cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of CXCL1 on human fetal oligodendrocyte progenitor cells

Chemokine CXCL1 is abundantly present in proliferative zones during brain development and in regions of remyelination, suggesting that it influences development of oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPC) in these regions. We studied in vitro the effects and possible mechanisms by which CXCL1 acts on human fetal OPC. In organotypic slice cultures of human fetal cortical ventricular/subventricular (VZ/SVZ) zones, blocking of CXCL1 signaling reduced significantly the proliferation of OPC. Moreover, exogenously added CXCL1 induced increase of OPC proliferation. Treatments of purified OPC cultures and cell depletion experiments demonstrated that this effect of CXCL1 was mainly indirect, mediated through astrocytes. We identified that CXCL1 acted through the extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathway, activated primarily in astrocytes. In vitro, astrocytes stimulated with CXCL1 released several cytokines, but only the release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was completely blocked by inhibition of ERK1/2 pathway. When released IL-6 was neutralized in slices, a decrease in OPC proliferation was demonstrated, while addition of IL-6 was able to return OPC proliferation in astrocyte-depleted slices to the control level. These results suggest that in the human fetal brain CXCL1 promotes proliferation of early OPC, acting in part through an ERK1/2-dependent pathway and release of IL-6 from astrocytes.
The relationship between intrauterine and postnatal growth on the subsequent psychomotor development of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants.

. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between intrauterine and postnatal growth and subsequent neurological and intellectual development of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. The effect of intrauterine growth was assessed by comparing the developmental outcomes of the 131 appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA) infants with the 33 small for gestational age (SGA) infants. No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to head circumference, neurological, intellectual or sensory handicap rates. The mean General Quotient (GQ) at the last clinic assessment for the AGA infants was 101.2 and 97.2 for the SGA infants. The effect of extra-uterine growth on subsequent development was assessed in the AGA and SGA infants separately, at the time of discharge and again at 12 months. The 31 AGA infants who failed to grow adequately in the nursery had more neonatal risk factors than the 100 AGA infants who continued to grow adequately after birth. This early postnatal growth failure was not predictive of developmental outcome. At 12 months of age, 26 infants (20%) who were initially appropriately grown at birth were failing to thrive. These infants had sustained more chronic diseases and caretaking disorders in the first year of life than their appropriately grown counterparts. They also had lower GQ and head circumference measurements (p<.05). The SGA infants who exhibited “catch up'’growth between birth and term had larger head circumference measurements at 1 year than those with persistent growth failure. Growth assessment at 12 months of age was not predictive of developmental outcome in SGA infants. We failed to show a relationship between intrauterine growth of VLBW infants and their subsequent development. AGA infants whose weights had dropped to the 3rd percentile by 12 months of age had a poorer outcome than their appropriately grown counterparts. Furthermore, early postnatal growth failure before term had no additional effects if catch up growth occurred thereafter. In the SGA group neither failure to reach the 3rd percentile by term or 12 months affected outcome.
Transport of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Porous Media: Filtration Mechanisms and Reversibility

Deposition of nanomaterials onto surfaces is a key process governing their transport, fate, and reactivity in aquatic systems. We evaluated the transport and deposition behavior of carboxyl functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a well-defined porous medium composed of clean quartz sand over a range of solution chemistries. Our results showthat increasing solution ionic strength or addition of calcium ions result in increased SWNT deposition (filtration). This observation is consistent with conventional colloid deposition theories, thereby suggesting that physicochemical filtration plays an important role in SWNT transport. However, the relatively insignificant change of SWNT filtration at low ionic strengths (< or = 3.0 mM KCl) and the incomplete breakthrough of SWNTs in deionized water (C/Co = 0.90) indicate that physical straining also plays a role in the capture of SWNTs within the packed sand column. It is proposed that SWNT shape and structure, particularly the very large aspect ratio and its highly bundled (aggregated) state in aqueous solutions, contribute considerably to straining in flow through porous media. We conclude that both physicochemical filtration and straining play a role at low (< 3.0 mM) ionic strength, while physicochemical filtration is the dominant mechanism of SWNT filtration at higher ionic strengths. Our results further show that deposited SWNTs are mobilized (released) from the quartz sand upon introduction of low ionic strength solution following deposition experiments with monovalent salt (KCl). In contrast, SWNTs deposited in the presence of calcium ions were not released upon introduction of low ionic strength solution to the packed column, even when humic acid was present in solution during SWNT deposition.
The prevalence of periodic limb movements during sleep in men with erectile dysfunction

Periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) is a disorder in which there are repetitive, stereotypic movements of the iimbs, typically the lower extremities. Other names for PLMS include nocturnal myocionus and periodic movement in sleep. Prevalence estimates of PLMS among patients evaluated at sleep disorders centers range from 3% to 26% (Coleman 1982). Schmidt and associates were the first to note a high prevalence of PLMS among men with erectile dysfunction (Schmidt and Wise 1981). In a subsequent study of 100 men, they found mild to severe PLMS in 60% af men with organic or probable organic impotence (Schmidt et al. 198 11, The authors noted that few patients had any sleep-related symptoms. The association between impotence and PLMS has been confirmed by others. In one study, FLMS was found in 10 of 31 ~m~tent men (Pressman et al. 1985). fn ano~er, 9 of 18 men with organic impotence had PLMS, whereas only I of 14 men with adequate deeprelated tumescence had PLMS (Kavey et al. 1987). notwithstanding repeated findings of PLMS
Polymerization by oxidation coupling. I. A study of the oxidation of 2,6‐diphenylphenol to poly(2,6‐diphenyl‐1,4‐phenylene ether)

The synthesis of poly(2,6-diphenyl-1,4-phenylene ether), by the oxidative coupling of 2,6-diphenylphenol has been studied. Procedures were found which demonstrated that polymers of very high molecular weight could be made with a copper-amine catalyst system. A low nitrogen-to-copper ratio (1 N atom/Cu atom) was necessary to obtain the very high molecular weights under the conditions of these reactions. A variety of amines formed active catalysts; the effectiveness of mono- and bis- primary, secondary, and tertiary amines were compared. Effects of the type of copper halide, reaction temperature, desiccants, addition rates of 2,6-di-phenylphenol, and solvents were also examined. Samples of polymer were isolated at different times during the polymerization. Measurements of viscosity, osmotic pressure, light scattering, gel permeation, phenolic hydroxyl groups, and nitrogen content were made on various samples over a range of intrinsic viscosities of 0.05–0.59 dl/g. A very narrow molecular weight distribution was found for all samples. Hydroxyl endgroup analyses indicated that the concentration of phenolic endgroups per mole of polymer does not change during the polymerization. The presence of some side reactions is indicated by nitrogen analyses. The relationships between the intrinsic viscosity in chloroform at 25°C and Mn and Mw are: log [η] = −3.97 + 0.727 log Mn and log [n] = −3.56 + 0.624 log Mw.
Sildenafil enhances neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in ischemic brain of middle-aged mouse.

Adult neural stem cells give rise to neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Aging reduces neural stem cells. Using an inducible nestin-CreERT2/R26R-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) mouse, we investigated the effect of Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, on nestin lineage neural stem cells and their progeny in the ischemic brain of the middle-aged mouse. We showed that focal cerebral ischemia induced nestin lineage neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and nestin expressing NeuN positive neurons and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) positive mature oligodendrocytes in the ischemic striatum and corpus callosum in the aged mouse. Treatment of the ischemic middle-aged mouse with Sildenafil increased nestin expressing neural stem cells, mature neurons, and oligodendrocytes by 33, 75, and 30%, respectively, in the ischemic brain. These data indicate that Sildenafil amplifies nestin expressing neural stem cells and their neuronal and oligodendrocyte progeny in the ischemic brain of the middle-aged mouse.
Complete convergence of triangular arrays and the law of the iterated logarithm for U-statistics

Abstract We prove the complete convergence of ( 1 n )Σ i h(X i , X n ) for a square-integrable, degenerate kernel h. This is used to show that the Law of the Iterated Logarithm for degenerate U-statistics holds under a second moment condition.
Cell targeting by the Staphylococcus aureus pore-forming toxins: it's not just about lipids

Staphylococcus aureus employs numerous pore-forming cytotoxins to injure host immune cells and promote infection. Until recently, it was unclear how these cytotoxins targeted specific cell types for lysis. Membrane lipids were initially postulated to be cytotoxin receptor candidates. However, the cell-type specificity and species-dependent targeting of these toxins did not support lipids as sole receptors. The recent identification of proteinaceous receptors for several S. aureus cytotoxins now provides an explanation for the observed tropism. These findings also have important implications for the implementation of animal models to study S. aureus pathogenesis, and for the development of novel therapeutics.
Paramyosin is necessary for determination of nematode thick filament length in vivo.

Abstract Nematodes construct thick filaments in body-wall muscle cells using three major protein components: two kinds of myosin and paramyosin. We report the isolation and enrichment of thick filaments from wild type and mutant strains of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, and their examination by electron microscopy. We have compared the morphology and distribution of lengths of isolated filaments from the wild type N2, the unc-15 mutant lacking paramyosin E1214 and the unc-54 mutant lacking specific body-wall myosin E190. Our studies indicate that very long filaments can be isolated from both N2 and the E190 lacking 60% of the normal amount of myosin and that the mean length of the isolated filaments and filament fragments in these strains is 3.2 and 3.3 μm, respectively. However, when similar preparations of thick filaments isolated from E1214 were examined, no long filaments were observed and the mean length was 1.0 μm. Most of the E1214 filaments exhibited prominent central bare zones and double tapered ends. The mean length of this normally distributed subpopulation was 1.53 μm. For comparison, we determined the in situ length of wild type N2 thick filaments (by polarized light microscopy of body-wall muscle) to be 9.7 μm. The diameters of the wild type N2 and the myosin mutant E190 thick filaments were 25 nm uniformly along their length, whereas the paramyosin mutant E1214 filaments showed wider diameters of 32 nm along most of their length. We conclude that functional paramyosin is necessary for the determination of thick filament length and diameter in nematode body-wall muscle cells in vivo. The presence of both body-wall myosins and other myofibrillar components appear insufficient for determination of thick filament structure in these muscles. Both body-wall myosins are unnecessary for the formation of long thick filaments of normal diameter: the presence of one form of myosin, paramyosin and other myofibrillar components is sufficient. We discuss the relevance of these findings to thick filament assembly and myofibrillar organization in general.
The effect of legal and hospital policies on physician response to prenatal substance exposure.

