cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of lower extremity anthropometric parameters using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry: the influence on net joint moments during gait

Abstract Objective. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to report on a method of determining lower extremity anthropometric data using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, (2) to compare values obtained with this method to predictions from cadaver-based estimates, and (3) to quantify the extent to which these data affect the calculation of net joint moments during walking. Background. Anthropometric data used in inverse dynamics equations are often estimated from older cadaveric specimens. A practical method for determining population-specific data is needed. Methods. Using DXA scans obtained from 20 healthy adults, the mass, center of mass, and moment of inertia of each lower extremity segment were determined and compared to cadaver-based estimates. In addition, gait analysis was performed on 10 of these subjects, and net joint moments (sagittal plane) were calculated at the ankle, knee, and hip using anthropometric data obtained from (a) DXA, and (b) cadaver-based estimates. Results. Statistically significant differences were identified for DXA-derived and cadaver-based anthropometric values. Overall, moment curves computed using the two data sets differed more during the swing phase than during the stance of gait. Conclusions. DXA appears to be an appropriate method for obtaining population-specific anthropometric data. Moment calculations for activities involving high accelerations and no ground reaction forces (i.e. swing phase of gait, kicking, etc.) would be most influenced by the differences between the anthropometric data sets. Relevance A method of determining population-specific anthropometric data has been presented. Such a method may be useful in obtaining anthropometric data in populations not well represented in the literature (children).
NON′SPECIFIC AUGMENTATION WITH A HIGHLY PURI′FIED FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE FRACTION (EVANS)

IT is NOW well established (i) that zinc and copper and a number of other sub′stances which show no gonad stimulating activity when given alone, will en′hance the response of hypophyseal gonadotropic preparations when injected in conjunction with them. This phenomenon has generally been attributed to a decrease in rate of resorption of the active material, either because of the formation of an insoluble compound (2) or to the development of an inflammatory process (3). Divided dosage of the preparation without the addition of inert substances produces the same effect. Recently Evans et al. (4) have reported that a highly purified follicle stimulating hormone fraction prepared in their laboratory did not respond to the augmentation phenomenon in nor′mal or hypophysectomized immature rats, but that the interstitial cell stimulating hormone fraction did show an increased response with the addition of zinc sulfate.
Infinitely Dilute Partial Molar Properties of Peptides and Proteins from Computer Simulation

A detailed understanding of temperature and pressure effects on an infinitely dilute solute's conformational equilibrium requires knowledge of infinitely dilute partial molar properties. Established molecular dynamics methodologies generally have not provided a way to calculate these properties without either a loss of thermodynamic rigor, the introduction of non-unique parameters, or a loss of information about which solute conformations specifically contributed to the output values. Here we describe a method that is simple in execution and possesses none of the above disadvantages. We use it to calculate the infinitely dilute partial molar internal and kinetic energies, enthalpy, volume, isothermal compressibility, heat capacity, and thermal expansion coefficient for two proteins, pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and lysozyme. Further, we test the method's performance, in light of currently accessible simulation timescales, to precisely distinguish the thermodynamic differences between a native and denatured conformation of the trp-cage miniprotein. We conclude that those properties corresponding to fluctuating quantities (e.g., partial molar compressibility, thermal expansion coefficient, and heat capacity) will be computationally demanding to calculate precisely, but the other properties (e.g., partial molar volume and enthalpy) can be calculated with the computational power widely available to the community today. The ability to assign properties to specific conformations is a major advantage of our approach.
Using trifluoroacetic acid to augment studies of potato suberin molecular structure.

Systematically varied reaction times and concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) have been used to remove polysaccharides associated with suberin isolated from potato wound periderm, thereby augmenting spectroscopic determinations of the molecular structure of this protective plant polyester. Treatments with dilute TFA left a residual insoluble material for which both solid-state 13C and 1H NMR spectra displayed significant improvements in resolution without compromising the integrity of the protective plant polyester, whereas higher concentrations of TFA made it possible to achieve controlled hydrolysis of the suberin aliphatic or aromatic domains. Among the isolated fragments were two hydroxyphenyl derivatives reported previously in lignins and a novel aliphatic-aromatic ester trimer that is identified provisionally. Together these protocols help to characterize the carbohydrate types that are bound covalently to the suberin polyester and to identify the interunit covalent linkages among the alipha...
Integrated TRIZ and Six Sigma theories for service/process innovation

