cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disuse atrophy, plasma corticosterone, and muscle glucocorticoid receptor levels.

The effect of whole-body suspension on the time course and the extent of plasma corticosterone changes and the tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids were investigated in rats subjected to seven days of whole-body suspension. Plasma corticosterone increased significantly on the first and the third days of suspension, but returned to control levels by day seven. Muscle glucocorticoid receptors exhibited a characteristic hormonal specificity (evaluated in competitive-displacement experiments). In controls, receptor site concentration in the slow-twitch soleus was comparable to that in the fast-twitch gastrocnemius and plantaris, but was significantly less than in the extensor; seven days of suspension resulted in significant differential effects on muscle receptor levels. The largest increase in receptor concentration was observed in the soleus in which it remained elevated after the receptor levels in other muscles returned to normal.
On the Discreteness of the Worst Jamming Distribution for SP-OFDM

Securely precoded OFDM (SP-OFDM) is a newly proposed secure and efficient anti-jamming scheme designed to enhance the physical layer security of OFDM based 4G and 5G systems under hostile environments. In this paper, by exploiting tools in constrained functional optimization, we explore the worst jamming distribution that minimizes the channel capacity of SP-OFDM under practical assumptions, where the transmitted symbols are uniformly distributed over a finite alphabet, and the jamming interference is subject to an average power constraint, but may or may not have a peak power constraint. First, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the worst jamming distribution. Second, by analyzing the Kuhn-Tucker conditions for the worst jamming, we prove that the worst jamming distribution is discrete in amplitude with a finite number of mass points, either with or without peak power constraints. Numerical results are provided on the worst jamming distribution and the minimum channel capacity under disguised jamming. It is shown that the minimum channel capacity of SP-OFDM is guaranteed to be positive under the worst disguised jamming, while the minimum capacity of the traditional OFDM under disguised jamming is zero. Both our theoretical and numerical results demonstrate the robustness of SP-OFDM and also reveal its performance lower bound under disguised jamming.
From Symbionts to Societies: How Wood Resources Have Shaped Insect Sociality

Sociality has independently arisen in several wood-dwelling insect lineages. Despite this seemingly important ecological trait, little attention has been devoted to understanding how the properties of decaying logs as nest or food resources favor the evolution of cooperative social groups. In this review, we evaluate the current literature on wood-dwelling social insects to identify the key features of wood habitats that has led to the repeated evolution of social behavior. We emphasize important roles of both the structural properties of wood as well as the microbial symbionts and pathogens with which wood-dwelling social insects co-evolved. Wood-tissue is structural resilient, and thus provided an enclosed, defensible nest site for early wood-feeding insect groups. This resilience enabled the long-term persistence of family groups, and was likely a key feature in the transition towards more complex eusocial societies. The dense structure of wood, however, also makes it a nutritionally poor food source. Insects that both live and feed on this resource developed complex mutualisms with prokaryote and fungal symbionts to digest this resource. Parental care likely evolved to ensure adequate nutrition for offspring in this environment by allowing parents to both provision and transfer microbial symbionts to offspring. Pathogenic microbes are also abundant in nests constructed in wood-tissue, and social adaptations such as allogrooming and nest maintenance may have evolved in response to microbial invaders. In general, the dynamic relationship between insects, microbes, and the wood-tissue that they inhabit was a critical component in the evolution of sociality in this habitat.
PSD-95 deficiency alters GABAergic inhibition in the prefrontal cortex.

Abstract Postsynaptic Density Protein-95 (PSD-95) is a major scaffolding protein in the excitatory synapses in the brain and a critical regulator of synaptic maturation for NMDA and AMPA receptors. PSD-95 deficiency has been linked to cognitive and learning deficits implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Previous studies have shown that PSD-95 deficiency causes a significant reduction in the excitatory response in the hippocampus. However, little is known about whether PSD-95 deficiency will affect gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic inhibitory synapses. Using a PSD-95 transgenic mouse model (PSD-95+/−), we studied how PSD-95 deficiency affects GABAA receptor expression and function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during adolescence. Our results showed a significant increase in the GABAA receptor subunit α1. Correspondingly, there are increases in the frequency and amplitude in spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in pyramidal neurons in the mPFC of PSD-95+/− mice, along with a significant increase in evoked IPSCs, leading to a dramatic shift in the excitatory-to-inhibitory balance in PSD-95 deficient mice. Furthermore, PSD-95 deficiency promotes inhibitory synapse function via upregulation and trafficking of NLGN2 and reduced GSK3β activity through tyr-216 phosphorylation. Our study provides novel insights on the effects of GABAergic transmission in the mPFC due to PSD-95 deficiency and its potential link with cognitive and learning deficits associated with neuropsychiatric disorders.
Prohibition at 100: A Comprehensive and Annotated Federal Legislative History

