cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Micropolitics of Indigenous Environmental Movements in the Philippines

Indigenous movements face what Stuart Kirsch has called the ‘risks of counterglobalization’, which can distort their objectives into an all-or-nothing position with respect to development. In this contribution, I explore a case from the Philippines, where a movement originally conceived in terms of indigenous rights grew to include a more diverse mix of constituents and claims. This trajectory has made the movement vulnerable to charges of inauthenticity, particularly since the corporation it opposes has sponsored a parallel indigenous group and fashioned itself as the noble custodian of a threatened marine ecosystem. Nevertheless, the movement's constituents do not evaluate their activities exclusively in terms of its formal objectives or identity politics. For them, organized protest is entangled with the ‘serious games’ of everyday life, including, for example, local elections, struggles to achieve upward social mobility and efforts to redefine ethnic identity. As a result, some constituents see their involvement primarily as a claim to socioeconomic parity and others as a pursuit of the exceptional rights that indigeneity confers. Without attention to such local-level variation, we risk obscuring some of the most important motives and outcomes of indigenous movements — and, as a result, we may overlook the alternative visions of socio-environmental justice that emerge from their day-to-day struggles for livelihood, dignity and empowerment.
Adhesion performance and thermo-mechanical property of epoxy-based underfill

The adhesion and thermo-mechanical properties of epoxy underfills depend on the epoxy resin, the hardener, and the catalyst. In this study, three different epoxy resins, ERL4221 (cycloaliphatic type), EPON862 (bisphenol F type), and EPON 8281 (bisphenol A type), were cured with 4-methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHA) as the hardener using different catalysts: cobalt acetylacetonate (CAA), imidazole derivatives, and tertiary amines. The flow behavior of the epoxy systems was studied with a rheometer. The curing profiles were recorded using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), revealing varying catalytic effect for the different catalysts. The curing peak temperature increased in the following order: tertiary amine<imidazole derivatives<cobalt acetylacetonate. The bulk properties of the systems were studied through a thermo-mechanical analyzer (TMA). Epoxy resins cured with different catalysts showed different glass transition temperatures (T/sub g/) and coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE). Among them, the CAA catalyzed systems showed the highest T/sub g/ and low CTE. Due to the cycloaliphatic structure of the ERL4221 resin, the cured ERL4221 systems showed the highest T/sub g/ compared to the other systems with the same catalysts. EPON8281 systems generally had lower moisture absorption than the other epoxy systems. The surface tension of the underfills was measured. The adhesion strength was evaluated by a die shear test with SiO/sub 2/ and Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ (SiN) passivated silicon dies as substrates.
Impact of a Telehealth and Care Management Program on All-Cause Mortality and Healthcare Utilization in Patients with Heart Failure.

Abstract Background: Telehealth has the potential to improve chronic disease management and outcomes, but data regarding direct benefit of telehealth in patients with heart failure (HF) have been mixed. The objective of this study was to determine whether the Health Buddy Program (HBP) (Bosch Healthcare, Palo Alto, CA), a content-driven telehealth system coupled with care management, is associated with improved outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries with HF. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 623 Medicare beneficiaries with HF offered HBP enrollment compared with a propensity score-matched control group of Medicare beneficiaries with HF from the Medicare 5% sample. Associations between availability of the HBP and all-cause mortality, hospitalization, hospital days, and emergency department visits were evaluated. Results: Beneficiaries offered enrollment in the HBP had 24.9% lower risk-adjusted all-cause mortality over 3 years of follow-up (hazard ratio [HR]=0.75; 95% confidence in...
Effect of civil war on medical education in Liberia.

From 1980 to 2003 Liberia entered into a period of conflict and civil wars. During this time Liberia's health and educational services were severely disrupted. Equipment and supplies were stolen from the Medical School and the buildings damaged severely. A majority of health care workers, university faculty, and hospital and medical school administrators fled the country. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of civil war on the training of medical students and physicians, and to identify a feasible intervention. The authors compiled data from three sources at an Emergency Medicine symposium held at the A.M. Dogliotti School of Medicine, in Monrovia, Liberia, in September 2007. These were (1) data from 13 anonymous surveys completed by symposium participants who were physicians or physicians in training, and (2) answers from six open discussion groups at the symposium concerning perceived barriers to medical training. (3) Supporting documents volunteered by the Dean from interviews in 2002, 2007 and 2009 or published on line in 2002 and 2006 were incorporated, and a focused literature review was performed. The 12 medical students and 1 physician who returned completed surveys and attended the symposium all reported a delay in their training, with 75% of respondents citing a past and current lack of Clinical and Basic Science faculty as a major delaying factor. The six open discussion groups at the symposium and the information provided by the Dean substantiated these findings. Volunteer Basic Science and Clinical faculty for the medical school and teaching hospitals from a coalition of concerned partnering institutions would be a targeted intervention to assist in re-building the medical educational capacity of Liberia.
Use Of Finite State Machines In Segmentation Of Radiograph Images

