cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Botanicals and Their Bioactive Phytochemicals for Women's Health.

Botanical dietary supplements are increasingly popular for women’s health, particularly for older women. The specific botanicals women take vary as a function of age. Younger women will use botanicals for urinary tract infections, especially Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry), where there is evidence for efficacy. Botanical dietary supplements for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are less commonly used, and rigorous clinical trials have not been done. Some examples include Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry), Angelica sinensis (dong quai), Viburnum opulus/prunifolium (cramp bark and black haw), and Zingiber officinale (ginger). Pregnant women have also used ginger for relief from nausea. Natural galactagogues for lactating women include Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) and Silybum marianum (milk thistle); however, rigorous safety and efficacy studies are lacking. Older women suffering menopausal symptoms are increasingly likely to use botanicals, especially since the Women’s Health Initiative showed an increased risk for breast cancer associated with traditional hormone therapy. Serotonergic mechanisms similar to antidepressants have been proposed for Actaea/Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh) and Valeriana officinalis (valerian). Plant extracts with estrogenic activities for menopausal symptom relief include Glycine max (soy), Trifolium pratense (red clover), Pueraria lobata (kudzu), Humulus lupulus (hops), Glycyrrhiza species (licorice), Rheum rhaponticum (rhubarb), Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry), Linum usitatissimum (flaxseed), Epimedium species (herba Epimedii, horny goat weed), and Medicago sativa (alfalfa). Some of the estrogenic botanicals have also been shown to have protective effects against osteoporosis. Several of these botanicals could have additional breast cancer preventive effects linked to hormonal, chemical, inflammatory, and/or epigenetic pathways. Finally, although botanicals are perceived as natural safe remedies, it is important for women and their healthcare providers to realize that they have not been rigorously tested for potential toxic effects and/or drug/botanical interactions. Understanding the mechanism of action of these supplements used for women’s health will ultimately lead to standardized botanical products with higher efficacy, safety, and chemopreventive properties.
Isoliquiritigenin exhibits anti-proliferative properties in the pituitary independent of estrogen receptor function

The plant flavonoid isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a botanical estrogen widely taken as an herbal supplement to ease the symptoms of menopause. ISL has been also shown to have anti-tumor properties in a number of cancer cell backgrounds. However, the effects of ISL on normal cells are less well known and virtually unstudied in the context of the pituitary gland. We have established a pituitary explant culture model to screen chemical agents for gene expression changes within the pituitary gland during a period of active proliferation and differentiation. Using this whole-organ culture system we found ISL to be weakly estrogenic based on its ability to induce Cckar mRNA expression, an estrogen receptor (ER) mediated gene. Using a range of ISL from 200nM to 200μM, we discovered that ISL promoted cell proliferation at a low concentration, yet potently inhibited proliferation at the highest concentration. ICI 182,780 failed to antagonize ISL's repression of pituitary cell proliferation, indicating the effect is independent of ER signaling. Coincident with a decrease in proliferating cells, we observed down-regulation of transcript for cyclin D2 and E2 and a strong induction of mRNA and protein for the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor Cdkn1a (p21). Importantly, high dose ISL did not alter the balance of progenitor vs. differentiated cell types within the pituitary explants and they seemed otherwise healthy; however, TUNEL staining revealed an increase in apoptotic cell death in ISL treated cultures. Our results merit further examination of ISL as an anti-tumor agent in the pituitary gland.
Physical Activity Changes during Pregnancy in a Comparative Impact Trial.

Objectives Delta Healthy Sprouts was designed to test the comparative impact of 2 home visiting curricula on weight status, dietary intake, physical activity, and other health behaviors of rural, southern African-American women and their infants. Results pertaining to physical activity outcomes in the gestational period are reported. Methods Eighty-two women, early in their second trimester of pregnancy, were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of 2 treatment arms. Self-reported physical activity was measured 3 times in the gestational period (gestational months 4, 6 and 8). Generalized linear mixed models were used to test for significant treatment, time, and treatment by time effects on weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Results Significantly less MVPA was performed at gestational month 8 when compared with gestational month 4 (enrollment) for both treatment arms. Statistically significant effects were not found for treatment or treatment by time interaction. Conclusions Neither the Parents as Teachers (control) curriculum nor the Parents as Teachers Enhanced intervention proved effective at increasing or maintaining MVPA in this cohort of pregnant women. Lack of adequate physical activity in pregnancy remains an important public health concern, especially given its known health benefits.
The instability of John Rawls's stability for the right reasons

John Rawls's most mature notion of political order is “stability for the right reasons.” Stability for the right reasons is the kind of political order that Rawls hoped a well-ordered society could ideally achieve. In this paper, I demonstrate through the tools of modern game theory, the instability of “stability for the right reasons.” Specifically, I will show that a well-ordered society can completely destabilize by the introduction of an arbitrarily small number of non-compliers whenever individuals fail to achieve full common knowledge ever so slightly.
Mark Thomas McNally, Like No Other: Exceptionalism and Nativism in Early Modern Japan