One hundred years ago, a national prohibition on alcohol became the law of the United States. Although the Eighteenth Amendment was both passed in Congress and ratified by the states very quickly, ...
Expression of FoxP2 in the Basal Ganglia Regulates Vocal Motor Sequences in the Adult Songbird

SUMMARY Disruption of the transcription factor FoxP2, which is enriched in the basal ganglia, impair vocal development in humans and songbirds. The basal ganglia are essential for the selection and sequencing of motor actions, but the circuit mechanisms governing accurate sequencing of learned vocalizations are unknown. Here, we show expression of FoxP2 in the basal ganglia is vital for the fluent initiation and termination of birdsong, and the maintenance of song syllable sequencing in adulthood. Knockdown of FoxP2 imbalances dopamine receptor expression across striatal direct-like and indirect-like pathways, suggesting a role of dopaminergic signaling in regulating vocal-motor sequencing. Confirming this prediction, we show that phasic dopamine activation, and not inhibition, during singing drives repetition of song syllables, thus also impairing fluent initiation and termination of birdsong. These findings demonstrate discrete circuit origins for the dysfluent repetition of vocal elements, a phenotype commonly observed in speech disorders.
Need-based financing policies, college decision-making, and labor market behavior: Evidence from Jamaica

Abstract Designing an effective framework for financing higher education is a key objective of policymakers in developed and developing countries. While we have a good understanding of how college financing options affect students' college outcomes in developed countries, less is known about the impact of these programs in developing countries. In this paper, I employ several quasi-experimental designs and novel administrative data from Jamaica to estimate the effect of need-based grants and student loan funding on students' academic achievement and labor market outcomes. The results indicate that the students who benefited from either program had a higher GPA, graduated at higher rates, and were more likely to remain in college beyond their second year. While both programs induce treated students to reduce their engagement in the labor market during college, I find that each program had an opposing impact on students’ earnings in the early years after their expected graduation date.
A novel Huntington's disease mouse model to assess the role of neuroinflammation on disease progression and to develop human cell therapies

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by a trinucleotide CAG repeat expansion of the huntingtin gene (HTT) that affects 1 in every 10 000 individuals in the United States. Our lab developed a novel immune deficient HD mouse strain, the YACNSG, from a commonly used line, the YAC128 mouse, to enable transplantation studies using engineered human cells in addition to studying the impact of the immune system on disease progression. The primary goal of this project was to characterize this novel immune deQficient HD mouse model, using behavioral assays and histology to compare this new model to the immune competent YAC128 and immune deficient mice that had engraftment of a human immune system. Flow cytometry was used to confirm that the YACNSG strain lacked immune cells, and in vivo imaging was used to assess human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) retention compared with a commonly used immune deficient line, the NSG mouse. We found that YACNSG were able to retain human MSCs longer than the immune competent YAC128 mice. We performed behavioral assessments starting at 4 months of age and continued testing monthly until 12 months on the accelerod and in the open field. At 12 months, brains were isolated and evaluated using immunohistochemistry for striatal volume. Results from these studies suggest that the novel immune deficient YACNSG strain of mice could provide a good model for human stem-cell based therapies and that the immune system appears to play an important role in the pathology of HD.
Implementation of dietary methionine restriction using casein after selective, oxidative deletion of methionine

Summary Dietary methionine restriction (MR) is normally implemented using diets formulated from elemental amino acids (AA) that reduce methionine content to ∼0.17%. However, translational implementation of MR with elemental AA-based diets is intractable due to poor palatability. To solve this problem and restrict methionine using intact proteins, casein was subjected to mild oxidation to selectively reduce methionine. Diets were then formulated using oxidized casein, adding back methionine to produce a final concentration of 0.17%. The biological efficacy of dietary MR using the oxidized casein (Ox Cas) diet was compared with the standard elemental MR diet in terms of the behavioral, metabolic, endocrine, and transcriptional responses to the four diets. The Ox Cas MR diet faithfully reproduced the expected physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional responses in liver and inguinal white adipose tissue. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that dietary MR can be effectively implemented using casein after selective oxidative reduction of methionine.
Laser induced shockwave paired with FRET to study neuronal responses to shear stress

Laser induced shockwave (LIS) can be utilized to subject neuronal cells to conditions similar to those occurring during a blast induced traumatic brain injury. We utilized a 532nm Coherent Flare laser to induce a shockwave near cells which had been transfected with a FRET calcium biosensor (D3CPV) so that we could monitor the immediate cellular responses. Our shockwave system was characterized with a high-speed camera to monitor cavitation bubble dynamics and calculate the shear forces cells were subjected to. We found that we could induce forces which have been previously shown to induce injury. Using both phase and fluorescence microscopy we monitored the effects of shear on our cells. We found that at distances up to 120 microns from the laser focal point cells experienced shears greater than 10kPa. At those distances cell fragmentation was observed. Cells that survived and expressed the FRET biosensor demonstrated an immediate calcium elevation irrespective of extracellular or cytoplasmic calcium concentration. Cells recovered to pre-shockwave calcium levels within ~30s. In conclusion, LIS can be utilized to simultaneously monitor the neuronal response to shear stress and nearby cell death or injury.
5 Zoom Lessons for Leaders

