cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of pharmacological agonists on contractile responses in aortic rings derived from endotoxaemic rats.

To investigate the vascular smooth muscle dysfunction of septic shock, in vitro isometric responses to phenylephrine (PE) and acetylcholine (ACh) were evaluated in aortic rings, with and without endothelium (+/-E), removed from male Wistar rats 1.5, 3 and 6 h after intravenous (i.v.) administration of 5 mg/ kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle. A reduction in maximum contraction (+/-E) and sensitivity (-E) to PE were identified at 6 but not at 1.5 or 3 h. Maximum relaxation to ACh (+E) was not affected by LPS treatment but sensitivity was increased at 1.5 and 3 h. Having identified 6 h as the time at which the most pronounced changes were observed, further studies at this interval found that maximum contraction to potassium chloride (+/-E), prostaglandin F2 alpha (+E) and detomidine (-E) and relaxation to salbutamol (-E) were less in aortic rings from endotoxaemic rats. Sensitivity to KCl (+/-E), PGF2 alpha (-E) and detomidine (-E) was also reduced. Relaxation to sodium nitroprusside and atrial natriuretic peptide was not changed. These results suggest that attenuated pressor responses to a variety of vasoactive agents may be expected in patients 6 h after systemic exposure to endotoxin and that this vasoplegia may influence the vascular side-effects of therapeutic agents.
Union-nonunion compensation differentials and industry structure

Abstract This paper examines the impacts of industry output and labor (input) market structures on workers' total compensation in U.S. manufacturing. For empirical analysis, CPS May 1983 data were matched with 1982 Census of Manufacturing. Results indicate that employees in highly concentrated product markets [proxied by four-firm concentration ratio (CRR)] earn more. independent of their union membership. Second, union members in the smaller plant sizes have the most to gain and the ‘union advantage’ disappears for medium to large plants. Third, and perhaps most important, the joint effects of unionism and CRR on earnings depend on the size of the manufacturing plant. In conclusion, the paper finds support for Dowrick's (1989) conjecture, that profits-enhancing product market conditions generally tend to increase earnings.
Review of resist-based flare measurement methods for extreme ultraviolet lithography

Flare (stray light) is an important effect impacting extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) imaging system performance. Four flare measurement methods including Kirk, modulation transfer function, double exposure, and zonal ring approximation method are reviewed and analyzed theoretically. The point spread function of an EUV NXE:3100 exposure tool is extracted from the measured Kirk flare (KF) and fitted with a double-fractal model. The KF for this NXE:3100 tool is determined to be 8.5% for a 2-μm diameter absorber pad placed in a 12-mm outer radius bright field, which is larger than the previous 5% KF data measured by ASML and IMEC in 2011. The observation of the increased flare level in the NXE:3100 tool suggests that contamination of EUV optics may be a potential problem for EUVL manufacturing.
The Power of Positive Action: Exploring the Role of Participatory Behaviors Through the Lens of the Tripartite Model of Media Enjoyment

Offering an initial test of Nabi and Krcmar's tripartite model of media enjoyment, this study examines how affective, cognitive, and especially behavioral responses to a participatory reality TV program predict program enjoyment, viewing intention, and future program viewing. Responses to Fox's American Idol series suggest that affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses to the program are interrelated. Of particular interest, behavioral engagement (specifically positive or supportive actions) during the viewing experience enhances intention for subsequent program viewing. Viewing intention was also strongly predictive of future viewing behaviors. Implications for the tripartite model and considerations of affect, cognition, and behavior in examining audience gratifications beyond entertainment are addressed.
Physical Activity and Symptoms in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, the impact of fatigue on daily physical activity in PAH is unknown. Accelerometry is a validated measure for assessing physical activity. We hypothesized that patients with PAH reporting higher levels of fatigue would have lower daily physical activity measured by accelerometry. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of 15 women with PAH. On day 1, subjects completed the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), the United States Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (US CAMPHOR), and a 6-min walk test. Subjects wore the accelerometer on their dominant hip and completed an activity diary for 7 days. On day 15, subjects repeated the MFI and the US CAMPHOR, and then wore the accelerometer and completed an activity diary for an additional 7 days. All multivariate analyses were adjusted for age, BMI, and PAH type. Results The mean age was 50.5 years, and 53% had idiopathic or heritable PAH. During the 2 weeks, subjects were mostly sedentary (85% of the time), although 10% of their time was spent performing low-level activity. Lower average daily counts were associated with worse self-reported energy levels, whereas less day-to-day physical activity variability was associated with more self-reported mental fatigue, physical fatigue, and total activity. Higher percentage of activity bouts was also associated with worse energy. Conclusions Women with PAH may spend most of their time being sedentary, and lower self-reported energy levels are associated with less daily activity. Interventions to improve symptoms such as fatigue may also increase physical activity levels in PAH.
Abnormal responses to endothelial agonists in Raynaud's phenomenon and scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE: To further specify the site of vascular dysfunction in patients with Raynaud9s phenomenon (RP) and scleroderma. METHODS: Ten patients with RP and scleroderma and 11 healthy control subjects received brachial artery infusions of sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium independent vasodilator, bradykinin, and substance P while bilateral finger blood flow was measured with venous occlusion plethysmography. RESULTS: Both groups showed vasodilation to sodium nitroprusside. However, in response to the endothelium dependent compounds bradykinin and substance P, the controls showed vasodilation, whereas the patients showed vasoconstriction. CONCLUSION: The vascular defect in RP and scleroderma does not lie at the site of the muscarinic receptor, but possibly in a distal signaling mechanism.
Immunofluorescent localization of parathyroid hormone in extracellular spaces of the bovine parathyroid gland.