Six Sigma is clearly one of todays most powerful and most effective management strategy programs for process changes, ultimately leading to world-class customer quality. The application of Six Sigma is very much a novelty and now begins in playing its dynamic part on the world stage of customer-focused quality. But it typically fails to deal effectively with the improvement or introduction of new products and services. So, this paper tries to integrate TRIZ into it to remedy its drawbacks and speed to ensure a successful response to the customers needs. The paper begins by describing what can be achieved with the integrated process, reviews the traditional Six Sigma methodology by describing DMAIC, and TRIZ for product/process creativity and innovation. And finally describes how TRIZ integrated into Six Sigma, which will accelerate new product or services introduction and ensures a profitable life cycle.
Stability region adaptation using transmission power control for transport capacity optimization in IEEE 802.16 wireless mesh networks

Transmission power control in multihop wireless networks is a challenging problem due to the effects that different node transmission powers have across the layers of the protocol stack. In this paper, we study the problem of transmission power control in IEEE 802.16 mesh networks with distributed scheduling. We consider the effects of transmission power control on the link-scheduling performance when a set of end-to-end flows established in the network are given. The problem is approached by means of the stability region of the link-scheduling policy. Specifically, the stability region is adapted using transmission-power control to the paths of the flows. This adaptation enables the flows to support higher levels of data traffic under lower levels of end-to-end delay. To the best of our knowledge, the approach of stability-region-based transmission power control has not been studied before. We propose a heuristic transmission-power-control algorithm for solving the problem of adapting the stability region to the flows. It is shown, by means of simulation, that the algorithm outperforms the transmission power control based on spatial reuse, which is a widely used approach. Also, it is shown that the solution of the algorithm has performance close to the optimal solution for moderate-sized networks, i.e., networks with no more than 25 nodes and 25 flows.
Gender and Employment Restructuring in British National Health Service Manual Work

While managerial initiatives to cut costs through increased labour flexibility are widespread, we have limited knowledge of the micro-politics of gender and contemporary restructuring at the local level: of the processes and dynamics through which flexibility and other initiatives reconstitute or transform gendered patterns of work and advantage in specific workplaces. This case study, based upon extensive interviewing, observation, and examination of documentary materials, examines the gender implications of several different types of restructuring initiatives in three types of manual work at two hospitals in an NHS Trust. On the whole, it finds that restructuring created more continuity than change in gendered patterns of work and advantage in the two sites. The case study suggests, first, that employment restructuring incorporates elements of structural, institutional and interactive gendering; managers use women's subordination in the workplace and labour markets to achieve their objectives, and male workers actively resist loss of their advantages. Second, it suggests that competitive tendering exercises have a disproportionately negative impact upon women workers, while functional flexibility initiatives are somewhat more positive. Third, the case study suggests union resistance to restructuring is limited and particularly circumscribed in relation to restructuring of women's jobs.
Factors Affecting Nest Survival of Greater Sage-Grouse in Northcentral Montana

Abstract We studied greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in northcentral Montana, USA, to examine the relationship between nest success and habitat conditions, environmental variables, and female sage-grouse characteristics. During 2001–2003, we radiomarked 243 female greater sage-grouse, monitored 287 nests, and measured 426 vegetation plots at 4 sites in a 3,200-km2 landscape. Nest survival varied with year, grass canopy cover, daily precipitation with a 1-day lag effect, and nesting attempt. In all years, daily survival rate increased on the day of a rain event and decreased the next day. There was temporal variation in nest success both within and among years: success of early (first 28 d of nesting season) nests ranged from 0.238 (SE = 0.080) in 2001 to 0.316 (SE = 0.055) in 2003, whereas survival of late (last 28 d of nesting season) nests ranged from 0.276 (SE = 0.090) in 2001 to 0.418 (SE = 0.055) in 2003. Renests experienced higher survival than first nests. Grass cover was the only im...
Plasma Chemokine signature correlates with lung goblet cell hyperplasia in smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by lung and systemic inflammation as well as airway goblet cell hyperplasia (GCH). Mucin production is activated in part by stimulation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor pathway through neutrophils and macrophages. How circulating cytokine levels relate to GCH is not clear. We performed phlebotomy and bronchoscopy on 25 subjects (six nonsmokers, 11 healthy smokers, and eight COPD subjects FEV1 30–60 %). Six endobronchial biopsies per subject were performed. GCH was measured by measuring mucin volume density (MVD) using stereological techniques on periodic acid fast-Schiff stained samples. We measured the levels of chemokines CXCL8/IL-8, CCL2/MCP-1, CCL7/MCP-3, CCL22/MCD, CCL3/MIP-1α, and CCL4/MIP-1β, and the cytokines IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-9, IL-17, EGF, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Differences between groups were assessed using one-way ANOVA, t test, or Chi squared test. Post hoc tests after ANOVA were performed using Bonferroni correction. MVD was highest in healthy smokers (27.78 ± 10.24 μL/mm2) compared to COPD subjects (16.82 ± 16.29 μL/mm2, p = 0.216) and nonsmokers (3.42 ± 3.07 μL/mm2, p <0.0001). Plasma CXCL8 was highest in healthy smokers (11.05 ± 8.92 pg/mL) compared to nonsmokers (1.20 ± 21.92 pg/mL, p = 0.047) and COPD subjects (6.01 ± 5.90 pg/mL, p = 0.366). CCL22 and CCL4 followed the same trends. There were no significant differences in the other cytokines measured. When the subjects were divided into current smokers (healthy smokers and COPD current smokers) and non/ex-smokers (nonsmokers and COPD ex-smokers), plasma CXCL8, CCL22, CCL4, and MVD were greater in current smokers. No differences in other cytokines were seen. Plasma CXCL8 moderately correlated with MVD (r = 0.552, p = 0.003). In this small cohort, circulating levels of the chemokines CXCL8, CCL4, and CCL22, as well as MVD, attain the highest levels in healthy smokers compared to nonsmokers and COPD subjects. These findings seem to be driven by current smoking and are independent of airflow obstruction. These data suggest that smoking upregulates a systemic pattern of neutrophil and macrophage chemoattractant expression, and this correlates significantly with the development of goblet cell hyperplasia.
Salicylate-Based Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Inhibit the Early Lesion of Diabetic Retinopathy

