cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation and functions of sphingosine kinases in the brain

It has long been known that sphingolipids, especially sphingomyelin, a principal component of myelin, are highly enriched in the central nervous system and are structural components of all eukaryotic cell membranes. In the last few years, substantial evidence has accumulated from studies of many types of cells demonstrating that in addition to their structural roles, their breakdown products form a new class of signaling molecules with potent and myriad regulatory effects on essentially every cell in the body. While the sphingolipid metabolites sphingosine and its precursor ceramide have been associated with cell growth arrest and apoptosis, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) enhances proliferation, differentiation, and cell survival as well as regulates many physiological and pathological processes. The relative levels of these three interconvertible sphingolipid metabolites, and thus cell fate, are strongly influenced by the activity of sphingosine kinases, of which there are two isoforms, designated SphK1 and SphK2, the enzymes that phosphorylate sphingosine to produce S1P. Not much is yet known of the importance of S1P in the central nervous system. Therefore, this review is focused on current knowledge of regulation of SphK1 and SphK2 on both transcriptional and post-translational levels and the functions of these isozymes and their product S1P and its receptors in the central nervous system.
Neutralization of Groα and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 attenuates renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Previous studies have provided strong evidence for a role for neutrophils in mediating pathology during reperfusion of ischemic tissues. CXC chemokines including interleukin-8, KC/Groα, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2, direct neutrophils to tissue sites of inflammation. In the current study we tested the efficacy of antibodies to KC/Groα and MIP-2 in inhibiting neutrophil infiltration into kidneys during reperfusion after 1 hour of warm ischemia using a mouse model. KC mRNA and protein were produced within 3 hours after reperfusion of the ischemic kidneys. MIP-2 mRNA and protein were twofold to fourfold lower than KC and were at low levels until 9 hours after reperfusion. Only 60% of mice subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury survived to day 3 after reperfusion. Treatment with rabbit neutralizing antibodies to both KC and MIP-2 inhibited neutrophil infiltration into ischemic kidneys during reperfusion, restored renal function as assessed by decreased serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels to near normal levels, and resulted in complete survival of treated animals. Finally, treatment with both antibodies significantly reduced histologically graded pathology of kidneys subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury. Collectively, the results indicate the efficacy of neutralizing the chemokines directing neutrophils into ischemic kidneys during reperfusion to inhibit this infiltration and attenuate the resulting pathology.
Efficient Iterated Rotation of an Object

This paper presents a more efficient method for iterated rotation in three dimensions where multiple points are being rotated by multiple angles about the same axis, as would he done in robotic simulation or computer graphic animation. General axes that do not necessarily pass through the origin and multiple composed rotations are also handled. The algorithm is numerically well conditioned for all axis directions.
Thoracoscopic Chest Wall Resection: What Is Its Role?

Background Although thoracoscopic operations like pulmonary lobectomy are gaining popularity because of reduced complications and improved quality of life, the role of more complex procedures is unknown. Methods From January 2007 to April 2009, 3 patients (2 women) aged 61, 71, and 79 years, underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy with en bloc chest wall resection in an attempt to reduce perioperative morbidity. During the same time, 4 additional patients underwent thoracoscopic explorations before open en bloc resections and 10 underwent thoracotomy to remove primary or secondary chest wall neoplasms. Innovations that facilitated the thoracoscopic operations were the use of an endoscopic rib cutter and division of other chest wall tissues with thermal sealing technology. Results Tumors were stage IIb-IIIa and sized 3.2 to 5 cm. Two patients received neoadjuvant therapy before resection. No patients required reconstruction. The first patient required thoracoscopic reexploration to evacuate a hematoma attributed to aggressive anticoagulation required because of high-risk cardiac comorbidities. No other complications occurred. By 3 weeks after resection, the first patient had discontinued narcotics, and the other patients denied pain and analgesic use entirely. All patients were alive, with no evidence of disease, at 26, 16, and 6 months after their operations. Conclusions Highly selected cases of lung cancer with chest wall extension are appropriate candidates for thoracoscopic resection. Advanced thoracoscopic instrumentation makes this procedure feasible while following oncologic principles.
A Style-Based Market Risk Model for Hedge Fund Portfolios

In this article, the authors develop a market risk model for hedge fund portfolios by integrating cluster analysis, extreme value theory (EVT), and copula modeling. Because the cluster model is exclusively based on fund returns, cluster classifications are more objective than self-reported styles. The EVT contribution considers the fat-tailed distribution of hedge fund returns, implicitly accounting for jump risk. The copula method accounts for the dependence between clusters. Two Gumbel copulas are constructed—one on the average returns of funds in the clusters, and the other on returns of all funds in the clusters. The first copula is directly applicable to a highly diversified portfolio and the authors show how to apply this copula to a general hedge fund portfolio. The second copula is suitable for simulations on nondiversified portfolios and also provides a tool for stress tests. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that investing in a broadly diversified hedge fund portfolio is not riskier than investing in a traditional diversified portfolio.
Identifying the genetic variation of gene expression using gene sets: application of novel gene Set eQTL approach to PharmGKB and KEGG.