On the first page of the prologue to his seminal 1988 work Things Seen and Unseen: Discourse and Ideology in Tokugawa Nativism, H.D. Harootunian addressed his decision to render the Japanese term k...
Corruption and Bribery in Law Enforcement and State Civil Servants

This chapter examines Article 291, and its five parts, of the Russian Federation Criminal Code for Giving Bribes, including statistics on corruption. According to the Department of Justice, 1625 people were convicted (charged with Article 290 of the Criminal Code) for accepting bribes in 2014. While some experts believe that most convicted are high-ranking officials, statistics of the Department of Justice show that the majority of individuals charged under Article 290 of the Criminal Code in 2014 were charged with low-level bribes. Russian corruption significantly strikes those institutions which, by their origin, are charged with combating corruption: prosecutors, courts, police, and customs authorities. One should consider the systemic nature of corruption in law enforcement agencies because corruption appears where group, a network, or clan of people lost moral orientation, overestimating their own personality, their role, and place in life. One of the chief principles of systemic corruption in Russia is that “strangers do not belong here.”
Student with Fever and Rash

A previously healthy 23-year-old man presented with 3 days of fever, chills, and headache. He was studying in the Midwestern United States, but he had recently traveled to a southern state for the winter holiday, where his family lived. He returned to school 1 week prior to presentation. He complained of a poor appetite and fatigue, reporting that he was sleeping most of the afternoons and evening. He noticed a new erythematous rash on his trunk and face 1 day prior to presentation.
Fifty Shades of Feminism: An Analysis of Feminist Attitudes and ‘Grey Behaviors’

This paper discusses the results of an MTurk survey (n = 479) that was designed to determine how acceptable Americans find the behaviors outlined in the Fifty Shades of Grey series, especially when they self-identify with feminist ideologies. The behaviors that this series eroticizes clearly reflect interpersonal violence. This coupled with the series’ unprecedented international success raises concerns for many scholars. We asked men and women to rank the level of acceptability on a ‘Grey Behavior’ scale, which included measures of control of person outside the context of ‘kinky’ sex. Furthermore, we asked subjects to rank their attitudes regarding the basic tenants of the feminist ideology in order to determine if support of gender equality influenced these perceptions of acceptability. Our findings suggest that despite the popularity of the book, neither men nor women report these behaviors as personally acceptable.
Three Principles of Competency-Based Learning: Mission, Mission, Mission

NASPAA adopted new accreditation standards in October 2009, requiring Masters programs of public administration, public policy, and public affairs to adopt and implement competency-based learning. ...
Metric Geometry over Local-Global Commutative Rings

The research topics and directions of metric geometry in U. S. institutions were heavily influenced by two publications in the 1950’s -- Dieudonne’s American Mathematical Society Memoir #2, On the automorphisms of classical groups in 1950 and Artin’s graduate text Geometric Algebra published by Wiley-Interscience in 1957.
Backpropagation Processing of GPS Radio Occultation Data

We provide an assessment of the backpropagation (BP) method for processing GPS radio occultations using simulations as well as recent data from CHAMP and SAC-C. It is found that BP gives improved retrievals over the standard Doppler technique, even when multipath ambiguities are not completely removed. In addition, by being an amplitude-weighted algorithm, BP is robust in the presence of receiver errors that arise when signals with low SNR are tracked.
The Noble Gases

The last group of elements in the periodic table consists of the noble gases, which have solid phases in the fcc structure at low temperatures. The total energy plots give the fcc as the ground state for all these elements in agreement with experiment. These materials become metallic at large pressures. For these materials the SK fit was done for the empty states only. The dotted line indicating E F represents the top of a very narrow set of p-like bands and is the beginning of a large gap indicating that they are insulators. These energy bands and DOS, corresponding to the unoccupied states of the noble gases in the solid state, resemble somewhat the partially or fully occupied bands in the transition metals, with the exception of the position of p-like states like Γ15, which now lie close to the d states.
Smooth Muscle Energy Metabolism: Cytosolic Compartmentation of Metabolism and Function

