cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-dependent changes in myocardial matrix metalloproteinase/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase profiles and fibroblast function

Objective : To evaluate the effects of aging on left ventricular (LV) geometry, collagen levels, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) abundance, and myocardial fibroblast function. Methods : Young (3-month-old; n =28), middle-aged (MA; 15-month-old; n =17), and old (23-month-old; n =16) CB6F1 mice of both sexes were used in this study. Echocardiographic parameters were measured; collagen, MMP, and TIMP levels were determined for both the soluble and insoluble protein fractions; and fibroblast function was evaluated. Results : LV end-diastolic dimensions and wall thickness increased in both MA and old mice, accompanied by increased soluble protein and decreased insoluble collagen. Immunoblotting revealed differential MMP/TIMP profiles. Compared to MA levels, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-12, and MMP-14 increased, and TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 decreased in the insoluble fraction of old mice, suggesting increased extracellular matrix (ECM) degradative capacity. Fibroblast proliferation was blunted with age. Conclusion : This study, for the first time, identified specific differences in cellular and extracellular processes that likely contribute to age-dependent ECM remodeling.
Eosinophils in vasculitis: characteristics and roles in pathogenesis

Eosinophils are multifunctional granular leukocytes that are implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disorders, including asthma, helminth infection, and rare hypereosinophilic syndromes. Although peripheral and tissue eosinophilia can be a feature of many types of small-vessel and medium-vessel vasculitis, the role of eosinophils has been best studied in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), where eosinophils are a characteristic finding in all three clinical stages of the disorder. Whereas numerous studies have demonstrated an association between the presence of eosinophils and markers of eosinophil activation in the blood and tissues of patients with EGPA, the precise role of eosinophils in disease pathogenesis has been difficult to ascertain owing to the complexity of the disease process. In this regard, results of clinical trials using novel agents that specifically target eosinophils are providing the first direct evidence of a central role of eosinophils in EGPA. This Review focuses on the aspects of eosinophil biology most relevant to the pathogenesis of vasculitis and provides an update of current knowledge regarding the role of eosinophils in EGPA and other vasculitides.
Exporting the Buyers Health Care Action Group Purchasing Model: Lessons from Other Communities

When first implemented in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, the Buyers Health Care Action Group's (BHCAG) purchasing approach received considerable attention as an employer-managed, consumer-driven health care model embodying many of the principles of managed competition. First BHCAG and, later, a for-profit management company attempted to export this model to other communities. Their efforts were met with resistance from local hospitals and, in many cases, apathy by employers who were expected to be supportive. This experience underscores several difficulties that appear to be inherent in implementing purchasing models based on competing care systems. It also, once again, suggests caution in drawing lessons from community-level experiments in purchasing health care.
Sediment Characterization and Dynamics in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana

FLOCKS, J.; KINDINGER, J.; MAROT, M., and CHARLES, C., 2009. Ssediment characterization and dynamics in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. Journal of Coastal Research, SI(54), 113–126. West Palm Beach (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Lake Pontchartrain in southeastern Louisiana is the largest of several shallow estuaries that together cover over 15,000 km 2 . Wetlands, forests, and large urban areas surround the lake. Primary transport mechanisms of sediments to Lake Pontchartrain include urban runoff, major diversions of the Mississippi River, discharge from streams along the north and west shores, and tidal circulation. Sediments deposited in Lake Pontchartrain are subjected to resuspension and mixing by natural and human activities. Bioturbation and water turbulence throughout the lake are the major mixing agents, and mechanical shell dredging has reworked much of the lake bottom over the last century. Sediment characterization through direct sampling and geophysical surveys indicates that these processes continually rework the top meter of sediment. The lake receives discharge from roadways and industrial and agricultural sources. Contaminants from these sources accumulate in the lake sediments and are an important contributor to the degradation of the estuary. Decline in populations of various benthic organisms, such as shrimp and clams, has been documented in the lake. To characterize the health of this important estuary, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the geology, geomorphology, coastal processes, and environmental condition of the Pontchartrain Basin from 1994 to 1997. This report presents an assessment of sediment distribution and quality using a multidisciplinary approach to characterize the influence of various physical and chemical parameters: nearsurface stratigraphy, major trace metal concentrations (Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni), and short-lived radionuclides ( 210 Pb, 7 Be, and 137 Cs). The results are compared with water-circulation patterns to determine high-resolution sedimentation patterns in the lake. The data show a significant increase in trace metals in the top 1 m of lake sediments. Above this horizon, pollen analysis indicates a correlation with land clearing in the area, a proxy for increasing human development of the surrounding landscape and an increase in surface run-off. The data also show that the top meter of sediment undergoes frequent resuspension during high-energy circulation events and via circulation gyres in the lake. This regular turnover does not allow stratification of recently deposited sediments, restricting the sequestration of contaminated material that enters the lake.
Effects of hydrology on the growth and physiology of an invasive exotic, Lygodium microphyllum (Old World climbing fern)