Genetic variation underlying the regulation of mRNA gene expression in humans may provide key insights into the molecular mechanisms of human traits and complex diseases. Current statistical methods to map genetic variation associated with mRNA gene expression have typically applied standard linkage and/or association methods; however, when genome-wide SNP and mRNA expression data are available performing all pair wise comparisons is computationally burdensome and may not provide optimal power to detect associations. Consideration of different approaches to account for the high dimensionality and multiple testing issues may provide increased efficiency and statistical power. Here we present a novel approach to model and test the association between genetic variation and mRNA gene expression levels in the context of gene sets (GSs) and pathways, referred to as gene set – expression quantitative trait loci analysis (GS-eQTL). The method uses GSs to initially group SNPs and mRNA expression, followed by the application of principal components analysis (PCA) to collapse the variation and reduce the dimensionality within the GSs. We applied GS-eQTL to assess the association between SNP and mRNA expression level data collected from a cell-based model system using PharmGKB and KEGG defined GSs. We observed a large number of significant GS-eQTL associations, in which the most significant associations arose between genetic variation and mRNA expression from the same GS. However, a number of associations involving genetic variation and mRNA expression from different GSs were also identified. Our proposed GS-eQTL method effectively addresses the multiple testing limitations in eQTL studies and provides biological context for SNP-expression associations.
Attachment and responses to employment dissolution

Abstract We propose that theory and research on how individuals deal with loss or potential loss of personal relationships can inform our understanding of how employees deal with the loss or potential loss of the employment relationship. In particular, we examine the possibility that attachment theory – which plays a central role in explaining an individual's affective, cognitive and behavioral response to the loss of central close relationships – may explain the psychological mechanisms and behavioral reactions associated with the loss of an employment relationship. A key tenet underlying attachment theory is the idea that people develop internal models of attachment, which determine how individuals handle a variety of life's adversities, including but not confined to relationship loss. This research provides a theoretical perspective suggesting that the psychological and physiological effects of job loss may perhaps be related to the emotional trauma, grief and abandonment associated with the loss of the “employment relationship”, rather than the financial and social strains associated with the job loss. Further, our research also suggests that strong psychological ties with the organization are not always associated with positive outcomes for the organization, specifically, in the event of employment dissolution. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Role of leukotrienes and platelet activating factor in acute gastric mucosal lesions in rats.

Abstract Leukotriene C 4 (LTC 4 ) and platelet activating-factor (PAF) were found to affect gastric microcirculation and mucosal integrity but their role in acute gastric damage has not been established. The present study with rats confirms that exogenous LTC 4 (10 μg/kg · h s.c.) or PAF (10 μg/kg i.p.) alone caused only mild gastric mucosal injury but greatly augmented mucosal lesions produced by other irritants such as absolute ethanol, taurocholate, aspirin or stress. These acute lesions were accompanied by a significant increase in mucosal generation of LTC 4 , and the addition of PAF further increased it. Pretreatment with BN 52021, a PAF receptor antagonist, abolished PAF-induced gastric lesions and reduced LTC 4 generation in tests with PAF plus ethanol. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid, an inhibitor of the lipoxygenase pathway, and FPL 55712, an LTC receptor-antagonist, reduced dose dependently the extent of gastric damage in various models of gastric lesions. Again, these protective effects were accompanied by a reduction in mucosal LTC 4 formation. In addition, the protection induced by nordihydroguaiaretic acid was reversed in part by the pretreatment with indomethacin, suggesting that it could be attributed to increased biosynthesis of protective PG. The results indicated that LTC 4 biosynthesis is increased in various forms of gastric damage and that LTC 4 may be involved in the pathogenesis of this damage.
Long-term results of selective screening for inborn errors of metabolism.

Since 1973 the University Children's Hospital of Freiburg has provided a service devoted to selective screening for inborn errors of metabolism with particular emphasis on organic acidurias. Patients to be investigated are preselected by local clinical paediatricians. Between 1973 and the end of 1990, 46700 specimens from approximately 40000 patients were screened by the methods listed in Table 1. A total of 464 cases were found consisting of 51 different diseases, 242 cases of 23 different organic acidurias and 222 cases of 28 other inborn errors of metabolism. The number of cases diagnosed parallels the number of patients investigated showing that there is still a real demand for metabolic screening. The number of children to be investigated is stedily increasing. Using the presented and already published data an appraisal of the overall incidence of all organic acidurias (1∶6700) has been made as well as of the frequencies of the most common types of these disorders.
Nonlinear optics as a probe of chiral ordering in amorphous semiconductors.