SummaryThe indirect fluorescent antibody technique revealed local concentrations of parathyroid hormone in intercellular tissue spaces between cords and within acini formed primarily of chief cells in bovine parathyroid glands. In this study, specific immunofluorescence was not seen within parenchymal cells of the parathyroid gland.
Two New Dentigerate Species of Phlyctochytrium (Chytridiomycetes)

Two new dentigerate chytrids, Phlyctochytrium circulidentatum Koch and P. multidentatum Umphlett are described. Both species have a whorl of about 14 usually simple tooth-like enations about the br...
Effect of Hemorrhagic Shock on Contractility of Papillary Muscle.

SummaryLeft ventricular papillary muscle from rats in profound hemorrhagic shock and from control animals were compared with respect to tension development and negative treppe. In both muscles tension development increased as resting fibre length increased and as frequency of stimulation decreased. No difference in the performance of muscles from the two types of animals was detected; the contractile element of cardiac muscle appears not to be irreversibly altered by hemorrhagic hypotension.
Feature Extraction Using Memristor Networks

Crossbar arrays of memristive elements are investigated for the implementation of dictionary learning and sparse coding of natural images. A winner-take-all training algorithm, in conjunction with Oja’s rule, is used to learn an overcomplete dictionary of feature primitives that resemble Gabor filters. The dictionary is then used in the locally competitive algorithm to form a sparse representation of input images. The impacts of device nonlinearity and parameter variations are evaluated and a compensating procedure is proposed to ensure the robustness of the sparsification. It is shown that, with proper compensation, the memristor crossbar architecture can effectively perform sparse coding with distortion comparable with ideal software implementations at high sparsity, even in the presence of large device-to-device variations in the excess of 100%.
Existentialism of History: Marx' New Concept of Nature

Marx's new concept of nature is the natural view of existentialism of history.This kind of new natural view offered the value foundation of existentialism and explanative principle of doctrine of history for explaining nature.In the case of contemporary mankind facing existential question of the crisis of environment and resource,philosophic concept of nature of modern rationalism has already lost rationality.Therefore,we need a new concept of nature.
Influence of long terminal repeat retrotransposons in the genomes of fission yeasts

LTR (long terminal repeat) RTs (retrotransposons) are almost ubiquitous in eukaryotic genomes. Their abundance and selfish properties make them a major influence in the regulation and evolution of their host genome. Recently, several striking properties of the LTR RTs of fission yeast have been uncovered, affecting important cellular processes such as gene regulation, nuclear architecture and genome integrity. The present review summarizes the current information and puts it in the context of the wider search for understanding the influence of transposable elements on the host genome.
EFFECT OF THRUSTS IN THE MIGRATION AND ACCUMULATION OF OIL AND GAS IN KUCHE DEPRESSION,XINJIANG

Based on the space development characteristics of thrusts and the space development characteristics of caprocks and sourcerocks,this paper studied the space matching relation among the thrusts,caprocks and sourcerocks.The thrusts that faulted sourcerocks and caprocks are the transporting passages of oil and gas losing,while the thrusts that connected sourcerocks,but did not fault caprocks are the transporting passages of oil and gas accumulation.They control the accumulation and losing of oil and gas and their destruction in Kuche Depression.Based on the active history of thrusts,the hydrocarbon-expulsion history of sourcerock and the sealing history of caprock for oil and gas,this paper studied the time matching relation among thrusts,caprocks and sourcerocks.The time matching relation between sourcerock and caprock controls the oil and gas migration amount,and the time matching relation between thrusts and sourcerock controls the gas and oil accumulation amount,and the time matching relation between caprock and thrusts controls the oil and gas preservation amount.
Phosphate transport by isolated rabbit cortical collecting tubule