Objectives: To determine the influence of a state's legal environment and a hospital's Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE) protocol on physicians' propensity to respond when prenatal substance exposure is suspected. Methods: Using a sample of 1367 physicians from every state and the District of Columbia, we formulate a set of linear models to determine the impact of the legal environment and hospital protocol on physicians' response to PSE, the agreement between physicians' perceptions and actual state legal environments, and physicians' motivation to act when PSE is suspected. Results: Both protocol and legal environment showed to be significantly correlated with physicians' propensity to take action when PSE is suspected (p < 0.05). Our analysis shows that physicians prefer a public health (patient-centered) approach to more punitive measures. Conclusions: Our results suggest a policy strategy focused first on enacting laws that would encourage a patient-centered approach, by developing and using hospital protocols to implement state policy, and then on educating physicians about the actual legal environment.
CO2 reduction by Fe(I): solvent control of C–O cleavage versus C–C coupling

This manuscript explores the product distribution of the reaction of carbon dioxide with reactive iron(I) complexes supported by tris(phosphino)borate ligands, [PhBPR3]− ([PhBPR3]− = [PhB(CH2PR2)3]−; R = CH2Cy, Ph, iPr, mter; mter = 3,5-meta-terphenyl). Our studies reveal an interesting and unexpected role for the solvent medium with respect to the course of the CO2 activation reaction. For instance, exposure of methylcyclohexane (MeCy) solutions of to CO2 yields the partial decarbonylation product . When the reaction is instead carried out in benzene or THF, reductive coupling of CO2 occurs to give the bridging oxalate species . Reaction studies aimed at understanding this solvent effect are presented, and suggest that the product profile is ultimately determined by the ability of the solvent to coordinate the iron center. When more sterically encumbering auxiliary ligands are employed to support the iron(I) center (i.e., [PhBPPh3]− and [PhBPiPr3]−), complete decarbonylation is observed to afford structurally unusual diiron(II) products of the type {[PhBPR3]Fe}2(μ-O). A mechanistic hypothesis that is consistent with the collection of results described is offered, and suggests that reductive coupling of CO2 likely occurs from an electronically saturated “FeII–CO2˙−” species.
Robustness of model reference adaptive controllers: an input-output approach

A general input-output approach is employed to study the direct model reference adaptive control problem in the presence of parametric and unstructured uncertainty. A sufficient condition for the boundedness of the closed-loop signals is developed, relating an appropriately defined size of the unstructured uncertainty to the size of the parametric uncertainty. This condition involves the intuitively appealing gains of various sensitivity operators and allows for the study of the effect of the design parameters on the boundedness properties of the closed-loop system. The results of this work indicate a direction towards a unified and systematic theory in adaptive control. >
Field enhancement simulation study of nanoparticle-infused dielectric oil with roughened electrode surfaces

The Center for Physical and Power Electronics at UMC has been having experimental success in reducing the self-break jitter of a single-shot pulsed oil switch with various high-K nanoparticle-infused oil dielectrics. In support of this effort, electromagnetic simulations have been completed to quantify the observed phenomena. The simulation results presented in this paper focus on modeling the electric fields associated with the spatially random placement of both electrode enhancements and polarized high-K particles in a simulated oil gap. The simulation results show that high-K particles increase the average electric field on the surface of a rough electrode surface which contributes to the lower experimental oil breakdown strength.
Development and comparison of four methods for the extraction of antibiotics from a vegetative matrix

Studies have shown the potential for antibiotic uptake into food crops from irrigation water and soils containing pharmaceuticals. The objective of the present study was to develop and compare methods quantifying uptake of antibiotics in food crops. Four methods were evaluated: freeze-and-thaw cell lysing, mechanical maceration, tissue sonication, and microwave-assisted solvent extraction. Four antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, lincomycin, oxytetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole) were tested representing 4 classes of antibiotics. The methods were evaluated based on method detection limits, analyte recoveries, and sample preparation time. The 2 most viable methods, freeze-and-thaw lysing and mechanical maceration, were used on replicate lettuce (Lactuca sativa) samples grown using irrigation water spiked with 3 of the antibiotic contaminants. Only lincomycin and sulfamethoxazole were detected in lettuce samples at concentrations as high as 1757 ng/g and 425 ng/g, with detection limits of 57 ng/g and 35 ng/g, respectively. Freeze-and-thaw cell lysing provided the highest level of extraction efficiency on environmental samples and required the least amount of sample preparation while providing adequate detection limits and reproducible analyte recovery.
Enhanced scanning range of coupled oscillator arrays utilizing frequency multipliers

