cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II Signaling Enhances Cardiac Progenitor Cell Survival and Cardiac Lineage Commitment

Ca(2+)/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) signaling in the heart regulates cardiomyocyte contractility and growth in response to elevated intracellular Ca(2+). The δB isoform of CaMKII is the predominant nuclear splice variant in the adult heart and regulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophic gene expression by signaling to the histone deacetylase HDAC4. However, the role of CaMKIIδ in cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) has not been previously explored. During post-natal growth endogenous CPCs display primarily cytosolic CaMKIIδ, which localizes to the nuclear compartment of CPCs after myocardial infarction injury. CPCs undergoing early differentiation in vitro increase levels of CaMKIIδB in the nuclear compartment where the kinase may contribute to the regulation of CPC commitment. CPCs modified with lentiviral-based constructs to overexpress CaMKIIδB (CPCeδB) have reduced proliferative rate compared with CPCs expressing eGFP alone (CPCe). Additionally, stable expression of CaMKIIδB promotes distinct morphological changes such as increased cell surface area and length of cells compared with CPCe. CPCeδB are resistant to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) relative to CPCe, whereas knockdown of CaMKIIδB resulted in an up-regulation of cell death and cellular senescence markers compared with scrambled treated controls. Dexamethasone (Dex) treatment increased mRNA and protein expression of cardiomyogenic markers cardiac troponin T and α-smooth muscle actin in CPCeδB compared with CPCe, suggesting increased differentiation. Therefore, CaMKIIδB may serve as a novel modulatory protein to enhance CPC survival and commitment into the cardiac and smooth muscle lineages.
Gender and Environmental History

"As it was the intuitive foresight of [Isabella of Spain] which brought the light of civilization to a great continent, so in great measure, will it fall to woman in her power to educate public sentiment to save from rapacious waste and complete exhaustion the resources upon which depend the welfare of the home, the children, and the children's children." So wrote Lydia Adams-Williams, self-styled feminist conservation writer, in 1908. Her compatriot Mrs. Lovell White of California argued that reversing the destruction of the earth brought about by "men whose souls are gang-saws" was a project that required the best efforts of women. These women of the Progressive conservation crusade of the early twentieth century exemplify an overtly feminist perspective on the environment., Donald Worster's "Transformations of the Earth," while a rich and provocative approach to the field of environmental history, lacks a gender analysis. His conceptual levels of ecology (natural history), production (technology and its socioeconomic relations), and cognition (the mental realm of ideas, ethics, myths, and so on) are a significant framework for research and writing in this emerging field. His use of the mode-of-production concept in differing ecological and cultural contexts and his account of the changing history of ecological ideas in his major books have propelled environmental history to new levels of sophistication. A gender perspective can add to his conceptual framework in two important ways. First, each of his three categories can be further illuminated through a gender analysis; second, in my view, environmental history needs a fourth analytical level, that of reproduction, which interacts with the other three levels.2 What could such a perspective contribute to the framework Worster has outlined? Women and men have historically had different roles in production relative to the environment. In subsistence modes of production such as those of native peoples, women's impact on nature is immediate and direct. In gathering-huntingfishing economies, women collect and process plants, small animals, bird eggs, and shellfish and fabricate tools, baskets, mats, slings, and clothing, while men hunt
Effects of hypoxia and other vasoactive agents on pulmonary and cerebral artery smooth muscle cells

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) were isolated from cat cerebral arteries and three sizes of pulmonary artery (less than 200-, 200- to 600-, and greater than 800-microns diameter) and used within 72–96 h....
A progress on epidemiological research of influenza A (H1N1).

Influenza A(H1N1) occurred in March 2009 in Mexico has strong infectivity.The crowd are susceptible to this new virus due to lack of immunity,and the influenza spread rapidly in a short time,and even caused global pandemic.This influenza was named the "swine influenza" in initial stage,however WHO renamed it to "Influenza A(H1N1)" in order to avoid the misunderstanding towards pork and pork products.The epidemiological characteristics of this disease have been understood from the global pandemic during June 11,2009 to August 10,2010,but it's not the end of influenza A(H1N1) pandemic,the local outbreaks still have happened,and the mutations of virus antigen have happened gradually.The author summarizes the related study results since this pandemic from the aspects of viral origin,etiological characteristics,epidemic situation,infection sources,transmission routes,susceptible population,as well as characteristics among inpatients and critical cases,so as to provide the reference for comprehensive understanding of development,virus mutation and epidemiological characteristics of this pandemic,and actively cope with the more larger-scale pandemic of influenza A(H1N1).
The influence study of bacteria-infected rice-sprinkling mother yeast on the fermentation of yellow rice wine

