cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2)-binding site is required for GLUT4 gene expression in transgenic mice: Regulation of MEF2 DNA binding activity in insulin-deficient diabetes

We have previously demonstrated that important regulatory elements responsible for regulated expression of the humanGLUT4 promoter are located between −1154 and −412 relative to transcription initiation (Olson, A. L., and Pessin, J. E. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 23491–23495). Through further analysis of this promoter regulatory region, we have identified a perfectly conserved myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2)-binding domain (-CTAAAAATAG-) that is necessary, but not sufficient, to support tissue-specific expression of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene in transgenic mice. Biochemical analysis of this DNA element demonstrated the formation of a specific DNA-protein complex using nuclear extracts isolated from heart, hindquarter skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue but not from liver. DNA binding studies indicated that this element functionally interacted with the MEF2A and/or MEF2C MADS family of DNA binding transcription factors. MEF2 DNA binding activity was substantially reduced in nuclear extracts isolated from both heart and skeletal muscle of diabetic mice, which correlated with decreased transcription rate of theGLUT4 gene. MEF2 binding activity completely recovered to control levels following insulin treatment. Together these data demonstrated that MEF2 binding activity is necessary for regulation of the GLUT4 gene promoter in muscle and adipose tissue.
Oseltamivir Resistance — Disabling Our Influenza Defenses

The neuraminidase inhibitors provide valuable defenses against pandemic and seasonal influenza. Dr. Anne Moscona writes that misuse of oseltamivir could rob us of the advantages that neuraminidase inhibitors provide, by favoring the emergence of oseltamivir-resistant influenza virus.
Should Coaches Serve as the “Weight Police” for Athletes?

(2006). Should Coaches Serve as the “Weight Police” for Athletes? Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 6-55.
Consumer Response to Corporate Environmental Advertising

An overwhelming majority of consumers have stated that their product purchase decisions are, at least in part, influenced by their view of the parent company′s environmental concern and image as an environmental “good citizen”. In response to this, national and local manufacturers and retailers have presented a variety of environmentally‐themed corporate ads designed to improve their corporation′s environmental image. Explores the ability of three types of corporate environmental messages to influence consumers′ attitudes toward the corporation and the corporation′s products.
Estimation of Soft Tissue Mechanical Parameters From Robotic Manipulation Data

Robotic motion planning algorithms used for task automation in robotic surgical systems rely on the availability of accurate models of target soft tissue's deformation. Relying on generic tissue parameters in constructing the tissue deformation models is problematic because biological tissues are known to have very large (inter- and intrasubject) variability. A priori mechanical characterization (e.g., uniaxial bench test) of the target tissues before a surgical procedure is also not usually practical. In this paper, a method for estimating mechanical parameters of soft tissue from sensory data collected during robotic surgical manipulation is presented. The method uses force data collected from a multiaxial force sensor mounted on the robotic manipulator, and tissue deformation data collected from a stereo camera system. The tissue parameters are then estimated using an inverse finite element method. The effects of measurement and modeling uncertainties on the proposed method are analyzed in simulation. The results of experimental evaluation of the method are also presented.
A minicomputer micxoprogrammable, arithmetic processor

Except for a few notable examples, all computers have been designed as "adder-central" architectures. "Adder-central," as used here, refers to an organization which places the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) at that junction of the system through which all data must flow — thus creating a bottleneck. In the early days, when adders were expensive, cost considerations precluded more than one ALU. Nowadays powerful ALU's are available at very low cost and a designer, even of minicomputers, can consider placing more than one ALU in a system.
X-ray optics: a technique for high resolution imaging

Both scattering and figure errors in grazing incidence optics are larger in the plane of incidence than out-of-plane by a factor equal to 1/sin theta, where theta is the graze angle. When the full annular aperture of a grazing incidence telescope is stopped down, the point spread function becomes highly elliptical with a width as much as sin theta times narrower than the full image. In practice, this means that improvements in resolution of up to 100 times can be achieved, and effective resolution can approach the diffraction limit. Laboratory data demonstrating the effect are presented.
A Lending Library on Parenting.

The kinds of materials that we would include in a lending library on parenting will displace some of the mystery or uncertainty about the raising of children. In doing so, the materials will help parents to raise their children better and make the experience of parenting more joyful and rewarding. Providing useful knowledge through a lending library is one aspect of a comprehensive and coordinated effort by educators to work with parents in behalf of children.
Hispanic Natural Support Systems and the AODA Field: A Developmental Framework for Collaboration.