Recent polytope models of amorphous semiconductors imply that the continuous random network has a preferred local chirality, that is, a preferred sign of the dihedral angle, extending over clusters of many atoms. The present work suggests an experimental test of this proposal. Symmetry arguments lead to two possible types of experiments: one involving local optical activity, and the other involving three-wave mixing. We present a detailed analysis of the latter: we show that a sensible definition exists for a local three-wave-mixing response of a single bond, develop a formalism for computing this local response within a tight-binding model, and perform computations that show that within a particular frequency regime (two high input frequencies above resonance and an output difference frequency below resonance) an experimentally detectable signal due to local chirality should be present.
Dye injection for predicting pesticide movement in micro-irrigated polyethylene film mulch beds.

A new method is described for tracing water movement in polyethylene film covered soil beds. Dye was delivered via a drip tape micro-irrigation system which was placed in the bed as the soil beds were shaped and covered with polyethylene film. The dye was injected into the system and irrigated with water for 4–24 h at 0.41–1.38 bar (41–138 kPa) pressure depending on the experiment. The dye appeared as blue circles on the soil surface within 20 min of injection and produced a three-dimensional pattern in the soil profile. Injection-irrigation-pressure scenarios were evaluated by measuring dye movement directly below and between emitters by sliding fabricated blades vertically into the bed at the desired examination point and excavating the soil away from the blade. The dye typically produced a U shape on the face of the bed and the area was calculated for each of these exposed faces. The area increased as the length of irrigation and water pressure increased. Interrupted irrigation (pulsing) scenarios did not alter the calculated areas encompassed by the dye compared to uninterrupted irrigation scenarios. The blue dye provided a direct, inexpensive and easy method of visualizing water movement in soil beds. This information will be used to optimize application of emulsifiable plant-care products in polyethylene film mulch beds. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry
Race in Cyberspace

From the Publisher: Although much has been written about the impact of technology on our daily lives, little attention has been paid to the effects of cyberspace on racial politics and identity. This collection of twelve essays explores this surprisingly underexamined aspect of cyberculture studies as it tackles a broad range of questions: the role played by language in the construction of racialized identities online; offline representations of cyberspace as a racially coded environment; and the impact technology and education has on racial inequities-in terms of access and representation on the web. Groundbreaking and timely, Race in Cyberspace brings to light the important yet vastly overlooked intersection of race and cyberspace. Contributors: David Crane, Jennifer Gonzalez, Beth E. Kolko, Joe Lockard, Tara McPherson, Lisa Nakamura, Jeffrey A. Ow, Gilbert B. Rodman, David Silver, Jonathan Sterne, Rajani Sudan, Mark Warschauer.
Sum Capacity of MIMO Interference Channels in the Low Interference Regime

Using Gaussian inputs and treating interference as noise at the receivers has recently been shown to be sum capacity achieving for the two-user single-input single-output (SISO) Gaussian interference channel in a low interference regime, where the interference levels are below certain thresholds. In this paper, such a low interference regime is characterized for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) Gaussian interference channels. Conditions are provided on the direct and cross channel gain matrices under which using Gaussian inputs and treating interference as noise at the receivers is sum capacity achieving. For the special cases of the symmetric multiple-input single-output (MISO) and single-input multiple-output (SIMO) Gaussian interference channels, more explicit expressions for the low interference regime are derived. In particular, the threshold on the interference levels that characterize low interference regime is related to the input SNR and the angle between the direct and cross channel gain vectors. It is shown that the low interference regime can be quite significant for MIMO interference channels, with the low interference threshold being at least as large as the sine of the angle between the direct and cross channel gain vectors for the MISO and SIMO cases.
The Role of Brand Affiliation in Hotel Market Value

The notion that a hotel’s brand contributes significantly to the property’s market value is supported by an analysis of nearly eleven hundred hotel transactions over the past fifteen years. The analysis found that brands added value beyond the usual contributors to a property’s value, such as net operating income and revenue per available room. The effects of branding were most noticeable in midmarket and upscale hotels. Based on per-room sales statistics, certain brands added significantly more value to their franchisees’ properties than others.
Micronutrient, phosphorus and pH influences on growth and leaf tissue nutrient levels of Prosopis alba and Prosopis glandulosa