Renal handling of phosphate occurs in the proximal convoluted tubule. Absorption of this anion also occurs in the pars recta and distal convoluted tubule, the latter a structurally and functionally diverse segment. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine phosphate transport by the cortical collecting duct of the rabbit. Segments of cortical collecting tubule, beyond the last cortical branch, were isolated and perfused in vitro with an artificial solution simulating plasma as the perfusing and bathing medium. The perfusion solution contained either 3 or 25 mM bicarbonate. Net phosphate transport was measured using 32P as the radionuclide tracer, with identical specific activity in perfusing and bathing solutions. A net absorptive flux for phosphate was demonstrated, amounting to 2-3% of the delivered load. In addition, this absorptive flux was linearly related to perfusion rate and, thus, delivered load, but independent of the lumen bicarbonate concentration or pH.
Cloud computing systems for smart cities and homes

Abstract To support this rapid change in information delivery and consumption, cloud computing has evolved from pure technical and narrow field applications to solve higher problem domains in the realms of smart homes and cities. Through standardized system architecture, communication and information exchange, cloud technologies rely on instrumentation and interconnection to provide intelligent feedback and to support new capacities such as digital convergence, energy management or safety and security. Smart homes and cities cannot thrive without data fusion, and mining. Managing, processing, and synthesizing mass flow of information in real time may only be accomplished with state of the art information systems architectures. Cloud computing technologies are a solid foundation to consolidate the physical infrastructure as well as to streamline service delivery platforms.
Estimation of Probability Density Functions Using Parametric Models

Many of the common distributions arise from first principles. For example, an exponential distribution results from the definition of a Poisson process; a normal distribution arises from axioms about transformations or, from a different perspective, from central limit theorems. Other distributions, such as a gamma or a t are derived from those basic distributions.
Regulatory T Cells Promote Myositis and Muscle Damage in Toxoplasma gondii Infection

The coordination of macrophage polarization is essential for the robust regenerative potential of skeletal muscle. Repair begins with a phase mediated by inflammatory monocytes (IM) and proinflammatory macrophages (M1), followed by polarization to a proregenerative macrophage (M2) phenotype. Recently, regulatory T cells (Tregs) were described as necessary for this M1 to M2 transition. We report that chronic infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes a nonresolving Th1 myositis with prolonged tissue damage associated with persistent M1 accumulation. Surprisingly, Treg ablation during chronic infection rescues macrophage homeostasis and skeletal muscle fiber regeneration, showing that Tregs can directly contribute to muscle damage. This study provides evidence that the tissue environment established by the parasite could lead to a paradoxical pathogenic role for Tregs. As such, these findings should be considered when tailoring therapies directed at Tregs in inflammatory settings.
[Study on the cause-specific mortality attributable to smoking among males in Tianjin].

Objective Prevalence rates related to smoking and second hand smoking exposure were high in Tianjin,particularly among males.Our study aimed to analyze all cause of deaths attributable to smoking in male citizens in Tianjin.Methods Data on 38 312 death cases aged 18-69 years old were collected from 2010 to 2012.Odds ratio of deaths on different disease and excess deaths attributed to smoking,after adjusting age and education level were calculated.Results 22.57％ of the male death cases were caused by smoking in Tianjin,and smokers' 5 years of life loss due to the habit of smoking.Compared to the non-smokers,the mortality risks appeared as:lung cancer (OR=3.10,95％ CI:2.80-3.44),heart disease (OR=1.47,95％ CI:1.36-1.59),and stroke (OR=1.41,95％CI:1.30-1.53).The mortality risk attributed to smoking was higher in urban than that in rural areas.Factors as smoking initiated at early age and plenty daily cigarette consumption were both associated with risk of high mortality.Conclusion Results from our study addressed the problem that smoking had been a major risk factor for mortality and productivity loss in male adults in Tianjin.Prevention programs and initiatives on reducing the rates of smoking and second hand smoking should be strengthened to decrease the smoking-related deaths in Tianjin. Key words: Smoking; Death attributable; Male; Case-control study
Abstract 387: Role of Glycolysis in Cardiac Adaptation to Exercise

Cardiac stressors affect the function and structure of the heart with prominent effects on metabolism. While the heart typically derives most (~80%) of its energy from fatty acids, the exercised heart is associated with an enhanced capacity to utilize a variety of carbon sources to sustain energy demands that would be advantageous during increased workloads and ischemic events. Due to the central role of glycolysis in glucose metabolism, it is likely that changes in the glycolytic rate regulate cell growth, homeostasis and stress responses. In this study, we assessed how exercise affects glucose metabolism in the myocardium and whether genetically decreasing glycolysis in the heart - using a validated, cardiac-specific, dominant negative form of phosphofructokinase 2 (kd-PFK2) - affects cardiac adaptation to exercise. Adult male FVB/NJ mice were subjected to forced treadmill running for 30 days. Exercise performance was measured and echocardiographic analysis was used to assess changes in cardiac function. Immunoblotting was performed to quantify the abundance of key enzymes involved in glucose metabolism. Exercise training increased exercise capacity by 70% (p
Anesthesia Management for Posterior Fossa Craniotomy

