cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hipertensão arterial secundária: a propósito de um caso de obstrução da junção pieloureteral

Introduction: Secondary hypertension can be identified in a small proportion of patients. Kidney disease, including renal artery stenosis and parenchymal disease, is one of the main causes of secondary hypertension. We report the case of an 18 year-old girl with secondary hypertension due to unilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Case description: An 18 year-old girl presented at an urgent consultation with symptoms of anxiety for two days without a known trigger. On physical examination she had elevated blood pressure and tachycardia. She was treated with an anxiolytic. Because of sustained high blood pressure found on out-of-office blood pressure monitoring, she began antihypertensive drug treatment. The search for secondary causes of hypertension revealed the presence of obstruction of the left ureteropelvic junction causing hydronephrosis. After urological surgery, the patient was asymptomatic. Blood pressure was controlled without antihypertensive drugs. Comment: Unilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction is a rare cause of hypertension. It is defined as impaired urine flow from the renal pelvis into the proximal ureter with subsequent dilatation of the collecting system. It can cause damage to the kidney. The widespread use of ultrasonography during pregnancy has resulted in a higher detection rate for antenatal ureteropelvic junction obstruction and hydronephrosis. Cases detected in teenagers and adults are rare
A Fully Programmable Analog Window Comparator

This paper presents a novel design of analog window comparator circuit. The comparator can adaptively adjust its error threshold according to the magnitude of input signal levels. In addition, the circuit can be digitally programmed to realize different error threshold adapting schemes. The design is fabricated using a 0.18mum CMOS technology. Testing results of the fabricated chip are also presented.
Vascular Actions of Estrogens: Functional Implications

The impact of estrogen exposure in preventing or treating cardiovascular disease is controversial. But it is clear that estrogen has important effects on vascular physiology and pathophysiology, with potential therapeutic implications. Therefore, the goal of this review is to summarize, using an integrated approach, current knowledge of the vascular effects of estrogen, both in humans and in experimental animals. Aspects of estrogen synthesis and receptors, as well as general mechanisms of estrogenic action are reviewed with an emphasis on issues particularly relevant to the vascular system. Recent understanding of the impact of estrogen on mitochondrial function suggests that the longer lifespan of women compared with men may depend in part on the ability of estrogen to decrease production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria. Mechanisms by which estrogen increases endothelial vasodilator function, promotes angiogenesis, and modulates autonomic function are summarized. Key aspects of the relevant pathophysiology of inflammation, atherosclerosis, stroke, migraine, and thrombosis are reviewed concerning current knowledge of estrogenic effects. A number of emerging concepts are addressed throughout. These include the importance of estrogenic formulation and route of administration and the impact of genetic polymorphisms, either in estrogen receptors or in enzymes responsible for estrogen metabolism, on responsiveness to hormone treatment. The importance of local metabolism of estrogenic precursors and the impact of timing for initiation of treatment and its duration are also considered. Although consensus opinions are emphasized, controversial views are presented to stimulate future research.
Speech appliances in the treatment of phonological disorders

Some individuals are unable to achieve correct production of the /r/ phoneme after receiving substantial amounts of treatment. Clark, Schwarz, and Blakeley (1993) developed a removable speech appliance that positions the tongue to produce the /r/ phoneme. Their results indicate that the appliance was successful with a large group of clients. The rationale and issues related to the use of speech appliances are discussed.
Social norm incentives for secure network coding in MANETs

The throughput of mobile ad hoc networks subject to disruption, loss and interference can be significantly improved with the use of network coding. However, network coding implies extra work for forwarders. Selfish forwarders may prefer to simply forward packets without coding them because of the processing overhead introduced by network coding. This is especially true in secure network coding where the coded packets are protected from pollution attacks by processor intense homomorphic signatures. To drive selfish nodes to cooperate and encode the packets, this paper introduces social norm based incentives. The social norm consists of a social strategy and a reputation system with reward and punishment connected with node behavior. Packet coding and forwarding is modeled as a repeated alternate gift-giving game. The interaction between nodes in the repeated game is formalized, the conditions for social strategy sustainability (or compliance) are identified, and a sustainable game that optimizes the social welfare is designed. For this game, the impact of packet loss rate, reputation thresholds and reputation update frequency on performance is evaluated.
Enhanced coder with error resilience

A scalable video coder produces a bit stream, decodable at different bit rates. It can substantially improve the quality of video transmitted over error prone channels such as Internet or wireless. The scalable video coding utilizes motion prediction to achieve higher compression efficiency. Since motion compensation is used to reduce temporal redundancy, the quality of the decoded video may decay due to the propagation of errors in the temporal domain. Hence, the double-vector motion compensation (DMC) is used in the scalable video coder, which is implemented in this work. Search strategies based on gradient-descent methods are used. In this study, error concealment techniques are used, which estimate the lost motion vectors by exploiting correlation within the video sequences.
The Seasonal Abundance of Phlebotomine Sand Flies, Lutzomyia Species in Florida

