, and alteration in nuclear/cytoplasmic distribution of β-Catenin by immunoblotting. Moreover, Kae treatment significantly inhibited the β-Catenin/TCF transcriptional activity in PC-3 and LNCaP cells transiently transfected with the TCF-4 reporter assay. We also found that apoptosis induction by Kae in human prostate cancer cells correlates with suppression of androgen receptor (AR), phosphor-AR and PSA protein levels. In conclusion, the present study indicates that β-Catenin as well as AR signaling pathways may be targets for Kae-induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. This investigation was supported by USPHS grant R21 CA143104-02, awarded by the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5568. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5568
Photopic suppression of monkey's rod receptor potential, apparently by a cone-initiated lateral inhibition.

Abstract The late RP (receptor potential) was isolated in macaque monkeys by clamping the retinal circulation at the optic disc, while maintaining the animal on light halothane anesthesia with well controlled arterial oxygenation. Just after its isolation the late RP from all retinal areas was pure cone in origin, when elicited by stimulus intensities well above cone threshold. This was shown by criteria of response form, and by spectral response curves. In the central fovea and parafovea these pure cone responses were well maintained. At constant photopic intensity, however, a slowly decaying rod contribution appeared in the late RP of the peripheral retina soon after clamping the retinal circulation. This was shown to result from hypoxia of the peripheral retina, and the response that appeared was shown of rod origin by criteria of response form, spectral response curves, its selective abolition by adaptation with white light, and its recovery rate after light adaptation. After its appearance by hypoxia, the rod late RP was present throughout the photopic intensity range. In another series of experiments the late RP was isolated by infusing pentobarbital into the vitreous humor. At concentrations just sufficient to isolate the late RP, responses to photopic intensities were pure cone. At higher concentrations a rod contribution appeared in both the response form and the spectral response curve, and this effect was reversible. With either method of isolating the late RP, a pure rod late RP could always be seen by lowering stimulus intensity into the scotopic range. Our results indicate that under normal physiological conditions, stimuli well above cone threshold do not elicit a rod response of saturated amplitude; instead, the rod late RP is completely suppressed. At photopic intensities where visual functions are mediated only by cones, the entire post-receptor pathway is thus cleared for carrying pure cone signals. This mechanism has advantages or implications for many aspects of photopic visual functions. It appears to result from a lateral inhibitory pathway initiated by cones and involving the horizontal cell as inhibitory interneuron, with this pathway being functionally interrupted by either hypoxia or pentobarbital.
Use of pharmacokinetic modelling to individualize FFP dosing in factor V deficiency

Summary Therapy with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) confers serious risks, such as contraction of blood-borne viruses, allergic reaction, volume overload and development of alloantibodies. The aim of this study was to apply principles of pharmacokinetic (PK) modelling to individual factor content of FFP to optimize individualized dosing, while minimizing potential risks of therapy. We used PK modelling to successfully target individual factor replacement in an 8-month-old patient receiving FFP for treatment of a severe congenital factor V (FV) deficiency. The model fit for the FV activity vs. time data was excellent (r = 0.98) and the model accurately predicted FV activity during the intraoperative and postoperative period. Accurate PK modelling of individual factor activity in FFP has the potential to provide better targeted therapy, enabling clinicians to more precisely dose patients requiring coagulation products, while avoiding wasteful and expensive product overtreatment, minimizing potentially life-threatening complications due to undertreatment and limiting harmful product-associated risks.
Hyperphagia-mediated Obesity in Transgenic Mice Misexpressing the RNA-editing Enzyme ADAR2

ADAR2 is a double-stranded RNA-specific adenosine deaminase involved in the editing of mammalian RNAs by the site-specific conversion of adenosine to inosine. To examine the physiologic consequences resulting from ADAR2 misexpression, we have generated mutant mice expressing either wild-type or deaminase-deficient ADAR2 transgenes under the control of the human cytomegalovirus promoter. Transgenic mice expressing either wild-type or inactive ADAR2 isoforms demonstrated adult onset obesity characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperleptinemia, and increased adiposity. Paired feeding analysis revealed that mutant mice on caloric restriction had a growth rate and body composition indistinguishable from wild-type littermates, indicating that the observed obesity predominantly results from hyperphagia rather than a metabolic derangement. The observation that expression of catalytically inactive ADAR2 also is capable of producing an obese phenotype in mutant animals suggests that ADAR2 may possess additional biological activities beyond those required for the site-selective deamination of adenosine or may interfere with the actions of other double-stranded RNA-specific binding proteins in the cell.
Synchronous virtual classrooms: Student perceptions from an online and blended education course

Virtual classrooms are online environments that enable students and instructors to interact as if they were face to face in a classroom. In this study, the researchers compared the perceptions of 57 undergraduate students who used the virtual classroom in a fully online and a blended education course. Students in the fully online course rated the virtual classroom features and characteristics higher than students in the blended course. There were statistically significant differences for 9 out of the 16 features that were investigated. Three of the four characteristics were statistically significant. Instructors can integrate this information in their course design and delivery to ensure that students benefit from a rewarding learning experience.