Summary We conducted a glasshouse study to examine effects of hydrology on the growth and physiology of Lygodium microphyllum (Old World climbing fern), an invasive exotic that is rapidly colonising forested wetlands in Florida, USA. We assessed the ferns growth and physiological responses to three hydrological treatments – flood, drought and field capacity. To further explore the physiology of the treatment responses of L. microphyllum, we also sprayed each plant with gibberellic acid, paclobutrazol (gibberellin inhibitor) or a water control solution (at a rate of 5 mL three times per week) using a 3 · 3 factorial design. Flooding
Chemical Modification of Membranes: 1. Effects of sulfhydryl and amino reactive reagents on anion and cation permeability of the human red blood cell

Four different amino-reactive reagents, 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS),1 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (FDNB), 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), and 2-methoxy-5-nitrotropone (MNT) decrease the anion permeability of the human red blood cell, as measured by sulfate fluxes, whereas the sulfhydryl agent, parachloromercuriphenyl sulfonic acid (PCMBS), does not. In contrast, PCMBS increases the cation permeability as measured by K+ leakage, whereas SITS does not. Of the other agents, FDNB increases the cation permeability to the same extent as PCMBS but MNT and TNBS produce smaller increases. PCMBS does not protect against FDNB as it does against other sulfhydryl agents (X-irradiation) and the FDNB effect on cations is attributed to amino groups. Studies of the binding of SITS indicate that it does not penetrate into the membrane and its failure to influence cation permeability is attributed to its inability to reach an internal population of amino groups. It is concluded that two ion permeability barriers, both involving proteins, are present in the red blood cell. The more superficial barrier contains amino groups and controls anion flow; the more internal barrier contains sulfhydryl and amino groups and controls cation flow. The amino groups contribute to the control of permeability by virtue of their positive charges, but the role of sulfhydryl groups is not clear. Only a small fraction of the membrane protein amino and sulfhydryl is involved in the barriers.
RIPARIAN FOREST STAND DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE QUEETS RIVER IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WASHINGTON

A vegetation chronosequence spanning over 300 years was established in unconstrained reaches of the lower Queets River in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, for an examination of riparian successional patterns. The Queets is an unconstrained, dynamic, mountain river located within a temperate rain forest environment. Ongoing chan- nel movements create intricate patterns in the physical structure of the valley. Twenty-one plots containing a total of 4359 trees were mapped and measured for structural and crown characteristics. Snags, logs, and understory vegetation were also quantified. Recent alluvial deposits are colonized primarily by early-successional trees Salix sitchensisand Alnus rubra. Conifer seedlings, primarily Picea sitchensis, generally invade after the initial cohort of hardwood trees begins senescence: 20-30 years for Salix and 40-60 years for Alnus. Through accumulation of sediments from floods and channel downcutting, surfaces become perched above the reach of annual floods after 40-80 years and are then slowly colonized by late successional tree species Acer circinatum, Acer macrophyllum, and Tsuga hetero- phylla. Diverse, old-growth forests ultimately develop after 200-250 years, containing some of the largest known trees in the Pacific Northwest. However, canopy and stem densities remain lower than comparative Pseudotsuga menziesii forests from the nearby Cascade Mountains. Vast individual crowns can develop, with occasional Picea up to 25 m wide and 70 m deep. Individual stands may accumulate .200 000 m 3 /ha of canopy volume— among the highest recorded on earth. Mixed among the generalized successional sequence are variations created by uncommon channel movements. Avulsions followed by channel incision form cobblefields in abandoned channels or other surfaces which are isolated from subsequent inundation and sediment deposition. These cobblefields embark on a different successional trajectory, which often includes conifer seedlings present in the initial cohort. Ultimately, whatever the initial trajectory, soils become productive due to soil conditioning by Alnus and the decomposition of other plant material. These biophysical complexities, interconnected patterns, and system-scale resilience are summarized in a multiple-pathway successional model that may be applicable to floodplain riparian forests throughout much of the Pacific coastal ecoregion.
Simulation in education and training

Historically, the use of simulation has been an important aspect of training in some fields (such as aviation). As the cost of computing power decreases simulation is now finding its way into training for other fields. As simulation moves into these other fields, it is increasingly moving away from traditional large hardware systems (e.g., full-motion simulators) to rich virtual environments such as serious games. However, matching the most efficient type and category of simulation to train specific learning needs is a specialized skill and there is a shortage or gap in the training of simulation specialists who can effectively design and employ training simulation. The skills needed by these professionals are presented and a program that has been established to train professionals in developing these required skills is discussed.
A Redescription of Myxidium chelonarum Johnson, 1969 (Cnidospora: Myxidiidae) from Various North American Turtles*