The seasonality of phlebotomine sand flies was studied in Florida, utilizing colored light-emitting diode- and attractant-baited Mosquito Magnet MM-X traps from September 2006 to September 2008 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park, Gainesville, FL. A total of 6,278 sand flies were collected from 314 actual nights and 1,692 total trap-nights, yielding 3.7 sand flies per trap-night. Lutzomyia shannoni was the predominant species, constituting 55% to 80% of the total sand fly populations collected during the studies. Both L. shannoni and L. vexator populations were highly seasonal and were moderately influenced by weather factors. Lutzomyia shannoni populations peaked in May and showed reduced activity during December, January, and February. This species was active throughout the year and showed positive and negative correlations with average monthly temperature and relative humidity, respectively. Lutzomyia vexator showed peak activity during August and October with an activity lull from December to March. This species showed a positive correlation with average monthly temperature. No correlations were observed with either species for average daily, weekly, or 1- to 8-wk-lagging precipitation, number of rainy days, wind speed, or lunar phases. Lutzomyia shannoni abundance was weakly correlated to L. vexator abundance. No other Lutzomyia spp. were collected during the study.
Antioxidants as novel therapy in a murine model of colitis

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are increased in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and have been implicated as mediators of intestinal inflammation. We investigated the hypothesis that antioxidants with diverse properties attenuate disease progression in a murine dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model. These antioxidants were (A) S-adenosylmethionine, a glutathione (GSH) precursor; (B) green tea polyphenols, a well-known antioxidant; and (C) 2(R,S)-n-propylthiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acid (PTCA), a cysteine prodrug, involved in GSH biosynthesis. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups and provided with the above mentioned antioxidants or the vehicle incorporated into chow. The animals were further divided into two subgroups and given normal drinking water (control) or water supplemented with DSS (to induce colitis), and the progression of the disease was studied. DSS-treated mice developed severe colitis as shown by bloody diarrhea, weight loss and pathological involvement (P<.001). However, all the antioxidants significantly improved diarrhea and colon lesions (P<.01), and increased body weights (P<.05). Hematocrits were significantly less affected in DSS-treated animals receiving antioxidants (P<.01). Colon lengths were significantly decreased due to mucosal inflammation in DSS-treated animals, but antioxidant therapy normalized this pathological finding (P<.001). The blood level of reduced GSH was decreased in DSS-treated mice (P<.05) and returned to normal when treated with antioxidants. Serum amyloid A (acute phase protein; P=.0015) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; pro-inflammatory cytokine; P<.01) were significantly increased in DSS-treated animals (161+/-40 pg/ml) and improved with antioxidant treatment (P<.01). Finally, actin cytoskeleton was distorted and fragmented in the mucosa of DSS-treated mice and improved with antioxidant therapy. In conclusion, three structurally dissimilar antioxidants provided protection against DSS-induced colitis in this murine model, supporting a possible role for antioxidant therapy in IBD patients.
Restriction of neurogenic ability during neural crest cell differentiation

Multipotent neural crest cells undergo developmental restrictions during embryogenesis and eventually give rise to the neurons and glia of the peripheral nervous system, melanocytes, and pheochromocytes. To understand how neuronal potential is restricted to a subpopulation of crest-derived cells, we have utilized sensitive markers of early neuronal differentiation to assess neurogenesis in crest-derived cell populations subjected to defined experimental conditions in vitro and in vivo. We describe environmental conditions that either (a) result in the irreversible loss of neurogenic potential over a characteristic time course or (b) maintain neurogenic potential among neural crest cells.
Risk Premiums and Forward Basis: Evidence from the Soybean Oil Market

Forward pricing contracts for soybean oil are important supply chain arrangements in both the biodiesel and food industries. Forward pricing is often extended to end-users by soybean oil processors where the forward price quote is a function of the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) futures price and the cash-futures basis. Upon entering a forward pricing agreement, the processor (seller) assumes the risk associated with basis fluctuations. This research examines if soybean oil processors extract a market premium for assuming this risk. Using forward basis quotes and subsequent realized basis values for soybean oil, it is found that soybean oil processors do not charge an embedded cost for their forward pricing services. Furthermore, the results suggest that the absence of a statistically significant embedded cost may be due to the lack of predictability in the basis or the inability of soybean oil processors to adequately forecast soybean oil basis levels.
The blending of theory and practice in modern rail grinding

Modern rail grinding practices have developed largely through a combination of field experience and intuitive speculation. Many theories related to crack initiation and growth have been proposed through the decades, and those concepts have been cleverly extended to the field of rail grinding to form the basis of the practice known as ‘preventive grinding’. But only recently have practical models emerged from the laboratory and theoretical environment and been applied to the process of rail grinding. These models are substantiating the past practices and providing a pathway towards the development of improved predictive tools for rail fatigue and profile deterioration.
Heterogeneity in fire severity within early season and late season prescribed burns in a mixed-conifer forest*