This article seeks to provide the AODA field with a framework for developing collaborative activities with Hispanic natural support systems. The framework is placed within a cultural context/developmental perspective and is based upon data gathered through site-visits to three Office of Substance Abuse (OSAP) Hispanic High-Risk Demonstration Projects in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Does Initial Treatment Focus Influence Outcomes for Depressed Substance Abusers

Interventions for alcohol- and substance-dependent adults with comorbid depressive disorders are needed, but few have been empirically tested. In a randomized clinical trial of two psychotherapy interventions for these disorders, we examined whether initial focus of treatment was related to retention, substance use, and depression outcomes. Both interventions, integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT; n = 105) and twelve-step facilitation (n = 92), were delivered in group formats with entry points every 4 weeks at the beginning of three content-distinct modules. Entry module (i.e., initial treatment focus) was not related to percentage days abstinent, proportion of the sample abstinent, or depression symptoms for either intervention. This was true at both 12 and 24 weeks postbaseline. Furthermore, attendance was similar for both treatments, regardless of initial treatment focus, with a single exception in the ICBT condition. Our findings support the use of modular formats with multiple or rotating entry points for psychotherapy group interventions.
Remembrance of Sins Past: Unraveling the Murder of Patrice Lumumba

The assassination of L.D. Kabila, forty years to the day after the1961 murder of Patrice Lumumba, revived memories of the fate of the Congo's first (and only) democratically elected leader, but in Belgium, the case of Lumumba's assassination had already been re‐opened by a solidly documented expose challenging what had for some time been the ‘official version’ of the murder. Written by Ludo DeWitte, this account identified those members of the Belgian establishment whom it saw as having deliberately engineered Lumumba's overthrow and ‘final elimination’. Its publication directly led to the creation of a parliamentary commission of enquiry whose final report was released in November 2001. Much of the investigation took the form of an examination of archival and testimonial evidence. Most witnesses were not seriously challenged, and cross‐examination was usually gentle and ineffective. Yet, considering the perceived need to achieve some form of national consensus, the enquiry cannot be dismissed as a whitew...
Genetic control of 32P transfer from wheat to Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici during primary infection

Abstract Environmental conditions necessary for synchronous development of Erysiphe graminis D.C. f. sp. tritici Em. Marchal during primary infection of wheat were shown to affect the amount of 32P taken up and translocated to the epidermis of excised leaves placed in a 32P solution. Light increased transpiration, the amount of 32P taken up by the leaves and the amount of 32P transferred to the parasite. Rates of 32P transfer from host to parasite were determined for compatible and incompatible parasite-host interactions during primary infection. Transfer rate reflected the relative compatibility of the host-parasite interaction studied. Interactions with little fungal development had lower total rates ou transfer than did compatible interactions. However, when transfer was expressed as UP transferred per successful primary infection, the successful parasite units involved in incompatible interactions obtained 32P at a greater rate than did parasite units in compatible interactions.
Detection of nicotinic receptor ligands with a light addressable potentiometric sensor.

Abstract The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, purified from Torpedo electric organ, was coupled to a light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) to form a LAPS-receptor biosensor. Receptor-ligand complexes containing biotin and urease were captured on a biotinylated nitrocellulose membrane via a streptavidin bridge and detected with a silicon-based sensor. Competition between biotinylated α-bungarotoxin and nonbiotinylated ligands formed the basis of this assay. This biosensor detected both agonists (acetylcholine, carbamylcholine, succinylcholine, suberyldicholine, and nicotine) and competitive antagonists ( d -tubocurarine, α-bungarotoxin, and α- Naja toxin) of the receptor with affinities comparable to those obtained using radioactive ligand binding assays. Consistent with agonist-induced desensitization of the receptor, the LAPS-receptor biosensor reported a time-dependent increase in affinity for the agonist carbamylcholine as expected, but not for the antagonists.
Reconstitution of spermatogenesis from frozen spermatogonial stem cells

Spermatozoa from a number of species can be cryopreserved and then subsequently used to fertilize eggs1. However, this technique has several limitations. First, the freezing protocol varies for each species and must be determined empirically, and for some species appropriate methods have not yet been identified1,2. Second, because these cells are fully differentiated, they will not undergo replication when thawed, and recombination of genetic information cannot occur. We now demonstrate, by using the recently developed spermatogonial transplantation technique3,4, that male germline stem cells can be successfully cryopreserved. Donor testis cells isolated from prepubertal or adult mice and frozen from 4 to 156 days at −196 °C were able to generate spermatogenesis in recipient seminiferous tubules. Relatively standard preservation techniques were used, suggesting that male germ cells from other species can also be stored for long periods. Because transplanted testis stem cells will ultimately undergo replication and meiotic recombination during spermatogenesis, one might consider these preserved male germ lines as biologically immortal.
Stochastic FEM sensitivity analysis of nonlinear dynamic problems