The problem of image segmentation is approached via finite state machines. Finite state machines are excellent tools in processing various vision tasks. In this paper, segmentation of radiograph images of welding scenes are considered. A Mealy machine has been designed to remove background nonhomogeneity and a Moore machine has been designed to isolate the welding defects from the background. Result of segmentation of several radiograph images using these finite state machines are given.
Student perceptions of a Self-Care course taught exclusively by team-based learning and utilizing Twitter

Abstract Objective To assess student perceptions of the use of team-based learning (TBL) and Twitter in an Introduction to Self-Care course. Methods A total of 53 pharmacy students enrolled in an Introduction to Self-Care course were asked to complete a survey assessing their perceptions of teaching methods utilized in the course (i.e., TBL and the social media platform Twitter). The survey focused on student perceptions of teamwork, workload, and knowledge gained during the course, as well as the integration of Twitter into the course. A 7-point Likert-type scale was used to assess the students' responses. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results. Results Overall, 51 (96%) students completed the survey upon completion of the course. When asked if they agreed with the statement, "I prefer traditional lecture style classes over TBL," the median response was "somewhat disagree." The median response to the statement "this course prepared me to navigate the clinical decision making process" was "agree." The median response to the statement, "I enjoyed utilizing Twitter as a communication tool during this course" was "somewhat disagree." On average, students somewhat disagreed that Twitter was beneficial for their engagement in the class. Conclusions Overall, TBL and the course were viewed favorably. The survey revealed improvements that need to be made in the course, including increasing the course to three credit hours and reshaping the use of social media to better engage students in discussion beyond the classroom.
Cardiomyopathy in AIDS: A pathophysiological perspective

This report addresses issues of pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of an increasingly prevalent cardiomyopathy in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). As patient survival increases with more effective antiretroviral therapy, cardiomyopathy in AIDS will become more apparent. The interactions of cellular and organism factors in AIDS and their relationships to the development of cardiomyopathy are reviewed herein. Amongst the factors addressed in this review are: (1) comorbid conditions found with AIDS, (2) the role of inflammatory heart disease and cytokines in the development of AIDS cardiomyopathy, (3) the pathogenetic role of vascular cells and myocardial cells in the development of cardiomyopathy, (4) the role of myocardial retroviral infection in AIDS, and (5) the impact of toxicity from antiretroviral therapy on the development of cardiomyopathy. Because it is possible that more than 1 of these factors is present in a given patient inflicted with AIDS, a multifactorial pathogenesis in AIDS cardiomyopathy must be considered.
On-Line Detection of Localized Defects in Bearings by Pattern Recognition Analysis

A pattern recognition analysis scheme was developed for investigating vibration signals of bearings. Two normalized and dimensionless features are extracted by short-time signal processing techniques. Employing these two features, two linear discriminant functions have been established to detect defects on the outer race and rollers of bearings, respectively. Results of fault detection/diagnosis, based on the experimental data of imposed bearing defects, indicated the technique to be 14 percent better in the rate of success for the detection of defects than the best among the state-of-the-art
Reconstitution of adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulfate transporter from rat brain

Summary Adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS), the “active” sulfate donor for sulfated macromolecules, is synthesized in the cytosolic fraction of rat brains. This molecule is then translocated into the lumen of the Golgi apparatus so that it is available to the sulfotransferase enzymes. The protein responsible for the PAPS translocating activity has been solubilized from vesicles enriched in enzyme markers for the Golgi apparatus and reconstituted into liposomes. In reconstituted liposomes translocating activity has a pH optimum of 7.0 and activity was increased 3-fold by divalent cations, although EDTA produced no inhibition. The affinity of the reconstituted translocator for PAPS showed a Km of 1.2 mM with a Vmax of 14 pmol of PAPS translocated/min/mg of protein. Specificity of the translocator activity was tested with a number of nucleotide analogues and only 3′,5′-adenosine diphosphate was a competitive inhibitor. Inhibitors of the mitochondrial ADP/ATP transporter and the red cell anion channel blocked transport of PAPS only at very high concentrations.
Detergent solubility as a limiting factor in solubilization by aqueous solutions of two nonionic detergents

Abstract An examination of the temperature-phase diagrams, and of the phases themselves, obtained in solubilization studies with two polyethyleneoxide side-chain type nonionic detergents and several liquid aromatic compounds indicates that the presence of the latter decreases the cloud points of the detergents, thus limiting solubilization. With certain of the solubilizates studied, excess solubilizate will form the second phase at below room temperatures, indicating that the solubilizer micelles are saturated, the behavior of the system now corresponding to that found with solubilization by ionic detergents. A marked transition region may separate the manifestations of these two phenomena. The results obtained thus limit the validity of the turbidity criterion for solubilization end point when studying solubilization in aqueous solutions of nonionic detergents.
Decoupling litter respiration from whole-soil respiration along an elevation gradient in a Rocky Mountain mixed-conifer forest