Structural heterogeneity in forests of the Sierra Nevada was historically produced through variation in fire regimes and local environmental factors. The amount of heterogeneity that prescription burning can achieve might now be more limited owing to high fuel loads and increased fuel continuity. Topography, woody fuel loading, and vegetative composition were quantified in plots within replicated early and late season burn units. Two indices of fire severity were evaluated in the same plots after the burns. Scorch height ranged from 2.8 to 25.4 m in early season plots and 3.1 to 38.5 m in late season plots, whereas percentage of ground surface burned ranged from 24 to 96% in early season plots and from 47 to 100% in late season plots. Scorch height was greatest in areas with steeper slopes, higher basal area of live trees, high percentage of basal area composed of pine, and more small woody fuel. Percentage of area burned was greatest in areas with less bare ground and rock cover (more fuel continuity), steeper slopes, and units burned in the fall (lower fuel moisture). Thus topographic and biotic factors still contribute to the abundant heterogeneity in fire severity with prescribed burning, even under the current high fuel loading conditions. Burning areas with high fuel loads in early season when fuels are moister may lead to patterns of heterogeneity in fire effects that more closely approximate the expected patchiness of historical fires.
NR2A and NR2B subunits differentially mediate MAP kinase signaling and mitochondrial morphology following excitotoxic insult

NMDA receptors are essential for neurotransmission and key mediators of synaptic signaling, but they can also trigger deleterious degenerative processes that lead to cell death. Growing evidence suggests that selective blockade of the heterogeneous subunits that comprise the NMDA receptor may enable better control of pharmacotherapies for treating neurological diseases and injuries. We investigated the relationship between NMDAR activation, MAPK signaling, and mitochondrial shape following an excitotoxic insult. NR2A- and NR2B-containing NMDARs differentially mediated acute changes in cytosolic calcium, alterations in mitochondrial morphology, and phosphorylation of the MAPKs ERK and JNK. Activation of NR2A-containing NMDARs was associated with JNK phosphorylation that was neuroprotective in neuronal cultures subjected to excitotoxicity. In contrast, activation of NR2B-containing NMDARs triggered calcium accumulation in mitochondria that was strongly associated with mitochondrial swelling and neuronal cell death. Indeed, while blockade of NR2B-containing receptors was neuroprotective, this protection was lost when NR2A-initiated JNK phosphorylation was inhibited. Given the modest selectivity of the NR2A inhibitor, NVP-AAM077, the results highlight the significance of the relative, rather than absolute, activation of these two NMDA subtypes in modulating cell death pathways. Therefore, the balance between concurrent activation of NR2B-containing and NR2A-containing NMDARs dictates neuronal fate following excitotoxicity.
Diffusion-limited aggregation

Improved algorithms have been developed for both off-lattice and hypercubic lattice diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) in dimensionalities ( d ) 3-8 and for two-dimensional off-lattice DLA. In two-dimensional off-lattice DLA a fractal dimensionality ( D ) of about 1.71 was obtained for clusters containing up to 10 6 particles. This is significantly larger than the value of ( d 2 + 1)/( d + 1) (5/3 for d = 2) predicted by mean field theories. For d > 2 the off-lattice simulations give results that are consistent with the mean field theories. For d = 3 and d = 4 the effects of lattice anisotropy can easily be seen for clusters containing 3 x 10 6 and 10 6 sites respectively and the effective fractal dimensionalities are slightly smaller for the lattice model clusters than for the off-lattice clusters. Results are also presented for two-, three- and four- dimensional lattice model clusters with noise reduction.
Gordon Alexander Craig (1913–2005)

In the spring of 1936, Gordon A. Craig, twenty-two years old and about to graduate from Princeton, made two of his earliest public appearances. The first was a poem, modeled on a Latin Ode, published in the Nassau Lit with the title “Marxicos Odi,” and dedicated “To My Proletarian Sweetheart.” The poem evokes the brevity of life, the swift passing of undergraduate pleasures, and their irresistible distraction from more serious things:
Land Arts of the American West

(2010). Land Arts of the American West. Journal of Architectural Education: Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 135-139.
Metabolites of Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Normal Age-Dependent Changes

The goal of this chapter is to introduce the main metabolites of proton MRS with emphasis on developmental changes. Understanding how normal metabolite levels may change in the developing brain is important for the interpretation of MR spectra obtained from children.
Predictors of dietary heterocyclic amine intake in three prospective cohorts