Abstract This paper deals with the stochastic finite element analysis of nonlinear structural dynamic problems, consisting of a linearly elastic square plate lying on a nonlinear foundation and loaded with a deterministic uniform transverse dynamic load. The plate can be either simply-supported or fixed-all-around. The stochasticity of the problem arises from the spatial randomness of the elastic modulus of the plate and/or from the spatial randomness of a coefficient controlling the degree of nonlinearity of the foundation. Monte Carlo simulation techniques along with a finite element formulation of the problem are used in order to analyze the system. It is concluded that the maximum deflection at the center of the square plate fits to the lognormal distribution. Various conclusions are also drawn on the influence of the stochasticity of the elastic modulus and/or the stochasticity of the nonlinear foundation and the degree of nonlinearity of the foundation on the value of the coefficient of variation of the maximum deflection at the center of the plate.
Routine biopsy of Cloquet's node is of limited value in sentinel node positive melanoma patients

Background and Objectives Biopsy of Cloquet's node (CN) during groin dissection has been used to indicate need for pelvic dissection. With earlier detection of microscopic regional disease in the era of sentinel node biopsy (SNB), frequency of positive CN may be so low that routine biopsy is unwarranted. Methods Patients with positive groin SNB from 2000 to 2008 were identified from two centers. Cases where CN was identified at completion node dissection were selected. Lymphoscintigraphic, surgical, pathologic, and recurrence data were reviewed. Results CN was identified in 53 cases. Median age was 44.5 years (range 7–77); median Breslow depth, 1.98 mm (range 0.5–25.0); % Clark's level IV/V, 90%; and % ulceration, 41.5%. Fifty (94.3%) underwent groin dissection alone; three others underwent concomitant pelvic dissection. Two (3.8%) patients had positive CN; both had additional indications for pelvic dissection. Delayed pelvic recurrence rate was 2/53 (3.8%); both patients had negative CN. In the three patients treated with concurrent groin and pelvic dissection, CN reflected pelvic nodal status in two cases; the third had pelvic metastases despite negative CN. Conclusions After positive SNB, disease involvement of CN is rare. Patients with positive biopsies of CN in the SNB era appear likely to have additional indications for pelvic dissection, minimizing utility of CN biopsy. Routine intraoperative sampling of CN may not be warranted during groin dissection for positive SNB. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;102:315–320. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dimensions of faculty members' sensitivity to job satisfaction items

Researchers have suggested that questionnaire item sensitivity may be a possible source of response bias in investigations using mail surveys. In conducting job satisfaction studies of faculty members in higher education, investigators have assumed that job satisfaction items are not highly sensitive to faculty members and do not vary in their degree of sensitivity. The purpose of the present research was to assess the degree of sensitivity of various job satisfaction items to faculty members and to identify dimensions of faculty members' sensitivity to these items. Results from a questionnaire returned from 354 faculty members at a large university showed that their sensitivity to job satisfaction items centered primarily in three areas: (1) concern with extrinsic job factors, (2) concern with department head actions, and (3) concern with promotion and salary. On the whole, item sensitivity appeared to be rather low. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Elevated-Temperature Corrosion of CoCrCuFeNiAl0.5Bx High-Entropy Alloys in Simulated Syngas Containing H2S

High-entropy alloys are formed by synthesizing five or more principal elements in equimolar or near equimolar concentrations. Microstructure of the CoCrCuFeNiAl0.5Bx (x = 0, 0.2, 0.6, 1) high-entropy alloys under investigation is composed of a mixture of disordered bcc and fcc phases and borides. These alloys were tested gravimetrically for their corrosion resistance in simulated syngas containing 0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 % H2S at 500 °C. The exposed coupons were characterized using XRD and SEM. No significant corrosion was detected at 500 °C in syngas containing 0 and 0.01 % H2S while significant corrosion was observed in syngas containing 0.1 and 1 % H2S. Cu1.96S was the primary sulfide in the external corrosion scale on the low-boron high-entropy alloys, whereas FeCo4Ni4S8 on the high-boron high-entropy alloys. Multi-phase Cu-rich regions in the low-B high-entropy alloys were vulnerable to corrosive attack.
Anisotropic inverse problems in two dimensions

Let g be a Riemannian metric on a bounded domain in two dimensions with a Lipschitz boundary. We show that one can determine the equivalent class of g and β in the W1,p topology, p > 2, from knowledge of the associated Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DN) map Λg,β to the elliptic equation divg(β∇gu) = 0. The DN map encodes all the voltage and current measurements at the boundary.
History at 1983 IUGG Meeting

Perhaps because the 1983 IUGG meeting at Hamburg commemorated the 100th anniversary of the First International Polar Year, the 50th anniversary of the Second International Polar Year, and the 25th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year, it was a particularly appropriate forum for the study of the history of space science. By any measure, however, the 18th IUGG Assembly marks a watershed in the study of history and its application to space physics and geophysics. Besides two highly successful sessions on historical events and on the use of historical records in research sponsored by the IAGA Interdivisional Commission on History, several of the IUGG Union lectures and interunion sessions specifically addressed historical concerns. In particular, M. Nicolet's address (“Reflexions sur l'Annee Geophysiaue Internationale”) and the opening remarks, which reminded the participants of the 1912 meeting in Hamburg of the Association Geodesique Internationale, revolved about historical events.
Experimental large-animal model of obliterative bronchiolitis after lung transplantation.

