cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Letramento do copiar e colar? práticas de letramento na produção de um perfil MySpace

Over the past several years, educators, the media, policy makers, law enforcement officials, advertisers, venture capitalists, academics, kids, teenagers, and parents-a large segment of American society as a whole-have all turned their attention to a website called MySpace2. With respect to teenagers, much of the public debate has been concerned with issues of privacy and safety. However, in this paper my interest is in teenagers' production and use of their MySpace profiles as a part of their everyday communication.
A Clinical Trial of Metipranolol, a Noncardioselective Beta-Adrenergic Antagonist, in Ocular Hypertension

In randomized, double-masked fashion, 24 volunteers with ocular hypertension received 0.3% or 0.6% metipranolol, a noncardioselective beta blocker; or placebo twice daily to both eyes for six weeks. Intraocular pressure (mean ± SEM) was reduced (P = .01) in the metipranolol-treated patients (baseline measurement, 25.9 ± 0.5 mm Hg to 18.1 ± 1.2 mm Hg at six weeks, 0.6% concentration; baseline measurement, 27.1 ± 0.4 mm Hg to 21.6 ± 1.5 mm Hg at six weeks, 0.3% concentration). Intraocular pressure was not markedly changed in placebo-treated patients. Outflow facility was unaltered two hours after instillation of metipranolol at study week 2 compared to baseline measurement. Aqueous humor flow rates were reduced (P = .02) 20% after 0.6% or 0.3% metipranolol instillation and were unchanged after placebo administration compared to baseline measurement. Mean systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate were not markedly altered. Metipranolol reduces intraocular pressure by suppressing aqueous humor flow rates.
Modularity in promoters and enhancers

Les promoteurs et les activateurs qui controlent la transcription des genes codant les proteines dans les cellules de mammiferes sont composes d'elements genetiques multiples ou modules. Cette revue s'interesse a ces modules, a leurs interactions, et a la regulation biologique de la transcription par l'organisation modulaire des promoteurs et des activateurs
The effect of adrenergic stimulation on urinary prostaglandin E2 and 6 keto PGF1α in man

Abstract To evaluate the details of the adrenergic stimulation of urinary prostaglandins in man, ten normal volunteers were given various agonists and antagonists. The effect of 4 hour IV infusions of norepinephrine (NE), NE + phentolamine (PHT), NE + phenoxybenzamine (PHB), NE + prazosin (PZ), isoproterenol (ISO), and PHT alone on urinary PGE2 and PGI2 (6 keto PGF1α) were determined. PGE2 and 6 keto PGF1α were measured by radioimmunoassay from 4 hour urine samples. NE stimulated both PGE2 (196±40 to 370±84 ng/4 hrs/g creatinine and 6 keto PGF1α(184±30 to 326±36), both p 0.2). PHT alone stimulated only 6 keto PGF1α. PHB and the specific α1 antagonist PZ similarly eliminated the NE induced prostaglandin release. These results suggest that adrenergically mediated urinary prostaglandin release in man is via an alpha receptor with α1 characteristics.
PAX3-FOXO1 fusion gene in rhabdomyosarcoma.

Abstract Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood and adolescence. The predominant histologic variants of this disease are termed embryonal (eRMS) and alveolar (aRMS), based on their appearance under light microscopy. Of the two, aRMS is associated with an more aggressive disease pattern and a higher mortality, mandating a better understanding of this cancer at the molecular level. The PAX3–FOXO1 fusion gene, resulting from the stable reciprocal translocation of chromosomes 2 and 13, is a signature genetic change found only in aRMS, and thought to be responsible at least in part for its malignant phenotype. This review will discuss the clinical significance of the PAX3–FOXO1 fusion gene, the pertinent historical and current models used to study its oncogenic contributions, the transcriptional targets that are thought to mediate these contributions, and the cellular mechanisms impacted by PAX3–FOXO1 that ultimately lead to aRMS.
Arabidopsis AtCNGC10 rescues potassium channel mutants of E. coli, yeast and Arabidopsis and is regulated by calcium/calmodulin and cyclic GMP in E. coli.

We have isolated and characterised AtCNGC10, one of the 20 members of the family of cyclic nucleotide (CN)-gated and calmodulin (CaM)-regulated channels (CNGCs) from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. AtCNGC10 bound CaM in a C-terminal subregion that contains a basic amphiphillic structure characteristic of CaM-binding proteins and that also overlaps with the predicted CN-binding domain. AtCNGC10 is insensitive to the broad-range K+ channel blocker, tetraethylammonium, and lacks a typical K+-signature motif. However, AtCNGC10 complemented K+ channel uptake mutants of Escherichia coli (LB650), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CY162) and Arabidopsis (akt1-1). Sense 35S-AtCNGC10 transformed into the Arabidopsis akt1-1 mutant, grew 1.7-fold better on K+-limited medium relative to the vector control. Coexpression of CaM and AtCNGC10 in E. coli showed that Ca2+ / CaM inhibited cell growth by 40%, while cGMP reversed the inhibition by Ca2+ / CaM, in a AtCNGC10-dependent manner. AtCNGC10 did not confer tolerance to Cs+ in E. coli, however, it confers tolerance to toxic levels of Na+ and Cs+ in the yeast K+ uptake mutant grown on low K+ medium. Antisense AtCNGC10 plants had 50% less potassium than wild type Columbia. Taken together, the studies from three evolutionarily diverse species demonstrated a role for the CaM-binding channel, AtCNGC10, in mediating the uptake of K+ in plants.
Public policy toward low income housing and filtering in housing markets