Posterior fossa surgery has the standard risks of a craniotomy for any neurologic lesion. It carries the additional risk of working in a small area, approximately 185 cm3, that is, dense in vital structures and in close proximity to noncompressible venous sinuses. This increases the risk of venous air embolism (VAE) and blood loss. Unique management and neurologic risks will be addressed including positioning, neuromonitoring, anesthetic management, and prevention/management of VAE and paradoxical air embolism.
Stimulation of glioma and breast cancer cell motility by proteolysis and release of the L1 neural cell recognition molecule

3451 Thrombosis is a frequent complication in patients with advanced gastric cancer, and previous reports have shown that gastric cancer patients, even those without thrombosis, often show abnormalities in blood coagulation data, suggesting the possibility that gastric cancer might have the potential to induce subclinical hypercoagulability. Tissue factor (TF), which normally safeguards vascular integrity by inducing hemostasis upon injury, has been shown to play roles in cancer progression and metastasis through the modulation of blood coagulation. In fact, aberrantly expressed TF in cancer cells has been reported to be associated with advanced stages of malignancy in various cancers. The expression of TF was immunohistochemically evaluated in 207 gastric cancers and their relationship with clinicopathological features was examined. Significant expression of TF was observed in 52 of 207 cases (25.1%) and associated with lymphatic and venous invasion and lymphatic metastasis as well as depth of invasion. Moreover, TF expression was associated with a worse outcome. Next, we examined the mechanism of TF to promote gastric cancer progression in NUGC-3, gastric cancer cell line, which highly expressed TF at the mRNA and protein level. We found that the addition of factor VIIa (FVIIa) induced significant levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in NUGC-3. Interestingly, time-course experiments revealed that phosphorylation was maximal after 20-40 minutes of stimulation and sustained at least 3 hours, which differed from the rapid EGFR transactivation caused by other G-protein coupled receptor agonists. Our results provide a novel role of the TF to modulate gastric cancer progression and suggest the possibility that sustained transactivation of EGFR is one of the mechanisms to represent the association of TF with more invasive character and worse clinical outcome in gastric cancer.
The economics of attitudes: A different approach to utility functions of players in tourism marketing coalitional networks

Abstract The foundation of destination collaboration is based on the interdependency of the organizations involved in producing destination products. The high rate of destination collaboration failure underscores the need for conflict studies. Unlike previous studies, which depend solely on the collaboration monetary values, this study proposes a new approach to define its utility functions based on the attitudinal and motivational values. We employ the network theory to define the utility function of four major players and the game theory to examine three distribution solutions of coalitional activities' values. The results support the notion of “free riders” mentioned in collaboration studies and explains why free riding is a natural phenomenon in tourism destinations’ marketing activities. The findings suggest that individual entities and hospitality are the two players with the highest admission fee and the least contribution. We suggest the concepts of fairness and stability to be considered in incentive policies to encourage collaboration among higher admission players.
Transmitral Septal Myectomy for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Background Intrinsic abnormalities of the mitral valve are common in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and may need to be addressed at operation. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing transmitral septal myectomy were retrospectively reviewed. The ventricular septum was exposed through a left atriotomy, and the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve was detached from its annulus. An extended myectomy was performed to the base of the papillary muscles. After myectomy, the anterior leaflet was reattached and concomitant mitral valve repair or replacement was performed. In some cases, we performed a modified anterolateral commissural closure suture, which served to reposition the lateral aspect of the anterior leaflet out of the left ventricular outflow tract ("curtain stitch"). Results Twenty patients who underwent this procedure were identified (70% women; mean age 63 years). Mitral regurgitation was moderate in 55% and severe in 40%. Preoperative peak left ventricular outflow tract gradient was 92 ± 43 mm Hg. Mitral valve repair (n = 11) or replacement (n = 9) was performed. Predischarge transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a left ventricular outflow tract gradient of 10 ± 5 mm Hg. There was no operative mortality. Follow-up was 100% complete and averaged 22 ± 25 months. No patient required reoperation, and there was no recurrence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction or mitral regurgitation greater than mild. Conclusions Potential advantages of transmitral myectomy include a panoramic view of the septum and mitral subvalvular apparatus and the ability to simultaneously address mitral valve pathology. Consideration should be given to using the transmitral approach to septal myectomy as the preferred approach for the surgical treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Dietary uridine decreases tumorigenesis in the ApcMin/+ model of intestinal cancer.