It was of particular interest to me to see the number of sessions here at the XXX Congress of Physiological Sciences related to the question of how ATP synthesis was coordinated with the energy required for muscle contraction. These dealt almost exclusively with striated muscle, for which it is obvious that muscle performance is dependent on metabolism. On an intuitive level this appears to be less obvious for smooth muscle, however, as for any muscle its metabolic “fitness” is critical to normal function. My research has focussed on the relations between smooth muscle metabolism and function, although there have been several rather different approaches. On the one hand, from the perspective of mechanochemical energy conversion, smooth muscle is unique in its ability to maintain force without fatigue at a remarkably low cost in terms of ATP utilization. One might wonder how this is possible given that the major contractile elements, the actin and myosin filaments, are quite similar to those of striated muscle. On the other hand, smooth muscle energy metabolism per se is of interest, particularly in the mechanisms underlying its coordination with contractility. The potential for contractility to be controlled at the level of metabolism is also of interest, particularly as a mechanism for sensing ambient O2 levels in response to hypoxia.
Why do current strategies for optimal nutritional therapy neglect the microbiome

Abstract Strategies for providing optimal nutritional therapy have evolved over time, with the emphasis on specific directives (such as route, use of immunonutrition, high protein, organ-specific formulas, etc.), achieving variable degrees of success for improving outcomes in the intensive care unit. As the largest immune organ in the body comprising the largest interface between the host and the external environment, the gut can have an amplifying effect on a pattern of dysbiosis, immune dysregulation, and multiple organ failure seen in the critically ill patient. Conversely, maintenance of gut integrity can serve to restore a pattern of homeostasis, appropriate immune responses, symbiosis, and clinical recovery. Simply providing refined polymeric formulas as enteral nutrition may not take full advantage of the potential for optimal outcome that could be derived by giving therapy designed to directly stimulate gut defenses and support the intestinal microbiota. This article describes a series of strategies (such as use of intact whole food formulas, soluble fiber, fecal microbial transplantation, serum bovine immunoglobulin, or agents to promote commensal behavior) that should modulate the gut microbiome and shift the critically ill patient toward a pattern of health and recovery.
Mood and Anxiety in Cancer Pain

Mood and anxiety disorders are found at increased rates in cancer patients, particularly in the context of pain. These disorders can complicate pain treatment and should be addressed to maximize pain control, functional status, and overall quality of life in patients living with cancer-related pain. A variety of tools for the treatment of anxiety and depression exist and are an essential part of comprehensive pain management. A solely physiological approach is likely to incompletely address a cancer patient’s pain needs. We recommend a comprehensive approach based on a biopsychosocial model of pain that includes treatment of associated anxiety and depression in addition to standard somatic therapies. A multimodal approach that involves a patient’s family in treatment planning and addresses the psychosocial needs of the patient is most effective and supported by the American Pain Society and the Institute of Medicine (Gordon et al. Arch Intern Med165(14):1574–80, 2005; Miaskowski et al. Guideline for the management of cancer pain in adults and children. American Pain Society, Glenview, 2005; Institute of Medicine. Committee on Advancing Pain Research C, Education. Relieving pain in America: a blueprint for transforming prevention, care, education, and research. National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2011).
Evaluation of Acoustic Devices for Measuring Airport Operations Counts

Aircraft operations counts are essential to the planning and funding allocation process at both the federal and state level, but are often inaccurate, especially at airfields with limited operation...
On the Probabilistic Shaping and Geometric Shaping in Optical Communication Systems

We introduce and compare typical shaping schemes suitable for optical communications. The geometrically shaped-quadrature amplitude modulation (GS-QAM) formats are characterized by the non-equidistant spacing of constellation points, transmitted uniformly, and applied to improve system capacity. On the other hand, the well-known constant composition distribution matcher (CCDM) is applied for the generation of probabilistically shaped QAM (PS-QAM) formats. Mutual information (MI) is used as a metric to analyze the performances of regular/GS/PS-MQAM formats. In a linear amplified spontaneous emission noise limited region, it can be proved by the numerical simulation that MI performances of the GS-8/16QAM are always better than regular 8/16QAM and PS-8/16QAM; the largest shaping gains can be separately reached by PS-32QAM and GS-32QAM. We continue with the experimental demonstration on the 16QAM-based transmission system, and find that GS-16QAM generally has the best MI performance. We also find that the modulation-dependent nonlinear noises of the GS-8/16/32QAM are comparable to that of the regular 8/16/32QAM and generally lower than PS-8/16/32QAM. By using the enhanced Gaussian noise model, we observe that the GS-8/16QAM formats have better performances than regular 8/16QAM and PS-8/16QAM over multi-span transmission. Meanwhile, PS-32QAM formats provide superior performance over a relatively long transmission distance.
An investigation of the Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) method as a Customer Baseline Load (CBL) calculation for residential customers

FERC Order 745 allows demand response owners to sell their load reduction in the wholesale market. However, in order to be able to sell the load reduction, some implementation challenges must be addressed, one of which is to establish Customer Baseline Load (CBL) calculation methods with acceptable error performance, which has proven to be very challenging. In this paper, the error and financial performance of Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) method, applied to both granular and aggregated forms of the consumption load, are investigated and compared with traditional methods for a hypothetical demand response program offered to a real dataset of residential customers. It is found that RCT shows an acceptable performance for granular forms of load. In contrast, the traditional methods show a better performance for aggregated forms of load compared to the RCT method.
Recommendations for performance-based fire design of composite steel buildings using computational analysis