SYNOPSIS. Myxidium chelonarum Johnson is redescribed from the bile system of Pseudemys s. scripta (Schoepff) (yellow-bellied turtle) from Edenton, N.C. It was found in 13 other species and subspecies of turtles from North America. Trophozoite: green, round, flat, slightly ameboid, 11-180 μ in diameter, hyaline ectoplasm, granular endoplasm, polysporous. Spore: boat shaped, suture lines indistinct, 4–6 striae arranged obliquely across spore, 2 polar capsules, polar filament 5–7 coils, average 32 μ long, spore 14 by 4 by 4 μ. Eight species of vertebrates were not susceptible.
Realization of 2-D state-space filters with fewer multipliers

The authors illustrate that, under certain controllability and observability conditions on the one-dimensional block diagonal subsystems, they can considerably reduce the number of multipliers required for hardware implementation of two-dimensional filters. Although these conditions require some additional properties from the filter parameters, the saving in cost of hardware realization is judged to be well worth the extra effort to verify initially whether these conditions are met. A systematic procedure for obtaining the coefficients of a minimal number of multipliers, when the filter satisfies the proposed conditions, is presented. A numerical example is considered to illustrate the accuracy of the proposed technique. >
Invisible wounds, visible savings? Using microsimulation to estimate the costs and savings associated with providing evidence-based treatment for PTSD and depression to veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

evidence-based treatment (EBT). Our results suggest that the 2-year social costs of depression and PTSD for this cohort will be $923 million. Policy simulations evaluating the savings associated with universal access to EBT suggest that such access would generate cost savings of $138 million (15%). Since 2001, more than 1.64 million U.S. troops have deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), a pace unmatched in the history of the all-volunteer force (Tanielian & Jaycox, 2008). The future health-related costs of these deployments will undoubtedly be high because of physical and mental health injuries sustained during war. Calculation of these costs, which the government will be expected to pay, is a difficult task because of the inherent uncertainty underlying all the components that are necessary to construct such an estimate, including the number of people harmed, the number seeking treat- ment, the types of treatment given, the cost associated with treat- ment, and the subsequent outcomes that may befall a service member because of impaired health. In this article, we introduce an innovative method for estimating the future health costs for currently deployed service members that is well equipped to handle and quantify the uncertainty embedded in such a calculation: microsimulation modeling. Unlike standard accounting methods, a microsimulation model takes a hypothetical group of simulated individuals and predicts future cost-related events, allowing the simulated population to experience mental conditions, mental health treatment, and secondary outcomes such as employment. An advantage of the microsimulation approach is that it can treat mental disorders as chronic conditions, allowing for both remission and relapse over time. In addition, the micro- simulation model can be useful for evaluating different policy scenarios. In our case, we were particularly interested in asking the following policy question: If we increase the use of evidence- based treatment, will we save money in the long-run? This type of question would be difficult to evaluate in a standard accounting framework because standard accounting models are based on av- erage expenditures for a population and do not allow for different individuals to experience different treatments, subsequent out- comes, and costs. Data to parameterize the model, including in- formation about the probability of developing mental illness and the probability of remission following treatment, were taken from existing literature. We constructed a simplified microsimulation model that en- abled us to characterize the social cost over a 2-year period for two well-publicized and extremely prevalent health conditions associ- ated with combat exposure: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (Hoge, Auchterlonie, & Milliken, 2006;
Patterns of magnetic flux penetration in superconducting films

Intermediate-state magnetic flux patterns have been observed in thin superconducting films of tin, lead, and indium in perpendicular applied fields of 0.1–100 Oe. The spatial variation in flux density was measured very close to the film with a high-resolution Hall probe which could be scanned in a plane parallel to the surface of the film. The patterns appear to contain both laminar and round normal regions, with the latter predominant. A model for the intermediate state has been developed in which the normal regions are macroscopic flux spots. Experimental results for the number density of these flux spots in 1.1–6.3-μ-thick indium samples are in good agreement with the temperature, field, and thickness dependences of our model; indium samples thinner than 1 µ appear to enter the mixed state. In tin and lead, however, the flux patterns are strongly influenced by flux pinning. Appearance of the flux pattern at the critical field or temperature has been observed and correlated with distinctive features in the resistive transition. The extent of flux penetration into the sample was determined from measurement of the average field and compared for various field-temperature paths to the intermediate state. With the applied field reduced to zero, the magnetic field outside a current-carrying superconducting strip has been measured and indicates that the current distribution within the strip is consistent with the form predicted by Bowers.
New ACC-AHA cholesterol guidelines significantly increase potential eligibility for statin treatment