Cooking meat creates heterocyclic amines (HCAs) through pyrolysis of amino acids and creatinine. Although recognized as mutagenic, the etiological role of HCA in human cancer is unclear, due to the lack of information on the effect of typical food cooking methods on HCA concentrations and on variation in HCA exposure in populations. We estimated overall daily dietary HCA intake and variation in intake between individuals, using recent data on HCA concentrations in various meats prepared by cooking methods, temperatures, and times common in United States in the 1990s. Random samples of 250 participants from each of three large prospective cohorts were mailed a questionnaire to assess frequency of consumption, cooking method, and typical outside appearance of pan-fried, broiled, and grilled or barbecued chicken, fish, hamburger, and steak; fried, microwaved, and broiled bacon; fried sausage; roast beef; and homemade gravy. The 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5,f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx) concentrations, measured in composite samples by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography, were assigned to each food, cooking method, and doneness level. The dietary reports showed approximately 30-fold relative variation in 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline intake, 20-fold for 2-amino- -methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, and over 110-fold for 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5,f]quinoxaline, when the 10th and 90th percentiles of HCA intake were compared (90th/10th percentile value). These reported variations in HCA exposure among participants in these three large cohorts indicates that estimation of HCA intake and determination of association with disease risk are feasible, if additional information on meat cooking methods is obtained.
Nocturnal velvet ant males (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Deep Canyon, California including four new species and a fifth new species from Owens Lake Valley, California

The diversity of nocturnal velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) at the Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center of southern California is investigated. Thirty-five species are found to inhabit areas on and around the canyon. Odontophotopsis hammetti, Sphaeropthalma chandleri, S. fergusoni, and S. mankelli are described as new species. Odontophotopsis hammetti and S. mankelli are only known from Deep Canyon. Sphaeropthalma chandleri and S. fergusoni also are known from Painted Canyon located in the Mecca Hills on east the side of the Coachella Valley and from Corn Springs located east of the Coachella Valley in the Chuckwalla Mountains, respectively. The females of too few of the species are known, so only the males are treated. A key is provided for the males. A new species-group, the S. fergusoni species-group is described to house S. fergusoni and the new species S. arnalduri, which is an apterous male described from Owens Lake Valley. Similarities between the fauna of Deep Canyon and the Algodones Sand Dunes are discussed.
Folk Theorem with a Continuum of Public Signals

We extend Fudenberg and Levine’s (1994) characterization of the limit set of perfect public equilibrium payoffs of repeated games with imperfect public monitoring as the discount factor approaches one to that of repeated games in which the set of public signals is a continuum. Using this characterization, we provide folk theorems requiring full rank conditions that imply the satisfaction of the conditions of Fudenberg et al.(1994) in an associated game with a finite set of public signals. We finally apply a folk theorem to the analysis of collusion among firms in an oligopoly considered by Green and Porter (1984).
A quality signaling–recognition trade-off at the level of the type of interaction not species: a response to comments on Sheehan and Bergman

benefit from, social knowledge also have the more overt badge of status, if social knowledge limits quality signal evolution? If the answer is that there is no requirement for social knowledge and quality signals to be antagonistic in this sense, why are social knowledge and signal quality presented as somehow imposing limits on each other? These questions are not intended as refutations, nor do we have the answers, but we consider them sufficiently interesting to raise and would be interested to know the authors’ views.
Segmental pulmonary vascular responses to ATP in rat lungs: role of nitric oxide

Hakim, Tawfic S., Lara Ferrario, Jeffrey C. Freedman, Robert E. Carlin, and Enrico M. Camporesi. Segmental pulmonary vascular responses to ATP in rat lungs: role of nitric oxide.J. Appl. Physiol. 8...
Genetic and epigenetic analysis of monozygotic twins discordant for testicular cancer.

Despite the notion that monozygotic (identical) twins share 100% identical genetic information, genetic differences among monozygotic twin pairs do occur and can be explained by mechanisms occurring during post-zygotic events. Despite such twins being fundamentally “identical”, these post-zygotic genetic changes may give rise to phenotypic differences and genetic diseases. Consequently, studies of monozygotic twin pairs discordant for specific genetic diseases represent an important tool for the identification of disease genes. We used array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and methylation arrays to search for genetic and epigenetic differences in blood drawn from four monozygotic twin pairs discordant for testicular germ cell tumors. No consistent differences were identified. A larger twin study would be required to achieve confident discovery of very subtle differences between monozygotic twins discordant for testicular germ cell tumors.
Abstract 147: Hepatic Scavenger Receptor BI Protects Against Polymicrobial-Induced Sepsis Through Promoting LPS Clearance in Mice

Recent studies revealed that scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI or Scarb1) plays a critical protective role in sepsis. However, the mechanisms underlying this protection remain largely unknown. In this study, using Scarb1 I179N mice, a mouse model specifically deficient in hepatic SR-BI, we report that hepatic SR-BI protects against cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis as shown by 75% fatality in Scarb1 I179N mice, but only 21% fatality in C57BL/6J control mice. The increase in fatality in Scarb1 I179N mice was associated with an exacerbated inflammatory cytokine production. Further study demonstrated that hepatic SR-BI exerts its protection against sepsis through its role in promoting LPS clearance without affecting the inflammatory response in macrophages, the glucocorticoid production in adrenal glands, the leukocyte recruitment to peritoneum or the bacterial clearance in liver. Our findings reveal hepatic SR-BI as a critical protective factor in sepsis and point out that promoting hepatic SR-BI-mediated LPS clearance may provide a therapeutic approach for sepsis.
Fundamental Study of Iodate and Iodine Based Slurries for Copper CMP