The ability to teach is an attribute of a great leader. During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders faced new challenges in developing teaching skills that include using video communication technology to engage teams scattered in remote locations. This article contains teaching suggestions for leaders based on experience in teaching business school courses during the pandemic.
An analysis of representation shift in concept learning

In spite of the importance of representation in learning, little progress has been made toward understanding what makes representations work. This paper describes a framework for knowledge-level analysis of changes in the representation of training examples in concept learning. This a very fundamental sort of representation change; such a change alters the very space over which learning occurs, find hence necessitates selection of a new hypothesis space and (probably) a new learning algorithm. The goals of this paper are first, to provide a framework for analysis of representation shifts; second, to make explicit the assumptions implicit in representation shifts that have actually been used in learning systems; and third, to suggest a procedure for finding the most appropriate representation shift, given some background knowledge about a learning problem. The analytic framework is used to analyze a class of hybrid EBL/SBL systems by characterizing the sorts of domain theories that can be used with these systems.
A closed-loop automatic control system for high-intensity acoustic test systems.

Description of an automatic control system for high-intensity acoustic tests in reverberation chambers. Working in 14 one-third-octave bands from 50 to 1000 Hz, the desired sound pressure levels are set into the memory in the control system before the test. The control system then increases the sound pressure level in the reverberation chamber gradually in each of the one-third-octave bands until the level set in the memory is reached. This level is then maintained for the duration of the test. Additional features of the system are overtest protection, the capability of 'holding' the spectrum at any time, and the presence of a total test timer.
Fertility Theory: Embodied-capital Theory of Life History Evolution

The embodied-capital theory generalizes existing life history theory by treating the processes of growth, development, and maintenance as investments in stocks of somatic or embodied capital. The theory provides a means of understanding relationships between economic behavior, social behavior, and demographic traits such as fertility and survival. The approach sheds light on the long-term evolution of human life histories (including slow development, long life span, and menopause) and social structure (including high levels of parental investment and intergenerational transfers). It also provides an explanation of the demographic transition to low fertility that has accompanied modernization. This article reviews data from traditional small-scale societies and modern nations bearing on the theory, and addresses the changing roles of physiological, psychological, and cultural mechanisms that underlie fertility behavior in traditional and modern contexts.
Supervisory control of a class of hybrid dynamic systems

This paper presents a framework for modeling and synthesis of a class of hybrid dynamic systems. The architecture includes a hybrid plant model, a hybrid controller, a pattern recognizer and a supervisor. The architecture is divided into two layers. The lower layer is a hybrid dynamic system. At the upper layer, the supervisor issues and receives symbolic commands through a pattern recognizer. The supervisor views the lower layer as a forcible discrete event system, which is implemented by modifying the framework of Ramadge-Wonham. The pattern recognizer interprets the output of the plant as an event of the discrete event system. The task of the supervisor is to make decisions on what kind of actions to be taken. The concepts of controllability and observability of a hybrid dynamic system are introduced, which guarantee the existence problems of a hybrid controller and a supervisor. >
Molecular Characterization of the Caenorhabditis elegans ALP/Enigma gene alp-1

Members of the ALP/Enigma family of PDZ-LIM proteins play a role in cytoskeletal anchorage and mutations in at least one member of this family are associated with human cardiomyopathy. Here, we describe the analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans alp-1 gene. alp-1 is predicted to encode the entire nematode ALP/Enigma protein family, consisting of one ALP-related protein with a single LIM domain and three Enigma-like proteins containing four LIM domains. We demonstrate that the ALP-1 proteins are expressed in muscle cells, where they localize to actin anchorage and muscle attachment sites. We show that the PDZ domain of the ALP-1 proteins is sufficient to target the protein to the dense bodies, which are important actin anchorage sites in C. elegans body wall muscle. We demonstrate that the C. elegans ALP/Enigma proteins are also localized to cell-cell junctions and to both epithelial and muscle cell nuclei. These findings suggest new roles for the ALP/Enigma protein family that may lead to the understanding of their involvement in cardiomyopathy.
Hemoglobins of two terebellid polychaetes: Enoplobranchus sanguineus and Amphitrite ornata.