It has been previously reported that aspirin inhibited the development of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic animals, raising the possibility that anti-inflammatory drugs may have beneficial effects on diabetic retinopathy. To further explore this, we compared effects of oral consumption of three different salicylate-based drugs (aspirin, sodium salicylate, and sulfasalazine) on the development of early stages of diabetic retinopathy in rats. These three drugs differ in their ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase but share an ability to inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Diabetes of 9-10 months duration significantly increased the number of TUNEL (transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling)-positive capillary cells and acellular (degenerate) capillaries in the retinal vasculature, and all three salicylate-based drugs inhibited this cell death and formation of acellular capillaries without altering the severity of hyperglycemia. In short-term diabetes (2-4 months), all three salicylates inhibited the diabetes-induced loss of neuronal cells from the ganglion cell layer. Oral aspirin (as a representative of the salicylate family) inhibited diabetes-induced increase in NF-kappaB DNA-binding affinity in electrophoretic mobility shift assay and transcription factor array in nuclear extract isolated from whole retina. All three salicylates inhibited the diabetes-induced translocation of p50 (a subunit of NF-kappaB) into nuclei of retinal vascular endothelial cells of the isolated retinal vasculature, as well as of p50 and p65 into nuclei of cells in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer on whole-retinal sections. Sulfasalazine (also as a representative of the salicylates) inhibited the diabetes-induced upregulation of several inflammatory gene products, which are regulated by NF-kappaB, including vascular cell adhesion molecule, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 in whole-retinal lysate. Salicylates, in doses administrated in our experiments, inhibited NF-kappaB and perhaps other transcription factors in the retina, were well tolerated, and offered new tools to investigate and inhibit the development of diabetic retinopathy.
Promoting Access, Accommodations, and Independence for College Students with Learning Disabilities

This article focuses on the four primary issues that directly affect service delivery to students with learning disabilities in postsecondary settings, including (a) How are high school and post-secondary settings different? (b) How are eligibility and access determined? (c) How are reasonable accommodations determined? and (d) How can the independence level of college students with learning disabilities be fostered? Each of these issues will be discussed within the context of the student's transition from high school, where Public Law 94-142 is in effect, to college, where Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies.
A benchmark for Affymetrix GeneChip expression measures

Motivation: The defining feature of oligonucleotide expression arrays is the use of several probes to assay each targeted transcript. This is a bonanza for the statistical geneticist, who can create probeset summaries with specific characteristics. There are now several methods available for summarizing probe level data from the popular Affymetrix GeneChips, but it is difficult to identify the best method for a given inquiry. Results: We have developed a graphical tool to evaluate summaries of Affymetrix probe level data. Plots and summary statistics offer a picture of how an expression measure performs in several important areas. This picture facilitates the comparison of competing expression measures and the selection of methods suitable for a specific investigation. The key is a benchmark data set consisting of a dilution study and a spike-in study. Because the truth is known for these data, we can identify statistical features of the data for which the expected outcome is known in advance. Those features highlighted in our suite of graphs are justified by questions of biological interest and motivated by the presence of appropriate data. Availability: In conjunction with the release of a graphics toolbox as part of the Bioconductor project (http://www.bioconductor.org), a webtool is available at http://affycomp.biostat.jhsph.edu. Supplemental material is available at http://www.biostat.jhsph.edu/~ririzarr/papers/suppaffycomp.pdf
Type II error and statistical power in reports of small animal clinical trials.