The chemical mechanical polishing of copper in several slurry chemistries based on iodate and iodine oxidizers has been investigated. Benzotriazole (BTA) and potassium iodide (KI) were used for preparing the polishing slurry chemistries based iodate. As observed by the anodic electrochemical behavior of copper and the surface analyses of EDS, it was determined that CuI layer formed in the iodate and iodine based solutions. Especially, in I2 slurry in pH 4, CuI layer formed very fast and uniformly, and passivated the copper. In addition, the highest removal rate using this slurry was obtained. These results were compared to H2O2 based slurries. From these experimental results, the slurry containing 0.1M KIO3 and 0.01M KI, and 0.01N I2 give better results than H2O2 based slurry in copper CMP.
CS-32SapC-DOPS INDUCES Smac-AND Bax-MEDIATED MITOCHONDRIAL APOPTOSIS IN NEUROBLASTOMAS

SapC-DOPS nanovesicles are a stable protein-lipid mixture assembled from saposin C (SapC) and dioleylphosphatidylserine (DOPS). It shows selective tumor-targeting activity in multiple animal tumor models and specific induction of apoptosis in various cancer cell lines. The preferential targeting is due to higher levels of exposed phosphatidylserine on the outer cell membrane of cancer cells. Importantly, induction of apoptosis by SapC-DOPS was shown to occur through intracellular ceramide elevation. Ceramide is known to be a tumor suppressor molecule capable of acting synergistically with Bax and regulating mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Effectors that mediate SapC-DOPS-induced apoptosis downstream of ceramide are currently unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that mitochondria could play a major role during SapC-DOPS induced apoptotic cancer cell death. Cell death following SapC-DOPS treatment was assessed by several indices such as: G6PD release assay to estimate necrosis, DAPI staining and cell cycle analysis to estimate apoptosis and DNA fragmentation, JC-1 assay to estimate mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM) and caspase-3 activation by Western blotting. SapC-DOPS treatment induced significant apoptosis as denoted by the appearance of a subG1 peak, loss of ΔΨM, mitochondrial release of Smac, Cyto c and AIF, as well as mitochondrial Bax translocation and oligomerization. ShRNA-mediated Smac knockdown and Bax inhibition with V5 peptide led to retention of ΔΨM and abrogation of apoptosis with decreased caspase-3 activation. Our results indicate that Smac and Bax play major roles in SapC-DOPS-induced mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway in human neuroblastoma cells
High Sensitivity Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering in Solution Using Engineered Silver Nanosphere Dimers

We describe Raman spectroscopy measurements of distyrylbenzene (DSB) molecules equipped with plasmonic antennae in the form of silver dumbbells in aqueous solution under ambient conditions. A synthetic strategy in which the dithiolated molecule is used as the linker between silver nanospheres ensures that the molecules are attached at the intersphere gap where local fields are maximally enhanced. The measured and calculated enhancement factors are in excellent agreement. The reported method has sufficient sensitivity to also allow for the detection of molecules tethered to single spheres, with 100–1000-fold weaker enhancement. Spectral analysis allows assignment of structures and reveals that in addition to the normal Raman active modes IR active transitions appear in the Raman spectra where field gradients dominate.
Arachidonic acid release in rabbit neutrophils

[3H]Arachidonic acid is released after stimulation of rabbit neutrophils with fMet-Leu-Phe or platelet-activating factor (PAF). The release is rapid and dose-dependent, and is inhibited in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-treated rabbit neutrophils. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7) prevents this inhibition. In addition, PMA increases arachidonic acid release in H-7-treated cells stimulated with fMet-Leu-Phe. [3H]Arachidonic acid release, but not the rise in the concentration of intracellular Ca2+, is inhibited in pertussis-toxin-treated neutrophils stimulated with PAF. The diacylglycerol kinase inhibitor R59022 increases the concentration of diacylglycerol and potentiates [3H]arachidonic acid release in neutrophils stimulated with fMet-Leu-Phe. This potentiation is not inhibited by H-7. These results suggest several points. (1) A rise in the intracellular concentration of free Ca2+ is not sufficient for arachidonic acid release in rabbit neutrophils stimulated by physiological stimuli. (2) A functional pertussis-toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein and/or one or more of the changes produced by phospholipase C activation are necessary for arachidonic acid release produced by physiological stimuli. (3) Agents that stimulate PKC potentiate arachidonic acid release, and this potentiation is not inhibited by H-7. These agents produce their actions in part by direct membrane perturbation.
Discussion of Bruce Greenwald and Joseph Stiglitz, “Industrial Policies, the Creation of a Learning Society, and Economic Development”

This fascinating paper looks at one of the most important issues in the economics of technological change: the wedge between the social and private returns from innovation. The authors explore the implications of this important gap — often ignored in discussions of industrial policy — for the promotion of firms and technologies.
Glomerular uracil nucleotide synthesis.