1. 1. The intracellular, coelomic hemoglobins of the terebellid annelids Enoplobranchus sanguineus and Amphitrite ornata are momoneric proteins possessing high O2 affinities (half-saturation O2 tension, P50 = 1.4 and 2.8 mm, respectively, at 20°C), and lacking homotropic or heterotropic interactions in O2 binding. These O2 affinities are high relative to extracellular vascular hemoglobins, but low relative to mammalian myoglobins, due to considerably higher rates of O2 dissociation. 2. 2. The extracellular, multi-subunit hemoglobin (erythrocruorin) from the vascular system of A. ornata has a low O2 affinity (P50 about 11 mm Hg at 20°C) and shows significant heme-heme interaction (Hill's constant n50 = 1.5–2.0). It lacks a Bohr effect between pH 5.8 and 8.0, but shows a large increase in O2 affinity above pH 8.0 that may be due to dissociation into high affinity subunits. 3. 3. The amino acid composition and the amino acid sequence for the first 29 residues of intracellular E. sanguineus hemoglobin show a surprising lack of homology with other simple heme proteins.
Image Analysis of Helical Objects: The Brandeis Helical Package

Although the fundamental steps in Fourier-based image analysis of electron micrographs of helical structures have not changed significantly since the techniques were developed 30 years ago, there have been developments which aid both the analysis itself and the interpretation of results. Increases in computational resources have allowed the automation of many of the repetitive steps in image processing. We describe here a set of computer programs which have been developed at Brandeis University over the past 10 or more years. These programs, referred to as the Brandeis Helical Package, are designed to operate independently of each other with a simple and more uniform protocol for the flow of information between them. The programs are now easier to understand and to use and therefore represent a good tool for the analysis of helical structures.
Role of topography, canopy structure, and floristics in nest-site selection and nesting success of canopy songbirds

Abstract Although oaks (Quercus spp.) have historically dominated many forests in eastern North America, forest composition is changing due to anthropogenic impacts on disturbance regimes. Silvicultural practices, such as partial harvesting, are one component of management to promote oak regeneration. From 2007 to 2009 our research examined nest-site selection and nesting success for a guild of five canopy songbirds in upland mixed-oak forests in southeastern Ohio, USA. We monitored >700 nests across three state forests in both open canopy shelterwood stands harvested to approximately 50% stocking, and closed-canopy mature second-growth. Habitat attributes, including topography, canopy structure, and floristics, were measured at nest sites and random plots ⩽100 m from nests representing microhabitat available within the territory. Canopy songbirds selected specific topographic microclimates: Eastern Wood-pewees (Contopus virens) nested on xeric ridgetops, Blue-gray Gnatcachers (Polioptila caerulea) favored valleys, and Cerulean Warblers (Dendroica cerulea) preferred productive northeast-facing slopes. Nest sites differed among species in terms of concealment, nest support, topographic position on the slope, and basal area of trees >38 cm dbh. Four of the five focal species selected Quercus alba as the nest substrate more than twice as much as available, and three species avoided Quercus rubra. Daily survival rates of nests were negatively associated with basal area of red oak species (both Quercus velutina and Q. rubra) for several species individually and across the canopy-nesting guild. Additional factors related to success included time of season for Eastern Wood-pewees, nest age for Cerulean Warblers, and concealment and size of the support branch for Scarlet Tanagers (Piranga olivacea). In the long-term management for oak regeneration could benefit canopy songbirds, but our results indicate that white oaks, especially Q. alba, may be preferable to red oak species.
Partition values and central critical values of certain modular L-functions

Let p(n) denote the number of partitions of a positive number n, let l ∈ {5, 7, 11} and let δ l be the least non-negative residue ot 24 ―1 modulo l. In this paper we prove congruences modulo l between p(ln+δ l ) l and ratios of central critical values of L-functions associated to twists of certain integer weight newforms. In 1999, Guo and Ono proved analogous results for 13 < l ≤ 31.
The triple helix: science, technology and the entrepreneurial spirit

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the triple‐helix model of university‐industry‐government interactions and its contribution to entrepreneurship, and economic and social development.Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws upon international case studies and interviews to delineate the development of the triple‐helix model and entrepreneurship.Findings – Relationships freely entered into among universities, industry, and government to translate scientific research into economic and social development, go beyond the received practices of both capitalism and socialism. Industry and government have been the two‐leading spheres of modern society since the eighteenth century. The university plays an enhanced role in creating new platforms for economic and social development in the transition to a knowledge‐based society. This new role for the university, sometimes called the “third mission” does not take place in isolation. Fundamental change at the organizational and institutional levels...
Experimental Manipulation of Forest Structure: Near-Term Effects on Gap and Stand Scale C Dynamics

