cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Varying Manipulative Game Constraints.

The effectiveness of the game Order Out was investigated and differences in achievement when a) sets of fraction bars, b) pictorial representations of frac tion bars, or c) neither physical nor pictorial aids were made available during the play of the game. The game was played 20 minutes, twice weekly for 5 weeks. The sub jects were 85 fifth grade students in four intact classes and 177 seventh grade students in eight intact classes. Pre- and post tests of 40 items were given; in each item, the student ordered a pair of proper fractions. The game was an effective way to improve students' achievement of the game content. There were no significant achieve ment differences among treatments. Post-hoc analysis of the data revealed sex-related trends suggesting two hypotheses for further study.
Primary Adrenocortical Nodular Dysplasia: A Rare Cause of Cushing's Syndrome1

ABSTRACT. Pituitary-adrenal function was studied before and after bilateral adrenalectomy in a 14-yr-old girl with an unusual form of Cushing's syndrome. Manipulative tests prior to surgery revealed urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) which were unsuppressible with dexamethasone (2 and 8 mg/day), unresponsive to exogenous ACTH, and which fell to very low levels with metyrapone administration. A small sella turcica (lateral area 47 mm2) was demonstrated. Both adrenals demonstrated multiple small nodules and sheets of atypical tissue surrounded by more normal appearing adrenocortical cells. Plasma ACTH was undetectable even at low levels (<.12 mU/100 ml) during the surgical procedure and for 2 months after adrenalectomy even during periods of complete withdrawal of cortisol therapy. Plasma ACTH returned to a normal but not elevated level 3 and 7 months after adrenalectomy while the patient was receiving 30 mg of cortisol/day. The results of these studies indicate that the bilateral adrenal hyperfunc...
Transcriptome characterization by RNA-Seq reveals the involvement of the complement components in noise-traumatized rat cochleae

Abstract Acoustic trauma, a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss in adults, induces a complex degenerative process in the cochlea. Although previous investigations have identified multiple stress pathways, a comprehensive analysis of cochlear responses to acoustic injury is still lacking. In the current study, we used the next-generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technique to sequence the whole transcriptome of the normal and noise-traumatized cochlear sensory epithelia (CSE). CSE tissues were collected from rat inner ears 1 d after the rats were exposed to a 120-dB (sound pressure level) noise for 2 h. The RNA-Seq generated over 176 million sequence reads for the normal CSE and over 164 million reads for the noise-traumatized CSE. Alignment of these sequences with the rat Rn4 genome revealed the expression of over 17,000 gene transcripts in the CSE, over 2000 of which were exclusively expressed in either the normal or noise-traumatized CSE. Seventy-eight gene transcripts were differentially expressed (70 upregulated and 8 downregulated) after acoustic trauma. Many of the differentially expressed genes are related to the innate immune system. Further expression analyses using quantitative real time PCR confirmed the constitutive expression of multiple complement genes in the normal organ of Corti and the changes in the expression levels of the complement factor I (Cfi) and complement component 1, s subcomponent (C1s) after acoustic trauma. Moreover, protein expression analysis revealed strong expression of Cfi and C1s proteins in the organ of Corti. Importantly, these proteins exhibited expression changes following acoustic trauma. Collectively, the results of the current investigation suggest the involvement of the complement components in cochlear responses to acoustic trauma.
The mild reservationists and the League of Nations controversy in the Senate

During the years 1919-1920, President Woodrow Wilson unsuccessfully struggled to persuade the Senate to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and thereby bring the United States into the newly created League of Nations. In considering the defeat of the treaty in the Senate, historical attention is usually directed toward Wilson and his ardent opposition, Republican Majority Leader Henry Cabot Lodge and the "irreconcilables". Such studies tend to neglect the mild reservationists, ten Republican senators who played a prominent part during this decisive period. Relying on manuscript and newspaper sources, the author argues that, far from being excessively timid and sharing the blame for the League's rejection, as some have contended, the mild reservationists acted effectively to promote approval of the treaty. Failures of judgement by Wilson and the reluctance of Senate Democratic leaders to break with him frustrated their efforts. Margulies aims to provide an analysis of the ratification controversy and hopes to provide fresh insights into this crucial time in America's political past.
The Oppression of Women and Nature: Ecofeminism as a Framework for an Expanded Ecological Social Work

This article broadens and clarifies the way social work conceptualizes its ecological/system constructs and the professional commitments that flow from them. It utilizes important insight from a contemporary, radical environmental philosophy—ecofeminism—to search for language and descriptions that may help the profession begin the process of formulating and depicting an expanded ecological model of practice. This article sketches the essential philosophical premises of a revisioned ecological model and offers suggestions for interpreting and applying this model. Specifically, it gives attention to critiquing the interrelated oppression stemming from modern economic theory and practice, and ways in which social workers may collaborate with communities and individuals to bring about change.
Virtual electrodes and deexcitation: new insights into fibrillation induction and defibrillation