Abstract Adoption of performance-based approaches in structural fire engineering is now largely recognized as having the potential to deliver benefits in terms of safety, resilience, sustainability and cost for the built environment. However, there is no systematic design guidelines for defining performance objectives, design fire scenarios, and methods of analysis. This paper focuses on steel framed buildings with composite floor slabs and provides an in-depth analysis of the structure under fire using performance-based fire engineering supported by computational modeling. First, a set of performance objectives and associated fire scenarios are defined. The scenarios include single- and multi-compartment fires as well as fire as a secondary event following a column loss. Then, response of the structure and effects of design changes are studied using different modeling approaches. Single slab, single slab with restraint, and full building models are investigated to understand the influence of continuity in the boundary conditions notably on the development of tensile membrane action. The full building model exhibited the most favorable behavior, while the single panel model without horizontal restraint was the most conservative. Best practices for computational modeling of a steel framed building under fire are discussed and recommendations are provided. The paper demonstrates an iterative design procedure, where systematic design changes are introduced to address the observed failure modes. It is shown that performance-based fire design can harness advanced computational models to examine the fire-structure behavior for multiple design alternatives and hazard scenarios.
63 Characterization of the right ventricular substrate participating in post-infarction ventricular tachycardia

Background The right ventricle (RV) is uncommonly implicated in post-infarction ventricular tachycardia (PIVT). The prevalence and features of RV substrate participating in PIVT are undefined. Objectives To characterize critical RV substrate (CRVS) involvement in PIVT. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 1065 patients with PIVT undergoing catheter ablation at our center from 2000 to 2017. Cases with CRVS defined by conclusive demonstration of participation to PIVT with activation, entrainment and/or pace mapping during sinus rhythm were included. Results RV mapping due to suspected participation in PIVT was performed in 58/1065 patients (5.4%), age 65±11 years, 91% males, LVEF 30±13%, all with LBBB morphology VT. CRVS was identified in 26 patients (2.4%, 11 anterior infarcts, 13 inferior infarcts) (table 1) with: 1) critical components of the PIVT circuit defined with activation/entrainment mapping or VT termination with RV ablation (n=21), 2) presence of low-voltage abnormal electrograms with excellent pace-map for the targeted VT and non-inducibility following ablation (n=5). CRVS was most commonly located in the septum (77%) followed by the free wall (23%) (figure 1). An additional 14 patients had no demonstrated CRVS but underwent empirical RV septal ablation in the process of biventricular septal substrate modification. Non-inducibility of the targeted VT following CRVS ablation was achieved in 28/34 patients (82%, 4 patients not tested), with non-inducibility of any VT in 18/34 (53%). Conclusion The RV contains critical substrate elements of PIVT in at least 2.4% of cases, most commonly involving the RV septum.
Spirituality in young adult literature: the last taboo: by Patty Campbell and Chris Crowe, London, Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, 206 pp., £49.95 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-4422-5238-7

Campbell opens this vital addition to adolescent literature scholarship with the fact that subjects related to faith and religious belief in God rarely emerge in novels for teens. She highlights th...
Dietary intake among members of a volunteer fire department compared with us daily dietary recommendations

OBJECTIVE To characterize the diet of volunteer firefighters compared with the United States recommended dietary intake. METHODS A survey was administered to members of volunteer fire department which collected information on demographics, behavioral risks, fire service history, and dietary intake using the Dietary Screener Questionnaire. Dietary intake was compared with US recommendations; associations between dietary intake and years of firefighting, were assessed using bi- and multivariate analysis. RESULTS The 122 male study participants were majority non-Hispanic white (96.4%), and over 90% were overweight or obese. Participants had lower mean intakes of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and dietary fiber, and a higher mean intake of added sugars compared with the US recommended dietary intake. CONCLUSION Volunteer firefighters in our study had suboptimal daily dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, dietary fiber, whole grains, and added sugars.
Virtual pedagogical strategies and HESI student outcomes in response to COVID-19.