Background Dietary deoxyuridine and uridine have been shown to have opposing effects on neural tube defect (NTD) incidence in the serine hydroxymethyltransferase 1 (Shmt1+/- ) mouse model of folate-responsive NTDs, which are mediated by changes in de novo thymidylate biosynthesis. Alterations in folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism that protect against NTDs increased cancer risk in some studies. Objective This study examined the effects of the dietary pyrimidine nucleosides uridine, thymidine, or deoxyuridine on intestinal tumorigenesis in the ApcMin/+ mouse model [a mouse model lacking one copy of the adenomatosis polypsis coli (APC) gene] of spontaneous intestinal tumor formation. This study also evaluated the effects of uridine and deoxyuridine in culture medium on antifolate efficacy in Caco-2 and HeLa cell lines. Methods ApcMin/+ male mice (n = 10-14/group) were fed folate-deficient diets containing uridine, thymidine, or deoxyuridine from weaning until 17 wk of age. Total intestinal tumors were analyzed and biomarkers of folate status and metabolism were measured, including plasma folate concentrations, colon uracil content, and SHMT1 concentrations. Results ApcMin/+ mice fed dietary uridine showed a 50% reduction in total intestinal tumors, but neither dietary deoxyuridine nor thymidine affected tumorigenesis. Dietary nucleoside supplementation also increased plasma folate concentrations in ApcMin/+ mice, as has been observed in the Shmt1+/- mouse model. Neither uridine nor deoxyuridine in culture media affected antifolate efficacy in either HeLa or Caco-2 cell lines. Conclusions Dietary uridine, which is teratogenic in mice, decreases intestinal tumor formation in the ApcMin/+ mouse model. Dietary uridine mimics the effect of the common methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T variant in protecting against colorectal cancer, while contributing to the risk of NTDs.
Interplay of gender, age and drug properties on reporting frequency of drug-induced liver injury.

We examined the effect of gender, age, and drug properties on liver events reporting frequency (RF) to assess patient- and drug-related risks for drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We performed a data-mining analysis of the WHO VigiBase™ to 1) identify drugs with gender- and age-biased RF and 2) characterize drug properties using the Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base. Age-, gender-specific Empirical Bayes Geometric Mean of relative reporting ratio of liver events with 90% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for 375 drugs with DILI potential. Forty-one drugs showed an increased RF in women, which had a higher prevalence of reactive metabolite formation and mitochondrial dysfunction and transporter inhibition. Fifty-nine drugs showed an increased RF in younger women (<50 yrs), many of which had a signature pattern of hepatocellular injury. In contrast, half of 17 drugs that showed an increased RF in men had a cholestatic pattern. In the older group (≥50 yrs), 17 drugs showed an increased RF and had higher transporter inhibition, Cmax, and plasma protein binding, yet shorter plasma elimination. Specific drug properties were associated with gender- and age-biased liver events RF, suggesting possible interactions of drug properties, gender, and age in DILI development.
Improvements in forecasting of bank stock excess returns using the investor sentiment endurance index: a comparison with CAPM and Fama-French models

In order to raise the forecasting quality for banking equity costs, this study uses the sentiment endurance (SE) index developed by He (2012) and applies this model to the banking industry. The SE index is used as the risk factor to replace commonly used risk factors, the overall market risk premium, and the Fama-French factors 'small minus big' (SMB), and 'high minus low' (HML). The sentiment endurance index in this study measures changes in the lasting momentum of bank stock prices and can therefore be used to predict future changes in bank stock prices. The results of this study indicate that the monthly rolling out-of-sample forecasts generated by the sentiment endurance model, in general, are significantly more accurate than the CAPM and Fama-French models. When the overall market risk premium or SMB and HML are added into the sentiment endurance index model, respectively, the quality of forecasting based on short rolling periods actually deteriorates and improvements in forecasting quality based on longer rolling periods are trivial. The empirical results indicate that information contained in the three risk factors is already reflected in the sentiment endurance index.
Neuroimaging findings in youth at risk for bipolar disorder

Abstract The study of youth at familial risk for bipolar disorder has the potential to identify brain structural, neurochemical, and functional abnormalities related to risk for the condition or the early installment of illness process. Structural imaging studies identified abnormal regional gray matter volumes, cortical thickness, or white matter integrity mainly in prefrontal cortical areas of youth at risk for bipolar disorder. Functional imaging studies also show that youth at risk for bipolar disorder exhibit abnormal brain activation in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and striatum when performing tasks of emotion and reward processing, as well as abnormal connectivity between these brain areas. These preliminary findings lend support to a hypothesis that risk for bipolar disorder is associated with abnormal connectivity and consequently abnormal brain functioning within the prefrontal-subcortical networks that regulate emotion and attention, which will eventually translate into enduring and recurring mood episodes that begin illness onset.
Re-introducing the Phoenix Within