The harmful bacteria-infected rice-sprinkling mother yeast will have bad effects on the fermentation of yellow rice wine.Some abnormal forms of harmful bacteria are detected in the microorganism of rice-sprinkling mother yeast.The fermentation with the bacterial-infected rice-sprinkling mother yeast and that of the normal mother yeast were compared.The final result proved the negative impacts of harmful bacteria-infected rice-sprinkling mother yeast in the fermentation of yellow rice wine,such as the slow increase in alcohol content,the possible emergence of rancidity.Therefore,the harmful bacteria-infected rice-sprinkling mother yeast can not be adopted in the fermentation.The possible measures to prevent contamination of harmful bacteria include:the control of the fermentation process conditions,the choice of normal yeast and rice-sprinkling mother yeast and etc.
Chronic Effects of Focused Electrohydraulic Shock Waves on Renal Function and Hypertension

The chronic effects of focused electrohydraulic shock waves were studied in a minipig model. Fifteen animals underwent a unilateral nephrectomy and compensatory renal hypertrophy was allowed to take place over a minimum of six months. Baseline studies were then carried out consisting of 1) serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and plasma renin levels 2) intra-arterial blood pressure measurement and 3) 3H-inulin clearance. Ten of the animals then underwent 8 shockwave treatments (2500 shocks per treatment), alternately to the upper and lower pole of the kidney, at two weeks intervals. A total of 20,000 shock waves were administered to each minipig over the four month period. The five control pigs underwent sham procedures. The renal function and blood pressure evaluations were then repeated. No significant decrease in renal function was noted in the experimental animals when compared to the controls. In addition, renin mediated hypertension was not observed despite the excessive number of total shock waves delivered to the kidney.
Automatic text analysis.

This book goes beyond the basics to teach readers advanced methods for conducting behavioral research on the Internet.
Downregulation of RARα in Mice by Antisense Transgene Leads to a Compensatory Increase in RARβ and RARγ and Development of Lymphoma

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) alpha, beta, and gamma contain retinoic acid response elements (RAREs) in their promoter regions and respond to their own activation, thus forming an autoregulatory loop. We generated transgenic mice that expressed an antisense construct of the RAR alpha. Homozygous transgenic mice demonstrated 30% to 80% reduction in RAR alpha protein expression in various tissues. Unlike RAR alpha null mice generated by knockout, our antisense mice demonstrated significant compensatory increases in the expression of RAR beta and RAR gamma proteins. Coarse fur, male sterility, and low body weight were other abnormalities observed in these mice. Most importantly, lymphoma developed in 44% of our homozygous transgenic mice at an early stage of life. These data suggest that RAR alpha is necessary for appropriate response of the RAR beta and RAR gamma genes to physiologic changes and deregulation of the RAR alpha in transgenic mice, which resulted in upregulation of RAR beta and RAR gamma, can be associated with lymphomagenesis. Thus, the data support the hypothesis that a balance among the RARs is necessary for appropriate response to various homeostatic needs.
Studies with sputum. II. Antigenicity of asthmatic sputum: hemagglutinating and precipitating activity of rabbit antisputum sera.

Abstract 1.1. Sterile suspensions of sputum derived from an asthmatic subject of Type A proved antigenic when injected into rabbits by the intravenous route. Immunologic responsiveness of the rabbits consisted of anaphylactic reactions and the production of high titers of hemagglutinins for erythrocytes of the same blood group as the patient, with some cross reaction for blood groups of the heterologous type. An anamnestic reaction did not occur when a booster injection was given to such immunized rabbits after a rest period. 2.2. The rabbit antisputum serum so obtained yielded multiple precipitate bands in gel diffusion against homologous and heterologous sputa. Distinct bands of precipitate were also obtained when the serum was diffused against lysates of human erythrocytes of type A, B, or O. The bands of precipitate with the lysates yielded reactions of identity with one of the multiple bands against sputum. 3.3. Absorption of rabbit antihuman sputum removed the hemagglutinins for the absorbing cell type. This did not, however, appear to remove the precipitin for the lysate. Although some of the precipitate bands with sputum were eliminated from the absorbed serum, there were still several precipitate bands remaining. 4.4. Controlled studies with soluble bacterial extracts of the usual flora of the respiratory tract yielded no precipitate bands when diffused against rabbit antisputum serum. Conversely, a precipitin to a bacterial extract failed to yield bands when sputum was diffused against it. 5.5. All of eight preparations of sputa which were tested against a strong rabbit antihuman serum albumin yielded positive precipitin bands which indicated the presence of an albumin in all of the sputa derived from persons suffering from inflammatory discase of the respiratory tract. The limiting value of the detection with the sera studied was of the order of 5 gamma per 0.2 ml. and it was estimated that the sputum preparations contained between 5 gamma and 50 gamma per 0.2 ml. At least one of the multiple precipitin bands between sputum and rabbit antisputum serum was probably the albumin-anti-albumin system. 6.6. Rabbits immunized with purified blood group substance derived by phenol extraction after pepsin digestion of human sputum developed no anti-body, which is consistent with previously recorded findings with purified blood group substance of other animal origin. Since the whole sputum is very antigenic with respect to production of anti-blood group antibodies (in agreement with Baer's observations with ovarian cyst fluid) it would appear that the blood group substance in human sputum is in a conjugated and antigenic form. 7.7. The significance of these observations in relation to future investigations is briefly discussed.
Cellular penetration and localization of polyethylene glycol

