cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE ESTIMATION OF ESTRIN AND THE FOLLICLESTIMULATING HORMONE IN THE URINE AS AN INDEX OF THERAPY IN MENSTRUAL DYSFUNCTION

In order to find some rational basis for the treatment of various menstrual disorders, we have studied, in a group of 300 cases, the occurrence in the urine of estrin and of the follicle stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary gland (APH-A). Zondek (8) has shown that APH-A is not found in the urine of normally menstruating women, but is found on cessation of ovarian function due to castration, x-ray sterilization, menopause, or in certain amenorrheas, during pregnancy and in cases of genital carcinoma. Various observers found estrin in the urine of women during their functional sex life. By means of a method described by Kurzrok and Ratner (4) it was shown that a woman during her active sex life, except during pregnancy, excretes in her urine ten to twenty, rarely thirty, rat units of estrin per liter of urine. This excretion varies a little during the menstrual cycle. The excretion of less than ten rat units per liter may be considered as estrin hypofunction, and the excretion of more than 30 rat...
Effect of chronic pentobarbital treatment on the sleep patterns of squirrel monkeys

Following a 30-day baseline, 60 days of sodium pentobarbital treatment (5 mg/kg) were given to squirrel monkeys 2 h prior to the start of a 12-h recording of EEG and EOG. Following the drugtreatment phase, an additional 30-day period was used to determine the rate of recovery. Repeated pentobarbital treatment significantly reduced awake time and slow wave sleep while it elevated the time spent in drowsy and light sleep. The recovery phase indicated a brief recovery of rapid eye movement sleep while the other stages failed to return to baseline levels. The cyclical nature of the changes observed with chronic pentobarbital suggest the importance of circadian fluctuations in the study of chronic drug treatment and the sleep-wakefulness process.
ICAM-3 influences human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in CD4(+) T cells independent of DC-SIGN-mediated transmission.

Abstract We investigated the role of ICAM-3 in DC-SIGN-mediated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of CD4 + T cells. Our results demonstrate that ICAM-3 does not appear to play a role in DC-SIGN-mediated infection of CD4 + T cells as virus is transmitted equally to ICAM-3 + or ICAM-3 − Jurkat T cells. However, HIV-1 replication is enhanced in ICAM-3 − cells, suggesting that ICAM-3 may limit HIV-1 replication. Similar results were obtained when SIV replication was examined in ICAM-3 + and ICAM-3 − CEMx174 cells. Furthermore, while ICAM-3 has been proposed to play a co-stimulatory role in T cell activation, DC-SIGN expression on antigen presenting cells did not enhance antigen-dependent activation of T cells. Together, these data indicate that while ICAM-3 may influence HIV-1 replication, it does so independent of DC-SIGN-mediated virus transmission or activation of CD4 + T cells.
A divergence of plasma growth hormone response between growth hormone-releasing factor and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia among middle-aged healthy male subjects.

SUMMARY The capability of the anterior pituitary gland to secrete GH in response to an intravenous injection of growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was evaluated in 9 healthy male subjects ranging in age between 37 and 52 years old. Plasma GH response to 100 /μg human GRF showed considerable intersubject variation and the increment of the peak value from the basal did not exceed 5 ng/ml in four out of 9 subjects. In contrast, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia resulted in a consistent stimulation of GH that exceeded 21 ng/ml in all subjects. The mean peak GH response after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was significantly higher than that after GRF (27·4±1·6 vs 10·6±1·9 ng/ml). These results demonstrate that a significant divergence exists in plasma GH responses between the two provocative tests in the middle-aged subjects and suggest that the stimulation of GH following insulin-induced hypoglycaemia is not mediated solely by endogenous GRF.
Beyond the "Culture of Poverty": Resources on Economic Justice.

One of the relative failures of much of the multicultural education literature is the failure to connect educational inequities with larger sociopolitical conditions. Too often we fall into the tra...
Interactive effects of perceived control and job stressors on affective reactions and health outcomes for clerical workers

Abstract Karasek's (1979) hypothesis that perceived control interacts with various job stressors in affecting employee satisfaction and health was tested. It was proposed that high levels of perceived stress would only be associated with poor health and negative affect in the presence of low control. One hundred and thirty-six clerical workers at a major US university completed questionnaries containing the measures of interest. The results of regression analyses failed to support the interaction hypothesis. However, measures related to both control and job stressors were found to correlate with satisfaction and health outcomes, as has been found in prior research. Limitations of the self-report and correlational methodology are discussed.
Two components of use-dependent block of sodium current by lidocaine in voltage clamped cardiac Purkinje cells.