Abstract Background To maintain curricular integrity in response to COVID-19, nurse educators are increasingly required to transition from traditional (face-to-face) to virtual pedagogy. Objectives The purpose of this analysis was to compare the HESI scores based on a traditional pedagogy with the HESI scores following implementation of virtual pedagogy during Spring 2020. Methods Student (n = 115; 81% female; mean age = 25.71 years) HESI scores were compared after each eight-week session using the Mann Whitney U test, permutation test and Wilcoxon rank test. Logistic regression was used to identify students achieving at least 850. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between pedagogy and students meeting 850 HESI scores. Fall 2019 Exit HESI scores were also compared with Spring 2020 Exit HESI scores. Results Students from diverse backgrounds (53.9% White; 27.8% Hispanic; 10.4% Asian; 5.2% Black; 1% Unknown) increased (p = 0.022) MHESI scores following virtual pedagogy in Fundamentals, although no difference was found in Maternity (p = 0.311), Psychiatric (p = 0.129) or Medical Surgical Nursing (p = 0.692). Wilcoxon rank test revealed significant differences in MHESI scores in same cohort of students between traditional (Psychiatric) and virtual strategies (Medical-Surgical) (p Conclusions Based on the exit HESI scores, virtual pedagogy was as effective as traditional pedagogy for maintaining student competency in a community college associate degree nursing program. Future analyses of the effectiveness of virtual pedagogy in meeting curricular outcomes is warranted, regardless of exit degree option.
HIV-1 CA Inhibitors Are Antagonized by Inositol Phosphate Stabilization of the Viral Capsid in Cells.

The HIV-1 capsid, composed of the CA protein, is the target of the novel antiretroviral drug lenacapavir (LCV). CA inhibitors block host factor binding and alter capsid stability to prevent nuclear entry and reverse transcription (RTN), respectively. Capsid stability is mediated in vitro by binding to the host cell metabolite inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). IP6 depletion in target cells has little effect on HIV-1 infection. We hypothesized that capsid-altering concentrations of CA inhibitors might reveal an effect of IP6 depletion on HIV-1 infection in target cells. To test this, we studied the effects of IP6 depletion on inhibition of infection by the CA inhibitors PF74 and LCV. At low doses of either compound that affect HIV-1 nuclear entry, no effect of IP6 depletion on antiviral activity was observed. Increased antiviral activity was observed in IP6-depleted cells at inhibitor concentrations that affect capsid stability, correlating with increased RTN inhibition. Assays of uncoating and endogenous RTN of purified cores in vitro provided additional support. Our results show that inositol phosphates stabilize the HIV-1 capsid in target cells, thereby dampening the antiviral effects of capsid-targeting antiviral compounds. We propose that targeting of the IP6-binding site in conjunction with CA inhibitors will lead to robust antiretroviral therapy. Importance HIV-1 infection and subsequent depletion of CD4+ T cells results in AIDS. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment of infected individuals prevents progression to AIDS. The HIV-1 capsid has recently become an ART target. Capsid inhibitors block HIV-1 infection at multiple steps, offering advantages over current ART. The cellular metabolite inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) binds the HIV-1 capsid, stabilizing it in vitro. However, the function of this interaction in target cells is unclear. Our results imply that IP6 stabilizes the incoming HIV-1 capsid in cells, thus limiting the antiviral efficiency of capsid-destabilizing antivirals. We present a model of capsid inhibitor function and propose that targeting of the IP6-binding site in conjunction with capsid inhibitors currently in development will lead to more robust ART.
Student Assessment in the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES): Is It Improving Instructional Practices in the Music Classroom?

This study investigated the impact of student growth measures required by the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) on instructional practices of music teachers. The participants were music teachers employed in public school settings from seven counties in northeast Ohio. The participants specialized in a variety of content areas (instrumental, vocal, and general) with students ranging in age from kindergarten through high school. Participants taught in diverse geographic, ethnic, and economic situations. Data was collected via an online survey. The music teachers answered questions about their demographics, current situations, professional involvement in the development of student learning objectives for their school district, and the impact of the OTES model on their instructional practices. Survey responses were analyzed using SPSS software. Comments were coded into major themes and discussed in the final portion of the study.
The MSC curtain that stops the immune system

We have evolved cellular mechanisms for protecting us from disabling intruders or injuries. The Mesenchymal Stem Cell, MSC, is derived from perivascular cells, pericytes that are liberated from their basement membrane tethers surrounding blood vessels upon injury or inflammation. These site-activated MSCs produce a curtain of immuno-modulation behind which slow and specific tissue regeneration takes place. In addition, the MSC senses the tissue microenvironment and adjusts the curtain and regenerative activity accordingly. This includes the production of antibiotic proteins like LL37 that both kills intruding bacteria on contact, but calls forth macrophage and other members of the hematopoietic system to further medicate the injury site. Indeed, MSCs appear to be local managers of the tissues' innate regenerative potential. Thus, I propose that MSC should denote "Medicinal Signaling Cells" since these cells are "drug stores" for sites of injury or inflammation.
An N=1 supersymmetric Coulomb flow in IIB supergravity