Scanning in arrays is conventionally achieved through phase shifters. Recent work has indicated that scanning can be achieved with significantly reduced complexity and cost using coupled-oscillator techniques. However, the scan range has been somewhat limited using this technique. This paper describes a simple method to greatly enhance the scan range using varactor frequency doublers, which has the added advantage of simplifying the fundamental mode oscillator design. Beam scanning in antenna arrays without the use of phase shifters is theoretically and experimentally verified. The array design frequency is chosen as 8 GHz, and the fundamental mode oscillators are designed for 4 GHz.
Synthesis of 2-Bromo-4, 5-Difluorobenzolc Acid

Abstract The synthesis of 2-bromo-4, 5-difluorobenzoic acid was achieved from difluorophthalic anhydride by either using a Losen rearrangement or the Barton bromodecarboxylation reaction.
A model of the cathode spot glow discharge for a cathode with inclusions of low work function material

A model that describes the self-maintained glow discharge for a composite cathode in which cathode spots are formed on low work function material inclusions is presented. Based on this model, expressions are obtained for the radius of the spot, the cathode voltage, and the spot current as functions of Pd (where P is the gas pressure and d is the thickness of the cathode layer), the parameters of the inclusions, and the basic material matrix are obtained. Numerical results for the case of a glow discharge in 75 torr neon gas with a copper cathode matrix and inclusions of LaB/sub 6/ are presented. The average radii of inclusions were 0.05 and 0.015 mm. Conditions under which the glow discharge migrates from the inclusions and begins to spread onto the surface of the basic matrix are obtained. The transition of the glow discharge into a contracted state, depending on the structure of the composite material, is also considered. >
On "Physical therapy information: could it reduce hospital 30-day readmissions?" Kreppein J, Stewart TD. Phys Ther. 2014;94:1680-1682.

Kreppein and Stewart1 raise a timely and important issue: the 30-day readmission rate among hospitals and the role that the physical therapist contributes in reducing the readmission rate. The 30-day readmission rate is a measure of the unplanned all-cause patient readmissions to any acute care hospital within the 30 days after discharge from a hospital. This measure was initiated in 2012, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) applies a payment adjustment (reduction) to hospitals with excessive readmissions.2 Discharge planning is the process that facilitates the patient's transition from the hospital back to the community, such as a return to home or a placement in a facility that provides inpatient care and physical …
Socially biased learning among adult cottontop tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

We presented adult cottontop tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) with a novel foraging task that had been used previously to examine socially biased learning of juvenile observers [Humle & Snowdon, Animal Behaviour 75:267-277, 2008]. The task could be solved in one of two ways, and thus allowed for an analysis of behavioral matching between an observer and a skilled demonstrator (trained to use one of the two methods exclusively). Because the demonstrator was an adult in both this study and the juvenile study, the influence of the observer's age could be isolated and examined, as well as the behavior of demonstrators toward observers of different ages. Our main goals were to (1) compare adults and juveniles acquiring the same task to identify how the age of the observer affects socially biased learning and (2) examine the relationship between socially biased learning and behavioral matching in adults. Although adults spent less time observing the trained demonstrators than did juveniles, the adults were more proficient at solving the task. Furthermore, even though observers did not overtly match the behavior of the demonstrator, observation remained an important factor in the success of these individuals. The findings suggested that adult observers could extract information needed to solve a novel foraging task without explicitly matching the behavior of the demonstrator. Adult observers begged much less than juveniles and demonstrators did not respond to begging from adult. Skill acquisition and the process of socially biased learning are, therefore, age-dependent and are influenced by the behavioral interactions between observer and demonstrator. To what extent this holds true for other primates or animal species still needs to be more fully investigated and considered when designing experiments and interpreting results.
On collegiality: Kittler models Derrida

Kittler was among the first to invite Derrida to lectures in Germany, and to translate Derrida’s texts into German. Yet a cursory tally in his references does not always do justice to what Kittler’s media theory owes to deconstruction. Discourse Networks credits Derrida with a mere ‘rediscovery’ of grammatology, although Wellbery’s foreword labors mightily to identify the deconstructive traits in Kittler’s work. Gramophone, Film, Typewriter reduces The Post Card’s complex networks to an allegation that ‘voice remains the other of typescripts' – as if Kittler had not in fact taken a much more subtle evaluation of hearing oneself speak from Derrida. What happens to the writability and citability of texts if they are sorted into such neat binary distinctions of logical or poetic orientation? What, to Kittler, is the quotability and readability of the body of work titled Derrida?
Nonlinear control of an autonomous underwater vehicle: A RISE-based approach