644 Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has drawn extensive attention in recent years due to the marketing of several drugs using PEG as delivery system such as PEG-Intron, Neulasta and Pegasys. The advantages of PEGylated drugs are attributed to their extended blood circulating time, improved solubility, and reduced immunogenecity and toxicity over the unmodified counterparts. In target tissues and cells, the drugs function either in their released or pegylated form. However, little is known about the interaction of PEG itself and cells which may be implicated in the drug effectiveness. This study was designed to examine the cellular binding, uptake and trafficking of PEG. FACS analysis revealed that PEG (40 kDa) does not bind to J774A.1 mouse macrophages, indicating no specific receptors for PEG on these cells. To study cellular uptake, the macrophages were incubated with 40 kDa PEG at various doses and for different durations at 37°C, followed by extensive washing with medium, acid solution and PBS to remove the residual PEG. The cells were lysed and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and subsequent gel staining with iodine solution to reveal the PEG specifically. The results showed that the PEG accumulated in the macrophages in a time-and dose-dependent fashion. The accumulated PEG reached 60-80 μg/mg cell protein or 15-20 μg/106 cells at 30 h exposure. Confocal microscopic analysis demonstrated that FITC-labeled PEG was localized in the cytoplasm predominantly, and more interestingly, significant amount of PEG-FITC was also observed in the nucleus, suggesting that PEG is capable of penetrating cell membrane as well as nuclear membrane. The uptake was diminished completely at 4°C and reduced significantly by the treatment with metabolic inhibitors NaF and azide plus 2-deoxy-D-glucose. In contrast, the uptake was not sensitive to EGTA or excessive Ca+2. These observations suggest that the PEG uptake is energy-dependent but not a receptor-mediated endocytosis process. Taken together, our data suggest that PEG can be taken up appreciably by macrophages presumably via pinocytosis.
Food Ingredients That Inhibit Cholesterol Absorption

Cholesterol is a vital component of the human body. It stabilizes cell membranes and is the precursor of bile acids, vitamin D and steroid hormones. However, cholesterol accumulation in the bloodstream (hypercholesterolemia) can cause atherosclerotic plaques within artery walls, leading to heart attacks and strokes. The efficiency of cholesterol absorption in the small intestine is of great interest because human and animal studies have linked cholesterol absorption with plasma concentration of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Cholesterol absorption is highly regulated and influenced by particular compounds in the food supply. Therefore, it is desirable to learn more about natural food components that inhibit cholesterol absorption so that food ingredients and dietary supplements can be developed for consumers who wish to manage their plasma cholesterol levels by non-pharmacological means. Food components thus far identified as inhibitors of cholesterol absorption include phytosterols, soluble fibers, phospholipids, and stearic acid.
Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: changing the management of ampullary neoplasms

The purpose of this study is to present the largest reported series comparing open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) to total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (TLPD) in patients with ampullary neoplasms. Patients undergoing OPD or TLPD for ampullary neoplasms from June 2012 to August 2016 were retrospectively identified. Perioperative outcomes were compared using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Student’s t test, and Chi square analysis where appropriate. Kaplan–Meier estimates for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the groups using the log-rank test. We identified 47 patients with ampullary neoplasms (adenocarcinoma n = 36, neuroendocrine tumor n = 7, undifferentiated n = 1, adenoma n = 3) undergoing OPD (n = 25) and TLPD (n = 22). The proportion of patients being offered TLPD has progressively increased every year over 5 years: 0% (2012) to 50% (2015). There were no differences in baseline variables between the two groups. TLPD was associated with less blood loss (300 vs. 500 mL, p 0.05). Among patients with adenocarcinoma, there was no difference in pathological features between the two groups (p > 0.05) and all patients had negative margins. At a median follow up of 25 months, there was no difference in PFS or OS between the two groups. TLPD in patients with ampullary neoplasms results in improved perioperative outcomes while having equivalent short and long-term oncologic outcomes compared to the traditional open approach.
The Effect of Heating Rate on Combustion of Fully Dense Nanocomposite Thermite Particles

ABSTRACTThe effect of heating rate on the combustion pathways of fully dense, micron-sized, nanocomposite thermite particles is examined. Stoichiometric nanocomposite thermites utilizing aluminum or zirconium as fuels were prepared by arrested reactive milling with several oxidizers (WoO3, MoO3, CuO, Fe2O3, and Bi2O3). The powders were ignited using both electrostatic discharge (ESD) and CO2 laser beam. The particles ignited directly by ESD were heated at ca. 109 K/s while the particles ignited by laser were heated at ca. 106 K/s. Additional reference laser ignition experiments were performed with particles of pure Al and Zr. Optical emission of burning particles was recorded. For both Al- and Zr-based thermites, burn times of particles ignited by the laser were slightly longer than for similarly sized particles of pure Al and Zr, respectively. This suggests that both Al- and Zr-based thermite particles heated by laser lose their nanostructure immediately upon their ignition. Burn times and temperatures w...
Gut Microbiota-Dependent Trimethylamine-N-oxide and Serum Biomarkers in Patients with T2DM and Advanced CKD