Objective—To describe reporting of key methodological elements associated with type II error in published reports of small animal randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to determine the statistical power in a subset of RCTs with negative results. Design—Descriptive literature survey. Sample—Reports of parallel-group clinical RCTs published in 11 English-language veterinary journals from 2005 to 2012. Procedures—Predefined criteria were used to identify trial primary outcomes and classify results as negative or positive. Details of sample size determination and use of confidence intervals in results reporting were recorded. For each 2-group RCT with negative results, the statistical power to detect 25% and 50% relative differences in outcome was calculated. Results—Of 238 RCTs, 42 (18%) stated a primary outcome, 52 (22%) reported a sample size calculation, and 18 (9%) included a confidence interval around the observed treatment effect. Reports of only 2 (0.8%) RCTs included all 3 elements. Among 103 two-g...
Some tools for approximate 3-coloring

Several tools for use in approximation algorithms to color 3-chromatic graphs are presented. The techniques are used in an algorithm that colors any 3-chromatic graph with O(n/sup 3/8/)+O(n/sup 3/8+O(1)/) colors (or more precisely) O(n/sup 3/8/log/sup 5/8/ n) colors, which improves the previous best bound of O(n/sup 0.4+0(1)/) colors. The techniques are illustrated by considering a problem in which the 3-chromatic graph is created not by a worst-case adversary, but by an adversary each of whose decisions (whether or not to include an edge) is reversed with some small probability or noise rate p. This type of adversary is equivalent to the semirandom source of M. Santha and U.V. Vazirani (1986). An algorithm that will actually 3-color such a graph with high probability even for quite low noise rates (p>or=n/sup -1/2+ epsilon / for constant epsilon >0), is presented. >
PSEUDOCYPHELLAE AND PORED EPICORTEX IN THE PARMELIACEAE: THEIR DELIMITATION AND EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE

The origin and development of pseudocyphellae and the pored epicortex are compared. Pseudocyphellae are pores through the paraplectenchymatous cortex which fill with medullary hyphae. The pored epicortex is a thin, perforated polysaccharide sheet lying over a loosely organized cortical layer. Both structures function in gas exchange and may represent two different phyletic lines.
The effect of sleeve gastrectomy on extraesophageal reflux disease

Abstract Background Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has been linked to increased rates of postoperative gastroesophageal reflux. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate whether SG is also linked to increased pulmonary extraesophageal reflux disease in a rodent model, based on histologic inflammatory distal airway changes. Setting University hospital. Methods Wistar rats (Charles River Institute, Wilmington, MA) were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 4 months. They were divided into HFD only (n = 25) and SG+HFD (n = 19) groups and euthanized at 12 weeks, and the trachea and lungs were harvested en bloc then preserved for analysis by a blinded board-certified pathologist. Results Rats who underwent SG were significantly less likely to show postmortem distal airway changes (4.0% versus 31.0%, P = .03), had a lower average chronic aspiration pneumonitis grade (.73 versus 1.57, P = .006), and had a lower total lung injury score (1.19 versus 2.28, P = .005). Alveolar hemorrhage was also less common in the SG+HFD group (37.5% versus 80.0%, P = .006). Conclusion SG is associated with increased incidence of normal lung histology on postmortem examination, less evidence of chronic aspiration pneumonitis and alveolar hemorrhage, and decreased total lung injury score in a rodent model. SG appears to have a protective effect on the pulmonary system. This suggests that SG does not exacerbate extraesophageal reflux effects on the pulmonary epithelium.
Tacrolimus: An Alternative for Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prevention

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy of tacrolimus for prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients receiving allogeneic bone marrow transplants.DATA SOURCES:Published literature was identified through MEDLINE (January 1990–December 1998) using the key words tacrolimus, FK506, graft-versus-host disease, and bone marrow transplant.DATA SYNTHESIS:GVHD associated with allogeneic bone marrow transplant is a serious life-threatening complication. An evaluation of studies using tacrolimus for prevention of GVHD was conducted.CONCLUSIONS:Tacrolimus is effective for the prevention of GVHD in allogeneic bone marrow transplant. Further studies need to be conducted to optimize the dosage schedule and to determine therapeutic ranges, efficacy, and safety.
Modification of Cyclodextrins for Use as Artificial Enzymes

The magical powers of enzymes have been attributed to their ability to bind specific substrates and catalyze reactions of the bound substrate. Artificial enzymes synthetically mimic the binding and the catalytic site to produce molecules that are not only smaller in size but also potentially have similar activity to the real enzymes. The main objective of our research is to create artificial redox enzymes by using cyclodextrins as binding sites and attaching flavin derivatives as the catalytic site. We have developed a strategy to attach a catalytic site to cyclodextrin exclusively at the 2-, 3- or the 6-position. The evaluation of the artificial enzyme in which flavin is attached to the 2-position gives a 647-fold acceleration factor. Although this is modest compared to those of real enzymes (which can have acceleration factors of a trillion), the artificial enzymes allow us to understand the elements that contribute to the incredible catalytic power of enzymes.
Variational Methods and Applications to Water Waves