Autonomous and remotely operated marine vehicles such as ships and submarines are becoming a key component in several aspects of maritime industry and defense. This paper explores the development of a nonlinear controller for a fully actuated autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) using a robust integral of the sign of the error (RISE) feedback term with a neural network (NN) based feedforward term to achieve semi-global asymptotic tracking results in the presence of complete model uncertainty and unknown disturbances. A simulation is provided to demonstrate the proposed controller on an experimentally validated AUV model.
A Note on the High-Quality Advantage in Vertical Differentiation Models

It is well established in vertical product differentiation models that the high-quality firm reaps a larger profit in a two-stage quality-price game as long as the cost of quality improvement is zero or is borne as fixed cost in the first stage quality choice. This note shows that the high-quality advantage may fail to hold if there is variable cost of production that is dependent on quality.
Outer Cell Surface Components Essential for Fe(III) Oxide Reduction by Geobacter metallireducens

Geobacter species are important Fe(III) reducers in a diversity of soils and sediments. Mechanisms for Fe(III) oxide reduction have been studied in detail in Geobacter sulfurreducens, but a number of the most thoroughly studied outer surface components of G. sulfurreducens, particularly c-type cytochromes, are not well conserved among Geobacter species. In order to identify cellular components potentially important for Fe(III) oxide reduction in Geobacter metallireducens, gene transcript abundance was compared in cells grown on Fe(III) oxide or soluble Fe(III) citrate with whole-genome microarrays. Outer-surface cytochromes were also identified. Deletion of genes for c-type cytochromes that had higher transcript abundance during growth on Fe(III) oxides and/or were detected in the outer-surface protein fraction identified six c-type cytochrome genes, that when deleted removed the capacity for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Several of the c-type cytochromes which were essential for Fe(III) oxide reduction in G. metallireducens have homologs in G. sulfurreducens that are not important for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Other genes essential for Fe(III) oxide reduction included a gene predicted to encode an NHL (Ncl-1–HT2A–Lin-41) repeat-containing protein and a gene potentially involved in pili glycosylation. Genes associated with flagellum-based motility, chemotaxis, and pili had higher transcript abundance during growth on Fe(III) oxide, consistent with the previously proposed importance of these components in Fe(III) oxide reduction. These results demonstrate that there are similarities in extracellular electron transfer between G. metallireducens and G. sulfurreducens but the outer-surface c-type cytochromes involved in Fe(III) oxide reduction are different.
Food reward, hyperphagia, and obesity.

Given the unabated obesity problem, there is increasing appreciation of expressions like “my eyes are bigger than my stomach,” and recent studies in rodents and humans suggest that dysregulated bra...
Activity patterns of catecholamine-containing pontine neurons in the dorso-lateral tegmentum of unrestrained cats

Single catecholamine-containing neurons in the dorso-lateral pontine tegmentum were recorded in unanesthetized, freely behaving cats. Microscopic lesions were made on each recorded unit and subsequently identified for catecholamines by fluorescence histochemical analysis. The majority of the NE-containing neurons exhibited low spontaneous discharge rates in quiet wakefulness and in slow wave sleep. In paradoxical sleep, the medially located NE-containing neurons tend to exhibit ursting discharges which are closely related to individual PGO waves. The laterally or dorsally situated NE units fire more slowly and tend to derease their firing activity during paradoxical sleep. Tonically active, relatively fast NE-containing units were also found. Often, those neurons showed greatly increased activity before the cat awoke from either slow wave sleep or paradoxical sleep, with activity persisting during the early moments of waking. The combination of histochemical and electrophysiologic methods proved essential for correlating neurochemistry and function within the heterogeneous NE-containing nuclei of the cat pons.
W05-01 Development of aculturally informed therapy for schizophrenia

This speaker will serve as chair ofthis workshop. Background informationabout schizophrenia will be presented, including how cultural variables impactvarious aspects of the illness. Ofparticular interest is the fact that patients from more traditional societiesappear to have a vastly better course of illness (World Health Organization, 1960, 1992). The speaker will present results fromnumerous studies, both from her own research and from colleagues, demonstratingthe possible reasons why patients from these cultures have better prognoses. Main ideas include attributions for thecause/controllability of the illness, use of religion/spirituality, greaterfamily cohesion, and less critical/hostile emotional climate of the family(commonly referred to as Expressed Emotion). Dr. Weisman de Mamani will describe how these studies have shaped a newfamily therapy for schizophrenia, titled Culturally Informed Therapy forSchizophrenia (CIT-S). This new therapyis being pilot tested at the University of Miami and incorporates elements frompreviously-established therapies as well as new, culturally-informedtechniques. CIT-S consists of 15sessions broken into five modules: Family Collectivism, Education, SpiritualCoping, Problem-Solving, and Communication Training. CIT-S is offered in English and in Spanish.
Why Does Cell Implementation Stop? Factors Influencing Cell Penetration in Manufacturing Plants