The biosynthesis of basement membrane material requires the sugar derivatives of uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) for protein glycosylation. Uridine and orotate utilization for the biosynthesis of uracil ribonucleotides was studied in isolated rat glomeruli incubated in vitro. At a 1 microM concentration total orotate utilization was 9.6 +/- 1.8 pmol.min-1.mg DNA-1 (1 mg DNA approximately 0.175 X 10(6) glomeruli), 51% of the total amount metabolized was used in ribonucleotide formation, and there was a significant UTP accretion. Except at a high initial concentration (50 microM), exogenous uridine failed to increase the UTP pool due to rapid uridine breakdown by a cytosolic phosphorylase. Inhibition of this enzyme with benzylacyclouridine resulted in increased biosynthesis and accretion of UTP, and in a 17-fold higher concentration of uridine, primarily produced from performed sources of nucleosides. Continuous addition of exogenous uridine to maintain its concentration at 1 microM resulted in a total uridin...
Changes in Duct and Vascular Permeability: The Key to the Development of Acute Pancreatitis

The pancreatic duct acts like a semipermeable membrane, restricting the passage of various molecules through it in both directions. Among other factors, the size of the molecule determines the ease with which that passage takes place. Relatively small particles, like bicarbonate and chloride ions, diffuse through the duct wall easily. Normally, large molecules like the pancreatic digestive enzymes are contained within the duct almost entirely.
Human pulmonary dirofilariasis: review of the literature.

Background The dog heartworm Dirofilaria immitis is known to cause solitary pulmonary nodules in humans. Human pulmonary dirofilariasis (HPD) is more prevalent along the coastal regions of the United States, especially along the Mississippi River Valley. Diagnosis is generally made by surgical resection, since HPD is often preoperatively presumed to be lung cancer. Methods I searched for relevant clinical articles and case reports on HPD, using MEDLINE and the Index Medicus. I carefully reviewed each article for information regarding HPD. Results Of the 37 cases reviewed, 29 (78.4%) were in the southern and southeastern states. The youngest patient was a 33-year-old woman, and the oldest was a 79-year-old man (mean age, 57.3 years). This literature review found that 43.2% were symptomatic, 51.4% were asymptomatic, and 5.4% were not recorded. Solitary lesions were found in 89.7%, with a mean diameter of 1.9 cm. Conclusion Based on the available literature and epidemiologic data, HPD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules in the appropriate clinical and geographic setting.
Asymptotics of Hypergraph Matching, Covering and Coloring Problems

A hypergraph H is simply a collection of subsets of a finite set, which we will always denote by V. Elements of V are called vertices and elements of H edges. A hypergraph is k-uniform (k-bounded) if each of its edges has size k (ar most k.
Lumbar Puncture in the Neonate

The diagnostic utility of lumbar punctures in neonates was evaluated in the Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, FL.
An Evolutionary, Biosocial Perspective on Variation in Human Milk Microbes and Oligosaccharides: An Example of Eco-Homeorhesis?

Researchers have long known that milk composition varies among and within mammalian taxa. The origins of this variation among phylogenies are thought to be due to evolutionary shifts driven by Darwinian selection to maximize fitness across often substantially different physical, biological, and social environments. Conversely, milk composition variation within a taxon (e.g., Homo sapiens ) is generally ascribed to more proximate factors such as dietary intake, time postpartum, acute and chronic maternal health, and (all-too-often, unfortunately) differences in sample collection, storage, and analysis. Here, we argue that at least a portion of this intraspecies variation in human milk composition—particularly as it relates to microbial and carbohydrate contents—may also be due to genomic variation driven over the millennia by historical environmental and biosocial selective pressures, particularly those related to pathogen exposure. We also outline a possible experimental approach, using combined population genetics and anthropological methodologies, to test the possibility that variation of “normal” milk composition is related to fitness within a specific context (an example of eco-homeorhesis).
Examining Human Rights Issues and the Democracy Project in Sub-Saharan Africa by E. Ike Udogu (review)

Udogu, E. Ike. Examining Human Rights Issues and the Democracy Project in Sub-Saharan Africa . Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2014. Examining Review by Paul J. Magnarella.
Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70) Suppresses RIP1-Dependent Apoptotic and Necroptotic Cascades