Abstract The article presents a model of a housing market in which dwelling units are constructed for relatively high income families and then gradually become available to lower income groups as they depreciate in quality and price. Assumptions are made concerning values for the parameters of the model, and the model is then solved using numerical methods. Alternative possible policies for increasing the housing consumption of the poor are simulated in the model.
MACROMOLECULAR EVENTS LEADING TO CELL DIVISION IN TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS AFTER REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF REQUIRED PYRIMIDINES

Tetrahymena pyriformis were brought to a non-growing state by removal of pyrimidines from their growth medium. During pyrimidine deprivation cell number increased 3- to 4 fold, and this increase was accompanied by one or more complete cycles of macronuclear DNA replication. Autoradiographic studies show that endogenous protein and RNA were turning over throughout starvation and that RNA breakdown products were used to support the DNA synthesis that occurred during the early period of starvation. However, after 72 hours of starvation all DNA synthesis and cell division had ceased. Feulgen microspectrophotometry shows the macronuclei of these cells to have been stopped at a point prior to DNA replication (G1 stage). After pyrimidine replacement the incorporation of H3-uridine, H3-adenosine, and H3-leucine was measured by the autoradiographic grain counting method. The results indicate that RNA synthesis began to increase almost immediately, but that there was a lag of almost an hour before an increase in protein synthesis. In agreement with the autoradiographic data, chemical data also show that cellular content of RNA began to increase shortly after pyrimidine replacement but that cellular protein content did not increase until about one hour later. Pulse labeling of the cells with H3-thymidine at intervals after pyrimidine replacement shows that labeled macronuclei first began to appear at 150 minutes; that 98 per cent of the macronuclei were in DNA synthesis at 240 to 270 minutes; and that the percentage then began to decrease from 300 to 390 minutes, at which time only 25 per cent of the macronuclei were labeled. Cellular content of DNA did not increase for at least 135 minutes after pyrimidine replacement; however, just before the first cells divided (360 minutes) the DNA content had doubled. After pyrimidine replacement the cells first began to divide at 360 minutes, and 50 per cent had divided at 420 minutes; however, all cells had not divided until 573 minutes. This technique of chemical synchronization of cells in mass cultures makes feasible detailed biochemical analysis of events leading to nuclear DNA replication and cell division.
Single crystal elastic constants of two nickel based superalloys

In this communication, we report the measured values of single crystal elastic constants of two nickel based superalloys called MAR-M200 and Rene'N4. Both superalloys are composed of two dominant face centred cubic phases, i.e. an austenitic (Y) phase of the matrix and a coherent precipitate (Y') phase
Space Station Freedom resistojet system study

The resistojet propulsion assembly is designed as a simple, long-life system that offers operational flexibility to the Space Station Freedom program. It can dispose of a wide variety of typical Space Station Freedom waste fluids by using them as propellants for orbital maintenance. A nominal operation mode offers relatively high specific impulse with long life, whereas a low-temperature mode can propulsively dispose of mixtures that contain oxygen or hydrocarbons without reducing thruster life or generating particulates in the plume. A low-duty cycle and a plume that is confined to a small aft region minimizes the impacts on the users. Simple interfaces with other space station systems facilitate integration.
Application of a semi-automatic unsupervised change detection to (SEMI-) natural grassland loss at very high resolution

This paper focuses on the application of a semi-automatic unsupervised change detection algorithm called Cross Correlation Analysis (CCA) to the detection of (semi-) natural grasslands changes at Very High Resolution (VHR). A reference validated Land Cover/Land Use map at time T1 and only one satellite image at time T2, with T2>T1, are required to detect changes occurred at T2 in the selected target class. This approach offers the possibility to reduce the costs of change detection when the acquisition of multi-seasonal VHR images at time T2 for supervised change detection is too expensive or when no archive VHR image is available in the past for unsupervised comparison between T1 and T2 images. A summer Worldview-2 image for a Natura 2000 test site was considered and the results appear encouraging.
Withholding Position and Income Tax Compliance: Some Experimental Evidence:

There is a common belief that tax withholding systems have worked not only as Abstract efficient tax collection mechanisms but also as effective tax evasion controls. However, little is known about the role of withholding in tax compliance beyond the fact that withholding may reduce opportunities for evasion. This article analyzes in an experimental setting some effects that withholding may have on tax compliance. In particular, three hypotheses are examined concerning the reasons that individuals who unexpectedly find themselves underwithheld might decide to evade taxes: the reflection effect from prospect theory, which holds that risk-averse individuals may behave as risk-lovers when they perceive prospects as losses; the liquidity position of taxpayers; and fiscal illusion. The empirical results from the experiments give some support to the liquidity hypothesis but do not support the other two hypotheses.
The profitability of central bank foreign exchange market intervention