Previous models of fibrillation induction and defibrillation stressed the contribution of depolarization during the response of the heart to a shock. This article reviews recent evidence suggesting that comprehending the role of negative polarization (hyperpolarization) also is crucial for understanding the response to a shock. Negative polarization can "deexcite" cardiac cells, creating regions of excitable tissue through which wavefronts can propagate. These wavefronts can result in new reentrant circuits, inducing fibrillation or causing defibrillation to fail. In addition, deexcitation can lead to rapid propagation through newly excitable regions, resulting in the elimination of excitable gaps soon after the shock and causing defibrillation to succeed.
A content analysis of mass media stories surrounding the consumer privacy issue 1990-2001

Abstract The following study investigates mass media coverage of the consumer privacy issue from 1990–2001 across three media formats: newspapers, consumer magazines, and trade publications. The results indicate that media coverage has increased dramatically in all media formats. Overall, article content has varied relative to the primary privacy domain covered, primary story topic, and the portrayal of the direct marketing industry. Differences were found across media outlets with respect to the source of the privacy problem and the source of the potential solution. Implications and ideas for future research also are presented.
Interpretation and significance of ankle-brachial systolic pressure index

The ankle-brachial systolic pressure index (ABI) is an underutilized, easy-to-perform, physiologic test to diagnosis atherosclerotic lower-limb arterial occlusive disease. Testing requires a sphygmomanometer and continuous-wave Doppler probe to measure the ratio of ankle and brachial systolic blood pressures. The ABI measurement has been standardized by use of the highest ankle and brachial systolic pressure for the calculation; abnormal threshold value is ≤0.9. The ABI is used to diagnosis and screen for peripheral arterial disease, which is a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and a predictor of cardiovascular events. A lower ABI value correlates with severity of limb ischemia and decreased survival. Measurement of ABI is recommended as the initial diagnostic test for patients with exertional leg pain (claudication), to assess the healing potential of foot lesions, after blunt extremity trauma to detect occult arterial injury, and as part of the routine health assessment of patients with diabetes and peripheral arterial disease.
The media's language of the drug issue, 1984–1991: Considerations for the cultural definition of an issue over time

This study builds upon a new agenda‐setting paradigm proposed by Megwa and Brenner (1988) and the resulting broadened conceptualization of agenda‐setting research by Rogers et al. (1991) that considers the roles of new information and changing media interpretations of an issue over time. The study classifies more than 10,000 news reports about the drug issue from 1984 to 1991 into issue and event categories, examines the cycle of media coverage in relation to Downs's issue‐attention cycle, and then examines the relationship between the issue/event content and the cycle of media coverage to determine how new information and the media's changing interpretations of the issue affected the development of the issue over time. The findings suggest three conclusions: (1) the media's is heavy focus on issues related to government control of users and dealers on dramatic, drug‐related events featuring prominent figures, and on politically driven efforts to control drug importation; (2) the total media coverage duri...
The fine structural localization of some testicular phosphatases

The distribution of several nonspecific and nucleoside phosphatase activities in rat testis fixed in glutaraldehyde was studied with the electron microscope. Seven apparently discrete distributions of activity were found. Nonspecific phosphatase activity at neutral pH was found in the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules, as well as in pinocytic vesicles in connective tissue cells underlying the tubules. Acid phosphatase activity was associated with the dense bodies of Sertoli cells, and with the Golgi apparatus of all spermatogenic cells. In addition, the Golgi apparatus of spermatogenic cells exhibited activity to both nucleoside di- and tri-phosphates. The Golgi apparatus of the Sertoli cells exhibited both di- and triphosphatase activity, but no glycerophosphatase activity. Triphosphatase activity was also found at the cell surfaces of spermatogenic cells in some stages of development. Spermatogonia and early spermatocytes exhibited activity to both ATP and ITP. Little triphosphatase activity was found at the cell surfaces of secondary spermatocytes or early spermatids, while pronounced activity was seen at the surfaces of late spermatids.
Managing pathways to convergence in the life sciences industry

Purpose – Convergence in the life sciences and health care industries – the combining of two or more of drugs, diagnostics and devices to create an improved health care product – is leading to new opportunities for business growth and product differentiation. This report aims to examine the issues around convergence, including the drivers, risks and regulatory issues.Design/methodology/approach – This report is based on industry and literature reviews and builds on research carried out by Deloitte Research on the life sciences and health care industry.Findings – The paper finds that technological advances, evolving health care needs and shifting market conditions are creating favourable conditions for convergence. Developing convergent technologies, however, has risks and uncertainties that life sciences companies need to consider along with regulatory issues. Cross‐sector partnerships are becoming more of a necessity and reality for health care firms, who have to be aware of the many operational and owne...
Equilibria in the system: Di(2-ethylhexyl)-phosphoric acid-benzene-water-alkali (hydroxide, nitrate)☆