This paper reviews various uses of variational methods in the theory of nonlinear dispersive waves, with details presented for water waves. The appropriate variational principle for water waves is discussed first, and used to derive the long-wave approximations of Boussinesq and Korteweg & de Vries. The resonant near-linear interaction theory is presented briefly in terms of the Lagrangian function of the variational principle. Then the author’s theory of slowly varying wavetrains and its application to Stokes’s waves are reviewed. Luke’s perturbation theory for slowly varying wavetrains is also given. Finally, it is shown how more general dispersive relations can be formulated by means of integro-differential equations; an important application of this, developed with some success, is towards resolving longstanding difficulties in understanding the breaking of water waves.
Family history of alcohol use disorders and neuromaturation: a functional connectivity study with adolescents.

AbstractBackground: A positive family history (FHP) of alcohol use disorders (AUD) is linked to increased risk for personal AUD, but the mechanisms behind this risk are unclear. Previous research suggests that a subtle neurodevelopmental lag in FHP adolescents may contribute to risk for future AUD. Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response to a spatial working memory (SWM) task was examined for markers of neuromaturational delay in 85 youth with and without FHP. It was hypothesized that FHP adolescents (n = 24, ages 12–14 years), as compared to matched FHN youth (n = 26, ages 12–14 years), would show less similarity to brain connectivity observed in older adolescents (n = 35, ages 16–20 years) and that statistical comparison of SWM functional connectivity models would differentiate FHN and FHP youth. Structural equation modeling tested the fit of brain response connectivity between FH groups and against the older-adolescent model. Results: Patterns of connectivity were more similar be...
Differential release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the amygdala during different types of stressors

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist between the effects of acute treadmill running and restraint stress on corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) release within the amygdala of rats. Extracellular CRH immunoreactivity (CRH-IR) was measured in microdialysate collected from the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) during exposure to an inactivated treadmill (TC), during 1 h treadmill running to exhaustion (RUN), and 1 h restraint (RES). Extracellular CRH-IR increased from control levels during the first 20-min period for TC, RUN, and RES, with the largest increase during RES. During the second 20-min period, only RES maintained levels higher than control values. CRH release was higher than control during the third 20-min period of RES and RUN. A second experiment consisted of four groups of either cage controls (CC), TC, RUN, or RES. Immediately following the 60-min treatment, brains were removed and trunk blood collected for analysis of tissue CRH-IR and plasma corticosterone. While amygdala tissue CRH-IR was not different in the CC, TC and RUN rats, these groups had significantly lower levels than the RES animals. Hypothalamic tissue CRH-IR was not different between the CC and TC rats, but the levels were significantly higher in the RES and RUN rats than in the two control groups. Plasma corticosterone levels were elevated only in RES and RUN rats. Results from tissue analysis indicate that increased tissue CRH-IR in the amygdala and hypothalamus can be elicited by RES, while only the hypothalamus shows an increase following RUN. Further, extracellular CRH release in the CeA is increased throughout the period of RES, when rats are placed on the treadmill, and when the animals are approaching physical exhaustion. No increase is observed during the running period between placement on the treadmill and intense exertion. Overall, the data suggest that amygdala CRH release is regulated differently during treadmill running and restraint.
Involvement of the rfp tripartite motif in protein-protein interactions and subcellular distribution

The ret finger protein (rfp) is a member of the B box zinc finger gene family which possesses a tripartite motif consisting of a RING finger, B box finger, and a coiled-coil domain. Rfp is expressed at specific stages of spermatogenesis and in various adult mouse and human tissues. It becomes oncogenic when the tripartite domain is recombined with the tyrosine kinase domain of the ret protooncogene. Many of the B box family proteins function as homodimers, although the role of the individual components of the tripartite motif in this process remains unclear. We demonstrate that rfp homomultimerization occurs through the coiled-coil domains; however, while the B box is not an interacting interface itself, its structural integrity is necessary for this interaction to occur. This is the first evidence that the B box zinc finger domain is involved in regulating protein-protein interactions. Interestingly, we find that mutations of the RING finger and B box affect the subcellular compartmentalization of rfp in various cell lines. These results demonstrate that the interactions of rfp with itself and its association with specific subcellular compartments is dependent upon the function of all of the components of the tripartite motif. It is likely that these domains play a crucial role in the function of the rfp protein in normal cell differentiation and in its transformation potential in the recombined state.
Effect of angiotensin II antagonism on canine renal sympathetic nerve function.