Lidocaine is an effective antiarrhythmic and local anesthetic agent, and it has also been a useful tool for characterizing drug interactions with the Na channel. We studied the block of sodium current (INa) caused by lidocaine (20 μM to 2 mm) in canine cardiac Purkinje cells at reduced Na (45 mm outside, 0 mm inside) and temperature (14–17°C). Lidocaine block of INa developed in response to trains of depolarizations, was greater with increasing drug concentration, faster pulsing frequency, longer depolarization duration, and less negative holding potential. The time course of the fall in peak INa was best fitted by two exponentials. In contrast, block of peak INa in pulse trains by the permanently charged lidocaine analogue QX-314 was always best fitted by a single, slow exponential. When the pH was lowered from 7.4 to 6.8 to increase the proportion of the charged form of lidocaine, the contribution of the slow component increased both absolutely and relative to the fast component. The time course of the development of lidocaine block was characterized with a two pulse protocol, and it showed that block developed in a biexponential manner with initial rapid binding to a transiently available state (such as the open state) and with slower binding to a long-lived state (such as the inactivated state). We conclude that the complex binding and unbinding of lidocaine to different conformations of the cardiac Na channel is related to different affinities for the charged and uncharged forms of lidocaine. This suggests the charged form of the local anesthetic is responsible for the slow component and the uncharged form for the fast component of use-dependent block evident in pulse trains.
The syndrome of anosmia with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: A genetic study of 18 new families and a review

Among 18 NIH probands with anosmia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (AHH), seven had affected relatives and three had consanguineous parents. Both sexes were equally affected and parents were phenotypically normal. Parental age was not increased. Cleft lip and palate occurred in both eugonadal and hypogonadal persons, a previously reported association that may represent variable expression of AHH. Diabetes mellitus, usually insulin-dependent, was frequent in probands and their families. Other common traits included obesity, cryptorchidism, and hearing loss. All probands were chromosomally normal. The frequency of some dermatoglyphic traits of probands differed from normal, but no trait was unique to AHH. Segregation analysis of our proband sibships was consistent with a hypothesis of autosomal-recessive inheritance with variable expression. However, genetic heterogeneity was apparent when previous reports of familial AHH were surveyed. An X-linked or male sex-limited autosomal-dominant form with unilateral renal agenesis, mental retardation, and hypotelorism has been observed. The infrequent reports of direct male-to-male transmission limit characterization of an autosomal-dominant form of AHH. Our phenotypic analysis suggests that the traits of mental retardation, renal anomalies, hypotelorism, diabetes, and hearing loss may help to distinguish various forms of AHH, whereas cryptorchidism, clefts, and obesity appear in several types of families. At present, genetic counseling is dependent upon establishing inheritance pattern after examination for the known associated anomalies.
Synthesis of fluorine-18 labeled 21-fluoroprogesterone

21-fluoroprogesterone has been synthesized by the nucleophilic displacement of the mesyl group of the 21-hydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione 21-methanesulfonate by fluoride ion, as formed from the solvolysis of potassium fluoride in acetonitrile, using 18-Crown-6 as the catalyst. In a similar manner, the synthesis of 21-fluoroprogesterone labeled with fluorine-18 has been accomplished, producing approximately 800 ..mu..Ci of product from 6 mCi of K/sup 18/F in one hour. This demonstrates that /sup 18/F labeled molecules of potential values as radiopharmaceuticals can be prepared rapidly in sufficient yield to allow animal investigation.
Studies on prolonged spermatozoa survival in chiroptera—II. The role of zinc in the spermatozoa storage phenomenon

Abstract 1. 1. The mean annual Zn content of the sperm storage organs (uterus and epididymis) in Myotis velifer and M. lucifugus is two to three times higher than in corresponding tissues of other mammals. 2. 2. The content of Zn in the sperm storage organs and male accessory glands has an annual cyclic pattern. Significant increases are recorded at prehibernation insemination (September) and posthibernation conception (April/May). 3. 3. Zinc is present in the storage organs of bats throughout the spermatozoa storage phase of the reproductive cycle. 4. 4. Zinc, due to its regulatory effects on spermatozoa (maturation, metabolism, motility) may be important in sperm storage in hibernating bats.
A Novel Methodology for Assessing the Bounded-Input Bounded-Output Instability in QT Interval Dynamics: Application to Clinical ECG With Ventricular Tachycardia

The goal of this paper is to present a new methodology for assessing the bounded-input bounded-output (BIBO) stability in QT interval (QTI) dynamics from clinical ECG. The ECG recordings were collected from 15 patients who experienced ventricular tachycardia (VT). Ten-minute-long ECG recordings extracted immediately before the onset of a chosen VT, one per patient, were assembled into a VT group, while the control group comprised 10-min-long ECGs extracted 1 h before VT onset and at least 1 h after any prior arrhythmic event. Each 10-min recording was subdivided into 1-min ECG recordings (minECGs). The QTI dynamics of each minECG was defined as a function of several prior QTIs and RR intervals; the BIBO stability of this function was then assessed in the z-domain. The number of minECGs with unstable QTI dynamics (Nus) and the frequency of premature activations (PA), fPA, were counted for each ECG recording and were compared between the VT and control groups. The results show that the present methodology successfully captured the instability in QTI dynamics leading to VT onset in the studied population. Significantly larger Nus was found in the VT group compared against the control and a positive correlation between Nus and fPA was identified in both groups.
Preparation of Fab' from murine IgG2a for thiol reactive conjugation.