Abstract Obliterative bronchiolitis is a major cause of long-term morbidity after lung transplantation. It is characterized by small-airway inflammation and occlusion by fibrous tissue. The pathogenesis is uncertain. To study this disease, we developed a model of posttransplantation obliterative bronchiolitis using genetically defined miniature swine. Group 1 (n = 2) received a left lung autograft; group 2 (n = 7), a left lung allograft. Group 2 recipients were given cyclosporine, prednisone, and azathioprine for 3 months, then immunosuppression was tapered and discontinued over 1 month. The animals were observed for an additional 2 months, then sacrificed. Lung grafts in both groups were monitored with serial bronchoalveolar lavages and transbronchial biopsies for 6 months. After sacrifice, lung grafts underwent histopathologic and immunohistochemical examination. No allograft had histologic evidence of acute rejection or peribronchiolar infiltrate during the first 3 months of immunosuppression. During the tapering period, airway changes characterized by severe peribronchiolar lymphocytic infiltrates were seen. Bronchoalveolar lavages of allografts showed significantly increased lymphocyte counts with CD8+ cells predominating. After the discontinuation of immunosuppression, transbronchial biopsy and autopsy specimens showed progressive fibrous inflammatory occlusion of bronchioles. Immunohisto-chemical staining demonstrated increased expression of MCH class II antigen on the bronchiolar epithelium and increased dendritic cells and CD4+ lymphocytes. None of these changes were seen in group 1. Our findings suggest obliterative bronchiolitis is an immunologically mediated phenomenon related to chronic graft rejection after lung transplantation. This model will allow systematic study of the pathogenesis of obliterative bronchiolitis and possible therapeutic intervention.
Equity and Efficiency in Human Capital Investment: The Local Connection

A general model of community formation and human capital accumulation with social spillovers and decentralized school funding is used to analyse the causes of economic segregation and its consequences for equity and efficiency. Significant polarization arises from minor differences in endowments, preferences or access to capital markets. This makes income inequality more persistent across generations, but the same need not be true for wealth. Equilibrium stratification tends to be excessive, resulting in low aggregate surplus. Whether state equalization of school resources can remedy these problems hinges on how purchased, social and family inputs interact in education and in mobility decisions.
Arthritis and the family

Objectives. This paper reviews the literature on arthritis and the family in two areas, juvenile rheumatic diseases and adult-onset arthritis. Methods. All published papers related to arthritis and the family were identified through a Medline search and through hand searching of the major rheumatology journals. Results. The literature on the family and juvenile arthritis is somewhat inconsistent, in that some studies demonstrate significant psychosocial impact among children and families, while others find no differences in children who have arthritis compared to normative data or to siblings. Lack of consistency in the literature is largely related to methodologic problems, as most studies are retrospective reports, consisting of relatively small, nonrepresentative samples of children with rheumatic diseases. The influence of adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis on family role functioning and the performance of household responsibilities is well documented, and a body of literature on the importance of family functioning to well-being is accumulating. Conclusions. Future studies should expand sample sizes in order to investigate family impact on juvenile rheumatoid arthritis more thoroughly. More studies on the factors that contribute to improved family functioning and subsequent improvements in well-being, especially in conditions other than rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, are needed. Intervention studies to reduce perceived pain and functional disability in arthritis by incorporating a family-systems perspective are particularly lacking.
Climate as a Driver of Evolutionary Change

The link between biodiversity and climate has been obvious to biologists since the work of von Humboldt in the early 1800s, but establishing the relationship of climate to ecological and evolutionary patterns is more difficult. On evolutionary timescales, climate can affect supply of energy by biotic and abiotic effects. Some of the best evidence for a link between biodiversity and climate comes from latitudinal gradients in diversity, which provide an avenue to explore the more general relationship between climate and evolution. Among the wide range of biotic hypotheses, those with the greatest empirical support indicate that warmer climates have provided the energetic foundation for increased biodiversity by fostering greater population size and thus increased extinction resistance; have increased metabolic scope; have allowed more species to exploit specialized niches as a result of greater available energy; and generated faster speciation and/or lower extinction rates. In combination with geologic evidence for carbon dioxide levels and changing areas of tropical seas, these observations provide the basis for a simple, first-order model of the relationship between climate through the Phanerozoic and evolutionary patterns and diversity. Such a model suggests that we should expect greatest marine diversity during globally warm intervals with dispersed continents, broad shelves and moderately extensive continental seas. Demonstrating a significant evolutionary response to either climate or climatic change is challenging, however, because of continuing uncertainties over patterns of Phanerozoic marine diversity and the variety of factors beyond climate that influence evolution.
Mechanistic analysis of precipitation scavenging using a one-dimensional, timevariant model