Abstract This paper assesses the profitability of foreign exchange market intervention by the Bank of England for the period 1973–1995. Profitability appears to an objective measure of the success of intervention policy, but we show that the tendency of the central bank to “lean against the wind” in its foreign exchange interventions means that profitability calculations will be heavily biased by the amount of cumulative intervention arbitrarily considered. It follows that profitability calculations will be strongly affected by the start–end dates used for calculation purposes. This cumulative intervention bias undermines the usefulness of using the profitability criterion as the sole measure for evaluating intervention policy. Nonetheless, the large sums of public money that can be staked on foreign exchange market interventions suggests the need for open reporting of the profits/losses involved.
Surgical portosystemic shunts for treatment of portal hypertensive bleeding: outcome and effect on liver function.

Abstract Background: Since the advent of liver transplantation and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS), the role of surgical portosystemic shunts in the treatment of portal hypertension has changed. However, we have continued to use portosystemic shunts in patients with noncirrhotic portal hypertension and in patients with Child's A cirrhosis. Methods: We performed 48 surgical portosystemic shunt procedures between 1988 and 1998. The outcomes of these patients were evaluated to assess the efficacy of this treatment. Data from 39 of 48 patients were available for analysis. The average follow-up was 42 months. Results: Liver function generally remained stable for the patients; only 2 patients had progressive liver failure and required transplant procedures. Gastrointestinal bleeding (3 patients), encephalopathy (3 patients), and shunt thrombosis (3 patients) were rare. Patient survival was 81% at 4 years, similar to survival with liver transplantation (P = .22). Conclusions: Surgical shunts remain the treatment of choice for prevention of recurrent variceal bleeding in patients with good liver function and portal hypertension. (Surgery 1999; 126:708-13.)
Gradient Layer Entrainment in a Thermohaline System With Mixed Layer Circulation

Entrainment of salt-stratified fluid into a bottom mixed layer is investigated under conditions for which mixing is driven by bottom heating and/or an imposed horizontal flow. Entrainment rate measurements and mixed layer flow visualization suggest that entrainment is strongly influenced by a shear mechanism involving both horizontal and vertical fluid velocity components. Under certain conditions, imposition of the horizontal flow inhibits the buoyancy flow and entrainment rates for combined mixing are less than those for pure buoyant mixing. Attempts to correlate entrainment rates in terms of conventional dimensionless parameters were unsuccessful.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center: How we evaluate radiology technologies

Evidence-based technology assessment can help answer critical questions concerning the safety, effectiveness, and appropriate uses of medical technologies. This practice can be used to avoid the promotion of ineffective technologies and the premature diffusion of technologies that have not been demonstrated to improve patient-oriented health outcomes, both of which draw resources from effective and appropriate medical care. This article describes the process of such evaluation as undertaken by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center. The key components of the assessment process are described, including the problem formulation and evaluation of study quality, as well as the process by which the available evidence is judged against the five Technology Evaluation Center criteria.
Sensory and analytical characteristics of a novel hybrid muskmelon fruit intended for the fresh-cut industry

Abstract A novel hybrid muskmelon has been bred specifically for use by the fresh-cut industry in winter. Quality characteristics of fresh-cut pieces from the hybrid were compared to those of its inbred parental lines and to those of a commercial netted muskmelon (cantaloupe) and a non-netted muskmelon (honeydew) fruit available in winter. Pieces from hybrid and female line fruit had higher soluble solids content (SSC) and firmness, and lower aromatic volatile concentrations compared to those from the male line fruit. Pieces from hybrid fruit also had higher SSC (>3%) and were firmer (>5 N) than commercial fruit available during the winter, and had twice the aromatic volatile concentration of commercial honeydew and a more intense orange hue than commercial muskmelon. Consumers rated the flavor, texture, sweetness and overall eating quality of the hybrid higher than its inbred parents and winter-available honeydew and as well as or better than winter-available muskmelon. Hybrid fruit stored 5 weeks at 1 °C under modified atmospheric conditions, then fresh-cut and stored 14 d in air at 5 °C maintained good quality (firmness = 51 N, SSC > 12%, β-carotene and ascorbic acid concentrations = 18 and 182 mg kg −1 , respectively), and showed no signs of tissue translucency or surface pitting despite microbial populations >11 log 10 kg −1 . The results indicate that the novel hybrid muskmelon is a promising new melon type for fresh-cut processing and marketing, at least during the winter season.
Association of glutathione S-transferase isozyme-specific induction and lipid peroxidation in two inbred strains of mice subjected to chronic dietary iron overload.