Hsp70 is a molecular chaperone that binds to “client” proteins and protects them from protein degradation. Hsp70 is essential for the survival of many cancer cells, but it is not yet clear which of its clients are involved. Using structurally distinct chemical inhibitors, we found that many of the well-known clients of the related chaperone, Hsp90, are not strikingly responsive to Hsp70 inhibition. Rather, Hsp70 appeared to be important for the stability of the RIP1 (RIPK1) regulators: cIAP1/2 (BIRC1 and BIRC3), XIAP, and cFLIP S/L (CFLAR). These results suggest that Hsp70 limits apoptosis and necroptosis pathways downstream of RIP1. Consistent with this model, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells treated with Hsp70 inhibitors underwent apoptosis, while cotreatment with z-VAD.fmk switched the cell death pathway to necroptosis. In addition, cell death in response to Hsp70 inhibitors was strongly suppressed by RIP1 knockdown or inhibitors. Thus, these data indicate that Hsp70 plays a previously unrecognized and important role in suppressing RIP1 activity. Implications: These findings clarify the role of Hsp70 in prosurvival signaling and suggest IAPs as potential new biomarkers for Hsp70 inhibition. Mol Cancer Res; 16(1); 58–68. ©2017 AACR .
Introduction to the Research Symposium Forum.

Purpose The purpose of this introduction is to provide an overview of the articles contained within this research forum of JSLHR. Each of these articles is based upon presentations from the 2016 AS...
Robust speech processing in human auditory cortex

The brain empowers humans with remarkable abilities to navigate their acoustic environment in highly degraded conditions. This seemingly trivial task for normal hearing listeners is extremely challenging for individuals with auditory pathway disorders, and has proven very difficult to model and implement algorithmically in machines. In this talk, I will present the result of an interdisciplinary research effort where invasive and non-invasive neural recordings from human auditory cortex are used to determine the representational and computational properties of robust speech processing in the human brain. These findings show that speech processing in the auditory cortex is dynamic and adaptive. These intrinsic properties allow a listener to filter out irrelevant sound sources, resulting in a reliable and robust means of communication. Furthermore, incorporating the functional properties of neural mechanisms in speech processing models greatly impact the current models of speech perception and at the same time, lead to human-like automatic speech processing technologies.The brain empowers humans with remarkable abilities to navigate their acoustic environment in highly degraded conditions. This seemingly trivial task for normal hearing listeners is extremely challenging for individuals with auditory pathway disorders, and has proven very difficult to model and implement algorithmically in machines. In this talk, I will present the result of an interdisciplinary research effort where invasive and non-invasive neural recordings from human auditory cortex are used to determine the representational and computational properties of robust speech processing in the human brain. These findings show that speech processing in the auditory cortex is dynamic and adaptive. These intrinsic properties allow a listener to filter out irrelevant sound sources, resulting in a reliable and robust means of communication. Furthermore, incorporating the functional properties of neural mechanisms in speech processing models greatly impact the current models of speech perception and at the same t...
Non-Steady-State Measurements of Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics

Numerous techniques have been used to quantify rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and absorption in animals and man. A recent monograph by Welch39 critically reviews the various approaches developed to study the CSF compartment. The ventriculocisternal perfusion technique described by Pappenheimer et al.24 has proved to be a valuable laboratory tool with which to define the physiology of the CSF system. Such open-ended perfusion techniques have been applied not only to animal preparations, but also to patients with presumed normal CSF dynamics,6,30 absorptive defects,19,20 and choroid plexus tumors.9 However, ventriculocisternal and ventriculospinal perfusions are restricted greatly by an absolute requirement for steady-state equilibrium. In this chapter, two methods that do not require long time periods for steady-state determinations are described. The feasibility and clinical pertinence of measuring CSF dynamics in patients will be emphasized.
Motor Learning Approaches for Improving Negative Eating-related Behaviors and Swallowing and Feeding Skills in Children

In young children eating behaviors and the developmental sequence of eating skills that culminate in mature swallowing and eating function develop in tandem. Disruption of this developmental process may occur as a component of developmental, relational, neuropsychiatric, psychological, anatomical, neurological, medical, or developmental disorders. The movement sciences provide a theoretical foundation and evidence base for interventions that optimize learning of developmental movement behaviors, such as swallowing and eating, and improve the associated behaviors that support their performance. Research results indicate that optimum improvement in performance accrues when intervention addresses related behavioral issues as they would co-occur in natural environments. This chapter reviews the typical developmental sequences in eating behaviors and eating skills, the interactions between negative eating behaviors and delays in swallowing and eating skills, and motor learning approaches that address behavioral control, task selection, and practice routines for programs designed to habilitate the dual deficiency in behaviors and skills. The motor learning strategies include attention to task, tolerance of the sensory array in eating, motivation for compliance with the guiding adult, task specificity, variability in developmental motor sequences, implicit learning, transfer of learning, rehearsal, maximizing practice opportunities, blocked and random practice sequences, and use of extrinsic feedback. The goals of these interventions are achievement of: (a) age expectations for nutrition and hydration, (b) age-appropriate swallowing and eating skills, (c) the underlying motor competencies and age-appropriate eating pragmatics.
Global and regional brain hypometabolism on FDG-PET in treated HIV-infected individuals.