Litter respiration (RL) represents a significant portion of whole-soil respiration (RS) in forests, yet climatic correlations with RL have seldom been examined. Because RL is reduced at low humidit...
Influence of Changes in Daylength and Carbon Dioxide on the Growth of Potato

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are highly productive in mid- to high-latitude areas where photoperiods change significantly throughout the growing season. To study the effects of changes in photoperiod on growth and tuber development of potato cv. Denali, plants were grown for 112 d with 400 micromol/sq m/s photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) under a 12-h photoperiod (short days, SD), a 24-h photoperiod (long days, LD), and combinations where plants were moved between the two photoperiods 28, 56, or 84 d after planting. Plants given LD throughout growth received the greatest total daily PPF and produced the greatest tuber yields. At similar levels of total PPF, plants given SD followed by LD yielded greater tuber dry mass (DM) than plants given LD followed by SD. Stem DM per plant, leaf DM, and total plant DM all increased with an increasing proportion of LD and increasing daily PPF, regardless of the daylength sequence. When studies were repeated, but at an enriched (1000micromol/mol) CO2 concentration, overall growth trends were similar, with high CO2 resulting in greater stem length, stem DM, leaf DM, and total plant DM; but high CO2 did not increase tuber DM.
Tests of the betweenness property of expected utility

Abstract In order that maximizing some kind of an expectation be acceptable as a descriptive theory of risky decision making it is necessary that a gamble made up of a probability mixture of two others lie between them in the perference order. It should not be the most preferred nor the least preferred of the three. The two experiments reported here test that condition and find it is significantly violated. According to Portfolio theory and expected risk theory the mixture may be most preferred but not least preferred. This condition is found to obtain.
Out-of-Body Experience Status as a Moderator of Effects of Narcissism on Paranormal Beliefs

The Narcissistic Personality Inventory and the Paranormal Belief Scale were given to 383 college students. As hypothesized, significant but small direct correlations were obtained between narcissism and belief in Psi and in Precognition. When the sample was divided into those 56 who reported out-of-body experiences and 327 nonreporters, an interaction emerged. Among the former, narcissism showed significant moderate correlations with belief in Psi, Precognition, Witchcraft, and Superstition. Among the latter only one small significant relationship was found between narcissism and Precognition. These differential relationships between narcissism and paranormal beliefs for reporters and nonreporters of out-of-body experiences were interpreted in terms of schemata theory.
Four-vertex degree graphs of nonsolvable groups

For a finite group G, the character degree graph Δ(G) is the graph whose vertices are the primes dividing the degrees of the ordinary irreducible characters of G, with distinct primes p and q joined by an edge if pq divides some character degree of G. We determine all graphs with four vertices that occur as Δ(G) for some nonsolvable group G. Along with previously known results on character degree graphs of solvable groups, this completes the classification of all four-vertex graphs that occur as Δ(G) for some finite group G.
MODELING DYNAMIC INTERINDUSTRY REGIONAL GROWTH IN THE PRESENCE OF STRUCTURAL SHIFTS AND OUTLIERS

. Kraybill and Dorfman (1992) propose a model of intermediate and export demand which uses ordinary least-squares and linear systems techniques to produce a state-space representation of the time element of output change. Their model produces dynamic multipliers which trace the temporal path of regional growth, and has many advantages over previously employed time series methods. This study extends their methodology to accommodate structural shifts and outliers found in the least-squares relationship between industry and export output by using a recently-introduced technique–multiprocess mixture estimation. An application of the Kraybill-Dorfman method and the extensions proposed here to monthly time series data on Ohio employment is used to illustrate these issues.
Simulation of the Northern Summer Monsoon in the ECMWF Model: Sensitivity to Horizontal Resolution

Abstract The ability of the ECMWF model (cycle 33) to simulate the Indian and East Asian summer monsoons is evaluated at four different horizontal resolutions: T21, T42, T63, and T1O6. Generally, with respect to the large-scale features of the circulation, the largest differences among the simulations occur at T42 relative to T21. However, on regional scales, important differences among the high-frequency temporal variability serve as a further critical rest of the model's ability to simulate the monsoon. T106 best captures both the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Indian and East Asian monsoons, whereas T42 fails to correctly simulate the sequence and development of synoptic-scale milestones that characterize the monsoon flow. In particular, T106 is superior at simulating the development and migration of the monsoon trough over the Bay of Bengal. In the T42 simulation, the development of the monsoon occurs one month earlier than typically observed. At this time the trough is incorrectly locate...
Regulatory CD8+CD122+ T-cells predominate in CNS after treatment of experimental stroke in male mice with IL-10-secreting B-cells