Abstract A one-dimensional, time-variant model of a storm system is presented. The model is coded in modular form, and as a consequence it contains a great deal of flexibility for general interpretive use. Besides describing cloud and precipitation processes, the model possesses the capability to predict the precipitationscavenging of both reactive and nonreactive pollutants. Example computations are presented to illustrate the code's application for scavenging analysis. This example is based upon an orographie rain storm, and utilizes highly parameterized descriptions of cloud and precipitation phenomena. The primary pollutants of interest are SO 2 and sulfate. Sulfate aerosol is assumed to be scavenged by a nucleation mechanism, while SO 2 scavenging proceeds via the aqueous-phase reaction SO 2 + O 3 → SO 4 2− . Sulfate concentrations and deposition patterns obtained via these example calculations are not set forth as definitive characterizations of the scavenging process. They do, however, reflect some of the behavior commonly exhibited by real storm systems. More detailed application of this basic model is suggested for use in the future analysis of wet-deposition phenomena.
Diesel particulate matter induces receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) expression in pulmonary epithelial cells, and RAGE signaling influences NF-κB-mediated inflammation.

BackgroundReceptors for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) are cell-surface receptors expressed by alveolar type I (ATI) epithelial cells and are implicated in mechanisms of alveolar developmen...
Protein Folding Is Mechanistically Robust

Markov state models (MSMs) have proven to be useful tools in simulating large and slowly-relaxing biological systems like proteins. MSMs model proteins through dynamics on a discrete-state energy landscape, allowing molecules to effectively sample large regions of phase space. In this work, we use aspects of MSMs to ask: is protein folding mechanistically robust? We first provide a definition of mechanism in the context of Markovian models, and we later use perturbation theory and the concept of parametric sloppiness to show that parts of the MSM eigenspectrum are resistant to perturbation. We introduce a new, to our knowledge, Bayesian metric by which eigenspectrum robustness can be evaluated, and we discuss the implications of mechanistic robustness and possible new applications of MSMs to understanding biophysical phenomena.
The Beta2-Adrenergic Receptor on T and B Lymphocytes: Do We Understand It Yet?

The role played by the beta2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) in regulating the level of T and B lymphocyte function has been studied for over half a century. During this time, we have learned that T and B lymphocytes express almost exclusively the β2AR, and that the level of expression on a specific lymphocyte subset differs due to epigenetic regulation by histone and DNA methylation. We have also learned that engagement of the β2AR on lymphocytes, by either norepinephrine or a selective pharmacologic ligand, regulates the level of lymphocyte activity differentially, depending on the time of receptor engagement in relation to the activation and differentiation state of the cell, the molecular signaling pathway activated, and the cytokine microenvironment. The challenge now is to determine if we understand enough about how this receptor functions on lymphocytes to predict the relevance of such regulation to overall immune homeostasis and the development/progression of human disease.
Migration Permanence and Village Decline in Zacatecas: When You Can't Go Home Again

At the same time that the Third World has become more dependent on international wage-labor migration, developed countries have become less hospitable to this migration. This inhospitality is beginning to have negative repercussions on rural sending regions such as north-central Mexico. This study is based on a survey of a stratified random sample of households in Villanueva municipio (county), Zacatecas, in 1988 and again in 2002, employing the same questions and methodology. The results suggest that restrictive U.S. border policies over this period have had a negative impact on village economies in the municipio. Although migrant families continued to hold a distinctive edge on nonmigrant families in terms of possessions and productive investments, there was a decline overall in levels of investment and remittances in the municipio. In the latter year, Villanueva had more nonmigrant families as well as more families with permanent migrants—both trends leading to less money remitted to rural families and...
Regulation of interferon production and innate antiviral immunity through translational control of IRF-7.

Regulation of interferon production and innate antiviral immunity through translational control of IRF-7
Reinstatement of Dermacentor bellulus (Acari: Ixodidae) as a Valid Species Previously Confused with D. taiwanensis and Comparison of All Parasitic Stages

Re-examination of Dermacentor taiwanensis Sugimoto, 1935 specimens in the United States National Tick Collection revealed that two morphologically distinct Dermacentor species were identified under this name. One of them corresponds to Sugimoto's description of D. taiwanensis, while another species is identical to Schulze's Dermacentor bellulus (Schulze, 1935). The latter species has not been considered valid by recent workers. D. bellulus is reinstated here as a valid species and all its stages are redescribed. The adults of D. taiwanensis are also redescribed, and its immature stages are described for the first time. Males and females of D. bellulus can be distinguished from those of D. taiwanensis by the shape of the conscutum and scutum, color pattern, genital structures, size of the palpi and cornua, and the spurs of coxa I. Nymphs of D. bellulus can be distinguished from those of D. taiwanensis by the shape of the scutum, basis capituli, and the hypostomal dentition. Larvae of D. bellulus can be differentiated from those of D. taiwanensis by the shape of the basis capituli, and the degree of development of the auriculae and spur on palpal segment III ventrally. D. bellulus has been recorded from China, Japan, Nepal, Taiwan, and Vietnam; adults have been collected from wild boars, bears, panda, dog, and human; the immature stages are known from rodents, hares, ferret-badger, and bamboo-partridge. D. taiwanensis is found in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; adults have been collected from wild boars; the immature stages are known from rodents, hares, mustelids, and domestic dog.
Perfusion imaging with a freely diffusible hyperpolarized contrast agent