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is a product of dietary, gut microbiome, and tissues metabolism. Elevated blood TMAO levels are associated with heart attack, stroke and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The purpose of our study was to investigate the gut microbiota associated with trimethylamine (TMA) production, the precursor of TMAO, and the serum levels of TMAO and inflammatory biomarkers associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and CKD. Twenty adults with T2DM and advanced CKD and 20 healthy adults participated in the study. Analyses included anthropometric and metabolic parameters, characterization of TMA producing gut microbiota, and concentrations of TMAO, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) endotoxin, zonulin (Zo) gut permeability marker, and serum inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers. Diversity of the gut microbiota was identified by amplification of V3–V4 regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA genes and DNA sequencing. TMAO was quantified by Mass Spectrometry and serum biomarkers by ELISA. The significance of measurements justified by statistical analysis. The gut microbiome in T2DM-CKD patients exhibited a higher incidence of TMA-producing bacteria than control, p < 0.05. The serum levels of TMAO in T2DM-CKD patients were significantly higher than controls, p < 0.05. TMAO showed a positive correlation with Zo and LPS, inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers. A positive correlation was observed between Zo and LPS in T2DM-CKD subjects. An increased abundance of TMA-producing bacteria in the gut microbiota of T2DM-CKD patients together with excessive TMAO and increased gut permeability might impact their risk for cardiovascular disease through elevation of chronic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.
Nonlinear Metasurface Based on Giant Optical Kerr Response of Gold Quantum Wells

A nonlinear metasurface is demonstrated numerically based on the recently developed quantum-sized gold film. The active functionality of the metasurface is realized by varying the incident optical power through the ultrahigh Kerr nonlinearity of the quantum-sized gold films. In the low power region, the device acts as a normal reflecting surface, while it becomes a phase grating with most energy in the ±1 diffraction modes when the optical power increases and the nonlinear effect plays a dominating role. Unlike previously demonstrated nonlinear metasurfaces focusing on nonlinear frequency generation, the functionality of our device may be modulated by the power of incident light. As the first nonlinear metasurface that is based on optical Kerr nonlinearity, our design may lead to various applications, such as optical limiters and tunable phase gratings.
Video-rate hyperspectral two-photon fluorescence microscopy for in vivo imaging

Fluorescence hyperspectral imaging is a powerful tool for in vivo biological studies. The ability to recover the full spectra of the fluorophores allows accurate classification of different structures and study of the dynamic behaviors during various biological processes. However, most existing methods require significant instrument modifications and/or suffer from image acquisition rates too low for compatibility with in vivo imaging. In the present work, a fast (up to 18 frames per second) hyperspectral two-photon fluorescence microscopy approach was demonstrated. Utilizing the beamscanning hardware inherent in conventional multi-photon microscopy, the angle dependence of the generated fluorescence signal as a function beam’s position allowed the system to probe of a different potion of the spectrum at every single scanning line. An iterative algorithm to classify the fluorophores recovered spectra with up to 2,400 channels using a custom high-speed 16-channel photon multiplier tube array. Several dynamic samples including live fluorescent labeled C. elegans were imaged at video rate. Fluorescence spectra recovered using no a priori spectral information agreed well with those obtained by fluorimetry. This system required minimal changes to most existing beam-scanning multi-photon fluorescence microscopes, already accessible in many research facilities.
Mental Health and Substance Use

The chapter explores legal issues confronting social workers in the context of mental health and substance use treatment. These include the standards for involuntary outpatient commitment, the emergency hospitalization for evaluation, the mandated reporting of pregnant women who are using substances during pregnancy, and the role of social workers in the context of specialized courts such as drug court and mental health court. Provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act that relate to mental illness are also discussed.
"Exceptional brain aging" without Alzheimer's disease: triggers, accelerators, and the net sum game.