Commentary on: Pencina MJ, Navar-Boggan AM, D’Agostino RB Sr., et al. Application of new cholesterol guidelines to a population-based sample. N Engl J Med 2014;370:1422–31.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] In 2013, new guidelines for the treatment of cholesterol for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were issued by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC-AHA), based on a systematic review of lipid lowering trials and meta-analyses evaluating treatment impact on CVD morbidity and mortality, and quantitated adverse effects of lipid-lowering therapy.1 Many of these trials were reported after publication of the NIH-issued Third Adult Treatment Panel (ATPIII) lipid-lowering guidelines.2 The new guidelines feature modified eligibility criteria for cholesterol-lowering treatment based on estimation of benefits and harms of therapy in specific population subsets, and recommend use of a new risk calculator which … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DN%2BEngl%2BJ%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D370%26rft.spage%253D1422%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1056%252FNEJMoa1315665%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24645848%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1056/NEJMoa1315665&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24645848&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F5%2F198.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000334095200010&link_type=ISI
Equilibrium Oxygen Potential‐Composition Relations in U0.75Pu0.25O2‐x

Variations in the composition of U0.75Pu0.25O2-x as a function of the oxygen potential were determined by a thermogravimetric technique over the interval 950° to 1400°C. Oxygen potentials ranging from -100 to -155 kcal/mol were established by means of H2O-H2-O2 equilibria. The partial molar enthalpy and entropy of solution of O2 in the mixed oxide fuel were independent of temperature over the interval investigated but varied with the composition of the fuel.
Plant mating systems affect adaptive plasticity in response to herbivory

Summary The fitness consequences of mating system variation (e.g. inbreeding) have been studied for at least 200 years, yet the ecological consequences of this variation remain poorly understood. Most plants are capable of inbreeding, and also exhibit a remarkable suite of adaptive phenotypic responses to ecological stresses such as herbivory. We tested the consequences of experimental inbreeding on phenotypic plasticity in resistance and growth (tolerance) traits in Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae). Inbreeding reduced the ability of plants to up-regulate resistance traits following damage. Moreover, inbreeding disrupted growth trait responses to damage, indicating the presence of deleterious mutations at loci regulating growth under stress. Production of the phytohormones abscisic and indole acetic acid, and wounding-induced up-regulation of the defence signalling phytohormone jasmonic acid were all significantly reduced under inbreeding, indicating a phytohormonal basis for inbreeding effects on growth and defence trait regulation. We conclude that the plasticity of induced responses is negatively affected by inbreeding, with implications for fragmented populations facing mate limitation and stress as a consequence of environmental change.
A new look at the perfectly matched layer (PML) concept for the reflectionless absorption of electromagnetic waves

The perfectly matched layer (PML) concept has been introduced recently by Berenger (1994) with the objective of developing an absorbing boundary condition for the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. In its original formulation, the PML approach is based on the splitting of the field components into two sub-components which are weighted with different constituent parameters. The objectives of this paper are to take a critical look at the PML concept with a view to providing some interpretations of the same; to examine the Maxwellian nature of the PML layer; to present a version of the PML approach that does not involve the "splitting" and the resulting six components for each of the electric and magnetic fields in the PML layer; and, finally, to compare it with other approaches, e.g., co-ordinate scaling. >
Evanescent field excitation of fluorescence by epi-illumination microscopy

By simple modification of the pattern of fluorescence excitation light in an epi-illumination inverted microscope, one can achieve conditions that produce total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) by evanescent wave excitation. Though traditionally requiring a collimated beam traversing through a special prism, TIRF also can be achieved by epi-illumination through the periphery of a 1.4 numerical aperture objective. An opaque disk of appropriate size is placed in the illumination path external to the microscope so as to cast a sharp, real-image shadow at the objective's back focal plane. This shadow allows a hollow cone of epi-illumination rays traveling at only super-critical angles to reach the glass/water interface at the sample plane. Three kinds of TIRF illumination patterns can be produced by variations of this scheme: (1) a small spot of illumination of 1.5 μm radius by use of a laser light source, (2) a large region of illumination by use of a laser-illuminated diffusing screen located upbeam from the opaque disk, and (3) a large region of illumination by use of a conventional mercury arc.
From Microspore to Embryoid: Faces of the Angiosperm Pollen Grain

In the context of sexual reproduction in angiosperms, the pollen grain represents the beginning of a short-lived male gametophytic phase and provides the vehicle for the delivery of sperm to the vicinity of the egg. Under certain experimental conditions, pollen grains of some angiosperms follow a different developmental program leading to the production of embryo-like structures or embryoids and calluses. Thus, pollen development in angiosperms is like two faces of the same coin: during its normal life the pollen grain is programmed for terminal differentiation; under experimental conditions it embarks on a pathway leading to immortality. It is a testament to the pollen grain as a model developmental system that it is able to display two dissimilar phenotypic forms.
Longitudinal Vehicle Dynamics