Contrast agents that can diffuse freely into or within tissue have numerous attractive features for perfusion imaging. Here we present preliminary data illustrating the suitability of hyperpolarized 13C labeled 2-methylpropan-2-ol (also known as dimethylethanol, tertiary butyl alcohol and tert-butanol) as a freely diffusible contrast agent for magnetic resonance perfusion imaging. Dynamic 13C images acquired in rat brain with a balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequence following administration of hyperpolarized 2-methylpropan-2-ol show that this agent can be imaged with 2–4s temporal resolution, 2mm slice thickness, and 700 micron in-plane resolution while retaining adequate signal-to-noise ratio. 13C relaxation measurements on 2-methylpropan-2-ol in blood at 9.4T yield T1=46±4s and T2=0.55±0.03s. In the rat brain at 4.7T, analysis of the temporal dynamics of the bSSFP image intensity in tissue and venous blood indicate that 2-methylpropan-2-ol has a T2 of roughly 2–4s and a T1 of 43±24s. In addition, the images indicate that 2-methylpropan-2-ol is freely diffusible in brain and hence has a long residence time in tissue; this in turn makes it possible to image the agent continuously for tens of seconds. These characteristics show that 2-methylpropan-2-ol is a promising agent for robust and quantitative perfusion imaging in the brain and body.
A macroeconomic investigation of funding liquidity and monetary policy shocks in the United States

This article provides empirical evidence that aggregate funding liquidity shocks and monetary policy shocks contribute to the business cycles in the United States. I estimate a structural VAR model with monthly macro-financial data, and identify the structural shocks based on the recursiveness assumption. Both adverse funding liquidity and monetary policy shocks, which are orthogonal to each other by construction, cause significant recessions, with monetary policy shocks generating relatively deeper and longer recessionary effects. Only funding liquidity shocks significantly reduce market liquidity. These two shocks account for over 30% of the cyclical fluctuations of the unemployment rate and industrial production two years after the shocks hit.
Excess payoff dynamics and other well-behaved evolutionary dynamics

Abstract We consider a model of evolution in games in which agents occasionally receive opportunities to switch strategies, choosing between them using a probabilistic rule. Both the rate at which revision opportunities arrive and the probabilities with which each strategy is chosen are functions of current normalized payoffs. We call the aggregate dynamics induced by this model excess payoff dynamics . We show that every excess payoff dynamic is well-behaved : regardless of the underlying game, each excess payoff dynamic admits unique solution trajectories that vary continuously with the initial state, identifies rest points with Nash equilibria, and respects a basic payoff monotonicity property. We show how excess payoff dynamics can be used to construct well-behaved modifications of imitative dynamics, and relate them to two other well-behaved dynamics based on projections.
The α and the ω of congeneric test theory: An extension of reliability and internal consistency to heterogeneous tests

Psychometric theory focuses primarily on tests that are homogeneous, measuring only one attribute of a psychosocial entity. However, the complexity of psychosocial behavior often requires tests tha...
Using author bylines and concept maps to illustrate the connectedness of scientists.

Incorporating reading and discussing primary articles in undergraduate courses has been shown to enhance students’ learning, stimulate their interests in science, and retain them as science majors. While instructors diligently coach students to scrutinize every section in an article thoroughly and critically, the author byline is often overlooked. In this study, the author bylines of primary articles were used to illustrate the connectedness of scientists and the collaborative nature of science. First year college students first learned how to construct a concept map and used concept maps to connect 14 scientists with 14 primary articles that these scientists authored. In doing so, students visualized and understood science as human activity and science progresses as a community effort. Pre- and post-activity questionnaires were used to evaluate whether the activity objectives were met. Students further examined the structure and organization of a primary article after the activity and they were engaged in discussions such as how research ideas developed and evolved, the advantages and disadvantages of collaborative research, the ethics of authorships, graduate schools, and careers in science. Hopefully, perceiving the authors of primary articles as real people in a social network and science as the collaborative efforts may help students see themselves being a part of the scientific advancement and inspire them to pursue careers in science.
Retinal morphology of patients with achromatopsia during early childhood: implications for gene therapy.