Abstract The α-class glutathioneS-transferases are proposed to play a prominent role in catalyzing the conjugation of glutathione with electrophilic aldehydic products of lipid peroxidation. The effect of iron-induced lipid peroxidation on induction of glutathioneS-transferase (GST) isozymes A1 and A4 in the livers of male C57/BL6Ibg and DBA/J2Ibg mice was studied. C57 and DBA mice were fed for 4 months on a diet supplemented with iron as ferrocene and then were assessed for liver injury, hepatic iron loading, indices of lipid peroxidation, GST activity, and induction of GST isozymes A1 and A4. Iron-treated animals displayed a loss in body weight from pair-fed controls and had large increases in hepatic non-heme iron with concomitant liver injury, as measured by serum alanine aminotransferase. Hepatic lipid hydroperoxides, a direct measure of oxidized membrane lipids, were significantly increased only in C57 mice, but hepatic concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) were significantly increased in both inbred strains. Total GST activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene was significantly increased in C57 mice but not in DBA. Western blot studies using polyclonal antibodies specific for GST A1 and A4 revealed significant increases of 1.5–2.0-fold in these GST isoforms in both inbred strains. These results in a unique murine model for hepatic iron overload further support recentin vivostudies (Khanet al., Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.,131, 63–72, 1995) that have associated induction of GST A4 with protection against oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation. The observed increases in lipid hydroperoxides, hepatic GSH, GST activity, and GST A1 and A4 protein strongly support the hypothesis that induction of GST A1 and A4 represents an important protective event in the detoxification of electrophilic products of lipid peroxidation.
Influence of gestational age and fetal heart rate on the fetal mechanical PR interval

Objective: The fetal mechanical PR interval obtained via pulsed Doppler has previously been demonstrated to correlate with electrocardiographic PR interval measured in the neonate. We sought to further analyze the influence of fetal heart rate and gestational age upon the fetal mechanical PR interval.Methods: We searched our database for mechanical PR intervals, which were obtained during fetal echocardiography performed in our antenatal diagnostic unit. We included fetuses with a normal cardiac structural survey. The mechanical PR interval is measured from the A wave of the mitral valve to the beginning of ventricular systole corresponding to the opening of the aortic valve. Linear regression curves were generated to examine the correlation of mechanical PR interval with gestational age and fetal heart rate. Analysis of variance was used to compare the mean variation across three gestational age groups: 17–21.9 weeks (n = 24), 22–25.9 weeks (n = 52) and 26–38 weeks (n = 20).Results: Mechanical PR interva...
Superposition of traveling waves in the circular Couette system

Experiments have been performed on the circular Couette system that reveal the existence of two simultaneous traveling azimuthal waves in a highly nonlinear fluid flow. These waves can have the same or different wave numbers, but they are nearly dispersionless. Flow visualization, scattering intensity, and Doppler velocimetry techniques were used, and intensity measurements were made in both laboratory and rotating reference frames.
DNA-dependent in vitro synthesis of ribosomal proteins, protein elongation factors, and RNA polymerase subunit α: Inhibition by ppGpp

We have previously shown that the synthesis of ribosomal proteins (r proteins) in E. coli cells is under stringent control (Dennis and Nomura, 1974). Since guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) has been implicated in stringent control, we examined the effects of ppGpp on the in vitro synthesis of r proteins directed by DNA from transducing phage lambdafus3 and lambdarifd18. lambdafus3 carries genes for protein elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-G, and RNA polymerase subunit alpha, in addition to genes for approximately 27 r proteins. lambdarifd18 carries genes for EF-Tu, RNA polymerase subunits beta and beta1, and a set of rRNAs, in addition to genes for approximately five r proteins. We have shown that low concentrations of ppGpp (0.2-0.3 mM) specifically inhibit DNA-dependent r protein synthesis in this system, and that this inhibition takes place directly, rather than as a consequence of the inhibition of rRNA synthesis by ppGpp. In addition, we have also shown that ppGpp inhibits the synthesis of EF-G, EF-Tu, and RNA polymerase subunit alpha, as well as rRNAs.
Progressive Tricuspid Valve Disease in Patients With Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries

Background—The outcome of patients with corrected transposition of the great arteries (CTGA) is variably affected by associated intracardiac defects, tricuspid valve competence, and systemic right ventricular (RV) function. The relative importance of these factors in long-term outcome has not been evaluated. Methods and Results—Since 1958, 40 patients with CTGA were studied to determine risk factors for poor outcome, including age, open heart surgery, tricuspid insufficiency (TI), cardiac rhythm, pulmonary overcirculation, and RV dysfunction. Follow-up ranged from 7 to 36 years (mean 20 years). Intracardiac repair was performed in 21 patients; 19 were unoperated or had closed heart procedures. For the purposes of this study the designation TIs refers to at least moderately severe TI as delineated by echocardiogram and/or angiography. TIs was the only independently significant factor for death (P=0.01), and in turn, only the presence of a morphologically abnormal TV predicted TIs (P=0.03). Twenty-year surv...
K(H9O4)[CIS-DINITRO-Co(TRANS-N, N-GLYCINATO)2]2 (I)—A NOVEL CLASS OF HYDRONIUM ION TRAPS, OF WHICH (I) CONTAINS AN UNUSUAL FORM OF THE H9O4 +CATION

Abstract When K[Co(gly)2(NO2)2] is recrystallized from deionized water, crystals of (I) are isolated which contain an interesting new variant of the classical H9O4 + cation. The cation is polymeric and, thus, qualifies for a description of being a proton wire.
On passivity and simple adaptive control of nonlinear manipulators