The objective of this study was to examine effects of nonpeptide angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor antagonists on renal vasoconstrictor responses to renal nerve stimulation (RNS) and intrarenal injection of norepinephrine in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. The subtype 1-selective Ang II receptor antagonists, DuP 753 (2-n-butyl-4-chloro-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1-[(2'-(1H- tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl)methyl]imidazole, potassium salt) and EXP3174 (2-n-butyl-4-chloro-1-[(2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) biphenyl-4-yl)methyl]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid) given intra-arterially to the kidney caused dose-dependent reductions of renal vasoconstrictor responses to RNS but not to norepinephrine. In contrast, the subtype 2-selective Ang II receptor specific ligand, PD 123177 (1-[(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)methyl]-5-(diphenylacetyl)-4,5,6,7- tetrahydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid), did not alter the renal vasoconstrictor responses to RNS, norepinephrine, and Ang II in doses of 10-100 micrograms/kg/min i.a. Captopril also reduced the renal vasoconstrictor responses to RNS but not to norepinephrine. However, saralasin did not alter the renal vasoconstrictor responses to RNS and norepinephrine, although it was as effective as DuP 753 and EXP3174 in blocking the renal vasoconstrictor response to Ang II. These results suggest that endogenous Ang II enhances renal adrenergic function at the prejunctional site in anesthetized dogs. Analogous to the Ang II receptor in vascular smooth muscle, the prejunctional Ang II receptor appears to be of subtype 1. Mechanisms accounting for the absence of the inhibition of Ang II-mediated renal adrenergic response by saralasin remain to be determined.
Sirtuins and Aging

Sirtuins are a family of highly conserved genes widely distributed in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. Mounting evidence has revealed the important role of sirtuins in a variety of biological processes, including transcription regulation, apoptosis, DNA repair, metabolism, and more prominently, aging. Sirtuins regulate lifespan in evolutionarily diverse species partly through modulating calorie restriction pathways. Sirtuins link the nutritional status of the cell to transcription regulation through their nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase and/or ADP-ribosyltransferase. The unique features of sirtuins make them ideal targets for discovery of prolongevity compounds or aging interventions. This chapter will review the functions of sirtuins in aging and aging interventions related to sirtuins.
Got a Warrant?: Breaking Bad and the Fourth Amendment

I. INTRODUCTION This Article explores the advantages of using pop culture to study and teach criminal procedure. It begins by setting forth the pedagogical challenges of teaching students how to apply the criminal procedural law they learn in the classroom to real-world events, before a factual record has been established in court. Appellate decisions—“the primary text of legal education” 1 —do not teach students how to apply the law to new facts. Traditionally, professors use hypothetical fact patterns for this purpose. However, because hypotheticals typically set forth a clear statement of facts, students do not learn how to translate police-citizen encounters as they actually occur in the world to a verbal description of facts that can have legal significance. Instead, the professor has done that work for the students by providing the hypothetical. Moreover, casebooks march students through criminal procedure, one doctrine at a time. Accordingly, traditional classroom discussion does not necessarily teach students how to apply several doctrines to one fact pattern or to recognize how the resolution of one doctrinal issue can affect the analysis of others. Incorporating pop culture in the classroom can help meet those challenges. After discussing the ways that videos of police-citizen encounters can supplement traditional classroom material, the Article provides a concrete example. If a picture is worth a thousand words, 2 a six-minute scene from the acclaimed television show “Breaking Bad” 3 may be worth millions, or at least the number of words necessary to provide an ideal fact pattern to recap the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement.
Impact of Marital Status on 20-Year Subjective Well-being Trajectories.

Background: It is well-known that marital status has a significant impact on subjective well-being (SWB). However, research examining the long-term influence of marital status on SWB after spinal cord injury (SCI) is limited. Objective: To identify the relationship between marital status and SWB trajectories over time, using 20 years of longitudinal data. Methods: We conducted a cohort study, including 1,032 participants surveyed 5 times in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013. Participants were identified from outpatient records of 2 Midwestern hospitals and 1 Southeastern specialty hospital. The Life Situation Questionnaire–Revised (LSQ-R) was used to measure multiple aspects of SWB. A multilevel model was applied to analyze the 5 repeated measurements. Results: The married or cohabitating participants enjoyed the best SWB at baseline, but their home satisfaction and global satisfaction declined over time and their social isolation increased slightly. For divorced, separated, or widowed people, the negative...
Propositions about the Effects of Performance-Contingent Monetary Incentives on Task Performance

In this paper, we develop sixteen testable propositions about variables that moderate a positive relation between monetary incentives and task performance. The propositions are derived from a comprehensive review of the literatures in accounting, economics, finance, management, psychology, and other areas. We organize the propositions into four sections: person variables, task variables, environmental variables, and incentive-scheme variables. In addition, our focus is on moderators that are of significance to accounting researchers and accounting-related tasks as well as to organizations in general. Finally, we discuss possible directions for future research on the efficacy of monetary incentives for improving task performance.
Redefining Quality of Surgical Care for the Frail Elderly

Frailty is a critical factor influencing the health and outcomes of older surgical patients. Current surgical care for these patients is plagued by high morbidity and mortality rates. There is a growing interest in improving the quality of surgical care for older adults which has resulted in several recent advancements. Unique quality indicators for the older surgical population, multidisciplinary consensus on best practices, and an emerging focus on process and outcome measures that matter to older patients are recent contributions to a movement that will redefine the quality of surgical care for frail older adults.
Role of determinants of cadmium sensitivity in the tolerance of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to cisplatin.