There is little understanding as to why firms have various degrees of cell usage. The intent of this study was to identify factors that had arrested continued implementation of cells at surveyed manufacturing plants. We found no dominant factor that had prevented the firms from continued cellularization. However, by sub-dividing the plants into those with low and high degrees of direct labor hours spent in cells, short and long experience with cells, and those with and without plans for further cells, a clearer pattern emerged. The inability to find families with high and stable demand, lack of time to implement more cells, the existence of service processes, and the difficulty of cost justifying new cells were the most important factors, although their relative importance varied. The findings support the notion that cellular manufacturing has broad applicability as a form of work organization and that cell users pursue further implementations until no more viable cells with sufficient utilization, demand stability, or economic value can be found.
The Madoff Debacle: What are the Lessons?

ABSTRACT: This paper describes the implementation of a “Ponzi scheme case study” in auditing classes at the undergraduate and the Master's level. This instructional case is based on the much-publicized Madoff Ponzi scheme. The case exposes students to several auditing-related concepts, including: (1) fraud auditing; (2) ethical reasoning and utilitarian principles; (3) affinity fraud and Ponzi schemes; (4) internal control evaluation; (5) governance issues; (6) the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations; (7) investment strategies and terminologies; and (8) regulation. The case provides students with an opportunity to assume the role of an external auditor and participate in some active learning exercises. About 170 accounting majors participated in this case project during a three-year period at a Midwestern university. Students who worked in groups were genuinely engaged in the learning process, and they came up with several red flags associated with the Madoff fraud and suggested many n...
Body mass index and early kidney function decline in young adults: a longitudinal analysis of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study.

Background Identifying potentially modifiable risk factors is critically important for reducing the burden of chronic kidney disease. We sought to examine the association of body mass index (BMI) with kidney function decline in a cohort of young adults with preserved glomerular filtration at baseline. Study Design Longitudinal cohort. Setting & Participants 2,839 black and white young adults with cystatin C–based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR cys )>90mL/min/1.73m 2 taking part in the year-10 examination (in 1995-1996) of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Predictor BMI, categorized as 18.5-24.9 (reference), 25.0-29.9, 30.0-39.9, and ≥40.0kg/m 2 . Outcomes Trajectory of kidney function decline, rapid decline (>3% per year), and incident eGFR cys 2 over 10 years of follow-up. Measurements GFR cys estimated from the CKD-EPI (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) equation for calibrated cystatin C at CARDIA years 10, 15, and 20. Results At year 10, participants had a mean age of 35.1 years, median eGFR cys of 114mL/min/1.73m 2 , and 24.5% had BMI≥30.0kg/m 2 . After age 30 years, average eGFR cys was progressively lower with each increment in BMI after adjustment for baseline age, race, sex, hyperlipidemia, smoking status, and physical activity. Higher BMI category was associated with successively higher odds of rapid decline (for 25.0-29.9, 30.0-39.9, and ≥40.0kg/m 2 , adjusted ORs were 1.50 [95% CI, 1.21-1.87], 2.01 [95% CI, 1.57-2.87], and 2.57 [95% CI, 1.67-3.94], respectively). 18 participants (0.6%) had incident eGFR cys 2 . In unadjusted analysis, higher BMI category was associated with incident eGFR cys 2 (for 25.0-29.9, 30.0-39.9, and ≥40.0kg/m 2 , ORs were 5.17 [95% CI, 1.10-25.38], 7.44 [95% CI, 1.54-35.95], and 5.55 [95% CI, 0.50-61.81], respectively); adjusted associations were no longer significant. Limitations Inability to describe kidney function before differences by BMI category were already evident. Absence of data for measured GFR or GFR estimated from serum creatinine level. Conclusions Higher BMI categories are associated with greater declines in kidney function in a cohort of young adults with preserved GFR at baseline. Clinicians should vigilantly monitor overweight and obese patients for evidence of early kidney function decline.
The Role of Immunoglobulin E in Allergy and Asthma

It has been nearly a century since the first suggestion that a soluble factor in plasma or serum might be responsible for the symptoms of allergic disease and asthma, and more than 30 yr since immunoglobulin E (IgE) was identified as the key molecule in mediating what are now described as type 1 hypersensitivity reactions (allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergy, atopic dermatitis, some forms of drug allergy, and insect sting allergy). Since that time, many of the details of the inflammatory cascade underlying allergy and asthma have been elucidated, and IgE is now known to play a key upstream role. The goals of this report are to review the cellular and molecular events set in motion by IgE and to examine the evidence for its participation in both the immediate allergic response and the late-phase or chronic inflammatory response in the skin and lungs.
Modelling steady state pulmonary elimination of He, SF6 and CO2: effect of morphometry.