Abstract The extraction of the alkali metals from 3M alkali metal nitrate by di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP or HA) in benzene is examined as a function of HDEHP concentration and of aqueous phase pH. The dependence of extraction on reagent concentration over a wide range of reagent loading ( M A HA ) was interpreted using average degree of aggregation of the 0·1 M reagent in benzene measured in this and earlier work. A single metal organic phase species, MA·3HA, was found to exist up to 25 per cent MA in all cases except Cs (Fr not tested). The cesium system gave evidence of the presence of at least some CsA·4HA or CsA·5HA. At higher fractions of MA, the acid-coordinated species disappears and large aggregates of MA appear. At 100 per cent MA the order of extraction of the alkali metals is: Li > Na > K > Rb > Cs. However, the extractabilities of K, Rb, and Cs are very close together and Cs becomes more extractable than K and Rb at low fractions of MA.
Winter Abundance of the American Oystercatcher in South Carolina

Abstract South Carolina winters a large proportion (over 1/3) of the eastern race of the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), a declining species. During December of 1999-2002 ground surveys were conducted to provide baseline data on the abundance, age class partitioning and distribution of wintering American Oystercatchers in South Carolina. The number of oystercatchers in South Carolina was stable during this study (3,536, 95% CI: 3,030, 4,042). A single comprehensive survey can estimate the number of oystercatchers with enough precision to detect changes in the population of 13% and greater, but location of flocks and the range of tidal heights needed to concentrate flocks must be known prior to conducting the survey. About 89% of the birds in 2002 roosted on washed shell rakes and 9% had immature bill coloration. Winter surveys of the proportion of immature oystercatchers may provide an index of regional reproductive success, an important parameter for conservation plans. Because South Carol...
Beam-frame calculation of free-electron laser gain

The amplification of radiation is calculated in the beam frame for a free electron laser (FEL) with a planar or helical undulator. The effect of the radiation force upon the transverse electron trajectory is included; this effect accounts for one-half of the gain in the undulator regime. Our calculated gain agrees with conventional formulas.
The Promise of Racial and Ethnic Protective Factors in Promoting Ethnic Minority Youth Development

Experiences of racial and ethnic discrimina- tion pose significant threats to the development and well- being of racial and ethnic minority children. Fortunately, not all youth who experience discrimination are suscepti- ble to its harmful effects. Growing evidence points to sev- eral racial and ethnic factors that promote positive youth development and protect against the potentially damaging effects of racial and ethnic adversity. This article summa- rizes emerging research trends and conclusions regarding the "promotive" and "protective" effects of racial and ethnic identity, ethnic-racial socialization, and cultural orientation, as well as some of the mechanisms that may account for their salutary properties. The article con- cludes with a brief discussion of important considerations and directions for the future study of racial and ethnic resilience processes in ethnic minority youth.
Interannual variation in seasonal predation: Its origin and ecological importance1

Between-year variation in the springtime mortality of the copepod Diaptomus sanguineous is quantified using 8 yr of data from a single population in Bullhead Pond, Rhode Island. The mortality is ascribed to increased fish feeding activity when the water warms. The timing of the onset of predation and its intensity are quantified using the seasonal dynamics of adult copepod sex ratio. Females are more vulnerable to predation than males, and the slope of a plot of sex ratio vs. time is >0 when the fish begin to influence the copcpod population. The magnitude of the slope is an index of predation intensity. The annual onset of predation and its intensity are each significantly correlated with fish density, and fish density is a function of pond volume. Pond volume fluctuates between years, driving the dynamics of this predator–prey interaction. Annual variation in pond volume is related to groundwater level, which in turn is related to annual rainfall. Groundwater and rainfall records from the USGS and NOAA permit estimates of the extent of variation in springtime copepod mortality over a 38-45-yr period.
Development of a Geometric Spatial Visualization Tool.

This paper documents the development of the Geometric Spatial Assessment. We detail the development of this instrument which was designed to identify middle school students' strategies and advancement in understanding of four geometric concept domains (geometric spatial visualization, spatial projection, cardinal directions, and periodic patterns) after experiencing a carefully designed integrated lunar unit. Previous research with students using this lunar unit showed students making significant gains on lunar-related concepts (both scientific and mathematical) on a Lunar Phases Concept Inventory (LPCI) (Lindell & Olsen, 2002). Following the administration of single domain assessments, clinical interviews were conducted to ascertain students' problem solving strategies. Results allowed us to select four suitable multiple-choice items per domain.
The neurobiology of human category learning

Categorization is among the most important skills that any organism can possess. Recent advances in cognitive neuroscience have led to new insights about the neural basis of category learning. Perhaps most important is the finding that many different, widely separated neural structures appear to participate in category learning, but to varying degrees that depend on category structure. In particular, different brain regions are implicated according to whether the category-learning task involves explicit rules, prototype distortion or information integration.
Exact Relations for Effective Conductivity of Fiber-Reinforced Conducting Composites with the Hall Effect via a General Theory