As human longevity increases and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) increasingly becomes a significant societal burden, finding pathways or protective factors that facilitate exceptional brain aging without AD pathophysiologies (ADP) will be critical. The goal of this viewpoint is two-fold: 1) to present evidence for “exceptional brain aging” without ADP; and 2) to bring together ideas and observations from the literature and present them as testable hypotheses for biomarker studies to discover protective factors for “exceptional brain aging” without ADP and AD dementia. There are three testable hypotheses. First, discovering and quantifying links between risk factor(s) and early ADP changes in midlife using longitudinal biomarker studies will be fundamental to understanding why the majority of individuals deviate from normal aging to the AD pathway. Second, a risk factor may have quantifiably greater impact as a trigger and/or accelerator on a specific component of the biomarker cascade (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration). Finally, and most importantly, while each risk factor may have a different mechanism of action on AD biomarkers, “exceptional aging” and protection against AD dementia will come from “net sum” protection against all components of the biomarker cascade. The knowledge of the mechanism of action of risk factor(s) from hypotheses 1 and 2 will aid in better characterization of their effect on outcomes, identification of subpopulations that would benefit, and the timing at which the risk factor(s) would have the maximal impact. Additionally, hypothesis 3 highlights the importance of multifactorial or multi-domain approaches to “exceptional aging” as well as prevention of AD dementia. While important strides have been made in identifying risk factors for AD dementia incidence, further efforts are needed to translate these into effective preventive strategies. Using biomarker studies for understanding the mechanism of action, effect size estimation, selection of appropriate end-points, and better subject recruitment based on subpopulation effects are fundamental for better design and success of prevention trials.
The Pharmacology of Marijuana (Cannabis)

Many theories exist to explain the etiology of marijuana dependence (1–3). Significant disagreement about the diagnosis and treatment of marijuana dependence (addiction) prevails (4–9), and uncertainty that it is a primary disease that requires medical consideration predominates. Marijuana addiction still remains an often unspeakable, hidden, and provoking subject.
Stereoselective Electrocyclizations and Sigmatropic Shifts of Strained Rings: Torquoelectronics!

The stereoselectivities of cyclobutene electrocyclizations have been investigated computationally with ab initio molecular orbital calculations, and unusual predictions have been tested experimentally. Outward rotations are favored by donors and inward rotations by powerful acceptors. The electronic effects which cause this stereoselectivity are found to influence the ground-state geometries of cyclobutenes and other substituted small-ring compounds. The study of the electronic effects which promote twisting in a predictable fashion is a new aspect of stereoelectronics which we have named (only partly in jest) “torquoelectronics”!
Common Seizure Disorders

The International Classification of the Epilepsies, revised in 1981, has been successful in replacing the numerous terms commonly utilized in clinical practice.1 An advantage of this classification is that it provides a synthesis of the electrophysiological and clinical aspects of seizures. This is an extremely important feature, inasmuch as various types of seizures may appear clinically identical. However, there are wide variations in underlying pathology and choice of drugs for treatment. Table I provides an outline of the major types of seizures, and a compendium of some of the older clinical terms. Table II outlines the important associated features.
Properties of the hydrogenase system in Rhizobium japonicum bacteroids.

Abstract The hydrogenase system which catalyzes the oxyhydrogen reaction in soybean nodules produced by strains of Rhizobium japonicum is located in the bacteroids. The hydrogenase complex in intact bacteroids has an apparent Km for H2 of 2.8 μM and an apparent Km for O2 of 1.3 μM. The addition of hydrogen to bacteroids increases oxygen uptake but decreases respiratory CO2 production, indicating a conservation of endogenous substrates. After correction for the effect of hydrogen on endogenous respiration a ratio of 1.9 ± 0.1 for H2 to O2 uptake was determined. Bacteroids from greenhouse or field-grown soybeans that evolved hydrogen showed no measurable oxyhydrogen reaction activity whereas consistent activity was demonstrated by bacteroids from soybean nodules that evolved little or no H2.
Effect of a short self-reflection intervention on clear communication in prostate cancer screening discussions.

e18166Background: The average health literacy in the United States is at an eighth grade level. Studies have shown that physicians use up to two medical jargon words a minute, half left unexplained...
Cellular response to chronic psychosocial stress: Ten-year longitudinal changes in telomere length in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse association between chronic psychosocial stress and leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a potential marker of cellular aging. However, due to paucity of longitudinal data, responses of LTL and the LTL aging trajectory to changes in chronic stress exposure remain less well understood. Using data from the Stress I and II ancillary studies of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we estimated the 10-year longitudinal (n = 1,158) associations of within-person changes in chronic stress with changes in LTL, as well as the pooled, cross-sectional associations of chronic stress and LTL (total n = 2,231). We measured chronic stress from both individual and neighborhood-environment sources. At the individual level, we calculated a summary score of each participant’s rating of their ongoing (>6 months) material/social problems as moderately/very stressful on the Chronic Burden Scale. Neighborhood-level stress was measured using a summary score of reverse-coded MESA Neighborhood safety, aesthetic quality, and social cohesion scales. Quantiles of these scores were empirically categorized as high, moderate, or low stress. We then summed these individual- and neighborhood-level categorical variables for a total stress measure. Longitudinal within-person associations were estimated with fixed-effects models, which control for all time-invariant confounding, with additional control for time-varying demographics, lagged behaviors and chronic conditions, and specimen storage duration, as well as correction for regression to the mean. Change from low to high total chronic stress was associated with telomere shortening by 0.054 units [95% confidence interval: −0.095, −0.013] over 10 years. This was consistent with, though stronger in magnitude than, cross-sectional estimates. Change in individual-level stress was the primary driver of this effect. We also found suggestive evidence that 1) individuals with persistently high stress experienced the least shortening of telomeres, and 2) changes in individual-level stress were associated with stronger telomere shortening among women, whereas changes in neighborhood stress were associated with stronger shortening among men. Our findings provide longitudinal support to existing evidence, and point to interesting dynamics in telomere attrition across stress levels and genders.
Conditioned place preferences induced by hearing song outside the breeding season relate to neural dopamine D1 and cannabinoid CB1 receptor gene expression in female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