Clinical stroke induces inflammatory processes leading to cerebral and splenic injury and profound peripheral immunosuppression. IL-10 expression is elevated during major CNS diseases and limits inflammation in the brain. Recent evidence demonstrated that transfer of IL-10+ B-cells reduced infarct volume in male C57BL/6J (wild-type, WT) recipient mice when given 24 h prior to or 4 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The purpose of this study was to determine if passively transferred IL-10+ B-cells can exert therapeutic and immunoregulatory effects when injected 24 h after MCAO induction in B-cell-sufficient male WT mice. The results demonstrated that IL-10+ B-cell treated mice had significantly reduced infarct volumes in the ipsilateral cortex and hemisphere and improved neurological deficits vs. Vehicle-treated control mice after 60 min occlusion and 96 h of reperfusion. The MCAO-protected B-cell recipient mice had less splenic atrophy and reduced numbers of activated, inflammatory T-cells, decreased infiltration of T-cells and a less inflammatory milieu in the ischemic hemispheres compared with Vehicle-treated control mice. These immunoregulatory changes occurred in concert with the predominant appearance of IL-10-secreting CD8+CD122+ Treg cells in both the spleen and the MCAO-affected brain hemisphere. This study for the first time demonstrates a major neuroprotective role for IL-10+ B-cells in treating MCAO in male WT mice at a time point well beyond the ~4 h tPA treatment window, leading to the generation of a dominant IL-10+CD8+CD122+ Treg population associated with spleen preservation and reduced CNS inflammation.
An unusual case of unilateral ureteral obstruction

Abstract A case of unilateral ureteral obstruction due to a leiomyoma in a patient with cervical cancer following radiation therapy is presented. The etiology of ureteral obstruction following radiation treatment of cervical carcinoma is reviewed and a strategem for evaluation is suggested.
A note on the existence of the hyperbolic singular value decomposition

Abstract In this note, we present a new matrix decomposition for a matrix pair (A, B) with A Hermitian. The hyperbolic SVD comes as a special case of the decomposition with A set to be the signature matrix.
Megestrol acetate in breast cancer ― A panel discussion

Physicians have been using hormonal manipulation to treat advanced breast cancer for almost a century. Surgical ablation of the ovaries, adrenals, and pituitary glands has achieved remarkable tumor regression in sensitive patients. Alternatively, large doses of estrogens, progestins, and androgens have achieved similar results. More recently, the emergence of new therapies, such as antiestrogens, LHRH agonists, and chemical blockade of adrenal steroid biosynthesis offer additional choices. Within limits, all of these therapies are equally effective in sensitive patients. The trend at the present time is to select a therapy that will produce a good response with minimal toxicity. Here the participating physicians will discuss one such therapy — Megace (megestrol acetate). They will consider the role of Megace in the treatment of advanced breast cancer along with issues such as toxicity, dose response, etc.
Extended Follow-up of Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation with 4-Hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) Purging for Indolent or Transformed Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

Autologous blood or marrow transplantation (ABMT) for low-grade lymphomas can prolong event-free survival (EFS) but requires long-term follow-up. We report one of the longest follow-ups to a prospective transplantation study in such diseases. On a phase II study, 80 patients with low-grade, transformed, or mantle cell lymphoma received ABMT with 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) purging as part of initial or salvage therapy. Diagnoses included nontransformed follicular lymphoma in 63% and transformed lymphoma in 15%. With 16.6-year median follow-up for survival, actuarial 10-year EFS and overall survival (OS) were 34% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25%-46%) and 45% (35%-57%). Median EFS and OS were 3.0 and 8.0 years. Early nonrelapse mortality incidence was 8%; myelodysplastic syndrome or leukemia incidence was 4%. Most relapses occurred within 3 years, with a median time to diagnosis of relapse of 1.8 years (range: 0.1-15.6 years). On multivariate analysis, age >50 years, ≥3 prior chemotherapy regimens, and ABMT after relapse were associated with significantly inferior survival. Fifteen patients (19%) were event-free >15 years after transplantation, raising the possibility of a plateau in the progression-free survival curve. Thus, 4-HC-purged ABMT can produce extended remissions in a subgroup of patients with indolent lymphomas.
Experimental evidence indicating that the penis of the rat is innervated by short adrenergic neurons

To determine if the penis of the rat is supplied by long or short adrenergic neurons, hypogastric and perivascular neurectomies were performed. Reserpine, a drug which depletes the store of norepinephrine from long adrenergic nerves more rapidly than from short adrenergic neurons, has also been used to aid in characterizing this innervation. Hypogastric neurectomy, with or without denervation of the common iliac vessels, had no effect on the density or fluorescence intensity of adrenergic fibers in the rat penis. The long adrenergic fibers to the atria did not fluoresce in reserpine-treated rats; however, fluorescent adrenergic fibers in the penis and vas deferens remained visible. Reserpine depressed atrial levels of norepinephrine by 75%, while norepinephrine in the penis and vas deferens was reduced only by 32% and 29%, respectively. The absence of any effect of hypogastric neurectomy on the adrenergic fibers of the penis indicates that such fibers arise from neurons distal to the site of lesion of the hypogastric nerves. This result and the similar response of the vas deferens and penis to reserpine strongly suggest that the penis of the rat is supplied by short adrenergic neurons.
Trends in predictors of death due to HIV-related causes among persons living with AIDS in New York City: 1993-2001.