Lysyl endopeptidase (LE) from Achromobacter lyticus M497-1 (EC 3.4.21.50) was utilized to prepare F(ab')2 fragments from mouse anti-P-glycoprotein IgG2a obtained from the UIC2 hybridoma. This report describes a novel single step purification procedure for F(ab')2 fragments that eliminates residual LE activity responsible for secondary cleavage of F(ab')2 to Fab fragments. The purification of F(ab')2 and Fc fragments was accomplished utilizing protein G affinity chromatography and either gradient or step changes in the pH/ionic strength for elution of the Fc and F(ab')2 fragments. Residual LE was eluted from the protein G column with buffer containing 200 mM L-lysine prior to elution of F(ab')2 and Fc fragments. The activity of LE was monitored using the fluorogenic substrate Boc-Val-Leu-Lys-7-amido 4-methyl coumarin. A similar purification procedure for F(ab')2 fragments produced following pepsin digestion of IgG2a is also outlined. The ability of Fab' fragments, from reduced F(ab')2 fragments following L...
Bifurcations in nonlinear systems-computational issues

An examination is made of computational issues associated with singular Jacobian and Hopf bifurcations in large nonlinear systems. Singular Jacobian bifurcations can be computed effectively using the point of collapse method. Hopf bifurcations can be computed using a Kronecker sum to reduce the problem to the computation of a singular Jacobian. However, this is shown to be computationally intensive. An alternative method for the computation of Hopf bifurcations based on the point of collapse method together with a complex expansion of the problem is presented. >
Friction: experimental determination, modeling and compensation

The friction behavior of a brush-type-DC-servomotor-driven mechanism with gearing is explored. The standard kinetic plus viscous friction model is found to describe the dominant friction behavior. In addition, a dependence of friction on position is identified and negative velocity dependence is observed at low velocities. A friction model is developed and used to precompute motion torques. The application of a precomputed torques in an open-loop fashion results in motion accurate to within a few percent. >
Efficient Numerical Solution of Fourth-Order Problems in the Modeling of Flexible Structures

In the modeling and control of large flexible structures, fourth-order boundary value problems often arise. The present work describes a Sinc-Galerkin method for the solution of fourth-order ordinary differential equations of the form $$\begin{gathered} u''''\left( x \right) + \upsilon \left( x \right)u''\left( x \right) + \sigma \left( x \right)u\left( x \right) = f\left( x \right), a < x < b \hfill \\ u\left( a \right) = u\left( b \right) = 0 \hfill \\ u'\left( a \right) = u'\left( b \right) = 0. \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ (1.1) Although the procedure to be described is equally applicable to the more general fourth-order problem $$\begin{gathered} u''''\left( x \right) + \rho \left( x \right)u'''\left( x \right) + \upsilon \left( x \right)u''\left( x \right) \hfill \\ + \tau \left( x \right)u'\left( x \right) + \sigma \left( x \right)u\left( x \right) = f\left( x \right), \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ (1.2) the present focus is toward potential applications in the study of flexible structures. A large class of problems in this area require the efficient and accurate solution of boundary value of the form in (1.1). To illustrate the Sinc-Galerkin method in this setting, the damped beam equation $$\begin{gathered} y''''\left( x \right) + 2\pi y''\left( x \right) + {\pi ^4}y\left( x \right) = 0 \hfill \\ y\left( 0 \right) = y\left( 1 \right) = 0 \hfill \\ y'\left( 0 \right) = \sqrt 2 \pi , y'\left( 1 \right) = - \sqrt 2 \pi \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ (1.3) will be used as one of the examples. This equation arises when a square root damping mechanism is used to model the transverse vibrations of a uniform “clamped-clamped” beam [6].
Unbiased, Genome-Wide In Vivo Mapping of Transcriptional Regulatory Elements Reveals Sex Differences in Chromatin Structure Associated with Sex-Specific Liver Gene Expression

We have used a simple and efficient method to identify condition-specific transcriptional regulatory sites in vivo to help elucidate the molecular basis of sex-related differences in transcription, which are widespread in mammalian tissues and affect normal physiology, drug response, inflammation, and disease. To systematically uncover transcriptional regulators responsible for these differences, we used DNase hypersensitivity analysis coupled with high-throughput sequencing to produce condition-specific maps of regulatory sites in male and female mouse livers and in livers of male mice feminized by continuous infusion of growth hormone (GH). We identified 71,264 hypersensitive sites, with 1,284 showing robust sex-related differences. Continuous GH infusion suppressed the vast majority of male-specific sites and induced a subset of female-specific sites in male livers. We also identified broad genomic regions (up to ∼100 kb) showing sex-dependent hypersensitivity and similar patterns of GH responses. We found a strong association of sex-specific sites with sex-specific transcription; however, a majority of sex-specific sites were >100 kb from sex-specific genes. By analyzing sequence motifs within regulatory regions, we identified two known regulators of liver sexual dimorphism and several new candidates for further investigation. This approach can readily be applied to mapping condition-specific regulatory sites in mammalian tissues under a wide variety of physiological conditions.
The relation of trait self-esteem and positive inequity to productivity