This chapter draws from my own experiences, stories, and personal narratives to illustrate just how challenging life is within the academy. Though such stories may initially seem benign, speaking our (as in people of Color, more precisely, women of Color) Truths is a bold move in the academy. Therefore, I do not share these stories without reservations. Indeed, it is with an element of fear of those in power, precisely because those folks are most fearful of being exposed of their bias, bigotry, and thirst for power, rather than to learn from them. And in their fear and abuse of power, they will do anything to silence our stories. These stories, then, are powerful and must be heard.
Absorption of boron by plant roots

Experimental evidence suggests that B uptake is the result of the passive assimilation of undissociated boric acid. Boron uptake by a particular species should, therefore, be primarily determined by the B concentration in the soil solution and the rate of water uptake by the plant. This simple explanation of B uptake, however, does not adequately explain field observations where dramatic differences in B concentrations are observed between species, even when these species are grown under similar environmental conditions. The apparent contradiction between experimental results and in field observations, suggests, that B uptake is determined by factors that are as yet unknown. In the following, we discuss experimental and field observations as they relate to B uptake and discuss the mechanisms that may be involved in determining B uptake in diverse species.
Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Fibrosis

Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in excess of the capacity of cells/tissues to detoxify or scavenge them. Such a state of oxidative stress may alter the structure/function of cellular macromolecules that eventually leads to tissue/organ dysfunction. The harmful effects of ROS have been largely attributed to its indiscriminate, stochastic effects on the oxidation of protein, lipids, or DNA. Alternatively, detrimental effects of ROS may be mediated by aberrant “redox signaling” in specific pathophysiologic contexts. Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized nations. Acute myocardial infarction from atherosclerotic coronary artery disease often results in remodeling responses of the myocardium that may culminate in congestive heart failure. Another important cause of CHF is chronic pressure overload due to systemic hypertension. We discuss mechanisms by which oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of vascular disease, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiovascular fibrosis. Identifying specific pathways for ROS generation and roles in cardiovascular fibrosis could lead to rational design of drugs that promote tissue repair/regeneration, while attenuating the progression of CHF.
What is Lean Ship Construction and Repair

The success of the Toyota Production System is well known. Toyota is the most productive and innovative automobile manufacturer in the world. Directly or indirectly they have pioneered approaches and principles such as, among many others, just in time, one-piece flow, and andon. The Toyota Production System was the basis for lean manufacturing. The purpose of lean manufacturing is to improve product cycle time, cost competitiveness, and quality by eliminating any waste in the manufacturing process through continuous improvement by a motivated workforce. The authors, as part of the NASSCO shipbuilding production system project, were responsible for introducing lean manufacturing to the project team and developing a Guide to Lean Shipbuilding. This paper first discusses what lean manufacturing is, and then reports on a benchmarking visit to Japanese shipyards. Finally, a description of lean shipbuilding and its implementation is presented with case examples of lean workshops.
Exploring micropolitan areas as a source of population growth in Iowa

As sluggish growth persists in the state of Iowa, micropolitan areas may provide a viable source for expanding development. This thesis has two primary objectives: to better understand those factors driving population growth among micropolitan areas and to explore micropolitan areas in the state of Iowa as compared to micropolitan areas in other parts of the country. The analyses show a relationship between four of the five growth factors (agglomeration, recreation, immigration, education and diversification) and effective growth rate, the difference between micropolitan population growth and statewide population growth. As the number of qualifying categories increase for a micropolitan area, effective growth rates also increase. Recreation-related factors had the strongest relationship to growth both in Iowa and nationwide. Agglomeration factors performed better in Iowa than nationally, but education factors performed worse. Many Iowa micropolitan areas can capitalize on existing resources in an effort to stimulate population growth.
Fallopian Tube and Peritoneum

This chapter guides the reader in the classification of tumors of the fallopian tube and peritoneum. Readers will learn methods of defining primary tubal cancer (traditional and newly proposed methods), and tubal cancer’s clinical features, microscopic features, precursors, differential diagnoses, and staging. The second part of the chapter discusses peritoneal carcinoma: its features, diagnostic criteria, and differential diagnoses.
Agglomerate structure in flocculated suspensions and its effect on sedimentation and dewatering