Abstract We find a three-parameter family of solutions to IIB supergravity that corresponds to N =1 supersymmetric holographic RG flows of N =4 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory. This family of solutions allows one to give a mass to a single chiral superfield, and to probe a two-dimensional subspace of the Coulomb branch. In particular, we examine part of the Coulomb branch of the Leigh–Strassler fixed point. We look at the infra-red asymptotics of these flows from the ten-dimensional perspective. We also make general conjectures for the lifting ansatz of five-dimensional scalar configurations to ten-dimensional tensor gauge fields. Our solution provides a highly non-trivial test of these conjectures.
IFN-γ Negatively Regulates CpG-Induced IL-10 in Bone Marrow-Derived Dendritic Cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are important players in the regulation of Th1- and Th2-dominated immune responses. In these studies we showed that IFN-gamma, the key mediator of Th1 immunity, actively suppressed the production of IL-10 in murine DCs when activated with LPS or CpG. Our analysis revealed that both LPS and CpG induced IL-10 and IL-12 production but that the presence of IFN-gamma, in a dose-dependent manner, suppressed the production of IL-10 while enhancing that of IL-12. The observed inhibition of IL-10 production was independent of IL-12. Experiments performed with STAT-1 knockout mice demonstrated that the primary production of IL-12 induced by CpG was STAT-1 dependent, whereas the production of IL-10 was not. This finding was confirmed by the observation that CpG-induced IL-12 production could be inhibited by anti-IFN-beta Abs, whereas CpG-induced IL-10 production could not be inhibited. These data also demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma on IL-10 expression was STAT-1 dependent and transcriptionally regulated. Thus, DCs respond to CpG by producing proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-12 and IL-10, respectively, and IFN-gamma acts to not only enhance IL-12 but also to inhibit IL-10 production. The current data demonstrate a novel pathway for IFN-gamma-mediated immunoregulation and suggest that IFN-gamma-dependent suppression of IL-10 production by DCs may be involved in the antagonism between Th1 and Th2 patterns of immune reactivity.
Forming High Strength Bumpers from Aluminum Sheet

Aluminum alloys in high-strength sheets suitable for cost-effective and weight-saving bumper facebars are of either the 6XXX or 7XXX series. They are formed in the -O or -W temper, then thermally processed to produce a yield strength in excess of 345 MPa. Design criteria include the following: a 1:1 ratio between the corner flange width and corner radius; center peak depth less than 60% of the top center flange width; corner offset approximately 2 cm to 3 cm; and utilization of take-up pockets on flanges at corner bend areas. Critical tooling parameters include: contouring the binderline to conform to the punch face; sloping the ends of the binder to promote metal flow; using only that blankholder pressure necessary to control wrinkles; using proper clearances at specific points to allow substantial metal thickening; using a developed blank; and using good lubrication. Development case histories of four such bumpers are given.
Processing of Reaction-Bonded Silicon Carbide Without Residual Silicon Phase

Reaction-bonded silicon carbide free of the residual silicon phase that has previously limited upper use temperatures and mechanical properties has been synthesized by the infiltration of carbonaceous preforms using alloyed silicon melts. In this approach, rejection of the alloying components from the primary reacted silicon carbide phase into the remaining liquid forms a secondary refractory silicide, in a potentially broad and controllable range of volume fractions. Dense SiC-MoSi/sub 2/ materials free of residual silicon and residual carbon have been synthesized. In addition to a fully-infiltrated monolith, surface coatings on a carbon body have been synthesized by control of processing parameters. In each, the absence of free silicon and incorporation of the secondary phase is expected to improve mechanical properties. 14 references.
Intramyometrial prostaglandin F2α

Abstract Hypertonic saline and prostaglandin F 2α were injected into pregnant monkey myometrium. Small volumes of 20 per cent saline produced full-thickness myometrial necrosis with hemorrhage and thrombosis. PGF 2α in amounts sufficient to induce uterine contractions caused no histologic change.
Non-radioactive quantification of fibronectin matrix assembly.

This unit provides a basic protocol for non-radioactive determination of the rate of incorporation of biotinylated fibronectin into the insoluble matrix organized by cultured cells. The protocol provides quantification of changes in matrix assembly due to different experimental conditions with concomitant determinations of the activation state of various signaling molecules that may be involved in the process of matrix assembly. This unit also provides a support protocol for biotinylation of purified fibronectin. Keywords: fibronectin; biotinylation; deoxycholate; solubility; phosphospecific antibodies
Phonons on fcc (100), (110), and (111) surfaces using Lennard-Jones potentials: I. Comparison between molecular dynamics simulations and slab technique calculations

Abstract The surface phonon dispersion curves have been calculated for fcc (100), (110), and (111) surfaces using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and Lennard-Jones pair potentials. In the low-temperature limit these MD simulations have been compared to the results from slab-technique lattice dynamics calculations of the type pioneered by Allen, Alldredge and de Wette. We compare the dispersion results between these two methods as a prelude to MD studies of the dispersion curves at elevated temperatures. At temperatures where the dynamical behavior is well described within the harmonic approximation, the two techniques should provide equal descriptions of surface phonon spectral densities and phonon frequencies. In this paper we demonstrate this agreement.
Rate of glycolysis during ischemia determines extent of ischemic injury and functional recovery after reperfusion.