The present study explored the relation of trait self-esteem and positive inequity to productivity Subjects worked on proofreading task, and received hourly (rather than piece-rate) compensation that was either greater than (positive inequity condition) or equal to (equity condition) the amount that they deserved The results showed that individuals of high and medium self-esteem were more productive (i e, completed more of the task) in the positive inequity condition than in the equity condition Low self-esteem participants however, were actually less productive (i e, completed less of the task) in the positive inequity than in the equity condition Theoretical implications are discussed
Hyperostotic Esthesioneuroblastoma: Rare Variant and Fibrous Dysplasia Mimicker

A 65-year-old male presented with a 3-year history of orbital symptoms. An imaging-based diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia involving the skull base was made at another institution. CT showed a diffuse sinonasal mass and ground-glass appearance of the bones of the anterior skull base with bony defects and mucocele formation. MRI demonstrated an accompanying intracranial and orbital rind of soft tissue mass along the hyperostotic bones. FDG-PET showed corresponding intense hypermetabolism. Small cysts were observed at the tumor-brain interface. Biopsy revealed esthesioneuroblastoma with bone infiltration that is compatible with the hyperostotic variant of esthesioneuroblastoma. There are a few cases of hyperostotic esthesioneuroblastoma reported in the literature. Index terms: Fibrous dysplasia; Esthesioneuroblastoma; Hyperostosis
Progesterone receptor in the hypothalamic cytosol of female rats.

A progesterone (P)-binding component with a sedimentation coefficient of 8S has been demonstrated in hypothalamic cytosol from ovariectomized, estrogen-primed rats using both [3H]P-containing sucrose-glycerol gradient analysis and dextran-coated charcoal adsorption of the preisolated 8S component. The association rate constant (K+1) was determined to be 1.90 ± 0.38 (SD) × 106 M-1 min-1 at 0–2 C. The dissociation rate constant (K-1) was 1.86 × 10-2 min”1, as calculated from the half-dissociation time [37.0 ± 7.3 (SD) min]. The apparent dissociation constant (Kd) at 0–2 C was determined to be 6–10 nM by Scatchard plot analysis of data obtained from either direct [3H]P binding or competition of the [3H]P binding by nonradioactive P and by calculating from K-1/K+1. The 8S binding component was protein in nature, and the concentration of binding sites was 12 fmol/mg cytosol protein. On a per U cytos6l protein basis, the relative capacities of the specific 8S binding components were: uterus » pituitary > hypoth...
The Snowman: A model of injuries and near-misses for the prevention of sharps injuries.

Background Sharps injuries (SI) and other blood/body fluid exposures (BBFE) present bloodborne pathogen risks for home healthcare (HHC) workers. While SI and BBFE are sufficiently frequent in HHC to be serious public health concerns, even moderately large surveys can still have insufficient power to identify risk factors. In this study, a new conceptual model for using near-misses for SI and BBFE was developed and its utility in statistical analyses of SI and BBFE risk factors was evaluated. Methods A survey of HHC nurses (n = 787) and aides (n = 282) gathered data on the numbers of SI, BBFE, and near-misses in the past year. Questions focused on the circumstances leading up to the SI, BBFE, and near-misses. After evaluating the hypothesis that near-misses and events lie along the same causal pathway, we combined these outcomes to estimate their association with an important risk factor: employment status. Results There were similar frequencies of risk factors for the events SI, BBFE, and their near-misses, suggesting that they may share common causal pathways. Combined data on events and near-misses confirmed our hypothesis that part-time and temporary HHC aides were at higher risk than full-timers. Conclusions Analyses combining injuries and near-misses may be useful in risk factor investigations. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:1119–1127, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The effect of improved dialytic efficiency on measures of appetite in peritoneal dialysis patients

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of increasing urea clearance on measures of appetite and protein intake in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. Parameters evaluated included serum albumin normal protein catabolic rate (nPCR), visual analog scales, and tests meals monitored by a computerized system VIKTOR. Patients were studied at baseline, then at 2 months after their peritoneal dialysis (PD) regimens were intensified to increase their weekly KtV to twice their baseline value or 3.0 (phase II), and then 2 months after being returned to their initial PD regimen (phase III). Ten patients completed follow-up. The mean KtV at baseline, phase II, and III were 1.74 ± .11, 2.81 ± .26, and 1.85 ± .15 ( P P = .001). The mean serum albumin was 3.89 ± .15 g/dL at baseline, 4.07 ± .17 g/dL after phase II, and 3.93 ± 0.16 g/dL after phase III ( P > .05). Parameters of appetite measured by the monitored test meals and visual analog scores showed no changes over the study period. We have found that improving urea clearance in PD patients led to an increase in protein intake as measured by nPCR, but no change in specific measures of appetite.
Replay debugging of non‐deterministic executions in the Kernel‐based Virtual Machine