The genetic mechanisms underlying cisplatin (DDP) resistance in yeast were investigated by examining the cytotoxicity of DDP toSchizosaccharomyces pombe mutants that were either hypersensitive or resistant to Cd. Despite reports that have linked glutathione (GSH) to DDP resistance in human cancer cells, we found that a mutant of S. pombe that was hypersensitive to Cd by virtue of a 15-fold reduction in GSH level and lack of phytochelatin production was as tolerant as the wild-type strain to DDP. A mutant that harbored a mutation in hmt1, the gene encoding an ATP-binding cassette-type transporter for vacuolar sequestration of a phytochelatin/Cd complex, exhibited only mild hypersensitivity to DDP even though it was 100-fold more sensitive to Cd. Overexpression ofhmt1 in wild-type or mutant cells conferred tolerance to Cd but failed to do the same for DDP. However, a strain that produced 6-fold more sulfide than wild-type cells was found to be 6-fold more resistant to DDP and twice as resistant to Cd; an association between DDP resistance and sulfide production was observed in three other strains that were examined, and overproduction of sulfide was accompanied by reduced platination of DNA. These results indicate that GSH and the GSH-derived phytochelatin peptides do not play critical roles in determining sensitivity to DDP in S. pombe but rather identify increased production of sulfide as a possible new mechanism of DDP resistance that may also be relevant to human cells.
Principles of intravesical chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

SUMMARY By tailoring the use and selection of an intravesical agent to the individual patient, it should be possible to reduce toxicity and avoid overtreatment. Similarly, patients with more alarming disease processes can be treated sooner if the need for that more aggressive or toxic therapy is recognized early. Finally, it is important to recognize that patients who fail initial therapy with BCG have a good probability of responding to additional BCG and that there are promising investigational immunotherapies available for those who fail adequate courses of BCG.
Motor System II

The complex motor activities of higher organisms are mediated through the activation of muscles by their respective motoneurons (the final common path). Motor responses are categorized according to their complexity, and the degree to which they are under conscious control.
Species richness in the Phanerozoic; an investigation of sampling effects

-Given estimates of the variation in total standing species richness through the periods of the Phanerozoic, mean species duration, and the relative intensity of the sampling of the fauna from each of the periods, the expected number of described species can be predicted for each period of the Phanerozoic using an analytic sampling model. This model is based on the assumption that the relative abundances of species in any geologic period can be approximated by the canonical (lognormal) speciesabundance distribution. Three commonly cited models of standing species richness (Valentine, 1973; Gould et al., 1977; Bambach, 1977) each suggest different patterns of species richness in the Phanerozoic. By assuming that sampling of the fossil record is proportionate to sediment volume, it can be shown with the sampling model that the Empirical, Equilibrium, and Species-Richness Models each predict that the number of described species will be strongly correlated with sediment volume. Equally high correlations are predicted if it is assumed that sampling is proportionate to sediment area or to paleontological interest. The correlations predicted for each of the three models are remarkably similar. The impact of sampling effects is so strong that the variations in species richness postulated by these three models are almost completely obscured. Preservational biases will probably only further obscure the relationship between the number of described species and total species richness. Therefore, it seems likely that analysis of trends in the total number of described species will be of little use in determining trends in worldwide species richness in the Phanerozoic. Comparison of the actual patterns of variation in the number of described species and the expected numbers of described species predicted by the sampling model reveals that more species are known from the Cenozoic than would be predicted from the abundance of Cenozoic sediments or from the amount of paleontological interest in the Cenozoic. This might have resulted from the Cenozoic sediments remaining relatively free of diagenetic effects which might have destroyed the fossils entombed in the sediments. Philip W. Signor, III. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 Accepted: July 14, 1978
Identification and Impact of Abuse