Abstract Nitrogen fixing trees of the genus Prosopis occur on many semiarid lands of the world, where they show potential for food and fuel production. Semiarid soils tend to be alkaline and low in organic matter, N, P and micronutrients. For both native woodlands and plantations, it is important to understand the response of Prosopis to changing fertility regimes and to develop quantitative relationships between leaf tissue mineral nutrient concentrations and productivity. The growth of two contrasting Prosopis species was compared on an inert artificial soil mixture with four lime [Ca(OH)2] treatments to vary soil pH from 6 to 9 in the greenhouse. At each lime level a factorial design, with and without phosphorus and micronutrient additions, was used. Dry biomass was related to leaf tissue levels of N, P, K, Ca, Na, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and soil pH. Phosphorus was the element most limiting growth. Micronutrient additions produced little change in biomass at the lower lime levels, but at the high lime levels they increased biomass in the P amended plants. At high pH (8.9), zinc appears to play a role in decreasing toxic Na levels. It was the micronutrient most correlated with enhanced biomass production. A significant negative correlation between phosphorus and zinc tissue concentrations occurred and it appears that phosphorus can reduce zinc uptake by Prosopis.
Testing Natural Selection vs. Genetic Drift in Phenotypic Evolution Using Quantitative Trait Locus Data

Evolutionary biologists have long sought a way to determine whether a phenotypic difference between two taxa was caused by natural selection or random genetic drift. Here I argue that data from quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses can be used to test the null hypothesis of neutral phenotypic evolution. I propose a sign test that compares the observed number of plus and minus alleles in the “high line” with that expected under neutrality, conditioning on the known phenotypic difference between the taxa. Rejection of the null hypothesis implies a role for directional natural selection. This test is applicable to any character in any organism in which QTL analysis can be performed.
Perceived Structure: Welfare Organizations in Three Societal Cultures

This paper replicates Glisson and Martin's (1980) study of social welfare organizations (SWOs) in St. Louis, Missouri (U.S.A.), with data from two samples of Pacific Island cultures, Guam and Oahu, Hawaii. We test the culture-free vs. culture-specific arguments about the effects of societal culture on internal structure. Our structural dimensions are formalization and centralization. They are measured as perceptions (regime) of social service workers rather than form that is officially prescribed. As expected, Guam and Oahu SWOs are smaller and younger than those in St. Louis. Guam SWOs are the most formalized and centralized; Oahu SWOs do not differ structurally from those in St. Louis. Multivariate regression results show that culture/locale significantly predicts formalization (Guam SWOs are the most formal ized) and both culture/locale and size predict centralization. Significant interaction effects were discovered, prompting rejection of the culture-free argument: larger size leads to more formalizat...
Software Fault Imputation in Noisy and Incomplete Measurement Data

This study examines the impact of noise on the evaluation of software quality imputation techniques. The imputation procedures evaluated in this work include Bayesian multiple imputation, mean imputation, nearest neighbor imputation, regression imputation, and REPTree (decision tree) imputation. These techniques were used to impute missing software measurement data for a large military command, control, and communications system dataset (CCCS). A randomized three-way complete block design analysis of variance model using the average absolute error as the response variable was built to analyze the imputation results. Multiple pairwise comparisons using Fisher and Tukey-Kramer tests were conducted to demonstrate the performance differences amongst the significant experimental factors. The underlying quality of data was a significant factor affecting the accuracy of the imputation techniques. Bayesian multiple imputation and regression imputation were top performers, while mean imputation was ineffective.
Serotonergic control of developmental plasticity.

Synapses in the brain are more than just coupling devices between neurons. Their efficiency in relaying neural activity can change according to their use. This plastic characteristic of synapses is considered essential for learning and memory storage and for the refinement of connections during development. A model of choice for studying synaptic modifications is the visual cortex, which shortly after birth is in a state of enhanced plasticity. During this time the cortical circuitry can be altered with simple manipulations of visual experience. For example, deprivation of vision in one eye (monocular deprivation) shifts the response of cortical neurons toward the nondeprived eye (1). It was recognized early on that in addition to the activity patterns imposed by retinal inputs, visual cortical plasticity depends on the integrity of three diffusely projecting neurotransmitter systems, using noradrenaline (NE), acetylcholine (ACh), and serotonin (5HT), respectively. These neuromodulatory systems convey information on the behavioral state of the animal, and their disruption prevents ocular dominance shifts caused by monocular deprivation (2–5). Hence, these neuromodulators have been regarded as “enabling factors” that perform the important function of gating experience-induced plasticity under certain behavioral states (6). This idea may have to be revised and expanded in view of new results recently published in PNAS (7). This study provides evidence that activation of serotonergic receptors might control not only when plasticity occurs, but also where a given input will be strengthened or weakened.
Biological Suppression of Seedborne Fusarium spp. During Cold Stratification of Douglas Fir Seeds.