In this paper we apply the general theory of exact relations to derive all microstructureindependent relations for effective conductivity of fiber-reinforced composites with Hall effect. We also derive all possible links between effective conductivities of two composites that have the same microstructure but are built using different materials. Our results hold for any number of constituents with any anisotropy. This paper is a record of the work of 14 undergraduate students in the NSF-sponsored REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program led by the author.
International trade and the internal organization of firms: An evolutionary approach

Masahiko Aoki and others have distinguished two alternative modes for a firm’s internal organization. We argue that the profitability of each mode depends on the distribution of firms across modes and on the general economic environment. We characterize the evolutionary equilibria in both a parametric and a general model, and argue that corner equilibria predominate. We analyze the effects of trade between the two countries in (a) outputs only and (b) inputs (factors) as well as outputs. Our most striking conclusion is that in case (b) a less efficient mode can displace a more efficient mode when trade barriers are sufficiently low.
On utilizing the available bandwidth in heterogeneous spectrum ad hoc networks

Due to the dynamic spectrum policies, the spectrum in wide area ad hoc networks embodies a heterogeneous property. How to utilize the different sets of available channels in the heterogeneous spectrum ad hoc networks poses a big challenge to the MAC design. Though previous multi-channel MAC protocols are already available, most of them are based on the assumption of same set of channels, which is broken in heterogeneous spectrum ad hoc networks. Applying these schemes might cause the loss of the connectivity and the inefficiency of spectrum usage. This paper proposes a new MAC scheme, Heterogeneous Multi-Channel MAC (HMC), which can utilize different sets of channels and at the same time maintain the efficiency and connectivity. Simulations show the advantages of this scheme.
Barriers to Retrieving Patient Information from Electronic Health Record Data: Failure Analysis from the TREC Medical Records Track

Objective: Secondary use of electronic health record (EHR) data relies on the ability to retrieve accurate and complete information about desired patient populations. The Text Retrieval Conference (TREC) 2011 Medical Records Track was a challenge evaluation allowing comparison of systems and algorithms to retrieve patients eligible for clinical studies from a corpus of de-identified medical records, grouped by patient visit. Participants retrieved cohorts of patients relevant to 35 different clinical topics, and visits were judged for relevance to each topic. This study identified the most common barriers to identifying specific clinic populations in the test collection. Methods: Using the runs from track participants and judged visits, we analyzed the five non-relevant visits most often retrieved and the five relevant visits most often overlooked. Categories were developed iteratively to group the reasons for incorrect retrieval for each of the 35 topics. Results: Reasons fell into nine categories for non-relevant visits and five categories for relevant visits. Non-relevant visits were most often retrieved because they contained a non-relevant reference to the topic terms. Relevant visits were most often infrequently retrieved because they used a synonym for a topic term. Conclusions : This failure analysis provides insight into areas for future improvement in EHR-based retrieval with techniques such as more widespread and complete use of standardized terminology in retrieval and data entry systems.
The Potlatch Papers: A Colonial Case History

The Potlatch Papers:. Colonial Case History. Christopher Bracken. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. xi. 276 pp., maps, photographs, notes, bibliography, index.
Unrealistic optimism about future life events

Two studies investigated the tendency of people to be unrealistically optimistic about future life events. In Study 1, 258 college students estimated how much their own chances of experiencing 42 events differed from the chances of their classmates. Overall, they rated their own chances to be above average for positive events and below average for negative events, ps<.001. Cognitive and motivational considerations led to predictions that degree of desirability, perceived probability, personal experience, perceived controllability, and stereotype salience would influence the amount of optimistic bias evoked by different events. All predictions were supported, although the pattern of effects differed for positive and negative events. Study 2 tested the idea that people are unrealistically optimistic because they focus on factors that improve their own chances of achieving desirable outcomes and fail to realize that others may have just as many factors in their favor. Students listed the factors that they thought influenced their own chances of experiencing eight future events. When such lists were read by a second group of students, the amount of unrealistic optimism shown by this second group for the same eight events decreased significantly, although it was not eliminated.
Theory of cyclic creep of concrete based on Paris law for fatigue growth of subcritical microcracks