To examine trends in predictors of HIV-related mortality among cohorts of persons living with AIDS (PLWA) in New York City (NYC), nine calendar year-specific cohorts of PLWA were created from 1993 to 2001. Cohorts were defined as persons who had been alive at any time during that year and had been diagnosed with AIDS before the end of that year. Predictors of death because of HIV-related causes of death were assessed by examinnng year-specific, stratified death rates per 1,000 PLWA and adjusted relative risks (RRs) from proportional hazards models. We conducted an analysis of AIDS surveillance data PLWA in NYC between 1993 and 2001. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed for each calendar year cohort to evaluate trends in the RR of HIV-related death over the subsequent 5 years, adjusting for sex, reace/ethnicity, age, transmission risk borough of residence, category of AIDS diagnosis [opportunistic illness (OI) or CD4 count <200 cells/μL], time since AIDS diagnosis, and CD4 count at time of AIDS diagnosis. Death rates due to all causes and HIV-related causes declined substantially during 1993–1997 and then stabilized in all subgroups of PLWA between 1998 and 2001. Beginning in 1995, differences in survival emerged in some subgroups, such that by 2001 (1) injecting drug users (IDUs) had poorer survival compared with men who have sex with men (MSM) [RR2001=2.1, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)=1.8–2.4]; (2) black and Hispanic PLWA had a significantly higher risk of death than white PLWA (RR2001=1.4, 95% CI=1.2–1.6, RR2001=1.2, 95% CI=1.1–1.4, respectively, and (3) PLWA aged 60 and above had poorer survival compared with younger persons (RR2001=2.4, 95% CI=1.9–3.0), after adjustment for other factors. The observed disparities that began to emerge in 1995 may be attributable to differential effects of, access to, or usage of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). More targeted studies are needed to determine why such disparities have emerged.
Industrial Hygiene Summary Reports

Abstract This Journal welcomes brief comments derived from your daily activities which may be useful to other members of the profession. Address your communications to: R. F. Scherberger, Laboratory of Industrial Medicine, Building 2, Kodak Park Works, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, New York 14650.
Improving collaborative writing for the blind

Collaborative writing has become essential in organizations. However, current collaborative writing tools are not accessible and usable, which prevents persons who are blind from independently participating in group work when collaborative writing activities are involved. Based on several usability studies, we present a prototype of an interface that improves the collaborative writing experience for persons who are blind.
Circadian rhythms of heart rate and mean arterial pressure in chronically instrumented pregnant rats

With the use of a chronic preparation to directly monitor blood pressure and heart rate in pregnant rats, continuous data were obtained over the last half of gestation in normotensive rats. Over this time span, the animals showed significant decreases in blood pressure and increases in heart rate. Heart rate exhibited marked and consistent circadian rhythmicity with peaks occurring near the midportion of the dark phase of the 24-hour cycle. Blood pressure rhythms were less prominent and peaked later. The trends observed in blood pressure and heart rate over gestation suggest that the pregnant rat is a useful model for studying the cardiovascular effects of pregnancy.
The impact of display angles on the legibility of Sans-Serif 5 × 5 capitalized letters.

Abstract This paper introduced a laboratory study on quantifying the impact of display angles 0.0°–90.0° on the legibility of Sans-Serif 5 × 5 Capitalized Letters C, D, E, F, H, K, N, P, R, U, V, and Z, commonly used for acuity tests. This study addressed three issues not tackled in the previous studies, including (a) extremely large incident angles 82.8°–90°, (b) multiple letters other than a single letter E previously used, and (c) the interference of people's normal reading habit on legibility evaluation. A total of 20 young college students with Snellen acuity 20/20 or better and normal color vision participated in this experiment. They were asked to read viewing materials presented at 15 display angles. This study derived two equations and modified an existing legibility index to correct the interference of people's normal reading habit on legibility evaluation at extreme oblique display angles.
An Examination of Homologous Reproduction in the Representation of Assistant Coaches of Women’s Teams

Researchers (e.g., Stangl & Kane Sociology of Sport Journal, 8: 47–60, 1991) have been successful in using homologous reproduction theory to explain the decline of women in coaching roles. In this investigation, we aimed to extend previous research by exploring the practice in (a) employment patterns of assistant coaches, and (b) environments in which women are actually the dominant gender doing the hiring. Data from the 2002–2003 Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) was used to determine if a head coach’s gender impacted the gender composition of assistant coaches on a staff in four different women’s teams sports in NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions (n = 2,964). The results indicate that the gender of a head coach does impact the gender composition of the assistant coaches on a staff, irrespective of sport. This relationship was most notable when the head coach was female, as female head coaches were much more likely to hire female assistants than male head coaches were to hire male assistant coaches.
Aberrant 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 activity in the cpk mouse: implications for regulation by the Ke 6 gene