Importance While older children and adults with achromatopsia have been studied, less is known of young children with achromatopsia. Objectives To characterize the macular and foveal architecture of patients with achromatopsia during early childhood with handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic imaging and to make phenotype-genotype correlations. Design, Setting, and Participants Comparative case series of 9 patients with achromatopsia and 9 age-matched control participants at a tertiary ophthalmology referral center. Main Outcomes and Measures Patients underwent complete ocular examination, full-field electroretinography, handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic imaging, and screening for genetic mutations. Results The mean (SD) age of the patients with achromatopsia was 4.2 (2.4) years, and the mean (SD) age of the control participants was 4.0 (2.1) years. Cone-driven responses to photopic single-flash or 30-Hz stimuli were nonrecordable in 7 patients and severely attenuated in 2. Rod-driven responses to dim scotopic single-flash stimuli were normal in 7 patients and mildly subnormal in 2. Six patients (67%) had foveal ellipsoid zone disruption, of which 1 had a hyporeflective zone. Four patients (44%) had foveal hypoplasia. The average total retinal thicknesses of the macula and fovea in the patients with achromatopsia were 14% and 17% thinner than in the control participants ( P P = .001), which was mostly due to the outer retina that was 18% and 26% thinner than in control participants (both P CNGB3 in 5 patients with complete achromatopsia and heterozygous mutations in CNGA3 in 2 patients with incomplete achromatopsia. The youngest and worst-affected patient harbored compound heterozygous mutations in CNGB3 and a single mutation in CNGA3 . Conclusions and Relevance In early childhood, there is a spectrum of foveal pathology that is milder than reported in older individuals with achromatopsia, which suggests the need for early therapeutic intervention. Neither age alone nor genotype alone predicts the degree of photoreceptor loss or preservation. Thus, in anticipation of future gene therapy trials in humans, we propose that handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomography is an important tool for the early assessment and stratification of macular architecture in young children with achromatopsia.
Serum thyrotropin and thyroid hormone levels in humans receiving chronic potassium iodide.

Serum thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations were measured in 13 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI). All had a low serum T4 and a high serum TSH concentration. However, serum T3 levels were normal in eight. Recovery of normal thyroid function was observed in each of the seven patients in whom the iodide was discontinued. The same hormones were measured in four normal subjects who received 30 drops of SSKI daily for 11 weeks. An increase in serum TSH levels was preceded by a fall in serum concentrations of T4 and to some extent, T3. Upon SSKI withdrawal, subsequent increases in the serum concentrations of both thyroid hormones, but particularly T3, resulted in the return of serum TSH to baseline levels. None of the subjects developed clinical hypothyroidism. It is not apparent why the normal subjects did not exhibit clinical or laboratory evidence of hypothyroidism while the patients with chronic pu...
Unified model equations for microstructure evolution

Abstract Unified model equations hidden in microstructure evolution are discovered in this paper. The governing equations in Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner theory, and diffusion screening theory are derived with some approximations from the unified model equations. The governing equations in multiparticle diffusion simulation and phase-field simulation in microstructure evolution are also derived from the unified model equations. The advantages and limitations for different theories and simulations in microstructure evolution are compared in detail. This comparison can guide scientists to select computational tools for their needs in microstructure evolution. The unified model equations can be applied in many new technological fields, such as self-assembly in nanoscience.
Relationship of lymphocyte invasion and survival of brain tumor patients

The length of survival of 149 patients harboring primary brain tumors was retrospectively correlated with the presence and location of lymphocytic infiltration. Mononuclear invasion of malignant gliomas confined to the perivascular spaces was the only histolgical finding that correlated significantly with survival. Patients with malignant gliomas containing perivascular infiltration live up to four months longer than those with no lymphocyte infiltration. The survival of patients with brain tumors who had lymphocyte invasion associated with areas of hemorrhage and necrosis beyond and separate from perivascular spaces was the same as far as for those with no lymphocyte involvement.
Potential energy effects in light emission and electron emission from a NaCl target bombarded by Ar ions

Abstract Light emitted by Na atoms following the bombardment of a NaCl target with 48 keV Ar ions has been studied. Results for light yields which have been obtained as a function of incident Ar ion beam charge state are reported that include contributions from both displaced surface and sputtered atoms. Secondary electron yields from a NaCl target have also been obtained as a function of Ar ion charge state. The electron spectra show clear evidence for the emission of Cl Auger electrons, independent of the Ar ion charge state. The overall yield of electrons is found to change substantially with charge state. Correlations between the light emission and electron emission are considered.
Synthetic Strategies for the Preparation of Precursor Polymers and of Microcapsules Suitable for Cellular Entrapment by Polyelectrolyte Complexation of Those Polymersa

The production of microcapsules suitable for the entrapment of mammalian cell by means of polyelectrolyte complexation has, of a necessity, led to the development of novel strategies for the preparation of relatively bioinert polymers which complex efficiently under unique conditions to produce a mechanically resilient membrane with efficient transport properties. In this communication we relate a brief overview of capsule-membrane forming systems for the immunoisolation (or potential immunoisolation) of mammalian cells, which are based upon the complexation of polyelectrolyte (PE) polymers; with emphasis on precursor synthesis and relationships between precursor polymer structure and capsule membrane stability.
Effects of feeding synthetic zeolite A and sodium bicarbonate on milk production, nutrient digestion, and rate of digesta passage in dairy cows.