Hoefnagels, M. H., and Linderman, R. G. 1999. Biological s uppression of seedborne Fusarium spp. during cold stratification of Douglas fir seeds. Plant Dis. 83:845-852. Fusarium spp. are important soil- and seedborne pathogens of Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii) in conifer seedling nurseries. We investigated the effects of culture media and cold stratification on isolation of Fusarium spp. from three Douglas fir seedlots and tested whether the numbers and species mixtures found on stratified seeds could cause disease. Nearly all coldstratified seeds plated on three semiselective culture media yielded Fusarium spp., including F. avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. lateritium, F. moniliforme, F. F. proliferatum, F. sambucinum, F. solani, and F. tricinctum. Species composition did not differ significantly among the media. Isolation of Fusarium spp. from seeds plated on Komada’s medium (pH 6.8) at various stages of imbibition and cold stratification progressively increased from 10 to 22% to 65 to 100%. When stratified seeds were planted in conditions conducive to disease development, however, little disease attributable to Fusarium spp. resulted. A subsequent study was conducted to determine whether a biological control agent applied during imbibition could reduce the proliferation of Fusarium spp. during stratification. Unstratified Douglas fir seeds were imbibed for 24 h in a suspension of Pseudomonas chlororaphis isolate RD31-3A, a rifampicin-resistant fluorescent pseudomonad with previously demonstrated biocontrol activity against F. oxysporum. This treatment reduced the proliferation of Fusarium spp. during cold stratification without significantly affecting subsequent seed germination. The greatest reduction in poststratification populations of seedborne Fusarium spp. was achieved when preimbibition treatment with hydrogen peroxide was followed by seed imbibition in live bacteria. Seed imbibition in bacterial suspensions may be an effective means to deliver biological control agents to Douglas fir seeds.
Polymorphic variation in human meiotic recombination.

In this study, our phenotype of interest is meiotic recombination. Using genotypes of ∼6,000 SNP markers in members of the Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain Utah pedigrees, we found extensive individual variation in the number of female and male recombination events. The locations and frequencies of these recombination events vary along the genome. In both female and male meiosis, the regions with the most recombination events are found at the ends of the chromosomes. Our analysis also shows that there are polymorphic differences among individuals in the activity of the recombination “jungles”; these preferred sites of meiotic recombination differ greatly among individuals. These findings have important implications for understanding genetic disorders that result from improper chromosome segregation.
Power control for spread-spectrum networks in fading channels

We characterize the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) for power-controlled mobile radio systems with matched filter/minimum mean square error (MF/MMSE) receivers and/or antenna arrays. We then explore the feasibility of power control in fading channels, and identify the optimal power allocation for progressively more complicated fading models.
Herpes simplex virus mutants with multiple substitutions affecting DNA binding of UL42 are impaired for viral replication and DNA synthesis

Herpes simplex virus mutants with single substitutions that decrease DNA binding by the DNA polymerase processivity subunit UL42 are only modestly impaired for viral replication. In this study, recombinant viruses harboring two or four of these mutations were constructed. The more substitutions, the more severe the defects in viral replication and DNA synthesis, suggesting that DNA binding by UL42 is important for these processes.
A Role for Inflammatory Mediators in the Induction of Immunoregulatory B Cells

UV exposure suppresses the immune response to a variety of microbial, fungal, and viral Ags. In addition, UV radiation is a complete carcinogen and the immune suppression induced by UV radiation is a major risk factor for skin cancer induction. In this study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the induction of immune suppression and tolerance induction by UV radiation. Transferring lymph nodes cells from UV-irradiated, FITC-sensitized mice into normal recipients transferred immune tolerance. Contrary to expectations, the cell responsible was an FITC + , IL-10-secreting, CD19 + , B220 + B cell. Because the lipid mediator of inflammation, platelet-activating factor (PAF) is released by UV-irradiated keratinocytes and is essential for the induction of immune suppression, we determined its role in tolerance induction. When UV-irradiated mice were injected with PCA 4248, a selective PAF receptor (PAFR) antagonist, transfer of tolerance was suppressed. However, immune suppression was not transferred when FITC + cells from the draining lymph nodes of UV-irradiated, PAFR-deficient donor mice were injected into the recipients. Because PCA 4248 also blocks serotonin receptor binding, we measured the effect that blocking both serotonin and PAFR binding has on the transfer of immune suppression. Only when both PAF and serotonin binding were blocked could we inhibit tolerance induction. These data identify a novel function for PAF and serotonin in modulating immune function, the activation of immunoregulatory B cells.
View from an Electronic Learning Environment: Perceptions and Patterns among Students in an Online Graduate Education Course.