Extension of passivity to a class of nonlinear systems linear in control and its application to robust adaptive control of robots are considered. Passivity, also called positive realness in linear time-invariant systems, is needed for realizability of networks, optimality of control systems, and stability of nonlinear or adaptive controllers. It is shown that stabilizability and parallel feedforward can be used to satisfy passivity conditions in manipulators. This result guarantees robust stability of nonstationary, nonlinear, or adaptive controllers if they are applied to almost strictly passive (ASP) configurations. >
Hilbert space formulation of symbolic systems for signal representation and analysis

Probabilistic finite state automata (PFSA) have been widely used as an analysis tool for signal representation and modeling of physical systems. This paper presents a new method to address these issues by bringing in the notion of vector-space formulation of symbolic systems in the setting of PFSA. In this context, a link is established between the formal language theory and functional analysis by defining an inner product space over a class of stochastic regular languages, represented by PFSA models that are constructed from finite-length symbol sequences. The norm induced by the inner product is interpreted as a measure of the information contained in the respective PFSA. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the computational steps in the proposed method and to demonstrate model order reduction via orthogonal projection from a general Hilbert space of PFSA onto a (closed) Markov subspace that belongs to a class of shifts of finite type. These concepts are validated by analyzing time series of ultrasonic signals, collected from an experimental apparatus, for fatigue damage detection in polycrystalline alloys.
Comparison of results of three commercial heartworm antigen test kits in dogs with low heartworm burdens.

Objective To compare results of 3 commercial heartworm antigen test kits performed on serum samples from dogs infected with low numbers of adult female heartworms. Design Blinded laboratory evaluation. Sample Population-Serum samples from dogs (n = 208) proven at necropsy to be infected with 1 to 4 adult female heartworms and from dogs (32) without heartworms. Procedure Samples were sequentially tested with each test kit, following the manufacturers' instructions, by licensed veterinary technicians in private practice who were not aware of infection status of the dogs. The order of test kit evaluations was randomly chosen. For each test kit, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were evaluated. Results All tests yielded some false-negative results, and there were significant differences among tests in regard to ability to detect low heartworm burdens. Sensitivity of the test kits ranged from 78 to 84%. For all test kits, sensitivity increased as number of female heartworms increased. All 3 test kits had high specificity (97%). Conclusions and clinical relevance Results indicated that sensitivity of the 3 commercially available heartworm antigen test kits ranged from 78 to 84% when used to test serum samples from dogs with low heartworm burdens, and that sensitivity varied among test kits. For all 3 test kits, specificity was 97%. All 3 test kits yielded false-positive and false-negative results for some dogs with low heartworm burdens.
Monitoring issues of chromatic and polarization-mode dispersion in optical networks

We will highlight four projects related, to monitoring in high performance networks. 1. Chromatic dispersion monitor using vestigial-sideband optical filtering. 2. Chromatic dispersion monitoring using clock regeneration and fading. 3. Wide-dynamic-range differential group delay monitoring by partial optical signal spectrum degree of polarisation measurement. 4. Polarisation mode dispersion monitoring in WDM systems for NRZ data using a chromatic-dispersion-regenerated clock.
MASS DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCTS OF CLUSTER IMPACTS

Mass distributions of ionic atomic and molecular fragments sputtered from carbon surfaces by singly charged positive cluster ions containing 80 water molecules have been determined. With cluster kinetic energy of 240 keV significant yields of molecular fragments containing up to 21 carbon atoms were observed. Ion yields were used to estimate relative yields of neutral fragments with the assumption that relative yields of the respective ionic and neutral sputtering processes were determined by kinetic factors which could be evaluated independently. The derived neutral yields were then used to estimate the fraction of total projectile energy utilized in evaporative cooling, i.e., sputtering. The results indicate a major fraction of the energy available is used in the cluster sputtering process. 9 refs., 1 tab.
Is NF-κB the sensor of oxidative stress?

NF-kappaB is a dimeric transcription factor that is involved in the regulation of a large number of genes that control various aspects of the immune and inflammatory response. It is activated by a variety of stimuli ranging from cytokines, to various forms of radiation, to oxidative stress (such as exposure to H2O2). Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the signal transduction pathway leading to NF-kappaB activation by cytokines and will provide insights for the mechanism by which NF-kappaB is regulated by oxidative stress. An important question that is yet to be answered is whether reactive oxygen species play a physiological role in NF-kappaB activation.
Strategic Issue Management Systems: Forms, Functions, and Contexts

Organizations use strategic issue management (SIM) systems to enhance their capacity to adapt. Despite increasing prominence, very little is Known about the design and use of these systems. This paper presents typologies of the forms SIM systems can take and the functions SIM systems can serve. It describes how pressures imposed by different contexts affect both the form and function of SIM systems. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Contraceptive use among Jamaican teenage mothers