SUMMARY Logging and replay provide numerous benefits for debugging today's increasingly distributed and parallel applications, as well as for debugging within cloud computing environments. Tracking down faults, particularly in applications that involve non-deterministic executions, becomes much easier if such a technique is used. This article presents a system that leverages the functionality of modern x86 hardware extensions present in Intel and AMD processors to implement logging and replay of the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM). With our KVM-based logging and replay system, virtual machines can be logged at will. The system can record the behavior of the operating system, the applications, the network traffic, and the user input. At a later time, and even on another machine, the problematic execution can be replayed and analyzed. The implementation incurs a minimal amount of processing and memory overhead, and thus, its effects are largely imperceptible to users of the system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Adaptor Protein Grb14 Regulates the Localization of 3-Phosphoinositide-dependent Kinase-1

The metabolic actions of insulin are transduced through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway. A critical component of this pathway is 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK-1), a PH domain-containing enzyme that catalyzes the activating phosphorylation for many AGC kinases, including Akt and protein kinase C isozymes. We used a directed proteomics-based approach to identify the adaptor protein Grb14, which binds the insulin receptor through an SH2 domain, as a novel PDK-1 binding partner. Interaction of these two proteins is constitutive and mediated by a PDK-1 binding motif on Grb14. Disruption of this motif by point mutation or deletion of the Grb14 SH2 domain prevents the insulin-triggered membrane translocation of PDK-1. The interaction of PDK-1 with Grb14 facilitates Akt function: disruption of the interaction by overexpression of a construct of Grb14 mutated in the PDK-1 binding motif significantly decreases insulin-dependent activation of Akt. Thus, Grb14 serves as an adaptor protein to recruit PDK-1 to activated insulin receptor, thus promoting Akt phosphorylation and transduction of the insulin signal.
Amyloid Ion Channels: A Porous Argument or a Thin Excuse?

Over the past decade, a number of groups have reported that oligomeric intermediates populated during the conversion of proteins from a monomeric disaggregated state into amyloid fibrils can permeabilize lipid bilayers and cell membranes. Some of these studies have presented electrical current
Preliminary studies of mammary secretions in the mare to assess foetal readiness for birth

The status of the mare and foetus in relation to readiness for birth was assessed by measurement of the electrolytes sodium, potassium and calcium in mammary secretions pre-partum. Sixteen Thoroughbred mares were allowed to foal spontaneously and the ionic status of their mammary secretions was measured over three to five weeks pre-partum. From these measurements, a scoring system was developed where an ionic score of 35 points or more suggested that the mare was within 24 h of foaling. On the basis of this ionic score, 10 pony mares were induced with either oxytocin or fluprostenol and assessment of foal maturity was made by physical, behavioural and physiological criteria. Eight pony mares, induced when the ionic score was 35 points or more, delivered full term foals; two mares were induced when their scores were 30 and 20 points and delivered a full term and slightly immature foal respectively. These results suggest that foetal maturity may be related to electrolyte concentrations in mammary secretions and that an ionic score of 35 points or more may indicate that induction would be successful in terms of maturity of the newborn foal.
Achievability of combined GOS requirements in broadband networks

Conservation laws to investigate the achievability of performance objectives in broadband networks are developed. Conservation laws for delay presented so far assumed infinite buffer size. No conservation laws for delay with finite buffer were established. In the present work, it is shown that the conservation law for combining scheduling and pushout mechanisms is represented as a two-dimensional region, rather than as a line, in the two-dimensional plane. In this case, the classical mixing strategies of E. Gelenbe and I. Mitrani (1980) may not be used to achieve the performance objectives. Therefore, there is a need for some other control strategies in order to satisfy both delay and loss performance objectives. On the basis of these conservation laws, the authors provide a dynamic queueing discipline that achieves the specified objectives, if the objectives can be satisfied, and treats the various workload classes fairly, if they cannot. >
Acute Hemorrhagic Pancreatic Necrosis in Mice: Intraparenchymal activation of zymogens, and other enzyme changes in pancreas and serum

A new experimental model has been found whereby acute hemorrhagic pancreatic necrosis with fat necrosis is induced in 100% of young female mice fed a choline-deficient diet supplemented with 0.5% DL-ethionine. The onset of the pancreatic necrosis has been shown to follow accumulation, and subsequent activation, of pancreatic zymogens with intraparenchymal formation of significant amounts of elastase, chymotrypsin, and trypsin. Evidence was obtained that the proteolytic enzymes are released also in the circulation and cause a significant drop in the content of the serum protease inhibitors α1-antitrypsin and α2-macroglobulin. Increased levels of plasma amylase were found to accompany the onset of the pancreatic necrosis.
Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 1 Protects against Nickel-induced Acute Lung Injury

Nickel compounds are environmental and occupational hazards that pose serious health problems and are causative factors of acute lung injury. The c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are regulated through a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) 3 kinase-MAP2 kinase cascade and have been implicated in nickel toxicity. In this study, we used genetically modified cells and mice to investigate the involvement of two upstream MAP3Ks, MAP3K1 and 2, in nickel-induced JNK activation and acute lung injury. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts, levels of JNK activation and cytotoxicity induced by nickel were similar in the Map3k2-null and wild-type cells but were much lower in the Map3k1/Map3k2 double-null cells. Conversely, the levels of JNK activation and cytotoxicity were unexpectedly much higher in the Map3k1-null cells. In adult mouse tissue, MAP3K1 was widely distributed but was abundantly expressed in the bronchiole epithelium of the lung. Accordingly, MAP3K1 ablation in mice resulted in severe nickel-induced acute lung injury and reduced survival. Based on these findings, we propose a role for MAP3K1 in reducing JNK activation and protecting the mice from nickel-induced acute lung injury.
High-Throughput Sequencing Characterizes Intertidal Meiofaunal Communities in Northern Gulf of Mexico (Dauphin Island and Mobile Bay, Alabama)