The study examined perceptions and patterns of technology use among graduate students enrolled in an online education course. Eight participant profiles and case studies—consisting of subjects currently teaching in a public school environment and also enrolled in a Masters' program; subjects employed as public school substitute teachers and also enrolled in a non-degree teacher licensure program, and one non-employed graduate student—were examined and analyzed. A qualitative approach to research was implemented using the constant comparative method of data analysis. Data in the form of participant observer field notes, sample products completed by participants, online Discussion Board postings, research papers, participant presentations, onsite discussions, generated reports regarding online course access patterns, and information gleaned from a summative Online Course Evaluation Survey revealed specific patterns of technology use, learning preferences, and benefits of an online university environment. Re...
The Employment Effects of Credit Market Disruptions: Firm-level Evidence from the 2008–9 Financial Crisis

This article investigates the effect of bank lending frictions on employment outcomes. I construct a new data set that combines information on banking relationships and employment at 2,000 nonfinancial firms during the 2008–9 crisis. The article first verifies empirically the importance of banking relationships, which imply a cost to borrowers who switch lenders. I then use the dispersion in lender health following the Lehman crisis as a source of exogenous variation in the availability of credit to borrowers. I find that credit matters. Firms that had precrisis relationships with less healthy lenders had a lower likelihood of obtaining a loan following the Lehman bankruptcy, paid a higher interest rate if they did borrow, and reduced employment by more compared to precrisis clients of healthier lenders. Consistent with frictions deriving from asymmetric information, the effects vary by firm type. Lender health has an economically and statistically significant effect on employment at small and medium firms, but the data cannot reject the hypothesis of no effect at the largest or most transparent firms. Abstracting from general equilibrium effects, I find that the withdrawal of credit accounts for between one-third and one-half of the employment decline at small and medium firms in the sample in the year
Increased chemokine signaling in a model of HIV1-associated peripheral neuropathy.

Painful distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most common neurological complication of HIV1 infection. Although infection with the virus itself is associated with an incidence of DSP, patients are more likely to become symptomatic following initiation of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) treatment. The chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1/CCL2) and stromal derived factor-1 (SDF1/CXCL12) and their respective receptors, CCR2 and CXCR4, have been implicated in HIV1 related neuropathic pain mechanisms including NRTI treatment in rodents. Utilizing a rodent model that incorporates the viral coat protein, gp120, and the NRTI, 2'3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC), we examined the degree to which chemokine receptor signaling via CCR2 and CXCR4 potentially influences the resultant chronic hypernociceptive behavior. We observed that following unilateral gp120 sciatic nerve administration, rats developed profound tactile hypernociception in the hindpaw ipsilateral to gp120 treatment. Behavioral changes were also present in the hindpaw contralateral to the injury, albeit delayed and less robust. Using immunohistochemical studies, we demonstrated that MCP1 and CCR2 were upregulated by primary sensory neurons in lumbar ganglia by post-operative day (POD) 14. The functional nature of these observations was confirmed using calcium imaging in acutely dissociated lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) derived from gp120 injured rats at POD 14. Tactile hypernociception in gp120 treated animals was reversed following treatment with a CCR2 receptor antagonist at POD 14. Some groups of animals were subjected to gp120 sciatic nerve injury in combination with an injection of ddC at POD 14. This injury paradigm produced pronounced bilateral tactile hypernociception from POD 14–48. More importantly, functional MCP1/CCR2 and SDF1/CXCR4 signaling was present in sensory neurons. In contrast to gp120 treatment alone, the hypernociceptive behavior associated with the injury plus drug combination was only effectively reversed using the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100. These studies indicate that the functional upregulation of CCR2 and CXCR4 signaling systems following a combination of gp120 and an NRTI are likely to be of central importance to associated DSP and may serve as potential therapeutic targets for treatment of this syndrome.
Contemporary role of advanced imaging for bladder cancer staging

Optimized pretreatment staging of bladder urothelial carcinoma is essential in guiding appropriate treatment. This staging process relies heavily on tissue pathology from transurethral resection of bladder tumor as well as imaging for diagnosis of local, regional, nodal, or distant visceral spread. Accurate preoperative staging is critical for appropriate treatment decision making and patient counseling as these are based on the extent of disease involvement, largely classifying the cancer as having local, regional, or distant spread. Currently, the gold standard of transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by computed tomography imaging with intravenous contrast provides excellent staging specificity in cases of more advanced bladder cancers with suspicion of spread; however, this often under stages patients that can lead to adverse oncologic outcomes in these patients undergoing radical cystectomy. Incorporation of novel imaging modalities including multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography imaging have shown promise in improving accuracy of staging for both local and distant disease in patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma.
Transsexualität und Heteronormativität: Post Kategoriales Recht vor dem Bundesverfassungsgericht (Transsexuality and Heteronormativity: Post-Categorial Law Before the German Constitutional Court)