Objective. To compare the prevalence of contraceptive use among teenage mothers who were participating, and teenage mothers who were not participating, in a program in Jamaica that had been established to deal with the country's serious problem of repeat pregnancies among adolescents. Methods. A historical cohort design was used to assess the impact that the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) Programme for Adolescent Mothers had on contraceptive use among the target population of adolescents 16 years and under who had experienced a first live birth in 1994. Results. Contraceptive use at first intercourse was found to be higher among WCJF program participants (44%) than among nonparticipants (37%), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.35). Contraceptive use after first live birth was also higher among WCJF program participants (94%) than among nonparticipants (86%), and this difference was significant (P = 0.04). Contraceptive prevalence at last intercourse (in 1998) did not differ between participants and nonparticipants (both 69%). Conclusions. Contraceptive use among this population in Jamaica was highest when the respondents' perception of vulnerability to pregnancy was most acute, that is, after the first live birth. All adolescents, both males and females, need to be educated about the importance of sustained and effective use of contraception in order to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
A vector generalized finite element-Boundary Integral formulation for scattering from cavity-backed apertures

In this paper, we have developed a hybrid VGFEM-BI formulation for the analysis of scattering from filled cavities. Since surface basis functions are not supported in the framework of VGFEM, volumetric vector basis functions are forced to impose boundary conditions at the aperture. This is achieved by constructing conformal PU domains from the geometry mesh. The method has been validated by comparing the simulated radar cross sections of filled cavities against measurement and FEM-BI data. Our current research is on the application of the method for large scattering and radiation problems using tailored basis functions, and these results will be presented at the conference.
Comparison of 200 Liter and 40 Milliliter Leach Tests

During the past year we have conducted a modified MCC-1 leach test on a 145 kg block of a cast cement waste form. The leach vessel was a 200 liter Teflon®-lined drum and contained 97.5 liters of deionized water. The results of this large-scale leach test were compared with the results of standard MCC-1 tests (40 ml) on smaller samples of the same waste form. The ratio of leachate volumes between the large and small scale tests was 2500 and the ratio of sample masses was 150,000. The cast cement samples for both tests contained plutonium-doped incinerator ash. The leachates from these tests were analyzed for both plutonium and the matrix elements. Evaluation of plutonium plateout in the large-scale test indicated that the majority of the plutonium leached from the samples deposits onto vessel walls and little (<3 × 10−12M) remains in solution. Comparison of elemental concentrations in the leachates indicates some differences up to 5X in the concentration in the large- and small-scale tests. The differences are attributed to differences in the solubilities of Ca, Si, and Fe at pH ˜11.5 and at pH ˜12.5. The higher pH observed for the large-scale test is a result of the larger quantities of sodium in the large block of cement.
Feminist intersectionality: Bringing social justice to health disparities research

The principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are well established ethical principles in health research. Of these principles, justice has received less attention by health researchers. The purpose of this article is to broaden the discussion of health research ethics, particularly the ethical principle of justice, to include societal considerations — who and what are studied and why? — and to critique current applications of ethical principles within this broader view. We will use a feminist intersectional approach in the context of health disparities research to firmly establish inseparable links between health research ethics, social action, and social justice. The aim is to provide an ethical approach to health disparities research that simultaneously describes and seeks to eliminate health disparities.
Pediatric oncology nurse and grief education: a telephone survey.

There has been an increased interest in the grief experiences of nurses. Unacknowledged, unaddressed compound grief can have devastating consequences on professional nurses and the patients and families under their care. A telephone survey was conducted using the current Children’s Oncology Group institutions in the United States to ascertain what education and support is available to pediatric oncology nurses regarding professional grief. Three questions were asked of the person contacted at the participating institutions regarding grief education during orientation, grief education beyond orientation, and support mechanisms for staff experiencing professional grief. Out of the 176 eligible Children’s Oncology Group institutions that were invited to participate in the survey, 78 institutions participated. The analysis of the results concluded that support for pediatric oncology nurses is often informal and sporadic and that education regarding professional grief is often nonexistent or very limited in it...
Assessing Learning Outcomes in U.S. Planning Studio Courses

This paper proposes a model for assessing learning outcomes specific to planning studio courses. We begin by reviewing literature on learning outcomes found in education theory, and summarize a gen...
Cytoarchitecture of cerebral cortex in snakes

Cerebral cortex in snakes consists of three neuronal layers. Layer 1 contains primarily axons and dendrites ascending from lower layers, but does contain a few neurons. Layer 2 is characterized by the presence of many densely packed somas. Layer 3 usually contains many loosely packed somas. A layer of columnar ependymal cells lies beneath layer 3. Ependymal cells have processes which extend through layer 3 and into layer 2. Four cortical areas are defined by regional variations in the three neuronal layers. They form rostrocaudally aligned strips in the hemisphere and are named according to their position. 1 Medial cortex contains small, densely packed neurons in layer 2 whose dendrites ramify primarily in layer 1 in a candelabra pattern. 2 Dorsomedial cortex contains large, loosely packed neurons in layer 2 whose dendrites ramify in both layers 1 and 3 in a double pyramidal configuration. 3 Dorsal cortex contains a moderate number of circular and fusiform neurons in layers 2 and 3 which have double pyramidal or stellate dendritic fields. 4 Lateral cortex contains many loosely packed circular somas in layers 2 and 3 which have stellate or double pyramidal dendritic fields.
Deletion of Ubiquitin Fold Modifier Protein Ufm1 Processing Peptidase Ufsp in L. donovani Abolishes Ufm1 Processing and Alters Pathogenesis