The sedimentation and dewatering characteristics of flocculated slurries are determined by the size and density of the flocs. Studies of the formation and growth of flocs reveal that floc size is limited by breakage of the agglomerates due to shear in the suspension. Floc density measurements indicate that there is an inverse relationship between size and density. This relationship appears to be determined primarily by the nature of the solid particles, especially the size distribution, but it appears that agitation of the suspension can lead to some densification of the flocs, in addition to breakage. It follows that both size and density can be controlled to a significant extent by regulating the physical conditions (agitation, method of flocculant addition, etc.) during flocculation. The use of physical floc conditioning to control the sedimentation and dewatering (filtration) behavior of flocculated, fine-particle suspensions is evaluated in terms of its effects on floc size and density.
Environmental Justice in the Urban Environment

This chapter introduces students to the topic of environmental justice. Environmental justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to environmental contamination or degradation. The call for EJ stems from a history of discrimination where both corporate entities and governments have selected locations for locally undesirable land uses (incinerators, sewage treatment plants, bus barns, etc.), known as LULUs, in neighborhoods where the population was majority nonwhite race and/or economically poor. This history means that these communities have disproportionately resided in some of the most toxic urban environments or in rural areas where raw materials for our cities’ economic life are extracted or where urban wastes are frequently disposed. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice was formed in 1993 to help communities fight institutionalized racism. Case studies and tools for assessing EJ violations are presented, and factors influencing public response to environmental risk are reviewed.
Cultural Humility in Physical Education Teacher Education: A Missing Piece in Developing a New Generation of Socially Just Physical Education Teachers

ABSTRACTThe increased pluralism in today’s United States society, including our public school student population, has called for physical education teacher education (PETE) programs to train teache...
The Phenomenology and Semiosis of Higher Education Institutions

This work aims to address the semiotic theory and phenomenology, including a draw of sign, object and interpretant in the Semiotics of Charles Sanders Peirce applied to higher education institutions. The immediate experience of life is always located in groups: the family, class, and friends. At work, the immediate horizon of experience is always composed of groups: the team is in the company, the group of studies in school, the project team. In these organizations, emerges a new element: the group is trapped in an institutional system, the organization, which distances the possibility of direct action on the decisions, creating a feeling of impotence, because decisions are made elsewhere without their members are consulted.
Phenotypic alterations in pancreatic lymph node stromal cells from human donors with type 1 diabetes and NOD mice

Tolerance induction in lymph nodes can be mediated by both haematopoietic cells (e.g. specific dendritic cells subsets) and by non-haematopoietic cells (e.g. lymph node stromal cells [LNSCs]) when they present peripheral tissue antigens to autoreactive T cells. LNSCs normally regulate T cell trafficking and survival and help to maintain peripheral tolerance by exerting immunosuppressive effects. However, whether autoimmunity can be associated with defective tolerogenic functions of LNSCs is unknown and studies aimed at characterising LNSCs in humans are lacking. We hypothesised that dysregulated T cell responses in pancreatic lymph nodes (PLNs) from donors with type 1 diabetes and from NOD mice may be associated with altered LNSC function. We analysed PLNs from donors with type 1 diabetes and NOD mice for LNSC distribution and phenotype using flow cytometry. We assessed the expression of tolerance-related genes in different subsets of LNSCs from human donors, as well as in a population of dendritic cells enriched in autoimmune regulator (AIRE)+ cells and identified as HLA-DRhigh CD45low. The relative frequency of different LNSC subsets was altered in both donors with type 1 diabetes and NOD mice, and both MHC class II and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression were upregulated in human type 1 diabetes. Tolerance-related genes showed similar expression profiles between mouse and human LNSCs at steady state but were generally upregulated in the context of human type 1 diabetes, while, at the same time, many such genes were downregulated in the AIRE-enriched dendritic cell population. Our study shows that LNSCs are substantially altered in type 1 diabetes, but, surprisingly, they exhibit an enhanced tolerogenic phenotype along with increased antigen-presenting potential, which may indicate an attempt to offset dendritic cell-related tolerogenic defects in tolerance. Thus, LNSCs could constitute alternative therapeutic targets in which to deliver antigens to help re-establish tolerance and prevent or treat type 1 diabetes. All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the published article (and its online supplementary files). Biomark gene expression data were deposited on the Mendeley repository at https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/d9rdzdmvyf/1. Any other raw datasets are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. No applicable resources were generated or analysed during the current study.
Wild Sounds from San Diego: An Interview with Mike Stax

Editors’ note: What follows is a transcription (by Janet Novak) of a panel that took place in San Diego, California, at the annual conference of the Popular Culture Association on 14 April 2017. Th...
Statistics and the Entrepreneur