This paper regards the transformation which is occurring in late modernity regarding the legal position of transsexuals, hermaphrodites (intersex), and homosexuals (LGBT queer liberation). Just as the return to science at the renaissance led to a rejection of torture as ineffective in determining truth (Foucault, Discipline and Punish) so also has the improved state of scientific knowledge in late modernity led to an improving status for transsexuals, intersexuals, and homosexuals ("queers," i.e. LGBT persons). LBGT rights are one more example of the globalization of constitutional law. LGBT rights also illustrate key methods of constitutional interpretation and thus are part the formation of global constitutionalism under the rule of law to defend human rights against state power. The struggle for LGBT rights is definitively coherent with modernity and liberalism. Part One makes a brief description of the evolution of transsexual law in the jurisprudence of the German constitutional court. In part Two, the efforts of the court to cure the defective legislation are used as a foil to bring out questions of marriage and family for the queer rights movement generally. We can see in the case law of the German Constitutional Court a consistent long term trend to recognize the rights of LGBT persons to enter into stable legally protected partnerships, to protection of their privacy, and to raise and adopt children. This transformation is explained by the scientific and technological progress of late modernity. The paper also describes the dilemmas of difference and discrimination which characterize "post-categorial" law.This paper examines the history of the German constitutional court in its treatment of trans-sexuality. Places the issue of LGBT rights in its historic, economic, and cultural context.
Mechanisms of NAD Action in Regulation of Renal Brush Border Membrane Transport of Phosphate

Many different hormonal and non-hormonal stimuli change the rate of phosphate (Pi) transport across the renal brush border membrane (BBM) (1,2, 3) which probably reflects the central role of proximal tubular reabsorption in renal handling of Pi. Based on considerations of (a) the time required for the effects of these stimuli to induce a response, and (b) whether the response is dependent upon intact de novo protein synthesis, it appears that the various stimuli may act intracellularly through at least two general mechanisms (2).
Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI): 2007 Update

In 2007 it was six years since NMCI had been launched as the largest intranet system ever with more than 650,000 users. This update provides a summary of the problems and issues raised by GAO in its December 2006 report, DOD Needs to Ensure That Navy Marine Corps Intranet Program Is Meeting Goals and Satisfying Customers.
Certainty and uncertainty in science: the subjectivistic concept of probability in physiology and medicine.

Most physiological scientists have restricted understanding of probability as relative frequency in a large collection (for example, of atoms). Most appropriate for the relatively circumscribed pro...
In vivo comparison of tantalum, tungsten, and bismuth enteric contrast agents to complement intravenous iodine for double-contrast dual-energy CT of the bowel

To assess the ability of dual-energy CT (DECT) to separate intravenous contrast of bowel wall from intraluminal contrast, we scanned 16 rabbits on a clinical DECT scanner: n = 3 using only iodinated intravenous contrast, and n = 13 double-contrast enhanced scans using iodinated intravenous contrast and experimental enteric non-iodinated contrast agents in the bowel lumen (five bismuth, four tungsten, and four tantalum based). Representative image pairs from conventional CT images and DECT iodine density maps of small bowel (116 pairs from 232 images) were viewed by four abdominal imaging attending radiologists to independently score each comparison pair on a visual analog scale (-100 to +100%) for (1) preference in small bowel wall visualization and (2) preference in completeness of intraluminal enteric contrast subtraction. Median small bowel wall visualization was scored 39 and 42 percentage points (95% CI 30-44% and 36-45%, both p < 0.001) higher for double-contrast DECT than for conventional CT with enteric tungsten and tantalum contrast, respectively. Median small bowel wall visualization for double-contrast DECT was scored 29 and 35 percentage points (95% CI 20-35% and 33-39%, both p < 0.001) higher with enteric tungsten and tantalum, respectively, than with bismuth contrast. Median completeness of intraluminal enteric contrast subtraction in double-contrast DECT iodine density maps was scored 28 and 29 percentage points (95% CI 15-31% and 28-33%, both p < 0.001) higher with enteric tungsten and tantalum, respectively, than with bismuth contrast. Results suggest that in vivo double-contrast DECT with iodinated intravenous and either tantalum- or tungsten-based enteric contrast provides better visualization of small bowel than conventional CT. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Production of Micro-Molding Tooling by Hot Embossing

Tooling is especially critical for micro-molding of polymers because the tool defines the geometry of the finished part. Various tool materials and processes have been demonstrated, including etched silicon, machined or electroformed metal, and molded polymers. Adhesion of the part to the tool and differential thermal contraction are frequently cited problems related to micro-molding tooling. Brittle silicon tools are particularly vulnerable to failure during demolding because of adhesion and thermal stress. The current work demonstrates the production of micro-molding tools by hot embossing of thermoplastics. Polymer materials for working tools are selected on the basis of high heat deflection temperature and high interfacial tension with the polymer being embossed. The high thermal resistance of the working tool material enables its use in hot embossing of materials with lower glass transition temperature such as polymethyl-methacrylate and cyclo-olefin-polymer, as well as other micro-molding processes. The high interfacial tension reduces adhesion between the master mold and the final part, reducing loads on the tools and facilitating demolding. Embossing parameters for a variety of working tool materials, as well as replication fidelity of the working tools and parts and tool-part adhesion are explored. Polymer working tools produced by hot embossing show great promise for manufacturing polymer micro-devices.© 2007 ASME
Rapid Design Space Exploration for Conceptual Design of Hypersonic Missions