Meiofauna are important components of food webs and for nutrient exchange between the benthos and water column. Recent studies have focused on these com- munities in the Gulf of Mexico due to potential impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWHOS). In particular, intertidal meiofaunal communities from Mobile Bay and Dauphin Island, Alabama, were previously shown to shift from predominately metazoan taxa prior to DWHOS to a fungal-dominated community after the spill. However, knowledge of variability within these communities remains unknown. Herein, we used Illumina high-throughput ampli- con sequencing to examine variation throughout a year for the same locations for which the organismal shift was noted. Sediment samples were collected bi-monthly for a year (July 2011-July 2012) from which the meiofaunal commu- nity was examined by sequencing the eukaryotic hypervari- able V9 region of the 18S rRNA gene. Results showed that the presence of fungal taxa was limited within these com- munities, suggesting that previously reported acute impacts of the DWHOS on meiofauna were apparently short term. However, these meiofaunal communities show shifts in proportions of metazoan taxa compared to pre-spill sam- ples. Whether this change is due to prolonged impacts of the spill or variation in community composition is unclear. Taxonomic variation within and between sampled locations throughout the study was observed, suggesting potential yearly variation in communities. Continued sampling over a longer timeframe will provide a more complete understand- ing of seasonality and variation within these communities.
Application of a Three-Dimensional Model to the Calculation of Trajectories: A Case Study

A complex winter storm occurred in eastern United States on 14–15 January 1980. During its passage, five sequential samples of precipitation were collected at State College, Pennsylvania as part of an intensive study of the storm by the Dept. of Meteorology at the Penn State University. Twenty four-hour back trajectories from State College were calculated for each precipitation sample, using the horizontal and vertical winds predicted by a 3D numerical primitive equation model. The source regions of the precipitating atmosphere were then compared with some chemical properties of the rainfall. The rainfall samples were analyzed for the following ions: hydronium (H3O+), sulfate (SO4 =), nitrate (NO3 −), chloride (Cl−) and sodium (Na+) among others. Some of the concentrations changed significantly during the period of the precipitation event. Of perhaps greatest interest is the ratio of Cl− to Na+ (Cl−/Na+) which decreased from values of 0.9 and 1.15 near the beginning of the event to less than 0.6 during the sampling period of about 12 h. Because the Cl−/Na+ ratio in the sea water is 1.18, the data suggest a source region which changes from maritime to continental during the observation period. The transport model results support this hypothesis.
Gaining Insight into Insight: Do Insights into Stressful Life Experiences have to be Correct to be Beneficial?

Insight therapy is based on the idea that the newfound insight clients gain into their problems will lead to reductions in distress and improvements in well-being. But research has failed to address whether the veracity of the insight is critical. To address this question, we assessed both subjective and objective insight into a negative life event. We examined three different operationalizations of insight—participant-rated insight (subjective), clinician-rated insight (objective), and use of insight words when describing the event (objective) in two studies. The first study examined nominated stressful events and the second study examined participants who had experienced a recent romantic breakup. In both studies participant-rated insight was associated with lowers levels of distress reactions, depression, and health symptoms and higher levels of psychological closure and satisfaction with life. In Study 2, higher participant-rated insight about a previous romantic breakup was associated with greater li...
Category-Blind Human Action Recognition: A Practical Recognition System

Existing human action recognition systems for 3D sequences obtained from the depth camera are designed to cope with only one action category, either single-person action or two-person interaction, and are difficult to be extended to scenarios where both action categories co-exist. In this paper, we propose the category-blind human recognition method (CHARM) which can recognize a human action without making assumptions of the action category. In our CHARM approach, we represent a human action (either a single-person action or a two-person interaction) class using a co-occurrence of motion primitives. Subsequently, we classify an action instance based on matching its motion primitive co-occurrence patterns to each class representation. The matching task is formulated as maximum clique problems. We conduct extensive evaluations of CHARM using three datasets for single-person actions, two-person interactions, and their mixtures. Experimental results show that CHARM performs favorably when compared with several state-of-the-art single-person action and two-person interaction based methods without making explicit assumptions of action category.
Recombinant DNA Analysis in the Clinical Laboratory

Recombinant DNA technology is a rapidly developing tool with growing applications for the clinical diagnostic laboratory. We report our three-year experience in establishing and running a Molecular Diagnostics service within our Department of Hospital Laboratories. A small number of specific tests related to cancer diagnosis were originally chosen. These tests use primarily the Southern blot technique. The technology was not difficult to transfer from the research to the clinical lab setting. However, it was necessary to develop additional protocols for quality control and positive sample identification. Education of technologists performing the tests and physicians using the service is a large component of the service's activities that has produced gratifying results. Clinical diagnostic testing using recombinant DNA technology is now feasible, even though the technology itself is rapidly evolving.
Reflex Bleeding: a Highly Refined Defensive Mechanism in Diabrotica Larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