Previously, we showed Leishmania donovani Ufm1 has a Gly residue conserved at the C-terminal region with a unique 17 amino acid residue extension that must be processed prior to conjugation to target proteins. In this report, we describe for the first time the isolation and characterization of the Leishmania Ufm1-specific protease Ufsp. Biochemical analysis of L. donovani Ufsp showed that this protein possesses the Ufm1 processing activity using sensitive FRET based activity probes. The Ufm1 cleavage activity was absent in a mutant Ufsp in which the active site cysteine is altered to a serine. To examine the effects of abolition of Ufm1 processing activity, we generated a L. donovani null mutant of Ufsp (LdUfsp−/−). Ufm1 processing activity was abolished in LdUfsp−/− mutant, and the processing defect was reversed by re-expression of wild type but not the cys>ser mutant in the LdUfsp−/− parasites. Further LdUfsp−/− mutants showed reduced survival as amastigotes in infected human macrophages but not as promastigotes. This growth defect in the amastigotes was reversed by re-expression of wild type but not the cys>ser mutant in the Ufsp−/− indicating the essential nature of this protease for Leishmania pathogenesis. Further, mouse infection experiments showed deletion of Ufsp results in reduced virulence of the parasites. Additionally, Ufsp activity was inhibited by an anti-leishmanial drug Amphotericin B. These studies provide an opportunity to test LdUfsp−/− parasites as drug and vaccine targets.
Changes in distribution, cell associations, and protein expression levels of NG2, neurocan, phosphacan, brevican, versican V2, and tenascin-C during acute to chronic maturation of spinal cord scar tissue.

Previous studies have correlated the failure of axon regeneration after spinal cord injury with axons contacting scar tissue rich in chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs; Davies et al., 1999). In the present study, we have conducted immunohistochemical and quantitative Western blot analysis of five axon-growth-inhibitory CSPGs and tenascin-C within stab injuries of adult rat spinal cord at time points ranging from 24 hr to 6 months post injury. Quantitative Western blot analysis showed robust increases in neurocan, tenascin-C, and NG2 levels by 24 hr, suggesting that these molecules play a role in preventing axon regeneration across acutely forming scar tissue. Peak levels of 245/130 kD neurocan, NG2, and 250/200 kD tenascin-C were reached at 8 days, with maximum levels of phosphacan and 140/80 kD brevican attained later, at 1 month post injury. Versican V2 protein levels, however, displayed an opposite trend, dropping below unlesioned spinal cord values at all time points studied. Confocal microscopy at 8 days post injury revealed heightened immunoreactivity for phosphacan, NG2, and tenascin-C, particularly within fibronectin(+) scar tissue at lesion centers. In contrast, neurocan was displayed within lesion margins on the processes of stellate NG2(+) cells and, to a much lesser extent, by astrocytes. At 6 months post injury, 130 kD neurocan, brevican, and NG2 levels within chronic scar tissue remained significantly above control. Our results show novel expression patterns and cell associations of inhibitory CSPGs and tenascin-C that have important implications for axon regeneration across acute and chronic spinal cord scar tissue.
Numerical Simulation of Equal and Opposing Subcritical Flow Junctions

This study presents measured and computational results of a flow pattern at a junction with equal and opposing flows in the upstream channel that collide and turn 90° into the branch channel. The computational results are obtained using a two-dimensional, depth-averaged model with the k-e turbulent closure scheme. The aim is to predict the recirculation zones that form as the flow turns into the branch channel. The simulated depth and velocity profiles in the upstream main and the downstream branch channels are found to compare well with the measurements made in the physical model for various inlet Froude numbers and width ratios of the main channel to the branch channel. The absolute relative error between the measured and computed contraction coefficient, a measure of the recirculation zone size, is less than 4.7%. The computational model is then used to develop curves for the contraction coefficient for various inlet Froude numbers and ratios of main channel width to the branch channel width for design...
A novel method for the measurement of reflux from intravitreal injections: data from 20 porcine eyes.

AbstractBackground: Reflux following intravitreal injection is a common phenomenon, but it is unknown how much, if any, medication is lost as a result. Reflux is known to be a combination of vitreous and the injected agent, but the relative composition is unknown. This article describes a novel method for the measurement of the volume and composition of reflux and presents data from porcine eyes.Methods: Twenty porcine eyes were injected with 0.05 ml of dye at intraocular pressures (IOPs) of 15, 20, 25 and 30 mmHg (five eyes per subgroup). Reflux was captured on filter paper and the area of saturation and color intensity of the dye were digitally analyzed. Total refluxed volume and proportion of dye versus vitreous fluid were calculated from linear regression lines created from known standards.Results: Average (median) total volume of reflux from all eyes was 1.19 μl (0.93 μl), volume of injected dye refluxed was 0.47 μl (0.11 μl) and composition of reflux was 20.8% dye (15.5%). Less than 1% of the inject...
Hypoxic Vasodilation by Red Blood Cells. Evidence for an S-Nitrosothiol–Based Signal