Glucocorticoids have been used to create experimental polycystic kidney disease in rodents and to induce cysts in embryonic kidneys cultures. In addition, the plasma corticosterone levels are higher in a heritable murine model of polycystic kidney disease, cpk mice, in the first postnatal week. Previously, we had shown that the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 (11betaHSD-1) gene is down-regulated in the cpk mice in a coordinated pattern with the Ke 6 gene. In this study, we measured the level of 11betaHSD-1 activity in kidney and liver tissues of cpk homozygote mice and found a reduction in its activity only in the kidney, not in the liver. The activity of the 11betaHSD-1 enzyme appears to be tightly correlated to the level of Ke 6 protein in these tissues. We discuss the possibility that the activity of the 11betaHSD-1 enzyme may be regulated by the Ke 6 enzyme. Ke 6 gene expression has been located to the outer stripe region of rodent kidneys, which is the same region of expression as that for the ...
Discordant Effects of β-Blockade on Central Aortic Systolic and Brachial Systolic Blood Pressure: Considerations Beyond the Cuff

The role of beta-blockers in uncomplicated hypertension has been challenged recently. Compared with other antihypertensives, beta-blockers are less effective for preventing cardiovascular events in patients with uncomplicated hypertension. Moreover, a recent meta-analysis of placebo-controlled clinical trials concluded that atenolol is not more efficacious than placebo for preventing cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension. Although these agents lower blood pressure measured conventionally over the brachial artery with a blood pressure cuff, they do not exert a commensurate effect on blood pressure in the central aorta. Central aortic blood pressure and aortic augmentation index are strong predictors of left ventricular hypertrophy, an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. Emerging data are illuminating the antihypertensive paradox whereby antihypertensive agents may elicit discordant effects on central and peripheral blood pressure and hemodynamics. Vasodilatory antihypertensives, such as renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and calcium channel blockers, elicit reductions in central aortic blood pressure equal to or greater than that in the brachial artery. Conversely, beta-blockers lower central aortic blood pressure to a lesser degree even when blood pressure measured by sphygmomanometry is reduced substantially. Given the strong relationship between central aortic blood pressure and target organ damage, the effectiveness of beta-blockers may be overestimated in practice on the basis of conventional blood pressure measurements alone. Differences in central and peripheral blood pressure may account for the lack of cardiovascular protection afforded by beta-blockers in clinical trials and could account for a portion of the apparent "benefit beyond blood pressure" reduction with other classes of antihypertensive agents. Future studies should aim to better clarify the role of central aortic blood pressure in the treatment of hypertension. In the meantime, the effects of antihypertensive drugs on blood pressure "beyond the brachial blood pressure cuff" should be considered when prescribing antihypertensive agents for a patient.
Experimental Study of Collapse Limits for Wood Frame Shear Walls

AbstractUnder extreme earthquake loading, light-frame wood building collapse is often caused by excessive interstory drifts at one or more story levels, leading to catastrophic P-Δ failure once the shear walls, and subsequently the entire structure, become unstable. This soft-story collapse mechanism has been observed in numerous earthquakes. Current performance-based seismic design methods for light-frame wood buildings typically uses very conservative drift levels to represent the near collapse deformation of wood frame building systems, such as the 3% drift limit used in ACSE Standard 41 corresponding to a collapse prevention performance target. A series of full-scale collapse loading tests on wood shear walls was conducted in this study to identify the ultimate drift level at which P-Δ collapse will occur and is described in this paper. It was concluded that laterally braced wood shear walls can remain stable up to ∼7–10% interstory drift, depending on the magnitude of the vertical loading. If one con...
A Note on General Oscillation for Delay Differential Equations

In this note we demonstrate the existence of linear delay differential equations whose solutions are neither generically oscillatory nor generically nonoscillatory.
Density of Dormitory Living and Stress: Mediating Effects of Sex, Self-Monitoring, and Environmental Affective Qualities:

Mediating effects of sex, self-monitoring, and environmental perception were examined in a study of the effects of social density on stress. Subjects were 53 male and 49 female dormitory residents ...
Calcium Modulation of Toxicities Due to Cisplatin

Cisplatin (CDDP) is a potent anti-neoplastic agent with associated toxicities, especially gastrointestinal and nephrotoxicity that are its dose-limiting factors in clinical oncology. In an attempt to elucidate its mechanism(s) of action, liver and kidney tissues from normal and CDDP treated (1.8 mg/kg) dogs were evaluated for changes in various dehydrogenases [MDH, SDH, β-HBDH, IDH and G-6-PDH] and nonspecific lipase enzymes. CDDP treatment induced an inhibition of all the enzymes studied except G-6-PDH and nonspecific lipases, where there was a significant increase. Supplemental pretreatments with calcium 2.50 mg (150,000 USP units) ergocalciferol plus 1000 mg of elemental calcium as Tums 500 (EffeCal; calcium carbonate)/day seemed to retain enzyme levels close to normal with no apparent toxic side effects observed after CDDP. Calcium supplements post-CDDP treatment did not have any protective effect.
Chemical effects of gamma radiation on iodine in aqueous solutions