We distinguish between a school protection model in which children are protected from abuse, and a welfare model, in which their equal opportunities are promoted. Focusing on the former, we attempt to identify situations of adversity in which abuse is likely to happen. To do this, it is necessary to understand various forms of abuse, including emotional/psychological child maltreatment, physical abuse, and bullying. In addition, it is necessary to identify school practices that could lead to resilience and child welfare. Multiple forms of child abuse and neglect often coexist, and it is important that teachers are trained to identify warning signals of abuse or neglect, and are able to act on them. Also, the teacher should learn how to use non-corporal disciplining methods for the classroom: it is important to train him or her to become empathic, to understand the plight of the most vulnerable children. Definitions of abuse, we argue, and its physical and psychosocial lifespan effects may in many cases have global relevance, albeit it may be difficult to operationalize child protection based on all of them. For example, in extreme poverty situations, rather than indicating a problematic relationship between parents and children, the situation of “neglect” may be a result of poverty and thus of systemic violence, which may be leading to adverse health effects and other problems. Such cycle of intergenerational poverty and systemic violence may possibly be broken by education.
Fault detection and localization in solar photovoltaic arrays using the current-voltage sensing framework

Photovoltaic (PV) electrical power generation is an important and promising research area because there is high demand for renewable energy systems. In order to improve the performance of PV array systems so that these energy systems might be better understood and made more readily available, further research needs to be done on various means of detecting faults on PV array and system monitoring. In this paper, we present a new technique for fault detection using current and voltage values in comparison to maximum measured signal values obtained during normal operation conditions. We identify specific detection zones to determine the precise faulty zone. To test and validate the proposed model, MATLAB/Simulink software was used to simulate it and in this work we present the results under the worst-case-scenario of fault which is the case when all branches are faulty simultaneously. The model presented is a robust model and uses fewer voltage sensors than current models.
Psychosocial implications of disorders of sex development treatment for parents.

Purpose of reviewHistorically, studies of caregivers of children with disorders of sex development (DSD) have been limited.Recent findingsRecent data reveal that parents of young children with DSD report increased stress, anxiety, depression, and decreased quality of life in ways that are similar to
Emerging Biological Therapies in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma

A small fraction of patients with asthma have severe, persistent disease that is often refractory to standard therapy. To meet this need, a growing emphasis has been placed on the development of alternative, novel therapies and the ability to characterize those patients who are most likely to benefit from these therapies. The eosinophil has been identified as a primary mediator in airway inflammation and as a potential pharmacological target. This narrative review outlines the need for more phenotype-directed therapies in severe asthma, and discusses the supporting evidence for monoclonal antibodies directed against key pro-eosinophilic T-helper 2 (Th2) inflammatory cytokines as additive agents in the treatment of severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype.
A randomized clinical trial on the effects of progestin contraception in the genital tract of HIV-infected and uninfected women in Lilongwe, Malawi: Addressing evolving research priorities.

Abstract Hormonal contraception is central in the prevention of unintended pregnancy; however there are concerns that certain methods may increase the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission. Hormonal contraceptives may modify the genital mucosa in several ways, however the mechanisms are incompletely understood. Few studies have examined genital HIV shedding prospectively before and after initiation of hormonal contraception. The effects of hormonal contraception on genital HIV shedding in the setting of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are also unknown. We designed a pilot clinical trial in which HIV-infected and uninfected women were randomized to either depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injectable or levonorgestrel (LNG) implant in Lilongwe, Malawi. The objectives were to: 1) assess the effect and compare the impact of type of progestin contraception (injectable versus implant) on HIV genital shedding among HIV-infected women, 2) assess the effect and compare the impact of type of progestin contraception on inflammatory/immune markers in the genital tract of both HIV-infected and uninfected women, and 3) assess the interaction of progestin contraception and ART by examining contraceptive efficacy and ART efficacy. An additional study aim was to determine the feasibility and need for a larger study of determinants of HIV transmissibility and acquisition. As injectable contraception is widely used in many parts of the world with high HIV prevalence, this study will provide important information in determining the need for and feasibility of a larger study to address these questions that can impact the lives of millions of women living with or at risk for HIV.
Pilot scale high solids anaerobic digestion of steam autoclaved municipal solid waste (MSW) pulp

Abstract Steam autoclaving is an efficient method for the separation and near complete recovery of organics from MSW. The material produced by the autoclave contains a high concentration of solubilized food waste absorbed onto a lignocellulosic matrix. Reported here is the operation of a 1500 gal (5677 L) high solids anaerobic digester to digest this feedstock. Total solids (TS) reductions were high, 56%, and volatile solids (VS) and biodegradable volatile solids (BVS) reductions were 63 and 79%, respectively. Gas yields were also high, producing 248 L CH 4 /kg VS fed or 393 L CH 4 /kg VS destroyed at a methane content of 60%. Unique design elements such as hydraulic conveyance of material, in situ classification, and in-place buffering to maintain pH stability were tested and confirmed. The digestate passed all criteria for land application of biosolids in the US, but exceeded the EU limits for Cu, Ni, and Zn.