Abstract The affective state induced by sensory stimuli changes to adaptively modify behaviors that are critical for survival and reproduction. In European starlings, during the spring breeding season, male courtship song is rewarding to females, but only to those that possess resources that are necessary for reproduction (i.e., nesting sites). In fall, starling song is non-sexual and proposed to maintain flocks. This suggests that in fall it may be adaptive for females to be rewarded by fall rather than spring, courtship song. We used a conditioned place preference (CPP) test to evaluate song-induced affective state in fall condition females and quantitative real-time PCR to measure expression of genes that modulate affective state (CB1 endocannabinoid and D1 dopamine receptors) in brain regions that were previously implicated in song-induced reward (i.e., the medial preoptic nucleus (mPOA) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)). Fall condition females developed an aversion to a place that had been paired with playback of both male fall and courtship song, indicating that in general male song induces a negative affective state outside the breeding season. Song-induced aversion was stronger in birds conditioned towards an initial place preference. For mPOA, CB1 receptor expression correlated positively with fall and spring song-induced CPP. D1 receptor expression correlated negatively with fall (but not spring) song-induced CPP, and the ratio of CB1 to D1 receptor expression correlated positively with fall (but not spring) song-induced CPP. These correlations suggest that interactions between D1 and CB1 receptors in mPOA may play a role in modifying affective responses to song.
Regression from pathological hypertrophy is sexually dimorphic and stimulus-specific

Aims: Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is the result of increased cardiomyocyte size, leading to thickening of the left ventricular walls and a decrease in the left ventricular chamber. With early treatment of the underlying cause, cardiac hypertrophy can be reversed in some individuals, while it persists in others. Here, we investigate mechanisms leading to regression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy in two mouse models, in addition to defining the sex differences associated with hypertrophy and regression. Methods and Results: Two pathological hypertrophic stimuli were used in male and female mice (Isoproterenol or Angiotensin II). The stimulus was removed after 7 days of treatment, then the left ventricle was studied at intervals up to 7 days following the removal of the stimulus. Following Isoproterenol removal, male hearts returned to baseline sizes in 4 days while it took 7 days for female hearts to regress. After Angiotensin II removal, the left ventricular masses of males and females did not regress. ERK1/2 was activated in response to both Isoproterenol and Angiotensin II in males, then decreased back to baseline one day after stimulus removal. Expression of ECM genes was greater in response to Angiotensin II and remained elevated longer after Angiotensin II removal, compared to Isoproterenol. Further, collagen content may be playing a role in the irreversible state of Angiotensin II induced hypertrophy as hydroxyproline content was increased following the removal of Angiotensin II in both males and females. Conclusions: Regression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy is possible in some people and in some mouse models; however, the ability for the heart to regress is dependent on the stimulus and biological sex. Further, molecular changes including cellular signaling, protein degradation pathways and the formation of a fibrotic network may contribute to the ability to reverse pathological cardiac hypertrophy and are stimulus- and sex-dependent.
Variation of Parameters

Abstract The model parameters are varied in Chapter 3 to study the effects of diffusion, mass transfer, and reaction as a function of space and time. In particular, the time scale is varied to determine whether the PDEs approach a steady state (equilibrium) solution. The magnitude of the VEGF source term is a particularly sensitive parameter in defining the time scale.
TREK-1 protects the heart against ischemia-reperfusion-induced injury and from adverse remodeling after myocardial infarction

The TWIK-related K+ channel (TREK-1) is a two-pore-domain potassium channel that produces background leaky potassium currents. TREK-1 has a protective role against ischemia-induced neuronal damage. TREK-1 is also expressed in the heart, but its role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced injury has not been examined. In the current study, we used a TREK-1 knockout (KO) mouse model to show that TREK-1 has a critical role in the cardiac I/R-induced injury and during remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). At baseline, TREK-1 KO mice had similar blood pressure and heart rate as the wild-type (WT) mice. However, the lack of TREK-1 was associated with increased susceptibility to ischemic injury and compromised functional recovery following ex vivo I/R-induced injury. TREK-1 deficiency increased infarct size following permanent coronary artery ligation, resulting in greater systolic dysfunction than the WT counterpart. Electrocardiographic (ECG) analysis revealed QT interval prolongation in TREK-1 KO mice, but normal heart rate (HR). Acutely isolated TREK-1 KO cardiomyocytes exhibited prolonged Ca2+ transient duration associated with action potential duration (APD) prolongation. Our data suggest that TREK-1 has a protective effect against I/R-induced injury and influences the post-MI remodeling processes by regulating membrane potential and maintaining intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. These data suggest that TREK-1 activation could be an effective strategy to provide cardioprotection against ischemia-induced damage.
Effects of forage particle size, level of feed intake and supplemental protein degradability on microbial protein synthesis and site of nutrient digestion in steers.