Abstract Gamma radiolysis of iodine ions in aqueous solutions was investigated under high intensity gamma-rays (at 4.5 × 106 R/h) from 60Co at ambient temperature. The yields of radiation induced oxidation products, I2 and IO3− were measured as a function of radiation dose, I− concentration and solution pH. The I2 yield increased with increasing I− concentration and decreasing pH. The G(I2) value is determined to be 0.2 in a pH 2 solution containing 10−3 MI−. At an iodide concentration of 10−5 M or less, the formation of I2 diminished, whereas IO3− was found. Iodide was converted nearly quantitatively to IO3− hwern the initial I− concentration was 10−6 M or less with a pH range from 3 to 9. The maximum G(IO3−) value is determined to be 0.001 in a pH 8 solution. A mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of IO3− under the experimental condition. This mechanism consists of successive oxidations of iodine with HIO as a primary intermediate. Experimental data have demonstrated that the formation of iodate in the BWR primary coolant is the result of radiation effects on radioniodine in the coolant. The mechanism would predict that the iodine in the BWR steam phase is probably the result of distillation of the volatile HIO intermediate.
Design of the optimal outfall system for a stream receiving thermal and organic waste discharges

Abstract A system synthesis technique was employed in the present study for selecting the “best” outfall configuration for a stream that receives multiple thermal and organic waste discharges. The optimal locations for the cooling water and organic waste discharges, the optimal allocations of the wastes to these discharge points, and the optimal artificial aeration control policies were simultaneously determined. A dual water quality constraint on the minimum DO concentration and the maximum BOD concentration was imposed in order to ensure that the water quality be maintained above a minimum legal requirement. The complex pattern search method along with the modified algorithm of the maximum principle was used to generate the required information. A specific example of double-outfall system was solved to illustrate the theoretical development.
Photosensory transduction in the flagellated alga, Euglena gracilis I. Action of divalent cations, Ca2+ antagonists and Ca2+ ionophore on motility and photobehavior.

Abstract 1. 1. The flagellated alga, Euglena gracilis, swins forward essentially in a straight path under constant light intensity. Strong motility of the cells can be supported by Mg2+ alone but optimum motility is found in the presence of Mg2+, Ca2+ and K+. 2. 2. Ca2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Ba2+ induced a concentration-dependent increase in the rate at which the cells change the direction of their swimming path (a klinokinesis). Ni2+ immobilizes the flagellum. 3. 3. On perception of a reduction (‘step-down stimulus’) in blue light intensity in their environment, Euglena rotate in place (tumble) for a finite period (the step-down photophobic response). 4. 4. The duration of the tumbling is enhanced in the presence of divalent cations following the series Ca2+ > Ba2+ > Mn2+ > CO2+ > Mg2+ = Ni2+ = 0. 5. 5. Neither the tumbling response in the presence of low concentrations of Ca2+ or the Ca2+-stimulated response is altered by verapamil (a Ca2+ conductance antagonist). The Ca2+ conductance/active transport antagonist, ruthenium red, is also inactive. 6. 6. The Ca2+ ionophrone, A23187, has little effect on flagellar activity in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. However, in the presence of A23187, Ca2+ induces a specific ligh-independent, concentration-dependent discontinuous tumbling response of the cells.
Sources of sulphur in forest canopy throughfall

Atmospheric deposition of sulphate is the primary link between the atmosphere and acidification of soils and aquatic ecosystems1. The flux of sulphate to forest soils can be measured in the water that drips from trees following the interception of rain to form stemflow and throughfall (the sum of which is designated here as TF). Enrichment of sulphur in TF over that found in rain is widely reported2–4; sulphur sources include the wash-off of previously dry-deposited sulphate particles and SO2 and the leaching of internal plant sulphur from foliage (termed foliar leaching)5. To quantify foliar leaching, we labelled mature trees in the field with radiosulphur and measured atmospheric sulphur concentrations and fluxes. Here we report that dry deposition provides >85% of the enrichment of sulphate in the TF flux to soils below three different tree species at low-elevation sites in the southeastern United States. This supports evidence from several forests that total atmospheric deposition of sulphate is strongly reflected in the measured flux in TF.
Interorganizational relations in tourism

Abstract Establishing cooperative relations among tourism organizations has become an interest of tourism practitioners and academics. However, little empirical research has examined interorganizational relations (IOR) in the tourism field. To address this concern, IOR research from sociology and management sciences was examined within a tourism context. Interorganizational relations between the U.S. Forest Service, chambers of commerce, and tourism associations adjacent to an Arkansas National Forest were studied. Results showed a lack of cooperative relations across all organizations. Domain consensus, independence, and proximity emerged as predictors of cooperative relations. Although cooperative relations were limited, most respondents expressed an interest in establishing future relations. Implications for tourism planning and research were presented.
Concise Review: Adipose‐Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells and Stem Cells: Let's Not Get Lost in Translation