During conceptual design, multidisciplinary optimization is often performed using computationally intensive direct methods. Prior work has shown that rapid design studies can be performed using fast indirect methods, but several optimization techniques including discrete dynamic programming, nonlinear inversion, and pseudospectral methods are required to construct a suitable initial guess within the design space. In this investigation, a simplied methodology is developed to eliminate these optimization techniques, enabling rapid design space exploration using continuation of indirect methods alone. This is made possible by initially converging to a simple solution that is outside of the design space of interest, and solutions within the design space of interest are quickly accessed through continuation from this initial solution. As an initial step to automate this continuation process, state transition tensors are used to predict optimal solutions throughout the design space. A methodology is developed to provide accurate predictions of trajectories with varying ight times, and the error of these predictions is controlled to regulate the continuation process. This approach provides exibility to adapt to future computational capabilities and serves as an initial step to bridge the gap between conceptual trajectory design and onboard trajectory planning.
Skeletal muscle chemoreflex and pHi in exercise ventilatory control

Oelberg, David A., Allison B. Evans, Mirko I. Hrovat, Paul P. Pappagianopoulos, Samuel Patz, and David M. Systrom. Skeletal muscle chemoreflex and pHi in exercise ventilatory control. J. Appl. Phys...
Porphyrin S2-S1 Internal Conversion Dynamics Studied with Pump-DFWM

We present pump four-wave mixing experiments that address the initial ultrafast dynamics that has been frequently observed in transient absorption measurements of metal-porphyrins. Our measurements show that this dynamics that has been controversially discussed can be explained by vibrational relaxation in S2.
Stop that podocyte

according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), >10% of US adults have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and one in two adults in the 30–64 age group is expected to develop CKD. Yet, development of new therapeutics for treating CKD is sorely lacking, and the disease management in
The Effects of Video Modeling With Voiceover Instruction and On-Screen Text on Parent Implementation of Guided Compliance

ABSTRACTNoncompliance with requests is a problem for some children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Wilder, 2011). Video modeling is effective for teaching a variety of skills, but has not received much attention in the parent training literature. The purpose of the current study was to extend the parent training literature by (a) evaluating the effects of video modeling with voiceover instruction and on-screen text (VMVOT) as a parent-training training tool; (b) incorporating multiple exemplar training to enhance generalization of parent behavior to novel locations, novel tasks, and across a variety of child responses; and (c) assessing social validity of the training materials and outcomes. Results showed that parents successfully implemented guided compliance procedures with a confederate following VMVOT and that parent behavior generalized to their children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and a novel environment. In addition, results of the social validity assessment showed that parent-trainees rated VMVO...
Neurorehabilitation in upper limb amputation: understanding how neurophysiological changes can affect functional rehabilitation

Significant advances have been made in developing new prosthetic technologies with the goal of restoring function to persons that suffer partial or complete loss of the upper limb. Despite these technological advances, many challenges remain in understanding barriers in patient adoption of technology, and what critical factors should be of focus in prosthetics development from a motor control perspective. This points to a potential opportunity to improve our understanding of amputation using neurophysiology and plasticity, and integrate this knowledge into the development of prosthetics technology in novel ways. Here, argument will be made to include a stronger focus on the neural and behavioral changes that result from amputation, and a better appreciation of the time-scale of changes which may significantly affect device adaptation, functional device utility, and motor learning implemented in rehabilitation environments. By strengthening our understanding of the neuroscience of amputation, we may improve the ability to couple neurorehabilitation with neuroengineering to support clinician needs in yielding improved outcomes in patients.
Phenazine Pigments in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection

The phenazines constitute one group of chemical species among a number of groups referred to collectively as secondary metabolites of fluorescent pseudomonads. The other groups include lipids, pyrroles, indoles, amino acids and peptides, pterines, and miscellaneous compounds.1 Phenazines are low molecular weight compounds containing a three-ringed, heterocyclic nucleus with nitrogen substitution at the center positions of 5 and 10. More than 50 naturally occurring phenazines, representing every color of the visible light spectrum, are produced by 32 bacterial species. However, among clinically significant bacteria, the production of phenazine pigments is a distinctive feature of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 2 We have postulated that these small, non-antigenic metabolites may escape neutralization by antibodies and alter lung defense mechanisms in chronic P. aeruginosa infections.3,4 In this chapter we will review the chemical structure and properties of phenazine pigments, their known biological effects, and their possible role in chronic P. aeruginosa infections.
General Theory for Case-Control Studies

So far we have assumed that the weight functions in biased sampling problems are either completely known or depend on the underlying distribution. In many applications, the weight functions may depend on some unknown finite dimensional parameters. We are not going to discuss in detail the general forms of the weight functions.