ABSTRACT A 2 s factorial arrangement of treatments was used to study main effects and interactions between particle size of prairie hay (chopped vs ground), two levels of feed intake (60 and 90% of ad libitum) and ruminal degradability of protein sources [dry corn gluten feed (DCGF) vs dry distillers grains (DDG)] on ruminal and total tract digestion in eight ruminai- and duodenal- cannulated steers. Steers were fed every 2 h to approach steady-state feeding conditions. Steers fed ground hay diets digested higher (P<.05) percentages of total digestible organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in the rumen and had lower (P<.05) nonammonia-nonbaeterial N (NANBN) flows to the duodenum than did those fed chopped hay, probably because greater surface area of ground hay allowed more extensive ruminal fermentation. Protein source “ intake interactions were noted for ruminai OM and NDF digestion when expressed as percentages of total digestion. At low intakes, steers fed DCGF had higher (P<.O5) percentages of total digestible OM and NDF disappearing in the rumen than did those fed DDG. Steers fed DCGF had lower total N, NANBN and total amino acid (AA) flows at the duodenum than did those fed DDG, indicating that less DCGF protein escaped ruminal degradation. Steers fed DDG had greater (P<.O5) total tract NDF digestion, suggesting that escape protein from DDG may stimulate hindgut fermentation and thereby affect site and extent of nutrient digestion. Regression analysis indicated that extent of ruminal fermentation and efficiency of microbial growth in vivo are associated with ruminal rates of passage within individual animals. When steers were fed at high-intake levels (1.6% of body weight), ruminal dilution rates were not increased (P<.05) due to forage particle size or level of intake treatments, accounting, in part, for the lack of expected treatment differences in efficiency of bacterial growth and duodenal N flow, and for the low number of interactions between main effects. (Key Words: Particle Size, Feed Intake, Protein Degradation, Steers.)
Young adults' human papillomavirus-related knowledge: source of medical information matters.

Abstract Objectives Few studies examine the influence that different sources of medical information has on human papillomavirus (HPV)–related knowledge. We examined the relationship between the primary source of medical information and knowledge about HPV in young adults aged 18–26 years. Study design This study used cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey. Methods Respondents (n = 404) self-reported their knowledge about HPV-related diseases and vaccinations and their sources of medical information. Sources of medical information included electronic/print media, family/friends, or a healthcare provider. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the association between the source of information and HPV knowledge. Results Fifty-six percent of respondents used electronic or print media as their primary source of medical information. A greater proportion of Hispanic (40.0%) and black (36.0%) respondents received medical information from their family/friends than white respondents (20.0%). Respondents who received medical information from family/friends had 4.34 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.14, 8.79), 4.06 (95% CI: 2.05, 8.04), and 2.35 (95% CI: 1.10, 5.04) times higher odds than those who received information from healthcare providers of not knowing that HPV causes cervical cancer, knowing HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, and hearing about the HPV vaccine, respectively. Conclusion Source of medical information was significantly associated with knowledge of HPV. Receiving medical information from family/friends negatively influenced young adults' HPV knowledge. These findings may guide future interventions to target peer and familial influence on medical decisions.
Early-Life Gut Microbiome—The Importance of Maternal and Infant Factors in Its Establishment

The early-life microbiome is gaining appreciation as a major influencer in human development and long-term health. Multiple factors are known to influence the initial colonization, development, and function of the neonatal gut microbiome. In addition, alterations in early-life gut microbial composition is associated with several chronic health conditions such as obesity, asthma, and allergies. In this review, we focus on both maternal and infant factors known to influence early-life gut colonization. Also reviewed is the important role of infant feeding, including evidence-based strategies for maternal and infant supplementation with the goal to protect and/or restore the infant gut microbiome.
A Model for the Career Advancement of Women Fellows and Cardiologists.