Canopy gaps and coarse woody debris are two forest structural features that are more abundant in old-growth forests than in second-growth, even-aged stands. These features directly influence the carbon balance of the ecosystem, yet few studies have quantified their interactive effects. We experimentally manipulated the forest structure of a second-growth northern hardwood forest in north-central Wisconsin (USA) and measured the shift of C between pools of the ecosystem components. Here, we question the longevity of the changes to the aboveground pools and address their implications for total ecosystem C (TEC) and net ecosystem production (NEP) at both the gap and stand scale. At the scale of the gap, the harvest and removal of trees significantly reduced NEP (−3.2 to −3.5 Mg C ha−1 for gaps vs 2.2 to 2.5 Mg C ha−1 for reference conditions), but did not alter heterotrophic respiration. The addition of woody debris without harvest significantly increased heterotrophic respiration, decreasing soil C storage of the gap area (−0.5 to −1.1 Mg C ha−1). The combined treatment of gap creation and woody debris addition made the gap area a significant C source to the atmosphere for the 3 years of the study (−4.9 to −5.1 Mg C ha−1). We also estimated how these structural features would affect C dynamics at a broader scale. The conversion of 10% of the stand canopy to gap conditions caused only a brief decrease in the stand NEP with the C balance returning to reference conditions by the third year following tree harvest. The woody debris additions caused an increase in both TEC and heterotrophic respiration. When combined the addition of canopy gaps and woody debris caused plots to initially become significant C sources, relative to undisturbed locations that were consistently accumulating C, with an annual NEP ranging from 2.1 to 2.8 Mg C ha−1 y−1. Understanding the effects of these structural features on forest C dynamics is highly relevant as the maturing forests of the region transition to more structurally complex forests and the demand for managing ecosystems for long-term C sequestration increases.
Evaluate EOR Potential in Fractured Shale Oil Reservoirs by Cyclic Gas Injection

The current technique to produce shale oil is to use horizontal wells with multi-stage stimulation. However, the primary oil recovery factor is only a few percent. The low recovery and the abundance of shale reservoirs provide a huge potential for enhanced oil recovery. Well productivity in shale oil and gas reservoirs primarily depends upon the size of fracture network and the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) which provides highly conductive conduits to communicate the matrix with the wellbore. The natural fracture complexity is critical to the well production performance and it also provides an avenue for injected fluids to displace the oils. However, the disadvantage of flooding in fractured reservoirs is that the injected fluids may break through to production wells via the fracture network. Therefore, a preferred method is to use cyclic gas injection to overcome this problem. In this paper, we use a numerical simulation approach to evaluate the EOR potential in fractured shale oil reservoirs by cyclic gas injection. Simulation results indicate that the stimulated fracture network contributes significantly to the well productivity via its large contact volume with the matrix, which prominently enhances the macroscopic sweep efficiency in secondary cyclic gas injection. In our previous simulation work, the EOR potential was evaluated from planar traverse fractures. In this paper, we examine the EOR potential by including the effect of fracture networks. Therefore, a higher oil recovery potential is demonstrated. The impacts of fracture spacing density and stress dependent fracture conductivity on the ultimate oil recovery are also investigated. In a case where the fracture network spacing is 100 ft and the fracture network is 100% stimulated, it can achieve more than 60% of incremental oil recovery. The results presented in this paper demonstrate an EOR potential by cyclic gas injection in fractured shale oil reservoirs.
Studying the effect of internet eXchange points on internet link delays

Internet exchange points (IXPs) are an increasingly important constituent of the Internet at the Autonomous System (AS) level. IXPs are set up with the goal of enabling greater efficiency in traffic exchange between ASes both from economical and technical perspectives. Little is however known about the effect that IXPs have in packet transmission between peering ASes, with a significant focus of the research community being in determining their effect on the topology evolution of the Internet. In this paper, we report on the increasing deployment of IXPs around the world over the past few years and carry out a set of experiments to try and establish the effectiveness of Internet routes traversing an IXP. We find that IXP links entail lesser delays than normal links on the Internet even though their presence does not decrease the length of a path. Our results present pointers towards developing more extensive experiments to verify the effectiveness of deploying IXPs worldwide.
Strong carrier localization in stacking faults in semipolar (11-22) GaN

The effects of stacking faults (SFs) on optical processes in epitaxially grown semipolar (1122) GaN on m-sapphire substrate have been investigated in detail using steady-state photoluminescence (PL) and time- and polarization-resolved PL. We demonstrate that the carrier recombination dynamics are substantially influenced due to strong carrier localization in the stacking faults. In addition to nonradiative recombination, carrier trapping/detrapping and carrier transfer between the stacking faults and donors are also found to be among the mechanisms affecting the recombination dynamics at different temperatures. PL decay times of both I 1 -type BSF and 3.31 eV SF (E-type BSF or prismatic stacking fault) do not show temperature dependence up to 80 K while 3.31 eV SF exhibits longer PL decay times (~3 ns) at low temperatures as compared to I 1 -type BSF (~1 ns), indicative of lower efficiency for radiative recombination. After 80 K, PL decay times decreased by power of ~-1 and ~-2 for 3.31 eV SF and I 1 -type BSF, respectively. It is obtained from radiative decay times with respect to temperature that the carrier localization becomes higher in I 1 -type BSF compared to 3.31 eV SF increasing the temperature. I 1 -type BSF also shows higher PL intensity, which is attributed to larger density, and therefore, larger contribution to recombination dynamics as compared to other type of stacking faults. Polarization-resolved PL measurements also revealed that the degree of polarization for the I 1 -type BSF (0.30) was twice that for the 3.31 eV SF.
Central Venous Catheter Flushing Recommendations: A Systematic Evidence-Based Practice Review.