Subcutaneous fat has emerged as an alternative tissue source for stromal/stem cells in regenerative medicine. Over the past decade, international research efforts have established a wealth of basic science and preclinical evidence regarding the differentiation potential and regenerative properties of both freshly processed, heterogeneous stromal vascular fraction cells and culture expanded, relatively homogeneous adipose-derived stromal/stem cells. The stage has been set for clinicians to translate adipose-derived cells from the bench to the bedside; however, this process will involve "development" steps that fall outside of traditional "hypothesis-driven, mechanism-based" paradigm. This concise review examines the next stages of the development process for therapeutic applications of adipose-derived cells and highlights the current state of the art regarding clinical trials. It is recommended that the experiments addressing these issues be reported comprehensively in the peer-review literature. This transparency will accelerate the standardization and reproducibility of adipose-derived cell therapies with respect to their efficacy and safety.
Concurrent/parallel simulation of discrete event systems via event synchronization

By using the event synchronization scheme, we develop a new method for parallel simulation of many discrete event dynamic systems concurrently. Though a few concurrent simulation methods have been developed during the last several years, such as the well-known standard clock method, most of them are largely limited to Markovian systems. The main advantage of our method is its applicability to non-Markovian systems. For Markovian systems a comparison study on efficiency between our method and the standard clock method is done on connection machine CM-5. CM-5 is a parallel machine with both SIMD (single instruction, multiple data) and MIMD (multiple instruction, multiple data) architectures. The simulation results show that if event rates of Markovian systems do not differ by much then both methods are compatible but the standard clock method performs better in most cases. For Markovian systems with very different event rates, our method often yields better results. Most importantly, our simulation results also show that our method works as efficiently for non-Markovian systems as for Markovian systems.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Protein growth factors as potential therapies for central nervous system demyelinative disorders

Demyelinative diseases are frequently accompanied by loss of oligodendroglia; in such instances, oligodendroglial regeneration must precede remyelination. Recent studies indicate that extracellular proteins such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) profoundly influence the oligodendroglial lineage. PDGF stimulates the formation of oligodendroglia from partially differentiated progenitor cells, whereas bFGF induces mature oligodendroglia to proliferate and dedifferentiate. Manipulations of the central nervous system concentrations of these and other protein growth factors may prove of therapeutic value in multiple sclerosis.
Long-term treatment with aspirin desensitization in asthmatic patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease

Abstract Background: Aspirin desensitization treatment is an option to decrease disease activity and reduce the need for systemic corticosteroids in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). Objective: This study was designed to determine whether the clinical courses of patients with AERD improved as early as 6 months after starting aspirin desensitization and to compare this with follow-up evaluations after at least a year. Methods: Between 1995 and 2000, 172 patients with AERD were admitted to our General Clinical Research Center, were desensitized to and treated with aspirin, were discharged to their home communities, and participated in follow-up interviews and written assessments of their clinical courses. Results: By the first 6 months of aspirin treatment, there were significant reductions in sinus infections and numbers of short courses of prednisone and improvements in sense of smell and general assessment of nasal-sinus and asthma symptoms ( P P
Damping of differential rotation in neutron stars

We derive the transport relaxation times for quasiparticle-vortex scattering processes via nuclear force, relevant for the damping of the differential rotation of superfluids in the quantum liquid core of a neutron star. The proton scattering off the neutron vortices provides the dominant resistive force on the vortex lattice at all relevant temperatures in the phase where neutrons only are in the paired state. If protons are superconducting, a small fraction of hyperons and resonances in the normal state would be the dominant source of friction on neutron and proton vortex lattices at the core temperatures $Tg~{10}^{7}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}.$
Clinical supervision: A neo‐progressive approach

Abstract Characteristics of clinical supervision (neo‐progressive) offer possibilities that can be incorporated into the supervision process to enhance teaching/learning through the improvement of instruction within the classroom. This focus on the instructional activities within the classroom will have a greater effect than any curricular reform because it focuses upon the most critical of all classroom events, the instructional process. An overview of the neo‐progressive approach to clinical supervision explains why it offers potential for the school reform movement.
Endothelin receptors A and B are expressed in distinct cellular compartments of rat hippocampus following global ischemia: an immunocytochemical study.

Abstract Objectives: The syntheses of endothelin receptors A and B were previously shown to be upregulated in rat dorsal hippocampus after traumatic brain injury. Here we characterize endothelin receptor A and endothelin receptor B cellular distribution in hippocampus after permanent global brain ischemia and their possible association to nerve cell injury. Methods: Twenty-minute global ischemia was induced using the Pulsinelli’s four-vessel occlusion in conjunction with systemic hypovolemia in male rats. Endothelin receptor A and endothelin receptor B immunoreactivities from sham-operated and ischemic rats were assessed qualitatively in dentate gyrus, Cornu Ammonis, and hilus regions of the hippocampus. Quantitative immunoreactivity measurements were also obtained by optical densitometry. Results: In sham-operated control hippocampus, endothelin receptor A immunoreactivity was absent in nerve cell bodies but strongly expressed in the mossy fiber pathway (axons of dentate gyrus granule cells). After ische...