The efficacy of increasing glycolysis during ischemia for enhancing the salutary effects of reperfusion was evaluated in isolated perfused rabbit hearts subjected to low-flow ischemia followed by reperfusion. Control hearts were perfused with buffer containing 0.4 mM palmitate, 5 mM glucose, and 70 mU/l insulin. Additional groups of hearts were perfused with double glucose/insulin and 1 mM dichloroacetate or were subjected to substrate priming to increase preischemic glycogen content. Ischemic contracture was completely prevented in hearts perfused with high glucose/insulin and was delayed markedly by either dichloroacetate or enhanced preischemic glycogen [45 +/- 14 and 31 +/- 20 min, respectively; P 55% in treated hearts. Thus enhancement of glycolysis by diverse mechanisms during ischemia decreased ischemic damage and improved the recovery of contractile function with reperfusion.
Nuclear Export Is Required for Degradation of Endogenous p53 by MDM2 and Human Papillomavirus E6

The MDM2 oncoprotein targets the p53 tumor suppressor protein for degradation when the two proteins are expressed in cells. The regulation of p53 levels by MDM2 requires the ability of MDM2 to be exported from the nucleus by utilizing its nuclear export signal (NES). The drug leptomycin B (LMB) blocks the formation of nuclear export complexes consisting of CRM1, RanGTP, and NES-containing proteins. It is predicted that LMB should inhibit nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling by MDM2 and subsequently stabilize p53. This communication demonstrates that LMB treatment of various cell lines led to an increase in the steady-state levels of the p53 protein as a result of an increase in its stability. The stabilized p53 protein localized to the nucleus and was an active transcription factor. These results indicate that the low steady-state levels of p53 in the absence of DNA damage result from p53's nuclear export for cytoplasmic degradation. LMB also led to p53 stabilization in cell lines that contain human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA and express HPV E6, a protein that targets p53 for degradation. MDM2 is not necessary for E6-dependent degradation of p53, as evidenced by the observation that E6 promoted p53 degradation in cells lacking endogenous MDM2. In addition, LMB reduced E6's ability to degrade p53 in the absence of MDM2, demonstrating that complete degradation of p53 by E6 requires nuclear export and therefore likely occurs in cytoplasmic proteasomes. These data suggest that the nuclear export of p53 to the cytoplasm for degradation is a general mechanism for regulating p53 levels.
Insulin Pump Therapy in the Very Low Birth Weight Infant

Ten critically ill, very low birth weight infants less than 30 weeks9 gestation were treated with exogenous insulin administered through a continuous insulin infusion pump (Betatron II, Cardiac Pacemaker, Inc). Infants were hyperglycemic to dextrose infusions greater than 6 mg/kg/min. The blood glucose concentration became normal in all infants within two to four hours, with varying requirements for continued insulin treatment. Tolerance to intravenous dextrose increased from a mean of 7.4 mg/kg/min to 11.2 mg/kg/min with aglycosuria. Energy intake increased from 49.5 calories/kg/d prior to insulin pump therapy to 70.4 calories/kg/d afterward (P
The Equivocal Definition of Indigeneity and Ambivalent Government Policy toward Self-Determination in New Zealand’s Health and Foreign Policy Apparatus

Defining indigeneity can serve as the first step in crafting a productive challenge to existing norms of governance and control in New Zealand. In addition, indigeneity can meaningfully inform liberal-egalitarian philosophy, largely through an exposition of collective rights. In the New Zealand case, a nascent domestic policy of encouraging self-determination and autonomy for indigenes in certain contexts (especially health services) occasionally comes into conflict with the country’s international policy regarding sovereignty. This conflict serves as a microcosm of international debates surrounding the indigeneity construct. At present, while there is no official international definition of indigeneity, there have been attempts which have resulted in ”working definitions.” These attempts invariably combine two distinct characteristics of indigeneity which introduce ambiguity: subaltern status and first occupancy.1, 2 These disparate elements create an iteration of Said’s ”hybridity,” and reflect the sometimes uncomfortable marriage between multiple nations within a larger state. In turn, by exploring the efforts at defining indigeneity, we can gain insight into the internal conflict which affects current government relations with indigenes. In this essay, we argue that a definition of indigeneity is of fundamental importance for indigenous/government relations. This is expanded upon via a discussion of links between definitional considerations regarding indigeneity and conflicts between domestic and international policy in New Zealand. These conflicts are most strikingly demonstrated by New Zealand’s “no” vote on the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP). Domestic health policy concerning Māori and international policy concerning indigenes are, perhaps, irreconcilably different. This difference represents a difficult conundrum of control: domestic health efficacy may require devolution of power, while international sovereignty may require greater centralisation. ARTIClE
Identifying Labels among University Students in the New South Africa A Retrospective Study