Background:Treatment for many children with blood disorders or cancer includes the use of central venous catheters (CVCs). Few prospective studies have been conducted to address flushing guidelines in pediatric hematology oncology patients. Eighteen pediatric hematology oncology units were surveyed regarding current CVC flushing policies and procedures. Results reported extreme variations in CVC flush procedures, which instigated this systematic review.Aims:The purpose of this project was to critically review current literature and expert opinion regarding CVC flushing practice in the hopes of reporting standardized recommendations. Dissemination of consistent recommendations may reduce practice variability and complications associated with CVCs as well as increase patient and family confidence and competence in providing CVC care.Methods:Literature searches used PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, National Guidelines Clearinghouse, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Multiple reviewers evaluated results re...
Alleviating the Financial Capital Barriers Impeding Business Development in Inner Cities

Problem: In his “Competitive Advantages of the Inner City” papers, Michael Porter maintained that comparative advantages of inner-city economies, once recognized, would lure profit-motivated invest...
ACTION SPECTRUM FOR ANTHRACENE-INDUCED PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF HUMAN SKIN

— The action spectrum for photosensitization by topically applied anthracene was determined in human volunteers. Spectral reactivity was demonstrated in the range between 320 and 380 nm, with peak activity at around 360 nm. Three distinct inflammatory responses viz. immediate transient erythema, delayed erythema, and wealing were evoked following exposure to effective wavelengths. The action spectra for these responses were similar but the threshold doses were different. Prior treatment with a mast cell degranulating agent (codeine) abolished anthracene-UVA induced wealing but did not influence the erythema response. These findings suggest that photosensitized damage to cutaneous mast cells may be partially responsible for some of the observed inflammatory responses, but other sites of photochemical injury are also involved.
A protective role for innate immunity in autoimmune disease.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an incurable autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibodies directed against highly conserved nuclear proteins and DNA. While the cause of lupus is not known, B-lymphocytes are essential for disease. Most striking is that deficiency in components of the innate immune system such as complement is a major risk factor in disease. One explanation for the involvement of complement and innate immunity is that they are important in the induction and maintenance of B cell tolerance to lupus antigens.
FTIR imaging of oxidation of polyisoprene. 2. The role of N-phenyl-N'-dimethyl-butyl-p-phenylenediamine antioxidant

Abstract The thermal aging of polyisoprene (PI) rubber with different concentrations of the antioxidant N -phenyl- N ′-dimethyl-butyl- p -phenylenediamine (6-PPD) in hot air (140 °C) has been studied using the FTIR imaging technique. These FTIR imaging results are interpreted using the diffusion-limited oxidation theory and mechanism. Antioxidant concentrations of 0.5 wt.% or larger protect the PI rubber surface at a temperature of 140 °C for up to 10 h (the oxidation inhibiting effect), but the self-protective crosslinked oxidation layer is also retarded by the antioxidant and therefore a larger amount of oxygen diffuses into the rubber which causes increases in the total amount of oxidation (the oxygen permeation effect). Using the spatial sensitivity of FTIR imaging, it is possible to observe the chemical results of these two competing effects at different distances from the rubber surface.
Comparison of operation characteristics of variable speed constant frequency wind farms into power system

The paper discusses the characteristics of different variable speed constant frequency (VSCF) wind farms whose engineering applications are realized by power system analysis software package (PSASP) user-defined model. The operation characteristics comparison between doubly-fed induction generator(DFIG) wind farm and direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind farm which are widely used in china is illustrated by means of simulation the influence caused by wind farm linked to power system. The result shows that voltage fluctuation curves and system frequency response curves between two wind farms are almost the same when wind speed changes, however, the voltage stability and frequency stability of DFIG wind farm is better than that of PSMG wind farm when power system faults.
Sex- and tissue-specific expression of a cytochrome P450 2C2-luciferase transgene

Abstract To study the transcriptional regulation of the rabbit cytochrome P450 2C2 gene (CYP2C2), transgenic mice were generated using a DNA fragment containing the CYP2C2 5′-flanking region fused to a luciferase reporter gene. In one of three transgenic lines, this transgene was expressed in the liver and at a lower level in the kidney, similar to the tissue-specific pattern of this gene in rabbits. Unlike expression in rabbits, the transgene was expressed in a male-specific pattern in liver and kidney, and in the brain of both sexes. Expression of the transgene in male mice was repressed after castration, while expression in females was stimulated after testosterone treatment and periodic injection of rat growth hormone (GH). The expression of this transgene was also regulated developmentally in the liver. These results suggest that this 3500 bp of CYP2C2 5′-flanking region contains the basal transcriptional regulation elements for tissue-specific and developmental expression. Although a position effect can not be ruled out, this transgene may also include the cis-regulatory element for sexual dimorphic expression.
Upregulation of intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCNN4) in porcine coronary smooth muscle requires NADPH oxidase 5 (NOX5).