Abstract Recent investigations prompted by a disaster in Palau revealed that worldwide there are 69 long-span segmental prestressed-concrete box-girder bridges that suffered excessive multi-decade deflections, while many more surely exist. Although the excessive deflections were shown to be caused mainly by obsolescence of design recommendations or codes for static creep, some engineers suspect that cyclic creep might have been a significant additional cause. Many investigators explored the cyclic creep of concrete experimentally, but a rational mathematical model that would be anchored in the microstructure and would allow extrapolation to a 100-year lifetime is lacking. Here it is assumed that the cause of cyclic creep is the fatigue growth of pre-existing microcracks in hydrated cement. The resulting macroscopic strain is calculated by applying fracture mechanics to the microcracks considered as either tensile or, in the form of a crushing band, as compressive. This leads to a mathematical model for cyclic creep in compression, which is verified and calibrated by laboratory test data from the literature. The cyclic creep is shown to be proportional to the time average of stress and to the 4th power of the ratio of the stress amplitude to material strength. The power of 4 is supported by the recent finding that, on the atomistic scale, the Paris law should have the exponent of 2 and that the exponent must increase due to scale bridging. Exponent 4 implies that cyclic creep deflections are enormously sensitive to the relative amplitude of the applied cyclic stress. Calculations of the effects of cyclic creep in six segmental prestressed concrete box girders indicate that, because of self-weight dominance, the effect on deflections absolutely negligible for large spans ( > 150 m ) . For small spans ( 40 m ) the cyclic creep deflections are not negligible but do not matter since the static creep causes in such bridges upward deflections. However, the cyclic creep is shown to cause in bridges with medium and small spans ( 80 m ) a significant residual tensile strain which can produce deleterious tensile cracking at top or bottom face of the girder.
Addressing uncertainty-lessons from probabilistic exposure analysis.

(1999). ADDRESSING UNCERTAINTY - LESSONS FROM PROBABILISTIC EXPOSURE ANALYSIS. Inhalation Toxicology: Vol. 11, No. 6-7, pp. 603-610.
In-vivo luminescence model for the study of tumor regression and regrowth following combination regimens with differentiation-promoting agents and photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy with aminolevulinic acid can be modified by pretreatment regimens with drugs such as 5- Fluorouracil (5-FU) or Vitamin D (calcitriol) that enhance accumulation of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) within tumor tissue which presumably will enhance the therapeutic response to light. However, histological approaches for monitoring therapeutic responses are poorly suited for studying long term survival because large numbers of mice need to be sacrificed. To address this limitation, a non-invasive model to monitor tumor regression and regrowth has been established. Breast cancer cells, stably transfected with firefly luciferase (MDA-Luc cell line), are implanted orthotopically in nude mice (0.25 - 1 x 10 6 cells/site), and monitored 0-60 min after s.c. injection of luciferin, with Xenogen in-vivo imaging system. Luminescence is detectable at day 1 post-implantation. Tumors are suitable for experimentation on day 6, when daily injections of pretreatment agents (5-FU, 300 mg/kg; calcitriol, 1 μg/kg) begin. On day 9, ALA (75 mg/kg i.p.) is given for 4 hr, followed by illumination (633 nm, 100 J/cm 2 ). Tumor luminescence post- PDT is monitored daily and compared with caliper measurements. Pretreatments (5-FU, calcitriol) by themselves do not inhibit luciferase expression, and all tumors grow at a similar rate during the pretreatment period. Results from in vivo survival experiments can be correlated to survival responses of MDA-Luc cells grown in monolayer cultures ± PDT and ± pretreatments, and additional mechanistic information (e.g. Ki67 and E-cadherin expression) obtained. In summary, this noninvasive model will permit testing of the therapeutic survival advantages of various pretreatments during cPDT.
Caste politics, violence, and the Panchayat in a South Indian community

Mysteriously, some sense justice when others sense injustice. … The desire to sense justice in events may cause people to look to law as an instrument to control… events. Then justice has preceded law. Law is made a part of events and is itself then viewed as promoting or blocking justice, depending on the role it plays and also depending on the perceived self-interest of the participants in, or viewers of, the events [Hartzler 1976:4].
Prospective study of black-white differences in food insufficiency among homebound elders.

Objective This study examines race differences in the association of sociodemographic and health-related characteristics with change in food sufficiency status over 1 year in homebound older adults. Method Using sociodemographic and health-related data collected during two in-home assessments as part of the North Carolina Nutrition and Function Study, logistic regression models (binary and nominal outcomes) adjusted for covariates and examined the characteristics associated with 1-year change in risk (RFI) and presence (FI) of food insufficiency among a random sample of 268 home-delivered meals participants. Results Not having enough money for food and having to prepare cheaper and smaller meals was associated with increased RFI and FI at 1 year; having to borrow money for food, loss of food stamps, and inadequate income increased the odds among Whites, and increased medication use among Blacks. Discussion The findings suggest that race, independent of other characteristics, is associated with diminished food sufficiency over 1 year.
Exposure and Metabolic Activation Biomarkers of Carcinogenic Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines.

ConspectusLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world, and cigarette smoking is its main cause. Oral cavity cancer is another debilitating and often fatal cancer closely linked to tobacco product use. While great strides have been made in decreasing tobacco use in the United States and some other countries, there are still an estimated 1 billion men and 250 million women in the world who are cigarette smokers and there are hundreds of millions of smokeless tobacco users, all at risk for cancer. Worldwide, lung cancer kills about three people per minute.This Account focuses on metabolites and biomarkers of two powerful tobacco-specific nitrosamine carcinogens, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), considered to be among the main causes of lung cancer and oral cavity cancer in people who use tobacco products. Three properties of NNK and NNN are critical for successful biomarker studies: they are present in all tobacco products, they are tobac...
Characterization of Phosphate Uptake in Isolated Chick Intestinal Cells

The action of vitamin D on phosphate homeostasis and, specifically, intestinal phosphate transport has assumed an increasingly prominent role in the overall physiologic action of vitamin D. More rapid advances in this area are limited by the available experimental models for the study of intestinal phosphate transport. In vitro tissue preparations are required to eliminate the systemic metabolism of vitamin D to both active and inactive derivatives. In the past, such in vitro preparations have involved intact tissue (1–3). The interpretation of those studies utilizing these preparations is complicated by the large extracellular space and paracellular transport. Secondly, the physiologic site of vitamin D action, the basal-lateral membrane, is not accessible to the vitamin in these in vitro incubations. For these reasons a preparation of isolated intestinal cells was evaluated as an experimental model for the study of phosphate transport and the influence of vitamin D on the cellular accumulation of phosphate.
Abstract 14648: Interleukin-18 Blockade Prevents Diastolic Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is characterized by elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressures due to impaired LV diastolic function. Low-dose infusion of a...
Bcl-2 Does Not Protect Burkitt's Lymphoma Cells From Oxidant-Induced Cell Death

Bcl-2 is an oncogene that confers deregulated growth potential to B lymphocytes through its ability to inhibit apoptotic cell death. A specific molecular activity for the Bcl-2 protein has not been identified, but several lines of evidence have supported a role in protection of cells from oxidative stress. We investigated whether there is a correlation between expression of high levels of Bcl-2 and susceptibility of human Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines to H2O2-induced killing. The amount of H2O2 required to kill 50% of cells in 24 hours varied widely in the seven different lymphoma cell lines that were tested, ranging from 35 to 500 micromol/L H2O2. However, expression of high levels of endogenous Bcl-2 did not protect the cells from H2O2-induced killing, even though it was effective in protecting the cells from apoptosis induced by agents such as A23187. Thus, Bcl-2 was functional in preventing apoptosis but did not act in an antioxidant capacity. The results were confirmed using a Burkitt's lymphoma cell line overexpressing transfected bcl-2. The results may be explained by the observation that H2O2 was inefficient at inducing apoptosis in these mature B-cell lines. Nonapoptotic death induced by H2O2 was not prevented by Bcl-2.
Xanthohumol improves dysfunctional glucose and lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice.

Xanthohumol (XN) is a prenylated flavonoid found in hops (Humulus lupulus) and beer. The dose-dependent effects of XN on glucose and lipid metabolism in a preclinical model of metabolic syndrome were the focus of our study. Forty-eight male C57BL/6J mice, 9 weeks of age, were randomly divided into three XN dose groups of 16 animals. The mice were fed a high-fat diet (60% kcal as fat) supplemented with XN at dose levels of 0, 30, or 60 mg/kg body weight/day, for 12 weeks. Dietary XN caused a dose-dependent decrease in body weight gain. Plasma levels of glucose, total triglycerides, total cholesterol, and MCP-1 were significantly decreased in mice on the 60 mg/kg/day treatment regimen. Treatment with XN at 60 mg/kg/day resulted in reduced plasma LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), IL-6, insulin and leptin levels by 80%, 78%, 42%, and 41%, respectively, compared to the vehicle control group. Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin Kexin 9 (PCSK-9) levels were 44% lower in the 60 mg/kg dose group compared to the vehicle control group (p ≤ 0.05) which may account for the LDL-C lowering activity of XN. Our results show that oral administration of XN improves markers of systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome in diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice.
Communal Litters of Peromyscus maniculatus

Most authors agree that a female deer mouse with a young litter does not tolerate the presence of other adults in the same nest with her young (Dice, Jour. Mamm., 10: 116–124, 1929; Svihla, Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., 24, 1932; Blair, Jour. Mamm., 22: 378–383, 1941). It is therefore worthy to record the finding of two females and eleven young occupying the same nest under natural conditions. On May 8, 1956, at the Seyfang Ranch, …
Three-Dimensional Plasma and Fluid Flow Simulation Inside a Microscale Electrohydrodynamic Pump

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is simulated in three dimensions using the finite element based multiscale ionized gas (MIG) flow code. Two-species hydrodynamic plasma model coupled Poisson equation and Navier-Stokes equation are solved using MIG flow code to predict complicated flow structure inside a plasma induced micropump. The advantage of such micropump is rapid on/off switching without any moving parts. Results show reasonable distribution for ion and electron densities as well as an electric field. The key factors of design of plasma micropump are location of actuators and input voltage. The flow rate of plasma micropump is on the order of ml/min. Such flow rate may be beneficial for many applications from biological analysis to micropropulsion in space.
The discussion about contruction of information service platform of integrated demonstration area of food security in Yunnan

The construction of information platform,is extremely essential for controlling,supervising and managing of food production,and for gain,summary,statistic,inquiry of information and so on for the user such as manager,technical personnel and so on.This paper discussed content and idea of the construction of information platform of integrated demonstration area of food security in Yunnan.
Rodent monitor analysis of 1991 and 2005 in Auyang city

Objective To find out the density variation of coexistant rodent.Methods Night trapping method.Results The coexistant rodent composed a simple kind.Mouse density fell from 5.31% in 1991 to 1.56% in 2005,Rattus norvegicus became the dominant mouse species.The mouse had kept the proper sexual ratio of female and male,higher pregnant rate,gravidity frequencies and reproduction index.They also had stronger fertility and environment adaptability.Conclusion In rodent control area,integrated management should be taken with environmental management of importance.
Dental population health measures: supporting Army transformation.