Abstract We studied the influence of acinar morphometry on the shape of simulated expirograms computed from a single path convection-diffusion model that includes a source term for gas evolution from the blood (Scherer et al., J. Appl. Physiol. 64: 1022–1029, 1988). Acinar structure was obtained from published data of 3 different lung morphometries. The simulations were performed over a range of tidal volumes (V t ) and breathing frequencies (f) comparable to those observed in a previously reported human study. Airways dead space (V daw ) increased with V t in all the morphometric models tested and in the experimental data. The increase in V daw with V t was inversely related to the diffusivity of the evolving gas and to the rate of increase in airway cross-section of the most mouthward (proximal) alveolated generations of the models. Normalized phase III slope for all the gases decreased with increasing V t in all the models as was previously reported for healthy human subjects. In the model simulations, the greatest sensitivity of phase III slope to V t was seen with the least diffusible gas using the airway morphometry with the smallest cross-sectional areas in the proximal alveolated generations. We conclude that both V daw and phase III slope of an evolving gas are sensitive to the geometry of the proximal acinar airways and that this is manifest by their dependence on tidal volume, breathing frequency, molecular diffusivity and alveolar/blood source emission rate. The model simulations indicate that heterogeneity of gas washout is not required to explain the magnitude of the phase III slope in healthy human subjects.
Impact Of The International Grocery Chain On The US Online Grocery Business

The established, United States based brick-and-mortar grocery chains have been slow to enter the online grocery business. This paper, the third in a series, explores whether that is still the case in 2001, how the new pure-play online grocers are doing in the aftermath of the collapse of the technical sector of stocks in early 2001, and the role that internationally-based grocery chains are taking in the US marketplace. Somewhat surprisingly, some internationally-based grocery chains are moving aggressively into both the brick-and-mortar and the online grocery business in the United States.
Using exemplars to create predictable volumetric diversity in object volumes with a 3D Voronoi Subdivison Tree

We describe a method to subdivide objects or volumes in order to represent the predictable volumetric diversity of materials contained within. An exemplar providing information on the volumetric diversity is used as a basis for constructing the subdivided volume. The method will utilize a 3D Voronoi Subdivision Tree in order to divide the volume. The tree will contain the subdivided shape information along with the various attributes of the subdivided objects. Once created, the subdivided object/volume can then be placed in a physics environment for dynamic interaction.
Pre Kindergarten Students Increased Letter Recognition Ability Through the Use of Educational Apps on Tablets for Classroom Instruction

Preschool students are preparing for kindergarten. The kindergarten curriculum is demanding. Students are expected to enter elementary school knowing many aspects related to language arts. The problem at the preschool level is that children need to master letter recognition and letter sounds in order to prepare them to learn how to read. The literature reveals that using technology before they enter kindergarten can be beneficial in developing students emergent literacy skills (Beschorner & Huchison, 2013). It is important for teachers to meet the needs of all of their students. Using electronic tablets in the classroom is a tool that can help promote the development of early reading skills. Shifflet, Toledo and Mattoon, (2012) showed that by just introducing four tablets into a preschool classroom, the teachers observed the students increased their cooperation and collaboration skills with one another. Participants in this study include 20 four and five year olds in a private preschool setting in a suburban area. Using electronic tablets, students practiced letter and sound recognition as part of their daily routine. Student pre and post test scores on letter and sound recognition were compared to analyze growth over time, by using technology and specific instructional applications (apps) that focus on early reading skills. Additionally the researcher recorded and analyzed notes which described student behavior during instruction. Test scores indicated that 19 out of 20 students increased their mastery of upper and lower case letter recognition skills. Results from notes indicated that students were engaged in using tablets and motivated to practice letter recognition skills.
Aquatic Weed Control

Aquatic plants are essential components of almost all pond aquaculture ecosystems. In cultures that rely upon natural food organisms to support aquaculture production, plants are the base of the food web and their growth is often encouraged through fertilization to increase aquaculture yield. Plant communities are also vital in pond cultures receiving manufactured feed, even though plant-based food webs are of minor importance to the nutrition of animals in those cultures. Some plant growth is necessary because plants function with other components of the pond ecosystem to help maintain an adequate environmental quality for aquaculture production. For example, oxygen produced in plant photosynthesis can be the major source of dissolved oxygen in ponds.
A contribution to the development of a philosophical foundation for the data information knowledge wisdom hierarchy

This paper seeks to establish a philosophical basis for the investigation into a flaw of the data information knowledge wisdom (DIKW) hierarchy. This flaw is typified by the requirement that knowledge be used to differentiate data from information prior to the hierarchy's own formation of knowledge. The DIKW hierarchy underlies much of the knowledge management (KM) research. However, while applications of the hierarchy have been examined extensively, the validity of the hierarchy itself has not been much undertaken. This paper illustrates that the analytic/synthetic distinction, as well as consideration of a priori and a posteriori knowledge, will contribute to the development of a philosophical framework via which the hierarchy itself might be examined. Using these concepts, the process of information formation and the hierarchical flaw are examined. Finally, the paper addresses how its resolution might be used in conjunction with various KM research programs.
Connections between Crystallographic Data and New Thermoelectric Compounds