Abstract Four rumen-cannulated Holstein cows were fed synthetic zeolite A and NaHCO 3 to evaluate their affect on milk production, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and rate of digesta passage. Treatments were allocated in a 2×2 factorial arrangement within a 4×4 Latin-square design. Treatments consisted of control; 1.0% NaHCO 3 ; 2.0% zeolite; and 1.0% NaHCO 3 plus 2.0% zeolite. A total mixed ration with 50:50 concentrate to forage (80% corn silage, 20% haylage) DM was fed. Intake of DM was lower for cows receiving zeolite (18.7 vs. 20.7 kg/d). Decreases were noted in daily milk (26.3 vs. 28.9 kg/d). 4% FCM (23.6 vs. 25.6 kg/d); milk fat yield (.86 vs. .93 kg/d); milk protein yield (.85 vs. .95 kg/d); and milk protein percent (3.21 vs. 3.34) with zeolite. Digestibilities of DM, organic matter, and crude protein were also decreased by zeolite but ADF digestion was unaffected. Rumen pH was increased, ruminal propionate decreased, and acetate:propionate ratio increased by zeolite. All other VFA plus rumen NH 3 were not affected by treatment. Decreases due to zeolite were observed in liquid fractional rate of passage and liquid flow rate when measured by Cr-EDTA in the feces. No treatment differences were found in fractional rate of passage of feed particles. Addition of NaHCO 3 had no significant effects.
The phosphate transporter PHT4;1 is a salicylic acid regulator likely controlled by the circadian clock protein CCA1.

The small phenolic compound salicylic acid (SA) plays a critical role in plant defense against broad-spectrum of pathogens. The phosphate transporter gene PHT4;1 was previously shown to affect SA-mediated defense and its expression is regulated by the circadian clock. To further understand how PHT4;1 affects SA accumulation, here we analyzed the genetic interactions between the gain-of-function mutant pht4;1-1 and several known SA mutants, including sid2-1, ald1-1, eds5-3, and pad4-1. The genetic analysis was conducted in the acd6-1 background since the change of acd6-1 dwarfism can be used as a convenient readout for the change of defense levels caused by impairments in some SA genes. We found that compared with the corresponding double mutants, the triple mutants acd6-1pht4;1-1ald1-1, acd6-1pht4;1-1eds5-3, and acd6-1pht4;1-1pad4-1 accumulated reduced SA and lower PR1 expression, suggesting that PHT4;1 contributes to acd6-1-conferred defense phenotypes independently of these known SA regulators. Although some triple mutants had wild type-like levels of SA and PR1 transcripts, these plants were smaller than wt and display minor cell death, suggesting that additional regulatory pathways contribute to acd6-1-conferred dwarfism and cell death. Our data further showed that circadian expression of PHT4;1 was dependent on CCA1, a central oscillator component of Arabidopsis circadian clock. Recombinant CCA1 protein was demonstrated to bind to the PHT4;1 promoter in electrophoretic mobility shift assays, suggesting a direct transcriptional regulation of PHT4;1 by CCA1. Together these results indicate that PHT4;1 is an SA regulator acting independently of several known SA genes and they also implicate a role of the circadian clock mediated by CCA1 in regulating phosphate transport and/or plant innate immunity.
Systemic Microdystrophin Gene Delivery Improves Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function in Old Dystrophic mdx Mice

Restoring dystrophin expression in the muscles of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) may halt or reverse the degenerative wasting and weakness that causes premature death. However, the therapeutic efficacy of an intervention may be limited by the extent of disease progression prior to treatment. In this study, we considered the potential for ameliorating the pathology in a mouse model of advanced-stage muscular dystrophy by systemic administration of recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV6) vectors encoding a microdystrophin expression construct. The treatment of 20-month-old mdx mice restored body-wide expression of a dystrophin-based protein in striated musculature. In aged mice that received treatment, the resultant dystrophin expression was associated with improved hindlimb and respiratory muscle morphology and function, concomitant with reduced muscle fiber degeneration. The findings demonstrate that an established dystrophic state remains amenable to improvement with appropriate intervention and, by some measures, may even achieve benefits similar to those observed with intervention early in disease progression. The capacity to ameliorate the pathology in an animal model of advanced-stage muscular dystrophy suggests that interventions ultimately proven to exert a therapeutic effect in young patients may offer benefits to older patients or those with advanced conditions of progressive muscular dystrophy.