General Eric K. Shinseki, Chief of Staff of the Army, has initiated the transformation of the Army with the goals of making the force more lethal, agile, and versatile. A key component to the transformation is deploying healthier soldiers that will result in the ability to decrease the amount of deployed medical support. This article describes two new population health measures the U.S. Army Dental Command is implementing to support the transformation. The new program will make it mandatory for dental providers to assess caries and tobacco risk at all active duty soldiers' annual dental examinations. These measures will allow the dental personnel to identify who is at risk for future disease and then to plan appropriate prevention strategies for those individual soldiers. These aggregate corporate data will allow dental leaders to target prevention services to the units with a high percentage of tobacco users. These new measures and the resultant prevention strategies can increase the readiness of our forces and can result in a healthier and mission-ready force.
Punitive Damages in the United States

According to black letter doctrine, punitive damages “are damages, other than compensatory or nominal damages, awarded against a person to punish him for his outrageous conduct and to deter him and others like him from similar conduct in the future.”1 A jury (or judge, under some circumstances) may, in its discretion, render punitive damages in cases in which the defendant is found to have injured the plaintiff intentionally or maliciously, or in which the defendant’s conduct reflected a conscious, reckless, wilful, wanton, or oppressive disregard of the rights or interests of the plaintiff. No state allows punitive damages on a showing of simple or mere negligence. Punitive damages may be assessed against an employer vicariously for the misconduct of its employees, although some states restrict such awards to instances where a managing officer of the enterprise ordered, participated in or consented to the misconduct. The amount of a punitive damages award is determined by the jury upon consideration of the seriousness of the wrong, the seriousness of the plaintiff’s injury, and the extent of the defendant’s wealth.
Lissencephalies and Axon Guidance Disorders

The brain contains axon tracts that follow precise pathways. During development, axons are guided by attractive and repulsive cues. The classic ligand/receptor systems mediating axon guidance are semaphorins and their plexin and neuropilin receptors, netrins and their deleted in colorectal carcinoma (DCC) and UNC5 receptors, slits and their roundabout receptors, and ephrins and their Eph receptors. Some of the disorders that result from defective axon guidance because of genetic mutations that alter axon growth cone ligands and receptors, downstream signaling molecules, and axon transport, are agenesis of the corpus callosum, Joubert syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, and albinism.
Enhanced Prudential Standards

In this chapter, we discuss the essential purpose of making a systemically important financial institution (SIFI) determination; namely, the imposition of enhanced prudential standards upon those non-bank entities that may pose a systemic risk to the US and global economies. We review the Dodd-Frank Act requirements and regulations pursuant thereto, particularly with respect to SIFIs in danger of default, and the enhanced extensive regulatory requirements imposed upon them, together with capital planning and resolution plans that can be implemented. There is a discussion about how international firms that become bankrupt in whole or in part are handled by bankruptcy courts globally. The enhanced prudential standards for foreign banking organizations are discussed in detail, together with a commentary on corporate directors’ independence.
Tailored I ON /I OFF ratio of nanotube network transistors by pulsed breakdown

Random networks of single-wall carbon nanotube (CNTs) films have been used in small to medium-scale integrated circuits on flexible or transparent substrates. A key parameter for such devices is the ON/OFF ratio, which can be enhanced by geometric striping to reduce metallic percolative pathways in the film. In addition, electrical stress can also selectively remove metallic pathways from CNT bundles and CNT thin films. However, constant DC stress is prone to ultimately damage both metallic and semiconducting nanotubes, in part because of an unstable threshold voltage resulting from charge injection into the substrate. In this study, we used pulsed electrical breakdowns to investigate the effects of film density, high-temperature, and vacuum (10-5 Torr) ambient on electrical burnout of such CNT film devices. We show that under pulsed electrical stress, ultra-dense films fail without improvement in the ON/OFF ratio. The ratio of low density devices is enhanced to levels comparable with geometrically striped CNT thin films without the need for additional process steps. Furthermore, our findings suggest water-assisted oxidation is the dominant breakdown mechanism when electrically sorting CNTs under ambient conditions.
A Gene Transfer Approach towards Hemophilia A Correction Using the Piggybac Transposon Vector.