All 3 instars of the spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotic unidecimpunctata howardi Barber, and the banded cucumber beetle, D. balteata LeConte, exhibit reflex bleeding when disturbed. The autohemorrhagic phenomenon is limited to the intersegmental membrane between the head and prothorax as well as the membrane separating the last 2 abdominal segments. Larvae can lose up to 13% of their body weight as a result of bleeding. Hemorrhaging can be limited to the area of the intersegmental membrane which is stimulated. Clotting appears to be instantaneous, since the blood is very viscous and adhesive as it issues from the membranes. The viscid blood is an effective and sometimes lethal deterrent to ants. Adult Diabrotica do not exhibit reflex bleeding, and their blood clots very slowly. Mammals feed readily on Diabrotica larvae and the possible significance of this fact is discussed.
A Second New Mesovelia from the Douglas Lake, Michigan Region (Hemiptera-MesoveliidÆ).

During the summer season of 1923, while collecting about the region of the Biological Station of the University of Michigan on Douglas Lake, I collected a new species of Mesovelia. This species was taken in Bryant's Bog on the border of Douglas Lake, and was named Mesovelia douglasensis Hungerford and described in the Canadian Entomologist for June, 1924. Collections made about the same region during the summer of 1924 have resulted in the capture of many additional specimens of Mesovelia douglasensis from Bryant's Bog and the discovery of a new species from another bog. Both species live on the water amongst the densest growths of Chamaedaphne. The most successful way to secure these insects is to walk out upon the densest mats of floating Chamaedaphne, spread the bushes and dip the net into the dark, shady waters. The weight of one's body submerges the bushes somewhat more than usual, and this assists in the use of the net. Without doubt the retiring habits of these small Mesovelia account for the fact that they have remained so long unknown.
A cholecystokinin releasing peptide mediates feedback regulation of pancreatic secretion.

Diversion of bile pancreatic juice from the duodenum in rats stimulates cholecystokinin (CCK) release and pancreatic enzyme secretion. Intraduodenal perfusion of trypsin inhibits the release of CCK...
HYDROGEN EVOLUTION REACTION OF THE ELECTRODEPOSITED AMORPHOUS Ni-S-Co ALLOY IN ALKALINE MEDIUM

The amorphous Ni-S-Co alloy was obtained by electrodeposition method, and the effect of the current density on its structure and the contents of S and Co were measured. The tested results on the electrochemical properties show that the hydrogen evolution reaction overpotential of amorphous Ni-S-Co is only 70 mV and its electrochemical activity is much higher than other electrodes including amorphous Ni-S electrode. Furthermore, the corresponding electrochemical parameters, i.e. the Tafel slope b, the exchange current density i0 and the activation energy △H, were obtained. The electrochemical stability of amorphous Ni-S-Co alloy is determined to be higher than that of amorphous Ni-S alloy. The high electrochemical activity and stability of amorphous Ni-S-Co electrode is also determined by the long-term electrolysis under the industrial conditions.
Alcohol use among recent immigrant Latino/a youth: acculturation, gender, and the Theory of Reasoned Action

ABSTRACTObjective. Latino/a youth are at risk for alcohol use. This risk seems to rise with increasing US cultural orientation and decreasing Latino cultural orientation, especially among girls. To ascertain how acculturation may influence Latino/a youth alcohol use, we integrated an expanded multi-domain model of acculturation with the Theory of Reasoned Action.Design. Participants were 302 recent Latino/a immigrant youth (141 girls, 160 boys; 152 from Miami, 150 from Los Angeles) who completed surveys at 4 time points. Youth completed measures of acculturation, attitudes toward drinking, perceived subjective norms regarding alcohol use, intention to drink, and alcohol use.Results. Structural equation modeling indicated that collectivistic values predicted more perceived disapproval of drinking, which negatively predicted intention to drink. Intention to drink predicted elevated alcohol use.Conclusion. Although the association between collectivistic values and social disapproval of drinking was relativel...
Anisotropic Morphological Changes in Goethite during Fe2+-Catalyzed Recrystallization

When goethite is exposed to aqueous Fe2+, rapid and extensive Fe atom exchange can occur between solid-phase Fe3+ and aqueous Fe2+ in a process referred to as Fe2+-catalyzed recrystallization. This process can lead to the structural incorporation or release of trace elements, which has important implications for contaminant remediation and nutrient biogeochemical cycling. Prior work found that the process did not cause major changes to the goethite structure or morphology. Here, we further investigated if and how goethite morphology and aggregation behavior changed temporally during Fe2+-catalyzed recrystallization. On the basis of existing literature, we hypothesized that Fe2+-catalyzed recrystallization of goethite would not result in changes to individual particle morphology or interparticle interactions. To test this, we reacted nanoparticulate goethite with aqueous Fe2+ at pH 7.5 over 30 days and used transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryogenic TEM, and 55Fe as an isotope tracer to observe chan...
Optimum Design of Cascaded Digital Filters in Wideband Wireless Transmitters using Genetic Algorithms