The control of longitudinal vehicle motion has been pursued at many different levels by researchers and automotive manufacturers. Common systems involving longitudinal control available on today’s passenger cars include cruise control, anti-lock brake systems and traction control systems. Other advanced longitudinal control systems that have been the topic of intense research include radar-based collision avoidance systems, adaptive cruise control systems, individual wheel torque control with active differentials and longitudinal control systems for the operation of vehicles in platoons on automated highway systems.
Suspended Apocalypse: White Supremacy, Genocide, and the Filipino Condition. By Dylan Rodríguez

Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 2010. 256 pp. hardcover, $75; softcover, $25
El monolingüismo del huésped

In a footnote to Derrida’s Monolingualism of the Other (originally published in French in 1996), the French philosopher introduces his concept of “monolingualism of the guest”. Derrida’s monolingualism of the guest revises the notion of mother tongue as distinctively described by Hannah Arendt. In this article, I will investigate Derrida’s “monolingualism of the guest” by relying on his notion of “idiom” and on his thinking about translation. My aim will be to demonstrate how Derrida’s ideas can help exploring the relationship between language and hospitality, a key concept embedded in his concept of “monolingualism of the guest”.
Immunization of Rhesus monkeys with enterotoxoid B.

The widespread occurrence of staphylococcal food poisoning has led to the consideration of immunizing man as a means of reducing the incidence of this food-borne disease. Dack et al (1931) and Dolman (1943) attempted to immunize human volunteers by administration of toxic filtrates by mouth, but without purified enterotoxin and serological assay methods the degree of immunity acquired was questionable. Dolman (1944) reported that human volunteers developed a resistance to enterotoxin after several subcutaneous injections of formalinized enterotoxic filtrate.
420 A CYSTIC FIBROSIS RAT PRODUCED BY TRANSIENT IN UTERO KNOCKOUT OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRANSMEMBRANE REGULATOR

In utero transfer of genes to epithelial stem cells in the developing mouse and rat lungs is highly efficient. A method (transient in utero knockout [TIUKO]) for the transfer and transient expression of antisense genes in an adenovirus vector was produced to characterize developmentally important genes in the lungs and intestines. This method was applied to the Sprague-Dawley rat to evaluate developmental aspects of the CF phenotype. Treatment of rat fetuses at 15, 16, or 17 days gestation with an adenovirus-antisense CFTR yielded different phenotypes. Animals treated at 15 days gestation died shortly after birth and showed significant pathology in their intestines. Treatment later in gestation did not result in a lethal intestinal phenotype, although some changes in histology were noted immediately after birth. The lungs from rats treated at 16-17 days gestation exhibited many of the characteristics seen in CF. Airway fibrosis and parenchymal thickening with monocytic infiltrates were present as early as 90 days of age. An increase in airway reactivity to methylcholine was also documented. CF antigen (MRP8/14) expression was induced in utero. Because the TIUKO CF rats mimic human lung disease, it was used to evaluate genes that could modulate the CF phenotype. Rats deficient in CF antigen expression were treated at 16 days gestation with the adenovirus-antisense CFTR recombinant. Evaluation of airway reactivity and cell type populations in the lung demonstrated that CF antigen is involved developmentally in the lung. Its absence results in a lung phenotype different from that observed in CF antigen expressing animal. Upon treatment with antisense a unique phenotype was observed. Thus, CF antigen is involved in normal lung development and its absence affects the CF disease phenotype.
Strategies of control human cytomegalovirus infection

HCMV infection greatly endanger immunocompromised people.Strategies of control HCMV infection was summarized as follow.Medicament-control and immuno-control were the main means.The effect of medicament-control,how to use vaccine controlling HCMV infection and related disease,and the role of passive immunity in controlling HCMV infection were introduced in detail.Comprehending these strategies is beneficial to controlling HCMV infection.
Detection of human leukocyte antigen class I messenger ribonucleic acid transcripts in human spermatozoa via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction

Objective To determine by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) whether human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I messenger RNA (mRNA) is present in mature human spermatozoa. Design Mature human spermatozoa was isolated from donor semen using a swim-up technique. Total RNA was extracted via guanidinium isothiocyanate-cesium chloride ultracentrifugation. By the method previously validated in our laboratory, reverse transcription-PCR was performed using primers specific for HLA class I transcripts. Positive control cells included a choriocarcinoma cell line (JEG) and human fetal tissue. Transformed peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were used as a negative control for somatic cellular contamination. Results Human spermatozoa were positive for HLA class I (-G and -B) mRNA by reverse transcription-PCR, consistent with the positive controls. We did not detect any mRNA for β -actin, retinoblastoma (RB), CD4, or kappa light chain genes in the sperm complementary DNA samples, verifying that the class I mRNA detected was not due to somatic cellular contamination of the purified sperm samples. Conclusion These experiments provide the first evidence that mRNA for HLA class I molecules are present in mature human spermatozoa. The physiological role of these transcripts is unknown at present. Further experiments characterizing the expression of HLA class I (-G and -B) mRNA in oocytes and preimplantation embryos are in progress.
Transactional Analysis in Groups