Objective To quantitatively measure brain glucose metabolism in treated HIV-positive individuals with [ 18 F]-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT. Methods We performed a cross-sectional comparison of FDG uptake in 47 treated HIV+ individuals, 10 age-matched controls (HIV−) sharing many of the comorbid conditions seen in the HIV+ group, and 19 age-matched healthy controls (HCs). We compared whole-brain (WB) and regional FDG standardized uptake values (SUVs) of select subcortical/central structures among the groups and correlated the values to clinical and neuropsychological assessments. A variable selection model was used to predict SUVs in HIV+ (n = 47) and in combined HIV+ and HIV− participants (n = 57). Results We found lower WB SUVmax in HIV+ participants compared to HCs but not to HIV− participants. Among the relative SUVmean measurements (regional SUVmean/WB SUVmean), only relative thalamic uptake values were lower in HIV+ compared to HIV− participants. When HIV+ and HIV− participants were grouped, cardiovascular disease risk scores best predicted WB SUVmean and SUVmax, while HIV status best predicted thalamic relative SUVmean. Conclusions We identified an important role for cardiovascular disease in neuronal loss/dysfunction, as measured by FDG-PET, in treated HIV+ patients. This underscores the need for shifting the focus of clinical intervention in this vulnerable population from HIV effects alone to a wider set of comorbid conditions, mainly cardiovascular disease. Only the thalamus showed significantly lower relative uptake in the HIV+ compared to the HC and HIV− groups. This needs to be further evaluated for underlying pathophysiology and potential association with memory, executive functioning, and attention deficits seen in the HIV+ population.
Effects of Solar Cell Materials and Geometries on Thermally Induced Interfacial Stresses (WCPEC-7)

A computational study was performed to assess influences of geometric design parameters and material properties on thermally induced interfacial stresses within a packaged solar cell assembly. A Latin Hypercube Sampling approach was used, varying 36 total geometric, initial condition, and material property parameters representative of available solar cell designs, to assess the sensitivity of computed interfacial stresses to each input. Simulations consisted of a laminated 3D assembly of two cells connected by an interconnect ribbon, with resolution of the glass, encapsulant, ribbon, solder, cell, and backsheet, cycled through a temperature change of - 40°C to 85 °C. Geometry and mesh creation were automated to enable sampling over varying cell designs. The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology to investigate the interplay between cell designs and thermally induced stresses, particularly those occurring over component interfaces subject to delamination. Information on the expected drivers of interfacial stresses as well as the primary directions in which stresses arise will better define interface adhesion tests and inform accelerated stress testing to more completely characterize delamination phenomena.
IQGAP1 Maintains Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Clonogenic Growth and Metastasis

Objectives IQ motif containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) acts as a scaffold for aberrant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling driven by KRAS mutations in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We determined the role of IQGAP1 in clonogenic growth and metastasis in PDAC. Methods We inhibited IQGAP1 expression using shRNA and assessed clonogenic growth, cell migration, and MAPK signaling in vitro and tumor initiation and metastasis in vivo. The efficacy of a peptide mimicking the IQGAP1 WW domain that binds and inhibits ERK1/2 was determined in vitro and in vivo. Results IQGAP1 loss inhibited clonogenic growth and migration of KRAS-dependent PDAC cells by disrupting MAPK signaling. In mice, IQGAP1 knockdown decreased tumor-initiating cell frequency and metastasis. WW peptide treatment inhibited clonogenic growth and in vivo tumor growth. Conclusions Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma clonogenic growth, metastasis, and tumor initiation are dependent on MAPK signaling via IQGAP1. Treatment with a WW peptide disrupts IQGAP1 function and represents a novel targeting strategy for PDAC.
Direct Observation of Ion Pairing in Aqueous Nitric Acid Using 2D Infrared Spectroscopy.

Ion–ion interactions and ion pairing play an important role in the properties of concentrated electrolyte solutions, yet remain difficult to study due to the heterogeneous and highly dynamic behavior of these systems. In concentrated acid solutions, these questions take on a further level of complexity because the structure of the aqueous proton itself is uncertain and may be influenced by the counterion. Here, we address these questions by studying the IR spectra of nitric acid as a function of concentration in H2O and comparing these to the spectra of several alkali nitrate salts. We show how the close proximity between cations and NO3– ions in solution at high concentration affect the IR spectra and therefore the molecular structures. Using two-dimensional IR spectroscopy, we demonstrate the formation of contracted ion pair configurations in nitric acid solutions between NO3– ions and H+(aq) via the observation of a distinct anisotropic intermolecular crosspeak between these species. By studying the co...