Abstract 1477 Human Factor VIII (hFVIII) deficiency offers advantages as a disease target for gene therapy as small increases in factor VIII levels will alter the bleeding phenotype. In addition, both mouse and dog models of the disease are available for preclinical studies. Nonviral DNA transposons are genetic elements consisting of inverted terminal DNA repeats which in their naturally occurring configuration flank a transposase coding sequence. The transposase follows a “cut and paste” mechanism to excise the transposon from its original genomic location and insert it into a new locus. The insect derived piggyBac (PB) can be engineered to carry a therapeutic transgene between the inverted terminal repeats. Wu et al and others reported that piggyBac transposase is highly efficient at catalyzing transposition in mammalian cells in vitro (PNAS 103: 15008–15013, 2006). Advantages of this novel nonviral vector system include a large transgene cassette capacity and ease of production and purification. We hypothesize that a PB transposon vector carrying a reporter gene cassette or the human FVIII cDNA along with a codon-optimized (co-) or hyperactive (hyp-) transposase will confer persistent gene expression and correction of the hemophilia A bleeding phenotype with the FVIII cDNA. PB transposons were engineered to carry a puromycin resistance gene ( PB puro), a human alpha1 antitrypsin reporter ( PB hAAT), or hFVIII gene (B domain deleted or a partial B domain-226 amino acids/N6). We evaluated co- and hyp-transposase-mediated transposition in the Huh-7 human hepatoma cell line to verify function in hepatocytes. Using the PB puro vector, we demonstrated that the hyp-transposase generated a 2 fold higher transposition efficiency than the co-transposase in hepatocytes. We investigated the impact of varying the ratio of transposon to transposase; we screened ratios of 5:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:5 in the Huh-7 cell line. Overall, the 1:2 and 1:1 ratios gave the greatest transposition efficiency in vitro . We evaluated the in vivo gene transfer efficiency in mice by hydrodynamic tail-vein injection using PB hAAT driven by the murine albumin enhancer/human alpha anti-trypsin promoter. Either a low (5 micrograms transposon) or high (25 micrograms transposon) dose was given with varying amounts of hyp-transposase to generate an in vivo dose response curve. Serum hAAT levels were measured prior to injection and then monthly for 3 months. Results revealed the 1:1 ratio at the high transposon dose generated higher level of expression compared to all other doses with expression stable in all groups for 3 months. PB vectors encoding hFVIII have been prepared, and our studies with these vectors are ongoing. These data show that the PB vector can be used to deliver transgene expression to the liver and achieve long term expression of a secreted protein. Disclosures: Staber: Bayer Healthcare: Research Funding.
Prevalence and Predictors of Giardia in the United States

Infection with Giardia lamblia is a common cause of diarrheal disease in the developing and industrialized world. We aimed to assess the prevalence of giardiasis in the United States (US) among patients with duodenal biopsies, investigating demographic and clinical factors associated with this condition. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with duodenal biopsies submitted to a national pathology laboratory between January 2, 2008, and December 31, 2015. The prevalence of giardiasis was calculated and categorized by the following patient sociodemographic and clinical data: age, sex, ethnicity, endoscopy indication, season, year, urban–rural setting, region, and presence of H. pylori and atrophic gastritis. Among all patients (n = 432,813), the mean age was 52.2 years. The prevalence of giardiasis was 0.11%. Patients with giardiasis were more likely to be male (57.8 vs. 34.1%, p < 0.0001). Among patients who had a gastric biopsy (n = 363,788), those with giardiasis were more likely to be colonized with H. pylori (25.7 vs. 9.4%, p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant association with age, endoscopy indication, urban–rural setting, ethnicity, season, or the presence of atrophic gastritis. On multivariate analysis, male sex, Southern region, and the presence of H. pylori were independently associated with giardiasis. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date to assess predictors of giardiasis in the US. We found that male sex, being colonized with H. pylori, and residing in the Southern US are independently associated with giardiasis infection.
Photoacoustics of individual live cells and particles

The photoacoustic (PA) technique has been employed to a number of new biomedical applications based of highly sensitive detection of laser-induced acoustic waves from individual live cells and single absorbing micro-particles or clusters of nanoparticles. These applications involve both linear and non-linear thermoacoustic phenomena initiated by focused nanosecond single laser pulse and detected with a fast PZT-ceramic acoustic transducer. Particularly, we present the following experimental results: 1) monitoring of linear and non-linear PA responses from red blood cells in suspensions in vitro; 2) detection of PA responses from breast cancer cell targeted with gold nanoparticles; 3) PA study of linear and non-linear interaction of laser with colored polystyrene micro-particles as model single absorbers; 4) monitoring of PA responses from moving absorbers in flow in vitro (PA flow cytometry in vitro); 5) recording of PA responses from blood flow in vivo on rat mesentery as animal model (PA flow cytometery in vivo); and 6) monitoring of sedimentation kinetics of particles and cells. The obtained results demonstrate the high sensitivity, low background, simple detection principle, easy data acquisition, and straightforward interpretation of the PA data.