Publisher Summary Transactional Analysis (TA) is a psychological theory and the method of treatment that follows from that theory. TA theory lacks two major theories that need to be borrowed from psychoanalysis: working through and oedipal situations. It may be used with individual patients, couples, families, and large groups, such as business institutions, churches, and schools. It has one further advantage: much of the work in TA can be done in a way that is fun and efficient for both the patient and the therapist. TA therapists are fond of saying that id, ego, and superego are philosophical constructs but that ego states are existential realities, externally observable. In psychotherapy, TA insists on an intact, well-functioning Adult ego state. That first order of business has multilayered importance. It is necessary for an adequate treatment contract to be made, and it is important that, when leaks or contaminations occur, they be healed. By so doing, patients do not speak opinion when they believe they are speaking fact.
Hydration thermodynamics beyond the linear response approximation

The solvation energetics associated with the transformation of a solute molecule at infinite dilution in water from an initial state A to a final state B is reconsidered. The two solute states have different potentials energies of interaction, and , with the solvent environment. Throughout the A B transformation of the solute, the solvation system is described by a Hamiltonian that changes linearly with the coupling parameter ξ. By focusing on the characterization of the probability density that the dimensionless perturbational solute–solvent interaction energy has numerical value y when the coupling parameter is ξ, we derive a hierarchy of differential equation relations between the ξ-dependent cumulant functions of various orders in the expansion of the appropriate cumulant generating function. On the basis of this theoretical framework we then introduce an inherently nonlinear solvation model for which we are able to find analytical results for both and for the solvation thermodynamic functions. The solvation model is based on the premise that there is an upper or a lower bound (depending on the nature of the interactions considered) to the amplitude of the fluctuations of Y in the solution system at equilibrium. The results reveal essential differences in behavior for the model when compared with the linear response approximation to solvation, particularly with regards to the probability density . The analytical expressions for the solvation properties show, however, that the linear response behavior is recovered from the new model when the room for the thermal fluctuations in Y is not restricted by the existence of a nearby bound. We compare the predictions of the model with the results from molecular dynamics computer simulations for aqueous solvation, in which either (1) the solute–solvent electrostatic interactions, or (2) the shorter-range attractive interactions are switched-on in the A B process.
Traumatic brain injury and subsequent glioblastoma development: Review of the literature and case reports.

Background: Previous reports have proposed an association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and subsequent glioblastoma (GBM) formation.
I Will Register and Vote, If You Teach Me How: A Field Experiment Testing Voter Registration in College Classrooms

College students are young, have little or no history of voting, and are residentially mobile, which makes them a population in great need of registering to vote. Universities have a civic, pedagogical, and legal obligation to register their students to vote. In 2006, we conducted a controlled experiment across 16 college campuses to test the efficacy of classroom presentations to increase voter registration. The 25,256 students across more than 1,026 classrooms were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a control group receiving no presentation; (2) a presentation by a professor; and (3) a presentation by a student volunteer. Verifying registration and voter turnout from a national voter database, we found that both types of presentations increased overall registration by 6 percentage points and turnout rates by approximately 2.6 percentage points. These results demonstrated that universities can take simple steps to engage their students in politics.
Analog-to-Information Conversion via Random Demodulation

Many problems in radar and communication signal processing involve radio frequency (RF) signals of very high bandwidth. This presents a serious challenge to systems that might attempt to use a high-rate analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to sample these signals, as prescribed by the Shannon/Nyquist sampling theorem. In these situations, however, the information level of the signal is often far lower than the actual bandwidth, which prompts the question of whether more efficient schemes can be developed for measuring such signals. In this paper we propose a system that uses modulation, filtering, and sampling to produce a low-rate set of digital measurements. Our "analog-to-information converter" (AIC) is inspired by the recent theory of Compressive Sensing (CS), which states that a discrete signal having a sparse representation in some dictionary can be recovered from a small number of linear projections of that signal. We generalize the CS theory to continuous-time sparse signals, explain our proposed AIC system in the CS context, and discuss practical issues regarding implementation.
Developing future scenarios: Business students and librarians employing foresight techniques in tandem during course support