Aims NADPH oxidase (NOX) is the primary source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and is proposed to play a key role in redox signaling involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Growth factors and cytokines stimulate coronary SMC (CSMC) phenotypic modulation, proliferation, and migration during atherosclerotic plaque development and restenosis. We previously demonstrated that increased expression and activity of intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (KCNN4) is necessary for CSMC phenotypic modulation and progression of stenotic lesions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether NOX is required for KCNN4 upregulation induced by mitogenic growth factors. Methods and results Dihydroethidium micro-fluorography in porcine CSMCs demonstrated that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) increased superoxide production, which was blocked by the NOX inhibitor apocynin (Apo). Apo also blocked bFGF-induced increases in KCNN4 mRNA levels in both right coronary artery sections and CSMCs. Similarly, immunohistochemistry and whole cell voltage clamp showed bFGF-induced increases in CSMC KCNN4 protein expression and channel activity were abolished by Apo. Treatment with Apo also inhibited bFGF-induced increases in activator protein-1 promoter activity, as measured by luciferase activity assay. qRT-PCR demonstrated porcine coronary smooth muscle expression of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, and NOX5 isoforms. Knockdown of NOX5 alone prevented both bFGF-induced upregulation of KCNN4 mRNA and CSMC migration. Conclusions Our findings provide novel evidence that NOX5-derived ROS increase functional expression of KCNN4 through activator protein-1, providing another potential link between NOX, CSMC phenotypic modulation, and atherosclerosis.
Improving Face-To-Face Brainstorming Through Modeling and Facilitation:

It has been demonstrated repeatedly that groups who brainstorm while interacting face-to-face (FTF) generate fewer ideas than nominal groups. Some researchers have suggested that there is little justification for groups to brainstorm FTF. Most of the results that support this conclusion have been obtained from laboratory groups working in artificial situations with little structure and no training, a situation quite different from most organizational settings. The purpose of this research was to determine if the use of trained facilitators, different recording techniques, and videotape modeling improved performance. The results of two experiments demonstrated that FTF groups generate as many ideas as nominal groups when assisted by a trained facilitator. Videotape modeling helps increase performance in some instances. Neither of two recording techniques affected performance. Because FTF groups can do as well as nominal groups, more research should identify mechanisms to improve FTF brainstorming, particul...
Symptom Distress Check Lists as a Component of Quality of Life Measurement: Comparing Symptom Reports with Responses to Multiple Choice Questionnaires*:

In order to capture both positive and negative aspects of the quality of life (QOL), clinicians and researchers commonly look to symptom inventories to supplement psychometric measures combining multiple-choice questionnaire items. While these two modalities clearly approach the broad concept of QOL from distinct directions, one wonders how much unique information —and, on the other hand, how much redundancy—each contributes to the overall picture.This retrospective study combined data from three randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical comparisons of QOL under treatment with antihypertensive agents, in which 1,561 male patients responded concurrently to a Symptom Distress Check List (SDCJ administered at five office visits and to various multiple-choice measures of positive and negative aspects of QOL. The SDC required the respondent to state for each of 49 symptoms 1. whether he had experienced it during the past month, 2. if so, how often, and 3. with how much associated distress.For every sympto...
Splice-site mutation in TGM1 in congenital recessive ichthyosis in American families: molecular, genetic, genealogic, and clinical studies.

Lamellar ichthyosis (LI, OMIM no. 242300) is a severe autosomal recessive genodermatosis with an estimated prevalence of 1:200,000. LI represents one end of the spectrum of congenital recessive ichthyosis (CRI). Mutations in the gene for transglutaminase-1 (TGM1) are responsible for many cases of LI and occur throughout the coding sequence of the gene. Our analyses of patients with CRI revealed a common TGM1 mutation involving loss of the intron 5 splice acceptor site leading to alternative splicing of the message. We found families in which the splice acceptor site mutation was homozygous, and families where the patients were compound heterozygotes for the splice acceptor site mutation and another TGM1 mutation. A mutation at this same site occurs in the majority of Norwegian patients as a founder effect. In our ethnically diverse patient population, none of whom have known Norwegian ancestry, haplotype analysis of the TGM1 chromosomal region also suggested the existence of a founder effect. Comparison of the common haplotype in our data with the Norwegian data showed that 2/7 of our splice acceptor site mutation chromosomes had the full reported Norwegian haplotype, and the remaining five chromosomes exhibited recombination at the most distal marker studied. History, family origins, and haplotype analysis suggested that the mutation originally arose on a German background and was introduced into Norway around 800–1000 AD. We also found a limited correlation between genotype and phenotype in our study, with the four homozygous patients having less severe disease than many of the heterozygotes, and no patient with a splice acceptor site mutation having erythroderma or a congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma phenotype.
Effects of furosemide on low-dose mercuric chloride acute renal failure in the rat