This article examines the relationship between political change and university students' sense of identity in South Africa during a 10-year period. Prior to 1994, identity in South Africa was largely based on ethnicity and language; is this still the case today? The new government has not only forced people to face changes in political issues but also changes in identification issues. Nowhere are these issues more striking than in an institution of higher learning, where students from diverse ethnic backgrounds are unified by a similar goal—an education. In an attempt to address the issue of identification, a survey was conducted at Rand Afrikaans University in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine if the change in government is causing a change in how people perceive themselves.
Aneurysms of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery

Aneurysms of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) are rare lesions. Three AICA aneurysms that differed in clinical presentation, anatomical location, and morphology are presented to illustrate the radiologic evaluation, perioperative management, surgical treatment and prevention of complications of these uncommon lesions.
Making room for going beyond the call

In the latter half of this century, there have been two mostly separate threads within ethical theory, one on "supererogation", one on "common-sense morality". I bring these threads together by systematically reflecting on doing more than one has to do. A rich and coherent set of concepts at the core of common-sense morality is identified, along with various logical connections between these core concepts. Various issues in common-sense morality emerge naturally, as does a demonstrably productive definition of doing more than one has to do. I then present an interpreted model-theoretic framework with the expressive power to generate truth-conditions for the core concepts, and the explanatory power to predict and explain the independently motivated logical connections between these concepts. The framework also has a certain heuristic power for "discovering" substantive ethical theories that can derivat'vely generate the model-theoretic framework for the core concepts. Two theories discussed are expansions of traditional theories; two others, each giving pride of place to justice, are devised to resonate with more recent concerns. Methodologically, it is hoped that the approach within might suggest the possibility of bridging another gap: that between formal and informal studies of moral notions.
A possible role of the surface free enthalpy excess of solid chemical elements in their melting and critical temperature

A 5–20% increase in the average number of neighbors of an atom (navrg) in the surface phase between 0 K and melting temperature Tm makes the solid surface “geometrically impossible” to exist at some temperature called the melting temperature. The latter results in the collapse of crystal structure, beginning with the formation of surface layers of liquid a few atoms thick, in agreement with recently published studies. The critical temperature of solid chemical elements is also discussed. The derivation yields expressions for the heat of melting (ΔHm), entropy of melting (ΔSm), melting temperature (Tm) and critical temperature (Tc) in case of pure metals.
Is (-)-Catechin a Novel Weapon of Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)?

The novel weapons hypothesis states that some invasive weed species owe part of their success as invaders to allelopathy mediated by allelochemicals that are new to the native species. Presumably, no resistance has evolved among the native species to this new allelochemical (i.e., the novel weapon). In their native habitat, however, the plants that co-evolved with these invasive species have theoretically evolved defenses that obviate the allelochemical advantage. Previous studies have claimed that catechin is such a novel weapon of spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe = C. maculosa), an invasive species in the non-native habitat of North America. These studies indicated that (−)-catechin is more phytotoxic than (+)-catechin. Other studies have not found sufficient catechin in field soils to support this theory. We report that (−)-catechin and (+)-catechin are essentially equal, but poorly phytotoxic to a variety of plant species in bioassays without soil. In a dose/response experiment with Montana soils, we found the lowest dose for a growth reduction of two native Montana grasses (Koeleria macrantha and Festuca idahoensis) by a racemic mixture of (±)-catechin that ranged from about 25 to 50 mM, concentrations, orders of magnitude higher than expected in nature. Autoclaving the soil before adding the catechin did not affect the activity of catechin. We found (−)-catechin to be a potent antioxidant, in contrast to a previous claim that it acts as an allelochemical by causing oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that catechin is not a novel weapon of spotted knapweed and that other allelochemical(s) or alternative mechanisms must be found to explain the success of this species as an invader in North America.
Mechanically Attrited Silicon for High Refractive Index Nanocomposites

High-energy milling provides an effective and environmentally conscious method for nanosizing silicon. Colloidal suspensions of nanosized silicon are presently demonstrated and utilized for the fabrication of high refractive index nanocomposites. Si nanoparticles with average sizes of 20−40 nm and size distributions of about 25% have been separated from milled powder via sonication and centrifugation. These nanoparticles were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction and UV−vis/FTIR spectroscopy. Formation of stable colloids is in part attributed to a thin surface-oxide layer. The decrease in the average particle size causes a blue shift in their absorption spectrum, thus increasing transparency in the red part of the visible region. These Si nanoparticles were used to fabricate high refractive index nanocomposites, with refractive indexes up to 3.2, when dispersed in gelatin.