New bulk thermoelectric compounds are normally discovered with the aid of simple qualitative structure-property relationships. Most good thermoelectric materials are narrow gap semiconductors composed of heavy elements with similar electronegativities. The crystal structures are usually of high symmetry (cubic, hexagonal, and possibly tetragonal), and often contain a large number of atoms per unit cell. In the present work a new structure-property relationship is discussed which links atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) and the lattice thermal conductivity of clathrate-like compounds. For many clathrate-like compounds, in which one of the atom-types is weakly bound and “rattles” within its atomic cage, room temperature ADP information can be used to estimate the room temperature lattice thermal conductivity, the vibration frequency of the “rattler”, and the temperature dependence of the heat capacity. ADPs are reported as part of the crystal structure description, and hence APDs represent some of the first information that is known about a new compound. For most ternary and quaternary compounds, all that is known is its crystal structure. ADP information thus provides a useful screening tool for the large and growing crystallographic databases. Examples of the use and limitations of this analysis are presented for several promising classes of thermoelectric materials.
Progesterone inhibits the uterotrophic effect of relaxin in immature rats.

AbstractInjection of progesterone for 3 days before treatment with relaxin inhibited the trophic effect of the peptide in both estrogen-primed and unprimed uteri. The depression in collagen concentration and increase in apparent rate of proline incorporation into collagen induced by relaxin alone were also eliminated, indicating a fundamental blockade of the effect of relaxin in this experimental design as well as a close association of changes in collagen concentration with tissue hypertrophy. The effect of relaxin on incorporation of proline into soluble protein was not blocked by progesterone, however, suggesting a separate mechanism for this anabolic effect of relaxin.
Zinc flexes its muscle: Correcting a novel analysis of calcium for zinc interference uncovers a method to measure zinc

The divalent cation chelator 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), often used to buffer physiological changes in cytosolic Ca(2+), also binds Zn(2+) with high affinity. In a recently published method (Lamboley et al. 2015. J. Gen. Physiol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1085/jgp.201411250), the absorbance shift of BAPTA at 292 nm was successfully used to determine the total calcium concentrations of various skeletal muscle tissues. In the present study, we show that endogenous Zn(2+) in rat skeletal muscle tissue can be unknowingly measured as "Ca(2+)," unless appropriate measures are taken to eliminate Zn(2+) interference. We analyzed two rat skeletal muscle tissues, soleus and plantaris, for total calcium and zinc using either inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or the BAPTA method described above. ICP-MS analysis showed that total zinc contents in soleus and plantaris were large enough to affect the determination of total calcium by the BAPTA method (calcium = 1.72 ± 0.31 and 1.96 ± 0.14, and zinc = 0.528 ± 0.04 and 0.192 ± 0.01; mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]; n = 5; mmole/kg, respectively). We next analyzed total calcium using BAPTA but included the Zn(2+)-specific chelator N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) that buffers Zn(2+) without affecting Ca(2+)/BAPTA binding. We found that estimated concentrations of total calcium ([CaT]WM) in soleus and plantaris were reduced after TPEN addition ([CaT]WM = 3.71 ± 0.62 and 3.57 ± 0.64 without TPEN and 3.39 ± 0.64 and 3.42 ± 0.62 with TPEN; mean ± SEM; n = 3; mmole/kg, respectively). Thus, we show that a straightforward correction can be applied to the BAPTA method to improve the accuracy of the determination of total calcium that should be applicable to most any tissue studied. In addition, we show that using TPEN in combination with the BAPTA method allows one to make reasonable estimates of total zinc concentration that are in agreement with the direct determination of zinc concentration by ICP-MS.
The Survival of Capitalism

The article reviews the book “The Survival of Capitalism,” by Henri Lefebvre and translated by Frank Bryant.
Home Range Indices for the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) in Northeastern Kansas

Movement data collected during a 9-year live-trapping study of Sigmodon hispidus in northeastern Kansas were analyzed using three indices of home range size: 1) distance between successive captures; 2) mean squared distance from center of activity; and 3) S∞ Results obtained from the three indices generally were consistent. Reproductively mature adult and subadult males occupied larger home ranges than their nonreproductive counterparts. Reproductive females showed the same tendency, but the differences were not statistically significant. Adult males inhabiting a more sparsely populated abandoned pasture displayed larger home ranges than did those in an old field. These patterns of Sigmodon movements were comparable to trends reported in other geographic localities. Independence between successive capture locations, a requirement for the analysis of movement data using routine statistical techniques, was observed for 86% of all individuals.