Effects of furosemide on low-dose mercuric chloride acute renal failure in the rat. The use of potent diuretics in acute renal failure remains controversial. Both beneficial and detrimental effects have been reported. In the present study, the effects of both low and high doses of furosemide administered in the developmental and established stages of mercuric chloride-induced acute renal failure were evaluated. Both low and high doses of furosemide produced a significant diuresis when given early in the course of experimental acute renal failure. Despite this diuresis, furosemide did not modify the development of the acute renal failure. Continued administration of a low dose of furosemide had no effect on renal function; however, prolonged administration of high doses of furosemide resulted in significantly lower creatinine clearances 48hr after induction of acute renal failure. This detrimental effect was due to sodium depletion by the diuretic since it was prevented by continuous replacement of urinary sodium losses. In the absence of sodium depletion, high doses of furosemide produced a significant diuresis, both in the developmental and established phases of acute renal failure, but it had no effect on the degree of renal functional impairment. Effets de la furosemide sur l'insuffisance renale aigue du rat induite par des doses faibles de chlorure mercurique. L'emploi de diuretiques puissants dans l'insuffisance renale aigue demeure discute. Dans ce travail ont ete etudies les effets de doses faibles et de doses importantes de furosemide administrees soit precocement, au stade d'installation, soit plus tardivement au cours de l'insuffisance renale due au chlorure mercurique. Les doses faibles aussi bien que les doses elevees produisent une diurese significative quand elles sont administrees tot au cours de l'insuffisance renale experimentale. Malgre cette diurese, la furosemide ne modifie pas le developpement de l'insuffisance renale. L'administration continue de faibles doses de furosemide n'a pas d'effet sur la fonction renale alors que l'administration prolongee de fortes doses de furosemide aboutit a des clearences de la creatinine significativement inferieures 48 heures apres l'induction de l'insuffisance renale. Cet effet nefaste est du a la depletion en sodium determinee par le diuretique et il disparait quand les pertes urinaires de sodium sont systematiquement compensees. En l'absence de depletion en sodium, des doses importantes de furosemide produisent une diurese significative, a la fois au stade precoce de l'insuffisance renale aigue et apres son etablissement, mais elles n'ont pas d'effet sur le degre d'alteration de la fonction renale.
Concanavalin A Reduces Liver Collagen Accumulation in Murine Schistosomiasis

Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni develop hepatic fibrosis associated with enhanced collagen synthesis that out-paces induced collagenase activity. Administration of one dose of concanavalin A [Con A (200 jug)] by i.p. injection to mice at 5 or 6 weeks after infection with 50 S. mansoni cercariae decreased liver collagen content by 50% compared to levels in control-infected mice injected with either homologous immunoglobulin (200 jug) or phosphate-buffered saline; additional doses of Con A had no further effect. The decrease in collagen content could not be attributed to either decreased egg deposition in the liver or inhibition of liver collagen synthesis, but was coincident with a greater solubility of granulomas. Collagen contents of skin and tail were unaffected. The relative solubilities of liver collagen in 8 M urea: 10 vaM dithiothreitol were greater in treated animals as compared to controls. However, the amounts of collagen solubilized were similar in both sets of animals, since the total collagen content of treated mice was 50% of the controls. A possible explanation for these results is that much of the synthesized collagen does not accumulate in treated animals, whereas it does accumulate in controls. Peak collagenase and neutral protease activities occurred at 7 weeks postinfection in treated animals, and were 2-fold greater than in controls. Similar effects were observed when succinylated Con A was administered. The results suggest that Con A may modulate host-immune responses influencing fibrogenesis in hepatic murine schistosomiasis.
Further Development and Validation of a Self-Concept Measure Involving School-Related Activities:

For each of two revised forms of the Dimensions of Self-Concept (DOSC) measure (E form for elementary school pupils in grades 4, 5, and 6, and S form for secondary school students in grades 7 through 12), statistical information is presented concerning the intercorrelations of each of five factor scales, the reliability and standard error of measurement of each scale, and the results of item analyses. Also included are a brief summary of data pertaining to factorial validity and preliminary evidence regarding the concurrent validities of each of the five factor scales of the DOSC with respect to scores earned on tests of reading comprehension and critical thinking. The conclusion was reached that the DOSC affords considerable promise of providing relatively reliable measures of individuals within the elmentary school, the junior high school, and the senior high school on each of five fairly homogeneous dimensions of self-concept, the internal and factorial validity of which has received substantial support.