Cardiology has long been a male-dominated field. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and other credentialing organizations estimate that approximately 10% to 14% of board-certified and/or active adult cardiologists in the United States are women ([1][1],[2][2]). Over the past 12 years, the
Second harmonic microscopy of poled x-cut thin film lithium niobate: Understanding the contrast mechanism

Thin film lithium niobate has been of great interest recently, and an understanding of periodically poled thin films is crucial for both fundamental physics and device developments. Second-harmonic (SH) microscopy allows for the noninvasive visualization and analysis of ferroelectric domain structures and walls. While the technique is well understood in bulk lithium niobate, SH microscopy in thin films is largely influenced by interfacial reflections and resonant enhancements, which depend on film thicknesses and substrate materials. We present a comprehensive analysis of SH microscopy in x-cut lithium niobate thin films, based on a full three-dimensional focus calculation and accounting for interface reflections. We show that the dominant signal in backreflection originates from a copropagating phase-matched process observed through reflections, rather than direct detection of the counterpropagating signal as in bulk samples. We simulate the SH signatures of domain structures by a simple model of the domain wall as an extensionless transition from a − χ ( 2 ) to a + χ ( 2 ) region. This allows us to explain the main observation of domain structures in the thin-film geometry, and, in particular, we show that the SH signal from thin poled films allows to unambiguously distinguish areas, which are completely or only partly inverted in depth.
Tephromela eviolacea, a new species of Tephromela (Tephromelataceae) lacking a violet hymenium from northwestern North America

We describe Tephromela eviolacea as a new species from California, Idaho and Washington, U.S.A. Externally we cannot distinguish it from T. atra and T. pacifica, but it differs from both in ITS sequences, secondary metabolites and in lacking all violet coloration in the hymenium. In the Pacific Northwest, T. atra is found on rock and T. eviolacea and T. pacifica are found on bark and wood on the east and west sides of the Cascade Range, respectively. We provide a key to the genus in the region.
Practice Strategies and Considerations to Promote Maintenance and Generalization

Performing newly acquired skills over time (i.e., maintenance) and across settings and stimuli (i.e., generalization) is central to what students need to accomplish in preparation for life beyond t...
Investigating Time-Dependent Active Motion of Janus Micromotors using Dynamic Light Scattering

Advances in fabrication methods have positioned Janus micromotors (JMs) as candidates for use as autonomous devices in applications across diverse fields, spanning drug delivery to environmental remediation. While the design of most micromotors is straightforward, the non-steady state active motion exhibited by these systems is complex and difficult to characterize. Traditionally, JM active motion is characterized using optical microscopy single particle tracking for systems confined in 2D. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) offers an alternative high-throughput method for characterizing the 3D active motion in bulk JM dispersions with additional capabilities to quantify time-dependent behavior for a broader range of JM sizes. Here, the active motion of spherical JMs is examined by DLS and it is demonstrated that the method enables decoupling of the translational and rotational diffusion. Systematic studies quantifying the time-dependent diffusive properties as a function of fuel concentration, JM concentration, and time after fuel addition are presented. The analyses presented in this work position DLS to facilitate future advances of JM systems by serving as a fast-screening characterization method for active motion.
Comment on the Stability Derivatives of a Wing-Body-Vertical Tail Configuration

I A RECENT NOTE in the Readers' Forum, 1 Mr. Summers pointed out that the expression for the apparent additional mass of a cylinder with symmetrical wings and unequal vertical fins translating along its unsymmetrical axis can be expressed as an algebraic function of its dimensions instead of a function containing elliptic integrals as given in my paper. I t can be shown that his expression is a simplification of my Eq. (34); my oversight in not simplifying the expression was due to the fact that the function G*(\, ju) defined by Eq. (8) in Appendix (1) can only be expressed in terms of elliptic integrals, whereas G(\, fx) = G*(\ ju) + G*(JU, X) can be expressed simply as
A grading dilemma or the abyss between sorting and the knapsack problem

This paper attempts to provide a solution to a seemingly simple grading problem. It introduces a notion of sorting for lists of weighted grades and puts forward an algorithmic candidate for this task. The paper then goes on to discuss the reliability of this algorithm and concludes with suggestions for student research. It is noted that the problem has similarities to both sorting and the knapsack problem and can be a nice addition to a course on algorithms.
Girls! Girls! Girls!: The Supreme Court Confronts the G-String

What is it about the nude female body that inspires irrationality, fear, and pandemonium, or at least inspires judges to write bad decisions? This Article offers an analysis of the Supreme Court's nude dancing cases from a perspective that is surprising within First Amendment discourse. This perspective is surprising because it is feminist in spirit and because it is literary and psychoanalytic in methodology. In my view, this unique approach is warranted because the cases have been so notoriously resistant to traditional legal logic. I show that the legal struggles over the meanings and the dangers of the gyrating, naked female body can be fully understood only when placed within a broader context: the highly charged terrain of female sexuality. By rereading the cases as texts regulating gender and sexuality and not just speech, a dramatically new understanding of them emerges: The nude dancing cases are built on a foundation of sexual panic, driven by dread of the female body. Ultimately, this analysis reveals a previously hidden gender anxiety that has implications not only for the law of nude dancing, but for First Amendment law more broadly. By presenting the ways in which irrational cultural forces shape the Court's supposedly rational analysis in the nude dancing cases, in the end I point toward an unusual conception of First Amendment law: Free speech law governs culture, yet in surprising ways, culture also governs free speech law.