Red blood cells (RBCs) have been ascribed an essential role in matching blood flow to local metabolic demand during hypoxic vasodilation. The vasodilatory function of RBCs evidently relies on the allosteric properties of hemoglobin (Hb), which couple the conformation of Hb to tissue oxygen tension (Po(2)) and thereby provide a basis for the graded vasodilatory activity that is inversely proportional to Hb oxygen saturation. Although a large body of evidence indicates that the Po(2)-coupled allosteric transition from R (oxy)-state to T (deoxy)-state subserves the release from Hb of vasodilatory nitric oxide (NO) bioactivity, it has not yet been determined whether the NO-based signal is a necessary and sufficient source of RBC-mediated vasoactivity and it has been suggested that ATP or nitrite may also contribute. We demonstrate here by bioassay that untreated human RBCs rapidly and substantially relax thoracic aorta from both rabbit and mouse at low Po(2) (approximately 1% O(2)) but not at high Po(2) (approximately 21% O(2)). RBC-mediated vasorelaxation is inhibited by prior depletion of S-nitroso-Hb, potentiated by low-molecular-weight thiols, and dependent on cGMP. Furthermore, these relaxations are largely endothelium-independent and unaffected by NO synthase inhibition or nitrite. Robust relaxations by RBCs are also elicited in the absence of endothelial, neuronal or inducible NO synthase. Finally, contractions that appear following resolution of RBC-mediated relaxations are dependent on NO derived from RBCs as well as the endothelium. Our results suggest that an S-nitrosothiol-based signal originating from RBCs mediates hypoxic vasodilation by RBCs, and that vasorelaxation by RBCs dominates NO-based vasoconstriction under hypoxic conditions.
Targeting Antigen-Specific T Cells for Gene Therapy of Autoimmune Disease

One of the most exciting advances in the field of gene therapy in recent years is the establishment of the antigen-specific T cell as a vector for the delivery of genetically-derived treatment in vivo. In contrast with traditional applications of gene therapy, the unique versatility, specificity and memory of the T cell affords the researcher or clinician the ability to apply a broad range of tactics in the genetic treatment of disease. The T cell may be modified to deliver therapeutic products or regenerative products to sites of inflammation and tissue destruction. In addition, the T cell may be altered to modulate cellular interactions or to correct its own genetic defects to ameliorate disease. These genetic modification strategies as they relate to the treatment of autoimmune disease in experimental animal models will be the focus of this chapter, with particular emphasis on the analogs of multiple sclerosis (MS), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
CEO Pay and Interest Alignment: A Panel Study on Pay-for-Performance in Charitable Organizations

In this paper, I examine the relationship between CEO pay and organizational performance in nonprofit organizations. Two theories, agency theory and stewardship theory, offer opposing predictions o...
Ethanol exposure during the third trimester equivalent does not affect GABAA or AMPA receptor-mediated spontaneous synaptic transmission in rat CA3 pyramidal neurons

Ethanol exposure during the rodent equivalent to the 3rd trimester of human pregnancy (i.e., first 1–2 weeks of neonatal life) has been shown to produce structural and functional alterations in the CA3 hippocampal sub-region, which is involved in associative memory. Synaptic plasticity mechanisms dependent on retrograde release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) driven by activation of L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (L-VGCCs) are thought to play a role in stabilization of both GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses in CA3 pyramidal neurons. We previously showed that ethanol exposure during the first week of life blocks BDNF/L-VGCC-dependent long-term potentiation of GABAA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in these neurons. Here, we tested whether this effect is associated with lasting alterations in GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission. Rats were exposed to air or ethanol for 3 h/day between postnatal days three and five in vapor inhalation chambers, a paradigm that produces peak serum ethanol levels near 0.3 g/dl. Whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings of spontaneous inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs and sEPSCs, respectively) were obtained from CA3 pyramidal neurons in coronal brain slices prepared at postnatal days 13–17. Ethanol exposure did not significantly affect the frequency, amplitude, rise-time and half-width of either sIPSCs or sEPSCs. We show that an ethanol exposure paradigm known to inhibit synaptic plasticity mechanisms that may participate in the stabilization of GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses in CA3 pyramidal neurons does not produce lasting functional alterations in these synapses, suggesting that compensatory mechanisms restored the balance of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission.
Differential Medical Aerosol Device and Interface Selection in Patients during Spontaneous, Conventional Mechanical and Noninvasive Ventilation

Abstract Many aerosol delivery devices are available on the market that have different features, characteristics, and operating requirements that need to be considered for the effective treatment of patients with pulmonary diseases. Device selection in aerosol medicine is largely patient dependent. Since there is no aerosol device that suits all patient populations, device selection and successful integration of the prescribed aerosol device to patients is essential. This article explores key issues in differential device selection in spontaneously breathing adults with or without artificial airways, as well as critically ill patients receiving invasive and noninvasive ventilation, with discussion of considerations for integration of aerosol devices to each of these patient populations.