ABSTRACTIn the process of providing support to the undergraduate students and instructors of a research-intensive future studies course, librarians at the University of Notre Dame used the proactive decision-making framework taught to the students and conducted their own environmental scan, current assessment, and trend analysis in order to determine expected and plausible alternative future support scenarios for the course. This article reviews the evolving partnership and describes a process that has resulted and will continue to result in improved decision making regarding the allocation of resources to this course and all others supported by the business library.
Tacrolimus confers lower acute rejection rates and better renal allograft survival compared to cyclosporine

Tacrolimus confers lower acute rejection rates and better renal allograft survival compared to cyclosporine
Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ticks collected from the southwestern provinces of the Republic of Korea

Rickettsiae constitute a group of arthropod-borne, Gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacteria that are the causative agents of diseases ranging from mild to life threatening that impact on medical and veterinary health worldwide. A total of 6,484 ticks were collected by tick drag from June-October 2013 in the southwestern provinces of the Republic of Korea (ROK) (Jeollanam, n = 3,995; Jeollabuk, n = 680; Chungcheongnam, n = 1,478; and Chungcheongbuk, n = 331). Ticks were sorted into 311 pools according to species, collection site, and stage of development. DNA preparations of tick pools were assayed for rickettsiae by 17 kDa antigen gene and ompA nested PCR (nPCR) assays and the resulting amplicons sequenced to determine the identity and prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR). Haemaphysalis longicornis (4,471; 52 adults, 123 nymphs and 4,296 larvae) were the most commonly collected ticks, followed by Haemaphysalis flava (1,582; 28 adults, 263 nymphs and 1,291 larvae), and Ixodes nipponensis (431; 25 adults, 5 nymphs and 401 larvae). The minimum field infection rate/100 ticks (assuming 1 positive tick/pool) was 0.93% for the 17 kDa antigen gene and 0.82% for the ompA nPCR assays. The partial 17 kDa antigen and ompA gene sequences from positive pools of H. longicornis were similar to: Rickettsia sp. HI550 (99.4–100%), Rickettsia sp. FUJ98 (99.3–100%), Rickettsia sp. HIR/D91 (99.3–100%), and R. japonica (99.7%). One sequence of the partial 17 kDa antigen gene for H. flava was similar to Rickettsia sp. 17kd-005 (99.7%), while seven sequences of the 17 kDa antigen gene obtained from I. nipponensis ticks were similar to R. monacensis IrR/Munich (98.7–100%) and Rickettsia sp. IRS3 (98.9%). SFG rickettsiae were detected in three species of ixodid ticks collected in the southwestern provinces of the ROK during 2013. A number of rickettsiae have been recently reported from ticks in Korea, some of which were identified as medically important. Results from this study and previous reports demonstrate the need to conduct longitudinal investigations to identify tick-borne rickettsiae and better understand their geographical distributions and potential impact on medical and veterinary health, in addition to risk communication and development of rickettsial disease prevention strategies.
Adaptive, Readily Morphing, Optimized Radiation Shielding for Transit Habitats: Flyby Mars Mission

Optimization techniques are used to determine the total mass required for additional passive radiation shielding during a space mission to reduce radiation exposures from galactic cosmic rays to NA...
Rewards in Bureaucracy and Politics

A fundamental question in the field of administrative sciences is how rewards support the motivation and performance of civil servants and the efficiency of organizations. Literature of public administration categorizes rewards with some dimensions, such as formality, tangibility, measurability, etc. However, these interpretative models seem to be incomplete because they don’t classify all the elements of rewards system within the domain of public administration. The purpose of this paper is to systematize the categories of rewards in a new taxonomy that also considers the dimension of legality in order to create a comprehensive interpretative model in public sector. This theoretical framework here may be applied to analyze many elements of rewards system in public administration in order to support fruitful management implications. Moreover, this study begins the process of clarifying and generalizing, as far as possible, the manifold elements of rewards system in public organizations to lay a foundation for the development of more sophisticated taxonomies and theories.
Psychobiological Perspectives on Delinquency

Recent increasing knowledge of the physiological underpinnings of a variety of serious psychiatric disorders has encouraged a number of investigators to study the relationship of psychobiological vulnerabilities to deviant behavior of children. Greater appreciation of the contribution of neurological, biochemical, psychopharmacological, and genetic factors to human behavior has given rise to renewed interest in the interaction of these variables in the creation of juvenile antisocial behavior.
Magnetism in Metals

Not all the electrons in a metal participate in the electrical conduction, nor in other physical, chemical, or magnetic processes; some are core electrons, belonging to filled shells tightly bound to the ion and unaware of the metallic environment. Electrons in unfilled shells have a range of behavior intermediate between such tightly bound localized electrons and that of quasifree particles experiencing the smooth periodic atomic potential and participating fully in the electrical conductivity.
The Photosynthetic Apparatus