A case study that can be used in an introductory business statistics course is presented. The case focuses on descriptive statistics, the normal distribution, and inferential statistics, which are key concepts covered in an introductory statistics course. In addition, the case has an entrepreneurial/business emphasis. Instructors may find this case a valuable tool for assessment purposes and student learning. A grading rubric that can easily be modified for one’s own course is provided. A solution to the case may be requested by emailing the author.
Research on Coordination Control System of Virtual Power Plant Based on Blockchain

The virtual power plant integrates all the distributed power supplies within the communication domain through advanced communication technology, and adopts multiple coordinated control strategies to optimize the power supply operation. It is a very competitive new format in the power market. In practical applications, the virtual power plant must meet the needs of market participants, and on the other hand, it also should ensure the safe and reliable operation of the VPP system. It has great difficulty no matter in the designing of operating mechanism or the realization of technology. Blockchain technology has the characteristics of decentralizat distributed storage, and intelligent contracts. This is highly compatible with the distributed control architecture of virtual power plants, providing a new solution for the power trading and coordinated control of virtual power plants. By researching the characteristics of virtual power plant and blockchain technology, this paper uses a distributed calculation based on blockchain to establish a multi-coordinated control model of virtual power plant. The simulation operation of the model shows that the coordinated control under blockchain technology can improve the efficiency of the virtual power plant control calculation, and promote the rapid and accurate release of the control strategy, It also improves the economic benefit.
Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis- A Diagnostically Challenging Rare Clinical Entity.

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is characterized by a classic triad of muscle paralysis, hypokalemia, and hyperthyroidism. The underlying thyroid disorder is often very subtle making it challenging to recognize TPP. It is a completely reversible condition if diagnosed early; however, it is associated with fatal outcomes if delayed.
CHORD: Distributed Data-Sharing via Hybrid ROS 1 and 2 for Multi-Robot Exploration of Large-Scale Complex Environments

A well-structured and reliable communication system is key to the successful operations of multi-robot systems. In this letter, we present our design and implementation of a multi-robot communication architecture CHORD (Collaborative High-bandwidth Operations with Radio Droppables) based on two popular robotics middleware, ROS 1 and ROS 2. We discuss the benefit and best practices of combining two different frameworks that share the same spirit and show its performance from large-scale real-world experiments. The proposed system is developed as part of Team CoSTAR's effort for the DARPA Subterranean (SubT) Challenge. The system has been field-proved and demonstrated in the Urban Circuit event, where team CoSTAR won first place. To our knowledge, this work is the first real-world demonstration of a ROS 2-based multi-robot system in such large-scale extreme environments. From the significant improvement of the communication performance and the ease of transition from existing ROS 1 systems, this work encourages wider adoption of ROS 2 in field robotics applications.
Symptom Clusters in Patients With Gynecologic Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES To describe ratings of symptom occurrence, severity, and distress for 38 symptoms and to identify and compare the number and types of symptom clusters identified using these ratings. Although patients with gynecologic cancer experience multiple co-occurring symptoms, little is known about how these symptoms cluster together. SAMPLE A SETTING Eligible patients (N = 232) had gynecologic cancer and were receiving chemotherapy. METHODS A VARIABLES Symptoms were assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Symptom clusters were identified through exploratory factor analysis. Geomin-rotated factor loadings with absolute values of 0.3 or greater were considered meaningful. Factor solutions (i.e., symptom clusters) were assessed for simple structure and clinical relevance. RESULTS Lack of energy, hair loss, and "I don't look like myself" were the most common, severe, and distressing symptoms. Hormonal, respiratory, and weight change clusters were identified across all three dimensions. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Research that explores how symptom clusters change over time and their underlying mechanisms is warranted.
Field and Laboratory Evaluations of the Efficacy of DEET Repellent against Ixodes Ticks

The objective of this study was to clarify the efficacy of a currently available N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) repellent against tick species in Japan. We performed 2 different field trials: "human trap," and "flag-dragging." In total, 482 ticks were collected from white flannel cloths in the field studies. The collected tick species were Ixodes persulcatus and I. ovatus, which accounted for 5.3% and 94.7% of the ticks in the human trap test and 31.4% and 68.6% in the flag-dragging test, respectively. The repellency levels of DEET-treated flannel cloths in the human trap and flag-dragging tests were 84.0% and 99.7%, respectively. The escape times for I. persulcatus and I. ovatus female adults from DEET-treated flannel cloths were determined. The median escape times for I. persulcatus and I. ovatus on DEET-treated flannel cloths were 48 s (95% confidence interval [CI]: 30-96) and 10 s (95% CI: 5-24), respectively. In contrast, many ticks remained on the untreated flannel cloths for 10 min after mounting. These results indicate that DEET repellents appear to prevent tick bites and that the use of DEET repellents against ticks is an effective personal protection measure.
The Long and Short of the Carriage Business

(1932). The Long and Short of the Carriage Business. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 11-59.