In digitally intensive direct conversion transmitters, the baseband data is up-sampled to the RF rate. As the bandwidth of the baseband data increases, carefully designed cascaded digital filters are required in order to attenuate the wide replicas generated during the digital up-sampling process. Though design methodologies for single stage digital filters are very well established, near-optimum design of such multistage filters typically requires selection of several parameters by trial-and-error. This approach is time-consuming and does not assure the optimum solution (i.e. lowest area/power) under various performance constraints. In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) based generic automated search methodology for design of such cascaded filters is proposed. The proposed technique is demonstrated for digital WiMAX and WCDMA transmitters, for which near-optimal solutions appear to have been achieved in a relatively short time compared to the traditional manual design techniques.
Research on large-scale wind farm modeling

Due to intermittent and adulatory properties of wind energy, when large-scale wind farm connected to the grid, it will have much impact on the power system, which is different from traditional power plants. Therefore it is necessary to establish an effective wind farm model to simulate and analyze the influence wind farms have on the grid as well as the transient characteristics of the wind turbines when the grid is at fault. However we must first establish an effective WTGs model. As the doubly-fed VSCF wind turbine has become the mainstream wind turbine model currently, this article first investigates the research progress of doubly-fed VSCF wind turbine, and then describes the detailed building process of the model. After that investigating the common wind farm modeling methods and pointing out the problems encountered. As WAMS is widely used in the power system, which makes online parameter identification of the wind farm model based on off-output characteristics of wind farm be possible, with a focus on interpretation of the new idea of identification-based modeling of large wind farms, which can be realized by two concrete methods.
Geodetic Slip Model of the 3 September 2016 Mw 5.8 Pawnee, Oklahoma, Earthquake: Evidence for Fault‐Zone Collapse

The 3 September 2016 M w 5.8 Pawnee earthquake in northern Oklahoma is the largest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma. The coseismic deformation was measured with both Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar and Global Positioning System (GPS), with measureable signals of order 1 cm and 1 mm, respectively. We derive a coseismic slip model from Sentinel‐1A and Radarsat 2 interferograms and GPS static offsets, dominated by distributed left‐lateral strike slip on a primary west‐northwest–east‐southeast‐trending subvertical plane, whereas strike slip is concentrated near the hypocenter (5.6 km depth), with maximum slip of ∼1 m located slightly east and down‐dip of the hypocenter. Based on systematic misfits of observed interferogram line‐of‐sight (LoS) displacements, with LoS based on shear‐dislocation models, a few decimeters of fault‐zone collapse are inferred in the hypocentral region where coseismic slip was the largest. This may represent the postseismic migration of large volumes of fluid away from the high‐slip areas, made possible by the creation of a temporary high‐permeability damage zone around the fault.
Wellness and Burnout in Burn Care Providers: Professionalism, the Social Covenant, and the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teams

This article explores the functioning of highly effective teams in burn care. Critical to the success of the team is the health of burn care providers, who can experience burnout. Wellness must be promoted by health care organizations, which, in turn, are responsible for the health of the populations they serve. Professionalism not only frames the social covenant between patients and burn care physicians but may also serve as a critical force in protecting against burnout and promoting wellness.
FLIM-FRET image analysis of tryptophan in prostate cancer cells

A region of interest (ROI) based quantitative FLIM-FRET image analysis is developed to quantitate the autofluorescence signals of the essential amino acid tryptophan as a biomarker to investigate the metabolism in prostate cancer cells.
Feeding, growth, and trophic position of redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) in watersheds of differing land cover in the lower Piedmont, USA

One pervasive outcome in the urbanization of an ecosystem is the proliferation and numerical dominance of select tolerant organisms that are often native to the system yet with reduced relative abundances in less-disturbed conditions. As a result of high variation in environmental conditions between urbanized and non-urbanized systems, it is possible that the functional role of a ubiquitous organism is context dependent. Such is the case for redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) in small streams in many parts of the Piedmont of the southeastern USA. To investigate this hypothesis, we evaluated the feeding, growth, and trophic position of redbreast sunfish in 3 streams of increasing levels of watershed urbanization (forested, suburban, urban) in the Lower Piedmont of western Georgia, USA. Through gut contents analysis, we found that sunfish consumed primarily Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae across all streams. However, fish in the suburban stream consumed more terrestrial prey than fish in the forest and urban streams, which corresponded to lower aquatic prey abundances in the suburban stream. Although there was no difference in mean fish age among streams, otolith analysis revealed that fish in the urban stream were larger at age than those in the forest stream. Last, stable isotope analysis revealed that fish in the urban stream occupied a lower trophic position than the other 2 streams. These results suggest that despite the fact that the primary prey resource was similar for sunfish in each stream, their potential functional role, as evidenced by size at age and trophic position, is context dependent.
An institutional approach to the decline of the Ottoman Empire

This paper examines the selected Ottoman institutions during the so-called rise (fourteenth through sixteenth centuries) and identifies the institutional characteristics that may have led to the ev...