The purpose of this paper is to review briefly what is known about the oxygen-evolving type of photosynthesis, its efficiency, and the possibility of employing the photosynthetic apparatus as a means of accomplishing the biophotolysis of water to hydrogen and oxygen.
NGC 7538 S — A High-Mass Protostar with a Rotating Disk

We present new 1.4 mm imaging with the BIMA3 array of the high mass protostar NGC 7538S in continuum and several molecular transitions. We resolve the continuum emission at 1.4 mm into an elliptical source with a size of ~8″ × 3″ centered on the OH/H2O maser position. Both DCN and the dust continuum show the elliptical dust disk as well as fainter, more extended emission from the surrounding cloud core. The DCN J = 3 → 2 maps confirm the velocity gradient seen in H13CN J = 1 → 0 and show an even larger velocity gradient than seen H13CN, although near the center of the accretion disk some of the emission appears to originate from the outflow. 13CO J = 2 → 1 is heavily self absorbed at the cloud velocity but the line wings show the outflow with a similar extent to that seen in HCO+ J = 1 → 0. CH3CN J = 11 → 10 shows a more centrally condensed (≤ 5″) and hotter source coinciding with the center of the accretion disk. The emitting region for CH3CN gets progressively smaller for higher K transitions, which shows that the temperature increases towards the center of the accretion disk. The mass of the continuum “disk” is ~ 85 M⊙ and the luminosity is ~104 L⊙ at an assumed distance of 2.8 kpc, while the enclosed mass estimated from DCN gives ~ 80 M⊙.
Retirement of Entrepreneurs: Implications for Entrepreneurial Exit

ABSTRACTRetirement of a large portion of the workforce and, particularly, entrepreneurs is a contemporary trend in developed countries. Despite substantial economic and social consequences of entre...
‘Becoming’ factory workers: understanding women’s geographies of work through life stories in Tamil Nadu, India

Feminist scholarship has drawn attention to the multiple places of labour and the intersection of social relations that shape women’s geographies of work. Acknowledging feminist research on gender ...
Study Habits and Learning Experiences of Undergraduate Students in a Physical Education Major Online Kinesiology Course

This study investigated undergraduate students’ study habits and learning experiences in an online lifespan motor development course. The study was based on the theory of transactional distance. Seven undergraduate physical education majors enrolled in an online course at a Midwestern public university in the United States participated in this study. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews, e-mail communication, bulletin board discussion logs, computer-based quizzes and exams, and a research writing project. Four interrelated themes underpinned by the theory of transactional distance emerged. Data were interpreted through a constant comparative method including (a) transition from experiential to visual learning, (b) how to use a textbook in an online course, (c) computer-based test anxieties, and (d) social justice and diversity sensitivity. The ideal online course puts a set of student tasks (i.e., lectures, projects, and assignments) at the center of the course to constitute the learning experiences of students either independently or collaboratively. Although the study was conducted in the context of the lifespan motor development online course, the recommendations can be applied across different content areas in the kinesiology field.Subscribe to TPE
Diversity in species composition and fungicide resistance profiles in Colletotrichum isolates from apples

Abstract Outbreaks of bitter rot were observed in three commercial apple orchards in Illinois despite best management efforts during the 2018 production season. Three isolates from symptomatic fruit from these orchards and two isolates from an orchard in South Carolina were identified to the species level using morphological tools and calmodulin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and beta-tubulin gene sequences. The isolates from Illinois were identified as Colletotrichum siamense of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex and the ones from South Carolina as Colletotrichum fioriniae and Colletotrichum fructicola of the Colletotrichum acutatum and the C. gloeosporioides species complex, respectively. Two of the three C. siamense isolates from Illinois were resistant to azoxystrobin and thiophanate-methyl as determined in mycelial growth tests in vitro. EC50 values were >100 μg/ml for both fungicides. One isolate was only resistant to azoxystrobin. None of the isolates from South Carolina was resistant to either of the two compounds. All five isolates were sensitive to fludioxonil (EC50 values
Development of a Protocol for Eight- and Nine-Membered Ring Synthesis in the Annulation of sp2,sp3-Hybridized Organic Dihalides with Keto Esters

A protocol has been developed in which annulation reactions of various dihalides with keto esters can be carried out to provide entry to eight- and nine-membered carbocycles. In this process wherein one alkenyl- or aryl bromide and a tethered alkyl chloride comprise the organic dihalide, a selective metal−halogen exchange reaction between the sp2-hybridized bromide and an organolithium initiates the process. Transmetalation to an organoytterbium reagent generates a species that undergoes selective carbonyl addition to the ketone of the keto ester, creating a lactone intermediate. Subjection of the resulting chloroalkyl lactone to intramolecular reductive coupling with samarium(II) iodide completes the desired annulation.